Cuddling 'Because its Cold'
Sakura and Kakashi where about half a day from Konoha and in the middle of a very wet forest. Sakura was beginning to wonder which was better, walking through a muddy forest with Kakashi or riding in a carriage with Lady Hina.
She wasn't sure.
Sakura thought back through the previous week, it had taken four days to reach their destination on a usually one and a half day trip because Lady Hina insisted on stopping at every inn (Lady Hina had said something about wanting to enjoy the sights)
But still, four days was enough time to try the patience of a saint.
It was four days consisting purely of listening to Lady Hina babble. It wouldn't have been so bad if she could have talked a bit with Kakashi, but after the first day he opted to walk in the cold rain.
And she couldn't join him because Lady Hina absolutely insisted she stay in the carriage.
Sakura wondered how she had survived.
But, her ears where still intact when they drove up to the main gates of Wave, and Sakura was all too happy to drop her and go, when Lady Hina said something to her.
Lady Hina looked down at her blue slippered feet, wondering how to say goodbye to the medic nin.
'She really does wear a lot of blue' Sakura thought idly, wondering why Lady Hina hadn't left already, when Hina hugged her.
"Thank you for listening to me, I know I can be a bore sometimes, but I do get so lonely."
And just like that she was gone.
Sakura's tender heart melted when she thought of that quick exchange, she knew what it was like to be all alone, and she suddenly felt a bit guilty when she thought of Lady Hina, and wished she had at least tried to make an effort on the conversation.
"Alright, its getting dark so we'll camp here for the night." Kakashi's warm voice broke through her thoughts.
"Ok..." Sakura looked around, "Where are the tents?"
"...I thought you had them" Kakashi said slowly.
"...No...I thought it was the leader's job to bring the supplies."
As this was his responsibility, Kakashi had no response.
"Well," Kakashi said after a while, looking at the swiftly setting sun, "It's to late to find an inn, and considering we were both eager to get back home, we cut through the forest, so we're not near the road. There aren't the right kind of trees to make a lean-too...so... I guess we'll just have to huddle together for warmth!" Kakashi made a happy eye crease to show that he was joking, and began to gather fire wood.
At least, Sakura thought he was joking. With Kakashi, one can never be sure.
Twenty minutes later Sakura was sitting next to Kakashi after eating a simple rice supper, and was wondering how to start a conversation, when she remembered she wanted to ask Kakashi something.
"Kakashi?"
"hn?"he was staring at the fire, deep in thought.
"When we dropped off Lady Hina, she apologized for bring so annoying, and talking so much...What kind of a family does she come from? I mean, if she feels the need to apologize?"
Kakashi thought for a minute, and Sakura wondered if he was going to give her a straight answer, or one of his frustratingly evasive ones.
"Well," he finally said, turning a lazy eye in her direction, "She's one of the middle kids in a family of ten or something, so I suspect she doesn't get much attention, and probably never feels valued by her father and mother."
"Oh..." Sakura said, and then added faintly "I can relate to that..."
"You mean you come from a family of ten?" Kakashi asked, trying to lighten the mood.
"No!" Sakura felt like hitting him, but decided not to elaborate, as she hadn't meant him to hear in the first place.
After a few moments, Kakashi asked how the other Team Seven members where doing, and the other 'rookie Nine'.
Sakura told him how Sasuke and Naruto where now bonded at the hip, and spent their time divided between doing A-rank missions or eating ramen. She then told him what the other Nine where doing, and asked about his missions.
Kakashi told a somewhat unbelievable tale of how he once found himself unlawfully in a prison, but managed to escape using only a fork and his 'dashing good looks', so Sakura countered with her own story of how she once had to reattach an arm and a leg at the same time, using only a...spoon.
So it was somewhat of a surprise when Sakura looked up to see the moon far overhead, and the fire quietly dieing. She looked at Kakashi and his previous 'huddling' statement came to mind.
Now what to do?
Kakashi looked at her and smiled, "I was just joking you know."
"Of course!" Sakura eeped, trying to stop the blush from rising in her cheeks, "You just sleep over there, and I'll sleep over here!"
"All right." Kakashi shrugged, "Are you sure you won't be cold though?"
Shoot, Sakura thought, now that he mentions it, it is kinda cold...She risked a glance at Kakashi.
He was already fast asleep.
How do guys do that? Inner Sakura raged, it takes me forever to fall asleep! And now in this cold weather too! Grr...
Well...if he's already asleep...maybe I'll just kinda sorta get a bit close- for warmth of course...
So, after a bit of debating with inner Sakura, (who was currently dressed, and acting for that matter, like a floozy) she did.
It was the best nights sleep Sakura had since she had become a kunoichi.
A/N: ugh, I'm done! Way not funny or happy enough for me, stupid Kakashi told me he was to much of a gentleman to cuddle with innocent Sakura...well HA, Kakashi, WHO'S INNOCENT NOW?!?!?
well, it seems I either do short funny chapters, or long not-so hilarious chappies...oh well...
Oh, happy late Thanksgiving to all y'all Americans, and don't forget to leave a review!
Hehe, one more thing a LEAN-TO is a Native American dome shaped shelter made of evergreens (or something) to protect the inhabitants from the weather. There supposed to be really easy to make and everything, but I don't know who taught Konoha Ninjas about Native American architecture...