Aspirant

Outside on the engawa, Amaya stretched her limbs and seated herself beside Kakashi, placidly ignoring him automatically pulling her into his lap. He liked touching her and she liked being touched. Inoshas’ sad smile was all she really noted, but the other three jounin were looking at Kakashi like they were seeing him for the first time. The Snake Sage, however, was simply pleased that Kakashi so carefully looked after Amaya.

Quizzically, Inosha raised an eyebrow. Her impatient

“Well?” snapped the quiet evening air. Amaya and Kakashi met her gaze, their metallic eyes glinting. Kakashi began lazily

“They have a lot of work to do. We’ll give them a push in the right direction.” Amaya finished contentedly

“And if they don’t take the push, well, that’s their problem. Now shut up and let me watch the setting sun.”

Traditionally, a husband may discipline his wife, but Kakashi, aware of something even Inosha wasn’t, simply allowed his wife to do as she wished. Because he did not voice this, the others were unaware of how the sunset entranced the ladylike Uchiha, but trapped the Hatake patriarch in memories.

A young, slightly pudgy, but still quite tanned Amaya sat under a tree, a Kakashi who was the picture of laziness resting his head in her lap. It was a quiet dusk, before Minato was Hokage, before Kannabi Bridge, before Kiri and the Sanbi, before the Kyuubi, before the Seals that would cover Amayas’ back.

A gigantic lion, magnificent mane haloing his head walked toward them. Amaya waved, calling

“Lord Illijah! Did Mother Summon you?” Before he could reply, a lion cub stumbled past his paws as he halted, the cub yowling as Kakashi picked her up and deposited her on his chest. Amaya smiled, stroking the cubs’ fur.

“Ivera-chan, are you here with your Tousan?” Ivera purred under the youngsters care, but Illijah intoned

“The Toad Sage isn’t the only one with access to foreseers, Amaya-hime.” The girl froze, Kakashi sat bolt upright, Ivera snarling as she tumbled to his lap. Pressing back into Amaya, Kakashi stared at Illijah. Because he wasn’t wearing a mask, the ten year olds’ expression of fear and disbelief were clear for the regal lion to see. A tad bit reassured when Amaya clasped his arm, Kakashi gently pulled Ivera off of him, before standing and tucking a quivering Amaya into his thin chest, though he wasn’t much better. At this moment, she was simply his best friend, the one who knew him best, but . . . . . he would never object to more with her.

Illijah crouched to allow Ivera to scramble into the spot between his large shoulder blades, the she-cub grumbling about mean ninjas. Once sure his tiny daughter was secure, the lion started talking again.

“There are hardships you’ll endure, human cubs, but the final one is not now. Come.” Wrapping an arm around Amaya, Kakashi proceeded to follow the lion. At some point in the journey, they passed through some sort of portal, but neither could figure out where it was, because the scenery changed gradually. Illijah led them to a savanna like field with several large rocks where many lions of different ages were lazing in the evening sun.

An elderly lioness on a particularly wide, flat rock greeted them with a rumbled purr, sounding gravelly but welcoming, as Illijah pronounced

“Elder Prima Inza, these are Amaterasu Uchiha and Kakashi Hatake, the human cubs you sent me to retrieve.” Inza peered at them, and sighed.

“How unfortunate.” She remarked, a catlike glee entering her eyes when Kakashi thrust Amaya behind him. Inza shook her silvery head and said as she stretched “Such a shame, for all the problems you endure, you’ll only have a score more of years together, no matter how many people try to kill young Hatake.” Kakashi balled his fists, ready to fight, but Amaya asked uncertainly

“What did Illijah mean, the final hardship?” Inza yawned, smiling toothily at the naïve human. “You, little lioness, will sacrifice your life in return for the resurrection of many shinobi. In twenty years, you will die, and all your students, your children, your mate- none can help you.” Amaya stood wide eyed, stalk still, until Kakashi wrapped his arms around her and said firmly

“What do we do?” Inza waited for everything to compute for Amaya, snickering when she thrashed against Kakashis’ hold, ordering him to let her go, but he held on. Inza approved of this canine Summoner, who stood strong even when his resolve was tested, just as much as she approved of the young lion Summoner, who had control, but was all fire.

When Amayas’ tears could no longer be held at bay, she demanded of Kakashi

“Why? If-” he cupped her face, leaned his forehead against hers, and breathed

“If all we have is twenty years, we’ll make the best of it, my best friend, my heart, my world.” Amaya ducked her head to his shoulder, sobbing freely because she now had a real expiration date.

Time froze as Kakashi soothed the girl in his arms, as Ivera stared at the one who was already so much her battle partner, having carried her into the Hogwarts Great Hall. Kakashi quietly asked Illijah to bring them home. The massive lion nodded, Ivera still on his shouders. With a ‘whoosh’ they were in Amayas’ room. Kakashi carefully put her to bed, leaving a note on the bedside table and leaving to take his frustration out on his practice equipment.

Despite that memory, of the race against time for every moment with Amaya, Kakashi was happy. Maybe the people who mattered hadn’t survived his fifteenth birthday, but the person who mattered most had never not been on his side. Aisha, despite being a surprise, had mated his favourite kohai, Tenzou, just a few years ago, Akashina was studying in Suna, Katsuro attending the Academy over there, both living with his cousin Haruka. Though she wished otherwise, Faith was alive, Honor was also alive but a rogue. Now, his comrades, Asuma, Gai and Kurenai were here, training their youngsters to stay alive. He could help with that, Kakashi thought wryly. Amaya nudged him, that familiar spark in her eyes.  Not one to decline his lady wife, Kakashi poofed to their sound proofed bedroom, the two ninja tearing into each other’s clothes before working into a blowout frenzied sexual high, taking several hours to abate.