Hi all, I was so very happy with the reviews I thought I should give you a quick update. I did notice that several more people have me on story alert. Please could you drop me a review next time? Thanks… Well here it is, chapter 3. It is a little short, though longer than the previous chapters. Enjoy.
Chapter 3: The unmasked face of Kakashi Hatake
Tsunade was enjoying her sake even more than usual. She had finally won a bet. A bet which Jiraiya had ensured her that she could never win. How he had been mistaken. Tsunade took out the marriage certificate again. She kissed the paper. Finally, she had won. Even when all odds had been against her.
Shizune couldn't understand what Tsunade was so pleased about. Sure she'd been pleased with herself before, but now she was treating herself to the most expensive sake that money could buy. One thing Shizune did know. If she was this pleased with herself it meant that she had won a rather big gamble.
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Sakura was already waiting at the main gate of Konoha. Kakashi had told her that they would leave that evening, but he had failed to specify exactly when they would leave. Of course the man in question was nowhere to be found when Sakura wanted to ask that. So she had been waiting ever since six o'clock in the evening. The waiting was getting to her. She sat down on the ground, not caring if her behind got dirty or not. Her feet were tired from being stood on all day. "Hurry up Kakashi-sensei", she said softly.
"You should really drop the sensei suffix", Kakashi said.
Sakura could tell that it was Kakashi by the sound of his voice. It was very dark so she couldn't really tell what he was wearing. All that she did know was that it was probably civilian clothing due to the nature of the mission.
"Force of habit", Sakura said. "Besides you were my sensei".
Kakashi nodded.
"I was", he said. "But not anymore".
"But I think it suits you", Sakura said. "I've always called you Kakashi-sensei".
"True", Kakashi said. "But it'll look a little weird if you call your husband sensei".
A blush crept over Sakura's face. He did have a point so she wouldn't argue with him on that. But still it was a lot to take in. Sakura never had a serious relationship with a guy before. The longest was the one with Naruto. That one night when she was drunk. After that she had sworn that she would never drink again. This whole relations thing was all a bit new to her.
"Let's go", Kakashi said, leading the way out of Konoha.
Sakura followed after Kakashi. She had been dreading this mission from the moment she had to sign that marriage certificate. It meant that a lot of embarrassing could and probably would happen. She would be required to do the things couples usually do. Like holding hands and kissing and all sorts of unwanted closeness with her former teacher.
"Kakashi-sensei", Sakura said a little unsure.
"Kakashi without the sensei", Kakashi corrected.
'I'm so going to kill him', Sakura thought after being corrected.
"Kakashi-s…", Sakura tried again. "Why did we leave this late at night. I don't see any logic in this. It would've been much better just to have left when there was still some daylight".
"I have a good reason", Kakashi said.
"A good reason", Sakura said sounding surprised. "Well let's hear it then".
Kakashi cleared his throat. He knew she would yell at him if he told her, but then again she always yelled at him for one reason or another.
"Now you can't see my face", he said casually.
Realisation dawned upon Sakura. His voice sounded less muffled. He really was mask-less and she hadn't even noticed.
"That's the lamest excuse I have ever heard", Sakura said.
It wasn't the excuse that was bothering her. It was the fact that she still hadn't seen his face.
Kakashi didn't bother to respond to that. There wasn't any use to respond anyways.
They walked for several hours before Kakashi decided that they would call it a day.
Sakura had asked him several times for a break, but he had said that it would be better to keep going.
He wanted to finish this mission as quickly as possible.
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Tsunade had send for Jiraiya. It was taking her to long for him to show up on his own. He was of course half asleep when Shizune brought him into Tsunade's office. Tsunade smirked and dismissed Shizune.
"I've defeated you", Tsunade said.
She was grinning when she extracted the marriage certificate.
Jiraiya blinked his eyes a couple of times. The letters on the certificate came clear into view. His mouth dropped open.
"That's impossible", Jiraiya muttered.
He took the certificate from Tsunade and studied it closely.
After several minutes he had to conclude that it was real.
"So where is the happy couple", Jiraiya asked.
"On their honeymoon", Tsunade answered.
Jiraiya still couldn't believe it. He had actually lost a bet to Tsunade, the eternal sucker. This bet was supposed to be easy to win. Who could actually get Kakashi and Sakura married? They were former teacher-student. They are teammates and fourteen years apart in age.
"Impossible", Jiraiya muttered to himself.
Tsunade was still smirking.
"I'll come and collect your debt in the morning", she said.
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While Sakura was busy setting up camp, Kakashi made a fire. The fire lid up the surroundings and Kakashi and Sakura.
Sakura rolled out her sleeping bag and sat on it. Her eyes travelled to the fire. On the other side she noticed Kakashi in his unmasked state.
He was rolling out his sleeping bag. He took out his trusty comrade and started to read.
Sakura stared for a moment. She had caught a glimpse of his bare face. The suspense was killing her. She had see it. She had to see it now! Sakura got up and walked over to Kakashi. She placed a finger on his Icha Icha novel and pushed it down to reveal his face to her.
Kakashi looked up as the pages of his novel shifted. He looked up and noticed Sakura staring and pointing with her mouth wide open. Kakashi sighed, what was it with women and that face of his. He didn't think that it was that special.
He had a normal straight nose, lips that weren't to big, and a firm jaw line. The spiting image of his father.
"Sakura", Kakashi said.
No response.
"Sakura", Kakashi tried again.
Sakura blinked.
"If you keep staring like that", he said. "I'm going to blush".
Sakura's cheeks turned pink.
'He's gorgeous', she thought.
She looked at the scar that came from under his headband and went a little over his cheek.
'I think I wanna touch it', she thought.
She stretched out her hand towards Kakashi's face.
Kakashi grabbed her wrist before she even got close. He shook his head.
"No touching the merchandise", Kakashi said.
Sakura huffed.
"Merchandise", she repeated after Kakashi. "You always hide your face. You can hardly call it merchandise then. I'd say it's an antique. With your age and all ".
Kakashi smirked.
"Whatever you like best", he said.
He was once again consumed by his book. Although not as deeply as before. He could feel Sakura eyes on him. It was most distracting.
"Why are you still staring at me like that", Kakashi asked while lowering his book. "Do you think I'm that attractive?"
Sakura blushed a deep shade of red. She opened her sleeping bag and crawled inside.
"Good night", she said.
She rolled over so that her back was facing Kakashi.
Kakashi smiled inwardly. He hadn't been expecting an answer anyways. He just wanted to stop her from staring, it was most distracting. It kept him from doing what the darkness had failed to let him do earlier. Catch up on his reading.
While reading, his gaze travelled to Sakura. She had already turned back towards him. Her mouth was open, but only slightly. Her hair framed her face. She had kept it short, because that was more practical. Kakashi sighed. He would be the first to admit that she looked beautiful.
'Sasuke you really were an idiot', he thought. 'Letting something so fine slip away from you'.
Kakashi closed his book and decided to get a few hours of sleep himself, before continuing along the road towards their destination.
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Sakura was the last to wake up the next morning. Her sleep had been filled with all sorts of weird dreams. It had caused her to toss and turn in her sleep and she didn't feel very well rested. She sat up and looked around her. She noticed that Kakashi's sleeping bag was already rolled up and ready to be packed.
"So you're finally awake", Kakashi said.
Sakura quickly turned around. The sound of Kakashi's voice had startled her. She didn't even notice him approach her in the first place. As a response to Kakashi's comment, she just nodded.
"Get going", Kakashi said. "I want to reach the land of Rice paddies before nightfall".
Sakura nodded, got up and left for the nearby river with some fresh clothes in her arms.
Kakashi pulled out his book again. He knew that it would at least half an hour for Sakura to get ready.
'I wonder what it'll take to make Sasuke jealous', Kakashi thought. 'Maybe he doesn't posses that emotion. And what was with that smirk on Tsunade's face. Is she pulling my leg with this mission? And why did she send only two people? Something's not right'.
Against all odds, Sakura cut her daily routine short. The water of the river was really cold, so it didn't make for a nice bath. She was still shivering when she returned to where Kakashi was waiting for her.
Kakashi was surprised to see her back so fast. Off course her shivering made it very clear to him. The water had been to cold for her. He smirked behind his book. Lady Luck had been very kind to him. Kakashi snapped his book shut and repacked his sleeping bag.
"Ready", he asked Sakura.
Sakura nodded. She was cold and couldn't wait to start heading for their location. There she would be able to take a long hot bath. A very long hot bath.
Kakashi waved his hand in from of Sakura's eyes.
"Are you okay", he asked. "You look a little absent minded".
Sakura looked at Kakashi.
He had a real serious look on his face and his brow was pulled into a tiny frown.
'He's gorgeous', Sakura thought. 'How come I've noticed this before?'
Kakashi sighed again. If she was going to be like that for the remainder of the mission, making someone jealous wouldn't be a problem. She couldn't keep her eyes off of him.
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The sky was turning from bright blue to a beautiful purple as the sun was setting. Kakashi and Sakura were almost at a small border village. They would be able to spend the night there before setting to the next day.
Sakura was starting to walk faster. She would finally have her bath and no one could stop her from getting there. No one except for Kakashi. He was holding her hand in his and it stopped her dead in her tracks.
Ahead of them there were people. They were supposed to be newlyweds, so this was unavoidable. Sakura blushed a deep shade of red when she felt the warmth of his hand.
'Kami I'm blushing like an idiot', Sakura thought.
She tried to hide her face.
Kakashi looked at her and smiled. He noticed how she was trying to hide her face from view.
"Want to borrow my mask", he asked.
Sakura shook her head and hoped that they would arrive at a hotel really soon. Pretending to be married to Kakashi was getting to be too much to fast.
End of chapter 3. I hope you liked it. Let me know what you think. Anything is fine, just no flaming, I really don't like it when people do that… So anything you liked, anything that you hate and maybe even some suggestions as to what you want to see in future chapter(s). Till next time.
