And bring me word what he doth say to thee
"Good morning, Kakashi-sama."
"Good morning, Sakura." He took the cup of coffee she handed him mid-stride. She fell in beside him with a stack of documents and folders tucked to her chest.
"Okay, so your agenda today is rather tight. That means you don't have time to sneak off into the filing cabinet to read," she continued, smiling in thanks when he held the office door open for her.
Kakashi made a mental note to change reading locations as soon as possible. This would make it the sixth time in the three months that he'd been in his new position that she'd forced him to switch hiding spots. She either knew him too well or had an uncanny ability to track him down. Whatever it was, it was highly disruptive to his reading breaks.
Sakura set her load down on the smaller desk just to the left of the door and pulled the day planner off the top. While his office wasn't all that big, it was definitely a lot more spacious than sharing it with three other people. For the first month of his tenure as co-Hokage, he'd set up shop inside Danzou's office. To say that it had been awkward was the understatement of the century. If it hadn't been for Sakura, he doubted he would have bothered leaving his tent to go to work. It was difficult trying to accomplish anything when one's coworkers were frigid and very unhelpful.
Fortunately, his assistant was not only very well versed in village policy and procedure, she also wasn't afraid to stand up when he was … misdirected. Like when Danzou decided to have a meeting with the Konoha Council to discuss public relations and village reconstruction – both of which fell under his jurisdiction. Sakura had somehow found out about it and he'd gotten there in time to prevent anything from happening.
He'd then had a nice, long talk with Danzou in private about how they were supposed to be working together for Konoha rather than playing petty political games. He wasn't sure if anything had truly gotten through to the man, but he'd received an apology and that was all he could hope for.
Kakashi took a sip of coffee through his mask and, ignoring the way she wrinkled her nose, sat down in his chair. "Lay it on me," he said with blatantly false cheer.
Sticking her tongue out at his sarcasm, Sakura took her usual perch on the corner of his desk. She'd claimed the spot almost as soon as the office was finished, much to his dismay. It was difficult maintaining eye contact when her shapely legs were within clear view.
That was another thing that had changed: his feelings toward the petite young girl running one finger down the day planner. At first, he'd thought that maybe he was getting softer in his advancing age. She'd been so devastated over losing track of Sasuke yet again and he'd initially thought that maybe he was responding to that. But after spending quite a bit of time with her (everyday, to be more precise) in both personal and professional settings … he realized it was more than just him wanting to comfort her in some way.
He cared about her, more deeply than was normal for teammates. It wasn't love, or at least he hesitated to call it that. But it was definitely more than friendship.
There had been times over the last month or so where he almost could have sworn there was some reciprocation on her behalf. It was something in the way she looked at him sometimes, or how her smile always seemed a bit brighter for him, or the way her cheeks would color coyly if they were in close proximity. When they were at his new home together, either working on one of the many projects he had going or simply enjoying the other's company, she would be more casual about touching him. She was never inappropriate or unduly forward, but sometimes her hand lingered a little too long on his or she leaned a little too close against his side.
He'd entertained the idea of testing his theory somehow, but the voice of good sense always stepped in to remind him of the many reasons why that wouldn't be a good idea – foremost of which being he didn't want to risk damaging a perfectly good friendship. There was a very good chance he was misinterpreting her actions completely. When it came to battle tactics and reading a fight, he understood even the slightest nuance perfectly. But when it came to interpreting relationships, he was the first to admit he was utterly hopeless. He didn't want to risk that with Sakura, not when he needed her friendship so badly.
"So, today you have a meeting with Asahi Kumo to try and arrange for the Daimyo to send more supplies," Sakura began. "I made copies of your proposal for Asahi-san to take with him and I also sent copies ahead to the Council and Danzou-sama as well."
She handed him two neatly bound packets and as he leaned forward to take them from her, he couldn't help but notice she was wearing new perfume. He debated briefly on complimenting her on it, but decided it wasn't entirely appropriate since they were at work. "This is the fourth time we've had to request further supplies from the Daimyo," he commented, and there was a bitter edge to his words that he wasn't quite able to control.
Sakura let out a weary sigh and her smile faded. He almost regretted saying anything at all. "I know," she replied, reaching up to tuck a strand of hair back behind her ear. "It's frustrating that we depend so heavily on his mercy and resources, but what choice do we have?"
Kakashi slouched further in his chair as he regarded her levelly. "We can ask for support from Suna; that's what other choice we have. Gaara already offered assistance two months ago."
"Yes and the motion was denied because Danzou-sama felt it was a breach of security."
He scowled at the reminder of that disastrous meeting, which had culminated in him taking the rest of the afternoon off to go punch something. That something ended up turning into a sparring session with Sakura when she tracked him down later. He'd left there sore, out of breath, and feeling less frustrated at the lack of real progress … as well as a bit aroused. It was then that he'd realized his feelings toward her were shifting into unfamiliar territory. Even now, just recalling the determined glint in her eyes as she threw him over her shoulder without an ounce of restraint was enough to make his heart pulse a little faster. And when she'd straddled him once he was down (there was a very good chance he'd let her do it – but he wouldn't ever tell her that) he hadn't dared to move because if he did there was a very real chance he would have….
His memories of that day were broken when Sakura suddenly leaned forward and placed a hand over his. Her fingers were cool and lightly callused from her profession, deceptively delicate when compared to his own. Kakashi's breath caught when she squeezed his hand sympathetically. Heat began to filter through his blood at the simple touch and it was all he could do not to lace his fingers with hers.
"It's okay, Kakashi-sama," she said softly. "Tsunade had the same problems as well, and yet she managed to get quite a bit done. I'm positive you'll be able to do the same, maybe more so since the Konoha Council likes you."
Kakashi let out a quiet snort as a small smile forced its way across his lips. "If you say so. Arguing with you is useless anyway."
"Of course it is," she responded cheerfully as she withdrew her hand, much to his disappointment. "Besides, you're too lazy to put up a fight."
"Mm, that's true enough, I suppose. Okay, so what else am I doing today?"
Sakura skimmed down the planner until she found the next entry. "A mandatory finance meeting for both Hokages with the Council. I have your meeting with Asahi-san scheduled to end about a half an hour before it starts to allow for his endless questions."
He hummed in agreement. Asahi Kumo was one of the most talkative people he'd ever met. He was also a bit of a weaselly little man who was always on the look out to see what he could possibly gain from a situation. So far, in return for putting in a good word with the Daimyo to secure supplies, he'd been promised that his son could try out for the Academy once it was built. The only reasons Kumo wanted his son enrolled in the Academy were for bragging rights and the off chance that the boy actually made it in and up the ranks. It would be very beneficial to have a personal tie inside the village. Kakashi doubted the boy would make it beyond the chakra test, but it was a minor concession in return for much needed food and labor.
"After the budget and finance meeting, Shizune wanted to discuss hospital repairs and medic assignments on teams," Sakura continued. "Apparently, Danzou-sama has been neglecting to assign one medic per team and has denied her an audience to hear her case several times now."
Kakashi sighed and rubbed his eye wearily. "I don't know what she expects me to do about it. It was decided that team assignments and village defense were his responsibilities."
"I think she's hoping you'll perhaps get her case heard by the Council. Believe me, Kakashi-sama, if she could fight this one out herself she would. But she can't even get someone to acknowledge her concerns."
He knew Sakura was right, but this sort of thing had been happening far too often for his liking. The job of the Hokage was to serve and protect the people. It wasn't to maintain old grudges and biased opinions. He was getting very tired of constantly having to play the villagers' champion. It wasn't right.
But someone had to do it or else no one's voice would be heard.
Raking a hand back through his hair, Kakashi muttered reluctantly, "Make a note to try and speak with Koharu-san after today's meeting. She's more agreeable than Homura-san and seems to like Shizune enough to listen."
Judging by the radiant smile Sakura flashed him as she made a note in the schedule, he'd done what she'd been hoping for. It was suddenly worth the headache to know that he'd made her happy. "Okay," she went on relentlessly, "after speaking with Shizune you're slated to go over building specs with Omaru-san. Apparently, there's been some trouble in digging up one of the former clan estates."
"Which one?"
He knew the answer as soon as she hesitated to say it. "The Uchiha one."
Kakashi nodded slowly and pretended not to notice the flicker of pain across her features. "I'm not surprised. The place is riddled over with traps. Has anyone been injured yet?"
"One worker, a chuunin who comes from a family of carpenters, stepped on a hidden explosive tag. Shizune managed to salvage his leg, but he'll be out of commission for a very long time."
"Let's have Omaru-san leave that portion of the village alone for now and focus more on the areas we're familiar with and that need our immediate attention." He paused as a sudden thought occurred to him and glanced at Sakura. "By the way, do you happen to know why he's starting with the Uchiha compound over, say, the Hyuuga one?"
Sakura frowned and leaned across his desk to slide a folder out from the middle of the stack. In the process, her shirt gaped a little at the neck, allowing him a quick glimpse at a pale blue bra strap. Was it just him or was her top unzipped a little further than usual?
"It says here…" she replied, flipping through the pages of the construction proposal. Her brow creased in confusion as she flipped back a couple pages and began reading more thoroughly. "Actually, the Uchiha compound wasn't on the list of approved locations. Huh, that's weird."
Kakashi arched a sardonic brow at her. "You really think so?"
Her head snapped up and her eyes rounded in shock as she caught his meaning. "You mean he … but why? What's so important there that he'd order workers to risk their lives going through the remains rather than continue working on the main portion of the village?"
He shrugged and asked back, "Why is he so obsessed with the Uchiha clan, period? It's rather unhealthy, if you ask me."
Sakura's lips twitched but she managed to keep the grin from spreading further. "That's not nice, Kakashi-sama," she reprimanded, but the effect was ruined by the mischievous gleam in her green eyes.
Kakashi folded his hands across his stomach and rocked back in his chair idly. "I'm co-Hokage, which means I don't have to be nice if I don't want to."
Instead of giggling at his response like he'd hoped, her expression softened as she tilted her head to study him. "You're nice to me."
He wasn't sure how to answer that. On the one hand, he could always tell her that of course he's nice to her. Without her, he'd have quit a long time ago. Not to mention seeing her smile gave him a reason to bother showing up for work on time. But on the other hand … the way she said it made him wonder once again if perhaps he was reading more into her response than she'd intended. There was nothing to suggest anything other than friendly interest. It would be foolish to assume otherwise.
Rather than pursue the topic further, Kakashi stood and picked up the first two folders from the stack. His thigh brushed hers in the process, causing her to suck in a sharp breath as a soft pink shade dusted her cheeks. Hmm … maybe he'd been wrong after all and she was interested in something more than platonic friendship. Or maybe she just had ticklish thighs.
That … actually wasn't much better.
Without asking, Sakura accompanied him from the office and back down the hallway toward the front of the building. Two ANBU guards fell in automatically behind them. Despite her assurances to the contrary, he still felt the place was much too big. Yes, it doubled as his new residence as well … but did he really need to have two meeting rooms? Also, there were two extra bedrooms toward the back that stood empty about ninety percent of the time. One saw use only when Sakura happened to be working late and didn't feel like going back to her own place, wherever that might be. She kept an extra set of clothing and everything in that small room, and he was fine with that. The other bedroom, however, was a waste of space as far as he was concerned.
Truthfully, he had to admit that on occasion he did find reasons to keep her late. He wasn't aiming for romantic purposes or anything; being followed around by ANBU every minute of every day sort of put a damper on those designs, even if he'd been so inclined as to act on them. Mostly, it was just that he'd gotten rather fond of her company over the last few months. She was fairly pleasant when she wasn't cracking the whip over his head and had a quick wit about her. He liked hearing her laugh at his jokes, however lame they might be, and respected her opinion when she voiced it.
He also liked having her cook him dinner, and he was certain his ANBU guards felt the same way. If left to his own devises, he probably would have starved himself to death right now were it not for her and whoever was unfortunate enough to draw the evening guard duties. Genma in particular hated having to work the night shift and was very vocal about how he didn't sign up for the elite force just to cook chicken. A fortunate thing, too; the senbon user was a lousy cook.
Asahi Kumo, Minister of Trade for Fire Country, rose from his chair as they entered the meeting room. He was a rather portly man with a thick mustache, black eyes, and deeply receding hairline. He was never without a smile, which made his eyes crinkle and look smaller than they were, and he always had a kiseru in hand, though he was kind enough to refrain from smoking indoors. Overall, he wasn't a bad guy to deal with.
His one major drawback (more so than his opportunistic nature in Kakashi's book) was that he had a horrible habit of openly ogling Sakura's trim physique, something that became more and more bothersome as their dealings became more frequent. There were times in the past where he'd wanted to remind the other man that Sakura wasn't just office eye candy and that if she knew how he was peering at her ass she'd hand him his on the end of her boot.
Sakura, for her part, was either oblivious or just brushed him off as being yet another pervert in a country overrun with them. He wasn't sure if either option was particularly reassuring, but at least she wasn't encouraging the attention. She was polite, charming, and very quick to ask about his wife, Asahi Migume. Kakashi relished watching Kumo's jaw tighten at the mention of his spouse. It was no secret that Mrs. Asahi was a bit of a shrew who had a firm grip on her husband's shorthairs.
"Thank you for coming all the way out here, Asahi-san," Kakashi greeted, keeping his tone warm but neutral.
Kumo smiled back, but his eyes had already roamed to Sakura. "It's pleasure as always, Hokage-sama," he murmured back, his eyes lingering a little too long on her breasts. "Sakura-san, you look particularly lovely today."
Sakura bowed politely and offered a sweet smile in return. Kakashi couldn't help but notice that her top seemed to be zipped higher than it had been not too long ago. "Thank you, Asahi-sama."
"And what a lovely fragrance you're wearing today, too," the older man continued, much to Kakashi's irritation. "Is it new?"
She laughed at the compliment and replied, "No, not really. My friends helped dig out the remains of my apartment the other day, and among the things that survived was my lotion of all things."
"Well, it suits you and is most refreshing after a long day of traveling."
"Then let's not stall you any longer than is necessary," Kakashi cut in quickly. Some of his mounting impatience must have crept into his voice because Sakura shot him a questioning glance, to which he shrugged innocently in response.
Kumo's jaw tensed a little and his dark eyes hardened at having his game interrupted. He smiled tightly and said, "Yes, let's get down to business."
The three of them sat down at the wide the wide table, which had definitely seen better days but was still serviceable. Sakura had argued about putting it in the meeting room, stating that was unsightly for one of Konoha's Hokages to have a banged up piece of furniture out for guests to see. His rebuttal was that it was a conversation piece – and he'd been right. People commented all the time about the 'poor table', and he had fun telling them all about how he'd acquired it: it was rescued from the decimation of the village by a group of cats, he'd found his assistant using it for shelter (she'd whacked him good later for that one), it was one of the tables from the Academy lunch room... The only problem with telling stories was that he couldn't remember who he told what and Sakura refused to notate it all.
The Minister of Trade pulled a pen from the sleeve of his kimono and immediately opened the new supply request proposal when Kakashi passed it over. His brow was deeply knitted as he read over the first page quickly, his lips moving silently with the words. He continued flipping through the pages one by one, occasionally offering a grunt or making a note in the side margin in his tiny, cramped script.
Kakashi hated this portion of the meeting. The anticipation of wondering whether it would be approved or not always left his stomach a mess, and he'd stopped trying to read Kumo's handwriting a long time ago, It was impossible, even with the sharingan – and yes, he'd tried. He'd ended up with a headache and nothing to show for his efforts. On a good note, their other requests had all been accepted. Yes, this one was quite a bit larger than the last, but it would also go a lot further in repairing the village.
After what felt like an eternity, Kumo looked up from the requisition. He was frowning. He never frowned. Kakashi felt a bead of sweat slip down his spine. He waited silently as the other man tapped a slow, thoughtful finger against the plastic coversheet of the report.
Finally, Kumo sighed and asked, "How many supply requests is this now? Six? Seven?"
"Five, actually," Kakashi corrected quietly. He had a bad idea where this was going.
The Minister nodded slowly and glanced at the report again. "While the Daimyo appreciates the added security that having one of the oldest Hidden Villages provides, he is concerned that past aid hasn't been used as effectively as it might."
"Our use of past supplies is fully detailed in the report, Kumo-san. Page twenty-three, I believe."
"The Daimyo's support to us in these hard times has been absolutely invaluable," Sakura chimed in, leaning passed Kakashi in order to smile at their guest. "There's not a ninja in the village who isn't grateful for it."
Kumo's expression softened a little at her words – or maybe it was her smile that did the trick. Unfortunately, not even Sakura's pretty features were enough to sway him. "The Daimyo will be pleased to know his contributions have been well received, but he is still concerned that perhaps it could have been used more efficiently."
He was playing politics. While the villagers, civilian and ninja alike, still struggled on a day to day basis, Kumo was going to sit there and play the political game. Kakashi knew without a doubt that every last scrap of lumber, every minute particle of donated food, was detailed clearly in his report. He'd checked and double checked and tripled checked it. Sakura had gone through it after him, as had Shikamaru, just to be sure his calculations were correct. Every last item that had been acquired in their last deal was accounted for and used for the greater good of the village.
Still though, perhaps the Minister might have some ideas to stretch things a bit further. This sort of fell into his job description, after all. Perhaps it would be best to hear him out.
A sudden idea struck him, one which he couldn't believe he hadn't considered sooner. Cocking his head inquiringly, Kakashi smiled at the other man and said, "How about a tour of the village repairs? That way, you can see our progress first hand and relay it back to the Daimyo."
He knew it'd been the right idea when Kumo's dark eyes lit up eagerly. "Yes, let's take a walk through your village and discuss this more in depth. Sakura-san will be coming too, of course?"
Before Sakura could so much as open her mouth, Kakashi said, "Unfortunately, Sakura has paperwork to see to before our next appointment." He could feel her glaring at the back of his head, but he didn't care. If he was going to give a tour of Konoha, he wanted the Minister's focus to be on the rebuilding progress – not her ass.
"Ah, what a pity," Kumo replied as he leaned around Kakashi to peer at the girl beside him. "The company of a lovely young lady would have been most welcome."
Sakura's laugh held a hint of tightness to it, which let him know she was definitely angry with him. "Well, you know … someone has to do the real work in this office," she replied with all the saccharine sweetness of an acid drip. Oh, yes. She was pissed. He had a feeling he was going to be hearing about this later.
Kumo chuckled and winked at her. "Kakashi-sama cracks a fierce whip, does he? Maybe new employment is in order. As it just so happens, I have a position open on my staff for a junior secretary. Anytime you'd like a gentler hand, let me know."
Kakashi didn't notice his hand had clenched until he felt the sharp, painful press of his fingertips into his palm. And try as he might, he couldn't get it to relax again. Sakura giggling at the blatant innuendo didn't help in this endeavor.
"Thank you, Asahi-sama, I'm very flattered," she replied. "I'll keep your offer in mind should I need it."
"Yes, please do," the Minister murmured warmly as a flare of lust crept through his beady little eyes.
Rather than allow the conversation (re: flirting session) to continue any longer, Kakashi stood up and said cheerfully, "If you'll come with me then, Kumo-san. I'm eager to hear your thoughts about our reconstruction efforts. Sakura, please make sure those reports are completed."
"Oh, don't worry about it, Hokage-sama," Sakura answered with the most fearfully pleasant smile he'd ever seen in his life. "I'll have something on your desk by the time you get back."
Her words gave him pause as he was about to follow Kumo, but he didn't comment further on it. All he could hope now was that the something wasn't her resignation. Maybe he should have let her come along. She was more than capable of handling herself, after all. Perhaps he'd been too quick to try and protect her from lasciviousness … or perhaps he was transferring some of his pent up jealousy onto her.
As soon as they stepped outside the one story building that was his home and office, Kumo's guards fell in alongside his ANBU squad. The Minister's escort easily doubled his, but that would mean absolutely nothing in a fight. Kumo's men were obviously the mercenary type, hired muscle who were loyal more to the paycheck than the man supplying it. His ANBU were professional killers and protected him because that was what they were trained to do.
He wasn't really looking forward to showing Kumo around the village, but it was a necessary evil and a lesser one compared to having to sit by quietly while the man hit on his assistant. His gut was telling him that a tour wasn't going to change the Minister's mind, and his brain had a feeling that his gut was right. Kumo had come to Konoha prepared to deny them – at least until he found something that he wanted.
The tour went pretty much as he'd expected. Kumo asked about a thousand questions about why this was being done that way and how come they were doing that like this. He wanted to know what parts of which new buildings were constructed by the Daimyo's workers and with the Daimyo's supplies. When he'd found out an entire wing of the new hospital had been completely constructed with the donations from his master, he'd only been half joking as he suggested the wing be named after the one responsible.
After an hour or so of wandering about the village, they made their way toward the area that would be dedicated to the new Academy. It was an appropriate place to end the tour, Kakashi thought, seeing as the Minister's son would one day be attending there (so he thought) and it also brought them full loop back to his office. Kumo had been smiling and chattering nonstop the entire time which, while a bit grating on the nerves, was preferable to him frowning.
"I can see you've done well in making the Daimyo's generosity stretch," Kumo commented as they stopped to survey the workers scrambling up the wooden framework of the future Academy like enormous ants. "You've done quite a bit in getting Konoha put back together."
"Thank you, Kumo-san. It wouldn't have been possible without the Daimyo's support – which I hope we still have," Kakashi replied as casually as possible.
Kumo's eyes narrowed as he watched the progress taking place in front of him and nodded. "Mm… about that. To be quite frank, Kakashi-sama, while all of this is very impressive, the Daimyo is still concerned over the cost of it all. Essentially, everything here is being donated, with no hope of fund recuperation. This is eating a hole in his pocket, one that keeps getting bigger and bigger."
"But it will return to him tenfold once Konoha can get back to business as usual," he countered. "We provide for Fire Country defense and pay taxes to the Daimyo for use of the land. In another six months, we'll be fully operational again and the hole in his pocket will be on the mend."
The Minister's smile slipped a little and his gaze never left the construction site as he said, "The Daimyo is wondering if it might actually be more affordable in the long run to outsource Fire Country defense to another village."
Kakashi's heart lurched and his stomach clenched up like he'd just gotten punched. He couldn't really mean that … could he? No, Asahi Kumo might talk a lot and was certainly a horrible lech, but he never said a word he didn't mean. For a moment, he couldn't seem to find the words to speak and when he did they came out a bit more coolly than he'd intended. "Is that really what the Daimyo thinks or is this the Minister of Trade speaking on his behalf?"
Kumo's gaze slid to him and the triumphant glint in his eye was mirrored by the smirk on his lips. "For all your inexperience in the political arena, you certainly catch on quickly, Kakashi-sama," he replied softly. "The idea had been mentioned in passing during a meeting, but it was never seriously considered. However, it could be brought up again … more emphatically."
Taking a deep breath while reminding himself for the hundredth time that Konoha needed the Daimyo's support, he tucked his hands in his pockets and said, "Let's just cut the vagaries and get right to the heart of the matter. What do you want to insure this doesn't get mentioned again?"
The Minister's smile was anything but cordial and reminded him very strongly of the rodent he was reminiscent of. He turned his back on the construction to cast a meaningful look back at Kakashi's office building. "Your assistant. She's quite lovely. Very, ah … nubile. Tell me, is it true that kunoichi are the most flexible women in the world?"
His jaw clenched angrily and when he spoke next his words were clipped and rather gruff. "If by flexible you mean they're capable of killing someone in a number of ways, then yes. Konoha's kunoichi have the best track record out of every Hidden Village."
Kumo chuckled and clapped an overly friendly hand to Kakashi's shoulder, as if they shared some unspoken male bond. "For someone who wanted plain speech, you're being rather obtuse," the man remarked drolly.
Kakashi arched a brow and gave the hand on his shoulder a pointed glance before shrugging it off and taking a step back. The hired bodyguards shifted position slightly, their eyes narrowing warily at the ANBU guards across from them. His guards didn't so much as breathe differently. They were ready in case something should happen, but were conscious enough of the politics involved not to offer any sort of threat – not unless their Hokage ordered it.
"That's a rather hypocritical complaint," Kakashi murmured, not bothering to try and control the dangerous tone slipping into his voice. The Minister was toeing a very hazardous line right now. It didn't matter that it was Sakura involved. Well … not completely, at least. Had it been any kunoichi of Konoha, he would have been just as put off by the vulgar hinting. The fact that it was his former student and current assistant was just an added irritant.
Unfortunately, even though Asahi Kumo was politically savvy, he was incredibly slow at picking up on a threat – or else he was so secure in his position that he didn't think any harm would come to him. He chuckled again as if what Kakashi had just said was highly amusing and continued, "Yes, a very good point there. Very well, let me say it like this: if you can arrange a private encounter for me with your assistant, say sometime this weekend, then I can guarantee you that the idea of outsourcing Fire Country's defenses will be completely forgotten."
The ANBU to his left, a young recruit whose name he didn't know, shifted slightly and muttered, "Hokage-sama…?" His movement drew the attention of two bodyguards across from him, both of whom were edging their hands toward the knives on their belts.
Kakashi placed a hand to the new recruit's chest and said, "Stand down."
It took a moment, but eventually the recruit's body relaxed. Satisfied that no one was going to do anything rash, he turned back to regarding the Minister icily. "Let me see if I understand this correctly," he began, speaking slowly and with a calmness he didn't necessarily feel. "You're asking me to order my assistant to entertain you for an evening in exchange for guaranteeing the Daimyo's continued support of the village."
"That sounds about right," the older man agreed, his smile broadening.
He nodded once and looked away. "We're done here."
Without waiting for Kumo to finish trying to find his words, Kakashi turned his back and walked away with his fists buried deeply in his pockets and angry tremors working through his entire body. He'd given the man a chance to retract his request, which was more than he honestly deserved, but the offer hadn't been taken. And he wanted no further dealings with the Minister of Trade.
"It's just one night, Kakashi!" Kumo called after him. "One night and your village's survival will be guaranteed. I promise you she'll enjoy it!"
He ignored the hissed, "Don't," from the ANBU directly behind him as he stormed back over to the politician. A bodyguard moved to try and intercept, but one glare from him had the man frigid with fear. Kakashi didn't stop until he was right in Kumo's face, causing the older man to suck in a sharp, startled breath.
"Leave my village," he ordered in a low, furious growl.
"Or what?" the older man whispered back smugly. "You need me, remember?"
Kakashi felt a nasty, cruel smile twist his lips and it must have shown in the uncovered portion of his face because suddenly Kumo's features blanched as he took a quick step back. "No, Minister, you're mistaken. Konoha doesn't need you. You need us. Because without our forces protecting Fire Country from invasion, you wouldn't be in the position of comfort you are right now."
"I will have the Daimyo hire outside protection," he threatened, but his voice lacked any real conviction.
His gaze swept over the assembled mercenaries around Kumo, most of who were looking rather intimidated as they shuffled from one foot to the other. A soft, caustic laugh broke from his lips as he replied, "You mean like these men? They follow money. The ninja of Konoha protect Fire Country out of duty. Once your mercenaries get a better offer, they're gone. We stay because this is our home – though that can change very easily if necessary. I hear Iwa is rather pleasant this time of year."
He left the shivering, pale faced man behind and didn't bother sparing so much as a glance back. Yes, he knew there would be repercussions for the less than civil exchange … but he'd hopefully have an action plan made before then.
Kumo's remarks about Sakura had certainly pissed him off, but it hadn't been the driving force behind his decision to expel him from the village. This was something that had been brewing for a while. Today was simply the cherry on the sundae, so to speak.
As he passed him his ANBU escort, he heard the frog masked man on his right chuckle. "Well said, Hokage-sama."
"As deserving as it might have been, it wasn't at all well said, Saito," he replied curtly. He'd done exactly what he'd tried to prevent with the guards; he'd acted rashly. It wasn't the behavior of a Hokage, and now the village might wind up paying the price for it.
Saito tilted his head just enough to regard him but didn't pursue the conversation further.
He walked through the door and immediately headed toward his office. As expected, Sakura was waiting for him. She stopped pacing the minute he entered and turned on him with fury burning in her eyes. However, she took one look at his face and the anger drained from her features. "What happened?" she asked quietly, as if dreading the answer.
"When does the last post leave today?" he demanded as he rounded his desk and dropped into his chair. He fumbled through the various stacks of documents, searching vainly for something to write with.
"Why?"
"I need to write a letter to Suna and it has to go out today."
A piece of paper and a pen magically appeared in front of him. He grunted his thanks and took the offered items from her.
Sakura chewed her lower lip, her fingers twisting in the fabric of her skirt uneasily. "Kakashi-sama, what happened?" she asked again, this time much gentler.
Kakashi continued writing rapidly as he replied, "I just informed the Minister of Trade that Konoha will no longer require the Daimyo's assistance."
A horrified gasp broke from her, too quick to be stifled by her hand. "You … you didn't," she breathed, speaking through her fingers. "Please tell me you didn't."
"I did."
"Why? Why would you do that?" Her voice was starting to gain in strength and volume in response to her agitation.
He paused and looked up at her steadily. "Because I'm Hokage, a fact he's forgotten during our communications."
Her lips pursed angrily and the emotion was reflected in her eyes. "So, what, you cut off relations with him over some macho male thing?" she snapped. "I know as well as you that Asahi Kumo is a slimy, nasty pervert, but he's been able to provide so much for us!"
"No, Sakura," Kakashi argued. "He's provided for us at his convenience, not because he cares what happens to the village. I'm done playing that game. Gaara offered us aid as a courtesy from one ally to another. We're going to contact him and see if that still stands."
"But the Council—"
"Will have to deal with it." He went back to writing the letter.
Sakura continued watching him. After a moment, he heard her sigh shortly before she put a hand on his wrist. "Your handwriting is atrocious," she complained. "Gaara-sama won't know if you're asking him out on a date or for help."
Kakashi looked up at her again, his heart practically leaping into his throat at the touch of her fingers. "If it's written in my hand, you'll be exempt from any fallout," he explained.
She plucked the paper neatly from his desk and wrinkled her nose. "I'm your assistant. I'll be involved even if Pakkun writes it – and his writing is much better than yours."
Frowning at the jab to his penmanship, he set the pen down and lifted his hands to signal his surrender. "How soon can this be ready?"
"I'll have it done by lunchtime, Hokage-sama," she called back as she walked briskly toward the door.
"Sakura."
She stopped under the entry way and turned to look at him inquiringly.
Kakashi hesitated briefly before saying, "Thank you. And I'm sorry if this causes you any trouble."
Sakura gave him a soft, warm smile – the one she seemed to reserve only for him – and said, "Your welcome, Hokage-sama. Don't worry about me. I know you probably had a very good reason for doing what you did. All I hope for now is that the Council is able to see that."
With a final smile, she exited his office completely, leaving him to stare after her and wonder if perhaps he had acted solely for her. It wouldn't be the first time he'd set aside duty in favor of her. Sighing heavily, Kakashi pushed his hitae-ate up and scrubbed a hand across his eyes. He missed the good old days when things were simpler.
"And that … that … bastard had the nerve to threaten me! Who does he think he is?!"
Danzou listened to Asahi Kumo's outraged complaints without saying a word. He had been in a meeting with the Academy instructors to discuss increasing the work load of the future genin so as to initiate them more quickly into working teams when Torune had informed him the Minister was there and had to see him immediately. Since he knew the Minister should have still been in a meeting with Kakashi, he'd asked the instructors to reconvene tomorrow morning instead.
He wasn't at all disappointed in making that decision. The man had been positively livid over his exchange with the other Hokage. It had taken a while to filter through all the cussing and outraged exclamations, but the general gist of it was that Kakashi had not only refused further aid from the Daimyo but also threatened to pull the village out of Fire Country completely. The threat had been a bluff, of course, but it still put their relationship with the Daimyo in jeopardy.
As another bonus in his favor … Sai was one of his assigned guards today. He knew the young man was still waffling between sides and hoped perhaps this would convince him that Kakashi was wrong for Konoha. Sai was the key to his designs; he was ROOT trained but he had also developed a rapport with the common ranks of Konoha. If he expected to establish himself as the sole Hokage again, he needed to have the village united. And what better way to do that then to have someone on both sides support him?
Waiting until Kumo had to stop or risk hyperventilating, Danzou cut in, "I sympathize with you, Minister. I am curious though what you said to provoke my counterpart."
Kumo's eyes widened in shock and it took him a couple tries before he was able to stutter, "W-What I did to…?"
"Yes." While he didn't agree with Kakashi on quite a few fundamental aspects, he respected the younger man enough to know he never acted without good reason. He wasn't going to toss his support to just anyone without knowing the facts behind it.
The Minister of Trade licked his lips uncertainly as he smoothed his hands down the front of his silk kimono. "I asked if he would be kind enough to arrange a … meeting between myself and his assistant," he admitted cautiously.
Danzou's eye narrowed. "Haruno Sakura was personally trained by the former Hokage. I would strongly suggest you conduct yourself with all due decorum when speaking to and of her."
The man flinched backward a step.
"However," he continued thoughtfully. "I do not think that your request deserved such a harsh response. And I will be certain to address this transgression with Kakashi and the Council. The Daimyo has been most generous to us and it is highly inappropriate to treat his representative so ungraciously."
His words had the desired effect as Kumo's features softened. The Minister of Trade bowed low and murmured appreciatively, "You are most kind, Danzou-sama. Thank you for being a reasonable voice in this matter. I look forward to the day when our dealings are more exclusive."
Danzou allowed a smile but didn't respond to the comment as he stood up. "If you'll excuse me, Minister, I have business to attend to."
"Oh, yes, yes! My apologies for taking up so much of your valuable time." The man bowed deeply and stepped out of the way as Danzou and his guards swept out of the office.
He waited until they were well out of earshot before glancing at Sai's masked face and remarked, "This has made things very complicated. The land we claim for our village is only so at the clemency of the Daimyo. We cannot afford to infuriate him, or else we'll find ourselves forced out of Fire Country altogether."
"Then you feel that Kakashi-sama should have ordered Sakura to have sex with the Minister?" Sai questioned.
"Of course not," Danzou scoffed. "She's a kunoichi of Konoha, not a whore. Were I in the same position, I would have denied Kumo as well – but I would have done so more tactfully than Kakashi. As inappropriate as the request was, Asahi Kumo is still a man who can easily make our lives very difficult. Kakashi is a highly capable shinobi, but he lacks political tact."
Sai remained silent as he processed what he'd just been told.
Danzou didn't press the issue further or ask him for an opinion. There was a time to push and a time to let things happen. This fell into the latter category, though he was confident that in the end Sai would come back around to his way of thinking.
And if not, then he would be eliminated. If he wasn't being useful, then he was a liability – one Danzou was taking a serious risk on.
Sakura followed at a respectful distance behind Kakashi, her planner in hand and butterflies flittering through her stomach. They were going to meet with the Council to discuss the reparation progress and budget as well as the overall state of affairs. The letter to Suna had been finished and went out with the noon post. Unless something untoward happened, the Kazekage would be reading it tomorrow and they would have a response the day after.
She still couldn't believe what Kakashi had done. And she was nervous as to how the Council would react to his quick fire decision to bring in outside help. Suna was their ally, yes, but they were also rivals. It was the same sort of relationship she'd had with Ino for years, only on a bigger scale and with much higher stakes. And if things went wrong, the person who would be held accountable for that would be Kakashi.
Her stomach lurched sickeningly and it took quite a bit of effort to keep walking.
Maybe it was just her being a lonely romantic, but over the last few months she felt as if her relationship with her former teacher had begun to change. It wasn't a bad thing really. Actually, it was rather pleasant. He seemed more relaxed around her, a bit warmer than she was used to. There were moments where she'd be sitting at her desk in his office and she'd swear he was looking at her. Sometimes, she managed to catch him sneaking glances her way. He was always quick about averting his eyes and pretending he hadn't been … but it wasn't quick enough for her to miss the look in his eye. The closest she could come to describing it was longing, and her heart told her she was the cause of it.
But what did her heart know anyway? There'd been a point in time where it'd convinced her she was in love with a backstabbing, village betraying, murdering, sadomasochist.
All the same, she couldn't help but feel there was something beneath the surface of their current working relationship. And she couldn't say that she was particularly adverse to the idea of maybe taking things a bit further.
If anyone would have asked her a couple years ago what she thought of Hatake Kakashi, words like 'hard ass' and 'coldhearted' would have been near the top of the list. But after spending quite a bit of time with him in both a personal and professional setting, she saw there was much more to him than she'd thought. He was funny when he wanted to be, thoughtful in the little things, considerate of her as a person. He always listened to her and never treated her as anything less than a peer, which was kind of neat considering he was so much older than her. He was also incredibly patient, more so than she'd ever have given him credit for when she'd been a genin.
The only problem was that he was co-Hokage and she was his assistant. Had she known before hand that she'd come to feel for him like she did, she wouldn't have taken the job. Then again … if she hadn't, she never would have gotten to know him like she did.
They were outside the Council Room doors now. Outside and to either side were four ROOT nin, which meant Danzou was here already. Just as one of the ANBU guards went to open it, Kakashi said, "Wait a moment."
Sakura's brow pinched in confusion as he turned to face her. What she could see of his face was carefully blank, so devoid of any emotion that it made the queasy sensation in her stomach intensified.
"Sakura, I need you to do something for me," he began, speaking so low that she had to lean in to catch his words.
"What is it?" she asked back.
"If things go badly and I end up getting put out of office … there's a magazine shoved between the planning specs and cost analysis reports. I need you to—"
"I am not disposing of your porn!" she hissed, though she made a mental note to remove it from the office anyway.
Kakashi blinked in surprise and said, "No, I was wondering if you could bring it to me should I go to jail."
The only response he got was a heated glare and a hard smack to the shoulder. So much for all those nice thoughts she'd had of him just a few seconds ago. He was just another one of Konoha's perverts!
Letting out a disappointed sigh, Kakashi arched a brow at the ANBU guard closest to him.
The masked man chuckled softly. "I'll get it to you, Hokage-sama."
"Thank you."
Sakura rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest. "Can we please just get this over with?" she demanded crossly.
"In due time. But I need to ask another favor of you."
"What, do you have a closet full of drag clothes you need me to get rid of, too?" she bit back sarcastically, causing a couple of the ANBU to quickly turn their snickers into coughs.
"Actually, this one is very important," Kakashi replied, shooting a wry glance at the laughing guards.
She huffed irritably and grumbled, "Fine, what is it?"
"Don't get yourself involved in this. Let me take the hit."
Sakura regarded him for a moment, surprised by his request. He was trying to protect her again, just like he had so many times before. She wasn't sure if she was touched by his concern or insulted that he didn't think she was capable of defending herself. But the minute she noticed the gravity in his gaze, any thoughts of rebelling against his order faded.
Taking an uneven breath, she nodded and whispered, "Okay."
He took her completely off guard when he reached up to brush his fingers through her hair gently. It was gentle and more like a caress than his usual ruffling job – just like he'd done at the gate when they'd first returned to Konoha. She didn't know what to make of it. The gesture was too tender to be friendly but not so much that it implied something deeper.
Before she could analyze it any further, his hand fell away as he took a deep breath and released it. He nodded and said, "Let's do this."
The ANBU guard placed a hand on either door and pushed them open onto the meeting room.
Directly ahead of them, sitting at a long, curving table, were the Elders, the Council … and Danzou, who was looking entirely too severe for comfort.
Sakura fought the urge to reach for Kakashi's hand as they entered the room.
Kakashi knew the minute he saw the expressions on the Elders' faces that they already knew about his fallout with Asahi Kumo – and that Danzou had been the one to inform them. Now, whether they knew the full version or the one his fellow Hokage chose to tell them was a mystery. He'd find out soon enough though.
He nodded a greeting to those assembled and circled around the table to take his seat next to Koharu, with Sakura taking a stance behind him as was customary. The ANBU guards remained just outside the door with Danzou's escort. In the Council room, weapons were strictly prohibited.
That didn't mean weapons weren't concealed on those in the room, merely that they had to remain out of sight. Every Council member was a ninja, after all.
This week, Homura was serving as the meeting chair. He and Koharu switched off in the role just to insure that things were kept fair and bias, though to be honest their thoughts were so linear that it seemed rather pointless. The older man remained seated as he spoke in a voice that was much clearer than one would expect from him, "The meeting of the Konoha Council and Hokages is now called to order. The first piece of business up for discussion is the rebuilding of our trade bridges and roads. Masato-san, if you please."
The Council member addressed stood up and began addressing those assembled. It was rather irresponsible of him, but Kakashi zoned out within the first few words of the man's report. He couldn't help it, really. Masato had only one manner of speech: boring. He had monotone and flat deliver down to a T. It made paying attention to him impossible.
From there, the meeting progressed in the usual fashion: everyone went down the table giving status reports on how their area of governing was going. Kakashi's turn came and went without incident, which was a little unusual. He'd been expecting some sort of inquisition for his earlier actions. He wasn't foolish enough to believe he'd dodge the kunai completely. Chances were they were waiting until the end of the meeting to bring it up.
Finally, the last Council member said their piece, which normally would have signaled the end of the meeting. He heard Sakura exhale in relief and wished he could tell her it was a little early for celebrating. Kakashi waited as Homura leaned forward and said, "Before departing, are there any other matters that need to be brought to the Council's attention."
There was a moment of tense silence before Danzou rose and replied grimly, "Yes, Homura-sama. There is one highly sensitive matter I wish to address with the Council."
Kakashi maintained a cool front as he waited for the other man to continue.
When the chair motioned for him to proceed, Danzou gave a partial bow and said, "Earlier today, the Minister of Trade for the Daimyo visited out village. He came at the behest of Hatake Kakashi to discuss the acquisition of more supplies. During the course of this meeting, Minister Asahi made a request of Kakashi-sama that was, to put it delicately, inappropriate in nature. As a result of this, Kakashi-sama acted imprudently and demanded that the Minister leave Konoha. He acted without consulting with the Council and to the detriment of the village. When the Minister relayed their discussion to me, I attempted to resolve the matter so as to lessen any impact Kakashi-sama's careless decision might have on receiving aid."
A heavy, weighted silence fell on those in the room as all eyes canted toward him. Homura leaned around Koharu with a stern frown. "Is this true, Kakashi? Did you toss the Minister of Trade from the village like a common vagrant?"
"For the most part, yes," he replied, earning him a few startled gasps from the rest of the Council members. "Though I'd argue that I treated Kumo-san like a common vagrant. His behavior was far less admirable."
Homura spluttered indignantly and looked about as if asking for someone else to handle things, like Kakashi was an unruly child he just couldn't deal with at the moment. It was Koharu who took up the interrogation as she twisted about to level an austere frown at him. "Perhaps you would be so kind to enlighten us as to what Minister Asahi requested," she remarked.
Kakashi glanced briefly beyond her to Danzou, who gave the appearance of being detached from the proceedings. He was playing a very careful game here, giving away just enough information so as not to be accused of withholding but not enough that it absolved his imagined rival of any guilt. The only way to correct this was to be perfectly candid – something he hadn't wanted to do given the nature of the situation and who was currently standing behind his chair.
"The Minister said, in the presence of myself and the four ANBU waiting outside these doors, that in exchange for making certain the Daimyo didn't outsource Fire Country's defenses he wanted me to arrange for a sexual encounter between him and my assistant."
If there had been a way to preserve Sakura's dignity and his credibility, he would have done so in a heartbeat. He didn't need to see her face to know she was probably a brilliant shade of red. Kakashi could feel her gaping at the back of his head as every Council member turned to regard her, some curiously and some in surprise.
Koharu broke the silence first as she shot a glare down toward Danzou's end of the table. "I'm assuming you knew the nature of the Minister's request before presenting it to the Council, Danzou-sama," she bit out sharply.
"Yes, I did," Danzou admitted openly. "However, it is my belief that the subject of the request wasn't as relevant as the way in which it was handled. Asahi Kumo is a very influential man in the Daimyo's court and it would be foolish to anger him unnecessarily."
"You said you spoke to him, correct?" the older woman persisted.
"I did."
"And did you happen to address at any point in this conversation the Minister's presumptuous attitude concerning Kakashi-sama's assistant?"
"It was mentioned that Sakura-san was a well noted kunoichi in our village and that proper respect should be demonstrated."
"Then the matter was settled," Homura concluded. "Kakashi-sama, please try to reestablish our ties with Minister Asahi at once so that we might—"
"No."
All eyes fixed on him, stunned by his blatant refusal. Even Danzou couldn't quite hold on to his neutral expression.
"I beg your pardon?" Homura demanded incredulously.
"I said no," Kakashi repeated coolly. "Konoha won't have dealings with a man who shows no respect for the people living here."
"But … we need the Daimyo's support!" Yetsumo, one of the Council members, exclaimed. A ruddy hue was starting to creep over his face; not a good sign, going on past experience. The man was enormous and had a temper unlike anything he'd ever seen before.
"Actually, we don't," he persisted. "As I said to the Minister, Fire Country needs us more than we need it. Did any of you know that Konoha and Ame are the only two villages still living off the donations of our ruling Daimyo? Every other Hidden Village is completely autonomous, save for the land taxes they pay."
"Yes, but their villages weren't destroyed," Koharu responded calmly. "We are trying to rebuild our home. Now is not the time to try and sever supply ties with the Daimyo."
"Now is the perfect time to do just that."
"We don't have the means to support ourselves at this juncture," Homura argued. "How do you propose we acquire food? Our villagers are ninja, not farmers!"
"Not all of Konoha's residents were ninja," Kakashi reminded him. "The recent census report shows that the civilian to ninja ratio is about even. A lot of the civilians living here did own the agricultural lands just outside the village. However, due to the fact that we received all our supplies from the Daimyo, they were free to export everything they grew. If we can institute a trade arrangement with the farmers, then—"
"What you're suggesting is that we tax poor farmers for our needs," Danzou interrupted quietly.
Kakashi met his gaze coolly and corrected, "What I'm saying is that we strike a bargain with the civilian folk. We allow them to sell their product to us. Outside of the restaurants buying locally, every scrap of produce brought into the village was from the Daimyo – which he took as a land tax from poor farmers. We will be offering them a chance to make money, not lose it."
"It's clear that you've given this some thought, Kakashi-sama," Koharu remarked, a hint of a smile touching her lips. "I would be very interested in seeing this plan carried out in the near future. However, it doesn't solve our immediate issue, that being the need for immediate aid. The food stores are safe for now, but they won't be in a few weeks. While you've certainly done wonders overseeing the reconstruction and clean up efforts, there is still a lot that needs to be done. We cannot afford to recall our forces from missions to help with this. How do you propose we proceed from here?"
"We ask our allies for aid," he replied. "Suna offered a couple months ago to send us supplies and extra labor. If the offer is still on the table, with our combined efforts we can have the village rebuilt and fully functional within three months."
"Out of the question," Danzou snapped. "Suna has no official stance of alliance with Konoha and has even gone so far as to stage an attack against us in the recent past. It would be a gross breach of security to allow a potentially hostile force—"
"That attack took place under the former Kazekage," Kakashi argued quickly. "We shouldn't judge Gaara by the actions of his predecessor. He has proven to be true to his word in assisting us when needed, including at the Kage Summit when you, Danzou—"
"I will not have foreign ninja help in the rebuilding of our village! It will give them a tactical advantage when the war starts—"
"There is no war, not unless we start one and certainly not with Suna. Gaara offers us aid freely, with no strings attached. I would rather our village be rebuilt by ninja than be forced to pander to some—"
"Enough!" Homura directed a stern glare in both their directions before continuing gruffly, "This bickering is getting us nowhere. The facts are these: the Minister of Trade holds heavy sway with the Daimyo. He has abused his position abhorrently, which resulted in Kakashi-sama cutting off relations with him. While I've no doubt you soothed the Minister's bruised ego, Danzou-sama, I am in agreement with Kakashi-sama that it is beneath us to cater to his demands any longer."
"What we need," Koharu took over, speaking much more peacefully than her counterpart, "is an official plan of action. And since our Hokages are at odds in this regard, I am suggesting that they both create and present plans to the Council. We will then compare the two ideas and decide from there which will be the most beneficial to Konoha."
A general murmur of approval was issued by the rest of the Council at her suggestion, and Kakashi agreed that it was perhaps the most logical solution – at least in theory. He and Danzou had such radically different approaches to village policies and direction that he doubted there would ever be a happy meeting of the minds between them. No matter who won over the Council, the other was bound to be displeased.
And since he really didn't like being unhappy, that meant he had to insure his proposal was the stronger of the two. This was going to take a lot of work and planning to pull off. It would probably include very late hours pouring over figures and making contingencies, predicting potential questions or concerns and preparing answers. Sakura would undoubtedly be there with him every step of the way.
Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad after all.
Kakashi nodded once and said, "I already sent a letter to Suna inquiring if the aid was still available. A response should arrive sometime tomorrow, which means I can have an official proposal ready three days from now."
Homura's eyebrows rose. "That soon, Kakashi-sama?"
"Yes." 'Maybe' would have been closer to the truth, but he knew the longer he gave Danzou to prepare, the more solid his argument would be. He would simply operate under the assumption that Gaara agreed and hope for the best.
"Danzou-sama, will three days give you enough time to formulate your strategy?" the chairman asked.
"Three days will be suitable," Danzou replied. Behind him, his two aids were scribbling furiously in their note books and whispering between each other.
"Then the Council will reconvene in three days time to hear your suggestions and decide which will be the most beneficial. Dismissed."
As soon as the order was given, the Council members rose and immediately made their way for the exit with their assistants in tow. Kakashi stood, reports in hand, and headed for the door with them. Sakura was right behind him, but he didn't dare turn to look at her. He could very well imagine how hurt she was over what transpired and angry at him for not having said something sooner. And, to be honest, he really didn't have the resolve to face her just now.
Several Council Members tried to stop him for further questioning on the way, but Sakura was quick to step in and say that he was late for his next appointment and suggest that they submit their inquiries with her for later consideration. It sent a jab of guilt through him that even now, after he'd made a grand mess of things and publicly humiliated her in the process, she was still looking out for him.
Eventually, they made it out of the room and began walking quickly down the hall toward the main entrance. His ANBU escort immediately took up station around the both of them, which served as a deterrent for anyone else looking to approach him. Sakura jogged to keep pace with him, carefully joggling her planner and the various folders she'd brought to keep them from falling. "Kakashi-sama?"
"Not now, Sakura," he said, wincing at how unnecessarily harsh his words came out. It was brought on by his lingering irritation as well as the added burden of trying to create a foolproof action plan for Konoha's future in three days time, but she more than likely would interpret it as him being angry at her.
"Kakashi-sama, please."
Her fingers closed around his wrist, causing him to stop and turn toward her. "Sakura, I—"
His words were cut off as she kissed him.
Any and all higher brain function shut down in the brief seconds that her mouth was pressed to his through the fabric of his mask. Things like being in a very public place and the appropriateness of kissing his assistant – who was also his sixteen year old ex-student – didn't factor through his head at all under the warmth of her lips. It awoke the primal part of his psyche, the one that every so often entertained the idea of them together. She drew back far too soon for his liking and he had to catch himself from chasing after her.
Sakura stepped back, her lower lip caught between her teeth and a bright pink flush to her cheeks. Her eyes were bright and warm with such affection that it very nearly drove the reasoning out of him once again. "You really tossed Minister Asahi out because of me?" she asked.
It took him a couple tires before he was able to clear his throat and mumbled, "Not … entirely."
"How much of it was?"
"… About sixty-five percent." There was something in the way she was looking at him that acted like a truth serum; it made the admission roll of his tongue with startling ease.
She smiled and it was the happiest smile he'd seen from her in a long time. "That's more than fifty percent of your reasoning," she observed in wonder.
He didn't know what to say to that, so he said nothing at all.
Sakura glanced away shyly and put just a little more distance between them as more Council Members began emerging from the meeting room. Danzou and his entourage went by without so much as a passing glare, which was probably for the best since it was very obvious something had just happened between him and Sakura. She waited until they were further down the hall before asking quietly, "With your permission, I'll cancel everything after your meeting with Omaru-san so that we can get started on your proposal … and maybe talk about this a bit further?"
Kakashi nodded numbly and said, "Yes, that sounds good."
She favored him with another sweet smile before stepping out of his way so that he could take the lead again. He took a moment to try and regain control of his heart rate before following the rest of the Council out of the administration building. The entire walk back to his own office was consumed by one thought and one thought only: Sakura cared for him. They were going to spend the entire afternoon together alone … and she cared for him.
A bead of sweat slipped down the curve of his cheek, disappearing as his mask absorbed it. Tonight, his resolve was going to take a massive beating. He just knew it.
"He's putting the village at unnecessary risk. Why am I the only person to see that?"
Sai watched silently as his master continued to pace irritably across the length of his office. He couldn't recall ever seeing Danzou so visibly upset before in his entire ROOT existence and it was more than a little unnerving. His master truly believed that Kakashi's plan for bringing in outside aid from Suna was dangerous.
And he, reluctantly, had to agree. He also had to wonder whether some deeper strategy was in play here. It was Suna, after all, that had informed the jounin they would act as if Kakashi was the Hokage. While he didn't want to believe the leader of Team Seven was so duplicitous, logic dictated that it was far too coincidental to ignore. It wouldn't be the first time a high ranking, well respected member of the village turned out to be a traitor.
In addition to that was the issue concerning the Minister of Trade. Even though the expulsion from Konoha was justly deserved, Sai couldn't help but feel there was personal motive involved. Maybe it was his ROOT training, but it seemed to him that a would-be Hokage would want to remain completely objective and without emotions to compound a decision. Kakashi spoke out of anger and placed the village in a tougher predicament than it had been – something that was not only irresponsible and impulsive but also unlike him at all. The Copy Ninja he knew was always calm under pressure.
That is unless it involved Sakura. She alone seemed capable of swaying him. Sai had already seen it several times over the course of his relations with them, the most recent being when he forewent returning to Konoha to take on his duties as Hokage in favor of finding her. Allowing one person so much control, however unwittingly it might be, was a detrimental flaw.
Before today, Sai had been inclined to think that perhaps Danzou was mistaken in his opinion of Kakashi. His personal experiences spoke contrary to what he was being told about the man. However, after witnessing the events at the meeting and seeing a whole different side of the man he thought he knew emerge … his master was correct. Hatake Kakashi was a danger to Konoha, whether he knew it or not.
"We need to devise a strategy, Danzou-sama," Torune said as he continued scanning through a document quickly. "That is the only way to prevent Hatake Kakashi from destroying everything."
"It's too late, Torune," their master disputed as he finally took a seat behind his desk. "You heard what the Elders said after the meeting; they think his idea is brilliant. It doesn't matter what plan we present in three days. They have already decided on his."
"But there has to be something we can do!" Fu exclaimed sharply. He winced and mumbled an apology when he remembered to whom he was raising his voice.
Fortunately, Danzou was too preoccupied with his thoughts to reprimand his assistant's tone. Their master let out a low breath and ran his unbound hand down his face wearily. Sai waited quietly in front of him, watching for any indication as to what he planned to do.
Finally, the older man's eye narrowed as he leaned back in his chair pensively. "Politically, there is nothing we can do," he mused out loud, tapping a finger to his lips. "Kakashi is clever. He'll find a way around any loopholes we throw at him."
Sai's gaze flickered to Torune and Fu when they stopped what they were doing to exchange confused glances. He was uncertain and perhaps very wrong as he was in no way an expert in emotional responses, but their expressions didn't strike genuine to him. He'd read about 'fake' responses before in a magazine that Yamanaka Ino had given him. The article had also mentioned other 'tricks to fool your man' so he wasn't positive the information he garnered really applied to this situation.
Danzou stared at a fixed spot on his desk for several long seconds before lifting his gaze … to regard Sai. "When confronted with a foe, what is your response?" he asked.
The question was part of the ROOT training process. During the first week, new initiates had their hands bound over their head and were made to stand naked in a pitch dark room as their instructors struck them while demanding answers to a list of questions. Every answer, wrong or right, was delivered with a blow, the goal being to teach them how to endure under pressure. Hearing it asked to this day still brought back the memories of that week in sharp detail and caused his military induced instinct to assert control over him.
"Kill them," he replied automatically. After the initial jolt of hearing those words, his heart slowed down to coincide with his breathing: inhale, three beats, exhale, three beats. Over and over again so as to maintain a steady delivery of adrenaline to the body.
"Why?" his master persisted.
"To protect the village I serve and…" There was a break in the familiar litany as Sai realized what Danzou was suggesting. Inhale … two beats.
Danzou smiled, pleased that he had caught on. "That is our only option."
Without consciously doing so, Sai shook his head and muttered thickly, "No."
Torune and Fu's shock was truly legitimate this time. His master, however, arched his brow and repeated, "No? Why not?"
"Because … Hatake Kakashi is not an enemy of Konoha," he replied slowly, still in the process of sorting out his own thoughts.
"Do his actions pose a risk to the village?" Danzou pressed, and there was a sharper, more authoritative cut to his words that had the same effect as his earlier question.
"Yes, but he is not acting maliciously. He truly believes this is right." It was strange to hear himself speaking so openly, as if another person had taken hold of his body and was pulling the words from him by force. His role was not to question those in authority but to serve in whatever capacity they ordered him to for the betterment of Konoha.
Danzou's face remained impassive as he said, "When Orochimaru attacked this village, he believed his actions were right. When Pain destroyed the village, he believed he was acting for the greater good. The Uchiha Clan believed in the truth of their rebellion. The world is full of men with strong convictions, Sai. That doesn't mean those ideals are right or good for all."
"But … Hatake Kakashi is not like them. He has demonstrated on multiple occasions that—"
"Did you know that his father, Hatake Sakumo, allowed his feelings to interfere with his duty as well?"
Sai looked up at those words. A strange, numbing feeling swept over him, one he had never experienced before. Was this what shock felt like?
Danzou nodded gravely and continued, "Oh, yes. Decisions based solely on emotions runs in the Hatake line. As a result of Sakumo's actions, Konoha lost a major battle and suffered greatly in the war. His intentions were not purposely malignant – just as Kakashi's are not now. But history has a way of repeating itself if we fail to learn from it."
Perhaps it was his ROOT conditioning, but what Danzou said made sense. As much as he liked Kakashi as a person, there had been multiple times in the past where he had acted in ways that defied a shinobi's sensibilities. And to allow his personal feelings to affect his own judgment was exactly the same thing. He had to disregard his own experiences and focus only on the larger picture, that being whether Hatake Kakashi was a suitable leader.
The answer came surprisingly easy once his emotions were taken out of the equation. He knew what needed to be done. It would be a difficult decision, but it was necessary for the sake of Konoha. His duty, as a shinobi, was to protect the village – no matter whom or what threatened it.
Sai met his master's gaze steadily and asked, "What are your orders, Danzou-sama?"
A slow, pleased smile crossed Danzou's lips as he drew a kunai from inside his robe. "Eliminate the threat."