All I have to say for this one is that I adore the pairing Kakashi/Sakura, though I like to pair them up when she's older and had a chance to be with different people. I think Sakura is a great reminder that you don't stay with the first person you fall in love with. A person can have many very real loves in their life, and all that matters is who you eventually end up with.
Also, if you have a DeviantArt account, or would like to make one specifically for the cause, I've started a Society/Club there to help artists improve themselves as performers and as human beings living in an ever changing world. I'd love to have some writers join. Pleeeease? societyofartists deviantart com
A hokage has many responsibilities. First: she must show herself in the best conduct possible, pay attention to that word possible. Second: she must put up with a lethal amount of paperwork. Third: she must respect the wishes of the council—no matter how old and senile they may get. And fourth: she must take care over each and every ninja and citizen in her charge to the best of her abilities and time.
Tsunade sighed painfully as she gazed around at the haphazard, hopelessly high pile of paper and scrolls that littered her desk. How long had she been cooped up in this frustrating office anyway? Where were her boys? Those obnoxiously bright heads that would pop in and disrupt the boredom of her life. 'Teh.' That's right. They were off training. Honing their skills as teacher and student in order to bring back a certain troublesome Uchiha orphan.
With a chin propped on her hand, her lips covered by her fingers and her eyes cast towards the cloudy window she remember the other bright thing in her lonely life. "Shizune, where's Sakura? She hasn't come by for a new assignment in a while…"
The timid assistance answered: "I haven't seen her."
"Well!" Tsunade braced herself against the old desk with both palms flat against the worn wood, rose from the seat with a graceful push, and stretched her arms. "I think it's high time I took a walk. Don't you think?" "Y-yes!"
A few minutes later a very irked Tsunade stood with her arms crossed, her foot tapping, and her heavy gaze fixed on the ninja seal that was keeping her from her study and student. "Sakura." Her voice was stern and meant to be obeyed. "Open up! Are you sleeping?" The blonde woman struck the barrier brashly, intent on either scaring her pink haired pupil into consciousness or submission; but what she felt from beyond the locked door cooled her temper and purpose. She recognized this aura much too well. Contemplation kept her silent for a minute or so before she asked her beloved assistant. "Is Kakashi available?"
:o:o:o:
The silver haired ninja—who thought he was supposed to be on weekend—came quickly once summoned. Confused, he watched the Hokage motion swiftly at the difficult door. "Open it."
"…All due respect Tsunade, but that's a very easy t-" "Just do it!" After snapping she seemed to regret it, but instead of offering an apology she began to explain. "It seems Sakura, your student, has barricaded herself inside. Right now she must be very lonely, her teammates gone and…with such a neglectful tutor as myself." Her eyes caught his and she saw him register the facts. "As a part of her cell I want you to handle this."
Kakashi nodded, realizing but not quite understanding what the crisis was. Right away he recognized the seal as one he'd personally taught her, so it was easily taken care of.
"Sakura?" He tried, pushing the door open—at the same time knocking over the 'just in case' bookshelf as well. "Sakura?" He tried again, prodding the darkness of the room with his words.
Outside a rain was brewing, and so the sky offered no sunlight to chase out the shadows of the unlit room. He felt her in the corner and, approaching, saw her a second later.
"Sakura!" Kakashi called again, this time a little louder, as he knelt down before his young student.
She was curled into herself, her knees against her chest and her arms around them. Her chin was on the flat white tops, and from what he could see her eyes were watching nothing.
A sudden flash of lighting graced him with sight, and he took the gift in with surprise. Grasping her pale cheek and chin with a hand that seemed fiery compared to her temperature, he tried to make those empty eyes look at him.
Sakura's hair was unattended to and there were tearstains on the sides of her face—though they were long dried, as if the tears had stopped days before. Her lips were red from being chewed and chapped from the constant abuse. "Sakura." The guilt ridden teacher stroked his student's head, trying to get her to respond. 'Damn it, how long has she been shut up like this?'
Her body seemed smaller, much too small, and as he lifted her arm to check her pulse it felt much too light.
"Sensei…" Came a small voice, finally answering his multiple calls. "Sensei?"
Kakashi smiled at her, relieved greatly by the acknowledgment of his presence. "Ah."
Sakura blinked, looked around at the room, then down to reached for his hands, managing to grasp the one that wasn't in her hair. To the older man she might have been a kitten discovering her first human.
When she had his hand, had touched it and felt the warmth it gave off even though it was gloved she blinked again. Another blink had her looking up at him, and suddenly her thirteen-year-old form was flying at him. "Kakashi-sensei!"
He caught the small body, wrapped his arms around it and tried to think.
"W-why were you gone so long?" Her voice sounded broken, though there were no more tears left to cry out. Sakura struck out again his back, hitting it with her fist. "Why?" The attack, of course, did no damage, though Kakashi's pity and self loathing rose considerably. "Why is everyone…always leaving me behind?"
"We don't mean to." He tried to explain as he swooped her into his arms to lift. The experienced ninja wanted to coax more out of her, but she only lay limply against his chest.
Kakashi's eye darted up to Tsunade, whose silhouette was visible in the door. "What do you want to eat? My treat." He offered, now finding himself with an itching want of a response. However, the reaction he got almost made him fall over.
Sakura bolted from her relaxed position to stare at him with wide eyes. "I won't go out!" This declared, she quieted again, like a jumped spring coming back to its box. "I…don't want to hear them talking."
"Who?" He pressed defensively.
"…Everyone. Whenever I go out people talk about me. Saying 'there she goes, the girl whose own team deserted her. She can't be any fun. She's no good. The Hokage pities her so much."
Kakashi had to search his mind a little while in order to find a suitable reply. He should have known this would happen. A Gennin without a team was an easy and delectable target for people who had nothing better to do than make others miserable.
Carefully, he carried her out into the lighted hallway.
The cherry haired girl winced against the illumination—now practically a stranger—and buried her head in his shirt.
"Well, we'll have to prove them wrong won't we?" He gave her head another pet before focusing on the task of getting her to Tsunade's room to be cleaned up and checked over.
"Poor thing. Look at this hair." The older mentor gave the pink head a loving stoke as well. "Lets have a bath. You can't go on a date like this."
Sakura didn't look up from Kakashi's black hideaway, but nodded and tried to stand on her own.
:o:o:o:o:
Night fell, and Tsunade was still trying to sort out Sakura's tangled heart.
Outside the rain was using itself up, pattering curiously against the windows as though wanting to see the girl it had missed.
They sat together on the lush bed—which Tsunade preferred over a futon—the young girl in front of her teacher while the woman brushed her freshly washed and trimmed hair. Apologies had already been said and tears had been shed. As teacher and student, mother and daughter they were reconciled.
A faint smile had finally worked its way onto the young girl's healing lips.
"You know…" The Hokage stared. "…as a ninja you're obliged not to pick fights with those weaker than yourself. But between you and me, I don't care if you have to chew a few ears out to stick up for yourself…Or you could do it my way and just cut off their ears." "Tsunade!" Sakura gasped in surprise as she turned around, intent on gapping at the woman for such a suggestion, only to find her laughing already.
"…"
:o:o:o:o
Her legs were already weak from days of unconscious fasting, so as the almost oddly uneven pair walked through the Hidden Leaf's shopping district Sakura had to hold tight to her Sensei's arm, trusting his strength to carry most of her weight.
"Where do you want to eat?" He asked, hoping to take her thoughts from her own insecurities and the prying eyes around them. Although it was an innocent date from both partakers' points of views there were several suspicious looks, disapproving looks, displeased looks, and even envious looks heading their way.
"Ramen." She answered in an uncharacteristically timid way.
Internally Kakashi gave a sigh of relief that she'd chosen something so inexpensive. "Ramen it is then."
There was a small silence once she'd answered and nearly nothing to fill it with, so once again Sakura became aware of the prying eyes fixed on her. Wanting to be far away from the jealous glares of Kakashi's many admirers she held tighter to his arm, as if being closer to him would somehow hide her from her problems.
Kakashi smirked beneath his mask with a small fit of male triumph. He was well aware that this date would peeve the women who sought after him, but hadn't thought Sakura would pick up on the fact. The blush on her cheeks was amusingly adorable, and he couldn't help petting her small hand reassuringly.
Iruka ramen had always been a welcoming place. The glow of the smooth wood of the bar table at night drew hungry customers in as the already eating customers would draw the steaming noodles to their lips.
Sakura slurped a spoonful of the broth into her famished mouth experimentally and then nearly melted with delight.
Kakashi watched with amusement as the curvy spoon hovered over her lips and her eyes and other senses were closed so she could better savor the taste. He held back whatever mockery he might have subjected her to so he could watch that face just a little longer, though it was more of a spontaneous decision than anything.
"Hungry?" He asked teasingly when the savoring moment was abandoned and she broke vigorously into the noodles.
"Ihfnft ifben if bivegays!" The pink haired ninja explained sloppily, too hungry to be embarrassed by her lack of manners.
"Why?"
Sakura slowed down her shovel to give him a guilty looking side glance. She took the time to chew, then swallow, then pause before answering. "I ran out of food."
He should not make fun of her.
"Why didn't you go buy more?"
He really shouldn't make fun of her.
"I didn't want to leave that room. Not until Naruto, or Sasuke came back."
Now he couldn't make fun of her.
Kakashi raised an eyebrow, wondering if she realized how long of a wait that would be.
"I-I know it sounds ridiculous! I know that…but…I just didn't want to hear those people anymore. So, little by little, I stopped leaving Tsunade's study. Getting home late, leaving home early, accidentally spending the night. Because I didn't want to hear I shut myself up, slowly forgetting to go home. Waking up and wondering how many hours it'd been since I'd seen anyone became a routine. Somehow, hours became days, and I stopped going home completely. I stopped counting how long it had been, and then I just…stopped."
"Stopped?"
"Everything." She nodded as her green eyes shifted up to his for just that confirming moment. "I didn't do anything. It was like being stuck a genjustsu, but not caring to do anything about saving yourself."
Sakura took another small pause, then looked up at him with a warm smile. "Then I saw you sensei."
Under the brightness of that courageous smile, the silver haired ninja found himself wondering how Sasuke could have possibly left it behind.
:o:o:o:o
It wasn't long before the color returned to her cheeks, the strength to her limbs, and the regular smile to her lips. Ino, once informed of the circumstances, made a fast effort to reunite her friend with the joys of shopping and what she called 'fun on the town.' Frequently she would come, dragging her abused teammates in tow, only to whisk them all off for some fun adventure. The rest of her fellow students also made small, regular efforts—except Lee, who made huge efforts—and Kakashi soon found himself unneeded. Tsunade started sending him on missions again, allowing him more time away from the fast healing Sakura as the weeks went on.
Eventually their time together as a fractured team became practically nonexistent, and their next real meeting would not be for another year and a half.
"Kakashi Sensei!" An older Naruto and Sakura cried as the unexpected guest popped in on them.
Looking at her, grown into a girl of nearly sixteen, Kakashi found a strange sort of bubbly feeling creeping into his hardened system. She was so much more…more…beautiful. Not just pretty but beautiful! Her hair was the same, he was glad, but what was this relief? What was this foreign churning?
For the first time in a long time Kakashi was glad of his mask, not for its stealthy enhancement, its sleek look, or its effectiveness at concealing his identity, but because it hid an unwanted blush.
To be continued…