Hello all. Originally I intended for this to be a 16k chapter as an apology for the late update, but I feel it sits better here, and gives me time to put all the pieces together.

Thank you for the mostly warm reception to Kakashi in therapy. It made me so anxious to post, I actually vomited. And I'll admit, there has been one or two reviews about it which have stopped me from updating. I understand posting something here will automatically invite criticism, but it has the byproduct of crippling self doubt for me when it attacks something I've spent a lot of time on. And that therapy session was what I spent years writing in my head.

Anyway, sorry for the rant, enjoy!

Pacing had never been one of Sakura's better habits.

At this moment she was sure that if her apartment were carpeted, she'd have worn it to the hardwood anyway with the circles she was marching around her bedroom. She had been on tenterhooks the entire afternoon, the nervous anticipation pushing her into getting ready a lot earlier than she needed to be.

The reflection that stared back at her in the mirror had been fastidiously crafted, and she would switch between picking at her already perfect appearance, to pacing. Invariably this pacing would cause a single hair to fall out of place from the neat bun on top of her head, and she would need to pick at it some more.

At least it gave her something to do. She was too excited to properly focus on anything else. That excitement had been building for the last few days actually. Simmering on low, until she was alone, before kicking up a notch and rendering her completely useless. Sakura reasoned that it was normal to feel this way, to have something to look forward to. But the butterflies that raged inside her stomach could be classed as anything but normal.

It was all his fault.

Sakura shot a glare to the book lying face down on her night stand, something she'd taken to doing whenever her mind wandered to Kakashi.

Their time together, since Thursday, had been brief and frustrating. The night that he'd turned up on her doorstep being the eye of the storm. A fleeting reprieve from the chaos that had continued in the following days. Sakura had gleaned precious little information about what to expect from tonight's activity during the small time that they had spent together.

Date. It was a date. There was no need to beat around the bush about it.

She was going on a date with Kakashi. The same man who was not only her former teacher, but current Hokage. The man who had made almost every day this week impossible.

The minutes they had stolen Friday evening in his office had been fraught with a palpable kind of tension. Things that were left unsaid, touches that had to be withheld while people flitted in and out of the room. It almost crackled in the air between them. When he had been inundated again before she even left the office, Kakashi had watched her leave with a dark gaze until she was completely out of sight. That look had warmed her considerably. She'd remained hot and bothered that whole night, although the broken air conditioning unit in her apartment probably didn't help the situation. Sakura had worked until she'd collapsed on her bed, too tired to think.

Saturday had been almost the same, though marginally a little better. Through some miracle Sakura's hospital shift had been switched, she had ended up staying much later that night. This was not an unusual occurrence, it was however unusual for her to be so pleased about it. By the time she'd found herself in Hokage tower it was devoid of most of the usual suspects. Only Shikamaru and a few office staff remaining, and of course, Kakashi. When she'd wandered into his office he was alone, immediately standing on her entry. By the time she put the dark blue reports in the tray he'd clicked the door softly shut.

He was right behind her before she'd even turned around. That comfortable and familiar warmth washing over her for just a moment. Sakura slowly faced him, that molten look in his eye making her hold her breath. She almost expected him to lean down and kiss her, they were standing so close, it wouldn't take much to close the gap. But even in her daze she registered that the Hokage shouldn't be kissing people in his office, no matter what the time. Kakashi watched her lips but made no movements for the second.

Sakura now couldn't remember if it had been her hand to first reach out or his, but their fingers mingled together at some point. Pressing into each other ever so slightly. This fleeting and peaceful moment alone was the last that she would share with him for the day. Both heated and frozen by his stare, Sakura stopped breathing momentarily, feeling an urge to wrap his kage robes around herself. The phone on his desk began to ring and broke that quiet moment, Sakura slipped out the door with a sympathetic and tired smile which Kakashi returned. She had only made it so far as the couch in her living room that evening.

There had been no time to really talk. So Sakura now found herself in a peculiar position of unknowing. Five o'clock had been the agreed upon time, that was fine. She expected that he would be at least thirty minutes late in the usual fashion. But that was about all she could predict at this point.

That morning she had dusted off the yukata in the back of her closet for it's yearly outing. She'd waited until at least four before putting it on, not wanting to be sitting around wearing it for too long in her sweltering apartment.

Only the sage of the six paths knew what Kakashi would be wearing tonight.

That thought morphed the glare on her face into a kind of scowl and Sakura didn't even care if it ruined the small layer of makeup she had on. It would give her something to do for a few minutes, again. The frustration she felt stemming from one thing, and one thing only.

Kakashi's one condition.

Regretfully she'd been so overwhelmed by everything on Thursday, she'd not pestered him as much about it as she should have. So now she was left guessing. The only information to go on was vague at best. The man certainly still knew how to press her buttons.

He'd been adamant in the condition, unwavering and determined that it was the only way. In her giddiness, and perhaps confusion, Sakura had blindly accepted. That night she'd just been so happy to see him, to cook dinner with him and have him close, in light of her inadvertent discovery of where he'd been disappearing to once a month. Sakura made the decision that she would not mention it, unless he told her about it himself. He had been so secretive about the therapy to all others that it was only fair, and in no way would she jeopardize the help that Kakashi obviously needed.

The initial shock eventually passed. The idea that someone who had been such a strong fixture her entire life was, in fact, vulnerable and in need of help had shocked her to say the least. It was that damned Anbu report all over again. Once the feeling passed only pride in the man remained. Pride in the way he strived to keep at the very top of his game at all times for the sake of the village.

Despite her apprehensive wondering she found herself in a better mood than anticipated, smiling back at her reflection. The veritable mood swings she suffered through lately at just the thought of Kakashi was maddening. If it wasn't him, it was that stupid book occupying her mind and flushing her cheeks.

For a brief moment she recalled her preparation for last years festival, or rather, lack of preparation. Just throwing on the yukata and tying her hair as she rushed out the door hardly counted. Why she'd hurried back then was a mystery, no one had been waiting for her.

It was gratifying having someone to look nice for again. Someone who would appreciate her no matter what she looked like, even when she was dog tired after a hospital shift, Kakashi still looked at her in a way that made her melt.

But for once, Sakura really just wanted to look nice for herself more than anything. It almost felt like she had something to prove, that she was still desirable, that Sasuke hadn't tainted her for other men. Most importantly that she could be with anyone if she chose to be. She still had it, whatever it was.

With a sigh Sakura dabbed her face with another sponge, attempting to smooth the faint lines she could see. It wasn't from any cracks in her makeup, she quickly realized that these lines were etched on her face, the tiniest of creases that only she would notice. The passage of time was beginning to mark her worries on her face. While any signs of aging would have been unthinkable to Tsunade, Sakura took it in her stride, thankful at least that she still had precious people to be worried for.

Now that she knew the truth about Kakashi, made peace with the help he was getting, she worried about him perhaps just a fraction less than before. However, after hearing his one condition, Sakura had to admit she was more than a little concerned about his mental faculties.

It wasn't an inherently bad condition. It was just...odd. Though Sakura had to argue with herself that she really shouldn't have expected anything less from Kakashi Hatake. The man was oddness personified.

Deciding that she needed to move again, she resumed her pacing, aiming a kick at the broken air conditioning unit as she passed. She had half hoped that it would spring to life at the touch, and finally cool her apartment down, cool her racing mind. It had been hard not to jump to conclusions the second Kakashi had told her what his stipulation was, though he'd explained his reasonings. It felt oddly like an excuse no matter how Sakura tried to ignore it.

That one condition being that Kakashi would only be able to go with her freely if he was in disguise.

It had been laughable at first, and she'd done just that, giggling for a second before she realized how serious he was about it. His explanation had been simple enough, there was work he needed to be doing, and in light of everything that had happened this week it wouldn't do to see the Hokage out partying. Those had been his words. So Kakashi planned to keep a clone at the office for an hour while he was in disguise and out with Sakura.

It was odd, and had it been anyone else she'd have promptly knocked any silliness out of them with her fists, using clones like that being a personal pet peeve. But this was Kakashi. His agreeing to go with her at all was already more than she could have hoped for, more than Sasuke had ever been willing to give.

At that abysmal train of thought Sakura's eyes drifted to the clock, and at only a quarter past five, the doorbell sounded. Immediately her heart was in her throat. It couldn't be Kakashi, it was far too early to be him.

The intense butterflies in her stomach had returned. Any other night with Kakashi was nothing to be nervous about, and this was something she really wanted to do together with him as well. But what in god's name would he be disguised as? What kind of embarrassment was he going to make her suffer through? She couldn't help but wonder if this was all an elaborate prank after the teasing and inappropriate comments a few weeks ago.

But things were different now, the voice of reason in her head chimed in. It sounded an awful lot like Sai's tone to her at times. Kakashi wouldn't play with her heart like that. Not after that kiss, they had both felt it, they had both acknowledged it in some way...

The doorbell rang again.

"Be there in a second!"

Sakura smoothed the yukata, took a fleeting last look at herself in the mirror, and made her way to the door. It was alright, she steadied herself, she was looking good. With a deep breath she grasped the handle, it had to be Kakashi on the other side, she wasn't expecting anyone else.

Just as she was thanking some unknown deity for his using the door and not the window for a change, Sakura tentatively opened it. The sight that greeted her was both familiar and unexpected, the dark headed figure turned to meet her with a smile.

"Hello…"

"Hey Sakura, long time no see."

Her eyes narrowed, that voice was familiar also, and the handsome face right down to the purple markings across his eyes and little beauty mark. In a sudden wave of nostalgia Sakura suffered a mass recall of memories of Team Seven misadventures.

"Oh, my gosh, it's Sukea right?" He nodded in reply with a wider smile. "It really has been a long time. How are you?"

Sakura smiled back, opening the door a bit more to look anxiously around for Kakashi. What exactly was this photographer doing here after all these years? And how had he found her…

"I'm doing much better now, thanks. Sorry I think I may be a little late, there was this frail old lady crossing the street you see…"

Late?

"Did you say late? Late for what?"

In a moment of self consciousness, and perhaps Kunoichi instinct, Sakura guarded herself just a little. Feeling suddenly exposed standing out there in a yukata and without her usual garb. Her fists were the only weapons she'd ever need, but the last thing she wanted was to rip the only yukata she owned and mess up the look she had carefully crafted.

Sakura scrutinized the strange man from her past. Taking in every detail, the scarf, the green jacket. But her eyes were eventually drawn to his smirk and her mind froze, there was something so unsettling and familiar about it.

"Five o'clock, right?"

He spoke through the widening smirk.

Sakura felt her brow furrow with confusion, felt the dust settle at his words. It was when her gaze drifted from the smile now tugging on his lips, to his eyes that something finally registered within her mind. It was that look, without a doubt. When he softly chuckled, his eyes creasing shut in such a familiar way, she felt her jaw drop in confirmation.

"Kakashi?"

Standing there at the doorway, in front of her apartment, Kakashi watched with fascination as Sakura put the pieces together. The perverse kind of pleasure he would usually savour at her confusion was numbed just a fraction. She just looked so exceptionally beautiful, it was hard to concentrate on anything else for the moment.

He had expected her to look amazing, as she always did, he had just miscalculated how strong the effect would be on himself. Trying to gain back some modicum of normalcy, Kakashi relented and smiled in the usual fashion.

"Kakashi?"

Sakura put a hand to her open mouth, eyes wide. He was excessively pleased that it was a clone at the office right now so that his real self could witness this hilarity.

"Were you expecting someone else, Sakura?"

"Oh my god…"

He watched as she retreated back into the apartment, with a shrug he followed slowly. Sakura sat at the edge of the couch with her head in her hands. As he walked closer to her, she peered up at him before making a muffled kind of squeaking noise and burying her face in her hands again.

This had been only one of the ways he had predicted she would react. The others had been decidedly more violent. Kakashi sat himself on the armchair, folding his arms behind his head, making a show of fully relaxing into it. This comfortable display seemed to jostle some of Sakura's usual fiery spark.

"So that whole time, all those years ago, it was you?"

"Yup." Kakashi dropped back to his normal timbre, enjoying the frustrated groan this elicited from Sakura. "It was a good way to observe your team working abilities anyway."

"That whole time. That was your face…"

Kakashi closed his eyes briefly in a quiet chuckle, this was as good a disguise as any in his arsenal, it had served him well over the years. When he opened his eyes to regard Sakura again she was staring at him fixedly.

"It's just a face."

She made that squeaking sound again before forcibly looking toward the floor.

"Sorry…" Sakura said the word quietly before exhaling and standing, a sudden assured look on her face. "What the hell am I sorry for, screw it, I've waited twelve years for this."

Standing directly in front of the armchair he was seated in, with her hands on her hips in a matter-of-fact way, Sakura scrutinized every inch of his uncovered face. The look of concentration about her might have been fierce, if it weren't for the creeping blush that just made her look even more adorable. Kakashi found it difficult to keep from smiling, enjoying the way the action caused her blush to deepen.

"Sakura, why is it so warm in here?"

His question momentarily brought her attention back from the blatant scrutiny of his features.

"Hmm? Oh, the air conditioning unit is broken… How do you make your voice sound like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like Sukea's voice?"

Kakashi coughed and put a hand to his throat.

"Call it an old Anbu trick. It's all about testing the range of your vocal chords, but I'll admit it puts a strain on them. So just for you I'll use my normal voice…"

While he had been speaking, Sakura had been leaning forward with that same scrupulous gaze directed straight at his face. When she closed one eye in concentration and lifted a hand up, shielding the view of his nose and mouth, Kakashi couldn't hold back the laughter.

"It's that bad you want to cover it up again?"

Sakura dropped her hand with a playfully mischievous grin.

"I am just having a hard time believing that it's really you, Kakashi."

He noted the lack of sensei attached to his name, this was the second time she'd omitted it for the evening. Kakashi did not predict the surge of satisfaction that it caused to wash over him, or the way his smile was now reflecting hers. The laughter petered out, Sakura still leaning toward him as he sat, her eyes searching his own. It would be so easy to bridge that gap, and it was already too tempting an offer. All of a sudden he felt a strange panicking urge to remind Sakura just who she had agreed to go out with.

"It's still me, Sakura."

Her features softened.

"I know, still the same ridiculously difficult and aloof Kakashi." She chuckled at herself, he resisted the urge to roll his eyes briefly. "But you still look pretty handsome even in this disguise."

Kakashi couldn't help the smile that tugged one side of his lips, an action he almost forgot was on full display for Sakura without his mask. At least forgotten until she spoke with a kind of girlish squeal he hadn't heard from her in quite some time.

"Oh my goodness. Are you blushing right now?! You are! And I can see it!"

The coquettish glee might have lessened the effect she was having on him, but only by a fraction. He didn't even bother attempting to hide his face. Instead he sat there smirking, watching the happiness spread on Sakura, marvelling at how such a simple thing had delighted her so much.

"Are you quite done there?"

Sakura nodded yes while still grinning wildly.

"Good, we should probably get going." Kakashi stood, trying to ignore the smugness practically oozing off Sakura. Despite this there was a smirk unfading on him still, he was enjoying himself, purely because she was happy. Everything was going according to plan.

Sakura had bounded off to retrieve a small purse she had lying on the table amidst the hospital research. Kakashi unabashedly watching her movements. This, this was the Sakura he had missed, the one that had been bogged down and hidden for too long, the one so filled with love that you could practically feel it warming the entire room. Although, it was warm in here to start with thanks to that broken air conditioning unit. Kakashi's eyes briefly roamed the table, in a moment of sudden clarity he would be grateful for later.

"It's too warm in here. When are they fixing that unit?"

"Hmm, oh, I'm not sure. They said next week, so god knows when they'll actually turn up."

"Well, we won't be able to work in this heat. And something tells me the library won't be available to us now either…" Kakashi paused when he heard the derisive snort from Sakura which she unsuccessfully tried to hide. He continued. "We could move this all to my place later, if you wanted to. I know it's a ways away, but the air conditioning at least works…"

"Yeah, sure. That sounds fine." She all but interrupted him, as if trying to put a cap on the current conversation. The theory confirmed as she strided to the door and swung it open.

Kakashi had the distinct feeling that a line had almost been dangerously crossed, and he wasn't an idiot, he knew why. Tonight was not about hospital research or work. Tonight was….well something completely different, this was new territory. He followed behind, knowing full well that it would take more than the usual charm assault for this evening to go well. And the plan he was sticking to would keep it all going smoothly, it only called for one added thing to the charm. And that was honesty. Something he found easier to do with Sakura than anyone else, something she held in the highest regard as well, so he'd found. He had been right that this particular disguise would allow him to open up to her without the actual use of words. It was all going according to plan, he just needed to remind her...

She was paused at the open door as he reached it, a hand fussing over a strand of hair in her face.

"Hold on one second, I just wanna check that I still look okay…"

"Sakura." Kakashi blocked her way to the bedroom. "You look exquisite."

He added a genuine smile, and he hoped a gentleness to his tone that she would notice. Sakura's mouth opened in mild surprise with the faintest of pink dusting her cheeks.

"Thank you…" she mumbled before chewing her lip in a way that Kakashi found both endearing and tortuous. Wanting to taste those lips for himself… but not yet. That wasn't part of the plan.

There were many things that Kakashi Hatake was exceptional at. Many of them without actual effort on his part, the byproduct of being the byproduct of a genius Shinobi. One thing he would never fail at, was planning, strategy. It happened in an instant and sometimes without a great deal of thought. It was also continuous in all aspects of his life. So as he walked out of Sakura's apartment building, with her at his side, he mentally walked himself through the plan in his mind. Not only did this comfort him, but just seeing the smile and blush on her face also grounded him.

This is all part of the plan.

It was all coming together, and the next phase presented itself just as he knew it would. As they approached the lights and forced merriment, Kakashi would have sighed at even the thought of entertaining himself here tonight. But it was worth it as he offered a smile to Sakura. She had taken to staring fixedly at his face while they were walking, almost yelping and turning away when he caught her each time. Until they reached the Festival itself and Kakashi decided to turn the tables. Watching her features closely, the increasing blush an indication that it was a noticed action.

"Kaka… I mean…. Sukea, can I ask you something, honestly?"

"Go ahead."

"Well, don't get me wrong, I'm just happy you came along with me at all. But...why the disguise? I know you said some stuff before but..."

The noise of excitable children and music was the perfect camouflage for his normal voice. And he wanted Sakura to hear this as him, not as Sukea. Just for the moment.

"Well, honestly, there's a few reasons. Where to start…" Kakashi took in the way their walking had slowed, how she watched him closely, almost reverently. "The first was everything you told me to begin with, everything you liked about this festival in particular."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, really. All the things you said, about how this one isn't so hot and crowded, the reason that this is the only one you make the effort to go to in the year. So, I figured, if you were walking around with even just a less than average Hokage, people would be bothering you left, right and center." Kakashi took a deep breath, rallied his nerve for the next part of the plan, bolstered by her smile and easy laugh. "The bothering would have been tenfold after the last few weeks as well. Hence the clone in place."

"That's actually, pretty thoughtful. In an odd sort of way, thank you." As Sakura added the last two words Kakashi couldn't resist the slow spreading smile on his own face.

"There's another, more intimate reason…" At his words her mouth opened a fraction in surprise. "It means I can do this…"

Deliberately, with a careful touch so as not to startle her, Kakashi gently brushed his fingers against the back of her hand. Her eyes drifted to the point where they connected, Kakashi finally taking her hand into his. An innocent action perhaps, considering how they had wandered through Konoha some weeks ago in the same position, hand in hand without a disguise.

But that hadn't been a date. This was definitely a date. And Kakashi had wanted, more than anything, to be able to touch her innocently like this with entire impunity. Without the jeering or incessant questioning that would have occurred if he had accompanied her as just Kakashi, the Hokage and ex Copy Ninja. The very idea of holding something so wonderful and life giving in his own hands was utterly perplexing, the fact that she wanted to go to this with him, of all people.

"Oh." The blush on her cheeks deepened before she chuckled, the sound stirring him more than it should. "You know, I was worried, that you wouldn't want to be seen with me or something...but this. I like this. It means I have all the things I love about Konoha in one place."

"You approve of the disguise then?"

"Yes, Kaka….I mean…. Sukea." She blinked at him owlishly, he chortled himself.

"I'm guessing you still won't forgive me for using this particular disguise in the past though….."

"Not a chance in hell."

As the night went on, Sakura would momentarily lose herself in her surroundings. As she always did during this particular festival and it was always in a way that she never quite felt at any other time of the year. Peaceful, enjoying the moment, things a hardened Kunoichi needed to appreciate when they had the rare chance to. It was during these moments of her mind wandering that she forgot exactly who was with her tonight.

The shock of brown hair would startle her for a second, but always without fail, he would not so subtly remind her that he was Kakashi. Sometimes it was with a more familiar smile, or a not so quiet grumbling about the amount of people milling about, but it was his touch that seemed to ground her more than anything. The light occasional dance of his hand across her back while they were watching the performances or playing some game, the way he would allow her to tug on his arm, or recapture her hand every so often when she strayed too far from his side.

Weeks ago, these slight touches would have made her uncomfortable to the point of physical pain (for others as well as herself). But tonight she just couldn't get enough of it. Sakura started to wonder if this is what was supposed to happen on a date. If these side glances and laughter were normal or if it was just that girlish side of her coming out, that side that had basically disgusted Sasuke. But she really couldn't help it, even if she'd wanted to. She was just, well, happy.

It seemed the most natural thing in the world, to be holding on to his arm, gazing at the hanging lights as the last of the sunset vanished to black sky. More natural still, to be spread out on the bank of the river, having a picnic dinner while other couples did the same a few meters away. Waiting for the best part, the fireworks. Lanterns lining the path close by.

"This will be a good spot." Sakura sighed, relaxed, leaning back on her hands as she sat. Staring at the sky, unfazed for the moment that her outfit may be crumpled in this position. She didn't care about that anymore.

"Definitely." Kakashi was also sitting relaxed in the same manner next to her, a drink halfway to his lips.

His lips. And she could see them. The novelty had never quite worn off this evening, and even now as the night went on she caught herself staring at him still. Judging by his reaction, Kakashi's ego didn't mind the flattery in the slightest. His eyes would just briefly roam over her before he smiled and diverted her attention elsewhere.

Occasionally Sakura would also think on how they ended up in this position in the first place and it wasn't without some small measure of guilt. They were supposed to be working on this hospital, they still hadn't scouted that hideout, or made plans to even do it at all. Time was running out before they would have to present the project to the council, self doubt began to claw its way into her mind.

"Sakura." Kakashi had mingled his fingers with hers, the touch and the gentle way he said her name pulled her focus back. "You alright there? You looked a little….far off."

"Hmm. Oh, I'm fine." Sakura marvelled at being able to see the concern, on his entire face, it changed the look of him so completely it was beguiling. "Just thinking about the hospital, feeling a little guilty."

"You're allowed to take time for yourself, and you only get to do this once a year."

"I know that, just. The timeline, and we still haven't decided on a location…"

Sakura felt added remorse for being so flippant earlier when Kakashi had offered to move the research to his place. Maybe they should have done that first… There was a tender grip on her hand, somehow they had shifted closer to each other.

"Sakura, there's time." Just his voice was reassurance enough.

"You're right. And I think, we both needed this break, just for tonight."

"Exactly. We'll have plenty of time for this," he gestured to their intertwined hands, "after the hospital is finished."

Their eyes met in the low light, his shining with an unspoken promise, hers hopefully showing the contentment he seemed to foster within her. Although a thought began to niggle at the back of her mind. That once this hospital was finally built, the project she had been nurturing and hoping for her entire career, she would be tenfold busier running the place.

Would there be time to sit and have picnics with Kakashi like this? To have dinner with him each night, like she had grown to love. To have him there to ask about her day, and to hear about his in return. Would she get to know what his face really looked like, without the disguise?

As she regarded his soft expression, the way his eyes darted to her lips every so often, she sincerely hoped that there would be time. And if not, she would have to make it so. For now she could only hope, there was no alternative. It wasn't as if she needed him, she was independent enough, but she wanted him there so desperately.

"We'll make time." She finally answered, rewarded with his side smile, she still couldn't get over just how handsome it was in plain sight. For now she would keep her quiet worry to herself and enjoy this time with Kakashi.

It took a moment for Sakura to realize that they were slowly leaning toward each other, the lantern lights reflected on the water made it seem almost ethereal. It took every ounce of restraint she had not to close that gap in an instant and taste him properly. Instead she marvelled at the feel of his warm breath on her face as they inched together, the tingle of the bridge of his nose brushing against hers. That look in his eyes, dark and molten, all the things that made her heart beat faster. Kakashi could probably hear it himself the way it was thundering, there was no way he wouldn't even with the noise around them…..

Just when she thought she would finally taste sweet relief…..BANG.

The first firework sounded above them. Sakura pulled back, startled and flustered, looking up at the suddenly brightened sky. The peppering sound of the fireworks seemed to mirror her own erratic heartbeat for the second. When she dared to look back to Kakashi, his eyes were still fixed on her face, which did little to relieve her. Instead it sent a bolt of something, an ache, to other parts of her body. A fervent wish and desire that there wasn't so much space or clothing between them. His gaze seemed to express that same wish, and that only added to the heat.

When a gaggle of children ran closely by them Sakura was momentarily glad that they had been interrupted. Not because she didn't want to kiss him in public, but because she wasn't sure if she'd have been able to stop herself from roaming his body. And she desperately didn't want to make him uncomfortable, though for the moment he seemed to be content, his gaze shifted to the children with a warm fondness and then to the sky bursting with light. She was still fascinated by the sight of him, taking it all in while she had the chance.

When the fireworks stopped there were even more people around them. More than she had noticed before anyway. Kakashi gave her a knowing smile, a sympathetic one, one that promised he would make up for it later. She confirmed this theory as he even indulged her with dessert. They wandered around the dwindling activities for a while after, it shocked Sakura to see that it had already reached ten o'clock by the time they started to leisurely walk back towards her apartment.

The conversation had flowed easily between them. Words not exactly necessary in most places, just that quiet companionship and relaxation that accompanied it. In between they were discussing food, books even the village. What surprised her each time, was that Kakashi remembered what she had said, taken it to heart, and made reference to it later in some way. It was thoughtful. An act which in itself should not be so shocking, but the fact that it was coming from Kakashi, even in disguise, was still perplexing. Though, more sadly, she guessed she just wasn't used to being on the receiving end of it. In reality, Kakashi had always been thoughtful towards her, in other ways, not in the romantic sense. It followed that he would be like that in all aspects of his behaviour.

All aspects. The thought made her smirk darkly.

"Sakura?"

"Hmm?"

"You drifted off again…" he chuckled and she blinked, not realizing they had reached the footpath to her apartment. "And you had a look on your face like you were plotting a village takeover."

"Trust me, I definitely do not want your job. I'll stick to what I know thank you very much."

"Good, I wasn't kidding when I told you that you were the best medic in Fire Country, what you know is too valuable…"

"Oh, no, that's not what I meant." She enjoyed the confusion that passed on his face as they stopped at the door to her apartment building. It was a rare thing, and to see it almost completely without that mask was a real treat. "I mean that what I know is flirting with Hokages, not actually being one…"

Seeing his face, that smile, while hearing that deep chuckle. It did things to her body that made her want to act on all the urges she had been trying to keep buried down so as not to scare him away. But she was heated, tingling, breathing shallow in anticipation. Just when she thought she could bear it no longer his voice broke her daze.

"This is where we should probably say good night."

"Yeah, you better relieve that clone before you exhaust your chakra."

She couldn't help the giggle at his expense, it petered out when her eyes met his again. A dark smile, even darker with the only light shining from the apartments inside, crossed that handsome face. And she was rendered speechless, which Kakashi then took to his full advantage.

"Would take a little more to exhaust me, Sakura." He winked, the very action alone stopping her breathing altogether. The innuendo dripping through his voice.

Before she could even get her mind working again to think of a witty retort, he had tugged her closer to him. Her mouth opened in a gasp, but her arms wrapped around him unthinking, as if they knew what to do before her brain even registered what was happening. In an instant their noses were brushing together, her heart pounding in her ears, the warmth of him radiating her own. Kakashi leaning down to rest his forehead against her own. She closed her eyes in anticipation.

"Good night, Sakura."

Her eyes flicked open at his words, but all she could see was his face, all she could feel was his bare lips on her cheek. Sakura's hands gripped at his bulky cloak, and it was with satisfaction that she leant into the kiss, willing him to shift his lips to capture hers. Still he lingered, Sakura felt his hands drifting to dance along her arms, tingling until he finally let them rest on her own against his chest.

Kakashi inhaled deeply, stepping closer til they were flush against each other. Sakura's eyes drifted shut again, revelling in the way she was lined up against his muscular frame. If this was what his lips could do to her with just a kiss on the cheek, she felt a coiling excitement at what his lips could do to her elsewhere. The temperature shot up again, a whimper almost escaping her at the thought. Kakashi didn't miss this, relinquishing her hands and bringing his own around her back, where they dropped to her rear and cupped it.

She would have gasped, but his mouth was moving, she bit her bottom lip in anticipation but that soft warmth travelled in another direction. Instead he was burying his face in her neck, inhaling, peppering kisses on the supple flesh. She didn't hold back the quiet groan, feeling his smirk into the kissing, she fisted his shirt. Allowing her hands to dig beneath that coat he had on.

Kakashi let out a contented sigh, bringing his forehead back to rest on hers, Sakura lamenting the lack of his lips on her skin. It felt like she was burning at the touch. So sensitive to just the slightest of kisses along her neck. Her head felt fuzzy. She vaguely registered him letting go of her and pulling back.

"Thanks for asking me out."

He added. Sakura was still too stunned to speak, standing there, her mind blank. Trying to permanently copy the look of his uncovered face into her mind before he left. She watched the unwavering smirk about him as he stepped back further. She mumbled something intelligible.

"G'night…"

That chuckle, that one which was so very Kakashi, was the last thing she heard before he disappeared into the darkness. It might have been a full minute before she could actually feel her body return to some normalcy, moving up the stairs at a glacial pace. The smile on her face spreading to a wide grin with each step she took.

It was perfect. Every part, right down to the disguise even. What had she been so nervous about? This was Kakashi, the man who always did everything in his power to make her comfortable, safe, happy. Her key in the lock, the grin still on her face, she could still feel the warmth and tenderness from those soft kisses. They heated her, right down from her neck to her chest and further. Gods, how she wanted him to keep going.

When she opened the door to darkness she was so wrapped up in thoughts she didn't notice anything amiss. Even when she clicked the lights on she didn't immediately notice. Not until she heard the low and deep drawl of a voice that was so familiar and so unexpected that it terrified her in an instant. Chilling what had just been warm and melting.

"Sakura."

"Sa….Sasuke?"

The Uchiha sat at the end of the table, staring fixedly at her, sitting in the chair that she knew as Kakashi's.