Week 2: Hunger — May 12: wanderlust/she's not mine | prompts by KakaSaku-Haven on tumblr

He couldn't remember the last time he had been outside the village gates. The pandemic that broke out in Fire early last year had ground everything to a halt, and with it, his single outlet for leaving town: diplomatic visits. And it had been a very, very long 16 months. Being Hokage was such a fucking drag. If Naruto could go ahead and grow up already, Kakashi would happily hand over the reins. Or shove them down the brat's throat for taking so long. (He firmly refused to acknowledge how fitting that particular punishment was. Karma really was a bitch.)

While the current outing was sadly for business not pleasure, he thought the company was pretty damn pleasurable. "Mah, Sakura-chan, can the hospital really spare you for a month-long getaway to Suna?"

He thought she threw an impressive side eye, as she reminded him, once again, that this was only a three-day trip, and a diplomatic meeting, not a "getaway," and no amount of suggesting otherwise would change that reality.

"For the leader of a hidden village, I have shockingly little authority."

"And even less respect!" Sakura earned a baleful glare for that.

A few moments later, Sakura realised that Kakashi was no longer in her periphery. Stopping, she turned to look back and saw Kakashi a dozen or so paces behind her, carrying on as if he wasn't jeopardizing their itinerary. "Kakashi...did you just...slow your pace to drag out this trip?" Kakashi wasn't sure he had ever seen such an unimpressed face, aside from his own that is.

He felt his cheeks heat at being so bluntly called out for such a juvenile tactic, but, dammit, he wanted a change of scenery! He'd gone from near constant missions for decades to nothing. To being stationary, sequestered, surrounded yet solitary, and worst of all, stagnant. "Ah, you can't blame your poor old sensei for trying to get a few more days away, Sakura-chan. Aren't you always on me about not overdoing it and resting more?"

"Spare me the puppy-dog eyes. If this trip was to a remotely desirable location, you would have had me the first time you very poorly hinted at an extended stay. But we aren't headed to some beach resort, we are going to a land where the air is so dry, I bleed from my nose the entire time. So pick up the pace so we can return as soon as possible to our lovely land of moisture."

"Well if it's just a matter of fighting the dry heat, you can just use the kage bathing house. I think I at least have the power to grant you access to a pool." His tone indicated he wasn't entirely convinced on that last point, but he was staying positive.

He could tell Sakura was seriously considering his offer. Tilting her face up to him, she smirked as she said, "Okay, lazy bones, for access to the baths, I'll prescribe, as your physician, a two-day extension for needed rest. If you want a full calendar week, though, you'll need to sweeten the pot." Admiring the sweet smile she ended her proposition with, Kakashi couldn't help but be filled with pride over what a brilliantly conniving terror she'd grown up to be. He was going to need someone to be his successor as Konoha's sneakiest prodigy child. She'd had that last part in the bag for years now after completing her tutelage under Tsunade. He knew he couldn't really take credit for any of it; Sakura was Tsunade's the minute they met. Kakashi wasn't sure Sakura had ever been his; he'd done her such a disservice as her genin sensei that he rather feared asking her what she thought of that time and him in particular. But he'd like to think that by making Sakura his chief medical officer, he was well on his way to making amends.

Returning her smirk, he happily bargained away any pretense he had of being in control, "just name your terms, Sakura-chan."