Through My Lying Eyes

47 - Comfort

-In the Hokage's office, the next day-

It was early in the morning, and the camp that the shinobi used to rest was already packed up, and everyone went back to their respective village to celebrate. Tsunade, although not in the camp that the majority of the village was in, was back in her office. She, along with the other 3 kage, were all beaten pretty badly by Madara when he first came back to this world, but luckily for them, she was able to heal herself thanks to Katsuyu, and thus, the other kage.

She had only woken up an hour ago, but she was already in 'kage mode', aka signing a shit-ton of paperwork. She then heard footsteps from the other side of her door, and when it opened, Sasuke and Sakura entered the room.

"Good morning, lady Tsunade." Sakura greeted. "Morning. What do you two need?" Tsunade greeted back and asked.

"We need to talk." Sasuke said with a stern look on his face. Tsunade could already tell this wasn't going to be good. "Talk about what?" She asked.

"I need to leave and go to Takigakure." Sasuke plainly said. Tsunade was kinda shocked that he would want to go there. "Why? Because Naruto lived there?" She asked. "No, because Fuu lives there. I know you know who I'm talking about." He responded.

"I do, but why do you want to see her?" Tsunade asked. "Because I need to protect her. That's what I promised Naruto, and that's what I intend to do." He declared.

"*sigh* Look, I know you mean the best. But I know her, and I know that right now she might not feel like she needs this right now." Tsunade said. "How can you know?" Sasuke asked.

"Because I'm already stepping down and moving there." Tsunade dropped the bombshell. "Wait. What?!" Both teens yelled at the same time.

"I wanted to save this for later, but I already picked the next hokage and he agreed." Tsunade said. When asked who it was, she answered. "Your sensei, Kakashi. Albeit reluctantly."

"That doesn't sound like something he would do." Sakura said. "That's why I said reluctantly." Tsunade said. "Now, I need to send out word to other villages that I'm stepping down."

"Wait, can't we come with you?" Sakura asked desperately. Tsunade took a deep breath. "I'll be honest with you...it's because she trusts me more than you. Like I said, we've met a few times before this, so she knows me. She doesn't really know you aside from stories she was told by me and Naruto. That's why I'm leaving. To take care of my granddaughter."

"I-I just...*sigh* So you won't let me come with you?" Sasuke asked disappointingly. "Yep, you're staying here, Konoha needs you two here." Tsunade answered.

"Then what's going to happen with Orochimaru?" Sasuke asked. "I already sent him to prison, but what you do with him now is not my problem anymore. Anyway, I need to finish packing and signing these. Feel free to start spreading the word around the village."

With that being said, Sasuke and Sakura left the office feeling like they failed a mission. They really did want to go to Taki, but someone else was already going that will be even more qualified.

"What are you going to do now?" Sakura asked him. "I'm gonna train. Like I said, Naruto was so much stronger than me, so I'm going to train so I can at least reach his level. That way I'll at least be prepared to protect her." Sasuke said.

"Besides, I also agreed to help you take care of the kid we found in Iwa." Sasuke commented. "I was hoping we could take him with us." Sakura said.

"Well...it probably would be better to raise him here rather than someplace foreign." Sasuke said to cheer her up a bit. "I guess. I gotta be at the hospital in a few minutes anyway. I'll see you later." Sakura said. Before she walked off though, she kissed the cheek of Sasuke, leaving him stunned for a few moments.