~~Alright, chapter 4. I originally meant for this chapter to be longer so I could finish the wedding arc but I need to start a new chapter for my sanity...and the feeling of actually accomplishing something. Hope you enjoy!
Comments are loved and encourage further chapters to come faster ^.^~~
"What would you do if someone was avoiding you?" Kakashi's question made Naruto pause as he devoured some ramen. Just because the young man had become the Hokage didn't mean his tastes had changed.
"Someone's avoiding you Kakashi-sensei?"
"Hypothetically speaking."
'Why am I even talking to Naruto about this?' Kakashi sighed and Naruto looked puzzled for a moment but his face soon changed into his classic determined grin.
"I'd track them down and demand to know why!"
'Of course...I knew this was a bad idea.'
"Does this have something to do with my secretary?" Naruto's face was completely serious. "Because I know she used to live next to you and suddenly moved out. And she's been weird ever since."
Kakashi did his best to not look alarmed at his old student's sudden comment.
"Now is not the time to become perceptive Naruto." He expected that Naruto would just give up when Kakashi didn't answer the question but for some reason the blonde boy was especially persistent today.
"I know what you're like Kakashi. Did you try to sleep with her? She is probably too shy to face you now."
"Eat your ramen Naruto. And I doubt that's it...not that it's any of your business. Kakashi paused and a sudden thought occurred to him; which made him marvel at the fact the one of Naruto's comments and given him an idea. 'Will wonders never cease?' "Did you tell her you were going out for lunch today?"
"Yeah."
"With me?"
"Of course."
'Damn.'
Kakashi had been hoping to "accidently" run into Tsuki after lunch but if she knew he was out with Naruto she most likely wouldn't be there when Naruto got back. The copy nin had been wondering what to do since Tsuki had moved out. He'd debated for awhile about going to apologize to Tsuki after their fight but by the time he'd thought out what to say she'd moved out and started completely avoiding him.
"You've never worried about a girl avoiding you before Kakashi-sensei, what happened?" But Kakashi refused to tell his former student what had happened and left the shop soon after. He was wandering around, thinking about his next mission and Naruto's upcoming wedding when he ran into Sakura.
"Hey! Kakashi-sensei!" The young woman almost glowed and had clearly just been discussing her wedding.
"Yo, Sakura-chan, you look excited. I was actually just thinking about your wedding and me walking with Ino..." Sakura cut him off with an excited.
"Oh right! I forgot to tell you!"
"Umm forgot to tell me what?" He felt a little nervous; the whole wedding was a huge social event, the type of thing he normally tried to avoid.
"Hinata isn't feeling well these days and she needs to be with the new baby so we had to re-organize the wedding party."
"Oh?" He was only mildly interested in being in the wedding party at all but Naruto had insisted.
"I've asked Tsuki and she said she'd be my replacement bridesmaid so you'll be walking with her." At that Kakashi perked up a little.
"She agreed to that?"
"Of course, although she did seem shocked when I said it was you she'd be with but it's all worked out and everything is okay."
'Ah so she didn't find out until she'd already agreed.' Sakura ran off, saying something about the hospital and her last shift leaving Kakashi to wonder about the impending three days of discomfort.
Two days after Kakashi and Tsuki found out about their fate they both entered one of Konoha's finest tailors very apprehensively. The whole wedding party was there for the final fittings and to discuss the final preparations before the rehearsal the next day. Tsuki saw Kakashi immediately and shifted uncomfortably next to Ten-Ten who gave her a warm smile.
"Don't worry; the bridesmaid dresses really aren't that bad. They don't suit everyone because of the color but they are simple and cute."
'How I look in the dress is the least of my problems.' Tsuki's thoughts were far from the clothing but she smiled politely and tried to keep to the conversation until tailors came to take the men and women to separate dressing rooms.
"Have you talked to Tsuki yet?" Naruto's question startled Kakashi who had been briefly debating trying to peek in the woman's fitting room. The tux fitting had been quick and they were all changing back into their original clothes, joking about the long wait for the women.
"No, we're just walking down the aisle together, it's no big deal." With that Kakashi pushed back out into the lobby and took up a casual position just outside the female side of the store seated by a big window and reading his favourite perverted novel.
Naruto shook his head. "I didn't know better that would've sounded like those two are getting married."
"Ino stop it!" All the men in the lobby turned with surprise towards the woman's changing room. "They'll see at the wedding! Hey!" Then Ten-Ten's voice could be heard.
"Ino leave her alone, she might die of embarrassment if you push her out there!" With that it fell silent.
"Umm what just happened?" All the young men looked at Kakashi who simply shrugged.
"Ask Neji."
But the Byakugan user just raised his hands and shook his head. "Just because I can doesn't mean I will!" Sasuke rolled his eyes and Kakashi made a mental note to never agree to this kind of thing again as Naruto badgered Neji ceaselessly to spy on the women. Finally Sasuke shut him up by reminding the yellow haired boy that his future wife could punch him through a wall if she discovered he'd asked Neji to peek on her and her friends. Eventually the women came out and they all separated quickly, leaving Kakashi and Tsuki standing awkwardly outside.
"Well, see you tomorrow." Tsuki turned and walked off as quickly as she could. Kakashi sighed, stuffed his hands in his pockets and caught up to her. "Are you following me?" Her tone made him grin.
"It seems like you're still upset with me."
"No really? How did you come up with that idea?" They both knew her sarcasm was only a cover for her clinging, whispering insecurities but only Tsuki could feel the increased pounding of her heart.
"Oh...I don't know, maybe your angry stride and biting tone of voice." He just couldn't help himself, it was just too much fun to bug her and watch all the emotions she tried to withhold flicker through her eyes and over her face.
"Well why don't you leave me alone then? We can suffer through these next two days and go back to not having to deal with each other." Tsuki just kept her eyes focused on her path and brushed her hair over her shoulder. Kakashi saw the gesture which seemed more like habit then nerves and noticed that she'd allowed it to grow almost three inches longer.
"Go back to you avoiding me you mean?" He didn't expect her to stop suddenly and had to turn back to see her face smooth into a polite but emotionless smile.
"Don't flatter yourself Hatake-san. Goodbye." With that she entered the apartment building next to her and hurried up the stairs.
"Bye." He waited a few moments before smiling to himself and mentally noting the building. "See you tomorrow."
Thinking she'd rather be exfoliating with a cheese grater Tsuki slipped into a simple dress that the store owner had informed her was not blue it was "Cumulus, like the cloud." Which basically meant that it was a light blue-grey that made her eyes look much darker than usual. It had thin straps but gauze like sections were attached that connected to her wrists delicately, giving the illusion of sleeves. She curled her hair so it fell in gentle ringlets to below her shoulders and pinned the front back loosely behind her head with a little jewelled clip she'd found in a thrift store. The thought that it might be useful one day was now proving true. As she looked herself over and applied a little makeup she shuddered for the third time in an hour. It was beyond her how she was going to survive the rehearsal dinner tonight and the marathon of a wedding the next day. Bad enough she had to dress up and smile for people she didn't know but to do it with Kakashi...
'I might as well cut my own arms off, it might be more fun.' She glanced at the clock and realized she was going to be late if she didn't leave now. With a cursory glance around the room she found and grabbed her purse before managing to catch an empty elevator down. It was always a toss up if your elevator ride would be pleasant in this building and more often then not she ended up with creepy Mr. Tachibana or the perpetually wailing family of 8 from down the hall. However, her happiness at the solitude was short lived.
"Yo." The familiar greet very nearly made her heart stop.
"What are you doing here!?" Tsuki almost forgot to step off the elevator and had to catch the door as it closed, all the while staring at the man in front of her. Kakashi was wearing a simple white collared shirt and dress pants with his headband and customary mask but what caught Tsuki's attention was his lack of a tie and several open buttons.
"I just figured that we could walk together to the estate considering how we are stuck with each other for almost the entire next twenty four hours." It was obvious that he was very pleased with himself for catching her off guard.
"This is in the opposite direction!" Far from looking contrite or mischievous Kakashi simply shrugged, make her gape at him before regaining her composure. "You're not actually going dressed like that are you?" She pointed to his unbuttoned shirt and tried to no look at the glimpse of scarred, muscled chest that showed through.
"Well I suppose I have to confess." He paused and revealed a dark green tie dangling from one hand. "I was hoping that you would help me." By this point other people in the lobby had begun to stare and Tsuki realized she was blocking the elevator.
"Ugh, follow me." She stomped past him and out the door not actually bothering to check if he followed but when she turned around her was shockingly close to her. "Are you really telling me that you of all people can't tie a necktie?"
"Yes."
"Liar!"
"Prove it."
Tsuki chewed her lip for a moment. She didn't want to be any closer to him, his bare skin and close proximity was already making her feel strange and she didn't believe for a second that he was telling the truth. Unfortunately her practical secretary side took over and she snatched the offending piece of cloth out of his hand and began tying it with deft fingers.
"Please don't choke me. I like your perfume."
"Shut up."
When she finished she turned around and started walking towards the Uchiha estate. Kakashi followed, inspecting her perfect job with a secret grin.
"Tsuki! Kakashi-sensei! Come on, we've gotta start the run through...I think Naruto is getting hungry." Sakura was aglow and Tsuki felt stunned as she took in the bride's rust coloured gown. It made her hair seem lighter and was dotted with embroidered cherry blossom petals that looked as though they had been blown straight off a tree to compliment the fabric.
"Wow, Sakura you look beautiful." Tsuki gave her a big hug and waved to the other girls who were sitting with their partners near the back of the main ballroom. The next hour and a half was spent figuring out how to get little Shuri and Wataru Uchiha to walk straight down the aisle. After they finally finished the walk through they sat down for dinner and Tsuki discovered she was stuck next to Kakashi, of course.
"You're not eating much...should you be drinking on such an empty stomach?" Tsuki winced and glared at Kakashi.
"It's water!"
"Hey you talked to me." He smiled at her sweetly and she rolled her eyes.
"I'm out of here the second I can leave. Just...quit acting so nice." She couldn't seem to stomach the rich food being catered and this felt so much like the real wedding she wondered how horrible the next day would be. Her hand shook as she gulped down more water and waited for Sakura's mom to finally finish her twenty minute speech which she promised was just a short version of the one she'd prepared for the next day.
"Your hostility is a little unnecessary don't you think? I mean what did I do to you!?" Tsuki stared at him for a couple seconds before turning away and shaking her head. A few minutes later she turned back around and he honestly thought she was going to scream at him.
"I can't believe I even thought for a moment you were something of a decent guy. 'Kinda pretty' and you acted like it was my fault for thinking you were interested! My fault! When you almost threw yourself at me." She kept her voice low but he could tell she was far beyond annoyed.
"You started it. Yelling at me and attacking me in my own home."
"So you decided to finish it? And nothing I said was untrue. Nothing." At that moment Sakura's mom finally sat down and Naruto announced that the dinner was over. Tsuki stood quickly and avoided looking at Kakashi, hoping that she'd finally made her point and he would leave her alone but by the time she finished saying goodnight to the others he was standing by the door with a look that told her he was waiting for her.
"Go away." She pushed past him roughly while he just casually followed her. "You're like some stalker! Why won't you just leave me alone!?" The street around them was completely empty and suddenly Tsuki felt a complete sense of exhaustion overwhelm her. "Has it ever occurred to you that you should just accept that I don't like you?" It was beyond her why the man didn't just give up. She was giving him no indication that she was going to change her mind and he certainly wasn't looking to apologize. There was no way to lose him on the walk back so she didn't bother trying. He was strangely silent all the way which put her even more on edge, she was so used to his constant chatter and annoyingly happy attitude. By the time they'd reached her apartment she had no idea what he was thinking.
"Anyway, goodnight." As she stepped up the front stairs she felt him grab her arm. It wasn't a forceful movement but his intentions were clear and she stopped. She didn't turn and tried to fix a bland expression on her face with little success.
"I think you're lying to yourself." Tsuki couldn't believe her ears and was just starting to form an angry response when he continued. "You're not actually mad at me, you're mad at yourself for falling for me." At that she spun, considered slapping him, decided not to and instead jerked him arm away.
"You are wrong on so many levels. I couldn't fall for such an arrogant, obnoxious little man!"
"Little? Now I can't remember an occasion that you would have found out whether that is true or not." Even though his words were joking his visible eye didn't smile at all and caught her own with an intensity that burned all her anger away and made her feel water building in her eyes. While she stood in shock he leaned forward, brushed a hand over her cheek and pressed his clothed lips to hers. The contact was so brief she couldn't remember how it felt the next second but the action was still in her mind. His face so close to hers the light tingle his hand had left behind on her skin.
"Think about it." He whispered so close to her ear she finally moved with a startled jump but the next moment he was strolling off down the street with his hands in his pockets.
