Chapter Text
Kakashi, at one time, had been very used to the noises of hospital machinery. So much so that it had been somewhat of a soundtrack that could lull him to sleep at any given moment. But not tonight. He couldn’t bring himself to close his eyes for any longer than the necessary blinking, watching the gentle rise and fall of Sakura’s chest was the only thing reassuring him. It was the only thing keeping the fragile hold of his sanity intact.
It was illogical to panic at this moment, he knew that Sakura would be alright, he trusted her strength more than any other kunoichi. She was also in the best place now, under the watchful eye of Shizune and himself. But this had been a wake up call for Kakashi, and one that he was not going to ignore.
It was time to make some changes, and while those wouldn't immediately take effect, the ball needed to be rolling now more than ever. And for the first time in his life, since the passing of this father anyway, Kakashi did not care what the consequences would be for his actions. There was something much more important lying here in front of him.
Hours or minutes may have passed. Conversations with Sakura sporadically played through his mind again and again. The most damning words, the ones that stood out the most, being his own.
We'll make time.
Kakashi hadn't meant that as a promise to her, but he was going to carry it out to the letter. Gradually the shock of what had happened faded into quiet concern and impatience. It was late in the day, or early in the morning, he couldn’t really tell. Gods knew what time it was but he just didn’t care to figure it out. But still, where the hell was Naruto? It was negligent perhaps, to be this eager, especially considering that the changes were not going to be overnight. But each day, every hour, every minute was precious. He couldn’t afford to waste a single one of them.
All he could do with his time while he waited, was plan. And it was as if that very thought process reignited some long dormant part of his brain. Not that being Hokage wasn’t challenging in itself, but there was something about his mind that applied to dire situations in an instant. It was almost like a comfort, and the reason he had sought out so many projects over the years. But this, with something so special at stake, this had that exhilarating feeling that meant something. And suddenly the minutes and hours were flying by.
Kakashi had a plan, it was just lucky for him that his plans usually worked out perfectly.
It was about the time that he vaguely noticed the natural light seeping through the curtains and from the windows that the door opened with more fluster than the usual nurse check up. The hurried footsteps to the room meant that it could only be one person.
Naruto.
The blond was silent as he entered, nodding to Kakashi, though his eyes never strayed from Sakura. At some point in the night Kakashi had shuffled the chair to be closer to her bedside and had remained there, he was reluctant to move even now. But disturbing Sakura while she rested was also not an option.
“They told me she was completely drained after saving all those people but I didn’t expect to see her so…” Naruto trailed off as if he wasn’t quite sure of the word he was looking for.
“Yeah, I know.” Kakashi didn’t need to hear the word to know what he meant. Seeing her like this, so still, so pale. It wasn’t natural, something akin to Naruto refusing ramen.
There was a pregnant pause as the pair quietly watched their sleeping comrade. It was a surreal experience being on the other side of this situation. How many times had Sakura been at their bedside caring for them tirelessly through the night, for several nights in a row sometimes. Kakashi shook himself out of it. Now wasn’t the time for reflection, it was time to put the plan into action. He stood, the action prompting Naruto to finally speak.
“You wanted to see me, Kakashi sensei?”
With the adding of ‘sensei’ Kakashi finally broke his longing stare, taking in the sight of the young man standing at the end of the bed. Naruto would probably never drop the word even as Hokage.
“Yes, I did.” He cleared his throat before shuffling begrudgingly away, gesturing to Naruto to step back. The further away from Sakura he stood the smaller she looked, the more heartbreaking it was to see her in such a position. Something which Naruto picked up on, as only he would.
“She’s going to be okay, sensei.” He put an arm to his shoulder, concern dripping through his voice and pouring from those azure eyes. “This is Sakura after all, she would never let something like this take her out for very long.”
“I know… I know.”
As usual, Naruto’s piercing and infectious optimism seemed to reach into his very soul. It was enough to shake him out of the stupor he had suddenly fallen into.
It was time.
"I haven't seen you this worried since Sasuke was being held in Konoha prison."
The mention of Sasuke caused the feeling of urgency and concentration he'd held moments ago to be tainted with confusion and worry. Again he forced himself to shake it off and continue, there was too much at stake to be worried about Sasuke.
"Listen, Naruto. I've spoken with Shizune and Sakura is going to need careful monitoring for a while, until she gets back to full strength at least. The effects of releasing that seal are treacherous..."
"Yeah, I've seen what it did to Granny Tsunade. Alright, she can stay with me and Hinata until the baby comes..."
"No." Kakashi interrupted him. "No, that won't be necessary." Naruto, when he was confused, looked every bit like the child he'd once tied to a post in the training field. An almost spitting image of Obito, and it tugged at Kakashi's heart further as he spoke. "I will take care of her."
There was silence for a moment before Naruto spoke, although now it was with the voice of a man and not the child he'd briefly glimpsed.
"You've got a whole village to look after Kakashi sensei, why don't you leave Sakura to the rest of us."
"No, I can't do that. She's..." Here the pit of his stomach dropped though he made every attempt to mask it and continue. There was no need to fear, Naruto was married to Hinata now, if there were lingering feelings for Sakura they would be long extinguished. That being said, he was still their former sensei, who knew how he would react to that line being crossed. But it had to be said now. "She's... I need to be the one to do this, to be there for her, no one else."
Kakashi studied Naruto's face for any hint of a reaction to his words. In his eyes he thought he saw a flicker of something, but it passed and he was no longer able to read him. Naruto had really grown up and suddenly, Kakashi was unsure of exactly when that had happened.
There was one thing about Naruto Uzumaki that remained unwavering, and that was his ability to surprise Kakashi. Always, with that almost ethereal way of reading other people's emotions and understanding them in an instant. It had always made Kakashi want to believe in him, and now he just hoped that it would work in his favor. And maybe, just maybe, Kakashi had managed to gain some of that ability himself. Perhaps Naruto would also believe in him, though he'd done little to deserve it.
A moment passed and Kakashi had to wonder if Naruto had actually understood the gravity of what he had meant. Perhaps his words had fallen short....
So lost in his own turbulent thoughts he'd failed to notice the small but growing smile on Naruto's face, and the way his eyes had softened.
"I'm so happy you finally found your person, sensei. And I'm so happy that it's her... It's about time." Naruto had an oddly soothing note to his timbre, one that was usually absent. It caused Kakashi's eyes to fill without his express permission, it was so very much like Minato and it absolved the last remaining dregs of his guilt.
It took a moment for Kakashi to find his voice again, and it was only when Naruto clapped a hand to his shoulder that he was able to speak.
"Thank you, Naruto... Truly, I..."
"No need to thank me. I should be thanking you, she's not with some miserable brooding bastard that can't stay in one spot long enough to save his life..."
Kakashi unexpectedly had to hold back a small chuckle at those words. But there were much bigger fish to fry, much more important things to be discussing right now. His absolution had given him even more clarity. He cleared his throat.
"The reason that I called you here... Well, there's no easy way for me to just say it. But, I need for you to be ready."
Naruto nodded.
"You can count on me."
"I knew that I could. And it's not going to be an instant transition, I'm not that much of a terrible Hokage, well..."
"You're not going to drop me into a shit show like the other Kage did to their successors, I can't believe that old man Raikage threw such a tantrum about it."
"Yeah, tell me about it. But all in good time Naruto, for now, I just need you to fill in for me. Learn the ropes as it were, Shikamaru is more than equipped to help you with the rest. I just... need time..."
"You got it sensei. Leave it to me."
"I've got a plan in place, the majority of the work is just paper shuffling that I can do from my home office. This is going to be a gradual transition, I know you've been preparing for this your whole life, but if we do this over the course of the next year or two..."
Naruto's head was bobbing up and down as Kakashi spoke, the two huddling together talking, they both were caught completely by surprise at the timid rasping voice from the bed.
"Ka..kashi? Naruto? What..."
Mid sentence he stopped speaking, they both slowly turned to see two green eyes watching their every move. In two large strides Kakashi was by the bed, kneeling and taking her small hands into his.
"Welcome home."
Any residual anger he may have felt about Sakura's actions during the mission was snuffed out. She had done what Sakura would always do in that situation, help any and all that she could. Her ability was incredible, and only she could have pulled it off. Kakashi doubted that even Tsunade could have saved so many people and lived to tell the tale.
"Sakura, it's so good to see you!"
But her eyes were fixed on Kakashi's. Blinking slowly before she spoke again, it was plain to see that she was beyond exhaustion still, that she would not be able to speak to them for very long.
"What were you boys talking about over there... so serious..."
Naruto opened his mouth to speak with a sheepish grin on his face, but Kakashi purposely beat him to the punch.
"Just you, and how seriously amazing you are."
"Is that so?"
"Yes, now get some more rest."
Her eyes were closed before he even finished the sentence, fallen back into blissful slumber. Begrudgingly Kakashi relinquished his hold of her hands and stood.
"Don't you want her to know, sensei?"
"Not just yet, sorry Naruto. For now, I don't want her to think of anything other than getting better. Besides, I don't really want her temper to spark until she's strong enough to handle it anyway."
"Huh, what do you mean temper?"
"Well, I imagine she'll consider my retiring to take care of her as a sign of weakness on her part. But the truth, the truth is... I've had enough, I can't waste any more time. And I can't think of a better reason, or person for that matter, to retire for."
His words were unhindered by doubt or shame, falling freely as he watched Sakura's sleeping face. The concern for her well being still tugging on his heart, but lessened by the sound of her voice, seeing a smile on her face. It had recharged him. He glanced up to Naruto to find a decidedly devious look on the young man's features, one that he was all too familiar with. Kakashi made a preemptive sigh.
"Y'know, if you're that worried about her finding out, for now... I could..."
Naruto made a very quick hand gesture, his signature move, transforming into a mirror likeness of Kakashi.
"Naruto, you of all people know how Sakura feels about that clone jutsu. She would beat the both of us to a pulp if she knew..." With a puff of smoke Naruto returned to his usual self, with a look of terror replacing the mischief on his face. "Besides, it's a gross misuse of chakra, you'll drain yourself...."
"Kaka-sensei, look at who you're talking to here." Naruto gestured to himself rather cockily, Kakashi couldn't help but huff in amusement.
"Even if it is you, with your ridiculous never-ending chakra stores, it's still a bad plan." Kakashi paused thoughtfully. "Though if you have any other ideas on how to avoid her temper, I'm all ears."
The two fell into silence for a short while. A sudden tiredness consuming what was left of the adrenaline that Kakashi was running on. Naruto sighed.
"You've been here all night, why don't we go get something to eat and iron out the details. We'll have you back here before you know it."
Kakashi appreciated that Naruto wasn't going to pester him to leave for any longer than absolutely necessary. It was a comfort to know that he understood that the place that Kakashi needed to be, was next to Sakura. For as long as she allowed him anyway. Others had tried to force him to go home to rest, but there was no point, no rest would be forthcoming while he was separated from her.
"I'm hungry enough to handle ramen this early in the morning... Let's go."
For now, putting the plan into place was all he had left to do, before he could focus all his energy into helping her. Being with her. Everything was coming together.
* * * *
Sakura was beginning to grow frustrated by the tiredness that consumed her body and mind. It was impossible to tell just how much time had passed, it was all a blur of barely there memories, which could also have been dreams. It was frustrating, the moment she finally got the strength and awareness together to get words out and speak, she was engulfed by sleep once more.
It was punishment for using every ounce of what she had in her body, and she knew that well enough. It didn't make it any less irritating though.The last moments of that mission also replayed in her mind, the way her body had crumpled the minute she learnt of the villagers safety.
Then suddenly she thought she could hear a voice, barely a whisper, and it was that voice that pulled her to consciousness. It was Kakashi's. Like a beacon calling her forth from the darkness.
It was hard to open her eyes, which alerted her to the fact that they had probably been shut for some time. Thankfully the room was softly lit as she finally managed to flutter them open. The sight that caught her eye had her suddenly very awake.
This was not Konoha's hospital. Or any other room that she recognized.
The bed was larger than her own, the room more ornately decorated, books lining the walls. The ceiling was high with a dimmed chandelier glimmering. Sakura's gaze followed down from the roof to her own hands, though she scarcely recognized them as her own. There were at least three IV's connected to her left arm, the tubes didn't disguise just how much strength she had lost. These hands were all bone with no muscle.
There was one thing, one person she did recognize, even though his back was facing her. She would know that silver head anywhere. It explained why she had felt no panic at awakening in a strange room. He always had a way of calming her.
The sound of his voice was the proof of that. Without turning to face her Kakashi spoke.
"Now, what shall we read today Sakura? I know you were never a fan of my reading Icha Icha, but maybe you would consider giving them a chance now?"
"Not in this lifetime, Kakashi." Her words were hoarse but just loud enough.
The book that he had pulled from the shelf clattered from his hand to the floor.
"Sakura! You're awake..."
It was almost childlike the way he stepped so quickly to be beside her and she felt a grin already tugging on her lips. There was no time to pause and take in the sight of him, Kakashi was already crouched down and embracing her tightly. Sakura couldn't help but giggle as she breathed him in. She wasn't sure how long she had been out for, but it felt as if she had been missing him for an eternity.
"Welcome home..." He murmured into her hair.
"Good to be home... Wait, where exactly is home? The hospital wasn't this fancy when I left."
Kakashi chuckled and pulled back to look at her.
"We're at my place, I figured you'd get more rest here. I hope that's alright." A gentle hand was tucking the hair behind her ear, paired with the look in his eye it was enough to make her melt. "You're really awake, I'm so..."
Sakura could bear it no longer, closing the gap between them and placing her chapped lips to his masked ones. She felt him inhale deeply, felt the way his hold on her became tighter as they merged even closer together. When the kiss stopped Sakura was in a daze that had nothing to do with chakra exhaustion, which was a fresh relief.
"It was so much harder to wake up this time, I'm so sorry."
"You did what you had to do, Sakura. I'm just glad you came back to me."
"How long was I out for? I can't remember anything since the mission..."
"Ah, well about that... You see..." Kakashi was not allowed to finish the sentence, the door to the room swung open violently, an out of breath Shikamaru standing at the frame.
Surprisingly for Sakura, Kakashi did not relinquish his hold on her. Something she was all at once giddy and excited about, he didn't want to let go of her and she could tell.
"Kakashi sensei, that problem is now a big problem... Oh Sakura! You're awake!" Shikamaru stepped into the room with a grin which she returned in kind.
With an exasperated and almost feral sounding growl, Kakashi took a look at Sakura before briefly pecking her on the cheek and standing just as quickly.
"Right, I'm on it, I'll be right back..." He implored to her while lingering his hand on hers, "Don't go anywhere, I'll be right back..."
"Kay." She nodded with a smile.
"Do you want me to organize someone to be here with Sakura, Kakashi?" Shikamaru asked while Kakashi was striding across the room, he paused for just a second. Sakura decided to answer for herself.
"I'll be okay on my own, I'm feeling great."
"You sure?"
She nodded yes to the both of them and could tell Kakashi was grinning under his mask.
"I'll be back soon." He said before hurrying at full speed out the door. There was a moment where he and Shikamaru exchanged a look that she could not quite fathom. But it was too late to ask, he was long gone.
"I haven't seen him move that fast since Guy challenged him to that race..." Shikamaru scratched his head and they both laughed. "It really is great to see you awake Sakura, you had us worried there. Nice job saving those villagers though, I gotta hand it to ya..."
"Thanks Shikamaru. How did the rest of the squad fare? Did any of them need major treatment?"
"Uh, not that I can remember."
"What, so none of them were admitted?! That's insane..." Sakura threw the covers off and made to stand up. Her strength returning to her by the second. "They weren't in any fit state when I last..."
"Woah, woah. Hold your horses there. They were admitted when they got back, but they are all assigned to other missions right now, I couldn't tell you with any certainty how they are now..."
"Other missions? But there was so much clean up to do, so much damage, how... how is that possible?"
"Sakura... Just how long do you think it's been since the earthquake?"
Shikamaru was now sitting in a comfortable armchair by the bed. And at his question she had to take pause at everything around her. It couldn't have been more than three days surely, that was the usual aftermath of releasing the seal. Though she'd not only released that seal... she'd used every single drop of chakra she could squeeze out.
"I'm... not sure. Has it been a week already?"
The look on his face gave it away in an instant.
"More than a week.... You've got to be kidding me... How long have I been out for?"
"Well... I don't know if I should be the one to..." Shikamaru tried to defer but there was no way she would let him now.
"Tell. Me. Shikamaru. How long has it been?" She spat every word out and watched him shift uncomfortably. Eventually he stiffened and met her eye and she knew she had won him over by force.
"Sakura, I don't know if there's a right way to tell you this. But it's been two months... since you were brought back from that mission."
"Two months?!"
The shock washed over her in waves, the first one making her gasp for air, the second causing her to grab hold of the sheets to ground herself to something. Then she was looking around the room for something, anything that might reassure her.
Shikamaru appeared to be still talking about the clean up and relief efforts at the Grass Village, but it turned to white noise, drowned out by Sakura's own thoughts. Next to the bed, on a small table, was an overflowing tower of books. There had to be at least 50 volumes precariously stacked on top of each other, and with what she had awoken to find, Sakura came to the obvious conclusion. Kakashi had been reading to her. That was the thought that brought her mind back to clarity. He had been with her. This was his home after all, and he had wanted her there to rest. Suddenly losing two months didn't seem like such a terrible thing if she'd been able to spend them with him. Even if she wasn't conscious for it.
Shikamaru followed her gaze.
"He continues to surprise me, y'know. Kakashi."
"Tell me about it." Sakura spoke quietly. "I can't believe he brought me here..."
"Well, he figured that if you were in the hospital, you would bound to be disturbed in your rest. And he's probably right about that too. He said you were too much of an asset not to let rest and recover properly.... At least, that was the excuse he told the others."
"Excuse?" Her eyes snapped to Shikamaru in confusion. "What do you mean excuse?"
"Sakura, the man has barely left your side." Shikamaru let out a chuckle with a softened expression. "I haven't seen him work so hard for something, someone, in the entire time he was Hokage."
Though sweet and thoughtful Shikamaru's words may be, there was one word that stood out like a sore thumb. A careful and deliberate man, an intelligent man, she knew that he never said anything unless he meant it. Which made her next question all the more terrifying.
"What do you mean, was Hokage?"
The look of terror on his face was instant and he stood up as if to try and hide it. Or to get out of range of her fists. Frail as she may now appear to be, there was surely some way she could throw him into the next village.
"Ugh, forget it, just a slip of the tongue. Well I better be heading off now Sakura, be sure to call if you need anything while Kakashi is out..."
He was gone before she had the time to shuffle herself to the edge of the bed.
Maybe she was just tired and deluded, all those months lying in a bed. As a doctor she knew that it might be some time before her strength returned to her properly, but at the moment all she felt was starving, with just a dash of confusion to fuel it. All she cared about at this moment was getting some food in her stomach.
It felt strange to be removing IV's from her own arm and not that of a patient. All the same she made sure to do so carefully. Tsunade had spoken to her at length of the side effects releasing the seal would have on her body, so she knew now that recovery would come swiftly since she had been given ample time to rest. Unlike her mentor she didn't need to waste any of her energy maintaining a youthful appearance, so that chakra could immediately be channeled to the appropriate places.
With a deep breath she concentrated, trying her utmost to focus despite all that had happened this morning. While she managed some of her objective, there were two words echoing around her mind throughout, was Hokage.
Getting to her feet wasn't nearly as hard as she thought it might be. Her strength really was fast returning to her. It appeared as if Kakashi had been right about the rest she had needed. With small steps, which turned into larger ones, Sakura set out on her next mission. Find the kitchen, find some food.
Throughout the large and ornate house Sakura couldn't help but seeing those little touches that were so very Kakashi. Though very few pictures on the walls in the hallways and rooms, there were books everywhere. Not in a messy way, they were in special little nooks and cubbies, in careful positions it seemed so that he could just pick them up as he walked past. She could see him, in her mind's eye, coffee in one hand and book in the other. Going from shelf to shelf looking for that perfect volume for whatever lazy afternoon he'd managed to find.
By the time she found herself in the kitchen, Sakura was seeing him everywhere, and it had become a longing. Wanting to see him properly. The comforting feeling of being here, in his home, was still palpable but it was a poor substitute for the man himself. It was almost like she belonged there. She chalked it up as a side effect of being in the house for so long with Kakashi taking care of her.
It didn't strike her as odd to find a veritable arsenal of take out boxes in the man's fridge. They were neatly organized in a pattern she recognized as freshest on the top shelves. Without much more thought to the matter, Sakura grabbed as many as she could carry, not even bothering to heat the majority of them. Her stomach was well and truly controlling her every move at this point.
In true Kakashi fashion there was no television in his house, only books. So she sat there in comfortable silence as she ate, gorging herself and hoping that Kakashi wouldn't think so poorly of her for raiding his fridge. The more her hunger was sated the more her mind returned to clarity, and questions began to form.
How had he been able to take care of her so dutifully? It surely couldn't have been all on his own, but there was no other person here...
Slowly, one by one, Sakura began to piece together a string of memories that she had only considered dreams. Memories of waking briefly to find Kakashi there, handing her glasses of water, brushing her hair... A thousand different things came to her so suddenly it managed to quell the almost insatiable hunger. It left her out of breath and confused all at once.
Sakura sat at the kitchen table trying to let her stomach and her mind settle but she could not find peace. A familiar antsy feeling began to gnaw at her, a restless impatience that once she would have silenced by working herself to sleep. She knew she needed conserve her energy, that she wasn't completely back to her former strength just yet, but it didn't make it any easier.
With little else to do, Sakura deposited herself on the vast sofa, the one she had slept on the night of Kakashi's birthday. She remembered that night with a tinge of sadness but smiled at it all the same. Everything about it, everything about him, it was so wonderfully surprising. And she truly loved every second that she had spent with him, conscious or otherwise. Not knowing what else to do, she decided to spend the time reading, waiting for him to come home to her.
She wandered slowly back to her room, deciding to read whatever book Kakashi had chosen and dropped on her waking. She was unsure if it would suit her tastes upon picking it up, but Kakashi had taught her not to judge a book by it's cover. She wondered if he had the next volume of Alejandro's Passions somewhere on one of these shelves but she couldn't bring herself to rifle through it.
If she trusted anything, she trusted Kakashi's judgement. Book in hand she decided to sit on the armchair instead of the bed, she had been in bed for too long as it was. As she reclined back more memories began to flicker in her mind's eye, Kakashi in this very chair, reading to her and sleeping. She even recalled his lying down beside her, comforting her after a particularly grueling dream.
Sakura skimmed the pages of the book, not really paying attention, her mind was in another far off place. It wasn't restless or antsy, this place she had fallen into, it was calm and peaceful. It was something that only Kakashi was able to provide for her.
The feeling was so all encompassing, so blissful, that it lulled her to sleep in the chair while she watched the clock on the wall tick by.
* * * *
Darkness had caught up with him by the time Kakashi finally reached the house. He'd spent the better half of the afternoon cursing anything and everything that kept him tied up for so long, keeping him away from home, from Sakura. It had been frustrating to say the least but finally he was allowed his freedom.
He had never been so relieved to be heading home, even though he had only been gone a few hours at most. He just hoped Sakura was still okay. The overwhelming relief he'd felt at seeing her so lucid, so awake, the kiss she'd placed on his lips... It have given him a boost of energy so intense that it had been an almost frenzy by the time he'd gotten to Hokage tower. A rush that made all his work suddenly urgent.
The situation had been unfortunate, and just as Shikamaru had described. Between himself, Naruto and some of the finer administrative assistants in Hokage tower, they had managed without incident. Whoever put their trust in technology to keep records safe was an idiot, at least in Kakashi’s mind. Utter chaos broke loose as soon as that technology ceased to work properly.
Kakashi nodded to the Anbu guard as he entered his own home, the lights were on. The first thing he noticed were the empty leftover containers littering the table. He chuckled to himself before heading straight to Sakura’s room, a distinct memory of Tsunade gorging herself with food after her own recovery. It was elating to him that Sakura was on the right track for her health, that she would be back to her own self in no time.
And there was so much he needed to tell her, so much time that he wanted to spend with her.
Kakashi opened his mouth to speak as he pushed past the door, only to swiftly purse his lips closed. He sighed quietly.
There in the armchair, an open book in her lap, Sakura was asleep. In the exact position he had been sleeping in for the last two months each night. Her coloring looked infinitely better, she wasn’t the small frail woman who had been lying helpless in the bed. She was back to being Sakura. So that was some small consolation to her being already asleep now that he was finally home.
Gingerly so as not to disturb her slumber, Kakashi retrieved a blanket from the bed, removing the book before delicately draping it around her. She sighed softly in her sleep. Before he left, he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Deciding that if he got more work done tonight, he would be able to spend more time with her the next day when she was better rested.
It had only just past 7pm but the sky outside was already black, winter was well and truly on the way. When he switched the lights on to his home office Kakashi yawned before shaking his head. It would be a long night, but the reward would be well worth it.
The work was tedious and mind numbing, though instead of spending precious minutes grumbling about it, Kakashi absorbed himself in it. Cataloguing all the planning permissions and building invoices that had been lost by the errant computer system in Hokage tower. Finding the staffing contracts and everything else, it had been a mess. And then there were all the mission reports that hadn’t be logged properly. Some of it resulting in no payment. Kakashi felt more like an auditor or care taker than Hokage right now, but that was fitting in itself.
He wasn’t going to be Hokage for much longer anyway.
So caught up in what he was doing he failed to notice time slowly dripping by. When the door creaked open sometime past midnight he had actively pull himself out of his work to realize what was going on.
It felt like a dream.
Sakura was standing at the doorway to his office, in a long night shirt, towelling her wet hair.
“What are you doing up?” He asked with a smile despite the worried tone, she smiled back.
“I actually came in and told you I was having a bath about an hour ago.” Sakura cocked her head and sighed. “You’ve been going at it for a while now, you would have once told me off for doing the same thing y’know.”
That smile on her face, the way the night shirt clung to her lithe body, the way her wet tousled messily about her shoulders. She looked so good. So healthy. It was like being able to take a breath of fresh air after being held captive in a cave underground for months. He chuckled softly.
“I apologize, I had no idea, which is idiotic because I’ve been thinking about all day… is you.”
“Likewise.”
Their eyes met, each with an expression of love and longing reflected back. Kakashi sat back in his office chair, taking in the sight of her fully as she stepped into the room, looking around.
“This is a nice office, I never thought you would be the type to take your work home with you.”
“Well, let’s just say I do what needs to be done. How come you’re awake?”
Slowly Sakura was walking around the room, taking in what she could in the lamp light from the desk, making her way toward him at a snail's pace.
“Well, I fell asleep early this afternoon, and then couldn’t get back to sleep. Guess I’ve been lying down for too long. Two months too long.”
“Shikamaru told you, huh?”
“He did.”
“Sakura, I’m so sorry, if there was a way to wake you sooner... Shizune and even Tsunade herself…” at this she stepped toward him more quickly.
“Kakashi, no it’s okay, really. You don’t ever need to apologize to me, remember? Besides, you were the one taking care of me this whole time. Because of you I got to recover fully, and I feel fine, better than fine actually.”
Her words soothed him more than any medical jutsu he’d ever received, and as she sat herself on the edge of the desk beside him, Kakashi found himself instinctively reaching out to touch her. Being able to do so with entire impunity was a novel he didn’t think would ever wear off.
“Good. That’s a relief…” Absent mindedly he ran his hand up her leg to rest on her knee, rubbing soft circles into her satin skin. He was ever more certain now that he had never touched something so beautiful, so wonderful, live giving… Sakura really was a miracle.
“It took a little while but… I remembered some things, after I woke up.”
“Oh?” Kakashi continued his tracing of Sakura’s skin, breathing in every second, an almost overwhelming feeling of peace washing over him.
“Mmhmm, I remember you reading to me, being with me, taking care of me… Some of it is blurred like it might be a dream but I know that it’s real, all of it.”
Her words were soft, bewitching, in the dim lamp light he could see that emerald color of her eyes and it held him captive as she spoke. Sakura stood without hurrying bringing herself close until she actually seated herself on his knee. Her hands reaching, lingering to either side of his face, all the while her eyes never left his. It was one of those moments he knew he didn’t need the sharingan to remember in exact detail, her warmth on his lap and the closeness of her, it was all he’d ever need. Kakashi didn’t blink as she furled down the edges of his mask to his chin. As close as she was he expected her lips to meet his, and it made his head light and his heart beat fast in his chest. But instead she asked a question.
“Before I thank you properly, Kakashi, I need to know one thing.” For a moment he thought her next words would be grave and it almost burst the bubble he had been floating on. But it was no such thing. “Please tell me you didn’t use shadow clones to take care of me and run the village?”
He laughed in equal parts relief and amusement.
“You’re laughing, but you know how I feel about reckless use of shadow clones…”
“I promise, Sakura. I did not use clones to take care of you. Not once, even though Naruto might have suggested it on the odd occasion…”
“I knew it….”
“Well I made it pretty clear that if the woman I’m in love with doesn’t want me to use that jutsu, I’m not going to use it.”
There was a reflective pause, each with knowing smiles on their faces. Kakashi anticipated what was to come, and while he may have been worried at her reaction before, he knew now that it was ill founded. He was an idiot after all, the evidence was irrefutable.
“You made time for me…”
“I found a way, yes. And Sakura, I’ll always find a way for you.”
“Why do you keep saying my name like that?”
“I just want to say it as much as I can, now that I have you home…”
Her forehead came to rest on his, he could tell that there were tears in her eyes unshed, he could see them while she was this close. But they were happy ones so he didn’t mind as much.
“Did you retire...for me?”
“Yes…” He said it quietly and felt her body shift. “But not straight away. It’s going to be a gradual succession, a brilliant plan of my own making if I do say so myself….”
Sakura shifted to elbow him in the ribs before huffing a laugh and wiping an errant tear. She came to settle against his body.
“So modest, the man I love…”
“You forgot handsome…”
“Oh, did I now…. Smart ass.”
“Why yes, I am a smart ass, though there are several rumors going around the village about my being an idiot.”
They both chuckled softly and there was a pregnant pause before Sakura spoke again.
“You didn’t have to do that y’know.”
The answer came to him quickly.
“Yes, yes I did. It’s time. And I need… to be with you, as much as I can, while I can. Besides, in a year or two, if… I mean, when, my plan all falls into place, Naruto will be completely one hundred percent ready. It will be seamless, a thing of beauty and then I can…..”
Sakura cut him off, her lips meeting his in such a demanding way that it was impossible for him to keep track of his thoughts. Kakashi met her halfway, though he was so desperate not to hurt her in any way, his hands gripped into the arms of the chair. His eyes opened lazily before closing again, Sakura was lost in this kiss and not stopping, and he was so eager to fall in with her.
But so frightened.
“Kakashi….” She pulled her lips from his, her body writhing in his lap. When her leg swung over to straddle him fully it was all he could do not to rip that shirt from her body. She peppered kisses to his lips, though it was obvious to Kakashi that she was asking an indirect question with her actions. Her hands dipped down to rest on his belt buckle, he had to clear his throat before he could speak intelligibly.
“I don’t… want to hurt you… I only just got you back.”
“Shh…” One of her fingers touched his lips to silence him. “You, could never hurt me, ever.”
And as soon as that finger dropped so did the very last of his restraint. With a huff and a deliberate jerk of his hips he closed any remaining space between them. Melding their bodies together with a kiss so desperate it was as if his life depended on it. Groaning at the feel of her warm body on his, the way her hands gripped at him through his clothing. Too many layers of clothing separated them from each other, and it was the only thing now that needed to be torn away.
Kakashi lamented briefly on the lack of softer surfaces in his home office, wanting to lay her down on the floor and ravishing every inch of her... But if anything he was a patient man, he could hold out just a little longer. Without breaking the passionate onslaught of his lips, Kakashi stood while holding her tightly to him. When her legs wrapped around him there was a distinct shift, a carnal signal, an invitation of trust that this was something they both wanted and needed.
When they started to move, still kissing with a ferocity Kakashi had never known before, he cursed that his hands were settled in holding her body to him. Wanting desperately to be running them over every dip and curve of her body, and though she was heartrendingly light, he did not want to risk dropping her. There would be time to explore her body when they reached their destination.
The frantic walk to his bedroom was paused a few times. Unable to take much more Kakashi had pressed her lightly to the wall briefly, in which time she had divulged him of his shirt and unclipped his belt. Kakashi had settled for ravenously consuming those delectable moans that drifted from deep within her. Hands gripping her behind in a rhythmic motion, he just couldn't get enough of the feel of her, the taste of her. It was like a drug, addicting and all consuming, yet so precious and fragile he had to keep his wits about him. Growling at exercising his self restraint, Kakashi began moving once more, the giggle she made into the kiss did little to ease the racing of his blood.
Later on he would be unable to remember how he'd managed to even turn the light on beside the bed. What he would remember for all of time, was the way Sakura had slid down his body so enticingly, lightly scratching his bare chest in a way that sent every ounce of blood to his groin. Immediately his hands went to the hem of her night shirt, pulling it up and over her head slowly, revealing the gift that lay beneath.
She stood before him wearing nothing but plain white panties and a flimsy camisole. His lips were back on her in an instant, unable to resist the call of her skin, the smell of her, the warmth. It started at her lips and went to her neck, reveling in the sounds she made as he struck sensitive spots, all the while his hands gripped at her skin. It was a fugue that surrounded them both, groaning as he felt her swiftly unbutton his pants and tug them down.
What he hadn't anticipated, or rather, what he hadn't even dared to anticipate, was just how badly Sakura wanted him as well. In one fluid motion she placed her flat palm to his chest and pushed him back lightly until he was on the bed. In an instant she was on top of him, the unrelenting kiss taking over once more.
No words were necessary, there were things that Kakashi wanted to tell her, but for now he needed to show her. Flipping them both, she made a small yelping noise that was his second favorite noise of all time. His mouth made a journey down her neck, to her collarbone, to the volley of her breasts.
He had meant it before when he had said that every inch of her should be worshiped. Kakashi would have reminded her, but not now, not at this moment. He needed to show her, with his hands, his mouth, his body. All of him.
He was going to make her feel worthy of all the love she didn't feel like she deserved.
Moans and a sharp tugging of his hair spurred him on. Travelling further to her navel, kissing open mouthed and nipping lightly at the taught expanse of flesh. It felt like an eternity before he reached his destination, and by that stage all rational thinking had abandoned him, there was only one thought fueling him. To heavily pleasure this woman.
Still no more words were spoken and they didn't need to be. It was as if they knew instinctively what needed to happen. As if the kisses and touches had passed a thousand times between the eyes before the flesh, and it was familiar even though it was the first time.
The thin damp layer of her panties was the first part that caused him to growl audibly. The scent of her was intoxicating. Kakashi tried to maintain some gentility as he peeled that damn fabric down her legs, but it was not without impatience. For as soon as she was revealed to him, his mouth, his tongue, began devouring her core. The response from her was instant. Her back arching into the bed, somehow he managed to hook her legs up and over his shoulders, using one hand to press down on her stomach to keep her where he wanted her.
With his tongue flat on her bundle of nerves he felt her walls tighten around his finger as it tentatively entered her. The first orgasm ripping through her with a whimper as her leg began to shake and jerk. To Kakashi it felt as though he had barely touched her, but it was enough, Sakura tugged at his hair in a motion indicating where she wanted him. Lazily he made another journey with his lips, kissing his way back up her body, removing the camisole on the way with some assistance. By the time he reached her mouth Sakura was in such a frenzy she was trying to rip the boxers from him with such harshness it almost made him smirk.
His member finally free and standing to attention, while he kicked down the last offending article of clothing, Sakura gripped him. Pumping slowly, languidly, experimentally before swirling her thumb around the tip and making his eyes roll back into his head. A groan ripping itself from his throat. The sensation was almost too much, he broke the kiss, coaxing it into a slower rhythm before hazily regarding the look on her face. That way she bit her bottom lip before she pumped him, the blush on her face from the fresh orgasm, it was all seared into his memory banks. He never wanted to forget it.
It was Sakura that broke first, unable to take the space that remained between them, guiding him to her quivering heat.
With a tenderness he didn't think himself capable of, Kakashi kissed her, this time slowly and softly as he pressed himself inside of her.
The heat and tightness threatened to undo him in an instant, the way she guided her hips upward to draw him in deeper. It was slick and inviting, but so very tight. He winced in suppressing the urge to pull back and ram into her with the force of the lust he was feeling. It was a losing battle. Gripping her hip with one hand Kakashi found himself lightly thrusting at first before the floodgates opened.
When he first fully buried his length inside of her, the fluttering of her walls around him, the way her eyes were rolling back into her head at the size of him. That was what broke him. The rhythm that built between them was at once fervent and urgent, harsh pants and desperate undulating of her hips and Sakura tipped over the edge once more.
With each orgasm the urge for Kakashi to whisper to her grew, come for me, only for me, it was possessive and primal. But he would have time for that later. All that mattered right now was this feeling between them, to finally become one with each other. The temptation to push her over the edge again and again was too much, his fingers brushed and plucked at her sensitive nipples, his other hand sought out the swollen nub between her legs. The circles he teased around it as she came apart over his hard dick were enough to make her moan loudly into his mouth, he swallowed it as if it were the only thing sustaining him.
It was one word from Sakura that pushed him over the edge. One word that was half garbled and breathy as she moaned her release in his ear.
"Ka...Kaka..shi...."
His name, said in such a way, it undid him in an instant. With a few powerful and erratic thrusts he finished inside of her. Too caught up in the moment to consider any kind of consequences. Too elated and blissful to think a singular thought that wasn't to do with his own happiness.
Panting quietly, eyes imploring each other, Kakashi rested his forehead to hers. They smiled briefly before sharing a kiss that was not at all urgent or insanely desperate, though it still held a fire that threatened to burn with every second. This was love, contentment, fulfillment.
The kiss continued as Kaksahi dropped to his side, suddenly all too aware that he might be crushing her under his weight. They lay turned in to each other, kissing for another moment before pulling apart.
He wanted to ask her if she was okay, ask if he had hurt her at all, but his brain had not yet returned to normal functions.
"Wow." She whispered, hands stroking the unruly spikes of silver hair. A dazed smile on her face. He grinned back at her.
"You okay?" He finally was able to manage, bringing his fingers up to her still damp hair.
"Fantastic..." She sparkled. “You?”
“Somewhere between amazing and satisfied, which I haven’t felt in a long time…” Kakashi added with a sheepish grin. “I think the word I’m looking for is ‘happy’.”
“I think you might be right.” There was a huff of amusement shared between before they both went back to basking in the glorious aftermath of what had happened.
Lying there beside her, limbs entangled more than he thought humanly possible, Kakashi had never felt quite so comfortable with another person. And of course, that other person would be Sakura. They fit together like pieces of a puzzle.
“Can I stay?” She whispered as his eyes half closed.
“Stay forever.”
Time was a variable neither of them seemed to notice passing in the peace and quiet. Clinging to each other, they brushed sweet kisses to their lips before both falling into sleep together.
* * * *
Sakura woke to warmth and sunshine, with a heart so full of happiness her eyes snapped open with excitement just to make sure it hadn’t been a dream. But there he was, on the pillow beside her, just as she’d left him. In sleep he looked younger than he should, she had to wonder if he’d been successful in copying Tsunade’s ant aging jutsu. But she knew better than that really, it was the absence of worry that made him look so peaceful, so young, so happy.
Not wanting to move and disturb his sleep, Sakura lay there for a while just watching him. His hair an unkempt mess, she began to worry that her own would be a mess, falling into bed like that while it was wet. God’s knew where she’d left the towel last night, somewhere strewn on the floor of Hokage mansion with the rest of their clothes. She suppressed a giggle at the thought, but all the same began to fidget to discern the damage on her pink locks.
Just as she wriggled an arm free, Kakashi grumbled something and pulled her tighter to him.
“Good morning…” she whispered tentatively, he made another intelligible noise.
“Not yet…” it was muffled as his face buried into her chest. She couldn’t help the giggle this time. The sound seemed to be effective in waking up parts of his body at least. After a moment his lips were back to kissing her skin. “It is a good morning…” He spoke in between pecks making his way slowly up to her lips, “I wish we could stay here all day.”
“That sounds like a good plan.” She nipped at his lips on their arrival. “Why can’t we do just that hmm?” Purposefully she ground herself against the hardness between them, he hissed.
“Well, as irresistible as you are, vixen… There’s something special I need to show you today.” Kakashi laved kisses to the soft spot behind her ear, down her neck. “So I vote, we get that out of the way now, and then we can spend the rest of the day uh….”
Sakura giggled, knowing that whatever he had in store for her would likely be worth it. And she could thank him for it later properly.
“Okay, I’ll go get ready then. You have more of my clothes in my room, right?”
“There is, but you don’t have to wear anything if you don’t want to…”
“Kakashi!” She scolded though it was without any real enthusiasm. He was a hard man to resist.
Sakura eventually extracted herself when Kakashi allowed her. She took great pride in taking a longing glance back to the bed, seeing him in all his glory. It flushed her to see that he was regarding her exactly the same way, watching her every move like a predator.
“Sakura, if you keep looking at me like that, I won’t be able to hold back this time…”
“Oh, so you were holding back hmm?”
“You have no idea… the things I have in store for you…”
“Likewise.” She quipped, watching the dark lustful shadow that crossed his eye with glee.
Eventually the two of them were dressed and respectable enough to leave the bedroom. Kakashi was insistent on her taking it easy despite her protests that she felt completely well and able, better than that even.
So, at his insistence, she took hold of his arm as they walked through the village. Stopping for coffee along the way, the same place they had gotten coffee that day they had wandered through the village scouting. It was the same happy feeling in her chest that she had felt that day after being honest with him, but tenfold.
They spoke of many things, all the events and catastrophes she had missed while she was resting. In seemingly no time at all it appeared as if Kakashi was actually taking her out of the village itself, until he stopped walking altogether. She eyed him with confusion.
“Where, are we?”
“You don’t recognize it?”
Sakura looked around more thoroughly, but in all honesty she had absolutely no idea. There was something about the trees that was familiar perhaps.
That was when she spied it, directly behind Kakashi. She’d been so fixated on him she had failed to notice the fencing and equipment laid about. The outline of a newly built building, a freshly constructed and large development. And the sign that read above them.
Coming soon, Konoha Children’s Hospital.
Sakura gasped.
“Oh my…”
“I’m sorry, I wanted you to wake before they started construction, so you could be here for it. But they couldn’t wait any longer, the builders were available…”
“It’s been hard to find builders…” She mumbled not knowing where the words came from exactly.
“Yes, that’s right. I wanted to show you, they just completed the first wing. Would you like to see?”
“Yes!” The answer was immediate and excited, she couldn’t contain the joy, squeezing tightly on his arm. With a chuckle they stepped inside.
It was the first of the administrative buildings, perhaps not exciting to anyone else, but to Sakura this was the culmination of everything she had ever wanted to achieve. The good it would finally be able to do, the love that had fuelled this project… in more ways than one… It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.
They walked through the empty white hallways, there wasn’t much to see, but Kakashi stopped in particular outside a closed door. He eyed her with an affectionate and heated gaze as he opened the door, by the hand he tugged her inside the room. She looked around it, there was nothing to see, except one large desk. The room was large in itself, but this desk was comparable to the Hokage’s.
On it was a thin box.
“This is for you.” He gestured to it.
With a confused but warm smile she released his hand and wandered over to it. Lifting the lid up to find a single name plate.
Dr. Sakura Haruno - Director
“This… is your office.”
His words fell on deaf ears, for underneath the plate was a small note. It was handwritten by the man standing just beside her now, the words written causing a single tear to fall from her eye.
Sakura,
May your new journey be filled with as much joy, wisdom and sense of purpose as you have given mine.
Love Kakashi.
She held the piece of paper with shaking hands, placing it back in the box as if it were as delicate as a paper bomb, before throwing her arms around Kakashi’s neck. He huffed in surprise at the contact and sudden weight he held.
“I love it.” She whispered to his lips.
“Good, because I love you…”