Creation

Female laughter filled the quiet house as three young women entered in through the front door. Hinata Uzumaki – the one with the key – opened up her house to her two friends Sakura and Ino, who gazed around the first room with awe.

“It’s really coming along Hinata, you’re really turning this place into a home,” Sakura said.

“Naruto-kun was really excited when I put the idea to him. I think his parents would have wanted us to turn the Uzumaki clan’s mask temple into our family home. It’s a fresh start, a new beginning,” Hinata said, looking around the room.

“What’s left to do?” Ino asked.

“Mainly clean-up. While we tried to salvage what we could to restore with the home, a lot has to be thrown away.”

“And you’re on a time limit, only three months to go. Otherwise, the baby’s going to born into an unfinished house,” Ino said, cooing over Hinata’s protruding belly.

At six months pregnant, Hinata’s stomach was round and quite obvious. It had surprised her in 24 hours. One day she just looked like she’d put on a bit of weight and then the next day you could tell she was growing a human inside her.

Rubbing her belly reverently, Hinata smiled. “We should have the house completed about a month before the baby is due, there’s only a few rooms that need finishing off and then we can start furnishing properly.”

“Is it safe for you to stay here though?” Sakura asked, her medical training kicking in.

“Yes, I only use the living area, the main bedroom, kitchen, study and the baby’s room and all the structural work is completed. The painting in the baby’s room was finished the day before yesterday and I stayed at the apartment during that time.”

As Ino and Sakura admired the living area, Hinata sat her bag down and was about to follow suit on the couch when she heard a yelp of pain from within the bowels of the house. Sakura and Ino were immediately at attention but Hinata smiled.

“It’s Naruto-kun, he’s home.” Her eyebrows came together in curiosity. “I wonder why he’s lowered his chakra signature so much?”

Moving slowly and quietly - her own chakra lowered – towards the noise, Hinata with Sakura and Ino in tow came to a stop outside the newly painted nursery. Hinata’s heart melted and a soft smile spread over her face at the image before her.

Among the freshly painted soft orange room sat her husband – still in his ANBU uniform and mask sitting askew on the side of his head – battling with a bassinet. Naruto had an intense look of concentration on his face as he inspected a piece of the baby equipment with one hand, the other thumb in his mouth as he sucked on it to alleviate the pain. Instructions lay discarded and material and wooden bits lay scattered around him as he tried to put the bassinet together.

Then Sakura laughed and Naruto looked up.

And pouted.

“Aw, I wanted to surprise you with the finished thing,” he whined, his tone in complete opposition with the severity that accompanied his uniform. He stood and dusted himself off before walking over to the doorway where his smiling wife, team mate and friend were standing. “Hi Hina-chan, how was lunch?”

“It was lovely, thank-you Naruto-kun,” Hinata responded with a tender smile as he kissed her gently on the lips.

Naruto’s own expression was tender as he squatted down, kissing her belly and stroking it softly. “Hey baby, keep growing but stop kicking Mummy when she’s sleeping, she needs her rest.”

Ino’s hands clasped to her mouth and she was trying incredibly hard not to squeal with delight at the adorableness of the scene before her. Sakura wasn’t as quiet.

“And where’s our greeting Baka?” She asked teasingly.

Naruto straightened and hugged Sakura and then Ino. “Hi Sakura-chan, Hi Ino. Do you want me to kiss your tummies?”

Ino laughed. “What for, mine’s taut and trim and perfect as ever. Forehead may have put on a few kilos, but I suspect that’s late nights at work and quick, easy meals when she can get them.”

Sakura flicked her best friend on the arm. “Watch yourself Ino-Pig! My tummy’s as flat as ever, thank-you very much.”

Naruto watched their bickering with humoured interest as he looped an arm around Hinata’s shoulders and guided her into the room. “I got home from my mission and was still too wired to take a nap, so I thought I’d do something useful while I waited for the water for my ramen to boil.” His head shot towards the direction of the door. “Ah, my ramen!”

“Naruto-kun, how about I make you ramen?” He nodded enthusiastically. “You finish setting up the bassinet and I’ll get that started.”

With a joyful kiss on her head, Naruto sat back down determined to set up the bassinet. Sakura and Ino looked at each other meaningfully.

“Well, we’re not going to be any help in the kitchen or setting up that thing,” Ino said.

“Yep, give me an intricate medical procedure over cooking any day,” Sakura added.

“N’aw, I could probably use some help setting up the clarinet-”

“Bassinet,” Sakura corrected.

“Bassinet for the baby. Then you could brag for years and years to the baby that Aunty Sakura helped build its bed.”

“As fun as that sounds, we’d better get going. Good luck you crazy kids.”

And with that, Sakura and Ino disappeared in a cloud of smoke and Naruto was left looking at Hinata with a smile. “I bet I can build this clarinet before you finish the ramen.”

Hinata’s eyes twinkled mischievously. “You’re on Naruto-kun.”
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As it turned out, Naruto did not finish building the bassinet before Hinata made the ramen. The partially completed furniture lay untouched in the darkened nursery that night as Naruto lay on his side in bed, lovingly stroking Hinata’s belly. Said woman’s eyes were closed and one of her hands rested on top of her husband’s hand that was resting on the bed. Her other hand was resting above her head, fingers gently playing with her hair.

“Naruto-kun, am I fat?”

His hand didn’t cease its movement on her stomach, but his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Never, in all the years they’d been together, had she asked him that question.

“No Hinata, you’re not fat. You’re pregnant and I love you more each day because of it. Why do you ask?”

“It’s … well,” she opened her eyes and looked at him, a semblance of a blush on her cheeks. “Today, when the girls were here and they … they mentioned their stomachs-”

“Hinata,” he said firmly, “you are beautiful. What’s you’re carrying here,” he leant down and kissed her tummy. “Is our creation. Our miracle. We created this baby together and each day you grown bigger it shows the world more and more how much we love each other.”

“Naruto-kun …”

“Besides,” he said, leaning over her kissing her on the lips with a smirk. “You look very sexy.”

“No I-”

“Oh, trust me. You do. And if I have to say it, I will: I find it hard to keep my hands off you.”

Hinata instantly flushed, heat spreading through her body. “Really?”

Naruto smirked again as he switched off the bedside lamp with a husky growl. “Really.”