Anger burned through Sakura's chest, hot enough to make her lungs ache. She forced herself to walk rather than run through the hospital, but it was a near thing. The murmur of conversation filling the hallway grew silent at Sakura's approach. Bodies parted, allowing her to reach the door just as it swung open.

Tsunade flapped her hands at the gathered crowd. "This isn't a meeting area. If you can't find something to occupy your time, I'd be happy to provide some suggestions."

Nurses, medics, and orderlies scattered in every direction rather than face the woman's wrath. Then, honey brown eyes met green, and emotions swirled across Tsunade's face too quickly for Sakura to catch. "He's stable," she offered.

"He's going to wish that he could still say that when I'm through with him," Sakura growled, anger getting the best of her. For some reason, knowing that Kakashi was okay after the worry of the past two months, made her furious. He needed an excuse, a reason for having been gone so long, something beyond fine.

Tsunade ignored the outburst, speaking over her former apprentice. "But he was injured, badly."

Sakura stopped hearing Tsunade's words, rushing from fear to fear before she could stop herself. Tsunade wasn't worried, so she shouldn't be either. It took her a moment to realize that the woman had rattled off a list of injuries while offering the file. Sakura snatched it and scanned the notes: broken leg, probable concussion, fractured ribs, dislocated shoulder, chakra exhaustion.

"Can I see him?" Sakura asked, flipping the report closed

"Would you take no for an answer?" An almost smile played on Tsunade's lips, and Sakura's annoyance rose toward the surface again.

Tsunade open the door, and Sakura slipped through. As she tucked the folder underneath one arm, her eyes swept the dim room. Kakashi sat on the hospital bed, propped up by at least three pillows. His right leg rested above the itchy, blue blanket, swathed in a thick, plaster cast. His left arm hung in a sling around his neck. One bruised eye was swollen shut, almost a mockery of the way he used to slant his headband across it. Shaggy silver hair fell across his forehead, matching the pallor of his skin.

"You look like shit," Sakura observed, some of her anger bleeding out at the pitiful sight before her.

Kakashi's laughter came out strained, like he hadn't attempted the sound in a while, and his smile didn't reach his eyes. Sakura wondered when she'd begun being able to read him so easily. Kakashi's mouth moved beneath the mask, lips pulling into a frown. "I guess I missed dinner, huh?"

Of all the things that Sakura expected Kakashi to bring up after being missing for over a month and on a mission for three weeks before that, dinner was near the bottom. It took her a moment to remember what he was talking about: that stupid bet. She hadn't thought about it in weeks, far more concerned with his safety when he missed the return date.

The night before Kakashi was due to leave, Sakura had stopped by Tsunade's office to review the hospital reports as they did every Thursday night. But, the blond had waved her hands and complained that her trainees could handle it. She'd even laughed and said that she'd check their work in the morning, like it was some kind of school assignment. Then, she'd left them alone together.

The air between Sakura and Kakshi had been charged with the reality of the looming mission. She hadn't wanted him to take it, but she wasn't sure how to articulate her reasons. She worried that he wouldn't be as strong without the sharingan, and didn't want to insinuate weakness. They'd spared together often enough for her to know better. Kakashi had been chafing from the constant scrutiny of the village as he prepared for the role of Hokage. Tension filled his shoulders more and more often.

There had been a moment, a brief touch before they said goodbye for the night when Sakura thought that he might say something else. Something that she hadn't quite admitted to herself yet. Instead, they'd made a stupid bet on whether or not he could complete the three week mission in half the time. If so, Sakura owed him dinner wherever he chose. If not, he'd owed her the same.

Sakura knew that Kakashi meant the words to lighten the mood, but they made her throat tighten. "You barely made it back at all."

Kakashi winced at the tone. "But I did, in the end."

"Two months," Sakura growled, cutting Kakashi off before he could elicit more pity without trying. "You've been gone for two months. Do you know how long that is? Do you know how long I waited-"

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Sakura halted the flow of words before they could go somewhere she didn't want them to. She exhaled, hating the rattle in her throat that hinted at something more than anger. "I'd punch you if you weren't already injured so badly that you can't stand up."

"I'd deserve it." The gentleness surprised Sakura, pulling her gaze to Kakashi's injured one. His laugh sounded marginally better this time, tinged with a hint of nervousness. Kakashi tipped his head to the side, studying Sakura in a way that filled her stomach with butterflies. He shrugged. "I got careless because I wanted to be back in a week."

Sakura frowned at the words, mind struggling to make the leaps that seemed to come so naturally to Kakashi. The flickering light above the bed almost hid the blush that appeared on his cheeks. Almost. Sakura closed the distance between them, fighting the urge to flood his system with enough chakra to erase every injury. "Why? That's stupid."

"I missed you." Kakashi's simple words temporarily halted Sakura's ability to respond. He must have thought they needed additional explanation, because he kept talking. "I missed you every one of those sixty-four days, and for months before that. It sounds stupid, but I feel like, maybe, I've been missing you my whole life and-"

Kakashi's words died when Sakura hooked her fingers in his mask. She paused, silently asking permission to remove the garment between them. Once she had it, she dipped her head to meet their lips together, taking full advantage of the soft gasp in Kakashi's throat. Her heart did somersaults as the room spun, making it hard to draw a breath.

Laughing softly, Sakura pulled back. "Now, let's talk about the terms of that bet…"