This series started because of a challenge posed by the livejournal community kakasakudrabble. I'm now, however, using this as my general dumping ground for shorts and vignettes and whatnot. If there's no theme listed at the beginning, it's not related to the original challenge and was written for something else or just because.

Building a Mystery

Theme #1: Growing

Word count: 500

Sakura surely was an interesting creature. She could loll about and make no progress at all, near to festering in her static condition, and then something in her would just suddenly snap and she would become someone else entirely. It always took some large catalyst, which worried him to some extent, but he marveled that no matter what was thrown at her she managed to come out on top, inordinately stronger and surer of herself.

He found himself watching her more closely, wondering when her next metamorphosis would come and what she'd look like on the other side. He knew the base of her character, watched her through the years and noted all the subtle shifts and changes that came to define a person. He could predict with certainty what she would do following day but he had no idea who she would be in two years. In some ways she was a mystery to him, and the novelty of such a thing to he – who could see through nearly everything – excited him.

So it came as no real surprise to him when he realized the extent of the burgeoning desire building inside him. He couldn't say he welcomed it but it certainly hadn't blindsided him.

What did throw him off balance was the day that Sakura came on to him.

He couldn't help but notice the irony of the situation, that all the while he'd watched her taking charge of her own life it took her actions to breach the barrier between them, that when he knew he wouldn't be able to predict the large changes in her life one faced him squarely in the nose.

He didn't check the chuckle that escaped him but realized belatedly that it might not have been the best idea as Sakura's fist plunged straight toward his gut. Sidestepping it easily he mused that at least she hadn't gone for his face. There mustn't have been much gusto behind the punch anyhow seeing as she didn't go after him a second time. Instead she settled for glowering at him behind crossed arms.

Realizing why she couldn't have understood his special appreciation of their current predicament he sought to placate her anger. Moving close to her again he reached out a hand, brushing it lightly across her shoulder. He couldn't hold back a smile of pure enjoyment.

Unfortunately Sakura, having not received any definitive answer when she'd just opened herself up to him, misinterpreted the movement as a patronizing smirk and her glare turned murderous. Kakashi, seeing her fist clench, moved to remedy the situation in the swiftest and most enjoyable manner possible: he leaned in and kissed her.

When he pulled back she smiled, then looked almost affronted she hadn't gotten to sneak a peak at his face; that or his smug attitude at the fact. He couldn't help it, he knew he would enjoy each and every one of her attempts to get it off him.

He couldn't wait to get started.