Author's notes:

An unexpected surprise at the end of the chapter.

CHAPTER 26

A few months passed peacefully in Konoha. A peace that only existed on surface but conspiracies and betrayals brewed everywhere. The only consoling thing for the dull Konoha was a blond sunshine who wasn't much appreciated but who kept on giving his light.

There were three notable things that must be noted during these months.

First was everyone's most anticipated team of Konoha, Team 7.

It was a unique team with a sensei and three students. A recovering depressed sensei who was still trying to grasp the nuances of teaching while being in an elite shinobi squad, an emotionally stunted sharinghan wielder who went through a traumatic event which was far beyond his scope, a bubbly, low self-esteemed love obsessed pink girl who had no understanding of ninjas and love, and last but not least, an ostracized jinjuriki who had no self-worth and had identity issues in having to wear many masks at same time.

During these months, team 7 went to a month long mission to Konoha's border and other escorting C-rank missions. There were also one D-rank mission worth mentioning among other D-rank missions.

The missions always started with Sakura complaining, Sasuke hoping to be a hero but ended up with Naruto clearing the mission and making friends with the clients. This was the general truth. But in other's eyes, it ended up with, Sasuke being useful and Naruto being a nuisance while Sakura protected the clients. Even a photo with Kakashi's famous heroine and princess of a country, Yukie, didn't help Naruto to become famous.

But Kakashi and the third hokage knew the truth. There were two reports submitted. One in the genin mission office which could be viewed by everyone and the one which was kept secretly by the Sandaime.

Naruto's other part-time sensei's were also stressed by the partiality to Naruto. But both Kakashi and Naruto calmed them down by saying it was good for Naruto to lay down low for now.

There was one other person who knew that Naruto was not as dead-last as he seemed in the academy.

It was Sasuke. Unlike Sakura, he could see Naruto getting better even though Kakashi showed special attention to himself. It agitated Sasuke more than he let on. He thought once he got sharinghan he would be unambiguously, be a great genin for his age like his brother. But reality proved otherwise. His dream to avenge his clan wasn't getting any nearer than it was before he opened the sharinghan.

But Sasuke also unknowingly started to bond with Naruto. He was slowly trusting Naruto on the mission which made both Kakashi and Naruto happier.

Sasuke's relationship with Sakura was not getting any better but the fault was on the girl's part. Sasuke grew with Uchiha women who opened their sharinghans as quick as men and contributed to the pride of the clan and the village. His own mother was a strong women whom his father not only loved but respected. When compared to them, in his eye, Sakura lacked a lot. And no matter how many times he said no, she didn't understand. Sometimes, when he was getting angrier with her, he was happy for Naruto's intervention. He also doubted Naruto didn't like Sakura and he was just asking her out to rival him. Sasuke didn't realise Naruto's standards were way higher.

Sakura on her part was just learning physical skills. Under Naruto's insistence to Kakashi privately after she got injured in Land of Tea, Kakashi assessed her physical skills and sighed for a long time. Sakura had a long way to go in taijutsu skills, shuriken jutsu, camping skills, tracking skills and all other ninja skills that involved physical work.

All this work made Sakura tired, irritated and angry. She could see that she was the only one lacking in physical part. It made her feel left out of the team in many ways. It came out as anger. She took it out on the least cared for member of the group, Naruto. She couldn't accept that she would be worse in anything than Naruto. But the reality proved otherwise.

But she could no longer beat Naruto as it was made clear by Kakashi that the clients needed to respect every ninja on a mission and so Sakura should behave and Naruto should not ask her out during missions. That made things easier for Naruto but not for Sakura. Naruto always stayed out of her way during training as it was clones who were sent to training most of the time and the clones if it disappeared after she punched created another one which acted as original.

Naruto was, in one word, busy. He was busy with team 7, team zero and a team outside Konoha. It was rare for Kakashi and Guy to see his original, if there were no C-rank missions. Genma and Anko were also members of squad Zero. They were seen by Naruto regularly but they still didn't know who was captain zero behind the mask. Kakashi didn't go on any squad zero missions after Howling Wolf village. He went to normal jonin missions and hokage explained that two of his jonins were already working for Naruto and also Kakashi had a team to teach. Kakashi didn't believe it for a second but he also couldn't ask Naruto about it. Naruto was the captain and Kakashi only answered if his captain called.

To be honest, there were only four C-rank missions for team 7 in these past months, out of which, one upset the genins too much. It was given to team 7 on the request of Naruto's request in private to the hokage when Kakashi was busy on a jonin mission.

It was to check the files the list of subsidiaries received by civilian families who lost their ninja bread winners and another list of ninjas who lost their teammates or families and had to undergo a subsidized therapy.

Naruto wanted his team to learn two things.

For Sakura to understand how ninja's life was precious and how their families would be affected if something happened to the ninja and also how easy it was to lose one's life in ninja's work.

For Sasuke to see, despite losing their comrades, friend and families, how and why those ninjas continue to serve the village. What drove them?

Sakura went home with tears in her eyes while Sasuke was being silent all the way. And so, Naruto pulled him along for a spar in training ground seven.

After the spar which lasted for half an hour, where no one won, both of them fell on the ground panting.

"Oi teme, you didn't win today", Naruto teased Sasuke.

"Shut up, baka"

"I know why. You were thinking about today's mission right?", asked Naruto looking at the sky which started drizzling suddenly.

"Hn". Sasuke was tired which made him open up and it was also because it was only Naruto.

"Those ninjas were very brave. They still continue to be a ninja after everything", Naruto said admiringly.

"Hn"

"Do you think it is worth it Sasuke?"

"What is?"

"To go on to protect others even if we have nothing to protect for ourselves", Naruto asked seriously.

"I don't know"

"The sacrifices they made for the village and us is commendable"

"Hn"

"I want to protect the village like that too"

"Hn"

"What do you think of those ninjas?"

"They left some of those enemy ninjas alive after they killed our ninjas because we signed a treaty. How is it ok? What about those who died?", Sasuke questioned angrily.

"It is about those who live. To make their lives better we need peace", Naruto explained.

"If we are strong enough, no one will think about attacking us in the first place", Sasuke shared his perspective.

"Or if everyone signs up for peace, no fighting", Naruto shared his views.

"So we forget those people who died?", Sasuke questioned.

"We don't. We will remember them. They are always in our heart", Naruto pointed to his heart.

"It isn't enough, Naruto. They deserve justice too", Sasuke argued.

"Yeah. But I can tell you this. Almost everyone thinks about their family and friends when they die, not about the ones who killed them. They think about love and peace not revenge. It is for the last wish our alive ninjas are still working hard. To protect those people who mattered the most to their dead comrades and friends."

"You talk like you died few times. Don't talk big about things that you don't know about. It will hurt your pea sized brain", Sasuke mocked him.

"Tell that to your hair cut, duck butt", Naruto mocked back.

"What about those who has no one left to think for?", Sasuke asked in an uncharacteristically small voice. His real age showed and a child who lost everything in one night could be heard.

"Trust me Sasuke. There is no one really alone in the world. There is someone out there who cares for us all", Naruto said and continued with a sheepish smile. "I mean, I have no one but even I think Kakashi sensei, you and even Sakura may care about me a little. So, you don't have to worry about being alone. Everyone likes you".

Sasuke gave a lopsided grin which was cute for him.

"I don't like you and Sakura hates you, Usurantokichi. I don't know what Kakashi is thinking", Sasuke teased.

"Teme", Naruto threw a small stone at him and smiled. 'Kakashi would be the one to come for me first right after Kyubi kicks my ass and heals me'.

"What will you do?", Naruto asked.

"What?"

"After reaching your goal, what will you do?", Naruto asked.

"I don't know. Go to my family grave and tell them probably", Sasuke replied.

"After that?"

"I don't know"

"Marry someone and have kids?", Naruto asked.

"What are you talking about?", Sasuke asked.

"To revive your clan", Naruto reminded.

"Maybe. What about you?", Sasuke asked.

"I want to become hokage"

"As if. One need to be smart to become hokage but you are not", Sasuke teased.

"Teme, I am smarter than you", Naruto shouted at him and Sasuke smiled.

"Will you get married and have kids?", Sasuke asked.

"I don't know. I do want a family one day. I never had one. It would be nice to come home to someone, I guess", Naruto said.

"Hn. It was", Sasuke said looking into a distant past when the rain became heavier.

"They will be proud of you, you know? You are doing your best", Naruto said.

Sasuke didn't reply.

"You should make them happy for you too. That's what they would want. For you to be happy", Naruto said.

"How do you know?", Sasuke asked his characteristic angst returning.

"Because if I have a family, that is what I would want for them and I hope they would want the same for me", Naruto said with a smile.

"You are an idiot", Sasuke said with a hidden smile.

"That is rude teme", Naruto interrupted.

"But you are not unlikable. You will have a family one day", Sasuke finished.

Naruto smiled, "It would be nice."

"Hn"

"Sasuke, I know no one told this to you but I think you are very brave and it is ok to miss them. I know it was very hard on you"

Sasuke closed his eyes to stop the tears from spilling.

'Was it hard for you? Not to know your family?', that's what Sasuke wanted to ask but he never did.

"Don't pity me", that was what he said instead.

"Teme, you really suck at understanding people", Naruto shook his head.

"You don't understand. You have no one to miss", Sasuke said not flaunting or taunting Naruto. Just stating facts.

"Yes. Perks of not having anyone", Naruto said closing his eyes too.

"Can't decide which one is better", Sasuke said and the rain started pouring on both boys.

If they both cried for everything they lost and everything they never had, the rain washed away the evidences and no one was wiser.

Both of them never talked about it ever again.

After Kakashi returned from the mission he noticed how Naruto and Sasuke seemed closer and Sakura was calm. Kakashi eyed Naruto and he shrugged. Kakashi was informed what happened later and he was glad he wasn't there when they checked the list. He hadn't known how to answer his genin's questions if he was asked why he still go on. He was glad Naruto chose the mission though. It was also Naruto who gave him the written report for that mission which Kakashi stored separately and made a report of his own before submitting in the mission office.

Second was squad Zero.

It was also during these months that squad zero secretly did many missions and collected many information. This involved lot of travelling to which Naruto was grateful for. It helped him to give a genuine reason for Naruto to be out of Konoha and operate with his other non-Konoha squad.

Squad zero was not known to any outsiders. The village only knew about the Captain and not the team.

Naruto's separate team outside Konoha was opposite to that.

Everyone knew the squad but they didn't know they were a squad. And Captain Ishaku was becoming famous these outside world, that squad was under captain Ishaku but that captain had an ouji-sama, Shiranui, who was the real head. Shiranui was none other than our sunshine blonde, Naruto.

Through these continuous missions, Naruto gathered intelligence on Akatsuki as well as Danzo's other activities. He also helped the people in any way he could along the way and he was also searching for jinjurikis who were unattached to five major nations.

It was also that time Naruto was injured on one of the missions near Iwa borders. It was mainly because he wanted to save people and his comrades who came under crossfire when Iwa shinobis were confronting bandits. Genma was fighting them but he was at a disadvantage against Iwa ninjas using earth and stone jutsus.

Naruto had to intervene and save few ninjas and people. When Anko wanted to use snakes, Naruto stopped her and got injured while preventing the attack aimed for her. Unlike with Kakashi, he couldn't openly spam shadow clones and had to keep the number under 10 in henge.

The sword that came for Anko but connected with Naruto was poisoned and had to be healed slowly. He was immune to poison but the wound was too big to be healed in one day.

Anko felt bad and vowed to train properly without using snakes. In the meantime, Captain Ryu of squad zero still stood and completed the mission and brought his shinobis back safely. He also gave him a week to rest.

It was during that rest that Kakashi found them on their base. They knew Kakashi was in squad zero and he was the vice-captain. Kakashi took off his Raiju mask when Genma and Anko were brought to squad zero's hideout and was told they won't reporting to hokage about this anymore. The hokage also made an appearance and acknowledged that and left in a hurry.

Their hideout was in the best part of Konoha. It was near Senju cove where they should meet. But Naruto made it a point to send summons for the missions to meet outside Konoha. The training usually takes place inside the Senju cove. Naruto altered it and placed so many seals. He also made some hammocks for resting.

Kakashi came back from training team 7. Naruto only wanted to send a clone but Kakashi hadn't seen him in ten days. So, he sent Pakkun asked Naruto to come back to join team seven and Naruto did.

Genma and Anko was swinging on the hammocks looking depressed tummy down like frogs. Anko had 'Nagi' mask, an animal that rivalled the snake and saved the village. Genma had an 'Ocypete' mask, an animal that was swift as a wind as his senbons.

"Yo frogs"

Both of them didn't reply just raised their hands in acknowledgement.

"I like this vibe. I almost like you guys like this", Kakashi said eying them with an orange book on his hand.

Both of them ignored him.

"Ok seriously? What happened?", Kakashi tried again.

"We are thinking", Genma answered.

"Dangerous", Kakashi commented.

"Shut up scarecrow. We don't have time for your scepticism", Anko scolded.

"Maa, maa, I am not joking. Just tell me", Kakashi closed the book sitting on the stone. He was genuinely concerned that his friends were looking depressed.

"Kakashi, you were an ANBU captain once right?", Genma asked.

Kakashi nodded.

"How would you deal with your teammates if they were are not good enough for the task?", Genma asked.

'Where is this coming from? Wait, do they think Naruto isn't good enough? No way. Maybe something happened and Naruto didn't explain the reason why he took the decision to his teammates which was different from them', Kakashi thought but didn't say anything outwardly.

"There was no one not good enough", Kakashi replied.

"Never?", Anko asked. She was in ANBU but not a captain. So she didn't understand.

"Never. Instead of asking these questions, just tell me what happened. Maybe, I can help", Kakashi proposed.

"We feel that we are not good enough to be in squad zero", Genma said and Anko didn't refute.

'What!? Just what happened? Did Naruto say something? I can bet that he would never do that', Kakashi thought but said, "What makes you say that?"

"We fucked up", Anko replied.

"How?"

"We went to a mission near Iwa border. Iwa ninjas were fighting some bandits and we got on the crossfire when the bandits decided to involve the civilians", Genma said.

"Iwa border? That's messed up", 'Naruto went near Iwa border? If Iwa knows who he is and his lineage, it would be hard for him to make it safe', Kakashi was concerned for more than his two of his friends.

"Yeah. What's more messed up is I couldn't do much against them. I dragged the team back", Genma said self accusingly.

"And I fucked up. Against the rules of squad zero, I decided to summon my snakes completely missing the poisoned sword aiming for me", Anko growled.

"Did you get hurt?", Kakashi was questioning was that why they were questioning themselves.

"We didn't. Our captain did", Anko answered.

"He also had to complete the mission, save the civilians and pull us back. He is stronger than what we estimated", Genma completed.

"He did get hurt huh? How bad was it?", Kakashi answered not expecting anything that happened. He hoped it was a small would which could be healed by kyubi immediately. Like all his hope, it was futile.

"Pretty bad. That sword was poisoned. He didn't pass out but the poison prevented blood from coagulating. He was still bleeding when we left from the border. He didn't even flinch but we could see he was tired", Anko complained.

"He still completed the mission and got us in one piece back to the village", Genma said.

Kakashi didn't know any of that. He thought Naruto was okay and since Naruto was already strong he focused on Sasuke a lot. In between everything, he forgot Naruto was still young and he needed to be checked up once in a while. Naruto was hurt and Kakashi didn't know. He only focused on keeping team 7 as one and bonds. He expected Naruto to come but didn't even ask how his missions were going.

Kakashi expected Naruto to act as an adult and completely forgot he was supposed to be the adult and look out for Naruto. Kakashi wanted to say he was trying and being better to Naruto but both of their busy schedules didn't co-operate.

But when Naruto was available and Kakashi was supposed to act as his sensei in team 7, Kakashi unknowingly or knowingly focused on Sasuke. To teach him and expected Naruto and Sasuke to bond. Kakashi forgot that he had to bond with Naruto too. Kakashi promised he would be there but he didn't.

Kakashi decided to do better but he was not good at this sort of thing. He needed external help.

"Oi, Oi, Scarecrow, you didn't answer our question?", Anko was pissed.

"Maa,. Maa, don't get angry. I think captain already knew what you are thinking. He will be here soon", Kakashi said already sensing Naruto's arrival.

"Well, the party has arrived", Naruto aka captain Ryu said with a smile.

"Hi taicho", Genma and Anko chorused jumping from their hammocks.

"Yo", Kakashi said.

"Why so glum?", Naruto with Ryu mask asked sitting on the stone seat

"How are you taicho?", Genma asked.

"Good as always", Naruto answered smiling.

"How is your wound taicho?", Kakashi asked with a pointed eye.

"Almost healed", Naruto answered with a fixed stare already understanding everything going on. "Cheer up".

"We are sorry taicho. We couldn't do better", Genma apologised.

"What are you apologizing for? What happened on the last mission was unexpected. We didn't know the bandits would involve the civilians", Naruto said.

"We didn't do well against the bandits or ninjas either", Anko said.

"It was an ill -suited fight anyway. If you wanna blame, you can also say that I am the one to blame because I took you there knowing what would happen", Naruto shrugged.

"Of course not. You trusted us but we didn't-", Genma started and Naruto stopped him rising his left hand.

"To begin with, I didn't trust you guys", Naruto said and all three of them looked at Naruto.

'Not the way I would have started but he is better than me so he is supposed to do it differently', Kakashi thought.

"I know you were not suited for that job and Kakashi already had crossed weapons with Iwa ninjas. It wasn't wise to send him there. Instead of me, if I had sent Kakashi with you, there would have been a bloody war and at least one of you would have fatally injured if not died completely. So all of you were pretty much disadvantaged against them", Naruto explained and all three of them intently listened.

"Squad zero doesn't use signature jutsus not only to expose the personnel but also not to expose it is Konoha nins who were doing it. If it was known that day, Iwa nins would have focused on killing us instead of the bandits and none of your signature jutsus were good enough. Because we are going to move on to the second phase of the mission soon, I would like to intensify the training. I wanted you guys to know what was your disadvantage", Naruto said.

"Now you know. Your strength significantly reduced, by almost. 40% without your signature moves and it is more for Raiju. Let's assume Raiju went with you on this mission. He had already spent a part of his chakra on the mission and then you guys faced the situation we faced with bandits, civilians and ninjas earlier. How would you make it back unscathed?" Naruto asked.

"We wouldn't", Anko was angry at her incompetence.

"We would probably not able to save some civilians", Genma said with a sad tone.

"Not unscathed at the level we are now", Kakashi answered.

"Right. That's why we have combinational jutsus", Naruto said and made a hand seal. A closed part of the cove opened and in went all four.

There was a room with a black board, a table and few chairs and other things inside. There was bloodied bandages in one corner which caught the squad's eye. The elliptical table had few chairs around and the black board at the head.

Things were already written there.

"Each column on the board contains different ninjas village nins and their specialities. These are the sequential jutsus I have come up for you guys according to your skills. For example, in the last mission, if Nagi had used up her speed to clear civilians while Ocypete took the bandits down with senbons, Raiju would be able to take up the ninjas. He would be in serious disadvantage but he would have been able to hold back. But there is also using ninjutsu, stacking up your jutsus in a particular sequence like using fire and air together, lightning and water together, delivering senbons with wind and so on can give better results and consume less chakra from everyone. This way, everyone will have chakra to continue for long time", Naruto explained and proposed the combinational jutsus.

All four of them discussed and proposed what are the jutsus they had knowledge of and what they could do if faced a disadvantage. There is no signature style for one of them but a formula for facing each of the enemies.

Naruto then came with the jutsus he came up for them and proposed it to them.

After the meeting ended, each of them gave their schedule for training and the team was refreshed.

"At least, now I can send you on missions alone after training. I wouldn't worry about you guys not returning", Naruto said with a smile.

"We won't let what happened that day happen again", Anko said confidently.

"Squad zero is going to be awesome", Genma said happily.

"I know you guys are good enough. That's why I chose you guys", Naruto said and Genma and Anko looked at each other and Kakashi.

"Thanks for your trust taicho", they said.

"And Nagi, that wasn't your fault that day. There were lot of civilians and I didn't want to expose the team to the outside world yet. Stop beating yourself up", Naruto told her.

"Here, eat this and stop sulking", Naruto said and gave her dangos.

She squealed and started eating.

"Not fair. Why don't I get anything? I am sulking too", Genma complained.

"Here, take this", Naruto said and gave him and Kakashi some snacks.

Genma took it happily and Kakashi took it and looked at Naruto with an eye smile.

There was a tattoo on Naruto's hand that started glowing. He wasn't wearing his jacket as he was in his original form with different hair as Captain Ryu.

"What is that taicho?", Genma asked.

"One of my friend is calling me", Naruto answered.

"You have friends other than us?", Kakashi asked.

"Yup and we decided to get matching tattoos", Naruto quipped.

"And it glows? Aren't you too young to get a tattoo taicho?", Anko asked.

"It is a seal not a tattoo. It is a prototype I am working on. It is more like a directional seal to know one's position. I wanted to give it to my friend who is going to move away soon", Naruto answered knowing they wouldn't let it go.

"We want it too", Genma said.

"I don't want to put a seal on you guys", Naruto said.

"Consider it a friendship tattoo", Kakashi supplied.

"Who in Konoha is being sent away that requires this seal?", Genma asked suspiciously.

"What?! Oh, One of your squad-mate", Naruto smirked and Genma and Anko looked at Kakashi. Genma and Anko knew Kakashi and their captain were close and he was the only one who knew the person beyond the mask.

"Maa, I don't know anything. I didn't activate the seal now", Kakashi reminded.

"We know there were other squad members we didn't know about. But who was closer than us to get the seal first?", Anko asked.

"You know him very well", Naruto said mysteriously.

"We don't", Kakashi was curious too.

"You do. After all, he is your hokage", Naruto threw that casually and all three of them waited for Naruto to explain.

"He is not actively participating on missions but I need to make use of some other jonins indirectly. Sometimes, I need him to help me and so I added him as a part of our squad. He pretty much asked me for it. We cannot see face to face always so I was thinking how to communicate with him. He was going to go visit fire damiyo soon and I came with this", Naruto explained.

"That is remarkable", Genma said.

"We want it too", Anko insisted while Kakashi shrugged.

"Why don't you guys wait then? I am thinking of some alterations like if someone sent chakra through this, the one on the end would know other is in need of help. This one contains only one node. I can make it multi-nodal so that everyone in the squad can get the chakra signal and the nearby ones can help?", Naruto asked.

"That is awesome", Genma was impressed.

"You know seals too, taicho?", Anko asked.

"This will eliminate time delay to pass the information and rescues can be made easily", Kakashi was once again impressed with Naruto.

"I know few things. But before I leave to meet with him, I hope you guys ate well, because we are going to spar", Naruto said.

"Sure", Anko was pumped up after everything they discussed.

"Except this time, I am not holding back", Naruto said releasing his intense chakra stunning everyone in the room including Kakashi. This was the first time Kakashi saw Naruto's intense blue Uzumaki chakra which was untainted by kyubi's. That was a huge chakra reserve in itself.

"Kidding. I am not even going to attack", Naruto said and looked at three of them.

"In fact, I am going to send my clone. If you guys can connect an attack with it and make it 'poof', dinner is on me. If not, you will go and but my bbq and leave it here", Naruto said creating a clone.

"That's too confident of you taicho", Genma said.

"Don't underestimate us", Anko growled.

"You are already hurt", Kakashi said.

"It is just a clone. Kakashi take point and give them advice from the sideline", Naruto said and shunshinned away.

Squad zero failed to attack their captain's clone and paid for his large dinner.

They started intense training and the squad was shaping up.

In between training and shaping up, another interesting thing happened.

Two days after the squad zero meeting, Naruto was still expecting Kakashi to show up on his apartment to scold him for not telling him that he got wounded. But what he got was a monkey showing up with a scroll.

Naruto geared up with a mask and went to their squad zero hideout. He already sensed Kakashi and the hokage there.

"Two of you are never a good combination. What do you guys want?", Captain Ryu asked.

"We are here to talk to you about you and your original self, Naruto", the hokage said.

"Naruto? You want my mask off for this?", Naruto asked.

"Yes and in your original form", Kakashi said and Naruto took of the disguise.

"Naruto-kun, I know you are doing a great work for Konoha. But as much as I support Will of fire, you are the one who reminded me to make things right", hokage said smoking.

"Okay…". Naruto said.

"We want you to be alright Naruto. You are busy and not taking care of yourself", Kakashi said.

"Is that what this is about? I am alright. It was a small wound Kakashi sensei", Naruto said.

"It may be Naruto but it can happen again. And we also want to know if something happened to you outside Konoha on one of your missions. I know you didn't want to be assigned missions of my choice", the hokage said.

"We don't want to know when you are leaving and when you are coming but we want know if you are hurt, injured, captured or worse. So, I asked hokage to put you somewhere safe, probably in hokage tower guest house", Kakashi said.

"To monitor me? This is an overreaction", Naruto asked dubiously.

"It is Kakashi. That's why I have a better idea", the hokage said smoking.

"I doubt", Naruto said unbelieving.

"Listen to me. You guys act similar. Either of you don't go to doctor, or report it when you are hurt. Kakashi also feels terrible that he couldn't help you much. I also want to know whether you are alive or not", hokage said and smoked his pipe harder.

"So?"

"You guys are going to move in together", hokage said.

"What?!", Kakashi didn't expect that.

"Not happening", Naruto outright refused.

"Listen here boys, you guys can keep your current apartments. Leave a clone or visit once in a while. My suggestion is Hatake compound", hokage threw another bomb.

"No way", Kakashi refused.

"Look here Kakashi, Senju cove is in between Hatake compound and Senju compound. Squad zero needs more facilities and this place isn't enough. You need more buildings. You can make use of the outhouse and other buildings inside. No one would suspect you would be moving there and not certainly with Naruto. You don't have to use the main house if you don't want", hokage said and Naruto was regretting this conversation.

"What are you doing jiji?"

"I am doing this because Kakashi is the only person you trust from what I have seen. I am certain you can't move in with Iruka or the ramen people. And you are the only person Kakashi cares enough to personally involve. You guys can look out for each other. I am certain you guys aren't comfortable to tell me things that you would with each other. Hokage tower isn't an option", hokage said and Kakashi sighed.

'I did say I would take care of him. Might as well make up for all the things I missed', Kakashi thought.

"I am not doing it", Naruto negated.

"Even though I hate going to that compound, he is making sense Naruto", Kakashi said calmly.

"I am not living with you", Naruto told him.

"Why?", hokage asked surprised. "Didn't you not want to be alone?"

"Not like this"

"Naruto, squad zero needs to be relocated anyway", Kakashi said.

"Then we will do like this. Relocate squad zero to Hatake compound buildings away from main house. We will keep this cove as training place for squad zero. Half a mile away from this place along the walls where Senju and Hatake compounds touch, we will make a gate along the garden and build two separate temporary houses for me and Kakashi. He can hear me from that distance. I will also check in with him when I return from the mission immediately and I want him to do the same. That way, it solves all of our problems and Kakashi doesn't have to confront his past and we can maintain our privacy", Naruto said his part logically.

"Spoke like a true captain", hokage praised.

"Future hokage", Kakashi said happy with the arrangements.

"Never knew Nidaime's love for his mother's clan and Shodaime's love for his brother help me today", Naruto said.

"Nidaime's mother is from Kakashi's mother clan?", hokage asked.

"Senju marriage was mainly political. They didn't have exclusive marriage until Shodaime formed the village and that too because of Uzumakis. Didn't you get that they have different mothers from different hairs of Shodaime and Nidaime?", Naruto asked.

Hokage smoked his pipe actively and Kakashi was amazed by the bond of two hokage brothers despite their differences.

"So, it is decided that you guys would live at ear shot and squad zero is re-organizing", hokage clapped his hands.

"Yeah"

"Hmm"

Naruto and Kakashi looked at each other wondering what it would be like to live almost together.