Chapter Text
Sakura’s patience snapped.
With a huff of disbelief, she pressed her hands against his chest and shoved him back just enough to create distance. Then she crossed her arms over her own, her glare piercing through his being.
“If you really think we have so much in common, then prove it by being honest instead of constantly toying with me,” she bit out. “What am I, some distraction for when you get bored of driving Shikamaru or the world insane? Because if that’s the case, it’s not working. Not this time.”
His eyes widened slightly, caught off guard by the shift in her tone.
“All this time I’ve been away, and this is how you greet me? Not a single and clear word about my mission, not even a ‘ Hey, Sakura, how’ve you been? ’—just some ridiculous stunt in a library? Instead of acting like a friend—or hell, even like a proper Hokage —you show up in my free time just to mess with me. Again. ” Her voice was firm but quiet enough not to draw attention.
She took a step forward, eyes burning into his. “You’re selfish, you know that? You think you can just waltz in and get a reaction out of me whenever you feel like it.” She scoffed, shaking her head. “Being friends doesn’t mean you get all the rights to me, Kakashi.”
Then, without another word, she shoved past him, her shoulder bumping his in the process.
By the time he fully processed her words, she was already reaching the door, her steps quick and loud. Without warning, an unfamiliar sensation tightened in his chest.
No. It’s not–
She had completely misunderstood him. And the way she had spoken—so certain, so biting—struck a nerve deep within him.
Was that really what she thought? That he saw her as nothing more than a distraction? A mere toy?
Since when?
Kakashi knew Sakura too well to believe that was the full extent of her feelings, but if she had drawn this conclusion, then maybe… he had crossed a line. The thought sent an ache through his whole body, guilt rising.
Teasing her had always been a small indulgence—her strong reactions were always a rare delight. But this time, her response had been different. Too raw. Too real.
Regaining his composure, he moved before she could slip away. Just as she reached for the door, his hand closed around her wrist in a swift, fluid motion, halting her escape before anyone could take notice.
“What—” Sakura snapped, spinning around to face him. Anger blazed in her eyes, but beneath it, surprise wobbled.
Before she could protest further, he pulled her closer in one smooth movement, leaving her momentarily stunned.
Ignoring her soft gasp, he steered them through the library, her half-formed objections filling the silence. He led her past the towering bookshelves, straight into a secluded room—one reserved for Hokage use whenever he needed a space outside his office.
The door shut behind them with a decisive click.
“You! Why won’t you just leave me alone for once?!” Sakura’s voice rose, frustration dripping from every syllable.
Deadpanned, Kakashi exhaled slowly, resisting the urge to rub his temples. Why did women always ask so many questions?
When he turned to face her, she had already crossed her arms, her stance guarded. Gone was the teasing warmth she had shown earlier—replaced instead by cold defiance.
He had read somewhere ( probably in his favorite smut book ) that women liked it when men chased after them. That they wanted to feel listened to when they were being hurt. So then… why wasn’t she even a little pleased that he had come after her?
Leaning against the door, Kakashi imitated her and crossed his arms, his posture almost relaxed.
"Sakura, why do you think I've been avoiding my office?" he asked, sighing louder than intended.
"I don't give a damn!" she barked, her voice crackling like thunder in his ears.
Kakashi blinked, taken aback by the vehemence of her response.
Perplexed, he noticed something despite her defensive posture and the fury in her glare: she wasn’t making any move to leave. An angry Sakura, a usual storm, would have knocked him out and left him rotting on the ground without listening to his explanations.
But, perhaps, despite herself, she was giving him a chance to explain.
He hadn’t meant to hurt her, never in a million years. But how was he supposed to tell her he’d missed her all this time?
Sakura rarely left the village, only when her presence was absolutely essential, like her most recent mission. In her absence, she usually left Shizune or Tsunade to manage the hospital, sending one of them each week to deliver reports. Sakura’s usual remarks about his habits, analyses, and requests could be blunt, sometimes even unpleasant, but at least they were nothing compared to Tsunade’s scathing comments and Shizune overly formal and passive.
Sakura, on the other hand, had her own way of showing concern.
She would often ask how he was doing, remind him to take breaks from his endless work, and sometimes even bring him a cup of coffee late at night, just to help him survive the grueling hours. Often, she would simply slip into his office without a word, take a seat across from him, and quietly complete her own paperwork, keeping him company when he was worn down or overwhelmed.
Her presence, even for just a few moments, breathed life into his world.
When she was gone, the office felt dull and suffocating, and his mood took a darker turn. He’d slump over his desk, twirl his pen in distraction, and cut his workload short—leaving poor Shikamaru to pick up the slack.
Sighing and steeling himself, Kakashi took a breath, bracing for whatever verbal blows she might still hurl his way. He pinched the bridge of his nose, closed his eyes briefly, and let out a slow exhale.
"I was looking for you."
He sensed the change immediately—the tension in the air shifted, and her curiosity stirred despite her irritation.
"For what?" she demanded, still edged with annoyance.
He scratched the back of his head, rubbing his neck as he met her gaze. "Because I knew you were coming back today," he admitted. "And I didn’t want to miss seeing you in person."
Sakura’s eyes widened slightly, though her brow remained furrowed.
"I don’t get it," she muttered, disbelief coloring her tone as she waved a hand in the air. "I went to your office almost as soon as I returned, and you weren’t there. What, are you seriously telling me you were wandering the village looking for me ? And then, when you finally found me, you just had to tease me instead of greeting me properly because you didn’t know how you should act? Let me laugh !"
Looking ironically upward, silence followed her words as she silently pretended to count the minutes he had been looking for her on her fingers.
But when Kakashi didn’t rise to her bait—no quip, no teasing retort, no lecture on her misunderstanding—Sakura stiffened at the realization the seconds dragged on without him contradicting her.
Her glare widened slightly, fixing one single spot on the ceiling, confusion drawing across her face as heat slowly crept up her neck.
Why wasn’t he denying it? Why wasn’t he brushing off her accusation like he always did?
She swallowed, her heartbeat drumming loudly in her ears, and forced herself to meet his gaze. He still hadn’t moved from his spot against the door, his posture deceptively relaxed, but his dark eyes never left her.
A slow revelation settled over her…
He wasn’t joking.
He really had been looking for her, wandering around the village, trying to find her.
A growing blush dusted her cheeks, and she dropped her hands to her sides, feeling suddenly too vulnerable under his watchful stare. “Wait...” she breathed with a softer tone, quietly asking for his verbal confirmation. It seemed surreal.
Then, a gleam shone in his expression—barely noticeable—but it was enough to make her breath hitch.
He silently pushed away from the door, taking a few leisurely steps toward her. The way his presence filled the space made her instinctively take a step back, only to find herself pinned against the desk behind her.
Damn desk .
Kakashi paused just a breath away, his hand coming up to brace against the wooden surface beside her hip. Again , he leaned closer as he angled his head to murmur near her ear, his voice low and purposely husky .
“What a bad point of view you have about me… I should be more serious, then,” he whispered softly, chuckling at his own half joke. “Just like I told you, I didn’t want to miss seeing you. But when I finally did... I didn’t know how to act…” he admitted, his breath brushing against the shell of her ear.
His words sent the same delicious shiver down her spine, and Sakura swallowed hard, acutely aware of the heat radiating from his body. Her blush deepened, and her hands gripped the edge of the desk, knuckles turning white.
Kakashi lowered his head slightly, letting his masked lips hover just above her shoulder, his voice softening to a whisper. “I missed you, Sakura.”
Wha–
Had she misunderstood his words?
No, it can’t be… does he…?
Her pulse raced, and she felt the tremor that shot through her. “Is… Is that why you were so awkwardly insisting?” she managed, hopeful, her tone jerky despite her best effort to sound unaffected.
He gave a low, almost amused hum. “Guess I’m still not great at welcoming important people back,” he admitted, shifting his stance just enough for his knee to brush lightly against hers.
The way he spoke, so casual yet intimate, left her dizzy. She hesitated, biting her lip, fighting to keep her cool even as her heart hammered wildly in her chest. “You’re such an idiot,” she whispered, but it lacked any real bite, and they both knew it.
Kakashi’s thumb brushed against her hip, his touch feather-light, the constant drawn circles heavy on her clothes. “You’ve said something similar already,” he pointed out, his tone dipping warmer, smoother. “But I can live with it... if it means you don’t go off running from me when I'm coming at you in person.”
Sakura’s breath caught, and her mind raced to find some witty comeback, but his proximity and the heat between them made it nearly impossible to think straight. The tension was thick and she felt her body reacting too primarily.
With defiance, she glared up at him, but it was softer this time, less furious and more hesitant. “You’re really infuriating, you know that?”
His lips moved up beneath his mask, and his eyes softened. “Mm. You make it too easy.”
As silence grew between them and neither of them moved to shift their positions, Sakura purposefully didn’t pull her hand away from the desk. Kakashi took that as silent permission to continue his subtle exploration. His thumb now traced slow circles over her knuckles, absentmindedly, as if he wasn’t fully aware of how his touch affected her. But the slight anchored curve at the corner of his mouth said otherwise: he was entirely aware.
She huffed softly, trying to focus her breathing despite the sudden, feverish warmth crawling up her spine. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” she warned, her voice accusing, though the slight tremor betrayed her.
Kakashi’s lips grew in that lazy smile, and he leaned in just enough that his nose brushed lightly against her temple. “ Maybe ,” he admitted, voice so low it made her nearly lose it. “But can you really blame me? You’re the one who’s been giving me that glare like you’re ready to either kill me or… something else .”
Her mouth opened to protest, but the words died on her dry tongue as he shifted just slightly closer, his body almost brushing hers. His fingertips trailed from her hand up her forearm, leaving goosebumps in their wake.
“You’re impossible,” she muttered, but it lacked its usual bite. Her hands tightened their grip on the desk’s edge, grounding herself against his unusual closeness.
Kakashi chuckled softly, the low rumble sinking into her skin. “Am I?” His lips brushed near her ear, his breath too hot against her skin. “You’re awfully tense for someone who claims to be so unaffected.”
Her cheeks burned, and she scowled, but it came out more flustered than fierce. “You’re being a jerk on purpose,” she shot back, trying to summon her usual fire.
“ Hmm .” He tilted his head, letting his nose brush against her jaw as he pulled back just enough to meet her gaze. “Maybe I am. Or maybe I just like seeing you like this—stubborn, flushed, and trying so hard not to give me the satisfaction.”
Sakura grit her teeth, determined not to give him the reaction he clearly wanted. But it was hard to stay angry when his hand slid to her hip, his touch so light it felt like a whisper. “What do you want, Kakashi?” she demanded, forcing her voice to stay calm.
His eyes softened, and his thumb traced a slow line over her hip bone. “Isn’t it obvious?” he said with a languid shrug, as if admitting it were the easiest thing in the world. “I just wanted to make sure you’re okay. And maybe remind you that I’m still here—still waiting for you to notice.”
Her heart pounded against her ribs, and she bit the inside of her cheek to keep from saying something foolish. There was a warmth pooling low in her belly, and she hated how he could make her feel so unbalanced with just a few words and a casual touch.
Daring to move her hand, Sakura reached for his hip, merely resting on it.
Kakashi, for his part, didn’t press her further—didn’t close the gap or demand anything of her. Instead, he lingered just close enough to let her feel his presence, leaving the choice entirely in her hands. It was infuriating—how he could be so composed while she was practically burning from the inside out.
But, deep inside, that was all she had been dreaming about for a while.
Her gaze dropped to the curve of his mouth, hidden behind that ever-present mask, and before she could stop herself, she blurted out, “You’re not playing fair.”
His eyebrows playfully rose. “I didn’t realize we were playing a game.”
Sakura scoffed, rolling her eyes despite the flush still blooming across her cheeks. “You know exactly what you’re doing,” she countered, narrowing her eyes. “Acting all casual and composed while making me look like an idiot for reacting.”
Kakashi’s expression softened into something fond. “I didn’t think I had that much of an effect on you,” he mused.
She squinted at him, annoyed at how easily he made her admit her feelings without even realizing it. “I hate you,” she grumbled grumpily.
His fingers slid just a fraction higher, tracing the line of her waist through the thin fabric of her shirt. “And yet,” he murmured, his voice dropping to a rich, velvety tone, “you’re not pushing me away.”
Sakura’s lips parted, breath uneven. She didn’t have a response—couldn’t think of one when his gaze held hers like that, intense. When his hand slipped from her hip and brushed gently against the small of her back, guiding her subtly closer, her resolve faltered.
She didn’t pull away, and he didn’t push. It was like an unstated truce—neither of them was willing to cross the line but both were painfully aware of how thin the line between them had become.
Kakashi’s voice broke the quiet, soft and vulnerable. “You’re not just a distraction,” he admitted. “I don’t... toy with you because I’m bored. You’re more than that.”
Sakura swallowed, throat tight, and let herself lean just a fraction into his touch.
She finally heard it.
“Then stop acting like you don’t care,” she whispered, voice lost in the charged air between them.
His fingers tightened on her waist, and for a moment, she thought he might finally close the gap, might finally let go of that careful restraint. But instead, he merely pressed his forehead against hers, eyes slipping shut, his breath brushing her lips.
“I can’t promise that,” he confessed quietly, his voice achingly raw. “But I can promise I’ll try.”
She quietly laughed. “Idiot,” she murmured, gentle, understanding.
Kakashi pulled back just enough to meet her eyes, his own softened. “Wouldn’t be the first time you’ve called me that,” he teased.
She allowed herself a small smile, the tension still humming under her skin but softened by the warmth in his gaze. “No, but it’s the first time I didn’t want to punch you for it,” she admitted.
He chuckled soothingly, and his fingers brushed her back one more time before he stepped away, giving her space to breathe.
His eyes never left hers, and Sakura felt that despite the distance, the gap between them had grown much, much smaller.
The library had revealed so much more than she had ever thought it would. Maybe they would have to come more often…