Happiness has been Naruto's and Hinata's greatest quest. It's the fight they had to win against the fate that had been imposed to them.

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Written for NaruHina week 2019 - Day 2

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With his arms around the transparent crib of the hospital, Naruto was sitting on a chair to be at the same level his now sleeping son was. He had experienced his first breastfeeding a while ago before being rocked until his innocent, big, blue eyes closed to carry him to his dreamland.

Lying on the hospital bed next to them, Hinata nibbled on her lunch while looking fondly at her husband's finger caressing every limb of their child.

She was touched by his sensitivity when she noticed that Naruto's nose and eyes were still red, sign that he had cried much more than her who had been suffering during labour.

He had succeeded at keeping his cool when they had left the Hyuuga compound during Hanabi's birthday party in a hurry. It was such a surprise to everybody when her waters had broken that Naruto automatically set his brain on autopilot, analysing and acting as if he was on the battlefield.

However, as soon as they had penetrated the hospital's reception, his brain clicked when he saw Hinata taking great controlled inhales and exhales and he realised what being in this building actually meant. It was clearly not one of the exercises they had to do during their classes they had followed for several months. It's at this moment he started to panic.

Pacing up back and forth in the room they had been given, Naruto couldn't stop asking if the midwives knew what they were doing because his baby hadn't arrived yet.

Annoyed, they had gently asked him to let them do their job. It's at that moment Naruto understood his mistake, but instead of simply apologise, he had claimed that he wanted to prevent any terrible accident to happen to his wife and son at all cost.

Fortunately, the doctor then came back and after checking everything was good, he had asked Hinata to start pushing which made Naruto quiet. Next to her, he had offered her his hand for her to know that she had his support whatever happens.

What a big mistake.

With tears in the corner of his eyes, he had gritted his teeth. On one hand because Hinata was literally crushing his hand, and on the other hand because he couldn't bear the sight of his wife in such a state of pain.

He had wanted to ask the midwives to start a medical jutsu, but Hinata tightened a bit more her grip around his hand which made him silent for good.

However, what had been the final straw was the first cries of their healthy son. Naruto failed to hold back his tears until Hinata calmed him down with her numerous kisses and her soft voice.

He still had teary eyes when the doctor had asked him if he wanted to cut the umbilical cord. But he was so happy it was hard to contain everything. Therefore, he had cried his eyes out again when his son came back all clean and ready to not be part of his mother.

He noticed the caregivers had left them alone only when he succeeded at getting a grip on himself.

Or it's what he thought.

He really thought he had poured out all the water from his body, but when Hinata proposed him to take Boruto in his arms, he was overwhelmed by emotions once again.

His wife had then patiently waited. After all, she knew her husband was part of the most emotional people when it was about his family.

What a challenge.

Naruto was almost as tired as Hinata, but he couldn't leave that chair hard as a rock he had placed next to the bed and the crib to be near Hinata and Boruto at the same time.

With his fingertip, he caressed his son's tiny feet covered with small orange socks. "Did you see, Hinata? Look at where his toes stop compared to my hand!"

"Yes, Naruto-kun, I did." she replied gently.

"So tiny." he murmured with a fascinated tone.

He let his finger slide on his bare legs before placing his large hand on his belly. Hinata saw his blue eyes shine with amazement. "Did you see the size of my hand on his belly?"

"I did, Naruto-kun. And don't forget to be careful with his head."

Naruto nodded without letting his young baby out of his sight.

His finger then slid on his cheeks, but instead of saying how chubby they were, Hinata saw his blond eyebrows frown with worry. "He's got my whiskers." Naruto murmured.

She saw him softly rub Boruto's whiskers as if he was trying to get rid of them. She wanted to say something, but he cut her off while caressing his son's blonde locks.

"He's also got my blonde hair, but I'm glad it's thinner than mine. It's nearly as soft as yours too. It'll be easier to brush it in the morning."

He laughed, recalling the numerous mornings where he had given up on the idea to tame his wild hair. She then took advantage of his pause to say what she was thinking earlier.

"It's true, he looks like you, but I wouldn't have been able to imagine a baby more beautiful than Boruto. He's the perfect mix of both of us and of our love."

Hinata felt a small smile spread through her lips when she saw Naruto's gaze go from surprised to deeply touched before being wet with tears again. He quickly wiped his eyes.

"Yeah, but I'm sure you're going to be his favourite, Hinata."

"Maybe, but I'm sure that you are going to be his hero. After all, you're his father."

"You... really think so?" he sheepishly asked.

"Uh-huh", she affirmed with a soft smile.

Naruto felt himself blush at his wife's words then his eyes fell back on this adorable sweetie that was his son. He had been waiting for him for around nine months and now, he couldn't wait to spoil him.

It's true that facing his fragility, he could only feel superpowerful, made to protect, to love.

He was ready to move heaven and earth for Boruto. That's a promise.

Hinata took a potato with her frock, but before putting it in her mouth, she felt Naruto's large hand on top of hers.

"Thank you, Hinata. Thank you for starting a family with me. Thank you for adding Boruto to the people I love the most and to the people I have to protect. I always thought I was fated to live alone, but you helped me to see that I wasn't... and I'll be forever grateful."

Touched by his words, she smiled and took his hand in hers to comfort him and show him she wasn't going anywhere and she would always be by his side.

Suddenly, they heard a small hiccup and Naruto looked down to see two giant blue eyes staring back at him with a questioning look.

"Hello Boruto!" he whined on a tune slightly excited.

He removed his hand away from his baby and smiled. But another hiccup was heard and Boruto suddenly started to cry which surprised his father before he became panicky again.

What should he do now?

His son was trying to say something, but he didn't know what.

"What is it... I didn't do anything!"

"Everything's alright, Naruto-kun."

Hinata pushed the small table, straightened up and placed her hand on Naruto's cheek to reassure him. Then, she took Boruto in her arms before hugging close to her breasts.

Fascinated and relieved, Naruto watched the newborn baby calm down when he started to suck voraciously his mother's milk.

Leaning back against the soft pillows, Hinata looked at her beautiful child in her arms before feeling Naruto's fingers tuck a few locks of her long midnight hair behind her ear. She looked at him and saw his eyes filled with love.

His chin resting in his hand, he gave her his largest and brightest smile, the one that made her fall for him all over again.

He really had a way to make her forget how much she had changed because of her pregnancy. She didn't even dare to think how awful she must look after the long hours of labour she hadn't recovered from yet.

And yet, she felt so good right now thanks to her husband's bright presence next to her.

"You know what, Hinata. We're fated to make beautiful babies."

Yes, she just felt her heart stop as she blinked, trying to follow where this conversation was leading her.

"B-Babies? With 's'?"

"Yes, Hinata, with 's'." He replied while wiggling his eyebrows.

He knew what he was doing and this realisation made her blush. She was so cute when she was being his shy Hinata again.

"If you said so, Naruto-kun." she breathed.

His hand still playing with the same lock of hair slid on the back of her neck and he leaned towards her to give her a proper kiss.

Then a second.

And eventually the third turned into several feather-like kisses all over her face.

Laughing, Hinata let his nose roll, tease and breath in her skin for a while before trying to lead him towards her lips for a meeting with his soft ones.

However a knock on the door caught their attention.

"Onee-chan!"

Naruto stood up as Hyuuga Hiashi and Hanabi appeared at the bedroom with gifts in their hands.

"I'm here to see my nephew who's nicely spoiled my time with my big sister."

Hinata signed for her little sister to come closer while reporting to her father all the information the nurse had given to them when she had brought Boruto back in the room after his wash.

"He's adorable!" Hanabi looked at Hiashi. "Isn't he, Father?"

For an unknown reason, Naruto suddenly felt his throat tightened.

He knew Hanabi liked to involve their quiet and reserved father to the conversation. It was her way to make him open up a bit more, but today he would've preferred to wait for a while before hearing his father-in-law's opinion.

Sitting on the seat Naruto had occupied before him, Hiashi uncrossed his fingers at the same level of his eyes and looked down again on his grandson who was paying attention to no one but his mother.

"He is. Congratulations to both of you."

Relief seized Naruto who thanked him politely while holding back from scratching the back of his head.

"Thank you, Father." Hinata replied. "And thank you for the great help you had provided us. It was really good for us."

"Oh but don't say it as if it was over, onee-chan. I plan on giving you much more of my support, right Father?"

Hiashi's hands disappeared again in the long sleeves of his top. "Hanabi, it's really kind of you. But I think Hinata and Naruto would rather be alone with their newborn child once they are back in the tranquillity of their home. Of course if you need anything you are always welcome at the Hyuuga compound, but don't forget to always support each other first." He then sat down on his seat again. "Well, I know I'm not teaching you both anything."

The couple discreetly smiled at each other while Hanabi pouted.

Naruto knew the young heir loved her sister more than anything else. They had a particular relationship which escaped him from time to time and it was surely that type of connection she must miss the most.

"You can still visit us once we are used to it, Hanabi."

Fortunately, his wife was the purest soul he knew and even though she wanted nothing but to rest right now, she was taking part of the conversation while keeping Boruto close to her.

It's only when the two Hyuuga leave them that she allowed herself to rest her head against him and to close her eyes. In a rush of affection, Naruto wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her forehead.

"I love you." he murmured as he kept her hand in his.

"I love you too." She looked at him and caressed his fingers.

Happier than ever, they didn't give in to tiredness yet in order to admire their child for a few more minutes.

In their eyes, Boruto was a new proof of their love for each other, but also a proof that they had succeeded at changing their dark destiny in something way more brighter.