AN: requested by Paladin-kriss. Enjoy. I think this is my longest chapter ever…I'm supposed to be revising but I'm going to fail anyway so I'm losing the plot. Seriously, I put my head through a post-it note a few minutes ago (not as hard as you'd think). This is probably being updated really late but poor Enigma-chan is poorly (yes, I've named my laptop- it's the same name as my first bike.)Next Chapter may be another Kaka-Saku unless I have a huge out cry of ideas, because the only thing I can come up with now for the Shika-Ino apartment is the part leading up to the end of the mission. Does anyone want me to get there now, because I have loads to write for the after mission section. Feedback please. Show me the luff before I grow another personality.

2033 words in this chapter

Phase Two

Chapter Eleven- Date part two

Tsunade chuckled to herself. She had swapped shifts with Choza to sit and listen to Sakura's comments. There was only so much of watching them all sleep that she could take before going mad, after all, it was her birthday. Also, Anko became unbearable aswell after a few days, even if Genma wasn't really a better alternative.

"What?" Genma asked her, looking over from his monitor. "Is there something worth listening to?"

"No, not really. I'm just fascinated by the fact that they are having an actual date."

"They are what?! How is that not interesting?"

"Firstly, Hatake hasn't even noticed yet. Secondly, you can't even see it."

He frowned at her. "What exactly are they doing then?"

"As much as I can gather, Sakura made them dress up and now, is feeding him."

"Feeding him? Do you mean like Ino did?"

"No. She has just cooked for him."

"What is so special about that?"

"It is what she has cooked for him." Tsunade removed the senbon from his mouth in preparation "Aphrodisiac food."

He almost choked. She smiled at his reaction. So predictable…

"It seems like she is trying to have some fun with him."

"No shit! She's going to have him all over her." His eyes were wide.

"I seriously doubt that. Sakura knows what she is doing; she's been researching these methods for months. With Ino's help, her natural remedies and supplements are the best in Konoha, they are even being sold to Suna. She won't have given him too much, just enough to knock the stiff edge of his personality. It's probably just to judge…" she was suddenly cut off as she heard something over the sound link. "I can't believe they brought that up"

"What is it Tsunade-sama? What are they talking about?" Genma sounded exited.

Tsunade looked up at him with a solemn expression. "Uchiha."

"What?! You can't be serious."

They all remembered the events surrounding the boy's death, particularly Kakashi's reaction. He didn't leave his apartment for days and couldn't find the courage to speak to the rest of the team for a while afterwards. The whole village was quiet, even now, on that subject. No one wanted to say whether they felt relieved (that they could be rid of him and the negative connection between Konoha and Orochimaru he had created), disgusted (by the fact that it was Sakura who killed him), or disappointed (that he couldn't be saved). Many hated Sakura for having destroyed the Uchiha line, but had soon forgiven her with the medical contribution she had made to the village. Nevertheless, this was the one subject that served as taboo for the entire of Konoha, and specifically between these two Nin.

She merely nodded and turned to face the screen, her eyes wide as she heard her comment about Naruto. "That's low Sakura…"

"Put it on speaker" he told her, serious for once.

She rewound the tape slightly, and then did as he asked.

"You were pissed off at me because my emotions got in the way and I went too far. Secondly, next to Sasuke, Naruto was the closest to a clone of you, what with the perverted habits and all…"

"Sakura, that's not it at all!"

"What then? Why didn't you care?"

"Oh Kami." Genma sat back in his chair.

They listened in silence to Kakashi's explanation, then to Sakura's reassurances, feeling very relieved when she changed the subject slightly.

"Besides, would I get dressed up like this if I hated you?"

"You really do look incredible. I'm astounded that you even own anything like that, never mind have it with you."

"I think that was a complement. It may have been strangely put across but thank you. The dress is the same one I've had for years. My dad bought it for me to go to a wedding, I forget which one, but it's the only one I've got. Ino helped with a few alterations but this thing is ancient."

"Oh…" Tsunade smiled "That dress."

"What dress?"

"She wears it to any important events we have. It's nothing too special, but she was bought it when she was sixteen, so you can imagine it's a little…"

"Exposing?" he rose an eyebrow at her in interest.

"I was going to say constricting actually but yes. I'm going to have to make her buy another one before she travels to Suna for the demonstration. They always have formal events at some point and that dress is not appropriate anymore. Not to mention the fact that they have all seen it before, no doubt on numerous occasions, it makes Konoha look cheap"

"I can never afford one. Not that I ever got the chance to go to one of those balls."

"Aren't you friendly with Tenten? Surely you could get in to one of the Hyuuga affairs."

"Sure. I've been invited to a few now, but they are strictly for couples. You can't go alone, it's not seen as proper, especially if you are over the age of sixteen. I haven't got the time to go poking around for someone who can dance well enough so I never get to go."

"That's pathetic. I would let you come without a partner."

"He's just used to the same situation" Genma informed her with amusement in his voice.

"No, he's not picking up on her hints. The food is dulling his senses."

"Never mind. It's just another one of those things that I'm always going to miss out on. Tsunade wouldn't give me the time to go to a party like that anyway."

"You shouldn't let her push you that hard Sakura"

"What?! I don't push her! It's voluntary! Bloody hypocrite! He pushed them all to insanity, not me!" Tsunade fumed, clenching her fists.

"Now you sound like my mother. I'm well passed caring. Work brings money. So long as she's still paying me, I'll work as long as she asks."

"Thank you Sakura. At least she's got some brains in her head."

"Um… Tsunade-sama?" Genma started.

"What?!"

"They do have a point. Sakura is never one to complain if it's for her duty. She would never tell you if it was too hard. Remember what she said about the Uchiha; she wasn't ok, and none of us noticed. It could be the same thing with her workload. She's accomplished a lot under you Tsunade, but the girl is twenty years old and has no social life outside of screwing Nara for stress relief."

"There's nothing wrong with that. At least she's getting laid."

"That's not the point"

"She knows she can approach me about anything, it's not my problem if she doesn't. The last thing I need though is Hatake preaching her in his idol ways."

"All I'm saying is that, you don't spend your entire life on work, especially not now you have Sakura to pin it on, and you are 56 years old. She is only 20, so how can you expect her to do so?"

"She is mature enough…"

"Fine, I'm not going to argue with you Tsunade. I'm sure Shizune tells you all of this enough. She says it, Akimichi said it, and Hatake said it, now I've said it. It's obviously never going to get through to you so I'll shut up."

Sakura's giggly voice came up from the speakers "you are blushing ridiculously. I'm beginning to wonder if your mind is elsewhere."

"N-no. I'm still here."

"Good"

"Dear Kami. What are they up to?" Anko laughed from the doorway, and then she saw the expressions of the others, both frowning. "Who died?"

"Is it time to switch shifts already?" Tsunade mumbled, deep in thought.

"Nope. I just wanted to come early. What's going on?"

"Hatake is being drugged up by Sakura to make him horny or something, so far nothing interesting though." Genma sighed.

"How could he fall for something like that?" she laughed again.

"Easily. Apparently her culinary genius is extended further than we thought."

Anko smiled at Tsunade. "Oysters?"

"No, pasta." The older woman replied

"I don't think I've tried that one. I'll have to ask for the recipe."

"Don't tell me you're into this aswell." Genma scowled, snatching back his senbon from Tsunade and replacing it between his teeth.

"It's a classic. Men barely ever cook, so we can exploit that advantage. It's only fair."

"I think I need to lie down" Kakashi's voice choked out, slightly higher pitch.

"Giving up already? I thought we were having a nice evening." She sounded deviously sweet.

"Oh yeah… great."

"Ok, forget what I said."

"About the kiss?" the hope was evident.

"No, you still have to work for that, I meant all that junk, and about the blushing. It was wrong of me to embarrass you like that."

"Oh, um…"

"Don't worry about it, just relax. Have some more wine."

"No. I really don't think I should."

"Don't say you can't hold it, because I know from some of Gai's rambling that you've won more than one drinking contest."

"Hmm… I'll tell you a secret, if you promise not to tell anyone, especially Gai."

"Ok, I promise"

"I never drank it. My lightning fast eating capabilities meant that I could throw the drinks away just as fast. If Gai found that out, the number of forfeits I'd have to undergo would be horrible."

Sakura laughed out loud. "You never drank? So every one of those contests, you cheated?"

"Yes"

"Exactly how many?"

"Lets see… there's about one per week and we've been doing that for… 15 years. 52 weeks a year, that would be…"

"Seven hundred and eighty forfeits!"

"Yup, and that would get horribly repetitive…"

"Why?"

"He only ever sets the same forfeit… spending a day in public without my mask."

"Woah, that's like… 2 years and 2 months worth."

"Ladies…"Genma grinned "I think we have just found an endless source of blackmail."

"Unless we just tell Gai now and let him pay the penalty." Anko suggested

"No, think about it. If we wait even longer, we can extend the penalty time."

"Kakashi is going to regret this."

Tsunade got up from her seat and went to check the betting sheets. "Since when was this one up?"

"Which one?" Anko asked

"The bet on whether Shikamaru and Sakura would hook up again."

"Oh yeah. I added that one yesterday. Not many takers yet though, I guess people think it's in bad taste."

"No, it's valid enough…" She checked further up the sheet "you changed your coupling bet on Kakashi."

"Yes. He may not have been having genuine feelings before, but he definitely does now."

"Wait, you bet that Sakura will hook up with both Kakashi and Shikamaru?" Genma asked

"Yeah, but for different reasons. She's addicted to Nara and Kakashi isn't the type to back down once he has an idea in his head."

"There's a new one up if you're interested" Tsunade grinned at them

"ooh… wait, is this about Gai?" Genma frowned.

"No, we couldn't let the others know or he would suspect something. It's safer with just the four of us."

"Four?"

"Yes; You, Anko, Me and Sakura."

"Oh, alright, what's this new bet then?"

"I bet that when they get out, Kakashi requests a place on the Suna expedition."

"Wait, I've missed that." Anko pouted "What is this about?"

"They were talking about how Sakura can never go to formal balls because she does not have a partner. The next formal event is the presentation in Suna next week."

"Alright, I'm in." Genma smiled

"I'll bet against it" Anko told her "Can you really see Kakashi in formal wear? Well… I can, but that's only my imagination. He would never do it for real."

"Hey, do you think he'll take the mask off for good if he settles down? If you think about it, if he says that he's only saving his face for the one he wanted to spend his life with, surely if he found that person and was secure with them, there would be no point in hiding it any longer."

"Yeah, but she might not let him. You know, in case some one got too jealous."

"Like you, you mean."

Anko simply shrugged.

AN: COUGH HINT HINT COUGH chapter 8 poll has no takers at all. I'm feeling so lonely. I now have another post-it necklace and a bracelet. If you want this story to stay coherent, I need some serious self-esteem booting. Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease. Thanx. Luff from Izzi-chan XX.