Title: Laws of Love
Genre: Romance/Humor
Rating: T
Pairing: Kakashi/Sakura
Note: Kakashi is about 3 to 4 years younger than in the manga/anime. (Putting him at about 25-26 years old, instead of early 30's)
Summary: A new law comes into effect on Sakura's birthday. On that day, all suitors must ask for her hand and she must answer that same day. Sakura doesn't think that she will have any suitors – so she doesn't leave the house – until she's forced to. But what she doesn't know is that she does have suitors. Question is: will she fall for one of them? (KakaSaku)
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Laws of Love
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Sixteen: the age every young woman wants to be. At age sixteen, a young woman finally starts getting respect and, in the Village Hidden in the Leaves, they are finally able to go out on their own, set out free from their parents. What young kunoichi wouldn't want that?
"I thought I told you to leave me the hell alone today?!" yelled a young woman, her bright green eyes defiant as she slammed the door in one of her teammates' face.
Apparently Haruno Sakura wouldn't.
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"Sa-ku-ra...!" whined Ino, her back leaning against the strawberry-blonde's door, "you need to at least come into town once today! It's your birthday!"
Sakura jerked the door open, allowing Ino to fall gracefully onto her back.
"And just why would I want to? To be disappointed beyond belief? To know that no one cares about me? Because you and I both know that not one guy in town has noticed me! Not with those knockers you have!" The jade-eyed kunoichi stood above her friend, looking down as she raged on.
Ino, having the decency to blush as Sakura talked about her, ahem, chest, stood up, squaring her shoulders – knowing that she was in for a long, drawn out argument.
"Just because I have, erm..." Ino looked away, pink staining her cheeks, "... developed a bit more in the chest," Ino glared at her friend, "does not mean that no guy has noticed you!"
Crossing her arms, the now 16-year old Haruno leaned on her hip, "So tell me, oh wise one, which male in this town has taken an interest in me? I'd like to be able to find him quickly so that I can get this torture over with as swiftly as possible."
Narrowing her eyes, Ino just glared at Sakura. "If it was left up to me to tell you, then I would, but it's up to them. The females in the village are sworn to secrecy, remember?"
"Aa, forgive my memory."
Ino threw her a look. "I still don't see why you aren't excited. I sure as hell am. I can't wait for my sixteenth."
"How would like it if your sixteenth came, you pranced around the whole day, got a whole bunch of requests for your hands in marriage, knowing you had to choose one by the end of the day, but it turns out that not one of them is the guy you like?" Sakura said scathingly, turning back to sit on her bed.
"Oh," was all that Ino could manage out, the wheels in her head turning.
Sakura turned her head swiftly. "Yeah, oh."
Ino's face turned wicked. "Then..." she began, her eyes glinting, a smirk plastered onto her face, "I guess we're just gonna have to dress you up, aren't we?"
Sakura did not like the look in her eyes. She did not like it all.
"N... now, Ino... I'm sure... we could... we could..." Sakura began stuttering as Ino backed her into a corner.
And all Ino did was smirk.
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Sakura walked down the streets of Konohagakure, not noticing the various stares of her peers along with a few others that were somewhat older than her. All that was on her mind was revenge – sweet revenge – on Ino for sabotaging her day, dressing her up, and kicking her out of her own house!
"... all on my own birthday..." Sakura mumbled to herself, not noticing that somebody else was listening.
"Oh?"
Jade eyes looked up quickly, surprise eminent in them. "What do you mean, 'oh?', Kakashi-sensei?"
Kakashi closed his one eye, silently letting Sakura know that he was smiling.
"Ah, yes," he said, coming out of his momentary stupor, "I was surprised to see you walking about, for one thing – considering that it's your birthday, I didn't think you were one for losing your independence so easily – that, and I heard you say something about 'revenge' and 'all on my own birthday'? Would it be too much to ask to clue me in?"
Sakura's mouth just dropped. 'I do believe that's the most I've heard him speak at one time. Ah well, onto other matters...'
"Well," she rubbed the back of her neck nervously, "it seems that Ino has this ridiculous idea in her mind that it's actually fun to get proposed to by total strangers about a million times a day and then just choose one by the end of your birthday! I want to marry for love! Not for... for..." Sakura blushed, not bothering to finish her sentence aloud.
'... reproduction purposes.'
Suppressing a laugh, Kakashi just nodded, moving a hand in front of him, a silent offer to walk that Sakura eagerly accepted.
"I can see your point. I was never put in your shoes, and I don't believe I ever shall be. I just passed my quarter birthday, y'know," Kakashi eyed Sakura out of the corner of his eye, gauging her reaction.
She looked over at him. "No way, Sensei! You were only," Sakura counted backward on her fingers, "what– twenty-two? Twenty-three, when you taught Naruto, Sasuke and I? No wait! Even younger than that! Wait... I don't know... I don't want to think. I'm entitled to a break."
Shaking his head, Kakashi just nodded. "I was around that age, but yes, I am only 25. I'm not even 10 years older than you, is that so much surprising?" Sakura nodded vigorously, "Why, may I ask?"
"Because, well... uh..." A pink stain littered Sakura's pale features, highlighting her face.
Curiousity spiked in Kakashi. What was she so embarrassed about? Especially something that had to do with him?
"What are you embarrassed about, Sakura-chan?" he asked "innocently", though with Kakashi, there is no innocent.
Narrowing her eyes slightly, Sakura looked at Kakashi, but decided to comply with his request to the best of her ability. Gaining her composure, she tried to answer his question.
"Well, uh... y'see... me and a couple of the other girls made some bets..."
'Sakura was into gambling? She was more like Tsunade than I gave her credit–'
"... and one in particular had to do with you — your age and, lord help me, me." Sakura gulped, trying to continue on with her "answer".
'I'm listening... please... continue...' Kakashi, in the back of his mind, was thanking his ninja skills and murdering Jiraiya for creating Icha Icha Paradise.
"Well, all of us decided to make a bet about our sensei's. They were all different, but I have to say, mine is the most embarrassing. Ino thought it up, and I swear to Kami-sama that she reads your Icha-Icha books."
'I highly doubt it.'
"Umm... her bet, dare, whatever you want to call it —"
Kakashi gulped. '... dare...?'
"— well, it basically said that if you were under ten years my senior I... ehh... this is so awkward... " Sakura looked at Kakashi who was staring at her with interest.
"We can step into a restaurant or something if you want to finish your... our... conversation there if it makes you feel more comfortable?" Kakashi suggested. Sakura nodded eagerly, grabbing his hand and leading him into a local sushi bar.
Sitting down in a booth, the two sat across from each other.
"What may I get you two today?" A waitress, barely older than Sakura asked.
"Green tea, please."
"White tea with a dash of mint, if you don't mind."
Kakashi looked at Sakura curiously. 'Mint? It matches her---' He shook the thought from his head, knowing that he shouldn't think of his former student like that.
"Oh, by the way Sakura, since you are officially sixteen —"
"Don't tell me you're going to propose to me..." Sakura groaned, placing her head in her hands.
Chuckling, Kakashi murmured a negative before answering. "No, I just wanted to say that I am technically not your sensei anymore, and you can just call me Kakashi or, if you prefer a suffix, Kakashi-kun or -senpai."
Eyes wide, Sakura nodded, unable to speak.
Trying not to laugh, he spoke again. "Well, Sakura-chan, if you are more comfortable here, would you mind finishing your "answer", so to speak?"
She nodded, opening her mouth to speak, before she was interrupted by a blond-headed bubble of energy.
"Sakura-chan–" he yelled, running over to her from the entrance,
"Will you marry me?!"
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Author's Note:
Yes, I know, another story.
Ain't I nice? I plan on finishing this one -- and it shouldn't be long.
I know where it's going AND I even have the second chapter started!
Aren't you proud of me?!?!?
Well, I'll be off! I have school tomorrow and it's... (goes to check clock)
... it's way later than I should be up and I'm surprised I haven't gotten in trouble yet.
Always,
Kandra
Reviews, Flames, and Commentary are Appreciated!