A/N: Yeah, you're probably pissed at the word length of this one. At this point though, I like these short, intermediary one shots in between big story updates. I also love the fluff. Sex scenes are nice, too, but I like breaks between them.


The winter sun set over Konoha, and within, its fearless leader returned to his home, eager to get some rest.

The wild, blonde speedball had grown up to chase his dream. Though, his love for ramen never died.

'Hmm… Ramen. That does sound nice…' Thought the Hokage.

'Heh. Hokage. Who'da thought I'd actually make it?' Naruto continued to think, his gaze forward, but unfocussed. He continued to dawdle on thoughts, until a familiar, black shadow appeared above him.

With a subtle motion, Naruto braced his legs as he gave his new companion an involuntary piggyback.

"Afternoon." She said, stoic. Naruto smiled, and hoisted the woman up further on his back, so she could rest her head on his shoulders.

"Long day?" He asked her, walking towards home, body screaming for a rest.

"Not particularly. As long as any other. I'm just…" She yawned, her warm breath coursing over Naruto's neck. Another smile appeared on his face at the sensation.

"I've gotcha. Don't worry." He chuckled, the woman locking her arms around his waist.

"You're warm." The woman remarked, yawning again and closing her eyes, tuning into the sound of the streets and the birds, perched on awnings and railings. Naruto, steadying her with one hand, rubbed her black hair affectionately. She cracked a tiny, unnoticeable smile at the feeling.

"Did Sakura open all the windows again?" He asked. The kunoichi strapped to his back sighed and shivered.

"I don't understand that woman. Every other member on council could be freezing in that ice box, and she'd still complain about the heat." Came the former ROOT member's answer. Naruto laughed at that and noted that he was about halfway home.

"Isn't that one of your special powers, though? Can't you just order her to sit down and shut up about it?" Naruto asked her. Sai hummed to herself before answering.

"You have the power to install a better heater in there. And even if I did order her, she'd probably complain enough to offset the minor heat we'd be saving." Sai reasoned, teasing the Hokage.

"True, true. There's enough money in the budget, but I like putting it off." He jostled. Sai raised her head slowly, looking at Naruto with an inquisitive look.

"And why is that?" She asked, stoic. Naruto stopped in his tracks and turned his gaze to her.

"Because I like it when you request your piggybacks." He reasoned back at her, giving her a small peck on her red lips. Sai shrugged her shoulders at the comment, and the two continued for a while, until Naruto stood proudly outside the gates of their home.

And that was when Sai raised her head again.

"Wait… You like it when my weight slows you down?" She asked him. Naruto cringed a bit.

"Well, I don't think of it like that. I like to think of it as bonding time. A short break from the day where you and I can talk about what happened, and how we feel." Naruto explained to her, leaping over the gates to his house, and walking up the path.

"Oh… Right." She said, in a sheepish manner. Naruto reached his front door, and was about to pull out the keys to it from his pocket.

"So my weight doesn't bother you?" Sai asked, genuinely curious. A small frown grew on Naruto's face.

"Honey, it doesn't bother me in the slightest." Naruto said, opening the door to his home and basking in its glorious heat, his fireplace still raging in his living room. He positioned himself in front of the fire, and plopped Sai down.

The former ROOT member stretched on the small bed placed in front of the fire, and took off her work clothes, wearing nothing but her undergarments. Behind her, Naruto reappeared, a bowl of ramen in one hand. He lied down behind her and wrapped his arms around her, placing the bowl in front of her. His warm, bare chest pressed against the cold, pale skin of her back, making her gasp.

He handed her a pair of chopsticks, and she took them. She grasped some of the noodles, and Naruto leant his head forward, eating the afternoon "snack" eagerly.

They laid like that for a while, basking in the other's warmth, and that of the fire.

It was just another lazy day in the life of the heads of Konoha.