A night at the hospital
Part 1
"Kakashi-sensei!" shouted a scared Sakura and she rushed to his side.
Kakashi smiled weakly to the pink haired girl and his ex student.
"How are you, Sakura?" asked the man politely.
"Fine, sensei. Busy at the hospital with all this work. I'm still trying to build a stronger health system, but I guess I need more time. "
The grey haired man smiled widely at the kunoichi, even though that went unnoticed by her because of the ever present mask.
"Sakura, you are doing a great job as a Head Medic! These are hard times and recovering after this kind of war is never easy. Believe me, your healing is what keeps us going."
"Kakashi-sensei, stop that! You know what keeps us going. Or better said, who…"
Kakashi smiled and adjusted himself on the hospital bed.
"Yes", he answered. "It's Naruto, I know."
Sakura shook her head lightly.
"Yes and no. It's also you, sensei. Since you became the hokage you've done so much for everyone… you are the best hokage ever. That's what I believe! " she declared proudly.
Kakashi watched her, a bit embarrassed. To hear his pupil say that was, of course, pleasing, but he knew it was by far the biggest lie Sakura had ever said. Compared to the other hokages he was weak and inexperienced. Yes, he could lead people and defend the village, but that didn't make up for the fact that he was just keeping the seat warm for the true heir, Naruto.
"Thank you, Sakura, you are way too kind and you tend to praise me more than I deserve. But, let's end this discussion. I need to know when I can get out of here."
The pink haired kunoichi looked at him, worried.
"Sensei, you have a slight fever. You should stay here tonight and rest."
"No, I'm afraid I can't," disagreed the sixth hokage. "I have to do a lot of paperwork and, even though this sounds so unlike me, I really intend to do it."
"Sensei, please…"
Kakashi was already getting up from the hospital bed and was tying up his shoes.
"Sensei,I forbid you!" said Sakura sternly.
Kakashi chuckled as if she was not the Head Medic, but his old ninja student. The man got up and headed to the door, whispering his goodbyes, but, as he was stepping out, he got dizzy.
He felt too weak to react and waited for the impact, when a pair of strong hands caught him.
"Kakashi-sensei, I hope you are not dying! I am not ready to become hokage yet!" declared the blond jonin that entered the room.
"Ah, Naruto, thank God!" said Sakura relieved.
"Yes, Naruto, thank you," replied Kakashi and adjusted his clothes. "It was nice seeing you too, but I am in a hurry and…"
Suddenly, Naruto's hand was resting on Kakashi's forehead.
"Sensei, you're burning up! You can't leave!" shouted Naruto confused.
"Yes, that's what I was telling him! Sensei, please! You almost collapsed. You need medicine!" continued Sakura.
The hokage looked at his two pupils and, a moment later, sighed loudly.
"Fine, but only for tonight," he agreed.
Sakura clapped her hands, pleased and called a nurse to fix a bed for her sensei.
When Kakashi was finally in his hospital bed and in pajamas, Sakura explained how the treatment was going to go.
"At the moment, we will only administrate light medicine, but I will keep you under strict observation. If your temperature goes up, we'll give you some stronger meds to control it. Don't worry, Kakashi-sensei, I'll be here all night," she finished happily.
"What? Why are you staying?" asked the man, confused.
"Well, I am on duty tonight, but it's less crowded than it usually is so I can keep an eye on you."
"I'll stay too!" declared Naruto proudly.
"Wait!" said Kakashi loudly. "It's very nice of you 2, but I am not a child so you don't need to do all this!"
"But, sensei, I have no missions tomorrow and I haven't talked to you and Sakura-chan in such a long time," complained the blond, pouting.
Kakashi sighed and Sakura smiled awkwardly.
"Fine… we'll catch up. Fine, alright," agreed the hokage.
"Great!" exclaimed Sakura." I'll be right back! I'll go bring some tea and cookies."
She exited quickly.
"She's amazing, isn't she?" asked Naruto dreamily.
Kakashi raised an eyebrow at his student.
"Are you sure you're asking the right person?"
"She is, sensei!"
"Well, yes, Sakura is an amazing medic and a strong kunoichi. She's very precious to Konoha and…"
He stopped because of the odd look he was receiving from Naruto.
"Sensei, you know what I mean," he insisted.
The hokage sighed deeply and tried to fight the pain he was in.
"Yes, I understand. Naruto, I believe Sakura is an amazing woman and I know you are still in love with her. What I don't know is why you are such a chicken and don't confess to her already. You're both adults and it's obvious you both like each other and…"
"Wait, sensei," interrupted the blond." You think she likes me too?"
Kakashi looked at his still childish face, all covered in glee. Even though the blond was a war hero and a jonin now, he still couldn't help looking at him like he used to look at the old Naruto who declared his love for ramen so freely, who hadn't killed gods and other villains. He wanted to keep the blue eyed ninja in his heart as pure as possible. After all, team seven was his family, they were his children. But this tall and scarred Naruto confused him sometimes. In some moments he would act just like the old Naruto, but mostly he was sad and moody and solitary. Kakashi knew wars change people, but to see the blond so silent all the time was concerning. It was after that moment when Naruto had lost his voice…after Sasuke had died.
"Kakashi-sensei, are you alright?" asked a concerned Naruto, while shaking his shoulder.
"Ah, yes, sorry…"
"You seemed to be thinking about something important, sensei. You don't want to tell me if Sakura likes me or not? Is that it? " the blond started to panic.
"Naruto, breath!" commanded Kakashi sternly. "Look, I don't know what hides in Sakura's heart, but I think she does like you. I think you two would make a nice couple. That's all I have to say and it's not like it even matters. But if it makes you feel better…"
Suddenly, the hokage felt his pupil's arms around him and, through the hug, Naruto whispered with the most childish voice:
"Thank you, Kakashi-sensei! You're the best!"
And, with just that, Kakashi could have sworn he was feeling a bit better.
Just then, the door opened and Sakura entered carrying a big plate of different flavored cookies and some jasmine tea.
"Drink while it's hot, sensei!" she advised and the older man complied, even though the tea was way too hot and his tongue ended up aching.
"It's nice having you both here," said Sakura. "It has truly been too long. How have you been, Naruto?"
The blond finished his cookie then answered.
"Well, busy with all the missions Kakashi-sensei assigns me to," he joked, earning a raised eyebrow from the hokage. "But I am good. I try to help as much as I can."
Sakura nodded kindly.
"But…," he continued , " it saddens me that the world hasn't changed as much as the Sage of the sixth paths has desired. Even after the curse we've been through, I still see people doubting each other…and it kind of makes it hard to fight, to go on."
Kakashi and Sakura exchanged worried looks. The older man talked first.
"Naruto, these things need time…I am sure people have only begun to realize what they have really been through. I know that only now they have truly begun to understand their experience. And I've seen them, Naruto. It's a slight change, but it matters. They are helping each other more than they think. In time, they will reach a new level of humanity and create new bonds. You have to be patient."
The blond only nodded absently. His face had grown paler and sadder in a couple of seconds.
"But why can't they just do it? Why can't they just open their eyes? Jiraya sensei died for this and Nagato and S… ." he stopped abruptly.
A hard silence fell over the trio. The S name had slowly become a tabu. No one ever mentioned it, especially in Naruto's presence. Sakura decided to break the ice.
"Naruto, are you sleeping enough? Are you eating well?"
The blond's eyebrows furrowed at her question. Kakashi took the time to really look at his pupil. Naruto had, indeed, lost some pounds and a bit of muscle and his body didn't look as healthy as it used to. To be honest, he looked sick. Kakashi really thought he needed a good meal and a warm bed. The hokage sighed, blaming himself for missing the obvious signs of depression. Naruto had been in this all alone since the war had ended and had slowly given in to sadness and misery. Kakashi could see it in his eyes, he could recognize it so easily because it was the exact feeling he had kept inside himself since his father had committed suicide. But…to see it in Naruto…it was so strange and it made the man feel very uneasy.
"I sleep and eat when I can, Sakura-chan," responded the blond, suddenly cold.
"Naruto, please don't lie to me. Please, tell me the truth!" begged Sakura, her voice already breaking.
The young jonin sighed.
"Look, since…he has died…I just couldn't keep on being the same. Everyday I feel this pain in my chest…but it's funny because I also feel empty inside. It's like my heart has been ripped out. I just…miss him, " he confessed quietly.
"We all miss him, Naruto," said Sakura and she touched his shoulder slowly.