62And Love
Prompt:
Awe, Nicknames, and Myopia
"He who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good a dead; his eyes are closed." ~ Albert Einstein
The first time Sakura is truly awed by Kakashi is when she is twelve and they're on that awful mission in Wave. It's the first time she sees him as something more than just a teacher; more than just the absent-minded man that watches over them. She sees him for, what he is: The Copy Ninja; and for what he can be: a killer. It's breathtaking and heartbreaking.
When she's older and classified as Team Seven's medic, it's reassuring when she kneels down beside him after a battle to heal him and can see him as her friend again. "Thank you," he murmurs with a squeeze of his eyes, which she always gratefully returns.
Kakashi is taken aback when he first witnesses Sakura's new strength after just two years under Tsunade-sama's instruction. However, he's in awe of her for the first time when she's eighteen.
They're sent to help a team of Suna-nin clear out an encampment of missing-nin, men that the bingo book saw fit to acknowledge with bounties. They're dangerous and blood-thirsty and Sakura's a part of the second wave sent in to help.
Kakashi arrives, unnoticed, when she is facing off with three of the criminals, her hands raised in the air in a show of passivity. They are standing (unwisely) between her and an injured Sai.
Her voice is calm and clear as she speaks. "I'm advising you to stand down. This is your only chance."
They laugh and the leader regards the pretty young woman with a broad grin. "And who are you to advise us of anything?"
"I am Haruno Sakura of Konohagakure."
Grins fall and eyes widen as the name registers.
They disappear in an instant, fading like shadows under a ray of light, and Kakashi can only smile as he darts after them.
"Nicknames stick to people and the most ridiculous are the most adhesive." ~Thomas C. Haliburton
Kakashi first earned the nickname "The Copy Ninja" immediately following the first time he used his Sharingan in combat. He's not quite sure who coined it, but he knows that it was Gai who caught him when he passed out of chakra exhaustion and pushed his hitai-ate back into place—the only one not intimidated by the swirling, black tomoes.
Sakura first earned her nickname when she dropped into a battle from the back of one of Sai's birds and created a crater that nearly swallowed the entire forest the battle was taking place in.
Naruto's laugh was positively maniacal when he approached her afterward in camp and crowed out, for everyone to hear: "It's Konoha's Cherry Bomb!"
To her everlasting embarrassment, it sticks.
"Love is blind." ~ Shakespeare
Sakura is buried deep in his heart long before Kakashi realizes he opened the door and he is holding a piece of hers long before she notices any one of the shards missing.
But their friends can see it all as it happens and while their lips are sealed until the pair opens their eyes, their fingers are crossed.
1. A new project and I love you already for checking it out.
2. Cherry Bomb might have been used before, but it's awesome.
3. I know these are short. Hopefully they'll get a little longer in the future. I'm looking for 3 per chap and I'm looking for suggestions! Anyone have any prompts they want explored? Suggestions? If you just want to mention a character name and one word or give me a quote or anything, I'll take a shot at it. I'm looking to make this into a writing exercise.
