#Obito Will just go and lick things with his mask half pulled up.

[naruto--headcanons]

Obito has the overwhelming urge to lick things all the time. he's been held back several times by either Zetsu or Deidara because he got sidetracked wanting to know what things taste like. he has a sensitive sense of taste, and can taste more intensely than most other humans.

[bansenshukai]

Kakashi is going through paperwork when Obito strides in with an intensely serious expression on his face. It's the middle of the day-- Obito should be running drills with the other jounin right now, in preparation for the upcoming Chunin exams, but for some reason he's just barged into Kakashi's office.

"Take off your glasses," Obito demands.

Kakashi looks at him in bemusement, and raises an eyebrow. "What, no hello? You could offer to do the paperwork at least, before you start making demands of your Hokage."

Obito rolls his eyes as he taps his foot impatiently. "Come on, it's not a big ask. Just take 'em off."

Kakashi winks. "That's not the only thing I'll take off if you ask," he says in an exaggeratedly sultry tone. He’s been making increasingly innuendo-laden remarks to Obito as of late, but they all seem to sail over his head– like right now. Obito stares at him impatiently, so he takes off the glasses and sets them to the side. "There, happy?"

He can still see Obito, but the scars on the left side of his face have faded into a blur. Long-term use of the Sharingan has taken a toll on Kakashi's vision-- the strain it put on his ocular tenketsu has left permanent damage. Nothing debilitating. Sakura works wonders everyday in the hospital and under her strict treatment and regular healing sessions, he can still fight. But on a day-to-day basis, Kakashi needs glasses; especially for paperwork.

"I'm all yours," he says, and fights the urge to squint as Obito draws closer. “What are you doing?”

Obito is very, very close now. Kakashi fights the urge to leap out the window, or at least put his glasses back on. He can feel a flush rising on his cheeks, to his own disgust, but he can’t help it. He’s never been able to hide much around Obito.

“Huh,” Obito says with an air of mild surprise. “They were right.”

“Right about what?” Kakashi asks, and then nearly chokes on his own spit as Obito leans forward, slides the mask down in one easy move. and presses his lips against his.

His hand comes up to softly caress Kakashi’s cheek as he kisses him. Obito’s lips are hot, slightly chapped, and he’s cupping Kakashi’s face like it’s something delicate and breakable, like he’s something precious. Kakashi’s head is spinning– he can’t help but flare his chakra, half-convinced he’s in some complex genjutsu but when no illusion shatters his arms come up and he kisses back ardently. His ANBU are watching, but Kakashi can’t bring himself to care.

He can’t help the choked gasp that escapes when Obito’s tongue licks softly at the seam of his lips, and his mouth falls open.

Where the hell did he learn to kiss like this? Kakashi thinks hysterically, and then loses that thread of thought immediately as Obito nibbles on his lips, taking his time to kiss Kakashi as if he were something decadent, to be savoured. The soft heat is maddening and dizzying in equal measure, and his heart is so full he feels like he’ll burst like an overripe fruit, leaking his emotions everywhere.

The kiss slows, and Obito pulls away, his thumb slowly stroking the line of Kakashi’s jaw. Obito takes the glasses and tenderly slides them back on for him, while Kakashi sits there, stunned. The look in his eyes is soft, and Kakashi can’t tear his gaze away. Is this a dream? The world doesn't give him kindness, not like this: dropped into his lap so easily, after years of longing from afar.

“I’ll see you later, Bakakashi,” Obito says fondly, and with one last touch against his cheek, leaves.

[ladykissingfish]

Under the Mistletoe with the Akatsuki // Part Ten // Zetsu

“So how are they doing?” Zetsu took a moment, to gather his thoughts before answering. Madara would call on him every so often to give updates on the members of the Akatsuki, their successes and failures, their personalities. He asked Obito the same questions, but in truth he trusted Zetsu’s observations a bit more. “The boy has a tendency to let emotion and attachment cloud his overall judgment,” Madara would tell him, over and over again. “I rely on you to give me the facts, and nothing else.” Madara is right in that Zetsu doesn’t have the same connection with the group that Obito seems to have; however, he’s had more fun and more amusement being around this eclectic gathering of souls than he has around anybody else in his long, long life. After his “visit” with Madara, he travels back through the ground to the Akatsuki hideout; just in time for his turn in the Mistletoe game.

Pein

Pein sighs as he approaches the plant-man. He had been hoping that he could avoid this altogether, but apparently his luck had run out. Nagato won’t admit this, because to admit weakness is a failure, but ... Zetsu creeps him out to catastrophic levels. Nagato has dealt with sub-human species before during his travels, but what even was Zetsu? A plant? A man-plant? A mythical creature, a result of an experiment gone wrong? Indeed, Zetsu looks like the type of creation that would step out of one of the traitor Orochimaru’s labs. “Good evening, Leader.” The Pein-body nods and steps closer, steeling himself did this. Zetsu smilles, and Nagato (through Pein) can see splotches of blood dotting the man(?)’s teeth. He must have just eaten, which is good ... not that he would have found the artificial Pein body to taste in anyway pleasant. He gives Zetsu a quick kiss on the forehead, struggling to keep the grimace off his face as he notices how cold, and clammy, and ... inhuman the skin. As he walks away, he could almost swear he can hear Zetsu chuckling to himself ... not that he’s willing to turn around and check for sure.

Konan

Konan’s heart drops when she sees how excited Zetsu looks to see her. He’s smiling and waving to her. “Konan-san! Konan-san!” Still, she can’t help but smile; the voice unmistakably belongs to White Zetsu, the decidedly more friendly (if you could call it that) of the dual-personality plant. When it had been Konan’s turn under the little green plant, Zetsu had refused to kiss her because White Zetsu had proclaimed he “wasn’t ready” and Black Zetsu had berated him for it. Things had changed, apparently, as evidenced by Zetsu reaching out and taking hold of her hands. “Be gentle with me; I’ve never kissed a woman before.” Konan nods, and then she reaches up with her small hands, cups Zetsu’s face, pulls him down to her level and kisses first his forehead, then both cheeks, then his nose, then his lips, softly. Zetsu is stunned: he never imagined his first on-the-lips kiss would be so ... pleasant. “T-thank you, Konan-san.” She nods and smiles, before walking away back to her room. As he watches her leave, he starts to talk to himself. “She smelled good.” “All humans do. It’s their blood.” “It wasn’t her blood; it was just her. Her skin. Her hair. She was —“ “The last thing we’re going to do is act like a fool over some human woman.” White Zetsu blushes; he doesn’t think he’s acting like “a fool” at all. Kissing Konan was just an interesting experience, that’s all. Another checkpoint on a long, looong list of interesting experiences.

Kakuzu

“This is it, right? This is the last one? Thank God; now we can all go back to doing more productive things with our time.” Zetsu blinks when Kakuzu says that; out of all the members of this group, THIS man was the most no-nonsense, serious guy Zetsu had ever met. He always had his eye on the bottom line, and was more focused on money than Zetsu would have believed possible. About a year back he had approached Zetsu with his idea to start a vegetable garden in order to cut back on market cost of food, to which Zetsu agreed. Taking care of plants was second nature to him; what he DIDN’T expect was that, quite often, Kakuzu would join him in the garden. The old guy had a surprisingly green thumb, and being in the garden seems to give him some much-needed peace. It was during one of these quiet times, as Kakuzu was tending to some tomatoes, that he confessed, quietly, that working in the dirt reminded him of his mother. “We had no money. My mother used to labor on neighboring farms for food or vegetable seeds. She created a beautiful garden, better produce than any of the farms around us. So we never went without.” Kakuzu approaches him now, his mask already lowered, and he delivers a light kiss to Zetsu’s forehead. As he’s about to leave, Zetsu informs him that he’s gotten hold of some rare flower seeds, and asks if he wants to plant them later. “You can’t eat flowers; if you’re not growing something for food then what purpose does it have?” “It provides beauty. Doesn’t that count for something?” Kakuzu rolls his eyes but there’s a smile on his face, which he quickly covers by pulling up his mask. “I’d be glad to help,” he says, gruffly, before leaving.

Sasori

Another no-nonsense, extremely straightforward Akatsuki member. One thing about Sasori that Zetsu will never understand is Hiroku. Why does the redhead choose to hide himself in that hideous carapace when his OWN puppet body was undoubtedly stronger, faster, and had a higher-level weapons capacity? For that matter, why would a perfectly healthy young man choose to rip out his own humanity and turn himself into such a creation in the first place? Mysteries bounded concerning Sasori of the Red Sand, and even someone as world-weary as Zetsu was in no hurry to uncover them. “Good evening, Sasori-san.” Sasori grunts in return; for once, he’s in his own body. Sasori doesn’t seem at all eager to take the initiative, so Zetsu leans down and kisses him on the forehead instead. He licks his lips at the pleasant woody taste that floods into his mouth; being near Sasori reminds him of peaceful days spend photosynthesizing in the forest, taking in the air of nature while the sun beat down on his face. Sasori leaves while Zetsu is lost in this lovely thought.

Itachi

Zetsu would often look at Itachi and think, this child is in trouble. His scent was wrong, his chakra was wrong, and his mental state ... couldn’t have been all that good. Zetsu is the Akatsuki’s spy but he knows for certain that Itachi is one too, that he never cut his ties to that village of his and centered his (and everyone else’s movements) away from his home as much as possible. Zetsu could expose him to everyone, but ... what would be the point? After all, even Madara is only an unwitting puppet in the grand scheme of things to come, and Itachi ... the group was made just that much more powerful with him in it. Zetsu often wishes that Itachi, not Madara and not Obito, was the Uchiha “in charge”; but that wouldn’t work. Itachi’s raw intelligence was a force to be reckoned with, and he wouldn’t take lightly (or at all, really) to being “used” by anyone. Although, in Zetsu’s opinion, nobody on earth could possibly use the sweet boy worse than his own village had. “Good evening, Zetsu.” So polite. So pleasant, even to those who didn’t deserve it. This child, it would be a tragedy when he passed. Zetsu quickly leans down and kisses his cheek, noting how cold the young Uchiha was. “You should warm up with a blanket, Itachi. You’re freezing.” Itachi nods, and then he bids Zetsu a good evening as he walks slowly back to his room.

Deidara

“Oi, Zetsu! Look at what I made!”, Deidara exclaims as he approaches him, holding up a small clay bird. “Isn’t it sublime?!” Zetsu simply nods; in truth, ALL of Deidara’s creations, no matter what they are, look boringly similar to Zetsu. And he didn’t understand the young blonde’s way of taking such careful, meticulous care in sculpting these things ... only to have them explode a few seconds later. And the art pieces weren’t the only closure things about Deidara, as Zetsu had observed many times that the kid just wasn’t the best at controlling his temper. Zetsu would often question Obito as to why he continued to let himself be partnered with him, as Tobi’s idiotic tendencies would surely get Obito killed one day. All Obito would do is shrug and say that Deidara wasn’t that bad. Well, whatever; Zetsu didn’t intend to spend too much time thinking about it. Thinking that it’s about time to do something different with this game, Zetsu takes hold of Deidara, tilts him backwards by the waist, leans down and kisses his neck. When he keys Deidara back up, the guy is as red as a tomato. “What the hell? What was that for??” “Has anybody ever told you that you’re very aesthetically pleasing?” “Aesth-what? You’re not making any sense, weirdo!” Zetsu just smiles and pulls Deidara back to him, this time enveloping him in a soft hug. “You make a tedious time much more bearable. Please continue to do so ... with your art.” Deidara doesn’t really get what Zetsu means, but his ears did pick up Zetsu’s compliment(?) to his art, so he walks away happy.

Kisame and Hidan

The half-shark and the half-plant relate to each other on their carnivorous tendencies, and Zetsu at least is glad to have at least one other person in the Akatsuki that understands his dietary choices. Well, almost. “I’ve eaten a lot of weird meats, Zetsu-san, but I’ve yet to taste human flesh.” “A shame; it really tastes a lot like salty pork.” Then Zetsu lowers his voice and asks, with an unsettling smirk, “Say you decided you want to try a human. IF you could eat any member of the Akatsuki, consequence-free, who would it be?” Zetsu is half-kidding and doesn’t expect Kisame to answer, so he’s surprised when he answers, without hesitation, “Hidan.” “That’s odd; that would be my choice, too. The scent of blood is always on him. Well-seasoned entree.” Kisame bursts out laughing, and Hidan, who happens to be walking by, hears him and stops. “What’s so funny, freak? You laughin’ about mouth-fucking Bigger Freak over there?” Kisame smiles, showcasing ALL of his sharp teeth; and Zetsu says, quietly, “You smell good, Hidan. Can you come closer so that I can catch a better whiff?” and something about the look he’s giving him makes Hidan’s blood run cold. “No fucking way, you crazy weed!” He informs Zetsu that he’s not going to kiss him, and he walks backward to his room, keeping a close eye on Kisame and Zetsu until he reaches his door ... and locks it. Kisame laughs once more, and then he leans into Zetsu and kisses his cheek, before returning to his own room. On his way down the hall he stops at Hidan’s door and says, sweetly, “Have a good night, brat!” which is met with loud cursing behind the wood.

Tobi

When Zetsu first laid eyes on a much younger Obito, he was positive that the kid wouldn’t live through the night. Bloodied, bruised, and with half of his internal organs either rearranged or crushed entirely — “No. He is strong.” Zetsu could only look at Madara in disbelief; what about this dying child seemed in any way “strong”? But then Obito lived through that night, and the next, and before Zetsu knew it, he was taking his place in the grand scheme of this Akatsuki Madara had put together. But for the longest time, Zetsu was sad anytime he so much as looked at “Tobi”; he had watched a bright young boy whose hope couldn’t be crushed even by a boulder deteriorate into an angry, vengeful man who had witnessed (and been mentally and emotionally damaged by) the deaths of all that he once held dear. But a miracle of sorts began slowly unfolding; the more time Obito spent around these people, the happier he seemed to become. It was as though he’d regained his family; and although these individuals are really nothing more than fodder for what’s to come, Zetsu is happy that they are managing to provide Obito with the peace that he deserves. “Tobi” approaches him now, and, seeing that they’re alone, chances it to take off his mask. “Long day,” he says, using his own voice, to which Zetsu agrees. “Longer when you’re starving.” Obito smiles at the comment, and his childlike grin shows flashes of the boy who danced in triumph when he was able to complete a set of push-ups on his own. “You’re always starving though.” “You’re not one to talk; I watched you put away at least eight trays of dango yesterday.” The two chuckle, and Obito moves closer, looking shy now. “Ready?” Zetsu nods, and Obito leans in and kisses the corner of his mouth, just barely touching the bottom of Zetsu’s lips. During the kiss, Zetsu closes his eyes and inhales; all of the candy and pastries that the man ate gave him a delightfully natural, sweet scent. Obito slides his mask back on and turns to go, but before he gets far, Zetsu calls out to him, “Hey?” “Yeah?” “I have a serious question for you.” “What is it?” Using White Zetsu’s voice, and making his grin even wider, Zetsu asks, “All that crap you eat ... does it make you have to crap a lot during the day?” Obito’s face turns red behind the mask and he bursts out into a raucous laugh. “All these years! All these YEARS and YOU’RE STILL ASKING ME ABOUT CRAPPING!” He laughs so hard that he wakes up Deidara, whose room is closest to the living room area. “Tobi, what the fuck?! Go to bed before I stick a kunai up your ass!” Obito immediately goes into Tobi-mode and apologizes to his Senpai. Deidara goes back to his room and Obito gives one last wave to Zetsu before going to his own.

[laceymorganwrites]

Frustrations

Word Count: 1,759

Pairing: Obito x Reader

Warnings: sex, mommy kink, oral (both receiving), fingering

A/N: HAPPY BIRTHDAY OBITO

You were part of the Akatsuki because you needed the money not to make friends. Trying to convince a man child not to make friends with you was more infuriating than you thought. You tried to ignore him, but that was hard when he always clung to you. Over time you got used to it. He picked up and bought the weirdest items to gift you, leaving you smiling at him and patting his head. He liked it when you patted his head. In a sense you were Tobi´s mom, you didn´t like this effect he had on you, or rather you liked it too much. He was so energetic, always dragging you someplace he wanted to show you or tugging at your clothes. Sometimes he hugged you out of nowhere, this guy didn´t know what he did to you...and with him calling himself a good boy most of the time, you were done. You could take him then and there. It was frustrating not being able to act out your needs, at least not the way you wanted to. This sexual frustration led to masturbation, most of the times you didn´t have to access this method, but lately it was just too much. He was around you too often, touched you innocently, him being your partner made this unbelievably hard, and you unbelievably wet. In your frustration you snapped at him quite often, telling him to shut up. You didn´t want to raise your voice at him, but he left you with no other choice. One day you were walking in the woods, trying to clear your head and caught him working out, he wasn´t wearing his cloak, but very fitting, tight black clothes. He was stronger than he looked, you observed. The sight was too much and you rushed back to the hideout. “I want a new partner!” you said as you entered the office of your leader. Pain raised his head, sighing and nodding. “Okay, you will work with Sasori now” he told you. You said your thanks and left to take a shower. The hot water was relaxing, but unfortunately your mind wandered to Tobi again, the way he practiced his high kicks, the way his clothes left no room for imagination but were still in the way…

Your fingers wandered to your core, slowly rubbing over your clit. You moaned slightly and thought about that moment on a mission when Tobi pushed you out of the way and whispered “Don´t worry, (Y/N)-chan...Tobi´s got you...”. You bit your lip as you pushed two fingers inside you and started pressing them against your g-spot. The feeling of his strong arms around you, when he hugged you and how he always wanted to be a good boy for you without knowing what it meant, sent you over the edge. You stepped out of the shower with wobbly legs and dried your hair. Wrapping a robe around you, you crawled into your bed, ready for a deep sleep. That was until someone knocked on your door. You groaned and got up, facing Tobi. “What are you doing here? I was just about to go to bed...” you grumbled. “Does (Y/N)-chan hate Tobi?” he whispered quietly. “What? No, of course not. Why would you say that?” you said in an annoyed tone. “Deidara-senpai said (Y/N)-chan has a new partner now, because Tobi annoyed her...” you hated it when he sounded so sad. “Well, it´s true that I have a new partner now, but you don´t annoy me, at least not in the way you think… it´s complicated, Tobi. But trust me, it´s better for you when you stay away from me” you told him, you couldn´t stand hurting him. “But Tobi doesn´t want to leave (Y/N)-chan!” he threw himself at you, taking you by surprise. The impact was so sudden that your robe´s cleavage expanded. “T-Tobi! Don´t just hug me like that!” you shouted, pushing him away from you and fixing your robe. “Tobi´s sorry, (Y/N)-chan! Please don´t be mad at Tobi for being a bad boy!” he pleaded, you squeezed your legs together. “Tobi. You´re a big boy, aren´t you? You will be just fine without me.” you said, your words were final. “But what if I won´t? Deidara-senpai doesn´t like Tobi!” he whined, still tugging at your robe, pulling it down slightly to reveal even more of your cleavage. “Tobi, please...just calm down” you softly placed your hands on his shoulders. Tobi looked up at you and a sniff was audible. You sighed and pulled him in a hug. “Tobi´s sorry...” he sniffed into your robe, still holding on tight. “Tobi won´t be fine without (Y/N)-chan...” he mumbled into you. He finally let go of your robe and slowly backed away, looking down. “Tobi, let´s sit down. I feel like we need to talk about this. I want to know what´s going on with you...I´m worried” you sat down on the edge of your bed, Tobi joined you. “What´s wrong, Tobi?” you asked. He shook his head. “Tobi doesn´t understand….(Y/N)-chan makes Tobi feel funny things...” he admitted. “Where?” you husked. Tobi pointed at his groin, you bit your lip. “Tell me about it...” you dared. Tobi gulped. “(Y/N)-chan´s making Tobi feel funny at night, when Tobi´s lonely… Tobi is a bad boy for thinking of (Y/N)-chan like this...” your breath hitched as you imagined Tobi jacking off to you. You smirked and were about to say something, when Tobi raised his voice again: “Um….(Y/N), before we go on, I´d like you to know some things. Don´t be shocked, this is my real voice, I will take off my mask if we commence, so I would like for you to look past my looks. My real name is Obito. I really like you, (Y/N), you make me feel so save and protected. Even though you´re always mean to me… but that´s kind of hot, so I don´t mind. And...I think I want to lay with you more than just this once” he finished. You took his hand into yours for comfort. “I like you too, Obito. You drive me crazy...and it would be a shame if this would be only a one time thing” you smiled. He took off his mask and laid it on the nightstand. You bit your lip, he was incredibly handsome. Climbing onto his lap and resting your legs on his side, you cupped his face and passionately kissed him. He was taken aback by the sudden friction, especially when your tongue darted into his mouth, exploring it and grinding on his crotch slowly. “C-can I call you mommy?” he breathed out as you pulled apart, blushing bright red. “I´d be mad if you didn´t, baby...” you purred into his ear. “Now...” you looked at him intently. “Tell me, Obito...what do you do at night, when you´re lonely and I´m not there? Do you touch yourself like a dirty boy?” you husked, watching him shiver in pleasure. He nodded eagerly. “Yes mommy, I´m a bad boy when you´re not there” he confessed. “Take off your clothes...” you demanded, taking off your robe and lying down in bed. Obito undressed and left you in awe, his body was defined and he just looked sexy. “C´mere, baby...” you lured him, gazing at his body lustfully. Obito crawled into bed and sat next to you, awaiting your orders. “You´re so pretty, baby...” you caressed his cheek gently. “Show me what you do at night...touch yourself for me” you demanded. Obito obeyed, his hand wrapping around his half hard cock. You watched hungrily as his thumb teased his tip. He relaxed, closed his eyes and moaned when he started pumping himself. “That´s my good boy, stroking himself to please mommy...” you licked your lips. He groaned in pleasure and went faster at your compliment. His hips bucked into the motion of his hand and the tip of his cock was soon coated in precum. “Faster, baby...” you ordered, sending him over the edge. Obito was riding his orgasm out with wobbly legs and panting. You knelt beside him and grabbed his hand by the wrist, licking off his cum. Then you licked off the cum off his chest and finally his cock. “Mommy!” Obito yelped, he was still sensitive. “Can I touch you too? I want to make you feel good...” Obito asked shyly. “You may” you husked and laid down on your back. Obito started by softly kissing your lips and along your neck and collarbones. You sighed in pleasure, touching his arm. “Mommy, you´re so beautiful...” he mumbled when he reached your breasts and kneaded them gently. Obito started burying his head in between them and placed kisses over your soft flesh, slowly starting to suck your nipples. You moaned at the way he flicked his tongue. His hands roamed over your stomach before they caressed your sides. Obito held onto your waist as he kissed down your stomach and inner thighs. “Mommy, your legs are so pretty...” he noted when he kissed all over your thigh and placed your leg over his shoulder. He peppered kisses over your vagina before sticking his tongue out and licking a flat long line over it. The tip of his tongue circled your clit until it was swollen. You bucked your hips at the motion. You moaned his name. “Ngh, yes baby!” you exclaimed as Obito buried his tongue into your vagina and pressed it on your g-spot. You clutched onto his head and slightly tucked at the strands of his hair. He moaned into you and pushed a finger inside you underneath his tongue. He pulled out his tongue and added another finger, ravaging your g-spot in his fast movements. “Obito!” You called out in pleasure. “Baby, sit up, I wanna ride you” you told him, he pulled out his fingers and sat up against the bed frame. You climbed on top of him, pressing your legs against his hips and slowly sitting down on his hard cock until it was inside you. Obito wrapped his arms around your back, holding you close. Your arms hung loosely around his neck as you slowly started moving in a grinding motion. You moved forward so your tits would touch Obito´s chest and then backwards. You went faster and faster, leaving Obito whimpering. A wave of pleasure overtook you and you grabbed his face to kiss him deeply. He pressed you even nearer against you when you both came. In the afterglow you laid in each others arms, breathing heavily, smiling.

[grecoisms]

title: to deserve a spring (1/2) pairing: Kakashi Hatake / Sakura Haruno rating: M summary: “Yet he looks at Sakura now - and is not untouched by what he sees. Here, her brows knitted in attention, her movements controlled and contorted in their focus - he sees her as she is: a fort of devotion."

For @neonanything and @ninjas-in-love  - their blogs inspired me to write this mess.

i.

When Kakashi Hatake sees Sakura Haruno again after years of space and silence, she is five inches taller and almost three times as strong. He has time to appreciate and learn this first-handedly the moment Sakura breaks his nose in the first ten minutes of their fight. 

Then it takes her and Naruto half a day to solve the bell test, which they do so, gloriously. 

He feels a pride that lessens the pain.

"Surprised?" laughs Naruto, clutching his cracked ribs. He fell from at least a dozen of trees. 

"Relieved" he says, sitting down. He touches his nose and it is no surprise that the mask is wet with blood. And though he winces, he is also smiling. "Finally you can teach me something too."

There is a touch then, on his right shoulder, light as a feather. 

It's Sakura and she points at his face. 

"Let me see."

There is a pause in which Kakashi stares at the towering girl before him, all determined. 

"I think you just want to have a peek." His voice is nonchalant, but Sakura sees that he has a glint in his eyes: he is amused. She rolls her eyes.

"It's broken isn't it?"

"I suspect, yeah." She smiles then, all teeth and warmth. "Please don’t hit me from a different angle, Sakura. This nose is not worth it."

"Why bother when I'm better at healing?"

A truth universally acknowledged. 

He lets her pull down the mask as much as she wishes.

She does not peek.

ii.

They have their first S-mission together a year before Sakura is appointed Chief Medical Officer at the record age of twenty. 

Their task is delicate: they are to escort the four year old daughter of Shibuki - head of Taki - from Konoha back to home, the village near the waterfalls. It is only delicate because assassination attempts are sure to come, and Kyo, the daughter, cannot stop talking.

"The moment we get back " Sakura says when they finally manage to lull Kyo asleep on the third night.  "I am going to sleep for a week." 

Kakashi thinks of his plants, all dying. 

"Hm."

"Are you seriously judging me." her face deadpans when she sees his expression. "And here I was, thinking you are the king of napping the day away."

"I mean yes. But I do prefer cleaning my flat as stress relief."

For one long moment, they look at each other. The fire is long quenched; they are sitting in the dark while Kyo snores in the sole tent they brought.

Then Sakura starts to laugh and cannot seem to stop.

"Wait" she says after a long while. "You are serious."

He holds his hands up.

"I never lie."

Sakura sticks her tongue out.

"Liar."

A hero and a murderer has many other names. Kakashi knows this from experience. Tsunade calls him one of the greatest shinobi genius of the century and a despicable pervert (usually in the same sentence or breath). His apprentices call him weird (and very lazy). Obito used to call him a showoff. Very few people call him a friend. 

Gai is one of them. Naruto is another.

Sakura, he thinks as she stops laughing and begins to prepare a meal, is also a friend.

iii.

They almost make it eventless.

Except, just at three miles out of Taki, next to the Terendo fall, the ambush squad finds them. 

It is Sakura who hears it first, the snap of a branch, the inaudible whisper, buried under Kyo's babbling.

She manages to hurl the child away, along with Kakashi (who is heavier than expected), but she gets a fucking lance in her thighs in the process so she decides, okay, it's a draw.

"Run!" she shouts when Kakashi takes a step towards her. She can see the gates of the village in the distance, throbbing with the promise of shelter. "Mission is first and I can heal myself!"

He is too stubborn and so of course he stays. Kills the one who threw the javelin almost immediately. 

"Kyo" he instructs as he shifts his headband out of the way. "Stay here with Miss Sakura, please."

He disappears.

The girl runs to her, terrified.

"Hey" she smiles, trying to act like it's but a scratch. Resists the urge to cringe as she gouges the weapon from her leg. "See - not poisoned."

Before she can tend to her own wound though, and pick her up, two men appear from the water next to them. 

She draws the girl under her with her right while hurling the bloody lance with her left. There is enough power in it to hit both the attackers, but not enough aim to injure anything crucial.

The taller one laughs.

"We just want the girl missy. And - " they both look at her leg, oozing its red liquid. " seems like you are done playing the men's game."

"Thanks for the advice, Men-game." Sakura snarls. "I'd rather win this."

She has to but touch the soil under them, soft and mushy from the current nearby and it opens up, like a melody. The men's mouth are opened in surprise as they sink below the ground. 

"Good one" Kakashi cheers from behind. They turn, and she notes how both his eyes - the saringan is active and neonbright in the setting sun -  are still somber. 

They are out in an open field and they should absolutely not be. 

Sakura notes he lost his vest, but otherwise, he seems unharmed. She lets out a breath she did not know she was holding.

"Mr. Scarecrow - " 

Kyo is crying real tears. 

He crouches and lets Kyo climb up in his arms. It's like he reads her mind and she is grateful for the time he presents her. 

Sakura starts to heal the muscles and the tendons in her thighs - recites to remember: vastus lateralis, please let us do good, vastus medialis, let us do no more harm than necessary.

There is an unearthly shriek coming from behind them and they see a single man tearing his chest open with a blade the size of Kyo. Sakura hobbles up, leg half-mended, blade readied.

An act of sacrifice. Summoning.

"Fuck" Kakashi says and Sakura blood goes cold. 

Kyo is lit on fire. 

The ambush squad does not even bother to attack them anymore. Their task is done. 

The man falls too, most probably dead.

Kakashi swears one more time. Lifts the child up, who screams in agony, then simply loses consciousness.

"Sakura" he begins and she snaps out of her fearful trance.

Steel yourself, girl - she hears Tsunade in her head, now a part of her inner mind - you are capable of anything as long you will it. 

"In the water" Sakura orders, unnaturally calm.

She forgets about her wound entirely.

iv.

There is advantage of being one of the tallest people  in five kages. Kakashi is so lanky that it takes a full three minute until the water finally licks his waist. 

Sakura has a hard time positioning herself, so she asks him to turn towards the shore so she can stand on a higher ground and actually move her arms above water. 

The procedure is relatively simple. 

Steel yourself. Remember. 

Sakura sees the textbook before her; hears the Medical Instructor's careful voice in her ears as they step, as they sink into the water. It is freezing, but the adrenaline, ironically, makes her sweat. 

In case of a burn the very first thing to do is to stop the burning process in order to prevent the tissues from dissolving further. A fire is always there to be put out. If the victim is able and conscious, then one should either drop the piece of clothing that caught fire or/and roll around to extinguish the flames. 

If that is out of question - the victim is unconscious or more severely harmed per se - and the burning/burned area is both large and exposed, then the skin needs to be cooled first and after some time - that depends on how much and how severely the skin was exposed to hear - the blisters need to be covered and bandaged with clean and wet cloth. 

Kakashi and Sakura spend one hour and thirty minutes keeping Kyo's body in and her head out of the water. The worst is when she gains consciousness and starts screaming. In the first hour, Sakura uses all of her chakra up to keep her alive.

Above all, do no harm. 

Keeping her awake is cruelty.

v.

The last thirty of the minutes depend solely on luck and perseverance. 

She inspects Kyo's skin with extreme care. The skin has started blistering - a sign of the body recleansing itself. She will live. The question that now remains is how much scarring this girl of four has to live with.

Sakura bits her tongue. Licks her lips and shivers despite herself. 

Kakashi's hands too, despite being the most disciplined hands she knows, are trembling. Whether from fatigue or the cold or the adrenaline wearing off, she can only guess that it is the mixture of all three. 

"We do not have clean bandages." he comments. His voice is calm.

Sakura considers their options. 

"Kakashi." she says finally; very carefully. "One of us has to alert the father and bring backup. She is out of fatal danger. But we cannot risk infection. We cannot risk moving her too much or too quickly. After all - " Sakura touches his shoulders. "she is very small."

Kakashi knows this means either him leaving her all alone, or her leaving him all alone with an injured child. He feels an immense, all-consuming dread at the thought of leaving Sakura alone in here. It's an old, familiar feeling. 

He clenches his teeth together. Now his hands tremble for a completely different matter.

"You go. I stay." Sakura's eyes widen. "Be quick."

Be safe, it is what he means to say; what he almost says, but her hands leave his shoulder and the water already feels cooler.

vi.

They complete the mission. Shibuki, Kyo's father, weeps upon seeing her daughter and tears at his hair, his clothes. 

Kakashi and Sakura stand in the corner in the narrow corridors of the medical hut. They are straight and silent as arrows strung up - being mere spectators, mere shielding materials in the complex net of such rivalries. 

Kyo survives. There is a giant scar that will remain, just below her neck, uglying her torso. 

It is but a cicatrice, they say. No true damage. An aesthetic slip, rather.

vii.

They eat, they sleep and leave at first light the next day.

As soon as they step through the gate that guards the city, Kakashi stops and turns to face her. 

Sakura opens her mouth to ask him - what now? -  but she realizes she has begun to cry. Hot tears are already carving their ways through the creases of her face. 

He hesitates - this she can feel through the sorrow; because his hand lingers at her shoulder. 

So she simply grabs it, painfully aware of her desperation. His palm is dry and warm and her fingers cannot seem to clasp the vast map of his hand. Then presses that same hand onto her face, and that is when Kakashi envelopes her, his body also warm and real and constant.

viii.

When she is thirteen and curious, Sakura hauls Ino to the Central Archives of Konoha and goes through every picture of Kakashi Hatake in hopes of finding out how he looks without his mask.

"Argh" Ino spits after two hours of fruitless search. "What a complete weirdo. Who wears a mask at the age of six anyway?"

"He does, apparently." Sakura is disappointed.

They find a picture of his father, to whom the sensei must bear resemblance, but it is a half-truth, more of a mirror than a window. His father, named Sakumo, has a small smile on his face, all dimples. The back of the picture says, Konoha's White Fang with son, Kakashi (4). 

Next to him, Kakashi is heavy-lidded, dark-eyed, pale. 

The next photo shows him alone in a middle of a ceremony, with the first prize. He is supposed to be eight years old, but he looks much older, somehow worn out.

"He has the saddest eyes I've seen." Ino whispers.

ix.

His one visible eye is honest and open. He is saying something she does not hear. It is all in his eyes, the trust she does not feel worthy of. 

That stops her crying.  

She steels herself. 

If he survived and emerged victorious through these violence, so will she.

ix.

Just upon entering Konoha, Sakura speaks up for the very first time since they left the falls.

"Also - " It is out of the blue, her voice. Kakashi stops. She has been picking cherries which she decides to save for later. Maybe she will make a pie for her parents as a gift. "You are very skilled with children."

Kakashi steals a cherry from her, ignoring her loud remark - then hangs it on his pouch on his vest. He, too, saves them for later - but must look ridiculous, because Sakura snorts, really, really loudly.

"Charming." he says and she sticks her tongue again. "I deal with children every day, Sakura. And this does not necessarily mean the genins."

"Are you thinking of teaching another team again?"

"Gods no. Just imagine."

Sakura makes a face he cannot translate. 

"What?" he is curious, despite himself.

"You should." she blushes. "Take up another team again, I mean." She takes a deep, deep breath. "Not everyone is a Sasuke Uchiha, you know."

They have never spoken about him. Not time, but deepdeep shame is what stopped him.

And then he realizes, here, at the gates of Konoha, at the age of thirty-three, supposedly wise but a fool, that Sakura Haruno is braver than he or Sasuke will ever dream to be.

She smiles a bit, then waves, wanting to race to the gates, her hair reflecting sunlight and he is also very sure that he could never forgive himself for underestimating her.

x. 

They don't see each other for a while after. Kakashi is sent on an A-Mission two days later, then Sakura has to leave to Suna on Tsunade's direct wishes.

Someone has to prepare the medical units for the Chuunin exams and oversee some new medical facilities and sort out the staff and basically set up a new kind of health care system in that kage after all. And who else, if not Sakura? 

He takes on a new team at the next possible opportunity. Sakura is the first to know - Kakashi makes sure of it.

She sends an alarm clock a week later, with a note full of grainy bits of sand; saying;

"You will need this. (Attention! Very loud!)"

Her handwriting is elegant, full of loops and space: free. 

Something moves in his chest that he cannot (fears to) name.

He tries to write back, and hates how formal and stiff he sounds.

"Thank you. See you soon."

He adds an exclamation point to the first, then to the second sentence. Tries to write only one sentence. Then decides to write about his team. Turns out to be a novel. He could, he wants to tell her everything.

Throws all the drafts in the bin after an hour of agonizing overthinking. 

In the end, he sends a picture of his new team, and writes a simple Thank you! in the back of it.

"Great!" he tells to no one particular. To the new plant in the window.

Obito's voice is but a whisper in his mind.

"You. Are. So. Fucked."

xi.

They meet approximately three hours after all the teams from Konoha set up their camps in the outskirts of Suna.

Umma has broken her right leg. Again. Kurenai frowns when she sees Kakashi running with his students in his arms. Iruka is positively fuming.

"Gods damn it all, Hatake" the younger man shouts as they - Kakashi with Umma in his arms, Koshi and Tassun following -  run past. "Every bone has an expiration date!"

Suna burns around them, the buildings seemingly melting in the heat. Umma's face is covered with tears and sweat; she is hiding her face in his shoulders, but he can still feel her pain.

"I know" he says soothingly, forcing an adult-like authority and sureness in his voice he is not sure he will ever have. He sees Naruto talking to Gaara. 

"Wow, Sensei, not again!" he exclaims. "Sakura is going insane with the workload. She is gonna kill you." 

Kakashi wants to scream. 

"Just point me to the med tent, will you?"

Gaara points to a tent wearing a red cross. Clever. 

"Who is going to kill you, Kakashi sensei?" chirps in Koshi as they run forward. He reminds Kakashi of an apathetic  version of Naruto. 

"Does this mean we don't have to take the exams?" shouts Tassun from his left. He makes a note to talk about respect and attitude at the next training day. Honestly.

By the time they reach the medical tent, all three of them are out of breath. Kakashi only starts to sweat when Koshi runs in to find Sakura.

The heat has nothing to do with it.

xii.

Here, far from the drone and frenzy of the chunin exams, is peace. And maybe because Sakura Haruno is tired from patching every nin in the country at least once a day, she does not kill him. She even smiles. 

Points at the nearest table and says,

"Place her here, please."

The tent is orange from the setting sun, and it is an almost-sin how the light chooses to travel and move across her face as she mends the bones and soothes Umma's pain away. Two other men are there to assist and jump as soon as Doctor Haruno opens her mouth.

He was never one to idolize or beautify anything. Kakashi and the reality of grief has grown up together a long ago, until grief and him became one. This does not leave much space for euphemisms. 

Yet he looks at Sakura now - and is not untouched by what he sees. Here, her brows knitted in attention, her movements controlled and contorted in their focus - he sees her as she is: a fort of devotion. This tender tenacity, he muses as she very gently touches Umma's ankles to test the success, is what made her a healer. This kind of devotion made her strong. 

Moving to the other side of the operating table, Sakura now shows her back to them. Her hair is all pinned up, her face flushed, her neck all tanned from living and walking around in the desert and Kakashi sees that therethere, at the nape of her sweat-beaded neck, her hair is damp, a darker shade of magenta. His heart falters at the sight. 

It knocks the air out of him, this sudden, this urgent longing for her. Suddenly, he feels greedy for the weight of Sakura's gaze and Sakura's body. Imagines how her fingers would feel on the skin under his clothes. Whether the skin of her would feel soft or rough under his hands. 

Stop, he says to himself. In the corner of his mind,  Obito is laughing. Rin is shaking her head. 

How low can I sink, he wonders, while trying to temper this want, how selfish can I be.

Sakura straightens, her spine does a lazy curve, all lovely. He fails to look away. "All done!" Umma is looking at her leg now, not quite believing what she is seeing and feeling. "Bit more careful next time."

Umma smiles and waves.  Sakura smiles at him again, inviting him closer. 

Kakashi waves back, trying to remain distant; wanting to forget that outside this tent there is an arena of students dying to fight; and that outside this village there is a war to wage. 

And no place for him to feel what he feels for Sakura and her smile.