The sunlight coming in sheets through the blinds over his only tiny window softly lay on his face, awaking him from a dreamless slumber. He only stirred enough to feel a weight on his arm and it took his brain a few seconds to recall why.

The pink-haired beauty was still asleep, her eyelids delicately closed and lips parted ever so slightly. The man appraised her relaxed face with old eyes, appreciating her everything as best he could in these stolen moments. He brought his hand up to rest it on her pink cheek, but the light caught it, making his palm shimmer strangely. His sluggish memory finally remembered.

Glitter.

The copy ninja chuckled inwardly, a sound no one else but she has ever really heard as fragments of last night fell into place…

"Forehead! Let me do it!" Ino growled at Sakura as she chased her around the bedroom.

"For the last time, no! It's not something I would do. It's not me."

"Oh, give it up already. You wouldn't have invited me over to help you get ready if you didn't want my input. This party is one of the biggest in Konoha! Everyone will be there!"

I can think of one ninja who won't.

Sakura sighed and stopped running, stepping up to the full-length mirror that hung on the wall just inside her bedroom door. Her emerald eyes roamed the curves of her body, tightly fitted in a long pale blue dress, scrutinizing it until she felt even worse. How could she possibly feel like a million bucks if everyone saw those blatant flaws?

Ino was oblivious to Sakura's inner turmoil.

"Besides, you have all the boys to please. Let me do this. It'll catch their eye and before you know it, you'll have a line of them just waiting to get that midnight kiss," Ino told her as she came up behind with the bottle at the ready.

Sakura caved miserably. Ino was wrong about one thing, but perhaps changing some things up wouldn't hurt. And maybe it would make her feel better for everyone to be focused on her hair after all. At least her body wouldn't be the thing sticking out.

"Fine, pig. Just do it," Sakura muttered in defeat. Ino squealed with delight and went to work with the bottle, combing the substance through her rosy locks. Sakura had to admit it did liven things up considerably and her mood seemed to climb a few rungs on the ladder.

Perhaps this night won't be such a waste after all.

"Sakura, don't be such a cow, we're going to be late if you keep up that pace," Ino scolded from further up the street.

Sakura didn't pay her any mind as she strolled at a gentle pace through the lit up stands. Konoha was chilly around this time of year, although still extremely pleasant. Strings of lights hung between houses and shops, creating the illusion that the stars had come closer, sometimes begging to be kissed and held. A small smile came to her lips.

It wasn't her favorite holiday of the year, although she couldn't really remember the last time she got excited about one. All Hallows Eve was cute while she was still no taller than her mother's waist, but those years had long since passed. She wasn't a child anymore. She was a woman – a powerful kunoichi capable of things her parents experienced only in nightmares. Holidays had slowly begun to lose their meaning to her as she grew older and with more responsibilities to the village. They were just days to her, nothing special.

But this night was different. It was an iconic moment in the world of shinobi, as well as a time of remembrance. It meant you had survived another year and you were going to see the next – as long as you didn't drink yourself to death before midnight, which was a possibility among some of the other Jounins she knew.

Ino trotted back to her and linked their arms, leaning to whisper into her ear.

"You better not be a pain tonight," she said.

Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Thank you, for the vote of confidence. No, I won't need a babysitter. I can handle myself. And I won't cause you any problems."

"God, I hope not. You can't act like you did at that party we had to celebrate Kiba's Jounin status or it will surely be the death of me," Ino lamented as if that piece of her social life had died miserably.

Sakura cringed at the memory she had buried under all of her other embarrassments. She had gotten a little eager with the sake and her lack of inhibitions propelled her to make out with the new Jounin before insulting him on the fact that he smelled like wet dog. Her choice words had not been delicate, to say the least.

The pair of friends waltzed into the large home hosting the big event and they were immediately greeted by fellow ninja. Naruto and Sasuke sat together on a sofa in the corner of the living room and summoned the two over.

Naruto stood to give Sakura a hug and she kissed him on the cheek.

"What's up with your hair?" he blurted before even uttering a hello.

Sakura blushed and glared sidelong at her blond-haired companion who pretended to ignore the exchange. Naruto chuckled.

Sasuke remained seated with his typical straight-faced expression, looking less than pleased and ready to kill something. Sakura leaned down and quickly pecked him on the cheek as well. He tried to dodge it, but she was getting too good at it. He wiped his face with his hand in disgust. Ino gave her a stare demanding what she was trying to accomplish, but she needn't worry – Sakura's feelings for the Uchiha had died a few years back after Naruto and his team rescued him from his stupidity. She was attracted to someone else now, although he was perhaps not much better in the realm of expressing emotions.

"Where's Asuma? And Kurenai? I thought they said they'd be here," Ino asked after picking through the finger food on the coffee table and selecting a modest piece of cheese.

"They had their baby boy early this morning – Tsunade stayed late at the hospital specially for it. I guess you didn't get that news 'cause you were too deep in your dress planning for this party all day," Naruto teased. Ino grabbed his ear and tugged until he begged for mercy.

"That's great," Sakura said happily. Not many ninja got to a stage where they could maintain a relationship let alone get married and have a child.

I bet Asuma's having a rough time figuring out what to do with his profession now that he's got another loved one in the house. The last thing either of them needs is for him to go out on a mission next week and get himself killed.

"Speaking of sensei's, did anyone badger Kakashi into coming tonight?" Naruto inquired.

"He won't show," Sasuke offered flatly, stabbing blocks of cheese with a toothpick.

"I didn't," Sakura murmured, trying to keep the sadness from her voice. "Sasuke's right – I doubt he'll come. He never does to these sorts of things."

Naruto shrugged.

"I guess, but this one is the most important one, besides us finally earning those damned green vests. He's just got to come. Everyone else is here."

Naruto's justification was interrupted by a certain caramel-haired Jounin. He leaned down between Ino and Sakura and gave them both noisy kisses on their cheeks. Ino giggled when he winked down at her, his charm on full blast.

"Enjoy your night, ladies," Genma said smoothly before grabbing a glass from the table and swaggering away.

Sakura picked at the already chipping chartreuse paint on her nails, unaffected by Genma's unexpected appearance. She didn't want his kisses. She desperately wanted someone else's.

Murmuring something about wandering into the kitchen to get drinks, she pushed herself up from the soft chair and ambled down the hallway, weaving through the laughing, merry people. She would be happier too, if only she could see a certain someone tonight.

Seeing him in public would be a disaster – you know that. Secrets are kept secrets for a reason; the last thing you need is for everyone to know about –

In losing her mind, she tripped over the small step that lead up into the kitchen and fell into someone. They didn't budge with her weight, but she completely died by the humiliation clawing through her stomach.

This would be my way to go. Nothing heroic or legendary like most ninja ended up doing. No, just let me suffocate in my embarrassment.

"Damn feet, I'm so—"

The words retreated down her throat in shock and tied up her voice box with it when she glanced up.

"Sorry? It's all right. I'm glad I stopped you from falling."

Sakura gulped audibly and she could see his lips twitching with amusement under that blasted mask, although his eye gave him away completely. A strange look crossed over his face, though, and he ran a hand through her hair as if to inspect it. Unpermitted shivers shot down her spine and she clenched her hands into fists, keeping herself composed against the unnaturally pleasant feeling he gave her with just his presence.

"Glitter?" he asked after he analyzed his hand. "You don't need glitter. Your hair is perfect as it is. Ino did it, didn't she?" he rumbled.

Sakura realized no one could really hear them nor read his covered lips; so he could say just about anything he wanted.

Torture.

Sakura nodded and regained the ability to speak.

"I didn't think you'd come," she murmured up at him.

"I know," he replied softly, "but I had to see you."

"You couldn't have waited until later, when we wouldn't be around people? This could be catastrophic! Everyone is here!" she hissed low at him, her anger rising. She knew she couldn't control herself around him and neither could he around her. So why did he choose tonight to be an insufferable idiot and not think straight?

Unmoved by her verbal slap, he made to brush past her, which left her stomach to drop in fear – but then he bowed his head so that his lips were near her ear and he whispered, "Then let's go."

His hands in his pockets in the most impressive display of boredom she had ever seen, he strode away through the crowd, wholly unnoticed except by those who greeted him with a mere head nod, to which he reciprocated the action. Sakura hurriedly went back into the living room to fib to Ino she wasn't feeling well and that she was going back to her apartment.

"Do you want me to come with you?" she asked.

"No, no, I'll be fine. Must be something I ate. It'll be okay."

Sakura tried so hard to remain calm, but his face had thrown forward so many recent, lovely memories she could hardly contain herself.

Keeping a safe distance from the silver-haired man, she sauntered after him with faux aimlessness down the moonlit street until she reached his door. She'd just barely made it up to the threshold when he threw open the door, spun her in, and closed it all at once.

She gasped against him in the dark of his tiny flat, his arms holding her close, her cheek pressed into the rough fibers of his plain black shirt.

"How long are we going to keep doing this?" she whispered, clinging to him.

"I don't know," he murmured back.

"Until we feel like everyone is ready to accept it?"

"Perhaps," he replied into her hair, coughing when he took in a breath. "This glitter is going to get everywhere."

"Yeah. Sorry about that. You can blame Ino."

"You look beautiful tonight."

Sakura closed her eyes and exhaled slowly as his nose played at her throat, nuzzling the delicate skin there.

"You always look so beautiful."

For all she wanted, she could hear him talk like that forever, complimenting her in that low tone of his.

Suddenly, it all made her shake her head with a wry smile.

"How did this happen?" she breathed.

"Do you want to stop?" he asked, his lips hovering. Restrained. Testing.

"Never. I just…can't believe it sometimes. In the best way. There's so much more to you than I ever thought before."

She could feel his smile against her throat, his mask bunched up under his chin, his warm lips giving her goose flesh.

Never would I have thought I'd be here, doing this, right now with my former sensei.

She gasped as he hiked up her dress, his cool fingertips splaying over her thighs, teasing her skin, her control.

Wrenching his head away from her neck, she kissed him feverishly. With pleasure, he matched her ardor and soon they were lost in each other.

"I hope she's feeling okay," Ino said as it neared midnight. The excitement in the room was palpable and invigorating, although Sasuke seemed to disagree. Ino grabbed three champagne glasses from the tray Choji was parading around with and passed two of them to her companions.

"I wonder if she's doing anything to celebrate by herself," Naruto commented, receiving the bubbly glass with care.

"She's probably doing something boring like sleeping. You know her – she's not really one for big deals anymore," Ino replied, watching the clock like a hawk.

"Oh my God," Sakura moaned, clamping her nails into his bare muscled back. "Oh my God!"

He pressed his lips against hers hard, keeping his rhythm easily. Neither of them cared about what time it was – all that mattered was what was happening right now.

"Kakashi, I-I… Oh, God…Kakashi!"

"Sakura," he panted through gritted teeth as he slammed into her finally, the release rippling pleasure through his entire body.

Right then, everyone cheered, the countdown finished and the New Year begun. Ino toasted everyone around her, smirking at some of the kissing couples, some of them unexpected.

Ino genuinely did want Sakura to feel better, but really she was glad she wasn't there to screw up her evening.

Sakura pressed her sweaty forehead to his and smiled. He mirrored her.

Can I just curl up and live in that grin? Why do you have to be so goddamn handsome?

She kissed him languidly as he laid them both down on the bed, still connected. Still one.

Her head rested on his chest and she heard his heartbeat gradually slow. With barely half a mind, she tugged on the sheets and covered them as best she could, not really caring but knowing it would feel better come morning.

She sighed dreamily, getting comfortable and staring at Kakashi's unnaturally relaxed, naked face, knowing for a fact she wouldn't ever get tired of waking up to the view.

Please…let this never end.