Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
It was one of those days. Sakura glanced at the clock on the wall, noting how slowly time was ticking by. Her shift from the hospital was set to be over in another stretch of half hour. Today had been unusually slow, with shinobi patients trickling in only every now and then. She supposed that was a good thing, as it meant her comrades were doing well, but then again it meant a slow day.
Sighing, she absently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Today was Friday, the end of her work week. It was usually a day she cheerfully celebrated with Ino, but today the pink-haired kunoichi just couldn't bring herself to be excited.
'Another night of listening to Ino yammer away about all her drunken flings, while trying to fix me up. Honestly, who hasn't she dated!' Inner Sakura huffed.
Shaking her head of such thoughts, Sakura looked down the hallway. The light in the windows had faded, marking the end of the day. She made her rounds once more, checking to make sure overnight patients were comfortable before leaving.
"Sakura! Damn girl you look good," The platinum-blonde smirked, her cool eyes assessing her best friend. "Are you trying to out-do me?"
"Trying? Ino-pig, that was achieved years ago." Sakura quipped, gathering Ino in a hug.
Smiling at each other, they linked arms and ducked into a small bar. A few years ago, the Rookie Nine had discovered it while celebrating the quiet Shino's twenty-first birthday. The usual shinobi who had frequented it for years never quite recovered.
Ino steered them to the bar, gracefully perching on a stool as she fixed her gaze on Sakura. Those deep sky-blue eyes had never failed gleaning the truth from anyone, and she seemed determined about something.
Out of nervous habit, Sakura self-conciously smoothed her black dress over her thighs. The garment was subtle, clinging to the kunoichi's curves yet merely hinting at what was hidden underneath.
The bartender appeared, placing their customary drinks in front of them before attending to a more raucous group in the back. Ino glared at the group, before turning narrowed eyes onto her silent best friend. Her violet-painted nails stirred the straw in her glass as the smallest smile appeared on her glossy lips.
"What do you think of Shikamaru?" She asked innocently.
It was Sakura's turn to glare. Without answering, she emptied her drink. Setting it down, Sakura narrowed her emerald eyes. "Is this another attempt at a fix up? Ino, I love you, but just admit you are horrible at this!"
Scowling, Ino motioned the bartender to refill Sakura's glass. "I'm not even going to dignify that with a response, Billboard brow." She grinned, leaning forward and casually tossing her long silky locks over her shoulder. "Just tell me what you think."
Resisting the urge to smack her longtime friend, Sakura leaned against the counter and gave the man in question consideration. Shikamaru Nara was lazy. 'Okay, there has to be more than that.' Inner Sakura harumphed. 'The man was first to make chunin.'
"He's incredibly intelligent, loyal, honest, and not a bad body..." Sakura listed off, while Ino punctuated each point with a nod.
"I asked him out!" Ino blurted out, unable to keep her news in any longer. She giggled at Sakura's stunned expression. "He's always been there, taking care of me all these years. I don't know why I didn't see it! I really think this is going to be it for me." Ino nodded as if convincing herself.
"That's great!" Sakura said, ignoring her Inner Sakura weeping in the back corner of her mind. "I'm really happy for you - well, for both of you." Her lips curved into a smile as she toasted the future of Ino and Shikamaru.
In the deep dusk of the night, only the soft glinting of the lamps above were visible. Away from the heart of the village, nothing was awake at this time. Soft trudging footsteps were the only thing to be heard. Sakura had drank merrily to the happiness of her friend all night long, whilst ignoring the feelings that threatened to overpower her. The man in question had even made an appearance, stopping by to give Ino a chaste kiss on the cheek.
It wasn't that Sakura wasn't happy for Ino - she was overjoyed that her friend had found happiness, especially so close. It was incredibly rare to find love in their world. One didn't become shinobi without realizing that. She was just so incredibly tired and lonely. It didn't seem to affect the others as it affected the normally cheerful cherry blossom.
The kunoichi held her heels in her hands and she made her way home. All the alcohol she had consumed earlier didn't seem to be burning off, even with her intensly fast metabolism. It was only the inherent grace of being an elite shinobi that kept her from stumbling home. Even so, her normally keen senses didn't detect the pair of eyes watching her from the rooftop.
Reaching her apartment's door, Sakura began fumbling around for her key. Searching her person, she cursed while dropping her shoes. The inebriated woman couldn't find it, and in frustration burst into quiet tears. A ball of anger flared to life as she fought the off the feelings of uselessness. 'I WILL NOT be a damsel ANYMORE!' Inner Sakura growled.
"Yo." A familiar voice stopped her inner rantings. Quiet steps came up to her, then stopped. Kakashi had noticed his former student and her boisterous friend out that night, as they did every Friday. Tonight Sakura had seemed like a wilted version of herself, woodenly smiling and celebrating.
Sakura turned to find Kakashi studying her. Hastily, she wiped the tears away and tried to tuck the long pink tresses that had come undone behind her ears. It was embarrassing enough that he had been able to sneak up on her, but that Kakashi always managed to see Sakura crying was enough to make the kunoichi cringe. She had come a long way to erase the pathetic image of her twelve year old self.
"You left this at the bar." Kakashi said, breaking the silence. Coming closer, he held out her small black purse. "Thought you wouldn't want to make the trip back."
"Oh! Thank you Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura blurted, taking her purse. She opened it and began rummaging, until she found the set of keys she had been looking for earlier. "You have no idea how much you just saved me."
'Of course, someone is always coming to my rescue.. But it's never me.'
Kakashi's penetrating eye saw the flicker of negativity on Sakura's expressive face. He stepped forward, until he was right in front of Sakura. His onyx eye met with glassy, confused green ones. His hand reached out to tuck a tendril of hair behind her ear. His touch continued down her ear to cup her face. In a familiar way, his eye crinkled with good humor.
"Probably the cost of a shattered window. Goodnight Sakura." With a poof of white smoke, Kakashi was gone.
Sakura's hand reached up to where her former sensei's hand had touched, feeling more confused than ever.