So I guess these are going to be slightly out of order now because this is the prompt for today (Friday) and I'm still working on Wednesday's prompt (and Thursday's prompt is still in my head *shot*)

But oh well. I guess it doesn't matter much so long as you all still get to read them, right? ^_^

Exhaustion

"You've got to be kidding me."

If he had any energy at all, she knew he would be smiling that infuriating smile of his. Instead, he merely looked at her sheepishly.

Well, as sheepish as one could look with their face smushed into the dirt.

"A little help, Sakura?" he murmured with obvious effort.

Sakura wanted to pull her hair out in frustration.

Out of all her boys, Kakashi had always been her favorite to go on missions with. Naruto, though one of her best friends, had a spontaneous personality, which meant their missions almost never went according to plan. And Sakura didn't often take partner missions with Sai—she loved him, but he had a smart mouth, and she couldn't be alone with him for long stretches of time and guarantee his safety.

Sasuke…he wasn't really allowed on missions anymore. But thinking back to their genin days, he wasn't very good company. He had tended to be silent and brooding, unless Naruto was around. Even now, with all of that behind them, Sakura wasn't sure she would feel comfortable going on a mission alone with Sasuke. It just sounded too awkward.

But Kakashi… Although at times as aggravating as Sai, Kakashi really was great company. Sakura found talking to him as easy as breathing—they talked strategy, they talked literature, they talked life. Kakashi was always willing to ask her about the hospital, even though he knew the question would send her off on a rant about the details of her week.

And sometimes, they didn't talk at all, just sat in companionable silence through dinner, or while they read their respective books, or, if they were camping it, while they looked at the stars.

And there was no one she would rather have at her back than Kakashi. He was logical, he was intelligent, and he was deadly. Missions with Kakashi almost always went to the letter.

Almost. Because if this mission had gone correctly, Kakashi wouldn't currently be eating dirt.

Sliding a hand down her face and sighing, the pink-haired girl turned to the pile of enemy nin they had just knocked out cold.

"Sakura?" the silver-haired man asked weakly.

She sighed again, heavily. But she took pity on him, crouching and sliding his hitai-ate back over his always-activated eye. "If you knew you were low on chakra," she started conversationally, "why did you use your Sharingan?"

"Didn't realize," he mumbled in response.

"Let me get this straight," she deadpanned. "You didn't realize how low your chakra was. You. Copy Ninja Kakashi. Child prodigy."

"Nope," he said, much too cheerfully in her opinion.

She rolled her emerald eyes heavenward. She wouldn't be surprised if he had done it on purpose. "Fine," she snapped, hooking her elbows beneath his shoulders and easily lifting him upright. Steeling her feet and controlling her chakra, Sakura was able to sling Kakashi across her shoulders with relative ease, and began walking home. "But when we get back to Konoha, you're so getting it."

In response, Kakashi gave her bottom a firm pat.

Heat rushed to her face, and she counted to ten, willing herself not to drop him on his stupid perverted head.