Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
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Sakura was down the street from her apartment when she felt the whisper of his chakra. That was the only warning she had before Kakashi appeared a few meters in front of her. She was shocked he followed her home from the bar after assuming he would remain a safe distance away from her like always.
But then she caught sight of the small bag in his hand and understood the situation. Without out a word she stepped forward and held out her hand expectantly.
Kakashi deposited the bag into her awaiting palm. She had yet to look him in the face, out of anger or embarrassment he could not determine. Sakura didn't waste a second and began to pass him and carry on home.
"Sakura-" Kakashi started.
She paused. "Seduction missions." Her voice rang clear in the silent night.
Neither breathed for a moment and each stood looking towards opposing directions. From the outside the pair would look slightly comical, side by side but facing different ways as they carried on a conversation.
"The rank of Jonin means solo missions and for kunoichi that means the beginning of their seduction assignments. That's what I'm worried about." Sakura breathily said aloud.
Kakashi wanted to choke on the bile rising in his throat. It went without saying that kunoichi bared a responsibility like no other and gave more of their bodies than a man ever could to the job. But it was a strategic solution that before today he never fully grasped the implications of because no one he was close to spoke about it or they were experienced to the point that it wasn't an issue anymore.
But with Sakura, someone he watched mature and grow, being used for the dreadful deed was sickening. Kakashi knew though, that no matter what was said or done this was part of being a Leaf shinobi and Tsunade herself could not change the course of. So what could he say to ease the feeling of selling yourself off? Nothing.
Sakura interpreted Kakashi's silence as a loss for words. It didn't surprise her, what exactly do you say to the soldier that was ordered to distract the enemy…by any means possible. She supposed it was for the best, better he said nothing than say something out of pity. Sakura began to walk away.
"I'm Hatake Kakashi. I may have never been your teacher but at the very least I am an ally." Kakashi intoned softly. Sakura eyes widened with shock and apprehension. She turned around abruptly and froze, unsure where he was going with this. "I look forward to working with you in the future. As equals." Kakashi held out his hand to her.
Sakura was mesmerised by his display of camaraderie. She could never imagine having Kakashi the infamous Copy nin declaring them brothers in arms. At least more so than the shared leaf insignia on their headbands. She assumed that so few were offered this position.
The earlier moment in the bar came to mind suddenly. The important fact she couldn't remember finally formed in her mind. She had recently read a psych evaluation in Kakashi's medical file, one written years prior, a single line of it read:
- will put his allies above all else when in the field but has an unnatural lack of trust towards anyone other than a proven friend –
Sakura wanted the acknowledgment that came with being trusted at a friend's back, to protect their blind spots. Less than that would not make them equal.
Sakura grasped his outstretched hand in her own.
"I can't accept that, I want friendship. Anything else isn't enough."
Kakashi gave her his usual eye crinkle smile, recognizing that she knew he held friends at a higher standard than allies. Sakura grinned for real the first time that night. The two shook firmly on their deal.
Three Weeks Later
Sakura was closing in on Konoha's main gate after more than a week long mission had taken her away. Once she walked through the outer perimeter walls then she safely could say that her first seduction mission was over. And with the first done it would make any subsequent missions easier to deal with. At least she hoped that's how it would work.
After her target was effectively silenced, what remained was a gut-wrenching feeling of being sore and dirty. It made her feel weak.
The whole purpose of these missions was to act weak and strike when the target was distracted with your body. But for all kunoichi it was difficult to act submissive when their entire lives had been devoted to proving their strength. The moment she drew the concealed kunai, however, made her feel more in control and more powerful than any singular moment before. But those overpowering feelings scared her too.
Since the night at the bar, Sakura had not seen Kakashi. With hospital duty the following week and being deployed for her mission immediately after had not allowed for an encounter.
All of it left her questioning the validity of the entire proposal they agreed upon. Maybe he would blame it on the alcohol or the course of the night and revoke the entire thing. But it was impossible for her to imagine being abandoned by him again, especially after giving him another chance.
But there was no point dwelling, it would only distract her mind and though the distraction was welcome during the dark moments of her mission, it would not do so well back in the hospital.
Sakura was close enough now to home that she could see the two Chunin guards on duty at the check-in point. She moved to approach them but was struck by the image of a silver-haired ninja leaning against the side of the open gate.
Without a moment's hesitation, Sakura took off into a dead run and didn't stop until she had thrown herself at Kakashi. He received her with open arms as she clung to his flak jacket and started to sob uncontrollably. Sakura's only coherent thought was to hold on to this anchor of safety that would not make her suffer as completely as her target had. Just hold on.
Kakashi held her tight. Silently he promised that he would not let her go until she was okay. Whatever the hell okay could possibly be now.
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