Kakashi let out a heavy sigh as he sank down to the hard yet strangely comforting dirt ground. Folding his gloved hands behind his head, allowing his body to lazily rest for a moment, even if the day was slow and he didn't have to do very much, he felt emotionally exhausted. The conversation he had with Sakura before drained him.
His one normal eye shut against the brightness of the sun that shone bright rays of light down at his body. But he couldn't blame it, he had after all , chosen to rest in the wide open field where he and Sakura had trained once or twice just to get a change of surroundings after so many times in the forest. He knew that she preferred the forest not just because it gave many places to hide, but that it provide shelter for the two who no one knew about to be alone. Not having to worry about someone seeing them if they decide to end training a little early to focus on other matters. Not too heavy, Kakashi knew that Sakura wasn't quite ready for anything sexual yet. At least she was classy, she had told him once that she wanted her first time to be truly remembered and special. So, he respected her wishes and kept their contact to tame acts.
The sudden memory that Tsunde requested a meeting with him that afternoon re-entered his mind, but failed to make his comfortable body move even in the slightest. He really didn't want to see the Hokage right now. Partly due to that fact that he was slightly angry with the decision she made on the restraining order and that he plainly didn't want to do anything at that moment. The peaceful quiet soothed his once racked nerves from truth that he might never be able to see Sakura again. And it hurt, he never had such a deep feeling as this that would actually cause him pain resembling an injury. What made it worse was the fact that there weren't many options that he could take to improve the situation at hand.
"Sakura..." He found himself whispering.
"Hey yo! " Kakashi opened his eyes wincing at the bright light. He turned his head to the side to see Genma casually walking over to where he lay. Kakashi could see that damn toothpick that he always kept in his mouth still in place, and the normal headband around his forehead pushing his shoulder length hair back off his face. Kakashi rolled his eye with a sigh and shifted his gaze once more to the puffy clouds above.
"What?" He sighed, hearing as the footsteps proceed closer but not feeling the movement as Genma's motions were silent, as he was trained to be. Kakashi was.
"You sure have gotten yourself into quite the pickle old boy." Kakashi didn't reply even when he felt that the jounin was now standing just above." Jesus, why Sakura? Of all people why her?"
"Are you asking me why I love her?" Kakashi frowned and opened his eye to look up directly into the eyes that peered down at him.
"I never though this day would come when you would admit to something as foolish as love." Genma chuckled.
"Shut up." He mumbled and sat up straight on the ground, slouching in his normal way.
"Hey, I'm serious. It's kind of an alien concept to a ladies man such as you and me." Genma sank to the floor in front of him with a sigh." Then again, it's about time that you settled down, with your old age and all." Genma thought.
"You're only 2 years younger." Kakashi replied.
"Hey, quiet about that!" Genma cried and placed a finger to his lips." That's a secret!" Kakashi couldn't help but chuckle.
"You're hopeless." He mumbled.
Genma leaned back on his arms for support as his gaze turned to the sky.
"Maybe I am, who knows?" He whispered. Kakashi shrugged his comment off and stared down at the ground below where his legs were crossed. Damn he missed his book, it was hard to believe that he actually forgot it at home that morning. Too much on his mind perhaps. " What's the situation." Genma asked suddenly. Kakashi looked up in confusion, but Genma failed to do the same.
"Huh?"
"The situation with you and Sakura, did Tsunde speak with you about it?" Genma turned his head to gaze into the black orb that gazed back at him in mild surprise.
"Uh, I actually have an appointment with her this afternoon, but Sakura spoke with her this morning." Kakashi replied and looked up at the blue sky again.
"And?" Genma sighed. Kakashi chose to remain quiet for a moment.
"She ordered a restraining order." Kakashi whispered. Genma swallowed when hearing the low tune in which he spoke. It sounded almost too painful for his old friend to speak of, as if he was afraid to talk about it would make it real. And he didn't want that.
"You, uh… wanna talk about it.?" Genma mumbled.
"Na. Besides you don't want to make me cry do ya?" Kakashi smiled, but it was false.
"Hell no, I don't need to see that mushy-mushy shit." Genma replied looking away.
"Then how bout you treat me to a drink?" Kakashi suggested. "It is you're turn anyway. That is if you don't have anything important to do today?"
"Nope, nothing. But aren't you forgetting you're little meeting with Tsunde?" Genma
replied. Kakashi shrugged.
"She's expecting me to be late anyway."
"God damnit Kakashi, when I say to meet me I expect you to be on time!" Tsunde yelled across the large handcrafted wooden desk from her comfortable seat behind it. Kakashi, who wasn't in the least surprised when he got this kind of reception for being almost 3 hours late for the meeting, stood slouched with his hand in his pockets in front of her.
"Sorry Hokage, there was this dog and…"He stopped mid sentence of explaining some excuse for his late arrive when he looked into the death glare of the young women who just happened to be Hokage of Leaf country. He swallowed the lump his throat swiftly before clearing it. "What is it that you wished to talk to me about?" As if he didn't know.
"You know what you're here for so stop acting as if it came as any surprise." Tsunde snapped, she defiantly wasn't in any mood for joking around.
'Here it comes. "Kakashi mentally sighed.
"I'm sure that you are well aware of the restraining order placed over you are Sakura-Chan," Kakashi immediately noticed how she empathized ' Chan' as if to point out how young she is. But the fact was that Sakura was older then anyone gave her credit for. He was beginning to think that he was the only one to notice how much Sakura has matured and grown from that little girl that he trained so long ago.
Although even with all the thoughts running threw his head at that moment he still couldn't manage to express any into words as he remained silent. Tsunde took this as an understanding and continued.
"This meeting is to inform you of what exactly this order entails, just as I have discussed with Sakura this morning." Tsunde leaned back in her chair, folding her hands together in her lap." There must be a 4 mile distance between you and Sakura at all times, understood." Kakashi looked away, desperately trying to make Tsunde stop what she was saying and suddenly change her mind. But she didn't. Now matter how much he tried to ignore this, it wasn't going away.
"Kakashi am I understood?" Tsunde's tone showed impatience.
"Why are you doing this?" Kakashi boldly asked. This was defiantly way out of his normal behavior.
"You know the answer Hatake Kakashi." Tsunde's voice dipped low and serious, as Kakashi's gaze shifted back to hers.
"I know it but I don't understand it" Kakashi replied.
"What is to understand, you and Sakura are not permitted to see one another! She is 19 you are Thirty four, you cannot-"
"She maybe only 19 but she is a Jounin, she's trusted to make decisions on a mission but not in her own life? Am I the only one that can see past the little girl she USED to be?" Kakashi asked.
"That is enough Kakashi, she is too young that's final!" Tsunde cried.
"That's all anyone in this town sees is age, isn't it? When will she not be too young anymore, then I'll wait for that day to come if that's what it takes. Because I'm giving up on her, I love her and I will not-"
"THAT IS ENOUGH!" Tsunde loud booming voice echoed throughout the office walls causing Kakashi to close his mouth, knowing that he should have just kept quite. This was strange behavior for him, he had never even thought of talking to the Hokage this way before and yet there he was challenging her authority.
"I apologize Miss Tsunde, for my rudeness not for my feelings." Kakashi replied, bowing in respect to the women in charge.
"Kakashi, why did you have to chose Sakura of all people to finally develop feelings for after all this time?" Tsunde sighed." If it would have been Anko or some other women then this problem wouldn't have happened." Tsunde rubbed the bridge of her nose trying to ease the stress and tension.
"But Anko or any other women wouldn't smell of cherry blossoms and wouldn't have those beautiful green eyes that make my heart beat madly in my chest every time she looks at me." Kakashi whispered. Tsunde eyes parted open slightly after hearing Kakashi's comment and suddenly felt some what sad for the situation he was in. Maybe he truly does love Sakura, who knows maybe they could possibly work, but even if she approved to some extent, Sakura's father would never share her understanding. And as a long time member of the council, she had to in turn slightly bend to his wishes. Even if he was never known to show any affection, no matter how small to Sakura before this point, he wanted Kakashi to stay away from his daughter at all costs. She found it a little strange that he would suddenly go insane with anger when she gets herself a boyfriend. He never demanded a restraining order when Sasuke was around, and that boy never once showed half as much love towards as Kakashi did.
"You know I can't afford to go soft Kakashi." Tsunde whispered. Kakashi nodded.
"I know." He replied softly.
"And if Mr. Haruno finds out that I have there will be consequences. I cannot allow you two to……..This…Crap." Tsunde sighed. Kakashi raised an eyebrow in slightly confusion. What the hell was going on? "I'll think about this matter, you're dismissed." Tsunde waved her hand signally him to take his leave, which he did. Rather slowly, as he tried to figure out what had just happened. Did she just say that she'll think about it? Wait that can't be right, when he came to see her she was screaming at him, he'd never in a million years think that she would suddenly switch her trail of thinking so drastically. The possibility made his heart soar as bring a quiet smile to his face as he shut the large door to the office behind him.
"Yo, Kakashi!" He looked up to see Genma rise from his seat in the buildings waiting room, to walk over to him. Kakashi still had a clueless shock written all over his face.
"How'd it go?" He asked.
"Uh, she said she'll think about it." Kakashi whispered." I'm getting kind of dizzy right now."
"That's great! About the whole thinking thing that is." Genma friendly smacked Kakashi on the back with a smile.
"Yea, I guess it is." Kakashi chuckled and rubbed the back of his head in a smile.
Sakura's gaze shifted to the sky above her head, now no longer bright with sunlight of the day but dark due to the fact that it was now almost 11:00 at night. A sinking feeling fell over her and it made her stomach churn with nervousness. It was night, that meant she had to go home. And she didn't want to go home. Her father was home. And that was reason enough to stay away. Turns out Mr. Haruno wasn't just a one time abusive father. He had made a daily event of smacking Sakura around. She hid the bruises well beneath long sleeve shirts and letting her hair fall over her face to cover the black eye, but her friends were getting nosey. Not buying the fact that she falls a lot or gets careless during training with friends.
She hadn't seen Kakashi in almost two days now, and hated the fact that he hadn't even tried to make contact with her. But she didn't blame him. He knew the consequences of seeing her, and she would never want him to risk it. Even though it hurt for him to stay away.
"It's getting late Sakura. I think I'll call it a night." Ino yawned and rose from the park bench where she sat with Sakura, stretching her arms over her head.
"Okay." Sakura smiled even though she didn't want to.
"You going home as well?" Ino asked. Sakura quickly shock her head, faster then she should have.
"I mean, I'll just take one last walk around the park." Sakura replied looking down at her hands, her knuckles were red and blistered from training today, and her body ached not only from the work out but by the daily meetings with her father. She dreaded the walk she was about to take, but she dreaded going home even more.
"You sure?" Sakura nodded slowly. "Okay, I'll see you tomorrow then."
"Bye." Sakura waved as her blonde friend ran off across the open field and over of sight. Sakura turned back to the grass below her feet. Her toes were pink, matching her hair. Her mother always use to tell her that she had pretty toes, toes of a lady. But she never saw it. She had her mothers feet, thin and boney.
She missed her mother. Doujima. That was her name even though her mother never liked it, she always told Sakura that it's an old person's name and to never name her children after her. Sakura always use to laugh when she told her that, but inside Sakura thought Doujima was a pretty name, a strong name. And she would like to call her daughter by that name if she had a child.
Children, the thought had crossed her mind when she was younger but now, now too much things were happening in her life to even consider children. Plus she would never have a child grow up with a grandfather that hits them. She would never allow him to lay one finger on her daughter or son. It's sad isn't it? She would never let her father hit her baby but she doesn't put up a fight when he smacks her around every night. How pathetic that she loves him so much and yet he loves her so little.
Pushing her tired feet off the comfortable bench she quickly tucked the strands of hair that blew into her eyes with the gust of chilled wind. It was getting cold out there now even with her long sleeves shirt on. Folding her arms across her chest she began to walk down to the shoreline of the small creek that ran through the field.
Sakura could feel the bruise on her left eye throb when a loose rock flew up and struck her in the cheek with the next gust of wind. Wincing she rubbed in. Feeling the way it was swollen against her cheek bones. So unnatural.
After awhile of slowly walking around the park she finally found it too cold to stay out any longer so she decided to head home. Not looking forward to the welcoming waiting for her. Praying that he had finally stopped being angry with her over Kakashi, but failing to think that he would. But she still couldn't understand why she never stopped him when he raised his hand. A jounin should be able to defend themselves no problem and she could when if came to the enemy. But he was her father, and in the traditional life, in any life in fact, children should never raise their fists to their father or even disrespect them. And from birth this was the way of life that she grew up in. The men are first and the women are second. It's the way it's always been in her household. But she found it strange that her family was this traditional when the rest of Konoha wasn't. Except for Neji's of course.
Before she knew it she saw the apartment where she lived, the lights still on telling her that father was waiting. She felt her eye throb at the thought of another mark, but still she walked up the steps and stood in front of the door. Shivering when another gust of cold wind chilled her arms, she braced herself for what lay behind the door and opened it.
The first thing she saw was her father, dressed in his normal black kimono, sitting at the diner room table, a fresh cup of tea sitting before him on the waist high wooden table.
Sakura felt his piercing gaze staring at her as she slowly are carefully removed her shoes, setting them in the appropriate place in the corner she slipped on her slippers and folded her hands in front of her.
"Good evening Father." She whispered.
"Where were you, Sakura?" His voice was dark, just as if was when he was angry.
"Forgive me I was training with Ino, I lost track of time." She whispered but gasped when she heard him push the table back as he stood.
"Don't lie to me, girl." Sakura struggled not to coward back.
"I'm not father, ask Ino." Sakura replied.
"YOU WERE WITH THAT BASTARD WEREN'T YOU!" Her father briskly walked over to where she stood, as Sakura braced herself for what may come.
"Please Father I-"Sakura was cut off when the expected back hand to her face came, causing her head to sharply turn to the side, she tasted blood.
"WHORE!" He screamed. And swiftly struck her again this time making her fall back against the door. Sakura's hair fell over her face to hide the shame." You are a disappointment to the Haruno name, and I'm ashamed to call you family." He spoke through clenched teeth." Do you hear me!" His foot stuck out and kicked her in the stomach, making her eyes widen in pain and she gasped in shock. He reached forward and grabbed a hand full of her hair, as a small cry escape her throat when he yanked her forward to knell at his feet." You are to come straight home after training from now on, am I clear?"
"…Yes father." She whispered, he snorted in disgusted and released her, her body crumpled in a heap on the floor. Sakura heard him walk away, shutting off the light so that she was left in the darkness at the door. Tears stung her eyes as she curled into a small ball on the floor, her stomach ached and her hair hurt. She felt used and useless. But she couldn't help but thinking..' What if I really am that weak, I can't even defend myself. Maybe this is my fate, maybe father is right am I really am a disappointment to this family.
Mother……Kakashi……
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Chapter 5 hope you like, please review!