The night passed quickly as they ran through the trees. Kakashi would occasionally make a sudden deviation from the path they were on, keeping Sakura on her toes. True to his word, he stopped them again a few hours before sunrise in a picturesque little spot near a quiet stream. As Kakashi quickly set up camp, Sakura took a moment to appreciate the place and its peaceful atmosphere.
The stream gurgled softly in the background, the first notes of sweet birdsong beginning to accompany it from the high branches of the canopy. She closed her eyes with a small smile, breathing in deep and appreciating the dry, woodsy scent that wafted around them; a slight hint of citrus lingering just underneath the more pronounced earthiness of the trees. All around them were large tufts of yellowish green grass, so soft that they reminded her of pillows. It felt like a scene straight out of one of those old romance books she'd loved so much in her earlier teenage years.
"We're stopping for about four hours," Kakashi's voice pulled her from the daze Sakura had found herself in. She blinked, turning to find him rolling out the sleeping bags. "I'll take first shift. In two hours, I'll wake you up and we'll switch."
He took his place on a fallen log, reaching into his thigh pouch for his favorite book, pulling it open to where he'd last left off. Sakura didn't need to vocally respond as she sat down, letting her legs stretch out before she laid her head on the back of her pack. She glanced up at him through her lashes, their eyes meeting over the top of the green book and gave him a sleepy smile. Kakashi reached down, letting his fingers rake through the hair at the top of her head.
"Love you, Kashi" Sakura mumbled as her eyes feathered shut, the smile still on her lips as she drifted to sleep. Kakashi kept his hand there on her head, his fingers massaging her scalp lightly while he read a scene he'd already read a hundred times before; this time imagining Sakura and himself in place of the steamy fictional couple.
He woke her up just before six in the morning, though he hesitated to do so. The sun had risen just over an hour into her sleep; splashing her face in a dappled golden glow that stole the breath from his lungs, his heart feeling tingly and sharp in his chest. Her soft lips were parted, each exhale showing itself in a small cloud as the heat of it collided with the cool, early morning air. She had lifted one of her arms up at some point; her hand tucked underneath the band of his uniform, her fingers curled loosely around his ankle. When he slid the hand at the top of her head to her cheek, his index finger gently stroking her jaw he felt his stomach doing flips at the sounds she made.
"What time is it?" Sakura asked, her voice still slurred from her sleep, sitting up and scooting so that she was sitting between his legs, her knees brought to her chest. Kakashi wrapped both arms around her, letting his chin rest on her shoulder.
"Six," he answered her quietly, his grey eye drifting closed. Sakura turned her head, reaching up to gently tug his mask down, her lips ghosting across his in a light kiss.
"Your turn to sleep," she whispered. After a moment longer of holding her, Kakashi's throat rumbled in a sound that resembled a yawn and he stood just long enough to take the two steps to the bedroll. Sakura braced his weight with her arm around him, helping him to lie down on the bedroll. His eye was already closed when his head hit the backpack; and she took his spot on the log, scanning the surroundings sharply. She wasn't like Kakashi; couldn't just casually read a book while he slept. This was the chance she'd waited for, and she wasn't going to blow it by getting distracted now.
The next two hours passed by uneventfully, Sakura's alert eyes never once finding a thing out of place within the trees and foliage that surrounded them. A few forest animals had meandered around, but by and large the time had been spent quietly listening to the forest come to life. It was like a musical composition; the high notes being sung by a choir of songbirds, the melody carried by the wind through the leaves and the babbling stream, the baritones coming from thunder in the east.
Kakashi awoke on his own, his eye cracking open and searching for her smiling green ones. She reached for his hand, letting their fingers intertwine as he sat up. He groaned as he stretched, his fingers tightening around hers as he did so. Sakura watched as he swiped his free hand over his scruffy face, his fingers digging the sleep from the corners of both eyes before he replaced the hitae-ate over the Sharingan.
"We should eat now so we don't have to stop soon," she suggested, pulling the bag up next to her and fishing out a few energy bars. "I think we should save the food pills for the Sky District in case we end up needing them."
Kakashi nodded, accepting one of the bars. The foil wrapper crinkled loudly as he tore it open, devouring half in one bite that he chewed slowly. Sakura ate hers more slowly, letting her head lean against his arm. When he was finished with his, Kakashi grabbed his canteen, taking a sip before he offered it to Sakura, who accepted and took a swig herself.
"I think we'll make it to Ine tonight," he told her as he moved to his feet. "From there is a half-day's journey to Kirigakure."
Sakura nodded, packing the wrappers away in the bag before she stood as well. Kakashi moved so that he was standing directly in front of her, his fingers lifting to tilt her chin up. She closed the distance between them, her mouth covering his in a tender kiss that quickly turned passionate. Her fingers trailed up his arms, her nails leaving goosebumps in their wake where she would scrape them. Kakashi groaned, his eye closing as he took a deep breath. As much as he wanted to have Sakura right then, they were on a mission. That had to take priority.
"Tonight," he murmured against her lips, moving his hands to her shoulders and gently pulling her back from himself. "We need to get moving."
Sakura pouted but didn't argue as she watched him rolling up his bedroll. She did the same, strapping it to her bag before she slid the straps over her arms. He leaped up to the branches above their heads and she followed suit, keeping in line just behind him as they bounded through the forest for the border with the Land of Waves.
As the morning hours passed by in a blur of green and brown, the trees began to thin out the further east they got. Sakura could smell salt on the air as they hopped from the last tree on the edge of the forest, landing on soft, sandy Earth. The air wasn't too hazy yet, but she shivered as a damp breeze picked up, its cool fingers weaving through the tendrils of her pink hair, blowing it around her face.
"The bridge isn't too far from here," Kakashi told her as they began walking, the air becoming thicker with the mist that gave the Land of Waves its famous nickname. As they made their way, Sakura felt her stomach lurch, a feeling colder than the air around them sinking deep into the marrow of her bones. When the beginning of the bridge came into focus, Sakura bit her bottom lip, her feet coming to a stop on their own without her thinking about it. Kakashi stopped as well, turning to face her with a crinkled eye.
"It's okay, Sakura," he spoke smoothly to her, extending his hand.
She hesitated, finally allowing his gloved hand to take her bare one, his fingertips warm against her clammy skin. He could see that her eyes had dilated in her anxiety, her mind bringing her back to that day five years before when Team 7 had faced Momochi Zabuza and his accomplice, Haku. She had been frozen in place then, too; terrified out of her mind by the two men, both capable of ending any one of their lives and nearly succeeding in doing so.
And she'd just stood there.
And then when she had run, it hadn't been to Naruto; barely standing and in shock himself. No, she'd selfishly run straight past him, collapsing at the side of a boy who'd never seen her as anything more than the dirt beneath his feet. She hadn't thanked Kakashi for protecting her; nor really acknowledged the danger their client had willingly put himself into, all to indulge in that silly, childhood infatuation of hers. She could see it all in front of her again; Sasuke covered in blood, Naruto barely conscious on his feet. The horrifying sight of Gato's decapitated head and all those others, eviscerated and lying in chopped bits on the cold concrete. As her eyes closed, she could hear Kakashi' heavy footfalls as he'd carried a dying Zabuza to Haku's side, his final breaths taken as he'd searched for the younger man's face. A gentle snowfall had started then, completing the scene in her mind's eye.
"Sakura," Kakashi spoke more firmly, his hand tightening around hers and bringing her to the present. She blinked back the tears she hadn't realized were forming, her eyes meeting his soft gaze as he pulled her to his chest.
"I didn't-"
"You couldn't," he corrected her in a stern tone, his hand brushing the hair back from her face. "You weren't who you are now; you need to stop holding your past self to higher standards than you were capable of, or you're never going to grow past that version of yourself. You were twelve, Sakura; he was an S-Class criminal in the Bingo Book."
Sakura didn't speak as the tears fell, her arms wrapping around him. He held her as her emotions poured out of her; all the regret, all of her anguish that she'd buried so deep she'd forgotten about the trauma of it all. When she finally stopped shaking and her breathing had regulated, Kakashi tilted her head up so that she was looking at him directly again.
"That little girl would be so proud of what you're accomplishing now, Sakura. You've begun to bloom in ways that will amaze you, if you give yourself the time and patience to allow the process to happen," he told her, letting his hand come to a stop at the nape of her neck. He leaned down, covering her lips in a chaste kiss before he murmured, "I love you, tenshi."
Sakura blushed, letting their foreheads rest against one another for a moment before she returned the sentiment and turned towards the bridge with a shaky breath. "Let's go," she spoke, her words more confident than she felt.
"I'm with you every step," he reminded her as they began to walk, his hand gripping hers.
He didn't rush her, allowing her to take the time she needed as the mist thickened the further onto the structure they got. She stopped a few times; where she remembered seeing Sasuke's motionless body and again when they reached the sight of Zabuza's massacre of the gang. Kakashi had watched as her eyes searched for the blood she remembered staining the light grey of the concrete, but it had long since been cleaned away. Finally, she began walking again and he fell in line next to her as they walked the last half of the bridge more quickly, the mist thinning by the time they reached land again.
It was early afternoon when they stopped again in a stand of trees for lunch. Kakashi split the remainder of the deer meat between the two of them and they shared his canteen as they ate slowly. His eyes glanced over at Sakura as he swallowed a bite, frowning when he noticed that she was shivering again.
"We'll make it by sunset," he spoke, shrugging his flak jacket from his arms and placing it over her shoulders. She nodded, pulling the heavy vest around her frame, tucking her arms inside. His body heat still clinging to the rough material, she let out a sigh of relief as she felt herself warming up a bit, accepting a bite of meat that he held to her mouth for her.
"Are we camping again?" She asked after finishing the bite, her words almost a groan. He shook his head much to her relief, and she closed her eyes as his arm pulled her into his side.
"No, it's going to storm and I don't want us out in the open," he told her, nodding towards the ocean. She followed his nod, her eyes settling on the horizon where dark blue and grey clouds were slowly making their way inland, bringing what would likely be a torrential rain. She moved to her feet, handing him his vest as she grabbed her backpack again.
"Then we should leave now," she murmured, glancing back at the storm clouds. "We can eat while we move."
They traveled faster throughout the later portion of the evening, the hazy blue sky giving way to a cold, bleak grey before darkening with the impending storm. They passed a few smaller hamlets and farms, never stopping to greet the occasional passerby that was heading the opposite direction. By the time the first heavy droplets of water began slowly falling from the sky, they were on the forested edge of the fishing village Kakashi had told her they'd be stopping at for the night.
Ine was a beautiful place wedged tightly between the hilly forest they'd just emerged from and a wide expanse of ocean covered in thick white fog. The leaves had just begun transitioning from their summertime greens to the fall colors of deep reds and bright yellows. As they entered the small community, Sakura found herself enamored by the architecture; all of the buildings made of wood, built on stilts and closely together. The closer they got to the shoreline, she noticed that all the homes directly on the water's edge were built high, with room below them directly on the ocean for their fishing boats and gear. The streets were muddy as they turned to walk towards the main street in town, kids splashing around between adults who were too busy trying to finish their errands before the storm to pay them any mind. Kakashi walked hand in hand with Sakura, a smile beneath his mask as she looked at everything they passed with a youthful fascination he wondered if he'd ever possessed.
After about ten minutes, Kakashi came to a stop in front of a grand building at the ocean's edge, a large fountain spraying high up into the air out of a concrete heron's beak. There were pretty maple trees spaced evenly apart in front of the place, the soft glow from the windows beckoning to them from the cold, damp street. A large sign with the name of the place read Aosagi Ryokan. It was nicer than any place she'd ever stayed at before, and Sakura balked, looking up at Kakashi who shrugged nonchalantly as he dragged her along towards the entrance.
"I thought this would be a nice reward for perfecting the Cherry Blossom Impact," he told her, giving her hand a proud squeeze as he held the door open for her. Sakura was speechless as she stepped inside, immediately feeling out of place in her muddy boots and drenched qipao.
The ceilings were high, supported by wide, gleaming cedar beams. Their feet echoed on blue marble tile as Kakashi approached the reception desk, where an old man sat reading a newspaper. Sakura stayed quiet and glanced around at the periwinkle polished stone walls as Kakashi spoke softly with the clerk who listened without speaking before nodding, accepting the payment that the silver-haired man offered him.
"You'll go out that door and walk straight down the engawa to the last door on the right," the man spoke, his eyebrow arching up as he looked Sakura up and down, a slight shake of his head when he glanced back to Kakashi as he placed the money into his till, pointing to the hall that branched left. "Your meal will begin at eight and will be served in your room. Enjoy your stay."
"Our meal?" Sakura asked him after he'd thanked the man and had led her out to the engawa, her fingers lacing with his as they made their way to where the man had directed them to go. The corners of his lips lifted in a smile underneath his mask.
"I told you, this is a reward," he answered her question, coming to a stop in front of their door. He used the key the clerk had given him, pushing the door open and allowing Sakura to step inside first before he shut the door with the sole of his foot. Kakashi leaned against the wall, his eyes watching Sakura take in the room, both of them slipping their shoes off at the door before she walked further inside.
The door opened into a long, narrow room that contained a low-set dining table with two dark blue cushions on either end of it and a vase containing a pink orchid sitting in the center. Ornate panels decorated the walls with a delicate pattern displaying ocean waves. The wall along the back had two sliding shoji doors that revealed a spacious bedroom with a large tatami that sat on a frame that hovered only inches above the gleaming oak flooring.
The bank of windows on the opposite wall also contained a sliding door that led to a private onsen, surrounded by glass and covered by a rough cedar ceiling, its scent enhanced by the steam coming off the large hot spring that sat in the center. There were planters here and there overflowing with large ferns and pretty flowers that she'd never seen before.
"Oh," she gasped as she looked around at everything before turning to look over at him, her eyes wide. "Kakashi, this is too much," she told him, walking so that she was standing in front of him. He took her face in his hands, his mask already down so that he could kiss her. When he broke away, he leaned his forehead against hers and let his arm drape around her waist, his other hand still on her cheek.
"It's not," he told her quietly, his thumb tracing the delicate line of her jaw. "I've been wanting to do something like this with you since the lagoon. This mission just happened to provide a perfect opportunity to do it."
Sakura was overwhelmed, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. She had no idea he'd thought about things so romantic as this. He smiled when he saw her thinking about the implication of his words.
"I love you so much, Kakashi," she managed to say, her lips finding his in another tender kiss. He returned the kiss, smiling into it before he pulled away a moment later, giving her hip a gentle squeeze.
"I love you, too, tenshi," he spoke before continuing, "Why don't you wash up? We've got a few hours before dinner, and I need to go take care of something."
She nodded and Kakashi kissed her again, telling her that he'd be back shortly before he put his sandals back on and exited the room, his hand double-checking the handle to ensure it was secure out of habit. He made his way back down the engawa, nodding curtly at the old man who raised his head as Kakashi exited the establishment and turned left, making way for Ine's shopping district.
The walk didn't take long at all. Within ten minutes, he was walking along a covered boardwalk, the sky above swirling angrily as the wind picked up. The storm was sure to be upon the small village soon, and he was hoping to have the errand he'd set out to accomplish done before it started. A loud clap of thunder sounded and Kakashi picked up his pace.
He passed by a pharmacy, a bookstore, and a small convenience store before turning the corner, looking around and frowning when he didn't see what he was looking for. He walked straight, taking note of a bar and cafe combination that sat next to a fish market that sat on the ocean's edge. With a small huff, he pushed his hands into his pockets and turned around, heading down the other side of the street, stopping halfway down when he realized that none of these shops were what he was looking for, either.
"You're not from around here."
A voice spoke from behind him, the words lilted with an accent that sounded vaguely familiar to Kakashi as he turned around. He found himself face to face with a tall, lithe woman sporting long black hair and a pair of bright brown eyes. She wore a simple kimono, its champagne color accentuating her hair and eyes nicely.
"What gave it away?" He asked with a crinkled eye, his shoulders slouching as he glanced down at her. "I was hoping to find a clothing shop."
"Oh?" The woman asked, cocking her eyebrow. She lifted a hand, her teal manicured fingertips grazing the front of his flak jacket boldly. "You look fine to me, shinobi of the Leaf."
Kakashi knew it was a sly attempt at getting his name, and he ignored it with a lighthearted chuckle, his eye studying her more closely now that it was open. He was quite positive he'd never seen this woman before, but her voice was bothering him. He could have sworn he'd heard it somewhere at some point.
"I'm not shopping for myself," he told her, noticing as she turned her face that the complexion of her face was much paler than that of the rest of her skin. She didn't strike him as the sort of woman who would mistake her foundation color. Tucking that piece of information in his head, he continued as he glanced down the street. "I'm looking for a coat for my girlfriend."
The woman's face didn't give away her reaction to his words as she replied smoothly, "Lucky girl," before glancing his body up and down in a way that made him feel more like a slab of meat than the elite shinobi that he was. The woman continued, "Walk with me; there's a shop around the corner that I'm sure will have something she'll love."
Kakashi followed, still trying to figure out where he'd heard her voice before. True to her word, the shop was just around the corner; a small, narrow storefront with blue siding and a welcoming red door. A bell signaled their arrival and Kakashi glanced around the store as a clerk behind the counter called to let her know if they needed any help.
"I saw some beautiful pieces over here the other day," the woman was speaking as her fingers curled around his wrist. She pulled him along behind her, stopping at the back wall. She released him, her eyes on the coats displayed in front of them. "Tell me; what color is her hair?"
"Pink," Kakashi answered automatically, regretting it the instant he did. The woman's eyes met his and she nodded, holding out a red coat that had a flared waist and a black belt. It was a nice enough coat, he supposed, but he couldn't picture it on Sakura. With a shake of his head, the woman placed it back on the wall before picking up a blue one that made him snort as it brought to mind cotton candy.
"She likes green," he murmured, more to himself than to the stranger who was taking time out of her day to help him shop. The woman nodded, scanning the wall before she pointed above her head to a coat that was just out of her reach.
"What about that one?" She asked him. "It even has pretty cherry blossoms embroidered into it. I bet it would set off the pink in her hair."
Kakashi studied the coat. It was longer than the others, and a similar shade of olive green that his flak jacket was. The bottom of the coat was covered in beautifully stitched pink and white blossoms, a trail of petals trailing up the front of the garment to the shoulder, as though a strong burst of wind had blown them. It was made of felt - nice and warm, he thought to himself. He found himself nodding, reaching up to grab the coat off the wall with ease.
"I think this is the one for her," he told the woman with a smiling eye. "I'm sure she'll be thankful that I had help from a woman with such a keen eye."
"Perhaps one day I'll visit Konoha and we'll meet again," the woman spoke in parting, nodding her head politely before she pointed towards a display table along the other wall and added, "Maybe she'd like a nice scarf to go with her new coat?"
The woman disappeared and the bell sounded again, leaving Kakashi alone in the shop with the clerk, who didn't look up at the woman's departure. He glanced over at the table she'd been pointing at, not seeing anything that he thought Sakura would wear. He wandered the aisles for a little while longer, adding more pieces to the coat draped over his arm. In the corner of the store, he even found a small section with some casual men's clothes and he picked out a couple of shirts and some pants that would help him blend in with civilians more easily before he made his way to the register.
When he got back to their room, Sakura had changed into one of the simple, light blue yukata that had been provided for both of them to wear during their stay. She was lounging on the bed, her hair damp and hanging around her shoulders as she read a book. Her green eyes glanced up at him as the door shut behind him.
"You went shopping without me?" She pouted, placing the book down and leaning up on her knees as he placed the array of bags down at the foot of the bed.
"Yes, well," he gave her a crinkled eye, smiling as he tugged the mask down. "I knew it would take longer, and you needed to warm up anyway. I got you something, though. Close your eyes."
Sakura gave him a confused look, but did as he asked and placed her hands in her lap while Kakashi rummaged around in one of the bags, pulling the coat he'd gotten for her out and holding it up before he told her to open her eyes.
Her eyes widened when she saw the coat, a grin immediately breaking out across her face as she reached for it. "Kakashi, it's..." she trailed off, turning it around to find that the petals blowing across the front continued down the coat's back. He noticed then that it had a hood he hadn't seen before, lined with soft cream-colored fur. "It's beautiful," she finally found her words, glancing up at him. "I thought the room and dinner was my reward."
"You were cold all day, and it's only going to get colder the farther north we get. Especially out on the water," he logically defended his purchase, though a smile twinkled in his grey eye. While he had initially been thinking purely of the weather, he'd known the second he'd seen those embroidered cherry blossoms that she deserved something more than just a basic coat to keep her warm. This was the first gift he'd ever gotten her, and he'd wanted it to be nice.
She glanced down at the other bags, her eyebrow arched as she lifted her head. "So what's all that, then?"
He chuckled, motioning for her to find out for herself. She picked up one of the bags, finding two sweaters inside; one white and the other black as well as a pair of pajamas. Another bag contained a some flannel leggings and a pair of long pants to go with the white top he'd gotten her.
"Why did we need all these clothes, Kakashi?" She asked him, looking in the third bag and finding the shirts and pants he'd gotten for himself. He shrugged, tugging his uniform top off and sliding his pants down his legs before he began walking towards the bathroom.
"We should blend in with civilians while we're here. Someone already noticed me as being from the Leaf," he explained, reaching into the shower and turning the water on. He stepped inside once it was warm enough and Sakura bit her bottom lip as she watched his lean arms go above his head. The tight muscles carved into his chest and abdomen flexed as he soaked his hair before reaching for the shampoo.
The water poured over him and Sakura's eyes dilated as he turned around, his back facing her as he massaged his scalp. A trail of suds fell from his hand, landing on the top of his tight bicep and Sakura licked over her bottom lip as she watched it glide down the contour of his muscle. Her eyes trailed over to the top of his spine, moving down his back as slowly as the spray of the water. His trapezius muscles pulled tight around his scalpula bone and showcasing the sheer physical strength of him. As his back twisted, the skin dipped along his spine and water collected in the dimples of his lower back before cascading down his round, tight ass and spilled to the tile below.
He turned around, facing Sakura with a smirk as he caught her trailing her hand up her thigh, bottom lip trapped tightly between her teeth. His mouth moved with words she couldn't hear over the spray of the water. He was reaching for the shower gel next and her breath caught in her throat as he made eye contact again, drizzling it slowly over the front of himself with that devilish grin of his that set alight a flicker of desire in her loins.
His hands moved slowly starting at his shoulders and arms before he smoothed them down his chest, eyes still focused on Sakura. She swallowed hard as his fingers spider-crawled down his rippled stomach, down the sides of the V pointing down to his semi-hard cock. Unable to take the teasing anymore, she moved to her feet and was nearly in the bathroom when knocking at the door stopped her in her tracks.
Kakashi's laugh echoed in the bathroom as she scowled, telling him to hurry up before she pulled the shoji doors to the bedroom closed. Just as the knock was sounding on the room's door, she pulled it open and came face to face with a man in a chef's jacket that stood next to a cart with two trays on it.
"Are you ready for your meal to begin?" The chef asked, a kind look on his face. Sakura nodded, stepping aside and allowing him to wheel the cart in. He stopped at the table, setting it for two with beautiful black dishes rimmed in gold. Kakashi stepped out of the bathroom donning the same yukata she wore, a simple face mask covering his lower face. As they sat, the chef pulled the lids from the trays on his cart and lifted two plates simultaneously, setting Sakura's down first before placing Kakashi's in front of him.
"For the zensai course, I have prepared for you a simple dish of simmered snow crab and toro sushi, paired with a seasonal chestnut salad. Your next course will be served in half an hour; enjoy," the chef spoke softly as Sakura glanced down at the beautifully plated appetizer sitting in front of her. He placed a small bowl of olive oil in the center of the table along with a decanter of sake before making a graceful exit, leaving the two of them alone to enjoy the food prepared for them.
"This is amazing, Kakashi," Sakura murmured over the food as she grabbed the chopsticks next to her plate. "I don't think I've ever seen such beautiful food before."
The crab was a beautiful bright color, set off by a bed of leafy greens. To its side sat the intricately rolled toro sushi, a single roll that as she took a bite made her eyes roll to the back of her head, a satisfied moan sounding around her bite. It was the best sushi she'd ever tasted and Kakashi couldn't help but be fascinated by the way she enjoyed her food so visibly. She savored the bite, letting the tuna melt on her mouth and glide down her throat before she finally swallowed, opening her eyes and meeting his with a blush when she realized she'd been caught.
"I can't decide which I like more; eating this delicious food, or watching you enjoy it," Kakashi mused as he swallowed his own first bite with a smile, his eye dancing in the dim lighting that came from a chandelier hanging above them. Her blush deepened, and she took another bite; this time of the crab.
They made small talk over the rest of the first course from there. Sakura thanked him once again for the coat, mentioning that it was the first time she'd ever actually liked a gift that was linked to her name. Kakashi told her about the woman who'd noticed him in the market district and how her voice had seemed so familiar to him.
"Maybe you knew her in a past life," Sakura teased him lightly, sliding her empty plate up on the table as Kakashi reached for the sake, pouring some into his glass before offering her some that she accepted.
"I would certainly remember that face," he grinned, watching the flash of jealousy in her green eyes as they narrowed across the table from him. "Green definitely is your color, alright," he added with a small chuckle.
The next several hours were passed in much the same way. Every half hour or so, the chef would return with their next course, culminating in an intricate baked dessert garnished with a decadent chocolate drizzle and edible flower petals. They spent the time talking about a variety of topics; everything from the early days of their team, to what Kakashi's dreams for the farmhouse entailed. By the time they'd finished the last course, it was nearing eleven o'clock.
"It would be a shame not to put that onsen to use before we leave in the morning," Sakura murmured to him, letting her hand grab his as she made her way towards the sliding glass door. He allowed her to lead him, his eyes watching as the yukata slid down her shoulders and pooled at her feet, leaving her completely exposed to him. Occasional flashes of lightning from the storm raging outside lit up her silhouette and he groaned as she stepped into the steaming water, her eyes meeting his.
He didn't say a word as he followed her, a sigh of relief passing his lips as he slid underneath the water, taking his place next to her. Unsatisfied, Sakura pushed herself off the stone bench, moving in front of him so that she was straddling him. Her hand moved in between them, her fingers wrapping around his length. He gripped the back of her head; bringing her close and crashing his lips against hers, his tongue pushing past her lips and quickly dominating her mouth. Her grip tightened around him and he moved his hands to her ass, lifting her up.
She wasted no time in guiding his cock to her slit, the hungry walls of her pussy clenching tightly around him as he took it from there and thrust up, filling her in one fluid motion. His jaw tightened, head falling against her shoulder while she tangled her hands in his hair, stifling her moans as he moved hard and deep.
"K-Kashi," she stammered his name, her mouth falling agape when she felt his thumb at her back entrance. His lips pressed against her slick, salty skin in an open-mouthed kiss, his hands pulling her down on him with every thrust so that he was as deep inside of her as he could possibly get.
"Relax," he breathed against her, his thumb rubbing gentle circles against her puckered hole. She whimpered, willing her body to do as he'd commanded. When he deemed her ready, he slid his middle finger in slowly, leaning his head back so that he could watch her face. "Look at me, Sakura," he crooned gently, pulling his finger out before he repeated his motion. She did, her eyes half-lidded as she shimmied down against his hand, earning a smile from him.
"It feels good," she told him, her words ending in a drawn-out moan when his finger bottomed out and he stopped all movement. She closed her eyes, letting her head roll forward against his chest, one hand abandoning his hair and moving to cup the front of her abdomen, where she felt him buried inside. She felt so completely full; wrapped up completely in Kakashi and what he was making her feel.
"Fuck yourself on my cock," his tone was deep and rich, like molten chocolate as it met her ears, sending a delicious tingle down her spine. Her body obeyed on its own, her mind already blanking out from the double pleasure his cock and his finger were providing. She moved slowly at first, her knees wobbly as she found her rhythm. "Good girl," he praised, his mouth rewarding her with a bruising kiss left just above her breast. "You're so damn tight, tenshi. Fuck," he hissed out through clenched teeth.
His words; both the commands and the praise, pushed Sakura closer to the edge, her fingers tightening in his hair as he brought her down harder on his cock to meet his hips with each thrust. When she felt the finger in her ass curl, she cried his name out; vision blurring white, her legs and thighs quivering.
"Cum for me," he whispered into her skin, his teeth grazing up and over her throat where he nipped down and marked her again, adding with a growl, "Cum all over me, Sakura."
His words were enough to send her careening over the edge of her orgasm, and she felt her spine stiffen as it ripped through her. Her body clamped tight around both his cock and his finger. She clung to him, her nails digging into his scalp as she thrust her chest forward against him. Her toes curled and her hips bucked hard as she came, his movements never stopping as he fucked her through it.
"Fuck, Sakura," he groaned, his eye closing as he felt the hot ball of tension beginning to steadily build in the pit of his belly. His movements became sloppy, his hand sliding from her hip up her back, tangling in the ends of her hair and tugging her head back so that her throat was exposed to him. He lapped at the hollow dip of her neck, a growl rumbling against her skin as he felt the first of his release shoot out inside of her. His teeth latched on to her in a possessive bite as the second rope of cum came, this one landing on her stomach underneath the water as he managed to pull out from both of her holes.
He held her there in the water as they both basked in the golden moments that come only after intimacy, her body trembling in spite of the steam rising up around them. His arms supported her easily as he rested against the stone back of the pool. After a few more minutes, Kakashi stood, gathering Sakura into his arms before he carried her into the room and to the bathroom, where she sat on the counter while he gently toweled her dry.
"You take such good care of me, Kashi," she murmured against his neck as he picked her up again once they were both dry. He smiled as he scooped her up again, carrying her to the bed.
"Only as good as you deserve," he answered quietly, pulling the blanket back and lying her down on the mattress. He walked around the bed and climbed in next to her. Sakura scooted closer to him, her head resting on top of his chest as his arm looped around her shoulders. She closed her eyes; his heart beat steady against her ear as she drifted off to sleep, her soft breathing lulling him into his own slumber.
-x-
The storm had broken by the time Sakura and Kakashi woke up the next morning just after seven, giving way to a rare clear blue sky. He was first to get up, the bright sunlight flooding into the room being the culprit that had stirred him from sleep. He took a few minutes to admire the woman curled up in his arms before he leaned down and kissed her slowly until her eyes began to flutter open, a sleepy smile on her face.
"I could wake up like that every day for the rest of my life and never get tired of it," she mumbled up to him, reaching to kiss him again. Kakashi obliged, bringing his hand to the side of her face. She leaned in to his touch and continued, "What time do you think we'll get to Kiri today?"
He hummed for a moment as he thought about it before answering, "Mid afternoon. I don't believe we'll find passage on a ship tonight, so we'll likely get another room."
He kissed her one more time before climbing out of the bed. Sakura's eyes followed his nude body as he lazily walked to the end of the bed; leaning down to grab one of his new shirts and pants, giving her a great view of his ass in the process. She bit down on her bottom lip, her face blazing red at the memory of his finger and where it had been the night before.
"Enjoying the view, hmm?" He teased, a tilted smile on his face. She managed a nod, releasing her bottom lip as she stood up, catching the black sweater he tossed her along with the fleece leggings. She headed for the bathroom, grabbing the bra and panties that she'd discarded before her shower the night before. She dressed quickly, walking back into the room to find the brush she kept in her bag.
She could feel Kakashi watching her as she brushed her hair out and then twisted a loose braid. He walked over to her; mask already in place, hiding his smile as he reached behind her, pulling the elastic from the end of the braid.
"Leave it down today," he murmured against her ear, his fingers combing her silky tendrils loose. "It looks so striking against the black."
Sakura blushed a light pink before she reached up, tugging the mask down so that she could kiss him again. He returned it and then pulled away a moment later, leaning down to pack the rest of his clothes into his bag. Sakura took a minute to do the same, pulling the coat on before she slipped her hand into his.
"All set?" He asked her, his eye crinkled. She nodded, reaching up with her free hand to stroke the left side of his forehead. Because he'd wanted them to blend in from this point, they'd foregone wearing the forehead protectors. She wasn't used to seeing him without the hitae-ate, even though she'd grown accustomed to seeing him maskless. He gave her a quirky smile, leading her out of the room.
"Do you think we have time to stop for breakfast?" She asked him, glancing up as they stepped into the engawa. "Since you don't think we'll catch a ship today, I mean," she added quickly, biting her bottom lip. She knew he didn't like making a lot of stops while on a mission, preferring to just get it over with.
He thought about it for a moment and then shrugged as he nodded. "I don't see the harm in that," he answered her. He stopped walking, opening the glass door leading to the lobby. The same old man who'd been there the evening before was back and acknowledged Kakashi's bid farewell with a nod of his head. The front doors were automatic, sliding open as they entered the street; muddy with little pools of rainwater that some local kids were making a game of jumping in, earning the scolding tones from the adult passersby getting splashed by them. Sakura giggled, letting Kakashi lead her towards the cafe he'd seen the evening before.
"We'll take a series of ferries through the smaller islands and then walk from the pier on the big island to Kiri," he told her as they walked hand in hand, the heels of their sandals clicking as they stepped onto the covered boardwalk.
"I hope this nice weather lasts," she replied, tilting her head back to enjoy a moment of warm sunshine on her face. Kakashi nodded, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. They reached the end of the boardwalk and he turned the corner, pulling her across the street. The cafe was within sight now and he smiled when he saw the look of approval on her face.
Kakashi held the door open, allowing Sakura to enter first, walking in behind her. The place wasn't too busy, he realized as the host guided them to a booth situated in the middle of the dining room. She told them their waitress would be with them shortly as they took their seats across from one another.
She was in the middle of reading the menu when she cursed lightly under her breath, drawing Kakashi's gaze from over the top of his own menu.
"What's wrong?" He asked her with an arched eyebrow. "Surely there's something on the menu you'll like."
"It's not that," she groaned, the laminated spine of the menu clicking on the table as she sat it down. "I forgot my book on the nightstand back at the ryokan."
Kakashi chuckled, closing his and setting it down with hers. "Why don't you order for us, and I'll go back and grab it?"
"You don't have to. I'm the one who forgot it," she told him, already sliding towards the edge of the seat. He reached for her hand, giving her a masked smile as he stood up.
"I don't mind. Will you order me the shiozake and a bowl of okayu, please? I'll be back in a flash," he answered her, leaning down to press his masked lips to her forehead before he headed for the door.
He walked quickly, his hands stuffed in his pockets as he crossed the street at the corner. He'd just reached the boardwalk when he saw the mysterious woman from the day before. He dipped inside the nearest shop quickly when she turned her head and waited for a moment before he stepped back outside, finding that she'd walked ahead another half block.
He stayed well behind her, keeping a sharp eye on her. Today, she wasn't wearing a feminine kimono, but rather a simple ensemble consisting of a sleek black sweater dress cut in a sharp angle at the hip paired with black leggings - and, he noticed critically, a pair of ninja sandals. He then noticed that her hair was a different color today as well, a light shade of auburn that shined copper red under the sun. Kakashi's eyebrow cocked.
So she wasn't just some flirty civilian.
He stopped at the corner of the street across from Aosagi, watching with a narrowed eye as she slipped past the automatic doors. He slipped into the business he was standing outside of, a convenience store, and kept an eye on the ryokan as he pretended to browse a shelf in front of the west window that overlooked Aosagi's front entrance.
About fifteen minutes later, he watched as she exited and moved to the corner of the shop when she hastily walked past the convenience store, heading up the same street that had led himself and Sakura into Ine. He waited until he saw he disappear over the top of a hill before he exited the store and quickly made way for the ryokan.
The old man at the front desk lifted his head as Kakashi approached the front desk, a heavy sigh falling from his lips as he sat the newspaper in his hands down, muttering something under his breath about how the owner ought to ban shinobi from renting before he spoke directly to Kakashi in a much more pleasant tone.
"How may I help you, sir?"
"That woman who was just in here," Kakashi spoke, his words rushed. "Was she here as a guest?"
The man scowled, unable to hide his annoyance now as he answered in a clipped tone, "Doesn't guest privacy mean anything to you shinobi? I suppose you'll strong arm me into answering you just like that vile woman? This is it, this is my-"
"What do you mean, strong arm you? What did she want?" Kakashi cut the man off.
The older man pulled the collar of his shirt down to reveal an angry red hand print on his throat, his eyes narrowing at Kakashi as he spat, "She demanded to see your room, matter of fact. I don't know what she was after."
Kakashi frowned underneath his mask, already turning for the exit. He still couldn't place the woman or recall just where it was he'd heard her accent, but he was certain now that she knew exactly who he was. That thought sent a chill down his spine as he sped towards the cafe, not wanting to leave Sakura there alone.
Their food was sitting on the table when he slid into the booth across from her. Sakura's eyes immediately sharpened, a small frown pulling at her lips when she saw the troubled look on his face. "What's wrong?" She asked him.
"That woman," he started, his gaze lifting to meet hers. "She's a kunoichi. She searched our room after we checked out this morning."
Sakura's eyes widened. "Which village?"
"I don't know," he answered, clenching his hand into a fist. The delicious scent of his salted salmon wafted up, but Kakashi didn't reach for his chopsticks. He'd suddenly lost his appetite. Sakura slid her own half-consumed meal away and flagged the waitress down, letting her know that they were ready for their bill.
Kakashi left the money on the table when the girl brought it for them a few minutes later and he led the way as they exited the cafe and began heading for the dock to catch their first ferry of the day's journey. Neither of them spoke as they walked quickly, Kakashi thinking about just who the woman was and what she was doing snooping around while Sakura wondered what awaited them in the Sky District.