Disclaimer: I own nothing of Kishimoto, if I did things would be different and far less brilliant.
Thank you to everyone whose still keeping up with this! You are all awesome! And particularly the ever faithful quarterdark and always-kh, who thinks the lightning chakra details are interesting, makes whoever he is all the cooler. So without further ado I present...
Chapter 11: Kouko (Anxiety, Looking Back)
Kakashi sniffed the air, trying to detect any stray scents floating on the breeze. He turned his head to tell Sakura he was going to check out the surroundings, but when the tip of his nose brushed her temple he realised exactly how close he was to her. He pulled his head back quickly and saw that Sakura was discretely looking away from him probably to relieve her own awkwardness.
"I'm going to check the area, I'll be right back." he promised.
Sakura just nodded, looking both relieved and alert to her surroundings.
He cautiously emerged from the hiding place, scanning the entire area with his sharingan. He was positive that he had detected something out there. When he sensed the slightest movement again, he charged into the treetops towards the source. He could see a chakra flow clearly, though heavily suppressed. He pulled out a kunai, ready for combat. However when he was finally close enough to get a good enough view he found himself rather disappointed.
"Snow monkeys," he said with a sigh. The cream coloured primates were relaxing near the hot spring pool. Being similar to humans they possess chakra that seems very much like that of an experienced shinobi suppressing their chakra flow.
He was relieved that nothing was wrong, but what he did not look forward to was going back to Sakura and informing her that 'nothing was wrong'. It just seemed to him that it would look like he just needed an excuse to… No, he thought, she knows I'm not some hormone raging teen who pulls stuff like 'you have an eyelash' or other silly excuses to touch the girl he likes. Still, if I'm being honest, I wasn't as upset with being so close as she was… He remembered that there had been a slight redness on her cheeks when he left. He grit his teeth and looked at the monkeys. what am I turning into?
He shook his head remorsefully. There was no logical reason for him to be thinking like that. It was scientifically normal for a man to feel a certain attraction to almost any reasonably good looking female. That was how the male mind worked, it was just that a man was usually smart enough not to let it bother him. Especially considering that it's-
Before he could continue in his mental tirade something caught his eye. He coolly walked over to a mossy rock. There was an imprint of a human hand in the soft green carpet. So, someone was here… this isn't good. He sniffed the air, but whoever had been there had hightailed away.
They probably got all the information they needed… He grumbled inwardly how this made the mission a bit more complicated. Then again, if he looked on the bright side, at least he knew now that there was someone looking for them in the first place.
Sakura resisted tapping her foot on the ground, lest she make any unnecessary noise. Every minute sound from outside the hiding place made her jump, and it did not help that her heart was still beating faster from the close contact with Kakashi-sensei than from the potentially dangerous situation outside.
Kakashi dropped down from somewhere above, both putting her at ease and making her heart skip a beat.
He waved calmly and said, "False alarm, but I think we've done enough ninjutsu for today, there is a road not too far from here, and one Raiken shot into the sky would be a dead giveaway."
She nodded at the sensible proposal. "Well, I could do that one thing you said not to do without you." she muttered as she pulled the small scroll from her pouch.
He shrugged in agreement and they both found a relatively dry rock to sit on. Unrolling the scroll, Sakura placed it in her lap.
Kakashi uncovered his Sharingan and watched her chakra flow carefully.
Then it happened, her chakra was disturbed and her pupils dilated and moved up and down as if she was reading.
"Sakura," Kakashi called. "Sakura…" he touched her shoulder. No response.
He sighed. I suppose in order to protect the Haruno family jutsu a genjutsu was placed within the scroll so that only those with the right blood line limit would be able to read it. Pretty clever, I doubt even the Byakugan could discover the meaning. Though it leaves me to wonder, is the kekkei genkai just a genutsu, or is there something more? It's odd for any jutsu to be so thoroughly guarded.
Sakura shifted and looked up, giving her head a shake. "I feel a little tired… I don't really get any of it."
"Is that so?"
"Yes, it's just too confusing. You still can't read it, can you?" she asked.
"Nope, I can't see a thing," he replied. "But I do know that the scroll has a jutsu woven into it."
"Oh yes, actually it explains that. Only those who latently possess the blood line can read it. As soon as I master the jutsu, I will be unable to read it as well."
"What is the jutsu you are trying to obtain?" Kakashi asked, his inner curiosity dying for an answer.
"I don't know, it hasn't told me yet. And it has actually referred to at least two jutsu, one for my right the other for my left." Sakura touched her chin thoughtfully. "That's odd, why would I have a jutsu divided over my body."
"You're chakra networks, like your nervous system are divided the same way. You're a medic, you should remember that."
"Oh, I wasn't thinking about that…" Sakura mumbled embarrassed then changed the topic. "I think we can head back now, I'm exhausted. Sorry to bother you for all this training."
"It wasn't a problem," Kakashi insisted.
"Still, this was supposed to be a break." Sakura's suddenly felt nervous when she saw an odd expression cross her sensei's face. "What's wrong."
"Hmm? Oh nothing really, just keep yourself on your toes, this is still technically a mission, don't get caught off guard."
Sakura nodded. "No problem sensei!"
"Sakura!" Ino yelled as she ran up, "It took you long enough! I'm getting tired of watching after Raido all alone."
"Sorry," Sakura said as she entered the lobby, Kakashi following right behind her.
"Well, now that you are here, let's go for a dip." Ino said grabbing her friend's arm. Her nose wrinkled up a little. "You could use a bath, what have you two been up to?"
Though the question was innocent enough Kakashi and Sakura looked at each other hurriedly as they figured out what to say and still keep their cover.
"We went for a run," Kakashi explained.
"Oh," the Yamanaka replied dismissively, "Well Sakura, let us go and disrobe."
Sakura blushed and opened her mouth to protest her friend's big mouth but Ino cut her off.
"And Raido is already out there if you are wondering Kakashi. Hurry before he convinces that redhead to join him."
Kakashi pressed his back against the hot stone bank as he soaked in the mineral rich, heated water. He surprised himself by releasing a rather loud content sigh.
"Great aint it?" Raido called, his voice sounding equally relaxed and pleased.
Kakashi just nodded, not in the mood for conversation. It was then he heard Sakura laugh aloud at something Ino said. He really didn't like how much his heart sped up at just the sound of her voice. He wondered when he started to be so observant of her voice, her looks, how she walked, what she said, everything involving her he would commit it to memory and mull over it later. He looked over at the divider and thought of how disturbed she would be if she knew he was thinking about her.
He looked up at the darkening sky and placed a hand on his forehead. So just reminding myself, he began his inward lecture on his attitudes towards a certain coworker. Sakura is a reasonably attractive young lady, and she's someone I platonically recognise as such. He liked that explanation, that proved that staring at her delicate chin and flawless neck was just an indifferent observation of her objectively good looks.
She's cute… exactly, like a girl, she's cute, not attractive because I am NOT attracted… bingo! This description was even better.
Suddenly he stopped, his face clouded up in worry. Wait, I just demoted her from attractive to cute like a little girl… and I'm always looking at her… that doesn't sound right. Ok, she's cute like… a young adult, besides, cute is better than attractive… He shook his head. This isn't working, ok, how about another approach.
He remembered one of the useless courses in school: "Emotional Harmony in the Shinobi." Wow I hated that class. Despite his inner hatred he regulated his breathing, thought of a calm place, and then started the exercise. Just keep imagining how she and I are from two different social groups. I am a mature adult who is- was- no is her mentor… even though technically she's an adult in the village's eyes… but not in mine! I remember when she was Sasuke's little fangirl! Gosh that was irritating. Even more annoying in retrospect! His previously calm mood was overtaken with intense ire. His hatred of her Sasuke obsession all started back on their first mission where the little brat copied what he said, and somehow she saw Sasuke as cooler than her teacher… And that was the first time I was jealous of that little…
Kakashi sat up straight, water pouring off of his chest and abs and splashing into the steaming pond.
Raido looked up, "Something wrong Kakashi?" his eyebrows furrowed in concern.
The silver haired jounin ignored him. His one open eye roved about as if it was in a panicked frenzy. Did I? No I couldn't have? But… no, I was just irritated at the different treatment. But still, I always did protect her. He rolled his eyes, Of course I did! She was the weakest, she needed the protection, she was young and not very capable back then.
Another point to remember, she's immature… he stopped there, feeling bad about that statement. No, she isn't. She is very mature, I just don't want to recognise it, she can take care of herself. She has gone through far more than anyone should have to and she still pulled through able to smile. So where does this leave my definition of Sakura? He looked over at the divider, wondering what he was supposed to do.
"-and then Chouji looked at Asuma like a kicked puppy! It was so adorable, and I don't usually call him that."
Sakura joined in with Ino's laughter. She looked at her friend and admired how easily she could talk about her memories, especially the ones with Asuma. "How do you do it?"
"Huh?" Ino looked at her pink haired companion quizzically.
"Talk about Asuma." Sakura said hesitantly.
Ino sighed then put on a quiet smile very uncharacteristic of the hyperactive blonde. "If I didn't talk about him, I would miss him a lot more. The more I repeat the moments we had together, the better I remember him. The one thing that scares me the most is forgetting something about him. I even bring his picture around with me."
"Really?" Sakura looked at her friend in a new light. She had never thought Ino was this sentimental.
"I'll go get it!" Ino declared. She pulled herself from the hot water, wrapped a towel around herself and hurried to the room. A few moments later she returned, handing a laminated picture to Sakura.
Sakura accepted it, and immediately she felt as if she had been punched in the chest. It was a picture from a festival day a couple years ago. Ino was wearing a beautiful dress, a little too mature of a style for a fourteen year old, but it was Ino after all. She had her arms wrapped around Asuma's left elbow. Her teacher was also dressed formally though he had a rather reluctant air about him, which showed through his awkward smile in comparison to Ino's radiant one.
"It took me forever to convince him to dress up. Can you believe he was planning on wearing casuals to a festival?"
Sakura smiled, she couldn't imagine Asuma dressing up at all.
"Of course, when he saw Kurenai, he used the outfit to his advantage." Ino sighed almost grumpily. "Then off the two went, after I snatched him for a photo. That was the time when I knew they had something going on."
Sakura was welling up in pride for her friend, and shame on herself. She could tell how dear Asuma had been, like another father or older brother, and Ino spoke so happily of him. Then there was Sasuke, whose name if spoken once threw Sakura into a pit of depression.
"So, what were you doing with Kakashi earlier?" Ino asked slyly.
Ino's words tore Sakura back to reality rather forcefully.
"Two people don't get that sweaty going for a walk." Sakura could feel the scrutiny of two suspicious eyes on her.
"Err… Well we did go for a walk." Sakura admitted.
"And then?" Ino pried.
Sakura blushed a little. Rather embarrassing images of the training arrived rather suddenly. All she had to say was that they trained and the conversation would be over, but her tongue was snatched away by the embarrassment cat.
Ino's expression turned to something between surprise and worry. "Kakashi didn't do… anything out of the ordinary, did he?"
Sakura realised the context of her friend's question, she knew she had to say something fast. "Yes,"
Ino's blond eyebrow snapped upwards.
Dang it, not what I wanted to say! "Umm, I mean, he did do something out of the ordinary, a few things actually, but they weren't weird! Well they were at times but not in that way!"
"What way exactly?" Ino was fast getting images of her fist making contact with the masked sensei's concealed teeth.
"We were just training. But it was awkward at times."
After a pause Ino prodded her in frustration. "Tell me everything." Her serious expression could not hide the eager glint in her eye.
Realising she had no escape, Sakura began. "Kakashi, he had been pretty cold to me shortly after this mission started, and I really didn't know how to take it."
"No kidding," Ino interrupted. "Even I thought he was rude."
Sakura looked to the side bashfully, "But then when we were there in that valley training, it was like he was his old self but more." She stared at the surface of the water, as if words would start to appear among the steam for her to say. "He was so relaxed, and kind of playful. He didn't maintain the normal distance he always did. He wasn't worried about touching my hand, or standing real close."
"Hmm," Ino rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "If I didn't know this was Kakashi, I would suspect he was up to something. There are a few possibilities I see, in order of likelihood. One, he's at that weird spot where an adult notices that you aren't a child anymore and is trying to treat you like a peer but over-compensates. That's not uncommon. Two, he's been reading too many girly fictions and needs to get back to reading something perverted to avoid emasculating. Or three, he's trying to reform your relationship into something closer… if you catch my drift."
Before Sakura could reply she felt the ground shift underfoot.
"Earthquake?" Ino asked as the tremors increased.
Within a few moments the shaking stopped and the two girls sighed in relief, that was until they turned to see that there was no wooden divider. They stared blankly in front of them, casually noting that it had fallen down on the boys' side. Through the mist they saw two waist deep forms. It was then that it finally clicked…
They covered themselves and opened their mouths to let out the customary scream but were cut off.
"Ahhh!"
They were rather perplexed that such a masculine scream had escaped their throats, that was until they realised that it was Raido's, the man who was currently cowering neck deep in the water.
Ino and Sakura looked at each other wondering what was protocol if they were cut off from their scream. They kind of shrugged as they lowered themselves into the water.
A waist deep Kakashi walked over towards them and began to lift the floating barrier.
Ino made a low whistle in admiration, which made Sakura realise that she had been staring at Kakashi's bare, muscular chest for the last twenty seconds.
"Oh dear!" Sakura exclaimed as she turned around, her crimson face focused on the water.
"Thanks," Kakashi said sarcastically, replying to Ino's whistle. "Hey Raido, gonna stop cowering and help me lift this?"
Raido's cheeks were redder than a tomato's, but he complied and helped push up the divider.
"You're not bad either bro," Ino said, winking at the jounin, who blushed even further.
A sliding door opened from the inn and one of the maids knelt at the porch bowing profusely. "My deepest apologies, we have regular quakes but the dividers are supposed to withstand them."
"No, it's not a problem," Kakashi insisted kindly, waving the employee off.
The divider thumped into a slot securely, returning the privacy.
"I suppose that's a sign to end our bath." Ino said.
"Yeah…" Sakura agreed. The two of them fled to their room and hurriedly dressed.
Sakura flopped onto the bed. A growling sound emitted from her stomach. "We need to eat dinner soon."
"About Kakashi…" Ino said.
"What about him?"
"Did you like his physique?"
"Huh!"
"Judging by how long you just ogled at him, you got an eyeful."
"Shut up Ino!" In truth, Sakura didn't remember a single detail except that he was wearing an infuriating towel around his lower face.
Ino continued her assessment, "Though Raido was more muscular, but kind of scarred, and tanned. A little less shapely. Kakashi was symetrical-"
"I really would prefer that we changed the topic. I mean, it's my teacher after all, and that was just too awkward."
"I had some awkward experiences with Asuma too, you know." Ino looked at Sakura playfully. "It's kind of bound to happen eventually when people work together long enough. In my case he walked in on me when I was changing. I remember feeling so ashamed like I could never get married. But later he apologised, profusely, but ever sense than, I could care less about appearing like the virtuous young lady."
So it's Asuma's fault! Sakura ground her teeth in irritation at the man who had caused her friend to become such a societal embarrassment… then she felt guilty thinking ill of the dead.
"Okay, I told you what my embarrassing situation was, you tell me yours, in detail."
Sakura sighed wearily.
And I finally had the hot springs! Took me long enough. I apologise to the male readers for the lack of descriptive fanservice, but you see, I don't like fanservice, so it didn't happen… however, there was a bit in the way of manservice for the ladies… _ I seriously need to rectify this, but my sister kind of helps proofread, and it would be kind of weird…
I had the toughest time coming up with a title and only came up with it as I was writing this.
I can't think of any questions… except maybe what's your favourite kind of cookie? Because if you review I'll send you an imaginary one by express! (Mine is Oatmeal Rasin… makes me think of Grandma ;_;)
Next week: The vacation ends and a face off with the enemy begins.