A/N: Thank you so much for having interest in this story! It means a whole lot, and without further delay, have a good read!
It was Sunday night, December 24th; the snow was gently falling hours after the kids made their snowmen. The cookies were just freshly taken out if the oven to cool, and Christmas light lit up the household in a warm glow. The light breeze from outside made the fire inside that much more appealing to huddle around. The kids were antsy, not only for tomorrow morning, but to also see their father again.
Twenty-four hours ago was when Naruto said he would be home, at the latest, from a two week long mission. Twenty-four hours of Himawari and Bolt asking Hinata "Mommmmmm when is dad getting back, I thought he said he'd be back Saturday night!" and of course Hinata does her best to calm the children with 'don't worry, I'm sure he's just picking up presents for you!" or "He just got lost, you know your father."
To be honest she wouldn't doubt he'd get lost. He was going into somewhere in the iron country, a place that she has never even heard of, and wouldn't be surprised if he got lost on his way there or back. But that still doesn't make her not worry. She's more worried than Himawari and Bolt combined. What if he got ambushed, what if he caught some disease, what if he was being held captive against his will, forcing him to speak the secrets of the village but she knew he would never say, but she wasn't going to let that show.
"Maaa what did dad even have to go anyway? Can't the Iron people solve their own problems?" Bolt complained as he pouted his bottom lip, almost identical to what is dad does.
"Well honey, sometimes people have problems that they can't do by themselves, so they ask other people, and in this case it was your father. But all he has to do is beat up the bad guys, so it isn't any problem for your father." Hinata stated while smiling. She didn't want to tell them that there was word of an assassination of the general of the land of Iron buzzing around that Sasuke found out about, and Naruto, as a representative of peace, went to go and stop it. After all, it was a happy time in the Uzumaki household, being Christmas Eve.
"But mommy, what if daddy can't defeat the bad guy?" Himawari cried.
"Of course he's gunna defeat the bad guy, he wouldn't be Hokage if he couldn't!" Bolt remarked at her from beside their mother.
"Bolt there's no need to be rude to your sister, but he is right Himawari, your daddy wouldn't be Hokage if he couldn't defeat anything in his way." Hinata said while smiling at her children.
"Hey Mom," Bolt said, getting a 'yes?' from his mother.
"How strong is dad like... really? It's always so peaceful I've never got to see him really...DO anything."
Hinata looked at her son. And then gave him a puzzling look, not knowing what to say to him. She didn't want to be frank and say 'oh well he has a freakishly huge amount of Chakra and has a crazy fast healing ability and can use senjutsu that he learned from ancient sage frogs and can control the Chakra of a giant beast that was sealed inside him at birth that nearly destroyed the entire village.' Then she had an idea.
"Well... here, Bolt, do you see that red book over there on the shelf? Can you go grab it for me?"
Bolt got up and grabbed the book of the shelf and read the title aloud.
"'The History of the Fourth Great Shinobi War'? Why do you want this?" Bolt asked, bringing the book over to his mom.
"Story story story!" Himawari excitedly said.
"Well a very short story." Hinata said, opening the book from the back. Going through the index she found 'Uzumaki, Naruto.'
"Your father's name is in this book 227 times."
Hinata saw their eyes light up in awe, the same way that Naruto's did when she found this book at the bookstore years ago. They only bought it for that reason.
"This is so cool! I'm in a book Hinata!"
"Here, this is the last passage of the book…
'Because of the brave and valiant efforts of Naruto Uzumaki, the world entered a state of peace, and as long as he is around, no one will dare to try to throw it out of balance again. All the great nations, the villages, and every person that is living today owe everything to Naruto Uzumaki.'…
Back before you all were born, the war was going on, and your father was the hero of that war, he saved the entire Shinobi world from destruction at the age of only 17. He is an extremely powerful Shinobi." Hinata said while looking at Himawari.
"It s-sounds like daddy could be r-real scary!" She stuttered. Bolt did a little chuckle but Hinata knew he was thinking the same thing.
Scooping up both her children she said,
"Listen, the only people that need to be scared of your daddy are the bad guys." She said while kissing them on the cheek.
"Then what does daddy have to be scared of?" Bolt asked.
"Simple. He's scared of mommy, especially once he gets back for being so late!" Hinata said while her children laughed. She always loved their laughter; it's so genuine, pure, and full of innocence.
Almost as if to be fate, they heard a pair of keys jingle outside, and then the sound of them hitting the ground with a mumble of 'why do I always drop my keys?'
Hinata looked at her children as they started running towards the door, Himawari trying to climb on top of Bolt to unlock the door, since she wasn't tall enough, and Bolt whining to her "It's not my fault you are tall enough to reach the lock, so get off!"
Bolt threw the door open to find their dad about to put his keys in lock.
"OI! Good morning Bolt, Himawari!" Naruto said as saluting the two of them.
"Dadddddy!" they both yelled at the same time. They ran at him, climbing up his legs and onto his shoulders. Grabbing at his clothes and, what was to Himawari, 'daddy's ugly Frisbee hat.'
"Daddy why are you late? We were worried! Mom told us that you got lost!" Bolt said.
"Nu-uh bolt, mommy told us it was because he was picking us up presents!" Himawari said while bopping Bolt on the head with her tiny fist. Bolt stuck his tongue out at her.
Naruto laughed to himself before saying "Well, they're both true actually." Naruto sat the kids down so he could take off his jacket and hat and hang them up before they got destroyed… like the last ones.
"In the coordinates your dear uncle Sasuke gave me," he picks up Bolt, "they were off by quite a few miles from the actual rendezvous point, so I had to figure out where we actually were supposed to meet by myself, no thanks to uncle Sasuke still. And I actually got into town a few hours ago, but I thought 'well since I'm late, I need to make it up to them!' so I may or may not have brought you guys some extra presents." Naruto said while smiling.
"Really dad, you got us presents?" Himawari asked.
"Presents! Presents!" Bolt cheered. "Where are they?" He asked while Naruto put him down again.
"Well Bolt, that's simple. I have them hidden…somewhere, so-even-if-you-tried-you-couldn't-find-them, until tomorrow morning. Except for one, but that's for your mother. She gets hers tonight." Naruto said, crossing his arms and smiling.
"That reminds me, where is your mother?" Naruto questioned.
"I'm on the couch, sweetheart" Hinata replied.
"Ah! There you are!" Naruto said while sprinting over to her. He bends down and grabs her by her waist and spins her around singing,
"My wife my wife my my my wife is prettier than your wife your wife your your your wife!" finally after a minute he puts her back down and starts talking to her.
"Oh Hinata I missed you! I missed you so much!" He wrapped her in his arms and squeezed, which she squeezed back.
"I missed you too darling, I missed you very much." She said while giving him a kiss.
"Hey hey hey! I thought you got her a gift daddy!" Himawari said, trying to get onto the couch from the back side of it.
"Yeah, give her the gift!" Bolt said, hopping over the back with ease, offering help to Himawari, but her refusing to take it.
"Geez, you guys don't forget anything! But alright I'll do it!" he said reaching into his back pocket, pulling out a small box.
"Here Hinata, open it."
Hinata carefully grabbed the box from Naruto. It wasn't bigger than her hand, so it only took her a second to pull the paper off of it, giving it to Himawari, since she thought it was pretty. Under the paper was a box that folded up.
Opening the box she discovered a hair pin of a flower.
She gasped, putting her hand over her mouth.
"Naruto, it looks exactly like that flower." She looked up at him, still having her hand covering her mouth.
"What flower mom?" Bolt asked.
"It's an exact replica of the flower you wore in your hair on our wedding day. I made sure they got every spot and detail of it." He said, mainly directed at Hinata, but also answering Bolts question. He grabbed the pin out of its box, and went to place it in Hinata's hair.
"Sorry it's not as big, but it would've been too heavy if it was the same size." Naruto said, clipping it in place. After it was secure, he moved his hand and gently tilted her head up towards him.
"Even more pretty than the wedding." He said while a soft smile grazed his face. Hinata blushed and started stuttering.
"T-thank you Naruto i-it really is b-beauftif-"
"OOOOO MOM HAS A CRUSH ON DAD!" Bolt yelled in their faces while pointing and laughing. Naruto then spun around and pointed back at the boy.
"OI! MOM AND DAD BOTH HAVE CRUSHES ON EACH OTHER. THAT'S WHY WERE HUSBAND AND WIFE." Naruto exclaimed to Bolt.
As Naruto and Bolt were going back and forth Hinata looked at Himawari on the couch almost falling asleep. Giving a soft sigh with a smile, she picked up Himawari and tapped Naruto on the shoulder.
"When you and Bolt are done with your fun, take him to bed, will ya?" she smile at him, the pin still in her hair. Naruto lost his facial expression for two second and then it turned into an expression of slyness.
"Oh yeaaaah Bolt its Christmas eeeve, if you don't go to bed you won't get any presents from Santa."
"Dad I want to stay up and see Santa!" Bolt replied.
"He won't come if you don't fall asleep!" Naruto stated.
"NO SLEEP NO SLEEP NO SLEEP!" Bolt yelled, running around the living room.
"BOLT! GET BACK HERE AND GO TO BED!" Naruto yelled and started chasing after him. Hinata laughed at the sight, carrying Himawari upstairs to her room, placing her on her bed. By the time she had her tucked in her bed, she was already fast asleep. Hinata leaned down and kissed her cheek.
"Good night, Himawari. I hope you get everything you wanted and more tomorrow." She brushed Himawari's hair out of her face and walked over to turn on her nightlight, and walked out to find Naruto and Bolt in Bolt's room.
"Dad you had mom real worried. She kept telling us that you just got lost, but every time she did her hands would start to shake. I even had her tell us how strong you were so she wouldn't be as worried." Bolt said, looking sternly at his father.
"Oh trust me, I know, and I'm sure I'm gunna get a beating of a lifetime for making her worried, so if you wake up tomorrow and I'm all bruised and beaten, you'll know why." Bolt and Naruto had a little laugh together before Naruto put his hand on the top of Bolt's head.
"Good night Bolt, and in the morning you'll have plenty of presents from Santa. For sure!" Naruto smiled down at his son.
"You think so?" he asked back at him.
"Most definitely! But you got to go to bed before that will even happen!" Naruto remarked at Bolt.
"Well… Well get out so I can go to sleep!" Bolt shook his hands, signaling to his father to go away.
"Only after I do this!" Naruto said, then he leaned down and kissed Bolt on the check.
"Good night, Bolt." Naruto said.
"Night dad!" He said, giving him a hug, which Naruto wasn't expecting. But nonetheless, he immediately locked his arms around him, embracing him. Naruto took a deep breathe in and out, while Bolt kept saying,
"Dad, daaaaad, dad you can let go." Finally Naruto did let go of him.
"I love you Bolt. You know that, right?" Naruto asked.
"ohmygosh yes dad I know you love me and I love you too so now you need to go so I can go to sleep!" Bolt stated.
"Alright alright I'm going!" he said, walking towards the door and flipping the light switch. "Good night" He said. Turning the corner he almost ran straight into Hinata if she didn't dodge him.
"Sorry Hinata, i-I didn't know you were there." Naruto stumbled. Hinata just laughed, and walked over to their bedroom, making sure Naruto followed. She and Naruto walked in as Hinata closed the door. Naruto turned around to look at her.
"Oh Hina, I missed you so much." Naruto said, embracing her, taking in her scent and her body. She was such a perfect woman. So beautiful and caring and loving and how much she loved him was unmeasurable.
All the time he spent thinking about how amazing she was he couldn't hear her sobs until she mumbled something.
Pulling away he asked her what she said, and that's when he noticed her puffed eyes and wet face.
"I was so worried! N-normally when yo-u say 'i-I'll be back n-n-no later than t-this day, your-re back three days b-b-efore that and y-you wer-werent back a-and I was so so w-worried!" the entire time she was confessing she kept punching his chest. Not very hard, but still firm enough for her point to get across.
"I thought you had gotten c-c-aptured or-or you g-g-got ambushed o-or… or s-s-omething"
Naruto bent down and picked her up, bridal style, and carried her over to the bed and laid her down, wiping the tears off her face, kissing her cheek. Then he stood up and took his shirt off, turning around so she could see the scar that wasn't there when he left two weeks ago.
"N-naruto what happened?!" She flung herself off the bed and immediately went to examine it, but Naruto turned around and wrapped his arms around her.
"No worry, Hina! It happened when I told Sasuke to watch my back, but he had to deal with these two other guys , so this guy comes up and slashes my back. But it didn't get too deep, but I still had to sit around for a day and a half before I could come home to have a 'full recovery'. I didn't want to tell you in front of the kids, otherwise they would start getting scared when their dad would be gone." Naruto hugged Hinata deeply, saying how much he was sorry for making her worry… Also how Sasuke told him the wrong coordinates.
"I-I'm so sorry you got hurt, I didn't know." She said, still crying into his chest.
"Sss-s-s-s-hhh, Hina it's not your fault, don't worry don't worry, I'm here, I'm right here." He said, stroking her hair, leading her back to the bed. They sat down together, still with Hinata in his chest. They stayed like that for at least an hour.
When Hinata finally pulled away, she looked back up at Naruto and brushed her hair to the side, realizing she still had the pin in. She took it out and looked at it. It really looked exactly alike. The creases on the petals, the gradient change to the flower. The only real difference was this one had a gloss over the top of it.
"I-I love it, I really do." She said as she wiped her eyes.
"Do you? I was scared you think it' be silly." Naruto said, scratching his head.
"N-No! I would never think anything you gave me would be silly! …but why did you give it to me early?" Hinata asked.
"Well as I was running back home through the village, the shop I commissioned it at was still open, so I decided to hop in and see if it was done yet, since I asked them about three weeks ago, and sure enough it was! I was super excited to bring it to you and have be happy I just couldn't wait!" He said, falling to his back on their bed.
"I just want my wife to be happy." He yawned out, stretching his body.
"You make me happy just by being with me." She said back, laying her body along with his. Naruto turned on his side, wrapping his arms around her, drawing her closer to him, continuously kissing her forehead over and over again, making Hinata smile.
"I'm glad you're home for Christmas." Hinata whispered while he was still kissing her forehead.
"Im…just…glad…to…be…back…with…my…family." Naruto said between kisses.
The night went on like that for them like that for an hour or so until they both fell asleep in each other arms, whispering words of love to one another. They didn't get much sleep before Naruto's alarm went off at 4:30.
"What the?" Naruto said, sitting straight up in bed. He looked at his clock, and then hit it to make it stop its sirens. Looking at Hinata's sleepy face he said,
"Merry Christmas, darling." And then he kissed her on the lips.
"Merry," yawn, "Merry Christmas to you too." She said, smiling at him.
"C'mon, let's go put the presents out, and then we can go back to sleep for a while." He said, picking her up out of bed and carrying her over to the closet where the presents were, bringing them downstairs and putting them under the tree. Naruto went and grabbed the ones he left in the basement outside last night, and placed them under the tree too.
Not a second that they got comfy back in bed, did two little children come running into their room.
"MOMMA MOMMA ITS CHRISTMAS, WAKE UP WAKE UP!" Bolt yelled, running and jumping on his mother's side of the bed. Hinata sat up and grabbed him and started her tickle assault.
Himawari walked over to her father's side and pulled on his hair a little, saying,
"Daddy its Christmas, so you gotta get up." Yawning afterwards.
Naruto picked her up and put her on the bed.
"Are you still sleepy, Himawari?" he asked her.
"Bolt came into my room and dragged me in here to wake you up." She said with a yawn again.
"Then you're surely too tired to go open presents right?" Naruto asked her, getting himself up again.
"N-No!" She responded back. Naruto knelt on his knees in front of her, so she could easily climb on his back.
"Then how about you hop on and I'll take you downstairs." Naruto proposed to his daughter. Himawari got on and he started to get back up.
"Wait for me Dad!" Bolt said, and then he ran and jumped off the bed and onto his dad and stood on his shoulders, yelling
"Forward!" with his finger pointing out the door, while Naruto mumbled
"These two are gunna make me an old man in no time." And started his march down the stairs and into the living room.
"OIIIIII THERE'S SO MANY!" Bolt exclaimed, jumping off his father's shoulders, while Himawari waited for her father to set her down before she ran towards the presents. Hinata followed them down the stairs, watching them open all their presents.
"A new doll!" Himawari excitedly said.
"Cool! My own Kunai set!" Bolt said. Hinata made sure to let him know that he only uses them under mom or dad's supervision.
Himawari got some more books, Bolt got some more durable clothes to wear to the academy, since he always rips them, as well as various toys, candy, and sweets for the two of them. The children also got new clothes to wear over to the Grandparents house later.
"Alright kids, go change so we can go see Grandpa, and I'm sure he has more presents for you!" Hinata told them, hurrying them up the stairs.
"Oi, Hinata, there's one left." Naruto said, picking up one smaller box that was sitting behind the tree on the mantle of the fireplace. "Is it for Bolt or Himawari?" Naruto asked her, since he wasn't the best at wrapping gifts, Hinata always did it, while he held the tape.
"That one's for you silly. I put it up there so the children wouldn't unwrap it for you." She said, walking over towards him. Naruto's face lit up in delight as he unwrapped the box. They normally don't give gifts to each other on Christmas, ever since Himawari was born, and they just focused on the kids, so it was sheer luck that the two of them had decided to this year.
"Hinata, I love it!" Naruto said, holding up the tree fold picture frame that had their wedding picture and the kids on it.
"I know it's not something that elaborate, but I thought you'd like it for your desk, since you aren't home as much as I know you want to be." Hinata said as she poked her fingers together, something Naruto thinks she'll never stop doing, and he hopes she doesn't because he thinks it's incredibly cute.
"I don't want to put it in my office; I want it to be here. My office is for Hokage stuff, and not for family stuff, even though I wish it was. I want to keep it here, so that when you're out, and Himawari and Bolt are on their first missions, I won't feel so lonely here." He smiled at her, while putting it on the table in the living room next to the picture of Naruto's parents.
"See, now even if the kids get lonely, mom and dad are right here!" He said, putting his hands on his hips.
"Now, we better get dressed to go to your pa-" Naruto stopped once he felt Hinata wrap her arms around him from his back. He let out a small laugh, while grabbing his wife's arms.
"Hina, I love it, I really do." He said, then he unwrapped her arms and turn around to face her.
"But I love you even more." He said while stroking her hair out of her face. Hinata grabbed his hand, and nuzzled her face into it.
"Merry Christmas, Naruto."
A/N:
Well that's the first fanfiction ive made in a while! Every time I get back into it I always make a new account. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed, and as everyone else says, please review and favorite!