Kakashi had done so many circuits of this damned room that he was starting to feel like an exotic fish in a tank. Granted, the food was sumptuous, the alcohol was free-flowing, and the view was unparalleled; the entire top floor of one of Suna's tallest towers had been taken over for the welcome party, and the village glowed beneath them like the embers of a bonfire. A quartet of local musicians played just loudly enough to enhance the atmosphere without ruining the conversation, and pillars of carved ice kept the room from getting uncomfortably hot. But even if he were the kind of person to be at home among the trappings of the rich and powerful, he'd still have been pure agitation in that moment. The party had started almost two hours ago, and Sakura hadn't come.

He knew his offer was a weak one: give up freedom and travel to stand by his side, and pass him paperwork until death or Naruto's coming of age finally relieved him from duty. See each other every day, just like old times; but now constantly fighting the urge to act upon that which was once unspoken, but was now spoken and denied. And even if the urge to become closer did leave them (and he hoped for their sanity it might, one day), their friendship was still indelibly marked by the could-have-beens, and the gossips would still make up stories about the Sixth Hokage and his pretty little student-cum-secretary.

He could hardly blame her for turning him down. It would burn us both to the ground, he'd said, and perhaps there was no way to be close without catching fire. Perhaps distance was the only remedy for love.

The doors opened, and for all his conviction that Sakura had made the sensible choice, his head still snapped toward the sound. At first he thought it was just another fashionably late noble from some country or another, but then she stepped into the light and Kakashi nearly dropped his drink.

Her shaggy pink hair was combed back in an elegant updo, finished off with the simple red kanzashi he had given her earlier that day. Her eyes were smudged with kohl, and her lips were stained a dark wine red. But it was her outfit that had grabbed the attention of everyone in the room. She wore a traditional furisode, something she must have bought in town from an upscale boutique. At the shoulders it was palest red, but intensified quickly into flames of crimson and scarlet as it reached her middle and disappeared under a charcoal obi belt with silver cord. By the time it reached the hem, the reds were so dark that they were essentially black. The sleeves were almost as long as Sakura was tall, done in the same ombre style so that it looked like she'd dragged them through a pool of fresh blood. Embroidered all over were flecks of deep orange and silver embroidery, like embers and ash.

Her eyes swept the room and settled on him with a devilish smile that seemed, to Kakashi, to say: then let us burn.

The room returned to normal volumes, the spell of Sakura's entrance broken for all but one. Kakashi approached her slowly, trying to look like a Hokage approaching his assistant instead of a starving man approaching a feast.

"Haruno Sakura?!"

Someone swept his assistant off her feet and into their arms, spinning them around in a decidedly non-platonic way. And Sakura giggled.

"Raikage-sama," she murmured, her sleeves draping down his muscular back. "It's been a while."

"When did you arrive?" the Raikage, A, asked, finally returning her to the floor.

"Yesterday."

"And you didn't come and see me?"

"Yesterday evening."

He grinned. "And you didn't come and see me?"

Sakura swatted one of the world's strongest shinobi on the arm. "Flirt."

Kakashi had found himself hovering on the edge of this interaction, swirling the dregs in his glass and waiting for the least awkward moment to announce his presence. He seized this moment to clear his throat. "I wasn't aware you knew my new assistant, A-sama."

"Know her? She's the girl I'm going to marry one day!"

"...What?"

"He's joking." Sakura put him out of his misery. "We met last year when I was travelling with Tsunade. And he's an incorrigible flirt." Once again she swatted his tree-like bicep, and he laughed.

"Only for you, gorgeous girl. I'm still hoping you'll say yes one of these days."

"Nine-hundredth time's the charm," Sakura smiled.

A leaned in closer, voice becoming quieter. "If you're the Hokage's assistant, does that mean you'll be his champion?" He turned to Kakashi. "Pretty sneaky, swapping out on the eve of the exam. Darui'll need to change up his strategy."

Champion? Strategy? He looked to Sakura for help, but she just nodded thoughtfully.

"Considering Shikamaru's conflict of interest, it might be a good idea. Isn't that right, Kakashi-sama?"

"Yes?"

"Brilliant." She gave a wolfish smile. "We can discuss our own strategy later tonight."

If A noticed the silent charge passing between the two, he didn't mention it. "I'll tell Darui to go easy on you, as my future wife." He slipped away with a wink, and Sakura watched him go with an expression that Kakashi could only describe as 'fond'.

"What was all that about?" He asked, hoping it didn't sound nearly as petulant as it felt.

"The fight? I'm surprised Tsunade didn't warn you when she was back in town. It's just a friendly tradition between the Kages."

"I meant the fact that the fourth Raikage apparently proposes to you on a semi-regular basis."

She raised her eyebrows. "Jealous, Hokage-sama?"

"It's not my place to dictate what you do in your spare time; nor who you do it with." Friend. Colleague. Friendly work colleague. Former student. Underling. Tease. Torturer…

Sakura stepped closer to him, and even though the cut of her kimono was entirely respectable, from such an angle it was impossible not to think of what lay beneath those layers of fine fabric. "How much more obvious do I need to be, Kakashi? You gave me your reasons, and now I'm giving you my answer."

"Sakura…"

"I said I wouldn't ask again, do you remember? From that night. I said I was tired of chasing after men who kept running away. So, no chasing: this is my stand." She snatched a flute of champagne from the tray of a passing server. "I'm going to have a lovely evening with the rich and powerful of the world, establishing myself as the perfect assistant to the perfect Hokage, and when it's over you can decide whether or not to take me back to your room. Deal?"

He feared any word that came out of his mouth in that moment would damn him completely, so he simply nodded.

"Great." She cheerfully clinked her glass against his. "I'm going to go talk to Shikamaru and Temari." And then she was off, weaving effortlessly through the throngs of people. Kakashi had no choice but to follow.

Shikamaru was, of course, thrilled to learn he'd been fired. "Does this mean I'm uninvited from this party?" He asked hopefully, and Temari nudged him in the ribs.

"Even if you aren't the Hokage's assistant, you're still the Kazekage's brother-in-law," she reminded him, and Shikamaru gave her a gentle smile.

"Hmm, that's the better job by far."

"I'm not that terrible a boss, am I?" Kakashi asked, but Shikamaru pretended not to hear.

"Speaking of the Kazekage, here he is now." They stepped aside to let Gaara join their circle, repeating the news of Sakura's promotion.

Gaara had always struck Kakashi as a serious boy. Naruto had been the first person to break him out of his shell, but even now, as the beloved and admired leader of his village, he seemed even less at home in the spotlight than Kakashi. But despite all that, he shook Sakura's hand with genuine warmth. They even chatted about her work for a time. Gaara, Sakura explained, had been hugely helpful in her research and treatment of the latent insomnia that plagued many deep-dreamers.

In fact, Sakura seemed to know a lot of the top-ranking shinobi in attendance. As for the civilian nobles, the ones that hadn't been part of their convoy seemed to mistake her for one of their own (between the exquisite outfit and the strangely unblemished skin, Kakashi could hardly blame them), and the main comment from those that had met her on the way to Suna was that she scrubbed up well.

At one point, Kakashi was more or less content to just lean against the wall and watch her go. He'd been worried she would struggle in the poisonous world of power, and then resent him for leading her there; but she was a consummate kunoichi, able to blend seamlessly into all spheres of society. Her people skills put Naruto to shame.

"I guess she was a slut after all."

Kakashi turned his head away from the sight of Sakura chatting with a handful of shinobi from Iwagakure to look at the newcomer. "What was that?"

Hiro nodded toward Sakura. "She said she was practically a virgin, but it seems like half the room knows her, and the other half is about to. Suddenly I don't feel so special." He sniffed.

"Excuse me?" Kakashi surprised himself with how calm he sounded.

"You didn't know?" Hiro's dark brows rose slightly. "Goodness, well that explains why you look at her the way you do: you think she's some purehearted angel. I'm so sorry to shatter that illusion, Kakashi-dono," he said, with absolutely zero sincerity, "but she's nothing of the sort."

"What are you talking about?" Anyone with half a sense of self-preservation would have been running in the opposite direction by now, so powerful was the threat behind Kakashi's calm.

Hiro, who had as much sensitivity as a bull seal, stayed put. "I'm talking about the rather long 'physical' your nurse gave me the other night. In my caravan."

"You're lying."

He shrugged. "Ask about her birthmark, if you don't believe me. Right here," he pointed at his breastbone, "and shaped like a little heart."

Kakashi took a paper napkin from the table behind him, folding it slowly in half and then half again.

"Did you hear me?" Hiro watched his efforts with puzzlement. "I said your new assistant is a whor-"

The handkerchief disappeared inside Hiro's mouth. "Keep smiling," Kakashi told him, gently pushing his jaw closed around the wad of fabric. "This is a friendly conversation, after all." His hands came to rest on either side of the man's shoulders, stopping him from moving away.

Hiro, of course, didn't respond. His eyes darted around the room, looking for a witness to his predicament; but nobody so much as glanced in their direction.

"You know," Kakashi sighed, "I got grilled a lot about my 'reputation' when I first became Hokage. Everyone was so concerned about a village leader who was chronically late, and who read too many trashy novels. But honestly, in the grand scheme of things? These are the least of my sins. These hands," he said, tightening them around the other man's shoulders, "have caused so much death. I have a genius for killing that's impressive even by the standards of your average shinobi."

Hiro made a muffled noise, still trying desperately to signal a bystander for help. Kakashi ignored him.

"I never liked it, of course; but there have been times, long periods of time actually, where I didn't particularly hate it, either. It was just a job to me. Automatic. Reflex." He strummed his fingers absently along the point where humerus met clavicle. "Still, I was lucky. I had good people looking out for me, people who cared about my happiness, not just my efficiency as a weapon of the village. And now I'm able to be that good person for others." He smiled. "It's a nice feeling, protecting the happiness of the village and those I care about. And I want you to help me, Hiro." He leaned in earnestly. "Do you know what I want you to do?"

Hiro shook his head, eyes wide.

"I want you," Kakashi's cheerful tone disappeared like a candle being snuffed out, "to leave Sakura alone. Forever. If you harm, or even approach her, I will kill you. If you try to harm anyone she cares about - which is everyone, by the way - I will kill you. You won't be able to hide behind your father, and you won't be able to buy enough bodyguards to stop me. There won't be enough money in the world, once they find out I'm the one that's coming for you. Do you understand?"

For what may well have been the first time in his entire pampered life, the young man made a sensible choice. He nodded, and Kakashi clapped him on the shoulder and let him go. "Oh good, because I hate repeating myself."

Hiro staggered back, coughing the napkin into his hand. "You're insane," he wheezed, and Kakashi shrugged.

"I've been called worse. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to talk to someone I can actually stand to be around." He left the man where he was, confident that his message hadn't fallen on deaf ears.

"Where did you disappear to?" Sakura asked him, when he returned to her side.

"Just getting us a drink." He handed her a glass. "Cheers."

"Cheers." Sakura clinked his glass just like she'd done at the start of the night.

They sipped in silence until he couldn't stand it anymore. Now or never time, Kakashi. "Do you want to dance?"

Sakura downed the rest of her drink. "No."

"Oh." Oh. He finished his own drink through his mask, the wet fabric clinging to his lips like a kiss. "In that case," he said, "shall I walk you home?"

He had offered to walk her home, but once she explained that she was currently sharing a one-bedder with Yamanaka Ino, they had smoothly set a course for the Kage suites. They walked in silence, aside from the occasional nervous comment about the party's food ("croquettes were a little too spicy"..."did you try the grilled eggplant?") or attendees ("the Mizukage must have been wearing a small fortune in pearls"..."it's a shame Darui looked so bored, there was more than one girl who wanted to dance with him"), until they reached a door with the kanji for 'fire' painted on the front.

"After you," Kakashi offered, once he had unlocked the door with his personal chakra signature.

She slid past him into the blessedly cool suite, removing her shoes at the entrance. Her kimono was designed to be worn in hotter seasons and climates, but it was still several yards' worth of fabric, and she'd needed Ino's help putting it all on properly. Still, she knew it wasn't her clothes making her feel so warm, but the thought that she would soon be taking them off.

The room was dimly lit, but she could make out a combined lounge/dining space, a door that seemed to lead to a private bathroom, and in the corner, the biggest, plushest bed she had ever seen.

"Gaara sure knows how to treat his VIPs," Sakura commented, even as her stomach started doing little flip-flops. She wasn't nervous, per se; she wanted this more than anything. Wearing this beautiful furisode and inviting Kakashi to take her to bed had been her final gambit to make him realise he could have her, if only he'd get out of his own way. But even though she was thrilled it had succeeded, she also felt like this was now the most important night of her life, and the pressure was making her a little dizzy.

Kakashi tugged his mask down, and it took Sakura a moment to realise that he meant to kiss her. She squeezed her eyes shut, then immediately reopened them because she couldn't see how far away he was and had a sudden fear of doing something embarrassing like bumping into him.

He was close, as close as he had been the last time they'd gotten this far, and was smiling at her in a way that felt less like a precursor to a kiss, and more like he was about to ruffle her hair.

"You don't have to be so nervous," he said, pecking her lightly on the forehead and moving away to turn on a few more lights. "Did you want me to put the kettle on?"

What the hell was that?! "I don't want a cup of tea, Kakashi." She tried to recover a little of the sexiness she had felt at the party, when he'd been practically undressing her with his eyes. "What are you doing?"

"I just want you to know there's no pressure to rush into anything," he told her, and even though she'd been worrying about that exact thing a second ago, hearing it from him made her suddenly impatient.

"I'd hardly call two years rushing..." She reached her hands out to him. "Now come here and kiss me properly."

Kakashi grinned. "Yes, ma'am." He wrapped his arms around the small of her back and pressed his lips to hers.

This was worth the wait…

The last of her nerves burned away in the fire of her excitement that finally, finally, she was kissing Hatake Kakashi. She was no longer worried about going too fast. She wanted everything now.

Kakashi followed her lead, tilting his head and giving her more of him. She tugged at his tie (a risky move for a shinobi to wear a tie, though she was hardly one to talk), and tossed it to the ground, where it was shortly followed by his jacket.

She reached back to the elaborate knot of her obi, practically growling with frustration. "Help me out of this."

"Turn around." His voice was rough with all the same emotions as Sakura, but he untied her belt slowly, unlooping it with the practised gentleness of a professional. Sakura raised her arms and spun in place to help speed up the process, and when all twelve feet of fabric were free Kakashi hung it carefully from the back of a chair.

"Did I mention you look stunning in this?" He ran the front flaps of her robe between his fingers like she was a present to be unwrapped. Sakura shivered.

When he reached the simpler tie holding her outer kimono closed, he removed his hands and began unbuttoning his shirt instead.

Sakura smiled. "Are you being a gentleman, making sure we lose all our clothes at the same rate?"

"Just savouring it a little," he smiled back.

"As long as you aren't trying to give me enough time to reconsider."

He leaned in for another kiss. "I'm done hesitating. I don't care how fast or slow we go, but I'm not stopping if you aren't."

"Good." She reached out to help him with his shirt, holding his gaze as she untucked it from the front of his trousers and began to unbutton from the bottom up. "Because I'm not stopping." When the shirt was fully unbuttoned and shucked onto the floor (it seemed only Sakura's garments would receive any kind of special treatment, though she had no doubt Kakashi's outfit had been every bit as expensive), Kakashi returned to her kimono. The last knots of the outer robe fell away, and Sakura slid the heavy fabric off her shoulders before he could fuss over it. It landed in a pool of fire and ashes at her feet, revealing a plain cotton robe so thin that it was essentially see-through. And considering she wasn't wearing anything underneath that, there was quite a bit to see.

"Wow," Kakashi breathed, admiring her openly. Her nipples were a shade darker than her hair, and pressed hard against the cotton when he brushed them with his fingers. He reached her ribs and she giggled, tucking her arms flat against her sides instinctually.

"You're ticklish?" Kakashi laughed. "Not ideal for a ninja, but definitely a cute look on you."

"Oh, hush." Sakura swatted him playfully. "It's not like anyone else touches me like this."

"Mmm," he began tugging at her last tie, dragging it slowly out of its knot. When it finally came loose, his hands immediately slipped inside and pulled her closer. "What about like this?"

"Never," she whispered, and he held her gaze for a moment longer than she expected.

"Never?"

"I mean, I've done things like this before…" Why was this, of all things, the part that made her blush? "But not with anyone I cared about."

Something complicated crossed his expression before he gently removed her cotton robe and leaned back to take her in. He stared at her chest so openly that Sakura almost felt like he was looking for something as he swiped his thumbs from her sternum to the undersides of her breasts.

"Like what you see?" She joked feebly, some of the old dysphoria crawling back into her brain. What if he had been expecting a mature woman, and only saw a gangly teen?

Kakashi snapped back to the present. "Absolutely. It just surprised me, how soft your skin is. There isn't a mark on you."

"Medic's privilege," she smiled, and after a beat Kakashi smiled back.

"You're beautiful." His kisses trailed down her jaw, and she could only stand, dazed and gasping, as he bent to press his lips to the base of her neck. "Simply beautiful." He sucked hard and the sudden sharpness made her cry aloud, hands clinging to the pockets of his trousers so that she could push him away if the pain became too much (or closer if it wasn't enough).

When she recovered some of her senses, she used her grip to guide him backwards until his legs hit mattress. With a final shove, he allowed himself to collapse into a sitting position at the end of the bed.

Sakura looked down at him: the smooth planes of his shirtless chest, the trail of silvery hairs that disappeared under his waistband, and the tented mound just beneath that. She leaned in, practically straddling him, and with one swift movement he had swept her up and flipped her around so that she was the one on the bed and he was the one standing.

At first her instincts protested the vulnerability of her new position, lying back with her legs hanging over the edge. But it was only Kakashi standing over her, and he was someone she had never, nor would ever, fear.

She patted the bed beside him, inviting him to join her. "But lose the trousers first."

He dutifully unbuttoned his fly, and Sakura tried not to stare as he tugged down and then kicked off his pants. His erection was now free and in full view, and much like the first time she had seen him without his mask, there was a giddy sort of triumph in getting to see this side of Hatake Kakashi.

"Like what you see?" he joked, repeating her words from before, and in answer Sakura sat up so that her face was level with his hips. She placed a kiss against his hip bone, running her hands up his legs, down his back, and through the rough silver curls on his abdomen; anywhere except where he wanted her most.

"You're beautiful," she murmured, enjoying the way his cock twitched with frustrated need. "Simply beautiful."

"Sakura," he breathed, when her hand finally closed around his shaft. Her name sounded so lovely coming out of his mouth that she took his tip into her mouth and gently sucked it, just to see if he'd say it again.

He bucked his hips automatically, his hands grasping at her nape before he regained control of himself again. "Sorry, that just feels…"

Don't be sorry, she thought, hoping he could read it on her face. It feels good for me too.

And it did. The taste and smell of him, the little noises of approval and pleasure she was drawing out of him, was making her wetter than she'd ever felt without actually being touched down there. She could feel him withdrawing the hairpin he had given her earlier that day, and her hair falling back down around the tops of her shoulders. He fisted a hand through it, nails softly grazing her scalp, as he slowly, gently, rocked himself further into her mouth. She closed her eyes to focus on the task of taking him deeper. Kakashi let her take over the rhythm, and once she had managed to touch her lips to the base of his shaft she began to speed up.

"Ah, fuck…" he murmured brokenly, head thrown back so that when Sakura looked up at him all she could see was his Adam's apple bobbing in time with his laboured breathing. After a minute more, the hand on the back of her head gently held her still. "Any more of that and I won't last," he explained, answering the question in her eyes.

She released him, licking the wetness from around her mouth. "I wouldn't mind." She'd never brought a man to completion with just her mouth before, and it would have been nice to know she could. But he shook his head, leaning down and caging her between his arms so that he could more easily kiss her. "I would. I want to make you feel at least as good before that finally happens." He kissed her again, deep and lingering. Then his kisses travelled back down to the crook of her neck and beyond, his mouth fastening on one of her nipples. He applied just the slightest pressure with his teeth, and it was as if he had pulled a wire directly connected to the pit of her stomach.

"Ah," she gasped between shallow breaths, but Kakashi's mouth was already moving, licking a stripe along her ribs, trailing tiny kisses across her belly button, and finally giving her hip bone the slightest nip.

By this time he was kneeling down at the foot of the bed, Sakura's legs dangling off the edge on either side of him. He hoisted both over his shoulders and tugged her closer, opening her up to him. Sakura was lying flat on her back, terrified of looking down at the sight of Kakashi between her legs, about to eat her out. It wasn't that she was embarrassed, per se; just overwhelmed at the feelings (both physical and emotional), and even though Kakashi was very much a part of this experience, it still felt too personal to share by looking him in the eye.

And then his tongue was flat against her sex, and she was fisting her hands in the sheets and trying to stifle a moan. Kakashi's tongue moved slowly, exploring her like she was a rare delicacy he was trying to savour. He quickly learned where she was most sensitive, swirling and sucking until she was arcing helplessly against him. It was all too much, building too quickly, and she finally craned her head down to look Kakashi in the eye.

"Should I wait?" she asked, because he had waited; but Kakashi's eyes sparkled with satisfaction at the revelation that she was close, and he shook his head (which caused another shuddering moan to escape her lips) and said, "come for me."

He returned to her with a singular intensity, tongue laving against her clit. Sakura's head fell back onto the bed with a soft whumph. She tried to ride the wave, tried to let go of the tension building inside her, but it was only when Kakashi pressed a thumb against her entrance, maintaining a gentle, anchoring pressure, that she finally came undone. A cry tore from her throat, all concerns of propriety or thin walls forgotten in the urgency of her orgasm. One of her hands moved of its own accord to tug at Kakashi's hair, as if afraid he would move away before she was done enjoying him.

When it became too much, he sat back and gave her space. She felt boneless and breathless, twitching and shivering with the aftershocks. She'd had orgasms before, of course, but not against somebody's mouth.

Kakashi crawled onto the bed and flopped gently beside her. She rolled over to kiss him, not quite trusting her ability to speak. He tasted like her, like sex and pheromones and a living reminder of how skillfully he had brought her down around him. She wanted to do that for him.

"Do you want to fuck me?" she whispered against his neck, gently tugging on his shoulder as an invitation for him to get on top.

Even after everything that had happened in the last few minutes, there was still a tiny part of her that wondered what she'd do if he simply scoffed and said, "of course not." But her vulnerability was rewarded with a growl and a nip against her own neck that seemed barely controlled.

"Fuck, yes." He positioned himself between her legs, wrapping his arms under her back so that he could hold her close. "Of course I want to fuck you, Sakura, you're so fucking gorgeous. It's been all I can think about." The head of his cock rubbed against the slick of her recent orgasm, and Sakura reached down to feel for herself how hard he was.

"Then fuck me," she told him, guiding him inside her. She didn't often swear off the battlefield, and neither did Kakashi, but there was something extra hot about calling it 'fucking', about giving and evoking an organic response to their pleasure. "Fuck me, fuck me, fuck..."

Kakashi kissed her desperately, as if he knew he wouldn't be able to pace himself if he didn't shut her up. She moaned against his mouth, wanting him to know how good he made her feel. It wasn't her first ever time, so there was no pain beyond the initial tightness when adjusting to his girth, and even that was just a precursor to pleasure. He was an average length, but thicker than anything she'd had before; and clearly experienced enough to know what felt best. For a second, Sakura could only lay there and marvel that this was actually happening. That Kakashi, a man she had known in various forms throughout the years, was inside her. It would have been unthinkable once upon a time, but now it was her reality.

"Touch yourself, please," he begged against her ear, and Sakura obediently frigged herself while he thrust deeper. She raised her knees higher off the bed, and Kakashi hit so deep that he bottomed out with a groan. "Are you…"

"I'm safe," she whispered, because interrupting her cycle was one of the first things Tsunade had taught her to do. "You can come in me."

"Gods, when you talk like that…" Kakashi bit her neck again like it was an admonishment. She dug her nails into his back half in surprise, half in retaliation, and his pace broke and stuttered into eager bucks. She was so sensitive to her body at the best of times that the teeth against her neck and fingers against her clit were so deeply heightened, they practically eclipsed all of her other senses; but the feeling of Kakashi filling her, the heat and tightness and vulgarity of it almost sent her back over the edge with him.

Movement slowed and then stopped, and for a moment Kakashi just rested his head in the crook of her shoulder. It wasn't uncomfortable; he rested his weight on his forearms to prevent crushing her, and there was something weirdly pleasant about the feeling of him softening inside her. All her experiences prior to this had been so perfunctory, so much about chasing individual ends, that the parting after those 'ends' had been almost painfully abrupt. Even when Kakashi finally rolled off to the side, his arms stayed draped across her body. She turned with him so that they were still facing one another, and when they both caught their breath a little, she spoke.

"You're right, that was a terrible idea, and definitely not something we should ever do again."

He huffed a short laugh, smacking her half-heartedly on the thigh. "I'm going to assume that was a joke, because my heart couldn't take the alternative right now."

She grinned, leaning in to kiss his forehead like he'd done to her earlier. "Definitely a joke." Despite her desire to just roll over and fall asleep, she forced herself to get up and use Kakashi's bathroom. "Can I borrow your towel?"

Kakashi made a noise into his pillow that sounded like "Mrr," but Sakura took it as a yes. After a brief shower to freshen up, she returned to the combined living/sleeping area to see that Kakashi had gotten under the covers and already looked halfway asleep.

She hesitated, suddenly feeling very aware that she was still naked. Should she just go? Did he want her to go? She masked her dithering by collecting their clothes from the floor and hanging them somewhat neatly off the back of the remaining chairs. Her fire-themed kimono was of such fine quality that any wrinkles immediately smoothed out, but Kakashi's poor shirt looked as dishevelled as she herself felt.

When there was nothing else she could really do short of getting dressed or hunting for the iron, she heard the rustling of the doona cover behind her.

"Are you coming back?" Kakashi had thrown back a corner of the blanket, unambiguously inviting her to join him. His tone was casual, but there was still something vulnerable in his eyes that might well have been a mirror image of her own.

She smiled shyly, flicking off the lights and sliding into the cool sheets. "Yep, I'm here."

"Big day tomorrow. Later today," he corrected.

She shrugged. "That's Future Sakura and Kakashi's problem."

He chuckled groggily. "You still okay with being my assistant? It could be tricky, making both work."

"We'll manage." In truth, she had a thousand questions and concerns that she wanted to discuss at length, but she suspected the only reason he was still awake was for her sake, so she let the silence drag out until his breathing became steady and deep.

Seeing Kakashi asleep with his mask down was still something of a novelty. He looked so young like this, like instead of Sakura ageing up to meet him in their early thirties, Kakashi had aged down to meet her in their late teens. She wasn't suicidal enough to actually reach out and trace a finger along the sleeping man's exposed jaw; after surviving two wars and a genin team of pranksters, his ambush response was hair-trigger. But she did like to think he looked particularly comfortable in that moment, like he'd finally let his guard one hundred percent down.

And to think, all it took in the end was an orgasm, her inner voice commented, and Sakura giggled silently. If we'd known that, we…well, we probably wouldn't have done it before now, but it would have been interesting to know all the same.

For the first time in a while, Sakura wasn't sure what came next. She had no real worries about the actual duties of being an assistant (though it would have sucked if Kakashi had turned her down tonight and still expected them to work together after), but it felt like a new chapter of her life had finally begun, and suddenly everything would become different all at once. New job, new relationship, new course for the rest of her life, that would send her further and further from her dreamworld.

Goodnight, Sarada. If your world is real, I hope you're as happy as I am here.

She'd told Kakashi once that she didn't know what to do with all her love for her daughter, now that she was gone. Upon reflection, all that love still belonged with Sarada. It always would. But that didn't mean her heart was straddling the two worlds, unable to live fully in either one; that fear had been unfounded. She was home here, with Kakashi. And her capacity for love was infinite.

She couldn't remember the exact point that she fell asleep, next to his comforting warmth. Her dreams were hazy and vague, but she did have the distinct feeling that someone was hugging her, and that she was hugging them back.