The Rumor

A/N:  As you probaly can tell, I love this shipping. I love it so much so that I'm dedicating two stories to it at the same time. Kakashi. Sakura. Why aren't you guys together already? Tis the fate of a crack shipper :(

Chapter 1 - The Rumor

“Haruno Sakura.”

The audience applauded politely as a pink haired kunoichi stepped up to the stage. With a stride as graceful as one of a true lady (or so she thought), she strode across the stage and accepted her silk scroll. She bowed to the man who handed it to her and gave an exuberant wave to the audience before walking back down, wearing a proud and somewhat brash smile on her face.

“Congratulations, Sakura-chan!” someone called out to her. She gave a large grin in return, followed with an ever so humble “Why, thank you.” She hadn’t known exactly who it was that had just congratulated her, but the person’s words flattered her nonetheless. Today was her special day, and she was just filled with so many good feelings. Nothing could possibly ruin her wonderful mood.

Nothing except for another ‘special mission’ from Tsunade that is. Even after receiving recognition from the Council of Elders for being one of the most accomplished, young, and competent medic nin in all of Konoha (that may even rival the Hokage someday), she was still the Hokage’s little apprentice, and she still had to answer to every of her shishou’s little whim. That included taking on some of the responsibilities of the Hokage herself.

And so, as she marched through the village streets, heading toward the Hokage tower, she couldn’t help but mutter a string of curses under her breath. She was, mildly stated, annoyed, and every step that brought her closer to that terrible, wicked old lady made her just a bit more irritated.

Finally arriving at her destination, Sakura groaned as she grudgingly dragged herself into the Hokage’s office. She didn’t even bother to knock. “Shishou…” she greeted halfheartedly.

The Hokage glanced up from the mountain of paperwork on her desk. Seeing Sakura, she was more than a little amused. Tsunade smirked at Sakura’s sunken appearance before barking at her, “So you think you’re now all that just because you earned a little award from the elders huh?”

Sakura made a face before unraveling her silk scroll and holding it up for her shishou to see. She gloated, “I don’t know…this scroll seems pretty impressive, doesn’t it? Look here. It even says: ‘To a most gifted and skilled kunoichi, the Council of Elders presents you, Haruno Sakura, with a Certificate of Appreciation for your outstanding medical proficiency and combat skills.’ Just as I said, impressive, right?”

Tsunade hummed indifferently. “Who gives a crap?”

Sakura frowned, but before she was able to retort, Tsunade cut her off by slamming a mission scroll onto the desk. She pointed to the scroll, and spoke in a scarily serious manner, “Now back to business. This mission will be a bit…how should I say this? Different? Special? Regardless, I don’t want to deal with it. But since you’re such an accomplished medic nin, you can definitely deal with this one, can’t you?”

Sakura cursed silently. She had walked straight into this one, hadn’t she? She gulped before replying, “Oh, I don’t know, Tsunade-sama I–”

“No, no. Nonsense.  Of course you will. Now hurry up, take this mission scroll with you, read the details, and work on it! It’s a perfect mission for a talented medic as you. You can now leave my office.”

Sakura gritted her teeth but complied nevertheless. She grabbed the scroll off the desk and marched straight out of the office. She was fuming, and she didn’t even bother to bow before leaving. Tsunade shook her head, frowning slightly. Someone needed to teach this girl a lesson. Then, a happy thought came to her when she suddenly remembered just what the mission scroll had entailed. Just as her assistant Shizune, walked in, Tsunade let out a terrifying giggle, scaring the darker haired girl into backing a few feet away.

Sakura was going to have a lot of fun with this mission. That was for sure.

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“I can’t believe her, that procrastinating, lazing, slobbering, gambling, temperamental alcoholic! Right after I receive such an amazing award, she just has to go and ruin my whole day with another one of her ‘special missions’. She says they’re to help train me, but the truth is, she’s just too lazy to deal with them herself. Either that, or the mission is too troublesome for her. It’s all the little apprentice’s duty to do the grime work,” Sakura huffed as she downed another cup of sake. She was sweating and her cheeks were beginning to look a bit rosy, but Ino poured her another cup anyway.

Sakura’s best friend nodded sympathetically. “Poor Sakura.  It’s your special day and you’re still forced to be a little errand girl for that old lady? What’s the point of tagging along with her anymore anyway? She doesn’t pay you, does she? Why not just be like me and start living more freely?”

“Oh, Ino.”  Sakura chuckled while she rolled her eyes. “You don’t get it. My career is my drive. Tsundae may not pay me but at least I’m gaining some valuable training. Only through this way can I become the wonderful medic that I aspire to be. If it weren’t for her, would I even have this award right now? I think not. And besides, going around and doing absolutely nothing isn’t exactly my style either.”

“Hey, watch it, Forehead,” Ino ground out teasingly, “I’m not going around doing absolutely nothing.  I still have to run my family’s flower shop and that takes work, you know.”

“Oh, like you can compare me working multiple shifts in a hospital while also having to fuss over the village’s Hokage to you working in a flower shop? Face it Ino, many of us are working a lot more than you are right now. Tenten’s busy with her training as always, Hinata’s starting to take up on her duties as heiress, and you’re just running a little flower shop.” Finishing was a loud sigh, Sakura gulped down her drink, slammed the cup on the table, and wiped her mouth with her arm. She looked back up to find Ino glaring at her. That wasn’t too unexpected.

What took Sakura by surprise, though, was her friend’s harsh tone. “Shut it, Forehead," Ino bit out tightly. Now, Ino was really angry. Sakura could tell, so before she uttered anything stupid again, she downed another cup of sake. Glancing up at her friend apologetically, she hurried to pour Ino and herself another cup. She handed the cup over to Ino, pleading, “Sorry. You know I didn’t mean any of what I said. The stress is just kind of getting to me. Forgive me?”

Ino glared down at the cup in Sakura’s hands. After what seemed like forever, she finally reached to take it. “Fine, Forehead. Just remember to never say that kind of stuff to me again.” She gulped down the sake.

Sakura smiled. “Okay, Ino. I promise, but could you please stop calling me that?”

“What?”

“Forehead.”

Ino laughed, “Hah, no. I actually think I’ll be calling you that more often, Forehead.”

“Oh, now you shut it! Pig!”

“Hey!”

Sakura smiled gleefully at her friend’s annoyed expression. She still hated (and somewhat loved) her best friend as much as ever. That was one thing that would never change, and it made her feel a whole lot better. It was something that she could always count on. Seeing Sakura’s softened expression, Ino also gave a small smile. After a silent moment of just staring and smiling at one another, the two girls then burst into a crazy fit of laughter, neither of the two seeming to notice that the entire bar was now staring at them. That of which included Hatake Kakashi and a few of his favorite drinking mates, Shiranui Genma and Yamato.

“Look over there Kakashi, isn’t that your cute little pinkie?” Genma prodded, his arm wrapping tightly around Kakashi’s shoulders. He leaned a bit closer, and Kakashi was overwhelmed by the putrid stank of alcohol coming from Genma’s open mouth. He was getting a little too close, so Kakashi, in response, gave the man the iciest death glare, forcing Genma to promptly shrink back. He was still laughing, however.

Not bothering to glance in the way Genma was pointing, Kakashi turned back to his kohai. “Tenzou, what was that about the rumor again? The one that had something to do with me?”

Before Yamato even had a chance to speak, Genma interrupted in a drunken slur, “Oh, Kakashi, when are you ever going to stop calling Yamato by that stupid codename?”

Luckily, Yamato intervened before Kakashi was able to punch the guy in the face, and he spoke ever so calmly, “It’s alright. I actually prefer him calling me Tenzou anyway. Reminds me a bit of the old times.” He smiled pleasantly at the two before continuing, “And the rumor…it’s a bit, well, scandalous, shall we say? People are saying that Kakashi here has been going around the village spreading a disease of some sort. Supposedly, the only ones affected are women.”

For a minute, Kakashi was utterly shocked into confusion while Genma choked up in laughter. “Oh, boy. What kind of disease are we talking about here? Hey, Kakashi. What have you been busy doing lately? Are you going back to your dirty habits again?” Genma chuckled a bit more.

Kakashi turned back to him, raising an irritated brow. “Unlike you, Genma, I never had any ‘dirty habits’, and to be very honest, I have no idea what Tenzou is talking about. Disease? I’m not sick. How could I be spreading anything?”

Yamato gave a small shrug. “Don’t know. Anyway, the people have been calling it ‘The Kakashi Effect.’ It’s a bit funny having a disease named after you, huh?” He then laughed along with Genma. Quite honestly, Kakashi didn’t find anything funny at all. What in the world was Yamato talking about and just what was this stupid disease? He grumbled angrily before taking another swig of his drink.

Something was telling him that this rumor was going to be troublesome…and he wasn’t sure if he really wanted to know why.