After the barbecue, the warm and noisy crowd began to slowly scatter.
The kids went their separate ways, still laughing and bickering. Team 8 wandered off in one direction, Kiba dragging Akamaru behind him as he loudly swore to become a Chunin soon. Team 10 walked quietly down the opposite street, Choji still munching on leftovers while Shikamaru grumbled about being forced to move after eating.
Team 7 left together, with Naruto and Sakura both nudging a very silent, slightly pink-faced Sasuke, who kept his eyes forward and ignored them completely.
Kakashi, hands in his pockets, walked in the direction of his home, the dim lights of Konoha glowing behind him.
With him were the usual four women, Tsunade, Kurenai, Anko, and Mei, and tagging along was Karin, still holding a bottle of leftover sauce like it was a treasure. She kept side-eyeing Anko, who had declared her the "Barbecue Thief" earlier.
The group moved through the quiet streets in a comfortable hush. The cool night air whispered around them, a soothing contrast to the lively chaos of dinner. Tsunade walked a little closer to Kakashi than usual, slightly tipsy and humming.
Mei was uncharacteristically silent, and deep in thought, and Kurenai carried a box of sweets from the restaurant with a soft smile. Anko, of course, was tossing a skewer stick like a knife in the air, catching it each time with ease.
As they approached the gates of Kakashi's house, they noticed a lump near the entrance.
A closer look revealed it was a person. Someone was sleeping there, curled up and snoring lightly.
Mei squinted. Then her eyes widened.
"Oh," she muttered. "That's… Chojuro."
"You just remembered your guard?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow and looked at her with a teasing smile.
"I… got distracted." Mei looked away, cheeks dusted with a light pink.
"You are the Mizukage, aren't you?" Kurenai chuckled. Tsunade gave Mei a look of playful judgment.
"I am," Mei replied quickly, "just… a temporarily off-duty one."
Kakashi walked forward and lightly nudged Chojuro with his foot. "Oi, sleeping beauty. You guarding the front gate from ghosts?"
"M-Mizukage-sama! Forgive me! I must have dozed off waiting for your return." Chojuro jolted awake and blinked up at the group. The moment he saw Mei, he scrambled to his feet and adjusted his glasses.
"It's alright," Mei sighed, rubbing her temples. "What are you doing here, anyway?"
"I received a letter from Ao-sama," Chojuro said quickly. "He said the village is having trouble without its Mizukage and that certain sectors aren't functioning well. He strongly recommended your return." He bowed. "His exact words were, 'The Mizukage needs to come back before we turn into a fish market.'"
"Figures. I go away for a few days and everything collapses." Mei sighed again, this time more dramatically.
"Not collapsed, ma'am," Chojuro corrected nervously. "Just… slightly crooked."
"Go rest at the hotel tonight," Mei said tiredly. "We'll depart tomorrow morning."
Chojuro nodded obediently and quickly walked off, clearly relieved to be dismissed.
"You forgot him, didn't you?" As soon as he disappeared around the corner, Kakashi turned to Mei with a knowing smile.
"I did not forget," Mei insisted, then sighed. "Okay, maybe I did. A little."
Kakashi just chuckled.
The group finally entered the house. Kurenai and Tsunade went to the kitchen to grab drinks, chatting quietly. Anko dropped herself onto the couch and pulled out a scroll, flipping it open and stretching her legs like she owned the place.
Karin followed and parked herself beside Anko, flipping through one of Kakashi's books like a curious guest.
Kakashi, meanwhile, followed Mei into the guest room. She had left her things mostly untouched during her stay, but now she began to slowly pack them up, folding her robes and placing kunai in a side pouch.
Kakashi silently helped her, carefully placing the sealed weapons of the fallen Raiga and Zabuza into her scroll for transport. Neither said anything for a while.
Then, when they were nearly finished, Kakashi glanced at her face and caught the faint look in her eyes, the way her hands moved more slowly than usual, the hesitation in her movements.
She was reluctant.
Without a word, Kakashi stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, drawing her into his chest.
"You're too reluctant to leave me," he whispered into her ear.
Mei leaned into him softly and gave a nod, her head resting against his cheek.
"I don't want to go back yet," she said. "It's been peaceful here… warm."
Kakashi smiled, gently lifting her chin and brushing her hair aside. His lips met hers, slowly and deeply. His hands slid around her waist, up her back, and then around her ribs with casual familiarity.
When they finally separated, Mei's face was red.
"You're such a scoundrel," she muttered.
"And yet you didn't stop me," Kakashi said smugly.
"Next time I will." She pinched his side.
He didn't believe that for a second.
Kakashi reached into his pouch and pulled out a kunai, its handle wrapped in a sealing tag inscribed with a unique formula.
"Here," he said. "Flying Thunder God marker. Just pour your chakra into it. I'll come to you, no matter where."
"You're going to make it very hard for me to stop thinking about you." Mei stared at the kunai for a moment before smiling, her eyes gleaming with affection.
"Good," Kakashi said simply.
She leaned in again and gave him a kiss, short, but meaningful.
As they stepped out of the room together, they found the rest of the women sprawled on the couch in the living room.
Kurenai was sipping from a wine glass, Tsunade was half-dozing with her arms crossed, and Anko was laughing loudly about something Karin had said.
The moment they saw Kakashi and Mei return, Anko narrowed her eyes and grinned.
"Oi, why is it always Kakashi who comes out of the room last and looks smug?" she teased.
"Not my fault you all tap out early," Kakashi said, flicking her forehead lightly as he passed.
"You and your stamina. It's unnatural." Anko clicked her tongue and rubbed the spot.
"You're just salty he left you breathless last time." Tsunade opened one eye and said dryly.
"Oi!" Anko shouted, flustered.
Mei was blushing slightly but wore a quiet smile of satisfaction.
Kakashi plopped himself on the armrest, raising his sake cup. "Maybe if you three trained more, you'd last longer."
"Keep talking, and I'll genjutsu you into thinking you're celibate." Kurenai gave him a pointed look.
"You wouldn't dare." Kakashi just grinned.
Everyone laughed, even Karin, who seemed to be getting used to this chaotic family dynamic.
Mei sat beside him, her head resting lightly on his shoulder again. She stayed silent, but her fingers brushed against his.
Kakashi glanced around the room, the women relaxing, teasing each other, sipping drinks and just being themselves.
For a moment, the world outside didn't matter.
Not the villages, the politics, the enemies, or the endless missions.
Just this room. This peace.