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As Sakura's birthday crept closer and Ino kept pestering her about what she wanted this year, Sakura's mind drifted to what she couldn't have. Years of unrequited hints and unresolved feelings swirled in her chest. She wanted nothing more than for Kakashi to finally notice her.
An impossible yearning thrummed through her. She felt like a school girl with a crush. Things she thought she'd grow out of had only gotten stronger. Whispers of affection had taken root and blossomed into something more.
Maybe this would be the year she told him.
The swell of emotions deflated. A hollowness nestled in. She knew how to mend muscle and sinew back together, channel her strength to crush the earth, and throw a kunai with deadly aim. She didn't know how to reveal the truth in her heart.
He wasn't one of her peers she'd grown up with. He'd always been a man in her eyes. A kind, dependable, honorable man who was always there when she needed him most.
She sighed. Her daydreaming was out of control. Day and night her thoughts drifted to him more and more often. She was getting too old to be acting like this. So she did her best to cast those girlish dreams aside.
Her birthday arrived like any other spring day. Golden sunlight broke the horizon and lit the sky blush. Birds chirped in the crisp morning air as Konoha woke up. She had a hopefully uneventful shift seeing patients and doing paperwork. Kakashi remained ever present in her mind and she couldn't help feeling a little disappointed he hadn't wished her a happy birthday.
A message from Ino arrived during lunch. Small little dinner for the birthday girl at your favorite restaurant. Wear something cute! Reservation's at seven.
She smiled. Right. Even if her love life was going nowhere, she had fantastic friends who wanted to celebrate her. Turning thirty was going to be great. A quiet night out was exactly what she needed.
She left work with plenty of time to get ready for the evening. A quick shower, simple make-up application, and easy hairstyle later, she pulled on her favorite dress and heels and headed for Hanami.
After she told the host her name, she was led to an intimate booth in the back corner. Candlelight created a soft dome of privacy. The curved sides shielded the rest of the restaurant from view and made the round table and bench seem like its own little world.
A note with her name sat on the table. She unfolded it and Ino's elegant handwriting greeted her, "Happy birthday! Hope you enjoy your gift! -I"
"Sorry, I'm late," a familiar voice greeted.
Sakura blinked up at the man the voice had come from and glanced back down at the note in her hand. How could Ino have known? She hasn't told a soul about her crush.
"Kakashi?" she asked softly.
His eyes crinkled in greeting as he slid into the booth beside her. "I was blocked by a mountain of paperwork and had to scale down the side of the Hokage tower to escape. Shikamaru was guarding the door."
She laughed at the familiarity of his excuse. They settled into easy conversation after that. Food and drinks appeared without either of them ordering but somehow being exactly what they liked.
Maybe it was the candlelight and the way everything else faded away outside the warm glow or the contentment of great food and even better company but somehow they ended up sliding closer throughout the evening until at last their thighs touched. Warmth soaked into her side, his heat washing over her in gentle waves. She traced the edges of his mask with her eyes. Even after all these years she still didn't know what he looked like under the mask or how he ate so well without her catching a single glimpse.
Their plates were cleared moments before dessert arrived: sticky rice pudding with fresh fruit for Sakura and jasmine tea for Kakashi. Sakura savored the treat, reluctant for the evening to end. Eventually, she took her last bite and he took his last sip.
She met his eyes as they both leaned back against the wall.
"Thanks for joining me tonight," Sakura said, her voice softer than she meant it to be.
"I wouldn't have missed your birthday for the world," he replied, just as softly.
Her heart tripped. Could he feel the same way as she did? There was only one way to find out.
"Tonight doesn't have to be over," she ventured.
He raised an eyebrow in askance. She drew in a fortifying breath.
"You could come back to my place for more tea."
His reply came moments later but it felt like an eternity before he said, "I'd like that."
Their easy camaraderie faded in the confines of her apartment. A simple dinner enjoyed together now threatened to become something more. Sakura knew they could always step back from wherever tonight went and slide into their previous relationship but it didn't stop the her nerves from buzzing with worry—and excitement.
Neither of them seemed to know what to do. Sakura played with her tea cup while Kakashi sat formally across from her. He complimented her curtains and she tried to think of something to talk about when all she wanted to do was kiss him.
She was being ridiculous. Ino had given her a golden opportunity and she wasn't going to waste it. She stood from her chair and closed the short distance between them. His gaze followed her, something unguarded and surprising sparking in his gray eyes. Emboldened that he felt the same, she stopped in front of him.
"I didn't invite you here to continue our conversation."
He made a noise of agreement, his eyes never leaving her face. Her hands fisted at her sides. All of her fieldwork paled in comparison to how difficult it felt to admit her feelings for him. Years of partnership and friendship colored their past. His presence had helped shaped her into the person she was today.
She'd known for years what her heart desired even if she'd never dared mention them before, even if she lied to herself about how she truly felt. Looking down on him now, his familiar face and reassuring presence made the words want to tumble off her tongue.
"I want to kiss you."
His eyes widened briefly before sliding closed. When they opened again, she saw desire simmering in their depths. Her breath caught.
His hand caught her wrist and tugged her forward. Her legs bracketed his. His hands came to rest on her hips, promise filling the air around them.
"I'm an old man now," he told her patiently.
She blinked before cuffing him in the bicep. "What happened to the springtime of your youth?"
"Shriveled up and died," he deadpanned.
Sakura stared at him long and hard before she laughed. A smile slowly broke over his face and rendered him heartbreakingly handsome. Affection clenched in her chest. She wanted to see him like this every day for the rest of her life. Her fingers twisted into his shirt.
"You'll always be my favorite present," she whispered.
Her hair fell forward and brushed his cheek, creating a veil from the rest of the world. His thumbs rubbed soft circles across her hips, the fabric of her skirt inching higher. Time stretched languidly between them, the world holding its breath until their mouths met. Warmth washed through her, sweet and gentle. Every nerve tingled with anticipation.
Who needed talking when there were so many better uses of his mouth?
Maybe it was too soon for sweeping declarations, internal or not, but everything felt right in her world. She'd spent her life waiting for a moment like this without even realizing it. As their kiss deepened and their desire answered each other, Sakura realized this birthday was perfect and every future one could only get better.