Chapter 8!
Title:"Tricks and Changes"
Disclaimer: I own Nothing!
*Edit: spelling errors and added tidbits... :)
…...
I paced back and forth.
The rain was really falling hard, dark pink strands of hair were clinging to my face, but I didn't even care.
I kept walking in circles in the middle of that clearing, squishing down the wet grass with each repetitive step.
I was rubbing my soaked hands back and forth apprehensively.
Is he okay?
He was injured when he left… he said it wouldn't matter, but how can he be sure?
Maybe the assassin will play another clone trick…
But Kakashi has his sharingan to help him.
Then again… he had already used it way too much for the last mission, would he be okay to use it now?
Would this rain affect their fight?
Endless worries piled up in my mind.
I knew that Kakashi was strong… really strong, and that a single assassin couldn't kill him… but I just couldn't get my mind off of it…
Anything could go wrong, and while it was happening, I would be standing here… doing nothing…
I shuffled a few more laps of my pacing-circle.
"Sorry Kakashi-sensei…." I said to myself quietly… I could barely hear my voice over the rainfall.
I took a few more seconds to ready myself before running into the forest, trying to track Kakashi's trail.
I wasn't good at tracking, but he couldn't have gone too far, right?
…..
This guy is going to be the death of me…
Kakashi thought to himself half-seriously.
He really wasn't planning on dying anytime soon, but with the way this assassin was toying with his personal life, he felt that he would soon expire from the drama.
Kakashi really couldn't believe what had happened between his body and Sakura back in the clearing.
He hated the fact that the first person to approach Sakura like that wasn't him.
Of course it had been his body, but he had no control… he couldn't treat her how he wanted to; instead he had to stand by in his own mind and watch as his enemy played with her.
He could feel that instinctual anger build up again.
…
Then again, he really shouldn't be angry over that, since he really wasn't supposed to be planning on 'treating' her in anyway…
…
"It's okay… I knew he was wrong about you, you wouldn't have ever done something like that…"
He couldn't even look her in the eye when she said that.
He wondered if she was right…
...
His attention was immediately stolen by the flying shuriken aimed at his head.
He dodged out of the way, running into a near clearing. It was always best to look for open spaces when dealing with this type of distance-fighter.
"If it isn't, 'Sensei'… coming back for more!" the assassin announced excitedly, emerging from the forest in his real form.
It was a man, maybe in his mid-twenties, dressed ambiguously well for a hired killer.
He pulled out a sword with a red blade and a silver hilt, a small bell was tied to the guard.
Kakashi didn't say anything, he was having too much trouble trying to remain calm.
"No 'thank you'?... Aren't you at least a little grateful?…" The assassin spoke up. "You had an excuse to get closer to her… I gave that moment to you… but you ruined it."
"There's nothing to thank you for." Kakashi said roughly.
"Really? I swore I thought you wanted her…the way you hesitated last night when I used her clone… Well, if not, I'll take her then."
Kakashi didn't waste time finding any words to throw back at the killer, but instead charged towards him without a second thought.
… … … …
I ran through the darkening forest, raindrops sprayed my face painfully, but I kept going.
What was I going to do?
Jump into the fight?
No… I should just wait on the sidelines, if anything goes wrong, then I'll help out.
I sped past more trees, trying to find any sign a disturbance… broken branches, scraped barks…
The sun was setting faster and faster. Soon, I'd only have the moonlight to see.
I couldn't find anything, but I definitely heard the familiar clink of kunais meeting metal.
I didn't hesitate to run towards that sound.
…. … …
They ran towards each other, meeting in the middle of the field, exchanging blows and dealing cuts whenever the other was too slow to react.
"Wooo…. Jealous, much?" The assassin asked over the kunai clashing. "Don't worry… I would've preferred taking you, but you really seem to have a stubborn streak."
Kakashi tried not to listen to the words, he knew that if he reacted, he would let his guard down.
"But she is really cute…" That playful voice continued as its owner ran off to hide in the trees. Kakashi followed. "She's probably never been with a man before…"
Kakashi perched on his own tree, waiting for the assassin to reveal his position.
"It's a shame that her 'sensei' she trusts so much, is gonna be the one to corrupt her…" The voice sounded like it was coming from so many different directions. He could hear the small bell on th assassin's sword tinkling from all around him. Kakashi couldn't think as clearly as he normally would. "I know you'll be the one to do it…" The voice continued.
"The way you look at her."
"Like a predator."
"You may think you're a good person, but you'll fall to those feelings someday…"
"Better men have fallen… and hurt the object of their desire in the search for release..."
Kakashi closed his eyes. Even though he wanted to block out those words, the words that seemed to summarize all of his personal fears, he had to listen to them. He needed to know where they were coming from.
"I've always liked playing match-maker while on my missions… though I usually kill the couple before they find their happiness…"
"Your situation was the most fun to play with."
There!
The voice had finally chosen a single spot, and the small bell was silent.
Kakashi wasted no time.
….. … … … …
I finally found them.
I had heard a voice, but the rainfall was so hard against the treetops that I couldn't hear what it was saying.
But I just needed to hear where it was coming from.
It sounded like it was coming from an entire area, and not just a single spot.
By the time I made it to the wide clearing I heard it coming from, it was gone.
Was Kakshi here?
Was he okay?
Would I be in the way right here?
Everything was quiet except the roaring of rainfall which drowned out all of my thoughts.
The constant thunderous sound of the rain was so deafening.
I couldn't form a single thought.
I just stood there, waiting.
Then a flash of green and silver ran within my sight.
Kakashi…
He was there, he seemed uninjured.
He probably didn't even notice me, the assassin was chasing after him with so much speed.
I took a step forward.
I really wanted to do something…
But the battle was already coming to me.
Kakashi was running in my direction, looking over his shoulder, trying to keep an eye on his enemy.
"Kakashi-sensei…" I said quietly.
I wanted to yell it, but I didn't have to.
The moment I said it, his head turned over to me, his eyes wide.
He stopped in his tracks.
"Saku-"
His words stopped, but his eyes were still looking at me.
The roaring stopped, but the rain was falling harder than ever.
I stopped, but everything else kept going.
I heard a little bell chime.
A red blade was sliding backward out of Kakashi-sensei's vest.
He stumbled to his knees with a deep thud.
I ran forward, and caught him before he fell to the ground.
He was really heavy.
He wasn't moving.
A red puddle was forming on his back, mingling with the rain drops which washed the red away.
My voice was gone.
I couldn't blink. I was just staring.
"I guess he really did have a soft spot for you…" I heard a voice above me.
I looked up from Kakashi's blood-soaked back.
"After all, you were the target I was after just now…" It was a man, he was wiping his red-bladed sword on a tree. "You'd be dead if he didn't get in the way." The voice kept going even though I wasn't really paying attention. "So stubborn." It finished with a grading tone.
I looked back down to Kakashi, he still wasn't moving… I couldn't feel him breathe.
I could barely control my arms, as I clutched him closer, I didn't feel like I could ever let go.
I felt like my muscles would lock onto his body forever.
This… this wasn't real… It was some sort of genjutsu… Some sort of mind control…
Right?
The blood kept pouring.
I heard that snobbish voice again.
"So much for your 'trust' in him…"
The assassin turned his back to me, walking away.
Before I really thought about it, I was setting Kakashi's body to the ground gently, standing up, raising my first with almost all of chakra attached to it.
He wasn't even looking at me until the moment right before my fist hit the side of his face. A great rumble riveted my body.
He went flying into trees, splinters spraying in all directions as he flew past them. I didn't even see him hit the ground. He must've gone half a mile, bashing into trees and branches along the way…
I fell to my knees, breathing hard. Feeling the effects of that punch start coursing through my body. The energy had been too much, my arms felt weak, my right one even hurt, I was a little nauseous, my muscles felt like they were replaced by stones.
I really used too much chakra, but I didn't regret it.
I turned around to Kakashi's body… I found my feet, even though I felt like I was going to fall back to my knees at any moment.
"Kakash-…. Sensei…." I could only mutter those words weakly as I walked to him.
I couldn't register that sight. His motionless body, the blood seeping into the grass, his face away from me.
I was so scared it was real. It looked so real. I was so scared that this was the end. That Kakashi really wasn't always a few steps ahead of his enemy.
Every second that passed, every second I spent looking at him, those fears grew exponentially. What if this was real? What is this was the end? What if I'm just expecting a happy ending? What if that really his bleeding, lifeless, body? What if I'm just standing here alone?
I couldn't control the emotions that avalanched my mind with those thoughts. Pain, fear, torment, hurt, aguish, desperation. The thought of losing him so completely after I only just found him was too much.
I reached out to him, my hand almost landing on his drenched silver hair before it was gone.
Poof
I was blinded by a flood of thick smoke that dissipated quickly in the heavy rain.
My eyes stung.
I saw something moving ahead of me.
I saw him walking towards me from the trees, the smoke clearing.
I blinked… again and again…
He was walking slowly, casually, his hands in his pockets… like nothing had happened.
I stumbled a little.
…. …. …. …. …. …. …. …
I really shouldn't have let that carry on for that long.
But she really changed my plan by showing up.
Then again... she took care of the whole problem by showing up.
A little part of him felt guilty for letting her believe he was dead for a moment too long, if she fell for it. But he was secretly a little happy that she cared about him so much that she would gather enough strength to defeat, and possibly kill, that assassin with a single blow.
She has really developed her strength to such a scary measure...
It was one of things he had started to admire about her.
He was a little nervous, walking into the clearing.
She was staring at him with the most bewildered expression, her hair clinging to her wide-eyed face.
She started walking towards him, weak-legged, picking up speed.
"Kakashi!" She yelled his name, not in relief or happiness, her voice sounded so angry.
Her right fist was raised in the air.
He raised his hands in front of him, a little comically, getting a little worried. He didn't want what just happened to that assassin to happen to him.
She kept running at him at a dangerous speed, her fist curled tightly.
So this is what he saw right before she punched him across the forest.
His mind focused on that curious thought for an awkward second before he saw her eyes.
He recognized that look.
She was on the verge of crying.
Guilt twisted his stomach viciously.
He stopped in his track, looking at her as she ran at him, he didn't move from the spot… He just stood there, taking his hands out of his pockets as he was bracing himself…. If she wanted to punch him, he was going to let her.
If that would ease her frustration and whatever amount of sadness she suffered in those few seconds... he'd do whatever was necessary.
After she gets her anger out, he'll apologize, make her laugh, brush off the whole situation without letting himself get too close to her, pick up the assassin, track down Naruto and Sai and let them know everything was taken care of. Whatever she was about to do wouldn't affect the plan very much… he'd probably just be a little more bruised than he was already and they'd both go back to normal.
He closed his eyes, trying to ignore his reflex to dodge, preparing himself for the punch of a lifetime, hoping she'd at least go a little easy on him.
He felt an impact, not on his face, but in his arms.
His eyes flashed open.
She had wrapped her arms around his waist, clutching him so tightly he had trouble breathing in with the sudden shock of the moment.
Her head was pressed against his chest, raindrops running down her face as if she was crying.
He stumbled back… she followed him perfectly, never easing her arms.
He didn't care if she suffocated him with her grip, he wanted to hold her just as tightly. He didn't know if he could… could he simply hold her back? It wasn't like he was doing anything wrong, right? Was it really okay to hold her back?
His arms hesitantly found her back, still unsure of whether he should touch her.
"Kakashi-sensei..." he heard her voice call his name almost desperately.
He forgot any reasoning that stopped his arms from holding her just as fiercely.
He didn't care about anything else in that moment.
Not the rain, not his injuries, not even the fact that he was probably enjoying this moment more than she was.
He was holding her.
He had his arms around her.
It didn't seem real… this amount of happiness from a single hug.
… … …. …. …. ….. …. ….
That feeling… the feeling that I would never be able to let go of him came back.
This time it was because I was so… relieved.
All that pointless fear was gone. I felt so stupid for overreacting, but I didn't care.
He was alive. He was in my arms. I could feel his breathing; I could hear his strong heartbeat.
He was holding me back.
His arms were so strong around me.
I never felt so safe. So warm.
I couldn't stop a few more tears... I hoped he didn't know I was crying. I could only take so much of being childish in front of him for one day.
I held onto him tighter, not caring whether or not it was awkward for him. I didn't want to worry about anything right now, I just wanted to be selfish for a little bit linger, to bother him with this hug for a few seconds, or minutes, longer, to get as close to him as I possibly could.
He took a few more steps backward, as if he was losing his balance.
I barely noticed when we stumbled backward far enough for his back to hit a tree.
I didn't even think about letting go when he slid down the tree, sitting on the twisted tree roots. The fact that he hadn't let me go either, that he was actually holding me just as tightly, for some reason I couldn't even come up with, was all I could focus on right now.
I just leaned forward, my knee between his, my face still buried in his drenched vest that still seemed warm with his body heat.
The rain was beating against my back and legs, the tree sheltered our heads at least. The rain and the trees mimicked his scent, as if he was all around me. I felt myself smile at the thought.
We were holding each other so tightly, like we were afraid of being pulled apart.
I wanted more.
I wanted to hold him tighter, but I couldn't… my arms weren't even long enough to reach all the up to his shoulders, I was running out of strength to hold him so closely. But I wanted more.
I needed to be closer to him.
"Sakura…" I heard his voice call my name gently.
I loved his voice.
I loved the way he used it to say my name.
I loved the way his arms held me so tight.
I loved the way his heart was beating faster than mine.
I loved… I loved…
…
I needed more of him.
…
My wet lips met a pair of covered ones.
…
I barely realized what I doing until I was already doing it.
I could feel his arms loosen around me.
I was already cold, his warm arms were barely touching me.
He didn't move. He just sat there.
My hands found his face without thinking.
I had never touched his face before… even if it was covered by the mask.
…
I had never kissed his lips before…
…
It finally hit me… the gravity of that action.
My moment of insanity broke as my one-sided kiss did…
I'd gone too far. I wasn't thinking. I didn't stop myself. I couldn't control myself. I acted without thinking. I went too far. How is that even possible? How could I let myself do that? Why didn't I stop myself? After I only discovered these feelings I've already condemned them to failure. He's probably hating this right now. He's probably so confused. He's probably never had any sort of thought of doing what I just did.
Neither had I… not until the moment I did it.
But that didn't make any of this better.
I suddenly couldn't look at him.
My hands dropped from his face.
I sat up on my own, our knees were still entwined.
He still wasn't doing anything.
I could feel my heart get heavier and heavier… air wasn't reaching my lungs. It was harder to think straight as it really hit me… what I just did isn't something I can apologize lightly for and expect everything to move on as it normally has. That moment is going to destroy any sort of friendship I had with him. He's going to avoid me. Never talk to me. Always wonder what I feel for him.
I was getting sicker with every silent moment that passed, each was filled with hundreds of horrible scenarios that the next moment could turn into. He wasn't doing anything.
What was he thinking?
He's probably trying to think of some way to turn me down.
He's thinking how irresponsible I am.
How childish I am.
How else could I have done that right now?
Even if I wasn't thinking straight, even if with the exhaustion and pain and fear and discovery of my feelings for him, I slipped up acted before I could think… it wasn't an excuse.
He still wasn't doing anything.
Please just say it already!
Just turn me down... laugh at me... yell at me… talk down to me…tell me it's impossible… tell me you can't return my feelings… tell me never to talk to you again… anything!... just don't say nothing!
I couldn't wait any longer; I lifted my knee, placing my hand on it so that I could push myself up to my feet.
I just need to get away right now… I'll apologize later… Or I'll just avoid him for the both of us, so he won't have to worry about what he's going to say to me to get me away from him.
But a hand grabbed my arm just as I was about to stand. It tugged a little harshly just as I was about to take a step/
I immediately fell onto his chest.
He didn't even grunt with the impact.
His arms wrapped around my sides even tighter than before.
My face was on his shoulder.
I was weightless with disbelief. My heart was beating harder than it did any other time today, it literally felt like it was going too fast. I tried to calm down, but the more I focused on how warm his arms were, how tightly they were holding me, how he wasn't trying to push me away, the harder it was to focus on anything else.
The rain hit my back again as I felt one arm leave my body.
"Did you mean that..." His voice rumbled underneath me. "… just now?" I heard him ask, just as gently as I heard it before, into my ear.
I couldn't find my voice, my throat was busy housing my heart.
I nodded. Too shocked to do anything else. My chin rubbed against the coarse fabric of his vest a little as I did.
A longer moment of silence passed as only the water falling to the ground could be heard.
"Are you sure?" His voice asked hesitantly, he sounded so cautious. Like he had to really make sure.
I nodded again, but before I even finished my first nod I felt something on my neck.
A pair of lips.
I shuddered.
His lips were actually touching my skin.
They were so soft.
My heart was beating harder, my breathing being forced to pick up the oxygen flow.
My face felt so hot.
My neck was burning up.
I felt his hand brush through my hair, holding my head gently.
His lips ran up along the corner of my jaw, finding my ear.
"Are you still sure about this?" His deeper voice whispered, a little breathless.
I still couldn't muster any words, my hands clenched the fabric of his shirt on his chest.
I really hoped he would take the hint.
He laughed a little.
He laughed.
Like he was relieved.
Like he was laughing at the Universe as if it had just delivered an inside joke.
I felt him shake under me with every chuckle. I realized that I was shaking, too.
Was he just as nervous… just as happy as I was?
I felt like the anxiety hadn't left. I wasn't at all relieved. It was more like all that worry, all that fear had only been translated roughly into happiness… I was still scared. Scared that this was the dream. That he was only joking. That this just couldn't be happening. That wasn't really happening. But after every moment that passed, I felt a little surer, a little happier. I was so hesitant to believe this was happening.
My hand reached up to his face, I felt his cheek again my palm.
His lips grazed my arm gently.
I closed my eyes in reaction.
My hand ran through his hair, like I always wanted to.
His hair was wet, but soft.
His lips were softer against my skin.
I felt his other hand reach for my fingers on his chest. His bigger fingers falling between mine gently.
I really wanted to kiss him. To make this more real than before, to prove this was really happening.
I felt really nervous about that thought…
…what if I was only going to make a fool of myself…
But I didn't get a chance to see if I was going to be a fool.
There was rustling in the bushes across the clearing from us.
We immediately turned to look.
I caught a glimpse of Kakashi… he had somehow managed to pull up his mask so quickly.
My heart fell… I really wanted to see his face… especially now that I knew for sure that his lips weren't too big or too small, or that he didn't have giant buck-teeth… like Naruto, Sasuke, and I had theorized so long ago.
I had to smile for a second at that memory. I had been so young.
I knew now that he had really soft lips.
We stared at the bushes.
"Agh!" Someone very familiar yelled randomly. "Dumb bushes!"
I could see a flicker of orange between the leaves.
Kakashi and I instantly pushed away from each other.
He was on his feet before I was.
"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto yelled after breaking free from the bushes and spotting us.
We looked like we had only been standing next to each other.
But I could feel my face was still hot.
"Did you get him?" Naruto yelled as he ran over to us.
"I fought him… but Sakura was the one to finish to battle." Kakashi said with his normal, smooth voice. Like something so incredibly amazing didn't just happen.
"Wow, Sakura, that's awesome!" Naruto cheered at me.
I smiled weakly...
"Where's Sai?" Kakashi-sensei changed the subject.
"He's still over there… he needs some healing." Naruto explained a little less excitedly.
"Okay…" Kakashi started. "Sakura, go with Naruto to get Sai. I'll go and inform the family that the assassin has been taken care of."
"Right." I said just as normally. I felt a little weird for going right back into normal life after... that… but I did as Kakashi said and followed Naruto out of the clearing…
….. …. …. …. … …
I'm sorry Sakura…
I couldn't stop myself… I should've…
…
Kakashi sighed… feeling a little guilty for feeling so entirely happy.
He watched the spot in the trees where she had just disappeared for a few moments.
He couldn't hold back a smile.
...
Things are going to get so much more difficult from now on.
But I'd face it all for you.
…
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This is most definitelynotthe ending!
More excitement awaits!
:D