Boruto The Next Generation: Aftermath

Pain

Author Note:

Happy new year!

Declaimer: All characters in Naruto and Boruto series belong to Masashi Kishimoto and Ukyo Kodachi respectively.

This chapter is not beta'd.

Enjoy!

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Hinata watched her husband hurriedly left the dining room before she turned to look at his uneaten meal. She thought of giving Naruto-kun a few minutes to recuperate before she check on him after dinner, but she noticed how quiet he was during dinner and seem to be troubled by something. She turned to her children as she stood up.

"Go on and finish your food, I am going to check on him and let him rest."

"Okay, Mama!"

After a pat on Himawari's head and a promise from Boruto to clean up after they finished, Hinata went upstairs towards her and Naruto's shared bedroom and saw the door closed before she knocked it several times.

"Naruto-kun? Are you okay?"

She got no reply so she knocked again. "Naruto-kun? I know you are tired, but please eat something. Both Himawari and Boruto are worried about you, and so am I. I know you probably have a lot of thing to think about, your work, the village... But please, take care of yourself. I... I missed you. During my stay at Father's with the kids, I am really missed you, and worried too. Naruto-kun?"

Hinata began to worry as no reply was heard. Her husband was hard to read when he was troubled with something as he used to keep things by himself and often didn't know how to reply when she asked out of concern, either that or he has fell asleep and heard none of her words. She hoped it was the latter. She decided to open the door and her eyes widen at the sight of her husband sprawled on the floor with his left arm curled around his stomach, sweats beaded on his forehead.

"Naruto-kun!"

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"I am going to check on Mom."

Boruto stepped out of the kitchen, wiping his wet hands with a dry washcloth as Himawari just finished wiping the table. Their mother already done eating when she went upstairs to check on their father, so Boruto decided to clean up everything on the table after they done eating. Himawari also has wrapped her father's uneaten food and put it in the fridge.

Himawari replied with frown as she saw her brother climbed the stairs, "But shouldn't we wait? Papa looks tired so we shouldn't disturb him. If you are going upstairs you will argue with Papa again."

"I am not going to argue with him, 'ttebasa. I am just checking on Mom and that old man."

Himawari chuckled, "You are worry about Papa?"

Boruto grumbled as he paused in climbing the stairs, "Shut up. I am not worrying about him. He might do something stupid to Mom, so I am going to check on that."

Himawari chuckled, "Whatever you say, Big Brother."

Boruto looked at his sister, "Don't eat too much jelly for dessert. You know Mom doesn't like you to eat that right after dinner."

Himawari pouted before waved her small spoon before she scoped some more of the said sweet treat and put it in her mouth sulkily. "I know that already..."

Boruto shook his head, chuckled lightly at his sister before continuing the climb. Just as he reached the second floor, he heard his mother's faint calls 'Naruto-kun!' and ran to his parents bedroom. He reached the opened door and saw his mother kneeled beside his father who was sprawling on the floor, his left arm curled around his stomach.

"Dad?! Mom, what happened?!"

His mother didn't notice of his presence as she ignored him and continued to call his father's name.

Boruto was stunned as he looked at his father's sprawled form. He never saw his father laid down in pain like that, not even when he was rescued from Momoshiki in the other dimension. He saw his old man was bounded to that weird tree and who knew what Momoshiki had done to him before they came to rescue him, but even he looked tired, like he always do, he looks so cool when he fought Momoshiki together with Sasuke-san. His attacks were powerful and he didn't look like that he was hurt in the first place. Even when they have returned from the other dimension, his father stood strongly as he took the command of his shinobis to strengthen the village's security and  control the panic of the civilians.

He finally understand his father after witnessing what actually Hokage's duty was. His father willing to sacrifice himself to protect everyone in the village from Momoshiki's attack, just like a father who willing to do anything to protect his family. The blond Hokage always said the whole village was his family, and it took an attack from the alien clan, the sight of his father's sacrifice for him to understand what those words meant.

Boruto shook his head to snap himself from his thoughts as he quickly kneeled at his father's left side since his mother already kneeled at the right side. He was a shinobi, he couldn't be panic over something like this, he need to be calm and strong for his mother. Hinata finally noticed his presence as she looked at him in surprise. "Boruto?"

"Mom, what happened to Dad?"

Hinata shook her head worriedly, "I don't know."

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"Naruto-kun, can you hear me?"

"Dad?"

Naruto heard voices called for him, though he didn't care as those voices were loud enough to make his head felt like it about to explode. He didn't register to anything other than pain. He tried to move away from those voices but a wave of pain hit him just by the slight shift of his body and he can't helped but gave out a pained groan.

He didn't understand why he was in so much pain, he didn't remember of fighting anyone. Last time he remembered he was having dinner with his family. Was his family being attacked while having dinner? Was that why he felt so much pain? He can't remember, and it scared him. Did he fail protecting his family?

Naruto suddenly felt his chest tightened, his breathing became shallow and erratic as he began to feel panic, alarming the people around him. Gentle fingers quickly felt his pulse, and he was gently turned to lay flat on his back, a soft material was placed under his head. Pain exploded throughout his body as he was moved, though he felt too weak to protest the  movement. The pain has sapped all his energy.

"Boruto, call the hospital!"

Naruto heard quick footsteps were leaving the room. He weakly tried to turn to lay on his side but gentle hands held him in place while a soft voice continued to murmur to him, asking him to calm down and breath slowly, assuring him that everything was fine. He can't calm down, he has failed his family! His panic increased as he felt his chest tightened even more and it was harder to breath.

Kit, calm down! You are going to hyperventilate if you keep breathing like that!

Who's that? Kurama?

Yes, it's me. Your family is fine. Now calm down before you scared your family to death! Just breath slowly, I will try to reduce the pain.

Naruto continued to gasp for air before he managed to control his breathing as he felt the pain subsided a little. His chest still felt tight and his body was hurting all over, but the pain was bearable than before.

Kit, I can feel that pink-haired's chakra is getting closer. Just hold on.

Naruto finally calmed down as he laid there, feeling exhaustion from the pain. He was still worried as he can't remember why he was in pain in the first place, but at least his family was fine, Kurama said so. The blond Hokage ignored soft murmurs asking him to open his eyes as he let his counciousness fade into darkness.

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Until the next chapter!