New Family

Chapter 8

….

It had been four days since Mei and Chojuro visited Rikuto in the hospital. After a few days he was finally discharged and not long after that Rikuto, Mei and Temari departed to konoha however not before sending a letter to Naruto explaining about Rikuto and his connection to him.

Rikuto couldn't help but feel a bit excited as well as scared. He had never met his father before. What if he didn't like him? Worse. What if didn't want him?

"Do you think he'll…be proud of me?" Rikuto asked.

Temari chuckled. "Without a doubt."

Mei nods agreeing with the blonde, as they continued on towards Konoha, Rikuto decided to only think positive thoughts as they got closer and closer to their destination.

….

In Konoha

Naruto had his hands folded as he stared at the door to his office in deep thought.

Suddenly he glanced to the side as Shikamaru slid inside through the window.

"Can't you walk through the door like a normal person?"

"Nah. That would be boring." Replied the Nara

"Whatever. Did you do what I asked?"

Shikamaru nods.

Unfortunately Naruto wasn't the hokage yet, however ever since the war Kakashi and Tsunade had been teaching him all about politics and all the other things he would need to know to become hokage. After the war Tsunade resigned and Kakashi was elected the new Hokage. And it would still be a while yet until he was hokage but for the moment he was the interim Hokage .

With Shikamaru as one of his aide's he didn't have any trouble with paperwork or anything like that. Kakashi was at the Gokage meeting in Suna.

"When is Rikuto due here?" Asked Shikamaru

"A few days." Replied Naruto. "Have you read the entire letter?"

"No. I've skimmed it. All I really know is you have a little boy from your former love Yuki Haku." Said Shikamaru

The Nara had some other thought about his child and decided to stay silent. At least for now.

"Well, apparently the boy's a natural born prodigy. He's been trained by Mei herself. He's also been apprenticed under Temari-san."

Shikamaru looked surprised. "Well she has been going back and forth to Kiri and now that you mention it she has mentioned something about taking in a student."

"So. She's told you?"

Shikamaru nods. "We don't keep secrets between us. It's just how we are as a couple."

Naruto scratched the side of his face with his bandaged finger. "There's also the fact that apparently he tagged along with a group of chunin on a mission."

Shikamaru widened his eyes.

"How old is he and what rank was it?"

"Mei mentioned he was 9 years old in a separate letter. Also the mission was B Rank."

Shikamaru composed himself. "Tell me about this mission."

"The mission was tasked with taking out Yukio the stone fist." Said Naruto. "There was a huge battle and ultimately Rikuto won."

"Did he…?"

Naruto knew what Shikamaru was thinking and nodded.

'First kill huh? That must be rough." Said Shikamaru. He almost wanted to blame Mei and to an extension Temari but he knew it wasn't like they threw him headfirst into battle to see him suffer on purpose. He imagined they did it to give him some experience on the battlefield and so he wouldn't be defenseless. It was a normality that shinobi were captured and in some cases tortured and killed.

Naruto didn't like the idea that his son was only 9 years old and had already had his first kill. All he knew was he was gonna give his boy all the love and support he possibly could.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door before Haruno Sakura and Hyuga Hinata entered.

"Naruto-kun what did you want to speak to us about?" Hinata asked holding little Boruto in her arms.

Naruto sighed as he rubbed his temples making him look much older than what he actually was.

"Are you ok, Naruto? You can talk to me about anything, you know" Said Sakura worry stretching across her face.

Naruto smiled a little. "Thanks Sakura-Chan." He said. "I did need to speak to you about something. You too Hina-hime."

Sakura tilted her head to the side confused as she looked at Naruto and Hinata.

Hinata blushed. That was a nickname he usually only used at home, there wasn't a problem with it, the nickname actually made her quite happy.

"You two are as close as ever, eh?" Chuckled Sakura

Naruto looked at his former teammate and smiled. He had grew up with Sakura as a teammate and originally he thought he loved her. Well he does love her just not in a romantic way. Sakura was like a sister to him.

"Sakura…you remember our mission to protect Tazuna? Our battle against Haku and Zabuza?"

Sakura nodded slowly.

"You know how I would vanish from Tazuna's place frequently?"

Not only Sakura but Hinata stared at him.

"While I was training I met Haku."

Sakura widened her eyes.

"I had no idea that she was the masked shinobi at the time. I…just thought she was a cute girl. Naruto said. "Anyways as time went on I grew to care for her and eventually fell for her."

"Naruto. You idiot."

Hinata had a sad look on her face as she knew exactly who Haku and Zabuza were.

"There's more. Apparently Haku was pregnant…"

Both females gasped.

"You got Haku pregnant?" Sakura asked as Naruto nodded

"I'm just now finding out about this." Naruto said.

"How did you find out about this Naruto-kun?" Hinata wondered

Naruto told them about everything down to Rikuto's training and even about the mission to take out Yukio.

"That…."

"That's pretty heavy." Said Sakura. "You know you don't need to blame yourself right idiot? She didn't tell you for a reason. She probably knew you'd blame yourself."

Naruto frowned. He couldn't help it. This was his son they were talking about after all. His first born. He was supposed to be the one to raise him and yet he had to grow up fatherless and motherless these past 9 years.

He then went on to tell them of Rikuto's latest victory.

Sakura opened her mouth with a little surprise. "A prodigy?"

"That's what it sounds like." Said Naruto. "And he won against Yukio."

"Are…is he coming here?" Hinata asked

Naruto looked at his girlfriend and nodded. "A boy needs their father." He sighed. "I would know."

"I'll treat him as if he was my own." Said Hinata softly

Naruto smiled. "Thank you Hina-hime."

Hinata returned the smile. "I love you Naruto-kun."

"And I love you." He replied

...

Naruto and Hinata stood outside the Uzumaki residence with the Hyuga holding their little boy, Uzumaki Boruto.

"There!" Hinata exclaimed as she saw three figures turn around a corner and started walking towards them.

The first was Obviously Mei. Next was Temari and lastly was a young boy with bright blue eyes and dark raven hair, the tips of his spiky hair was blond however. It was unmistakably Naruto's son.

Naruto looked at Rikuto who glanced at him. He went to say something but was interrupted as the shinobi in training ran to him and hugged his leg. The father looked surprised before smiling warmly as he wrapped an arm around him.

"Welcome home son."

Tears streamed out of Rikuto's eyes as he continued to hold onto his fathers leg as if he would disappear.

"I sometimes forget he's only nine years old." Said Temari

Rikuto felt so happy as his father embraced him. To finally be close to him felt like a dream. After a few minutes the young shinobi pulled away and smiled.

Naruto smiled back.

"Well, I'll get out of your hair." Said Temari. "Come on Shikamaru. I should be getting dinner ready."

The Nara scratched his head before bidding his friends farewell.

Rikuto turned around and looked at his grandmother. "Baachan…."

Mei chuckled. "I guess this is goodbye." She said

"Yeah…."

"Don't you dare forget anything I've taught you." Mei said. "When your in a battle remember it all. Everything down to the basics. Let it lead you to victory."

Rikuto nodded and they hugged for a bit before Mei headed out.

Hinata looked at Rikuto. "Would you like to hold your little brother?"

Rikuto smiled as he looked at his younger brother who had the same whisker marks he had. Two Whisker marks on both cheeks.

"Boruto. say Hello to your big brother, Rikuto." Said Hinata as he handed the two year old child over.

Boruto gazed up at the boy in front of him and giggled as he grabbed Rikuto's bigger hand. The shinobi in training blinked as the baby closed his eyes.

"Odd." Said Naruto. "He's never that quiet."

Rikuto grinned. "I guess I'm pretty awesome huh?"

Hinata giggled. "That's true I guess. Boruto's usually a screamer."

Naruto watched Rikuto closely. It was as if he wanted to say something.

"Rikuto. You look like you have something on your mind."

The raven laughed. "Yeah…I was just wondering if you'd want to train me?"

Naruto grins. "Yeah. I thought you'd want to continue training, maybe I could even enroll you into the academy."

"I'd really like that….tousan."

Naruto smiled.

….

To be continued