Chapter Six

Ino finished outlining her ingenious plan and ran off to her hot date. Ino always seemed to have a date to get to or a boy to 'accidentally' bump into and chat up. We'll know the world is wrong the day she settles down.

Also true to her word, Naruto showed up an hour after Ino left.

"Tell me everything! No secrets between friends." Naruto joking punched her in the shoulder. It was true, they had become really good friends in the last couple years. He still joked that they were destined to end up together, but they both knew they would die friends and nothing more. "I thought I was in line after Sasuke for some sweet Sakura time!" As always! She chuckled as he settled into a chair and she went to make some more tea.

"Kakashi is back." She said, flipping on the burner and grabbing a cup of instant ramen. Naruto seemed to be in constant need of it, I wonder if he'd shrivel up and die if he went a day without it.

"I figured that out from Sasuke. I want the whole story!" Naruto was like Ino when he smelled news, nagging until he got her to tell him.

"He showed up needing help, I patched him up and he slept over." Sakura poured the tea and some hot water in the ramen, slapping his hand when he reached for it. "Its not ready yet!"

"I know that! Keep going girlie." He nursed his hand, pretending she had really hurt him.

"There's really not much to it. He's back, we're together and that's the end of it."

"You always leave out the good parts when telling me!" Naruto pouted, trying to keep the joy off his face when she slid him the ramen.

"If you hadn't noticed girls tend to only tell certain details to other girls. Its nothing new."

"Whatever, I'll get Ino to tell me. And you didn't have to do that to Sasuke." He said between ramen bites.

"Its not my fault he showed up at my house and barged in. Don't forget he left me, AFTER he cheated on me." She replied, indignant.

"Yeah, I didn't know Hinata had it in her. Well maybe Kakashi could have put on some clothes. Sasuke said he was buck naked and getting all up on you."

"Sasuke is a dirty little liar. Kakashi was only missing his shirt because it was ruined. He only hugged me and kissed my cheek."

"Just telling you what I heard. So how is our old teacher?" He teased.

"He's good. Healed and back to stay." She couldn't keep herself from smiling, He's back to stay.

"God damn woman, you love him don't you?" Naruto was horribly insightful sometimes. "And he loves you too? Oh its all over your face. Sakura and Kakashi, sitting in a tree K I S S I-" Sakura cut him off with a punch to the shoulder.

"If you only came over to taunt me, I have work to do."

"I came over for gossip," Naruto smiled. "And to check on you, Sasuke's my friend and all but he can be one hell of an ass when he wants to. I had to make sure you weren't out for blood."

"I'm not, I just want him to get over all this so we can all be a team again. He should be off playing house with Hinata, I really think she'll be good for him." She was touched that Naruto was picking her side over Sasuke. They were really close too.

"Me too, she's perfect for that whole Rebuild the Clan plan of his. She'd make a great mother." Naruto made fun of Sasuke, drawing a laugh out of Sakura. Naruto checked the time. "Oh, I've got to run!"

"Since when do you have a watch, or places to be?" Sakura eyed him suspiciously.

"Ino gave it to me for my birthday, remember? She was afraid I'd get into Kakashi's habit of being late everywhere." He got a suspicious look on his face. "As to places to be, that's a secret I will never tell!"

And with that he was out the door, leaving Sakura laughing and feeling even better. Some of the Sasuke sludge is clearing up! I better get this work done so I can get to bed before the day can take a turn for the worse.

Waking up with the sun, Sakura threw the now pink sheets in the washer (with copious amounts of bleach) and set about doing her daily training. Have to push harder today, I did take yesterday off after all, Sakura thought as she started in on the grueling workout she had been doing since passing the jounin exam. She kept improving, but it still beat the shit out of her. For years she had worked, hoping to one day get to where it was easy but she never seemed to improve enough to ace this workout. Probably for the best, if I ever master it I'll have to set up a harder one to work on.

Sakura had loved the way her house was set up from the moment she saw it, the steps led up the a front door on the second floor instead of the first. The only way to get into the first floor was a staircase inside the house. The first floor also had a nice high ceiling and no inner walls, a perfect blank slate to set up her own training space. The second floor was like a regular house, the area split into a bedroom, a living room, a kitchen/dining area, a bathroom and a pantry/corner for the stacked washer and dryer. It was just right for a ninja, and she hoped she'd never have to move.

Sakura let herself stop the training when her muscles moved past pain and numb to twitching and shuffled upstairs to shower and eat. Nothing tasted quite as good as absolutely anything after training, especially knowing she could get clean afterwards.

Sinking into the steaming bath, Sakura ran over the plan Ino's plan in her head again. It seems straightforward enough, but will it work? Is it cheating? She splashed around a bit as she pondered where it would go. His control was slipping back when I wasn't instigating, I wonder if he'll fall for Ino's game. She's never lost before…

Clean and decided, Sakura wrapped herself in a towel and settled down to finish off the paperwork she hadn't finished yesterday. Eventually (a couple hours later) the stack was finished and it was time to get dressed for Ino's plan. Setting out the outfit Ino had pieced together yesterday, Sakura started to think it was cheating. She knew how guys reacted when a girl wore certain things, and Ino's outfit would definitely get a reaction.

Ino had planned everything Sakura would wear from the underwear out. Sakura turned in the mirror, admiring the way the crimson dress hugged her curves and flowed out from her hips to swish above her knees. The black stilettos gave her some extra height and paired with the dark tinted hose she thought she looked like she should be heading to some swanky club. And of course underneath the dress were a matching set of lace panties, bra and garter belt in the same red. This so feels like cheating, but I can't back out now. Ino would kill me!

Sakura locked the door behind her and headed into town to waste a few hours with Ino and Naruto at what was either a very late lunch or an early dinner. 'Don't let him think you have nowhere better to be! Show up late.'

At the café, Naruto gave her some catcalls and teased her. Ino double-checked she knew the plan and touched up her lipstick. "Your lips aren't red enough! There is no half-assing it in war."

"War? When did this become war?" Sakura blinked, supremely confused.

"As long as he has that rule it is war as far as I'm concerned. Love is always war."

"You're such a cynic!" Naruto complained. "Why can't you girls just be yourselves without all these mind games? If he likes you, you'll probably get the same result without them."

"Naïve." Ino muttered as she finished Sakura's makeup.

"Whatever, when's he going to be at your house?" Naruto changed the subject.

"I don't know, maybe around 7?" Sakura thought back on how he hadn't specified a time.

"Well it's half past, you might need to scoot your foxy ass home." Naruto checked his watch, missing how Ino had brightened seeing it on him.

"Shit Ino! You're supposed to be reminding me." Sakura left some money on the table and swatted at her friend.

"I'm just making sure you don't run home early and ruin my work, forehead!"

"See ya, Pig. Thanks Naruto!" Sakura took off running towards home, wishing that Kakashi was running late like always.

Sprinting up the stairs she saw that he had beaten her there, looking scrumptious in a gray t-shirt and jeans.

"Where are you coming from?" Kakashi remarked, taking in the Ino makeover.

"Ino and Naruto wanted to dress up and go to dinner, sorry it ran long." Sakura finished the stairs, unaware that the steep steps had flashed her garters and utterly distracted Kakashi. I think this is the first time I've seen him in something other than his work clothes.

"Not your fault, I forgot to pick a time." He shook his head and followed her inside. "Where's my hello?"

"Hello, Kakashi." Sakura placed a kiss on his cheek and turned to go change.

"That is an absolutely dreadful hello, young lady." Kakashi caught her hand and pulled her with him as he walked backwards to the couch and sat down.

"Aw, you poor thing." She teased, hiking up her skirt a bit to straddle him and run her hands through his hair. "I didn't know your feelings were hurt."

"Very hurt, but I think you can make it up to me." He started to smile, running his hands up her legs, past the tops of her hose to grab her hips.

"Oh really?" Sakura asked, stopping her lips just above his. "How so?"

"Guess." Kakashi covered that last tiny distance to capture her lips in a strong kiss. Sakura pressed back, letting him guide her lips down against his. She broke the hiss when she felt the seam of his jeans brush her through the lace. But Kakashi was kissing her again before she could say anything, his grip moving her hips back and forth across the seam and putting some pressure behind it.

"Kakashi…" Sakura broke this kiss and mumbled. Her hands slid down to grasp handfuls of his shirt but she no longer needed him to guide her hips as they were moving of their own accord now. The friction was driving her crazy and she couldn't help herself. She whispered in his ear, hoping it would have the same reaction it had had on her. "Kakashi, please…please!"

Wrapping his arms around her he rolled them over, placing him on top of her on the couch and his hips resumed rubbing the seam against. She moaned and didn't notice as he hiked her dress up. She missed him slipping his hand into her panties, she missed the look in his eyes and even how his breathing was speeding up to match hers.

She did notice when the friction stopped, but only had a second to whimper before his fingers were stroking her wetness and then two slipped just inside. Watching her face Kakashi found that spot just inside her that would spike her pleasure and rubbed small circles on it. Her eyes widened and she started to speak but he stole it with a kiss, feeling her moan against his mouth.

As suddenly as it had started, Kakashi withdrew. Sakura opened her eyes and she couldn't feel him or his mouth was on hers; he was sitting all the way on the other side of the couch, looking away from her.

"You are terribly unfair." Sakura complained, pulling herself into a sitting position and hugging her knees to her chest. I should go change but I'm not sure my legs will support me.

"I got carried away." He looked over sheepishly. "But you shouldn't talk about unfair, tempting me like that."

"I was going to change…"

"You're not going to anymore?"

"I am, you just distracted me!" Sakura huffed, walking away on her wobbly legs as he chuckled.

Ino's plan… really worked! Almost, at least. Is this how she gets all those boys to chase her? Sakura thought to herself as she looked for something less provocative to wear. That's when she noticed the note taped to her dresser.

I knew you'd try to skip out on the plan! Outfit number two is in on your bureau, good luck. Ino's not read. Sakura noticed the rather small pile of clothing on her bureau, Exactly how skimpy is she going to try to get me to go? And when did she have time to plan a second outfit? Oh dear…