Note: If I were run-through with a sword you'd better believe that I'd use that as my opening line for the rest of my life.

Drive Thru: Welcome to WacDonalds, can I take your order?

Me: I was stabbed with a sword once. Can I get a large number three?

Enjoy!

Battle Scars--

"I was stabbed once," she said in a proud voice.

Kakashi paused in his reading long enough to give Sakura an odd look. She grinned back at him.

"Where did that come from?"

"The sword or the question?"

"The question."

"I treated a man for a sword wound today at the hospital. It punctured his lung right here," she explained, touching her chest.

"Sounds painful," Kakashi replied as he resumed his reading.

"You aren't even the tiniest bit curious about why I was stabbed?"

"Well I imagine someone must have been angry with you."

"Kakashi!"

"Okay okay, if I ask about it, will you let me go back to my book?"

"You've read that thing six times now. Haven't you got it memorized yet?"

"Almost," he nodded. "So tell me all about this dangerous war wound."

She seemed overly excited at the idea of telling what she believed to be an exhilarating story. And when she began unbuttoning her shirt, Kakashi was more than happy to give her his undivided attention.

"Right here," she pointed to her stomach.

The closer she came the easier it was for Kakashi to see the mark that marred her otherwise flawless skin. Of course he had noticed it before, but he'd been far too distracted to ask questions about it.

"That looks like a pretty nasty battle scar," he said, running his thumb over the two-inch mark.

"I almost died," she agreed. "It came out the back too, see?"

She turned around to give Kakashi a view of the matching scar on the other side.

"When did you get stabbed?"

"When I was battling Sasori," she replied.

"Why does that name sound familiar?" He tapped his chin thoughtfully.

She sighed and began to close the shirt. His hands reached up to stop her.

"Who says I was finished looking?"

"You aren't taking me seriously," she accused. "You don't take me seriously."

He frowned. "That's not true."

She gave him a look of obvious skepticism as she backed away. In the two years that they had been together she could think of a handful of times that she had desperately sought out his approval only to be regarded with humor and avoidance.

"Name one time you've been proud of an accomplishment of mine," she challenged. "Better yet, name one accomplishment of mine."

She could tell that behind the mask his mouth has opened and closed several time. He was searching for an answer that he was having trouble finding. The thought was deeply hurtful.

"You're just trying to start an argument," he said.

"If I want a fight, I'll go pick one," she said harshly. The door slammed behind her.

Kakashi looked angrily at his book.

--

Luckily (or unluckily for him), Sai was the first male-type person Sakura encountered as she walked angrily toward no destination in particular. When she had asked him to accompany her to the training grounds for some extra practice, she hadn't mentioned Kakashi at all.

About fifteen minutes into their fight Sai seemed to notice something that something about her was seriously wrong. She was far too tense in her stances, her face was much too serious, and the majority of her punches were aimed a little too far south for even his level of comfort.

"Sakura, is something wrong?" he asked as he sidestepped one of her attacks.

She turned her lunge into a roll that left her several feet out of his counterattack. She looked at him with a fierce glare and said, "Nothing."

"Ah, it's just that you seem angry."

"Why would you think that?" she replied, reaching in her bag for a kunai. It twirled dangerously around her finger.

"Your attacks are very direct today," he offered, dodging the knife as it sped toward his face.

"Maybe I'm trying out a new style of fighting," she snapped, rushing toward him.

Sai had never seen Sakura in such an angry rage. In addition to her forwardness she had increased the overall power of the punches and kicks that she was giving. So far he had effectively dodged all of them, but he knew that the smallest knick would send him flying into either the ground of the trees nearby. As much as he tried to be helpful to the girl, he wasn't happy with the thought of being a human punching bag.

"Maybe if you wouldn't-"

"Wouldn't what?" she accented the question with a hard punch that hit the ground and split the earth a bit. She stood again and began a series of fast hand-to-hand moves against her partner.

"Sakura."

The girl turned at the sound of her name, sending one last punch that caught Sai off guard. He had turned at the sound of the voice as well, and was now cursing his decision from the ground. Blood dripped from his nose.

"Oh god, are you all right?" The medic in Sakura rushed to his side, ignoring Kakashi completely.

"My nose feels broken but I'll be okay," he said, sitting up and touching the darkening flesh.

"Here, let me…"

Kakashi watched Sakura tend to the wound that she had inflicted. It was obvious that she was trying her hardest to pretend that he wasn't on the training ground. That he hadn't come looking for her after their fight that morning. But he stood there regardless, waiting patiently for his chance to speak.

"Thank you, it feels fine now," Sai said as he stood. He was wrinkling his nose while he spoke.

"Better be careful against this one," Kakashi said with a good humored chuckle. "She packs a mean punch."

"Thanks for the practice," Sakura called out to Sai's retreating back. She turned to Kakashi. "What are you doing here?"

"After you left I did some thinking."

"That's dangerous," she smirked.

"If it seems like I don't appreciate you, you couldn't be more wrong."

Looking at him was too difficult for the severity of the discussion. Sakura turned her eyes to the ground in a somewhat guilty gesture, though she wasn't sure why she would feel guilty about anything at all. He was the wrong party here, not her.

"Sakura, I'm sorry for making you feel inadequate." He took a step closer.

"Stop apologizing," she whispered.

"Look at me."

She lifted her eyes to meet his intense stare. It was obvious that he meant every word that he had said.

"I've even got an answer to your question," he grinned as he dug into his pocket.

"What's that?" she asked curiously.

"Well after some thinking, I realized that there was one thing you had accomplished that no one aside from Naruto had ever managed to accomplish."

She knew where this was going. "What's that?"

He dangled the bells in front of her face. "You managed to take these."

"I could do it again," she nodded, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"There's no doubt in my mind that you could."

"Kakashi, let's not fight anymore," she said seriously, stepping forward to wrap her arms around his neck. She tugged his mask down, which was always a good sign for him. "I hate being angry with you."

In one kiss he forgot the fight from that morning. Her lips were desperate for the forgiveness that he very willingly gave her. As they stood together in the middle of the training ground, embracing like the perfect idea of what lovers should be, Kakashi wondered why more of their arguments hadn't ended so affectionately. Something seemed oddly amiss.

"Got you," she whispered, nipping playfully at his bottom lip.

"Huh?"

The bells that had previously been in his possession were now held securely in her own hands. She hopped back a ways and bounced them gently, letting the sound slice through the otherwise quiet air of the afternoon. He felt like he had been deceived.

"Sakura…"

"Looks like it's your turn, Sensei."

She grinned wickedly at him from several feet away.

"Start."

Owari--

Note: Having Sai in my stories makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. He's so unintentionally cute, even when he's being an ass. I swear, there's something wrong with me…

More happy fun KakaSaku goodness on my author's page! Be sure to check it out.

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