Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Beautiful Disaster
Chapter 6: Ubiquitous Wounds
"Why didn't you tell me," Kakashi's quiet voice shattered the cold silence that had settled over the training ground.
Two men were resting underneath the fragmented shade of a large deciduous tree, attempting to gain some protection from the harsh reflection of sunlight off winter snow. Thanks to Kakashi, it had been a more vigorous than usual training session.
"Huh? Tell you what Kaka-sensei?" the younger man responded curiously as he searched through his backpack for a bottle of water. Naruto noticed that his sensei had been acting strangely. The man had barely spoken a word to him all day. The Copy Nin's usual habit of sadistically belittling him during sparring had been noticeably absent and had left Naruto a little puzzled. But now Kakashi had decided to break his silence.
"Naruto, you should have told me…. about her," Kakashi's voice fell to a whispered tone.
'Her?'
There was a long pause before Naruto answered.
"Sakura-chan…." he whispered distantly, finally understanding the behavior of the man sitting next to him. The search for water was immediately abandoned as Naruto turned to look at his former sensei warily.
"I had no idea. Why didn't you say anything?" Kakashi tried his best not to sound angry. He knew it wasn't Naruto's fault. But they had sparred together practically every day they were both in the village. Why hadn't Naruto ever told him about Sakura? Why couldn't he have said something?
Naruto averted his wavering big blue eyes off of his former sensei's face and to the ground in front of his feet. He waited a tense moment, as if thinking carefully about what he was going to say.
"I couldn't make you see something you weren't willing to Kaka-sensei."
"Hn," the silver haired man assented. He didn't feel like arguing with Naruto. The young man was probably right anyways.
Kakashi had never once broached the subject.
"She's changed so much. I don't really know what else to do…I -- " Naruto hesitated for a moment. "I'm going to ask Hinata to marry me."
Kakashi's quick blink was the only action that revealed his surprise. What did that have to do with anything?
"Wow, Naruto that's great. I guess congratulations are in order." He reached over and tentatively patted the young man on the back and tried his best to sound cheerful. Though sounding anything other than lackadaisical or bored was quite difficult for him.
Naruto offered him a half-hearted grin and scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Uh, thanks."
Kakashi really was happy for his student. Tragically orphaned, he had never had a real family and now he would be joining one of Konoha's most prestigious clans. And additionally, he would be marrying the Hyuuga's future leader. All emotions aside, it would be a position advantageous to Naruto's goal of becoming Hokage. But Kakashi knew his student well enough to know that Naruto wasn't marrying the young heiress for status or power. He was in it for the right reasons and Kakashi did feel happy for him…
Yet he still wasn't sure why Naruto had suddenly brought it up out of nowhere.
"But Naruto, I don't really-"
Naruto's hand fell from the back of his head as he hastily interrupted. "It's just that I'm not really going to be able to keep being with Sakura like I am now, you know? I mean, Hinata understands and all. She has been wonderful about it this whole time. But, I don't know, it's just that now I'm going to be someone's husband and it just doesn't feel right to be that way anymore. I know Sakura needs me and all, but I feel so guilty, like I'm betraying Hinata or something. I don't want to just abandon Sakura, but to be honest I don't know if what I'm doing is even really helping her. I mean it's been two years and………" he rambled quickly.
Woah, this conversation was getting extremely personal. And if there was one type of conversation Kakashi did not have it was the personal kind. But that was the type of person Naruto was: no barriers, just uninhibited truth. And this was about Sakura, so it was necessary for him to understand as best he could.
"I didn't realize… So you two have been…." Kakashi wasn't quite sure how to describe the feelings that were suddenly spreading through his chest. If he hadn't known better he would have said it was jealousy. But Hatake Kakashi did not get jealous, so it was probably just guilt again manifesting itself in some unfamiliar new way. Nonetheless, it was anything but pleasant.
"No, it's not really like that," Naruto sheepishly hurried while looking anywhere but at Kakashi. Yep, much too personal. " Well at first it was. I think Sakura just needed someone to be with her like, I don't know, I guess normal... She was really messed up about intimacy in the beginning. Six months of……." Naruto's voice drifted off and Kakashi winced. "Well you know what I mean."
Both men's faces were graced with pained expressions, Kakashi's hidden under layers of dark cloth and Naruto's laid bare for all to see.
"Anyways, that's how it started. In the beginning that's what I could do to help her, to make her feel better. But after a while, it just wasn't as important to her anymore, and then I started dating Hinata and Sakura seemed to understand."
Kakashi nodded his head but did not allow any of the feelings to show on his face. He had no idea that they had gotten that close.
Naruto rushed on, in a hurry to get it all out before he ran out of courage or Kakashi ran out of patience. "But I could tell she still needed me. And I always go to her. You have no idea how terrible it's been for her Sensei. She may normally look fine on the outside, but she's just really not."
Yea, Kakashi was more than aware of this. Sakura's behavior of the previous night and that morning were evidence enough. But Naruto, in his thick headedness, seemed to forget that Kakashi was the one who had brought up Sakura's state. He was glad because he didn't really feel like explaining to Naruto how he had come upon this realization.
"I just don't know what else I can do for her."
Kakashi sighed. He wasn't sure either.
"I promised her I would take care of that bastard, Kaka-sensei. But ever since Baa-chan called off offensive maneuvers, I haven't even heard anything."
Kakashi wearily turned his head to look at Naruto. He could tell Naruto was getting riled up. His fists clenched a little tighter and his blue eyes were bleeding with a hint of red.
"I'm gonna kill him. I swear to god, I'm gonna kill him for what he did to her," Naruto growled. "I don't even give a damn about the fact that he betrayed Konoha anymore. He's going to die for what he did to Sakura-chan."
Kakashi sensed the killing intent radiating off of the younger man sitting tensely next to him. While losing one's temper was bad for any shinobi, for the Kyuubi container it was deadly.
"Naruto calm down! You know Tsunade was correct in halting offensive attacks. We still don't know enough about the situation to rush in head first. We're not even sure who is in control. We have got to be cautious so no more lives are unnecessarily lost… I'm sure Sakura understands this. "
Well he really wasn't sure since he hadn't actually spoken to her for two years, but he hoped she did.
Kakashi knew his words were probably lost on death ears. Naruto was rarely one to exercise forethought and caution. He was more the rush into battle, kick ass and take names type of guy. And this seemed to work for him. But, it couldn't hurt Kakashi to try to groom his former student a little more. Naruto had grown a great deal since he was a brash twelve year old, yet he needed to mature a bit more before he was ready to lead a village. It was in Kakashi's best interest to make Naruto capable of seceding Tsunade, since the Copy ninja was the currently designated successor and he had no interest in taking on that type of responsibility. Being Hokage was an honor, but Kakashi was far too lazy and far too fond of his independence to be chained to a desk and an office. That's why he found it a necessary annoyance to spend some of his precious free time with the rambunctious younger man.
And yet, Kakashi completely understood the Kyuubi container's anger. Calling off the manhunt may have been the most appropriate thing to do after two years and many lost lives; however, it felt as though they were somehow failing Sakura by doing so.
"It's just not fair Kaka-sensei. Sakura used to be so… happy. And now she's just…" Naruto had calmed himself and now looked down sadly at his clinched fists.
'Such heavy words,' Kakashi thought. Naruto was always so optimistic, but for understandable reasons his lighthearted attitude seemed to be weighed down where Sakura was concerned.
"But I know she was definitely hurt by you."
Kakashi was caught off guard. Since when had they been talking about him?
"Oh?"
"I don't know, but you both were pretty close before she was taken and then you brought her back, but it seems like you've been avoiding her ever since then."
He supposed he had. It must have been pretty obvious for Naruto to pick up on it.
"Ah."
Naruto stared at him expectantly. Kakashi knew he wanted some type of explanation, but he wasn't one to explain himself. The boy should have known better.
"Geeze Kaka-sensei," Naruto shook his head with mild frustration.
"Hmm?"
The blonde dramatically slapped his forehead in exasperation. When Kakashi stopped communicating with words and reverted to hums and monosyllabic noises, it was a clear sign the conversation was over. Trying to continue would be like trying to see what was behind that damn mask. If Kakashi did not want to discuss something, he would not discuss it, and everyone else be damned.
And then the book would come out.
Naruto looked over to see Kakashi now hidden behind the frustratingly familiar Icha Icha book. This was Kakashi's equivalent of holding up a sign that said "F-off." It was just another of the walls the famous ninja constructed as his first line of defense. Though it was an extremely rude habit, for some reason everyone seemed to make allowances. He was just too talented and too mysterious to question. Naruto was more familiar than almost anyone to Kakashi's strange behaviors and not so subtle messages.
Yet, he also knew that something needed to be said. Kakashi needed to be held accountable for his neglect of Sakura. The man was stubborn and distant and guarded, but he was not beyond Naruto's influence. Both men knew this, only one refused to acknowledge it and the other hesitated to assert it. But now was not the time for hesitation. Not when Sakura was concerned. Kakashi could try to hide behind his book all he wanted, but Naruto couldn't back down.
The Copy-nin felt immensely relieved when Naruto stood up and dusted the remnants of white powder off of his loud orange pants. He felt guilty enough without being on the receiving end of his obnoxious former student's scorn. But as he shifted his gaze off of the book he hadn't actually been reading onto the stiff back of Naruto, he noticed the man was not walking away.
Like a scene from some clichéd soap opera, Naruto slowly turned back and pinned Kakashi with a gaze that was uncharacteristically firm. "You owe her an apology."
Yes, he already knew that.
"Give her one or I'll make you," he practically growled.
Ah, so that was the insane protectiveness Kakashi had heard Genma and other men at the bar complain about in passing.
"Hn."
Naruto sighed and slung his pack over his shoulder. He had about as much as he could take of his Sensei for the day.
As he turned to leave Kakashi lazily called out his name.
"Nauto."
"What?" he brusquely answered without looking back.
The sound of something flying through the air met the Kyuubi container's sensitive ears and he instinctively ducked to the side to catch it.
It was a nearly empty bottle of water.
"You were looking for that weren't you," Kakashi asked to his back with a hidden smirk.
Naruto squeezed the bottle in his hand until the plastic gave way and caved in on itself.
"Cheap bastard," Kakashi heard him mutter as he walked away stiffly.
Kakashi chuckled. Sometimes he just couldn't stop himself.
Scarred
The word kept reverberating in Sakura's head like a broken mantra as she stood shivering in front of the sepulchral stone monument. The mid morning air had warmed significantly under the ministrations of the sun, but the wind was bitterly cold and seemed to mischievously bite through the permeable layers of her clothing. Yet, Sakura remained standing, unsheltered in the middle of the manicured field, alone in front of the shrine to fallen shinobi.
It had once been whole and beautiful piece of something bigger, but was now only a broken chunk of rock that bears the ugly scars that are the names of fallen shinobi, dead comrades, children, parents, and lovers.
And of course there was a wound that was her own name.
Sakura's memories of her return were fractured and piecemeal. They mainly consisted of visions of the barren white of the hospital ceiling and the hollow noise of the respirator. Even after being released from the hospital, her memory remained broken. Naruto's comforting embrace, being fed nothing but ramen for what must have been several months, the discomfort of large open spaces, the shock of a soft warm bed. And every once in awhile, an awkward yet desperate embrace from one of her friends. It had been strange to her, how everyone acted. Yet, she didn't have the faculties or energy to attempt to understand her peer's behavior. But the day Naruto brought her to the memorial, it had all suddenly made sense.
He had explained about the explosion, the incineration of her teammate's bodies. That they had assumed she was dead because of this. He told her about her own funeral. How practically the whole village had come to honor her. How Tsunade had cried in the middle of delivering the eulogy and Kakashi hadn't come until the last five minutes, eye red and reeking of sake.
He described as best as he could in his own ineloquent way how losing her had changed everybody. Ino had stopped working at the hospital and left on a long mission with her team. Sai had stopped smiling, even if it always was a fake smile anyways. Tsunade had stopped drinking because she just couldn't find the heart to enjoy herself. Generally, everything had just…stopped. And he, Naruto, had been completely, entirely, desolately alone…again.
But Kakashi, he may have been worse than anybody.
For a while he seemed to have a death wish, taking only solo S-class and unranked missions. But then Tsunade had caught on and restricted him, fearful of losing another friend and another of Konoha's most valuable sired assets. But no matter how close of an eye they kept on him, it didn't change the fact that his family had a history of suicide and denying his new 'mission' of self destruction would leave him vulnerable to a more dangerous depression. Where Kakashi was concerned, it had been difficult to hang onto the fragile balance between life and death. So when he had done everything possible to stay away from home, he was sent to the border between Sound and Fire for an indefinite amount of time. Everyone knew what he was doing. They were by no means dumb to Kakashi's true intentions. He was not there to guard any borders. He was out for vengeance and he would not come home until he had satisfied his dark desires.
Despite being the famous Copy-nin, Kakashi was a humble man. Yet, for some reason, he always liked to take credit for everyone else's mistakes. And so he bore the weight of Sakura's death as his own sin. The desire for revenge was foolish, and he knew it, but the only way to assuage the guilt plaguing him enough to continue living some semblance of a life was to kill the bastard responsible. They all knew he wouldn't come back until…
Until the day he miraculously returned with the half-dead Sakura in his arms. Half-dead, but nonetheless alive.
But the Sakura Kakashi brought back through the tall gates of Konoha was not the one that had left them half a year earlier.
Just like the monument, Sakura was scarred. But hers were the kind that lay below the surface. If someone were to run their fingertips over her bare skin, they wouldn't be able to feel them, although Sakura did bear many disfigurements from the torture during her internment. No, these scars were invisible, the kind that had to be sensed instead of touched.
Yet skin was such a beautiful façade. The perfect disguise for what lay beneath.
The scars she wore were the kind that would probably never fade. Would not be smoothed away by exposure to the changing seasons like names carved into stone. Neither time nor the elements could erase them.
"You are just like Hatake. So predictable," a gentle voice broke Sakura out of her morose reverie.
She quickly turned to defend herself, hand reaching into her pouch for a senbon, but drew to an abrupt stop when she found herself face to face with a smirking Shiranui Genma. Somehow the lubricious nin had managed to sneak up on her.
"Personally I try not to spend too much time hanging around here. It's just too depressing. I prefer a more lively atmosphere if you know what I mean…" Genma winked at the rosy cheeked kunoichi.
Sakura narrowed her eyes at him. Of course he didn't hang around here, seeing as there was little chance of getting laid or drunk in the immediate vicinity.
"What do you want Shiranui-san?"
Genma quirked an eyebrow up at her use of the honorific. It was inappropriately formal for someone she had almost screwed in an alleyway less than twelve hours before. But, he supposed the alcohol involved had very much altered her personality. This solitary woman standing and shivering in front of him must be the real Sakura. Her cold kissed cheeks bloomed a rosy hue and her long pink hair seemed to glitter in the severe winter light. She was beautiful, no doubt, but there was something off about her. It wasn't just the dulled green eyes or the tense posture that suggested a strong desire to flee from his company. Genma could intuit something ominous that was present underneath it all. Yet it was something he couldn't define. Sounds and letters and words would not be able to describe the matter resting below her surface.
Searching her face for a clue, he found none. There was nothing but a type of emotional ambiguity, or maybe it was more like numbness. It was strange; Sakura was there standing in front of him, but she wasn't really.
It was a shame, he thought, because angst really did not suit her.
Sakura turned away from him dismissively. She didn't want to be rude, but she wasn't interested in talking about the events of the previous night. She would rather just pretend nothing had ever happened at all. It was apparent however, that Genma would not. She was actually rather surprised that Genma had the nerve to approach her. It wasn't necessarily that she thought he felt badly about hooking up with her. Hell, Genma had hooked up with almost everybody, male or female, intoxicated or not. Or that he felt guilty about the venue, since she was sure he frequented more 'unique' places during his numerous sexual liaisons. But Sakura assumed that Genma would at least feel ashamed for the implications that he made during his verbal sparring with Kakashi.
Of course he did say she was not some broken doll that needed to be handled with care. But the underlying message was loud and clear. Sakura had learned from the best to look underneath the underneath and it was obvious that Genma was saying that people viewed her in such a way.
What Genma had been really saying to Kakashi was something like 'Don't tell me not to touch her because you and everyone else think she's broken.' And it was probably true, which made Sakura even more hurt by it.
Because as much as she knew that she was irreparably changed for the worse, Sakura did not want others to know how serious it was. Of course she could not hide it from those closest to her. And she didn't even bother trying with Naruto. But with people like Genma and Kakashi, she hated that they knew.
Especially Kakashi.
He had once been one of those close people.
She wanted to believe Kakashi still saw her as the old Sakura, even if that meant that he was no longer in her life. If he carried the memory of her happiness then she could believe that some part of her had survived unaltered, even if it was only a little piece that didn't belong to her anymore.
Why Kakashi had disappeared from her life was something she wasn't able to understand. She had given up trying to understand that man long before she was captured anyways. Kakashi had always been somewhat of a paradox; he could be so caring at some times and so frustratingly distant at others. So even though she could theorize about his motivations, she had come to accept that she would never really know.
Well until what happened in that alleyway. Kakashi had made it more than clear what he thought about her. "She's different," he said. And it had hurt. All of her illusions about Kakashi's motivation were knocked down. Kakashi did not see her as the old happy Sakura-chan.
But she supposed that it made sense. How could Kakashi ever look at her the same after finding her dying in the middle of the forest from six months of gruesome torture? Sakura realized she had been fooling herself.
It was obvious now that it wasn't his stupid guilty personality that was keeping him away. Sakura knew that she was tainted in Kakashi's eyes. That she was too fragile and weak and broken to be around him or his life. Well she didn't really know, but she strongly suspected.
"You know, I know a good jutsu that could take that right off," a low voice once again intruded on her thoughts.
"Huh?" Sakura realized Genma was still there. But he was no longer staring at her. He had his hands tucked securely in his pockets and was looking very seriously straight ahead. Sakura followed his gaze and found he was staring intently at the spot on the memorial that bore her name.
"Your name. I could take it off for you," he eyed her expectantly.
"No," she answered quickly and looked down to avoid meeting his gaze. Sakura knew a jutsu as well, but for unknown reasons she felt compelled to leave her name on the stone.
"Well aren't you still in ANBU?" Genma asked smiling
"Yes."
"Then it'll probably save time to just leave it up there. You go into ANBU and you live on borrowed time. And you, love, have already spent at least one of your nine lives."
'Bastard…'
"Well you seem to have lasted a while Shiranui-san."
Genma noticeably perked up at being addressed with more than one word."Sakura, please stop that. Just call me Genma.'
'All right, Genma-teme then?' she thought.
"And, you know, it's probably just because of my good looks. I always charm the enemy into letting their guard down." He flashed Sakura what might have once been a gorgeous senbon adorned smile, but his lip was still busted open and swollen and as a result he was missing the senbon this morning, so it looked like nothing better than a pained purple grimace.
"Tch," she wasn't in the mood to play Genma's games today. Well she wasn't really ever, but especially not today.
"But God only knows how an ugly bastard like Hatake made it this long."
And there it was. The invisible white elephant huddling in the corner had just been outed. Sakura suddenly was overcome with a strong urge to flee the awkwardness of Genma's presence before that elephant went on a rampage. But yet again, Genma was not willing to let her have her way.
"Uh, listen Sakura, I just want to apologize about last night."
"That's fine Genma-san. Please don't worry about it," she cut him off, turning stiffly to leave. She needed to get the hell away from him, the memories he was invoking, and the bad feelings that tagged along with them.
"No Sakura, it's not fine," he reached out and firmly grabbed her wrist to stop her hasty retreat.
"Please let go," Sakura warned, a dangerous timbre reverberating despite her soft voice.
His hand dropped off her arm limply. But Sakura didn't want to leave the situation unresolved since Genma-teme would undoubtedly feel the necessity to approach her again about it in the future. It was better that she accommodate him and whatever guilt he felt the need to relieve, so she turned back to him with a painfully fake smile. "Thank you for your concern. I assure you there are no hard feelings. Now I really have to go to the hospital for my shift. Excuse me please," she bowed slightly and yet again turned her back on him and walked away.
"Geeze" he sighed as he watched her retreating form.
'Maybe it makes more sense than she realizes her name being on there,' thought Genma sadly as he watched her back.
It just seemed... tragic. Genma still remembered the old Sakura.
He had always noticed she was beautiful, but he had only admired the pink haired kunoichi from afar. As the Godaime's star apprentice, she was famous and much admired, and he had been sure that she would be highly inaccessible, if not a little snobby. But then she had started to hang around Kakashi more and that's when he realized that all of his assumptions about the young beauty were wrong.
"Sakura, go out with me tonight?" Genma whispered into the shoulder of beautiful kunoichi settled next to him.
"I'm already out with you baka," she giggled as she nudged his head away with her shoulder.
"Yea, but he's here," he whined while attempting to yet again nuzzle the neck of the drunken young woman.
Kakashi sighed. As entertaining as a drunken Sakura normally was, sitting across from her while Genma practically mauled her with cuddling was not amusing to him. So much for trying to quietly celebrate her acceptance to ANBU with a few drinks. His idiot friend had been kind enough to insert himself into their lovely evening.
"Who, Kakashi?" Sakura asked with an innocent cock of her head.
"Mmm-hmm," Genma answered into her neck. Several things had just occurred to him. One being that Sakura smelt too damn delicious for her own good, and the other that if she moved out of the way he may fall on his face since he had a little too much to drink.
Sakura giggled again as Genma rubbed his nose into the sensitive spot on her throat. Yes, it may be a little overly intimate for her liking, but she always was a very affectionate drunk. And also, she immensely enjoyed seeing Kakashi's reactions whenever Genma was around: the way his eye narrowed dangerously and his back lost its usual slouch and his book lay before him, opened but abandoned for a more important vigil. She thought that his protectiveness was adorable, unlike Naruto's, in the sense that he was kind of sexy when he was bothered. And her more evil side loved teasing him into some kind of ridiculous, totally out of character behavior. However, this evening she could tell he was trying to ignore them.
"But Kakashi doesn't count, Genma. Give him an Icha Icha and he doesn't see past the end of his arm."
Kakashi rolled his eye but Genma visibly perked up at the nuanced invitation.
"You could probably take me here and now on this table and he wouldn't even notice," she purred with a devious smirk on her lips.
Genma's jaw fell wide open and he almost lost control of his senbon. "Damn, girl, you can't just go saying things like that to a guy and not expect…"
Kakashi slammed his book closed. He had let Sakura have her fun but this was going a little too far.
"Ok, I think it's time to go," he practically sang with false cheerfulness as he rose and gave her a masked smile.
"Right, well we'll see you later Hatake," Genma answered, not removing his eyes or his arm from Sakura who was stifling giggles with her hand over her mouth. She looked so cute when she tried to be serious like that. "Say goodbye Sakura-chan," he instructed the little vixen.
"Goodbye Sakura-chan," she cheerily responded before giving in to her laughter.
Kakashi was not amused. Nope, no way in hell was he going to leave a drunk Sakura at the mercy of an equally drunk Genma."Sakura."
"Ah?"the young woman answered absently, rubbing some tears from under her eyes.
"We're leaving."
Sakura noted the deadly serious tone of his voice. He was really much too uptight, she decided. What the man needed was a couple of drinks.
"But Kakashi," she whined while sticking out her bottom lip. "It's still so early and I want to celebrate!"
Yet again, Kakashi sighed. Who was he to ruin her fun. She had made him proud by being his only student to follow his path into ANBU. Who would have thought that the boy crazy pink-haired little girl would one day be at the top of Konoha's elite? She most definitely deserved to celebrate.
Yet watching Genma lean in towards her neck again, Kakashi decided that something had to be done about that. Evasive actions needed to be implemented.
"Fine, we can stay on one condition."
"Anything for you Sensei," she sexily purred.
Kakashi started at the innuendo and the tone but managed to school his face and posture before the drunk woman noticed.
"You," he pointed at Sakura, "sit there," he pointed at his now abandoned seat, "and I'll sit next to Shiranui."
"Hai, hai sensei," Sakura gave a cute little salute before unwinding herself from Genma's arm and half walking, half stumbling to the other side of the table.
As Kakashi settled in across from her, Genma whispered quietly under his breath, "I hate you, you bastard."
"Please don't tell me you actually thought I was going to let that happen," Kakashi muttered back before opening his beloved book again.
"You have no shame man," Genma fiercely spat.
"Ditto."
"Did you just say ditto. God you're lame."
Meanwhile across the table from the discretely bickering pair, Sakura had begun to drunkenly entertain herself by humming a old drinking song Yamato had once taught her and attempting to stack a house of coasters. She absently reached for the pitcher of sake in the middle of the table but was disappointed to find it was empty. She seemed to recall that it had just been full a little while ago.
"Oi. Guys. I think we're out of sake," Sakura called out too loudly to the two shinobi while titling the bottle upside down over her head and peering into it with a squinted green eye to make sure.
"I don't know Sakura. You may want to look harder," Genma teased.
"Nope! I'm absolutely sure that there is no sake left in there. Whose round was it?"
"Genma."
"Kakashi."
"Aww come on, you guys totally suck!"
Neither man responded.
"Ok, I know what to do," Sakura nodded her head with obtuse seriousness.
With speed out of character for the amount of alcohol she had consumed, the kunoichi leapt up from her seat and latched on to the arm of an unexpecting Inzuka Kiba who had the misfortune to be walking behind her at that very moment.
"Hey babe, what's going on?" Kiba asked the pink mess holding his arm.
Kakashi ground his teeth.
"Kiba-kun, whatchya drinking?"
"Umm, whiskey…"
She grabbed the cup from his hand and gave him a quick peck on the cheek "Thanks!"
"Awww man," Kiba whined before walking back to the bar sans booze.
Genma briefly wondered if her plan involved stealing drinks from her unsuspecting male friends all night.
Sakura giggled at the dog-nin's retreating back before turning to Kakashi and Genma.
"Okay boys! Let's make a bet. Loser buys my drinks for the rest of the night."
"I'm out," Kakashi sighed before turning back to his reading. He was not about to enable Sakura's drunken foolishness anymore.
Genma twirled his senbon thoughtfully. If Sakura was anything like Tsunade-sama, odds would most definitely be in his favor. "All right. But what do I get when I win?"
"If you win, what do you want?" a well groomed pink eyebrow was raised.
"Well-"
Kakashi cleared his throat in warning.
"Yea, yea. How about that date then?"
"Deal!" Sakura held out her hand to Genma. He took the little one in his own and was surprised by how weak her handshake was.
"All right Pink, so what's the bet gonna be?"
"Hmm.." she tapped her chin thoughtfully which Genma found very cute but a little obvious. "I challenge you to a test of strength."
"Oh hell no. You think I don't know about you?"Damn straight he knew about her: the Godaime's star apprentice with the strength to crush entire buildings.
Sakura laughed. "Fair enough. No chakra use."
"How the hell am I supposed to know if you're using chakra or not?" Well, other than the fact that it would take chakra for her to actually win.
The pink haired woman smiled widely."Well I have this friend who has this special eye that can see chakra..."
Genma glanced over at Kakashi who already had his sharingan uncovered and was watching their exchange with languid amusement. Apparently he had decided to participate, if only for the sake of seeing Genma humiliated.
"You know what, it's ok Genma-kun. I mean, I wouldn't want to go against someone as jacked as me either." Sakura flexed an arm for emphasis. Genma noticed that, while she did have nicely defined arms, they were nothing compared to his own. "I know how intimidating I am to a guy like you, so I wouldn't want to make you uncomfortable or anything-"
"Does that hurt your back?" Genma asked, interrupting the kunoichi's rambling.
"Does what hurt my back?"
"Kissing your own ass?"
Sakura gave an indignant huff which blew several of the strands of pink hair resting on her forehead up into the air. The captivated him him as they floated down to rest again on the peachy skin of her forehead . Genma also noticed a soft chuckle coming from his silver haired friend.
He really, really wanted that date. And not just to piss Kakashi off.
"All right, I'll take your bet as long as there is no chakra usage. Even though I hardly think it's fair."
"Why's that?"
Did she really even have to ask?
"It's just biological love. I have the natural advantage."
"Tch. My ass…"
"Is pretty cute."
"Genma." Kakashi growled at him again.
"All right. Let's just get this over with. So what do you want to do? Arm wrestle, thumb wrestle, wrestle wrestle?" He really hoped she opted for the last option.
"No I have a more fun idea." She held the arm with the glass of filched whiskey straight out in front of her. "If you can keep me from raising an arm to drink this, for umm… five counts then, I win."
Well, it wasn't as promising as wrestling, but at least it would be easy.
"Hm. That's all? No problem." He grabbed her wrist with one hand.
"Over confident aren't we?" she teased. "Don't you want to use both hands?"
"Let's just get on with this shorty."
"Ok! Kakashi"
"Hm?" the lazy nin answered.
"Do it."
"Do what?"
Sakura balled her hand in a fist and and waved it meanicingly towards the Copy-nin."Arrg I swear to Kami Kakashi if you don't start counting this very second I'm going to-"
"One"
Sakura took a deep breath and tugged up on her arm in an attempt to raise the glass to her mouth.
"Two"
Genma smirked at the young woman's efforts. This was pretty much a guaranteed win for him.
"Three."
Sakura pulled harder but could not budge the strong hold on her arm. The whiskey sloshed around in the glass from her jarring efforts. Genma's smirk became more pronounced as he felt the Sakura's wrist twisting and pulling within his grasp.
"Four."
Sakura winked at the smirking man who responded by looking at her questioningly. Before he knew it the glass was missing from her trapped hand and being raised to her mouth by the free arm.
"Five."
The pink haired kunoichi gasped and scrunched up her nose at the taste of the cheap whiskey she had just downed. Genma, not surprisingly, wore a similar expression.
"What in the hell was that?"
She answered after dramatically sucking in a deep breath of air to wash the liquor taste off of her palate."I beat you with one arm, no chakra."
"Wait a second-"
"Those were the terms of the bet Shiranui" Amusement dripped from Kakashi's voice.
"Who the hell asked you," he shot at Kakashi before narrowing his eyes at very rosy cheeked Sakura. "But you said it was a battle of strength."
"It was," She tapped her forehead, "mental fortitude."
"Mental what? You gotta be kidding me you little-"
"It's just biological," she interrupted and tapped her forehead knowingly again.
Genma stuck out his bottom lip and pouted. She had bested him. He didn't miss the small chuckles still coming from his one eyed best friend either. He was not going to hear the end of this.
Sakura plopped down on the seat across from Kakashi. "What do you want to drink Sensei?"
"Nothing. And I think you're done for the night too."
She stuck her tongue out at him. "Ok. Get me some whiskey. The good kind too. Not any of this cheap shit," she gestured to the empty glass. "Two glasses. Oh and get one of those fun twirly straws for Kakashi here."
Kakashi narrowed his eyes and Genma's shoulders sagged in defeat. His wallet was already feeling lighter at the prospects of buying Tsunade-sama's apprentice drinks for the rest of the evening. The Godaime had surely trained her pupil in the art of consuming mass amounts of liquor in a single sitting.
"Oh, don't be sad Genma-kun," Sakura teased. He watched her tipsily lean to look around his shoulder and smile brightly and wink at someone behind him. "Besides, I know something you would probably like to hear."
Great, just what he needed, more public humiliation at the hands of one cheeky Haruno Sakura.
"I don't even want to know. You're trouble."
Sakura smirked at him. "Really? Then I guess you wouldn't be interested in that blonde at the bar. She's a nurse I work with at the hospital."
Genma turned to see an absolutely gorgeous woman leaning casually against the bar nursing a long clove cigarette.
"Oh?"
"Yea and she's had her eye on you all night. I'm surprised you haven't noticed sooner."
Genma watched as the woman cast him a flirty smile.
"Me too," he breathed.
"Well go on," Sakura smiled.
"All right, I'll catch up with you guys later."
Kakashi and Sakura watched Genma's retreating back with disgust and amusement, respectively.
"Hey, you don't think he's going to forget about my drinks do you?" Sakura asked.
Kakashi just rolled his eyes at the little kunoichi.
She jumped to her feet and yelled across the bar. "Oi! You, don't forget the whiskey!"Genma ignored her, Kakashi suspected purposely as he began flirting with the blonde.
Kakashi decided it was probably for the best as Sakura swayed dangerously. That last shot must have done it. Before she was able to keel over in her drunkenness, Kakashi was up and lifting her over his shoulder, hooking his arm behind her knee.
He was awarded for his efforts with sweet giggling and a squeeze on the side. Now he knew she was most definitely too drunk for her own good, as a sober Sakura would never permit him to carry her in such a manner without putting up a pretty decent fight.
"Where are we going Kashi?" she asked into his lower back.
"We are going to go and put you to bed."
Despite his burden, Kakashi expertly weaved his way around the bar's other patrons and headed for the front door.
As they passed Genma, Sakura reached out and gave his butt a firm pinch. The man jumped in surprise and almost lost control of his senbon once again when he spotted the pink haired perpetrator slung over Kakashi's shoulder. She winked at him smartly then mouthed ' good luck' before he lost sight of her at the front door.
"Later, trouble," he absently whispered. Even though there was a beautiful blonde women wrapped around his arm, Genma found himself staring thoughtfully at the open door through which Sakura had disappeared.
Yea, Sakura used to be a pretty interesting girl. And, though he was constantly being blocked in his pursuit of her, he still remembered enjoying spending time with her. She was most definitely not a typical woman.
Even in the absence of alcohol, Genma was intrigued by the pink haired kunoichi. She was humble and caring and genuinely concerned about those around her. She had seemed to have this magnetic quality. He was enthralled with her brightness and sassiness, and she had even bested him once in front of their entire ANBU squad. Even her terrible temper amused him, as long as he was not on the receiving end.
But Genma had also been there when she was taken and when she was found. He would never forget the horrid state of her body that night in the woods. He could only imagine the amount of hidden mental trauma she had suffered. And her despondence last night in the alleyway was not the only clue that she was still highly affected, which was a terrible thing in itself since shinobi should be anything but affected.
But Genma still felt some very strong attractions to the jaded beauty. The memory of her soft body writhing and arching underneath him in the alleyway was the stuff that wet dreams were made of. No matter what happened in her past, Sakura was a woman to be desired, and Genma wasn't about to let her just dismiss him and walk away.
Just as Sakura had reached the relative sanctuary of the tree line and was letting out a relieved breath in celebration of her successful escape, Genma flickered up directly in front of her and halted her by placing both of his hands on her shoulders.
'Dammit,' she shouted internally. Genma was being a real pushy nuisance today. He was completely ignoring the fact that she wanted nothing to do with him. She would have to make it more clear to him, maybe with a fist, or even better, a blunt kunai.
Before the obviously annoyed woman could do anything to him with her heinous strength, Genma pulled her shoulders towards him and wrapped her up in a tight embrace.
Sakura didn't know what to do. No one dared to touch her this way except Naruto. Didn't he know better? Her hands just hung limply at her side as the strong shinobi pressed her into the hard planes of his torso.
"I know your still in there Sakura," he whispered into her hair.
Shock wasn't a strong enough word to describe Sakura's feelings. Shiranui Genma, a casual acquaintance from years ago and a drunken mistake from the previous night was treating her with such resolute intimacy.
"W-what are you doing Shiranui-san?" she meekly asked.
She heard him sigh and felt the burst of warm air caress across the crown of her head. "Please, just Genma."
Nodding slightly, she waited for him to go on with whatever the hell he was doing, but he remained silent, waiting for her to comply.
"Fine. What are you doing Genma?" she barely managed to whisper.
"Good girl," he said, softly and yet somewhat sexily as he released the reticent woman from his embrace. But one large hand remained firmly on her shoulder. She wasn't going to go free just yet.
"Sakura, I don't know if you know this, but I was with Kakashi when we found you. And I was also there when you were taken. I don't know how to explain Kakashi's behavior, but as far as mine goes, I want you to know I'm sorry. I'd like to think that you and I, we were starting to be pretty good friends back then."
'And this has what to do with anything?'
"But then you were killed, um, I mean taken, and it was kind of my fault. I know that Kakashi had entrusted your protection to me, even if you never made it. And then when we found you, it honestly scared the shit out of me. And I guess in a way I felt guilty, like I let you down and have been avoiding you this whole time. And then I acted like a drunk asshole last night and insulted you after trying to take advantage of you."
Sakura listened to his speech patiently. Genma seemed to be surprising her a lot lately. First, last night with his understated gentleness, and now with this self depricating sincerity. He must have really matured over the past two years.
"Genma- " she began but was cut off.
"No, please wait. I know that it's been a long time. And I know last night didn't really mean anything, but I like you Sakura. I liked you back then and I still like you now. I want you to give me the chance to get to know you again, but legitimately, not just a drunk hook up. So please say you'll go to dinner with me tonight."
'Eh?'
Sakura was taken aback by Genma's unexpected and forthright proposal. Didn't he know better? Didn't he know about the boundaries? Most men knew not to ask her out. While Naruto's fierce protectiveness of her was a significant enough reason, there was also the fact that she was looked upon as somewhat off limits. This may have been because she was the Godaime's apprentice, or that she generally acted emotionally unavailable and distant anyways. But Sakura suspected it was most likely that the shinobi of Konoha were wary of the pink haired kunoichi that fell into enemy hands for half a year and came back with her life. And then there was the whole mystery and speculation surrounding her rescue.
But Genma didn't seem to be restricted by any of this, and it surprised the young woman to no end. However, as refreshing as it may be to be treated like a normal woman for once, it didn't change the fact that Sakura would not allow anybody else to get close. Not ever again.
"I'm sorry, but I can't," she whispered, avoiding his gaze by staring at his defined chest.
Genma's hands fell away from her small shoulders and he took a step back from her. He knew better than to try to persuade or force the once mercurial kunoichi into doing anything she had denied. But he still couldn't help but wonder why Sakura insisted on keeping such distance. She obviously found him attractive. And he found her unbelievably desirable. But she seemed to have such fortified walls built up. It must have something to do with the past.
"Why?" It wasn't needy or sad. It was simply a question that he just needed answered. He just wanted to understand this Sakura. He suspected it was entirely about the events of the past.
"I…That's personal."
Yes, it was most definitely about the past.
He could have just accepted her lame excuse and walked away. But something in Genma told him to stay, to try harder. And Genma was a shrewd operative in all things concerning women. He knew how to manipulate a women's weakness. From what he knew about Sakura, the medic was selflessly concerned about other people, even at the expense of her own happiness or comfort. How else could you explain her hanging out with that annoying brat Naruto for so long?
"Sakura, if you think I'm ugly, you could just say so," Genma said as he did his best impression of dejection.
"Wait, I didn't say that," she started.
"No, it's alright. You don't have to say anything else," Genma shoved his hands in his pockets.
Sakura looked as if she was about to say something, to maybe even confess her attraction to him, but she suddenly stopped.
"Oh, you're good."
'Shit.'
"Do you really think all women are that transparent?" To Genma's immense relief, she looked slightly amused, which was much better than angry or annoyed.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he continued, figuring it was best to play this out until she either slugged him or laughed at him. She had caught on so quickly but Genma was nothing if not flexible. "I'm sorry I've made you look at my ugly face so long. I'll just go and hide in my room in the dark where I can't scare anybody else with my hideousness."
Sakura flashed a reluctant half smile at him. Though it was not one of the bright and uninhibited ones she used to give him for his antics, it was enough to give him some hope.
"Thank you," he said softly.
Sakura's face fell as her eyebrow rose up questioningly. "For what?"
"For proving me right."
She looked at him with confusion for a moment before a look of understanding flashed across her green eyes and her posture slumped slightly back towards the ground.
"I like it when you smile."
How did he do this to her? Even his smile, no matter how bruised and painful it looked, disarmed her in a way.
"Thanks," she hesitantly replied.
"All right, let's go," Genma placed his hand on the small of her back and began guiding the resisting woman towards the path leading back to the village.
"Go where," she asked.
He looked at her as if it was obvious. "I'm walking you to the hospital. You said you have a shift right?"
"Oh, um yes," Sakura answered.
He smiled brightly at her, "Good."
They walked in silence for the five minutes it took to reach the edge of the village, demarcated from the forest by a wall of colorfully patched buildings. Sakura braced herself to leap up onto the rooftops but Genma's hand grabbed her arm to stop her.
"No," he said simply, "let's walk."
She studied him for a moment then slightly nodded.
"If you'd like, I could heal your lip for you when we get there."
She was surprised at herself but, then again, everything about this entire day was turning out to be very strange.
Genma looked excitedly at the beautiful young woman. "I'd like that very much."
As they walked through the streets of Konoha, Genma thought happily about the progress he made with Sakura today. Even if he couldn't get her to break down the walls, it seemed he could at least get her to peek over.
Kakashi hated hospitals.
No, hate wasn't a strong enough word. Loathed, despised, abhorred, and detested came a little closer to describing his feelings about hospitals.
Now it makes sense that any ninja would have a strong dislike of them. Being in the hospital was an obvious blow to the ego; it showed that you're skills were not good enough to evade injury. Furthermore, staying in the hospital required an inherent lack of privacy. Shinobi were nothing if not wary of others invading their personal space. And when you combined these two factors you got an incapacitated shinobi open to invasions of privacy which made the hospital the perfect place for assassinations and made many nin highly paranoid. Factor in the mood swings that were side effects of most pain killers, and hospitals became highly hostile territory.
Of course, Kakashi felt the same as everyone else as far as these facts were concerned. But he mostly hated the hospital for the smell. As often as he found himself bedridden from chakra exhaustion after a difficult mission, the Copy-nin couldn't afford to linger on his injured ego or lack of freedom and privacy. But every time, as he lay in bed convalescing, the smell of death covered with bleach would bleed in through the layer of his mask and send his stomach turning. There was no fooling Hatake Kakashi's nose with thickly aromatic cleaners and detergents that stank of artificial lemon; he knew what death smelled like and the white corridors of the hospital absolutely reeked of it.
So Kakashi found himself wondering just what the hell he was doing waiting in the hospital on his own volition. He had been standing there for maybe fifteen minutes after sensing his former student's chakra signature in a room just around the corner. What was currently concerning him though, more than the smell, was the other person in the room with her. What exactly was Genma playing at?
Kakashi couldn't figure out what his friend had planned. Genma was never one to pursue a relationship, so his newfound interest in Sakura was more than troublesome. Kakashi figured that if he himself wasn't good enough for Sakura, the senbon sucker sure as hell wasn't either. And he hoped, for his friend's sake that he wasn't just looking for a fling. Not that Kakashi would allow anything to happen anyways, but if Genma dared to even think of Sakura that way, he would be in for more than just a busted lip.
So that's why Kakashi found himself here, on the second floor of the hospital, leaning casually against the wall with chakra expertly masked. In a vain attempt to distract himself, he had his beloved book out and in front of his face, but he just couldn't find the focus to read it.
"SAKURA-CHANNNN!"
Kakashi winced as the voice of Konoha's most unpredictable ninja blared out from around the corner. He silently thanked the powers that be for the fact that Naruto came from the opposite direction. No, he was most definitely not in the mood to deal with a riled up Naruto again today.
However…this could be a good opportunity to see Genma attacked and murdered by the enraged Kyuubi container. Well maybe not murdered. They were in a hospital after all, and his life would probably be saved. But still-
"What do you want?" Genma's voice asked.
A low growl reverberated from around the corner.
Kakashi gleefully lifted his hitai-ate so he could watch through the walls with his Sharingan.
He saw Naruto, chakra swirling wildly about, facing a nervous looking Genma. Standing slightly behind him was Sakura. Kakashi could tell she was tense, but was surprised she hadn't yelled at Naruto already. He remembered how Naruto's antics were often rewarded with a swift punch to the chin in the past.
"Get away from her you leper!" Naruto fiercely demanded.
"Leper?" Genma questioned looking at the exposed skin on his arm.
"He means lecher," Sakura quietly responded, eyes cast towards the floorin what could either be shame or resignation.
"Oh, lecher! Yep, that makes so much more sense," Genma nodded his head at her then paused, "Hey wait!" he cried out in offense.
Another growl from Naruto and Genma shifted nervously back away.
"Umm, I'll catch you later Sakura."
"Hai," she quietly answered.
In the next instant, Kakashi watched Genma take off with quicksilver speed down the hallway. Naruto was pretty damn scary when pissed off.
"Oi, get back here. I'm gonna kick your ass for messing with Sakura-chan," the rambunctious blonde yelled.
'Damn,' Kakashi thought. Genma happened to be very good at evading angry men out to kick his ass. Probably a skill learned from many years of screwing other men's girlfriends and wives. Well, he supposed he could catch the beating on another day.
But for now, he had more important things to worry about.
Sakura watched the retreating, or rather fleeing, form of Genma and Naruto. Though entirely inane, Naruto's antics did at least amuse her a little bit. Sometimes she wondered if Naruto would ever let any man get within spitting distance of herself. But she supposed it was ok for now. As she told Genma earlier, she wasn't interested in romance and relationships. Those were for normal people, people who didn't have a more sinister future ahead of them. Sometimes she almost understood why the old Sauske had been so stand offish as a genin. But all that didn't matter now…
Sakura sighed and turned to walk further into the pristine bowels of the hospital. Since she had no missions this afternoon, she figured it couldn't hurt to help out in the ermergency department. Kami knows they were short staffed, even despite Tsunade's numerous reforms on Shinobi healthcare. The fact was that the average medic nin position just didn't hold the glamour of active field duty. And the amount of chakra control and intense study required after graduation from the academy made it a specialty that demanded commitment at a very young age. Most fresh faced gennin were too intrigued by their own field training and traveling to commit to returning to a classroom and lab, and thus, the window of opportunity for recruiting new candidates was often missed. Sakura had been thinking about proposing a pre-graduation training program to her shishou that would identify and begin training medic candidates still in their academy years. Though it would cost a great deal of money and resources to establish such a program, it would also ensure the future health of Konoha's shinobi and civilian populations by exponentially increasing the successful identification and training of medic-nins.
Yet Sakura was most definitely not an average medic-nin. Her position as Tsunade's apprentice and the second best healer in Konoha made her one of the elite. Both the Hokage and the council agreed that Sakura's ability would be wasted sitting in the hospital. Her healing skills were amazing, yet her battle skills were also superb. It had been decided a long time ago that Sakura would have the unique responsibility of being embedded in teams taking high risk missions. That's why Tsunade had supported her joining ANBU so many years back. As an ANBU operative, Sakura worked directly under the Hokage, and in this capacity was able to move easily from team to team and participate in the most dangerous and secret missions. Though Tsunade always had qualms about sending her apprentice into imminent danger, she made it clear a long time ago that the job of a medic-nin was to protect and support others in a way in which they could not do so themselves, even at the sacrifice of their own safety. And Sakura was always proud to do so.
However, after being brought back, it had taken a long time before Tsunade was willing to return her beloved apprentice to full-duty status. Yes, it had been partly about Sakura's lingering mental trauma. But, they both knew it was also Tsunade's fierce desire to keep the young woman close for fear of losing her again. Sakura had suspected that she was held to higher standards as far as psychological health went because Tsunade was hesitant to put her back in harm's way. Ibiki had hinted as much during the great amount of time Sakura had spent with him undergoing grueling testing and exercises. In a way it was highly ridiculous seeing as a certain level of insanity was required for any ANBU operative. However, she wasn't one to argue with the Hokage. So instead, she used her vast intellect to lie and bluff her way through.
And, luckily she had been returned to full duty about six months ago. Before that she had taken mid ranked missions with Naruto's team and spent the rest of her time working in the emergency department at the hospital and undergoing counseling. Sakura enjoyed her work within the hospital. Unlike missions, she could always escape the mundane and bitter stillness of her everyday life by walking through the front doors. At the hospital, it was always about the pain of others. Because she was gifted with the capacity to relieve other's pain, Sakura never felt helpless there.
Even now she spent her free time between missions helping out in the emergency triage. It provided an effective cover for her work in ANBU. Because she was such a high profile individual in Konoha, and the identity of ANBU was a closely guarded secret, working shifts in the hospital was a good cover. If someone like Sakura were to be noticeably absent from the standard missions assignment office as well as the hospital, the many people who kept a close eye on her would begin to assume things. It was the reason Naruto and Hinata would never be allowed to join. So, Tsunade had instructed her to show her face at the hospital at least once a day when she was not on assignment. Of course Sakura was sure that her Shishou had never intended for her to become a full time staff member at the hospital when she was in town, but Sakura did her best to remain under Tsunade's radar. If she wanted to have two jobs as a kunoichi, then it was her business. After all, her life was her work.
Or maybe it was that her work was her life?
'Whatever,' she thought to herself as she turned the corner to head to the stair well. If she stayed discrete enough, she could probably get away with working the evening and morning shifts without being forcibly sent home by Shizune. However, it would all depend on-
"Sakura…"
'Shit!'
Two shinobi flew through the old reinforced steel double doors that adorned the front entrance of Konoha's shinobi and civilian hospital.
"Oi! Quit running you coward!" the blonde yelled.
"Well the stop chasing me god damnmt," the brunette answered over his shoulder. Genma sure as hell did not intend to face off with the Kyuubi container in that state. Nah-uh, no way. Naruto was notoriously protective of Sakura, and Genma was not willing to risk the wide spread destruction of the city as well as his own body while fighting the Jinchuuriki over Sakura, when it was just as easy to get to her behind the dumbass's back. Much more easy and safe.
"I'm gonna kill you for messing with Sakura-chan you pervert," the younger blonde roared as he continued his pursuit.
"NARUTO!" a high pitched banshee shriek rang out through the air and caused both men to stop and flinch.
Lumbering up behind them and huffing with a mix of anger and over exertion was a noticeably pregnant Nara Ino. Make that noticeably pregnant and scary.
"Naruto! What the hell are you thinking making such a big scene!" Ino demanded as she drew up next to him and grabbed his ear.
"But Ino…" Naruto cringed and whined.
"Ino, give him a break," called out Shikamaru's tired voice as he trailed up behind his wife.
"Naruto, I told you to be subtle."
Genma watched the scene with a sight bit of amusement. It was definitely a rare treat to see the fearsome Kyuubi container be so thoroughly cowed by a petite and pregnant woman. However, Genma knew better than to judge this particular kunoichi on looks for he had often wondered why his lazy teammate had chosen to marry such a scary, scary woman.
And despite the fact the he enjoyed watching Naruto being scolded like a naughty school boy, Genma decided he would take advantage of the opening and get out of their immediate proximity, fast. And since it was already past noon his favorite hole in the wall bar would be open.
'Yosh! To the bar it is!' Genma internally declared while making the hand signs for a fast and effective teleportation jutsu.
"Oi! Where do you think you're going?" Ino's high pitched voice stopped Genma mid-hand sign.
'Crap.'
"You stay right there Shiranui Genma. I have business with you."
Genma looked to his bored teammate for assistance but was only offered an unsympathetic shrug.
Meanwhile, Ino had released the whining Naruto from her hold.
"Geeze Ino, what's the problem?" he asked as he rubbed his sore ear.
"Naruto, go home!" Ino ordered, placing her hands on her hips bossily. Of course the fact that this action made her rounded belly stick out further made the whole pose rather comical, but all of the men were much too frightened of Ino's scorn to laugh.
"But, Innnoooo! You said that that leopard was messing with Sakura-chan!"
"Baka! I lied. Now go away or I'll tell Hinata-chan about that one time in Grass when you and Lee-"
Naruto gulped. "No, no. Don't do that. I'm going!" He cast one last dirty glance in Genma's direction before trotting off in the opposite direction.
Ino rounded on Genma.
For a moment the only sound that punctuated the silence was Shikamaru's sigh. It was very much like an old western faceoff in the middle of the street. Before tumbleweeds had the chance to roll through the scene, Ino spoke.
"Genma, we need to talk."
"Yea, I gathered as much, but did you have to send the rabid attack dog to come get me?"
"I'm trying to be subtle."
"Well I would say you failed miserably."
Shikamaru sighed again.
"Come on Genma, I'll buy you a drink," the round bellied blonde ignored his annoyance.
Genma felt as though he'd fallen down the rabbit hole. But he supposed that worse things could happen than being bought a drink by a pregnant Nara Ino. Even if that particular woman was nothing but trouble, who was he to say no to free drinks?
Damn that woman played dirty…
"Sakura.."
The deep steady voice tore through the hollow silence of the hallway and made her freeze instantly.
'Shit, no, no, no. Just go away.'
"Sakura."
It was firmer and more demanding this time.
But Sakura found she was unable to turn around and face him. After two years of being ignored by him, what do you say to a man like Kakashi?
The sound of approaching footsteps bounced from wall to wall and across the empty space around her.
"Sakura, please," his voice was so close; she imagined she could feel his breath on the nape of her neck. This was not a conversation she wanted to be having right now. Why didn't men ever know when to leave a woman alone?
Sakura clenched her fists in frustration. She knew this was coming sooner or later, but thanks to Genma's distractions, she had yet been able to formulate a plan for dealing with Kakashi. She wasn't even sure if she owed him an apology ('Hey sorry about almost crushing your wind pipe this morning. No hard feelings, right?') or if she was willing to accept one on his part.
Yet here he was sneaking up on her in the empty hallways of the hospital, a place he hated more than soft core porn ('what's the point?' he would ask), so she doubted he would leave her alone, much less let her escape without some uncomfortably awkward exchange of unpleasantries.
But Gods, she did not want to talk to him right now.
Sakura quickly decided to recycle her failed strategy with Genma. Be polite, yet distant. Maybe Kakashi would get the clue and leave her the hell alone, or maybe he would just be as lazy as usual and give up.
Yes, it may not be a good plan, but it would avoid having to deal with any of the painful feelings that surfaced wherever Kakashi was concerned.
Kakashi watched the tense back and shoulders of kunoichi standing before him.
This young woman looked the same and walked the same and even smelt the same as his Sakura, but something deep underneath everything was very much not the same.
"Kakashi-san, will you excuse me? There is really somewhere I have to be," Sakura addressed him without even turning back. She did not wait for a response as she anxiously shifted her weight to step forward.
"No, I won't."
'God dammit!'
"Sakura, look at me," he demanded as softly as he could manage.
"I'm sorry Kakashi-san, I really do need to be going," she replied stoically and politely, yet still refusing to give him the courtesy of looking him in the eye.
Kakashi was having trouble identifying the sensations he was feeling. Sakura was making him angry by acting so distant and addressing him in such a formal way. But she was also making his chest ache. This is not how Sakura acted. This was not right. He wanted so badly to close all that space between them by taking her into his arms and squeezing the warmth back into her. But he knew she was much more collected than last night, and that physical contact would not be permitted. But hell if he was going to address her back. She was his former student, his former friend, and a fellow shinobi of the Leaf, and she could at least look him in the face when he talked to her.
"Sakura, I am ordering you right now to turn around and look at me."
And with that demand, Sakura's carefully composed sense of control crumbled.
"Or what Kakashi-san? Will you have me thrown in the brig? Did you come here to pick a fight with me and pull rank?"
"Sakura" he growled out.
Sakura spun around to face him. "What the hell do you want?" she spat.
"I came here to apologize," he narrowed his eyes and stepped challengingly forward.
"Well you're doing a real fucking good job," she shotwhile stepping backwards away from him.
"You're not giving me a chance Sakura," he growled and preceded towards her, hand extended to grab her shoulder.
"Don't touch me! You don't get to touch me," Sakura ducked out of the way of his hand and continued to back away.
Kakashi noted the look akin to fear flash across her eyes. 'Shit! This is not going the way I planned,' he thought. Her standoffishness had made him angry, and his anger had in turn made her frightened. He was scaring her again, and that is the last thing he wanted to do. But even as she stepped back from him, attempting to retreat from his presence, Kakashi couldn't help but follow after her. It was like she was the negative to his positive and the magnetism was much too strong to resist. He needed to calm her down so he could apologize appropriately. Not just for last night, but for everything.
"Sakura, please stop this. I just want to talk," he pleaded softly while still advancing on her.
"NO! I don't want to talk about it. Just leave me the hell alone," Sakura stubbornly shouted.
Suddenly their little game of flee and pursue was brought to an abrupt end when Sakura ran out of hallway and hit her back against the wall. Kakashi watched as her green eyes opened wide in surprise and then the subtle shift in her weight that indicated which direction she intended to flee.
As Sakura turned to get the hell away from the man who would not leave her the fuck alone and was completely ruining her plans, a hand reached out and grabbed her wrist. Her arm was yanked roughly and before she could blink she found herself trapped between the wall and Kakashi, her right wrist still held tightly and pinned against the wall by her head. Her other hand remained free, but Kakashi had her caged in on the left side with his forearm flat against the wall above her shoulder, his face leaning in towards her ear.
"Don't run," he whispered, his breath rushing over her cheek despite the mask.
Sakura drew in a shaky breath. At this close proximity it was impossible to escape the wonderful physical sensation of Kakashi. His scent, the feeling of his thumb running in a circle over her pinned wrists, but most of all the warmth of his body seeping into her. It was all giving her a heady feeling and she realized she needed to get away, and quickly.
"Kakashi-san, please let me go," she whispered while pushing lightly against his chest with her free hand for affect.
"Stop it," he ordered.
"Stop what?" she let her free hand fall and hang at her side.
"Stop acting like this dammit!" Kakashi could feel the anger swelling up inside again. "Sakura, this is not how you act. You're supposed to yell at me, hit me, lose your temper, do something," hepleaded.
What did this man want? A chakra enhanced kick to the balls?
"This is not you. I know you, and this is not you," he continued, his voice catching.
'How redundant,' she thought.
"Why are you being like this," he whispered into her ear.
Kakashi felt the woman underneath him violently tense. It was ironic really. Not twenty-four hours ago, he had flipped out at finding her pinned between Genma and a wall. And now she was right back in the same position again with him. However, whereas she seemed to enjoy being so close to Genma, it was clear to Kakashi that if he let her, Sakura would run away and not look back.
"You think you know me," her soft voice.
"Sakura-"
"Let go, now," her voice, though still soft, had become demanding.
Kakashi relented and stepped back away from her soft body. Her eyes were burning green, showing him the anger that she felt.
"Don't you dare presume to tell me who I am. You have no idea who I am. You haven't even spoken to me once in two years. How dare you act like you know me!"
"Sakura, stop this."
"NO you stop it. How dare you?"
"I'm-"
"I don't want to hear it. Just leave me alone."
"Sakura-"
"I DON'T WANT TO FUCKING HEAR IT," she shouted before turning and storming off down the hallway.
Kakashi felt something inside him come to a boil. He was angry. Angry at Sakura, angry at Naruto, angry at Genma. But most of all he was just plain fucking pissed off with himself.
"DAMMIT," he yelled into the sterile silence of the building which he hated so very much. The pressure burst as feelings suddenly became action and Kakashi found his fist embedded deep within one of those loathsome colorless walls.
"Um, Kakashi-san?"
"What?" he asked breathlessly as he stared at the hole he had apparently created.
"Hokage-sama requests your presence," the nameless ninja nervously informed him.
"Great," he seethingly responded. The other nin disappeared as quickly as he came, probably trying to avoid the same misdirected wrath that the wall had been victim to.
O yea, that's exactly what he needed right now. A visit to the Hokage was sure to make him feel better.
A/N: My view on reviews- if the story which I have spent hours and hours working on has brought you even just a little bit of enjoyment, then the least you can do is write a review. Now, in all fairness, I never reviewed either before I started writing, but now I always take a second to let an author know what I liked about thier work and sometimes I even let them know what I think they can improve on. The best reviews are always the ones that point out specific things which are either good or bad, since they help a new author like me grow in my writing.
But seriously, look at the reviews this story has gotten so far for chapter six. They are AWESOME and are really helping me as I work on Chapter 7.