Chapter 9: Nights in Konoha

In which Hana receives an unexpected visitor.

"Welcome back."

Yamato bowed to Kakashi and glanced at his teammates. He'd just finished reporting with Sakura and Sai, and he was itching to get to the laboratory.

With this mission complete, another priority was set before him. He may have left Hana behind, but she had not left his mind. Their conversation from their last date stuck with him, a poignant reminder that he was not a normal shinobi.

On his mission, he and Sakura had a very lengthy discussion about mutations and offspring. He originally approached the topic generally, and she had thrown around big words like somatic versus germline mutations…which types would and would not impact the offspring of a species. But then, when he probed further about genetic recombination, chromosomal abnormalities, and inherited traits, she grew suspicious about his true intent.

Turns out, asking a female teammate about reproduction was more taboo than he thought. But he also could have asked in a better way. He used pink hair as an example of an inherited trait, and Sakura misunderstood, thinking he was implying he wanted to have children with her. She reacted rather…violently…and Yamato finally understood what it was like to be on the receiving end of her monstrous strength. What a nightmare. Sai, who listened to the whole conversation, had been of no help, either. But once they both figured out that he was asking because he was genuinely interested in a woman and worried about his future, both had been eager to dig into his personal life and probe like there was no tomorrow.

In the end, he was glad he asked. Sakura brought up great points about others who had been injected or treated with Senju Hashirama's cells. Myriads of others had genetic mutations for the sake of chakra abilities…although none of them had been experimented on at birth. Yamato was an extreme case.

On their way home from the mission, she asked him to come to the lab and provide a sample of his cells for testing. She would be able to confirm just how far his genetic abnormalities spread, and he would hopefully learn, with better probability, just how much of a risk he was to Hana.

He was wary, but hopeful. With a lot of time to think while he was away, he came to the conclusion that, all risks aside, if it was with Hana, he might enjoy being a father.

"Yamato, I'd like you to stay for a moment," Kakashi said.

"I'll wait for you at the hospital," Sakura told him. She and Sai left the office.

"Did you suffer an injury on the mission?" Kakashi asked.

"No…" Yamato hesitated, not sure how to explain. "Sakura is running some…genetic tests." He paused, remembering the conversation he'd had with Kakashi before he left on the mission.

...

"Kakashi-senpai...have you ever considered your own…offspring?"

"Hmm?" The Hokage's eyes widened ever so slightly, the only indication that he was not expecting this type of question. "It's crossed my mind," he said cautiously. He waited for Yamato to continue.

"And…?" Yamato prompted.

Kakashi's eyes grew reflective as he spoke slowly and thoughtfully. "Fatherhood…is a responsibility perhaps greater than that of a shinobi. If it is a responsibility I'm given, I would accept it. And you, Tenzo?"

The use of his old name made him glance up, only to meet Kakashi's curiosity. The Hokage was watching him without judgment, and Yamato knew the man in front of him was in the role of friend at the moment, not village leader.

"It was never a priority."

"Was?"

Yamato realized only then that he used the past tense. He cleared his throat nervously.

"You've found someone who has changed your mind," Kakashi observed.

"Erm…perhaps."

A long and awkward silence settled between them.

"So…" Kakashi began, his tone betraying playfulness. His eyes lighted upon Yamato with something like a twinkle. They crinkled closed as the Hokage smiled. "Offspring."

"Ergh!" Yamato didn't like the look on Kakashi's face. How had this conversation taken a turn to make him feel like the object of one of Kakashi's little games? "You know my past, senpai. This…" he turned both of his arms into wooden tendrils and waved them around, "isn't normal."

"Having a teammate's sharingan implanted in your eye socket isn't exactly normal, either," Kakashi stated drily.

"Yes, but—"

"Nothing about the life of a shinobi is normal," he said, before his voice grew quiet again, "least of all finding someone who can still care for us despite all that we've seen, and all that we've done."

Yamato let that sink in. Despite his stellar record as an ANBU, he still felt he'd failed his village and his friends during the war. He looked to the ground, downcast. "I don't deserve that kind of care."

"Neither do I," Kakashi said gently, "and yet somehow, we're given gifts we never thought we would receive."

Hana was indeed a gift. Yamato was just unsure if he should be the one to accept her. He told Kakashi about his worry. "My genes are a game of chance and uncertainty. What if I am a danger to her?"

"You're a shinobi. You'll always be a danger to a future partner. But the architect has more courage than you think."

Yamato met Kakashi's eyes. He supposed the object of his desire was not so secret. "I would save her from that suffering."

Kakashi sighed and turned to look out the window. The one to his right was still open, and a light breeze was drifting through. "Can we ever?"

...

This memory stuck with him. Kakashi's introspection was rare, but knowing that the Hokage struggled with the same things he did made Yamato feel less alone. He'd thought through all the risks while he was away. There were some he couldn't control, and some that he could. Those that he could, he would control to the fullest of his capability. A shinobi must always be prepared.

"Genetic tests?" Kakashi asked.

"I need to know what is and isn't possible."

Kakashi nodded, that soft reflectiveness touching his eyes for a moment. "Just don't try to make decisions for her."

Yamato frowned. Was Kakashi giving him…dating advice? He wasn't sure how to take these words, given his senpai's own lack of experience with women.

"Anyway," Kakashi continued, his tone shifting back to normal, "given your recent interest in genetics, I thought you might like to see this." Kakashi slid an envelope across the desk towards Yamato. The words 'Top Secret' were stamped in large, red characters across the front.

"What's this?" he asked, picking up the envelope and pulling out a sheath of papers. He read the first few sentences and froze.

"There's not much more in the Hokage's archives, but I'll grant you full access, if you want it."

Yamato didn't look up but just kept reading. In his hands was classified information about Konoha's experiments with Hashirama's cells, including why the cells were locked away and why wood release was kept a forbidden technique. An addendum to the report, written later, detailed a number of disappearances around the village, and an even later addition confirmed Orochimaru's experiments on infants.

Kakashi spoke. "I found those last pages in Danzo's private office." He tapped his fingers against the desk and swiveled in his chair, facing the window once again.

Yamato let his hands fall. He was both shocked and moved that Kakashi would seek out this information after their last conversation. He just didn't know what to do with it. The details of his early life, before Danzo found him…he'd let his desire to learn about his origin die long ago, coming to peace with the fact that he would never know that part of his identity. But if there were records about what was done to him…

"You said there's more?" he asked.

"Not here."

Meaning, yes. Yamato read between the lines. The Hokage's lack of detail was telling, and he knew this information was leading somewhere else. "What's the mission?" he asked.

"You're not going to like it." Kakashi swiveled back to face Yamato. "I need another jonin to join the team keeping an eye on Orochimaru."

Yamato grunted in surprise. "You want me to do…what?" Is he serious?

"He's visiting all of his old laboratory sites and gathering material in preparation for a series of new experiments. The team has strict orders to watch him and not to make contact unless he acts against one of the Hidden Villages."

"You're letting him conduct experiments?"

Kakashi's eyes landed squarely on Yamato's. "Yes," he said simply.

"That's a terrible idea." The whole mess of Yamato's personal life and a lot of his early pain could be traced back to Orochimaru. It was bad enough that he'd been pardoned after the war, but now Kakashi wanted him to join the team babysitting the man? While he was freely allowed to pursue more experimentation?

"I told you that you weren't going to like it," Kakashi said. "I wasn't planning to assign you this mission, but it's likely you'll find the information you seek in Orochimaru's possession."

Yamato glanced down at the papers in his hand. Missions weren't often assigned for personal reasons. He didn't know what to say. "Kakashi…I…" he trailed off.

"I won't send you if you don't want to know," came the Hokage's voice.

Yamato gulped. It seemed that meeting Hana had set him on a path and opened a door he never thought he'd walk through. But, if he ever had a reason to seek answers, she was it. "I'll take the mission."

"Good. Get some rest tonight, because I need you to start tomorrow."

Hana was up late working on a new architectural design when she heard a knock at her door. She sat back, rubbed her tired eyes and took a last longing look at the new cloud scratcher she was designing. This one was sleek and arched, with a round disk at the top. This was no ordinary building, but specifically designed to be a viewing tower.

"Just a minute," she called. She took a drink from a stoneware mug on the table, dissatisfied that her tea was already cold. She had no idea who would be knocking at this hour but anticipated one of her friends. Yuna and Ayame were the only ones that came by, whether expected or unexpected. If it was this late, it probably meant one of them was having a crisis in the romance department. There was a possibility that something existential had occurred, but usually it was trouble with men.

Hana was already in her pajamas, but she wrapped a long silk robe around herself and went to unlock the door. To her great astonishment, the person standing in front of her was neither Yuna nor Ayame.

"I thought you might be awake. I saw your light through the window. I hope it's alright that I stopped by."

It was Yamato. Hana pulled her robe more tightly around her, keenly aware that she was not wearing a bra. She stood there, gaping at him for a few moments, until a gentle smile and the sound of his voice asking "Hana…?" made her snap out of her hypnosis.

"Right! Umm…come in, please." She shuffled about in a state of disbelief. She had not seen nor heard from Yamato in nearly two months. Her grandmother's visit had come and gone, and while she was hopeful his return might coincide with her Obaa-san's time in Konoha, it had not. "Umm, would you like some tea?"

"If it's not too much trouble."

He took a seat on her couch while she set the kettle on the stove. It, too, had gone cold, and she finally recognized just how long she'd been working at her desk. While waiting for the kettle to whistle, she opened a cabinet that was filled to the brim with different teas and pulled one off the shelf. Yamato tended to like green teas with earthier flavors, but he didn't like consuming caffeine in the evenings. She prepared a cup of an herbal blend instead, one filled with cardamom and other spices.

"When did you get back?" she asked, handing him the mug. She retrieved her own cup from her desk and replenished it with warmth, too.

"A few hours ago. I leave again tomorrow morning, but I wanted to see you."

"Really?" A tumble of butterflies twisted up through Hana's stomach as she sat down on the opposite end of the couch. She was rather surprised that he would make it a priority to see her. The past couple of months had been torture for her. His absence stretched, and the longer he was away, the more she questioned whether he would still be interested in her, given where their last conversation left off.

"What are you doing up so late?" he asked.

"I have an idea that won't leave my head…" She told him about the design she was working on. "Inspired by our first date, actually," she admitted, "Although my design isn't really functional as anything but a viewing tower."

He was intrigued. "Can I see it?"

"Sure."

She led him to her office, the smaller of the two bedrooms in her apartment. The drafting table took up quite a bit of space, so it was cramped, especially for two people. When he saw the design on the table, however, he pressed in close to get a better view of her sketch. She got a whiff of his woody smell, and a shiver went up her spine. She couldn't believe he was actually here.

"Hana, this is amazing. Why is it round like this at the top?"

"I want there to be windows all the way around it. So it's like one big viewing platform…you could walk around and get 360 degree views from the top."

"Are there stairs?"

"There could be…the design is versatile enough for that, but I'm also working through calculations for an automated people mover. I think it could work on a pulley system if you hook it up to electricity. Here!" She reached across him and pulled out another roll of paper. Inside were her initial designs and series of mathematical equations for how the contraption would work.

"I don't know how you come up with these things." Yamato looked down at her with wonder. "It's incredible."

Hana could feel her cheeks warming. He was making her feel special again.

"What do you call this people mover?" he asked.

"I don't have a name for it yet…other than a 'lift', because it is supposed to lift people."

"Hmm…what about an 'elevator'?"

She couldn't help but smile as she gave him a funny look. "An 'elevator'...?" She didn't quite understand.

"Yes, because it elevates people. Your designs are elevating." He gave her a rather toothy grin, and she couldn't help but laugh.

"I might have to steal that one. I like it."

"It's all yours."

Their eyes met and silence settled between the two of them. She stared into his enormous, almond eyes, caught in the depth of his gaze. His eyes were black and bottomless, like she could stare into them for eternity and never find their beginning or end. She became keenly aware of how close in proximity he was to her.

"I've missed you, Hana."

Her stomach somersaulted. "Have you?" she breathed. Had he missed her as much as she missed him? Had he been left with the same empty vacancy in his heart that she felt in his absence? She wondered whether the distance, and the way they'd left their last conversation, gnawed at him as much as it gnawed at her.

"Yes," he said softly. The fine muscles around his eyes shifted subtly, and his face became full of unease. He opened his mouth to speak, but she stopped him by placing a hand gently on his cheek.

"Not yet. Just let me enjoy seeing you for a few moments."

She reached around him and pulled him into an embrace, finally relaxing when she felt him return it.

"How have you been?" she asked him, truly wanting to know.

"I've been better. This last mission wasn't particularly enjoyable."

She pulled back from him, meeting his eyes. "You do look pretty terrible." His large eyes had purple circles underneath them, betraying his exhaustion.

"What about you?" he asked. "Tell me about what's happened since I've been gone."

They moved back to the living room and sat down. Yamato took a drink of his tea while Hana shared about Konoha's activities.

The village had been busy in his absence, bustling, even. Kakashi had her working on another special project, this one to design a series of new housing projects with a team. He anticipated an influx of new refugees, given that Konoha's recovery was advancing more quickly than other villages, and he wanted to make sure there was plenty of space for newcomers. Already, she noticed new faces in the village as a slew of people came looking for work.

It was a different environment working without Yamato. Hana hadn't anticipated how much his presence made a difference. Kakashi still designated her the project lead, but somehow Kaede, the man who beat her out on the last project, weaseled his way into the group. With his presence, the team questioned her every decision and didn't see her attention to detail as a strength. It made her appreciate how much Yamato's encouragement played a role in her creativity.

"What makes it all so annoying is that Kaede-san has still been harassing me about my designs, and keeps saying he wants to buy them. I keep telling him no."

Yamato nodded. "Good," he said. "You shouldn't trust him."

"Maybe when the designs are complete, we'll be able to work together again building them," she told him.

Yamato didn't answer immediately. "I'm not so sure. Kakashi-senpai has me on a new mission, and I think it will be a long-term one."

"Oh…"

Yamato switched the subject, not wishing to dwell on his next disappearance. "Tell me about your grandmother's visit."

Hana told him all about her time with her Obaa-san and all that they did in Konoha together. Her grandmother had been very disappointed not to meet the man her granddaughter was dating, but Hana did not share this with Yamato now.

"She'll be back for Naruto's wedding. I'll travel with her then, now that the roads are safer. Will you be here for the ceremony?"

"It's likely."

Yamato didn't expound upon that answer, so she continued, telling him about the work she was doing designing new cloud scratchers to be made of wood, and the experiments she'd done on pieces of Yamato's wood that he'd left for her. Its strength surprised her, and she was fairly certain she could modify her designs to help him achieve new heights. Soon, she had exhausted all of her updates.

Silence permeated, and Yamato remained introspective. Hana wondered if his reservation was because he was tired or because there was much on his mind. It was hard to tell, but now that she had no more to tell him about the past two months of her life, the question of their future together hung in the room, unanswered, like a sore that needed relief.

She reached out and touched it.

"Yamato, I've done some thinking about where we stand."

"Have you?" he asked warily.

"Yes." She paused, pursing her lips as she gathered the courage to speak. "I realize your past isn't pretty, and I can see why you were hesitant to share it all with me. But I refuse to judge you for your past. I see who you are here…" she reached out and touched his chest, near his heart. "And that matters much more to me than anything else. Least of all your DNA."

She pulled her hand back and continued. "Regarding us, however…if you can't have children…that's one thing, and I'm confident we could move past that. But if you don't want children…" her voice wavered as she became overwhelmed by emotion. She had spent a lot of time thinking through these words, preparing herself for disappointment, yet even still, she could not stem the tide of her tears. She didn't want to cry, but she didn't know if she could give up on a future family just yet.

"Hana," Yamato spoke softly. His eyes watched her with compassion. "If fatherhood is a responsibility I'm given, I would accept it, especially if it is with you."

Hana's mouth parted in a moment of shock as her stomach once again jumped into acrobatic motion. She had not anticipated him saying that.

"But…Hana…"

"...But?"

"There is much you don't know about me. I'm afraid I'm only going to hurt you."

Hana didn't know how to respond to that. She felt a dull ache in the center of her chest. It made it hard to breathe. Is he going to end things between us? she wondered. Aloud, she asked the question that was nagging her. "Yamato…why did you come tonight?"

"I wanted to see you," he said reluctantly. It was only a half-truth, she could tell. He wasn't very good at lying.

She pursed her lips. In the short time she'd known him, she learned his planning habits, that he never did anything without serious forethought. 'I wanted to see you' was not an answer that married up with the conflicting things he was saying to her now.

"I don't believe you. Why did you really come?" she asked again, feeling tears settle in the corners of her eyes.

He remained quiet, but his eyes were filled with all the things he was not saying. Concern. Care. Longing. Hesitation. Fear. Conflict. He was at war with himself.

"Because I couldn't help myself," he finally said.

She frowned. What? She could tell this was the truth, but it was not the answer she expected to hear.

He moved towards her, and her heart hitched in her chest as he closed the distance between them. She saw her own reflection in the depth of his eyes, saw the tear that dripped down her own cheek. He wiped it away and repeated, soft as a whisper, "I just can't help myself with you…" and then his lips were upon hers. Like the caress of silk upon her skin, or smooth velvet against her neck, the gentle press of his mouth was tender, intimate, and carried all of his vulnerability with it.

The pounding in her chest gave way to a dull ache low in her belly. Although there had been indecision in his words, there was no indecision in his kiss.

The magic of a perfect kiss stops time, and for a moment the rest of the world falls away into nothingness, because nothing matters more than what's communicated by this simple act of intimacy.

For Hana, the touch of Yamato's lips told her everything, and she felt great comfort in it, even though that 'everything' still held tension and conflict and fear. She felt his greatest concern…that loving him might only bring her grief. But, like drifting inside of a great paradox, she also knew that she would love him even if it hurt, and nothing he could do would change that.

"Y-y-yamato…" she stuttered, trying to take stock of all the new sensations that were coursing through her body.

"Call me Tenzo," he breathed.

"...Tenzo?"

"It's the closest thing I have to a real name."

She wondered how much she had yet to learn about this man. "And just who are you, Tenzo?"

He dropped his forehead against hers, the metal of his protector giving her a cold shock of clarity. "I'm a fool, Hana." And then he brought his mouth to hers again, choosing to forego in that moment all of the risk that so clouded his mind.

"You're not a fool," she whispered a moment later, a smile playing upon her lips. Her tummy was still making her question whether or not tummies should do what hers was doing, but whatever it was, it felt good. She caressed his face and gently removed his head protector, letting her fingers drift across his temples, his cheekbones, down the side of his face towards his chin. "If it helps," she said, "I'm afraid of a lot of things…but I'm not afraid of you."

He smiled at that, his lips reaching wide across his face. "I suppose I couldn't keep you away, even if I wanted to."

"No, and you shouldn't try."

He reached his arm around her. She settled in close, tucked under his arm, and rested her head against his chest. Her hand naturally placed itself on his abdomen, and she sighed contentedly.

He began stroking her hair, and she closed her eyes, breathing in his woody scent and listening to his steady heart. His heartbeat was soothing, a reminder that he was with her, if only for this moment in time.

Yamato glanced at the clock. It was well after midnight. He needed to leave if he wanted any chance of a good night's sleep, but Hana had fallen asleep cuddled against him, and he was reluctant to move. Besides, her hands grasped the cotton fabric of his shirt tightly, as if she did not want him to go either.

He yawned, moving his head protector to the side table by the couch. He could stay for a little longer. He settled into a more comfortable position, thankful that Hana did not stir from her slumber. She was very light and easy to maneuver without disturbing. But she looked cold, the silky fabric of her robe hardly providing any sort of warmth.

He glanced around and saw a blanket on the back of another chair. Slowly, carefully, as not to wake her, he reached out a hand. His arm began to morph into tendrils of wood which extended towards the blanket and wrapped it up carefully. He didn't want a splinter to snag the quilt…it looked handmade and precious, like most other things in Hana's apartment. Drawing it back to himself, he unfolded it with a few more twists of the tendrils that had once been his arm and settled it over the both of them. The quilt was heavy and would keep them both warm through the winter night.

Then, one by one, his tendrils worked their way towards the light sources. A flip of a lever here, a tug of a switch there, and they descended into sweet darkness, save the moonlight pouring through the windows. He decided to leave the blinds open…the moon was nearly full, and he liked watching the night sky while being cozy. This night, unexpectedly, was cozier than most.

The wooden beams retracted and his arm once again became his own. He propped his head with a pillow and absentmindedly continued to stroke the back of Hana's head…she sighed in her sleep.

He remembered one of the first dates he ever went on, before he decided to swear off women. A civilian woman from one of the outskirt towns known for their onsens. He hardly remembered her face now. She'd initially been impressed that he was a shinobi, but she was so grossed out when she saw what his body did, and that was the end of that.

But Hana appreciated him. The fact that his body could become a substance other than flesh did not faze her. Kakashi was right in that regard…she had more courage than he thought.

There was still so much that he couldn't control, and he knew that although she did not judge him for his past, his past would continue to haunt them. It was part of his curse, and he was still unsure whether he should place that curse on Hana, too. Not until he knew the extent of it.

He should have stayed away. But when he saw the light in her window, he couldn't resist. And here she was, cuddled up against him, and here he was, letting it happen. In desiring to comfort her, he had kissed her, had felt her trembling lips against his, had given in to his base desire when he should have held back. He closed his eyes and sighed, not quite ready to regret his actions, but not ready to be proud of them, either.

It felt like the impossible had happened, that Yamato had actually found a woman who accepted him, who cherished him. It pulled him in two directions. On one hand, he felt the strong urge to protect her…and yet if he gave in and accepted her care, he would not be able to protect her from himself.

He felt the weight of exhaustion wash over him. His next mission would be revealing, and he was sure it would change his life, in one way or another. Still surrounded by doubts and without the clarity of a decision, he drifted off to sleep beneath the silvery light of the moon.

Morning dawned, replacing a cold, winter night with a brisk, blue morning. Light streamed through the windows. Hana stirred, not quite comfortable, not quite uncomfortable. She had just been dreaming about towers and fortresses and puzzle boxes. Escaping had not been easy, and somehow that led her to consciousness. She was still tangled up though and convinced that she had further to go.

Something touched her and her entire body shifted. Yes, definitely still in a puzzle room. But as she tried to extricate herself, she cracked her eyes open and found another body next to hers.

Realization dawned on her more quickly than the morning, and in a moment she was wide awake. Memories of the previous evening drifted back to her, and her body flushed with heat.

Hana and Yamato were still on the couch. They both must have fallen asleep, but a blanket covered them now, which meant that Yamato had chosen to stay. He was still deep in slumber, and she noticed the bags under his eyes. The mission really must have been grueling, and she did not wish to wake him.

One of his arms remained wrapped around her, and her legs were intricately intertwined with his. She would not be able to escape until he woke up.

She laid her head back on his chest, the position in which she'd woken in, and then she began to blush as her senses returned.

Her curves were pressed against him, her chest separated by only a couple layers of thin fabric. In the subtle rise and fall of his breathing, the fabric shifted back and forth ever so slightly, like a gentle tickle, and she felt her conscious body begin to respond in sensual ways. Even worse, her thigh was caught tightly between his legs, and she could feel other things there that came with being a man in the morning.

She was caught smack dab between panic and pleasure, and she didn't know what to do. She squeezed a handful of his shirt in her fist and laid her head back down, wondering at these sensations in her body and fighting the urge to pull him closer.

"T-t-tenzo?"

He sighed in his sleep, his warm hand drifting towards her lower back. Her clothes disheveled, he somehow managed to find bare skin somewhere in the midst of her robe, her shirt, and the elastic waistband of her pajama bottoms.

She whimpered, both uncomfortable and turned on, and yet still not desiring to wake him.

"Tenzo…" she whispered again.

He did not respond, but a subtle smile played upon his lips while he slept. She let out a breath and resigned herself to the position, trying to ignore the sensations that rolled up and down her body.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Hana froze in place as cold shock washed through her, clearing out any feelings of pleasure. Yamato's eyes opened slowly as he made his way towards consciousness.

A few moments later, the knock came again.

"Shhh!" she said to him, although he had made no sound. His sleepy eyes just blinked at her.

Hana heard a key in the lock, and her heart stopped. Oh no! She had completely forgotten that her friends were coming by this morning. It was Saturday. She'd let them keep her spare key, but right now she was still intimately tangled up with Yamato.

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead!" Ayame called as the door swung open.

"We brought breakfast!" Yuna called out merrily.

Hana quickly popped her head up from the couch, looking over the back of it towards the door and at her friends with wide eyes. "I-I f-forgot you were coming!" she said rather frantically. She felt Yamato begin to shift and move underneath her, extricating his limbs from hers. The girls couldn't see him yet, still hidden as he was by the back of the couch.

"You slept on the couch last night?" Ayame wondered, setting down a paper bag of pastries and a couple coffee cups on the table by the door.

"You stay up too late working," Yuna told her.

"Oh you're one to talk," Ayame retorted. "You're always at the forge late."

"Whatever," Yuna said. "Anyway, we got your favorite walnut bread, and you'll never guess who we saw at the bakery this morning! Sai was there, which means Yamato is back from his mission. And that means–"

Hana heard a soft grunt as Yamato pushed himself up. As soon as his head came over the back of the couch, Yuna stopped talking. The keys fell out of Ayame's hand and hit the floor with a jingling clatter.

"–he'll come to see you…" Yuna finished slowly, her eyes full of disbelief.

Hana opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Her mortification rendered her speechless.

"Um," Yuna started, groping her hands towards Ayame while still staring at Hana and Yamato, "we can come back later." She found Ayame's arm and grabbed it, pulling the other girl out of the apartment.

"It's not what it looks like!" Hana cried, but the door had already shut.

She turned back to Yamato, only to find him grinning at her and stifling a laugh.

"Stop!" she said, suppressing a giggle, just as the embarrassment of the moment brought tears to her eyes.

Soon they were both laughing at the absurdity of the moment. What were the chances?

"Oh I like you, Hana," he told her.

"Enough to give this a shot?" she asked, her own laughter fading.

He grew quiet once more.

"You stayed last night," she said. "You can't tell me that you don't want this."

He looked at her longingly, finding her mussed hair and the wrinkles in her clothing rather alluring. He still did not know what to do.

"This will not be easy," he told her. "I'll be gone, often. And I won't always be able to tell you where. And in the future…if…" his eyes drifted to her belly. "If children are a reality, it might be a painful process."

"I'm not asking for easy. You and I both know enough to know that easy doesn't exist." She touched his face, meeting his eyes. "I understand there are risks, Tenzo. I accept that there might be grief, but I also know that there will be lots of joy."

"Then what do we do?" he asked, still worried and still feeling out of control.

"I'll tell you what we do," she said. "We try."