Sakura lay limp on the mat, wheezing and occasionally wincing at the rattle in her throat. Kakashi sat next to her, his eyes soft and gentle as he patted her sweaty forehead with a moist rag.
The cool touch of his fingers relived her of some of the fever burn, and Sakura let out a strangled sigh. Her teeth were red with the blood coating her lips. She had been coughing it up for the last ten minutes.
"I'll...heal myself...soon," she whispered. The strength just didn't seem to be in her. She raised a hand and pressed it against the bandages. Sasuke had done this, the bastard.
Kakashi shifted, unsettled by her sudden moan of agony. "Sakura, why can't you just do it right now?"
A good question and one she didn't really want to answer. A small, nagging part of her thought dying might not be so bad. Maybe Sasuke would be there to greet her in the next life.
Her eyelids fluttered closed only to shoot open again when Kakashi grabbed both of her hands with his blood encrusted gloves. His shoulders were sagged and there were dark shadows surrounding his eyes.
"Please." His eyes bored into her, begging the girl to not give up. "Will you do it for me?"
Sakura felt her heart flutter and she scowled at the discomforting sensation. She was used to only feeling that around Sasuke. Could it be...at she developed a crush on her Sensei? In theory, it made sense that feelings would develop. They were often sent out as a team, and Life and death situations tended to bring people closer.
The rag was draped over her eyes, hiding Kakashi from view as he pulled down his mask with his index finger.
Kakashi slowly bent over her, his lips hesitating above her own before pressing against them. He didn't seem to mind the metallic tang of her blood on his tongue. Kakashi' hand tightened around her own against her stomach, pressing her fingers into the bandages. Without even meaning to, Sakura channeled her chakra and it warmed the wound, slowly repairing the damaged skin.
When the pain wasn't quite so dangerous, Kakashi withdrew, pulling up his mask before she got a chance to sneak a peek. "I'll go get some water."
He left the tent.
Sakura stared as the flap fell back into place, shielding her from the glaring sunlight.
"Oh no," she whispered aloud. "I think I like him."
She fell back down, throwing her arm over her eyes and gritting her teeth in irritation. What the hell is wrong with me?
Outside, Kakashi bit his thumb in frustration, his train of thought quite similar to Sakura's with an unhealthy sprinkling of self-hatred to spice things up. Damn me.