"No antidote," she groaned out, head resting against the dirt for a still moment. Kakashi smoothed back damp hair from her forehead, tucking it back behind an ear. The hair fell back into her face again, sticking to her cheeks, curling around her mouth.

"Sakura-"

"No antidote," she repeated again, grasping for his hand, holding it still against her hot cheek. Her hand was cold, freezing Kakashi through his gloves, and her face was too hot, and she was a bundle of sickness and mess and death. She'd never been more beautiful. "Can't help, not now."

"Tsunade-sama could-"

"Too far," Sakura moaned, clutching his hand until it was nothing but pain. He squeezed back, gently, and kept on holding when she turned her face to the ground, dirt smearing across her forehead, and threw up again. He grasped her, wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her back from the puddle, turning her away from the mess.

"Konoha's too far," she murmured, eyes half-closed. Her hand twisted around his fingers, resting above her stomach. Kakashi moved a breath closer, touching her cheek. Her eyes opened at the touch.

"Poor boys." It was a whisper above a sigh, and there was the slightest catch in her voice. She reached up, patting Kakashi's cheek with her fingertips. "My poor boys. Wanted to be strong for you, for all of you. Such sad, broken boys."

"Not broken," he tried to say, but it didn't come out right. It was twisted and mangled, just like Sakura's bloody stomach.

"Liar."

"Sakura." And was his voice stern? He wasn't sure, but Sakura stopped smiling.

"Kakashi-sensei," she said slowly, her fingertips falling away from his face. "Don't leave me."

He almost laughed from the absurdity of it all. "Don't leave my teammates behind," he said roughly.

"Liar," she said again. "Always got left behind by you boys. Always. Sasuke-kun and Naruto. You." He closed his eye and she tugged on his hand until he opened his eye again. "Not mad at you," she said gently, and he couldn't understand. "My own fault."

"Shouldn't have left you," Kakashi said, "never should have left you."

"I let you." Sakura clenched her teeth, muscles tightening for a moment, and there was a broken sob somewhere in the back of her throat. He grabbed her shoulder, ran his thumb over it, sending in little waves of chakra, smoothing it all away. She was so rough right now, broken pieces of glass, and he tried, desperately, to smooth her edges, hold her together a little better.

"You have to breathe, Sakura," he said almost desperately, leaning forward until his covered mouth was next to her ear. "Just have to breathe and wait it out."

She took in a gasping breath, then let it out, tension melting away from her body. He swallowed, curling his hand around her shoulder, fingers pressing against her neck.

"Sakura?"

"Kakashi-sensei," she whispered. There was a pause, then she looked at him, looked through him. "I never got kissed."

He grabbed his mask, yanked it down, fingernails raking his skin. He touched her face, turned her head a bit, then kissed her, pressing his lips to her dry, hot mouth. He pulled back, touching her lips with his fingertips. "Better?"

Sakura blinked slowly, then smiled, covering his fingertips with hers. "Poor boy," she murmured, lips kissing his fingers.

She'd never been more beautiful.

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