Promises Remembered

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Sakura

Sixty-seven days into the past

Sakura woke slowly. Morning light peaked between the curtains, illuminating the dim room. Memories of the night before flooded back, bringing a smile to her face.

He is for you.

Reaching across the bed, she found it empty. Her smile fell. Where was he? Slowly sliding her hand across the sheets, she found them cool. Wherever he was, he had been gone a while. She sat up and looked around. He was still on medical leave so he hadn't been called off to work. Scrubbing her hands across her face, Sakura tried not to panic.

Had he realized everything? Had he decided he wasn't interested in a doomed relationship? With so much pain and trauma in his past already, surely he wouldn't choose to add more. If that was the case, she didn't know what she would do. Never mind the fact that she was pretty sure she was already falling for him, what about their son?

Frustrated, sad tears started again. Then, because she was crying—again—she grew even more frustrated and cried even harder.

"Dammit."

If he chose to reject her out of self preservation, she wouldn't be able to blame him. Neither would she be able to force herself on him.

In the bathroom, she splashed some cool water on her face and ran her fingers through her hair. Looking herself over, she decided it wasn't too obvious she'd been crying. She was still wearing the green qipao from their date.

"I guess it was a date after all." She laughed sadly to herself. Hopefully it wouldn't be the last.

Deciding she needed to find him, Sakura went back out to the main room. His sandals were gone and—when she peeked out onto the balcony—the ashtray was missing. The memory of her last night in the future came to her and she wondered if hiding on the roof was a habit.

Sliding into the pair of slippers she had bought for his apartment, she stepped out onto the balcony. The smell of cigarette smoke assaulted her nose immediately. Yep. He was definitely upset.

'Only on the hard days.'

Sakura only hoped he would still want her like he had the night before. Focusing her chakra, she climbed up on his balcony rail, only to be met with the sight of his dangling feet. One sandal looked in danger of plummeting to the ground. Standing on the rail, she could lean over the edge of the roof.

He was laying on his back with his arms spread out in either direction. There was one cigarette stub smashed in the dog shaped ashtray, another lying forgotten inches from his right hand. Looking at him closely, she could see there were tears leaking from his eyes and in profile, his expression looked miserable.

Chest tight, Sakura called out to him. "Kakashi?"

His whole body flinched. Dragging his palms across his face, he sat up and looked at her. "Hey..."

Vaulting up and onto the roof, she cautiously approached. "Are you ok?"

He inhaled deeply through his nose, looked out at the village below, and then back at her. She could see the wheels turning in his head. Was he about to tell her thanks for the kisses but I think we should be friends?

Instead— "Yeah..." He reached for her, pulling her down to sit beside him. "Just thinking."

He tucked her into his side and stared out at the last bits of sunrise kaleidoscope. Relief washed through her. "Hmm..." She wrinkled her nose, picking up his burnt stub that was now right where she wanted to rest her hand, and dropping it in the ashtray. "I could smell. You know... you really ought to stop that."