"I should have killed him when I had the chance," she regretted out loud. "I should have eliminated all of them."
"Then we wouldn't know the truth about Itachi, or the Uchiha's eyes, or Hashirama Senju's stolen body," Kakashi consoled her with an exhausted expression. "There's no use in regretting the past."
Maybe she needed to hear it from his mouth, but the moment Kakashi comforted her with those words—knowing that he understood exactly what she was talking about—she felt like she could breathe easier. Sasuke squeezed her hand in silent reassurance, letting her know it wasn't her fault. Naruto simply walked to his room, shaking his head. Sasuke seemed to consider it for a moment but then followed him. Seina wanted to throw herself onto the couch, feeling drained, when a hand grabbed her arm.
"Come with me."
Kakashi lifted her into his arms, carrying her to his home, which was also under the Fidelius charm, a place he clearly hadn't set foot in for a while. They sat in the backyard. Seina didn't know what to say. If she wasn't in shock, she was close to it. She had never imagined leaving the village by order of the Hokage. She had always believed that if she ever had to leave Konoha, it would be by running away. But in reality, she was running away. Just from Danzo. Had she unknowingly fulfilled her own prophecy?
"What are you thinking about?" Kakashi asked, pulling her into his embrace.
"That I never imagined having to leave the village for years because of the Hokage's orders."
"…Years," Kakashi sighed, his voice pained.
"What are we going to do?"
"You mean us?"
Seina nodded, burying her face against his side. She felt that lump in her throat again, though this time, it wasn't just fear—it was sadness. A silence stretched between them as they both considered what would happen next. But after a few minutes, Kakashi answered.
"I'm willing to wait for you," he confessed.
Seina lifted her head, somewhat incredulous.
"You would wait three years without even seeing each other? How could I ask that of you?"
"How could I ask you to wait for me?" he responded rhetorically. "I just know that I want you in my life now and in the future. Waiting for you isn't an obligation—it's a gift."
Her eyes filled with tears. Sensing them, Kakashi pulled her onto his lap, embracing her completely. Then, he lifted her chin to meet her gaze. He removed his mask and forehead protector, letting her see his face in full sincerity.
"I once told you that I just wanted to be with you—only you. In fact…" he trailed off, swallowing visibly. "There's something I've had for a few months now."
"What is it?" she asked, surprised to see how nervous he seemed.
"Wait a second."
Kakashi created a clone to retrieve whatever he was referring to. The clone returned in seconds, tossing something to Kakashi, who caught it mid-air. Seina, who had her face buried in his neck, didn't see what it was until Kakashi suddenly presented a small black box to her. It was cushioned inside with soft navy-blue fabric. Her heart skipped a beat the moment she realized what it was.
In the centre of the box lay a white-gold ring. It was slender, encrusted with countless tiny diamonds that circled half of the band. At its centre was a brilliant, much larger gemstone, held in place in a way that resembled a crown from the side but looked like a flower from above. It was an engagement ring.
"When Shikaku gave you those Uzumaki clan scrolls, it made me wonder if maybe I had something stored away too… in my Hatake clan home. I lived there for years until your mother convinced me to move out while I was still struggling with the deaths of my parents, Obito, and Rin," he explained while she stared at the ring. "I didn't find anything significant, but I did come across my mother's jewellery and some of her belongings while cleaning. I found the engagement ring my father gave her, and suddenly, I couldn't stop thinking about it."
"Is this your mother's ring?"
"No," he chuckled. Seina lifted her head to take in his incredibly handsome face, his smile, and the tenderness in his gaze. "I considered it for a moment, but then I realized I don't want what my parents had. Not for a single second do I want us to end up like them. I want to live with you for many years. I want what they didn't have. I want more—so much more. Maybe I'm selfish, or maybe I'm just greedy, but that's how I feel. It might be silly to associate misfortune with a ring, but I refuse to take even the slightest chance of giving you something that could bring harm or separate us prematurely."
"So… you bought this?" she asked softly, almost unable to believe it. "But why?"
"Why now, when you're still so young?" She nodded. "Because I'm sure about you. Because I'm giving myself to you completely, and even if you don't love me in three years, this is what I feel. I saw it and knew it was for you. I knew that even if I didn't give it to you now, I would one day. Funny how things didn't go exactly as I thought they would."
Seina felt fresh tears spill over. This time, they were tears of happiness.
"How could I not want you in three years? Kakashi, I lo—"
Her words were swallowed by firm lips pressing against hers, silencing her confession of love.
A strong hand buried itself in her hair, cradling her face, and his lips murmured against hers.
"If you say it out loud…" he whispered, voice unsteady, "it will break my heart to see you leave."
She nodded, brushing her nose against his before kissing him again, softly. She hadn't said it aloud, but they both knew what she was going to say. She cried as she remembered that she had to leave in less than six days. Kakashi wiped her tears with his thumb, then nuzzled her nose gently against his once more.
"I promise to wait for you faithfully, for as long as it takes. I promise to fight for us and for your safety in Konoha while you're away, so you can return as soon as possible. I promise that my heart is yours now and will be yours when you return. I am yours." He hesitated, searching for the right words, as if he wanted them to be perfect. "Seina…
>> From the moment I saw you, I knew you were special. You looked into my eyes and saw through me like no one ever had before. You saw my true self—my flaws, my strengths, my darkest sides, and my deepest desires. You understood me, encouraged me, supported me when I didn't even realize I needed it. You've helped me grow in a year more than most do in a lifetime with all the support in the world… You have literally given me back the will to live. Now, every day isn't just another day—it's a gift. I fall asleep and wake up thinking of you. I dream of you, both asleep and awake. You have become my greatest weakness and my greatest strength. I can't imagine a world without you, so waiting three years is nothing compared to spending a lifetime without you. Do you understand? That's why, even if it's premature, I want to tell you how I feel. I want to be with you in every way possible, so… will you marry me? In the future?"
"…I will."
Kakashi swallowed, blinking away the tears gathering in his eyes. He took the ring, her left hand, and slid it onto her finger. It was a standard size, so he used his chakra to shrink it until it fit perfectly. Seina couldn't hold back the flood of emotions—sadness, love, joy, ecstasy. They kissed under the moonlight. Kakashi chuckled when their lips curled into unstoppable smiles. He kissed her cheeks, her nose, and her eyelids, soft as butterfly wings against a flower.
"Just promise me one more thing," she whispered into his ear, running her fingers through his silk-soft hair.
"Anything."
"Don't die."
"I swear it."
Seina closed her eyes, inhaling his masculine scent, which reminded her of amber, perhaps cedar as well. His firm promise calmed her fears. She truly felt as if Kakashi had found a new purpose in life beyond just surviving as he had until now, and that made her happy. They remained silent for a while, holding each other tightly, caressing and kissing whenever they couldn't resist the urge.
"Ah…" she sighed at last. "Do you know what we'd be doing right now if I were a few years older?"
Kakashi let out a quiet laugh. He didn't even blush like before. That's when she realized why. He had thrown himself in completely, headfirst, into the deep end. He had confessed everything, so… what was the point of hiding or feeling embarrassed?
"I know. I'm sorry I can't give us what we both want."
"Mhmm… Kakashi, can I try something?" she asked.
"Of course."
"Close your eyes, love," she whispered.
She pressed her forehead against his. She straddled his lap, her arms wrapped comfortably around his chest. She lifted her hands to his neck and part of his face, stroking his smooth, freshly shaved skin. Then, she summoned her magic.
Kakashi felt it instantly, since they were skin to skin. He inhaled sharply as the sensation hit him, but he said nothing. Seina gradually flooded him with her magic. At first, it was like a feather brushing over his skin, then the touch of her fingertips, then the pressure of a tongue…
She felt his breathing quicken and his muscles tense and relax as he experienced her magic in this way for the first time. She let her power caress every inch of his skin, little by little. She didn't even need to touch his cock to feel the hardness pressing against her. Still, she didn't grind against him, and he did the same. His arms, which had been holding her, slowly loosened. His large, warm hands roamed her back before settling on her hips, simply resting there.
Kakashi groaned, trembling under her magic, cursing under his breath. He leaned forward, burying his face in her neck, inhaling her deeply.
"S-Seina," he moaned again, gripping her hips more tightly.
The growl she heard so close to her ear made her soaking wet—there was no denying it. Just as much as feeling his cock throbbing beneath her heat, his shuddering pleasure, his breathless gasps, and his moans. Kakashi's lips parted, capturing the skin of her neck between them. He kissed her wetly, as he couldn't do with his mouth. She molded her magic around him, pushing him closer and closer to the edge like never before. A part of her, fiercely possessive, knew that he would never experience this with anyone else, and she took pride in showing him before she had to leave.
She felt Kakashi's teeth graze her neck for a second. Then, slowly, he pulled back, using all his willpower. She knew that being a Hatake came with certain… tendencies, behaviours comparable to those of canines, like wolves. She knew he wanted to come while biting her neck as if she were his mate. So, she rested one hand on his strong neck and, with the other, pushed his head back toward her skin.
Kakashi didn't hesitate for even a second once he realized she was giving him permission to claim her as his mate—because she was. She had accepted it the moment she said yes, the moment he slipped that ring onto her finger. His teeth clamped down on her neck, not breaking the skin, but holding firm as he let out a deep, guttural growl. He came hard, trembling beneath her, his hips pressing up against her heat, his hands gripping her hips almost dangerously tight, marking her with his teeth like an animal while she fisted his hair, keeping him close.
"…Fuck," he cursed, catching his breath against her neck, licking her skin. "Do you use your magic often during sex?"
"Sometimes."
"…I'm going to have to build my stamina," he muttered with a low chuckle, still resting against her.
"Why do you say that?"
Kakashi lifted his head slowly, dragging his tongue along her neck like never before. That orgasm had definitely stripped away his inhibitions.
"Because the day I finally fuck you and you use your magic, I don't want to last just ten minutes," he whispered in her ear, taking her earlobe between his teeth, his voice seductive. "The day I can truly make you mine… I'll have you screaming my name and losing track of time as I claim you over and over again in our bed."
… Her nipples hardened like diamonds, and she felt her legs tremble. She was completely soaked. If she could, she would have slid her fingers into her underwear to pleasure herself. Kakashi inhaled her neck again, but they both knew he was smelling something else. She started to feel his erection pressing against her ass once more. She had to fight the urge to move, to grind against him, to chase pleasure through the friction of their clothed bodies.
"Do you want me to keep going? Do you want me to tell you what I'll do to you?" he murmured, his voice dark with hunger, as if he had been holding back until now and was finally unleashing himself.
"Yes."
"I'll discover everything that gives you pleasure and use it to make you come while I fuck you," he said, gripping her hair with one hand and pulling her head back, exposing her neck for his enjoyment. "I'll finally taste your pussy and hear you moan and howl my name while you ride me, while I lick your tits until the slightest touch of my tongue makes you convulse."
"Kakashi," she moaned, panting against his chest.
"What would you prefer? Me on top of you, holding your legs open as I fuck you, staring into your eyes? Or maybe you on top while I grip your hips tightly, fucking you harder and deeper as you scream into my mouth?"
He didn't smirk against her skin, nor when he lifted his face slightly from her neck to look into her eyes—his lids heavy, his pupils blown wide with desire. He wasn't joking. He was letting her choose what was going to happen. Even so, Seina wasn't going to back down on this night of confessions. She met his gaze and admitted her deepest desire.
"Whatever it is, as long as you come inside me every time."
Kakashi went still as a statue, staring at her, his breath deep and heavy, his pupils dark and dilated. Seina, with her neck still exposed, continued, closing her eyes.
"I want you to mark me. I want you to make me yours. I want to know that if it weren't for my magic preventing it, you'd get me pregnant."
Kakashi couldn't stop the deep mix of a groan and a growl that escaped him as he sank his teeth into the other side of her neck. She felt him trembling as he held himself back from fucking her.
"I want everyone to know I'm yours," she moaned, begged, whimpered.
"Oh, my love. I'll only need one night to make sure no one has any doubts. I'll only need a week for my scent to cling to you forever," he swore, kissing her neck and then her ear. Then, he promised, "And after that, I'll make sure no one ever doubts that you're mine, and that I am yours."
Seina didn't reach orgasm, but she was dangerously close. He kissed her neck, both of her new marks, then her lips. He lifted her into his arms, carrying her with her legs wrapped around him, but from the front. She moaned when she accidentally rubbed against his pants, against his erection.
"We should finish separately."
They returned home in seconds. Seina's legs trembled so much she couldn't stand properly, so he carried her to her room.
"When you're done," she said, "come back to me. If we only have six days left together, I want to spend every hour I can with you."
"Alright."
Seina collapsed onto the bed, locking the door with her magic just in case. She stripped in half a second. Her hands moved on their own, finding one of her breasts and her clit. She was so wet she was practically slipping against herself. She closed her eyes, thinking of Kakashi—how he had looked at her with raw hunger, how he had come while biting her neck, his whispered words in her ear. His promises. It didn't take even five minutes before she came, panting, her legs trembling, her sheets soaked.
She lay there recovering for a minute. Then, knowing Kakashi wouldn't take much longer either, she jumped out of bed. She used magic to clean the sheets, refresh the air, and then took a shower. She had just slipped on her pyjamas—hadn't even dried her hair or brushed her teeth—when she heard a knock at her door.
"That was fast," she said, seeing that he had also showered and changed into his pyjamas, leaving his face mask in his room.
"I wanted to see you," he replied, as if they hadn't just spent hours together.
She let him in, shutting the door firmly behind them. She jumped into his arms, hugging him around the neck and pressing an innocent kiss to his lips. Kakashi carried her to the bed. They lay there in silence for a while, still awake. She wasn't trying to think about anything, but who knew what he was thinking? Seina glanced down, resting against his chest, his black T-shirt soft beneath her cheek, and smiled when she noticed her ring.
"Seina, how long do you plan on living with Naruto and Sasuke?"
"At least until we come back. Why?"
"I was thinking about the Hatake estate. It's not the biggest in the world, but it's just the two of us, and I imagine Naruto and Sasuke will want to start their own lives eventually."
"I thought you didn't want to set foot in the estate after everything," she said.
"Not for now, but with time… I don't know. I'd say we could use my house, but it only has one bedroom, despite being spacious and having a lot of land."
"Then why don't we buy something new? It's not like we're short on money. Besides… how many bedrooms do we need?" she smiled, eyes closed.
"Well, ours, for starters, a guest room, and one for each child we have," he replied, amusement clear in his voice as he buried his face in her hair.
"Mhm… so at least four?"
"At least."
Seina fell asleep before she could help it. Being in Kakashi's arms felt like touching the sky.
When she woke up the next morning, he was already awake, though his eyes were closed. She kissed his bare lips before getting up and heading for the bathroom. She glanced over her shoulder, looking at his figure stretched out in bed, bathed in the golden light filtering through the window. His eyes followed her with so much love that it was impossible not to know—this man loved her. She winked at him and closed the door.
She came out after a while, unsurprised to find that he had gone to his room to get dressed. Before going down to the living room, she cast a spell on her new ring, making it invisible and adding several enchantments so that it couldn't break, be noticed, or even be removed from her finger. As far as anyone was concerned, no one would know she was wearing it. Kakashi smiled discreetly when he saw her, while Naruto and Sasuke made themselves toast with little appetite. Both had dark circles under their eyes, so she wasn't sure if they had slept much. She also had shadows under her eyes, but she knew she was glowing. She knew it wouldn't last long—once the time came for their final farewell—but she would hold onto that feeling as long as she could.
Kakashi glanced at her bare finger, and she touched the ring with her thumb, winking at him again to let him know it was still there. She sat in her usual seat, brushing her foot against Kakashi's as he stretched out his leg to touch her ankle. She was so in love she wanted to scream—or kill Danzo. Still, she was so happy that the murderous thought only lasted a few seconds before she got lost in her thoughts again.
Kakashi spoke with more strength than Naruto and Sasuke when he asked, "Have you thought about what you're going to do in these last few days?"
"Hn…"
"I guess I'll go to the movies so my gifted tickets don't expire."
"Spend time with our friends and with you. Honestly, I don't plan to train for the rest of the time I have left here," she shrugged. "Apparently, I'll have two or three damn years to train without taking on missions, so…"
Sasuke let out a tired chuckle. Naruto, looking sad, nodded.
"You'll see when Ino and the others find out," Sasuke suddenly said. "The moment I see the first tears, I'm leaving."
"Seriously, Sasuke?" she rolled her eyes.
"I have to go speak with Tsunade-sama and Jiraiya, so don't leave the house until I get back. From now on, until you leave, you'll have an escort."
After saying that, Kakashi left. Sasuke, Naruto, and Seina were left alone, looking around the house as if it were for the last time. Seina shook her head and went to her study to gather everything she didn't want to leave behind. When she saw the minerals and metals, an idea struck her. Kakashi had given her a ring—a token of their love to keep her company during their time apart—but he had nothing to remember her by in the same way.
Suddenly, she knew what she had to do: she had to make him a ring too. Not one bought from a store, but one crafted by her, tailored to his taste. She thought about Kakashi's preferences and knew it couldn't be anything extravagant. When she had let him choose an earring to help with genjutsu resistance, he had picked a simple titanium stud with a silver ball. Even his pyjamas—the only clothes she had seen him wear outside his uniform or casual home wear—were simple black, grey, or navy-blue pants with basic-coloured shirts in long, three-quarter, or short sleeves. No red, sky blue, or purple. In fact, the only colourful thing he had accepted… was the teardrop-shaped amethyst pendant with the Patronus she had given him to lift his spirits.
Still, she didn't want to give him just a plain white gold or platinum band. She wanted something special, something that would remind him that this was no ordinary ring. In the end, she decided on a medium-width platinum band—neither too thin nor too thick. She engraved a very fine vertical groove in the ring where she set a rectangular amethyst using magic, enchanting it so that no one could remove it. It couldn't be broken either. The final touch was a drop of blood on the runes she inscribed inside, allowing Kakashi to hide it at will.
When she finished, she looked at it with satisfaction. She conjured a box and placed the ring inside her pouch. Unfortunately, after an hour, she had barely packed anything, so she gave up. She still had a few days left.
"Did you finish packing?" Naruto asked, surprised.
"No. I got distracted reading some things and didn't get anything done," she replied, throwing herself onto the garden lounger. "Where's Sasuke?"
"He's talking to his mother in his room."
"Huh."
"I don't want to leave, nee-chan," Naruto confessed.
"Neither do I. Everything I want is here, but I also understand that we aren't safe in the village. I've been thinking about Tsunade-sama's decisions, and… I don't think she has any other choice."
They stayed silent for a while. It was obvious neither of them knew what to say to lighten the mood. A few minutes later, they heard the door open. It wasn't Sasuke—it was Kakashi. He looked serious and deep in thought. Without saying anything, he sat on the lounger beside her. She was starting to hate these heavy silences.
"Tsunade-sama thinks you might have to leave a bit earlier."
"How much earlier?" Naruto asked angrily.
"Probably by Saturday."
"But that's in two days!"
Seina didn't say anything, but her heart started to ache again.
"What changed?"
"The council mysteriously found out about what happened yesterday. Tsunade-sama had planned to tell them the news today or tomorrow at the latest. Now that they know, they're demanding a meeting with the Hokage as soon as possible," he explained. "Tsunade-sama was planning to hold this meeting on Monday or Tuesday next week, but now she can't delay it past Saturday or Sunday."
"And she wants us gone before the meeting happens, I imagine."
"Exactly."
"I stopped by the jonin department, so I spoke with Asuma and the others. I haven't told them much yet, but they agreed to gather their teams so you can say goodbye."
"When?"
"This afternoon."