Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. All characters, terms, and affiliates of Naruto are not mine, but belong to their respective owners, Masashi Kishimoto, TV Tokyo, VIZ &c.

Understanding

The sun was probably doing wonders for her freckles.

Funny how that made her smile and turn more fully to the heat, her vision bright behind lowered eyelids. The grass was springy where she lay, head pillowed on her arms and face lifted to the sun. Nearby the sleepy kunoichi bubbled a river, clear to its sandy bottom and reflecting a thousand and one sparks of light in the afternoon heat.

She was late and she couldn't care less. After nine years of being punctual, she figured she was overdue for one day of tardiness. And considering she still trained with the worst offender of them all, it was a wonder she hadn't slipped up sooner. At the thought, she felt a slight prickle at the base of her spine moments before a cool shadow fell over her face. A smooth baritone issued from above her, and she imagined she could feel the friction as a full bottom lip rubbed against cotton.

"You're late." It was more a statement than a reprimand. It was his hello.

"So are you."

"Still surprised by that?" The shadow sheltered her face for a moment more before it withdrew as its owner settled himself comfortably beside her. A rustle of paper and he was reading, an arm propped on a raised knee and body slumping lazily. She slitted her eyes open just enough to watch a calloused thumb carefully flatten a dog-eared page.

She closed her eyes again.

A comfortable silence ensued, years of one-on-one sessions and late-night conversations ensuring their easy companionship. Words were unnecessary at times like this. They were harsh and foreign to the breeze that tickled stray hairs across her forehead and the laughter of water over stones. It was enough for her to hear the quiet flip of a page and likewise, her steady breathing was all he needed to set him at ease. Contentment permeated their little interlude, making the air that much fresher to breathe. It was a feeling she'd sorely missed in the recent months leading up to the ANBU exams she would be taking the following week. Too busy to do anything but sleep, eat, work, and train, she hadn't had an opportunity to wallow in the spring grass that beckoned along the path towards the training grounds.

Until today, that is. Though common logic would dictate that now more than ever she should be intensifying her training for the hardest test she had yet to take, she found herself relaxing further into the earth. She really was entitled to it. If the protest from her muscles was any indication, their training session from the night before had been more intense than usual.

Long past the point where he was able to read and fight her one-handed, he had stood in the centre of the clearing, concentration and – strangely enough – satisfaction radiating from his lean frame. He had stayed where he was, ever the hunter even as he played the vulnerable nin. Hands down by his sides, he'd closed his one visible eye long enough that she'd almost been lured out of her hiding place. Steeling herself against the urge to call out and ask what the matter was, she continued to watch, fingers flicking restlessly against each other.

When a few minutes had passed with no movement, she was ready to call the session quits. He had never taken this long to start their training before. What was wrong? Worry had begun to gnaw at her, slowly eating away at her resolve—

Until he'd moved. Sakura's breath caught.

'He's…'

From her perch deep within the branches of a spreading oak and cloaked in a genjutsu, she'd watched in awed disbelief as the fingers of one hand slowly lifted the hitai-ate to its standard position.

Sakura opened her eyes, blinking rapidly to adjust her sight to the influx of light.

Kakashi…

He'd given her the ultimate honour. Something that only one of his elite and unique caliber could bestow: a fight replete with hitai up and Sharingan flaming crimson.

Sakura bit her lip, memories of the night inciting a lick of adrenaline to flare through her body.

That fight…

It had been the defining moment of her life.

She'd fought with tears in her eyes.

Her 'thank you' had been a flurry of kunai aimed for his heart as she leapt high into the air, fingers weaving through a genjutsu.

His 'you're welcome' had been a knee to her side, as he appeared above her, unscathed. Unsurprised by the flurry of pink-coloured petals his opponent exploded into, he'd landed softly and scanned his surroundings, knuckles audibly popping. He'd found her easily enough, crouched with her weight light on her hands, a sleek cat waiting to pounce. He didn't relax, even as he noted she held no weapon in her hands. He knew from experience that she had no need of one to make an attack. He pulled his body into a defensive stance as her voice called out to him.

Whatever she pulled, he would be ready for it—

"You really think I'm ready?"

It was a sincere question. That much he could tell. From the plea lilting her voice, to the way she seemed to hold her body still, waiting for his answer.

Kakashi tilted his head. To be honest, the question had thrown him, made him once again assess the growth in the young woman before him.

Soft-hearted, yet ruthless in battle. Sweet but with an underlying layer of steel. Beyond competent but completely unassuming. Perfect chakra control, ever at the ready, swirling in tiny whorls around dainty fingers. And a beauty that was in itself, a weapon of great power.

Yes. Haruno Sakura was definitely ready.

"You are." He couldn't hide the pride in his voice, even if he'd wanted to. It was her due. Her right. She may have taken longer than her other teammates, but her rise as a formidable ninja of Konoha was the most noble.

No ancient bloodline to aid her, no bijuu to back her.

Just Sakura. With the will to learn and the scars to prove it.

She was shaking her head at him.

"Getting sentimental on me?" She'd heard the slight hitch in his voice.

He had to laugh. She knew him too well.

"Hn." He took another moment to look her over, wishing his Sharingan stored moments in time.

"Well?"

"Let's fight."

And fight they did, amongst the whipping grass and grasping branches of Konoha's forests.

Darting through the trees, feeling the exhilaration of being chased by the infamous Copy Nin, Sakura knew she truly lived in that moment.

And when his tall form appeared suddenly before her on the branch she planned to land on, she almost let herself get caught. Almost let her arms wrap themselves around shoulders she'd massaged countless times after a long day of training.

But while the desire was near overwhelming, she didn't.

That dance… their dance, had been going on for a while. Even now, it lurked behind their every move.

But tonight was just for herself.

Watching as he braced his body for impact, Sakura pressed chakra into her hands, ensuring that their grip on a rapidly nearing branch would stick. And it did, the sudden jarring change in direction nearly popping her shoulder joints out as she swung up and around. She landed in a crouch, her perch several branches above and across from Kakashi. Not taking her eyes off his slowly coiling form, Sakura used the back of one hand to push back hair that had come loose in her flight.

She called out to him.

"Did you expect me to just fall into your lap, Kakashi?"

"No." The voice was at her ear. Sakura stiffened. Kakashi was close, measured breaths ghosting her neck, and although it didn't touch her, she felt the distinct presence of a kunai hovering above her wildly beating pulse.

Several branches below where they crouched, his bunshin puffed out of existence.

Sakura sensed more than saw his movement, her instincts screaming at her to run as he leaned closer. She felt his mask brush her earlobe, the material scratching against the crystal stud nested there.

"Ten seconds." The lazy drone to his voice was gone, replaced by something that hit all the vertebrae down her spine.

"Make it good."

She'd cut herself if she gulped the breath she held, but Sakura risked it anyway. Feeling the sting as the kunai drew a thin, stark line of crimson on her neck, she blurred away. Counting off the precious seconds she had, Sakura willed her legs to move faster. She dared not look back. Over the course of their nine-year relationship, she'd seen him like this a fair amount of times. But his back had been turned to protect her then.

Tonight, that hunter's voice had been turned on her.

At the thought, Sakura leapt over a branch, knowing her time was up. A surge of chakra pulsed behind her, slamming through her body. She quelled the urge to whimper.

Kakashi was in pursuit.

The steady sound of turning pages had stopped long before Sakura noticed. Opening her eyes, she raised her head and watched Kakashi's back with interest. Eventually, his arm came around and he tucked his book away.

"Training?"

"No," was the eventual reply. "Let's stay here a little longer."

"Really?"

"Really." Kakashi looked at her over his shoulder. He held her gaze for a moment before letting his one visible eye slide lower to rest somewhere above her shoulders blade. "A few more minutes isn't going to make a difference."

His look may as well have touched her physically, her reaction was so immediate. The skin of her chest and shoulders warmed as the flush slowly made its way to her face, and Sakura sat up to distract him from seeing.

But of course he noticed. Recently, he noticed everything about her. Kakashi allowed himself one touch and pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Impatient to do more, almost sad to see things change.

Almost.

Sakura caught herself swaying towards him. "You're right. I've waited nine years for next week. A few more minutes won't make a difference."

"Waited for what? For ANBU?"

"Yes." Sakura smiled as he blinked patiently at her, obviously expecting--knowing that there was--more. "Among other things."

"Other things." He repeated before facing forward. "That's good."

A/N: You didn't read it wrong. That is the ending.

Much love to my beta, IcarusT. That's one! Here's to hoping for many more.