Double Edged

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Readers: That was NOT Tenten with Gai in the last chapter. Tenten is with Neji. Gai’s lady friend is a figment of my imagination. Sorry for any confusion. On another note, due to the fact that I’m trying to get more of my original stuff written, there will be a change in the updating schedule. Expect it to be about every three weeks, depending on my schedule and how much stuff I have on my plate. It may be earlier than that or later, but that’s about the rough timeline to look for. Thanks for your understanding and sorry about the inconvenience! AND I AM SO SORRY FOR THE LONG DELAY ON THIS CHAPTER!

Finally, thank you VERY much to Veronika-chan for the incredible fan art! It’s of their first maskless kiss and it was AWESOME! Go check it out on deviantart, it’s so worth it.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Song Reference: I’ve Got To See You Again

Artist: Nora Jones

Lyrics: Late in the night when I’m all alone/And I look at the clock and I know you’re not home/I can’t help myself/I’ve got to see you again


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Coming!” Ino shouted as she hastily capped her mascara and tossed it into the small clutch purse sitting on the edge of the bathroom sink. She zipped it shut, looped the thin strap around her wrist and hurried into her room to put on her jewelry. Damn it, she should have told Chouji to get her at seven. Yeah, that would have made them a few minutes late for the banquet… but at least then she wouldn’t be rushing around and possibly ruining her makeup before she even got there!

The welcoming banquet for the Suna delegation was a very important affair, one that would include ninja and civilians alike. Ino had been ecstatic to learn her father had received an invitation to the event, more so even than her mom. While the Yamanaka clan could date itself back to the founding of the ninja world, it wasn’t exactly the most prestigious. They were a smallish clan and fairly new to Konoha, her great-great-grandfather having been the first one recorded in the population census.

Her dad had been incredibly honored that the Hokage thought him important enough to attend, and Ino had agreed with him on that… until she saw the invitation was for her father plus one. All dreams of going to the event were shattered when her father had turned to her mother and said she was going to be the most beautiful woman there.

As happy as she was for her parents, she couldn’t help mourning over the fact that her one chance to mingle with the elite for an evening (and hopefully impress a couple of hot, young heirs while she was at it) wasn’t going to happen. She was happy that her parents would have this opportunity, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t jealous at the same time. Even Sakura was going, and most of her family weren’t even ninja. Of course, her invitation was due to the fact that she was the Hokage’s apprentice, but still… it wasn’t fair that her roommate got to go and she didn’t!

However, it seemed this time that luck was on her side and came in the form of Akimichi Chouji. He’d asked her to go two days before the event after listening to her vent for a solid hour about how much she really wanted to go. Apparently, the more prominent clans like the Hyuuga and the Akimichi not only had invitations for the leaders and their spouses but the heirs and a guest as well. He had an extra invitation, one he was offering to her. Shikamaru had been so shocked he’d nearly fallen right off his stool in Ichiraku Ramen.

She’d tried to refuse Chouji’s offer. It was very sweet, but she didn’t want him wasting it on her… though it’d nearly killed her to say that. But when he insisted it was fine and that he really didn’t have anyone else to take, she’d given in and then immediately ditched the boys to shop for a new outfit. Even if she was only going as Chouji’s friend, he’d been kind enough to invite her and she had no intention of repaying that by looking like crap. She wanted him to have the hottest date in the room.

Ino growled irritably as she struggled to get the tiny clasps on her strappy sandals to work. “Come on,” she muttered, her brow furrowing in concentration. If she ended up scratching her nail polish because of this… She sighed in relief as the minute toggle finally went into the hole of the strap and then she was on her feet and running for the door, her heels clicking sharply on the wooden floor.

She paused at the door to check her dress once more for wrinkles and to carefully pat her hair to make sure it wasn’t going to escape from the loopy bun she’d pinned it into. Once satisfied that everything was good, Ino opened the door and greeted her date with a beaming smile. “Hey, Chouji! So… what do you think? Do I look good?” She did a spin to show off her dress and missed it when he gulped hard at the sight of her.

By the time she was facing him again, Chouji’s eye were round and his jaw was hanging open in shock. Ino’s brow creased slightly in concern as she looked down at her dress once more. She’d thought it was appropriate to wear… yeah, the back dipped incredibly low, but it had a high neck to compensate. Crap, was she going to have to change? Sighing miserably, she gathered the long skirt up and grumbled, “Gimme ten minutes, I’ll find something else.”

“No!” Chouji said quickly, stopping her before she’d even taken two steps. Ino looked at him over her shoulder, one eyebrow arched questioningly at the dazed expression still on his face. “You look… I don’t know.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she demanded, turning around to glare at him. Ino planted her hands on her hips and tapped her foot angrily. If he didn’t want those flowers he’d brought shoved up his ass (though it would be a shame to do since it was such a pretty arrangement) he better start explaining himself and quickly!

Chouji’s eyes closed and he groaned in exasperation. “I mean I don’t know,” he repeated, his shoulders slumping dejectedly. “I can’t think of a word for it right now.”

“Look, if I don’t look good just say so and I’ll get changed!”

“It’s not that,” he interrupted just as she was about to stomp over and slam the door in his face. “It’s just you look too good, you know? Like I can’t think of a good enough word to describe it sort of good.”

Ino paused, her hands still on her hips as she regarded him with a slightly softer look. “So,” she said slowly, her anger fizzling out at the sight of him standing uncertainly on her doorstep. “What you’re trying to say is that I look so good you’re speechless?”

Chouji’s cheeks pinkened a little as he ventured to meet her gaze nervously. “Yeah… that sounds about right.”

Her lips twisted into a quick smile at his admission and she relaxed her affronted stance. Nodding toward the flowers he was still holding, she asked, “Are those for me?”

“Uh… yeah. Sorry, but I got them from another flower shop,” he explained with a sheepish little smile as he held them out to her.

She took the small bouquet from him and closed her eyes while sniffing appreciatively at the blossoms. Pale white chrysanthemums accented with freesias, sweet peas and snapdragons. It was obvious he hadn’t picked the bouquet for the significance of the flowers. Snapdragons expressed desire, chrysanthemums were a symbol of fidelity, freesia was for friendship and sweet pea represented gentle love. The only two in the bunch that made any sense were the freesia and chrysanthemums. Still though… It was sweet that he’d purchased them for her, even if they were from a competitor.

“Come in for a second while I take care of these,” she offered as she made her way into the kitchen. Ino bent down and opened a cabinet under the sink to dig out one of the vases she’d brought over from the shop. “Thanks for the flowers, Chouji. They’re really pretty.”

“Kiba said it’d be stupid to get you flowers since your family owns a flower shop, but Shikamaru said it’d be even stupider to show up with nothing at all,” Chouji said as he followed her into the kitchen, looking around as if uncertain if he was allowed in there.

Ino smiled and turned on the tap to put some water in the vase. “Kiba’s an idiot. There’s not a girl in the world who doesn’t like to get flowers. And Shikamaru’s not quite as retarded as I thought when it comes to women. You look nice, by the way. Red’s a really good color on you.”

“Thanks. My… mom kinda picked it out for me.”

“Your mom’s got good taste,” she laughed as she trimmed the ends of the flowers off into a garbage can. “Wanna know a trick for keeping flowers longer?”

Chouji’s lips twitched a little, hinting at a smile he was trying to hold back on. “Sure, I guess.”

Grinning, Ino opened the refrigerator and pulled out a can of citrus soda. She held it up for Chouji to see and snickered at the confused look on his face. “I’m serious. Just a little bit of this stuff and the flowers will keep for at least two weeks.”

His eyebrows shot up in surprise as she tipped a bit of the soda into the vase. “Really? Wow…”

“Mm-hm. Don’t tell anyone I said that though, okay? That’s a family secret and I will have to kill you if you share it.” Ino flashed him a smile over her shoulder and received an answering one from him. She set the flowers in the middle of the small table, pausing to sniff the blossoms once more, and sighed happily. “Well, ready to go?” she asked as she turned toward her date once again.

Chouji nodded eagerly, his cheeks turning a little pink as he hesitantly offered her his arm. It was a bit of an old-fashioned gesture, but it was cute that he was at least making a good effort to be a decent escort. She looped her arm through his, settling her hand on his forearm, and grabbed her purse as they headed out the door.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sakura was so glad she’d opted for the shoes with lower heels rather than the ones Ino had been trying to get her to wear. Granted, they weren’t nearly as pretty as the strappy shoes her friend had almost talked her into purchasing… but they were cheaper and definitely a lot more practical, especially seeing as she’d been running around all night. The minute she’d arrived to help out, Tsunade had pulled her aside and told her she had one task for the entire evening; gather information. Whether it was from eavesdropping or because she charmed it out of them, she was to report back with as much information as she could about what was said at the gathering after the banquet. That was when business would be discussed and plans made. As the Hokage, Tsunade wanted to hear all of it and not just for gossiping reasons either. The banquet was the perfect place to make important connections for political maneuvers.

So, here she was wandering around the antechamber that was attached to the banquet hall and trying her best to appear harmless while jumping from conversation to conversation. At all times, she kept an ear open for what was being said around her for anything of interest. It wasn’t a particularly hard task to smile and play the part of the Hokage’s young, politically inexperienced apprentice, but it was very annoying. There were several times during the evening where she’d opened up and shared her thoughts only to earn patronizing little smiles from her much older listeners and the occasional comment about how nice it was to see a young girl being aware of her world. Meaning, in short, they were writing off whatever she said because she was only sixteen. She was too young to really know what she was talking about.

Even worse than being disregarded were all the perverts and kiss-ups in the room. If they weren’t having trouble making eye contact, they were busy trying to get her to ‘put in a good word with the Hokage’. She even had one man who was a combination of the two; he actually tried to tuck his business card in the strap of her dress. Fortunately, Shizune had been standing near by and was quick enough to intercept the card with a cheerful smile and thanks. While the dark haired woman continued to distract the man, Sakura had made her escape to the back of the room where there was plenty of wall space and not so many people crowding around.

Her eyes closed briefly as she sagged back against the wall she’d claimed. She didn’t know exactly how long she’d been standing there since that incident, but it felt good getting away from politics for a bit. All the voices blurred together, becoming a steady murmur punctuated by the occasional burst of laughter. If she listened hard enough, she could pick out a few individual voices and snippets of the conversations closest to her. Unfortunately, her hearing wasn’t as freakishly uncanny as a certain absent jounin’s, so it was impossible to hear more than a few words from each discussion without getting closer.

She wished Kakashi were there, and not just because he’d be handy in helping her eavesdrop. Even though he’d already told her he wasn’t coming, part of her had sort of hoped he might change his mind. She’d even picked out her dress on the off chance that he would be there. Her mother’s eyebrows had gone up at the sight of it but all she’d said was she hoped there was no one with a heart condition at the banquet. Sakura had blushed and laughed at the joke while silently hoping her mom didn’t ask any further questions. She wasn’t quite sure yet how to inform her parents that not only was she dating a man fourteen years her senior but that he was also her former teacher and technically still listed as her team leader.

Kakashi… What exactly did she feel for him? It was definitely more intense than just a passing crush, but she didn’t think ‘love’ was the right word for it either. They’d only started dating about a month ago. That was way too soon to fall in love with someone… wasn’t it? She didn’t really know; her experiences in love were limited to Ino’s romance novels and Uchiha Sasuke. All she knew was that this was nothing like a romance novel and that Kakashi made her feel things no one else did. Including Sasuke. There was a time where she’d thought what she felt for the Uchiha heir was love. If that was love, then what did it mean when she felt more for Kakashi than she ever did for Sasuke?

There were times during the day where her thoughts would randomly turn toward Kakashi and it made a warm, giddy sensation move through her, almost as if her heart had skipped a beat or she’d held her breath too long. She would think about the way his dark grey eye would brighten a little when he was teasing her and his strong, callused fingers as they traced over her skin and the sound of his breath catching a little right before he kissed her… it made her miss him.

Sighing wistfully, Sakura smoothed her hands down the cool red silk of her skirt and plucked at the bodice to close the peek-a-boo gap in the gathered fabric. There wasn’t anyone in the room she was trying to impress anyway, so what was the point? Now she was regretting that she hadn’t gone with her mom’s more demure choice. It had been the cheaper of the two anyway, so she could have gotten shoes to match rather than—

She was snapped out of her thoughts when a pair of boots came into view, and her heart sped up as her immediate thought was that Kakashi had come after all. But her excitement died quickly when she looked up and didn’t see the masked face she’d been hoping for. Genma grinned as he held a cup of fruit punch out to her. “Did you know it’s against the law for a beautiful woman to hide herself in a dark corner?” he teased as she took the offered cup from him.

“Is that so?” she murmured, her cheeks flushing at the compliment as she tried not to show her disappointment. At least it was Genma and not a random stranger hitting on her. He was a flirt, but he was harmless.

“It’s right next to the law that says any idiot who allows his gorgeous girlfriend to go to one of these things alone will receive a solid ass kicking later.” Genma leaned against the wall next to her, crossing his legs at the ankles as he watched the people mingle. “I’m running a special, you know; two kneecaps for the price of one.”

Sakura giggled at that and said, “There’s a clause stating that any party found guilty of breaking that law was to be exempt from the ass kicking should the aforementioned girlfriend excuse them of attending.”

Genma’s brow arched and his lips curved into a slow, wicked grin. “Ah… so you’re admitting that Kakashi’s your boyfriend then?” he purred, his grin widening at the sudden rush of heat to her cheeks. Sakura opened her mouth to immediately protest the implication, but Genma waved a hand to silence her. “I’m teasing you. No need to rip me a new one. In all honesty, whatever you guys wanna call what you are… I think it’s good.”

Her cheeks flared even brighter and her eyes flickered briefly to the floor before returning to his. “Y-You do?” she asked softly, her fingers twisting in the red silk skirt of her dress. “You don’t think it’s weird? Him being so much older and all.”

He shook his head and the smile he gave her was one of gentle amusement. “No, not really. You’re happy, right? That’s all that matters then. Everyone’s gonna die someday, and for a ninja that someday is a lot sooner. So it only makes sense to enjoy whatever you can out of life. You never know if the next mission you take will be the one that gets your name etched in stone.” Genma glanced at her and whatever he saw on her face made his cheeks color a little as he scanned the area around them nervously. “Would you quit looking at me like I just molested you? I don’t want Tsunade pounding her way over here to take my head off,” he muttered while casually putting a little more distance between them.

“Sorry, but it’s just… that made sense,” she explained, flushing at the joke as she stared into her untouched fruit punch.

Genma snorted and muttered, “Geeze, don’t act so surprised. I don’t know what Kakashi’s been telling you, but I do have my moments of genius.”

“No, that’s not it at all,” Sakura laughed, earning her an answering smirk from the brown haired man. “What I meant was you’re right. There’s nothing wrong about being happy. But sometimes… it’s not that easy.”

“It’s only difficult if you make it that way, Sakura.”

She sighed heavily but didn’t respond to that. Genma meant well, but he didn’t know the full extent of this particular situation. It was complicated and there was nothing she could really do at this point to make it simpler. She could just forget about the bet and let Tsunade down… or she could tell Kakashi about it and risk losing not only his friendship but his respect as well. Neither option was one she was particularly fond of, but they were the only outcomes she could see. And the more time she spent with Kakashi, the harder it was to accept that it would all eventually end.

Sakura glanced at the man standing silently next to her, studying his profile as he watched the people socializing around them. She could see why Shizune was so fond of him. Underneath the teasing and the flirting was a guy who seemed very sweet and cared a great deal about those close to him. The idea popped into her head that maybe she could confide in him about all this, get his opinion on what she should do, but it was dismissed just as quickly as it had come. Genma was Kakashi’s friend, not hers. He wouldn’t help her, especially not if he knew the real reason she was dating his friend.

Genma let out a long, groaning sigh as he pushed away from the wall. “Well, I guess I better go see what my woman is up to. Don’t want her to think I made a daring escape through the bathroom window or anything.”

Sakura arched a brow and smirked. “Were you thinking about doing that or did she catch you in the middle of it?”

A mischievous grin flashed across his face as he answered, “The first. I was just heading out to give it a try when I spotted a lawbreaker that needed correcting. Hey, listen… you two should come over for dinner sometime. Consider it repayment for that night you and Kakashi helped carry me home.”

“Oh, that’s okay! You don’t have to—,”

“It’ll be fun, I promise. I’ll talk to Shizune about it and she’ll give you the details, okay?”

Blushing at the friendly smile he gave her, Sakura nodded and said, “Sure, that sounds great. Thank you.”

Satisfied that he’d won, Genma turned his back and flicked a casual wave at her over his shoulder. “See you around, Sakura-chan!”

Sakura watched as he cut quickly through the crowd of people to where Shizune was laughing as she wrote down whatever the man talking to her was saying. The dark haired woman paused when Genma came up behind her and placed a kiss on her cheek, her smile brightening even further at the display of affection. It made her think about Kakashi and just like that her melancholy mood returned full force. She wanted nothing more than to just leave the party and track him down. She couldn’t though. Tsunade had assigned her a task and she had to see it through to the end.

Taking a deep breath and fixing a pleasant smile on her face once again, Sakura moved away from the wall and back into the party. Even if she didn’t learn anything beyond the usual gossip, it at least would give her something to focus on other than Kakashi.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kakashi hissed and jerked his hand away sharply to examine the fingertip he’d just stabbed with a quilting needle. A small, bright spot of blood colored his skin, catching on the whorls ever so slightly as he scowled at it. Twenty-two, he thought irritably as he popped his finger into his mouth to stop the bleeding, grimacing a little at the metallic taste on his tongue. He wasn’t sure if sucking on a small cut actually worked as a healing method, but it was either that or risk getting blood on Sakura’s quilt. Something told him she probably wouldn’t appreciate it if he took the saying ‘blood, sweat and tears’ literally.

He’d started working on it the day after they’d made their little wager, and until this evening he’d been making excellent progress on it. But tonight for some reason, he couldn’t seem to keep the needle out of his flesh. His poor fingertips were red and the skin a bit sore from being stuck so many times. He wasn’t by any means bad at sewing; years of repairing clothing himself had seen to that. It was just that tonight he was a little… distracted.

And by distracted, he meant he couldn’t get his mind off of a certain pink haired medic.

He hadn’t seen her in two days, not since Icha Icha Violence was stolen, and apparently absence not only made the heart fonder but it also drove the mind insane. It’d started yesterday when he’d swung by the Hokage’s office to drop off a mission report that was three months overdue. He’d told himself that three months was enough time to have Tsunade gritting her teeth while fighting not to throw another paperweight at him, but in reality he knew it could have waited another week. The truth of the matter was that he’d hoped to bump into the Hokage’s apprentice while there. Unfortunately, it was a hospital day for Sakura and there wasn’t a chance in hell he was stepping foot in that place, not without a life threatening injury at any rate. And even then he’d have to be unconscious and carried against his will.

Later that afternoon, he’d spotted her sitting in a café by herself having lunch. She had a stack of folders on the chair next to her and seemed so engrossed in reading through one of them that he hadn’t wanted to disturb her. So instead, he went to Ichiraku Ramen by himself and was fortuitous enough to bump into Tenzou while there. One of these days, he supposed he should really pay his kohai back for all the free meals.

Then… there was last night. He’d been stretched out on the couch, very much like he was now, and was all set to read the brand new book he’d bought entitled Dangerous Affairs. Four chapters in and the sex started… except that it wasn’t the buxom blonde on the cover he saw writhing on a bed. It was a girl much younger with pink hair and not nearly the same amount of breast. And try as he might to focus instead on the heroine, he couldn’t quite get his brain to stop seeing Sakura clawing at the sheets, lips parted and hair tangled while she…

He’d stopped reading the book, but that hadn’t really solved the problem. Five minutes under a freezing cold shower did the trick though, after which he’d gotten dressed and returned to the couch to work on the quilt for the rest of the evening. Later that night he’d woken up with pieces of half sewn fabric covering him, a hard on and her name on his lips. His hand was half way down his pants before he realized what he was doing and stopped himself quickly. Having a few stray fantasies about Sakura was one thing. Actually masturbating to those fantasies was entirely different.

Tonight was the welcoming banquet for the Suna representatives. The only reason he knew that was because Genma had come down with a bottle of whiskey and the need to complain about the fact that he was going to it. Kakashi had done the neighborly thing by supplying two glasses and giving the impression that he was actually listening to the other man’s ranting. He continued to nod and make little sounds of interest as Genma railed irritably, but his mind was preoccupied with other things. Such as wondering what sort of dress Sakura was wearing.

Maybe it was one of those cute little silky dresses that looked a lot like lingerie. Something pale pink with black lace would be especially nice… or maybe it was another strapless number, one that hugged her trim waist nicely before flaring at the hip…

Or maybe she was wearing a formal kimono. He’d had to close his eyes and suppress a shudder when the image of a very properly made up Sakura kneeling serenely at a table popped into his head. He didn’t know what it was about women in traditional attire, but it lit him up faster than a sheer bra and thong set ever could. More than likely, it had to do with some of Jiraiya’s earlier work. There was one collection of short pieces where he did nothing but describe the ordinary routines of women, and despite being completely free of porn it was still one of the most erotic things Kakashi could ever recall reading. One of the pieces was all about the art of kimono wearing and it was by far some of Jiraiya’s best work.

It was that image of Sakura wearing a dark red kimono and stretched out on a bed that had stuck with him all evening. He’d tried to banish it several times, but it was firmly rooted and not budging. Every so often, mostly when he’d just started to get into a rhythm with stitching pieces of quilt together, his imagination would push it just a bit further; the kimono would slip down one pale shoulder, her fingers curling in the rich fabric, though whether it was to pull it back in place or assist in its downward progress he didn’t know. It was usually at that point that the needle would stab into his finger tip, jarring him very rudely from his fantasies.

Kakashi groaned and pressed a hand over his eyes. There was no denying it any longer; he was definitely attracted to his former student. Whether it was by design or completely natural on her part, she appealed to him in a way that went beyond just a general interest. She was pretty, intelligent, tolerated his quirks fairly well and he was beginning to really not like the fact that none of it was real between them. Even if her charm was all her and not part of her scheme, it didn’t change the fact that she wasn’t dating him because she wanted to. Their ‘relationship’ was purely business and to entertain any other idea would be foolish.

Still though… that didn’t change the fact he’d grown rather fond of her presence. Sakura was young but there were times where she demonstrated a type of maturity that far exceeded her years. She was incredibly adept at reading his moods, something he found a little disconcerting seeing as not even his closest acquaintances could read him as easily as she did. It was her uncanny ability of knowing what he needed and when that he would really miss, more so than anything else. When she smiled at him, it was damn near impossible not to smile back at her.

Damn it, this was ridiculous. He was not going to spend another evening thinking about something he’d never have. Scowling angrily at his one-tracked mind, Kakashi carefully moved the half sewn pieces of quilt off of his lap and stood up. There was only one place he knew of that could distract him from almost anything; the bookstore. It was virtually impossible to think about anything else when there were so many books he could read.

As long as it wasn’t erotica, that is.

Kakashi didn’t bother grabbing any of his usual gear, save for the hip pouch that attached to his belt. Out of reflex, he automatically reached for Icha Icha Paradise to take with him. As much as he loved the book, he had a feeling he wouldn’t make it through the first sex scene without Sakura somehow creeping into his imagination. So instead, Kakashi selected one of Jiraiya’s earlier works from the bookcase, one he knew had absolutely no porn in it, and left his apartment for his second home.

As soon as he stepped outside the apartment building however, his lips twisted into a distasteful grimace as a fine mist of rain sprayed across his face. The sidewalk was damp with a few small puddles already forming from the light rainfall. Dark clouds loomed off in the distance, signifying that this was just the beginning of what promised to be a torrential downpour by the morning. At the moment it wasn’t bad enough to warrant an umbrella, but it did prevent him from reading as he walked. There was enough streetlamp light to read by, but he wasn’t going to risk the pages getting wet and drying together.

So, without anything to distract it, his mind decided to wander back to Sakura. Naturally.

He wondered if she was having fun. More than likely, Tsunade was putting her to work gathering information on all the guests. Who better than a charming, petite girl with a dazzling smile to extract the details of a whispered agreement between two parties? He could just see her laughing at a joke some faceless man made, placing her hand coyly on his arm as she leaned in a little more intimately, a faint flush of color touching her cheeks as the man commented on how pretty she was…

Kakashi came to a stop, his eye narrowing as his hands fisted inside his pockets. The thought of some ill-intentioned man leering at her sent a cold, malicious feeling coursing through his blood. It was about nine o’clock, judging by the placement of the moon overhead. The banquet had to be over by now, which meant Sakura would be walking home alone… unless one of those leering men he’d envisioned decided to walk her home.

Without a moment’s hesitation, he turned around and started walking in the opposite direction of the bookstore.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Are you sure you don’t wanna go, Forehead? Kiba got his hands on some fireworks and we were gonna set them off down by the river.”

Sakura smiled and shook her head at her friend’s pleading, puppy-eyed expression. “I’m sure,” she replied, rubbing her arms briskly as she glanced up at the cloud covered sky. “Besides, isn’t it a little too cold and wet for fireworks?”

“It’s never too cold or wet to blow shit up!” Kiba crowed from further down the street, earning him a few laughs from some of the boys in the group.

“Aw, c’mon, Sakura!” Ino cajoled, curling her lower lip out into a grade-A pout. “You didn’t get a chance to have any fun at all tonight, what with Tsunade running you around nonstop.”

Shaking her head once again, Sakura said, “It’s okay, really. I’m actually pretty tired and wouldn’t be much fun anyway.” It was partially true. She was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to go home, put on her comfiest pajamas and curl up on the couch with hot chocolate and a movie. But the main reason she didn’t want to go was that the group consisted of nothing but couples. She would be the only one there without a date, which meant she’d more than likely find herself sitting alone anyway. If she was going to do that, it would be in the comfort of her own apartment, not outside in the rain wearing a silk dress.

Ino’s eyes narrowed suspiciously for a moment before she turned her back and started walking toward the waiting group. “Have it your way, Forehead,” she called back, waving airily over her shoulder. “You’re gonna be missing out on a lotta fun!”

“Let me know if Kiba blows himself up, okay?” Sakura called back, grinning when the boy in question started shouting about how he knew what he was doing. She let out a wistful sigh as she remained standing under the cement overhang of the Hokage Tower, watching after her friends as they quickly disappeared from sight. If Kakashi had been there…

“Sakura-chan, what are you still doing here?”

Sakura turned at the sound of Shizune’s voice and forced what she hoped passed as a cheerful smile. If Shizune suspected she was upset, she would badger her until she told her what was wrong, and she really didn’t feel like sharing that the reason she was upset was because she missed Kakashi. Pointing up at the sky to indicate the light sprinkling of rain, she answered, “I was trying to wait out the shower. My dress is silk and—,”

Before she could even finish her sentence, Genma was shrugging out of his jacket and handing it to her. “Here, put this on over it,” he offered solicitously. “See, Shizune wouldn’t let my wear my silk dress, so I don’t have to worry about getting wet.”

“Oh, no! That’s okay,” she argued immediately. It was a little cold out and she didn’t want Genma getting sick on her account because he’d walked around in the rain without a jacket.

“Don’t be silly, Sakura-chan,” Shizune insisted, taking the jacket and fixing it snugly around Sakura’s shoulders. “You can just bring it with you to the hospital tomorrow.”

“But… are you sure? I mean, I don’t mind sending it out for dry cleaning—,”

Genma let out a dismissive sound and said, “That’s sweet but unnecessary. Just make sure I get it back or I’ll take it out on your boyfriend’s ass the next time I see him.”

Blushing as he once again referred to Kakashi as her boyfriend, Sakura slipped her arms into the sleeves and wrapped the front closed around her. It smelled like his cologne, but it was warm and definitely did the job keeping her dry. She smiled at the satisfied grin on Genma’s face and joked, “Weren’t you planning to do that anyway?”

“Yeah, I was until someone told me I wasn’t allowed,” he chuckled, hooking an arm around Shizune’s waist to pull her in against his side. “You gonna be okay walking home alone?”

“I’ll be fine, don’t worry. Thanks for letting me use your coat.”

“No problem. G’night, Sakura-chan!”

“See you tomorrow morning,” Shizune added with a quick hug and smile before she and Genma headed off toward their home.

Sakura smiled after them for a moment, hugging Genma’s coat to her as she buried her hands in the overly long sleeves. Then, she stepped out from under the protection of the overhang and started walking quickly back to her apartment. She kept her head down and the jacket firmly closed as she hopped over puddles and hugged close to buildings to try and block as much of the wind as possible. Fortunately for her, she only lived a couple blocks from the administration offices.

She couldn’t wait to get home and changed into something comfortable. Her feet were sore from standing all night and as pretty as the dress was it was starting to take on static from the change in the air outside. She could feel it clinging to her body as she hurried down the sidewalk, which wasn’t at all comfortable. Damn it, she knew she should have sprayed it down with that anti-static stuff like her mom had said, but she’d been in such a rush to leave that she didn’t have the time.

She turned down the street she lived on and groaned happily at the sight of her apartment building as it came into view in front of her. Just a little further and she’d be warm and dry and… Sakura stopped dead in her tracks right in the middle of the walkway at the sight of a very familiar figure sitting on the top step outside the main entrance, using the cloth awning as a means of shielding him and his book from the rain. What the… why was Kakashi here?

As if sensing her presence (which he more than like had, actually), Kakashi looked up from his book. His eyes creased happily as he lifted his hand in a lazy wave and greeted her with a cheerful, “Yo!”

Her mouth opened and closed a few times as she walked numbly over to him, too shocked at seeing him here to remember how to speak. Finally, she managed to find her words as she asked bewilderedly, “W-What are you doing here?”

“Well, it was such a lovely night that I thought I might find a nice spot to read for a while,” he joked, slipping a strip of paper into his book and closing it. “And as it so happens, your apartment building is the perfect place.”

Sakura fought the smile that twitched at the corners of her lips as he stuck the book behind his back and casually walked over to where she was still standing in the rain. “Of course,” he continued, his dark eye glinting with amusement as he met her gaze. “It would have been more comfortable inside, but the guard wouldn’t let me in.”

“That’s because the doors are locked after nine. You need a building key to get in,” she replied with a smirk as she opened her purse and pulled out her keys, dangling them directly in front of his face.

“Ah. Good to know. I thought I was going to have to stage a break in.”

She laughed as she moved passed him and unlocked the outer door, smiling as he followed her inside. “I guess it’s a good thing I came home when I did then. How long were you out here anyway?”

“Not long,” Kakashi answered unconcernedly as he slipped an arm around her waist, his hand settling on her hip with an almost possessive firmness. Sakura was incredibly grateful for the handrail on the stairs when her knees went a bit weak at his touch. Two days without seeing him and she felt like she was suffering from withdrawal symptoms. “Nice coat, by the way.”

“Oh, thanks. I borrowed it from this wonderfully sweet gentleman who was appalled that I didn’t have a date with me,” she teased while snuggling into Genma’s jacket like it was the softest thing she’d ever felt.

Kakashi’s eyebrows rose as he shook his head in disbelief. “Genma is not a gentleman. Not even a tiny bit.”

Sakura pouted at him and gave his side a sharp poke as she demanded, “How did you know it was Genma?”

“I’d recognize that cologne of his anywhere.” The way he said that suggested he didn’t find it a very appealing fragrance.

“Well, it was still nice of him,” she insisted as she unlocked the door to her apartment and flicked on the light switch just inside the entryway. “You probably wouldn’t have let me borrow your coat.”

“Probably not,” he conceded, an edge of amusement coloring his voice. “But that’s only because it’d hide your dress.”

Sakura glanced at him over her shoulder, her lips curving into a wicked little smile as she turned to face him, letting the coat fall open so he could see the dress she’d bought with him in mind. There was a flicker of something dark and intense through his eye as he looked her up and down, his gaze pausing ever so slightly at the flash of skin exposed by the fabric parting between her breasts. “Is that better?” she asked, hoping the breathiness in her voice sounded sultry and not like she’d just gotten punched in the gut.

Kakashi moved closer to her, enough so that she could feel the warmth of his body against hers. Sakura’s breath caught as his hands rose to cup her face briefly before caressing down her neck. She shivered when his fingers slipped underneath the jacket and pushed it slowly off her shoulders, exposing her skin to the cooler air of the room. Genma’s jacket hit the floor and she didn’t worry about picking it up. It was hard to care about things like wrinkles when he was looking at her so heatedly.

“Very beautiful,” he murmured appreciatively, his gaze most definitely lingering a little on the peek-a-boo gap this time as he looked her over once again. She knew she should probably feel embarrassed or outraged that he was openly ogling her chest, but honestly… she felt neither. If anything, she’d almost say she liked the fact that he was checking her out. It made her feel as beautiful as he claimed she was.

Warmth stained her cheeks as she smoothed a nonexistent strand of hair back behind her ear. She shouldn’t think things like that. It would only make her grow attached to him, which would make breaking up with him at the end of the mission harder than it already would be. Chewing her lower lip uneasily, Sakura began walking backward toward her bedroom. “I’m gonna get changed. You know, don’t want the silk to wrinkle. If you want, you can start some tea. Just… make yourself at home and I’ll be right back.”

“So, did you have fun?” Kakashi inquired as he strolled into the kitchen, leaving her to make a hasty retreat into her bedroom. The sound of water streaming from the faucet told her he was taking her up on the offer of tea.

“Sort of. The conversations were good, but I didn’t get a chance for anything really in depth,” Sakura called back as she struggled briefly with the thin zipper on the side of the dress. Damn it… she’d used a good chunk of her rent to buy this thing, at the very least it should have a decent zipper! Gripping the slippery fabric in one hand, Sakura grit her teeth and jerked down on the zipper with the other, praying the entire time that she didn’t break it with such rough treatment. The tab slid down as easily as if it hadn’t been caught and she wasted no time in pulling it over her head, draping it neatly over the back of her chair. She grabbed the long sleeved t-shirt that was folded neatly on top of her laundry basket and tugged it on quickly

“That’s a shame. I’m guessing it’s because Tsunade wanted to make use of your eyes, ears and charm.”

Laughing as she exited the bedroom still tying her drawstring pants, Sakura leaned a shoulder against the entryway of the kitchen just in time for the tea kettle to start whistling shrilly. “I guess,” she replied, watching as Kakashi poured the steaming water into two mugs. “Mostly, she just wanted my eyes and ears though.”

Kakashi handed her a mug, his eyes creasing happily as she took it from him. “Well, that’s a relief. I’d hate to think she’d exploit your charm on people who wouldn’t appreciate it.”

Sakura’s cheeks flared a little, brought on by yet another compliment from him. Geeze… was he ever in the mood to flatter her! Maybe she wasn’t the only one missing good company tonight. She turned and went over to the couch, placing her tea next to the book he’d been reading while waiting for her to get home. Judging by the cover jacket, it didn’t look like erotica. In fact, it looked like something she might pick up on a whim. Motioning to the book curiously, she asked, “No Icha Icha?”

“No Icha Icha, but still Jiraiya’s work,” he answered as he sat next to her, propping one knee on the cushion between them so that he was facing her.

Sakura wrinkled her nose at the mention of the legendary pervert and shook her head. “And here I thought you were reading something of real substance,” she remarked, twisting around to mirror his position on the couch.

“It is of real substance. There’s not a single bit of smut in it,” Kakashi countered quickly, his voice carrying a hint of amusement.

“Well, forgive me if I find that hard to believe. It’s written by Jiraiya and you’re reading it. It’s logical then to assume that it is pornography.”

Kakashi sighed and rubbed a hand through his hair unconcernedly. “Jiraiya’s been writing for close to twenty years now. Icha Icha is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to his mastery of the written word. You’d probably like his earlier stuff— if you could forget for two seconds that he writes erotica and just enjoy it.”

Sakura poked his stomach playfully as he took a sip of tea through his mask. “I like a good book just as much as the next person,” she said. “Emphasis on the good part. And I don’t think anything written by Jiraiya constitutes as a good read.”

“And your cheap thrillers do?” he questioned dryly as he carefully set his tea on the table.

Ooooh… he did not go and insult her mystery novels! Eyes narrowing into an unamused glare, Sakura pushed up off the couch and stomped over to the bookcase on the far side of the room. She ignored the fact that Kakashi was watching her as she ran a finger along the book spines, searching through the titles for the one she wanted. It didn’t take her long to find what she was looking for and, with a triumphant smile, she pulled it free and took it back with her to the couch.

Kakashi arched a brow as she thrust the book at him and resumed her former position next to him. “Thicker Than Blood,” he read out loud, flipping the book over to read the summary on the back. Sakura sipped her tea primly, glancing at him from the corner of her eye as he shook his head before setting the book on the table next to his own. “Alright, I’ll give it a try. But in return… you have to read that.”

It was now Sakura’s turn to arch a brow as she leveled an incredulous look at im. “You expect me to read that?” she demanded, jerking a thumb in the direction of his book. “Not a chance in hell!”

“It’s only fair, Sakura. I read one of your mystery novels filled to overflowing with plot clichés. You read one of my eloquently written, non-erotica novels in return.”

Damn it… he had a point. It really wouldn’t be fair of her to insist he read something of hers without giving one of his books a try. Just… did it have to be one of Jiraiya’s? Why couldn’t it be something more like… Sakura very nearly gasped out loud when an idea popped into her head, one that would potentially kill two birds with one stone. “If you’re trying to convert me into believing Jiraiya’s a good writer, why not let me borrow Icha Icha Paradise instead?” she asked, hoping like hell she didn’t sound overly eager.

To her dismay, Kakashi only chuckled and gave her hair a good ruffle. “Two reasons,” he replied, catching her hand as she pulled his fingers from her hair with a scowl. “First, despite the fact that Icha Icha is his most popular work I personally don’t feel it shows the true measure of his talent. It’s a good every day read, but it’s nothing compared to his earlier work. Second, you’ve already formed an opinion about it and you haven’t even read it yet, therefore when and if you do read it any conclusion you come to will be flawed.”

“Unless it’s a positive conclusion,” she argued quickly as she pushed herself onto her knees so as to better face him. “Since my opinion of it isn’t very high to begin with, if I read it and like it then it’s an even bigger victory for you.”

“Hmm… good point. However, it could be that because you think so lowly of it that any enjoyment you get will be magnified significantly and therefore give us a falsely positive result. You know, sort of like how pessimism is really optimism in disguise.”

“Wait… what?” Sakura’s brow creased tightly as she tried to figure out where he was going with this conversation.

“Think about it,” Kakashi continued, his dark eye glinting with amusement. “If you’re constantly expecting the worst to happen, your relief when it doesn’t is increased dramatically. You’re basically creating situations for yourself to potentially double the pleasure you’d get out of the every day experience.”

“Or,” Sakura said. “You’re only setting yourself up for failure every time. If you’re gonna fail, then why bother trying at all? And even if you do go into something expecting it to be bad, there’s gotta be a certain element of positive thinking involved in order to get any enjoyment out of it in the end.”

“Ah, now you’re contradicting yourself in terms of Icha Icha. If you did have a positive response to it, that would mean a part of you actually wanted to read it to begin with.”

Crap… he had here there. Pouting over the fact that he’d cornered her into either having to admit that her opinion was biased (which, admittedly, it was) or that she secretly wanted to read Icha Icha (which she most definitely did not), Sakura grabbed his book off the table to read some of the critic reviews on the back. Her frown intensified as she flipped the cover open and thumbed through the flyleaves quickly. “There aren’t any reviews listed,” she commented.

“That’s because this book was never officially published,” Kakashi explained. “This is the only printed copy in existence. Jiraiya went and had it made for me a few years back. Very thoughtful of him, actually.”

“I’ll say,” Sakura said, her eyebrows lifting in surprise as she set it back on the coffee table. She hadn’t known Kakashi and Jiraiya were particularly close like that, but she supposed it made sense. Perverts needed to stick together, after all. Sighing, Sakura lifted her arms overhead and stretched, relishing the series of pops that ran down her spine. “Oh, before I forget… Genma-san said something about going over to his and Shizune-san’s place for dinner sometime.”

“Did he now?” For a brief second, a thoughtful, suspicious look came to his eye, but it was gone before Sakura could decipher whether it was being directed at her or Genma’s offer.

“Yeah. It sounds like it might be fun, but if you’d rather not—,”

“No, that’s fine. Is there a date and time yet?”

Sakura shook her head and wriggled her toes between the seat cushions to warm them up. “Not yet. He was supposed to talk to Shizune-san about it and let us know.”

Kakashi nodded once and smiled at her, his eyes creasing. “Okay. Just let me know if Shizune gets back to you on that. Genma’s a terrible messenger boy.”

She laughed and stood up, very aware that Kakashi was watching her curiously as she went over to the small entertainment unit on the far wall. She turned on the television, hitting the volume button immediately when the loud, grating static came blaring out, and called over her shoulder, “I'm in the mood to watch a movie. Do you have a preference for what kind?”

“No, not really,” he replied absently. “Whatever you want to watch is fine.”

“So, if I put in a foreign romantic drama full of emotionally poignant moments and insist you hold me while I sob uncontrollably, you won’t mind?”

“… A comedy sounds good.”

Laughing at his change in response, Sakura opened the small cabinet underneath the television and began sorting through the rather limited number of movies she and Ino owned. She found one that she didn’t think would be too emasculating for him to watch and popped it into the machine, turning off the living room light before reclaiming her spot on the couch next to Kakashi. He arched a brow as she snuggled closer against his side, plucking at his shirt sleeve in an effort to get him to lift his arm and put it around her. “Come on,” she encouraged, flashing him playful smile. “I promise I won’t bite.”

Kakashi sighed as if it were such a huge inconvenience and picked his arm up. Grinning, Sakura quickly moved in to claim the space he’d opened up. She curled her legs off to one side, her knees resting alongside his thigh, and settled her cheek on his shoulder. He was warm and that rainy day scent she’d come to associate with him blanketed her, prompting her to rub her cheek on the firm flesh pillowing her head. Sakura released a contented breath, her fingers tracing small circles just above his knee as she relaxed completely against him. This was exactly what she’d wanted all night; to be with him, even if it was just sitting together.

The movie was playing, but she wasn’t really watching it. She’d already seen it a few times anyway and it was difficult to focus on anything other than the man next to her. She felt every breath he took through the steady rise and fall of his chest under her cheek. His heartbeat was a solid, even sound she could just barely make out over the noise from the television. The way his fingers stroked lazily along her upper arm and shoulder made her skin prickle as if she were cold, which wasn’t possible seeing as he was so warm. It was distracting but in a very, very good way, one that made a warm feeling start low in her belly.

As the movie progressed, the sensations caused by his proximity increased. Her skin was tingling from the light touches and her breathing was shallow and a little unsteady. That tight, hot feeling in her stomach sank lower until it settled between her legs to throb gently. She closed her eyes, catching her lower lip between her teeth as the lightheadedness she now knew was pleasure swept through her, making her squirm ever so slightly. Kakashi’s hand stilled briefly in its gentle stroking before resuming again, this time moving in very deliberate lines that told her he was aware of how much she liked what he was doing. It made her want more than just a few gentle touches.

She hadn’t really seen him for almost three days and she could honestly admit that she’d missed him. The way she figured it, she could afford one night of a little self indulgence without it being detrimental to her mission… right?

Without warning, she leaned over the edge of the couch and she began rooting underneath the couch, searching for the remote control while she felt Kakashi watching her curiously. It took her a few seconds of fumbling underneath the couch before she finally found it. Sakura hit the power button and the television shut off, throwing the room into a murky dimness caused by the glow of streetlights through thick curtains. It was just enough light for her to make out his shape on the couch but nothing more.

“Sakura?” he asked in a carefully neutral voice.

Sakura didn’t hesitate or think about how inappropriate it was to sling her leg over his so that she was sitting across his lap with her knees resting on either side of his hips. She did it because it would be far easier to kiss him like this rather than craning her neck at an awkward angle. Kakashi remained perfectly still where he sat, his hands settling on her knees cautiously. There was a quiet tension to his body, one she felt underneath her palms as she smoothed them up the front of his chest to his shoulders and behind his neck, her fingers locking at his nape. The ends of his hair brushed across her knuckles as she leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his cloth covered lips.

She drew back slightly, just enough to meet his gaze and make note of the way his breath hitched, before moving in to kiss him again. Sakura felt his mouth move against hers shortly before his hands slid up from her knees to squeeze her thighs. A shudder moved down her spine at the touch, one that he noticed and which prompted him to repeat the pressure as their mouths met again. Her fingers tightened behind his neck at the sudden, unexpected rush of heat that flooded through her over the firm, sure grip of his hands, and then she was tugging at his mask impatiently, peeling it down his cheeks until it bunched at his neck.

This time, it was the softer texture of his lips that met hers. Hesitantly, she flicked her tongue along the seam and he opened his mouth for her with a soft groan. Her tongue slid over his, tasting the faint bitterness from the tea and him. She’d never kissed anyone like this before. Usually it was Kakashi who controlled the kiss, and she wondered briefly if she was even doing it right. It seemed like she was, if the way he slanted his mouth against hers and kept up with the slow, careful pace she set was any indication. His hands smoothed up her thighs, his fingers kneading her flesh deliciously as they made their way to her hips.

There was no hurry to any of it and she was fine with that. Kakashi’s hands were more massaging than groping as they explored her, never once straying anywhere that could be deemed inappropriate. He touched her thighs, the length of her back, her stomach… and while part of her appreciated the fact that he was minding himself, the louder, more aroused part of her was wishing he’d just move his hands a scant few inches further. At the same time though, those tantalizing near-touches were almost too much for her to take. Each time his knuckles grazed the underside of her breasts, it sent a quick flare of desire through her. The throbbing heat between her legs intensified whenever his hands gripped her thighs and hips.

Kakashi slid lower on the couch so that he was partially reclined, never once breaking the kiss. The movement tipped her forward against him and she slid up his body to compensate for the new angle, sitting now across his lower stomach with her breasts pressed flush to his chest. Sakura leaned over him with her fingers buried in his hair and met each stroke of his tongue eagerly. The kiss was hotter now, more urgent and definitely not teasing. It was mind numbing and unlike any kiss she’d ever had before. Things were very rapidly going farther than she’d planned, but she couldn’t muster the will to stop it, not when it felt this right.

Sakura was panting against his mouth, moaning whenever his teeth nipped at her lips, shivering as she felt the callused pads of his fingers brushing hesitantly along the bare skin of her waist. When it became apparent she wasn’t going to stop him, Kakashi groaned and slid his hands underneath her shirt completely. His nails scratched lightly at her skin as his fingers traced over her ribs, circling around to work down the length of her spine, catching on the back of her bra but not going so far as to undo the clasp. Anywhere he touched seemed to burn and ache for more.

A soft, startled cry broke from her when he sucked at the pulse point in her throat, his teeth scraping on skin in sharper counterpoint. The sensation caused by these dueling actions— the gentle, wet suction and the harsh press of teeth— was simply amazing. Sakura tipped her head back, her fingers tangling in his hair encouragingly as he continued to attack her throat with lips, tongue and teeth. He sucked at her skin, licked and nipped at her pulse until she was moaning his name and shivering as her hips rocked a little into his…

And came into contact with something firm and warm down the front of his pants.

They both froze simultaneously. Sakura pulled back from him in shock. She didn’t need anatomy lessons to know that the ‘something’ she’d been rubbing against was Kakashi’s penis. It should have been one of the most embarrassing moments of her life. This man was her former teacher, her team leader and most importantly her friend. She should be beyond mortified over what she’d just done… but she wasn’t. Instead, she’d been so overwhelmed that for a moment the only thing that mattered was feeling it again. The heat between them was so powerful, so dominating, she didn’t even want to try and fight it through rational thought.

Unfortunately, it seemed Kakashi did. Sakura was just about to roll her hips into his again when he muttered, “I think we should stop.”

“What?” she asked breathlessly, leaning back enough to study his shadowed face. It was difficult pinning someone with an incredulous look when you couldn’t even see them, but she tried anyway.

“I said we should stop now,” he repeated, his voice no longer low and husky but carrying a very familiar authoritative ring that even now she had a hard time arguing with. It was that unyielding tone that finally snapped some reasoning back into her passion clouded head and suddenly she realized what exactly they’d been doing. Sakura hastily scooted off his lap, her entire face right down to her neck burning red with embarrassment.

She didn’t look at him as he sighed wearily and pushed off the couch. “I should probably get going,” he said quietly and she nodded while carefully keeping her eyes glued to the bookcase. She heard him sigh again before he took hold of her chin, forcing her to turn and face him. Sakura’s eyes widened a touch when his lips brushed chastely across hers, lingering just long enough that for a brief second she thought he might kiss her again. But he didn’t and she couldn’t help the pang of regret as he drew back from her slowly, letting his fingers slide down the curve of her cheek affectionately. Even though she was completely humiliated by what had transpired, she still couldn’t suppress the shudder that went through her at his touch.

“See you tomorrow, Sakura-chan.” With that, he pulled back completely and was gone from her apartment before she could even finish opening her mouth to protest.

Letting out a low, aggravated breath, Sakura flopped back on the couch and stared up at the darkened ceiling with her brow pinched and a scowl on her lips. She should have been relieved at least one of them had kept their head, but she really wasn’t. All her stubborn brain insisted on thinking about was what had happened between them. She wasn’t entirely certain just how far she would have gone but they’d definitely gone farther than they should have, although not nearly far enough to ease the throbbing sensation between her legs. The feel of him pressing against her had been so…

Sakura’s eyes squeezed closed as she shut that train of thought down immediately. Stupid… she was so stupid! How could she have thought one evening of just letting go was a good idea? It was never a good idea to drop her guard, especially around Hatake Kakashi! This was a mission, just like any other. Letting things get out of control like that was unacceptable.

But it’d felt so right. It was the same sort of certainty she’d had when she’d approached Tsunade and asked to be her apprentice. Everything about Kakashi just felt right.

Her eyes slid open slowly as a sudden, horrible realization came crashing down on her. Despite her intentions and constant reminders that this was only a mission… she’d gone and fallen for him. She, Haruno Sakura, had once again fallen for a man she could never hope to have. Moaning at the cruelty of life in general and the stupidity of her own heart, Sakura curled up on the couch and whimpered to the ceiling, “What the hell is wrong with me?” The ceiling, much to her chagrin, didn’t offer any suggestions whatsoever.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kakashi was soaking wet and so freezing he couldn’t feel the tip of his nose by the time he got home, but he didn’t care. He’d needed a cold shower anyway and walking home in a full blown downpour was a good way to cut down on the water bill. He closed the door to his apartment and headed immediately to the small bedroom, his feet squelching in his shoes as he went. Watery footsteps marked his path as he flicked on the dull overhead light and grabbed the towel that was right on top of the laundry hamper.

He stripped down, dropping the soggy clothing into a pile on the floor before drying off and pulling on some fresh clothes. Kakashi turned the light off and flopped heavily onto his bed, causing the springs to creak loudly. He tugged the blankets up around him, stretched an arm out to turn on the small wall heater and sighed wearily as his head fell back against the lumpy pillow. He stared up at the cracked, water stained ceiling blankly, unable to force himself to sleep. Awake or asleep, he knew either way his thoughts would be firmly fixated on Sakura, but at least with the former he had some control over what direction they went.

She hadn’t said to stop. Why didn’t she tell him to stop? Was she seriously willing to go that far just for a book? Or had she just been caught up in the moment? There was no doubt she’d been aroused, which he had to (unfortunately for his ego) attribute to her lack of experience rather than any skill he possessed. After all, it wasn’t like he’d actually touched her… Kakashi grit his teeth and clamped down on his self control before that went any further. He didn’t feel like another ice cold dousing tonight.

His thoughts returned to his primary source of confusion; the fact that she hadn’t stopped him. It bothered him that she didn’t seem to have a line drawn as to how much was too much. That wasn’t like Sakura at all; she’d always been aware of just how far she could push before it was more than she could handle. The idea of her setting that boundary aside and willingly offering up her body just for a book was not something he would have ever expected of her.

But what if the reason she hadn’t stopped him was because she didn’t want to?

Kakashi groaned and pressed a hand over his eyes as that idea sank into his head. He recalled the way she’d been touching him so eagerly, kissing him so boldly. She’d been so uninhibited, so completely responsive to him. The feel of her soft skin under his fingers, the taste of her on his tongue, the smell of her… He could still smell her on him; the scent of her lotion clinging to his hands and the faint remnants of her arousal as she’d rocked against him. Without thinking, he inhaled a little deeper, catching the thread of that feminine scent… and groaned again when his cock began to harden in his pants.

He reached down to adjust himself, intending to just ignore it until it went away, but the moment his hand touched the semi-hardened flesh his back snapped off the bed as need slashed through him. Not fully conscious of what he was doing, Kakashi slid his palm across his cock and gasped sharply as he stroked himself to full hardness through his pants. This was wrong. He was crossing his own line now and he really shouldn’t be doing this, but fuck did it feel good. Ignoring the part of him that was warning against this, he gripped his shaft and gave it a good, firm pull.

Oh… fuck, yes.

Still seeing white spots dance across his vision from that initial contact, Kakashi tugged again and gasped as his back arched off the bed. It was that second stroke that was his undoing. His fingers fumbled as he hastily slid them down the front of his pants to grip the burning flesh of his cock firmly. He worked his hand quickly, grunting and panting and jerking his hips in response to the glorious friction. He could already feel his balls tightening and knew this would be over with very quickly.

Fluid smeared under his thumb, rubbed down his shaft as the smell of his own arousal combined with the traces of hers. Behind his tightly closed eyes, he could see her again; moving over him, her tongue darting sweetly into his mouth as her hips rolled and ground into his. His hand sped up and he was gritting his teeth to keep the moans from getting much louder. He could see her eyes lose focus as he rolled her beneath him, spreading her legs wide for him to thrust in her, fuck her hard and fast and—

“Fuck!” The word hissed out of him as everything exploded at once. All sensation drained from his body, focusing solely on the way his balls drew up tightly, his cock spurting over his fist, his stomach, staining through his dark pants. He slowed down, squeezing and milking his length until the shudders began to subside and his flesh softened against his palm. A thin sheen of sweat coated his body as the delirious, lightheaded sensation left him panting and shaking on the bed. Slowly, he relaxed his grip, his fingers coated in semen that was already beginning to cool and turn sticky. Kakashi’s eyes opened the barest amount as his freehand released the sheet it’d been gripping so tightly. Even through the haze of orgasm, he realized what he’d just done.

“Fuck!” This time, the word was groaned miserably at the ceiling as he to lie on the bed with his hand down his pants and his head filled with the knowledge that he had just crossed his own line.