Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Strawberry Secrets ❯ Chapter 6

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Kakashi sat in his usual chair at the back of the bar. From his perch, he could see everything that was happening within the room and most importantly, he had his back to a wall. Being paranoid meant he stayed alive one day longer, even if he was eyebrow deep in the crème de la crème of Konoha Shinobi talent. More battle-weary ANBU found there way here to drown their sorrows than most people knew.

On Thursdays, the usual fun-loving crowd could be found at Kirin’s for Karioke and cheap beer. It was not Kakashi’s scene, especially when more than enough of his friends and colleagues had a penchant for screaming bad music at the top of their lungs. He’d never forgive the bloke who had come up with the lyrics, ‘Living off of refried dreams.’ Ick.

It was very rare that the Copy-nin allowed himself a drink in public. Drinking– consuming anything actually, entailed lowering his mask which he liked to avoid at all costs. Tonight was one of those nights where he needed something to assuage his bungled nerves, though. It had something to do with a deceptively innocent looking pink-haired kunoichi. He could still feel her lip trapped between his teeth and for the first time in a long time, he cursed the confines he had imposed on himself when adopting the mask. He tilted the glass back, and watched the ice clink as amber liquid poured into his mouth to bite at his tastebuds. Thankfully, it was bitter enough to wash away the taste of strawberries that had coated his tongue since he had kissed the woman.

Lifting his hand up to signal another drink at the bar, he then turned his gaze elsewhere. There were still a few people in the bar. They were the faithful patrons who preferred the mellow mood that usually shrouded the place. The faithful few that were nowhere to be seen on Friday Nights when it got insanely busy at the bar. The bartender walked over with his drink and waited as Kakashi fished out the proper coinage.

When the bartender had gone back behind the counter, Kakashi took up the glass and titled it slightly on it’s coaster, watching the contents slide around. The dim light from the booth he was sitting at twinkled in the snifter, he felt the perspiration from the glass slide down and soak his fingertips.

Despite all the clothes he wore, Kakashi felt the freezing winter air push itself through the muggy bar. He looked up as the door slammed closed and waited for the person to show themself. She stood against the doorjamb and obviously scanned the sparse crowd. The lower part of her face was covered in a thick black, wooly scarf. She unravelled it and then pulled off her hat. The familiar gleam of pink hair was shook loose of its confines and tumbled around her heart-shaped face. As she walked further into the barroom, she unbuttoned her coat and hung it off the back of a chair before hopping onto it.

Kakashi’s eyes slid from her back and back to his glass. Not even the trusty scour of double malt whiskey was going to get rid of the taste of strawberries tonight. Deeming his mission to get thoroughly inebriated as an utter failure, he pulled his mask up over his face and abandoned his half-empty glass. He slid up to the bar, trying to figure out what he was going to say to the woman who he suspected might be angry with him for his little display earlier that day. His shoulder ached as a reminder of his trespasses. Let it ache, dammit. He thought darkly as he settled on a stool beside her.

“Are you going to take it easy, tonight?” He asked, giving his best cheeky grin.

She glanced up at him and immediately began blushing. “I learned my lesson.”

Unlike most of the women that he saw at bars, she didn’t wear make-up. Maybe because she didn’t have to. Her skin was like porcelain but with a nice pink hue to her sculpted cheekbones. She lowered her eyes to her own glass as she chewed her lip. “Don’t do that.” He said suddenly.

Lifting her head once more, she gave him a questioning glance, “Do what?”

“Blush so beautifully.” ‘Oh no, that just didn’t slip out of your mouth, Hatake’ his inner voice groaned. Why was she doing this to him? What had she done to make him say such stupid, insipid things?

She blushed more, if that was possible. “As long as you promise to not start with the comments.” Naoru breathed against the rim of her glass.

Was it the alcohol that made him like this? He wondered as he watched her drink the rum-spiked beverage. She had set her gloves neatly by the coaster that her drink sat on. So neat and particular, like someone else he knew with identical pink hair. She was dressed in a pair of black slacks, her black shoes and modestly cut long sleeved shirt. Her hair hung loose around her shoulders, her long bangs were caught back in floppy knot that showed how much thought she had put in to her appearance. Waves and waves of pink hair cascaded down her back in silky curtains to cover her back and the back of the chair. It was impossibly long. He itched to wrap his hands in it- the same impulse he had almost given into that morning. Realizing that he had been staring at her far too long, he turned his head to the bartender and ordered another drink. He wasn’t going to drink it, but he wanted a reason to prolonge his departure. Strangely enough, he found his eyes sliding back to her, drinking in her presence like the finest liquor.

“Stop staring at me.” She said in a small voice.

He smiled and tore his eyes away from the woman. He felt guilty for making her uncomfortable, but at the same time couldn’t help but just watch her to see what other things she would do. Like a puzzle where there were innumerable secrets, he found himself wanting to turn her over and over in his hands until he figured her out completely. It was a rather destructive habit and most likely the main reason he was still single. Women, he figured, just didn’t like being figured out. But once he had understood his unfortunate partner, he quickly lost interest. God, I need a drink, his inner voice groaned and before he could stop himself he hooked one finger under his mask and dragged it down onto his chin so that he could take a drink of his whisky.

“You can stop staring at me, now.” He grinned down at her, holding the mask in front of his face to obstruct the bartender’s quick glance.

She blinked and turned her head back to her drink. “I’m sorry.”

Throwing back the drink with the ease of someone who had been drinking for years, Kakashi hitched his mask back up over his face and grabbed her coat. Shaking it out, he held it out for her and said, “Come with me.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” She mumbled.

“There’s no one here who cares about what we do, Naoru. Come with me.” He said, unusually solemn in his command.

As if having no control over her body, she watched herself get off the chair and slide into the jacket. He picked up her mitts as she did up her jacket and handed them to her. After her scarf and hat were in place they walked out the door and into the dark snowy night.

He watched her from the corner of his eye as she tilted her head back and opened her mouth, her tongue peaked out to catch an errant snowflake. A completely innocent, childish action and it was the most womanly thing he’d ever seen. He smiled and tilted his head back, feeling the cold, wet bits of fluff land on his bare skin. They walked down the street, looking up and completely disregarding where their feet landed. He knew where they were going and had tread the path a million times before. Each stone, crook, cranny and curb was familiar to him.

“Where are we going, Kakashi-san?” She asked, her voice shattering the heavy winter silence.

“Does it matter?” The question went undebated, they walked on and let the tension grow between them.

When finally Kakashi stopped, they were in the training grounds. He brushed away the snow that had gathered on his favourite sitting spot overlooking the entire village of Konoha. “Just as I thought.” He said as he settled himself.

“What?” The woman asked, her face still directed towards the soft glow of the village’s many lights.

“It’s even more beautiful in the snowfall.”

Naoru turned and smiled at him. “It is beautiful.”

His free arm reached out and caught her wrist, pulling her into the warmth of his embrace. She settled with her back against his chest, wresting her head in the junction of his neck and shoulder. Neither spoke but shared a million different fleeting sensations as they counted the snowflakes.

Naoru reached out with one gloved hand and let one flake land on her finger. She brought it close to her face to inspect it. “Do you know that not one Snowflake is ever the same?”

Having an excuse to bow his head down and bury his face into the collar of her coat, he looked at the small flake that was slowly melting into the fabric of her glove. “Oh?”

She smiled and turned in his arms to look at his face. “Yes, and all snowflakes of six sides.”

The snowflakes had caught in her long lashes, her cheeks were rosy from the cold and her breath rose in even puffs, tantalizing his nose with the slight scent of strawberries. “That’s interesting.” He was honestly enraptured by the woman as she tilted her head back and exposed the long, delicate column of neckto catch another snowflake in her open mouth. He let go of her waist and touched her chin, causing her to lower her face to his. The transformation from woman-child to full out sensual woman took place in a simple, swiping gesture. Her hand came up, hooking a finger in his mask to drag it down.

His breath caught in his throat as anticipation crackled across his chilled skin. She leaned in, ever so lightly brushing a cold cheek against his. Not what he had expected, but the effect was just the same. It left him breathless and excited. He watched motionlessly as she brushed winter-chilled lips against his, leaning further into his embrace. Somehow sensing that if he pushed her, she would break, he reined in all of his self-control to let her make her simple, innocent explorations. Her hands cupped the sides of his face as she rained kisses on his face.

“Naoru.” He whispered, gently tugging the hat off of her head so that he could see the long locks of pink hair. Running his hand through it, it felt like live, warm silk to touch. He pulled back and watched her face in contrast to the dark winter night and the snowflakes drifting lazily around her.

Their lips crashed together, a far cry from the gentle, chaste kisses she had given him before. She tugged at the front of his flak jacket as if trying to get closer. Her fist bunched the material, straining as she clenched her hand tighter. Their tongues met like quicksilver, brashly and boldly touching between lips that seemed like they wanted to meld together. Rendered breathless by her sudden change, he felt her pull away and break from the grasp he had on her hip. “Oh god, I can’t do this!” She whispered gently, her voice caught on the rising wind.

She was an unpredictable maelstrom, reaping havoc on his senses. He stood, ready to dash after her if she decided to bolt. He wasn’t going to let her go, he needed to find... he needed his release. He wanted to be done with her so that he could return to his old, familiar routines. His colourless and emotionless existence. She was a dash of colour in his grayscale painting, an obscene mark on the canvas of his live-by-the-rules life.

“I’m sorry, Kakashi but I can’t do this.” Naoru’s words were pained as she backed away from him. “Not with you.”

He watched numbly as she ran and he silently screamed for his feet to move after her. When finally her back was engulfed in the shadows cast by the trees, and he could no longer hear her footsteps rasping in the snow, Kakashi moved. Pushing the mask back into place, he found himself gazing out at his beloved village. The colour, the blip on his grey painting slowly faded back and although he felt a profound sense of loss for it, he hoped that it would come back soon.

TBC