Sakura's Phantom
Author's Notes: Sakura, Kakashi, Tsunade and any other Naruto characters mentioned belong to Kishimoto Masashi and TV Tokyo. The song "Phantom of the Opera" belongs to Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice. This fanfic was made for fun, not profit.
In sleep he sang to me
In dreams he came
That voice which calls to me
And speaks my name
Sakura…Sakura, I—
Sakura Haruno woke with a start. Kakashi was calling her, she was sure of it. Everything was so clear; she could sense his presence – his chakra. Yet…she woke in her bedroom alone. She stood and went to the window, but it was closed and locked. Paranoid, she opened the window and looked around; still no one. With a sigh, she re-latched the window and sat on her bed. At glance at the alarm clock told her it was 4 am. With a meeting with Tsunade at 6, there wasn't really time to go back to bed…that is, even if she were able to go back to sleep. It was going to be another long day.
Sakura…
On the way to the Hokage's tower, she could hear it again. Kakashi's voice. Annoyed, she looked left, right, up and, with a yell, punched the ground beneath her so she could look below. Still no Kakashi. Brushing herself off, she continued at a faster pace, trying to shake off the nagging feeling that Kakashi was somewhere nearby, calling for her.
And do I dream again?
For now I find
Thephantomoftheoperais there,
Inside my mind
"You, you, you!" Sakura pointed and sputtered upon entering Tsunade's office.
"Who, me?" Kakashi asked innocently with his signature smile.
Sakura was left speechless as Tsunade glanced them over warily.
"I'm sorry, Sakura, but something came up. I need you to take a mission to the village hidden in the mist with Kakashi. All of the details are in this scroll." She handed the scroll to Sakura, and another one to Kakashi, but still regarded Sakura with caution.
"Yes, milady, I understand." Sakura sighed and turned to Kakashi. "Shall we meet at the usual place in an hour to go over details and prepare then?"
Kakashi nodded, and both left, Tsunade still worried. "What's gotten into you lately, Sakura?"
Sing once again with me
Our strange duet
My power over you
Grows stronger yet
"So, Sakura…" Kakashi started. Sakura shivered, but he continued. "How are you this fine morning?" He smiled.
"Fine."
"Not talkative today, hm?"
"…"
With a sigh, Kakashi laid one hand over his covered sharigan eye and temporarily gave up on small talk. "Well, I guess we should just look at the scrolls then…"
"Yes, of course." Both sat on open grass and opened the scrolls. After a few moments of reading, Sakura gasped. "No freaking way!"
"What seems to be the problem, Sakura?" Kakashi inquired.
"Problem? Problem? You, me, I, you – "
"Yes, the two of us."
"We have to go as a couple?"
"Ah that." Kakashi nodded. "Well, we are going undercover."
"Well, why couldn't we go as … I don't know, cousins or something?" Sakura asked, trying to conceal her rage and could that be…excitement? No, definitely not.
Kakashi laughed. "The mizukage has a definite idea of how men should behave. It will be much easier to work without upsetting her if we go in with you as a lovely young woman and myself as your doting older boyfriend."
"o_O (blink) (twitch)"
"So, I suggest you go pack things that are lovely yet comfortable and I'll attempt to do the same. Gather everything you need and meet me back here in one hour, alright?" With that, Kakashi disappeared, but Sakura was sure she could still hear him chuckling.
And though you turn from me
to glance behind
Thephantomoftheoperais there
Inside your mind
Those who have seen your face
Draw back in fear
I am the mask you wear
It's me they hear
Sakura raced back to home to gather her things, still confused. But near the end of her packing, she realized something. This was finally her chance to see Kakashi's face! To truly see his face, rather than just bits of it while treating him or training with him. As her boyfriend, he'd have to show her affection and, and, possibly kiss her right? Well, she'd worry about that later. Right now was the time to focus on seeing his face, cyeh!
Kakashi began walking home, wondering what to pack. Though he had explained things calmly to Sakura, he actually hadn't known the details of the mission until right before she did. Though his explanation to her was entirely true, it didn't mean he was entirely comfortable with it. He was very fond of her, and they would be away from the village, so few would question the supposed relationship…but still, he was so much older than her, and on top of that he was her former teacher. It was wrong to feel anything romantic for her, right? He sighed. Maybe he'd just been reading too much Icha Icha lately.
Approaching his apartment, Kakashi turned his key in the lock and looked around his empty apartment. It felt…lonely. Surely, it wouldn't be so bad to have a mission alone with his young (attractive) friend, right? Another sigh. He began packing things with the reassurance that, if anything should happen, any blame would rest on him and not Sakura. After all, he was supposed to be the older, more experienced and more responsible one.
In all your fantasies you always knew
That man and mystery
Were both in you
"So, you ready, Kakashi?" Sakura asked enthusiastically, pack on her back and ready to go.
Kakashi just smiled and rubbed the back of his head. "I think so…let's head out."
They started walking, settling into a steady pace rather quickly.
"You know…" Sakura started, suddenly shy. "I don't think I even know what your favorite color is."
Kakashi just looked at her.
"Well, if we're gonna act as a couple, we might as well do some research." Sakura sighed.
Kakashi smiled beneath his mask. "Navy; and I'm guessing yours is red."
"Gee, how'd you guess?" Sakura asked sarcastically, smiling.
"My turn then." Kakashi started. "hmm…" he tried to think of something not tied to the Icha Icha book on his mind. "Are you a virgin?" Failure.
"What?"
"Well, couples act differently depending on whether or not each person's had sex before." He groped for an answer.
"Are you a virgin then?"
"Sakura…I am quite a bit older than you."
"Just answer the question."
"There was a girl…once…." He left it at that.
"A-ha!" Sakura felt triumphant. "So you're not some loner or king of the bedroom then." She paused. "What's up with all the Icha Icha then?"
He sighed. "Would you believe I read them for the story line?"
Sakura shook her head. "I'mavirgin" she muttered under her breath.
"What's that?" Kakashi smiled, he had heard her perfectly well.
"I said I'm a virgin. End of conversation."
They continued walking in silence for some time.
And in this labyrinth
Where night is blind
The Phantom of the opera is here
Inside my mind
It was late at night and pitch black in a hotel room of the Village Hidden in the Mist. Crickets chripped, frogs croaked and the lone bird sang…but neither of the room's occupants seemed to notice, as they were too wrapped up in each other.
Sakura gently traced over Kakashi's scar, having heard earlier in the day how it came to be. She didn't think she could ever feel closer to another human being. After the virgin debate fiasco, she and Kakashi had talked about everything. The trip to the Hidden Mist village had taken over two days, so they had plently of time. She couldn't believe there was so much they hadn't discussed, despite becoming close friends over the years.
Causiously, Sakura leaned forward and placed a kiss over Kakashi's scar. With increased confidence, she gently kissed his jawline before tentively kissing his lips. Kakashi moaned and deepened the kiss.
-Sing, my angel of music!-
Kakashi wrapped his arms around Sakura, tracing his hands over the scars on her back through the thin fabric she wore. He now knew they came from toppling out of a tree. He gently traced his thumbs over her elbows, knowing now just how sensitive they could be. He broke their kiss and placed light kisses down her neck before sucking on her collarbone.
Sakura writhed and reached for Kakashi's shirt, tearing it off and gently tracing his muscles with her fingertips. In return, he slipped his hands under her shirt, massaging her gently before pulling it off.
They continued as they night wore on, causiously exploring each other and living in the moment. It was now that Sakura realized why Kakashi had consumed her mind – she had been falling in love and didn't want any other man in her thoughts from now on.
Waking up wrapped in protective arms, Sakura realized many things about her had changed, both through the years and recently. She chuckled quietly. Next time she was asked if she were a virgin, she'd have to say no.