Seeing her sitting at the Hokage desk, already surrounded by stacks of paperwork, was priceless. I could practically feel the irritation radiating off her as she tried to focus on a document.
"Hey, how are you holding up?" I asked, barely hiding my smirk.
She shot me a look that could probably break stone. "Go away, Naruto. I don't have time to deal with you right now."
I chuckled and leaned casually against her desk. "C'mon, you can't have had enough already, right? It's just the beginning. And here I thought you were tougher than this."
She groaned, rubbing her temples. "You have no idea how much paperwork this place runs on. And stop smirking like that! It's not helping."
I laughed and patted her shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll help lighten the load soon—right after we celebrate! Everyone's waiting, so wrap this up and come join us."
She gave a reluctant smile, muttering something under her breath, probably about annoying students. But I knew she was glad to have some of us there for her. It was just the start of her journey, and we'd be there every step of the way.
Shizune was sitting beside Tsunade, looking over the paperwork as well, with her pet close by. When I saw her, I couldn't resist asking, "Shizune, how are you holding up? Is Tsunade giving you any trouble?"
"No, Naruto, Tsunade-sama is good," Shizune replied, though her face turned a little red with embarrassment at my teasing.
I couldn't help but laugh at her flustered reaction before turning back to Tsunade. I took a deep breath, knowing this moment would be crucial. I placed a large file in front of her, the weight of it enough to tell the story of the dark past that still lingered within the village. "Here, Tsuna, these are the proof of all the dirty work those four did in the past."
Tsunade looked at the file with a mixture of curiosity and concern, but I didn't want to burden her with it immediately. She had already been exhausted from tending to the injured shinobi, and I knew the file would only add more weight to her shoulders. But I knew it had to be done, so I watched quietly as she began to study its contents.
"Tsuna, calm down," I said, stepping closer to her as she slammed her fist into the desk, causing a loud crack. "You're Hokage now. You need to control your anger."
She took a deep breath, her hands clenched at her sides as she tried to reign in the rage boiling inside her. "I know," she said, her voice tight. "But it's just... I can't believe they would go this far. All the manipulation, the backstabbing... It's so much worse than I ever imagined."
Shizune, who had been standing quietly by Tsuna's side, spoke up softly, clearly trying to ease the tension. "Tsunade-sama, you're not alone in this. You have us, and we'll help you get through all of this."
I nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we're all here for you, Tsuna. This village needs you, but it's also going to need the rest of us to fix the mess they left behind."
Tsuna took another breath, visibly trying to calm herself. "You're right... I can't let them see me lose control. Not now. Not when everything is on the line." She looked back at the file, her expression hardening once more. "But this? This is a lot to take in. And those four... They'll get what's coming to them."
I could see the resolve settling in her eyes. Tsuna was angry, but she wasn't going to let that anger make her reckless. She had a job to do. And no matter what, she would see it through.
"Take your time, Tsuna. But don't forget, there's still a celebration waiting for you," I said with a light smile. "You deserve a little fun after all this."
She gave a small, tired smile in return. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I'll be there soon. Just... need to handle this first."
I nodded and made my way out of the office, giving her the space she needed. Tsuna was strong, but even the strongest people needed a moment to breathe. After everything that had happened, she deserved a moment of peace—before she took on the next battle.
I could see Tsunade was still dealing with the weight of everything as she processed the magnitude of the situation. "I think it's better to make a big announcement about all that they did. I know it could cause chaos, but the people need to know what their previous Hokage did. It may stir up tensions between the clans and the village, but we'll find a way to solve it. We can take a week or two to prepare for the announcement," I said, my voice controlled but filled with the anger that had been building up inside me.
Tsunade nodded, acknowledging the seriousness of the decision. "I understand. We'll make sure everything is handled carefully, Naruto."
I couldn't keep my frustration entirely in check, though. "For what they did, they deserved to be killed," I said, my voice tinged with anger. I had long harbored resentment for the actions of the past Hokage, and seeing the consequences of their actions weigh heavily on Tsunade and the village only fueled that anger.
She looked at me with a soft smile, trying to calm me down. "I know, Naruto. It's hard, but you need to keep calm. We'll get through this."
With that, I brightened up, trying to lift the mood. "Anyway, don't let those fools ruin the good mood. Finish the work and come to the party. We've got something to look forward to!"
Tsunade sighed but smiled. "Okay, okay, I'll finish everything up and join you. But you better help me with all of this."
I chuckled, leaning in to tease her a bit. "It's my duty to look after my wife, you know."
Her face turned bright red as she stammered, "What are you talking about?"
"Hey, don't forget about the promise I made with you," I said with a smirk.
She groaned, realizing what I meant. "Okay, okay, I know. I haven't forgotten."
Within the next hour, we wrapped up all the necessary work and left the Hokage office together, ready to attend the party and finally unwind from everything that had happened. The village would take time to heal, but for now, we could at least enjoy this moment.
As we walked out of the Hokage office, I could feel a lightness in the air. Tsunade was no longer tense, and although she was still processing everything, it seemed like the worst of her anger had passed. The weight of what needed to be done was still there, but at least she knew she wasn't carrying it alone.
I turned to her with a grin. "You know, I think you'll make a great Hokage. No matter how hard it gets, you've got the strength to push through."
She gave me a side glance and a small smile. "Thanks, Naruto. But I don't know if I'm quite ready for all this yet."
"Don't worry," I said, nudging her lightly. "You've got it in you. Besides, you've got me to help you out."
She rolled her eyes at my teasing, but I could see the hint of a smile tugging at her lips. "You always know how to make things... easier," she said, her tone softer than before.
We made our way toward the village square, where the celebration was about to begin. The village had come together to celebrate not just the restoration of order, but the future that Tsunade would lead them into. I couldn't help but think about how far we had come, even if it didn't always feel that way.
"By the way," Tsunade said, still keeping her eyes on the path ahead. "I'll make the announcement in a week or two. But we'll need to make sure everyone knows the truth about what happened. And... you're right. It'll cause chaos, but it'll clear the air. The villagers need to know."
I nodded, understanding the gravity of her words. "I know. It won't be easy. But it'll be worth it."
She stopped walking for a moment, turning to face me. "Naruto, I want you to promise me something."
"Anything," I said, ready to listen.
"Stay by my side through all of this. Even when things get tough," she said, her voice sincere.
"Of course," I replied immediately. "I'm not going anywhere, Tsuna."
She smiled, and for the first time in a while, it felt like things might just work out after all.
We arrived at the party, and I could already hear the laughter and music from the other side of the square. It was good to see the village in high spirits after everything that had happened. As we stepped inside, the noise from the crowd grew louder, and I caught sight of my friends and girls gathered around, ready to celebrate.
"Alright," Tsunade said, looking around. "Let's enjoy the day. We'll face the hard stuff tomorrow."
"Agreed," I said, feeling a little lighter than I had in a while. "Let's make day by having fun."
And with that, we joined everyone else, ready to celebrate the future and the hope that it held.