"So why are you up this early, that's not like you at all?" Sakura muttered, her voice stressing certain aspects of the question as she looked towards him quizzically. He didn't answer straight away, watching as she stirred the spoon idly about the circumference of the coffee cup. His friend had likewise offered him the strong scented beverage which he clasped tightly, hoping to steal the warmth into his frozen digits. After a short minute of silence he replied honestly, telling her that he was unable to sleep due to a reoccurring nightmare that had kept him awake at night. As she listened to Naruto describe the ordeal he faced in the dream she became more certain that there was a reason behind his suffering.
"It's complete darkness, I can't see my hands in front of my face but then I start walking – although the ground beneath doesn't feel right." He murmurs. By this point he is twiddling his thumbs nervously as he is forced to recollect the happenings in his dream. Sakura could tell that it was causing her friend some discomfort so she pushed the coffee closer to him and insisted that he drink and slow down. Without little complaint or resistance Naruto took the beverage to his lips. As the smell and taste hit his senses a wave of nostalgia washed over him lightly, making his mind somewhat lethargic and hazed; a sensation which soon wore off after some time.
"If you don't want to tell me about it that's fine, Naruto," She paused as she took a sip, eyeing the blonde with sad curiosity before continuing, "but if you want me to help you…"
"No, I'll tell you." He interrupted, wanting to remove the weight the dream had placed on his chest. Desperately he wanted to make sense of it all and only she could help him do that, so he quietly continued. He described to her the darkness he felt and the sense that he was being pursued by an unknown being. When asked why he was under the impression that a person was after him he was unable to explain and though she accepted his answer she herself was somewhat confused. What startled her most about her companion's gruelling experience was the detail to which he could describe it and the pain which emerged deep behind his azure eyes. Shaking her head she indicated with raised hands for him to cease as she absorbed his last statement.
"This happens every night." The intonation of her voice caused her statement to appear as a question which Naruto felt obliged to answer; he nodded twice, solemnly, sending his gaze deep to the empty shaft of his drained cup. In turn she nodded, setting her drink down gently atop the wooden table before extending a hand towards his childhood friend. Naruto did not look towards her, his face haggard due to lack of rest. To Sakura he looked aged and frail, a state which she could not bear to tolerate; he stomach knotted and her heart fell. Her expression alerted Naruto to her own growing sadness. She stared hard at the many bags which had formed under his eyes like purple bruises.
"There is not much I can do…" Sakura's own words hit her with great force, she felt hopeless as Naruto seemed to physically shy away from her, tucking into himself as he slouched into the kitchen seat. "Maybe Shikamaru has something that will help you sleep, I don't know, but you can't let this affect your work." Even though she felt cruel for saying such a thing Sakura was unable to ignore the magnitude of Naruto's position as Hokage. In the small confines of the dimly lit kitchen she had allowed herself to think she was the same young girl from years ago who would happily listen to Naruto's complaints, she felt seventeen again with no worries for the future, but now she was a woman and Naruto the most influential man in the village. They weren't children anymore, each had their own responsibilities.
The two talked for an hour more before Naruto thought to show himself to the door. Sakura followed, clutching her night robes close to her body as she stood at the entrance's open mouth, waving him goodbye. Naruto left feeling somewhat relieved, happy to have seen his old friend once again but also at the fact that she did help him to make partial sense of how he was feeling.
"You've been given all these new responsibilities; anyone would be daunted by that. I think maybe you are just letting the work get to you." Her words rang clearly in his mind, chasing away the anxiety that had taken root towards the back of his subconscious. He returned home to find the house steeped in silence, neither the house nor its occupants stirred to life as he climbed the stairs up to his room. The doo was ajar, just as he had left it, enabling him to peer through the thin gap towards the bed; Hinata had not moved, he still from still curled beneath the white sheets. To a degree he was grateful that she would remain oblivious and so he clambered in next to her, turning to face the window once again as he attempted to get some rest, hopeful that maybe this time he would wake at a reasonable hour after having a decent amount of rest.