I can't believe I didn't upload this earlier! Anywho, here's a little oneshot between Boruto and Hinata. It does follow the canon ending so if you didn't like it I ask that you please be respectful.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Enjoy!

Hard Work and Helping Hands

One-shot

"I hate this!"

Hinata looked up from her work to see Boruto's little face scrunched up into a pout as he glared down at the mess of yarn. Pink thread sat knotted together in the sunlight, an indistinguishable clump on her son's lap, and the sewing needles lay sprawled on the floor. Hinata smiled as she set aside her own knitting, placing a hand on the back of her son's head.

"Oh? Why do you say that?"

"Because!"

"Just because? That's not a very good reason," Hinata said.

"It's hard. I don't like it," Boruto stated, crossing his arms. He nudged the needles with his toe and Hinata felt laughter bubble up in her chest. She couldn't help it; he just looked so adorable when he was frustrated.

"Oh, I see," she nodded, pretending to agree. "I suppose it is very hard."

"Exactly," the boy declared. He tossed the yarn onto the empty space beside him on the couch and Hinata internally shuddered at the thought of all those knots. Externally, however, she gently smoothed back his hair and tapped his chin to get his attention.

"But, you know, mama used to find it hard, too."

"No you didn't!" And he looked so sure of the fact that for a moment Hinata had to wonder what she'd done to earn such faith. She smiled as a light fluttery feeling filled her chest.

"Oh yes I did," she said, grin spreading as her words did nothing to dissuade her son from his opinion.

"I don't believe you."

"Why is that?"

"'Cause you're good at everything!"

Hinata's mouth opened, but she found no words were able to pass through. Instead, what came out was a surprised giggle.

"Why are you laughing? It's true!" He insisted, and Hinata did everything she could to hold in her mirth.

Covering her mouth with her hand, she said, "I'm sorry, sweetie. I didn't mean to laugh. You just made mama very happy, that's all."

"Oh," Boruto muttered, a faint rosy blush spreading across his cheeks. "Well, good. 'Cause it's all true." But he wouldn't meet her eyes, instead becoming more interested in the fraying thread beside him than his mother.

Hinata kissed the top of his head and, ignoring the strangled cry of 'Ma~ma!', reached over to pick up the pink pile. Boruto's fingers stilled as he watched his mother begin to pull knots out of the mess.

"But it is true," Hinata began. Her eyes flickered to look knowingly at her six-year-old before turning back to the yarn. "I wasn't very good when I first started. In fact, Hanabi-baa-chan still likes to tease me about the birds' nests I used to make. There were so many knots, she couldn't tell they were supposed to be clothes."

Boruto's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Mmhm," Hinata nodded. "When I told her what I was trying to make, she laughed at me."

"That wasn't nice!"

"No, you're right, it wasn't," she agreed. "But we were very little and she apologized later. I had to practice a lot before I was able to make anything really good. It took a long time."

Her son bit his lip at that and Hinata understood his hesitation. It had been apparent early on that the boy was skilled; schoolwork came easily to him and it didn't take him long to understand shinobi techniques. He was used to instant success, so to be met with something he really had to work at had to be very frustrating. Hinata was both saddened and grateful for the lesson.

"It really took you a long time?" He finally asked, peering up at her through his blond fringe.

Hinata grinned and bobbed her head. "It really did."

"But-but why didn't you give up?"

The woman's eyes widened, but she quickly hid her surprise under a gentle smile. Her face relaxed and she ran a finger across the soft pink wool in her lap. "Well, I suppose there are a lot of reasons. For one, even though I wasn't very good at it, I still had a lot of fun learning. I made a lot of mistakes, but I learned from them, and I could see myself getting better and better with every attempt. Each time I was able to make the scarf a little longer or a little tighter, I felt proud of myself, because I had worked hard and it paid off." She brushed aside a wisp of his hair as Boruto stared in wonder. "And each time I would sit down and struggle with the length, or the knots, or the form, I would remember why I decided to do it in the first place. You see, when mama was very little, I got hurt by some of the older boys in the village. They were teasing me about my eyes and I got very sad. But then a brave little boy stepped up. He yelled at the bullies for hurting me and tried to defend me. No one had ever done that for me before. I felt very bad that he got hurt helping me and I wanted to thank him. The bullies had taken his scarf and ruined it, so I thought that fixing it would be the best way to thank him for his kindness. So every time I thought of giving up, I would remember the boy who risked himself to help me. It took a long time before I was able to repay him."

"And did you?" Boruto asked, looking up at her in rapt attention.

Hinata nodded. "I did. We had become very good friends by that point, but I never forgot all he did for me. By making him that scarf, I was able to finally tell him all I felt for him; how much I admired him, how thankful I was that he always pushed me to be the best person I could be, how much I loved him. All that work, all that practice, it was all worth it to see him smile."

"But what about daddy?"

"Oh, don't you know?" Hinata grinned. "The little boy was daddy."

"What?" Boruto exclaimed. "Daddy saved you from the bullies?"

"He did indeed. It was the first time I ever met him, but I was too shy back then to really talk to him. At first, I just watched him from the back of the classroom. He didn't always succeed, but I admired him for his inability to give up. He had a confidence I lacked and I respected him for that. By the time I was finally ready to give him the scarf, I had grown to love him."

"Wow," the little boy whispered, completely enthralled.

Hinata laughed. "Now every time I make something, I do it for the people I love. For daddy, and you, and Hima – for Kiba and Shino. Hanabi-oba-chan has quite a few mittens and I think your grandfather still has a few of my early attempts tucked away where he thinks I don't know."

"You really do it for all of us?"

"I really do."

Boruto's little head bobbed thoughtfully up and down as he contemplated this new information. His eyes flickered to the pink pile in his mother's lap and the needles still lying on the floor. He bent down to pick them up. "Mama, I think I want to try again."

"Really? I thought it was too hard," Hinata teased.

"I can do it, mama. I'll just have to work as hard as you," he declared.

Boruto grinned up at her, all teeth and whiskered cheeks, and Hinata felt a well of pride spring up in her. Her son never ceased to amaze her. She matched his smile with her own and positioned the now knot-free yarn back on his lap.

"Alright, then let's try again. First, let's make a slipknot."

"Like this?"

"Exactly, now loop here…and here…and here…"

Hinata watched as her son wrapped the yarn around the needle, little tongue sticking out of his mouth in concentration. He was completely absorbed in his work. The pink fibers started to form loops around the needle and, while slightly loose, were much better than his first attempt. Hinata quietly picked up her own discarded knitting and made to match his movements.

"Mama, I think I like knitting now."

Hinata beamed and leaned down to kiss her son on the forehead.

"I thought you might."

And that's that. I hope you all enjoyed! Please leave a review, but don't flame. I wish to improve as a writer, and, while I appreciate constructive criticism, flames don't help. Thank you very much for reading! Have a wonderful day/night!

~AlabasterInk