Chapter Text
“It’s good to be back home,” Sakura sighed happily, inhaling the crisp October air.
After weeks away on a diplomatic healing mission, teaching alongside Konoha’s allies, she was finally back in the early afternoon. Standing before the village’s main gates, she greeted the chunin guards as she stepped inside.
The moment she passed through, a wave of warmth washed over her. The familiar sounds of children laughing and merchants calling out their wares filled the streets, as for the chill air that felt like a comforting reminder of home. As she strolled through the village, she noticed a few changes—new shops had popped up in her absence, including one that immediately caught her eyes: a newly opened Yamanaka flower shop. Sakura smirked, raising an eyebrow.
So Ino finally went through with it.
She could already picture her best friend bossing around her employees, ensuring every detail was as perfect as possible. The storefront was decorated beautifully, with vibrant flowers and climbing vines partially covering the shop’s logo. The arrangement of the display was too precise, too intentional. There was no doubt Ino had poured her heart into the shop’s aesthetic.
Tempting as it was to check it out, duty came first. Shaking her head, she redirected her steps toward the Hokage Tower. Once she handed her report to Kakashi, her mission would officially be over, and she could finally catch up on everything she had missed.
Upon reaching the building, she made her way to Kakashi’s door, but just as she raised her hand to knock, the door swung open—rather aggressively. A gust of air brushed against her face, making her front strands lift slightly.
She blinked. Standing there was Shikamaru, looking as exasperated as ever.
“Hi, Shika,” she greeted, curiosity dancing in her gaze. She rested a hand on her hip. “He’s not here, is he?”
Shikamaru let out a long-suffering sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. “What a drag, man.”
Sakura chuckled, comprehensive.
“We’ve got a pile of work to do, and the guy just vanished,” he grumbled. “Ten minutes ago, I stepped out to print some papers, and by the time I got back—poof. Gone.”
Rolling his eyes in resignation, he stepped aside, wordlessly inviting her in.
Sakura patted his shoulder knowingly as she passed, her gaze sweeping over the office. It looked exactly the same, except, of course, for Kakashi’s conspicuous absence. Shikamaru followed her inside, leaning over the desk as he shuffled through the mess of scattered papers.
“You’ve got to hand in your report, I guess.” Shikamaru stated as a matter of fact as he read through the papers to avoid mingling them. “Whenever he’s out, I’m the one in charge of getting it back, so I’m listening.” he lifted his eyes to Sakura, his attention on her.
No matter how Kakashi was driving him crazy, Shikamaru was always reliable and easy to talk with even if his appearance made people think the opposite. It was as funny as when he collected gossip for Temari, who’d always come with bullying him if he didn’t.
“It’s good to see you,” Sakura chuckled warmly with compassion as she started her explanation.
–
Later, after Shikamaru dismissed her, granting her a few well-earned days off on Kakashi’s behalf, Sakura decided to visit the main Yamanaka flower shop, hoping to catch up with Ino. To her disappointment, she was met instead by a regular employee, who regretfully informed her that Ino wasn’t in.
Pouting, she made a quick excuse and left. If she couldn’t spend her afternoon with Pig, she might as well get lost in a good book. The library seemed like the perfect place to pass the time until she could retreat to her apartment for the evening.
Upon arrival, she instinctively made her way to the adult romance section, humming softly to herself. The library was quiet, with only a handful of visitors—exactly how she liked it. Her social battery was completely drained, and the last thing she wanted was to be pulled into a conversation unless it was with someone she genuinely cared about.
Trailing her fingers along the spines of worn books, she let her touch linger on the damaged covers, evidence of how many years some of them had sat, likely forgotten. Nothing immediately stood out, but she was in the mood for something different, something bolder than her usual picks.
The Diaries… hmm, no. The Trials of the Heart? Not original enough. The Fox and the Lady? Pff, no way…
She muttered the rest of the titles aloud, tilting her head to read them better. When nothing at eye level caught her interest, she shifted her gaze to the shelves above, scanning each row carefully.
Then, she saw it.
A worn, green-covered book, its title too faded to read. Curiosity sparked instantly. Something about it called to her, and now that it had, there was no way she was leaving without it.
Unfortunately, there was one small problem.
She couldn’t reach it.
Clicking her tongue, she bit the inside of her cheek and glanced around to make sure no one was watching. Not that she had to justify her reading choices, but still, she preferred to browse in peace. With a determined huff, she stretched up on her toes, fingertips barely grazing the shelf. No luck.
Sighing, she glanced around again, hoping for a nearby chair or stool. Nothing.
“Come on, seriously?” she grumbled, crossing her arms in defeat.
Now that the book was out of reach, she wanted it even more. Typical of her: aiming for the unreachable. She sulked for a moment, trying to figure out her next move, when suddenly, she felt a presence behind her.
She had been too focused on the book to sense them earlier, so when she spun around, fully prepared to defend her personal space, she nearly jumped in surprise.
Kakashi stood there, watching her with clear amusement in his eyes.
“K-Ka—” Sakura stammered, her voice barely escaping as panic surged through her. Heat rushed to her cheeks, her heart pounding at the realization that she had no idea how long he had been standing there.
Startled, she instinctively backed up—only to collide with the bookshelf behind her, a jolt of pain shooting down her spine.
Had he been watching this entire time?
“Maah… what a show you just put on,” Kakashi mused in a whisper, his voice annoyingly ironic. His eyes crinkled into that familiar crescent shape, his stupid mirth evident. “I didn’t know you were a bold rea—”
Before he could finish, Sakura’s eyes widened in alarm. Moving on pure instinct, she shot her hands up and clamped them over his mouth. Kakashi blinked, clearly caught off guard. His breath hitched for half a second before he relaxed, his gaze intrigued.
Panic-stricken, Sakura quickly scanned the library one more time, desperate to confirm that no unwanted eyes were on them. Even if he had whispered, her senses awoke, hyper-aware of her surroundings.
Only then did she realize just how close they were. Her back was still pressed against the shelves, and Kakashi was looming over her, his broadened body significantly warm with his close presence. Beneath her palms, she could feel the curve of his masked lips.
Her mind raced, stupidly rushing to the conclusion it was like living a scene straight out of a romance novel: a quiet library, the tension in the air, a former teacher and his student, close to each other.
Oh, hell.
As if reading her thoughts, Kakashi’s eyes gleamed with pure mischief. He didn’t need words—his whole demeanor screamed enjoyment. Sakura could practically feel his forming smirk through her fingertips.
Crap.
She knew that look. His teasing mode was officially activated, and there was no escaping it now. When Kakashi got bored enough to ditch work, he always found a new distraction. It was her downfall for pairing him up with Naruto when he felt that way.
And today, apparently, that distraction was her.
“Aren’t you supposed to be in your office right now?” Sakura whispered harshly, eager to steer the conversation elsewhere as she pulled her hands away from his face. “You’re driving Shikamaru crazy. Honestly, it’s unfair, considering everything he does for you.”
Kakashi hummed in response. “Is that so?” His tone was infuriatingly amused. “Did you hand in your report?”
Sakura’s eye twitched. “You’d know if you were actually doing your job instead of running away from your responsibilities!” Her voice lifted slightly, breaking the quiet atmosphere of the library.
A collective shhh! echoed around them.
Heat surged through her whole body as her hands shot up to cover her mouth. She glanced up just in time to catch the telltale sparkle in Kakashi’s eyes. Even behind the mask, she could tell he was smirking. And just like that, her embarrassment worsened.
Damn it. He has the upper hand.
Nope. She wasn’t playing this game. That book could burn for all she cared—her pride mattered more.
“I’m leaving,” she announced flatly, stepping aside to break their eye contact.
But before she could make her escape, an arm abruptly blocked her path.
She halted just in time to avoid colliding with it, furrowing her brows in clear irritation. Whipping her head toward Kakashi, she prepared to give him a piece of her mind, only to stop short.
The playful enjoyment in his gaze was gone. Instead, his expression had shifted into something serious.
“What are you—” she started, but the words died on her lips.
In a single, fluid movement, Kakashi closed the remaining space between them, pressing one palm against the shelf beside her head while his other arm blocked her in completely.
His body was closer than before. Too close.
Sakura stiffened, her back pressing into the shelves as she swallowed against the sudden tightness in her throat. His scent—paper and something distinctly woodsy—enveloped her, and she hated how much she liked it.
Her gaze dropped, fixing on his gloved hand as if that would somehow steady her racing heart. But it didn’t help. She could feel the warmth of his breath against the top of her head, her senses completely tuned in to him.
And she knew: if she dared to look up, if she met his gaze, she’d crumble.
Kakashi had always been someone she admired. That admiration had never faded, only deepened as they spent more time together—working side by side, traveling on missions, and, inevitably, growing closer. She had been his personal medic for years, despite his stubborn refusals at first, and in that time, he had allowed her to see parts of himself few others had. His past, his regrets, his quiet hopes for the future.
And somewhere along the way, she had fallen for him.
But she had sworn never to act on it. Never to let it slip unless he gave her a reason to believe he felt the same.
The problem was… Kakashi was impossible to read.
One moment, he was teasing her, making her think maybe there was something there. The next, he was acting as if nothing had changed, as if she were no different from anyone else. It drove her insane. And now? Now he had figured out that teasing her was his new favorite pastime.
She knew he wasn’t doing it to hurt her. But if he ever found out just how much power he had over her—how much she liked him—he would definitely stop.
And that, somehow, felt even worse.
“Is that really how you’re greeting me after weeks apart?” His voice was barely a whisper, so quiet against the top of her head that she almost thought she’d imagined it. “Running off to your own fantasies—the same kind you criticize me for reading? That’s not very honest of you, Sakura.”
Her pride bristled at his words. Even now, she couldn’t tell if he knew about her feelings or not.
Lifting her head, she met his gaze, forcing him to pull back slightly to avoid a collision. His stare was still unreadable, but the weight of it was enough to make her falter, just like she had guessed. She quickly dropped her eyes to his chest instead, scowling in defense of herself, even as warmth crept up her cheeks. With a quiet huff, she gave his chest a light punch.
“When have I ever criticized you?” she shot back in a hushed tone. “It’s only when you insist on reading that book in public. My tastes are personal—you’re the one flaunting yours everywhere. And I’ll remind you that I’m the one you should greet. I did what I was expected to do.”
A smug tugged at his lips. “And yet, you seemed so bothered by my greeting.” His voice dropped lower, sending an involuntary jolt down her spine.
Her breath hitched.
Damn him. Where was her quick wit when she needed it most?
It wasn’t fair. He was really unfair—to Shikamaru, to his ANBU team, and most of all, to her poor heart and her now-exposed taste in books.
Before she could formulate a response, he moved slightly, giving her a fraction of space to breathe. She exhaled, barely catching the motion of his arm lifting above her head. There was a soft shuffle of paper, a few dust motes drifting in the air—and then, dangling in front of her face, was a familiar, worn green-covered book.
Kakashi’s gaze never left her as he held it just within reach, effectively caging her again between his arms.
“This was what you were trying to get, wasn’t it?” His voice carried a spark of teasing, but his eyes remained intent, studying her reaction.
Her fingers twitched, itching to snatch the book away, but she refused to give him the satisfaction.
Ignore him.
Background voices murmured from the tables beyond the shelves, offering her a much-needed distraction—one that she seized immediately, turning her head slightly as if considering walking away. But Kakashi was faster. He waved the book once, his patience as unrelenting as ever, a finger to his mouth.
Sakura clenched her jaw, resolutely silent, her nostrils betraying her with his scent.
He already knew. He must have been watching her long enough to know exactly which book she had wanted.
Kakashi hummed thoughtfully. “Do you even know what this book is?” His tone was far too knowing for her liking.
That was a bad sign. Still, she refused to answer.
His smirk deepened. This time, he tilted the book just enough to reveal the full cover to her.
Her mouth fell open.
No way.
The title was clear.
Icha Icha: First of First Edition.
Her horror must have been obvious, because Kakashi let out a quiet chuckle, flipping the book in his hand so he could read the title himself—as if confirming her worst fear.
“Well, well…” he mused lightly.
Slowly, on purpose, he leaned in closer, his breath ghosting over her skin as he brought his lips near her ear. The space between them shrank until their chests were nearly touching, and Sakura felt her breath stuck. Instinctively, she pressed herself against the shelves, as if the solid wood behind her could somehow smooth her racing heart and trembling legs.
She shut her eyes, bracing for whatever teasing remark he had in store, but the warmth of his breath against the sensitive skin between her ear and neck sent a delicious shiver down her spine. A soft gasp escaped from her mouth, an unwelcome aroused feeling climbing in her lower belly.
"Guess we have more in common than you thought..." he murmured, his voice almost wavering, low and undeniably smug.
Goosebumps prickled across her skin at his tone, but this time, instead of simply flustering her, his words vexed her. The growing warmth she had just felt died instantly while the words replayed endlessly in her mind.
This wasn’t how she had imagined their reunion. Not after weeks apart. Not after everything.
She had pictured something different—a proper greeting, maybe a moment of acknowledgment, something to show he actually cared that she was back. Instead, he had cornered her in a damn library, poking fun at her, exposing her, acting like nothing had changed. He hadn't even bothered to ask how she was after her mission. Hadn't given her so much as a welcome back.
Typical Kakashi.