Chapter four
Moonlight Wishes
Konaha 2.5 years ago
Sakura sprang into the hokages office. Full ANBU. Windows we're the way most ANBU entered her office. This was no surprise. Perched on the window seal, she waited for shizune to notice her. Both she and Tsunade were deep in conversation.
Tsunade seen her first, nodding her head to entrance. Shizune turned as Sakura stretched her legs out, hopping to the ground in a soundless action. Her pink hair tied back and tucked under her white cloak. Her cat masks bright colors in disarray from blood spray.
"Blossom" Tsunade started. "Shizune, I'll find you after this to discuss further notice on the poison detail. Until then, I believe Yamanaka San has arrived back in the village." She swept her arm over to the door. Shizune bowed, ton ton oinked sporadically.
"Hai, hokage sama." Shizune turned, setting ton ton down, who ran up to sakuras feet.
Making her way to the door she eyed the ANBU member. A knowing look in her eyes. "Come now Ton ton, leave her alone. She's busy." Sakura nodded to the two as the exited the room.
"Well. Mission report?" Tsunade drew her attention back. Sakura crossed the room in four long steps.
"Permission to de mask, shishou." She said.
"Granted." Tsunade smiled. "But you should really stop referring to me as such. You graduated my class a long time ago."
"Hai." She pushed her mask to the side of her head. "Shishou, you will always be my mentor. Graduation or not, I still have much to learn."
Tsunade smiled wider. Pulling out her sake. "aside from that, report?"
"Hai." She dug in her hip pouch and produced two scrolls. "This one here is his head. The bounty was too high to leave behind. I've already made the marks in my bingo book, spread the news." She set the body scroll on the table. "They said you can collect via hawk in rain." Tsunade smiled. Kakashi would be proud. "This is mission report." Tsunade took the other scroll from her pink haired student.
"Hai." She sat back. The well organized scroll always complemented sakuras ambition to do above and beyond. Looking over the details before re winding the scroll and setting it in the out box for intelligence to re record her findings. "Well done. I think the price was 50,000 ryo for Sugi Yasumasa's head." She pulled out the village check book. "And 25,000 for the intelligence collection." She looked to to Sakura, who had her face schooled into a perfect mask.
"Hai. However…" she trailed off. Fighting the smile that was coming over her features. "We may owe the land of rivers for a destroyed bridge."
Tsunade blinked. "How much?"
"Well…." Sakura scratched the back of her head. "20,000."
Tsunade sighed. "I'll just make this out to them then." She dropped her forehead to her palm. "I'm deducting points for this."
"Hai." Sakura laughed. She couldn't help it. Sugi Yasumasa was a bitch to take down.
"When the money comes in from the body scroll, we will divy it up to you three." She smiled at her apprentice.
"Hai. If that is all, I would like to get a shower in madam hokage." She gave a bow.
"Not yet." Tsunade grabbed a red scroll from her side drawer. "This came in an hour ago." She looked at sakura, whose eyes shined. "It's an S class assasination."
Sakura kept her face as straight as possible as she reached for the scroll. "I'll get boar and-"
"Solo." Tsunade said.
Sakura paused. She hadn't done a solo in a few months.
"I know you can handle it, you were requested by name by land of tea." Tsunades pride was radiating her features.
"Hai. Shishou." Sakura took the scroll. Reading it over. "I'll leave in the hour." Gave her time to unpack, repack, and take a shower before departing. She may even be able to drop her old weapons off to be sharpened.
"Should only take you a week. But just in case, send word by hawk." She went over fine details. "This is infiltration, assassination, and extraction. Keep your head low. Leave no traces."
"Of course." She nodded. Putting her mask back in place.
"Also, be careful. Dismissed." She waved her student out the window as she took off at full speed. Pouring herself a large glass of sake.
Looking at the body scroll and smiling. No wonder the little shits brought it back. One way to get paid she supposed.
Konaha present day
Sakura walked through the busy market district. Sweeping past the afternoon crowds. For a Wednesday, it wa a rather busy. Kids sweeping past in a game of tag, mothers buying groceries, and men working the stalls to make money to bring home.
She loved and hated this town. Most of them knew her by both names. Blossom and sakura. She was well respected among shinobi, in a few years time she may even surpass Tsunade and take up the total of Sanin. She side stepped a woman with a child on her hip and another glued to her hand, a smile on her face.
Crossing the street, and making her way around the corner. She walked to the yamanaka flower shop. Stopping for a moment at the window. Her heart pained, every single time. She could see Inos aunt Akira manning the register. Inos mother had a mental break, and was now a permanent resident of konahas mental ward. Her father inoichi lost his ambition, and not many seen him outside the bar nowadays. Unless he was working the desk in the hokages office, or doing interrogations.
She let out the breath she was holding and opened the door.
"Hello welc- Oh! Sakura!" Akiras friendly voice rang out. Sakura gave a small smile to the woman.
"Hello ma'am." She bowed.
"Here for the regular I presume?" Her smile matched sakuras. "you know I think she would forgive you, for not visiting on your birthday."
"Hai. But it's not just her I'm going to see today."
"Ah. I see." Her eyes looked at Sakura with pity.
"I'd like to add some carnations to the order today as well." She pulled her wallet out as akira prepared the flowers.
"How long has it been?" She asked, wrapping the Delilah with purple lace. Sakura walked to the flower fridge, looking in at the contents.
"Seven years." She replied.
"Ah. Left alone so young…" she peered off into the distance, finished with the Delilah and setting it onto the counter. "But it's good you can still smile." She looked back to the pinkette who was lost in the colors of the display.
"Hai." She said turning to the woman a smile on her face and clasping her hands behind her back.
Akira grabbed two carnations, and wrapped them gently with pink ribbon. Sakura pulled the money out, dropping the ryo into her hands. Collecting her flowers as she walked to the door. "Arigato, akira san. Until next time."
"Oh yes, anything for our favorite customer. Send her my love." She waved the pinkette off.
Sakura walked to the outskirts as the day made its way into a blooming sunset. She stopped at the gates to admire the rich colors. The warmth that it generated still soaking into her skin.
She turned back and walked to the first set of graves she was to visit.
"Hi Okaasan, hi Otousan."
She sat down, Delilah in hand. As she ran her fingers over the kanji of her best friend.
"Ino pig. Guess who came home today?" Her voice was light. Sorrow in her throat. "That's right. I happened to be in the office when he walked in with Itachi." Her hand drifted, she set the Delilah down next to the older flowers in the cup next to the stone. Picking out the oldest one to toss on her way out.
"It was surreal, he's completely diffrent. Not the same sasuke kun we knew in school. If it's possible, he's even more full of himself." She laughed, setting the dead flower next to her on the floor.
"Crazy to say this, but I don't feel like I did back then. Honestly I don't feel anything at all. Maybe faded friendship?" She eyed the stone as if it would answer her. "I know I know. You'd still think he was hot." She giggled. Smiling up at the fading sunset. "I miss you." Her eyes pricked with a familiar stinging sensation. "I miss you so much." A tear made it's way down her cheek.
"Sometimes I don't know what to do with myself." She wiped her eyes, sniffing a bit. "It's not easy being the one who walked away." She looked down at her gloved hands.
"I still hate being touched. I know even a hug could make me come undone." She looked back at the stone. "I punched him through Tsunades wall. Sasuke that is. I smacked him clear into the hallway." She laughed hard at this. "Man you would have cracked up." More tears brimmed over onto her cheeks.
"Fuck. Why you?" Her eyes closed and she leaned back onto the pillar behind her. "Why not me too."
In the distance kakashi and pakkun crouch in the tree, watching the pinkette. Kakashi wanted to drop down, run to her. The pain so evident on his young pupils frame as she talked to the dead.
"Boss man, do you want me to continue trailing her?" Pakkun turned to his master, looking for the go ahead.
"No. I've seen enough, head back with the others, I'll handle the rest." Kakashi made the The decision on fly. Popping down onto his feet and striding accross the cemetery.
"Yo." He said loudly, Sakura wiped her eyes fast and turned to the silver haired copy nin.
"Hai. Kakashi? What are you doing here?" She stood quickly, picking up the dead flowers as she did.
"Visiting a friend," he poked his thumb over a shoulder, "yourself?" He closed the distance, and looked down at the stone. Yamanaka Ino. "Ah. Do you mind if I join you?" Sakura shook her head, and sat back down, kakashi joined her, both sitting Indian style.
They sat like that awhile, as the sky grew darker. The silence between the two comfortable. Kakashi reflected a bit, as the sun went down. a chill in the air, he turned to his young student. Her eyes closed and head leaning against the pillar.
"It's getting late." He said, "do you have plans?"
She turned to him then, green orbs red ringed. Her pink hair still in a messy pony tail bangs framing her face. His eyes roaming her soft womanly features. She had always been beautiful. He never knew how she couldn't see it.
"Hai sensei." She said a dullness to her tone. "Sai wanted to meet for drinks at 9." She looked at her watch. "Which means I should leave now." She stood and dusted her skirt off, picking the dead flowers up again. "Would you like to join us?"
Kakashi gave her an eye crinkle. "Mah. Sakura. Who could deny a wonderful offer to join a beautiful woman on her birthday." He stood as well. Taking the dead flowers from sakura.
She paused. A blush climbing her face. "Don't tease a girl!" She lightly punched at him, he dodged it.
"Tease who? I'm just stating facts. They made their way out to the main walk way, Sakura smiled at that.
"Thanks kakashi." She smiled at the stars. "I thought maybe you knew when you bought me coffee this morning." She looked over at him, "which means you can also buy me my first drink at chiris tonight!" Her smile contagious as kakashi smirked back. Today looked like an expensive day. Worth it if he got to see her smiling again.
"Hn. Caught. Red handed." He put his free hand in his pocket, depositing the dead flowers in a bin before continuing on. "Do you know what would make it better however?" He side eyed her.
"Hn?" She looked at him.
"A race." He stated.
"What do I get if I win?" She smiled knowingly.
"That drink." He smirked.
"Your on." With that both shinobi took off in a flash, a cheerful laughter on the air.
"Hai! I'm telling you sai," sakura slurred "she defiantly would take that bet." She downed another sake bomb. Hair let down out of the pony tail holder and folding over her shoulder laying down her back to her waist.
"Hn? Even if all the odds are against her?" Sai squinted at her, trying to make only one sakura instead of having two sway in front of him.
"Hai. She will take any bet!" She giggled pouring more sake.
Sasuke and kakashi took the other side of the booth, while naruto and sai squished Sakura inbeween the two of them. Naruto already drunk, he was a light weight. Kakashi a slight buzz, sasuke having only green tea, sai was fading fast , and Sakura well on her way into her fifth bottle of sake.
"Shoulda seen her when I was younger," Naruto started, "she believed it when I was done."
"What are you saying dope?" Sasuke muttered, pushing water back to the blond nin.
"Naw teme! Water is for fish." His attention slid out of the booth and too the side. "Oh! Hinata San looks cute tonight…" he trailed off before his head hit the table.
"Where hinata?" Sai turned his head, looking around.
"She's not here." Kakashi stated throwing back another cup of sake. "And he's out cold." He looked at sai. Who was clearly completly wasted. "Your pretty done as well." His eyes fell on the pink haired med nin. "And I should probably cut you off."
"Senseiiiiiii." Sakura whined. "Please?" She fluttered her eyelashes. Both he and sasuke blushed. Before flagging down the next waiter to order another flask of warm sake. Sai pushed naruto out of the booth.
"Should get him home while I can still see straight." He motioned to the blond leaned down to pick him up and fell forward. Officially showing his intoxicated self. Sasuke turned to kakashi, his face flat, then indicated his head to sakura.
"Mah. What do you take me for? I got this one, if you can handle the other two?" He deadpanned, said still trying and failing to pick the blond up.
"Of course I can." Sasuke said flatly. "I'm surprised you handled these three on your own for so long.
"Oh it's been a hassle." Kakashi smiled up at him. "Good to have you home sasuke."
Then turned to sakura. "Happy birthday, sakura San." He placed money on the table, "for your drinks," he gave her a smirk. "Birthday girls drink for free."
"Thanks sasssukkkkeee kunnnn." She sing sobbed picking up the ryo and smiling.
He turned then, picked naruto up and over his shoulder then sai who went up and over his other willingly, waving to sakura.
"Bye blossom. See you soon."
She turned to kakashi then, "You know what would be really funny is if naruto-" the sound of wrenching came from the other side of the bar near the door. Along with sasukes voice calling out curses. She laughed then loud and free. Grabbing her sake cup and downing it again.
Kakashi smiled at this, their little corner booth secluded. He pulled the curtain closed, and did something that make sakuras mouth go dry. He dropped his mask and downed another shot of sake himself.
He. Dropped. His. Mask.
"Hai." Sakura said. "Sensei."
"Yes sakura?" He said looking up at her. His face was flawless. A slight 5 o'clock shadow, below his lip on the left a small beauty mark. The scar from his eye traveled to mid cheek, but tarnished none of his handsome features. If anything it added to it. His lips full and reddish pink. Wholy shit. He was so attractive.
"Um. Sensei. Did I fall asleep?"
"No." He said, lifting his Hitai-ate, both eyes in focus. "Why?"
"Well." She glupled. Pouring more sake. Then abandoning the cup to drink off the bottle. "You see, I think I just won the game." She said. Surprise still etched on her face as she took a deep pull.
"Mah. Sakura. What game would that be?" He smirked, revealing a full set of teeth and two abnormally sharp canines.
"Naruto and sasuke kun will never believe me."
He laughed at this eyes crinkling. For some reason it was that much better. "Hai. I need to pee." She stood from the table slightly swaying. The alcohol hitting harder now that she was standing.
To this kakashi sighed. This girl was trouble. "One moment sakura."
Kakashi pulled his mask back up, opened the curtain and put one arm around sakuras waist. Walkinf to the hallway with the restroom sign.
"Hai. Thank you sennnnseeii" she looks duo at him. "Where did the handsome man go?" She turned her head side to side laughing. He rolled his eyes. Then while waiting patiently outside the door he stopped the closest waiter.
"Mah, I think we're done at booth 12." He pulled out his wallet. "This should cover the rest, theirs money on the table too." The waiter nodded and took the ryo.
"Ready or not here i comeeee." She called opening the door and falling forward. Kakashi caught her effortlessly.
"Careful there sweetheart." He said picking her up bridal style.
"Hn?" She raised a pink eyebrow.
"Hn what?" He said looking down at her as they exited the bar.
"You called me sweetheart?" She giggled. "Best birthday ever." She closed her eyes. He hopped up on the closest rooftop. Knowing her she would be out like a light. She probably wouldn't even have a hangover tomorow. She nuzzled up to his chest, wind whipping her hair as he jumped off to the street by her apartments. Taking the steps to her door two at a time. The chill was a bit of a cold one for March.
He unlocked her door, and strode in, closing it with his foot. Walking lightly on the wood to her bedroom. Pulling back the sheets and settling her down. Then he took off her haori, which was a bit of a struggle, and hung it on the door hook. He unbuckled her sandals and pulled them off tossing them to the floor before removing her gloves. The scars that marred her forearms visible to the world. He traced the jagged vertical lines over her wrists. Heart beating in his chest painfully.
"I won't leave you to your demons any more. I promise." Then he kissed her forehead. Pulling the blankets up and around her before standing up.
"Kaka sensei…" her soft voice called out. He stopped. Turning to her. Eyes wide. "Your handsome." She giggled in her sleep. He smiled down at her. A slight blush to his cheeks.
"And your absolutly stunning sakura."
