Author's Note: This is my first shot with the Kakashi and Sakura pairing. I've really grown to love this couple, so these are actually glimpses of one shots that had been floating around in mind all condensed into one main plot so obviously it's going to be really long, so why not get comfy and enjoy? C'mon if you're a real Kaka-Saku fan you'll just love all the endless fluff. I hope that if you read then you will at least take the time to review.
-
Kakashi was racing back to Konoha, the stars had long since appeared and it was becoming late in the evening. He had been away on a mission for the last two weeks only to find out that the entire thing had been an elaborate setup. The enemy's objective had been to crush him; however, he had gone much further in deciding the best way to defeat the great Copy-Nin was through his heart.
'…Damn, not Sakura…'
Memories of his relationship with Sakura were flooding into his mind as he continued toward the Hidden Leaf Village…
-
Perhaps this was the first time that he had noticed that his feelings for her had changed. She was twenty and he was thirty four; she had grown up first under his tutelage and then under the Hokage herself, where she had become a full fledged medic-nin and a master of chakra control.
They had been on a mission (they meaning the new Team Kakashi), himself Naruto, Sakura, and the new comer Sai. They were currently tracking a lead on a member of the infamous Akatsuki. Kakashi was pleased to have Sakura and Naruto along side of him as teammates once more, this time however he was no longer their sensei but their comrade and friend.
Kakashi had deemed it best that Naruto and Sai were best suited to team up, while he and Sakura split off to cover more ground. Naruto—even after several years—still complained about Sai and his kind nickname for him 'Dickless.'
Kakashi sighed upon hearing Naruto's rants about Sai and why he was always bringing that part of his body into their conversations. He watched the two make their way into the forest, leaving himself and Sakura pretty thankful that their relationship wasn't so…pleasant to say the least.
He turned before giving her his classic eye crease, "Ready Sakura?"
"Hai," replied Sakura before putting on her gloves, the two took off in the opposite direction as their other two team members.
However, things did not go according to plan; the Akatsuki had wanted to separate the four man team and had greatly underestimated the two groups. Sakura had quickly responded to the all out assault of kunai and shuriken quickly dodging out of the way.
Two members had appeared before them, one had targeted Sakura while the other went after Kakashi hoping to blindside them if they were separated from one another. Throughout the intense battle Sakura had managed to alter the entire terrain that they had been standing on with her chakra enhanced fists, taking out her opponent with the crushing of rocks upon him; therefore giving her time to respond to the condition of her other teammate.
When she turned and managed to focus through the dust settling in the air her heart stopped. Kakashi had used the Raikiri far too many times and his sharingan had taken its toll on his body. She felt her breath hitch as she watched his attacker launch a blow that would be fatal toward his fallen form, had she not acted when she did and forced her chakra into her feet at that moment she would have never made contact with the assailant in time.
Kakashi's eyes widened in surprise as he looked up to find himself staring at the back of the young woman who he had always needed to defend in battle, standing before him after sending his attacker crashing into a tree, and taking the tree with him in the process.
She tried to catch her breath as she stood in front of him, realizing that he was in no shape to continue and hoping that no more assassins would appear before them, therefore, giving her just enough time to heal him. She slowly turned to face his form sitting before her as she slowly fell to her knees.
"…Sakura…" he whispered, his entire body felt like it was going numb, he knew that he would be of no aid to her now, and the gash he had endured from an earlier impact was bleeding profusely causing him to find it hard to focus on the pink haired woman in front of him.
"Hai, Kakashi…" she responded, slowly crawling to his side as she placed her hand gently on his stomach, seeing so much blood before her hardly fazed her anymore, she had had much practice in the hospital in Konoha, medic-nins were in such short supply.
"Sakura, you should go and find Naruto and Sai," he stated weakly, trying to focus on her face, when he did he managed to find a sea of emotions in her jade eyes as she gently pulled him forward to rest his chin on her shoulder, he could feel her right hand on his stomach, while her left hand remained on the back of his head, her chakra slowly making its way into his body.
"I won't leave you, Kakashi," she firmly whispered, her fatigue evident in her voice, yet she managed to hold onto him and continue to let her chakra flow into him.
"Sakura, you may not have a choice…if you stay…we're both sitting around waiting for an attack," he tried to reason with her, "plus your chakra level can't be too high, you should retain it for—
Sakura whispered something into his ear that caused his eyes to widen in response, "Like I would ever leave someone as important to me as you behind, you've got to be joking. So please just stop talking…" her eyes were becoming heavy but she had almost gotten the bleeding to stop, the least she could do would be to give him enough of her chakra to protect himself.
Kakashi could feel her body growing more and more weak as she continued to heal him, "Sakura…" he was at a loss for words, here was this girl, no, this woman holding him in her arms declaring that she could never leave him for he was important to her. He had known her since she was twelve years old, yet he had never realized that she held him so dear to her heart.
"…Shhh…" she whispered as he felt her chin gently resting on his shoulder, her eyes were slowly closing, "…almost done now…"
He slowly reached his right arm up and gently placed it on her back, her chakra slowly dissipated as she smiled.
"…There…" she began, "the bleeding has stopped and I've healed the wound…" she sighed, her shoulders slumping forward and her body going lax in his arms.
"Sakura?" questioned Kakashi, first in alarm but when he felt her hand gently rubbing the back of his head he felt a wave of comfort wash over him.
"…It's alright, just rest for ten to fifteen minutes Kakashi…I'll be alright then…" with that he felt her breathing become short and even indicating that she had fallen asleep in his embrace.
He looked over at her peaceful face as she slept safely in his arms. She had placed her life in his hands at that very moment and it was at that moment that he realized that she was an important person in his life as well.
-
Throughout the course of a year Kakashi had realized just how beautiful Team 7's pink haired flower had become. She was now twenty one and he was thirty five but that didn't really matter although it probably should have.
He could still be found reading a copy of Icha Icha Paradise, but it was always the kunoichi of the group that could find him, even when he least expected it.
"Ohayo, Kakashi," she would greet, sometimes she would be on her way to the hospital, other times she would be returning, but always a smile on her face when she met him.
"Ohayo Sakura," he replied, looking over his book at her as she stood before him, today wearing a pink sundress and holding a small bag in her hand.
"Ne Kakashi, I thought I might find you here reading your perverted book," she began with a grin before slowly sitting on her knees beside him under the tree.
He smirked under his mask at her, "And why do you think that my book is perverted Sakura?" he would give into her teasing.
She sighed heavily, "Obviously if it's written by Jiraiya then it must be perverted," she stated with conviction, before managing to grab his book from his hand and closing it with one hand.
"If you wanted to read it, you could have just said so," he stated in a matter of a fact tone of voice which caused her to shake her head in disgust.
"Hardly, I just wanted to get your attention," she informed as she opened the bag in her hand and smiled up at him, "So do you like white chocolate or dark chocolate best?" she asked while smiling up at him to catch him blink in confusion. "Here…" she began as she took the chocolates out of the small brown bag.
Kakashi looked down to find white and dark chocolate flowers before him, "What's the occasion Sakura?"
Sakura looked put out, "Mou, Kakashi, can't I just share some chocolates with you without there having to be an occasion?"
"Gomen, that is very kind of you to want to share chocolates with an old man," he informed before reaching down to take one of the dark chocolate flowers.
Sakura sweatdropped, "You're not old Kakashi," she replied before reaching down to take one of the white chocolate flowers and took a small bite. She sighed in content, "These are great…how about yours?"
Kakashi gave her a happy eye crease, "Hai, very good," he arched an eyebrow, "What?"
She sighed and shook her head; some things would never change, like how had he eaten it without moving his mask? "Nothing…" she mumbled, as he smirked behind his mask.
-
A few months later the two had grown even closer and after watching Sakura obtain many suitors throughout the course of the years it was than that Kakashi finally realized that Sakura wasn't only important to him, she was more than that.
The way she would smile at him when she wanted to share something with him, or the way she would sigh and shake her head as he read his novels, but mainly it was the way that she treated him like she appreciated the fact that he was in her life.
"Kakashi," she greeted as she stood before him he was sitting under that same tree, "Naruto and I would like to invite you to go for ramen with us later before we go to our mission debriefing tonight."
She stood before him this time wearing her regular attire (post time skip attire, shirt has a noticeable V-neck to it and her hair has stayed short).
He looked up at her over his book and his eye landed on her smiling face, "Hai, ramen sounds fine, but Sakura—
"Sakura my beautiful blossom!" exclaimed Lee as he stopped short in front of her as she stood up from her leaning position.
"Ah, Lee-san, Ohayo," she greeted as he gave her a small smile, "Ne, what's wrong Lee-san you look depressed."
"Ah, my beloved blossom it is horrible, for I have no date to attend next week's fall festival with," he stated with a sigh, his shoulders slumping, "I have asked every woman in Konoha but alas they all say no…even Gai sensei has found a date before me."
Both Sakura and Kakashi froze at that bit of information. Who in their right mind would go out with Gai? They'd have to be good and drunk…wait drunk…or have lost a bet…
Sakura sweatdropped, "Ne Lee-san, who is going with Gai to the fall festival?" she asked almost reluctant to know.
"Why you won't believe this Sakura-chan, Tsunade-sama herself!" he spouted out as both Kakashi and Sakura tried not to laugh out loud.
'She definitely lost a bet,' thought Sakura trying so very hard not to snicker, she couldn't wait to talk with Tsunade tonight.
"Ano, Lee-san…" she smiled and slowly placed her hand on his shoulder, "You haven't asked every woman in Konoha if you could take them to the fall festival…"
Kakashi's eye widened as he looked over his book at the two before him. He watched as Lee's face lit up.
"Sakura, my beautiful blossom would YOU go to the fall festival with me?" he asked, on the verge of tears that she may actually say yes.
"Hai," she replied with no hesitation as she watched his head fall forward and tears stream down his face.
"Oh thank you Sakura-chan…thank you…" he managed in between sniffles.
Sakura smiled before him, "Ne, its fine Lee-san. You're actually the only one who asked me to go so I would love to be your date." (Note: Only one descent enough to ask her and not expect something more out of her).
Kakashi tried to look interested in his book as he drowned out much of their continuing conversation about times, places, what to wear, and where to eat. He looked up when he saw the green spandex clad boy practically skip off in merriment, before turning his attention back to the cherry blossom in front of him.
She turned around and smiled before arching an eyebrow at him, "What?"
Kakashi went back to his book, he had been on the same page now for almost fifteen minutes, without having even read a single line. "Nothing."
"I can tell it must be something," she informed before taking a seat next to him.
He glanced over at her out of the corner of his eye feeling that she wasn't going to let it drop, "You're going on a date with Lee?"
"Hai, what's wrong with that?" she questioned, arching an eyebrow in his direction.
"Just of all people…you're going on a date with Lee?"
Sakura sweatdropped, was Kakashi not getting it, "Hai. On. A. Date. With. Lee."
"Ok, just let me get this straight, so you go on a date with Lee—a guy who has been asking you out for years—when you won't go out with any of your other so-called suitors?"
"Lee-san's a really great guy, not like the ten or twelve guys who asked me to the festival before him," she informed with a sigh, before looking down at her hands in her lap.
"What were the other guys like?" questioned Kakashi, but when she looked up at him with her jade eyes he realized that he had slipped up.
"Why are you so interested?" she replied, only to find him give a shrug and proceed to read his novel once more. She couldn't help but smile.
-
Winter soon came and the call for missions had died down, snow had hit Konoha and Team 7 was currently on hiatus. The missions prior too had only proven how much both Sakura and Naruto had grown, as well as, their skills. They had come in handy in a number of situations, especially Sakura's medical ninjutsu. She was exceptionally talented and it had not gone unnoticed by her growing suitors.
After all she was twenty one and considered to be one of her generation's strongest kunoichis. However, she always felt as if they never truly saw her for who she was, instead of what she was.
She was deep in thought when she bumped into someone, "Gomen," she quickly recovered, bowing her head in an apologetic manner.
"Yo," came a familiar voice.
She slowly looked up to find Kakashi standing before her as she smiled up at him, his eye locked with her two jade eyes; they stood there for a moment in silence staring at one another, locked in each other's thoughts.
Sakura was the first to break the ice, "Ne, cold day isn't it?" she decided any talk about the weather was a good ice breaker.
"Hai," he replied, glad that she had broken him from his reverie, still standing before her.
"I haven't seen you around lately, what have you been doing? Other than reading your novels of course," asked Sakura with a small laugh escaping at the end.
"Oh, I've been finding ways to entertain myself, and yourself Sakura?" he asked, once again finding his eye locked on her face as she stood before him.
"Tsunade-Shishou has been running me ragged at the hospital, but today I managed to get out early. Ne, have you eaten? Because I don't think that I've eaten since…hmm…well now I can't remember," she rambled, before rubbing the back of her head nervously and giving a small laugh at her absentmindedness.
Kakashi gave her an eye crease, this really was good luck on his part to have been on his way to the Hokage Tower to check in and to have run into Sakura instead, they wouldn't expect him this early anyways, he didn't want to ruin his reputation by starting to arrive early.
Sakura unlocked the door to her apartment as she took off her jacket and scarf, "Make yourself at home Kakashi, I'll find us something to eat," she informed, as she walked past the counter she hit the answering machine…
"Sakura, my beloved cherry blossom, would you like to go skating with me this weekend?"
She sweatdropped as she opened the fridge and pulled out some left over dumplings and set them in the oven to warm up…
"Sakura, its Shizune…" Sakura sweatdropped as she heard the whispering, "I can't talk too loud, listen Tsunade…she's found out that we've been hiding her sake…don't come back until I tell you its safe…SHIZUNE WHERE'S MY SAKE—
Sakura hung her head as she heard Kakashi let out a slight cough from his spot on the couch, "…Tsunade-sama out of sake, perhaps I won't be stopping by to check in after all…"
"Sakura-chan!!!!" Both automatically put their hands over their ears as Naruto's voice rang out over the machine, "SAKURA-CHAAAAAN!!!!" There was a long pause as both Sakura and Kakashi tried to regain hearing in their ears, "I guess you're not in…well, me and Sai (That's Sai and I Dickless) Shut up! Well anyways we want to know if you want to get together for drinks tomorrow night, let me know!"
Kakashi smirked under his mask as Sakura set a plate of dumplings down on the coffee table along with two cups of tea. "You sure do get some interesting messages."
"…Hai…" she mumbled before picking up a dumpling and taking a bite. "You know…" she blinked finding one less dumpling on the plate and his mask still in place. She sweatdropped and continued, "was it good?"
"Hai, thank you," he informed her as she smiled back at him, "Aa, Sakura, you have a little on your face."
"I do?" she quickly took the napkin and moved it over her face, "Did I get it?" she asked, clearly embarrassed to have dumpling on her face.
He smiled at her and leaned forward gently brushing the dumpling away from the side of her mouth, "Thanks Kakashi…"she began only when she looked up at him did it make matters worse, and that's where it began for both of them…
-
In the spring she turned 22 and he would be 36 that year, and it wasn't until she noticed the way he looked at her after having finished a date with one of her many suitors that it really dawned on her.
Yes, there had been an unspoken attraction between both of them; however, they were never allowed to act on it since age played such a prominent part in Konoha's society. Yet, it was there none the less.
Someone caught Sakura's attention out of the corner of her eye, but before she could turn to confirm that it was really him, her suitor gently kissed her cheek. She blinked and slowly brought her hand up to the cheek that the young man had just kissed; he gave her a wink and headed down the street to tell all of his buddies that he had scored a date.
He hadn't thought that she had seen him watching her from across the way; it wasn't as though he had intended to even run into her but then he had seen her with her date, and after watching the young man kiss her cheek he felt as though it was now obvious that she could never love him. Of course, she would want men her own age.
Kakashi has no sooner turned around with his book in hand to head down the street when he felt a hand on his arm. He stopped in mid step and turned to find Sakura standing next to him.
"Kakashi…" she began, they were standing in front of an empty corner of the street, the shops having already closed since it was now eight o'clock in the evening.
"Yo, Sakura…what's up?" he replied in his nonchalant tone of voice, his façade on his face once more.
She looked up at him with her eyes revealing an ocean full of emotions as she smiled. He looked down at her and blinked, trying to read her expression.
"It's alright…" she whispered, as if he should already know the topic at hand.
He rubbed the back of his head nervously, "Ano, Sakura…" he gave her that happy eye crease, "Gomen, but I'm not sure what you're talking about…was I supposed to remember something?"
She smiled and shook her head as her eyes focused on his one exposed eye, he blinked once more as she continued, "It's alright Kakashi…because…" she took hold of his right hand pushing down his book before standing on her tip toes and whispering, as if it was a secret only meant for him, "…Aishiteru…"
His eye widened as the information processed in his mind, he watched as she slowly rested back on her heels and gave him a knowing smile before turning toward her apartment.
Sakura hadn't gotten more than half way down the darkened and empty street before Kakashi suddenly appeared in front of her. She stopped short before looking up at him, only to feel his arms wrap around her and hold her close. She smiled resting her cheek against his chest before slowly reaching up and placing her arms on his back and returning the hug.
And then there was no going back…
-
Sakura was currently sitting cross legged on her couch wearing a pink tank top and matching pink pajama bottoms reading a report that Tsunade should be reading instead of herself. Even out of work she got stuck with home work, she felt as though she were still in school. She could still hear Tsunade in her drunken state of mind rant on about how she was overworked, and that she needed to hire someone to read through these reports for her and compile them into proper solutions—since Shizune had run out the door with Tonton that left one person.
Sakura sighed, her eyes were growing heavy and she was only half way through with this one, while four more were currently on her coffee table awaiting her review.
Kakashi stood in the doorway, leaning to one side to support his form, he smiled underneath his mask to find his kunoichi falling asleep on her couch with a large report in her hands. The mission had been a success, however, lives had been lost once more, but finding her in front of him unharmed suddenly made the week's mission seem nonexistent.
She had no sooner closed her eyes and let her head fall forward when she heard his voice. That familiar, 'Yo' rang out through the silence of the room.
She slowly opened her eyes before lifting her head and looked toward the doorway of the living room to find her favorite elite jounin leaning up against the side of the doorway. Sakura gave a small smile but then her senses kicked in as she saw that he wasn't voluntarily leaning, he was using the doorway as a crutch.
In an instant she had pushed the report aside, he was really bad off this time. She quickly closed the distance between them allowing her enough time to wrap her arms around him and gently lower both him and herself to floor, falling to their knees.
"…Kakashi…" she whispered, gently resting her left hand on the back of his head, as he rested his chin on her shoulder, her other hand was roaming around his back trying to detect the wound that she knew existed, "you should have gone to the hospital…"
"Sakura," he whispered as he slowly brought his arm up to rest in between her shoulder blades, he needed to feel her in his arms, "…I hate hospitals…you know that…"
"Hai, I know…" she replied, not allowing herself to speak above a whisper in fear that her voice would betray her. She moved her hand to the front of his vest and finding the zipper quickly unzipped it before moving her hand inside of the vest to have more access to his back. She was certain that it wasn't his stomach that had received the attack. Her hand was roaming around his back in a frantic search to find the cause of his pain, her hand suddenly stopped when the source had been found, and she quickly forced her chakra into his body.
Kakashi slowly brought up his other hand and placed it on the small of her back pushing her closer to him, his chin still resting on her shoulder. He could feel the warmth of her chakra wash over him while her other hand gently rubbed the back of his head in a loving manner.
"Sakura…" he whispered, wanting to make sure that she was really with him, the amount of blood loss clouding his thoughts.
"Hai…" she responded, resting her cheek against the side of his masked face, "just be still for a while longer Kakashi…this one was really deep. It's amazing that you made it to my apartment."
He inhaled her essence and the warmth of her body as she embraced him, "I wouldn't have missed seeing you falling asleep in amongst a pile of reports that probably weigh more than you, and wearing such cute pajamas."
"You baka," she informed him, feeling the wound begin to stop bleeding, "the hospital was so much closer…instead you decide to come and bleed on my carpet," she joked to mask her worry.
"I prefer the treatment here over the hospital," he simply stated, feeling the hand on his back start to relax knowing that once more he was out of danger.
"Oh?" she asked, letting a small sigh escape from her lips when she had confirmed that the wound was closing properly.
"Hai," he chuckled, but then thought otherwise for it hurt too much, "the food is better and there's this really cute medic-nin that I love to have treat my wounds."
Sakura rolled her eyes and she could feel the smirk on his face, "Really? A cute medic-nin you say? And why do you prefer to have her heal you?"
His masked lips gently kissed her shoulder, "She has the best hands and I love to feel them on my skin," he explained with a grin.
"You're hopeless," she tried to sound put out but she had failed miserably, as she felt his lips leave her shoulder.
Kakashi wanted to see her face so badly. To look into her eyes and feel as though nothing else existed—which was partly true because whenever they were alone it was as though age was no longer relevant, neither could feel their gap in ages, and their criticizing society no longer plagued them .
Sakura smiled at him as she watched him look her over as if memorizing the way she looked as they both sat before one another on the carpeted floor in her living room. She slowly brought up both of her hands and placed them on the sides of his face.
"You truly are a baka…" she murmured before kissing his masked lips.
He gave her that typical eye crease, "I missed you too," he whispered feeling that the fabric was getting in the way, he was about to remove the mask when he felt her hands move to the fabric that held his hitai-ate and begin to untie the knot.
"…Sakura…" his voice seemed quite serious as he felt her kisses cease.
"Hai?" she replied, having stopped in mid kiss to watch his masked face for any traces of what could currently be on his mind.
"…You don't have to…" he stated, watching both of her eyes.
"Don't have to what?" she arched an eyebrow in confusion, unsure as to what he could possibly be trying to tell her.
"You don't have to look at it…" he whispered, watching her face for any sign of relief for having spared her the disgust of having to look at him.
Sakura eyes searched in his own, 'It?' she wondered, and then realization dawned on her, 'The scar…'
Kakashi's eye widened as he felt her fingers gently loosening the knot before slowly removing the hitai-ate from his forehead. His sharingan eye remained closed as he continued to watch her face, she had turned her face away from him to set his hitai-ate down on the carpet before turning her attention back to him.
"…You don't have to love everything…" he sadly explained, fearing that she was disgusted with his imperfect face, he reached toward the disregarded hitai-ate.
He blinked when he felt his face being cupped in her hands, she slowly leaned forward, her eyes closed as she tenderly placed a light kiss on his closed eyelid over the middle of the scar that had forever altered his life. Her lips gently lingered over the scar, finding no fault with the way he looked.
Kakashi felt his entire world cease at that moment, as he held her with one arm, his hand having still lingered on the hitai-ate. In that moment he had never loved anyone more than he loved her; she slowly removed her lips from his eyelid and opened her eyes, her green orbs watching his one opened onyx orb, as she still held his face in her hands.
He gently brought his hand up to her cheek and caressed it with the side of his thumb, before slowly leaning in to her. He was stopped short having felt her hands move from their current position.
Sakura smiled playfully before gently pulling down his mask first over his nose, her smile widening as she savored this moment—she had kissed him before without his mask but never like the one that she now anticipated— and then ever so slowly to his neck. His arm tightened around her as she closed her eyes and their lips met.
-
The four man team had been assembled once more; Naruto and Kakashi were off to do surveillance while Sakura and Sai were off to scope out the western side of the village.
Naruto sweatdropped and whispered, "Sakura-chan, do you think it's really a good idea for you to go with Sai?"
"What's wrong Dickless would you rather accompany me? I suppose I would prefer your company over the hag," informed Sai with that fake smile plastered on his face.
Naruto growled, "Why do you always have to bring that up?! And Sakura-chan's not a hag!"
"Thanks Naruto," thanked Sakura while sweatdropping as she noticed the tension between the two.
"Funny, looks like one to me," commented Sai, with a shrug of his shoulders, "Can't imagine any man wanting to take that to bed."
Naruto was frozen in time as he looked at the baka in front of him, he had definitely crossed the line; hell, even Kakashi had looked over his book toward the two in front of him (it must be bad because his book was just getting to the really good part too).
Sakura merely smiled and gave a shrug, "Well, that's something that we both have in common then," she declared and smirked when Sai raised an eyebrow, "You're obviously gay because you're always so concerned about how big Naruto is, and certainly no man in his right mind would want to take you to bed either."
Naruto's mouth nearly dropped and Kakashi's eye couldn't grow any wider as both looked at Sai who for once in his life was NOT smiling.
"Well then, let's go!" cheered Sakura as she picked up her pack and put it over her shoulders, "Ne Naruto, Kakashi, we'll see you later," she informed as she shot them a wink before turning and walking past a bewildered Sai.
"Way to go Sakura-chan!" yelled Naruto before looking at Kakashi with an interested expression, "Ne Kakashi, what are you thinking about?"
"Nothing Naruto, nothing at all," he replied, a smirk appearing on his face from behind his mask as he watched his pink haired kunoichi saunter away from them.
-
Alas all good things must come to an end the sooner both of them realized it the better. Their society would not accept their relationship and it was cruel for them to pretend otherwise; however, in reality they would realize that it was crueler to be apart.
Sakura had shown up at his apartment that evening after work; Kakashi had asked her to meet him there and now she stood before him, however, she realized that something was wrong the moment she walked in through the doorway and he didn't give her one affectionate gesture.
She had felt this feeling in the pit of her stomach ever since he had returned from his last mission. She was used to being on the receiving end when it came to her feelings being shattered before her.
"It's not right," she had heard him speak, the words were jumbled and it was hard for her to hear everything that he was telling her, he stood before her with his hands in his pockets, he couldn't even bare to look at her. The sound of her own heart beating was nearly shattering her ear drums, "You deserve someone your own age."
Reality came crashing down upon her, but she wouldn't allow herself to cry. She had always feared that his day would come, she merely stood there, her bangs covering her face so he couldn't read her expression, "I believe that it's best for both of us, I couldn't possibly give you the life that you want," it was getting harder to breath it hurt so much. Then that underlying thought was finally voiced and she thought for sure that she would be sick, "And you couldn't possibly fulfill all of my needs."
Yes, she knew she was young, but she had really hoped that her age would not affect their relationship, but when he had mentioned his needs…she truly felt as though she was a teenager once more with a silly crush on a man who would never return her love. Even with Sasuke-kun, it hadn't hurt this much…
Mustering up the rest of her dignity she managed to lift her head, so that her gaze fell on him, she was not going to cry. After all, she was Haruno Sakura, love was always cruel to her and she had been cursed with her intellect. She knew all of these things even before he had voiced them; however, she had one request and she prayed that he wouldn't deny her.
"…Kakashi?" her voice sounded dull and she knew it, but there wasn't anything she could do about it for now, she had just been dealt a severe blow to the heart the fact that she wasn't in tears was an achievement in itself.
Kakashi hesitantly turned to face his kunoichi for perhaps the last time; it had been a mistake for the look she gave him was heartbreaking, yet she shed no tears as he had prepared himself for. "Hn?" Yes, he pulled a Sasuke, he couldn't even reply with a simple yes or no in fear that his own voice would betray him.
She inhaled and then somehow she managed to keep it together, with a tone that was almost void of emotion she continued, "You'll still be my friend…right?"
Kakashi couldn't believe what she had just asked of him, she wanted his friendship? He thanked God for the mask he wore, for today he knew that his face would deceive him.
The silence endured and suddenly Sakura felt as though she had been wrong to assume that he would want to be her friend. She really was a silly person, to think that a man who had once been her sensei, her teammate, and her lover could ever allow himself to revert back to being her friend.
"…Alright, well…" she had to pause in between her thoughts, choose her words carefully, this was already tough enough she didn't need him kicking her out of his apartment for being a nuisance…not that she already didn't feel like one for staying so long in the home of a man who had obviously wanted nothing to do with her. She cleared her throat to give herself the courage to continue, "you can think about it…or…"
He noticed the way that her eyes were falling to the floor and to the sides of the room as if in thought and then when she continued he felt a jolt of pain enter into his body.
"I could ask Tsunade-Shishou to put me on another team…I'm sure that Ino could take my place…" she went on to explain, "…she's really improved as a medic-nin…so…yeah…she could do the job. I think I'll ask Tsunade-Shishou this week…"
Kakashi couldn't believe that this was the same girl that he had once prepared as a genin. She now stood before him declaring that she would leave his team and even offered a replacement; Sakura hadn't even argued or cried…she merely accepted his words to be true.
Hearing no objections from his side of the room she felt that she had definitely overstayed her welcome and she could feel the embarrassment washing over her. For someone so smart, how could she be so slow? She had been rambling on for the past ten minutes after he had made it quite clear that they were no longer a couple, hell, they were no longer friends and they obviously couldn't be teammates.
Sakura felt so stupid but with the last of her pride she managed to excuse herself from his apartment, "Well…" she whispered, her voice hadn't failed her yet and it wasn't going to, "good bye…" she couldn't bring herself to say his name, before she turned and headed toward the door.
He stood there watching her retreating form head toward the door that once closed would forever separate them. She was leaving not only himself but Naruto as well, all to save face and make things easier for the both of them. He knew that outside of the hospital he would never be able to see her, their paths rarely ever crossed in the two and a half years that she and Naruto sought teachings elsewhere.
She was the only kunoichi that he had ever passed, the only one that he was proud to watch grow stronger, the only one that said that his life mattered to her, and the only one that he would ever consider to be part of his family.
He was knocked out of his reverie when he heard the click of the front door as it closed behind her and listened as her footsteps echoed down the hallway…
Sakura truly thought that the dam would have broken by now, but she guessed that after working around death and heartbreak for so long that part of her had been closed off. She did, however, feel very sick inside her stomach, and her heart felt like it had far too much strain on it.
She tried to disregard these feelings as her apartment came into view. Once behind closed doors in the quiet of her own home, she would be able to write up her request for a transfer, or perhaps she would leave the missions behind. Seriously, she could be replaced, Ino would do just fine. She even let a smile appear on her face at the thought of Ino hanging all over Sai and Naruto ranting about being stuck with the fan girl. Hai, it was really going to be for the best…she'd start writing tonight…
She quietly unlocked the door and pulled the door closed behind her, locking it, and slowly turning on the lap in the living room. She hummed because it sounded right and the silence was drowning her. She reached into the desk drawer and pulled out a piece of stationary and a pen before sitting down to write.
I Haruno Sakura, wish to be transferred to another team effectively immediately due to the fact that I feel as though my skills are no longer required. I feel as though I am a hindrance to the group and I would prefer to have another medic-nin assigned to team Kakashi. Perhaps Yamanaka Ino would be a good candidate; I can speak highly of her skill level having trained her myself. If no other teams are in need of a medic-nin at this time than I would appreciate being allowed to use my expertise at the Konoha medical facility so that I may still utilize my skills. Sincerely, Haruno Sakura
Even as he read the note on her desk he still couldn't believe it. Sakura had actually gone through with it and she was going to leave the team because he couldn't even bring himself to voice that he would always be her friend. It didn't matter that he desired more than friendship from her, Naruto would not advance if she was not with them, and he couldn't see himself being the one to tell him that their pink haired cherry blossom was not returning to accompany them on any further missions.
Kakashi slowly opened the door to her bedroom to find her sprawled out on top of the sheets, wearing a white tank top and white pajama shorts, lying on her back, her pink tresses on the pillow. She looked so peaceful to think that he would never again have the privilege of sleeping along side of her and admiring her as she slept. He turned to leave but it was as if his feet were rooted to the ground; it was wrong, he knew it, deep down she must as well…but the fourteen years seemed to be nonexistence when they were together…was it truly wrong to love someone regardless of one's age?
Sakura lay asleep unaware that he had made his way over to her bed and quietly taken a seat on the side positioning himself right next to her sleeping form. She really had been exhausted after the entire ordeal and had succumbed to sleep after writing her letter. She didn't feel her upper body be lifted from the mattress until she felt two strong arms silently embracing her.
Her eyes shot open as the horrible possibilities went through her mind, she gasped almost panic stricken, until she heard his voice breathe her name, "…Sakura…"
Her breathing returned to normal as she assessed the situation, "…Kakashi?" she whispered, at first she thought that the entire ordeal had been a bad dream, yes he must be comforting her after a nightmare, but then that same sick feeling entered her body once more and she knew that it hadn't been a dream, "…What are you…why are you?"
Kakashi placed his hand on the back of her head as he gently rested his chin on her shoulder, his other arm wrapped around her shoulders, holding her close to his own body. He could feel the tension in her body and he hated it, knowing that he was the reason for it, how could he have ever lied to her like that?
"…Sakura, I can't let you go…" he whispered, as she listened to the words that were escaping, trying to clear her mind of all the information that it had already been trying to process, "…I thought that it was for the best…"
"But you said that our age difference was important…that I needed to find and ultimately marry someone my own age…" she took a breath listening to his hitched breath as she continued, "that I needed to love someone else…"
The entire time she hadn't even risen her arms up to embrace him, they hung loosely at her sides as if she was unsure of how to use them. "…Isn't that what you wanted?" she asked, clearly confused about the whole ordeal, "…Don't you want me to love someone else? Don't you want to be loved by someone your own age…not someone like me?"
"Sakura…" his voice was muffled as he kissed her shoulder, it was breaking his heart, she wasn't responding to him in the least way and she was limp as a doll in his embrace, and her words, although once spoken by him hurt, "…No…I don't want that…" words were never his forte, this he knew, but he had to try, if nothing more he couldn't let her leave his team.
Sakura's mind was racing, what is it that he wanted from her, "You don't want me to fall in love? You don't want to fall in love? …I don't understand…" she whispered her voice so hallow, "…I just don't understand…"
The image of her when he had broken up the fight on the roof of the hospital between Naruto and Sasuke entered his mind. She had run out in the middle of the two boys who would have ultimately killed her and themselves; he had watched as her tears fell down her cheeks as she cried 'Kaka-sensei…' because she didn't understand. Even then it had been hard to try and console her…
"Sakura," he whispered, he couldn't just pat her on the head anymore and tell her to cheer up, no this time it was so much harder, "…I don't need to fall in love with anyone…for I already have you…"
Sakura's eyes widened in astonishment at his statement, but before she could voice her thoughts he continued, "…And I don't want you to fall in love with anyone…because hopefully you feel that you already have me…"
It was selfish he knew it, and no matter how many times he tried to convince himself that it was wrong…he couldn't do it. He had come to her apartment for some reason unknown to him and once he saw her the pain that had washed over him at the idea of never being with her again had taken its toll and clearly washed away any doubts he might have had about their relationship. Perhaps two people really couldn't deny love?
"Sakura…" he whispered to her still unmoving form, and he realized in that moment that he had truly lost her, and now it was time for him to gather his dignity and retreat like the lone wolf that he knew he was, reluctantly and painstakingly slowly he began to unwrap his arms from around her, knowing that it would be the last time that he was allowed to be this close to her.
Sakura felt his arms slowly leaving her body, her mind had processed everything, and despite what her mind told her, her heart told her differently. She felt him sigh once more before gently kissing her shoulder and inhaling her essence, she felt as though he was trying to memorize her…just like the night he had been injured and she had made him aware of the fact that he didn't need to be self conscious around her. It was alright…she didn't need to give up just yet…he had put himself on the line and in his own manner he had told her that he loved her…it was enough…right?
When she felt his only remaining arm start to release her from his hold she realized that he would never again hold her this way, and just when Kakashi believed that all hope was lost he felt her hand on the back of his head, keeping his chin on her shoulder.
He hesitantly began to wrap his arms around her once more but stopped himself, his hands covering in mid air a few inches from her body trying to confirm what it was she wanted.
"…It's alright Kakashi…" she repeated to him the words that she had spoken that day, "…because… aishiteru…"
Sakura smiled when she felt his arms gently rest on her back and felt the heavy sigh that he had been holding in. She gently reached up with her other hand and untied his hitai-ate from around his forehead and placed it on the bed beside them. He lifted his head from her chin and watched her face as she reached up with both hands and gently slid down his mask, closing her eyes she kissed his lips and smiled inside of the kiss when he responded.
She cracked open one eye to watch his face and then wrapped her arms around his neck, "Baka…" she mumbled, fatigue getting the better of her as she rubbed her nose against his, "…next time you have a dumb ass idea like breaking up with me, can you not come so late at night and wake me up?" she closed her eyes and sighed, "…I want to go back to bed now…"
He gave her that happy eye crease of his and slowly leaned back onto the bed with her, "Hai, Sakura-chan…" only to receive a light bop to the head.
"…Baka…" she uttered before drifting off to sleep safe within his arms.
-
Kakashi blinked as he stood in the doorway to Sakura's living room to find her lying on her back on the couch with a blanket over her. He sweatdropped, was he really that late? He could have sworn that it was only four in the afternoon so why was his kunoichi asleep on her couch.
"Yo,what's up?" he began with his usual greeting as he watched her open one eye and then groan before pulling the blanket up over her head, "…that bad huh?"
"Go away Kakashi…" she mumbled underneath the blanket, her head resting on her pillow.
Kakashi blinked as he hovered over her, "What's wrong Sakura?"
"…I have the flu…" she muttered, feeling the blanket be pulled down to her neck and slowly opening an eye she saw his face hovering over her own, "…Mou…I look like hell and I feel as though I got hit by Chouji's baika no jutsu…"
Kakashi winced, "Oh that does sound bad…but no I wouldn't say that you looked like hell…I've seen hell and it looks a lot better."
Sakura's eye twitched, if she had enough chakra in her body she'd have sent him flying with a chakra enhanced fist at that very moment. Instead she muttered something incoherent and placed the blanket over her head once more.
Kakashi rubbed the back of his head nervously, "Ne Sakura-chan…come now, I didn't mean it…"
"…Ne Kakashi-sensei…" she replied, obviously not finding anything funny with the situation at hand, "you've had your fun now go away."
Kakashi sweatdropped, she had pulled out the 'sensei' she really wasn't very placed with his little joke, as he gently pulled down the blanket to reveal one pissed off face before him.
"How long have you been on the couch?" he asked seriously.
Sakura sighed and looked at the clock on the wall it read ten past four, "…Well…I got up this morning, made it to the phone and called Shizune, that was around seven…and then the couch was where I made it to…"
He shook his head; no this wouldn't do, "So you've been on the couch this entire time? Have you eaten anything today?"
"No, I was too exhausted to move, I only woke up when I heard you enter the living room," she explained.
Kakashi sighed before patting her head with his hand, "Do you want me to heat you up some soup Sakura-chan?"
She sighed in reply, he always had a way of making her forget that she was trying to be angry with him, "…Mou…you don't have to…"
He gave her that happy eye crease in reply and disappeared around the corner into the kitchen to heat up a bowl of soup for her. She sighed quietly before pulling the blanket up over her head once more, she really felt like hell.
She had no sooner closed her eyes and succumbed to sleep once more when the smell of chicken soup invaded her senses. It was a sweet gesture she had to admit, but the fact remained that there was a great deal of effort that was involved with eating soup and she just couldn't bring herself to being up for the task at hand.
"Thanks but I really don't think I'm up for eating," she whispered from underneath her blanket, "you can go now Kakashi…you'll catch the flu if you stay…"
She blinked as she felt the blanket slide down once more and found him gently pulling her up into a sitting position, she loosely placed her arms around his shoulders as she felt her back lean against the pillow on the arm of the couch. Kakashi smiled and placed the tray with the bowl of soup over her lap before ruffling her hair.
"Always thinking about everyone else over yourself," he informed, moving his hand to her cheek and smirking under his mask, "you know I think you might be tied with hell now."
She glared at him letting out a sigh and picking up the spoon to begin eating. She noted the happy eye crease as she slowly ate, it did taste good she had to admit. When he was satisfied that she had eaten enough he picked up the tray and removed it from her lap.
"Wouldn't you much rather sleep in your bed Sakura-chan?"
"Hai," she replied, slowly removing the remainder of the blanket from her body and ready to leave the couch when she watched his arm go under her knees and his other arm around her back before lifting her off the couch. "Mou, I could have done it," she stated, not that she really minded though as she placed her arms around his neck.
"Hai, hai, I know," he informed mockingly before carrying her back to bed.
Upon setting her down and covering her up he leaned down and kissed her forehead with his masked lips. She smiled before closing her eyes, "Thanks Kakashi."
-
It was going to be one of those days for team Kakashi. Today's mission entailed splitting up, normally not a problem but Sai was truly pushing his luck with Sakura that day.
"Kakashi I want to go with Sakura-chan," cried Naruto, trying to ease some of the friction between his teammates.
"It's alright Naruto, I'm sure that Sakura and Sai will work out their differences, you can go with Sakura next time, ok?" informed Kakashi, before turning a page in his book. "I need you with me for this task."
Naruto let out a defeated sigh and turned his attention back to Sai who was really outdoing himself today with the names.
"Be careful Sakura-chan!" he called out to her watching both of them head out.
"Hai, you too Naruto, see you soon!" she replied, twitching as she felt that Sai was going to open his mouth.
"Hai, the ugly old hag and I will see you both when we have collected our information. Although, I don't know how we can possibly obtain any information, your looks will surely scare off anyone," commented Sai, smiling as he turned his attention back to Sakura.
"…Sai…" her tone was a warning, her patience was wearing thin and both Naruto and Kakashi could hear their conversation, "I'm going to give you three options…if you don't quit calling me ugly, old, and hag."
"Alright dog, what would those three options be?" his voice rang out in a carefree manner.
Yes, either he was just really stupid or he couldn't tell when Sakura was losing her temper. Both Naruto and Kakashi sweatdropped watching their pink haired flower stop walking, her back to them.
"…Option number one…" she began, her voice low and her temper flaring, "see that stick over there?" she motioned to a large stick on the ground nearby.
"Hai, hag I can detect a stick…"
Twitch.
"Good…that's option number one, that stick shoved up your ass."
Move in on Naruto and Kakashi's dead pan faces, knowing that she'd do it too…
"Option number two…I can shove this kunai up your ass or down your throat which ever you prefer…"
"And the third option dog face?"
TWITCH.
"The third option," she had a really large aura around her body, the twitching had increased tenfold, "I can send you flying with a chakra enhanced fist and pick up your discarded form when I catch up to you if you don't shut the hell up…"
And then he just had to press his luck, "I'd like to see you try it…Ugly. Old. Hag."
Naruto's mouth nearly dropped open and Kakashi couldn't wince enough as he watched his kunoichi send Sai's small form which was currently disappearing from view flying into the forest before them.
Sakura stood silently as she watched his form disappear from view before letting her shoulders slump, "Mou…" she groaned, "that's definitely going to be more than a mile…on the other hand at least it will be quiet."
"…Bye…Sakura-chan…" nervously stated Naruto, as he brought his hand up to wave to her, a dumbfounded look on his face.
Well no one ever said that Hatake Kakashi was sane…he watched the kunoichi that had stolen his heart and sweatdropped as she walked into the forest ranting about being stuck with a baka for a teammate.
-
Sakura had reported to Tsunade's office bright and early as requested. Tsunade had mentioned a new mission that would be a two man group due to the nature of the mission at hand.
"A scroll has been stolen and must be retrieved. Sakura, as my apprentice I feel that you are highly qualified to perform this task. You will find the target in this sector of the country. He is well known for being a womanizer and for spending lots of money at particular night clubs."
Sakura sweatdropped, why had Tsunade decided to send her of all people for such a 'wonderful' task. "Ne, Tsunade-Shishou, why me, if I may ask?"
"Well Sakura, being my student and all," proudly proclaimed Tsunade before flipping her hair and giving her protégé a wink, "I would like to think that my attributes have rubbed off on you…"
Sakura sweatdropped as she thought, 'In other words, you're so open about being a woman and flaunt it around that I should do the same and get this pervert to fall for my charms in order to obtain the scroll.'
"Alright Tsunade-Shishou…and who shall be accompanying me on this adventure?" she was almost a little hesitant to ask.
"I will need to send an elite jounin with you as back up…since many are on S-Rank missions at this time the selection process was limited."
Sakura could feel her breath get caught in her lungs. No please NOT Gai! Anyone but him! She'd take Genma…wait…he's a pervert…hell she'd STILL take him over Gai! How could anyone be inconspicuous with him around?
There came a knock on the door as Tsunade grinned from behind her desk, "Here he is now…"
Sakura was still praying for it to NOT be a green spandex clad man spouting about youthfulness; she blinked before turning her head after hearing a familiar voice.
"Ah Kakashi, thank you for coming, you're only half an hour late thankfully…" informed Tsunade before looking up at the two, "Sakura is your teammate for the mission that I had previously discussed with you about obtaining a stolen scroll."
So now the two had checked into an inn, each entering separate rooms that were connected by an adjoining door. Sakura sweatdropped as she took out the garment that was supposed to be her dress for the evening.
'Tsunade-Shishou…you really out did yourself this time…' she thought with a sigh before taking the garment bag into the bathroom with her in order to get ready for their evening.
About an hour later there came a knock on the adjoining door to their rooms as Sakura peeked her head out of the bathroom, placing her second earring into her ear, "Yo, Sakura?"
"Hai, just a minute Kakashi," she replied, before taking one more look at herself in the mirror, she turned off the light in the bathroom and straightened out her dress before walking over to the door and slowly placing her hand on the knob, turning it she stepped to the side to allow him in.
She saw his attire before he was able to see hers having positioned herself behind the door and peeking her head out. He wore a black mask, his hitai-ate missing in action, allowing his hair to defy gravity on its own. Her eyes went to the white buttoned long sleeved dress shirt and the black dress pants, followed by the black dress shoes that she was certain that Tsunade had packed for him; Sakura hardly thought that Kakashi was capable of picking out the outfit himself.
She smiled, "I hardly recognized you for a moment," she teased as he let out a sigh, obviously not enjoying being so dressed up.
Kakashi turned his attention toward her and noticed that her hair was up, twisted in the back with flowered pins, the shorter pieces of her hair hung effortless to the sides of her face and she wore silver hoop earrings, a subtle amount of make up evident on her face. Sakura tried to keep a poker face as she moved to close the door behind him, taking her time to shut the door in order to allow him to get a better look at her dress before turning around to meet his eye.
When she turned around she could almost feel the blush rise to her cheeks from the look that he was giving her. She stood in front of him wearing a red satin halter topped dress with an ample v-neck, the dress itself was form fitting with a low back and a slit that went up mid thigh on the right side, while the rest of the dress length was around her ankles, and a pair of red small heeled open toed shoes with a strap supporting the back and front.
Sakura sweatdropped, he wasn't saying anything. Alright, so she never got dressed up and she didn't even get to pick the dress but she thought that she looked alright.
"…Mou…Kakashi…it's not that bad, is it?" she managed moving her hands that were currently behind her back nervously.
She blinked, having felt his arms wrap around her had caused her to look up. She blushed as she heard him whisper, "…You're beautiful…"
An hour later they were sitting in the back of the night club observing their target from their perch as he was currently making a scene with a table full of women to do his bidding. Sakura had noted that he was a man in his late fifties early sixties, with a love for alcohol, if his gut was any indication. He was currently sporting a grey suit, the jacket opened to reveal a black dress shirt; perhaps a button had popped along the way as he took another shot of liquor. His hair was short and slick due to an ample amount of hair gel she had determined as she watched in disgust as he kissed the neck of one of the women at the table.
"…This guy is unbelievable…" she whispered to Kakashi as he snaked his arm around her back and pulled her closer.
"He's a typical business man, however, if our sources are correct he should be meeting someone here tonight that will have the scroll," he replied, before taking another drink from his own glass.
Sakura sighed, still watching their target as he continued to make an ass out of himself, before leaning into Kakashi and resting her head against his shoulder. She could feel his smile on her before he placed a kiss on the top of her head with his masked lips. At least the night wasn't a total waste, at least here she could be seen in public with him and show her affection for him.
She sweatdropped as yet another guy smiled in her direction, "…Mou…that's like the tenth guy tonight…" she muttered, "what's with them?"
Kakashi grinned behind his mask, "Sakura-chan is so kawaii…" he teased obviously tempting fate.
Sakura let out a sigh of annoyance before retorting, "And Kakashi-sensei is such a baka…" she gently elbowed him in the stomach as he gave her a happy eye crease in return.
"Besides, I could always make them stop," he informed, watching as she quickly caught on to his game and smiled before placing her hands on the sides of his masked face.
"I think you should…" she whispered, as he slowly leaned down bridging the gap between them. She was about to close her eyes when her attention went back to their target who was now ushering his adoring and drunken playmates out of the booth to greet a man wearing a suit and tie. "…Gomen…" she whispered, placing her finger to his still masked lips, "looks like our sources were right."
Both turned their attention toward the new comer who discretely pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to his accomplice. The couple decided to remain inconspicuous while a waiter asked them for any refills.
Sakura had her arms around his neck and was currently embracing him, the right side of her face resting on his shoulder so she could continue to observe the pair. Kakashi had one hand on her lower back while the other hand gently massaged in between her shoulder blades.
"What do you think?" she whispered, allowing her right hand to rub the back of his head affectionately.
"I believe that it's definitely the object we're after," he replied, keeping his voice low as he appeared to be focused on her in his arms.
Sakura groaned inwardly as she watched him place the scroll in his jacket pocket. She hugged Kakashi a little more tightly at the thought of having to put those attributes that Tsunade had mentioned to good use. As if feeling her apprehension he whispered, "Sakura…what's wrong?"
"There's no way that we're going to be able to get that scroll without causing a scene…who knows how many guards this guy has…" she whispered in reply, watching the transaction finish and the man excuse himself she knew that it was now or never, "…I'll get the scroll…" she finished, sounding put out about the entire situation.
Kakashi blinked until his mind processed what her words meant, "Sakura, we can just monitor him until he leaves the club, then we can retrieve the scroll."
"…Tsunade-Shishou said that we should do this as quietly as possible and avoid confrontation at all costs because this is a rare situation with only a two man team."
Kakashi shot a glance over at the man who obviously had consumed a great deal of alcohol and who was a well known womanizer to boot. Now it was she who felt his apprehension, as she lifted her head from his shoulder and cupped his face in her hands.
"I'll take the scroll from him…" she whispered before closing her eyes and kissing his masked lips, as he felt him return the kiss.
She let out a sigh, hanging her head in defeat before slowly removing herself from him. Kakashi watched as his kunoichi headed toward the table of their target…
Sakura was currently dreading every moment, she would have to become a vixen in order to seduce this drunken perverted old man…she felt that she would have had more fun with Jiraiya and that was saying something…
Kakashi continued to watch out of the corner of his eye as the scene unfolded before him, Sakura had greeted and had readily been accepted to his table, she had sat so that the slit of her dress was open to intentionally expose her leg. He could hear the slurred speech of their target as he called her lovely and that he'd remember someone who looked like her, so she must be new around these parts.
Sakura was currently trying not to be intoxicated herself from the smell of alcohol on his breath, as she felt him wrap an arm around her back and pull her into his own body. She smiled while her inner was screaming 'Watch it bastard!' She could feel a twitch tugging at the corner of her lips as she felt his hand running up her exposed leg, and his lips upon hers instantaneously.
Inner Sakura was having a field day with coming up with every crude word in the book for this guy while Sakura decided that she would have had to of gotten close to him in order to obtain the scroll anyways. So although it went against every fiber of her being she pretended to kiss him in return as her hands gently went in search of the scroll that he had pocketed within his jacket.
Kakashi had felt that now had been a great time to take another swig of alcohol as he watched the man make a scene with his kunoichi. His mind was currently the only thing that was keeping him restrained from going down to the table and removing the pervert from the scene, but he knew that she had a better chance of retrieving the scroll and that the details of the mission had stated to avoid confrontation unless unavoidable.
Sakura had to hold back the grin that wanted so desperately to find its way to her face when she had found the scroll in his breast jacket pocket. Applying a small amount of chakra to her fingers to numb his skin so that he wouldn't be able to feel her moments she continued along with the façade until she had managed to remove the scroll from his jacket. When the waiter came to ask if they needed anything it was the perfect opportunity for her to place the scroll in the kunai pouch that she had concealed on her thigh.
"So where were we?" asked the man before turning around, completely oblivious to the fact that she had cast a genjutsu on him and that he was currently talking to thin air.
Sakura had taken the opportunity to excuse herself while he was ordering another round of drinks and had quickly made her way to the back door of the club. Kakashi had seen her swiftly move for the back door and had taken the opportunity to pay the waitress and lazily walk after her in order not to draw any attention.
Once outside Sakura couldn't help but want to brush her teeth and drink an entire bottle of mouth wash. She let out a sigh of relief when she felt two arms wrap around her from behind.
"That was disgusting…" she simply stated, leaning back into his embrace as she felt his chin on her shoulder.
"Hai…but I take it that you got what we were after…" he replied, as he watched her reach down and pull the object in question out of her concealed pouch.
Sakura held it up for him to take, "Here, it's probably safer with you; I don't think he'll try to kiss you to get it back."
-
He would be leaving for a mission tomorrow morning which could take anywhere between two weeks and a month depending on the success rate. Sakura had decided that he wouldn't be eating well for a while so she might as well be hospitable and offer to cook for him. Kakashi's idea of cooking was instant ramen, mind you…hell…even Naruto had that one down…
She smiled as she watched him sit before her and open his mouth as he had been instructed, he then closed his mouth and had to say, "Is it poison?"
Twitch. "It will be if you don't shut up."
"Its poison isn't it? I hardly ever see you cook—" she cut him short as she placed the chopsticks in his mouth and waited as she watched him chew.
Mismatched eyes went into happy eye creases before her, "Good?" she questioned as he opened his eyes.
"Broiled saury, how did you know that it was my favorite?"
She sweatdropped, God was he forgetful or what? She had only known him for ten years and gone on far too many missions to count in that time period…people do happen to take note of things like what other people tend to order.
"…Must have been a lucky guess…" she replied in an unbelieving tone of voice before passing him the chopsticks, "Well eat up, I don't think saury is on the menu for this mission."
Kakashi kissed her forehead, standing next to her bed, "Sakura?"
She kept her eyes closed, "…Hai?" she whispered tiredly, her head resting on her pillow.
"I'll see you when I get back," he stated before patting her head and pulling the covers up closer around her. He went to turn to leave when he felt her hand grab his own, causing him to turn back toward her.
Her eyes watched him, as a smile appeared on her face, "See you soon…" she whispered before he leaned down to kiss her lips.
"Hai, see you soon…" He watched as her eyes slowly closed and she fell back to sleep before closing the door quietly behind him…
-
Sakura was currently sitting on the couch reading over yet another one of Tsunade's reports. It had been two weeks and she wondered how Kakashi's mission was going. She knew that it would always be like this, him going on separate missions without her, but it didn't mean that it made it any easier.
She had this uneasy feeling in the back of her mind. It had started when she felt as though someone was watching her, but she hadn't given it much thought what with the increased number of injured patients. Her chakra was pretty low at the moment and she was trying to fight sleep, she was almost done with this report, then she could get up early and write up her review of the material.
-
Kakashi felt as though he would never arrive in Konoha, he was still thirty minutes at best and if anything that man had said were true then he couldn't allow himself to think beyond this moment.
'…Don't go to sleep Sakura…'
-
Earlier that day their team had been ambushed, Kakashi had used his sharingan to escape the blast of rock but unfortunately his teammates had not been so lucky. After taking out the rest of the missing-nins his eyes fell on the bastard that would become his last victim for the evening.
The man was currently laughing as he stood before the great Copy-Nin, "I've heard a lot about you Hatake Kakashi…" he began, as Kakashi's eyes gave no insight to his current thoughts, "I know that you are a renowned elite jounin from the leaf village and that you have copied over a thousand jutsus…but I know more than that about you…I know that you happen to have an interest in flowers…" his lips curled into a devilish grin, as he watched Kakashi's eyebrow raise, "…Particularly Sakura's to be precise…"
-
Sakura couldn't help but try to stifle the yawn that was escaping her lips. Just a few more pages now and another report would bite the dust then she could go to sleep. Of course, the warm bed was more inviting then the remaining ten pages of the extensive report in her hands. She sighed and decided that her hard work would prevail as she continued once again with her reading.
-
"…I've been watching your little Sakura for my boss for the past two weeks…I only came back here yesterday because my boss decided to pay her a visit on his own…" he explained, licking his lips, "She's really something…I mean that pink hair of hers, her face, those jade eyes, and that body…I had a good time with her—
His voice was stopped as he felt his entire body be slammed into a nearby tree, his neck being held in the right hand of the famous Copy-Nin. Kakashi could hear his laugh as he spit out a mouthful of blood onto the ground in front of him.
"…I only observed her unfortunately, I did manage to pose as a janitor at the hospital and lock her inside of a storage closet with me. I would have taken her right there," he coughed feeling the hand on his neck tighten, "…b-but…when I told her that the door had locked…she smiled and not a moment later…she handed me the door knob…and excused herself before going back to work…strong and beautiful…" he chuckled, not seeming to realize that he was now dangling between life and death.
"Who hired you?" asked Kakashi his voice far past anger as he held the man's life in his hand.
The man smirked before coughing up another mouthful of blood, "…Katsuhiko…Touya…" he mumbled, watching Kakashi's eyes widen his own eyes shifted as they stared at him, "you know of him don't you?"
Kakashi stood there as he listened to the pathetic man continue, "…he's an S-Rank criminal known for fixation with young women. He's known for luring the men away on missions, such as the one you're now on," he grinned, "but what he does to those young women is truly an act of brutality…he watches them for weeks and memorizes everything about them…then when the men in their lives are out serving their villages he waits until they fall asleep…then he'll appear before them while they sleep and his massive hands wrap around their necks strangling them…"
Kakashi's face remained unchanged, his eyes fixated on the man in his grasp, "…but no he doesn't take their lives then…he only makes the process go longer as he has his way with them…" continued the bastard before him, "…I feel bad for Sakura…" he grunted as his head was once more smashed into the bark of the tree, "…there won't be anything left of your kunoichi but her dead and beaten body when you find her…" he laughed and looked at the position of the moon, "…When she sleeps tonight…he's going to take her…"
The last thing that rang out through the woods that night was the man's laughter which was cut short by the fierce sound of bones breaking.
-
"Finally!" exclaimed Sakura as she closed the report in her lap and set it down on the coffee table before standing up and stretching.
She yawned before turning off the light in the living room and rounding the corner to go into the bathroom and brush her teeth. She peeked out from the bathroom in between brushing and arched an eyebrow, feeling that it must have been her imagination she continued and shut off the running water.
Sakura turned off the bathroom light and headed down the hallway; she stopped when she reached the door to her bedroom and glanced down the hall toward the front door. She decided to check the door once more to make sure that she had locked it.
"You're just tired Sakura," she told herself after having confirmed that the door was in deed locked. She entered her room and silently shut the door behind her before lying on her back on the bed.
-
Kakashi was almost there, he could see the lights from the city at the forest's edge. If at all possible he managed to pick up his pace as the thought of a pink haired cherry blossom entered his mind…
-
Sakura had turned off the light not long ago and was currently allowing herself to succumb to sleep when the door to her room quietly opened. She was mumbling incoherent thoughts that had entered her mind when a shadow moved over her form lying on the bed.
Her eyes opened suddenly as she felt a massive hand on her neck, the light from the lamp in the hallway pouring into the room to reveal a large man towering over her, his arms were stronger than she could have imagined, his eyes were cold and brown void of any emotion and his lips were curled into a twisted grin as he continued to squeeze her neck within his hand, her gasping causing the grin to grow.
-
Kakashi saw her apartment come into view and bounded toward the door; he grabbed the doorknob but found that it turned in his hand. His heart stopped as the door easily pushed open. He stepped inside of her apartment and found the kitchen to be in order, when the sound of her coughing followed by a large impact that had appeared to hit the back wall of her room cut through the silence.
-
"I like you, you little bitch…I don't think I will kill you just yet…" Katsuhiko Touya commented, wiping away the blood that was dripping down the side of his mouth. He walked back toward her struggling form as she coughed and tried to get up.
Before she knew what had happened he had once again grabbed hold of her neck, his other hand was raised as he smacked the side of her face repeatedly, pushing her further into the mattress beneath her.
-
Kakashi had turned the corner and was finally to the hallway when he saw the shadow of a man raising and lowering his hand and the sound of muffled cries coming from the room. He couldn't bring himself to say anything as he raced past the nightstand holding the lamp and toward her bedroom at the end of the hallway.
-
Sakura could feel her senses failing as she flailed helpless under the massive man, the tears in her eyes were clouding her vision all that she could see was the twisted grin that had been plastered on his face to indicate that he was enjoying himself immensely. Her hand fell on something behind her pillow and with the last conscious thought in her mind, as his hand was raised she reached up toward him.
-
Kakashi entered the room his sharingan revealed, but what stood before him caused both of his eyes to widen. There was the massive form of Katsuhiko Touya stumbling backwards with a kunai driven into his heart, his hand releasing her neck as the mattress once more rose up underneath her own weight.
Kakashi stood there momentarily as he watched him fall to the floor, "…You….you bitch…" he muttered as blood began to form in the sides of his mouth, his eyes glazing over before his body slumped.
Kakashi's attention then went back to his kunoichi, he turned on the lamp beside her bed and his eyes widened at the sight before him. Sakura was lying on her back, her pink tank top and pink pajama bottoms in tact, her neck had the imprint of his hand molded into her skin and her face was bruised, her eyes were closed and as he reached out to take hold of her, he noticed that she wasn't moving.
He felt his heart drop as he tenderly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her up, sitting on the side of her bed he felt her limp form in his arms.
"…Sakura…" he whispered, his voice bitter sounding from having lost so many of his loved ones, he had once even told her that all of his loved ones were dead, "…Sakura-chan…" his affectionate name for her leaving his lips. "Ne Sakura…wake up…" her forehead was resting on his shoulder as his arms tightened around her, her arms lifeless at her sides.
His mind went back to the first day that he had met them; Naruto had placed an eraser above the door so that when he walked into the classroom he would (and did mind you) fall for the prank and have it fall onto his head. He remembered the pink haired genin apologizing for Naruto's stupidity and how the three watched him as he said, "…My first thoughts on all of you…" they waited hopefully, smiles on their faces, "…I hate you." Yes, the looks on their faces had been priceless. She and her team were the only ones that he had ever passed; their pink haired cherry blossom was the one who kept the bickering boys in line and she was the one who experienced heartache when her team disbanded. She had grown stronger and into a beautiful woman in the ten years that he had known her, and even now as she lay lifeless in his arms she was still beautiful.
He thought back to all of the times that she had needed his protection as a genin, he had always protected her and her team from whatever threats had appeared. However, now when she had needed him the most he hadn't reached her in time. Her skills had grown ten fold and he was truly proud of her, even now, she had killed her attacker, she wouldn't allow herself to be considered weak.
Kakashi found his hand on her head ruffling her pink locks, he had always done this in the ten years that he had known her. She was his kunoichi after all, the heart of their team. He couldn't bring himself to leave her just yet and notify ANBU of the events that had transposed.
Sakura's eyes slowly opened as felt herself being lowered back onto her bed, she recognized the chakra around her and quickly wrapped her arms around its source. Kakashi's eyes widened as he felt her arms tighten around his back; he lowered her back onto the bed one hand behind her head, the other on her back as he looked down upon her.
Sakura looked up into his eyes, tears running down her cheeks, "…I'm so happy to see you…" she whispered hoarsely her throat hurt so badly.
She felt his mask lips on her forehead as he closed both of his eyes, "…Sakura…" he breathed her name, as she reached up with one hand to remove the mask from his face. She placed her hand on the side of his face and watched as he leaned his head toward the palm of her hand.
"Sakura…" he whispered her name once more before gently kissing her tender neck as if trying to erase the pain for her, while her chakra returned to her body, "It's alright…because…Aishiteru…"
-
That's it! You made it, congrats! If you liked any of these snippets more than others let me know and I could always take the time to develop a single one shot devoted to your favorites.
