Ok well first of all to everyone: I'm fine now so no worries. It only happens like once or twice a year so never fear. But thanks for everyone's worries and wishes. I appreciated that a whole lot!
Now then sorry for the cliffie I thought it'd be good for your characters to have to wait. Mean huh? lol Kidding I swear! ;)
Now then just as clarification for a few questions that were brought up:
Yep I do rather like Genma and Ino as a couple. I don't know why they just seem kinda suited to each other and I read quite a few fanfics before this chapter that planted the idea in my head, although it's kinda up in the air as to whether it will actually turn into a relationship or not yet. I don't know that part. XD
I dont know if that's why Kakashi reads his precious porn but it seemed to me to be a perfectly plausible explanation for it. It just seemed right.
I also wish to take this time to apologize/address or whatever else you may want to call if for the dirty humour between Ino and Sakura. It's just the way I work, dirty humour is how I spend my day. I know it's not really a Sakura thing but to me it just seemed to suit Ino and we all know that Kakashi is adept at dirty humour so yeah sorry 'bout that.
Now then the rest of the Konoha 12 find out in this chapter however Kurenai and Asuma's reactions you will have to wait for. Yes Asuma is alive in my story but he is not around right now and the next chapter will address why. XD
Also to AnimeFTW: Thank you for pointing out my mistake, I hadn't noticed I was doing it wrong. My dyslexia sometimes prevents me from noticing my grammatical errors, so thank you for pointing it out! I will try to be more careful in future. (See I did it again and only just now noticed!. xhead deskx)
Orochimaruismyman: Yeah I must admit I almost cringed writing that bit but I dunno I just felt it had to be done. hehe
Sorry for the wait guys I hope the length makes up for the time I took. The family decided it was high time I stop being a computer nerd and get out of the house. xsighx I like being a geek! Leave me be! lol
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Tsunade looked up as a knock sounded on the door and resounded around her head. She gave out a loud groan at her rather bad idea to get drunk before this meeting, but considering the subject of it, she felt perfectly justified.
"Come in!" She barked, the handle of the door shifted and the couple she knew would be behind it walked in slowly, deliberately and… holding hands!
She scowled a little at this although she had to admit they made a rather handsome couple. 'What the hell?' Her drunken enraged mind spluttered as following in behind them were the remaining members of Team 7, including the substitutes, the obnoxious Yamanaka girl and was that Genma entering last, his hand resting in Ino's? 'Kami help me!' She thought as she directed her attention to the large group that had just entered.
"What the bloody hell are all of you doing here?!" She snarled as she glared at them all in turn, with a look that would have killed one of the ordinary residents of Konoha on the spot. The shinobi infront of her however were used to her death glares and they felt they needed to be here, so they just ignored her threatening gaze with a shrug.
"Moral support." Sasuke grunted returning the gaze almost smugly.
"I could kill you all right now." She snapped, shooting another glance at them again.
"We know Baa-chan but we're willing to risk it." Naruto said with a shrug as he locked eyes with her and refused to back down.
Kakashi looked at him at this point with a mixture of awe and shock at his rather dangerous comment. He smirked a little as Tsunade backed out of the glaring contest first. He annoyed the heck out of her, this much he knew, Naruto on the other hand drove her to the brink of committing homicide and he was rather glad of the blonde's presence at this particular time since it drew some of the attention away from him, well for a split second anyway.
"Whatever, shut up. I already have a bad headache and your voice just makes it worse. Ino! Shut the door!" She said waving a hand at the young blonde medic and almost smirked at the scowl that spread across Naruto's face at her comment. For once he managed to not open his mouth and retort, something everyone could attest to, was very unusual for him.
"You are all to stand still and shut up from now on, unless you're asked a question I do not want to hear a single breath escape your lips is that clear?" Tsunade said, making it less a question and more an order. "Or the medics will have some serious injuries to deal with." She added with a rather evil smirk at them all.
Nodding their heads and keeping as quiet as humanly possible they looked over as her gaze returned to the couple in front of her.
"The Konoha gossip chain is right as ever then I see." She said raising a perfectly arched golden eyebrow at them both.
"Yes shishou." Sakura answered, raising her eyes from the ground to meet Tsunade's.
"Tell me Kakashi, just how long exactly have, you been harbouring feelings for your ex-student?" she asked, switching her gaze and addressing the Copy Nin. "I sincerely hope your not some kind of paedophile Hatake. I mean I'd hate to have to put one of our best shinobi to death because he can't keep his hands off his young students."
Her voice was low and to most people menacing, but that comment had struck a raw nerve with Kakashi and instead of inciting fear within him it served to ignite a flame of deep seated anger. That was, as he'd said to Sakura earlier the exact thing he was worried people would think of him and it most definitely wasn't true! He was in no way interested in children or anyone under age. Hell he'd never been interested in anyone so young before Sakura! Tsunade glanced at his suddenly stiffened posture, and clenched jaw that was evident even with his mask on and received her answer just from that, but she awaited his actual answer anyway just for confirmation. 'It's obviously a pretty recent thing.' She thought to herself. 'She must have been of age before he noticed her like that. I mean the man's practically stood up straight for crying out loud!'
"Since the day I found her looking lost and alone on a bench the day before you gave me that mission when I disappeared for two years." He said in a strained voice, trying hard to keep his temper at her comment under control.
"Well thank the lord for small miracles then." She snapped as she continued to consider him, noticing his anger being kept in check at her harsh words. 'Barely in check.' She reminded herself.
"Hmm." Was his non committal response. He didn't consider it a small miracle right now, judging by the Hokages responses this wasn't going well, this wasn't going well at all and it wouldn't end well by the sounds of things either.
'Good heavens' Tsunade thought at his comment. 'The man has the gall to act like that even with my temper? You've got guts Hatake I'll give you that.' A tiny smirk light her face for a split second as his uncovered eye met hers with a cold glance, a smirk that no one but the Copy Nin seemed to pick up on. He sighed and shifted most of his weight to his other foot.
"And just when pray tell were the pair of you planning on telling me?" She asked her eyes flashing dangerously in front of them. "Or were you just hoping that I'd find out through the gossip chain and be pleased about it and let you get on it with it?"
" No! Shishou… It wasn't like that!" Sakura spluttered as she looked at Tsuande. "I was going to tell you it was just something happened last night and well Kakashi felt the need to protect me…." She trailed off looking away from her friends lined up against the wall to her right.
Tsunade turned her attention to Kakashi once more and fixed him with a steely gaze as she questioned him. "So Hatake what was it that made you feel you had to protect Sakura's honour?"
He glanced over at the group of people by the wall and breathed a deep sigh before responding. "Sakura, Sasuke, Naruto and Sai entered the pub together last night and the next thing we all knew Genma was flirting with Sakura. I didn't like it and I couldn't stand him or anyone flirting with her, so I stepped in and told him to back off and that Sakura and I are together, and then the whole pub was watching and they all heard." He said a deep sigh of resignation in his voice.
"Shiranui! I'll deal with you another time!" She growled glancing at him with a glare cold enough to freeze the fires of naraku, causing him to gulp and shift uncomfortably and almost bolt for the door there and then, before she turned her gaze back to Kakashi and Sakura. "So it wasn't intentional to leave me to be practically the last person in Konoha who didn't know about this then?" She asked her voice steely and cold matching the gaze in her darkened eyes.
"We wanted to tell you first of all but circumstances out of our control forced us to admit it to others first." Kakashi said calmly and rationally looking back at her, answering her as Sakura seemed unable to answer at this exact moment in time, and giving her a look befitting her status, a look of apology and humility, which was to be honest something pretty foreign to the Copy Nin but under the circumstances was definitely called for.
She watched his expression, scrutinising every inch of his face for signs that he wasn't being honest with her but what she read there was perfect honesty. 'Well Hatake I can't fault you for being honest with me at least it seems. But you're sneaking around with my apprentice, someone I class as my daughter. I hope you don't think I'm letting you off the hook just because you're telling me the truth!' She thought as she turned her gaze to said apprentice. 'Sakura just what the hell are you doing? Are you trying to give me a heart attack here?' She asked herself as she watched the pink haired kunoichi squirm in front of her.
"And just how long bloody long have the rest of you known?! When did you all find out?! Hmm?" She yelled, switching back to stare at the silent group of shinobi lined up against the wall, as the glass in her office windows shaking a little under the force of her anger.
"Since the last day of our journey home Lady Hokage." Tenzo said with an apologetic glance at both her and then Kakashi.
Ino and Genma looked at each other before looking back at her as Ino responded to their part in the whole time line. "Genma found out last night, since he was there of course and he told me first thing this morning."
"I see." She growled as she considered this new information. "And you…" Here she turned her attention back to Tenzo and the rest of Team 7. "…didn't think to tell me at all?"
"Forgive us but it wasn't our place to tell Lady Hokage." Tenzo said wincing slightly at the look she gave him. "It was up to them to tell you when they were ready…" He finished trailing off into silence once more.
"Well I don't suppose I can fault your loyalty." She told him snidely.
"And just what kind of relationship is this to you Hatake? I won't ask Sakura, I'm pretty sure I can figure out what this means to her, being young and naïve. In the way of relationships anyway." As she said this Sakura's head snapped up to look at her shishou but the only sound that escaped her lips was a slightly strangled gasp which Tsunade ignored for now. "But is this just some kind of fun to you Hatake or what? What exactly are you getting out of this relationship?"
Kakashi drew in a very deep breath and stood up perfectly straight before answering. Tsunade of course took note of this and realised that once again she had hit a raw nerve at her insinuation that it was anything but a proper relationship to him, his unusually vertical posture was once again enough of an answer but waited for the man in question to speak and give her, her answer all the same.
"It's not just some silly fling or a bit of fun. I'm sure to most people it would seem that way, after all what else could a man my age get out of a relationship with someone fourteen years his junior right? But it's nothing of the sort. I can assure you I wouldn't risk my status and certain body parts for anything less than love." He said with perfect sincerity and an un-avoiding gaze.
'Once again you surprise me Kakashi Hatake. I didn't know you had the ability to love after everything you've been through.' She thought sitting back in her seat and sweeping her gaze over the room and its current occupants. 'However I'm sure you realise you picked entirely the wrong girl to fall in love with.'
She sighed as she returned her gaze to the rather uncomfortable couple in front of her and inhaled deeply getting ready to ask the next question that she had in mind. She really wasn't sure if she actually wanted to know the answer to this question but she felt she should know so that perhaps she could prepare to kill someone if needed.
"Sakura."
"Yes shishou?" The young woman in question turned to look back at her nigousan and waited with baited breath to see what the next question would be. She had an idea and she hoped to god she was wrong but as Tsunade began to ask the question she realised she had been proven right and she wished the ground would just open up and swallow her whole as her entire face and indeed the rest of her, turned maroon.
"Have you two been intimate?!" She ground out glaring daggers at Kakashi as every other occupant in the room gasped and shifted, praying that they didn't have to hear the answer to that question. Even thought they were all fairly certain of the answer that at least something had happened between the pair they still didn't want to know the actual truth, well apart from Ino who already knew everything.
"Yes shishou." Sakura answered her face a mask or purple and red as she felt supreme embarrassment at having to answer that question at all, let alone in front of her own team but Ino and Genma too of all people and even Kakashi's presence was something that caused her even more embarrassment at having to state the truth about that particular part of their lives.
"How far?" She asked fighting extremely hard the urge to destroy the entire office and everyone in it as she did so.
"Pardon shishou?" Sakura asked unsure entirely of what she was being asked.
"How…far…have…you…gone?" Tsunade repeated almost spelling out each word as she spat them out, asking the question of Sakura but speaking at the silent form of the silver haired jounin in front of her.
"I… shishou… well… I…" Sakura spluttered out unable to admit the actual truth. Never the less, Tsunade could gather the answer from the beetroot colouring of her apprentice's face and the stiff posture of the Copy Nin, as he looked everywhere but at her face.
"Three days!" She bellowed as she slammed a hand onto her desk, causing it to collapse immediately under her furious strength. "Three damn days Kakashi! You couldn't keep your god damn hands to yourself even for three fucking days! You had to share your perverted tendencies with her already you bastard?!" She screamed picking up remainders of her desk and throwing them at the wall opposite her. "Give me your mission report and then get out of my sight before I have you taken to Ibiki and imprisoned. And those certain body parts you mentioned earlier, you'll not have to worry about losing them again understand?! And you are not to come anywhere near Sakura at all once you are outside of this office is that clear?! Until I say otherwise you two are to acknowledge each other when you meet but that's it!!"
Kakashi kept quiet during this tirade feeling it was best not to anger her further but he gasped and drew in a deep pained breath at the last few words she spoke. He'd been expecting something like this yes but that in no way made it any easier to deal with when he heard those heartbreaking words forced from her lips.
"Yes Hokage-sama." He said with a dark look and slight growl to his voice but taking his mission report out of his jacket and handing it to her silently anyway. Turning round he glanced at Sakura, tears flowing freely down her face as she stared at him in despair. He walked over to her and ran his thumb over her face, wiping away the tears there, only for them to be replaced instantaneously. Surprising everyone he reached up with his other hand and pulled his mask down, he looked into Sakura's eyes for a split second before softly pressing his lips to hers in the softest most gentle kiss he'd ever given her, his thumb still rubbing circles over her left cheek as he did so. He pulled back, putting his mask back in place and rested his forehead against hers looking at her as he whispered to her.
"I'm sorry." He breathed, pain clearly written in his uncovered dark eye. "I love you, please forgive me. I only want what's best for you."
"I know." She whispered back as her hand ran down his masked cheek and over his jaw line, before he moved back, releasing her face and walking away from her, keeping his gaze away from the friends lined up against the wall frozen in total shock, the friends who only wished them happiness, the happiness that maybe they deserved and maybe they didn't, but he felt certain that Sakura at least deserved it, even if he didn't.
He looked at her one last time before disappearing in a cloud of smoke. Genma pulled away from the group lined up at the wall and looked at Tsunade quickly. She waved her hand at him in a clear dismissal before he to, disappeared in a cloud of smoke, certain he knew exactly where he would find Kakashi.
Tsunade turned her gaze back to Sakura and felt extreme sorrow at the tears streaking down the young womans face, but she was only acting in her best interests. Surely anyone could see that? But apparently not she realised as she glanced over at the silent group against the wall who seemed to come out of their stupor, anger and rebellious intentions written across all five of their faces. Tenzo glanced at Sakura unhappily before realising it was best to leave Naruto, Sai, Sasuke and Ino to comfort her. He nodded at them and as they nodded back in understanding he to vanished in search of Kakashi and Genma.
Naruto's face was clearly displaying his anger at her actions but inside his head a different thought struck him. 'Kakashi pulled down his mask! And I didn't see a damn thing!!' He grumbled.
Just then a loud yelp sounded inside the office and five heads swivelled round to the source of the noise. As Sakura's sobs became louder and louder, she pitched forward and collapsed in a heap on the floor, her legs beneath her, rivers of tears pouring from her puffy, red ringed eyes. As one the four young friends moved forward to be at her side instantly. Ino pulled her up, wrapping her arms around her from behind as she gave the Hokage a harsh glare. Sasuke took her hand in his, Sai the other, as Naruto turned to Tsunade, apparently ready for a show down as he inhaled a deep breath and screamed out his frustration.
"What the hell are you doing?!" he screeched moving forward so that they were only a foot apart. "How could you do that to Sakura?! You know what she went through when the teme left and you go and take the one person who's ever loved her, and that she loved back away from her?! Are you insane or just a complete cow?!" He roared his voice grating on her last nerve.
"You impudent worm! You think I came to this decision lightly?!" She yelled back leaning forward so her face was right in front of his. "How dare you question me? And how dare you call me what you just did?! Do you have some kind of death wish?! I could kill you quite happily right now you know!" She screamed, her face turning red in her anger and annoyance.
"Yeah well the feelings mutual!" Naruto screeched back his voice taking on a whine as he glared right back. The rest of the occupants of the room cringed a little at the volume and tone of his voice. "You say you care for Sakura how the hell could you do this to her?..."
Tsunade held up her hand to halt his conversation, wincing at the noise Naruto's voice made when he whined like that, like the sharpest nails running down a black board, not to mention the fact the entire office seemed to shake as he screamed out his frustrations at her and she responded. It left her almost deaf, as well as the other occupants of the room and in serious need of a very strong drink.
"Shizune!" She yelled.
The doors to the office opened hesitantly and Sizune looked at her friend and mentor from the doorway. "Ye… Yes Tsunade?" She glanced around noticing the devastation but thankful there was no blood to be found anywhere that was a definite plus.
"Get me a drink." She growled, her voice daring her to disagree.
"Ye… yes Tsunade." She bowed and shut the door quickly behind her, glad to be able to leave the room if only for a few seconds, knowing a drink was the last thing Tsunade really needed and normally she would never oblige her, but under the circumstances she would relent just this once.
"You will all understand one day and Sakura I hope you can forgive me, but what I am doing is for the best. You will come to understand my decision soon." She said softening her voice. 'I hate to be doing this but you'll understand why eventually and you I hope you can forgive me.' She thought as she viewed the pink haired woman sobbing in her best friend's arms. 'I have a reason for all this and you will see it soon.'
Just then Sakura fainted. Tsunade looked shocked at that but it appeared she had wound herself into such a state that she just collapsed for a second. Sasuke looked at Ino before picking Sakura up in his arms and turning back to face Tsunade.
"If you'll excuse us, I think we should take Sakura home now." He said, his voice dripping with sarcasm and disdain as Sakura began to come back around.
Before Tsunade could even reply Sasuke had nodded to the rest of the group and disappeared in a cloud of smoke, Sakura clutching him tightly as he did so. The rest of the group looked over at their Hokage one last time before they too followed suit.
"Shizune! Where's my drink?!" She yelled as Shizune came barrelling up the corridor towards the office, bottle of sake in hand.
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Sasuke carried Sakura over to the sofa and lay her down on it, her head resting in his lap as she continued to sob. Ino, Sai and Naruto appeared in her front room and moved over to couch. Naruto stepped forward and promptly sat on the floor underneath her, holding her hand in his. Ino moved to sit next to Sasuke and rested Sakura's legs over hers, patting her on the back as Sasuke's arm rested around her shoulders.
He bent his head down to hers and whispered to her. "I'm sorry Sakura. I never wanted this to happen. We'll sort it out somehow." He sighed as he looked down at her. She looked up and gave him the faintest smile ever before turning to everyone else.
"I think I'm going to go lie down for a while." She hiccupped moving to get up.
Ino, Sauske and Naruto released her and allowed her to move off the sofa. She hugged them all before moving past Sai to her bedroom. Grasping his hand and giving it a slight squeeze before releasing it and opening the door to her bedroom. She turned to look at them all one last time before she entered her bedroom and shut the door behind her.
"What the hell is the old lady playing at?!" Naruto growled far too loudly.
"Not so loud dobe!" Sasuke said smacking him across the back of the head as he did so.
"Ow teme!" Naruto whined as he flashed him a very annoyed look.
"Just keep your voice down baka!" Ino snapped staring at him. 'You may be a great friend but sometimes Naruto I wonder if you know anything about tact and thought or if you'll ever learn about it for that matter.' "Look I know you want to help but over reacting won't make Sakura feel any better."
"Yeah I know." He said looking back at Ino with a huff. "I'm just so annoyed that the old lady would do this to her." His voice ringing with indignation but he kept the volume down for once.
"Think about it." Sasuke said thoughtfully, causing them all to turn and face him, trying to understand what he was on about. "She's testing them, she's pissed off to high heaven about the whole relationship and finding out they've slept together. That she won't forgive or forget for a long time but she's testing them to see how strong their feelings are. If they do as she says and stay completely away from each other it will seem like they want to be together and will do as she tells them to stay apart in the hopes she'll let them be together, but if they try everything in their power to accidentally bump into each other or see each other then I guess it would prove that they are willing to be together in spite of everything, even orders from the hokage. So either way they go about it they'll prove their love although personally I think she's trying to see if they'll do the latter."
"So you think she wants them to deliberately flout her rules and warnings and try to be together or at least pretend to bump into each other and stuff?" Ino asked thinking through it and seeing where his logic was coming from.
"That's pretty much it yeah." He replied with a shrug.
"Interesting logic." Sai said thoughtfully. "And you really think this will work?"
"I'm positive." Sasuke responded with a nod in Sai's direction.
"Well then I say we help them 'bump' into each other as often as possible huh?" Naruto said grinning from ear to ear.
"Bonehead, that's the first clever thing I think you've ever said." Ino said looking at him almost with praise in her eyes.
Sasuke nodded and smirked at little at the slightly miffed look on Naruto's face but he chose to ignore it as they sat on the sofa plotting how to make the pair accidentally bump into each other as often as possible.
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As Genma appeared in front of the memorial stone, there beside him, as he knew he would be was Kakashi. They were quickly joined by Tenzo, who had left shortly after him he presumed.
"Not exactly how you thought it'd go huh?" Genma asked around the ever present senbon, clutched between his lips.
"Actually, that's pretty much exactly how I figured it'd happen, although admittedly I still have the ability to father children, if I ever wanted to anyway. That part was kind of unexpected. I thought for sure I'd end up in the hospital for a while at least, especially after that last little confession." He sighed turning wearily to face Genma.
"Yeah, wasn't the best thing that everything happened so fast really was it?" Tenzo said more than a little sadly.
"It wasn't like we planned for it to happen so soon, it… just happened." Kakashi finished dejectedly, turning so he was fully facing Tenzo now.
"Well as long as she was ready for it." Tenzo said looking Kakashi in the eye, apparently searching for something.
"She was…" He answered, with a hint of a growl in his voice. He didn't like the things that had been insinuated about him today. First he'd been accused of being a possible child molester or something and then he felt he was being accused of taking advantage of someone so much younger than him! He sighed again before finishing his sentence. "…Sakura was the one who instigated it ok? I didn't force her into anything!"
"Hey, Kakashi. You need to chill. He wasn't accusing you of anything right?" Genma said looking at the other jounin.
"No of course that's not what I meant at all. Kakashi you should know me better than that."
"Yeah." The silver haired jounin responded unhappily. "Pardon me if I'm not the best company right now."
"Forget about it." He said dismissively, with a small shrug.
"So what do you do now Hatake?" Genma asked. "Surely you ain't giving up? Not after that display in the pub and in front of the Hokage earlier."
"Of course not." Kakashi snorted a little offended at the thought. "She wants to kill me right now, understandable of course, but she's testing us."
"You really think so?" Genma asked just slightly unsure, but understanding that Kakashi surely knew what he was talking about..
"Am I or am I not supposed to be some kind of genius?" Kakashi asked him almost smugly.
"Well most would say no…" Genma began, when a withering look from the Sharingan user caused him to finish his sentence a lot quicker than intended. "But I know you better and yes of course you are."
"Well then let's just trust my genius shall we?" Kakashi asked a hint of a smirk visible under his mask.
"Whatever you say Hatake." He responded with a small salute. "You know you seem to be taking this awfully easy for someone who's supposed to be heart broken right now." Genma observed.
"You think I'm not hurt over this?" Kakashi growled menacingly moving towards him. Tnezo moved forward and placed a hand on the older mans chest stopping him advancing any further. "This hurts like hell to tell you the truth! And knowing that she's hurt makes the pain even worse. It's killing me to be away from her and to know that she's upset. So don't you dare try to tell me I'm ok!" He snarled about to disappear again.
"Ok, ok." Tenzo said becoming the negotiator this time. "Let's all go and relax with a drink shall we?"
"Hmm." Was Kakashi's response as he unclenched his fists and shoved his hands back in his pockets.
"Come on Hatake. Let's go get you plastered." Genma said slapping Kakashi on the back as they moved off towards the pub together.
As they walked along, whispers followed everyone who caught site of Kakashi and some of them nudged each other, pointing and whispering as he passed them. 'I expected this would happen but that doesn't make any of it any easier.' He sighed as they entered the pub and the entire place went silent at the sight of their topic of conversation, it seemed half of Konoha was out to drink in the pub for lunch and share the latest gossip about the sensei and his ex-student. Kakashi scowled a little at this and thought to himself 'If I had Sakura by my side this would be a lot more bearable.' With a sigh he and Tenzo sat down at the only empty table left, which was luckily in the back, shadowy and partially hidden from view. Kakashi sat in the darkest corner and groaned as he sat down.
"Well Kakashi, not to say I told you so or anything but you brought this on yourself." Tenzo said looking at him almost sympathetically.
"Yeah, I know. But like I said in the woods on the way home, she's more than worth it." Kakashi responded with a slight eye crinkle.
"Glad to hear it. I'd hate to have to kick your ass if you gave up on her now or lost interest because of what just happened." Tenzo said with a laugh erupting from his chest.
"Now that, has cheered me up." Kakashi responded with a loud laugh of his own.
"Gee, thanks Hatake." He said seemingly hurt at the comment but laughing again all the same.
"Drink up!" Genma said as he placed a large pitcher of the strongest sake available on the table and handed them a glass each. "To love!" Genma yelled with renewed gusto as all three downed the contents of their glasses.
"How do you think Sakura is right now?" Tenzo asked, his voice a little worried for their only female student.
"Probably about as well as me." Kakashi responded glumly. Tenzo raised his eyebrow questioningly at him. Kakashi looked back and stated the rest of his sentence. "Fucking terrible." He sighed downing another glass of sake.
"Come on Kakashi, take another drink." Genma said filling his glass again. "We need you to be drunk to get through this."
"Yeah well that sounds like a damn good idea to me." He replied drowning his sorrows in yet another glass of sake.
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A gentle knock sounded at Sakura's door and Ino got up to answer it. Swinging the door open hesitantly she was more than a little surprised to find Hinata on the other side.
"Hinata?" Ino said raising both eyebrows in confusion at the quiet girl on the doorstep.
"I came to find you all and Sakura-chan to. We… we planned a picnic when we heard about her and Kakashi-sama …" She blustered looking at their glum expressions, as the smile slid off her lips and was replaced with a worried expression, she bit her lip before speaking again. "N… Naruto is something wrong?" She asked looking at the blonde haired boy sitting on the sofa.
"Hinata." Naruto breathed as he moved forward and grabbed the poor girl in a tight hug, causing a full blush to spread over her entire body. "Baa-chan banned them from seeing each other." He supplied as she raised her pearl eyes to meet his azure ones.
"But… but… How could she?" Hinata pleaded, clinging to her boyfriend's orange jacket in shock.
"She's testing them." A smoother, deeper male voice said to her from behind Naruto.
Her head snapped up and she looked past Naruto, staring at the dark haired male sitting on the sofa opposite her, in total bewilderment. Sasuke Uchiha rarely said a word to her and she almost didn't know what to make of it. Of course the stoic ninja hardly ever said a word to anyone but she was shocked into silence for a few seconds as she regarded him thoughtfully.
"You mean she's deliberately pushing them apart to see how far they'll go to be together?" The blue haired kunoichi asked, quietly looking him dead in the eye.
Sasuke smirked back at her. 'She's actually looking me in the eye for once, well, well wonders will never cease.' "You know dobe." He said addressing Naruto for a second. "I like your girlfriend, she's smart. How you ever ended up with someone so clever I'll never know but yes Hinata..." He said ignoring Naruto's huff and furious glare and staring directly into the Hyuuga heiress's eyes as he stood up and walked closer. "…That's exactly what she's doing. Clever as well as pretty I see."
"T… thank you Sasuke-kun." She said heat blossoming over her entire face as she turned a furious red at his compliment. Burying her face in Naruto's chest she felt able to talk again as Naruto continued to glare daggers at Sasuke. "What should we do? Everyone was waiting to talk to Sakura and we had a whole picnic full of food ready and everything." She said clearly unsure of what to do next.
"Well it might help to take her mind off things." Ino said contemplatively.
"Yeah, I think we should try and get her out." Sai said in an unusual moment of clarity and understanding.
Everyone turned to stare open mouthed at him in response. He gave them all one of his fake smiles in return but slight amusement was there in his eyes as he looked back at them.
"Ok I'll go get her and try to get her out then." Ino said moving away from the group by the door and heading for Sakura's bedroom door.
Knocking softly she awaited an answer. When Sakura's faint voice called gently "Come in." She moved her hand down and grasped the handle moving it slowly as she swung the door open silently. Sakura lay on her bed, turned away from the door, her eyes facing the window, tears running down her pale cheeks, as she clutched a framed photo to her chest. Ino gave her friends back a saddened glance but then gave her a small smile as Sakura turned around to look at her.
"Who was at the door Ino?" Sakura asked a look of confusion on her face.
"Hinata." Ino answered simply. Sakura raised an eyebrow at this short explanation and waited for Ino to expand it as she sat up and looked at her wiping her puffy eyes with the back of her hand. "Seems the rest of the gang decided to throw a picnic since we're all here and they were all dying to hear… well your news. I know it's not exactly something you'd feel up to right now but I think it would be good…."
"I'd like that." Sakura interrupted a faint smile gracing her lips as she went to move off the bed. Ino raised an eyebrow at this unexpected response and Sakura looked straight back.
"I heard what Sasuke said about shishou if that's true then I have nothing to worry about right?" She asked her voice half terrified, half exhilarated.
"Well yeah, I guess so." Ino said once again thinking through the logic.
"Then I guess I just have to deal with the pain until things work out." Sakura said, a sad smile playing on her lips.
"Your tougher than I ever gave you credit for forehead. Now we all know what Kakashi sees in you." Ino said reaching forward and hugging her.
"Well thanks I think..."
"Then lets get you cleaned up and we'll get going huh?" Ino said putting her arm around Sakura and leading her to the mirror in the bathroom. "Get yourself sorted and we'll wait for you by the door."
"Ok." Sakura whispered as Ino walked away again and headed back to the group at the door.
"Ok she's getting ready, she'll be out soon. Oh!" Ino suddenly said as a realisation hit her. "Someone needs to make sure Choji doesn't eat all the food before we get there! I better go keep an eye on things. Where is everyone headed Hinata?"
"Oh, um the middle of the park under the um…." Hinata began before Ino cut in and finished the sentence.
"Cherry blossom trees." Ino said with a slight smirk at the obvious significance. Hinata gave a faint smile in return and then Ino was gone.
Two minutes later Sakura made her way out of the bathroom and as the entire group turned to look at her she gave them a hint of a smile. She moved closer and slipped her arm through Sasuke's, his hands as always buried in his pockets.
"Ready?" He asked her searching her face for any hesitance, but there was none written in her eyes.
"Hi Hinata." The pink haired woman said a half smile on her face as she turned to the blushing Hyuuga.
"Sakura-chan." She replied with a shy smile, before moving toward the front door, Naruto's arm wrapped around her waist.
"Lets go then." Sakura said her voice a mixture of sadness and fondness as she watched the couple ahead.
Sakura felt a grin spread across her face, despite her anguish, as she watched the couple move off ahead of them. How Naruto hadn't figured it out sooner was beyond her. Shaking her head with a slight chuckle she grabbed Sai's hand and pulled him along with her. Sai jumped a little at her sudden tight grip on his hand but he relaxed and allowed her to pull him along.
"How are you feeling?" Sasuke asked as he bent down a little to whisper in her ear.
"Honestly?" she asked her voice barely audible as her face was turned away from his.
"Yeah, honestly." He answered watching her facial expression.
"I feel like someone ripped out my heart and then trod on it while making me watch the entire thing, laughing the entire time they did it." She said, her pale jade eyes meeting his dark onyx ones. "But I heard what you said about shishou, do you really think she's testing us?"
"Yes Sakura, I do. I'm sorry it has to hurt so much right now but soon you'll feel better, I'm certain."
"You really think so?" She asked her voice soft and pleading, as if clinging to his every affirmation, as if his voice and the words that tumbled from his lips would fix everything.
He chuckled a little at her gentle naiveté, but he'd been right about everything else so far so this he was sure of. "Yes, I told you it would all be ok didn't I?"
"Yes." She answered smiling at him a little.
"Then trust me like you used to when we were younger and I'll make sure it all turns out ok." He said looking at her a little sadness on his face that he immediately wiped away with a slightly cocky grin in her direction as they walked near to the pub.
As they passed the window a shock of silver hair hidden in the shadows at the back of the pub made all three of them turn their faces to view the three jounin they knew so well, knocking back drinks rather hastily. Sakura sighed as she watched the hand of her former lover reach out and pour him self another drink. He looked up and saw the trio, through the small window just as they began to move off again and nodded sadly at all three of them. Sakura smiled faintly while a tear ran down her face.
Kakashi watched as Sasuke put his arm around her, her tear stained face looking back at him in distress as the younger shinobi lead her away with a nod at the older man. Looking at the trio as they wandered off again, he thought for a split second maybe it was better that they weren't meant to be together, maybe she would be better off with someone like Sauske or dare he even think it… even Sai. Despite the boys obvious social malfunctions he was clearly loyal to Sakura, despite their apparent squabbles every now and again it seemed he was definately loyal to a fault when it came to Sakura. Sasuke, anyone could tell the boy had a soft spot for the kunoichi and there was the history between the pair and of course both the dark haired shinobi were the same age as her. It would be easier on her all round, that much was obvious, but just the thought of her with either of them as anything other than friends had his head pounding and his guts churning in a way that had nothing to do with the alcohol he'd consumed. No matter how much he thought it would have been easier on Sakura and everyone involved if it had been one of her younger team mates she'd fallen for, he knew it was something that would have killed him inside to see.
Because at the time she'd been falling for him, he'd fallen head over heels for her, there was no denying it, he realised that now. It had happened before he'd even had a chance to try and stop it, and though he hadn't realised it at first it had slowly crept into his reasoning that something just felt so right about it and that they were meant for each other. She was the one sent to him to heal his scarred, stone heart and turn it to soft living, loving tissue once more. His one chance at redemption, he knew that now and he would be damned before he chose to lose his chance or to lose her.
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Arriving at the appointed place for the picnic Sakura looked at the group in front of her. Ino was fighting with Choji, telling him he wasn't to eat the food until Sakura arrived, since technically this entire picnic was to hear her happy news or well what should have been happy news, but now it was more just their usual gathering that they all did whenever they got a chance and every one was home from missions which wasn't often, but Ino informed him that was beside the point, he wasn't allowed to eat yet. Choji gave a grumble at this and sat with his arms and legs crossed on the floor, grumbling something incoherent about Ino.
TenTen was sat on the grass, her hip resting right against Neji's, as she made sure she was as close to him as she possibly could be, well without sitting in his lap anyway. She was talking away to him about her latest technique, a rapt look on her face as she told him. He sat there looking to the casual observer bored and seemingly only pretending to listen. At least that was the way it appeared, even to the rest of the group, however TenTen knew that he was listening to every word, he always did when it came to her.
Kiba stood near the crowd, facing away from them for the time being, watching as Akamaru chased the stick he kept throwing. His attention turned completely on the dog, not an ounce of it was spared for the group behind him, at this particular time anyway.
Shino was stood near one of the cherry blossom trees, apparently staring at some kind of rare bug, possibly. He seemed enthralled with whatever it was anyway and Sakura watched as he appeared to be practically talking to it.
Shikamaru of course lay on the ground staring up at the clouds as he paid no attention to anything around him but the clouds. His arms rested behind his head, as a pillow and he appeared to be contemplating something, which was almost certainly the case, as he thought about many things a lot of the time.
Lastly Lee sat on the ground, a deep scowl on his face, nobody needed to ask him what was wrong and they thought it best to leave him alone for a while as he stewed over his lost love. That was the only thing any of them had heard from the green clad teen once he was informed of Sakura's relationship with Kakashi.
Sakura watched him and figured he would probably be very happy to know that they had been forced apart, which only caused a scowl to break on her own face, before it was replaced with a look of understanding. Ok so they'd never been in a relationship together but she understood how he must be feeling, his love had been taken from him, or rather had left of her own accord. Something that was all too familiar to Sakura as she remembered Sasuke doing exactly that all those years ago, and that love had been one sided to.
Naruto and Hinata had moved ahead of them and were seated on the ground near the food, Naruto's arm around Hinata's shoulder as she leaned against him. Sai removed his hand from Sakura's with a brief fake smile, one that she took as a real one since that was just Sai's way and Sasuke began to walk her over to the middle of the group. Everyone turned in their own time to look at her as they noticed her and Sasuke moving towards them. Kiba immediately stopped throwing the stick, Akamaru cocking his head to the side to stare at the saddened kunoichi who apparently had his master's undivided attention right now. He said something to Kiba and he replied with "Yeah."
Shikamaru briefly turned his face from the sky to acknowledge the pink haired woman moving closer to his resting place and nodded at her, giving a passing nod to the stoic Uchiha at her side. Shino turned his face to observe Sakura and her entourage as they approached, the tilt of his head towards them was his acknowledgement of them. TenTen looked up as Sakura came closer and gave her a smile. She reluctantly moved away from the warmth of Neji's closeness and moved over to Sakura, presumably to hear the gossip as Choji looked up and pointed at Sakura.
"Look Sakura's here now so let me eat Ino!"
Ino growled at him but allowed him to grab a pack of barbeque chips as she moved over to where Sasuke was now sitting on the ground as Sakura turned away to face an irate and upset Lee.
"Sakura!" The green clad ninja yelled as he caught site of the object of his affection. He was terrified that something would happen to prevent her from turning up today, namely something or rather someone by the name Kakashi Hatake.
"Are you ok?" the love struck and rather blunt young man asked as he enveloped her in a slightly unwanted hug. "He hasn't hurt you or anything has he my blossom?"
Everyone around the pair took a step back as the pink haired woman in question twitched in annoyance at such an assumption. She controlled herself but allowed a growl to creep into her voice as she spoke to him.
"Kakashi, hasn't hurt me nor will he ever. So you don't have to worry about that, thank you very much Lee and I am not your blossom!" Sakura said pushing him gently to try and disentangle herself from his grasp.
"But Sakura he's so much older than you." He began again, deliberately ignoring her statement of not being his blossom. "You should be embracing the beauty of youth and be with someone who understands you and can and will give you everything you deserve, and besides Kakashi-sensei is a pervert! Always reading those disgusting books of his…." The oblivious teen stumbled on, completely unaware he was pushing himself into a very tight corner, one he had no hope of getting out of soon if he didn't quit while he was still alive. At this last statement she ripped away from the teen and let loose a furious diatribe.
"He may be older, but he is not old! He is however most definitely beautiful, in fact he's the most beautiful man I've ever seen! He gives me everything I've ever wanted, both from a love point of view and a friendship one! What he reads is none of yours nor anyone else's damn business! He has those books for a reason and it's nothing to do with you! And I wouldn't damn well worry about it anyway! Shishou banned us from seeing each other! So be damn well happy and leave me the hell alone!" She screamed collapsing onto the ground once more as tears burst forth from her eyes and poured down her cheeks in rivulets.
Lee stood shocked and mute at this outburst and as one Hinata, TenTen and Ino moved forward to wrap the shaking kunoichi in their arms as Ino glared at Lee for the reminder of her friend's predicament. The entire group stiffened at this admission and regarded the young woman with a certain sadness. They'd all hoped their young friend would finally find a new love, someone to give her the care she gave all of them even Lee, who still to this day constantly tried to get her to go out with him, she would refuse sometimes roughly but still the poor love sick teen would come back again and again. But now she had finally found someone who actually reciprocated her feelings, and she had been torn cruelly from him without an ounce of compassion or so it seemed.
TenTen had Neji or at least in some sense she did anyway, although they hadn't said anything official yet and seemed to pretty much keep their distance in public most of the time, Hinata had Naruto (although it took him long enough to get with her,) Shikamaru had Temari, and although Choji, Kiba, Sasuke, Sai and Ino had no relationships right now they were happy and content, the only one who wasn't of course was Lee. But it was obvious to even the most casual observer that Lee was obsessed with Sakura and he wasn't about to change that anytime soon from what everyone could tell. But they'd all felt Sakura deserved someone to help her overcome her hurt from the past, when Sasuke had left it had killed her and she deserved a second chance at happiness. It seemed fate had a different plan in store for her though.
Sakura sobbed into Ino's arms as TenTen soothingly rubbed her back and Hinata gently squeezed her hand. As she began to compose herself again and hiccupped an end to her streaming tears she looked up to see the entire group looking at her and Lee still stood in front of her, his face a mixture or anger and pure shock on his face. It was unclear as to exactly what he was so angry about however. No one could tell if it was still just the thought of the so called lecherous older man with his hands on Lee's precious Sakura or if at least a part of it was to do with the fact that she'd finally chosen someone to give her heart to who would accept and offer their own and that chance had been taken from her.
"Sakura, I…" The young man with the bowl cut began to say before he was cut off by a swift snarl from the beautiful woman in front of him.
Everyone got up from their various places and moved forward to form a circle as they prepared to listen to the events of that morning, each of them unsure of how they felt about the relationship in reality.
"What happened Sakura?" TenTen asked as she gripped Sakura's empty hand in hers and looked at her. Sakura merely choked into sobs again and a smooth, deep voice answered in her stead.
"Lady Tsunade questioned them about their relationship this morning, and threw a fit, then she almost bust a blood vessel or twenty, as well as her entire office and us to for that matter, when she found out that it was a physical relationship, then she kicked Hatake out of her office and warned him he wasn't to go near Sakura in future unless he wished to risk possible torture and disfigurement of certain body parts." At this every male winced and thanked there lucky stars that their manhood's hadn't been threatened.
"What?!" Kiba yelled in concern. He rather liked Sakura and although he understood Sakura's relationship with Tsunade so therefore could understand the Hokage's reaction to the entire thing he was kind of shocked that she hadn't simply forced them to spend time apart instead of forbidding them to be together at all.
"Well you see it was like this…" Naruto burst out as he and Sasuke went into an explanation of the morning's events.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Kakashi frowned as one of the local women walked over to their table, completely ignoring Genma and Tenzo alike and making a beeline straight for him. Her short coppery brown hair cut into a style that framed her pretty young face, swaying as she moved and made her pale hazel eyes shimmer, the flecks of brown lit up with the movement of her hair, as she made her way over to their table, her eyes eager and curious.
"Is it true?" She asked looking at the silver haired man in front of her, with a hopeful smile playing on her sweet lips.
"Is what true?" Kakashi asked his voice dripping with scorn as he regarded her drunkenly. "I'm afraid you're going to have to be more specific in what you're asking. God's only knows what the gossip mongers of this village have been spreading, so you are going to have to voice what ever it is you're alluding to."
"You know full well what I'm talking about." She replied sweetly, giving a small flutter of her eyelashes at him.
"I'm afraid I don't." The sarcastic Copy Nin replied as he raised an eyebrow at her. "There could be a million rumours that have reached your ears since last night so enlighten me why don't you."
The pretty girl huffed as she looked at him again, obviously annoyed the famous Copy Nin was not in the least bit paying attention to her flirtations when most men seemed to fall at her feet like, Genma was practically doing right now but she continued to explain anyway.
"Is it true you had a relationship with your student? The pink haired girl?" She asked her seductive smile shining on her face as she attempted to make her intentions clear to the oblivious jounin opposite her.
"Have." He growled as once again he ignored her obvious attempts at flirting with him. "Ex-student and I have a relationship with her yes." He stated, as if that was the end of the conversation he went back to downing his sake.
The hazel eyed beauty seethed with fury as he dismissed her presence and took another drink of sake, making it clear he was not interested in her being around any longer. Normally as everyone knew the silver haired shinobi couldn't resist a pretty face but he just wasn't interested, and wouldn't be even if Sakura wasn't interested in him, she was all he was interested in.
A sly smirk appeared on her face as she proceeded to state her next sentence. "But I was told earlier the Hokage forbid you to be with her. So doesn't that mean you're not with her anymore?" she asked her eyes lighting up at the prospect of a lonely Copy Nin, on the rebound in much need of company, she was sure.
"Just because she told me no doesn't mean I'm just going to give up my love for Sakura and move on." He replied, a steely edge to his voice indicating he was in no mood for either her come on's, nor her company any longer. He glared at her with a fierce expression, causing her to take a step back in uncertainty, before he turned his gaze to the two shinobi in front of him. "If you'll excuse me I'm going to finish getting drunk at home alone." The last word emphasised more for the girl in front of him than his two friends.
They nodded back at him, knowing he needed some space as he vanished in a puff of smoke. Genma lent back against the wall with an annoyed grunt, the ever present senbon twitching as his lips curled into a grimace. "Real clever girly. Names Shanaki right? Ever piss off a world famous Copy Ninja before?"
"Y… yes and I didn't mean to I was just..." She stuttered back looking at the ninja to her left.
"Well just be grateful he's too much of a gentleman to do anything about it, and think next time before you try to chat up a man who's just been told he can't see the love of his life huh?" He answered.
The girl turned her watery eyes to meet his and nodded sadly. "I… I didn't think… just when I heard he had gone for someone so young and then they weren't together anymore…" She trailed off.
"And you thought that was your opening right?" Tenzo asked finally speaking up, as his eyes took in every inch of the pretty young brunette to his right before resting back on her face. "Maybe next time you'll think a little more before reminding a shinobi that the one person who brought light into his life of death and destruction is out of reach to him now." His voice slightly stern but the eyes he viewed her with softer, as he tried to make it clear that while he understood her actions she should have put more thought into what she was thinking and doing.
"Y… yes." She replied softly bowing at them both before speaking again. "When he's up to hearing it please give him my deepest apologies for my actions." She said with sincerity.
"Will do doll." Genma said with a nod shifting his glance to her group of friends over by the bar before looking back at her.
She took the hint and with another slight bow to the pair of them made her way back to her friends as fast as her slightly shaken legs would carry her.
"Well that went well." Tenzo mused as he thought over what just happened.
"Yeah fantastic huh?" Genma answered as he downed his own sake. "Hopefully he'll go home, drink himself into a stupor and then pass out and get some sleep even if it is alcohol induced."
"We can hope so." Tenzo replied praying that his friend and previous mentor would do just that.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The entire group sat dumbfounded as Sasuke and Naruto finished their tale of that mornings happenings.
TenTen looked shocked as she held onto Sakura still, she'd always found Kakashi to be a bit of an enigma as did almost everyone else but he had now proven it beyond the shadow of a doubt. He was cold and aloof to most people and yet he had broken down his walls long enough to let someone in and prove that he did and could feel love. He was definitely one of the most attractive older shinobi even with that mask, all the young kunoichi admitted this, but he always seemed so uncaring or rather uninterested in anything other than his precious Icha Icha books anyway. She thought to herself that it would take someone as special as Sakura to steal his heart. The man was someone who wouldn't let just anyone in, he never even let anyone see his face let alone his feelings and here he was throwing caution to the wind and admitting he loved Sakura and now they were not to see each other. She had no problem with the relationship her self, in fact she thought they made a very good looking couple.
Lee stood dumbfounded at the end of the story. He was as conflicted as ever right now, Neji observed as he watched his team mate looking like a fish trying to catch flies in his wide open mouth. Neji had already analysed his feelings on the pairing the second he'd heard the news. He was happy that the two shinobi had found love together, that was his first and only observation. Ok so he was a decade and a half older than Sakura but who was he to judge, if they were happy then let them get on with it, those were his feelings, besides it really wasn't his place to interfere or any of his business to be honest.
Kiba watched the slightly older teen with keen eyes as he thought about all the information that had just been thrown at them. He hadn't ever expected Sakura to end with someone like Kakashi-sensei, he'd honestly thought she would end up with Sasuke after all or perhaps maybe even… him. He had a slight soft spot for the pink haired kunoichi but it wasn't anything serious and if Kakashi was who made her happy then as long as she was happy so would he be.
Choji looked at the pink haired kunoichi and thought to himself 'Well it's an unsual pairing, but it's up to them to choose who makes them happy.' He couldn't tell them it was wrong or right, it wasn't up to him at all. He shrugged his shoulders in a manner that said 'It's up to them.' when Shikamaru leaned in closer and whispered to him. "What's your take on it?"
Shikamaru nodded at him and analysed his own thoughts as she stared up at the sky once more. He could understand Tsunades feelings on it, being that Sakura was like a daughter to her and she cared a great deal about her and then there was the Sharingan Warriors reputation to deal into the equation to, which apparently his reputation had been surpassed by non other than himself recently seeing as he'd already taken Sakura's virginity, but it was clear that he cared about Sakura. I mean they'd all been informed that Kakashi had pronounced his love in the middle of a packed pub for crying out loud! And for someone like Kakashi to say they loved someone, let to say it in front of over a dozen witnesses he must care a lot, Shikamaru concluded.
Lee continued to look at Sakura his face a mixture of emotions, some of which he couldn't name or place but he was still fuming and digusted that Sakura had given her youth to someone else and Kakashi-sensei no less, the second most perverted man of Konoha. How could his beloved Sakura do this he wondered. 'Oh Sakura, my love, he's obviously not right for you. Why can't you see this? I can give you everything you've ever needed and more.' Lee stared at her and the tears running down her face as she hiccupped her upset once more.
Sasuke got up from his place on the ground and picked up some onigiri and stopped in front of Sakura holding it out to her. "Sakura." His smooth baritone voice said.
"S… Sasuke?" She asked looking up at him with tear filled eyes.
Crouching down in front of her he offered the food once more and looked at her. "Sakura you have to eat something." He said gently taking her hand from TenTen's and placing the onigiri in it.
"Sasuke I can't!" She whined, fresh tears leaking from her eyes.
Taking her other hand and gently pulling her away from Ino, TenTen and Hinata who was now sat behind her, he pulled her up to her feet and hugged her close to his chest as she wrapped the hand not holding the food around him, her hot tears splashing onto his shirt. Lee looked on indignantly, moving forward to take Sakura from Sasuke's arms. Sasuke turned his face to look at the wary green clad teen and flashed his sharingan at him to warn him that would not be a good idea. Lee backed off again with a sullen glance at Sasuke who was comforting Sakura with whispered words that no one could hear but her as his eyes faded from blood red to jet black once more. Sakura clung harder to Sasuke as he lowered them both to the floor, Sakura in his lap, onigiri still in her hand.
Hinata leaned over and said quietly and shyly to Sakura. "Sasuke-san is right Sakura. You have to try and eat something."
Sakura turned her face to the girl and nodded her head. Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief and moved the hand still holding the rice ball to her mouth, his eyebrow raised at her, asking her to eat what he was offering. She obliged and took a small bite and began to chew it as Sasuke thought to himself 'Well it's a start I geuss.' He huffed as his onyx eyes softened at the hurt so clearly evident on her face, when she raised hers to view his.
"Thank you." She whispered almost inaudibly.
His small smile was reply enough for her, it said to her everything she wanted to hear and more especially as his smiles were pretty much reserved only for her and Naruto and occasionally Sai. Ino looked around at everyone else and said
"Well come on guys I know were all still in shock and this perhaps isn't the best time for a picnic but this food wont eat itself, we have to eat sometime right?"
Everyone nodded and reached for some food except for Choji who was already eating and Lee who remained staring darkly at the raven haired Uchiha. 'How dare you tell Sakura what to do? And why is she doing everything he says?' He thought glaring at him daggers.
Neji and TenTen rose at once and pulled down to sit between them as they handed him some food.
"Don't Lee." TenTen said watching as his stare returned to his precious blossom wrapped up in Sasuke's arms.
"Lee, I'd advise you against it." Neji said looking at him seriously. "Uchiha is just looking out for Sakura same as you. He wants to help her, he's the one she responds to, if you want to help her then be her friend. Don't try to pull her away from the one person who seems to help her. Sasuke's the one she wants to be around right now, you have to learn to accept that Lee." He told the teen sagely.
Lee looked up at the strongest member of their team and realised that much as he hated to admit it and he wanted Sakura to come to him when she was down, Sasuke was the only who could raise her spirits and he should be thankful for that. Bu he was still not happy about the whole relationship with Kakashi, that was something he didn't think he could ever learn to deal with.
The entire circle of friends ate mostly in silence, each of them chancing a glance at Sakura every now and again as she lay in Sasuke's arms, occasionally nibbling at the food he offered her.
Eventually as the afternoon wore on, when everyone was done eating they moved a little apart to do their own thing again and most of them tried to think of a way to make Sakura feel better. Sasuke released Sakura from his arms and moved over to lie on the grass next to Shikamru and the pair stared up at the clouds in thought as they quietly discussed Sakura and Kakashi's relationship. Neji rose from his place next to TenTen once again as he moved over with Sasuke and Shikamaru. The three of them using their intellect to sort out just what was going on and what they could possibly do about it.
TenTen, Ino and Hinata once more moved over to Sakura's side as they tried to sooth her fears over what was happening. Sai sat next to Choji as they ate more together in a happy silence. Shino grabbed Lee and pulled him away from the girls to look at the bugs he'd been watching earlier. It wasn't that he really wanted the teens company but he was a lot more understanding of the fairer sex than people gave him credit for and he realised Sakura could do with some space without the love struck teen sticking his nose in.
Kiba moved away with Akamaru and began to throw sticks for him to chase to keep the dog occupied and his mind to, while he considered Sakura and her love interest. Sakura watched the young dog nin for a few minutes before seeming to decide on something she called forth Yaiba and he looked at her when out of the corner of his eye he saw Kiba stop, stick in hand as he looked at him, Akamaru tilting his head to the side as he considered the new addition to the group. 'She better not have brought me to chase sticks again!' He thought grumpily.
"Arf!" He boomed to Kiba as he continued to regard the strange dog.
"It would seem so." Kiba responded. "Apparently Kakashi taught her his summoning technique." Kiba thought about this for a while as the entire group once again turned their eyes to Sakura.
"Mistress." Yaiba's voice growled gently as he bowed before her. "Did you need me?"
"Well, um no not really Yaiba." She replied looking at him as he stared right back at her.
"You're upset." He said bluntly cocking his head to the side as he considered the normally strong kunoichi in front of him. "Is it anything to do with that silver haired man who summons Pakkun? I'll rip his throat out if he's hurt you!" The gruff bull dog replied, causing Ino, TenTen and Hinata to jump and lean back in shock, they'd no idea Sakura had that power at all, she'd not told anyone Kakashi had tried to teach her this jutsu since she never got the hang of it until a few days ago, and the dog she'd called forth seemed to be rather aggressive.
"N… no! Kakashi didn't do anything." She wept at the name of her former lover. "Shishou banned us from being together." She howled as she burst into tears again.
Yaiba moved forward, as his brain processed the details. He didn't understand human politics at all, but if his mistress was hurting then he had to try and do what he could to make everything alright. He nudged her arm with his nose and lay down at her side, his head in her lap as the three girls gathered tighter around her, her hand smoothing through Yaiba's short, stiff, liver and white fur as the tears poured down her face.
Lee watched the entire interaction with a rather bemused look on his face, he never though Kakashi-sensei would share his summoning jutsu with anyone and yet he'd chosen to teach it to Sakura. And not only that, she had managed to summon a very powerful dog, if the reaction of Kiba and the almost submissive behaviour of Akamaru were anything to go by anyway.
He moved away from Shino and walked towards Sakura, feeling the eyes of one Sasuke Uchiha boring into his back, lest he say or do anything wrong to set Sakura off again. He stopped in front of her and looked down at the dog in her lap before speaking.
"Kakashi-sensei taught you his summoning jutsu?" He asked rather proud of Sakura and with a new found respect for Kakashi as well. He may not like the man or even want him anywhere near his Sakura but he obviously thought highly of Sakura to teach her that jutsu.
"Yes he did. Just before he left two years ago." She snapped, her voice bitter through her tears.
"I… I had no idea." Lee stammered, his eyes resting on her young face.
"Yeah well I didn't get the hang of it until I was cut trying to protect Kakashi, and our blood mixed…." She gasped as she suddenly remembered now. Clapping a hand over her mouth in surprise she lowered it and continued her story. "Our… blood mixed together, I must have gotten some of his blood mixed in with mine when our wounds touched, his chakra to as it began to flare up in fear for my safety before I had to move off and draw the enemy away from him. He was too weak to fight and then I slammed my hand into the ground and summoned Yaiba and his pack." She finished her voice a little awed.
"Sakura." Ino's voice burst into her thoughts. "Are you saying that somehow some of Kakashi's blood mixed with yours and you absorbed some of his chakra to and that's how you were finally able to master his jutsu? Is that even possible?" The slightly less knowledgeable kunoichi asked stunned.
"Yes. I think so." Sakura nodded as she thought over this fact. This was yet another thing that bonded her to Kakashi, surely this proved they were meant for each other. She had a part of him inside her physically as well as emotionally now she realised. "I… I want to go home now." She pronounced as Yaiba moved his head from her lap, to stand up behind her. "You should all stay and enjoy your day." She said as she moved off adding as an after thought. "I want to be alone now, thank you for a lovely meal."
The next thing they all knew Sakura and Yaiba were gone in a flurry of cherry blossom petals.
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Kakashi arrived in his front room instantaneously after disappearing from his friends and the overly flirtatious girl he'd left behind. Perhaps he had been a little harsh in his reactions to her, he thought in hindsight but his only thoughts were of Sakura and getting completely drunk, so drunk this day would be wiped from his mind when he first woke up with a stinking hangover the next day, and the girl had bothered him, disturbed his drinking and was also trying to flirt with him straight after he'd been banned from seeing the love of his life. He'd been pretty pissed off at that fact.
He sighed and moved towards his fridge, spying the beer and the rather large bottle of sake he kept in there for emergency drinking sessions.Carefully he pulled the bottle out and opened it, downing a large gulp as he moved into the front room with it, not bothering to collect a glass, he planned to just drink straight from the bottle.. He stripped of his jacket, long sleeved top, and his hitae-ate before pulling his skin tight vest off his taut, rippled body throwing it on to the pile of clothes on the floor, before picking up the sake again and swigging the blessed liquid direct from the bottle. After quite a while and as he began to feel a little drunker he summoned Pakkun, wanting him to deliver something for him.
"Yo." The small dog said, glancing at his boss he could see the man was well on his way to being mind numbingly, blind drunk. "Boss?" He asked questioningly as he watched him pull out a piece of paper and scribble something on it. "What's going on? What happened?"
"Sakura." The Copy Nin mumbled a little as he tried his best to explain. "We were… together but now we've been banned from seeing each other. It's just to test us I know but it hurts too much to be away from her." He told the small dog swaying drunkenly as he handed the piece of paper to Pakkun and asked him to deliver it to her. "You know where to find her." He said dismissively waving his hand as his attention turned back to the bottle on the table behind him.
Pakkun took the note in his mouth and turned to look at his master over his shoulder as he made to exit through the front room window. He watched him swig another large gulp and shook his head at the current state of his boss. 'All this for a female.' He thought as he made his way out into the afternoon sunshine. 'Boss, she better be worth what you're putting yourself through.' He thought, the note clasped tightly in his mouth as he followed Sakura's sweet scent to her apartment.
He sniffed as he arrived outside and caught wind of another scent in there with her, one he recognised easily. "Yaiba." He said as he raised a paw and scratched on her front door for entrance.
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Sakura and Yaiba had not long arrived back in her apartment when Yaiba turned to her and said in a soft voice, or as soft as the large dog could manage.
"Pakkun's outside. He has something for you…" He sniffed again before finishing. "…from Kakashi." He stated matter of factly.
Sakura kicked off her sandals and moved barefoot to the front door and opened it quickly upon hearing the gentle scratches on the door, fresh tears tracking down her face as she looked at the small dog in front of her.
"K'ashi 'old 'e 'o 'ive 'his 'o 'ou." He mumbled around the paper in his mouth, trying desperately not to get any saliva on the note.
Sakura would have giggled at that garbled sentence under normal circumstances. As it was she bit her lip before gently taking the paper from the pug's mouth as he nodded in Yaiba's direction and sat on the welcome mat, watching her read the note he'd been asked to pass on.
Sakura opened the piece of paper to see a familiar, if slightly more untidy in his hurried and drunken state, scrawl that said simply.
Wait for me.
I love you.
Kakashi.
Sakura smiled and thanked Pakkun, with a gentle rub behind his ear, which he leaned into. "How was he when you left?" She asked worriedly, her eyes trained on his furry face as she clutched the simple note to her breast, sniffling at his sentiments.
"Drunk…." Pakkun replied moving forward and looking up at the young woman, sadness in his own eyes as he viewed her. "…And getting a lot drunker by now if that large half empty bottle was anything to go by."
Sakura slumped at this and collapsed against the wall as she watched the small dog's worried expression. "I hope he's ok." She whispered.
"He'll be fine, he'll have a horrific hangover in the morning but he'll cope with it, he always does. It's you he's worried about." He replied honestly, chancing a glance at the larger dog by her side. He hadn't figured Yaiba one to stick around, especially when there was a crying female involved, but he seemed to be sticking by his mistress no matter what. 'At least she wont be alone through this.' He thought in a rare moment of care he usually only reserved for Kakashi.
Sakura's tears spilled down her cheeks once more at the thought that as always seemed to be the case, Kakashi was thinking only of her even when he himself was suffering to and well on his way to a rough night apparently. Pakkun watched in astonishment as Yaiba moved forward and pushed his head under her out stretched hand, whining at her to try and help her in any way he could, even if it was just with his proximity. Sakura allowed him to pull her gently by the hand to the sofa, at which he released her hand from his mouth and nudged her to lie down. She did as he instructed, hot tears spilling out and splashing onto the note from Kakashi, as she curled into a ball and cried out her unhappiness.
Pakkun took this as his cue to leave and with a nod to Sakura and one to Yaiba he took off to keep an eye on Kakashi. Yaiba moved forward and nudged the door closed with his strong paw, hearing the click that told him he'd done it right, as he moved back to Sakura's side and lay down on the floor beneath her prone form, not knowing what to do as she sobbed herself into an uneasy sleep.
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Pakkun arrived back at Kakashi's house, once again using the open front room window as entrance and watched as his boss pulled himself up off his sofa and moved to the kitchen to collect the beers from the fridge before he became to drunk to retrieve them later on. After placing them on the table, he slouched his way to the bathroom, did what he needed to do and moved back into the front room, picking up the slowly warming bottle of sake and proceeding to drink himself into the drunken stupor that Genma and Tenzo had thought he would. Pakkun watching as he later collapsed on the sofa in a heap, an empty beer bottle rolling from his flung out hand, the sake having been finished a while ago.
He resigned himself to a long night of watching over his master and curled up on the Copy Nin's stomach as they both slept fitfully.
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Spellings and things:
Naruku Hell/Hades.
Shanaki: Shan Beautiful Aki Autumn. So her name in english is Beautiful Autumn tried to give her a name to go with her hair colouring...
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and please R and R! I'll luv ya if you do! xgets on with the next chapterx I swear I will try to posit it alot quicker this time. I fail everytime I say thing I know but it's worth it when I do post... right? xworriedly bites nailsx