Disclaimer: I do not own "Naruto". The manga belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.
In which There are No Strings, Just Sex
One-shot
A growl like sound escaped her lips as her fist made contact with the wall. Kakashi looked up from the worn pages of his book, peeking at her over its edge, before he let his grey orbs travel to the ceiling.
"You cracked the paint," he informed her bluntly. He had to have a death wish.
"Shut up," she spat at him, turning around to bury her face in the sheets. The silver haired man on the other futon smiled underneath the dark cloth covering his face, as the woman groaned in frustration. Something was bothering her. He suspected he knew what.
"What's wrong, Sakura-chan?" he asked, adding the suffix he only brought out to tease her when she was pissed or whenever he found her utterly adorable – which was usually the same.
"Nothing," she told him after a short moment of silence. "Just… keep quiet and leave me alone."
"As you wish." The Copy Ninja turned to the story in his hands, fulfilling the kunoichi's demand. He soon finished the page in front of him, moving to place his fingers at the upper corner of the book, rubbing the paper back and forth before flipping it. He repeated the action as the next two pages were finished and once more after the next pair. Soon he was just turning pages for fun and oh, what great entertainment it was.
"Will you stop that?"
Success.
He raised an eyebrow. "What?" he asked her casually. He was laughing on the inside.
"The rubbing. Do you have to rub each page before you flip it?"
"Oh, sorry. I didn't realize I was doing that."
Sakura snorted. Kakashi gave her a happy eye crease.
"Stop it."
"Stop what?" This time it was a female voice that questioned an order.
"You're watching me."
"So?" the woman queried, now sitting up on the bed with her legs crossed and her arms resting behind her for her to lean on.
"It's disturbing."
"Then prepare to feel bothered, 'cause I'm not looking away."
Kakashi sighed and shook his head as he once more continued to read.
"Let's go out." That did not take long.
"No." One word. Firm and determined.
"Come on. Let's go to a bar and have a few drinks. It will be fun."
"We're on a mission. We have to stay alert."
"Please, think of all the fun we could have. Just one drink. Maybe two, not more than three. I promise. Please. Think of the fuuun."
"When you say 'fun', you mean think about all the drunken sex we could have with complete strangers or more precisely you could have as long as I tag along to make sure you're safe, right?" The man looked up to face his partner. Her cheeks shone bright red. Yeah, he had known what was bothering her. "I don't think so," he chuckled, turning yet another page of his book.
"Aw, come on, Kakashi. Please. Please, please, please." He did not like the tone of her voice as she begged him. "Please, do this for me. Just once. I really need to get laid."
"And I really didn't need to hear that."
The pink haired medic huffed once more, as she leaned towards him from across the room, folding her arms under her chest. Kakashi pretended he did not notice the obvious raise of things.
"Don't be such a baby. I'm turning 24 soon for crying out loud. It's not like I'm still a virgin. You of all people should know that."
Yes, Kakashi knew very well that Sakura was not the same innocent, little girl that had been assigned to him years ago. After a night out with the gang a few years ago he and Genma caught a young couple going at it in an alley. His senbon wielding friend had thought it was a great idea to get a closer look and of course Kakashi had been forced to tag along.
Later he claimed that he did not giggle like a schoolgirl when the sound emitting from the lovers grew louder. Sadly though, he could not deny the fact that he suddenly felt ill, catching a glimpse of cherry coloured hair and the characteristic smell of the Inuzuka clan.
The next day he was not only plagued by the hangover from hell, but the memory from the night before haunted him like a venereal disease to which there was no cure. To make things worse someone had the guts to knock on his door at 09:34 in the morning. To Kakashi's great dread it was no other than Konoha's newest exhibitionist, telling him that she was so, so sorry and that he was not supposed to have seen that and that he did not have to worry about Kiba taking advantage of her, because she had been having sex for two and a half years already, so she knew what she was getting herself into. Once again, Kakashi had thought it was too much information to get from his 19-year-old ex-student.
"Don't remind me."
"Please," she mocked him, "it's not like you are 100 percent free of sin, either. You are more like less than ten percent pure when it comes to things of a sexual nature. Take that book right there for example. I know what's in it. Even if you were still a virgin you would be too tainted to wear white on your wedding day after that."
"You know I'm a man, right?" he chuckled as he leaned back on the bed.
For a slight moment Sakura looked annoyed, but almost too fast for even Kakashi to notice her expression shifted, causing a small smile to appear and for her eyes to darken. The Hatake knew that expression. It was no good.
"I know it's bothering you, too."
"No it's not."
"Hah, don't even for a second think that you have me fooled. A month and a half out here and the only action you've gotten is that of your hand." Sakura smiled as both his eyes widened. "That's right. I've heard you. And you had the balls to mock me about Kiba howling."
Suddenly Kakashi chuckled, causing her blood to freeze. "That's all right, I've smelled you. I guess that makes us even." The silver haired elite had to dodge, as a chakra-infused pillow came flying through the air leaving yet another crack in the paint of the hotel wall. He turned around to admire the crack, which actually was more of a dent. "You missed."
"You're disgusting!"
"Says Miss twice-a-day-and-she-still-isn't-satisfied."
An inaudible series of sounds left Sakura's. "You, pervert!"
Kakashi feigned an aghast look, a hand clutching his chest over his heart. "I can't help it, Sakura-chan. It's a family trait."
"What, smelling other people's crotches?" she huffed. "Yeah, you really are a dog."
The mask clad man smirked. "Well, then that's good I guess 'cause they seem to be to your liking."
Once again, Sakura's cheeks darkened. Kakashi smirked even wider as he looked away, feeling the sweet taste of victory, but quickly regretted it though as another pillow flew through the air, hitting him in the head.
The man grunted, clutched his head as he felt light dizziness wash over him. A feather filled pillow was not very soft when thrown by a riled up woman with inhuman strength.
"If you won't help me find someone who will assist me with my problem, I guess you will have to entertain me, captain."
The pillow must have caused him severe brain damage, because there was no way Sakura had just suggested what he thought she did.
The grey eyed man blinked. Once. Twice. Still seeing stars he cleared his throat. "Could you repeat that? My old brain seems to be playing tricks on me."
"Oh, I believe you heard me just fine, sensei." To Kakashi's horrification, Sakura stood up before slowly making her way over to him on the mattress.
"Enough. Stop it. It's an order."
"I like it when you tell me what to do, sensei."
As her knee sunk into the futon, Kakashi sat up, about to stand, but he did not get that far, as he small hand came to push against his shoulder.
"What's the matter, Kakashi? You're not scared of me, are you?"
The man frowned. Sakura could see the way his mouth was set beneath his mask. He really should not wear it. Few knew it, but he was an attractive man. So handsome in fact that Sakura had not even minded the first time he guest starred in one of her steamier dreams at night.
"This isn't funny, Sakura."
"Who says I'm joking?" He tried to ignore the way she was rubbing his shoulders.
"It is not going to happen."
"Why not?" This time her sultry tone was lost, but it did not really matter as a very characteristic pout had taken its place. Damn. I really am a pervert.
"I'm not sleeping with you."
"It's not like it would mean anything. It would just be about two friends helping each other to get off. Completely innocent. Well, not completely, because then that wouldn't be much fun, would it? You know as well as I do that others do it on missions. I've done it before and I'm sure that so have you."
"That's beside the point. I'm not fucking you."
"Ah, you talk dirty. I like that," she smiled.
This time, Kakashi made an effort to stand. Sakura's hands snaked around his neck, as she let her fingers disappear in his pale locks, causing an electric charge shot through his veins. He could not let it happened.
"Enough, Sakura. I mean it. I'm not touching you like that."
She stilled before him. Her emerald eyes held confusion, before she dropped her gaze and sunk down on his futon. Kakashi sighed as he dragged his hands though his hair. The man stopped halfway to the bathroom, when a shaky voice spoke behind him.
"Don't you find me attractive?"
Fuck. Of course she would take it as an insult. "You know it's not about that."
"Then what is it?"
"I used to be your teacher. It's… wrong." He cursed the part of him that thought weird was a more suitable word, as that very same part claimed it was not precisely wrong, just frowned upon.
When she did not answer, Kakashi fought the urge to turn around and look. He lost, wishing he had not. He had always been weak when it came to her tears.
"Come on, Sakura. Don't cry."
"I'm not crying. I'm just frustrated that I will have to go another half a month without sex." He had to admit he liked her stubbornness as well.
"Then why are your eyes glistering?" he questioned.
"I don't know. They're the colour of jade?"
He smiled. "Hey, you are a very attractive woman and you know it."
She looked a little less sad as he took a seat next to her on the light blue sheets. "Attractive?" she asked as if she was a child unaware of the meaning of the word. She really liked her compliments, even if they were handed to her.
"You're beautiful. Don't ever doubt that."
The young woman smiled, grabbing his gloved hand before pressing it in her own. "Thanks, Kakashi. You're a good friend."
"Anytime."
It shocked him as yet another charge shot through his body, traveling up his spine. Apparently, Sakura must have felt something similar, as her eyes darted to his face finding the same expression she suspected she wore herself. It felt as if a lifetime passed between them. No one said a word. No one moved. Sakura's breath hitched as Kakashi suddenly leaned closer to her.
"Wait," she told him. One of her hands pressed to his chest. He had not realized he had moved. "Don't kiss me. It might come to mean something then. It would be… weird."
There it was.
"It's just sex, right?" he asked her.
Sakura swallowed and nodded her head. "Yeah, just sex. Nothing else. No strings attached."
He searched her eyes for a moment. The pools of green had always been the key to her true thoughts and emotions and what Kakashi saw there sealed the deal. "Good."
A surprised breath escaped her as Kakashi's hand snaked around her waist and as his masked lips suddenly touched the skin of her throat. She closed her eyes momentarily, hugging his head in place as she stroked his neck and shoulders. The young woman was surprised the action came so natural to her. She was about to have sex with her ex-teacher of all people. It should have felt anything but close to normal.
Kakashi grinned against her shoulder as his hand moved down to stroke her ass. Sakura blushed right after she realized she had jumped, wishing the colour had not spread to her chest.
"Are you nervous?" he teased her.
"Shut up," she ordered, pulling him down to lie with her.
"You are aren't, you?"
Knowing her cheeks darkened, Sakura frowned. "Don't speak."
The silver haired man chuckled, rubbing his nose against her pulse point, enjoying the way she gasped for him. "I thought you said you liked to talk dirty."
"I changed my mind. Do you wanna talk or do you wanna fuck? It's up to you, but we won't be doing both."
"The latter." She hated the cocky smile hidden by his mask.
"Could you take that off? It's itchy."
"I thought you said we couldn't do both-"
"Just do it," Sakura groaned.
She could not help but smile back at him as he pulled down the dark fabric, revealing a broad grin she had seen many times before. It was boyish and it suited him perfectly. It made him look like a naughty schoolboy. She absolutely loved it.
"What are you smiling about?"
"Didn't I tell you to shut up?"
"As you wish."
She rolled her eyes.
A soft moan fled cherry lips, as a pair of firm ones kissed her shoulder, before they moved to suck at spot where her pulse quickened. Once again, Sakura found her hands nested in his hair. Kakashi really did have great hair. Great, silky, gravity defying hair.
He kissed her neck, gracing it with hot, open-mouthed kisses. Moving down, he nipped at her clavicle, making his way down to the top of her chest. He stopped there for a second, causing Sakura to open her eyes and look at him.
"Mind if I take it off?" he asked, dragging a long finger up and down the length of the zipper holding her top closed.
"Do whatever you like. Just, don't stop and no more talking."
He smiled again at that, shaking his head lightly before opening his present. "No bindings?" he asked her, hoping to get a raise from her.
"Didn't I tell you to shut the hell up?"
"That's not going to work for me."
"Unbelievable," she exclaimed. "The man who won't talk to keep the smallest of conversations can't stop talking for a damn second, when it means that he will get lai-"
Sakura did not get to finish her accusations, as something warm made contact with her breast. "You were saying?" Kakashi asked her, before placing another kiss against her now hardening flesh.
"Nothing," she gasped, burying her fingers in the worn sheets. "Absolutely nothing."
"I didn't think so."
It was not long before Sakura lost it. Kakashi's mouth and fingers soon had her soaring. The man brought her to a point where she thought she was about to drown. Her lungs burned. She could not breathe, but then it came. The sweet feeling of oxygen filling her chest, as a gasp was ripped from her throat, causing air to stream in again, as her back snapped up from the mattress. She felt rather than saw his grin against her skin as his fingers moved between her legs. He kissed her neck as she came back down to earth and slowly moved to hover above her. His nose rubbed against hers, before he moved away.
"I'll just get a condom-" Kakashi stopped, as Sakura's hand reached up to grab his shoulders. He raised his eyebrow, waiting for her to speak.
"No talking."
He laughed.
Two sets of chests were heaving, as Kakashi moved to lie on his side next to her. Her eyes were closed, but her lips were parted in a content smile.
"Wow," she breathed in between pants. All Kakashi could do was grunt in agreement. "Thank you."
The older man chuckled, as he leaned in to kiss her skin before inhaling deeply. He hoped she was up for a second round, because he knew he was. "You're welcome."
They stayed silent after that, catching their breaths as they let things sink in. They just had sex. They, Hatake Kakashi and Haruno Sakura, had just done the dirtiest deeds of all. The nasty. But it was not so bad. In fact, it was not bad at all.
"I'm taking a shower." Kakashi groaned as his bones popped. How embarrassing. It made him feel old.
"You do that," Sakura answered him, a hand thrown over her eyes.
The silver haired ninja smiled, looking at her before he made his way to the little bathroom they shared. She was still not completely undressed. Her top hung from her shoulders. It was open and pushed half way down one of her arms. Along Kakashi's calves his pants and boxers were to be found, making it slightly difficult to walk. There had been no time to unwrap the bindings circling his ankles and honestly, he did not think that either of them had cared.
The minute Sakura heard the pipes groan and come to life in the other room she sat up, her eyes locking on the door. He had not closed it completely. Was that an invitation? She quickly decided it was and was pleased to find a soapy, hard body hidden behind the green drapery.
"You need help with that?" she asked him, not caring that he was ogling her now completely naked form.
"Sure." He smiled as he held out his hand for her to take, feeling his excitement grow as her warm flesh made contact with his.
"Let me get your back," she whispered, before pulling the shower curtain close.
The one time they fucked on a mission – twice – soon became the times they fucked on missions. They were paired up again for a mission to Rice. A daimyo needed to be escorted back home after a negotiation and demanded that Tsunade assigned him her best warrior and medic for the journey and of course, there they were.
It took over two weeks to get to the country of rice paddies. The daimyos entourage was large and did not travel as quickly as ninja could. It was on their way home, one night in the woods that heat suddenly flared. Neither knew for sure who made the first move, but somehow Sakura found herself on her back as Kakashi moved roughly against her. It was a short and anything but gentle encounter, but none the less pleasing for either of them.
The routine continued. Whenever they were sent away on a mission together, the two would one way or another find themselves engaged in each other, focusing on nothing but their joined pleasure. When at home, everything was back to normal. They were friends; friends that fucked on missions and soon fucked when returning from them as well.
Crammed alongside his teammates in a sticky booth Kakashi nursed his beer. Naruto and Sai were arguing about who was to thank for the success of their latest mission when the Copy Ninja felt the urge to ease up on the pressure. Little did he know about the mischievous viridian eyes that followed his way to the back of the bar.
A small hand grabbed a hold of Kakashi just as he sat his foot outside the restroom, dragging him down a dimly lit corridor and away from the other guests of the bar. He found himself pushed against a stack of crates and was ordered to sit. Quickly she was on him, straddling his lap as she ground into it.
He moaned her name but she told him to be quiet as she turned to kiss the skin of his neck. Sakura did not bother taking off any of their clothes. She just opened or otherwise removed what was necessary.
Kakashi did not feel the stinging in the back of his tights as Sakura's movements caused them to scrape against the rough wood beneath him. Neither did she feel the pain in her knees, as tiny splinters marked her skin.
He whispered in her ear, telling her how good she felt, how hot she was and how tightly she was squeezing him. Cliché things he had learned got her going when time was an issue between them. She moaned and whimpered into his neck as she came.
It was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard.
They parted with a smile. Sakura took his gloved hand, pressing it once before walking away. Kakashi went back to what remained of his company for the evening. His dark mask hid the angry red marks on his throat as well as his smirk when Naruto whined, saying Kakashi took too long and that he wanted to play another drinking game. He also mentioned that Sakura had left and asked him to tell Kakashi goodnight.
The mentioning of her name brought a dangerous sensation to the centre of Kakashi's chest. Heartburn, he told himself, deciding it was time for another beer.
Three nights later it was his time to surprise her. It was the same place, but a different crowd. The girls had gathered on the rare occasion that they were all in the village at once.
Sakura was heading towards the bar, about to get a drink for Ino and herself, when strong fingers wrapped around her arm and a masculine voice whispered in her ear telling her to meet him in the back in five. Heat gathered in the pit of her stomach, burning as hot as she shot she quickly decided to order in favour of the drink Ino had suggested.
The platinum blonde complained loudly when learning that Sakura had taken a shot without them. Excusing herself the medic promised to buy a new round of shots for all of them when she got back from the ladies' room, leaving her girlfriends behind.
The corridor outside the toilets was empty. The excitement in her stomach was replaced by disappointment. Had she imagined him there? She had not seen him after all, too afraid to look at him in case someone noticed. Perhaps it had been someone else? Sakura had not been able to get Kakashi out of her mind for days and based on how tipsy she was, she would not be surprised if she had.
Sakura whispered his name, anxious that he would not be there. A frown appeared on her unusually large forehead but just as she was about to leave, the third door in the corridor – the door to the stockroom – creaked open.
Curiosity took a hold of her and swiftly she walked over to it.
"Kakashi?" she asked the dark as she stepped inside. "Kakashi, are you in here?"
"Yes."
She gasped, half in horror, half in surprise, as a strong pair of hands grabbed a hold of her and pushed her against the far wall of the room. The door was shut, leaving them in complete darkness. Sakura was about to speak when a set of lips accidentally brushed against her own. She froze and so did Kakashi. Emerald eyes stared into nothing. All she could make out was the contour of his body. She could not see his face.
Her eyes closed as soon as she felt his lips again, but she knew it was not a mistake this time. Sakura moaned, shyly kissing him back. It was odd. After being intimate with Kakashi without ever feeling the softness of his mouth on her own before, she could not quite grasp the sensation.
It was bizarre. It was new. It was mind-blowing.
Her lips parted in a shock, when Kakashi's knee made contact with her fabric-covered core. Smirking, he took advantage of the situation, deepening their kiss as he pushed against her. His ego swelled along with the bulge in his pants, as the sound of her appreciation reached his ears.
Sakura broke their kiss, gasping for air as she moved her hands to stroke his face. Her thumb found its way to his lower lip, rubbing it softly before pressing her mouth to his.
"Take me," she whispered against his mouth, wanting him to more than anything.
He complied, pulling down her panties before hoisting her up against the wall, her legs wrapping around him in the process. Her hands shot out to free him of his pants, eager to get him between her thighs.
Kakashi groaned against her skin, moving with long, slow thrusts as he slowly sank into her heat. His hands held her hips in place, occasionally moving along the length of her legs, just to feel if she was there. That it was real.
The friction was driving her mad. She loved it. The heat. The feel of him touching her in the most sensitive of places. It was too much. It was not enough.
Sakura's hands roughly gripped Kakashi's shoulders. She kissed him deeply, causing him to quicken the pace of his hips against hers. The world came crashing down on her in an instance. Kakashi moved so that each jerk of his hips caused him to grind into her clitoris. She saw stars in the dark and he followed soon after, moaning her name against the arch of her neck.
Spent and exhausted, Kakashi pulled out of her before he let her feet touch the ground again. He was thankful to the dark. He must have looked like an idiot, because he could not stop smiling. And an idiot he was.
He kissed her back when she took initiative, lazily stroking his tongue against hers before sucking on it lightly. The woman started to giggle, pushing him away.
"I should go back," she whispered. "They will wonder where I disappeared to."
Kakashi hummed in agreement, before capturing her in another knee weakening touch of lips. They kissed for a few minutes and then Sakura pulled away again, placing a series of soft pecks against his lips and skin before correcting her clothes and leaving Kakashi in the dark.
As the door closed behind her and Kakashi could no longer hear her footsteps, the man let out a frustrated groan, letting his head fall against the wall.
I really am an idiot.
Sleep evaded the pink woman for the next couple of days. She could not get what had happened out of her head. He had kissed her. Hatake Kakashi had kissed her. It might have seemed like a small thing, but considering the rules of their arrangement – it was monumental.
Sick of the sleep deprivation Sakura decided she did not want to live with the questions keeping her up at night anymore. She had not seen him for almost a week, keeping herself busy with work and figuring that he did the same. Suddenly she felt nauseous, pulling on whatever clothes were thrown over the chair by her bedroom door.
Perhaps Kakashi is avoiding me?
He should have sought her out by now. He usually did. Even before they stared whatever it was that they were doing, he always came looking for her after a couple of days of them being apart. Chewing her lip, Sakura pulled on her boots before walking into the night.
On her way to his apartment a tiny bird flew around her head. It landed on her outstretched arm, letting her take the summoning from its leg. Tsunade requested her immediately. It turned out that they needed her in Suna. It was an emergency and she and Sai were to pack their things and take off as soon as possible. She was required for surgery on no other than the Kazekage's brother. Sai's ability to create giant birds out of ink was of great use. They would be there in no time.
It bothered her that she did not have time to speak with Kakashi before leaving. They really needed to talk about the night at the bar, where they had fucked in the dark – Correction: made love. Because she knew that was what had really happened.
He had kissed her and she had let him. She would have been satisfied if they had not gone further than kissing, which told her something she had known for weeks. She had fallen for him and she was quite sure he felt the same.
Why else would he have kissed me?
The five days she spent in Suna was pure torture. Sakura missed him. She missed him gravely. She missed his smile, the sounds he made and the weight of his arms. She knew that she was in deep and yet she did not care. She did not care that it was Kakashi that she had fallen for. Sure, he had been her teacher once, but he was a good man – a great one even. She could not wait to see him. She wanted to kiss those firm lips again.
As soon as she saw the red gates of her home she ran, telling Sai to leave their report with the Hokage. Sakura hurried down the road, glad she did not have to slow down as it was late and therefore few people out. She jumped up the stairs to his apartment complex, not caring if anyone saw her. Swiftly with a smile on her face, she knocked on his door, but said smile fell as no one answered.
A rapid sound woke her. Sakura flew up from her bed, pulling on her robe as she ran into the living room, making her way into the hallway. She felt excited, but soon disappointment flooded her.
It was not him.
"Hi, Naruto. What are you doing here?" She did not realize she sounded uncharacteristically happy for someone who had just been woken up by a sleep-interrupting visitor.
"Oh, sorry, Sakura-chan, were you asleep? I could come back later if you want to go back to-"
"It's okay. Really," she told him. "Come in. I might as well get something to eat. It's almost noon. Do you want anything?"
"Do you have ramen?"
Sakura laughed.
Later that night, Sakura met up with her friends at their favourite watering hole. Her platinum blonde friend had a strawberry daiquiri waiting for her. It tasted divine.
Three drinks later, Ino pulled her up on the dance floor. Sakura loved dancing, something she claimed not to while sober, but once liquid courage had got the better of her, she dropped all inhibitions. She laughed as she moved her hips to the beat, occasionally being pulled in by Ino who had them swaying in tune.
The fun stopped, when Ino found a tall brunette to grind against. Sakura danced until the song ended and got off the floor to join the others. Halfway over to their table she stopped dead in her tracks, feeling her heart breaking for the first time in years.
There he was as mysterious, broad shouldered and handsome as ever. Only he was not alone. He was sitting next to a woman.
The way they interacted Sakura could tell that they were not just friends. She was a classic beauty with her long, dark hair and fair skin. Her lips painted a ruby red. Her hand was on his thigh, his arm around her shoulders. They were laughing, flirting. They were having a good time.
The woman leaned in to whisper something in his ear. Sakura could see his grin through the fabric of his mask. She did not need to hear what she was telling him to know. Shortly after, the woman rose, excusing herself as she walked over to where the restroom was to be found. Kakashi drowned his drink before standing up. He stopped abruptly on his way out when he saw her. Sakura saw a flicker of something unreadable in his dark eyes.
Kakashi stood still for a moment before he stated walking towards her again. Sakura prepared herself for what was to come. A gasp left her when he did not stop. He walked passed her. He did not even greet her.
Her eyes burned when she stormed after him, but she did not let her tears fall. There would be no tears. He stood with his back to her a few steps away. It was cold outside. Her jacket was still in the pub, but she did not care.
She walked up to him, noticing he was looking at the sky.
"Leave," he said. It shocked her.
"What?" She loathed the hurt in her voice.
"Leave. We're not doing this. Not tonight."
"I don't understand. Kakashi, what is going on?"
He could hear the anger in her voice, so he swallowed. Hard. He needed to get rid of the lump. "What's not to understand, Sakura? I want you to leave."
"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what the hell is happening."
Kakashi sighed, moving a stiff hand through his hair. "I guess you should feel free to stay here as long as you want to, but I'm not going to. I'm leaving. Soon."
"Are you going home with her?"
Silence.
"Are you?"
"What is it to you?"
"Answer the question."
"Yes."
It was like a kunai to her chest.
"Why?"
"Isn't it obvious?" He faked a chuckle.
"I don't understand. What are you-?" She swallowed. "Don't leave with her." Please.
"You have no say in anything I do. Don't you remember, Sakura? It was just sex. Nothing else. No strings attached. You said so yourself."
She could not fight them anymore. Traitorous and burning they ran down her cheeks. She did not believe she made a sound but she must have, as Kakashi's eyes suddenly locked with hers.
"Go home." Stern and final.
"Don't do this, Kakashi. Please."
He did not answer. He just looked away.
Sakura reached out to touch him, but his arm flinched as her cold fingers made contact with his skin. He took a step back and she followed. He did not move a second time.
"Come with me," she told him. It was not a question. It was not even a demand. She did not know what it was. "I've missed you. Please, don't do this to me."
His gaze was emotionless, but she knew him better than that. He would have left already if he really wanted to be rid of her.
Sakura brought a shivering hand to his cheek. She searched his eyes, finding nothing but grave concentration there. He did not stop her when she pulled down his mask.
It was short but the kiss told him everything he needed to know. Everything she did not have the guts to say.
It broke his heart.
"Please, Kakashi. I know this is what you really want."
"You know nothing."
"I'm not a fool," she argued, stroking his jaw with her thumb. It was as if he let her take in his features. As if it was the last time he ever would.
When he snorted and shook his head. "Don't you see, Sakura? That is exactly what you are."
Her touch left him in a heartbeat. His words burned her, causing her physical harm.
"You don't mean that."
"I do."
She could not deny what she saw.
"Then why did you kiss me? Why did you let me kiss you again just now?" He could see she could not match the pieces together. Why had he kissed her like that in the dark if he did not mean anything by it? He did not tell her that they both knew the answer to the question. He was an idiot.
"Heat of the moment."
"Liar."
"That I am, but not tonight. Go home, Sakura, or go back inside. Either way, I'm not coming with you."
That did it. She pushed against his chest, causing him to stagger before she turned back inside the bar for her things. For the second time that night, Sakura came to an abrupt halt.
By the door stood the woman. The beautiful and elegant woman Kakashi had decided to trade her for. An ironic smile crept to her lips, as she turned around to face him once more. He realized she had seen it.
The woman's eyes were green. They were almost the same shade as hers.
"You're a coward," Sakura spat before marching past the woman to retrieve her jacket. The torn expression between anger and hurt that flashed over Kakashi's hidden features pleased her more than she wanted to admit, but it did not mean it did not pain her to see him that way.
He was a lying coward and she was a fool. She was a fool to believe him and to not trust her instincts. She was a fool that should have known better than to get involved with an emotionally damaged man.
There was no sign of Kakashi or the tall woman when Sakura made it outside, but she did not have the energy to care. All she wanted was to go home. She cursed the part of her that hurt when she did not find him outside her door or waiting for her on her couch. She cried as she removed her makeup and laughed when she realized how pathetic it must have looked. She stripped herself of her clothes, leaving her in nothing but her panties, not bothering to put anything else on. She was just going to bed anyway.
She left the light in the bathroom on and entered her bedroom where a shriek was torn from her throat. Someone was sitting on her bed and it was only as his hand closed over her mouth that she realized who it was.
Embarrassed and angered she covered herself, noticing he was not looking. His eyes stared right back at hers.
"What the hell are you doing in my apartment? Leave. I don't want you here."
"I'm not a coward." He was angry. It pleased her.
"You came here to tell me that?" She could not believe it. Her voice was filled with rage. "Out of all the things you could say, the things you should say, you decide to tell me that? You didn't come here to apologize. You didn't come here to tell me you're a moron and that you regret everything you did tonight. You didn't even come here to tell me that we are through. No, you came to tell me you aren't a coward, all because of your stupid, idiotic pride and not because you love me and want to prove me wrong-"
Sakura was not finished, but Kakashi did not have the patience to let her continue. She noticed she was crying the moment she tasted salt on his lips, undeniably her own tears. She pushed him away, focusing on her heaving breathing as the cloud obscuring her mind cleared.
"Leave."
"No." He moved in to kiss her again but Sakura's arm shot out, keeping him on a safe distance.
"I said, leave."
"I can't do that." His voice was small. It did not fit him.
"Don't do this to me, Kakashi. Don't toy with me. Leave me alone."
"I can't."
"Why?" she asked. The word wobbled on her tongue, as he removed her hand from his chest, only to place a soft kiss on her pulse point. She closed her eyes, finding his staring back into her own when she opened them.
He breathed in, exhaling loudly before he spoke. "Because, just like you, Sakura. I got caught in the strings."
A/N: I am not entirely sure that this deserves a M-rating, not in comparison to other pieces that you might find on this site, but it is still a little too much to be a T.
I hope that you guys enjoyed it! Let me know what you think.