Dinner ended hours ago, and now you're the only one awake within this ungodly hour, as the rest had already retired for the day. Glancing at the living room's digital wall clock, it's already 2am, sixteen minutes left before reaching 3am. If you keep this lack of progress up, you'd eventually reach the time to leave for school, which is due in four hours. You don't really mind if it does come to that, as you're already used to exerting yourself in days without sleep. Regardless, you try to sleep, as you are not in a war, and you might need the energy.

Frowning at your nth seal draft, you crumpled the inked paper, before throwing it on your already filled trash bin, the rubbish easily falling off the tower of used papers.

Imbalanced. If I had put the kanji of familiar and destination next to the kanji of compact and travel within the dimension symbol to complete the second layer, it would be odd numbered, as opposed to the first layer which is even numbered, but if I didn't, the conditional may not be able to interpret the function correctly, you thought methodically, already sketching in your mind of what your next attempt would look like. You'll try adjusting the first layer first and see if it can be odd numbered, but if you can't reduce or add, you'll then attempt the change on the second layer.

I have no bridge dimension, you scoffed to yourself, disappointed that it slipped out of your mind when creating a space-time seal. Unbelievable. You forgot an important basic which proves that you're beyond mentally exhausted. Nevertheless, you persisted until your hours of staying awake bore fruit. What I know when using Hiraishin is that there's a dimension void where the user enters to teleport to their destination. I have no idea how Minato-sensei expressed that in a seal, but I know time was involved. However, our case is different, as time here is irrelevant to the time at home. I need a mutual factor between here and home-- other than that, I have no idea what other factors to consider.

Looks like space-time seals are out of your reference options if you don't have those pieces of the puzzle, which left you with yin/yang manipulation seals, energy manipulation seals, and as last resort, soul manipulation seals (which is now bordering on kinjutsu).

The thing is, you're more well-versed with space-time seals compared to the other mentioned, because it's part of your teacher's--Kushina-sensei-- husband's signature technique. That's why you already made at least one draft for each type of seal, but chose to focus on rectifying and adjusting the space-time drafts.

Besides, you already have a template that, you're somewhat confident in, would work-- you just need the key elements to fill it in; to know what functions to put and consider. You came with the conclusion that this is a six-layered seal, with having to consider your location, persons, chakra, way of teleportation, destination, flow, and buffers.

Alright, you'll give the space-time seal another chance. Maybe there's a way to override the need for a bridge; you just need more research to be versatile-- that is what fuuinjutsu is known for after all: being flexible.

First thing's first, you either need to go to a library or a more convenient alternative which is the internet. You'll admit, your world would fight tooth and nail for such knowledge stored in a small but extensive library, which is what the internet inherently is.

You chose to deal with that tomorrow.

Sighing, you lied your head on the table, cushioned by your folded arms. You swear, if Mina's hair won't be dyed black, it would soon be colored white with all this stress, which admittedly, you already had a few strands from your old body (you haven't even reached 40 yet, damn it).

'Wouldn't you like to go to sleep already?'

'I'd love to.', you replied, shrugging.

'... Okay, so I'm not sure if you were being sarcastic or...'

'I've accepted that I'll never be able to "I'd love to" without sounding sarcastic.'

'Sad.'

Sitting up straight, you cleared your head and took a deep breath.

One more attempt then sleep, you promised to yourself, before reading over your drafts and theory sketches. There are already some seals you'd like to test, but your lack of chakra control would only ruin it, hence you can only test it tomorrow with Sakura's help. This would be a lot easier if you had access to your body's chakra network.

Internally groaning, you then cleared your head and recalled your basics; for all you know, you may have skipped some over due to your drowsiness.

"Remember: fuuinjutsu is technically ninjutsu, but without hand seals!"

"A seal will become unstable if an odd numbered seal is on top of an even numbered seal, and vice-versa."

"Here's a trick I learned whenever I'm at a dead end; use circles. Circles are typically used for loops, buffers, and stabilizers; it's a giveaway template, dattebane!"

"A ruined seal is hard to ameliorate, especially if it wasn't you who created it. Although, it's not impossible! Here, watch, adorable student of mine as the master works! I'll also teach you how to cancel seals!"

"My favorite symbol is the spiral. It basically reminds me of the naruto in ramen, but it's also the signature Uzumaki style; the Whirlpool design-- this is a secret between us and Minato. A secret between family, ne?"

"Don't rush, unless you know what you're doing-- especially when inventing new seals! You don't have to immediately aim for your main objective. Start small, then piece them all together like some big puzzle, and then you connect all of them with mediators!"

You were interrupted from your daydreaming when you heard the students' bedroom door open, with footsteps following afterwards. There came out a groggy Naruto who sluggishly made his way to the kitchen, not seeming to notice you with his squinted eyes (even with the lights on, funnily enough). After hearing the shuffle of glass and the running of water from the tap, the blond walked back to your direction with a half-filled glass of water; it was then he noticed you.

"Eh? You're still awake?" He asked, further squinting his eyes at you as if he thought he was half-dreaming.

"Hn, partially," You humored dryly, before proceeding to tap your brush's end tip on the table; the hypnotizing sound lulling you to concentrate. "Still working for our way back home."

"Why not use shadow clones, so that you can sleep while they work?" He suggested, his eyes now showing its blue color when it widened at the sight of multiple messes of crumbled papers and stray ink stains. "I do it... sometimes."

"Can't perform jutsus properly without chakra coils, remember?" Despite the useless advice, you still appreciated his attempt at helping you.

"Oh... right. Um," He scratched the back of his head with his free hand. "I'd volunteer to help you, but I don't think I'd be much help and I also still wanna sleep," You lightly chuckled at his tactless honesty, before waving your hand to send him away.

"Thank you, Naruto, but it's okay. This is my job," You reassured. "I'm not head of the Seal Corp for nothing."

"Well, don't you worry! Once you teach me everything I need about fuuinjutsu, I'll offer my help whenever you need 'em, dattebayo!" He exclaimed with a thumbs up, which received a small shushing from you.

"It's too early for you to make this much noise," You smiled gently at the boy, before eyeing his loose white shirt and tightly tied black shorts; no doubt borrowed from Kaminari's wardrobe. You guys really do need to get home; you've already overstayed your welcome. "Go to sleep, I got this."

"Hm," He agreed, before taking a step towards their room, but paused. "Don't overwork yourself, okay?" He was silently begging you with concerned baby blue eyes, no doubt reminiscing the last time you overworked yourself.

You are known to be a worrying workaholic.

"Alright." You promised, with a reassuring smile, to which he responded back with a quick upward twitch of his lips.

And then, you were left alone once again.

Recalling Naruto's earlier suggestion, never have you ever craved for the Nidaime's forbidden Shadow Clone Jutsu to make this task a little easier. Alas, your lack of chakra coils is your only hindrance.

Hm... Can this body even grow chakra coils?

... Can you make synthetic ones?

Huh...

Oh.

With a new idea and resolve, you immediately went to work with renewed motivation.

~*~*~

You finally finished your completed seal in an hour, with only three hours left for sleep-- two, if you plan on waking early to apply the seals; that's honestly more than enough.

Running a hand through your pink hair, you stood up from your work table and headed towards your bedroom. Tomorrow, you'll gain back at least some sense of familiarity, along with Kakashi. It's not home, but at least you'll feel like more of yourselves.

Opening the door of your sleeping quarters, it only took you a few steps in before noticing your partner hunched at the corner of the dark room, with the streetlights outside being your only source of lighting. Peering at Kakashi, you noticed his eyes were half-lidded, yet it lacked the sharpness it usually held. He didn't even move to indicate that he acknowledged your presence, but his body was in alert, preparing to attack if one were to get too close. He was positioned in a kneeling kata that's apt for waiting before striking-- an assassination form of an ANBU waiting within the trees.

Kakashi was sleep-walking.

It was then you concluded that your dream links with Kaminari and Kakashi were nulled, if you and Mina were not to asleep with them in the same time interval; instead, there will be the quotidian nightmares. You can't have that, especially that you would devote your free time-- including sleeping-- in making experimental seals now that you can use fuuinjutsu. Recreating the dream-catcher on your pillows would be your next priority, it would seem.

Although, sleeping with the seal would obliterate the dream link overall.

Hm, well, it's either that or disruptive nightmares. You know what you'd rather choose.

You mentally noted to yourself that you'd buy a sewing kit tomorrow to embroider the seal (no way are you using ink on a pillow case). For now, you both would endure this one night.

'Is he... okay?'

'Yes, he's just... shaken,' an understatement of the month, really.

A Hatake's nose is known to be adept in tracking-- in par with an Inuzuka's sense of smell (due to diluted ancestry), but naturally inferior to a ninken's. Both body and chakra scents can be detected even with just a whiff, as long as the smell is present and not compromised. Familiar scents are Kakashi's form of safety.

That's why he usually sleeps with his ninken in his apartment, why he can rest easy as long as comrades are within his vicinity-- as long as he can detect them, he feels as secured as any paranoid ninja can get.

However, now that Kakashi doesn't have his clan's nose, he can't use his sense of smell as effectively. To him, nothing smells familiar-- his body, the room; he can't even smell his genin students at the other room with Kaminari's painfully average sense of smell.

Contrary to how one might believe, Kakashi sleep-walking is not a normal occurrence; it's alarming, as it means he's not comfortable, but tired enough to pass out. Perhaps, not tired, but rather given your situations, he is in a limbo of the state of familiarity and unfamiliarity. His mind knows it's safe, but his conditioned instincts say otherwise.

Slowly, you approached his form, having to slowly encase yourself with your chakra-- strong enough to sense, but not sudden enough to flare. Hopefully, with this much chakra you're excreting, he'd be able to at least detect a hint of it.

His head tilted at your direction; not moving even when you knelt in front of him (if anyone approached him hastily, he'd no doubt go in auto-pilot and attack the supposed enemy).

You were relieved to see his shoulders slacken, his position loosening, before leaning on your direction, ensnared by the familiar scent; like a bee to a flower. You remembered a memory of Kakashi telling you of your scent: physically, you smell like old books and ink, with a hint of wild river flowers (particularly, red spiderlilies); your chakra, on the other hand, smells of burnt sandalwood, and an upcoming thunderstorm brought by a mountain breeze-- your chakra affinities: fire, lightning, earth, and wind. You told him that he relayed that info to you rather poetically.

Taking hold of his relaxed body, you guided him to stand, before leading him back to his futon, easily tucking him in, as his body was rather compliant. Despite his loose form, his eyes remained open and half-lidded, which would definitely be irritated the next morning if you let it be.

Reaching for his eyes, you gently closed them with your palm, before moving away, to which he didn't allow by grabbing your wrist; his eyes half-lidded again, but still did not indicate consciousness.

You knew that he wouldn't be relaxing anytime soon without you nearby, so you resigned to sleeping on the floor next to him. You've been in worse conditions; for a shinobi, this is a four-star rated experience-- the five-star experience belongs to the sleeping bag.

Settling yourself beside your partner, he still did not let your wrist go, but his eyes were now closed in its own volition. And soon, your own pair followed. You're sure you'll both end up in a tangled mess the next morning.

To your pleasant surprise, you had a dreamless sleep.

...

Kakashi wondered when was the last time he had an undisturbed sleep since coming into this world. You, Kaminari, and Ashido being in his dreamland certainly doesn't count. He missed being alone in his head, as sad as that sounds (actually, wait, that's exactly what being sane was supposed to be). The privacy tonight (today?) provided is... nice.

Opening one eye, the room was still dark, with the windows being tinted with the bleeding colors of dawn; he estimates he'd have to get up in about an hour or so. Shame, he doesn't really feel like it, as he'd like to relish this peaceful moment as much as possible.

Then, his sight landed on the person sleeping curled by his side; you, at the same time, not you, like how he's not him.

It's hard to get used to; he has to repeatedly drill into his head that the pinkette is an ally; a friend. The only reason why he doesn't have you in a choke-hold in his state of grogginess was because you smelled like an ally. The chakra amplifying his nose can say that much.

Maybe you don't have your physical scent of smelling like old books (the ink scent is starting to stick though), and of wild river flowers (because of your free time being usually spent by the Naka River), but the chakra the body was coated with was unmistakably yours.

Chakra affinities can be the same, but never its scent.

After what seemed like hours, but only mere seconds, Kakashi held you closer and reveled at the aroma of home.

~*~*~

Fuck, I gotta cut this in half; this plot point is longer than I expected. Nevertheless, the next chapter is... interesting. A lot of plot seeds will be planted next chapter, and it would be the start of canon divergence. Not yet drastic, but we're getting there. Next chapter features Aizawa, Nezu, and Shinsou whoop!

I keep promising that yall would have your bodies back next chapter, but like Kakashi I keep breaking promises oop. BUT FOR REAL, next chapter yall getting your bodies back. Altho, it's not the highlight of the chapter; that would be for the next, next chapter.

In case you guys haven't read the past A/N, the prequel "Same As It Always Was" is now available in my published works ^^ I just realized it was borderline Shisui-centric lmaooo

Bonus:

Kaminari: *witnessing Kakashi cuddling (Y/n)*

Kaminari: there's no words to describe the awkwardness i'm feeling right now

Kakashi: what about "awkwardness"?