AN: back to dialogue now. I've had bits of this written for ages. Next chapter is undecided. Help is very welcome. Do you want another Kaka-Saku or shall I go back to Shika-Ino?

I'll shut up now. Enjoy.

1447 words

Back to Surreality

Chapter eight- Insomnia

The little voice in the back of his head was currently the only thing keeping him vaguely sane and level headed.

No matter how much he tried to read, or train the image of her away, she remained at the base of all of his thoughts.

He pondered whether he should go and visit her again today, like he so much wanted to, but he opted for giving her space for a while.

If she didn't like it, she wouldn't have taken it, right? Unless she's scared of saying that she doesn't… no. it's perfect for her. Of course she liked it; I bought it for her because of that.

Right now, I don't really care whether she does or not, just as long as I can hear her voice again.

He didn't fully comprehend how much of an effect she had had on him until last night.

He couldn't bring himself to eat, because it would never be as good as her cooking.

The apartment seemed quiet, because she wasn't there to talk to.

His bed somehow felt colder, without her body heat beside him.

The same grey colors he had always surrounded himself with seemed even less lively without her bringing that element of colour.

He knew it was childish but he was enough of a man to admit that he was in fact, after spending so long together, having Sakura withdrawal symptoms.

The thought of getting himself into the hospital somehow so he could see her crossed his mind fleetingly before he acknowledged that he was thinking like an idiot again.

He had resigned himself to heading to bed in the vain hope that unconsciousness would let him see sense. It didn't work. He just lay awake on top of the sheets, staring at the ceiling.

She causes me insomnia. Is that a reason to go to hospital…? No, stop it. I hate hospitals. I'll just have to deal with insomnia, and hunger on my own.

Maybe I'll go make Naruto buy me ramen or something… Wait, I can't do that either, not after…

Knock! Knock!

He growled and got up off the bed, lazily shoving on his mask as he went to answer the door.

He wasn't in the mood for random visitors. Especially seen as the only visitors he ever got were from those carrying mission scrolls or summons from Tsunade. The last person he wanted to deal with was her.

He pulled the door open with very little care.

"Kakashi?" she looked up at him with a serious expression.

"Sakura" he beamed, brightening instantly at the sight of her.

"What the hell is this?" she practically threw the box at him, belying her usually calm demeanor.

He looked at it to be sure of what it was and nodded; looking back up at her "It's a hair clip, like you described."

She rolled her eyes. "I know that. Why do I have it?"

"I bought it for you"

"Again, I know that… look, can I come in?"

"Of course." He opened the door wider for her to enter.

She pushed passed him and stood in the main room of the apartment, staring around at the blank walls and untidy gatherings of clothes and training equipment.

She turned to face him as he shut the door and approached her, placing her attention back on the box he still held.

"You can't afford this" she told him simply.

"Yes I can" he protested, placing it down on the small table in the rooms corner.

"I seriously doubt that. Look at this place."

He looked around and couldn't find anything wrong. "What has my apartment got to do with anything?"

"It's practically empty. When was the last time you put any money into it?"

"I pay rent" He shrugged and then strolled off to the kitchen area to find something worth putting drinks into, sensing that this would take a while.

"That is exactly my point. You don't. So how can you afford things like this?"

"Sakura, just because I don't pay for things, it doesn't mean that I can't. I save my money"

"So why did you buy this?"

He shrugged again. "It's what I save for."

"Kakashi, if you are about to tell me that you are a transvestite in your spare time…" she moved aside a pile of clothes and sat on the tiny two seat sofa uncomfortably.

"No Sakura, I mean… its all part of that life plan of mine." Why am I telling her this again…?

"Life plan?"

"Yes, remember? I told you about how I wanted to find that one person…"

"You were being serious?"

He turned to face her, abandoning his search in his affronted emotional state "Of course I was."

"You are insane." She told him with an edge of humor to her voice "Look, I can't have something like this."

"Why not?" he stepped closer, confused.

"It's…" she glanced away from him, fiddling with the edge of her uniform "It's too beautiful. I don't deserve it."

He sat down next to her and lifted her chin up to face him with a finger while pulling down his mask "You are beautiful, and you deserve anything you want"

She looked up at him, shock in her eyes. "Whoa, what are you doing?"

"Well… I was going to kiss you again, what of it?" he leant closer, turning his head slightly.

"No!" she pushed herself back from him as far as possible on the small sofa.

"What?" he sat back but couldn't understand why.

"I said no" she stood up from the sofa and walked across the room, towards the kitchen.

"But…"

"What?" she frowned, facing him again "Do you think that because I let you kiss me once that it's ok whenever you feel like it? Talking of which, that was completely inappropriate when I was working, in front of my friends and you will pay for it later."

"Later?" his mind had wandered completely off track.

"Never mind. Look, I didn't give this to you when I meant to because it wasn't finished but, here." She reached into her pocket and gave him a bundle of paper.

"What is it?" he took it from her but didn't look at it, his gaze still focused entirely on her.

"Just a gift. Not like your stupid attempt at bribery, just a gift. I guess it's to say sorry for having tricked you."

"You didn't trick me Sakura."

"Oh, and your actions are entirely of your own free will?"

"Hai. You didn't do anything in there remember, you were just yourself. It's yourself I fell in love with not some trick you played."

"You don't even know me. How do you know I was being myself?"

"I watched you."

"I knew you were there" she countered

"Naruto didn't notice any difference."

"Naruto is an idiot. You should know that much"

"But he's an obnoxiously observant idiot. He would have realized if you weren't yourself."

"Damn you Kakashi, can't you get my…" she stopped fuming and suddenly stumbled backwards, her hand held over her eyes.

"Sakura?" he stood to help her, holding her arm just in time to stop her from falling backwards "are you alright?"

"Um… hai… I, uh… I'm fine… Just give me a second."

He guided her over to the sofa so she could sit down and sat beside her again. "You look really pale, are you sure?"

"Yes I'm bloody sure, there's nothing wrong with me" she snapped, then sunk her head into her hands on her lap. "Gomenesai."

"Don't apologize to me. I'll trust your medic's intuition or whatever, just humor me, please?"

"Huh?" she looked up at him, turning her head so that pink hair fell over her face.

"Go and lie down on my bed. It's nothing funny, just until you don't feel as faint." He reached and tucked the loose hairs away from her face. She closed her eyes with the contact. "I don't want you trying to walk to the hospital if you're going to go all wobbly in the middle of the street."

"Mmm…" was all she could manage. She seemed so tired she could barely keep her eyes open.

In the end, he decided to carry her into the bedroom and lay her down on the bed.

She looked so peaceful, but she was obviously as exhausted as he was. Judging by the state of her uniform though, he knew it wasn't from insomnia.

Just the thought made him remember just how tired he was, and now the source of his sleeplessness was right here again, he couldn't help laying down beside her and drifting off to sleep.

AN: kind of lame ending, but I didn't want to do anything too dramatic. Nothings going to happen, they are just both really tired. I know Sakura's actions may seem rash and OOC but things will be explained, I promise.

Show the luff

XX Belizma-chan XX