A/N: Hi!
Stubborn Love
I can't be told it can't be done
The next day, Sakura told Kakashi of the rest of her plan.
"Let me come with you, at least," Kakashi asked, body bent towards her from his position stirring on her kitchen chair.
Sakura shook her head and grabbed his hands, pleading with him with her eyes. "No, I think it'll be worse if you go. He'll think we're trying to confront him. I need to talk to Naruto alone and make him understand. Please?" Sakura tried something then: she looked at him beguilingly from under her lashes and then reached up to kiss him softly. "Please?" She asked again, voice slow and hushed.
Kakashi blinked at her, derailed. Then blinked again and shook his head. "Fine. But don't think I know what you just did there." He grabbed her chin and kissed her until she was breathless. He pulled away and mumbled against her lips, "I can do it too."
Sakura grinned.
Kakashi sighed, abruptly serious again. "Sakura, I don't want him to go off on you again. Or think that I'm not there because I'm scared of what he'll have to say."
"I know what to say to him now, Kakashi. I shouldn't have blurted it out like I did a week ago, but I just couldn't hold it in anymore. I didn't have the right words then, but now I do. I'll be fine."
He stared at her for a bit longer, waiting to see if she would give in, but when she didn't he finally agreed. "Fine." He paused, contemplating her with pensive charcoal eyes. "What if he doesn't accept us?"
Sakura lowered her eyes from his worried expression. That wasn't something she liked to think about. She loved Naruto so much, she couldn't imagine what she would do if he never agreed with their relationship. "It won't come to that," Sakura finally said, obstinate. "I'll make him see."
"Sakura, he might not listen."
Sakura nodded, resolute. She met Kakashi's stare with a hard one of her own. Nobody yet knew how stubborn she could be.
Kakashi read her stare and nodded once. "Fine."
Sakura relaxed a bit after that was decided, then asked a question that had been bugging her since last week. "Kakashi, why didn't you let me heal you after Naruto hit you?"
Kakashi avoided her eyes, and started fiddling with a loose string on his trousers. "Stupid reason, really," he mumbled, but didn't elaborate. He shoved his hands in his pockets, still not meeting her eyes.
Sakura kept staring, eyes boring into him.
The clock on her wall ticked, making the silence more pronounced.
He finally relented, although he did not meet her gaze while he explained. "I didn't want you to heal it because I felt I deserved it. I wanted it to heal on its own for however long it took because I deserve the punishment."
Sakura shook her head, exasperated. She stood and wrapped her arms around Kakshi's head, pulling it against her chest in comfort. "How silly."
…
Sakura walked through the sunny Konoha streets when a voice called out to her from across the crowd of bustling people.
She turned to see Yamato waving to her and making his way in her direction. Surprised, Sakura stopped and waited for him to approach.
Once he was in front of her, he smiled slightly. "Glad you're back, Sakura."
Sakura smiled back hesitantly. "Thanks, Yamato-taichou." She hadn't seen him since that disastrous day in Mino's office last week, so she was wondering what he actually wanted.
"I hope I'm not keeping you from anything important?" He phrased his sentence like a question.
Sakura, thinking that he was acting odd, only sighed and decided to tell him the truth. "I was actually on my way to talk to Naruto. Do you know if he's at home?"
Yamato nodded "Yes, I was actually just there." He scrutinized her closely, scratched his head in show of a nervous tick, then let out a quick breath. "Sakura, I—well I just wanted to say that I have known Kakashi for a very long time and, well, I haven't ever seen him laugh or smile as much as when he's with you." Sincerity rang true in his tone.
She sure wasn't expecting that. A bright, instantaneous smile spread across her face. "Really? Thank you for telling me that, Taichou." Her nerves dissipated more and she felt steadier.
He continued, "I could tell how close you two were getting— how close you two have always been. You've always had a different relationship with him than the rest of the team." He shrugged. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that, um, well, good for you two." He awkwardly scratched his head again, obviously very uncomfortable with his brief display of emotions. "Also, I'm glad you're back because Senpai was acting like a huge baby while you were gone."
Curious, Sakura asked, "What do you mean?"
Yamato rolled his eyes. "I had to carry him home every night you were gone because the idiot was too drunk to walk."
Sakura snorted. She was begging to understand that Kakashi, for all his steadiness and taciturn nature, was underneath a very emotional person. "Fool," Sakura murmured to herself. "Thanks again, Taichou. I think I can go talk to Naruto more calmly because of what you just told me."
"I tried to reason with him too, Sakura...it didn't go very well. I think he's just butthurt now."
Sakura nodded. She could deal with a butthurt Naruto. "See you later, Taichou?"
"Sure," Yamato replied, waving. He started to turn away, but then paused. "Sai and Sasuke are with him too, by the way." Great, another audience, Sakura thought. "Did you want me to go with you?"
"Um, no thank you, Taichou. I can handle this one."
Yamato tried to hide his relief, but failed miserably. With one last wave, he walked off.
…
Sakura walked up the steps to Naruto's small apartment and knocked softly. She hadn't been there for a while, but everything was just as she remembered it—from the crooked number hanging on his door to the dead potted plants decorating his doorway.
She knocked again and waited.
No answer.
She knew he was there, she could feel his chakra as well as Sai's and Sasuke's. If one could make it possible for chakra to exude an emotion, it would be Naruto at this moment. Sakura could practically feel the sullen texture of his chakra.
"Naruto, I know you're in there."
A clattering sound came from inside, as if a plastic cup had fallen.
"Shh!" A hushed voice hissed. "Shut up, teme."
"Please, Naruto, I just want to talk," Sakura pleaded. "Just open the door."
More silence.
Sakura let out a long irritated breath.
How childish. First of all, he should have been the one that sought her out to apologize for his behavior, but she had swallowed her pride and had come instead. Second, did he really think that he had any right to be acting this way? He had no say in the relationship she and Kakashi had, it was not like he was her father and owed him that respect. Third, maybe she should just punch him and repay the favor in Kakashi's stead. Fourth he needed to get that stick out of his ass…
Unwittingly, she had once again worked her temper over the hot furnace that were her thoughts.
Angry thoughts raced through her head as she steadily gathered her chakra and lifted a leg. "Open. The. FUCKING DOOR!" Sakura enunciated the last word with a well placed kick of her leg. SLAM!
There went her temper again.
Her foot collided with Naruto's front door, blasting it off its hinges. She exploded inside and was greeted with three sets of wide eyes.
"I'll fix that—" she pointed in the general direction where the door had landed then jabbed that same finger at him—"but first you're going to listen to me!"
Naruto, coming out of his stymied self by blinking rapidly, slowly got to his feet from his position on the floor.
Sakura pointed her finger at Sai and Sasuke and then jabbed it at the door. "You two. Leave," she commanded.
Naruto shook his head. "They don't have to leave. You can say what you have to say."
"Fine," Sakura snapped. "You want an audience again? Have it your way." She hadn't meant to be this angry, but just seeing Naruto's face right then was inducing a livid countenance about her. She was remembering last week and how he had hit an unsuspecting Kakashi and that wasn't helping.
She would just have to make do with the current temper, she supposed.
Sakura drew in a breath, preparing to wear Naruto down until he was more pliable towards the relationship she had with Kakashi.
"I'm sorry I said those things to you last week," Naruto had dropped his eyes to the floor and crossed his arms. He couldn't seem to meet her gaze. "I didn't mean them, I was just angry."
Sakura's breath, meant to proffer her convincing argument, sputtered out in surprise. What was it with these men interrupting her when she was about to deliver a heartfelt, well thought-out speech?
Her anger came to a sudden, screeching halt. She hadn't expected an apology so fast and as a result was baffled. Maybe Yamato had gotten to him. Had Sai or Sasuke come to her aid?
Naruto finally looked at her as her silence continued. His clear blue eyes spoke sincerity… "But I still don't like it."
Didn't like it? What the hell was that supposed to mean?
"What you said to me was very mean," Sakura said in a hushed tone. "I cried the whole night." Sure, she was being petty, but whatever worked, you know?
Naruto winced.
"What exactly don't you like about it?"
"He's so much older than you."
"Is that the only argument you have?"
"He was your teacher."
Sakura rolled her eyes in exasperation. "He hardly taught me anything, and you and me both know that."
Naruto didn't deny her.
"Just admit that you're being unreasonable. Nobody else seems to have a problem but you."
"I'm not being unreasonable, Sakura. I'm just trying to look out for you."
"Well, please stop. I don't need you to protect me, okay? I can make my own decisions without your input." They had known each other since they were five and she understood why he would be so protective of her, because she could be just as fiercely protective, but she'd also knew when to trust his judgement when it came to his own life.
Naruto scoffed. "Are you sure? You didn't exactly make a great decision here."
"Says who? What kind of opinion do you have of him anyway? Do you think he's trying to take advantage of me or something? You've known him for nine years and this is the opinion you've formed of him? You know him and you know he is a good person."
"Yeah? Well, where is he now, hm? I noticed that he is missing again, letting you explain everything."
"I made him promise me that he would stay home until I talked to you. He didn't want me to come here alone, but after what happened last week I thought this was best. I know how bullheaded you can be and you can't deny me that if he had come, you wouldn't have listened to a word he would have said."
Again, he didn't try to argue with her.
Naruto then drew in another breath, probably getting ready to give another reason a convincing go.
"You hurt his feelings, you know."
Naruto blinked,flabbergasted. "I hurt his feelings—"
Sakura nodded. "He wouldn't let me heal it? The bruise where you hit him, I mean."
Naruto closed his mouth at that, foregoing what he was about to say. "Really?" He asked hesitantly.
Sakura nodded solemnly.
Naruto shook his head, as if trying to rid himself of a bugging thought like he would a nagging fly . "You should have told me, Sakura. I can't understand why you kept something this big from me."
Well, for starters, the events of last week... huge reason. She decided not to bring that up again, though. "How was I supposed to tell you my feelings before I knew them myself?"
Naruto seemed to be caving. He had uncrossed his arms from his earlier defensive position and the angry crease between his brows had smoothed even. His blue eyes were more open and the angry frown he had worn had relaxed. Sakura looked at him openly, as well, hoping he could read her sincerity and pleading acceptance through her gaze. "He makes me happy." Naruto shut his eyes and brought up his hand to cover his eyes.
If he didn't accept them—and Sakura was heartbroken to admit it—she could never have a relationship with Kakashi and be at peace with it. "Naruto," she hated how her voice came out small and slightly broken, "if-if you don't want me to, I won't see him anymore—"
"Do you love him?" He interrupted. He dropped his arm to his side again to gauge her reaction.
Sakura blinked, caught off guard. "Wow, that's personal—"
"Can you just answer the question?"
Sakura sighed, suddenly bashful. "Yes, obviously."
"And does he love you?"
Sakura threw her hands up in the air in frustration. "Jeez, I don't know, Naruto! Why don't you go ask him." She knew he did even though he had not actually said it, but that wasn't something Naruto needed to be privy to.
Naruto was pensive for a second, then he nodded decisively. "I think I will." He stared towards the door-less doorway, then paused. "Is he at his apartment?" He seemed to take he silence as a yes, because he walked off.
Sakura hurried to catch up to him. She rushed to be level with him, noticing that Sasuke and Sai followed. "You're not going to punch him again, are you? Because he'll let you. Oh, will you two go away?" Sasuke and Sai were right at her heels, annoying her to no end. They hadn't even said a peep for the last ten minutes. She was sure that they just liked the drama.
They only blinked at her, contrived innocence prominent in their eyes.
"I'm not going to punch him again," Naruto groused as they navigated their way through the busy streets. Then under his breath, "Probably."
Sakura quickened her pace.
They reached Kakashi's at record speed. Naruto bounded up the steps and promptly let himself through Kakashi's door, Sakura right at his heels. She shut the door right in Sai and Sasuke's face before they tried to come in and locked the door for good measure. She'd deal with them later.
Sakura took a deep, steadying breath before turning to face the scene before her.
Naruto had surprised Kakashi in the middle of returning from the kitchen and now both stood stock still, staring at each other. Sakura was behind Naruto, so she moved over to his side so she could see his face and perhaps intercept if he decided to deck Kakashi again.
Sakura studied them both nervously. Kakashi expressed surprise and apprehension through his gaze because he had donned his mask. Naruto's face was curiously blank. Slowly, that expression transformed to stubborn determination.
"We need to talk," Naruto said. Sakura noted that he left out any honorific he usually used on Kakashi—no "sensei" or even an "old man". She didn't know if this was a good or bad thing.
Kakshi nodded sagely.
…
Sure, he sure hadn't been expecting Naruto to burst into his apartment, but now that he was here, Kakashi was glad. Better to get this out of the way sooner than later—more for Sakura's sake than his. Kakashi noticed her eyes darting nervously from Kakashi to Naruto.
He studied Naruto's furrowed brow and purses lips, his expression shouting contention.
If he decided he wanted to hit Kakashi some more, he would ask if they could kindly take it outside so Sakura didn't have to witness.
"What do you want to know?" Kakashi prompted. He was, as they spoke, mentally fortifying himself for an inquisition.
"What are your plans with Sakura-Chan?"
Before Kakshi could answer, Sakura snapped angrily, "Oh, come on, Naruto! You're acting like you're my father and this is my first date. Cut it out!"
"Not now, Sakura," Naruto said dismissively, not bothering to even look at her. Probably a good thing, Kakshi thought, because he completely missed the seething glare she aimed at him. Naruto still looked at Kakashi. "Is this serious, what you two are doing?"
Sakura huffed in exasperation and crossed her arms.
"Yes," Kakashi replied simply. He really had nothing to hide anymore.
"Why didn't you tell us what was going on between you two?"
"I don't usually make it my business to spread around the affairs of my personal life, really...and I wasn't entirely sure what was going on between us until a few hours ago." He kept his answers simple and concise.
"Fine. How did this even start then?"
"Okay, that's good enough," Sakura interjected hotly. "You asked enough questions, now you're just getting nosy."
Kakashi certainly agreed.
Naruto rolled his eyes, displaying a certain easing of tension with the flippiant action, then asked the banger. "Do you love her?"
"Yes," he said. As Sakura said earlier, nothing more needed to be said.
Sakura—his beautiful, sweet, but shrewd Sakura—was staring at him now, affronted, "So you can tell Naruto that, but when you confessed to me you nearly fainted?" She scoffed. "Figures." She looked away, sniffing and sticking her nose in the air.
He smiled, looking at her fondly. She wouldn't be very happy, then, if he enlightened her to the fact that he had said the actual word when he had been confessing his feelings for her to Tsunade years ago. No need for her to know that now, though. "It's different," he replied cheekily.
"How? I'm standing right here?"
"Well, it's all a matter of principal, you see I was talking to Naruto—"
"I would have thought that reading all those Icha Icha books would have given you some insight on how to confess properly—"
"Sure they have. Would you like to see my favorite one—"
"Don't you dare…" Their squabbling went on for a bit before Kakshi realized there was still one other person in the room.
Naruto had been watching their exchange with a quizzical but consternated look.
Kakashi waited for his verdict. He knew that if he did not approve of them, then Sakura would not pursue a relationship with him no matter how resolute she had been earlier.
…
Sakura turned to watch Naruto too, after momentarily forgetting he had been in the room.
She hated to ask, but… "So, what do you have to say?"
Naruto blinked at her, coming out of the stupor or seeing Sakura and Kakashi bickering had induced in him. "I," a pause in which he reconsidered his words. "You two seem to be very fond of each other—"
Sakura's heart soared.
"—but I'm still not okay with it—"
Her heart plummeted back down.
"I'm willing to give it time, though, because I know it might take time for me to get used to you two."
"Oh, Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed and gave him an impromptu hug.
When she disengaged from his shoulders, Naruto turned to Kakashi wearing a hangdog expression. "I'm sorry I punched you, Sensei." He quickly did a one-eighty and shouted at Kakashi. "But if you hurt Sakura-Chan I'll castrate you and feed your balls to Kurama!"
Sakura didn't bother to mention that she was perfectly capable and would gladly castrate him and feed his balls to Kurama if he ever hurt her.
To his credit, Kakashi didn't blanch at his threat. "Of course," was all he replied to that statement.
Sakura grinned, ecstatic and barely holding herself back from hopping on her feet.
…
Naruto later thought that whatever made Sakura that happy can't be bad at all.
…
A/N: Thanks for reading! Until next time!
