Ok everyone. He's the drabble for week six. I really like how this one turned out. I hope you all do too. It's sweet and nice in contrast to last week's M-rated scariness. Enjoy!
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Falling
"Kakashi, I told you, I can't do this," Sakura whispered harshly as the music began and dozens of other couples began to gravitate towards the center of the large room.
Kakashi smiled at her and the effect was quite striking considering he wasn't wearing his mask.
"Now what kind of noble would you be if you didn't dance at least once? Just leave everything to me. I promise I'm a good lead."
Kakashi offered her a gloved hand and she accepted it nervously, eyes darting around to the other couples that were already gliding gracefully over the dance floor, their movements in time to the music of the string quartet seated in the corner.
She had been hesitant to accept this mission to pose as nobility in the first place, especially since it dealt more with verbalizing political affairs as opposed to using any medical skills. An ambassador could have done the job just as well if their client hadn't been so insistent on the fact that if the general refused their proposal, he was to wind up dead from a "terrible accident." She had finally accepted because the mission pay was good and Kakashi was to be her partner, after all, she trusted the man completely and figured that if he was on the job, things wouldn't be all that difficult.
She had expected the stuffy upper class and boring social events but nobody had said anything to her about dancing, but now, here she was, in a pair of horribly impractical but elegant high heeled shoes and a dress that probably cost more than her final paycheck for this mission, accepting the hand of her former sensei to perform a dance she had no idea how to do.
Kakashi could sense the tension in her body as he linked her elbow through his and steered her towards the dance floor.
"Relax," he leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Just follow my lead and everything will be fine."
Sakura nodded silently as he took her hand in his while the other one wrapped securely around her waist, pressing her closer to him and she was suddenly aware of his gloved fingers pressing to the bare skin of her back. He smiled at her again and the kunoichi decided he really was handsome now that his face was exposed since he very well couldn't wear his mask to a benefit ball without looking suspicious. He did however wear a silken black eye patch over his Sharingan eye although it made him look more debonair and dashing than anything else. Already she had noticed a few of the ladies look at him with approval and at her with jealousy.
"Now, step back with your right foot," he said and Sakura complied, looking down at their feet.
"Don't look down, look at me," Kakashi ordered and Sakura snapped her eyes back to his face as he started a slowly, letting her get used to the down-up-up rhythm of their steps.
Kakashi was right, he was a good lead, and once Sakura had the pattern, she found it was nearly effortless to keep up with him and before she knew it, they were gliding around the room with everyone else, her crimson dress flowing behind her as he spun her easily before locking her back in his embrace.
"I didn't know you could dance," Sakura giggled, finding herself having a wonderful time.
Kakashi smirked knowingly.
"They taught us all sorts of things in ANBU. You never know what you'll find useful on a mission."
Sakura was oblivious to everything but her teachers face, studying it now that she had the chance. He looked younger than she imagined he'd be and far more good looking too, although the sight of him in a crisp tuxedo probably helped his image a bit. The way he controlled her steps with ease was attractive even though she usually liked to be in control of everything she did and she found her heart racing a little, probably not simply because of the excursion of their dancing either.
"Did I tell you that you look wonderful tonight?" he said as the song ended and he twirled her before lowering her into a deep dip reminiscent of every corny chick flick she had adored as a girl.
"No," she said with a timid smile as her cheeks began to warm. "You didn't."
"Well you do," he smiled, righting her again as the next waltz began. "You look fantastic in that dress. It's a pity you don't have the occasion to wear things like it more often."
By now, Sakura was definitely blushing at his words as subtle pushes and pulls of his hands guided her into another set of steps. She had been giddy when she had first been presented with the scarlet dress she was to wear for the occasion. The front was fairly modest, dipping into a V just below the collar bone so as to show enough skin to be alluring but not trashy. The back however was practically nonexistent save for a thin crisscross of red ribbon over the middle of her back. The dress dipped to the base of her spine where it gave way to silken layers of deep red that flared out like petals of a flower when she spun. Combined with black gloved that ended at mid bicep and her hair style which consisted of her pink tresses being swept up into an elaborate twist of curls, she was quite striking and Kakashi had noticed that he wasn't the only one getting appreciative looks. Many of the men had let their eyes follow her longer than what was polite.
Sakura ducked her head, pressing her face to his chest so he wouldn't see the blush that was nearly as dark as her dress. She was greeted with his spicy and masculine scent that filled her nostrils and instantly made her chest flutter in a strange and wonderful way as their feet kept moving effortlessly, sending them flying over the floor as if they were impervious to gravity.
She felt the hand on her back press her in a little closer and felt the warmth of his breath against her ear.
You're doing well Sakura, I think you're a natural."
Sakura lifted her head and smiled and in that moment, she forgot about the mission and their target and the hundreds of other people in the elaborate ballroom. She didn't want this moment to end because it felt so good to be the center of somebody's world, even if it was just for a little while and she couldn't deny that something was tugging at her that hadn't been there before, a strange attraction that seemed be pulling her towards him despite her better judgment.
She doubted it was just his dance skills that had impressed her. Kakashi Hatake was a perfect gentleman, a Prince Charming, although she had to assume it was all just an act for their current assignment, but even so, it was having a strange affect on her, pulling her towards him like a mysterious gravity and he was the center in which she orbited. Even though she knew it was improbable, she couldn't help but wonder if he felt the same.
The song came to an end and the people around them applauded but the two of them stayed locked in their embrace, green eyes gazing into his single black one for a moment that stretched on and on before Kakashi finally slid his hand from her back to clap for the musicians along with the other guests.
Sakura found herself breathless and a little disoriented now that she was aware of all the people she had blocked out. Her back felt cool and tingled slightly and she missed the warmth of his hand that had so recently touched her.
"I'm going to go look for him," Kakashi said as the musicians got up to take their break and the crowd on the floor began to disperse.
Sakura knew he was talking about their target and nodded. This was a mission after all, they weren't here on holiday, but as she watched him melt into the crowd, that strange pull in her chest persisted and she found herself wanted to go after him, to be in his arms once more. This force tying her to him was unfamiliar and strange and she found herself wary and giddy all at once.
She had been enjoying this mission, talking to her teacher one on one as they traveled here, teasing him about his choice of reading material and him gently chastising her that there was more to life than medical journals and textbooks. He made her smile, made her laugh, and they way he had been looking at her when they had danced made her feel special in a way she hadn't felt in ages, like she was important, like she was the only thing worth looking at.
There was another tug on her heart, stronger this time and Sakura was afraid to give the feeling a name.
If this was gravity pulling her to him, then that meant she was falling and she could stop herself no more than she could after a trip or stumble. She was falling.
She was falling for Kakashi.