Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.. T.T so you don't have to keep reminding me. I don't own the song that is in this fic either. ::cries:: so sad..
Chapter two! Cha baby! lol, the song in this fic is also by Fefe Dobson, called "We Went For A Ride." I'm starting to wonder about keeping this as a oneshot (again) and if I should just keep going with it, like how all of this got started, from the beginning. the pairings might be NarutoxHinata, InoxShikamaru, NejixTenten... and of course, KakashixSakura! drop a review, or just go to myspace to let me know what you think. the link to my myspace is on my profile. I'll keep the status as "In-progress" until I know if I should continue this or not. so it's really up to you guys, so let me know what you think! .
And thank you so much for the good reviews!! ::glomps reviewers:: I'm glad that there were actually people who liked it, I was worried that it wasn't good enough. so here's the next chapter!
We went for a ride
We went for a ride
We went for a ride
We went for a ride
She sighed in contentment.. even if it was the same familiar calming/bored contentment that always came around every time it got this quiet. she looked out the side window at the darkened sky and the snow that was still falling.
She was glad that there wasn't many people out on the roads, because the less traffic, the less time she'd have to be stuck in this the car with him. she just wanted to go home and let the night be over with.
'Lies.'
She could hear Inner Sakura laughing at her. telling her that she didn't want this night to end anymore then she did. and.. as much as she didn't want to say it, she was right for once. but for her sanity, she wanted to be away from him, other then that and her pride. she bit her bottom lip.. she didn't want to go home so soon. in times like this, she wished she lived even further away.
The only sound there were was from the car, ones they passed, and the music that was playing on the radio. though it was turned down to where you had to strain your ears to hear it, it was pretty relaxing. and she and her Inner self were both thanking Kami-sama that there wasn't any Christmas songs playing.
Biting her lip harder now, she knew it had to be the alcohol talking, because she almost said she didn't want to go home, that she wanted to stay with him.
'Damn it Sakura!' she scolded herself. 'Don't give in this time, you hate him! remember that! he's no different from Sasuke!!' she let out a small gasp at that.. did she.. really just think that? 'No.. no, he's nothing like him.. he.. actually has a heart.'
Hearing the gasp of surprise, he raised an amused eyebrow and glanced over to her. "Is there something wrong?"
'Damn it.. radar ears, of course there is you lazy-!' Inner Sakura's rant was cut short. "Oh, I.. just forgot that it was my turn to cook tonight.. now I'll have to cook twice. sorry if I-"
"You don't have to lie to me, Sakura."
She cringed.. she hated how he could always know what someone else was thinking, yet no one could ever read him.
"I'm not.." well, it wasn't entirely a lie, it was her turn to cook. but Naruto told her that it was no big deal, and to just go out to clear her head. "Why should it matter to you if I'm telling you the truth or not anyway?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him.
We went for a ride
Undercover of the twilight
And the traffic on the road
And there's only you and I
I hope we never get back home
'Cause I'm feeling serenaded
By the coming of the night
And I wish we'd go forever
And I wish we could just
Drive away
We could drive away
We could drive away
Into the night
We went for a ride
"I'm just worried about you, that's all."
Her eye twitched. "Now you worry... why bother." she said through gritted teeth, both hands in tight fists on her knees. "I haven't seen or heard from you in four years, not even a simple 'how are you.' so why should you start worrying now."
"Sakura.. don't do this again."
"No! you know what, I'm starting to get tired of laying my heart out on the line for you and all you do it walk all over it! even after my feelings for you were literally forced out of me, I still had enough guts to try and explain things to you and you never said anything! and here you act like nothing's wrong, that none of it had ever happened!" she watched his eye narrow. she could feel tears form in her green eyes. "Do I matter so little to you?" she asked softly.
"I've already told you that-"
"That you can't be with me.. I understand that! I'm not asking you to be with me, I only want to know what you feel for me that's all I ask."
There was a long pause.
"I can't.."
"What!? It's not like I'm still your student, teammate or anything like that damn it! I'm 23 not 12! I'm still your friend unless you don't even consider me that anymore!"
"I'm well aware of this... but you know my answer."
"Apparently you're not, if you still reuse to answer my question... Don't tell me, or are you just afraid of what you're friends would say?"
"I don't care what anyone thinks of me."
"Then what are you afraid of! all I ask is one simple little thing, so if none of those factors matter what in the hell are you waiting for!"
His eye still remained narrowed.. he never said anything further.
She huffed mentally and sat back in her seat. arms crossed looking out the window again.
After five long minutes, she calmed down somewhat.. though she still felt hurt. looking at the snow covered trees, she noticed how they never seemed to hit a red light once since they left.
She almost laughed at herself again when she realized.. even though she was upset. she still didn't want to go home.
'If he's willing to take me back home.. does this mean he'll tell me, or say not to bother him about it again? no this isn't right! don't take me home!!' she cried in her mind. trying her best to not let the tears in her eyes fall. and trying to take her mind off of the outcome of the night, she looked out at the road.. there had to be at least four inches of snow covering the ground already. 'I must not cry, must not cry.. I'm not going to cry!'
With your words of consolation
And the trees of crystal white,
I'll be praying for a red light
To extend this precious night
'Cause we both know where I'm going
And we know it just ain't right,
But there's nothing we can do
Except to keep on moving
Drive away
We could drive away
We could drive away
Into the night
We went for a ride
We went for a ride
Her eyes were shut, her heart rate getting higher.. her heart sank when the car came to a complete stop.
Unknown to her.. what she had said before really affected him, because... he didn't want this night to be over with either because he knew it would be a very long time before he'd ever get to see her again. since she was so spaced out, he was about to just keep driving.. but fought against it.
She opened the door and was met with cold air.. her back was to him. "Thank you.. for, taking me home, Kakashi.. good night." she said quietly before getting out. when she closed the door she jogged up to the open entrance of her apartment and to the second floor.
"Damn it." he got out and followed her foot prints.
She was pounding her fist on the door, eventually she dinted it.
"Naruto, get you're ass up and open the door, it's freezing out here!!" she yelled, searching through her purse and pockets again. "No, no, no, no, no! where's my keys!"
That's when she heard that metallic jingling sound again behind her.. she turned around a little to quickly, causing her to slip on a patch of ice behind her before she could get her footing back. and she fell right on her butt just before hitting her head on the concrete.
"Oww!!" she yelled.
Kakashi sighed, but helped her up. he kept an arm around her waist, using the other to try and unlock the front door.
Her head felt to woozy from the fall to complain, but couldn't help from blushing from the close proximity. lucky her, her face was naturally pink already from the cold to make much of a difference.
We went for a ride
We went for a ride...
Here we are We went for a ride..
We are alone together
Here we are
We are alone together.
He finally got the door open and helped her in.. who knew that a kunoichi who was rarely ever home had so many freakin keys.
His left arm was outstretched, hand flat on the wall looking for a light switch in the dark apartment. he heard the door close with a 'click' behind him.. he finally found a switch, but it was for the kitchen at the end of the hall. which made no sense. and as if just remembering where she was, Sakura pulled away from him and walked into the kitchen. she never turned around to face him, but if she did, she might have fell. because she slightly staggered her way to the end of the hall.
She was about to get something, but noticed something orange on the refrigerator. walking over to it, she pulled the note down to read it.
Well, since you're reading this, Naruto-
you must be getting in late..
don't worry bout me,
I'm going to Ichiraku's.
See ya later!
Her mind went momentarily blank after that. the only thing she could comprehend at the moment was something she didn't necessarily like.
She was alone...
Naruto wasn't home...
She was alone...
Kakashi was there...
She was alone... with Kakashi.
After running that through her mind at least fifteen times. she put the note on the table behind her as he walked into the room.
"Sorry, Naruto isn't home." she pointed at the note, trying to act like it's no big deal.
After glancing up from the said object, see seen her trying to reach a black tea kettle in a cabinet above the refrigerator.. he chuckled at how she couldn't even get close to it. he walked up and got it down for her.
She blushed again when she felt his chest against her back. but the moment was short lived when he stepped back and handed the kettle to her.
She turned quickly. "Damn you guys for being taller." she mumbled, height being the last thing on her mind, but she had to think of something else. she went to the sink to fill the kettle up. she sighed silently. "Tea?"
He shrugged. "Sure.."
Wait a minute.. wasn't his mind supposed to say that and he say 'Sorry, but I need to get home.' ? what just happened here..
She kept a calm tone to mask her surprise, she nodded. "Alright.." after she put the kettle on the stove she sat down at the table across from him. now trying make the time more comfortable, she watched him put his hand to his forehead. she smirked. "Headache?" she asked in a playfully mocking tone.
He sighed audibly -Obvious yes.
"I don't see the reason why you drove me home when I know for a fact that you drank way more then I did."
"I'm fine.."
"Says the man with the headache."
Her efforts went in vein, because it got uncomfortably quiet after that. until minutes later when the kettle finally whistled, causing Sakura to jump a little before she stood up to go to the stove.
"You know.. you don't have to stay here if you feel like you owe me something.. because you don't." she said, her back still facing him.
"I know."
"Then why-"
"Because you asked me to.. and because I want to."
Here we are
We are alone together
We went for a ride
Here we are
We are alone together
Here we are
Here we are Drive away
We are alone together
Drive away
To a place far away
Her eyes were wide, she froze at his words. 'I guess in a way I did ask him to stay here didn't I.. but.. he wanted to?' after putting the steaming water in the two mugs and adding the tea bags, she took her seat back at the table.
Keeping her eyes only on her mug, "Or because you feel guilty." she mumbled softly.
"There's no guilt."
She bit her lip.. it would always come down to this, everything would be fine nothing wrong at all, just small talk or random conversations.. but it always seemed he knew exactly what to say to get her back to the much avoided subject.
"If there's no guilt.. why is it so hard for you to answer one question." she said sternly. when she glanced up, she noticed that half of his tea was already gone.
"What what question would that be?"
She had to take a few deep breaths to keep from yelling. 'Fine, he wants to play the game again, we'll play.' she thought before sighing. "Do you or do you not have the same feelings for me as I do for you.." she said slowly.
He sighed. "I've told you, I wont answer that."
"Then why, because I was your student at one time, because of the fourteen year age difference, because none of that matters to me! I told you I already know all of this!"
"That's.. not it Sakura."
She had her hands wrapped around her mug. her bangs were covering her eyes, though he could see her biting her bottom lip again in anger.. that is, until he seen a line of water roll down the side of her face.
"Then what the hell is the reason because I'm all out of options here!" she cried, eyes shut tight, failing to stop her tears. "If.. you don't tell me, how am I supposed to know?"
"You of all people should know what it's like.. how difficult it would be to be to keep a relationship with another ninja. worrying constantly about the other would only cause problems and would effect your mission and jeopardize the lives of your teammates."
To his surprise.. she forced a pained chuckle.
"Yes, I know.. but I also know that it's a hell of a lot better then just being a normal person seeing someone in our line of profession, always sitting at home, wondering when the other will come home, if they are ok, if they are even still alive."
He hated it when she made things more difficult, it just always made matters worse.
"Is it truly that hard just for you to tell me? if you say no I'll understand, honestly. and I'll let it go. just please," she shut her eyes tightly. "Tell me so I can just move on with my life!"
He sighed again. "You don't need someone like me.."
"'Someone like you'?" she scoffed, wiping her tears away with her sleeve. "You make it sound like your a missing-nin or something.. and how would you know?" 'Maybe I need you more then you know.'
"If I was never there for you as a sensei then what would make you think that I-"
"Maybe because you were there for me all of the times that Sasuke wasn't!! he always pushed me away and told me I was weak and pathetic.. but you were always there and eventually helped me realize that I didn't need him and that I wasn't weak at all!" she could practically feel all of the old wounds in her heart re-open. "I never wanted to tell you because of the fear that you'd just push me away like he did. I was never going to tell you unless you somehow took an interest in me but I knew that, that was never going to happen! so I kept my mouth shut, but that damn Jutsu changed everything!"
He sat there wide eyed for a moment. 'I was the reason why she gave him up?'
"So why can't you just tell me if you love me or not, it's just a simple 'yes' or 'no'!"
"... Because."
"Because, why?"
He sighed yet again, looking at the now cold tea still in her hands.. this time he spoke lower. "Because.. I wouldn't want to loose you, or have you go through the pain of loosing me if the time came."
She felt her heart start to skip beats.. did she hear him correctly? more tears fell from her eyes. "But.. why not be together now instead of going through the pain of what could have been?" she asked quietly.
Gods.. she was using every excuse he had against him.
It wasn't until she screamed in surprise that he snapped out of his thoughts.
"Sakura.. it's just a power outage.."
She blinked through the darkness, then blushed.. it wasn't her fault that it had startled her. she pouted a little from embarrassment, and the slight decrease in pride just before standing up and turning around. she kept walking until she bumped into the kitchens counter, finally, she found the objects she was looking blindly for.
When she finally held the lighter right, she lit her vanilla candle. it made the room glow a dim, dull orange due to it being the only light source. 'Just perfect..' she thought, seeing how little there was left of the candle. she looked through the open space (or though the top counter/bar behind the sink) to the living room window when she thought she heard something. when she set the glass jar down, she was going to get some more candles that were in her room.. that is.. until she almost had a heart attack. when she had turned around, Kakashi was standing right in front of her, hands in his pockets. he looked more serious then lazy, which scared her a little.
A serious Kakashi outside of a mission was never a good thing... or was it?
"Well?"
She gulped when he took another step closer. her palms were on the counter behind her, she back up as far as she could until he was just less then an inch away from her. "'Well' what?" she could fell another blush coming on.
"You wanted my answer didn't you."
"Well.. yeah." she said quietly. "What is it?"
"I've already told you what it was." he said simply.
A look of confusion crossed her face, and she was about to tell him he didn't. until his last words rung through her head.
'Because.. I wouldn't want to loose you..'
She sucked in a deep breath, which sounded like a gasp.. though, she didn't quite understand.
Seeing the look of confusion return to her face, he leaned down so he spoke right next to her ear. "Yes."
'So why can't you just tell me if you love me or not, it's just a simple 'yes' or 'no'!'
Wide eyed, and remembering her own words, that was all she needed to hear to know his meaning. her eyes softened, her vision was blurred with tears. she didn't know what to do.
But obviously, Kakashi did.
She felt his arms around her and he pulled her closer to him.
Without hesitating, her arms went around his waist from the height difference.. and for once in a very, very long time: She cried because she was happy.
She heard a click just before things got brighter.. the lights came back on.. but she didn't want to open her eyes, or even move. she didn't want to let go for the fear of this being just another cruel dream to torture her when she wakes up.
Though, her thoughts were proved wrong when she heard him starting to chuckle. "Sakura... I can't breathe.."
She gasped, but loosened her grip. though her arms were still around him.
Ok.. so she forgot about her 'Super human' strength.
He knew even though she would let things be.. he also knew that she wouldn't give up so easily. 'Why not.' he thought. "You know.. if we go through with this.. it's under one condition."
She looked up at him, smiling brightly at the thought. "And what's that?"
His smirk turned into a full smile. "That I can keep all of my books and read them whenever."
His eye creased up happily when her smile faded into a not to happy frown.
She looked away cockily, eyes closed, she huffed. "If your going to be with me then I don't see the reason why you'd be needing those books."
He raised an amused eyebrow.. and if he didn't have that mask. you would have seen the amused smirk that went along with it. "Oh?"
Realizing who she was dealing with, her eyes shot open and her face went red when she repeated the words in her head. "I-I mean.. well.. I.. uh.. don't be getting any ideas, I didn't mean it like that!"
"Then how did you mean it?"
She twitched when his eye creased up again. but she smiled mischievously when she looked at, what she deemed 'That Damn Mask.'
Her hand shot up, but before she could even reach it, he had caught her by the wrist. she gasped when he pulled her closer and against the edge of the counter. wrist still in his hand.
"If you wanted to remove my mask.. make sure you have a reason to do so."
She knew he was probably enjoying the fact her face turned an even deeper shade of crimson. "Oh, like what?"
Her eyes widened again when he let her wrist go, and pulled his mask down. now he really couldn't hide his smirk as he leaned down to kiss her.
Slowly, she closed her eyes and deepened the kiss.
'Maybe life wouldn't be so bad after all.' they both thought.
Here we are
We are alone together
Here we are
We are alone together
Eight pairs of eyes.. or.. well, shocked eyes watched on through the living room window, masking their chakra.
"O-oh my."
"Oh my God!!"
"Troublesome.."
"See! see! I told you!!"
Came the loudly whispered voices of Hinata, Ino, Shikamaru and Naruto.
Ino clapped her hands together. "Aww, they look so cute!" she giggled.
Hinata blushed and looked away.. sadly, it was to her left.. Naruto was to her left and the image of Naruto kissing her flashed through her mind. causing her to faint and fall back onto the fire escape.
"Hmm?" Naruto pried his eyes away from the window, only to see the unconscious Hyuuga. "Oh my god! Hinata! are you ok! is she dead?!" Naruto whispered loudly, panicking.
Ino sighed in annoyance from having to look away. "She only fainted you idiot." before she looked back to the window, she got an idea. "Hey Naruto, why don't you take her back home. it's kind of cold out here for her to be just laying here."
He pouted, pointing to the window. "B-but!"
"Just go!"
He sighed. "Fine, fine." he turned around and picked her up bridal style, just before jumping down into the street.
"You know Ino, she'll just faint again when she wakes up in his arms."
She smiled. "I know, but hey, it might lead to something in the end."
"Troublesome woman.."
She just stuck her tongue out at him before taking one last peek inside. "Ok, it's freezing out here. let's go find Naruto to see what happens!"
He shrugged before they both jumped off of the fire escape, still trying to be stealthy.
'I guess life isn't as cruel... well, not now anyway.' Sakura thought happily. 'For once, I wasn't pushed away. for once, I'm loved.'
'I think.. I can definitely get use to this.' they both thought.
The one she always wanted, she knew she could never have.. but.. there was another that's been right there with her the entire time.. and she never knew it.. until now.
'Thank you.. for not pushing me away.' Sakura thought again. maybe it's true how the saying goes.. you have to make sacrifices to gain what you want. and out of all she's lost. she was glad that she finally gained something to make up for everything she had to loose.