ONE YEAR LATER
A flower arrangement in the shape of a deer passed by Hokage Tower. Kakashi watched its journey from his office window. It was massive, closer in size to a horse than a deer, with antlers made of flowering pink branches. If they were real cherry blossoms, they were very nearly out of their season.
He thought of another cherry blossom, one he had tried to stop thinking about more than once in the last year or so. She was still away, travelling the world with her mentor and (assuming she wasn't lying dead in a ditch somewhere) far too busy to spare a thought for her poor fool of a Hokage.
"The journey to Suna will take a week for the full entourage, so the genin will leave four days into our journey. That way, our arrival should coincide with those who successfully made the run." Shikamaru held out a document. "I've also prepared a speech and had my fiancée review it for any cultural issues."
"Speaking of your fiancée, shouldn't you be focused on your impending nuptials? The only reason I even came into work today was because I assumed there'd be nothing for me to do."
"The proper administration of the village is always my first priority, Hokage-sama."
"I remember when you used to hide from Asuma to go look at clouds," Kakashi grumbled. "You were even lazier than me."
"Much has changed since then, Hokage-sama." Shikamaru remained stoic.
"Hokage-sama," Kakashi echoed contemptuously. Shikamaru loved to weaponise his title against him when he was being childish. "There are some pretty clouds outside today, actually. And a giant deer."
"Oh gods, don't talk to me about the giant deer." The boy's facade finally cracked. "They're a gift from the Yamanaka clan. Temari likes them, but I swear Ino meant it as a joke that got out of hand."
"I think they look cute. Maybe if we went down and got a closer look, you'd see that they're actually very tasteful."
"Are you just angling for an excuse to leave the building?"
"...Yes."
Shikamaru sighed. "Twenty minutes. But then we have to get to work. I'm only taking a half day in case Temari needs me for any last-minute preparations, so you need to approve the new ANBU recommendations, sign off on the proposed security measures for the chunin exam convoy, and read that speech. All before noon."
Now it was Kakashi's turn to sigh. "Anything else?"
"Approve my resignation?"
"Ha! Not until you find a replacement I can actually stand. Sorry, Shikamaru, but your honeymoon will have to wait until after the chunin exam ends, at the very least."
"I just want to remind you that my bride is a foreign ambassador with two very scary brothers, before you derail her honeymoon plans."
Kakashi smiled to himself. "I'm not scared of your fiancée, Shikamaru."
"Well that makes one of us…"
Kakashi strolled along the main artery of town, with no particular destination in mind except 'away.' He passed one or two more flowery deer and a few simpler arrangements, all headed for the venue where, this time tomorrow, Shikamaru and Temari would be married. He tried to feel cheerful about it (because it was a genuinely happy occasion) but he also felt a little bereft. It was no secret that Shikamaru had taken the personal assistant role under duress, and partially because it should probably have been his father's job. Ever since it was confirmed that the boy was going to become a dual citizen of both Konoha and Suna, he'd been angling for a demotion. And after the upcoming chunin exam (which would be hosted by Suna this year), Kakashi would give it to him. At least someone was going to be getting out of the tower. At least someone got to run off with the girl.
The weather was fine, a perfect day for reading books in a tree somewhere. He stared wistfully in the direction of the training fields, where some of his favourite hiding places lay. He hadn't truly appreciated how little privacy the Hokage had. It was considered 'improper' to read his favourite books, climb trees, or even pour his own tea during meetings. And even worse than all of that was the constant 'Hokage-sama, Hokage-sama, Hokage-sama…' It felt like a year since anyone had just called him Kakashi, even though he practically begged people every time. Naruto was the only one who consistently kept him humble; or he did, before he had stopped speaking to him.
"Good morning, Hokage-sama," someone called out behind him, and he turned with a half-hearted, "please, just 'Kakashi' is fine."
The words trailed off when he saw who it was.
"Long time no see, Just Kakashi."
"You're back," he breathed, and Sakura grinned.
"So it would seem." She nodded down a side street and Kakashi saw Tsunade and Shizune, still wearing their travelling clothes and apparently waiting for Sakura to catch up. "We just got in."
"I didn't realise you were coming home so soon." 'Soon' being very relative, considering how much he'd missed her.
Her smile dimmed a little. "It's just for Shikamaru's wedding. We're back on the road the day after."
"Oh."
"Yeah."
The silence dragged on, and Kakashi was worried that when it snapped, she would have to leave again. "You'll have to tell me all about your travels, and your findings with the other deep-dreamers."
She nodded. "We've prepared an official report for you."
"It was a success then?" He prompted.
"I'd say more of a 'mixed success.' It's all in the report."
"And you? Have you been well?" Five minutes ago he had been the Great Sixth Hokage, Hatake Kakashi, and now he felt like it was his first time speaking to another human. The awkwardness radiated off him, making all his words seem stilted and formal.
"I've been good. Saw a lot of amazing things, learned a few new tricks." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and Kakashi noticed that the pink was now broken up by a silvery streak at her temple. "I grew up a bit."
Kakashi couldn't help but agree. She had been mature beyond her apparent years when she left, but something about passing a full year with both mind and body in alignment had brought a fullness to her appearance. She was maybe half an inch taller, her hair was about six inches longer, and her clothes accentuated her physique and reminded him (painfully) that she was now a nineteen year old woman.
"You look happy." She looked like she might have forgotten him, or at least put the difficult thoughts of him in a box along with her other dreams that had never happened. He found it hard to completely regret letting her go, when she looked as happy as she did.
"I am," she agreed. "And I hope you are too." Behind her, Tsunade cleared her throat. "Gotta go. I'll see you at the wedding," she promised, before dipping into a cheeky bow. "Until then, Hokage-sama."
"Until then," he repeated softly to her retreating back. "Sakura."
Back in the prison of his office, Kakashi was more miserable than ever.
"About those new ANBU recruits," Shikamaru began, but Kakashi just waved his hand.
"Say I approved them all. They've already been vetted by Sai and half a dozen other jonin before they come to me, anyway."
"You know that some of these new recruits will be tasked with ensuring your personal safety." Shikamaru waved the thick folder with a rather brutal-looking seal over the flap. Kakashi was the only one who could open it without getting hurt. "You really don't care who they are?"
He shook his head. "By the time I see them, they'll all go by Penguin, Panda, and Porpoise anyway." He felt sorry for whichever poor newbie got protection detail as their first gig, thinking it would be at all fulfilling to guard one of the strongest shinobi in the village while he sat at his desk and signed papers. At least they would all be on the open road soon, and they could try their hand at protecting him from bandits instead of papercuts.
Shikamaru shrugged. The boy was already so good at forging the necessary signatures that Kakashi didn't know why he even bothered turning up anymore. He was just a figurehead, really. A puppet. A bureaucrat.
By the time he'd whittled down his in-tray (true to his word, Shikamaru had taken a half day and left him with a pile of work the height of Pakkun), it was dark out. Sakura and the others hadn't come to deliver their report and he hadn't thought to ask where they were staying.
He walked slowly, taking the long way home. For all that he'd been desperate to leave the office, there was nothing waiting for him at his apartment except some leftover rice and a lonely cup of coffee. But the night air was warm and scented with wildflowers from the forest. The stars were out, lighting his way and reminding him of memories that were almost happy. His father. Sakura.
The Maiden was at her peak, dominating the sky. Her heart, usually one of the smaller stars in the constellation, was burning so brightly that it almost outshone the others. He had never seen it so bright, in fact.
The wedding of Nara Shikamaru and Temari of the Desert was arranged to be a two-part affair. Hosting the event in either Konoha or Suna would have unfairly stacked one side of the guest list, so the couple had decided to have two ceremonies instead. The Suna ceremony would take place during the chunin exam, meaning the newlyweds would have to be on the road almost as soon as the Konoha festivities were complete, if they wanted enough time to prepare for Wedding Number 2.
It was also why Shikamaru had been desperate to complete or at least effectively delegate as much of his work as possible prior to the ceremony. There simply wasn't going to be enough time after; not without neglecting his new bride (which was out of the question for a number of reasons both practical and selfish). Kakashi, Shikamaru knew, would cope well enough in his absence. For all that the man dragged his heels, he was a genius in both intellect and combat. He could handle a bit of paperwork, and as for the trip to Suna? The man was practically jumping at the chance to be out on the open road for a while.
And so, despite an unprecedented amount of flower arrangements shaped like deer (once Ino had heard Temari actually liked the infernal things, she'd doubled production overnight), the first ceremony went off without a hitch. The bride was beautiful (traditional white kimono, with embroidered green leaves to symbolise her new status as a citizen of The Village Hidden in the Leaves), the groom managed to avoid crying mid-ceremony (though the empty chair beside his mother brought him close), and the guests seemed well content. Even the former Hokage and her crew had managed to blow back into town for the event.
Speaking of, Haruno Sakura had just finished chatting with Ino and was heading in the direction of the buffet table. Shikamaru moved to intercept her.
"Sakura-chan, good to see you. It's been a while."
They exchanged the usual bland pleasantries; he, asking about her travels, and she, congratulating him on his excellent taste in spouses and swearing an oath that she had arrived not even twenty-four hours ago and could therefore not be connected to the deer in any way.
"But listen," she said, "it's clear you have something you actually want to discuss with me. If you're anything like I remember you, you'll be bored stiff by all this small talk."
"Politics has changed me," he smiled, even though yes, he was in agony. "And it's politics I actually wanted to talk to you about."
"Uh oh."
"What are your plans for the future? Can I convince you to stay in town?"
She narrowed her eyes. "Don't you dare."
He dared. "I have it on good authority that a position as the Hokage's personal assistant could be opening up soon, to the right applicant."
"Nara Shikamaru, are you trying to foist your job off on me at your own wedding?"
"Please Sakura," he begged, dropping all pretence that his offer was even a little bit enticing. "He won't let me quit until I have a replacement, and you're one of the few people I think he could actually stand to work with."
She scoffed. "I've only had one conversation with him in the last year. Get Naruto to do it."
"You don't think I haven't tried? He and our esteemed Hokage are currently engaged in a very mature battle of wills at the moment, and the role of assistant requires you to actually speak to one another."
"Which still doesn't make me a better candidate," Sakura muttered. "But why are they fighting? Did Kakashi name Konohamaru his heir or something?"
Shikamaru sighed. This was more business than he really wanted to be doing today, but he told himself it would be worth it if he could convince Sakura to take over his job. "It's about Sasuke and Obito. Naruto wants to take them on supervised trips outside the village, but they've only just been allowed to leave the Uchiha estate with a single escort."
"Naruto thinks they're ready," Sakura guessed. "But Kakashi thinks they need more time."
"Kakashi thinks we all need more time. It wasn't so long ago that the Uchihas were Public Enemy Number One, no matter how much they may have redeemed themselves."
"Kakashi's right, unfortunately." Now it was Sakura's turn to sigh. "Speaking as someone that just spent the last year abroad dealing with people impacted by the Infinite Tsukuyomi, the world just isn't ready. One day, but not yet."
The current song, a lively classic, appeared to be winding down. Shikamaru glanced back at the dancefloor where he had last seen his wife (wife!) getting spun around by Kankuro.
"I can tell I'm not going to convince you with one conversation," he told Sakura, "But please, please think it over? Call it a wedding gift?"
Sakura just smiled sadly. "If I don't see you again before I leave, I wish you and Temari every happiness."
It wasn't a classy move, but Shikamaru was out of options. "Look, does this have anything to do with whatever fight you and Kakashi had last year? Because I still think he would be okay with y-"
"Shikamaru." Haruno Sakura's temper was infamous, even before the war took its unique toll on her. "Read my lips. I cannot. Stay. In Konoha. Not for Kakashi, not for anything. Ask me again and I'll take it to a higher authority."
"The Hokage?"
"Temari."
"Backing off," he said immediately, raising his hands and letting her step away. "But for the record, you fight dirty."
"That's why I win," she grinned, briefly, before melting into the crowd.
Damn it. Sakura had been his last holdout. Between Naruto's rebellious streak, Sai's commitments as captain of ANBU, and pretty much every other idle jonin working for the Konoha Military Police Force, Shikamaru couldn't think of anyone else with the necessary aptitude that could simultaneously tolerate, and be tolerated by, their intractable Hokage. He had no doubt Haruno Sakura was doing good work abroad; he even had some reports directly from Temari about the things she was doing in Suna. But he had also seen how close Kakashi had been with Sakura prior to his ascension, and even though the Hokage seemed to change the subject whenever the girl's name was brought up, there was also something wistful in the way he looked at seemingly innocuous things (cherry blossom trees, stars, coffee, umbrellas, prawn tempura, the Konoha River), that made it clear his mind was on someone. Maybe if that someone wasn't halfway around the world, the supreme leader of the village would finally be able to focus on his work.
And Shikamaru would finally get a damn break.
Sakura had managed to shake off the groom and reach the buffet table without further delay. She was, to put it mildly, starving. Since arriving back home yesterday, she had basically bounced from one long catch-up session to another. In order, she had spoken to:
Kakashi, briefly yesterday. Current mission: run the village (ongoing).
Sasuke and Obito, over dinner. Current missions: consultation for the Konoha Military Police Force (ongoing), donation of DNA toward the preservation of the Uchiha bloodline (emerging). The idea of a bunch of civilian women one day giving birth to babies that looked just like Sarada made Sakura want to live out her days on the other side of the world, but she had to admit it was a pretty genius idea.
Sai and associates, time unknown. Current mission: classified (in progress).
Ino, today. Current mission: make several giant flower deer (completed).
Tenten. Current missions: Chief Commissioner of the Konoha Military Police Force (ongoing), stop Ino going overboard with the deer (failed).
Temari. Current missions: get married (completed); stop Kankuro from giving a speech (ongoing).
Shikamaru. Current missions: get married (completed), convince Sakura to help him retire (failed).
She meant to check in on Naruto at some point and hopefully knock some sense into him about his cold war with Kakashi. He had been keeping pretty close to Hinata all day, and Ino had confirmed that this was typical behaviour these days. Actually, the rumour mill had been speculating greatly about the relationship between Hinata, Naruto, and Sasuke (who had been seen accompanying them around town more and more since the easing of their restrictions). Was it a friendship born of mutual philosophy? A love triangle? A polyamrous throuple? Ino didn't have all the details, but everyone seemed happy, regardless.
She had just stuffed several pieces of fancy tuna in her mouth and was scanning the room for either Naruto or Hinata when someone tapped her on the shoulder.
"Mmfm?"
It was Kakashi, who had managed to lose the cap and robe now that the formalities were over. In her dream the man had worn grey fatigues everywhere, regardless of the occasion. Now, she could see he was wearing a simple civilian-style suit that was, admittedly, far more appropriate for a wedding (especially during the New Era of Peace).
"Bad time?" He asked, a smile in his voice.
"Not at all," she lied, after forcing herself to chew and swallow rapidly. "What's up?"
The faintest hint of consternation flashed across Kakashi's visible features. "Nothing, really. I just thought this might be a good opportunity to catch up finally, seeing as you have such an early start tomorrow. So tell me: what have you been up to in the last year?"
"Like I said yesterday, it was kind of a mixed bag of experiences." She cast around for funny, safe anecdotes she might regale him with. "At one point we visited the Yamamada Onsen."
"The one from-"
"From Icha Icha Tactics? The very same." Sakura grinned. "Jiraiya was a very…dedicated researcher, and Tsunade wanted to spend some time tracing his steps. The result was that we ended up visiting a lot of mixed-gender hot springs." Maybe this wasn't the best topic after all. Kakashi was giving her a weird look, and it was starting to make her feel self-conscious. "To be clear, the events of Icha Icha Tactics were highly exaggerated. There is a water slide, but nobody was using it in the way that he described. I doubt they even could, considering the height and angle you'd need to pull off that kind of speed."
"Good to know." Kakashi's voice sounded weirdly strangled. Was he trying not to laugh at her? Or did he now think that she had become a huge pervert in the last year, and regretted trying to talk to her at all? Granted, she had gained a bit more 'experience' on her travels (much like the taste of alcohol and the correct process for frying tempura, her dreams had been somewhat vague about the details of sex), but she wasn't in a rush to tell Hatake Kakashi, of all people.
They lapsed into a silence emphasised by the lull between one song ending and another beginning.
"Stars, shining bright above you," the singer began to croon. "Night breezes seem to whisper 'I love you.' Birds singing in the sycamore tree, dream a little dream of me." The band played a slow accompanying rhythm, and pairs headed for the dancefloor in each other's arms.
Sakura could have died then and there. "Anyway, I should go find Naruto. Literally everyone I spoke to on our travels wants to know what he's up to these days, so I should find probably out."
Kakashi grabbed her right arm gently, and she tried not to wince. "Wait, please," he said. "Would you like to dance? Or we could just keep talking, if you prefer."
She did not prefer, so she allowed herself to be led onto the floor. "One dance," she said firmly, and his eyes softened in the way that meant he was smiling beneath his mask. It struck her that she might never see that smile again.
"One dance," he promised.
They made a slow path around the edges of the other dancers. The last time they did this, in Obito's living room, it had been to this very same song, and Sakura had believed it was all part of a broken dream. In her ignorance, she had promised herself they would do it again once she 'woke up.' Now, all she wanted was for the song to end.
"Are you warm?" Kakashi asked suddenly.
"What?" she started. Her face must have been more flushed than she realised.
"You haven't taken your jacket off all day." It had been a hot day, with many shucked jackets and rolled up sleeves.
She shrugged carefully. "It completes my outfit." The outfit in question was a deep blue suit, embroidered with red flowers that matched her blouse.
"If you say so," he said, and thankfully dropped it.
She realised something. "Wait, you said I haven't removed my jacket all day. You keeping tabs on me, Hokage-sama?"
"The foundation of ninjutsu is attention to detail," he said mildly. "I also noticed that Gai went through seven handkerchiefs-"
"Gross."
"Naruto's cufflinks match Hinata-sama's bracelet, and Tsunade-sama gave a ten-year-old saké from the Hidden Mist as a wedding gift."
"Well, consider me well and truly chastened."
"You do look nice, though. New suit?"
"Got it in the Hidden Cloud," she said, trying not to let the compliment go to her head. She glanced at Kakashi's face, to see if he was still teasing her, but his eyes showed nothing but sincerity.
"Why don't you stay?" he suggested, and she almost stepped on his foot. "Here in the village. Shikamaru's desperate for a replacement, and I know that everyone has missed you."
"Everyone?" she asked softly.
Kakashi nodded. "Sure. Naruto and Sai and the rest of that gang. Oh, and Obito and Sasuke have been asking about you pretty much daily."
And you?
She didn't ask, because either answer would have hurt. Instead, she leaned back in his arms, inviting him to dip her in place. She stayed, suspended by his strength, for only a few seconds, but she closed her eyes and tried to savour the moment. There would be no excuse to touch him again after this.
The song's last notes faded and died, and he righted her. "Sorry, Kakashi. I'm needed elsewhere, for things too important to entrust to others."
"Your work with the other dreamers," he said, and she didn't correct him. "I understand. But I hope you still think of Konoha as your home."
"Don't worry, I'm not planning to defect any time soon," she smiled. "No matter how far away I am, Konoha is all I think about."
"Can I see you off tomorrow?"
She nodded. "Tsunade said dawn, but at this stage I'd say we'll probably be ready to leave by eleven."
He squeezed her hand gently before releasing her. "Eleven, then."
"Don't be late," she teased.
"Wouldn't dream of it."
"Hey Tsunade-sama, where did you get the saké that you gave to Shikamaru and Temari?"
"That saké?" Tsunade appeared to think. "Hidden Rock, I think. Twelve years old; almost a teenager. Why do you ask?"
"No particular reason." Sakura smiled to herself.
"Good morning, Hokage-sama." 'Falcon' bowed slightly from the office doorway. "I believe you were expecting us this morning? We never received the summons, so we apologise for the delay."
"No need to apologise, Captain." Kakashi said, even though it was now close to eleven and he wanted nothing more than to leap from his chair and sprint to the A-n gates. "It was our fault. My assistant is currently AWOL; though I can hardly blame him."
"I'd be surprised if he makes an appearance at all today." Falcon tilted his masked head slightly; the equivalent of a belly laugh for the man who, Kakashi knew, was actually Sai.
"Well, I hope he enjoys his day off, and considers it my wedding gift to him." Kakashi gestured for Falcon and his companion to step further into the room. "Anyway, let's get on with it. I have an appointment at eleven that I can't miss."
The ANBU captain presented another agent Kakashi had never met before. "Hokage-sama, this is Tanuki. She's been assigned to your protection detail."
Tanuki was wearing the deep-set hood that some ANBU members wore, so it was hard to discern much about her features. She was female, on the short side, and had a stocky, curvy figure that suited her raccoon dog mask. It was hard to tell her age, but she carried herself like someone in their thirties.
"Hokage-sama." Tanuki bowed. Her voice was low and a little raspy.
"Nice to meet you." He glanced at the clock. "If that's all…?"
"Actually Hokage-sama, I wanted to brief you and Tanuki about the security concerns for the Chunin Exam convoy," Falcon said. "Unless now is a bad time?"
He groaned internally. "No, no, this is too important to put off. But let's walk as we talk."
They headed for the edge of town, Sai briefing him on the primary and back-up routes to Suna, the number and configuration of wagons (supplies and guards at the ends, he and the other VIPs in the centre), and the importance of not joining the fight if something did go wrong.
"That's what Tanuki and the others are for," he said. "Don't make their job harder by not being where you're supposed to be."
Kakashi fought the urge to groan or flick the boy in his stupid bird face. "I can protect myself, you know. No offence, Tanuki."
"None taken, Hokage-sama."
"That is not the point, and you know it." Sai's tone never changed, but Kakashi knew he felt just as frustrated as he did. "We've been picking up a lot of chatter about assassination attempts on high-profile targets. Just last week, one of Kumo's feudal lords was ambushed on the way to his summer estate. And that's just the most recent one."
"If I promise to be good, will you promise to stop nagging me?"
Sai glanced behind them at Tanuki, who was following a half-step behind and slightly to the right: a perfect shadow. "He's your problem now, Tanuki."
They arrived at the gates before Tanuki or Kakashi could say anything about that. It looked like Sakura and the others had only just arrived themselves. Tsunade was already panting, which didn't bode well for the rest of their journey.
"Are you sure I can't convince you all to stay another day?" he asked, trying not to look too obviously concerned.
Tsunade began to shake her head, but stopped with a groan.
"Unfortunately, we need to be on the road as quickly as possible." Shizune filled in for her. "We're already leaving later than expected."
"Then I won't keep you any longer." He tried to catch Sakura's eye, but she looked almost as sick as Tsunade. Her pack was slung loosely over her left shoulder, and her eyes were squeezed shut as if she were trying to remember something (or trying not to vomit). Kakashi hadn't seen her have any alcohol at the wedding, but possibly Tsunade had roped her into after-party drinks.
Shizune nudged Sakura gently, and she opened her eyes. "Goodbye Kakashi," she said softly, her eyes sliding past him to take in Falcon (whose identity she knew) and Tanuki. She nodded to the shorter girl. "Take care of him."
"I really don't know why everyone thinks I need to be taken care of," he said half-heartedly, but Tanuki gave Sakura a silent nod.
"Anyway, we really must be going," Shizune said, and Sakura turned to leave immediately.
"Goodbye, Sakura," he called after her as she practically quick-marched off down the road. It troubled him how desperate she seemed to leave Konoha. Or was it just him she was in a hurry to leave? Perhaps she'd only been polite about inviting him to see her off. Perhaps she'd wanted to leave early enough to avoid him entirely, not believing he would actually be on time.
Tanuki cleared her throat gently and Kakashi realised he was still standing and watching the road instead of actually running the village. He turned on his heel.
"Let's go."
"Is he gone?" Sakura asked through gritted teeth.
"He's gone, but let's wait until we're past these bushes just to make sure. Okay…here."
They stopped, and Sakura sagged against the trunk of a tree. "I'm almost at my limit."
Shizune stepped in to give her a hug, careful not to bump her right shoulder. "You did well."
"Now the hard part begins," Tsunade said, also hugging her. "Don't be afraid to pull the plug if it all goes to hell."
"No chance." She gave them a tight smile. "I'm seeing this mission through if it's the last thing I ever do."
"That's why you're the only one who can do it," Tsunade gave her one last squeeze. "I'm very proud of you. Now drop it, already."
Sakura smiled, and disappeared in a puff of white smoke.
Heading back to Hokage tower, Tanuki stumbled ever so slightly. The Hokage appeared lost in thought and didn't seem to notice, but Falcon glanced back at her. They both wore masks, but some silent communication passed between them all the same.
The mission had begun.
