Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Naruto and all characters are property of Masashi Kishimoto. The only characters I own, happen to be Tetsu and Kashi Hatake, Hotaru Uzumaki and Ayame Hyuuga. I also do not own the song Memories, Mac Davis does.
/Song
lyrics/
Bold
is Current time
Not
bold are memories
Memories
/Memories... Pressed between the pages of my mind.../
The soft autumn breeze picking up light rose locks as the quiet tears fell down the sleek pale skin. Journey's end upon plastic covered pages of memories of the days long past. Her thin fingers ran over the picture of the smile she used to wear.
"Kashi-chan..."
Her sweet tone played into his ear from where he sat at the table. His dark hue shifting to the youth beside him. She stood about a foot higher then him from his sitting position. She wore a soft pink jacket with a dark peach shirt beneath, clad with a cute pastel pink mini skirt with white heeled, open toe shoes.
A grey brow perked as he bit into his rice ball. Suddenly her arms flung around his neck and she pressed his cheek to her own.
"Yes, my little blossom?"
A soft blush came to her face and the heat radiated to his face.
"Let's go take some pictures..."
This fueled his curiosity more and he tilted his head to the side, laying a kiss on her cheek.
"Al right."
A small noise of glee slipped her lips as she shifted, placing a quick peck on his lips before she skipped off in the direction of their room.
Her eyes gripped shut and her teeth bit into the puffy flesh of her lip, the dark scarlet dripping down her thin chin.
/Memories... sweetened thru the ages like wine.../
Her green orbs slowly opened again and glittered as she traced the curve of his chin with her nail.
His strides were long but slow so his younger love could keep up easily. Her small arm was hooked with his as jade hues darted around, watching everything around her. His dark eye gazed on her as the spring breeze played in the pale pink locks he loved.
"Sakura.."
His deep, inquiring voice startled her slightly, her green eyes shot up to him, the gaze of confusion held in her iris's as they approached the crowd of the main street.
"Hai Kashi?"
A warm smile played on his lips under his black mask. He loved the way she said his name, atleast the shorter version she used so often.
"Why do you want to take pictures?"
Sakura's face lifted into a smile.
"We've been a couple for about a year and a half now, a little bit after I turned 17, right?"
A nod came from the older man, so she continued on.
"I just want some pictures before our wedding in the Autumn..."
His brow perked as his smile lingered, Sakura leading him into the small photo shop.
/Quiet thoughts come floating down and settled softly to the ground./
Kakashi just listened as Sakura talk to the photographer, she obviously had spoken to him a few days prior. The old photographer nodded and disappeared into the back room. The young girl kunoichi turned on the balls of her feet and slipped her arms around his waist, her head resting just below his shoulder.
Without her heels, he stood about a foot taller then her.
"You get to carry the chair..."
Was the quick whisper as she kissed his cheek just as the old man came back out, his camera in one hand and a folded wooden chair in the other, his accessories in a bag hanging on his shoulder. As Sakura bounced happily out the door of the shop, the older Jounin took the chair from the old photographer and followed, the old man smiling as he followed behind the couple.
Sakura led the two to a small river that ran through Konoha, it was lined with Cherry Blossoms in full bloom. As Kakashi unfolded the chair, Sakura placed her hands on his cheeks, slipping the mask he wore down, unclipping it in the back. His inky black hue stared at her as she kissed his lips.
"Just for the pictures."
He smiled tenderly as his hand slipped up her neck and into her cherry pink locks. Kakashi leaned forward and claimed her lips as a soft click was heard from beside them. The old man had finished setting up the camera and decided that such a delicate moment should be captured.
The kunoichi blushed as she turned to the trees, plucking a branch of blossoms and tucking them away into the shirt pocket of Kakashi's top to add a splash of colour to his dark outfit of a black dress shirt with black pants.
The two took about twenty photos that day, both together and solo. Her favorite was one they took with Kakashi leaned against the tree and she was leaned in his arms, his hands rested on her stomach, her hands covering his, both gazing at each other.
Another was one of Kakashi by himself and just as the old man captured the shot, a small bird landed on Kakashi's shoulder.
"Kashi..."
"Hm?"
His gaze lingered to the young girl who sounded a bit distraught. Worry flooded his mind before she looked to him, a smile shone on her face.
"I love you.."
A smile came to his own lips, seen visibly because he didn't even bother to put his mask back on. His hand caught her cheek, stopping her stride as he placed a passionate kiss to her lips.
"I love you too.. my little blossom."
A dark flush came to her cheeks and her bright smile returned to her lips.
/Like golden autumn leave around my feet/
It was a quiet autumn day, only a few were gathered in the field for the wedding. Tsunade, the Godaime Hokage, was to wed them, others gathered were friends like Naruto and Hinata, Ino, Shikamaru and Temari, Chouji, Neji and Tenten, Lee, and Sakura's mother.
The field was within Konoha walls and sat near the east gate. Barefoot, Sakura made her way through the plush grass. The sunlight found it's way to her as did the dark orb. His face lifted as he took in the sight of her.
His young love didn't want anything spectacular although the older jounin would have done anything for her. Her dress was simple and elegant, a white silk kimono sown with pink cherry blossom, she also had the blooms dancing in her lengthy locks.
As she began down the makeshift aisle, lined with chairs, her movements were just enough to cause a soft purr from him. Kakashi held a slender hand out to his little nin. A genuinely soft smile on his face as her jade hues caught his dark one. Neither of them remember much of the ceremony, just the longing desire in their exchanged glances.
Oh, and little Hotaru Uzumaki covering them in cherry blossom petals with her cousin Ayame Hyuuga.
Then the small carry from the field to their home in Kakashi's apartment.
/I touched them and they burst apart with sweet memories.../
The sky grew dark as a soft crack of lightning drowned out her quiet sob. Sakura could still feel the heat from the night he first claimed her as his own, now mentally and physically, she was his. His Hatake Sakura. If there was one possession the quiet Jounin was proud of, it was that small rosette med-nin. He had told her that the quiet morning after. She could still feel the way his long fingers pressed her palms, lacing her fingers; his soft loving kisses, the half-lidded look of his mismatched eyes, the weight of his body perched above hers. He was her first as was it reverse. It was painful, but as romantic as she could imagine. And it all haunted her like a beautiful dream.
The rain began as a soft mist, Sakura could see it from her spot, it still had failed to make it's way to her. Why did it take its damn sweet time? The tears continued to flow from her eyes as she clentched her teeth, her bitter sobs slipping through the cracks.
/Sweet memories... of holding hands and red bouquets./
The rain grew ever near as she turned the page of the photo album, a picture of her with a red blindfold was the next shot her jade hues caught.
It was White Day and Kakashi's turn to repay his rosette love for the unsweetened she made just for him (since he isn't one for sweets.) As he shut the door, clicking the lock into place, he tugged the knot of her blindfold free and as he circled his arms around her waist, Sakura opened her eyes. Their apartment had been transformed(thanks to Hinata's help, Naruto so pleasingly informed her later)
Various cylindrical candles in hues of red were scattered around, in the small kitchen she could smell the most amazing dinner and the bed was dusted with red rose petals as well as some lighter pink cherry blossom petals.
Quickly shifting in his embrace, she tossed her arms around his neck and pressed a kiss to his lips.
"Arigato."
Sakura whispered.
Later in the night, while laying in the midst of flower petals, the rosette tossed onto her stomach, laying upon Kakashi as her long locks curtained her unclothed shoulders.
/And twilight trimmed in purple haze../
"Kakashi... It'll be morning soon... can we watch the sunrise?"
A sweet smile came to his face as he placed a kiss on her soft lips.
"Of course."
Quickly bounding up, Sakura slid the doors of his closet open, pulling out an old, worn Jounin shirt of his. His dark eye followed her movements, rising himself from the bed, pulling on dark pants as Sakura bounced over and onto his back in a piggy back form.
Placing a kiss to his cheek, her legs encircled his waist as his arms hooked with them, easily holding her up as he carried her from the apartment. Trotting with ease up the roof-ward stairs, the couple found themselves on the roof just as the sun was beginning it's jaded rise, hues of violet and orange chasing away the navy blue night.
/And laughing eyes and simple ways.../
A smile crept to the rosette as she rested her head against the chest of her tall lover. His lips next to her ear as he whispered sweet nothings, the sun rising over the village hidden in the leaves.
"Kashi-chan... I... um...hmm..."
His dark orb blinked as he took a soft grasp of her chin and tilted her face to look at him.
"Just ask..."
His tone was so gentle, causing Sakura's face to flush.
"If, or when, we have a child..."
Her eyes shifted slightly to the roof top, it was an odd subject for her to bring up with her normally silent lover.
"Tetsu..."
The silver-haired jounin replied quietly.
"It was my father's name..."
Sakura blinked, she remembered him talking about his father to her, she knew the pain attached to the name, but apparently he wanted it to be something of good again.
Her hand reached up and tangled in those messy silver locked as he placed a sweet kiss on the tip of her nose.
"You can choose the girl's name."
The rosette laughed quietly at that, there was a sharp interrupting noise as Sakura turned to look at deep cobalt eyes.
"Come on lovebirds, Obaasan issued us a c-rank mission."
The kunoichi quickly flared in anger, glaring at her before her right hook was quickly administered to Naruto's cheek.
"Show respect to Tsunade-shishou!"
The rosette huffed before heading for the roof stairs.
It was that day...that mission. Sakura sobbed harder, her body shaking from the slight temperature drop from the weather. It was meant to be a clean, easy c-rank supply delivery mission. But there was an ambush, the three were caught completely off-guard by very well trained sound ninja, fifteen in total. The enemy nin attacked in three waves.
By the end of the second wave, the three were low on chakra. Kakashi had a deep and large wound to his left side, Naruto suffered only from a broken shoulder and Sakura had kunai wounds as well as a broken ankle and a twisted wrist.
One of the nin from the third wave managed to strike Kakashi as the silver-haired Jounin hit him with the Chidori. The sound nin's hit was to that gaping wound and as the nin fell dead from Chidori, the kunai lodged with in the copy-nin tore out a few vital organs.
"KAKASHI!"
That scream echoed in Sakura's mind as she yanked at her ears, trying to get the images, the noises, the last breaths out of her head.
Pulling Kakashi into her lap, the sun shone down on the two as she leaned her back on a tree trunk. She managed to kill the final sound nin, Naruto having killed the other two, since Kakashi got two from the third wave.
The Kyuubi vessel rested on the opposite side of the tree, seeing as he wanted to let Sakura have Kakashi's final moments alone. Drained of all the chakra she could use, she managed to keep him alive a few moments longer and felt hopeless that was all she could do as he heaved his last heavy breaths.
/And quiet nights and gentle days with you... Memories.../
A shaky smile played of his lips as his blood coated hand moved up to play in her rose pink tresses, her tears falling like rain on his face.
"Thank you... My sweet and gentle little blossom..."
His tone was quiet as his hand slipped from her hair and she gasped, sobbing heavily as he passed from her. She was going to ask him what he was thankful for, but.. it was too late now. Her hand lifted to his eyes, sliding them closed as her sobs grew violent.
"Why..."
She bitterly slipped out anyway, her fingers clinging to her dead love. Hours passed and her cries subdued, but there she remained, her fingers combing through his blood coaxed silver locks.
"I wanted to tell you... When we got back around this time..."
Jade hues fell to Kakashi's quiet face.
"I'm pregnant..."
She whispered to him.
"Tsunade told me a few days ago, I am about two and a half months in.. I'm due mid-september..."
A sobbing chuckle came from her as she continued to watch his cold face.
"Remember when we thought I had a cold... because of the sickness in the early morning?"
The tears began to fall again as her hand moved to rest on her stomach, where, as a medical nin, she could feel the new chakra flow.
About nine months had now passed and Sakura lay on the medical bed, her nails baring down damage to Naruto's poor, defenseless arm. Her belly was abnormally large for just one child, but when Tsunade examined her, Sakura demanded that all be hushed, not even the gender was to be told to her.
"You are set, now, Sakura push!"
The hokage's voice commanded as she stationed herself to deliver the child. Sakura's voice grew ever loud as she pushed, blood oozing from the puncture wounds on her poor teammate's arm. A few pushes later and the child was free, quickly passing the child to Shizune, who snipped the cord and proceeded off to clean it.
Tsunade called to Sakura to continue pushing.
"Twins?"
Her tone was more jovial then frustration and as she pushed, tears fell heavily down her cheeks.
/Pressed between the pages of my mind... Memories.../
"Two very handsome boy, Sakura-chan.."
Hinata's honey-like voice slipped into Sakura's ear as her close friend placed the two beautiful boys in her arms. She quickly placed a kiss on the forehead of each, a set of tears dripping on the head of the boys.
"If you were here... I'm sure even you would have cried..."
Sakura said softly, only the two children heard. Her green eyes made a glance to the child in her left arm, the one whom was older and gazed back at her with the same jade hues.
"Hatake.. Tetsu."
The her orbs shifted to the little one in her right arm, the younger whose inky black eyes were gazing in return.
"Hatake... Kashi."
/Sweetened thru the ages just like wine.. Memories.../
Just as the rain reached the memorial, Sakura felt none of the cool escape she desired, instead, a black umbrella covered her from the liquid. Her jade irises glanced up to find dark eyes staring back and Sakura's heart raced before she began to see the differences, for one, he lacked a mask. Two, his sliver bangs clung to the sides of his face while the long locks in back were pulled into a high pony tail.
"Okaasan... Come back home now, Tetsu and I don't want you to fall ill, and I'm sure, neither does Otousan."
His look fell to the stone memorial, specifically the name Hatake Kakashi. But before he could look back to Sakura, she grabbed her six-year old son into a hug.
"Okaaaaaaaasaaaaan..."
Kashi whined as she let go, fresh tears dancing on her cheeks. Tetsu, whom was stationary beside Naruto under his umbrella, just shook his head, combing his fingers through his short silver tresses before he rubbed his nose under that black mask.
"That's why I send him to her..."
A laugh came from both men as Tetsu's green hues watched the approach of his mother and Kashi. His younger sibling just gave him a soft glare. Sakura froze mid-stride to look back at the memorial, a small smile coming to her lips as the rain pelted against her body, but the sun snuck out just to shine on the black stone memorial.
"You're welcome..."
She whispered, now finally understanding his last words.
/Memories... Sweet memories.../
Author notes: I had a lot of trouble writing this... only because I have ADD... It's my first Naruto fic, but I am a veteran fanficer. just hated my old account. laughs I really rather like the way it came out... I think I'm going to draw Tetsu and Kashi...After.. I get done with all my other commissions... because I like to torture myself...
But anyway... Please don't kill me.. and please.. review..
Oh.. and yes, Sasuke is dead. Why? Because I kind of really don't like him...
And Kakashi's last words... He was saying thank you to Sakura, who was the blooming cherry blossom in his life and brought to him only happiness, even in his final few moments. She finally got that after almost seven years... And this is why Ino called her a late bloomer... sighs I only like Sakura when she is older... and in the pairing of SakuraKakashi. hehe