Author's note- I wrote this at four in the morning, so please forgive me if it totally sucks. The idea wouldn't leave my head and I had to write. I plan to do more with the story in the future.

Disclaimer- Naruto does not belong to me, even Kakashi ( though I really do wish he did). J

He was off-limits, a person who I could never have even in my dreams. And maybe that was the reason I latched on to my other option, building it up in my mind to make it reality. It was easier, safer to pretend that I cared about Sasuke than it was to acknowledge my feelings for Kakashi-sensei. I smiled and pretended for everyone to see, but somewhere deep inside I could never fool myself. I could never make myself believe.

Even when Sasuke left, I continued the lie. Everyone thought I cried over my lost love, but I cried for my lost team member, for the loss of a friend.

Time went by, allowing me to let the lie dissolve, but it also gave me the feelings I tried to bury-- the slight blush whenever he was in the room, the smile that came from just thinking about him. It was all there boiling to the surface, just waiting to come out. But while I pretended love with Sasuke, I pretended friendship with Kakashi-sensei.

He was off-limits, a person who could never want me as I wanted to him. He was strong, skilled, the most admired ninja we had in our village. I was too young, too naïve, too everything. He was out of my reach.

His touch was torture, smooth and slow across my skin. It left a trail that tingled and hummed with anticipation. And I could feel his breath on my neck sending shivers down my spine. Slowly his hands moved down my back then to my sides and up again, never stopping.

My hands were on his chest clenching his shirt and my head thrown back. Every part of me was alive, wishing for more. I was lost in this sensation he was creating. I was hungry for it.

I gasped when his lips skimmed over my throat, lightly moaning when they left. They retuned only with more pressure leaving my skin burning.

"Kaka-" his lips crashed on to mine, nipping and teasing. I couldn't think, couldn't comprehend. All I could do was feel.

I whimpered softly as he continued to kiss me. But as soon as I did, he wrenched himself away disgust written on his face. Surprise filled me as the heat began to die then the hurt crept in. Was it all a mistake? Had I done something wrong?

Tears pooled in my eyes. I could have handled not being with him before. But now I knew what it felt like to be held by him, to kissed by him and it only made the hurt worse.

"Sakura?" he was standing right in front of me, but I couldn't look at him. He stepped closer to me until he was once again in front of me, barely touching.

"Why?!" I coughed as a sob escaped my mouth. "Why do I feel like this when I know I can never have you?!"

Without a word, his hands came up to cup my face and gently started to wipe away the tears. He soothingly kissed my forehead, but didn't stop there. He kissed my cheek, the corner of my mouth, and then finally my lips.

When he pulled away, I felt panicked thinking he would leave. Instead, he stayed a breathe away from my mouth, his thumb beginning to do lazy circles around my temple.

"So young, so pure," his eyes searched my face. "I didn't understand why I was attracted to you at first-- you were my student, someone who trusted me. I told myself you were off- limits. And then I saw you today and it all clicked. I want you, Sakura."

"But why did you jerk away from me?"

"I'm fourteen years older than you and your ex- teacher. And when you cried out like that reality came crashing down on me."

I lifted my hands to cling to his, "I don't care about that." My heart was souring, thumping erratically at each word he said. There wasn't anyway I could reel it in.

"There will be rumors about us. Can you handle that?"

His intense stare quietly watched, ready to study to study my every expression, but all I did was smile. Carefully, I raised my hand until my fingers traced his mouth, his breath hitching.

I let the words slide around my tongue, "I don't want you to be off-limits anymore."