Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or the characters, they belong to Masashi Kishimoto. Only my OC(s) (Not many though).

A/N: Here's something that wouldn't stop pestering me. I have an idea where I'm going with this one, or I might not. Mostly AU since Sasuke is back and this is set after the war. I'm setting this to be a light hearted fic, so not much doom and gloom. There will be an OC or two, but they're just to get the story moving along. Happy reading! :)

Chapter One

Easier Said Than Done

"You're staring. Again."

Kakashi prided himself as a fine and elite shinobi of Konohagakure. An elite shinobi that was always well aware of his surroundings. This was not one of those times. Especially if Gai, Genma, and Raidou decided that their night off would be at a bar drinking sake like mad men. There were only two routes Kakashi could take.

Evasively ignore Genma's leering jibe, or play it off as if he wasn't just caught staring at his former pink haired student, who in fact sat with her two good friends, the Hyuuga heiress, Hinata and Yamanaka Ino, the daughter of his close colleague. They were laughing at something Sakura had said, and the pretty pinkette was blushing madly. Kakashi flippantly thought she looked rather cute.

Once he realized where his thoughts had headed. Kakashi silently chided himself, as he had mistakenly given Genma a window of opportunity to tease him. He clenched his jaw. Kakashi blamed the sake. Oh yes the sake.

"At what?" Kakashi asked, one grey half-masted eye zoned in on Genma when he dragged his lone eye from Sakura.

Genma had the audacity to smirk; this irked the gray haired Jounin even more, but he was trained well enough not to let any emotions through. He was the perfect picture of nonchalance.

"Sa-ku-ra," Genma said enunciating her name by syllables. For effect he raised his sake cup and gave Kakashi a leering wink. "Don't worry, I understand why you'd have the hot's for her. She sure is a beauty."

Gai and Raidou paused their conversation when they heard Genma screech and suddenly fall out of his chair. Kakashi had narrowed his eye dangerously once Genma's comment had slipped out. An empty sake bottle had found itself thrown at Genma's throat and the sebon chewing Jounin had become acquainted with the floor.

"Haa…" Kakashi chuckled dryly. He managed to look sheepish as he stood up, and wobbled slightly. Kakashi grabbed the back of the chair and waved to his friends. "I think I've had too much to drink. I'll see myself home. Goodnight."

Echo's of farewells were heard from Gai and Raidou respectively. An exclamation of another contest from Gai, something about Kakashi's "youthful spirit to sleep early", and a simple goodbye from Raidou. Only sounds of pain came from Genma as he picked himself up and into his chair.

Kakashi sighed and rubbed his Sharingan eye. His eye was bothering him more than usual. Most likely from it's overuse from his previous mission. That's why Tsunade-sama had given him a week or so off, or more like a mission to relax, forcing him to take a break. Ever since the Fourth War ended, Kakashi had thrown himself into nonstop missions that came up, nearly verging on ANBU missions that couldn't be helped. Tsunade had enough and pretty much, for the lack of a better term, grounded him.

A headache from all the drinking was not welcome, as he had felt a throb at his brow. Also his inability to see everything without a duplicate was anything to go by was that he had a little bit too much to drink. The only thing that saved him from utter humiliation was his shinobi instincts. This led him to walk, without the stumbling.

Lost in thought, he strolled past Sakura and her friends. His sense of smell caught her faint scent of rose. It made him walk faster, to banish those thoughts from his head. Kakashi knew that his dreams would be filled with rose-smelling pinkettes that night. He was way in over his head.

"Sakura, stop staring," Ino chided, just as Sakura watched Kakashi walk out the doors of the bar. "I thought you didn't want your sensei to know that you have a crush on him."

Sakura felt a blush spread over her cheeks as her friends laughed at her expression.

"I-I don't," she exclaimed and crossed her arms. "I just admire him as a colleague. I do not have a crush on Kakashi."

"Why are you blushing Sakura-chan?" Hinata asked, a knowing smile on her serene features. She lifted her glass of wine to her lips.

"Natural reaction to such bold accusations." Sakura glared at Ino.

Ino only grinned and waved her away with a hand.

"Oh sure, sure, whatever helps you sleep at night," Ino said nonchalant. But Sakura knew her better.

Sakura knew better than to push and goad Ino with protests, the blonde girl just wouldn't relent. Poor Hinata always got caught in the middle, trying to dissuade the girls from arguing so loudly. Of course to not get thrown out. They had gone to a good bar, one of the ones that they still hadn't gotten kicked out of. Hinata quite liked the quality of their wine.

Maybe I'll come back, the dark haired heiress thought as she watched her friends bicker.

"Anyways," Sakura slammed her hands onto the table, not chakra infused, and pushed her chair away from her with a subtle screech. "It's late and I have to work tomorrow, have a goodnight girls."

Ino and Hinata shared a look. Sakura was being as stubborn as ever.

"Bye Sakura, don't do anything I wouldn't do," Ino said excitedly and waved the medic off happily.

Hinata smiled at the Yamanaka and gave Sakura a polite head bow.

"Goodnight Sakura-san, have a safe trip home." Hinata stood up as well just as Sakura smiled at them and left. Hinata turned to Ino. "I think I'll head home as well."

Ino pouted and followed her friend to the door. "No fair Hinata! I thought I could count on you tonight to not leave me!"

"G-Gomen, Ino-chan. I promised my father and Neji-niisan I would be home soon," Hinata said, worry seeped into her eyes. Someone caught the Hyuuga's attention and she motioned Ino to look. "Genma-san is trying to catch your attention. Goodnight Ino-chan."

"Goodnight, Hinata," Ino said with a sigh and gave her a smile. "See you later."

Hinata nodded and pushed open the doors and left. Ino looked over to Genma. A smirk made it's way to her expression as she eyed the brown haired Jounin. Maybe being "alone" wouldn't be so bad, she thought as she made her way over to him.

Sakura hadn't expected the weather to be so chilly; it was only the beginning of September. Goose bumps covered her arms as she walked down the streets, and she let some chakra spread over her body to warm her up. The wind was very strong that night, and the leaves rustled even more so than usual. Sakura eagerly picked up her pace, eager to get home, sip some hot tea and then sleep. Her day had been exhausting, a glance at her wristwatch told her that it was nearly two o'clock in the morning. Sakura walked the familiar streets to get home and silently noted the leering looks from the suspicious men lurking in the corners. The district the bar was located was where shinobi and civilians usually mixed, so it wasn't uncommon to see civilians around.

Still she didn't like the way they were looking at her. It made her skin crawl, that or she was just extra cold as Sakura obviously had forgotten her jacket before she had left home for the evening. A guy made a beckoning motion and gave her a wink. She shuddered and seconds later, Sakura gave up and leapt to the rooftops. Effectively she steered herself away from the creepy men and into the familiar shinobi travel routes. Even though Sakura prided herself as a skilled kunoichi, she didn't want to cause trouble with civilians. Being them creeps or not.

The best part of a long day was a nice scented bath, with a good book to read. Sakura was more on hospital duty than on any missions lately, even so the bath oils were a special kind from a small village near the Land of Tea. They were made especially for kunoichi's in need of some self-pampering. Ino had gotten them in a set for Sakura for her birthday. They had a rose scent with hidden traces of green tea leaves. Sakura sighed and let the warm bath encase her. Fifteen minutes later she was out and wrapped up in her bed and her exhaustion lulled her to sleep.