Shizune is principled, kind and caring, motivated, responsible by nature, analytical, protective and brave. She is there for the people who need her and ready to defend those she loves. She believes in doing the right thing and will passionately pursue that aim for as long as she can. She has strength and ferocity contained within a body of compassion and poise.

Kakashi is commanding without being imposing. Immense strength, intelligence, and determination held behind an easygoing facade. He appears aloof, lackadaisical - he is anything but. He notices everything, and risks his life in the noble pursuit of peace and safety for the village he calls home. Those precious to him come first as he is done losing any more loved ones. While it may seem his rigid adherence to rules and regulations has slipped away, it would be more accurate to say that he lives by different rules now. Shinobi code exist for a reason, but they are not the only edicts by which people must live their lives.

They both understand what it is like to live life pining after lost loved ones, to live a life where all those of importance dwell only in memories. Both have moments when the past reaches out and compels them to speak up, to insist that things be done differently, that the people around them in the present reconsider their ways. The lessons of the past are not lost of either of them.

Their quiet demeanors present themselves differently. Shizune is composed, attentive, making moves behind the scenes. Kakashi is pensive, observant, acting with conviction when deemed necessary.

People underestimated her, but she was accomplished all her own. Her thoughtfulness came off as passivity, but she was just processing, thinking, observing. He understood this.

He would wake up and nestle into her arms. It would seem in his unconscious state the copy ninja craved comfort, needed to be the one on the receiving end of care. She didn't mind. She's liked seeing the vulnerable side he hid from others.

She would wake on some mornings with hands roving her body, kisses lining her neck. Those mornings would be another excuse for him to be late. At first she worried about her own tardiness, but soon she realised no one else cared as much.

Kakashi would leave in the mornings without anyone noticing he was there. He lived there now, but you wouldn't know it - aside from the bookshelf lined with Jiraiya's novels. He was a minimalist, and tidy, all of his things put away. Her creature comforts had just become his as well.

When Shizune was off on her rare missions, Kakashi gave no indication that he'd even noticed. Traveling for years with a depressed Sannin naturally meant Shizune could hold her own, and even though medical ninjutsu was her calling, she fought with precision and careful thought. She was only ever away on aid missions anyway, helping smaller settlements that were being ravaged by sickness or had particularly difficult cases to treat.

Inwardly, he worried. Enemies took out medical personnel to be strategic, and even though the war was over, and a tenuous peace had settled upon them, he knew to be ever-vigilant. Her first night back would always be one of appreciation and care with rare shows of affection from the usually distant ninja.

With her job as Hokage's assistant, she'd seen him on a more regular basis, which had inadvertently led them to their current arrangement. Even though Kakashi was better at managing duties than Tsunade, she was still at the administrative building a few days out of the week. However, his competency meant Shizune could spend more time at the hospital caring for patients, more time helping interns and teaching Academy classes, more time interacting with other eligible ninja. Kakashi was never one to be jealous, especially since they never spoke of exclusivity. Seeing Shizune interact with the teachers at the academy, specifically one who was kind and handsome and loved children, seemed to stir the inklings of 'she's mine.'

But, she wasn't. She was her own person, and Kakashi had never made moves to be together permanently. They didn't go out as a couple, and never showed affection in public. Maybe that could change, but it likely wouldn't. They were both too private, too aware of the implications of being in a relationship with a shinobi. Even so, it was hard for him to conceal his discomfort when she spoke of her day, spoke of Iruka with such praise. Shizune noticed.

She thought it was the stress at first. There was an outbreak off the flu in the village, and many children were coming in with pneumonia. She didn't admit it to herself until two and a half weeks passed. She was taking precautions. How did this happen? (5.5 weeks)

She couldn't possibly be a mother now. He definitely wasn't the family type. She'd end up like Sakura, taking care of a child alone and pretending that she wasn't. But she couldn't bring herself to get rid of it. The next in line of a clan of gifted shinobi, maybe the next Hokage. Maybe it was just the mood swings getting to her.

She couldn't bring herself to broach the subject with Kakashi in their fleeting quiet moments. Every time felt like the wrong time. She wasn't used to holding her tongue, to not saying what needed to be said. It was out of character for her.

He noticed her demeanour around him changed, just slightly. More reserved, more silent moments. She assumed he wouldn't notice her lack of appetite, her constant nausea - signs of pregnancy so obvious to a medical specialist. And he didn't, at first. First, he noticed the second chakra emanating from her, the one that felt like his father's. (7 weeks)

The calm confrontation was so unnerving. He was matter-of-fact, as was expected from Kakashi. Shizune wanted some emotion from him, some sign if he would be around, if he wanted to be a dad. She had already decided that she would keep it. At least he knew.

Kakashi was panicking. He didn't plan this. This attachment, this responsibility. He never thought of himself as being a father, but the jolt of surprise he felt at first soon morphed into confliction. No one could tell by looking at him, but the aloof man was the furthest from cool for the next few weeks.

Their time spent together was soon limited to work times only. Shizune took to being at the hospital unless expressly called to the Hokage tower. Otherwise, it was business as usual. The others at the office noticed Shizune's lack of presence, but they explained it away by saying Kakashi was more self-sufficient.

Those at the hospital began to notice - Shizune was eating strange things, always drinking ginger tea, more tired than usual. It was apparent to the medical personnel around her. What wasn't apparent was who the father was. They were all taking care to make Shizune comfortable, and she was so grateful that she wasn't alone in this.

She could no longer fit into her mission clothes, not that she was being assigned to any. Kakashi was keeping her in Konoha, his slight acknowledgement of the situation since they still hadn't seen each other. She was beginning to show, and Tsunade and Sakura were both taking to her care. Shizune resisted telling them who the father was. They were both too close to stay calm at his disappearance. (Week 11)

Shizune came home exhausted after pushing herself too hard at work again. She didn't bother turning lights on and just went to lie in bed. Something caught her eye on the coffee table, and the hormones made her eyes well. At least, that's what she told herself. On the table was a small sword, a note placed next to it.

"It's only fitting that this stays within the clan."

The atmosphere mellowed more as Shizune returned to her duties as assistant. Tsunade felt the office job would be safer than at the hospital. What came with her return was an uncomfortable need for release, an uptake in arousal typical during pregnancy.

It didn't help that she was so close to the handsome ninja all the time. Kakashi noticed, of course, but he didn't act upon it. He'd rather throw teasing glances, sneak touches that he knew would affect her more. He was being cruel to a pregnant woman.

Having Shizune there everyday really brought him front and centre with reality. Kakashi could feel his child taking shape. He needed to stop being detached. He couldn't afford to do nothing. Of course he was already attending her checkups, albeit from a distance. Shizune felt him crawl into bed that night, but he was at work before she woke.

He overheard Shizune saying the next appointment was when she'd learn the gender. Kakashi thought she did it on purpose. His curiosity peaked. He was invested, he needed to know, too.

As Sakura was taking Shizune in to get her latest checkup, they were startled to see Kakashi follow in after. It wasn't like him to be on time, and he definitely wasn't expected there. The anger was clear on Sakura's face.

"How nice of you to finally show up."

They were having a boy. (20 weeks)