Christmas in Snowspring
Kakashi/Sakura
Synapses: After a long mission, Sakura wants nothing more than to just go back home and enjoy whats left of her December with her family.
"Kakashi, I've had just about enough of this shit.." A cold, wet, miserable kunoichi grumbled. In the snow. Two days after Christmas. Another week of walking outside her own damn country. While the land of Mist was beautiful covered in snow, it was far more fun to watch it fall than to be the poor bastard wading through it; Sakura could confirm this. Kakashi didn't seem to give many fucks as he continued forward, silent as the grave. She couldn't tell if he was as grouchy as she was, or if he was just focusing on getting them closer to an inn that had an open room! Wiser people had already begun to fill available hotels left and right. Even local friends had homes full of family and friends, and unless they wanted to sleep on the porch, there was no available room.
"You did this to us. All for a little extra spending money." Sakura chattered, teeth clicking as she tried to tighten her scarf around her neck and add more warmth by adding another round. The winter-wear she'd brought along was rapidly getting colder, even if it was waterproofed. Melting snowflakes conspired to get in her boots, slide cold drops of water down her neck, and freeze her toes until there were no toes left to paint. "Seriously. You did this to us. I can't begin to tell you how much I'm disliking you Kakashi. I couldn't hate you, but I seriously don't like you right now."
Again, her complaints fell on deaf ears as Kakashi continued to trudge through the snow. Sakura frowned at the back of his head and fought the urge to pout. Their mission was relatively easy - low level assassination of the leader of a drug lord at the outskirts of Mist. Mist had connections inside of the drug ring that would've been jeopardized if they would've done he mission themselves, so they sent for outside help which was met with enthusiasm, at first. The snow came, completely thrashing the return plans Sakura had had to enjoy her family and her fiancé together for their first Christmas. The fiancé in question was refusing to make any eye contact, or even sigh in contempt for her complaints. He just kept moving forward through cold, dry snow. Sakura kept moving forward with a sigh of irritation. "Again. Just so you know. You did this. I'll remind you again in half an hour."
Four hours passed, in fact, before Sakura felt the need to remind Kakashi that he was the bastard that put them in this situation; however as it stood, Sakura could barely keep herself warm and moving forward let alone take more of her warm energy to chew him out for something she was sure he already knew. A few times, she noticed him stumble through the snow and was alarmed – he was probably as tired as she was. But for some reason, he kept moving, kept going, and it wasn't until they came up on a sign that outrage began to pour through her. One read let her know it said, "Snowspring Village One Mile Ahead."
Sakura was positively shaking at her fiancé, not just from the cold, and the anger warmed her better than her polarized winter gear. She grabbed his pack's handle, and in a terrifying and unexpected show of strength and balance, she slung him over her head, behind her, and face down into the snowdrift they had just walked through.
"Do you even know where the FUCK we are going?!" She raged, trying to look angry with a stuffy red nose and frosty hair. "Snowspring Village goes WEST of our original target that is in the EAST! That target I was talking about is HOME!"
Kakashi didn't move for a long moment before putting one hand at a time into the snow, pushing up off the ground and sliding his feet from him. His mask kept his features placed for him, and his remaining grey eye was looking at her with a blank expression, albeit a tired one.
"Sakura."
"WHAT?!"
"Do you trust me?"
She scowled at him and stomped towards the village three or four steps not sure she should beat the shit out of him or feel pity just that he had to ask the question. Letting out a bark of frustration, she turned back to the ninja who was still squatting in the snow, looking up at her for her answer.
"Of course I trust you, Kakashi. But I'm cold, I'm tired, I haven't eaten since yesterday, and we've been walking for days. I'd like an inn, a warm bed, and a hot shower."
Kakashi nodded and rose, adjusting the straps on his pack as he continued forward.
"Walk with me one more mile, love. I promise you'll feel better in a mile."
Sakura frowned. Doubt filled her, and her sarcastic witty side was saying the only way she'd feel better after walking another mile to some Podunk little town in the middle of nowhere is after she shoved her water proof boot up his ass. Instead she trudged on grumbling to herself at his behest and didn't say another word to him for the rest of the mile.
Night was falling quickly. The sky was turning a vivid and dark blue as snow began to fall black around them in the fading light. The boot up someone's ass was a long ago faded fantasy as Sakura's eyes welled with tears, her bones ached and feet tired from days of walking. She shook violently, water proof gear soaked as the kept inching forward towards Snowspring. Every step made her want to cry. She missed her family sitting around a warm hot pot filled with beef and vegetables, the taste of sugared peach jams on warm muffins, and Grandma's special chocolates made only for the cold time of year to drop in hot milk and swirl around. Sakura just wanted to go home, and in all of her longings and distraction, she bumped into Kakashi who'd stopped in the middle of the path. While she'd been thinking about home, light had filtered through the window of the first buildings of a broad town casting warm shadows over untouched snow.
"Kakashi..?" She questioned, standing on tip-toe to see over his shoulder. He began to remove his pack and placed it on the ground, kneeling so she could get a full view of what stood before him. Two younger men and an older woman were standing in the middle of the road. The older woman had her black hair up in a stylish bun, warmly swathed in a big purple kimono with orange goldfish swimming along the hems and fur coat, her hand outstretched and waiting for something. The boys were both in simple pants and tunics and seemed to be patiently waiting on word from the old woman. Kakashi continued to dig until he came out with a tidy, thick package and handed it to the old woman.
"It should all be there, Manami." He said quietly. The woman held up her hand, opened the thick envelope and pulled out a stack of bill that made Sakura shrink. What was he doing? Why where they there?! The woman counted for a few moments then looked up with a brighter smile than she had before and motioned for the two boys to take their packs. Kakashi relinquished his gratefully as did Sakura, who couldn't drown out the dozens of questions that were burning in her mind. So he knew they were coming here. That begged all sorts of other unanswered queries. As he moved forward, Sakura's mouth opened and closed trying to choose the best question brewing but couldn't get it at as Kakashi followed the woman Manami into the village through two heavy looking doors. Once inside, Sakura's eyes widened in awe. Bare aspen trees were woven with beautiful white lights through their empty branches and around the base of their trunks.
They lined the road into Snowspring Village, which the buildings themselves seemed to glow. White lights decorated the buildings as well, carefully and beautifully displaying every warm window, and every beam of the buildings. Manami and the two escorts walked down the middle of this road for a few minutes before turning at an in on the left side of the street. Steam poured off the roof of it's third story, and in its windows Sakura could see decorated trees and warm fireplaces lit for the building. The two boys and Manami stood outside a pair of sliding doors that opened for them and welcomed them into the first room where she and Kakashi were seated in chairs and had their boots and socks carefully removed by a pair of young women with strong hands and short black hair that had been pinned into a bun. Then another pair of paper doors opened for them to another small room where they were again seated and the two girls that had removed their shoes came forward with warmed oil on their hands. The moment Sakura's girl touched her frigid feet with the warm oil, Sakura could feel warm tears pouring down her cheeks.
All her bitching and whining and complaining…
Kakashi's cold hand found hers and he lifted it up to his lips and put a gentle kiss on her knuckles. Shame made her cheeks burn and she couldn't look at him as the girls massaged the feeling back into their feet with firm gentle strokes.
"I'm sorry we couldn't make it home in time to spend Christmas with your parents, Sakura." His voice was quiet and gentle. "I knew it as soon as I accepted the mission and the look on your face when I told you we were leaving. But I promise you; when we get back, your parents still have all the things that you had when you were a kid ready for you. I just wanted to spend this little bit with you before we got back to the everyday crap…"
Sakura's heart fluttered like a caged bird, her face was a soggy mess, and the tenderness that tapped away at her made her look up into his eye with her own watery green eyes and smile despite the disaster she felt like. She'd forgotten the two girls were even there, and she couldn't speak for a long moment. Kakashi, having pulled his mask down some time ago, used his other free hand to tilt her chin towards him to give him a quiet, love filled kiss, and then another, and another until he worked his way from her mouth to her cheek and placed one last sweet kiss on her forehead.
"We're going to stay here for a few days until the snow lets up and then head home. Is that alright?" He asked. Sakura was completely beyond words at this point. She simply nodded her head quickly as she could as one of the girls slipped tabi on her and a pair of warm slippers before sitting back. Kakashi got up and helped Sakura up before sweeping her into his arms with a saucy grin. Sakura laughed and cried at the same time both embarrassed and thrilled with him.
"Yes, I am the bastard that got us into this, but I'd hoped you wouldn't mind a detour for a change. This might be the only time we get to spend this time of year alone." He teased as more shoji opened. A staff of worker bowed to greet them with smiling faces and Manami bowed low before them.
"Let me show you to your rooms!" She said with a large accommodating smile.
Despite all her misgivings in the beginning, Sakura was sure this would be the best Christmas she would ever spend anywhere.