"Naruto?" Kakashi looked up in mild surprise as he walked through the doors to his office.

Naruto gave him a bright grin, striding over to him with takeout bags in his hands, "Hey, Kakashi!"

Kakashi bit back a smile as the bags were dropped on his desk without care over whatever document he was currently reading. He cocked an eyebrow at Naruto and he just raised one back, "Well, you haven't ate have you?"

"No," Kakashi shook his head with a chuckle. He had only been the Rokudaime for a few months now and the last two Naruto had dropped by his office almost every day. He didn't know why he suddenly felt the need to come check on him so much, but he never complained about it. Naruto usually brought food and his boisterous laughter always brightened his day full of dull paperwork.

He leaned forward and peaked into the bag, "What did you bring today? Ramen?"

Naruto scoffed and started taking food out, "No, I brought barbeque. You know I eat other things besides that."

Kakashi laughed as Naruto sat across from him, "Well, sometimes I wonder."

Naruto rolled his eyes, "I'm not a kid anymore, Sensei."

"And I'm not your sensei anymore, Naruto-kun," Kakashi shot back, noticing Naruto's cheeks were slightly pink. He shrugged off his robes that he had put on for a meeting with the council earlier. It was a little hot in here.

Naruto took bite of his food and met his eyes, "Of course, Hokage-sama."

Kakashi shifted in his chair and glared at Naruto, who just chuckled in response. He knew Kakashi hated being called that. He did, especially with people close to him. It made him feel so distant from them. Like earlier when Sakura had called him Hokage-sama with her back straight and a blank face as she reported back from her mission. It had made him feel so uncomfortable until she had smiled and waved at him before she left. He didn't mind it that much with others, but from Naruto and Sakura it was the worst.

"You'll see what I mean whenever you're finally Hokage," Kakashi told him, picking up his chopsticks.

Naruto smiled widely, "You bet, Kakashi-sama."

Kakashi levelled a look at him and Naruto shrugged with a coy smile, "I didn't say Hokage."

Naruto walked into the Hokage office with a, "Hey, Kakashi-sama."

"Naruto, it's just us. Drop the honorific," Kakashi sighed, already annoyed by the stack of paperwork on his desk.

Naruto smiled and walked towards the desk, but instead of sitting down, he leaned his hip against it. He leaned towards Kakashi, saying, "You know I've actually heard of people using -sama as a high affection."

Kakashi set his pen down and raised an eyebrow at Naruto, "Really? Like lovers?"

Naruto nodded, his eyes meeting Kakashi's making his throat feel tight. Kakashi looked away from him, clearing his throat, "Well, I guess that makes sense. Sama is for someone of very high respect, like a god. Or like us where we use it for our leaders."

Naruto hummed in response and out of the corner of Kakashi's eye he saw him rounding the corner of the desk. He turned his chair towards him, "Naruto?"

Naruto stood in front of him, his hands coming to rest on the chair's arms and leaning over Kakashi. Kakashi felt his heart rate pick up as Naruto caught his eyes. His voice was quiet and he asked him, "So, why can't I call you Kakashi-sama?"

"Naruto –" Kakashi started to ask him what the hell he was doing, but his breath caught when Naruto's finger hooked under his mask. He didn't stop him as he tugged it down, revealing his face. He tried again, though, "Naruto –"

But he was cut off as Naruto's eyes flickered to his mouth as he spoke and suddenly there were warm lips pressed against his. Kakashi was unresponsive as Naruto kissed him, but it wasn't like he wasn't there. He could feel the soft lips on his trying to coax a reaction of him. He could feel the warmth of Naruto's hand from where it held his face. He could see the golden hair falling around him.

Then, Naruto pulled away from him, breaking the short kiss. He looked disappointed and tried to move away from him, but without even thinking Kakashi's hand shot out and grasped his shirt pulling him back. Naruto made a sound of surprise and Kakashi's fingers threaded themselves in his hair. He kissed him back this time and Naruto sighed against him. Kakashi kissed him deeper, trying to bring him even closer. Naruto ended up straddling him in his chair and for a second Kakashi wondered what kind of picture they would make if someone decided to visit their Hokage.

One of Kakashi's hand trailed down to Naruto's hip and under his shirt. Naruto gasped into his mouth at his cold hand on his hot skin, "Kakashi-sama –"

Kakashi woke with a start, shooting up from his bed. His breathing was heavy and he looked around himself. He was just in his bedroom. The room was cold and dark, with just the moonlight from the window. He glanced to his left, seeing only his rumpled sheets. He was alone.

He got up from his bed and went to his restroom. He splashed water on his face from the sink, thankful he didn't have to worry about his mask because he didn't sleep in it. He ran his fingers through his hair and then his hands griped the edges of the sink. What kind of dream was that ?

He had dreamt about Naruto? Why Naruto? The man's smiling face and bright blue eyes flashed through his mind and he shook his head in denial. What the hell was wrong with him?

Naruto had been spending a lot of time with him lately. So, maybe it was just that. Just because Naruto was one of the few people who still tried to keep in touch with him even as a busy Hokage. But feeling his heart beat pound so loud he could swear he could hear it. And the cold sweat on the back of his neck. He knew it wasn't that simple. He groaned, stepping away from the sink and leaning against his wall. What the hell was wrong with him?

"Kakashi-sama?" Naruto peeked his head through the door hesitantly.

Kakashi felt his heart skip a beat at the name, the first time he heard it since that night. His dream flashed through his mind and he avoided Naruto's gaze. He looked down at the scroll on his desk, "Yes, Naruto?"

Naruto stepped into his office, scratching the back of his head with a small grin, "Your guards said you might be busy, so I didn't know if I should come in or not."

"Mah, I'm always busy," Kakashi said and didn't look up.

"Right," Naruto chuckled and to Kakashi it almost sounded nervous. Then, he asked, "So…do you want to go grab lunch? I could go get us something or maybe I can drag you away from your desk long enough and we can actually go somewhere?"

Kakashi glanced up at him to reply and found his eyes drifting to Naruto's lips which were pulled into a wide smile. He looked at his eyes, that vibrant blue that was looking at him expectantly. Kakashi cleared his throat and tore his eyes away back to his desk, "Actually, I can't today. I have…a meeting in an hour I have to prepare for."

He could hear the disappointment in Naruto's voice when he replied, "Oh, okay. Then, I'll catch you later?"

Kakashi didn't let himself look up and nodded. It felt like forever for how long Naruto stood there before he walked to the door, but it was probably only a few seconds more than normal. The click of the door closing sounded ridiculously loud to Kakashi. He dropped his pen and his head fell to his hands with a sigh.

It wasn't until three weeks later that Sakura came barreling into his office. She didn't even bother to knock like she usually did. Then, almost tore the door off its hinges with how hard she threw it open then slammed it back shut. She stopped just a foot away from his desk with her arms crossed and looking at him the angriest she had ever seen her. Well, at least towards him.

He smiled at her, crinkling his eyes, "Something wrong, Sakura-chan?"

"What the hell is wrong with you!?" she yelled at him with an accusatory finger.

"Mah, it's not nice to point, Sakura," Kakashi leaned back in his chair, knowing he was probably just asking for her to hit him.

Sakura's eyebrow twitched and she asked him, "Why are you avoiding Naruto?"

Kakashi's blank expression almost faltered and he looked away from her, "I don't know what you're talking about."

She huffed and when he glanced at her she waved her arms towards the door, "He said you have your guards telling him you're busy every time he comes by!"

"I am the Hokage, Sakura. I am usually busy."

She rolled her eyes, some of her anger draining and being replaced with a sad confusion, "Yeah, but you've always made time for us, time for Naruto."

Kakashi sighed, not wanting to put up a wall around Sakura, but also not knowing how else he could get out of this conversation. "I haven't been avoiding Naruto. You can ask him yourself. I always talk to him when I see him. And we have dinner at least once a week."

Sakura shrugged at him, "Even if you do, he told me you've been acting weird. Cold. Distant."

Kakashi ran his fingers through his hair, "I would think Naruto would have more important things to do then prattle on about me to you."

She glared at him and he saw her bite her cheek, "That's all he told me. He doesn't have to tell me anything else. You should see the way he's been lately. He doesn't have that goofy grin anymore. He looks sad. Hurt."

Kakashi felt a pain in his chest, but he tried to ignore it. "And you think that's my fault?"

She nodded, "You're important to him, Kakashi."

"A lot of people are important to Naruto," Kakashi avoided her eyes.

"Kakashi," Sakura spoke his name in barely contained anger. But she wasn't looking at him angry anymore, more confused and…disappointed?

She leaned over his desk with her hands and her penetrating gaze practically forced him to meet her eyes, "Naruto cares about you. And yes, he cares about a lot of people. But in different ways. The way he looks at Sasuke and the way he looks at Sai. The way he looks at me and the way he looks at you - different. It's all different."

"The way he looks at –" Kakashi began to ask, but Sakura was shaking her head and walking towards the door. She sighed with her hand on the handle and looked at him over her shoulder.

"Fix it, Kakashi," she told him and tried to give a small smile, "Just fix it."

But Kakashi didn't get to fix it, because Naruto left for a month long mission the next morning. He saw him off, but only managed a smile and a lingering touch to Naruto's arm with, "Be safe." Naruto had smiled back at him, but Kakashi could see what Sakura meant. His smile wasn't as wide as usual. How could he have not noticed that? And he was the reason?

He felt horrible about it and wanted to fix it as Sakura had put it, even more. And vowed to do it as soon as Naruto came home. The month passed agonizingly slow, though, and made Kakashi realize how much time he really did spend with Naruto. He missed him more than he thought he would. His days seemed dull and he had more dreams like that first one. He still felt confused about his feelings, his thoughts muddled and scattered, but he tried to come to terms with them whatever they were.

But then, Naruto didn't come home. Another month passed and he still wasn't home. Kakashi almost regretted sending him on it, but he was the best suited for it. He did regret not sending anyone with him, though. Maybe he had underestimated the danger of the mission. But it was Naruto. Surely, he was fine. Right? Regardless, he sent a team after him to see what the delay was. It was protocol and had nothing to do with how worried he was.

Then, another month passed and the team he had sent came back empty handed finding no traces of Naruto. Kakashi was on edge and he knew everyone could tell. He felt the eyes on his back when he walked, more so than usual. He saw the looks he got, sympathetic and curious. But no one commented on it, which was a good thing for their sake. With each day Naruto didn't come home, he felt more on the verge of snapping. And his dreams weren't loving anymore, they were terrifying and creative with all sorts of ways Naruto's mission could have gone wrong. Kakashi avoided sleeping more than he ever had. Where was he?

He sent another team. ANBU this time, which wasn't that uncalled for. Naruto was an ANBU member after all and they might have better luck at finding him than the usual search teams. They reported back a week later, their hands just as empty as the first team. The tension in the room was thick because he wasn't the only one worried about Naruto. The village loved him, he was their hero. This ANBU team were his teammates and Kakashi knew they were probably as angry at themselves for having found nothing as he was at himself for sending Naruto alone.

He dismissed them and the second he was alone, he couldn't help but take his frustration out on his desk. Papers shoved off and then the desk flipped over. It was lucky it wasn't thrown through the window, he'd seen Tsunade do that before. But he tried to keep his emotions to himself, concealed, barely letting them show in this room where he was by himself. His breathing was heavy as he looked around the mess he had made of the Hokage office. His chest felt tight and he suddenly couldn't stand being in the room. He slipped out of the window, knowing he couldn't go far and settled for the top of the Hokage Tower.

He felt slightly better with the cool air, but the pain in his chest didn't ease. He looked out over the village and it looked as gloomy as he felt. There were rain clouds above him, dark and stormy. He didn't know how long he stayed there, but soon Sakura found him. She didn't say anything at first and just sat next to him on the ledge. It began to rain, but she still didn't leave him even though he could see her shivering. He shrugged his Hokage robes off and wrapped them around her.

She looked at him hesitantly, "Kakashi, is this –"

"It's fine, Sakura. If anyone cares they can talk to me," Kakashi cut her off with a sigh.

Sakura nodded and held them close to her. It was a few minutes before she reached out and placed her hand on his knee. She told him softly, "I saw your office."

Kakashi didn't say anything in response and she nodded, "He'll be home soon."

"You don't know that," Kakashi argued and he felt her shake his knee.

"Hey, Kakashi, come on, it's Naruto," she tried to comfort him.

Kakashi didn't reply and they went back to their silence. She scooted closer to him and leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. He felt guilty about her trying to comfort him when he knew she was just as worried. Naruto was her best friend.

At some point he told her, "I didn't get a chance to fix it."

She looked up at him surprised and shook her head, "Don't worry about it. It's not like you guys had a fight or anything. I probably shouldn't have stuck my nose in it."

"But…" Kakashi started, but didn't finish not knowing what he even wanted to say.

But she had somehow understood and told him, "He knows, Kakashi. Don't think he doesn't."

"How can you be so sure?"

She shrugged, "I don't know. But I am. And he'll come home. Soon."

Kakashi nodded, mainly so she wouldn't start worrying about him. Then, she patted his knee and stood up holding out a hand, "Come on, I'll help you clean up your office."

Kakashi hadn't sensed his chakra, so when Naruto appeared in his office it was out of nowhere. He was still in his ANBU uniform and knelt to the ground to make his mission report, "Hokage-sama –"

But Kakashi had already stood up from his chair and rounded his desk. He yanked Naruto up, taking off the porcelain mask to reveal the face that he'd only seen his dreams for weeks. He set the mask gently on his desk behind him. Naruto looked at him in surprise, but the corners of his lips were upturned, "Kakashi, I –"

Naruto's voice stopped when Kakashi pulled him to his body. He was still as Kakashi held on to him tightly with his head dropped to Naruto's shoulder. But in a matter of seconds and Kakashi was being hugged back just as fiercely. Naruto was here. He was alive, he was okay. Kakashi could feel him safely in his arms and a part of him unreasonably screamed to just never let him go again. He was so warm and the fingers gripping at his back felt right. He felt like he was in shock or maybe that was just the major relief he felt that was causing his breathing to be so shaky.

He had a lot of things he wanted to say, but what ended up coming out of his mouth was "You're late."

Naruto chuckled and Kakashi was relieved when he didn't pull away. He told him, "Yeah, for once it's me that's late."

Kakashi sighed, "Don't do it again."

Naruto pulled away slightly so he could meet Kakashi's eyes, but still stayed in his arms, "I'm sorry. Kakashi, I didn't –"

But Kakashi cut him off, tugging his mask down in one quick movement and kissing him. Naruto gasped in surprise beneath his lips but kissed him back with emotion that Kakashi could feel. His hands were buried in hair pulling him closer. The kiss was so much better than the ones he'd had in his dreams and Naruto was pressed against him, warm and strong. It wasn't like he'd expected it to be because nothing could compare to the real thing.

Naruto broke it, leaning his forehead against Kakashi's. He looked confused and he said, "But I thought that you didn't – you've barely spoken to me in weeks before I left."

Kakashi closed his eyes, his heart feeling heavy from actually seeing the hurt in Naruto's eyes, "I'm sorry, Naruto. I – I panicked. I didn't know what…" He trailed off, not knowing how to even put any of his feelings into words.

But when he opened his eyes, he could tell Naruto understood. He always did. He gave him a small and kissed him on the lips again before hugging him, his head resting on Kakashi's shoulder. He sighed near Kakashi's ear, "It's okay. Just don't do it again."

Kakashi held him close to him, his body lax in Naruto's arms. He opened his mouth to say something, but then Naruto asked confused, "Is that a dent in your desk? Where the hell did that come from?"

Kakashi laughed and just shook his head, "Don't worry about it."

"Ah! Sakura-chan, don't –" Sakura ignored the guard at the door and opened it anyway. She closed it behind her and turned to Kakashi, "Kakashi! Naruto –"

She stopped in her tracks at the image behind the desk. She held back a chuckle and stepped back towards the door, trying to be quiet so she wouldn't wake them. Behind the Hokage desk was a sleeping Kakashi with Naruto held in his arms just as out of it. It really was a cute picture and it made her wish she had a camera.

She closed the door softly behind her, slightly embarrassed as the guard raised an eyebrow at her. She nodded with a smile, "Um, yeah, just keep…doing what you're doing."

He laughed with a shrug, "I tried to tell you."