WARNING: There is a little bit of M-rated stuff in this one, even if it is just for a moment. You've been warned!
"You're late! Both of you!" Naruto shot daggers at Kakashi and Sakura with his eyes and the pair ventured to glance at each other guiltily. "I've been waiting here for an hour thinking I'd gotten something wrong: the day, the place, the time...Something!" Naruto continued to vent. "You, I understand." Naruto shot an accusing look at Kakashi. "But you, too, Sakura? What the hell were you guys doing?!" Naruto seethed.
Sakura's face went a bright shade of red. "I forgot to set my alarm," Sakura lied.
"I..." Kakashi began, but Naruto interrupted him.
"I don't even care what your excuse is." Naruto said, far too used to Kakashi's lame excuses for being late by now.
"Shame, I had a really good one this time, too." Kakashi smiled under his mask, but Naruto wasn't listening.
"You're limping. Why are you limping, Sakura?" Naruto asked, just now noticing her awkward stance.
If it were at all possible, Sakura's face turned an even brighter shade of red than before. "I stumbled hurrying to get here," she lied again.
"Oh." Naruto replied, but once his back was turned away from her, Sakura shot Kakashi a furtive glance. Kakashi simply smiled meekly back at her and rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.
"So are we going to do this thing or what?" Naruto asked Kakashi impatiently.
"Oh, right." Kakashi replied as if just remembering that he was the one to organize today's training practice. "So today we're doing taijutsu."
They think we're lovers kept under cover
I just ignore it, but they keep saying
We laugh just a little too loud
We stand just a little too close
We stare just a little too long
Maybe they're seeing something we don't, darlin'...
"What's up with you?"
"Oh, hey Ino. Sorry, I didn't see you there." Naruto looked up just realizing that he'd been walking for the past 20 minutes through the streets of Konoha in a haze. Then something occurred to him. "Hey, Ino, you're pretty close to Sakura, right? Have you noticed anything different about her lately?"
"Depends." Ino began, but the spiky blond-haired boy had her attention. As a matter-of-fact, she had noticed something different about her best friend as of late. "Why do you ask?"
"It's just that she and Kakashi have been acting really strange around each other lately."
"Really? How?" Ino asked, unable to keep her eyes from going wide with intrigue.
"Well, like this morning we all had training practice together and they both showed up late together."
"They were late. So what?"
"Sakura's never late and they looked guilty."
"They probably just felt bad for making you wait."
"No, not like that. More like they were up to something that they weren't supposed to."
"Like what?"
"That's just it...I don't know, but whatever it was, Sakura was limping."
"Limping?"
"Yeah, limping. You think they were training without me?"
"Maybe."
"Yeah, maybe. But then that wouldn't explain why Kakashi-sensei was ignoring me. If he was training with her earlier, he should feel bad for leaving me out and pay more attention to me later, right?"
"Right. Wait a minute...He was ignoring you?"
"Yes! Can you believe that?! We were all sparring, but he'd always go after Sakura instead! There were times when I'd just stand there wondering if I should just go home!"
"Wow, that sucks."
"No, kidding!" Naruto answered miserably. "You never answered my question though, Ino. Have you noticed anything different with those two?"
"Plenty."
"Really?!"
"They're so obvious."
"What's obvious?"
"Naruto, you're so thick! Sakura is Kakashi's (and Ino raised up her little finger to indicate 'girlfriend')."
"What?! No way! I'd have known! They would've told me!"
Ino rolled her eyes at him. "Sorry, Naruto. You aren't exactly the most perceptive of shinobi. Hinata alone..."
"What? What about Hinata?"
"And there you have it."
"Have what?"
"Never mind. Point is, everyone knows you have a thing for Sakura. They probably just didn't want to hurt your feelings."
"Kakashi and Sakura, a couple? I don't believe it! He's too old for her! He's our teacher!"
"Well, I guess they don't really care about the age difference and you know for a fact that Kakashi's not your teacher anymore."
"True, but what makes you so sure they're together? What if you're wrong?"
"I'm not, Naruto! Just the way they've been looking at each other lately. The way they're always giving excuses to be with each other or to touch each other...They are sooo in a relationship and trying to hide it."
"I don't believe you. I have to see it with my own eyes."
"You probably already have, but you're so thick..."
"Alright! Enough with that already!"
"Well, if you're still not convinced, we could always follow them."
"Follow them? You mean spy on them?"
"That's the general idea."
"Don't you think that's a little wrong?"
"Do you really care or would you rather find out if what I'm telling you is true or not?"
Naruto stood quiet for a moment. "I'll follow Kakashi and you can follow Sakura. We can meet up at Ichiraku Ramen later and share what we found out."
"Right, but I'll bet we'll be running into each other way before that."
"Why's that?"
Ino tried to keep herself from calling Naruto "thick" yet once more. "Because I have a feeling that our two targets will be running into each other sooner rather than later."
Kakashi knocked on Sakura's door and Sakura opened it for him, a smile on her face.
"Oh, hey Kakashi!"
"I'm being followed."
"Excuse me?"
"Naruto. He's following me. Don't look!" He said, just as Sakura was about to look over his shoulder. "Just trust me. He's there."
"But why would he be trying to follow you?"
"Same reason Ino has been staking outside your home for the past half hour at least."
"What?!" Sakura forced to keep her eyes on Kakashi's face rather than look for the girl sure to be hiding somewhere nearby. "And what reason is that?"
"They're onto us."
"Shit! Are you sure? Maybe you should just go then before they get anymore suspicious."
"Actually, I was thinking of something different."
"What do you mean?"
"I was thinking to give them something to talk about." Kakashi smiled mischieviously at Sakura.
A little mystery to figure out…
On the rooftop of a nearby apartment building, Naruto landed next to Ino who was squatting down, keeping her form hidden from the two ninjas down below.
"Hey." Naruto whispered in greeting.
"Hey." Ino replied in return. "Told you those two would meet up sooner rather than later."
Naruto said nothing and watched as Sakura opened up her door for their ex-sensei. She seemed happy to see him, but when he lowered his head to say a few words to her, her expression immediately changed. She now looked worried and anxious.
"Dammit! I wish we could hear what they're saying!" Naruto vented.
"Doesn't matter." Ino said. "They're on the move." And sure enough, Kakashi and Sakura were walking side by side headed off to who knows where. "Let's move," she whispered.
Step for step, Naruto and Ino followed their targets watching them with hawkeyes, but Kakashi and Sakura just looked like a pair of old friends taking a friendly little stroll together on a nice, pleasant evening in Konoha.
"This is pointless," Naruto grumbled after awhile. "They're not even holding hands or anything!"
"Wait for it!" Ino berated him, and then Kakashi put his hand on Sakura's lower back and led her into a dark movie theater. Ino smiled at Naruto triumphantly.
"That proves nothing!" Naruto insisted. "So they're watching a movie together. So what? They might be going just as friends. Sasuke, Sakura, and I did that once," Naruto said remembering Princess Fuun of the Snow Country.
"He's taking her to watch 'Icha, Icha Paradise the Movie,' Naruto. That isn't exactly a friend-type movie!"
Naruto's face flushed. "It's his favorite book series. Maybe she's just trying to be nice by going with him to see it," Naruto made excuse.
"Geez, Naruto! Are you so determined to not believe that Kakashi is dating Sakura that you'll dismiss the obvious?!"
"NO! I just don't see anything 'obvious' yet! We're just making speculations right now!"
"Fine. I guess we'll just have to watch the movie with them then." Ino said with a huff and jumped down from the rooftop. "You coming?" She yelled up to Naruto.
"Yeah." Naruto said defeated and joined Ino at the ticket booth to buy his own movie ticket for "Icha, Icha Paradise."
Once inside, Ino and Naruto had no trouble finding where Kakashi and Sakura were even in the dark theater. Kakashi's crazy mop stood out from the crowd even if only in silhouette. Ino and Naruto found seats way in the back so that they could keep an eye on Kakashi and Sakura seated in the middle.
Two hours later, Naruto and Ino walked out of the theater unable to look at each other.
"How could Kakashi-sensei watch that with Sakura?!" Naruto asked, his face still flushed from the movie he had just watched.
"I don't know. Maybe he's trying to tell her something?" Ino suggested, but she couldn't look Naruto in the eye, embarrassed that she had to watch a movie like that with him.
"Oh, come on Ino!" Naruto said exasperated. "Kakashi didn't as so much as put his arm around Sakura the whole time or even try to hold her hand. We're wasting our time!"
"I highly doubt that," said Ino, nodding her head towards Kakashi who again had his hand on Sakura's back and was leading her out of the exiting crowd.
"Fine." Naruto said and joined Ino in following Kakashi and Sakura who were once again walking side by side, but only like they were old friends. Eventually, the pair stopped and so did the other pair of ninjas following them. Kakashi lifted up the banners of Ichiraku Ramen for Sakura and the pair sat down to order.
Next to Ino, Naruto's stomach gave a growl. "Maybe I should join them. I might find out more that way," Naruto suggested hopefully.
"Don't you dare!" Ino growled. "We're trying to see how they act without any of us around. If you go in there now, you'll ruin everything!"
"What's to ruin? They AREN'T DOING ANYTHING!" Naruto said vehemently, but Ino only stared back at him just as viciously.
"Then why..." Ino said with gritted teeth, "Is Kakashi letting Sakura see his face without his mask on?"
"Huh? What?" Naruto asked and looked over to where Kakashi was sitting. Sure enough, Kakashi was leisurely eating his bowl of ramen with his mask off and having a pleasant conversation with Sakura, but because of the angle of where he stood, Naruto could only see a sliver of Kakashi's clean-shaven jaw. "Now I REALLY have to go in there!" Naruto said.
"Don't you dare!" Ino nearly screamed at him as she tugged down hard on Naruto's arm.
Naruto glared at her angrily, but stayed by her side all the same. "I swear Ino, if nothing comes of this..."
"No, look, they're moving again!" Ino said, pointing her finger at Kakashi and Sakura as they ducked under the banners and stepped back onto the street walking amicably side by side again.
"Ugh, fine!" Naruto growled and joined Ino again in their pursuit of Kakashi and Sakura, but this time Naruto and Ino were in for a surprise as their targets casually walked past Sakura's parents' house and continued on.
"Shouldn't she be saying goodbye to him right now?" Naruto asked Ino with a puzzled look on his face. Ino could only shrug her shoulders at him, just as confused.
Naruto and Ino continued their pursuit. Several streets later, Ino and Naruto found themselves sitting on a rooftop adjacent to Kakashi's apartment. They watched silently as Kakashi and Sakura went up a flight of stairs, went inside his apartment, and close the door softly behind them.
"What did I tell you!" Ino said in glee, slapping Naruto hard on the arm with the back of her hand.
"Maybe they're just talking," Naruto suggested, but the expression on his face showed that he believed otherwise. Then, Naruto and Ino watched in disbelief as Kakashi walked into his bedroom with Sakura standing patiently at his doorway, and closed his curtains.
"They could still be talking," Naruto said weakly, but all hopes of that being true were dashed when he and Ino both saw all the lights go off in Kakashi's apartment.
"Oh my gosh, do you think they're..."
"Yup," Ino gulped.
"But he's old...He's our teacher..."
"Former."
"I don't believe this."
"You wanted to see it with your own eyes, right?"
"Well, yeah, but now...Maybe I should knock, just to make sure."
"Don't you dare, Naruto! Do you really want to interrupt them while they're, you know..."
"UGH! NO! Maybe we should go."
"Yeah. I think you're right for once."
And Naruto and Ino hurried home, shocked by what they had just witnessed.
"You think they've finally left?" Sakura asked looking up at Kakashi.
"Do you really care at this point?" Kakashi asked looking down at her.
"Not really," Sakura murmured and then gasped as Kakashi thrust himself hard and deep inside of her.
People are talking, talking 'bout people
I hear them whisper, you won't believe it...
The following morning, Ino and Naruto stood huddled together on one of Konoha's many streets speaking in low voices to each other.
"What are you guys talking about?" asked Hinata as she walked up to the pair. Naruto and Ino gave each other a look.
"We can trust her," Naruto said and Ino shrugged her shoulders and allowed Hinata in on the conversation.
"What are you guys talking about?" Kiba and Shino both asked the three ninjas huddled conspiratorially together.
"We can trust them," Hinata said vouching for her old teammates. Naruto and Ino shrugged their shoulders and let Kiba and Shino in on the conversation.
"What are you guys talking about?" asked Chouji and Shikamaru. Ino vouched for her old teammates and then they, too, were in on the conversation.
"What are..." Tenten, Neji, and Rock Lee had barely begun to ask the question when the now very large group of ninjas simply waved them into the huddle.
Now that we know it, let's really show it, darlin'...
"Are you sure about this?" Sakura asked looking up nervously into Kakashi's eyes.
"Might as well. Looks like they already know anyway." Kakashi told her.
"I can't believe this is happening." Sakura said weakly.
"Don't worry, I'll be right here." Kakashi said comfortingly.
"That's what I'm afraid of." Sakura stated simply, but she put an arm around Kakashi's waist and he put his arm around her shoulders, and the pair walked down the street towards the large crowd of young shinobis.
"Good morning guys!" Sakura said loudly to the crowd with all the confidence she could muster.
"Good morning, Sakura. Kakashi-sensei." Each of the young ninjas responded politely in return, trying their best not to gawk at how Kakashi's arm was around Sakura's shoulders and Sakura's arm was around Kakashi's waist.
"Well, I'll see you guys later!" Sakura said, waving goodbye to all of her friends.
"Bye!" The crowd said in unison. Once Kakashi and Sakura had turned the corner, they could hear the same crowd erupt into a buzz of conversation.
"Glad that's over with," Sakura sighed with relief.
"Yeah, but now it's my turn," Kakashi sighed, but not in relief.
"I'll be there." Sakura smiled up comfortingly at him.
"That's what I'm worried about," Kakashi smiled weakly at her, but he gave her shoulder a tight squeeze and continued to walk on with her.
In the Jounin lounge, Iruka, Anko, Kurenai, Asuma, and Gai were having a pleasant morning conversation when the door opened and Kakashi walked in with his arm around Sakura and Sakura with her arm around his waist.
"Good morning!" Kakashi said brightly to his comrades.
"Good morning, Kakashi. Sakura." The Jounins smiled at the pair.
"Good morning, senseis," Sakura replied sweetly, then she raised her chin up to Kakashi and Kakashi bent his head down to give her a soft, but long kiss on the lips.
"I'll see you at home?" Kakashi asked, smiling at her when they parted.
"You want to eat out, take-out, or me to cook something?"
"Take-out at home sounds good."
"Done." Sakura said and gave Kakashi one last peck on the lips before waving goodbye to the other Jounins who were at this point staring at her and Kakashi in bewilderment.
The minute Sakura softly closed the door behind her, she could hear the ruckus of the other Jounins as they bombarded Kakashi with questions. At least she didn't have to deal with that with her own friends, but she knew that eventually she would. For now, she was going to head up to the Hokage's office and act like everything was normal until word of her relationship with Kakashi finally reached the Hokage's own ears. She'd just have to deal with the hot-tempered Hokage's reaction when the time came.
"Let's give them something to talk about," Kakashi had said.
Boy, are they talking! thought Sakura with a smile.
How about love, love, love, love!