Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
Chapter 9: You are my Future-Part 2
She asked for him on every mission—and he asked for her. Until, Tsunade-sama got the idea and started pairing them together without asking.
When they weren't a pair—
They were a team.
Sasuke was locked up for a short while, then put on house arrest. But the rest of them—'Team Kakashi'— were together.
For weeks, Sakura and her 'boys' took several high profile missions—mostly diplomatic due to Naruto's new popularity.
But hidden away underneath the smiles, and the handshakes, and the signing of a peace accords—
Among the shadows and the slums, Hound and Seal scoured the underbelly of the shinobi world. Cleaning up messes. So, Naruto could live in the light of the world he created.
She started using the tanto he gave to her for her jonin promotion. She stopped using her henge—everyone knew who she was anyway.
Her reputation grew. Her bounty went up.
If someone saw pink or silver hair—it meant flee on sight.
The sweet faced Doctor from Konoha, was someone to be feared when she wore a mask. Like putting on her white doctor's coat, it was a different kind of uniform. It meant a different kind of business.
The dichotomy of her life—one who saved lives, or one who took them—was something everyone had tucked in the back of their minds, and wondered which scale tipped heavier.
Kakashi would be lying if he said he didn't love every second of it.
He had a new eye. A new partner. A new life.
For those few months—it was just him and her.
Until...it all ended—
Until, Tsunade decided to retire.
They wanted to give him the hat. They wanted to stick his face on the mountain. He had never considered abandoning his village quite so literally before.
In the end, it wasn't Tsunade who convinced him.
"You know…" Sakura was picking at her nails nervously as they sat in a training field after a particularly heated kenjutsu session. Her tanto was out, laying out along with the kit he gave her to oil the blade.
"Maybe spending a little more time in the village won't be so bad. Sasuke-kun and I are finally dating—but he's still under house arrest. And the hospital's construction is almost complete, and my new project will begin—"
"Then, you become Hokage," he said with a bored tone, but underneath was a defiant sneer.
She shuddered. "Ha. No. Absolutely not. I already have several projects and research going on. I don't need the entire village depending on me too."
"And you think I want to?"
Her lips thinned out into a flat line.
"No," she said softly. "Of course not. But Naruto's not ready—and no one else comes close to you."
He scoffed under his breath. "Give me my tanto back. This is a blatant bribe."
She laughed and pulled the blade out his reach.
"No, it's mine now. It's my signature, and everyone knows it." She grinned unabashedly. "It might as well have my name on it now."
He let out a low laugh, but his irritation soaked into the edges of it. Clouds passed lazily above them. A breeze rustled the trees around them. Kakashi heard her shift and then felt her hand move to rest on his forearm.
"What I'm saying, Kakashi—is that you won't have to do it alone."
He ignored her pointed stare.
"I'll be busy in the village. You know I wanted to add new programs and start a new clinic. I'll spend more time here. We're still partners." He saw her smile from the corner of his eye. "Just instead of fighting rogues, and deserters, and war criminals—we'll fight the council. The clans. And paperwork."
He sighed. It sounded defeated. "And budgets."
She laughed brightly; the sound rang out in the open field.
"I promise I'll be a good advisor."
Fuck. He was going to do this wasn't he. Kakashi ran a hand through his hair.
"That's cheating. You only want to be an advisor to fast-track all your projects."
She laughed again, her eyes gleaming. "That too."
The next week, he took the fucking hat. Sakura stood by his side.
***へのへのもへじ***
While being Hokage meant fewer missions (i.e. none) for him, Sakura still went out and about on missions in between her medical and advisor work. Some as ANBU, but mostly with 'Team Kakashi' (minus Kakashi, of course).
And somehow—
He was still roped into 'Team Kakashi' (plus Sasuke, apparently) meetings.
And due to the looming house arrest, the location of the meetings (i.e. parties) were rerouted to a certain Uchiha's house.
Sasuke had taken the home of some great-aunt-once-removed that sat on the very edge of the Uchiha compound. Almost three quarters of the compound was leveled during Pein's attack, and was therefore 'acquired' (i.e. stolen) by the village of Konoha. The small corner of it that still existed was left to the sole heir of the Uchiha.
It was a large home with a huge courtyard and probably once felt like a sign of wealth and prosperity. Now, it was barren and dingy in some places. Mold and rot spotted some of the lesser used rooms. Overgrown weeds, and loose shingles littered the outdoors.
Still—it didn't have any distinct memories of death for the young Uchiha.
One could even call it a home.
(Not that Sasuke would ever admit to that.)
And tonight, like many previous nights for the last few months for 'Team Kakashi', it was a place where they ate and drank happily.
Sasuke and Naruto were arguing over a u-shaped block with a metal grate on it that became an impromptu grill. Yakiniku was sizzling over the heated coals, as the smell of meat and grilled vegetables filled the courtyard.
Yamato was speaking with him about suspicions he had of Orochimaru. Sai and Sakura were sitting on the veranda drinking sake or beer.
They were already drunk by the sight of them. Her cheeks were already pink, her voice already too loud.
He didn't think much of it. Not until Kakashi noticed—
Sai.
The man had placed his drink down on the veranda and was very slowly inching his face towards Sakura's.
Kakashi stared at the sight like he was watching an oncoming disaster.
Sakura blinked at Sai, the haze of alcohol slightly blurring her stare, as she tilted her head a little to look at Sai in confusion.
"...what are you doing, Sai?" The kunoichi had the good sense to ask. "Are you drunk?"
Sai gave his closed-lip and closed-eye smile, but with his red cheeks it almost made his face look like a Noh mask.
"I am attempting to kiss you. That seems to be the normal outcome for our team."
Sasuke's head whipped around to glare at the man who just admitted to trying to kiss his girlfriend right in front of him. Sakura held up a hand of warning towards Sasuke, but addressed Sai.
"...I see. And why do you think this?" She asked patiently, but Kakashi knew irritation was woven in.
"Because all of the younger counterparts on this team have kissed each other." Sai brought his knuckles to his mouth in thought. "Is it not tradition? I'd like to be included."
"What the fuck, you idiot?" Sasuke raged.
Kakashi leaned back trying not to laugh. Sakura—still tipsy and pink cheeked—stared off in the distance with her face scrunched in deep thought. It took her a few seconds (alcohol does slow the brain, it seems) before her face paled as she burst out a disbelieving laugh.
"Oh gods, he's right !"She laughed, eyes shining. "We're a ménage à trois. A kissing trio."
"I am." Sai slurred.
"He is?" Naruto asked.
"I've kissed you, right?" Sakura pointed at Naruto. "And you've kissed him—"
Naruto and Sasuke blanched.
"—it was one time!"
"—an accident! How that fuck did he know that—"
"And I've certainly kissed Sasuke." She winked at the Uchiha.
Kakashi was thoroughly amused, but he looked away. Some things he wanted to pretend never happened behind closed doors.
Sai cleared his throat and opened his arms up wide like he was welcoming all three for a hug. He stepped forward, but his drunken demeanor made it more of a stumble.
"I'm part of this team too." The pale shinobi said seriously, despite his pink cheeks. "I want in."
Naruto almost dropped a piece of meat from the grill. Sasuke took two steps back. Sakura laughed—loud and jolly. Yamato snickered beside Kakashi.
"The real question is…" Sakura took a deep breath in between her laughs. "Why stop at adding one more? Why not have all six of us—?" Her smile grew wide like a cat. "—and let's be honest, why hasn't anyone tried kissing Kakashi yet?"
She winked at him. Kakashi blinked.
...Was she being flirtatious?
"A sextet? A sixsome?" He asked smoothly, despite the terror tickling his spine.
"A ménage à six. Also known as 'Sakura's Harem'."
Sasuke scoffed with his arms crossed looking put out. Kakashi just chuckled.
But Sakura smiled at him—flushed cheeks, hazy eyes, and a toothy grin—
"What do you say, 'sensei'? Wanna join our club?" Her smiles turned salacious. "Just for me? "
His pulse jumped. His cock stirred.
Ah—fuck.
He liked her.
***へのへのもへじ***
"He asked me to marry him," she said softly into the empty Hokage's office.
Kakashi blinked down at his paperwork.
"Congratulations." he said automatically to a budget proposal he couldn't remember reading.
"Thank you." Sakura smiled.
"It's what you've always wanted…"
"Yes."
"...and you'll be happy?"
"Yes. I think so."
"Then, that's all that matters."
***へのへのもへじ***
"Okay, so here's the deal." Ino cleared her throat to alert the room. "Everyone knows Sakura and I have been working nonstop to open this mental health clinic. It focuses on three things: One—therapy for all civilian victims of war, particularly our village's children. Two—Mission therapy for active, and non-active shinobi. And three—don't touch anything Naruto, sit down! "
Naruto grinned sheepishly and put the paper weight back down on her desk. "Sorry—"
Ino huffed. "And Team building therapy for all active duty teams—"
"But we need a baseline for the team assessment—" Sakura injected.
"Right," Ino flashed her a warning look for interrupting. "And let's be honest—what team is more fucked up than yours?"
The six of them stayed quiet at that.
Kakashi cleared his throat after a second. "And why am I here?"
"Well, Hokage-sama—"
"Kakashi. Please."
Ino raised a blonde brow. "Hokage-sama, you were—and Sakura insists, still are—a part of this team. Therefore, your input is required."
Kakashi glared at Sakura. She fluttered her lashes and blinked at him in an utter picture of innocence. Damn, her.
"Alright! Today will be easy. We'll start off with some group exercises. Think of them like games—"
Ino pulled out a clip board.
"Let's start with word association. We'll go around to each member, and I'd like you all to say one word that sums that person up as a whole. A description of their entire character. And then another word—how you feel about them right now, in this very moment."
Naruto groaned loudly. Sakura looked like she was regretting agreeing to this. Sasuke's staring was growing narrower by the second. Sai looked intrigued. Yamato was blank faced.
Kakashi was—tired. So, fucking tired.
Ino grinned—a maniacal, torturous grin that was full of sadistic delight.
(Who signed off on her being a therapist?)
"Ok, let's start with Naruto as our subject. How about you start, Yamato? What is one word you would describe Naruto as, and one for how you feel about him."
They went around the room. Ino took notes.
Naruto was given a lot of gutsy, brave, or strong kind of words. Except for Sasuke—he called him stupid. Sakura called him warm, 'like sunlight'. Most of them called him friend.
Sasuke was imbued with powerful, ambitious, and scarred. Naruto called him brother, but chose anger for his second word. Sai called him lost. Sakura called him family, and that what she felt for him was love. Kakashi said regret.
Sai was painted with perseverance, artistic, or learning. Yamato called him brave. Sakura called him annoying, but she smiled such a warm smile, that even Sai knew it was layered with more. The word friend came up just as much as Naruto.
Yamato was bestowed with protector, competent, and foundation among other things. Naruto said the team's base, and 'would always have our back'. Sai called him an inspiration. Kakashi called him resilient.
Sakura was next. A lot of smart, intelligent, and strong were thrown around. Sai described her as ugly; but when he called her kind right after, and it was said with such a soft, mellow tone that she started tearing up. Sasuke called her his future. Yamato called her capable. Naruto smiled, and called her sister.
"What about you, Kakashi-sama? What do you think of Sakura?" Ino asked professionally.
Kakashi blanked. There was so much—
His mind swarmed itself of memories—moments—they had together.
She was part of him—like Obito and Rin. Minato. And then Naruto and Sasuke—she was everything.
"Tenacious." Stubborn. Formidable. An unstoppable force. Unyielding.
–Insatiable.
He heard his chosen word come out of his mouth, but it wasn't enough. It wasn't even close to encompassing all that she was.
Ino wrote down the disappointing word anyway. "And how do you feel about her now?"
They were staring at each other now—emerald meeting charcoal. Her pensive stare that he recognized now as her finding a puzzle she couldn't quite figure out. A cat plotting to open a canary's cage.
How did he feel about her?
His equal. His partner. The first word that came to mind was—need. He needed her.
His eyes shifted to the Uchiha sitting next to her. No, he couldn't say that. Sasuke would have a fit.
He sighed and decided the ceiling was much more interesting. He would just spit out a word—whatever came out—well, that was a surprise even to him.
"Inevitable."
Oh. Well, that's not good. That sounded like a promise somehow.
Sakura cocked her head at the very first sound of his voice. Her eyes set aflare. He had to look away.
There was something dangerous there that he didn't want to see just yet.
He could feel that danger lapping at his toes like water rolling on the shore. The coolness of it made the hair on his arm bristle, and his skin pebble.
No one said anything as the room remained quiet.
Ino rolled on. It was his turn now.
They called him powerful. They called him skilled. Intelligent. Naruto said teacher—and that burned because he should have been such a better one. Yamato called him senpai with such awe that it curled his stomach. Sasuke called him a leader, but then in the next breath said he was an Uchiha's thief. Sai smiled and said simply a dog.
Ino raised a brow and laughed at that. Then, she turned to Sakura.
"And Sakura?"
She was oddly solemn sitting in her chair with her legs crossed, and her head resting on her fist in thought. Her eyes didn't leave the floor.
"Loyal."
He felt instant relief at the simple answer—
…but then in the next breath—
"And how do you feel about him now?"
It was small—so, so subtle. But he watched Sakura's eyes shift up to him and narrow. Her nose scrunched up in a hidden hint of distaste; she spat out the word with a somber offense. Like she really didn't like what was coming out of her mouth.
"Curiosity."
As soon as the word left her mouth, she looked like she wanted to take it back. Her jaw tightened as she swallowed, and looked away from him.
The others in the room didn't seem to mind. Conversation flowed and the topic changed.
But Kakashi—
Panic filled his chest. His head was swimming. Drowning along that shore he'd been toeing earlier.
He needed to get far away.
Away from her.
***へのへのもへじ***
It was ironic that the first time Kakashi ever thought he was in love with her was the day of her wedding.
To another man, of course.
(He would always be a man of piss poor timing.)
He had got there early—because she asked—and was watching her order around several people to finish organizing the event. She was a control freak, after all. And he thought him being there early, would be one less thing for her to stress over.
The wedding was small (Sasuke was still a bit of a social pariah) and there was only their team, the rookie nine, and few other people. Sakura wanted it at their house (Sasuke's abandoned Uchiha estate) that they had all worked to help clean and fix up for the coming day.
Kakashi watched her direct the poor unfortunate souls that were her decorators, caterers, and florists (although Ino was barking orders right behind her) in a righteous state of perpetual nerves.
Everything had to be perfect. (Says the bride.)
She wasn't in her kimono yet. Her hair was up but not adorned with ornaments yet, and her makeup was only half done.
She was yelling at the poor soul that dropped a vase—face flushed in anger, eyes burning in a mix of anxiety and willfulness—
And…He thought she was fucking beautiful. The thought just appeared out of nowhere.
And the next thought after that, was how much he—cared. No, adored. Fucking wanted in every way—
How much he loved her.
Antagonizing. Agonizing. Brimming with energy. Burning. He loved seeing her like this.
Something about seeing her boss the entire room around with such decisive authority, and then turning to him fretting, with her lip being chewed between her teeth—
It felt so much like Sakura—the dual nature of her soul. Sometimes a natural leader, other times a natural worrier. Never knowing if she was in the mood to cut off your head, or hug you like an old friend. Kill you or save you.
But always in motion. Always non-stop.
And then…
The wedding came.
She dressed in her pure white kimono—the Uchiha fan proudly on her back. Her hair, adorned with flowers. Her face, painted with red lips.
She smiled at Sasuke with a little demure tuck of her chin. An innocent blush. Glowing, tear filled eyes. She spoke her vows with a soft reserved voice. Polite and subtle. Modest and meek.
In that moment, she matched Sasuke's cold icy stoicism. The proud and prim Uchiha Matriarch.
Kakashi hated it.
She shouldn't be ice. She should be leaving gunpowder and burning bridges in her wake. She was fire and ash.
Full grins, and loud laughter that made her head tip back and her eyes roll—
"Wow! Sakura-chan looks gorgeous, doesn't she?" Naruto asked him as they followed the wedding procession out to the courtyard for the reception.
"Yes," he lied. "She absolutely does."
***へのへのもへじ***
"Kakashi."
"...Sakura?" He raised a brow at her.
She was still wearing her Seal mask, even though all the other ANBU had left the office. She stayed on as a combat medic—hopping from team to team depending on if she was needed for a specific mission.
"I need to…suspend my ANBU duties for a while."
"Oh? " he tapped his pen against the desk in thought. "Are you sure? Sasuke can do missions now. I know he's asked to work alone, but I can pair you two up if you'd prefer—"
"—I'm pregnant."
He stared at the pen in his hand for a moment, trying to remember what it was used for.
He placed it on his desk next to the little origami Pakkun that was propped up next to his various other personal items. Paper-Pakkun stared back at him stupidly.
"..."
He leaned back in his chair and crossed his fingers on his stomach. He tried to be absolutely still—nothing could show.
"I—" he coughed. "Congratulations."
"Thanks."
Her Seal mask looked as blank and ominous as usual. He couldn't read her face through it.
"He's—" she swallowed and tried again. "He's been taking only solo missions."
Don't worry about me—I'll be fine until later—then I'll need you.
"I know." Still not moving.
"The missions are taking longer and longer."
Fuck. Kakashi closed his eyes. "Yes. He asked for them."
"Why?"
"Punishment. Redemption. I don't know—you'll have to ask him."
She placed her hand on her stomach. Kakashi had to look anywhere but at her.
"...you're not going to lie, and tell me 'Everything will be okay' ?"
He gazed at her Seal mask—a familiar thing he had seen during mission after a mission. He'd seen her cut throats in it. Destroy buildings. Bash faces in with it on.
A symbol of death.
Then, he looked at her small hand resting on her stomach.
A symbol of life.
"No." He said numbly. "I can't. Not anymore."
***へのへのもへじ***
The nightmares still came sometimes, but the panic and anxiety had dimmed over the years since the war (therapy— who knew? Thanks, Ino.).
While now he had the mental tools to deal with such attacks, the nightmares were replaced with—other dreams.
All of Sakura, of course. Or at least—he thought it was Sakura.
He'd thought they would be lecherous and absolutely filthy.
They weren't.
(Looks like he wasn't a complete pervert.)
He'd see flashes and blurs of colors and items. Things he had no recollection of: A teal kimono. Red lanterns. A white Fox mask that he had never seen before. A daifuku.
And pink—so much pink, he was drowning in it at night—that it could only be Sakura.
But she seemed a little different in the dreams.
(And she certainly wasn't sporting the rounded belly of her pregnancy that she currently had.)
…But it couldn't have been a coincidence.
And then, the voice—her voice— spoke to him. Calling his name. But not words he'd ever heard before. Snippets of conversations that his subconscious liked to create.
Kakashi…
You're sort of my hero.
I won't leave you.
Kakashi—
I want and I want. And it's never going to stop–
Don't ever let me go.
it's stupid really–
Whether we have five years together or fifty–
Kakashi.
A —
Words.
Just words.
Jumbles of letters—phonics and diction; consonants and vowels, that came together into the combination of something that his subconscious was desperately trying to hold on to.
***へのへのもへじ***
There was panting and moaning—the room smelled of sweat and blood.
"Sakura, you're fully dilated—it's time to push!" Tsunade stood in between her legs as Kakashi watched on by the side. He stood by Sakura's head, on the other side of the sheet, trying to keep her calm.
"No—no! I can't. He needs to be here—"
"Sakura. The baby is coming whether Sasuke is here or not." Ino gently pleaded as she assisted Tsunade.
"Kakashi! " Sakura grabbed his hand; her grip like iron. "You said you gave him my letters! He wouldn't miss this… Ah! "
Sakura started breathing in deep pants before blowing the air out her lungs steadily. He held her hand through the pain.
"Fuck—please, please Kakashi—I can't do this alone. He's got to be here—"
She was sobbing. Sweat and tears were pooling around her neck in her distress. Her hair was plastered to her forehead as she begged. It nearly broke Kakashi's heart.
"Sakura—" his voice cracked.
"That's it, Sakura—the next contraction will be any minute and I need you to push with everything you've got, okay?" Tsunade patted her knee; he tried not to notice the blood that was smeared on her hands.
Sakura's breathing slowed down suddenly.
She changed at that moment. He could see it in her face, feeling in her breathing. She was not the same, and she wasn't coming back.
She was staring up at the ceiling—eyes wide and unblinking—almost completely still if it wasn't for her legs shaking. Tears still ran down the side of her face, but without those, you couldn't tell she was crying.
He knew that look. He had seen it time and time again—he'd even dreamed about it sometimes.
She was going to kill. Destroy. Ruin.
"Ready? One, two, three—push!"
Sakura didn't scream. She breathed loudly with her whole stomach. A single grunt that sounded primal and animalistic slipped through her lips.
And then—
A baby's cry.
Tsunade half-sobbed as she pulled the child away from the mother. Ino grabbed the cord, clipped, cut and then followed the afterbirth.
Sakura was quiet—eyes searching for her child.
Ino was pushing down on the new mother's stomach. Tsunade cleaned and checked over the baby.
Sakura didn't move—didn't blink, really. He stood still by her side; her hand still gripping his in a vice.
Until, the baby was put in her arms.
"She's a beautiful little girl. Well done, kid." Tsunade praised.
Kakashi watched Sakura stare down at the child. She traced the small red faced infant with a gentle finger—her mouth, her nose, over her eyebrows and then on to her little hands—like she was holding something precious and breakable in her hands.
The room was quiet—Sakura's face was void. Her eyes like steel. He watched Ino and Tsunade exchange a concerned glance.
Kakashi let go of her hand, but remained dutifully by her side—waiting for the fallout.
It came moments later.
"I'm done." Sakura said firmly.
Ino—the brave woman—spoke up. "...what do you mean?"
"I'm done." She repeated and looked up at them. Tsunade's eyes narrowed at whatever she saw in Sakura's eyes. Ino took a step back, her face blanched. "I'm done with Sasuke."
Ino looked like she was going to protest, but Tsunade spoke over her. "Sakura. You don't know what you're saying. You're exhausted, in pain, and hormonal right now—"
Sakura clicked her tongue, and let out a slow breath that hissed between her teeth. "Get out."
Tsunade's mouth slammed shut. Ino tried to step in, "Sakura—"
"Get. Out. ...If you're not going to listen, it's useless."
Tsunade stared at him coldly. Kakashi stared back. With her nostrils flared and jaw tight in frustration, she stormed out the door. Ino hesitated for a second, hurt clear on her face for a second before she snorted, straightened her shoulders and left the room to follow Tsunade.
The door clicked shut.
"Kakashi." She turned to him then, and he finally got a look at the eyes he knew he would find. They were wide and dilated—burning with adrenaline and resolve like it flooded her system like a drug, and she was moments away releasing on some unfortunate victim.
It was terrifying. It was beautiful.
He never loved her more.
"I want a divorce." She said softly, almost a hiss. "As soon as possible. You're the Hokage—what they think doesn't matter. I just need you to sign the paper."
He wasn't stupid enough to argue with her. "Okay."
She blinked up at him like she didn't expect him to agree so quickly. Sarada shifted in her arms and moved to suck on her own fingers. Sakura brought her attention back to her daughter as she began stroking her softly.
Slowly, so so slowly—cracks began to form.
"He knew I was pregnant. He knew. I sent him letter after letter—for months—and although he always replied to your mission reports—" She swallowed hard, and her eyes narrowed. "He never once answered mine."
Kakashi's throat squeezed. "No. He didn't."
"And you gave him time off—I know you did."
He wanted to look away from her, but he couldn't. "Yes. I did."
She scoffed.
"Then, he chose not to be here." The venom in her voice was jarring next to the soft petting of her daughter's hair. Her eyes were still on fire in a cold smoldering green flame that was bitter and righteous.
"I'll never forgive him." She said with murder on her face, a guillotine on the loose. "We may be friends again someday. And I certainly won't keep his daughter from him—but he and I—"
Despair settled in his chest. Her pain was his pain.
"I'll never forgive him."
She finished the thought echoing in his head.
Yurusanai.
***へのへのもへじ***
He gave her a house.
Because he was a love struck fool—
And because she wanted to be anywhere, but the Uchiha compound.
The divorce took a little over a month as the council argued back and forth, until Sakura stood before them in an obvious threat that had them bowing down to her gracefully.
She stopped wearing red and pink, and switched to black like she was in a self-imposed state of mourning. Some of her friends expressed their concern. But Kakashi wasn't concerned in the least—
She was rebuilding herself—brick by brick—and he was waiting for the outcome. She stopped faking smiles and keeping her opinions hidden. She was brash and honest, and when she smiled—they were real and true—and mostly for Sarada.
So no, he wasn't worried.
The divorce set something in her free.
Sasuke didn't object. And he didn't even come home for it.
And when she was back to Haruno Sakura, she had nowhere to go.
So, he gave her the old Hatake compound. He didn't use it, and it seemed like the right thing to do.
The land was ancient, but the house wasn't.
It was the house his father built for his mother. It was aged and dilapidated now, but when he brought her there for the first time, she stared at it like it was the most precious gem.
He brought her along the beaten path, to the little gate that guarded the edge of the property. And when he swung it open for her, he saw the little house nestled in the woods.
It was a mix of styles. The facade of the house was western with white painted wood and faded robin's egg blue shutters, but the inside still had traditional elements of tatami rooms and sliding doors. The best of both worlds.
She surveyed the home, running her hand along the old bones of the house like a caress. And when she was done, she collapsed on the tatami mat floors in a little sitting room right off the western-style dining and kitchen.
It was the same room he had last seen that pool of blood that came from his father—but she didn't need to know that.
Sakura was staring up at the little stained-glass window above the door while stroking the tatami floor like a familiar pet. She sighed and hummed happily—he tried not to preen at the sound.
"There are fairies that live here." She said breathily. Kakashi cocked his head at her, amused. She continued on almost dreamily, "And little bears. And girls with red hoods. A woodcutter in an enchanted forest. It's the stuff of fairytales..."
He lowered his mask and smiled at her. After all, she had already seen his face a week ago when Sarada had yanked it down a hunger fit.
(They really had no secrets between them. Not anymore.)
Her eyes flashed to his face, like she was still trying to greedily take in the sight. It made him smile wider.
"Do you want it?" Well, that sounded provocative. He added, "The house?"
She snorted like he said something incredibly stupid. "Of course, I want it. Are you sure you're okay with it?"
"Yes." His tongue was apparently loose today. "It's old and broken though, it might not be worth the trouble."
She smiled fondly at the ceiling. "Sounds like all it needs is a little bit of love, that's all."
***へのへのもへじ***
"What about Sarada?"
"She's fine. She'll be with Ino and Inojin while I'm gone. I know she can handle two toddlers, but I'm a little concerned about Sai. Could you look in every once in a while?"
Kakashi sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Of course. But Sakura—this is a bad idea."
She was wearing the doctor's coat today over a navy blue pair of scrubs. She was the Healer then, at least for today. She crossed her arms and cocked her hip in disagreement—a look he'd seen a million times.
"I know, I know—but Amegakure needs help. It's been over four years since the war ended and their hospital and medical system are just—" she cleared her throat. "They need help. They asked—and I think we should go."
"Why you, though? Can't we send Shizune?"
"They asked for me."
He blinked at her lazily. "That is… exactly my concern."
She snorted. "Send an ANBU detail with me if you want. But I'm still going."
He fought the urge to rub his hands down his face. Instead, he leaned back—as far as his sad and abused office chair would let him; it squeaked in protest.
"This is it. This is going to bite us in the ass."
She shrugged. "What's the worst that could happen? It's just a week or two."
He stared at her blankly. He felt his eyes droop in a type of weariness that he hadn't felt in years. A cold blanketed him that settled in his bones, and his voice came out like ice—his words forming crystals in the air.
"Sakura." She stilled at his tone, waiting for him to speak.
"If something happens to you, I'll kill them all."
Quiet veiled the room. A noise shifted in the rafters above them, but Sakura didn't look away from him. The cloudy, milkiness of jade stared back at him.
"I know," she said.
Did she, really. He scoffed under his breath. No, he didn't think she could.
"I'll be fine, Kakashi." She squeezed his shoulder softly and turned to leave.
And that was that.
(Except it wasn't. It wasn't fine at all.)
"...Kakashi?"
Oh no. Not a good sign.
It was always 'Kakashi-sama' when he was being annoying and everything was normal.
He raised his eyes to Genma, as he pushed his paperwork away from him. He didn't say anything, waiting for Genma to speak.
The Monkey ANBU fidgeted on the other side of his desk. Kakashi's gut churned nervously.
"We've received a report from Ame."
His stomach was doing flips now.
"...it seems…Listen, don't kill the messenger." Kakashi's eyes narrowed dangerously. "But it looks like the medical party was ambushed…Sakura was...well, she was taken."
Forget flips—his belly was racing, swimming, spelunking. Maybe even doing rhythmic gymnastics—
"Ame insists it wasn't them, but one of Pein's rouge followers. We knew they were still out there, but they've been quiet through the years. Ame says they still blame us for Obito—blame you."
Fuck, why—
"They say they are doing everything they can but—she was apparently knocked out with enough sedatives to put Kurama to sleep—"
Oh, gods Sakura—
"Listen, Kakashi—calm the fuck down!—" He could feel his chakra leaking out of him. "Clear the area— now! " Genma yelled to someone nearby. He had both hands up in submission.
"Kakashi—she's—she's been trained for this. She's probably alive—"
Rage and despair bubbled up in him. He stood up and leaned over his desk towards Genma, the wood cracked under his palms. His voice came out in a growl that he hadn't heard in ages. It sounded deeper, richer than it had been in his youth.
"Genma. If she's dead—" he spat. "I'll burn the whole fucking village to the ground. Is that clear?"
The Monkey audibly swallowed. "Fuck—yes. I get it. You're the Hokage."
Kakashi blinked at the term. He straightened up silently.
Oh, right…He was the Hokage. Well, then…
"Put Naruto in charge. Get Tsunade to help if needed."
"Kakashi—"
"—and then get my Hound mask. We're going to get her."
"Yes, sir."
He shushinned to the Hokage's apartment to find the rest of his ANBU gear.
…After all, who was going to stop him?
(No one, that's who. He was the fucking Hokage.)
Sakura—
It turns out, was halfway out of her own escape plan by the time they arrived.
He was, apparently, redundant. (Her words.)
But—
They returned to Konoha with over two dozen people dead, a fourth of the Ame countryside destroyed, an 'open and honest' conversation (His words) with the Ame leadership, and a very shaky, very forced alliance with what remained of the country's officials.
He told them to get their people under control, or he'd start taking a particular interest in Amegakure in the future.
A minor international incident. The Tsuchikage and Kazekage were a little miffed at him.
But he didn't start a war. Sakura was back.
All in a day's work.
(He did warn them not to give him the hat. No one to blame, but themselves, really.)
***へのへのもへじ***
Time passed slowly and quickly—all at once.
By the time it was Sarada's third birthday, he had become comfortable in his childhood home again.
Sakura and Sarada's presence had done something to the house that he could never do—
They had painted every surface. Sarada had filled it with colorful things, scribbled on the walls and floors with markers, hung her drawings on every surface and put stickers everywhere (so many stickers).
Sakura had medical texts, empty teacups on every tabletop, and small potted plants that she insisted weren't dead but 'recovering'.
They had erased the loneliness of the little boy that once lived here by himself and made it a home of his impossible things.
It was a place where Sarada took her first steps. Where Sakura became Director of the hospital when Tsunade gracefully retired (again). Where she became an ANBU he taught them how to make daifuku. Where he learned how to help put a child asleep.
Where he wasn't afraid to go into an empty room anymore.
He was sitting by the little river that ran along the back of the property, fishing with an old rod just for fun.
Kakashi wondered if Genma finally figured out that he had left a clone in the office for the past three days or if the idiot was still guarding a fake.
Sakura and Sarada were playing with the ninkin in a field a little way away—the sound of the young girl screaming in delight and the eight dogs playfully barking alongside her was in the background. Pakkun, in particular, loved Sarada like his own.
And he stared at the sky—
The expanse of it swallowed him whole. It was so blue—so vivid—that he wondered if he reached out to try to grab it if it would crinkle and twist like fabric in his hands.
His heart sped up a little bit. His fingers twitched. He could almost feel the blue silk slipping between his fingers.
All he had to do was reach out a grab it—
Whether it was real or not—
He wouldn't know until he tried.
He just needed to be brave.
***へのへのもへじ***
"Come walk with me, Hatake. You've been in this stuffy room far too long."
Kakashi looked up to see Tsunade leaning against his door with her arms crossed, and a small frown on her face.
He knew better than to fight her on it. "Sure. Why not?"
He slid away from his desk and his shoulders lightened just from stepping away from the cursed thing. They made their way out of the building and strolled along the village—her leading the way, and him trailing behind with his hands in his pockets.
Kids ran past. People bustled along the streets. Many stopped and greeted them with a smile and a 'Hokage-sama' to which they both dipped their heads in answer too.
Tsunade's honey colored eyes lingered on her people.
"You've done a good job, kid."
Kakashi shrugged. "I just kept up what you've started."
Her frown dipped a little more. "No. I inherited a mess. Tried to keep a sinking ship afloat. You—you self-deprecating idiot—you've improved upon it. Made it better."
He tried not to shrug again, knowing it would only irritate her further.
"I didn't do it alone."
She laughed full of gall. "Of course, you didn't. But that doesn't mean you don't deserve some credit."
He hummed as they kept walking along the outer edge of the village now.
"Kakashi, I'm going to be blunt now—" When was she not blunt? "I know it's not really my place to say, but you and Sakura—"
Ah, well for fuck's sake. He had the urgent need to run. He wondered if he shushinned far enough if he could outrun a Sannin.
"Don't you dare run, you fucking idiot—"
Maybe he could cast a discrete clone and swap out—
"Madara's balls—just listen! "
He felt her grip his shoulders. Each of her fingers dug in between flesh, muscle, and bone so deep that it was a wonder she didn't pierce the skin.
"Kakashi! I don't get it. What are you waiting for? You spend all your time together. You bring her lunch and tea on breaks. The only thing that doesn't have you officially living in her house, is that you're not sleeping in her bed—"
How much trouble would he get in if he broke her arms just to get out? She could heal it, right?
"Listen, I—I understand." He lifted his head to that. Her eyes full of gold and fury, and her frown twisted in self-hate. "I understand not wanting to take the risk—I do. I let every bit of happiness slip out of my hands time and time again. But you—you stupid, scared idiot— you have a real chance."
The words rang out in the open air. He stared at the spot over her right shoulder as if it was the most interesting thing in the entire world.
"She was my student."
"No. She was mine." The Godaime scoffed. "You were just a glorified part-time group leader at best."
"I'm her employer, essentially."
"On paper, maybe. But you and I both know you've never held one ounce of power over her. She's your partner. The council will understand."
He swallowed hard. He was pulling at strings here.
"I'm older than her—I'll grow old and die before her and leave her all alone one day."
Tsunade's eyes grew soft and delicate, a look that held years of suffering, but also warmth.
"You idiot." She repeated, as she clicked her tongue at him in annoyance. "You're a shinobi. What a miserable excuse—she could take a kunai to the back. You could fall off the roof. Otsuki could come back and kill us all. Genma could murder you for being such an ass. How about we forget the 'what if's'."
She let out a sigh. It was a kind of sigh that filled with years and years of battering and bruising; it revealed her true age. Tsunade dropped her hands from his shoulders and met his gaze eye to eyes. Honey to Grey. Hokage to Hokage.
"Kakashi, listen to me. It's really simple. You let her decide what she's willing to risk. The only thing you need to decide is: Is she worth it to you? "
Kakashi stared at her mouth as the words left her lips.
He felt something click in his head, and following it came an immediate and guttural response—
Of course, she was fucking worth it.
***へのへのもへじ***
He made some excuse about her working too hard, asked Hinata to watch Sarada, and dragged her out to a festival.
It seemed like the right kind of thing for a date. Not that he'd ever dated before. What a daunting thought.
(He was too old for this.)
Kakashi tried to play the gentleman. He paid for her bounty of snacks and food (he got a look from her every time he pulled out his wallet—it was extremely amusing). He won her a prize (not that she couldn't win her own). He touched her casually. Tried to make her smile.
He was doing good, he thought. He had this. He could date. Dating was easy.
Until they got to the taiyaki. Until Sakura asked, "Is this some sort of date ?"
He stared at her dumbly. Fight or flight rushed through his veins so quickly he thought maybe neither option would work, and he should just play dead.
Maybe he should just pass out like one of those women in those romance novels he reads sometimes. That was an option, right?
(Tsunade's voice came quickly behind that thought, "You idiot.")
What came out of his mouth instead, was as smooth and as humiliating as Gai forcing him to piggyback in Suna.
"Only if you want it to be?"
Then, he promptly laughed at himself.
(Gods, he was an idiot.)
But she stared at him for a second, and as the moments passed her face morphed from suspicion, to curiosity, and then to something like he had just opened a door to somewhere new and wonderful.
Those beautiful green eyes lit up at him, and Kakashi thought what the fuck he had done in his life to deserve such a look. It was everything.
"I'd like it to be…but only if you're brave enough to marry me someday."
His heart rapidly sped up, and then stopped beating altogether. She laughed at whatever she saw on his face; her eyes glinted and her grin wide. She stepped closer into him, her taiyaki forgotten.
"I don't do halfway, Kakashi. If we're doing this—if we're going to risk our friendship and our partnership—then it has to be all in."
She smiled at him, as he felt her fingers slowly twine themselves in between his own at his side.
"I'm not looking to marry today, but I want that as one of our goals. I want to talk about things. I want to make goals together. I want to move forward. And grow. And change. I want a future—with you."
She tilted her head back and leaned in towards him confidently, but her eyes looked vulnerable. Like she was waiting for him to shred those things to pieces.
"Do you want those things, too?" She whispered small and soft.
He felt her breath, sweet and floral from an-paste and taiyaki, warm his own. He fingered his mask and pulled it down around his neck.
He leaned down to her, the pull of her lips calling him in. Her eyes sparked at the movement—a mixture of panic and hope.
Silly, ridiculous woman. Like he would want it any other way.
"Of course, I do."
"All in?" she breathed against his lips; her eyelids fluttering shut.
"All in." He vowed.
They sealed it with a kiss.
***へのへのもへじ***
They were reading on the couch one day, when Sakura inched over to him. She kissed the bottom of his scar—right below his eye—and then moved to kiss the top of it, right above his brow.
She always did have a thing for his scars.
"What are you doing?" he asked while keeping his eyes on his book, without really reading the words.
"Showing my utter appreciation of your handsomeness."
"For my face? Or my scars?"
"All of it." She laughed, "But surely you know, I appreciate more than just your face—"
"I don't know," he clicked his tongue in faux jest. "You've always liked a pretty face. And since you've seen mine, you've certainly been vocal about your 'appreciation' of it—"
She snorted. "You think I was never attracted to you before I saw your face?"
He shrugged nonchalantly, as he tried to hide his amusement.
"Please, Kakashi." Sakura scoffed. "I could have never seen your face, and still thought you were the most attractive man in the village."
"Oh? Based on what?" he blinked at her innocently.
She giggled, to his immense pleasure.
"Well...now it just sounds sort of obscene when you take it out of context. But…your hands, for one. Your forearms. That little piece of skin right under your ear where your mask rests against your jaw. Your voice—"
"My voice?" he blinked.
She was the one blinking back at him innocently this time.
"Your voice." She said, as if that explained the whole of the world.
Oh. He knew this familiar tingle in his spine. If he had ears and a tail like his ninkin, it would be very telling right now.
"Well, now…" he said, an octave lower than he meant too. "I'll have to keep that in mind."
Her answering smile may have been one of his favorite things.
"Please do."
***へのへのもへじ***
The morning started out normal but rushed. Nothing special.
Kakashi had convinced her to take an 'extra long shower' together (his favorite) that morning that left her rushing out the door in a wrinkled pair of scrubs, arm halfway out of her Doctor's coat, hair a mess, and him making eggs.
She had a piece of toast with butter and sugar (her favorite) on it that he hastily made for her, dangling in between her teeth.
She kissed his cheek goodbye. Then—
"See you tonight, Love you!"
...and slipped out the door.
Kakashi then continued to stare at said eggs—until they crumbled and burned in the pan.
Little bits of scrambled blackened fleshy bits that felt a whole lot like he was looking at a candid image of his brain right now.
He went to work. He went along with his day. He even messed with Genma a bit.
But the eggs haunted him.
It wasn't until later that afternoon, when he was wrapping up his day, did he hear the window behind his desk slide open.
Sakura hopped into his office, out of breath, and eyes wide and wild like a cat hyped up on catnip. Anxiety and hysteria seemed to have injected themselves into her being—ounce by ounce throughout the day.
"Okay. Well." She cleared her throat. "I definitely said 'I love you'."
He gaped at her for a moment, absolutely terrified that he heard those words twice in one day.
"To be honest—I thought you might run. So, I thought it best to just corner you before you could," she stated flatly.
An awkward silence filled the room.
"I—" he struggled. "Are you aware you're covered in blood right now?"
She glanced down at herself.
"Oh—yes. Had to remove a portion of someone's intestine. A lot of blood. A lot of guts. Also, not important right now."
He leaned back in his chair and stared at her with no intent on speaking. She fidgeted and then cracked, like one of those eggs this morning.
"I'm not expecting you to say it back. It just sort of—slipped out. We've been together for months, and it just seemed—gods, please don't hate me— I just thought—"
"I wasn't going to run."
She blinked at him with her mouth floundering. He sighed, a little disappointed that she expected that. But then again, he did have a record.
"I'm not going to say it often. It's—…not in my nature too."
She was still blinking at him. So, he stood up and came to her. Kakashi pushed one of her long bangs behind her ear, his fingers grazing her jaw and cheek. She had been growing it out lately and wearing it in a thick braid that he loved to tug on to annoy her.
"I probably won't say it enough."
She was blinking hard again, but this time for a different reason. Her mouth started to warble; her eyes started to tear up.
"But I hope that you know. You have to fucking know—"
He leaned down and whispered it in her ear. He surely didn't need the whole damn ANBU detail listening in.
She let out a wet, strangled sob before she latched her arms around his neck. He straightened up—she came with him, jumping into his arms with her legs wrapped around his waist (their favorite).
She buried her face in his neck, and he heard her words as they brushed against his sensitive skin.
"I love you, too." she whispered.
***へのへのもへじ***
Kakashi stared at the name plate attached to the little gate in front of the house. The words 'Haruno Residence' never struck fear in him before in the few times he'd been here, but today—
Today, he was scared.
"It'll be fine, Kakashi. Today is perfect timing—Sarada is off at Naruto's house. You and I have a free afternoon. It's time."
"They're never going to accept this."
Sakura scoffed, but grabbed his hand in support.
"Here's the thing: I love my parents. If there is anything in the world, I am absolutely sure of—it's that my parents love me too. There is nothing I could do to lose that. They might be a little… disgruntled with me for a little bit. They might be annoyed with you. But they'll get over it."
She squeezed his hand harder.
"They know you. You aren't some random, older man I picked up—"
"No. Not random. Just old."
She rolled her eyes. "You're only just getting to your forties, Kakashi. Stop fussing."
He made a sound of protest. If only she knew Pakkun counted his age in dog years…
"As I was saying…you're not some low life, or—"
"Or an internationally convicted criminal?"
She pursed her lips for a moment, and then grumbled, "See? Already better than Sasuke."
"Wonderful." He chuckled darkly. "The bar was set low."
"No. You're the Hokage. A two-time War Veteran—"
"—and a renowned pervert?"
She grinned at him full of fondness and lechery. "Mypervert."
She had the audacity to kiss him on his masked cheek.
"They'll love you, because I love you. Simple."
He hummed for a second. "But what if they don't? What if no one—not one single person— in this village blesses this marriage?"
"If that's the case, Kakashi…" she smiled up to him sweetly, and he suddenly felt foolish for being so scared. "Let's travel the village. Let's go door to door, to all our family and friends—and beg."
She rubbed her thumb over his. Her smile grew by the minute.
"And if no one shows up to our wedding, and it's just us two—I'll still be the happiest woman in the world."
He gazed at the beautiful woman beside him in awe. Then, he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles through his mask.
No, it suddenly didn't seem so scary after all.
***へのへのもへじ***
He and Sakura were gazing out the kitchen window at four year old Sarada as she played skeptically with Sasuke.
It took him a while, but he finally made peace with whatever demons he had and decided to come back to Konoha long term.
Sakura gave him a lecture of a lifetime—full of subtle threats, and cutting words that felt like she was peeling the man's skin layer by layer. Naruto simply punched him in the face.
Sarada—she was still cautious, but interested in the man that looked so much like herself.
Kakashi kept his words (and fists) to himself.
"Are you okay?" he asked as she leaned against his shoulder, still watching the two black haired Uchiha outside.
She hummed for a second, brow twitching in thought, but didn't answer.
"Still angry?" Gods, he hoped she was. He was.
"Of course, I am." She snorted, to his delight. "I think I'll always be angry at him—he left us twice."
Kakashi put his arm around her, his silver wedding band glinting in the light.
"But—" Sakura's jaw clicked as she swallowed. "She doesn't know that. Looking at her makes me think he has a chance to set things right, but it's up to him now. He has to come through."
Ah, he understood her. Sarada's was Sasuke's last chance at redemption for them. He watched the little girl's smile as she played. The same little girl, he had the privilege of watching grow.
"If he hurts her—I'll break every bone I can." He divulged.
"Yes." She turned her head and laughed into his shoulder to cover it from view. "We can do it together—what I wouldn't give to rearrange those pretty features of his…"
He took in her threatening smirk—and all the things it promised—and wondered if he should find that as incredibly attractive as he did.
She laid her head back on his shoulder, soft and warm, and right where it always seemed to be.
Sakura sighed, "He might be her blood. But to me, she'll always be your daughter."
He knocked his head against hers adoringly. Warmth filled his chest, like it did so often these days.
Yes, he certainly liked the sound of that.
***へのへのもへじ***
There was panting and moaning—the room smelled of sweat and sex.
It smelled of ecstasy. Of calamity. Of her.
It made his mouth water, and spine tingle. His lungs greedily tried to keep it in their capacity for as long as possible, and his tongue tried to remember the taste long after it had gone.
Kakashi was kneeling on the ground between her legs, as she lay splayed out before him trying to catch her breath.
(He was exactly where he wanted to be—on his knees. For her.)
Sakura's eyes were tightly shut as she panted, legs and sex wide open, and on display for him. One of her arms stretched above her head, the other resting on her breast, as he watched a strand of pink hair that was stuck to her lip flutter with each breath.
She was flushed from her cheeks down to her toes—His pride swelled as she came apart on his tongue.
Her breasts were heavy and full, and her stomach was round and stretched with child.
(His child.)
Oh, how he loved this new form of hers. Adored it. Worshiped it.
He loved her stretch marks, and the little line that shadowed from her navel down to her sex. Swollen breasts and swollen ankles. He loved it all.
"Look at you." He hummed.
He placed a soft kiss on her inner thigh—the soft, pudgy portion that now jiggled when she walked that utterly captivated him—and laid his head on her.
Kakashi stared at her—tried to memorize her—like his Sharingan was still there to hide away the image.
"Pretty wife…" he seduced, silk on his tongue. "If only you could see yourself now."
She peeked open those cat-like eyes that were hooded, and dark. He leaned over her as he smiled at her, and they dilated even further to his thrill.
His cock twitched—angry and eager. A groan rumbled in his chest.
But he ignored it.
After all, it wasn't about him.
It was all about her.
The fucking prettiest damn thing he had ever seen.
***へのへのもへじ***
"You want another one?" Sakura asked whimsically, as they watched a plump little Saki sit between Sarada's legs as they played on the floor. His little tuft of soft, dusky blush-colored hair sticking up in all directions as Sarada laughed and made it more of a mess.
"That's up to you."
"Would you hate me if I said I wanted another child?"
He chuckled. "I'd endeavor to give you a whole fucking clan, if that's what you wanted."
She grinned up at him, "The world could use a little more color in it."
He kissed the crown of her bubblegum hair.
"We'll conquer the world with shades of pink. They'll bow to your brilliance." He joked.
She laughed so brightly, he thought it might blind and ensnare the world, too.
"Grey always did seem to bring out the best of pink." She said simply, and thread her fingers through his hair, and kissed his cheek as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
***へのへのもへじ***
"There's something coming. Whatever it is—it's big and fast—and definitely heading straight for Konoha," explained Naruto as he looked off at the distance to something Kakashi couldn't see.
His eyes had slitted pupils and the orange marking of his Sage mode. He had never been so grateful to Jiraya for teaching Naruto these things.
Genma materialized seconds later in the middle of the room. Monkey mask in place.
"An ANBU detail at the border spotted the disturbance. It's still far off, but—I can't believe I'm saying this—but looks like a huge fucking bug. The long one with a whole bunch of legs."
Kakashi leaned back in his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose—he felt a headache coming on.
"How many legs?" Shikamaru asked by his side. He had almost forgotten he was there in the room.
"What does that matter?" Genma replied curtly.
"Well…" The Nara drawled, his tone perpetually bored. He shrugged. "Depending on if it's nearer to a hundred, or more like a thousand—it could mean if it's venomous or not."
"Oh." Shizune perked up at the remark.
"What?" Naruto asked.
"You might need Sakura then."
Shikamaru jerked his thumb at her as if to say, see? she gets it.
Kakashi chose to stare at his advisors in a stoney disapproval. None of them moved.
"Come on, Kaka-sensei! It couldn't hurt to have her there."
"Just in case." Shizune attached to Naruto's plea.
"She is handy." Genma added, unhelpfully.
Shikamaru simply stared him down and then shrugged again. "And most likely immune."
He hated them all.
"Fine." Kakashi hissed slowly. "Since you all turned against me."
The group visibly relaxed, as they reveled in their silent triumph.
"I'll go get her. She can leave Sarada and Saki with me." Shizune offered, as she turned to leave the room.
"Get Sasuke, too." Kakashi added abruptly to Naruto. "It doesn't hurt to have all three of you 'Neo-Sannin' together—just in case."
Naruto grinned like it was old times, "Sure thing, Kaka-sensei!"
Kakashi felt his shoulder slump. He stared at his little paper-Pakkun, as if it was the only person in this room not trying to slowly murder him through stress.
"She'll be fine." He said to his Good Luck Charm. "Right?"
The little grumpy pug made of paper stared back at him stupidly.
(He should have known better.)
***へのへのもへじ***
"Where is my fucking wife? "
"Sakura-chan will be fine, Kaka-sensei—"
"I wasn't speaking to you, Naruto. Shut up, and let Sasuke answer."
The Uchiha crossed his arms and grumbled, as he glared back at Kakashi in full scowl. The only thing stopping Kakashi from murdering the (almost) Last Uchiha was his desk separating them in the room.
"I can track her. It won't be a problem—" Sasuke started.
"How do you know ? What if she got dumped in the lava dimension again, or—"
"She wasn't moved in space. Just time—let my chakra recover and then we can go get her—"
"How much time was she displaced in?" Kakashi asked.
"Years maybe, I don't know."
"Years? " Naruto cried.
"Look. I was just trying to move her—to you know, save her fucking ass. Just in case that wasn't clear." Sasuke growled. "And somewhere between the giant bug and the kunai coming towards her, I overshot it a bit—"
"Sounds like a common thing with you," Naruto mumbled.
Sasuke quickly grabbed the pencil holder sitting on Kakashi's desk, and threw it at Naruto's head. Pens and pencils clattered as it hit the wall, Naruto laughed when he missed.
"Fuck you. I'm sorry if I was focused on taking down the fucking giant bug—"
"Uh, no— I took it down. I did the final blow—"
Kakashi, drowning in immense displeasure, had enough.
"Listen, you two." he stated so slow and concise that it made the two grown men in front of him freeze. "Go eat. Go sleep. Go get a fucking spa treatment, for all I care—but do whatever you need to do to recover, and go get my fucking wife."
"Hey! Not cool Kaka-sensei—"
"Dammit, Kakashi—"
Kakashi closed his eyes, and rubbed his temples in frustration. He was scared to open them, as surely the only thing he could muster right now was thoughts of murder.
"Sasuke." He seethed. "If you don't get out of this office and start doing whatever you need to do to recover—I'm going to hold you down and pluck those damn eyes from your fucking head, and go get her myself."
Sasuke immediately bristled; his eyes narrowed dangerously as his mouth opened in a sneer—
But Naruto came through. He clamped his hand over the Uchiha's mouth and held him back in a vice.
"Okay, okay…" Naruto tried to soothe, but he was struggling to hold Sasuke back. "We're done here—We. Are. done.—do you hear me? Chill the fuck out, Sasuke—"
Sasuke grumbled beneath his hand, as his Sharingan spun at Kakashi.
"Kaka-sensei, we're just going to go, and we'll be back in a few days, yah? I'll go get him checked out at the hospital and see if they can speed it up—and then we'll be gone."
Kakashi didn't answer. Didn't have the mind, or the strength too.
Naruto laughed nervously, and hauled the Uchiha back and out the door.
He watched them go, and when he looked down, he finally noticed the arm of his chair was cracking beneath his white-knuckled grip.
His old friends heard the call, and came back to him—
Panic gripped his throat. Anxiety covered his eyes with icy hands. Fear whispered terrible things in his ear.
He needed—
He needed Sakura.
***END NOTES***
FUN FACT#1: Sakura's response to Kakashi's family home with the fairytales is a direct nod to Matilda, by Roald Dahl.
FUN FACT#2: It was important to me to show the festival scene from Kakashi's point of view. My husband and I have often discussed the 'moment' we knew something changed between us. He has this very specific moment he recalls-that he absolutely loves, and I absolutely *hate*. He thought I was adorable; while I thought I was an absolute idiot lol. So, while Sakura thinks of it as this life changing, beautiful moment...Kakashi is like "god, how embarrassing." haha perceptions.
FUN FACT#3: The 'I love you' scene-is somewhat based on us too; My husband kept telling me over and over again when we first started dating that he wasn't the type to say, 'I love you' (his Japanese breeding was coming out). He warned me repeatedly. And then-a few months later as I was leaving his house. He blurted 'Bye, love you' on accident. Promptly froze; tried to close the door on me; and pretended like it never happened haha!
Safe to say-He did not live up to his warning. I get 'I love you''s all the time now!
FUN FACT#4: The words "pretty wife" ended up as a nod to the amazing sex scene in Dangos, Tantos, and Sex, Oh My! by onecelestialbeing (ao3). I couldn't resist.