Of course, Kakashi didn't even make it back to his bed when he was suddenly back with Sakura. He couldn't leave her like that. He couldn't hurt her... The only person he ever cared about so much, that is, in a degree of purely physical interest.

Kakashi was unlikely to be the type of man to throw his arms around someone's neck and reveal his innermost feelings almost immediately. He did not have the courage to be able to love someone, actually, until he met Sakura, he had no idea that he was even capable of such feelings. Yes, he was interested in Sakura, but... could it be love already?

He didn't want to answer to that question. He didn't need it yet. Her company was enough for him, and even the way she clung to his body, without saying anything, only absorbing his warmth.

His strong arms embraced her fragile silhouette in a bossy manner, as if he wanted to say, 'you are mine.' Which he didn't, for it was expressed in his entire appearance. Kakashi grabbed her by the thighs, wanting to lift her off the floor and carry her to the bed as his fingers slipped over some damp remnants on her legs. He didn't have to check to know what it was.

"Sakura..." he whispered in an aching voice. "Is there any chance that you may already be on birth control?"

She shook her head.

Well, of course, he should have expected it since it was her first time. He felt extremely stupid. The most painful thing, however, was how easily he could forget about such an important matter as protection. However, he could forgive himself for his vagueness, for he had been pushed to the limit of his abilities and could no longer resist the temptation. Because Sakura was the temptation, the greatest possible. Never in his life had he ever wanted that much to have this particular woman as his. And that woman was his former apprentice and now subordinate.

"Okay, we'll think about it in the morning," he promised. "Now you should take a bath."

And he breezily picked her up off the floor and carried her to the bathroom, which was in the same room. The only one thing they had not expected was that one of their teammates was already awake.

Therefore, the unfettered, they enjoyed each other once again making love, while a stream of hot water ran down their hot naked bodies.

And when the next day, packed for the journey, they made a short stop before the rest of the journey, which was an excuse for Kakashi to go to the pharmacy to buy birth control before it was too late; nobody protested. On the contrary, Naruto decided to use this moment to find the food booth, while Sasuke and Sakura followed him slowly.

"I'm telling you; Kakashi-sensei sure went to buy another of his books," Naruto snorted, and then his face lit up when he saw a booth similar to that of Ichiraku and immediately rushed in that direction, leaving behind him his friends. Especially a very silent Sasuke.

Sakura wondered if Kakashi had already got what he went for and how long it would take for him to hand her over the package. Following Naruto, alongside Sasuke, she couldn't stop tormenting herself... What if it was too late for that?

"I can't believe you did it," Sasuke suddenly muttered.

Torn from her thoughts, Sakura looked at him not understanding what he meant.

"Hm?" left her mouth before she could understand the meaning of his words.

"Did you do it on purpose to get back at me or what?"

Sakura looked completely puzzled. "W-what...?"

"I'm asking, did you sleep with our teacher just to get back at me?" He asked directly.

Sakura opened her mouth in astonishment, stopping in mid-step. She didn't think anyone would hear them yesterday, but maybe... Sasuke wasn't sleeping at all. Just like Kakashi. "First, I'm not interested in you anymore, and second, I did what I wanted to do," she retorted, seeing his sardonic gaze.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Whatever, do what you want. Just remember that you're not the one to be held responsible when your little romance comes out," he snapped, then disappeared under the canopy of the food booth where Naruto probably tasted his favourite dish.

Sakura was still standing on the road, speechless as the inhabitants bypassed her, and some even burst in and apologized, or called her as road hogs.

Sasuke's words made Sakura analyse their situation and, in fact, it was Kakashi who could be judged for what happened between them. Nevertheless, she also played a part in it. If not entirely the one to be blamed, considering how she provoked him.

So lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice when Kakashi actually appeared by her side, and so she jumped when he spoke, "I bought the chocolates you asked for."

Sakura, still stunned, took the package from Kakashi.

Out of nowhere, as if suddenly materialized by their side, Naruto appeared.

"Kakashi-sensei, why do you never care so much for all your subordinates? Maybe I would like some chocolates too?" the indignant blonde interjected, and Sasuke, who was standing a bit behind him, only snorted.

Sakura felt a blush creep on her cheeks.

"Naruto, you know well that girls aren't worth messing with when they have..." Kakashi glanced at the pink-haired girl, and she blinked in surprise, but decided to play this game as it should be, the more that Sasuke wasn't a talker like Naruto and most likely he wasn't going to share his knowledge with a friend.

"It's definitely better not to mess with me, shannaro!" Sakura snapped and clenched her fist right in front of the blonde's nose. "Not only are my sanitary pads running out, but they want to deprive me of my chocolates!"

The blood drained from Naruto's face and the boy immediately stepped back, catching up with Sasuke, whom he nudged with his shoulder. "Better to back off in advance," he muttered and beamed when he was called to pick up the order.

Sasuke followed him without a word, sending only a meaningful look to Sakura, which she chose to ignore. Instead, she glanced at Kakashi, and with trembling hands, she tore open the nicely packed packet of pills, under which — really — there was a box of chocolates.

"The latter to compensate for my rough behaviour and... if Naruto was jealous of the chocolates," he explained, squinting while smiling under his mask.

"Thank you," she replied, before taking out the pill, she swallowed it immediately, chasing the bitter taste of the pill with a sweet chocolate, and then tucked the packet into a side pouch.

"Let's wait until they're full and we can move on."

"And you're not hungry, Kakashi-sensei?" she looked at him questioningly.

"You could say that... I'm full," he looked at her pointedly, and when Sakura blushed again, Kakashi beamed at her.

And this was what their further lives looked like. Throughout the next week of their mission, Kakashi and Sakura secretly met each other and by some strange coincidence always managed to get two separate rooms, one for Naruto and Sasuke and the other for Sakura and Kakashi. Uchiha didn't protest, he didn't care with whom Sakura was dating, and Naruto didn't discover their relationship for a long time.

Returning to Konoha was like a cold shower, but then Sakura and Kakashi found the opportunity to enjoy each other's company. Until... one time their relationship emerged out. About two years later, during a visit to the doctor, it turned out that Sakura was pregnant.

That's when it just started. Tsunade insisted on Sakura to reveal the identity of the child's father, while Naruto demanded to know with whom his friend was dating throughout the whole time. Sakura didn't reveal the truth to them for a long time, until a little boy with snow-white hair and green eyes was born.