"In a child's eyes, a mother is a goddess. She can be glorious or terrible, benevolent or filled with wrath, but she commands love either way. I am convinced that this is the greatest power in the universe."

― N.K. Jemisin

Growing up, she never allowed an ill thought about him to linger in my mind.

"-There we were, surrounded!" Still in her apron, she wielded a spoon she had been washing, her pose low and cautious. Mama never minded looking a bit silly in order to tell her stories. I appreciated the enthusiasm, as a little girl. "Bandits from the Land of Lightning were formidable, yes, but our team was clearly underestimated! Naruto and-"

"Mama."

With a short chuckle and an eyeroll, "...Sorry, the honorable young Lord Hokage and your papa fought them off! Shuriken flying one one side, clones on the other! The enemy's mouths dropped when they realized they were clearly outmatched. Your mama broke the ground from under them with one clean punch. By collecting my chakra into my hands, I can focus it, then release it on a specific target! Bam! The Earth shook and broke out from under them, leaving the enemies off balanced and unprepared! Completely off guard!" She made a fist as she pretended to punch the ground, with a little 'shannaro' for effect.

"So cool!"

"The oh-so wonderful future Lord Hokage used his clones to gather the enemy, ensuring our upperhand by not allowing them to continue to surround us! ...That's a good thing to remember now, Sarada, if you're surrounded try to find a quick way to become unsurrounded-"

"Mama! The story!"

"Right, right," She brushed a lock of hair behind her ear with a little smile before continuing, "your papa waited for the perfect moment," She neared closer to me as her voice became quiet. She reached under my arms to lift me, "to attack!"

"He used the fire ball jutsu, right-!?"

"That's right!" Mama kissed my cheek before putting me back down, "He was so fast, no one could follow his hand signs with their naked eye! But he could, with his incredible Sharingan. Your papa could predict when an enemy would attack, and made sure to attack first!... Which is another good point to remember, dear, don't ever hesitate to attack unless you are absolutely certain that-"

"Mama!"

"Yes, sorry! Your papa's fire jutsu scorched the enemies! Fuosh!" She brushed the skirt of her apron and turned back towards the sink, finishing up the dishes as she spoke, "He'd straighten up casually, as if the huge ball of fire he had created only moments before was as easy as breathing. Team seven was, again, victorious without a flaw."

I stepped closer to her to tug at the hem of her skirt, pleading for her to keep talking, to keep telling me about him. Anything more. "Was he really cool?"

She'd smile down at me with the smile that she always had whenever she'd talk about him, gentle and adoring, "So, so cool."

"Cooler than Lord Seventh?"

Mama laughed at that, giving a light shrug that I knew she only did to keep from answering 'yes' too quickly, "Let's just say they were cool in their own ways. Though, between you and me, I think your papa was much cooler." After drying her hands, she leaned down, resting her elbows onto her knees to look at me. "Hm? That's that face for? You don't believe that?"

I hesitated. Sometimes I feared that my thoughts would disappoint her, or would make her smile falter. Though, even so, I continued, "Lord Hokage is really, really cool though. He's able to be Hokage and stay in the village. He's able to be both Hokage and Boruto's papa."

I never understood that, maybe I still don't completely. The seat of Hokage is supposed to be the most difficult and most honorable job in the whole village; the role of leader and protector. So then, why was he unable to come home? He wasn't Hokage. If Lord Seventh could return home to his family, why couldn't he?

Mama's smile would only waver in her eyes, a hint of sadness left there at my words. I know, though, she tried her hardest to fight that hint of sadness from me. "That's true, huh?" She tilted her head a little, "But, you know, your papa and Boruto's papa have different jobs. Lord Seventh protects us and guides us inside the village. Your papa is away so that he can stop any threats from outside. You know that."

I knew that. She always told me that. Everytime I hesitated and questioned him, she'd remind me without fail. He's protecting us.

Mama lifted my chin gently when I started to look down, her smile still there. Always there. "Do you wanna know something really cool?"

"Hm?"

"Sometimes I hear Naruto- I mean, Lord Seventh, call your papa the other 'Kage'."

"The other one?"

Mama nodded with a bright grin, one that emphasized her dimples, "Even today, they're still a team. Brothers. Imagine the title 'Hokage' being like a coin. What does a coin have?"

"One side, and the other."

"That's right." Her gentle fingertips tapped my forehead, "Two sides, but still the same coin. If there's a flame, there's always a shadow." Mama rested her hand on my shoulder, looking at me to make sure I really understood the significance of what she was saying, "Even though he's not here, he wants to be. That's why he's gone, because he's working so hard to make sure that whatever bad is out there won't come near you and me. When it's safe, we'll all be together forever."

I didn't know if my papa really deserved her.

He was an incredible shinobi, no doubt, but more importantly, he had the admiration and love of my mother. To me, that spoke more about the type of person he must be rather than the stories my mother would tell of him. He had been gone out of our lives for as long as I could remember, but my mother never showed me that she was bitter or angry about it. She must've been, I'd imagine, just a little, but I never saw it. She only allowed me to see her strong, brave and dignified, standing loyally by his side even when we didn't know where he was.

For a man to have my mother as his wife, that meant he must be someone worthy of her.

"Mama?"

"Mm?"

"Papa's pretty cool, huh?"

A chuckle escaped her lips, "The coolest."

Thank you for reading my first drabble on this site.

Reviews are appreciated.

(人´∀`)ありがとー