Chapter Text
Something was wrong.
Hinata shook her head— trying to shake her fears and worries away.
But something was wrong. Shikamaru looked tense, and Naruto, Naruto’s eyes kept darting over her guiltily.
And something was gnawing at her.
Sakura seemed to realise something was wrong too— for it was she who broke the unnerving silence.
”Did something happen?” Her friend’s voice was measured yet uncertain.
Naruto gulped slightly, his eyes met with Shikamaru’s hardened gaze.
Naruto laughed, though it came out strained. “Oh- ya know, nothing…” he trailed off before beaming sunnily.
For once, his smile could not mediate nor mend.
Sakura’s eyes narrowed “Naruto…” she walked towards him eyeing him and Shikamaru up and down skeptically.
Sakura raised a fist towards Naruto, who shook his head ferociously— “Oh you know.. it’s just…”
”Does it have to do with my clan?” Hinata cut in breathlessly.
Silence.
There was something like pity in the men’s eyes.
Sakura frowned, before turning back to the duo.
Panic rose to her chest.
”Well, answer her, you two are clearly hiding something!” Sakura pointed accusingly.
They stayed silent.
Naruto shifted, his eyes trained to the ground for moments— occasionally looking up towards her.
They looked pained.
It’s can’t be…she thought.
Her heart hammered against her chest.
She swallowed whatever might threaten to come out down.
”Is it…” she didn’t want to say it.
Her chest constricted.
For saying it would make it so real.
So raw.
She bit her lip to steady herself from shaking, from sobbing.
She felt like a five year old girl again, when she was informed of her mother's passing. Like she felt at twelve, when her father and clan forsook her.
Like she felt when...
”Did s-something happen to H-Hisaki?”
Naruto and Shikamaru looked down at the floor. Then together, hesitantly, they nodded.
Her mouth opened— but no sound came out.
She wanted to collapse, to throw up, to scream.
Her knees shook, she felt the ground wanting to swallow her whole.
She desperately wish it did for her heart threatened to break into a million pieces.
She begged silently for it to— for any fate and reality would surely be more merciful.
She croaked. “No, no—“
My boy. My child— my first child.
She gasped.
She opened her mouth to scream, but could not force anything audible out.
Her hands flew up to her throat as she gasped rapidly and frantically.
She saw Sakura’s eyes widen as she hurriedly ran over.
She heard Naruto berating Shikamaru.
She felt Sakura’s arms enveloping and tightening around her.
The tears came next. Hot, stinging, and never-ending.
It clouded her sight yet she could see so clearly.
She could see her little boy alone, afraid, and so far away from her reach.
She could see his eyes so vividly.
Eyes as dark as his father’s—
eyes equally drained of life—
his tiny body as cold as that of the man that sired him.
She shrieked and thrashed until her body went limp.