AN: Gomen, really long one this one. Couldn't split it though, I think that would be a crime. This one is KakaSaku, as very popularly requested. I think it has a good humor element but what do you think? This has been partly written since about chapter 9 of Back to Surreality so I'm over the moon to finally include it.

Poll update: 8 KakaSaku, 5 ShikaIno, 7 NejiTen

Hikaru Akurei requested some Kiba love so there is some here.

Raineoftears also asked a long, long time back (BTS chapter15 poll?) for some more Hoshi so I thought I'd bring her back in a little.

Also, plan-tastic.

Enjoy.

2643 words in this chapter

Unmasked

Chapter 2- A beast, a snake and a slug tamer

Sunday evening, Sakura was just finishing her shift and was clearing up the papers spread across her desk, attempting to sort them into priority order. The problem seemed to be, that every one of the sheets was top priority. The upcoming presentation didn't leave her much time to deal with live medical work.

Eventually she just gave up and piled them as neatly as possible into one stack in her "in" tray. Most of them were letters from people who were volunteering to help out at the event, desperate for an invitation to what was promising to be the biggest celebration in Konoha for years. So far, the guest list was very short, with only the most recognized and important people aloud to attend. Shikamaru was on the list by Tamari's personal request, and had argued that he should be aloud to bring Ino with him, seen as Sakura was being forced to bring a date. She had no idea who she would bring, but she had decided, with Kakashi's consent, that she shouldn't bring him. That was what Tsunade wanted. Other than that, Naruto, Tenten and Neji were the only other Nin her age that received invitations.

Something caught her eye as she shifted the papers and she pulled it out for a better look. She smiled at the familiar name on the letter, and at the drawn illustration of herself at the side. It was another letter asking for permission to participate in the presentation. This one was a very enthusiastic one from Hoshi, the girl from the dress store. Sakura read it over and then put it on the top of the pile, to address the following morning.

She stood up and began to check her office for anything she had missed, but was interrupted by a knock at the door. She sighed, sitting back in her desk chair to address the visitor with a composed attitude. "Come in"

The door swung open to reveal Tsunade, smirking at her. "You are still here, what a surprise."

"I was just leaving actually, is there something you wanted? Or were you just going to snoop around my office?"

"No, I was hoping I would catch you." She closed the door behind her and took a seat. "I need to ask you something."

"Go ahead; I'll do my best to answer."

"Arigato. Have you got a date yet for the celebration with Suna?"
"Tsunade-sama, you only asked me on Wednesday." She glared.

"I recognize that Sakura, but you are aware that we only have just over a week before the Suna party arrive in Konoha, aren't you? They are due to be here next Monday."

"Hai"

"So you need to be with a date by that time. We don't want our top medic to look like she can't hold a relationship." She grinned, schemes in her head.

"Don't worry Tsunade, I'll find someone."

"Talking of dates… I actually need to ask you a favor."

"Hmm…?"

"It's about Kakashi."

She scowled at her, but was giggling in her head. "How does Kakashi have anything to do with dates?"

"Oh, nothing really," she spoke in a, mock-innocent voice "I just have to ask you if you can do something for me."

"What is it…?" She was suspicious of her ex-mentor's tone.

"I want everyone to look their smartest at the celebration, which is why I asked Ino to take you shopping. I want everyone who is there to wear proper formal wear, with no silly face paints or individual deviations. That's where you come in. Kakashi's mask is a problem. I can't let him wear it."

"Tsunade-sama, with all due respect, I'm sure you will know how important that is to him. You can't order him to do something like that."

"No, I can't. The only way Kakashi will go without the mask is if you make him."

"What makes you think I can do that?"

"If you dated him he would do anything for you." She smirked.

"You can sod off if you think I'm going to do that just for your celebration."

"But it's the only way I can come up with" Tsunade glared at her.

Sakura glared back for some time before an idea struck her. "No… I can think of something. Where is Anko at the moment?"

"What are you planning Sakura?" Tsunade looked annoyed as Sakura got up and began to leave.

She turned and smirked back "Well I can't do it, or he'll hate me forever, but I don't think either of us has seen her since just after the mission. He'll expect it of her."

Then she disappeared out of the door before Tsunade could say another word.

She didn't go to look for Anko, but kept walking, back out to the park. It was half seven at night at least but the sun was still bright.

She smiled to herself as she strolled through the trees, partly at her genius plan, but mostly at what she knew was about to happen.

A familiar chakra flare appeared behind her on the track and soon footsteps trailed hers.

His voice called out to her. "You said you would be out at seven."

She stopped, highly entertained by the fact that she had made him wait. "I got lost on the road of life"

She felt warm arms slip around her waist from behind and giggled lightly.

"I take it you were busy today then."

"Hai, didn't even save any lives, I've just been dealing with endless stacks of fan mail."

"Never mind… wait, fan mail? I thought you didn't get publicity." He turned her to face him.

"I don't usually, but being the guest speaker at the biggest celebration of the year tends to raise your profile."

"Oh, right, I forgot you had to go to that."

She smiled up at him. "You do too"

"I do? That's the first I've heard of it."

"Well Tsunade has just given me a very special mission about it so…" She dragged him off the main path so that they were less visible if someone happened to walk past and see them.

"A mission? From Tsunade? Haven't you learnt this one yet?"

"I think it might be interesting, and possibly in your favor." She smirked knowingly.

"Really?"

"Hai, she wants me to get you unmasked for the celebration. I think her intention is to get me to date you for it. I told her that was laughable, but I thought of another way it might work."

"Unmasked? Are you sure that's such a good idea?" he stood back looking uncomfortable at the notion.

"Listen, I know this is tender for you but you have me now so you don't have to hide. We've talked about this." She knew she sounded patronizing but was thoroughly enjoying her high horse.

"Hai, but we agreed that so long as everyone knows we are together, it would be ok. We are keeping it secret, so I can't just go and take it off randomly, people may ask questions."

"You haven't heard my plan yet. Remember what you said about Gai?"

"The drinking contests?"

"Hai, you said the time you would have to pay without your mask would be years if he found out."

"You want me to tell him that I cheated?"

"Not necessarily… someone that was there could just happen to casually slip that they saw you out of the corner of their eye."

"No one did though." he reasoned.

"No but we know people that were there. People that we know heard you talking about the bets. People that it would pay to blackmail first before they start using the cheating against you" she grinned

"Two birds with one stone?"

"Hai, or at least a snake and a slug tamer"

"Three if you include the beast"

"He was never much of a threat. So can I ask her?"

"What would you say?"

"I'm not sure, maybe I could just tell her I was trying to get you off my tail"

"no, that would just trap you in an endless sea of innuendoes that would waste an evening, believe me"

"I do, hmm… what about if I just told her it would let her see your face again?"

"It could work" he shrugged "but what if she…"

Sakura quieted him with a finger on his masked lips. "Can we stop talking about this? I'll sort it out."

She then stood back, taking her hand from his face as she grabbed hold of both of his hands comfortably.

"Alright, no more talking" he smirked pulling down his mask again and re-claimed her mouth with his own so fast she didn't have chance to resist.

Despite the dominating nature of the action, it was so gentle, she almost melted. Her legs turned to mush and she had to grab hold of him just to stay upright, letting go of his hands.

She didn't really anticipate what having his hands free would do until she felt them moving, one to her lower back, the other to hold the back of her head, fingers brushing through her hair to pull it loose from her ponytail. The one on her lower back started to trace small circles with such precision that she sighed into his mouth.

She lost all thought processes as he worked magic with his touch, forgetting for a while exactly where she was or who she was with, but she didn't care. Nor did she really care that much when his hand slipped lower, resting softly on her behind as she locked her fingers together behind his neck and pulled him closer.

She did care however, when a voice called to them, startling them out of their senses. "Do you guys ever do that in private?"

Kakashi jolted in surprise and lost his balance, pulling Sakura down with him as he landed on the grass. She fell on top of him with a thud and heard his groan underneath her. She quickly scrambled off him, pulling up his mask as she did so, and looked up at the intruder.

He was laughing his head off at the sight of them crumpled on the floor.

"Kiba! What the hell?!"

"Sorry Sakura, but it was a valid point. First the hospital, then out here in the park, what's next, Tsunade's office?" he stopped laughing for a second "I was just wondering if your little secret fling would be better off, you know, in secret"

"It's not a secret fling!"

"Oh really? You keep denying it, so I'm going to assume it's a secret, and I don't see a ring on your finger, so I'm sticking with fling."

"Don't think I haven't tried" Kakashi mumbled, sitting up next to Sakura. He forgot all about Kiba's sensitive hearing.

"Really Kakashi, you've proposed? Good for you man." Then he saw the homicidal glare from Sakura and refrained from giving Kakashi a high five. "But… she said no? What's wrong Sakura? It can't be the sex, because lets face it, these little performances you keep giving me don't leave much to be desired. Except, maybe you should try topless next time Sakura, I'm sure he would like that."

Kakashi blushed and looked away.

"What do you want Kiba?" Sakura spat spitefully.

"Me? Nothing. I was just taking Akamaru for a walk and he managed to lead me straight to you. I think he's run off now but he'll be back. Why, were you suggesting something? Want me to join in?"

"That's sick Kiba."

"No it's not. It's fun, remember?"

Kakashi turned back to look at Sakura strangely. She just glanced away from him.

Kiba continued to comment "Oh yeah, me and Sakura have a great history, but don't feel left out Kakashi, I'm sure she'll share."

"Kiba! Shut the hell up now!" Sakura practically growled.

"Right. Shutting up. I just figured, you know, because you turned him down and everything, you didn't want to be exclusive."

"Kiba, this has absolutely nothing to do with you. Stop jumping to conclusions. We aren't dating at all, ok? There is nothing between Kakashi and me."

"You see, I find that very hard to believe, seen as you keep sucking the face off each other in public."

"We don't! We don't, alright? Unless you didn't notice, that was completely one-sided."

Kakashi bowed his head again. Keeping their relationship secret was going to be a lot harder on him than he had said.

"You didn't resist though." He smirked, letting one fang slip past his lip "Stop saying things like that, you are seriously damaging his ego."

"My ego can defend itself" Kakashi protested, standing up to face him.

"And technically" Sakura added, just to seem clever after that extreme act of stupidity "according to Freud, the ego can only really be extensively damaged during childhood, after then it has developed fully. Kakashi is very much an adult so it would take a lot to… I'll shut up"

"What the hell is it you are doing if you aren't dating or whatever? Are you just fuck-buddies?"

Sakura gave Kakashi a despairing look. He had just turned away to hide what was visible of his bright red face.

Kiba looked at the pair of them and read all of the body language to a key. He gave off another laugh as he looked at Kakashi. "You're a fucking virgin!"

"Kiba!" Sakura scolded.

"My personal life has nothing to do with you boy. Now I suggest you run off to find that little runt of a puppy and leave us alone." Kakashi snapped at him.

Kiba began to snarl in response, before deciding better of it and walked around the line of hedges with a laugh. "Be gentle Sakura!"

"Retard" Sakura stood up, clenching her fists. She then turned to face Kakashi "I'll be back in a minute."

"Nani?"

She just ran off after Kiba, catching up to him easily. "Kiba stop!"

He turned to face her, a grin still shining across his features. "Don't worry, I know the deal, tell anyone and you'll pound me."

"No, that wasn't what I wanted. I mean, yes, of course that still applies, but there's something else."

"What now?"

She began to fiddle with her uniform, "I uh… I need a date to the celebration for Tamari's birthday."

"Why don't you ask him?" he nodded to where she had left Kakashi.

Yeah, in his dreams" She mock laughed at the concept. "Come on Kiba, it's just a few days that I need to look like I have a boyfriend. Will you help me out?"

"You want me to date you?"

"Just for a few days, and not seriously, just in front of the Suna party."

"Do I get to go to the big party thing, and see you in formal wear?"

"Hai…"

"Done" he grinned and walked off to find Akamaru again.

She sighed in relief and headed back to greet Kakashi.

He was sat on the floor still and looked up to her as she came nearer "Sakura?"

She smiled sweetly at him "Nani?"

"It wasn't. Was it?"

"What wasn't?"

"The reason… It wasn't the…" he looked down, blushing slightly "sex, was it? It wasn't that I'm not experienced enough…"

"Don't be stupid! I mean… sure, I've never taken a guy's virginity before but… no. that isn't it at all. Hell, I've slept with guys known to have plenty of experience and not one of them can kiss like you, even before the Icha Icha help, actually scratch that. Especially before the Icha Icha help. Please stop reading that crap; it's all just foreplay tricks. That only proves that experience has nothing to do with matters like this."

"Well then what…?"

"I have no idea." She grabbed hold of his mask and yanked it down, rolling back on top of him and pinning him with her mouth.

AN: I'm not sure if it all flows properly and makes sense. The bit with Kiba was originally supposed to be put in before they started dating and scheming, so a lot has been adapted from the original.

Sakura is so clever with all her little solutions.

Like you all weren't expecting the mask thing to happen with a title like this. Lol.

Poll is ongoing. The most popular pairing after each chapter will be the following chapter, seen as I have so much juicy writing for all of the pairings.

ShikaIno is less sorted through ATM so would take longer to write. I have parts of a chapter ready but nothing exiting. I'm really not sure where it's going for now.

KakaSaku is limited, but there is some stuff I forgot to include in this so that could be an option.

NejiTen has so many ideas I can barely sleep for the urge to keep writing.

Next chapter may well have to be NejiTen again anyway, just because I have stuff piling up, but I still want reviewer input.

If you all start screaming at me to stop the NejiTen stuff and get back to Ino or whatever then I will.

Stay shiny and show the luff

XX Belizma-chan XX