Sakura looked at Kakashi with disbelief. Her emerald eyes were wide with surprise. This must be a joke, Kakashi didn't ever take a break. Yet he just told Sakura that he would take the entire night off from his duty as hokage to spend a romantic evening with her. It was everything Sakura hoped for, but she was still in shock at the news.
"So I take it that's a yes?" Kakashi asked her with a raised eyebrow. She could sense the wide smile under his mask.
"Yes of course!" Sakura finally managed to say, "but- but?" she was so flabbergasted she couldn't form a proper question.
"Yamato and Tsunade both know that I'll be out for the night, although they believe it's for business. They can handle the village for one night and part of the day tomorrow without me. The inn I want to take us to is only an hour away from the village. If something were to happen and I was needed immediately, I would still get back quickly. You and I need some alone time," Kakashi said. He gently grabbed her hand in his and lifted it to his face to give her hand a kiss through his dark mask. Even with the separation of their skin from his mask, the gesture lightened Sakura's spirit and made her a little giddy.
"I've been begging you for weeks to take some time off," Sakura said, "what changed your mind?"
Sakura could see a faint blush crawl up his cheek, and slight wrinkles formed under his mask as he smiled widely, "Well, uh, you and I have had difficulties with finding time for romance…and although I love having you come over in the middle of the night to share my bed for a few hours and the stolen kisses we can occasionally gain during the day…I wanted more for us. At the inn, we can actually have an entire night to ourselves, and part of tomorrow too. I know it's not easy for you to date the hokage, so I wanted to show you that I can make time for you too."
Sakura smiled warmly at him, "You know," she said softly, "it wouldn't be so hard if our relationship was public."
Kakashi sighed, "I know…I want to tell people Sakura, but I know that…it won't be received well."
"Yeah," Sakura agreed, "I know…I'm hesitant to talk about it to anyone too…but I think it would be best if we tell people before someone finds out and spreads rumors."
Kakashi leaned forward on his desk, thinking about this. "You're right," he said, "we should tell a few friends about our relationship when we get back from our trip…they'll be shocked at first, but I hope people will see that our love is genuine."
"Yes, they will," Sakura said, leaning forward on the desk to touch her nose against his.
He smiled back at her, "But tonight, I want you all to myself. This will be our last little secret, you're the only one who knows what my real mission is tonight," he said suggestively.
Sakura kissed his masked face, she felt like leaping with joy at his words. "See you tonight," she crooned before leaving his office to finish her work for the day. She shook her hips seductively as she exited, teasing Kakashi and ultimately providing a distraction from his duties for him for the rest of the day.
/
Naruto grinned widely, accepting the thanks from the village leader who bowed graciously. "It was no problem dattebayo," Naruto said, feeling a little embarrassed with all the praise he was receiving for a simple mission.
"We are lucky to have your services Naruto and Sasuke," the village leader bowed once more before letting the two shinobi exit the village.
Naruto laughed to himself as they began their path back to Konoha. "That mission was quicker than I thought dattebayo!"
Sasuke chortled quietly, "The rogue ninja was easy to track down and capture. Piece of cake. I'm surprised Kakashi said you needed my help." He sounded slightly disgruntled at the thought. "I mean, you could've done that all by yourself! Heck, a genin squad could've completed that mission."
"Don't be so upset Sasuke, I don't mind an easy mission here and there. We got to meet some great people at the village, and they gave us amazing rice cakes to take home!" Naruto said enthusiastically. Sasuke rolled his eyes at him, how was it that Naruto could always see the bright side of everything? "Besides, I think Kakashi knew I was missing you dattebayo," Naruto said as he slid his hand casually into Sasuke's.
Sasuke's fingers entwined with Naruto's perfectly, like two puzzle pieces joining together to complete a picture. Sasuke gave Naruto a curt smile, "He doesn't know about us right?" he asked Naruto hesitantly. He still wasn't sure if he wanted to come out to the people of Konoha about his sexuality. He was rarely in Konoha as he was still traveling across the country, looking for solace and making his amends, and he wanted to go about this the right way. He felt he should at least tell Sakura personally about his preference for men. He knew she was always pining after him when they were young, and he wanted to break the news to her gently.
"No, for the hundredth time nobody knows," Naruto said. "I think Kakashi wanted me to keep tabs on you, and see how you are doing."
Sasuke squeezed Naruto's hand in his, it felt so good to have intimate human contact after years of being in the shadows, devoid of any good human relationship. Naruto had pulled him out of that darkness a few years previous, at the end of the 4th shinobi war. Sasuke owed all his happiness and fondest memories to Naruto. He didn't particularly want the memory of today to end either, it was rare that they got an opportunity to see one another these days. "Hey Naruto, maybe we don't have to go right back to Konoha…you did say we finished our mission early…maybe we can just spend a day or two together?" he suggested.
Naruto's blue eyes lit up with eagerness, and then he tackled Sasuke into a clumsy hug. "Yes Sasuke! That's a great idea dattebayo! I know just where we can go!" he cried as he squeezed Sasuke's back in a bone crushing hug.
"Let me go usuratonkachi," Sasuke warned. Naruto sometimes forgot his own strength.
Naruto pulled back and looked at Sasuke with an apologetic smile, "Oh sorry teme," he said.
Sasuke's features softened and a smile formed upon his lips as he stared lovingly at Naruto. "Dobe," he muttered before capturing Naruto's lips on his own into a sweet kiss. Naruto blushed and reciprocated, smiling into the kiss. He treasured each and every touch from Sasuke.
/
Sakura flung her bag onto the floor of their inn room and then plopped her own body smack in the middle of the bed, staring at the ceiling. "This bed is really big, and comfy!" she squealed.
Kakashi wasted no time in joining her on the bed. He jumped onto it next to her, causing her petite form to bounce up in the air a few inches. She laughed pleasantly and then turned her body to face him, with a wide loving smile plastered across her cheeks.
"Mmm," he said, "it is pretty comfortable." He closed his eyes peacefully. As hokage, there were many uncomfortable or sleepless nights for him. It felt soothing to be able to relax on a bed, even for just a moment.
But Sakura shook his head a little, snapping him out of it as she said, "hey don't fall asleep yet! It's only 7pm! You promised me a romantic evening!"
He opened his eyes lazily, "yeah I know, I haven't forgotten," he said, pulling his mask down to kiss her forehead. "The first thing planned for our romantic getaway is a nice dinner. I reserved a private room for us at a sushi restaurant close by."
"A private room!?" Sakura was surprised. Why did he go through all that trouble for her?
"I want our evening to be between just you and I. I want it to be special. I don't want the noisy chatter and bother of having others around us," he admitted. Perhaps it was selfish to rent out an entire room of a restaurant, but hey, it was just one night. The hokage deserved some privacy.
Sakura squealed with delight and rushed forward to kiss Kakashi fervently. He kissed her back while hugging her tight to his body, never daring to let go.
/
"Oh perfect! A sushi restaurant!" Naruto called as he spotted a good looking restaurant up ahead. It had taken them a few hours to get to their destination, and both were starving. The sun was nearing its resting place beyond the horizon.
"Kiyokawa," Sasuke read the name of the restaurant. "Naruto, this is a very classy, expensive place."
Naruto didn't seem fazed by this. "I don't get to see you often teme, I want to treat you to something nice for a change." He was very serious about this, so Sasuke just smiled warmly, and let his boyfriend lead them into the high-class sushi restaurant.
"Hello," Naruto said excitedly to the snooty looking hostess. "I'd like a table for two please!"
"Sorry sir, the wait will be at least an hour," said the hostess with an air of haughtiness as she looked him up and down with disgust. "Our main room is full."
"What about that back room there? I think I see some empty tables there," Naruto said, pointing to a room that could be barely seen behind a thick blurry windowpane. He could see the outline of two figures, but the rest of the room seemed empty.
"That room was rented out, it's a private party," the hostess said.
"What!?" Naruto asked incredulously. "A private party for two people?!"
"It's fine dobe, it doesn't look like they want our company anyways," Sasuke whispered quietly into Naruto's ear.
Naruto followed Sasuke out of the restaurant, looking crestfallen. "It's okay Naruto, we aren't dressed for a fancy place like that, we're dirty after our mission. Besides, I think there's a ramen joint just beyond the inn over there, we can go there instead, my treat."
Naruto's eyes twinkled with pure delight, he forgot all about being upset over the private party at the sushi restaurant. "You mean it!?" he asked Sasuke, acting like a small child.
"Yes dobe," Sasuke said, smiling at Naruto's happiness. Just the word 'ramen' made Naruto's face light up. Naruto cheered and ran to the ramen stand. Sasuke followed him, not bothering to run.
As they waited impatiently for their food, Naruto said, "I can't believe two people rented out an entire room for themselves at that restaurant. I wonder who would do such a thing dattebayo."
Sasuke laughed, "Yeah, whoever it is probably has almost as much money as the hokage."