Okay, couple notes right here. First off, I wrote this story a long time ago. I'm not really into this couple anymore. And it also explains why Anko is so... quiet and not-like-herself. She was never in the series when I began watching it, so I didn't really know what she was like, so she's not like herself. I know, I'm sorry. And I like to run with the idea that Kakashi has violet eyes. He's unique, so I thought maybe he could have unique eyes too, since they're so dark you can't really tell what color they are. Oh, and I know motorcycles are probably a little advanced for Konoha, and I don't think anywhere in Konoha has an ocean view, so I'm clearing that up now. I didn't know about that when I wrote the story, and I don't feel like changing it. Okay, I'm done now.

Dumpling shops and ocean views, all to say 'I love you'.

Anko strolled casually through the village, glancing occasionally at the shops lining the street. She didn't even really see them; she was too lost in her thoughts about her crush on her fellow Jounin: Kakashi Hatake.

She didn't know what made her crush on him; he was quiet, aloof, quirky, and perverted. He rarely even gave her the time of day, yet she loved everything about him.

She stopped and leaned against a building, sighing heavily. It didn't really matter anyway. He hardly knew she existed, and the few times he actually did pay attention to her, she was doing something stupid or embarrassing. This was just a childish crush, and she knew that's all it would ever be.

Closing her eyes, she started to doze off from lack of sleep when she felt a hand lightly tap her shoulder. Her eyelids flew open and she straightened up, grabbing the hand that had touched her. Turning around, she saw… Kakashi. His gray eyebrows were pulled together and his deep violet-colored eyes were filled with confusion.

"Anko?" he asked in his soft voice, a questionable tone tingeing it.

Anko dropped his hand and clamped her arms to her sides. "Hi Kakashi. What're you doing here?"

"Well, I saw you walking around and wondered if maybe you wanted to get something to eat with me. My treat." He kind of smiled, or at least Anko thought he did because his eyebrows separated and his right eye crinkled up.

"Ummm… sure, I guess so."

"Okay, come on then." He grabbed her hand and began dragging her down the street.

"Uh, where are we going?" she questioned, her pale cheeks changing to a deep scarlet at the realization that he was holding her hand.

He swiveled his head around and looked at her with his amethyst eyes. "It's a surprise. I think you'll like it." They suddenly turned down an alley and Kakashi faced her again. "Close your eyes." Anko squeezed her eyes tightly shut and felt Kakashi continue to drag her somewhere. Finally, he stopped and she felt his hands move over her eyelids and her eyelashes brush against his exposed fingers. "Open your eyes." Moving his hands away, he listened to the female Jounin gasp in delight.

"A dumpling shop! I love dumplings! They're, like, my favorite food."

"I thought you might like it."

"But how did you know? I've never eaten in front of you or anything."

He smiled slyly. "Oh, I have my ways. Wanna go in?"

"Of course!" She raced to the door and flung it open. Inside, there were many people munching on their dumplings. Racing over to the counter, she began ordering dozens of foods off the large menu. Kakashi slowly entered, lifted his right hand and gingerly rubbed the back of his head. Anko glanced briefly in his direction and knew that that particular gesture meant he was nervous and uncomfortable, probably with the fact that he would be broke for a while after this.

The waitress excitedly thanked Anko and hurried to the kitchen to place her long order. Kakashi signaled her over to a table in the back and she hurried over. She sat down and nervously began fingering her hair. "Don't mess with it," he said, breaking the awkward barrier between them. Gazing at him, she could've sworn his nose had been buried in a menu a moment earlier.

"Don't mess with what?" she questioned softly.

"Your hair. I like it the way you wear it. It's very unique."

Her fingers quit moving and she stared at him. "You like my hair?"

"Yeah. It's a nice color too. Very different. Not too many girls with purple hair."

She blushed. "Uh, thanks."

"Your welcome." His gaze returned to his menu as she bit her lip. He liked her hair? That was new. No one complimented her on her appearance, ever. "I think I'll just have ramen, no offence to you or anything. I'm not too big a fan of dumplings."

"Oh…" She stared off into space.

He set down his menu. "What're you thinking about?"

"Huh?"

"What're you thinking about? Right now?"

"Um, well, nothing really. Chunin exams I guess. I'm the proctor for the Forest of Death and I'm just thinking about how exciting this year's exams will be," she lied.

"Yeah but, when you're thinking about work, you look at your shoes, not the ceiling."

She stared at him. How did he know that? "Well, I guess I was really thinking about my hair. No one compliments me on my hair. It's kind of a new thing."

"People should tell you you look nice more often, because you do." He stared out the window, a million miles away.

Anko couldn't help but gaze at him dreamily. Mentally, she was stripping off all his clothes until he was only wearing his boxers (she had heard a rumor that he wore boxers from Kurenai) and his mask. He just wasn't Kakashi without his mask. Besides, she wasn't sure how he really looked under there anyway. It was best to just leave it be.

"Why are you staring?" he questioned in that quiet, placid voice of his. Anko's cheeks flushed and she pretended to be observing her fishnet leggings. "I don't mind, I was just wondering." He didn't look at her, just kept staring out the window. Her curious brown eyes slowly lifted and she continued staring at her companion.

Suddenly, the waitress appeared with a very crowded platter and placed it on the table in front of Anko. "Is there anything else I can get you?" she asked, beaming.

"Yeah, can you get me a bowl of ramen and a Coke, please?" Kakashi asked, observing the waitress with his plum-colored eyes.

The waitress paled and then turned pink before responding with, "Of course sir, right away." She hurried away, giggling uncontrollably.

Kakashi turned back to Anko. "You can eat if you want." He gestured at her food. "Really, I don't mind."

"Are you sure? I can wait for your food…"

"Eat Anko, seriously." She glanced at him as she reached for a stick crammed with dumplings. Delicately, she bit off a small piece and chewed it slowly. Kakashi chuckled. "When I said 'eat', I meant eat like you normally would. Don't put on an act to impress me, because I'm not impressed by fakers." Anko contemplated his statement for a moment, then practically shoved the whole stick into her mouth and chomped hardily. He grinned just as the waitress brought him his ramen and Coke. Nodding at her, he took a sip of his soft drink. Carefully, he began consuming his ramen while observing his companion, who had become absorbed in her precious dumplings.

After about an hour and two platters of dumplings, three Cokes, and a bowl and a half of ramen, Kakashi signaled for the waitress. "Can I get the bill please, Miss?" he asked politely.

"Oh, it's on the house," she said, blushing again.

"Oh. Thank you. Come on Anko." They both stood up and Anko headed for the door. Kakashi bowed deeply in front of the waitress. "Thank you kindly, Miss. You were a wonderful waitress." He pressed a twenty-dollar bill into her hand and watched her cheeks turn the color of cherries. "You deserve it. Have a nice day." Then, he walked away and joined Anko by the door. The waitress swooned and wobbled back to the kitchen to brag about how the handsome shinobi had thanked her graciously and tipped her generously to her fellow waitresses.

Anko and Kakashi walked down the street in silence, until Kakashi asked, "Where do you want to go now Anko?"

"What?"

"Where do you want to go?"

"Ummmm, I don't know…"

"Where's your favorite place to go?"

"The ocean."

"The ocean it is." He stepped into the alley and returned with a machine Anko had never seen before. "It's called a motorcycle. Hop on." Straddling the motorized bike, he patted the seat behind him. "Come on, don't be scared. I won't let anything happen to you, I promise." Timidly, she sat down. "Wrap your arms around my waist and hang on tight." She gently slid her arms around his middle like he instructed and laced her fingers tightly together. Kakashi inserted a key and revved the engine. "Hang on." The engine revved several more times before he popped a wheelie and sped down the streets of Konoha, dodging the pedestrians skillfully until he rode onto a desolate path that led to the ocean.

At first, Anko was scared out of her wits, clinging to Kakashi's waist for dear life, even digging her fingernails into his vest for extra security. After a while though, she loosened her grip on his torso and let her hands hang a little more loosely. Her violet hair blew back in the slight breeze and Kakashi's silvery strands tickled her nose. She cautiously leaned her head against his back and closed her brown eyes. The driver suddenly tensed up as her forehead came into contact with his shoulder blades, but gradually relaxed the longer he rode.

When the ocean finally came into view, the sky had taken on an orangish hue. Kakashi slowed the bike down and parked it against a tree. Anko hopped off and turned towards the glittering water. She grinned and spun around in circles, her tan trench coat billowing out. "Oh, it's so pretty!" she yelled as twirled round and round. "Come spin with me Kakashi!"

"I'd rather not."

"Oh come on, spin with me!" She grabbed his arms for his hands were shoved into his pants pockets and forced him to spin in a circle with her. Slowly, she inched his hands out of his pockets until she was finally holding them and they whirled around in circles. Anko burst into laughter and Kakashi eventually joined her until finally, the two shinobi fell down. Collapsing on top of Kakashi, she balanced herself on his chest as he stuck his large hands behind his head. Her cheeks began to flush as she lay on her stomach, her breasts pressing into his muscular chest, her heart beating with his, gazing into his plum-colored eyes.

Her breath was completely taken away at this awkward, yet strangely comfortable, position. The corners of his mask rose slightly, indicating his lips had curled into a smile. "Comfortable?" he asked quietly, slipping his hands around her slender waist and letting his fingers fiddle with the mesh shirt that wasn't covered by her trench coat. She shivered as his fingertips grazed her skin. "You're so pale. When was the last time you got a tan?"

"Look who's talking. You're just as pale as me."

"You catch on quick." He tensed up as he felt her squirm on his stomach. "Whoa Anko, maybe you should get breast deductions or something. These things weigh a ton."

She slapped him. "What the hell is wrong with you?! And here I was, falling all over you, literally, and all you can think about are my breasts?!" She rolled off of him and stood up. "You really are just like everyone says. You are just so rude, and disgusting." She started to stomp away, but was stopped when a large hand enclosed around her wrist. "Let go of me you pervert!"

"You listen to me Anko, and you better not just space me out." She glanced at him with angry brown eyes when she heard the tone of anger mixed with hurt in his normally soft voice. "I'm not perverted, and I'm not trying to be rude. God Anko, why do you think I've been hanging out with you all day? Why do you think I always sit near you whenever there's a Jounin meeting? How do you think I knew what your favorite food was, and what you look like when you're not thinking about work? And why do you think I told you I liked your hair and said that people should compliment you more often?" Her eyes widened as he continued to speak. "What reason would I have for acting that way? Because I have nothing better to do? Think about it Anko."

She thought about it, she really did. Did this mean what she thought it meant? Was he saying that he… liked her?

This came as a shock to her. All this time, she had been so busy obsessing over him to notice that he might have been doing exactly the same thing. She had always thought that he never liked her, never knew that she even existed, yet he was implying otherwise. What he was saying… he knew about her, he knew she existed, he even knew personal things about her that not many people knew.

She glanced at him, and saw that his eyes were still hard as stone, while hers had gradually filled with tears. "I don't get it," she whispered.

"For God's sake, I love you!"

"R-r-really?" she stuttered.

"Yes, really." He pulled her extremely close, slid his mask down around his neck, and kissed her tenderly. "I always have."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

"God, I love you too." She pulled his lips towards hers and kissed him fervently, because those were the words she had always wanted to hear and the words she always wanted to say.