AN: I know, I know. It's been a reaaly long time since I've updated anything, but a lot of personal matters have happened during this year and it's been kinda hard.

If any of you follow She Had the World, I'm so sorry it's taken me so long for the last chapter, but I just couldn't seem to get the right words to write it. I'm still working on it, albeit slowly, but I haven't given up on it. Thanks to all of you who still hold on to the hope that I will finish it, because I will.

Now on to this new story…

It's strictly Kakasaku this time. I always loved the idea and the other stories of Kakashi being in love with Sakura first, so here it is.

As always, excuse any punctuation or grammar errors.

Rated M because Kakasaku.

Act Naturally

"All I gotta do is act Naturally"

—"Act Naturally"

The Beatles

"Crap," Sakura cursed as she raced through the streets. She circumvented an old woman and kept booking it. She was going to be late.

And the reason?—

—A very lazy and whimsical, silver-haired ex-sensei of hers that was going to get an earful when she got a hold of him.

Tsunade had sent her a scroll that morning of wanting Team 7 to assemble in her office for some unknown reason. Sakura, always the poignant one, had gotten ready immediately, assuming that the others had received similar scrolls. She had been halfway out her door, just on time, before remembering her habit of fetching Kakashi before any of these meetings occurred so he wouldn't be late. She hadn't had to do it in a while, seeing as they hadn't been sent on a team mission for months, so naturally it slipped her mind until the last second. Weighing the options between Tsunade's wrath at Kakashi and the rest of them for being an hour late, versus only a few minutes if Sakura dragged him in, one option certainly seemed more appealing than the other.

Hence the running.

She arrived, breathless and vengeful, at Kakashi's front door. Sakura knocked loudly, making sure to convey her crossness through the pounding, only to be met with silence. She tried at the door and found it surprisingly unlocked. Not very shinobi-like of him.

One foot was through the door before she hesitated; she'd never actually been inside his apartment before and entering without invite was rubbing her the wrong way. She shrugged and stepped in completely anyway. If Kakashi didn't want her in there, maybe he shouldn't always be such a slither-outer.

Sakura looked around at a neat and tidy room with few possessions besides a couch and a coffee table. She didn't know much about her ex-sensei's lifestyle because frankly he wasn't around much, and when he was, he was always very skittish about personal questions. A small hallway led to a door that she assumed was his bedroom.

An odd, strangled sound emitted from behind the door, drawing Sakura's attention away from speculation on Kakashi's behalf and back towards her task. She marched down the hallway, called Kakashi's name in a frustrated tone and opened the door and…

Oooh, holy shit! Get out! Get out now!

Her mind screamed at her and her legs complied only a nanosecond after. Sakura ran as fast as if Tsunade making her work the STD wing at the hospital again (every time she thought about that horrible day, she shuddered violently). She ran and she ran until she had flown by Kakashi's front door—slamming it closed for good measure as she passed by—, down the staircase and only about roughly a mile away did she dare stop to collect her breath.

Sakura's cheeks substituted as a color sample for red. She could feel them blaze with heat at what she'd just witnessed.

She couldn't believe she'd just—she'd just… seen Kakashi having sex.

Even her thoughts were stuttering and all she could comprehend from the chaos was one expression:

What the fuck?

Sakura had seen it, no doubt about it. Two bodies stacked atop each other, thrusting, moaning, and nakedness—key components that strongly hinted at two people mid-coitus.

Oh, who the hell was she kidding? Of course they were having sex, there was no 'strongly hinting' about it.

Oh, man.

Sakura tried to think on the upside: Maybe Kakashi hadn't seen her?

She snorted at her own optimism. She'd seen him glance her way with a startled expression before Sakura had bolted. The thought that maybe he hadn't recognized her was immediately sinking and drowning before it could surface.

Who the hell else had pink hair?

Sakura pulled at her pink locks in agitation and grumbled out loud with a few swears thrown in the mix. Her ramblings earned her a glare and look of reprimand from the very same old lady she'd almost run into earlier who then hobbled past mumbling about "youth" and "no respect" and "swearing in the middle of the street with a tongue that could rival a sailor's" and "mannish strength, too. Not normal for a young lady" and on and on until she passed out of earshot.

"I had a very bad day!" Sakura shouted after her, defending herself. "And I'm not mannish!"

Great, now she was shouting at an elderly woman in the middle of the street like a demented howler monkey.

Sakura huffed in frustration and went back to the problem at hand.

How was she ever going to look him in the eye again after these events? She'd always picture those images with each eye contact and surely he'd in turn think about what she had seen him doing and it would be a never ending circle of evasion and embarrassment.

Sakura had never actually combined the idea of sex and Kakashi in the same thought process. Of course he had sex; he was a fully grown man, but that had been a hazy, not-even fully-formed thought in the back of her mind, which completely unnerved her and made her squirm in an odd way every time she came close to the subject.

But now those two subjects were combined in her head as securely as conjoined twins.

Sakura supposed her ex-sensei was a handsome man—she'd name herself a fool for trying to deny it. She could attest to that fact because she had actually seen his face. Once. It had not been an accident or by some sneaky trick on her part, but by Kakashi's own violation. It was actually a memory Sakura treasured fondly.

The event had happened on her 18th birthday three years ago. Sakura had been walking the Konoha streets despondently, indulging herself in self-pity. She was alone on her birthday. Ino had been on a mission, promising to take Sakura out for drinks when she got back and Naruto had only remembered to say a quick "happy birthday" because he had run into her on his way to do who knows what and her parents were still angry with her for a reason she didn't like to think about. Anyways, she had been wandering about when her eyesight had gotten in range of a certain jounin-clad chest. Kakashi had smiled his one-eye smile at her and asked her what she'd been doing out alone. Sakura had stood, suspicious; surely it wasn't uncommon for a young woman like her to be out walking on a fine day. She was about to call bullshit and ask him what he wanted, but instead decided to go along with his charade. She'd replied that she'd been out on a walk and surprisingly he'd asked if he could join her. Sakura had stuttered a "yes" and on they'd gone. When they'd been halfway through the sunny park, trying to fill the silence with idle conversation, Kakashi had abruptly turned and said "Oh, by the way, Sakura, happy birthday". She'd turned to say thanks, startled that he'd remembered, only to leave her jaw flapping wide open because, holy shuriken, he had pulled his mask down and was grinning at her with pearly-white teeth! The ass had then waved a quick 'see ya' before turning and going on his merry way, leaving Sakura dumfounded on the sidewalk. Before she could respond to this momentous occasion, he'd vanished.

Sakura supposed that someone thinking his or her face was good enough to be a birthday present called for vanity of Narcissistic proportions. But this was Kakashi's face! Hands down the best present she'd ever received. Man, Naruto and Sasuke (if she ever saw him again) were going to be so jealous!

The times she'd seen Kakashi after that (which weren't often), she'd been planning on mentioning it, but somehow had never gotten to. Sakura felt that if she mentioned it, something would happen—she wasn't sure what, but something. She also got a little thrill every time she thought about being one of the few people in this world having witnessed his face and she didn't want to relinquish that. After that event though, she'd affirmed that under her ex-sensei's detached manner was a very kind man. He'd been there when she'd graduated to Jounin, had stood at the gates when she'd come back from her first solo mission as a jounin, and had stood in the background when she'd received her license from her Shishou, making her a full-fledged medical ninja.

So yeah, he cared deeply and was handsome. Two important realizations Sakura had come to know even before he'd stopped being her sensei.

Sakura shook her head and realized she'd been standing there lost in thought for a few minutes. Then… "Oh, shit!" Tsunade! She started running again, Kakashi be damned.

She ran and arrived at the Hokage's office only a little out of breath. She knocked.

"Enter," said the impatient voice of her Shishou.

Crap.

Sakura hurried in and almost tripped when she realized Kakashi, the bastard, was already there, slouching against the nearest wall. She tried not to look his way. Naruto was there, too.

"Sakura, you're late. Even Kakashi is here before you," stated Tsunade, eyes judging.

Ugh, Kakashi! "But I—," Sakura protested then cleared her throat and bowed her head, "Sorry, Shishou."

"Sakura, are you alright?" Kakashi asked with what only she recognized as faux concern. "You look a little flushed."

Shut up! "I'm fine," she answered, not turning lest she punch him in the face.

"Yeah, Sakura-chan, you look a little…excited," Naruto so helpfully intoned.

So not the word she would freaking use.

"Holy hell, I'm fine!" Sakura burst out.

Silence.

"Well… no matter," Tsunade said, eyeing Sakura warily as if she was about to strip and start foaming at the mouth. "I have news—important news. That's why I called you three."

Sakura noticed that Sai and Yamato were absent. Only the original team seven sans one was present. A strange pressure settled on her chest.

Tsunade aimed her amber eyes at the two men in the office before settling on Sakura with a weighing air. "Sasuke's back," she stated.

All other thoughts vacated Sakura's mind.

What.

Sasuke had been gone for years and he finally decided to come back? After Sakura had begged him not to leave and Naruto had pleaded also in turn? He'd finally decided to waltz back in? Sure he'd gone crazy there for a time, and then had mellowed out and decided he wanted to travel, but this was just so sudden. Sakura pondered that maybe the fresh air and sightseeing had done him good.

"No way!" Naruto exclaimed with an elated grin. "Really, Baa-chan? Where is the bastard? Can we go see him?"

Sakura stayed silent and couldn't help glancing at Kakashi to see how he'd taken the news. He was staring at her in the oddest way, almost like Tsunade's appraising gaze, but more intense. He didn't seem as fazed by the news but more concerned with Sakura's reaction. No, not concerned, more interested. She looked away, still processing.

No, she didn't love him any more if that's what everyone was so interested in. Well, not that way. Not for a long time now. Sakura wasn't even sure what she'd felt for him before was even love, but with all the stuff he'd pulled, she was sure it would never even come near again. She still cared for him, of course, but she wasn't in love. Now if everyone could stop staring as if she was going to burst into tears and start spouting love sonnets!

The two kept staring.

She threw them a bone. "Huh," was what she said in a nonchalant tone. Analyze that.

Tsunade finally turned her gaze from Sakura to Naruto. She had a faint smile on her lips. "He's in containment. For now, he can only be visited by you three, no one else—well, except for me of course. I expect he'll be released soon."

"No punishment?" Kakashi asked.

"I expect not," Tsunade answered him. "The council is hungry for his bloodline and now that he's come willingly, there's a better chance at rebuilding it."

"Is this classified information, Shishou?" Sakura asked, wanting to know if she could go share with Ino.

Tsunade snorted. "No. The brat came walking in, cool as you please, through the front gates. At least a few dozen people saw. Should be all over the village by now, those gossip-mongers."

"Can we go now, Baa-chan?" Naruto asked, hopping impatiently on his feet.

"If you must," Tsunade imperiously replied, waving her hand at the door as if she tired of them already. Sakura could tell she was amused by the proceedings, though.

Naruto turned on a dime and started for the door. He paused when he realized no one was following him. "Aren't you guys coming?"

Kakashi shoved his hands in his pockets, "In a bit. You go on ahead."

Naruto gave him a look and instead turned to Sakura. "Sakura-chan?"

Sakura crossed her arms. Nonchalance was her. "I've got things to do. I'm pretty busy today. Maybe tomorrow."

Naruto stared at her in disbelief, Kakashi coughed, hiding a laugh, and Tsunade grinned. "Uh, okay, fine then. I'm going." Naruto exited, scratching at his head, no doubt wondering at Sakura's behavior and deciding to leave her to her girly habits.

Sakura cleared her throat again. "Well, I'm off." She gave a salute to Tsunade and exited also. Kakashi followed after a nod to the Hokage.

He sidled up next to her. "So… interesting turn of events, huh?"

Sakura snorted as she descended the stairs towards outside. "Yeah, Sasuke decided to stop being a supermassive asshole. Stop the presses." Sarcasm leeched onto her words.

A burst of laughter escaped Kakashi. One of the rare times Sakura had actually seen him laugh outright, and her being the catalyst no less. "Supermassive asshole?" he questioned, laughter in his voice. Sakura decided she liked the sound.

"Yup, supermassive hairy asshole, if you like that better, " she grinned, pushing out the door to outside and turning to look at him with a grin and squint due to the bright and sunny day.

His silver hair literally reflected. He grinned back under his mask. "Loads better."

Sakura huffed, suddenly annoyed. "I want him to know he's not a priority. I'm not going to go running over there like Naruto because I know the calculating dick probably expects it. He's on my time now."

Kakashi smiled softly at her and reached for a stray pink strand swaying in front of Sakura's eyes and tucked it behind her ear. "Pretty smart there, Sakura-chan."

It slammed into her. She'd forgotten The Incident earlier in the morning.

With good reason! Her mind protested.

Sakura certainly remembered now. Her eyes went wide as she stared into his. His lone eye widened, too, only less saucer-like like Sakura's. He dropped his hand, albeit slowly, and waited for her to acknowledge it.

No freaking way was she going to acknowledge shit!

Sakura had one of those sudden and absurd notions to burst out laughing as they stared at each other long enough; her in panic and hysteria and him in, well, yeah. Him.

A smile was threating to twitch into existence at the corners of Sakura's lips. "I, uh, have to go, uh, that way," she gestured blindly behind her, "not-not because you're not going that way or because I'm avoiding you for any particular reason! But because I need to go… that way." Smooth as butter.

"That way?" Kakashi asked, nudging his head towards where Sakura had indicated.

"Yeah."

He looked for a minute as if he planned on prolonging her torture by following her, but mercy entered his gaze. "Sure, Sakura, whatever you say. See you later?"

"Sure thing, Kakashi," Sakura called behind her, already a few feet away. Pfft, no way. Sakura was going to avoid until Alzheimer's claimed him.

She left him staring at her back and went hunting for Ino.

...

A/N: Did you guys like it? I hope you did, because it's so much fun writing it (I like the trope where Sakura see's Kakashi doing IT, and henceforth, feelings ensue). I'm not really sure myself of the timeline of the story, but I'll put it in here if it's really important. For now I think it'll follow the manga except for the whole ending part, of course.

So, with what's been going on, I find that it sometimes helps to write and with that realization comes new stories for you guys! :D I've got five new ones including this one: one of them GaaSaku (did I get the ship name correct?), two of them are other Kakasaku, but one of them is a two-shot and the other a one-shot, and the fifth is another Team Seven story although it won't be so heavy on the harem. They're not all finished, but I got a good part of most of them.

Constructive and/or kind reviews are always appreciated ^_^