Dancing In The Dark

Casting Shadows

Kakashi ignored the looks they were getting as they walked through the heart of the village.  At least, he was trying to ignore them.  He felt a little bit of warmth in his cheeks, imagining what everyone was thinking.  Sarah appeared to be completely clueless to the looks as she was soaking everything up with an excitement that was almost contagious.  Even the street vendors selling fast meals to go got her wide eyed look and he was thankful she had temporarily forgotten she was marked up so much.  He had a feeling she would be mortified if she knew what people were saying about now.

He almost laughed.  The village had expected him to be alone forever.  Just showing up with a woman alone would have caused a small stir.  Showing up with one that had obviously been well loved would make an even bigger ripple.  He glanced at her, wondering if he shouldn't just marry her now.  It wasn't like he wasn't already planning to.  He knew that theirs was a union ordained by a higher order as all the "coincidences" were just too bizarre to say it was a random meeting.  He didn't believe in coincidences, things happened for a reason. He shifted course from his home and started walking towards the temple instead.  He couldn't stand the thought of anyone saying anything bad about his Sarah.  It was his fault that it was already starting.  He should probably say something but he wasn't sure how she would take that.

Kakashi sighed inwardly.  She deserved better than him.  He was worthless.  That was the painful truth, one that he had never shaken from his mind.  He had said as much to Obito when he had saved him from being killed.  He had silently agreed with the village all these years and had not even thought about having a family of his own. What woman would want him after everything he had done and who he had become?  Becoming Hokage had given him a better image but there were still many who saw him as cold blooded Kakashi the friend killer.

When Sarah had made her dedication up on stage, it was like being slapped.  She not only dedicated a song about love to him but she had done it for a crowd full of people, completely unashamed.  It had done strange things to his heart and a longing had gone up inside of him.  Everyone wanted to be loved but he thought he was unlovable.  He couldn't even love himself but Sarah loved him.  Of that, he had no doubt and it made him greedy for it.  Like a child that had been denied sweets all their life to one day be handed a piece of cake.  He wanted to shield and protect that, defend it at all costs.

Sarah turned up to him as they approached the temple, a confused look on her face.  "I may not be completely familiar with the architecture here but... isn't this a temple?"

He shifted his eyes down to her, "Yes."

"I thought we were going home?"

"You trust me right?" Kakashi asked her instead.

"Absolutely," she responded with those soft, hazel eyes.

He adored how trusting she was of him.  "We need to do something here before going home."

"Oh okay... what are we doing here?"

Kakashi waited until he led her inside and set the bags down in entryway before he answered, "Getting married."

Sarah whipped her head around towards him and her eyes grew very round.  "You want to get married... to me?"

Kakashi gave her a half-lidded smile, "Stay here.  I'll be back in a moment."

Sarah watched him go with her mouth hanging open.  That was completely unexpected.  She was quite happy about it as there was no one else in the universe she'd want to marry; however, she could not figure his side out.  He'd only known her a day!  She knew everything about him but he had only scratched the surface.  Yet he was willing to bind himself to her? Was he okay?  She looked down at herself rather critically.  What in the hell is he seeing that I don't?  She'd understand if she was as gorgeous as Melissa but...  And what kind of marriage proposal was that?