The Taming of the Scarecrow

Adaptation of Taming of the Shrew written by William Shakespeare

Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto

Written for the "Love's Not Time's Fool" competition hosted by the LJ Kakasaku community and moderndayportia

Shizune found her target stinking drunk in her own office. Sighing, she held the door open for the guest behind her to enter. He'd already been privilaged enough to see the reluctant principal in varius stages of drunk throughout her life.

"My little princess hasn't changed a bit." The tall white haired man made his way over behind the sleeping Tsunade and caressed her cheek before tucking escaped hair back off of her face.

"If she wakes up while you're doing that, Jiraiya, you'll most likely receive a fist to the groin for being in such close approximation." Shizune stood quietly in the background, not wanting to disturb them but knowing it was most likely for the best.

"We've both traveled all over the world and yet fate has brought up back to England, to the very academy where we met and grew up." A sly smile came over his face as Jiraiya turned to Shizune. "This is what we're going to do. When she wakes up we're going to pretend that she married me last night in a drunken stupor, I'll give the entire staff a months salary to go along with it."

Jiraiya pulled a small ring out of his pocket and slipped it on Tsunade's hand. Shizune wondered just how long the man had been in love with her prickly neurosurgeon-turned-Head Mistress employer and friend.

Jiraiya bent over and picked up the principal like she was a priceless treasure and Shizune saw that to him, Tsunade most likely was. They'd always skirted around their attraction. Shizune knew that the older woman did love him. Time and others had kept them apart, but maybe now they could give things a chance.

Shizune opened the door that connected to Tsunade's private quarters, letting them walk through before following them with Jiraiya's bags. Tsunade deserved some measure of happiness, they both did.

It wasn't until the light was blocked that Sakura realized Ino was talking to her. "We need to talk."

Looking up from the medical books scattered around her in the library, she saw that not only had Ino invited herself into Sakura's personal space, but so had some of her other followers.

"About what?" Whatever it was they wanted, it would come with a price tag attached.

Sakura wasn't like the other kids at the Kage Academy. Most of them were from the upper classes in Britain and they all grew up together. Kage was an independent day and boarding school for girls aged, three to eighteen, and for boys aged, three to eleven. At twelve, the boys went to a separate boarding school across town. It drove some of the girls mad that they didn't get to see the boys on a regular basis.

At age eleven, Sakura was the first scholarship student to enter into the academy started by the newly appointed Head Mistress Tsunade, a former neurosurgeon who had graduated from the same school. Sakura loved medicine, just like Head Mistress Tsunade. The only thing standing in the way of Sakura becoming the doctor she dreamed of was money. She'd just about secured a scholarship to study at the most prestigious medical university and all that remained was finding a way to afford living expenses. There was only so much she could borrow from her parents and not enough time to find a proper job.

This was how she found herself outside the school before curfew on her way into town. The hard part had been getting across the open field between the forest and the tennis courts, but Ino and the girls had taken care of that for her. While the rest of the school was in mandatory choir, Hinata had told Professor Kurenai that Sakura was sick. Once Kurenai was out of sight, leaving orders for Hinata to stay with her and make sure she didn't get worse, Sakura was up and out of the door, pillows stuffed under the covers to mimic a sleeping body. Hinata, a sweet and quiet girl, was stationed in the shared common room to keep up appearances.

Walking into the town proper she only needed to worry about the police that patrolled the area. She had mapped her route carefully, choosing alleys and dimly lit streets. One glimpse of her bright pink hair and the jig would be up; she'd be escorted back to the school and disciplined. She had a date to keep.

All this to meet up with a man who was now thirty minuets late. She might have thought her information was wrong if she hadn't already been aware of his reputation.

Hatake Kakashi, karate teacher at the boys academy and currently her objective. She'd met the man a few times in passing when the boys and girls combined their activities.

"Don't take it easy on them even though they're girls, you bunch of pansies. They won't take it easy on you when their hand is in your wallets when you're older. Give it to them now, show them who's boss or they'll have you on that leash at an early age." She remembered Kakashi saying this as a pep talk before the boys' and girls' first co-ed tournament. It had been her first impression of the boys and men of the school.

Hidden in a shadowy alley, she had been watching the sun slip pass the horizon while she went over her objective. The request was simple, the situation a bit much. The head coach imposed a rule on the boys in the sports programs. "If your team coach isn't dating, neither are you."

It hadn't really been a problem until Hinata decided she'd finally had enough of Naruto's obliviousness and blurted out that she was head over heels in love with him. Naruto found that he was inclined to return her feelings, but told her that the team wasn't allowed to date. Hinata had come home from town crying and Ino had taken her aside and found out the details. Action was begging to be taken; especially since Ino had been crazy for the Uchiha heir since the first day they met.

She didn't want to know where or how they'd gotten the information that Kakashi would be dining with some friends this very night. She was here and they were paying her to see it through. The money they were fronting here would be enough to cover all her expenses while she was at school and then some.

It seemed like Kakashi was never going to date. He was, at the age of twenty-eight a confirmed bachelor and scholarly pervert. He never treated women badly, although he would never give them an inch either. For three years Naruto and Sasuke stood at the top of the charts in karate, due in part to their ruthlessness during matches that left them no room for much social interaction.

He'd made his loathing of women clear; Sakura knew she'd have to take some drastic measures to ensure that everyone thought they were dating. A pair of killer heels, a moderate neckline and black rimmed eyes were the only sprucing up she'd done, setting her far apart from the other woman that came out of the Academy.

Finally she spotted her mark, sauntering a full hour late to the restaurant, reading the same little series of smut he always kept stashed in his back pocket. It was time to put her plan into action. Slipping out from the shadows she sauntered across the street, eyes ahead on her prize. Confidently she walked forward, intending to cut him off before he had a chance to enter the establishment.

"Hey, you. Hold it there a moment," a male voice rang out from behind her just as she was only a few steps from Kakashi.

Sakura turned her head to look back and saw that officer Yamato was behind her, gaining fast. Her eyes widened and she turned back around in time to trip right into Kakashi. His arms came up around her holding her from falling down. His hands occupied, she raised hers to pull down the scarf he liked to wear high around his mouth nearly full year round and planted one on him.

His hands tightened in surprise, gripping into her waist and lower back as she parted her lips to taste more of him. Encouraged by this, Sakura smiled and opened her mouth, sucking in a firm lower lip. Well, this part had turned in her favor, as she knew it would. No man was going to turn down soft flesh and a willing kiss. He tasted of mint and Sakura inhaled his scent which was fully male. Her one hand was planted on a firm shoulder, while the other entangled itself in hair that was unexpectedly soft.

Closing her eyes as she pulled her head back, Sakura smiled and purred, "Hello, Darling."

His hands tightened further as recognition set in. He knew who she was.

"Captain! I—" Yamato's voice was embarrassed. "I wasn't aware she was your, um … girlfriend?" The last word seemed to slide into the night as if to fall away.

Captain? Sakura thought fast. She hadn't thought to ask what Kakashi's full time job was. She knew he was a private Karate coach, a volunteer like some of them.

"You've been keeping me a secret again, haven't you?" He stared at her steadily, not letting a hint of confusion enter his face, but she could feel the tension in his body as his arms tightened around her.

"You sly old dog! You said you had a surprise for us, but I didn't think you'd be bringing your girl around for us to meet!"

Sakura turned with Kakashi and Yamato to see that a group of people she dimly recognized as other officers crowded outside of the restaurant door. Faces looked at them curiously through the windows.

"So Pinky here is more your style," a leered a woman who was hanging off a man she recognized as Gai-sensei, another Karate tutor, who she did know was a part of the police force in town. "I always thought you were bent Hatake." A fang poked out of the smile she gave them.

Sakura knew she had him as he dropped his one hand to her hip and pushed her forward towards the group, "Sakura Haruno..."

"His girlfriend." Sakura waved at them watching their faces range from disbelief to shock. This couldn't have worked more perfectly if she'd strip down and waved her chest in his face. Now that it was established that Kakashi had a girlfriend, the boys would be free for the girls to chase after them. Ino would have to pay up.

"Captain?" Yamato called for Kakashi's attention again. Sakura looked over and wondered what the outcome of this was going to be.

"She's with me tonight. I'll escort her back. Besides, she's the one treating me tonight. You don't want me to miss out on my meal, do you, Yamato?" Kakashi tilted his head and smiled at the smaller man who nervously stepped back.

"Not at all, Captain. I'll be seeing you later then." Yamato gave a light swing of his truncheon and started off back on patrol down the street.

"Right, my girl," Kakashi growled in her ear, the threat clear in his voice.

Sakura shivered slightly and laced her fingers with his. "Lets go inside."

She might have gotten away for now, but Sakura knew tonight was far from over. With a sideways glance up at him, she thought perhaps she'd play this out even further. He was a devilishly attractive man that just needed to be brought down a peg or two — and how fortunate that she was up to the task. This was going to be more fun than she'd anticipated.

"He really never takes the scarf off! Not even in bed?" Anko, the woman from early who Sakura found out was dating Gai, started banging on the table howling with laughter.

Sakura blushed demurely behind her water cup. "Not that that matters. All that matters is who he is." She glanced up at Kakashi to find his eyes hot on hers. He might say he found women to be demanding, coddling creatures, but from the heat in his eyes, she could tell he was itching for a fight. Sakura had been on guard since she started this game and he wasn't going to give her an inch.

The things his friends were willing to talk about in front of him let her know that while he was a proclaimed woman hater, his nature was that of a protector.

"Do you remember the time when Kakashi had to climb up the tree to fetch that little old lady's cat?" Genma pointed to Gai, who burst out laughing.

"My eternal rival was in true form that day! Not only did he scamper up the tree to coax the frightened animal into his hand, but…" Tears were streaming down his face as he couldn't finish the sentence.

Iruka took the tale up from there. "The cat was so frightened that it dug its nails into his arm, you see. Then when Kakashi tried to hand it to her, it wouldn't let go."

"'Thank you for bringing my pussy back to me. She's been a naughty girl of late,'" Anko burst out. "And Kakashi just stood there while she tried to get the cat to let go. Then she said, 'Oh!" Anko gasped for breath before she continued. "'My pussy's quite attached to you, it seems,' right as it lets him go. And then he just pulled out that little porn book he's always reading. She got all huffy and stomped off while he walked away." The entire table had tears in their eyes from laughing so hard, Sakura included.

Placing her hand on his leg, Sakura leaned and murmured, "Did you want any more? My spaghetti bolognese was very good. I wouldn't mind sharing with you."

"I've seen everything now. Tough man Kakashi letting a woman pamper him. Do you turn his sheets down before bed, make him dinner, and hang his clothes out to dry too, Sakura?" Slurred Genma, another delightful friend of Kakashi's from the force.

Sakura smiled at him as she dished some of her food onto Kakashi's plate. "Only when he lets me. Most of the time he takes care of that. I'm too busy studying to be a doctor. There's not much time between school, sports, and studying for that." She sucked on the fork as she looked pensively up at him.

Gai slapped Kakashi on the arm, propelling him into Sakura a little. "My eternal rival! We all know how much you hate the hospital, so you've found someone who'll be able to tend to your needs at home. I should have expected this from you!"

Iruka, another sports coach she'd trained with when she was younger, laughed lightly. "You've changed so much since you were a little girl, Sakura. I wouldn't have imagined Kakashi to be your type. I remember when you had such a crush on Sasuke Uchiha."

Sakura turned her head back towards Kakashi, narrowing her eyes at him, cutting off a sarcastic comment about to cross his lips, "Yes, well, we all grow out of childish things, even though it may take some years in certain cases." Kakashi's head swiveled to back to hers as she continued. "I've decided to keep this one, ladies and gentleman." Sakura dropped her largest playing piece yet andlet them stew over what that could mean.

There was a silence at the table that no one dared break as Sakura held Kakashi's gaze. This may have started out as a job, but it became more than that the moment he returned her kiss. The more she found out about him from his friends, the more she wanted to keep him, bind him to her so that he was hers just as much as she would be his.

"Would you all care for some dessert?" The waiter broke the tension at the table and everyone called out their orders quickly.

"I'll have a cheesecake with blueberries on top," Sakura ordered quickly, "and a cup of coffee, please."

She turned back to Kakashi who'd finally lowered his mouth her her ear. "I'm on to your little game, my little airy-fairy. I won't be kept by any woman, let alone a girl like you who's all fur coat and no knickers." He threw the gauntlet down, his breath tickling her ear, leaving it as damp as he made other parts of her body.

Sakura smiled as her hand slid along his leg, letting it rest just on top of his thigh. She pressed down as she turned her mouth to his ear. "By the end of tonight, you will be begging on your knees to be mine. Don't worry, I will be very accommodating, my delicious Lord kissed his cheek on the corner of his another look into his eyes she kept her hand on his thigh and focused her attentions to the dessert that was placed in front of her. Blueberries were piled high and the blue sauce dripped off the sides. Scooping a bit onto her spoon She had to close her eyes it was so good.

"You'll be joining us later then, right?" Sakura opened her eyes to see Anko looking at her expectidly. "We're all headed clubbing after this."

Sakura scooped another bite onto her spoon. "Sure! Sounds like fun. We don't get to get out much, together."

She glanced coyly at Kakashi, who opened his mouth to protest. Ready for him, she shoved the spoon of cheesecake in. She wanted to go clubbing on a non-free pass night and by damned she was going to go.

Kakashi leveled a glare at her, "You know I don't like sweet things, darling." His hand covered hers on his thigh and squeezed.

"Except pink haired ones, right?" Genma said, the rest of the table burst out in howls and laughter.

Sakura snorted and took up another spoonful of desert. She was having one of the best nights she could remember. The people were all delightful, even her new boyfriend. They were going to go clubbing later where maybe she could sneak in a few more kisses. Finishing off the last bite, Sakura turned her hand over and laced his fingers with hers. He wasn't so bad, once you got to know him like his coworkers did.

Except the last time she looked, his forehead wasn't covered with sweat and didn't have red blotches coming up over his nose. Sakura turned and brushed his silver hair back over his ears.

"Oh, you poor baby. You're getting hives. I'm so sorry." She clucked as she plucked at his collar, seeing that the rash extended downwards also.

Sakura turned back to the table and pulled her wallet out. "I'm going to take this silly sausage to the pharmacy and get some benadryl. We'll meet up at the club then, yes?" She laidenough money out for both their meals and then stood up. "It was a pleasure meeting you all."

She held her hand out expectedly for Kakashi's and was pleased to see that despite everything he was still going along with the little charade. His hand crept up and slid together with hers. Silently he stood, nodded to his friends who couldn't resist calling out some choice ideas of what else they could use their alone time to do. Giving them all a saucy smile and a sly wink, she dragged him out into the night.

His hand was warm in hers as she silently led them to a nearby park that she was familiar with. A pharmacy was just a little bit further away down the road. He was self sufficient, but something inside her just wanted to take care of him. She could see that even surrounded by all his friends he was still alone.

"What are you up to now?" His low voice sent shivers down her spine. Kakashi's hand tightened, holding on to her should she try to flee. Silly man. Hadn't she told him that he was now hers?

"Does it hurt much?" She was a little more concerned with the hives than with answering his questions.

He shrugged, his broad shoulders emphasizing the height difference between then. "It's fine."

Sakura pushed him into sitting on a park bench and examined his face, pulling back at his shirt to see the ones underneath. It looked swollen and she was betting they were itchy also.

Her fingers curled around his scarf covered jaw. "I'll be back in a moment. Don't leave." She lay a light kiss over the fabric and started off before he could protest. She'd show him. Things like this needed attention before they got worse. And why would he just suffer through it when it could be relieved with a few simple things?

Sakura's eyes contracted at the bright fake luminescence. The pharmacist knew her here and she hoped he wouldn't give her too much trouble about being outside the school after curfew. She picked up the benadryl and hydrocortazone with no problem. A pack of cotton for aplication and some ibporfine. Sakura stopped and grabbed some water and then turned back down the isle where she'd gotten the hydrocortazone. Placing it back on the shelf she picked up a brown bottle of calamine lotion.

Smiling, she walked up to the counter. "How's it,Mr. Tanaka?"

"Late night tonight Sakura?" Mr. Tanaka, the elderly shop keeper, asked as he rang up her purchase.

"I'm helping out with something and then I'll be escorted back to school. Please don't rat me out?" Sakura pressed her hands together and smiled brightly.

"Only because you're such a dear. You should come around more often. I know Mrs. Tanaka would love to have you over for a cuppa. And that'll be 10.56 pounds."

She handed him her money. "I'd love to. I'll try and stop by tomorrow since it's a town day."

With a wave, she headed for the door. She paused at the door and picked up a magazine to kill a few minutes. Kakashi would be playing her tune by the end of the night. The worse he felt before she made him better, all the better for her.

After a few minuets of reading the mindless drivel in the gossip rags, she placed it back and headed out the door. Walking at an unhurried pace, she arrived back at the park. Walking over the bench she saw that Kakashi was pacing back and forth, swiping at his shirt to itch before trying to restrain himself once more.

Seeing her approach he settled back down on the bench.

"Take off your shirt for me. The scarf too." Sakura became all professional as she ordered him to strip. Seeing him shrug off the light turtleneck shirt he'd been wearing off Sakura was mesmorized for a minute by the play of muscles bunching and rippling. Feeling warm, she also noticed the scars all over his body. Everyone saw the scar on his eye that turned it a blood red color, enough to scare anyone. But there were more, littered down his body.

Her hands reached out and traced one on his collar before shaking herself and getting back to the reason he'd taken his shirt off in the first place.

"Ugly, isn't it? What a woman can do to a man." His voice was low, but steady and Sakura found herself entranced. "You give them everything, treat them like princesses and all you ask is that they love you in return. Spoiled, selfish woman who think only of pleasure and themselves. Not caring about the misunderstandings they cause until someone who was a better man than you winds up dead and yourself in the hospital. I don't need them. I don't need you."

"But you want me." She knew it like she knew the sky was blue and the grass green. Silently she handed him the pain reliever and benadryl tablets, opening the water for him to drink. She watched him swallow and then picked the up the calamine lotion and a cotton ball up.

The hives were mainly focused from his face to midway down his arms. Starting on one shoulder, she kissed the top before covering it with the pink cream. Moving gently to his back ,she covered his feverish skin first with her lips, then with the calming lotion. As she made her way to the other shouder she started up his neck, pausing to cover the hives on his chest with the lotion. With a peck on the chin, she dabbed the thicker hives on his neck in smaller circles.

With the distance between their lips almost non-existent she whispered, "Tell me."

He let the silence linger between them. Too long.

Sakura pulled back and started packing the medicine back up into the bag she'd gotten from the pharmacy.

"Oi. You're not done yet." Kakashi looked at her as if nothing were wrong.

Sakura knew the Benadryl hadn't kicked in yet, so the itch and hurt was probably very strong on his face. "Say it." She reached out and brushed the hair out of his mismatched eyes.

Stubbornly, he held silent, looking at her with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

Sakura arched an eyebrow and turned away, prepared to leave. The money they owed her was already hers. She started towards the street.

"I want you." It was said so low that if she hadn't been waiting for it, she would have missed it.

Turning back, she got the lotion back out and put it on the uncovered hives on his face. Looking at him, miserable and with pink lotion all over his face, Sakura couldn't help but to lean in and kiss him gently on the mouth. "My poor baby. Lets go meet up with your friends, then, shall we?"

He shrugged his shirt back on while she packed up. Sakura once more held her hand out for him and shot him a smile as he slid his hand into hers. Pulling him up off the bench they started off down the street, towards the club on the other side of town.

"Who put you up to tonight?"

His hand tightened again, and she wondered if he knew he was doing it.

"Couldn't I just be infatuated with you?" Sakura stalled. The answer was going to sting for him, especially after what he implied. His outward and inward scars were from another woman – most likely the last woman.

He chuckled and it slid down her back. The man was, if nothing else, pure walking sex for her. "No. I have a feeling I know what tonight is about, so spill it."

"Did you know that I've been accepted in one of the most prestigous programs for medicine in the country?" She returned his question with one of her own.

"Despite what you may think, Sakura Haruno, I do pay attention to what's going on in the lives of the students around me. Congratulations. Full scholarship is what I also heard."

She moved into his side and slung his arm around her shoulder, beeming up at him. "That's right! I plan on being one of the best neurosurgeons in Britian, right after Tsunade and her coworker Shizune. They've already started guiding me along my path."

"And?"

"And while I'm walking this path, I won't be able to pay for the extra expenses that will come up. I have a nice pile set away and some money from my parents, but it won't be enough for the five year program. So when Ino and Naruto came to me, telling me that they'd pay me 30,000 pounds to date Nartuo's karate instructor for a night, how could I turn that down? I'd be set to focus completely on my studies the entire time." Sakura held on tightly, moving her body along his, pushing them into the fence as Kakashi tried to get out of her grasp and walk away from her.

"And from the moment our lips touched, how could I not want to continue to date said man? I'll happily take their money for something I would have gone after had I not been so busy studying. I'm not her. I do things for my own reasons, which I won't hide from you." She manhandled his hands into holding her. His grip was loose at first, but she felt the strength in him as it tightened and pulled her close.

And up, he easily lifted her until they were face to face. He stared at her, his face wiped blank of any emotions. Sakura just clung to his body. "I'm not her. That money will insure that I'll have the time to study and be the best at what I like doing, which is taking care of others. I'd be a fool to turn it down and I'm already under your skin so far that you'll never be able to let me go. You need a woman to take care of you, and I'm that woman." Slowly he released her and she slid down the hard frame of his body, his rage cooling somewhat.

"Come on, let's get going before they think we skipped out on them." Once more Sakura held her hand out for him to take and again Kakashi's hand slid easily into hers. "I didn't know you were allergic to blueberries."

He glanced at her in disbelief at the abrupt change of topic. "Neither did I. I dislike sweets," he answered.

Sakura let Kakashi led them into the little night club and back to a back table where his friends were. The club was a little nice little place that the kids usually visited on the the club band was playing a heavy Latin-based music that had her blood moving and hips swaying. Sakura had been there before but never really got into it, prefering to stay at home and study.

"What has she done to you, man? You look like a batternburg cake!" Genma laughed, his arms occupied by two women thatSakura recognized from around the town.

Kakashi looked around until he found his reflection in a spare piece of tin on the wall. It reflected the pink calamine lotion she'd applied earlier. Sakura smiled and patted his arm. "All that matters is that he feels better now, right?"

Kakashi shrugged. " I guess."

"How COOL!" Gai jumped to his feet, came around the table and slapped Kakashi on the back proclaiming, "Only you, my friend, could be so cool like that."

Sakura leaned up and kissed Kakashi's cheek, while slipping money into his pocket. "Buy us a round on me?" She patted his tush as he walked up to the bar to order another round of beer. She saw several women watch his movement and was glad she'd gotten her claws in him first.

She slid into the booth seat, next to Anko who just stared at her in shock. "I've never seen him act like that with another woman."

"The way to a man's heart is easy, food, drink and comfort. I have fed him, comforted him, and now I'm supplying drink." Sakura smoothed her shirt down, feeling confident in herself and the arrangement that she was entering with the protective police officer. "Really," she continued, "there isn't much else."

"I think you're forgetting something, little miss." Anko slithered closer as she lowered her voice and whispered into Sakura's ear. "Have you satisfied him between the sheets? The horizontal tango? Played with his slippery eel?"

Sakura, while a bit mortified by this brazen hussy next to her, kept her cool and calmly replied, "The proof is in how he treats me, is it not?"

Anko practically wiggled out of her seat. "I'll make a deal with you." She leaned in even further. Sakura could feel Anko's breath, uncomfortably hot and moist, run across her cheek. "Get him to say that you're better than his entire collection of back pocket books."

Sakura thought for a moment. "And what do I get out of this?"

"What do you want, money?" Anko was squirming in her seat.

"You'll owe me," Sakura cut in. "Tomorrow. I'll have it by tomorrow." She liked this challenge. Having a cop on her side, owing her might come in handy one day.

"If you don't… Well, then, we'll have us a little peep show a la you." Anko's hand slid over Sakura's thigh suggestively.

Sakura slid the woman's hand off. "Don't worry. I'll have it by tomorrow. County Finals start at 4pm, so make sure to come cheer our teams on. It'll be said before the last person leaves for the day. Deal?" She stuck her hand out.

"Deal." Anko's hand was cool and slithered around hers uncomfortably. Sakura didn't think she liked Anko very much, but she could respect the power the small woman held. Gai was a force of nature and watching her wrangle him around her little finger was something to see. Sakura knew that violence wasn't her way, but it was amusing, to say the least.

Kakashi arrived back with two pitchers of the good stuff and extra glasses, sliding them on the table before sliding into the booth next to Sakura. She grabbed the glasses, poured ale into one and held it out to Kakashi.

She pulled it back away from his hands just as his finger tips touched hers. "Ah ah ah," Tauntingly she tilted her head up, raising her mouth.

Kakashi's eyebrow arched as she held out the mug again, moving it back out of his reach for a second time. She tapped her lips with a finger smiling.

Kakashi didn't disapoint her, he turned into her, hiding her from view and his face into the crook of neck, rubbing with enough force to pull his scarf down. Kakashi trailed his lips along her skin before tracing her bottom lips with his tongue before catching them in a kiss.

The heat of his actions caused Sakura's toes to curl. She smiled up at him, using her free hand to pull his scarf back up before letting him sit back and accept his glass of ale she'd poured for him.

Before he'd gotten more than a sip she was pushing at him, her hands slipping along his body. "Let's dance."

Kakashi set the drink on the table." I'm not much of a dancer. I'd rather just sit and watch."

Sakura let a smile grace her face as she settled back into the seat. She saw Kakashi, thinking the argument was done and over, take another swallow of beer. Sakura turned back to him, making sure to jostle the table, then raised her hand, as if to grab at his drink so it wouldn't spill, butmaking it tip over, spilling beer all down the front of his pants.

Slowly she grabbed for napkins and blotted at the beer on his clothing, "Let;s dance. The air will help dry your clothing a little better." She pushed at him to slid out of the booth.

Giving her a long look, he slowly moved so that she could stand and let her lead them to the dance floor. The bass of the slow song echoed in her chest. She curled into his body, letting her hands run up his smooth shirt and lingering on his shoulders before curling into the hair at the base of his neck.
Sakura took a deep breath, once again reveling in the scent of Kakashi's body. His arms captured her, holding her close as they swayed to the latin beat. His hand slipped further down, fingetips brushing the curve of her Bunsbuns. She felt her nipples pebble as the friction of their chests rubbed together.

Sakura rested her cheek on his chest, bringing a hand down and wrapping it around his waist, bringing them closer. Her legs entwined with his so that each movement meant they were bumping into sensitive parts of each other's body. Under the hypnotic rhythm of the music and with the heady scent of spice in the air, the pressure that built was certainly being felt by them both.

Kakashi's hand, the one not on her buns trained up her spine and then back down to her waist, grazing the side of her breast as he gripped her hip, moving in a larger circle to the beat.

"Let's take this somewhere more private." The words where said into his chest, but she could tell he'd heard them from the sharp intake of breath and the way his body tensed slightly.

"Already? We just got here." His hands pulled her back from him so that he could look down at her.

Sakura smiled and held on to his wrists. "Yes, already. I can't go back to the school tonight anyway so do you think you could share tonight? I don't snore, although I do require being tucked into bed."

"Okay." His eyes burned into hers before looking up and back to his friends. "I'll see you around then, yeah?" With a wave to his friends and cat calls that followed them out of the bar, Kakashi set their pace, walking them back to his flat.

Walking down streets she was familiar with in the daylight, Sakura saw how close by he lived. The small three-story building he walked them to was a throwback to before the war. It was once all a part of the same home. The paint was chipping off the front door he opened without a key. He let her enter first; she stepped onto linolium floors that had seen better days. The hand that caressed her back pushed her forward and up the stairs to the door at the second floor.

Sakura looked around. The flat was bare of anything on the walls andsparely decorated. She knew of Kakashi, of how dedicated he was to the karate team, but she didn't realize that it was about all he had in his life. Now that she found out he was in the police force, it really made sense. Kakashi the protector, who was in need of some protection himself.

She ran her fingers along the table, where a lone plant sat. Her eyes lingered on the few pictures she saw across the room. One of them depicted Kakashi as a child with another man in a gi, side by side with another boy. She recognized him as one of the Uchiha family; their distinctive blue black hair and facial features always gave it away. A newer picture mimicked the older one. In this she recognized Naruto and Sasuke pictured with Kakashi as the teacher in the gi.

Well, he wasn't going to be alone anymore. Tired of the silence that had seem to come over them both, she turned to him with a smile. "Do you have anything I can sleep in?"

He sauntered up and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her in close. "You won't be needing clothes."

"I'm on the rag." The smile never left her face, though she watched irritation creep up on his. "Besides, you've had a long day. Why don't we get cleaned up and go to bed?" She brushed back the prematurely silver hair that had fallen rakishly over his eyes.

Sighing, he pulled back. "This way to my bedroom." The room he led her to was just as bare as the rest of the apartment, save for a dark blue duvet on a comfortable looking bed.

Proving he was a gentleman, he never questioned her, also also that he didn't know women as well as he thought.

Kakashi pulled a nightshirt and a pair of boxers out of his dresser. "Are these acceptable?"

Pleased as punch, she accepted the clothing and made for the bathroom, leaving the door open. "Mind if I take a shower?"

He watched, standing in the middle of his empty bedroom. "Be my guest."

She placed the clothes on a counter in the bathroom all the while holding his gaze. Gripping her shirt at the bottom she pulled it slowly up and over her head her stomach contracted under his gaze. Pulling it off one arm she held it out and dropped it on the floor, her other hand running over her chest and down to her jeans button.

Shivers broke out on her body as Kakashi made his way to the bathroom door, motioned her to continue as he leaned on the door frame. It was all she could do to stop from drooling at the site. His very presence filled the bathroom and he hadn't even stepped inside it.

Sakura wiggled the jeans down to her feet, steeping out and kicking them with the other foot at him. He caught them and never breaking her gaze, shook them out and laid them on the bureau in his room.

She started the tap water in her plain white underwear, starting the shower to let it run before walking over to Kakashi. She pushed him out of the doorway so that she could run her hands under his shirt and pull it off. Kissing his naked chest she backed away when he reached for more.

"Take off your pants." Sakura took up his position against the bathroom doorjamb. When he looked down, she stepped back into the bathroom and closed the door. Laughing at the "OY!" she heard through the door, Sakura quickly relieved herself of her panties, bra and tampon. She opened the door, turned and walked quickly into the shower, peeking back out at Kakashi still in his boxers in his room, "Coming?"

The water was hot and she closed her eyes, stepping under the spray, letting the hot water run over her. She heard Kakashi shut the door, walk over to the shower and step in, closing the curtain behind him. As hot as the water was, her back felt like it was on fire, with Kakashi at her back.

Rough fingers touched her gently between her shoulder blades and ran down her spine, curling around her hip, letting his palm rest there. "Thought you were on the rag." His voice was curious.

"That doesn't mean we can't have fun, if you're not scared of a little blood. It's more sensitive for me during this time."

Kakashi's other hand tickled around to her stomach, laying his hand flat on her abdomen, causing her to gasp in pleasure. "There's something that I've been thinking about all night long."

Sakura turned to him, "And what is that?"

"This spot right here on your hip fits so perfectly in the curve of my hand that it makes me want to bite it." Slowly he sank down to his knees, his hair starting to become damp from the runoff from Sakura's body. His lips kissed the curve of her stomach then moved to her hip, hovering. His teeth scrapped and Sakura grabbed his shoulders for balance as her knees went weak.

Sakura looked down at the man on his knees before her; she gripped his head and titled it up so that she had his undivided attention. "Told you I'd have you on your knees for me tonight."

She yelped as he surged to his feet, picking up and pressing his body against hers, into the cold wet tile. He nuzzled her cheek before whispering into her ear, "So you're always right are you?"

"Only when it involves your welfare. Now let me ease some other aches you have." She moved her hands to his chest.

"No."

Her body arched as he lifted her up, gathered her wrists and pinned them behind her body before resting back onto her, pinning her to the wall. "Are you protected?"

"Yes," she whispered.

His free hand wandered over her slick body, down between her legs his fingers easily sliding in. Sakura closed her eyes and curled her leg, the sensations more intense during the time of the month. "Please don't tease me, I can't take it tonight."

Kakashi slowly pushed into her, not stopping until he was buried deep inside her. Kakashi's lips were slick from the steam, kissing her lips before sliding down her jaw sucking on her neck.

Sakura thought she was going faint as Kakashi pulled out and then pushed back harder, a low throaty moan escaped her throat.

"Wrap your legs around."

Sakura slowly moved, apparently not fast enough for Kakashi who surged out, and then back in even faster. Sakura's breath caught at the rough treatment, finally getting her legs wrapped around him, pulling him closer for more. "Faster."

Sakura felt his abdominal muscles ripple as he set up a faster face, the grip on her thigh tighten as he set a steady pace that was driving her wild. Her nipples barely brushed against his chest as she was held into place, unable to touch him.

All too soon she scrunched her face up and was arching blindly, rippling tightly around his length, pulling him along with her. "Oh yeah," she moaned as she found her release. Kakashi followed not a few strokes after.

Kakashi's breath was hot against her abused neck; he'd bitten down as he emptied himself into her. Slipping out, he set her gently down. Sakura clung to him, her legs feeling unsteady. The steam from the hot water made her gaze hazy and she kissed anywhere she could find on the man in front of her. Every piece of skin that was at eye level that had a scar she worshiped with her mouth.

Grabbing the soap and washcloth she pushed him under the spray and cleaned him, making sure to touch every crevice of his body, laying her claim on him.

Sakura blinked as sunlight's unforgiving gaze glared at her. Groaning slightly, she blurrily looked at the clock as saw that it was mid morning on Saturday. Assuming that Ino and Hinata had done what they said they would, no one would be expecting her at all until tonight's curfew after regionals.

Utterly satisfied from last night's activities, she felt protected laying within Kakashi's sleepy hold. As steathily as a ninja, (nice!) she slid out of his embrace and made her way to the kitchen.

There wasn't much in the way of food. She'd have to remedy that. She'd have to make due with what she found: Irish oatmeal, milk that had a dodgy smell, toast, and maramite. She made the oatmeal with the spoiled milk, put it in a bowl, and grabbed a plate to lay the toast on. Piling it on an odd-looking piece of warped wood, she carried it back to the bedroom, where she found Kakashi just starting to stir.

"Good morning, sleepyhead." She slid back into bed with the makeshift tray balanced precariouslyin her hands. She braced herself for the next small battle as she settled the tray in his lap after he sat up.

"Good morning. You made this for me?" Kakashi asked, picking up the spoon and putting it into his oatmeal.

"I did." She waited until he'd taken the first bite. "What was available in the fridge was woefully inadequate for consumption."

She smiled as he spit the oatmeal back out into his bowl and looked at her in astonishment.

"I'm shocked at what I found in your kitchen. Get dressed and then we're going to the grocery. I might even decide to forgive you and pick up something to nosh on." Sakura grabbed the tray back from him and placed it on the counter, dumping the oatmeal out into the trash.

Ten minuteslater found Sakura waiting outside in most of her clothes from last night and a borrowed t-shirt as Kakashi locked up.

"You're going to do this to me every time you're right aren't you?" Kakashi asked coming down the stairs, helmets in his one hand.

Sakura's smile widened as his hand reached for hers expectedly. "Do what?"

"Make me suffer before kissing it better." He pulled her closer to him, letting her hand go before slinging his arm around her shoulders.

"Only if I need to."

"I'm on to you, my darling." Kakashi's eyes closed as he smiled big. She might not be able to see his mouth, but his eyes were enough for her to know. "Back in a tick with the bike."

Sakura took the helmets out of his hands and waited while he pulled up the garage door and pulled the motorbike out. He hitched the saddle bags on it for the grocery. Her throat went dry when she realized she'd seen him on his bike before. Many times before had she noticed the nice ass that rested on the black and chrome ride that cruised through town at a neck-breaking speed.

Perched on the bike, she handed him his helmet, placing hers on her head. She got on behind him, wrapping her hands around his waist and prepared to hang on for dear life as they drove to Asda.

Riding behind Kakashi as he swerved in and out of traffic was exhilarating. The bike roared beneath them and Kakashi commanded the road. When he helped her off, she couldn't resist tearing his scarf away to kiss him, arching her body into his as their teeth clinked from the sudden plundering of his mouth. Pulling back just as fast, she said, "There might be more of that when we get back if you're a good boy in the shop. I might even let you have a humbug, sensei."

Grinning cockily, he replaced the scarf and they headed into the market. Sakura quickly grabbed a shopping trolley and they started walking the aisles, putting items in the shopping trolley, mindfulof the fact they only had two saddlebags worth of room to bring everything back in.

Kakashi was quiet through most of the process and didn't interrupt her power shopping until she had put a pack of digestives in. "I don't like sweets."

Sakura looked at him. "But I do, and you're feeding more than just yourself." She eyed him a bit. "I want to stop by the clothing section. I saw what was in thosedrawers. You need a few new things."

"What's wrong with the jeans I'm wearing?" Kakashi asked her.

Sakura hooked her finger in a hole at his back pocket and pulled just hard enough that the hole tore open larger with a lovely ripping noise. "Your pants have holes in them."

"They were fine until you ripped them!" Kakashi's grip on the shopping trolley tightened.

Sakura ran her hand protectively over the hole, slipping a finger inside his pants to his boxers. "I'd prefer that holes in your clothing weren't where other people could ogle them."

Kakashi grumbled, but allowed her to lead them to the clothing section where she picked out a few pairs of jeans and some new shirts for him. "I'm not some kept man you need to buy clothes for."

Holding a shirt up to his body she leaned in and whispered, "I want to buy clothes for you. It's nice to think of you wearing something I bought you."

"And if I want you to wear a naughty little nurse's outfit?"

Sakura's hands snaked up his body and hooked behind his neck. "Well, then, I'll just have to find one you like."

"That's a fair trade, then. Get the green and blue shirt and call it a day. I have to get to the school a bit early for warm ups." Kakashi walked her backwards to the shopping trolley, letting her drop the shirts into it.

Sakura held on tight as Kakashi flew down the main road of the academy early Saturday afternoon. Her fingers were holding onto Kakashi, underneath his jacket, warmed against his skin. She was sad that their time together was coming to an end so soon. School would be over for her in a few months and then they'd be free to be together without all of the rules that came with attending the Kage Academy.

She saw lots of kids coming back from town already so Sakura knew she might have blended in, had she not been on the back of a very notorous motorbike. She climbed off the back of the bike and secured the helmet to the back of his bike. While doing that he'd removed his helmet and waited for her to finish.

"I'll see you later then, at the match." Sakura leaned up, her hand caressing his cheek as she kissed him goodbye.

He placed his helmet back on and waved as he road off down the road.

"He is so hot." Sakura turned to find Ino and Hinata behind her.

She smiled. "You have no idea. Believe me after last night you owe me." Sakura wasn't about to let Ino wiggle out of their deal.

"Naruto has the bank draft, you'll get it before reginals today. How many people saw you two together?" Ino started following Sakura into the school.

"Enough, don't worry, you can safely go after Sasuke now. And Naruto and Hinata can be together." They walked together up to the third floor where their rooms were located.

"How can we be certain?" Hinata questioned.

Sakura turned to them, a large grin on her face, "Easy I have a date with him tonight, after regionals."

Ino grabbed Hinata's hand and started squealing while the other girl stood calmly, with a happy grin on her face.

"Ease off it Pig, I need a small favor from you for tonight." Sakura hooked her arm through Ino's and started leading her to Ino's room. "Remember Halloween? I need to borrow that outfit from you."

Hinata's eyes got wide and Ino started laughfing, "Forehead girl, I didn't know you had that in you! Now tell me everything."

After a lot of giggling hour later found all three girls hoping onto the bus that would take them to the boys gym for the Karate event going on later. Sakura had a bag with her for afterwards, to celebrate their wins with Kakashi. She knew their team would crush any opposition. And she had just the thing to ensure that she'd not only win the bet with Anko, but guarantee a pleasant evening.

All too soon her and the girls were piling into the gym. Sakura broke off from the pack and went to the locker rooms with Ino and Hinata trailing her. She knocked on the door they waited for one of the guys to come let them in.

The door swung open revealing Naruto who's eyes lit up at seeing Hinata. "You made it! Come to cheer me on?"

"Actually I came to collect my check." Sakura interupted the two love birds.

Naruto sprang out of the doorway and grabbed Sakura's arms, "Are you serious! It's already done?" He whopped and spung her around once before letting go and turning to Hinata, "Would you like to come out with me tonight after I kick some ass?"

"Of course Naruto." They both looked cute as they hesitantly embraced, both very red in the face.

"Hey Sasuke!" Ino pushed her way into the locker room, Sakura followed leaving Naruto and Hinata alone.

Sakura watched as Sasuke's head apperared from around a locker row. His face was emotionless as always. Ino bound over to him, flicking her long blond hair behind her. "Sasuke, now that Kakashi is dating Sakura would you finally go out with me?"

Sakura held her breath, the fighting over Sasuke Uchiha was legendary. Even she had had a crush on him when she was younger. Thankful that she'd grown out of the stage, it was still interesting to see what the young Uchiha would do.

"This should be interesting." Kakashi's voice was low, coming from behind her. His hands slipped around her waist and tugged her to rest backwards on him slightly.

Her focus turned back to the scene. Sasuke's eyes went wide and his nostrols flared as he turned to stare at Sakura and Kakashi. She smiled and waved at him and blinked as he disappeared back around the corner.

"Hey!" Ino followed right after him stopped, her jaw dropping and her eyes got wider than Sakura had ever seen them get. Sakura started to get worried when the girl's face turned bright tomato red.

"Are you going to continue to watch?" Sakura heard another voice ask, after a moment recognizing it as Sai, one of the few new students that had started attending Kage academy after her. She hadn't really gotten to know him, he was quite and tended to stay by himself.

Ino's mouth worked open and closed a few more times before she turned and walked speechless out of the locker room.

Sakura was a little puzzled she turned around in Kakashi's arms when she heard a very loud, very male moan come from the back corner where Ino had just been.

"Enough of that you two. We'll discuss this later, get your arses out on the mat for warm ups." Kakashi ordered them. A few moments later two red faced boys, Sasuke and Sai, came out from behind the locker rows and walked side by side to the door.

"Nice love bite Sasuke," teased Kiba, laughing as he and the others followed them out the door. Naruto and Hinata, finally having joined them walked through hand by hand, making their way to the mats.

Sakura looked up at Kakashi and laced her arms around his waist, hooking her fingers into the belt loops of his new pair of jeans he obligingly wore for her today. "Nice jeans."

"Some little vixen got them for me."

"She's got great taste, they ride low, showing off your trim waist and nice buns. Makes them tempting." Sakura reached down and gropped his buns making him chuckle.

"I better get out there."

"Before you do, remember that conversation earlier at the shop. What I'd do in exchange for you wearing those jeans?" Sakura sauntered backwards and patted the bag at her side. "I'll have to give you a full exam tonight."

Snaking his arm around her waist Kakashi kissed her before escorting her out to the mats where the boys were.

Spying Anko, she led them over to the unoccupied seat next to her. Kakashi turned to get back to work when Anko broke in with, "Kakashi, do my eyes deceive themselves?"

Kakashi turned back to her with his head tilted as Sakura took her seat fingering the little scrap of white fabric that had crept out of the bag.

"Where's your little pocket smut novel?" Anko leaned forward predatorily.

Kakashi's hand went behind his head, "Oh I forgot all about it. It's ok Sakura's better to grab at night than the books anyway." He stared at Sakura's bag for a moment and then turned to get back to work.

Anko grabbed Sakura's arm and pulled her close whispering furisiouly, "What the hell did you do to him!"

Sakura opened her mouth to answer but was started by Hinata walking by with Naruto in tow speaking demandingly, "We're going to that nice restaurant up in Surrey tomorrow. I don't care if the food is amazing at that little dive you like visiting, our first date needs to be somewhere perfect, I've waited too long for it. You will dress properly as suiting our stations." Her voice trailed off as they moved further away down the stands.

Smirking she turned to Anko, "I am ashamed that women are so simple,
To offer war where they should kneel for peace."