*Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters in it. I simply borrow them for my own musings and fantasies and do not get paid for their use in said musings or fantasies. –Nira

Chapter 37

The sun was new in the sky, warm and inviting, but the air was still cool and biting. Dew clung to leaves on the trees and occasionally rolled off of the ends unless coerced to fall by little songbirds landing on flimsy branches. Yuriko had been wandering around the village when she'd run into the Hokage on a morning stroll of his own. When he saw her, he smiled and waved her over.

"You seem to be in much better spirits as of late, Yuriko. I'm glad to see a smile on your face."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama. A lot has happened lately."

"I would enjoy a nice hot cup of tea and some odango. If you'll join me, I would love to hear about it. Perhaps there may be some wisdom I can impart before I begin my duties for the day."

Yuriko smiled and bowed to the elder man accepting his invitation and walking with him toward the odango restaurant in the middle of the village. While they sat, enjoying their tea and odango, Yuriko detailed everything about the emotional maelstrom that she'd experienced on her mission with Team Seven to the Land of Waves and her background with Zabuza. She even told him about her feelings for Iruka and Kakashi both and the decision that the three of them had come to just a handful of days before.

"A lot really has happened," Sandaime nodded, a stern look on his face as he pulled a long, slow drag from his pipe, deep in thought.

"Thank you for listening, Hokage-sama. I'm sorry for being so distant and secretive up until this point. I know it must have seemed very suspicious to you. It's been extremely difficult for me to trust people since I was a child, but since coming to Konoha- since finding my place here and finally having a place to call home where I've made friends and close bonds with others- it's been a slow process, but I have been learning and growing."

"Indeed, you have. You have truly blossomed and planted roots here, Yuriko. I am glad. I was worried for a while that you hadn't been acclimating well. I'm happy to hear that you've found your place… even if it is a little unorthodox."

The wizened old man finished with a hearty laugh and a warm feeling spread through Yuriko's chest, drawing her lips into a smile. Had she known her grandparents growing up, she wondered if the Hokage would have reminded her of them. It felt nice to talk about everything and bear her soul to someone who not only represented the power and the might of the village, but also the kindness and welcoming of its people. And he took it all in so easily and comfortably without judgment and with the warmth and welcoming that she imagined a grandparent would. The sense of belonging that she felt in his presence brought a genuine, gentle smile to her face as he calmed down.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama… for everything you've done for me. I wouldn't be here if you hadn't taken such a huge chance on me as an outsider."

"The biggest risks can reap great loss… or even greater rewards," Sandaime smiled as he stood from his seat with a huff of effort.

Yuriko contemplated his parting words as she watched him leave with a wave. With a smile, she paid the bill and continued her aimless stroll through the village. She walked by a flower shop with a sign that read "Yamanaka Flowers" above the door and paused when she saw Kakashi inside buying a bouquet of some sort from a young girl with long blonde hair pulled into a high ponytail and bright blue eyes. She must have been about the same age as Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto, Yuriko thought, and then the name on the sign struck her as familiar. She was one of Asuma's students, but she seemed to know Kakashi fairly well.

Yuriko had passed by the flower shop several times before, often stopping outside to admire the beautiful arrangements from the window before carrying on about her day. She'd never really had a reason to enter, but she was curious as to why Kakashi seemed so familiar with the shop and the girl behind the counter, so she decided to listen in, catching the tail end of their conversation.

"You were here just the other day for your usual arrangements, Kakashi-sensei. It's strange to see you more than once a week. Is there a special occasion for these in particular?" the girl inquired. "They have a pretty deep meaning, you know."

Kakashi was silent for a moment before a smile spread across his face, creasing his visible eye and catching her off guard as a slight blush bloomed across her cheeks.

"Nothing special," he lied. "Thank you for these, Ino. See you next week."

He paid for the bouquet and as soon as he walked out of the shop, he turned to Yuriko keeping the flowers out of her view with that adoring look in his eye that made her heart flutter and stomach do flips. He leaned into her and pressed his clothed lips to her cheek which instantly blazed red.

"Ka-Kakashi-senpai…" she stuttered, flustered by his sudden and very public display of affection.

"Try not to ruin any more of your surprise… okay?" he purred. "And drop the 'senpai' already, will you?"

He kept the bouquet out of sight, shoved his free hand into his pocket, and walked away with a wide grin on his face as he hummed a happy little tune leaving Yuriko flustered and confused. Ino had stepped out of the shop and stood next to Yuriko, watching Kakashi leave, as well.

"I've never seen him so happy before…" she said, startling Yuriko. "He comes by every week to buy two bouquets of fresh flowers, but he always seems so sad when he buys them… Today is different. I wonder what's happened…"

Yuriko blushed but couldn't help the knowing grin that crossed her lips.

"Anyway, was there something that I could help you find?" Ino smiled.

"No, thank you. I was just looking."

Kakashi had spent the entire day planning and preparing to surprise Yuriko with a romantic moonlit dinner at the lake. He hadn't expected her to be at the flower shop but it did little to deter him as he went on about his day. When everything was set up and evening came, Kakashi showered and dressed to impress his date for the evening. He wore a pair of black dress slacks and shoes, a crimson button-up shirt, a silver pinstriped black tie with the matching vest, and his signature mask. When he knocked on Yuriko's door she answered in a pair of comfortable-looking baggy pajamas despite it being barely after sunset. Seeing him dressed up, a scarlet blush blossomed across her face and she became instantly self-conscious of her lax appearance.

"Would you care to join me for dinner?" he inquired with a broad grin across his lips creasing his visible eye.

Yuriko's eyes widened and a huge, face-splitting smile spread across her cheeks showing every one of her gleaming white teeth. Her demeanor was still a little shy and her face was flushed, but she was beyond excited. Kakashi was asking her out on their first official date and whatever he had planned must be something special for him to be dressed so well.

"I'd love to. Just let me go get ready," she beamed, stepping aside to let him in. "I'll be quick, I promise."

"No worries. Take your time."

Before she darted away to sift through her closet, she gave him a quick peck on his cheek causing his cheeks to flush and heart to flutter. Yuriko couldn't contain her excitement as she tried to find something to wear. It had to be special. When she found the perfect outfit, she darted across the hallway to the bathroom to take a quick shower.

Meanwhile, Kakashi had made himself comfortable on the couch and chuckled, hearing her darting around in a frenzy. Her excitement was cute and he hoped that his plans lived up to her expectations. It wasn't long before the water from the shower stopped, doors opened and closed, and then the scent of her light floral perfume wafted down the hallway with the sound of heels clicking against the floor. Kakashi stood and walked around to meet her behind the couch, but he was struck dumb as soon as he laid eyes on her, his heart thudding hard and fast in his chest.

Yuriko wore a floor-length plum-colored dress that was shorter in the front, ending just below her knees and exposing her long, toned legs in silver kitten heels. Along the hem and comprising the off-the-shoulder sleeves were soft, elegant chiffon ruffles with silver lining, and draped around her bare shoulders was a shawl of the same chiffon material. To finish her look, her hair hung loosely over her shoulder, her bangs french braided to the right to keep them out of her face that was partially covered by her mask. After a moment of silence of Kakashi being speechless and Yuriko fidgeting with a chunk of her hair with a scarlet blush across her cheeks and a timid smile playing across her lips, Kakashi finally snapped out of it with a warm smile and offered his arm like a true gentleman.

"Shall we?" he smiled, and she beamed with pride and joy as she linked her arm through his.

The pair walked through the village in comfortable silence drawing stares and whispered conversations as they passed people on the street as they went, but when they neared the village gates, Yuriko spoke up, asking where they were going. Kakashi answered with a smile and a cryptic, "You'll see." When they finally reached the clearing, Yuriko gasped, her eyes wide and heart pounding.

There was a large red and white checkered picnic blanket laid out below a willow tree near the lake. In the center was a bouquet of light pink hydrangeas, lavender roses, pink stargazer lilies, and purple alstroemeria in a delicate purple vase, lanterns hanging from low branches, a container of ice that held a chilled bottle of wine, and a picnic basket overflowing with various fruits, cheeses, meats, and pastries. The moon was full bathing everything in a pale silver glow that contrasted with the warm golden light of the lanterns and fireflies that floated lazily around the clearing. It looked like a scene pulled straight out of a fairytale storybook.

"So this is what you bought at the flower shop today," Yuriko giggled, pulling down her mask and sniffing the fragrant flowers as they sat on the blanket.

"They reminded me of you so of course, I had to get them."

"They're beautiful."

Kakashi uncorked the wine and poured a glass for each of them while Yuriko sighed in content, a giddy blush across her cheeks while she stroked the soft petals of one of the lilies. No one had ever gone to such lengths to impress or woo her before, but it was working. She examined the spread of food and helped herself to a plump red strawberry with a smile and a hum as the sweet juice washed over her tongue.

"So… you like it?" Kakashi asked, his tone uncertain as he handed a glass of sparkling rosé to her.

"It's gorgeous… and the setting is very fitting, I think."

"A lot has happened between us here."

A moment of silent reminiscence passed between the two and Yuriko stole glances at Kakashi from the corner of her eye. Her hand hesitantly slid across the blanket toward his, her fingers gently brushing against his. A tender smile spread across Kakashi's face as he looked over at her, taking in her awkwardness and uncertainty before he securely clasped her hand in his, their fingers intertwined.

"I can't believe this is real…" Yuriko chuckled, playing with the stem of the wine glass in her other hand.

"Why not?"

"Nobody has ever done anything like this for me before. I thought romance and love were only things I'd read about in fantasies and fairytales. My parents had been in love, I know that, but ever since… ever since they died, I hadn't seen it… Not real love anyway."

"I know how that feels…" Kakashi sighed. "My mother passed away when I was young, so I never got to see her and my father together… but Minato-sensei and his wife, Kushina? They had that fairytale kind of love."

Yuriko paused, thinking that the name Kushina sounded familiar, but she brushed it off. "What were they like? Your teacher and his wife?"

Yuriko began nibbling on the food while she leaned in closer, enraptured in Kakashi's stories, and Kakashi had pooled his mask around his neck while he also ate as he spoke. Yuriko had no idea that Kakahsi's teacher had been the late Hokage who had died saving the village from the nine-tailed fox spirit that was sealed inside Naruto. It dawned on her then why the name Kushina sounded so familiar, but she had to ask to be sure.

"But why seal it inside of Naruto?" Yuriko asked. "Something doesn't quite add up."

A smirk pulled the corners of Kakashi's lips up as he popped a grape into his mouth. Nothing got past her.

"I'm sure you've figured it out already. You're extremely perceptive, Yuriko," he chuckled, his gaze smoldering. "The only generation who doesn't know the details of Naruto's story is Naruto's. Even Naruto himself doesn't know anything and for good reason. If the seal was to break, it would unleash the demon fox and wreak havoc on the village again."

Yuriko frowned, contemplating Kakashi's words. Was that the ominous chakra she'd felt and seen when they were battling Zabuza and Haku on the bridge? And was that why Naruto's wound on his hand at the beginning of the mission healed so quickly? If so, Kakashi was right, of course… but with him being Naruto's teacher now, he was carrying on the Fourth Hokage's legacy and watching over Naruto in his stead. The thought brought a giant smile to her face and she sat up straighter, her eyes wide.

"Doesn't that make you Naruto's godfather of sorts?"

Kakashi's eyes widened. He hadn't thought of it that way, but she wasn't wrong. He couldn't help his smile and chuckle as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess it kind of does."

Yuriko leaned back, looking up at the moon and taking a sip of the sweet, effervescent wine. When she swallowed, she grinned again, her cheeks crinkling her eyes up. "I'm sure Yondaime-sama and Kushina-san would be proud and appreciative of how well you've been taking care of their son. The next time I visit the memorial, I'll let them both know."

She helped herself to some cheese and fruit, continuing to look around, taking everything in. Kakashi stared at her, awestruck and mesmerized. He'd only seen her so content and at ease once and it was when he'd followed her to the very same lake that they were at and watched her dance and swim her worries away, unaware that he was even there. With a smile at the memory, he stood and offered his hand to help her up. He had wanted to dance with her then, so now he intended to act upon that desire.

"May I have this dance?" he inquired in response to Yuriko's inquisitive look.

Her face blazed scarlet and she looked around expecting to find a radio or something hidden away but still heard no music and saw nothing that could play any, either.

"There's no music," she stated, incredulous.

"You don't hear it?"

She took his hand and stood, wondering if there was music playing somewhere in the distance and blowing in on the breeze, but even when she was standing, she still heard nothing. Kakashi gently pulled her closer, one hand on her waist and one hand holding hers as he began to sway with her in the seeming silence. Instead of fighting it despite her utter confusion, she relaxed into him, indulging in the spicy sweetness of his cologne and the slight smell of the sweet wine on his breath.

"I still don't hear any music, Senpai…" she mumbled.

"Stop with the 'senpai' already," he pleaded with an exasperated sigh.

"Sorry… Old habits…"

After a moment of continued quiet, Kakashi spoke; "Listen closely. You'll hear it."

Yuriko paused their swaying, looking up at him before she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Kakashi continued to sway with her, gently leading her in a slow waltz while Yuriko focused on the sounds around her. She could hear the crickets chirping from every direction and frogs croaking from the lake. Gentle waves lapped against the shore splashing lazily upon rocks and sand and water grasses growing in the mud along the outer banks. The wind was soft, whispering through the leaves of the willow hanging overhead and the cattails and tall grass. It all melded together into an asynchronous symphony of the night and Yuriko then understood what Kakashi meant. But the sounds that were the most inviting- the most alluring- were of Kakashi's steady breathing and the strong, thudding beat of his heart in her ear.

Kakashi watched as Yuriko's eyes fluttered open and stared directly into his, a look of awe and longing burning beneath the surface. A warm blush crept across her cheeks and he felt her heart rate increase and fingers clutch onto his shoulder slightly. Her eyes darted briefly to his lips before meeting his gaze again and Kakashi couldn't help the knowing smirk that pulled the corner of his mouth up. He knew that she wanted him to kiss her, and he wanted to, but he couldn't. Not yet.

"Do you hear it now?" he crooned in his deep baritone voice, leaning ever so slightly closer and wrapping his arm further around her waist.

Yuriko's voice left her, her breathing uneven. All she could do was nod, her eyes flitting back to his full lips that were now curved into a sumptuous grin. She knew that look. It was smug and knowing and it irritated her how attractive it was on him. She'd put other men in the hospital for giving her that very same look. He knew that she wanted him to kiss her, and she knew that he knew. She wanted to push him away in defiance but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She was drawn in by the heat radiating off of him, the irresistible scent of his cologne, and the overwhelming attraction to the firm musculature holding her close. His grin deepened, seeing her struggle and pulled away slightly, standing up straighter. Yuriko felt a brief moment of panic as her face blanched and heart raced. Why had he pulled away? And why did she have the immediate urge to pull him back and demand the feeling of his lips pressed against hers?

"It's such a wonderful evening," he sighed wistfully, gazing up at the moon. "Thank you for joining me, Yuriko. You've made this a night to remember."

"S-Senpai…" she blushed, chewing on her bottom lip.

Yuriko desperately wanted his lips on hers but she was too shy to ask aloud. She and Kakashi both knew it, but he was using her shyness to his advantage, teasing her just a little. The blush on her cheeks and the timid longing in her eyes was just so adorable… but she still hadn't dropped the honorifics. He called her name, his tone firm as he stopped their dancing and she shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. She'd called him by his name many times before, but never without honorifics. It felt extremely personal and despite their romantic involvement it still felt strange. She knew that it would be strange to keep calling him by the honorifics and he was trying to break her of the habit, but it still felt as though calling him by his name would truly solidify that they were a couple.

"Please…" he pleaded as he leaned in closer, his eyes smoldering.

The flush reached the tips of her ears and her heart raced behind her ribcage. His lips were a whisper away from hers and she so badly wanted to close the gap, but she knew that he wouldn't let her until she said his name and made it official. He was hers and she was his. Nobody and nothing else mattered at this moment. Yuriko swallowed her fears with a dry-mouthed gulp, her head hung slightly so his eyes couldn't pierce into her soul as she said it.

"Ka-ka-shi…" she sputtered, her voice barely audible.

"Again…" he purred, his lips slowly curling into a smile and his heart thudding against his ribs as he pulled her closer, her body flush against his.

With a little more confidence and a little louder, she said it again as she lifted her head to meet his gaze. Kakashi's other hand snaked into her hair and tenderly held her cheek, drawing her face even closer to his until they could feel the moisture from the other's breath on their lips.

"Again."

At the demand, Yuriko's eyes took on a sultry look to mirror Kakashi's burning gaze, his self-restraint at its breaking point. His name flowed from her lips like silk, her voice seductive and breathy and the last of his resolve vanished. His lips met hers, fierce and passionate and full of longing and desire and Yuriko hummed into the kiss, melting into his lean, toned physique with her arms wrapping securely around his torso. He reached out with his tongue tracing it along her bottom lip, asking for permission to explore further and Yuriko parted her lips with a slight moan. Kakashi's hand migrated to the back of her neck, his fingers tangled in her silken hair and deepening the kiss. He couldn't get close enough with her. Her body pressed firmly against his only served to drive his desire further and he was struggling to restrain himself from the growing bestial urge to push her against the tree and take her.

Yuriko's fingers gripped onto his shirt and she pulled him closer, an unfamiliar heat rising within her, growing more and more intense. She wanted more. She wasn't sure what the "more" was, but it was overwhelming. Her head was swimming, lost to the feeling of being vulnerable and yet completely enveloped in warmth and comfort and home. Kakashi's tongue wrestling with hers and his teeth nipping at her lower lip drew a hitched breath into Yuriko's lungs followed by a hearty moan as his lips traveled up her jaw and then down, trailing kisses and nibbles along her neck. When he'd gotten to her shoulder, Kakashi suppressed a lustful groan and gently pushed Yuriko away with an apologetic parting kiss, his visible eye locked on her when there was an arm's length of space between them.

"Why did you stop?" she questioned, her eyes clouded with desire.

"Believe me when I say that it was extremely difficult for me to do so," he chuckled. "You're… positively irresistible. I just don't want to rush into anything. I don't want you to feel pressured or like you have to do anything if you're not comfortable or ready. I know what I want. I want you, Yuriko… all of you... but I only want it if you want to share it with me. I'll never force you into anything you don't want to do… okay?"

Yuriko's eyes widened and an embarrassed blush of understanding what it was that he was implying spread across her cheeks and she averted her gaze, chewing on her bottom lip. She'd never been so attracted to someone before, so to put the label of "lust" to the strange sensations and emotions that she was experiencing came as a huge shock. But it felt so good… so right. It didn't feel dirty or wrong like it had with other men when they looked at her as a prize to be won and claimed. Kakashi's eyes had never been demanding or maliciously predatory. There was always admiration, adoring, longing, affection intertwined with his attraction to her. He had never intentionally made her feel uncomfortable or unsafe and with his promise, Yuriko believed him. She trusted him to keep it and he was undeniably the first.

Kakashi had taken Yuriko's long silence to mean that she was deep in thought, probably thinking about everything he'd said, everything he'd done, and everything he confessed to wanting to do, analyzing it all and trying to come to some kind of decision. He smiled and softened his gaze and grip on her upper arms before taking the step to close the gap between them, his arms finding their way to rest comfortably around her.

"Take as much time as you need. There's no need to rush," he cooed as he pressed his lips to her hair on the top of her head.

Yuriko nodded, hugging him back. The pair packed up the remaining food and wine and rounded everything up to go home with Kakashi carrying the basket and blanket and Yuriko carrying the vase of flowers and lanterns. She had a giant smile on her face, her nose buried in the velveteen petals and breathing in their intoxicating aroma in place of her face being hidden behind her mask. Kakashi smiled from behind his mask securely returned to its place and covering the lower half of his face again. When they'd reached their apartments, they faced each other, both of them glowing from their excitement of having gone on their first date.

"Tonight has been amazing, Kakashi," she beamed. "I think I'm still expecting to wake up any moment in my bed and realize that it was all a dream."

"Then set the flowers on your bedside table. They'll be your proof and a reminder when you wake up."

"I will, thank you."

Kakashi smiled and pressed his clothed lips to her forehead before bidding her a good night. She waved as she opened her door, but before she closed it, she remembered Ino mentioning something about the meaning of the flowers and asked Kakashi about it. With a grin, Kakashi took the couple steps to meet her in the doorway and leaned forward, meeting her at eye level.

"They mean that you have enchanted me, Yuriko… and all of my love is devoted entirely to you."

Yuriko's cheeks flushed and breath escaped her. She was swooning and buried her face in the fragrant blossoms to hide it and the grand smile comprising over half of her face. Kakashi chuckled and kissed her forehead again before making his way over to his apartment door while Yuriko slowly closed the door, gazing longingly after him. Kakashi sighed as he opened his door and removed his shoes before walking into the kitchen, rubbing the back of his neck as he went. He removed the kettle from the stove and stared off into space as he waited for it to fill up, a grin lingering on his lips from a successful first date. When the kettle was full, he placed it back on the stove and was about to turn the fire on when he heard a knock at the door.