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Neither of them slept that night.
After Kakashi had relieved himself in the bathroom he had hesitatingly returned to the main room. Sakura was curled up in the middle of the bed with a look on her face that said I've claimed this and you can't do anything about it.
The development between them was strange. She was awakening desires in himself that he never knew he had. He wanted to tease her, to see her mad and to watch her smile. Things he didn't remember feeling before, for anyone. He didn't trust it - these feelings - or her.
He wanted to sleep on the couch and ignore everything that had happened the past couple of days. He kept acting without thinking. Completely uncharacteristic of himself. Kakashi continued to stare at the girl in the bed - weighing the options in front of him. It would be better for him if he slept on the couch. It would irritate her if he pushed into the bed - and he would get to see her angry, flushed face again. It would be better if he slept on the couch. He glanced towards where he wanted to spend the night, eyes trailing over his traveling pack. Right, the mission. They were supposed to be a couple right now. He hadn't set up any traps in the hopes that they would become targets to see what was going on the easy way. His eyes trailed back to the bed. The young ninja sighed as he walked closer to his female companion.
"Nuh uh - no. No you are not." Sakura stretched out further in the bed. This was just another line they didn't need to cross. She had avoided sleeping in the same bed as her male teammates almost her entire career. There were only a few small instances where they had to and she had threatened each one of them into behaving themselves. She had never worried about her older sensei before but the person before her was not that man. His actions were all over the map today and she didn't want to tempt anything further.
She didn't want to temp herself.
This was her future teacher. Her future captain. Her future Hokage. A man who was like a father - well no, more like an estranged uncle - but he cared for her and she for him in a familial kind of way. Besides, he knew what happened here. He would remember all this. He knew before she left what happened here. She had to keep reminding herself that her former sensei, her former captain, and her current hokage was basically watching everything she did right now. That Kakashi knew what he was sending her to when he handed her that blue mission scroll. She tried to think back to how he was acting when she went into his office for the mission. He had not wanted to look at her and seemed very interested in anything but her while he gave her vague instructions. At the time she didn't think this was too out of the ordinary for the strange man but maybe it was. Maybe he knew that something more was happening. Maybe it was just because of what had already happened. She knew she was blushing furiously and wanted to look away from the young man before her but if she did he would think she was conceding to let him into the bed.
"You can sleep on the couch. I've claimed this." Sakura said firmly.
The young Kakashi stared down at her in a way that achingly reminded her of the Kakashi from her own time. It was the don't act like a child look. The you don't have a choice - I've decided what's happening look.
"Need I remind you of the mission," even his tone was similar. This was the first real glimpse of the man she knew from her own time. Maybe he had always been condescending when he was right.
Sakura huffed and rolled as far over to the other side of the king bed as possible. Determined not to acknowledge him for the whole night. Kakashi gingerly climbed in under the blankets on his side of the bed. She was more than 2 arms lengths away from him and he was fine with that.
The soft smell of hotel shampoo covered the pillow beneath his head. Kakashi stretched his arm out to turn the lamp off next to the bed. The room was dark and quiet. The only sounds to be heard were the soft, tense breaths of the two shinobi and the faint laughter of the drunken couples on the street.
Kakashi's life had changed in the past few days thanks to the strange girl next to him. He grew increasingly suspicious of her for it but couldn't stop some of his bodies reactions to her. His brain kept making the correct decision but his body was not listening. He would just need to get through this mission, keep her at arms length and get out of the forced leave. Then he could get back on the Anbu roster and back to his normal life. Away from all the things that just reminded him of all the people he had lost. In the end she was just another person to lose.
Sakura's mind was back on her own time. Back on that moment in the Hokage's office when Kakashi had made momentary eye contact. She hadn't understood the look in his eyes at the time. She didn't really understand it now but his eyes had seemed sad somehow. That thought caused her chest to clench uncomfortably.
Sakura didn't know why she was still here in this time and wanted desperately to get back to her own time. With her team, friends and regular life. Hopefully when she got back Kakashi wouldn't mention anything and this would just be an awkward secret they shared and never spoke of. The important thing was to not allow anything to happen further. She needed to figure out how to fix whatever was wrong with Kakashi so that she could finally go back to her own time. She knew that Asuma and Kurenai were friends with Kakashi in her own time so maybe that was the key to this. Maybe she just needed to reunite him with his friends and get him to open up to people again. It was clear he didn't connect with anyone anymore because of the fear of losing someone close to him again. The fear of another piece of his heart being torn to pieces. But how do you help someone get over that fear?
Before long the sun had risen and the town began to slowly awaken for another day of the festival. Today they were meeting Genma and Anko at a popular cafe to discuss what the pair may have uncovered in the hotel. Kakashi had been the first to get out of bed. Sakura almost forgot that she was in the past with how abruptly he got up and began his day - so similar to how he was when they were on missions in her own time. It was one of the strange characteristics of Kakashi that she never fully understood. He was typically a lazy, perpetually late man except when it came to getting up in the morning. The complete opposite of Sakura.
He didn't speak a word to her as she watched him shuffle about in his early morning routine. Sakura chose to stretch out as much as possible on the bed that she couldn't enjoy to herself the night before. Sleep had not come for her that night and her eyes ached. She didn't want to get back up and closed her eyes as she snuggled further into the pillow beneath her. Maybe if she wished hard enough she would wake up from this dream and laugh at her own imagination. She could hear the sound of Kakashi's footsteps as he came out of the bathroom. She guessed he was fully dressed and ready for the day now. In her time he would stretch himself along the couch and read one of his books until the rest of the team woke up.
In this time it seemed that the Copy-nin was impatient. Sakura cracked an eye open to stare up at Kakashi as he stood beside the bed looking down at her. His face was blank and serious.
"What?" she mumbled as she pulled the blankets tighter around herself.
"We're not on vacation," he stated simply.
"I'm aware of that," she tried to keep the sarcasm from her voice. "But we don't have to meet the others until noon."
"It's not befitting of a shinobi to be in bed all day."
She glared at him. "What difference does it make if I get ready now or later? We will have to wait around to meet them anyways."
"It didn't occur to you that we need to conduct surveillance this morning? That we need to make more appearances to draw attention? The other two will not be able to if you couldn't tell from Anko's actions." His voice held a similar lecturing tone that reminded Sakura of the man he would become.
"Ugh - you are so annoying, you know that?" she grumbled as she pulled the covers back and angrily stomped out of bed. In her anger she missed the way Kakashi's eyes glanced down her exposed legs.
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Street vendors had begun to lazily set up shop as the pair left the hotel. Sakura's stomach grumbled hungrily and she wondered if her companion wanted to eat this morning. She turned to him to ask if he wanted to grab breakfast but stopped before the words left her mouth. His nose was already buried in the orange covered Icha Icha Paradise.
"Surveillance, eh!?" she said through gritted teeth. Kakashi glanced sideways at her before walking away.
The young version of the Copy-nin knew that they didn't need to start surveillance this early in the morning. He had always been an early riser and found it very difficult to sit around waiting for things to happen. It's why he spent so much time on missions and hated being forced to take a vacation. He had gotten up to do his mindless routine like he did every morning. It didn't matter that he hadn't slept at all the night before due to the smell of the companion next to him. He didn't like her smell at all. He didn't like how warmth seemed to radiate from her skin. He didn't like how he wanted to roll over and touch her. He didn't like how his eyes kept straying to her. Once he had been finished mindlessly brushing his teeth he came out with nothing else to do. He could read his new book but trapped in close quarters with Saki was hard enough without further stimulation. Kakashi had looked at her on the bed and knew that he needed to get her ready and out. In public he could hide and focus on the mission. But in the room, early in the morning her hair was tussled, her skin barely covered by her sleeping clothes, her smell was everywhere. He couldn't stay there.
But now that they were out in the open he didn't know what to do. Saki had been right when she said that they didn't have anything to do until their lunch meeting with the other shinobi. Walking around this early was not likely to lead them to any breakthroughs for the missing persons. There wasn't even enough distraction to keep him from staring at her. Kakashi didn't like that she drew his attention so much. It was far too dangerous. As he walked away down the street with his nose buried in Icha Icha he tried to keep his mind from straying. Tried to maintain control over himself.
"We might as well get something to eat if you don't have anywhere for us to be," she said sharply from behind him.
"Sure." He wanted to keep contact to a minimum - this including conversation. He heard her huff angrily and smirked beneath his mask. She was too easy to aggravate which seemed like a horrible characteristic for a shinobi. Was it an act to make him lower his guard?
"Guess I'll choose then." She picked up her pace and walked into the nearest cafe. He followed stiffly behind her trying to keep his eyes on the pages in front of him.
She grabbed a booth near the back of the cafe and promptly stuck her nose in one of the menus on the table. Kakashi followed suit. Before too long a small waitress had approached their table cheerily, accepted their orders and disappeared into the back of the cafe - leaving the two of them alone again. Kakashi was beginning to regret his decision from this morning. He should have just left her in the room and done surveillance on his own. Even if there wasn't anything to survey he could have had 4 blissful hours without the distraction sitting across from him. Kakashi's hand itched towards his copy of the orange book he had set on the table.
"Don't you dare," Sakura whispered aggressively as she grabbed the orange book and hid it beneath the table on her side of the booth. Kakashi glared at her.
Now he had nothing to distract him.
"I was just getting to a good part," Kakashi said. He thought that there was a chance he could reason with her. She had been the one to tell him to get a hobby.
"I thought we were on a mission, Kakashi-kun," Sakura said sickeningly. "What could be better than having an intimate breakfast with your girlfriend that you brought to one of the most romantic events of the year."
"Open to the page I marked and you'll understand," Kakashi mumbled as he slouched down in his seat. The waitress approached their table again with their tea before disappearing behind the curtain again. Kakashi used his heightened sense of smell to check that there was nothing in the tea before pouring himself a cup. He glanced up to see if the girl seated across from him wanted any but paused mid motion.
Saki had the book open - cheeks tinted pink and mouth slightly open. Her eyes were rapidly scanning the pages. Her cheeks continued to darken and her eyes widened slightly. Abruptly she closed the book and tossed it back at him. He caught it and couldn't help the laugh that escaped him as he watched her avoid eye contact with him.
"You didn't like it?" Kakashi asked slyly.
"Shutup," Sakura grabbed the cup of tea in front of her and continued to keep her eyes downcast.
"Aw that's cute!" the voice of the small waitress startled them both. "I remember when my boyfriend and I first discovered that series. We spent weeks acting out all the scenes together." She placed their plates of food down in front of them. "I know it can seem embarrassing at first, honey, but you should make sure you please your man and give him what he wants. Particularly the scene in chapter 8. That's my boyfriends favourite and seems to be popular with most of the guys that come through here."
Sakura's face resembled a tomato.
"Chapter 8 is the part she just read," Kakashi tapped the spine of the book on the table. Sakura could tell there was a smirk hidden beneath his mask as he watched her reaction.
"I do believe I just embarrassed her further," the small waitress said with a laugh. "But don't fret," she slapped Kakashi on the shoulder offhandedly, "the shyest girls are oftentimes the best in the bedroom."
"I can only hope- ouch!" Kakashi was promptly kicked in the shin as the waitress walked away laughing - leaving the two to awkwardly begin their meals. "We have to play our parts, Saki."
Sakura glared at him but remained silent. She began to aggressively devour her meal not even bothering to try to catch a glimpse of the elusive copy-nin's face. Kakashi followed suit.
Once their meal was over the pair wandered the town and began to make mental maps of all the important areas. Your surroundings could make or break a mission so it was important to make sure you could get around easily. So far they had seen nothing overly suspicious and they still had hours before they were to meet with their companions.
"Are there any must see or must do tourist attractions for couples here that might help us figure this whole thing out?" Sakura had asked Kakashi quietly while the pair strolled through a secluded park.
"We can ask the hotel staff when we go back."
That was the most the pair had spoken since breakfast. Sakura was still embarrassed about what had happened earlier. The passage that she had read from the novel had painted a very graphic picture in her head that she was having a hard time forgetting. That and the waitress's suggestion that she try it later with her fake boyfriend, Kakashi, had sent her mind reeling.To picture them doing that - to think that he would enjoy that - did guys enjoy that? She glanced sideways at Kakashi. His nose was buried in his book again. It was eerie to see him there, so like the man she knew in her time but so different. It felt like she could just talk to him about old times but knew she couldn't. The only difference was he didn't walk as lazily as her sensei did. Obviously, this Kakashi was still on high alert during their mission or at least hadn't mastered the ability to look lazy while being alert.
Sakura was getting fed up with the silence.
"A good boyfriend wouldn't be paying more attention to an erotic novel rather than his girlfriend!" she hissed.
Without missing a beat Kakashi replied, "Maybe if the good boyfriends girlfriend kept him sexually interested he wouldn't need an erotic novel."
"That's it!" Sakura launched herself at the white-haired ninja in an attempt to wrestle the book out of his hands. Kakashi was not prepared for such a reaction but his quick reflexes still managed to pull the book out of her reach. Unfortunately this caused the young girl to climb closer and trip over the taller man's feet forcing the pair of them to tumble towards the ground. Sakura attempted to grab the book from him again but Kakashi grabbed her around the waist with his one arm while keeping his other as far away from her as possible.
Sakura tried to wiggle free from his grasp and stretch toward his outstretched arm. Her cheek came into contact with something warm and she paused to glance at what it was. Sakura felt heat rise to her cheeks as she realized their position. Kakashi was lying on the ground with his one arm wrapped around her waist and his other arm, with the copy of the orange novel, stretched as far away from her as possible. Sakura was straddling him, held closer by the arm around her, chest pressed snugly against his, faces centimeters apart. Kakashi was breathing heavily beneath her. Sakura couldn't quite read the look that was in his visible eye. He looked like a mixture of startled, amused, flustered and something else she couldn't quite put her finger on. She tried to move again in the hopes that she could reach the book in his hand and tear it to pieces.
"Don't," Kakashi's strained voice brought her eyes back down to his face. She felt his arm tighten around her waist and she looked at him in confusion.
"Stop reading it then," she replied as she placed her arms on the ground next to his head and attempted to push backwards.
"Ugh," Kakashi closed his eyes and let out a soft groan. Sakura froze, concern washing away any anger she had before.
"What's wrong? Did you hit your head in the - woah - Hey!" Kakashi had abruptly stood up causing Sakura to fall unceremoniously on the ground. He turned away from her and began walking down the path again.
Kakashi failed to hear the series of expletives she shouted at him as he walked away quickly. All he could think was that he needed to put distance between them. The stupid girl had been rubbing all over him. How could she be so oblivious. To think that she thought he was hurt. He ached in his pants. He needed to think of something else - bugs, blood, Gai in a thong - anything to get his problem to go away.
"Hey! Where are you going?" Sakura yelled from behind him. Kakashi briefly glanced her way but didn't slow down. The Third Naked, Gai and the Third naked together. Finally he seemed to be getting a handle on his problem but he still didn't want to be near her. Kakashi began to walk off the path towards a clearing in the distance. Once there he found the nearest tree and took a seat below it. He didn't dare start reading his new hobby for fear that it would stir up what he was desperately trying to get down. He watched as his companion approached angrily from the path he had carved through the clearing.
"What are you doing?" she stomped over to him.
"Taking a breather," he barely looked at her as his eyes glanced up to the sky. Why was this happening to him.
"Is your head hurt or something?" she bent down towards him - giving him a small glimpse down her shirt. He averted his gaze to the ground again.
"No."
She threw herself on the ground in front of him and crossed her legs beneath her. "What is it then?"
Kakashi waited to reply as he looked at the scenery around them. "We have time to kill and were getting nothing done walking around."
Sakura leaned back into the grass, "I could have been asleep this whole time."
Sakura sighed and looked over at the copy-nin beneath the tree. He was acting strangely today. Yesterday he had been, well, all over her in the hotel room. Today he wanted nothing to do with her - not that she wanted him to be into her. Sakura most definitely did not want that. Maybe the way he was acting now is how he would be the rest of her time here and why he was acting similarly when he sent her on this stupid mission in the future. She kept forgetting about her own mission - but she truly did not know what she was supposed to do.
"I guess since we are here, in relative seclusion, it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a short therapy session before going to meet Anko and Genma."
Kakashi stared at her blankly.
"Don't give me that look. This is my job." She pulled herself up from the ground and glared back at him. "Tell me about the last time you spent time with friends."
Kakashi let out a sigh of irritation.This again. "I don't recall - okay? Months ago or years ago. It all blurs together. Basically not since my fist went through Rin's chest," his voice was dripping with irritation and venom.
Sakura didn't know how to respond. She had taken a guess when the Third was giving her the brief history of Kakashi's tragedies but to hear it come from his own mouth was something else entirely.
"No response?" he said haughtily.
"It's hard to find something to say to that, Kakashi," she replied softly. "Unfortunately I have never experienced loss like that."
"Have you experienced any loss?" he asked bitterly.
"Some," she answered as her mind drifted to the war. She had seen a lot of death. Had witnessed her friends lose some of the closest people to them. She herself had come out with her entire team - back together again - like one big happy family...or so she had hoped. "I have seen a lot of death and watched a lot of close friends deal with the loss of their team mates. Sacrifices that were made to keep them alive. But I have been fortunate never to have someone that I love die. Or to watch someone I love die."
"I didn't love her," Kakashi said with disgust - taking Sakura by surprise.
"What do you mean? Of course you loved your teammate."
"Not the way she wanted. Never the way she wanted."
Sakura stayed silent as the teenage version of her former sensei bent his head to his knees and avoided eye contact with her. She really wasn't the best equipped for this. Her mentor would have said something helpful or pushed them bluntly forward but Sakura didn't know how to do that. Every time she had tried to do that with Sasuke he had pushed her away and this Kakashi was eerily similar to the angry avenger she grew up with. Even when he had come back he wanted nothing to do with her.
"Have you ever been in love?" Kakashi's muffled voice asked her. Sakura was glad he wasn't looking at her because she could feel the heat rising to her cheeks.
"I thought I had been," she replied truthfully. Kakashi pulled up from his slouch to stare at her. His face was blank.
"Thought?"
"I think it was just a crush now," she said thoughtfully. "Eventually as I grew up I realized I didn't know him and no matter how much I thought we connected we never truly did. No matter how much I wanted to fix him - it never helped. I think I was misinterpreting caring deeply for someone like a brother for romantic love - maybe. I don't really know." Even now she couldn't talk about it clearly. How had it come to her talking about her own horrible love life with the younger version of the man who would save her from Sasuke so many times in the future.
"What happened to him?"
Sakura laughed at the strangeness of the situation and looked away from the man before her. "He tried to kill me but a good friend saved me. He was seeking revenge for the death of his family and went a bit crazy, I think. He calmed down eventually and came back but he wasn't the same. Or maybe he was and I just didn't know him." Great, she was rambling.
"Sounds like a dick."
Sakura snorted and looked back at the young Copy-nin. She could see the hint of a smile beneath his mask.
"Have you ever been in love?" she asked. She had never had these types of conversations with her Sensei. It was weird to find out all of these things from his younger self - someone who she was not nearly as close with. Now that she thought about it she knew basically nothing of her former Sensei and current Hokage. She knew that all the people he had ever cared for had died but nothing else. Everything she knew about him - in terms of his past - she had discovered in this time and not directly from the man she had called a teacher.
"No."
The pair lapsed into silence. Sakura wasn't sure how to proceed. Should she ask him about past relationships? She really didn't have any better ideas. She didn't want to ask specifics about his relationships with the people that died. Not yet. He didn't seem ready to talk about those things judging by his reaction earlier.
"Have you had any relationships?" At this point she just wanted to keep communication flowing. She remembered seeing that in one of her books.
"Define relationship," Kakashi replied slowly.
"Uh - well," Sakura hated herself for stumbling. "Girlfriends or flings...or boyfriends?"
"Girls," his hand ruffled through his hair as he stared at her. "Flings, I guess... is what you'd call it."
Sakura was getting more and more awkward. She didn't even know why she was asking this. On some level knowing that he didn't get in serious relationships would help with his therapy but she basically knew that about Kakashi already. Her heart was beating in her chest and she tried desperately to ignore the part of her that was excited about the turn in the conversation.
"How frequently?" Sakura didn't know why she was doing this.
Kakashi didn't reply right away. His one visible eye scrutinized her. Sakura wished she knew what he was feeling. She didn't know these details about the older version back in her own time. He seemed to be pondering his answer and which only caused her curiosity to increase.
"Depends on where the missions are," his words were measured - as if he had chosen each one specifically.
"So never in Konoha?" Some sick part of her wanted to know if there were any other girls in the city that he was involved with. Her rational self was stuck inside screaming at her to change the subject and stop this conversation. That it wasn't going to help. That her curiosity and interest in the young man in front of her was unnatural.
"I try not to. Why?" His gaze was dark and she had to fight not to look away.
"No reason. Just curious." Great. Very Professional.
"Hn." Kakashi stretched his legs out in front of him. The tips of his toes mere inches from Sakura's crossed legs beneath her. "How about you?"
"How about I, what?" Her eyes were glued to the bottom of his boots.
"Any relationships? Girlfriends?" He said with a smirk. "Boyfriends? Flings?"
"Oh," Sakura felt her cheeks pinken. "Um, one boyfriend."
"Did it last long?" He was looking at her lazily now. Sakura really wished she hadn't pushed the conversation this direction.
"Not really." Sakura also didn't understand why she kept answering him either. She couldn't help but feel like they were really connecting right now and didn't want to ruin it. "He wasn't getting what he wanted so he lost interest."
Kakashi snorted before saying, "So you really are a prude."
Sakura punched his leg half halfheartedly. "I am not. I just take my work very seriously and well, there was no time. So, yea. Also - bugging for stuff all the time... why am I even telling you this." She buried her face in her hand. This had become so awkward. She wished she could just disappear and go somewhere else. She didn't want to be reminded of Kenta. He had been cute at first. And patient. Sakura had dated him after the war but things never seemed to really take off. She had never been completely interested in him. They had done some things - kissing and fooling around - but when it came to the full deed she always stopped it. It never felt right. Eventually he got mad about it and left.
After a long period of silence Kakashi cleared his throat and stood up. "We should probably go meet them now."
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Genma and Anko were already in the restaurant when Kakashi and Sakura arrived. Anko did not look pleased about the fact that Genma's arm was resting so casually against her shoulders.
The restaurant they chose was loud and busy. Sakura guessed that they picked one of the most popular places in town in the hopes that all the noise would conceal their conversation. Either way they would all need to act like loving couples. As Sakura and Kakashi approached the table Sakura had to fight back the need to jump as Kakashi's hand rested on her lower back - directing her to her seat. She was still incredibly awkward from their conversation earlier. Kakashi had been quiet - no different than usual - but refrained from reading his book on the way here.
"Hey guys!" Genma said as the pair sat down across from him in the booth. Sakura sat down first and had to sidle further into the booth. She tried to stop herself from glaring as it seemed like Genma had specifically chosen the smallest possible table for them to sit at. Anko didn't look too impressed with his proximity either. Kakashi slid into the seat next to her - leg pressed up against her own. She tried to ignore it. "Did you have a nice night last night?"
Sakura was about to reply when she felt an arm slide over her shoulders and pull her closer. She glanced up at Kakashi but as she was seated on his left side all she could see was his masked face and closed eye.
"Come on you two! You have to give me something," Genma implored.
"We had a nice night," Kakashi said simply. His hand squeezed her shoulder - telling her to act her part.
Sakura turned to Genma and smiled brightly. "We walked the festival for a bit last night! We played some games and got some dango. The town is so romantic, don't you think?" Sakura watched as Anko rolled her eyes. She tried to prevent her features from twitching in irritation. Apparently it was going to be her and Genma carrying the conversation.
Kakashi tuned out the small talk between Sakura and Genma. They were just talking about the festival and its pleasantries for the time being. His eyes and ears were searching the crowd to see if they were being watched - as subtly as possible. There was no one particularly suspicious around them but he could see people glance their way every now and then. It could have just been because they were noticeable people with interesting hair. Whatever the reason it meant that they had to keep acting. They would be able to hide their conversation with code but he would have to keep playing the boyfriend.
He really did like the way Saki smelt. He liked her. He had realized this while she was talking about herself in the field. She was getting too close to him and it was becoming very hard for him to resist it. Kakashi could feel his body start to stiffen as he came to terms with this more and more. He willed his body to relax and lent into her more. Maybe he should just enjoy this while it lasted and push her away once they got back to the village. It wouldn't be hard to hide behind the mission. One of his fingers began playing with her hair - his other hand was on the table flexing around a glass of water. If he turned his head he could smell her hair. It smelt like hotel shampoo and hair dye. So that wasn't her natural hair colour?
Kakashi glanced across the table and saw Anko staring at him strangely. Genma was talking about the inn he and Anko were staying at. His trained ears picked out all the pertinent mission information that he needed - they had stumbled into the wrong room, aka snooped through Asuma and Kurenai's room. From the sounds of things they hadn't found much beyond some receipts for places the pair had gone together as a couple. They would likely need to go to the same places. He hoped that Saki was making note of all these details too. Kakashi turned his head to look down at her face briefly - to make sure she was paying attention. Her cheeks were flushed and she was biting her lip. Was he making her nervous?
Kakashi pressed his leg into her further and he saw Saki's mouth open briefly before she chanced a glance up at him. When their eyes connected she half smiled and blushed further before looking away.
"Kami - you guys have got that act down," Genma whispered across the table. Kakashi looked at him derisively. Genma smiled at him from across the table and pulled Anko closer. Anko looked like she was going to rip his hand off but didn't.
Food arrived at the table that Kakashi didn't remember ordering. He removed his hand from around Saki's shoulders but rather than using it to eat he placed it on her thigh. He knew he didn't need to go that far but he wanted to. He wanted to know what it felt like.
Sakura had been in the middle of placing a dumpling in her mouth when Kakashi's hand had gripped her thigh. She let out a small squeak and dropped the dumping in her lap. Her face turned to Kakashi's to figure out what he was doing. He was staring down at her - mirth visible in his right eye.
"Clumsy, ne?" He said lowly. Sakura didn't know how to respond. She felt his hand glide across her thigh and clutched her chopsticks tightly in her hand. "It didn't hit the floor so I think it's still good. Unless you have surprisingly dirty legs?" He was practically whispering in her ear.
Sakura looked toward the hand he had offered up. His other hand was still on her thigh. Kakashi's body was turned slightly toward her - leg pressing her further into the corner of the booth. He was holding the dumpling she dropped a few inches from her face and watching her intently. Did he want to feed it to her?! She glanced up at his face again but his eye was glued to her mouth. Sakura didn't know what to do or say. Was this an act? Her chest was fluttering and she felt her lip tug into a half smile. Normally she would have shoved it away from her face by now but something was stopping her.
Kakashi place the dumpling at the edge of her lip experimentally and he watched as her lips opened to accept the piece of food. He was in trouble. But he could say it was the mission. Maybe get out all the urges he had and be done with it. Kakashi held his breath as the last of the dumpling disappeared into her mouth and his fingers made contact with her lips. He knew he lingered too long. She knew he lingered too long. He could see it in her eyes. She was unsure of what he was doing but that would just make it easier for him.
"You guys are disgusting," Anko said from across the table - startling the pair of young shinobi. Sakura's face was a deep shade of pink, heart hammering in her chest as she chewed the dumpling in her mouth. Did that really just happen?
Kakashi avoided eye contact with everyone at the table. Genma had given him an incredulous look while smiling broadly. Half of Konoha would likely know about this by the time they go back. Kakashi focused on the food in front of him. He was happy that he wore a mask so none of the table could see the blush that was likely on his own face. Saki and Genma began talking about activities that the four of them could do which distracted enough of the people around him that he could easily sneak his food behind his mask. He registered that they were making a list of all the places they should go - a list of everywhere that Asuma and Kurenai had been. They would need to gather more information at these places in the hopes of figuring out what might have happened to the pair.
The rest of lunch was normal. Kakashi felt himself relax more and more with the presence of the girl next to him. After they had all finished eating and left Genma and Anko took the lead towards one of the many places they had talked about during lunch. Saki walked closely to his side - playing her part as his dutiful girlfriend - but he didn't miss the tint to her cheeks or the way she chewed on her lip nervously. There were hundreds of other couples wandering the streets - barely sparing a glance at the pair of them. None-the-less Kakashi knew that someone was watching them. He had felt it the moment they left the cafe.
From the looks of Genma and Anko they had no idea which was so typical of them both. Anko was far too caught up in where Genma's hands were and Genma was far too caught up in trying to get his hands in more places. This wasn't a game and if he could have reprimanded them for their actions right then and there he would.
Kakashi felt a small hand and arm wrap around his arm. His hand had been in his pocket as he lazily walked down the street. Kakashi turned his head to see Saki glancing at him - eyes calculating. Kakashi was comforted to know that at least one of his companions on this mission still had their head in the game. He pulled his hand out of his pocket and grasped the small hand in his own. His eye crinkled up in a smile as he continued to lead his companion through the crowd. Kakashi glanced up towards the other two and let out a sigh. Anko had just ripped Genma's hand from her posterior and walked away angrily.
"Prude," Genma shouted after her - drawing the attention of a few of the passing couples.
"Tch," The female next to him muttered. "No tact."
"Genma," Kakashi called. Genma turned to him - eyes trailing to the hands held together between Kakashi and Sakura. Kakashi placed a hand on Genma shoulder in an attempt to look comforting. However, his hand gripped Genma's shoulder painfully which briefly reflected in the mans eyes. Kakashi leaned in slightly and said lowly, "Get your shit together or I'll send you back."
Genma glanced at the man angrily but didn't say anything. Everyone knew how Kakashi was as a captain. He didn't take risks and expected you to follow orders explicitly.
"How about you buy her something nice to apologize, Genma-san?" Sakura said beside the two men. She had been surprised at how seriously Kakashi reacted. He had never been that mean to them during missions in their genin days. But this was not the man she knew and she had to keep reminding herself of that. The hand connected to his felt sweaty and she hoped he didn't notice. "We will go find Anko and try to smooth things over for now."
Genma nodded and left the pair in search of something that would appear like an apology. Sakura and Kakashi found Anko quickly. She had found a peaceful pond to sit at - or at least it had been peaceful until she started ripping up the grass along the shore line. Sakura knew they had to be careful still - she could still feel that someone was watching her but couldn't pinpoint where the sensation was coming from. It was just a hint of a chakra signature every now and then but nothing large enough to give away who or where the person was.
"Anko," Kakashi's voice was serious and cold. You could hear in his tone that he wanted to tell her she was being childish. That he wanted her to smarten up.
Anko glared back at him briefly before looking down at the ground. "I know."
Sakura separated from Kakashi and sat down next to the purple haired girl. To think that there was ever a time when Anko was a sensitive teenage girl. No one would believe it if she told them. "Hey, I know its weird," Sakura whispered. "Believe me. But its just fake."
"Ya right." Anko said bitterly. "You're loving this."
Sakura knew she was blushing but ignored it. "There's nothing wrong with liking it." She really hoped that Kakashi didn't hear her but knew that he had. He had amazing hearing. He always heard what they were whispering as genin. Kakashi did hear her, of course, a cocky smirk beneath his mask.
Anko looked at Sakura's face briefly - expressionless. Sakura smiled back at her. Anko looked back at Kakashi and was met with a cold stare. He wanted nothing more than to tell her it was a mission and she had to do it. It didn't matter what her precious sensibilities thought. But Saki seemed to be getting through to her better.
"Uh, Anko?" Genma said. He was clutching a small box awkwardly. Sakura and Kakashi removed themselves and began to walk toward their destination again in silence. It wasn't long after that Genma and Anko caught up. Sakura chanced a glance at Anko and saw a soft smile on her lips as well as a fanged necklace around her neck. Sakura quickly looked away and tried her hardest to refrain from laughing. She had seen that necklace on the older woman in her own time. She wore it every day.