Kiss Me!
Kakashi, on a personal business outside of Konoha, had to take Sakura along out of necessity. As if that wasn't bad enough for the very private man, they had to travel as a married couple – again out of necessity. What was simply inconvenient rapidly became troublesome. KakaSaku
Disclaimer: Not mine, just borrowing…
Rated: T (to be on the safe side)
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Chapter 1
"Oh, that sure is a sweet sight," Genma wearily sighed as he and Kakashi finally approached the tall gates of Konoha. They were just getting back from a tedious B-rank mission escorting a wealthy merchant from the Wasabi clan back to Cha no Kuni (Tea Country). The mission that should have only taken two weeks stretched out to almost four due to the merchant's pandering to personal comfort and impulsive shopping.
They stopped at every village and city that they passed, and most of the time had to spend the night or two there. Either the man was tired from the "constant moving of the caravan" and wanted to stay longer at the inn to rest or he's out perusing the stores, purchasing whatever took his fancy. The original three caravans they started out with from Konoha, one containing him and the other two containing all the items he's already purchased, became a total of five caravans by the time they finally reached their destination. They had two additional caravans for all the items and wares he'd accumulated along the way.
Even Genma's seemingly inexhaustible patience was worn thin by the man's constant whining. Their frayed nerves' only consolation was the fat paycheck they'd be getting at the completion of the mission and the bonus the wealthy merchant had mentioned after they delivered him safely through the Wasabi compound.
"So, tonight at the Shuriken bar?" Genma turned to Kakashi after waving hello to Kotetsu and Izumo sitting at their usual post.
"Hm?" Kakashi turned to him questioningly from his usual Icha Icha book, having taken it out of his pack once they'd crossed the big gates of Konoha.
"Jeez, man. You can't even wait to read that until after we've reported back to the Hokage?" Asked the senbon chewing jounin, shaking his head. All he got from the other man was an eye crinkle, suggesting a smile, as a response.
"Kakashi sensei! Genma!"
The two jounin turned to where the voice originated from, and found the former Team Kakashi walking towards them. Only Naruto still called him "sensei".
Kakashi took the opportunity to study his former teammates. He can't help but think how time flew by so quickly.
The four young adults in front of him have brilliant futures ahead of them. All four are ranked special jounin. None of them felt the need to apply for ANBU, for obvious reasons, at least to the ones who know them. The lives they've lived – all the hardships they went through to get to this point in their lives do not raise the need for more of the danger and excitement that is ANBU.
Sai being a former ANBU Root member wanted to get away from the isolated lifestyle.
Sasuke, the last Uchiha and a former avenger, wanted nothing more than to lead a normal life (as normal as one could get from being a shinobi). Everyone was familiar with his story – the extreme way he went through to achieve his goal.
Naruto, being the jinchuuriki for the Kyuubi and the hokage-in-training, as he liked to put it, also had had enough excitement in life -- from the "rescuing" of Sasuke and all the trouble from Akatsuki, thank you very much.
Sakura the former apprentice to the Godaime Hokage had just gotten back her teammates and was not in any hurry to leave them.
"Yo!" Kakashi raised the book in salute to Naruto as a form of greeting, acknowledging the young man.
"You guys just returning now from that escort mission?" Sakura asked, one eyebrow raised in inquiry.
"Yeah, troublesome mission…" Genma mumbled in reply, sounding a lot like Shikamaru. "We're just on our way to the Hokage for de-briefing. Where're you guys off to?"
"The daimyo of Numa no Kuni (Marsh country), Chichiya-dono, requested bodyguard protection for the upcoming social event his wife is planning for his sixtieth birthday. Tsunade shishuo is not sure if there is actual danger or if the daimyo just wanted to show off by having Konoha shinobi at his party providing security detail," Sakura explained. "We'll be meeting the daimyo's agent in two hours, so I guess we won't be seeing you again until about two weeks from now."
"Be sure to come back alive and in one piece. Sakura," Kakashi gave her a meaningful one-eyed look. "Naruto and Sai." Just those two names and Sakura gave Kakashi an impish grin, fully understanding what he meant.
As expected, a reaction from Naruto, "Hey! Why me? I understand about Sai. ... and what about Sasuke, huh?!"
Sai just gave his usual phony smile.
From Sasuke, the usual "Hn" and a smirk.
Kakashi didn't bother replying to Naruto. He just started walking towards the Hokage tower and raised his left arm and gave the four of them a wave without turning around. Genma followed suit after snickering at Naruto, who was still scowling and could be heard mumbling under his breath.
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The former Team 7 / Team Kakashi, including Yamato, had a long-standing tradition (okay, only since they'd all become jounin and disbanded the team) of meeting at the barbecue place that the former Team 10 also like to frequent, every last Sunday of the month. It's seldom that any of them would miss the get-together.
As was usually the case, everyone was present tonight. The four had been back from their mission with the Marsh country daimyo for a couple of days now.
Naruto may have matured a lot since his genin days and was no longer the loudmouth dead-last, but he could still be quite vociferous, especially when around his friends. He's currently busy regaling both Kakashi and Yamato about all the rich and influential people they met and saw at the social event.
"Ne, Kakashi-sensei, even the actors for the Icha Icha movies were there. That Junko character and his leading lady… What was her name again? Oh well, they were there, too! And I have to tell ya, them babies are real! She was about to pop out of her gown!" Naruto finished with not a little bit of leer on his smile.
"Really. Did you get her autograph?" Kakashi asked.
"Tsk! Deadlast here was too busy ogling her chest to actually answer her question, much less ask for her autograph," Sasuke piped in.
"Oh, shut it, Sasuke! Like you didn't look, too. I saw you activate your sharingan!" Naruto shot back.
All the guys at the table started laughing at that, while Sakura just shook her head. 'I'm surrounded by a bunch of hentai!'
"So, what else happened? Anything interesting?" Yamato asked this time.
"Huh, Ugly here caught the eye of some big-wig," Sai answered, while Naruto and Sasuke both bobbed their heads in agreement.
Yamato's and Kakashi's gaze both swiveled towards Sakura for details.
"Ugh! Don't remind me," Sakura rolled her eyes. "He's supposedly the only son of one of the richest men from Tsuchi no Kuni (Earth country), and spoiled rotten! He thought that just because he's rich, young and good looking that he could get whatever he wanted. Whatever!" Sakura added, clearly still exasperated by the experience.
Kakashi leveled a look at her, "Why, Sakura-chan, I take it you were not impressed?"
Saruka knew that whenever Kakashi attached the "chan" honorific, he's teasing her. So, she gave him a mock glare and said, "Do you think that I'm that shallow?"
Kakashi gave her an eye crinkle and raised both his hands in mock surrender. "No!"
"Rich, young and good-looking? What's there not to like, Sakura-chan?" Yamato asked, putting in his two cents.
"What further annoyed me is that he was very persistent, even after I've politely declined all his invitations and offers of gifts. He. Just. Won't. Stop!" Sakura added after treating Yamato to the same glare.
"I don't know what you're complaining about, Ugly. It's not like you have suitors coming out of the woodworks." Sai deadpanned.
"Arrgh! SAI!" The arrival of the waitress saved Sai from the punch Sakura was getting ready to give him.
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Three days later
Kakashi was sitting under a tree reading his usual Icha Icha when Naruto poofed in front of him, followed by two more poofs to reveal Sasuke, then Sai. Glancing up, "What can I do for you, boys?" he asked putting his book aside.
"We're off on a mission to Ame (Rain), and we don't know how long we'd be gone," Naruto explained.
"What about Yamato?"
"Can't find him. Probably on an ANBU mission," Sasuke answered. They couldn't get this confirmed since ANBU missions were top secret.
"Aah… I see." Kakashi acknowledged.
"Yeah… So… Sakura-chan." Naruto announced. The other two nodded in unison, wordlessly seconding Naruto's announcement. Unbeknownst to Sakura, her boys had a tacit understanding that she was never to be left alone. One of them was always with her, either when on a mission or while in Konoha. Someone was always there to watch over her. They don't hover, just being there available, and making sure that someone was there for her. They were not discounting her parents, but since they're non-shinobi people, they feel that they really do not understand Sakura. They cannot truly fathom the kind of danger their daughter was exposed to and faced each time she went out on missions.
This band of elite shinobi, having been placed together by fate by way of their duties to their village, had become something they had been missing for a long while now – a family unit. They were not related by blood, but whoever said that a family had to be? In a way, they were better than the typical family for they were truly committed to each other. Their connection was forged by sweat and tears, by hardship and friendship, and by blood spilled through battles fought together.
As far as the men were concerned, nothing was more important than their family unit. They don't take it for granted, and they were all aware that the lone kunoichi in their group was what makes them a family. She was the glue that kept them together. She watched over them, cared for them, and fussed over them. As the best med-nin of their village, she had taken it upon herself to be their personal medic. As such, they were spoiled that way, not only do they get the very best medical care, but there was the added bonus of personal touch and TLC from her; something these strong, powerful warriors would never ever admit to needing, much less desire and look forward to receiving from anyone.
As the result of them being of like minds, they were very protective of their Sakura-chan. They don't dare make this known to Sakura, for she was well known for her fiery temper. Their regard for her was kept very much on the down low and the protection, always done on the sly. Not that she needed actual protection for she was a strong and powerful kunoichi in her own right. The prized apprentice of the Slug Princess Tsunade and the Godaime Hokage of Konohagure no Sato, she had passed down not only her medical expertise, but also the secret technique to inhuman strength to Sakura. Jiraiya, the Frog Hermit, liked to say that Tsunade had raised a fine second Tsunade in Sakura.
"Hai," Kakashi nodded in confirmation. "Does she know you are leaving?"
"No, this is an urgent mission. We have to leave ASAP and she's been in the O.R. since this morning. We couldn't get a message to her," Naruto once again explained for the group.
"I see. Okay, I'll just tell her."
"No need. I'm leaving a bunshin (clone) behind to tell her when she gets out of the O.R. We just wanted to let you know that you're it." With that final announcement from Naruto, the three male shinobi all poofed away in a swirl of leaves.
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Kakashi was on his way to the local bookstore when he saw Sakura coming out of the Yamanaka's flower shop, ostensibly visiting Ino. She had a pensive look on her face. Sakura's face immediately broke into a happy and welcoming smile once she caught sight of him.
"Yo," Kakashi greeted Sakura, both hands in his pant pockets.
"Kakashi," Sakura greeted back. "I'm just on my way to get an early dinner, or is that a late lunch? Whichever… But would you like to join me? Your treat!" Sakura glomped Kakashi once he was near enough for her to do so. She raised her face to look at him, and gave him a sweet smile, after making the offer.
Kakashi sweat-dropped and looked down at her. "Smooth, Sakura-chan."
"Oh, come on, Kakashi!" Sakura in a playful whining voice, "It'll be fun! You get to eat with me!" She finished in a cajoling tone this time.
"Alright! Alright! But you owe me a home-cooked meal!" Kakashi finally agreed.
Sakura smiled prettily at him, "No problem."
"Okay, where to?" Kakashi asked Sakura.
"Hmm… How about at Sushi Kai?"
"Sushi Kai it is," Kakashi approved.
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Seated at one of the booths, while waiting for their order, the two started to idly chit-chat about their day. Kakashi was drinking his sake and Sakura a glass of iced tea.
"I heard you had a long day," Kakashi asked Sakura.
"Yeah," Sakura confirmed, giving a tired sigh. "Two ANBU teams came in with several casualties. Thank goodness there were no fatalities. Still, it took all of us – Tsunade-sama, Shizune-sempai, and several others, several hours to stabilize the wounded ones." She further explained. She stopped and just stared into nothing, brows furrowing as she seemed to get lost in thought.
This of course did not escape Kakashi. "Hm… Sakura, is there something wrong?" He asked.
"Huh?! Oh, of course not," she answered, visibly shaking herself out of her thoughts.
Just then, the waitress came with their orders. Both opted for the bento box special with the saba shioyaki (salted and grilled mackerel). The waitress placed down the miso soup that went with their order first, and then the bento boxes. She then took her leave after asking them if they needed anything else.
Kakashi and Sakura picked up their chopsticks and both announced "Itadakimasu!"
After they've both had at least two bites, Kakashi went back to their interrupted conversation. "So, what is bothering you?"
".." Sakura looked up at him, saying nothing.
"Come on. I know there's something," Kakashi prompted her.
Sakura gave another deep sigh before deciding to confess. "Do you remember that mission the boys and I had with the Numa (Marsh country) daimyo?"
"Yes."
"Sai mentioned that guy from Tsuchi (Earth country)." Kakashi again nodded his confirmation.
"Well… what I didn't mention to the boys was that his intentions were not exactly of the honest nature to begin with, and that his attentions were not as innocuous as I led them to believe." Kakashi's right eyebrow imperceptibly rose at this, but he didn't say anything, wanting to hear the rest.
"At first, he thought I was a servant and therefore was there for anybody's taking. So he sent his servant to get me. Once I disabused him of that notion and let him know that I was a shinobi of Konoha, he changed his tune. Not by much though, because then he offered some kind of business transaction, as he had put it. Basically, to be his paid companion for the duration of his stay. When I again declined, he offered to actually make me his mistress – with a contract agreement and everything. All official like."
All through her narration, Kakashi's visage started to get ominous. "And?" He prompted.
"Of course, I declined that offer, too! I thought that was the end of it since that was the night prior to the actual event. The next day we were busy and I was constantly with one of the boys, so there were no opportunities for him to talk to me in private. And then we left the next morning."
"So what's happened?" Kakashi asked. He knew something must have or she wouldn't be bothered now.
"Well, I've been receiving flowers for the past three days. I just spoke with Ino, and asked if she could check their records to see who placed the order for them. Sure enough, it's Tatsuki-san."
"I don't see anything wrong with that. So he's been sending you flowers. What's the problem?"
"It's not the flowers that bothered me. It's the fact that my parents, who came back yesterday from a business convention, have not stopped talking about a "pleasant" young man whom they met at the convention, and who just happened to be acquainted with me, and had expressed the desire to further that acquaintance into something more, much more! Guess who it is?" Sakura explained, getting heated with each word that's coming out of her mouth.
"Just a stab in the dark -- Tatsuki-san?" Kakashi gamely guessed for her.
"Ha! Right on the nose!" Sakura confirmed plainly annoyed.
"I don't mean to trivialize your concerns, but I don't see anything wrong with the picture," Kakashi said, clearly trying to understand. "So he's been sending you flowers, and has met your parents. I don't see anything untoward there."
"Oh, I don't know, Kakashi," Sakura lamented, "but I have a bad feeling about this."
"Hmm… your spider senses are tingling?" Sakura gave him a disgusted look for his lame joke.
"Gah! I don't know! He's smarmy, and I just don't trust him! He creeps me out," Sakura insisted, and gave a visible shudder for good measure, just to get her point across.
Kakashi fully appreciated this and gave a short chuckle. Sakura gave him a smile in return, feeling a lot better now that she'd told one of her boys her concerns.
In a sober tone, "Seriously, if this becomes a problem, let us know," Kakashi instructed.
Sakura nodded with a grateful smile, "Thanks, Kakashi."
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A/N: So, what do you think? I've read in several KakaSaku stories that the main character in those Icha Icha books is Junko. I'm pretty sure that he's a he, let me know if I'm wrong.
I'm trying to think of the story where this was mentioned, but couldn't remember which. I would like to give credit where credit is due… It's where Kakashi went in a coma and Sakura was reading to him the new Icha Icha book as some kind of therapy… All the while she's reading the book, Sakura is having her own commentary and critiques, basically ruining the story for the poor, unsuspecting, unconscious Kakashi…
Gah! Please let me know if you know which story this is… I know it's a very good story, but I'm not sure if I favorite'd it.
Please read and review?