DISCLAIMER: I own nothing from the Naruto universe but I do have an imagination of my own.


Thinking

Biju, etc. speaking

Biju, etc. thinking

Emphasis


Kakashi grinned at the blonde-haired woman sitting across from the Shodai's desk in his office. Oh yes, he'd seen her checking him out again - this time his ass, specifically. It had been only two days since he'd changed his behavior toward her, not that he felt he was being any less attentive or loving! He was just being patient, he told himself.

No, patience wasn't quite the word to describe what he was planning, he had to admit upon rethinking about what he was doing with his favorite and most precious person. The word "endurance" was perhaps a better descriptor for him: he was going the distance. This was a long-term effort with many parts, after all. Plus, considering he was taking more than daily cold showers, and even sitting in his tub filled with ice on occasion, it did take a hell of a lot of endurance...

At least it seemed that he wasn't the only one hot and bothered. Kakashi let out a breath and forced himself to look away from the tantalizing blue-eyed... wanton... sex-pot. Don't think that! He shook his head, trying to "normalize" his brain. Too bad that his brain was completely perverted. Be cool, Hatake: Play. It. Cool.

Naru wasn't quite sure what was going on with her old-man boyfriend. He was still flirty, sometimes sweet, and loved to tease her, but something had changed. She wasn't sure that it was a bad change, but it was leaving her with some… issues. She felt deeply unsatisfied and nervous, and for some reason had almost painful sensations in places she didn't know could feel like that.

What's his deal? Naru forced herself to look away from his body as the man sat down, giving her a serious look that made her heart skip a beat. She went back to desperately writing in her newest journal.

Why was he treating her so reverently? It's like he suddenly believed that she was made of glass! His kisses and touch had become so much lighter, although lingering. Plus, any time that she tried to press herself closer to him, Kakashi would smile at her gently and move away. That wasn't like him at all! I mean, seriously! Maybe she had done something wrong or had given him a signal that she didn't want more? Gah!

At it again, Kakashi thought. Yes, he'd snuck a peek at her newest journal this morning, and what a tale it told! Who knew that his little Naru-chan had a mind like his own? After only reading a couple of pages, he thought she might have the opportunity to take over the Toad Sage's title as the master of porn.

Er- smut, no: Great Literature, he told himself.

As he continued staring at the love of his life, he watched her bite her lip and look at him with what he believed and hoped was lust. One could say many things about Naru, but more than anything she wore her heart and thoughts on her sleeve. If that wasn't a stare of longing and arousal, then he was not Jiraiya-sama's biggest fan! Naru quickly looked back down at her journal and restarted her furious writing.

"I have some things I have to take care of, Hime, but I'll be back, okay? Kakashi asked. He would have liked to just watch her more carefully to see where his new tactics were leading, but unfortunately, he had neglected a responsibility downstairs for far too long. The last thing he needed was someone asking about him or catching on to what had happened. Naru nodded at him as he stood towering over her.

As Kakashi reached down to bring her chin up, he gave her one of those kisses, barely meeting her lips with his. She stood up in a daze and blinked at him slowly. He led her into her room under a genjutsu, then placed his hands lightly on her shoulders. One more kiss… As she turned to him, he placed his lips over hers gently yet again. She moved into him quickly and he could hear and see her heart pounding in her veins. Slowly he moved his fingertips from her shoulders down her breasts before lightly attaching his hands to her waist. The whine she let out nearly undid him. He moved a bit away from her before saying "See you in a bit." Kissing the tip of her nose, he left the room.

Naru fell into her bed and screamed into the pillow.

Kakashi placed his hands in his pockets and cleared his throat, reigning back his control as he made his way towards the hidden elevator located on the bottom level of the Tower. He hoped he was doing the right thing with Naru, but he wasn't absolutely positive. Where Kakashi had plenty of experience with sex, he had none with romantic relationships. He also didn't believe for a moment that Naru had experienced either one of the two - not with the way she would suddenly pull back, her anxiety spiking, once they reached a certain point in their activities before he upped his game. Plus there was the fact that Naru had been Naruto before, and how can anyone even imagine how a change like that would affect one's psyche? Ergo, his plan: let her take the lead. It had been slow-going, but he could only plead to any gods willing to listen that it would bring them together in every way. He groaned: it's so hard! Wiping his mind of that pun, he reminded himself of how much she was worth it.

He put his hand against the wall and it glowed blue. Downstairs we go. Finally, the elevator reached its destination. Kakashi walked through the maze of hallways beneath the city, finally finding his target.

"Why hello there, Shikamaru. How have you been?" Kakashi pulled up a chair outside the Nara's holding cell and waited for his response. The kid looked exhausted but his expression quickly turned to one of calculative anger at seeing the village leader.

"Hokage-sama," Shikamaru said darkly. "Nice of you to finally visit," he added with a hint of sarcasm. Kakashi allowed the brat to stir, simply staring at the young strategist. The Nara looked toward the floor and finally let out a deep breath. "Hatake-sama, I have a question. How long have you been married to Naruto's sister?"

Although that question surprised him, Kakashi didn't let it show on his face. Three-quarters of it was masked anyway, but still. Where did the kid get an idea like that?

"Maa, I'm not sure I know what you're talking about, Shika-chan," Kakashi said with one of his famous eye-smiles.

Shikamaru tried to control his temper, but using the "chan" honorific did not help one bit! And that stupid fake smile in the Hokage's eye was pissing him off even more. He had planned for this conversation ever since waking up in the hospital, however, and wouldn't allow his pervert of a Hokage to so quickly stop his questioning. "I'm sure you do know what I mean, Lord Hokage," he responded: this time trying to control the sarcasm he felt dripping from his tongue. If the way Kakashi's eye darkened at his title, he hadn't succeeded very well.

Kakashi crossed his leg, really wanting to give the insubordinate punk another punch or maybe enlighten him with a painful jutsu. He had a feeling, however, that young Shikamaru Nara would be more angered and antagonized by their discussion than by any physical threats or actions at this point in time. "Maa, maa, Shika-chan! I'm unaware of what exactly you're accusing me of, and one more thing: that was not Naruto's sister," Kakashi finished while glaring at the young man.

Shikamaru jumped to his feet, landing against the cell bars. He had been in here far too long already, was sleep-deprived, and needed to ensure that Naruto's sister was safe. "Don't give me that shit!" Seeing the man's silver eyebrow simply rise, he swallowed hard. "I KNOW that was Naruto's sister... Hokage-sama." He closed his eyes, yet still did not get a response. Gritting his teeth behind his lips, he looked at his leader with a knowing glare. The damn Hatake didn't even seem affected. Silence followed for many minutes as both men waited for the other to speak.

Finally, Kakashi got bored with these games. "I'm trying to determine what to do with you now, Sloth," he said, using Shikamaru's ANBU handle. "...What I should do with you, whether you're Sloth or Shikamaru Nara, ne? You're a valued shinobi in my village, but you've made a terrible mistake and have committed various crimes." At Shikamaru's vocal denial, Kakashi simply raised his hand lazily and began counting on his fingers. "See if this reminds you of anything: insubordination, attack on your Kage, threatening dissension within your village and between the others…"

"You're right," Shikamaru regretfully asserted. Shaking his head, he pulled his lips into his mouth and worked them for a few moments. "I should not have reacted the way I did to the news of you hiding Naru… Hatake." Shikamaru looked like he had just eaten a combination of bugs, hot sauce, and lemons.

Oh-ho!

Now Kakashi understood where more of all of this aggression was coming from. Why couldn't the kid have just used his words in the first place?

Naru told him her new last name, huh? Well, that's the reason he'd heard from his subordinates that the Nara had been ranting about him having a wife. Naru would soon be his wife in all ways, Kakashi was sure, but he wasn't going into that with the imprisoned shinobi in front of him. He'd be having a difficult enough time once Lee-kun came back from his mission and they prepared that get together with Naru, Gai, and Sakura. Kakashi nearly turned green at the thought of what he'd have to deal with later this week.

"So where do we go from here, Hokage-sama?" Kakashi's smirk wasn't a good thing for him, Shikamaru just knew it.


.


Shikamaru is hotheaded here, (although that's not the first time we've seen this from him,) and he's got a LOT going on in his life. Naruto wasn't only his friend, but also his long-term ANBU partner, so he's also grieving. Plus, I would think that the entire community is still grieving and growing post-war, even years later.