Synergic Paths
6. – Messing with the cooking

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For someone who knew Sakura from the beginning, her growth surely had come as quite a surprise. That didn't mean that she excelled at everything, just in her chosen fields.

Of course, those chosen fields did not include the culinary arts.

When Yamato and Kakashi were told of her sudden invitation for dinner, they shared a suspicious glance before looking back at one pink-haired kunoichi who was smiling rather mischievously at them.

"Oh, come on, I know you're not to look down on free food," she said, crossing her arms in mock-offense. "I cook that bad, huh?"

"Well... Sakura, er..."

Leave it to Yamato to try to reassure her immediately and still fail spectacularly. He had been on too many missions with her. He should have known by now that the only thing she could do satisfactorily was boil water and throw some ramen in it.

But then again, anyone who had been exposed to Naruto could do that.

"I hate to say it, Sakura-chan, but your cooking is really awful."

Kakashi's bluntness was more than enough to make her huff with annoyance.

"You think I don't already know that, baka?" she asked, glaring at him before turning her nose upwards. "I ordered some take out. You better come over because I ordered too much food."

"Why so sudden?" Yamato asked, smiling that smile of his that made her blush. "Are you planning something else, aren't you?"

To their combined surprise, the pink-haired medic turned her back on them and started to walk back to the Hospital.

"... Maybe," she threw over her shoulder, with a wink and a crooked smile.

The two men exchanged another glance and nodded to one another. There was no way they could figure out exactly what she was plotting. They were curious; since Kakashi's lessons regarding seduction, Sakura had taken upon herself the mission of surprise them from time to time, with excellent results for everyone involved.

"You get the sake and I'll get the cookies," the mokuton user said to his sempai. Kakashi nodded, waving his hand as he strolled towards the training grounds.

"I hope she didn't order tempura," was his musing reply. Yamato snorted as he poofed away.

-X-

As usual, Yamato arrived to her door punctually. Some measures had to be taken to avoid the rumor mill. It was, therefore, an unspoken agreement that Kakashi would sneak into her apartment some time later.

"Come on in," Sakura beamed at him with that hint of giddiness that never failed to make him smile.

"Now, what are you planning?" he asked curiously.

She merely blinked and let her smile arrange into a perfect wicked smirk. "Eager to know, aren't we?"

"I have to admit that you got some rather interesting tricks as of late," he shot back as he closed the door and kissed her lightly on the lips.

"I'll tell you... after dinner," she whispered with a light giggle as lifted a nonplussed brow. "Sake? Yum. Let me warm it a bit."

Truly, her flat was the most comfortable place in the whole village for Yamato, even when compared to his own apartment. He didn't mind the Copy Nin crashing his place from time to time, mostly because they slept more at Sakura's...

Forcibly, he ceased his train of thought to avoid a little slip on his character and take the medic on her very own kitchen counter. Instead, he turned his attention to what she was doing so as to avoid thinking about how nice she looked in her shorts and tank-top.

"It's not polite to stare, Tenzou," came Kakashi's voice from her bedroom as he ambled to join them in the kitchen. He stopped abruptly when he took in Sakura's choice of garments. "...But I guess I can't blame you."

"Pervert," Sakura threw over her shoulder as she busied herself with serving their dinner and gathering the chopsticks. "I swear you're going to spoil poor Tenzou with your Icha-related comments."

"I don't hear you complaining over having two men, Sakura-chan," he rebuked her with an uncovered smirk. "Who's the bigger pervert?"

"Tch, according to Kiba, Naruto," she brushed off his attempt to get a rise of her as she placed the plates in front of them. "He told me something really interesting regarding his sister's sudden interest on our dear knuckleheaded moron."

"Inuzuka Hana? I honestly can't see her trying to get into Naruto's pants," Yamato piped in as they seated on the counter and dug into their meal. "Hmm, this is really good," he added, diving for another onigiri.

"I've heard that she's quite a sight when she's in heat," Kakashi commented without looking up from his miso soup.

Sakura let out an unladylike snort. "With all those ninjas around that can detect a female's change in scent and the like, it's a wonder she hadn't been accosted by a mob of fanboys already."

"It's a wonder you haven't been stalked by half of Konoha men," the silver-haired man grumbled over his food.

"Well, at least the cover we planned is working out," Yamato added, not wanting to discuss the increasingly-dangerous subject with the temperamental Sakura further. "As long as Tsunade-sama thinks I'm the one in a relationship with Sakura, everything will be okay."

"Until she gets wind that a certain Sharingan Kakashi has taken upon himself to shag his former student in every weird location his distorted mind thinks of."

Both men chuckled at the woman's blunt observation. They were very much aware that she had a split mind, and occasionally Inner Sakura would peek through her mental barriers and grace them with her charming and amusingly raucous presence.

This, naturally, caused a feverish – and embarrassed – blush to color their lover's face.

"Sorry," she mumbled before stuffing her mouth with her dinner in order to avoid spouting another lovely remark from her mental roommate.

"I like the way she thinks," Kakashi said as he took a sip of his tea. "Maybe we can try for the Hokage's desk next time."

Sakura promptly choked on her rice, making him laugh as Tenzou pushed the glass of water towards her.

"Goddamn it Kakashi!" she grated when she regained back the ability to breathe air and not rice. "Why do you have to make those comments when I'm eating?"

"Because it's fun?"

"Maa, maa, knock it off," Yamato intervened before Sakura could retaliate, catching the wrist of the fisted hand that was sailing towards Kakashi. "You know he's only joking... right?"

"Your scary face only works with Naruto, kouhai."

Yamato rolled his eyes in mild exasperation. This time, he didn't stop Sakura's hand when she smacked Kakashi's silver mop in retaliation.

"Now, could you please elaborate a bit more about me having a fanclub?" she asked as she leaned back on her chair. She fixed the both of them with a pointedly interested look.

The Copy Ninja shot a warning look at Yamato before shrugging. "Who said you had one?"

Now it was Sakura's turn to roll her eyes. "You said it, not me."

"Ne, Kakashi, I think we should tell her," Yamato's voice floated again between them. Kakashi just lifted his shoulders in defeat, his mouth still full of food.

"Tell me what?" Sakura asked, furrowing her brows in confusion and a hint of concern in her eyes.

"We've observed that there are certain men trying to get your attention," Tenzou said with a mild frown. "The thing is that no one knows about our relationship, only the Hokage. Therefore, many Konoha men still think you're single... and available."

The lowering of the mokuton user's tone when saying those last words was more than enough for her to understand that they were jealous. Even Yamato, with his gentle, more easy-going nature, was rather disgruntled by the sudden interest other men had taken in her.

"And since your pheromones are quite easy to pick up, it's only a matter of time for someone to make a move on you," Kakashi finished, crossing his arms over his chest to signify he was done with his meal.

Sakura only could stare at them while blinking, trying to process what they had just said. True, Genma had been more obnoxious than usual and even Neji had smirked her way while they bumped on the street, but she thought it was just because the summer heat had been really light and everyone was feeling relaxed.

"So... pheromones," she repeated, seeing both her men nodding. She fell silent again, as she gathered the dishes and stood up to put them on the sink to trudge on the fridge and pull out that it looked like a chocolate covered dessert.

"I'm full," the silver-haired man shook his head. Sakura shrugged before looking at Yamato. He nodded in acceptance.

"So you do know that my pheromones were actually awakened because of you two, right?"

Both men looked at each other before lifting a questioning brow.

"Because of us?" Yamato asked, tilting his head.

"I've been having trouble sleeping when the two of you are gone," she explained, sticking her index finger on her mouth to clean the chocolate gathered on it. "So I had to resort to drastic measures in order to keep my urges at bay."

"So you've been touching yourself, huh?" there was no mistake in Kakashi's sudden sly smirk, only deepening it when she flushed heatedly.

"Again, why you have to be so tactless when we're eating?" she protested, missing Yamato's thoroughly amused smile as he tried some of the dessert she had given him, humming his approval when his senses perceived how tasty it was.

"This is delicious," he announced, sampling another spoonful.

Sakura smiled happily. "You think?"

"I haven't tasted anything like it," Yamato said with a nod.

His assertion only served to awaken Kakashi's natural curiosity. Quickly, he extended a finger to the main dessert plate. He brought his finger to his lips, tasting it for himself. "I'm not one for sweets, but this is rather appetizing."

Sakura grinned at him. "Want more?" she asked, cutting a piece for him where he'd poked the dish with his finger. When he didn't protest, she slid the little plate to him, then watched both men tackle the chocolate dessert with gusto.

"What is this?" Tenzou finally asked.

She let out a laugh. "It's a chocolate marquise, I got the recipe from Tenten," she explained, watching in amusement when both Yamato and Kakashi suddenly went very still.

"You made this?" Kakashi asked in disbelief, both of his brows rising in surprise when she nodded.

"Yep!" she chirped. "I might be a hopeless case when it comes to cooking everything else, but I still hold the title as the best dessert-maker in the whole village, thank you very much. Even Chouji had praised my cakes."

"I think I'm developing a sweet tooth already," murmured Yamato as he cut another piece of the marquise.

"Don't eat it all, Tenzou, we have to share," came Kakashi's muffled protest from behind the spoon stuck on his mouth.

"You two are idiots," their lover laughed, earning herself two mocking glares in response.

"I think we need another setting to enjoy this better," Kakashi drawled, laying his spoon on the marquise plate. "You get the dessert, I get the plate."

Sakura lifted a brow when Kakashi stood up, but squealed when his nimble hands flipped her over his shoulder as he made his way towards her bedroom. Yamato didn't waste time laughing as he took the dessert and followed them, the sake and cookies forgotten.

Sakura's laugh resounded through the apartment when she promised out loud that she would make more marquise the next day. Her giggles quickly dissolved into breathless moans.

Truly, sometimes, it was nice to surprise them from time to time, even when they surprised her as well.

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- Tenna' ento lye omenta -

-XxX-

A/N: Happy Valentine's/Single's Awareness Day, people! 8D Much love to my dear RapturesRevenge for her beta! Let's wish her a happy birthday as well!. :D