What Luck Brings: Here Comes Trouble
The address Kakashi had given her was only a few minutes outside of the college campus which meant a 3 and a half hour drive with a drowsy blonde. Naruto had insisted on driving which Sakura had no idea why since he always fell asleep after a few minutes on the road. So the whole ride, with the radio blasting, she prodded and poked him awake.
A few minutes after 4pm they pulled into the empty drive way of their destination. Apparently the owner wasn't home. 'I guess he's running a little late.' Sakura thought to herself as she looked at the smaller-ish two story home in front of them. "Hey Naruto, what do you think of the house?" After getting no reply she turned to discover her friend passed out with his hands still gripping the steering wheel. His mouth hung open and he was beginning to snore lightly.
"Baka" she muttered under her breath. With a fond smile she lowered all the windows to let a slight breeze make its lazy way through the car then turned off the engine. As she turned back to the house Sakura could feel a small spark of excitement building inside her chest.
The house wasn't perfectly manicured or had the newest paint, but she really liked its character. She could tell just by looking at it that it was cared for. The stone walkway leading up to the front door had a few weeds here and there poking up through the cracks, but that wasn't anything she couldn't handle.
There was a beautiful old oak keeping watch over the front yard. The shade it provided over the car was cool and relaxing as Sakura let her eyes drift shut. She listened to the leaves shift and sway under the gentle coxing of the breeze. An hour had passed when a second car pulled into the driveway.
Sakura must have dozed off as she was woken by a soft knocking on the top of the car. She slowly opened her eyes and was greeted by a face hovering in the window. Mismatched eyes watched her intently from under unruly sliver grey hair that seemed to be rebelling against gravity.
His eyes were quite striking as one was a steely grey the other a piercing red. A scar ran over his red eye and disappeared under a mask that hide the lower half of his face.
One of his arms was braced on the roof of the car while his other hand was casually tucked into a pocket. His clothing suggested that he had come from a business meeting or something of the sort as he wore a light collared button up shirt with the top few buttons casually undone and the sleeves rolled half way up his form arm.
Needless to say Sakura was dumbstruck by the gorgeous man lounging in front of her.
"Yo" Kakashi said in greeting. His deep voice broke her out of her trance. Sakura must have been staring like a fool and felt her face heat up. 'I better not be blushing right now!' She reprimanded herself. He stood to his full height giving her room to exit the car.
After awkwardly removing herself from the car she returned his greeting. "Hi it's nice to meet you in person. I'm Saku-" She cut herself off. Giving her real name would be the same as telling him that she's a girl. Trying to cover her mistake Sakura said, "Just Saku" and she extended her hand to him in an offer to shake.
There was the slightest tilt of his head that she almost missed. He took her hand and shook it. "Nice to meet you too 'just Saku'. I have to tell you that I'm surprised. Judging from your voice on the phone I assumed you were a girl."
Sakura stiffened instantly and withdrew her hand from his. "That's ridiculous of course I'm a guy." She protested in a voice that was pitched lower than usual.
Kakashi's hand moved to scratch the back of his head as he apologized. "Sorry my mistake." She couldn't see his face fully, but knew he was smiling under that mask. "I must have hit a sore spot."
The action of putting his arm behind his head caused the muscles in his arm to flex and strain against the material of his shirt. The sight was mouthwatering. Sakura couldn't help herself from taking a quick glance at the delicious display.
Swallowing once Sakura said, "i-its fine" stuttering slightly. "Anyway, I can't wait to see the house!" She added quickly, desperate to bring attention away from herself. She needed a moment to get her mind and nerves back under control.
"Ah yes, sorry about the wait. I'm afraid I got lost on the path of life."
His words made Sakura smile a little. "That's an interesting excuse." She replied without thinking.
"You see there was this beautiful women that needed help and I being the gentlemen I am could not pass by without aiding her." Kakashi's voice sounded genuine, but Sakura somehow know it was BS.
More at ease with herself she crossed her arms and said, "Really? What was it that you the 'perfect gentlemen' assisted this women with?" 'Wow' Sakura surprised herself at how easily she was bantering with this almost stranger after how self-conscious and nervous she was before.
"Well you see her fish was stuck in a tree and I had to-" Sakura couldn't hear what it was that he had to do to get the lady's fish out of the tree because Naruto's snores from the car abruptly grew louder. Looking back at him she saw a large stand of drool sluggishly making its way down his chin. Instead of continuing his tall tale kakashi asked, "Is your friend going to be joining us?"
"Oh, um, I guess we can let him sleep for now. It was a long drive." Sakura told herself that she was just being a caring friend but somewhere deep down, in a secret place of her brain, she knew that she just wanted to spend more alone time with this handsome man.
"In that case, follow me." Kakashi turned and walked up the stone path to the front door. Sakura was following close behind, but not to close as she didn't want her attraction to him to be obvious. She was hoping he hadn't noticed her lack in control so far.
'Get it together Sakura, you're a man. Stop getting all googely eyed.' Sakura forced her face into a mask of masculine indifference as she waited for him to get his keys from his pocket and unlock the door.
Following him through the front door she was greeted by a Japanese style entry way that was messily lined with shoes and coats on either side. A small table stood next to the door where Kakashi tossed his keys into the wood bowl that sat on top.
As she looked further into the house there was a long hallway in front of her with a room leading off directly to her left. At the end of the hallway she saw what looked like it could be a kitchen with its set up of table and chairs. There was a glass sliding door directly behind them letting in large rays of sunlight. Sakura also saw a stair case to her right undoubtedly leading to the second floor.
"Come on in." he said while kicking off his shoes and stepping up into the main house. He didn't wait for her and quickly disappeared into the room to the left. In a hurry Sakura fumbled out of her shoes and trotted after him.
Kakashi stood in between a large plasma screen TV and a medium sized cream couch. Other than the dark lazy boy in the corner behind the couch, with a dying plant next to it, there wasn't much else to see besides for a couple lamps scattered here and there. Even though there wasn't much to it she thought the room was cozy with its soft carpeting and naturally warm feel.
"Living room" was all he said before continuing into the adjoined room that had to be the kitchen she saw at the end of the hallway. Moving into the next room she found she was right.
Just like the living room the kitchen was pretty simple. Running from the right corner to the middle of the wall was a counter. It turned and jutted out into the center of the room forming an island. The counter top was only interrupted by a sink with a window above it looking out into the back yard. There was another window in the wall to the left that was facing the fence separating his property from the neighbors.
Moving further into the room she listen and watched as kakashi listed and pointed to what he felt were the most important points of the room. Moving in a counter clock wise motion he turned a full circle and said "Sink, stove, fridge." Circling one finger above his head he said "kitchen" and moved past the end of the island towards the table and chairs she saw earlier. He didn't mention them.
Kakashi was walking back into the hall through the doorway she saw when she first came in. They were walking back towards the front of the house when Sakura saw a door tucked under the staircase. "What's this?" she asked.
"Bathroom" he said without turning around and started climbing the stairs. While going up the stairs Sakura began to feel her nerves return as the odd tour continued. 'He isn't saying much anymore. Is he suspicious of me? Can he tell I'm faking?' Her thoughts were taking off down dark roads as she was thinking of what to do if she had to find another place to stay.
Abruptly she came to a stop when her face bumped into a muscled back. Surprised by the impact Sakura instinctively flinch backward. She had to grab the back of his shirt to keep from falling backward down the stairs.
"You okay back there?" His voice was teasing and she could see a quirked eyebrow when he glanced back at her. Sakura felt as though she were a chastised child.
Releasing his shirt she roughly through both of her hands in her pockets the way Naruto had taught her and slouched forward slightly. "Sorry" she said in an 'I'm not really sorry' manner. 'Don't you dare blush! Just be a dude, guys don't care about anything.' She knew it was stupid but she couldn't afford giving herself away any more than she had already.
Kakashi didn't say anything else and just continued forward. "Upstairs bathroom" he said while lazily gesturing to the door in front of the top of the stairs. The hallway on the second floor turned to the left and back toward the front of the house. To the left side there was no wall, just a railing that connected to the one running along the stairs.
With their backs now turned to the bathroom door they moved down the hallway to the other two rooms on that floor. The first door was closed and a little further down the hall the second was open.
Kakashi had stopped across from the rooms to lean on the railing with his arms crossed. Indicating with a nod of his head to the closed door he said "My room". He nodded toward the open door, "Your room, you can have a look."
"Oh, okay." Not knowing what else to say Sakura walked past him to peek into the open door. She was overly aware of his eyes on her as she moved into the room and away from his unnerving gaze.
The room she entered was surprisingly spacious for the size of the house. It was bare besides for a standard desk and chair in the far corner. She went to inspect a door that was next to the desk and found it to be a small walk in closet.
Sakura didn't hear kakashi enter the room so she wasn't expecting to see him standing outside the closet door when she turned around. Feeling the need to fill the silence she said, "This is great. I think I'll like it here."
In a polite tone he said, "Good, I'm glad." His eyes were watching her as though he could see into her most private thoughts. "I just have one question for you."
'Oh no!' Sakura's heart didn't dare to beat.
"Are you gay?" Kakashi's tone wasn't teasing or demanding. He asked the question in the same manner she would ask someone for the weather.
Once again she wasn't sure what to say. As she was actually a female who was attracted to men, she wasn't gay. But right now she was portraying a man and was very much attracted to the man in front of her. Even if she didn't want to admit it. 'What should I say?' Realizing she was taking to long to respond she rushed in saying, "Not at all! I'm a total ass and tits man myself. I love both so much I can't choose which one I like more!"
'Why the hell did I just say that? I sound like a total jerk!' She thought while laughing nervously and trying not to blush.
Kakashi just looked at her. The teasing tone in his voice was back again when he said, "Well then if that's the case, I think you should get out of the closet now." After his comment he turned and walked out of the room without a backward glance.
'Shit' Sakura knew he wasn't going to be letting the question of her sexuality go any time soon. She messed up and couldn't help it when her thoughts went on a rampage. 'Damn him for teasing me, damn him for being so observant, and damn him for being so god damn sexy!'
As Sakura stomped out of the closet and out of her new room she was positive that her luck had just taken a turn for the worst.