no need for thanks

chap 4

Tsunade pov/after Jiriyas death

I walked the Hokage tower in a daze not really caring where I was, everything felt numb. Why did I send him alone, I'm a fool. I dragged my feet not caring where they took me as I walked. Naruto was right, he would have never sent me on that mission if he was Hokage. I choked on air as I brought a hand up to my mouth. Why was i so stupid, I've lost another friend and its all my fault. It took me a minute to realize I was back in the office walking to the desk. I sat down and looked at all the paperwork that was there. It was late into the night and I was tired, looking at the paperwork just made me want to cry more than I already was.

I don't deserve to be Hokage, I thought as I felt my eyes well up with new hot tears. My hands found themselves tangled into my hair as I held my head up with my elbows on the desk. I let out quiet sobs, not caring that the paper was getting wet. I don't know when I laid my head in my arms but it felt comfortable and warm. I felt something being laid over me but I could care less to lift my head to see who it was. As I felt myself drift away I heard someone say, "you've taken care of me for so long it's my turn to take care of you".

Naruto's pov:

I pulled the blanket up over baa-Chan better as she slept with her arms as pillows. It was a long day for everyone and I felt guilty about what I had said before. I ran into Iruka before I decided to come back and he helped me. I was grateful that he had stayed so kind through the years. After I had talked to Iruka I came here, she wasn't here and when she did get here she didn't even notice I was there. She went to her desk, sat down and sobbed. It was heart wrenching to watch and I felt like crying as well.

After a few minutes she mumbled that she didn't deserve to be Hokage and I refrained from saying anything. She was so kind to me and helped me through a lot, putting through with me barging in at random hours. Now it was my turn to help her and I wasn't about to pass it up. I made sure she was comfortable at her desk before sitting down on the couch by the door. Not long after I heard footsteps and Shikaku walked in. "lady ho-" he cut his sentence off seeing she was asleep. "I would appreciate it if you held off till morning seeing as it's been a tough day" I said and Shikaku looked over and smiled. "I get it kid, the day was indeed tough" he said, gently setting the papers he had in his hand on the desk. He walked out the door but before leaving said "hey...Naruto you know me and Shikamaru are here if you need to talk to someone right?" he asked and I gave him a soft smile. "No worries shadow jiji I know" he looked slightly surprised. "You haven't called me that since lord third passed" he said and I chuckled. "It wouldn't be appropriate to call you the shadow jiji if jiji wasn't the Hokage to be the shadow to" I said. "What made you change your mind?" he asked and I hummed. "Well even after jiji died you're still special to me so I still want to use your nickname even without its second half". Shikaku looked surprised but smiled and chuckled, nodding before leaving. As he closed the door I heard him mumble "troublesome kid"

After that no one else really bothered baa-Chan, it was getting boring about two hours in. I was dozing when I heard a knock on the door, I got up and opened the door. I felt myself go stiff, I could remember that anbu mask anywhere I just hoped I would never see it again. It was the mask belonging to hippo. After what happened with Jiji I never saw him again but here he was. I cleared my throat, "baa-Chan is asleep and I don't want anyone bothering her" I said in a flat tone. Hippo had also frozen after I opened the door and huffed when I had spoken. "O-oh ok, well I just need to deliver this scroll and I'll be gone" he said holding up a scroll. I took it from him briskly and was going to shut the door and he mumbled a wait. I stopped the door and looked at him. "I wanted to say I was sorry for everything I had done," he said, giving a deep bow. I looked at him stunned, "I never thought in a million years one of you would say sorry to me" I said and he rubbed his arm.

"This came as a coincidence and I don't think I would ever have the courage to do it any other time" hippo mumbled. I hummed, "well I don't accept it but I appreciate that you said it". Hippo nodded, "I will take what I can get," he said. He went to leave but I cleared my throat making him stop. "I don't know what you have been up to for the past years but if you've just apologized to me I hope that you have turned over a new leaf and is not the way you were when you were my guard" I said.

He turned and bowed once more, "I've gotten stronger, and the will of fire burns more fiercely then it did before Naruto-san". I gave a smirk, "I think it does," I said before closing the door.

Tsunade pov:

I groaned lifting my head up, I opened my eyes to see it was daylight outside. I looked around only to jump, seeing Naruto sitting legs crossed on the desk. I was about to yell at him to get off all the paperwork but saw it all neatly stacked in a pile done on one of the corners.

"Oh baa-Chan you're up" he said closing the book he had in his hands, wait he was reading?! "What?" is all I could say. "oh yeah i got bored last night and did your paperwork and started reading one of pervy sage's books" he said nonchalantly. I looked at him stunned, "were you here all night, you did MY paperwork and you're actually reading!". I yelled and he smiled just giving a "yep". I stood up, making him jump back, falling off the desk so we wouldn't hit heads. I looked at the paperwork and it was close to perfect "how the hell did you do all this paperwork almost perfectly!" I yelled. He laughed and rubbed his head. "Well I'm going to be Hokage one day, its practice" was this a trick, is this a genjutsu?

Then something hit me "did you sleep at all!" I yelled and put his arms behind his head. "Well no how else do you think you slept through the night" he said it like it was known knowledge. "What!!" I heard someone yell before I could. I looked up from Naruto to see that Sakura had entered the room.

"You idiot!!" we both yelled, Naruto yelled as he dodged a punch from Sakura. "Go home and get some sleep you brat, you shouldn't be spending your time watching over me!" I yelled, shaking him. He shook his head from dizziness but recovered. "Well I couldn't let my favorite baa-Chan suffer alone now could I" he said smiling. I looked at him surprised and sighed, hugging him. He hugged back after a few seconds. Sakura looked surprised but smiled, giving up on yelling. After staying like that for a few minutes I let him go and flicked him on the forehead.

He flew back a little, landing on his behind. "Ow~ baa-Chan" he whined. "Now you go home and get some sleep" I said with every word being firm as iron. Naruto sighed getting up, "ok ok I will" he said walking to the window. "And I don't want to see you walking around the village today, I'll drag you back home," Sakura said and Naruto gave a nervous laugh. "Ok I promise" he said before waving to us both and jumping out the window. I will never understand how that boy can help someone else while he himself is suffering just as much as the person. All I know is that I will always be grateful for knowing him.  

word count: 1,460