AN: whoa, this is a long one. N/m.
It's been a while, but I felt mean to leave you hanging like that.
2990 words in this chapter
Unmasked
Chapter 24- Absolutely
Sakura sat in utter relaxation, the warm water swilling around her body. It had been a long time since she had been this comfortable with another person and it was refreshing.
If she had even entertained the thought of being naked in an Onsen with a man before now, it would have gone right along with the idea of being felt up, but not this time. This time, her eyes were shut in silence as the only part of her being 'felt up' was her foot.
"Mmm…" she mumbled as he rubbed a finger over a delicate spot. "You spoil me"
"I have to" his smirking voice replied "I wouldn't want you to run off"
She smiled; still keeping her eyes shut, and leant forward to give him a grateful peck on the lips. "I just can't believe you have your own Onsen, this is insane."
"It's not technically my own"
Her eyes snapped open in alarm, only to be greeted by a hearty laugh.
"It's not mine, it's the building's, but I really don't think any of the other residents know about it." He explained
"But you don't know"
"It doesn't matter. They'd have to come through my apartment, and the only other person who has a key is…"
"Kaka-sensei!" A loud, obnoxious voice called from inside the apartment.
Sakura panicked and gave Kakashi a glare that screamed 'why the hell does he have a key?'
He grimaced and rushed out of the Onsen quickly, pulling his trousers and mask on hastily as he went to stop Naruto from getting any further.
She wasn't far behind as she masked her chakra signal and threw a nearby towel around herself. She crept off to overhear the conversation, careful not to alert Naruto to her presence.
"Kaka-sensei!" she heard him call out again
"Naruto, you don't have to yell when I'm right next to you" Kakashi's voice groaned out as if he had just gotten up with a hangover
"Where were you? You are all wet"
"None of your business, how did you get into my apartment?"
"Genma gave me his key"
Sakura almost groaned. Giving Genma the key wasn't much better, but at least there was reason to it.
"What do you want?"
"Have you seen Sakura?"
A discrete cough. "No, um… no I haven't. Why, is there something you needed her for?" Arigato Kakashi…
"Ino just wanted us to tell her that everyone is meeting in the park."
"I'll tell her if I see her." He sounded impatient "Did you really have to come into my apartment to say that?"
Sakura was about to turn and get dressed when she heard Naruto gasp and froze.
"Kaka-sensei! Have you got someone here?"
"Naruto…" he warned
"No, I mean it. You're not wearing much and you're all wet and tired and…"
"Naruto, when did you get so attuned to those things?"
Sakura wanted to bash her head on the door frame at Kakashi's comment. It sounded as though they were going to have a 'guy' conversation, when the whole idea was to be getting rid of him. Men…
Thankfully, Naruto didn't seem comfortable enough to talk either. "Um… I think I um… you see, Kiba and Chouji are um… bye!"
The door slammed a few seconds later and she just let out her giggles. Kakashi made his way back down and glared.
Holding a hand in front of her mouth, she looked up at him while trying to get her amusement under control. "Gomenesai…"
"Did you hear…?"
"Hai, the park" she nodded enthusiastically and moved off to find her dress. "I won't be gone a whole other two days I promise."
"Fine" he shrugged
"What is it?" she sighed, looking over a shoulder at him.
"Nothing, it's fine"
She didn't have time to argue.
"Ohayo everyone"
"Sakura!" Tenten smiled up at her, the sun illuminating her hair, which now was pulled back into its usual buns.
"I've just sent the boys to look for you" Ino commented, not looking up from the sheet of paper between her and Kurenai.
"So I heard."
"Sak'ra!" Asumu beamed as he ran over
"Hey there!" she called back in a soft voice, letting an eye wander towards Shikamaru, who was sat sideways at a 'Go' board, watching Asumu. "Have you been watching Shika play Asu-kun?"
"Hai!" he stared up at her with eyes like saucers "Will you come play too?"
"Manners Asumu" Kurenai reminded him
He looked scolded for a second as he tried to remember the word, and then smiled again. "Onegai?"
"Sure" she smiled sweetly and was dragged hastily over to where Shikamaru was sat.
Shikamaru leant forward slightly "it's got to be better than wedding planning, surely?"
"I heard that Nara!" Ino snapped "Nothing is better than planning the best day of our lives. It has to be perfect and you should be supportive of that. Not that it matters much to Sakura, because she is never going to get married, but you should be as exited as I am."
He rolled his eyes and began moving pieces on the board while Asumu stared. "Of course I am Ino-hime, I just show it differently"
"Talking of, are you coming with Kiba to Ino's wedding Sakura?" Tenten asked as she looked over at the seating plans.
"No, why would I?" She moved her own piece casually
"I thought you were dating" Tenten frowned
"Only until the Suna party left" Sakura pointed out "Tsunade said I had to look respectable by showing I could hold up a relationship"
"So I don't need to hold you a plus one spot?" Ino asked her
"I'm not a complete loser Ino"
"alright, I'll hold you a spot." She added childishly, then added a sly glance "I don't know who you'll get to go with you now the Suna Nin have gone, but I won't argue"
"Have you had your outfit fitted yet?" Kurenai smiled at Ino, trying to distract from the subject as she recognize the blatant hint
"Not completely. We decided on the basic style and Aya has taken measurements, but we're a long way off yet. Bridesmaid's fittings are supposed to be Monday or Tuesday, so make sure you don't get shoved into a mission anytime soon."
"What about Sakura? You're working, aren't you?" Tenten wondered
"Hai" Ino answered for her "we don't need her"
"But she's the maid of honor"
"Aya still has her measurements from the dress she made for the dance. She only needs to be there for the final fittings."
"Fair enough"
"Are you keeping it traditional?" Kurenai inquired "I just need to know for my own outfit"
"No, we are going with the more modern, western style. I never liked kimonos that much and I can go all out on catering, which Chouji will like. We wanted to keep it as far away from a traditional arranged marriage as possible. Not that there is anything wrong with that, I mean, Tenten's wedding was beautiful, it's just not extravagant enough for me."
"To be honest, I thought mine was too much, but then I didn't really want to get married at all." Tenten commented dryly "Yours must be huge"
"We are squeezing as much money out of our parents as possible. Anything for payback"
"What did they do?"
"Arranging our wedding?" she looked up to glare at her "Isn't that bad enough?"
They heard footsteps and turned to see Kakashi approaching them with a grin.
"Ohayo Kakashi" Kurenai called, holding her hand over her eyes to block the sun as she faced him.
He sat down casually just behind Sakura. "Ohayo everyone"
She turned to face him and smiled gently back, momentarily ignoring the game.
He looked down at her hand briefly before smiling at the others "nice day, I can't blame you for being out here"
"I thought you were hiding away recently, I haven't seen you since the mission" Kurenai commented "how are you feeling?"
"Great, I'm all healed except for a bit of physio." Here he glanced at Sakura again and she resisted the temptation to grown out loud again "You haven't exactly been around either"
"I know, but Asumu wanted to come and play in the sun, so I'm here. I thought you couldn't come in the sun without covering your eye anymore?"
"No, Sakura has been developing more new methods. I'm only closing my eye out of habit" he slowly opened his other eye to reveal that, although his eyes were still mismatched, the only difference now was that one was slightly darker than the other. He could deactivate the Sharingan.
"Whoa, that's odd." Her crimson eyes were wide "You really did that for him Sakura?"
"Hai"
"It's wonderful; I can already see my eyesight improving again." He glanced over to her again with a proud look on his face
"What's more, the Sharingan gene can now be passed on properly, so the bloodline won't be lost" Sakura informed them
"Are you still playing Sakura?" Shikamaru asked her patiently, looking down at her hand curiously.
She realized what he was staring at and blushed, giving him a weak smile "Not right now Shika. Gomen Asumu-kun"
"S'ok" he grinned and walked off to where he saw something interesting further down the path.
"Where is he going?" Kurenai frowned
"I'll go after him, don't worry" Shikamaru stood up with a sigh and followed the boy's path.
"I wish he wouldn't do that"
"It's good to encourage their exploring" Kakashi told her "It helps them to be more independent in later life"
"And you're an expert on children now?"
"No, I'm just saying"
"You aren't bringing a plus one, are you Kakashi?" Ino asked nonchalantly, tapping a pen against her mouth.
"No. wait, are you talking about your wedding?"
"Hai" she shot him an incredulous glare
"I didn't realize I was invited"
"You're a friend of Shika's, of course you are. Did you not get a printed invitation?"
"No"
"Gomen…" she bit her lip trying to think "I'll have whoever's at the door notified that you are coming, seen as you won't have an invitation. We can't print anymore now"
"That's ok" Sakura put in "he can just come as my plus one"
"You can't possibly be serious?" Tenten glared suspiciously at her
"You'd be ok with that, right" Sakura asked Kakashi
He nodded with agreement "Sure"
The others were about to inquire further when Shikamaru returned alone
Kurenai looked up at him "Where is Asumu?"
"He's fine, Choj has him."
"Chouji is here?"
"Give them a second, you'll hear them"
He slouched down next to Ino and looked over the seating charts.
"What do you think?" She asked him tiredly
"I wouldn't sit Kiba with us if I was you"
"Why, I thought he was your friend?"
Naruto's loud voice echoed through the area as they came into sight. "Kiba! Why do you always have to bite him?"
"He bugs me" Kiba replied "and I don't, the last few times was Akamaru"
"It's all right Naruto" Chouji protested as he found some sweets from his pocket for Asumu with his non-injured hand "It wasn't that hard, see, I'm not even bleeding"
"Arigato Oji-san!" Asumu jumped with excitement as Chouji handed him the goodies.
"Hey guys" Naruto greeted as they strode over but stopped dead at the sight of Kakashi beside Sakura.
"Kuso" Kakashi mumbled too quietly for Asumu to hear and went to get up before Sakura stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. She gave him a reassuring look and he gave up any plans of escape.
"Don't let him have too much sugar Chouji" Kurenai warned "he's already started running off"
"I won't" he chuckled and sat down beside Shikamaru.
Naruto sat between him and Sakura, causing her to have to shuffle over. There wasn't enough room so she sat comfortably between Kakashi's legs and leaned back against him while Kiba sat down between Kakashi and Tenten. Asumu curled up beside Shikamaru and Chouji, protecting his stash of sugar.
Most of the group stared at Kakashi and Sakura's intimate position for a little while, stunned at them, before Ino finally talked, dropping her pen.
"Alright, we've tried to be respectful as long as possible, but this has to stop. Are you two dating behind everyone's backs?"
Sakura frowned at her "No"
Kakashi scowled along "Absolutely not"
"Are you dating at all?" Kiba asked, just to make sure they weren't avoiding the 'behind everyone's backs' clause.
"No" Kakashi replied
"Absolutely not" Sakura agreed
"Were you actually with Kiba when you said you were the other week… with the grass stains?" Tenten joined in
"Hai"
"You are lying," Naruto interrupted "we talked to Kiba, and he said you were with Kakashi"
"I didn't lie. I was with Kiba, and he was technically the source of the grass stains." she shrugged "You never asked if I was with Kakashi aswell"
Tenten continued "And what about when you were with someone last week, with the shirt in the main room," she turned to Kakashi "was that you?"
"Hai" he glared stoically
"So you lied again when you said you weren't dating" Naruto frowned
"No"
"Alright, if you aren't dating, but you are making out in public, and evidentially more in private and you are dancing together at formal events, what exactly are you doing?" Ino scowled
"You are a little slow, aren't you?"
She was stunned by the amused tone in his voice "Nani?"
Kakashi linked their ringed hands and they smirked at each other, Sakura turning in her seat to do so.
"That is definitely a dating thing to do. You are dating." Kiba pointed at them childishly
"No we aren't." Sakura turned back with a giggle
"Absolutely not" Kakashi nodded
"What then, if you aren't dating, are you doing?" Tenten was getting frustrated now, just like the others "You aren't just lovers…"
"No" Kakashi rested his other hand protectively around her stomach.
"Absolutely not" she continued
"Will you just give a proper answer? Are you just putting on an act or something?" Kiba demanded
"No" Sakura told him
Kakashi began "Abso…"
Ino cut in exasperatedly "…lutely not? Alright, we get it."
Naruto looked at Sakura with an upset haze in his eyes "Please tell us"
"I thought so…" Shikamaru peered closer at their hands again
"What is it Shika-kun?" Ino asked
"They are married"
Tenten whipped her head around to face him "Nani?"
"Don't be…" Kurenai waved them off as she looked closer to look for herself "dear Kami, he's right"
"Kuso" Kiba commented and Shikamaru put his hands over Asumu's ears.
Ino could only glare at Sakura "You got married before me? I'm the last to be married? I'm going to cry"
Sakura and Kakashi just kept smiling, infinitely amused by the reaction.
"But there wasn't a wedding or anything. How can we prove you aren't lying?" Chouji reasoned
"Why would I lie about this? How does it benefit me?" Sakura sighed
"You get publicity" Kurenai pointed out
Shikamaru interrupted her quickly "No, she's right, she hates publicity. That's why you kept it secret, right?"
"Arigato Shikamaru, at least someone pays attention"
"Why didn't you say anything?" Tenten asked
"It wasn't anything personal; we just didn't want you all to make a fuss."
"D-do you love him?" Naruto asked quietly, staring vacantly at the ground in the same paralytic position he had been in since Shikamaru had made the exclamation.
"Hai" she said softly, then turned and leant up to give Kakashi a kiss on the lips.
"Gomen" he stood up and walked off until he was out of sight.
"What's wrong with him?" Kurenai wondered
"He's been in love with Sakura since they were genin." Ino informed her "Seeing her married to their old sensei must be an even bigger shock than it is for us"
"Should someone go after him?"
"No, he'll go and cry his heart out at the memorial for a few hours, and then he'll be fine." Kakashi told them "It's what he always does… unless he tries to hit me again"
"Come on Asumu, we don't need to be here" Kurenai suggested and picked him up to leave.
"I'll help" Chouji stood up next to her
Asumu wriggled out of her grasp and launched himself momentarily at Shikamaru. "Kaa! You come too?"
"No Asumu, you go with your mum and Choj, I'll come later"
"K" he turned around, arms still around Shikamaru, to look at Ino "Arigato Oba-san for letting me stay"
"That's ok Asumu-kun, your welcome."
"Come on Asumu" Kurenai urged and the three walked off together.
"Naruto tried to hit you?" Sakura looked at Kakashi with a worried expression once they were gone
"He thought I forced you" he explained
"Oh…"
"Yeah, but he also thought it was Gaara, so that shows…" Kiba laughed
"You believed him" Ino pointed out
"So did you"
Sakura frowned "did I miss something?"
Kiba blushed slightly "well um… at the dance… we kind of thought that maybe… because you were both denying it… maybe… it was Gaara instead of Kakashi"
She turned to look questioningly to Shikamaru.
"I'm not an idiot" he stated "I just let them have their mixed up fantasies"
She turned to Tenten.
"Don't look at me. I was off getting laid remember" she smirked
Sakura softened "Welcome to our world"
"And she wasn't the only one" Ino added with a smirk of her own
"Ino, we all know you weren't a virgin" Kiba remarked
"Not me dickhead, Naruto"
"Nani?" both Sakura and Tenten gasped
Ino sighed, beginning to twiddle with seating charts again. "Hai, he's Temari latest victim. Or rather, from the way she was limping last night from his apartment, it's probably more accurate to say it's the other way around."
"Dear Kami" Sakura looked pained as she stared down at the floor, and then stood up, pushing Kakashi away.
"S-Sakura…" he stuttered, but she was already gone.
AN: hai, 'I felt mean to leave you hanging like that' so instead I gave you an even bigger cliffy. I think next chapter will be angsty, but we'll see.
I just found out I'm going to get to go to London EXPO so I'm happy- may be cosplaying as Tenten or something, possibly even Shika, but I don't know. I probably will be Tenten, seen as the girls I'm going with are dressing as Rock Lee and Gaara (and Misa from Deathnote but that doesn't really count). Shall be fun.
Website updates will be soon, but I don't know when, so if you sign up for the mailing list (I won't use your details anywhere I promise), it just means I can tell you the where's and when's and junk by email.
Remember: www freewebs com/belizma-kelli (replace asterisks with dots)
Stay shiny and show the luff
Xx Belizma-chan xX