What the New Year Brings Ch.20

Chapter 20-The First Time Sakura Sees Something</u>

A tug and a laugh. A push and a kiss. Then runaway and start all over again. This is the game we play headed back towards the castle. Can't really tell who started it or what started it. I'm just glad we're playing it.

"C'mon, Sakura. Just why did you want to know?" He asks with a mischievous grin.

I feel my face heat up.

"No reason." I say, neither stopping or looking back at him.

He grabs my wrist, twirls me around, and traps me between his tall, lean form and the tree pressed hard against my back.

"I don't believe you." He says, then ducks his head down to steal a chaste, sweet kiss on my lips.

"That's your problem, not mine." I say as we slowly part, then quickly duck underneath his arm to run off again.

From the corner of my eye, I catch him shake his head and smile beneath his mask before chasing after me.

If I really wanted to, I could easily deflect him with clones or a chakra-infused punch to the ground, but though his questions are making me uncomfortable, his kisses are not. I'm happy playing cat and mouse with him. After all, playing "hard to get" can be extremely fun.

I've barely taken three steps forward when he grabs my wrist and cages me between his arms, body, and a tree yet again.

"Just tell me." He says, his face so close to mine that I can feel the warmth of his breath even through his mask.

"Kakashi, it was embarrassing enough the first time around. Please let it go." I say, forcing my gaze away from his lips to look up pleadingly into his lone eye instead. Puppy dog eyes don't seem to be working for some reason. Maybe he's grown immune because of Pakkun. Damn.

"And what makes you think I'll do that?" He asks, resting his left forearm on the tree behind me, slowly bringing his body even closer towards mine. His other hand comes up to brush a strand of hair away from my face to gently tuck it behind my ear.

"Because you're a gentleman?" I suggest, raising myself up on tiptoe to lightly peck him on the cheek. I wait for it to register and his eye to happily crease before slipping out from the side he doesn't have blocked with his arm.

"Sakura..." I hear him say somewhere in the distance behind me.

I laugh over my shoulder and continue to runaway from him, but just as quickly, I'm forced to a complete stop with Kakashi coming to a stop right beside me.

"Wow..." I whisper in awe as I take in the sight before me. "Is that our entourage?"

"Must be." Kakashi muses.

Through the foliage of the trees we see a handful of horses being groomed and readied outside the castle stables, not including the 20 or so other regal looking stallions patiently awaiting their turn in their individual stalls. There's even more commotion going on around the dozen or so newly polished coaches which are being packed ridiculously high with trunks and bags of luggage by the castle servants.

I take a step forward to take a closer look, but Kakashi grabs me, pushes me up against a tree, and traps me for - Geez, I've actually lost count on how many times now.

"You're not getting off that easy. Just answer the question, Sakura...Why exactly did you want to know if we were going to get our own rooms tonight?"

If my face wasn't hot before, it's absolutely burning now.

"Well, you see...Oh, look! One of the horses has a baby!" I say, pointing somewhere off into the distance before ducking beneath his arm again.

"Sakura..." Kakashi says, quickly wrapping one of his arms around my waist and pushing me up against the tree once more.

"What's the matter? Don't you want to see the baby horse?" I ask, looking innocently up at him. "It's got a velvet nose and everything!"

He laughs at me.

"You're cute, Sakura, but answer the question."

"You're not going to let this go are you?" I say, narrowing my eyes at him.

"Nope." And with that, he presses his body harder against mine to ensure no more further escapes from me.

My body is burning hot, betraying me in every way possible, but evidently not as much as his. I pointedly try to ignore his, um, happiness to see me.

"Well, why do you think I asked?" I try to say as calmly as possible.

There. Reverse psychology. That'll get him.

"I think...it's because...you want me." Kakashi says with each gentle kiss he plants along the side of my neck.

As if it has a mind of its own, one of my hands curls around the back of his neck to pull him closer and my head tilts back against the tree as I shut my eyes taking pleasure in his soft kisses. Yet in the back of my mind I can't help but think:

Why does it seem like reverse psychology is backfiring?

Our breaths are getting heavier, our heart rates are getting quicker, and all the while his hands are sliding slowly up and down my sides.

His mask is getting in the way, so he quickly tugs it down beneath his chin. When he kisses my neck again, it's without barrier. His kisses now feel wet and hot against my skin.

His hands slowly come up to the nape of my neck, pulling me towards him the same way I had been pulling him towards me earlier. He tilts my head up and presses his lips lightly, then eventually harder against mine. At first it's just about the contact, feeling the warmth and softness of his lips against my own. Then, it's about the action of the kissing itself, the tugging and sucking and nipping of lips. Then, it's just about being plain greedy. He parts my lips with his and I allow his tongue quick entry. Flicking his tongue against mine, he asks me to do the same, and I do. His tongue glides against mine, and again, I do the same for him. I feel my lungs burn from lack of oxygen and my head feels hazy, but neither of us really wants to stop. Then...

"Hey, you there! Yeah, you two! What do you think you're doing back there?!" One of the castle guards bellows at us causing all the horses' ears to prick up and all of the servants' heads to turn our way.

Kakashi quickly tugs his mask back up and promptly pulls away from me at the same instant I pull away from him.

"Ahaha." Kakashi says while scratching the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Well, funny you should ask because, see, there was this big root sticking out of the ground and my partner here accidentally tripped on it and I accidentally tripped on it after her and while we were falling our lips just sort of-"

"We're just assessing the convoy we'll be looking after tomorrow and making sure that everything is secure. Since everything looks in order here, we'll be on our way." I quickly explain to the guard.

"Yeah. What she said." Kakashi says.

I grind my teeth and try not to kill Kakashi right then and there.

The guard slowly looks between me and Kakashi, passes a scrutinizing gaze over our hitai-ates and weapon bags, then thankfully nods his head and waves us away.

"Fine. You're free to go."

Kakashi and I smile in gratitude then make a quick exit.

Once we're far enough away so that no one can see us, I slap Kakashi upside the head.

"Ow! What was that for?!" He asks, rubbing the back of his head.

"Kakashi, I swear! You have the lamest excuses in the world!"

"What? It happens!"

"People tripping and accidentally kissing each other?" I ask incredulously.

"Well, yeah. At least in 'Icha, Icha' it does. Actually, a lot more than that tends to happen accidentally..."

I'm still looking at Kakashi in bewilderment at what he's saying when a pair of figures ducking away behind the trees ahead of us distracts me. I recognize one of the figures immediately, but the other one not so much.

"Sakura, what's wrong?" Kakashi asks, following my gaze out into the distance.

"Nothing." I say hastily with a quick shake of my head.

"Now who's the one with the lame excuses?" Kakashi asks with a hint of a smile in his voice.

But I keep my lips sealed, link my arm through his, and smile up at him.

"Ask me again, Kakashi." I say softly.

"What? Who's the one with the lame-"

"Not that question, Kakashi! The other one!"

His eye meets mine and he asks me again, but seriously rather than playfully this time.

"Why did you want to know if we were having separate rooms tonight, Sakura?"

"Because, Kakashi, I've gotten used to sleeping with you beside me these past few days. I like feeling you against me and wrapped around me while I sleep. It makes me feel safe. I asked because I don't want to sleep without you tonight, Kakashi, or any other night for that matter. "

"Cuddling's not the same as 'sleeping together,' Sakura. If you come to me tonight-" Kakashi says in a warning tone.

"I know." I say quietly.

Kakashi raises his eyebrow up at me, but says nothing more as we continue to make our way back up to the castle for the evening.

Everything I said is true and I don't regret a single word, but the fact of the matter is, I think I just saw something that I wasn't supposed to and one way to avoid an uncomfortable question is to present another that you're more willing to answer. I "get" Kakashi and me. I even know what I've just talked myself into, but what I saw just now, up ahead in the trees, I absolutely, completely do not understand. And until I do, I think it's better for everyone if I'm the only one who knows about it. For now at least.

To be continued...