Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Yes, I understand... We will reschedule then for the day after tomorrow. No, you will have to take this up with my assistant. Yes... Okay, have a good evening."

Bastard.

Rescheduling appointments was something that Sakura Haruno despised.

Rescheduling appointments just before they were to take place... Let's say that there should be a special place in hell for those who did that. Her time was too valuable for wasting it thus.

Which is why she cursed inwardly both her client and her own rotten luck to have him as a client.

Sakura was, admittedly, very happy when she got hired at the Yamanaka and Nara law firm. It was Fire Country's most prestigious law firm, and working with such a big shot office meant that she would have the greatest credentials in her career. And Sakura loved her work; being an attorney was her childhood dream, one she chased after with vigor. Getting into Law school was no easy feat; even when she did, no one really believed that she was really up to the task. If anyone asked Sakura about it, she'd probably claim that the problem lied in her appearance. Especially in this line of work, appearance is a vital component. An attorney should have a commanding air, confidence and an elegant style that made potential clients think that they are really serious about their work. While Sakura had all those aspects, she also had naturally bubblegum-pink hair, which she couldn't dye another color, and that invited all sorts of reaction from people. Many didn't believe that she was actually a lawyer; others said that she looked too cute to fight her way in a court, and was probably fighting her way through the chambers of some influential people in order to reach the court of law. Men wondered whether she was good in bed; women surmised that she wasn't smart enough for her work, so she must be using other means to secure it.

They all shut up when they actually saw her working, for she was fierce and argued relentlessly. Some might say her way of acting in court was ingenious. She'd always show an eye for details; she'd call out loopholes and small prints and eventually favor her clients as much as any seasoned attorney would. Sakura always loved seeing her coworkers' faces, when they realized that they, in fact, were outwitted by a pinkette. It was such an invigorating feeling.

But she was still severely underestimated many times, from people who didn’t know a damn thing about her worth and were not partial in finding that out.

Sakura sighed, nodding for the bartender to bring her one more glass of the white wine she had been nursing so far. She had arrived earlier to this hotel, and headed for its bar. She had arranged a work meeting here; she had a rich client who wanted to take a divorce and they had to talk about the details before Sakura submitted the paperwork needed. But he was suddenly indisposed, as he called to inform her. Judging by the noises in the background, she probably didn't want to know the reason why she was indisposed; how convenient to meet at a hotel bar...

At least, the bar was good enough. It was luxurious, but not tacky; warm, deep brown and beige were the dominant colors in the bar and the small tables scattered around its hall. The seats were comfortable, inviting, and the wine selection, as far as Sakura could notice, was exquisite. Soft jazz music played on the background, making the place feel warm and inviting.

Deciding that she would have at least to enjoy her night despite the change of plans -the bill would be paid by the form, as a work meeting, so why not enjoy herself? -, she took a book out of her purse and set it in front of her. The atmosphere of the bar allowed to concentrate on a story, and this book was just too good to pass. It was the latest novel by Kanae Muri; a romance story with a healthy dose of softcore erotica. Perfect for a quiet night like this. It was also a great way to keep people at arm's length, because she didn't feel particularly sociable after her plans foiled, and she certainly wasn't in a mood to be flirted by a buffoon who would take her appearance as soft and cute.

At one point, she closed her book so she could order a third glass of wine. Just then, a deep, low voice spoke quietly behind her:

"I would like to treat you this round, if it's okay with you."

She whipped her head around, ready to tell this man off, but she stopped in her tracks. The man who was approaching, was admittedly, very charming. He was, for a start, very well dressed; He was wearing a deep blue suit, with a matching vest and a white shirt underneath. He had his jacket draped over his left arm, and Sakura could definitely see that he had a very nice physique, the tight fit of the vest leaving a few to the imagination. He was tall, and lean, and he carried himself with an air of nonchalance that was both irritating and intriguing. When her eyes lifted up to his face, she found it to be beautiful in a ragged way. His hair was slightly slicked back, and it was silver, yet he didn't seem more than forty. His face was angular, with a defined jaw and sharp, onyx black eyes. The faint, just-barely-there scar cascading down his eye and cheek, and the beauty mark on the corner of his lips just added to the sex appeal he was radiating.

While Sakura intended to deny his offer, should deny his offer, she suddenly acted against it. "I'd like that, thank you."

He reached out to the bartender and ordered a fresh round of drinks for both of them. He was holding a glass of neat whiskey. Then he turned to Sakura, wordlessly waiting for her permission to take the stool beside her. She half-smiled. "Be my guest...?"

"Kakashi, nice to meet you". He extended his hand towards her, and Sakura shook it in a firm handshake. "Nice to meet you, too. I'm Sakura.

He smiled at her, and Sakura felt her insides stir. This smile spelled trouble.

"Sakura, a nice name. Fitting of you, I think."

Ah, there it was, the sappy talking that Sakura despised. "Don't judge by the hair, I'm anything but a flower. I actually hate my hair."

Where did that rumbling come from? Sakura wasn't one to talk about the things she didn't like about her, lest people started picking up on her insecurities.

He regaled her with a low chuckle. "I think it's very nice, actually. Very original."

"It's only nice if you are into arts. An artist always appreciates such things, but I don't." she countered, feeling his gaze settling upon her. It was actually making her feel good, for a change.

"I take it you're not an artist?". His tone hinted at the joke he was trying to crack and Sakura smiled despite herself.

"I am a lawyer, actually, if you believe it. What about you?"

"If I told you I'm a model, would you believe it?" he chuckled. Letting her gaze travel down his form, Sakura deduced that this could easily be the case.

"You sure have the physique for that", she nodded. Just in time, the bartender brought their drinks. Handing Sakura her glass, Kakashi lifted his own and softly tapped it against her own.

Clink.

"Cheers to you then, miss lawyer."

Sakura chuckled and took a sip of her wine, her eyes focused on his lips that were touching his own glass. She momentarily thought about what those lips could do wrapped around parts of her.

Focus, Sakura.

"So, may I ask what were you reading?" Kakashi asked, nodding towards Sakura's now-forgotten book. She contemplated for a moment, whether she should tell him what it is, but then he may have recognized the dust jacket it had. "It's a novel by Kanae Muri, it's called " The void in me". You know it?" Well, she doubted he did. He really didn't seem the type that indulged into this reading genre.

To her vast surprise, though, he tugged the same copy out of his jacket and showed it to her. Sakura felt her jaw slacken.

"I found it intriguing, to be honest. Muri is building a good storytelling, but I'm afraid she's too soft in her depictions. Things can't be so perfect", he said in a matter-of-fact tone. Sakura really wanted to defend the book, as the lawyer's instincts kicked in-but she realized that he was actually correct in his observations. So, she shrugged before taking another sip of her wine. "You're not wrong. But she is still compelling in her stories. To be honest though, I prefer Yoshio Tachiru's novels more."

Kakashi's eyes narrowed slightly, and he looked intently at her. "So, you're telling me that you like to read smuttier things? Interesting.". His smirk indicated that he was indeed very interested in Sakura's declarations, and she had to check herself for a moment, for talking way too much over her head. He gracefully picked up on her shifting mood though, and moved on to other book-related questions.

***

Kakashi certainly didn't expect his night to go the way it did.

He had come over this side of Konoha to have some paperwork signed for his work, and his car broke down. So, instead of taking a taxi back home, and since the next day he was off work, he decided to stay in a hotel and pamper himself for once. He knew the Leaf Luxury Hotel had a great reputation and a great space to unravel, a bar with a more-than-decent selection of spirits.

It was a one-way decision, if you asked him. It was expected of him to want to relax after such a day.

What wasn't expected though, was her.

Kakashi noticed her only after he finished his first glass of whiskey for the night, and he really wondered how anyone could miss her. In one of the corners of the bar, there was this woman. Her body was flawless, petite but curvy in all the right places. She was sitting cross-legged on her stool, her hips curving deliciously under the forest-green pencil skirt she was wearing. Pink, shoulder-length locks cascaded down, which clashed oddly with the serious attire she was wearing; the forest-green suit, the beige shirt and her nude heels. She was beautiful; and that probably was the common opinion around, because he overheard the men sitting on the table next to him snickering like horny schoolboys and talking lewdly about her.

While Kakashi also had one lewd thought, or two, she still didn't deserve to be talked about like that, especially if she couldn't defend herself. Her attention did not shift once from the book she was immersed to, and that sight alone was enough to make Kakashi feel weak. She was sexy, that much was for certain; but she was also more than that.

When she closed her book and nodded to the bartender, he knew he had to do something. He casually picked up his things and walked up to her. He'd offer her a drink, and if she declined, he'd just pay up his tab and walk away. But he really wanted her to accept, god knows why.

When she abruptly turned around, Kakashi sensed a hostility wafting off her, and he was ready to apologize. But when she lifted her gaze up to him, he really felt something dangerous stir inside him. Her eyes were emerald green, cat-like and they held a ferocious sparkle that made him wonder what it would be like, should they look at him in closer quarters. He didn't think she'd finally agree to share a drink with him. But who was he to complain?

Talking to her was a really pleasant surprise. She was showing a very alluring side; she was witty (not all lawyers were pompous asses, it seemed like), and she was brave. How could he describe her, when she talked about her reading erotica so openly? It was not provocative, and yet it was sexy, to be able to admit such things. It needed a level of self-assurance that he always found fascinating. Most women he courted, were almost afraid to admit such tendencies, and that had grown boring. When he saw her book, and realized that he carried the same one around, it was a revelation. Was she for real? Her expression when he showed her his own copy, was a delight.

She even admitted, with a face effortlessly sultry, that she read Yoshio Tachiru, whose works were a smutfest of sorts.

Gods, was she amazing!

Now how would he get his mind off the gutter? He tried to keep a lighter tone to the conversation, to keep her engaged without making her feel bad. But when he dared take a sidelong glance at her, she was absentmindedly drawing circles around the rim of her glass, and he had to keep himself in check, because his mind was wondering about how this finger would feel tracing down his body. Way to get the mind out of the gutter. Well done.

***

The night was going on, drinks were ordered again, and their conversation was still going strong. Sakura found that Kakashi was not only really, really handsome, but he was also a great conversationalist; he had a sense of humor that bordered on the dark side, much like her own, and he was well-versed in things that she enjoyed too. It was strange, but she was deeply attracted to him and somehow, felt a lot like talking.

Well, not only talking.

Every time she looked at him, she felt her body tense, like she was resisting its urge to pull up against his own. And what a sensation would that be... Sakura's mouth watered.

It's not as if Sakura wasn't capable of finding a man to spend the night with; she actually knew she could find one. It was just that, no one lighted that spark in her lately, like this one did. She only hoped she'd find the strength to go home alone, before she regretted anything.

Sakura was really indifferent to steady dating; she simply did not have the time for that. It was pointless, as men in her life were demanding of her already scarce time, and they didn’t take it lightly that she was working long hours almost every day. This was the reason her last long-term relationship ended; when she was twenty-five, there was a man, Mizuki. They were actually a nice enough couple, and he had asked her to marry him. But he demanded that, in return, she would quit her job, as he was a wealthy businessman and wanted his wife to live leisurely.
The moment he told her his conditions, she ended up a three-year relationship and walked away.  

She was twenty-seven now, and happily indulging on casual flings instead of tying herself down with a needy man. Her career was her priority, and if she needed to blow off some steam now and then, so be it.

And she suddenly felt like she had a lot of steam to blow off tonight.

Watching Kakashi talk casually about trivial things like books and music shouldn’t be so sexy. But she was drawn in. So much so, that she almost didn’t notice that the bar had emptied, that they were now in the small hours of the night, that the bartender had already tidied up and just waited for them to finish their conversation so he could close.

But eventually, they had to call it a night.

Before she managed to pull her wallet out, Kakashi made a nod to the barman and discreetly handed him his card. Sakura protested at that, but he just waved his hand dismissively. “I engaged the whole of your time here, so it is only fair” he said, as he hopped off his stool and helped her down her own.

“You wouldn’t engage my time if I didn’t want you to” she reminded him, and he half-smiled down at her. She swore inwardly at her inability to keep herself steady with just a smile. She blamed it on the copious amounts of alcohol that she had.

“I guess not”, he mumbled as he led her out of the bar area and into the hotel lobby.

Sakura’s mind was reeling with the possibilities. She was actually wondering what should she say to this man who was about to part with her. Should she say that she wanted to spend the rest of the night with him? Would he feel disappointed at her suggestion?

And why did she care, anyway? She never had a problem like this before.

“So…I had a great time, Kakashi. Thank you for the company” she said softly. Should she hug him goodbye? He was standing in front of her, looking all serious. Would he be offended?

Ah, to hell with it. She had to know how his arms felt around her, at least.

When she leaned closer though, his gaze shifted down to her lips. She noticed. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to take a taste.

When his hand shot up to cradle her cheek, she half-closed her eyes, feeling his skin warm up against her face. His thumb strayed over her lips, and she couldn’t help but part them slightly, leaving an open-mouthed kiss on his finger. Then, he was the one who closed the last of their distance.

His kiss tasted great. Whiskey and desire, and something sweet that she couldn’t recognize, in her hazy state. He let her take the lead, and she deepened the kiss, much to his joy. It could have lasted mere seconds, or hours; she couldn’t register that.

She parted their lips, but not before taking the chance to bite softly on his bottom lip. When she opened her eyes, his were dark, gazing down at her with pure lust. It made her want to taste him again, but that wasn’t meant to happen.

“I…have to go…” she breathed out, unsure of how she’d do that in her current state.

To her surprise, he reached into his pocket and took out a white plastic card. “Sakura, the truth is…I’d like for you to stay for a little while longer, if you want. This is a card for my room, it’s 608. I will be there tonight.”

And with a last caress on her cheek, he turned on his heel and left, leaving Sakura mortified.

As he left, not gazing once behind him to where she stood, his stride steady and quick, her own mind was reeling with the possibilities.

Did she want to go up there with a stranger?

Truth be told, she did. But should she?

To hell with it. She didn’t have time for such games. Deciding against it, she searched for the exit, in pursuit of a taxi that would carry her to the comfort of her own home.

                                                                ***
When Kakashi entered his hotel room, he leaned against his door, groaning at himself.

What the hell was the matter with him, inviting a lady like her that way into his room? Deep inside though, he regretted nothing. Her kiss felt intoxicating; it was in equal parts tender and sensual, and left him wanting more. Way more. A few minutes had passed already, and she hadn’t shown up, so he anxiously stalked up his window and looked down. It had a view on the street just before the entrance of the hotel.

Her pink hair were easy to spot in the night, as she reached out to signal. A cab stopped in front of her, and he nodded, understanding that this was to be expected. It was a shame, but he could understand.

With a second glance down her way though, he saw that she nodded something to the driver and let him go on his merry way, without getting in. Instead, she looked up once, turned on her heels, and re-entered the hotel.

So, she’s coming to me.

He waited behind the door for a few minutes, and then he heard the familiar sound of the card unlocking his room lock.

Chapter Text

Sakura tried walking away, honestly.

When she saw Kakashi stalking out right after he gave her the spare card of his room, she thought that this was plain ridiculous, that she wouldn't bother to pursue anything more, that he probably didn’t deserve her precious time if he were to leave her back like this, not chasing enough after her. Yes, the best choice was to call for a cab and go home, where she could happily help herself out of her arousal and into sleep. It wouldn't be the first time, anyway.

As she walked out the hotel doors though, her resolution started to crumble. She shakily extended her arm in a signal, and a cab arrived immediately and stopped in front of her.

"Where are you going, miss?" the driver asked, leaning over the open passenger window.

Where was she going? What was she doing?

His smirking face flashed behind her eyelids, and just then, she knew. She knew she needed to know for herself how this game would unfold.

"I'm sorry... I'll stay after all." Without so much as a reaction, the driver left, and she immediately turned on her heel and headed back inside.

She tried to look calm as she walked towards the elevator, but her legs were not as steady as she’d like them to be. Resisting the need to rub them together to calm the ache that was throbbing in her, she stepped in and pressed the button to lead her to the sixth floor. As the elevator pushed upwards, she looked at herself in the mirror; her eyes were glazed, as if she had a fever-but it wasn't fever. She needed to see more of this man, needed to feel more of this man, needed to-

Before she even realized, she was standing before his door, pressing the card over the electronic lock.

He was waiting for her, just a few steps from the door, and he was looking every bit as delirious as she did. He had gone ahead and unbuttoned his vest and the top button of his shirt. He had even rolled his sleeves up, apparently in an attempt to be more comfortable. It didn't help with the dull ache that Sakura was feeling inside so far.

His low, deep voice demanded her attention. "You came back." he said, in a matter-of-fact voice, and she chuckled.

"Would you rather I didn't?”, she challenged.

But asking that was a mistake, for he reached out and yanked her closer to him. She was quick to wrap her arms around his neck, and he slid an arm around her waist, the other one resting against her cheek. He pressed her tightly against him, and she didn't miss how he was hard against her front.

"I'd rather kiss you again, to be honest".

He did just that, leaning down to capture her lips. His kiss was slow, as if he needed to adjust to the feel of her lips. Her hand shot up towards his hair, her fingers itching to thread through them. Thick and soft, she really liked the feel of them against her fingertips.  

While still kissing him, she tugged on them and he growled against her lips. Sakura swore that this sound was the best sound coming from a man's mouth ever.

He broke away from her lips, enough so he could kiss his way down her jawline with soft, open-mouthed kisses. She immediately tilted her head to the side, baring her throat to him, as if surrendering. To what, exactly?

"Fuck", he mumbled, his lips barely touching her neck. She just grinned and urged him against her skin. He complied, lavishing her neck with not-so-soft bites and licks everywhere he bit, alternatively teasing and soothing. At this point, Sakura could hardly contain her whimpering, so she backed them both towards the bed.

When the back of his knees thumped against the mattress, Kakashi stopped the ministrations on Sakura's neck, and sat down in front of her, opening his legs so she could scoot closer. It took a few tries to help her out of her shirt, but when he did, he took a deep breath to calm himself. She was clad in a pair of lacy green underwear, matching perfectly with her creamy skin and her eyes. As he tried to keep with his undressing her, he pressed his lips against her midriff, enjoying the sighs that caused.

Once the skirt pooled around her ankles, he helped her step out of it. She was quite the sight, only in her underwear and pair of heels. His breath hitched in anticipation.

"But it's no fair..." she all but purred, as she tried to reach for his vest. He smirked and took it off before she did.

"Oh, it's only fair, when you're so beautiful."

Ignoring her protesting sounds, he took his sweet time taking off his shirt. She was watching his every move with a hungry expression, biting her bottom lip. His dressing didn't hide his physique, but Sakura noted how it was even better than she would have imagined; strong but not very wide, his muscles defined just as needed. Impatiently, Sakura reached out to help him take off his pants as well.

"You can't wait, can you?" he chuckled, and she huffed, when he pulled her lightly, so she could also land on the bed. "I can't wait either" Hands travelling down her sides, resting on her ass, squeezing it firmly... Sakura was on fire and she could barely restrain herself. But he had other ideas about it.

"I want to taste you" he declared. "You should come sit up here" he said, pointing at his lips with a smug expression that reduced Sakura to a heaping, wet mess.

"W-wait..." she mumbled. "You mean...?"

He nodded. "I mean that I want you to sit on my face, and I will make it worth your time."

Well, fuck. Who was she to deny such a proposition?

He laid on his back, as she inched her way up to his face, feeling extremely self-conscious. He seemed to pick on that, because he rubbed her thigh, his fingers trying to soothe away any traces of anxiety. He needed her to know that it was alright, that he was there to lavish her, and she felt what could only be conveyed by his touch. "You're doing great, baby... Just great."

She felt his finger part her underwear to the side, and moments later, she felt him kiss the bundle of nerves that was already sensitive from everything that had transpired so far. She took a sharp breath and held onto the frame of the bed behind him. She then lowered her hips slowly, too slowly, painstakingly so.

The heat already plaguing her skin shot up, when his lips touched on the sensitive bundle of nerves on her. Her thighs twitched, but he seemed undeterred; lapping softly against her folds, exploring every crevice of her, enjoying her as if she were delectable. Like he was starving for her.

She was close to an orgasm that threatened to consume her whole body because of him.

"I... Aaaaah, Kakashi... So good... I'm gonna come... "

She thought he would stop this, but instead, he snaked an arm around her hip, pinning her down firmly against his mouth, as the orgasm finally tore off her. Her thighs were twitching violently from the high of her bliss, but he kept her against him, still lapping at her juices with greed.

When she finally got off her high, he let her scoop lower. His face seemed smug and prideful as he licked his lips-making sure he held her gaze while doing so. If she weren't that aroused, she'd have slapped the smug smile off his face.

"Just as I thought... You taste great" he chuckled.

"But what do you taste like, I wonder... ", she countered and enjoyed the way his gaze darkened.  He rolled over, slowly urging her to lie on her back and he crawled on top of her, his movements feral-like. "I'm not sure I have the patience for that now..." he whispered, as he leaned down for a slow, deep kiss.

Sakura could taste herself in his tongue, and could feel his warm skin flush against her own, and she barely had the capacity to think of a proper response when the sensation was too much for her already oversensitive body. She only moaned in his kiss and let a hand wander down his spine, before helping him off his underwear with it.

He broke off her just for a moment, so he could finally take off what remained between them. He let out a shaky breath, as if he could barely restrain himself anymore. She lifted a trembling leg to wrap around his waist, in a silent invitation to join her in their chase of bliss, and he tentatively rubbed himself against her folds, covering up with her.

“Sakura. I want you to look at me when I fuck you.”

Her half-lidded eyes widened at his request, and she complied. It wasn’t difficult anyway, for his gaze upon her was magnetic. Even if she wanted, she wouldn’t be able to take her gaze off him.

Entering her in one swift motion had her almost sobbing her frustration out. She felt full, her body hardly accommodating him. For a moment, everything was still; there was only her, and him, eyes and lips and hands that yearned to touch and kiss, and a thunder against her pulse that threatened to burst her heart out. When she felt better, she beckoned for him to come down to her.

To her utter disappointment, he pulled back all the way, and she whimpered.

“Kakashi…”

Calling his name seemed to be working, for he thrusted again, his hips buckling harder against her. He leaned down to her, his lips searing the soft skin of her breast, latching onto a nipple, earning a cry of anguish for the heat that returned but couldn’t be satiated just yet. She reached out and held onto him, her nails trailing up and down his back. Even if she drew blood, no one would be the wiser at this moment.

She was losing her mind; he was thrusting hard, but agonizingly slow, and he would not grant her that favor, he was relentless, and yet so sensual in his ministration. Her thoughts were no more; her head was spinning, the sensations overwhelming, as she could only beg in his ear for moremoremoremoremore-

Then his hand snaked between them and touched her, really touched her, and she let out a cry as she clamped down on him, her body tensing at the intensity of yet another orgasm-she had lost count by now, it could have been one or three for all she knew.

When she looked up at him, he was shaking, perspiration in his brow and a seriousness in his gaze that made her shiver to her very core. She didn’t need to urge him to come; for a few moments, all that echoed in the room was the sound of their skins colliding and their moans –gods, his voice was music-, and when he was just over the edge, he grabbed her hand, and nipped at her pulse, as if he needed to taste the blood that was boiling in her veins. That was his undoing; for he urged himself to pull away from her, just as his own bliss hit him.

Sakura was still trying to get off her own high, when he barely managed to roll on his side, so he wouldn’t crush her down.

“Hi”, he breathed out, trying to find the courage to form a coherent sentence.

“Hi”, she breathed back, rolling over her side so she could face him properly, and the smile he rewarded her with was almost shy, so different from that of the confident man that had said he needed her to look at him while fucking.

It was endearing and terrifying at the same time. Sakura didn’t like that feeling.

“You are amazing, Sakura” he stated, so simple. Sakura smirked in response, trying not to say anything.

It took a bit of time, but they returned to a looser state after they caught a bit of breath. They had a bit of their previous talk about their smutty book preferences; he definitely knew his stuff, Sakura thought with a bit of a shiver at the thought. She had already deduced that he was good; taking care of her orgasms as much as his own. She couldn’t really vouch for many men to do that.

But eventually, when the sky turned a bit less dark, in that serene hour before the morning, he couldn’t help but fall asleep, still on his side, facing her, a hand outstretched.

It almost invited her to succumb to sleep, too.

But she couldn’t.

Once his breath evened out, dread starting to settle within Sakura as she watched his serene expression. Sure, the sex they just had was great –more than great, if she could say so herself, if her satiated body was any indication of it-, but she wasn’t about to go all lovey-dovey with a stranger.

Or anyone else, for that matter.

Not anymore.

A flood of panic replaced the euphoria that had filled her whole, clenching hard at her insides.

She needed to breathe.

She needed to get out.

She didn’t want him to find her there when he woke up.

It was, after all, just one night. No strings attached. They had nothing more to talk about.

Having made her decision, she turned to take a last look at him. He was still sleeping; his lips were slightly parted, and his breath was even. Sakura was jealous of his peace, but what can you do? It was a shame to leave after such an amazing round of sex, but she was sure he wouldn’t want her to be around come morning. No one did.

Slipping silently out of the bed, she crouched down to pick up her clothes. To her dismay, she couldn’t find her panties. Damn. But the morning was drawing closer and she really had to go before he woke up.

What the hell.

Panties foregone, she quickly dressed with the rest of her things and picked her jacket, her bag and her shoes at hand –she’d wear the heels outside the door, so she wouldn’t make any noise. Before leaving, she contemplated whether she should at least let him a note, a few words of gratitude? Or her number?

She decided against that.

She only left a few bills, thinking that she wouldn’t want him to think that she was taking advantage for all the wine and the hotel room. Had she been with anyone else, she’d split the bill after talking about it, so she thought it was wise to do the same thing in this case, too.

She carefully put down the money, took a good look at him again, and with a wave that he wouldn’t see, she quietly left the room.

***

Kakashi had forgotten to draw the blinds last night. How could he remember anyway, since he was too much preoccupied with company?

And what company…

He wasn’t planning on bringing a woman into his room last night, but he did, and he didn’t regret it for one moment. Sakura was, honestly, something else; she was sensual, and responsive, and he felt good being in her.

He even felt good being beside her.

The sex was good, very good, but it was not the only thing that mattered; she piqued his interest, challenged his views by being brave and bold. She had also been trusting –letting him have her way with her unconditionally. She didn’t shy away from him. It was too good to be true.

When the forgotten blinds failed to filter the rays of sun from bursting over his eyelids in the morning, he groaned to himself, not really wanting to wake up from this bliss. But then, he would be able to greet the woman who was sleeping next to him, so there was a positive note to start the day with. Maybe he’d convince her to take a shower with him. Maybe they’d order breakfast too, before she left.

“Good morning…” he whispered, his eyelids still closed, and he reached out to the other side of the bed.

…Which was cold and devoid of the female body he expected to have there.

Finally opening his eyes, he saw no sign of Sakura, and the silence was palpable.

His first thought was that she might be in the bathroom, but after a couple of minutes, he realized that it was silent there, too.

After that, he deigned to look around, and then he realized.

No signs of Sakura.

Her clothes were missing, her bag was missing, her jacket was missing.

Kakashi groaned in frustration. Had he slept in? Maybe she had to head to work and she left off early. She’d surely leave a note, because he really wanted to call her at least tonight to see how she was doing.

He ended up looking all around the room, but he found nothing. He had nothing to reach out to her. Only…

He noticed the money left on the table and his jaw clenched.

When he rushed down to the reception, the clerk thought that something wrong was going on, and he was worried.

“Mr. Hatake? Is everything alright?”

“The…” He couldn’t find the proper words to describe Sakura. “I was with company here yesterday. Have you seen her?”

The clerk tilted her head. “I’m sorry, my shift started half an hour ago, and I saw no one new. I apologize.”

But the cleaning staff had started working from the crack of dawn, and one of them stalked closer. “A beautiful lady with pink hair?”

Kakashi’s breath hitched. “Yes, that’s her. Have you seen her?”

The cleaning lady nodded, confirming Kakashi’s suspicions. “She left very early, sir. She was hurrying off, she almost tripped on her way out.”

What had he done wrong?

The lobby clerk caught his attention again. “Are you okay, Mr. Hatake?” she asked, and she truly was concerned.

He half-smiled at her. “Thank you, miss. Please prepare my bill, I will be on my way now.”

When he stalked back at his room, he was both confused and almost disconsolate. This morning hadn’t turned the way he wished it would.

Chapter Text

"The fuck did you do, Forehead?!"

It should be a typical work day for Sakura. She should have gone for her morning run, then take a shower, indulge herself in a cup of coffee half her height and something sweet to kickstart her day and head to work.

Where her trusty (supposedly) assistant, Ino, would have the files for today's cases prepped up on her desk to review before her morning appointments. It was a routine that served Sakura well; she loved having control of her work, and being able to plan every fucking detail of it. That was the only way to survive in her line of work. And she didn't have any kind of complaint from Ino; she was quick, and so, so smart, and perhaps kind of devilish, which was a perk of its own.

In Sakura's opinion, though, Ino had two great cons:

One, her name is Ino Yamanaka. Ring any bells? Yes, that's the name of the law firm they were working at. Ino was the only daughter of the firm's partner, and she had set a crusade against her poor father's sanity. When he demanded that she would study to be a lawyer instead of a fashion designer, so she could work with him, she accepted, not without a good deal of fight. Once she graduated, she pulled the law world's most bratty^TM stunt. Can you imagine? She applied in the firm for an assistant position, only just so she could claim that she did what he asked -that is, take a position on the law firm-. He just didn't specify what kind of position he wanted her to claim. Poor father could have died of a stroke, if his partner, Shikaku Nara, hadn't applauded Ino's way of thinking. "She's a fox, Inoichi, she'll be fine. Accept your loss.", were his exact words on that matter. So now, Ino was an assistant and she had enough free time to pursue her passion. It was a win-win situation, if anyone asked her.

Two, Ino Yamanaka is Sakura's best friend and classmate from their times in university. They'd met on their first day on campus, and they hit it off immediately. For the whole four year experience, they had been together through thick and thin; through Sakura's insecurities, through Ino's anger about the clash between her and Yamanaka senior, through parties and heartbreaks and emotional rollercoasters and studying sessions and struggling, up until the moment a proud-as-a-mother-hen Ino was applauding Sakura, as she stepped up to receive her diploma, in the top of their class.

(When one of their classmates cracked a joke about how exactly Sakura managed to get the honors, Ino "accidentally" stepped on his flowy robe and the "poor thing" fell on his face before receiving his diploma.)

Which also meant, that since they worked together, Ino would never be as discreet as a normal assistant would be, but Sakura was lowkey enjoying this. Except for today.

Sakura was currently in the process of trying to snatch the files she needed from Ino's hands, but as she was considerably taller, she kept them high. Sakura groaned and considered whether she would get fired if she'd tear Ino's ponytail off.

"Ino. Cut the crap, Ino, I need the files. I have an appointment in thirty minutes!"

Ino smirked and wiggled the files over her head, taunting Sakura more. "No you don't. Your next client postponed because, and I quote, "traffic is a bitch". So next appointment is in one and a half hours. So spill."

There was no escaping Ino. She'd have made a fine detective, but fashion industry won her over. Sakura pondered on her options, but seeing as she had none other, she relented. "Fine. Get your coffee and the files"

Once Ino had poured an amount of coffee that should be illegal to drink, she took her place on a chair in front of Sakura's desk, tapping her fingers impatiently -knowing that this grated on Sakura's nerves. "So, I know for a fact that yesterday you had this appointment for a divorce settlement. I also know that it got cancelled, because this impossible man called here first and I'd swear he was doing something that I don't want to remember. I also know that you didn't return home, because I called you and you didn't answer. Twice." she said, as Sakura tried to protest. So there was really no room for white lies.

"Okay, so I was in that hotel, in the bar, waiting for the client, okay?"

Ino hmm'd and nodded. "And he called me to cancel the appointment."

"Yada yada, I know."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "So I decided to stay, have a glass of wine or two, you know?"

"It was time to pamper yourself baby", Ino agreed.

"So, while I was reading my book-don't get me started, Ino-, a man approached and asked me if I would have a drink with him."

Ino said nothing, she merely gave Sakura a half-smile and a nod to continue.

"I said yes, and he sat with me, and we had a few drinks, and a good talk. It was nice."

"Go ooooon... "Ino urged her in a sing-song voice. Sakura only sighed.

"And one thing led to another, and we kissed."

Ino's eyes widened from excitement. "Oooh, was he good?"

"Very good... Very, very good" Sakura nodded. "When we kissed, he invited me to his hotel room to spend the night, though."

"Oooh, saucy! Did you go?"

Ino's probing led Sakura to nod her agreement, and Ino let out the most undignified squeal. "You sly bitch! Congratulations on getting fucked. Should I pop the champagne before or after the details?"

Sakura, once more, contemplated on her life choices, and the bad decision of having Ino as her confidante. She could be overly enthusiastic over these things, unnecessarily so.

"Save the champagne for another day, Pig. It's too early in the morning for that"

Ino's face fell. "Oh... So he wasn't good?"

For a few moments, Sakura sat still, contemplating on last night's events. "It was...great, actually", she admitted. "He was handsome, and he paid attention to me-"

"How much attention?"

"I-sat-on-his-face level of attention". Ino threw a fist in the air in joy.

"Ah, we can only dream about that kind of attention", Ino sighed dreamily. "And then what?"

"And then we talked some more, it was a nice sex and post-sex session, you know? I mean, he actually wanted to talk afterwards? And then he fell asleep"

Ino started tapping the desk again. "And? Did you do it again today?"

Sakura lifted a file and hid her face behind it. "I sort of felt a panic and when he slept, I left"

"Aaaah, you're impossible!!" Ino shrieked. "You have to call and apologize tonight!"

Sakura didn't lower the file off her face. "I didn't leave a number, or ask for his own."

A vein popped in Ino's temple. Taking great care to stand still, leat she got up and strangled Sakura, as she continued. "... I only left him money for the room expenses."

For a few moments, there was silence in the office.

And then, Ino's manic laughter echoed to the halls outside. "Are you fucking kidding me, Sakura? What did you take him for, a fucking escort? Wait, he was not an escort, was he?"

"No, I guess not. He said he was a model, but I think he was joking. He could have been, though"

"Then congratulations, you're officially Konoha's dumbest. Well done baby", Ino applauded her, and Sakura truly wished she could be invisible. It would save her from a fuckton of embarrassment.

But as Ino's face frowned suddenly, Sakura knew her wish would really be granted, sooner better than later.

"Forehead. You mean to tell me that you met a man you found interesting enough to follow to his room, you had great sex, he didn't leave immediately afterwards or say anything stupid and yet you left him there, without explaining who the fuck you are and why the fuck did you run out on him like that? And on top of that, instead of leaving your number, you left money, like he was a fucking gigolo?"

Ino was barely keeping herself in check, and Sakura crouched, ready to fend her off should she jump on him. "I got a panic attack, okay? He'd probably not want to see me in the morning!!", she winced in a poor attempt to defend herself.

"Sakura, baby. You know I love you, right? We've been friends for over a decade, and I think you're smart for an attorney. But on basic human interaction, you are plain shit. How do you know that he wouldn’t want to see you again?”

Sakura still did not dare to face Ino, so she pretended to shuffle through her things. “Well…Who does?”
Ino could barely handle Sakura’s attitude, so her next words were accentuated, each with a clap of her hands, so Sakura would actually pay attention. “Sakura. Darling. NOT. ALL. MEN. ARE. LIKE. MIZUKI. OR. NEJI. OR. DARA. GOT IT??”

Needless to say, that Sakura had her fair share of disappointments when it came to romantic pursuits, and apparently that had taken a big blow to her ego. But Ino kept on encouraging her, pushing her to get out of her comfort zone and be more open yet again. And she had, to some extent…Only to be disappointed yet again. It didn’t work with her, it seemed like.
 
The two women would have gone on with this, if they didn’t hear a commotion from the hall outside.

The curiosity about the noise outside was stronger, so they both headed out to see what was going on.

In the hall, one of the new interns, Udon, was pacing frantically, informing all the staff about the news.

“Hey, hey, it’s big!! Uzumaki called, he said he’s taking a divorce and he needs us to deal with everything!”

Murmurs and gasps were heard all around. Even Ino, put her hand in front of her mouth, in an overdramatic display of sympathy. “Ooooh, I thought those two would NEVER divorce!! I wonder what’s the gossip behind that…”, she snickered.

“If Uzumaki and Uchiha are taking a divorce, then it must be the end of the world!” someone shouted from the other side.

And that was probably true; a divorce settlement between Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha would really be the golden divorce. If they took this case to court, any attorney who would handle it would instantly gain fame.

To begin with, it was a wedding that won the attention of pretty much everyone; the heirs of two opposing resort companies, Whirl Hotel and Uchiwa Resort respectively, had a secret wedding. This was surprising, given both their reputations as playboys. Both had affairs up to this point that had monopolized the tabloids, but between them, things were just civil. For the sake of propriety, whenever they found themselves in the same event, they would exchange a cold greeting and go on their merry way.

And still, one day, lo and behold, the world woke up and found out that they had gotten married.
It was a shock, even to their families; despite the threats both families issuing their way about disinheriting them, they decided to stay strong and push forward with the marriage.

(Turns out, they had been longing for each other and had been in an on-and-off, no-strings-attached relationship since their college years).

They ended up being accepted by both sides, and their “happily-ever-after”, was the new business venture they started together, a business focusing on adventure travel packages, and a dreamy home for the two of them, filled with lots of laughter and LOTS of much-loved pets. Who would have thought?

And then, it all started going downhill. Words of possible infidelities from both sides leaked on the news, the couple started attending events separately, and then, the whispers turned into loud voices.

The divorce was really, really happening.

Having to split their assets was, in and of itself, every lawyer’s wet dream. No one doubted that this would go to court, and it would be a textbook case for future generations.

(Imagine the bonus the attorney would get, let alone the fame…)

Back to the hall, it felt like a bee hive, judging by the uncontrollable buzzing and whispering of both lawyers and assistants, placing bets on who would represent Uzumaki to this case. No doubt, whoever pulled this through, had a solid chance to make partner in the near future.

Most betted on the firm’s newest discovery, Shino Aburame. Shino was a serious, no-nonsense kind of guy, who dealt efficiently everything that was thrown his way. He was almost emotionless in the court, clinical even, asking questions in an indifferent way, pressing hard at the opponent, making his opposing counsel even doubt themselves. Yes, he would be a fine choice for this case…

A few betted on Sakura, earning snarky remarks from the rest. Sakura didn’t say a thing, she only looked at Shino, who nodded his head in a silent greeting. He wasn’t really antagonizing her; they had a talk one day, and she discovered that he was logical, but not sly. He believed in her capabilities, unlike some of their co-workers. They had even worked together in a case or two, and he had credited her hard work. It was refreshing.

But she really, really wanted to be her to work on this case.

“Hey, we’re not in a party! Don’t you have any work to do?” Inoichi Yamanaka’s voice boomed across the hall, as he emerged from his office, along with a highly amused Shikaku Nara. Upon seeing the boss, most scattered awkwardly back to their seats, pretending not to follow the two men with their eyes.

“I guess our office isn’t soundproof enough?” he smirked. Everyone noticed the huge file that he held in his hands. “So, I guess the cat is out of the bag. We are representing Uzumaki Naruto in his divorce case. It is a big case for the firm, and we’re going to make the most of it. Due to the nature of the divorce, it will take time to negotiate the assets. Inoichi and I have thought long about who is best suited to represent Uzumaki, and we decided we need to have both a First and a Second chair in this.”

Shikaku, in an almost ceremonious manner, gave Inoichi one of the folders he was holding, and they both proceeded to head towards the lawyers that would take them. It was a funny thing between the two; they always did that when they handed important cases, in a show of both transparency and humor. They couldn’t help it; both believed that a decent firm should be led with a bit of humoring.

Sakura saw Shikaku hand one of the folders over to Shino, who smiled just a bit. Some of his coworkers applauded him. Whether Shino himself was happy with that, who knew? Sakura supposed he was.

She was actually ready to turn on her heel and head back to her office, when she noticed that Inoichi was approaching.

Approaching.

Still approaching.

Sakura frantically turned around to see who else was nearby, but she only saw Ino. She gulped audibly.

Inoichi approached and made a mock bow. “Good morning ladies!”

“Helloooo”, Ino cooed, and Inoichi laughed. Sakura too, mumbled a greeting.

With a larger-than-life grin, he handed Sakura her envelope.

“Hello, First chair Haruno”

                                                                        ***

Finally, home.

After this morning’s fiasco, Kakashi only wished to be alone, to brood in silence. But, alas, as soon as he got home, he found Genma on his doorstep, holding two cups of coffee. His best friend (but let it not be said, lest he starts pestering Kakashi more than he already does), was groaning at Kakashi, who was really not in a mood for that today.

“I have a day off”, Kakashi threatened the man.

“And I have some questions on your whereabouts, but you don’t see me act like an uncivilized barbarian now, do you?” his friend chuckled. “Now open up, I got here to bring coffee and papers and get some juicy news in return.”

“I have no juicy news to give you, but I have bagels, if you care to take one on your way out”

“Ah, you’re mean. Did you not have fun yesterday?”

If looks could kill, then Genma would be breathing his last at the moment.

“What? I came by last night and you weren’t here, so I guess you were with pleasant company?” Genma’s words were accompanied by a very expressive, albeit irritating, brow wiggling, and Kakashi wondered, once again, why he had befriended this brunette disaster.

“Genma, darling, you need not stalk me”, he sighed as he unlocked his door for Genma to get in. He would have left him outside, but that cup of coffee seemed too enticing at the moment to ignore.

“Which means that you WERE up to something, you sly fox!”

“My car was broken and I stayed at a hotel, you idiot.”

“Alone?”

Genma would pester him to no end. So it was better to spill the beans.

“I had company.”

Genma whooped out loud and Kakashi reached out to hit him on the back of his head, but he evaded it easily. “It was about time! I would almost swear that you decided to go celibate. Now, details?”

Kakashi really didn’t want to talk about it. “Get off my back, I prefer to hear about the papers you brought.”

“You’re still being mean, Kakashiii…”, Genma whined, but nonetheless didn’t pursue this any further. “I will get to the bottom of it, but you’re off the hook, because I’m bringing you a new, exciting client to take after!”

At least things on the work front was still going well, Kakashi thought bitterly. Getting busy with work should be the best thing, if only to take the girl out of his mind. After he left the hotel, he couldn’t really focus on anything, his mind wandering back to the girl.

Why had she left? Had he done something to offend her? But he remembered, her face that was so expressive when they had sex –oh, her whole body was expressive, as if it were on fire. It made him mad just to think about it. Her orgasm, the way she whispered and asked for more…Gods. But there was more to her, because the first thing he remembered when he woke up, was her eyes, lighting up with mirth as he was telling her something completely un-erotic, just before sleep overtook him. She was glowing, and it somehow felt warm.

(It was a nice sight to wake upon, before it all came tumbling down.)

Oh well. Maybe he had to accept that he was perpetually unlucky with women and move on. Maybe he should consider courting Genma instead.

Oh, hell no.

It was almost a blessing, the fact that Genma always knew the worst time to cut him off his thoughts. And he didn’t fail to deliver this time, too.

“If you’re not going to tell me about the time you finally got lucky, maybe you should at least grace us with looking at the humble paperwork I brought, Your Fucking Majesty. You’re leading.”, he muttered and shoved the folder to his arms. Kakashi made a mental note to refrain from being violent right on the spot. It wasn’t worth the jail food.

When he opened the file and skimmed through the first pages, all thoughts of Sakura momentarily flew off the window. His eyes grew wide, and he turned to stare at Genma, who was smirking, self-satisfied at last that he made his friend jump.

“Genma…Is this…?”

Chapter Text

A divorce is always hard on the couple that decides to follow separate paths. Sometimes it turns into a headache for the lawyer handling it, too. 

A few days had already passed since Sakura was appointed first chair in the Uzumaki case, and she was already buried under a mountain of paperwork. She was lacking sleep and proper food, and she had turned grumpy. But the case needed all of her time, if she wanted to be thoroughly prepared before meeting him. 

The divorce was complex; apparently, Uchiha wanted to buy Uzumaki's share of their joint business, but Uzumaki denied that. The negotiations would be a pain in the ass, and Sakura was prepared for that. No one wanted to relinquish their part of the joint business, and the game they played was tough. She had already checked the offer Uchiha had made, which Uzumaki had already declined. She had also checked the finances of their business, she had assessed whether the offer was fair enough (could be better, but it was still a good one considering the amount they had invested), and she was prepared for a counter offer plan, which she would discuss at length with her client. Their shared home was easier to negotiate about; Uchiha was ready to leave it into the hands of his soon-to-be-ex-husband without asking for a compensation, stating that he would leave Konoha for good and didn't need it. That part of the divorce could be handled outside of court, and so it would be discussed on either their firm or in the office of Uchiha's solicitors. It would be an interesting process. 

The tricky part was the court case part; while the business and the monetary assets could be discussed outside of court, the couple had several pets that neither was inclined to relinquish. Akino and Biscuit were their rescue dogs, and both doted on them as if they were their kids. Truth be told, this was a recent development in law; up until recently, the law treated pets as if they were mere monetary assets. But how can one treat a pet as if it were a piece of furniture? People loved their pets, and she had seen her fair share of people who were  heartbroken when they couldn't be in touch with their pets. So, it was only natural that they should be treated with respect and love, and Sakura was actually happy with that change. 

Sakura didn't have a pet. She would be really glad to have a cat or a dog; but her work didn't really allow for that. There was a time, though, when she entertained the thought of adopting one; she and Mizuki were talking about how they would go to a shelter and bring home someone to love. It sounded like a great idea, something that would bring them even closer. 

In retrospect, Sakura was happy that they didn't go through with this plan, because she'd hate to go to court, having to face this bastard more than she absolutely had to. 

... Although, he'd absolutely deserve the humiliation. 

She hadn't realized how far down the rabbit hole she had fallen, spiraling in a series of arguments about why Mizuki was -still is- an insufferable piece of shit, until Ino waved her hand furiously in front of Sakura's face. She gasped and shook her head, taking in her surroundings. Ino had left a container with pasta salad for Sakura, as well as a bottle of water. 

"Where is your mind, Forehead?", Ino sighed as she dragged a chair next to Sakura's, and then brought her own food container along. It was already mid-afternoon and Sakura had skipped lunch, deeply concentrated as she was. "Still thinking about the hot stranger?"

Ah, this. 

She would probably hate to admit to Sakura that the guy popped into her thoughts pretty frequently, bringing her the weirdest mix of panic and arousal. She would also hate to admit that, upon running a late-night bath  after returning home from work at an ungodly hour, she had promptly pleasured herself, thinking of him eating her out. Nope, she would take these thoughts to her grave, otherwise Ino would never let it go. 

Sakura chuckled. "I wish. I was actually thinking about pets."

"Why for? You barely can care for yourself, let alone for a pet."

Ino called her out, and Sakura had to admit she was right. Annoying as she was at times, Ino was still Sakura's most loyal friend, and kept her interests at heart. She was the one who always made sure Sakura had a hearty meal, plenty of water, some rest when it was possible, a bit of wine when things got too tough, and a shoulder to cry on when the situation called for it. 

"Well, that's fair. Mizuki and I were thinking of adopting from a shelter once."

"Mizuki can shove his brilliant ideas up his ass", Ino hissed and stuck her fork rather violently on a piece of pasta. "Why are you trying to ruin my appetite by talking about that scum?"

It was no secret; Ino hated Mizuki with a burning passion. She once threatened to punch him, but Sakura brought her back to her senses. It'd be a waste. But since his break up with Sakura, Ino had named a boxing sack in her local gym "Mizuki", and whenever she went there to work out, she punched it with wild abandon, much to Sakura's amusement. 

"Sorry, sorry. I just remembered it because I was reading the files for the Uzumaki divorce. They want to go to court for custody of their pets, and you know how my mind goes down on memory lane", Sakura offered, but Ino just scoffed at her. 

"More like nightmare lane, I'd say."

"Touche, Pig. Still. Those two are ready to settle for a huge fortune out of court, but they will fight each other for their dogs. It gets me thinking, you know?"

"About what?"

"Why would they want so badly to part? They had their lives settled out."

Ino pondered over it for a moment, her fork suspended mid-air. "Sakura, being settled isn't the same as being happy, and you of all people should know that," she chastised Sakura, "but you're right, they really seemed like a happy couple. It's a mystery."

While Ino's jab was not lost on Sakura, she chose to ignore it. "When Uzumaki comes along, we will have a talk about it, so maybe he will give us some insight that we could use as a leverage. I hope so, at least."

"You're seeing him first thing tomorrow." 

Sakura nodded. "I know. I think I'll go home early tonight, and I'll be taking my files along."

"I wish you'd take a man instead, but you royally fucked it up", Ino shrugged. Sakura groaned at the jab this time. It was unavoidable that Ino would never let her live this down. "What? You know I'm right, Forehead."

Indeed, she did know. But Sakura, no matter how much she needed to agree with Ino, she couldn't help this panic. Since her time with Mizuki, it was too hard to get attached to anyone. 

And she knew, had she stayed with Kakashi, had they woken up together, she'd be smitten. She'd get vulnerable. And she would, inevitably, get hurt. 
But despite her clinical dissection of the situation, she couldn't help but let her mind wander back to him, from time to time. She had replayed in her mind their having sex; it was steamy, sensual but not too harsh, just the way she liked it. It should have sated her need for a long time. But instead, she found herself wanting more reprieve. 

The real problem though, was that between her reminiscing about their fantastic bout of sex, she found herself thinking about more subtle details: a gaze that was dark from lust, but also sharp, and somehow guarded. A low voice, steady and almost warm. Hands with slender but strong fingers, precise and yet tender. Soft skin, that smelled like pine and musk. And a lopsided grin, that seemed cocky, but, after hours, after everything has been done, after the desire has dwindled down,was almost shy. 

At least Sakura had ran off any complication, if it was any solace. Out of sight, out of mind-in a few days give or take, she would forget Kakashi. There was no chance that she would meet him again, anyway, not without any means of contact. 

Yes, her life was so much better without complications, and without lopsided boyish smiles. Definitely. 

***

Naruto Uzumaki was a loud, loud man. 

He had all but barreled in the office next morning, a bright yellow streak in a sea of black and white.

He was tall and well-built; his blonde hair stuck out in the seriousness of the office, almost as much as Sakura's. He arrived casually dressed, with his jeans and his orange-black shirt clashing with the formal atmosphere of this office. He arrived, holding a little black puppy in his hands. 

Ino took to him almost immediately, rushing over to introduce herself and cooing to the little puppy. 
Sakura dreaded the day these two would befriend each other. If they did, she would better have a place to hide. 

He looked around, suddenly self-conscious of the way people were sizing him up. But Sakura ushered him into her office, if only to protect him from her coworkers' curious gaze. 

"You must be Haruno-san", he said, his voice contrasting his cheery facade. His voice sounded more strained. Tired. 

Something about him was off, but Sakura couldn't put her mind on it just yet. 

She extended her arm for a handshake, and he gratefully took it. "Please call me Sakura."

"Sakura, how cliche" he said, and she couldn't help but grin despite herself. "But I like it. Please, call me Naruto."

"I'm glad to entertain you, Naruto" she half-joked. Ino snickered from her far corner of the room.

"Now, shall we get to business? Our court date is very, very soon."

***

Sarutobi law firm was probably old. Hell, Sarutobi himself, the owner, was as old as time itself. But he was truly one of the best lawyers money could buy. 

Which is why he was the one Sasuke Uchiha asked for representation in his divorce case. 

While Sarutobi senior, Hiruzen, didn't want to take on this case, stating that in his age, he should probably step down, he asked his son, Asuma, to choose the team for the court, as the next partner of the firm. 

Asuma Sarutobi was very different from his father. Where his parent was ruthless, and old-fashioned, and one-way-minded, Asuma had charisma. He was understanding, and he valued the hard work of his coworkers, even if it meant that they would overshadow him. He wasn't competitive, unlike his father. But he had a vision of a firm based on equal footing. 

His father seethed at the idea, but at the same time, he heralded his way of thinking as something new, more attuned to his generation. 

In this case, had Asuma chosen to be first chair in the case, he would gain great fame for himself. But he believed he was less qualified than his best friend and coworker, so he got the first chair  and Asuma would be second chair, supporting in any way he could. That was the way to run a firm on the basis of loyalty, Asuma knew well. 

For now, he had already issued all the files needed for his coworker to study. Sasuke Uchiha would meet them directly on the day of the first hearing, because he was already making arrangements for his relocation to Suna. He had decided that, once the divorce papers were signed and finalized, he would move away permanently. A surprising decision, Asuma thought. The Uchihas' grip on their heir was really, really tight, and Asuma didn't actually believe they would let him go so far. They had already tolerated Sasuke's rebellion in marrying Naruto Uzumaki, but that was probably the last thing they would stand. Letting him go was unheard of. The patriarch of the family would never allow one of the kids to stray far enough, unless he sent them away. 

Oh well. The fact still was that both first chair and second chair would be prepared accordingly, based on the abundance of information Uchiha had dumped on them. He wanted to buy the company he and Uzumaki created (and Uzumaki didn't agree to). He also let their shared home entirely in Naruto's care, but he wanted custody of their pets. 

Their pets. 

Hm. That was probably the reason why his father turned out the case. It was as if Asuma could hear him grumbling something along the lines of "overdramatic youngsters with skewed priorities", before throwing the bone to Asuma. 

Not that Asuma complained. It was an intriguing case, just not entirely his area of expertise. He was more keen on the criminal cases, and his friend was better suited for negotiating when it came to cases of an economical nature. It was where he shined at; he would convince just about anyone. Hell, he would probably convince a wealthy man to give it all to charities, if he tried hard enough. He had his quirks though-but then again, who didn't? For starters, he was a recluse who absolutely denied working in the office unless it was the dead of the night and everyone was at home. So, Asuma found himself relegating folders to his own house, if only to help him work easier. Since he was excellent in his work, no one really minded. Woe to the person who claimed that had no quirks whatsoever. 

So, all he had to do, was study the material they were provided with. The hearing was just around the corner, and while he had no qualms about his partner's proper preparation, he had to be ready, too, just in case he was needed. 

Looking at the stack of papers and files scattered across his desk, Asuma sighed. Maybe he needed to light a cigarette first, and then dive in. Or ten cigarettes. Probably the latter was more suitable to what he was just about to walk into. 

He really hoped they'd sort this out. 

***

They had less than a week to the first hearing, and the day came all too soon. Something about the Uchihas wanting to deal with it as soon as possible and get rid of the Uzumaki boy was circling around, which is how they managed to have the hearing date so close to the day they petitioned for the divorce. Of course it would drag on, with more than one hearing sessions and some private negotiations, but the sooner they started, the better. 

Sasuke was the one who arrived first at the courtroom. Hidden in a corridor, nursing a cup of coffee, he stood there, observing his surroundings. All the people who paced frantically back and forth. He didn't dare to be the first in the courtroom just yet, and anyway he needed to see his attorney first. 

Who was running slightly late. Which was something the Uchiha heir hated. 

While he was standing there, contemplating whether he should fire his attorney and represent himself in the courtroom, he saw Naruto, walking hurriedly next to a petite, pink-haired woman. 

Pink-haired. Ridiculous color for a lawyer. 

But she was beautiful, he had to admit; slender, with a feline-like grace. Her hair was carefully braided and pinned, and she was wearing a very becoming beige suit opting for a pair of perfectly-tailored pants instead of a skirt. Her black heels and black case was complimenting her outfit just so. 

Sasuke could recognize a power move when he saw one, and she was radiating just that. It piqued his interest. 

She was walking so briskly, that she never noticed him. 

Naruto did, though. 

Before walking into the courtroom, he turned behind and looked at Sasuke longingly. And then he was out of his sight, behind a pair of heavy doors that sealed their future.

Sasuke felt like choking, if only for a moment. 

***

"Uchiha-san?"

Sasuke turned to face the man who called him. There he was, fifteen minutes after he had started losing his patience. He was standing before a tall man, with an interesting presence. It seemed calm, however it was everything but. This one was dressed in deep blue, clashing with the shock of silver hair on his head. He didn't seem really old though. 

"I take it you're my lawyer?" he asked, his note neutral. 

"Yes, that's me. I am Hatake Kakashi." the man said, reaching out for a handshake that was never reciprocated. Sasuke was not in the mood for niceties right now. 

"I take it you know the nature of the case. Sarutobi wouldn't send just anyone. So, if you have any last minute advice go ahead, because the others are already in the courtroom, waiting."

Kakashi shook his head, as if he were exasperated. Maybe he was. Sasuke didn't care.

"No, I only want you to be calm and silent unless asked anything. I am well aware of everything you've sent us and I have drawn out our strategy. Second chair, Asuma Sarutobi, is also around, waiting to provide with help if needed."

He was stern, precise, he wasn't kissing Sasuke's ass. It was encouraging so far. So all he did was nod his approval and actually extend his arm, trying to amend for his rudeness earlier. Kakashi smirked and shook his hand with a firm, steady grip. 

"Okay, let's head inside. We shouldn't let them waiting", Kakashi said and ushered him towards the court room. 

At least, it would be a hearing constricted to them. No audience.

Sasuke was the first to enter the room, and Kakashi followed suit. Taking a quick look of his surroundings, he noticed that they were just in time, the judge hadn't entered yet. 

But once Kakashi set his eyes on Uzumaki and his own attorney, he suddenly got a very bad case of tunnel vision. His breath hitched in his chest. 

He saw pink. 

Pink and green, staring back at him. 

Chapter Text

A lawyer must always be composed.

There is no space for sentimentalities in the court – except if you cause the sentimentality to the jury in favor of your case.

Even if the world is crumbling, you must keep a straight face.

Those were things Kakashi had already been taught and imprinted upon, from his glory days in Law school. Almost every professor that stepped into their class repeated those things like a fucking mantra, trying to drill it into every fledgling lawyer’s brain. It wasn’t an easy thing to do; but, as always, practice makes perfect, so case after case after case, Kakashi had gotten adjusted to this. It was what was expected of him. It was what he expected of himself.

What he didn’t expect though, was his sight to be overwhelmed by this flurry of pink and green that had sent his thoughts spiraling for so many days on end.

Granted, she had told him she were a lawyer, so the surprise must be greater for her –had she really believed his joke about being a model, he wondered briefly-, but the last thing he expected after everything that happened, was for her to be the opposing council. Just as he was settling with the idea of never seeing her again…

When he saw Sakura’s eyes widening slightly at the realization that he was the man she left behind, he almost lost it. His arm twitched slightly, muscles trying to override his brain, trying to make him take a step forward and go close to her, to examine her up close and personal, to ask why, what did I do wrong, was I that unpleasant to you –but at this moment she slowly turned her back on him, again, and he let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.

Whether Sasuke noticed Kakashi’s odd behavior, he didn’t let it show. Instead, he walked to his designated seat, not deigning to case his gaze upon Naruto and Sakura, not even once. After an uncertain moment, Kakashi held tighter onto the bag he was holding and followed after Sasuke.

Apparently, fate had decided to mock Kakashi once again.

Before his thoughts started drifting off again, he took out a bundle of notes he wanted to check back with Sasuke, pointedly turning his back to the seats across the corridor, where Sakura sat. But he felt it; a gaze that lingered upon him for a fleeting moment. But he had to fight the urge to turn to face her, and soon, too soon, the sense that he was being watched dissipated.

As he briefed Sasuke on today’s process, namely both lawyers would submit the divorce papers for an evaluation, and they would briefly discuss with the judge all the parts of the negotiation; they would lay a plan of discussing the split of the business, and they would present their claims on the pets. It would be a brief, introductory session before the real case was set in motion.

Kakashi would have to talk at some point to Sakura. How would that go?

He couldn’t help but let himself free for a brief moment, to think about the night they shared. He woke up really content, a feeling that he was not familiar with, not in the recent years, at least. Not since…Since when?

Since Ayase.

Fuck, this is not a proper time to go down into memory lane. Unconsciously threading his fingers through his hair, Kakashi breathed in deeply and made a mental note to catch up to Sakura later. He at least deserved to hear from her.

***

Looks can often deceive.

Thankfully.

When Sakura turned to see the ones who opened the door of the court room, anticipating the Uchiha heir and his attorney, what she didn’t expect was to stare into the solemn face of Kakashi. She wasn’t sure about it, but if she had a mirror, she would have probably see herself getting a sickly pallor. She felt the fucking blood cells in her system stop moving through her veins altogether.

For fuck’s sake, she must have done something really wrong in her previous life in order to have such luck in this one. It was a sick game.

She had to admit that the joke was on her. He had no reason to feel uncomfortable. She was the one who bailed on him like this, leaving only money instead of a telephone number and a note so he could catch up with her. And, to be honest, she caught herself wanting him to reach out to her, once or twice in the previous days. Not that he could, considering how she fled. Was she an idiot? Feeling a sense of dread surging through her, Sakura urged herself to calm.

Breathe.

Breathe.

Breathe, goddammit, breathe…

She dared to steal a brief glance at him. His back was turned towards her; he was sitting straight, showing some papers on Uchiha, conversing silently with him. He was probably doing a short brief; Sakura had already done that with Naruto, so they were sitting idly, waiting for the judge to appear. But she was still a fucking professional, and a good one at that, and she had to act the part. She didn’t have the leisure to sit there, reminiscing about good sex and tender boyish smiles and regrets for late nights that didn’t evolve into cozy mornings and-

Fuck. Professional, remember? Professional. She wouldn’t let herself be looked down upon because her thoughts are running rampant. Law school didn’t teach her that. Shaking the thoughts off, Sakura took a moment to look over at Sasuke Uchiha; a brooding young man, with a commanding presence. His face was wearing a scowl that Sakura was ready to bet that it was permanent. His eyes were narrowed, as he focused on the papers that Kakashi was holding, his gaze hard upon the white of the paper. Sasuke Uchiha looked like a jerk of monumental proportions.

Then, Sakura turned to face Naruto. The little ray of sunshine, as she liked to call him into her mind, had his head hung down, trying really hard not to let his gaze flick over Sasuke’s side. He was clenching hard on his chair, his knuckles turning white from the force he exercised in grabbing onto the wood. She almost reached out to pat his back, as if to console him. Almost. But it wasn’t the time for that.

“Hey, Naruto…Are you okay?” she whispered, her voice warm and reassuring. Naruto didn’t respond, he only nodded. “Remember, we won’t be long here today. Once the judge comes forth, we will stay only for a while. I only want you to keep calm and not talk, unless asked. We will be out of here soon, okay?” she continued. She may be a professional, but first and foremost, she was a human being with compassion. And in her client, she saw a man distressed.

How could such a soft-hearted man be in love with a man whose whole stance is so cold?

Her musing was interrupted by a hand, reaching out to clasp hers. Naruto had reached out to her for reassurance. It was uncomfortable, but she nonetheless squeezed his hand back, in a display of solidarity and encouragement. When she lifted her gaze back to Sasuke’s seat, she noticed both men looking at her. Sasuke’s face was still scowled, but she could detect the faintest hint of a smile on Kakashi’s face. Or maybe that was her imagination. She wasn’t sure at this point.

Work. Right. Court.

A side door opening in front of them put Sakura out of her misery for a moment…only to make her feel worse since the judge stepped in.

Just her luck.

Judge Senju.

Tsunade Senju had a reputation of being a volatile, unpredictable, somehow acidic but always fair judge. Most attorneys dreaded her presence; she could sniff the lies like a bloodhound, and she always enjoyed humiliating the unfortunate lot that didn’t manage to convince her. But her judgment was always fair and that was something that everyone agreed upon. Sakura actually liked Judge Senju, even if she somehow felt intimidated by her presence. As she stalked into the room, everyone snapped their heads towards her. Long, honey-blond waves tied into a low ponytail that cascaded down her back, black robes swishing and heels clacking quickly on the floor tiles, a perfectly manicured red-nailed hand clutching onto a huge file, and an expression that would plant fear into the heart of the most innocent of the innocents.

Apparently, she had a really foul mood today.

***

As she took her place, Tsunade leafed through her file, pulling a slip of paper out of it. She looked at it briefly, then she lifted her head and looked at the people waiting for her. Great.

As if her headache wasn’t killing her first thing in what seemed to be an endless day, she had to deal with the divorce of two brats. Said brats were sitting now in front of her in their designated places. She quickly recognized Uchiha by his dark hair and his even darker expression. It must have been genetically inherited in the Uchiha family, carrying themselves around as if they’ve swallowed a fucking stick. Uzumaki, on the other hand, blond hair and face like a baby fox, except that this time, he looked so down. Their attorneys, too, weren’t new in front of her; she had butted heads on multiple occasions with Hatake. He was a very stubborn man, who managed to get on her nerves almost every time they found themselves in the same court room. He was a tough negotiator, he tried to charm his way out of every tricky situation, and he never admitted defeat. He was the star attorney of the Sarutobi firm. Now that man was defending Uchiha, and wasn’t that just peachy? And the young one, Haruno…Tsunade liked that one, actually. She was a fiery little thing, fighting hard to earn the respect of coworkers and opponents, who often underestimated her. She was very smart and well-versed, and she had her way finding the slightest loop in the legislation to help her case. Nara and Yamanaka had done a great job, entrusting her with a place in their office. She was defending Uzumaki, and Tsunade was sure that the two attorneys would have a field day, considering how hard-headed both of them were.

But Tsunade had a really nasty headache, and she really was in no mood for them all today. She greeted them all, and nodded wearily for Sakura to start talking.

Sakura picked up her papers and stood up, subtly buttoning her jacket. Kakashi’s eyes stayed focused at her as she walked forward to the stand. She cleared her throat, trying to sound as stable and confident as possible. “Your honor, we are here today to submit a motion for divorce between my client, Uzumaki Naruto, and Uchiha Sasuke. They have both consented on the divorce, and we will soon commence a series of meetings to assess the way their joint assets will be redistributed. However, both of them want to resume sole ownership of their pets, and both disagree on that. According to the recent Civil Code modifications, we are filing a motion of ownership and asking that this is assessed by your court.”

Pets?

Seriously now?

This day was starting to get tiring already. “Miss Haruno, if you could hand me the paperwork?” she said, reaching out her hand. Haruno walked up to her and gave her a bunch of paperwork. With a quick flip through them, Tsunade deemed that they were fine and she put them onto her file, with a note on top to distinguish them from the rest. “Thank you, you may return to your seat.”

As Sakura stalked back into her seat, Tsunade called Kakashi forward. His voice was strained, but still steady as always, as he repeated the words his opponent had said just now. With the same line of process, he walked up to her, she checked his paperwork and deemed it correct, and she dismissed him back to his seat. She didn’t miss the glance he threw over at Haruno’s seat, though, and the way his shoulders slumped slightly as he passed by her. She didn’t reflect on it enough, though. “Alright. I only want to hear in passing why those two disagree about pet ownership and we will schedule the day of the hearing. Miss Haruno?”

Sakura stood up again. “Your Honor, we are claiming sole custody, because we cannot find a middle ground for negotiation on this part. My client is very attached to their pets, seeing as it was his idea to adopt them.”

“Mister Hatake, what about your client?”

Kakashi stood up, his posture straightening again. “Your Honor, we are also claiming sole custody. Both parties agreed on adopting, and this cannot be disputed. Mister Uchiha wamts to contest for the custody of both.”

Against Sakura’s counselling, Naruto, as if he got out of a slumber, shot up his chair in protest. “It was MY idea to get Akino and Biscuit from the shelter, you bastard! You didn’t want to!”

Sakura turned to glare at Naruto, and he shivered, remembering that he didn’t mean to interrupt in any case, so he mumbled an apology and resumed his seat.

“Hn. You can’t keep your mouth shut, can you?” Sasuke mused, albeit a bit louder than he meant to, because the court actually heard it. It was Kakashi’s turn to silently reprimand his client. For someone who had the air of such a smart man, he apparently was not. Kakashi fought with the urge to flip him, but he avoided that, knowing that Tsunade wouldn’t hesitate to kick him out.

“Enough!” Tsunade barked from her seat, forcing all four of them to widen their eyes at her. “If you want to bicker, you can do it out of this room, preferably out of this building too.” She demanded, while she rubbed her temples, trying to keep her calm before she kicked them out herself. Her words, at least, were met with silence from all parts, thank fuck. “Alright. Now that you seem to understand, I need you to start working on the monetary assets and then you will be summoned for the main part of the hearing. Is that clear?”, she inquired. Both Haruno and Hatake responded for their clients. “It is, Your Honor.”

“Good, then you are dismissed. I will look over the papers and you will expect my summoning through the partners where you are working at. Good day.”

And with a hit of her gavel upon its wooden stand, she concluded the first meeting. Which was fortunate, because she could barely trust herself not to throw it upon Uzumaki’s and Uchiha’s head, respectively. She thought about it, to be sure, but she was a grown, serious woman who didn’t do such stunts anymore.  Or, at least, not so often. Oh well.

***

Judge Senju retreated off the room as quickly as she arrived, leaving behind her four people, standing in an extremely uncomfortable silence. Sakura was the first one to snap out of the trance; she quickly gathered her things and ushered Uzumaki on his feet. With a polite, curt nod to the others, she walked out the room first. Only then did Kakashi came back to reality. Until she disappeared from his view, he stayed there, looking at her back.

“If that was all for today, I’m taking my leave, Mr. Hatake. Please inform me for whatever you need to progress on the case. Thank you for your help today.”, Sasuke said the same old things every civilized client would say to their attorney, and he left, not waiting to hear Kakashi greet him back. But anyway, Kakashi had something else in mind.

He had to reach Sakura, to talk to her.

He hastily gathered his bag and walked outside, keeping his pace quick and his eyes searching around for her pink hair. She was nowhere to be found, amongst the sea of attorneys and clients.

How could her colors vanish between all this gray and black?

Stepping outside –and managing not to trip over the stairs, thankfully-, he finally found her. She was waving goodbye to Naruto, and then she headed towards the parking. He would make it to her.

“Sakura!”, he shouted, praying to whatever deity was available out there, that she would stop. And she did; she stilled for a moment, and then turned towards him. Her eyes were open wide, that lovely viridian color bright despite the grayness of the day above them. She looked like a deer caught in headlights, surprise and wariness evident in her eyes.

“Mister Hatake?”

He shook his head, as if in exasperation. “Don’t “Mister Hatake” me, Sakura” he bit. “Why did you leave like this the other day? I thought- “

His words made her jump and look around anxiously. “Thought what, Kakashi? Look, I’m sorry I left this way, but I thought it was clear that it was a one-time thing. And anyway, you shouldn’t be talking to me right now, we’re opponents and we can’t talk except it is for work matters” she blurted in a hushed tone, all the while looking around for anyone that might be overhearing them.

Kakashi felt the blood rush into his head all at once. He seethed at her response. “So, am I to ignore the fact that you left and instead of your number, you left me fucking money, like I was an escort? Unless I was that unpleasant to you, but I doubt it.”

In this rare moment where Sakura let her guard down, Kakashi saw a flurry of emotions pass over her face in quick succession: anger, sadness, anxiety, shame. It fascinated him, this difference from her face in court earlier. “I…I am sorry”, she finally blurted out. “I thought it was fair…I’m sorry, I have to go.”

Before Kakashi could register her words, she turned on her heel and headed towards her car. She barely managed to open her door, when he caught up with her and closed it with a flick of his hand. When she tried to pry his hand off the door and open it, he leaned over her.

“Have breakfast with me”, he whispered in her ear and she winced at the appealing sound of his voice. “You didn’t give me the chance last time to spend the morning with you…”

Sakura’s skin broke into goosebumps, and Kakashi noticed it, not without some sense of pride. But she was stubborn, still trying to pry his hand off. “I…I can’t. I’m sorry for the other day, I really am, but we now work in the same case and we can’t be seen together.”

“Sakura…”, Kakashi pressed on, his voice turning even deeper. “I promise, I only want to talk. Let’s have a cup of coffee, and then you can walk away. I won’t bother you more.”

It would be a terrible mistake, Sakura was already sure of that.

But his voice made her insides all warm, the way it registered so close to her ear.

“…Okay. Wait for me at the bistro in the 35^th and 6^th. It’s between a bookstore and a crafts store, two blocks from here. I will be there in twenty minutes” she mumbled, and finally managed to take Kakashi’s hand off her door.

As she got in her car and swiftly turned around to leave, she saw him from her rearview mirror, still standing there and watching her leave, a lopsided smile drawn on his face.

Despite herself, she smiled, too.  

Chapter Text

Kakashi didn’t take long to find the place Sakura mentioned. It was a neat little café, called “Blueberry”. Its colors were warm, pale green and brown, making it so soothing to the weary eye. Once he stepped inside, he found it almost empty; at this hour of the day, people didn’t stop to drink coffee, busy as they were. He chose to sit in a small couch by the window, and he let himself be comforted by the delicious smell of coffee and chocolate, wafting off the bar. It was a sensory overdrive for his sensitive sense of smell.

God knows how badly he needed some caffeine right now, to help him reign in his thoughts.

Kakashi’s mind was still reeling from the fact that he met Sakura again, under the oddest of circumstances; since she left without leaving a clue, he found himself thinking of her many times a day. Most of the times, he was racking his memories for anything that might have offended her –how else could he explain the way she left? He was blaming it on himself, because up until they drifted off to sleep, she seemed content enough, ravished as she was. In the glorious sight of her, Kakashi couldn’t find any indication that he did something wrong.

Other times, his thought drifted back to her, only to enjoy those little details he so craved to see again; the firm, petite figure he enjoyed holding onto, the enticing curves of her hips fitting nicely over and under his own, the dainty hands that explored his skin all over, the soft, pale neck –so delicious, he regretted not having more time with her to lavish it-, her red lips, curling into an enticing smile, and her bright emerald eyes.

Her eyes did him in, probably.

He still was deeply confused, as to why she upped and left like this, when they had the chance to do more. In the first couple of days, he tried hard to replay their whole night, moment by moment, dissecting every word, every touch, every breath and every moan –especially the last part, was killing him-, searching for the truth in them. Was she dissatisfied?

But once the initial jab to his pride had subsided, he started feeling angry. Granted, she had every right to leave; hell, she also had any right not to accept his invitation to spend the night together, either. Kakashi wasn’t a man who demanded the company of women. He simply offered it to them; whether they accepted it or not, it was their choice and he went along with it. But he couldn’t help but feel that their night together was good enough to earn the next morning with her, at the very least. Instead, he found nothing of her, except for money.

And while he threw himself hard into work, not only because he had a prestigious client he had to deal with, but also because he had to stop thinking about a stranger he would never set his eyes upon ever again, Lady Luck just threw her back on his path. One can only imagine his surprise when, in a typical workday, he walked into the courtroom…only to find her there. As his opponent in the case. If god exists, he’s probably laughing down on Kakashi’s fucked-up situation.

But she looked so beautiful in there.

While he shut his eyes, trying to get a tangible order on his train of thought, he missed Sakura, who walked in and heartily waved at the bartender, before searching around the place for him.

***

That Sakura was nervous, was the fucking understatement of the year.

She was a woman prepared for literally anything; it was in her nature, to always anticipate the worst case scenario and plan her life around it. Especially since her time with Mizuki, she always expected the unexpected; the time when everything would take a turn for the worse, and she always had a plan B for that.

But this? How could she expect this?

When she walked into court this morning, she was anticipating an interesting day. She would do right by her client, she was prepared for that. She was prepared for the opposing side’s criticism, their jabs about her –it was a common thing at this point; when her opponents couldn’t win, they always attacked her personally; her hair, her looks, her credibility as a lawyer and as a common person, even her decency. In short, they hated to lose by a woman, so they had to belittle her. She was also prepared for a judge that was stricter; and you couldn’t find a worse one that Judge Senju, so she had prepared accordingly. She was prepared for any kind of incident, in and out of court.

But she was in no way prepared to see Kakashi again.

Ino was right in assuming that Sakura had panicked from the situation the other day and fled, and that she would probably regret it in the long run. Not that she would openly admit it, of course. But she had regrets.

How can anyone quell on regrets, when the person making them feel said regrets is constantly on their mind? Sakura could write a fucking essay on this topic by now, for she found herself thinking of Kakashi one (or a hundred, who’s to say?) times too many. She had genuinely enjoyed her time with him, both before and after orgasming. But her mind started running before she could compartmentalize her anxieties, so she did the only thing that sounded logical at the time; leave him alone, for he certainly wouldn’t want her around the morning after. No one did, so why would he? But the next day, she found herself wishing at least for him to call her, to text something along the lines of “It was nice, Sakura, maybe we should meet again”.

For him to send that text, though, meant that he had to have her number first. But, she never cared to leave it for him. At least, it saved her from embarrassment and/or further disappointment, should he never send something. Capitalizing on this exact thought, Sakura threw herself into work more than usual, as the Uzumaki case would take a great deal of her time to prepare. It was a good excuse not to think about Kakashi. But in the small hours of the night, Sakura’s repressed thoughts of him resurfaced. He had a body that made her to want to rake her nails all over it; firm and well-built. She especially found herself thinking how it felt, when she held onto his back, it was sinfully good. And his arms, the way they held her firmly, was too good to ignore. And then there was this crooked grin that made butterflies flutter in her stomach all of a sudden.

God, was she some kind of starved madwoman?

She had accepted the fact that she wouldn’t bump into him again. Sakura didn’t necessarily believe Kakashi’s claim that he was a model (although it wouldn’t come as a surprise), but she had nonetheless settled for the fact that she wouldn’t bump into him again. It was a large city, and they didn’t have any common places to go. The place where they met, wasn’t one she frequented.

Then he had to be a lawyer, and her opponent in court, no less!

When she turned around and saw him walk into the courtroom after Uchiha, she almost had a stroke. Luck was apparently a strange thing, so capricious and feeble. At that moment, she wanted to go to him, to apologize, but then, they were opponents and it is illegal to have any kind of a relationship with the opposing side’s attorney, so she couldn’t just barge over him and say “I’m sorry Kakashi for leaving you naked on the hotel the other day, on a second thought maybe I should have stayed so we could have another round of mind-blowing sex”. No, she definitely couldn’t do that.

And while they were in there, she stole glances at him, and his face was so tense and serious. He looked angry. Nothing like the relaxed face she had next to her, or over her, or under her, even.

When the court session came to an end, she knew she had to flee again. Thankfully, Naruto accompanied her to the exit, so she felt she could walk over her car and get the hell out of here. Yes, no harm done, right?

But Kakashi saw right through her bullshit, and now she had to face him even though she didn’t really had the stomach for it. Alas, that was the right thing to do and Sakura was all for what’s right and morally correct. With a deep sigh, she entered the place she asked him to meet, and when she looked around the small café for him, he was by the window, eyes closed and brows furrowed in concentration.

***

Kakashi opened his eyes at the sound of a chair dragging on the floor, and suddenly she was in front of him. He had already decided she was breathtaking in the bar lights, and in the low lights of a hotel room –but in the light of day, she was even more radiant.

He almost reached out to touch her hair. Almost.

“I’m sorry, did I keep you waiting for long?” she asked timidly, her voice nothing like the sultry voice she used when they were fucking, or the commanding voice she used in the courtroom. Kakashi was inclined to believe that there was some sort of multiple personality thing in her.

Only a couple of weeks. “No, I arrived just a bit ago”, he said, trying to diffuse the tension that was –again- building up between them. “I was just enjoying the place. It’s really nice.”

Sakura’s face lightened up, and she inadvertently started babbling about it. “You think? It’s my secret go-to place when I want to relax! Mido-san makes the best coffee, and her sweets are to die for! I’ve been coming around since I was twenty and—“

When Sakura realized that she had started talking animatedly, accompanying her enthusiastic praise with hand gestures, she abruptly stopped and checked herself. Kakashi wouldn’t want to hear such childish behavior. “I’m sorry, I overreacted”, she mumbled, embarrassed at her own antics.

To her immense surprise, Kakashi chuckled. “I would actually like to hear what you were trying to say. Let’s get coffee and a sweet each, and then continue overreacting, it is endearing.”

It was just a few, honest words, but Sakura felt her face burning up at the interest he showed, making her feel like a fucking teenager. Unbelievable. “I…Okay. I usually have a double cappuccino and a slice of lemon pie” she offered.

“Then I’ll have the same”. Kakashi promptly walked up to the bar, and after a few short moments of talking to Mido –who giggled at something he said, for fuck’s sake!-, he placed their order and came back to his seat.

It was a really, really awkward moment for Sakura. She lowered her head, thinking of the proper words to say. But once she was ready to talk--

“Why don’t you tell me that story?”

Sakura was as startled, as a deer caught in headlights, as she snapped up her head and looked at Kakashi. He merely shrugged and offered her that lopsided grin. “What? You didn’t finish what you were saying earlier. How come you were coming here since you were twenty?”

Did he really want to hear her talk about such childish things? She had tried to tell the same thing to Mizuki once –but he told her that babbling was “unladylike” and “ill-fitting to a woman of her age and status”.

“See, I was twenty, and I was living with my best friend during our years in university. But she was –still is- this beautiful party animal, and everyone wanted to hang out with her. So, our house was always full of visitors, and I couldn’t concentrate on my work. One day, I found this place and started coming here to study. Mido-san’s father was the owner back then, and both he and his wife made it their lives’ purpose to ensure I’d gain a bit of weight, so they always wanted me to “try out” their sweets before they started selling them here. It was a ruse to get me to fatten up, really, but we became friends. When Mido-san took over the shop, I made all the legal processes for them as a thank you.”

Her voice held a fondness, for the pair that made it their lives’ purpose to feed a –probably- overstressed and willowy young woman. Kakashi smiled at her, as Mido arrived just in time, bringing their order in. While he took the first sip of his –excellent- cup of coffee, he discreetly observed her, beaming at the first taste of her pie. It was unsettling, because he felt almost enchanted by her mannerism, so different from what he had seen so far. But once she noticed him watching her, her face fell immediately, and she was back to a stern façade.

“Kakashi…I’m sorry” she whispered, almost too low for him to hear.

“For what exactly, Sakura?” He didn’t want to sound too stern, but he did, and that’s when she finally managed to catch her gaze. She was avoiding to look into at him straight in the eye so far.

“You know for what. For the other night” she offered. “It was very badly-mannered of me to leave like this”.

“Then why did you?” If Sakura didn’t know better, she would have thought that his voice sounded almost sad.

Sakura could have said a hundred white lies, a thousand excuses to answer his question. But somehow, she felt the need to be sincere. Kakashi deserved it, after the stunt she pulled on him. “I didn’t think you would want to see me in the morning”.

He felt the urge to grip onto his cup so hard, it’d break and cut him, but he didn’t. “Why would you…Never mind. Sakura, I wanted to see you. I really did. And you didn’t even want to give me a way to find you again, why? If we hadn’t met at court today, I would never have a chance with you again.”

The court.

The fucking court.

Sakura had pushed this into the back of her mind, but there it was. “It doesn’t matter, Kakashi. You know I can’t do anything about it now. In fact, we shouldn’t even be here, opposing council and all.”

He reached out in one swift move, and clasped onto her hand. How warm it felt against his own. Like her skin was burning up, hers and his own alike. It took a bit of concentration for him not to reach down and trace his lips over her fingertips. “And you know that this is outdated, and many of our colleagues keep on dating despite being opponents, and that there is a way to overcome this. And in fact, you didn’t know about this thing when we were together, did you?”

She scoffed, trying weakly to pull her hand away from his grip –and failing-. “We don’t date, Kakashi. We just fucked once. It was really good, I’ll give you that, but it was just a casual fuck. We weren’t on a date.”

“We could be. We will be.”

He was so sure of his words. But Sakura could only think about their jobs getting too complicated. “You’re getting cocky. Look, I apologized. I am sorry I left like this, but as fate has it, it was for the better. It’s immoral to do this, considering what we’re doing. I‘m sorry, but—“

The feel of his leg nudging softly her thigh, had her breath stop for a moment. It was really subtle; she’d have thought that it was her overly zealous imagination, but she felt it. Goosebumps broke on her skin; just this light touch against her was enough.

“So…Even if it was only a casual fuck, what stops us from doing this again?” he asked, his voice raspy and low. Sakura really needed to remember how to breathe. She also needed to remind herself not to uncross her legs, lest she wanted him to probe higher on her thigh. Which, to be honest, was something she’d like him to do –but it wasn’t the right thing to do not really.

“No. You know we can’t” she mumbled, her legs and hands trembling slightly. She was nervous, and couldn’t hide it anymore. Kakashi wasn’t blind; he slowly took some distance from her, let her breathe again.

“Right…I see. I’m sorry to cause you such distress, Sakura. So, thank you for meeting me. Next time we’ll meet, it’ll be for the settlement, probably.”

Before she tried to answer, he lifted himself off his seat, and reached out for his jacket, donning it slowly, never tearing his eyes off Sakura’s as he did. Sakura wasn’t able to pull her gaze away, either. Had she managed that, she would have noticed on time that he left a card on the table…along with a few banknotes, as many as she had left at the hotel.

Then, he casually walked to the exit, greeting Mido on his way out.

Once Sakura noticed what he left behind, she seethed. She already knew she had been terrible, but did he really need to retaliate like this? Did she deserve it?

She reached for her cup of coffee, but her hands now were trembling too much and she couldn’t hold it straight.

“Hey, Sakura-chan…Are you alright?”

Mido’s soft voice grounded Sakura, who was still trying to calm herself down. “I am fine, Mido-san. I’m just tired, and I have to go back to my office.”

Wearing the signature stoic face of a lawyer has never been more important than now. Sakura would hate to upset Mido.

“What do I owe you, Mido-san?”

“Nothing at all, Sakura-chan. Your friend paid already.”

My friend. Hell.

All Sakura could do is gather her things and say her farewells to Mido, before stumbling back into her car. Once she was in her seat, she gripped onto the steering wheel, letting her head fall on her hands.

It was bound to be a very long day, if it started like this already.

Chapter Text

“There he is, the man of the day!”

The applause that echoed around the desks would be understandable, had a politician entered the room, or a man of the arts.

A movie star would be worthy of the applauding, at least.

But Kakashi couldn’t really fathom why the whole office was applauding him, of all people. Yet they did, and the first among them was Asuma Sarutobi, the next owner-to-be of the firm, who was now approaching him in large strides.

Is it too late to back off and run?

Asuma’s large hand landed on Kakashi’s shoulder with a loud thumping noise, and the silver-haired man fought hard against his fight-or-flight instincts.

“I’m sure I’m not dying yet, Sarutobi, so what’s this encouragement about?” he asked, peeling Asuma’s hand off his shoulder. Asuma was a good-natured man, mild-mannered and friendly –but his sense of discretion was lacking some times. Although, as Kakashi suspected, he did this on purpose, to get a rise out of him.

He sure did a fine job, since Kakashi truly hated being the center of attention.

“If you were dying, we’d be having a farewell party with strippers, you know”, Asuma offered.

“Right. Keep the idea for future reference, please”, Kakashi deadpanned, at last giving them the hint of a smile. Asuma grinned as wide as it was humanly possible, in response to his faint smile.

“Uchiha called as soon as you were done with the court room. He sounded satisfied –well, as satisfied as an Uchiha can sound anyway-, and he told us that all was well so far, enev though judge Senju wasn’t on her best behavior--”

“And when is she on her best behavior?” Genma interrupted, and the whole room erupted into loud laughter.

“True, true, but still. Getting any form of praise from an Uchiha AND having to deal with Senju? That’s a huge accomplishment in and of itself.”

And all this, while staring at the woman who dumped my ass after a great night of sex. At that particular moment, Kakashi didn’t give a damn about Uchiha’s praise, not really. “I’m pretty sure the little spoilt one failed to mention that he and Uzumaki started bickering on a signature “bad Senju day”, so she all but kicked us out of the court room until we were at least done with the settlement rounds first.”

Asuma’s jaw fell slack and Kakashi internally congratulated himself for that. “Yep. That’s what I thought. Well, now you know.”

“What the fuck…” Asuma muttered, still unable to conjure an image of a shouting Uchiha. “Anyway, Kakashi, you still did a good job. Do you have a bit of time to talk? I’ll be in my office.”

Together, the two men headed towards Asuma’s office. It was slightly bigger than the rest, and it was bathed in sunlight, courtesy of its large east-facing windows. Asuma’s desk was buried under tons of folders, and it seemed ready to bust under their weight- but somehow, Asuma was able to find what he needed amidst this organized chaos. A table on the corner of the room held a much-needed coffee machine, with an impressive assortment of coffee blends and various snacks. Asuma was trying hard to cut off smoking, and his needed fingers had to hold onto something at all times, so snacks were a staple in his office. Combined with his long office hours, it was no surprise that Asuma had half-turned his office into a coffee shop. Of course, once they were alone, Asuma busied himself with making coffee for the both of them, while Kakashi made himself comfortable in the guest chair.

“Still swearing off smoking?” Kakashi asked, amused by the sight of Asuma nibbling on a biscuit. He looked like an oversized squirrel. “You know, the solution to stop smoking shouldn’t include you getting diabetes.”

“Shut up, Kakashi”, he retorted while still offering a cup of coffee to him. It would be the third cup for Kakashi, and it wasn’t even noon yet, but he really felt he needed it.

With his own huge cup at hand, Asuma sat on his desk and took a moment to look at Kakashi. He seemed somehow weird lately –at least, weirder than usual; everyone knew that Kakashi had little tolerance for people, but as of late, he seemed even more distant. He looked troubled.

“So…Uchiha is a pain in the ass, I guess?” Asuma started.

“Isn’t that exactly why you assigned him to me? It takes one to know one”, Kakashi offered.

“You’re not exactly wrong. But you know the reason why I assigned you this case. You are one of the best here, so you had to take our most prestigious client. You will make partner soon, so I want your name to be heard.”

“Who told you I want to be a partner, Asuma?”

Now that was downright confusing. Who wouldn’t want a better position? “Don’t be absurd, Kakashi. You know the merits that come with the partnership-better pay, benefits, a chance to choose what you’ll be working with--”

“…And longer hours of work, mandatory mingling with people…”, Kakashi added nonchalantly.

“What’s your deal with people, Kakashi? I know you don’t like them, but you’ve turned into a fucking hermit since Ayase. You know you can’t keep on living like this.”

“Oh yes, I can. And I will. And please, stop mentioning her.”

The acidic tone he used when he spat out the word “her”, was enough to make Asuma shudder. Kakashi had been through some very tough times regarding his personal life, and that projected into his relationship with the rest of them, too. He was a very private man to begin with, but after Ayase he had turned into a recluse, downright refusing to discuss his comings and goings with anyone. Asuma himself had tried hard to push past Kakashi’s defenses, to remind him that there was someone out there for him, should he wish to, but had failed. Genma’s luck was no better; but under the pretense of working as an intern under Kakashi, he at least could be a little closer to him. The rest of them were shut away. Only his intellect saved him from being without work, too; he was impossible to approach, but his work ethic was still strong and so Asuma’s father still valued his services enough so as not to fire him for avoiding working with the rest of them.

Despite all appearances, Kakashi had a heart of gold, one that felt too much, and that would surely be his downfall. There was absolutely no middle ground with that man.

“Alright, alright. But still, you know how this firm values you, and how we all think you’d make a great partner. Just think about it. Sarutobi and Hatake, doesn’t it sound good?”

Kakashi shook his head. “No, I’ll pass. I don’t think I can be grounded, Asuma. I am thankful to both you and old Hiruzen, for all the opportunities you’ve offered me so far, but our deal as it stands, is for the best. I prefer my flexible working days to a higher pay. I have enough money, but not enough time.”

“Time for what?” Asuma wondered, but once he caught Kakashi’s expression, he hastily changed subject. “Anyway. Now tell me about that Uchiha kid – I heard from him, but I think it’s time to hear from you, too.”

Kakashi had to choose his words carefully. “You know…he’s odd. I knew his family is full of cold-blooded people, but he takes the prize. He is well-mannered, but too hard around the edges. It really makes me wonder how he managed to stay married for so long with a man like Uzumaki. But…”

“But what?”

“But at some point, Uchiha lost his composure and started yelling back at Uzumaki-which is why judge Senju lost her shit and threw us out. If he’s so set on divorcing, why did he lose it during court? He shouldn’t care enough about him to shout back. It was unsettling.”

A lawyer, besides of knowledge of the penal code, should also have a vast knowledge of the human psyche. A lawyer should be able to read their clients and their opponents, be able to detect the lies and the inconsistencies and everything in between, in order to do their work properly. A lawyer is also a psychologist and a private investigator. And Kakashi is exceptionally good at his work.

Before Asuma posed the question that was already forming on his lips, Kakashi continued. “Asuma, there’s something going on here. I bet you my whole year’s wages, that Uchiha doesn’t really want this divorce. There’s something else going on.”

“But we can’t just march up to the kid and ask him if he really wants to be divorced. We’re a law firm, not marriage counselors. If he claims that he wants to get a divorce, then we have no reason to question him, nor can we afford to turn him down.”

Kakashi started tapping his hand against his thigh, a telltale sign that his mind was working on overdrive. “I know that, I’m not an idiot. But humor me here, Asuma. There is something there and we have to know if we want to do this right. I’m just saying, that you have the means to find the dirt on the Uchiha family, and we need that info, as soon as possible. Before the first settlement appointment would be better.”

Asuma nodded, acknowledging his friend’s words. “kurenai, then?”

Kakashi only nodded in response. One of Asuma’s best-kept secrets was his relationship with Kurenai Yuhi, a prominent journalist. Kakashi knew, because Asuma was one of his closest friends and the difference on him as soon as he met her was obvious to him.

The fact that Kurenai used to be Ayase’s friend made everything easier back then. And while Kakashi and Ayase went to hell, Asuma and Kurenai stayed together, albeit in secret. The upside of that – despite the obvious, being that two people in love had a happy endgame-, was that Kurenai often did research on the side to help Asuma with several cases. Some of their successes were possible only because of her, not to mention that Asuma was happier and smoke-free than ever. Kakashi was genuinely satisfied to know his friend was in good hands, but he didn’t need to admit that aloud.

“Alright, Asuma. If there’s nothing else you need me to do here, I’ll go home. I’ll be waiting for news of Kurenai, and until then I’m taking my work with me.”

“Okay, Kakashi. I’ll let you know. Until then, do you think we could go out for a drink? Genma already agreed, and we’ll call Gai, too.”

Asuma genuinely tried to include Kakashi in things, to usher him back into their little circle of friends, but he didn’t want to be included. It’s been two years already, and he still only joined them on very special occasions. This time wouldn’t be one of those special days. “Sorry, rain check? I have some work to finish tonight. Next time? Just tell Gai I said hello.”

As expected. “Okay, will do. Go rest now, and I’ll see you soon.”

Getting on his feet, Kakashi patted Asuma’s arm before leaving. “And cut off the coffee Asuma, you’ll turn Kurenai mad, and if she murders you, I’ll be defending her in court and the office will be ridiculed.”

Instead of an answer, Kakashi’s exit was followed by a loud guffaw on Asuma’s side.

***

 Kakashi was not an over-the-top spender; he valued quality things, but he never wished to attract attention if it could be helped. His house was the one his family used to live; his car was one to accommodate his needs, nothing too flashy. But there was one thing he had splurged on, that he truly desired to own.

His motorcycle.

He had a 1000 cc, standard black-and-electric-blue motorcycle, a gift to himself after Ayase –she didn’t even want to hear about the possibility of him riding a motorcycle, so he wasn’t able to buy one –until after her-. But once he did, he experienced an amazing thrill running through his veins, and it was his preferred means of transportation. It was only a coincidence though, that he used that today; his work trips were usually car trips, but he decided on a whim, that motorcycle would be his thing today.

Maybe defending an Uchiha made him feel like a badass, enough to warrant him using his motorcycle today.

Instead of taking the usual route home, Kakashi opted to ride on the high-speed road that’s encircling the town, so he could reach his favorite spot. If one took the exit that led to the mountains, they were bound to reach the cliff that had a great view over Konoha. It was a joy for Kakashi. It was his go-to place, when his own home wasn’t much of a haven anymore; here was quiet and isolated. Perfect for anyone to get lost in their own thoughts.

And god, did he need some alone time.

When he pulled his helmet off, he was greeted by a gust of chilly air, just enough to cool him off, but not enough to make him feel uncomfortable. It was just what he needed in this weird day.

Apart from a taxing, in terms of work, day, it was also the day he saw her again, just at the most unexpected way.

Sakura.

Sakura…

He had spent a good portion of his time wondering about her, analyzing over and over what happened between them, questioning the way she left without a clue.

Fantasizing about her.

While he was still mad about what happened at the hotel, he had to admit that seeing her again made things to him. The way she carried herself while working, seemed almost erotic to him, the strength and the sternness that hid her flame.

But more than that, he enjoyed seeing her at the café. When she started babbling the way she did, about the young adult she once was, the fondness on her gaze and her giddiness, were infectious; she made him want to laugh, too. And then, all of a sudden, her smile faded, as if laughing was forbidden. As if being gleeful was a sin that would skald her.

Why was it so bad to smile? He really wanted to crack her riddle.

His way from the café back to the office and here, was filled with an image of her gleeful emerald eyes, and that was deeply unsettling him. He felt drawn to her in a way that he couldn’t really grasp. Even though she had explained that going out with him was all shades of wrong and she couldn’t do that, he had pressed on. He had even suggested that they’d have something purely physical, and when she had denied, he acted impulsively, on a horrible whim that dictated that he returned the gesture that made him mad in the first place. He really did it; he gave her back her money and left.

Fuck, was he a prick.

Kakashi could barely remember when was the last time he had acted on his impulses before he met Sakura. It probably was by the time things had gone sour with Ayase. That made his response even more frightening. He shouldn’t act like that; that burning impulse was something that Ayase took with her, so why would he be like that to Sakura?

The whole story was too unsettling; too out of his comfort zone; too difficult.

If Kakashi closed his eyes, he could see Sakura’s startled eyes, and he actually didn’t feel too bad about it.

But it was also a fact that he hadn’t behaved, and he only hoped he would have a chance to apologize to her, that is if she let him. She’d have every right not to accept his apology, and he’d respect that.

But that didn’t mean he wouldn’t at least try to get into her good grace again.

With that thought, Kakashi started his way back home, feeling at least a stronger sense of resolve. He would apologize, and he would get to know Sakura better, he’d solve her mysteries.

***

After a short call at the office, Sakura was given the rest of the day off. She would turn her report to Shikaku Nara tomorrow, so she was free to rush back home today. To do what exactly, though? Keep on thinking about Kakashi, as she did so far?

Sakura’s home was her personal haven, the place she always seeked when things went rough-and then again, when didn’t they? But this was her space, her comfort, her choice. Back on her days with Mizuki, he was vetoing against anything that she suggested for their common place –too tacky, too cheap, too childish, too unfitting to their status, too Sakura. So it wasn’t exactly a surprise, that one of her favorite moments after leaving Mizuki, was when she was free to decorate her personal space however she wanted, and no one would insult her for what she chose. It felt like she could breathe again.

At that moment, Sakura had realized that her life without Mizuki had taken a turn for the better.

But today, even her personal space couldn’t feel comforting enough. There was a whirlwind of thoughts going on around her head, besides the –very obvious- I-have-an-important-case-and-I-am-so-stressed brand of thoughts, but these were regular. She controlled them, she knew her work and how she would plan it out in order to minimize any surprises.

There was no minimizing the surprise that Kakashi had been, though.

Ah, Sakura needed some wine and Ino, in that particular order.

She typed out a quick text to let her know she was home and to come over to eat when she was done with work, then she proceeded to drown herself in the bathtub, until her hands looked like raisins and the bathroom looked like it was on fire. When she got out and dressed herself, she heard Ino’s voice from the kitchen.

“Get out of there, little mermaid! I brought wine and chocolate!”

Fucking lifesaver. Sakura could kiss her.

“Pig, it’s only 1 PM, isn’t it too early for wine?”

“Sakura. I sneaked out of the office, supposedly to bring you work that YOU asked, and you’re berating me for the wine? When you promise to cook for me, it’s a fucking emergency and it’s only remedied by wine and chocolate, so spill.”

Sakura sighed and dove right into making pasta for the both of them. Ino knew her way too well, there’s no hiding from her. As she prepared the sauce, Ino busied herself pouring wine into two impossibly tall glasses.

“I saw Kakashi today”, she mumbled, and Ino almost dropped her glass.

“Bitch! Where? Did you talk to him?”

“It would be impossible not to talk to him, because he’s defending Uchiha…”

Sakura let her head thump against a cupboard, while Ino let out a huge line of expletitives.

“Fuck me, Sakura. Seriously now?”

Sakura didn’t disclose more details until they were both seated on the kitchen island, full plates of pasta and glasses of wine in front of them.

“So…I was already waiting in the court room, when he walked in, after Uchiha. Can you imagine my surprise, Ino?”

“That’s soap opera material, Forehead. So, did you two talk?”

“Barely. I tried to avoid him when we left--”

“BITCH!!”

“…But he followed me to my car and demanded we have some coffee and talk.”

Ino grasped her hand in an over-dramatic gesture. “Please tell me you had coffee, please…”

Sakura nodded. “Yep. And then we talked a bit, and then he told me he wanted to go on a date, but I said no.”

“AAAAAH, I’LL KILL YOU!!”

“Ino, he’s opposing council, it’s illegal.”

“He won’t be opposing council forever, Sakura!”

“But he is, for now –so I said no, and he apologized before he left. He left the hotel money and left, just like that, can you believe it?”

Ino didn’t answer, just took a sip of her wine. Sakura grew impatient.

“Well, Pig?”

Once Ino swallowed, she threw her head back and burst into a raucous laughter. “Fuuuuuuuck me! I like this man already!”

Sakura took a bread stick off the counter and threw it at Ino’s head.

“No, seriously…I like him. Y-You needed a man like him” Ino repeated, trying to wipe up the tears that had formed from her laughter.

“Ino, focus. We have the settlement soon, how am I going to face him?”

Ino, feeling her friend’s distress, stopped laughing right away. “Do you like him, Sakura?”

She wasn’t sure of the answer, but apparently Ino was. “Bitch, you like him. Stop being miss prim-and-prick and be nice to him. You won’t work on this case forever, so if you think you want to see him again, you will have to step up your game. You’ve done enough weird shit enough, don’t make him run off.”

“But how do I do that?”

“Sakura, you are a brilliant lawyer but you’re shitty on all things personal, I swear you learned nothing from me. Anyway. Look, be kind to him, and just don’t run away. Now let’s focus on the interesting things. You saw him in daylight. Is he still fuckable?”

Oh yes. “He’s handsome. Really handsome”, Sakura admitted, though handsome would be an understatement. A part of her had enjoyed the way he carried himself on court, far from his leisurely ways before and after. And she had also had a good time just chatting with him, at least until things went south.

“Nevermind, Forehead. We’ll see him at the settlement –because I swear to god, if you don’t take me along, I’ll never talk to you again.”

Hm. There was that, too. “Of course we’re going together, Ino.”

Ino’s beaming smile was worth all the dread settling in Sakura’s bones. “Baby, you know I only want you to be happy, right? You’ve sold yourself short for many years already, with Mizuki and the rest of them. But he seems like an interesting man, and if you can see for yourself if he is worthy, why don’t you? I know you to be a brave woman.”

Sakura could justify the crying Ino’s words caused to the wine, but she instead let herself cry over her drink, feeling relieved by the mere presence of her friend. So they didn’t touch this subject again after that; they only spent the rest of the afternoon finishing off that bottle and eating insane amounts of chocolate.

***

The next day, Sakura confidently walked into office and headed straight to Nara’s office. Ino’s company the previous day was a balsam, but today there was work to be done, that couldn’t wait.

“Come in, Sakura!” Shikaku’s voice urged her in. He had a joint office with his partner, who was absent at the moment. Yamanaka and Nara were friends for a few decades now, and their partnership was a fortuitous one; they both worked to the best of their abilities, complimenting each other. While Yamanaka was the more communicative one, Nara was the strategist, the one who thought every little detail of the cases they handled.

“Good morning, Nara-san”, she said politely, as she took a seat across his office. “Thank you for allowing me to day the day off yesterday”

Shikaku chuckled. “Hey, you deserved it. I can’t fathom having to deal with Senju and then having to work here again. Speaking of which, I want your input on how it went yesterday."

He could be playful at times, but when he talked business, he could be scary.

“Well. We started as usual, but at some point Naruto got angry and started shouting, and then Uchiha started shouting, and judge Senju wouldn’t have it and threw us out until the settlement is over. If you ask me, Naruto doesn’t really want to have this divorce. He looks at Uchiha and gets devastated.” she said with a sigh.

“Ah. I see. I can’t say I didn’t expect it from the young Uzumaki, he’s as volatile as his mother. But I think you should check on him. Being his lawyer doesn’t mean you can’t be his friend, and if you befriend him, there’s a better chance of opening up to you. We’ll get more things that way. You know how important this is, you’ve befriended almost everyone in your pro bono cases.”

Ah, pro bono cases. Sakura couldn’t help but grin wide. “I can do that, Nara-san.”

“I know you do, that’s why we trusted you. Shino is a great professional, don’t mind me, but we needed someone who could make bonds, and I’ve seen your free cases.”

“Speaking of which, Nara-san”, she started timidly, “when can I resume those?”

Shikaku frowned slightly. “I need you to focus on this case right now, at least until we finish with the first round of the settlement. Then you can continue. You have this case with the abuse victim center, right? I gave it to Shino for a few days, so he will forward any progress to you once the settlement is over. You need to give your whole energy to each of those cases, so we can’t have you splitting your time between them two. Focus on Uzumaki for now, take your time to keep tabs on him outside the office, and trust Shino to keep up with the rest of your work until you’re fit to return.”

There was a reason why Sakura warmed up to Nara so much, and that was probably it. He seemed strict enough, scary even, but he had a unique train of thought, and an ability to put things in perspective, all the while low-key doting on his proteges. Sakura was close friends with his only son, Shikamaru, who had opted out of his father’s career, for the sake of studying mathematics. He, Sakura and Ino would hang around whenever they could spare time, and lately Shino was their newest addition to the team. 

“Alright Sakura,” Shikaku stood up, interrupting Sakura’s train of thought, “the first settlement appointment is in ten days from now, in the Sarutobi office. Keep an eye on Uzumaki until then and prepare your counteroffer. I heard that your opponent is quite eccentric, so watch out.”

Sakura almost winced at the mention of Kakashi. “Hatake? He didn’t look too eccentric to me, Nara-san”

He chuckled as he showed the door of his office to her –indicating that their time was over- “You’ll have to take him more seriously. He is an eccentric one, and he’s exceptionally good at his job, so tread carefully. Now excuse me, I have some things to tend to. Have a nice day, Sakura.”

“You too, Nara-san” she said as she walked out.

Hm. Eccentric, huh?

With Ino nowhere to be found and her agenda clear for the day, Sakura decided to go take some coffee, and think about a way to approach Naruto.

The “Blueberry” was again, rather quiet at this time of day, only two tables occupied by a young couple and two elderly ladies, respectively. But the delicious aroma of the coffee was strong and Sakura grinned, as she made a beeline to the bar.

“Good morning, Mido-san!”

“Ah, Sakura-chan, hello!” Mido greeted back, heading straight to the coffee maker to make Sakura’s usual choice. “Are you coming from the court?”

“No, I don’t have court today, but they gave me some free time from the office and I came to drink the tallest cup you can make me!” she chirped happily. Sakura was always pleased to see Mido, and drink her coffee, too. Mido poured a huge cup for Sakura and served it, then she walked back to the kitchen and returned with a fresh slice of lemon pie.

“No, Mido-san, I didn’t ask for lemon pie –I had a ton of chocolate yesterday”, Sakura pushed the plate towards Mido, but she insisted.

“Hey, this is low on sugar, Sakura-chan, and after all, it’s a treat.”

“Well, thank you, you didn’t have to!”

Mido grinned mischievously. “And who told you that I am the one treating you?

Sakura’s brow rised in question, as her lips were preoccupied with the first sip of the hot beverage.

“Earlier today your friend was here, Kakashi-san. The coffee and the pie are his treat.”

A wheezing sound came out of Sakura, as she choked on her coffee. Mido patted her back, laughing at her reaction. “W-What? Kakashi?”

“Ah, yes. Such a nice young man. Gorgeous, too”, Mido winked and Sakura felt her face growing warm. “He said he was on his way to work, and that he enjoyed my coffee, so he came to supply himself. He paid for your own coffee too, and your pie.” She then slipped her hand in her apron and took out a scrap of paper, which she handed to Sakura. “He asked me to give you this.”

It was a plain piece of paper, with a few horribly scrawled words on it.

I’m sorry about yesterday, Sakura.

For what is worth, it was nice to have coffee with you.

-K.H.

Her breath hitched, as her eyes skimmed over the words again and again. He wasn’t mad at her, after all.

“He’s quite something, that man”, offered Mido.

“That he is”, Sakura answered absentmindedly, while placing the paper into her own pocket.

***

The company that was “Uchiwa Resorts” was a wealthy company owned by the Uchiha family for years. It was a prosperous business, with a net worth of millions and various facilities all over Fire and Mist country.

The business and family patriarch, Madara Uchiha, was a strict man, whose word was absolute law amongst his family and his employees. He was relentless and cunning; no wonder he had managed to create such a prosperous business. But the qualities that made him a successful business man, made him something akin to a tyrant when it came to family matters. No one dared contradict him.

Fugaku already knew better than to raise his voice to his uncle. As he entered Madara’s lush office this morning. He already expected hell to descend upon him. Indeed, Madara was overlooking from his window, which was a sign that he was angry and needed to compose himself.

“Good morning, Madara” he offered, standing still in front of Madara’s office. “You called me?”

“How are Sasuke’s divorce settlements going?”

Now that was a question he did not anticipate. “They had the first court appeal a few days ago, and they are starting the settlement in a couple of days.”

Madara finally turned his chair so he could face Fugaku.

Fugaku honestly preferred it when he had his back on him.

“Why does it take so long? Are the lawyers you hired incompetent?”

“The Sarutobi firm is the best in Konoha, Madara. That’s the pace of the process, and we can’t make more haste. He will be done soon.”

Madara all but snarled at Fugaku’s reassuring tone. “Make it sooner. Sasuke has to start working on the new Sand facilities. I don’t know if you have to find a new lawyer, but do it soon. I need Sasuke free from any burdens before he leaves for Sand.”

His threatening tone didn’t leave any space for a retort, so all Fugaku could do was nod and turn to leave.

“…If needed, get rid of the Uzumaki kid.”

Fugaku didn’t respond to that, but his body language as he left indicated that he had heard too well the last words Madara spat at him.

The problem was that, there was another one who managed to hear Madara’s last phrase as the door to his office opened for Fugaku’s exit. Fugaku’s eldest son, Itachi, was passing by when Fugaku opened the door. His face didn’t register that he had heard anything as he passed in front of his father.

But he had.

Chapter Text

“Thank you for the treats. Both for today and the other day, too.

But don’t get out of your way on my account, please.”

-S.

“I just happened to like Mido-chan’s coffee

very much, and she’s close to the courtroom.

 You’re welcome, by the way.”

-K.

“Mido-chan? Really?”

-S.

“We are on a first name basis now.

I even befriended her cat.”

-K.

“That cat is trying to murder me anytime I go there,

how did you do that anyway?”

-S.

“What can I say?

I’m doing well with most ladies.”

-K.

Sakura took a break from her frantic texting, to take a look on said murderous-intending cat. Midnight was a beautiful black kitten that Mido had rescued from a shelter –and since then, she was the mascot of her little bistro. Most clients were really content to see her prancing around their feet as they sipped their beverages, her tail tangling with their shoelaces as they kept on enjoying their time there. One could say that, apart from Mido’s tasteful creations, the next best reason to frequent this establishment was little Midnight.

Sakura didn’t quite share that sentiment. Not because she didn’t like Midnight, but because Midnight didn’t like her.  She always avoided Sakura’s attempts at petting her, even going as far as scratching her once or twice. If looks could kill, then Midnight would have probably killed Sakura a dozen times so far –as many times as she attempted to pet the proud cat. So, she just stopped trying, in an act of reconciliation that didn’t really work. The pinkette sighed; she wouldn’t like herself either, were she in the cat’s stead.

“Sakura-san, are you texting him?” Mido cut through Sakura’s thought train, almost making her jump off her stool. She was grinning mischievously, as she offered her younger patron the usual plate of lemon pie. It was the second time this guy had come around and ordered for her, too, in addition to his own tall cup of coffee, and certainly not the second time he visited her establishment overall. Mido actually liked the guy very much; he wasn’t the overly cheery type, but he was polite and his humor was good. He always tried to make her smile while she prepared his order, not to mention that he had won Midnight’s heart, whom he placed on his lap the other day, much to her astonishment, and Midnight just accepted his petting with the loudest purr. The fact that he was also very charming, lopsided smile and all, wasn’t bad either.

But Mido was overly curious as to why Sakura was avoiding this man so much; the first time they stepped in here together, he left too soon and she was weird about it. And even now, whenever Mido is mentioning him, Sakura is acting weird. She seems intrigued and worried and embarrassed, too. Even now, a simple question made Sakura jump out of her skin in discomfort.

“I was just thanking him for treating me, Mido-san” she mumbled quietly, trying not to look at her screen, where she had left a half-written text.

“But he made you smile, nonetheless” Mido pointed out, turning her back to Sakura to hide her chuckle.

Sakura turned as pink as the roots of her hair.

Was she smiling while texting?

She wouldn’t deny, that she was feeling rather giddy with this short technological back-and-forth. She wasn’t sure what to do, the first time she was presented with this treating; she took his card, and promptly spent half a day fiddling with it, looking at the numbers engraved until she’d memorized them –but yet not sending that text. Then she went to the next stage; saving his number (K.) on her phone, trying to send that goddamned text, but failing yet again. She wrote a text about six times before she gave up.

But today, when being presented with yet another treat, Sakura knew she had to do it. What she didn’t count on, though, was that he’d answer almost immediately and they’d go on this light mood so easily.

She regressed, though. Sakura had work to do, places to be. Dismissing the thoughts in the back of her head, she quickly closed the texting app on her phone and dialed yet another number. Naruto’s number, to be precise.

“Morning, Sakura-san?” he inquired tentatively when he answered the call.

“Good morning Naruto-san!” she chirped happily, putting on her lawyer-go-lucky voice, one she usually saved in order to psyche her clients up. “How are you today?”

Amidst some barking sounds on the background, Naruto’s voice sounded okay. Not overly happy, but not so defeated either. “Not fine, but good enough, Sakura-san. What is the matter?”

“Nothing to worry about-see, I was actually wondering whether you have time to have lunch with me? I have some free time today and I thought we could share a meal, if you aren’t busy?”

Truth is, Sakura didn’t have free time-but she had asked Ino to clear her schedule so she could spend some time with her client in an environment unrelated to the case. Most people were the best versions of themselves when they were in a law office; trying to prove that they are lawful and good. But that wasn’t necessarily their most honest version, and Sakura wanted to see just that. Did Naruto have anything to say to her, not necessarily as his lawyer, but as a friend to whom he could confide?

After a couple moments of stunned silence, Naruto actually accepted enthusiastically. While Sakura knew some really good places to recommend for their meeting, she thought it best to let him choose a place where they could meet, and he could be more comfortable.

Knowing that she still had time before she had to head out, she ordered one more serving of coffee and tried –unsuccessfully, yet again- to gain a bit of Midnight’s affections. Mido watched her with amusement.

“How did he manage to make Midnight like him?” Sakura scoffed.

“I’d rather worry about why you don’t like him” Mido quipped. “But I think I’m wrong here. You actually like him and you don’t do anything about it, why?”

Why, really.

“We happen to be working against each other in this case, Mido-san. It’s neither ethical nor law-abiding to do anything.”

“But you’re not going to work on this case forever? So why don’t you cut yourself some slack for a change?”

Sakura was always a logical one, acting on premeditated thoughts rather than emotions. It wasn’t really her fault to try to go by the books; if she didn’t, she’d be the first to get a rough time; the naïve girl, the emotional woman, the useless lady. People would always do that. But Mido’s words rang somehow true. She wouldn’t have this case on her plate forever, and she really wanted to see where this…whatever this was that she and Kakashi had, would lead to. That was why she had the nerve to text him back, but that was the boundary they’d have for now.

Just some casual, harmless texting.

Right.

Sakura dared to look at her phone for a response, then checked herself, refusing to fall down that particular rabbit hole. Avoiding Mido’s all-knowing grin, she picked her things, attempted to pet Midnight and failed –just what had he done to get along with her like that?-, and left in time, so she could find the place Naruto texted her about.

***

Sakura’s culinary taste was diverse; her profession entailed many work-related meals, and her past love life left her with an intimate knowledge of the city’s most high-end establishments. While she had a recommendation to cater to every palate, she thought it best to let Naruto choose the place to meet, so he would feel more comfortable.

Sakura expected…she didn’t know exactly what she expected, actually. But she knew what she didn’t expect, and what she didn’t expect was to find herself standing outside a small, inconspicuous ramen shop.

Trying not to judge by appearances alone, the pinkette stepped inside the small, quaint shop- and she was immediately hit by a delicious smell that made her mouth water. A smell that instantly tugged at her heartstrings, reminding her of times long past, hard times and cozy little moments and simpler moments. It reminded her of home. Before she took too much time to dwell on it though, she took a seat in a table close to the kitchen, from which she could mindlessly watch the buzz, the patrons and the server carrying plates to and from the kitchen. As she was distracted watching the comings-and-goings, Naruto made his appearance. Cheerily greeting the serving girl-Ayame, as Sakura had already heard a patron call her-, before taking a seat across hers.

“Sakura-san, how are you?” he greeted, and Sakura felt the corners of her lips tilt upwards, unbeknownst to her. Naruto’s attitude seemed to be contagious.

“I’m good, Naruto-san, what about you?” she greeted back. “That’s an…interesting place” she added, and he laughed at her choice of words.

“Hey, don’t ditch it before you try it out!” he offered, as Ayame stalked over to them. They both had decided; Naruto had his “usual” –which turned to be pork ramen, and Sakura chose a spicy dish.

She knew she’d be a regular patron when she tasted the food, the spicy flavor warming up her insides. While eating, they kept their talking to a minimum. Both Sakura and Naruto had seconds, and when he chose to have a third serving too, she leaned back, thoroughly satisfied with her meal.

“Aaaaah, I needed that”, said Naruto, once he was done with his meal. “I can never have enough of this food! My record is five bowls.”

Sakura’s eyes popped wide open. “Wha-five? I almost fainted at the second!” she whined, making him chuckle.

His chuckle, however, quickly died at his throat. “Sasuke could never get past the fourth bowl…” he said, his whole façade dropping instantly.

Sakura’s face fell. Naruto seemed so aloof until just a moment ago, and the mere thought of Sasuke made him miserable.

“Naruto-san…What went wrong?”, was the question she was afraid to ask, but she had to anyway.

“I…am not sure”, he sighed, dropping his gaze on the empty bowls in front of him. “I thought that everything was well; I loved him…love him still. He seemed to be happy being with me, but I guess I wasn’t enough.”

The feeling hit Sakura, hard. She had felt inadequate on more than one occasion, and she hated that helplessness that came with being someone who couldn’t appreciate one’s worth. She craved to reach out to Naruto, to remind him that she was not only a lawyer, that she could be a friend, too. On a rare display of affection, Sakura reached out and placed her hand on top of his. “Naruto…Don’t let anyone make you feel less than enough. You should always feel more than enough."

If it wasn’t for them being in public, he’d probably bawl his heart out, Sakura sensed. Naruto’s eyes were, antics aside, truly downcast. “Sakura-chan, thank you. I don’t know why he took this decision for us. I thought I had him figured out. I believed he was happy, and yet he started preferring his work over me. All those days I spent alone, because he was suddenly too busy with this and that, his family and their work…Then that’s it, he’s asking for a divorce, and he won’t sit and discuss with me. And he doesn’t let me in, why doesn’t he let me in?”

Without realizing it, Naruto had attracted the attention of the few remaining patrons, who were eyeing him curiously, and that was when Sakura decided a bowl of ramen wasn’t enough.

This situation called for alcohol.

“Let’s get out of here, Naruto”, Sakura urged, while signaling to Ayame for the bill.

***

“You are a savior”, Sakura lamented.

The aforementioned savior was, of course, Ino, whom Sakura called to the rescue, after she helped Naruto to a taxi. After leaving the ramen place, the two of them found themselves in a small bar that served patrons even during midday, where they promptly had a few drinks (or at least, Naruto did; Sakura drank one for every two of his own drinks, but it was still enough to render her unfit to drive). Sakura definitely didn’t act like the professional that she was; instead, she offered an ounce of friendship to a man who was hurting, and he took it all in gratefully. They’d resume their professional relationship on their next official appointment; until then, she’d tried to understand his anguish. And she did understand; it was painfully familiar.

Despite common sense, Sakura even asked Naruto whether he had tried to talk things through with Sasuke, but reasoning with an Uchiha was like trying to push a wall to move, so no, they hadn’t managed to communicate.

“I know I am”, Ino deadpanned, while pushing a cup of steaming coffee into Sakura’s hands. “Anyway, Yamanaka senior is waiting for you at the office, and then you have three appointments, so we have to be quick about it.”

Sakura took a sip and leaned back to Ino’s seat. “What would I do without you?”

“Nothing interesting, probably”

They didn’t have enough time to step into the office, when Inoichi promptly whisked Sakura away to his office, leaving Ino behind to sulk. He didn’t mince his words with an introduction or some small talk; instead, he cut to the chase.

“So, I heard you were out with Uzumaki?” he inquired.

“Yes, we just parted ways. Yamanaka-sama…it’s rather bad. Not for us, but for him. He doesn’t really want this divorce”, she sighed, troubled from today’s progress.

Inoichi leaned in to take a look at her, and Sakura could swear that he was actually reading her mind. “Uchiha pressed for this?”

She only nodded, and he pressed on. “Uzumaki is not willing enough to keep on, right?”

Again, she nodded. Count on Yamanaka Inoichi’s intuitive mind to have psychoanalyzed the client and herself in just a few moments. That was the reason why this firm was so successful; combining Nara’s tactical way of thinking –bordering on ruthless-, and Yamanaka’s empathetic and intuitive nature, makes for a very strong combination. While Sakura was thinking about that, Inoichi smiled his most reassuring smile at her. “Look, Sakura. You did well. This case is still to our advantage, because we can call on Uchiha’s behavior being suspicious. It might be a case of infidelity, or even a case of family, or business conflict. This will give us an advantage on court –which is what matters, since the economic aspect will be easily settled.”

All this was something that Sakura bore in mind. After her talk with Naruto, she had already noted some arguments for her case, and Inoichi confirming her line of work was satisfying. But still…

“I can’t help but feel sad for him, though.” She mumbled, getting ready for the scolding that no doubt would come her way, for her weakness and her inability to stay strong against an emotional outburst.

Instead, Inoichi smiled and reached out to pat her head, in a gesture that was so paternal that it made her smile back. “Sakura. Whoever told you that you have to be cruel in order to be a lawyer, is sorely mistaken. You have to be tough, I give you that, but you also have to be patient, to be kind where it’s needed, and you need to read into people. Your clients are also people who need to be reassured. Anyway,” he continued, resuming his stance on his chair, “you should return to your office. You have one more preparatory meeting with Uzumaki and the settlement appointment on four days. Be ready."

Sakura was aware, but just the thought of it turned her insides into mush-not in the prospect of work, but in the prospect of seeing a certain someone again…

But still, there was one more thing nagging her. Once she stood up, ready to return to her office, she turned to address Inoichi, who was already busy looking into some papers.

“I think there’s something shady going on with the Uchiha. Will we address that one of these days?”

Inoichi didn’t answer verbally, but his all-knowing gaze was enough to reassure Sakura that yes, they would address that soon.

***

“Kakashi, a word?”

Kakashi looked up from his paperwork, and saw Asuma standing on the door to his –rarely used- office. He was there to find some files he needed for tomorrow’s appointment, and then he’d head back to his lair. His office was small and dark; he shared the meager space with Genma, who had no objections about co-habiting with him. Kakashi had his own objections, but in reality, he valued his friend’s company. At least, sometimes.

“I’ll go get some coffee. Asuma? Medium sugar and cream?” Genma offered good-naturedly, sensing that he should be out of the picture for a while.

(Which would give him the best opportunity to flirt with that cute barista down the road-)

As Asuma nodded his gratitude, Genma grabbed his jacket and stalked off, leaving the two men alone. Kakashi glanced at the door, before turning his gaze onto Asuma.

“Is this about the Uchiha case?” he asked Asuma, who was fidgeting with his hands, lamenting the absence of a cigarette.

“Yes. I had a talk with Kurenai, and she told me yesterday that there is something weird going on. It seems that the family is rushing to relocate a big part of their ventures onto Suna-which doesn’t make sense, seeing as tax is much more forgiving here. She’s still looking onto it, but she wants a meeting with you to discuss Sasuke’s behavior. You’ll do that just after the settlement. Let’s give her more to look on.”

Kakashi just nodded. His instinct told him that there was indeed something that didn’t add up. Sasuke wanted the settlement, but he had no desire to prepare with him for that; they didn’t have a face-to-face meeting, and everything was arranged via phone. What was going on with him, that made him act so indifferent to the ordeal that a divorce was? Was there something he wanted to hide? And was that in relation to the divorce, or there was something bigger than the couple wanting to part ways?

There was a mystery that they had to face, sooner better than later. Kakashi felt a headache surging up.

“When she’s ready to talk, you two can come over my place, it’s discreet enough for us to discuss. How does that sound?” Kakashi offered, ignoring the little nagging feeling in him that balked in the prospect of having people over his personal space, even if it was Asuma they were talking about.

“Alright, I’ll call you. So, are you ready for tomorrow?” Asuma asked, concerned at his friend’s willingness to host this meeting. It wasn’t like him, at all.

“I am. I want you to reserve the small conference room for the meeting, and if there’s a chance we’re as few people as possible, I’d appreciate the lack of ruckus.”

There he was. “Alright, I’ll discuss it with the others. Let me know about the progress tomorrow”, the Sarutobi heir offered before leaving Kakashi alone in his search of files.

By the time Genma was back, Kakashi had found all that he needed and was busy scribbling notes from a file. The brunette had a smirk plastered on his face –apparently, the quest for the bartender had been successful.

“There, I got your coffee, even though you don’t deserve it” he said, shoving a tall cup of coffee onto Kakashi’s hands. While Kakashi would rather be caught dead than being thankful to Genma, he nonetheless appreciated that his long-term friend and colleague remembered his personal taste.

“I love you too, Genma”, he deadpanned, making his friend scoff in exasperation.

“No you fucking don’t, Kakashi. If you loved me just a tiny tiny bit, you’d have told me about the mysterious woman from the other day”, Genma whined. “You still refuse to talk about her and I’m getting pissed at you. Next time watch out for your coffee, because I might lace it with things.”

“Are you trying to pull a murder attempt, Genma?”

“I’d have a good reason to, Kakashi. Now will you tell me?”

Kakashi, fully intent on getting on Genma’s nerves, took a moment to sit in silence, looking over his phone. Sakura had at least responded to some of his texts; they were mild, mostly teasing, but there was an innuendo on their exchange that neither of them addressed properly; yet it was there, taunting him to no end.

He could now admit to himself that he couldn’t quite stop thinking about her.

Maybe his repressed brain had finally turned deviant; maybe he read into more than what she offered. But either way, his imagination was running rampant, and his body…that was a different matter altogether. His body wouldn’t stop reacting unseemly to thoughts of her, to the point he felt like he was a teenager again.

Back to the point at hand though…

“I have work to do, Genma. But I promise I’ll talk with you another day, if you let me be today. Now get off my case, if you please.”

Genma shrugged. “Just remember I can and I will tell everyone about the time I caught you masturbating in 11^th grade-“

Kakashi sighed. “Hai hai, I will let you know before you embarrass me more than you already do. Now shoo, I have to leave.”

***

“Okay, here goes!”

Ino opened the door of the Sarutobi office and confidently stepped in, followed by Sakura, Naruto and Shino. It was the day of the negotiations, and the appointment was to be held at the Sarutobi office.

…Which was eerily quiet, until a young, tall, bearded man walked up to them.

“Good morning ladies, gentlemen,” he said, extending his arm for a handshake with everyone. “My name is Asuma Sarutobi.”

Ino, bright as always, was the first to alleviate the awkwardness of the situation. “Nice to meet you, Sarutobi-san! I am Yamanaka Ino…”

Asuma chuckled. “You are the spitting image of your esteemed father, Yamanaka-san.”

“Well, I got his good looks- but still! I’m assistant to Haruno-san here,” she pointed at Sakura, who bowed politely, “who is defending Uzumaki-san”, Naruto too, bowed slightly, then looked anxiously around, “along with Aburame-san”, she said, finally pointing at Shino, who remained motionless.

“Nice to meet you all”, Asuma offered politely. “I have to say, you are rather early, and unfortunately we haven’t gathered yet. Would you like to head to the conference room and help yourself to some coffee?”

Now that was a good idea. “We’d love to, Sarutobi-san. Thank you”, Sakura replied, and he ushered them down the deserted hall, to a secluded room, where a brunette man was already seated, sipping coffee and munching on a bagel. “Meet our second chair, Shiranui Genma. We are still waiting for Hatake-san and Uchiha-san though.”

At the mere mention of Kakashi, Sakura felt a flush creep up her face, but she was lucky enough that no one noticed, busy as they were with introductions. She then decided, it was as good a time as ever to head to the bathroom and splash some water on her face. When she asked its whereabouts, Genma kindly showed her –“third door down the hall on your left, Haruno-san”, before returning to address whatever Ino was telling him.

The whole office looked deserted-how had they managed to send everyone away on a busy morning?-. More important, no sight of Kakashi.

When she opened the bathroom door, Sakura found herself in a small anteroom, facing two doors-none of which had a sign on, unfortunately. Guessing it was gender-divided, but not knowing which one was the ladies’ bathroom made her feel impatient. Deciding on a whim that the left door should be the one to walk into, she opened it and stepped in. There were three stalls in there, along with a basin with a tap. Sakura just stood in front of the basin, letting the water run through her fingers. It was a soothing feeling, and she let out a deep breath at the sensation of the lukewarm water warming her hands. Just as she dared to look in the mirror, the only stall that had a closed door opened, and-

“Genma give me a minute, I’m changing my shirt-”

A man walked out the stall, his white shirt completely unbuttoned, another shirt folded over his arm. Sakura saw it all unfold from the mirror in front of the sink; surprised expression, silver hair and all.

“Sakura?...”

Chapter Text

“Sakura?...”

The anxiousness lurking up inside Sakura turned to full-blown mortification, when she realized that she was in the men’s bathroom, that there was a semi-naked man present, that the semi-naked man in question was Kakashi. For a brief moment, she let her gaze travel over him through the mirror; over his sculpted front, revealed as it was from the unbuttoned shirt he wore, that was well-defined but not overly so. Sakura’s mind was carried back, to a night where she trailed her nails through those hard planes.

No no no no no no no…

When her startled gaze found his, it looked like that of a hungry predator staring at its prey. The surprise of seeing her there gave its place to something that made Sakura’s skin crawl. Quickly regaining her wits, she turned towards Kakashi, plastering her most aloof smile.

“Oh, Kakashi! I’m sorry, there wasn’t a sign on the door, I’ll just leave-”

“Well, I can’t say it bothered me…” he mumbled, stepping closer to her, his hands reaching up to button up his shirt agonizingly slow making Sakura feel dizzy in this sudden proximity. Having to choose between getting closer and getting away was suddenly a very hard decision.

“R-right…Well then, I should go, I’ll see you in the conference room!” she retorted, deeply hating herself for that little stutter-but she didn’t manage to turn on her heel, for he stepped closer, holding her gaze with his own, burning one.

“Sakura…It’s hard enough to have you in this office, but here, too? I’ve been thinking so much about you” he said, his voice low and intimate and downright sultry. It was one of the things Sakura liked the most about him during their short time together and it made her knees weak. Fearing they might give way and betray her, she reached back to the sink to support herself. But her reaction only seemed to add fuel to the fire; his gaze slipped down to her lips –Sakura had yet to realize that she was biting onto her bottom lip.

“Kakashi-the case…We can’t-”

She couldn’t bring herself to say that she didn’t want him; she only offered a alf-hearted “can’t”, so he just chuckled before offering a last warning:

“Don’t worry. I won’t bother you while we’re on this. I want you to be free of guilt when you sigh my name next time…Now go.”

Without responding, she turned on her heel and left, as he kept on buttoning his shirt up.

***

Once she was outside the door, Sakura leaned back against it and closed her eyes. She definitely needed some strong alcohol to calm her nerves, but that would be frowned upon. Just imagine people’s reaction, should she march into the conference room and ask for a glass of whiskey instead of a cup of coffee…

Well, that wouldn’t be that much worse than finding her in the bathroom, engaging in an interesting…conversation with a semi-naked Kakashi, right? In retrospect, maybe she could just do that, ask for a whiskey.

Get it together, girl!

She knew to take a couple of deep breaths to calm herself down before walking back, but the walk back was unbearably short and she felt as if her limbs would give way beneath her and betray her and her roaring feelings.

And yet, her hand seemed stable as she reached for the door handle. And since appearances were the key to success, she momentarily felt confident walking back to the conference room. Once she got in, the first thing that she noticed was that everything felt quiet. There was a slight ruckus while she was behind that door –the standard ruckus one would hear from a room when so many people were standing in. They had awkwardly mingled; Ino was conversing with Genma, while Asuma was watching from a distance. Shino was standing close to Naruto, trying to hold his attention, while Sasuke was just sitting perfectly still, and avoiding any kind of interaction with anyone present. He had the calmness of a man that knows he’s sitting all alone.

Only Kakashi was absent, but that was to be expected.

“Haruno-san, welcome back!” Genma said, interrupting Ino for a brief moment. That didn’t work well, though, for Ino turned to look at her friend and instantly cocked her eyebrow –which was a code signal for “we’ll have a talk later” in Ino’s lexicon-. Sakura could read the tension in the room, really, it was so palpable-

“Are we all here, then?”

Kakashi’s voice behind her made Sakura’s skin crawl, good thing it wasn’t visible over the long-sleeved shirt she had donned. Realizing she was blocking the entrance and that he was standing behind her, maybe a tad bit too close.

Not that she really minded that.

“About time, you’re finally here!” Asuma said, as Sakura stepped forward to let him walk past and into the room. Genma grinned at the sight of him, while Ino did a full scan, one that would put the best private investigator to shame. She was blatantly checking him out and Sakura felt the impulse to hit her.

“You probably know him already –most of you, at least-, but this is our colleague, Hatake Kakashi”, Asuma continued, as he nudged for Ino to step outside with him. Only the opposing lawyers and their clients would be allowed to stay in the room.

Ino caught up immediately, and packed her things to get up, but not before scooting closer to Kakashi. Her eyes were literally shining in mischief, as she reached out to do the needed introductions:

“Nice to meet you, Hatake-san. My name is Yamanaka Ino, and I work with Haruno-san.” She said, her voice as saccharine as could get. Sakura had heard Ino pull that voice on three occasions: a) when she was blatantly flirting her way out of an awkward situation, b) just before she roasted someone a tad bit too hard for their sake, c) when she was having a simp moment. Now this was something that didn’t happen to Ino very often, but once in a blue moon, she’d swoon over something or someone, and make Sakura extremely mad about it.

The way Ino cast a glance at Sakura as she exited the room, following Asuma’s lead, definitely meant it was the third case they were talking about. Sakura dreaded the moment she would be alone with her best friend, but it couldn’t be helped.

But now, there was a more pressing matter at hand to tackle.

“Well then”, Kakashi’s voice cut through her thoughts, “let us sit down and commence”. Cueing his words, Sakura mirrored him, choosing to sit down between Naruto and Shino. Shino had helpfully extracted her files from her bag –she had already given him permission should this be needed-, and handed them to her, while Genma did the same for Kakashi.

Before starting, Sakura slipped a protective hand on Naruto’s back. It only said We’ll be fine, but she sensed his back straighten slightly. If he could talk to her, he’d certainly reassure her he was going to be okay. Then she stole a glance at Kakashi, whose eyes stared straight into hers.

“Right. So, we are here to discuss about buying out of the Uchiha-Uzumaki shared business property. We are talking about a business in the food sector, with two buildings, eighty people working on them and a total yearly profit of 11,7 million. Uchiha-san wants to buy out the whole business, along with the shares and the contracts for all those working in the business. He also wants sole possession of the name rights, with the demand that no one will be using it again except for him. He will also make a bid for the joint property that consists of their home so far and their yards.” Kakashi started, his voice now free of any hint of teasing. He sounded absolutely serious, like what had happened a little while ago hadn’t taken place at all. Sakura was amazed by his ability to stay calm like this, but she could do better.

“We accept your proposal for bidding, and we are ready to discuss proposals on the price Uchiha-san wishes to set. Uzumaki-san has only one term that regards the personnel; they meant to renew their contracts this year and give them a 5% raise as mandated by the law, and Uchiha-san will need to fulfill that contract if we reach an agreement. Also, a term of our client is that Uchiha-san will not fire any of the personnel. Is that accepted?” Sakura asked, barely recognizing her voice as her own –but she felt she was completely stable, when she threw her gaze towards Sasuke, who was looking back at her with a defiant look, almost as if he didn’t care that he was splitting a whole life in this very moment. His indifference could drive Sakura mad, and if he wasn’t the opponent’s client, she would have smacked some sense into his pretty, stupid little head.

Kakashi offered her a half-smile and Sakura felt the room spinning for a short moment. “Excellent. We are always eager to please and negotiate” he said, his voice carrying the smallest tint of mischief.

Sakura blinked once, twice. She mustn’t have heard well. She should get her mind off the gutter ASAP.

“Uchiha-san’s bid is on fifteen million. A generous offer, regarding the annual profits.”

Sakura bristled. Generous, my ass. Having looked for the Uchiha family’s –and Sasuke’s in particular- fortunes, she already decided that fifteen million would be a ridiculous amount. That would be a steal.

“We can’t accept such a low price and you know that” she pressed, taking Kakashi head-on. He replied with yet another of his smirks and leaned away from the table, as Sakura dropped her proposed price.

“Based on profits alone, this company’s shares can’t be given for less than thirty-five million. Please look at the future profit project we compiled” she said, while pushing two identical folders towards Kakashi, with a smug smile that spoke volumes about her confidence in her work. But, to be completely honest, even Sakura knew that thirty-five million was-

“…Preposterous”, came Kakashi’s voice to complete her thought. “Even based on these projections, we shouldn’t have to offer more than twenty million, and that is an offer that is borderline charity.”

Sakura saw red. A charity? Was that supposed to be a joke? Was her work supposed to be a joke for them? Because she had worked hard on those projections. She had even consulted some of her old friends from university, people who had spent their lives doing statistics for those who couldn’t do the hard task themselves. Although, Sakura knew that her own counter offer was also exaggerated – but that was the whole point of negotiating. In order to reach the true price they had agreed on, they had to start higher and talk their way towards an offer that both could accept. This was as true in negotiations, as it was on life; people starting by asking more, just to have to lower their standards over time, with their only goal being to drop their standards just to a respectable level. Money and relationships were just the same in that matter.

What a cynical view to have.

“Then we should go thirty million”, countered Sakura. “Apart from the future projections about the fate of the company, don’t forget that they received two Awards of Excellency this year, and this fact adds up to the monetary assets because of the highly-skilled personnel. After all, its net worth is such as it is because of its personnel. A company is only the sum of the people working on it.”

She definitely piqued their interest at this point, based on their reactions. Naruto beside her straightened, and Shino set his hands looser upon the large table, while Genma and Kakashi looked at her with a look that bordered on approval. Only Sasuke seemed indifferent to her, but even he spared her a glance, and that must have been the highest form of praise for Sakura. She had their attention. So, placing her hands on the table, she lifted off her chair in a display of dominance.

“See, if Uchiha-san doesn’t make a generous offer, it will definitely reflect badly on his personnel, despite their Awards. The subsequent scandal will affect the company’s credibility and then we will have to re-evaluate the future profit projections, since it won’t be correct anymore.”

“Is that a threat, Haruno-san?” Sasuke mumbled, still not deigning to cast her more than a short, menacing look.

If this was a real battle, Sakura would at this point don her armor and get ready to charge the enemy, but alas, it would be illegal to swing a battle axe towards Sasuke. Who would deem her innocent at the court?

Many would like to do so if this happened, but it would be difficult.

“It’s not a threat Uchiha-san, but merely an observation. After all, the exchange and its detail will be made public once it’s been declared to taxes. As a man of enterprise, I expect you to already know that a negative piece of news affects both the productivity of the personnel working and the company’s credibility to the stock market, and subsequently the starting price on any trade. I would be concerned if this was something you didn’t know.”

From his place behind Uchiha Sasuke, Genma discreetly hid his laugh behind a coughing sound. Kakashi once again smirked, fueling Sakura’s mood for confrontation.

There followed a long moment of silence. In that moment, Sakura could feel almost everything going on in the room; she heard Naruto beside her breath more shallowly than before, a surefire sign that he was spiraling down into a panic attack. Kakashi was obviously feeling uneasy; he took a look at his papers, but the one to speak first, despite the protocol that dictated that the lawyer should do the talking instead of the client, was Sasuke:

“My final offer, Haruno-san –and pass it on to your client please-, is twenty-five million. He either gets this or I’m taking this to court and I will win the assets, in which case Naruto will get nothing at all.” He counter-offered, his voice as cold as Sakura could imagine someone could ever be. And then, much to her dismay and to the dismay of everyone else in the room, really, he upped and left without saying a word more. It wasn’t something they had agreed on; while both Genma and Kakashi had kept their calm, the look they exchanged spoke volumes.

When the door behind Sasuke closed, there was a moment of silence that felt like it dragged on too long. The one to break the silence was, surprisingly, Shino.

“So, we should head out then, this conversation can’t be completed without Uchiha-san present. We should bring this back after we’ve both discussed it at length with all the parties involved” he said, his demeanor always impartial, like every skilled lawyer’s.

But she wasn’t like Shino, for better or for worse. Taking a look at Naruto, she realized that the poor man was on distress. His breaths were still shallow but yet slower than before, and his hands, clasped on his lap, seemed to tremble slightly. That was Sakura’s cue to get up.

“Right, so we will be on our way. We will think about Uchiha-san’s offer and come back with our decision in a few days. Expect a reply from our firm in a couple of business days” she said. Getting up to fix her clothes, she caught Kakashi’s eyes boring into hers for a moment, before flicking away. She shouldn’t like catching his gaze so much, but for a moment, she found this completely flattering.

“Talk about awkward…” Genma mumbled, but Kakashi narrowed his eyes at him and he completely came to a halt. Apparently, the man tried to alleviate the atmosphere with a comment or two, but Kakashi wouldn’t have it.

Come to think of it, Sakura had seen Genma immediately hit it off with Ino upon introducing themselves. God forbid there would be anyone else like Ino on this planet, and they’d all be screwed. She picked up her notes and walked towards the door, where the two opposing lawyers had already taken place.

“Right. Nice meeting you, Shiranui-san” Sakura said, as the man clasped her hand in a firm handshake-at the same time, Shino was doing the same with Kakashi and was heading back to do the same with Genma. That left her with-

“That was an interesting meeting, Haruno-san. Nice to meet you, despite the circumstances” Kakashi said, while extending his hand to meet her own. Sakura swallowed hard, feeling giddy all of a sudden as she shook his hand.

For moment that was a tad bit too long, Kakashi gripped Sakura’s hand firmly and didn’t let go, and she didn’t even make an attempt to draw her hand away. Eventually, she did so with great reluctance, hating the fact that she had to withdraw.

“Nice to meet you too, Hatake-san. See you in court.”

***

Once they were outside, they quickly made their schedule: Sakura would drive Naruto home, while Ino and Shino would head back and inform their bosses on the negotiations. Sakura would then return to talk with both Nara and Yamanaka and then she would be free for the rest of the day. Shino nodded in agreement, while Ino made a sign to Sakura that she was absolutely screwed –but that was not something that should matter on that moment.

What really mattered then, was Naruto’s distressed countenance.

At first, they drove in silence-Sakura had mapped the route from the office to Naruto’s place, the one he temporarily lived in after the divorce was announced. She didn’t want to disrupt him, and she let him calm down on his own. They were almost there, when he asked in a small voice for her to pull on the curb and park there.

“Do you have time, Sakura-chan?”

She didn’t, but she did.

***

There was a park nearby the apartment complex Naruto lived, and there they headed, following his lead. It was quiet at this time of day; most people were either working or heading home to rest. It was perfect to sit down.

“We will accept Sasuke’s deal” he said, as soon as they sat down, his voice firm but holding a vulnerability that made Sakura hurt for him.

It was just a client, but it hurt to see that man so broken.

“Are you sure? We can press for more-”

“I don’t care, Sakura-chan. He can have all he wants, if he’s so sure he wants to do this.”

How brittle human relationships were, thought Sakura. At one moment, you’re smitten with someone, sure that what you have will last forever-only to see everything you’ve ever felt crumble in an instance. And this was a textbook case of disenchantment.

“Naruto…” she pressed, not realizing she dropped the honorifics, “are you certain? It’s a big decision about your future.”

Naruto’s shoulders sagged momentarily. “It’s fine. I’m fine –or, I will be-.”

It then dawned on Sakura; if he was sure, she would respect his decision and accept the deal. But until then…

“You know what? Why don’t you talk to me a bit about him? I have time.”

Naruto’s face lit up. “Really? Great! When I first met Sasuke…”

***

Talking about something that tugs at one’s heartstrings is a deeply cathartic process. In the span of an hour and half, Naruto laughed, cried, raged, all the while talking about Sasuke. It was a bittersweet experience for Sakura, to be able to witness from afar the rise and the fall of something that she could only define as a great love. She briefly wondered whether she had ever gone through something similar, to live and breathe for someone the way Naruto did for Sasuke.

All the time Naruto went through the whole five stages of grief, Sakura listened closely. She listened to his soul pouring out, patiently, like a friend would. She didn’t criticize him for saying he still loved him, nor did she tell him it wasn’t nice to cry, instead she reached out and let him bawl his heart out.

She felt like doing the same, but she didn’t.

But in the end, Naruto felt significantly better (Sakura mocking Sasuke’s hair helped A LOT), and they finally parted, not as a client and a lawyer, but as two people connected by the need to soothe a grief. The deal was still on the table; Naruto only wanted to be done with the money as soon as possible. His own family was wealthy enough and wished to support him through thick and thin, so acquiring more money wasn’t a real issue. The only thing he’d fight to have were his precious dogs. Their precious dogs. They wouldn’t fare well in Suna.

As Sakura returned to office, she was immediately ambushed by Ino, who all but dragged her inside. To Sakura’s mortification, she hadn’t let the subject drop. Not one bit.

“You. BITCH. You absolute vixen”, Ino started, but Sakura was quick to deflect:

“I have a report to deliver, we have Uzumaki’s decision-”

“I don’t care! You’ll sit here and talk to me first. That was the guy you fucked and paid, and then ghosted?”

Sakura cringed at the harsh, but absolutely correct description. She nodded at her best friend, who all but squeaked.

“He’s gorgeous, how could you leave without meeting him properly?”

It was true that he was gorgeous, but…

“Let me guess, after Mizuki comes the fucking desert, right?”

“I just don’t want to get involved in anything compromising.”

“More compromising than sitting on that face?” Ino countered with a question that made Sakura turn scarlet.

“Pig!”

“Forehead?” she answered calmly.

“You can’t just strut in here and say things like that!” Sakura squeaked.

“But doing them is a different thing?”

Well, yes…

It was NOT the right time to think about sitting on Kakashi’s face. Any time was wrong to think about that.

“If you don’t want to sit on his face again, I’d be glad to fill the spot-”

“SHUT IT, PIG!!!”

***

“That pinkhead was a real bomb, right? How could she just sass Uchiha so easily, damn”, Genma mused aloud in the company of Asuma and Kakashi, who had just finished briefing the meeting in the former’s personal office. Asuma was flabbergasted that Uchiha left like this, without notifying, but he was even more impressed that this Haruno girl stood up to him like that. She didn’t look the part, but she must have been a fierce little thing to be able to pull such a stunt.

“I heard through the grapevine that the girl is actually very fierce, and that Yamanaka is thinking about offering her a partnership-but speaking of Yamanaka, weren’t you smitten with his daughter, Genma?” Asuma chuckled, while Genma smirked.

“Well both are pretty, but Yamanaka is more like my type. That Haruno though, seems more like Kakashi’s type…”

Kakashi was downing a sip of much needed coffee at the moment and he realized it went down the wrong pipe. Clearing his throat discreetly, he decided to ignore the jab.

“I agree, she’d be perfect for Kakashi” Asuma chimed in.

You can’t imagine how perfect. Images of Sakura writhing underneath him, her legs brushing against his back came into his mind and Kakashi had to check himself, lest he wanted to ridicule himself in front of his friends –who, by the way, had no clue about him knowing Sakura before this whole farce started.

“Anyway” Asuma added, finally changing the subject, “Uchiha isn’t doing well to stir drama like this. He’s undermining our work when he’s not consulting us. But it can’t be helped. Kakashi, you’re waiting for Uzumaki’s response-and then you prepare for round two of court. Genma, you are dismissed for the day. Go home, get rest, go find Yamanaka, do whatever you want. Just come back tomorrow.”

“Well, I could just do that. See you tomorrow, lads!” he said, and immediately got his stuff and left their presence.

Once Genma was out of sight, Asuma opened a drawer and extracted a thick file out of it. With a loud thud, he let it fall on Kakashi’s side of the desk.

“Kurenai did some searching for you, she said you need to read it immediately. Take it home and don’t show it to anyone, not even Genma. We’ll talk about this tomorrow. Now go.”

Kakashi didn’t need any more reassurance; with a silent nod, he hid the file in his bag and left the room, too.

Now there was only one thing to do…

Asuma picked up the phone, dialing a number by heart. The line ringed three times, until someone picked up from the other side.

“This is Uchiha Itachi speaking.”