Kage of the Graves:

Consumption of Commiseration

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In the silence that falls somewhere between the moon's setting and first rays of dawn, Tsunade sat at her desk in quiet commiseration. Eyes, bloodshot and glassy all at once, flickered across the page that held the final words of her adopted…well, she wasn't sure if he was more of a little brother, a son, or a grandchild, but whatever Naruto had been to her, she had loved him with all her heart. The grief, the anguish, the gut wrenching pain of loss, and even the hatred she felt against her citizenry had all bleed away - she had no tears left for any of them.

Trembling hands attempted to lift a sake bottle to her lips, but her hand - usually so sure and strong - failed her. Dead, flat eyes, watched the bottle fall to floor disinterestedly, and though her ears picked up the sound of ornamental ceramics shattering, the mind that processed such sights and sounds had no inclination to do so.

Tsunade was drunk, so drunk in fact, that she could no longer feel the affects of the alcohol coursing through her veins. Her body was suffering alcohol poisoning at this very moment, but she couldn't summon up even the slightest bit of energy required to care. After all, how was it fair that she - an old, tired drunkard of a woman - should live on? How was it fair that she held a position she didn't even care for, when the bright, loud and lovable Genin - who'd brought her 'home' to occupy this wretched paper throne - who had never once wavered in his shouted convictions that he would be Hokage, never would.

"How is it fair?" Her voice, a hoarse whisper so slurred even she could hardly understand it, rasped into the darkness. "HOW IS IT FAIR!" The whistle of an empty bottle cut through the air, thrown by a chakra strengthened arm exploded through the large picture window facing the Hokage Mountain, showering her senses with the tinkling of glass. Seeing the face of the Fourth peering mournfully back at her through the empty window frame, Tsunade forced herself to turn away, sickened at the very sight of the Yondaime's memorial.

"It's all your fault, you know, you laughing bastard…" And then, breaking the ensuing silence was another sound. She had been wrong, it seemed the Hokage still had tears left to shed after all.

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Naruto sat, huddled in a corner of Tsunade's office. He had watched, for hours on end as Tsunade had drank more and more heavily. Each time the old woman had picked up his note, she had begun to cry again, and had then begun to drink still more.

The vicious cycle had only ended some time late into the night. With a sigh, Naruto reflected on the fact that it had only stopped because his beloved sister - or mother, or grandmother, depending on the mood of the time - no longer had the strength to raise a glass.

After her exchange with his father, Naruto had silently stood and walked to her side. Everything seemed to be a mistake, he had never meant to cause such misery. But now, Tsunade had passed out, however, she was still not free of the terrible anguish that had put her in such a state. He could see the tears continuing to fall, hear the quiet whimpers.

Without a thought to his actions, he lifted a blanket off a nearby shelf and gently draped it across his adopted families matriarch, wrapping his arms around her in a comforting hug. Surprisingly, Tsunade's pained look morphed in a gentle smile. "Naruto…" a happy sigh trailed her words - and with that, the Hokage of Konoha slipped into a peaceful slumber at last.

-"I'm sorry Tsunade-baa-chan, sleep sweet and dream well… okay?-

(AN: What's this? Ghost Naruto was able to lift the blanket - an item of the living world? Yet, in typical Naruto fashion, he didn't even realize it, oy. Anyway, another chapter will be up soon. But this is the longest one for 'Kage of the Graves' so far, what'ch y'all think about it?