As The Falcon Flies By

Chapter 1 - The Berries

"When captured birds grow wiser, they try to open the cage with their beaks. They don't give up, because they want to fly again."

- Genma Shiranui

"You need to go out." A very serious Genma was standing in front of Sakura's desk, his arms crossed over his chest. "You know, fresh air and all that. I've heard oxygen is pretty good around this time of the year."

Muscles showed through the black fabric covering his arms, and the ever-present senbon stuck in his mouth, moving with each syllable.

Without looking up, she asked him, "Excuse me?" She had work to do. A lot. Kakashi had come back from a mission, with a very sick Gai. Sick, as in his-face-was-as-green-as-his-suit-sick.

Their mission was to get rid of two missing-nin who were terrorising some small farm villages. Not a problem for two of the most legendary shinobi of Konoha, but one of the missing-nin had gotten lucky, and had managed to scratch Gai with the tip of a dagger. And voilà, five hours later, the fierce and youthful Green Beast of Konoha was stuck in a hospital bed, with a big stomach cramp.

At least their mission had been accomplished.

Sakura was bent over a microscope, inspecting the blood for the traces of poison. Frowning, she quickly scribbled something down. If this is what I think it is...

With a determined face, she got up to pick a heavy book from the bookshelf behind her. Blowing the tiny layer of dust away, she started flipping through the pages, and found confirmation of her suspicions. I knew it! This isn't poison!

"Hey! Don't ignore me!" Genma still stood in front of her desk, with a determined face.

With a small frown she closed the book and sighed. How could this happen again? Shaking her head, she opened the door of her office.

"Kakashi?"

The slouching jonin slowly looked up from his favourite book, using a finger as his bookmark.

"Hn?"

"Are you sure he was poisoned during the attack?"

Kakashi managed to make even that simple nod look lazy.

"It must have been then."

Grinding her teeth over each other, she said, "Then why am I sure it's food poisoning?"

He sweat-dropped. Oh oh...

An uncertain smile crept on his face. "Again...?"

Oh Kami... Not again Kakashi!

"You let him eat the damn berries again, didn't you?"

Like a small child being caught with his hand in the cookie jar, Kakashi shrank a little with her sharp tone.

"Uhh... no?"

She almost face-palmed. Her growing displeasure must have shown on her face, because Kakashi's eyes widened a little in his normally placid face. Time to leave...

Before Sakura could stop him, the man made his escape, leaving nothing but a cloud of smoke behind.

A low growl sounded from her throat. That man...

Genma quickly jumped from her path as she stalked back into her office, the heavy door slamming closed behind her.

She stomped towards her desk, slammed a drawer open and started going through it. Almost immediately she pulled back, grimacing at a paper cut. She might be a skilled kunoichi, but nobody liked paper cuts. Quickly healing the minuscule cut and frowning at nothing in particular, she continued her search for a piece of paper and a pen.

This is ridiculous, why can't I find a piece of paper in a desk?

"..."

"What ...are you doing?"

Hesitant and wary - he knew very well how Sakura could be when she was angry, having experienced it first hand- he walked a little closer.

"Pfffff..." With a tired sigh she gave up and sank back into her chair.

"A few weeks ago, Gai arrived at my door, sick, because of some berries he found next to the road."

An amused smile crept onto Genma's face. That sounded just like his old teammate. He could almost hear Gai's enthusiasm.

"I keep telling him not to eat strange things, but he doesn't listen!"

The umpteenth sigh of the day escaped her lips.

"He's a shinobi! A jonin! He should know better."

With a chuckle, Genma sat on the edge of the desk.

"Sakura?"

"Hn?"

"You need to take a break."

Her eyebrow raised and her mouth tensed, reluctantly hearing him out.

"I guess..."

"And preferably... a good night out. How does that sound, huh?"

A small smile crept on her face as she opened another drawer of her desk and now that she was calm, immediately found what she was looking for. With quick but precise handwriting, she wrote something down on the piece of paper.

"Al right. You give this to the nurses in the hospital. They'll know what to give Gai. I'll wrap up here... and then we'll go."

"Deal!"

She had needed this. A nice carefree night out with friends. And lots and lots of booze. She added, grinning mentally.

Oh Kami, Tsunade must be rubbing off on me... People do mention that a lot.

They had stopped by her small but comfortable flat so she could change out of her lab coat. But since it was still quite early, they hung out a little.

Sakura had her eyes closed and was soaking in the last rays of summer sunshine on her balcony. Her feet rested on top of the wooden balustrade.

The city was quiet, as if a huge blanket had been laid over it. A small smile formed on her lips. This is heaven.

Genma was in the kitchen, looking for drinks in the small fridge next to the sink. She barely ate at home, so it wasn't very full.

The floor boards slightly creaked under his bare feet, as he walked outside.

"See? It's nice to be outside, huh? Fresh air, sun, cold beverages..." he said, as he placed an ice-cold beer in her open hand.

"Fine." A reluctant noise came from Sakura. "Maybe you were right."

A triumphant laugh escaped his lips.

She opened her eyes, just a crack, to show a small glare. But it was quickly melted away by the sun.

They chatted and drank. After lighting up his third cigarette, it was pitch black.

"Are you ready?"

She nodded while shrugging a simple jacket on.

"Let's go!" They grinned at each other.

Sakura swiped her small bag off the coffee table and ushered Genma out, locking the door behind her.

It was a comfortable bar. It was the bar where most Konoha shinobi could be found. Not to loud and not to quiet. Just perfect really.

Genma sauntered in, and as the fine gentleman he was, held the door for Sakura.

With a snort she passed him, showing how little she believed his little act.

Chuckling, they made their way to a table in the back.

It was quite early, but already it was filled with people. Mostly shinobi, but some civilians too.

Quickly, a waiter appeared at the table. "The usual?"

With a glance at Sakura, Genma said, "Something... a little bit stronger, please."

"Of course, Shiranui-san." With a small bow the waiter left.

"Something stronger...?"

He leaned over the table, and in a conspiring tone told her, " I'm planning on getting you incredibly drunk tonight."

She snorted. "I doubt that will happen. Somebody will need to bring us home tonight, and since you have a low alcohol-tolerance..."

"Hah! Just watch me! This time I'll keep up!"

I've missed this... Maybe I do work too much...

Genma was in the middle of telling her a story and she was actually enjoying herself. Not bad Shiranui Genma, not bad...

She looked at him and just smiled.

He faltered in his story-telling. "What...?"

"Nothing." Her smile grew.

He grinned back at her.

He knows me so well.

"Uh... Am I interrupting something?"

With a start she looked to her right, where Kakashi awkwardly stood, scratching his head stiffly.

"Of course not!" She smiled at him, already forgiving him for disappearing on her earlier, and motioned him to sit down. Over his head, Sakura sent Genma a warning glare.

He just grinned back.

Oh boy...

She didn't see Kakashi often. Their team 7 occasionally grouped together for a high-ranking mission, but everybody had their own responsibilities now. So she was more than happy to catch up with him.

She just hoped he wouldn't find out about her and Genma again. It would bring up a whole lot of questions and difficulties that she'd rather keep buried.

We are not in a relationship. Not really... So stop being so nervous.

The rest of the night was spent enjoying herself and talking to her friends, and, unfortunately, getting a little bit inebriated.

"Fine. You can crash at my place."

"Like old times, huh?"

"Genma, sweetie?" she said with the most patient voice she could summon.

"Yeah?" He said, while taking another swig of an unknown, and probably far too strong substance.

"Shut up!" She sent him a warning glare, but he didn't notice.

He must have drunk more than I thought...

Rolling her eyes she stood up.

"Do you need any help?"

She shook her head. "Thanks, Kakashi, but it'll be fine."

Genma was trying to swat her hand away again. With a sigh she skillfully plucked the cigarette from between his fingers and put it in between her lips. He's going to hurt himself like this...at least the senbon is gone. She thought with a smile.

Holding him up with one arm, she paid the waiter.

"Alright, come on, sweetie. Don't make this to difficult for me."

"Where are we going...? I like it here..."

"Yeah, I can see..." An amused Sakura just smiled at him. He's adorable when he's drunk...

She waved at Kakashi, and when she passed their table, exchanged a few words with Shikamaru and Choji.

She then started dragging Genma towards the front door.

"You're staying on the couch though."

"But-"

"No but's!" she quickly interrupted.

"Aww... but that's no fun."

She just shook her head and laughed, slightly louder than she normally would. Don't ever change, Genma.

Stepping into the fresh air, she inhaled the smoke one more time. Then she flicked the cigarette into an ashtray, and made her way home, with her unusual luggage.

"That was... odd, no?"

Shikamaru was looking at the closed door. Through the window he could still see Sakura's signature pink hair, but it was dark and he couldn't make out anything beyond that.

"What do you mean, Shikamaru?" Ino plopped down on the empty chair on his right, before setting down the drinks she just bought.

Choji scratched his head.

"I dunno, Shikamaru... You're probably overanalysing this."

"Yeah, maybe... But the fact that you thought of the same thing might mean something."

Ino, getting slightly ticked off by being left out of the conversation, opened her mouth, "Helloooo? What's going on?!"

Shikamaru just shook his head. "It's nothing, Ino."

They probably aren't a couple...

Thanks for reading! Constructive criticism is much needed, so please review!

Akamaruuuu out!

Next up: Chapter 2 - The Boxer Shorts