A/N: Slowly getting back to writing fanfiction again. This is a one-shot I've had sitting in a notebook for a few years. Seemed a good way to jump back in. Honestly, it was just an excuse to give some love to an underrated character. Events take place roughly 8 years before the start of Naruto. Please enjoy.

Warning: While not graphic, a conversation over a character having been suicidal takes place. Please click back if this could be an issue. Thank you.

XxXxXxXxX

She wasn't surprised when she found him in the jounin lounge. Nor was she surprised to see him surrounded by his former teammates and other comrades. A brief cursory glance showed that the room was unusually filled for that day. Even his eternal rival, Kakashi Hatake, was slouched on a couch, reading one of his Icha Icha novels.

The kunoichi internally shuddered. She had finally come to a decision on how to proceed and, of course, practically everyone of his generation and hers had to be present for it.

I could always wait until he's off training by himself. Maiko mentally shook herself. No, she would do this now, or else she never would.

With renewed purpose, the eighteen-year-old strode into the lounge. A few heads noticeably turned to see who had come in, while she knew the rest noted her entrance. You didn't become a jounin without knowing how to check your surroundings unnoticed. Maiko ignored them all, her focus on the small group of male jounin standing off to the side near one of the walls.

They noticed her approach and all smiled in their own way in greeting. However, his was the brightest, as usual.

"Maiko-chan!" he greeted with youthful enthusiasm. "And how are you faring this fine and most glorious of mornings?"

The young woman stood in front of him, staring at the face she never would have thought capable of putting her mind through so much turmoil and unrest. She could feel how the others became confused and started to tense at her prolonged silence.

Maiko closed her eyes and sighed. "Right," she mumbled. There was no better time than now. Opening her eyes, Maiko braced herself, then acted. What happened next was not what anyone had been expecting.

Maiko abruptly grabbed hold of Maito Gai's shirt and pulled him down, meeting his surprised face in an unexpected kiss. The resounding shock from everyone was palatable.

Gai froze. Genma dropped his senbon. Ebisu and Raidou's jaws dropped, eyes bugging out. The other jounin assembled weren't any better. Asuma Saratobi dropped his habitual cigarette. Morino Ibikki spit out his tea, as did several others. Anko walked into a wall. And Kakashi….the bastard had the nerve to sigh and quietly exclaim to the room at large, "Finally!"

After a few seconds, Maiko let Gai go and stepped back. The Green Beast of Konoha had a frozen look of shock on his face, his black eyes fixed on her, yet unseeing. The rest of the room was utterly silent.

However, Maiko didn't pay the stunned crowd any mind. Her attention was focused on the warmth that suddenly filled her. It wasn't embarrassment. On the contrary, it was something quite wonderful. The sensation made Maiko feel as if she were glowing from the inside out. And for the first time in a long while she truly felt herself. The kunoichi broke into a small smile, her eyes softening. "Well, that answers that question."

Then, without waiting for anyone to respond, walked back out the door, a smile still on her face and feeling extraordinarily pleased with herself.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

"What…..just happened?" Raidou managed to sputter out.

Genma glanced at a still frozen-in-shock Gai. "I think Yashida-san broke Gai."

"Bu-but why?" Ebisu asked. "Why would someone like Yashida-san want to…."

As Ebisu trailed off, everyone turned to look at the object of Maiko's apparent affections.

"Mah, for shinobi, you all really are blind," Kakashi remarked, bringing his book down just enough to reveal his one visible eye and a mocking smile. "Yashida-san has had romantic feelings for Gai for several months now. I was starting to wonder if I'd have to shove her into him before she'd decide to act."

All heads turned to Kakashi, dumbfounded. Kakashi merely raised an eyebrow, then went back to reading.

"Alright, but how did you notice?" Genma demanded to know, his senbon finally back in place. The others in the room silently wondered the same thing.

Kakashi lowered his book once more and looked at all those gathered as if they were extremely dense. "Because she only smiles when Gai is around."

Genma rolled his eyes, as did a few others. "That's not a real reason. Yashida-san smiles around everyone."

Kakashi stared at Genma, then sighed and finally put his book away. "Then she's managed to fool you all," he declared. "Allow me to rephrase. Yashida-san only genuinely smiles when Gai is around. She's putting on an act for the rest of us. A rather convincing one it would seem."

When Genma made to comment, Raidou stopped him. "Think about it," the scarred shinobi said. "Why else would Yashida-san regularly join Gai for training? Or spend any extra time with him than she'd have to outside of training or missions? They go to lunch together nearly everyday."

Now that they thought about it, Maiko did spend an awful lot of time with Gai. In fact, she probably spent more time with the green jumpsuit clad shinobi than anyone else in this room. Genma, Raidou, Ebisu, and many others started to feel rather idiotic to have missed something so obvious. But really, why would they have ever thought differently? No one honestly thought a woman would be capable of coping with Gai's enthusiasm. His former teammates appreciated him as a good and loyal friend, the kind of person who had the back of all his fellow Konoha shinobi. But Gai's personality and eccentric ways made it hard for most to spend more than a small amount of time with the man.

"With all the time Yashida-san has been spending with our dear friend, I've hardly had to accept any challenges," Kakashi quipped. "So, now the only question is, what's Gai going to do about all this?"

Everyone looked at Konoha's Green Beast. Yup, still frozen in place, his face holding the same surprise he had since Maiko kissed him.

Raidou poked Gai's shoulder. "Gai?" There was no response.

Ebisu pushed up his sunglasses in irritation. "He can't possibly be that shocked. Surely he must have noticed something."

Genma, Raidou, and Ebisu paused for a moment, realizing who they were talking about. They all grimaced. Then again, Gai was usually looking out for others more than himself. He likely mistook Maiko's friendship for just that and her desire to train with him as a means to better her skills.

Genma scrubbed a hand down his face in frustration. "Alright, do we need a med-nin in here or does anyone else have any ideas on how to-"

Suddenly, Anko rushed past the three shinobi and punched Gai straight in the face, sending him hurtling into the opposite wall. He crashed into it, then fell over. However, the stunned man still didn't react. Gai merely lay on the floor in a crumpled heap, his face remaining unchanged from its frozen expression.

Some looked at Anko in disbelief while others simply shook their heads.

"Huh," the prickly kunoichi muttered. "You'd think that would have worked. What did Yashida-san do? Put a genjutsu on him?"

"Maa, he's just shell shocked is all," Kakashi replied. The copy nin stood up and walked over to Gai's prone form. After a moment of contemplation, he squatted down and flicked Gai in the forehead. Unlike Raidou and Anko's attempts, Kakashi allowed a spark of chakra to flow into the movement. "Gai, get up."

With that, Gai finally came to. He blinked a couple times as if waking from a daze. Then suddenly, the overly exuberant shinobi flipped to his feet and charged out the door, leaving everyone staring after him.

Kakashi rose, dusted off his pants, then went back to the couch to continue reading. He pointedly ignored the others.

"Huh," Genma remarked.

No one said anything, because all of the jounin assembled realized there really wasn't anything else that could be said.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Gai ran all over Konoha in search of Maiko. His mind was still reeling from what had happened, his youthful spirit soaring high with elation. She had kissed him. His precious Maiko-hime had kissed him! And she didn't do it in a secluded spot, where privacy would have hid her affections. No, Maiko kissed him in front of his former teammates, his Eternal Rival, and so many more of their jounin comrades.

The happiness Gai felt continued to fill his heart to the point of bursting. He had not dared to hope his precious cherry blossom could ever reciprocate his guarded feelings. Honestly, how could he not love her? Maiko was such a fierce, compassionate, and hard working woman. Truly, one of the most beautiful creatures to ever grace the world. The fact she could possibly feel the same….

Gai had to hear her declaration, to know for certain where she stood. He only hoped to find her before the day was gone.

So, what spot for such a momentous day would make sense? Knowing Maiko as he did, Gai knew it had to have some sort of significance. It would have to be a place that held meaning to them if she meant to wait for him to-

The sudden revelation had Gai putting on the breaks and coming to an abrupt halt. Could it be that simple? He turned toward the carved faces of the hokages. Maiko once said she considered the monument the birthplace of their friendship. Perhaps…..

Gai took off again, this time heading straight for Hokage Rock. The more time he spent running toward the mountain, the more certain Gai became in his deduction. This is where he would find her. He ran up the rock's side, leaping and flipping among the faces of the former hokages until he landed on solid ground at the top. Bracing himself, Gai looked around.

And there she was. His beautiful Maiko-hime, sitting cross-legged near the edge while she looked over the vastness of Konohagakure. Her black hair was loose, free from its habitual braid as it blew with abandon along the breeze. The very sight of this unassuming and humble creature never ceased to mesmerize him. Truly, the very presence of Maiko was all it took to ignite Gai's youthful spirit. She was a kunoichi he would always be proud to fight alongside, a friend to protect, and with any luck-

"I wondered how long it'd take you to find me," Maiko remarked, her voice quiet as it often was when they were alone. There were no pretenses to uphold. She was not the She-Wolf of Konoha in this moment, but simply Maiko. The blue-eyed kunoichi turned her head to meet Gai's gaze. Then, she smiled, as she only ever did for him. "I must admit, a part of me was starting to worry you might have forgotten."

"I could never forget anything you've ever told me, Maiko-chan," Guy declared, although anyone who only knew the boisterous version of Maito Gai would be surprised at how softly he spoke. "But I am ashamed at how long it took me to realize where you would wait. It's the only possible place really." Gai knelt down, his head bowed as he raised a fist, his inner disgust at his own sluggish deduction making itself known. "As penance, I will complete whatever challenge you deem worthy of such a transgression!"

Maiko chuckled, shaking her head at his usual dramatics. A fond smile played at her lips. "Gai, it's alright. I knew I probably left you a little befuddled back there, so don't be too harsh on yourself. But," Maiko's face took a mischievous turn, "If you really feel you must make it up to me, you can sit with me and watch the sunset. Deal?"

Gai raised his head. Maiko continued to smile at him, waiting for his decision. An answering grin came forth. "Yosh!" he cried, giving her the expected thumbs up. Gai quickly moved, settling in beside his beautiful cherry blossom as she'd bid. They watched the sun begin its descent, as well as the village below their feet transition from day to night. A companionable silence reigned between them. And while a small measure of unresolved tension existed, Gai made no move to fix it. Maiko had made the first move. He would allow her to make the next one, despite all the burning emotions and questions he desperately wished to voice. Eventually, Gai's patience was rewarded.

"I meant what I said, you know," Maiko quietly remarked. "This is where our friendship started, at least for me, nearly two years ago." She was silent for several moments, contemplating her next words. It was obvious whatever she wished to say was troubling her. "I never told you, but I had planned for that to be the last sunrise I ever saw."

Startled, Gai glanced at Maiko with some alarm. He had suspected something of that nature when he'd spotted the kunoichi at the time, but never voiced his concerns. It'd been a beautiful morning, the sun having just risen above the horizon. Gai had gotten an early start to train, as he always did. And on a whim he'd decided to take a path that led to the top of Hokage Rock, not his usual route. Or so he'd thought. He wasn't sure anymore if fate hadn't stepped in that day. The sight waiting for him on the mountain never left Gai. A kunoichi who looked dead on the outside, yet her heart still beat. Her lungs stil drew breath. Those beautiful blue eyes that sparkled for him now had been dull and lifeless. He'd hardly recognized the living wraith in front of him for the she-wolf he'd once fought alongside. "But you didn't."

Maiko's smile took a self-deprecating turn. "No, I didn't. Because of you, Gai."

The shinobi's eyes widened in surprise. What?

Maiko reached over and took hold of his hands, gently grasping them in her much smaller ones. "You don't really realize what you did for me that day, attacking and challenging me out of the blue. I thought you were quite mad, to be honest. But you kept me distracted from those dark thoughts I couldn't shake." A shuddering breath escaped the kunoichi. "You know why, don't you?"

Gai nodded, not needing her to elaborate. Maiko had been on medical leave for several weeks. It didn't take much digging to find out why. A mission gone wrong had left deep mental scars. Sadly, collateral damage was sometimes a part of a shinobi's life. Knowing that didn't make the fact she'd killed a child any easier to bear. He couldn't imagine the guilt she still carried. He gently squeezed her hands in comfort.

Maiko cleared her throat, suppressed emotion threatening to overcome her. "I still can't quite believe you managed to beat me that day. And then you kept showing up, finding me no matter how hard I tried to avoid you and you kept winning. I honestly wasn't sure in the early days if I hated you or not." Maiko huffed a laugh, shaking her head. "Yet it gave me something else to focus on, a reason to keep going. I couldn't leave without beating you, I kept telling myself. What kind of shinobi would I be if I admitted defeat?"

Another silence stretched between them. Gai waited, his focus solely on the woman bearing a secret part of herself to him for the first time. Slowly, Maiko continued, her attention sliding off to the side.

"What kind of shinobi would I be if I admitted defeat….it took me a while to realize that's exactly what I'd been doing. I never would have realized that without you." Finally, Maiko brought her gaze back to Gai's, those blue orbs shining with unshed tears. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that you helped save me Gai. I know it started out with needing to beat you, but it morphed into something more. You made me realize I could still be happy no matter what happened before. Yes, there will be dark days, but I can overcome them." A single tear slid down her cheek.

Gai reached a hand up, gently swiping it from her face. Maiko smiled, leaning her head into the caress. Gai's breath stuttered.

"Whenever we fought, you made me happy. Eventually, just spending time with you made me happy." A soft giggle escaped Maiko. "Even your endless declarations about the springtime of youth made me happy."

Gai nodded, his gaze soft. "Yosh, the springtime of one's youth must always be nurtured and embraced."

Another giggle escaped, her own eyes softening. "I've found myself again, since that day. I remember what it means to be a shinobi, the good and the bad. And I know I want to keep on living, so I can protect those who are precious to me." Taking a deep breath, Maiko continued. "I guess what I'm trying to say is….thank you, Gai. For helping me and for being my friend. I wouldn't have made it without you."

A small part of Gai's elation deflated at her words of thanks. While it warmed his heart to know how much his friendship meant to her, Gai could not help the disappointment he felt. Her kiss was only gratitude for all he had done, nothing more. It seemed a rather strange way to express her thanks, but Gai was willing to accept the kiss for what it was. Such an act had meant so much to him and he would cherish the memory. However, his own dashed feelings aside, Gai would continue to be the friend Maiko needed. If he couldn't be more than that, he would content himself with being someone precious to his Maiko-hime, in whatever way necessary.

"There is nothing to thank me for!" Gai declared, his usual white grin taking over. He pulled away from Maiko as he stood, striking one of his dramatic poses. "It warms my heart to know I could help chase away the darkness and bring light once more to the world of my most precious cherry blossom. The power of youth must never be diminished even in-"

Abruptly, Gai found himself cut off as Maiko pulled him down to her level and kissed him. The Green Beast's mind went blank, his body frozen from this unexpected but exceedingly welcome assault. His beautiful Maiko pulled back, although she didn't release him. Her blue eyes danced with humor, that smile she only ever made for him spreading her lips wide. When Gai could only stutter in response, she giggled, a sound of pure joy.

"While normally I love your declarations Gai, you're not letting me finish,"she teasingly reprimanded. "I'm trying to tell you that I love you, silly."

She loves me? As he stared at Maiko's face still dancing with amusement, Gai finally recognized the deep affection she held for him. The green clad shinobi's eyes widened, a thousand watt smile overtaking his face. She loves me!

Without warning, Gai cupped her face, pulling Maiko to him and claiming her smiling lips in a fierce and passionate kiss. Gai poured everything he felt in that moment and the woman who held his heart responded in kind. By the time they broke apart both were out of breath and grinning like a pair of deranged fools.

Gai kept his hands on her face, cupping it as his thumbs gently stroked her cheeks and allowing all the love he felt to pour out of his eyes. "My most precious Maiko," Gai whispered, his emotions overrunning him. "You can't imagine how much I hoped...just how happy you've made me. I feel as if the fountain of my youth is overflowing, that it will never run out with just those three words!"

She continued to grin at him, a few stray tears escaping again. The only difference was this time they were tears of joy. Gai could feel answering ones clouding his vision as he tried to blink them away. He didn't want anything obscuring his sight.

"I love you, Yashida Maiko. The most beautiful woman the kami ever designed. From this day forth, I will endeavor to prove my love to you in any way I can." At this, Gai took hold of Maiko's hands and held them over his heart. "For from this moment until my last, my heart is yours."

Unshed tears glossed over his love's eyes, causing the last light of the setting sun to glint off of them in a spectacular way. Gai could hardly breathe. This unworldly creature loved him. She was his in as many ways as he was hers.

"And you have mine," Maiko whispered. "From this moment until my last. Because you're my light, Gai. You prove to me that even in the darkest of hours there is always hope for tomorrow."

Gai understood and accepted. He was her reason for hoping, to look toward the future. Over time, Maiko had become something similar for him. They would be each other's rock, the pillar of support even if the entire world were crashing down around them. "Are you sure that's not just your own blossom of youth finally coming out?" He teased.

Maiko let out a short laugh, then fell victim to another, then another until she was gasping for air from the laughter that had overtaken her. The merriment of the moment claimed Gai as well, and within moments the two were holding each other as their sides shook, tears of joy ran freely, and their smiles grew so big it hurt.

It was then that Gai wondered if he could ever be happier than what he felt there upon Hokage Rock, the vanishing sun encasing them in the last of its colorful hue and Maiko wrapped up in his arms.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Apparently, as Gai soon learned, he could.

Two months later, Maito Gai and Yashida Maiko were married at the fire shrine. No one who had seen the kunoichi's bold actions in the jounin lounge were surprised. It even came to light that the Third Hokage and Kakashi had kept a running bet going on how long it would take for the two shinobi to finally get together. Unfortunately for Kakashi, he found himself handing over 50 ryo. The copy nin made a promise to be more scrupulous in the future.

Then, barely nine months later, Maito Natsumi was born. And she became the newest reason for her mother to continue finding joy in the world. Before even another two years passed, the little girl was joined by her sister, Harumi. By the time Gai was assigned a genin team, little Izumi had also come along. And their happiness was complete with the arrival of the youngest, Ayami.

Years later, after the Fourth Shinobi War, Madara's defeat, and Gai's retirement, Maiko would reflect on how happy and full of love her life had become. And in spite of everything, she had never feared the darkness again. Nor would she. After all, she had many brilliant beacons of light shining to guide her way.