"Does Kakashi have any old flames I need to worry about?" Mei asked, half kidding. The two retired kage had exhausted their usual topics of Mei's latest read and Tsunade's work. Despite what Kakashi said, Mei had a hard time believing he'd never dated anyone.
Tsunade stood up and closed her office door, as she always did when the sitting Hokage came up in conversation. Mei appreciated her discretion.
Tsunade sat back down to enjoy the mochi Mei had brought and chuckled. "Not that I know of, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't watch your back anyway. Kunoichi plagued by unrequited love can be just as dangerous as old lovers."
Mei's eyebrows went up in question. Her swooping bangs hid the motion slightly but Tsunade still saw it.
"It's not as if you didn't marry the most eligible bachelor in the Leaf," Tsunade elaborated, speaking around a mouthful of mochi.
Mei felt stupid. Her cheeks heated up. She found Kakashi to be resourceful and powerful and charming and she appreciated those qualities. She hadn't thought of other women doing the same for some reason. The idea of it kind of annoyed her actually.
Tsunade shrugged, as if what she was about to say was a fact of life. For all Mei knew, it was in the Leaf Village. "Kakashi was a bachelor who is handsome, famous, the last of an established clan, and is now the Hokage. Sure he's got baggage, but don't we all?" Tsunade licked her lips. "I'm surprised he was single for this long."
"Which baggage do you mean?" Mei didn't want to let on that she had no idea what baggage Tsunade was talking about. Kakashi had mentioned things about his past but he always made it sound like something behind him.
Tsunade didn't hesitate. "His father, Team Minato, his Team Seven, to name the big three. And each of those things can be unpacked into other issues, so take your pick. I'm sure you know more about that than I do."
Maybe Kakashi is right, Mei thought, we DO have a lot to talk about. Sure he talked about Team Seven but always in a positive way.
"If you don't mind me going off topic for a moment? It's a personal question." Mei asked. Tsunade waved her permission. "Did your village elders ever pressure you to continue the Senju line?"
Tsunade stopped to think. Mei knew her answer from that reaction alone. "No," Tsunade answered, "they never did directly. I suppose they thought I'd tear their heads off if they even suggested it. Then again they knew Dan so maybe they didn't want to blemish his memory." Tsunade was silent for a moment. Mei didn't have to ask to know who Dan was, it was obvious he was Tsunade's old lover. "Did yours give you a lot of trouble?" Tsunade suddenly asked.
Mei nodded shyly. "Do you think they've pressured Kakashi?"
"Probably," Tsunade scoffed. "I suppose they think he's easier to push around than me." Tsunade shook her head, a small smile growing on her face. She turned her smile on her friend. "You've known Kakashi both in a personal and professional setting, what would you say he's like?"
Mei only took a moment to consider her answer. "He's intelligent but pretends he's not paying attention. He's easy to get along with, always smoothing ruffled feathers. I used to try to compare his and A's temperament, it's incredible that they're both lightning users. They're so dissimilar."
Tsunade nodded. "A is explosive and then his anger wanes. You see his storm clouds rolling in long before he strikes. Kakashi is- are you familiar with the term 'bolt out of the blue'?"
Mei nodded. "A lightning strike that stretches so far ahead of a storm that it appears to come out of nowhere."
"Exactly," Tsunade said. "Kakashi will act calm for as long as he needs to. He's taken a lot of abuse in his life and he's good at not reacting. People see how passive he is, even when insulted, that they assume he's a doormat." Tsunade leaned back, finished with her snack. "But not all kage are heavy hitters, some are sneaky and one well-placed blow is all they need." Tsunade laughed a little to herself. "One very firm correction from their Hokage might be more effective than all the yelling I did those years. If the elders ever get him to that point." Tsunade shrugged, dismissing the idea.
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"What do you want to know?" Mei asked Kakashi that night. She'd invited him back to her apartment to talk after dinner. They sat on her new sofa together.
Kakashi glanced at her. "About you?"
Mei nodded.
Kakashi looked at the ceiling in thought. "Do you have any family?"
Mei scowled. "I have two bloodlines and lived during the purges, you must be joking."
Kakashi shrugged, not looking at her. "I had hoped, for your sake, that you had someone left."
Mei shook her head. "There was only ever the village. As an adult, I'm left to wonder how much of my loyalty is born from conditioning rather than actual feeling."
"I try not to think about it myself." Kakashi gave her a strained smile. "My own sensei was the Hokage, disloyalty never crossed my mind."
"But you had a connection to him at least."
"Had." The memories of how and why Minato died were too painful and mixed up with Obito to discuss further. Kakashi had gotten closure during the war, but he was still healing.
"I look like my father," Kakashi offered as a way to get their conversation back on track.
"Is that why you cover your face?" Mei asked.
"Pass," Kakashi deflected, his eyes crinkling. "I have my mother's eyes and nose, I'm told. Other than that, I look very similar to my father; I've been mistaken for him more than once. Even before he fell out of favor, I wanted to be distinct from him. I wanted to make my own mark. After his death, I just wanted to be myself, no attachments. It was a two-edged sword, being a Hatake. People expected me to be great, but they also expected me to fail." Kakashi grew silent. Mei wondered how Kakashi's father had died. Before she could ask, he'd turned the conversation back to her with a, "you?" One step forward, two steps back.
"I don't think my parents dreamed I'd be able to use both of their bloodlines. They were probably hoping my children could have either." Mei thought about what Kakashi had said. "I have my father's eyes, but his hair was a pale blue, almost silver like yours. This," she gestured at her mane, "is all my mom. They used to say I was born with it." Mei's smile faded. "I don't have that many memories of them. I remember feeling loved." Mei swallowed but she wasn't able to say any more.
Mei wished that Kakashi would hold her, then mentally curled up in fear that he would. They were having a moment, no need to complicate it. As if reading her mind, Kakashi's next question nearly stopped her heart.
"What about your past romances? Anything I need to know?" His eyes betrayed his curiosity.
Mei laughed nervously. His question was so like the one she'd asked earlier that she momentarily suspected Tsunade of saying something to Kakashi. Mei dismissed the idea just as quickly. She couldn't believe that of Tsunade. Besides, it was a normal question for a partner to ask. "Pass. You?"
Kakashi raised an eyebrow at that but did not comment further. He waited for her to speak.
"Now doesn't seem like the right time." Mei wouldn't look at him.
Kakashi shrugged, "fair enough. To answer your question, no time, as I've said."
"You make time for me," Mei smiled, relieved he wasn't going to push the boyfriend question, at least for now. She wanted to tell him, just not now.
"What kind of husband would I be if I didn't?"
"My point is that you could have made time. People always find time for what matters," Mei pointed out.
Kakashi thought of the hours he used to spend at the memorial stone. "Sometimes people are too preoccupied with their problems to manage their time well."
Mei couldn't argue with that. She looked at Kakashi and saw in his eyes the times she'd spent alone in her room, mourning her colleagues and the failing prosperity of her village. They were so similar and yet grew up in such different ways.
Suddenly Kakashi broke the silence. "If I'd been caught in Madara's genjutsu, I think I would have dreamed about Naruto being raised by his parents; Minato and Kushina alive. I would have dreamed about Obito becoming Hokage, about Rin not having to sacrifice herself for her village. There were so many that sacrificed themselves for the village." The many names flitted through his mind: Itachi and Guy among them. "I would have dreamed that my father was able to retire quietly, that my mother hadn't died to give me life." He shook his head. "But the more I think about what I'd want for everyone, the more my reality ceases to be. There would be nothing left that I recognized about my life."
"And the future?" Mei prompted. She could see what Kakashi was getting at, their experiences, their hardships, were a part of who they were. "Everything you mentioned was about things you wanted for other people. What do you want for the future?" Not to mention Mei wasn't sure who half of those people were.
"I want children," Kakashi began. Mei sucked in a breath. He continued without a pause, "to grow up differently than I did."
Mei almost laughed at herself. She smiled behind her bangs. "And you?"
"What about me?" She looked up and their eyes met.
"What do you want for your own future?" Mei was exasperated. It should not be this hard for him to come up with something.
"I've never thought about it," Kakashi replied.
"Don't feed me that line again!"
"I really haven't."
"Then maybe you should," Mei replied. "Because you're Hokage now, so a lot of people are invested in keeping you alive. A future seems likely for you, so what are your goals?"
Kakashi smiled, thinking of the first time he'd met Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke. He'd asked them about their goals for the future but offered nothing himself.
"Are you reminiscing or thinking?"
"Reminiscing," Kakashi replied. He only sounded a little ashamed. "I want time to read I suppose."
"Not exactly high aspirations," Mei grumbled.
"Look who's talking," he shot back playfully. Becoming more serious he replied, "high aspirations have been my whole life. I'd like some time to just…be." He pinched his chin. "That and there is a new jutsu I'd like to create."
Mei grinned. She loved the spark of mischief in his eyes when he talked about jutsu.
"And you?" Kakashi asked.
"What about me?" Mei dragged her attention away from the depths of dark eyes.
"What are your dreams? Your goals?"
Mei thought about her dream in Madara's genjutsu, of getting married. But it hadn't been just getting married, that wasn't really the goal. It wasn't only her marriage that she'd dreamed of, but she'd been surrounded by her peers, people she respected, and they'd been supporting her.
Mei didn't want the wedding so much as to belong, to be a part of a family, a group, that cared for her as much as she did for them. She'd poured her heart into her village but a village didn't love you back, it couldn't. She needed something more.
"It's hard to explain, I'm not sure I can explain," Mei shrugged, thoughtful.
"Take your time," Kakashi replied.
"I'm not sure I could explain even if I thought about it all night."
Kakashi nodded, patient. "Well let me know, because I want to hear it." After a serious pause he added, "and that's going on the list."
"What list?"
"The list of questions you keep 'passing' on. I'm keeping track."
Speaking of keeping track, Mei plunged in before she could overthink it. "Your dream," she stopped. Kakashi cocked his head at her, his eyes asking her to continue, "you mentioned a lot of people that I don't know and I- I know they're a part of you, but I don't know how or why."
Kakashi stared at her evenly, his mind going back to his answer about his metaphorical dream. He sighed, but it was a gentle sigh, not frustrated or unhappy. "Let's start with Minato and Kushina."
Mei nodded, gathering her legs up under her dress so she could hug her knees as she listened.
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It was Kakashi who suggested they set aside specific time for them to do something special together, a date night. Public walks and time together in the evenings, that was nice, but planning a little outing together gave them something out of the ordinary to look forward to. They aimed to do this once a month but Kakashi's work often threw wrenches in the best laid plans.
Mei walked into Kakashi's office, arms crossed. It was dark outside, the sun long since set. Misaki stood attentively next to Kakashi's desk while the Hokage hastily wrote on a page even as he stood up.
Kakashi glanced up at Mei, already knowing who was at his door. "I'm leaving, I'm leaving," he assured her. "I just need to finish this letter." He signed it with a flourish and handed it to Misaki. "There, done, promise."
"Well that's good," Mei said with a mischievous smile. She nodded a greeting at Misaki as the kunoichi limped out. "Because I was starting to think you'd forgotten about going out tonight."
Kakashi opened his mouth to respond but then paused. They both felt an intruder appear through the window. It was Yamato.
The atmosphere immediately changed. Mei braced for whatever news he'd brought in such an informal fashion. Nothing made Yamato hurry BUT emergencies.
"What's happened?" Kakashi asked.
"It's Sasuke. Some jonin decided to try to run him out of town."
Kakashi's posture stiffened. Someone was bound to get hurt in that situation, if no one moved to dispel it. He shot a glance at Mei.
Before he could ask, Mei was headed to the window. "You have to go. I'm coming with you."
"You don't need to get mixed up in this," Kakashi's reply was quick, grateful. They stepped to the window together. Yamato moved aside.
"I'll stay out of sight unless you need me," Mei agreed. "How's that?"
They leapt out the window in the direction Yamato indicated. Mei followed Kakashi to what she assumed was Sasuke's apartment complex.
A couple dozen jonin were gathered on the street. The Uchiha stood tall with his back to the building, facing the group. If Sasuke had two arms, they would have been crossed in annoyance. Half-eaten apples, old tin cans, and empty food cartons littered the ground under Sasuke's window, projectiles now discarded. Everyone looked ready to fight.
Kakashi didn't appear suddenly in the midst of the group. He strolled up, hands in his pockets. He made sure to let everyone see him approach with confident strides. Mei stayed behind near the adjoining buildings.
Kakashi stepped into the circle of light cast by the streetlamp, sharing the space with the rabble and Uchiha. Some of the jonin toward the back of the group melted into the shadows and departed. Sasuke glared at the Hokage.
"Problem?" Kakashi asked lightly. He eyed the crowd of ninja and they shrank back in response. Sasuke remained tall, defiant.
"Not for me," Sasuke ground out.
"That's what you think," came a muttered response from somewhere in the huddle. Anonymity lent false courage.
"Go home, all of you," Kakashi ordered. The words were casual but his eyes flashed with anger. The individuals cringed under the weight of the Hokage's gaze. He looked each of them in the eyes, noting names and ranks.
The group wandered off, breaking up into pairs, then singles as they picked streets in which to disappear. Sasuke did not move to return to his apartment, nor did he invite Kakashi in. The two stood in the now empty street for a minute, not quite looking at each other.
Eventually Kakashi stepped forward and picked up a piece of trash, tossing it into a nearby bin with casual accuracy. He bent to pick up another, then another. Sasuke grudgingly assisted by picking up a single can. Mei joined them until the area was cleaned up.
Before awkward silence could resume its strangle on the situation, Sasuke grumbled, "I didn't need you to protect me."
Kakashi glanced at him. "You think I was here to protect you?"
Sasuke grunted out a laugh, his voice got stronger. "In that case, if you think you can protect anyone from me, you're mistaken."
"I trust I won't have to, am I mistaken?"
Sasuke's silence was answer enough. The last Uchiha could strut his power all he liked, but both men knew he had no intention of using it.
"How do you suggest I enforce the law against attacking fellow Leaf ninja when you have done so, and continue to threaten to do so, and yet you receive no reprimand? I have a village to run Sasuke, and I would like a little order during my service as Hokage."
"Then let me leave, it's what I've been saying all along!"
"Don't think you'll get off that easily," Mei cut in.
"I don't recall asking you," Sasuke replied.
"I don't recall caring if you did," Mei shot back. There was a look like fire in her eyes.
"Do you want a rematch?" Sasuke growled, remembering the kage summit he'd crashed.
"It won't be much of a rematch since Zetsu isn't here to steal my chakra and give it to you." Mei's words scorched with her anger. "Nor is Obito here to whisk you off to safety the moment you're in over your head. I'm not convinced you know how to fight without someone backing you up."
"Enough," Kakashi sighed. "It is late. Sasuke, if you attack anyone while on probation, you will go back to prison. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
"Do you recall the official steps you're to take if harassed?"
"Does that include being harassed by you?" Sasuke muttered.
There was a beat of silence. Kakashi waited for a real answer.
A louder, more annoyed, "yes," was given.
"Good night," Kakashi replied. He put his arm out to Mei, a supplication for her to leave without a fuss. The couple turned to go.
Sasuke's mumbled words barely reached her on the night air. Mei stiffened when she heard, "Scarecrow Hokage".
Mei's green eyes flashed. Her hair whipped Kakashi as she spun to face the Uchiha again. "What was that you little twerp?" There was practically lava on her lips.
"Leave it," Kakashi advised, holding her back with his look.
"You can't let him talk to you that way," Mei hissed. She was sure Kakashi was going to say some sage nonsense like: controlling Sasuke was like controlling the tide. But Mei was done. She whirled on the youth. "I don't like you Sasuke."
"I could tell," Sasuke deadpanned before she could say anything else.
Mei's eyes were like burning coals. She glared for so long that even Sasuke averted his eyes. "I don't like you, and I'll tell you why. I have every reason to believe that a member of your family caused years of unrest in my village, the reason that my family was wiped out. Kakashi tells me that we're similar in our family situations. I disagree. The Uchiha were planning a rebellion. What did my family do to deserve extermination? So you can understand why I didn't like your family name before I even met you." Mei knew she wasn't explaining herself eloquently, but she was doing her best to speak coherently around her anger.
"I'm sorry." Sasuke's usual flat stare took on a new level of consideration.
"I'm not asking for an apology; I don't blame you for what another Uchiha did. You didn't kill my family. I know some people you did hurt though."
Kakashi shifted uncomfortably.
"I did hurt them," Sasuke agreed, showing remorse for the first time Mei had seen. He really did care for his old team, she realized, like Kakashi was always insisting. "That's why I have to go, to make amends." He looked at Kakashi. "If some people understood that then I'd already be gone."
Mei scoffed, attracting Sasuke's attention. "For the record, if you want to make amends, then typically you ask the people you've hurt how they want you to make it right. Choosing your own punishment doesn't show remorse, it's just stroking your ego. You're making everyone miserable with your contrived penance." Mei steadied her breathing while Sasuke took that in.
Sasuke flattened his expression. "You aren't from here and yet you have a lot of suggestions for how to solve Leaf problems."
Mei glared but her lips curled into a tight smile. "You have a lot of ideas yourself, for someone who only just got back."
Mei didn't remember what happened after that. She fumed, her mind a tornado of anger. Kakashi said something to Sasuke, she didn't know what, and then steered her home. Their date was forgotten.
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Although Kakashi and Mei were now, as far as they were concerned, "in a relationship", their routine didn't change much. Kakashi was still the Hokage and was often busy. He called Mei in whenever there was something he knew interested her that wasn't surrounded by a mile of political red tape. That was why she was in his office when Naruto popped in with a grin.
Once the teen hero had greeted them both, Kakashi folded his hands on top of his desk and his expression became flat and impersonal. It was the pose Mei had come to label "Kakashi's Hokage look". Naruto recognized it too and his smile faded a bit.
"Naruto, you're going on assignment, several assignments actually. I'll have word sent to Iruka so you can leave on the first one right away."
"Where am I going?"
Kakashi leaned forward over his hands a bit. "Since Sasuke is resolved to pay for his crimes, we're opening it up to the people he's harmed over the years to dictate punishment. Some of those people are far away. You, Guy, and Itsuki will go around to the agreed meeting locations to gather the demands of those people."
"What people are we talking about sensei?" Naruto asked. The smile was completely gone now.
"While the Leaf has officially absolved Sasuke of his crimes of: desertion, aiding and abetting known criminals, attempted assassinations of the five kage, attempted murder, and general terrorism, not every village or nation has. So we'll be holding several forums where people can bring forward their ideas for what he can do to give back. It should take you a few weeks, on and off, to make it to all of them, depending on timing and the location."
Naruto was silent. He knew that Sasuke had deserted the village, that he'd spent years with Orochimaru doing who knows what, that he'd broken up the kage summit, and that he threatened to kill the living kage while they were still under Madara's genjutsu, but that was the old Sasuke. He'd said he was sorry. Naruto said as much to his Hokage.
Kakashi sighed. "Interestingly enough Naruto, not everyone is satisfied with a 'sorry' when you threaten to kill them and enslave all the people they swore to protect. Sasuke threatened and attacked some very powerful people, you, me, and Sakura included." When Naruto had nothing to say to that the Hokage continued. "I'm sending you on this mission because I suspect Sasuke will need someone who's willing to speak up for him at these meetings. If anyone can convince people that Sasuke is worthy of mercy, it's you."
"It just doesn't seem fair," Naruto mumbled at his feet.
Mei held her tongue.
"It was Sasuke who suggested we organize these forums," Kakashi said.
This was news to Mei and she gaped at her husband. Kakashi's eyes darted to her for a moment but then returned to the student in front of him.
Naruto looked up in surprise.
"Sasuke wants to pay for his crimes," Kakashi added. "If this is what he needs to do to get his life back on track, I'm sure you'll be first in line to help him."
Naruto's smile returned. He nodded.
"Dismissed."
When they were alone again, Kakashi held up his hand to forestall his wife's questions. "I have no idea if what you said changed Sasuke's mind. Opening his punishment to the general population could very well get him killed." He looked at her and she saw the concern in his eyes.
Mei wanted to say that Sasuke's death would be justice rather than a tragedy, but she knew that would hurt her husband to hear. Instead she said, "I believe in Naruto. People will listen to him, even if he's speaking on Sasuke's behalf."
Kakashi nodded but said nothing else. Mei saw herself out. It would be weeks before she heard anything more about Kakashi's students, at least directly.
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"Long day?" Mei asked as Kakashi entered her room late one night.
Kakashi hadn't joined her for their usual evening meal in the Hokage's dining room. Misaki had been on duty and appeared to express Kakashi's regrets. Now he was at his wife's door, looking beat.
Kakashi pinched his nose. "Did you have days that never ended?"
Mei smiled in sympathy. "Of course." She tried to be encouraging. "But they do end, I promise. Do you want to talk about it?"
Kakashi sighed. "Can't. Well, I could, some of it, but I don't have the energy right now to sort the classified things from the not."
Mei smiled a sad smile and gestured. "I have a comfy couch with your name on it."
Kakashi flopped onto the couch, immediately closing his eyes.
"Did you want some tea?" Mei thought to ask, heading to her kitchen corner. Sometimes tea had helped her unwind after a long stressful day. It was just a little thing that she could have to herself, a little moment of calm as she watched the steam rising out of her cup. Mei lifted the teapot from its hook on the wall but Kakashi didn't answer.
Mei filled the kettle with water, put it on her hot plate to heat, and walked back over to the couch. "Kakashi?" Her husband was fast asleep, stretched out on her couch, one hand still over his eyes. His other hand dangled off of the side like he hadn't had the strength to lift it. Her couch, although the perfect length for her to lay out on, was too short for her husband. Kakashi's feet stuck off the end like a child's legs stick out of last year's pants.
Mei considered her husband. Despite his heavy workload and devotion to his village, he had one thing up on her. She'd never felt comfortable enough to just lay down somewhere and suddenly sleep. At least, not when she was currently serving as Mizukage. Kakashi could relax when she'd never been able to. She didn't envy him exactly, because she felt that would mean hating him for it. She didn't. Instead she was glad he felt safe with her.
The former Mizukage stepped quietly over to her bed and grabbed a light blanket. She unfolded it slowly, making her way back over to Kakashi. She was about to drape it over her husband when she stopped, her breath caught.
It all happened in a second. Someone was teleporting directly into her room! Mei often felt chakra signatures flash-stepping all over Hokage Tower. People in the tower were busy and moved quickly once they were within the security perimeter. However, no one had ever dared enter her room this way. Mei didn't have time to glance back at her sleeping, defenseless husband. Someone was coming to hurt him! She was sure of it.
Mei snarled and threw the blanket at where she thought the ninja may end up. The blanket landed on someone, covering them like a sheet over stored furniture. That someone only had a moment to cry out before senbon were in Mei's hands. She threw the needles into the figure under the blanket and at another person who'd just teleported in behind and to the right of the first.
Mei rushed at the first intruder, fist cocked back to strike. She saw where her needles had pinned the blanket to the person, still thrashing under it, and took aim.
"Lady Mei," a voice cried.
Mei's eyes flickered to the second figure; it was Misaki! Mei faltered, her brain catching up with her. If one of Kakashi's aides was directing her concern at Mei and not the intruder then maybe… Mei aborted the punch and dodged around the blanketed figure, grabbing it as she went and using her momentum to throw the person to the floor. It could still be a trick, Kakashi may still be in danger, but the more time her brain had to think, the more Mei realized she may be mistaken.
The blanketed figure spun and fell with a grunt. Mei knew the man well enough to know the sound of his voice, even with that short of exclamation. "Yamato," Mei gasped. Her heart was still pounding but the rest of her was already adjusting to the new situation.
Mei tried to pull the blanket off of him but the needles literally pinned it to Yamato's side. Mei grimaced. "Do you want me to take these out?"
"I've got it," Yamato ground out as he yanked the two needles free, a scowl on his face.
"Idiot," Misaki chided, her head swiveling to Yamato. Ever since she'd met her, Mei thought the kunoichi looked like a hawk, all sharp angles with a fierce beauty. At the moment, that fierce expression was turned on Yamato. "You should know better than to barge into Lady Mei's room to find Kakashi-senpai. They could have been doing anything in here!"
Yamato and Mei went pink at the same time. Then Yamato's face turned pale. Mei gasped in realization and pulled the left sleeve of her dress all the way up. Her biceps were armored but on the underside was a thin pouch that lay flush with her skin. Mei removed a small vile of powder. She shoved it at Yamato. "Here, the antidote. It's better to take it with water, hold on." Mei hurried over to the sink and got a glass full. Yamato poured the powder into his mouth and then drank deeply from the glass. "Misaki, did I get you?"
"Only once," the former ANBU said with a grim smile. She pulled a needle out of the gap between her chest armor and shoulder plate, the second needle was embedded in the wall behind her. Misaki was also treated to the antidote and washed it down with water.
The three turned to Kakashi. He'd slept through the whole thing!
"What was so important that you had to come barging in here?" Mei asked. She felt bad that she'd poisoned Kakashi's aides but Yamato could have knocked.
"I'm sorry Lady Mizukage," Yamato began. "That's-"
"Classified," Mei finished with a sigh. "I understand. Do you want to wake him or should I?"
"What's wrong?" Kakashi asked in a calm sigh, resignation in his voice.
All three looked at the Hokage. His eyes were still shut. Despite no one answering the question, Mei figured Kakashi knew why he was being summoned. Kakashi stood in one fluid motion. His eyes opened and there was no sign of sleepiness or comfort there, only duty.
"Let's go you two, leave my wife to her reading," Kakashi glanced back at Mei with a small wave. "Sorry about this. I'll see you later."
Mei didn't know that Kakashi lectured his aides all the way back to his office. That they were told never to violate his wife's living space like that again. That unless the village was in immediate danger, they were to knock and then be admitted to her room by permission, always. Yamato and Misaki apologized. Misaki shoved Yamato and mouthed, "told you."
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"Lord Hokage Lord Hokage," called several young voices.
Mei and Kakashi turned, letting the children catch up to them. Mei saw something sad flash through Kakashi's eyes before they settled into an eye smile. "Hello there," he greeted them.
"I want to be the Hokage someday," cried one youngster.
"Me too," cried the others.
"Well you'll have to work and study hard," Kakashi advised with a smile. "Listen to your sensei and forge your own way to help others."
The children looked thoughtful but excited. "We will," they cried. Before the pair knew it, the children had run off to play "Hokage" in the nearby park. They'd gone as quickly as they'd arrived.
"I was worried that they were going to ask me to teach them a jutsu. Naruto was always doing that," Kakashi commented mildly. He watched the kids in the park for a moment before continuing on their stroll.
Mei frowned at him. "What's wrong?"
Kakashi turned to her, eyebrows raised. "What makes you think something is wrong?"
"You got that look, that sad one, when they first ran up to us."
"Like I said," Kakashi replied, "I was worried they'd want me to teach them a jutsu. I'd probably pick something way too dangerous for them. I never was a great sensei."
Mei narrowed her eyes. "If you're going to lie, you should pick something more convincing."
Mei stared at Kakashi. Kakashi continued walking, avoiding his wife's gaze. She continued to glare at him.
Kakashi sighed, giving up. "When I hear someone call for 'Lord Hokage', it takes me a second to remember they're addressing me. I still expect to see Lord Third, or Minato-sensei," he trailed off.
"Not Tsunade?" Mei asked with a smile.
"She's still here," Kakashi replied. "It doesn't hit me so hard."
"You deserve to be Hokage, don't forget that," Mei encouraged.
"It's not about who deserves to be," Kakashi replied. He sighed. "I need to appear completely confident in myself at all times, as if I can't make mistakes. How can I let people put faith in me when I don't have faith in myself? How can I lead them astray that way?"
Mei almost put her hand on Kakashi's arm but stopped. Just because she wanted to touch him, didn't mean he'd want it. It wouldn't give him comfort the way she meant it to be. Instead she said, "I know that you would never let anyone down if you could prevent it. I don't need to convince you, your record speaks to that. Believe me when I say, that is enough. That is enough reason for people to put faith in their Hokage, in you. Who you are IS WHY you are Hokage. You are enough. Trust me." Sometimes it was easier to encourage someone else than yourself, Mei mused. She wished she'd told herself the same thing years ago.
They shared a smile but Kakashi didn't say anything more. They continued their walk in silence.