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"Was someone a bad little boy?" a familiar voice answered playfully.
Completely caught off guard, Sakura lost her grip on the lid of a jar she had just brought down off the shelf, causing it to ricochet off the counter top in a clamor as it, and its contents, crashed onto the floor.
Smooth, Sakura. Real smooth.
Frozen where she stood, she felt her spine stiffen at the sound of the voice behind her. There was no need to turn around, for she knew that voice anywhere, and the fact that it had found her after all this time made her feel queasy and riddled with festering anticipation. Trying not to panic as she felt her heart pound against her rib cage, Sakura closed her eyes and counted to ten.
Maybe this was all just an illusion. She had been roused from sleep the past two nights to stitch a lacerated palm and soothe an infant's upset stomach. Perhaps this was just a side effect of her lack of sleep as of late.
But just to be on the safe side, the kunoichi reached for the concealed scalpel she had placed under her work bench, whipping around and throwing it at her intruder with all the speed and precision expected of a ninja.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk," his tongue clicked, "Is that any way to great your old sensei after all this time?" Kakashi teased, catching the launched instrument with ease, showing off as he rolled it over each of his knuckles in a fancy display of dexterity.
Smirking beneath his mask, he was impressed she was still as sharp as the blade he had just caught. His presence may have surprised her, but she was not to be underestimated by any means.
Snarling at the infuriating man, Sakura stomped around the counter, gritting her teeth as she hung the 'Closed' sign on the door, quickly drawing the shades. The last thing she needed was to have the villagers aware of her interactions with an obvious shinobi. Turning on her heel, she now stood with both fists upon her hips, glaring at the masked man with threatening suspicion.
"What do you want, Hatake? And why are you here?"
Handing the blade back to its wielder in a show of trust, Kakashi scoffed as he feigned hurt by her terse and menacing tone, completely baffled by the fact that he was such unwelcome company in her eyes now. He couldn't blame her though, she probably thought he had tracked her down and was here to take back the rogue nin at all costs.
"Since when do you refer to me as 'Hatake'? Sounds a little cold..."
"Since I haven't had the need to refer to you as anything. You'd kinda have to be around for something like that."
"Oh my, I see someone's become even feistier in their old age."
Gripping the handle of the No. 10 blade tightly in her fist, Sakura bit the inside of her cheek as another snarl pulled on her upper lip. After all this time, this is how he wanted to converse with his former teammate? It was true she was no longer a child, but she sure as hell was not old.
"Firstly, I'd hardly call twenty-seven old. And secondly, as I recall, you are about twenty years older than I am... right, sensei?"
If he wasn't smiling before, he was certainly doing so now. Even though she had grown up, Sakura still maintained her pugnacious and hot-blooded temperament. Kakashi would be lying if he said he wasn't proud, she was actually handling herself quite well, given the circumstances. But what kid wouldn't after escaping their tormentor and fleeing the country all by themselves?
"Still calling me old, I see. And it's fourteen years, Sakura-chan, not twenty. Also, my hair is silver, not gray. How many times need I remind you? It's a pigment, not a product of aging."
"Whatever. Just answer my question. Why are you here?"
"I was on a mission."
"Bullshit. This is a civilian island. There are no shinobi in this area, and I have yet to see one since landing here. So try again."
"Was on a mission, Sakura-chan."
"Don't call me that so freely. It's Aya now," Sakura corrected impatiently, paranoid that anyone might overhear their private conversation. But as understanding set in, she raised a worrisome brow at the other's words and their plausible implications.
"What do you mean was? Are you hurt?"
"Well, funny story..."
"Oh, for the love of Kami... just get to it," Sakura spat, having heard enough of boys and their 'funny stories' for the day.
Honestly, why can they never just tell the truth?
Nevertheless, Sakura wasted no time in eyeing the man up and down, checking for any injuries.
"Patience is a virtue, ya know? And... why are you checking me out? Really, Aya... control yourself," Kakashi chirped, covering his chest with a gloved hand as if embarrassed under her scrutinizing gaze.
"Save it," Sakura hissed, narrowing her eyes as she circled the shinobi looking for the telltale signs of combat or injury, only to find a few singed threads.
And one very perky derriere.
"And yes. I am checking you out. Purely for medical reasons, I assure you."
Following the cherry blossom around with his exposed eye, Kakashi watched as he fought the blush on his cheeks while she inspected every fiber before coming around to face him once again. He still couldn't get over how different she looked, even up close she was... exquisite.
Her hair was a much lighter shade of pink, no doubt sun bleached, and was now long enough to reach the small of her back. Her smooth skin was lightly sun kissed as well, making her eyes seem like they were glowing. Her lips were more full and plump, now sporting a soft garnet stain or gloss of some kind, making them appear deliciously juicy.
Shooing away his surfacing thoughts at their sudden closeness, Kakashi eyed her inquisitively as she brought her hands up to his temples. At the tingling surge of her chakra being feed beneath his skin, her simple touch had caused him to break out in goosebumps.
"I had some trouble with a few pirates," he finally admitted, eyes closing as he enjoyed the healing buzz of her fingertips.
"Oh, really? Did you get caught going after their treasure and they made you walk the plank?" the medic remarked, her sarcastic grin falling into a frown when she noticed he was running a slight fever and his blood pressure was a bit high for as calm as he was acting.
"Something like that," Kakashi offered softly, his eyes opening to watch her closely now.
"These missing nin-turned-pirates have been tormenting trade ships in this sea for the last few months, looting the goods and killing the crews. I was sent to stop them, but last night I was vastly outnumbered. To make matters worse, my ship's captain turned out to be one of them. A few conveniently placed exploding tags later, I was tossed overboard and they made their escape while my ship went down. So, I pulled myself out of the water and ran until I found land," he explained, pointing to his covered eye.
"Well, that explains why your chakra is so low. That, and staying in your soaking wet uniform all night dropped your body heat considerably, so now you're running a fever. It may just be a cold, but you'll need some medicine and rest. Guess you came to the right place," Sakura added with a faint smile.
At least his being sick decreased the likelihood of him running her back to Konoha immediately, buying her some precious time.
Perhaps not all hope was lost.
Without realizing it, Sakura's hands had stayed against the man's temples even after her inspection was finished, her fingers flattening down the sides of his face. She wasn't sure why, but as she stared into the haze of the darkened midnight blue orb that was locked on her, she felt an inkling of nostalgia.
As mad as she had once been that her sensei had abandoned her, she still couldn't hold it against him. For all she knew, Kakashi could have been another one of Danzo's prisoners at the time. Which meant, she too, had abandoned him in Konoha that night so long ago.
A guilt-ridden thought she'd long since tried to forget.
"So..." Sakura interjected, having felt the need to break the silence as she awkwardly pulled her hands away. "Let me whip you up some soup, and you'll be feeling better in no time."
Never missing a beat, the copy nin's watchful eye could have sworn he saw a brief flash of something hidden deep within those jade orbs that had looked at him so warmly. Ever observant, he noted the way she had walked back over to her workspace behind the front counter to clean up the spilled mess she had made when he suddenly appeared. He secretly loved the way a woman's hips swayed with her every step, and in that long, flowing maxi dress she wore, Kakashi found she was no exception.
Bewitched was he, as he continue to stare. He loved how cute she was tapping at her bottom lip before standing on her tip toes to pull down a couple of jars off the large shelf on the back wall. He loved how graceful and purposeful each motion of hers was. He loved seeing her get lost in her work. He followed every movement so closely, that when she bent over to retrieve a stone mortar and pestle from the shelf beneath her work bench, he had to try and avert his gaze before it became too lecherous.
He tried.
But, be that as it may, the view just couldn't go unappreciated. In the decade that had passed them both, Sakura had matured... mentally, emotionally, and especially physically. Adulthood was embracing his former student, and she had indeed blossomed into quite the beautiful flower. Not a wilted petal in sight, she was a glowing example of health and beauty.
From the looks of things, Sakura tried to lead a simple civilian life, so the absence of missions, daily sparring sessions, and endless training had allowed all her curves to fill in. She was still lean, but her hips had widened, giving way to thicker, fuller thighs. Even her breasts were hard to miss, the ample cleavage presenting itself without shame in the low cut neckline of her dress. She had even grown a few inches taller, the top of her head coming up to the tip of his nose instead of his shoulders. It was clear, Sakura was most definitely a mature young woman, one whom had caught his attention down near the boardwalk.
Even before he knew who she was, he was attracted to her.
An idea that both excited and terrified him.
It had been a long time since he had experienced such a gravitation towards a woman, let alone a woman who used to be a friend and a teammate. He knew he shouldn't acknowledge the spark that seemed to ignite between them in their interaction, but Kakashi couldn't help himself. Nor did he want to.
Another terrifying notion.
"So, you look… different," Kakashi commented with hesitation as he leaned against the counter, watching as she crushed and ground together the ingredients for his remedy.
"Different good? Or different bad?" Sakura pried with a raised brow. "It has been a long time, you know… of course I would look a little different."
"Well, yes. I suppose you would, Aya, but I'd have to say it's a good different. In all seriousness, I wasn't even sure it was you because you really are so beautiful now."
"Um, thanks? I'm sure there was a complement in there somewhere," she mumbled as she continued preparing his medicine, adding various leaves and vitamins into the mortar, feeling slightly uncomfortable accepting his praise.
"Oh, there most definitely was a compliment given, I assure you. I was only trying to say that it's good to see you. I can't believe I've been worried about you all these years, and yet, here you are. Never better," Kakashi explained, looking around the interior of the shop, walking over to inspect the staircase in the back corner to his right.
"Oh no, Kakashi. Flattery will get you nowhere with me," Sakura warned as she stopped her stirring to glare at him, eyes narrowing as she saw him curiously eyeing the stairway.
"I know you well enough to know that you're after something. So please, enlighten me as to what else you could possibly need from me, hmm?" Sakura prodded from behind him, her hands placed sternly on her hips.
"See, I feel like I shouldn't know you after all these years, but looking around, I find myself surrounded by you. As a ninja, if this is your way of hiding, you're doing a shit job, doctor," Kakashi jested, turning back around to face her, a slight smile apparent under his mask.
"Well, I regret to inform you, I haven't been a kunoichi for a long time. Besides, who says I'm hiding? I came here so I could live happily, the way I wanted to, a way that felt right. Hiding was just something I did back in Konoha," she sighed, folding her arms across her chest, the light in her eyes dimming a bit as she cycled through the memories of her former life.
"And what's with all this 'I find myself surrounded by you' bullshit you're spewing?" Sakura waved carelessly, cringing at how cheesy the same sentence was coming out of her own mouth.
"And why do you keep staring at the staircase?!" she exasperated, fed up that he was more interested in her stairs than her at the moment.
"Why, you ask?" Kakashi responded after a moment of silence. "I simply wonder where they lead."
"Hey!" Sakura gasped as she bolted up the stairs after her former sensei.
But it was too late.
By the time she climbed over the guard rail at the base of the staircase, and up the flight of stairs, Kakashi had already made himself plenty comfortable on her couch in the middle of her room, propping his feet up and thumbing through one of the magazines on her coffee table.
"What the hell do you think you're doing? You can't just barge in and-"
"So, this is where you've been staying?" Kakashi questioned, his eyes never leaving the magazine.
"Yes," she clipped, rubbing the bridge of her nose in frustration. "This is my home. Has been for a long time. Now can you please come back downstairs with me, so I can finish your medicine?"
"But Sakura, I'm not feeling too well. Couldn't I just rest here until you're finished?" he pleaded with one large puppy dog eye, no doubt a look he perfected with the help of Pakkun.
Damn him!
"Fine," she huffed, turning quickly and heading back towards the stairs.
"But after I'm done, you'll be on your way, right? You being here is starting to make me… uncomfortable," she muttered as she made her way downstairs, completely missing the confused look Kakashi hid beneath his mask.
So I make her uncomfortable, huh?
He couldn't put his thumb on it, but he too, felt a bit uncomfortable being in the living space of a friend he thought he'd lost years ago.
Looking around the small loft apartment, Kakashi noted the many homemade candles scattered here and there. There were purple ones with sea shells in them, yellow ones with daisies in them, and red ones with wax hearts. All of which were placed randomly along the mantle of her fireplace, on top of the coffee table, and along the bookcases.
Moving in for further inspection, he curiously picked up a red one, noticing the heavenly smell of clove and cinnamon as he held it up to his mask-covered nose. Smiling as he returned the candle to its spot above the hearth, his eyes skimmed over the rest of her products of boredom. He had to admit, it was nice finally knowing what kind of hobbies Sakura enjoyed in her spare time.
In the years they had known each other, he would have never guessed what kind of activities she partook in during her down time. He had always kept everyone at a distance, even his own teammates... especially Sakura. With that thought stinging just a bit more than it should, he decided to move along in his search.
As he sauntered over to the left of the fireplace towards her desk in the corner, he noted a plethora of stacked shoe boxes. His snooping ways getting the better of him, he decided to take a peek inside a few of them. One after another, he revealed that each one was filled to the brim with sea shells and sea glass, a slight chuckle leaving his throat as he was well impressed with her extensive collection.
Interesting.
Looking around the rest of the desk now, Kakashi's eyes darted left to right, still not finding any sort of photographs or picture frames that would give a little more insight into what she's been doing out here… or whom, Kakashi wondered silently.
What he did find were many necklaces, bracelets, and other jewelry laying haphazardly on the desk, some even looked to be brand new, still sheathed in their boxes. Ever curious, he picked up a necklace that appeared to be broken. Upon further inspection, he could see that it wasn't broken at all, but a work in progress. And the ones in boxes weren't new, they were finished. Judging by the braided palm frond chain and the painted scene on the polished sea glass pendant, he could tell Sakura had become quite the crafty little crafter.
Very interesting indeed.
Following the left wall, he passed by a single window. The view looked down upon the main square, and was rather breathtaking. Not only could he see the entire plaza below, but he could look out past the roofs of the buildings across the street and see the ocean. His eyes followed the turquoise waters out to the horizon, as if searching for land. It made him think about Konoha and how very far away he was now.
I wonder how often she thought of home standing here?
Deciding that thought was too much for his brain to take at the moment, he made his way over to her plush queen sized bed against the far wall. Stretching out across the Merlot colored duvet, he placed his hands over his face, and tried to quell the insistent throbbing. He really wasn't feeling well now, but it had become quite the surprise running into her, here, of all places. Kakashi wasn't one to indulge in the silly idea of fate, but something about their meeting under the circumstances just seemed like it was meant to happen.
Before the crazy thought made it any further, he looked around for a clock, completely forgetting that he was supposed to be on a mission. Looking over at the nightstand to his left, Kakashi noted it was barely after noon.
What the hell am I going to do now?
The sea faring band of missing nin had escaped, his only mode of transportation was lying at the bottom of the ocean, and the bug he caught in the questionable water was making him slowly hate the thought of being alive, draining him of almost all of his chakra.
Deciding to get more comfortable, Kakashi rolled onto his side, kicking off his soggy shoes and removing his vest. Readjusting his head on the pillow, he could smell the heavenly scent of Sakura's rose petal shampoo that lingered on her pillowcase.
She even smells beautiful.
Eyes shooting wide open as that thought crossed his mind, Kakashi wondered why he was entertaining such thoughts about his former student and teammate. He wondered why he cared so much after seeing her. Maybe it was because he never thought he'd see her again, or perhaps his fever was making him overly sentimental.
Shooing the idea from his swarming head, he re-positioned the pillow in the hopes of catching a quick nap and feeling more like himself when he awoke. Before drifting off to sleep, Kakashi neurotically checked the clock once again, but his attention was piqued as he noticed a cluster of candles shoved behind her alarm clock. All three were dusty and unused, with the wicks still intact for some reason.
What's the point of making a candle if you're not going to use it?
Sitting up on his elbow, he collected each one, inspecting them closely. Unlike the others, these were unique in their color, one orange, one blue, and one white. He grinned at the sight of the chibi faces Sakura had painted on them, noting that the white candle lacked any sort of mouth, only adorned with a pair of eyes, one of which, was covered by an eye patch. Not being able to stop himself, Kakashi chuckled aloud as he looked at the apathetic face on the blue candle, and the exuberant face on the orange candle.
She missed us.
Amused at her attempt to keep them close to her, Kakashi still couldn't quell his beaming smile as he felt a rush of something akin to endearment. He was even amazed that she had also scented the candles, Naruto's being reminiscent of a hot bowl of ramen, smelling of miso and chives, and Sasuke's of course smelled like his favorite vegetable, tomatoes.
But he wondered about his own candle.
To Kakashi, it smelled like pine trees and freshly cut grass, but he was left a little confused as to why she chose those particular scents for him, recalling nothing in the past that would have ever lead her to the conclusion that he favored pine trees or grass. With the sound of footsteps climbing the stairs, Kakashi dropped that question for now, hurriedly returning the candles back to their designated home and closing his eyes, feigning sleep.
As she reached the top step, Sakura halted once she saw his slumbering form curled up on her bed. Sighing to herself, she quietly padded her way to the bedside, setting down his bowl of soup and covering him with a blanket, pausing as her gaze lingered upon his forehead that was beaded with sweat.
Fearing his fever had worsened, Sakura twisted her mouth in thought before pulling the curtains over the windows to limit the ambient light seeping through, and tip toeing to the bathroom to retrieve a cold washcloth. As she walked back over towards Kakashi, she knelt down at the bedside and carefully dabbed away the sweat with the cold compress as best she could without disrupting his rest.
Even in the slight darkness of her room, Sakura could see the sweat bleeding through Kakashi's ever present mask, and as she gathered her courage, she lifted her hand and attempted to slowly remove the headband that covered his Sharingan. As the headband was slowly peeled away, Sakura let out a breath she wasn't aware she was holding, placing the discarded cloth on the nightstand beside his soup. Dabbing his now exposed forehead, Sakura rolled her eyes at her daft ex-sensei as she glared at the infernal mask, wondering what it was that needed to be hidden at all times.
Gulping rather loudly, Sakura slowly lifted her hand, inhaling as her fingertips traced the top seam of the mask running over the bridge of his nose and hooking her forefinger beneath the fabric. Pausing slightly, as if trying to convince herself to continue, Sakura closed her eyes tight in anticipation, missing the fact that a pair of mismatched eyes now watched her every move.
Giving a slight nod to herself, Sakura slowly pulled the mask down, gasping sharply as a hand grabbed her wrist firmly, keeping her from revealing more than the top portion of his nose. Her eyes shooting open in shock, Sakura froze as they awkwardly stared at one another in silence.
"Glad to see you're still just as curious," Kakashi remarked, holding onto her hand tightly.
"I-I… um… was jus-"
"Uh huh, I know exactly what you were up to Aya-chan," Kakashi teased. "And no dice. The mask stays."
"Really, Kakashi, why do you even bother with that mask anyway? What exactly is it that you are so determined to hide?" she questioned, leaning closer.
"Hmm... what do you think I'm hiding?" Kakashi inquired, releasing Sakura's arm slowly.
"Well, I have my theories. Either you have one bad case of halitosis, or you are just too handsome for your own good."
Quirking his head to the side and lifting a brow in surprise at her theory, Kakashi eyed Sakura amusingly. Bad breath was certainly a new one. He had never once heard anyone suggest his determinate mask wearing was due to oral hygiene issues, everyone had always just assumed he was deformed in one way or another.
Chuckling lightly, Kakashi tried to sit up against the headboard of Sakura's bed, grunting at the exertion as he felt his body ache all over, protesting his movement. At once, Sakura jumped up and grasped hold of his shoulders, helping him get comfortable. In this position, she could feel the tickle of his hair against her cheek, their eyes locking for a brief moment as they were brought face to face.
At their sudden closeness, Sakura stood up in a flash and grabbed the washcloth. Scurrying into the bathroom, she found herself suddenly overwhelmed with an odd feeling of nervousness. Running the rag under cool water, she tried to dissect the rather nauseating feeling eating away at her insides.
Why am I so nervous around him?
Shaking her head at the ridiculous notion, she remained contemplative, trying to evaluate her current predicament. When she had first heard his voice downstairs, she had felt a violent surge of panic as she was reminded that she was a rogue nin who had deserted her village. But, after she had examined him, she felt oddly comfortable, too comfortable, and that thought worried her.
Apparently seeing her former sensei brought back some fond memories, and it had made her feel safe and secure. It had been so long since she had seen or even talked to anyone remotely familiar, so maybe the warm blanket of nostalgia was only temporary. Satisfied with that answer, Sakura wrung the wash cloth out and made her way back into her room, sitting on the bed beside Kakashi.
Leaning over his slouched body, she applied the cloth to his forehead, biting her lip furiously as her nerves consumed her once more. Whatever this feeling was, she was just going to have to suck it up, and focus on the task at hand. Reminding herself that he was just another patient.
"You're fever is getting worse, you should really take the mask off."
"No thanks."
"Kakashi…"
"Nope."
"Ugh! I'm not a child anymore, you should at least consider listening to me."
"I am well aware of that fact," Kakashi added seriously, watching as she continued to chew on her bottom lip.
"Well then, you should be more considerate. Especially since you are mooching free services from me."
"Services?"
"Yes. My services. You know, my medicinal prescribing, attentive bed-side manner, and a comfortable place to stay," Sakura stated as she motioned towards the room around them.
"I never asked for any services, and I never said I couldn't pay," Kakashi added in his defense.
Rolling her eyes at his reply, Sakura continued dabbing around his forehead, determined to beat his fever so he could be on his way, and out of her space. She was slowly growing more agitated with this man, cursing the day she decided that this city was the city for her, and that she would never have to face her past again. Kakashi was seriously throwing her for one hell of a loop, even in illness, he was still just as incorrigible and annoying as he was the day she left Konoha.
Some things really don't change.
But the longer she thought about it, the more thankful Sakura was for the fact that Kakashi really hadn't changed all that much. Sure he was still annoying, but he had always been a tad bit infuriating at times, and it was usually all in good fun. To be honest, ever since he had walked through her door, she had actually not felt one iota of loneliness while in his presence. Sakura had a few friends around the village, but as a whole, the nightlife and social scene on the pit stop of an island was nowhere near that of Konoha's.
It was quite boring after a hard day's work not having anyone to hang out with or talk to. Granted, Shima was around every now and then to quell her loneliness, but he was always working. In the past year, she had really only seen her friend a handful of times. She mostly just kept herself occupied with crafts or projects to kill her down time.
Flipping the rag now, she patted Kakashi's sweat drenched silver locks, pushing them back and off his forehead. Looking down at his face, his eyes closed as she continued fending off his fever, she felt a pang of regret for being as callous and unwelcoming as she had been since he arrived. Kakashi had really been sick, and she had easily written it off as another excuse of his. Seeing him like this now, she only felt the need to help however she could, for in this moment, he too, had no one else.
"I'm sorry," Sakura muttered in a soft voice.
"Hm? What for?" the drowsy shinobi yawned as he felt his body melt into the bed beneath him as he felt the tingle of her chakra. Its glowing essence slowly seeping beneath his skin, causing all the tension to leave his body under her cool touch.
"For lots of things," she mumbled shamefully as she worked at trying to reduce his fever. "For not taking you seriously when you said you were sick, for arguing with you on the first day we've seen each other in over a decade, and for leaving Konoha without so much as a goodbye."
"Sakura..."
"No, Kakashi. You have every right to to be angry with me and to march me straight back to Konoha and-"
"Sakura, stop," he warned with pleading eyes.
"I just can't understand why you aren't angry or upset. I think I'd almost feel more comfortable around you if you were. But you're not..."
"And I never will be. I wasn't in your shoes, so I can't pass judgment on your decisions like that. Contrary to what you may believe, you're not some rogue criminal who defied and abandoned their village, you're simply classified as Missing In Action. So, no. I have no intention of taking you back, not after everything you've been through... not now. I hope one day you will come back, and if you do, I'd like it to be because you want to."
At hearing his words, Sakura felt her resolve crumble as his honest gaze penetrated through the sturdy wall she had built around her. Removing her hands from Kakashi's temples, she turned away from him slightly, fidgeting with her fingers as she felt herself tear up.
Her eyes watered uncontrollably as memories flared and emotions unraveled, she had always thought of herself as a coward for running away from everyone she had ever known. She never thought that someone would actually understand the decision she made on that dreadful night so many years ago.
With her back to Kakashi, Sakura brought her hands up to her face, wiping away a few stray tears, trying her best not to be an obvious cry baby. But as she turned to face him, she was met by a pair of warm and welcoming arms. There, in the darkness of her loft, her and her former teacher sat in an intimate embrace, his hands smoothing over her back as she cried into his shirt. All her walls were crumbling, and the only person willing to pick up the pieces was none other than the infamous Hatake Kakashi. If it wasn't for the smell of his clothes and skin, Sakura would have thought she was imagining things.
As the tears fell, she buried her face into his chest as his hands smoothed through her hair, thankful for the comfort he was providing. Sakura sank into his touch, it had been so long since she had let anyone hold her like this. That thought alone was giving her even more grief as she fought to calm her emotions, fearing further embarrassment.
"It's okay," Kakashi soothed, his voice low and steady. "You're not going anywhere. You deserve to live your life. I would never take that away from you."
Sniffling, she lifted her head from his itchy shirt and dried her eyes, looking up at him now as she ended their lengthy hug. She could tell by the seriousness of his gaze that he had meant every word he said to her, she trusted him, that was certain. She just didn't expect how easy trusting someone from Konoha would be again.
For years she had feared the day she was to ever face another Konoha nin, yet one of their most dangerous shinobi sat in front of her, and he couldn't be more harmless. Clearing her throat, fingertips wiping her cheeks, Sakura looked warmly up at her former sensei, her sincerity pulling on his heartstrings as she continued staring at him.
"Thank you, Kakashi."
"You're welcome," he responded earnestly, fighting the urge to ruffle her hair like he used to.
He had accepted her apology, but she still felt an inkling of shame and regret. She hadn't wept about the past since that night on the boat, not once. But as soon as a friendly face showed up, she fell apart. She was disgusted by herself, to say the least. She had felt some need to prove herself ever since he walked through the door, assuming he would see her decision to leave as a sign of weakness. And here she was, snotting all over the poor man like a blubbering fool.
Kakashi didn't seem to mind it, though. Sparing her the lecture she was anticipating, he simply offered her the tiniest of comforts. She'd be a liar if she said the hug hadn't helped her, calmed her nerves and made her feel at ease. There was much to be said about the effects of familiar bodily comfort. It made her feel lighter, as if she was floating on the water's surface instead of toiling around in its undertow.
For the first time that day, she was glad it had been Kakashi who walked through that door, unsure if anyone else would make her feel as secure as she felt at the moment.
Opening her mouth to say something, she closed it quickly, teeth clamping down on her bottom lip in an effort to silence her true sentiments at hearing the man's voice again.
"I missed you too, Sakura."