A Christmas Lesson

KAKAxSAKU

Kakashi had finally decided it. He had been contemplating what to get his beautiful cherry blossom. Hours and hours of thought went into her Christmas present. It wasn't much and well at least the way he presented it to her would be original. He stared through that store window. That engagement ring clasping the sun's shine within it's circular enclosure. The rubies forming a small rose. Letting all reflect off of it like it had more pride then any other being. That was defiantly the gift for Sakura-chan he thought to himself.

His hand pressed against the glass. His black scarf wrapped around his neck was slipping down into a ball on the ground as he came closer in interest. His breathe falling frozen in the air. Leaving his mask to seem as nothing against the chill that he stood in. The snow laying around him in large fluffy dots. His casual blue uniform causing the mind racking wind to go straight through him. Kakashi didn't care though. All that he knew now was that he was going to make her as happy as he promised. Maybe he could finally tell Tsunade and get that help they've been needing so that they could produce children. He promised her that last wish, but he isn't fully there. He's been sterile all his life and it pained him that he couldn't fulfill her wish.

His hand clutched into a fist against the window. His teeth gritting at just the thought. Just the image of Sakura's face when he told her such a fact. She looked so sympathetic, but he could see her true pain behind those eyes . His eyes narrowed to protect the tear that might fall.

The shop owner watched the whole scene. He figured the man he knew so well was having a troubled thought. He slipped from his desk and left through the opening. He tapped Kakashi's shoulder. The man was gray haired. Most of his hair gone now, just little bits my his ears. He wore large clunky glasses that sat on the tip of his nose. He wore the same uniform as Kakashi just for the kicks. He had wrinkles from to much laughter and worry. He was a sweet old man with nothing to worry of. Kakashi was shocked, but quickly pasted the emotion over with a serious business like greeting.

"Good evening sir."

The man began to laugh hard. His head flinging back as he tried for a breathe of air. His glasses in hand now as he wiped away the few remaining tears of joy. He then looked at Kakashi with a big goofy grin.

"Kakashi old pal. Why so formal? I bet your looking at that ring and realizing prices huh?"

His voice was drug out in a western type of accent. Kakashi tipped his head to the left and gave a couple eye creases. His hair dripping the snow off as it tipped.

"No, actual I'm just worried about how her... Uh... Mother will handle this."

Immediately the man crossed his arms and gave a glare.

"How old is she/he Kakashi?"

He asked Kakashi like he knew he was foolish to think it would be anyone his age.

"What makes you think like that!" Kakashi shouts like a child.

The old man shook his head.

"I know you too well Kakashi; that's why."

Kakashi took his right hand and soothingly rubbed his neck. Soon the action changed into his habit of scratching.

"Yeah..."

"Well then, how old?"

"21."

"Damn Kakashi that means your 35. Holy shit!" A pause was heard before he smile were brought upon his chapped lips. "It feels like just yesterday when I watched you practice to be a Jounin. You slick bastard, don't knock her up now!"

Kakashi cringed. His posture falling tense and his head resting low.

"Oops. Did I say something wrong."

"No, but I want the engagement ring. No more questions." Kakashi growled.

It could have been taken as a threat and in some way it was. He didn't like hearing about babies and children from others. It just didn't make balance within him. Moments later the man arrived outside with a package. He told Kakashi the price and he fished it out of his pocket. Being a Jounin gave him a little extra cash and knowing him he didn't really need extra cash. He took the package and left swiftly. He leaped upon the buildings. Watching the people get smaller as the buildings got taller.

The man sighed deeply. He swiped the sweat away from his forehead.

"Oh jeez Kakashi-san. Leaving such a precious thing behind."

He reached down and picked up the scarf. A neatly sewed print was inside the scarf in pink.

"Happy Birthday Honey. Huh? That's one sweet girl you've hooked. Don't fuck this one up too." He paused again. A astonished expression appearing. "I MEANT FIGURATIVELY!" He shouted.

He knew damn well that Kakashi could still hear him, he after all had super hearing in some ways. Kakashi chuckled lightly to himself. He would get the scarf back later.

–

Sakura's quest had ended quickly. She knew Kakashi too well and this would make him very happy. He was a strange man and others knew it, but she enjoyed his weird habits. His strange mask. The face under neath. The books he read and the gravity defying hair. A smile was brought to her lips. A hop added to her pace as she walked home. Where he should be when she got back.

Right as ever there he stood. A sweet grin plastered across his face. It looked so adorable to her sight, just the very fact he was mask less. She trotted inside and set the red wrapped gift on the floor.

"Kaka-kun!" She sang.

Quickly she took him into embrace and he lifted her slightly. A giggle emanating from his pink haired cherry.

"Hey I thought you weren't coming home for a while." Kakashi states.

A grin on his matured face. Light peach fuzz prickled from his chin.

"I found what I needed quickly."

"Does that mean I get you all to myself tonight?"

She looked up to him. A sweet plan disguised onto his face. She nodded lightly. She normally wouldn't be so shy about a thing like that, but with the whole problem with his body it made everything a little awkward. She felt bad because she asked of him something that he could not give her. It was a silent problem.

"Kakashi I need you to keep your voice down this time."

"Look who's talking."

"Okay okay. Both of us need to keep our voice down. My parents and Tsunade are coming for dinner."

He frowned and pulled up his mask.

"Sex is out of the question then. Hurry and help me clean the house up."

She watched him as he slowly picked up assorted scraps of paper.

"We can still work in a quickly;" she said hopefully.

He turned to her and crossed his arms.

"I don't want your parents looking down on me anymore then they do and you already know Tsunade's short temper. If we spend our whole time fucking like rabbits and the house doesn't get cleaned let alone us I will be personally castrated by Tsunade and your mother."

"She's not that bad. Maybe Tsunade, but not my mothers;" her volume lowered. "Not like their much for her to mutilate..."

He heard the comment under her breathe and dropped his arms to his sides.

"Sorry."

Her eyes widened realizing how he most likely took the comment.

"Kakashi I didn't mean it that way-"

"Save it;" he sharply blared.

It made her take a step back at his deep tone and scared glare. He turned away from her as he usually did in a fight and she tackled him. He fell on the floor and his head bounced with her straddling him. She cringed.

"Didn't mean to crack your skull..."

He chuckled, easing the tension in the room.

"It's alright;" he said with a masked grin. "I love you so nothing you do can make me hate you."

"No but we might have something to say;" choked a pink haired man standing in the doorway with a same colored woman.

Her mother pushed him aside and stood tapping her foot as if they were caught teenagers.

"I'm so sorry! I know what this must look like! Especially in the living room-"

"Do you mean you've done such things in the living quarters before!?

"No actually we haven't I mean we have, but-"

Sakura leaned down and covered his mouth.

"Nice to see you guys."

The woman and the man both wore awful Christmas sweaters. They each had a reindeer with a very plump American Santa sitting upon the poor creature. The woman had a gray work skirt and the man a pair of cargo pants. They came in quickly and orderly while shutting the door. Sakura's mother was always the ring leader of the group. She told each and every member of the family how to do events and what to say if she had a momentary lapse of words. So when she pulled her daughter off of Kakashi it did not surprise him.

"Tsunade is picking up some alcohol for a special occasion, but it looks as if you two do not need any as is."

Sakura's face grew bright and Kakashi knew something was different. Not just from what they said, but from the way she had her husband open the door for her. Or how he made the first comment.

"Whats the good news mom!?" Sakura chirped.

Her father chuckled with a proud smirk. Her mother elbowed him in the gut before announcing the news.

"I'm pregnant."

Kakashi's eyebrows furrowed immediately as the words flew out of her mouth. For once the woman worried about her daughters lover.

"What's wrong?"

They had not told her of his dilemma in fear of her disgust.

"Nothing."

"It's obviously something, don't tell me you got Sakura pregnant as well!?"

That hit him hard. He sat up and leaned forward covering his face.

"That's not physically possible..."

She gave a confused expression and glanced at Sakura and her father. Her father knew quickly what he meant and sat down quietly. Sakura frowned and covered her eyes.

"Do you mean your sterile."

"As much as I hate to admit... Yes..."

The room went still and everyone seemed to stop breathing. Kakashi knew she was a very proud woman. He knew that she wouldn't feel bad she would be pissed that her little girl couldn't have children with the man.

"I'm very sorry. I should of known. Please let me stay for Christmas to make amends."

All of the heads in the room snapped up to gaze at her depressed face.

"So your not angry at me?"

She offered him a hand and he took it. She hugged him quickly and pulled away. She shifted on her feet and looked down at her feet pathetically.

"No. I use to think you were so shy around us, because you were getting our little girl into trouble. I now see that I was very wrong..."

–

Christmas morning. Everyone was gathered to open presents. Though Sakura's parents had just arrived the day before, they were somewhat already planning to stay. So they to had presents under the tree. Sakura was spoiled rotten and she had no response but a awkward laugh to each present. Kakashi was handed two presents. One from her parents and Sakura.

"this wasn't necessary."

They all shook their head at him and pushed the presents closer to have him open them. The one from her parents was wrapped in the same pattern that was on their sweaters. When he opened it and found a set of razor blades.

"Um..."

"We didn't know what to get the man that already had Sakura. Let alone wore a mask all the time. We just hope that you get some use out of it;" her dad said with a chuckle.

Sakura hugged Kakashi's arm and kissed his cheek.

"Hurry open my mine!"

Her's was covered in a kunia pattern. She knew him too well. He was not a person that loved cute little fluffy bunnies all over his things. With his fast admiration he carefully pulled the wrapping off. When the box sat open he found a doctors letter. He looked towards Sakura with a very odd expression.

"i got it this morning. Just read it."

He scanned it. The more he read the more his eyes widened and the more his grin became apparent through the mask. He hugged her and kissed her.

"My turn Sakura-chan!"

Her parents sat on the floor watching him. Her father whispered to his wife.

"This is the most excited I've ever seen him..."

Kakashi pulled out the engagement ring from his pocket and held it in front of Sakura.

"I always thought I'd die alone with a razor blade. I was nothing but a tool to the Hokage. I never did anything, but take orders, but Sakura. You opened my eyes. You let me taste that sweet alluring emotion called love again. And now I look forward to spending my future with you and our family. So Sakura will you marry me?"

Sakura's mouth hung open and her body froze as he put the ring on her finger.

"Sakura?" He asked, but stopped as he realized she hadn't read it yet. "I'm not sterile anymore."

She screamed at the top of her lungs and tackled him once again.

"YES!"

Her parents eyes widened and his mask came down to kiss his fiancee. The two were dumbfounded, but not as dumbfounded as Tsunade who had just woke up.

I suppose this is a lesson. You should always hope for a miracle, religious or not. Because life gets in a really good mood every once in a while and you might just get lucky. Especially on Christmas.

Author Note: Sorry guys, but I hate to say I'm here to stay. I wrote the first half of this last Christmas, but my jimmies were rustled to write the rest finally. So enjoy!