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Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, it belongs to Masashi Kishimoto

Tales of Love

Chapter Four: More than an Infatuation

Rated: M

She was a perfect goddess in his eyes; a pure shining beauty.

No matter how hard he tried, Kakashi always found his gaze trailing back to that slender figure. She gracefully moved as her fists were quickly thrown at him, her creamy skin drenched with sweat. Her red tank top clung tightly around her, only accentuating her wonderful, mouthwatering curves. Her black spandex shorts complimented her body and was a beautiful contrast to her pale, porcelain color. He watched as her soft, tender lips pressed in anticipation, her beryl eyes burning with excitement.

He'd imagine himself hovering naked above her, his mouth softly trailing kisses from the nape of her neck to her collarbone. She would gasp as he slowly eased himself into her, her walls clenching around his member. He would thrust into her again and again, pleasure spreading throughout his nerves as they neared their desired climax. And when they'd finish, he would only love to wrap her in his loving embrace.

He adored her, admired her, lusted after her. As his sole eye closed momentary to picture yet another plaguing fantasy, there was a large push on his chest. Before he knew it, Kakashi was on the ground, Sakura sitting just above his crotch, her petite hands pinning him down to the dewy morning field.

His breath hitched and his hips bucked up slightly, but the kunoichi did not notice. The triumph was evident on her peachy face, her lips curling into a victorious grin. It was obvious she was too distracted by her own victory to make note of what she was doing to him.

"Kakashi-sensei," she smiled coyly as she leaned forward a little, her pink hair falling past her cheeks. "I win."

The jonin felt his adam's apple bob at the femininity of her tone and he swallowed to clear his drying throat. "Congratulations," he forced out.

She hummed tunefully, carefully lifting himself off of her. Extending a hand toward her former mentor, she helped pull him up to his own feet. As he slowly brushed off the dust and grime off his dark linen pants, he saw that she was giving him noticeably puzzled glances. He rose a brow, watching as she circled around him with small graceful steps, her arms softly swinging at her sides.

"Are you feeling well?" she suddenly asked, stopping in front of him and gazing at him with big, questioning emerald eyes.

Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the stickiness and moisture of his skin. "Why? Do I seem ill?"

His pink-haired comrade instantly shook her head. "Ah, no, no! It's just that…I have never won against you in a spar. I find that quite peculiar, don't you?"

He blinked, his mind sluggishly processing the given statement. Her words hung in the atmosphere and then suddenly feeling odd and scared, he just didn't know how to exactly respond. He was distracted by his own dirtying, irrelevant thoughts and because of that, it caused such an awkward situation. What was he supposed to tell her anyways? That he was fantasizing explicit images of her?

Before the man could even think of a lame excuse, there was a loud uproar from behind. The two of them spun around only to confront the boisterous Naruto Uzumaki, who was waving obnoxiously at them. Sighing, Kakashi mumbled a short thank you beneath his breath before giving a small eye crinkle. "Yo, Naruto. Long time no see," greeted the jonin, lazily raising a hand.

"Kakashi-sensei! Sakura-chan! It has been a while," grinned Naruto. "I've been going on way too much missions, huh?"

Sakura glanced at Kakashi, giving him a look that said she wanted nothing but to talk to him. He nervously tugged at the cotton fabric clinging around his neck and avoided her glare. "Is there something you need, Naruto?" the kunoichi said, curtly.

"Oh, that's right!" His blue eyes widened in realization and he began to tug his teammate by the hand. "Baa-chan sent me to summon you to the hospital! She said there are loads of patients that need medical attention!"

Her cheeks puffed slightly and her lips pressed together into a sour pout. "B-But today's my day off!"

"Come on, Sakura-chan! You aren't doing anything anyways, right?"

Sakura eyed her previous teacher. "Actually, I was—"

"Oh, well isn't this great timing?" Kakashi cut in, putting on a fake masked smile. "I just recalled that I promised Yamato lunch today."

"Wait, sensei—"

Before the pink-haired kunoichi could say any more, he disappeared within a puff of grayish clouds. Almost instantly, Naruto began to drag her away from the training facility.

~ X x . . . x X ~

Kakashi tried to avoid trouble, he really did. However, his previous mission turned out to be quite the workout and he found himself being wounded in various places. He attempted to give a brief report to Tsunade without any slip ups, but of course the expert medic nin figured him out. She immediately sent him to the hospital and placed him under ANBU supervision. Seemingly so, the woman strongly desired his stay.

He could say that he was fairly injured. A couple of bones were broken during his mission and having no other choice, he had to walk on them, therefore resulting his current state. Aside from those, many cuts and bruises covered his body and looking at them now, he realized that his enemies were far more difficult than he had first assumed.

"Hey — ouch…that actually hurt."

It was painful. Very painful.

Soft strands of pink brushed against his forehead before being tucked behind a rosy ear. "Well, I am using alcohol wipes to clean out your wounds. I hope you can withstand some mild burning."

Kakashi groaned as the pressure increased on his abdomen and one hand fell to the mattress below to hold him up.

"You have to keep lifting your shirt, unless you want the blood sticking all over your clothes." The kunoichi paused to stare at him and he winced at her sharp glazed look. He shuddered when she sighed and moved to seat herself beside him. "Never mind that. Just…just lean on me so you can hold your shirt up."

"Sakura, you don't have to," he protested silently.

"I don't have to, but I choose to. Now do it."

This was bad, terrible in fact, but his body acted on its own and his shoulder fell against her petite one. Being touched by her was probably the one thing he could never get used to. They were always gentle caresses with love and care put into every one of them. However, each one stimulated him, sending tremors up his spine and all the way back, causing breathy, hitched gasps, and unwanted fidgety movement. This wasn't right. This was only hospital care, yet his mind always registered it as something more.

It had been weeks since he had last seen his precious student and he was just beginning to think that he was finally getting rid of his crazed desire. He was no longer fantasizing about her nor lusting after her. But this…this would only bring it all back.

"You were bleeding all over when I was called in here," Sakura laughed uneasily, carefully wrapping the bandages around his stomach.

"It was pretty bad," the jonin agreed dryly.

She nodded slowly as she finished tending to his wounds. Moments later, she held onto his shoulders and turned him to face her. He gave her a blunt glare as she began to inspect his sharingan eye, her fingertips prodding around the eyelid. He shuddered uncomfortably and she apparently noticed. "It's not hurting, is it?"

Kakashi cleared his throat. "No."

"Okay," she started quietly. "I'm going to press some areas around your neck, and I want you to tell me where it hurts, if it does at all."

"Go ahead, doc."

Sakura finished the rest of her procedures within half an hour, but remained inside the room to keep an eye on him. At first, he wondered why, but then it occurred to him that she thought he would try to make a run for it. He wouldn't blame her for being so concerned. After all, he did manage to worry the hell out of his comrades for years straight. Sakura had every reason to stay (he certainly wasn't going to argue), however Kakashi had no intention of leaving anyways.

Admitting that he was badly injured was a first. This was probably one of the handicaps that he would not be able to overcome with just some mere motivation and strength. It was definitely out there. The pain was excruciating in his legs and his bones were sensitive, as if they were cracked glass windows ready to shatter. He had experienced worse, but under these conditions, he knew that he wouldn't even make it halfway out the courtyard if he attempted his great escape. It was simply pointless.

Sighing, the silver-haired man turned slightly to eye the pinkette sitting at his bedside, her legs crossed. Her black pencil skirt was tight around her thighs, defining her curves and features. He was sure that if she adjusted her position, her skirt would ride up and reveal her underwear.

His mouth suddenly went dry and he tried his best not to think about it. "How long are you going to stay behind?" Kakashi questioned silently, hoping the conversation would drive his desire away. "I think your shift has been long past done, Sakura."

"I'll stay as long as I need to," she answered promptly. "I want to make sure that you're okay."

"I am okay," he countered silently.

Sakura scoffed, a small smile finding its way to her lips. "You certainly don't look like you are."

Kakashi gazed at her softly, noticing that her emerald eyes were burning immensely with worry. Her skin was paler than usual and her azalea locks were tangled in knots and waves as if she had been rushing from one urgent situation to another. She was obviously worn out and way past her limit.

"Sakura, go home."

She folded her arms. "I'm not leaving," she said stubbornly.

"You don't have to watch over me," he urged. "I'm sure you're already aware that I have been placed under ANBU supervision. I'm not going anywhere."

There was a sudden bitter laughter and he glanced at her inquisitively, an eyebrow rising. Her fingers threaded through her hair, brushing her bangs back and revealing the tiny beads of sweat on her forehead. Her eyelids slid closed for a short moment and she exhaled. "If that's why you think I'm still here, you're completely wrong."

The jonin stared at her, his mind slowly processing her words. The frown on his face caused the mask strapped onto his face to slide down a bit, bringing it closer to revealing the tip of his nose. He ignored it. "Then correct me," he insisted.

Sakura's face contorted and she took a few minutes to contemplate whether to tell him or not. Finally, she looked to him in defeat.

"I know Naruto always freaks out when he hears that you've been taken into hospital care," she began with a strangled chuckle. "Sai and Yamato grow concerned too, and it's always evident on their faces. They worry their asses off for you, afraid of losing you." She paused and chewed on her bottom lip. "I'm just like them, of course…panicking over every little injury you got."

"You don't need to panic," he attempted. "I always somehow make it through."

"But what happens when you don't? Then what?"

There was a deathly period of silence and he kept his single eye pasted on her, shocked by the abrupt change of her demeanor.

"I can't help panicking." Sakura shook her head as her eyelids once again snapped shut. "It's not just them who worries about losing you. I can't ever stop thinking about it! It scares me…the thought of losing you, sensei…I can't stand it."

That evening, Kakashi came to realize how much he meant to Sakura and the team, and how much she cared about him. He never imagined that the next time she cried would be over him.

And as he held onto her frail hand, promising her that he would do his best to stick around, he came to a second realization that these emotions burning inside of him was more than an infatuation.

TBC

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