"I thought you were someone else, sorry about that," Naruto back tracked, desperately trying to save face.
"I figured," Sakura smiled, it was warm and friendly showing a little love but Naruto refused to notice it.
"What can I do for you?" he asked going back to the mountain of paperwork on his desk so he didn't have to look right at her, only stealing glances.
"I'd like to go back to active duty for the leaf," she answered confidently trying to draw his attention away from the inanimate object in front of him.
There was something about the tone of her voice that made Naruto abandon avoiding her. He looked up and finally took a good survey of her. She was a little taller, her breast had filled out more, her waist now showed, and she had what most would call birthing hips. Dressed all in black, in a style he wasn't familiar with. It was very feminine, and showing more skin than he was use to seeing from her old style. She had become a woman, a beautiful one at that. Her hair had grown out to her waist and her green eyes showed a wisdom that wasn't there before. Made him wonder what she knew about the world she said she was going to see all those years ago.
"I don't know off the top of my head what the rules are for ninja who leave and then come back as far as active duty goes, I know Jiraiya and Tsunade had something worked out but he wasn't really on active duty. So, I will look into it and let you know," Naruto answered polity, trying not to stare.
"That's all I can ask, I guess," the woman commented.
Just then Haruko showed up with a pot of tea and two cups on her tray, "sorry it took me so long but Shizune found me and had a talk with me," she explained before her sensei could berate her for her taking so long.
"I hope she gave you a lecture," he scoffed.
"That's the only way that woman knows how to talk to me," the girl signed as she set the tea over on a coffee table by some comfy chairs and couch.
"Are you staying for tea?" he asked the girl sceptically.
"No, I thought your guest might like have some with you," she implied with an impish grin. He sighed and gave his assistant a tired look. He had tried to keep his private life separate as possible from his students like Kakashi had tried with them but as Hokage it seemed it was impossible with Haruko around all the time and always finding new ways to drive him crazy. She was like a puppy with a new toy now that Sakura was in the room and she didn't take no for an answer.
"Sakura, would you like some tea?" he drawled.
"I would love some," she answered politely, moving to sit on the couch.
Haruko poured two cups for the nervous couple and left. Not wanting to but thought it would lead to better things if she did.
"Hokage-sama," she said as she bowed and left closing the doors behind her.
"Sorry about my assistant," he apologized as he sat on one of the chairs and took his tea.
"She seems, interesting," Sakura decided.
"Iruka and Kakashi call her divine punishment. Anyways, what brings you back now?" Naruto inquired trying to take the conversation away from his crazy student.
"Personal reasons," she replied simply taking a sip of her tea. Naruto felt shot down, like she didn't want to talk to him but she had her reasons for not being to open about it yet. She didn't feel he was ready to hear what she had to say, and if he was anything like he use to be then there was no pushing him into anything.
"I'm sure everyone's been happy to see you," Naruto stated trying to not let an uncomfortable silence fill the room between him and his former teammate.
"Ino was thrilled to say the least. She wants to get everyone together at the bar tonight if you're not too busy you should join us," she offered, hoping he would say yes.
"I might be able to, Granny hasn't been helping me out as much lately so I have a lot on my plate right now," he answered without giving a definite answer.
Sakura finished her tea and thanked him for it and left still clinging to hope he would come out to drinks. As she existed she noticed the girl behind the desk just outside the doors. Sakura smiled at the girl and turned to leave.
"I don't know what exactly you were to my sensei but believe when I say that if you hurt him, I will make you wish you were dead," Haruko threatened with a smile.
"Believe me little girl, that's the last thing I want to do," she stated sadly and left.
Haruko didn't know how take her comment but she decided it was best to go check on her sensi so she gathered her papers for an excuse to look in on him.
"Its getting late Haruko, how about you head home for the evening," Naruto offered.
"Are you going out tonight?" the girl asked.
The Hokage looked up at her quickly, "were you ease dropping?" he questioned, ready to punish his student for overstepping her boundaries.
"No, Ino said something about getting everyone for drinks to celebrate, or something like that," the girl huffed.
"Do you want to have dinner with me first?" he asked, knowing her she wasn't ready to go home to an empty house.
She smiled, she didn't need to say yes, he knew her too well. He finished up a couple things and then headed out the door with her to dinner.
"No ramen tonight, please!" the girl pleaded.
"Fine, you pick," he surrendered.
After dinner with Haruko and her lecturing him on how he should handle things with Sakura he was ready for drinks with his friends. He made his way to the bar and found all of them around a table, lots of them talking and giggles coming from the girls. Sasuke showed up beside him before he could join the rest.
"So you've seen her," Sasuke assumed.
"She stopped by my office," he answered, not sure where Sasuke was going with this conversation.
"Just wondering what you told her about me," Sasuke teased shoving the Hokage a bit playfully.
"Honestly, we didn't talk about you at all," Naruto laughed knowing it would be a small blow to his friend's ego.
"Guess Ino told her. She already knew I was married," the Uchiha let a sigh out. Naruto didn't know what to tell the raven haired man so he just shrugged his shoulders. "You're as useless as ever," Sasuke grumbled.
"Is that any way to talk to your Hokage?" Naruto teased as he threw an arm around his friend and walked to the crowd of their friends, "now you have to buy me a drink."
"Naruto," Sakura called waving for them to join her at a table.
"It's Hokage-sama," Ino corrected, teasing her pink haired friend.
"Oh my," Sakura blushed already a few drinks in. Naruto laughed as Sasuke and he joined the girls at the table.
"Just cause you had these two idiots as your teammates doesn't mean you can talk to them however you want," Ino slurred, showing she was a few drinks in herself.
"Ino, play nice," Shikimaru scolded from across the room.
They all settled down and drank and talked like they had all been together since their days at the Academy.
"How's that assistant of yours?" Sasuke teased Naruto after a few drinks.
"Divine punishment," Naruto growled from his arm on the table. Everyone around the table laughed except Sakura who didn't know what that meant.
"Is she ready to come join my harem?" the black haired man teased, it was a running joke he had with the blond Hokage.
"If you want me just say so already," Naruto taunted looking at his best friend. After a short stare down the boys started laughing hysterically joined by other members who knew the running joke.
"I don't understand," Sakura whined.
"The Hokage's student, was nick named the number two knuckle headed ninja of the leaf," Sasuke informed the confused pink haired ninja.
"Everyone says she is just like her teacher, and they say whoever wants her must be secretly in love with the Hokage, so Sasuke here keeps joking about marrying her," Ino explained in her drunken sense.
"Sasuke, joking?" Sakura asked, in a dazed stupor.
"I know how to joke," Sasuke growled. The smile that lit up Sakura's face hurt Naruto a bit. He felt that smile meant she was still in love with him. She leaned forward over the table, breast almost spilling out of her low cut top.
"So, you two are in love with each other, that explains why you both turned me down," she teased.
"I never said I was in love with him!" Naruto defended a little tipsy.
"So you shot me down for fun," she growled grabbing his collar and pulling him across the table. Naruto shouldn't have been shocked by her strength but he hadn't seen it in action in years. His face was so close to hers that if he tipped his head a bit their lips would meet. He was tempted but he didn't want her to send him flying through the bar. Sakura felt a blade next to her throat, she looked over to see and emotionless Sasuke. She let got of the Hokage with a little shove that wasn't necessary but she felt the blade to her neck wasn't necessary either.
"No need to be so protective, its just Sakura," Naruto scolded lightly trying to break up the tension.
"She's been gone a long time, can never be too careful," Sasuke responded coldly.
She smiled as she pushed the blade away slowly. The chakra in her finger kept the blade from breaking skin. She wasn't even sure where he had been hiding the short sword. Deep down she was thrilled that Sasuke was protecting Naruto instead of trying to kill him but she wasn't sure what he was implying by protecting him from her.
"That's enough you two," Naruto barked in his Hokage voice breaking the stare down between the former teammates. Sakura couldn't help but blush at his command. He was so authorize and strong. Sasuke's short sword disappeared to where ever it had come from. "We're here to have fun, remember?" Naruto teased sounding like his normal self.
Sakura let a drunken grin fall on her face. Ino took the opportunity to break up the still silent battle.
"Where are you staying tonight?" Ino asked.
"My parents' I guess. My apartment is long gone," she sighed.
"You can come to the Uchiha compound stay with me and my wives," Sasuke offered suggestively. His mood swings where giving the drunk girl whip lash.
"Like she'd want to be surrounded by a herd of kids," Ino growled.
"The Hokage's tower has a few extra rooms, if you want to crash somewhere quiet," Naruto offered lazily.
