Konoha Sunset

The orange glow of the sunset fell over the village of Konohagakure and landed the back of Kakashi Hatake, one of its most elite Shinobi. With his hands in his pockets, he stood at the epitaph displaying the names of past Leaf Shinobi and Kunoichi. Inscribed on the cold black marble, the names of his past comrades were displayed. One of these names was his sensei who eventually became the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, more commonly known as the Yellow Flash. His peers were also listed. Obito Uchiha and Rin Nohara's names were right next to each other. Three names above the name of his sensei, there was the name of the legendary White Fang; his father Sakumo Hatake.

While it was customary for Kakashi Hatake to make it a point to drag himself away from his incredibly fast-paced life as a Shinobi and visit the epitaph at least once a month, he suddenly found himself in this very spot for the fourth time in just five days. The only reason he was not here yesterday was because he was sent out on a mission with his eternal rival, the Odd-Beast of a man named Might Guy.

What made this time different was because he was not staring at this black marble to mourn the dead. He was here to consult them. He was here to think.

It is extremely rare that Kakashi is posed a question and is stumped. This time was that rare instance. The question had him entirely lost on his search for some form of an answer. The question he was asked was brought up a week ago by Shizune, the secretary and aide of the Fifth Hokage.

Kakashi had just completed the easiest mission of his life that mostly took place in the southern Land of Fire. Accompanying him on this mission was his star-pupil; Naruto Uzamaki. Tagging along as well were Team Eight Shinobi Kiba Inuzuka and Hinata Hyūga. The mission was to simply escort a family of seven from Konohagakure to a smaller oupost town in the southern Land of Fire. While the elite Jonin and the Leaf's "Number-One-Hyperactive-Knucklehead-Ninja" could have completed the mission themselves, Tsunade insisted Hinata and Kiba assist them. The family comprised of one man and seven children, so in case one child got lost, Naruto's Kage-Bushin jutsu, Hinata's Byakugan, and the combined noses of Kiba and Akamaru could find the child quickly with no worry. Besides, it was a slow week for missions. No current assignments were worthy of Kakashi having to use his full talents. The nation was finally enjoying a time of true peace that few villages have ever experienced.

Ehen they entered the Hokage's mansion to report the success of the mission, Shizune posed an interesting question to Kakashi. Not just any ordinary question, but it was the very question that Kakashi was standing in front of the memorial pondering about for basically the entire week.

"You're one of the most respected and one of the strongest Shinobi in the village. You matured Naruto who has quickly become one of the most admired youths, and became within a hair of becoming a Hokage. You've never failed a mission, and you're world famous." She laughed. "What's next for you? Starting that family?" she laughed.

Kakashi rubbed the back of his head and laughed. "Well- I mean… uh."

He was going to leave it at that. Naruto, by simply being Naruto, did absolutely nothing to help Kakashi in this awkward the situation.

"Kakashi-sensei a father!?" Naruto yelled as he wrapped his arm roughly around his sensei's neck. "'ttebayo! Can I be their sensei!?"

The entire room laughed as Kakashi's face turned the brightest shade of red possible.

While Shizune posed her question primarily as a joke, Kakashi has never given much thought to the next move of his life. For being praised as such a skilled battle tactician, when it came to his own personal life, he realized he was suddenly clueless. At the current moment, he had no feelings for any woman, nor had he known of any woman having feelings for him. If he lived long enough to retire from the battlefield, as few Shinobi have ever been able to do, he had no idea what he wanted after that point. He honestly had a hard enough time deciding what he wanted for breakfast. If he had a daughter, would he allow her to be a Kunoichi ? If he had a son, what would he tell him?

The voice of Minato-Sensei filled his mind. "Fathers do tend to have a lot they want to say to their sons."

Kakashi realized that he would have nothing totell his son. He would have nothing to tell his wife either. He never felt the need to give rise to these thoughts before. Before this week, these thoughts would briefly enter his mind. Now, he found himself actually thinking and entertaining the idea of a wife and children. The thought wasn't scary to him, it was just- new.

He was far from panicking, and surely wasn't worried about his love life. Yet he found it troubling that he couldn't seem to figure out this aspect of his life. After all, this was the only aspect of life he had yet to figure out. He couldn't plan this out like it was a mission. He was thinking of uncharted territory. He knew all too well that experience was the best teacher for this type of situation. After all, the Jonin in his class and age range seemed to have a broad idea of it. Asuma and Kurenai were having a child that was due anytime now. Guy was… Guy preferred alcohol and loose women, but that was strictly between Kakashi and Guy.

"Hey, Kakashi." He heard.

He was derailed from his train of thought by a cool female voice. He turned found himself needing to use his hand to shield his eyes from the bright orange sunset. He recognized the girl as Shizune.

"Hi there, Shizune." He replied.

He returned his focus to the names etched upon the black marble. The orange glow of the sunset began to uncomfortably reflect back off of the epitaph and into his eye. He resisted the urge to ask Shizune "What are you doing here?" She was at an epitaph. It was obvious why she was here.

She walked next to him and also stared at the names etched on the black marble. The ensuing silence was an awkward one. Just when he was about to speak and end the awkwardness, she created conversation on her own.

"I've been trying to come here for the past few days. Every time I've been here you were here." She told him. "I didn't want to interrupt you."

"Sorry about that." He apologized.

Shizune sighed. "Don't worry about it. I figured you wanted a minute alone so I gave it to you."

"Thanks. I appreciate it." Kakashi said.

Shizune placed her knee on the soft grass and placed her hand over a name. Kakashi couldn't make it out, the name being near the very bottom. She then returned back to her normal standing position and sighed. "You're here a lot more than usual. Something you need to talk about, Kakashi?" she asked in the most polite tone she could muster.

Kakashi saw this coming.

"Uh, nothing. Just doing some deep thinking." He said with a smile. He unconsciously began scratching the back of his head in awkwardness, as was his habit he unfortunately picked up from his blonde-haired student.

Shizune smiled. "You sure, Kakashi?"

Kakashi contemplated actually talking to her about it. She seemed like she could keep a secret. But no. He refused. Kakashi was always fond of his solitude, and he would figure his next move the same way he solved all of his other previous problems. "No need. Just uh… thinking of the future and all."

Shizune seemed to know what Kakashi was thinking about. "Really?" she smiled. "I understand. You need to know whether you want to settle down or not and who you're going to do it with."

Kakashi cursed himself for not leaving upon her arrival. He must have let it slip with his previous statement. "What gives you that idea?" he asked.

"It's written all over your face!" she pointed at Kakashi's face and flashed her biggest possible smile.

Kakashi cut his eye at her. The only thing visible on his face was his right eye. That was it. How could anything be written on his face? He sighed and turned his face back to the epitaph. Realizing that Shizune wouldn't let go of the matter at hand. He decided to open up. If only for a minute.

"I'd be lying if I said it didn't have anything to do with what you told me after my previous mission." He told her, an uneasy feeling boiling in the pit of his stomach.

He then looked at Shizune. Her face was not the same as it was moments ago. A look of genuine sadness was on her face. It was a canvas painted with confusion and odd loneliness. Kakashi could sympathize with what he called "odd lonliness." He was always in the company of a powerful Konoha Jonin, a disciple of the legendary Lady Tsunade, and was frequently flanked by Konoha's "Number-One-Hyperactive-Knucklehead-Ninja." He realized that he never really was alone. He just always felt alone.

"I didn't know I'd spark such thoughts, Kakashi." She said, staring at the epitaph to avoid the gaze of the white haired ninja to her right.

"I had no idea that you would either." He replied, turning his eyes back onto the black marble in front of him.

He'd imagine that Shizune was going through the same issue. After all, Shizune was basically bound to Lady Tsunade. Shizune had to have dreams, goals and ambitions outside of serving Lady Tsunade. However, for a reason unknown to Kakashi himself, she cast all of these things away in order to accompany Konoha's first female Hokage.

"No, I'm sorry. I attempted to use that as a bridge to a conversation to ask you something." As Shizune spoke, her face began to take on a look of shyness and timidness. "I mean, that wasn't the time or place for it, but… you know… " she trailed off.

Kakashi closed his eyes and thought. He figured that much out yesterday. Shizune wouldn't randomly ask him about a woman in his life without any ulterior motive.

"I'm guessing you were attempting to gauge my interest in you." Kakashi said, his eyes returning to the orange glow on the black marble. Shizune looked up at the man to her side. "After all, for years you've been chasing Lady Tsunade all around Land of Fire and keeping her out of trouble. At those times, you hadn't much time for a male companion. Now that we are in a time of relative peace and Lady Fifth isn't going anywhere anytime soon, you eventually had these thoughts cross your mind."

Shizune sat in stunned silence. Everything he said was true. She hadn't dated enough in her adolescence and early adulthood to warrant a "type" of man in her interests, but all that she knew was that Kakashi Hatake was definitely in it. Strong, yet gentle. Well known, yet humble. Well experienced, but still had a lot to learn. A natural-born leader, yet still knew how to follow. She had to pry her mind away from any shameful thoughts of him and her in a dark room together. Just the thought made her knees shake.

Kakashi then attempted to look at Shizune in a light that he never had before. Recently, he did this Anko Mitarashi. He found that she reminded him far too much of Naruto Uzumaki, his student. If he was to settle down with Anko Mitarashi, he would basically go home in the evenings to an older female version of a student of his that was always by his side in the daytime. There would be no escape from the blonde haired Shinobi.

Shizune on the other hand, was more level-headed. He viewed her as more complement to him. As he stared at her face, with the orange sunlight dancing across her smooth skin, he began to examine her further than he had ever done for any woman. The first thing he thought of was her submissive personality. Something about this seemed to excite Kakashi. While he considered himself to be a passive-aggressive companion, Kakashi always seemed to be attracted to a submissive personality, especially in a dark and empty room, doing… whatever adults did. Through all of his travels however, he can honestly say he never met a woman like Shizune. That wasn't to say she was a once in a lifetime companion, but she was just different from the vast majority of females he had ever met.

Kakashi swallowed his pride and ignored his steadily rising heart rate. "Shizune?"

Shizune replaced her look of shyness with one of genuine curiosity. "Um… yes Kakashi?"

Kakashi felt more awkward than he ever had in his life. Here goes nothing. "It's getting late. It's time for dinner. If you would like, we could continue this conversation over barbeque or something else of that nature." He asked with a smile.

He figured that he might as well start somewhere. None of his questions would be answered overnight. At least the long term questions. The short-term questions could be answered rather quickly.

"Oh my-" Shizune looked shocked. She was expecting to be the one to make her interest known. Yet one of the strongest and most handsome of men in Konoha asked for her company? On a date no less? "Yes, of course!" she managed to spit out.

She made a huge smile as her face turned the brightest shade of pink. Kakashi returned the smile and placed his hands in his pockets. He was about to turn and leave, until he found something tugging on his ankle. It was Tonton, her pet pig. He was almost wondering where it was, because it was very rare you would see Tonton or Shizune without the other. She was tugging at Kakashi's ankle, apparently trying to get him to move closer to Shizune. After realizing Kakashi would not budge, she then ignored him and began to tug at the hem of Shizune's clothing equally as hard trying to accomplish the very same task.

"oink oooooink!" Tonton pleaded.

Shizune knew exactly what her pet pig was trying to do. Tonton wanted the two to kiss. Shizune was pretty sure she would faint if her face got that close to Kakashi's "Oh, I'm so sorry!" she pleaded. "I don't know what's into her. Let me just-"

Shizune quickly and nervously bent down to pick up Tonton. As she had Tonton in her hands, Shizune lost her balance and fumbled her pet pig. She then fell into the wide-open arms of Kakashi Hatake in attempts to pick it up. The two stood together, their bodies close, lying in the other's embrace. Shizune's face could not possibly be pinker than it was now. It was the same shade of Sakura's hair. Was this a part of Shizune's plan? Or was this an act of sheer clumsiness? Or maybe Tonton was just too damn smart of an animal.

Kakashi wrapped his arms tightly around the body of Shizune. He wasn't sure what to do in this situation. Based on how red Shizune's face was, she didn't know either. The infatuation level was at an all-time high. Kakashi knew how cheesy the moment was, as opposed to romantic. Yet there was a woman in his arms. Where to now?

"Um… Well… Uh." He stammered to say.

Shizune's heart was going to beat out of her chest, she began to sweat. She needed to change her undergarments. She needed a shower. She was going to faint.

"Well, I'm sorry about this." Kakashi explained. "I think we should go and get that-"

Shizune's massive high on adrenaline got the best of her. "Just shut up and kiss me!" she begged.

Her left hand touched the mask of Kakashi Hatake and pulled it down and forced her lips to his. Kakashi had no time to react and protest, with both of his hands supporting the frail body of Shizune. Their wet lips rhythmically entwined with the other's in a euphoric embrace. Both Kakashi and Shizune pulled away from each other's lips before they began to take their intentions to the next level.

"KAKASHI-SENSEI!"

Kakashi quickly set Shizune on her feet and pulled his mask over his face. He looked, and against the orange glow of the setting sun, there was the orange youth that was his student. He was flanked by Sakura and Sai, the members of his team.

"Uh…" Kakashi stammered to say.

He looked at Shizune, expecting her to say something. She was dumbfounded at the kiss the two shared.

"Well, uh. I'll just be going now." She said nervously, but still grinning from ear-to-ear. "I'll have to go, erm… check something with Lady Hokage. Barbeque sounds good. OK! I'll see you later!" she rambled. She then ran off, leaving Kakashi Hatake in a coughing fit in her following cloud of dust.

"KAKASHI-SENSEI! What was that!?" Naruto yelled, demanding an answer. It's not every day you see your sensei lip-locking with the aide of the most powerful ninja in the village!

Kakashi smiled inwardly as he turned and looked at the black marble of the epitaph again. The two names that stood out amidst the orange light being reflected back into his eyes were "Minato Namikaze" and "Sakumo Hatake."

He could almost feel their presence and hear their words.

Minato-Sensei would place his hands on Kakashi's head as if Kakashi was his child. "Good job!" he would smile.

His father would put his arms around the shoulders of his son and look at him. "Ah, there's my boy. She's cute too!"

Kakashi smiled and placed his hands in his pockets and walked towards his new team that apparently he had to answer to.

"Sensei! What was that!?" Naruto screamed at him.

Kakashi laughed heartily. "I haven't the faintest idea of what you're talking about."

Sakura scoffed. "Certainly you aren't going to do something like that and not expect us to ask you about it!"

Kakashi shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know what you're talking about." He said as he walked past his three students.

Naruto watched as his sensei was walking away from him. "SENSEI! WE SAW WHAT HAPPENED HERE! YOU CANT HIDE FROM ME!"

Kakashi was walking to the village and held his hand high in the air. "I have absolutely no idea what you're referring to, Naruto. Maybe you're hallucinating again."

Naruto nearly burst a blood vessel. "I'm not hallucinating!"

Sai put a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Let Kakashi-Sensei have his moment. After all, it's not every day you see your very own sensei handle a woman as pretty as Shizune!" Sai smiled. "I bet he's heading off to a date with her right now."

"Oh a date you say?" Naruto smiled with an evil grin that could only mean one thing.

"Naruto, no!" Sakura ordered. "Don't you dare spy on Kakashi-Sensei!"

Naruto's evil grin stayed on his face. "I'm just gonna go check something out." With no further word, Naruto chased after Kakashi.

"NARUTO, NO!" Sakura yelled, and she gave chase to Naruto.

Sai's grin was as big as the very same one that was painted on the face of Kakashi Hatake moments earlier. "Just another day in Konohagakure. Never a dull moment."

He walked after his two comrades. The orange sun began to fall behind the horizon as the sun began to rest for the night, seemingly pleased with the events it witnessed.