Hello guys! After another really long hiatus, I finally managed to update again. I know that it's been really long since the last one, and probably most of you even forgot about the existence of this work... Life just got a little hectic in this past year: I became a PhD student, went on a foreign exchange program and finally got employed at my dream job! Despite all of this, I never forgot about this fic or writing, I just wanted to finish a couple of chapters in advance before posting. Actually I wanted to finish the whole story before updating again, but that would've took way too long, and seeing some new reviews popping up a few weeks ago, I decided to update regardless. Thanks to everyone who kept reviewing even though this story seemed to be abandoned.
I hope that you are all safe and healthy, despite how crazy the world has become recently. Please be careful! Wash those hands and practice that social distancing.
"It's going to be okay." He grabbed her shoulder and squeezed is reassuringly. Unfortunately, Kakashi's words did little to quench her nervousness. With each second bringing the time for her speech closer she felt sicker, almost wanting to throw up.
She covered his hand with her own shaking one and looked at their reflection in the vanity table's mirror. Kakashi was wearing a white dress shirt with a navy blue waistcoat above it and with matching coloured trousers. His dark blue bowtie was undone and was draped around his neck. The gentle smile he was sporting made her heart flutter.
"Is it time?" She asked him after a loud bout of silence.
"The car should be leaving in ten minutes."
"All right then." Sakura nodded, looking at her reflection for the last time, checking if everything was all right. One strand of hair went loose from her side bun, and while normally she wouldn't have minded it, she wanted to look as prim and proper as she could. She grabbed a bobby pin from the vanity, trying to find the place where she should fix the strand. "Could you help me with this?" She asked Kakashi.
"Sure." She gave him the pin and then pointed at the general area at the back of the bun.
"It should go somewhere here."
Kakashi leaned down, his left hand grabbing the strand, his other pinning it in place. His fumbling fingers slightly grazed the back of her neck, while his warm breath tickled Sakura's exposed skin, making her shiver slightly. The woman tried to admonish herself for being like this when Kakashi was only doing such a simple thing.
"Like this?" She heard him ask. She only nodded, far too concentrated on not shoving how affected she was. If Kakashi did notice he didn't mention it, for which she was really glad.
"Let's go then." Her voice cracked slightly, making her wince. Sakura stood up from her seat, grabbing her purse from the table. She glanced at him, noticing that his bowtie was still loose. "Don't you want to tie that?" She pointed at the blue fabric.
"Ah…" He started rubbing the back of his neck. "The thing is, that I don't know how to do it." He admitted bashfully. "I'll ask Kurenai once we reach the venue."
Chuckling, she handed him her purse, stepping closer to him. "You don't have to, I can do it for you." Her stiletto heels made it quite easy for her to reach up to the tie. She grabbed both ends, and started looping them together. Due to his closeness, she could clearly smell his cologne. He smelled of cedar and freshly prepared leather, and for a split second even wondered why she hadn't really registered it sooner.
"Where did you learn this?"
"Whenever my mother and father had to attend a formal event, they always managed to be late from it…so, while my mother was busy with preparing, I helped my father do his tie." She murmured, finishing the final loop. Sakura looked up, her eyes widening at how close their faces were. He was looking down at her, his mismatched orbs boring into hers.
His closeness didn't unnerve her. In fact, she welcomed it with open arms, since it took her mind off of everything else. On the other hand, she felt a slight bit of trepidation as well. She was afraid to acknowledge that Kakashi had such kind of power over her emotions. And then, seemingly out of nowhere, a new wave of panic washed over her body. But this time, it was for a whole other reason. It had nothing to do with her impending speech, the silver haired man standing in front of her had all the blame for it.
Her hands slipped down from the edges of the tie onto his chest, her gaze still fixed onto his. She could feel his steady heartbeat under the palm of her hand, even through all the layers of clothing he was wearing. His calmness baffled her. How could he be so composed, when her own heart was beating so fast, that she was afraid it would jump out of her rib cage? Kakashi raised his left hand, his palm caressing her cheek, the gentleness of his touch spreading warmness all over her body. Her heart started hammering uncontrollably when he was slowly leaning down. Sakura waited with baited breath his next action, fully conscious of what would happen next.
He was going to kiss her. Even though her mind was hazy she knew fully well what Kakashi's intentions were. And she didn't budge, didn't give him any indication that she didn't want it to happen. Had it been a month ago, she would've pushed him away, even hit him if he would've been persistent. But now? Now, she was starting to stand on her tiptoes, far too eager to meet his lips.
Their warm breaths were starting to mingle, lips almost brushing. Sakura's eyes fluttered closed, waiting for Kakashi to close the rest of the gap between the two of them.
The knock on her door startled both of them, making them step away from each other, like two teenagers who were caught red handed.
"Your Majesty, we should go now." Kurenai's voice could be heard from the outside.
"Yes." Her throat was painfully dry. "I'll be out in a minute."
Sakura straightened her posture, and concentrated on smoothing out the invisible wrinkles from her coral dress. She tried to purposefully ignore the man standing only a few steps away from her. While she wasn't mortified by what had almost happened, she didn't have even the slightest of ideas what to do now. It wasn't like there was a manual on how to proceed after an almost kiss.
"Shall we?" Sakura looked up at him and his extended hand. Kakashi was already wearing his mask and eyepatch. How did he put them on so fast? She only realized her hesitation when he raised a brow at her.
"Yes." She nodded, taking his hand and walking towards the door.
The small square in front of the hospital was swarmed with journalists and guests. While she and Kurenai were the ones who compiled the list of people that were invited to the grand opening, Sakura was not prepared for their sheer number until this point.
Gulping, she stepped onto the podium, walking up to the microphone at the centre. She glanced at Kakashi, who was standing at the back of the pedestal, giving her an encouraging nod. Sakura squared her shoulders, cleared her throat and looked at the audience in front of her. Their chatter stopped in that moment, only the camera shutters making any noise.
"Distinguished guests, members of the press. I am delighted to be with you today, to officially open the first ever hospital in the Land of Fire." She started, the words rolling off her tongue effortlessly. The knots in her stomach started to ease the more she spoke, she told the people in front of her about how beneficial this facility would be to the community, how this new chapter in the healthcare of the country would change everything. Sakura also spoke about the future, about her intentions of building even more hospitals.
"I would like to thank each and every member of the staff, who worked relentlessly in order for this plan to be fulfilled. And in the future it will also be thanks to their dedication and professionalism that this institute will run as smoothly as possible." She looked at the group of recruits sitting on the right of the stage, clapping at them, the rest of the audience also following suit.
"But I'd also like to thank my husband, His Majesty. Without his full support in these past few months, we wouldn't be standing here." Her gaze landed on Kakashi. "Thank you." She smiled at him, while another round of applause, even louder than the one before erupted.
Her words were sincere, and she hoped that he felt it too. Sakura was really grateful to him after all, he was the one who gave his continuous support to her during this period. And she wasn't talking about the financial aid he gave her, but also the emotional backing. He was continuously looking out for her, making sure that she wasn't overworking herself and actually had some rest. Had it not been for him, she would've collapsed due to fatigue several times.
He was seemingly nonchalant about all of it, but she could see in his eye and posture that he was uncomfortable due to the attention given to him. It was quite surprising that even after all these years as king, he still wasn't used to all of this.
"Anything unusual?" Genma murmured into the microphone on his suit's lapel.
"Nothing."
"Nothing."
"Nothing, though the crab cakes are quite good." He heard Raidou's words through the receiver in his ear. Genma only rolled his eyes at what his lieutenant was saying, though he did start to scan the tables for said snack.
He looked at his watch, noting sourly that only an hour had passed since the start of the party. Oh, how much he hated parties. Or to be more precise, those that he couldn't attend as a normal civilian. Since he was on the job right now, he couldn't have a drink, or even fully engage in conversations with beautiful ladies, of which there were plenty here. The soon to be nurses, who attended the party looked absolutely gorgeous, he was even beginning to wonder if having a pretty face was a requirement during recruit.
Genma winked at one of the blonde girls with ruby red lips and flawless skin, making her and her female companions giggle. Smirking, he walked past them and resumed his search for anything amyss in the crowd. Of course, this gave him the opportunity to survey the throng of people for any possible candidates for some late night fun after his shift ended.
His gaze landed on one particular person, or more precisely, one particular backside. While he couldn't see the woman's face, he was fully content with the present view. She was wearing a black, knee length dress, which clung to her body very tightly. The backless garment exposed her creamy skin from her shoulder blades until the small of her back. His hungry eyes ran over her exposed spine, not stopping even when they reached her covered wide hips and firm buttocks. Well, he might already have a really strong contender. He could just only hope that the woman was single, and most importantly her front looked as good as her back.
Seeing that her conversation partner left her for whatever reason, Genma wasted no time and sauntered over to her. He turned off the microphone on his lapel, not wanting his squad to listen in on his conversation. Though he was technically still on duty, he did have the right for a five minute break every now or so. And five minutes would suffice for him to see if he really wanted to spend some more time with the woman.
"Enjoying the party?" He asked. The woman turned around, making him almost choke on his saliva.
"Oh, Shiranui-san." Had it not been for her voice he wouldn't have recognized the woman in front of him. The smokey eyes and ruby red lips made Kato Shizune practically unrecognizable. Who would've thought that the little grey mouse from Whirlpool could look so…hot.
"You are here." He stated dumbly. Genma wanted to smack himself on the head in that particular moment. The melodic laugh he received from her stunned him. He never expected her to be capable of something like this, after all the only emotion she constantly expressed in his presence was disdain.
"Of course I am." She raised the glass of champagne to her coloured lips. Genma stared at the painted flesh, they were a deep shade of crimson, a shade that he didn't even know existed. It accentuated her lips, making them full and so kissable.
Whoah.
What the hell was happening to him? First he thought about the most uptight woman he has ever met as hot, and now he wanted to kiss her. Even worse, Genma couldn't blame his thoughts on alcohol, since he didn't have even a sip of it this evening.
"Are you all right, Shiranui-san?" The etch of worry on her face made him even more confused.
"Genma." He breathed out. "You can call me Genma." This time it was her who was utterly flabbergasted. She bit down on her lower lip, his eyes trailing every move.
"All right then." She nodded.
The orchestra started playing louder, signalling to the participants that it was time to dance. She looked towards the dance floor, making a question rise in his throat instinctively.
"Would you like to dance?" Genma wanted to smack himself once again. He would've offered his dancing skills to many women inside this room, but Kato Shizune should've never been on the top of his list. Was he really this easily manipulated by some pretty makeup and dress?
She seemed to be contemplating on her answer, making his embarrassment increase tenfold. He should've never asked her in the first place, there was a reason why they didn't get along since day one. After all, she pretty much loathed him, and her current appearance shouldn't have changed his negative opinion of her either. At least her rejection will suck out the very present haze from his brain.
"Yes, why not." She shrugged, putting the empty glass she was holding on the tray of a waiter passing by.
"Where are you, Genma?" Aoba's voice in his ear made him wince, Genma became painfully aware that the five minutes he allotted to himself was probably over a long time ago.
"I'm sorry, but it seems like my men need me." He looked at his watch. "But I'll have a break in an hour or so…we could maybe have our dance then?" The unamused look she gave him made Genma slightly anxious. Will she throw him over her shoulder again?
"I don't know, Genma. I might have other suitors by then, but you can try." With that, she turned around and left him behind, but not before winking at him. And was she…was she swinging her hips like that on purpose? What the hell was going on?
"Thank you for your invitation, we will certainly visit your resort in the future." Sakura smiled at one of the nobles owning one of the biggest spa resorts in the country. The man and his wife bowed at both her and Kakashi as they left them.
"How much more?" She asked the silver haired man beside her in a hushed voice.
"Many." Kakashi stated simply, his eye crinkle annoying her to no end.
They've been talking to the attending nobles since pretty much the start of the event. Having a good relationship with the most powerful people in the kingdom was a must, and Sakura learned this in her years spent at court in Whirlpool. Now, that she was queen and was operating a hospital that was built from the taxes mostly paid by the richest people in the country, she had to be even friendlier with them.
This was the reason why she and Kakashi were walking around the room, stopping every few minutes to exchange conversation that was not the least bit pleasant with various people. It was a time and energy consuming thing, and they were both very much annoyed after almost two hours. Not even the glass of champagne in her hand could lift up her mood.
The couple hadn't even walked five steps, when they had to stop once again. Their next conversation partner was none other than Sarutobi Hiruzen, head of the Sarutobi clan and the father of Asuma, who was the current marshal of the kingdom. To say that their clan was powerful was an understatement.
While he was in his late 70s, Hiruzen didn't look like a frail old man. His posture was straight, even straighter than hers actually, and there was no sight of any cane near his person. The only tell-tale signs of his age were the wrinkles on his face and the grey hair and beard he had.
"Your Majesty." He bowed upon their arrival.
"Thank you for attending the opening." Sakura beamed at him kindly.
"Of course." He smiled with his cracked lips, but the emotion never reached his eyes. They only stared down at her coldly. "After all, I had to see where my money was being invested."
"Well, I would gladly show you around the hospital in the future." Sakura spoke her already prepared answer.
"I'll have to decline, I'm afraid." He replied coolly. It wasn't the response of a person who was terribly sorry for not being able to attend, it was the reply of someone who was completely disinterested in the offer. Somebody who didn't even have the slightest intention of taking up on it. Sakura resisted the urge to frown at the elder in front of her, at least the other nobles had the decency to come up with some kind of excuse, while Hiruzen somewhat seemed to be downright proud of refusing her.
"Is that so? I'm sorry to hear that."
"Regardless, my close friends and I will watch with interest the fate of this hospital. Hopefully there won't be any difficulties."
"There won't be, I'll make sure of that." She quipped, the tension around them rising with each passing second.
"Do you have any future projects you'd like to share?" The arm she had looped into Kakashi's own one tightened its hold. After a decade spent at court she was fairly sure where this conversation was heading. Each fibre in the man's body showed that he was completely disinterested in what Sakura had to say. His inquiry was for the sole reason to gain some kind of leverage for whatever reason.
"Actually, I have many plans." She smiled up at Kakashi, in desperate need for him to actively participate in the conversation. While she hated to play the damsel in distress, she knew that right now his help was necessary. Sakura might've been standing above Hiruzen in the social hierarchy, but she couldn't just start flaunting this fact openly. Concerning the circumstances, it wasn't her place to do so, the only person who held such kind of power was Kakashi. But he was just standing right next to her, his mouth closed shut.
"I see you settled in quite well then." Hiruzen eyed her, his gaze not holding even a speck of warmth.
"Yes, I believe so."
"Let's hope that the kingdom will flourish regardless of your endeavours."
Hiruzen excused himself soon after that, stating that he had to find his wife in the crowd. Sakura and Kakashi were left alone at the side of the dance floor. She was grateful that no one came up to them after the Sarutobi clan head walked away. Right now she would be incapable of exchanging pleasantries with anyone.
Sakura was hurt. Not because of Hiruzen's words, even though what he said was somewhat spiteful, she was prepared for such kind of encounters since the beginning of the event. What disgruntled her really was in fact the way Kakashi acted. Or to be more precisely, the lack thereof of his actions. He was just standing by her side, like some kind of accessory during their whole interaction with the Sarutobi elder.
Kakashi had stated many times, that her hospital had his blessing. Meaning, that he equally thought that its existence was necessary for this country, that what she was doing, her endeavours as Hiruzen said, were indispensable. That it wasn't just a passion project destined for failure, but an important component in the life of Fire's citizens.
She spent thousands of hours planning everything for this hospital, for this whole system, and yet Sarutobi Hiruzen managed to belittle all of this in the span of a few minutes. Even brazenly stating, that what she was doing could jeopardize the wealth of the country. And she had to wordlessly accept all of this, because opposing him would fit perfectly into his already constructed profile of her. Of the foreign princess turned queen, who had no idea about what her people wanted and needed, who acted on her whims, who instead of bearing the future heir of the kingdom did these unnecessary projects.
Of course no one said these thoughts out loud to her. But it took her only one look at the nobles like Sarutobi Hiruzen and she knew. Their words might've betrayed their thoughts, but the expression in their eyes, and sometimes the carefully weaved subtexts of their statements were enough for her to realize. They'll never accept her. It was something she knew since her arrival, she was a foreign element at court, regardless of her status. And foreign never mixed well with traditional.
What she hadn't expected though was Kakashi's passiveness in the whole exchange. After all of their interactions in these past few months, she was baffled by it. He didn't take her side, didn't even support her, while Hiruzen showed his displeasure with each word that left his mouth. While she didn't want him to make a scene right then and there, she at least wanted him to do something. But he was completely mute the whole time, which hurt her tremendously.
Could it be possible that she completely misjudged him? Did he really not care about her at all?
Right now she wanted to distance herself from him as much as she could, but the evening was yet to be over. Which meant that the two of them had to be stuck to each other's side for many more hours to come.
He knew that something was bothering her, and he was quite sure that he was the source of the problem. Kakashi decided to finally confront her when they were walking back to their rooms after the party.
"What's my problem?" She gave him an incredulous look. "Fancy that you are interested."
He furrowed his brows. "Why wouldn't I?"
"You knew how much this project means to me, and you also knew that I am hardly liked by anyone at court. Not to mention that even though I wanted to defend myself in front of Sarutobi I couldn't, because of my position here. But you didn't do anything, not even when he practically insulted all of my achievements here."
"What did you want me to do? To make a scene? To yell at one of my mentors, at someone who holds my utmost respect?"
"Yes, because I'm your wife. I should be respected by you too."
Kakashi ran a hand through his hair out of frustration. "I do respect you-"
"I'm starting to believe that you never did, at least not when it really mattered."
He truly couldn't believe what the woman standing in front of him was saying. How could she say such a blatant lie with such conviction? When did he not respect her? Kakashi always considered her whenever he made a decision about their relationship. He could've been a selfish man, who acted on his needs; the kind who was never lenient and took everything away from the woman tied to him. Kakashi never expected Sakura to fully return the compassion he shown her, but what he indeed wanted was recognition. But his wife denied the mere existence of his kindness, something that he could not accept.
"Oh, do elaborate please."
"You forced me to marry you. You threatened the people of my country, just so you could have my hand." For a second she saw a flash of confusion in his dark eyes, but it was gone before she could fully register it.
"I never did something like that." His denial only added fuel to fire. Was Kakashi so keen on insulting everything she cherished tonight? Her words spilled out of her painted lips like bile, she didn't even try to filter her thoughts.
"I was such a fool to believe that such a vile man as yourself could have even a modicum of decency in his bones." The look he gave her was unreadable.
"So, after all this time this is how you think of me?" His deep voice was dangerously calm. It was a tone that was unfamiliar to her, and to a certain extent even unnerved the pink haired woman. Kakashi's words slowly sunk into her consciousness and made her emit a dry laugh.
"What else could I possibly think? More is needed than an occasional lunch and story time to change anything."
"In that case, I'm glad that we are on the same page, Hatake-san." She really wanted to punch him right then, to cause him some form of pain for rubbing in the fact that she belonged to him.
"I see you are quite entertained by the fact that I'm yours by name. Cherish it all you want, because that's all you'll ever get." She stormed inside her room, locking it immediately behind her.
She rushed over to the door their rooms shared, flipping the lock quickly. That door will stay that way forever, she'll never open it for him. She was quite sure that after tonight neither of them had the intention of spending time together on their own free will.
She was such an idiot for thinking that he was truly different from the man she initially perceived him to be. Such and idiot. He was still the same, cruel man who invaded her country and took her away from the people she loved. All of his amiability was just a carefully constructed façade, which would disappear the moment his real agenda had to be met. How could she misjudge his character so much?
Haruno Sakura was a fool to think that people, men, could change for the better. All they ever wanted was to use her for whatever they wanted to achieve in the process, manipulating her emotions any which way suitable for them. She was only just a pawn in their game.
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