Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
Book I
Chapter 3: The Best Friend
It was the next morning when Sakura woke up bright and early hammering on about how she absolutely needed to go back to Matsumoto's for breakfast while Kakashi laid, dead to the world on her bed, hands over his ears hoping to nurse a hangover and escape the dreadful cheerfulness in her voice. His body desperately begged for much needed rest.
And in the end she won. He found himself sitting across from her in the restaurant, hair even more-so disheveled than usual, with a slight defeated look about him. Tiredly, he drank his miso soup.
The boys were very insistent, persistent, everything -sistent on drowning in beer and sake that previous night. In part celebratory and in part idiocy. Despite the havoc they wreaked in her humble abode, she was relieved that she had the team on their side.
"Well I'll be damned," she smiled at him over her miso soup, absolutely beaming at the positive developments of the mission, "I can't believe we're actually getting away-"
As swift as he could muster, he groggily took her hand and brought it up against his clothed lips, causing her to freeze mid-sentence. The chaste, intimate gesture wasn't a kiss, but it was awfully close and it still shocked her. "with being out in the open. Like I assured you, it was for the best." his eyes crinkled, but she could already feel his mild annoyance in his nonchalant tone that only she could detect.
'Oh.. that's right.' she reminded herself. They were now out in public and she was about to blurt out classified information. When eyes and ears were everywhere. It was too early in the morning for her to be perceptive, but she mentally berated herself for being so reckless. She wasn't usually this bad at lucrative missions.
'Sakura, this mission requires all kinds of touching so tough up your shit.' her dark spirit screeched at her. She had to get use to this and fast.
"I know, I should listen to you." she scrunched up her nose before flashing him a smile. And she made a decision. Her thumb began to rub the ridges of his knuckles and he began to soften in response, allowing their joined hands to rest comfortably on the table.
How she was still so innocent after all this time, he had no idea.
"But you never do." the left side of his mouth lifted upward in a crooked smile.
"And I never will." She mused as she continued to caress his hand, finding her role easier to play. This wasn't so bad. "So what shall we do on this beautiful day, Sensei?"
Before he could make a reply, the walls began to shake violently and the ground trembled below their feet, disturbing the potted plants and perfectly hung paintings. A sudden, strong wind blew inside the restaurant with a high pitched hum, causing the couple to shield their eyes from the forceful, heavy gust. Once everything settled down, Sakura went on high alert and frantically jerked her head side to side to survey the grounds.
'Are we under attack? Is Hanran on to us already? Did I slip up that bad?!' She looked towards Kakashi for guidance, only to find him looking quite.. bothered. His cheeks were curled in a small grimace as he plucked a small leaf from his unruly silver hair. The top of his brow began to spasm in an arrhythmic pattern. There was only one person in this entire village who was responsible of said twitch.
He had come.
"There is nothing more beautiful than romance in our springtime of youth!" the deep baritone reverberated,
"Yo." Kakashi begrudgingly half-saluted their unwanted guest with sleepy, apathetic eyes. The Green Beast of Konoha was standing proudly at the head of their table, fists at his hips and wide chest protruding. If he had a cape, it'd blow in the indoor wind.
How he was able to cause an earthquake, she had no idea. "Good morning, Gai-sensei." Sakura greeted with a somewhat frantic giggle, her tone a bit more high pitched than normal as she wiggled her hand free from her Sensei's grasp.
She never thought it'd ever happen. Never in a million years. She was nervous in front of Might Gai. Completely and utterly nervous. And not because of his taijutsu prowess. No, because this was the best friend. And the best friend's word was law.
"Oh, it is a good morning." his burly brows danced, "I won't be interrupting you lovebirds any longer. I'll see you at the tavern tonight, my eternal rival." and with that he left. He said less than five sentences and left, leaving the two agape in their spots. This was unlike the boisterous, busybody he was.
Conversation was short yet it did not mask the dark thunder clouds looming in his words, foreshadowing the events to come. Kakashi knew the man well. It wasn't simply an invite. It was a threat. His forever rival was probably immersed in an emotion that most frequented their relationship. Gai was upset with him. Kakashi sighed.
"Can we nap after breakfast?" Sakura quietly asked. The previous delight she felt after their success with the team vanished as it started to settle in that that was just one mountain to move. And now the long list of people they had to deceive seemed endless: her friends, Sensei's friends, her entire freakin' clan. Not to mention. she still had to meet up Ino in a couple hours.
The more she spent with her Sensei preparing for a mission of his calibre, the more she found herself tired. No wonder he took so many naps. His life was so tiring.
He simply nodded. It was far too much effort to speak. Yes. Yes, they shall nap.
The pink-haired kunoichi sat on a corner bar stool doing her best to contain her impatience. Ino had postponed their girl talk twice already and on top of that she was thirty minutes late. It was ten o'clock. Again, they were suppose to meet at six.
Sakura knew it was completely on purpose. Her vindictive female partner in crime was planning on punishing her excruciatingly slow. But she understood. If her blonde soulmate had kept the same secret Sakura probably would have shaved her bald. With little to no remorse. So she complied to every delayed text message, every cold one word reply of insanity and every minute that went by sitting in their lounge- the usual place they'd go to drown their sorrows, vent and share themselves with one another. Drunkenly.
She needed the extra time to psyche herself up anyway. She knew Ino was planning on asking every question in the book and scrutinize Sakura's every reaction. Whatever the hell that Hanran group was, they had nothing on Ino. She would probably be the hardest hurdle to cross. The body possessor could smell a lie from Sakura a mile away.
"What the hell are you wearing, Forehead?" the long haired blonde spoke obnoxiously loud in her ear, causing Sakura to jump. She turned to see Ino dressed in a dark plum bodycon dress that hugged her voluptuous figure, her hair was curled in large waves, but held up in her usual high ponytail.
Sakura repressed the urge to roll her eyes, "I'm in my uniform, Pig. A shinobi must always be prepared."
"Whatever." Ino shoved a white bag her way, "Put it on."
"What?" Sakura was confused. A gift? Was this a bomb?
"Just do it." her tone wasn't as angry at she expected it to be. More dejected and was that a hint of forgiveness she heard? Like a friend giving way of her emotions for the sake of friendship, "I'll order us a round."
Sakura smiled, admiring the profound, deep and kind understanding emanating the blonde. Ino was so much more mature than she expected. Perhaps even more so than herself. Filled with good thoughts, she opened the parcel and her eyes widened, instantly taking back all the positive admirations she had for the sadist. Her mouth opened as she pulled out the item appalled. It was her worst fear.
'Damnit, Pig.'
It was the little black dress from hell! This was string! Floss. Not clothes. Two pieces of tiny cloth held together by straps and more, confusing, less than modest straps, holes and things that Sakura did not wear. Not only that she did not wear, but she had never worn her entire life. How was she suppose to even fit in this thing? Observing every detail of her friend waving down the bartender, she knew this was mercy. A mercy that could turn sour without her cooperation. With much reluctance, she left towards the bathroom.
The eternal rivals were both sitting in their usual spot at the tavern. Way in the back for privacy and beside a large window for scenery. Kakashi sat slouched over the table, both arms folded, elbows propping him up. He was beginning to feel aged and tired as the green one lounged back in the wooden chair, one arm smugly resting on the table while the other clutched a half drunken beer on his lap. He was looking at him. He wouldn't stop looking at him. Like the giddy, pompous asshole he was.
And to top it all off, he hadn't said a word to him. Nothing. They simply met up, sat down and ordered their usual round with penetrating eye contact paired with an all knowing smile as his only acknowledgment of the masked man. Kakashi did his best to look unaffected, but his annoyance was transparent through his breath.
"So, she's twenty."
Kakashi sighed. Here we go. "Ah, must've slipped my mind."
"Well it's wonderful you have me to remind you." he smirked.
When you can't attack, you distract. "Think you're up for challenge number four-hundred and thirty seven? We can play rock, paper, scissors? Or... see who can drink their beer the fastest?" An offer he had never volunteered.
Gai dismissed temptation, "And you're thirty... you are thirty-" his voice raised in question, seeking for his comrade to finish his sentence.
He dryly took the cue. "We're the same age."
"Oh, you're twenty-five too?"
Kakashi's temples began to throb, at this point, unwilling to hide his severe dislike for the man.
"So how long have you been sleeping with your Sensei without telling me?" Ino bluntly asked, twirling the red straw in her martini trying to fish for a loose olive, as Sakura's uncomfortable fidgeting with her dress in her seat came to a halt.
Whoa, she started with the big guns. She ignored her discomfort and placed a guilty hand on her friend's leg, her green eyes pleading with blue. "I've been dating him for a year. And I would have told you, but honestly we just really figured things out recently. It was all a mess for so long."
"I could have helped you with that mess."
"I know."
"Well, thanks for the beer." Kakashi mustered some type of cheer in his usual tenor and rose from his seat, "I've got to go."
"Sit down, comrade." Gai commanded, extending the last word on his tongue.
That caused Kakashi to pause. Comrade? Not eternal rival? Slowly he complied, returning to his seat. Kakashi's brows knitted together in apprehension as he motioned towards the waitress for another round, preparing for the long night ahead. A serious Gai was something he knew was unavoidable without agonizingly loud consequence. Believe it or not, as much as he disdained deep conversation, opting to stay and talk was the better of two evils.
"I have a feeling that this one is different." he stated. "She's different from the others, right?"
"Sakura is quite unique. For instance, she has pink hair." he reasoned, fully knowing it wasn't the answer Gai sought.
"You're kinda an ass with women."
"I suppose so. However, you're-."
"I'm youthful awesomeness, and don't you forget it." he interrupted before letting the silver one get the better of him. But little did he know he had just set himself up for the kill.
"In the process of doing so already."
'Damnit. Every. Single. Time.' Gai cringed. "I know what you're doing! And your attempts to distract me with cool comebacks are in vain!" he pointed an all accusing finger, "You are horrible to ladies."
"I always make my intentions clear." Kakashi knew he didn't exactly have the best track record, but he believed he did so responsibly. Also, he hadn't been involved with anyone for a long while. He couldn't even remember the last time...
"Exactly, you're an ass. Your youthful fountain is all dried up. You have no fountain."
"Like you're any better." he snorted. Gai was a current whore and everyone knew this.
"She's your student, Kakashi."
"Before you describe to me the curvature of his penis, tell me about how it happened. How you two... happened."
They had already moved on to shots. Sakura threw her head back and took in the tequila properly. And like she memorized, she told the story. They went to the Land of Iron and it sort of happened. They tried to ignore it when they returned to the village, but they couldn't. And with how not dangerous the world was now, they thought it was time.
Ino was silent for a moment, absorbing all the information. All time stood still as Sakura stared at her with buzzed discernment hoping the girl would buy it.
And she surprised her. "I knew it was going to happen."
"What?" the question came out faster than she could bite her tongue.
"Please." she scoffed, "You've always done everything you could to get him to acknowledge your ass. Always complaining about his neglect when all he did was set you on a path he knew he couldn't deliver. Why did you join Anbu when you're a medic? Most of those missions are solo."
"I wanted a challenge." she defended.
"You love the lab. You've hated missions since the war."
Sakura knew there was a reason why she joined. She just couldn't remember at the moment. It was probably the liquor impairing her memory. But that didn't explain why she could clearly remember her Sensei's expression of pride when she passed her exam... "Point taken."
"And you're always at his place. Or he's at yours. And you're never at Naruto's. Or Sasuke's. And I know for sure don't go to Sai's."
"Kakashi's home is clean."
"You two take care of each other. I mean really take care of each other. And notice everything about the other."
"We have to take care of one another."
"You guys have practically been a couple the last few years. Just without the sex. But now since you guys are having all kinds of awesome sex-"
"Pig!" She closed her eyes and lifted her hands to her ears willing the conversation to stop.
"Why are you so defensive?" Ino eyed her questioningly. It didn't go unnoticed that everything the blonde was saying was receiving constant contradiction and there was only one logical explanation she could think of. "Are you two fighting?"
Sakura suppressed the urge squirm from her seat. So obviously it didn't take much to convince the blonde, even though she was charmingly unnecessarily/overly defensive. She couldn't help it! But damnit, what was wrong with her. She needed to get her subconscious to cooperate! If someone from Hanran were in the bar, she wouldn't blame them for throwing a katon her way for being ridiculously suspicious. She was ruining the mission when Ino was buying her story with very little effort on her part. 'Get it together, Haruno.'
"Yeah, we kind of got in a little fight earlier," she bluffed, "but all this stuff you're saying. I haven't really thought about it that way." Sakura said honestly. Honesty was the only way her friend would believe her.. and for her to believe herself, "I know we're together and all, but we've both been really dense, you know? It still feels all new.."
"You know, I was really upset that you didn't tell me." the hurt in her voice was apparent, "but I thought about it, and thought about it and thought about it some more and it really made sense, you two. If there was any guy out there that could handle you, it'd be that guy. Or should I say that man. That sexy man."
"She's you're student." Gai repeated. "I know you're not taking advantage of her. But I am wondering if you're sincere about this. You know, thought it through. You don't usually think things through with matters dealing with.. well, people. A lot of bad can happen." he warned.
Kakashi sat a little straighter in his chair, slightly taken aback by the unexpected lecture. He assumed the delicate man was upset that he had kept it secret from him like how the boys felt last night. The last thing he expected was tonight to be a a life lesson on responsibility. But of course he should have known.
There were only two conversations one could have with Might Guy and both involved headaches- eccentric, nonsensical babbles or purposeful life lessons. "I would never take advantage of her."
"People will talk."
"Indeed. People do talk. If they don't they could likely be mute.. or taking a vow of silence. Which I'm possibly considering on doing in the next few seconds."
"They'll talk about her." his index finger pointed towards him seriously, "And she's going to get hurt if your head isn't in the game. Hell, she might get hurt either way."
His pit-less orbs eyed him, hands loosely clasped together on his lap with inhaled breath as he slowly acknowledged the truth in his friend's words. Gossip wasn't something he overlooked as one of the possible repercussions, but he didn't view it as a potential problem because it never was for him. He dealt with these nuisances since he was a child. But Sakura hadn't. And he could understood how the sting of ridicule may affect the kind of person she was.
"I'll protect her." he vowed simply.
The green beast lounged deeper into his chair as if the wood were absorbing him and he smirked with satisfaction. "So she isn't like the others?"
And he just kept going.
Kakashi tiredly hoped that the silence could appease at least one of Gai's questions. Minutes passed and the man across the way began to tap his fingers on the table taking an obvious stance that he was going to wait.
"You're no match for me, my eternal rival."
"Then there's no point in calling me rival." he smirked earning a momentary sulking Gai muttering about how suave and clever the silver-haired one was.
"I can wait here all night. Or several nights." he mustered out.
This was true.
Gai was extremely verbal. The exact opposite of him. Like Sakura, but at least she never made him say things out loud.
There was only one way to end it. Be it the alcohol with a splash of endless questions, Kakashi gave up. With a deep, profound and heavy sigh. "No, she isn't."
"And why is that?"
"Why things happen are never really my business." he replied casually.
"Can we get three more pitchers?" Gai called out to the waitress nearby, his hardened eyes never leaving his friend's. "Trust me, I'm asking for you."
Kakashi sat and waited till his drink was replenished. The golden liquid appeared and he chugged it in it's entirety through his dark mask. "She's important to me." he declared without a hint of awkwardness to his voice.
Gai motioned with his two fingers in a small rotation, urging him to go on.
He sighed, again. Alright. If he had to do this, he might as well put in some minor effort. "She's helped. Especially after the war.. And the funny thing is, she thinks she hasn't done a damn thing for me. Thinks she owes me."
"She doesn't realize what a selfish bastard you really are." Gai joked, appreciating that his friend was finally opening up. It always took him moving a mountain just to get the man to do it. And all this effort was selflessly for his rival. He held up his glass towards the man, and Kakashi slightly snorted through his nose before shaking his head a bit and reluctantly clinked his glass with his comrade.
Sakura was increasingly becoming more uncomfortable. Yeah, he could definitely handle all her moods with charming grace. It took years of practice, along with innate patience and understanding.
But the fact that they seemed to make sense to everyone... Like it was naturally inevitable. Ever since Tsunade had blatantly pointed it out, she adamantly denied it. But it did explain why her boys were so easily consoled. Why her best friend since birth hadn't spoke one word of objection. However, a relationship between her and Sensei didn't make sense to her. They just didn't. This wasn't denial. "He is good looking, isn't he?"
What was she not seeing that everyone else was?
"Please, Sakura. Good looking is all you got? He's delicious. All mysterious and secretive. Plus, word on the street says he really knows what he's doing. And by that, I mean in bed." she smiled wickedly until she realized her mistake. Instantly, a cold aura emanating from the pink one began to penetrate and seep deep into her blonde bones. Suddenly, Ino found her fingers very interesting as she held up her hand to examine her newly painted, crimson nails, doing her best to pretend she didn't say anything at all.
The world stopped revolving. The inner turmoil of their relationship evaporated as an odd boil began to burn in the depths of her, "What do you mean in bed?" her voice was low.
Ino took the hint that perhaps she shouldn't have brought up her best friend's man's past history and hysterically began to giggle, "You two are perfect for each other."
"You've been really attentive to her. More than I've ever seen you with anyone."
Kakashi recognized this. He knew that they spent more nights together in the week than they had apart. After all they've been through together, she brought him comfort. Simply by being there. So naturally, when one spends that much time with another he picked up on stuff. When she was running low on coffee creamer, or aching in a certain spot. So he helped because that was his way of repaying her for thinking of him so much. Because she brought him comfort.
He took a swig of his drink, feeling a slight buzz impair him, "It's easy with her. A lot easier than with you." he pointed with a glass in hand towards his rival.
"I'm offended."
"Apologies. But I meant it to." he smirked.
Gai chuckled and refilled his comrade's glass for the seventh time that night. A drunk Kakashi was much easier to deal with. "Talk it out, my friend."
"She doesn't make me talk it out."
"Perhaps you should."
"It isn't necessary."
"Now I'm really hurt." Gai placed a dramatic hand to his chest, "But you should. Tell her stuff. Women like that."
"What's this word on the street. Where are you getting this info from."
"Oh, I thought you knew." She tried to think of anything she could say to not dig herself in a hole as she giggled more out of panic, "I guess he really is secretive about everything, so I understand why you've kept quiet now.. I heard he's got quite a reputation.. with women." but she wasn't very good at that, "But now he's got you! And you've said it's been a year, so that's a lot longer than anything he's had."
"What has he had?" a stern growl escaped her.
Ino had to fix this before the ex-nin would end up dead in the night, "Dude, he's into you."
Sakura closed her eyes in frustration, willing herself to be less angry and confused.
"Sakura look at me," she held her friend's shoulder and placed her index finger on her chin, "Your Sensei is a cold bastard. But with you, he takes care of you. I've seen you two cuddle up on missions, and let me tell you I've never went that far with Chouji or Shikamaru. We huddle, not cuddle."
They did not cuddle. They huddled too, just in a more comfortable way. And it was never for more than a few minutes, unless there was snow involved. She found herself laughing, feeling a bit better. And a bit worse.
"And the way he looks at you.. It's like you're the only woman to him. And I know for a fact you're the only woman to him." Sakura was feeling even more better and worse from her friend's words, "I haven't heard anything about him for a couple years now. It's either about Gai or Genma or Kiba."
She made a grim face not wanting to hear about any of that, "Gross."
Thank god it was working. Ino decided to going, "I'm a little jealous. I wish someone would look at me and care for me half as much as Kakashi-sensei does for you."
"Don't you have Sai?" Sakura shook her head and laughed.
"Haha, are you kidding me? I guess he looks at me sweet, in a creepy way, but he's still in training. You have no idea how much I have to take care of that useless guy. But he does have such great aspects." Ino exaggerated the 'ass' in aspects.
They both giggled, "You know, I thought you were going to be more pissed than this."
"I was. Then I thought about it. Made sense. And you need to get laid. What kind of a friend would I be to get in the way of that?"
Sakura was touched in an odd way. She really did have a great friend. A great, inappropriate and piggish best friend that always had her best interest at heart. "I'm buying all the drinks tonight."
"In that case, let's go to the tavern." Ino said devilishly, "I bet you're man's there anyway."
After her talk with her best friend she began to really see things in a new light. To everyone around her they really seemed was possible. They looked possible. Could it be possible? "Let's."
With the alcohol penetrating his system, he realized something. He didn't open up to her often, but he did do something along the lines.
His daily morning and night trips he made to the marbled memorial to share his day with his people, it had mostly been about their day together. His and Sakura's. Or what his concerns were, which had recently dealt a lot with her. He spoke about her often. More often than he realized. In a way he had never done before with anyone else.
"I tell them about her." he said out loud, not directly to his friend in particular, but in affirmation to himself.
Gai quietly watched as the wheels turned in his friend's head. He did it. After all his poking and prodding he finally made the stoic asshole dig further than the surface. Now, he exhaled and basked in his accomplishment. All he wanted to do was do right by his rival tonight and have him truly acknowledge his wonderfully blessed situation. Yeah, Gai knew he was irritating, but he acknowledged that was simply a character trait. And so what if he used it to his advantage at times. He cared about his friend, and he wanted to make sure he recognized his true feelings for the good woman in his life so he could settle down. He didn't want Kakashi to end up closing himself up or self-destructing due to unresolved feelings, as he always had done in the past.
The peak of their challenges increased with hard times. After the loss family, the parting of Kakashi's whole team, the tragedy of Gai's genius student four years ago and among other lives that meant so much to the both of them.. This pair was ultimately the silent, suffering type and only sought distraction with one another as a source of solace. But this situation was a different one entirely. There was no loss, no heartbreak, no unyielding guilt.
There was a silver lining in all of their unbound misery and Gai was sure as hell going to help his friend secure a bit of happiness despite the chaotic world they had endured. Now they had peace and Kakashi no longer had an excuse.
"Can we get six shots of tequila? Yes, this is all for two people." the loud, obnoxious, somewhat slurred speech came from a familiar drunken voice.
"Speak of the devil." Gai was beginning to feel the night was going to be more amusing. So he poured Kakashi another glass of beer. Both men looked towards the direction of the bar at the commotion. There was Ino practically dressed in nothing, as usual. And there was her accomplice. His dear, sweet student dressed in... practically nothing as well.
He lifted a curious brow. In his intoxication, Kakashi brazenly eyed her from head to toe. The girl he knew either wore his sweats or her uniform on a daily basis. But here was this woman, just fifteen feet away, her modest, full breasts spilling from a black strapless dress so tight and short it left little to the imagination. Small cut outs on her torso exposed her soft, porcelain, albeit, scarred skin that he found admirable. Her long, lean legs were endless. Interestingly enough, she hadn't an ounce of make up on. He felt amused knowing she was probably pressured into the get up and he couldn't help but feel gratitude towards Ino at the moment. Just as he was appreciating her front view, she dropped her purse and as she turned to bend down he couldn't help but enjoy how the fabric barred exactly how wide her hips were and how plump her tight-
"Do you see how everyone's looking at those two?" Gai broke his thoughts, again, mischievously topping off their glasses with more alcohol knowing his friend could possibly create a scene soon.
He reluctantly tore his eyes away to survey the grounds. Kakashi frowned. There wasn't a single male not attentive to what he was seeing. He felt the sudden urge to shield her from their perverted, penetrating eyes.
"So.. now that she's right in front of you, what do you think of her?"
"She needs to cover up." he cursed under his breath, taking a deep swig from his glass.
"Don't you find her beautiful?"
"Well, I'm sure the whole village finds her attractive." Kakashi replied casually, gesturing to everyone in the bar.
"I'm not asking about the whole village," he probed harder, ""What about her do you find attractive?"
He shifted and though his mind was hazy he took the time to think. He had been trying to figure out what made him attracted to her as a woman, and there was actually something about her that always set his ego ablaze. "Her wit."
"You've got to be kidding me." he said in disbelief.
"She challenges me." he said simply with a shrug.
"Come on, is that all you can say about that woman?" Gai pointed his index finger right towards her direction. Ino was whispering in her ear causing the pink-haired one to laugh so fully her smile spread to her eyes.
He sat pensive as he felt the same emotion brim inside every time he saw her laugh. He felt content. Accomplished. "She laughs like that."
Others may view her constant emotional vulnerability as a weakness, but he saw it as a strength. Something the great Kakashi was not capable of. It was courageous of her to always put her feelings out there on the line, risking heartbreak at every turn, but she did it anyway. And earnestly. Sakura never hesitated in pursuing happiness, while it had always been a constant struggle for him. For many shinobi. She was braver in ways she hadn't realized. He found her truly admirable.
"What does she mean to you, Kakashi?"
"She's always meant something to me. She's my priority."
He was getting closer. "How is it any different now?"
The words were flowing more easily now. "I do indeed care about her, Gai. More than myself. For a while now. I'm going to do right by her." he downed the rest of his bitter drink, watching her intently. "I'm going to ask her to marry me."
Gai spluttered out his beer in surprise, his eyes brimming with tears. "Damnit, Kakashi. Why do you have to be so cool?" His barrage of questions were over and he couldn't help but feel an outpour of pure delight burst inside.
"Kakashi-san?" the familiar, soft spoken, female tone called both men's attention.
Sakura in her dizzy inebriation knew where he was even before walking through the door. He was a habitual man, and no one in the village would ever attempt to take the powerful rivals' usual table. By the unwanted looks of appreciation she got from piggish men all night, she was sure his particular set of perverted, onyx eyes were staring her way, but she had been very mindful to play this game well. She pretended he wasn't there when she approached the bar, careful to not look his way, ensuring her voice was loud enough to get him to notice her. She wasn't sure of what she was doing, but simply moved in accordance to her instincts.
She took it a step further and deliberately dropped her bag, taking her sweet time picking it up. She was probably gaining an audience, but in her drunken stupor she knew what she wanted.
And she wanted his full attention on her.
Ino laughed at her friend's antics, knowing what her goal was, before motioning to the bar for more tequila shots, "Good job, Sakura."
And in an instant her self gratifying moment sizzled out. The praise she was receiving from her scandalous friend was not comforting her resolve and the ten seconds of insanity passed. Perhaps this wasn't the way to go. She sighed to herself, 'Sakura, go home.'
Her brows furrowed in concern for herself as she finally turned his way with a sigh, deciding it was best for him to take her home now before her problematic instincts got the better of her. Another step in the mission had already been accomplished, and she was ready to rest for the next.
And that's when she saw it. Teuchi's daughter Ayame approaching Kakashi with a look in her eyes that Sakura recognized so well. Longing. The ramen wench stood and addressed the man and he regarded her with his usual polite smile.
'Stop smiling at her.' her demon glowered. Sakura noted that the apples of his exposed cheeks were a hazy pink, exposing the fact of his intoxicated state.
She squinted her eyes in thought. This looked oddly familiar and it didn't sit well with her. Women approaching an unusually rouge colored silver-haired nin as he nonchalantly acknowledged them courteously from his table. Subtle but unmistakeably familiar.. Had she seen this interaction before and just didn't pay any heed to his manwhorish treachery? She had a strong feeling this had happen and that she had seen this many times. Perhaps Ino was right. Kakashi had been a sneaky womanizer under her nose and she hadn't a clue until that moment. She was sure she had seen this before. And for some reason, she was pissed.
"Ino, get more liquor." Sakura bitterly requested and she downed the drink in her hand, leaning her back on the bar, elbows resting on the high table behind her to clearly watch the scene before her play with unblinking eyes. Her mouth curled downward in distaste as she so brazenly watched the both of them, unaware of all the stares she had been receiving from people.
Just then, his eyes found hers from across the room. And he kept staring at her with playful eyes despite the fact that another woman was right in front of him much to Sakura's satisfaction. He cocked his head ever so slightly to the left in amusement and she just knew that he was smirking underneath that mask of his.
She couldn't help the smile play on her own lips. She returned the expression with a smiling scoff as she looked to the side for a moment before returning his gaze. His grin widened, head still titled to the side as he regarded her. God, in that moment he looked so... she couldn't put a label on it. She hadn't thought about it before but there was something about this man. Something that made her shiver in anticipation. His steadiness, nonchalant casualness that seemed untouchable to everyone, his mysterious nature was quite- Sakura was about to list on, until he turned his smile back to the brunette. She frowned.
That was when she realized she was met with no reply, "Ino, alcohol. Want. Now." she incoherently demanded as she looked around her only to find the blonde was no where to be found. Damnit.
"Will this do?" A drink slid her way on the bar table from her right. The sickening, greasy voice, she knew all too well.
"Go away, Yuichi." she easily brushed off, too busy at the moment with her feelings of contempt for someone else.
"Yo." Kakashi courteously greeted. Through his peripherals he kept Sakura in his line of vision while grinning internally. If he played this well he was sure his precious little student would exhibit a beautiful, yet very pertinent, reaction. He had to tread carefully. "What brings you by?"
"Anou.. are you free to talk?" Ayame's small voice was barely over a whisper.
"Of course." and he waited, omnisciently predicting what she was going to say next.
"I was hoping if I could speak to you privately?" she batted her brown eyes slowly.
'Good girl.' he praised to himself. He had played this drunken dance with the ramen waitress one too many times. With her timid voice, innocent demeanor and pretty face- there were quite a few shinobi who fell for her charms. She was the exact opposite of the hard, rough brutality they were use to. And this seemingly meek woman used her appeal and used it well. She was what most of the nin considered a groupie of sorts. And she was playing the part he expected.
So was his fiesty pink-haired student. Despite the situation of another woman just two feet away from his presence, he couldn't help himself. He needed to see her. Needed to see how fun she looked. With an already amused expression he turned her way and he was pleasantly rewarded with the pink-haired hellion now faced exactly in their direction, arrogantly leaning on the bar behind her with a don't-mess-with-me air about her. He cocked to the side curiously from her blatant reaction. Tiny hairs from his forearm began to raise from the intensity of her glare and he was sure the whole bar, that was currently watching the both of them, could feel the tension she was creating. In his drunken state he was unable to hide how interesting this was to him. He flashed her a smile and he felt himself exhale as he was rewarded with her returning his with a distant smirk.
"I'm afraid that she would find objection to that," Kakashi regretfully returned his eyes to the brunette, not feeling the need to gesture towards his woman at the bar. He was sure Ayame was very aware of Sakura's presence, "but you may speak to me here." he kindly offered.
Ayame warily almost turned to face the bar, but her meekness fell on Gai, unable to face the pink hulk-like kunoichi. Gai seemed to suddenly find great interest in his reflection in his beer glass. If it were any other situation he would have excused himself, but with his rival's current woman in the same bar with his past.. fling, he knew his spot should remain right where he was. And Ayame decided that if this was the only way she could talk to him, she should take the opportunity while she could. They hadn't been involved in a while, but it didn't bother her much because she knew he wasn't with anyone as of late. But since she found out about Sakura...
"I'm happy for you." she proclaimed albeit a bit dishonestly, "I understood when I pursued you it was completely one-sided. And you did your best to humor me."
"Apologies, Ayame-san. I didn't mean for you to get hurt." he meant sincerely.
"No, you told me you were incapable of anything serious. I knew the risks." she put a gentle hand to his shoulder and subtly began to kneed the firmness of his muscles. He eyed her suspiciously. "But you are capable. I'm glad you found someone."
"I suppose that deserves a thank you." Kakashi uncomfortably took her hand on him and gently let go. Once upon a time he had responded to her advancements. But that was different time and he was different man.
Ayame decided to play on her innocence facade. She shifted to the side and clumsily tripped over air, allowing herself to fall close to the masked man, hoping he would catch her. "Kakashi-san!" she shrieked.
"Whoopsies." And Kakashi decided to go on a whim and let her fall. And down she went. It wasn't uncommon for people to fall, he reasoned. Especially in a bar setting. He suspected it was a nightly occurrence and didn't feel the need to intervene and let nature take it's course.
He just didn't think she'd do what she did next. Ayame pulled herself onto her knees and in front of him, between his legs while using his thighs as leverage. A daunting picture he had seen a few years ago. "Is there anything I can do for you?"
'Ah, how inconvenient.' He knew this looked as bad as he thought it did. Quickly, he took her hands and placed them on the table to help her independently prop herself up, casually positioning his legs closed and away from her direction. She almost glared at him, standing up on her own accord.
Kakashi looked over to Sakura hoping she didn't notice them, but he saw something he didn't like. He frowned. This was an unexpected hinderance to his plan. There was that Chichi fellow standing next to his student, with his perfectly pressed uniform, hair perfectly smoothed into a comb over and hitae-ate around his neck to not mess up his perfect style. He hated that the most about the guy. How the shallow, narcissistic idiot ended up in Anbu, let alone dated Sakura, baffled him.
"I know you, Kakashi." her meek declaration spoke a hair louder than her usual tone.
"Hn." he responded, not paying attention as he continued to scrutinize the blonde idiot.
The man then started to lean a little too suggestively towards her, striking a possessive chord deep inside him. But sure enough, he found pleasant satisfaction that she pushed him in blatant disgust and repeatedly pointed towards Kakashi's direction.
'That's my girl.' he prided.
Ayame's sweet voice melted into sudden boldness in her last attempts to gain his attention, "You've never settled yourself with one woman for too long. If it doesn't work out or if you're ever tired of her, my door is always-"
"Not needed." he finally turned to regard her one last time, "I do quite enjoy using her door. Thanks for the well wishes. They are.. mildly appreciated. If you're finished, I believe it's time for me to take her home." he casually pointed a thumb towards his feisty, pink-haired woman.
"I'm not done."
"Back the fuck off!" came a shrill yell from the other side of the bar as Sakura pushed Yuichi five feet away from her, his large body ricocheting off a nearby wall .
"I'm not sure you've noticed, but Sakura's got quite a nasty temper." Kakashi said delightfully as he stood and placed a strong hand on Gai's shoulder, motioning to him that he had other things to attend to. Gai nodded bemusedly, in full understanding. "I've learned that she's a possessive little thing, so it's best if you and I-"
"remain friends?" she finished hopefully.
"That's optimistic, but I'm afraid the answer is no." he casually responded, his eyes focused on his target, "Now, if you'll excuse me I've got an angry kitten in need of taming." he politely passed her with a nod and walked towards the bar.
"How have you been, my beautiful pet?" his slimy voice asked.
She always hated his chosen endearment for her. "If you're going to be an ass, you should go."
"Well, It's a great thing I'm not an ass." he smiled exposing his perfectly straight, white teeth, "I just wanted to see how you're doing. I haven't heard from you in a while."
"It's been a year." she filled in, finally turning herself towards him. "And who's fault is that, anyway?"
"So you've been counting?" his smile widened.
"Only because I like to count my blessings." she bit, feeling pleasured by his deep frown. Her three month relationship with this asshole was the most regretful experience of her life. That cheating, deceitful bastard deserved nothing from her.
Yuichi took the opportunity to close the gap between them and leaned himself towards her small stature, "I'd like to think you were something I'd count as a blessing. Sakura, I've missed you."
"Please." she instantly scoffed, laughing to herself while inching her head away from him. "You could have fooled me with all the girls you've been hooking up with."
"Only to try to forget about you." the bastard gained the confidence to press his lower half against hers, and she could feel a disgusting bulge hit her hips.
She pushed him off appalled by his actions and pointed repeatedly towards the direction of her Sensei who was looking right their way and not at the slutty ramen bitch falling all over him.
Good. He should only look her way. And why she was thinking this, she had no idea. "Try that again and he'll make sure you'll regret it."
Yuichi followed her finger to find the legendary man before he met his gaze. "Oh, that's right. I did hear about you dating the old man."
"The white hair is genetic." she rolled her eyes, "And he's a far better man than you'll ever be."
"Do you remember what kind of man I was?" his voice was clinging with disgusting innuendo she could feel the bile burn her throat. Again, he stepped closer invading her space. "Sakura, we always had an amazing time together."
"Back the fuck off!" she yelled, using all her might to push his large body back and he collided with a wall.
He was in shock. No one had ever rejected him! He was a living, breathing adonis for goodness sakes! "I always knew you were fucking around with that old man behind my back."
She rebuked, glaring fire his way. "He and I happened after you."
"That's bullshit and you know it! I bet as soon as you and I were over you jumped into bed with him. Hell, he slept over more times than I ever had when we were together no less!"
"I think you should get your facts checked, because your ass was the one who cheated on me! And he stayed with me because his apartment was infested with bugs!" She hated bugs!
"You spent more time with him. You always put him first!"
"That's-" she paused angrily, "true! Of course, I'd put him first!"
"Figures. I don't even know what you see in the guy when you could have had someone as handsome as me!" And that was the moment Kakashi appeared behind the idiot, looking completely unaffected, hands in pockets, but there was a slight sparkle of amusement in his dark eyes.
Sakura smirked, meeting her Sensei's apathetic gaze before returning to look at the idiot. Yuichi was in trouble now. "Watch what you're saying if you know what's good for you."
But Kakashi had a feeling Chichi wasn't going to listen. And that he wasn't going to lift a finger to stop him. Not when his fiery student was standing there looking as if she were going to start a war all on her own. He leaned back on a post, taking advantage of his prime spot and getting himself comfortable for the show she was going to create.
"And you were always out of the village because of the weak bastard. To help him train? Were you spreading those sweet legs of yours to help stroke his pathetically weak ego?" Her mouth dropped, stunned that he had the audacity to say such filth. And the bastard kept going feeling immense enjoyment from making her speechless, "Think about it, after he lost that little eye trick of his, Kakashi is nothing. He's a joke."
She was going to destroy him! With all the power she could muster without her gloved hand, Sakura punched the him in the nose and he fell crumbled to the floor. She kicked him in the groin earning a well deserved crunch, before bending down to mess up his precious blonde hair.
"You're the fucking joke! You're not even a fraction as strong as Kakashi and you'll never be. You've always been jealous of him, and that was way before you and I. He's seen more glory in three minutes on the battlefield than you have in your entire sorry ass career you prissy son of a bitch. You're pathetic. You're a pathetic weakling! And another thing! You have a small penis-"
A light black cardigan, with an earthy, almond like smell slipped over her trembling shoulders and she became completely docile like a cat wearing a collar.
"Sakura, let's go home." he soothed, affectionately wrapping an arm around her, fully away that all eyes were on them as he cheerfully lead her out of the building.
"Yeah, take her! She's nothing but a fucking trophy." Yuichi struggled to stand upright, "Take the frigid, unresponsive bitch home."
Kakashi paused, his arm muscles twitched in response to the idiot's nonsensical comment. Insults to him he could easily ignore. However, someone daring to say an indignity towards his student in his presence? Everyone in the room stiffened as he continued to lead her away from the scene, not bothering to hide the murderous killing intent casually flowing from him.
"How can you be so calm?" her voice was filled with anger not directed towards him, heedless to his own enmity.
"Years of practice." his eyes crinkled while purposely stopping her right in front of the wide open tavern doors, turning her to face him.
"But it's soo not okay! The horrible things he said in there-"
"I tend to not really listen to what people say. Don't worry about it." he stepped closer, closing the gap between them. "You shouldn't either."
"I am worried! People should just already know how strong you are! After everything you've done and everything you're going to do, they should just-"
'This woman, frigid?' Kakashi was convinced otherwise.
With a swift dip of his head, his lips came crashing hard against hers as he gripped her by her hips, his calloused fingers digging and pinching her exposed skin. He wrapped his large arms tightly around her soft, supple form, drawing her closer into him. And without hesitation she responded.
Sakura enveloped her arms around his neck, roughly tangling her fingers into his silver hair and contoured her every inch to him. He could feel the escalating heat from her body penetrate his thin layers. A pleasured growl escaped him as he felt her channel her anger and fierce protective instinct into his own demanding lips. He nipped, and coaxed for more through the fabric. And she hungered for him. She found herself desperately needing that damned cloth between them to melt away to fully taste him. Delicious warmth pooled and coiled in her stomach, an aching need spreading downward. She moaned against lips and he could feel her sounds of pleasure reverberate in his chest. He found himself suddenly thirsting for strangest desire of wanting her to call out his name in that same tone...
And with that thought he withdrew, his precise, though inebriated, drooped eyes displayed a satisfied man in response to the glazed haze of her emerald orbs as she starred up at him in confusion. Why did he stop? Sakura, in a catatonic state, clicked her tongue to the roof of her mouth repeatedly, noting a weird taste of cotton and old beer on her taste buds.. It wasn't exactly nice.
And now she was quiet. Despite the part of him wanting to continue.. they had quite a large audience gaping at them through the windows. He moved her towards the direction of his home and she wordlessly obliged still lost in a daze.
Without turning, he half-saluted with two fingers in regards to the shocked broken man, with now messy blonde hair, hanging outside the doors. Sakura was the furthest thing from a frigid woman.
And Kakashi was the type of man who expressed himself in action. He hoped that Chichi got the message.
A/N: Review? Thanks. :)
