AN: Years later, I finally return. I'll try to be more consistent with uploads.
I don't own Naruto
On a typical day in Konoha, various blond haired individuals could be seen running around the village.
One could be found at the academy giving a lecture to the students. Another would be helping an older women with her bags. Another would be delivering a sack of scrolls to the Analysis division. Another would be at Ichiraku Ramen speaking amicably to other shinobi.
He was nearly everywhere. If any of the villagers needed him, he would not be far away and they could come to him up close and personal. The citizens of Konohagakure took great satisfaction in that.
But the true Uzumaki Naruto was located at the Hokage Tower, barricaded by mountains of paperwork.
His eyes quickly scanned through the piece of paper before stamping a green 'approved' on the paper.
"One down, a million more to go." He sighed.
A young Genin Naruto never thought a majority of a Hokage work consisted of this and not going around the world and fighting super strong bad guys. But it's not like it mattered. The main reason he wanted to be Hokage was to be acknowledged by the village as a hero and not as a demon child.
He had attained that acknowledgement from the villagers way before he had become Hokage. After that, he develop a true love for Konohagakure, a desire to protect his village, and to instill and maintain the Will of Fire within the next generation.
Fortunately for him, he had been really close with the Godaime Hokage and Kakashi-Sensei did give him some on the job training.
Speaking of his predecessor, the grayed hair man entered his office, with a stack of more paperwork.
Naruto groaned. "C'mon! Can't I ever catch a break!"
Kakashi set the stack on the floor beside the wall since there was no space available anywhere near Naruto.
"This is what you signed up for, Naruto." He pulled out book from his pocket and began casual reading away.
"I know but-"
Kakashi flipped a page. "If would've known that you hated the position of Hokage so much, I would've passed it on to someone more reliable like Sakura, or Konohamaru. Maybe even Kiba."
Naruto's eyes narrowed. "Hey! I see what your doing, Sensei! I'm not a little Genin that you can manipulate anymore." Did he really think that he wasn't deserving of this position? His teeth grinded at Kakashi's words.
"Watch, I'll get all of this done by tonight!" He vowed.
Kakashi smiled. He felt sympathy for Naruto. Afterall, he was in his shoes once. Rokudaime Hokage couldn't imagine how he'd get all this work completed in one day, but then again this is Naruto, achieving the impossible was his forte.
At this rate, he's be holed up in his office for the rest of the day.
"Oh, by the way" with a puff of smoke a bento appeared in his hand. "Hinata wanted my to drop this off." He said as he set the bento on the nearest tower of papers towards Naruto.
His blue eyes soften as he read the small notes attached to the bento. One from his wife, a sloppy drawing from his daughter, and a short scribbled note from his son.
"Good luck." Kakashi waved as he left. Soon he was all alone.
He stood from his chair stretching a little, flexing his fingers. Surely, his hands would be all cramped up by the end of the day.
He found himself standing by the window, looking out to Konoha. Things have certainly changed the past couple years in Konoha under Kakashi, For the better of course. He could only imagine how stressful it would be stabilizing the Village after a world war.
Now, the duty was passed on to him. Naruto had the legacy of his father, Jiraya, Itachi Uchiha, and all the people who had died in the name of this village to uphold. He hoped, no, his time as Hokage HAD be prolific.
Plus, he now had a mantle to enact change for the greater good all across the shinobi world. What else could he wish for?
Yes, Naruto was happy. But when the persona of Naruto, the Nanadaime Hokage came down, he was a loyal shinobi of the leaf. Sure, he was still happy.
But there was still something missing.
This emptiness was something he already acknowledged a long time ago but the aching was particularly evident when he was all alone, when all his walls came down and he was just Uzumaki Naruto.
His mind began to wander. Nostalgia of his academy days with team 7, spending all of his youth chasing after her.
His right bandaged fingers curled softly into a fist.
She was back, allied with Konoha but she wasn't here, at his side.
He wondered how their lives would have been if circumstances were different...
But he never stayed on such forbidden thoughts for too long. He was a father, a husband, and the Hokage.
They walked different paths. One was protecting the village from the inside and other was from the outside, both essential in sustaining peace.
But it still hurt.
He shook his head, returning to reality. This was no time be moody, he had work to do!
With a pulse of chakra, 4 more clones appeared. "Alright get to work!"
Yet, in the midst of all of his duties, deep in the back of his mind, he couldn't help but wish that they were both a little more selfish.