Chocolate

"Where is daddy?"

Hinata looked down, and saw her four-year-old daughter's blue eyes staring up at her. The leaf-shaped haircut that adorned her innocent, though questioning, face made it simply impossible for Hinata to resist smiling- a happy, content smile. Every time she observed her children, Hinata felt happy that her generation and the others had brought peace to the world. But, it was a peace that required hard work to be maintained, and her husband was the one who sacrificed his time and energy for it.

"Daddy is working, he has an important meeting right now, Himawari-chan."

"Aww…" the child pouted with disappointment. She plucked her pink sweater. "But I wanted to play. Why does daddy always have to work?"

"Daddy is the Hokage. He is very busy for you, Boruto, and everyone in Konoha."

"For mommy too?"

"For mommy too," Hinata smiled.

"But daddy looked so tired this morning," the child protested. "Can't we help daddy? Can we make chocolate for him again?"

"Chocolates? Oh, I'm sure he'd like that."

"Yes! And brother also likes it!"

And, speak of the devil, that same brother came home the moment his sister mentioned him.

"How was your day, sweetie?"

"Booooring," Boruto frowned. "Sensei talks way too long, and is far too boring. Academy is no fun at all," the fresh first-year student complained.

Hinata laughed gently. "Shino-kun was always rather… precise."

"Anko-sensei is way cooler," Boruto sighed. "Insane, but cool."

"Will you help us make chocolates for daddy?" Himawari begged. "Please…"

"Is dad home already?!" the blond child asked hopefully.

"No," Himawari pouted. "Daddy has a meeting."

"Aww.. Ever since that geezer stepped down, dad is way too busy," he grumbled.

"You know what, why don't we start making daddy some chocolate," Hinata nodded to her daughter, and returned an appraising gaze to Boruto, "while you fresh yourself up? By the looks of it, you were rather enthusiastic at taijutsu practice again…"

"Sorry, mom," he smiled sheepishly, mimicking his father by scratching the back of his head. "That cat taunted me again…" Hinata ruffled his hair and sent him to the bathroom. Meanwhile, she and Himawari got to the kitchen of their house. Due to their position, especially Naruto's, who was the savior of the world and the current ruler of their village, Naruto and Hinata lived in a nice house. It was not too big, not too small- just comfortable. It was the perfect place for them to quietly live their lives. It was every bit as warm and cozy as Hinata wished her home to be.

Pulling up a sturdy chair, so that Himawari could stand on top of it to reach the kitchen worktop as well, Hinata started mixing the butter with the cacao and added it to the boiling water. Meanwhile, Himawari was quite busy messing up the cupboards in her overenthusiastic quest to find a suitable mold for the chocolate. If possible, the smell of the chocolate made her even more energetic than she already was. All the same, Hinata already knew which mold her daughter would pick.

Hinata had to give it to their children: they were determined in whatever they did. While Boruto seemed almost identical to his father in the way he had issues controlling the overabundance of energy, Himawari, by contrast, was calmer. In many ways, Hinata was reminded of herself, although Himawari was far more confident in herself. Then again, Himawari didn't face the constant disapproval that she had in her childhood.

Still, Himawari was nothing if not curious- dangerously curious, at times. However, she was less reckless about it than her older brother.

Clambering on top of her chair, Himawari laid down her favorite mold. The chocolates had to be heart-shaped in her opinion, so that they would taste even better. Hinata could only smile hearing her daughter's logic, and agreed. After all, this is how it went each and every time. She needed to see all the molds, ponder about them, and then inevitably pick the one with the hearts- because she needed to show she loved her daddy.

Stirring the mixture, and adding some milk, Hinata giggled as she saw her daughter staring at the bowl. "Is it done yet?" she chirped.

"Almost…"

"Can I taste some?"

Hinata picked a spoon and put a little of the chocolate in it. Blowing off the temperature, so that her daughter wouldn't hurt herself, Hinata held out the spoon. Anxiously, the four year old dipped her tiny finger in the mixture, and tasted it.

The girl's concentrated grimace alone would have been enough to make the most depressed heart cheer up.

"Sugar."

"Even more?"

"It's a bit bitter," Himawari hesitated. "Daddy likes sweet stuff, right?"

"That he does," Hinata laughed gently. "Almost as much as his ramen…"

"Do all daddies like sweets?"

"If they're made by their daughters? Yes, they all do."

"What about Sara-nee?"

Hinata sighed. Sasuke's absence was a sore point to his daughter, to say the least. She often saw the girl staring at Boruto, especially when he was with his father. Having lost her mother at a young age, Hinata could sympathize with the girl. "Sarada's father would love sweets too, but he is out on a difficult mission," Hinata explained. "While your daddy faces his difficulties here, Sarada's father had to go out of our village." Though she had to admit to herself that she didn't know why he never contacted Sakura and Sarada again.

"Why is his mission difficult?" the innocent child couldn't understand.

"You will understand when you are older," Hinata giggled when her daughter responded with a cute pout. "Is the mold ready?"

Himawari nodded diligently. "Cleaned it too! Daddy will have the sweetest hearts we can make!"

"That he will," Hinata smiled. "Look out with your hands, okay?"

Carefully, Hinata poured the chocolate over the mold, her actions observed by her daughter's blue-eyed expectant stare.

As they did, a much cleaner version of her son hopped down the stairs, following his nose towards the kitchen. Though, with Himawari occupying the seat, he couldn't see what Hinata was doing. "Is it done yet?" he sulked, bustling around in an attempt to see.

"Patience, young man."

"Patience is boring.. I'd rather had eyes like you, mom, so that I could see everything too!"

"I think you would rather want the byakugan for your pranks, don't you?" Hinata teased him.

"Mommy is almost done," Himawari said, stopping Boruto's riposte before it even started. "Do we have to wait long?"

"I'll put it in the freezer so that you can take it to daddy in an hour or so," Hinata explained. "Uzumaki Boruto, don't you dare to put your fingers in that chocolate," she scolded her impatient son.

"I just wanted to taste.."

"Patience…" she chided him.

"Aarrgh! I hate patience!"

Himawari shook her head at her brother's display of childishness, with all the wisdom a four-year-old could radiate. Meanwhile, Hinata wondered if her life could be any more perfect. Well, it would be if Naruto could have some more time off.

But they both knew why he couldn't.

"Seriously?" the seventh Hokage exclaimed when he heard the envoy from Iwagakure state the proposed trade agreement. "You need to add at least ten percent on top of that."

"Make that fifteen," Shikamaru, acting as the Hokage's advisor, sighed. "You can't expect us to agree with that, can you?"

"If I didn't start the negotiations in our favor, Lady Tsuchikage would melt me down. Instantly," the man smirked.

"Troublesome women…"

Naruto grimaced, this would be another long and boring day with all the political bogusness that he hated so much. 'No wonder Kakashi had been so eager to step down. Damn these stubborn negotiators that make every little thing so difficult…'

"Is it done already?" for the past hour, Himawari had been toddling around, impatiently waiting for the chocolate to harden.

"You asked two minutes ago," Boruto sighed, lying on the couch in the laziest fashion he could muster. He really hated waiting. "So it won't be ready now either."

"I asked mommy," she put out her tongue towards her older brother.

"Be nice to your brother Hima-chan. And yes, it should be ready about now."

"Really?"

"Really really."

"Yay!" Himawari cheered. "Shall we bring it to daddy now?" she asked her brother.

"Sure, why not? Though I doubt he has time for us right now…"

"Look after your sister, okay?"

"Yeah mom, I will," Boruto barely had the patience to remain indoors while Hinata gave the box with chocolate to her daughter.

"And don't forget to say hi to daddy for me as well."

"Okay," Himawari chirped, darting away as fast as her short legs could carry her, in order to keep up with her brother.

"I wonder if those two will manage to fool Shizune-san again this time.."

"I am sorry, but Hokage-sama is in a meeting right now," Shizune smiled at the two children who were hopping around her desk.

"But we made chocolate for daddy," Himawari begged, holding up the box.

"Yeah, what's so important about this stupid meeting anyway?"

Shizune sighed and looked into the begging bright blue eyes of the little girl in front of her. "A representative from Iwagakure is here to discuss the trade agreement our village has with them, so it is a very important meeting for the-" Shizune never got a chance to finish her explanation, as Boruto just barged to the door. 'And I got distracted by Himawari's puppy eyes again,' Shizune slapped herself against her forehead.

"Daddy!" Himawari cheered, as she dashed into the room.

"Kids? What are you doing here?" Naruto immediately 'woke up' from his usual 'political-negotiations-induced-stupor'. He took Himawari in his arms, lifting her up so that she could sit on his lap. "What are you doing in daddy's office, sweetheart?"

"My apologies, Hokage-sama, they slipped past me," Shizune apologized. "Again…"

"Mommy and I made chocolate for you!" Himawari smiled. "You looked so tired, so chocolate hearts should make you feel better!"

The Iwa negotiator smiled at the sight of the innocent child worrying about the most powerful man in the elemental nations.

"Yeah dad, and the least you can do is treat us to some ice cream now," Boruto suggested cheekily. He secretly hoped that his dad would comply, even though he knew his responsibilities would likely hold him back.

Then again, Naruto was a sucker when it came to his kids. Shikamaru, knowing full well that the children were Naruto's greatest weakness, cleared his throat. "I think we should finish our meeting first, Hokage-sama."

"But daddy needs some fun time too," Himawari pleaded.

The diplomat broke out in laughter when he saw the infamous Nara gulp at the sight of the strongest puppy-eyes jutsu the man had ever witnessed. Well, there was his own granddaughter off course, who was equally manipulative in her six years of age. "I wouldn't dare to come between these children and their father, Nara-san. Let's conclude the meeting. The proposition as it is now is within the bounds that Tsuchikage-sama defined, so who am I to deny these children some time with their father?"

"Really?" Himawari gasped. "Thank you mister poltotician sir!"

The man laughed and waved away the thanks. He may have had his grudges against Konoha, it's fourth Hokage in particular, but the entire war and its aftermath had shown him the foolishness of his ways. Vengeance only led to more death. But this childish innocence, this was something that could save the world.

Meanwhile, Shikamaru felt like his voice abandoned him. The proposition the man just agreed to was far better than he and Naruto had initially hoped for. "I shall make sure Tsuchikage-sama will get the official document," he eventually mumbled. 'Perhaps we should use these children more often to cut these troublesome negotiations short… It isn't just Shizune who can't resist them.'

"Err… I guess I'll take these two to the ice cream stand then," Naruto smiled, lifting his daughter up so that she could sit on his shoulders. He tapped Boruto on the head and laughed: "Tag, you're it."

"Wha…" the confused blond gasped as he saw his father vanish in a blur of leaves. "I won't lose this time!" he shouted indignantly.

"Kids…" Shikamaru sighed.

"These peaceful times certainly do wonders for our children, don't you agree?"

"Guess you're right. I really can't imagine that I was this troublesome back then…"

"Is that Naruto?" Sakura frowned. She and Sarada had just finished shopping for groceries, and now she saw her former teammate walking towards a bench where his two children were sitting. They were definitely eager for the popsicles he held in his hands. "You had that meeting with Iwa today! What are you doing here?"

"Already finished," Naruto chuckled, patting his daughter on the head after he gave her her ice cream. "This cute little angel managed to sway that stubborn old goat from Iwa with one look of her blue eyes. Not to mention that they spoiled me with home-made chocolates!"

"Chocolates?" Sarada wondered.

"There nothing better for a parent than to get something from you kids," Naruto said dreamily. "I might suggest you try making food pills according to your mom's recipe," he snickered. Sakura frowned a little at the remark, but decided to let it go. She wasn't planning to hinder Sarada's interest in healing and medicine, though she would never give her daughter that old recipe…

Sarada, on the other hand, sighed. Naruto saw her peculiar look when she saw Boruto sitting next to his sister and him. 'I guess Hinata is right about Sarada. She longs for her father…'

As if on cue, Himawari lost her focus on the ice cream, and looked at Sarada. "Does Sara-nee want an ice cream too?"

"Eh, I…" Sarada fixed her glasses, while searching for words.

"Here," Naruto smiled at the young girl as he broke his popsicle in two. Though he inwardly sighed, remembering the times his sensei shared his ice cream with him. There were bittersweet memories of those days that he could never forget. 'I bet you would have loved these children as much as I do, Ero-sennin… And I bet they would've loved to have you as their jii-san as well.'

"But Hokage-sama, I-" the youngest Uchiha was made distraught by the man's offer.

"How many times have I told you to call me Naruto? But if you want me to pull rank, I can always order you to eat it, got it?" he laughed. "I'll make it your first D-rank mission! Eat!"

"Ah… Yes sir?"

Meanwhile, Himawari pulled Sarada down, so that she would sit on the bench as well. Seeing the three kids, Sakura's weary look changed into a smile. Noticing how tired she looked, Himawari drew the wrong conclusion. "Do you have poltotics too, aunt Sakura?" Himawari wondered, still struggling to pronounce the word correctly.

"No, I don't have to deal with politics," Sakura laughed. "I don't have a job as demanding as the one your father has. Thank Kami for that!"

Himawari nodded and focused on her ice cream once more.

"This is what we did it all for, isn't it, Sakura-chan?" Naruto chuckled. "Peace and prosperity. And a happy childhood for our children. It's worth every sacrifice we had to make, and it's the only way we can show our gratitude to all those who have fallen for the sake of this future," reminded her of the price this freedom had cost. Countless men and women, like Neji, had perished. Naruto could not think of a better way to honor their legacy than to enjoy and maintain this peace for the sake of the next generation.

"Heart-shaped chocolates are definitely the best," he smiled, patting his proudly smiling daughter on her head.

Author's notes:

Well, I couldn't resist myself, and had to try writing a one-shot for once. Never knew what about, until I saw a lovely piece of fan art, depicting Hinata and Himawari making chocolate. Well, the above is what resulted from it. EDIT: Credits and many thanks to narutoforums member Hyuuga for finding the original image, which was made by stone11211 and published on pixiv:

www dot pixiv dot net / member_illust dot php?mode=medium&illust_id=48739275

Credits to Illuminated for beta-ing and giving the additional ideas that made this little oneshot complete! And to all readers: lease leave a review and let me know what you think about this oneshot.

-Ziltoid-