Chapter 10!
Title: "Tests and Tickets"
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
Note: Heavy reference to the ending of the first Naruto movie: "Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow"
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"Only if you do it." He answered softly, gently taking my hands and placing them on his covered face.
I could feel him smile a little under my palms.
My chest felt like a fire was raging inside. My fingers felt numb with the cold, but tingled with anticipation.
His face slowly lowered towards mine.
Both of his eyes were staring at me so intently… again, I was afraid that his Sharingan could see how my heart was thumping, or see that fire burning away inside of me.
I could feel myself holding my breath… I didn't know why, but I felt like I was running out of air… I didn't care.
My fingers found the space between the mask and his face just as they had this afternoon.
I gently started to roll the fabric down.
He leaned in closer, but I still wasn't done.
I pulled the mask down a little further, it slid over and passed his nose, slowly revealing his pearly skin.
The moonlight really wasn't enough light.
And it was especially hard to focus, mentally and physically, when he was so close to me.
I inched the fabric down a little further, he leaned in even more.
I realized that every time I revealed an inch of his face, he closed the space between us by an inch.
If I continued, he would get closer and closer… if I pulled it back up, he would probably back away.
It was like a test.
He was leaving it up to me…
Testing whether I really wanted to see his face or not... testing whether this ws the type of relationship I wanted with him...
Even with that in mind, I couldn't wait anymore…
In a swift motion I tugged down his mask all the way.
I felt the fabric go loose and fall to his neck.
My eyes couldn't focus fast enough to catch a glimpse of his entire face before I suddenly felt his lips land on mine.
Both my hands were still gripping the mask fabric which was hanging around his neck loosely.
I only stared wide-eyed ahead of me without blinking.
His eyes were closed.
I felt his hands fall from the wall, they both landed on either side of my waist.
I was still frozen.
I knew I should be kissing him back, but I couldn't really process everything.
He backed away after a second.
I blinked my dry eyes.
He smiled down at me.
But this time I actually saw his lips curl upward, I didn't have to look for a shadow or movement in the blue fabric.
He was so much more handsome than I ever thought he could've been.
I always knew that Kakashi-sensei was an attractive man, even before I thought about him this way… and I knew he was probably really handsome, since anybody who did see his face would always stare into space with heart-shaped eyes for several minutes.
But he was so much more handsome than I imagined.
His nose was narrow and perfectly-shaped. His jaw line was so well-defined. And his lips were perfect, not giant or pointy in any way.
I couldn't remember ever seeing anyone more handsome.
I let go of the mask fabric around his neck, lifting my hands to his face.
His skin was so soft.
"This is what you were hiding this whole time?" I asked quietly, my eyes locked on him.
I wanted to remember everything, every little detail.
My hands brushed the sides of his face.
He didn't say anything.
He only looked back at me with eyes that I had never seen before… it was like he was in a trance. I saw his eyes fall down to my own lips.
I couldn't stop myself as I stood up on my tip-toes.
My lips still couldn't reach him, but I didn't have to wait more than a single moment before he leaned down to meet me.
His lips were so soft.
I could feel my heartbeat pulsing through my lips.
Even though I had been so worried about being a good kisser, I wasn't putting any thought into it now. I only followed his movements.
I felt his hand slide from my waist to the small of my back, pulling me forward and deeper into the kiss.
My hands slid back, passed his forehead protector, through his silver hair.
Everything felt so good.
He pressed closer, my back was flat against the wall.
With my heart racing like this, I was already running out of air, but oxygen wasn't important right now.
I didn't even think about it when I felt my fingers pull his head closer to mine.
He took the signal and pressed his lips harder on mine.
I could hear my breathing becoming more labored, it only a took a few more seconds for his breathing to sound a bit more strenuous, too.
I had never heard him breathe like that… I liked the way it sounded for some reason.
But we were eventually going to pass out if we didn't stop.
We had to break apart, whether we wanted to or not.
We stood there, breathing deeply.
I looked down to my feet.
The narrow alleyway seemed to have gotten narrower and warmer.
My arms felt weak and shaky, I let my hands fall from his hair, to land on his chest. My fingers curled around the cold metal buckles of his vest for support. His chest was moving up and down quickly, in synch with his arduous breathing.
I leaned forward, letting my forehead rest between my hands.
I could hear his heartbeat even through all the layers of clothing… maybe it was my medic-nin training...
It was deeper and stronger than mine, I closed my eyes to listen to it.
I felt his warm arms close around me.
"It's getting late." He spoke after a several seconds of standing like that silently.
"I guess. " I said a little sadly… He was right... we couldn't just stand here all night.
I didn't move for a long time… Even if we were already starting to say our good-byes, I still wanted to stay warm and safe in his arms a while longer.
I started to push myself from him, my heart hurting a little.
His arms left my back just as hesitantly as my arms left his chest.
His hand found mine gently. He started to walk back to the street, I followed him, my hand gripping his tightly.
We walked into the street together.
An immediate chill came over me… I hadn't realized exactly how cold it really was… the alleyway had been really warm.
Kakashi turned towards me.
He still hadn't put his mask back on.
I guess he really trusted that no one else was around.
Before I could look around to check if anybody was peeking from a window his lips were already on mine.
My hands instinctually grabbed his vest, trying to deepen the kiss.
He broke away, taking my hands in his.
"This is it for now." He said gently.
He smiled…
I was still recovering from the first smile he gave me, and now that I could see his face even more clearly I couldn't look away.
I always wanted to see him smile like that…
"I'll come for you tomorrow." He said quietly, standing up straight again, letting go of my hands.
"When?" I asked eagerly, unable to hide my excitement.
"You'll know." He gave me one of his trademark, vague, answers. "Good night, Sakura." He waved.
I didn't want to leave him yet, but he was already walking away.
"Good night, Kakashi…" I whispered as I turned around to go home.
BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUZZZZZ!!!
I flung myself out of bed, and landed on the alarm clock.
I fidgeted with it, trying to find the right button… I forgot which button it was… I frantically pressed random buttons but it kept buzzing at me….. I ended up hitting it against the wall.
It didn't break, but the alarm warbled off with an awkward squeak.
"6:32am"
The little green numbers flickered a little.
That was the time I had to get up when we left on our last mission… it was really early, but preparation for a mission is usually really extensive.
I crawled back into my bed.
Jeez, and I was having a dream about last night, too…
I was grateful that I wasn't going to need to go on any missions today.
I could probably just sleep for hours… but I did have a sort of personal mission.
One that was decided for me last night…
….
I stared at the ceiling for a few minutes… unable to fall back asleep after already running last night through my head.
…
That was my first kiss.
And it was with Kakashi-sensei…
…
Something about that was so surreal.
I remembered when I was absolutely sure that my first kiss was destined to be with Sasuke.
I could safely say that I'm glad it wasn't with Sasuke.
I reached over and grabbed my pillow, hugging it tightly as I rolled over, closing my eyes.
So much has changed…
Last week… I wouldn't have ever thought that this was possible.
I wouldn't have believed that this amount of happiness was posible either...
I drifted off into sleep again… all I could think about was his smile.
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He checked his little bedside clock
"6:32am"
He grumbled a little.
Paperwork…. How I loathe you…
Kakashi was sitting on his bed, Indian-style, surrounded and covered by scattered papers.
He had only gotten 4 hours sleep.
He had to file reports on every aspect of the mission: every jutsu they used, why they used it, the outcome of the mission, the conditions of the team members… and so on.
He would've thought that after being a Jonin for a decade and some change that he would get used to all this… but this was still one of the only parts of being a ninja that he really couldn't stand.
Most of the other times when he was buried with paperwork, he would find distraction in a little green book, or in a little orange book… but right now, he was distracted by his own thoughts and memories.
It had been so long since he was in a relationship.
He wanted to see her again as soon as possible.
His mind wandered back to that alleyway.
He thought about her face, her eyes, her hands, her lips.
Another rush of happiness struck his heart, which was once again followed by that ever-resistant guilt.
So many things are wrong about this…
The age difference, the student-teacher relationship, the fact we're in the same team… not to mention the fact that I'm now in a one-sided love rivalry against Naruto.
Kakashi cringed.
But he still didn't regret anything.
Except the fact that he has procrastinating.
He groaned unhappily, rebelliously scribbling non-sense onto the papers.
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"Should I stay home?… Should I walk around the village?… Maybe I should fix our garden up, that's halfway outside and at home!... No, my mom always loves doing that…. If I stay home, he probably won't come to get me…."
I was talking to myself, pacing my room, feeling more than a little fidgety.
That last sentence made a lot of sense.
Why would Kakashi-sensei come to pick me up if he was going to have to talk to my parents to get to me?
I immediately felt a little guilty for keeping this… situation… between me and Kakashi-sensei from my parents… but this wasn't anything bad.
It really wasn't.
Kakashi-sensei's a good man. He's strong and responsible and kind. Everybody looks up to him, even if does have a childish streak in him… And I've even heard some people say that he probably would've been the next Hokage if Lady Tsunade or Jiraiya didn't take the role…
My head spun a little… Kakashi Hokage…
Wow….
I shook my head of that thought.
I settled with the personal promise that after a while, I would tell my parents… but after a looong while.
I just had to hope that they didn't get suspicious until then… They wouldn't right?
"Sakura!"
I jumped when I heard my mom's voice yell my name from downstairs. For only a split second I had the insane fear that she somehow heard my thoughts and was now going to kill me.
"Yeah, mom?!" I answered back, already walking down the stairs.
"Can you do the grocery shopping for me?"
I sighed… I didn't like going to the market and having to deal wit-… wait, it's perfect!
"Okay!" I answered cheerfully, running downstairs. Skipping a couple steps.
I walked into the kitchen, my mom was staring at me like I had sprouted flowers from my ears.
… I guess I was a little too excited about going to the market…
She handed me the list and repeated it, making sure I remembered to get everything.
I left the house, and walked cheerfully down to the market.
I really hope I bump into him.
………………..
Well, I guess my luck isn't at it's best right now.
I sighed to myself as I was already only a block away from my house, carrying all the right groceries in hand,
Maybe he's busy.
We just got off a B-Rank mission, he should have mountain of paperwork.
I guess I was a little to selfish to hope he'd show up this early.
I checked my watch.
It was already 3:00…
I sighed.
Where'd all the time go?...
I thought to myself wistfully as I turned the corner.
I finally looked up from my feet after a few seconds.
"Eh?" I asked the air.
There he was.
Just leaning against the fence around my house.
I guess he really isn't as cautious as I thought he was.
He stood up straight when I approached.
"Hey, Sakura…" he said casually as I approached.
I opened my mouth to ask him if he had talked to my parents or not, but I was promptly rendered speechless when I heard my name a second time.
"Sakura…" My mom stood up from tending the garden… I couldn't see her before.
Thank god she spoke up before I said something bad.... not 'bad'.... wierd....
"Here you go, mom." I walked through the little gate, handing her the cloth bag of groceries.
"Kakashi-san dropped by to see if you could attend the team meeting." She continued, taking the bag inside the house. 'Kakashi-san'?... That sounded a little weird.
I looked back at him for a second. He had a look of complete innocence. Well, as innocent as you could guess he was acting from seeing only one of his eyes.
I immediately wanted to pull down that mask again.
Instead I walked to the doorway.
"Well, I'll be going!" I called after her.
"Take care!" She answered back as I was already walking down the little pathway.
I met with Kakashi at the fence.
"Team meeting?" I asked with playful skepticism.
"Naruto and Sai couldn't make it." He answered cheerfully, turning around to lead the way.
I wanted to laugh and hug him, but that was way too… much…. So I held back and just decided to walk next to him.
We turned the corner onto the main street.
We kept our distance, but I was still happy that I was even walking with him.
It wouldn't seem strange for a student and teacher, or moreover, two team members to be walking through the town together, right?
"I would've thought you would have mountains of paperwork, Kakashi-sensei." I started.
"I managed to finish it in time." He turned to me smiling faintly. "Just Kakashi... remember?"
Every time he smiled at me now all I could think about what his moonlit face that I saw the night before.
"Oh, yeah...." I laughed a little, cringing my eyes.
We walked down the street a few more feet.... was this it?.... There had to be some way we could be alone.
"Is… is there a place where…" I trailed off. It was kind of an embarrassing question.
But it was a necessary question.
Where could we be alone?
If we really couldn't tell anyone about our relationship, we needed at least one place where we can be together and not have to worry about anything.
I heard him chuckle.
"I know of a place." He answered, I could hear the smile in his voice.
I felt something graze my hand.
I looked down… his fingers were reaching for me. His fingertips were brushing agianst my hand, asking for permission.
I looked around really fast… nobody seemed to really be looking… it's risky, but…
I reached for his fingers, too.
"Sakura-chYAn!"
I quickly pulled back my hand, it made a thump noise when it hit the side of my leg.
I turned around to face the interrupter.
Naruto was running up, dressed casually, not smothered in orange so much.
How many times has he ran up at just the wrong moment?!
I spotted an unenthusiastic Sai following behind, wearing his casual black, button up, turtle-neck.
"We went looking for you, but I didn't know you were already with Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto explained, hyper.
My heart panicked a little.
"Um..." No words came to mind.
"We bumped into each while shopping." Kakashi explained nonchalantly.
He lies really easily, doesn't he?....
I comically squinted towards Kakashi a little suspiciously before Naruto sprang back into action.
"Hey, hey, Kakashi-sensei…" Naruto started. "Remember when I forgo—said that I was gonna give you your birthday present late?" Naruto stumbled on his words a little.
That was 2 months ago!
"Yes…." Kakashi said a little hesitantly, ready for the worst.
"Well, I just got these from Ero-sennin!"
Naruto whipped out four slender strips of paper. Each one was the identical shade of bright orange…. Each one labeled with red lettering:
"Icha Icha Paradise"
I could see Kakashi completely freeze on the spot.
He wasn't going to break eye contact with those pieces of paper for a while.
"Remember our mission in the Land of Snow, with the Snow Princess Fuun?!" Naruto went on. "Remember that she was gonna be cast as the main character?!"
"Well, after a three-year battle betwen Ero-sennin and the screen-writers they finally decided to release it! They say that Princess Fuun might get an award!"
Naruto seemed really excited about seeing Princess Fuun on screen, while Kakashi was probably going to start drooling any second now.
There was something so cute… but also so weird about how Kakashi idolized those books.
"The movie just came out today!" Naruto finished triumphantly.
I whipped my head over to him.
There are four of us…
There are four tickets…
Tickets for the movie…
The movie that came out today…
Was I going to have to go see it, too?
I looked over at Kakashi, who was carefully tugging at a single ticket from Naruto's hand like it was a precious jewel.
I almost laughed at him… he was kind of cute when he was childish….
I resigned myself…
Well, if Naruto could survive three years around the man who wrote these books without being tainted too much, and I'm gonna be with a man who reads these books…. I should just give it a shot….
…
It wouldn't kill me....
…….........1 Hour Later......................
I am going to die!!
Right here…
Right now…
I was sitting still… perfectly… still… but my mind was frantically trying to block everything out.
Why did Ero-sennin give these tickets to Naruto!?
Why did Naruto give these tickets to the entire team?!
….
It was so awkward… watching a 'romance' (if that's the word to use) movie with three guy friends…
And I was sitting in between Kakashi and Naruto…
…
My god… another love scene…
... I watched in horror...
Stop the moaning!!
I wanted to scream at the screen.
I slouched a little in my seat.
Even though the movie wasn't too awful, and it always cut away from those infamous love scenes before it was too late… and if I was watching it by myself, I wouldn't be annoyed or anything (well, maybe at the main guy character)… but when surrounded by guys… especially ones that liked you, and one that you liked back… it got a little weird.
I peeked through the corner of my eyes.
Naruto was to my right… he was just staring at the screen, space-eyed, mouth hanging open…. I knew Naruto pretty well, but I had no idea what thoughts were passing through that yellow head of his. Did I want to know?
I glanced passed Naruto, to see Sai.
He was sitting up straight, as always. He was staring at the screen, too, with a slightly bemused expression. But I got the idea that he wasn't so much interested in the characters, as in learning the process of courtship.
Now for the main question…
What kind of face was Kakashi making?
I snuck a peek… barley shifting my head in his direction
...
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Baby cliffhanger… lol… will be updating soon.