Finally I get done with chapter eleven of She's Leaving Home. I know it has been a few weeks and some of my other Naruto stories have been updated before this one. I apologize for the wait. This was a challenge to write at first for some reason. But thank you for all the support like reviews, alerts, and favs on this! I really appreciate them and trust me, they do help me write faster or else nothing would ever get done probably. I hope to hear from everyone after this.

Anyway, about this chapter this time around: I actually rather like it. Sorry if anyone is OOC as usual, keep in mind it is AU. Games, chocolate, teasing, etc. I really don't feel like giving it away or anything like I usually do. I felt that most of this was in reason and all, just hope that the sun and heat lately haven't fried my brain severely. The Mad Libs in the chapter, you will see them in italics, are ones I made using the site www dot madlibs dot org. Check it out, make them on your own and see what you come up with. I find them terribly addicting and hilarious, but that's just me probably.

So hope you like it. I hope to hear from you. Please feel free to check out my other stories in the Kakashi x Sakura section as well, like the recently updated Stand In, or some of my other pairings from the Naruto universe. I'm sort of all over the place with things lately. Also, the poll is still open for probably another week, so if you haven't voted at my profile for the next het Naruto one-shot, then please visit as I already have something in the works for the current winning couple, which even if they don't win will be written and put up eventually. Alright, enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its character; the story title doesn't belong to me, it belongs to the Beatles, and the mad libs I guess aren't really mine they are borrowed.

She's Leaving Home

Chapter 11

All the way home, my mouth was shut, no matter who tried to get me to speak. Asuma asked me about Kakashi's strange and uncommon blushing face, not a word from me; Kurenai asked about Hiro and I was tempted to tell her that he should go to hell, but my mouth stayed shut. Naruto poked me about all the boys I temped on the floor, but I merely glared.

I didn't want to ruin what was probably the best night of my life with a lot of talking. I watched the brightly lit city reflected in the windows and my eyes fly past me, giving the night a rather enchanted feel. The only difference between me and Cinderella right now was the curfew.

I had never had an experience like that; never had that much attention been placed on my shoulders and I didn't crack. Kakashi, of course, had been the best dancer but Jiraiya came in second with Choji, Rock Lee in third, and Hiro in fourth if he were even on the scale.

Ugh, the whole thought of him made me shiver in disgust.

"Look Hinata, Sakura is having an episode," Naruto whispered.

"I heard that you fool," I hissed.

"No spilling of blood in my car," Asuma warned us. I wasn't going to kill him, well not yet, though if he continued to get on my last nerves I couldn't guarantee.

"Fine," we both sighed. They dropped me off promptly at my home around eleven thirty, maybe closer to twelve, given I wasn't sure how fast or slow Asuma's clock was. I grabbed my things and headed in the house to see if my mother had called. Probably, seeing how she wished she had been able to be home herself.

The red light on the answering machine was blinking in the unfathomable darkness of my home. I wished that I had thought to leave some sort of light on before I made my hasty departure, but alas I did not and had to suffer tripping over various aspects of the furniture before my hand slipped on a light switch.

It was like a beacon to what I was sure was around four or five messages from my mother asking about how the dance was. The second my nail tapped the button, it erupted into her booming voice.

"Sakura, it's after five. Hope you're not at home still and that you're at least getting ready. Call me later. Your father needs to change the message."

"Sakura, hm it's around eight? I'm sure you're either Kurenai's or the dance. I was just going to call and tell you to call me whenever you got in on my cell phone. Love you."

"Honey, I know I keep calling but I am dying to know how the dance went. Your father is asleep already, even though it's after nine. It's been a long day. I'll still be up though."

"Sakura, just where are you? I forgot, these things last a long time and you're rather popular. It's around eleven now, still call though sweetheart. I want to know how it went."

I hit the next button over to erase all of them as I grabbed the phone from the cradle and began to dial her number. The woman had given me life, but she was absolutely insane from time to time. The phone rang only half a time before it clicked.

"Sakura!"

"Hey mom," I smiled. I did miss her after all, though I felt kind of sorry for dad having to spend time with her all weekend.

"How did the dance go, tell me everything!" Heh, like that was going to happen.

I left out the details of Hiro and his bad behavior, Kakashi's name, and Jiraiya's name. But other than that, my mother got maybe half of it. And I used to be such an honest and innocent child.

"Sakura, I knew you would be a big hit," she told me, trying to stifle the yawn from her voice. "And I can't wait to see the pictures that Kurenai took."

"Yeah me either." We shared our 'goodbyes' and 'I love you' until she sleepily hung up. I was dying to have my heels off and to take the dress off. It was nearly one am now, not that I didn't stay up later or anything. I turned on lights in the house, one by one, trying to strip and put things away.

I would be terribly sore in the morning, but who cared? Tonight had been fun, no, awesome. It had been awesome. I dropped the dress onto my bed. I was going to sleep on the couch probably anyway.

I got a shower, trying to wash all of the hairspray out, though I figured I would curl it again for the party tomorrow. I still hadn't decorated or anything. I was going to start on those tonight, hanging things to dress the place up a little bit.

The pink strands came clean under my fingers and several shampoos, the makeup requiring a little more work. Kurenai sure knew how to put it on where it wouldn't come off. "Sex-proof," she joked with us, at least I had thought it was joking.

But I even liked wearing a little of it. Tonight I had felt like Sakura Haruno, the woman, not the high school girl. So far, five weeks into the semester, I hadn't done anything my high school self would have done.

To recap my college behavior, so far I had fallen for my hot English professor, I had gone to a club a few weekends in a row, I had taken of one alcoholic drink, I had been on a date to the movies, I had danced with several men in one night, I had misjudged character, I had kissed and been kissed all on the cheek, and I had sexual thoughts of Kakashi Hatake.

In high school, the worst thing I thought was the couple that chose my locker to make out on every day. How simple life was a few months ago.

God, Kakashi had looked so…just…amazing? Perfect? Sensual? Hot? Bare? Honest? God-like? My mind continued filling in adjectives until the water got cold. Compared to Hiro, Kakashi was god; he had saved me. Saved me from a terrible dance with Hiro.

I stepped out of the shower feeling a little more awake and ready for some late night television for sound while I started getting the place ready. I was too excited to really go to sleep right now. I grabbed an old shirt and a pair of pajama pants, dressed, and began to prepare for Kakashi.

I grabbed the pink and orange crepe paper from its hiding place along with the plates, cups, napkins, and table cloth, just so they would be out. The paper was delicate under my fingertips as I began to tape it up around the room.

I was careful with the tape so that it wouldn't rip or look strange and result in me doing it again. But it was a tedious process.

X

The television was still going when I woke up. I sleepily moved the crepe paper from my face as I sat up and tried to figure out what time it was. There was already sunlight filtering in through my mother's spotless windows and pristine curtains.

My hazy mind panicked for a moment, thinking that it was already around three o' clock, the time I had finally decided on, but then my sensible side kicked my irrational side's ass and I realized it was probably rather early.

I used the T.V. to figure out the time. Nine-thirty, good, plenty of time to get ready. Just breathe Sakura; you have time to get everything done before like four people arrive. Just take it easy and above all, don't panic.

I pulled myself from the couch, listening to things protest and pop into place; I was sore after all. Heh, I knew it would happen. I did a few stretches, trying to get everything to working order. This would need pain killer after all.

The crepe paper was only half way up, most of it still on the couch, on top of me to be precise. My tired and aching feet plodded the rest of my body into the kitchen. I probably looked a little like a zombie or something, which reminded me that Halloween wasn't all that far away.

I filled a pink plastic cup about halfway up with cool, clear water then searched around in my mother's medicine cabinet to find the much needed pain killers. I still had so much to do today; I 

couldn't let partying from the night before get me down. I just wished that Kakashi was the one giving them to me, because that would mean he was already at my house.

Two half blue and half red pills shook loose from the opening into my waiting hand once I had struggled a little with the child-proof cap. I hated swallowing pills; just because I was afraid they would get stuck in my throat.

I swallowed them one at a time with the aid of the water. I needed to probably eat something while I made a plan of action for getting started.

I was about halfway done decorating I decided as I chewed on a plain bagel slathered with low fat cream cheese. I was still planning on making the cake myself; I guessed a chocolate with of course chocolate icing. What guy didn't like chocolate? I was sure Mr. Hatake wasn't any different.

It was just going to be me, Naruto, Hinata, Kakashi, and Jiraiya, against my better judgment on the last part. For Kakashi's birthday present, I had gone to him for ideas. Of course, the first several were nothing that would look good in any type of print.

But his last one was excellent. Give him a copy of his newest book. That was really what I had been hoping for. That was why Jiraiya was coming. It was the only payment I could bring myself to allow. The old pervert; then he had wanted the dance as well.

The orange bound romance novel was wrapped in electric blue metallic wrapping paper, safe under my bed. That's where just about everything for the party had been so that my mother didn't catch on.

I tried to keep my fast paced heart under control, reminding myself that he had been in the house before, hell he had spent the drunken night with me. This was something normal to do, I thought, especially after all he had done for me.

It was just so exciting though. He was going to be coming to my house, all the same. My heart continued beating just a little faster all day, every time the thought crossed my mind, and that was often.

I finished my bagel and headed back to my living room, ready to duel with the paper once more. I left the television running so that I would have some sort of sound. The house felt too alone. The tape stuck to my fingers and I was left with bits of colored paper all over my skin.

But the room looked rather festive. I hoped Kakashi would like it and wouldn't find it childish. I mean, his opinion was the only one that mattered today.

I straightened up the house a little as well, making sure that the floor wasn't dirty or that I had left anything out. I couldn't have the trash stinking or my laundry out or something.

Then the cake was underway. I had bought a mix and a can of icing just for today, since I wasn't exactly a master chef with things of a sweeter nature. Okay, I sometimes had trouble with dinner, just depending how it was supposed to be made.

I checked the time as I stirred. One o'clock. Good, still had plenty of time. I stirred the thick, rich brown mixture, resisting the urge to spoon a finger-full of it to my mouth. It smelled excellent and I had followed all directions to perfection.

I poured the liquid into two round pans, so that I could ice the middle when it was finished, before I set them in the ready oven. The rush of warm air burned my face for a moment until it was closed around the cakes.

I checked the clock again. One ten. Good, still plenty of time. I decided to use the thirty minutes to an hour to go and change out of my pajamas into something a little more festive myself.

I found myself reaching for the same outfit I first wore to the club several weeks ago; black and pink plaid with the low-cut, clingy black top with the sleeves that were split up the elbow and the heel-less black boots. I slipped into the outfit comfortably, before going on to fix my hair and makeup.

He had seen it in the semi-darkness and neon light of the club that night, but now he would get to see it in the daytime as well. Plus he would be here to keep Jiraiya's hands off me, should the professor forget.

I wasn't worried that he would cancel or something as Kakashi was a man of his word. My cell phone never rang once to indicate that he wouldn't be here today. I grabbed the present out from under the bed, trying not to laugh at my compromising position, before I headed back to the kitchen to check on the cake.

It had only been thirty minutes so far. I stuck a knife in the middle of both of them but there was still mix on the blade. I would have to wait probably fifteen more minutes before I could even hope to check again and it was nearly two.

I just hoped that it would be somewhat finished before he got here.

I wrung my hands, hoping for something to do. I was just so nervous and excited all at once. This was a big day after all. I hoped tomorrow I would be able to do my homework at least. I could have worked on it then, but nerves and schoolwork never work.

Deciding that I should do something productive, I set the eating wares out and grabbed the store-bought punch from the refrigerator. I checked the clock again and decided I should check the cakes again.

Finally, the knife came back clean and I pulled them out, trying to avoid burning my face again. No wonder I never baked anything. It was such a pain, as Shikamaru called it. I set them on the cooling racks as I dug around for a nice looking plate.

My mother's floral china platter was best. It was white with blue roses and vibrant green leaves winding all around the edges. I washed it off; since I couldn't remember the last time it had been used, before I set the first layer of the cake on top.

It was still warm, but I hoped that would be okay. I started scoping the icing out of the container with a butter knife, spreading it over the porous surface. Lucky for me, it stayed on nicely and I didn't tear too much of the cake.

I was working on the second layer sides and the top when there was a knock at the front door. I was covered in chocolate icing.

"Give me a second!" I called. I figured it was Naruto and Hinata as I headed for the door. I opened it carefully so that I wouldn't get chocolate all over everything. My mother would have had a heart attack.

"Am I late?" Kakashi asked as he rubbed the back of his head, standing on my threshold.

"No, you're early," I laughed.

"Oh, I thought it was at two o'clock."

"No, that was three. But since you're here you can come in." I held the door open a little more for him. He stepped through and I couldn't help but notice how nice he looked, as usual. He was wearing a button-down white shirt with faded jeans and his usual face coverings.

"Well better early than never," he shrugged. His one visible eye took me in, chocolate and all.

"Yeah. Just make yourself comfortable in here if you want," I told him. "Or you can come to my mess of a kitchen."

"Hm with chocolate? Alright." He pulled the mask down, revealing that flawless face to me so that I could see that dashing smile instead of just imagining it. "You have something on your face." He reached out a finger to wipe something off my cheek.

"Yeah…" He licked the finger slowly, allowing me to see his pink tongue swirling around the digit. I could feel the juices between my legs again with that. He stuck the whole finger in his mouth, taking his time sucking all the sinfully sweet icing off before he smiled at me.

My stomach was performing several manners of flip flops. The man knew how to tease. My brain thrusted itself into overdrive with what else he could wrap that supple and gorgeous mouth around on my anatomy. Must have been reading too much romance this week or something. I had delved into my mother's secret collection out of curiosity.

"Delicious," he smiled. I blushed as he followed me in the kitchen. It was great that he felt comfortable enough with me to pull his mask down. I had earned enough of his trust. The feeling was wonderful and I felt rather privileged as I should have.

"Glad you think so. I didn't know if you liked it or not."

"I don't pass it up if I can." He sat down at the table as I washed my hands and began to finish.

"Me either," I smiled. We were quiet for a little while. The blush was still burning my cheeks. I kept sneaking glances at his bare face. It looked so soft even today. He was so young. "How old are you going to be Mr. Hatake?" I teased.

"Hmm, I'm not sure I should tell you that."

"Oh, come on. I do have chocolate and I'm not afraid to use it."

"Oh really?" He raised an eyebrow, smirking. I was reminded a little of Sasuke. He smirked in the same over confident manner, the one that said 'I know you but what you are going to do to change the situation?'

"Yes," I said as I scooped some up with my finger as I walked toward him. There was a little extra left over from my simple home-made cake. That smirk stayed in place. I tried to figure out if it would be okay if I sat on his lap to try and get the information out of him. He was at my house after all. Would that have been appropriate? But if I really thought about, nothing was appropriate and that just made it all the more desirable.

"Hm?" I moved in, taking a deep breath through my nostrils as I sat on his lap. I could be one hell of a tease when I put my mind to it. I mean, I had survived playing Truth or Dare with the Hyuuga genius after all. Kakashi may not even fall for it.

"Come on," I murmured as I held my finger temptingly in front of his face. I was feeling really flirty today, even though my heart was pounding through my ribcage. I was scared I would faint. How out of style for me, well a little. I had only dreamed of doing things seductive like this.

Instead of answering, his one visible eye stared up into mine as his fingers gripped my waist through the fabric to keep me from sliding off. He leaned in, taking my finger in his warm and supple mouth as he began to suck the chocolate off.

If my heart wasn't pounding before it was now. I merely stared down at him as that was the only thing I could do. He was sending shivers through my body because I had never been touched like that. He kept his teeth off the skin, using only his lips and tongue, swirling it around. He kept constant eye contact with me. I could feel the blush crawling up my features.

"Kakashi," I breathed, wondering again where else that mouth would feel wonderful on my body, like possibly the nipples that were growing prominent through my shirt? Kakashi Hatake was sucking my finger, seemed to be the only thing my brain would process.

"Thirty-two," he answered once he had let my finger go.

"Huh?" My mind felt foggy. I felt like I was on drugs or something. This had to be a dream right?

"I'm thirty-two today," he stated, his voice a little firmer, and quite possibly his lap as well?

"That's not old," I smiled, even though I knew I was putting ripe tomatoes to shame at the moment. He knew what that had done to me. His fingers were still on my waist and neither of us felt the need to look away. He smiled as well, that slow and lazy one I was growing very fond of.

Suddenly, there was heavy knocking at the door and I leapt up from Kakashi's grasp as we both began to blush. I figured that was probably Naruto and Hinata or possibly Jiraiya. My finger still tingled furiously from the warm cavern of his mouth and the feel of his tongue against the underside.

He smiled sadly as he tugged the mask back over his beautiful face. Yeah, he wasn't the only sad one.

I nodded as I headed to the door to greet the few guests. I was rather wishing that I had not invited anyone else and had just left it between us two. My stomach twisted with all the possibilities of what might happen. All he had done was suck my finger.

But what did that mean as far as our relationship went? Did that mean that he wanted more of me? Or was he just a tease? Did that mean possibly that he wanted a real relationship? My poor weekend mind was spinning.

Suck. The word coursed through me and between my legs.

"Jeeze Sakura, what took you so long?" Naruto asked as I opened the door for him and Hinata. She was holding a present in her shaking hands.

"I was busy you idiot," I told him, even though I was still smiling.

"Busy with Professor Kakashi?" he asked, nodding toward the silver-haired sin standing in the doorway between my living room and kitchen.

"I was finishing his cake," I covered. It wasn't a lie, not all the way, but that usually doesn't count for much. Kakashi offered no other version of the truth I had presented, so Naruto didn't even think otherwise.

"Whatever you say," he told me as he drug Hinata in. "Hey Professor Kakashi, happy birthday," Naruto told him almost sullenly as he headed for the couch. Men could be such babies sometimes.

"Thank you Naruto," Kakashi said back as he took my mother's chair again, that slightly muscular and streamlined body moving with all the fluidity of water. I couldn't help but watch the muscles of his back and shoulders move slightly with tightly coiled power.

I realized I was standing there like a grinning idiot with the door wide open. I shut it, trying to maintain my current composure. Maybe Jiraiya wouldn't show after all, maybe there really was something to distract him.

"Y-yes Professor Kakashi, I wish you a happy birthday," Hinata smiled as she sat down beside Naruto, handing over the package.

"Thank you as well Hinata," he nodded, just holding the wrapped object. Mine was still in the kitchen, where I had carelessly left it. I swiftly walked back in while Naruto tried to do something to encourage conversation. I shuttered to think what that could be.

The second the present was in my hand, the door was pounded on again. I should have just left it open. There was only one person left. Jiraiya.

"Is there anyone home?" a strong voice came through the door. I couldn't ignore the three sets of piercing gazes as I crossed through the living room again. I mouthed 'just deal with it' before I threw the door open.

"Yes, I'm home," I smiled as I threw open the door. Might as well let him make an entrance. Jiraiya stood there in all of his usual glory, beaming at us as he stepped over the threshold.

"Alright then, let's get this party started!"

"Who is this clown?" Naruto whispered less than inconspicuously to Hinata. Of course, inconspicuous and Naruto never belonged in the same sentence.

"What? Who is this punk?" Jiraiya whispered as he narrowed his eyes and looked at Naruto. I was sure that I heard Kakashi groan a bit, or it could have been in my head as I groaned a bit too. Oh boy, this was a bad idea wasn't it?

"Oh that's right, you two haven't met. Naruto, this is professor Jiraiya, Jiraiya, this is my friend Naruto," I sighed as he took the only other available seat, which just happened to be next to Naruto. As hostess, it was my job to stand and entertain of course.

"Hmm, he looks like a pervert," they glared in unison. I was right, two peas in a strange pod. I turned, pretending to cough so that I could hit myself in the very large forehead. Baka Sakura, Baka!

"Well, now that we have all been introduced, let's get this party underway. Since we all got together to celebrate Kakashi's birthday." I smiled and nodded at him.

"Alright gracious hostess, what do you have for us?" Jiraiya asked.

"Well, I thought we could play some games."

"Games?" Naruto asked. I was very thankful for Kakashi and Hinata's silence right then.

"Yes, games li-"

"Spin the bottle?" Jiraiya interjected, winking at me. Yeah, spin the bottle with him in the room when hell froze over. It was just too much temptation.

"No more like name that movie quote, or place the headband on the ninja, or mad-libs," I suggested. I hadn't been exactly sure what everyone would want to play. I knew it wouldn't be truth or dare for a long time. "Since it is Kakashi's birthday, I say we let him pick."

"Me? Hm." He put a finger to where his lips should have been. "Mad libs."

"Alright, mad libs it is then," I smiled, pulling the pad from my mother's table. I had selected a few I thought would be fun. "We'll do an excerpt from The Catcher and the Rye. Alright, I need an adverb," I said as I pointed to Kakashi with my favorite red pen.

"Slowly," he said.

"Next, I need a verb," I pointed to Jiraiya.

"Dance," he told me with a huge grin.

"Naruto, a verb in the past tense."

"Um… sang," he shrugged, his usual look of confusion crossing his face.

"Hinata, can you give me an adjective?"

"P-pretty."

"Right. Kakashi, plural noun please."

"Dogs."

"Good. Jiraiya again, fiction character this time."

"Kakashi." We all stared at him incredulously. "What? He is in a novel," Jiraiya shrugged. "And it is his birthday."

"Fine. Naruto, give me an undesirable noun."

"Hmm root rot." I raised my eyebrow quite a bit.

"Root rot? Nevermind. Hinata, a verb."

"R-ran."

"Good. Kakashi, noun."

"Cats?"

"I'll take it. Jiraiya verb in the present tense, it needs to end in s."

"Drives."

"Alright. Naruto, plural noun."

"Ramen."

"I knew that would come up sometime. Right, Hinata a number please."

"Thirteen."

"Good choice. I need a plural noun."

"Computers," Kakashi answered.

"Thank you. Jiraiya give me an adjective."

"Sexy."

"Knew that was coming. Naruto?"

"Hot?"

"Predictable," I nodded. "Alright Hinata, our last noun."

"Ninja," she smiled. I finished writing in all of the choices.

"Alright, here is what you have folks. If you Slowly want to Dance about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was Sang, and what my Pretty childhood was like, and how my Dogs were occupied and all before they had me, and all that Kakashi kind of Root rot, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to Ran the Cats. In the first place, that stuff drives me, and in the second place, my Ramen would have about 13Computers apiece if I told anything pretty Sexy about them. They're quite Hot about anything like that, especially my Ninja," I read, feeling like I was going to die as I was reading it through.

It was just too funny. I wasn't the only one laughing though. Everyone, including Kakashi found it hilarious. It had worked better than I had expected. It was nice. And so the game continued. We ended up with a new Eleanor Rigby going something like:

Ah, look at all the sexydogs!
Ah, look at all the sexydogs!

SakuraHaruno picks up the table in a college where a Homecoming has been.
wrecks in a church.

drive at the school, wearing the trash bag that she keeps in a cake by the notebook . Who is it for?

All the sexydogs, where do they all come from?
All the sexydogs, where do they all sleep?

Unfortunately, Naruto and Jiraiya had used my name for the song instead of either making one up or using someone else. I was playing nicely today. But I thought the best one we had was the take on the Princess and the Pea.

the Ninja and the Samurai

- Hans Christian Anderson

ONCE upon a time there was a prince who wanted to marry a Ninja; but she would have to be a real Ninja. He fought all over the world to find one, but nowhere could he get what he wanted. There were Ninjaes enough, but it was difficult to find out whether they were real ones. There was always something about them that was not as it should be. So he came home again and was sad, for he would have liked very much to have a real Ninja.

One evening a terrible storm came on; there was thunder and lightning, and the rain poured down in torrents. Suddenly a knocking was heard at the city gate, and the old king went to open it.

It was a Ninja standing out there in front of the gate. But, good gracious! what a sight the rain and the wind had made Her look. The water ran down from Her hair and clothes; it ran down into the toes of Her shoes and out again at the heels. And yet she said that she was a real Ninja.

"Well, we'll soon find that out," thought the old queen. But she said nothing, went into the bed-room, took all the bedding off the bedstead, and laid a Samurai on the bottom; then she took twenty mattresses and laid them on the Samurai, and then twenty eider-down beds on top of the mattresses.

On this the Ninja had to lie all night. In the morning she was asked how she had slept.

"Oh, very badly!" said she. "I have scarcely closed my eyes all night. Heaven only knows what was in the bed, but I was lying on something hard, so that I am black and blue all over my body. It's horrible!"

Now they knew that she was a real Ninja because she had felt the Samurai right through the twenty mattresses and the twenty eider-down beds.

Nobody but a real Ninja could be as sensitive as that.

So the prince took Her for his Marquis, for now he knew that he had a real Ninja; and the Samurai was put in the museum, where it may still be seen, if no one has stolen it.

There, that is a true story.

That one had Naruto and Jiraiya on the floor by the time I was done reading it aloud. I was glad that he had picked those first. It was a good way to break the ice between all of us. He must have known what he was doing.

Of course the next game we picked was the ninja headband one. Now, I know these may have seemed a little juvenile, but as much fun as we had, no one noticed.

Jiraiya tried to grab both Hinata and I when it was his turn, using the black scarf we had tied over his eyes as an excuse. The target on the wall had been over five feet the other way from where he tried to grab us. Of course Naruto had grown real upset about Hinata.

"Hey pervy sage, keep your hands off my girlfriend," he growled.

"Pervy sage?" Jiraiya asked pulling the blindfold off with a yank. "Don't call me that."

"But it fits doesn't it?" he shot back. I rubbed my temples.

"Guys, it's o-okay," she said. "It was just an accident. Let's c-continue t-the g-game." They both nodded, as it was her turn.

"You know, this is a lot of fun," Kakashi whispered in my ear as he was standing slightly behind me. We had of course allowed him to go first. He had come pretty close to the head, pinning it on the neck. Jiraiya had pinned it to his arm and Naruto, well Naruto had pinned it to a place that would make a lot of people cringe.

"I'm glad," I smiled, turning slightly to look at him.

"I'm enjoying myself."

"That's the whole point of this shin-dig," I told him with a laugh, touching my finger to the end of his covered nose.

"Alright, go Hinata!" Naruto cheered. I glanced to see that she had it on his forehead, much closer than anyone had gotten.

"You go girl!" I smiled. She turned around to blush at all of us.

"T-thank you," she smiled as her boyfriend removed the blindfold.

"Alright Sakura, everyone else has gone. It's your turn," Kakashi told me as he moved to take the blindfold from Naruto. I gulped. I hadn't planned on playing my own game.

"Oh no, that's okay. I don't have to go," I told him, even as Kakashi began to tie the thin black cloth around my eyes while someone took my clipboard from me. I had kept all the rules for the games and such on it for the day.

"Don't be silly, you can do this," he chided as his calloused hands rested on my back and shoulders, gently urging me forward in the dark. Yeah, right. I was rather clumsy when I really wanted to be graceful. Someone pressed one of the paper and tape headbands into my hand.

Out of habit, I reached forward and found the edges of the poster. Kakashi's hands had left my body as I tried to judge what I knew about the location of the head band-less ninja as well as where the others were and make my guess.

"Hm, I really thought you knew the human body better," Naruto said. I pulled the blindfold off only to see that I had missed the ninja completely.

"Good try anyway," Hinata told me with a small smile.

"At least it didn't go where Naruto put it," Jiraiya shrugged.

"It was a nice attempt," Kakashi told me quietly. It was just a game, but I still felt like a failure. I put on my brightest smile and directed everyone to the kitchen for cake. I was getting rather used to seeing my teachers outside of school. Not necessarily in my house, but out of their normal habitat.

I served out pieces of the wonderful homemade calorie crasher to my willing guests with the punch as they remained in the kitchen to spare my mother's pristine white carpets. She prided herself on all the work she put into them. I would have hated to try and top her with getting a double chocolate stain out of the fibers.

There wasn't a lot of speaking as everyone at quietly. Kakashi kept his head turned away from the others, even if they all tried to look. His crazy grey hair helped in that task and the fact that I was sitting beside him, keeping up a mindless chat.

He briefly reached between us to grasp my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze, to thank me. I smiled even wider and continued speaking to keep the attention on me until he was done. At least he ate fast, well more like inhaled. He had to though, to keep that beautiful secret known as his face, safe.

"Well, it is time for gift giving," Jiraiya said as he produced a long white box. It looked like it could be one of those wristband watches, similar to what I remembered Shikamaru wearing.

"Should I be afraid?" Kakashi asked, raising his one visible silver eyebrow as he took the box. Naruto had gone to grab the two from the living room, since none of us had moved from the kitchen.

"No, of course not. I think you'll like it."

Kakashi pulled the lid off the box, clearly waiting for something to jump out and grab him. But of course, for once nothing of the sort happened. He reached inside tenderly, probably wondering if something was going to bite him, only to draw a silver headband out.

This one had a black stretchy and wide band attaching the silver to the material so that it could be tied on the head or really anywhere. It was obviously a recreation of what was probably an ancient one, but that didn't matter to Kakashi.

"Well, you were right. This is a recreated headband of the Hidden Leaf Ninja," Kakashi explained to the rest of the waiting table. "From the Fire Nation."

"Mhm. I knew you would appreciate it." He crossed his arms, leaning back in the wooden chair as he nodded.

"I really do, thanks Jiraiya." Hinata presented Kakashi with her and Naruto's gift. It was also a box, once Kakashi pulled all of the paper off. She had wrapped it so neatly that I think he really hated to ruin it.

"Do you like it?" she asked.

"Yes, it is something I needed as well. Thank you, Naruto, Hinata." He held it up from the also white box and the slight white fluff material they had put underneath it. It was a gift card to some department store. Hinata had probably picked it up and just told Naruto what it was.

"You're welcome Professor Kakashi."

"Alright Sakura, I know you have something," he nudged. I glanced at Jiraiya before I handed it over. I wasn't as good at wrapping things; Christmas was like the devil to me when it came to wrapping for the family, but that didn't matter to Kakashi of course. He neatly pulled the tape from the slick paper at what he guessed was the bottom as he pulled the book out. It was upside down, but he knew what it was from the orange cover.

"Breathe Kakashi," Jiraiya teased from the end of the table.

"This is the new one?" he asked as he glanced up at all of us, already turning the pages to get a glimpse of the creative words within.

"Mhm," I nodded.

"I love it," he said as he began to read on. Maybe I should have waited until he was going to go home to give it to him. We were in danger of him reading all of it right here. "Thank you Sakura, Jiraiya." I glanced at the clock; it was already around five. Time had flown.

"Well, I better get going. I have a date tonight," Jiraiya told us as he got up from the table with a small wave. "Have fun you kids and thanks for inviting me Sakura."

"No problem," I smiled back as he showed himself out.

"Yeah Sakura, we better get going if we're going to go home and have dinner with Kurenai," Naruto said as he and Hinata stood up as well. Two hours was about enough for something like this anyway.

"Thank you for having us over and happy birthday," Hinata smiled. She looked kind of tired. I wondered if she was getting sick. She had barely touched her cake this afternoon.

"Thank you," he nodded, looking up from the book for a second. I walked them to the door so that I could make sure that it shut properly, sharing goodbyes and such. When I turned around, Kakashi was sitting in my mother's chair now.

"Well, what about you, nothing to do tonight?" I teased.

"No, not really." He put the book down and leaned forward a little. "You know, this was a nice party Sakura. You really didn't have to, but I…appreciate it. No one has ever done this for me," he confessed.

"Really? No one has ever thrown you a party?"

"No," he shook his head. "Not since probably my father, but he didn't put a lot of emphasis on aging," he shrugged.

"Kakashi," I started, leaning forward as well. "That's really kind of sad."

"I know, but I feel better now." His one eye bore deep into mine as he leaned forward even more, pulling his mask down slowly again. I couldn't imagine what his plans were. But before I really knew it once again, his lips were on my cheek.

But this time, it was really his lips and not the cover of his mask touching my face. They were as soft there as they had been on my finger earlier. My air supply caught in my throat, my heart hammering against my chest, and my skin had begun to sweat a little.

He moved back some, that lazy smile in place as I watched his lips murmur something to my hazy and almost drugged out brain.

"What?" I asked stupidly.

"Thank you," he breathed against my face. I could smell the chocolate on his breath, his carbon dioxide release warm and welcoming even against my flushing skin. He placed another kiss for good measure, knowing what it was doing to me, before he pulled the mask back up. What a horrible tease he was.

But still, I found myself stuttering out a "thank you" before he began to help me clean up everything so that my mother wouldn't know. Not that she would have stopped it had she been home, just that she wouldn't have been very happy.

I wished Kakashi had been able to stay, even though we took forever cleaning up everything just to spend more time together. Of course he did have papers he should have been grading. I would have to find other ways of keeping him in my house in the future, since he had no problem showing up.

We were mostly silent as we picked up the cups and plates, disposing them in the trash, then pulling the crepe paper off the wall and cleaning up the ninja game. He helped make sure that furniture was back in its proper place while I made sure that the cake was wrapped for him to take home.

"Really Sakura, thank you so much for doing this," he praised me again as he made to leave, gifts and cake in hand.

"No problem Kakashi, you know that." He nodded.

"One of these days Sakura, I'm going to steal you away for the weekend," he told me as he used his free hand to ruffle my hair.

"I would still like that," I laughed. We stood there awkwardly, the sun getting ready to set soon. I honestly wasn't looking forward to the rest of the weekend without his company. So, to soak the last of it up, I rushed forward and hugged him around the waist as tight as I could.

His body was warm and soft and he didn't try to stop me. In fact, as best he could, he wrapped his arms back around me to reassure me that the feeling was mutual. I knew I had to let go so that he could go home and tend to things, but not before I breathed in his musky and familiar scent.

Only then did I release him and share goodbyes as I turned back to finish the weekend in one of the most boring manners ever created: homework. But it was hard to concentrate with a certain silver-haired professor on my mind.

X

Where I had spent most of the weekend in euphoric bliss with both the dance and the party, the following school week started out like hell and showed no sign of getting any better all based on Monday's morning.

I knew that Hiro was probably going to be a problem, but the whole weekend and my thoughts of Kakashi gave me some reinforcement. I had spent a lot of time dwelling on his face, the feel of his lips against my cheek, and the finger in his mouth.

When I walked into Biology, I made sure that I was purposely walking in just seconds before Tsunade, that way Hiro wouldn't be able to speak to me and Tsunade wouldn't be breathing down my neck for any amount of extra time.

I received a pissed off glare from Hiro as I took my seat beside him. It was like he was trying to burn holes in the back of my head all the way down to my back. I was glad that he didn't possess heat vision or else I would have been dead right away.

I also got a fair amount of glares and angrily asked questions from Tsunade and I knew that she would be hell for the next few weeks at least.

But what I was most afraid of was outside of class when I would be on free range and so would they. Would they confront me at once about the weekend or would they bide their time and wait until my guard was down? While I didn't like either choice, I had no real say in the matter of the inevitable.

It was Hiro first.

I grabbed my books from the polished surface of the black lab table as I tried to scurry from the room and to the safety of Kakashi's office before either of them figured out where I had gone. But once I was in the hall, a firm hand on my shoulder stopped me dead in my tracks.

"Sakura, we need to talk," an all too familiar voice spoke softly.

X

Hm, what is going to happen? Hope to hear from you! Don't forget to review!