Sometimes it was lonely being a witch. Sakura lived in a cabin far enough away from the village that they wouldn't bother her. They didn't hate her, not like they used to. Most of them were wary of her, though. Only a few came by for potions and medicine. But even they didn't stay that long. She wouldn't call them friends either. Just customers.

In Sakura's long life she'd only had a couple people she'd call friends, Ino and Naruto. They were both witches like her, but they lived far away and only visited every few years. Her master had travelled overseas and she hadn't seen her in decades. She missed them. Their companionship.

Sakura had things to entertain her, her spells and potions that she mixed. She liked to baby the small garden she had outside that grew her herbs and vegetables when she got bored. She was feeling like that now and thought it would be a good distraction from her depressing thoughts, so she went outside. It was late evening and she noticed with a smile that the full moon was already peeking out from behind some clouds.

She had just turned on her water when she saw her scarecrow's arm was torn, probably from the crows. She sighed and went back inside for her needle and thread. She patched him back up and stood back to look at him for other tears. He was getting old and she worried she might have to make herself a new one pretty soon. The black ribbons she had used for his "hair" had faded and were closer to a grey now and his tan fabric had paled to an almost white. He had a lot of stitched up tears from over the years, the one that stuck out the most was the vertical one that went down his left eye – a red bead. His smile still stayed though despite the years and Sakura found that oddly comforting.

Sakura went back to her garden, but her eyes kept drifting towards the scarecrow as an idea rolled around in her head. With a sudden idea, she ran back into her house and grabbed the necessary ingredients along with her spellbook and candles.

After drawing the star around his stick in the ground, she lit her candles; red for love and purple for spirit. She burnt some holly for protection and cut a small hole in the scarecrow's chest with her dagger, sticking a hematite stone inside. She took a deep breath and knelt to the ground in front of him. Then, chanted with her eyes closed, "Mother Goddess lend me your light and power on this faithful night. I call upon you to give this vessel a brain, heart, and soul. May he take on the body of a mortal under this full moon. I humbly ask for you to grant me this gift of companionship. So mote it be."

Sakura kept her head bowed and eyes shut. She focused on the energy around her as she breathed, feeling that familiar warmth in herself as she reached out to place her hand on the scarecrows leg. The scarecrow felt hot under her touch and she could feel the air around her humming. She smiled in thanks, knowing her wish had been granted.

When she opened her eyes, a man stood before her. His hair looked like silver spikes and he had a scar that ran through his red eye. He smiled crooked at her, dressed in the black cloak Sakura had made for him. He was her scarecrow.

She grinned back at him, happier than she had been in a long time. She told him with her heart pounding in her chest, "Your name is Kakashi."

He nodded and tilted his head at her. He replied in a smooth voice, "Thank you, Sakura."

Kakashi was an interesting man. She was relieved that he didn't have a bland personality. It seemed like fate had dealt him random characteristics. He was charming and kind, but also sarcastic and goofy. He had the mentality of a twenty-eight-year-old man, matching Sakura's age in human years – witches aged a lot slower than humans, probably why many of them thought they were immortal. It was strange how he was intelligent but everything was also new to him. He learned quickly though and didn't get as confused as often as the months went by.

Sakura found out he liked to read, so she made sure to go to town and buy him a few books every now and then. He helped her with her magic where he could, but he preferred to be outside – she guessed it was because of his former life. He had a fondness for a wolf that would sometimes pass by their cabin. She'd offered to domesticate it for him so he could have a pet, but he'd shrugged her off saying seeing him every now and then was enough.

Sakura had worried at first that he'd be unhappy with his new life. Maybe he'd preferred being a scarecrow or maybe she wasn't good enough company to have for the rest of his life. But he never mentioned anything and seemed content with her. He was fond of her. He stayed close beside her, though she told him he didn't have to and could relax in other parts of the house. Over the course of a year, he became more comfortable with her and would sometimes reach out for her. He would pull her against his side if they were relaxing by a tree or hold her close at night as they slept.

Sakura was happy. She not only finally had someone in her life, but she also liked him. But with that feeling, also bred fear and worry. She didn't specify details in her spell, so she wondered if he would live as long as she would or maybe he would die at a human age. He'd cut himself with a knife on accident before so she knew he healed after being injured. He wasn't fragile like a scarecrow, something she'd made sure of in her choice of ingredients for the spell.

So, she burned a message to her old master in the fire place in hopes she would have some insight. She replied three days later and Kakashi brought the singed letter to her while she was working in the garden. She opened it anxiously and read:

Sakura, how many times have I told you not to play with life? As for his lifespan, since you are his creator, he should live as long as you do. But Sakura, do you realize what you've done? Kakashi's life will be devoted to you and he will forever be attached to you. He will crumble to hay without you. I understand how lonely you must be with my travelling, but I hope you understand the severity of what you've done. I'm worried. How are you going to handle this?

· With love, Tsunade

Sakura frowned and looked to her left where Kakashi was trimming the rose bushes. He smiled warmly at her when he caught her eye and she asked him softly, "Kakashi, will you go get me some parchment, a quill and ink?"

"Of course," he replied and went back into the cottage. When he returned, he handed them to her with a crease between his eyebrows. "Is something wrong, Sakura-chan?"

She shook her head and dipped the quill in the black ink. "No, don't worry, Kakashi. Everything is fine."

He stared at her for a second like he wasn't sure he believed her, then went back to the roses. Sakura let out a deep breath, before she wrote simply:

Then, I shall devote my life to him in return.

A few nights later, the conversation was still running through her head and she asked Kakashi as they laid down in the bed, "Kakashi, are you happy?"

He looked at her confused. "At the moment?"

"Like in general."

He looked off to the side as he considered the question and then back to her with a smile. "I would say so."

Sakura rested her head on the pillow beside his. "You don't resent me for giving you life?"

He frowned at her and put a hand to her cheek in the dark of the room. "Of course not."

She smiled under his touch, the warmth of his hand and how his calloused thumb stroked across her cheek. She was quiet for a minute as she stared into his mismatched eyes, then told him, "You're going to live as long as I do and won't be able to survive without me. Do you…still not resent me?"

He gave her a soft smile. "Mah, by your side sounds like a wonderful way to live." Then, he leaned forward and surprised her by planting a kiss on her lips.

When he pulled away and saw her wide eyes, his eyebrows pulled together and he asked her nervously, "Was that wrong? I read about it in a book and thought…"

Sakura couldn't help but laugh and she shook her head, moving to rest her head on his chest. "You understand emotions, don't you, Kakashi?"

He hugged her closer to him and answered, "Yes."

She smiled against him and assured him, "Then, it's alright."