Standard Disclaimers - This has been sitting on my computer for at least a month. Not sure it's my best - and I apologize for that - but thought I should try to keep things moving. This isn't the end - we have to get them home. But, as you might guess, home is pretty darn close. Thanks again for all of your support!
It was a beautiful day, nearly perfect for travelling. The sun was warm but filtered by the green canopy above, the wind was gusting but confined to the tree tops where it produced little more than dainty rustling. Plus various fluffy examples of forest wildlife were showing a distinct lack of common sense about fleeing the presence of humans with exceptionally accurate knife throwing skills.
None of this, not even the prospect of rabbit stew in the near future, made a dent in the general bad mood of one Kakashi Hatake. Instead of enjoying the walk back to Konoha after a mission well done, he was pondering exactly how he could cast a genjutsu on his stubborn, mule-headed Hokage without getting beaten into a pulp for it.
The problem wasn't catching her in one. That part was easy. It was simply that no matter how he plotted it, eventually she'd wise up to the illusion and react in predictably furious fashion.
In the end, being far, far away before she came back to reality was his only option. Perhaps he could keep up the genjutsu until he dropped her off Konoha's hospital? And, maybe he could bribe Shizune into sending him off on a long term mission before he released it?
Shoes shuffled against dirt to his left, but he very carefully avoided looking at his partner. Instead, he once more slowed his pace in response to her increasing fatigue.
It was partially his fault. It had been his choice to head back to Konoha right away rather than let Tsunade rest a little more in the hotel. In his defense, his primary motivation had been to get her back to the safety of the village and the support of other medics. However, if he'd of known she'd insist on sabotaging her recovery on the way by refusing the breaks she so obviously needed…
He glanced over at her after a few more moments and watched a curl of sweat damp hair first caress and then stick to her cheek.
"There's a good camping spot up here," he said cheerfully. Genjutsu be damned. It was time for the direct approach. "Water and shelter."
Tsunade blinked and looked at the sky, "There's at least two hours until the sun sets," she countered.
"Really?" Kakashi feigned ignorance, "Well, it isn't like that matters. It makes sense to take our time heading back. That way we can make sure we aren't followed."
He tried to sell it with an offhanded gesture that implied the conversation was too self-evident for debate. Tsunade was not convinced. He watched her eyes narrow, her jaw work and the bubbling froth of indignant protest rise with her temper.
Only to be forced down into an inarticulate near-growl that surely didn't do her frustration justice.
Stubborn, but by god not stupid.
An unfamiliar sense of empathy disarmed Kakashi's irritation. Very few people liked to be seen when they were weak, and even less liked seeming weak in front of others. How much more difficult must it be for a Hokage, and a female one at that, to allow anyone to point at a place and time when she wasn't strong?
Especially a subordinate…
Kakashi blinked and turned on his heel. Suddenly he wanted to avoid conversation as much as Tsunade did.
Subordinate. Funny how a strictly factual term of categorization could become so unexpectedly… irritating.
Making camp had the feel of an unexpected luxury. The extra hours provided by their early stop allowed for more effort to be given in making it comfortable as well as defensible. In fact, Kakashi was secretly pleased to be able to show off just how flexible he could be in creating accommodations. Tsunade had helped a little in the beginning, but eventually she'd sat down and dozed off, something that Kakashi was grateful to see.
There was only one problem. As soon as the sun slipped from the sky, the temperature had started dropping at a rather impressive rate. Normally this wouldn't be an issue but common sense really did speak against lighting a fire. Pine bough pallets helped, but the wind coming off the water had a formidable bite.
Tsunade's form was obscured under her blankets, but Kakashi suspected there was shivering going on. He stood up.
"What are you doing?" the woman's voice was low and dangerous.
Kakashi said nothing until he finished dragging his pallet over to hers. He looked down critically and then kicked it forward another couple inches until there was no separation at all between the two. "Moving my bed over to yours."
Tsunade propped herself up on her elbows to pierce him with a demanding gaze, "I see that. Why?"
Kakashi laid down, pulling his blanket and stretching it over the both of them. Tsunade's blanket stayed right where it was, wrapped around her and her alone. He didn't begrudge her that, though. "It's a little cold, don't you think?"
The small bamf of a summoning jutsu on his part interrupted anything Tsunade might have said in reply. Guruko padded up to Kakashi from out of the smoke and tilted his head curiously. He was not used to being summoned alone, but usually as a part of the pack.
"Guruko-san," Kakashi asked politely, "Do you mind taking watch for us tonight?" His eyes flicked over to Tsunade meaningfully.
Guruko might not have as much experience as Pakkun in being summoned for singular tasks, but he was not a dumb dog. A murmured assent and the dog deftly circled the pallets until he was beside Tsunade.
When he sat down, it was almost right on top of her - more than enough to provide her a furry source of warmth from her right side.
It was also enough to nudge her against Kakashi on her left.
She stiffened and he sighed.
"Please relax, hokage-sama," he said formally, "I promise, my intentions are entirely pure."
"I was on a genin team with Jiraiya," Tsunade returned dryly, "I promise you, Kakashi-san, I can handle you even if your intentions were not pure."
There was a warning in those words and Kakashi sighed silently. Though he wasn't surprised that there would be no inadvertent reenacting of one of his favorite Icha Icha Tactics chapter, he couldn't help but feel a little irrationally let down. He fought down the urge to squirm and closed his eyes.
There was one question though. One thing he needed to know.
"Have you never done this before?" he asked.
"What?" Tsunade turned her head to look at him.
"Well, when you were on a genin team with Jiraiya, did you ever share a bed with him? For warmth, of course."
"What do you think?!"
There was silence for a moment. "That's a no, then?"
He could feel her staring at him but he kept his expression bland.
"Yes, that's a no." Tsunade said firmly, "I did not ever share a bed with Jiraiya for warmth or any other reason."
The Legendary Pervert had made it all up then. Ah well. "Mah. It almost sounds like you trust me more." Kakashi allowed a tinge of self-satisfaction into his tone.
There was no snappy retort, no sound of movement. Curious, Kakashi opened one eye to peer at his Hokage.
She was blushing.
What was even more fascinating was that blush got brighter as she met his gaze. It took everything in him not to smile, not to let his lips twitch upwards in the slightest as he said, mildly, "What?"
Sparks flared in Tsunade's eyes. "Oh, shut up!" She hissed, and then turned over, squirming away from him and closer to a somewhat surprised Guruko.
Kakashi smiled.