Kakashi no longer technically lead team 7 due to his duties as Hokage , but he still trained with them when he could because he had trouble sitting behind a desk. He brought Gaara and Keiko on board during one of Gaara's visits due to their prowess and approaching undetected. Gaara was far better at it than Keiko but she was getting pretty good. She was still frustrated she couldn't sneak up behind Kakashi.
He grabbed her and kissed her on the cheek through his mask.
"Not quite good enough," he smiled.
"I didn't even make a sound," she complained.
"I have a better sense of smell than the average human," he said. "Besides, this training is more for them than for you," Kakashi said indicating Sakura, Sai, and Naruto somewhere out in the woods.
"Oh, right," she replied. "Well, next time I guess I'll have to make sure I smell like you."
Kakashi groaned. She picked the worst times to inadvertently say things light that. "I'll deal with you later," he said seductively in her ear. Keiko shivered.
Naruto snuck up behind them slowly, grinning to himself. "You're going to have to do better than that," Kakashi said to him without turning.
Gaara appeared inches from Naruto. "It doesn't even seem like you're trying," Gaara said, folding his arms. Naruto jumped several feet in the air.
" Hyua !! Don't sneak up in me like that you jerk!" he shouted.
"That is part of the exercise," Gaara said slyly. They all laughed.
----
Kakashi held Keiko's hand as they returned to their quarters later that evening. The quarters were not quite so large or ornate as those in the Hidden Sand, but they still had a sizeable room with bath and kitchenette. Kakashi grabbed the hat of the Hokage and hung it on the door handle outside the room.
"What's that about?" Keiko asked.
"Oh, nothing," Kakashi smiled easily, "I just thought it might deter people."
"From what?" Keiko asked.
"Oh sweetheart, you usually are quicker than this," he said before kissing her gently. He grinned mischievously, "I believe you have a promise to keep to bath yourself in my scent. It may take a while." Keiko turned a deep shade of red. Kakashi laughed as he wrapped his arms around her.
After they were spent, Kakashi sniffed her neck before grazing it with his lips. "Yep, you could sneak up on me now. You smell like sweaty Kakashi."
Keiko giggled. "That's so gross."
Kakashi shook his hair over her shoulder playfully. "Stop it!" Keiko laughed. "You need to take a shower."
"Hmm, seems to me that's your fault. And since you smell like me, I guess that means you need one as well," he said before lifting her up and throwing her over his shoulder. Keiko continued to laugh as he carried her off towards the shower.
Keiko ran a loofa over Kakashi's chest as water poured over them. "I love you, Keiko," he said as he pulled her closer.
"I love you too. I never thought I'd get the chance to say that again."
"You have a lot of days to make up for," he teased.
"Hatake Keiko..." she said to herself quietly.
"Hmm?"
"Nothing, just trying it out," she said sheepishly.
=====
Kakashi and Keiko married in secret as well to not draw further public attention to her divorce with Gaara, though a few of their close friends insisted on throwing a party anyway since nothing could ever stay secret in the Village Hidden in the Leaf. It was weird to Keiko to belong to a place where she wasn't being judged by others the way she was judging herself. Keiko and Kakashi were happier than any had ever seen them. Keiko still loved Gaara deeply, but she found it was able to evolve into a different kind of love that she couldn't do with her love for Kakashi. She and Gaara became very good friends. They spent a lot of time together when they could. Sometimes she'd stay in the Sand after working at the graduate academy. Kakashi never minded as long as she wasn't gone long. She and Gaara stayed separately of course. Gaara never touched her again in that way, except for one time when she laughed, he touched her cheek the way he once did. Some habits die hard.
It was no longer uncomfortable for the three of them to be together. Gaara had dated a few girls but just decided for now at least, his friends and family were enough. Keiko seldom cried anymore, unless she was very happy.
After a few months, it became pretty apparent that Keiko was pregnant. Kakashi arranged for her to work with Iruka-sensei at the Hidden Leaf academy instead of the graduate academy near the Sand to keep her safe and close to home during her term. Tsunade did an ultrasound as Keiko progressed and discovered their family was going to grow more than they thought. Several months later, Keiko and and Kakashi gave birth to twins; one with grey eyes and white hair...the other with auburn and green eyes. Both had little inu ears that twitched when Gaara talked to them as he leaned over their crib. They were adorable. Keiko had a bit of a scare during the birthing process and so while she was recovering, Kakashi and Gaara named the twin boys; Obito for the one with grey eyes and Nabuto for the one with green. The trio didn't officially investigate the parentage, but deep down, the three of them knew. Gaara wanted to make sure he was always there for the kids and for his friends.
"Eventually the villages are going to get curious about Gaara's frequent visits. We don't want to undo the trust that's been so difficult to build. There might be more understanding of they know there's a child involved," Keiko said wisely.
"Don't you think that's going to put more stress on the kids?" Gaara asked.
"I'm sure they're both going to want to grow up knowing their dads. One day they might figure it out on their own. How do you think that would affect them?" Kakashi said.
There was a lot of truth to this, but they were still just infants. They had time to decide.
The bond between the Leaf and the Sand for the time-being, remained the backbone of the Allied Shinobi Forces. The academy was growing and the attitude between the villages softening. The Hokage and Kazekage didn't go out on many dangerous missions of late, but when they did, the three of them tried to arrange it so they could go together. Many of the A rank missions now consisted of both Sand and Leaf shinobi. The villages just assumed this was a display of the unity between the allies. Sakura and Naruto were always happy to watch over the kids if they had no missions of their own.
Keiko had all the happiness in the world that she knew she didn't deserve.
----
Kakashi sat in the office of the Hokage and leaned back in his chair. He looked up at the ceiling and sighed.
"This is unlike you to be doing paperwork," Keiko said as she walked in the room.
"I've just been going over the books. Since the Akatsuki are back in hiding and there's been less tension between villages, our revenue is down. Peace is preferable but war is profitable," he said.
Keiko looked out the window in thought at the village below. "You don't think the Akatsuki want the Jinchurichi to start war for financial gain, do you?"
"That's exactly what I think," he said darkly.
"Now that Danzo has been subdued by Tsunade , there's really nothing stopping them from farming out that power to anyone," Keiko finished. "In regards to the other issue, perhaps we should look at exports for times of peace."
"Exactly what I was thinking. Trade floats the economy, but it's still going to leave a lot of shinobi without work," he said.
"We have the academies as well. If the villages agreed on a tuition, those funds could be dispersed between all the villages in the alliance based on size and attendance. A scholarship could be built for those who can't afford it," Keiko said. "It's really the only thing we have that's not operated by the feudal lord."
"I always knew I married a smart wife," he said as he took her hand and pulled her to him. He looked at her for a long moment, studying her face. Despite all of her years she looked so young and beautiful. "I wish I could live all of your lifetimes with you."
Keiko smiles sadly. "There is a way...but I never suggested it before because I know now how hard it is to live and watch your friends die. That didn't bother me before I learned to care about people. I didn't want to ask you to go through that," she said.
"Is it reversible?" Kakashi asked
"Well...yes in a sense. If you stopped using it you'd resume aging. You also realize that this could make you a target for shinobi that seek immortality."
"I'll take my chances. I'd like to be able to spend my retirement with you and the kids. I don't intend to be Hokage forever. I prefer to think of myself as...keeping this seat warm for Naruto," he said happily.
"I know you. You'd never live a quiet retirement. You just want to get out from behind that desk and get back on missions."
"What can I say. I'm more of a hands-on guy," he said as he squeezed her hand tighter.
" Nn , don't start that here," she said through a strained voice. Kakashi laughed.
"So, what would happen with this longevity method of yours?"
"I spent a lot of time researching it after one was destroyed on a world I visited. It's called a philosopher's stone. I of course didn't need the immortality, but it can also make gold which I needed to help me traveling world to world...Don't get excited," she said seeing the look on his face, "too much liquidates the value of money. It wouldn't help the Hidden Leaf."
A knock came at the door and Naruto pushed it open before waiting for a reply. "You wanted to see us sensei?" Naruto's eyes fell on Keiko holding Kakashi's hand. Naruto turned red and scratched his cheek. "I can come back later." Sakura pushed him through the doorway. Sai followed close behind her.
"Ah yes," Kakashi said grinning as he let go of Keiko's hand. "I have an assignment for you. This is a list of all of the citizens of the Hidden Leaf that are listed as having a skilled trade or artisan skills. I want you to locate them and find out if they are doing any manufacturing or trade of goods with those skills and report back to me."
"Aww man," complained Naruto, "that's like a D-rank mission. Can't you assign that to another team?"
Kakashi loomed over him, "This is a very important mission and I trust it to no one else. Our village really depends on this. Your team is very adept at building good relationships and trust with everyone and we need that on this mission."
"What will this accomplish exactly?" asked Sakura, "aren't they in business for themselves?"
"Well technically yes, but I think this will give us a better idea of our trade hierarchy so we can see if there's anything we can do to adjust our economy," Kakashi said.
They all stared. "Sure, whatever you say Sensei," muttered Naruto before shuffling out of the room.
After they left, Keiko wrapped her arms around Kakashi's. "You're such a sweet talker, you know that? How did I get to be the lucky woman?"
"I know you always say that you didn't deserve me, but I believe I married up."
Keiko's eyes dropped to the floor. "Hey," Kakashi said, "I think it's impossible to go through what you went through and not have some regrets. I've known you long before any of it happened and I've known you since. Even during all the rest and knowing you were with someone else, my love for you has never changed."
"Expanding beyond the journal entries, huh?" Keiko asked quietly. Keiko hadn't seen any more of Kakashi's journals sitting around. She supposed he was too busy to keep them now.
"If it helps to sweet talk you every day, I will. I like to see you smile again," he said kissing her cheek.
"You've been reading those books again," Keiko accused with a smirk.
"Nope, the real thing is better. Come on, let's get some lunch. If we have enough time, maybe I'll have you for desert," he purred. Keiko flushed again. "You know, if Iruka doesn't need any help at the academy right now, we should discuss making you my secretary."
"I'm pretty sure workplace harassment might not look very good on your record, Hokage-sama ," Keiko joked. "Advances on the secretary are a cliché you don't want."
"Yes, but the view would encourage me to come work in my office more often."
"You're really laying this on thick," Keiko groaned.
"Is it working?"
"Yes, just don't become like Jiraiyah ."
"I only have eyes for one woman unlike Jiraiyah . - sama ," Kakashi said indignantly.
Keiko snorted, "Hatake Kakashi, son of the White Fang, copy ninja, master of the Sharingan , 6th Hokage , and seducer of Yokai ."
"Stop procrastinating. The kids will be home soon," he said as he led Keiko towards their quarters.