A/N: I'm aliiiiveeeeee! Finally I'm able to post this update! Believe me when I tell you that I've been trying to write this chapter for the past 3 years. And it wouldn't let itself get written, it was so hard! Also the usual, life is on the way and whatnot.
The Calm After the Storm... I Guess...
Naruto was the hero, everyone that died during the assault was revived; but not everything was good news. Konoha was yet again destroyed and was in dire need of its leader, only that said leader was in a coma. Tsunade abused of her chakra during Pain's invasion and not even Shizune could tell when she's going to wake up again…
Yet Konoha is not going to get back to its feet on its own, so the elders and other members of the council are trying to see the logistics of its reconstruction. Nobody seems to be bothered that there's no Hokage until Danzo brings it up.
"Can't we wait until Tsunade's condition improve?" the bored Daimyo replied trying to not make this meeting any longer.
Everyone started babbling about the need of an active Hokage, how bad they would look with other nations and other trivial stuff.
"I see, I really liked Jiraiya but he's no longer with us… Is anyone else like him?" the Daimyo asked accepting defeat that he could not avoid the topic.
"I believe I-"
"I nominate Hatake Kakashi," Shikaku was faster than Danzo.
"Oh! You mean the son of the White Fang? How about it, everyone?"
There were shocked faces across the room and whispering about his father's situation and also on how young he still is for the position. Still they were considering it, after all he had gathered a reputation while in ANBU.
"Nobody has any objections? In that case-"
"Not long before the attack, he was accused of Statutory Rape! The only reason why he is still wandering about the street and not in jail is because of all this mess." Now Danzo was faster than the Daimyo.
"I understand that the victim is 16 years old, old enough to consent."
"Konoha's law states is 18 to consent."
"We're talking about love here and that was never a hindrance to become Hokage; besides our allies law regarding consent is 16, shouldn't we update our as well?" Shikaku was happy with the convinced faces of everyone in the room.
"And those were exactly the Third's teachings that led this village to what it is now!" Danzo was enraged. "Suna was our ally and still betrayed us once. Sympathizing with other villages and teaching them jutsus led to the creation of Akatsuki. What we need now is a Hokage who will bring an end to these deplorable times! And that man is me."
"We can't let the fanatical views of one man affect our rationality!" Shikaku tried to reason with the Daimyo.
"Ok, is decided. Danzo, I hereby appoint you as the Sixth Hokage." That was the easy escape for the Daimyo.
Danzo couldn't help to smirk to himself, too bad he needed a little 'help' to make the Daimyo finally appoint him.
Not long after, Team Samui from Kumo arrived with an important letter from the Raikage to be read strictly by the Hokage. They were led to Tsunade's tent and explained the situation; Shizune was about to take the letter in behalf of Tsunade, when Danzo came in. He very arrogantly spread the news of his new position as Sixth Hokage and took the letter to read.
"Sasuke, huh?" the letter contain the recent events in which Sasuke captured Kumo's jinchuriki under Akatsuki. "He should have been declared a missing nin a long time ago…" The first official Hokage matter Danzo does is authorize anyone to eliminate Sasuke; and this were news about to spread faster than spores.
X-O-X
Her mentor is in a coma, her whole hometown taken to the ground, how can everything fall apart one moment to the next? Ha, well if she thinks about it, everything was going to fall apart anyways, her sensei was arrested and she almost undergo the most intrusive procedure ever. Oh and sensei did fell in love with her! Knowing about all the risks and not telling her about them, just keeping it as typical forbidden teacher/student relationship. They were accusing him of Rape, Statutory Rape, but the word rape is in it!
When her happy routine fell apart? Happy? Is waiting for Sasuke to come back, waiting for him to be "good" is a way of living? Wandering every day, even if is in the back of her head, if he even thinks about her? And what he does? Turn into an international criminal. Though, she haven't preoccupied with any of this since, well, since she got involved with Kakashi…
"Sakura," the aforementioned snaps out of her deep thoughts.
"Sai..." He has come to tell her about the decision Konoha's 11 has taken regarding Sasuke. First, he has to wake her up regarding Naruto's feeling that's making him suffer with some kind of promise he doesn't know about.
"… Naruto is suffering because of Sasuke, but aren't you as much to blame?" even Sakura's tears froze in time. Sai needed to say that so she understands what he's about to say next regarding Sasuke… Luckily Shikamaru got there to break it down for her. The fact that she's not speaking doesn't mean she's not listening to the point they're trying to get to, Sasuke needs to be taken care of by themselves.
"I'll talk to Naruto… after all he's stupid enough to love someone like me." Decisions taken. Even if Kakashi is there with Naruto she has to do this.
X-O-X
Naruto's pleas to the Raikage in favor of Sasuke were cruelly not taken into consideration. Not everyone has the ability to listen and be persuaded as Nagato. Then this Tobi dude show up and sheds a new light regarding Itachi's decisions that lead him to commit such actions towards his own clan. So Sasuke didn't have any reason now to hate him or hold any grudges, he can come back any time soon, right? Is this intel even correct? Everything is so confusing for Naruto's mind… In the different scenarios in his head Sakura would be so happy…
Sakura… does she still wants Sasuke back? I mean she got with Kakashi—no, no, don't think like that, Sakura is not like that. It was her request of a lifetime and he will not back down on his word even if… even if at the end it doesn't mean anything to her anymore, even if he can't make her happy even with that. Can a relationship between her and Kakashi work? Why not? But some of the villagers were frowning upon this. So what? Teacher/student relationships happens once in a while, what's up with everybody being so prude? Or is there something more serious? Kakashi was saying stuff about consequences, a villager referred to Sakura as a victim if he got that right. Don't want to think the worse here…
Kakashi has been awfully quiet, absent, but not like when he's reading his books, absent from this world. He confessed to Sakura and she didn't say anything back. Maybe after all that happened, he took her off guard she didn't knew what to say? Maybe is still about Sasuke?—Gosh, he's not a teenager, shit, but she is… Maybe those laws are right? No, come on, what century they're living in?! Once you're a chunin, no matter your age, you can be sent to war and kill, but you cannot have sex at whatever time you want? Then again, you cannot drink until you're 20. Ha, you can kill and have sex before you can even touch alcohol, what kind of fucked up system is that?
Everyone, except poor and confused Yamato, got the face of "talking about the devil" when Sakura showed up with a team made of Kiba, Rock Lee and Sai. Soon all joined in Yamato's expression when they thought they heard what Sakura said.
"Sakura-chan… I think I had something in my ear, what was that you said?" Kakashi and Yamato are looking as expectant as Naruto from his back.
"I said I love you, Naruto…"
It was like a cruel joke–the timing of the words said, the person these are directed to; just when you think there were no more ways to twist fate into a bigger knot. Kakashi is ready to see where all this goes, Naruto is ready to deny it all.
"That's why, Naruto, you can forget about that promise you made to me. Now you'll be able to stop chasing after Sasuke, right?"
"Sakura-chan, this is a joke, right? Why now? Why come all the way here just to tell me this?"
"Of course I'll come all the way here! You're always chasing after Sasuke-kun, getting yourself in dangerous situations! You're the Kyuubi's Jinchuriki and Akatsuki is after you, try to worry more about yourself for a while! I'm telling you that you don't have to chase after Sasuke-kun and get yourself into dangerous situations anymore! I came here because I want you to return to the village!"
"All I'm hearing is a lame excuse; I know you better than that." Naruto hesitantly glances at Kakashi as a quick check on him and a hint to Sakura that he's right there in case she haven't noticed. She gets the hint but she isn't about to budge; she clearly doesn't know what to do about Kakashi. "I hate people that lies to themselves! Moreover, how can you lie like this in front of the person you really love?"
"How you get to such conclusions? I decide my own feelings!" Vague but doesn't force her to say anything concrete. "All I'm saying is that I don't care for Sasuke-kun anymore, now that he's become a criminal. That's why the promise you gave me doesn't matter anymore."
"It doesn't matter if the promise I made with you is gone." He almost slips out that sketchy intel Tobi gave them about Itachi and Sasuke. "I personally want to save Sasuke." Is all he could come up with at the end.
Kiba tries to warn Sakura that she isn't convincing Naruto and questions her why she doesn't tell him the actual truth, but all he won was a big stomp from her heeled boot. "Enough! I'm going back!" As Sakura and her team starts to leaves she asks Kiba a favor: "I'm going to look for Sasuke-kun right away! Please, cooperate with me." Time to test if she can lie to herself.
To say that everyone involved ended with a puzzled facial expression is an understatement. Naruto looks at Kakashi from the corner of his eyes afraid to actually look at him. He thought he understood what was between his sensei and Sakura but know he doesn't know what to think, or what is going through Kakashi's head right now. And to be honest, Kakashi is blocking any incoming thoughts right now like in denial, or like not jumping to conclusions trying to think with the head cool... Yamato is there thinking reality glitched, waiting for someone to explain 'what the fuck just happened?' When a wild Sai ink clone appears:
"I think Sakura's choice of words might have been something to do with what I told her before we left and that everyone back in Konoha wants to kill Sasuke before there's a war." Everyone just stares at Sai's clone sharing the same thought: 'please continue, that's vague and not helpful at all.' "I revealed to her that you have feelings for her and add the promise you made her, is making you suffer and putting you in danger as a jinchuriki. I guess she thought if she corresponds to your feelings she would lift you up from that promise to save the un-savable Sasuke." before everyone has a chance to react with an 'oh!' Sai continues: "Quick, Sakura is right now on her way to kill Sasuke herself!"
They are about to scramble after Sakura when Gaara and siblings find them. If with all that has happened so far Naruto still had hopes of bringing Sasuke back well, that dream is about to go into deeper shit. Now he attempted to kill every Kage of the shinobi nations and is probably on his way to chase/fight or already killed Danzo. Oh, and in other news not related to Sasuke, the world is going on war again; but this time the kages agreed on forming the Allied Shinobi forces against this Madara person and the 7 bijū beast he has gathered so far. Also, Danzo got declared Hokage by manipulating everyone with his hidden Uchiha eyes, so they decided Kakashi was a good fit to take on the position.
"I don't think I can be the Hokage, I uh-"
"No time for humbleness or other hesitations, Konoha needs a leader now" Gaara interrupted Kakashi.
"You don't understand, I should be in jail..."
"Kakashi, Gaara is right, for now just at least act like the Hokage while Konoha gets back on its feet and resume its normal functions and well..." Yamato very well knows what Kakashi is trying to say but he is still on his senpai's side.
"What, sensei? In jail? What for?" As far as Naruto knew, reading porn even in public, wasn't a crime.
"For eh... for... loving Sakura..." Kakashi managed to form.
"Since when that's a crime?" Innocent Naruto still doesn't get it.
"You see, she's still a minor and um... I was with her, you know..." 'Naruto, please get it now' Kakashi couldn't be clearer.
"Isn't Sakura 16 like Gaara? Old enough to consent" Temari understood very well but she's from Suna, where that age is considered old enough.
"But not in Konoha, we're still old fashioned and have more taboos when it comes to sex" Finally Yamato said the word for Naruto's sake, he noted how lost the jinchuriki was.
"Oh! That's why you want it to keep it secret all along Kakashi-sensei" Sai also came to the realization.
Naruto had many questions, he was hyperventilating about to lose balance when Kakashi catches him, giving him a deja-vu sensation:
Naruto just defeated Pain, he gave his all. When he's about to collapse Kakashi is already there, alive and well, to catch him.
"You did a great job"
"Kakashi-sensei"
"Just rest on me"
Naruto was just relieved he was alive and well, he even indulged making himself comfortable in Kakashi's back.
"Naruto... about last time..."
"Is ok, Kaka-sensei"
"But I need to answer you... What I'm up with Sakura? Everything, I'm up to everything with her, in a good way, thought. Will I respect her as the woman she is? I always did and will keep on doing even though the people-"
"What is this Kakashi sensei?"
"This are the questions you made me before going to train, I'm giving you my answers."
Naruto just nodded in a way for him to continue.
"Do I care for her? Will I protect her from anything? I'll still do that for anyone but definitely I'll protect her above anything else—even with my own life. Will I break her heart? Hopefully not because I love her."
"..."
"Listen Naruto, I apologize for the bitterness I caused you. I've never imagine I'd fall for Sakura but here we are; I'm just... I'm sorry, I know you liked her..."
"Kaka-sensei, I understand"
"But listen, this doesn't mean I regret anything I lived with her; in fact, I'll do everything the same if I'm given a chance... consequences and everything..."
"What-" Naruto comes back from his memories.
'He told me he loves her that day, why is that a crime? Consequences... People frowning at sensei-student relationships... why it matters that she's a minor…? They refer to Sakura as a victim... Oh no, they're accusing my sensei of being an actual pervert! My love confessed to me in front of the guy that loves her while she goes to kill the guy she loves, which is my best friend that, by the way, contributed on starting another shinobi war' Is all Naruto thought before passing out, it was too much going on for his simple brain to process.
"Guys, Sakura is determined in eliminating Sasuke on her own, she has poised the team; I don't know how long I can keep this clone" Sai got everyone back on the immediate matters.
"Yamato, stay with Naruto until he recovers, I'll go after Sakura; we'll meet back in Konoha and inform everyone about the Kage Summit result" Kakashi got back on point real quick.
"That's the Hokage talk" Gaara said as he was leaving.
"For now," Kakashi reminded them.
Sai with his clone guided Kakashi back to Sakura for as long as he could. His clone vanished right before Kakashi found all of Sakura's team passed out. 'Impressive, Sakura' Kakashi thought to himself seeing she was able to knock out such good shinobis on her own. But, will she be able to take on Sasuke? Even so, will she be able to go through it all the way? That's the love of her life, or... who she loves now? As much as Kakashi wishes the answer to that question is him, there'll be no one for her to love if he doesn't act quick now! He has found Sakura and that bastard Sasuke is about to kill her! Here he was, deflecting yet another Chidori, but this time it was personal. And he would not lie this time pretending everything was going to be ok; he assured Sakura that he'll take the burden of her resolve on his own shoulders.
And here she was, crying again, letting someone else finish what she cannot bring herself to do. Was her resolve that strong, thou? I mean, did she actually meant to do it or in the back of her head she hoped she didn't have to? Does this mean she still loves Sasuke? The guy that asked her to kill off that girl, presumably one of his own teammates; the guy that did not hesitated to kill her twice today because twice she hesitated to kill him, for crying out loud! Does she just want to go back and leave everything as it was before she even got with Kakashi so that he wouldn't be in any trouble?
Before she knew it, everything was over, well for now. Naruto had arrived and stopped the fight between Kakashi and Sasuke and they were now returning to Konoha. And for now, as well, everything seemed to be back to normal, Kiba, Naruto, Rock Lee and even Sai were bickering like their usual selves. Kakashi was bringing this girl, Karin, with them back to Konoha; she seemed to be taking in fondly what was happening. And Sakura got to know on the way that Kakashi was appointed as the Hokage, but, one day he was going to jail and the next he gets to be in charge of the whole town? Does that mean they forgive him? Can they be together now without the rape word attached to it? But still Sakura didn't know how to face Kakashi in all their way back after all what happened, what she said...
Back in Konoha, Sakura makes herself busy tending for Tsunade to not confront anyone about anything. Not that Kakashi had free time either, he was busy with Hokage formalities and also avoiding becoming Hokage at all. Not that the council came easily to that decision anyway, there were many heated arguments about why they should put, a formidable ninja, indeed, that is also a pedophile, as the Hokage. A whole debate ensued about how old fashioned Konoha's laws are and the many taboos surrounding sex in the shaping of the village. And about how Suna, an ally, doesn't care about this issue when recommending Kakashi as Hokage and might be seeing them right now as retrogrades, etc., etc. In conclusion, they're making him Hokage and possibly amending laws so that he can become it. He tried to distract himself from all that by taking one more of Guy's silly challenges, and yet, Guy's purpose was to test Kakashi as Hokage and congratulate him.
The only thing he didn't wanted to avoid was Sakura, he needed to hear from her once and for all. But even though he knew she was taking care of Tsunade, every time he went there she was out on an errand or something; is it just casualty or she somehow knows when he's coming and avoiding him? Whichever it is, guess he just have to make post; she'll have to come back eventually, except that this time she took way longer than before.
"Oh, Kakashi, didn't see you there…" said Sakura after finally coming around when she noticed Kakashi wouldn't budge from that place.
"Sakura…" there was his chance but what the hell he was going to say now; all possible dialogue scenarios in his head flew out the window.
"So I heard they're making it official, huh? Congratulations on being the new Hokage… at least until my shishou wakes up…" her voice trailed off in the last part until it became inaudible with a knot on her throat.
"Yeah, I guess I can't escape that, believe me I tried-"
"And how did you escaped jail then?" Sakura cut him off; Kakashi's eyes grew big, he didn't expect she knew that he was getting arrested. Then again she was the one having it worse, going through such invasive procedure, of course they must have informed her what was that all about. "I mean-it just seems like a quick change of decisions… I don't understand…"
"Well there I was in a jail cell with Tsunade looking at me like the most despicable person in the planet and suddenly Pain attacks and she lets me go to fight for Konoha, I even died..." Now it was the turn for Sakura's eyes to grow big, she even remembered that sudden urge to call for Kakashi in the middle of the attack; could it have been at that moment? No, too much casualty; but why she feels the same as that time when he's relieving the story? "…and I guess between the disorganization after Pain and the certainty that the world is going to war again, Konoha desperately needs a Hokage and for a reason everyone thinks I'm fit for it. They all seem to have forgotten about, well, about you and me; and honestly, I don't know what they'll do once everything comes back to, normal?"
"When anything was normal? Define 'normal' in the first place." They both managed to have a small laugh before reality sunk in on them again. "Kakashi, I'm sorry… I'm sorry all this happened, I didn't knew-"
"Is not your fault, Sakura, not for once think this is your fault" Kakashi interrupted her frantic ramble.
"Let me finish" Sakura replied with a sob escaping her. "I was just having fun, before you I never really explored, well, my sexuality." A little blush came to Sakura's face. "And for while it lasted I could really forget about Sasuke losing his way. But then, I couldn't kill him and add the lie I told to Naruto's face… I guess what I'm trying to say is, I'm sorry Kakashi, I don't love you back because I'm still in love with Sasuke."
"No Sakura, I know you wouldn't just kill off a teammate, I mean-" what is he even beginning to say? Even if in his dictionary not being able to kill a teammate doesn't mean they're still in love with them—there might be a lot more memories, childhood friendships involved than just that—doesn't mean that he gets to put words in Sakura's mouth that she haven't spoken. He's been itching for an answer and he got it, though it wasn't what he wanted to hear. "I understand, I will not bother you with this anymore, and I'm sorry for putting you at risk throughout this situation. I should have done better than just keep going with such selfish desires, I should have known better than just reveling in forbidden temptations. I guess they are forbidden for a reason…"
As she saw him walk out, Sakura wondered why she had the feeling that, if given another chance, she would do everything the same… but maybe removing the whole statutory rape ordeal. She couldn't help but to think of the caliber of a man Kakashi is, she noticed he wanted to further press her into loving him, to shove feelings in her that weren't there but decided against it. He rather choke within himself the reality that there's nothing else to look for and give her the space she's asking for. Other guys has pestered her before to no end; has she, in a way, done the same with Sasuke? Pff, he never stayed in the first place to know if this would have been true.
And now, after so much avoidance, he desperately craves to do whatever Hokage work, just to not feel the heart break that's already bleeding inside. But not even that he could do since he received the news that Tsunade has woken up from her coma. He went there to… exchange the recent turn-out of events' intel from almost Hokage to actual Hokage? He wasn't even sure why his feet dragged him there but it felt it was the next logical step to do in all this mess.
"Kakashi-san" Shizune greeted him without even knowing if even san was appropriate for him. Kakashi simply nodded in acknowledgement of her presence.
"I'm glad to see that you're energetic" said Kakashi when he found Tsunade eating ridiculous large amounts of food.
"Not just yet. This is just how I am before breakfast" she responded nonchalantly.
"Even with all this food?" Shizune was amazed.
"I'm quite relieved… a lot have happened while you were in a coma-"
"I'm surprised about the Allied Shinobi Forces. Who would have thought that both the Tsuchikage and Raikage would agree to cooperate?" she interrupted him while resuming her binge eating.
"I guess I don't have to debrief you much, you seem to be aware of the recent developments; the situation is truly bad."
"Uchiha Madara… he really is alive, huh?"
"There isn't any solid proof, but considering what he is planning, I doubt it could be otherwise."
"War again, is it?" Not a question necessarily but more of a worry.
"I was extremely close to becoming Hokage…" he left that thought at that. He wanted to tell her all about how the council meeting was, but wanted to hear first how much she knew about that and her opinion on that matter.
"I was informed about that too and the discussions about naming a felon Hokage—" her glare sharpened towards him— "and about the law that got you that title is an outdated one. I'm also aware of the citizen's talk, about your reunion with her right after the attack."
"Wh-"
"Is it true, Kakashi? You're really in love with Sakura? Is not just a sick perversion of yours?" Shizune snapped.
"I've been saying this a 100 times, none of this happened because I'm a sexual predator like you imagine, it was all consensual."
"And for the 101th time, is about the age not consent! Just tell me, was there love involved?" Tsunade is about to snap as well and that wouldn't be good.
"… I don't know how early it was there but, yes. I have to admit that it wasn't about that first but it grew in me. Tenzou made me aware of the age of consent and knowing that, I tried for this to not go any further. But I don't know since when I couldn't anymore because of this burning feeling when I am not with her; because I love her and I needed to let that feeling out somehow" there he is again admitting this and by now he would scream it at the four winds if he has to. Tsunade's expression shifted from an accusatory one to a satisfied one and started rummaging through some documents she had nearby.
"Well, it happens that during Pain's attack many more than just buildings were destroyed—" she started breaking some of those documents— "and exactly the files containing the Statutory Rape laws got destroyed along the way." Kakashi noticed the documents she was breaking were precisely those laws, his eyes narrowed in confusion. "We'll have to rewrite those laws again; and what was the age of consent again, 16?"
Both Shizune and Kakashi ended up perplexed. And then it downed on Kakashi, he was free to be with the one person he has ever loved in his life. Or at least if only Sakura hadn't rejected him… Though if his romance was viewed as a sin and he was so ready to go to jail for it, it was still nice to know that he didn't have to now. The conversation has shifted again back to the worldwide political issues.
"We're holding a conference as soon as I'm done eating! We're preparing for war!" yelled Tsunade somewhere in between.
Kakashi did felt like a huge weight got off his shoulders but there was this sadness that lingered inside him. What he wanted the most was no longer forbidden but now he couldn't have it.
Final A/N: I really do feel myself growing as a writer but in this story I'm still taking a lot of liberties. For example I rely on you to have finished Naruto (in case you haven't noticed, this fic has spoilers all over, lol), but in other areas that I cannot explain right now, I feel like I'm doing better. Let me know if is just my imagination or if is true in the comments.
Announcement: if you notice all my stories are both English and Spanish, both those are one-shots! So for this multi-chapter I'm looking for someone willing to translate into Spanish. I'll be here to provide all the help you need as well; inbox me here or in Tumblr.
Thanks for Reading!