Hey, folks! This is the first chapter of my new Kakashi x Sakura Fanfiction "Ambivalence". I hope you like it because your previous support on "Future without past" has inspired me to start up a second KakaSaku ff. I would love to recieve feedback and reviews to tell me your opinion. I'm going to try to update more often but considering that my final exams are drawing closer it may not be so easy. So be patient! I'm doing my best :P

PS It's rated M for possible further mature content.

PPS I do not own "Naruto" it belongs to Masashi Kishimoto ©

When doubts arise the game begins
The one we will never win...

"Pretending" by HIM

Sakura let out a deep sigh and arched her back against the chair to crack her stiff spine. It's been eight hours since she last took off her tired eyes from the book and looked through the window in front of her. Now the sun was barely shining hidden behind the mountain in the distance. Its golden – orange rays penetrated Sakura's medical room at the hospital and spread out the amber light over the charts hanging on the walls. The girl's eyes lingered on the yellow shabby pages ripped from her notebook with some scratched phrases and equations written on them. The fact that she wasn't able to figure out the resolution was driving her out of her skin.

The sample of the poison Tsunade-sama had been given few days ago by the patrolling ANBU squad was nothing like Sakura's ever seen. None of the antidotes known to Konoha would work successfully on it. The toxin had complicated but still sophisticated structure, consisting a very strange range of herbs. The kunoichi ran her fingers through her long pink hair, trying to recollect her thoughts. The man, from whom the sample was extracted, according to ANBU captain, had died in five to ten minutes from the time of the intoxication. After the autopsy it became clear that he died from strong dehydration. It looked like as if the blood and every other liquid had evaporated from the body until he was left as wizened pile of skin.

Sakura shivered from the image that arose in her mind. As a medic she faced terrifying eyesores every day, it was a part of her job but the fact that she accepted it didn't mean that she liked it. The kunoichi stretched her arms in front of her and closed her eyes. Suddenly her thoughts travelled to Naruto. "Damn!", she was supposed to meet him at six. The girl jumped from the chair, almost overturning a pile of books, stacked on the desk, and run out of the room in a hurry.

"Sakura-chaan, you're late!", the blond frowned displeased at his panting teammate.

"Naruto, I'm sorry, I lost track of time analyzing the poison that Yamato-taicho's team brought back.", the kunoichi let out another deep breath, hoping that this would calm down her fast-beating heart.

"If I didn't know you better, I'd say that you start to remind me of Kakashi-sensei.", the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki laughed and the foxy whiskers on his cheeks trembled.

"Very funny, Naruto –", Sakura pinched him on the arm; "Let's go to eat. I'm starving."

"Sure, but since you were late, we're going to Ichiraku's, dattebayo!"

Sakura only closed her eyes in acceptance and nodded, making a mental memo next time to leave a sticky note on the wall in her consulting room which would remind her about her appointments.

The meal passed smoothly and now Sakura was dragging her feet on the street toward her apartment. Somewhen between the fifth and the ninth bowl that Naruto was devouring the kunoichi felt the exhaustion crawling under her skin and making her bones doubling their usual weight so she decided it was for the best to go home and get some sleep after a nice hot bath. By the time she reached her apartment's door Sakura was almost sleepwalking. She even missed the huge heap of pasteboard boxes arranged between the door of her neighbor and her own. Oblivious for everything except her sole purpose to reach the bathtub, Sakura missed the opening of her neighbor's door and the weird stare that Yamato sent her while picking up one of his boxes to bring inside his new lodging.

The hot water was caressing her skin and it was relaxing her sore muscles and stiff bones. Tomorrow was her day off the clinic and she would gladly enjoy it in bed or cuddled on the sofa with a cup of strong black coffee, reading the book she started few months ago but didn't have the time to finish yet. Sakura cracked her neck and with a displeased sigh she rose of the warm water. The sudden tension in her muscles made her lose balance and she slipped on the bottom of the bathtub, falling on the wet floor. With a dull sound her butt hit the tiles and she immediately gave out a cry of surprise and pain. "Great – ", the kunoichi cursed and stood up, massaging her bruised bottom.

Sakura realized that she had no strength for drying her hair and most likely because of her laziness tomorrow she won't be able to move her stiff neck. But none of this mattered now. She just walked to her room and dropped down on the bed, burying her face in the nice cool pillow, already snoring quietly.

A man slowly appeared from the shadows in the corner of the spacious hall. Its dark hooded figure was moving tardily, if someone was observing him, its pace would remind them about the one of a wounded wild animal – cautiousness transformed into fear and rage. The man stopped at the center of the room and stamped his foot, the hall was immediately lightened up by the gas lanterns, hanging on the stone walls. In the middle of the chamber there was a simple wooden bed without even mattress or blankets. Only the shabby white pillow was tale telling that this sole piece of furniture served to the purpose of someone to sleep in it.

The man was wearing a black cloak printed with red clouds; its posture was abnormal, as if he was in pain. The mysterious shinobi slowly walked toward the bed and carefully sat on the edge of it, removing his cloak. Under it, his right arm was pressing against his abdomen but this didn't stop the blood that was coming out of it. His whole body was covered with wounds and scratches. Small trickles of blood were flowing out from under his eyelids, forcing him to keep his eyes closed.

Suddenly the air trembled and twirled as another shinobi, wearing the same cloak and covering his face with an orange mask, appeared in front of the first one.

"Sasuke – kun, no offence but you are a mess. Look at yourself, is this the way that an Uchiha should look like after a battle?", there was a hidden sarcastic tune in his voice which made Sasuke's body tense, "How do you expect to crush the leaf and defeat the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki when you can't even get the hachibi?", the masked man smirked and Sasuke let out a growl of silent fury.

"I will avenge my brother's death and restore my clan. You can be sure of that.", the Uchiha's words echoed in the empty hall.

"My, my! I think I stepped on a bleeding wound.", the other one chuckled, "How bad are your injuries?"

Sasuke didn't utter a word, afraid to acknowledge the fact that probably his eyes were lost. He knew that there was still a chance for them to be saved but the only one capable of doing so was now the Hokage.

"I heard something very curious few days ago.", the masked shinobi smirked, "I believe you still remember the village we attacked in Lightning country in order to draw the hachibi's attention and make him crawl out of his mouse hole.", Sasuke nodded slightly recalling the ruins that were left after they were finished, "It miraculously happened that Konoha had a team in the area –"

Sasuke frowned not sure if his conclusions that formed in his mind were correct.

"And the team had a medical ninja, a kunoichi to be precise – ", the other shinobi continued teasingly, "She healed every one of the wounded villagers. Alone. I heard them talking about how lucky they were that Konoha's elite team happened to be there at this moment because not only that the kunoichi saved their lives but a noisy blond shinobi and a silver-haired jonin helped them restore their houses."

Sasuke now would be staring at him shocked if his eyes weren't wounded. Could he mean..?

"Oh, and some of them were very charmed by the kunoichi's appearance, they were constantly talking and discussing her exotic green eyes and pink hair.", the other shinobi chuckled at the reaction of the man before him who was clearly shocked and stunned.

"Sakura is a medic?", Sasuke murmured.

"She's Tsunade's apprentice and it's said that she's already at the same level as her teacher.", the orange-masked man laughed, "Sasuke – kun, are you still sure that you don't want to meet one of your ex-teammates?"

A devilish smile curved on the Uchiha's successor's face.

The morning for Sakura came incredibly fast, too fast, actually. When she opened her eyes and searched with them for the clock on the night table by her bed, she growled. "Eight thirty… I can't even oversleep when I have the day off –". She stretched tightly her legs and arms and stood up from the bed with a sigh, covering her naked body with the silk wrapper lying on the floor alongside with her other clothes. As she predicted her neck was stiff from the wet hair from last night. Sakura noticed that the balcony's door was left open which only helped for her stiff bones. The kunoichi dragged her feet to the terrazza and eased her arms on the parapet, letting the morning sun rays to sink in her marble skin.

Suddenly her eyes snapped open as she realized that someone was watching her. Her head turned to the right and her green eyes locked with black ones, popped with a mixture of shock and embarrassment.

"Yamato-taicho! What are you doing here?", Sakura almost shouted in surprise.

The man standing on the balcony with a cup of coffee gulped and blushed, "I moved in yesterday in the apartment next to yours. This morning I found out that our balconies were stack to each other."

"Ah, welcome then.", Sakura blushed pulling her robe to cover her exposed cleavage and ran her fingers through her hair in a unsuccessful attempt to put the jutting out locks in their place.

"Um, thank you. Treat me kindly.", the young man bowed politely, pouring some of his coffee on the cement floor.

Sakura smiled warmly and waved at him, "Would you care to join me for a coffee and a light breakfast since you spilled out yours?"

The man was obviously feeling uneasy to accept her offer and was wondering how to decline it politely when Sakura smiled even more widely and teased, "I know you're not very keen to social interactions but still we are neighbors and teammates so I don't see reason for you refuse."

"Not that I don't like hanging out with people it's more like I don't know how.", Yamato looked to the other side and scratched his head with finger.

"Oh, don't worry. I think I can handle you. After all we have Sai in out team.", Sakura chuckled and waved at him before disappearing in the apartment again, "Let me put on some clothes and wash up myself and you can come over."

Yamato sighed and pulled the hem of his T-shirt down nervously and went inside to grab a mop and clean up the coffee puddle on the balcony.

The pink-haired kunoichi was humming the kitchen, bustling around the oven when she heard a light knock on the door, "It's open! Come on in!", she shouted.

Her substitute sensei walked in cautiously and looked around himself. The door led exactly to the living room and he guessed that the room placement in the apartment was the same as in his flat. So he headed directly to the kitchen, trying to avert his eyes every time his eyes lingered over something more continually. When he entered the kitchen he found Sakura pouring coffee in two mugs, placing them next to the plates with fried eggs and sausage, arranged with few slices of tomato and cucumber. He saw her waving at him to sit on the chair, "Make yourself at home."

The kunoichi joined him, sitting across the table, pinning some of the eggs with her fork, "So, why did you decide to change your apartment?"

"Well, last week Kakashi-senpai had his thirty-second birthday and somehow we ended up celebrating it at my house. Let's just say that things got a little out of hand and the next day the landlord asked me to find another place."

Sakura wondered what were they doing so they'd actually force the landlord to kick them out, "I didn't have the impression that either you or Kakashi – sensei were heavy drunks.", she chuckled imagining her ex-senseis hiccupping and lisping.

"I am not. I actually have never tasted alcohol. I consider it a waste of brain cells.", Yamato frowned apparently recalling some accident that occurred after someone got wasted and Sakura had this tiny feeling that it was her fast and loose playing ex-teacher.

"Well, as a medic I can assure you that you're completely right.", Sakura laughed followed by Yamato.

The shinobi gulped the last bit of food in his plate and wrapped his hands around the still warm coffee, "Thank you for the breakfast. It was delicious."

"No problem, actually I can't cook that well. I never had the desire nor time to learn anyway.", Sakura smirked, "I was too busy bringing nearly dead fish to life or studying medical books. And of course doing Tsunade-sama's paperwork with Shizune."

Yamato smiled and nodded in uderstandment. He didn't know Sakura before she started her medical training but he heard a lot of stories by Naruto about how fast she grew up to be strong and reliable teammate, leaving behind her obsession to preserve her good look and abandon the fear to get some dirt under her nails. Yamato had witnessed the death of a lot of kunoichi caused by their attempt to look good on the battlefield. Beauty during fight wasn't a weapon but a liability and distraction.

During the two years he'd known Sakura he observed how she gradually balanced her natural girly desire to look good with her duty as a kunoichi and he could firmly say that she found the perfect ratio of the both – beauty and skill.

"It's getting late, Sakura-san. I'd better go because I have to report in Hokage tower.", the man stood up and bowed, "Thank you again for the meal."

Sakura stood up as well and chuckled, "It's just Sakura. You are not much older than me after all, Yamato-taicho."

"Then call me Tenzo.", the man changed the weight on his other foot nervously.

"Ah, so Yamato was a code name.", the kunoichi saw him nodding, "Ok, then have a nice day, Tenzo!"

The man waved for a goodbye before disappearing in a dispersing smoke, much like her ex-teacher.

Sakura sighed and started clearing the table putting the dirty dishes in the sink. She wondered how she should spend her off duty day. Her thoughts were interrupted by a hurried knock on her door and a man's voice echoed in her apartment.

"Haruno Sakura! The Hokage ordered us to escort you to the hospital in a case of emergency."

The kunoichi ran to the living room picking up her weapon and first-aid holster and opened the door worriedly, "What happened?"

"Hatake Kakashi has been brought back in critical condition. The Hokage requested your assistance."

Sakura's eyes popped out and she ran out of her apartment followed by the two ANBU.

At first when she saw her ex-teacher and current teammate she couldn't recognize him. There were deep cuts near all of his main arteries, his skin wasn't usually paler than hers but now it looked like the one of a dead man – marble, cold and dry. The bed sheets were crimson and soaked. Two medics were trying to close his wounds and stop the bleeding. Then the thought stuck Sakura's mind. Considering the size of the cuts and the absence of other type of wounds there was only one logical conclusion that she could make. These cuts were self-inflicted. She noticed that despite the work of the healers Kakashi's condition wasn't getting any better in fact it has become worse. Wrinkles now wrapped his face and his skin was shriveled. His body reminded her of the victim's body from a week ago. Her eyes widened.

"STOP! Don't close the wounds! Leave them bleeding and get a bucked with leeches and five blood banks – type 0!", Sakura took off the rubber band from her wrist and tied up her long hair. By the time she reached the bed her hands were already glowing green.

She had no idea that Kakashi was out of the village on a mission, more over that he had been sent by the Hokage to investigate the case of poisoning. Probably he encountered the culprit and ended up intoxicated. He must have acted driven by despair, knowing that there was no antidote for this poison. Sakura couldn't even begin to imagine what it would be to cut your own body with the kunai, to force yourself to bleed to death. The kunoichi was absolutely sure that she would have died if she was in his place.

She was covering his chest with glowing hands, artificially supporting his unbeating heart, pressing it with her chakra, forcing it to beat, to keep Kakashi alive. She didn't know if this would work. Leeches would help her with the blood cleansing from the poison and Kakashi's heart failure. But the medic wasn't sure that simply attenuating the blood with a clean one and leaving the poison the flow out by itself from his body would be enough. The nurses entered the room with the ordered items and waited for further instructions. They noticed the tense posture of the kunoichi before them.

"Why isn't Tsunade-shishou here?", Sakura asked hurriedly.

"She's at the laboratory, trying a few new antidotes she came up with earlier this night.", the petite blonde answered.

"Good. Prepare the blood transfusion. I'll tell you when to open the exhaust valve of the IV drip.", Sakura switched her place, making some room for the bucket of leeches. The kunoichi moved one of her hands away from Kakashi in order to grab the first leech. The worm-like animal twirled in her grip and she hurry to place it on Kakashi's chest. The leech immediately started to grow, sucking the blood from Sakura's ex-sensei's body. Suddenly the animal curved in a ball and stopped moving. It was dead. Obviously the poison which it took with his blood killed it. The kunoichi put another one on his chest and continued to support his heart with chakra. "Start the transfusing.", she ordered and continued with the treatment.

Sakura didn't know how much time has passed since she started or how many leeches the poison killed. The nurses have gone twice to the hospital's warehouse to bring more leeches. The pink-haired kunoichi has worked over Kakashi's body, trying to save his life and just when she was about to give up hope she felt a weak pump from under her hand. At first she thought that she was starting to hallucinate but after the second and the third beat she was absolutely sure that it was Kakashi's heart.

A weak and tired curve appeared on her face and she removed the swollen leech from his chest. She sighed and started closing up the wounds on his body. By the time she was finished and she looked out of the window in front of her Sakura noticed that the night has fallen over Konoha. "So much for my relaxing and leisure day.", she thought with a slight smile on her face.

The kunoichi stretched her back and cracked her neck. Every part of her body was hurting her. She moved to the other side of the bed and tuned the IV drip, adding some vitamin B12 and a small amount of analgesics considering the number of wounds that Kakashi had. She should probably go and report to Tsunade-sama but she didn't want to leave him alone in the room. More over the nurses didn't have time to undress him and they only tore his jonin vest, black shirt with rolled-up sleeves and his trousers. Sakura went to the cupboard in the room and pulled out a hospital PJs and a wash basin with a yellow sponge.

It wasn't the first time she was washing a patient in the hospital but it was her first time she was doing it for her ex-teacher. Not that it mattered but for six years she's been waiting to see his face and now it felt a little bit like cheating to use his weakened state to peek under this famous mask. At this moment Sakura was grateful to Naruto who helped her to master the kage bunshin jutsu. She made a hand seal and after a quiet pop one more Sakura was standing beside Kakashi's bed. The real one grabbed the patient and lifted it using a small amount of chakra in her arms so that the bunshin could change the soaked bed sheets. Then she and the shadow clone took off the leftovers of his clothes leaving only his mask and boxers on. It was hard to wash an unconscious patient without causing him pain from his injuries. Only if she could make more that one shadow clone it would have been so much easier.

After washing off the dried blood from his body, Sakura noticed that Kakashi's skin has returned some of its previous color and state. There were no more wrinkles and now it was completely smooth, wrapping gently his muscles. She even let herself enjoy the view of the perfect six-pack on his abdomen. It wasn't something rare considering that she lived in a ninja village but that didn't mean that she didn't enjoy the sight of it whenever she had the opportunity. The kunoichi tied up the laces of his hospital pajamas and covered the Copy nin with a warm soft blanket, readjusting the abocat in his hand.

Now she could peacefully go and report to the Hokage. Sakura send her teammate one last concerned glare and walked out of the room, heading toward Tsunade-sama's office.

"Naruto, are you completely sure that the attacker was an Akatsuki?", Sakura could hear the voice of Tsunade echoing in the quiet office as the pink-haired kunoichi stood before the door.

"I'm positive. He was the strange plant-looking guy.", the voice of her teammate sounded strangely tired and down.

Sakura was shocked to hear that Naruto went on the mission with Kakashi. She wondered when exactly they left Konoha, because she was with the blond shinobi yesterday almost the whole afternoon. And why didn't he say something about his mission. Even if it was a top secret one, he should have told her. He knew that this case was extremely dangerous considering the lack of antidote for the poison. Naruto could have died out there and Sakura wouldn't even know that he was out of the village.

On the other hand, Tsunade must have had a very good reason to send the Jinchuuriki with the Copy nin. Sakura was absolutely sure that Kakashi was included on the mission list because of his abilities and that he was the most likely candidate that wouldn't be hit by the opponent and therefore wouldn't be intoxicated. But Naruto? Why him? Akatsuki were after the Kyuubi for such a long time that Sakura couldn't even remember when this whole ordeal started. Naruto was going on missions only including full four-cell team consisting Kakashi, Sai and herself. But if Kakashi had been hit with the needle how come Naruto was fine. It was true that judging by strength and overall power the blond shinobi has surpassed his teacher long ago – after he mastered the Sage technique and learnt the control of the Kyuubi, but the Copy nin wasn't a shinobi to be taken lightly. On daily basics he still kicked Naruto's ass while they were sparring. Kakashi had the superior experience and intelligence needed for strategy planning and he was way faster than the young jonin when the litter one didn't resort to desperate measures such as using Kyuubi chakra. Sakura smiled at the thought of Naruto's expression when he loses to a Kakashi in sparring match. Her teammate and best friend still after all these years hadn't learnt to lose.

Suddenly the kunoichi heard footsteps on the staircase in the Hokage tower. Knowing that if somebody saw her eavesdropping in front of Tsunade's office questions would arouse, Sakura knocked on the wooden door and entered the room. She was welcomed with a curious stare from both Naruto and Tsunade. The Jinchuuriki stood up and walked out of the room, pinching Sakura's cheek as he passed her by. Obviously he didn't want to discuss the mission now with her. The pinkie frowned.

"I just wanted to report that Hatake Kakashi's condition had been stabilized. His life is now out of danger but I believe that he should stay in medical care for at least three more weeks.", Sakura bowed politely and carefully suppressed a yawn, "If you don't need anything else from me I think I'll go at home and rest."

The Hokage smiled and waved at her, "Sakura, sit!"

The kunoichi dragged her feet to the chair in front of the desk and lumped in it, sending a strange questioning glance at the blonde woman.

"I have a favor to ask from you. A huge favor.", the Hokage's lips curved in a crooked half smile, "You know that the hospital staff and most of the nurses are sick with the flue. I don't have enough subordinates to run the hospital normally and for sure I can't afford to put one of them in care of Kakashi."

"I don't get your point, shishou.", Sakura frowned, "If you want me to help you out with the clinic, you can just say it straight. I will devote myself to you next few weeks and I won't take any missions until the personnel are back."

"That's not the point, Sakura. I mean that you as well need a holiday and a quality time to spend at home and I need someone to take care of Kakashi.", Tsunade folded her arms on the desk and awaited the thought of her student babysitting Kakashi to sink in Sakura's mind.

"You want me to nurse, Kakashi-sensei?"

Tsunade nodded, "In your apartment."

"In my apartment?", the kunoichi's mouth snapped open in disbelief, "He wouldn't agree.", she argued with the first excuse that came up in her mind.

"He won't have the word for it.", Tsunade cracked her fingers and waved at Sakura, "Now go home and prepare his bed. I'll send the medical team in thirty minutes to bring him to you with an IV drip and some antibiotics and painkillers in case you don't have enough."

"But Tsunade-shishou – ", Sakura tried to object and the adamant stare coming from her sensei's eye stopped her in the middle of the sentence. The kunoichi knew that even if she tried to refuse the Hokage would only turn her request into an order. Today was definitely not the day she expected it to be. Not at all.

A cool tickling feeling reached Kakashi's mind. A strange weight rested on his chest and the Copy nin could only define it as hands. He kept his eyes closed not sure whether he was brought back home or the attacker had decided to spare him and now he was held captive. He felt that the ticklish sensation faded away and one hand moved onto his abdomen while the other carefully crawled from under his mask to lift so that the person could examine his neck. The touch was gentle but experienced. "A medic. A female medic. A young female medic – ", the Copy nin thought and almost smiled under the mask, he hated hospitals but that didn't mean that he didn't love the nurses there, some of them were really caring. So he was at home after all. Naruto managed to escape and bring him back. Kakashi's head felt heavy and he decided that he would enjoy the pleasant feeling of a woman's hands on his body for a little longer. After such mission he deserved at least this much.

After the physical examination was over he decided that it was for the best to finally "wake up". Someone was adjusting his pillow and he let out a weak sigh, slowly opening his eye. He expected a pale green walls light yellow with curtains between hospital beds and a nurse in a white short uniform. But the view that revealed before his eye was much better even if he didn't want to admit it. He was lying in a double soft bed next to a huge window with opened velvet curtains in nicely arranged room. And just in front of his eyes was the sight of Sakura's cleavage. Long pink silky locks were falling over his face while she was trying to lift a bit his pillow. She smelled of a shampoo and her blouse was wet in some places. Probably she decided that it wasn't necessary to dry up her body with a towel due to the hot weather.

Sakura grunted quietly in annoyance, most likely she couldn't move the pillow and the girl tried again this time with a little bit force. The movement caused her breasts, tightened in a black bra, to waggle a bit. Kakashi gulped and closed his eye immediately. This wasn't something he should be seeing, even less enjoying. But obviously his body did consider the view a pleasure to the eye and it was responding adequately, sending gradually amount of blood to his groins. The Copy nin stirred slightly as if he was waking up and felt how the girl bending over his head pulled back slightly. He thought that now it was a safe time to open up his eye.

He was greeted with a wide bright smile and glinting green eyes, "Welcome back, sensei!", Sakura's voice sounded cheerful but somewhat tired. Kakashi guessed that it was his former student that brought him back from the dead.

"Nice to see you, Sakura.", his voice was rasped by the time he spend not talking and the shinobi cleared his throat, "Where am I?"

"Well, in my apartment.", Sakura turned her head away from his face, "Last night, Tsunade-shishou told me that I should take care of you in my apartment because half of her hospital personnel was sick with the flue and she couldn't afford to put another medic to nurse you."

"And why your apartment?"

"Se claimed that I need rest.", Sakura played with the hem of blanket and turned to face Kakashi again, "I told her that you wouldn't agree but her respond was that you wouldn't have the word for it."

"I see.", the Copy nin let out a deep sigh and tried to stood up from the bed but Sakura was faster and pushed him down with a strict stare.

"No getting up until I say so.", her tone was low and Kakashi knew that he'll end up with some other injury if he tried to disobey.

"But I need to use the toilet.", the Copy nin murmured.

"Kakashi-sensei. You know the drill, don't you? The fact that you are in my apartment doesn't mean that you can do as you please.", Sakura frowned and a tiny wrinkle appeared on her forehead between her eyebrows.

"No way I'll use bedpan.", his voice suddenly sounded uncharacteristically high.

"But in hospital I've never heard that you complained about using one!", Sakura objected with annoyed voice. She started to get the feeling that this whole process will end up with someone in pain.

"Because it wasn't you who nursed me then!", Kakashi shouted in disbelief to her boldness.

"And what's wrong with me?", she suddenly sounded offended. It wasn't everyday when somebody refused her medical and nurse support to them.

"You are my student! I won't let you see me shi – ", Kakashi silenced and looked the other way in defiance.

Sakura growled and took a deep breath, knowing that she had to use her last trump card, "It's either bedpan or diaper. It's your call.", the kunoichi put her hands on her waist and waited his response.

Kakashi's mouth gaped open under the mask and both of his eyes opened. That wasn't a fair play. He felt like crying. When he looked at her, the silver-haired shinobi saw the smug victorious smirk on her face. "Damn you, Tsunade!" Kakashi sighed and murmured defeated, "Bedpan it is."

TBC