"Kakashi?" The grip that was suddenly on his sleeve was tight and he could see the white of her knuckles under the street lamp. He looked down at her to see her eyes were still filled with that built up adrenaline mixed with fear that usually followed hard missions like the one they had just been on. Her voice had been sure as she looked up at him, even if it did shake a bit.

He knew what she was asking without her having to say anything and he simply gave her a nod before following her to her apartment. They went through the window, their feet landing with soft thuds in her bedroom. He'd barely closed the window and turned to her when she fisted her hands in his flak jacket. She seemed at a loss for words as she stared resolutely at his chest. "I just – I just need to feel something." She looked up at him with her eyes pleading and he knew right then that he'd do anything she asked of him. "Please, Kakashi. I – we don't ever have to talk about it."

He felt his chest tighten. He knew what she was asking for. It wasn't unusual for a shinobi to feel this way, to ask their friends of this. It was something that wasn't spoken about, but happened often. Something many shinobi did to just cope. He wasn't surprised Sakura had asked him. Even though she had fought through a war, she still didn't have that many missions under her belt that were on par with the horrors they'd seen tonight. He wondered for a second if she'd asked others too. Naruto? Genma? Maybe Ino? But when he looked into her eyes and saw the slight nervousness there, he knew she hadn't. Not that it mattered, it wasn't any of his business if she had.

She looked lost, scared but not of anyone. He'd been there before, was there at the moment. That feeling of wanting to forget what you'd seen or done, but the memories haunt you on a cruel replay in your head. The sickness in your gut and how you wanted to feel nothing but at the same time the thought of being numb was just as terrifying. He hated seeing her this way, it tore at him. It didn't seem right for Sakura. The woman who wasn't just an ex-student or even teammate, but a friend. Someone who took care of him when he was injured or sick. The woman who smiled at him while she teased him. Who threw her head back when she laughed, her green eyes bright and her shoulders shaking. She was someone he cared about. He didn't want her to feel anything but the happiness he could always look forward to seeing in her.

There was more relief than surprise in her face when he pulled down his mask. Her shoulders relaxed and she instantly brought her hands up to the back of his head. Her fingers gripped at his hair almost painfully as she pulled him down to her. The kiss wasn't tender and gentle. It was desperate, harsh, and demanding. There was an unkindled passion there that made each touch from her feel hot against his skin. She was unforgiving as she tore at his clothes and pulled him backwards toward her bed. He tried not to stumble as he stripped her of hers all the while still kissing her. They fell to the mattress in a tangle of limbs and desperation.

Kakashi was both surprised and not surprised that Sakura held true to her word and they never talked about it. He knew Sakura wasn't one to go back on what she said, but she was also someone who didn't hold back any of her thoughts and feelings. This time she did, though, and their relationship went back to the way it was before. For the most part.

That first night started the ball rolling for this new aspect in their relationship. They again, never talked about it, but if one needed the other, there was this understanding between them. No questions were asked, they simply opened their arms for each other. At first, it was for reasons like the first night. Missions gone wrong, friends who'd died in the field, a lost patient. But soon, it was for any reason whatsoever. A long day, boredom, just because.

Kakashi was becoming to understand they were something akin to friends with benefits, though he hated to think of it that way. It sounded so distant and they weren't. They weren't in a relationship, though, and it was the closest description. It was a very good friendship and had very good benefits. But Kakashi still couldn't admit that phrasing even to himself. He could feel something else there, even from the first night. So, it wasn't just about the benefits.

That left him back where he started, though. What were they doing?

Kakashi bit his tongue back as Tsunade stared at him down with pleading eyes. The utter refusal was on the tip of his tongue but he was fighting it. She wasn't going to force him to do it, she had only asked. But when he asked her what would happen if he refused, the sadness in her eyes as she replied she would stay on until Naruto was ready decided it for him. Not many people knew, but he only said yes out of respect for her not because it was an honor. She had never wanted it – not that he wanted it either – and she wasn't as young as she looked. She was tired and if anyone deserved to live in peace for the rest of their lives, it was Tsunade.

The genuine relief on her face made him feel a bit better about it, though he could feel this sinking dread in his gut. She pulled out sake for both of them and gave his shoulder a comforting pat. "It won't be long until Naruto's ready. It'll be better for him to follow after you, anyways."

Kakashi simply nodded in agreement and drank with her. Naruto wasn't ready to be Hokage yet. He still needed more time to learn everything and Kakashi would make sure he got it. He supposed it was another reason he had said yes. It still only made him slightly better about the situation.

He'd gone to Sakura's as soon as he'd left Tsunade's office. She'd been washing dishes at her sink when he'd slipped through her window and came up behind her. Even though she didn't turn around, he was sure she'd known he was there. When he pulled down his mask and wrapped his arms around her waist, she leaned back into him as she dried her hands with a red rag.

His head fell to her shoulder and she placed her hands over his on her stomach. She asked him softly as her thumbs stroked across his skin soothingly, "Are you hungry?"

He sighed and his grip on her tightened. "No."

She let him hold her for a while longer, one of her hands coming up to comb gently through his hair. Then, she turned around in his arms and locked her arms around his neck. She stared at him for a minute, searching his eyes like they could tell her all his secrets. But she didn't ask what was wrong, like she didn't every night, and leaned up to kiss him. He kissed her back, pulling her closer trying to get that warm feeling in his heart to grow even further. Her touches made him feel like she was slowly mending him, healing him like the medic she was.

Before the kiss could get heated, he broke away from her mouth and kissed her cheek down to her neck, resting his head on her shoulder again. He sighed and told her, "Tsunade asked me to be her successor."

Sakura turned her head towards him and he could see the shock on her face when he lifted his head up. She didn't congratulate him and he hadn't expected her to. Sakura understood, she'd always understood him. He didn't need to tell her anything. She'd asked him before how he felt about being Hokage and he'd explained then all the reasons why he would never want to do it. Her face was sympathetic as she cupped his cheek. "Kakashi…"

He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. He answered her unspoken question, though was sure she knew, "I said yes."

She was giving him a soft smile when he opened his eyes again. She met his eyes and told him, "I am proud of you. Does that help at all?"

Kakashi smiled back at her, feeling that small spark of warmth in his chest. "Maybe a little."

She nodded and her hand moved to the back of his head to tangle in his hair. She pulled him closer to her and whispered, "Well, I have other ways of making you feel better." She kissed him and Kakashi smirked against her lips as she led him backwards to her bedroom.

Sakura laid against him in her bed with the sheets tangled and hanging off of the corners. He was drawing lazy circles on her back while he tried not to think about the upcoming weeks. He could already feel the stress of it threatening him in the back of his mind.

Sakura sighed on his chest and it was like she could read his thoughts. "It won't be so bad, Kakashi. Naruto just needs a couple years at the most."

He hummed and replied, "I suppose so. Still doesn't mean I have any idea how to have a desk job."

Sakura snorted, knowing it was one of the main reasons Kakashi never wanted to be Hokage. He hated paperwork for one and he also didn't want to have to send out shinobi to protect the village while he sat in a chair all day. She lifted her head and looked at him with a shrug. "You know, I could always help you out. Shizune is going to follow Tsunade when she retires, right? I could be your advisor."

The offer was tempting. Ignoring how wonderful it would be to just have Sakura around all the time, she was also smart and apprenticing under Tsunade allowed her to pick up things about how the Hokage's office was run. But… Kakashi smiled at her, his hand coming up to run his fingers down her hair. "That wouldn't be a good idea."

Sakura pouted, but rested her head back on his chest. "Why not?"

"It would be bad if people, particularly the Council, found out about –" Kakashi paused, trying to find the right word and settled on, "this. It wouldn't be good for either of us. You would be accused of sleeping with the Hokage to get political gains like being an advisor. I would be accused of abusing my power and would probably be asked to resign. Then, we would have to leave the seat to Naruto and who knows what would happen then? He's not ready as he is now. His first order would probably be an Ichiraku stand on every corner?"

Sakura chuckled and offered instead, "Okay, how about Shikamaru? He wants to be Naruto's advisor, so this would be a good learning experience for him."

Kakashi hummed in reply with a small smile. He had wondered how she would react to the words actually being said out loud, to acknowledge what was going on between them. But she hadn't so much as flinched. She had even hugged him tighter in response, not arguing with what he had said. The obvious solution was to stop, but neither of them said it even though they were both smart enough to think it.

When Kakashi didn't give her any more of an answer, she looked up at him coyly and teased, "I mean, you're not sleeping with him too, are you?"

Kakashi laughed and leaned down to kiss her. "No, Sakura-chan." Only you.

Kakashi hadn't been celebrating it anyway, but the day of his inauguration was further dampened by some unfortunate news. Takeo Kurosaki had died in the field. Kakashi didn't know him personally, had only met him once at the hospital. But there was a reason the name struck a certain cord with him. He'd been the first medic Sakura personally trained. He'd been studying under her for almost ten years now and was Sakura's most trusted medic.

Sakura had been there at the beginning, had actually stuck by his side most of the night. But she'd been called away earlier on an emergency and now it was clear for what. Kakashi made sure everyone was distracted enough, before slipping away from the festivities.

Like he had expected, when he got to his apartment, Sakura was balled up on his bed with her face buried in a pillow. She didn't look up at him until he had shed his robes and flak jacket, the sound of them hitting the floor with a soft thud. Her face was red and her eyes were puffy as she reached a hand out for him. It tore at his heart and he didn't waste any time in joining her on the bed. He took her in his arms and pulled down his mask to kiss her. Her lips were chap and he could smell the salt of her tears as a few more ran down her face. He wiped them away with his thumbs before kissing her wet cheeks.

Sakura kissed him on the lips again before burying her face in the crook of his neck and wrapping herself around him. She told him with a shaky voice, "Just hold me."

Kakashi did. He held her for what seemed like hours, watching through the window as the sun fell in the sky and the moon appeared through the dark clouds. She didn't say much as she silently cried, but he caught words every now and again. Not even twenty-two…My apprentice… He didn't offer her any words of comfort, knowing anything he could say would be empty promises and lies that everything would be okay. He hadn't appreciated when those words were said to him when he was younger. Like they were a script to say to every person in mourning. It was impersonal. So, he just held her close, his grip tight while he peppered kisses across her skin.

She eventually wore herself out and fell asleep. She was heavy against him, but Kakashi didn't mind the weight. She slept for hours without moving a muscle and when Kakashi would drift off and open his eyes again, she was still fast asleep. Even when morning finally came and Kakashi had put off going to his office for two hours already, she was still sleeping. He never made a move to leave, though. He just couldn't bear to leave her there to wake up alone.

She eventually woke up an hour later, giving him a sleepy smile. When she glanced at the clock, she sighed and turned back to him reluctantly. "Kakashi, you are probably three hours late now."

He shrugged, not telling her he probably would've stayed there all day. She knew. After rolling her eyes at him, she kissed him sweetly on the lips and in a way, it was different from all the other kisses they had shared. It was softer, gentler, and filled with a certain affection Kakashi found hard to place.

Then, she poked him lightly on the chest. "Go to work, Kakashi. I'll be fine."

He sighed, still not wanting to leave her, but nodded and got out of bed unenthusiastically. She gave him one last kiss before falling back into the sheets.

The image of her curled up in his bed with a sleepy smile stuck with him all day.

Being Hokage wasn't as bad as he'd thought. He still wasn't happy with the job, but he tried to not let it bother him. Sakura repeatedly told him it would just be worse if he let himself feel that way. He didn't wear the robes or the hat. They were draped safely in the corner of his office on a coat rack, never to be used in the foreseeable future, at least for him. Sakura had wanted him to have something, though, so she had taken it upon herself to get him a gray flak jacket designed with Rokudaime sewn in the back. If it had been anyone else, he still wouldn't have worn it. But he supposed he liked that look in Sakura's eyes when she saw him in it. I am proud of you. So, he supposed being the Hokage wasn't that bad.

His few weeks of being Hokage had been more than uneventful so far, until today. It'd been ridiculous, really. A lapse in judgement that he had regretted the whole day just knowing it would come back to him. Which it did, in the form of Sakura walking into his office with a smirk on her face. She closed the door behind her and strolled over to his desk to drop off paperwork from the hospital.

He knew what she was really there for, but wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of bringing it up himself. So, he asked her casually, "Good afternoon, Sakura-chan. How are you?"

She leaned forward with her hands on his desk as her smile widened. "Pretty good considering I heard some great gossip earlier."

He ignored his stomach flipping out of nervousness and faked nonchalance, picking up some random papers and pretending to read them. "Ah, is that so? Well, as you can see, I'm a very busy man…"

Sakura rolled her eyes at him and rounded the desk. She pushed him back with a light poke at his chest and perched herself on his desk right in front of him. Then, plucked the papers from his hands and dropped them nearby her out of sight. She raised an eyebrow at him, unable to make her smile go away. "Busy throwing senbon at random jounin?"

Kakashi leaned back in his chair, trying not to think about how lovely she looked sitting there on top of his desk. He shrugged. "Mah, I was just keeping Genma on his toes. He's always playing with them, you'd think he would've been able to dodge it."

Sakura scoffed, "He had a slit right across his cheek."

Kakashi cocked an eyebrow at her. "Oh, did he go to you to heal such a small cut?"

"No." Sakura grinned, and used one of her feet to drag his chair closer to her. "But he was with Raido when they brought him in from a spar that left him with a couple of cracked ribs. He made a sly comment to me about my overprotective Hokage and then told me what happened."

Kakashi sighed and his hands subconsciously came up to Sakura's legs as he avoided her eyes. He had overreacted. Genma was known for his ways with women and it wasn't unusual to hear him talking about them, no matter how inappropriate it was. But when Kakashi heard him make a comment about Sakura, something had snapped in him and he'd acted out of reflex. He'd apologized after Genma called him out on his bullshit lie that his finger had slipped. They'd always been friends so he knew there weren't any hard feelings. He'd just been worried about it getting to Sakura, who was now sitting in front of him practically glowing.

She leaned forward and teased him, placing her feet at the edge of his chair, "You were jealous."

"Was not," he argued back childishly as he scowled at her, his fingers stopping the trail they were making up and down the back of her legs.

Sakura rolled her eyes at him, not believing it. Then, smiled widely. "But Genma? Really, Kakashi?"

Kakashi hooked his hands behind her knees and made her fall into his lap where she was straddling him. She didn't seem bothered by the change and laughed lightly, her hands coming up to his neck to play with the ends of his hair. He denied it again, meeting her eyes, "Not jealous."

She pulled down his mask and kissed him on one cheek then the other. "Good, because you don't have any reason to be."

He captured her lips and could feel her smile against him. She kissed him back and he pulled her closer, one hand still gripping her thigh and the other around her waist. The longer it went on, the more heated it got and he had this inexplicable desire to feel more of her. But when his hand slipped under her shirt to feel her soft skin, Sakura broke the kiss and looked at him with her cheeks flushed. "It probably wouldn't be a good idea to have sex in your office."

"I think it would make things a lot less boring around here," he argued, kissing down her neck.

"Another reason I could never be your advisor."

He moved to kiss her lips again and she smiled at him as he said, "I've reconsidered. I think you should start tomorrow."

She shook her head and leaned forward to whisper in his ear, "I don't think so, Kakashi-sama."

Kakashi fought down a shiver and complained, "Oh, please don't make that word sound dirty. I have to hear it all day."

She laughed and kissed him one more time before disappearing in a puff of smoke. He hadn't even seen her make the hand signs and only had half a mind to pull his mask back up before someone came in through his doors.

Kakashi would rather go to one of their apartments to relax after his mission, but he just followed the direction of Sakura's chakra leading him to the bar in town that the shinobi liked to frequent. He'd spotted her sitting at the bar by herself when he walked in and was about to go over to her when he got intercepted by someone that wanted to talk to their Hokage.

Kakashi may not like the job, but it didn't mean he was going to blow it off. Internally sighing, he turned to the shinobi and smiled at them. It was just small talk, something about seeing Naruto take his place while he was gone and how well he'd done. Kakashi had already known he would do fine and had heard similar reports from Shikamaru, but it was nice to hear it from someone else too.

He zoned out of the conversation, though, as he watched a jounin approach Sakura and lean on the bar beside her. His ears picking up their conversation. He didn't catch what the man had asked her, but Sakura's reply was short and clipped. "I'm here with someone."

Kakashi could hear the lie in her voice, but only because he knew her so well. Even if the man did believe her, he didn't seem to care and his hand came up to stroke his fingers down her arm. Kakashi's eyes narrowed at him and he tried to not let his annoyance show on his face as the man told her, "I'm sure they wouldn't mind if I stole you away."

Sakura leaned away from him and brushed his fingers away with her hand, taking a drink from her glass and telling him, "I'm not available, so I suggest you leave me alone."

He shrugged at her and gave her a smile that he probably thought was very charming. "I don't mind."

Sakura's eyebrow twitched and she gave him a deadly smile that was a clear warning for anyone that remotely knew her. But the jounin clearly didn't know her as he didn't take the hint to stop, reaching out again for her arm. She tilted her head and it was almost in Kakashi's direction, making him wonder if she realized he was there. "Do you like the feeling of random senbon being thrown at you with deadly accuracy?" Yes, she definitely knew he was there and was taking the opportunity to tease him.

The man looked at her confused and she shrugged. "Well, never mind that. Really, the person you should be worried about if you touch me again is me." She casually grabbed his hand from her arm and bent his fingers back, making the man wince and gasp as his knees buckled at the bar. He tried to pull away from her, but her grip didn't let him and she leaned toward him to whisper, "Because I do mind."

She didn't spare him another glance as she finally released him and turned back to her drink. He didn't push his luck this time and left as soon as he could. Kakashi fought down a chuckle and looked back to the man talking to him – who was still chatting away, completely oblivious to his attention going elsewhere – then politely excused himself.

Sakura didn't show any surprise when he came up behind her and put his hands on her arms. She leaned back and looked up at him with a sweet smile. He bent down and kissed her on her diamond seal, not paying any mind to the people around them. "Miss me?"

Sakura turned around and got down from her stool to throw her arms around his neck. Kakashi caught her with a chuckle and she replied near his ear, "You have no idea."

She hugged him for a second longer and then sat back on her stool. Her hand grabbing his and pulling him towards her. "Join me while I finish my drink?"

Kakashi sat beside her, feeling less tired as she smiled at him and chatted on about anything remotely interesting that had happened while he'd been away. He told her about his incredibly boring trip to Suna where he'd had to stay for six weeks going over diplomatic negotiations and treaties. His hand had fallen absentmindedly to her thigh under the counter and as the conversation wore on, it inched closer and closer to the hem of her skirt.

Sakura hadn't made any comment on it until his hand slipped under her skirt. She put her hand over his, but didn't make him pull away. She smiled at him with a bit of warning in her eyes. "Kakashi.

He simply hummed in response and stroked his thumb across her skin towards her inner thigh. "Hmm?"

Sakura bit her lip as she met his eyes and he could see the want there causing a coil of heat in his stomach. Without looking away from him she pulled some money from her holster to throw on the counter. Kakashi couldn't even remember if it was her or him that had made the hand signs to transport them back to her apartment. He was too distracted by her hands as she pushed him up against the wall, yanking down his mask and slanting her lips over his. She made quick work with his vest and shirt, throwing them to the floor carelessly. He slipped her shirt off and she shivered in his arms as his hands pressed against her warm skin.

They tumbled to the bed, still wrapped around each other, wandering hands trying to do away with every piece of fabric between them. Sakura sighed against him as his mouth trailed kisses down her neck to her chest. Her fingers were tangled in his hair and one of her legs hooked around his waist, pulling him closer to her. Kakashi couldn't seem to get enough of her and it felt like it had been so long since he'd seen her, even though it had just been a few weeks. He brought his lips back to hers and told her, "I missed you."

She gave him a breathless laugh and her mouth kissed along his jaw then down his neck. "Kami, don't ever leave for that long again."

Kakashi smiled and moved his hand underneath her so he could feel her arch into him when he kissed the soft skin around her nipple. "Kashi." Her moaning his name filled him with a warmth that was addictive and he went back to her mouth to capture the sound, his thumb replacing his mouth on her nipple and flicking it.

She kissed him back and he groaned against her. Then, planted kisses down her neck again, taking his time with light nips and bites. She held him close, her fingers combing and tugging in his hair. His hand left her breast to snake down to her waist and she whispered near his ear, "Kakashi?"

He lifted his head to meet her eyes and one of her hands moved to trail down his chest. She looked at him hesitantly. "That first night…I just want you to know…" She held his face in her hand and bit her lip as she glanced at his lips before continuing, "I wouldn't have asked that of anyone else."

He smiled at her, feeling his heart tighten in his chest and he leaned down to kiss her nervousness away. He didn't say anything in response, but she could feel his reply in the way he touched her and how his lips left marks across her skin. There was a desperation that night that held a very different meaning from the first.

They did things out of order. Most people got in a relationship, had sex, then moved in together. But this was just another instance in his life where things didn't seem to go accordingly to plan. Not that he had any plan whatsoever with Sakura, he just let himself fall into step with her following whichever path she led him down.

He hadn't really moved in with Sakura per se. But he hardly ever stepped foot into his apartment – he had refused to move into the massive Hokage residence – for anything more than a change of clothes. He knew he hadn't slept there in months. Any time he wasn't in his office, he was at Sakura's or at least with her. He had a few set of clothes hanging in her closet. Even if it was nearing three in the morning, he slipped in through her window to catch a few hours of sleep with her by his side. So, no, he hadn't moved in with her, but it was just a step away and he didn't really see it as that big of leap considering.

Things had changed over the last year. There wasn't that uncertainty from before about what they were doing. It was clear that they had moved into this steady relationship from the random nights they would just have sex. They spent most of their time with each other. They ate together, slept together. If Kakashi couldn't sneak away from his office for lunch, she would bring him some and they would eat in his office. When it was late and he was still stuck there, sometimes she would come in to help with the paperwork or simply keep him company. He would help patch her up when she came home from missions a little worse for wear. She'd reach out for him in her sleep to hold her. He cooked for her when he could. She kept a jar of dog treats on top of her fridge for the ninken. He held her hand when they would lie on the couch with books.

He was falling in love with her or maybe he already had been before all of this. The time frame wasn't really important. But the sudden realization of it had him stumbling trying to figure out if he should tell her and then of course, he should but then how?

Surprisingly with all his anxiety over it, it came naturally.

She'd been nestled between his legs with her back resting against him as he leaned on a tree. They were by a small river near the training grounds and Sakura had made them a picnic earlier before stealing him away from his office. She was warm against him and her skin soft as he mindlessly stroked his fingers along her arms. He could smell the honey in her shampoo and breathe in her scent. He felt so content with her there and wished he'd never have to leave.

They'd been sitting in a comfortable silence for a while, just listening to the sounds of the small animals and the running of the water in front of them. He broke the quiet moment with his heart skipping out of rhythm as he spoke a little nervously, "I never thought I could love anyone."

Even though she hadn't really been moving in his arms, he could feel her still and when she turned to look at him her eyes were wide. He smiled at her and met her eyes. "But now I know I could never love anyone but you. You make me feel like maybe I won't die alone."

Her eyes were glossed over and she smiled at him with the warmest smile he'd ever seen on her. She melted his heart when she laughed and pulled his mask down to kiss him sweetly on the lips. "I love you, too," she told him and it felt like a promise the way she kissed the words into his skin.

"Dismissed." Kakashi spared one more look at the team and waved at them with a hand. Each of them left at the order, besides a certain shinobi who stepped forward with a tired smile.

She rounded the desk and Kakashi turned towards her with a soft look as she all but fell into his arms. He pulled down his mask before kissing her on the forehead. "Sakura, you're dead on your feet. Go home. I'll be there soon."

She ignored him and made herself comfortable on his lap, nuzzling her face against his neck. She mumbled sleepily, "I think I'll stay here a while."

Kakashi smiled with a shake of his head as he turned back to his desk and tugged his mask back up. Knowing her, she would stay there sound asleep until he needed to leave. So, he just picked up whatever was next in his large pile of paperwork and let her rest against him.

Shikamaru came in a couple hours earlier with his annoying clipboard that told Kakashi he was late for meetings. He'd opened the door with a frustrated face but when his eyes landed on Sakura cuddled against Kakashi, his face softened with a sigh. It wasn't the first time he'd seen them like that. Sakura had made a habit of dropping by so often, it wasn't an unusual sight.

When he got to Kakashi's desk, he handed over a paper with a scowl. "The elders have summoned you for a meeting tomorrow morning. Just skip it."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow at him. "Mah, if my advisor is telling me to blow it off it must be pretty bad. What do they want?"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes and sighed. He glanced at Sakura meaningfully before looking back to Kakashi. "I'm assuming it's about what they discussed last time about you finding a wife."

It was Kakashi's turn to sigh this time and he set the paper aside. The elders had been hounding him lately about finding a wife. Some bullshit about leaders with families were more successful and blah, blah, blah. Kakashi hadn't hidden any of his feelings about the suggestion the first time they brought it up. It wasn't that he was against getting married, but to do it because of an order for a position he had never even wanted? The elders had obviously not seen anything wrong with it, stuck in their traditional ways and telling him to just pick a suitable woman that would make a good wife to a Hokage. He had felt a certain solidarity when Shikamaru had come to his defense and told the elders it was inappropriate to ask him of that like they lived in the waring periods. His loyal advisor had gone on to outline what power and control the elders actually had and advised them to not step out of line again. Kakashi had been impressed and more than amused by the shock on the elders' faces.

But they hadn't heeded to Shikamaru's warning and continued to discuss the benefits of having a wife with Kakashi. Kakashi responded by blatantly ignoring them whenever they came by which led to their frustrations.

Shikamaru nodded to the paper he'd given him. "I wrote up a proposal for a fresh council. It includes all the politics of it and how you have the power to do so, picking new members and retiring the old ones out. To avoid having another set of old geezers trying to control everything, I think we should make members be elected."

Kakashi picked the paper up again and read over it in mild surprise. Sakura shifted against him from the movement and wrapped an arm around his torso, grumbling in her sleep. Kakashi spared her a glance before looking back to Shikamaru with a cheeky smile. "Mah, Shikamaru, I'm touched you would go through so much trouble for me."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, but smiled. "The elders have always been more of a nuisance than anything. If I'm going to be Naruto's advisor too, I'd rather not have to deal with them."

"Too troublesome?" Kakashi guessed with a nod.

"Definitely." Shikamaru chuckled and gestured to the paper. "Read over it and tell me what you think. I left a few suggestions about new council members, thinking it would be beneficial to have them be people already at power holding jobs. Like the Director of T&I, a school administrator, and so on."

Kakashi nodded and set the paper down in front of him. "Thank you, Shikamaru."

Shikamaru gave him a small nod, before leaving the office. Kakashi turned his head to look out the window, mulling the conversation over in his head. He was thinking through possible members when Sakura mumbled, "Told you Shikamaru was a good choice for an advisor."

Only slightly surprised that she had been listening, Kakashi nodded in agreement and then smiled. "I suppose so. You probably would've simply intimidated them into silence by smashing a table with your pinkie finger."

Sakura picked her head up and playfully glared at him, smacking him lightly on the chest. "Hey, I'm smart too, you know."

He laughed and leaned forward to kiss her cheek. "I know, Sakura-chan."

She smiled and laid her head back on his shoulder. She muttered, "I mean, I would do that too, but that's not all."

Kakashi chuckled in response, but felt a slight anxiety creeping up on him as he asked her, "Were you listening the whole time?"

Sakura answered him, knowing what he was really asking, "I already knew the elders wanted you to get married."

Kakashi went still as she went on without looking up. "Lady Utatane dropped by my office a couple weeks ago to persuade me to influence your opinion on marriage." She snorted and looked down at her nails, frowning at the dirt underneath them. "I don't think they've caught on that we're seeing each other."

"Why's that?" Kakashi's brow furrowed and he tried to tone down his annoyance that they had stooped to going around his back on the matter. If not, then why would Utatane bother Sakura about it?

"She suggested that with my position in the hospital, I must know a few honorable women that were suitable for our Hokage." Sakura scoffed and met his eyes aggravated. "She said it would be best if it was a woman from a powerful clan, but medics have strong personalities so they would be an okay choice too."

"I could sic Shikamaru on her for you?" Kakashi offered just to get her to smile. He didn't want her to be bothered by what some old geezer thought about her relationship with him.

The annoyance in her face broke as she laughed and told him, "Kakashi, Shikamaru is not one of your ninken. You can't sic him on people."

Kakashi shrugged. "He doesn't seem to mind."

Sakura rolled her eyes fondly at him and laid her head back down on his shoulder, her arms wrapping around his torso. After a minute, she said softly, "I wouldn't make you do anything you didn't want to. You know that, right?"

Kakashi felt his nervousness seep away. Of course, she wouldn't. He kissed the top of her head and tightened his arms around her. "I know, Sakura."

She let out a deep breath and he could practically feel her smile against him. They stayed like that for a while and then she picked up her head suddenly and pointed a finger at him. "But if you marry Hinata, I'll make it to where you never have children, Hatake."

Kakashi laughed and pulled down his mask before cupping her face and kissing her. "Mah, I have a unique taste in women." He kissed her cheek. "Like pink hair and fiery tempers." Then, the other cheek. "Green eyes and an adorable laugh." Lastly, her forehead. "Strength and power."

When he pulled away, he saw that Sakura had a faint blush on her cheeks. It sent a rush of warmth over him like it always did when he got her to blush. She wasn't a teenager anymore and didn't blush at everything, it was actually difficult sometime to get her to blush. But the more affectionate he was with her, the pinker her cheeks got.

She gave him a soft smile and leaned forward to kiss him on the lips. It was sweet and slow with no rush to it. Kakashi couldn't help but smile into it and when she broke it, she gazed at him warmly and told him, "Let's go home."

***
*a year later*

It was the night before Naruto's inauguration and they were lying in bed watching the sun go down through the window. Kakashi hadn't hated being Hokage as much as he'd thought he would in the beginning. But that didn't mean he wasn't happy to pass the hat on to Naruto. Naruto was the one who deserved it, someone who had strived and fought all their life to be worthy of the title. It just felt more fitting for Naruto to wear the robes.

Sakura had on a small white nightgown beside him and he was running his fingers over the silk as she traced shapes on his chest. "No more early mornings and late nights spent at the office. I bet you're excited to get back on the mission roster."

Kakashi sighed and leaned his head against hers. "I probably won't get to go on any fun missions, though."

"I'm sure they'll at least give you B ranked missions," Sakura assured him with a chuckle.

He hummed in reply and turned to kiss her temple. "Mah, at least I'll have more time for you."

She smiled and moved more on top of him, her face hovering over his with her hair falling around them. "Hm, I don't know. I was just beginning to like coming up with new ways to sneak you out of the office without Shikamaru noticing."

Kakashi gave her a soft smile and brought a hand up to stroke his thumb across her cheek. "Too bad."

She covered his hand with hers and simply looked down at him with this affection that Kakashi didn't think he'd ever get used to. Kakashi felt warm as he looked at her, his heart tightening in his chest as he wondered how he could ever get so lucky. It reminded him of something he'd been mulling over for the past few weeks. He felt nervous about it, how it would come across with the timing, but he felt like it was the right moment.

"Sakura," he spoke her name with a warmth in his voice, feeling his heart race in his chest and hoping he didn't sound as shaky as he felt. "Do you want to get married?"

Sakura's eyes widened and she stared at him in surprise. "A-Are you asking me to?"

Kakashi reached underneath his pillow for the ring there and held it up for her to see, letting out a deep breath. Her eyes glanced at the ring and then back to him. She gasped and covered her mouth with her hand, leaning back to straddle him. Kakashi sat up, making her fall to his lap. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears and he took her hand in his with shaky fingers. "Haruno Sakura, I am in love with you and want to spend the rest of my life with you. If you'll have me, I'd like to spend those days becoming someone worthy of you. Will you marry me?"

Sakura burst in to tears and she laughed as she threw her arms around his neck. "Yes." She kissed him and her lips were wet as she planted kisses all over his face. "I love you so much."

Kakashi felt thrown off from all the emotions that were rushing over him. He had expected to feel something like this, but it was still more than he'd thought. He felt like he might start crying as he let out a breathy laugh and grabbed her hand. She watched with a wide smile as he slipped the ring on to her finger. She whispered with a wide smile as she looked down at her hand, "It's so beautiful."

Kakashi pulled her close to him and kissed her shoulder. "It's been passed down the Hatake Clan for generations."

Sakura kissed him again, sweet and affectionate. "I love you."

He kissed her back, unable to stop the growing smile on his face. "I love you, too."

When she pulled away, she looked at him excitedly. "We're getting married."

Kakashi chuckled with a nod and she threw her weight at him again, making them fall to the pillows as she laughed. Kakashi didn't think he could ever feel happier.

Kakashi and Sakura quietly listened as Naruto gave his speech with the widest grin either of them had ever seen on him. Kakashi had been right in thinking the robes and hat looked so much better on him. He wore them proudly and it was hard to keep Konoha from cheering while he talked. Kakashi and Sakura stood near him, wearing matching proud smiles on their faces. Kakashi and Naruto had both dragged her up there with them, though she didn't really have any authority to be up there. No one batted an eye though.

Naruto was nearing the end of his speech when he paused with a smile and glanced at them behind him. He turned back to the crowd. "Before we begin any of the celebrations, I think it's important to give our congratulations to Kakashi and Sakura." Naruto looked over at them with a cheeky smile before announcing to the whole village, "They're getting married!"

"Naruto!" Sakura's skin turned beet red and she moved to hit him lightly on the shoulder. They hadn't even told him yet, but Kakashi guessed he had noticed the ring on Sakura's finger. Naruto merely laughed as the crowd burst into another round of cheers and screams. Kakashi chuckled as Sakura spun into his chest to hide her face from all the people now staring at her.

Well, Naruto had just saved him a lot of time in telling people and he grinned at the man as he turned to them. The festivities had begun with the end of his speech and they needed to head down to join everyone. Naruto put a hand on Sakura's shoulder and she looked at him, still blushing but with a small smile. He glanced at them both before telling them sincerely, "I'm happy for you guys."

"Thank you." Kakashi smiled at him and Sakura pulled away to throw her arms around Naruto.

Naruto hugged her back as she told him, "Thanks, Naruto. I hope you know how proud I am of you."

Naruto gave one last smile to them both before bounding down the stairs. Sakura returned to his side and Kakashi leaned down to kiss her on the cheek before taking her hand. She leaned into his side as she interlocked the fingers and he led her down the stairs.

Kakashi joked as they walked down, "I'm burning this jacket."

"You are not." Sakura laughed and hit him on the shoulder. She faced forward again with a soft smile. "I was actually thinking about finding a way to hang it up on the wall at home."

She went on to tell him how it was something to show for what he's accomplished and Kakashi just listened to her quietly. Just one word stuck with him, though. Home. She was talking about their apartment, but when he looked down at her, he had never felt more at home than with her.