Shanan had turned seventeen a little over two weeks ago, but she had done back to back Chunin and Anbu missions and then wanted to wait until she could get all of the guys together to go out and celebrate.
Konoha had one bar and it was rarely busy, even on a weekend. But even less so on the week night that Shanan was finally able to get everyone together.
She made the guys all dress up so that she could as well and not feel too silly.
Lee wore a black suit with the front open and the collar popped and Shanan couldn't decide if he looked a little silly or completely amazing, so she decided on amazing.
Neji was always so traditional, which Shanan had always loved and appreciated. He wore a dark kimono with wide legged pants and had pulled the top half of his hair up and Shanan had never thought him more handsome.
Shikamaru wore a white button up shirt with black slacks and looked so stylish and effortlessly cool. Which kind of drove her crazy.
Shanan wore a short, tight, black, lacey romper, with a cutout in the lower back, that accentuated all of her best features and wore her hair long. She didn't expect anyone to see her, but she wanted to feel grown up and pretty either way. And this outfit was incredibly easy to dance in.
Shanan was the first to walk in. It seemed pretty quiet, but she had a feeling that it wasn't going to stay that way at all. She leaned over the counter and ordered everyone's drinks for them and they finally walked in a few minutes later as she was taking her first shot.
"What were you guys doing?" she asked as she leaned back against the bar.
"Lee bumped into an old lady just outside and she wouldn't stop hitting him, so Neji had to distract her and help her across the street while I helped dust him off." Shikamaru told her nonchalantly.
"Sounds like something that would happen to Lee," she laughed as she took another shot and grabbed her bottle and made her way towards one of the darker corners to sit.
The guys grabbed their bottles and followed as Lee went to go and turn the music up since it was way too quiet.
There were a ton of open tables on this side of the bar and the only other group of people sitting in a booth happened to all be Jonin. They weren't in their jackets, but they were all Jonin that Shanan and the guys knew.
"Senseis!" Shanan yelled, already feeling a bit tipsy. "What are you guys doing here?" she asked as she looked around the table.
On the left side was Kurenai and Asuma, and on the right was Guy and...
"Just a little celebration," Guy said as she realized.
"Kakashi," she smiled as she ran around to the booth behind them and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. "You're here." She held onto him for a few seconds and then let go long enough to climb over the seat and squeeze in next to him and then hugged him tight again as he half hugged her back. "When did you get back?" she asked as she finally let him go.
He rubbed the back of his head nervously as he blushed slightly. "Oh, just a bit ago," he told her.
"Wha- guys, don't! We can't stay over here and bother them," she yelled as Shikamaru climbed over the seat to sit across from her and next to Asuma while Neji and Lee pulled up chairs to the end of the table. "They were having a quiet evening." She buried her face in her hands and then looked up at the table apologetically.
"You guys are alright," Kurenai told them. "We could use a little less quiet for once."
"Guess it's gonna be another one of those nights," Guy said excitedly.
"Another one of what nights?" asked Kakashi curiously.
"I'll get us all something stronger," Asuma said as he climbed over the seat and went to the bar.
Shanan shrugged and opened her bottle to take a few sips before offering some to Kakashi, which he declined since he had his own.
Asuma brought back shots for everyone and asked what they should drink to.
"Kakashi being home and my birthday, obviously..." Shanan said as she laughed and then they all drank.
They all spent the next thirty minutes or so drinking and talking loudly and laughing together.
Except for Kakashi who seemed really quiet and drunk. He was a good sport, though, and drank as much as everyone else.
After a little while Kurenai asked Asuma to go and dance with her. Guy and Lee both went to have a dance off, so Shanan very clumsily climbed over Kakashi and asked Neji and Shikamaru to dance with her.
"I'll dance on the next one," Shikamaru told her.
She shrugged and grabbed Neji's hand so that they could dance together.
Shikamaru grabbed one of Asuma's cigarettes and took a few puffs and coughed, before looking up at Kakashi who was leaning with his head against the back of the booth.
"She's grown up a lot. Especially since joining the Anbu," he said as he tried the cigarette again in between drinks.
"What's that?" Kakashi asked him as he sat up and looked at him.
"Shanan, she's different," Shikamaru said louder over the music.
Kakashi blinked a few times as he tried to make the room stop spinning. "Yeah, I..." he sank down in his seat and leaned his head back again as he trailed off, "didn't not notice..." he said quietly as he closed his eyes.
Shikamaru was still messing with the cigarette as he finished his drink. "I'm telling you, because I know you guys are close. Anyway, good luck, Kakashi Sensei," he said as he climbed out of the booth with the cigarette still in his mouth.
Kakashi wasn't sure, but he felt like he was asleep, but he also wasn't completely startled when Shanan came over to him and grabbed his drink and his hand as she pulled him to the dance floor.
The room was swirling around him, but he could see her just fine. She did look different. He was used to someone much younger, not this very grown woman. He hadn't recognized her at all when she walked in and didn't until Lee and Neji walked in behind her a few minutes later.
He wasn't sure if he was dancing or not, but she put her arms around him as she did.
She looked much happier, like she was radiating light.
He thought he might need to go and sit until she threw her arms around his neck and stood on her toes to whisper into his ear.
"I missed you so much."
She stopped whispering, but kept her arms around him as she looked at him and then leaned in and kissed him for what felt like a long time. It was really soft. But she knew what she was doing, maybe even better than he did. And he didn't realize for a few minutes, but his hands were around her waist and on her lower back. Right where the cutout was. He wasn't sure if he was kissing her back or not, but he wasn't stopping her either.
And then, after a few minutes she had run off to talk to Lee and laugh with him about something.
So Kakashi made his way back to the booth, took a shot that was sitting there and sank back down and closed his eyes again.
He thought that maybe he was asleep again and leaned his head up to see if he was still at the bar. Everyone was back at the table talking a lot less loud than they had been when the drinking started.
Shikamaru was sound asleep with his head on the table.
Kakashi looked down and Shanan was cuddled up against him, head on his shoulder, arm across his torso and completely passed out. And he had no idea when his arm ended up around her, but he didn't move her or his arm as he leaned back again.
Next thing he knew, they were all walking in the dark. Asuma was carrying Shikamaru, Guy had Lee on his back and Neji had Shanan over his shoulder and they all seemed to be headed towards her apartment.
All five Jonin, including Neji, helped to tuck everyone in and the four older Jonin headed out.
Kakashi walked with Guy as the other two were falling all over each other and getting rather handsy.
"Don't feel too bad, Kakashi. Shanan has grown up a lot. She's not at all the same person she was when you left. You'll be proud when you hear about all that she's accomplished since then. And, if it makes you feel any better, I'm sure neither one of you will remember anything tomorrow. So don't worry," he said encouragingly as he patted Kakashi on the back, hard. "Now, let's get you home," he said laughing.
But even when everything had stopped spinning, he did remember. Very much so.