The Price of Success

Sakura woke before the alarm. She slipped out of bed quietly, showered and dressed before her bedfellows even moved. She shrugged, went into the kitchen to make breakfast. The tea kettle whistled as she finished a pan of scrambled eggs. “Up and at ‘em you two! Don’t want to be late for our mission.”

Anko came to the table wearing one of Kakashi’s shirts with the sleeves rolled up. “Nice smelling breakfast, princess. Thanks.” As she bit into a slice of toast.

Kakashi dragged himself to the table a minute later wearing a pair of boxers. “god, you women wore me out.” Sakura giggled and handed him a cup of tea.

Anko leered at the athletic man next to her, “You’re not done here yet. I need a morning quickie since you’re leaving me with no cock for two weeks.”

Sakura rolled her eyes, “You’ll be late Kakashi.”

Kakashi sighed, “You will know why this time. Thanks for breakfast kid. Don’t keep Shino waiting by himself.”

“Fine.” Sakura grabbed her pack and went out the door in a huff.

She was still mad when she caught up with Shino at the gate. With his usual analytic mind, Shino asked coolly, “Sakura, what’s wrong?”

Sakura sighed and sat on a bench, tossing her pack to the side. “Oh, nothing really. Just Kakashi will be late because he’s busy making ninja babies with Anko.”

Shino did a double take and sat next to her. “E-Excuse me?”

“Oh, you haven’t heard? Kakashi and Anko got engaged. They are wanting to get their family started. And of course, this is a two-week mission so… they are getting in as much fucking as they can before we go.”

Shino was shocked, “Kakashi and Anko? Marrying?!? What other signs of the apocalypse am I missing?”

Sakura laughed, “Shino, you have the most delightful sense of humor. You should use it more often.”

Shino blushed, but continued speaking about life and love with the lovely kunoichi. Sakura had never known him to have a long conversation. It was good to see inside the quiet man a bit.

Kakashi finally arrived an hour late with a slight limp.

“Kakashi, you are injured.” Shino observed.

He brushed it off, “Oh it’s nothing, just a small morning muscle cramp.”

Sakura popped up, “He’s right. You pulled a muscle in your…” she left the sentence unfinished. “You’ll slow us down. Hold still.” Sakura pulled out her healing chakra and mended the pulled muscle in her former sensei’s ass.

Kakashi was relieved and embarrassed. “Thank you, Sakura.”

…

The mission was truly a cakewalk. They were escorting a lord, his family, and attendants, to the wedding of another Lord’s daughter in Cloud country. The food was delicious, and the accommodations were very nice. The wedding itself was slightly interesting because the lord had insisted that everyone, including his bodyguards, wear formal attire.

Sakura emerged from her room with her hair up, light make-up and her formal red dress. It was a sexy backless number (Ino had chosen it, but Sakura liked it well enough). Shino and Kakashi were in the hall waiting, adjusting the bow ties on their tuxedos. As she turned to close the door, both men were left breathless.  “What’s wrong?” she asked her stunned companions.

Shino managed to open his mouth. “Sakura, you are beautiful.”

She smiled, “Aw, thanks Shino. I don’t really go formal much, but I like this dress since I can actually move in it.” It was backless and since she was not a busty girl, Sakura wore it braless. The only thing underneath was her thong. It was floor length with slits up both sides to mid-thigh. She wore red ballet flats to cover her toe, although if the evening got long she would be grateful to have left the high-heeled sandals at home. “Watch this.” Sakura did two cartwheels down the hall, finished in the splits and popped up into a defensive stance, her hair and make-up still perfect. “And I have 6 different poisons and medicines on needles in my hairpins. Along with Shino’s friend, of course.”

Kakashi was simultaneously impressed and proud. “Damn, Sakura. Kiba’s right. You are a goddess.”

“Indeed.” Shino concurred.

The evening went as planned. The wedding was ostentatious; the reception more so. Of course, Shinobi on duty did not consume alcohol, but they were well fed. The band played a wide range of tunes and Sakura naturally had many requests to be a dance partner. She politely declined them, even though she loved dancing; it just didn’t feel right on the job. However, as the band struck up “moonlight serenade” she felt a familiar chakra behind her as Shino, looking entirely dashing in his Tuxedo and unmasked face, spoke softly in his deep, smooth voice “Dance with me, Sakura.” She hesitated. “Just one dance.” She gave him her hand.

They made a lovely couple on the dance floor, the tall, athletic shinobi in his tuxedo, his short dark hair framing his fine-featured face, the dark glasses hiding his eyes. The petite, pink-haired kunoichi in the sexy, backless red dress, graceful and athletic, but with curvy hips and shapely legs. His left hand held her right, their opposing arms on each other’s shoulder as he led her slowly and expertly around the floor.

Sakura had no idea Shino could dance. She’d never seen him on the floor at the club or even at a party. But here he was, confident and dashing. He was so handsome. This was yet another side of Shino Aburame he’d been hiding. She wondered, what else lay behind those shades of his?

Shino was possibly the happiest man alive at that moment. He adored Sakura. He’d admired her quietly for years and from a distance. The events of the past 3 months since she joined ANBU had been a rollercoaster of trauma and drama. But here she was, his friend, at least, again. She was even more beautiful than ever in that sexy, backless red dress. And she was dancing with him to the moonlight serenade. It wouldn’t matter if he died tomorrow, at this moment he was as alive as he’d ever been.

He finished the dance by dipping her smoothly, her back arched over his arm as her hair was only a couple of inches off the floor, her outside leg straight showing long and lean with a pointed toe to balance herself. Their faces were so close, she thought he might kiss her. But Shino shied from such public displays; being on the dance floor itself was daring for him. He pulled her back up and kissed her hand lightly. “Thank you for the dance.” She returned his formal thank you with her own small curtsy, “The pleasure was mine, sir.”

As they resumed their duties, Sakura found herself with a long line of gentlemen asking for dances and she could no longer use the excuse that she wasn’t permitted. So, she danced the rest of the evening and she enjoyed them all, but “moonlight serenade” would always be her favorite.

Later as they headed for bed, Kakashi pulled the team aside. “It’s funny sometimes, the things you learn when you are just another guy in a tux. I’ve already dispatched a message to Konoha. I expect we’ll be diverted unless there happens to be another team in range. Suigetsu is causing trouble and I caught a lead on his location.  It’s near the border with Fire. Stay on your toes, and be prepared to extend your time away from home.”