The Vacation Chapter 5, a naruto fanfic

A/N:

Hello again! So, as always, I have a few things to say before we get to the chapter. First this chapter is definitely longer than the other ones and I'm not sorry for that because you guys deserve a longer chapter since I've been so horrible to you all recently with half-assed updates. According to the plans I have mapped out for this story it looks like there will be nine chapters in total, so after this about four more! When it's finished I'll probably go back and fix all the spelling/grammar errors I keep catching in some of the previous chapters (it's literally the most frustrating thing ever...). I'm sorry this chapter took a while to get out and I'm going to be honest, I had like no motivation to write. Some days I would open Word, stare at where I left off, then just exit out of it. But this fic is still alive and I intend to finish it! Ok...I think that's everything I wanted to say, so please enjoy the chapter and you can bet your ass you'll see me at the end of this chapter begging for reviews!

naruto belongs to kishimoto

If Kakashi wouldn't speak, neither would she, Sakura thought as she slipped into an old baseball tee and loose cotton shorts. Her shower had been exactly what she needed for more reasons than to wash away the bar grime that had accumulated on her skin, it gave her time to think of an excuse to just hop into bed and pretend to be asleep until she actually was. Currently she had no interest in talking to Kakashi, which she supposed was odd considering he was al he thought about as of late but she figured she would try to make amends tomorrow when she wasn't so exhausted and utterly annoyed.

Sakura slipped out of the bathroom and padded over to the bed, only to stop short at its foot before climbing on. Under the covers on one side was Kakashi, a lone eye sliding to her face and crinkling as if he was smiling though Sakura knew the eye was of scrutiny and probably trying to gauge her current mood. He watched as Sakura kneeled on the bed and began to crawl to her side but again halted prematurely, this time opening her mouth and closing it again before actually speaking.

"Do you want me to sleep on the floor…or in a chair? I don't want to make you uncomfortable." said Sakura, her tone strictly matter-of-fact. In response Kakashi only folded over the blankets on her side of the bed for her to get in. She was too tired to question or even thank him so she complied, slid under the covers and faced away from Kakashi since he was facing towards her side. If he was trying to be bold or was silently apologize, he would have to try harder because Kakashi was only going to annoy Sakura by beating around the bush.

Hours went by as Kakashi chewed over what he would say to Sakura as she lightly snored next to him. He wanted to say something while she was awake but when he opened his mouth something strange happened to the copy ninja. He was nervous to talk to her. Kakashi knew it was a normal occurrence for most men and an initial step in the process of "dating" but it definitely was not "normal" for Kakashi. Most likely because he had never had interest in a relationship or ever even pondered on the idea of being rejected by a woman, but here he was in Suna lying next to Sakura at 3 am and figuratively shaking in his boots. What if she rejected his apology? What if she was seriously with Kankuro now? What did he even want from Sakura? How would he start?

The questions all jumbled together inside of his skull and bounced off of one other, sometimes forming new questions which made the idea of turning over and dropping the subject more and more tempting as each second passed, but Kakashi knew whatever he was starting to feel for Sakura wouldn't let him sleep if he left their current relationship as is. He was starting to remember why he preferred to avoid powerful emotions whenever possible.

"…Sakura…" his response was a low groan and swift kick to his shin.

He propped himself up onto his elbow and loomed over the sleeping girl. He could see her eyes moving under her lids when he used a calloused finger to trace the edges of the indigo seal on her forehead. The small rhombus filled him with an emotion he couldn't simply ignore and shove back into his core, he was so proud of Sakura and this seal proved her strength. Where he failed in helping her grow, she had picked up his slack and carried it herself.

"Sakura…..wake up…hey…" pools of emerald slowly filled his vision when Sakura opened her eyes. Satisfied, Kakashi flopped onto his back and urged her to do the same by tugging on her sleeve much like a child.

"Kaka…shi? Is everything okay?" her worried tone could only make him smile and he was thankful since it also calmed his nerves a little.

"Well…yes everything is okay seeing as we're not in any sort of danger but everything's not okay with us." Beside him Sakura visibly stiffened and her mouth pressed into a line as her eyes burned holes into the ceiling.

"I want to..uh, apologize for what happened last night….it's not that…I don't…that I'm not," Kakashi huffed and pulled a hand from beneath the covers to run it through his hair "…attracted to you. I just don't think..or didn't..I'm still not sure…that anything between us is a good idea for a few reasons. One being that I was your teacher when you were twelve and your superior up until recently and two being you deserve someone who can take care of you and give you what you want and be there for you whenever you need them. God knows I care about you…so I don't want you stuck with some old man who spends his livings days in a cemetery. I d-"

"Stop." Sakura's sharp voice cut through the room and Kakashi could have sworn he felt her strength behind the word pierce his skin.

"First of all, I kissed you first yesterday. I knew what I was getting into and what I wanted. I know who you are and what you do seeing as I've spent years around you on missions and I grew up around you. I know what you've done too. I know your kills while in anbu rises clear above 800 which is still the current record, by the way. I know you have a tendency to keep your personal beliefs and feelings locked away and I know you don't truly believe what you're saying." Her tone softened at her last words and her head turned to meet eyes that have been long staring at the side of her face.

"I'm not a little girl anymore who needs protecting or to be waited on. As I said, you do still hold the top spot for kills in anbu, but I hold second. We both know these aren't records to be proud of but if you're worried that I need someone who will always be there or someone who can protect me, you're wrong. I can easily do that myself." Sakura's slim hand slid under the covers and laced its fingers with Kakashi's stiff ones. Sakura rolled onto her side to face Kakashi and scooted until their faces were close enough to feel their exhales mix together and brush against each other's faces.

"Do you think about me like that?" she said, her voice now a whisper, assuming he understood "that" meant more than just a simple word.

Kakashi nodded and finally gripped her hand back as his body relaxed, his forehead sliding forwards to rest against Sakura's.

"Then it's okay right?" a long pause hung in the air before Kakashi finally half shrugged half nodded. Sakura sighed and figured the nod was the answer and the shrug was a natural self-defense move to portray his lingering uncertainty.

"This is still kind of odd for me too…this is only our second night here and the first time we've been around each other for more than thirty minutes in a year…and we've gotten ourselves into something foolish like this. I just…forgot how alike we are and how comforting your presence feels. I know I don't need protecting but you make me feel safe and maybe that's because you essentially kept me alive on team seven…always saving my ass while Naruto and Sasuke took care of their own. Or maybe because you're strong...and in a lot of ways…even though you think you're crippled by some fault from your childhood that you continually hang over your own head. I feel good around you Kakashi…which has been hard lately…to feel good I mean. Since the war and my accident in anbu everything just seems to move around me and I get lost in the whirlwind of other people's emotions, but when I look at you, the whirlwind stops and everything is clear and I can feel. I've kind of felt this on our other small missions together too, even though we've simply entertained small talk and jokes. I guess it's all just coming full circle now." Sakura tested the effects of her confession by pressing a light kiss to Kakashi's covered lips. It was too quick to feel a response but she saw in his gray eyes that it was okay.

Suddenly Kakashi realized that Sakura's importance to him was no longer just that of a team mate or comrade, but shifting into something of a lover. Needless to say this only increased his fear and worries, many of which now circled around losing her. Under the covers Kakashi's hand that was joined with Sakura's began to dimly glow a pale blue, quietly sending a pulse of his own chakra into her system. Though she probably felt his chakra flare in his hand he prayed that she was too distracted and tired to feel the tiny threads of his chakra that he was winding around some of her own pathways, much like a coil. These threads would allow him to feel her presence as a second nature to him, in a way it worked like an internal tracker. For example, from miles away he can tell which way she is walking and pinpoint her location, also since his chakra was coiled around her own, Kakashi can tell when her flow becomes weaker or nonexistent.

When the pathways were secured he ceased his assault on her system, now focusing more on the conversation than some safe measure that was probably completely pointless.

"Sometimes it scares me how much you've grown up…in more ways than one. I think it's safe to tell you now that you always were my favorite." Kakashi only earned an eye roll and a small pinch on the arm from the woman next to him.

Several minutes went by and the two of them said nothing and only listened to their soft breathing which soon evened out, signaling they had fallen asleep.

The next morning Kakashi awoke with a small Sakura curled against his side and his hand splayed across her hip. The urge to jerk away as if he was burned was initially so strong that he began to panic in that internal "oh shit" type of way. Apparently Sakura sensed this and dug her nails into the arm she was snuggling against, using the pain to snap him out of whatever torrent of thoughts were rushing through his mind. Kakashi relaxed as he remembered their conversation the night before and even began to trace small patterns on Sakura's flat stomach, humming absentmindedly.

"We should probably get up…" Sakura mumbled with a yawn. Kakashi only continued to hum and move his hand, as if he never even heard her. They were on vacation, why would they want to leave the bed? The idea didn't make any sense to him.

"Ok then, how about we go out for breakfast?" Her question was answered by a lower hum and a raised silver eyebrow "… I'll pay."

To this Kakashi smiled and sat up in bed, pulling her along with him into a sitting position.

"Well, why didn't you say so before? I just happen to be famished."

Kakashi didn't even try to dodge the playful slap to his shoulder.

The small diner was packed but not rowdy. The petite hostess with hair the color of peaches quickly showed them to a small table in the far corner of the establishment, the only other patrons near them were a group of roughly five or six men seated at a circular table adjacent to their own, all huddled over their menus. None of them particularly stuck out to Kakashi except for maybe one man who seemed to be focused on Sakura as if she was the only person in the diner. Now Kakashi couldn't blame him, but he could tell the stare of the man in the thick brown coat and unsuspecting slacks wasn't anything close to innocent affection. Kakashi was also suspicious of the chakra emanating from that man. It was thick and evil, almost making it feel like it was hard to breathe if he focused on it for too long.

When they were seated Kakashi couldn't help but notice Sakura's foot tapping the old white tile, its tempo mirroring her anxiety. He knew she sensed it too; the overwhelming chakra and the man's greedy eyes drinking in the sight of her as she quickly scanned the menu. For now the man wasn't a threat but it didn't mean they could let down their guards for a second.

"You can feel it too right?" Sakura whispered behind her menu "That man isn't a civilian and he keeps looking over here and I swear I've seen him before…Do you think he knows we're shinobi?"

Kakashi silently closed his menu and set it on the edge of the table for the waiter to take when they came; now that his hands were free, his fingers drummed on the table as let his gaze rest upon the woman seated across from him.

"Much like we can tell from his chakra that's he's a shinobi, it's likely the reverse is true. It's also likely that he's sitting at his table scrutinizing us the same as we're doing to him. On top of th-"

"Hi! My name is Pepe and I'll be serving you today! Are you ready to order?" A woman with almost fluorescent yellow eyes smiled widely at them, oblivious to the fact that interrupted to two very paranoid shinobi.

"I'll just have a rolled omelet and some Miso soup" Sakura gently handed her menu to Pepe and sipped on her glass of water.

"I'll have the same, thanks"

The waitress left with their menus but the conversation did not pick up where it left off as the subject of their discussion had left while they were being distracted by Pepe. The table was now filled with a group of girls who appeared to be in their late teens, all giggling while showing off the items they purchased that day while shopping. One girl held up a pink stop Sakura absolutely adored, but it was what she said that was much more concerning than how much she paid for the clothing.

"Ami-chan, doesn't this look like the shirt that girl who got abducted was wearing on the news?" her question was voiced in an innocent tone and Sakura couldn't help but feel as if she was mocking what sounded like something horrible. The table had suddenly grown quiet and everyone's attention was focused on the girl who had spoken last.

"What girl Hori?" another girl asked. She no longer sounded as if she was giggly and bursting with joy but instead quite concerned.

Hori then stuffed her shirt back into its bag and leaned forward on the elbows she had neatly folded on the table. Her glossy pink lips were pulled down in a frown but her eyes remained bright as she scanned her friends.

"You guys didn't hear? Apparently some creep has been targeting pretty girls and abducting them! That's not even the worst part though because after he abducts them, he makes them walk into really public places strapped with bombs! Live ones! Then, not long after the girl is in the location, BOOM! He sets them off!" Hori's fingers wiggled and drifted downwards as she used them to portray a bomb exploding.

"Those poor girls!" the other girls chorused, some clasping their hands and leaning their heads together.

"Hey, Kakashi…" Sakura tapped he back of Kakashi's glove as he shuffled around the pieces of his omelet on his plate "…should we do something about that? I mean I know we can't go hunt the guy down with no leads, but shouldn't we tell Tsunade?"

"I'm sure this is something she already knows about and if not what can we tell her? The only description we have of this guy is he's a "creep". To be quite frank I think we're better off leaving the investigation in the hands of the villages that have been affected first hand by the bombings." Like Sakura, Kakashi wished he could find this man and beat him into oblivion. Kakashi was no saint but his violent acts did not occur at random or on a whim. Kakashi killed to save others and that alone was enough to satisfy his demons for a while.

Silence settled between the two as Sakura finished her food and Kakashi idly thumbed through his book, glancing every so often at Sakura to make sure she hadn't choked and died right in front of him. Or leave him there to foot the bill, which was the main reason for his quick stares. Sakura wasn't oblivious to his looks and she wanted to come right out and tell him she offered to pay and she intended to keep up her end of the deal but she wasn't opposed to being stared at by her ex-sensei either so there really was no harm. After their conversation last night, the kunochi had only grown to admire him more. Not because of the way the light coming through the window illumined his dark eyes or the way he had smiled at her multiple times today, his expression seemed to silently tell her "these warm smiles are reserved only for you" and "I'm glad I'm here with you" or because he had even dared to pull down his mask and press a soft kiss to her mouth before they exited their room this morning. She admired him more now because he wasn't hiding from what happened between them but was working to turn it into something. Kakashi going out of his way in the middle of the night and waking her up just to apologize while looking like a sad puppy was enough proof for Sakura.

When Pepe skipped over and set the bill on the table, Sakura smiled at Kakashi and snatched it before setting the proper amount plus money for a tip onto the table. It was early afternoon by now and the heat in Suna had the backs Sakura's legs sticking to the her seat as she tried to scoot out of it and not to her surprise her hair was already sticking to the back of her neck. Even so she's been in worse situations, so Sakura simply threw her hair into a bun and walked to meet Kakashi outside.

"How about some souvenirs? I'm sure Naruto and Sai would just absolutely love a special gift picked out by their very own Sakura." Kakashi batted his exposed lashes and gave her a pouty look, knowing very well Sakura had a bad habit of spoiling her teammates.

He merely shrugged when Sakura punched his shoulder with a groan.

"You know what? Fine. And guess what? I'm dragging you along with me." As if on cue Sakura snatched Kakashi's elbow and began to pull him to a small store whose sign was visible from a block away

"Let's go!"

"See that wasn't so bad!" said Sakura as she set her bags down on their bed, reaching her hand in to pull out what she had bought "Naruto gets the frog keychain and Sai gets the moleskine notebook!"

The eye crease smile Kakashi gave her was clearly sarcastic and he even added an exaggerated "wow you're the best" under his breath.

"Ow! Sakura did you leave all of these drawers open? I think just broke my leg walking into one of them…" Kakashi dramatically hobbled over to Sakura and sat next to her, placing his "injured" leg in her lap. The look he was giving her practically screamed "spoil me with affection" and so she did. With his pant leg not rolled up Sakura hummed and began to knead at Kakashi's calf, watching as his face relaxed into something Sakura could only describe as beautiful.

But Sakura could not shake the anxiety she harbored that morning at the diner.

I swore those drawers were closed when we left… she thought.

She was probably getting worked up over nothing though.

A/N: As always, please feel free to leave a review! I read them all and they actually mean a lot to me and motivate me to write! Thank you!