Title: Bad Habits
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Kakashi/Sakura
Summary: Sakura finds herself musing about a peculiar habit of the Copy-nin, one she doesn't like.

Disclaimer: Not mine, sadly.
Notes: First things first: English is not my first language and this is not beta'ed. I tried my best with the grammar but there is bound to be some mistakes. Also, this is my second fanfic ever, please be kind XD.
Another tidbit: Sakura is 20 in this fic, you can't really tell but that's how I pictured her.

It had been the fifth time it happened, and much to her horror, Sakura found out that she didn't like it.

Truly, she must be insane.

It was a great possibility, now that she thought about it. Perhaps after all these years they had finally driven her over the edge, for one must truly have a strong hold of one's mind to deal with one clumsy Jinchuuriki, the last Uchiha and one lazy Copy-nin... though she figured, it must likely was the latter.

She wondered what was wrong with her, maybe she had taken some drugs from the hospital by mistake? Perhaps a nasty flu was around the corner, perhaps she was just tired.

Perhaps, she mused, she was just losing it.

She had been with Kakashi for around two years and half, and of course, it hadn't been easy. Having Kakashi accepting any feelings for her at all was a challenge much harder than having to fight the Akatsuki all over again, to be in an actual relationship with him... let's just say she thought she would be Hokage first.

To say she was surprised when one day he showed up at her door and without much of a word, kissed her hard and desperately and told her he would be staying this time, would be a understatement.

There had been some downs to their relationship; people had stared, people had whispered, some even hadn't been that quiet- but it was for the ups that she stayed firm. Fortunately Kakashi didn't seem to mind, he just smiled at her and just put a little more pressure in the hand holding hers.

Right then, she knew that nothing mattered except for the person holding her hand.

The same person that was now standing in front of her, with his usual laidback posture, the same person that was now probably triggering armageddon.

He had taking a penchant for turning up on time now.

Not only that, he was five minutes early no less.

She distantly wondered if some portion of hell had frozen over.

It was a heart attack inducing experience, especially that time when he snuck up behind her with his usual "Yo" and had sent her jumping at least three stories. She had been thinking of their last night activities and, needless to say, she had been distracted. But still.

She mentally snorted, some ninja she was.

The first time he had showed up on time, Sakura was ecstatic. And then she quickly panicked and asked him what was wrong, for something had to be wrong for the Copy-nin to show up on time.

He had looked at her strangely, as if her forehead had grown larger and merely said that he wanted to share more time with her. Sakura still had her doubts and thought he was scheming something, but when nothing happened, she just reveled in the occasion.

Who knows when such event would happen again.

But it had, Kakashi had been showing up always on the designed hour. It's not like it didn't make her happy that he was doing this for her, but it somehow seemed... wrong.

She knew the reason why he showed up late, so even when she got angry at his chronic tardiness, she sort of understood. For he to be changing that... peculiar habit, something must have happened.

It kind of worried her, the sudden change. At first it had make her question her sanity, for what kind of girlfriend would not like that her object of affections would show up on time?

But then, she started to wonder if he was finally moving on, if he didn't visit the cenotaph as much, or if he just simply got a better hold of time.

Whatever it was, she wouldn't start to question him, but it did upset her, it did make her feel strange, she felt as if Kakashi... didn't feel so much like Kakashi anymore.

And everything was only because he started to watch the clock more often.

She figured she had to be insane, if only just a little. She was positive some sort of demon had possessed her when in a timid voice she asked him to show up a little bit late next time, if only for five minutes. She told him she wouldn't mind.

She needed that sense of normalcy, she needed it so much.

Kakashi had only raised an eyebrow and had uttered a soft "Oh?" and she knew he was thinking along the lines of 'women who can understand them' but she prayed he wouldn't say anything more, she wasn't sure what kind of answer she would give him.

It seemed he sort of understood, or at least, he didn't press for more and said it was alright. Her request must have weirded him out but she was grateful he didn't say anything about it.

But when he showed up, not five minutes but five hours late, mumbling something about goats, sake and Genma- she was sure she would strangle him and go to admit herself to the nearest mental health hospital and next, she would scream at the injustices life had bestowed upon her.

And then, he had looked at her with a really apologetic eye and a soft laugh, while he scratched the back of his head sheepishly with his right hand. And she found out, she didn't have the strength to mind.

All was well in the world, Kakashi had showed up late while making some idiotic and incredible excuse and, what's more, he looked genuinely sorry. Instead of screaming his head off, she couldn't do anything else but hug him.

He looked a bit startled and then, softly whispered, as if concerned.

"Why didn't you go back to the apartment? You know I would look for you there."

"Because I know that no matter how or when, you will always show up- and that's what matters."

Fin

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