Underneath the Underneath

Chapter 5-Stakeout

“Kayato?”

“Kakashi. I was expecting you.” said the old, silver-haired man with leather-like skin from years upon the sea. The two men shook hands. “And I take it this is Sakura?” he asked, assessing the pink-haired woman who stood close to Kakashi’s side.

“I am.” Sakura answered, giving him a small smile which Kayato returned in kind. Then, Kayato turned back to Kakashi.

“The shipment is ready and Sasaki Osamu will be here soon to make the exchange, that much I know. What I don't know is exactly what time the exchange is going to happen, but it's better to let you two in now while you still have the chance. I'm going to set you up in a little room close to where the shipment is being held. Osamu will have to go in there no matter what and you'll be able to do whatever you need to do, but after this, you'll no longer be able to contact me, understood?"

The two ninjas nodded.

"Well, then. Now that that’s taken care of, no reason to procrastinate, right?” the old man asked and rather than wait for a response, he threw his cigarette into the gently lapping waves of the harbor, and led the pair up the ship’s ramp and through a door leading into the depths of the large cargo ship.

After weaving through several corridors and the climbing down of many stairs, Kayato finally stopped at a door located within the chamber of the cargo hold.

“This is where you’ll be stationed until Osamu makes his exchange. I hope neither one of you are claustrophobic.” said the old man, opening the door for Kakashi and Sakura who both shook their heads to the negative. “Good. Because I have a feeling you two have a long wait ahead of you.” the old man said solemnly.

Kakashi stepped into the dark room first with Sakura closely following him. Sakura was just stepping in front of Kakashi when his hand on her hip stopped her.

"Sakura, what are you doing?"

"I'm trying to walk past you."

"Sakura, this is it. This is all the space this room has."

"You're kidding me!"

"No. I'm not."

"Well, good luck you two!" Kayato said with a smile and a wave of his hand, closing the door on a wide-eyed Sakura and a calm Kakashi who now stood with his body pressed close against hers in the darkness.

Sight beginning to adjust to the dark, Sakura could just barely make out Kakashi, relieved that he couldn't see the flush on her face.

"Well, isn't this a bit awkward?" she mumbled.

"Hold on, maybe we can find a more comfortable position." Kakashi said, pressing his hips against hers and walking her backwards.

"Kakashi, what are you..."

Behind her, Sakura could feel brooms and mops begin to fall and Kakashi quickly reached a hand on either side of her to keep them from toppling over and causing a raucous.

"Well, that won't work." Kakashi mused, then grabbed Sakura's hips in his hands again and began moving her backwards against the next wall. They soon found themselves tangled in cables.

"Guess that won't work either." Kakashi said in his annoying calm.

"Kakashi..." Sakura said, unable to keep the irritation out of her voice, "You walk backwards this time!"

No sooner had he done so was he quickly walking forwards again.

"Ow, ow, ow!"

"What is it?!" Sakura asked both in concern and confusion.

"I think I found the fishing poles."

"How do you know?"

"Because there's something sticking to me that feels suspiciously like a fish hook in a place you really don't want a fish hook."

"Ugh!" Sakura sighed in sympathetic pain.

"Hold on, I think I finally got it!" Kakashi said turning her around so that she was facing away from him. She felt Kakashi's arms wrap tight around her and then the two of them sliding down to the floor.

"Well, that's better wouldn't you say?" asked Kakashi.

"Yes, much." Sakura agreed, sitting comfortably between Kakashi's legs, her back resting against his chest while Kakashi leaned his own back against the smooth door for support.

"And now we wait."

"And now we wait." agreed Sakura.

~*~*~*~

“Kakashi…You awake?”

“Of course I’m awake. We’re on a stakeout.”

“Well, I’m starting to fall asleep.” Sakura said, her head resting against his chest like a pillow.

“Well, don’t.”

“I’m trying not to!” Sakura said, trying her best to keep her voice down. “Maybe if you talk to me, it’ll keep me awake.”

“This really isn’t the time to talk, Sakura.”

“Well if you don’t talk to me, Kakashi, I swear to you that I’m going to fall asleep right here and now and it’s going to be my snoring that’s going to give our hideout away.”

“Fine, Sakura. Let’s talk.”

“So, you’re jealous are you?”

Kakashi could hear the smile on Sakura’s face.

“Sakura, I change my mind. Let’s not talk.”

“What, Kakashi? Afraid to confront me with no way out?”

Kakashi didn’t answer.

“I’ll take that as a yes?”

Sakura could feel him shift uncomfortably behind her.

Finally…

“Yes.”

“Yes, you’re afraid to confront me, or yes, you were jealous?” Sakura asked confused.

Kakashi shifted in his seat again. “Both.” he admitted, and although he couldn’t see it in the dark, Sakura sat facing the other way positively beaming.

"So that whole time you were acting out and giving Taka and me a hard time was you being jealous?"

Kakashi dropped his head in defeat. "Yes."

"You seriously thought I was falling for Taka?" Sakura said with a soft laugh.

"Well, weren't you?" Kakashi asked with conviction.

"Kakashi, Taka's a really sweet guy and he'd be a wonderful catch for any girl, but he doesn't know the real me. He's in love with a made-up version of me. You can't have a relationship based on false pretenses."

"But I saw you! You were practically swooning in his arms! You chose him over me!"

"Kakashi, do you really doubt my abilities as a kunoichi that much? What did I tell you about the meaning of 'ploy'?" Sakura asked, snuggling deeper into Kakashi's embrace.

Kakashi was speechless. Sakura smirked as another question popped into her head.

“So does this mean you’ll be trying to take me out on dates from now on?” Sakura asked, unable to hide the hopeful thrill in her voice.

“Yes.” Kakashi answered and this time Sakura could hear the smile in his own voice.

With each answer to the positive, Sakura became more and more excited. Knowing that she might never get such a heaven-sent opportunity again, Sakura emboldened herself to ask the most important question of all…

“Kakashi, are you in love with me?”

Sakura could not only feel Kakashi's heart pounding and racing behind her, but her own heart pounding and racing just as fast in her own chest. Then she felt masked lips come close to her ear and a warm breath whisper into it a tantalizing “Yes.” Sakura lost all ability to breathe.

"So, Sakura..." Kakashi began to ask still breathing hotly against her ear, "Think you can say the same about me?"

Sakura gulped, feeling masked lips ghost themselves lightly against the crook of her neck, her thoughts beginning to cloud...

"What's the matter, Sakura? Cat got your tongue?" Kakashi asked pressing his lips harder against her neck.

"Kakashi, I..." Sakura began and then froze in mid-sentence, her words quickly fading into silence.

His lips still pressed hard against her neck, Kakashi sat frozen himself.

On the other side of the door against which they both sat, Kakashi and Sakura could hear the sound of many footsteps and the rise and fall of several voices...It was Osamu.

To be continued...