Chapter One:
Follow the Stars Home
Shiranui Genma. One of the Hokage's elite bodyguards leaned against a building, his trademark senbon in his mouth, doing what he did best: watching. This was his usual routine in Konoha, always on high alert to notice any detail out of place. Of course his job more often than not did not lead to any action, but this didn't seem to bother the brunette that much. He was more than happy to lean on buildings and watch his beloved village flourish in front of him. However, as of late, the itch for something more had been growing inside of him. Perhaps he should ask the Hokage to be put back on the active roster, if only for a little while. Just a mission or two and then he would be settled once more. Happy to continue as he had been in an overall universe of normalcy. His usual routine of existence.
He sighed and closed one of his eyes letting the other one stay open. He settled in to start people watching as he often did. The villagers bustling around him in their normal pace to their normal tasks on a normal sunny day. He had just about closed his eyes when he felt a familiar chakra signature on the roof of the short building above him. A smile played across the shinobi's face.
"Hello Kakashi," he drawled not even bothering to look up at the silver haired shinobi who was sitting with one leg crossed in front of him and one leg hanging from the roof of the building a book of the series Icha Icha in his hand. The Copy nin responded in kind.
"Genma." The two shinobi stayed silent for a moment then Kakashi broke the silence. "It's been awhile. How's the guard treating you?"
"Not bad. Can't complain," he said moving the senbon around in his mouth with his tongue, shifting it from one side to the other. "No action as of late," he added opening his eyes again to watch the people around them. Kakashi was silent for a little more than a moment. A tell-tale sign to the body guard that something was up.
"We have a mission," he said evenly toned. This piqued the brunette's interest.
"Do we now," the brunette replied, his tone slightly less even than usual.
"Hn," Kakashi replied. "We will get a debrief in the Hokage's tower in an hour." Genma nodded in response before vocalizing his own grunt of acknowledgement.
"See you then," the silver haired nin added before seemingly fading into the world around them.
Genma smirked. Finally some action. He was pulled from his thoughts when a certain pinkette walked into his line of sight. Sakura. She had certainly blossomed, no pun intended, since her Genin days that was for sure. She was now said to be one of the most capable kunoichi of her age-mates. She also rivaled her teacher, the Hokage, in both her medical prowess and physical strength. Genma had, however, never seen this first hand. He watched her enter the hospital and a sudden realization hit him. He had never taken his first of the year exam for active duty shinobi. Being apart of the Hokage's elite guard, he wasn't normally on the active duty roster and since he wasn't exposed to such things as poisons and such he had had no reason to get one, until now that is.
He sighed as he shoved his hands deeper into his pockets and walked across the road to enter the hospital. He never liked going to the hospital, but if he didn't have his examination done there was a likelihood he would be pulled from the mission, and, as much as he hated examinations, he wasn't going to let that happen.
Sakura sighed as she entered her office, pulling on her white jacket clipboard in hand. She'd had a rough night of no sleep, again. She couldn't seem to get over the nightmares. Sasuke and Naruto as usual. However, last night's horrors had played with a special appearance of Kakashi as well. She sipped her morning tea as she tried to clear her head. She had patients who were relying on her. She couldn't abandon them due to inattention because of a silly nightmare. Centering herself for the day, she startled at a knock on the door. Three raps to be precise. She set her tea down and spoke.
"Come in." Genma opened the door closing it behind him, his usual senbon in his mouth and hands in pockets. She couldn't help but smile at the shinobi. Since being the Hokage's apprentice, she had gotten to know some shinobi of the village that she wouldn't have otherwise knew. In greeting if not personally. "Shiranui-san," she said with a smile, "How can I help you?"
"I'm here for my annual examination," he said a slightly bored and inconvenienced tone in his voice, as if he'd rather be anywhere than here. She couldn't blame him, most shinobi were like this. Hard pressed to seek medical attention and even more scant and noncompliant when it came to routine care. "I was just put on the active duty roster. I have a mission." He added as an explanation. Sakura merely nodded as she stood and retrieved a sheet from a file behind her desk.
"I assume Shizune-san sent you to me?" He nodded once more, chocolate eyes lazily traveling the room. Not really settling on any one object. Forever roving, seeing everything but seeing nothing at all, as all body guards did. It was just in their nature, an ingrained habit. Something that might be off putting to others, but Sakura wasn't phased. It's what they were trained to do. Notice everything yet nothing at all.
"Hai." Sakura grabbed a piece of paper from her desk putting it on her clipboard as she smiled at Genma.
"Please follow me Shiranui-san," she said as she walked toward the door of her office which Genma held open for her. Chivalry. Nodding a thanks, she walked down the hall and beckoned him into a nearby exam room. "In here please Shiranui-san," she said directing him with her arm. He walked in and sat down on the bed as she checked his vitals.
Genma had been to the hospital for examinations before, but he had never had one as quick and painless as Sakura had made it. She had him in and out in under thirty minutes. She was very efficient. Maybe the rumors were true. Time would tell though. He stood to leave but Sakura stopped him.
"Shiranui-san I need to take a sample of your blood and then you can leave."
"Hn," was his only reply as he settled back on the exam table he had been sitting on, looking around the room once more as she turned toward a nearby drawer to gather supplies for the blood draw. .
Sakura couldn't help but think of Kakashi when she assessed his hospital manner. She'd had to practically drag, bribe, and threaten the shinobi to get him to take an examination. Just an exam. She felt her lips tug at the corners at the memory of a very, very uncooperative Kakashi when she had tried to take his blood. He had mumbled something about her stealing his life force away.
Sakura held out a hand as Genma rolled up a sleeve on his arm and extended it for her. She tied a tourniquet around his upper arm, sanitized a spot on his inner elbow, and very accurately stuck the needle in his vein, and watched as the red liquid filled the vial. She released the tourniquet and pulled out the needle once the vial had filled, pressing against the hole with a cotton swab and finally strapped it to his arm with a bandaid. Genma hadn't been looking at her the entire time. He apparently seemed to be interested in bird outside that he had a clear view of from the window in the room. She smiled as she laid the vial on the counter beside her.
"Done. You are free to go," she said, her tone slightly amused as Genma looked over at her, an eyebrow shooting up slightly as if in shock. He looked down at his arm as evidence that she had definitely taken his blood already.
"That was fast," he mused flatly. Sakura turned to gather the vial as she labeled it as his blood.
"Well, it wasn't my first time taking blood Shiranui-san," she said with barely contained mirth, turning back to him as she stuck the vial in her pocket. "Here sign this and then you can go." Genma took the offered pen in her hand and signed the bottom of his examination sheet, stuffing his hand back in his pocket after.
"Arigato Haruno-san," he said as he headed for the door.
He took one last look at her though. This time he really took in her appearance. She didn't wear the same red dress as she had when she was younger. She had opted for a red, tight top that hugged her flat stomach. It was sleeveless. She had on a black skirt that hugged her sides revealing just how much womanhood had changed her body. Underneath that she had on black. skin tight leggings that came down to her mid thigh below the skirt that appeared to be made out of the same material as her shirt. She had on her long, just above the knee, high combat boots. Her hair, she had kept short since her Chunin exams, was grown out a little to her shoulders. It was apparent she was due for a haircut. To him it was feminine yet practical, appropriate for a kunoichi of her caliber.
She had just turned around from her paperwork as Genma quickly looked away, sure that she hadn't seen him looking, as he turned the doorknob. Overall, she had turned into a very well rounded woman. He could even admit she was pretty.
He left the room hands in his pockets once more his senbon shifting in his mouth as he was drowned in his own thoughts. He still had thirty minutes before reporting to the Hokage's office. He had nothing else to do so he headed up there early full and well intending to stand outside the Hokage's office until called.
Sakura watched Genma leave as a curious expression had crossed her features. Had he been watching her? She shook her head, dispelling the wayward thought, as she headed down to the records office to submit the examination papers. She had just reached the door when Shizune walked down the hall towards her.
"Sakura," Shizune said, her hand extended for the paperwork in her own, "Tsunade-sama has requested your presence in her office in thirty minutes for a mission. Just hand all that to me. I'll get it stowed away."
"Hai Shizune-san, these are Shiranui Genma's blood sample and examination. Apparently he has just gotten put on the active roster today." Shizune nodded as she took the items and headed into the records room.
"You better hurry Sakura. Tsunade would like the team to leave as early as possible."
"Hai," Sakura replied as she headed toward her office, intending to shed her coat and clipboard. She paused momentarily as she turned to leave her office. Genma had a mission today too. Meaning she was more than likely going on the mission he was. Her brow furrowed. He was an elite bodyguard; If he was going on a mission it would probably be high risk. She headed toward the hospital entrance, her mind already making a list of things she would need to pack.
Genma was leaned against the wall in the Hokage's office along with Haruno Sakura and, to his horror, Maito Gai. Kakashi as per usual was late, which lead to a steaming Tsunade. She looked to Genma who had been there early.
"You are sure you saw him today?" She seethed.
"Hai Hokage-sama," he said respectfully his arms in his pockets still,"He was the one who told me to be here at this time this morning." Tsunade fumed at this information.
Tsunade had made it clear to Kakashi that this was a VERY important mission that needed PUNCTUALITY and PRECISION. None of which the Hokage imagined the always late shinobi had. However, he was one of the most capable shinobi she had at her disposal. Capable and loyal, which was much more than anyone could ask for from such a seasoned ninja. Her fingertips were pressed together in front of her as she heard near silent footfalls on the floor in front of the window. She looked up to see Kakashi leaning against the wall as if he had always been there. Upon seeing her gaze, self preservation kicked in and he deployed his defense tactic, his infamous smile.
"Hokage-sama I was on my way your office when I saw this little boy who had lost his puppy and-"
"Save it Kakashi," she said to him, venom evident in her voice. Kakashi however just smiled at her which only lead to infuriate her more.
Sakura just shook her head at her former sensei's antics. He had ALWAYS been late and had ALWAYS had a very outlandish, obviously fake excuse for it each time. Surprisingly, he always had a different excuse every time she had heard him try to explain away his lateness. Peering over at him from behind her pink locks, he glanced over at her shooting her with his infamous smile and she merely rolled her eyes, unable to suppress one in return. She was obviously on a very important mission. In the room with her were three very capable, albeit some slightly eccentric, Maito Gai, shinobi. Steeling her face of emotion, she turned toward Tsunade for their debriefing.
"Sincewe are all here now," she said eyeing Kakashi, who just smiled at her infuriatingly, " Your mission isn't going to be easy," she started peering around the room at each of them in turn, the corner of her lip twitching in stress, a tell Sakura picked up on, " I have hand chosen the four of your for this particular task." Pausing momentarily to allow the shinobi before her to process what she was saying, she continued, "On the Hi no Kuni and Amegakure border there have been reports of Akatsuki activity. Specifically three particular Akatsuki members: Uchiha Itachi," she said looking at Gai,"Hoshigaki Kisame," she said looking at Kakashi, " and Hitokui Zetsu," she finished looking at Genma. "Sakura, you are going along as their medic. I want two of you to pose as newlyweds coming to settle down in Amegakure. I don't care which of you will play the part; however, Sakura, you being the only female on this squad, you will obviously be one of the members going undercover. I suggest you decide before you leave the village in order to bring some civilian clothes with you. Kakashi, since you are Taichou on this mission, you get to decide who will be Sakura's husband for the time being. I want you to observe their movements and if possible intervene. Try to come back alive if at all possible." Kakashi merely nodded as a slight smirk fought to pulled at his lips despite the very real threat of death on this mission. Something Sakura noticed.
She nodded but her stomach on the inside was doing flips. This was a very dangerous mission. More so than she had first predicted. Then of course she was also going to be...married? She looked over at Kakashi who was still smirking. Hopefully, he wouldn't be too cruel about it. Her eyes widened slightly as she turned her gaze to Tsunade at the thought of her possibilities. She nearly blanched at the thought of her and Maito Gai playing the part, his furry brows dancing on his face in her mind. She palmed her face, her teeth gritting. Oh Kami, Kakashi, please be kind.
Genma couldn't help the smirk that tugged at the edge of his lips as he noticed her reaction to what he assumed was the thought of her and Maito Gai being paired together. He couldn't blame her. He could barely stand the overzealous, energetic, boisterous taijutsu master as just acquaintances. He couldn't imagine being married to the guy, even temporarily. Not to mention that subtlety was not the Green Beast's strong suit.
"Sakura and Genma will be our reconnaissance couple," Kakashi replied evenly, simultaneously interrupting both their thought processes. Genma slightly stiffened. While this pairing was the best suited, most logical, and most believable for the mission, for some reason,since he and Sakura were fairly close, he had thought Kakashi would pair himself with the pinkette. Accepting his role to play in this operation, he relaxed looking over at the pinkette who now had a slight dusting of pink on her face. He couldn't help the ghost of a side smirk that now adorned his own.
"Very well," Tsunade said with a mischievous smile playing at her lips at the pairing that she had never thought of before. One that was logical in more ways than one. Let the games begin, "You and your squad need to leave by the end of the day."
"Understood Hokage-sama," Kakashi replied, his arms still crossed, "We will leave in an hour," he looked around at his squad members," We will regroup by the gate after dismissal." They all nodded in unison, their bodies tensing in preparation for the signal to leave.
Tsunade nodded as she pressed her lips against her hands in front of her. She raised her head after some thought. "Be safe and happy hunting," she said with an air of finality. They all nodded.
"Hai Hokage-sama."
"Hai Shishou."
Her office that had once been filled with shinobi suddenly emptied in a blur except Genma who was casually walking out of the door.
"Genma, I need to speak with you for a moment." Said shinobi paused, turning to his Hokage.
Genma left moments later. Tsunade smirked to herself, tapping her fingers on her desk before reaching for a saucer of sake she had just poured. Sakura and Genma. This was bound to be interesting. Kakashi was a very sneaky man. She couldn't herself see how that would have ever happened naturally; however, Kakashi knew them both. Genma more so than even she did, so she had to trust his judgement. Perhaps he had an insight that she didn't. She was just grateful that her apprentice hadn't been stuck with Maito Gai, who had been oddly silent during the debriefing. She tilted her head at this thought as she fished another bottle of sake from her desk, having finished the one she had while speaking to Genma. This mission wasn't going to be easy at all. Raising the saucer to her lips, Tsunade took a big gulp of the burning liquid as it slid smoothly down her throat. Sakura would take care of them; she was an outstanding medic afterall. She smiled to herself - they would be just fine.
Genma was pulling out all of his civilian clothes that he had from his closet, which in all honesty wasn't much as he overstuffed his weapons pouch with senbon, kunai, and shuriken. Strapping another kunai to his inner thigh, he turned toward the dresser in front of his bed. Shifting his senbon to the other side of his mouth, he squatted to grab some scrolls from the bottom drawer, stuffing them into his pack before he took a moment to sit at the bottom of his bed and think.
He shifted his senbon to the right side of his mouth as he leaned forward, elbows on his knees with his hands laced together. So, he was going to be playing as Sakura's husband for an indefinite amount of time until the Akatsuki was found. As he noted earlier, she was pretty, so it wouldn't be too hard to pretend. It wasn't as if he hadn't had experience in that department. He had once been dubbed Konoha's 'playboy' shinobi in his younger years, but now at the ripe age of twenty eight he had grown out of that stage. Having seen and had it all he was more than content to leave that phase of his life behind years ago, but that didn't mean that he didn't know how to handle and treat a women properly. The only thing he was weary of was her emotions. He remembered back in her younger years that she had had this love-sick, star-crossed infatuation with the Uchiha heir - the whole village knew, and after his defection he didn't know how her feelings had faired or how exactly she perceived relationships. This could cause a slight problem in their mission, and to his knowledge he hadn't ever seen her romantically involved with another male since. He turned this over in his head. Her perception of love could also be flawed and how relationships were supposed to be. This was unfortunate. If this mission wasn't so high risk, he would think that perhaps this would be good for the kunoichi. But because it was, it could be extremely detrimental to the success of it. He sighed softly to himself; he'd just have to coach her and be patient. There was a reason she was hand chosen by Tsunade for this mission, and he wasn't going to start questioning his Hokage's judgement over a small undercover operation.
He rose to his feet, slinging his pack over his shoulder, as he headed toward the door of his apartment. He placed his extra key under his rug and quickly did some hand signs meticulously sealing his door so no one could get into his apartment until he returned. As he was heading toward the gate of the village, he had decided he was going to show her what a real relationship should be like or as much as he could while on a mission, after they got to know each other first.
Sakura sighed as she packed all of her civilian clothes into her pack. She had all of her medical supplies already stowed away along with her scrolls and weapons. As she slipped on her black leather, chakra flow enhanced gloves, she sat at the end of her bed. Her dresser with a hanging mirror was in front of her. Her mind, that she had kept focused on packing for the mission until now, lingered on the specifics of their mission. She would be dealing with chakra depleting as well as genjutsu related injuries. The worst kind in her opinion. There was no way, up to date, to reverse either a chakra sealing, chakra eating, or chakra depleting injury other than the age old way to deal with those type of injuries: rest.
She sighed once more placing her head in her hands. She was already beginning to feel stressed out. Then there was the second factor of the mission that related more directly to her. Her pseudo marriage to Shiranui Genma. She knew he was a very respectable shinobi that wouldn't degrade or takes advantage of her in any way, and it wasn't like he wasn't an attractive male. But she barely knew him. That wasn't going to keep her from completing the mission; however, it did happen to make it a bit awkward. That added onto the fact that she hadn't had a relationship since the defection of Sasuke. Her fists tightened at the thought.
He had scarred her. She wasn't as outwardly affected by him now. She had worked hard in years past to remove herself from the public image of a fawning school girl after the Uchiha heir, but what he had done, and the emotional pain he had caused her, still had scar tissue hanging around. And Sakura, as a medic, knew that scar tissue could be more painful than the original wound. Her biggest fear was she didn't even know how to begin to be in a real relationship much less a fake one. She sat up looking at the ceiling her hands balled on her thighs. Looking over at the clock, beside her bed, she rose from it, slinging her pack over her shoulders; it was almost time. As she exited her apartment, she stowed her extra key in the flower pot and walked off toward the gate weary but ready to begin this mission.
All of the squad members had arrived on time, even the always late Hatake Kakashi. Sakura had been the last to arrive, however, still on time. Kakashi smiled at her and then motioned to the others to follow. Gai took lead Kakashi and Sakura took middle and Genma brought up the rear and was more than happy to do so.
Kakashi looked over at his former female student. Her eyes were clouded in thought as he knew they'd be. He couldn't help the slight softening of his eyes and a small smile, that was covered by his mask, to grace his features. She would do just fine. He hadn't wanted to pair her with Gai because that was a form of cruel and unusual punishment that even he would not bestow upon his worst enemy. He would have paired himself with her, but he was silver haired and at least ten years her senior. There was no way that they would pass as 'newly weds', so he thought he had done rather well despite it being the only logical choice. Sakura was eighteen. Genma was twenty nine? Thirty? He couldn't remember, but with his brown hair he was more likely to pull off being married to someone that looked like Sakura.
"Genma. Sakura," he started, effectively getting their attention," the two of you probably need to spend time getting to know each other since you will be spending the majority of your time on this mission married." Sakura and Genma nodded in acknowledgement,"Sakura, I want you to say when asked that you are twenty five."
"Of course Sensei," she replied easily, her eyes focused as she took her order seriously.
"That will be more accommodating for the older age of Genma," he said a slight smile playing across his lips as he cast a glance at Genma who raised an eyebrow at Kakashi's remark.
"And what is that suppose to mean, Kakashi?" He said evenly, giving him a look. Kakashi just smiled his infamous smile at him. Sakura's eyes had widened slightly at the banter obviously being thrown around and coughed slightly to cover a laugh. "At least I'm not as old as you are," Genma said smiling at Kakashi. He noted that this time Sakura wasn't able to subdue her laughter. It was a nice sound. Kakashi's smile disappeared though and mock hurt took it's place.
"I'm hurt," he said flatly, sounding completely nonplussed at the barb thrown his way," I'm only two years older than you," he said smirking at Genma. Genma nodded in acknowledgement.
"Really?" Sakura's voice perked up curiously. Both shinobi looked at her. Genma couldn't help a chuckle at her next words, "Kakashi-sensei aren't you like mid thirties." That did it. Kakashi's eyes widened and he was found speechless for a moment.
"I'm thirty two," he said evenly a place above his eyebrow twitching,"And my next birthday isn't until next year unlike Genma." This was when Gai decided to pop in.
"I out rank all of you in age! I'm thirty-three! Still full of the fountains of youth! Kakashi my eternal rival! I have beaten you in the challenge of ages! Now you must submit to my losers consequence!" Kakashi sweatdropped slightly.
"Gai you never said whether the winner had to be older or younger."
Gai paused for a second as his eyes bulged in recognition of what he said. "You have beaten me once again in wits eternal rival! As punishment for losing when we get to Amegakure I will run a thousand laps around it."
"It would probably be better if you didn't," mused Genma,"It might draw attention to our presence." Gai nodded in acknowledgement.
"You're probably right," he stated. Kakashi leapt forward some to leave Sakura and Genma to themselves.
"Well," Genma said breaking the silence that had come over the two of them.
"Yeah," Sakura answered quietly before finding a subject she knew he could talk about,"Well, how has the elite been treating you Shiranui-san?" Genma shifted his senbon. Small talk. He could handle this. It was a start anyway.
"It's been fine. Can't complain to be honest. Call me Genma." Sakura's cheeks pinked at the sudden drop of formalities and she nearly missed her footing on the next tree branch. It didn't go unnoticed by Genma, but he didn't bring it up. Apparently she was more easily flustered than he thought. He was beginning to wonder if she had had her first kiss yet.
"Alright Genma."She said,"Might as well since we are going to be in close quarters for awhile."
"You mean since we'll be married for awhile," he said staring in front of him. Sakura's face got even more pink if that was possible at this comment. Genma smirked to himself. She was far too innocent for this kind of work.
"Yes,"she said sighing."Might get our occupations down as well while we are at it."
"Eh?" Genma replied not so sure he knew what she meant.
"Well since we are going to Amegakure not under the pretense of being ninja...we need to have jobs. Occupations that can suit our abilities." Genma hadn't really thought that far ahead. She was smart if anything.
"Well I am pretty good with my hands. I've helped Yamato before with wood working, so I guess I'll be a carpenter or worker of sorts," he looked over at her and gave an apologetic look,"Sorry that's all I can do without using my skills. I can't provide a better income for my wife." Sakura pinked again before changing the subject. It was painfully sweet, something she wasn't use to.
"It's fine. I'll try to see if I can get a position at a restaurant as a waitress, or I could work with flowers but I'm not too good at that either,"she said contemplatively. Genma nodded.
"We need to have different names as well,"he said now really thinking," Mine will be Kyo. I've always liked that name." Sakura nodded.
"I will be Izayori, Iza for short." Genma looked over at her and then in front of him where Kakashi jumped. He wondered if he had been listening the entire time. Although she had been his student, his only female student, he figured that he was still a bit protective of her.
"And the family name?" He asked curiously. Sakura paused for a moment.
"Why don't you decide," she offered," you are my...husband," she stated a bit awkwardly. Genma couldn't help the smile pulling at his lips.
"How about Shiruno,"he stated,"half of both of us." Sakura nodded.
"That works for me." Genma smiled.
Kakashi smiled. He had been listening to them talk. Sakura while timid and unsure would soon grow to like Genma. Genma noticing her timidness had been patient with her. He would grow to like her too. Sakura wasn't just something to look at. She had brains which was what, at the end of the day, something people, like Genma, wanted. He'd already had his fair share of flings with flirtatious, seductive women. People would have thought that because of his past that Kakashi wouldn't trust Genma with Sakura; however, on the contrary it was why he trusted him with her. He'd already had and seen it all. There was no tantalizing mystery for him. He knew what it was. He could trust him because of that with his only female student.
Kakashi knew she was a woman, a grown woman, but he still felt it was his duty to protect her from a young age. She had lost her parents at an early age shortly after their team seven mission defeating Haku and Zabuza Momochi. It had taken a lot out of the young kunoichi, but she had moved past it putting her own needs last and the rest of her team first. Kakashi had been proud of her, but unbeknownst to her he had for the first month of her being alone watched over her house during the night. He didn't want anyone, civilian or otherwise, taking advantage of her. She was his Sakura.
They had been running for about twelve hours and were at least another ten away from Amegakure when Kakashi stopped them. "We will stop here for the night." Gai had stopped short in front of them about ten or so feet away. Sakura and Genma had long since stopped talking, settling into a comfortable silence as they had traveled both alert and scanning the world around them.
"I'll set up a perimeter eternal rival!" Gai said shooting off into the dark. Kakashi sighed at his antics. Would Gai ever grow up...probably not.
"I'll start setting up small traps closer in," Genma said walking off into the dark, disappearing almost instantly into their surroundings. This left Kakashi and Sakura alone to set up the rest of camp. She set her pack down against the nearest tree. She looked over at Kakashi who was doing the same.
"I wouldn't think you'd want to start a fire so close to Akatsuki territory?" Sakura confirmed as she fished her canteen out of her pack. Kakashi thought for a moment.
"No I don't think that would be wise. How about we go look for a water source to fill up our canteens. You go get Genma's and I'll go track down Gai. I'll meet you back here in ten." Sakura nodded as she headed off in the direction Genma had faded into.
Sakura was thinking about how to find Genma without catching him off guard as she quietly weaved her way into the trees. The last thing that she wanted to do was to get accidentally attacked by the elite bodyguard.
Stopping quickly in the dark about five feet from the campsite she scanned the area around her and whistled a short brisk tune that they all had been taught to recognize from genin days. She knew that it would give away her position had any enemies recognized it, but in this case that's what she wanted to do. Startling a bodyguard of Genma's caliber could prove deadly, and she was more willing to take a risk with a rouge nin than she was with him. She shifted her weight slightly on her feet and waited.. Within seconds Genma was behind her. Sakura spun around in time to see him standing behind her senbon in mouth. Sakura mentally made a note of his chakra for when she needed to recognize it in the future. "Yes," was the only reply. He sounded slightly displeased and on edge as his chocolate orbs skirted around the area quickly before settling back on her person.
"Kakashi sent me to get your canteen to fill up. We're going to find a water source." Genma nodded handing her his canteen. She grabbed it but he didn't let go of it. She looked up at him in question. He was looking down at her with a serious look in his eye as he shifted his senbon to the right.
"Next time be more careful," he said his tone even,"I know you were trying to not sneak up on me, but trust my reflexes are better than that. It was reckless to give your position away. You were lucky that this time it was me. Remember we are hunting the Akatsuki." Sakura nodded but bit the inside of her cheek to keep a rebuttal at bay. She knew what he had said was true, but she wasn't some weak, defenseless, unskilled genin any longer. It had been a long time since she'd had to run to anyone for saving or help, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything, they were on an undercover mission and what she had done had drawn attention to herself. Genma released the canteen and she walked away quietly without a response.
Genma watched her figure retreat into the dark. She hadn't cried and she hadn't argued with him. He had heard of her legendary temper and was surprised that some of it hadn't risen to the surface during the scolding. She had just stayed quiet and walked away saying nothing. He was rather stumped. Maybe she was more worried about this than he thought. He turned back to the darkness and continued setting traps. He'd deal with it later.
Sakura had made it back to the camp and was waiting on Kakashi. Genma had been right, but normally she wouldn't have let anyone talk to her like that. She was a shinobi and knew the risks. They were ten hours away. It wasn't as if they were on the doorstep of Amegakure. She normally would have fumed and blew up, but the weight of what she had to do was finally making her shoulders tense.
Reconnaissance with the possibility of engaging the Akatsuki. In addition she had no idea how to be in a relationship. For Kami's sake she had never had one!
She closed her eyes sighing when suddenly Kakashi reappeared startling her. "Hey." Sakura's immediate reaction took over. She had withdrawn a kunai and lunged at Kakashi holding it to his nec, which did her no good because he hand caught her wrist that held the kunai. "Sakura." He said with a slightly detectable concerned thread in his voice. Her eyes softened and she withdrew her kunai from him and stored it back in her weapons pouch. She turned around and retrieved the dropped canteens behind her. "Are you okay?" He asked looking at her curiously.
"Yes Kakashi-sensei, I'm fine," she said standing back up to her full height. Kakashi looked like he wanted to push it further but decided against it. He walked into the darkness and she followed him. He had apparently already found a stream as he didn't communicate with her about finding one. Following him in silence, they reached the stream in a matter of minutes, and Sakura knelt and started filling her and Genma's canteens with water.
Kakashi leaned against a nearby tree, crossing his arms. The moonlight filtered in from the tops of the trees sending shadows over he and Sakura both. He regarded her silently. She had never reacted that way toward him before. Observing her as he was, he could practically see the stress rolling off of her in waves. .
"Sakura," Kakashi said breaking the absolute silence around them. Sakura looked up at him with a curious expression from her crouched position, her hands each held a canteen."What's wrong. And don't tell me nothing. I know you better than that," he queried gently. Sakura sighed as she rose to her feet. She chewed her lower lip in thought and he could see the wheels turning in her head. Her eyes were slightly sad yet focused. He patiently waited on her knowing what she was about to say would be difficult for her.
"This mission is just something I've never had to do before," she responded quietly. Kakashi knew what she meant, but he tried to lighten the mood a bit.
"You've handled the Akatsuki before Sakura. Sasori's death is proof of that; I'm sure you'll be just fine." Sakura looked up from where she had been staring into the stream.
"That's not what I meant Kakashi and you know it," she sighed as she looked skyward. The stars stood out brilliantly against the darkened expanse around them. It was mesmerizing,"I've never been undercover like this before," she said with slight hesitation. "Kakashi I'm not sure I even know how to be in a relationship, much less be married to someone," she said this looking over at him. "The only experience with men that I have was Uchiha Sasuke," she paused, "And all of Konoha saw how well that worked out for me." Kakashi was silent letting her continue like he knew she would,"And it's not like I still have feelings for him or anything. I just don't know how to be-"
"Actually comitted to by someone," Kakashi finished for her. He looked at her knowing all too well.
"Yeah, and even though this is an undercover operation. I don't know well enough to fake it. I'm afraid I'll screw it up. Shiranu- I mean Genma probably has had more than his fair share to know, but me I'm fishing in the dark! And for Kami's sake...I've never even had my first kiss Kakashi." She spat barely above a whisper now. Kakashi raised his visible eyebrow at that.
"Really?" Kakashi said slightly surprised. He thought for a minute before smirking to himself at his next idea. He knew that he was faster than her, but he also knew that she was definitely going to pummel him for his next comment,"Well I could show you how. I am your Sensei afterall." In the moonlight he saw her eyes bulge. And he couldn't help a soft chuckle that escaped him.
"KAKASHI-SENSEI!" She whisper screamed at him. And that's all she could say. She was completely flustered and short circuited or he was she she'd have thrown a fist at him by now. Kakashi chuckled softly but enough that his gut started to hurt. She had her eyes narrowed at him and her fist raised,"I hate you,"she said with venom but her face portrayed otherwise as a small smile spread across her face. "If we weren't in potential Akatsuki area I swear..." He just chuckled more.
"Sakura-chan you're killing me," he said actually moving a hand to his stomach.
"What's so funny," asked a very confused Gai, who at this moment dropped into view, hanging upside down from a branch on the tree Kakashi was leaned against, coming mere centimeters from his hair on the back of Kakashi's neck rose as he jumped back from him, his eyes narrowed.
"I was about to ask the same thing,"came another voice from behind Sakura, who turned around swiftly to see Genma come out of the tree line, his hands forever in his pockets and the senbon shifting around in his mouth. Sakura's eyes widened. He looked really good in the moonlight. It gave his movements a beautiful measure of grace. It made him look godly. She quickly turned away. This didn't go unnoticed by either Genma or Kakashi even though the latter was still glaring at Gai.
"If you ever come that close to my face again, Gai," Kakashi threatened.
"Oh, is my eternal rival so unsure of his masculinity that he has problems with being in close proximity to other males?" Kakashi nearly blanched at the thought as he took several quick steps back. Both Sakura and Genma sweatdropped at the two shinobi in front of them.
"Not even close," the Copy nin said his voice deadly.
"Then why not have us a few challenges in dealing with our masculinity eternal rival, what do you say," he said gracefully swinging down from the tree branch and elbowed Kakashi in his ribs who had his arms crossed over his chest.
"If you had just heard what I had said to Sakura you wouldn't be questioning my masculinity Gai,"Kakashi said evenly. Gai's eyes went wide as did Genma who both turned to a very red and shocked Sakura. Kakashi's demeanor hadn't changed in the slightest.
"Eternal rival, you made suggestive themes to your student!" Gai said incredulously.
"Of course not," Kakashi said evenly, "I was simply talking to her about the characters in Icha Icha Paradise. Especially the one who-" He was cut off when a pink blur knocked the silver haired shinobi out of the normal line of sight. Genman and Gai both looked down to see a twitching Kakashi under the mercy of Sakura's fist.
"Kakashi-sensei," she said threateningly,"I really, really don't want to hear about your female fantasies from Jiraya-sama's latest book. If you don't mind." Kakashi didn't respond due to the fact that his mouth was covered by her gloved hand. All they could hear was muffled talking.
Genma's eyebrow had shot up. She was fast. Much faster than he had predicted she would be. She had gone through the air and pinned Kakashi to the ground before he or Gai had time to react. Impressive. Although, his previous thought process about her temper was reinforced. It was still alive and well. Something she'd have to keep in check under cover. However, he couldn't help but smirk at her and Kakashi. She had gotten to her feet above him and he was now looking up at the pinkette.
"Nice job Sakura," Kakashi said smiling and then he poofed. Sakura looked around. "Up here," a voice like Kakashi's said. They all looked up into the other side of the tree that Gai had dropped from was Kakashi. He was sitting on a branch, his back against the trunk, his legs in front of him, and that little book in front of his face. Sakura sighed. She didn't really think she had hit Kakashi. She just rolled her eyes and walked off back to the camp both canteens in hand. She turned back for a second to throw Genma's at him.
Kakashi watched her go. She stood tall but there was a certain slump in her shoulders that bothered him. She was still worried about her mission. Her part of it. She was nervous. "Gai why don't you go and help Sakura get our food together for tonight," Kakashi drawled easily. The taijutsu master sensing the edge in Kakashi's voice followed Sakura without a word. Kakashi then looked over at Genma out of the corner of his eye, who happened to be looking right back up at him. Genma spoke first.
"She's nervous."
"And inexperienced," Kakashi added,"which doesn't make her feel any better about it." Genma nodded contemplatively.
"I thought as much," he intoned evenly before he finally said what he'd been thinking,"so what are we going to do about it Kakashi. She was assigned the mission. She is the only female. She can't back down from it."
"And she won't," Kakashi said eyeing Genma straight on,"You haven't worked with her much, but once you have spent some time with her there is something about Sakura you will notice." Genma narrowed his eyes slightly telling him to go on,"She's stubborn and she doesn't give up. She won't quit." Genma chuckled.
"She sounds like someone else in your genin team Kakashi." Kakashi turned back to his book.
"Yeah well, maybe with my last team I got lucky. I got loyal, dedicated, driven shinobi to teach and mentor. Don't take her too lightly. If you underestimate her she will prove you wrong. She is a fierce opponent and an even fiercer friend. Once she grows to care for you, Genma, Gai wouldn't be able to keep her from you. You won't be able to make her go away. You can't hurt her too much to where she won't care. However," he said looking at him directly again,"if you were to hurt her, she would be the least of your concern." Genma recognized the threat he had received for what it was.
"I'm just here to do my mission Kakashi, not fall in love. This is a mission. Nothing more." The corner of Kakashi's lips turned up slightly beneath his mask as he turned once more to his book.
"Just a mission," he said turning the page,"I'll remind you of that. Just do me a favor. Be patient with her. She is new to all of this." Genma nodded.
"I know. She still has feelings for the Uchiha." Kakashi froze and put the book away in one of his pouches.
"Actually no," he said crouching on the tree limb,"she's been over him for awhile."
Genma raised an eyebrow in question. "Why do you think she's still single, Genma. Why hasn't she dated anyone since the Uchiha?" It only took a second to deduce the answer.
"She's afraid." Kakashi just smiled his infamous smile.
"See you in camp." And with that he was gone in a puff of smoke.
Genma stood there a minute longer deciphering all of the information given. At the end of it all. This mission's completion relied on one thing as it had all along: patience. Genma would just have to apply it in areas he hadn't expected to. He glanced up at the moon hanging low in the stars. The stars had always been a comfort to him. They reminded him of Konoha, of home. He had more than once when wounded and burdened with wounded teammates had to use them to get home. They cheered him on. His mother, a long time ago, had told him once that if he had ever gotten lost or forgot his way he could always look up at the night sky and follow the stars home. He took a deep breath in closing his eyes and released it opening them back toward camp, toward his wife for the next forseeable future, he had decided he could handle this and he would do his best to help her through it as well.