A young child sat upon the lone swing, and thought he wasn't swinging (in fact he had never seen the child actually swing on the play piece but rather sway from left to right as he scuffed his toe in the dirt) it looked as if that particular piece of amusement was his and his alone. Now old man hokage, as the child in question liked to call him, was never one to be 'up with the times' (as they liked to call being wild and rebellious now days) but he understood that there were certain norms and behavior that were universal.

And that child was lonely.

He had usually seen him grinning and laughing and playing - by himself now that he thought of it – but he had never really seen him so …just looking so lonely.

So he approached the boy. After all, he had been known to liken himself to a somewhat grandfatherly figure- he saw no reason he couldn't do the same with this particular child.

But when he got closer, and saw exactly how lonely the child looked, and maybe how content he was just at the moment- Like he did not need someone to comfort him…right now.

He eased his way back the way he came. He saw no point in disturbing the child when he so rarely saw such a look upon that ones face. If anything the looks he had seen had been energetic and fun-loving and not at all like the contemplative and seemingly docile and content child before him.

It gave him a new perspective.

This was the child who could light the dawn with that smile of his, squinting his eyes with the force of his emotion and trying to convey that he would shine no matter what you threw his way.

But right now he would be the moon. Still reflecting the vibrant light and ever reaching energy of the sun, but somehow more calming and accepting of everything and anything…yes, Naruto could be the moon for this moment- this moment alone.

.x.

It was during the course of a few weeks that he saw the boy at his usual, joyously smiling and laughing and pulling pranks.

And then he got his opportunity.

.x.

The blonde was almost smothered beneath the leaves he had buried himself in, and Sarutobi held back a chuckle as he spotted the brilliant yellow snatch of hair that belied the child's hiding place.

Sarutobi let out that chuckle when he caught the faint movement of the leaves, and the whispered mutterings of said child.

"Naruto-kun?" The leaves shook themselves into the form of the seven year old, and Sarutobi smiled with his eyes crinkling as the leaves and grass stuck to the boy's clothes and hair. "I believe that wasn't the best hiding place for you." Although the orange of his pants did blend rather well with the fallen leaves and tall grasses.

Sarutobi tilted his head as the boy scowled and dusted off his dark shirt- uncovering the konoha leaf symbol. "I weren't hiding." Sarutobi chuckled again, pulling the boy up from his crouched position and kneeling so he could look in the eyes of the child. He was a rather small child (as most children were, but there were some tall ones, and Naruto was not among them) and Sarutobi found he had to crouch down lower than usual to look into the tanned face and blue eyes that made the demon carrier.

"You were not hiding?"

The boy scowled, inching slightly away from the outstretched hand- so as not to be offensive but enough to get him out of reach. "I wasn't playin' hiding, but I was hiding."

Sarutobi raised an eyebrow, wondering at the certain phrasing and implications that had taken on when the boy said it in such a way. "How is it that you are hiding but not playing hiding?" He brought up a hand to push back the child's unruly locks, only to have the child flinch slightly and shy away almost imperceptibly- if not for the old mans acute senses and his previous experiences with the child.

The boy straightened himself out proudly, almost looking as if he would not answer out of sheer perverseness before he deflated and scuffed his feet in the leaves he had previously been so comfortable in. "I don't play anything. I was practicing in case I needed to…hide…you know?"

No, he didn't know. Sarutobi settled onto his bended legs more, tilting his head and shifting his hat so he could observe the child fully. Naruto wouldn't look at him. "Why can't this be construed as playing?"

At first there was confusion due to his wording, and Sarutobi was almost ready to explain realizing he was still dealing with a child despite his maturity…and then Naruto answered. "It's kind of pointless to play when …well." He looked around furtively, as if for an excuse or distraction that would 'draw' his childish attention and subsequently Sarutobi's own. He found none. "There's something about playing hide and seek when you know they won't bother to seek you."

And so the hokage known as Sarutobi and sandaime nodded with all the understanding and empathy he could muster. And that was a lot. Though, the trick with this child was holding it all back, because he never was one for too much reaction from someone. He just wasn't used to it.

He would figure that he had some ulterior motive and shy away from him even as he was curious and needy. And he smiled and let his eye wink as he gestured with a hand to the whole of the konoha forest between the park and the tower. "Let this be our play place ne? I'll be the first seeker."

And though there was the light of mistrust in those blueorbs and the faint edge of panic and fear was hinting and winking tauntingly from the corners of those wide eyes, the near enveloping light of joy and hope and energy that came was reward enough. And Sarutobi smiled as the boy disappeared for what would be the first of many times that night- he would make sure of it.

This child never really had a childhood of laughter and playmates and fun…so the hokage guessed it was never too late to make up for it now. Every kid needed to have some little bit of mischief in their life, Naruto could start on his now (Little did he know, he would someday rue those fatal words). And then Sarutobi started out toseek his new playmate.

It was a long drawn out game, one of surprising skill in espionage and stealth, and the hokage found himself enjoying it as much as Naruto obviously was. The smile he flashed at him was simply ecstatic when he saw it, and the mischievous grin that somehow emerged between those scarred cheeks was joyful and somehow just happier than he had ever seen the boy.

He guessed everyone at one point needed a playmate they knew would play by the rules of their game, one that would enjoy the game as much as they would, and one that would simply understand that there was more to a game than simply playing and understanding the rules. It was gaining an understanding of each other, the habits and likes that made a person simply who they were and hinted at what they would do and what they had done and always really told you where you stood with a person.

And that was Naruto's perspective…Sarutobi could see it.

So now he had to change his perspective as well.

…

Later as he held the boy, tired from his playing enough to actually let him hold his small form to his own, he decided to have a talk with one of the academy teachers. This boy needed someone he could understand- and who would understand him.

He guessed that would make all the difference.

But then again, as he looked down on the small body he held protectively as it slumbered and dreamed, he had the fleeting thought that maybe, just maybe, knowing that someone would seek him out was enough for the child.

At least for now.

And Sarutobi guessed he had a new perspective on the simple things.

And on Naruto.

Because it was true, there really was no point to the game of hide and seek if they weren't intending to find you- just like there was no point to life if there was no one who would bother to find you either.

And now he understood.

He just hoped that someday they would understand too.

.x.

.x.X.x.

YAY! I GOT SOME SUGGESTIONS! Lol. Okay, I got an idea for tadaima…although I am having other trouble with people not really giving me suggestions…but kudos to this idea to the Dark Fairy of Doom, it helped as you can see! And does anyone have the time to tell me the ranks of gamakichi and gamabunta and the like? It will help me with a one shot. Yah. Enjoy peeps!