Chapter 50!
Title: 'Fiancés and Futons: Part Two'
Note:
Okay, here's PART TWO!
[copy and paste from last chapter] Making a video for you guys, and when I say 'for you guys' I mean that it'll literally be a video with KakaSaku or just plain Kakashi pictures with the usernames of anybody who's favorited Growing Pangs or ever reviewed (even the ones without an account!) So if you want your name in the video, then if you review this chapter I'll add you to the list!
But that aside, isn't so weird that we're here at Chapter 50!
It seems like such a trip.
And I thank you all for sticking through with all the craziness, God knows that this story sent me through a loop or two just writing it.
Just curious, if you're planning on reviewing and you don't know what to say, do you guys think you could leave a little story about how you found Growing Pangs, or maybe an interesting fact about what it's like to read it, or anything really.
I would definitely enjoy reading your guy's personal accounts.
:D
Anyways, please enjoy.
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
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What had I been expecting?
This is what's supposed to happen.
This is the responsible thing to do.
Separating ourselves.
And…
I had already pushed things too far in that closet, and jeopardized the mission a little… I can't expect him to trust me after that.
He's probably trying to set up some sort of distance here so that we can still act professionally tomorrow.
I tugged at the covers a little, trying to warm up.
My hair was still damp and uncomfortable against the cold pillow.
I sniffled a little.
"Did you catch a cold?" His voice broke the previous silence a little loudly even though his tone was soft. I was about to turn around and face his futon, ready to answer him back even with the several feet between us, but I didn't have to when I suddenly felt my covers rustle a little behind me. A new source of warmth was heating up the cold comforter.
I smiled a little too happily.
I guess the two futons were really just for show, weren't they? "You should know better than to go to bed with wet hair." He added quickly before I could react, his voice sounded like he was still sitting up, watching over me.
I felt his familiar hand sweep over the strands of my hair, his fingers combing through them a little.
I immediately sat up so that I could talk to him face to face. I was about to make eye contact with him, only catching a glimpse of his unmasked face, before a warm coarse material fell on top of my head for the second time tonight.
I was blind for a few seconds before I pulled the towel back over my shoulders, already reaching out to him.
I let my right hand reach up to the top of his equally damp head and land with a little weight.
"What about you?" I spoke up for the first time since we got here, I let my hand pivot on the spot, my fingers mixing up his surprisingly soft hair. Dark silver strands fell over his face messily.
I couldn't help a little laugh.
He smiled.
His arms rose up quickly, his hands grabbing onto the ends of the towel around the back of my neck.
He pulled a little briskly, making me lean forward, my hands leaving his now messy hair to quickly find the covers in front of him for support.
My smile disappeared when I noticed our faces were only inches away, his smile only widened.
A moment passed.
There were no other sounds that the water trickling outside, the insects out the veranda, and our almost inaudible breathing. I could only see by the moonlight that poured in through the pearly paper doors behind me. It was enough to see his face smiling at me like that.
I leaned in, actually getting a little impatient.
But he only backed away farther, his hands on the towel lifting it up so it spanned over my head. He started rustling the towel over my head a little carelessly, I cringed at the sudden movement, raising my shoulders, fearing the knots that this was going to put in my hair.
He chuckled a little.
I'd had enough of him laughing at me for today.
I grabbed his hands with a little more force than was necessary. I took control of one side of the towel, draping what I could over to his head quickly, brushing the towel over his own hair even harder than he was mine. But his hands still hadn't let go of the towel either, so I ended up creating a sort of tent over our heads.
It suddenly smelt like water and forests again, the air as warm as it had been in that closet.
I kept brushing the towel in my hands over his hair with a childish whim of revenge, I shut my eyes tight when his hands picked up speed too for a moment. But then he stopped altogether, ignoring the game I was still playing. His hands suddenly slid to the back of my head, letting go of the towel, his fingers now braiding through my hair. Before I could react, or even stop attacking his own hair, his lips were on mine. The towel, lacking the double-sided pulling from before, was now hugging the sides of our faces. My hands stopped immediately, but still gripped onto the towel a little tightly.
I had been waiting for this longer than I realized.
It felt like we'd been through so much today, but we still hadn't kissed like this in hours.
We broke apart before I wanted to.
We didn't say anything for a moment. Just looked at each other under that towel, in our own world I guess.
After a few seconds he slid the towel off his head and draped it back over mine. He let his hands rest on my head for a moment before gently brushing the material over my hair. Back and forth, side to side, gently. I absentmindedly stared at the tattoo on his left bicep for a few seconds as his arm moved up and down. My eyes travelled to his scars for a few more seconds. I kind of wanted to reach out to him, just to feel his arms or chest or something, but I just sat there, smiling like an idiot, staring at him as he dried my hair for me. He was only looking at his hands in content concentration. I loved how warm his hands were even through the slightly chilled towel, I loved the way he was actually paying a lot of attention to how comfortably he could do this.
I felt a little selfish, though.
I looked around for where he got the towel. I immediately saw another one folded up behind him, on the tatami mat. I quickly leaned over, forcing him to stop for a moment as I was suddenly only inches away from him again. I grabbed the towel hurriedly, leaning back to how I was before, unfolding it. It was only a couple seconds before I placed the fabric on his head and started copying his exact same movements from before. I noticed rather quickly that his hair was actually only a few inches shorter than mine. I voiced my discovery just as his hands found the towel on my head again.
"You have really long hair." I almost laughed.
"You only noticed now?" He asked, smiling at me and my efforts at drying his hair as if I was a kid or something. Or maybe that's just how his smile made me feel. It was the same kind of look he'd give us whenever we did something to make him proud or happy.
"Well, it looks different when it's dry." I added a little defensively.
"I could go around with my hair straight like yours." He offered.
"No. I like it the way it's always been." I complimented him, nostalgia in my voice.
I lifted the towel off of his head, checking if it was drier, I was a little disappointed to see that it was. I pushed the towel back to hang over his shoulders as he was still drying my own, slower, hair. Even though his hair was a lot drier than before, I let my fingers brush through the strands, smoothing them back and out of his face. He closed his eyes for a moment, his hands pausing, I guess he liked the way it felt. I managed to slick back all the strands perfectly. I almost forgot for a moment that this was how he had his hair at the Masquerade all that time ago, under his mask. I hadn't actually seen it like this though, till now. I wondered whether I should tell him to do his hair like this every so often… it really showed off how handsome he was… but then again, no one else would be able to appreciate it like I can since he's always wearing that mask.
I was so lost in my thoughts that I barely noticed when he pulled the towel off my head and half-heartedly folded it, tossing it onto the floor beside the comforter.
He turned back to me, his hands taking mine (that had been resting on his shoulders), and leaning down… He only kissed me for a few seconds, but it was just as amazing as any kiss with him.
He leaned away, his right hand still holding mine.
He lay back a little quickly, lowering his head to the pillow tiredly.
I was still sitting up, just looking at him -his chest, his face, the way the light hit his skin-, forgetting myself.
He closed his eyes, but it wasn't like he was planning on sleeping, it was more like he was simply enjoying the moment.
This quiet, peaceful moment in the dim light, where we were alone and unafraid of interruption or discovery.
This moment definitely made up for all the craziness I'd been through today.
I was suddenly begrudgingly grateful for Kakashi's plan to label us as fiancés, otherwise we might not have gotten this room together. I might be trying to fight off Naruto or politely ignoring Sai… so I was glad we got this room together, even if we had to lie about a real lie we were keeping…
With that strange thought my mind flashed back to the conversation I had with Kakashi when we first got to this room and I had been demanding answers.
"Why did you do that?… You could've said I was a cousin, or a friend, or a niece…"
"But you're not my cousin… you're more than a friend… and we'd have bigger problems than room arrangements if you were my niece…"
"But I'm not your fiancée, either…" I had responded a little harshly.
There had been a long moment of silence, and when I looked back at Kakashi-sensei, he had the strangest look.
After I tried asking him what that meant, he only told me not to "worry about the small things…"
"Kakashi…" I leaned down to him for some attention. Trying to ignore how much I just wanted to carry on that quiet moment from before.
"Yes?" He answered back, his eyes still closed.
I shuffled on the spot for a moment, wondering if I should changed the subject before I was actually talking about what I was about to talk about anyways.
"About our conversation before… when we just got into the room…. The whole 'fiance' thing." He smiled to himself a little proudly at the mention of his plan. I would've been annoyed any other time by that smirk, but I ignored it. "When I said I wasn't your fiancée and then you… just looked…" I clarified seriously, still being a little vague. "What exactly… did you…?" I trailed off, knowing he could guess what I was asking even if I wasn't so sure.
He finally opened his eyes.
He must've understood that this was a little important.
He stared at me for a few moments, as if he was trying to read my expression. And even though this was kind of a serious topic, he never lost that almost smug smile.
"Don't worry…" He spoke up casually, resting his left hand under his head, his right still holding mine, "I wouldn't ask you such a heavy question…"
Question?
Like… a propo-
I stopped myself from even thinking that. He carried on, unknowing of the fact my heart was beating twice as fast just then.
"Talk of that kind of commitment is too much for how our lives are right now…" He reasoned logically. I guess since we're at different levels as shinobi right now, and the fact that we can't get a lot of time with each other, it wouldn't make much sense, I added mentally. "Besides, it's definitely not possible for at least another two years." His smile widened as if he was telling a little joke, but the way his voice actually got a little quiet, and his hand tightened around mine, told me he didn't really think it was funny.
I had almost forgotten how young I was for a second.
"Right…" I agreed a little coldly, slowly lowering myself down to the comforter, still trying to accept the fact that we were really talking about this.
Why did I actually feel a little disappointed?
"But that doesn't mean it's not something I've thought about…" He spoke up from beside me, as if he was adding that as only an afterthought.
My heart sped up again.
"Really?" It took everything I had not to stutter just then. I stared up at the ceiling, my eyes dry because I forgot to blink.
"You sound so surprised…" He graded my internal reaction, even though I tried so hard to hide it, as he turned over to me, leaning on his elbow, looking down at me.
I could tell he wanted some sort of explanation.
What did he expect?
How could I not be surprised with what he just said?
Did he really think that I thought I was anywhere near good enough to have him as a… my brain forgot that word as if it was a self-defense mechanism to stop myself from freaking out.
Even after I resurfaced from those thoughts, he was still quietly waiting for my answer.
I put words together the best I could.
"I just thought that you'd-"
"That I had some sort of secret agenda to leave you?" He finished my sentence, looking down at me like I made a childish mistake with that thought.
He was right, but it's not like I thought he was thinking about leaving me now. I just thought that sometime in the future he'd move on like he has from any other relationship he's had. I decided to offer the other reason why I was 'so surprised'.
"That, someday, you'd meet someone… more like you." I answered vaguely. He only shifted on the spot silently, forcing me with the silence to explain what I meant. I couldn't look him in the face; I let my eyes fix themselves on the ceiling as I resigned myself to actually wording these embarrassing worries I've had since this all started. "That you'll be happier when you'll meet someone more… mature, older, faster, smarter, pretti-"
"I'll stop you there before you say something really stupid." He leaned over, his right hand planting itself beside the left side of my face.
That actually shut me up for a moment as I had no choice but to look him in the eye. He was stretched over me, looking down directly at me, his face kind of close.
I actually felt a little intimidated by the way he was hovering over me like this.
I really couldn't believe that he didn't recognize the difference in leagues between us.
"Bu-" I started up, trying to defend my point, but instead was shut up again, not by his stare but what he said next.
"There's no one else, Sakura."
His voice was stronger when he said that. I was caught off guard… I had no idea what to say, especially not when my heart was pounding in my ears like this. I didn't have to think of anything to say after he managed to catch my eye-contact again.
"Out of all my previous relationships, even though this one may be the hardest one I've ever had to fight for, If I can keep you I wouldn't regret anything." He wouldn't stop looking into my eyes… How could he not be so embarrassed saying this stuff, when I was just having a hard time not blushing when he was saying to me?
The way he said that just now. It was like he was completely unafraid of anything that could go wrong., all the things that could happen and separate us so easily.
I decided to speak up.
"I'd do anything to stay with you, too. But if anyone ever fin-" I sat up, breaking that hovering-moment of his, just to get the strength of my point across.
He leaned away before I was done. He was still looking into my eyes.
"Someday they will." He said a lot more carelessly than I was comfortable with as he leaned down onto his back again, apparently comfortable. "Hopefully it won't be for a few years… but even if its tomorrow or the day after or this very moment, that wouldn't change anything." He stated in a rather complacent tone… as if it was the most natural thing to say. It almost sounded like a lesson he was trying to lecture me about. As if this was some sort of solid fact that I had to learn and he had to teach.
"You'd get in trouble." I inched closer, almost hovering over him now, making my voice a little louder, trying to make this sound as scary as it felt to me even though he didn't seem that disturbed.
His hand closed around my left arm, which had been anchoring me up and supporting my weight, I couldn't keep balance when he pulled my arm across his chest, making me fall onto him. I let out a weak grunt with the impact, he didn't even react, his left arm only fell onto my back gently.
"Yes." He agreed shortly, it was hard to focus on just how blunt he was when I felt his hand brush up and down my back like this, "I'd lose my credibility as a teacher and wouldn't be issued another female student again, if they even let me keep that position." I had to agree with that, not a lot of people would understand how a student-teacher relationship could've turned into this without it being the teacher's fault, "People would gossip and spread rumors. Your parents wouldn't be too happy with me either." I cringed at the mention of mom and dad right now. ", Tsunade would probably crush me till there was nothing left." His stab at humor didn't really affect me since I was actually scared for a moment at the thought of what Lady Tsunade would do if she found out about this. "… and I wouldn't care." His voice in that moment woke me up from those what-ifs. "When people find out, I won't care what happens to me. I've had my time in the spotlight of the village, I've been successful and well-liked. I've taught genins that will surpass me as jounins." I would've smiled at that if I wasn't so proud of his strength that I thought it was impossible for it to be true. "I've already lived through the future I dreamed about as a young man… But you, Sakura, you're still making a name for yourself. You're talented, more so than many others … if people were to find out too soon..." He trailed off like he didn't want to talk about the changes in the possibilities of my future if the others lost their trust in me over this.
I knew what he said should've hit me, should've made me feel more scared for myself than him, like he wanted me to.
But it was that one sentence that still bothered me more.
… and I wouldn't care.
"You should." I said without much thought about myself. "Care." I added after a few moments. I let my hand trace along the fresh scars on his chest, the ones left behind by the ANBU mission not long ago, feeling a little perturbed actually.
"I know." He agreed casually after a few seconds. I could hear the grin.
"You should care more about yourself instead of worrying about me." I added, making my voice stronger.
"I know." He repeated, with the same exact tone. It was like he was ignoring me.
"You can be really annoying sometimes." I looked up at him, lifting my head off his chest.
"I know."
That was it.
Even though that was really annoying just now, I couldn't help the urge to kiss him.
That's probably weird…
I leaned up to him the best I could, but he still had to crane his neck downwards before I could kiss him. I lifted myself up so that we could keep the kiss as long as we wanted but just as I managed to pull myself forward I ended up slipping a little. The kiss broke as my face was suddenly pressed against his neck. He laughed at my clumsiness for only a moment. I was about to get my balance back and stop his chuckling with something of a forceful kiss, but I noticed something.
"Ah." I announced my discovery lightly, expressing only a fraction of my shock.
"What?" He asked, a smile in his voice.
I picked my hand up from his chest and brought it to the side of his neck just below his ear.
His hand tightened around my waist as if he was trying to get my attention again, I cringed at the ticklish sensation of that for a moment. I ran my fingers along his neck lightly.
"There's a mark." I answered a little lately. I couldn't bring myself to say 'kiss' mark, though.
A moment passed. He sighed, lacking the seriousness of his real sighs.
"… I thought there would be." He admitted lightly.
"Did I… Did I really?" I asked, mesmerized by it.
"Who else could've done that?" He spoke up a little loudly, pointing out how useless that question had been. I didn't care, I was still mesmerized. I know I had kissed him a little strangely in that closet… but I didn't expect this! Kakashi-sensei's given me a kiss-mark before, but I… never, ever, thought about doing that to him. But I actually kind of liked th-
"Sakura." He called my name after I probably spent too long thinking.
"S-Sorry." I stuttered, not really thinking of anything else to say about that. I felt like I shouldn't have left thaa mark. I mean, it would be hidden by his mask when he went out in public… but it felt like I had claimed him, which should've made me feel guilty, but I was actually a little… proud?
He laughed at my apology, his chest shaking under my arm.
"There's nothing to apologize for." He reassured me lightly. I almost felt a little better, until he decided –like always- to turn this into something more beneficial for him. "But if you really feel the need to say sorry, then I could repay the favor."
"Wha-?" I was about to sit up and look at him, but I was interrupted.
I felt the hand that had been on mine a few seconds ago suddenly reach up to my neck. His barely-roughened fingers grazing my skin before they tightened around the collar of my robe. I felt the fabric slide downward and over my shoulder, exposing it to the cold air suddenly, but before I could react to the cold, I reacted to the suddenly warm spot on my shoulder, shivering slightly. His lips moved along the length of my shoulder, all the way to the tip and then back to the corner of my neck, as if he was searching for the right spot. My eyes closed a little tightly when his lips suddenly parted against my skin.
I felt so stupid just laying there, letting him do that, staying still. But it wasn't like it was completely annoying.
My grip on his shoulder tightened when I felt his tongue brush along the now slightly sore spot on my neck.
After only a few more seconds, his lips left me, his fingers that had pulled the robe over my shoulder were now tracing along the raw circle of my skin he had just created.
"There, done." He announced lightly.
He sounded like he just completed a work of art or something, and I was the canvas.
"Was that really necessary?" I asked, trying to control my breathing as I lifted myself up so I could give him an annoyed look.
"Very." He smiled proudly and I suddenly wasn't annoyed at all.
And just like before, I felt the need to kiss him.
This time I didn't slip.
I let my elbows fall on either side of his head, my hands grabbing his hair half-heartedly. His hands slid down to the small of my back, pulling me closer as he brushed them up to my shoulder blades and then down again.
Feeling a little restless now I let my tongue brush his lips, he followed my lead a little unwillingly, like he didn't think this was the best idea, I didn't really pay attention. I lowered myself little bit more, my slightly exposed chest pressing against his.
He pushed me away before I could deepen the kiss any further.
That was probably for the best. Things were getting a little… heated.
I fell onto my back again, breathing a little deeply.
It wasn't a minute of this silence before his arm reached out, sliding under my shoulders and pulling me closer. I let my head rest on top of his chest.
"We should get some sleep… I told them to wake us up early." He said quietly, his voice louder in his chest.
Wake up us early?
Like a wake-up call?
I suddenly remembered this afternoon, when we first walked into this place, after we had signed in and Kakashi dropped the 'fiance'-bomb.
The lady's clipboard. She scribbled something about a wake-up call that I didn't really understand.
"What's a 'by-door wake-up call'?" I asked randomly, breaking up another peaceful, quiet, moment.
His hand on my back shifted a little.
"Where'd you hear something like that?" He asked me that question that I had only heard parents ask their kids after they came home shouting swear words they heard at school.
"The receptionist wrote it on our check-in paper." I answered despite feeling like a kid for a moment.
He laughed, almost too loudly.
I shh-ed him hurriedly, lifting my head off his chest to look him in the eye.
Laughing wasn't bad, and wasn't a tell-tale that we were sleeping in the same futon to the two boys in the next room… but Kakashi rarely laughed like this around other people… it would probably seem a little weird that he would laugh so genuinely when we were alone in the room.
I gave him a glare that only took him a few seconds to notice.
He straightened up and controlled his laughter, clearing his throat.
"It means they're going to wait outside the door for a few minutes after they knock, before coming in." he explained casually.
"Why would they-?" I began asking before my brain started working again. "Oh! They think we'll be-!"
"Quiet down." He was the one who shh-ed me now, gently interrupting my moment of flustered panic.
I calmed myself down quickly, trying to get passed the whole 'they'll think would be… engaged inappropriately' thought.
He pushed me back down gently, my head resting against his chest again. His hand pressed against the side of my ear, closing out any other sound than his laughter and then his steady heartbeat.
I couldn't think about anything else in the world now.
I put my hand on his, hoping he wouldn't move it from that spot for a moment longer. He took a deep breath, his chest lifting my head a few inches before he exhaled slowly. I smiled.
"This is perfect." I broke the silence, again. Just wanting to tell him just how much I loved being here with him. How much I loved everything about this moment.
"I know."
His hand brushing through my hair slowly, hypnotically.
I closed my eyes, wrapping my arm across his waist, holding onto him tighter, smiling like an idiot again.
… … …
I watched as golden light washed over the room slowly.
I had woken up a few minutes ago, but I still had no intention of moving to get up.
I was laying on my right side, Kakashi only a foot away laying on his left. His arm resting on the curve of my waist lazily. I noticed that his hair was completely dry, a little messy, but still exactly like it always was. I guess he really didn't style his hair like that.
…
It was strange that I woke up before Kakashi-sensei, but I definitely wasn't going to wake him up. Not when I could just lay here, looking at him sleep next to me, taking in the feeling that this was... perfect.
I hadn't moved an inch from when I had woken up., I was far too determined to keep this moment as long as possible.
But it wasn't long before I couldn't help but reach out. Being able to stare at this man next to me was a,azing, but I kind of wanted more.
I let my hand fall on his arm gently, barely putting any weight in my touch.
His arm felt even firmer than I remembered.
I brushed my hand up the length of his bicep, sweeping my touch over his shoulder. I would've reached for his face if I could've, but I settled for letting my hand follow the hard, downward curve of his waist. I curved around to his stomach, my fingers following the grooves of his abs and then back up to his muscles. I felt his heartbeat through his chest for a few seconds, steady and deep, I let my hand brush along his skin a little loving the way it felt. My fingers trailed along his scars again.
I loved the way I could do something like this without feeling embarrassed or nervous. Then again, he was asleep.
But it was still strange knowing that even if he was awake, I could do this…
As if the Universe heard my thoughts and wanted to play with me, I suddenly heard his voice.
"Having fun?"
I snatched my hand away from him quickly, feeling the embarrassment sink in now.
"Uh-" I didn't have an answer. If I said 'yes' then I'd just be weird.
"Sleep-harassment is a punishable offence, you know." He opened his eyes, lifting his head up to rest on his hand now.
"Come on, that was-" I was about to jab at his weak definition of 'sleep-harassement' before he stopped me.
"Fine, I'll overlook it," He interrupted me, using that phrase he'd use whenever he found one of us breaking a rule and didn't want to tell anyone, "If you repay the favor." He repeated his words from last night with a playful tone, sounding as innocent as I knew he wasn't.
"Eh?" I asked stupidly after his words sank in.
Without any sort of hesitation, his hand suddenly brushed along my arm just as lightly as I had touched his. His hand curved onto my shoulder just like I'd done to him, but his hand was bigger in comparison to my shoulder as mine was to his, so it was like he actually doing more. But I couldn't care about that now, as his hand was pulling at the loose knot keeping my robe together until the fabric hung loose over me. His hand slid underneath the fabric and started trailing down my waist, making me flinch and him smile. I wished that I had just ran my hands through his hair or something earlier. His hand swept around to the front of my stomach, sliding upwards like I had done to him. I suddenly remembered what I did after that.
"Kakashi…" I warned him a little firmly as his hand only crept further upwards slowly.
"Yes?" He answered back with an innocent smile, definitely enjoying this.
His fingers slowed, brushing the fabric of my bra. His hand lightened its touch as it travelled up the concave center of my chest, careful not to touch anything else.
I felt my heart get weaker as the beating got stronger.
I had to close my eyes.
Then, before I was so sure what was going to happen next, his hand was gone. I almost opened my eyes before I heard his voice.
"You're so cute."
Even though that was a little annoying, being called 'cute' out of all times, I couldn't bring myself to mind when his lips met mine.
And just before I was really starting to enjoy this moment more than I thought I would, it suddenly stopped.
His lips left mine as he suddenly flipped the covers off of him, sighing with a slightly aggravated tone.
"Looks like our by-door-wake-up call is about to be wasted." He said casually as he stood up from the floor, walking away from me backwards.
"What?"
And right on cue I could heard a faint thudding noise, something like socked feet hitting the matted floor of the hallway outside at a really fast pace. And then that muffled yell definitely clued me in. "Kakashi-senseeeEEEI!"
The door burst open before Naruto was done with that suffix, letting us hear the full volume of his yelling at the last moment. The door made a big thwak sound, I was afraid it would rip apart even though it wasn't made of paper.
Naruto ran into the room, dressed in the same kind of robes I was in all night (until just now when Kakashi took the liberty of undoing them for me) as well as the same type Kakashi was now placing an improved mask on his face as he kicked the covers of his own unused futon around, messing them up.
Right now, it really looked like I had slept over here, messily, and Kakashi had just woken up from over there. The only evidence was perhaps the two towels that were lazily folded up beside my comforter.
Naruto burst into this room, panting.
I suddenly wondered where Sai was, hoping he was still in his room or something… otherwise he would be giving me weird looks right now about the fact I slept in the same room as Kakashi.
"Don't yell. There are other guests here." Kakashi lectured shortly, he actually sounded a little annoyed.
I guess he wanted the morning to last longer for us, too.
"You!" Naruto started up again, his volume only a little restrained. "Last night! You did something!" He half-yelled, I suddenly remembered Naruto's reaction to Kakashi's over-affectionate display at the party.
Naruto had almost blown our cover because of Kakashi's act.
I looked over to Kakashi who was now fixing up the futon that he had messed up only a minute ago.
"What are you talking about?" He asked with a clueless voice.
Naruto staggered on the spot a little.
"I don't know!" He announced after a moment. "I just remember being reeeeally pissed off at you!" He sounded like a little kid.
"Maybe that was a dream." Kakashi offered as he walked over to where I was still sitting, tying up my robes as quickly as possible.
"No, I had a good dream. I saved the snails from the pork!" He announced proudly.
A moment of awkward silence passed as we digested that.
"Sakura can you go give him another look, make sure he isn't suffer any serious neurological damage." Kakashi started up, ignoring Naruto now.
Serious neurological damage?
"That's a possibility?" I asked loudly, almost yelling up at him.
"G'mornin', Sakura-chyan!" Naruto seemed to notice me now.
"Morning." I said politely before turning back to Kakashi who was staring at the both of us as if he suddenly wasn't a part of any conversation.
"Hey, hey, hey, Sakura-chan!" He practically hopped over to me before I could stand up, stepping onto my conforter. "Did Kakashi-sensei do anything perveted? You can tell me. I'll deal with him."
I looked up at Kakashi who was suddenly interested in this conversation.
I gave him a distinct look that Naruto probably couldn't read in the spare moment I gave it. Having too much fun, I was basically saying 'Do you want me to tell him about what you just did?'.
I heard him clear his throat before his voice came back into the conversation, moving on from that strangely appropriate, inappropriate, question of Naruto's.
"An overdose of Takoa when the body isn't prepared for it can be a little dangerous. Even a weak mixture like the one I made can lead to serious problems if not handled well." He explained like a professional. "Naruto, go get Sai."
Naruto's posture suddenly slumped as his face contorted into a comical grimace. I guess him and Sai didn't have a good night. "That weirdo…" Naruto mumbled under his breath as he walked out of the room quickly, or a little slowly if you consider that it's Naruto.
I turned back to Kakashi who was currently walking away, the towels folded up in his arms. I scrambled to my feet, finding balance after a few seconds.
"Why would you do something dangerous like that?" I followed after him as he turned to walk out of the room, too.
"I trust you." He said simply, complimenting my skills as a medic-nin far too much.
That softened my seriousness a little.
"Well, if anyone asks why Naruto lost ten IQ points, I'll let them know you're responsible." I joked half-heartedly leaning against the doorway as he walked into the third room with all of our luggage. I noticed as he placed his bag on the table, starting to go through it, taking out some clothes.
"You're leaving?" I asked up, a little alarmed.
"I have to get an early start. When I get back I'll tell you guys what to do. Until then just lay low." He was team-captain again right now.
"Where are you going?"
"Out." He answered like a teenager, the team-captain was gone in a flash.
"You're setting something horrible up aren't you?" I asked, trying not to smile as I said it.
"I hope so." He answered as he grabbed the pants and shirts, knowing full-well by now that my 'horrible' was his 'fun'. I was about to turn to leave so that he could dress, but he just started undoing the knot in the front of his robe that he had just tied a few minutes ago, it fell to the floor. And in less than twenty-four hours, he was only in his boxers again.
He slid on the pants quickly.
I just stood there, not actually interested in the fact he was getting dressed, just the fact that we were just so comfortable at this point that he didn't care. Then again, after last night, when we had to break into Momoshita's room wearing less, it was hard to be shy about this stuff.
He grabbed the undershirt, sliding it on, placing the turtleneck part over his face as if it was a second nature.
I checked the main door for our room, it was closed. I guess Naruto had some sort of etiquette, closing the door behind him.
I took a few steps into the room, walking up to Kakashi just as he put on his over-shirt.
I didn't know why I came over here, but I ended up hugging him without thinking about it.
His arms closed around me.
Before the moment could go uninterrupted much longer I heard a loud crashing sound next door. I guess Naruto was getting into a fight with Sai.
I let go of him.
"I'll be back by the afternoon. Keep an eye on the boys." He ordered as he tied a piece of cloth around his head like he would tie a forehead protector, making those two sound like toddlers or something.
He looked down at me for a moment, smiling under that mask.
I didn't say anything.
"Ittekimasu." He said simply, like he was joking about the way he sounded like he was about to go to work, leaving the kids behind or something. Before I could give him a 'are-you-serious' look, he leaned down. His lips landed on mine for only a nanosecond. He laughed at his own joke when he saw that I just stood there, a little dumbfounded that he just gave me a stereotypical 'goodbye-peck' that married couples always do after the husband ties his tie and says 'ittekimasu' like he just did.
He turned towards the door, still chuckling.
Like always, I loved his laugh, but not when it was over me… like it usually was.
I quickly knelt down and grabbed the robe he had on a few seconds ago. I balled it up quickly.
He opened the recently abused door, about to walk through it, but a big ball of fabric hit the back of his head with a whoosh sound.
I was the one laughing now.
He only looked back at me, shaking his head, laughing too.
He started to close the door behind him.
I suddenly felt a fraction of something like loneliness, as if I was missing him already.
Against my better judgment I played along at the last second, wanting as much of his attention I could get before he was gone.
"Itterashai." I almost whispered.
The door paused for a moment. I could see him smile.
It was one of those real, bright, smiles he'd only show every once in a while.
I suddenly wanted to kiss him again, but the door closed gently and the game was over.
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"Itterashai."
He looked back at her.
She was looking at him as if she wanted to follow him, as if she wanted to just grab onto him and pull him back into that room. It was incredibly cute.
His heart raced again, picking up speed like it had been doing frequently last night and earlier this morning.
It took a lot more strength than he thought he had to keep himself from walking back through that door and call the mission off.
At least he had the fun set up tonight to look forward to.
Right?
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Just in case you only watch dubbed anime, or aren't really well-versed in Japanese greetings and byes, here's the definition for the whole Ittekimasu-Itterashai exchange:
ittekimasu and itterashai is an extremely common exchange at home when a family
member or spouse leaves. The person leaving says ittekimasu and the person(s) staying
reply with itterashai.
Ittekimasu literally mean 'I'll leave and come back.'
Itterashai means something along the lines as 'Take care.'
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Anyways, hope you enjoyed the fluff of these two chapters, but the real battle's about to start!…