Sown

nineteen

Hanae had been woken up in a lot of ways. As a toddler, the most common way would be by her parents. Natsuo would always awaken her firstborn by smothering her small face in kisses, cooing the child's name softly until her brown eyes would flutter open. The young Umu would always erupt into a small as she embraced her mother's face and returned each loving smooch with one of her own. Tadou, on the other hand, had a habit of pinching Hanae's legs. He would laugh in that fatherly type of way until a small foot would land square in his face, his daughter huffing and whining until he relented and apologized with a rough-lipped smooch. She would always forgive him after the kiss.

When Tatsui was born, Hanae would often be the first one up. She wanted to spend as much time with her infant brother as humanly possible and Natsuo would often find her daughter in the boy's room after his cries for food had woken them both. As both children grew older, though, Tatsui began the habit of waking his sister with persistent shakes. She had perfected her summoning technique, taking her role in the Umu's clan business of importing ; Tatsui was only interested in pestering his sister to goad her into teaching him how to summon. This plan was often foiled as Hanae pulled him into her bed and held the boy seven years her junior until he too fell back asleep.

Training as a samurai led to her being awoken by loud, commanding barks. The bansho would storm into the dojo's barracks and threaten anyone not dressed in five minutes with extra laps in the snow outside. Someone would always be late to ready up, sometimes Hanae but mostly another trainee. Nevertheless, every samurai would complete the extra laps alongside the offender to maintain their honor through camaraderie.

There were several times when fear broke her sleep. Nightmares filled with ghosts, specters, and demons would rouse the woman with a shriek. The rare clap of thunder resounding through the Land of Iron never failed to make her eyes flutter open in shock. Worst of all was the night a squeak of the home's floorboards drew her from slumber. Hanae gripped her wakizashi in steady hands, waiting behind the door of her room with stilled breathes. She lunged at the figure pushing her door open, pinning him to the floor, tip of her blade pressed into his Adam's apple. He was no thief but instead a familiar face, a ronin forced to leave the country after his ruthless acts against another country's civilians, here to target what he assumed to be the weakest member of a respected clan to exact revenge on the country that had exiled him. His actions left him in the Land of Iron's prison.

Hanae had been woken up in a lot of ways, but this was the first time a soft rap against the patio door had stirred her. She blinked the sleep from her eyes and turned to the glass, confusion and unease building in the pit of her stomach. Of course, the familiar flash of silver just outside served to pacify this mix of emotions. Kakashi waived shortly as she slinked out from the bed, appreciating the pink nightgown barely long enough to dance around her thighs.

"I'm sorry, sir, we're not open for business yet," the woman purred in a silvery tone, leaning against the now open door. Her body language was impish, arms crossed just below her breasts, newfangled flirtation stemming from the confidence he inspired within her. It also had to do with the reading material laid open on the nightstand.

"So I'm a sir now? What happened to sensei and future husband? Besides," he looked her up and down, head following his vision in an obvious manner, "I'm just fine with browsing."

Hanae giggled, pulling him inside by his hand. The December air nipped at her exposed skin, a stark contrast to the warmth inside. "You must have something really important to tell me if you're showing up this early. Are you breaking up with me already? Or did you just want to catch me while I'm vulnerable?"

He let her push him into a sitting position on the bed. She on the other hand remained standing in front of him, taking his unoccupied hand in her grasp as well. This dominant side, while outside the realm of her usual character, was growing on him more with each passing second. Mind wandering a more erotic route, Kakashi reminded himself why he was really here.

"Actually, I'm here to see you before I leave. My colleague and I are leading a team out on an important mission. I don't know when I'll be back." His words were heavy and carried an air of uncertainty.

She understood his cautious nature. From the day she considered courting him Hanae knew the relationship would not be normal. He was a shinobi, and according to local rumor a respected one at that, no doubt having the skills necessary to back the claims. And that meant he was a target. A man always in the frontlines. A man trusted with only the most unpredictable and unknown of tasks. He didn't just belong to her, he belonged to the village, a valued resource that may one day become expendable.

Hanae held his gaze, staring deep into the onyx iris that watched her intently for any hint of emotion. She shifted her vision to his lap then back up. It was a silent inquiry to which he nodded. Gaining his permission she took a seat on his thigh, boxed in by his other leg just in front of her knees. "Well, if that's the case, you have to make me a promise."

Kakashi, resting his hand on her far thigh, quirked a brow at the now eye-level woman. "What's that?"

Slowly she slid her hand up his flak jacket, starting from just over his diaphragm and ending over his heart. "You cannot break what is not yours. So bring this heart back to me in one piece." Hanae stared at him through lidded eyes before breaking into a shy smile. She felt his chest rumble in a deep chuckle.

"Are you sure you want this old thing? It's probably full of dust and cobwebs." The jounin shook his head and reached the hand previously supporting her back to ruffle her hair.

"So what if it's a fixer upper? It's still mine. And this," she took the hand on her legs and placed it over her upper chest, his fingers brushing against her collarbone, "is yours."

He looked to where his hand lay, not quite over her heart but close enough to not turn the romantic gesture into a grope. "I feel like this is an unfair trade."

She huffed and pushed out her bottom lip. "Why? Is my heart not good enough for you?"

The man chuckled again, that deep knee-weakening sound she had grown to love. "Just the opposite. Your heart's too pure, mine'll just get it all dirty and tainted."

"Or mine will clear yours right up. I have all the time in the world, being your future wife and everything."

"You're taking this really fast again. Next you'll show me a list of baby names."

"I mean, our kids would be really cute."

"You don't even know what I look like."

Hanae shrugged dismissively and laid her head against his shoulder. Her soft breathing ghosted against his ear, raising goosebumps on his forearms. "I don't need to see your face to know they'll be cute. They will get half of their genes from me, after all." She let her eyes slip closed, relaxing further into him as his arms wound their way around her waist. "Besides, when you first walked into Gishi I couldn't stop staring at you. Your jawline, your shoulders, everything was so nice. Most of all, you were so nice. I could just tell from the first moment I saw you."

It would be a lie to say that Kakashi did not feel even a little awkward at the praise. Just as he had never experienced much physical affection he had never really been commended for anything other than his skills as a shinobi. That wasn't to say he didn't enjoy the words, but he didn't quite know how to respond to it. " . . . You're pushing diabetes level of sweetness right now. If I didn't know any better, I would say you just wanted me for my body." His chuckles skipped a beat with every strike of Hanae's hand against his chest.

"We'll have to save that for another day." She tried to stay suave and keep an even tone, but even he knew that the declaration had made her flush a burning red. "You have an important mission ahead of you today."

Kakashi relented, letting her go after one last embrace and making his way for the patio door. Just as he was about to leave, Hanae calling his name brought his attention back to her. He didn't have time to react before the woman was upon him. Her hands rested on his chest but his focus was draw to her lips pressed tenderly to his jaw, warmth ebbing through the thin mask separating them.

Fingers replacing her lips, Hanae smiled at the flabbergasted man, "insurance."