Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

Denial	By : djserani Category: Naruto > Het - Male/Female > Kakashi/Sakura Views: 4298 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: As always, I don't own the world or characters, I just like to torment them. Kishimoto-sensei gets to keep them permanently. (I make no money from it!)

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
- 7
When she got down to breakfast, both Maiko and Kakashi were already at a table, Kakashi with his back to the wall, Maiko to his left. Sakura paused in the doorway of the dining room to get a hold of herself. As she stood there a moment, Maiko laughed at something he'd said and patted him on the shoulder.

And Sakura saw red. Or, in this case, green.

She marched across the room and only managed to bring herself to a screeching halt when he looked up at her. His eye had warmed and the crinkle in the corner deepened. When he saw her.

She couldn't have mistaken it. So she stood for the briefest of moments, thrown off by it. She had no idea how to deal with this. In all this time she'd been falling in love with him, she'd never before actually been jealous. And though it had been derailed, it still messed with her.

Maiko looked up at her. "Good morning! I hope you slept well!"

Sakura shoved the jealousy away to consider later and turned with a smile to their escort. "Actually, I slept very well, thanks."

Maiko grinned at her. "That's a good thing."

"How did you sleep?" Sakura asked as she sat to Kakashi's right.

"One of my neighbors was making a bit of noise early in the night, but they calmed down. I slept just fine after that."

Sakura nearly choked on the tea she'd started sipping. She felt Kakashi's hand on her knee under the table and she just barely managed to avoid spitting it all over the place. She swallowed again and took a deep breath before she replied. "That's good to hear."

Kakashi chose that moment to rescue her. "I spoke with the driver this morning. The carriage is ready to leave after breakfast."

"Oh good. I'm sorry for the delays. I really wish I didn't get seasick. You wouldn't have to go through all this." Maiko took a drink of her tea.

Sakura grinned. "That's okay. We don't mind the fees."

Maiko laughed. "Good point!" The server came out and Sakura put in her order for another bowl of soup, and more umeboshi. She hoped she could taste it this morning. When the server left, Maiko added, "I told your partner that your expenses on the trip should be billed to me, as well."

Sakura didn't choke over Maiko's choice of words, but it was a near thing. 'Partner' was a perfectly appropriate word, but given the current situation between them, the double meaning almost did her in. Instead, she waited until the tea had gone down properly before replying. "Thank you. That's very generous."

"Nonsense. That's how business is done." At Sakura's surprised look, she said, "I paid attention to my father's business. I know a bit about it. When he goes on trips, he makes sure that his expenses are included." She shrugged. "It makes sense to me."

"It's not common for that to be part of our missions. Then again, this is a bit unusual for us, too." Kakashi picked up the teapot and split the remains among the three cups.

"Thank you. Yes, I imagine it is. I don't suppose you normally have to go quite so far on an escort, do you?"

"There are exceptions, of course. But no, not usually. That's not the most unusual part, though." He sipped at the tea and paused when their food was brought out. After the server bowed and turned back to the kitchen, he said, "we normally camp."

"Oh." Maiko said. "Well, then I guess this is different." She smiled. "Then I'm even more glad to do it."

"Well, it's definitely nice. Sleeping in a bed is always a bonus." Sakura said, and they lapsed into silence as the three of them concentrated on their food. Sakura was glad to note that not only did she taste the umeboshi, but it was quite good. She sighed as she finished her food and glanced up at Kakashi when she caught him looking at her.

His eye crinkled and she smiled back. "How do you know what his facial expressions are?" Maiko's voice broke through her thoughts.

Sakura grinned. "I've been working with him for some ten years. If I haven't learned to read him by now, I should be bumped back to the academy."

Kakashi chuckled. "There are other jonin who have been around since before you that can't read me."

Sakura's eyebrow shot up. "You're kidding."

He shook his head. "Nope. Even Genma and Yamato have trouble reading me at times. Naruto never gets it right."

Sakura laughed. "Give him a break, he's never been the brightest student."

"That much is true." He chuckled again. "I'm sorry," he said at Maiko's blank look. "Genma, Yamato and Naruto are members or our ninja corps that we are close to. Yamato and Naruto are sometimes teammates."

"Ah, thank you." She smiled. "I've definitely heard of Naruto, he's the blond, right? Wears bright orange?"

Sakura shuddered. "Much to my dismay. I can't tell you how many times I've tried over the years to get him to wear another color - any other color." They all laughed. Then silence fell again as they each finished their tea.

Maiko watched the byplay between the two. There was more than just the team dynamic going on here, she was sure, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. If what he said were true, there's usually only one reason why someone is able to read another like Sakura can read him.

She decided she was going to have to watch them a little closer. She hated to see people apart if they didn't need to be and she wanted to help these two, if she could. But she would need more information before she could do anything.

They departed Otafuku Gai with little difficulty and even less fanfare. Everything had been loaded swiftly and before the day even had a chance to get warm, they were out of the village and on their way.

Kakashi had gone over the map with the desk clerk at the hotel. He'd discovered another village some sixty kilometers beyond their next stop that sat at another crossroads. From there it was almost a hundred to the border of the Land of Tea. After that evening, things were going to be more tricky for a while.

There's no use worrying about it now. Kakashi turned his thoughts to that morning. It had been a completely new experience for him to wake up with her, instead of slipping out. Her smile had really given him something to think about. If she was truly regretting things by the light of day, would she have smiled like that when she discovered him still there?

She wanted you to stay. He reminded himself. It may have only been that one night. That much was true, and so he couldn't read too much into it. But even so, she seemed happier this morning and he couldn't ignore that.

He chuckled to himself as he remembered when he'd seen her arrive at the dining room. He couldn't have missed the jealousy on her face when she saw Maiko laughing. It had surprised him, because he wasn't expecting that kind of thing from her. It would mean that there was more to her feelings than what he'd been willing to believe. And he wasn't sure he was ready for that yet.

She glanced over when he chuckled. "Something funny?"

He shook his head. "Just remembering something."

"Oh? What's that?" She looked at him expectantly.

He hedged. He didn't think she'd find it funny that he was laughing at her jealousy, even if he would admit to seeing it. Which he patently was not going to do. "I was remembering one of the times that Naruto tricked Iruka into getting hit with the eraser."

She gave him a look that clearly said she didn't believe him, but she let it go. "Which time? There must have been a million of them."

"Not long before he graduated. Iruka was at the bar that night complaining about him. I made some sort of 'better you than me' comment. Guess the joke was on me, though, huh?"

Sakura snorted. "Yeah. You got it the day you met us." She paused, remembering. "For the record, I did try to stop him."

"I figured. No one stops Naruto when he gets something in his head though."

"No. No, he doesn't." She sighed. "I actually miss the dolt. When are they due back?"

Kakashi shrugged. "I have no idea. Tsunade told him to take his time, which was probably a very bad idea. He and Hinata may never come back from their honeymoon at that rate."

"Well, I doubt that. Hiashi won't live forever." She grinned. "I'm glad he finally got his head on straight. About Hinata, I mean," she added when he looked over at her.

"I was beginning to think he'd never figure it out. I guess people can be pretty blind when it's right in front of them." And with that, they fell into an awkward silence.

Is it right in front of me? Sakura asked herself. She glanced over at Kakashi again and yet again thought that she just didn't know.
- 5
- 6
- 7
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Denial