Chapter Text
The following day, before its time for her to meet up with Kakashi but after she gathers up more heavy duty fuuinjutsu tools and notes, she runs to Kurenai's house with a fuuinjutsu present and hopes for more advice.
Kurenai is happy to see her when she opens the door, "Welcome, Naruto-san," She greets, "Come in. I assume you're on your way to whatever mission Hokage-sama assigned you to? She was very surprised at my suggestion and your cousin was on board immediately,"
"Yeah, haven't had a chance to talk to her about it after being assigned the mission... I think it would have been something I was needed for anyway, but like, I'm not sure Kakashi would have been given as my partner," Naruto sighs, flopping onto Kurenai's sofa for Mirai to crawl around on her lap and play with her hair, "He didn't react at all to my outfit and only really reacted to my perfume and I don't know if he liked it at all or found it bad. It'd be so much easier if Kurama would let me have the negative emotion sensing again," She complains.
Kurenai chuckles, "You've really only just started, Naruto-san. You have to remember that Kakashi has worked with a lot of kunoichi in his life, even some seduction specialists, so first and foremost he's likely to look for weakness of a woman's outfit before finding anything alluring about it. The outfit today is cute by the way,"
Naruto's outfit of the day is less revealing in the chest area today, going more exclusively for the midriff exposure. Honestly, she's working her way downward, exposing a section of her body at a time on Hinata's suggestion surprisingly. Her best friend had said that exposing one part in particular would lead to her knowing more definitively what he was reacting to than if she went for the whole gambit.
So, she's opted for an orange high necked crop tank and blue monpe pants with an orange and yellow tachibana pattern. Her hair is in a braided bun and her makeup natural and simple. She wore the perfume again too and has forgone the haori. It feels a bit weird without it.
"Thanks," Naruto smiles, "I guess I'm just impatient 'cause everyone else is getting in relationships,"
"Feeling a little left behind?"
She nods while shrugging, "Kinda? I mean, it's not super pressing or anything, but... I can't just let these feelings sit, 'ttebayo,"
"I understand," Kurenai smiles, "Tell me about how yesterday went,"
So Naruto does. Since Tsunade wanted her to keep the basis on the mission somewhat discreet Naruto is careful to just talk about her interactions with Kakashi. She expresses her happiness with getting to spend some solid alone time with Kakashi to work on this, however, there's also the fact that it's a mission. Getting Kakashi to spend time with her outside of a mission or training setting is like making a fuuinjutsu array with spit alone.
Kurenai nods along as Naruto talks. Her feelings on the matter are understandable and correct. The older woman has learned that while Kakashi has a deep well of care and love within him, he never got to express it and when he did those people died. She's also facing the struggle of shaking Kakashi up in a setting he knows her best in while trying to convince him to get out of that mission bubble.
It may be time for another conversation with the Hokage and Karin... and maybe one other person. However, she won't be giving him the whole picture.
"I think you're on the right track. Keep it up and he's eventually going to notice something is different and snap to it and we'll go from there," She suggests, "I would initiate more obvious touch without it being too bold. Sit on his lap casually, rest on him more- things like that. He's pretty open with your touch actually, so it won't be something he questions,"
The very thought of it makes Naruto's face heat up. It's something that does sound appealing but also embarrassing. So much of this is sort of new to her. She has some experience, but not enough that initiating isn't a little daunting. Still, she's always enjoyed physical touch, "I can do that,"
Kurenai and Mirai send her off with smiles when it's time for her to meet up with Kakashi. They meet outside of the hidden entrance once more. Naruto takes the chance to walk more closely to the man as they return to the office room. She makes sure to brush the back of her hand against Kakashi's, though his plated gloves really limits the connection.
The lab hasn't been gone through by Karin and Shizune yet, but it's only been a day since this started.
"Should we start with the safe?" Naruto asks, bumping her arm into Kakashi's.
"Best to," He nods, looking at her from the corner of his eye, "You get orders of where to send the documents for decryption?" Naruto nods. The orders arrived for her while she was cooking breakfast.
"Yeah and I sent Granny the method for opening the seals I put on them too in Uzumaki code- one of the few codes I know and that she can understand. She can encode the instructions how she likes from there," Naruto explains, "I'll send a clone with them,"
With that, they get started. Kakashi begins cracking the safe while Naruto sends a clone with the encrypted and coded documents they've uncovered so far directly to where she was told to take them. She does have the clone double check with Granny, just in case, but she gets the memory of the clone delivering the files and scrolls to a familiar coke bottled glasses girl.
Watching Kakashi work on the safe is a sight to behold really. He's being careful, aiming not to trigger any potential traps that are waiting to be triggered by a too forceful opening. The fantasy crosses Naruto's mind again of Kakashi writings seals with an Uzumaki brush under her careful instruction. He'd be amazing at it she's sure. And the current visual and the fantasy are very... stimulating.
"Ugh. The problem with your species is you're always in heat," Kurama grumbles within her seal. He normally sleeps during times like this, spending time resting and not watching the outside world, but with the unknown of that safe he's keeping an eye out for his jinchuriki and her desired mate.
"Shut up, Kurama!" Naruto hisses, startled into speaking out loud by being pulled from her fantasy and ogling. Kakashi pauses his work, turning to raise a brow at her. She blushes, covering her face, "Don't worry about it,"
Kakashi just shrugs, turning back to his work.
The blonde watches for a while longer before returning to work on breaking and making seals on documents. At the point Kakashi's got the lock picked on the safe, Naruto moves in. Feeling around with her senses and chains. There's a few traps to work out actually, including one seal that is actually competently done, but it's easily broken by Naruto's superior skill in the area.
However, one trap that she did miss was hidden and triggered by the breaking of the seal. A wave of summoned kunai shoot out at the pair, Naruto quick to create a barrier with her chains as Kakashi's instinct is to cover her with his body. After the weapons fall harmlessly to the floor, Naruto lowers the barrier but doesn't fight the concerned grip Kakashi has on her until he pulls away.
"You okay, Kakashi?"
He doesn't answer right away, instead, he checks her over for injuries- like se wouldn't have already healed- and then goes to inspect the kunai. The Uzumaki goes in close with him, looking him over for injuries and sniffing for blood. When she scents the air, Naruto can smell a metallic note in the air- bitter and acrid; Poison.
"It's a heavy metal based poison," Kakashi confirms, "Great job on the barrier cover,"
Naruto crosses her arms while rolling her eyes, "Yeah, better than using my body that doesn't have a poison resistance and a healing factor," She huffs. Honestly, as sweet as the gesture was, Naruto was glad she managed to get that barrier up in time. Not only would the kunai themselves have done a good amount of damage to his body, the poison might not be a known mixture and the antidotes she can summon from Karin might not have worked.
Kakashi winces, looking at her apologetically, "Your concern is sharp, Hime,"
"I feel like we had a conversation just yesterday about your importance to me, dattebayo," Naruto scolds, taking his chin in one hand and the other on her hip, "I get it's rich coming from me and all, but at least make sure you'd come out of protecting me alive,"
Kakashi's dark eyes widen, nodding.
Naruto's lids lower, smiling softly at him, "Thank you. And thank you for trying to protect me," Then she boops his nose before turning to face the safe and extending her chains and senses inside again. She had been so so tempted to lean in for a kiss.
With the safe cleared of all traps and such, they begin the process of pulling out the contents and placing them on the desk and table. There's a few artifacts and time-space seals to contain more in such a small space. There's a whole stack of journals, some artifacts, weapons, and a very old big scroll.
Kakashi takes one of the journals, moving to sit at the table with it so Naruto does the same with both the mission and the idea of more touch in mind. She takes the seat on the opposite side of the table.
As Naruto starts flipping through the journals, she casually plays some subtly footsie. Occasionally, as Naruto gets a little bold and her brushes last longer, Kakashi raises his head to look at her. She keeps looking at the journal she's reading- Danzo was boring- and doesn't let him know this is very intentional.
The contents of the journal Naruto chose is... boring to say the least, hence why she's using the time to flirt. The journal is a personal one. It covers a lot of the time after Naruto's birth, but mostly the boring stuff. It has a few gripes about the decisions in the clan council meetings. All of it is so minor- such minor gripes- and she's instantly annoyed with the whole journal.
Still, she goes through the whole thing, even checks for genjutsu by flaring her chakra for a release. Nothing changes with the journal and checking Kakashi's expression, it seems there's nothing of note in his journal either. He looks as mind numbingly bored as her. So, she brushes her foot up his calf innocently, knocking his knee with her toes. When he looks up at her with a raised brow, Naruto grins, "As bored as me?" He snorts in reply, making Naruto giggle, "You'd think as a evil shadow Hokage, his journals would be a thousand times more interesting than 'Hiruzen is a bad Hokage' over and over again, 'ttebayo,"
"He was a deeply bitter man," Kakashi agrees, "And he was obsessed with the Hokage post,"
Naruto hums, trapping one of his ankles between hers, "I am too,"
He regards her wryly, "Not in the same way. I'm more worried about the genuine chaos you'll bring to the post," His eyes are full of teasing mirth, "The monument will have new graffiti every day,"
"Hey!" She laughs, "I haven't done that since I was a kid! I'm a grown woman now, dattebayo,"
"Ah, so it'd be fuuinjutsu instead,"
Naruto grins, "Give dad some lipstick that changed color with seals," She giggles, "And Granny gets a mustache,"
"You may be the strongest ninja in the world, but I'm pretty sure Tsunade-sama would kill you even when you're Hokage," Kakashi hums, eyes twinkling with mirth.
Naruto's eyes widen. She's heard plenty of people say she'll be a wonderful Hokage, but no one has said- directly to her face at least- that they believe she will be Hokage. She's always believed it, but to know that Kakashi knows she'll be Hokage...
Boldly, Naruto takes his hand, looking at him with soft dewy eyes, "When? Not if?" Kakashi almost appears startled by her question, "You think I could do it?"
He raises a brow, looking almost teasing but soft at the same time as he taps his thumb against hers, "You'll be the best one,"
"Better than Dad?" She asks, toning lightning the sudden serious mood. The turn the conversation took was going to push her into doing something really stupid. Still, Kakashi's never been super forthright with his compliments, so she wants to keep it going.
"It would make Minato-sensei beyond thrilled that you'll be a better Kage than him," He nods, "I suppose I'd be pretty proud myself... or you'll drive me insane," He teases.
Naruto rubs her ankle against his, not letting go of his hand, "I'll make that a personal mission, 'ttebayo," She winks.
Kakashi seems worried, though not upset, for a while after. They go through the journals carefully. There is some important information within them, mostly about further plans he wanted to make and his general thoughts on some of the on-going ones. These obviously aren't all the journals which is frustrating and it's clear Danzo didn't put every thought he had on paper.
She does find another journal dated the year she turned five. She takes two more for the following years and sets them aside to start on later. Around lunch, Naruto provides the bento once more. Kakashi seems to get more and more tense and baffled, though it's only because Naruto knows him well that she has started to really notice. Granted, she has no idea what's making him so tense. Every attempt to alleviate his tension- comforting touch and lighthearted conversation- seems to earn more confused looks.
It's frustrating.
By dinner, they've made a lot of progress. Tsunade will be pleased, as the journals will provide a lot of insight into some of Danzo's motives and plans. Not much of what they've read through has anything too intense just yet, but looking over the artifacts, Kakashi seems to know what they are.
He summons Pakkun and Bull, the two dogs Naruto knows best, and Bull in particular greets her sweetly, "Hime," He rumbles happily, sniffing and licking at her.
"Aw Bull!" Naruto gives him scratches as she coos, "Good to see you again, Buddy! It's been awhile! And it's good to see you too, Pakkun!"
"How have ya been, Hime-chan?" Pakkun asks, both dogs ignoring their master, much to Kakashi's baffled chagrin.
"Pretty good, 'ttebayo," Naruto replies, giving the pug chin scratches, "You?"
The pug shrugs, "Lot less busy with all this peace. My paw pads are softer than ever," He holds up a paw, showing her his meticulously cared for paw pads. Naruto, now offered, pulls the pug into her lap as the large bulldog leans against her and plays with his paw pads.
Kakashi clears his throat, looking at them with hands on his hips and a raised brow, "I thought I worked with professionals,"
Naruto giggles, continuing to play with an unconcerned Pakkun's paws, "Professional cuties," She grins. She's counting herself in that. Bull huffs a small bark, licking Naruto's cheek affectionately.
He sighs, shaking his head, "Mah, I suppose it has been awhile since you've seen them,"
"Whatcha need, Boss?" Pakkun asks, not moving from Naruto's lap.
She doesn't know why he summoned them, but she won't complain. She likes all of her friends and family's summons. Katsuyu is the only slug summon she's seen, but Karin's Egrets and Iruka's sea lions treat her like a princess and refer to her using 'sama' as they're clan summons. She's not interacted with Sasuke's hawks aside from the one he rode during the battle with Kaguya and most of her interactions with his snakes have sucked.
Naruto, for her part, still prefers her toads, but she has considered having another summon for a left hand.
"I needed you both to take some catalogued and categorized journals and artifacts to Tsunade-sama," Kakashi huffs, dark eyes blank, "But I see you've turned into lap dogs,"
Pakkun rolls his eyes, getting out of Naruto's lap, "Sage forbid we behave socially. Just because you're inept in that department," Naruto chokes back a laugh, though not well enough because three sets of eyes focus on her. Pakkun smirks, speaking to Naruto conspiratorially, "Have I got stories to tell,"
"Alright," Kakashi interrupts, having finished giving Bull his packages, "Get a move on, Pakkun,"
Pakkun gives Naruto a look at she can't quite puzzle out. She's tempted to open her senses wider just to get an idea of what he's feeling, but Kurama basically said he's no longer allowing her negative emotion sensing within the village unless there's a threat- the stingy jerk, "See ya later, Hime-chan. Keep him in line, will ya?"
Naruto cackles, giving the little pug a thumbs up.
They catalogue a few more journals, flipping through them, before Naruto gives up. It's so boring, Danzo's language as gray as his hair should have been. Naruto refuses to believe that his hair stayed that dark naturally when he was the same age as Hiruzen and his hair was gray as hell.
It's fairly late, but Naruto's found a groove to break the boredom. Between books, she strikes up conversation with Kakashi, babbling away again and letting him reply as he wishes... for the most part. She does try and cajole more conversation out of him and does get a fair amount.
She gets that he likes to cook, "Wait... so why did the rest of us always wind up cooking on missions?!" Naruto demands around midnight. They've decided to stay later this night, so Naruto's made herself comfortable by sprawling near Kakashi at the table, leaning against him and flinging her leg over his. He smells so good just being near makes her... dewy. Despite being told to initiate more casual touch to flirt, Naruto relishes in touching Kakashi.
It's been an insanely hard two days; she's falling for him even harder than before.
"Hm?" Kakashi hums, "Did you say something?"
Naruto blinks. Then, her hair begins to float, startling Kakashi, who tries to scoot away from her. However, she snags him with her chains, "Ka-ka-shiiiii!"
"Mah, Naruto-hime, it was all part of the field experience,"
Naruto ignores his continued escape attempts. If he really wanted out, he'd use lightning jutsu to break the chains because he's powerful enough to do so. She keeps him in place, then sits in his lap and stares him right in the face, "You're making lunch next time," She says, pouting. She then makes herself comfortable, leaning against Kakashi as she starts reading one of the journals. Sitting on his lap is almost overstimulating. She can smell him so much more clearly, besides getting her scent on him, and the warmth of his body is makes her lower belly burn.
"You're in my personal space," He remarks, though it seems her earlier temper keeps him from attempting to push her off.
Naruto replies with a smirk, "I like your personal space, 'ttebayo,"
He's not quite sure how to reply to that, however, it's only furthering this nagging feeling he has. Her behavior has been just strange enough and his instincts are telling him something is up- if only he could figure out what.
If it doesn't resolve itself soon, then he'll have to investigate.
It's not as if Kakashi is bothered by her touch- he's pretty used to her affection- but it's been different and it's making him nervous. He's never liked not knowing what's going on, particularly with people close to him. Honestly, Naruto is probably one of the closest to him.
Right now that's very literal. It's freaking him out how good she smells and how warm her body is. The image of her in the nightie yesterday morning pops into his head unbidden, making him want to bash his face into the table.
It's about thirty minutes later that Kakashi realizes Naruto hasn't turned a page in awhile. Looking down, he sees that she's fallen asleep in his lap, her face buried in his neck. The blonde is clinging to him a bit in her sleep, like he's some sort of stuffed animal. When he shifts, moving to pick her up and lay her elsewhere, she clings tighter and makes a soft little noise- upset at the motion.
She burrows her face more deeply into his neck, and even through the fabric of his mask, he can feel the outline of her lips against his throat.
Now, Kakashi is very well aware that he may be touch starved. He's spent a lot of his life avoiding affectionate touch- especially after Minato and Kushina's deaths- that he may have allowed it to get to a point of making him itchy. Over the last few years he's gotten a bit better, allowed more affectionate touch from friends, but this is... overwhelming. Naruto's always been one of the more touchy people he knows, besides Gai, but this has been a lot even for her.
And the way he's enjoying it is freaking him out a little.
She's so warm, like a camp fire, and her weight feels pleasant and right. He hates himself a bit for it, because once more, that vision of her nightie flashes across his mind.
Shaking it out of his head, though careful not to wake her, he considers what to do with her now. Taking her back to her apartment is in option, however, there's the fact she's fully mastered fuuinjutsu. Meaning; her apartment is a death trap. He's fairly sure that he's one of those allowed into the space, but that's usually more the case when she's already inside.
Besides, picking her locks would be difficult with her in his arms or on his back.
Perhaps it would be best to wake her up. She's the one that has the fuuinjutsu ability to lock the place back up. Normally a decisive man, Kakashi is struggling to pick a course of action. She's peacefully sleeping and it's late, however, there's things only she can do in regards to the fuuinjutsu here.
"Naruto-chan~" He calls teasingly, poking her. She grumbles burrowing closer and shifting in his lap. The warmth in motion send a terrifying thrill up his spine, "Naruto," He says more firmly, his voice thready with the low level panic that he feels. He's not had the chance to enjoy his book the last couple of days, though he knows all of them by heart at this point, still.
The now half-asleep Naruto grumbles her upset, "Five more minutes..." She moans unhappily right in his ear. Her breaths runs over the shell of his ear, making him shiver and prompting him to flick her in the forehead annoyingly. Her blue eyes open, squinting at him in confusion and sleepy. His stomach flutters as her eyes light up upon seeing it's him. In the moment that she registers it's him, they glitter happily.
Then, her whole face goes red and she falls off his lap and onto her back. In an effort to project his usual amount of cool, Kakashi leans with his elbow on the table looking down at the shocked and embarrassed jounin, "Good nap, Naruto-chan?" He asks.
She blinks at him, face still red as her cheeks puff up. It's a very cute expression- he can admit that much.
"I'd say it's time for us to head home for the night, yeah?"
Naruto sighs, jumping up, "Alright... I swear though; if we don't get out of this room for a bit tomorrow I'm gonna go nuts, 'ttebayo," She gathers up her things after that, Kakashi doing the same. An idea seems to occur to her and a smile appears across her face, "Hey, will you do something that's not this with me tomorrow?"
He frowns, side-eying the young woman as he gathers up his own work space, "Will I get to know before I answer?"
"I mean, I feel like if you knew you'd have the chance to run off, dattebayo," Naruto pouts, "But it's warming up and we're locked up in this place! I wanna go out and enjoy the spring! I wanna be in the sun and look at the sakura blossoms!"
"Why not ask one of your friends?" He asks, regretting it immediately. He hadn't meant it the way it'd come out- he was aiming more for playful- but there's a quick flash of hurt that travels through her eyes. She's made it known that she considers him someone important to her, and that she's been enjoying his company, but he supposes that he doesn't spend much time with her outside of training and missions like this.
It's not something he typically does with others. Years of his life have been dedicated to keeping himself apart; sticking to his lone hobbies and keeping himself a strong and powerful soldier. Even his games with Gai were about maintaining himself to a certain degree- though he's genuinely enjoyed their games. Now, there's little need to hold himself apart... But does he deserve it?
Would having a more open relationship with her only ruin her?
Still, he feels a bit like a heel for phrasing it the way he had; like he doesn't consider her a friend, "Wouldn't you rather do something like that with Sakura-chan and your other girl friends?" Plus, the way she's been making his head spin the last couple of days, it might be dangerous for his heart, "Or your clan?"
Naruto rolls her eyes, crossing her arms while cocking her hip as she huffs at him with twinkling eyes, "You mean people I've spent most of my life with with since I was nine years old? I'll spend time with them later and other times too- but I wanna spend time with you," She pokes him in the chest with her index finger, "Plus, we could keep discussing the mission too- and we're not supposed to share the exact details, 'ttebayo,"
He can't help it- he smiles. Whatever her goal is lately, her desire for his time is genuine and earnest. As she looks at him with those big blue eyes, he reaches out and ruffles her hair, "Mah, we could stand some sunshine I suppose,"
His heart skips a beat at the brightness of her eyes. They're practically shining as her ears go pinkish and she leaps forward wrapping him around the middle as she looks up at him on her tip-toes. They're nearly nose to nose- her breath fanning over his face and heart thrumming.
"Personal space, Naruto-chan," He nearly rasps.
She only grins, face seemingly growing closer, "I like your personal space," She repeats, "And you're still making lunch tomorrow,"
The following day, Naruto rolls out of bed and rushes to get ready.
Today is leg day.
The outfit for the day is light blue high waisted shorts, a peachy halter top that doesn't reveal cleavage at all ties at the back of her neck with a bow knot, and a pair of the same strappy heels Sakura and Tsunade wear. Naruto knows how to fight in them, as it's one of the things kunoichi are taught. To finish it off, she puts on a short sleeve thin sky blue haori patterned with fluffy clouds.
For her hair, she pulls her long tresses into two tightly coiled buns, decorating them with sea glass bead kanzashi. The way the clink when the silencing seals aren't active make her so happy. Her makeup is simple and neutral, though she does add a bit of mascara to draw more attention to her eyes- a feature Kakashi does seem to be a sucker for to a certain degree.
Once dressed, she prepares breakfast, a bit of lunch (Kakashi is just lazy enough or just brazen enough to ignore her threats from yesterday), and a picnic blanket. Then her typical mission stuff is all ready to be summoned or on her person by the end of her preparations..
All while she does her morning routine, after taking a rushing Iruka a portable breakfast, she chatters to her altar. It's become such a habit to just talk to her parents and Jiraiya like this. Now that she's met her parents in particular, she can imagine their responses. She giggles every time she mentions Kakashi, mostly because imagining Jiraiya's distressed face makes her laugh. She misses him.
Once done, Naruto locks up- bidding farewell to those on her altar- and heads to their meetup point.
Honestly, she's not looking forward to doing any of the mission work now that she's got the promise of sunshine and flowers with the man she loves. Besides, some of what she's been reading in that creep's journals is worded... ominously. There's circumstantial evidence that he's ruined a lot of lives- including members of her own clan- but there's been very few direct links from the documents available.
Still, they've got a lot more to cover and there's the bases that remain unexplored but need to be found by the decoding team.
She goes in without waiting for Kakashi. He'll be late and the blonde wants to get as much done as possible so she can enjoy the sun. This will be their last day in this particular hidden place, then they'll be waiting for orders to march out to a new one. It'll almost be nice to get out of the village with just Kakashi- even if she won't have direct access to her support system.
As Naruto takes notes, going through the journals that she'd set aside for the year she was born, she notices a change in the way Danzo wrote. She can feel the ramp up in his thoughts after her father became Hokage. He expresses his frustration with her father getting the position instead of his choice of Orochimaru- who Danzo deemed easily manipulated and plied with test subjects.
Creepily, Danzo seemed pleased with her conception and upcoming birth in his journals. The planning only ramped up when he was approached by Obito (who he assumed was truly Madara returned, despite having actually met the man) and learned of his plan to extract Kurama from her mother during childbirth. Danzo saw the opportunity to get rid of Uzumaki Minato and the death of Uzumaki Kushina, frame the Uchiha as a whole, and potentially to have an Uzumaki Jinchuriki to raise within Root and under his thumb.
As suspected, Danzo shared the location of her mother's birthing chamber and the protections around it with a broken Uchiha Obito; all 'for the sake of the village'. What a joke.
Naruto can't hold it in. She begins to cry onto the pages. It's entirely silent tears, her breath not even rushed, just... so sad. Zetsu could have found her mother's birthing chamber on his own, but it would have taken a longer time for the time window they would have needed... Danzo's machinations accelerated the death of her parents and brought more suffering to everyone close to them.
She hasn't even noticed Kakashi standing frozen and unsure what to do in the doorway. He's seen Naruto cry before over the time he's known her, however, her tears are usually big. They're usually open... at least as long as he's known her. After the battle, when she was saying goodbye to Minato, was the hardest he's ever seen her cry even then. This is... new. This is raw in a different way than her farewell to her father.
Quickly, he ducks back out of the office and back into the lab area, summoning Pakkun immediately. The pug grunts upon appearance, looking at him with mild annoyance. When the pug registers Kakashi's panicked face, Pakkun asks, "What's wrong, Boss?"
Kakashi doesn't answer verbally, instead, he picks the dog up at lifts him to peek inside the office where Naruto sits; crying. He pulls him back question in his eyes. Pakkun rolls his eyes at his summoner. Honestly, the man is so stupid, "And what do you want me to do about it? It seems like she could use some comfort and if I go in there she'll know you're avoiding her. You've been around the girl crying before, right?"
"This is different. She's never needed me to comfort her before," There's always been someone more... emotionally competent around to offer her comfort- people that are closer to her- and he doesn't even know how to go about it. The only time in memory he's been the only one around to offer her comfort when she was crying was when he saved her from the Ishigakure shinobi kidnapping her and she burst into tears.
And he could only offer her stilted words even then.
"You don't leave a woman crying, Kakashi," Pakkun nips him in the hand, "Just suck it up and go,"
Kakashi swallows, walking into the room with less care so he doesn't startle the teary eyed young woman, hearing Pakkun return back home behind him. He freezes in place again when she looks directly at him; eyes shining with tears. It's as much a punch in the gut as it always has been when he's seen Naruto cry, but its so quiet this time. She seems to try and force back her tears, quickly wiping her eyes and sniffling.
A part of them hates that too.
How many times in the past has she been forced to wipe her own tears and force them back?
Hesitantly, Kakashi walks over and awkwardly embraces her. It's something he's done when she's been injured, usually unconscious, but he's rarely held her otherwise. Sure, she'd climb all over him as the affectionate and sociable young woman she is, but he's rarelly initiated this sort of touch before.
She seems to freeze in his arms for a quick moment before she practically melts against him, her arms coming up around his middle, "It's not anything I didn't already suspect," She sniffles softly.
Kakashi frowns, looking toward the journal she has open on the table. Yes, it's likely something that was suspected- and basically confirmed before- but knowing the full machinations and plans for Naruto... what he would have done. Kakashi may no longer have devotion to Sarutobi Hiruzen, especially after several truths came out, but he's thankful he protected Naruto from falling under Danzo's control- even if he was too weak to get the much needed handle on the situation.
"But it still hurts," Kakashi agrees with her unspoken words.
He found the year the of the manipulations to get Tsunade out of the village so she couldn't take the seat. No, he didn't assassinate Kato Dan, but he did use her remaining years in the village after to try and break her off from the village, so that when she finally left, she'd be hesitant to return. The man just really continued to underestimate Uzumaki Naruto and he ability to draw people toward her.
They've been fortunate so far to not find anything more personal to them until now.
She continues to cling onto him, feeling her evening breath on his neck through that part of his mask. Her tears have eased by now and yet she continues to hold on. After a full two minutes, Kakashi's starting to melt into it; surprising himself.
It's when she begins to nuzzle into his chest a bit that he's suddenly aware that she smells amazing again. She makes a soft little noise, contented enough that it soothes his worry from her tears, but he clears his throat as he pulls back from her. She seems disappointed losing the near full body contact but she seems happy enough, "I still like your personal space," She says, "You give very good hugs, dattebayo,"
"Do I?" He hums, stepping back. He can't even muster anything teasing or clever to say. Her soft brown mascara has smudged a bit from her crying, making her eyes look all the larger and he checks the urge to run his thumb over her cheeks to wipe it away.
"Yeah," She smiles, wanting nothing more than to lace her fingers with his, "You should give them more often," Specifically to her. It truly was one of the best hugs she's had in awhile. It's so different yet similar to the ones her friends and family give her- maybe because Kakashi has the potential to be both. He went out of his way to comfort her, despite being emotionally awkward.
His ears are a little red- which is very cute.
"Hm," He hums before abruptly changing the subject, "Sorry I'm late; I was making bento,"
Naruto guffaws, resting her forehead against Kakashi's arm, craving the connection, "Gonna share?" She asks with a giggle. Her tone fully teasing as she doesn't believe him- his excuses are always a little unbelievable. This one is a little believable, but he could just be trying to break the mood.
"Maybe... You'll have to finish your work to find out," He says, putting his hands in his pockets.
The blonde lightly punches him in the stomach in response, "After I've fed you over the last two days!" She huffs.
Kakashi grunts at her strike, playfully, as he pushes her away, "Ah, but that was a choice you made, Naruto-chan,"
After that, they fall into a pattern of reading through journals and taking notes. Danzo apparently became confident in his ability to hide his written thoughts at some point; journaling more openingly and writing down more of his more obvious thoughts. At least so far as some minor plots are concerned. So far, as far as what's stored here in Konoha, is mostly veiled writings and general ideas.
Perhaps, once they go through some of the other hide-outs, they'll find more blatantly written journals.
Unfortunately, Danzo appears to have limited what he's kept within the village. Naruto and Kakashi are almost sorted through everything that's been kept in this office for the time-being. Then everything they've found and categorized will go through the cypher and code team Tsunade put together before Kakashi and Naruto are sent elsewhere to do it all over again.
While they wait after this, Naruto will be making herself a constant presence to Kakashi unless they're on other missions.
Every chance, she's going to be in his face... like now. Naruto sits on the table itself next to Kakashi as she reads through more journals and notes. Every opportunity she has, she crosses and uncrosses her legs, showing off her bare legs and occasionally brushing them against Kakashi playfully.
She does it more blatantly than she has anything else so far- this is something Kakashi is actually reacting more to. At least; reacting more obviously to. He keeps glancing at her legs, never lingering his gaze, but there's a lot more eye action happening. So, Hatake Kakashi is a leg man...
Naruto is actually quite proud of her legs and midriff. She's a core and leg based fighter for the most part, so those muscles are developed and supple.
Eventually, they reach the end of the items to go through. The year of Naruto's birth was the most upsetting series of journals to be found in this office and it was apparently after her birth that Hiruzen started to look at Danzo with more wary eyes... it wouldn't have been safe to store more journals and items here after that. It was incredibly ballsy for him to keep that year's worth of journaling in Konoha in the first place.
Still, they finish off this office, completing this leg of their mission. It's not surprising that it only took three days considering the place already being raided after Danzo's escape and death. All that's left is for them to send off their summary notes and all the materials to where they were told to with their summons and they're done.
It's early afternoon and Naruto is hungry for food, flowers, and sun.
"Thanks for taking care of the deliveries, Hayagama, Gamahaya," Naruto says, stroking the twin messenger toads she summons the most. Then, she turns to the two dogs carrying the rest of the materials, petting them, "You too, Bull and Uhei!"
The dogs tails wag happily, Bull sniffling at her, "Treats?"
"Sorry, Bull-Buddy; I've only got toad treats, 'ttebayo," She apologizes, playing with his jowls. The bull dog pouts but seems to enjoy Naruto's affection regardless.
Kakashi watches the young woman interact with his dogs with a small smile and a roll of the eyes. She's not interacted with his dogs very much in the past, aside from Pakkun and Bull, but she's always been kind to them. And they adore her. Bull in particular asks about 'Hime' a lot and Pakkun has started encouraging him to spend more time around people- including her.
He'd threatened to have the whole pack bite him if he backed out of cherry blossom viewing with Naruto. Int he past, when Gai or other peers invited him, he'd always be late, start a competition with Gai, or blow the whole thing off entirely. Pakkun has made it known none of those are an option... not to mention; he is mildly terrified of Naruto tears or temper.
After the summons are gone, Naruto stands up from her crouched position before latching onto his arm, "Ready for cherry blossoms?"
Konoha has the largest natural growth expanses of sakura trees in the Land of Fire. The rivers and canals in the capital are transplanted from other places around the city as it expanded. Here in Konoha, they're got huge patches of the flowering trees even in remote parts of the forest and even in several of the training grounds.
The Land of Fire also has the longest flowering period for sakura trees in the world.
Hence, why Naruto wanted to do this at the tail end of March instead of in April during the peak season when viewing is at its busiest.
They head out together in the forest, Naruto pulling her unsuspecting date along. She leads him to a place she found when she was younger. It's... strangely where she used to spend many of her birthdays as a kid, deep in the forest and alone. There's a bit of a clearing that's surrounded by sakura trees. She brought her friends here for Sakura's birthday every year she's been able, including in three days time.
With this, random people won't come and interrupt her secret date with Kakashi.
Once in the clearing, Naruto finally releases Kakashi as she summons the picnic blanket from one of her storage scrolls and spreads out the snacks and drinks she packed as well. Kakashi chuckles, summoning the bento is really did make. Naruto can't help but laugh when she sees them. They looks nicely packed and everything, it's just that she expected his excuse for lateness to be a fib as usual.
Kakashi raises a brow at the young woman sprawled out laughing on the blanket, "I'm hurt you didn't believe me," He pouts, feigning hurt, "I'm always very honest,"
"Hehe," She giggles, "I always believe you,"
The blonde watches as the man plonks down on the blanket, setting the bent in front of them next to her snacks. Then, she scoots closer, making sure to display her powerful bare legs.
The cherry blossoms look beautiful above them, Naruto craning her neck to look up. The light coming through the pink flowers creates dancing spots of sun on their picnic spot. It's very romantic and the breeze is cool. They sit in silence for a bit, even the ever energetic Naruto, as they eat a bit of lunch and watch the blossoms though eventually she does speak up.
"I wouldn't mind one of these in my future garden, dattebayo," She remarks, watching some of the breeze blow petals fall.
Kakashi pulls his book away from his face to look at her from his reclined position, "Hm? Your future garden?"
Naruto smiles, joining him in his reclined position on the blanket, laying on her side and propping her head up on her hand and elbow, "Yeah. When the Uzumaki have their own land again, and we've got our own houses, I'm gonna have a beautiful garden! I'm gonna have Deigo trees and flowering plants and other kinds of plants too!"
"Sounds colorful," Kakashi nods, "And I'm going to assume Karin-chan will have medicinal plants,"
Naruto grins, "Yeah! We'll have like a little courtyard with all kinds of plants that are pretty and useful! But like, I want my own garden around my house with pretty stuff, dattebayo. I'll take care of it in my free time," And maybe... just maybe Kakashi will be part of that clan, "But I guess it can't be a big one when I'm Hokage- I wouldn't have the time!"
"Ah, I'm sure you'd make time," He remarks, "That or you'll have a million potted plants in your office,"
"Now there's an idea," Naruto laughs, laying a hand on his arm. She turns onto her back after that, sprawling properly over the blanket as she looks up at the flowers. There's another beat of silence before she talks again, "What do you dream of?"
"Hm?"
"What do you dream of?" She asks again, "When we first met you didn't tell us much about you, 'ttebayo. I've figured some stuff out, but I don't know your dreams. What do you want for the future?"
Kakashi is silent for a long time, concerning her a bit that she's pushed too much. She sits up, leaning over his prone form as petals fall from above. His brows are furrowed as if thinking deeply, "I'm not sure," He answers honestly. He's not really looking at her, clearly wrapped up in his head.
It's not something Naruto fully understands really. For a while, all she had was her dreams. Her loneliness made dreams while Kakashi's seems to have stunted his.
"Maybe give it some real thought," Naruto encourages, "I'm giving your your first mission as future Hokage," She smiles down at him, petals falling into her hair.
The man finally meets her eyes, sending a throb though her stomach and heart. They're so dark and she's starting to understand how expressive they are despite his perpetually bored expression. Maybe it's because it's all you can see of his face, not to mention, she can see both of them now. The darkness of his eyes is so stark against his silver hair.
"Oh?" He hums questioningly.
"I want you to think about what you want from your future. You've got one now, Kakashi, you should make sure it's a happy one- you deserve it," She smiles softly, pushing a strand of her golden hair that's come loose behind her ear. Endearingly, a petal is dislodged from her hair, landing on Kakashi's mask.
She hasn't noticed Kakashi's eyes go wide, her eyes having become enamored with the petal on his mask. He hadn't given the future much thought beyond making sure the village recovered and Team Seven becoming strong. Both of those things have happened and now he's just sort of... existing. And according to her he deserves a happy future? This coming from the living person he's failed the most.
There's a lot of guilt there still. He's not fit into most of the roles Naruto's needed in her life that he should have filled. He wasn't the big brother he would have been if Minato-sensei would have lived. He hadn't even met her until she was nine and then barely saw her until she was twelve when she became a genin. He feels he was a failure of a jounin-sensei to her and Sakura- having barely given her any instruction and prioritizing Sasuke's well being and growth. He probably served her better as her commanding officer than anything else.
Though, she's fairly insistent that he's her friend and she's making him feel like he's a good one for her.
The way the sun is shining through the blossoms hitting her hair almost makes it glow gold with the pink of the blossoms that have fallen to rest in her hair looking like a crown. Her eyes are glittering softly as she smiles warmly down at him as she leans over him casually.
She reaches up to his face and he feels her fingers brushes his lips before pulling back with a sakura blossom between her fingers. She puts the edible flower in her mouth, chewing on it, "Wanna help me pick blossoms?" She asks as if the action didn't make his heart lurch.
Yeah, that tickle in his chest is dangerous. He'd just had to check the urge to touch her face, run his thumb over the whiskers. He might be in real trouble.
"Hey," She pouts, poking him in the face, "You gonna answer me?"
He clears his throat, snapping out of the daze she sent him in, "Branches?" He replies as he sits up. He can freak out later- no sense in hurting Naruto with his crisis. She spreads out two scrolls over the blankets, treating Kakashi to a show of her fuuinjutsu prowess. She's improved even more since the war, as she can finally dedicate time to the art more fully without having to constantly increase her strength for threats.
"Hm... just a couple. I want the blossoms for pickling, 'ttebayo," Naruto replies, cutting one of her two desired branches with a kunai, "I've been getting out of practice with my arrangement and I can use it for Sakura-chan's birthday setup. Her favorite flower is daffodil, but she does like sakura blossoms,"
It wasn't something he thought much about his students; not really. Sure, he knew about some of their hobbies and some of their likes and dislikes, but not anything as specific as favorite flowers, "Are Deigo flowers your favorite, Naruto-chan?" He asks, curious, and picking blossoms.
"They're the flower of my clan and mom's homeland," Naruto states, "But I think marigolds or lantern dahlias might be my personal favorites, 'ttebayo... Do you have a favorite flower you like?"
Kakashi hums, "I don't dislike flowers, but I prefer non-flowering plants," He replies, "I still have the plant you gave me when you were a genin,"
Naruto beams, feeling giddy, "You kept it? It's still alive?"
"It survived the Pain attack well," He nods. He'd had to re-pot the poor thing after- what with the pot she'd given it in split in several places- but it still lives. The decorated pot pieces were then wrapped in cloth and now sit in a box in his closet behind his weapon's cache, "We did discuss that I enjoy gardening, but you expected me to have a black thumb?" He says, once more feigning hurt.
"Well, maybe you'd be late watering it," She retorts, sticking her tongue playfully out at him.
"Such little trust," He sighs.
They spend some time picking blossoms before returning to the food once more. Kakashi really is a good cook, better than Naruto at least. She's not a bad cook at all- she's actually pretty good- it's just sometimes cooking is a chore. There are times when she enjoys it, especially cooking from her mother's cookbook, but generally it's simply a necessity. Still... "I feel like I've lost," She says, taking another bite of the bento Kakashi has provided.
Her companion chuckles. The tension in his chest is still there, but it's rapidly able to be ignored in Naruto's company. He should be more concerned about that, especially as she keeps reminding him by initiating more touch and making his heart shake... as well as being more attracted to her than he has any right having. Maybe it would be best to put some distance, however, she's refusing to allow it and he gets lulled in by her again and again.
This will be the last day they have in each other's company exclusively for awhile- plenty of time to get his head back on straight.
TBC