Hey everyone. I know this isn't Rebirth, but I needed to do something a little light-hearted for a bit. I'm intending on making this a very short story - just a two or three shot KakaSaku fic. Hope you will enjoy the change of pace like I will! Slight canon change: Tsunade stays on as Hokage for a bit longer after the war, and Kakashi managed to recover Obito's sharingan. Or, he just never had it stolen. Up to you, it doesn't affect this story. The point is that he still has it… because I find it sexy.

A New Vice

Kakashi awoke with a start, grabbing the kunai by his bedside and holding it at the ready as he breathed in harshly. It had been years since he had a nightmare about Obito, but he had just been unfortunate enough to have another. He cursed as he realized what had torn him from his sheets. After placing the kunai back on his bedside table, he swung his legs over the side of his mattress and cradled his head in his hands. His sharingan always burned after such unhappy dreams - a physical reminder of his guilt. The pain would subside in a few hours, but it was already guaranteed that his day would be dour.

With a sigh, Kakashi forced his body to stand upright. He pushed his palm into his left eye as he exited his room, intent on a long and cold shower. The chilly water was biting, but it served to shock his system into awareness. It also helped that it thoroughly distracted him from remembering his reoccurring nightmare. He'd dwelt on that hell for so long, he was eager to push it behind him for another day. At least until he got to the memorial stone. The blame he held himself accountable for felt different when he was conscious of it; it was always the worst when it was thrust upon him in the dead of sleep.

Twenty shivering minutes later, he stepped from the shower and wrapped a brown towel around his trim waist. A brown that was the same color as Rin's eyes…

Kakashi frowned upon that realization, and resolved to buy some new towels later in the day. It was likely that his mind just made the connection because the return of the nightmare meant he was thinking more about his old team, but he didn't want to dwell on it any longer than necessary. And if that meant new towels, then so be it.

He made his way back into the single room that was his studio apartment and started a pot of coffee. Kakashi had a few vices, and a daily dose of caffeine was always a welcome start to his day when he could get it. He placed the coffee beans back into the cupboard when he spied an unopened bottle of spiced rum. After staring at it with his one good eye for a full minute, he finally reached for the bottle and placed it next to the coffee maker.

Well, it looked like he would be mixing two of his three vices into one today. He snorted to himself. If there was any day to start drinking at eleven in the morning, today might as well be the one. The silver-haired man didn't normally sleep in so late, but he'd found himself coming home from a grueling mission a scant few hours ago. He thought it a small blessing that he'd even been able to get the five hours of sleep he had, considering he typically woke up no later than seven in the morning on days that he had no work. Not by choice, of course. He blamed the years of routine being in ANBU.

Kakashi reached for a mug, hesitating a moment when he realized its color – brown again. He brushed past the offending porcelain for a garish yellow one further back. At least all yellow could remind him of at the moment was Naruto, which was far preferable to where else his mind was wandering.

He poured his first steaming cup of coffee and followed it up with a sizable amount of rum, relishing in the sting of his throat as he took a sip. Perfect.

Placing his beverage on the coffee table beside his small couch, Kakashi opened his first and only orange-bound love to a random page. He settled himself down on his beaten furniture and began reading, content to waste away most of his free day alone and naked with caffeine, alcohol, and smut. All three vices together sounded like a lovely idea.

Sakura pushed open the hospital doors and nearly moaned with pleasure when a cool evening wind whipped its way across her sweaty body. It had been an exhausting shift. All she wanted to do was go home and take a long, hot bath. Her almost-moan turned into an actual groan as she remembered that she had no clean towels or clothes left. Her apartment's washer and dryer had been down for maintenance for the last week, and she hadn't the time to bring them to a laundromat. Too many sixteen hour shifts, not enough willpower.

Thankfully she had the next few days off – by order of the Hokage – but the idea of doing her laundry now made her sneer. She'd leave it for tomorrow's Sakura to deal with. She decided to buy a new towel and outfit instead, eager to wash the dirt from her body before succumbing to blissful sleep. It was barely seven in the evening and Sakura felt like an old biddy admitting it, but she desired little else at the moment.

She walked to the store deep in thought. The pink-haired young woman had been throwing herself into her work lately, even more so than usual. She could lie to herself and say she just enjoyed the hospital that much, but she knew that wasn't the case. While hospital work was extremely rewarding in its own way, it just wasn't the reason why she was working such crazy hours. No, the reason was much different.

Sasuke. It had been almost two years since the end of the fourth great ninja war, and thus almost two years since she had last seen or heard from the Uchiha. The anniversary of the wars end was coming up soon – two days to be exact. It was during this time last year that she had fought a bought of depression so bad that she barely left the house as she pined for Sasuke yet again. She had prepared herself for the same emotions this year, and… they never came.

It scared her more than anything.

To distract herself from what that might mean, Sakura took as many double shifts at the hospital as her shishou would allow. Say what you will about Tsunade's gambling and drinking habits, but the woman was no fool. The Hokage was well aware how poorly Sakura had handled herself this time last year, and therefore willingly allowed Sakura to work her body into the ground thinking that it would be better than sulking. Up until a point, anyway. And it seemed that two weeks of double shifts was just about all that Tsunade was willing to give her. But now Sakura had nothing to occupy her thoughts. Thankfully she was too tired to contemplate things too much at this moment. She was worried about the next few days, though.

Sakura pushed open the doors to the shop and walked back to where the towels were, pausing when she saw a familiar shock of silver hair. Kakashi stood in front of the towels, one hand under his chin and the other arm under his elbow, as if choosing a towel required great consideration. As she neared, Sakura supposed that 'standing' was perhaps a bit generous. Her ex-sensei was swaying back and forth, looking like he was having an awfully difficult time finding his balance.

Worried that he might be injured from his last mission and was forgoing a hospital visit yet again, Sakura approached him quickly. He swiveled his body around at the sound of her footsteps, stumbling backwards as the exaggerated motion caused him to lose his center of gravity. She rushed to him, grabbing him by the waist and helping him upright again. Part of her noted how oddly warm he was, and how good it felt to have his muscled chest resting against hers. She quickly stuffed those thoughts into the far recesses of her mind.

"Saaaaaaaakuraaaaaaaaaaaaa! I'm soooooo glad you're here!" he exclaimed with a following hiccup, visible eye crinkling upwards as he gave her a gleeful smile that she could tell was lopsided even through his mask. His cheeks were flushed and his breath reeked of alcohol.

Ah, no injury. He was just obscenely drunk.

A pink brow arched at him in disbelief. Though she was sure he drank on occasion, she had never seen her old sensei inebriated. She wondered briefly how irresponsible it would be of her to take this rare opportunity to observe the more vulnerable side of her mysterious old teacher.

"Kakashi-sensei, you're drunk."

The silver-haired man giggled – actually GIGGLED at her.

"Me? Nooo, I'm not-" hic "I'm nooot drunk. Just happy."

Sakura rolled her emerald orbs at him and reluctantly released her hold on his waist, taking a short step back in case he'd need her support yet again. He wobbled a little before managing to stand mostly still, though he had started swaying again.

"I need new towels," he said as matter-of-fact as he could.

She snorted at him.

"That's why you're standing in front of them? Never would have guessed. Mystery solved," she teased lightly.

Kakashi's brows knitted together, and he gave her a pout. She was taken aback yet again; a drunk Kakashi was much more open with his facial expressions than she would ever have guessed.

"Thas not nice, Sakura-chaaaan. I need your help picking."

She flashed him a warm smile before turning her attention to the towels in front of her, completely missing the conflicted look he gave her when she did. She reached for one at random and plucked it from the rack before turning to hand it to him. He nearly took it from her, but recoiled quickly as if burned once he saw it.

"Noooo, thas brown. Brown's bad," he slurred.

Sakura arched an eyebrow yet again. She placed the towel back, and made a mental note to ask him when he was sober why a brown towel was such a bad thing. She thought it was a fairly neutral color for such an aloof man.

"Oookay," she said as she faced him. "Any other colors you don't want, sensei?"

Said man tapped a finger on his chin as he thought before shrugging and looking at her. His stare became intense quickly, his one good eye roving slowly up and down her body. Sakura felt the warmth of a blush rise to her cheeks. The silence grew heavy as neither one spoke, until Kakashi shook his head to clear his trance.

"Pink… And no 'sensei,'" he mumbled finally.

Sakura sighed for dramatic effect, but reached for another towel. She took one for herself, and handed him the other. This one was a light green, and she smiled happily at him again when he made no objections to it. He returned her smile after a slight hesitation, and Sakura felt her stomach tighten. He was an adorable drunk.

The pink-haired woman blinked rapidly the moment the thought occurred to her. Kakashi was an adorable drunk? Where the hell had that come from?

He gave her no time to ponder the thought's origin as he leaned over to pull her into an embrace. She stood stiff as a board while he nuzzled his face into her hair, wondering what the hell he was doing now. She was just about to push him off her when she felt and heard him inhale deeply. Was he sniffing her?!

"Mmm… you smell good, Sakura."

She was likely to shatter if she tensed up any more than she already was. Her stomach was fluttering now, and the sensation made Sakura more curious than it should have. She hadn't felt anything like it in years. Guilt threatened to flood her system as she realized she hadn't felt this way since...

She pushed Kakashi away quickly. Normally the motion would have been fine, but Kakashi was not in a normal state of mind. He stumbled backwards and landed harshly on his ass, looking up at her dazed and mildly confused. She regretted her reaction instantly.

"Owww. Wha was tha for?"

Sakura grimaced and helped him up, wrapping one arm around his waist and letting him support some of his weight on her again.

"Sorry… I didn't mean to."

Kakashi tilted his head down at her, obviously pouting again.

"Tha really hurt, Sakura. I think you broke my tail…"

She couldn't help but chuckle at him fondly.

"Don't you mean tailbone?"

He nodded.

"Yeah, tha one."

She couldn't deny it any more. He was a very cute drunk.

Sakura led them both to the cashier and paid for his towel by way of apology. He continued to lean on her as they exited the shop. Once they were outside, she tried to help him upright and unravel herself from him, but he refused to let her go.

"Need help home," he explained at her inquiring expression.

She grumbled a little at his admission, disappointed at being delayed from her bath, but started off in the direction of his apartment anyway. Normally she would have pushed him off and made him go home alone, but she couldn't bring herself to do that this time. Whether it was guilt or her perverse interest in seeing a new side of Kakashi that helped her make her decision without argument, she couldn't say.

They walked in comfortable silence. Sakura found herself enjoying Kakashi's warmth and the hardness of his body more than once. She tried valiantly to think of something else every time she realized what she was doing, but the traitorous thoughts never stayed restrained for long. Even reminding herself that this was her genin team sensei did nothing to ban them away; the taboo was intriguing, if anything. She cursed inwardly as she came to the conclusion that she was actually attracted to Kakashi. He'd never think of her like that. Of course, she always had to want the unavailable males.

They stopped in front of his bright red apartment door a few minutes later, and Kakashi fumbled around in his pockets for the key. He missed the lock a few times, and was about to try again when Sakura grew frustrated and pulled the keys from his hand to do it herself. He thought he heard her grumbling to herself. Something about 'stupid drunk hot men.'

Hot? He eyed her curiously, but smartly decided to keep his mouth shut. He must be imagining things, because he only wanted her to think of him that way. It wasn't too far-fetched an idea, considering the conclusion he'd come to not long ago while they shopped for towels. Sakura was indeed a grown woman now, and she had the looks to prove it. He always knew she had a sharp mind and an even sharper temper, but it was clear now that her body had finally caught up to everything else.

Kakashi stepped through the open door, frowning when he felt her release her grasp on him. He'd really enjoyed having her so close. If he closed his eyes, he could almost imagine her body was pressed into him in much different circumstances – naked and writhing.

It might not have been appropriate to think such things of an old student, but he was too drunk to give a damn. There had to be a way to get that back.

"Sorry again," she stated, clearly intent on leaving him alone in his apartment. He knitted his brow at her in confusion. "For pushing you…" she clarified.

Ah ha! That was it. He almost grinned, but managed to pull his face into a pout instead.

"Fix it."

Now it was Sakura's turn to look confused.

"I said I think you broke it, 'member?"

Sakura pursed her lips together. Kakashi couldn't help but stare at them as she did it, thinking of all the things she could do with that mouth. Still, she didn't look convinced.

"Pleeeease?" he asked, giving her his best puppy-dog eye.

A strange look crossed her face and disappeared before he had a chance to determine what it might be. She sighed, but nodded her head.

"Fine fine, let's get this over with."

He grinned at her widely, and he could have sworn he saw her blush. She pushed past him and into the apartment before he could really tell though, and he clutched the door tightly as he nearly fell down yet again. Maybe drinking the whole bottle of rum, and then going out for more rum, had been a bad idea.

Meh, oh well.

Kakashi shut the door and then meandered over to his bed before falling down on it face first. She giggled at him, and he found he loved the sound of it. He reached for the waistband of his pants and began to tug them down.

"Kakashi-sensei! What are you-"

Sakura stopped speaking right as he managed to pull his pants down and over his behind, his firm globes now fully exposed to the chilly night air.

Oops… maybe he'd pulled them down too far. Kakashi chanced a look at her, oddly joyous as he found her eyes glued to his posterior. He grinned to himself as he watched the blush on her cheeks deepen. She still hadn't looked away yet. It seemed she wasn't as immune to him as he first thought.

He wiggled his butt a little bit, delighting in how the motion caused her eyes to widen even more.

Sakura gulped, but inched closer to him regardless. She held her hands out, and they began to glow green as she prepared to heal his tailbone. He bit back a groan as he felt her fingers brush lightly over the top of his ass, hoping that she hadn't noticed.

It had clearly been in vain, of course, as he felt her pause for a brief second before resuming. She pressed her hands into his tailbone and he sensed her chakra invade his body. Being healed by a medic-nin was akin to an invasion of privacy when anyone else did it, yet Sakura's chakra was always warm and cozy. He sighed with satisfaction as she probed the bones around his spine, looking for any possible break or bruise.

Sakura removed her hands from his backside, and Kakashi felt a pang of disappointment. He'd been secretly hoping for more. Just as he was about to pull his pants back up, her hands encircled his ass and squeezed. Once. Twice.

She was feeling him up!

Kakashi grew bold as she groped him. With a low growl, he flipped himself over and grabbed her. He threw her to the bed and pinned her beneath him, straddling her hips. He quickly pulled his mask down and attacked her mouth with a fervor he didn't know he possessed.

Half of him expected her to push him off and storm out of the door, but she didn't. No, it seemed she was feeling this attraction just as much as he was. She kissed him back and threaded her hands in his hair, pulling his face closer to her own. She parted her lips in a gasp as he pushed his hips down against hers, and he took the opportunity to caress her tongue with his own. She tasted sweet, and he thought that he may never get enough of the flavor. He pressed his hips down again and ground himself against her core, letting her feel exactly how excited she was making him.

Sakura moaned against his mouth and wrapped her legs around his waist as she pushed back eagerly. This was quickly becoming a new addiction for him. He broke the kiss, ignoring her mewls of disappointment. Kakashi latched his mouth onto her earlobe and sucked gently, loving how it made her shiver and squirm against him. He pressed soft kisses across her cheekbone, continuing down her jaw, then her neck, pausing a moment to lick the hollow spot of her collarbone. She gasped again and arched her back into him.

Kakashi was starting to grow dizzy. He pushed onwards, thinking that it was merely from his near painful state of arousal. He moved his mouth ever downwards, grunting in satisfaction as she unzipped her red vest and let it fall to the side to reveal the white bindings underneath. He hastily ripped them apart, enjoying her squeak of shock as he did. He stopped a moment to enjoy the sight before him. Sakura lay with her rosy locks spread out around her head, her cheeks and chest flushed in a gentle shade of pink. Her breasts were pert and perky, and he couldn't wait to taste them. He cupped one in his hand and kneaded a taut nipple before leaning down and kissing her yet again. His head was swimming.

"God, Sakura," he moaned through his dizziness, "you're gorgeous."

She bit her lip nervously as he pulled away again, and Kakashi couldn't help but stare. He blinked heavily as the lightheadedness returned in full force. He tried to shake it out of his head, and leaned his mouth down to suck on her other neglected breast.

The last thing he thought before the world went black was how amazing she sounded when she moaned.

Sakura was breathing heavily, her chest supporting the weight of Kakashi's head. Well, not just her chest, but her whole body. She glanced at him when she felt his weight fall on top of her, and groaned in frustration as she realized he'd passed out.

It fucking figured.

This was all her fault. She had let her judgment lapse for just a few short squeezes of his delicious ass, and now she was stuck feeling incredibly turned on and utterly unfulfilled. She growled and pushed him off of her, rolling him to the side gently. She chanced a look at his exposed manhood and blushed furiously. He was certainly well endowed, and Sakura couldn't help but feel disappointed that he had been too drunk to remain conscious. Certainly if he was, they would be having a much more enjoyable time right now.

Well, maybe not. Sakura didn't think that Kakashi would ever tackle her quite like he had if he was completely sober. In fact, she didn't think he had even entertained any sexual thoughts of her at all. Clearly she had been mistaken.

With a frustrated sigh, Sakura sat up from the bed and zipped up her vest, leaving her ruined bindings on the sheets. She turned to the man next to her and looked at his unmasked face. She'd always wanted to see what he looked like, but never thought this would be how. He was undeniably handsome. The mole below his mouth added charm to his perfectly angled face, and Sakura found herself reaching out to stroke his slightly stubbled jawline before she knew what she was doing.

God damn it, why did things have to stop just when they were getting good?

She leaned over Kakashi's prone body and pulled his pants back up around his hips, letting her fingers graze over his erection as she did. He moaned in his sleep, and she bit her lip again as she the sound aroused her further. She was sure that once he was sober, Kakashi would feel completely mortified, probably never coming nearer to her than necessary ever again. Sakura imprinted this moment in her mind so she could come back to it whenever she felt the urge.

She stood from his bed, her eyes falling across her bindings next to him. She smirked to herself. Let him find them in the morning, just in case he woke up with no memory of the night before. Maybe it would remind him, and he'd be so eager to bed her that he'd seek her out. It was unlikely, but Sakura wanted it – badly. She, at the very least, wanted him to remember.

With that determined, Sakura left Kakashi's studio apartment. The clothing shops would be closing soon, and if she was quick she would have just enough time to purchase herself a new outfit for tomorrow. She grinned, resolving to buy something somewhat eye-catching on the off chance that he wanted to find her for round two.

Yet, even through her arousal and desire, Sakura was nervous. She felt guilty for being able to cast aside her years of feelings for another man, even if that man had been absent for so long. And she felt slightly reprehensible for being so eager to seduce her ex-sensei.

Oh well. Just like the laundry, that would be a problem that tomrorow's Sakura would deal with.

Feeling emboldened, Sakura marched off in search of an outfit that might make Kakashi's jaw drop.