A/N: Hey hey, here's the next chapter beta'd by IcarusT for me! I said it once and I'll say it again: Thanks IcarusT!
Without further ado...
--
Sakura sighed and rolled onto her side. Still, she could not find a comfortable position and shifted again, onto her other side. She tried to close her eyes and go back to sleep, but sleep would not come. She had been resting for a few days now, so it was clear that she would not doze off so easily.
"Aurgh!"
Now on her back again, she pounded her fist on her bed, glaring at the ceiling.
"I'm tired of being cooped up in this stupid bed! I need to get out. I need to move!"
She knew, however, a certain silver haired shinobi just outside her room would force her back into bed. It had happened before and on the third attempt at escape he had actually used a jutsu that had made her legs immobile. Sakura, not wanting that again, continued to sulk and pine over her inability to leave her room. It was a beautiful room, large and well furnished, but it had grown old quickly.
If she had been in a better mood, she would have admired the soft spring colored theme of the room. The oak four post bed was the center piece, soft cotton curtains hanging from the wood. The headboard had the Miyazaki house insignia etched into the wood, making it a masterpiece in itself. The soft carpet made all those who entered want to walk barefoot and the clean smell of the room set people at peace.
Of course, Sakura had grown bored of the room in the first two hours she had woken up. Four days was clearly too much for her to handle. For the millionth time in the last day or two, she got out of bed and wandered around the room. She passed the large vanity mirror and desk and went to the large armoire made with the same exact wood as the rest of the furniture.
She opened its doors and peered in at all the shirts that were hanging up and the pants that were folded neatly on the shelves lining the sides. Having seen it all before, she closed the doors and opened the hope chest at the edge of her bed. Inside were different trinkets that she hadn't touched. She knew they looked important for their sentimental value so she shut the chest and decided to go to the once place that actually changed.
Sakura pulled open the curtains on one of the three large windows that lined the wall opposite to the door. She unlocked the handle in the middle of the window and swung out the wings. Birds that had been sitting just outside the window fluttered away, their wings beating together in a soft melody. Immediately, a nice afternoon breeze hit her face, finally calming her agitated mind.
Unon wasn't a town; it was a city. The buildings were tall and pristine. All the streets were paved and there was the murmur of voices from the people who lived there.
Sakura sighed and rested her elbow on the edge of the windowsill, her chin cradled in the palm of her hand. She itched to go down into the city and explore the streets, if only for an hour or two. Here she was, in a beautiful city, and she couldn't go and see it!
Sakura frowned.
It's because Kakashi-sensei won't let me, she thought with a huff. Stupid man, can't he see I'm alright?
She looked behind her at the door. She knew Kakashi was standing right next to it, waiting for her to bolt again. She stuck her tongue out at the door and swung her legs over the edge of the window. She hung her legs out and sat on the windowsill, looking out.
If she hadn't been so far above ground, she would have jumped long ago. But the Miyazaki Manor was positioned in such a way that the west wing to the house was just on the edge of a cliff that overlooked the town. Unfortunately, that was the very same wing she was in.
Sakura looked down at the small figures that were people and sighed, leaning against the glass pane.
"It's all Kakashi-sensei's fault…"
The dream she had… She was almost positive she knew who the man was. She however refused to address such a thought and continued to dodge it. However, it left her confused as to why such a dream had come about.
It came out of the middle of nowhere, that's what!
All she knew was that when Atsushi had left, she had become acutely aware of the wetness between her legs.
Sakura blushed and banged her head on the glass. After a while though, she stopped. The glass was helping her cool down her flushed face.
"Augh, such naughty dreams!" she banged her head one last time for good measure. "Why?!"
Sakura, for all she was, was not experienced in the ways of sex. Yes she had kissed plenty of men, but her relationships with people had never gone as far as sex. Having such dreams was far beyond anything she ever experienced and she couldn't figure out why she had dreamed such a thing.
Maybe it's some side effect to being a virgin. Maybe all these dreams are telling me that it's finally time to get laid. She groaned, leaning her cheek against the cool window. How was she supposed to know? Her mom never taught her; she always ran away flustered when she asked about it. And her father?
Hah. That's rich.
Of course she knew the mechanics of it. It was clear in all the medical books she read. The rumors she always heard about though were what made things so… strange. Sakura remembered asking Ino about it once and she remembered her reply so distinctly.
"Well…" said Ino, putting a finger to her chin in thought. "It's kind of like…" she scrunched up her brow in thought. "Well, it's sort of like…" She tapped her chin again before throwing her hands up in the air. "Oh Sakura, I can't explain it. All you need to know is that the beginning is a little rocky, but after that…"
Ino sighed and hugged herself around the middle. "Oh, it feels so good…"
Sakura never could make head nor tail of what Ino had said. In the end, she decided that Ino had had too much to drink that night and sent her to bed.
There was a knock at her door and Sakura was startled out of her thoughts. She quickly swung her legs back into the room, not wanting Kakashi to scold her for sitting on the window.
"Yeah?"
Kakashi opened the door and entered with a tray of food piled on top. He shut the door softly and smiled at her. "Good afternoon Sakura."
Sakura huffed and fisted her hand on her hip. Her left arm hung in a sling, useless.
"Don't you 'good afternoon' me! Do you realize that every day that passes, I grow more and more weak?" she tapped at her chest, moving towards him slightly. "I need exercise Kakashi-sensei! I don't want to get fat and weak!"
Kakashi's lazy gaze was not moved by her speech. Instead he began to drink his tea, sitting where he usually did - on the edge of the bed.
"Four days in a room isn't going to turn you into a fat slob Sakura. If anything," he gestured towards her lithe form, "you need to gain weight." He sipped at his tea. "You look like a twig."
Sakura gaped at him, unable to find words.
"Why you…! You…!" Sakura stomped her foot and whipped around to face the window, refusing to look at him. "You can be such a jerk, Kakashi-sensei."
"No, I'm just being truthful."
Sakura growled at the obvious truth behind his words. Still, she refused to look at him and instead looked up and across the numerous roofs to see the rolling green farmlands.
Kakashi, grabbing at the opportunity, quickly pulled down his mask and ate his rice bowl quickly. Sakura heard him and turned around, but his mask was already back up.
Sakura sighed, the old longing to see her sensei's face flaring back up again.
"Will you ever let me?" she asked moving back over to the bed and sitting on top of the hope chest, grabbing her bowl.
Kakashi arched an eyebrow. "Let you do what?"
"You know," she managed with her mouth was full with rice, gesturing her chopsticks towards his face before swallowing. "Let me see your face."
Kakashi's eyebrows shot up briefly at the sudden question. How long had it been since he had heard such a request like that? Far too long, almost four years ago.
"But Sakura, you already know what's underneath my mask."
"Bullcrap. Another mask doesn't count. I know you have a face." She took another bite, chewing methodically all the while staring at Kakashi. "I want to see at least someday."
Kakashi gave her a small smile, the edge of his eye crinkling slightly. It was fun, remembering such memories. When they were all together, the infamous Team Seven. It was a happy memory that one and he would never forget it.
"Perhaps one day Sakura."
Yes, maybe one day, but not today.
Sakura shrugged, bringing the bowl to her lips. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. You're just lucky I've learned to drop it."
She scraped the last grains of rice from the bowl into her mouth before setting it back down on the tray. She took up her small porcelain cup of tea before leaning back into the post of the bed. A serious expression soon settled over her features.
"So… Have you found anything?"
Kakashi sighed, crossing his arms and leaning back against the opposite post.
"Hide nor hair. All we know is that there is a connection between our attackers and the Miyazaki family."
"Yeah," agreed Sakura, sipping her tea. "The insignia on the ring is exactly the same as the one for the house insignia. My question is why the gang that is working with the Miyazaki family would attack us?"
"I would bet my life that the Miyazaki family is trying to break away from the gang's debt." said Kakashi, closing his eye in thought. "That's probably why they requested body guards; to be protected from the wrath of the gang."
Sakura nodded in understanding. "Yes, that seems to be the most obvious answer. Still, I can't help but feel a bit uneasy."
Ever since she had begun to look around, she had had a weird feeling. She couldn't really describe it, but it was uncomfortable. That was enough to put her on the edge.
"I have the same feeling," murmured Kakashi. Sakura looked up, a little surprised. He looked back at her and for a moment, she saw something in the usually mirrored gaze that was Kakashi's. But it was so quick and fleeting, she decided it was just a trick of the light.
"You know…" he started slowly, looking up at the ceiling. "You have been doing better the last day or two. I suppose we could--"
"YES!" Sakura pumped her good fist in the air, startling Kakashi. Sakura began to dance towards her wardrobe, her hips swinging with her small victory dance cheer. "I'm gonna go outside, yeah! I'm gonna leave this room, uh!"
Kakashi chuckled nervously, his hand scratching at the back of his head. Sakura, from an outside party, would have appeared to suddenly gone insane. She was mumbling to herself, whispering excitedly about all the things she was going to do that day.
Maybe you were in here too long…
His thoughts suddenly derailed when Sakura's shirt was pulled up and over her head. He stared unabashedly at her bare back as she searched through small drawers inside the wardrobe.
She exclaimed a moment later and Kakashi knew it was because she had located a bra. She slipped the straps over her shoulders and began to fumble with the clasp at her back. However, doing it with one hand was proving impossible.
"Aw crap… Hey Kakashi-sensei?"
Kakashi was still staring at Sakura. He murmured a soft, "Hn?" as he stood in his daze.
"I… can't get this stupid… strap!" she hung her hand at her side, defeated. "Can you do it together for me?"
Kakashi blinked, her request startling him out of his spiraling thoughts.
"What?"
Sakura sighed and looked over her shoulder. "Come on, just hook the hooks! I just want to get outside. Now, come on!"
Kakashi swallowed as Sakura began to look through her clothes again as she waited for him. How was he supposed to tell her that he shouldn't come in such contact with her because if he did, he would surely lose self control? He hadn't gotten around to finding a woman to bed because he had been up and guarding Sakura's door so she wouldn't escape. In light of this, his desire was still strong. Even the sight of her bare back made him anxious.
"Sakura, why don't I get one of the maids to do it for you?"
Sakura rolled her eyes as she compared two different shirts.
"Just get over here and do me up. I'm not asking you to undress me. I'm asking you to dress me! Unless…" she looked at him again, her eye twinkling with amusement, "you want me to walk around without a bra?"
Kakashi's usually stoic expression widened slightly and Sakura could see his skin go pink. She inwardly snickered as she turned back towards her clothes.
"Come on now, Mr. Bashful, I don't have all day."
Kakashi stood there, feeling extremely dumb. He couldn't stand there all day staring at Sakura's back! That would make him look like even more of a fool. Slowly, he stepped towards her, stopping just behind her. Her finger snaked around her side and pointed at the strap that hung useless at her sides.
"You can see the hooks and where they're supposed to go. Put them on the smallest adjustment if you will."
Kakashi nodded, half hearing her words. Slowly his hands reached out and grabbed the two straps. He tried to hook them together, but his hands were shaking so much, it was making things difficult. His knuckles brushing up against her skin was also muddling things up.
"Trouble back there?" kidded Sakura as she was comparing two different skirts.
"Hardly," replied Kakashi, even though he was lying through his teeth. With a deep breath, he finally managed to calm himself enough to hook the clasps together, successfully strapping on Sakura's bra.
"Thanks, Kakashi-sensei," said Sakura, moving to turn towards him.
She froze when she felt his hands holding either side of her ribcage. Shivers ran down her spine when she felt the pads of his thumbs begin to draw small circles into her skin.
Kakashi didn't know what happened. All he knew was that his self control had snapped somewhere in the process of him dressing his former student. Whether it was how her muscles rippled as she moved or how soft her skin was, it didn't matter. All he knew was that he was trailing down the road of desire again.
The outfit she had hung over her arm had fallen to the ground in a heap. Her eyes were wide and frozen as Kakashi moved closer to her, his chest against her back. The rough texture of his vest against her skin made her body tingle. She swallowed, her breath coming out in gasps.
"Kakashi-sensei, what are you…?"
Kakashi's hands moved up her sides and along her shoulder blades until his hands were resting on her shoulders.
"You're tense, Sakura," he whispered. His body was as straight as ever, his chin inches above the top of Sakura's head. His hands moved up and down the sides of her arms, making the skin underneath warm up. "Why are you tense?"
Sakura moved to make a reply, but all she could muster up was a pitiful squeak. Things were getting complicated. Things were growing uncomfortable. Things were… Things were…
Just one kiss…
Sakura suddenly jumped back into reality, causing Kakashi's hands to leave her form. Unfortunately, she jumped back a little too hard and fell into the armouir. She cried out as she crashed into the clothes and hit her head on the back board. The force of her blunder caused the large doors to swing shut, locking her inside.
Kakashi blinked, Sakura's sudden movement startling him out of his hazy lust. He shook himself, trying to get rid of the growing feeling of desire for Sakura. He had to make up for his moment of weakness fast.
Can't let her know. She must not know…
"I knew you were tense," he teased, stuffing his hands into his pockets, "but so much so that you're throwing yourself into wardrobes?"
Sakura was thankful for the darkness and cool temperature inside the wardrobe. It gave her a few moments to sort things out.
Okay, what the hell is wrong with me?
"Sakura?"
"What?" she snapped, her frustration more than usual.
"Are you okay?"
No I am not okay! I'm trying to figure out why I was fantasizing about you trying to feel me up!
It was clear by Kakashi's words that he had been trying to get her to loosen up, but her dirty mind had twisted his actions so much, she had actually believed he was…
"Stupid, stupid, stupid…"
Kakashi heard a methodic banging inside the wardrobe, leaving him satisfied. Alright, so she doesn't know…
"What are you doing inside of there?"
"None of your business."
"Really? If you want out, you'll make it my business."
There was a silence, and then the doors to the wardrobe shook. Kakashi watched amused as Sakura attempted to get herself out, the handles jigging wildly. Kakashi heard Sakura growl a mix between a groan and a scream before one final crash against the door left things quiet.
"Just let me out."
"Sakura--"
"Please." Sakura was tired, anxious, confused, angry, uneasy, excited and fed up all at the same time. It was a heavy burden, those many emotions at one time. "All I want… is to go outside… and forget everything that has just happened."
Kakashi nodded, crossing his arms.
"Alright, I can agree with that logic. But Sakura?"
Sakura sighed, her head leaning up against the doors to the wardrobe. "What? What else could you possibly want to say?"
"You really do need to relax."
The doors opened and Sakura fell forward into Kakashi's chest. Her hands flailed forward and supported themselves against Kakashi's hips. Her face smushed up against his hard stomach, she looked up at him slowly, unable to take her gaze away from him.
"Ah, not that much…"
Sakura had been excited to get out of the manor, but she was so focused on trying to figure out her muddled thoughts, she couldn't concentrate on the beautiful city around her. It was clear how distracted she was by how she stared at the ground instead of at the numerous street performers.
Where did these thoughts come from? she asked herself as she continued walking. I didn't have them before, so why now?
The question she should have been asking was 'why him?' but of course she didn't have the courage to even speak of such a thing. It was far too early in her thoughts so she irritably pushed it away.
She sneaked a glance in Kakashi's direction, but every time she looked, he was always focused on something else. A small part of her wanted him to look at her, but of course, that wasn't going to happen. There were too many beautiful women around.
"Kakashi-sensei," she sighed, exasperated. "Why don't you just go up to one of them and ask for a drink?"
Kakashi looked down at Sakura, amused. Was she actually suggesting what he thought she was?
"Who made you the Love Doctor?"
Sakura scoffed and began to look around at their surroundings.
"Yes, I admit, I'm not the perfect 'Love Doctor," she said the last part with dripping sarcasm, "but I would bet I know more about emotions more than you ever will."
Kakashi, startled, looked down at Sakura. She refused to look back up at him though, telling him that she refused to argue about it with him. Kakashi continued watching Sakura as she walked, trying to make sense of what she said.
Yes… I suppose she does know more about love when it all boils down to it admitted Kakashi to himself seeing he had never truly been in love. There was the occasional woman he cared about, but he had never felt the weird feeling that people described as they talked about their lover. It was just something that he couldn't wrap his mind around.
"Perhaps," he answered, looking back around at the woman who passed them. He saw with a sort of manly satisfaction a few curvaceous women bat their eyes at him. "And can you say the same thing about your sex life?"
Sakura came to a screeching halt, Kakashi nearly colliding into her. Before he could mutter an apology, she whipped around to face him, her eyes flashing.
"That is none of your business, you pervert!"
Really, did he have any right asking her such an invasive question? No, no he didn't!
And the fact that he did ask it was beyond belief.
"It was an innocent question, Sakura." he chuckled nervously, backing up slightly. "I meant no ill will behind it."
Sakura saw the truth behind his words, leaving her with nothing to be angry at. So instead, the hot blush of embarrassment burned at her cheeks. Quickly she turned around and put her hand to her face, trying to cool her skin down.
"It's still none of your business…" she mumbled, still trying to keep her previous anger towards him alive.
Kakashi, on the other hand, saw Sakura's ability to keep her head slowly declining. A sly grin crossed his features as he stuck his hands into his pockets.
"Ah, I get it…"
Sakura turned back around, her skin still pink. "Get what?"
"Why you're so flustered."
"Excuse me?"
"You know…" he cast his gaze to the side of the street, deeming it too dangerous to stare down Sakura, "You're sill a virgin, aren't you?"
Sakura gaped like a fish, unable to express the boiling anger in her stomach.
"How...?!" she scoffed, still unable to speak. Instead, she turned around and marched down the street and away from Kakashi.
How dare he!
Kakashi made a move to follow her. Knowing he was trying to catch up, she whirled around on the ball of her foot, holding out her hand, signaling him to stop. "I don't think so! You go and do your thing for an hour or two and I'll go do mine!"
Kakashi stopped, rolling his eye. "Sakura, you can't go by yourself."
"I will…" she started low and dangerous, "and you'll just have to accept that."
Kakashi backed up slightly at the warning in her voice. He was distinctly aware that Sakura was a hair's breath away from coming at him kicking and scratching. Her good hand was in a tight ball of anger and her brow was creased.
Well, he had wanted to go look for a book shop so he couldn't see any harm in letting her go off on her own. I mean, she did need some time away…
Kakashi wandered around the city a bit, his mind split into two tasks. One was to find a bookshop and buy an issue of Icha Icha Violence to replace the one he had lost. His other task was to figure out how to get rid of his longing for Sakura once and for all.
Not until he locted and purchased his beloved erotica did he begin to think of solutions. He marked his place in his book and put it back into his pocket. He ordered another glass of fruit juice, (he wasn't about to get drunk in the middle of the afternoon) and closed his eye in thought.
So… Sakura is a virgin. Well, that makes my desire far from being able to reach. Even if he did give into his lust for her, he wasn't about to 'pop her cherry'. That wasn't his way. Never before had he taken a virgin and he wasn't going to in the near future.
This is a sign from the heavens. You were never supposed to have such thoughts about her. Not now and not ever.
It had to be the only virgin he (now) knew that he wanted to bed. It just had to be. Fate was always cruel to him in such ways. It always intervened, eliminating all of his options of joy. He supposed he shouldn't have had such positive thoughts about such a reunion; it was bound to end in disaster anyways.
When the red-headed bombshell brought him his drink, he asked her to take a break with him, giving her the same drink he had ordered. He asked how her day was and she began to break off into a long and overly excited speech about how awful her boss was.
"…only here because Daddy won't give me any spending money. God knows he had enough…"
Kakashi could tell by how heavy her makeup was and how she kept flicking her rich burgundy locks at him that she was interested in him too. Kakashi kept his gaze on her as she continued to talk, but really didn't take in her words. All he cared about was burning off his forbidden desire of a certain pink haired kunoichi.
Sakura realized five minutes after she forced Kakashi to go his own way that she had absolutely no money on her person. Unfortunately this came to her attention when she had decided she liked a certain beaded headband.
"A thousand and forty yen please."
"Right—oh crap…" Sakura gently put down the red headband softly, groaning. "That's right, Kakashi-sensei had the money."
The rather large woman's face turned down in a scowl. Her hands rested on her generous hips, one finger tapping with impatience.
"No money eh? Get out of here then!" she shooed her away with her hands, nearly clipping off the tip of Sakura's nose in the process. "Shoo!"
Sakura stuck her nose out at her, turning as she did so. "The headband wasn't that great…"
Now she wandered around the town, trying to muster the courage to go and find Kakashi and ask him for money. Easier said than done, she thought with distain as she kicked a stray rock with the tip of her toe. Why was it she had to get so angry with him when she needed him most?
It's always like this! What the hell is wrong with me?! AUGH!!
"I suppose…" she thought, defeated, "I should go and try to find him. And it has been about forty minutes or so. It's close to an hour…"
Sakura knew she was grasping for straws, but it was better than anything. She looked around the area for Kakashi before moving to a different part of town. As she walked, she kept her awareness up. Even though she was out for a small break, she was still on a mission. She still needed to keep an eye and ear out for the supposed gang that had tried to kill them.
The memory of the giant oak barreling towards her made her muscles tense and her ears sharp. I refuse to be put in a situation like that again if I have a say in it. She never wanted to feel that useless ever again. Even as she walked, she felt disgusted with herself.
I was so weak. I had to beg for help from Kakashi-sensei. If it wasn't for him, I would be…
Sakura shuddered at the dark thought. No, best not to think of such things. However, her other hand was stroking her arm that hung in her sling broken. No, don't think of such dark things.
Sakura saw a shock of silver hair begin to peak around the edge of the street. Suddenly very happy, she made her way through the crowd of people to reach him.
"Hey, Kakashi-sensei, I know I said that we should go and do our own thing, but I decided that--"
She was cut short at the sight of a rather beautiful red-headed young woman clinging onto Kakashi's arm. The couple stopped in front of them; the brown eyed woman a little perturbed and Kakashi as placid as ever.
"Why hello, Sakura." said Kakashi as Sakura found herself unable to breathe. "What are you doing over here?"
"I was…" Sakura couldn't talk. She was being overwhelmed by a rather powerful emotion. It had been a while since she had experienced such a feeling and it had been when she was a young girl.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON KAKASHI-SENSEI!! I'LL KILL YOU!!
"I'm sorry," started Sakura again, shaking herself of the foreboding feeling, giving Kakashi a mock frown. "You didn't introduce your friend."
Kakashi felt himself able to breathe again. He had waited anxiously for Sakura's reaction of the young woman on his arm. He wanted to see how Sakura would respond to such a sight and when she took it as easily as anything else, he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
"Oh, right. Sakura, this is Yuriko. Yuriko, this is Sakura, my friend and partner."
Sakura held out her hand, a greeting of peace. "Hello."
When Yuriko smiled, Sakura immediately saw the venom and malice behind the other woman's eyes. Even how Yuriko curled her hand into hers was just covered in dangerous vibes. Yuriko's grip tightened in such a way, the sharp edges of her manicured nails dug into Sakura's skin.
"Hello, Sakura."
Sakura managed a smile, hers holding the same challenge behind her lips. While Yuriko was clawing over Kakashi, all Sakura wanted was for her to back off. She wasn't going to go after him so she had no reason to be such a bitch.
Really, what the hell is her problem?
"It's nice to meet you," said Sakura, giving her such a sweet tone. Yuriko's beautiful face faltered into a twisted scowl. Sakura caught it immediately and knew that she was the more mature one of them both. With that knowledge in mind, she put up all of her defenses and turned her gaze to Kakashi who was still staring at her with his blank gaze.
"Kakashi-sensei, I guess you took my advice then?" Sakura smiled at him and Kakashi gave a weak chuckle.
"Yes, I did." His eye widened in slight surprise. "And what do you know? It worked."
Sakura rolled her eyes and punched him in the shoulder, causing him to rub his shoulder in mock pain.
"You're such a putz, you know that?" Sakura ignored the flaming red head on his arm and held out her hand, palm up. "Money. Now."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow, putting his free hand lazily on his hip. "So greedy Sakura. Can't I get a please?"
Sakura shook her head back and forth rapidly.
"Not for you, I won't. Now," she flexed her fingers, "give me some money so I can go and do something while you and Yuriko go and do something."
Yuriko seemed to take an air of pride when she heard her name included in the conversation. She looked up at Kakashi who was still looking at Sakura with a strange expression on his face. Of course, only Sakura could see it because she had been with Kakashi longer.
"You know Kaka-kun," whispered Yuriko, digging her nails into his arm like a vulture would a carcass, "I would like us to have a little alone time if you know what I mean."
There was an uncomfortable silence between the trio, one that Yuriko obviously didn't know where it came from. But between Kakashi and Sakura however was a certain feeling of astonishment.
Sakura's mouth began to stretch in a grin and Kakashi felt himself inwardly groan.
KAKA-KUN?!?
Oh my god, she called him Kaka-kun! Oh my god that is the single most hilarious thing in my entire life—well aside from the mudman incident—but this…!
Sakura's grin was quickly splitting into giggles. Quickly she turned away and suppressed her laughter, her shoulders shaking.
Oh my god… Are you serious?
Kakashi looked at Sakura, trying to ignore the embarrassment that was clearly beginning to show itself on his person. Sakura had turned her gaze to the side, staring rather intently at a pebble. Her index finger was hooked in such a way that it covered her lips, but it was clear by the pink flush to her cheeks she was trying her best not to drop to the ground guffawing.
"Um…" Kakashi rubbed the back of his head. He had been called 'Kaka-kun' before by more flirtatious women, but he wished Sakura hadn't been there when it happened.
Fate was making sure he got the message. Believe you me, he was getting it.
"Right…" He dug into his pocket and pulled out a small roll of bills, holding them out to Sakura. Just get her away and maybe I can save the sliver of what is left of my dignity.
Sakura was still having trouble with her laughter so she shook the money quickly without a word. She gave him a shaking smile, one that made Kakashi's pride shrink even smaller.
"Thanks," her voice was wavering uncontrollably so she cleared her throat and started again. "Thanks, Kakashi-sensei."
Sakura knew Kakashi was uncomfortable and she felt a little guilty for making things worse. Then again, he had given her a rather nasty taste of jealousy suddenly and she wasn't about to forgive him for that. Luckily for her, she had no reason to continue to be jealous of Yuriko. She's hardly worth my time.
"Now, you and Yuriko go and have fun. I don't want to be a burden." She gave the woman another look, one that was so strong and matured that it made Yuriko flush pink with embarrassment.
"Go on now." She stepped out of their way and gestured down the road. "Go and do your thing, whatever that may be."
Kakashi felt a little awkward at how easily Sakura had handled the situation. "Right…" he looked down at the woman on his arm. Yuriko was clearly trying to suppress something, but she wasn't doing a very good job.
Kakashi felt the old teacher pride swell in his chest again. Sakura had done a perfect job at handling a 'hostile opponent'. Sakura, you continue to surprise me.
"I'll see you later then?"
"Of course," said Sakura, already starting up where Kakashi and Yuriko had come from. "I can't get away from you even if I wanted to."
Yuriko had had enough of the interaction between the two. She wasn't about to lose Kakashi to a woman that, even though she was older, clearly didn't have the near perfect body like hers. She got what she wanted and what she wanted was Kakashi.
"Let's go Kaka-kun." she pouted slightly, pulling on his sleeve. "I'm hungry."
Kakashi nodded and started back down the road. He stopped, frozen, when he heard one last teasing remark from Sakura.
"Goodbye Yuriko. Goodbye Kaka-kun! "
Yuriko rolled her eyes and pulled on Kakashi's sleeve again. "How she's your friend, I have no idea. Come on, let's go."
Kakashi let himself be lead down the road into a small deli. Even the smell of food didn't derail him from his surprised thoughts.
She… didn't call me sensei.
Even though her way was mocking, and she probably didn't notice, it was something that Kakashi felt was important to him.
A small milestone, but a milestone none the less.
Sakura went through the town, replacing all the things she had lost in the river. While most of her new clothes were given to her by the generosity of Atsushi, there were still a few things she needed.
"I think this is the fourth time I've had to buy shampoo and soap," she groaned as she put the two bars of apple scented soap and the bottle of all natural shampoo into her canvas bag she had purchased earlier. "I swear, I think this has been the dirtiest month of my entire life."
Well, she thought again as she moved to the next stand, looking at the small trinkets, that's not entirely true…
There had been, at one point of her extended three year mission, where things had gotten so miserable and cold, what she had experienced the last month paled in comparison. There had been so much rain and snow that the ground had turned into a slushy ice bath. It had ruined her best sandals and nearly made her toes freeze off.
Then again, she thought as she moved to the next stand, spotting a hairbrush, nearly drowning and being crushed by an oak tree is pretty high up there on my 'never again' list She bought the brush with a smile and a few bills and stuffed that into her growing bag.
"Now…" she murmured to herself, looking around the small alley that was packed to the brim with people, "where to next?"
With a sudden realization, she quickly weaved her way through the crowd of people until she spotted what she wanted.
Even though the dark gray vest wasn't nearly as tough as her old jonin vest, it was similar in shape. It even had the protective collar that would shield most weapons that came to towards her for a quick death.
Sakura immediately fished out the bills needed to purchase it. Once the fabric fell over her shoulders, she immediately felt much more secure about herself. I didn't know how much I bonded with my uniform, she thought surprised as she adjusted the vest so it fit better across her chest. I'll have to ask for a more proper one once we get back to Konoha.
Sakura continued to look at what else the man behind the stall had to offer. It seemed that the man had a few connections because he even had weapons for sale. Sakura knew she needed a few so she asked to see what he had.
"What is a young lady like you doing with weapons?" the man asked with suspicion. Sakura raised an eyebrow and turned around her hitai-ate that hung around her neck. The metal plate flashed in the light, making the man wince slightly. His eyes widened when he saw the gaping slash in the metal.
"This is why." Sakura stated coolly before spinning the metal plate back around. "Now, I would like to see your wares."
"O-of course." stuttered the man, pulling up a few different boxes containing much nicer weapons than the ones on display. Sakura picked up a senbon and ran her finger along the cool metal. Up and up until the barest touch of her finger to the tip drew blood.
"Well, well," said Sakura, spinning the senbon between her fingers much to the fear of the vendor. "It looks like you know how to make a weapon."
The man mumbled something incoherent so she decided not to push. She purchased a few smoke bombs, kunai, senbon, and a pack to put them in, before leaving. Even as she walked away, she still felt uneasy about the man. There was something off about him and she couldn't quite figure it out.
"Must be my imagination," she mumbled to herself as she continued to walk around the market, completely forgetting the man.
Sakura munched happily on a candied plum as she made her way back to the mansion. She had splurged all of her remaining money on food, not caring if she gained a pound or two.
"Kakashi-sensei had said that I needed to gain weight." she said to herself as she chewed. "So I guess it's not much of a problem."
Sakura stopped just below the steps that lead to the manor. She needed to make sure she looked decent before she went up to meet the entire family. She swallowed her food and ran her tongue along her teeth, trying to feel if anything had gotten stuck.
"Wouldn't that be something? First smile I give and there's something big and purple smack dab in my pearly whites." Sakura scratched at her teeth as she made her way up the steps. "Man, what a first impression that would be."
Upon entering the mansion, she was greeted by Atsushi. Sakura put down her bag on a nearby bench and bowed in respect.
"Hello sir," she straightened, a small smile on her lips. "How has your day been?"
Atsushi had a strange expression on his face, one that Sakura couldn't pin. All she knew was that there was something off about him and it wasn't in a good way.
"It's been… interesting, to say in the least. Luckily for your friend, we got things worked out."
Sakura's brow rose in confusion.
"Huh? Are you talking about Kakashi-sensei?" The way that Atsushi spoke, it was clear that he was tired emotionally. And by the way he seemed to straighten when Kakashi's name was spoken, she concluded there had been a few complications between them.
"What happened, if I may ask, sir?"
Atsushi stepped out of the way of the door and gestured towards a nearby room.
"Come Sakura, you can see for yourself."
Sakura, a little uneasy, followed the direction of Atsushi's hand. With him close behind, she pulled open the doors ahead of her and peered inside. When a familiar head of red hair caught her eye, she immediately knew what occurred.
"Oh Kakashi-sensei," she groaned, shaking her head and pinching her brow as Yuriko watched her with a familiar glare of distaste, "out of all the ladies, you had to pick Lord Atsushi's daughter?"
"It was accident, I assure you," Kakashi managed from the other side of the room, a safe distance away from Yuriko and apparently her mother who sat next to her. There was a strong similarity between the two women, both sharing the same colored hair and sharp chins.
"I didn't realize it until we found ourselves walking to the same destination." Kakashi scratched his head, still rather uncomfortable about the situation. "I should have known the similarity between her and Lady Mari."
Sakura turned around and bowed deeply, embarrassment donning her features. "I'm so sorry, Lord Atsushi."
"You have nothing to be sorry about," soothed Atsushi. He cast a sharp glance over at Kakashi, causing the man to glance up at the ceiling. "And your sensei has been forgiven under the grounds that all contact," he looked to his daughter who suddenly looked to be only twelve years old, "is kept under my watchful eye."
Sakura straightened, nodding her head.
"Yes sir." She glared at Kakashi who was still staring at the ceiling. "That would be an excellent idea."
"What the hell is wrong with you?"
"I didn't know."
"And you couldn't tell?"
"No."
"Even though they look exactly the same, you couldn't tell."
"… No."
"Are you serious?"
"…"
Sakura threw her good hand up into the air out of sheer frustration. She whipped back around to Kakashi whose nose was buried into his newly acquired issue of Icha Icha Violence.
"I can't believe you! I mean, were you really so focused on the idea of a warm bed that you couldn't see that Yuriko was Atsushi's daughter?"
Kakashi turned another page, taking in all of Sakura's anger filled words with ease.
"Really Sakura, do you find me so one minded?"
"At this point in time, yes! Yes I do! You nearly cost us our job Kakashi-sensei, our job! "
"I know."
"And?"
"And what?"
"How do you feel about that?"
Kakashi pondered for a moment. Did he feel bad about it? He searched through his current emotions. He felt like he needed to get out and drink a bit. Then, he felt like he still needed a nice woman with supple curves. Afterwards, he would be grateful of the forbidden lust towards Sakura that left his body.
"I'm fine."
Sakura sighed heavily, plopping down on the bed next to Kakashi, tucking her broken arm to her chest and putting her other behind her head. She stared at his back and kicked him, causing him to slip closer to the edge of the bed.
"I can't believe you. You can be so horrible sometimes, you know that?"
Kakashi looked out of the corner of his eye. "Do you really think that?"
Sakura looked back up at the white curtain hanging over her bed.
"No, not exactly. But I think you can be such a pain in the ass."
"Everyone thinks that at some point in time."
"Yes," agreed Sakura, somersaulting backwards off her bed and towards the windows, "but you seem to annoy me far more than anyone else."
The way Sakura said it, she seemed to be annoyed, but at the same time, confused. Kakashi turned around fully on the bed, looking at Sakura's back.
"So?"
"So what?"
Sakura turned and gestured towards the door. "Are you still going to pursue her?"
Kakashi's eyebrow shot up in surprise. He hadn't expected that from her. In fact, the thought never really crossed his mind.
"I don't think so." said Kakashi smoothly, putting Icha Icha Violence back up to his face.
"What?" Sakura turned back around, crossing her arms. It was clear by the tone of her voice that she was not going to be convinced so easily. "And why, may I ask?"
Kakashi, being the talented Copy Ninja, wasn't dumb enough to tell her that he had only gone with Yuriko because he needed a night of passion. He could only imagine the reaction of Sakura if he said something that insensitive. Instead, he looked down back at the pages of his book and said, "She wasn't my type."
Sakura snorted softly, silently agreeing with him. She was everything that he wasn't and more. Also, she was a little witch that had yet to mature. Sakura hated women like that and always found them to be insufferable. She couldn't begin to wonder how Kakashi had gone as far as he did with her. She would have guessed he would have dropped her at "Kaka-kun."
Then again, Yuriko was a very attractive woman. She was far more appealing to the eye than Sakura would ever be. While Yuriko radiated elegance and beauty, Sakura was built muscularly and had a rather flat body. When the almighty creator brought her into being, he apparently forgot to give her curves.
While Sakura believed she wasn't unattractive, there were many other women out there that could easily score a man. Sakura sometimes found this to be rather unfair, but when she found herself in a tight spot during a mission, she silently thanked the solitude that was her mind.
Relationships for a nin usually ended as disasters. There was just too high of a chance of death. Reunions such as marriage between two ninja only occurred to keep the population of the people up and keep the strong bloodlines alive. In short, anniversaries hardly ever went past five years.
But she was straying off her train of thought. Kakashi-sensei would never commit himself, thought Sakura with a hint of sarcasm. That's too much for a man such as himself.
She could only guess why he had stayed with Yuriko. He was a man. And men only wanted one thing , and that included her former sensei.
There was a knock at the door, startling Sakura. Kakashi however wasn't fazed and continued to read his book. Sakura looked down at him and frowned.
"You expect me to get it, don't you?"
"Of course."
"This is exactly what I mean," grumbled Sakura, crossing the room briskly. As she passed Kakashi, she made sure to punch him in the shoulder, making him frown in mock pain.
"Not so hard, my dear Sakura."
"Shut it, you perv," Sakura spat out before turning and opening the door.
To her surprise, a rather attractive man stood in front of her. Sakura blinked, tilting her head to the side slightly.
"May I ask who you are?"
The man flashed a smile, one that Sakura couldn't ignore. He inclined his head slightly, a long piece of dark hair slipping out of place from behind his ear.
"My name is Yuu. We were supposed to meet a while ago, but then there was that incident with your partner and my sister…"
Sakura ran though her memory. She did remember seeing someone sitting somewhere across the room, but she had been so angry with Kakashi that she didn't even realize he was there.
Sakura immediately flushed and bowed, trying to hide her burning cheeks. "I am very sorry!" she gasped, straightening. "I didn't mean--"
"You didn't do anything," he said softly, making her loosen up a bit. "You don't need to worry." His glance shifted and Sakura turned to see what he was looking at.
She curved and smacked into Kakashi's chest, something that had apparently come out of nowhere. She rubbed her nose and backed up enough to where she wasn't crushing herself against the masked shinobi or invading the private space of Atsushi's son.
"I believe we've already met," said Yuu softly. Sakura could hear the tenseness in his voice and the warning it held.
"Yes." Kakashi was as laid back as always, but there was a sort of hard tone to his voice that competed with Yuu's.
Sakura suddenly felt like she was in the middle of a battlefield. Silently excusing herself (neither of them heard her) she stepped to the side and stood by the open door, watching with rapt interest.
Yuu was staring down Kakashi, his green eyes narrowed slightly. It was clear that he was still angry with Kakashi for fraternizing with his sister and he wanted to put him in his place.
If only he knew that Kakashi was not about to be put in his place by a man who was at least four years his junior. Besides that, Kakashi let no one pin him down. His inability to show up on time and his carelessness with his erotica books blatantly recognized this.
Kakashi began to think that Yuriko was not worth all of the negativity towards him. Silently, he wished he could go back in time (again) and change his decision. There were plenty of beautiful women out there, so why did he have to choose his client's daughter?
Ah, fate, you're a riot.
Kakashi tilted his head back slightly so he was now staring down at Yuu, patently telling him that he was not going to get anywhere with him glaring at him. Yuu sensed the message and backed up slightly, but it was more out of comfort than fear. Still, he made sure to keep his pride around himself and refused to budge in his feeling towards the older man.
"I came down here," he started, breaking eye contact with Kakashi to turn to Sakura who had felt completely ignored during the two's silent showdown, "to tell you that dinner is almost ready. We look forward to your…" he sneaked another glance towards Kakashi who met him with his own hooded one, "… company."
When the air was met with silence again, Sakura deemed it was time that Yuu left. Sakura stepped between the two men's dominance battle and promptly ended it. Kakashi turned around, knowing Sakura had had enough and leaned against the wall adjacent to the door, his hitai-ate and mask covering any part of his visible face.
"We'll be down there in a minute," said Sakura, trying to draw Yuu's attention away from her companion. "Thank you for informing us."
Yuu continued to look at Kakashi, his fists tightening instinctively.
"Yes…" He slowly tore his gaze away from the other man and looked back to Sakura. Immediately, a much more warm and friendly demeanor met the man. "Yes, you're welcome… Sakura, I presume?"
"Yes," said Sakura bowing. "A pleasure meeting you, Yuu-san."
"Please, just call me Yuu." The younger man gave Kakashi one last look before turning around and heading down the hallway. "We'll see you then," he called before Sakura shut the door with a sound click.
Sakura still held onto the doorknob as Kakashi pushed off the wall and tucked his hands into his pockets.
"You know--"
"Don't."
"But I--"
Sakura sighed and shook her head before swinging around, smiling softly. Kakashi looked down at her, a little surprised. It had been a while since he had seen such an expression on her face. He raised his eyebrow slightly.
"Hm?"
She clicked her tongue against her cheek before opening the door again.
"Men fighting over a woman… I didn't tag you as that type of guy, Kakashi-sensei."
"Wh-? Wait." He made to grab her as she walked out of the door. "Sakura, I think you've got your facts mixed up!"
He peered around the corner as she walked down the hallway.
Shutting the door behind him, he caught up easily with her with his long strides.
"We weren't fighting over Yuriko, I assure you."
"It's okay," she said, twining her fingers together and resting them on the back of her head, "I don't care. Besides," she shrugged, "she is an attractive woman. I can see why Yuu is so protective over her."
"I'm not fighting over her," he assured, looking down at her.
"I said it's okay," said Sakura smoothly, nodding her head at the end slightly to emphasize her words. "I know you are but a man so I can forgive you."
Kakashi stopped as she continued on down the hallway, completely thrown off guard.
When he began to understand Sakura and all of what she was, he didn't know. All he knew was that it was going to be a long and confusing process. He hoped it wouldn't leave him eternally befuddled.
"…What?"
Sakura found herself sitting next to Atsushi and Yuriko while Kakashi was sitting next to Mari, Atsushi's wife, and Yuu. Sakura knew that wherever Kakashi sat, there was going to be conflict. She did wish however that he wasn't sitting next to the other young man. Such contact practically demanded conflict. So Sakura sat diagonally across the table from Kakashi, biting her lip. She tried to meet and hold his gaze, trying to silently tell him to keep rein on his behavior. But the way he was positioned and how he sat silently staring at his placemat made it that she wasn't able to reach him in any way.
The table was silent, everyone immersed in their own thoughts. Mari was sipping at her wine, staring across the table to her husband sitting at the head. Mari gestured her head in the direction of their daughter who was also trying to get Kakashi's attention by sighing and leaning her chin on her hand in such a way, her slender neck was clearly visible.
Atsushi cleared his throat and Yuriko jumped. She gave him a hesitant glance, her cheeks already flaming. Sakura took a sort of satisfaction out of the other woman's obvious fault. She brought her wine glass to her lips, hiding the smirk that had begun to form.
Yuu was sitting in his chair as a statue would stand in a town square. His eyes were also looking down at the table, but his features were so sharp and still, Sakura believed for a moment time had actually stopped around the man. But he blinked eventually and Sakura deemed him to be an ordinary man, albeit tightly wound. Still, every so often, she could see his eyes flicker in the direction of her former sensei. Each time this happened, Yuu always seemed to tighten up any slack in his body that he let loose.
Sakura was finding herself becoming increasingly jealous of Yuriko. She couldn't believe all the fuss going on about a girl who was obviously too big for her britches. If she was her daughter, she'd definitely lay the smack down on her overly flirtatious offspring. Even now as Yuriko swirled her finger along the tablecloth, flicking her gaze back and forth from Kakashi, Sakura wanted to dump her wine glass on the narcissistic red-head. Of course, she wouldn't be doing her job very well if she decided to take that course of action so she opted for silence and restraint.
And so the silence stayed, neither person taking the initiative and starting a conversation. There was the occasional cough or sip of wine, but besides that, not a word was muttered.
Sakura felt herself become increasingly bored. Trying not to fidget too badly, she began to look around at the large dinning hall, remembering what kind of home they were in. A giant glass chandelier hung from the ceiling, sending rainbow lights dancing on the ebony table. Long windows reaching from the ceiling to the floor made up the entire east wall. Sakura could only imagine what the sunrise would look like at breakfast in the morning.
The night, however, had taken over. The stars were shinning brightly in the clear night sky, making the moon look all the more brighter. Sakura could see the rooftops of the many houses of Unon and all of the lights inside the homes. They were a warm contrast to the dark of the night and made everything seem a bit surreal. Even the dinning room they were in was much more welcoming than the empty night.
Sakura remembered during her long mission being alone in the forest, clinging to her cloak, staring up into the same vacant sky. She remembered looking at the stars, wondering how Naruto was doing. Every passing night, she could picture him growing a little bigger, a little wiser. She would try to envision his face against the night sky, but the darkness was always so big and overwhelming, his vision would fade and she would be left alone with the moon.
Now, as she looked up at the sky from her cushioned seat, she began to think of her friend again. She didn't know why, but she guessed it was because she longed for someone to talk to. She needed someone to confide all of her thoughts with.
Stealing a glance towards Kakashi, she began to ask herself why she didn't confide unto him. Perhaps it was because he still seemed to be insensitive, or maybe it was because she didn't fully trust him yet.
Or maybe it was because of him that made her want to speak. His actions and his reactions to their world around them made her begin to think. Every time, she would falter in her thoughts for they continued to grow and grow within her, she had no room to put them.
Three years away from her loved ones had been a stress that she didn't want to live though again. And even though she had gotten to speak to them for a little while, it wasn't nearly enough time to catch up. At the time, she had wanted to leave just so she could keep moving. But as she sat and let her thoughts build up, she regretted her decision greatly.
Everything is growing so thick. Her inner voice was heavy with depression as she stared at the flickering candles set in the middle of the table. The white wax of the non scented sticks dripped down the iron holders, threatening to fall onto the tablecloth
It's like I'm wading through cotton. Everything is blurring together into soft white. I can't make sense of much anymore.
Atsushi had watched the many emotions flicker across the pinked-haired woman's face like an enchanted canvas. The depth and the feeling behind her eyes were almost dreamlike. He could only begin to imagine the thoughts running through the woman's head. All he knew was that whatever she was going through, it was going to be rough.
Switching his gaze towards his daughter, he felt a sort of dissatisfaction fall upon his shoulders. His daughter was becoming increasingly fickle and childish, even at her blossoming age of eighteen. He put most of the blame on his wife, a woman who believed the world was centered on aesthetics. The almost identical features between Mari and Yuriko were enough to prove the influence the older woman had on her daughter.
When he first heard about Yuriko's and Kakashi's... liaison, his first thought was to destroy the silver-haired man. Then, his thoughts switched to the handicapped woman who apparently meant a lot to the man. He had stood in his way, prepared to fight him for the safety of the girl. He wondered how Sakura would react to Yuriko, knowing full well how easily jealousy leapt at the hearts of woman and men.
To his astonishment, the woman had dealt with it coolly and collected, something that he wished Yuriko would learn to do. He envied Kakashi for that reason only - to have a female companion such as Sakura. She was obviously a level-headed woman and could rein her temper when the situation called for it. She also had a knack for diffusing difficult situations.
He couldn't help but think that the silver-haired man, however, didn't know what an amazing woman Sakura really was. Of course 'amazing' was a bit too much of a word to describe a woman he had only known for a little less than a week. He could guess though that if he spent a little more time around her, he would get to know her a little better and prove his assumptions.
With Kakashi's ignorance to his companion's talent and smarts, he could only feel sorry for the pink-haired ninja. He didn't want to think about how she went from day to day with such a hopeless man such as Kakashi around her for more than necessary. Then again, he didn't have the feelings that Sakura had for the other man, ones that apparently she too was ignorant of.
There was the sound of doors swinging open and a series of servants wheeled out silver carts with covered dishes of delicious smelling food. At their arrival, there seemed to be a sort of relaxed feeling around the table. Sakura was immensely pleased at their arrival, silently thanking them for dragging her out of her spiraling thoughts. Not only that, the delectable foods that were revealed to her left her salivating.
There was a quiet thank you murmured from Atsushi as his progogi was set before him, rice heaped with vegetables on the side. Even though her food didn't look half as good as his, it was better than she had had in a long time. Not even the sight of unagi and yellowtail sushi being laid out in front of Yuriko and Mari could dampen her mood. Her hand twitched in her lap, aching to grab the chopsticks that sat beside her plate. The stupid wood sticks ceased to taunt her.
Kakashi watched as identical platters of calamari, brown rice, and fried eggplant and sweet onions were set before Yuu and himself. He was already looking down at the vegetables and trying not to push them onto Yuu's plate. However, the calamari looked very appetizing. His stomach growled, having not eaten very much that day, and he waited patiently for Atsushi to start eating.
When the elder man picked up his chopsticks and ate the first piece of marinated meat, Sakura instantaneously picked up her own chopsticks and began attacking her own food, trying to balance etiquette with her gnawing hunger. Luckily, she did so and managed to slow herself to a healthy pace. Doing so allowed her to savor the delicious taste of the food.
Curious as to what everybody else ate, she looked around the table and down at the plates, trying not to be too obvious. Of course, the women had the expensive sushi with apparently "Home made secret soy sauce," according to their conversation. Sakura's eyes swung around the table as she chewed, landing on Kakashi's plate. Calamari and brown rice. Off to the corner, she could see a heap of lightly battered vegetables. Sakura smiled softly to herself, knowing all too well how much he didn't like tempura.
Chopsticks invaded the plate, grabbing a piece of the fried seafood and lifting it off of the fine china. Sakura's eyes followed up, something that anybody would find themselves doing while they were watching others eat.
When Sakura's eyes stopped at an unfamiliar face, she stopped chewing. She almost turned to Atsushi and asked him why this strange man had suddenly sat down with them and begun eating with them.
Before she could inspect the man closer, his shock of silver hair and his hitai-ate covering a good ninety percent of the man's face, a sudden realization came upon her. It was so sudden and so quick, she found herself reeling.
"Wait!"
Flinging her hand up to cover her eyes, she caught the edge of her plate and sent it flying into Yuu's chest. Yuu reacted quickly, his eyes wide as he jumped/tipped out of his chair, falling and crashing to the floor. The tablecloth hooked onto his boot, sending the white silk, and all the food on it, sliding off the polished table and onto the poor, unsuspecting man.
There was a sort of muffled woof, and then the smell of something burning permeated the air. Atsushi jumped out of his chair as Mari and Yuriko gasped in horror as smoke began to billow up from the heap of food and cloth. Kakashi was already down on his knees along with Atsushi, trying to beat out the flames that had ignited thanks to the candles. Yuu was on his back, thumping his hands furiously on his chest, trying to quell the growing fire.
There was the smell of overcooked food after the blaze had been subdued. Plates and bowls clinked together as Yuu stood covered with soy sauce and vegetables. He stared at Sakura who was already pale and unable to string a single thought together. There was a sort of awkward silence as everyone stared at Sakura. Well, everyone except Kakashi who was still kneeling on the ground, trying his best to subdue his tremendous laughter.
There was a crash from the kitchen and servants scrambled into the dining room, carrying buckets. With a heave and a tremendous splash, Yuu was covered in water that was needed two minutes ago. The food was cleaned off of his clothes for the most part at least, but the fabric clung to him like fur would to a wet dog. The servant girls stood, breathing heavily and clinging onto their buckets, unable to move after their fault became crystal clear.
Yuu, along with everyone else, turned to Sakura to see what she thought about all of this.
Did you see how HIGH those flames were?!
Sakura's head was already in her arm, her mind not able to make head or tail of what chaos she had created.
--
A/N: If you want to know what I say about your reviews, go to my user profile here on and click on the link at the bottom. It'll take you to my blog where I reply to every review I recieve.
Speaking of reviews, thanks to all of you who sent me such kind words. Even though it may not be much, I truly do appreciate it. Such positive feedback is always a fuel for my muse. Thanks!
