Maybe if she'd stopped eating that damn ice cream, he wouldn't have noticed how soft her lips looked. Perhaps he wouldn't have been inclined to happen to stumble upon her in an impromptu meeting, a quick hello on his way to his real destination. Maybe he wouldn't have followed her like an obedient little puppy to the training grounds. Maybe he wouldn't have teased her about her blush, fatally letting her know he thought she was cute.

Yet, cute was such an innocent, simple word right? Little kids were cute. Puppies were cute. Stuffed animals were cute. If this were true, Kakashi surmised, then Sakura was drop dead gorgeous, as that described his affliction towards her much more than just cute. Of course, she had to take an extra step. Had to get too close for comfort. Still, he probably couldn't blame her too much. He was the one who had closed the gap between their lips. She'd still tasted of strawberry ice cream, yet he was sure she'd taste just as delicious without the extra flavor.

Maybe if she hadn't moaned deliciously into his mouth like that, he wouldn't have been inclined to unzip her shirt. Perhaps if she hadn't whispered his name in a sultry tone he knew she shouldn't know how to use against the opposite sex yet, he wouldn't have let her know just how much he was enjoying it too, a pleasured groan the final nail in the Kakashi's-going-to-hell coffin. Still, she was 21, old enough to make her own decisions, right? She could easily punch down a concrete wall, yet she made no effort to push him off. She'd even helped him slip out of that damn shirt!

Now he wasn't sure what he'd do in that situation anymore if it presented itself to him once more. It had led him to something he hadn't expected that day just a few short months ago. Still, as she shifted in her sleep, the sheets pooling around her bare waist, he couldn't help but think maybe he'd done something right for once. It had scared the shit out of him at first, yet when he thought about it, it didn't scare him as much. He wouldn't mind loving her. She already let him know she loved him every chance she got, with her words and more.

He slipped his arm around her waist and buried his face in the soft crook of her neck. She moaned slightly and peeked open one jade eye, a smile spreading across her pink lips.

"Good morning, Kakashi." she whispered and he pressed a gentle kiss against her skin in welcome. Yes, he loved this woman, more than anything before and more than anything to come. Now, as his kisses drew closer to her waiting mouth, he thought about the little black box resting in his nightstand table drawer. He wondered how she'd react. She loved him, he was sure of this much, but would she say yes? He allowed her tongue to glide against his, smiling inwardly.

"I love you." he whispered and she smiled warmly, the emotion in her viridian orbs rivaling the passion in his heart.

"I love you, too." she whispered back as he captured her lips once more.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Kakashi paced his living room nervously, the woman of his affections currently in the restroom. He'd actually cooked dinner that night, practically flooring the pink haired woman who had stuttered out a shocked, "It's delicious!" Now as he heard the sink running, he retook his place at the table, anxiously toying with the box in his pocket. He couldn't recall a moment where he'd been this nervous. And to think, the nerves sprouted from a pink haired woman with a temper and an incredibly cute blush.

She returned and sat across from him, noticing his far off stare though his eyes were fixed on her own. She tilted her head slightly to the side, her brow furrowing slightly in concern.

"Kakashi, are you alright?" she asked him and he seemed to snap from a trance.

"Oh, yes. Perfectly fine." he smiled, the simple action never ceasing to amaze the pink haired kunoichi. When his smile lit up his handsome face, she wondered why the hell he even wore a mask! Yet, she had to admit, it meant she was special, the only one who regularly saw his face. And a bit more than that, too...

Suddenly he stood and took their plates, stacking them in the sink, which she found odd since the stoic man was oddly clean, always immediatly washing dishes and such. This fueled her to believe something was wrong, or perhaps he was sick. She wouldn't put anything past the man who continually surprised her every day. She stood to walk to the kitchen before she practically smacked into his body. Had he been standing there a moment ago?

She was about to question him when he lifted her chin slightly and pressed his lips against her slightly parted ones. She allowed him to tenderly kiss her, though she couldn't do much else. Not when he was making her feel the wonderful things his kisses always brought about. He parted from her slowly, almost reluctant to leave her contact, before dropping down to one knee. Sakura stared at him, her thoughts stopped immediatly. What was he doing?

Kakashi rached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a little black box. Sakura immediatly felt the breath rush out of her as if she'd just been socked with one of Naruto's punches straight to the gut. She couldn't have spoken, even if she'd had words to say, so she stared at him. He opened the box before her to reveal a beautiful diamond ring, and her eyes widened as the impact finally hit her.

"Sakura, I love you more than anything." he said quietly, noticing the tears beginning to gather in her beautiful eyes. "Will you marry me?"

Sakura was a bit worried at first that she wouldn't be able to speak, but she nodded her head quickly.

"Yes..." she whispered in fear that her voice might fail her if she spoke any louder. She had never seen a brighter smile break across Kakashi's face as she let him slip the ring on her left ring finger, and tackled him in a hug the moment he stood. He laughed slightly at the delicate blush that spread across her features at her outburst of actions. Yes, if he had the choice, he wouldn't change anything that day. He still would have followed her like a lost puppy, and he still would have kissed her, as long as it ended like this.

But right now, it seemed the woman he loved, his wife-to-be, had her own ways of thanking him for the wonderful evening, and he wasn't protesting. He grinned happily as she took his hand and led him into the bedroom. And the rest, well, the rest was kept under lock and key.