Chapter 11!
Title: "Missions and Sanctuaries"
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
……………………………………………………..
Now for the main question…
What kind of face was Kakashi making?
I snuck a peek… barley shifting my head in his direction.
The darkcombined with the fact that he was wearing his mask made it difficult to tell. But from what I could see… he was completely normal.
No drool, no sparkles of interest in his eyes… he almost looked bored.
….
Maybe the book went more into the details… and this seemed like child's play…
…
A part of me was slightly disturbed by the thought that Kakashi-sensei would think that this movie, which was really risqué to me, was old hat for him…
Is he really that experienced?
Just how many other girlfriends has he had?
He's probably used to faster relationships… adult relationships… one where nobody has to worry about their first kiss, or their first 'fill in the blank'….
My stomach turned over awkwardly at the thought…
I looked back up at the screen, trying to think… which was a mistake….
I cringed…
Partial nudity… not fun.
I noticed Naruto scooted forward in his seat with interest.
I resisted the urge to smack him upside the head.
………Some time later…….
"Afuuu~~…. I looove bath houses." A sultry voice whispered on screen.
I was slouching even more than before.
Seriously, just how much of this stuff can they fit into two hours?
I noticed some movement from my right.
I glanced over at the yellow-haired perv.
Naruto was finally leaning back from the edge of his seat, yawning.
My eyes widened with surprise.
Well, I would've never thought Naruto could get bored of this.
But I guess the hormones can't last forever.
I thought to myself a little smugly.
Sai was still staring at the screen with the same computing expression.
I wondered if Sai had hormones…
I snuck another peek at Kakashi-sensei.
Still placid-faced.
Wow… I guess, at this point, everything will be okay.
If they're so bored with it, then I won't have to worry about the traditional 'Why I liked the movie' conversation after we leave the theatre.
Then I noticed it…
...
I should've known better.
...
Naruto's 'yawning' wasn't because he was bored.
His arm was falling slowly but surely towards the back of my chair.
He really had no tact or grace.
For now, I'll pretend not to notice, but after a minute I'll spring up and punch him in the face.
I tried not to laugh with anticipation.
But my plan was foiled before I could prepare myself.
I saw movement coming from my left.
Kakashi's hand had suddenly intercepted Naruto's, quickly whacking it aside with a single motion.
I felt Kakashi-sensei's arm fall to the back of my chair silently.
Naruto quickly recoiled his arm, rubbing his hand a little.
I pretended not to notice the whole ordeal…but not because I was planning on punching Kakashi-sensei after a minute (which I would never do), but because if Naruto saw I did notice, he'd probably be confused about why I didn't mind sensei's arm on my chair….
I saw Naruto staring at Kakashi a little strangely.
… It is strange for Kakashi-sensei to interfere with teen romance… even one-sided teen romance…
...Every time Naruto tried to ask me out in the past, Kakashi-sensei would always manage a timely exit, or just pretend not to hear our argument afterwards…
I worried for a second, but Naruto seemed to quickly forget the incident and become engrossed with the upcoming love scene.
I wanted to sigh with relief, but my attention as stolen elsewhere…
My neck felt unusually warm.
I was so conscious of his arm.
Part of me wanted to keep ignoring it, while a larger part of me wanted his arm around my shoulders.
…
My opinion of the situation changed very swiftly when the on-screen moaning started up again.
…
He was so close to me.
And with what was going on on-screen…
I couldn't help but get worried of what he was thinking about.
Was he wondering what I thinking about?
The whole situation just turned my brain upside down.
……………………………………………..
Thank God Naruto isn't the sharpest…
Kakashi couldn't stop his hand from smacking Naruto's away from Sakura…
He had seen Naruto hit on Sakura, ask her out, attempt to peep on her and it would always get on his nerves… but now Kakashi found himself so much more serious about shielding Sakura from Naruto's advances.
He felt so juvenile.
He really should've let it happen.
He should've just ignored it and watched the movie…
…
Truth was, he hadn't even been focusing on the movie.
Sure, it was hard to miss the moaning, groaning, and ill-written dialogue… but he couldn't enjoy it.
First of all, the books were a whole lot better… and a lot more graphic… which was something Kakashi dearly wished no one he knew would discover.
He wasn't ashamed of letting people know he liked these novels… but if they knew exactly what happened in those books.
That's a different story.
The movie was watered down and practically plot-less…
But that didn't mean anything to him when this pink-haired girl was sitting next to him.
He couldn't get his mind off of her.
But in the flickering light of the screen, he could clearly see the look on her face.
She's really uncomfortable, isn't she?
A part of him felt guilty, but another part of him thought it was cute… how innocent she was.
And that part of himself, made the other part feel even more guilty.
He looked back to the screen, trying to push his ever-lasting internal battle to the back of his mind, and enjoy the smut.
….
By the time the movie was over, he realized that he didn't even catch what the ending was.
… He didn't really care.
……………………………………………………………
"Princess Fuun is a great job, right, Sakura-chan!" And like that, Naruto had begun the traditional after-movie discussion.
"Mm…" I neither agreed nor disagreed. I really didn't need to see Princess Fuun like that.
All of us walked out of the theatre together, Kakashi to my right, Naruto and Sai to my left.
I peeked over to my right, he was just staring at his feet, his hands in his pockets.
Kakashi hadn't said anything yet.
It was a little strange that, with him being such a big fan of the Icha Icha Trilogy, that he would be completely free of any opinions of the movie.
I worried why he was being really distant.
"Ne, Sakura-chya-an, maybe you wanna go over to Ichiraku Ramen with me?!" Naruto sprang out another date-invitation out of nowhere.
I could see Kakashi in my peripheral vision, he stumbled a little.
I thought Naruto was going to rant about the movie a little while longer before trying to ask me out… which he usually did after every team outing.
I opened my mouth to turn him down.
"Good evening, Team 7." I heard a familiar voice interrupt me.
"Yamato-taichou!" Naruto called back to the voice, forgetting his date proposal.
I turned around, following Naruto's eyes.
Yamato-taichou was walking up waving at us cheerfully.
I was suddenly grateful for this interruption.
"Shizune-san wanted me to tell you guys that there's an urgent mission set up for you tomorrow, and to meet at the Konoha gate at 9:00am."
I forgot my gratefulness within a second. I wanted to groan with misery… why so many missions lately!?
I thought we were going to get a longer break, and I could've had more time with Kakashi-sensei….
But I guess I'll have time with him while on the mission…
"Wasn't our report at the bottom of the list?!" Naruto spoke up loudly in defiance.
"Ah, it was, but the Hokage has been going on a paperwork-spree." Yamato-taichou explained a little painfully. "Since she's the head of the Party Committee, she managed to complete all of her work at record speed."
Party Committee?….. Lady Tsunade must've set that up herself… she must really want this 'social fundraiser'.
Naruto snorted grumpily from my left.
"Well, see you tomorrow." Yamato-taichou finished with a friendly smile.
...Wait, what?...
"Tomorrow?" I called out.
"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention… I'll be the team captain tomorrow." My heart plummeted to my stomach. "Kakashi was assigned his own solo-mission."
I just stared at Yamato-taichou with a dumb-founded expression.
What was up with my luck today?!
"When do I go?" Kakashi spoke up for the first time in a while.
I looked over at Kakashi-sensei… he had his dutiful, responsible, face on.
"7:00am at the gate." Yamato added helpfully.
So early… I noted to myself a little sadly.
"See you guys at the gate." Yamato said lastly, waving innocently like he didn't just swoop in and ruin our vacations, while placing a huge obstacle in my personal life for the next couple of days.
After he left, we were left standing there, silent… grimacing.
"If our mission starts at nine, we should be getting some sleep right now." Sai said quietly, imposing reason on my plans.
I had wanted to be with Kakashi a little bit longer after this… but…
"Yes, you guys should head home. I'll need my sleep, too." Kakashi's voice sounded out from my right.
I looked over to him. He still seemed a little cold.
"I'll walk you home, Sakura-chyan!" Naruto's energy was already back up at capacity level.
I glanced at Kakashi, still the same.
He didn't really seem to be upset over Naruto's invitation.
"Ok." I agreed. I had always let him walk me home before, if I stopped now, it would've seemed weird.
I walked up to him, Kakashi still didn't move.
I picked up my pace to stay by Naruto's side.
"Bye, Sai." Naruto and I both waved at the same moment as our computing, ex-ANBU team member left us.
A few moments of silence passed between me and Naruto.
"So, Sakura-chan… how'd you like the movie?" Naruto resumed the conversation I never wanted to take place. My mind was still focused on the silver-haired man several meters behind me.
"I didn't rea--"
"Sakura!"
That voice.
I turned around without a second thought.
Kakashi-sensei was behind us, only a few feet away. He motioned for me.
"Just a sec." I said to Naruto without looking at his face, my eyes locked on Kakashi.
I ran over to him, I could feel myself smiling like an idiot, but I didn't care.
I saw his expression and my happiness dwindled a little... he seemed a little sad.
As I walked up to him, I saw him look over at Naruto for a second.
"I wanted to say bye." He said quietly, looking down at me.
"Really?" I asked, a little let down.
Kakashi and I looked over at Naruto again, who had found a distraction at the nearby Dango stand.
Before I looked back to Kakashi, I felt him lean down to my ear.
"Unless you didn't want to end tonight like this."
I scanned the crowd around us.
Nobody seemed to even notice that we were a little too close; they just went along with their businesses of buying and selling.
"I-I actually wanted… to spend more time with you." I admitted, feeling a little embarrassed, slowly turning towards his face.
He let out a small chuckle. I didn't like the fact he found me funny, but I was happy that his mood improved a little.
I heard him whisper into my ear again.
"Don't go to sleep when you get home."
"What?" I asked just as he was leaning away.
He was looking back to Naruto, who was running over to me enthusiastically, two dango kabobs in his hand.
Kakashi was already walking away.
"Uh!" I called after him without any words, but he didn't turn back.
"I got one for you too, Sakura-chan!" Naruto smiled at me as he handed the dango kabob to me.
"Thanks." I said, taking it from him, still feeling a little awkward.
We started walking again.
The busy, lantern-lit, street was bustling around us.
"What did Kakashi-sensei want?" Naruto asked with a muffled voice as he chewed on two dangos at once.
"Um, he just wanted… to collect my ticket stub... as a souvenir" I lied horribly.
"Oh, really?" Naruto reacted. "He could've had mine, too." Naruto took out a little orange piece of paper.
I am so sorry Kakashi-sensei…
I apologized profusely in my mind.
"Don't go to sleep when you get home."
That was a strange request… but I'll do it, even if that means I miss a couple hours of sleep.
I really want to see him again.
……………………………………………….
I should've left it alone.
He thought to himself again.
But I couldn't just say bye to her as she walked off with Naruto like that…
…
I can't believe I'm getting jealous of Naruto…
…
He gets to walk with her so freely.
…
Maybe this wasn't the best idea.
…
He still didn't even think about turning back now that he was half-way to Sakura's house.
………………………………………………………
"Hey, mom." I took off my shoes at the door.
"Where'd you and your team go for so long?" My mom asked from the kitchen.
"To the movies." I said absent-mindedly as I walked through the living room to get to the stairs.
"What did you guys see?"
I froze.
"Um, just some action movie." I said vaguely. "Good night!" I finished hurriedly, running up the stairs and into my room.
No doubt, my mom was confused, and would ask in the morning again… or maybe I'll get lucky and she'll forget about it.
I had no idea how I would explain going to go see Icha Icha Paradise with my all-male team mates.
I walked over to my bed, flopping onto it carelessly.
"Don't go to sleep when you get home."
His words came up again…
My heartbeat quickened.
I was going to see him again, and this time we'll be alone, we'll be able to be together.
I grabbed my pillow, hugging it tightly, a smile on my face.
I am so lucky….
So lucky…
Somebody like Kakashi-sensei….
Has these feelings for me…
I giggled to myself a little too girlishly, but I didn't care.
I sat up, still clutching my pillow.
I walked over to my closet dreamily.
I pulled out my pajamas, already about to lift up my shirt.
Tap, Tap
I quickly pulled the hem of my shirt down again.
I turned around quickly.
He was outside the door, on my balcony, waving at me in the moonlight.
He always showed up behind my back for some reason.
I knew that he was supposed to be coming for me, but I totally forgot at the same time, if he had gotten here a little later, I would've already been in my pajamas… or worse, in the process of changing into them.
But he's already seen me without my shirt on.
That random thought made my face hot as I ran over to the door, quietly unlatching it.
"Kakash-" I couldn't finish his name.
His arms were already around me.
I immediately didn't care about anything else in the world, my arms clutched onto his back tightly.
My heart felt like it was suspended in air, slowly floating up.
He was so warm.
I felt his chin on the top of my head.
I heard my favorite sound in the world again, his heartbeat. Strong and deep.
I curled my arms around him tighter, I really never wanted to let go.
"Do you want to go somewhere with me?" He asked after a few seconds.
I loved how his chest vibrated with every word, it tickled my ear.
"If I'm with you…" I stated my one condition simply, my eyes closed.
"Ok, then I'll take you there, but first…"
His arms loosened, I was still holding on to him just as tightly.
I might've been acting childish, but I really didn't want to stop touching him.
I felt him lean in, my arms couldn't hold onto him as tightly when he ducked down a little.
His lips fell onto my cheek lightly.
I hadn't noticed when he took off his mask.
I stood on my tip-toes, trying to get closer to him.
But he leaned away too soon.
"You need to get some shoes on." He whispered quietly, breaking my concentration.
I looked up at him…. His gorgeous moonlit face.
I tore myself away from him quickly, running back into my room, sifting through my semi-messy closet to find my boots.
I hurriedly tugged them on in only a few seconds.
I met him on my balcony again, his mask was still off, and he had moved his forehead protector up all the way.
Every time I saw his face, I tended to lose my train of thought.
He reached out his hand.
I grabbed it without needing to think.
He smiled again.
I had missed that smile.
But his eyes… they were still a little sad.
I couldn't get a good look before he was already running off in front of me while I hurried to keep up with his pace.
I felt bad for technically sneaking out of the house… I had never done anything like that before…
I've heard of other girls my age sneaking out of their houses with guys… I never wanted to be one of them…
But for some reason, this didn't seem feel the same…
I guess it was because Kakashi is a well-trusted adult, who wouldn't get too reckless.
… Then again, our relationship was reckless to begin with.
I pushed those worrisome thoughts to the back of my mind.
Trying to remain focused on where we were going.
I recognized the route.
I couldn't remember where it led, but I remembered taking this path a long time ago.
I racked my brain for any memory.
I gripped his hand tighter.
I could hear water… a river…
I looked ahead of me, and I knew exactly where we were.
We were running under a long series of these big, reddish-orange archways.
I smiled to myself, looking through the tunnel of these archways to the glowing, full, moon in the sky, then back to the man in front of me. The cool night air blew past us gently.
A rare and beautiful moment of restless happiness washed over me.
I wanted to laugh with joy.
It was so hard to understand this feeling.
Then in only a moment, we stopped.
We were at the bridge.
This old bridge over the wide river, the red paint on the sides were sun-faded.
This was the place where Team 7 would always meet.
I immediately remembered all those times he called us to this spot, but didn't show up till an hour after the meeting time.
I remembered my complaining… I remembered yelling at him every time he showed up with a stupid excuse…
I cringed at the memories of my bossier-younger-self, but my attention was distracted by the scenery.
His hand let go of mine, I walked over to the railing, hypnotized by the sparkling reflections of moonlight in the river.
This place. I could smell the river, the trees on either side of it… it was like I was surrounded by Kakashi.
"I come to this place often." I heard his voice behind me. "It's not very well-travelled, but I enjoy the occasional night-walk here… the torii surrounding this place..." Kakashi continued, calling those orange-red arches by their true name. "… It's been said that while walking underneath them, a man can more easily forget the worries and pains of the world… and that the torri actually lead to an inner sanctuary of the spiritual world."
I turned around to face him.
His eyes were staring at the moon. The flickering light of the river below us lit up his face perfectly.
I wondered if I was ever going to see his face in daylight.
"This is my sanctuary… and from now on, it's yours, too." He looked down to me. His eyes were so gentle.
His smile was weak and reflective.
I pushed myself off the aged railing, walking right into Kakashi.
His warm arms closed around me without hesitation.
This seemed like the most natural thing in the world…. Being held in his arms… in this place… in this sanctuary.
"Whenever you need to get away from the world, you can come here… And I'll meet you here whenever you need me to." He vowed quietly.
My heart was floating higher than before.
"I need you right now." I whispered.
His chest vibrated with a chuckle again.
A smile crept on my face.
I felt his hand run through my hair slowly; goosebumps ran over my neck and arms.
I shivered against his chest, his arm closed around me tighter in response.
"Kakashi-sensei…" I started.
"Just Kakashi…." He repeated once again, a little firmly.
"Kakashi…" I whispered. "…can you kiss me?"
I didn't care how embarrassing it was to say that out loud…
I didn't mind how his chest rumbled his soft, thoughtful laughter in response.
I just wanted his lips on mine.
"Thank you." He whispered playfully.
Now I wanted to laugh.
He leaned down to me, one of his hands in my hair, the other on the small of my back.
I reached up my arms to slide around the sides of his neck.
Electricity ran through my body when our lips met.
This was our third kiss, but it still felt as incredibly surreal as the first.
Something told me I was going to get used to it soon enough.
...
……………………………………………………………………………….
Hope you enjoyed ^_^
Oh, and if you can't remember the bridge, check out episodes 20 & 21 ^_^
And if you can't remember what Sakura's room looks like, you can see it in episode 3…
Will update soon! :)