Fear and Love Part III (Kakashi X OC)

All Nighter

Tsuki stood across the room and admired her husband as he got dressed in his casual house clothes, preparing for an all nighter of conducting research on the Shioki.

"Hey Kakashi.." Tsuki said sweetly.

"Hmm?" Kakashi hummed in response as he pulled up his mask.

"I know we've been together for a while and we're really comfortable with each and we joke around a lot. But I just want you to know how much I really love you." Tsuki said in all seriousness,"I..... I really don't know what I'd do without you. And that month I did experience without you proved me right. I was completely lost. My life in Godai seems like such a long time ago. I came to the Leaf with nothing, and then I met you and you gave me everything. You're the most perfect husband and the best damn father I've ever seen. So..... Thanks, Hatake.."

Kakashi's looked at her with his masked mouth slightly parted in shock. He knew Tsuki loved him deep down, they had declared that to each other numerous times over the past eight years. They instantly got so comfortable with each when they started dating that their relationship was always fun and light-hearted. They weren't that cringy, mushy, lovey dovey couple unless they were alone or unless they got drunk and blabbered on about their feelings. Eventually over the years of marriage they got used to each other's routines and the mundane things of everyday life.

They joked through serious moments because their past traumas made them scared to feel any type of emotion too deeply for fear of panic. To the Leaf, they were a strong power couple, the Onaji duo who fought many battles together, the Hokage and First Lady who rebuilt the world together, an exceptional mother and father who produced two ninja prodigies.

But this was the first time in a while she was so genuine in her bearing her soul to him, he was surprised she didn't even try to crack a joke.

Tsuki scoffed a bit at her own mushiness,"Like fuck Kashi I really really love you. I can't believe I met you! Sometimes I try to picture what my life would be like if we never started dating and I can't. I feel like we were always meant to happen." Tsuki's happiness that Kakashi was saved by Naruto kept coming and going in waves. Another wave was hitting her as her eyes welled up with tears.

Kakashi's chest felt warm as his right hand played with the wedding band on his left ring finger. He had gotten so used to the ring on his finger he forgot what it was like to not wear one. Maybe it's cheesy, maybe it's corny, but that little symbol on his finger reminded him about how he finally wasn't alone anymore and how Tsuki helped him confront his fear of love.

If he were being honest with himself, he didn't know what he'd do without her either and he couldn't believe he got lucky enough to meet her,"Sometimes I think about when I first saw you stumble out of the forest into my arms and then I think about the present and the fact that we have two kids blows my mind." He admitted with a flush of red filling his cheeks,"I really love you too, Tsuki. Literally more than you'll ever know and I pray to Kami that you believe me whenever I say that. I hope you never doubt that for as long as we live."

Kakashi wasn't a mushy guy either, his years as a Shinobi made him by default a hardened, emotionally strong man. But his hard exterior crumbled when he was alone with Tsuki, comfortably showing off his sad soul turned happy whenever she came into his life. This was the version of Kakashi Hatake that only Mrs. Hatake got to see.

He placed a hand to his chest as his heart raced a little too fast for him to keep up with before bending over and placing his other hand on his knee to take a few deep breaths as if he had just sprinted for five miles straight,"Whoa.." he said out of breath.

Tsuki laughed, out of breath herself,"Now I see why we always joke through these types of moments, huh Kashi?"

Both of their pasts held such a heavy burden on them that whenever they realized just how much they truly loved each other they became scared of losing the other person. It was a constant battle between fear and love, but they got through it together.