AN: really really really really really really short, so it's evil in a way to leave it here, but believe me, the next chapter works better when it's not attached to this one.
If it doesn't satisfy your needs you can blame one thing… I have run out of biscuits.
It's so tragic I might cry.
Even worse though… I still can't put on any weight, no matter how many biscuits I eat.
Well, I shall purchase more tomorrow and regain my sugar high potential.
Arigato to reviewers. Only 3 away from the 150 mark. Woot!
Not enough words in this chapter
Unmasked
Chapter 19- Serious
"We need to talk"
Sakura froze, her heart caught in her throat. He…
He slowly turned to face her, a serious expression on his face.
"Kakashi… please don't say anything, I… I love you"
He stood back slightly in surprise. "You…?"
She felt a heat rise to her face and looked away "I love you. I only really noticed it when I thought you were gone… for the first time I… I couldn't do it. If it wasn't for Haruka-chan, you wouldn't be here." She sighed deeply "Something inside me says you still aren't… says that it's too perfect… I have to be dreaming… but I do love you."
"Sakura, I am still here… I could never leave you" He held the hand that held her clip and she looked up at him. "We need to talk though, because this is serious."
She couldn't find any words, completely baffled at his entire demeanor. He was dressed formally, fully cleaned up with his hair brushed flatter, but something in the way he stood seemed awkward and out of character. He sounded hurt.
"Sakura… what you just told me makes this even more important to say. This thing we have, it affects our work, our actions, our friends; it affects our entire lives. Just one week away from you was torture, and finding out what you had done once I woke up… it nearly broke my heart.
"You are the most beautiful, most amazing woman I have ever met, but I understand now what you had been trying to say to me before. You put in all of that effort trying to save my life, and then you went off to be with Kiba here. You must spend your entire life trying to keep everyone else happy, and never think twice about yourself. I know you must only have started dating me to keep me happy, but you really shouldn't have to.
"it's not fair that I keep hold of you like this, when you should be finding someone who will give you something back, someone who might even be grateful." He reached out a hand and ran it through her hair affectionately, as though it was the last time he would ever get to "You should be with someone who can make you happy, not the other way around."
Sakura looked up into his dark eyes and felt her own begin to water.
"You bastard" she choked out slowly and quietly.
He looked away, hoping it would get easier if he couldn't see her face as he let go of her hand.
"How can you be so selfish? I tried so hard it almost broke your heart so you are breaking up with me? I love you! How dare you say you can't make me happy?" she let go of her dress where she had been fiddling and walked around so that she was in his vision again, letting the tears fall down her face. "Are you listening Kakashi? I said I love you. I haven't said that to anyone since Sasuke... You of all people should know what that means to me."
"I do…" he sighed "I just hope you realize how serious this is. I'm not ready to retire yet, and it's likely I'll get injured again. I don't want you to have to put yourself through it again unless it's genuine. I don't want to break up with you Sakura, because I love you too, but I want to give you the chance to back out without trouble, before we get more committed."
She attempted to wipe the moisture from her eyes, her heart thudding in her chest. "I don't want to back out at all. My head and my heart have already told me that I'm committed, trust me."
"You are sure?" he met her eyes, seeking reassurance
"Yes, I'm sure. I missed you so much; I'd give anything to have you hold me again" she recognized the cliché, but right then, it didn't matter to her.
No further words were said as he reached forward and pulled her towards him, taking her shoes from her hand to lean them on a nearby branch.
She wrapped her arms tightly around his waist and buried her head in his shoulder, hoping never to let go.
One of his hands slipped around to hold her at the lower back while his other reached back softly into her hair.
She tilted her head up to face him, searching the expression on his face, and found his eyes wandering over her features, exploring areas of exposed skin he wasn't used to. She smiled lightly at his wonder and brought his attention back to her face with a tender kiss.
He closed his eyes in bliss then began to kiss back, deepening the contact as her hands gripped him closer, beginning to roam back to slip underneath his formal jacket.
They held for sometime, kissing and holding each other tight but not getting too passionate or involved, until Kakashi slipped a hand away from Sakura's head to reach inside his jacket pocket.
Her left hand, which she had rested on that side, fell loose by her side, her other hand still holding the clip. She was going to pull back to figure out what he was doing, but then she felt a chill against her ring finger, and a bigger smile spread across her face.
Lifting that hand, she wrapped it around the back of his neck to pull him into a much more fervent kiss in thanks.
The one main thing she had been dreading was not necessarily him breaking up with her, but more the horrible ordeal of being asked that question again. Being faced with a situation where she had to give a yes or no answer that would affect the entire outcome of her life, would have been her perception of hell itself. This way, that was taken away, and all she had to do was stay exactly as she was.
A few minutes later, they broke apart for air and let go of each other, breathing rapidly.
Kakashi looked up at Sakura questioningly.
She simply smiled back with a slight nod.
He smiled along and waited until he got his breath back before asking. "Do you want to go and tell people?"
She laughed slightly "No"
"We aren't going back to the party then?"
"Not yet" she raised an eyebrow at him, guessing at what he was going to insinuate next.
"Well we had better find something to do with our time then" he smirked
Sakura rolled her eyes and went to pick up her shoes. "Just don't rip my dress or anything; I've still got a presentation to give"
"I wouldn't dream of it" he coiled an arm around her waist and in seconds, they disappeared in a flurry of petals and leaves.
AN: too tired to write author note…
Comments and reviews please.
Check my website for previews and teasers etc as usual.
All that blah. unenthusiastically jazz hands
Stay shiny and show the luff
Xx Belizma-chan xX