A soft breeze followed an elderly man in white robes and the little blonde child holding his hand. They had taken to having these little 'play dates' - as the kid put it - at least twice every week and this one was not an exception. The old man chuckled as he walked hand to hand with the bundle of joy that jumped and played around the streets of his beloved village.

...u...

The villagers watched the lovely scene and voiced their admiration of the kind man and his altruistic nature, everyone knew who that man was of course. Konoha's very own Sandaime Hokage taking time off to hang out with some nameless orphan, 'he's truly a man of compassion' they thought, incapable of realizing there was more behind his commitment to the boy than just charity.

..a.u...

"Settle down my boy, these old bones can't keep up with you anymore." He was lying of course, but it seemed to work if the little boy no older than six sitting by his side was anything to go by. They both sat there and relaxed, watching everything and nothing at the same time, just the two of them sitting alone in a park somewhere in the village.

..a.u.....?

Hiruzen watched fondly as the little boy's gaze was focused solely on a butterfly that happened to fly close to them; he looked so innocent... what he wouldn't do to have it remain that way. "Tell me Naruto-kun, what do you want to be when you're older?"

...a..u..?

The boy beamed at the question and looked at the man with a fire and determination that had no place in the eyes of a kid his age. "When I grow up I'm going to be an awesome ninja like you Jiji! I'll take that hat from you so you can rest your old bones dattebayo!"

..a.u..o?

Hiruzen laughed at his boisterous claim and ruffled his hair affectionately, there was no doubt in his mind that the little boy would do exactly as he said."I look forward to it."

...aru...o..

That's exactly what Naruto loved the most about his Jiji, not once did he ever question his goals or call him stupid for aiming so high; all he ever received from him was unwavering faith and support. That's why Naruto loves and respects the Sandaime like he does no other.

He would do anything to make him proud.

Naru..o..

The boy found himself moved to tears by the love he received from that man and felt like an idiot for making a fool of himself in front of him, not to worry though, Hiruzen had always known how to make Naruto feel better. "Why don't we go and get you some Ramen?"

"Naruto!"

'Huh?'

Naruto focused on reality once again and finally caught sight of the tall silver-haired man that was standing right in front of his bed. He knew there was no point in asking how he got in, he just did.

A week had already passed, he was cleared from the hospital just a day after the invasion ended and he went back to his place to be alone.

He didn't even attend the funeral.

"What are you doing here, Kakashi?"

'Rude', thought the man but ignored it as he invited himself to sit right beside Naruto and take on that empty look adorning his face, he felt like a hypocrite; here he was coming all the way to the blonde's house so he could give him a heartfelt speech about grief and why it isn't good to let it consume you and run your life for you.

Yeah right.

Resisting the urge to scoff at his own thoughts, Kakashi put a hand on Naruto's shoulder and patted him comfortingly. He had been in the situation many times before, meaning, he understands Naruto's position more than anyone else. "No one's seen you in a week, Naruto, I thought I might as well come and see how you're doing."

The obvious sunken eyes from the genin spoke volumes, he knows there's no need to ask. He just wanted a verbal confirmation, to hear his voice again. "I'm doing great Kakashi, isn't it obvious?" Okay, the deadpan tone and snarky reply might've been uncalled for but Kakashi knew when a point was being made.

Instead, he said quietly, almost in a whisper, "You missed the funeral,"

Naruto sighed in defeat as he slumped his shoulders against the sheets, he was perfectly aware of the treatment he was giving Kakashi, and that only made him feel sadder. "I'm sorry Nii-san it's just that I-, I couldn't be there, I- I don't-"

"It's okay Naruto, I'm not blaming you, no one is," Kakashi hated watching him in such a state, would anyone blame Naruto for missing the funeral? Absolutely not, any person living in Konoha with half a brain knew Hiruzen meant everything to him. If there was any, then he would just take matters into his own hands. "We were worried about you Naruto, I'm worried about you."

Naruto looked at Kakashi and found himself smiling softly. Losing Hiruzen has been like losing the only reason he even lived for, but it didn't have to be that way, he had people that cared about him now. "I know, I-," He took a deep breath, "thank you."

"If someone knows what you're going through, it's probably me. I don't want to see you living life as a shell of your former self, far too focused on what you've lost and nothing more..." He knew Naruto wouldn't ever be like he was, he's just too good for that, still, it would be better if the boy didn't lock himself for days. "You're allowed to grieve Naruto, you're allowed to cry and you're allowed to vent. I'm not the Sandaime, but I think he wouldn't want you to be locking yourself up. For what it's worth, I will be here for you for as long as I live."

What was he even doing? Sulking around alone in his room staring into nothing, he missed the funeral because he felt devastated and incapable.

He felt so... so guilty.

But there was nothing to feel guilty about, Naruto had done his part during the invasion excellently and everyone knew it, somehow rumors of his exploits during the attack had spread and now everyone in Konoha was talking about the blonde kid and the masked ninja that teamed up with a giant toad to defeat the Ichibi.

He only felt that way because he felt like he needed to, he felt like it was his responsibility; if only he had been there faster- maybe if he had defeated Gaara sooner, he would've arrived just in time to save Hiruzen, maybe if he hadn't offered to aid in fighting Gaara at all he could've been there to fight alongside him.

Naruto locked himself inside of his house because if he got out and helped reconstruct what was damaged during the attack. He would've to go to the tower, he would've to enter the office and...

The Hokage wouldn't be there.

"Kakashi I- if I go out and he isn't there and I- I know it's stupid okay? I just don't, I- agh!" He couldn't hold it anymore, that was the first of many more frustrated and angry yells, frustrated by his own weakness, angry at the heavens for taking him away.

Kakashi understood Naruto's feelings and allowed him to let them out. He sat there for hours, rubbing his back as he lay crying loudly on his lap and reassuring him in a soothing tone, encouraging him to keep at it until he released all his bottled-up emotions. The Uzumaki hadn't shed a single tear after Hiruzen died, at first too numb by the experience and then refusing to accept the harsh reality.

They stayed like that for a while, Kakashi briefly caught sight of a white-haired man watching them through the window and exchanged nods with him as he took care of his little brother, it would seem Naruto was too distraught to focus on his surroundings, or maybe he did feel the man watching them and just didn't care.

After he was done, Naruto looked up and found Kakashi with a reassuring eye-smile as he softly caressed his head. "Don't stay locked in here, I know full well what isolation can do to you and it's not pretty. Seek your friends and help around the village, it will make you feel better."

He had stuff to do so he stood up and walked away from Naruto but he stopped at the door to give him a final message before leaving. "Asuma wants to talk to you, go see him when you can, okay? Oh and take a shower, you stink."

With that he disappeared into a Shunshin and left behind a chuckling Naruto with red puffy eyes and a messed up face, he decided right then and there that the shower might be a good idea after all.

—

"Why aren't you coming to class, Kono-baka? You think you can just get special treatment while all of us have to help reconstruct and study?" An older academy student soon to graduate was questioning Konohamaru in a less than kind way. The little boy had been nothing but a shadow of himself this past week and dedicated his time to wandering around the village without a clear path in mind.

It enraged some idiots.

"Leave me alone!" Usually, he wouldn't be this bold or rambotious in this kind of situation, Konohamaru had often been the target of bullying and mistreatment from his older classmates for what they always perceived to be special treatment, sadly, with the village in the state it currently is, his usual protectors were a little too busy for that.

His biggest shield was completely gone now.

"What are you going to do about it?" The big kid and his accomplices all burst out laughing at the defensive stand Konohamaru had taken, 'does he really think he stands a chance?' they all asked themselves as they watched their leader throw the first punch.

It didn't land.

An oppressive and intimidating presence suddenly filled the street they were in, the leader of the bunch trembled in fear as he watched a golden shining chain tie itself around his arm, very very tightly.

The few that weren't chained slowly looked to see Naruto standing behind them, Sharingan eye blazing in life and a murderous look on his face. "Special treatment?..." He asked without removing his glare from the kid who tried to hit Konohamaru. "I can give you some of that."

All the kids that weren't restricted took that as their cue to run leaving behind their leader trembling in fear and looking like he was just about to cry, Naruto was no more than three years older than them and he still managed to make himself be feared. "Try that again and I won't be so lenient next time."

He then released the chain and watched as the kid ran off crying as fast as he could, when they all left, Naruto let his aura go back to his normal carefree and kind one. He walked toward Konohamaru while saying, "I don't even know what lenient means 'ttebayo."

Naruto had been hoping that Konohamaru would hug him as he praised him and thanked him repeatedly for helping with his bully, the empty and judgemental look on the young Sarutobi's face was nothing short of unsettling. "You weren't there... you left me alone."

Oh, that's what this whole thing is about.

At the time he didn't understand what his absence might have meant for his self-proclaimed younger brother and former rival/Hokage competitor.

"I did and I'm sorry Saru, I was just being stupid and I wasn't thinking right, if it's any consolation I don't think I'll be able to forgive myself for missing Jiji's memorial I-," Naruto looked at the youngers face as he took a deep breath and quietly said, "I just hope he isn't mad at me."

The sincere tone he used and the dejected look on his face was enough proof for Konohamaru that Naruto hadn't missed the funeral just because he was an asshole - like others - and was actually going through grief of his own. Enough to forgive him, at least for now.

"Naruto-nii!" This time Konohamaru did run and hug Naruto as he cried in the arms of his older brother. "The old man he- he's- and I- I was I-, Asuma oji-san he-"

His crying and sputtering of nonsense continued for a few more minutes in which Naruto could only grasp some of the things that Konohamaru had been trying to convey to him. He gently picked the crying boy up, a comforting hand brushing through his hair. Just like Kakashi did to him. He was already heading to the Sarutobi estate so he might as well give Konohamaru a ride at the same time he provided a shoulder to cry on.

He wasn't fine, not anywhere near it actually. Kami knows it was taking Naruto every bit of self-control he could muster not to burst out crying in the middle of the street with Konohamaru but he found a weird comfort in the situation they were both in.

It was then he realized just what Kakashi meant about not grieving alone, he hadn't realized just how much Konohamaru looked up to him. Naruto relished in the comfort having Kakashi as an older brother provided him, and neglected the role he had taken up when he accepted the title of the little monkey's older brother, even if it was something symbolic at best.

He decided to own up to it now.

Then he started walking to the Sarutobi estate. It wouldn't be easy, going there and not finding Hiruzen waiting for him with a treat ready and countless interesting stories from his youth to share but, he would manage, if not for his sake then for his little brother's.

A soft breeze caressed his cheek and he turned around for a moment, getting sight of the Sandaime's face carved in that mountain. Naruto smiled in fondness and sadness but kept on his way, listening to Konohamaru's incomprehensible babble and sniffing while thinking. 'Keep watching us Jiji... I swear we'll make you proud.'

—

"I'm not asking you if you want to, Jiraiya."

An elderly woman could be seen berating a white-haired man and neither seemed ready to reach an agreement.

The reason behind their argument? The Hokage position of course.

"I already informed the Daimyo that a Legendary Sannin will be taking the hat, he seemed rather pleased with my choice." As the last remaining member of the village's elders - that had the late Hokage's trust that is - it's Koharu's duty to negotiate the next shinobi to take over the position of Hokage directly with the fire country's ruler.

"Koharu-obaa san, you can't expect me of all people to take over, I'm not Hokage material." Jiraiya desperately pleaded his - in Koharu's opinion - selfish and childish claim fiercely, fully convinced that he isn't the one to become Konoha's ruler.

The elderly woman in question sighed and took a defeated look, she was just so tired of everything, provisionally administering the village for a week in possibly the biggest crisis they had endured would take a toll on anyone, particularly someone who lost many friends. "Listen Jiraiya, this is what Hiruzen wanted and it is what the village needs, get over yourself and act like a self-respecting adult for once in your life! The Daimyo is already tired of waiting for his new Hokage and it's already taking a lot of effort to convince him of ignoring our less desirable option."

Deciding to let go of the subtle insult for a moment, Jiraiya furrowed his brow in thought. He wasn't stupid, nothing good could come out of allowing the less desirable choice to take over, but he still firmly believed he doesn't have what it takes to rule a village. "If it is a sannin you want, there is another one."

Koharu scoffed and chuckled at what she thought to be a terrible idea. "Do you honestly think you can bring her back and convince her of becoming Hokage? You're not as old as me Jiraiya, you shouldn't have gone senile yet."

"Look..." Jiraiya took a deep breath and prepared himself to present his case. "I am in no way ready to become Hokage, Tsunade was practically raised for the position, let me bring her back, I know I can."

The elderly woman looked at the serious and resolved look on the man's face and decided to humor him, if anything she now found himself curious. "The Daimyo is breathing hard on my neck for this, you have two weeks to bring her back and not a day more, if you don't manage to bring her back by then you will take over the hat or you'll watch it fall to his head."

A gloomy thought, but it wasn't going to happen, Jiraiya was convinced that Tsunade would come around and become the next Hokage, after all, he had a pretty convincing student. If push came to shove, he would step in before allowing him to take over, that's the least he could do for his sensei.

—

"Asuma-sensei?"

Naruto walked into the Sarutobi compound with a sleeping Konohamaru on his back and took on the sad breeze that blew in the place, not even his favorite guard had been up for their usual chatter whenever he happened to stop by. After making sure the young heir got to his room safely and tucking him in. Naruto made his way to the main study of the estate where he was supposed to meet the new head of the clan, Sarutobi Asuma.

"Naruto, it's good to see you, please take a seat." Asuma pointed to a chair in front of him and watched as Naruto nervously sat down, chuckling internally at the unintentionally intimidating mood he set.

Putting all that aside, Asuma sighed and took a deep breath as he handed Naruto a closed envelope with his name written on top. "The reason I asked Kakashi to have you come here is this letter, we went through my father's will yesterday. He left that for you." Naruto's hands started shaking as he grabbed the envelope from Asuma's hands and stared at it, quickly recognizing his grandfather's handwriting.

"I will leave you here to read this by yourself okay? Naruto I-, I know how close you and dad were... many people come here and offer their condolences to us but I doubt anyone other than your friends do that to you, you lost just as much as Konohamaru and I did, for that, I'm truly sorry." After saying his piece Asuma walked out of the room and left the boy all by himself, he stepped into the backyard and looked at the sky, he could only think of his father and how his absence would affect everyone's lives. At the very least they parted ways in the best of terms, omething had made Hiruzen want to fix their relationship years ago, and he was really glad they did.

Back in the room, Naruto opened the envelope and started reading through it carefully with his sharingan activated, making sure to remember every detail of the letter; if one were to look at him from a distance, they would watch as tears fell on the piece of paper being held by those shaking hands.

To Naruto.

As I'm writing this; you're not older than 6 years of age, I'm currently watching over you, taking a little time off to write this letter for you while you sleep peacefully.

It is a bit weird, is it not? I guess it is true that old people like myself are always talking about the day they're going to die and I am no exception, I just wanted to be ready.

In all my years of living, I've made many mistakes but taking you in and making you a part of my family is not one of them. Naruto, you have shown me unconditional love and respect and you have brought a new light into my life, you've inspired me to become a better person and even a better father, Kami knows it was you who unknowingly made me want to fix my relationship with my son. I will never ever be able to repay you. If you're reading this letter it means I'm no longer walking alongside you and admiring your growth.

Fret not.