Kakashi slowly woke up. The sun was just barely making its presence known. He had woken up a bit late, but no matter. Kakashi attempted to roll over so that he could sit up, but something tightened around his waist. Confused, he looked down to find a pair of slim arms around him. Then it all came back. Sakura, (well, what wasn't Sakura in this situation?) them kissing, and the enlightening conversation with his 'inner-self'. Kakashi looked down again to see that Sakura's head was resting against his chest. Bending forward, Kakashi pressed a light kiss on the crown of Sakura's head before carefully sliding the girl's arms off of his body. After stretching his stiff muscles, Kakashi ambled over to the remains of the fire from the night before. He lit the blackened wood once more and rummaged through his pack to find something suitable for breakfast.
Once Kakashi had the fire going, Sakura opened her eyes. She slowly ran her fingers through her hair and stretched her arms above her head before wandering over to the fire, avoiding eye contact with Kakashi. It was quite obvious that neither of the two had sleep very well the night before. As Kakashi moved around, preparing the food, Sakura sat by the fire and reflected on the happenings of last night.
'Stupid Inner,' she thought, 'couldn't sleep 'cause of your rambling.'
'Oh shut up. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have gotten any real thinking done.'
"Just go away for five minutes." Sakura said. Out loud. Kakashi glanced at her, confused at her words to him, if they were even meant for him.
"Shoot," Sakura spat, "I said that out loud, didn't I?" Kakashi nodded.
'Nice slip-up, champ."
'You've bothered me enough, go away.'
'No! I want to see what happens between you and sensei!'
Sakura clutched the sides of her head with her hands and slowly counted to ten. After she had calmed down, the pesky voice came back.
'Heh, nice try.' Sakura's inner taunted. 'You'll have to do better than that.'
'You've been around for eight years. Can I have a six-month vacation, twice a year from you?' Sakura retaliated. She was so lost in her own conversation, she didn't notice the way Kakashi looked at her, blatantly worried, as he set a container of food by her feet.
'Look, if I wasn't here to help you, you would still be mad at Kakashi-sensei!'
'I still am mad at sensei!'
'Looks like I'll have to hang around a bit longer to help you out.'
'There is no point.' Sakura thought, finally noticing the food below her. She picked it up and started eating slowly, almost mechanically, all-the-while missing her partner's anxious gaze. Her mind drifted to another topic after a few moments of much-needed silence. 'Why did he kiss me?'
'Because he wanted to see your reaction.'
'No, no. There's got to be something more to this.'
'Believe what you must.'
Another bout of silence before Sakura's inner broke it. 'You know, I might just have to agree with you.'
'WHAT?!'
'Don't get used to it. What I'm saying is that Kakashi-sensei seemed a bit stunned by his own actions.'
'How'd you get that and I didn't?'
'Well he hid it pretty well, but didn't you notice the tension in his shoulders when he pulled back?'
'No, because I don't stare at him and notice every single detail of his movements.'
'Oh come on. Don't tell me that you've never noticed how handsome sensei is.'
'I-I have not!'
'I'm part of your mind, Sakura. I know when you're lying.'
'Okay, fine. So what if I have noticed?"
'My Kami, you are so naive. Have you never noticed how much you enjoy all the times Kakashi has taken to lunch? You didn't enjoy it for the food, it was his company. Don't say that you weren't even mildly fantasizing about this mission earlier at the apartment. And the way he spoke in your ear? You know it sent shivers down your spine!'
'And?'
'You idiot! You're falling in love with Kakashi!'
Sakura barely restrained herself from gasping out loud. No, her Inner couldn't be right, but facing the facts, Sakura knew the voice was anything but wrong. "I'm in way over my head." she said, dropping her head to rest on her knees.
'That, you are.'
{O}
{O}
Kakashi frequently sent worried glances in Sakura's direction. The young woman seemed unconscious of his anxious gaze. Kakashi noticed the way she was oblivious to her surroundings and deeply immersed in her thoughts. Sakura's facial expressions we ever-changing, as if she was in a heated debate with another person. He decided to leave her be for the time being, and set out to pack up their small campsite. Just as he was finishing, Sakura said the first thing in a while.
"I'm in way over my head."
Funny, he remembered saying the same thing the night before. Sakura stood and slowly looked around at the small, empty clearing. Kakashi made his way over to her and handed her pack before sliding his own onto his back. Sakura took the bag, all-the-while keeping her eyes downcast.
"Let's go." Kakashi said, daring to break the tense silence. Sakura nodded and the two leapt up into the trees, flying through the branches.
{O}
{O}
The duo had finally reached their destination, Yakusoku no Mura, the Village of Promises. The entire trip had been made in tense silence, causing Kakashi to feel more exhausted than he normally would have. He motioned for Sakura to follow him into the small inn they were standing in front of.
Kakashi ambled up to the receptionist's desk. Sure, they may be in obvious shinobi apparel, but most of the village had already been informed of their arrival. The receptionist seated behind the desk looked up and focused her gaze immediately on Kakashi, holding a flirtatious smile on her face. "How can I help you?" she asked, her voice smooth and her eyes never straying from Kakashi.
"One room please." Kakashi said with an eye crinkle. The woman's eyes flickered but her expression never wavered.
"Of course," she said, her words a bit sharper, "Give me just a moment." Kakashi nodded as he took a step back towards Sakura. He didn't miss the way the pastel-colored woman seemed to stiffen ever-so-slightly at his actions. The receptionist then decided to return with a room key and a stiff smile as she bade them a good night. Kakashi led the way up the stairs and towards his and Sakura's room. After opening the door and letting Sakura in first, Kakashi took in the appearance of the room they would be staying in. Modest, simple, clean, and- oh crap. There was only one bed. Of course there was. Fate seemed to have turned Kakashi's life into a typical, cheesy romance novel.
"Oh well. It'll be like last night, only with tons of tension smothering us in our sleep."
Kami, his sarcastic side was starting to come out, he needed to resolve this soon. Kakashi pulled himself out of his thoughts and removed his pack from his sore shoulders. Placing it down by the door, he noticed that Sakura had lain down on the bed, her back to him. Kakashi felt a twinge of guilt. He had been the one to make Sakura seem so lonely and withdrawn.
"Look, Sakura-"
"Don't." she said sharply, interrupting him. Kakashi sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he sat down on the edge of 'his' side of the bed. After a few more moments of silence, Kakashi attempted to speak again.
"Please, Sakura. We-"
"I don't want to talk about it right now." she said, curtly.
"If not now, then when?" Kakashi practically shouted. He flinched at the volume of his own voice. Sakura hadn't said a word, so he took the chance to at least try and explain himself. "Just let me speak without any interruptions for a few minutes, my heart to yours."
No reply, he continued.
"This tension, it's affection our personal lives and our careers. And it's all because of me." Kakashi sighed and dropped his head into his hands. "I can't walk around this problem, we have to face it head-on or it won't get solved properly." he pleaded. "I'm just going to get straight to the point. I'm sorry for abruptly kissing you like that, for no reason.
.
"You're lying."
.
"What?" Kakashi asked, turning around to find Sakura sitting and- finally- making eye contact with him.
"I said, 'You're lying.' You did have a reason for kissing me. You mind telling me what that reason was?"
Kakashi sighed again. "It is true that in the moment I had no reason, but after thinking on it for a while..." he trailed off, unsure of what he should say next. Another uncomfortable silence, and Kakashi was fed up. Screw trying to play it safe, it wasn't working anyway. He took a deep breath and let his self-preservation slip away.
"Sakura, look at me." he said, not unkindly. Sakura warily lifted her head and met his gaze. Kakashi's words died on his tongue when her green eyes locked onto his own. A moment passed where the two just stared. Kakashi finally regained his ability to speak and let all the tension within him seep out with his words.
"Sakura," he started, his eyes never leaving hers, "It was foolish of me to kiss you without a reason why. I never thought about how you would be affected- screw it, I wasn't even thinking. It was almost like an instinct." Sakura's eyes widened with each word. "Kami, Sakura." Kakashi whispered. "You are so beautiful." Sakura's jaw was now hanging open.
"W- what?" she whispered back. Kakashi finally broke their eye contact. Keeping his gaze on the blanket beneath them, Kakashi whispered.
"I've fallen in love with you, Sakura."
The room fell into a tense silence. Then Sakura finally spoke.
"I've been thinking a lot. About you kissing me, I mean. I've noticed how often we would have lunch, or spar. At first, I thought nothing of it; I just enjoyed it. But now that I've looked deeper, I-" she paused and took a deep breath. "I think I've fallen in love with you too, Kakashi." She refrained from cringing. Sakura hadn't used the 'sensei' honorific, it sounded odd to be saying his name without it. She looked up shyly, a blush dusted across her cheeks.
Kakashi took a breath. He did not expect for his confession to turn out this way. "This went better than I had planned." he said, softly. "I honestly expected a pillow to be thrown at me." Sakura's eyes glinted.
"Is that a challenge?" she asked, her voice teasing. Kakashi chuckled and leaned closer.
"Only if you want it to be." he said, his voice lowered. Sakura's breath caught in her throat as he grew ever closer. She reached up to hook a finger in the edge of his mask. He made no move to stop her as she pulled it down. Sakura's heart burst into ecstatic butterflies when she met his gaze again. His eyes mirrored his affection for her. The butterflies grew even more intense as Kakashi closed all the distance between them, his lips crashing into hers. The kiss was not rushed, unlike their first one. The way Kakashi's lips slowly moved over Sakura's displayed all of his feelings. The tension disappeared as if it was never there, and they felt themselves relaxing into each other.
They pulled away after a hot minute. The two laid there, eyes closed, foreheads resting on each other. Sakura opened her eyes and really took in Kakashi's facial features. This time around, she was unashamed to bring her hand up to his face with a loving caress. She giggled when Kakashi nuzzled her hand.
"Just wait until I tell Naruto and Sasuke that I got to see your face." Sakura said with a smirk.
"Hmm. Then they will ask you how." Kakashi pointed out.
"Ehh, I'll make something up."
Sakura laughed as Kakashi's face morphed into a scowl.
"Let's go get dinner." Kakashi suggested as he got off of Sakura before pulling his mask back up. Sakura stood from the bed.
"Sounds good. What are you in the mood for?" she asked while slipping her hand into Kakashi's larger one.
"Anything but ramen, please."
Sakura laughed as they walked out of the hotel room, hand-in-hand.
That night, Sakura slept better than she had in months, held in Kakashi's strong arms.
{O}
{O}
This chapter is a bit shorter than the last one, but it would've been awkwardly spaced if I continued. Now, Sakura and Kakashi's relationship may seem really rushed, but keep in mind that they have been hanging out together a lot before the story. Thank you to everyone who favorited/followed the first chapter. I appreciate it!
~Rus