Hello Pretties!

Well, I don't think anyone was expecting this, huh? An update, just a few hours after the last? It feels just like old times.

This chapter is actually something I had forgotten about. I have a document filled with Japanese names and their meanings for when I either can't get on the internet or am to lazy to, and I had forgotten that I also leave half finished chapters on there that just kind of seemed to fall apart and die in my head. So the first half of this was on there, and I just kind of started typing on it and figured, "Yeah, okay, this is fine." When I finished.

So, onward!

The first thing they noticed was the smell that lingered on him and the apartment even after she was long gone. They knew who it was since they had met all of his students and they weren't stupid, and they definitely knew what he was doing with her since he had never really tried to hide it from them. They didn't live by the same structures and rules as humans did, so they didn't care all that much about the things the people around the pair would have cared about such as their previous relationship as a student and teacher and the age gap. Such things meant very little, if anything, to them.

They were, however, aware of other people's feelings towards these aspects, so they were concerned for Kakashi, and promised themselves that they would keep an eye on him.

Pakkun was the only one to even breach the subject with him, and all he got for his efforts was a flippant answer saying that he shouldn't be so worried and that it would all blow over in time. It was a thing that would end soon and amicably.

But months passed, and with each passing day as the pair's hold on one another got stronger the ninken were clearly able to see just how wrong the foolish man was.

Of course, they didn't exactly know what to think of the girl at first. They had known her since she was a child, but it was more like knowing of her instead of actually acquainting with the girl. The chance came when she gave Pakkun that steak, and all the ninken jumped on it to see just what the girl who had captured Kakashi's interest was like.

They admired her greatly for not freaking out at being met with an entire pack of loud and hungry ninken demanding food, and they quickly realized a few things about her.

One was that she could cook. She could cook a lot, and could cook it well when they selfishly demanded it from her.

Another was that she liked dogs, which was a very good thing for everyone involved.

And finally, they all noticed just how lonely she was.

Lonely, just like Kakashi was. No matter how hard he tried to hide it, it had always been there for you to see if you just looked close enough, especially for the little pack that he had allowed to become the closest to him. That little boy who had lost everything had grown into a man who had so very little and who wanted so much more, but was punishing himself for all of his perceived failures by not allowing himself anything. They could see so many of these shadowed and dangerous parts within the girl, sharing them with Kakashi, and the ninken, seeing this, could also see just how the pair could help one another.

It wouldn't the happiest of relationships, they knew, nor would it be the healthiest. The pair was to wary and hurt and self-punishing for any of that, and should they actually get together in the long-term and trust each other and make an effort for an actual acknowledged relationship, the dogs could already tell that the possessiveness and dependency on one another the pair would have would not be a very good thing.

But what would be good was how they helped each other heal, and what would be good was that the two of them would maybe come out from the armor they had built around themselves, but only for the other.

The ninken could tell that they were two lonely, scarred people who were looking for excuses in the other. They were looking for somewhere safe and somewhere where they could heal and find solace and sanctuary from their never-ending grief.

They were looking for home and maybe, just maybe, they would find it in each other.

I actually don't remember where I was going with this all of those many months ago when I first abandoned it, but I'm very much alright with how this came out. It's just a little thing, but look how it shines. Look how happy it is to be here not even a day after the last chapter.

I've never thought that Kakashi and Sakura had a happily ever after, perfect relationship. They love each other and stay together until the very end (in my head), but I think the thing with the birth control and just about everything else between these two shows just how not good their relationship really is a lot of the time. (I don't know if I've stressed this enough, but the birth control thing was sooo not a thing that anyone should do. Ever. It is a violation of that person's trust and body. To have a child or not is that person's choice, not anyone elses. This has been a PSA brought to you by the ever wonderful and lovely Goddess you all revere)

But, their relationship isn't all bad. Not by a long shot. And they certainly love each other, and they are very happy by the end of it all.

Thank you all, I hope you enjoyed! See you again soon!