A/N: Originally posted to Ao3 on 24 October 2021.
I don't own Naruto.
Chocolate and Dango
"Dad, can I help mix?"
Kakashi looked down at his six-year-old son, who was making the biggest caramel colored puppy dog eyes he possibly could. The former Hokage chuckled and ruffled his son's silver spikes.
"Sure thing, Genji. Here, let me guide you."
Genji's face lit up, and he practically bounced in front of the mixing bowl. Grabbing hold of the spatula, the boy stared at the chocolatey mix, waiting for his father's instructions. No sooner did Kakashi adjust Genji's grip on the purple spatula.
"The idea is to fold it together. It's a little like mixing pancakes. You don't want to mix it too much, otherwise the cake will be too chewy," Kakashi instructed as he guided his son through the motions. The older Hatake turned to his daughter, who still had her fingertip in her mouth.
"Sachiko, please try not to eat all the frosting before the cake is even baked," Kakashi admonished.
The ten-year-old gave a sickly-sweet smile, one that would match the sweetness of the cake they were making for their mother's birthday. "Sorry Daddy, but it just tastes so yummy. And I love chocolate."
"Like mother, like daughter," Kakashi quipped with a smile. "So, is it ready?"
Lilac locks danced as Sachiko nodded. "Yup! Ready!"
"Great job. Now, could you please stash that in the fridge? We should get started on the dango. Just measure out the ingredients for me and I'll start mixing in a second."
"Can I help mixing the dango dough, too?" Genji piped up, still folding the cake batter.
Another chuckle escaped Kakashi. "Maybe. It's harder to mix than cake batter, though, so you might need a little more help. How's that batter looking?"
Genji paused his near-robotic motion, inspecting his handiwork. "It's really chocolatey. I think it's ready."
"Well, your mom loves chocolate, so chocolatey is good." Kakashi glanced at the clock. "We're making good time so far. Let's get started on the dango and then you kids can go make your cards."
Anko strolled through the market district of Konoha. Despite having moved to a more administrative position, she still wore her signature tan trench coat. After all, it had plenty of pockets to keep notes, pens, some concealed weapons, and snacks.
T&I had been renamed to the "Intelligence Division" once Naruto Uzumaki became Hokage. Anko, for her part, didn't mind, especially since there wasn't much torturing to be done now that they weren't at war. Konoha didn't have many enemies, either, especially not after the establishment of the Shinobi Union. As much fun as active duty was, Anko had a family now, and she intended to spend time with her husband and her children, especially.
She retrieved a slip of paper from her pocket and unfolded it, scanning over its contents. "Let's see…looks like he's planning on making nikujaga," the violet haired woman said to herself as she glanced over the grocery list. Nodding to herself, she stowed the list back into one of her trench coat's many pockets.
Given her husband's frugality, she would likely get a bit of an earful if she spent too much on the ingredients, so she sought out the market that Kakashi told her about. It was a local place, but one that sold freshly harvested produce and meat at reasonable prices. Once she saw the familiar sign, she marched right in and began her scavenger hunt.
Despite it being her birthday, Anko only saw today as another day, never mind the fact that she was one year older. In fact, she often preferred not to think about that. She was young at heart, no doubt, but she would be lying if she said raising two children while also holding an administrative position didn't wear her out sometimes.
As tiring as things could get, she was happy. The real test for them was when Kakashi was Hokage. The beginning of his term was challenging, to say the least. He'd inherited a village that was struggling to get back on its feet, and a world that was still shaky at best. All of that coupled with being a new father made things less than easy for them. To top it all off, they'd only been married for a couple of years before they had Sachiko.
Of course, none of that mattered, now. They'd made it through and came out the other side of it closer and stronger. Their marriage was nigh on unshakable, and Anko promised herself she would give her children everything she couldn't have when she was a little girl. With her groceries gathered, she made her way home, eager to see her family.
"And…done. What do you think, kids?" Kakashi prompted as he put the finishing touches on the now frosted cake.
"Looks great, Daddy," Sachiko chirped.
"I think Mom will really like it," Genji added.
Kakashi chuckled and glanced at the clock. "She should be home any minute now, so go get your cards and be ready."
The two little ones nodded and scampered off to their rooms to retrieve their handmade birthday cards. Meanwhile, Kakashi grabbed the bouquet of yellow roses and lilacs. He slipped his gift into a rather petite bag with a tiny tuft of tissue paper sticking up.
Just as Sachiko and Genji bounced into the living room, the door unlocked. In stepped Anko, who gave a little gasp at the sight before her.
"Happy Birthday!"
"Oh my!" Anko immediately set down the groceries and spread her arms to catch her children, who scurried over and ran into their mother's arms. The Hatake matriarch squeezed them tight, planting kisses on each of their heads. "Thank you so much, kiddos!"
"We made you cards, Mama!" Sachiko declared.
Anko released them, and they held out their cards. The violet haired woman hurriedly slipped her sandals and trench coat off. After she took their cards, she planted herself on the couch, her children sat on either side of her as she read each card.
"Oh, you two are so sweet! Thank you so much, kids," she gushed as she gave each of them a big kiss on the cheek.
Kakashi cleared his throat loudly from the kitchen, prompting his wife to crane her head. She sprang to her feet and approached her husband, who wore a small smile on his face.
"Happy birthday, Anko," Kakashi said as he produced the bouquet from behind his back.
Anko couldn't stop herself from gasping. "Oh, Kakashi. They're beautiful. Thank you so much."
"That's not all, actually."
Her brow furrowed slightly. "Kakashi, I told you not to spend on gifts," she admonished.
"I know, I know, but I saw this and couldn't help but think of you," the silver haired man said placatingly as he reached for the tiny gift bag.
Anko cocked her head, eyeing the small parcel and gently setting the bouquet down.
"Open it, Mom!" Genji cried.
The mother in question did as she was asked, retrieving a small, purple jewelry box. She stuck her bottom lip out and opened the lid. Another gasp escaped her as she beheld the gift.
It was a ring, but not an ordinary band. It was a small, silver snake. The head held pink tourmaline eyes and looked to be facing forward. The torso was coiled in such a way that it made up what would be the band of the ring, while the remainder of its tail formed a lazy 'S' shape just behind it.
Anko blinked back a few tears. "Kakashi, this is…"
"I'm glad you like it."
She suddenly found her lips pressed against her husband's, and his arms wrapped around her. Anko returned his embrace and leaned into the kiss. After they regrettably separated, they rested their foreheads against each other.
"Happy birthday," Kakashi whispered.
"Thank you," Anko replied in her own whisper.
"What about your cake, Mama?" Sachiko piped up.
Anko immediately perked up. "Cake?"
"Yeah, we made a chocolate cake for you! And hanami dango, too!" Genji added.
The sweets-loving woman's head went on a swivel, finally spotting the cake and confections on the counter. She pulled away from her husband's embrace, completely entranced by the sugary treats. Snapping herself out of her trance, she turned to her family.
"You all made these? For me?" she asked, a hint of incredulity in her voice.
Sachiko and Genji nodded vigorously, while Kakashi merely chuckled and gave his own nod.
Anko's heart nearly burst. In an instant, she pulled all three of them into a crushing group hug. "Thank you thank you thank you! I love it!"
Kakashi let out a hearty laugh. "Just try not to eat it all before dinner. Remember, I'm making nikujaga tonight."
Sachiko and Genji let out a muffled cheer. Anko finally released them to let them go wash up. Just as she was about to go get changed, Kakashi spun her round, planting another kiss on her lips.
Anko blinked. "What was that for?"
"Am I not allowed to kiss my wife?" Kakashi asked innocently. That earned him a knowing look from his wife, which he answered with a chuckle. "That was my thanks for getting me the ingredients I needed for the nikujaga. I would've gone myself, but, well, I was busy making your cake."
"Oh, don't worry about it, you big lug," Anko answered. "It was on the way home from the Hokage Tower, anyways, so it's not a huge deal. Plus, I love your cooking."
"Well, I still appreciate it all the same," the former Hokage said warmly. He planted another quick kiss on his wife's lips. "Happy birthday, Anko. I love you."
Anko smiled, her cheeks warming. "Thank you, Kakashi. I love you, too."
The Hatake family always made it a point to eat dinner together unless they absolutely couldn't. Today was no different, and the dinner they shared was delicious. Kakashi and Anko were glad their children weren't picky eaters, and they even liked Kakashi's cooking, to boot. Anko couldn't stop herself from having at least one skewer of dango before dinner, but she made sure to save room for the hearty stew. Though, she did have at least two pieces of cake for dessert. It was her birthday, after all.
A/N: This has to be one of the most tooth-rotting pieces I've written to date. Did I enjoy writing it? You bet your sweet bippy I did. Writing Kakashi and Anko with a loving and happy family is good for the soul, too. Thanks so much for reading!
