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“That’s it, another year is over.”
“Almost over, Hokage-sama!”
The New Year’s Eve is already here! Another year over, and everyone was ready to greet the new one with a smile and a cheer.
In the Hokage tower, there was a party in full swing. After the war, with the nations tentatively reaching out to each other for peace, a new tradition was established: each of the shinobi nation leaders would choose a special occasion and they would host a celebration, as a gesture of good faith and communication between each nation. After all, the war had made them realize that they needed to come together in light spirits once in a while.
For the Land of Fire, the day to host their own party was on New Year’s Eve, and the Sixth Hokage had taken it upon him every year to satisfy his guests.
Let it be known, that Kakashi wasn’t overly social; in fact, if he were left alone in his own devices, he would probably spend the night away from prying eyes, alone with his beloved Icha Icha instead of mingling with Kages and daimyos and what have you, and the same could probably be said for his trusted advisor, Shikamaru. But as they both understood the importance of public relations, they had given their all to make this party as enjoyable as ever.
The Hokage Tower now had a huge hall that occupied half a floor, and it was reserved for occasions like this one. It was huge; there were no carpets on the marble floors, and yet the room radiated warmth. It was decorated with garlands and bits of mistletoe and a big Christmas tree, courtesy of Yamato. The walls were lined with tables full of delicious food and –the most important of all- a great assortment of drinks, for every palate. Cheery music was heard over people’s talking and laughing. All of the Kages attended, along with their chosen ones, the daimyos with their families and the figures of authority of every land; academy teachers, prominent shinobi, politicians, medics-they were all present, answering Kakashi’s call for a night of merriment.
“Hokage-sama?”
Kakashi’s musements were cut short by the Mizukage herself. Mei Terumi was a really striking woman, tall and imposing –and tonight she had outdone herself, dressed in a silver gown that accentuated her frame. She was waving her hand in front of Kakashi’s eyes, who had momentarily lost his focus.
Thinking of what, exactly?
“Hokage-sama, thank you again for inviting us-you are ever the gracious host!” she smiled at him, and he politely nodded his head in response.
“Please call me Kakashi” he admonished. He really didn’t like to be called Hokage. Hell, he’d pass the hat to Naruto today, if that were possible, but, alas…
“Very well, Kakashi it is” she laughed softly and extended her hand towards him. “Do you dance?”
Kakashi looked towards the door momentarily. She wasn’t here yet.
***
It was a well-kept secret, that Kakashi was pining for Sakura for a while. When had this all started? It was something that grew on him little by little; when he was appointed as the Sixth Hokage, he barely had the time to breathe outside his office, let alone see anyone apart from Shikamaru –an inevitable fate, as he was Kakashi’s advisor- and Gai, who occasionally dragged him out by force. For more than two years, he worked hard to restore everything that had been broken; the buildings, the properties, the people and their psyches. In that timeframe, Team 7 was taking their separate paths. Naruto stayed in the village, training hard to earn the ranks and prepare to inherit Kakashi’s title. Sasuke was pardoned and he left the village, seeking to absolve himself of the sins he committed while pursuing revenge. And Sakura…
Sakura actually asked for an extended leave, during which she travelled through all the shinobi nations, offering them medical knowledge and receiving specialized medical training from them in return. She actually turned into an ambassador of sorts; all the Kages sent word to Kakashi in time, thanking him for sending her to share her much-needed knowledge. Both Kakashi and Tsunade were immensely proud of her, especially Tsunade, who found a daughter in Sakura’s face.
When Sakura returned from her mission, she was already 20, and had turned into an impressive woman. Long gone were her insecurities; she was a woman proud of herself, one who carried herself with courage and dignity. She had returned, bright and happy and full of ideas on how to improve Konoha’s medical sector. As soon as she was appointed Head of the Konoha hospital by Tsunade, she immediately marched up to Kakashi, showing him her plans for a mental health clinic that would revolutionize the lives of shinobi, especially of the generations to come.
That was when Kakashi started working close with her. They were an interesting team, the both of them; Sakura challenged him and kept his vices in moderation, while he encouraged her to be vocal and reminded her to keep her temper in check in order to gain things. Soon, he started thinking about her; missing her when she wasn’t around; hoping she missed him just as much.
[And she actually did; but he didn’t know, or rather, didn’t believe that it was possible for a radiant woman like her to pine after a damaged, dark man like himself].
***
She wasn’t here yet, and it was already past nine.
But Mei’s hand was extended towards Kakashi in a silent invitation for a dance, and he would rather accept than cause an international incident. So he grinned and took her hand, leading her to a dance that prompted the rest of them to follow suit.
He actually received a barrage of compliments from Mei for his dance skills and his choice of clothing –Sakura had helped him choose this charcoal-grey suit; she even matched the black shirt with his mask, so he wouldn’t have to look odd(er than usual). But he had drawn the line when she suggested a haircut, and now his hair was unruly as ever, not defying gravity now that he had forgone his hitai-ate. It was annoying to blow the strands of hair off his face now and then, making him wonder if she was, again, correct). Then it was another dance partner (an ambassador from Suna); then another one (an advisor from Kumo), and after a few more dances, he was annoyed and out of breath. He could see orange among his guests; he could see purple, and red, blonde, black and white and brown, but pink wasn’t on his peripheral vision.
Where was she? It was already ten o’clock, when he decided to take a breath on the balcony. But he wasn’t alone there; Shikamaru was standing on the ledge, taking a drag from his cigarette. With his black suit and his hair out of a ponytail, he looked every bit like the clan heir that he was. He didn’t greet Kakashi with words; he only nodded at him, and Kakashi felt grateful for the silent companionship of the young man. But as he kept on looking anxiously at the door for Sakura, the Nara heir was prompted to talk.
“She won’t come, Hokage-sama”
For the sake of appearances, Kakashi had to feign ignorance. How did the damned child know what was on his mind? He was smart, but now he was probably bluffing.
“Sakura won’t make it, Hokage-sama.”, he kept on. “Or rather, she made it to the stairs while you were dancing with the Mizukage-but then her pager went off and she returned to the hospital. Something about an emergency. She told me she would try to return, but she wouldn’t bet on it.”
“I didn’t-”, Kakashi weakly opposed Shikamaru.
“You did”, he confidently retorted. Kakashi hated him for a short moment, for being so skilled in seeing through people.
“Sakura is my student, and I wish for her well-being. Just like Naruto’s and Sasuke’s” he attempted, while gesturing towards his boys, one of which was dancing merrily with Hinata and the other one was drinking quietly in a corner next to Shino.
Shikamaru tilted his head backwards and let out a ring of smoke towards the sky. “Sakura has always been more of Tsunade’s student than yours, and that’s how she managed to fall in love with you.”
Fall in love with-
“Me? I think you’re exaggerating-”
“-She’s spending every waking moment outside of hospital with you, Hokage-sama. Ino has been complaining about not seeing her in weeks. Naruto and Sasuke can’t drag her out of her house, yet she’s most of her time in your office, reading and eating with you. I don’t know about you, but I know that when a person dedicates their valuable time to be close to someone else, that means something.”
Kakashi turned to stare at the man, who mentally was much older than what his biological age indicated. “Is it that obvious, Shikamaru?”
The man in question nodded. “I know, for a fact. Sasuke is probably suspecting it, and Tsunade-sama is onto Sakura about it, but she seems to be in terms with the possibility”. While Kakashi was staring thoughtfully, Shikamaru pressed on. “Look, life is short and full of pain-and you know it better than anyone. Companionship and love, are rare and should be embraced. I don’t think you have to be alone for ever, if there’s someone worth pursuing. And Sakura is probably worth it.”
Sakura is probably worth it…
Shikamaru wasn’t wrong here, and Kakashi acknowledged his advisor’s emotional intelligence as much as his tactical intelligence.
“Does Temari know that you’re a good matchmaker?” he teased, enjoying the fact that Shikamaru’s face turned scarlet at the mention of his beloved.
“I…Do you keep a secret, Hokage-sama?” he asked, suddenly timid. Kakashi was intrigued.
“My lips are sealed”, he assured Shikamaru, who promptly unearthed a little black box from his pocket, showed it to Kakashi for a moment and then hid it back between the layers of his suit.
The mask barely concealed the big grin on Kakashi’s face. “When are you going to?”
“Tonight”, was the Nara heir’s reply. “When the year changes. That is the first thing I want to do when we walk into the new year. So, maybe you should do what you wish to do the most at that time-people say it’s good luck.”
He was right. Maybe for once, he should do something he truly wanted. Just as he opened his mouth to answer, a slim but strong hand fell on his shoulder.
In his frantic thinking, Kakashi hadn’t noticed that Tsunade was behind him, grinning as if she’d won a billion yen.
“Lady Fifth…”, Kakashi started, seemingly disappointed that the hand didn’t belong to her apprentice. It was so obvious in his gaze, that Tsunade burst into laughter.
“Don’t “Lady Fifth” me, Kakashi. It’s almost eleven, and it’s time for the Hokage’s speech before the New Year”.
Kakashi’s face fell. He had things that he wanted to do, but he also had things he had to do, and duty was above all. As he nodded solemnly, Tsunade grinned even wider and leaned forward, making her gown tighten even more. She was beautiful, dressed as she was in red; striking, even.
“I will replace you this time.”
Wait, what?
“I will replace you”, she continued. “I have a generic speech for this, and lots of drinks so that people won’t remember what I said. Shikamaru here will find an excuse for you if anyone asks. Just leave from here and go straight to her.”
Jumping off the second floor was no big deal for a shinobi, right?
“Oh, Kakashi?” Tsunade stopped him, before he leapt off the rails. “Slip down into your office. In the bookcase, third shelf, sixth book from the left-she loves it.”
Right below the grand hall, was Kakashi’s office, and the window was miraculously open. When he slipped in, he rushed to the bookcase. The third shelf was actually a cover; for behind it, there was a built-in bar with an assortment of bottles. Tsunade’s morning glory, most likely-why hadn’t he caught wind of this? Some of these bottles would be very useful during some mornings…
But, he regressed.
Behind the sixth book, there was a bottle of sake. It was a brand Kakashi didn’t know; but the bottle was adorned with pink blossoms, so…
For good measure, he rushed into the kitchenette that was adjacent to his office and retrieved some snacks –maybe she was hungry?
Looking at the clock, Kakashi saw that time was quickly dwindling. He had to rush, if he wanted to be with her before the year went out.
***
“Ah, happy new year…” Sakura mumbled, as she let her body drop onto the couch in her office. It was way past eleven already, and the crisis in the hospital had just ended. It wasn’t anything serious, to be honest; a little boy got wounded and was afraid. Sakura wasn’t meant to treat him tonight. She was invited to Kakashi’s feast, as a part of the Village’s authorities. She was dressed for the occasion (her emerald gown was striking; Ino had convinced her that she had to wear it, and she had even curled Sakura’s hair, chirping happily about how many hearts she’d break), and she was even going towards the hall, when her buzzer went off. Taru was her favorite kid from the mental health clinic, and he loved her to bits, too. So when he fell and hit, he cried out to the top of his lungs, asking for Sakura. So Sakura could only humor him and return to the hospital, to treat him and then console him until he fell asleep.
But this meant that she didn’t have enough time to go back, and that was a shame-she wanted to see everyone.
She wanted to see Kakashi most of them all.
Sakura knew in her heart, that Kakashi had steadily taken up space inside her, until she was only full of his presence. She, at first, sought his company only as someone whom she admired, someone with whom she felt comfortable enough. But in the course of five years, the admiration turned into a crush, that in time turned into something as deep as the sea and as strong as the earth. Something that she did not dare admit to him, fearing that he would stop gracing her with his time.
But that wasn’t a thought she should be doing in a solitary office, a little before the year changed.
Sakura sighed as she propped her feet on the couch. It was a tiring day, but at least she had food now, and sake. Tsunade had brought her two bottles earlier this evening, along with an assortment of food to munch on, since she’d miss the party. The ex-Hokage had to be there, more than she did anyway.
Just as she was filling a glass with sake, Kakashi’s voice sounded from the window.
“This couch seems comfortable enough” he noted, making Sakura almost topple over. She blinked a couple of times, for fear she was drunk and hallucinating.
“Kakashi? What are you doing here?” she asked, as he slipped in through the window, placing the things he carried along on her desk. She scooted over in the couch, making room for him to sit. He looked beautiful in the dimmed light of her office; that gray color was really becoming on him. “Don’t you have the speech to deliver? It’s almost-“
“It’s almost midnight Sakura. And I think…I think there’s nowhere else I should be”, he admitted. Her eyes widened, but he kept on. “Someone told me, it is good luck to start the new year with what you like to do the most.”
While saying these things, Kakashi had managed to walk up to her couch, and offer his hand for her to stand up. Sakura didn’t even register that she was up on her feet; she was that surprised.
“Do you want to know what I want to do the most, Sakura?” he asked, urging her to take a step towards him, and then another, his –ungloved- hand still holding onto hers.
Sakura must have answered, but in all this proximity, between the thumping of her heart and the dizziness she felt, she could barely remember doing so. But judging by the fact that he slipped a finger under his mask and slowly, tantalizingly even, slipped it down his face, she must have answered the right thing. But hell, her breath had hitched at the sight of him, and she could barely remember herself in all this, and-
“I want to have a kiss, Sakura. I’ve been thinking of your lips for a long, long time” he breathed out, as the hand that was busy with the mask was now caressing her cheek.
There was only room for one answer; the one that warranted Sakura’s lips pressing firmly against Kakashi’s warm ones. Sakura could distinctly hear a sigh escaping him, and she could only get closerclosercloser; she could only wrap her own trembling arms around him; she could only kiss and breathe life onto his lips, as literal fireworks rumbled farther away, heralding a new era.
How long were they kissing? Who knew? When their lips parted, just an inch or so, the fireworks were still going strong, and Kakashi was still holding onto Sakura’s hand. But she grinned widely, thinking about how this was, indeed, the best celebration she could have.
He didn’t press further; instead, Kakashi leaned down and let his forehead rest against hers. The chuckle that he let out was low and utterly delicious, Sakura thought.
“I didn’t like it that you would be alone tonight, and I thought…I thought you might be hungry” he said, explaining the presence of bottles and boxes on her desk. But eating was the farthest thing from her mind.
“I’m not hungry for that” Sakura chuckled, and Kakashi didn’t fail to notice the innuendo in her voice.
“Then, what are you hungry for?...”