Kakashi lived to see another year, and another of Gai's birthdays.

Usually, that was all he ever wanted.

Ever since he was a child, he had always admired the prodigy. Kakashi lived up to the title of genius, breezing through the Academy and becoming Chunin at the youthful age of six years old, even through the tragic death of his father. Before he became a teenager, the masked boy was promoted to Jounin. Gai wished like no other to become like him and his abilities and to grow stronger. He began challenging the Hatake to frequent competitions, mainly because he wanted to grow stronger.

But, also, because Gai could see past the mask.

Not literally. Gai never saw Kakashi's true face back then; never even came close to it, even though he did try, on occasion. Despite how dense he seemed when it came to topics other than taijutsu, Gai was able to see how badly Sakumo's death affected his rival. Kakashi never smiled after that, always isolating himself, using his free time to withdraw to his home or undisclosed locations that Gai could never find. No one should go through that pain alone, Gai had concluded. Kakashi may not know it, but he needed a shoulder to lean on, and Gai vowed he would be right there to help at all times. At first, the younger of the two always turned him away. It took days of persisting for Kakashi to finally accept Gai's challenges, but even then, he was never allowed past the walls the silver-haired boy put up. No one was.

Especially not after his entire squad died, one by one.

Except for him.

He always walked out alive — a blessing for Gai and a curse for Kakashi.

After Obito's, Rin's, and Minato's death, Kakashi put up more and more walls and became cold, distant. It was as if he blocked out all emotions, never letting himself feel joy for fear of feeling sorrow; nor feel love for fear of pain; nor feel attachment for fear of loss.

Gai, however, was determined to prove all of the genius's twisted logic wrong. He was going to keep his vow that he made as a child, and be there for Kakashi, through thick and thin, good and bad, light and dark.

And then, Kakashi shrouded himself so deep in the shadows, not even Gai could reach him.

The ANBU, Gai had decided, was a horrible, horrible monster that crept into the hurting hearts of those that fell into its clutches. No matter the size, that monster slipped into any darkness in a heart and began to expand the hairline fractures and cracks, until the shinobi's regular heart gave way to gorges and canyons of evil and shadows.

Gai was helpless as he watched Kakashi's suffering heart chip and break away, falling further and further from his reach.

It's not like that anymore, the youthful man thought happily. Kakashi had been released from the ANBU for several years now, and the silver-haired man, although still hurting, was becoming happier. That could have been enough for Gai, and for a couple years, it was.

Now, though, he didn't know if he could be content by just watching Kakashi improve. No, Gai had to be there. He wanted to experience it, know the change, and be able to love every inch of Kakashi, revealed and masked, and let the other man know it, truly know how much care and love there was to take. Everyone could see that Gai's simple admiration over the years had grown into a deep caring, and that deep caring into love.

Even Kakashi.

Two years ago, Gai had gotten the greatest birthday present he could have ever wanted. It came very late, almost in time to welcome in springtime. However, Kakashi was always late at everything he did. Gai didn't see why advancing their relationship was any different.

This year, Kakashi had lived to see another birthday and another year. Before, Gai thought that was all he could ever want.

But, now, back in the living room of Gai's apartment, with Kakashi planting a kiss on his lips and whispering Happy birthday and I love you into his ear, he knew better. And even later that night, as the younger man fell asleep with his head on Gai's lap (which he considered a feat only he had the rare honor of seeing), he knew.

This was the best birthday present he could ever be given, and Gai did not want anything else. Only Kakashi.

And Kakashi only wanted him.