...
Phase Two
To heal, you must admit.
...
The inn was the spitting image of the town
itself. Ordinary, maybe a tad run down. On the upside, even an uncomfortable
bed was better than the ground. Happiness had to be found in the small gifts,
Kakashi liked to believe. Finding this establishment before the night became
too dark was another event he could rejoice in. Not that it really lightened
the Copy Nin's mood.
"A room for two, seperate beds."
Kakashi asked as he reached the counter. The clerk barely spared them a glance
since their entrance, so he returned the courtesy. No need to greet someone who
was so impolite.
"No, only one bed." Sakura
quickly corrected as she stepped besides him and threw him a strange look.
"As she says." He shrugged when
the owner lifted his eyebrow in annoyance.
The room was just what they had paid for.
Little. At least, the sheets and blanket looked clean; the scent of fresh
laundry still hung in the air. The lack of window could be considered a plus
considering their occupation. No need to worry about anyone sneaking in while
the night to slit their throat. Though, that might have been a welcome surprise
on such a boring mission.
Kakashi dropped his belongings in a corner
before shrugging out of his flak jacket. From the corner of his eye, he could
see Sakura doing the same and observing the bed. So much for finding happiness
in not sleeping on the floor tonight.
"Why did you insist on a single
bed?" He asked as he pulled his oversized shirt over his head.
"It's what was planned in the mission
budget." Sakura replied bluntly. "It's what we always take
anyway."
True, though it still made little sense to
him. Certainly, she wouldn't accept to sleep in the same bed as him. Maybe it
was only to keep up appearances once more, so no clue was left in their
expenses report.
"I'll sleep on the floor."
Kakashi let out as he fetched his sleeping bag.
"I don't mind-" He shook his
head, cutting her off immediately.
"Sakura, it's okay." He reassured
as he unrolled it by the bed, taking up almost all the free space in the room.
"I'm fine with it."
His teammate pursed her lips, mostly likely
unconsciously from the distant expression she wore. After a second of thought,
she moved to sit on the bed and fidgeted with her bag. Sitting on his bedroll,
he sighed inwardly. The Sakura he knew seemed so far away.
"Don't fret over this so much."
Kakashi let out when she still didn't relax a few minutes later. "I
understand."
"I shouldn't have told you..."
Sakura mumbled as she laid down on the bed, facing him.
"You didn't need to." He
whispered as he gazed into her troubled viridian orbs. The haze of turmoil that
clouded them sent a twinge of sadness in his chest. "I already knew. I
guess I chose to ignore it."
The girl rolled onto her stomach, hands
fisting in the blanket at the sides of her head.
"I didn't want you to know." She
mumbled in the mattress, barely audible.
"It's better if I know." Kakashi
muttered as he lowered himself to the floor to get ready to sleep.
"How?" Sakura asked as she stood
up to switch the lights off, hiding the tears he hadn't yet seen but had
already caught the scent of.
"Because you're not alone in this,
unless you choose to be."
His partner remained silent. He heard the
shifting of the bed as she climbed on it and assumed she preferred to sleep
than continue with this conversation. Closing his eyes, he hoped she would open
up to him with time. In the end, he came to the conclusion that Tsunade had
deliberately sent them on this easy mission to help her apprentice to overcome
her new fear. It was impossible that the woman had missed such a detail; he
could see the worry in her eyes whenever they'd spoken of the younger woman.
Maybe one of the goals was even to give him
an opportunity to mend their relationship, considering how close they had been
prior to this mess. The Hokage trusted him entirely, he was certain. That was
why he'd been her only partner in the last six months. Whether or not it was
better that the Fifth knew of his feelings for Sakura was a blur. This
assignment would be tough for the Copy Nin, to say the least. To be so close to
her, yet still kept at a safe distance was disheartening.
...
Their source had said they would find the
gang of bandits who had stolen the item they were after would be hanging out at
this bar. They had been right; the group could be found causing a ruckus in the
back. From the booth Kakashi and Sakura shared, they had a clear view of the
men, as well of the jewel that they were after. The idiots were showing it off,
gloating about their latest raid. A glance in the owner's way showed Kakashi an
old man, surely in his sixties, who appeared more than uncomfortable. The
patrons that frequented his business were most likely not to his tastes.
"Hey, Pinkie!" One of the thieves
called out as he made his way to their table.
The Copy Nin didn't how to interpret
Sakura's narrowed eyes and tightened grip on her glass. From what he was used
to, the girl wouldn't hesitate to shatter the glass and reduce the table to
rubble if a man hit on her the wrong way, but now he had no idea what to
expect.
"What is it?" Sakura spat as he
leaned on the table, visibly ogling her.
"I was thinking you'd look nice in my
bed." The stranger said, fingers brushing against the dagger that hung
from his belt. "So why dont'cha just follow me there?"
Kakashi moved to stand up, but Sakura's hand
held him back as she jumped to her feet, one fist down on the table.
"How about we make this more
interesting, scumbag?" She replied, a confident smirk on her lips.
"Ooh, brave, aren't ya?" He
replied, flashing her a smile. "What d'ya had in mind, sweetheart?"
"Let's down shots until one of us
pukes." Sakura challenged, crossing her arms over her chest. "If you
win, you get me for the night. I win, you give me that necklace you've been
playing with for the last half an hour."
Her opponent burst out laughing as she
finished her last sentence, obviously finding the idea that a woman could beat
him to a drinking game ridiculous. Kakashi slouched back in his seat, letting
the back of his head hit the top of the booth. He didn't know Sakura. Only one
time had he made the mistake of taking her on and he still regretted it. Anyone
who thought their natural ability to stomach alcohol could match her medic
skills was a fool.
And so, the thief and medic sat at a table,
surrounded by shooter glasses filled with whiskey and curious people. The
female glared, while the male grinned. Kakashi could only watch, exasperated.
Snatching the jewelry away would have been so much simpler.
It was only twenty minutes later that the
thief had vomitted. Right on the table, too. So classy. Sakura howled
victiorously as her intoxicated brain processed the information, pumping her
first in the air. Without hesitation, she grabbed the necklace that lay on the
table before sticking her tongue out to the band of bandits.
"Time to go." Kakashi chimed in
as he locked his around around Sakura's and pulled her towards the exit so they
could return to the inn. It was already too late to head back to Konoha right
then.
...
"Are you okay?" Kakashi asked as
they walked back towards their shelter. The way her green eyes locked with his
for a second let him know she was aware of every underlying meaning of his
question, even if she was slightly drunk.
"Of course I am." She replied as
glowing hands hovered over her stomach, not doubt helping her liver to filter
the alcohol in her system. "No matter how I feel, I won't let these kind
of men think they can boss me around if I can help it. I would just rather
avoid them."
"I think you traumatized them."
He chuckled as he watched her walk ahead of him, a slight sway in her step.
While her ability to modify her metabolism without any kind of hand seals was
unmatched, the speed at which she had downed the drinks had been impressive.
"I don't think they'll be harassing any other woman for a while."
"I wouldn't be surprised if that
asshole died of alcohol poisoning." Sakura spat as she removed her hands
from her abdomen, finally sober enough. "I know I would have if I wasn't a
medic."
Back in their room, Kakashi moved to lay
down on his sleeping bag as Sakura plopped down on the bed, slightly drained
from the chakra she had used to return to a normal state.
"You should sleep on the bed
tonight." He heard his partner's timid voice offer, encouraging him to sit
up and lay an arm on the bed so he could lean on it.
"I don't mind the floor, Sakura."
The Copy Nin repeated with a quiet smile.
"No." His teammate reiterated as
she climbed higher up the bed. "Sleep with me."
The latter sentence caused his heart to
miss a beat, until the odd look she was giving him assured him that she only
wanted to share the bed.
"You don't have to." He replied
when he pulled away from the mattress, only to be stopped by her grip on his
arm.
"Just do it." Sakura mumbled as
she tugged at his arm, expression soft and hesitant.
Obeying her, Kakashi hauled himself on top
of the comfy furniture. It appeared comfy when compared to the floor, at least.
After pulling the blanket over his shoulders, he turned his back to her, taking
up as little space as he could. The temptation to roll over her and pull her
into his arms rendered his body stiff, but he refused to give in. What else
would he do, if she allowed him to hold her again?
Much to his surprise, the younger woman
curled up behind him, shins brushing against the lower part of his back. Slim
fingers stroked irregular patterns tenatively between his shoulders blades,
pace leisurely and cautious.
"I know why Tsunade-shishou sent you
with me on this mission." She stated blandly, breaking the awkward silence
that had settled between them. "She's noticed."
Kakashi was mute. Whether it was from the
way his heart pounded wildly in his chest or his inability to find words to
say, he didn't know. Her digits continued their erratic dance, drawing swirls
on his skin as they reached his shoulders and traced his bicep lazily. Warmth
seeped from their tips into his flesh, lulling his hyperactive heart into a
calmer, normal pace.
"I'm sorry for dragging you into
this." Sakura's soothing voice breathed out into his hair. "I didn't
want you to be put in such a postion..."
The Copy Nin sucked on his lower lip as her
hot breath fanned against his neck, raising the small hairs there. Sighing, she
inched closer to him and wrapped an arm around his torso as she pressed her
nose to the base of his spine. When her body pressed firmly to his, she
released a trembling breath into his shirt, fingernails digging into the
material of it on is chest.
"Even if being around you is
hard..." Sakura whispered hoarsely. "Your touch is the only one I can
manage."
"Why?" Kakashi asked as he rolled
onto his other side to gaze into her dull eyes, searching for an answer he was
too biased not to find.
"I don't know..." She answered,
tipping her chin lower. "Maybe because we were so close before."
Carefully, his hand cupped her cheek, thumb
caressing the skin tenderly. His eye observed her attentively, waiting for his
cue to stop. Until then, he decided, he could give in; only as long as she
allowed him, he would indulge. Sakura remained silent and quiet, showing no
sign of fear or nervosity. He ran his fingers through her hair delicately,
stealing a glimpse of those plump pink lips he had dreamed of kissing not even
two days earlier.
"Can I kiss you?" As long as she
gave him permission, his will would crumble.
With a slow nod of her head, the last of
his resolve withered, going down with his mask.
His lips pressed against hers gently, their
owner intent on enjoying this one kiss fully. After placing a small peck on
them, he captured her lower lip between his and locked his fingers in her hair
on the back of her head while his other arm wrapped around her hips to pull her
flush against him. He released her lip with a small pop before leaning in for
another kiss. His mouth slanted against hers as his tongue darted out to drag
the tip of it on her lip, coaxing her to grant him further access.
The low whimper she emitted allowed his
tongue to explore deeper and find her own, to rub languidly against it.
Feminine hands fisted in his shirt when he drew his tongue back, only to thrust
back against her own fervently. With their bodies molded against one another,
there was no doubt she could feel the evidence of his arousal against her
stomach. The hand on her hip tightened its grip as Kakashi pressed his lips
harder to hers, turning their slow and sensual kiss into a steamy and demanding
exchange. When her hips ground against his, accompanied by a needy moan, he
groaned into their kiss, his desire for her flaring up.
"We should stop..." He muttered
as he broke the contact between their lips only long enough to speak, then pressing
tender kisses against her lips as he waited for her response.
"That would be better." Sakura
replied, sounding out of breath although he could hear a hint of relief in her
tone.
"Good night, Sakura." The Copy
Nin murmured, arms stubborn in their decision to keep her in their embrace.
...
Once more, Sakura was locked into his arms
as they tried to sleep. They were already half way back to Konoha, most likely
able to reach it the next day if they hurried their step. The temperature had
dipped considerably in the meantime, motivating the pink-haired medic to ask
that they share a sleeping to put each other's warmth to good use. She had
probably grown tired of shaking from the cold, alone in her own while her
ex-sensei seemed fine in his. Truth be told, he was quite cold as well, just
not as prone to show it as she was.
"You know, sometimes..." Sakura
started, tugging at his shirt to pull him closer. "I can't help but think
about all of it again."
Rubbing his gloved hand up and down her arm
to warm her up, Kakashi evaluated her words. Without a doubt, she was speaking
of the events with Koroku. Most likely the moments she had tried to hide from
him. As much as he wanted to hear none of it, he couldn't stop her if she was
opening up to him. There was no one else who she could speak to; being selfish
was not an option.
"What do you think of?" He
inquired reluctantly as he buried his nose into her hair to hide his pained
expression.
"Usually, it's the first time
he..." She mumbled after a moment of hesitation. "The other times
weren't as bad."
His hold on her tightened and he gritted
his teeth as he desperately tried to keep his anger in control. Even if he
should have known better, Kakashi had assumed it had occured only once; not
repeatedly.
"I'm sorry." Sakura blurted out
as she felt him tense. "I shouldn't tell you any of this."
"No, you should talk about it."
He replied quickly, swallowing the lump that formed in his throat at the bitter
encouragement. "It will make you feel better if you let it out."
"I'm just so angry at myself for
letting it affect me so much." She whimpered brokenly, reminding him of
just how badly the girl strove to be as strong as the rest of the team.
"Sakura, you can't be mad at yourself
for such things." Kakashi whispered into her pink locks. "It's only
normal to react like that. All you can do is go through it and be strong, like
I know you are. You've got to stand up and fight it, even if you just want to
cower."
Because if you didn't, the grief consumed
you alive, hogged every of your thoughts and drained any life left in you. The
Copy NIn knew it all too well. Almost three decades later, old nightmares still
resurfaced to remind him of why his soul had been shattered in the first place.
"I'm scared out of my mind to lose
anyone else." Kakashi admitted, unable to stop himself from shuddering.
"It's a fear that drives me to put your and the team's safety before mine.
But it's also why I failed you on that mission. I apologize for that."
"Thank you, Kakashi-sensei."
Sakura breathed out as she relaxed his arms.
As long as she was okay, he would be.
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