What it takes to be Hokage

Chapter 22

The first night of their trip saw Kakashi and Naruto taking first watch. Sasuke and Sakura knew better than to linger since the longer they stayed awake once the watch had begun, the less sleep they were getting. The trip hadn't been eventful and they hardly expected the night to be any more so.

Naruto was somewhat saddened by how quiet the trip had been, but he had been lost in thought and without his constant chatter, the team seemed fine with their silent journey.

Naruto finished a short, uneventful patrol before seating himself next to Kakashi who was reading a book. The blond was experienced enough to know that Kakashi wasn't really reading, just using the book as a prop so to speak. He'd probably read the book a thousand times, and probably used it to avoid unnecessary conversations. Hatake Kakashi was a genius and most times that meant he didn't really know how to handle people.

"I don't blame you." Naruto said suddenly, surprising the jonin. "For not carrying on my apprenticeship I mean. How could I?" Naruto smiled at the memories in his head. "You were the only one that believed in me becoming a Shinobi from the start so really, I am where I am today because of you."

Kakashi sighed and put the book down. "I saw something in you that no one else seemed to. Don't ask me why? Maybe it was how similar you looked to the Shodai." Kakashi eye smiled and ruffled Naruto's hair at the small joke. "I'm sorry for how long I left you on your own. I always assumed Minato-sensei would have gotten someone more village bound to continue your training. I guess I never believed he'd ignore you the way he did. Before I knew it, two years or so had passed."

"I don't think he ignored me. Konoha is a large village and requires an immense amount of attention. Perhaps, like you, time got away from him. Time is funny that way . . ." Naruto smiled wistfully. "If left unattended a man can life his whole live without realising it." He sounded far too old with that statement and Kakashi gave him an odd look yet he didn't comment.

"So how did you get so good?" Kakashi asked, his tone daring Naruto to lie. "I know what your abilities were when I left you and I know how much you hated books but left to logic, the library was really the only place you could have turned to without a teacher."

"Hai, and I did. In desperation, to prove my worth, I went to the library. I also watched other shinobi train." Naruto smiled. "If anything I was good at hiding. You'd be surprised how much one picks up simply with watching. I was getting really good too." Naruto's smile widened at the memories in his head. He may have been on his own but he really had been onto something before the merge of his past self with his present self. Naruto lifted his palm and allowed a small Rasengan to form. "See?" he directed a bright grin towards Kakashi.

The jonin smiled and ruffled Naruto's hair again. "I'd expect nothing less from my star pupil."

Naruto needed this, and maybe so did Kakashi. His chest bubbled with the happiness at affection from Kakashi. They'd barely had time to discuss the failed apprenticeship. The man was more like an older brother to him than a team captain, perhaps replacing the bond his past self had grown with Iruka-sensei. Glancing back towards his sleeping teammates, Naruto couldn't help but wonder if he could trust his team with his secret.

.0.0.0.

Takigakure no Sato wasn't far from Konoha and incidentally was also the closest Sealing Wonder other than Konoha itself. The trip there didn't take too long and Naruto actually enjoyed it. He'd left his worries behind, deciding to only concern himself if he needed to and he'd only know if he needed to when they got there.

"So how's medical training going Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked. They'd decided to walk at a civilian's pace for the last stretch. Getting into Takigakure wasn't a problem. As one of the smaller nations they knew that the quickest path from one larger nation to the other was directly through the smaller nations and therefore didn't really make a fuss about the 'trespassing' so to speak, so long as those passing through kept away from certain areas.