Summary: Kakashi has 24 hours to get his act together, and with a little –or rather- a lot of help from Sai and Sasuke, he just might be able to pull off the greatest proposal Konoha has ever seen… but to pull it off, he's got some conscience cleaning to do!
A/N: Well, this one won by a landslide. Voting for the other three will still be open. I hope you enjoy this one as much as the first ;] set 5 months after Pyromaniac.
If you haven't read Confessions of a Pyromaniac- I recommend doing so, you may not understand some references but it's not necessary.
Enjoy!
~xxx: Chapter 1: :xxx~
Sigh.
Sigh.
Sigh.
With yet another audible sigh, Kakashi pushed his half-naked self up from the law chair set up on his balcony. Usually, he enjoyed a good half-naked nap in the sun, what with this wonderful weather Konoha was having, but sleep just wasn't happening today it seemed. Odd, because he couldn't seem to get into his books either.
He just felt…off.
He hadn't slept well last night, his books bored him and he couldn't take his nap. What was wrong with him? He couldn't think of anything that had change in his routines.
He met Naruto, Sai and Sasuke for early morning training and spars, and Sakura for lunch, then he went back to his apartment for his nap, then he'd spar with Sakura in the evening, though ever since their last mission as an entire team, sparring sessions usually turned to sex sessions. He wasn't complaining though.
So what the hell was wrong with him?
He scratched his bare chest and stood up, padding his way into his kitchen from the patio door. What the hell? Even his apartment just seemed off. Had he moved something, or had Sakura? He stood with his hands on his hips for a few moments, contemplating just what it could be that was messing him up.
He didn't like this feeling. He went to his phone and dialed the numbers for Sakura's office, and after the first few rings, Shizune picked up.
Oh, that was it. Sakura was on a solo mission for a few days. Though it was a simple B-rank, and she'd probably be back before midnight tomorrow. It was still going to feel like a few days.
He apologized for interrupting whatever Shizune had been doing and hung up. Kakashi ran his fingers through his hair and sighed, again, and slumped against the counter.
Sakura was gone.
He stuck his bottom lip out with a pout and crept into his living room before throwing himself lazily onto his couch, feeling utterly dejected. His routine had been messed up.
That damn woman. She knew he was a creature of habit. What was he to do for the next couple of days?
He wanted his woman back.
He groaned and rolled over, staring up at the ceiling. This was going to drive him mad. Insane even.
"You look bored."
Kakashi peeked up at the door to find Sai poking his head in. "Yo."
"She'll be back, you know. Tomorrow, most likely." Sai informed him as he closed the door behind him and walked across the room only to sit in Kakashi's easy chair. "Are you bored?"
Kakashi sat up and rubbed his chin, "Unfortunately."
"Have you tried sleeping?"
"Too bored."
"Oh…" Sai answered. "Well, we can be bored together. Naruto seems to have left me for that pretty Hyuga girl, and Sasuke is…well…I think he's moping, but I'm not sure why. So I'm an unaccompanied, and lonely."
Kakashi rolled his eyes and smiled, "Welcome to the club."
"Would you like to cuddle with me?"
Had he been drinking, the copy ninja was sure his beverage would have ended up across the room. Kakashi wasn't sure whether to smack Sai or laugh at him. He knew he was only trying to make him feel better, but he didn't seem to understand that cuddling was a personal action yet. Ah, but at least, he was learning.
"No, Sai. Cuddling is something couples do."
The young man seemed to visibly tense. "Then, why does Sasuke often ask me?"
"If you'll cuddle with him?"
"Yes."
"Really?"
Sai nodded, his black hair falling in his face. "Sometimes he'll whisper things in my ear while he sleeps. Like how much he loves Naruto, and sometimes he'll cry like a baby."
Well this was certainly eye opening. A pervert and a crybaby. Sasuke was something special…. though, Kakashi was curious as to why they were sharing a bed. It was best not to ask.
Sai crossed his arms over his chest and sat back in the chair, crossing one leg over the other. "Did Sakura ever finish her book?"
Kakashi looked across the living room, a smile lighting up his face. "You could say she did, though, not the kind of book you're talking about."
"No? Did she not continue the story about the venture into the forest? I really liked that one."
"It was good, wasn't it? No the book she finished was more like…like a confession of sorts. Meant for my eyes only."
"That's sweet of her, I think. In your utter state of boredom, why don't you try writing her something similar? I'm sure she'd appreciate a gift. Women seem to enjoy gifts a lot." Sai said, contemplating his observation. "I'm sure you're a gifted writer."
Well, Sai had half of it right. Women did indeed like receiving gifts from their lovers, but he was no writer. He could perform the basics of the skill, but that seemed about it.
"I wouldn't be so sure, Sai." He told him dully. "Though, It is a good idea. I may take you up on it."
"What will it be about?"
"I'm not sure yet."
"May I offer some assistance? Any secrets you may delve into with me would be between just you and I. Ask Sakura, I'm good a keeping secrets. She tells me hers all the time." Sai said as he kicked his feet up on the coffee table.
Secrets, eh? "How often all the time?"
"Oh, on average at least one a week, I'd say." He told Kakashi as he held his hand out, examining his palm without any real purpose behind the action. "Often."
"I see…are any of them about me?"
If she told Sai secrets that often, then some of them had to be about him, right? They'd been living together for almost two months- she saw him more than anyone else. Were they bad secrets? Had she told Sai about their adventurous escapade in Tsunade's office? Oh, he hoped not.
"I'd be telling her secrets if I told you, wouldn't I? I can't break a promise, Senpai."
Kakashi stared blankly back at the dark haired ink user but groaned with submission. "So what do I write to her?"
"Well, hinting isn't the same as telling, is it?"
"No, not at all." He sat up. Hints about her secrets? He'd take what he could get. "Come on, hints, get to them."
"Well, hint, hint, she wants a size four oval cut."
"That was a hint?"
"Well that's what I caught when she told me that one, just the other day. I didn't know what that meant."
"Size four oval cut? That doesn't even make sense."
"That's what I thought."
Kakashi sat back against the sofa, stroking his chin with thought. What did that even mean? Women…he thought.
"Idiots."
Both Sai and Kakashi turned to find Sasuke coming in from the balcony, shaking his head. "She wants a ring, Kakashi, a wedding ring. Size four, oval cut."
Oh.
She wanted him to propose? This could pose a problem… "I might already have a ring."
As Sasuke plopped himself down on the couch beside Kakashi, he hoped up and went into his bedroom. He fished around under his bed before pulling out his safe and opening it- the black velvet box setting atop his things. He walked back out into the den and handed Sasuke the box.
"This is the one I got her. I was waiting until the autumn festival to give it to her."
"This is princess cut." Sasuke stated matter of factly, holding open the small box. "Hmm, half karat, right? The size is close, but I don't think it's a four."
Sai eyed Sasuke suspiciously, but said nothing about his ring knowledge. Kakashi did a similar thing. "I just thought it was pretty, and I was able to afford it. I don't know what it is."
Sasuke nodded, examining the ring for a little while longer before frowning, "Where's your shirt?"
Sai cleared his throat, "I was wondering that too."
"I was sun bathing." He told them. "Maybe you both should join me next time, get a little color to your skin."
They both glanced at each other and rolled their eyes.
Eh, worth a try. It wasn't his fault if he went blind when he looked at them- pasty white skin had that affect. He wasn't saying he was gorgeously golden with the sun-bleached hair to match, but it didn't hurt to look at him when his shirt came off. He grinned to himself and shook the thought from his head.
"I don't think she'll mind that it's not oval cut, you know. How's that saying go, 'it's the thought that counts?'"
Kakashi nodded. That was true, but he wanted to please Sakura, to give her everything she wanted and make sure she was the happiest woman in the world.
"What if I propose when she comes back?"
"What if you do? I'm sure her answer will be the same either way." Sai answered, scratching his exposed torso with an audible huff. "If I were you, I'd make it a big deal. You know, flowers and stuff- things unexpected. Women like that."
"Sai's right, and if we know Sakura, she likes things like that. Plus, you spoil her."
Kakashi rolled his eyes, "Yes, yes, you and Naruto have told me over and over again."
"So if you're going to spoil her, you might as well go through all of it. Give her everything you can with this. You've got about twenty-four hours, right? Sai and I will help you plan everything." Sasuke said with a rather smug look on his face as he crossed his legs and folded his hands on his lap. "Everything."
Kakashi wasn't sure how that made him feel- Sai and Sasuke planning his engagement. Wasn't he just supposed to get down on his knee and pop the question? That's how everyone else was doing it, had been doing and would be doing it. It was traditional and while women like flashy and nice he knew quite a few who liked some rather traditional things, Sakura included.
Though, he did want to give her everything. He wanted to spoil her and make his engagement to her something memorable. Would she remember big or would she remember the simple things?
Maybe it couldn't hurt to have Sai and Sasuke help a little. He was wary about it, but he'd give them a go.
With a deep sigh, he looked to both of his teammates, "What did you have in mind?"
Sai smiled, "Well, flowers for one. I'll take care of those when everything else is all figured out. Where should it happen, Sasuke?"
The Uchiha tapped his chin with thought for a moment, "Somewhere…somewhere uncommon, not the park or a nice restaurant…"
Inner Kakashi groaned, he liked the park; he liked how pretty the paper lanterns were just after sunset and how they lit up the trees and lightly illuminated the paths. He and Sakura often took evening walks through there, holding hands.
It made him scowl and as he watched both of them try to agree on a location of all things, he vaguely wondered 'what kind of monsters have I created'?
~xxx: xxx :xxx~
Well I hope you enjoyed. Remember reviews- I love hearing what you think, even if it's negative!