Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Sakura sat quietly near the edge of the training grounds against a large oak tree. It swayed gently in the summer breeze, giving off faint creaks from its intertwined branches. A few leaves occasionally scattered across the book she was reading. There was no official training meet today, but Sakura still wanted a little practice in, at least by herself. It was high noon, so she figured she would take a lunch break. She slowly chewed the sandwich she packed earlier as she read a couple of pages in her new novel. She hadn't expected to be so engrossed in it. Some of the pages made her blush, but it was so entertaining! Plus... it wasn't like she'd had any experience with men. A quick kiss here and there maybe, but never anything more... so, it was quite fascinating.

After finally realizing a few years earlier that her crush with Sasuke would never amount to anything, she was fine just seeing him as a good friend and a fellow teammate. She had been approached a few times over the years to go out on dates, (more times than she could count by Naruto – whom she would forever reject) but she usually said no to most guys. Rarely, she'd give a guy a chance if she didn't know them very well, but somehow they all ended up being either creepy or extremely boring. Now at the age of eighteen, she started to notice all the couples throughout the village more often then she would like. It was a bit depressing. Training and missions helped keep her mind focused and away from her pathetic love life.

Since she was about sixteen, she started reading books to pass time. It was great to just forget everything around her for a moment and get sucked into another world. However, Sakura would always look past the 18+ books section when she went book shopping. For one thing, she wasn't old enough until only recently. Secondly, only perverts looked at that stuff (-Ahem- Kakashi-sensei). Thirdly, it was embarrassing to be even seen reading them unless you had no concept of modesty (-Ahem- Kakashi-sensei).

But one day, as she was passing through the rows of books, she noticed one that just had a plain, black hardback cover - it was probably supposed to have a paper sleeve over it, but that was missing. Picking it up and scanning both sides, she had discovered its fifty percent discount. She flipped inside the first few pages and found the title.

'Clash of Hearts'

Curiosity had gotten the better of her.

She quickly glanced around her to see if anyone was watching. Flicking through, she noticed some rather interesting words that made her blush. Although from reading the first paragraph, she felt like it wasn't really smut, but a real story that had a lot of depth… and some fascinating adult content. The summary inside said it was about two ninjas from different enemy lands who were at war with each other. It was a love that was never meant to be. She figured it was probably a bit cheesy, but she knew all too well of loves that are never meant to be.

She had felt her cheeks grow hot when she went to purchase the book. Throwing in a few other books from different sections she previously was looking at, she hoped the clerk wouldn't notice or make a big deal out of her buying an adult rated book. Then her heart sank when the cashier asked for her I.D. She wanted to die, but quickly flashed it for him. Feeling a little relieved when she finally left the store, she vowed she'd never buy an adult book again. The stress and embarrassment that ensued was overwhelming

For the past week she had been reading her new book and was currently about halfway through. She had quickly gotten attached to the main characters and absorbed in the plot; what would the ending be? She would be devastated if they died.

Munching on her sandwich in one hand, she turned a page with the other.

"Yo, Sakura!"

She flinched and jumped at the sudden call of her name. Kakashi snuck up behind her. Closing her book shut, she placed it on her lap. She smiled and waved meekly to him, trying not to look panicked.

"Ugh, Kakashi-sensei you scared me," she muttered.

"A ninja should never have their guard down."

She rolled her eyes. "Thanks for that tip."

"What you up to?" he asked while leaning against the tree beside her. Kakashi had a crinkle in his eye, which meant he was smiling under his usual mask. She smiled back, thinking how cute he always was when he did that.

Sakura took another bite of her sandwich to stall for time; she didn't think it would be a good idea to talk about what she was reading. She would really kill herself if he knew what kind of content it contained. She called him a pervert every chance she got when he brought out one of his Icha Icha books during missions or training; she would forever be labeled a hypocrite.

"Oh, nothing much. Just taking a lunch break. I felt like practicing a little bit today. How about you?"

"Was just passing through. What you reading?" He looked down at her book in her lap, intrigued.

"Oh, nothing special. Just a book I found that was on sale," Sakura replied nonchalantly, hoping he'd just leave it at that.

"Ooh... What about?"

Feeling her gut drop, she unconsciously blushed. "Um..."

Much to her horror, he picked up the book from her lap. Before he had a chance to look inside, she snatched it back. "It's nothing! Pretty boring, really."

"Oh, really?" he said while narrowing his visible eye at her. "Let me see."

"It's really nothing great. Anyway, I'm going to-"

In a blink of an eye, her book disappeared from her hands. Kakashi stood sideways on the tree trunk using chakra infused feet. He had her book in one hand and raised it closer to his face to inspect. "Let's see..." he said, slowly motioning that he was about to open the book.

"KAKASHI-SENSEI! GIVE IT BACK!" She yelled, flustered. Now she really wanted to die. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if he found out what she had been reading.

Kakashi was clearly amused at her reaction. He opened the cover of the book and pretended to lick the tip of his index finger to turn the next page. "Hum..."

Quickly sitting up, she charged up the tree and made a beeline to grab the book. He darted away up towards a branch.

"You're going to have to catch me," he said with a smirk. "But if you're going to be really slow I might as well start reading wha-"

Sakura didn't let him finish his sentence as she charged swiftly making a swipe towards the book. Her fingers touched the very edge of it, but not enough to knock it out of his hands. She thought to herself angrily how this was turning into the bell test. She sighed and pulled a few messy strands of pink hair from her face. She'd gotten stronger and faster over the years and had become a Jounin, but Kakashi was still tricky.

He was amused. Why exactly was Sakura getting so flustered? From the way she was acting you'd think it must be some kind of diary, but clearly this was a novel. He slowly peeled back the cover again. Another close miss by Sakura as he dodged her attack. He was sad. How was he going to read it? He needed to put more distance between them.

At that thought, he began to sprint from branch to branch heading deeper into the forest leading away from the training grounds. Sakura followed behind keeping up with his pace, easily making chakra infused swipes at him every chance she got.

"Kakashi-sensei, it's not funny! It's mine so give it back. You have no right!" she yelled out after him, throwing a couple of kunai.

Kakashi smiled under his mask pretending not to hear and continued to dodge her advances. Over the past few years, he had grown to be more fascinated by Sakura for some reason. It had to have been because of all the time they'd spent together through missions and regular training sessions. He couldn't place when he first noticed, but he started to admire how elegantly she moved when they trained together. The way her green eyes lit up into a paler shade in the sunlight. How when she was angry, her brows furrowed in a cute way like they were right now. Their friendship had grown as well through the years as she grew older. She wasn't technically his student anymore, but they were always at an arms length of each other so to speak. Close enough like any teammate would be, but not too close.

What he really didn't want to admit for the longest time was that he had grown attracted to her. When he realized it, he decided it was best just to ignore it and enjoy what friendship they did have. He didn't think it was really right to develop feelings for someone he'd known since she was twelve. If their age difference wasn't a sufficient issue, changing the dynamics of their team certainly was. It just couldn't happen. It was better if things remained the same between them. No matter how he felt.

"CHAAAAA-NAAA-RA!"

Sakura pounded into one of the trees making them topple over like a domino effect. A loud crunch and thud erupted all around them as birds shot out from the trees in fear. Kakashi felt the tree he had his footing on give way. Jumping into the air, he felt a tug at his vest and was slammed down into the ground.

Dust billowed around where he had fallen. As it cleared, Sakura stood with a smug smile staring down at him with crossed arms. She bent over to reach for the book that was still clutched in his hand.

-Poof-

"A substitution…" Sakura groaned. She hated him. So much.

Kakashi stepped out on the side of the clearing with a small grin and cleared his throat. "I just wanted to help your training is all…"

He threw her book at her. She grabbed it and arched a brow at him in surprise.

"I've read that one. It's pretty good, but doesn't hold close to the Icha Icha series. So… does this mean you're a pervert as much as you say I am now?"

Sakura's face went from surprised to horror.

"See you later." Kakashi poofed.

"Damn it," she muttered to herself while trying to fight back a blush. It shouldn't matter what she cared to read, but him knowing of all people made her feel so embarrassed. What if he told her teammates tomorrow during practice? They would tease her relentlessly about it. She sighed. She was not looking forward to it. That was for sure.

Walking back to the oak tree she was under earlier, she sat down to finish the rest of her lunch. She froze mid bite and looked at an orange book lying next to her bag. It was Icha Icha Paradise. Slowly, she picked it up. The edges were well worn. Clearly this was Kakashi's. Had he really left it here for her on purpose? She was stunned that he would ever let anyone touch it; she figured his books were more valuable to him than gold. Flipping through the pages, a note fell into her lap.

'You should read a real book. The smut is much better, too. ^_^'

Sakura sighed. Somehow the smiley face he drew seemed rather menacing. Now she was expected to read one of his prized dirty novels - though she wasn't sure if he really meant for her to read it or was just teasing her. Stuffing it into her pack, she figured she would deal with it later. Maybe she could just give it back tomorrow? She wasn't looking forward to that conversation though… or any conversation after what happened today, for that matter.

TBC

Chapter Text

Later that night, Sakura decided to do the unthinkable and read the first few sentences of Kakashi's prized orange book. It was the greatest mistake she had ever made in her life. Now, she was still very much awake and the sun was almost up to start the new day. She hadn't dropped the book since she first picked it up and now she was about half way through it.

She couldn't fight back the urge to sleep anymore upon feeling a burning sensation in her eyes. Glancing at the clock, she groaned.

"I'm so screwed," she muttered, rubbing her tired eyes.

She had practice in three hours and she hadn't slept yet. How was she going to make it through the day? She couldn't believe she got sucked into reading his porn. She felt almost embarrassed letting herself get sucked into Icha Icha in the first place. It was the very book that allowed her to tease Kakashi about being a perverted old man. What was even more infuriating, he wasn't lying when he said the smut was better than her other book. The details of every sexual encounter she came across made her blush into oblivion, yet… she liked it. Initially, she had felt terrible admitting it at first. She loved smut. Her ignorance about sex only fueled her fascination; she just couldn't help herself. She loved reading every smut-filled captivating word. The plot was actually one of the best things she'd ever read. Sure, now it made sense why the series was so popular, but she always figured it was because it was full of perverted scenes.

Pulling the sheets over her face to block the morning light, she tried to get some sleep.

Before she knew it, her eyes snapped back open to the shrieking sound of her alarm. Her hand tumbled over her clock to shut off the noise. Forcing herself to get up, she kicked the sheets off her body and groaned in despair. She only managed a meager two hours of sleep. She was exhausted.

And she still wanted to read that damn book.

Wearily, she threw herself in the shower which barely made her more alert. Going down the path to the training grounds felt like the longest walk of her life. She was the first one there, as usual. Instead of stretching like she normally would, she laid herself down on the grass and covered her eyes with her forearm. The sounds of the crickets around her created a peaceful atmosphere, almost lulling her to sleep again.

"SAKURA-CHAN! WHAT YOU DOIN' DOWN THERE?" yelled Naruto.

She moaned and turned on her side in the grass. "Don't… talk so loud."

She felt her arm get tugged away from her face. Naruto hovered over her with the most chipper grin plastered on his face. "Do you have a hangover?" he asked.

"What you think?" she mumbled back.

His bright smile switched into a thoughtful pout. "But you never drink, Sakura-chan."

Sasuke, who was beside Naruto, peered over her. "You look like crap."

She glared and swatted their heads away. "Shut up and go away."

Inhaling a deep breath, she finally sat up to start stretching her legs. She wasn't completely paying attention to what she was doing as her eyes were still half closed, relying on muscle memory for her morning routine of stretches.

"Maybe you should take the day off. Are you sick?" Naruto asked.

"I'm fine," she murmured back.

He shrugged and started to join her in stretching.

Sasuke joined them as well. "Kakashi will probably be here in an hour like usual," he grumbled. "I don't see why he tells us to come at a certain time if he doesn't even come until an hour later."

Sakura yawned and then nodded. "I know. You think the past few years we've given him watches for his birthday would help."

"And for Christmas," piped up Naruto.

"Maybe we should start considering other holidays. Like Easter or… April Fools Day," Sasuke suggested.

Naruto nodded. "Or just once a month."

Sakura chuckled. "Or once a week."

"Or every day," Sasuke added.

After they finished their warm ups, they began to take turns to lightly spar with one another until Kakashi arrived. Sakura wasn't keeping up with them very well, her reflexes being considerably slow due to her lack of sleep.

Everyone was used to Kakashi being tardy for so many years, but the excuses he made up were purely boarding on ridiculous since he knew it really didn't matter why he was late. He was always going to be late no matter what. No one ever believed him anyway.

On cue about an hour later, Kakashi strolled into the clearing and lowered his book, forcing a fake cough. "Sorry, I was on my way here when my future self appeared and told me I was in grave danger. Apparently I need to make a time travel machine to go back in time to save myself, but first I need to find a Delorean that can hit the speed of-"

"-Zip it, sensei," Sakura cut in with a sigh.

Naruto and Sasuke both rolled their eyes at him.

They divided up into teams. As usual, Naruto immediately paired up with Sasuke. With their rivalry that started back when they were Genin, they still loved constantly trying to outdo each other despite being on better terms now, and Sakura was always left with Kakashi. Not that she ever minded. Training with him was how she got to know him better in a lot of ways. He was always a challenging opponent, helping refine her skills as a fighter. He always knew how to push her to her fullest limit.

Today she wasn't so eager to be alone with him.

Especially after the first words out his mouth were, "So, you read it, didn't you?" accompanied by a happy eye crinkle of a smile.

"No," Sakura lied. "I don't want to read your porn that's been God knows where."

He scowled. "My hands?"

"Exactly…"

"Oh… so, you think I touch myself when I read? That's what you're saying, isn't it?"

Her cheeks started to burn as she readied her fighting stance. "N-no!"

Clearly amused at her blush, he said, "Look, there's no use lying. I can tell you're tired and we haven't even started yet. You stayed up all night trying to read it all. I thought only old porn enthusiasts read Icha Icha, hum?"

"…"

"Your silence is just confirming it, you know," he teased.

Sakura sighed and cracked her knuckles. "Just hush and fight me."

"Sure you don't wanna finish the book first?" he asked, studying her eyes as if he would find the real truth just by looking at them.

"No," she replied flatly. Secretly she really wanted to and Kakashi seemed to know it, too, with that damn all knowing happy eye-crinkle of a smile of his. What kind of real smile was he hiding under his mask? No doubt he was sporting an evil grin. In the back of her tired mind, she kept wondering what was going to happen next in the book. It was slowly killing her.

"Just admit you love it and I'll go easy on you," Kakashi said calmly.

Her reply was a sluggish punch straight towards his face. Easily, he dodged her fist and grabbed her arm to yank her down towards the ground. He had pinned down her shoulder with his foot. He tsked and said, "Kind of sad, Sakura. It's like you're not even trying. You must be so tired from reading so much Icha Icha…"

She tried to budge from under his weight, with no luck. She sighed. "Shut up and let me up. I… I didn't sleep well last night, okay?"

"Because you were reading Icha Icha?"

Her brow twitched. "No…"

He placed his hands on his hips and sighed. "Can't you just admit it?"

"No," she repeated.

"Admit it."

"No."

Removing his foot, he squatted down next to her and dusted off the footprint he left on her shoulder lightly with his fingerless gloved hand. "Admit it and I'll even buy you lunch today."

Sakura felt a tingle on her skin where his fingertips had caressed her. It wasn't until a second later when his hand retreated did she register what he had just said. "You…? Buy lunch?" She started to laugh. "Nice try. We both know you'll ditch the bill."

He acted insulted as he offered a hand to pull her up. "I would never…"

"Liar," she muttered.

Once she was back on her feet, she readied herself and struck a fighting pose, but couldn't hold back another yawn.

"You know you're just insulting your enemy by yawning, right?" he mused.

"Shush," she spat back.

He started an attack by sweeping a foot under her feet. Every kick and punch he threw at her was only at half speed for her sake, but she could only stay on a defensive side. Being a specialist at close combat, it wasn't like her to be so overwhelmed. She wasn't sure how much longer she could keep dodging without collapsing from exhaustion or taking a hit.

Hooking her leg with his, she stumbled and he managed to twist her around to pin her back against his chest. "Come on, admit it," he coaxed.

She felt a chill trickle up her spine, feeling his breath against her neck. "Never."

Tightening her hands around his arms as he held her, she used her chakra-enhanced strength to suddenly flip him over her shoulder. Instead of letting go at the last minute which her mind seemed to have told her body too late to do so, she fell over on top of him rather ungracefully.

She had completely fallen face-first into his crotch.

"Ahh!" she shrieked, pushing herself away as if she had touched fire.

Naruto and Sasuke paused during their spar and looked curiously at them both, having missed what happened.

"You both okay?" Naruto asked.

Sakura, beet red, started to stutter, "I-I… w-w-we…"

They both looked dumbly at her, wondering why she was struggling to complete a sentence.

"We're fine," Kakashi said enthusiastically, waving them on to continue their sparring session.

Reluctantly, they turned away from them. Sakura still remained on the ground, propped on her elbows, looking as red as ever. She couldn't believe she had just touched her sensei's crotch. Even worse, Kakashi seemed to be silently chuckling at her.

"Shut up!" she growled, darting her eyes at him like daggers. "It's not funny!"

"The look on your cute face is quite funny," he replied.

Blushing unbearably even more at that comment, she turned away and pouted. God, she felt so freaking exhausted and embarrassed. How could this day get any worse?

"So… are you finally going to admit your poor fighting skills today was because you stayed up all night reading Icha Icha?"

"…"

"Maybe Naruto and Sasuke would have a good laugh to know what just happened…" he threatened.

"Don't!" she hissed, snapping her head back towards him. "Ugh, you're being so damn mean."

"I just want the truth," he reasoned, smiling at her even more beneath his mask. "My offer still stands from earlier… just tell me."

Sakura mumbled something in response.

"What was that?" he asked, cupping his hand to his ear.

Gritting between her teeth, she replied, "I said… I read it."

"Oh, read what?" he asked, smirking.

"…Icha Icha."

"Last night?" he asked with an astonished tone.

"Yes," she mumbled.

Titling his head, he peered at her curiously and asked, "And... you liked it?"

She shrugged. "Maybe."

"It's a yes or no question, Sakura," he said flatly.

Rolling her eyes, she said, "God. Fine, yes. Happy?"

"Very," he replied, placing his hands on his hips. "See, now was that very hard to admit?"

"…"

She glared at him.

Kakashi smirked and said, "Now go home and get some sleep. I'll come by to get you around one for lunch, okay?"

Sighing, she couldn't deny the offer at getting some much needed sleep. She was still quiet doubtful that he was actually serious about buying her lunch though. He never bought anything for anyone, unless forced to against his will. Why was he doing this? Maybe he just wanted to torment her even more about liking his taste in novels. Who knew? For now, she wasn't going to worry about it.

"Fine, whatever," she replied, slowly rising from the grass.

After being pestered by the rest of her team who wanted to know why she was leaving early, she told them she wasn't feeling well; not entirely a lie, at least. The journey home was a blur by the time she fell face first into bed. It wasn't until there was a repeated knock on the door that she woke up.

"Oh, give me a break, it's one already?" she groaned, glancing at her clock.

How in the hell was Kakashi seriously on time in coming over to get her? Perhaps this was a sign that the world was indeed coming to an end; she loved Icha Icha and Kakashi was on time for something. This had to be the end…

Upon hearing another knock, she rolled quickly out of bed, feeling much better rested now. Running to the mirror in the bathroom, she groaned. She had red lines all over her face from sleeping into the pillow. She looked like a complete idiot.

Jumping at hearing a louder repeated knock, she quickly trotted to the door and opened it slightly to a crack. Kakashi stood there, hands in his pockets, trying to peer inside, but she kept a firm hold on the door to hide her face.

"I'll be outside in a sec. Give me a few minutes," she said.

"That's fine. Can I least come-"

Sakura slammed the door shut, cutting him off. If he asked later why she did that, she'd just pretend she was oblivious that he had even spoken.

She locked the door and ran back into the bathroom. Why did she care so much about him seeing her like this? She wasn't sure. Through the years he's seen her with mud, tears and much worse things on her face. A few sleep lines would fade away by the time they got to wherever they were apparently going for lunch, but she still wanted to try and cover them up with makeup.

When she was finished, the redness had faded slightly, though it was still visible. She sighed and brushed her hair quickly, smoothing out the wrinkles on her clothes. Then she noticed the grass stained on her top and groaned.

"This shouldn't matter!" she grumbled. She didn't need to impress him. Shinobi always walked around with dirt and grass stains on their clothes. Still, ignoring the reasoning of her brain, she ran to her closet to find a clean shirt.

Finally, she stepped outside to find him reading against the banister of her apartment. She glared at his green book.

Looking up, he closed it and said, "Don't worry, I'll let you borrow this one next," he teased.

Sighing, she ignored his taunting and descended the wooden steps. He followed after her and walked next to her quietly.

The silence irritated her after a while and she was getting antsy of where they were headed. She had no idea what was on his mind or why he wanted to do this. "So… where are we going?" she finally asked.

"Oh, I've been following you. Your choice."

She glared at him. "...Could have told me that earlier."

"Where's the fun in that?" he asked, slightly chuckling.

Groaning from how difficult he was being, she darted further into the busy streets of Konoha. Purposely, she weaved in and out of the crowds to make it difficult for him to keep up. Seeing him struggle behind her was amusing, but her inward laughter immediately stopped once he grabbed her hand. Aware that people were glancing at them, she blushed and tried to shake her hand out of his grip without much success. It wouldn't take much to start rumors around the village. Why was he doing this?

"What?" he asked, acting completely unaware he was holding her hand.

"Let go! You're going to make people think we're together or something!"

"Then stop walking so fast," he glared.

She sighed. "Fine…"

When he released his hold on her, she clasped her hands together, still feeling the sensation on her hand from his touch. She felt a strange ache in her chest. Why was she feeling this way? Was he making her nervous? But why would that be the case all of a sudden? It really didn't make much sense to her. Her green eyes widened at a sudden realization. Was she starting to like him? Wait. Was he acting strange in wanting to take her to lunch because he liked her, too? Why? Because she fell face first into his crotch this morning? Because she liked his Icha Icha smut?

"God, help me," she muttered.

"With what?" Kakashi asked, leaning closer to her.

Blushing that she had just seriously said that out loud, she replied, "Nothing."

"Uh-huh," he hummed back, not sounding very convinced.

Heading away from the crowds, she led them to a favorite sandwich shop her and Ino visited every now and then. It was usually quiet there and she liked that they could have some privacy.

Why did she want them to have privacy though? She inwardly sighed, unable to think of an answer.

Once they were inside, they ordered at the counter. Finding a seat at a table near the window, Sakura sat down and watched Kakashi settle down across from her. Silently, she was still trying to figure out what this all meant. Why did he want to take her out? There no way he would like her that way, would he? Wasn't the age gap between them too significant for him to see her like that? Maybe she was reading into it all too much. They were just friends. It wasn't strange to go out and have lunch together, was it? Not that they ever had before… nor had he ever offered to pay for anything in his life. Ugh. These questions were killing her. Now she was tormented with the question, did he like her?

Finally settling her thoughts, Sakura asked, "So, why did you want to treat me to lunch?"

"To bait you into admitting that you read Icha Icha, of course," he replied teasingly.

"That's it?"

Looking puzzled, he asked, "What else would it be?"

Feeling her heart drop slightly, she replied, "I don't know…"

"Mm, so, what do you like about it?" he asked, comfortably slouching in his seat.

She shrugged. "It's… engaging, I guess."

"And I was right that the smut is much better than your other book, right?"

Fighting back a blush, she averted her eyes and shrugged again. "I suppose."

"So, it's safe to say that you're hooked on the series and will want to keep reading more, yeah?"

Raising a brow at where his questions were leading, she slowly replied, "Uh… I guess."

"Right, so… then you won't mind if I signed you up for this book club I'm in?"

Crossing her arms on the table, she leaned in closer, not sure if she heard right. "Huh… did you say book club?"

He nodded. "Yeah, it's an Icha Icha book club."

She stared blankly at him, wondering if he was joking.

"What?" he asked, eyeing her uncertainly. "You get discounts for joining and if you have enough member referrals, you can get free stuff."

"…free stuff?" she slowly repeated.

He scratched his silvery hair sheepishly. "Well, yeah and honestly I just need one more person to get this thing I've wanted, so… if you could help out… and I mean, you like it, too, so why not?"

Sakura was surprised that such a thing even existed. Of course the series was pretty popular, but she wasn't sure how she felt being branded as an Icha Icha book enthusiast.

"What is it?" she asked.

His brow rose. "What's what?"

"What's the thing you're trying to get?'

His uncovered eye suddenly darted away from hers. "…Um, oh look, our food!"

Kakashi was clearly avoiding the question as their sandwich orders arrived at their table. Sakura pouted slightly as she scooted her tray closer to start eating her lunch.

So maybe he didn't like her after all. Was he just trying to buddy-buddy her with a free lunch for her to agree to join some club? That left a bitter taste in her mouth and it certainly wasn't the sandwich. She felt a little disappointed and foolish for even thinking he liked her in the first place. He was using her! He totally made her hooked on the stupid orange book on purpose. For some… stupid item. Now, she had to know what it was.

"What's the item?" she asked, between chewing.

"Well…" He twirled his finger around a chip on his plate. "It doesn't matter what, but you'll let me add you, right?"

"You have to tell me what it is first, then I suppose you can."

He sighed. "Why?"

"I want to know."

"Why?"

She glared. "I just do."

"Why?"

"Kakashi," she warned.

"Fine… it's a clock," he mumbled faintly.

Sakura chocked on her sandwich. "A clock? Are you serious! We've given you stupid clocks and watches for years!"

"But it's not just any kind of clock. It's Icha Icha themed. I kind of have a collection going of stuff…"

"So, you force me to get into your smut books and bribe me with lunch in order to get a clock… which you won't use."

He shrugged. "Pretty much."

"…"

She continued to stare at him without a word.

"What?"

"You did all this and gave me your book to read, just to have me join your book club?"

Somehow, he sneaked a chip in without her seeing his face and chewed beneath his mask. "Well, yes and no."

Hopeful that he wasn't solely using her to get a clock he'd never use, she asked, "What do you mean?"

"If you still agree to join, then I'll tell you."

She sighed. "Fine. I will. So, tell me."

"Ah, but it has to be official. So, not yet, sorry." He gave an all too familiar eye-crinkle of a smile.

True to his word after they finished lunch (and further annoying her by hiding his face to eat the whole time), he actually paid for both of them. She really wished she had a camera to capture such a rare event. It was like seeing a unicorn with your own eyes before it suddenly vanished into a glittery fart. No one would ever believe her if she told them.

Sakura felt a little awkward as they walked out of the shop, side by side. He was so close to her as they walked back into the crowded streets, that occasionally their shoulders brushed together. And she didn't mind it. In fact, she liked it. In a lot of ways it almost felt like they just had a date, but that was just wishful, self-imposed thinking on her part. She still couldn't believe she wanted to wish it in the first place. All these sudden thoughts of possibly liking him were aggravating.

She didn't realize until now that he had walked her back home. This was all so strange of him to do. What was he thinking? He didn't think this was some kind of date, did he? No… he just wanted her in his stupid club, right? She desperately wanted to figure it out.

Kakashi hummed as they approached the steps of her building and said, "I'll see you tomorrow around twelve for your initiation, okay?"

"Initiation? Wha-"

He poofed.

Blinking from the smoke from his sudden disappearance, she cursed. Initiation? He wasn't being serious, was he? She sighed and trudged to the front door of her apartment. How in the world did all this start from her buying a little black book?

TBC

Chapter Text

Sakura tilted her head back against the couch, glancing towards the digital numbers her clock displayed. Returning her attention to the orange book before her, she eagerly flipped another page. If Kakashi was on time again today, she was going to call the Konoha Military Police Force. Two times in a row meant someone kidnapped him and he was replaced by a clone. Besides team meetings, he was late to birthday parties, weddings, appointments, and even funerals for crying out loud. The man would probably be even late to his very own.

She sighed, turning another page. At least she was counting on him to be late today so she could hurry and finish this book once and for all. Even though she hated to admit that Kakashi was right in her enjoying his esteemed Icha Icha, she couldn't help herself reading it again late last night. This time she managed not to stay up until the crack of dawn by sheer willpower, but as she waited for him to show up today, she found herself already halfway through another chapter.

"Ugh, why is this book such addictive crack?" she sighed aloud to herself, snuggling more comfortably into the couch as she pulled the book closer under her chin.

"Excellent smut?" a voice suddenly replied.

"Ah!" she cried in surprise, nearly jumping out of her skin as the book flew out of her hands. Fumbling for it ungracefully in the air, she caught it and brought it back down to her chest. Kakashi was standing just a few feet away, looking amused as ever from the happy eye-crinkle of a smile he was giving her.

He waved as she stared at him in disbelief.

"Why are you in the middle of my living room?" she bluntly asked, glaring at him for an answer.

"Um… because I knocked on your door and it was unlocked? I told you I was coming by today, remember?" he said with a quirked brow.

She glanced at her door. Was she so engrossed in this stupid book that she didn't hear him knock or even open it? "Oh…"

He started to tsk as he folded his arms across his broad chest. "We really need to work on your detection skills…"

"I can detect things just fine!" she grumbled.

"Can you?" he asked skeptically, tilting his head to the side as he peered at her.

She hardened her glare. "Yes."

"Oh." He glanced down briefly towards the floor and then back to her curious eyes. "So, then you know there's a spider on your leg right now, right?" he asked, pointing a finger towards her knee.

"What! Where!?" she screeched in panic, shooting up from the couch faster than she said those words. She started to desperately smack the book around her legs to find the said creature. "Where is it? Where is it?" she screamed hysterically.

He watched her carry on like that for few seconds, trying to quietly muffle the laugh that was erupting from behind his mask. From the numerous mission camp outs they'd had together, he knew she was quite obsessed with making sure there weren't any bugs in her sleeping bag.

"Calm down, I'm kidding," he finally said.

"…"

She froze with a blank expression. Without warning, she threw the book at him like a kunai and yelled, "Ass!"

Catching the projectile with ease, he hummed with a chuckle as he flipped through the pages. Placing a hand on his hip, he held it up and mockingly asked, "Was that where you were planning to throw this? My ass?"

Blushing, she stuttered to say something in retort, but ended up grumbling in annoyance. The more his eye creased happily, the more she gauged him smirking evilly beneath his mask.

With a stern glare, she turned to snatch two pillows from the couch.

"Die!" she gritted between her teeth, throwing them both at him with a terrifying force.

Dodging each pillow as they pounded into the wall behind him, feathers littered into the air as they whirled to the floor. He couldn't help but laugh at her reaction, making her all the more irritated.

Looking like she was about to go towards the kitchen to find more ammunition, sharper ammunition, he quieted his laugh and held his hands up. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry."

Huffing, she turned back around and fell into the couch with a plop. "You better be."

Stepping around the battered pillows, he hummed as he approached the couch with caution at what he said next. "I think you owe an apology too, though."

"For what?" she asked dryly.

He held up the orange book that she had just thrown at him earlier. Raising a single index finger, he wagged it side to side as he lectured, "One should never use Icha Icha as a weapon."

She rolled her eyes. "It's a book."

"It has feelings," he reasoned, holding the worn book closer to his chest as if he was comforting it. Moving a little closer, he slowly held it up to her. "Apologize."

She made a short laugh with a snort, staring back at him in disbelief. Seeing that he hadn't budged after a full minute, her smile faded. "…Are you serious?"

"Of course."

"…"

He sighed. "I'm not letting you finish reading this tonight until you do," he proclaimed, waving the book in front of her like it was a piece of meat.

Glaring, she smacked it away from her face. "I'm not going to apologize to a damn book!"

"Pity," he replied unemotionally. Reaching a hand to his back pouch, he started to slowly unzip it. When he started to place the book inside, she made a loud irritated groan, making him pause.

"Oh, come on… you're really serious?" she asked.

"Apologize," he said again, this time more sternly as he brought the book back out in front of her.

She stared at it for a moment, then to him, then to the book, then to him again as she debated what to do. Her mind was screaming that he had to have been joking, but he seemed so damn serious. His blank expression certainly wasn't helping in trying to figure out if he was or not. He did treasure that freaking book like it was his own child though. Sure, she could go out and buy it on her own, but remembering how embarrassed she was just buying an unmarked book, if she were to buy an Icha Icha, that would be like waving a giant orange flag around the store declaring that she was a pervert like her former sensei. It didn't take much to make gossip headlines around Konoha after all. In a community where everyone knew everyone, people would talk about anything no matter how trivial.

Kakashi was jokingly referred to as the resident pervert of Konoha since he was famously known to have an Icha Icha on hand, but it wasn't like he ever cared or denied such an assumption. It wasn't like he ever acted perverted. At least not publicly like a certain Icha Icha author did in the name of so-called research. People just liked to tease. If she was seen walking out, or much less reading one, she would never hear the end of it until people found something new to talk about.

With a heavy sigh, she grumbled, "Oh, for the love of… fine. I apologize."

He silently held the book still, looking as if he was waiting for something.

"What?" she spat.

He held the book up higher. "You have to kiss it."

"No!" she said, alarmed at him suggesting such a ludicrous idea.

"Kiss it."

"No."

"Kiss. It," he demanded.

"I am not going to kiss an inanimate object!" she fumed, clenching her fists into the cushions of the couch.

"What kind of animate objects would you kiss then?" he asked, clearly amused.

Turning several shades red, she stuttered, "W-would you just shut up! I'm not going to kiss your book!"

He pulled it back, tossing it once into the air. "Fine. Then you'll never get to finish."

"Ugh," she groaned, taking in a shuddering breath of frustration. Grabbing his gloved hand, she pulled him forward, bringing the book within his grasp inches closer. "I'll do it, but you can't tell anyone. Not a soul."

He watched her intently as she slowly edged the paperback to her mouth. Biting her bottom lip unsurely, she tried not to think about how ridiculous this was anymore and squeezed her eyes shut, puckering her lips. Pulling his hand more, she prepared herself to feel its plastic cover against her lips at any moment.

Then she heard a sudden eruption of stifled giggles.

Feeling his hand and the book leave her fingers, she opened her eyes. Kakashi had a hand over his mouth, convulsing like he was about to burst into a fit of laughter.

"What's so funny?" she grumbled in an irritated voice.

"That you were actually going to do it. I mean, that's just down right silly, Sakura," he chuckled. "Who would ever do that? I may love Icha Icha, but I'd never kiss it."

"…"

Yanking the book from his hands, she stood up and started to whack him repeatedly with it. "You're such an ASS! God, I hate you! Why-"

Smack.

"In the hell-"

Smack.

"DO YOU KEEP TORTURING ME LATELY?" she yelled.

Smack. Smack. Smack. Smac-

He grabbed her wrists, halting her string of abuse to his arms and chest.

"Because," he chuckled. "I find it very…"

When she glared hotly into his eyes, he paused. Her eyes softened as she became aware of his hands that slowly began to ease their firm hold against her. When his fingertips started to graze lightly against her skin, her heart began to race when his thumbs moved softly down her wrist, creating goosebumps in their wake. Realizing he could probably feel her rapid pulse beneath his fingers, she quickly broke her hands away and turned.

"Um, yeah, so…" she tried to fill the awkward silence from her sudden action. "W-Why are you here so early?"

"Early?" he asked, seeming in a daze at first of what she was talking about. Realizing why he was here in the first place, he glanced to the clock on her wall. "Oh, I'm on time, actually," he added with a slight humor in his voice.

Sakura sighed, managing to settle back down on the couch as she looked towards the floor trying to hide from his gaze. Placing the book on the coffee table, she said, "Come on, Kakashi. Don't play dumb. You're always late for everything. I thought it was a fluke yesterday, but you did it again today. Since smacking you with that book means you're not some kind of transformation jutsu, I guess it's really you, huh?"

He shrugged, chuckling softly at her speculation as he stuffed his hand in his pockets. "I felt like being on time for once, well, um…" He reemerged one of his hands, pretending to have a hard time calculating as he moved his fingers to count and added, "Twice."

Laughing at his silliness, she slowly looked up to his visible eye as she tried to fight back the warmth in her cheeks. "Well, why now… in coming to see me?"

Grinning, he shrugged and replied, "Maybe I just wanted to see you sooner rather than later."

Snapping her eyes away again from his, she swallowed hard as she felt her heartbeat begin to rise again. She made an embarrassed laugh. "Don't say things that you don't mean…"

"No, really," he said softly. "I do."

"…"

"I mean, we need to get going soon for your initiation. The place is only open until three on weekends and I want to beat the crowd."

"Oh, right that. Of course," she laughed again, feeling like an idiot for thinking that he'd really come early just to see her. He only was buttering her up yesterday with lunch to go do this stupid book club thing. Now today he wanted her to sign up. He didn't really care…

Rising from the couch without another word, she went over to her shoe rack and began to tug on her usual knee high boots she liked to wear. "Well, let's go and get this over with," she said, trying to hide the disappointment in her voice.

Before he could reply, she was already out the door waiting for him to follow with her apartment keys in hand. When he came outside, she avoided his stare as she went to lock the door. He was still looking at her after she turned around, making her sigh as she pretended to look towards the view around them; the trees, birds, potted plants in the next balcony over, anywhere, but in his direction. Crossing her arms, she waited for him to say something.

"Well? I don't know where we're going. Let's hurry and go," she said impatiently, twirling the ring of her keys around her fingers.

He hummed, giving her one last look before he descended down the stairs of her apartment.

As she followed a few steps behind him, she quietly pressed her hands to her still warm cheeks, trying to calm herself down from before. She felt so ridiculous. All these stupid hopes of him possibly liking her were irritating, but the worst part of it all was that deep down, she really wished it was true. She really didn't want to admit how much she did care of what he thought of her beyond just a former student and teammate… as a girl, no, as a woman.

Being alone with him like this really was a rarity as it was, just like with lunch yesterday. They never did anything alone together, ever. He always seemed busy, bored, or simply just not interested in hanging out with anyone from Team Seven longer than he'd have to once they stepped past those entrance gates. On missions they had fun together usually and could get along just fine as a team when push came to shove, but after they were home, everyone usually went their separate way unless it was randomly decided (usually by Naruto) to have ramen together. Otherwise, that was the extent of doing something outside of work. Teachers never hung out with their students beyond the classroom, especially in a regular academy setting. Being a team was different, it was more of an equal relationship, certainly now that they were all Jouin, but he would still outrank them in experience.

But here they were now, walking through Konoha side by side not due to a mission or some kind of meeting set up by Tsunade. Glancing at his back pocket where he usually placed his Icha Ichas, she had to remind herself that they were only together now because he found out her latest interest of reading material. Still... she stupidly hoped that their time together meant more than that.

All his constant teasing towards her lately seemed like he was downright flirting almost, but again, perhaps that was just wishful thinking on her part. He had already said before that he only wanted her to join the silly club. After that, he'd probably go off on his merry way when it was done. Sighing, she looked up to find him walking beside her.

With his hands in pockets, he looked like he was searching for something to say as he stole glances at her.

"Are… we almost there?" she suddenly asked.

"Oh, um, yeah," he replied, snapping from his thoughts. "Just up ahead, but, um… I want to let you know that you really don't have to. Actually-"

"-No, its fine," she cut in. "I like to keep the promises I make," she said with a forced smile.

"Well, if you insist then," he shrugged. "But you seemed kind of upset."

"I'm fine," she assured.

"If you say so."

"I do say so," she grumbled, crossing her arms as they walked through the dusty streets.

He hummed, not sounding particular convinced otherwise. "Okay."

"Okay then," she repeated back, making sure to keep looking forward as they marched on.

They continued walking for several minutes in silence until they approached a large building she knew quite well. It was Konoha's Public Library. She had been there plenty of times doing research through medical journals and articles, but never really paid much attention to whatever events or book clubs the library had.

Looking over his shoulder at her reaction, he said, "You seem surprised."

She shrugged. "Honestly, I was figuring you were going to drag me into some shady adult bookstore or something."

He smiled. "Those kinds of stores mostly cater towards their adult video sections. I'm sure they rather fill the place with private viewing rooms than bookshelves."

"Ick," she shuddered.

"I'd have to agree. They usually aren't very clean…"

She paled. "Double ick…"

Holding the library door open for her, she walked inside and looked around the open lobby. Feeling him pull at her hand, she followed him through one of the main halls.

"So, like I said before there's an initiation…" he started to say, glancing back at her as she immediately started to look worried.

"W-What do I have to do?" she asked.

"You just have to use your fingers."

"…Uh."

Her mind immediately triggered to a scene where the characters had said something quite similar, which was followed by lots of sexual touching and rubbing and… Oh, God, she'd been reading too much Icha Icha.

Seeing her look at him in bewilderment, he stopped and turned around to raise her hand that was in his grasp. To her horror, he gently wiggled the tips of her fingers with his forefinger and thumb.

"These. You can move them up and down, can't you?" he asked plainly.

"…"

"In and out?"

"…"

"Side to side then?"

"…"

"Circles?"

"…"

He sighed, pulling her forward again behind him. "I'll do it for you. You just have to tell me where."

"…W-Wait! Do what?" she asked frantically, trying to pull back as he dragged her through the hall.

"For the initiation, of course. Everyone has to do it at least once. Look, if you're worried about someone seeing you, no one will even know. If you're concerned about privacy, it's not like there're cameras in the room. Outside, no one will even know what we're doing."

"… ... ..."

He didn't see how panicked she looked as he opened a door and ushered her inside. Looking around the room, they seemed to be in an empty computer station with a couple of chairs. Closing the door behind them, he took her by the shoulders and led her to a rolling office chair.

"You look really red… more than usual," he said, puzzled. Leaning down, he took a better look of her face and placed the back of his exposed fingers to her forehead. "Are you sick?"

"I… I just, I…"

"Let's just get this over with since we're here. Won't take long."

He started to unsnap his gloves, wiggling his fingers out of the leather until it was free.

"Kakashi!" she yelled, placing a hand against his chest to stop him. "Wait! I-"

He immediately covered her mouth. "Shh. This is a library."

She reluctantly nodded, glaring at him first before mumbling into his hand that she wouldn't yell.

When he let go of her mouth, he took the chair next to her and finished removing his other glove. "I wish we could do this at my place to save trouble, but I just can't bring myself to spend that much a month when I'm never home, you know?"

"…Uh, for what?" she asked cryptically.

He crackled his knuckles, scooting the chair more into hers as he settled in front of the monitor of the computer. Clicking the mouse to bring the screen to life, he said, "Internet."

"Why… do we need the Internet?" she asked dumbly.

"For the whole reason why we're here, Sakura," he sighed, playfully rolling his eyes.

"But… I thought… I…"

Giving her a mocking glare, he added, "Since apparently you can't use your hands… I'll fill this out for you."

Feeling her cheeks flush, she muttered, "Oh…"

After a few clicks, he brought up a form. "Okay, so, we just have to fill out this out with your address."

"W-what?" she asked.

"Shipping address?" he repeated. "Is it different than where you live at the apartment? Like a P.O. Box?"

"Uh…"

Giving him her mailing address, she was painfully aware how much she was blushing right now. She felt like a blundering fool. What the hell was wrong with her mind? God… If it weren't for that Icha Icha book she had been reading for the past couple of days, she would have never connected what he was saying with something perverted. But those words were so much like a scene she had just read and…

And…

She slowly turned her eyes towards him. Did he say it that way on purpose? Just to mess with her?

"Yes?" he asked politely, raising a brow as he paused his typing.

"Y-You…" she stuttered, shaking an accusing finger at him.

"I-I…?"

She smacked him hard in the bicep.

"Ow!" he muttered, rubbing his arm. "Always so violent for no reason, Sakura."

"No reason," she scoffed back. "You purposely said all that stuff to mess with me!"

"Huh? For what?" he asked, seeming completely oblivious.

"The whole stupid initiation thing."

"Uh, not sure what you mean? It's just this right here. Pick which new introductory member package you want. It's like a free gift you get. You know, for initiation in the Icha Icha Book Club…"

She stared at the screen. There were three options to choose from, ranging from Icha Icha bookmarks and underwear, to Icha Icha key chains and posters. Was she really wrong in thinking he was just trying to embarrass her? She sighed.

"…Oh, just pick whatever," she said, awkwardly patting him where she hit him from before. "Sorry…"

He cleared his throat. "Okay, and adding my name as a referral… Done." He clicked. "Congratulations, you're now getting a new Icha Icha book starting tomorrow on your door step."

"What?"

"You're getting the whole series that's been published so far at a discounted price, plus free stuff."

Feeling uneasy at the prospect of that making its way to her front door, she asked, "Wait, are people going to know what I'm getting in the mail?"

He yawned, completely ignoring her concern as he stretched sleepily in his chair. "Anyway, now my Icha Icha kitchen set is complete from all my referrals," he said happily.

He gave her a thumbs up.

"…Yay," she muttered unenthusiastically, lamely returning the same gesture back.

Placing his hands behind his head, he smugly said, "So, why do you think such perverted things, Sakura…?"

She raised a brow. "…Come again?"

"What kind of initiation were you hoping for exactly? The same kind like in chapter six?"

"In chapter six…?" She gasped. "I HATE YOU!" she yelled, immediately shooting a fist towards his chest. "I knew it!"

Kakashi immediately rolled backwards in his chair to miss her blow. "But it was hilarious, seeing your face as red as a tomato. Simply adorable," he mused.

He sighed, acting like he was sweetly reminiscing, making her more enraged as she shot up from her chair, stomping towards him with a balled fist.

Quickly leaping up from his, he made a defensive stance. "Now, now. Let's be civil adults and not tear the room apart. It's public property."

She stopped, just barely one foot in front of him with a glare. Looking at the computer equipment and decorative objects in the room, she sighed. "Fine."

Grabbing him by the front of his vest, she opened the door and pulled him out into the hall.

"Uh… wait, wait, my gloves!" he scrambled to say before the door closed behind them with a click.

Ignoring his request, she only yanked him harder with her firm grip as he tried to pry himself away. Realizing she was using her chakra induced strength, he started to panic as she wordlessly pulled him along like he was a rag doll.

"This is bad," he muttered to himself.

He tried to cling to the walls with his bare hands, only to have his fingers screech past the tiles in vain. It wouldn't be so bad if people weren't stopping to stare at them.

"Sakura," he whispered. "I'm sorry! Just let me at least walk out of here normally."

"No," she replied flatly, pulling him even faster down the hallway to make it even harder for him to walk.

He sighed, turning to wave at everyone comically since there was nothing else he could do to stop her until they were outside. Continuing her hold on him, she dragged him towards an empty alleyway.

"Is this where you plan to murder me?" he asked half seriously, glancing around at the dire surroundings.

"Any last words?" she asked darkly, glaring at him with a murderous intent as she pulled him forward by the chest.

"Tell Pakkun that I love him and that…" He started to make a fake sniffle. "That one day, we'll meet again in an open, flowery field in the heavens. A field filled with kibble bits and chew toys as far as the eye can see."

She rolled her eyes. "As if you're going to heaven."

"Rude," he glared, playfully wiping away his imaginary tears. "Let a dying man dream."

She sighed, looking away for a moment to hide a smile that was forming from his silly gesture. Clearing her throat, she turned back and reaffirmed her tight grip on him, trying to look intimating.

"I saw you smile," he stated smugly.

"No, you didn't!" she protested, scowling at him even more.

"Just admit it, you love all my teasing and torturing."

"No! Absolutely not," she replied stubbornly. "I hate you with all your stupid teasing these past few days. Give me a break!"

Trying to wiggle a finger under her stone grip, he said, "But it's just too fun."

"Fun," she mocked, slapping his hand away from attempting to free himself. "You mean torture."

"But it was fun torture, wasn't it?" he asked, trying to sound hopeful.

"No," she glared.

"Sure it was."

"Not for me, you jerk."

"Lies."

"Why do you keep torturing me lately, anyway?"

He thought for a moment. "Well, um…"

"Besides the reason that you're an ass."

Scratching his silvery hair sheepishly, he shrugged and said with a laugh, "No, that's pretty much the only reason."

"Ugh, you're so impossible, Hatake," she complained, finally releasing her hold on him as she playfully shoved him backwards in disgust.

"Well, look," he sighed, straightening out his jacket from the wrinkles. "Remember what I told you yesterday? That there was some other reason besides me wanting you to sign up for the book club?"

"Oh, right that," she recalled, placing her hands on her hips, she added, "You said you'd tell me after I signed up to your pervert club. So, what is it?"

His eyes lingered to her green ones, looking like he was contemplating what to respond with. Forming a soft eye-crinkle of a smile, he said, "To spend more time with you."

"Oh," she said tenderly, feeling a blush start to warm her cheeks again. Hesitantly, she asked, "Well, but… why?"

"Why? Well..." his voice trailed off, turning slightly as he placed his hands in his pockets. "Because… I discovered your hidden love for porn?" he offhandedly joked.

"I don't like porn. I like smut," she cracked back, immediately regretting saying that as soon as the words left her mouth.

"Ah ha," he said thoughtfully with a smile. "So, you finally confess to it, hm?"

She sighed, waving him off. "Oh, hush. I don't want to hear it."

"Fine," he replied back childishly.

After a moment of silence, she spoke up, "I kind of want to know…"

"Know what?"

"Why you wanted to spend more time with me? In all the years we've known each other, we've never had lunch together… or frankly much of anything else outside of work."

He shrugged. "You're younger than I am and you should hang out with people your own age."

"Is that why you never hang out with Team Seven outside of missions?"

"More or less."

Shaking her head, she said, "I don't care how old you are, Kakashi. You're not that much older."

"I'm over a decade older, Sakura," he slightly cringed in saying that.

"So?" She sighed. "I don't see how that makes any difference."

"It does if I-," he abruptly cut himself short. "I mean, it just does."

Catching what he began to say, she asked, "If what?"

"If nothing," he mumbled. Shifting his foot into the pebbles of the street, he sighed at the questioning look she was giving him. "Really, it's nothing."

"Liar," she muttered. "Just tell me."

"I can't."

"So, there is something you're not telling me," she frowned.

He sighed. "No, I-"

"Stop digging yourself into a bigger hole, sensei."

Sighing once more, his shoulders slouched in defeat as he looked away. Softly, he murmured almost as a whisper, "Perhaps I like you more than I should, Sakura."

"W-What do you mean?" she asked, wondering if she had heard right. Her heart started to drum within her chest at the prospect of his words.

Staring towards the ground, he clenched the hands in his pockets nervously. His single eye turned to hers. "I like you."

She stared at him in disbelief, making him more uncomfortable by the second from her silence.

Trying to scramble an explanation, he stuttered, "I-I thought earlier, maybe you felt something, too, so… I, um…" Looking away in embarrassment, he mumbled, "Wow, I think I just crashed and burned. Okay, I'm just going to go."

As he turned to leave, she quickly grabbed the elbow of his sleeve to stop him. "Wait, wait…"

He turned, raising a brow in response.

"So… you're being serious?"

"Let's just forget I ever said anything. I shouldn't have, okay?" he asked weakly.

He tried to turn away, but she this time she darted in front of him, placing her hands against his chest. "Stop," she demanded. "I just wanted to be sure…"

"Sakura, I've thought about the possibility of us being together more often than I care to admit."

She sighed. "But-"

"-I shouldn't have said it," he cut in. "I don't want to change things between us and everyone else. The whole book thing was a selfish excuse just to spend some time with you that I've always wanted, but didn't have the courage to just ask you in the first place, even as friends… I just didn't think I could do it. I've liked you for too long."

"But Kakashi-"

"-Look, I feel foolish enough as it is. You deserve someone your own age. Someone who hasn't watched you grow up since you were twelve. I may not show it all the time, but I do cherish our friendship, although its-"

Yanking him forward, she shut him up by pressing her lips into his covered ones.

He mumbled in surprise into her mouth before he relaxed his tense body more into hers, his previous concerns instantly drifting away. Breaking only briefly to slip his mask down, her eyes widened before he crashed his warm lips against hers, shocking her that he had actually revealed his face under that pesky mask of his.

The thoughts of wanting to pull back to see him vanished as he hungrily worked his mouth against hers. Every lip movement of his was careful, but eager and sensual, sending chills down her spine and to places she didn't even know could get chills.

Steadying her hands across his stubbled cheeks as he pushed her against the brick wall of the alley, she traced her fingers down along his jaw, halfway trying to mentally note his features as her fingertips caressed over what felt like dimples.

Feeling his tongue begin to glide against hers, she uttered a short moan into his mouth, blindly caressing her hands from his cheeks to the nape of his neck where his mask had pooled.

Finally breaking free from their heated kiss, he leaned his forehead against hers as he looked into her eyes. "Does this mean you like me, too? Or were you just trying to shut me up."

"Both, you idiot," she said angrily, smiling despite herself.

Before he pulled back, he returned his mask back in place with one quick tug.

She pouted in disappointment, glancing up and down at his covered face. "Hey, that's not fair."

He chuckled, scratching his chin teasingly before placing his hands in his pockets. "I'm not easy. I'm a third date kind of guy, you know."

"Easy?" she mocked. "Of showing your face?"

"Mm-hum," he nodded.

She pointed to him in disbelief. "You can't just kiss me senselessly and not show your face!"

"Just did," he replied triumphantly.

She sighed. "You're always this exhausting, aren't you?"

He shrugged, voicing with a vague, "Maybe."

"So, does kissing you in a creepy alleyway count as a date then?" she asked hopefully.

"Of course not. I didn't even ask you to kiss me."

She shot him a death glare.

Quickly raising his hands up defense, he added, "Not that I'm complaining!"

"You wouldn't let me get a word in! What was I supposed to do?" she fretted.

"Wait politely until I finish making a complete fool of myself?"

She rolled her eyes. "Takes too much time. Speaking of time, let's go out on a real date tonight. I think you owe me something really nice for all I've put up with you lately."

"Fine," he agreed smoothly. "Seven?"

"Sure," she said with a pleased nod. "And it will be counted as our third date, okay?"

"Third? I think not-"

"I'm going to count lunch yesterday as a date," she proclaimed matter-of-flatly. "And forcing me to the library as a second date."

"That's not fair," he pouted.

She smiled wickedly. "Life isn't fair."

And with that, she made a few hand seals and poofed into a fury of sakura blossoms.

He blinked. "So that's what that feels like," he sighed.

Scratching the back of his head, he wondered what they could do tonight as he stepped out into the open streets from the alley. Inwardly, despite the calm demeanor he had on the outside, he was quite happy, ecstatic, really. She had reciprocated his feelings, after all. He hadn't originally planned for any of this to happen. He probably wouldn't have believed Sakura had outright kissed him if he hadn't been so sure he wasn't dreaming right now.

Or was he?

He slapped his cheeks with both hands a couple of times, causing a few stares his way from the crowd as he walked.

"Nope, not a dream," he murmured to himself, placing his hands back into his pockets.

He did feel like he owed her something special to some degree, but if she was expecting him to actually show his face on their so called third date, he wasn't about to make it that easy. It wasn't that he minded. The joke with Team Seven trying to see his face had been running many years now. Just like with everything else, it was a fun game he liked to tease people with.

Sighing, he could only foresee one dilemma for tonight. He had to take her on a down right amazing date, because tomorrow she was going to be so pissed off at him and he needed her to forgive him. It wouldn't make her not want to date him anymore, would it? That was a depressing thought, and he really wasn't sure. Never in a million years would he have thought she would ever kiss him. He didn't know her reactions as well as he thought he did.

Maybe he shouldn't have somewhat lied about the Icha Icha Book Club subscription, but she wouldn't have agreed to it if he had said anything more.

Oh well. Least he could worry about it tomorrow.

TBC

Chapter Text

Sakura couldn't help herself grinning in excitement as she scurried throughout her apartment to get ready. Humming with each step, she sighed yet again in amusement. A date with Hatake Kakashi. Who could have ever predicted such a thing?

Not only was this the first date she had been on in a long time, but unlike a blind date, it was with someone who she truly wanted to get to know better on a personal level. Despite Kakashi being her former sensei for so many years, there was still so much mystery to the man beyond the mask. Sure, she knew small things like what he usually preferred to eat, or his favorite tree branch he enjoyed to lounge on while reading an Icha Icha book, but never anything deeper. He always kept to himself. It made her wonder though about their relationship all these years. How long had he looked at her in a romantic way? From the lack of signs that he was ever interested before, she could only speculate.

The idea of dating him didn't seem strange to her. There was always an unspoken attraction she felt even in her mid-teens, but quickly cast it aside as a silly school girl crush. Who wouldn't admire someone as talented and skilled as he was? He was famous for a reason. But the magnetic pull that made her question the seemingly platonic feelings for him within the past few days was all that she needed to realize that she was, indeed, attracted to him. The heart didn't lie.

A small knock startled her thoughts, snapping her attention towards the door. Biting the bottom edge of her lip, she exhaled a slow sigh to defuse her sudden nervousness. With a final glance at her reflection, she adjusted the clip in her hair for perhaps the fourteenth time. Frowning skeptically, she pulled it out again and tossed it back on the dresser at her decision to just wear it like she normally did.

Dressing up always felt so foreign to her as a shinobi. She was used to wearing the same type of clothes over and over again for training and missions. Practical always won over impractical. Why buy something she would only wear a few times during the year compared to things she would wear everyday?

Looking towards the full length mirror of herself in the corner of her room, she began to seriously question the outfit she had on now. This wasn't a mission, it was a date. With another knock sounding in the distance, she grumbled at her indecision and threw on a jacket over her blouse.

Opening the door, a laugh immediately left her lips as she glanced at Kakashi. He was wearing the same Jounin pants and long sleeved shirt he always wore with an attached mask, but without the flack jacket. Obviously his idea of dressing up didn't go very far.

"What?" he asked, puzzled as he glanced down at himself as to what was so funny.

"Oh, we just think alike," she mused. "I couldn't figure out what to wear, so I ended up just putting on a different top than usual. You're practically wearing the exact same thing."

"Uh, you're wrong there," he defended with a chuckle. Politely stepping inside as she pulled back from the door, he went more into the light and did a small spin with his arms slightly raised at his sides.

With a raised brow, he said, "See?"

She stared blankly for a few seconds, wondering if he was being serious. "No."

With a dejected sigh, he mumbled, "This is black."

"Black?" she repeated, squinting at him critically. "It just looks like what you usually wear."

He crossed his arms and moved little closer towards the lamp. "And that's always dark blue. This is black."

"Okay, okay, it's black," she laughed until another thought crossed her mind. "But wait… isn't that the same color you always wear for funerals usually?"

He stiffened. "No…"

Clearing his throat, he added, "Anyway, enough about my amazing fashion sense."

"Of nearly identical dark colors," she snickered.

Knowing fully well the truth that he really didn't have much of a wardrobe to begin with, he ignored her comment and said, "You look lovely by the way, Sakura-chan."

"Oh, well, thanks," she replied with a coy smile, feeling a little embarrassed at the way he was studying her. Like him, she chose to wear something similar to what she usually wore with a slit styled skirt and knee high boots, but jazzed it up slightly by choosing a dressy, floral patterned silk top that folded across her chest similar to a kimono.

Struggling to find something else to talk about, she glanced away at first before stepping beside the coffee table. "Oh, I just finished this a couple of hours ago… so, you can have your precious baby back," she half joked, picking up and extending the book for him to take.

"Ah, and what's the verdict?" he asked, taking it from her hands.

"I hate it," she said dryly.

He glanced at her doubtfully, stuffing the book in his back pouch. "…Really?"

"I hate that it makes me want to read more books," she groaned, glaring at him accusingly. "And I hate you for getting me addicted to the series, jerk."

With a pleased grin, he shot her two proud thumbs up.

"Jerk," she teased again with a sigh.

He softly chuckled, casually taking a step closer to her. "Anyway, so are you ready to go?" he questioned, tilting his head towards the door.

Her green eyes lit up at his words, drumming heart back into feeling a bit nervous again. She had almost forgotten why he was here in the first place.

"Oh, um, sure. Let me get my keys if you wanna go ahead outside," she replied, quickly collecting her things.

He nodded and moved towards the door. Sakura shortly followed after him into the night after turning off the lights in her living room. Immediately after she finished locking up, he smoothly took her hand into his without warning, pulling her down the steps before she could react with anything other than a deep blush.

She continued to nervously follow him by his side, glancing at their linked hands from time to time wondering if this was real. She never pegged him as being this open in public with someone. Yet here they were, walking together as if they had always been like this for years. Then again, she reminded herself that she really didn't know much about him.

"So, um… where are headed?" she asked, failing to hide the eagerness in her voice.

"To a place," he replied simply.

"Which is…?"

"A place… near another place."

"…"

Kakashi grinned, tugging her a bit closer as she scowled at him. They walked under the moonlight in a comfortable silence for awhile. Sakura kept guessing at each path they approached from the main street where they might be going on their date. A café? Restaurant? But they kept moving onward and further into the sparse streets until they neared the edge of a forest.

He halted, glancing around before turning her by the shoulders to face him. "This will do. Close your eyes."

She blinked. "W-what? Why?"

Unfastening his headband from the back, he slipped it away from his silver, shaggy styled hair. Keeping the left eye of his sharingan closed, he held up the long fabric just above her eyes.

"Because it's a surprise," he stated simply.

Staring unsurely at the headband at first, then to him, she asked, "You're really going to blindfold me?"

"I'll make it worth your while," he replied huskily, grinning sinfully beneath his mask.

In an instant, her eyes obediently closed, unable to hold back a growing smile to her lips as she did so.

"Oh, that didn't take much to convince you, did it?" he whispered next to her, sending chills down her spine as his words tickled her ear. She inwardly shuddered as he grazed a light touch against her cheek while he tied the temporary blindfold over her eyes.

When she opened her mouth to ask what to do next, familiar soft lips met hers. Her heart began to swell as he lingered sweet kisses at the edge of her mouth, trailing across her cheek before nibbling playfully at bottom of her earlobe.

"K-Kakashi," she stammered in a single breath.

"Told you I'd make it worth your while," he teased.

Nodding, she yelped when her legs suddenly left the ground. "W-what are you doing!" she screeched, clinging to him blindly as her body was lifted against his chest.

"Kidnapping you away from the village, obviously," he stated, hoisting her up higher before leaping into the trees.

She squirmed in his arms as she felt like she was free falling between jumps from branch to branch, but soon relaxed knowing she could always trust him.

Kakashi smiled throughout the whole way, captivated by how the wind whipped into her pink locks as he hopped between trees. It took a few hours to prepare everything on such short notice, having to call in a few favors to get everything that he needed in time for tonight. He wanted it to be perfect. Not just because she might want to pound him into the ground tomorrow after she received her wonderful Icha Icha package, but the fact that he really wanted to make the best of their first time together on a romantic level. She was special and deserved something equally as wonderful as she was. This was something that he had never done before with anyone, so this was just as important for him as well.

Landing on solid ground again, he gently dropped her to the grass. "Now, don't peek," he warned cheerfully.

"I won't," she promised with a wide smile, swinging her shoulders side to side in excitement as she waited patiently for the word for her to look.

With a quick string of hand seals, he carefully used a small fire jutsu to light the lanterns that were strung up around them, creating a soft glow of blue that brilliantly complemented the overhanging bright moon itself.

Satisfied at the lighting, he quickly jogged towards a bush where he had stashed away a few things less than an hour beforehand, but suddenly froze in mid-step as a pair of beady eyes glowed through the leaves.

"What the hell…" he murmured, feeling uneasy as he carefully approached.

"What was that?" Sakura asked in the distance.

"Nothing, just a second," he replied.

Peering around the bush, he exhaled in relief. A mere raccoon was staring back at him, nibbling on a piece of fruit between its tiny paws. Seeing that the picnic basket beside the creature was opened, he groaned in annoyance once he realized that the animal was snacking on the surprise dinner he had packed. How did the damn thing open up the snap lock on its own?

"Shoo," Kakashi harshly whispered, not wanting to alarm Sakura that something was amiss. He began to wave towards the animal to move as he took a step forward, praying that there was still plenty of untouched food left inside the basket.

The raccoon barely batted an eye at his action before continuing to eat the treat between its furry hands.

"I said, shoo!" he whispered again, this time jumping once towards the animal. Still yielding no reaction, he began to jump up and down and wave his arms around in circles trying to scare it away.

"…"

He could have just sworn the damn thing shot him a dirty look, staring back at him like he was a lunatic.

"Oh, for the love of…"

Within a few steps, he snatched the basket, but the pesky raccoon threw itself inside before he had a chance to snap the lid shut. Moving his hand inside to pull it out, the raccoon darted outside the basket with a squeak, hanging on the edge as it refused to let go.

"Get off," he gritted, swinging the basket around in an attempt to shake it off.

"Is everything okay?" Sakura asked worriedly, curious about the strange commotion she was hearing.

"Yes, just one last thing," he replied calmly, continuing to twirl the basket around as the striped tailed demon clung to it like it was the very last thing on Earth.

"Oh, well, okay!" she replied, strangely looking like she was fighting back a laugh.

Aggravated, Kakashi spun the basket one final time with all his strength, finally unlatching the animal into the air.

The satisfaction he had was short lived as he watched the raccoon sail towards the string of lanterns. His mouth fell open in horror as it snapped the connected lines, crushing and knocking over the small candles within the lanterns as it fell towards the ground. Fire immediately began to consume the delicate blue paper, spreading across the rope and engulfing the others one by one.

"Is… that smoke?" Sakura murmured, sniffing the air curiously.

He stood in silence at the spectacle around him, completely stunned as he watched the leaves of the trees start to light up into orange flames. When his eyes fell to the ground, he flinched in even more panic when he saw the raccoon dart between Sakura's ankles in fear from the fire. Her lips upturned at the strange feeling that something just ran across her toes, but remained oblivious.

With a heavy sigh, he dropped the basket to the ground to perform a water jutsu to take care of the flames.

"Uh… Kakashi, what's happening?" she asked with concern. "Why are you using a jutsu?"

When she started to tuck her fingers inside her blindfold, he quickly ran up to her and held her wrists, lowering them back at her sides.

"Everything's fine," he assured.

"But the smoke-"

"-Fine," he cut in, wishing that the charcoal stained grass and metal skeleton remains of the lanterns he borrowed (and now regrettably had to pay for) weren't anything but fine.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he quietly sighed to himself. Ruined, he thought. His whole plan was ruined.

"When… um, can I open my eyes?"

Biding his time to answer, he hesitantly replied, "Not yet…"

Departing from her side, he went to pick up the picnic basket to survey what was still edible. Tossing away a few scratched pieces of fruits and emptying a couple of destroyed dishes to the ground, he felt thankful that there was still enough food in good shape to eat for tonight. Maybe there was still a way he could save this date and make it special somehow.

At Sakura's side again, he pressed her up against his back. "Hop on," he instructed. "We have one last stop."

"Oh," she replied, seeming confused that they were leaving somewhere again. Jumping on his back, he carefully held on to the basket as he wrapped his arms around her legs, taking off into the trees once more.

He really had no idea where he was going from here. He had spent all his time today trying to find and set up that specific area, only to be foiled by a freaking raccoon within seconds. It was the perfect spot for the lanterns… away from prying eyes of the village, but open enough to watch the night's vast sky of stars.

A small glint of water caught his eye through the blur of trees, triggering the idea of where they should head next: the lake. He knew the area pretty well, personally making frequent trips by himself sometimes when he was looking for a little peace and tranquility.

With a new destination in mind, he wasted no time in reaching one of the isolated banks. This wasn't anything as thoughtfully put together like he had planned earlier, but he hoped it could still pass as being just as romantic.

Spreading the rolled up blanket that was tucked away inside the basket on the ground, he led Sakura to sit down on her knees. After creating a makeshift campfire, he finally untied and removed the headband from over her eyes.

Sakura instantly greeted him with a warm smile before looking at their surroundings. She stared in awe at the beautiful sight of the lake beside them. The water was so still and quiet, that the moon reflected against it like it was on the surface of a mirror.

"Oh, wow, Kakashi. This is nice," she said gratefully. Seeing a basket nestled in the grass just a few feet away, she asked, "Did you make us dinner?"

"Well, it's all pretty light and simple cold cut kind of stuff, but I did put it together," he confirmed with a nod. "I did bake something though."

"You? Bake?" she scoffed, looking a little unsure if that was really the case. "The great copy ninja bakes?"

"Hey, I own more than just Icha Icha books, you know," he playfully mocked.

"Icha Icha movies?" she asked, poking his arm teasingly.

"Well, yes," he lowly mumbled, retaliating back with a light pinch to her shoulder. "But I have quite a few cookbooks."

She hummed in thought. "I never would have thought you liked to cook."

"I have many hobbies," he stated fondly. By the way she smirked at him, he figured she would recall him saying the exact statement years ago when Team Seven first began.

"What's another hobby?" she pressed, eager to learn something else about him.

Scratching his chin, he pretended to be in deep thought before spouting out, "Uh… Reading?"

She rolled her eyes. "Elaborate about your other hobbies beyond reading."

"Cooking," he said jokingly, dodging her balled fist that came very close to his shoulder.

"Ugh, Kakashi," she grumbled in annoyance. "Seriously, tell me something about yourself. I've always wanted to know more about you…"

"Sorry," he sighed, scratching the back of his silver hair sheepishly. "I don't like talking about myself very much."

"Well, but why?" she asked.

"It's just…"

He fell quiet as he struggled how to truthfully respond to the question. He had an idea why. It was based on all the love and loss he had experienced throughout the years. It was simply easier to stay at a distance from people that you cared about. It didn't hurt as much. Perhaps it was pessimistic on his part, but he figured he wouldn't have even lived as long as he did now. Before Team Seven even existed, he thought it would be easier on everyone else, too, if he'd just remained a simple comrade to people, and at the very least of the word, a friend. Losing a comrade was hard, but a loved one, even harder. He knew it all too well.

But before he realized it, in all the years that he and Sakura had grown together as teammates, he had gradually fallen for her. As much as he tried to remain indifferent about his feelings, once the idea was in his mind to see her in a new light, it began to build and grow, slowly thawing away the ice that had been guarding his heart for as long as he could remember.

And now in hindsight, all those years seemed wasted at his misguided attempts to not want to feel such pain again. The friends he had now could have been there so much earlier in his life when he really needed them. As for love… it was better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. Wasn't it true? Life wasn't exactly worth living if you didn't live. Take risks. Take chances.

Even though he had decided on letting go of his fears in being close to someone, he still tried push people away out of habit. It was hard not to.

"It's okay." Sakura shrugged with a smile, dismissing the question. "You don't have to say, but I do want you to tell me whatever you're comfortable with, okay?"

"Of course," he agreed, feeling a little silly how he was making it so difficult just to share something simple about himself. Trying to be a bit more open than usual was something he was going to get used to. He was finally taking the chance to be with Sakura, he shouldn't stop here.

Helping him set out the small containers and dishes from the basket between their silence, she suggested, "Why don't you ask me something you'd like to know? It can be anything."

"Anything?" he repeated, his voice laced with hidden meaning.

She hesitantly nodded. "Yes…"

"What color of underwear are you wearing right now?" he casually questioned, as if he had just asked for something as simple as directions to somewhere.

"Kakashi!" she yelped in surprise, blushing as she smacked his chest so hard it nearly knocked the wind out of him.

He coughed, but only laughed all the more at her reaction. "You said anything," he reasoned.

"You really are a pervert, aren't you?" she sighed, looking not particularly surprised at the fact.

"If you didn't know this about me from all the Icha Icha I read out in the open, then I have no sympathy for you," he teasingly replied.

"Oh no, I figured as much since the beginning. You're only just confirming it with a question like that…"

Breaking apart the chopsticks he had just given her, she added, "And it's black."

"B-Black?" he echoed, nearly losing his voice.

Seeing how clearly amused he was, a small grin spread to her pink lips as she suddenly asked, "Boxers or briefs?"

Stunned at her even asking such a question, he felt rather thankful for the mask that was always in place, allowing him to always have the perfect poker face. "Neither."

"W-what?" she stuttered, blushing as he smiled at her.

"Well you asked," he said with a shrug, not giving away if he was actually serious or not as he swirled his chopsticks inside his bowl.

When her embarrassment subsided, she blinked at the remains of his dish that was filled with sushi and rice just only a moment ago. "Hey, when did you even eat? I haven't even started yet!"

He shrugged again, forming an eye-crinkle of a smile.

"And stop trying to scarf food down to keep hiding your face," she pouted, pointing a chopstick at him. "You promised you'd show me."

"If you recalled, I said on the third date. This is technically our first."

"Nope, third," she corrected adamantly. "We had lunch as our first date and library as our second. Don't pretend you've forgotten the agreement that this would be counted as the third."

"I never agreed to anything," he bantered on, thoroughly enjoying how cute she was scowling at him right now.

The corner of her mouth changed into a sly expression. "I think after endangering my life, you owe me that much."

He quirked a brow. "What?"

"I could sense the fire from earlier, Kakashi. I'm not slow."

"Fire?" he asked, pretending he had no idea what she was talking about. "That was just you feeling my presence. I'm just that hot."

Rolling her eyes, she sighed. "Anyway, whatever happened back there, I'm sure you owe me even more just to see your smile finally, mm?"

"Fine."

"You-" She stopped her initial words. "Wait, you'll let me?"

"Have to kiss me first though," he grinned.

"Not a problem."

Placing her dish aside before sitting up on her knees, she scooted across the blanket to sit next to him. Bracing her hand against his chest as she leaned in, she closed her eyes and moved her lips towards his masked ones.

He dipped back, letting her fall forward into the air before she caught herself.

"Are you trying to kiss me, or my book again?" he playfully teased.

Shooting him a glare, she sat up straight and dusted off her hands. Determined to kiss him without any more resistance or back talk, she pushed him by the shoulders into the sandy ground that the blanket beneath them fell short in covering.

"Oh, I like it rough," he murmured, hoping to gain another rise out of her quick temper.

"Shut up," she spat with blushed cheeks, tightening her hands at his shirt before she finally claimed a kiss. Feeling him smirk against her lips, she pulled back.

"There," she whispered triumphantly with a grin. "Now show me that evil smile of yours."

"I don't have an evil smile," he defended, sounding hurt.

"I'll be the judge of that."

Wiggling her fingers to the edge of his mask, she performed a quick tug to reveal his face, but in a blink it was hidden away again by his loose fist, pretending that he had a sudden cough.

"Sorry, I think I got sand in my mouth," he lamely excused, turning to the side to cough like he had a tickle in his throat.

The mask was pooled around his chin, but she still couldn't catch a glimpse of his face. Crossing her arms, she waited patiently for him to turn back around.

With a deep sigh, he remained still with his hand draped across his mouth. "I feel so sleepy lying like this," he yawned, staring into the embers of the campfire.

"Kakashi," she sighed with an unamused glare. Taking him by the wrist she pulled his hand away, resulting in him completely turning around with his chest flat on the ground.

"Think I'll take a nap," he murmured, trying not to laugh as she let out an irritated grumble.

Every time she leaned into the side he was facing, he would quickly switch the other way, annoying her to no end.

After the fifth time, she sighed. "You're such a jerk!"

"I'm right here, Sakura-chan. You can look at me any time you want."

"Then turn around!"

He snuggled himself more into the sand like a turtle would on a beach. "I'm comfortable."

"I'm going to punch you into the ground if you don't turn around in three seconds," she warned.

"Sakura-"

"One."

"Seriously…"

"Two." Her knuckles cracked with the sounds of chakra whooshing into her fingers.

"You're not really-"

"Three!"

He panicked and rolled on his back again, preparing to deflect any incoming blows. Instead she was still sitting calmly on her knees with her arms crossed. She seemed highly amused.

"Oh, you were bluffing," he sighed, propping up on his elbows as she stared at him.

"All this trouble just to see your face," she tsked.

"I can't make it easy, now can I?"

"I suppose not… now then, let's eat something," she smiled happily, pulling him up in a sitting position.

He felt oddly disappointed at her dismissive reaction to his face, not even commenting one word about it before she turned away.

Clearing his throat, he said, "So…"

"So?" she asked, handing him a clean pair of chopsticks.

"No tears of joy? Fainting? Comments of how handsome I am?" he asked, frowning a bit.

"I'm not going give you a reaction," she dully replied. "Until you take off that fake curly mustache."

Pursing his mustache covered lips, he said, "…It's not fake."

"It's black for crying out loud."

"Your point?"

"…Your hair is silver."

"And?"

She sighed, taking a small bite of rice. "You think you're sooooo hilarious, don't you, Kakashi?"

He began to twirl the ends of his crooked thick mustache, sporting a mischievous grin. "I do, yes."

With another sigh, she watched as he scratched the clearly fake mustache, making it even more askew than before. "Kakashi."

"Yes?"

"Come here…"

"Why?"

"Just come," she said, extending her hand for him to come closer.

He cautiously did, wondering what she was up to until she softly trailed a finger down the scar of his left eye, sending unmistakable shudders down his spine. Before he knew it, she had ripped the mustache off his upper lip like a band-aid.

"Ow!" he quietly muttered, rubbing the stinging spot above his lip as he stared curiously back at her.

Without another word, Sakura slowly raised her hand with the mustache still in between her fingers. He was about to ask her what she was doing until she stuck it in the middle of his eyebrows.

"And this is my first memory of your whole face," she sighed in faked disappointment, flicking the ends of his improvised unibrow.

Kakashi wiggled his brows up and down, causing a smile to her lips followed by a laugh.

"Weirdo," she sighed, wondering what in the world she was going to do with this silly man. "How long have you had that mustache stashed away in your pocket?"

"Uh, forever? You know, for special occasions… like tying damsels in distress to railroad tracks or when I forget my mask at home and need a disguise."

"You're a compulsive liar, aren't you?" she asked dryly.

"No." He smiled. "And aren't you forgetting something?"

Narrowing an eye at him, she sighed at the look he was giving her. "Oh yeah, I forgot to faint, sorry."

Falling backwards, she rolled her eyes back and pretended to lose consciousness.

"Sakura!" he called out over dramatically, rushing to her side. Placing her hands in his, he shook his head in sadness. "My poor, sweet, Sakura-chan."

Cracking her eyes open, she grinned when she saw him sincerely smile at her for the first time. He really didn't have anything to hide like Team Seven originally figured. Yes, he was handsome in his own way, but the charm of his lopsided and almost unsure smile didn't blind her of how meaningful it was to him to share with her.

It always was hard to judge how he truly felt by just his single eye, but with his smile, it was clear as day how he was feeling. He really did care for her a lot, didn't he?

When her eyes fully fluttered open, she took in the sight of his adorable lips, scanning all the way along the tip of his nose until the ridiculous mustache between his eyes entered her field of vision again.

Frowning, she lightly pointed to his brows and said, "That's really ruining the moment here."

Peeling the mustache from his face, he stuck it on her forehead instead.

She deadpanned. "That's not any better."

"It's sexy," he teased, leaning in to kiss her softly.

"Please don't tell me this is some kind of sick fetish of yours," she groaned, kissing him back between her words.

"No, but I do have many fetishes."

"I bet," she sighed against him, figuring she would discover those in the not so distant future.

He smiled against her cheek, placing one last kiss before he edged back. "Let's finish dinner?" he suggested, holding out his hand to pull her up.

"Sure, but you're not allowed to scarf it all down this time," she lightheartedly demanded, accepting his help to sit up.

He shrugged. "But it's kind of a habit."

"Then I'll teach you how to eat slowly then," she said with rolled eyes.

"Ooh," he hummed in delight with a flirty look.

"Pervert," she muttered, not sure if she wanted to know what that rotten mind of his was thinking. "Oh, and by the way…"

He paused. "Yes?"

"You're cute."

Beaming with pride at her compliment, he smoothly ran his fingers through his hair as if to showcase himself like some model.

"In a weird way," she added.

His smiled dropped.

Sakura sighed. "I'm kidding!"

The rest of their date went off without a hitch, better than either of them could have hoped for. After eating, they watched the stars and simply talked about everything imaginable. From favorite movies, to quotes from Icha Icha, to how they felt they had changed throughout the years to who they were today. Before they realized how late it was, the sun's orange light began to glitter its way across the lake.

Groggily at Sakura's doorstep now, Kakashi released her hand as she unlocked her door to step inside. He felt so tired, but couldn't help in wanting to stay up even longer just to say goodbye. He really couldn't remember the last time he enjoyed being with another person like this. It was exciting, yet scary at the same time. With so much possibility to look forward to in the future, he wanted to never let go of this new change between them.

"Sakura," he mumbled softly, slightly in a daze in his fight to not fall asleep where he stood.

"Do… you want to come inside?" she asked uncertainly, wondering if that was what he wanted to say.

"No, no," he replied, shaking his head at the idea. "I just..."

"I had a lot of fun, Kakashi. Let's meet up later today, okay? We both need some sleep."

"Okay," he agreed. "But…"

Pulling him close, she kissed him deeply, parting him with a smile before softly closing the door shut.

He sighed, rubbing his eyes. All he could do now was try to get sleep and hope for the best that she wasn't going to be too mad at him. Finding out more about her tonight, perhaps she would even find it hilarious? Maybe he was over worrying about it in the first place.

"Need sleep," he sighed to himself, unable to think anymore. Turning around towards his complex, he felt like a zombie as he trudged down the stairs.

As soon as he stepped into his apartment, he stripped all the way down to his boxers before he fell into bed. Sleep would come all too soon.

A loud knock abruptly stirred Sakura awake, causing her to pull the pillow over her head in an attempt to drown out the annoying sound. It didn't do too much good after the fourth knock was persistently getting a lot louder.

"God," she muttered, popping her head out from her bedding. Looking at her clock, she realized she had only got to bed barely two hours ago. She didn't regret staying up the whole night with Kakashi, but for heaven's sake, she needed some rest.

With another ear pinching knock, she angrily rolled out of bed and stormed to the front door.

"What?" she griped, swinging the door open to kill whoever was standing on the other side.

A mailman cowered, obviously very aware of her renowned abilities as a kunoichi. Shakily holding a clipboard under her heated glare, he slowly said, "Haruno-san, if you could please… sign for these."

"For what?" she asked, looking around. She assumed it was obviously a package, but there was none to be found in his hands or beside him.

"It's downstairs," he replied. "If you can just leave your door open for us. We'll take care of it."

"Fine, whatever. Just close it when you're finished okay?"

"Uh, sure, but-"

Spinning around, she stomped back into her bedroom, ignoring his weak plea for her to sign the package slip again. Easily falling asleep once she plopped into bed, every now and then a heavy noise would startled her awake for a split second before her consciousness would slip away again.

Her alarm went off a couple hours later, making her groan in forgetting to shut it off before going to sleep. Deciding that she probably shouldn't sleep the day away as she needed to get up early tomorrow morning, she forced herself up and went on autopilot towards her living room.

Debating on what to eat, her thoughts broke when she stubbed her toe on something hard.

"Ouch! What the…" Her eyes slowly investigated upwards, and she shrieked in horror. "What... w-what the freaking hell!"

Her entire apartment was filled wall to wall with books. Hundreds, no thousands of books were littered all around her entire apartment in crates and unorganized piles.

Her couch was completely taken over by books. Her coffee table. Television. Dining table. Kitchen.

Everywhere.

Her mouth fell open in shock as she twisted her feet around to maneuver between the scattered books on the floor. It was an endless sight of multicolored volumes of Icha Icha no matter where she turned. It felt like a bad dream.

"This is not what I signed up for!" she yelled, stumbling into a pile in her fit of anger. Bumping into a stack, books fell like dominoes around her entire apartment, creating an even bigger mess.

"DAMN IT, KAKASHI!"

Enraged, she went straight towards the front door. All the heavy boxes in the way caused her to repeatedly yank the door handle back and forth until she could push enough books out of the way to leave. Before taking even three steps outside, a piece of paper had stuck to her foot. Prying it from her toes, she gasped at what she read, nearly fainting.

"W-w-what…"

It was a bill for all the books that were stuffed into her tiny apartment right now. She counted all the zeros, twice. Those freaking books cost more than a year's worth of rent.

Crushing the paper in her palm, she dashed into the busy street still barefoot in her pajamas, not caring as a few passersby stared at her like she was a maniac.

Once she stomped up to Kakashi's apartment door, she pounded her fist against it with several quick furious knocks.

"Kakashi!" she fumed.

Her patience had quickly worn thin after waiting longer than ten seconds. Testing the door handle to see if it was unlocked, she accidentally turned it a bit too roughly, causing it to come apart in her hand.

"Eh," she said, glancing around before dropping the broken handle inside a potted plant beside the door.

Letting herself inside, she was about to search for him until she stepped on a crumpled pair of pants. His shirt was on the floor too…

"Sakura?"

Staring at a half-naked Kakashi leaning against the doorway, whatever anger she had was instantly replaced with embarrassment. As he rubbed the sleep from his mismatched eyes, she couldn't stare at anything else except what seemed like an endless display of sculpted muscles. How could this get any more awkward?

Then her eyes fell to his crotch. Was he wearing Icha Icha boxers?

"Like what you see?" he asked an amused husky voice.

Flinching at being caught staring there, she scrambled to look away. Gasping when she felt his calloused fingers at her arms, she tried not to think about how sinfully bare he was right now, which was rather impossible since he was standing right in front of her.

Unsure of what he was about to do, she let him spin her around. He pressed his hands against her back to gently lead her towards the kitchen.

"What happened to my door handle?" he asked, glancing back towards the bright hole that was glowing from his front door.

"I-It… fell."

"Ah, well this place is kind of old." He shrugged, pulling out a chair for her at his small breakfast table.

"What are you…"

"Hungry?" he asked thoughtfully, standing beside her casually with hands on his hips.

Trying not to look at the bright orange boxers just inches away from her face, she tried to remember what she was doing here in the first place.

Slamming her hand on the table, she glared at him. "Kakashi!"

"Yes?" he asked, switching the weight of his stance.

Despite trying so hard not to look again, she glanced away and blushed. "Can you… put on some pants?"

"Oh, sorry. I just woke up," he apologized, seeming strangely comfortable at the fact he was wearing practically nothing. "Um, will this do?"

Slowly turning to look again, she blinked. Now he was wearing an Icha Icha themed apron which barely covered his chest, much less his boxers.

Sinking into her chair, she stared down at the table instead. "Uh…"

A small smile graced his lips. "Would you like some pancakes and eggs? Coffee?"

"Sure…"

Hearing the rattle of pans, she sighed at herself and smacked her forehead in distress. This wasn't why she was here! Her apartment looked like an Icha Icha book store exploded in there.

"Ka-"

She paused, staring at the open cabinets. There were Icha Icha themed plates, cups, pots…

"Dear, God," she sighed at the realization that his entire kitchen was filled with Icha Icha products one way or another.

"He's… completely obsessed," she whispered, slightly disturbed at the fact she might have fallen for someone who had a serious addiction problem.

"Sorry?" he asked, arching his back as he turned.

"Y-you," she stuttered, wondering if he was trying to purposely distract her with his body.

"Hum?" he asked, tilting his head. Pieces of his hair fell over his eyes, making him look rather dashing in the morning light.

"Enough!" she demanded. "I'm not here to have breakfast with you. My apartment, it's-

"-Filled with books, I know," he cut in with a sympathetic sigh. "Before you completely freak out, let me explain."

"For one thing, I had no idea how deeply obsessed you were with the series. I mean, jeez, Kakashi. Reading them all the time is one thing, but to have all this…" She looked around the kitchen. "All this stuff is another."

"These are just things, Sakura. I have never bought any of this. It's free."

"But what about the clock you desperately wanted since the start?"

"It was just an excuse. I have ten clocks already," he said, pointing out a couple of matching ones on a wall just a few feet away. Neither of them seemed to be working either. Typical.

Still flustered from everything, she started to say, "But all this stuff-"

"You're aware that I'm usually known as a cheapskate, don't you?" he asked.

"Very," she glared. "Always leaving us with the bill."

"So, is it that hard to believe that I'd have all this stuff simply because it's free?"

"Why are you so frugal in the first place?"

"Well," he sighed, trying to think. "Two reasons. One is because I enjoy the hilarious look on whoever's face who gets stuck with the bill."

She narrowed her glare. "Which I have picked up more than once."

With a grin, he continued, "Second is because I've been saving for a couple years now."

"For what?"

"A pony."

Her eyes widened in shock.

"I'm joking, Sakura," he sighed at her gullible reaction. "A house."

Confused, she asked, "What? But you can live practically anywhere in Konoha for as long as you've been a shinobi on payroll by now, can't you?"

"Well, yes, but I've never seen the point of living anywhere larger than a single apartment just by myself."

"Then why save the extra money if you have more than enough for a house? Why not spend it on yourself? Like clothes?" she asked, still very aware of how lacking he was of them right now.

"Don't need it," he teased.

She looked around at the lack of decorations. "Furniture?"

"What's the point when I'm never here? Rather just save it. I don't need a lot of material things," he shrugged.

"Except Icha Icha books," she glared. "Which are still all over my apartment right now."

"Technically Jiraiya always sends me any new copies now," he laughed guiltily. "So, I don't even buy those anymore."

"That still doesn't explain why there are thousands of copies in my apartment right now!" she bickered.

"You do know that Konoha publishes the series, right?"

She shook her head. "So?"

"Do you know who distributes them?"

"…No?"

"Icha Icha Book Club."

"So it's… not a real book club? As in sitting around in a circle and discussing smut all day long?"

He smiled. "No, but we can do that together if you like."

She sighed, rubbing her temples. "Wait, wait. I'm signed up to a smut peddler?"

"Technically, but my friend needed some extra stock outside of Konoha and the book program offers bulk for really cheap for first time sellers. It's just a one time deal though."

Slapping her hands over her eyes, she groaned. "Please tell me you're taking care of the outrageous bill…"

"Yes, yes. Don't worry. I'll have it all taken care of and out of your hair by the end of tomorrow."

Parting her fingers from over her eyes, she glared up at him. "You better."

"You do get to keep whatever volumes you like for free, so… you still get to have the entire series like I promised. It's not all for nothing."

With an unamused icy stare in response, he added, "Let me make it all up to you, okay? Starting with breakfast," he suggested.

Watching him prepare a few pans on the stove, she asked, "You planned this all out on purpose since the beginning, didn't you?"

"Like I said…" he murmured, pulling a few ingredients from the refrigerator. "I wanted an excuse to spend time with you."

"By making me angry?"

"You're cute when you're angry," he half-teased.

"You're such a jerk," she mumbled.

"I just didn't know yesterday would have ended like it did. I've liked you for a long time, Sakura. I couldn't have ever guessed that we'd ever go out together, but I'm glad we did." he said sincerely.

She hummed, tapping her nails lightly against the table in thought. "Don't think you're getting off the hook that easy, Kakashi."

"I'll do whatever it takes to make it up to you," he promised.

"Fine, but just answer me one question honestly for now."

"Alright," he agreed, wondering what she wanted to ask.

"How long did you realize that you liked me more than just a friend?"

He hummed, breaking a few eggs into a bowl. "It's been a little over a year now, Sakura."

"Why haven't you ever told me before?"

"Um…" He tried to think honestly. "Too afraid, I guess?"

"Really?" she asked disbelief. "You? Afraid?"

"I'm not very good with close relationships, much less romantic ones."

"I see…" Propping her hand to her chin against the table with her elbow, she pondered more as he continued to cook. "Then what made you want to try?"

"When I realized that you might have felt the same way."

"What made you know that I did?"

"You have adorable blushes, Sakura-chan," he said with a grin.

She paled, turning the other way to hide the sudden flare of heat to her cheeks. "I do not," she grumbled.

"Oh, yes you do," he sang back, earning him another grumbled response.

After breakfast was served, Kakashi couldn't quite relax just yet until he knew everything between them would be okay. Last thing he wanted was to start this new relationship on bad terms.

"So, do you forgive me?" he asked rather solemnly, watching her sort through her share of food between them.

"No," she evenly replied without a blink.

Her short answer stung, especially since she really did seem to mean it.

"Sakura…"

"Maybe I will on our next date," she shrugged, breaking her silent expression into a warm smile.

"Then you'll be happy to know I have it already planned out," he sighed in relief.

"Oh? Will there be more raccoons involved?" she asked innocently, twirling her chopstick around between her fingers before taking a bite of her dish.

He began to choke on the small portion of rice he had just started to chew. "…What?"

"I peeked from the blindfold when you weren't looking. Watching you dance around with that raccoon," she sighed fondly at the vision. "I think that memory makes up more than enough for everything."

"…"

"What?" she asked, grinning at the stunned look on his face.

"You knew that all this time, huh," he sighed, rather amazed that she had the willpower to not say anything about it until now.

"I was going to save it for a rainy day," she teased.

"You mean blackmail," he corrected.

She simply smiled.

With a short laugh, he added, "I think this is the start of a beautiful relationship."

The End