Disclaimer: Naruto is the property of Masashi Kishimoto.
Cover art by ae-rius on DeviantArt.
When the night is cold and you feel like no-one knows
what it's like to be the only one buried in this hole
You can make it to the sunrise
― Our Last Stand, Sunrise
Naruto couldn't breathe.
It was like someone had their fist around her heart: she was close to bursting in ill-repressed astonishment.
"You're gonna have to repeat that for me kakashi-sensei," she whispered, eyes closed.
Her shoulders shook with the force of it all.
Say it againagainagain—
Kakashi clicked his tongue in exasperated fondness. "Maa Naruto, it can't come off as that much of a shock. I know you've heard the rumors."
"Please, kakashi-sensei," was her choked out response.
The hat on top of kakashi's head never felt as light as it did when he took in the sight of his student's shaking form as she tried desperately to stay upright.
"Naruto Uzumaki," he started once again, a sincere smile forming behind his mask, "It brings me immense pride to officially announce that in a few months' time..."
Naruto couldn't breath...!
"You will take up the responsibilities of you're predecessors in leading and protecting Konoha, the Village Hidden in the Leaves..."
Even with his mask securely fastened, kakashi could never hide the pure pride:
"As Nanadaime, Seventh Hokage."
Naruto brought her arm across her eyes, tears running down her whiskered cheeks.
"Yeah, that's what I thought you said," she croaked out.
Naruto had painted h-o-k-a-g-e on the walls of her soul until her heart beat to the syllables.
Suddenly, she ripped her arms away from her leaking eyes, spread her arms wide—
then she smiled a smile so bright, giddy and so fucking happy that she couldn't contain it.
"I'm gonna be Hokage!" she yelled, because It's always been true; it'll never not be true.
"Believe it!" she demanded because she never once didn't.
Kakashi chuckled as he rose from his office chair, walking from behind his desk until he stood in front of her
and ever so slowly removed the big red and white hat that represented so much from his person
and just
placed it on her head.
nothing had ever felt so right
Kakashi smiled his closed-eyed smile at her astonishment, feeling nostalgic.
"You're parents would have been so proud of you... Lady Hokage."
Naruto's heart stopped
'Cuz didn't that have a nice ring to it?
