[Fic] "Office Duties" (2/4)
Title: Office Duties (2/3)
Author: a_lifestyle
Fandom: Naruto (Kakashi/Sakura)
Rating: R (Still pretty tame IMHO.)
Words: 3,821
Summary:
A/N: I have 2 quick notes:
1. A few people asked about the white streak in Sakura’s hair, and how old exactly she is. I view her in this as being in her mid-twenties. Like many others who tend to lead lives that throw them many curveballs (or, you know, huge, life-altering boulders), or those who are lucky enough for it to be hereditary, we gray quickly. I’ve had a silver streak in my hair since I was 17-I’ve just dyed it over for so long, no one has seen it. One day, I hope to be as hip and cool as Stacy London and be able to rock the streak.
2. I would like to admit that I get full on wasted on an embarrassingly small amount of alcohol, and know many others (especially other Asian females, I’ve noticed…) are the same way. What can I say; I’m a cheap date. And so is Sakura in this next part.
Well, now that that’s out of the way, things get a little more serious, but I intend for this to be my chance to write something that’s mostly just silly and fun. Enjoy!
Office Duties
Part Two
Sakura arrived at the pub later than expected, pulling her hair up into a ponytail as she pushed through the doors with her hip. Her face was probably flushed and her under-eye circles were most likely darker than ever, but she knew her company was even less particular about outward appearances. He sat in the corner as usual, thumbing through a worn Icha Icha Lovestruck!.
“Reading the classics again?” she greeted Kakashi, pulling up a chair.
“Only the good parts,” he replied looking up. He motioned to the beer in front of her spot at the table. “Should still be cold.”
“Thanks,” she said, and immediately chugged all of it, slammed the empty bottle down on the table and slouched a somewhat inappropriate amount in her chair. “Another, please!” she shouted into the air. The bartender raised an eyebrow her way before sliding another down the bar.
“Rough day?” Kakashi asked, a small smile tugging at his lips that she could detect in his eye. He handed her the beer and she cradled it lovingly.
“You could say that.” The air was beginning to feel heavy and warm. Hooray.
“Emergency surgery at the end of your shift, I’m assuming?”
“Of course.”
“Terribly inconvenient.”
“I’ll say,” she muttered. “Plus, I was about to string Naruto up by his stupid neck this morning.”
“Well, you don’t have to bring his poor neck into it-“
“You don’t just go up to the elders and yell at them to get their attention. They’re, like, four hundred years old. Each. I’m surprised they didn’t die right then. And, of course, who gets the slack for that?” She puffed up her chest-the sudden movement making her head spin a little-and pursed her lips. “’Haruno-san, as assistant to the Hokage, it is your duty to assure he acts in an appropriate manner suited for his position.’ Are you kidding me?”
“Naruto a bit too much to handle?”
She paused only to finish off her second beer; Kakashi had already motioned to the bartender for another. “Logistics, Kakashi. You know. Change of power. That little thing that some people don’t even see in their lifetime. It can be a little complicated.”
“Well, it’s a good thing that you found that nice girl to help pick up the pieces.”
Sakura narrowed her eyes at Kakashi, who dared mention the source of her ongoing rage. “Don’t even get me started on whasserboobs-”
“I’m sure you’ve made Rika-san feel very welcome, as usual.“
“Oh, yeah, I’m monogramming her some towels.”
Kakashi sighed. “Sakura.”
Sakura’s grip around the bottle tightened. “It’s like trying to train a farm animal. She’s like Naruto’s own personal ass-kisser. No wonder he loves her.”
“Well, I’m sure that probably helps.”
“Oh, I would love to just strangle that perfect little neck of hers.”
“Do you usually contemplate other people’s necks-“
“She just stood there, like-cheering Naruto on like he’s some kind of hero for opposing the elders. About academy policy, of all things. Like he hasn’t been doing that since he was ten.”
A new beer had appeared in front of her by some epic miracle, and she took another swig. Kakashi leaned forward in his chair, swishing his drink around in its glass.
“Give her some credit. She’s only been there-how long?”
“Two months. Two. Fucking. Glorious. Months.”
“She went from working at the takoyaki stand to the Hokage’s office. She’s not completely failing at the job, and I’m sure that filing mission reports is nothing less than tedious.”
“Why are you sticking up for her?”
He sighed, eyes half-lidded. “Never mind. Man, what a bitch.”
“That’s what I thought.” Her brow furrowed. “Really, no one should have to lean over that many ties to adjust a shoe strap. We got more than a few questionable stares today while her rack was hanging out. I don’t put it past Naruto to invent some kind of shoe-undoing jutsu, that little twerp.”
She glanced over at Kakashi who sat patiently, eyes on her. Pressing her lips together, she took a moment to breathe out, her skin tingly.
“Every week, I just sit down and start whining. It’s probably a fair bit annoying. Sorry.”
He wanted to tell her that, believe it or not, it was this time every week he looked forward to. Sakura’s distresses revolved around office drama and keeping up with an unruly Hokage. Kakashi had vowed long ago to make sure these were her only problems. At her age, he knew too well of death and loss. “Drink,” said, raising his glass.
She lifted her beer and clinked it against his cup. “Can’t say no to that.” She finished off her third while Kakashi sipped quietly.
The bar was fairly empty that night, save for a few stragglers that Sakura didn’t recognize. There were more and more people in town she didn’t recognize. She supposed this was because these days, she tended to spend all her time with either the Hokage or the sick and elderly. Which is why, Sakura sadly concluded, these late-night drinks with her former sensei were starting to seem an awful lot like “dates,” a term she hadn’t used in relation to herself in quite some time. (Or, it could all be the reasoning of beer-on-an-empty-stomach.) However, Sakura considered herself to be a logically sound person, and she construed that a jounin (such as herself) and another jounin (such as Kakashi) could most definitely sit down for drinks at least once a week and not be romantically involved under any circumstances. Even if said other jounin happened to be particularly good-looking without his usual mask-
Oh, oh god. Abort. Abort this train of thought. Sakura looked up and realized that Kakashi had been staring at her intently this entire time.
“Thinking about how handsome the tabletop looks in the candlelight?” he deadpanned.
She broke out into a slight blush (he had no idea how close his remark was) and turned away to hide the dusty pink of her cheeks. “Another please!” she called out. She quickly maneuvered their conversation somewhere else (thinking and talking weren’t her strong suit, at the moment.) “So, your next mission leaves day after tomorrow. Naruto seems to think you’ll be gone for at least few days.”
“I doubt it. Should be boring.” He sat back as the bartender delivered a fourth round, and left.
“Considering the alternative, I’d just take the paycheck and quit the bellyaching.”
“Hm, who was apologizing to me just a moment ago for whining? Some drunk girl, I thought-“
“Please. It takes me at least three to feel even remotely tipsy.” To demonstrate, she tipped back her head and downed half the bottle, wiping her mouth with the back of her forearm. Which was very, very wet, actually…
“Really. Then, missing your mouth is just a party trick.”
“You didn’t see that,” she muttered, taking a napkin and blotting beer from the shoulder of her hospital scrubs.
“Nope,” he said. He watched her face screw up into a knot as she tugged at her damp clothes. It reminded him of the time when he and Sakura were coming back from a successful mission in Iwa, and a bird had single-handedly ruined it all with a fly-by crap on Sakura’s shoulder. He couldn’t help it when a chuckle escaped his lips.
Sakura slumped forward, her head buried in folded arms. “If you’re thinking about that time in Iwa, I will hit you. Really, really hard.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Lying isn’t very attractive, Kakashi.”
“Neither is being drunk. But, you happen to be one of the few who can remain very attractive while utterly tanked, which is commendable.”
Sakura was thankful that her expression was hidden in her arms; her forehead and the rest of her face felt hot against her skin. Sometimes, their conversations would wander into this certain territory that made her stomach simultaneously warm and uneasy, and all the logic she ever relied upon would fail her miserably.
“I think I need to go home,” she said to the surface of the table. “Walk me, please?”
Kakashi smiled, nodding. He tossed some cash onto the bar, waving good-bye to the bartender and hoisting Sakura to her feet. His arm around her waist felt a little too good for her intoxicated brain, and she wiggled away slowly, tucking her hair behind her ear. “That’s fine, I don’t need help. Just company.”
Their walk to Sakura’s apartment was quiet and uneventful, Kakashi walking a bit behind her with hands in his pockets. The night air was cool, and he lowered his mask to breathe the crisp air. She caught all this in her peripheral vision, but said nothing about it. Their conversation was sparse, but light in nature (“Did you just fake inebriation it so I’d have to pay the tab?” “If there weren’t three of you right now, I’d deck you.”)
When they arrived at her house, she took out her keys and her eyes crossed. “God damn keys all look alike,” she murmured.
Her back stiffened as she felt his arms envelop her. He threaded his fingers through hers and began manipulating her keys. Her back was flat against his chest, and she felt his breath soft against her cheek. A spark shot down her spine into the pit of her belly, and her head felt lighter than what any amount of alcohol could do.
“The square one, right?” Pressed against him, she could feel his voice reverberate through her body, and she simply nodded. He maneuvered her fingers around her house key and stepped back, breaking the spell for a moment.
“Thanks,” she said, a big pile of awkward. “Um, good luck on your mission. I’ll see you tomorrow for your meeting with Naruto.”
He smirked. “Okay, mother.”
She laughed, and snorted a little. Classy. “Maybe we should meet somewhere else next time. Somewhere that is far, far away from alcohol.”
“Oh, but what would be the fun in that?” he said, winking.
She punched him lightly on the shoulder. “I’m glad you’re having such a big time making me look like an ass.
“You don’t look like an ass, I promise.” He smiled his crooked grin that only she and a choice few had ever seen. Traces of stubble littered his jaw line, and before she could become too captivated with the little scar on the side of his nose, she turned away from him, letting out a laugh that was barely a breath.
“Well, then I take back what I said,” she replied, stepping into the doorway. “You’re very attractive, even when you’re lying.”
She hastily ran inside and shut the door. Kakashi remained outside, contemplating what had just taken place, holding the bridge of his nose between his fingers. A shift had taken place in their relationship, but she was obviously as tentative as he was. He wondered if he had made a mistake, and her quick escape was an indication that he had done something very wrong, and had inadvertently pushed her away forever.
He then heard the distinct sound of Sakura retching into the toilet, and knew this wasn’t the case.
He shook his head, a smile creeping back onto his face. It was happening more often, the more time he spent with her, and he wasn’t too sure how he felt about it. Readjusting his mask (the air had gotten a bit suffocating, for a moment), he took off towards his apartment. He was too old to be playing chase; the next move would have to be Sakura’s.
~~~
The following day, Sakura arrived at the Hokage’s office and inspected herself in the ladies’ room mirror. General stream of consciousness containing anything from insults (“Did you really get drunk after four beers?”), to reasoning (“At least there’s no hangover once you turn your stomach inside out”) to bewilderments (“Is that more white hair?!”) to admittances (“Your eyes are going to be puffy forever, as long as Naruto is Hokage”) occurred, as they did every morning.
She sighed heavily, pushing her bangs to the side and walked towards the door.
Which swung forward and slammed into her (still, too large) forehead.
“Son of a…”
“Oh, Sakura-san, I’m so sorry!”
Sakura threw her back against the wall, leaning her (pounding) head against the cool tile wall. Rika stood in the doorway, hand over mouth.
“Sakura-san, I am so, so, so sorry, I didn’t see you there-“
“Clearly,” Sakura replied, pressing the offended area.
“Is there anything I can get you? “ Rika fumbled in her purse. “I’ve got some aspirin-“
“Unless you’ve got a new face for me in there, I don’t think that’s really necessary.”
“Or, I can go downstairs and get you a cup of coffee, one sugar and a half-inch of cream, the way you like…?”
Sakura cracked open her eyes and breathed in and out. Slowly. Patience and toleration at eight AM was rather difficult when the desire to throttle another human being was so very immense.
“Listen, don’t worry about it. Coffee’s great. Thanks.”
“Okay, I’ll go now! I’m so, so sorry!” Rika backed out of the bathroom and took off down the hallway, each sharp click of her high heels on the floor like an additional nail being lodged in Sakura’s brain. She stepped out into the hallway, rubbing her temples.
“I work my ass off, and what do I get in return?” she asked herself, closing her eyes and willing the pain to leave. “Blunt objects flying at my face. What the hell.”
“Hard work’s overrated.”
She turned to see Genma strolling down the hall, Kakashi not too far behind. She ignored the warm, tickly feeling in her stomach and scrunched her face into a scowl. “As if the day couldn’t get any worse.”
“A delight, as always,” Genma noted, rolling the senbon in his mouth from one side to the other.
“Well, at least you’re on time, and you-know-who didn’t get lost on the road of life again.” She motioned to Kakashi.
“Miracles happen.” Genma rolled his eyes.
Kakashi coughed. “I’m here, you know.”
She smiled and turned down the hall. “Walk with me; I’ll let you in.”
She remembered her days as a genin when she dreamed about walking these very halls as an elite Konoha ninja. Now that this tower was like her second home, she couldn’t help but think that somewhere along the way, her dream became a bit skewed. Perhaps she would return to field duty, when Naruto was ready.
Upon opening the door and finding Naruto leaning back in his desk chair, chewing on a takoyaki stick and staring with great intent at the ceiling, she could say with sad certainty that this wouldn’t be anytime soon. Naruto looked over, waved, opened his mouth to speak, and immediately choked on the wooden stick in his mouth.
I can’t even make this shit up, Sakura thought woefully, walking over to Naruto and whapping him on the back a few times.
Genma laughed a little, nodding in her direction. “You’ve got your work cut out for ya, sweetheart,” he said.
“Naruto, Kakashi and Genma are here to meet with you. You also have a meeting with Ibiki-san at nine-thirty, so please wear the hat-“
“It’s a stupid hat,” Naruto muttered between pitiful wheezes.
“And while you’re in the meeting, I’ll find Rika and we’ll go over the reports for June-“
“Sakura-san, here’s your coffee!” Rika exclaimed, tearing past Kakashi and Genma to safely deliver a fresh mug of coffee to Sakura’s desk. “They didn’t have cream, so I had to run over to the convenience store, so I’m a little late, and I’m so, so sorry about before-“
“Thank you, Rika,” Sakura said, slightly embarrassed. “These gentlemen here were just here to see-“
“Oh, god, I hope you didn’t have to wait too long!” she said, standing up straight and adjusting the (very short) hem of her skirt. “I’m Rika, and I hope we can get to know each other better while I’m here-“
“Ah, this is Rika-san,” Genma said, senbon bobbing. He whacked Sakura on the back. “Sakura-san has been raving about you.”
Rika beamed at Sakura, unbelieving. “Really!? Thank you, Sakura-san!”
“Really, it was nothing,” Sakura deadpanned, shooting a venomous glare at Genma from the corner of her eye. She desperately looked over to Kakashi for help, but he had apparently become intrigued with a potted plant in the corner of the room.
“Rika, can you come take notes for me in this meeting?” Naruto piped up, hat in place and sitting up straight. “Genma and Kakashi are two of the village’s most respected nin, and I need to make sure they are given all the necessary information before they set out on this next mission.”
Kakashi immediately turned around and Genma tucked his senbon into a pouch attached to his leg. Rika turned to Naruto and nodded, taking her place at the desk next to him.
“Yes, of course, Hokage-sama,” said Rika, and the four reconvened at the Hokage’s desk to discuss the mission details.
Sakura smiled and fell back into her chair, taking her first sips of morning coffee. Naruto may not have known how to balance a budget, but he understood the influence of the Hokage’s position quite well, and took to the leadership aspects of his new role with a stride that allowed Sakura to breathe a sigh of relief.
Now, if only she could pluck his eyes off of Rika’s ass, everything would be peachy.
She turned her attention to gathering Ibiki’s budget proposals for the nine-thirty meeting, and debated what color paper-clip would be suitable for a letter to Gaara-sama. The morning coffee threw her into high gear and she was just about to hit her stride when a figure loomed over her desk.
“What is it, Shiranui?” Sakura said, continuing to loot through the crap that had piled up in her desk drawers. Ooh, there was a coupon that hadn’t expired-maybe she’d go there for lunch…
“Nothin’. Hatake’s takin’ his sweet time.” Genma leaned on her desk, picking at his cuticles.
“Secret meeting with Naruto, huh?” Ah, she knew she had a pink clip.
“Nope. Looks like he’s talkin’ up your new best friend.”
Sakura’s eyes immediately whipped over to the scene to her left where a certain shinobi leaned with his weight on one leg-a leg she had just glowy-fingered two months ago, no less-speaking quite personably to the blushing girl in grown-up clothes. Sakura had to admit that her interest was piqued, and her eyebrow raised in annoyed curiosity. The warm tingly feeling in her stomach now morphed into what felt like a ten-pound brick to the gut. She was a little confused, and, admittedly, a little angry, but these feelings had roots in something unfamiliar to her.
She could be…jealous?
No. No, she was not jealous; that was absurd. One brief, drunken admittance of possible mutual attraction did not give reason for jealousy. In all honesty, Sakura had to confess to herself that even if she was jealous (of which she really, really was not, at all, period), she didn’t have the experience necessary to understand where these feelings came from.
But, Sakura knew a great deal about rage, so she was decidedly pissed. Being pissed was easy.
“Yes,” she said with. Great. Restraint. “It appears he is. Well, Genma, good luck, and I hope you come back unharmed from your journey.”
“Yeah, good thing my medic is so kind and attentive,” he remarked, narrowing his eyes at her.
However, Sakura’s glare was focused on the offending source, the pink paper clip folded three times over in her fingers. “We have a lot of work to do this morning, so if you wouldn’t mind just moving along, that’d be outstanding.”
Genma hopped off her desk and a smile gripped the corner of his mouth; he could see the purpose in Sakura’s eyes, even if she couldn’t just yet. “Right. Tell him to meet me in the lobby when he’s done talking. And you’re done seething.”
“Sure,” she answered, not particularly listening. As Genma left, Kakashi exchanged a few more words with Rika. Sakura watched with intent the exchange of papers between them (those had better be just recipes) and the way Rika played nervously with the ends of her hair as he waved his farewell.
Sakura ensured she was glued to her paperwork when Kakashi returned to her desk.
“Looks like things up here are going smoothly for now,” he said to her, tucking his mission scroll in his vest pocket.
“Mmhmm,” she said. It was quite possible for her to re-break the leg she had carefully put back together, wasn’t it, now?
“Should be back before next week though.”
“Mmhmm.”
“So, I’ll find you when I get back.”
“Sure.”
“Right. Only this time, if Genma needs a clean-up, you think you can help him out? He was a bit sore about what you did last time.”
“Mmhmm.”
Kakashi paused and took careful note of how her hands flexed against each other and how she dug through her papers with an enthusiasm only demonstrated when she wanted to avoid eye contact. He had seen it before in the way she fiddles with her clipboard when delivering unfortunate news to her patients, and when she was twelve and cracking all the joints in her fingers was suddenly quite interesting when a certain Uchiha boy was around.
He was aware that she was evading communication with him, and, like most things women did, he could not even pretend to know the reasoning behind it.
“So…nothing’s wrong?” he tried.
“Nope, everything’s fine.”
“Because, for a minute there, you weren’t actually speaking words, just the same thing over and over-“
“Just busy. You know, babysitting the Hokage, wrangling ninja, putting bones back together. Schedule gets a bit wacky.”
He nodded. “All right. Bye for now.”
If she had looked up right then, she might have seen the hint of melancholy in his eye that she could read like a book. But, by the time she did, there were only leaves and smoke.
She sat at her desk and laid her head in her arms. This day had already left a sour taste in her mouth, and it was barely nine in the morning.
Time dragged all day long between Rika’s high-pitched chatter and Naruto’s insistent need to shout most everything he said. By the time Sakura left for her shift at the hospital, shoving her head in the toilet bowl seemed like a better way to pass the time. At least it was quiet.
She slogged down the stairs, and passed a familiar figure face down asleep on a bench in the lobby.
“Oh, crap, I forgot to tell him to meet Genma in the lobby…”
tbc
Author: a_lifestyle
Fandom: Naruto (Kakashi/Sakura)
Rating: R (Still pretty tame IMHO.)
Words: 3,821
Summary:
A/N: I have 2 quick notes:
1. A few people asked about the white streak in Sakura’s hair, and how old exactly she is. I view her in this as being in her mid-twenties. Like many others who tend to lead lives that throw them many curveballs (or, you know, huge, life-altering boulders), or those who are lucky enough for it to be hereditary, we gray quickly. I’ve had a silver streak in my hair since I was 17-I’ve just dyed it over for so long, no one has seen it. One day, I hope to be as hip and cool as Stacy London and be able to rock the streak.
2. I would like to admit that I get full on wasted on an embarrassingly small amount of alcohol, and know many others (especially other Asian females, I’ve noticed…) are the same way. What can I say; I’m a cheap date. And so is Sakura in this next part.
Well, now that that’s out of the way, things get a little more serious, but I intend for this to be my chance to write something that’s mostly just silly and fun. Enjoy!
Office Duties
Part Two
Sakura arrived at the pub later than expected, pulling her hair up into a ponytail as she pushed through the doors with her hip. Her face was probably flushed and her under-eye circles were most likely darker than ever, but she knew her company was even less particular about outward appearances. He sat in the corner as usual, thumbing through a worn Icha Icha Lovestruck!.
“Reading the classics again?” she greeted Kakashi, pulling up a chair.
“Only the good parts,” he replied looking up. He motioned to the beer in front of her spot at the table. “Should still be cold.”
“Thanks,” she said, and immediately chugged all of it, slammed the empty bottle down on the table and slouched a somewhat inappropriate amount in her chair. “Another, please!” she shouted into the air. The bartender raised an eyebrow her way before sliding another down the bar.
“Rough day?” Kakashi asked, a small smile tugging at his lips that she could detect in his eye. He handed her the beer and she cradled it lovingly.
“You could say that.” The air was beginning to feel heavy and warm. Hooray.
“Emergency surgery at the end of your shift, I’m assuming?”
“Of course.”
“Terribly inconvenient.”
“I’ll say,” she muttered. “Plus, I was about to string Naruto up by his stupid neck this morning.”
“Well, you don’t have to bring his poor neck into it-“
“You don’t just go up to the elders and yell at them to get their attention. They’re, like, four hundred years old. Each. I’m surprised they didn’t die right then. And, of course, who gets the slack for that?” She puffed up her chest-the sudden movement making her head spin a little-and pursed her lips. “’Haruno-san, as assistant to the Hokage, it is your duty to assure he acts in an appropriate manner suited for his position.’ Are you kidding me?”
“Naruto a bit too much to handle?”
She paused only to finish off her second beer; Kakashi had already motioned to the bartender for another. “Logistics, Kakashi. You know. Change of power. That little thing that some people don’t even see in their lifetime. It can be a little complicated.”
“Well, it’s a good thing that you found that nice girl to help pick up the pieces.”
Sakura narrowed her eyes at Kakashi, who dared mention the source of her ongoing rage. “Don’t even get me started on whasserboobs-”
“I’m sure you’ve made Rika-san feel very welcome, as usual.“
“Oh, yeah, I’m monogramming her some towels.”
Kakashi sighed. “Sakura.”
Sakura’s grip around the bottle tightened. “It’s like trying to train a farm animal. She’s like Naruto’s own personal ass-kisser. No wonder he loves her.”
“Well, I’m sure that probably helps.”
“Oh, I would love to just strangle that perfect little neck of hers.”
“Do you usually contemplate other people’s necks-“
“She just stood there, like-cheering Naruto on like he’s some kind of hero for opposing the elders. About academy policy, of all things. Like he hasn’t been doing that since he was ten.”
A new beer had appeared in front of her by some epic miracle, and she took another swig. Kakashi leaned forward in his chair, swishing his drink around in its glass.
“Give her some credit. She’s only been there-how long?”
“Two months. Two. Fucking. Glorious. Months.”
“She went from working at the takoyaki stand to the Hokage’s office. She’s not completely failing at the job, and I’m sure that filing mission reports is nothing less than tedious.”
“Why are you sticking up for her?”
He sighed, eyes half-lidded. “Never mind. Man, what a bitch.”
“That’s what I thought.” Her brow furrowed. “Really, no one should have to lean over that many ties to adjust a shoe strap. We got more than a few questionable stares today while her rack was hanging out. I don’t put it past Naruto to invent some kind of shoe-undoing jutsu, that little twerp.”
She glanced over at Kakashi who sat patiently, eyes on her. Pressing her lips together, she took a moment to breathe out, her skin tingly.
“Every week, I just sit down and start whining. It’s probably a fair bit annoying. Sorry.”
He wanted to tell her that, believe it or not, it was this time every week he looked forward to. Sakura’s distresses revolved around office drama and keeping up with an unruly Hokage. Kakashi had vowed long ago to make sure these were her only problems. At her age, he knew too well of death and loss. “Drink,” said, raising his glass.
She lifted her beer and clinked it against his cup. “Can’t say no to that.” She finished off her third while Kakashi sipped quietly.
The bar was fairly empty that night, save for a few stragglers that Sakura didn’t recognize. There were more and more people in town she didn’t recognize. She supposed this was because these days, she tended to spend all her time with either the Hokage or the sick and elderly. Which is why, Sakura sadly concluded, these late-night drinks with her former sensei were starting to seem an awful lot like “dates,” a term she hadn’t used in relation to herself in quite some time. (Or, it could all be the reasoning of beer-on-an-empty-stomach.) However, Sakura considered herself to be a logically sound person, and she construed that a jounin (such as herself) and another jounin (such as Kakashi) could most definitely sit down for drinks at least once a week and not be romantically involved under any circumstances. Even if said other jounin happened to be particularly good-looking without his usual mask-
Oh, oh god. Abort. Abort this train of thought. Sakura looked up and realized that Kakashi had been staring at her intently this entire time.
“Thinking about how handsome the tabletop looks in the candlelight?” he deadpanned.
She broke out into a slight blush (he had no idea how close his remark was) and turned away to hide the dusty pink of her cheeks. “Another please!” she called out. She quickly maneuvered their conversation somewhere else (thinking and talking weren’t her strong suit, at the moment.) “So, your next mission leaves day after tomorrow. Naruto seems to think you’ll be gone for at least few days.”
“I doubt it. Should be boring.” He sat back as the bartender delivered a fourth round, and left.
“Considering the alternative, I’d just take the paycheck and quit the bellyaching.”
“Hm, who was apologizing to me just a moment ago for whining? Some drunk girl, I thought-“
“Please. It takes me at least three to feel even remotely tipsy.” To demonstrate, she tipped back her head and downed half the bottle, wiping her mouth with the back of her forearm. Which was very, very wet, actually…
“Really. Then, missing your mouth is just a party trick.”
“You didn’t see that,” she muttered, taking a napkin and blotting beer from the shoulder of her hospital scrubs.
“Nope,” he said. He watched her face screw up into a knot as she tugged at her damp clothes. It reminded him of the time when he and Sakura were coming back from a successful mission in Iwa, and a bird had single-handedly ruined it all with a fly-by crap on Sakura’s shoulder. He couldn’t help it when a chuckle escaped his lips.
Sakura slumped forward, her head buried in folded arms. “If you’re thinking about that time in Iwa, I will hit you. Really, really hard.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Lying isn’t very attractive, Kakashi.”
“Neither is being drunk. But, you happen to be one of the few who can remain very attractive while utterly tanked, which is commendable.”
Sakura was thankful that her expression was hidden in her arms; her forehead and the rest of her face felt hot against her skin. Sometimes, their conversations would wander into this certain territory that made her stomach simultaneously warm and uneasy, and all the logic she ever relied upon would fail her miserably.
“I think I need to go home,” she said to the surface of the table. “Walk me, please?”
Kakashi smiled, nodding. He tossed some cash onto the bar, waving good-bye to the bartender and hoisting Sakura to her feet. His arm around her waist felt a little too good for her intoxicated brain, and she wiggled away slowly, tucking her hair behind her ear. “That’s fine, I don’t need help. Just company.”
Their walk to Sakura’s apartment was quiet and uneventful, Kakashi walking a bit behind her with hands in his pockets. The night air was cool, and he lowered his mask to breathe the crisp air. She caught all this in her peripheral vision, but said nothing about it. Their conversation was sparse, but light in nature (“Did you just fake inebriation it so I’d have to pay the tab?” “If there weren’t three of you right now, I’d deck you.”)
When they arrived at her house, she took out her keys and her eyes crossed. “God damn keys all look alike,” she murmured.
Her back stiffened as she felt his arms envelop her. He threaded his fingers through hers and began manipulating her keys. Her back was flat against his chest, and she felt his breath soft against her cheek. A spark shot down her spine into the pit of her belly, and her head felt lighter than what any amount of alcohol could do.
“The square one, right?” Pressed against him, she could feel his voice reverberate through her body, and she simply nodded. He maneuvered her fingers around her house key and stepped back, breaking the spell for a moment.
“Thanks,” she said, a big pile of awkward. “Um, good luck on your mission. I’ll see you tomorrow for your meeting with Naruto.”
He smirked. “Okay, mother.”
She laughed, and snorted a little. Classy. “Maybe we should meet somewhere else next time. Somewhere that is far, far away from alcohol.”
“Oh, but what would be the fun in that?” he said, winking.
She punched him lightly on the shoulder. “I’m glad you’re having such a big time making me look like an ass.
“You don’t look like an ass, I promise.” He smiled his crooked grin that only she and a choice few had ever seen. Traces of stubble littered his jaw line, and before she could become too captivated with the little scar on the side of his nose, she turned away from him, letting out a laugh that was barely a breath.
“Well, then I take back what I said,” she replied, stepping into the doorway. “You’re very attractive, even when you’re lying.”
She hastily ran inside and shut the door. Kakashi remained outside, contemplating what had just taken place, holding the bridge of his nose between his fingers. A shift had taken place in their relationship, but she was obviously as tentative as he was. He wondered if he had made a mistake, and her quick escape was an indication that he had done something very wrong, and had inadvertently pushed her away forever.
He then heard the distinct sound of Sakura retching into the toilet, and knew this wasn’t the case.
He shook his head, a smile creeping back onto his face. It was happening more often, the more time he spent with her, and he wasn’t too sure how he felt about it. Readjusting his mask (the air had gotten a bit suffocating, for a moment), he took off towards his apartment. He was too old to be playing chase; the next move would have to be Sakura’s.
~~~
The following day, Sakura arrived at the Hokage’s office and inspected herself in the ladies’ room mirror. General stream of consciousness containing anything from insults (“Did you really get drunk after four beers?”), to reasoning (“At least there’s no hangover once you turn your stomach inside out”) to bewilderments (“Is that more white hair?!”) to admittances (“Your eyes are going to be puffy forever, as long as Naruto is Hokage”) occurred, as they did every morning.
She sighed heavily, pushing her bangs to the side and walked towards the door.
Which swung forward and slammed into her (still, too large) forehead.
“Son of a…”
“Oh, Sakura-san, I’m so sorry!”
Sakura threw her back against the wall, leaning her (pounding) head against the cool tile wall. Rika stood in the doorway, hand over mouth.
“Sakura-san, I am so, so, so sorry, I didn’t see you there-“
“Clearly,” Sakura replied, pressing the offended area.
“Is there anything I can get you? “ Rika fumbled in her purse. “I’ve got some aspirin-“
“Unless you’ve got a new face for me in there, I don’t think that’s really necessary.”
“Or, I can go downstairs and get you a cup of coffee, one sugar and a half-inch of cream, the way you like…?”
Sakura cracked open her eyes and breathed in and out. Slowly. Patience and toleration at eight AM was rather difficult when the desire to throttle another human being was so very immense.
“Listen, don’t worry about it. Coffee’s great. Thanks.”
“Okay, I’ll go now! I’m so, so sorry!” Rika backed out of the bathroom and took off down the hallway, each sharp click of her high heels on the floor like an additional nail being lodged in Sakura’s brain. She stepped out into the hallway, rubbing her temples.
“I work my ass off, and what do I get in return?” she asked herself, closing her eyes and willing the pain to leave. “Blunt objects flying at my face. What the hell.”
“Hard work’s overrated.”
She turned to see Genma strolling down the hall, Kakashi not too far behind. She ignored the warm, tickly feeling in her stomach and scrunched her face into a scowl. “As if the day couldn’t get any worse.”
“A delight, as always,” Genma noted, rolling the senbon in his mouth from one side to the other.
“Well, at least you’re on time, and you-know-who didn’t get lost on the road of life again.” She motioned to Kakashi.
“Miracles happen.” Genma rolled his eyes.
Kakashi coughed. “I’m here, you know.”
She smiled and turned down the hall. “Walk with me; I’ll let you in.”
She remembered her days as a genin when she dreamed about walking these very halls as an elite Konoha ninja. Now that this tower was like her second home, she couldn’t help but think that somewhere along the way, her dream became a bit skewed. Perhaps she would return to field duty, when Naruto was ready.
Upon opening the door and finding Naruto leaning back in his desk chair, chewing on a takoyaki stick and staring with great intent at the ceiling, she could say with sad certainty that this wouldn’t be anytime soon. Naruto looked over, waved, opened his mouth to speak, and immediately choked on the wooden stick in his mouth.
I can’t even make this shit up, Sakura thought woefully, walking over to Naruto and whapping him on the back a few times.
Genma laughed a little, nodding in her direction. “You’ve got your work cut out for ya, sweetheart,” he said.
“Naruto, Kakashi and Genma are here to meet with you. You also have a meeting with Ibiki-san at nine-thirty, so please wear the hat-“
“It’s a stupid hat,” Naruto muttered between pitiful wheezes.
“And while you’re in the meeting, I’ll find Rika and we’ll go over the reports for June-“
“Sakura-san, here’s your coffee!” Rika exclaimed, tearing past Kakashi and Genma to safely deliver a fresh mug of coffee to Sakura’s desk. “They didn’t have cream, so I had to run over to the convenience store, so I’m a little late, and I’m so, so sorry about before-“
“Thank you, Rika,” Sakura said, slightly embarrassed. “These gentlemen here were just here to see-“
“Oh, god, I hope you didn’t have to wait too long!” she said, standing up straight and adjusting the (very short) hem of her skirt. “I’m Rika, and I hope we can get to know each other better while I’m here-“
“Ah, this is Rika-san,” Genma said, senbon bobbing. He whacked Sakura on the back. “Sakura-san has been raving about you.”
Rika beamed at Sakura, unbelieving. “Really!? Thank you, Sakura-san!”
“Really, it was nothing,” Sakura deadpanned, shooting a venomous glare at Genma from the corner of her eye. She desperately looked over to Kakashi for help, but he had apparently become intrigued with a potted plant in the corner of the room.
“Rika, can you come take notes for me in this meeting?” Naruto piped up, hat in place and sitting up straight. “Genma and Kakashi are two of the village’s most respected nin, and I need to make sure they are given all the necessary information before they set out on this next mission.”
Kakashi immediately turned around and Genma tucked his senbon into a pouch attached to his leg. Rika turned to Naruto and nodded, taking her place at the desk next to him.
“Yes, of course, Hokage-sama,” said Rika, and the four reconvened at the Hokage’s desk to discuss the mission details.
Sakura smiled and fell back into her chair, taking her first sips of morning coffee. Naruto may not have known how to balance a budget, but he understood the influence of the Hokage’s position quite well, and took to the leadership aspects of his new role with a stride that allowed Sakura to breathe a sigh of relief.
Now, if only she could pluck his eyes off of Rika’s ass, everything would be peachy.
She turned her attention to gathering Ibiki’s budget proposals for the nine-thirty meeting, and debated what color paper-clip would be suitable for a letter to Gaara-sama. The morning coffee threw her into high gear and she was just about to hit her stride when a figure loomed over her desk.
“What is it, Shiranui?” Sakura said, continuing to loot through the crap that had piled up in her desk drawers. Ooh, there was a coupon that hadn’t expired-maybe she’d go there for lunch…
“Nothin’. Hatake’s takin’ his sweet time.” Genma leaned on her desk, picking at his cuticles.
“Secret meeting with Naruto, huh?” Ah, she knew she had a pink clip.
“Nope. Looks like he’s talkin’ up your new best friend.”
Sakura’s eyes immediately whipped over to the scene to her left where a certain shinobi leaned with his weight on one leg-a leg she had just glowy-fingered two months ago, no less-speaking quite personably to the blushing girl in grown-up clothes. Sakura had to admit that her interest was piqued, and her eyebrow raised in annoyed curiosity. The warm tingly feeling in her stomach now morphed into what felt like a ten-pound brick to the gut. She was a little confused, and, admittedly, a little angry, but these feelings had roots in something unfamiliar to her.
She could be…jealous?
No. No, she was not jealous; that was absurd. One brief, drunken admittance of possible mutual attraction did not give reason for jealousy. In all honesty, Sakura had to confess to herself that even if she was jealous (of which she really, really was not, at all, period), she didn’t have the experience necessary to understand where these feelings came from.
But, Sakura knew a great deal about rage, so she was decidedly pissed. Being pissed was easy.
“Yes,” she said with. Great. Restraint. “It appears he is. Well, Genma, good luck, and I hope you come back unharmed from your journey.”
“Yeah, good thing my medic is so kind and attentive,” he remarked, narrowing his eyes at her.
However, Sakura’s glare was focused on the offending source, the pink paper clip folded three times over in her fingers. “We have a lot of work to do this morning, so if you wouldn’t mind just moving along, that’d be outstanding.”
Genma hopped off her desk and a smile gripped the corner of his mouth; he could see the purpose in Sakura’s eyes, even if she couldn’t just yet. “Right. Tell him to meet me in the lobby when he’s done talking. And you’re done seething.”
“Sure,” she answered, not particularly listening. As Genma left, Kakashi exchanged a few more words with Rika. Sakura watched with intent the exchange of papers between them (those had better be just recipes) and the way Rika played nervously with the ends of her hair as he waved his farewell.
Sakura ensured she was glued to her paperwork when Kakashi returned to her desk.
“Looks like things up here are going smoothly for now,” he said to her, tucking his mission scroll in his vest pocket.
“Mmhmm,” she said. It was quite possible for her to re-break the leg she had carefully put back together, wasn’t it, now?
“Should be back before next week though.”
“Mmhmm.”
“So, I’ll find you when I get back.”
“Sure.”
“Right. Only this time, if Genma needs a clean-up, you think you can help him out? He was a bit sore about what you did last time.”
“Mmhmm.”
Kakashi paused and took careful note of how her hands flexed against each other and how she dug through her papers with an enthusiasm only demonstrated when she wanted to avoid eye contact. He had seen it before in the way she fiddles with her clipboard when delivering unfortunate news to her patients, and when she was twelve and cracking all the joints in her fingers was suddenly quite interesting when a certain Uchiha boy was around.
He was aware that she was evading communication with him, and, like most things women did, he could not even pretend to know the reasoning behind it.
“So…nothing’s wrong?” he tried.
“Nope, everything’s fine.”
“Because, for a minute there, you weren’t actually speaking words, just the same thing over and over-“
“Just busy. You know, babysitting the Hokage, wrangling ninja, putting bones back together. Schedule gets a bit wacky.”
He nodded. “All right. Bye for now.”
If she had looked up right then, she might have seen the hint of melancholy in his eye that she could read like a book. But, by the time she did, there were only leaves and smoke.
She sat at her desk and laid her head in her arms. This day had already left a sour taste in her mouth, and it was barely nine in the morning.
Time dragged all day long between Rika’s high-pitched chatter and Naruto’s insistent need to shout most everything he said. By the time Sakura left for her shift at the hospital, shoving her head in the toilet bowl seemed like a better way to pass the time. At least it was quiet.
She slogged down the stairs, and passed a familiar figure face down asleep on a bench in the lobby.
“Oh, crap, I forgot to tell him to meet Genma in the lobby…”
tbc