A/N: Sorry for the wait, guys! I really hope you enjoy this chapter, though it is a bit dreary. Character development is a real bitch. But, it has to be done. Oddly enough, I had a bit of a hard time writing it, not to mention finding the time to write it. Anyway, my updates might be a bit slow from now on with school and everything. So please bear with me. Thanks for reading.
Note: The Tsunade scene at the beginning with Minato and Kakashi is not canon, I recognize that. But I felt it added an interest perspective on Kakashi. So... eat my shorts. Unless you like it, in which case, THANK YOU.
Reviews make writing so much easier, so please be generous.
1/2 format always recommended.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Chapter Seven: Sakura's Stress
"Hatake Kakashi."
As the words slipped from Shizune's mouth, Tsunade felt the corner of her brow twitch in vexation. Of all the people Sakura could have chosen. This certainly was a wild card, even to the keen eyes and ears of a Hokage; albeit, her experience with a lucky deck was, well, limited. Turning out to face her window with a sigh, she chuckled bitterly.
Tsunade had rolled her eyes the first time she came in contact with the thirteen year old Hatake twenty years ago. The way he walked and even spoke held an air of dignity, the kind which you might expect from a well seasoned shinob; even under the tutelage of the ever so humble Namikaze Minato. Lightly, the future Hokage had rebuked his student while the displeased boy sat in her ER.
"There are always lessons to be learned," she heard the soft-spoken man lecture the young nin, "even for you, Kakashi. Don't be so hasty next time."
Tsunade could clearly see the frustrated frown on the smug boy's hidden features as he muttered a respectful, "Yes, Sensei." It was at that moment that Tsunade chose to make her presence known by walking through the door.
Laying eyes on him for the first time, Tsunade was struck with a wave of her past by the young man. His face was all too familiar for anyone her age to ever forget, although only half of it was exposed (how she would have laughed if anyone would've told her that he would simply go on to cover yet another quarter of it.) He was a spitting image of his father, or as legend referred to him- the White Fang of Konoha. In his dark, angst filled eyes lay the same sort of earnest nature that she remembered of his father, though something about it was less humble. She wondered if he felt entitled; if he acted in the same proud fashion that she had warned her younger brother long ago to stray from. "Being the First's grandson is meaningless if you don't live up to the name," her own words rang in her mind; Nawaki had just shrugged her off with a wink. No, she decided as she looked at the Hatake boy, something was different about this one. Time had made him bitter, distant even; everything important to him lay behind that mask, and no one else seemed to be allowed in. If only Sakumo had been there.
Finally, she feigned looking down at her chart and called, "Hatake Kakashi?"
"Aa," Kakashi spoke, lifting an uninjured arm in the process.
Minato's attention drifted to her, as well, and he greeted her with a sheepish smile. She stifled a chuckle as she received his deceitful smile, one that hardly rang true to the fact that he was one of the strongest of all the shinobi nations.
"I take it this one is yours, Minato-kun?" she said, using the suffix that she had long ago picked up while the blonde man was under Jiraiya's tutelage.
"Aa," Minato affirmed, eyeing the disgruntled boy to his side. Scratching the back of his spiky blonde head awkwardly he continued, "We had a bit of trouble with training this morning."
"Training?" Tsunade replied, taking Kakashi's arm in her hands for observation. There hadn't been any nerve damage, but his muscles were greatly strained, which at his age was dangerous. She frowned at the signs of tearing,
"Hai," Minato responded, "Kakashi here hopes to take his jounin exam soon. We've been training for that."
"Well," Tsunade spoke as she began to heal his arm, "I suppose a good lesson to be learned for our future jounin is that a good ninja knows his limits." Kakashi looked at the woman with annoyed eyes, she returned the look. "Overexerting oneself is never a good idea."
Kakashi averted his gaze once more, "I was fine."
Lifting a slim brow, Tsunade responded, "Not judging by the strain you put on this arm of yours."
The boy rolled his eyes and grumbled, "All in a day's work."
Minato was quick to slap the boy on the head in a slightly reproving manner, a stern look in his typically sweet azure eyes warned the boy to mind his manners. Kakashi lifted a hand in understanding.
"How exactly did you manage this injury?" Tsunade asked.
Kakashi hesitated in answering, but did so anyway. "I was perfecting my new jutsu."
Perfecting, Tsunade contained a scoff at the term and concluded the healing process. Minato thanked her and nudged Kakashi to do so as well.
"Best wishes to Kushina, Minato," Tsunade said as she collected her things. Stepping out the door, she turned a cheek to the smug boy. "Hatake," she called.
He lifted his gaze to her.
"Let's not be so reckless, hmm?" And with that she closed the door.
That had been twenty years ago, and so much had changed. Like so many other shinobi, life and war changed the smug boy she had met all those years ago. His sensei died, his friends died, and his student died. And, dare she say, after all these years Hatake Kakashi may have just found his person. Tsunade chuckled at the thought with a bit of a sad smile as she remembered her person; the perverted sage that had withstood everything with her as well as for her. "Even you deserve that, Hatake," she mused in a voice that could barely be heard. The corner of her mouth lifted in the slightest smile.
"Pardon, Tsunade-sama?" Shizune spoke with a puzzled look on her face, both reminding Tsunade that she wasn't alone and breaking the older woman from her reverie.
"Oh," Tsunade snapped out of it, "nothing. Thank you for the notification, Shizune. I'll seek him out soon."
"It'll be easy," Sakura said, gesturing lightly, despite the flare in her chakra which often signaled a calm before the storm; Kakashi sighed inwardly, hoping the girl wasn't suppressing any feelings just for his sake. Things didn't go well when she let things boil up and over, he had learned. "I'll just pop in for a visit, and tell them," she shrugged, her voice sounding a bit odd, adding to his suspicions.
"Hmm," Kakashi sounded, pinching his chin in contemplation. If only things in Sakura's manner of going about things could ever be so simple.
"What's that?" Sakura responded regarding the noise Kakashi hadn't even noticed slipped from his mouth, causing him to curse his lack of observance.
"Oh," Kakashi responded, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly while attempting to think of a save. Typically, the best thing to do in these sort of predicaments had been to just tell the truth. Yet as he examined her suddenly frazzled pink complexion he wondered if this was as wise as it had seemed. With a breath, he began, "Well, I know you plan to just 'tell them.' The thing is," he averted his gaze, "you have quite a way of handling things when they don't exactly go your way..."
Much to his surprise, Sakura just considered his words for a moment, stirring at the egg whites in her frying pan pensively. "I guess you're right," she replied, her expression match the sudden drop in her tone, sad jade eyes and all. As quickly as she had pushed herself into this melancholy state, Sakura snapped out of it. "I think I have laundry to do, don't I?" Off she went.
If Kakashi had grown familiar with anything over the past month of his life, it was the signs of a flustered pregnant woman. Namely, Haruno Sakura. He watched as she made brisk, fleeting steps steps throughout the apartment. Without her noticing, Kakashi furtively slipped the other half of his mask down to more carefully observe the feverish woman. With his sharingan exposed, he mentally checked off the telltale signs of the frazzled medic nin. Wide emerald eyes capriciously zoomed about the room as she proceeded in fulfilling household tasks at a speed only attainable by a well seasoned kunoichi. Messy pink locks, which reminded him of springtime, fanned out in every which way atop her head in a disgruntled ponytail. Kakashi's favorite sign of stress in the flustered woman was the frazzled pink tint apparent in her otherwise ivory cheeks; the shade on her cheeks was only flattered by her lovely pink hair. Suddenly, the busy blur that could otherwise be known as Sakura came to a halt before him.
"What?" she demanded in an almost insecure voice, two full loads of laundry supported on each of her hips.
"...What?" Kakashi replied, feigning both innocence and interest in the Icha Icha that almost always sat open in his lap.
Jade eyes narrowed suspiciously at the copy nin in a way that made him want to ruffle her hair, "Why is your sharingan out?" She had him there.
"Only to see your pretty face just a little better," he spoke easily with a friendly crinkle of his eyes. She narrowed her eyes at him. If only she understood the truth in his words.
"Also," he added, "to suck you into another dimension if you continue to overexert yourself with this housework."
Rolling her eyes, Sakura continued into the laundry room, "First my teaching position and now my chores? Geez, Hatake. Why not just sever my arms and legs right off the bat?"
To this he responded, "Your arms and legs are far too lovely to be severed so easily." No one would see the wryness that entered Kakashi's smile as he considered the truth of her words. The last thing he wanted was for Sakura to feel unhappy. The thought of the smallest frown from the rosette made him shift wearily as he sat. He wished that she would respond to his requests with more understanding, but really- what else had he expected? Good things could not possibly be expected of telling Haruno Sakura what she could and could not do. Nevertheless, a sinking feeling came over him as the thought of disappointing Sakura entered his mind.
Lifting the other half of his mask up, Kakashi let his head fall backwards onto the couch cushion. Feelings made him feel heavy; he suspected this was quite an occupational hazard. Letting his eyes drift closed, he tried to isolate whatever carefree thoughts he had left.
"What's with you?"
Lazily, Kakashi let his head fall to the side. He peeped an eye open to the girl addressing him. A sort of smile lifted his lips as he looked at her. Without his noticing, she had managed to slip into her regular attire. Sakura eyed him, arms crossed as she supported her weight against the door frame.
"Nothing," he responded with a light smile. It was insincere, but she wouldn't know. The last thing he wanted to do was give her something else to worry about.
With a wry smile, she merely nodded before approaching. "Up, up," she commanded in a maternal way that was oddly adorable to him. She attempted to peel him from the couch.
"Whhhhy," he mock grumbled in a childish way, making himself heavier as she pulled at his arms.
"We have things to do today," she asserted.
He stopped. "We have things to do today?"
Smiling, she nodded. "Hai. But first you have to get off the couch. Now get up!"
"Yes, sir."
Kimiko swung impatiently from the tree, feet pumping backwards and forwards. From the corner of her eye, she could see that Kyoya was still reading a book on chakra natures. If he were anyone else, she would have been tempted to mock the erudite boy, because studying about jutsus was pointless to her. But it was Kyoya. The boy was damn near capable of just about anything. Under any other circumstance this would have been maddening, but Kyoya was her friend and teammate. His genius was a virtue.
Turning her head, she caught sight of the other sort of genius on her team. She scowled, Akira was in yet another round of target practice. Truly, she didn't see the point in his constant training. It wasn't as if he didn't see how flawless his technique was, or how every single one of his shuriken successfully hit their targets. It was sickening how talented he was. Still, Kimiko liked to think that this was because he was a Senju. That was just as good as cheating.
Jumping down onto the ground, Kimiko spread out over the ground. It was a good day for training. The noon-day sun was high in the sky, yet the humidity was held at bay by the gentle gusts of wind that swept through the trees. Everything about Konoha, not just because it was the only home she had ever known and was likely to ever know. She loved the people, she loved the atmosphere, and she loved the trees. Something about just walking outside and watching the clouds disappear into the leaves of a tree was meditation like no other. Not to mention that form of meditation was not nearly as mind-numbingly boring as the kind Sakura-sensei forced the group to practice.
Speaking of- where was that pink-headed sadist?
Kimiko let out a sigh of exasperation. "Where in the boundless green earth is that woman?"
Kyoya let a chuckle slip, "Perhaps she had other work to wrap up first."
The small kunoichi considered it, "Maybe. But I feel like this has been a particularly long wait."
"Or maybe you're just impatient," Akira spoke from several meters away. Hardly minding her teammate, she stuck a tongue out in his direction and focused her eyes on the sky once more.
It was very unlike Sakura to be this scattered in her daily schedule. Kimiko thought back to the first few weeks of her genin career with a bittersweet smile. The pinkette had nearly run them all ragged with her strict training schedule. Kimiko would be lying if she said that quitting had never crossed her mind, though she hadn't ever seriously considered it. Something about Sakura-sensei and her commitment to the life of a kunoichi was really- inspiring? She nodded to herself; yes, inspiring was the word.
Sure, Sakura might have been a little hard on Kimiko in particular, but it felt like good reasoning was behind it. One day, Kimiko actually had the courage to ask her sensei why training was so hard on the young nin in particular. Sakura-sensei had merely smiled and placed a reassuring hand atop her blonde head, "Because I won't leave you behind in the dust."
Really, Kimiko was never entirely sure of what this meant, but maybe one day she would receive clarification.
After about another thirty minutes of waiting, Kimiko caught sight of a very familiar pink head of hair through the trees. A breath of relief left her nostrils, as she really thought she might have died of boredom. Walking out into view of the pathway, Kimiko's eyes widened at the sight before her. Yes, Sakura-sensei walked up the path, but she was not alone.
Curious young eyes scoped out the man walking beside her sensei. Tall, lean, grey hair, and an unmistakable mask that covered the majority of his face. This was- oh geez, what was his name... Kakasu? Kuzishi? Kaka-
"Ohayo, Kimiko-chan," Sakura-sensei greeted Kimiko, breaking the girl from her reverie.
"You," Kimiko said with a pointed finger, "are late."
Sakura waved her hands in apology, "Yes, yes. I know. But for good reason! I promise." The woman turned to face her student with that wide beautiful smile that even made Akira blush a little sometimes (Kimiko was certain she had seen it, she swore it.)
Kimoko noted that each of her teammates had come out from their places of rest now. Both came to gather around the pinkette they had been waiting for all afternoon. Kimiko opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted.
"Who's that," Akira spoke, it was hardly a question as much as it was a demand. His dark eyes fell over the man Sakura-sensei had brought, who was nose deep in an orange covered book that Kimiko was certain she'd seen in the adult section at the book store.
"Oh," Sakura-sensei said in a scatterbrained way that Kimiko had never seen before, "right. I'll get to that. First, I have some news."
"News?" Kyoya said, putting away his book on chakra natures, "Is something wrong, Sensei?"
The uncertainty in the woman's smile made Kimiko frown a bit. "No, no, everything's fine, guys," Sakura-sensei assured the group with kind eyes, "But, as of late, I have been informed that there is business I have to tend to." The news was received with a sort of sad wind, three uncertain pairs of eyes continued to watch on.
"So, Kakashi-sensei will be leading our team for the time being," she gestured to the man beside her, who held up a hand in greeting with an eye crinkled affably.
In Kimiko's short thirteen years of life, there had only been three occasions in which her gut seized up in such in uncomfortable way: when she was five and Akira had so cruelly rejected her love and friendship, when she was nine and her brother did not return from the war, and now. "You're- you're not going to be our sensei anymore?"
Sakura-sensei met Kimiko's eyes with the same level of sadness, which she was obviously trying to conceal. "No," she shook her head, "that's not it. Let me explain-"
"You don't want to be our sensei anymore?" Akira proposed bitterly. This one hit the rosette where it hurt.
"No," she said in a more stern voice that was no less melancholic, "that's not what I meant."
What Sakura-sensei did now took all three genin for a loop. Uncertain emerald eyes averted for a moment before looking to the grey haired man beside her. Her gaze was received with a warmth in his, he then gave her a single reassuring nod. She sucked in a breath before turning back to the genin. Kimiko couldn't guess what she was about to say, but it couldn't be good.
Jade eyes mustered up courage and right before she spoke, Kimiko saw the slightest upturn of her lips. She was, happy? "I'm pregnant."
Okay, that was not expected. "You're what?!" The words had slipped out of Kimiko's mouth before she could even considered them.
Kakashi sighed stressfully.
"Sakura-sensei is with child, Kimiko-chan," Kyoya clarified in with a matter-of-fact amicability. Still, something about the look in his eyes told Kimiko that even he was surprised.
Akira merely sighed into the wind, similar to the way Kakashi had.
"Yes," Sakura-sensei clarified, a bit of her usual pep returning, "BUT," she lowered herself to the eye level of her students as she now spoke in a serious, low voice, "no one, and I mean no one, is to know quite yet."
"Exactly how many people do know?" Kimiko asked in a curious voice, a single brow lifted.
"Enough," Sakura-sensei nearly grumbled.
Kakashi cleared his throat in a noticeable way.
"Okay," Sakura-sensei rolled her eyes, "maybe not quite enough. But I'm working on that."
A dumbfounded silence came over the three genin. Although Kimiko couldn't really know what the other two were thinking, she estimated it was similar to thoughts and concerns of her own. What happened to Team Sakura now?
"So," Kimiko began, "you're our sensei now?" The blonde girl looked up at the tall, enigmatic man with wide curious eyes.
"Well, I guess you could say that. For now at least," he stalled, "Perhaps you can just think of me as a stand-in."
"So you're not a real teacher?" Akira challenged.
"Of course he's a real teacher," Kyoya joined, "he was Sakura-sensei's teacher, after all."
Kimiko was certain she was the only one that had seen the sort of doubt in the smile Kakashi-sensei offered to them now. "Indeed, I was Sakura-chan's sensei."
Sakura-sensei eyed him, probably because of the suffix, and continued, "Anyway, I don't want to interrupt you're training any more than I already have. And I do have business to attend to, so, have fun!" She regarded the group with a smile and a wave as she departed.
Something about it made Kimiko a bit sad, though she was interested to know the man that had made her sensei so great. She watched the pinkette depart with a wry smile, little did she know, she was not the only one.
Kakashi watched with the remnants of a smile on his face. Her gentle form soon disappeared into the forestry that paved the way home. Silently, he wished her a good luck. She would really need it. Part of him wished he were able to go with her, if only for support. But there he was, underestimating her strength, yet again.
He turned to the genin, putting on a brave face. "Okay, so what shall I call you?" He tapped his chin, "Ah!" He pointed to each as went along, "Ichi, Ni, San. Perfect! Now let's begin."
Sakura was going to have his head for this one.
It was seldom that Sakura felt so anxious she could hardly breathe. As she walked at a patient pace back into the village, she silently allowed a few tears to well over before blinking the others away vehemently. She would never forget the look on their faces, nor would she ever get over the feeling of having failed them. Of course none of this was intentional, and of course she wanted to be their sensei. Kakashi had assured her of this before arriving to the training ground.
"Sakura," he had pulled her aside.
She regarded him with a grim face. "What?"
Before another word was spared, he took her by the shoulders and his eyes carefully considering her for a moment. Quite suddenly, she found herself locked in a reassuring embrace. Warmth suppressed her anxiety, and she closed her eyes. Although there was nothing romantic about it, Sakura had never felt closer to Kakashi, even despite their situation.
"Stop blaming yourself," he said into her hair, "you've done nothing wrong."
She had only nodded her appreciation, softly placing her hand on the nape of his neck; fingers stroked his grey hair. "Thank you."
Still, Sakura couldn't shake the feeling that her own selfish decisions had led to this. And the stress still wasn't over.
No, for now she traced a familiar path back into the village. Taking reluctant step after reluctant step, Sakura inched closer to something she had wished to avoid. Part of her couldn't help but wonder what this would have been like in another life. If things had been different, she might have been older, married, more stable. This was not ideal. Still, she felt angry at the thought that others might consider she was not happy.
She was happy. If anything, this might have been one of the greatest things to ever happen to her. She wasn't too old, too young, and she was healthy. A smile crossed her lips as she considered the baby having the dimple she had only ever felt on Kakashi's face. The lovely little ghost of a feature that added just a little more to the mental notes she kept of his masked face. Yes, she hoped her baby would have a dimple.
Sakura wished others would see this point in her life as she did. She wished they could understand that despite all of the fear and uncertainty, she found comfort in the little things. Thoughts of round little toes, a cackle laugh, whether she would run her fingers through grey or pink hair- there was so much to look forward to.
Hesitantly, Sakura approached a familiar front door. Doubtful fingers traced over the doorknob for what seemed like forever, though in actuality it was more like a minute. She closed her eyes and tried to compose her thoughts. But all she could really think about was how everything looked. Was Naruto already here? Which side of the table was everyone sitting at? Would she sit or stand? She would sit, but what if she fidgeted-
There wasn't much time left to think as the door opened with Sakura's hand still on the knob. Her mother regarded her with a loving smile and amused eyes.
"Are you just going to stand out here or...?"
Sakura laughed nervously, and shook her head, "Don't be silly, Mom." Stepping into the house, she tried her best to breathe easily.
Naruto peeked his head around the corner with a beaming grin, "Sakura-chan!"
She flashed an insincere smile.
This would be interesting.
