A/N - I am sincerely sorry for the formatting errors in the last chapter, as well (once again) as the gap between the last chapter and this. I crashed a car on Monday and I have my first AS level exam on the seventh so...Wait until the end of next week to hurl abuse, ok? XD Thank you as always to my lovely reviewers, and 150th reviewer gets a oneshot!
Any errors are currently my own, and I do not own Naruto.
Chapter 12
When she awoke the next morning, Sakura felt restlessness hit even before her eyes were fully open, and kicked her duvet to the floor in a temper. The night before was still fresh in her mind, unaffected by her having slept on it. She knew already that she would be in for a fight.
She'd have to go to the hospital and somehow keep her position there while changing her shifts to times that she didn't even know yet. She'd also have to go through and fully understand her list, she remembered. She bolted upright and squeezed her eyes shut, her hands clasped tightly to the back of her head as she let out a whimper. Ought she to go to Ino and the others? They may have already done it after all. Moaning again, Sakura flopped back down onto her back and picked up her laptop from its space beside her bed. After a slight struggle, she was covered in her duvet again, propped up by pillows and balancing the laptop on her knees while staring at the Google homepage.
On second thoughts, she got up a private browsing window. She didn't, after all, want to find that pop-ups for BDSM websites still waved their hello's months later. That was one word that she definitely understood already, from when she researched it before. She lazing waited for her abysmal connection to load a list of results, clicked the first one and began to watch.
It was hours later that she was shaken from her bubble of morbid curiosity to find herself still in bed and dishevelled. She wasn't dressed, she hadn't eaten, her hair was a mess and now she had another problem to take care of. She was uncomfortably het up, covered in a light sheen of sweat with her eyes wide and her heart pounding. Her mouth felt dry as she marvelled at the state that she had gotten herself into. Her arms were tensed on the keyboard and her body was hunched forwards as that infernal buzz ran through her.
It was suddenly suffocating, and far too intimate to discuss with Ino. Although she might be able to tell her first hand... Sakura took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. Any of the others could be able to tell her, unless they had all been given the forms back. Which she wouldn't know without asking. But what if they hadn't? The forms had had a deadline after all, meaning that once they had been handed in the curriculum as such had been set. Kakashi had given hers back.
With a sudden surge of decision, Sakura folded the list back up, put her laptop aside and headed for the shower. By the time she got out, her hair was clean and her body lavender scented, but she was just as worked up as before.
She towelled herself off thoroughly and got out the dust covered hair dryer from under her bed in an attempt to fill the time before her shift. Once dried and dressed in a crisply ironed hospital uniform, she lingered over a bowl of musli, glaring off into space. She lifted the spoon to her mouth only to have the milk drop back down onto the polished wood table with every thought that distracted her.
Images played through her mind in imperfect sequence. Potential discussions with the girls, rearranging hospital shifts, herself and Kakashi in place of the men and woman that she had spent the morning watching. Again, her heart began to pound and her body thrummed excitedly. She didn't even know if she wanted to do it. She had been damn near horrified the last time that she had seen these things. Suddenly, she was told to look again, and she wasn't.
It all seemed oddly appealing when she saw it now, but it wasn't supposed to be, was it? She was supposed to learn to carry on functioning despite those events. To catch people who used those sorts of things on people. To seduce men with those particular tastes.
And if they were her targets, then obviously something that they did was wrong. They used them on unwilling people of course. Willing people wouldn't ask for help.
Sakura dumped her half eaten cereal in the bin and placed the bowl and spoon in the sink, resolving to clean again once she got home. She left the house, feeling an odd calm claim her as she neared the hospital. Automatically, she had regained control, instinct telling her how imperitive it would be for her work.
This had been a very good choice indeed.
Shizune wasn't at the desk when Sakura entered, nor Tsunade anywhere in sight, so Sakura got herself cleaned and onto the wards to begin her shift, putting the problem of schedules into the back of her mind for later. So far back, that by the end of her shift she still hadn't sought out her superior. With a sigh, Sakura washed her hands again and went to sort out her final patient. A minor injury that was quickly solved; Genin always kept her in practice with sprains.
It was a regular day for the hospital, with no large squads or critical injuries to heal. As such, everything was fast paced but simple. Routine tasks that Sakura was glad for. She passed several other workers as she made her way down the hall and down the stairs to the front desk. She walked quickly, still holding her work pace, her body geared up to get stuff done. As such, she wouldn't usually walk into any patients or visitors; they usually walked slowly. The staff had all become quite adept at avoiding each other in corridors.
Some unsuspecting runner of the halls hadn't though, and Sakura found herself apologising profusely while holding her arms out to steady the redhead who had crashed into her. She stepped back the same moment as the girl did, lifting her head a little to display a split lip dribbling blood, and the purple of a bruised cheek.
"Claire!" She gasped. "Have you been fixed up or-"
"I'm fine," The other girl snapped, wrapping her arms around her to hold her cardigan tightly. "I've been sorted out." She hissed, her words lilted at the end. She stormed ahead, leaving Sakura flabbergasted. After several moments, Sakura followed, but Claire had already gone.
"Sakura," A cheery voice called, and Sakura turned back, stepping away from the doors.
"Shizune?" She asked.
"Good shift?"
"Yeah- uh," Sakura fidgeted. "Do you mind if I change my shifts?"
"Sure. I've got a minute now, if you're not busy?"
"Umm, yeah." Sakura pulled the schedule from her pocket and walked over to the desk. "I don't really know what they need to be yet though. Could I just tell you tomorrow what I want them to be?"
"You sure? Hatake-san dropped by earlier with a new schedule for you." Shizune spun in her chair and swiped up a piece of paper that was precariously balanced on top of a large stack. "Was this it?"
On autopilot, Sakura took the list from her and scanned it. She hadn't seen this before. She looked it over thoughtfully. This was probably the only schedule that Kakashi was going to offer her. She might as well take it. But why had Kakashi bothered sorting it out for her anyway?
She nodded dumbly, handing back the paper to Shizune, who shook her head. "It's on the system. That's your copy."
"Thanks."
Shizune smiled and Sakura turned to move away when the older woman piped up again. "And can you tell Hatake-san to come in for a checkup?"
"Um, yeah. Sure."
Still clutching the paper in front of her, Sakura left. She paid no attention to her surroundings on the walk home, but somewhere in the back of her mind she noted a male voice calling out her name.
888
Sakura woke up late the next day, feeling largely unsettled. She pondered as she lay in bed, wondering about Kakashi's sudden shift in behaviour, what would happen at their lesson, and why Claire had needed the hospital. The girl's messed red hair and puffy eyes stood in her mind, but there was nothing that she could do about it. She wouldn't be seeing her again until dance anyway, and probably ought to keep quiet about it. Confidentiality and all that.
She also had to give her list one last run through before handing it back to Kakashi. She hadn't changed anything yet, and her unease grew with the idea of it. She twisted her fingers into her duvet with uncertainty before getting out of bed to dig up a bowl of musli. Scowling at the near empty packet, she tipped the remainder into her bowl and made a mental note to go shopping. Again. She placed the list open beside her to read through while she ate.
She didn't have to meet Kakashi until eight, so Sakura got the shopping done first, spending longer than usual in the different stores. She dithered over different items as she allowed her thoughts to continue straying. Perhaps she should go spend some time with Ino again? Get another opinion?
Once again, as Sakura lifted an apple from the stand, she heard that voice calling what sounded like her name. Giving a cursory look around, she turned back to the fruit.
"Sakura!" She heard again. A few seconds later, and a hand touched her shoulder, startling her despite the warning. She jumped and turned, staring at the brown haired male in front of her. She blinked.
"Koji! How are you?"
"I'm good," He smiled crookedly. "Haven't fallen over anything in the last few days. How about you?"
"I'm okay," She smiled. "I've been quite busy recently, so I'm at a loss of what to do today."
"Yeah, I mean," Koji scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "I tried to talk to you yesterday, but I guess you didn't hear me. Or maybe you were busy or-"
"Oh." Sakura frowned slightly. "I did think I hear someone talking at me, but I wasn't paying attention." She raised a hand to her face. "I'm so sorry, I just was completely out of it, I'd just finished work and-"
He grinned. "Hey, no biggie! But I do insist that we grab some lunch together now. If you're not busy?"
Sakura shrugged. "Alright. Um, where do you wanna go? I've just done a load of shopping," She offered, holding up the bag. "We could go back to mine, or go somewhere else?"
"How about a walk down the river?" Koji mumbled."The trees are starting to blossom..."
Trees. Blossom. As in Sakura. Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Sakura pasted on a large smile and nodded. "Sure. I'll just grab a couple more picnicy things then."
"I got it," He smoothly took the shopping basket from her, and wandered over to the snack isle, quickly sifting through and occasionally asking for a preference. He made quick work of it, and a mere couple of minutes later he was done and paid. He nodded at the bags still in my hands. Does any of that need to be put away, or is it alright as it is?"
"Um.." Sakura glanced down at the bags in her hands. Milk, butter, eggs. "Some of this needs to be put away.I'll just run and do it quickly if that's okay? We could meet by-"
"It's fine I'll come with you." He smiled. "Unless you ninja need to hide your homes?"
"Oh,no, that's fine."
The pair wandered slowly down the street, the medic leading the way as the ambled in silence, each of them trying to think of something to say.
"So, why are you so busy?" He asked slowly. "Anything important?"
"No, I've just been training."
"What for?"
"Nothing in particular. Just routine training for the usual kind of missions."
He smiled. "So nothing disturbing is happening then?"
"No," Sakura smiled. "You and your clumsy feet don't have to worry."
"Phew." He grinned widely. "I heard some ninja's talking the other day; when I hurt my leg, y'know? I don't know what they were talking about but they sounded slightly distressed."
Sakura kept her smile in place as she reassured him. "Genma probably just forgot someone's birthday, or the name of some bird that he's slept with. Ninja's do have normal lives too, y'know?"
"Other than the missions, and the kunai and the chakra and stuff."
"Yeah, other than that."
Secrety though, Sakura began to wonder too. Maybe that was what Kakashi was busy with. Maybe he was supposed to be working with something big, and instead had winded up training her. Maybe that was why he changed her schedule himself rather than making her do it. She frowned deeply, and Koji turned his head to watch her as they walked.
"You alright?"
"Yeah, sorry. I'm distracted." She forced a smile back onto her face. "What have you been up to?"
"Nothing in particular," He replied, scratching some hair behind his ear. "Just work mainly." He glanced up. "And the few times that I have ran into you."
"Well, hopefully this will be slightly more fun." She told him. "Sorry about this." She lifted the bags to swing beside her shoulder, only to have Koji take them into his hands as she went to put her hands down.
"I've got them."
Sakura stared intently at him for a moment before nodding. "Thank you."
"You're welcome."
The rest of the walk was spent with idle chatter and light questions about likes, dislikes, work and family. It was pleasant, and Sakura quickly found herself relaxing with him, although she couldn't shake his earlier words. They sounded slightly distressed.
Unlocking the door slighty awkwardly as Koji watched, Sakura invited him in, kicking some shoes out of the way as she went.
"You dress up often?" He asked lightly, and Sakura turned to see one black high heel hooked onto Koji's trainer as he lifted it for her to see. She snatched it up quickly and tossed it aside.
"They're not for going out. They're for dancing."
"Ah," He nodded, and a sly grin took over again. "What kinda dancing?"
Exactly the type that you are thinking of. "Ballroom." Sakura bluffed, pleased when he nodded thoughtfully. Her smugness faded when he replied.
"Cool. Maybe we could go dance sometime."
"I'd like that." She smiled, and turned into the kitchen. She called behind her. "The kitchen is through here."
Koji followed and placed her bags onto the tabletop, hovering against the edge as Sakura began to unpack the bags. "Would you like a cup of tea of anything, or should we just get going?"
"It's up to you," Koji fidgeted. "If you want a break first then that is absolutely fine, but it's really nice outside. I'm really happy about our picnic." He said, a sheepish smile on his face completed by an eye-crinkle to rival Kakashi.
"Ok, I just need a couple of minutes, ok?" Sakura smiled and hastily ran up to her room. She checked her hair in her wood-framed mirror, tugging a comb through it and spraying. She then added lipgloss, sucked on a breathmint and put on an extra layer of deoderant.
It was just a picnic with someone she barely knew, but she might as well make a good impression. She certainly didn't want to make a bad one, and have Koji teased for being around a girl who smelt like shit and looked like she'd been tugged through a hedge backwards.
He was perusing a book shelf when Sakura emerged and turned at the sound of her footsteps. "You ready?" He asked, and Sakura nodded. They had a blissfully undisturbed lunch, interrupted only by Ino and Hinata's wink as they passed her in giggles. Sakura sighed; they would want the details. Thankfully, they opened the conversation up somewhat as the pair began exchanging stories of their friends' antics, and the time passed quicker than Sakura could have imagined.
So quickly in fact, that by the time she closed the door on him, she was scrambling to get ready for her lesson with Kakashi. She showered thoroughly, as if her body were caked in something other than soap and shampooed her hair twice before conditioning. She was too wrapped up in getting ready to realise that there were other things to do.
Like allowing time to find anything that mysteriously becomes lost.
Sakura entered the kitchen, still drying her hair, to pick up her list. Only to find that it was no longer where she had left it.
The towel hit the floor.
"Oh, shit!" Sakura hissed, and immediately fluttered around the kitchen in a good impression of a garish bird. "Shit, shit, shiiiiit."
Ten minutes later, she still hadn't found said list (or brushed her half dry hair) and left in a panic. Luckily too much of a panic to notice the stares that her bird's nest was attracting.
Sakura pasted on a calm face as she raised a hand to knock on the door, finding that it opened before her fist hit. She shrugged and lowered her hand. "Hey."
He nodded and nudged her through the door. "Are you alright Sakura?"
"I'm fine." She said quickly. "Why wouldn't I be?"
He arched a brow. "Is there anything that you want to tell me?" He asked.
"Why do you ask?"
"Call it... jonin instinct."
"No, umm, do you happen to have a spare copy of the list? I seem to have misplaced mine. I'm sorry sensei."
Kakashi watched her for a few moments, her head bent to stare at her feet. Her knotted hair fell in front of her face in tangled waves.
"Was there anything that you changed?" He asked slowly. "I can get you another list if you want to go over it, but is there anything off the top of your head?"
"No, sensei. Nothing needs changing."
"Are you certain?"
"Yes, sensei."
"Good."
"Don't you need my answers?" She asked in a mumble, and his jaw tightened.
"I've memorised it, Sakura, I only need to know if anything needs changing. However, can you tell me what would happen if this were a mission?"
"I-uh." She swallowed loudly. "I would at the very least be docked pay for carelessness, but the effects on the mission could be disasterous. I could endanger teammates, the mission and myself. I am sorry sensei."
"Sorry doesn't solve it, so stop apologising. Where did you last have the list?"
"At home. It was on my kitchen table."
"You didn't take it outside?"
"No."
The silver haired ninja considered for a moment. "Good. As you know, a great many of the men in the village are completely clueless as to this type of training. It would not do for any of them to see the list."
Sakura nodded, and he continued. "Especially a list holding our names. How do you think it would look to them?"
Something in Sakura clicked, and her head snapped up to look at him, her mouth opening only to be stopped by Kakashi raising a finger to her mouth.
"Do you understand?" He asked quietly as his features softened.
"Yes, sensei." She whispered.
"Anything else you want to talk about?" He asked coldly, and Sakura debated with herself internally while Kakashi watched in hidden amusement.
"Thank you for changing my shifts and the hospital, sensei." She said quietly. "Can I ask why you did it, rather than simply telling me today what times to change it to?"
He inclined his head briefly. "I realise that I may have been a little strict with you last time, and honestly as long as the shifts are changed there is no reason for me to make you do it. Also, it is probably best to let the hospital know of changes sooner rather than later. I don't know if it would have gone down as well if you had requested the changes."
"Thank you." She whispered, astounded by the thoughtfullness that had replaced the anger of their last meeting. How had he turned around so easily? He smirked back at her.
"Now... I have a game."
"Oh?" She asked quietly, slighty wary beneath her returning smirk. They'd played games quite often in the passed weeks to keep things light and natural, but it was too sudden a turn about of mood for her. She was stil expecting to chastised somewhat more than she had been. He was calm and playful. Maybe the game had a twist?
"There are objects hidden in each room. There aren't the same amount in each, so you will have to be thorough in your search."
"You want to play hide and seek?" Sakura asked flatly, but Kakashi's grin widened.
"You will search on your hands and knees, naked."
Sakura laughed her response. "Fine by me. What am I looking for?"
"You are looking for some of the things that were on your list. I will time you," He said, pulling a stopwatch from his trouser pocket. "You have five minutes. We will then create a list. The things that you find are put into place by you, however the things that you don't find are ordered by me. That will be the order in which each of these things are tried. Understand?"
"Are the lists seperate or combined?"
"Combined. I make my list, then you can fit your items in where you want them. Got it?" He asked, and she nodded. "Strip."
A/N - Sorry to leave it there (fairly short), but I wanted to make certain to post today rather than a longer chapter possibly a week away. I think it contains enough confusion for now anyhoodle. All shall become clear!
R&R
Kashi-Cookie-Monster
xxx