Wheezing she back flips to avoid the two blades that were swung sideways to cleave her legs into three separate pieces. They've been at it for an hour in the hot summer air and Sakura doesn't think she can keep up his intense pace for much longer. It doesn't bother her that he doesn't even look effected by the spar while she is borderline collapsing. He's anbu after all. In fact, it just goads her into working harder.
"Water break?" She calls to him as she rolls out of the way from the vertical strike. The tang of the swords being sheathed let her know that he agrees. Not feeling it necessary to get the water just then she lies on the ground content in the shade of the tree.
"Exams are this week." She says looking up into the foliage lackadaisically. He makes a small 'hm' sound in the back of his throat as he sits down in the cool grass. "Are you going to take on a team?" The girl questions looking at her makeshift teacher out of the corner of her eyes.
"Hadn't even thought about it." Sakura thinks he's lying.
"Well you should." She sits up and looks at him, inflating herself on familiarity and the banter of their relationship. "You never know; you might get lucky and get me." Proudly she jabs her thumb at herself.
"Who says that's luck?" He teases ruffling her hair.
"It'd better be luck, you're the one who taught me! Unless you're saying no one wants you on their team." Sakura sticks out her tongue to emphasize her dig.
"Well then, every one is going to be fighting over who gets to have you as a student." He chuckles at the girl as she flops back down onto the grass.
"Hey," he trails off waiting for Sakura's attention to focus itself on him. "I've got a mission." She fixes her shrewd eyes upon him but does not speak. They've been through this before.
"I'll leave later today; it'll take me a few days to complete." She isn't happy with this but she knows better than to voice her discontent. It is his life and the life that awaits her should she continue down her current path. It bothers him to see her upset at him, if only indirectly. It has been two years since he started teaching her and she became a friend in the process.
"You know," he starts slyly a twinkle present in his eyes that usually look sick and tired. "I heard that someone's mission was supposed to end soon." He waits for her to catch on to his hints. He can't say it outright but he can't keep it from her either.
Her eyebrows furrow in confusion. "Yah, it was a really long mission too. Years, they say." Hayate grins as he watches her puzzle it out and laughs when he sees that she has seized upon the answer. Her mouth falls open and her eyes are perfectly round.
She attempts to pounce on him and throttle the information out of him but she holds a lawn ornament in his place. Wild eyed she peers around before flinging the lawn gnome away as she races at her neighbor. "When?" Her voice bursts with excitement.
"That would require you beating me with a sword." It has never happened before but Sakura vows that this will be the first. Swiftly she plucks the thrown weapon out of the air and charges. The water is completely forgotten.
"Hey Kakashi, when are we going back?" The pre-teen asked softly feeling that it would be unnecessary to speak louder and break the morning's lull. Naruto felt no need to say where they were going back to, he knew his companion well enough to know he entertained thoughts of it too.
"Soon." Kakashi walked on while reading, seemingly absorbed with his smut but Naruto has seen it proven that appearances aside, the man is totally alert and in tune with their environment.
"Soon?" How long is that? Gazing at the woods Naruto can feel the déjà vu creeping along making his hair stand on end at the irritant. It bothers him. The feeling that he should know this road, these trees, this place but the faint feeling does not spread to the fore front of his mind no matter how hard he tries to encourage it.
Kakashi does not speak further and he knows the futileness of prodding. When Kakashi doesn't want to talk no force can sway him. Growing tired of the monotonous walking Naruto turns his back to the unknown destination to walk backwards. Barely a challenge but it serves to distract him from his companion's tight lip.
Suddenly the feeling has spread and the golden haired boy recognizes where he is. Mouth agape in shock and wonder he walks forward traveling the same path he did when fleeing the village all those years ago. Unable to contain himself he punches his fist in the air and yells before running to his sensei.
"Can I go ahead?" As Kakashi looks into blue eyes that quiver with too much emotion to be confined to such a small place he thinks that he has grown too soft.
"Meet me at the ramen stand at noon." The youth is so ecstatic he latches on to the man's midsection in a hasty hug before scampering off into the trees tops where he can cover distance faster. Chuckling at his six year charge's exuberance Kakashi can't help but speed up his own pace. It is good to be home.
-
When Naruto presents his traveling papers to the wall guards he is hard pressed to not hug them or at the very least give them both a heart handshake. They do their job slowly and Naruto is quickly losing patience. When they do give him back his papers he is no longer tempted to hug them and instead bolts off into the mass of early morning shoppers.
Ever building remembered brings a rush of adrenaline. Every street name reminded him of memories that had once been buried. Every person brought a lump to his throat. There, there is Iruka-sensei, ha has not aged. Naruto has to keep himself from yelling out to him and everyone he sees. There are two people he must see that have been kept waiting for too long to justify any side excursions now.
He is cruelly ripped from his pleasant thoughts by a voice calling out, "The demon is back!" with a finger pointed at him and a snarl of revulsion on the middle aged woman's face. It takes him a second to register the fact that she is talking about him. It has been so long since he was last cursed in this way. With a roll of emotion Naruto recalls the taunts, looks, and physical abuse. Forcefully he pushes the black thoughts away and instead focuses on Sakura. Ducking through the crowd of people he manages to get away without further incident.
To his immense relief he sees the street sign that advertises Sakura's road. Mood back up he runs along the road keeping an eye out for his pink haired friend. There she is! She's training with swords and an older man in her yard. Naruto takes the long awaited sight in. She is taller, more skilled, and has never before been so perfectly gorgeous.
"Sakura-chan!" He shouts as he runs towards her delirious with happiness. Six years apart after such an abrupt departure has served to make the moment seem surreal. With a start she looks up bewildered. Her eyes widen in realization and she drops the sword to the ground, leaves the now laughing man behind, and runs to him.
They collide full force falling down, dissolving into giggles and tears. The man she was sparring with shakes his head in amusement before collecting his weapons and going home. They will train another day.
Was that a quick update or what? I rather like this chapter, do you? Please tell me what you think by sending me this lovely little thing called a review. Also, I am now putting up previews for chapter updates and new stories on my profile so if you want a sneak peak or to see how long you'll have to wait for something to be posted just go on over to my corner of Marie-