Training

It was a cloudy day. The sun was hiding and there was a comfortable breeze – a perfect day for training.

Sakura wandered over to the 'training clearing', as she called it. Looking around the area, she saw three worn stumps of wood, training dummies and a figure with spiky hair.

Sakura blinked at the vision of Kakashi wearing an ANBU outfit and an eye patch. It just kept turning weirder and weirder. She could have sworn she was looking at the Kakashi of the past. Well, she'll just have to get used to it.

"You're early," she commented, sauntering over to his side. He was, Sakura saw, reading his dirty book and appeared not to have heard her.

"Ka-ka-shi," said Sakura loudly. He started, and hastily stuffed the book into his weapon pouch.

"Ah, Sakura. You're here. Early" Sakura tilted her head to the side. "You're the same," she said, looking at the sky. "Will it snow, I wonder?"

Kakashi rubbed the back of his head uncertainly. He certainly didn't want Sakura to know that he had made a point to be punctual for her.

"That doesn't matter," he said dismissively. "Now, about this test…"

Sakura listened attentively as Kakashi explained the rules. She was allowed to use any form of ninja items, but no jutsu or direct attacks.

But Kakashi had missed one point.

"What's my target?" asked Sakura, eyeing the trees and dummies dotting the area.

He caught her gaze and chuckled. "Not those, Sakura," he said, amusement in his voice. "You're too old for that."

"Then what?" she asked impatiently. Kakashi watched her silently as she put her hands on her waist, deliberately teasing her. She looked so pretty in that revealing ANBU suit.

"Me," he said simply. Sakura gaped.

"What, is it too hard for you?" he asked, a little crestfallen. He had expected her to jump at the chance. Evidently he was wrong.

"No, actually it's because…" she trailed off uncertainly.

"Because?" he pressed.

In reply, she flicked a kunai at a nearby tree. With a deep thud, it sank into the trunk up until the hilt.

"Because I don't really fancy killing my supervisor on my first test," she finished coolly.

Kakashi blinked. He forgot she was Tsunade's apprentice. A hit like that could kill him instantly.

Mantaining his composure, he fingered his headband. Slowly, he tugged it up, revealing a red eye.

"Then I guess I'll have to use this," he said calmly. "I believe in your skills to heal me should you injure me."

Sakura stared into his mismatched eyes, almost drowning in the faint, conflicting emotions that swirled beneath the surface. Kakashi was hiding something, but she didn't know what.

Kakashi nodded, and leapt into the branches. The test had begun. Pushing the lingering curiosity out of her mind, she focused on locating Hatake Kakashi.

Her mind racing ahead, she hooked up invisible wires between a few branches and set off towards Kakashi. Catching a glimpse of him disappearing behind a tree, she flung a kunai with an exploding tag towards him.

With an impressive boom, it exploded. Rapidly firing more kunai, she attempted to steer him towards her trap.

Kakashi saw the wire web easily. It was only too easy to avoid it. As Sakura sent a barrage of shuriken at him, he intentionally dodged the other way.

Thwip! Something wrapped around his leg and, caught by surprise, he toppled over. Before he had a chance to free himself, a kunai planted itself deeply in his left arm near the shoulder and he winced in pain.

Sakura landed beside him, disbelief clear in her face. She knelt down and started unwinding the wire around his leg.

"I don't believe you actually fell for that," said Sakura, turning to his injured arm.

Kakashi mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like "caught by surprise" and Sakura smiled.

"Was it really an accident or did you underestimate me?" she asked as examined the wound, and for good measure, his arm. It was lean and muscular, and graced with the ANBU tattoo.

"This will hurt a bit." Gripping the handle, she tugged out the blade and immediately placed her hand over the wound. Kakashi gritted his teeth and shut his eyes.

"Have I told you you look years younger in the ANBU uniform?" she commented as she healed his arm. "You look like you're in your twenties." He felt flattered and immediately resolved to wear it more often.

"There. All done." Sakura dabbed at his arm with a damp cloth to clean up the bloodstains. He glanced at his arm and there was no sign to show he had sustained an injury. Inwardly he marveled at Sakura's ability.

"I guess I underestimated you," he mumbled, sitting up. "You pass."

Sakura grinned widely and helped him to his feet. Flexing his arm, Kakashi decided he was fit to continue and pulled out a little silver bell from his pocket.

"I want to do the bell test next," he said, dangling the bell in front of her nose. Her gaze fixed on the bell, she asked: "Rules?"

"Anything is -" he began, but abruptly the bell was snatched from his hand. He stared at Sakura, who was holding up the bell triumphantly. Surprise, surprise. She was a clever girl.

"I haven't said start yet," he said accusingly. "You never said it was necessary," she countered, stumping him.

"Okay, you pass," he said, a little sullenly. He won't go easy on her next time.

"Now you have to keep that bell out of my hands," said Kakashi, a glint in his eyes. This is going to fun. He had never fought a one-on-one battle with her before.

Sakura immediately darted into the canopy, Kakashi hot on her heels. She swung her leg at him and he promptly blocked her, at the same time tripping her with his feet.

As she fell to the ground, she performed a jutsu and sent a burst of flame towards him. Landing nimbly, she watched the silver-haired nin dodge the attack and leap towards her.

She focused her chakra into her fist and brought it onto the ground. Landing on an unsuitable bit of ground, Kakashi took off again, landing beside her and holding a kunai to her neck.

Sakura hooked her ankle behind his and pulled hard, sending them both toppling backwards, with her landing on his chest. A sudden jolt of shyness shot through her at their close contact.

A split second later, Kakashi had her on her back on the ground, his hands pinning hers to the ground beside her head. Breathing heavily, she gazed into his eyes, the onyx one and the red one with its black pattern spinning lazily in it.

"Bell please," said Kakashi, smiling to himself. This was fun, and to top it off, Sakura was right here, underneath his body. She felt warm and delicate.

"Get it yourself," she said, watching his expression. He paused, suddenly noticing she wasn't holding it. She sure knew how to take advantage of the fact that she was a female and he a gentleman.

"Well?" she teased.

He grinned devilishly and ran a finger over the neckline of her black ANBU shirt. She gasped. He wasn't really going to search her, was he?

He sighed and stood up, releasing her. Even with her apparent invitation, he couldn't do it. Which meant she passed the test. Again.

He sat down with his back to a tree as Sakura stood up and fished the bell out from within her shirt. Spinning it by its string, she flicked the bell at Kakashi, who caught it.

"You pass. Again," said Kakashi, disgruntled. Having lost three times in a row to his student gave him the feeling he was out of tune.

Sakura grinned, and looked at the canopy of leaves, sunlight shining through the leaves. "So what do we do later?" she asked, rubbing his ANBU tattoo playfully.

Kakashi frowned. She had passed the tests in one day when others would take three. He had run out of tests to give her for the time being.

"You can have the day off," he said. Happily, Sakura flung her arms around his neck and hugged him briefly. "Thanks," she said as she let go and trotted out of the forest, leaving Kakashi stunned.

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Sakura hummed to herself as she poured herself a glass of milk. It had been a great day, and she felt she had improved a lot.

A low rumble made her look out the window. Ominous thunder clouds were gathering and the wind was blowing the trees about.

A sudden knocking at her door made her jump. Hurrying to the door, she wondered who would visit her at night like this.

Yanking the door open, she came face-to-face with a bunch of silver hair. A windswept Kakashi, still in his uniform, was standing at the door, holding a bottle of wine.

They both stared at each other, Kakashi appraising how Sakura looked in her pajamas (a pink tank top and white shorts), Sakura wondering why the hell he was even here.

Another rumble of thunder shook her to her senses and she stood aside to let him in. He set the bottle on her table and turned to her.

"Congratulations on finishing the first term tests," he said, explaining everything. As Sakura went to a kitchen drawer and rummaged about for an opener, Kakashi shrugged off the white ANBU vest and removed his arm guards, dropping it on a chair, leaving only the sleeveless black shirt.

Sakura turned back to the table, opener in hand and froze. Without the vest, the black form-fitting shirt didn't leave much to the imagination. Kakashi was as fit as fit could be.

Controlling her expression (and her jaw), she set the bottle opener on the table and slid it over to him, hoping he didn't notice her apparent surprise. Which he did.

Meanwhile, Kakashi was chuckling to himself at her expense. What, she didn't expect him to keep fit? He prised off the top and poured some of its contents into the two wine glasses Sakura brought out.

They both sat down and sipped at the red wine in silence, Kakashi pulling down his mask at the side just enough to let it in. After a moment, Sakura spoke.

"That's all? I've finished the first term?" she asked, swirling the red liquid. Kakashi nodded. "I've had ANBU take three weeks to complete what you did," he said quietly. "This is the first time someone passed in a day."

He gestured to the bottle with his now empty glass. "So I thought we could have a celebration, what with you being my previous student and all."

Sakura refilled their glasses, and they continued to chat, keeping each other updated. Sakura was amused to know ANBU could sometimes be so childish, from Kakashi's descriptions.

Half an hour later, the wine had diminished considerably. The strong wind and heavy rain battered at the window, making a rattling sound, but the duo were too intoxicated to notice.

When the last drop was drained, Kakashi stood up to leave (forgetting his vest), and swayed a little. Gradually taking notice of the storm battering her house, Sakura grabbed his wrist.

"Why dontcha stay here tonigh' ?" she slurred. "Wet outsi'," She led him towards the sofa, and he sank onto it gratefully. Having forgotten to loosen her grip, she collapsed on top of him, pulled down by his weight.

But she didn't really care. In fact, it felt real comfortable.

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A/N:

Credit: Bell test picked from 'A Lesson in Chemistry' by leafygirl. I loved it. Thanks to you all for reviewing on the last chapter, but for the masterpiece part...eh, maybe scratch that.

Reviews please!