The meeting of the five kage was over at last. The five shadows proceeded to a much more relaxed dinner together, as had become their custom during this time of peace. They shared their meal, without guards of any kind, and A, Kurotsuchi, and Gaara departed one by one as the evening wore on. It wasn't unusual for Kakashi and Mei to linger.

"Do you have any plans for what you'll do with retirement?" Kakashi asked after a long silence. There was no need for conversation. A comfortable companionship had formed between them during the time their service as kage had overlapped. But now Mei was retiring. She was going to miss these times with her peers, especially Kakashi.

Mei hummed in reply from her reclined seat. Her cup dangled from her manicured fingers. Then she laughed, a bitter, short sound. "The village elders will probably want me to make babies."

Kakashi's eyebrows went up. They had discussed the pressures their elders put on them before, but never so blatantly.

Mei caught his look and her tone turned teasing, "am I making you blush?"

"No," Kakashi rallied. He shifted in his seat but looked no less comfortable. "I just hadn't thought about serving my village that way once Naruto takes over." He gave a short laugh. "I thought I'd travel the world, enjoy the peace, but you're probably right. The village will want me to have children."

"Easy for you to say," Mei commented. It wasn't as if Kakashi would be the one actually birthing the babies.

"You've got me there." Kakashi replied. He cocked his head at her from his relaxed position, "your elders, they've brought this up before?" He frowned behind his mask.

Mei nodded. "Oh yes, many times. I've pointed out that a pregnant kage is not feasible and they eventually agreed each time. But now that I'm retired," she shrugged to show that the excuse would no longer work. "I wouldn't do it any other way. I could have kept serving as Mizukage until pregnancy was no longer possible, but Chojuro is ready. The next generation needs to make their mark."

Kakashi nodded his agreement. "Naruto will be ready soon enough, but I predict that A will be the next to retire. I think he just wanted to outlast Onoki."

Mei smiled at his joke. It was probably true. There had been a lot of leadership changes since the end of the war. Mei missed Tsunade's companionship but Kakashi and she had connected on a different level. Bringing the original subject back, she turned to him. "They must want you to have children, even now. What do you say?"

Kakashi shrugged, "too busy." He smiled now, dark fabric hiding the expression, "or I pretend I can't hear them."

Mei laughed out loud. "I've tried the selective hearing trick; it didn't work for me."

"Maybe you're doing it wrong," Kakashi replied, his smile widening. Her laugh always made him smile. "There's been talk about incentives or even mandates for ninja clans in the Leaf to have more children. Luckily for me, only the Hokage can sign off on that order, and he's disinclined to do so." They shared another smile. "You don't want children then?"

"I didn't say that," Mei replied, but she got quiet.

Kakashi sensed his friend's unease and dropped the topic. After a few more minutes of silence, he attempted to lighten the mood to its previous levity. "Maybe we should get married, that would get the elders off of our backs." He chuckled a little and Mei joined him.

"Can you imagine?" Mei said when she paused for breath. "Two kage getting married! That could never work!"

"The other kage would hang us," Kakashi agreed.

"It'd be an unfair alliance," Mei added. "It'd cause a scandal."

"If not a war," Kakashi agreed again and took another sip.

Mei almost made another joke but stopped, thoughtful. An arranged marriage would solve both of their problems. She couldn't deny that. And Kakashi was far from an undesirable choice for a husband. The private but spacious room the five kage had reserved to dine in suddenly felt impossibly small.

"It's getting late," Kakashi spoke, startling Mei out of her thoughts. The couple paid their bills and left.

000000

Mei stared up at the ceiling half the night as the thought of it tossed about in her brain. Had Kakashi really meant to propose marriage to her? If he had, why didn't he elaborate? If he hadn't, why didn't he take it back? He couldn't be serious, could he? They'd laughed about it. He couldn't be serious.

Mei dreaded the next day but also couldn't wait for it to come. Morning promised relief but also hope? If she and Kakashi wed, it would solve their elder problems but there would be innumerable new complications. She wished she could sleep. The night stretched on like a stormy sea with no relief in sight.

The next morning the five kage met for breakfast before the four visitors departed. Even though it was normal for Kakashi and Mei to be out the latest, they'd never rejoined the group for breakfast looking so stiff and careworn. The five kage were seated outside where anyone could walk by and hear their conversation so they couldn't be as candid. Still, Kurotsuchi asked if Mei was alright, twice, and Gaara had to nudge Kakashi every time someone spoke to him. The other three kage kept exchanging glances, but they were all confused. Considering how easily everyone found out about Mei's "surprise" retirement, the remaining kage were irritated at this little mystery. What had they missed?

Finally the goodbyes were exchanged and Gaara couldn't help but linger a bit, trying to overhear Kakashi and Mei's conversation. What he heard only brought on more questions.

"Mei, about last night," Kakashi began but then he stopped.

"What about it?" Mei asked. She was trying for flippant but sounded eager instead. She struggled to reign in her jumbled feelings and project a calm exterior.

"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"I see," Mei replied.

Relief and regret flooded the Mizukage. The regret surprised her. She'd always imagined a big sweeping proposal with flowers and some kind of spectacle. However, her ideal man to perform this task had yet to appear, if he ever would, Mei thought bitterly. In the years following the war she'd accepted the fact that she'd likely remain single forever. That had been a difficult but necessary realization.

Kakashi's proposal had been simple but, Mei thought, well meant. Mei opened her mouth and out spilled, "I'll think about it. It's a decent plan."

Something shifted in Kakashi's eyes. Mei tried to get a read on it but then it was gone. His voice came out playful, friendly, "you do that."

Mei's head spun. She was caught off guard when he continued to encourage this game. She and Kakashi, her friend, were joking about marriage!

Mei traveled home in a daze. Fantasies of packing up and moving to the Leaf floated through her brain. These were soured with questions about Kakashi's motives. Thankfully Chojuro's coronation and her official retirement party offered plenty of distractions. Still, when those events were over and the routine of retirement took hold, the question remained: was Kakashi serious?

Mei drafted several letters to the sitting Hokage, some were angry and demanding, others business-like, she even tried continuing the joke in several drafts but she couldn't manage it. If it was all a joke, why was she thinking about it so much? She set the letters ablaze and packed a bag while the trash can smoked. She was headed to the Leaf to insist on a conversation with her friend, if not an explanation.

000000

"Lady Mizukage, it's an honor to have you as a guest in the Hidden Leaf Village." The jonin that had been sent to receive her at the gate bowed politely. "How can I be of service?"

"I'm here to see Lord Hokage, actually," Mei explained. She hoped it was enough, she didn't feel capable of elaborating.

It had been a tiring journey, made more difficult by the problem that lay before her. If Kakashi was serious, should she accept his proposal? It wasn't what she'd imagined her marriage would be. Then again, what she'd imagined for herself romance-wise didn't mesh at all with the life she'd lived thus far. Mei was used to taking charge and being in control, yet she dreamed of being swept off her feet and everyone being glad for her. She supposed it was a dream in and of itself that the marriage of the Mizukage, even a retired one, was some personal matter that she could privately treasure away from the political world she often found herself entangled in.

Mei was brought back to reality when the jonin answered her. "Of course, if you'll follow me," he replied.

Mei could get there herself but these were the sorts of things she knew she had to deal with as a kage. Everyone felt they had to show her around as if she needed an escort. Mei busied her nervous brain by trying to remember where she'd seen this jonin before. A guard Kakashi had brought to a previous summit perhaps?

In a few minutes she was ushered into the Hokage's office. It was a needlessly spacious room with a desk by the window from which Kakashi could easily be assassinated. The piles of paperwork behind him, no doubt, would stop any projectile before it got too far. This thought put Mei's worry for her friend's safety at ease.

Kakashi rose from his desk when she entered. "Lady Mizukage, it's nice to see you again."

"Lord Hokage," she greeted him in kind. "There's something I wish to discuss with you, alone."

Kakashi nodded, both acknowledging her request and dismissing Yamato. He offered her a chair with a wave, retaking his own seat.

Once Yamato was gone the pair grew less formal. Mei commented that the Leaf was still in one piece despite her friend's insistence that he was an inept Hokage. Kakashi asked how her retirement was going. Once the small talk ran out of steam, however, Kakashi grew serious.

Mei knew he must be expecting an explanation for her appearance but she wasn't sure how to begin. Kakashi had proposed marriage to her, she needed to know what he'd meant, if he was serious or not. "It's about what we discussed last time we met, after the kage summit."

"We discussed many things that I can recall," Kakashi replied neutrally.

It was his Hokage response, Mei had grown to recognize her friend's various masks. Then Kakashi settled back in his chair. It was as if he had set that burden aside. Despite his relaxed posture, Mei suddenly saw that he was uncomfortable. It had taken her months of study just to begin to glean Kakashi's true mood through his calm projections. Her attention had paid off.

"But I think I know what you mean." Kakashi looked Mei in the face. "I meant what I said before: a marriage would solve both of our problems. Since you came all the way here to discuss it, can I assume you've been thinking about it too?"

Kakashi was speaking as her friend, not as the Hokage, so Mei didn't feel self-conscious when she nodded. The motion left her feeling jittery. Then a thought struck her, he'd said "too" as in, he'd also been thinking about it.

"I'll admit, I didn't consider the full extent of the proposal when I suggested it. I apologize for that. However, having thought it over, if we iron out some details, we could make it work." He made it sound so routine, so simple.

"I'd have to live here, obviously," Mei opened the discussion. She couldn't believe how calm she sounded.

"That's a pretty big sacrifice on your part," Kakashi pointed out. His tone was neutral, he wasn't trying to dissuade her. "You don't have to live here if you don't want to."

"If we're meant to be convincingly married then we can't live in different countries; the Hokage belongs in the Leaf. I wouldn't mind a change of scenery and living in another village will make the elders think twice before disturbing my retirement."

"As you wish," Kakashi agreed. "We should have a marriage contract drawn up, to satisfy both of our governments. My elders are going to be…surprised that I'm getting married, especially to a retired kage. It does complicate things a little." He shrugged, as if kage got married all the time and the politics involved would only be a minor inconvenience. Despite their jokes from that night, Mei didn't believe the other kage would really be too upset by their marriage so long as the peace lasted.

"I can take my copy of the contract with me when I return home. I'll discuss it with Chojuro before we sign," Mei offered. Mei could hardly believe she was saying the words. It was like they were discussing a trade agreement. In a way it was, but their villages didn't need to know the real reason for the agreement: to get the elders off of Kakashi's back about continuing his clan and to allow Mei to enjoy her retirement unmolested.

Kakashi nodded. He pushed a button under his desk. In a minute, Shikamaru walked through the door.

"Lord Hokage?"

"Shikamaru drop the 'Lord' would you? Now, would you mind drawing up a marriage contract, either that or find an older one that we can modify? I'd like it as soon as possible."

"Sure," Shikamaru said. He turned around to leave and paused. The young man turned back and looked between Kakashi and Mei. He cleared his throat. "Um, who is the contract for?"

Kakashi looked at the young Nara, eyes wide and innocent. "It's for me. I'm getting married." He said this as if he was slightly hurt that Shikamaru didn't know.

Mei couldn't help a smirk. This sort of mischief was one of the things she found enduring about her friend, at least when he was doing it to other people. Very few men, or people in general, had a sense of humor in the Mist.

Shikamaru stared at Kakashi for a full minute. As the sixty seconds ticked by, Mei thought more about what they were doing. She felt jittery, a little breathless, but overall, there was joy and excitement. It wasn't what she'd imagined but Kakashi was a good companion, at least as a friend, and with a marriage contract they really didn't need to be anything more than friends. Most of the pressures of being a spouse were gone.

Finally Shikamaru spoke, slowly, "for you Kakashi-sensei?"

The change in address surprised Mei, but apparently not Kakashi.

The Hokage replied, "yes. Mei and I are getting hitched."

Shikamaru, who had been clinging onto the edge of his personal sanity cliff, lost his grip. The young man looked at Mei, who smiled at him. "Right." He just stood there, slowly looking from one to the other.

Kakashi prompted, "I believe the First Hokage and Lady Mito were wed with a marriage contract of some sort. I know we've lost a lot of records over the years but if anyone can find a template for a contract, you can."

Shikamaru left like a zombie, eyes wide and unseeing.

"It's cruel, how you do that," Mei smiled at Kakashi.

"What? Shock people? Maybe they shouldn't make it so easy." Kakashi then said, "I have no idea how long that's going to take, so if you want to go to your room, I won't blame you."

Mei opened her mouth but Kakashi read her face.

"We can provide a room in the tower if you don't have one in mind. Yamato will show you the way."

Mei again observed the piles of paperwork that surrounded Kakashi and realized how busy he must be. She excused herself. Yamato was waiting outside the door for her. The guard cast a confused look in at Kakashi before closing the door. Shikamaru's face had put the man on edge.

A few hours later, Mei was summoned to the Hokage's office. Two crisp contracts sat on Kakashi's crowded but organized desk. Mei and Kakashi went over the contract together. Kakashi noted each change that had to be made for the final draft. Everything was going smoothly until they got to the section about offspring. Mei froze, staring at the words. She hadn't planned on a physically intimate relationship with her friend, much less children.

When Mei looked up Kakashi winked at her, teasing again. She let out a breath. He wasn't asking that of her, she could see it in his eyes.

Kakashi said, "we'll have to discuss children in the contract, otherwise the plan will be for nothing." Right, the plan, this was about the elders and retiring in peace, stick to the plan.

They decided a loose requirement that "any children will be raised at their parents' discretion" would be enough. Then, after a pause, Kakashi suggested they name guardians, just to be extra convincing. By the end of the day it was settled. The final document was drafted and they went over each section, line by line, together. Shikamaru was there the whole time, looking shell-shocked.

000000

When Mei got back to the Mist and handed her successor the document, Chojuro was understandably upset. He looked up from the marriage contract at his mentor, hurt in his eyes. His crush on the Mizukage had given way to respectful admiration after the war. Still, he had hoped for her support through the first few years of his service as Mizukage.

"I know you're retired but I thought- I thought you'd be in the village to guide me," the brand new Mizukage trailed off, looking more like a boy than he had in years.

Mei smiled. "Chojuro, you don't need me to guide you anymore. And if you want to talk, I'm just a radio call away. I'll be in a major village, not some cabin in the woods."

"I'm going to miss you, we all will." Chojuro smiled. He looked down at the papers again. "But if this makes you happy, then I'm behind you. I don't see anything in this contract that could cause the Mist problems. If anything, the Hokage is being generous."

"I expected nothing less from him," Mei replied. She couldn't stop thinking about what Chojuro had said, if this makes you happy. Wasn't she happy? Would this move make her happier? This was a long term solution to a long term problem, sure, but would she still think this was a good idea five years down the road? Ten? Twenty? The uncertainty made her excited and hopeful. Everything in her life had been about service, but this was something just for her. She was surprised by how much she wanted this, to make a choice about where she lived and what she did. She'd lived most of her life doing whatever the village needed her to do, keeping everyone as safe as she could. Now that she was retired, Mei longed to do something reckless.

After packing the last of her things and saying her goodbyes, Mei headed back to the Leaf, back to her friend turned fiancé. It was all very surreal. There had been a few not-so-subtle hints from the village elders before she left but she'd brushed those off. They had no idea what she and Kakashi were up to. Her giddy smiles weren't even faked. She was elated. She was getting married at last!

When Mei returned to the Leaf for the wedding, her wedding, she was surprised to find Kakashi in his official Hokage garb. Even at formal meetings, he'd always worn his Hokage vest instead of the white robes if he thought he could get away with it.

"I figured I'd dress for the occasion," Kakashi said. He held the wide white sleeves out for her inspection, as if she didn't have an outfit just like it.

Mei looked down at her usual blue attire and felt underdressed. She had been thinking about this as a business arrangement rather than a marriage. She hadn't dressed any differently for her trip back. She didn't want to tip off any Leaf ninja that something was going on. From the slightly confused looks she'd received from the gate guards at her quick return, she guessed that the engagement was still somewhat secret.

"You look lovely, as always," Kakashi commented. He said it like a friend. It was a matter-of-fact statement, not flirtatious at all.

How Mei finally decided to phrase the question was, "you dressed to file the paperwork?"

"Actually I was wondering if you'd be interested in an old Leaf Village tradition for our wedding?"

They had agreed on no frills but Mei smiled, trusting him. "I'm listening."

"During war-time there were several weddings that took place in the field. Couples didn't want to wait for their leave to align or for the war to be over. So they started the tradition of planting the seed of a tree, together, as a sign of their marriage. It was simple, meaningful, and marked the occasion when fancy dress and time off was impractical." Kakashi opened his desk and pulled out a packet with one seed inside. He showed her the seed in his palm, it was so small compared to what it would become. "Would you plant this with me?"

Mei felt fluttering butterflies in her chest but stomped them down. Silly butterflies. She nodded. "Right now?"

"It's as good a time as any."

The pair walked out of Hokage Tower and headed down a side street. They entered Hokage park, which was a public green space near the office buildings.

Kakashi got down on his knees and Mei followed his lead.

"Digging in this soil is technically not allowed," Kakashi said as he used his nails to pierce the sod. "But I think they'll make an exception."

Using their hands as little shovels, they dug a small hole in the ground and then, together, they placed and covered the seed with earth. Kakashi replaced the piece of sod, it fit like a puzzle piece. Mei almost couldn't tell that anything had been disturbed. It was like their lives, they'd just go on as they had been, like this grass in the garden. Nothing had changed.

"Hey you there," an angry voice called, breaking the silence. Then it sounded like the man choked. "Lord Hokage, I didn't see you."

"Clearly you did," Kakashi replied. He offered Mei a dirty hand to help her to her feet, but she didn't even see it. She stood up on her own, busily brushing off her dirt speckled hands.

"What are you doing? I mean, can I be of service?" The man asked. With his work clothes, hat, and trowel, Mei assumed he was one of the gardeners. He was clearly flustered by their presence.

"Getting married. I appreciate your offer to help but the deed is done," Kakashi replied. He extended his arm to Mei. Mei's hands still had dirt on them and Kakashi was wearing white, but he didn't seem concerned.

After a moment of looking at the crook of Kakashi's elbow, Mei delicately placed her hand in it. She smiled up at him, he was teasing people again. He was such a kidder, her husband.

The gardener stared, gob smacked, as the couple returned to Hokage Tower. For better or worse, the deed was indeed done.

Author's Notes:
Here we are again! I had planned to post on Mei's Birthday (May 21st) but I decided to post a day early instead.
Long ago, in response to my other Kakashi/Mei stories, a few different readers (if you're still with me, you know who you are) asked if I could go deeper into how Kakashi and/or Mei struggled and overcame their intimacy issues. I'd implied that those issues exist in my other stories, and I would argue canon has hinted at those issues as well, but didn't get too far into it. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that this challenge to their relationship could be a story in and of itself. So here is that story: a romance (with no lemons or smut but implied sex) about a typically over-sexualized pair of characters, who get married for convenience, and the personal growth that follows. Let's do this.