Sleep was evasive, just as evasive as his grip on one simple thought. He couldn't focus enough to sleep, an oxymoron that didn't go over his head. For Sasuke, silence was comforting, usually, now it was threatening to expedite his heart out of his chest. Why was he teetering on the verge of running away? It wasn't like he had a choice to disobey the Hokage, that is, if he wanted to have a place to go eventually when he stopped his running. He wouldn't admit that he didn't want to lose his last shred of home, but he was beginning to contemplate if it was even worth it. Did he ever see himself settling back home? The scary part was that his heart shouted a resounding and defiant yes! But, his brain told him to ignore it, and Sasuke was nothing if not logical (except when he's often far too emotional for his own good). In a word, he was conflicted. Sasuke decided to go with his heart, only because it left far more options than a life of being hunted by the anbu - regardless of how useless that pursuit would turn out for them.

Sakura was wide awake in her firm mattress. It was immovable, like she wished her resolve would be. She couldn't stop thinking about onyx and hidden lilac eyes. He had been different tonight, something much…softer? She was more than perplexed and even more unsettled. He should have been his morose and apathetic self like she'd expected. Instead, he was still apathetic but mellow. He didn't have a perpetual stiffness in his shoulders that radiated throughout his body and infected his chakra. His chakra was even off; that was where her concern was focused. Could so much change in a year to change even the state of one's chakra? She'd never heard of it before. Maybe she was just imagining it. She had been delirious most of the day, and every ounce of energy to distinguish reality and fiction had drained from her body the second she'd let her emotions take hold of her in the Hokage's office. If she was honest, she was actually embarrassed about her loss of control. If it had been anyone other than Kakashi to witness her refractory slip of professional character, she would have been horrified. But embarrassment invaded her exhausted brain nonetheless. Kakashi would be sure to bring it up next time he calls her to his office for an impromptu visit during business hours. She'd be sure to explain she had acted in a manner unbecoming of one of the town's highest esteemed doctors. He was sure not to care.

The two stubborn teens were awake longer than they should have been to embark on a covert mission so early in the morning, and the consequences of that showed in their sullen faces when they met at the Konoha gates at daybreak. Sasuke's hair, which was naturally spiked but neat, was voluminous in that it looked uncombed. That was not typical. Sakura noticed it quickly but let it go as she was bothered by her excessively wrinkled mission outfit. She had tried to smooth it out as she headed out with a half-eaten piece of toast between her teeth. Struggling down the stairs of her apartment while multitasking, she decided her clothes were as smooth as they were going to get without steaming them. The tired ninjas' eyes were puffy from lack of sleep, but neither thought either looked less attractive. Sasuke even admired her natural state, wondering if she'd look like this every morning - sleepy and puckered. He caught himself and looked away from the culprit, invading his disquieted thoughts. Why was he losing control so easily now? He'd always been so in control. To lose it in this precise moment when he needed it most in order to finish this godforsaken, punishing mission was the worst thing that could happen for both of them. He was determined to keep his head in order to ensure her safety. That would have to be priority number one. The mission was a far second to not letting Sakura down further than he already had. It would seem that may be harder of an accomplishment than he would admit to.

The pair were off on the three-day trek it would take to get to Suna. Sakura vaguely remembered a conversation with Kakashi on one of her many summons to his office, where he discussed the alliance with nations to build a railway system. He had spoken about it as if it would never happen, but relations had become more stable than ever, and the thought of riding a train to Suna instead of jumping through the trees and traipsing through the desert. The train was far more appealing. She didn't know if she was happy for the long journey or if she'd prefer the train - if only to avoid the long, awkward silence that awaited her with Sasuke. If it had been a year ago, before all of this, she would have gladly basked in the silent nature that was unmistakably and, unfortunately, Sasuke. He was a man of few words on the best of days, and always had been. But with the tension between them (to her dismay, none of which she could directly pinpoint as unmistakably sexual) this trip was not a dream she would have been ecstatic to take before; it was now a nightmare. Or, maybe she was just dramatic. She'd been known to be so. She also had gotten closer to Ino, Konoha's very own drama queen, and she had a sneaking suspicion that the blonde had rubbed off on her.

Sasuke and Sakura kept their pace in the trees. Their silent travel made for good time. It may even be a quicker trip than either had expected. Sasuke wasn't sure if he was happy with that notion or disappointed. She was exceedingly distant this trip, and he was uncharacteristically distracted by that. Of course, she couldn't tell; he was a master of keeping his composure. The thought that he should attempt a conversation kept pushing through his silent melancholy. But the question was still, what should he say?

They were traveling for four hours at this point, and their postures of tense shoulders and periodic sideways glances at each other (when the other wasn't looking) were starting to drain both of their batteries. Usually, they could handle the tension and keep going, but Sakura found herself stumbling one particular time as her eyes left the vision before her and attempted to give her companion a covert once over. Sasuke quickly stopped, reaching his one arm out to catch her but being side-swept quickly. Sakura had regained her control without issue. However, at that precise moment, her stomach decided to join the conversation. Her face was as hot as a pepper, and she was sure she resembled one as well.

Sasuke held in a laugh, which on its own was a strange state for him to be in. He must have grown softer than he even thought. The usually overly serious male fixed his body straight, scanned their surroundings, and addressed the pinkette.

"Let's stop for lunch." He dropped to the ground into a partially open field.

After her initial shock of hearing him speak after so long of silence, Sakura dropped next to him. Quick to open her mission bag, she pulled out dumplings that were situated precisely in her bag. Inside the bento were 4 dumplings, plenty due to the fact that they were huge. After getting over his initial shock at their size, Sasuke conceded that the elephantine dumplings smelled heavenly. His own stomach involuntarily spoke into the silence, and this time, Sakura cracked a smile. Looking up at the cool-looking rogue nin, Sakura held out the bento in a kind gesture of sharing. She didn't know if he had food, concluding that he must not as he didn't open any pouches or boxes. Was he just going to let her eat while he starved?

Sasuke looked at the giant dumplings dubiously. Was she offering him food? The scene was reminiscent of their younger days, offering Naruto the food they'd brought for lunch and defying Kakashi's orders to not share with the tied-up comrade, or they'd chance failing together. The defiance was what defined them as a team. Due to the sacrifice they were willing to make and the selflessness they were willing to bestow in order to care for their incapacitated teammate, they learned what being a team meant: to think about someone other than yourself. Why did his heart, now enemy number one, swelled just a little at the gesture? He swiftly turned his head away from the offer. His red cheeks were hidden behind a cloak of onyx spikes.

"You're not eating?" The pinkette looked over the confusing man. "Even though you're clearly hungry?"

Sasuke didn't respond. He didn't need to eat. He'd gone much longer than twenty-four hours without food before; He could wait. However, Sakura wouldn't have any of that and positioned herself before the stubborn ninja.

"Sasuke, here," she said. She shucked the bento box closer to his hidden, red face.

Sasuke still silently refused the kind gesture. Was he unconsciously punishing himself? What for this time? Breathing, perhaps.

Sakura earnestly pursued the man. He was going to eat; that was final. She'd become just as stubborn over the years and wasn't going to take no for an answer - or rather this silent scurrying he was doing. The sight of the two silently waring against wits was probably comical.

Sasuke had expected Sakura to take his non-answer as a definite refusal of her kindness, but she was nothing if not persistent. He knew this first hand. He even confused himself as to why he was dragging this out. Was this his ungraceful attempt at picking on her? The food did look and smell amazing. He was hungry. So, what was making him a player of this childish game? A small smile cracking at the corner of his lips was a possible sign. He was unexpectedly enjoying himself.

They settled in this dance for longer than Sasuke gave Sakura's patience credit for. She hadn't blown up at him, which he'd expected her to do minutes ago. When he finally started to see the metaphorical steam radiating off the woman, he turned back to her, grabbed her offered colossal dumpling, and just as quickly took a bite. Sakura, in her confusion, stared the cheeky Uchiha down. At that particular moment, Sakura was convinced he had been messing with her, and she was bewildered that the usually serious man had a playful side she'd never really been privy to.

As the onyx-haired ninja chowed down on the dumpling, his face as stoic as if he wasn't enjoying the food, the pinkette began to giggle. Now it was Sasuke's turn to look puzzled.

Her giggling, which grew to a full, hardy laugh, warmed the cold-hearted Uchiha. Behind his dumpling, which covered a large portion of his lower face, the last Uchiha smiled.

Naruto was curious, and that curiosity was the only reason he left his sleeping, naked wife that morning. Kakashi had a lot to explain, First, why were Sasuke and Sakura on a mission without him? Naruto's first thought was that he'd accidentally let it slip that he and Hinata were trying to get pregnant. The conversation was a strange amalgamation of assumptions on the Hokage's part. Naruto didn't say the words, but the information was received loud and clear. Kakashi's eyes were ostensibly larger than Naruto had seen them when he'd come to that conclusion. The blonde was sure he'd even seen the black eyes begin to mist up. That had thrown the dolt through a loop. Why was Kakashi more invested than even he was? Of course, Naruto didn't have the intellectual range around family ties to grasp the emotional toll a new generation would bring to the village.

He had been a hellion, but he had also been alone. Having parents from the stages of birth into each stage of life was something he didn't have first-hand knowledge and it was precisely that reason that the future Hokage had been more flippant about the news. It was obvious that he was excited. To have a child was beautiful; having a direct extension of you in the flesh was a whole other gambit of emotion that he was sure would come to him once it happened. He knew what it was like to be loved and to love, but he was not daft enough not to be aware that the love for his child would be a new adventure. He was only dubious of the full impact it would have on him as a whole.

Would he change? It was supposed he'd have to, right? But, the biggest question was, would it change his world? The Uzumaki liked his life the way it was; it was simple and full of fulfilling relationships, but he also felt like something was missing. For a long time, he was sure that the missing link was achieving his dream of being Hokage and that if that were to happen, the hole would disappear, and he wouldn't feel like he was half gone. It was when he thought of his child, half him, half his beautiful Hinata, that hole shrank to nearly nothing. He was free from the gaining evanescent that threatened to consume him. The cheerful man wasn't used to such abrasive thoughts for such a long time, he feared the reasons it may be bubbling back up.

You're lonely, Kit. It's natural.

Naruto had felt the fox skulking about in the back of his psyche, privy to every thought and image that passed its host. But he hadn't spoken to the kyubi since his wedding night. That was when Naruto and the fox reached a much-needed agreement; when the couple were intimate, the fox had to give them privacy. The fox was nothing if not nosy. Though it pretended to sleep most of the time, the fox actually enjoyed the company of Naruto's new wife. While that was a necessary part of the package deal, he didn't much like the fox spying on the more intimate moments between the couple - liking his wife platonically or not. Naruto was sure the fox took their pact harshly at the time and left the old thing to his own devices, electing to believe the fox would get over it soon enough. Married life had been a nice distraction, enough so that Naruto had lost track of how long the silent treatment had extended. Was the demon fox over his silent protest?

I'm not lonely. The absurd idea was partially offensive. I have the perfect wife, great friends, and all the free ramen I want! We even just bought a house. What would I be lonely about? Why don't you just go back to sleep, huh?

The jinchuriki's nose wrinkled in aggravation, and his walking turned into more of a tantrumous stomp. He was finally in the Hokage's tower and making his way down the curved hallway.

You're lonely because they both left you.

He was at the door, hand reaching out for the knob of the door when he stopped at the fox's flippant quip. Naruto didn't have to guess who "they" were. He also didn't dignify the fox with a response. The stupid demon can go back to sleep for all he cares.

The melancholic mood lifted from the broad shoulders of the war hero as he entered the Hokage office. One reason was that he was in the very room he'd occupy one day soon, and second, because Naruto was skilled in mood shifting and forgetting his sorrows, which only served to open and salt wounds he'd never confront. Barreling into the office, a ball of orange energy as he'd been in his youth, Naruto bounced right up to see his former sensei.

"What's the big idea, Kakashi-sensei? Why was I left out of team seven's mission?" His lip jutted out in an expectant pout.

Kakashi softened to the image, even as his ears rang from the noise that left the adorable sight. His former student would always be a twelve-year-old boy in his eyes, even to the day the boy, now a man, and into when he became a father. From the information the Leaf village leader received from those pouted lips before him, that day may come sooner than even Kakashi was ready. To imagine the childish man as a father was a ghastly reality. The older man was concerned for the village if Naruto's maturity didn't surpass his stagnated twelve-year-old brain. In all honesty, that introspection was a bit unfair. For the most part, the former team seven-member was leagues away from that bratty mentality that he'd once embodied. Except, of course, at this very moment.

The Konoha leader sighed and perched his chin in his hand in anticipation of the long-winded tantrum and a couple of octaves his ears were sure to lose. A bored expression never left his face. He didn't immediately respond. He knew there was only so much Naruto would accept. He considered what crumbs of information would satisfy the slighted ninja. He doubted if he were to bring up Gaara the conversation wouldn't veer drastically to Naruto insisting he meet up with his former teammates in Suna. Kakashi couldn't have that. Not only because he promised to keep the information covert, but also because it would throw a wrench in his plans.

"Naruto, aren't you supposed to be basking in the benefits of marriage? How could you leave your poor wife alone in bed? Has the honeymoon phase fizzled out already? That didn't last long…" Kakashi snickered silently behind his mask. He refused to remove his mask almost exclusively due to the fact that he could make any face without concern of offending anyone with his uncontrolled smile, not that Kakashi cared much for that. For the remainder of his decision, because it looked cool. Behind the mask, he was now smiling wider than he had since teasing Sasuke a couple of days ago. How he enjoyed the looks on his former male students' faces. They were too easy.

Naruto, who was now well-sexed since getting married, still turned beet red at the implication of sex. However, the older man was unsure if the intimate relationship shared with the man's wife made the nin blush or if he'd actually hit a nail. He hoped for the former. What a miserable life awaited a sexless married man. He wouldn't wish the horrendous reality on anyone, not even an enemy.

A long finger pointed at the Hokage, and its owner sputtered a reply as his skin reddened all over.

"Don't be such a pervert, Kakashi-sensei! Answer the damn question!"

As his temper slowly waned, the newlywed shifted his eyes to the empty space in the corner and muttered through pouted lips, "My sex life is just fine, perv."

The Konoha leader sighed in relief. Oddly, he truly was happy to hear that, even if the private matter was far from his business.

"Relax, Naruto." Waving his hand flippantly, sporting his signature carefree smirk. "The two are on a special mission you can't help them with. It has to be left up to them. We just have to sit back and wait."

Thoroughly confused at the implications coating those words, Naruto was far from backing down.

"What kind of mission can they do that I can't?" The blonde's nose was screwed tightly on his face.

Kakashi sighed, "What do you think, Naruto?" The older man asked this question pointedly but didn't have high expectations for the scattered-brained jinchuriki to understand the meaning.

Naruto's unchanging face was proof that the Hokage was right in his assumption.

With another sigh, Kakashi realized he'd have to be far more crass than he'd been in many years since having to be so diplomatic. His constant formal correspondence had made him a little rusty.

"You'd be a drag on those two finding a moment to enjoy the advantages of an adult relationship." Kakashi, by the unchanging visage of the blonde, knew the man was still toting the brain of a child. Poor Hinata. Did she have to initiate every sexual encounter, he wondered?

"The two need alone time, Naruto. You'd just get in the way of that."

No change. Naruto was getting impatient with all the riddles and was close to losing what little patience he'd managed to gain over the last few years. With an aptitude for a juvenile nature, Naruto was quick to react childishly.

"How would me being on the mission stop them from being alone? I have to bathe at some point. They could have talked then." What would they need to talk about that he couldn't hear anyway? Was everyone keeping something from him?

A man of obscene patience, Kakashi's was now wearing thin. He knew better than to expect as much from Naruto, more sexually experienced as he may be.

To end the mystery for the strained blonde, Kakashi conceded there was no avoiding direct and crude language. He was grateful no one around would look at him as the pervert hidden in a Hokage cloak, of which the label fit perfectly.

"They need more than a five-minute reprieve from you as you bathe to have sex, Naruto." With a sly smile, he muttered behind his folded hands, "Someone should try to last longer, hm?"

Married, not a virgin, and very much a closet pervert himself, Naruto was surprised when he felt a nosebleed coming on. Sasuke and Sakura were trying to be intimate? When had that happened? The better question was, why hadn't the bastard let him in on this new development? Didn't their friendship mean anything? Naruto was nothing if not an open book, with respect to not being a play-by-play of his sex life in order to preserve his wife's reputation. Still, the future Konoha leader expected more from the last Uchiha, whom he considered closer than a brother. Betrayal held the nosebleed, threatening to run down his nose.

"What! Why didn't that bastard tell me he wasn't a virgin? I'll kick his ass!" He said through gritted teeth.

Kakashi almost lost his cool composure at the look on Naruto's face. He supposed he should clear up what he meant by his statement. What a drag (he was starting to take on his advisor's colloquialism). He waved his hand lazily at the sputtering ninja and noted that the boy needed an extensive lesson in tact.

"No, Naruto, not yet. That's why I sent them…alone…" He hoped the bumbling man would catch the hint and drop the tantrum. It seemed to dawn on the jinchuriki then.

Aw…hm…Wait!

The face that had been screwed up in a defiant tantrum was now smoothed out to a mischievous grin.

"You sly dog, Kakashi-sensei." Naruto giggled, reminding the older man of a younger version from the past. "How long do you think it'll take them?" The blonde's voice was coy and dripping with playful curiosity.

Kakashi was as perverted as the best of them, but even he was a little put off by the direction of the conversation. Should they be wagering on the length of time a comrade would lose his virginity? Was it even moral? Kakashi couldn't care less.

"I give it a week." The Konoha leader said decisively.

Naruto took a moment to think about it. Sasuke did everything slowly, taking his time and having ungodly amounts of patience. However, Naruto knew the strength of sexual desire in a man and how it was almost impossible to avoid giving in once in the company of a sexually congenial partner.

His right fist gaveled into the palm of his left hand. 'I give it two!"

The two former team seven members give each other knowing smiles.