Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ 14 Gifts ❯ Epilogue ( Chapter 15 )

Epilogue - 1 really long year and 1 day later

"Stop fidgeting, Forehead!" a very irritated Nara Ino complained as she yanked at her friends kimono ties. Her best friend was getting married and it showed.

"I would, except you're pinching me," Haruno Sakura complained.

The annoyed blonde yanked again eliciting a yelp from the already harried bride. "I can't help it if you gained weight, Sakura. You should have told Kakashi to stop feeding you so close to the wedding and maybe increased your exercise routine," she shot back snarkily.

"I'm just bloated, Ino. Ever since I let my cycle start again, I've been retaining a bit of water," Sakura replied.

Most kunoichi stopped their monthly cycles so that they didn't have to deal with them during missions. Sakura hadn't changed things merely out of convenience.

Ino snorted quietly. "A bit my behind."

Ino knew that Sakura and Kakashi had never been intimate during their courtship since those unforgettable fourteen days of gifts and subtle wooing by the elusive Hatake Kakashi, leading to that very day. The reason she told her best friend was because if she hadn't, Ino would have hounded her day in and day out until Sakura spilled about Kakashi's prowess in bed… amongst other things. Sakura had also felt it necessary to share that she and Kakashi were going to try to start a family right after they got married, which surprised Ino. The pinkette's reply had been that they were both ready.

Sakura attempted to stand still as her friend fussed and fretted over her and just tuned the woman out by thinking over the last twelve months.

Even though Kakashi had asked Sakura to marry him on that fateful Valentine's Day last year, they had decided on a year-long engagement to make sure that they took some time to get to know each other as a couple and not just as shinobi and teammates.

Kakashi had told Sakura that he was terribly old-fashioned and wanted to do things the right way. They had agreed to not have premarital relations until they were married, something Kakashi was dead set on. However, for him it was easier said than done.

For Sakura the delay was not an issue since she'd never experienced the pleasures of the flesh. Kakashi, however, found it terribly difficult to keep from losing his self-control on many occasions and would have to resort to other means, especially when their petting got overly affectionate. For someone that had almost perfect control over his emotions he was finding himself at a loss when it came to his beautiful fiancée.

He refused to move in together either, even as much as Sakura tried to convince him that combining households would be more convenient as well as cost-effective - especially for Sakura. But Kakashi had put his foot down early on much to Sakura's disappointment. But she understood. He offered to help her financially, but the little woman was extremely independent. If she were going to continue to live on her own she would support herself.

Honestly, Kakashi would have gone insane having his beautiful fiancée under the same roof. Having her there but not being able to avail himself of her physically would have been too much. It was already bad enough when they would spend an evening alone at his home or hers, either just enjoying each other's company or watching a movie and end up making out to the point that had him in physical pain.

It had been a truly grueling year for the couple in many other ways. For Sakura, getting to know someone on a different level than just as a friend or acquaintance had been very different from what she had thought. She'd had to change her thinking in order to keep from going insane over Kakashi's habits, but she'd discovered that it went both ways. For someone as mature as Kakashi that had lived on his own for over thirty years, he had to be more accommodating to her needs as well. She knew when they moved in together that there would be even more adjusting to come.

They'd fought quite a bit over stupid things, but in the end they did work things out and learned how to agree to disagree on occasion. Kakashi had never really had an example to follow and Sakura's parents had passed away when she was very young, so both of them had to learn things through trial and error.

Kakashi's friends had been very supportive, especially since it was apparent that the two worked well together, not only out in the field but also off. What tipped the scales was that none of Kakashi's comrades had never seen the usually stoic and alone male so happy. Ever.

Genma had been especially relentless in his friendly teasing of the copy nin about his decision to wait to bed the pinkette after the wedding. When Kakashi got tired of it he let Genma know to back off, and the senbon user did as he was told. He never wanted to be on the great copy nin's bad side.

Gai had gone on and on about the spirit of youth, making anyone within hearing distance want to run and hide.

All in all, his friends stood behind them supporting him and Sakura in their relationship and that's all he could ask for.

Sakura also had to deal with the flack after telling her peers. However, they too were supportive, even though they had always seen him as old and the pervert that read those horrible novels in public. They were just happy that Sakura was happy. Especially after Sasuke.

Another reason for holding off a year was because Sakura had asked Ino to be her maid of honor. Even if Kakashi and Sakura wed within the six months it would take to plan a decent wedding, Sakura thought that Ino would not want to be heavily pregnant and on her feet at that time. A year gave Ino the time to give birth and get her shape back. The pig was ever thankful for her friend's forethought.

Sakura hadn't been wrong in the assumption that Ino would be back in shape. As she watched her maid of honor scramble to straighten the wedding kimono's layers she really took a good look at her friend. Ino had lost all of the baby weight she had gained with the pregnancy of her son, and while the blonde was slim again, she still retained some of the curviness associated to a woman who had given birth. While the ex-Yamanaka was frustrated with it, Shikamaru secretly loved the extra padding on his wife.

A light knock on the door of Sakura's dressing room, the door opened revealing Hinata. "It's time," she told them before leaving the room, closing the door behind her.

"Well?" Ino asked her friend.

"Shannaro!" Sakura said with a big grin.

oOo

Tsunade, in formal Hokage robes, married her once-apprentice to one of her strongest and smartest shinobi. It was a huge affair and the slug princess played it up.

Though Kakashi and Sakura had wanted a small wedding, something with only their closest friends in the Hokage's office would have sufficed, Tsunade had insisted that that her only 'daughter' be married in grand style in the arena where the chunin exams were held. No expense had been spared - Kakashi had paid for everything, much to everyone's surprise (though some thought Tsunade threatened him) - and it showed. Everyone was invited. Even the Kazekage and his siblings had attended, showing their support.

After the wedding, a strangely sober Tsunade took Kakashi aside, not to threaten him once again should he hurt Sakura, but to inform him that once he returned from his honeymoon, he would be inducted as Hokage.

"I'm tired," Tsunade told him, her weariness showing in her mannerisms. "And Naruto just isn't ready to become the leader of Konoha. I'd be doing the village a great disservice by choosing him as well as staying in office," she explained.

"Why me?" Kakashi asked, honestly knowing what her answer would be.

The fact that she knew he knew made the Godaime give a wry look. "I can't have my new son-in-law going out on dangerous missions and leaving my Sakura behind, can I? Besides," she then smiled wickedly, "I want to give you two ample opportunity to give me those grandbabies."

That hadn't been the answer he'd been looking for but the look Tsunade gave him said enough. He was really her only choice. Though he gave off the vibe and appearance of being lazy, like Shikamaru, he did take things seriously when necessary. He'd hoped that he wouldn't have to take on the mantle of Hokage, but he would do his duty to his village. As always.

While he and Sakura had discussed having children, they did elect to have them as soon as possible. Kakashi wasn't getting any younger and the pair felt that they were ready to make that step. He wasn't going to tell the over-eager grandmother-to-be that.

"It isn't in our plans for the near future," Kakashi told her without missing a beat. "Now that I'm going to be Hokage, I don't think there will be a whole lot of time for extra-curricular activity anyway." Kakashi waved a hand as he turned away and made his leave of Tsunade before she could pursue that line of questioning again.

Besides, it wasn't any of her business.

"Brat!" he heard her bark out loud enough for nearby guests to hear.

Kakashi approached his beautiful wife, the warmth of her smile filling him with peace as he walked up to her. He was very lucky to have her.

oOo

When it was time for them to leave for the night, deciding to stay at their home - thanks to a few of their friends that moved Sakura's things into the spare room - they would be leaving for their honeymoon in Water the following day.

The plan had been to leave early the following morning. However, Kakashi was never on time for anything (except his wedding, some dates and important missions) and the couple didn't find themselves on the road until much, much later that afternoon.

Upon their return a few weeks later, the Godaime made good on her threat and Kakashi was inducted as Rokudaime a month later. While he and Sakura could have moved into the Hokage residence, it was decided to stay in his family home as long as nobody (except for his personal ANBU and a few key advisors) found out. Kakashi felt it was safer that way.

A month after, Sakura found out she was pregnant. Needless to say, her Hokage husband pulled her from the active duty roster, even though she rarely went on missions. She much preferred to stay close to home and her husband and work at the hospital.

Nine months later, the first of their children was born, a girl with green eyes like her mother and silvery-white, unmanageable hair like her father. They named her Willow, not being able to agree on any of their family names (Mebuki was not a name he wanted to name his daughter, and Sakura felt that Rin held too many memories). Besides, as she grew through the years, Willow grew lean and tall much like the tree she was named after taking after her father in height. Being a kunoichi herself kept her physically lean.

A brother followed her two years later and little Kazuhiko was the spitting image of his father and his father before him, the droopy coal-colored eyes and white hair prevalent to the Hatake line.

As time went on and their children grew up, they never forgot how their life together began. Kakashi would give her reminders in the form of many-colored roses, or would bring in cuttings from their quicky-growing almond orchard in the back yard. Sometimes he would surprise her by cutting an apple and feeding it to her just to let her know he chose her.

And too, it was his way of reminding her of how much he went through to show her he loved her.