Chapter 11: One Step Forward
It hurt in a way he hadn't expected. Not in an all consuming, blinding way, but like a small stream of burning liquid trickling down his skin and making him flinch.
That was the sensation that spread through his chest when he came to the shocking realisation of his true feelings, and his initial thought was he needed to let her be— to stay away. But just the idea of taking a step away from her —of putting a distance between them— made that scalding sensation all the worse.
He understood it… but that was what scared the living daylights out of him. Sakura wasn't someone he could mess with because losing her would hurt even more than the current tightening in his lungs. She wasn't someone he could have— she just wasn't an option. And the worst of it was that he had no control over these emotions plaguing him. He hated himself for it already, hated that the moment he developed romantic feelings for someone it wasn't a person he could pursue. He really was going to die alone now.
Would you quit being pathetic? His conscious urged with a sneer. He could feel her eyes on him, studying him, dissecting him. She remained in her position, curled up in the space next to him, pink strands fanned out across the white pillow. A traitorous part of his brain marvelled at how beautiful she was relaxed beside him, of how she looked like she was made to be there next to him… he wondered if his mask was effectively concealing his inner turmoil.
The thought vanished when her voice, soft and quiet with her sluggishness, interrupted the calm quiet that surrounded them. "What are you thinking?" she murmured, eyes tracing his profile.
He stiffened slightly, unsure of how to respond. When his silence stretched for several second, her hand reached up and her thumb brushed the spot between his brows, smoothing the skin there. She was smiling. "You get this little frown when you're thinking too hard about something."
His forehead burned under her touch. He stared at her, sightly wide eyed. "I... do?"
She chuckled and turned to stretch. "Hmm... just like how your eyebrow twitches when you're amused."
He hated the way his heartbeat sped up a notch, despised it. "I didn't realise."
"Well, you see," she said, turning back to face him again, the blush in her cheeks now looking a little healthier than the feverish look she had worn for days now. "When you have only a small patch of skin to tell someone's emotions, you learn to read the small signs. Your eyes squint slightly when angry or irritated, your nose barely visibly scrunches when disgusted. I learned to read all of your face a while ago Kakashi, your mask can't stop me."
Well, as butterfly-inducing as the thought of her paying attention to the small signs of his person (and dammit he better find a word other than butterflies), it was equally unnerving. He didn't want her knowing how he felt. Or rather the sad truth was that he did, he really did, but he also wanted her to accept it - to return it - which was impossible. Not only was he a lot older, he was just way too damaged for her.
He sighed. All ninja were damaged, including Sakura herself even if she seemed happy most of the time, he knew it wasn't always the case. But he was a whole other brand of fucked up. He didn't want to drag her down with him.
Apparently she interpreted the small sound he made as a sign of irritation for she apologised. "I'm sorry, I bet you don't like it when people try to figure you out. I don't do it to spite you, I just..." she trailed off, suddenly seeming uncharacteristically embarrassed. "I want... I really want to know you. The real you. Not just the front you show to everyone."
He realised he stopped breathing for a moment and took a small gulp of air. Why the hell did she want to know him anyway? And would she please stop blushing so prettily while looking at him those clear, trusting green eyes before he did something as equally appealing as it was stupid? "Ah... why do you figure it's a front?"
Her features hardened into a more serious look that was both worrying and incomprehensible. She didn't answer for a long time, eyes suddenly fixed on the ceiling and lips pursed in thought. "I guess... I guess I sometimes glimpse fragments of the person you are," she said, eyes distant, like she wasn't there but remembering something. "I don't understand it but... I see this version of you that you don't show people, that I'm not supposed to see but I do anyway. And I suspect that version is the real you."
His neck felt slightly damp. He was speechless, reduced to a clump of confusion and worry with strands of affection and heat mingled with that mess. The real him she wasn't supposed to see? He'd definitely heard of more worrying news but an inkling was beginning to form to what she may be talking about, and it made him both uncomfortable and slightly panicked.
A memory from a few days ago came back to him; her twisting and squirming in his hold as nightmares plagued her, claiming they were hurting her precious person while coincidentally having called his name… another of her trembling arms wrapped around him as she sobbed into his chest in the middle of the forest they camped in, as if she was going to lose him if she dared let go… and another of when he woke up right before she was kidnapped to the smell of her tears… there just was no way that she actually meant… that she was having… no, impossible.
Suddenly, her cheeks flushed pink and she looked elsewhere, breaking him away from his inner ramblings before he could give himself an anxiety attack. "S-sorry, that sounded weird, huh? Forget I said anything."
Sakura wanted to kick herself the moment the words were out of her mouth. She had to be insane to be sharing that with him. She had to be out of her mind. Her dreams never stopped and she doubted they ever would at this rate. The thing was, she never even considered telling Kakashi about them because no matter how close they were —no matter how much she felt like he was a part of her now— he wouldn't handle it well, she just knew it like she knew the sky was blue.
He was looking at her, perplexed, a touch of thinly concealed worry in his dark, dark gaze. She looked away again. He had been uncharacteristically quiet all day, not even bothering to read a book, just staring into space, and often, at her. She wondered if he was having a mid-life crisis or something similar.
He was quiet again now and she hesitantly looked up at him from beneath dark lashes, hating that she sent him back into his somber mood once again. His lips were pursed beneath the mask— that terribly, terribly intriguing face hidden beneath a plain cloth. How she wished she could see him without it just once. Her dreams allowed her to glimpse his young face a few times but it just wasn't the same.
And he was gorgeous, really. It was a shame he had his face hidden, even when he had convenient reasons. But maybe she should be glad, Sakura reasoned, people were falling over themselves in his presence with the mask on already, she had no doubt it would be ten times worse were he to parade around Konoha without it.
She sighed and startled slightly because his sigh echoed hers. He finally turned to look at her, eyes guarded and for once, utterly blank and then slowly, asked a question she really hadn't seen coming. "Why have you never dated anyone, Sakura? Not even Sasuke? You're pretty young, what's stopping you? And don't give me that crap about insecure men, surely there's a decent member of the male species in Konoha."
Taken entirely aback by the wild change of topic, she stared at him with wide eyes, mouth hanging slightly open. He only continued to gaze curiously at her.
"Um," she stammered, moving to a sitting position in her unrest. "It's... it's really complicated."
"What's so complicated about it?" One of his elegant silver eyebrows arched up. How he made that one simple act attractive was beyond her.
She struggled again for the right words. "You see... I've always been in love with someone— namely Sasuke— although thinking back to it I don't suppose it was love. And you see... having taken a step back from all that, I'm just... trying to figure myself out. Who am I, what do I want, and all that stuff."
Kakashi gave a slow, understanding nod. "So you're just finding yourself?"
Sakura gave a quick nod, feeling her cheeks heat up. "Mostly. And..." she paused for a second before shyly admitting, "I suppose I'm looking for that person that'll really make me feel alive. He might not exist, but a girl can hope." She chuckled nervously.
And... Sakura internally added... you plague my dreams day and night and invade my every thought. How can I be with someone when all I can think of is you?
Well, if that didn't make her sound like a hopeless romantic she didn't know what would! But he simply nodded and turned back to staring at the wall, leaving her to dwell on her most recent discovery.
Was it true? Was she being honest with herself when it came to the true reasons why she wasn't dating anyone? No, she wasn't and she knew that, knew it like she knew she'd die a ninja fighting to protect her home. Because she just knew that deep down, where she was never afraid to admit her emotions to herself, where the old Sakura who shouted her feelings from the rooftops was buried under all the loss and hurt. The true reason behind her lack of interest in males lately was due to one simple reason: she was already interested in one.
And not just anyone. But the very man sharing this bed with her right now. Because Sakura knew, she understood her feelings; she was attracted to Kakashi, she couldn't deny it. She just didn't want to admit it either. More so than she already had, anyway.
That thought track was violently discarded in favour of focusing on her nagging ninja senses that were prickling uncomfortably, pulling her attention to the fact that there was another ninja in the vicinity, one that wasn't doing a great job concealing their chakra solely because of the unbelievable amount they possessed. It was easy to sense it when she pinpointed them; they were like a bottomless pit, and before her brain had time to catch up, her body was already kickstarting, instincts taking over and forcefully directing her.
She had just enough time to flip Kakashi off the bed, landing on top of him in the process before three kunai hit the spot he previously occupied. His hands shot out to protectively hold onto her hips and their eyes met for a short moment, understanding passing between them. They were back.
Sakura didn't stop to think, reflexes she'd masterfully honed since the fourth ninja war directing her like her lungs knew how to breathe and she was rolling off her partner a second later, hand finding her backpack and snatching it close. She avoided another barrage of kunai, her body launching to the space behind the armchair— it bought her enough time to unroll a blue scroll and summon her weapon's holster.
A loud crash followed and she looked up to find that one of the three enemies —the one who was like a bottomless pit of chakra— threw the coffee table at Kakashi, who ducked the attack but inevitably caused the object to go flying through the glass door leading to the balcony and down below.
Startled screams and yells echoed from the restaurant beneath them and Sakura knew she had to take the fight somewhere else before civilians were hurt. Her eyes sought out her companion and she froze, her body temperature falling several degrees when she made out the outline of a chakra web developing around him, shimmering blue and red like a vast galaxy. A familiar nagging sensation washed over her and the answer came to her unbidden; it was the heat jutsu that had knocked her down.
Her body yet again reacted before she gave the order, and she was pushing Kakashi away, knowing he was unaware of the danger surrounding him. She understood now, instinctively, that their enemy's jutsu was invisible just to the victim. She tasted it in the air where he stood, a strange ash-like, slightly metallic flavour on her tongue that made her want to gag.
Sakura had just enough time to come to a very important conclusion: that their enemy was a goddamn idiot for using the same jutsu on the same person twice —because she will figure him out, because she will make him pay— before a familiar burning sensation slammed into her full force, effectively knocking her off her feet and sending her and Kakashi crashing to the opposing wall with enough force it cracked the concrete. And then, with the picture of Kakashi's wide worried eyes branded in her memory as the last thing she saw, her consciousness faded.
Kakashi had half a mind to grab the rosette and move away before they were on him again, a sea of pointy weapons at his tail and fuck, he was outnumbered and burdened with the passed out body of his stupid, stupid, stupid partner who dared take the hit for him. With a blazing rush of adrenaline assaulting him as he barely ducked a storm of water bullets by jumping off the balcony, he came to the terrifying realisation that if he was caught it was game over for both of them.
The glass from the balcony window crunched beneath his feet before he rolled, sharp shards tore at his clothes, at his flesh, splattering the glass with his blood but he paid it no mind because right now, only one thing mattered: getting Sakura to safety and holding these bastards back long enough for Naruto and Sasuke to find them.
Shit, where are they? He couldn't fight while carrying Sakura and he couldn't exactly escape without defending himself. The silver-haired man realised he was thoroughly stuck.
He narrowly missed a kunai to the back and he was struck with another realisation as the taunting laughter and insulting jabs of his enemies reached him; they were playing with him, letting him think he could escape.
As soon as the thought registered in his mind something scalding, and so excruciating it made him gasp, hit him full force in his left shoulder and he stumbled mid-run, violently steering off course and promptly crashing his other shoulder into a streetlight.
His arms tingled, weakened from the blows he'd taken and he could feel his grip begin to fail "No—!" But the rosette was already slipping out of his hold, body rolling over onto the pavement, hair trailing over mud spots on the ground and shoulder digging in the piled rocks on the corner of the under-construction street.
Kakashi barely managed to steer away from another kunai, but he regretted the action as soon as he committed it for it sliced her shoulder open and embedded in the rosette's shirt, pinning her to the ground at the same time. The deep gash began sprouting blood immediately like a river, drenching the charcoal bricks beneath her and trickling down her pale skin.
He didn't have much time to feel sick at the sight of his precious person so hurt —so helpless— because they were on him again, their attacks more vicious now that he no longer held their target hostage.
Kakashi stumbled a few times, his foot burning like a live-wire from an attack that hit its target, but he kept on going, kept on trying to round back to where Sakura was, but they weren't letting him. Two of them aimed continuous rapid-fire attacks at his exposed back while the third secured Sakura in his hold and started racing away.
Oh, hell no you didn't—! He brought his hands together in a familiar seal, calling upon the Demonic Hell Viewing genjutsu technique. He saw the immediate second it took effect, and although it only bought him scarce breathing space, it was all he needed to vault over his chasers, up an electricity pole and across one of the villas in the resort, landing next to his target, who nearly crashed into him.
But Kakashi wasn't done, his hands coming together in another seal he had all but forgotten about since the Third Shinobi War, but desperate situations called for desperate measures. His hand glowed an icy blue, thundering away like a storm in his ears, and he charged forward with his famed speed, knowing Sakura would suffer but deciding it was a small price to pay in face of saving her life.
His target flinched violently as the energy surrounding Kakashi's fist slammed into him before his actual fist did, and he felt ice claw at his heart and travel down his spine —much like needles— causing him to gasp in pain and swiftly drop dead from lung failure.
Kakashi panted with exertion, feeling a big chunk of his reserves vaporise, his hand pressing momentarily at his bleeding shoulder only to be drenched with crimson.
Sakura dropped from the man's hold and her eyes snapped wide open upon impact with the ground, unfocused, terrified and in tremendous pain. Her mouth parted in a silent scream and she convulsed, body twisting and bending, teeth chattering violently and Kakashi felt guilt like he'd never felt before in his life, his body moving to capture her only to be blasted away by a spark of electricity that made his hair stand on end.
Disoriented, and now sufficiently worried (and more than a little scared), he clambered to his feet and stumbled away from an explosive tag meant to move him away from Sakura, but not fast enough to completely avoid the impact of it. His side burned like hell itself as cloth melted into his skin, and he had to resist the scream that threatened to burst through his throat, raw and animalistic. Because beyond the whole terrorpainshameguiltpain—! he was mostly and utterly furious.
He growled, in both agony and anger, his hands coming together in hasty seals that turned the pavement into quicksand in mere seconds, catching one of the men, but not the one now holding his rosette again. And hellshitdammit would they just leave her alone for one goddamn second—!
In a fit of blinding desperation, and a wave of concentrated anger and worry as he watched the man race away with Sakura - her body still trembling, pained tears streaming down her cheeks in a display he'd never seen before - he threw himself full force on their target's back —dangerousdangerousstupid!— and was promptly sent crashing into solid rock.
He saw literal stars but he had no time to rest, no time to think, because his target had let go of Sakura and was now brandishing a cackling fist of thunder aimed straight for his heart, features twisted in fury. Oh, the sudden numbing realisation came to him as easy as breathing, it was the end of him, he was going to die in the next three seconds, even as he attempted to roll away, to counter, to defend because dammit, Sakura—!
The attack never made it and he didn't see what stopped it, even when his eyes remained open, refusing to shut even in the face of death. Black spots momentarily entered his vision as his head collided with the ragged edge of a rock in his hasty getaway and his sight only came back to him the form of spinning blue light colliding with a nearby post.
A flash of blond later and recognition hit him, Naruto and Sasuke. He had no time to relish in the wave of relief the presence of his former students brought him because Naruto was positively screaming at him, but the ringing sound in his ears was so loud he could barely make out a few words besides danger and Sakura and getaway right this second!
In the distance, dark figures raced towards them with a malicious intent so violent it would've made a lesser ninja keel over. But Kakashi was the Copy Ninja and he never wanted to break the vow he made to himself ever again; to always protect his cherished ones.
He grabbed Sakura, albeit roughly, but his eyes weren't quite working correctly just yet and he stumbled a dozen time before his body gained its bearings and then he was racing away as fast as his legs allowed him, deeper and deeper into the forest, towards Konoha, and over the water of the marine port— away, away, away.
Sakura's awareness came to the feeling of wind on her exposed skin and the frantic throbbing in her left shoulder. Long strands of blonde hair caressed her arms and tickled her face and eventually, her nose picked up on the familiar scent of her best friend buried beneath layers of an oddly recognisable masculine scent. She blinked, confused, and her eyes cleared enough for her to make out the sight of her village flying behind her and Ino's sure arms wrapped protectively around her.
And then it hit her. "Kakashi!"
Ino startled slightly but kept on running, her face twisted in a grim frown. "—Is alright. For now. We need to get you to Tsunade-sama."
"No!" Sakura tried to twist out of Ino's iron grip, but her chakra wasn't working correctly just yet and Ino's hold didn't budge an inch.
"I'm sorry Sakura," Ino apologised with a grimace and before Sakura had time to comprehend the meaning of Ino's words, everything went black.
Beep… Beep… Beep…
A soft rustling sound followed the quiet but annoying beeping she heard somewhere above her head, pulsing in tandem with her heart.
She struggled to locate her eyes, to find her muscles. A strange coolness surrounded her instead of the molten heat she expected having been hit by… her thoughts trailed off to a sudden halt.
That's right… she was with Kakashi and everything was hazy and painful and then… she remembered blinding light and dark, dark charcoal eyes pouring into hers… soft blonde hair clouding her vision… Sakura jolted awake, eyes snapping wide open as the events of her latest fight rushed into the forefront of her mind and she was forcefully reminded that Kakashi wasn't there. She tried to locate his chakra, to pinpoint his location, but he was nowhere nearby. Instead, she touched at Ino's familiar lulling stream of purple chakra.
The blonde was asleep in the chair next to her hospital bed, hair mussed up and features twisted in discomfort. She twitched slightly under Sakura's gaze before pupil-less blue irises fluttered open to meet hers. Ino jerked up, "Sakura!" And then the rosette was being engulfed in a tight embrace. "You're awake… oh, sweetheart, I was so worried…"
Sakura blinked, confused as Ino pulled back to look at her face, her fingers running gently through her pink strands. "How long have I been out?"
"Almost a week," Ino said, her relief almost palpable, her nails scratched pleasantly at her scalp.
Sakura's previous worries returned and she sat up despite the pain in her shoulder. "I… Kakashi, where is he— I need—"
Ino's hands came down on her shoulders and forced her to relax back. "Kakashi is okay. I sent him home to get some shut-eye, he'll be back soon, I promise."
The rosette sighed in almost painful relief and settled back, her heartbeat slowing down to a normal rhythm. She watched Ino watch her curiously and waited. Thirty seconds later, Ino spoke. "Did… Did something happen between you and Kakashi?"
Sakura startled at the question and her heart rate skyrocketed again. "W-what do you mean?" She inwardly cursed her stutter and waited with bated breath as Ino's all-seeing eyes roved over her face.
"I don't know," Ino admitted quietly, settling more comfortably into her chair. "I've never… I don't think I've ever seen Kakashi so panicked about anything as much as he was when he showed up on Genma's doorstep with you passed out in his arms."
Sakura felt her cheeks heat up under the scrutiny of her best friend but something else was there… an unmistakable warmth spreading through her chest at the thought that Kakashi cared so much about her. She quickly banished the thought before Ino could clue in on the fact that Sakura loved that Kakashi worried for her so much that his mask crumbled for once.
Needing a quick redirection off this particular conversation, Ino's most recent sentence echoed in her ear. And then Sakura's eyes widened as she recalled waking up in the blonde's hold as they raced away and an important thought rushed back to the forefront of her mind. "Hey— hey wait, I just remembered! Your scent back then— I thought something was off… you smelled like Genma!"
Ino's mouth fell open and then amazingly, her whole face flushed pinker than Sakura's hair. "W-what?"
Sakura took a second to marvel at the fact that Ino was blushing before exploiting it, because it all suddenly made sense. "Oh my god… Ino… is your mystery man Genma?! No way… wow…''
Ino slumped back in her seat, face buried in her hands. "Out of everything, my scent is what gives it away? Give me a break Sakura, you're as bad as Kakashi."
Sakura couldn't help but giggle. "I've worked with Genma a few times, I thought the scent was oddly familiar."
Ino sighed, and a small yet rather sad smile tugged on her lips. "Well, I guess you caught me."
The admission sobered Sakura up and she watched her best friend's face curiously. "How serious is it…?"
"Genma's condition or our relationship?" Ino frowned, and it was only then that Sakura noticed the pain and worry in her friend's gaze and another discovery presented itself, making Sakura feel like an asshole; Ino brought Kakashi up because she was trying to forget. Because she was worried sick about Genma and sleep deprived. Sakura had no idea the man was involved.
"What happened to him?" Sakura asked worriedly, hating herself for dimming Ino's mood but needing to know if the man was okay. They weren't close or anything but Sakura enjoyed his occasional company and his rather lewd sense of humour. It'd suck if something happened to him.
Ino's head fell back with a tired sigh and her eyes fixed on the ceiling. "Blood loss, broken hand, dislocated shoulder, second-degree burns, gaping hole in his stomach, a minor concussion, I could go on really."
The rosette frowned. "Jeez, I hope he's okay soon."
"He's getting better," Ino told her and now her eyes were glistening with unshed tears. "If only he didn't look so heartbreaking while doing it."
"I'm sorry." Sakura reached over and grasped Ino's hand in her own, giving it a comforting squeeze. "It'll be okay."
Ino nodded, took a steadying breath and then straightened to face Sakura. "As for how serious it is… we've been together for a while— nine months or so, I think. I love him, I don't know— is it weird?"
By then, the rosette's eyebrows were steadily crawling up her forehead. "Nine months…? Nine months and you never even thought of telling me? Wow. Get out."
The blonde smiled apologetically but shrugged. "You wouldn't tell me who your dream man was… and it never came up in conversation."
Sakura shook her head disbelievingly. "You suck, Ino-pig. My dream man shall remain a mystery for another seven months or so as payback."
"Forehead!" Ino whined, "that's not fair, I told you about Genma, now you have to tell me, I've been dying to know."
"Nuh-uh, I found out, you didn't tell me anything." Sakura stuck her tongue out at the blond, feeling slightly vindictive. "Come back in seven months."
Ino's hand reached over lighting fast and smacked the back of Sakura's head. "You little minx—!"
Sakura burst into giggles just as the door to their hospital room opened and Tsunade walked in with Kakashi behind her, clad in civilian clothes. Both her and the blonde sobered up at the sight of them and Ino rose to bow. "Tsunade-sama,"
Tsunade nodded, shooting Kakashi an odd look which brought Sakura's attention to him. Their eyes met, and what she saw there nearly stole her breath— she could practically feel his relief wafting off of him, and there was this strange look in his irises she had no name for, something like… like he was trying to restrain himself from rushing to her side. It sent her heartbeat into another frenzy that she belatedly realised could be heard on the heart monitor and she was forced to look away from him and calm it down to acceptable levels.
Two suspicious blondes regarded her, much to her chagrin, but neither said anything.
"You're awake," Tsunade stated, moving to her side to check her vitals. Sakura nodded but Tsunade was already turning to Ino. "Shiranui was asking about you, you might want to see what he wants."
Hearing the clear dismissal, Ino heaved herself up off the chair and took her leave.
Sharp marigold eyes turned back to Sakura. "We captured one of the men that were chasing you, he's currently in Ibiki's custody. But until we have more information this case is closed and you're to be under heavy surveillance."
Sakura blinked, surprised. "Heavy surveillance?"
"This is the second time they came for you— they chased you into the heart of the village! I don't want you alone at any time and avoid public places as much as possible. I'm sorry Sakura but I need to protect you." Tsunade lamented, hand settling briefly on Sakura's head before falling away as she turned to leave, only pausing at the doorstep to softly say, "And get some rest. Both of you."
Silence descended on the room, heavy like a physical weight, and Sakura met Kakashi's stormy gaze again and held it as he limped towards her side, only stopping when he reached the guest chair. He didn't sit down.
"Hi." She tried, conscious of her heart rate going up again as his scent dwarfed her senses and his body heat washed over her. "Are you okay?"
A small frown tugged his brows and she had to resist the urge to smooth it with her thumb. She didn't realise she was frowning too until his thumb came up to smooth the space between her eyebrows. "Am I okay…?" He echoed quietly, voice slightly scratchy from lack of use. "Shouldn't I be asking you that?"
"I'm okay," she assured, and her hand found his without conscious thought, squeezing tightly. "Thanks to you."
That same frown further scrunched his brow but his hand squeezed hers back just as tightly. "Thanks to— Sakura." He suddenly growled, his eyes now angry, but not at her, she knew it wasn't at her. "You're here because of me. Thanks to— gods, you're incorrigible."
She stared at him, slightly speechless at his exasperation and obviously misplaced anger. And just like that, blinding indignation was filling her up. "Goddammit Kakashi!" she snarled, letting go of his hand to jab an accusing finger in his chest. "I'm done with the whole guilt thing you have going on! You will not blame yourself for this or so god help me I'll beat you to a pulp and put you in a hospital bed!"
The rosette thought she heard him mutter 'at least we'll be even then' but she couldn't be sure for he suddenly dropped onto the chair behind him and let out a weary breath that for once made him sound and look his age. "I'm sorry I just…" He dragged a hand down his face and let out another sigh. "You were so helpless and I was… and then that asshole he… you were crying and I wanted to rip him to shreds but I couldn't and I never hated myself so fucking much."
Sakura felt strangely touched and this time she did reach and smooth the frown on his face with her thumb. "Silly," she murmured affectionately, "I don't blame you, they're out of our league— we were outnumbered. Just thank god we're both alive and move on."
Kakashi sighed dejectedly but gave a small nod before picking up a carton bag off the floor and presenting it to her. "Here, I brought you some clothes."
Sakura tried to conceal her surprise as she shuffled through the bag's contents to find her civilian clothes, chest bindings, and a fresh pair of panties that had her face heating up because god dammit did he have to be so thoughtful as to go as far as to bring her clean underwear?
She slapped his arm half heartedly as she pulled her underwear out for him to see and accused, "Pervert."
The corner of his mouth twitched up and he raised a mischievous eyebrow, his glumness momentarily lifting. "I didn't actually look at them Sakura —as tempting as it was, I could've sworn I glimpsed a Strawberry Shortcake one— I just brought what my hand landed on. Didn't know you're the lace type of girl," he teased as his eyes moved to the black underwear in her grasp.
Sakura felt her cheeks flush and she quickly thrust the garment back in the bag, green eyes glaring at him. "It was a gift from Ino."
Kakashi nodded in mock thoughtfulness. "Nice. So the big question now is, is't Strawberry Shortcake or lace?"
The rosette couldn't believe what she was hearing and he let out a flustered squeal. "Kakashi! You can't just ask a girl that!"
He laughed, and it was a nice change of atmosphere so she decided she let it slide as he replied, "Right, my bad, sorry."
"No more teasing," she grumbled with a slight pout and slumped back against her pillows with a huff, only earning herself a chuckle from the copy ninja. "Alright, alright, no more teasing."
A comfortable silence filled the space and Sakura relaxed, only to startle as soon as her mind drifted to upcoming events. "What day is it?!"
Kakashi jumped slightly at her tone and shuffled through his pocket to retrieve a pocket-sized calendar. "I think it's the tenth— or eleventh, why?"
"The festival!" Sakura cried dejectedly, "it's on the thirteenth, Tsunade-shishou's inauguration anniversary!"
Kakashi stared at her, almost incomprehensible as she rattled on. "I still haven't bought a yukata, and I promised the girls we'll shop together oh no… I don't even have a date! Think Naruto would agree to go with me again… aw man…"
And then Kakashi burst her bubble."Sakura did you not hear what Tsunade said? You're not going anywhere."
She gaped at him, scandalised. "What? No! I'm, definitely going."
"You can't, it's not safe." He insisted, "I'm not letting you go alone into a place so crowded."
The rosette stared at him, speechless. "But Kakashi... it's the yearly festival— I've never once missed it! I can't start now!"
He levelled her with an unimpressed look. "You're not going alone," he stressed and was that a glint in his eyes?
Sakura was floored. "Is that your indirect way of letting me know I can't go without you, kaa-san?"
The glint turned positively mischievous. "Maybe."
She glared at him. "Why don't you just make things simple and ask me to be your date, like a normal human being would, Kakashi?"
His eyes widened and she took it as a small victory. "Wait— that's not—"
"Not what you meant? You're a terrible liar." She stuck her tongue out at him despite the fact that her heart was galloping now. "Come on, go on, I might just consider it."
"Wait," he said, and his surprise was evident in his voice. She told herself the almost hopeful look in his gaze was her imagination playing tricks on her, because no way. "Do you want me to be your date?"
Well, to hell with it. "I don't know, maybe. I've never been with an older man before. I'm curious."
He blinked owlishly at her, it was almost hilarious. "Oh."
"Are you going to ask me or not?" She pressed, and by now she was sure he could hear her heart beating, if not see its outline through her hospital gown. She must've gone crazy sometime during her coma, she decided.
Kakashi was silent for several moments before finally saying, "I guess… I mean, that way I could make sure you're safe and all… would you be my date—"
"Yes!" And no, she didn't blush at the fact that she interrupted him before he was done talking, and it was alright anyway because even when she was grinning like a dork, she knew he was, too.
Well, guess who updated early? I hope you enjoyed this 6.3K monster. Things are moving along and will become intense soon. So stay tuned!
Drop me a line or two, let me know your thoughts, I'd really greatly appreciate it!
Songs:- (Don't laugh but)
1) Break The Ice - Britney Spears
2) All Time Low - Jon Bellion
Beta'd by the beautiful Denilmo x