Sakura finished out the last day of filming strong, giving her all so that they could wrap the fuck up and go home. As much as she had enjoyed being on the island, she was ready to be done. She would enjoy the rest of her time in the sun, and gladly go home when the time came. She loved her job, genuinely, but she wished she were in Konoha.
Admittedly, she did enjoy the little moments she'd had with Kakashi while on this island. She thought she would like to spend a week on an island with just the two of them.
As it was, Sakura was tired to her damn bones, but she didn't let it slow her down. She was an exceptional actress, and she would see this through to the end. The only reason she was really suffering was because she didn't usually have filming at the same time that FireDrive was getting ready to drop a new album, due to production issues pushing their timeline back. Not to mention all the extra shit going on in her personal life. It was rough. She had gone through about a gallon of reef-friendly sunscreen and was getting tired of constantly being a little oily to the touch.
This was worse than the times she had had to do online work for her degree at the same time as going on a world tour. She had really overloaded her plate here.
Not to mention what the seawater was doing to the delicate strands of her hair! She would need a deep treatment the second she touched ground in Konoha.
Ran wandered up to her where she was standing just out of shot on set, watching TenTen and Neji have a water fight in the shallows. She was dressed in her Night High uniform, sweating buckets even after she took off the jacket.
"Its too bad you guys will leave tomorrow," he commented, swinging his snake bucket from his fingertips. Unnerving hissing issued from within.
"Yeah, but at least we'll be done filming for a couple of days." She flipped the pen she was holding over a script absentmindedly, not really paying attention to Ran. They had fit two episodes into three days of filming. Look at them go! Then when they got home, they would have Saturday and Sunday to rest, Sakura would put the finishing touches on the album…
"You guys work way harder than I would have thought, if I'm being honest." His words caused her to look at him out of the side of her eye.
"Ah yes, we all get this rich and famous by doing nothing." She responded sardonically.
His face flushed red. "I didn't mean to imply you guys don't work hard. I'm just surprised how little you all rest." He amended, shifting uncomfortably on the balls of his feet.
She made a face. "Tell me about it," she grumbled. His laugh erupted in the air around them, drawing looks from those around.
Ino, who was lounging a ways away caught Sakura's eye, one fine blonde brow arched. Sakura didn't respond as Ran stepped around her, leaning in.
"What I really meant, is that I'm impressed. You've got some mettle," his eyes lit up in the afternoon sun, casting them a warm caramel. Sakura was decidedly unmoved by them, her gaze slipping past Ran to find the silver irises she often saw when she closed her eyes.
Why was she seeing them when she closed her eyes?
Kakashi was standing far off set with the rest of the security, slouched as he always was, hands in his pockets, his eyes half lidded. He looked as though the heat was making him drowsy, though Sakura knew better. He looked delicious as ever, his mask firmly across his face. He had shed his outer jacket, leaving him in a tight black short sleeved shirt. His arms looked just as good covered as they did bare, which was unfair.
She thought about the way he looked in the ocean, glimmering like liquid mercury. The weight he carried with him everywhere he went. Her heart ached fiercely to think of it.
She struggled to drag her eyes back to Ran, who had continued to talk away while she wasn't hearing anything.
"Hmm?" She intoned innocently.
Ran chuckled good humoredly. "I asked if there's anything you wanted to do on the island but didn't have the chance to."
"Oh, yeah. I would have liked to make it to the spa, but maybe next time," she shrugged.
"Oh, it's too bad you didn't get there. It pretty nice, even for you idols." his lilt was teasing, so Sakura chose not to take it as an insult. "My sister is one of the best aestheticians they have, and she would've loved having you as a client. But I guess there's always next time."
"I think I'd like to snorkel for fun next time, too. The reef is beautiful, and I'd like to appreciate it without working."
Ran beamed. "Snorkeling the reef is my favorite thing, I swear to God, you may have been around the world, but you have not lived until you really spend time in the waters here."
Sakura suddenly felt like she was missing out. "Damn, I love to snorkel. I once spent a week free diving with some locals off the coast of The Land of Fire, and it was easily one of the coolest things I've ever done."
He groaned. "Oh man, that must have been so cool." He dragged a hand through his hair and tugged on the ends. "You need to use the free diving skills here, for sure."
"I'll go for one last swim tomorrow morning, before the world wakes up, and soak it all in. Might not free dive, but I'll still be in the ocean."
Ran would have replied, but suddenly Ino was at Sakura's shoulder, interrupting them.
"Sakura, you guys are nearly done for the day," Ino gestured around them, indicating the set slowly being shut down. TenTen and Neji were finishing up their scene, and Sai and Omoi were walking towards the changing area to shed their uniforms. The telltale bustle was dying down.
"Oh, yeah. Just in time for the sun to set. Again." Sakura made an annoyed sound as she rolled her eyes.
"You should go change," Ino placed a hand firmly on her spine and pushed her forward. Sakura did not like being handled like that, but let it slide since Ino wouldn't care about her complaints. She was right, anyway. Sakura wanted to change, and if the director was satisfied with their filming, she would happily trade her costume for the loose, low cut sun dress she had worn to set.
With a wave to Ran, Sakura strode off, her oxfords clicking on the wooden planks they had set out to make walking on the sand easier.
The changing room was a sleek airstream RV parked on the edge of the resort parking lot, but it wasn't too bad, as far as on-location changing went. Kakashi was leaning against the wall beside the door by the time she got there, arms crossed, looking deadly, as stark contrast from the lazy air he'd had a minute before. She suspected her other guards were on the other sides of the vehicle, watching over it. Sakura nodded to Kakashi in acknowledgment of the protection from prying eyes and pushed inside.
It was delightfully cool inside the airstream, and Sakura wasn't surprised to find Omoi sitting inside, head tipped back, eyes closed. Omoi didn't move as Sakura sashayed by him to the cupboard that was holding her dress, sunglasses, and wedding rings.
The corners of Sakura's lips tugged up unconsciously as she spotted the winking of the emerald within the shadows of the cupboard, the facets throwing the sterile light of the RV into dancing rings against the walls.
"Omoi," Sakura called, knowing full well he was, at best, half-awake, "Keep your eyes closed," She ordered.
Omoi made an unintelligible grumbling noise, which she chose to construe as assent.
With swift fingers she unbuttoned her blouse and shed it, followed quickly by the plaid skirt, knee socks, and oxfords. Sakura didn't take even a second to appreciate the cool air on her bare skin before tugging her dress on and concealing herself. She slipped her rings onto her left ring finger and perched her sunglasses atop her messy hair.
She smacked Omoi's knee as she passed on the way back out. "Up and at 'em, Omoi."
He choked on his sucker, jerking into waking. "Sorry!"
Sakura halted on the bottom of the stair leading out and gave Omoi a pitiful look. "Come on,"
Omoi squeezed his eyes shut tightly and opened them rapidly, blinking away the sleep. With a shake of his wrist he checked his watch.
"Hmm," he let out a jaw pooping yawn. "I'm up. Let's go," His knees popped as well as he stood.
"Damn Omoi," Sakura intoned as she pushed out the door into the warm, sticky air. "You crack like a glow stick."
Omoi chuckled, a sound Sakura knew had been looped and turned into edits all over the internet. She had a distinct memory of an edit of him laughing in a scene from Night High while leaning against a doorway. Hard to believe that the guy who choked on his sucker was the same man.
Outside the changing trailer stood the Night High cast, most already back in casual clothes, while Neji and TenTen waited impatiently to discard various pieces of apparel. They shared a look upon Sakura's exit before shuffling inside and shutting the door again.
"What's going on?" Sakura asked as she and Omoi approached.
Ino turned toward Sakura, a sassy hand on her hip. "Trying to decide what to do,"
Ran appearede beside Lee, that boyish grin on his face. "Two words: Bon. Fire."
"That is one word." Sai deadpanned, looking wholly unpleased.
"Yeah, yeah, grammar." Temari waved a dismissive hand. "Neji and TenTen already voted for bonfire. It's with some of the local crew. You guys?" Ino, Temari, Lee, and Ran looked expectantly at Omoi and Sakura, waiting for their opinions.
Sakura glanced at Omoi, her eyes brows quirked. Omoi exhaled a long breath around the stick of his sucker.
"Bonfire could be dangerous. But…missing out on a last night of fun also sounds dangerous. Man, that's tough…"
Sakura took a decisive step closer to the circles of celebrities. "As long as no one goes posting pictures and videos."
"Everyone there is hired on set, we all know the rules." Ran reassured her as he slung an arm around Lee's neck.
"Bonfire it is."
"Alright!" Lee gave a cheer, his enthusiasm palpable.
"Smores?"
"You know it." Ran confirmed.
Temari turned her most dangerous smile on him. "Fireworks?"
He gave her an offended look. "What do you take me for?"
"Booze?" Ino inquired, her tone suggesting she was barely interested.
"You guys clearly think I am not good at throwing a party," He put a hand dramatically to his chest. "I'm hurt,"
"Leave the dramatics to the professionals," Sakura told him with a firm pat on the shoulder. The night was setting in swiftly, like it seemed to do right when they got free time.
The temperature had already dropped a few degrees, and the breeze kissed the back of Sakura's sweaty neck while they waited for Neji and TenTen, who reappeared in casual clothes after five minutes, looking like everyone's favorite celebrity couple.
TenTen's hand was looped through Neji's arm in a casual affection that irritated Sakura for some reason.
"Come on, you guys took forever!" Temari took the lead, marching off down the beach, the anklets on her legs jangling.
They all fell in behind her, though Sakura didn't know how Temari knew where to go. Sakura knew better than to question her. Behind them, or maybe beside them, Sakura's detail trailed, unseen as the wind.
Sakura recognized the path after a few minutes of walking. They were approaching the area where they had been the first night, just down the slope from their resort. She was relieved to see the path up to their villa so close, since she was tired.
A roaring fire was blazing in a pit on the surf, beach chairs and logs pulled up in clusters around it. They sure had gotten started early, huh? It couldn't have been 8:30, but the party was in full swing. The local crew must have taken off the second they were relieved of duty, run right over, and dumped kerosene on the fire to get it going this fast.
Sakura shook her head.
The idols circled the bonfire, greeting the young locals gathered around it. Sakura accepted a red solo cup from a girl of about 20 but didn't drink. She did not want to assume bad things, but she wasn't stupid. She would have a good time, even if she only held the drink in her hand. Ran's friends were boisterous and lively, like youth spilled onto the beach. Sparklers were lit, the smell of black powder and wet sand permeating everything around. Someone had produced a portable speaker, music blasting into the air.
The mood was nearly identical to as it had been the night they'd arrived, minus the ghost stories.
More song stanzas popped into Sakura's head, but she pushed them down for now. They needed to finish this latest album first, and before they could release it, she had to finish filming Night High so that Fire Drive could go on tour. But maybe she had time to write one single…One song about eyes that are the silver lining and life breathed into lungs.
Sakura sat on a log near the fire, TenTen on her right and a local girl, Isami, who she had seen on the set on her left. Sakura listened raptly while the girl told her about growing up on the island, about the tourist seasons and quiet seasons, about the monsoons and the glorious mornings when it's calm.
The moon got higher, the night set in. At some point Ran drifted closer to her, coming to stand behind the log the women were chatting on and leaning on Sakura to add in anecdotes, one on his hands resting on Sakura's shoulder for balance.
Sakura was snorting laughter about tourists getting crab claws clamped on their nipples, when out of the corner of her eye she saw Kakashi step into the fire light without warning.
He got right up into the face of one of Ran's friends, his expression flat and cold. The hair on Sakura's body stood on end. Ran's friend, an average dude with spiky red hair, was holding his phone, and Sakura could see the camera app was open.
Kakashi grabbed Spiky Hair's wrist, who Sakura belatedly recognized as the same guy she had seen approach Ino yesterday, stopping him from clicking a photo or recording a video. Kakashi leaned down into his face, voice low. "No. Photos." He increased the strength of his grip, the veins in his forearms deliciously visible, until Spiky Hair winced and dropped his phone. Sakura was surprised she didn't hear bone crack from the amount of pressure Kakashi had to have been applying to the fragile area where bones met.
"Damn, Sakura, your security always assault people?" He hissed and shook his hand out, glaring at Kakashi. She wondered disinterestedly if Spiky Hair was unaware that he was Sakura's husband or if he just didn't care.
Sakura pretended to scan the situation. "Oh no, was he doing his job again? Kakashi, you know I hate it when you do what I pay you to do." She said, her voice filled with false scolding. Isami and TenTen snickered.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, I forgot." Kakashi crooned, then kicked sand over the phone without taking his eyes off Sakura's. She was entirely captured by his silver, the light of the fire rippling in their depths. Sakura's lips tugged up wickedly.
Temari called to Spiky Hair from where she stood across the fire, "You break the NDA, Sakura's husband breaks your wrist,"
Kakashi said nothing, only straightened his spine and stared Spiky Hair down as he whipped his head from Kakashi, to Temari, to Sakura, his face turning red.
Sakura's attention was stolen by Ran, his features loose with drink, who walked around and stood in front of her, casting her half in shadow, half in flame. Kakashi retreated back into the dark, outside of the firelight, melting away as though he had never been there.
"Oh yeah, that reminded me! Sakura, surely this is really just a publicity thing, right?" Ran bent at the waist, leaning in in what Sakura was sure was supposed to be a charming way. Based on the way the girl beside Sakura blushed, she guessed it worked on some people. Unfortunately, Ran's words did nothing but incense Sakura, though she was sure he intended them to be harmless—or to sound harmless, at the very least.
Sakura blinked up at him, her face carefully neutral. "That's a wild accusation to throw."
Sakura felt her friends' attention all land on her, tuned in to her wavelength, even those of them who had been too far away to hear this exchange or notice the altercation between Ran's friend and Kakashi. Most of the party goers remained blissfully unaware of the shift in atmosphere that had started with Spiky Hair, due to the crack of fireworks now being launched to the stars and the music drowning out conversation.
It was almost comical, because the song now playing was Sakura's solo "Now I".
The chorus was gearing up as Sakura was getting ready to throw down.
"Now I got a glass in my hand that's full of bubbles,
And I only get into the best kind of trouble,
Now I'm out every night breathing in life,
Now I can't remember what it used to feel like,"
It was one of her favorite pieces, actually. Well, RIP that, she thought. Surely whatever was about to happen would taint her memory of this song. She would definitely have to write a new one with a similar vibe…
Ran's mouth twisted sideways, an expression that thoroughly ruined his boyish charm. "No accusation, Sakura. I'm just curious. I mean, how does a girl like you, who only broke up with a band member like four months ago, marry some old guy in such a short amount of time?"
"Oh boy." Sakura barely heard the exhale from TenTen beside her, barely felt the smoke that blew into her eyes on the breeze. While technically he was correct, and that's what should have been steaming her clams, it was him calling Kakashi old that had her wanting to dump her untouched drink on Ran. Thirty-five was not old.
This change in his behavior was so fast, like he had pulled a tablecloth out from under the dinner plates. Sakura suspected this had been Ran's motive all along; pretend to be a normal, laidback dude but secretly he was a fanatic.
"Besides, Lee said your guard tossed you in the ocean the other day." His smile was back, his tone borderline incredulous, "I can't see how you would marry a guy who would do that to you. I would never do that to you," He very clearly believed that he was the better option, this guy she didn't even know. "It has to be a publicity thing."
She stood up, forcing Ran to take a step back, closer to the flames. "He didn't just toss me into the ocean. It was an accident." she said stiffly.
"Isn't he supposed to be highly trained? Keep you safe? How's that going?" Sakura did not like where he was going with this. "You got attacked in your home, some guy got pictures of you basically nude, and you got tossed off a yacht." He ticked them off his fingers, looking for all the world like he had made some great point.
She scowled at him, nearly baring her teeth. How could anyone think she would intentionally let a paparazzi take photos of her the morning after her wedding night?
Ran stepped up close, his face an inch from hers. "You could stay here, be safe, date me for the publicity. And, you wouldn't have to fake date that old guy," He boldly lifted a hand, moving to brush her hair back from her face, like they were having some kind of romantic moment. The possession in the movement was disturbing.
Sakura stiffened.
Kakashi's gloved hand was already there, intercepting Ran, the same way he had stopped that crazy fan-girl outside of Minato's studio. His other arm wrapped possessively around Sakura's chest, pulling her back from Ran and into the safety of his solid form.
The cells of Sakura's body sang out at his comfort, at the way she fit into him. Sakura relaxed into him, letting her body become malleable and molded to the shape of Kakashi behind her. She tilted her head to one side and reached up a hand to cup Kakashi's masked jaw above her shoulder. Casual affection and intimacy, on display. She grinned at Ran, every bit the satisfied girlfriend—wife—whose boyfriend had come to her rescue.
"I was wondering when your colors would show," His low voice reverberated through Sakura's ribcage, shaking through her heart. "You were certainly acting all cool, but you're just another delusional fan. Disappointing." Kakashi's dark chuckle indicated that he was anything but disappointed.
Sakura managed to breathe deeply enough to find her voice while in the safety of Kakashi's arms. She lifted her left hand, flashing her wedding ring. "This," she said smugly, "is not a publicity stunt. This is my marriage. I chose him." Then she replaced her splayed fingers with just her middle one.
Isami stood from the log, putting herself between Sakura and Ran, but it was Ran that she faced down. "God, Sakura has done nothing but be nice to everyone since she got here, and you had to go off the deep end and ruin it!" Isami's crush on Ran was apparently at an end.
The young woman turned to Sakura; her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "I am so sorry for him." She glanced at Spiky Hair, who was glaring at Sakura and Kakashi with alarming venom. "I'm sorry for that asshole, too."
Sakura smiled, just a little. "I don't blame the rest of you guys." she said graciously. And she didn't. She and the entire cast had been having such a good time. It was sad that Ran was a fake.
Kakashi's voice rumbled again behind her, directed at Ran, "Touch my wife again, and I'll bury you." Sakura shivered at the promise in his words. Kakashi didn't need to be overly descriptive or creative. His threat was effective, more so in its simplicity.
Ran shrank back, choosing to keep his bones intact, but Sakura could still feel his animosity as he slunk away, Spiky Hair going after him.
Kakashi let them go and didn't release Sakura until they were gone into the night, just two more ghosts haunting this island.
The next morning Sakura went for one last swim in the early morning, embracing the ocean as an old friend that she would be parted from for a while. The morning air felt a little thick as she took deep breaths, her sinuses tight in a way that threatened being sick. Sakura ignored it.
Her guards stood on the beach, stick-figures in the predawn light as she swam laps perpendicular to the shore. The rest of the world continued to sleep, her friends likely out for hours more after imbibing last night.
Sakura always thought better in the water, letting it support her body so that her mind could drift. As she had weeks ago now, she thought about her present issues as the water drowned out all other sounds.
She was beginning to realize she had to face the music of the feelings Kakashi stirred in her—she had a crush. Sakura enjoyed immensely how secure she felt sleeping next to Kakashi, waking up in the same bed, instead of him moving her overnight. She liked his quiet attention, his warm hands. He was like a livewire, the kind that was inconspicuous, not jumping and sparking. Burning under the radar until an unsuspecting victim got lit up.
Kakashi lit Sakura up.
She wished the peace they had found here would follow them back into the real world. It was so nice to not have some emergency pressing down on her, and she certainly did not consider last night an emergency. The hurt she felt about Kakashi's role in her life grew smaller as time went on, though it had been less than a week. And maybe a little kernel of hurt would linger forever, but she hoped not. She knew better than to let things fester in a relationship.
Her brain turned to Ran. She was, unlike Kakashi, truly disappointed Ran had turned out to be just another obsessed fan. It showed, obviously in his behavior, but also in his knowledge of Sakura's life. He was up to date on her breakup with Sasuke; with the (first) attack on her home; with the photos of the morning after her wedding. Of course, most of the world knew about those things, but people who weren't fans didn't bother to remember or pay that close of attention.
She also disliked the way he had tried to touch her, as though he would be the one to save her. She hated that he had dragged Kakashi, and she knew Kakashi was likely beating himself up again over the bad things that had happened. But he had saved her, now so many times she didn't think she could count them. She trusted him, maybe even against her better judgment. Even if he would sacrifice her for the good of the Land of Fire, for the sake of catching the Akatsuki. Even if she would be Andromeda again.
She also trusted that when she returned home, Shikamaru would have sorted the photo mess out, and she could offer her meager free time to assisting Kakashi with hunting the Akatsuki instead of being bogged down by that. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad when he used her if she helped him.
Sakura was practically waterlogged by the time she returned to her villa, Kakshi and Guy trudging along behind. The air conditioning that greeted her sent goosebumps over her flesh, and she rushed for the bathroom to dive into the protection of the shower, leaving Kakashi sitting in the suite with his novel.
She was so ready for her own home, it was ridiculous. She missed Naruto and Sasuke. She missed her own bed. She even missed Kakashi's dogs.
She laughed at the thought of how much she wanted to see the dogs as she exited the shower, shutting the warm water off with a squeak of the handle and reaching for a plush towel to wrap herself in. Humming to herself she dried off and got dressed in skintight jeans and a tank top that she would put a sweater over later, Sakura got ready to face the day.
She exited the bathroom and crossed to the vanity, striding by Kakashi's lithe form. "I am so excited," she was saying as her fingers reached for her jewelry, "to be home. I know the schedule is still pretty tight for a while, but—" the words died in her throat as her fingertips brushed the top of the vanity and came back with a single band.
Sakura's eyes landed on her wedding band, glinting in the morning, where it sat exactly where she had left it before leaving for her swim. It was what her eyes did not land on that sent her blood pressure sky high.
Her emerald engagement ring was gone.
She had never fainted, not once in her life. Not when bombs were dropping when she was a child. Not when she was attacked. But she thought she might just then. Sakura spun to Kakashi, stumbling as she dashed for him. He looked up in alarm, dropping his book to catch her as she went down to one knee in nauseating symmetry of what she was missing.
"The ring," she breathed, her stomach in her feet in the way that only happened when you've misplaced something vital, when the panic set it. "It's gone."
She expected calm, swift reassurance. She expected Kakashi to quickly take control and tell her they would find it.
She was not prepared for the bald panic that lit his eyes, or for him to say, "My...mother's ring?"