Glad You're Safe

Based on: "Glad you're safe" by OnionNekoRyuu

Despite his injuries, Naruto was smiling.

"Close one, huh?" Naruto commented. "I seriously thought we were going to…."

He laughed off the rest of the words, but there was a certain edge to his voice. He glanced at Kakashi. The older man seemed in better shape than he was, both physically and mentally. Whilst Naruto had been obviously shaken by their distinct near-death experience, Kakashi seemed content. Naruto wished he could be that collected after seeing his life flash before his eyes.

"Naruto-kun!" called a female voice. "Kakashi-san!"

Sakura had broken away from her own group at the sight of them. She was rushing towards them, a determined expression on her face.

Naruto's cheeks reddened. He had forgotten for a moment that Sakura would of course be waiting for them. He opened his arms as she neared them, silently welcoming her embrace with a smile.

Sakura casually brushed past Naruto and flung herself into Kakashi's arms.

A shocked Kakashi stood there awkwardly, his cheeks reddening. He wanted to say something, but the appropriate response eluded him. Fortunately, Sakura did not need him to speak. His silence seemed to intensify her embrace.

"You're safe!" Sakura cried. "I was so worried….I was going to…..I'm so glad you're...I…."

Muttering happy nonsense, Sakura alternated between burying her head in his chest and planting kisses on seemingly every inch of his face and neck.

Naruto stood completely still, his arms still outstretched and a grin frozen on his face.

The unexpected burst of affection appeared to have left Kakashi permanently mute. He wanted to say something, yet whenever he finally gathered the words in his mind, none of them were able to leave his throat.

"You wouldn't die!" Sakura continued. "You wouldn't die without letting me…...letting me…."

Whatever Kakashi was meant to let her do was lost as Sakura pressed her lips to his. A firm and passionate, albeit brief, kiss that seemed to suck all of the objections out of Kakashi's lungs.

"Never again!" Sakura told Kakashi breathlessly. "I'm never doing that again, so….."

Sakura interrupted herself to press her lips against Kakashi's again. She pulled away even quicker than the last time, her cheeks burning.

"The second and last time!" Sakura assured Kakashi. "Don't you dare blame me for…!"

Yet again, Sakura found herself unable to finish her sentence. She buried her face in Kakashi's shoulder.

"I'm so glad you're safe," she whispered.

Naruto's arms fell to his sides at last.

"Oh," was all he could say.