She couldn’t believe it. Sakura couldn’t and wouldn’t believe her eyes as she stared at the drunken man in front of her who was supposed to be her sensei. Naruto stood behind her and for once in his life couldn’t think of anything to say. He was too shocked. Their eyes widened when Kakashi drowned another bottle of liquor. But that was nothing to the surprise that came their way when he ordered another bottle which the barman happily gave to him.

Sakura’s eyes started to fill with tears. What in the world had happened to their strong, proud sensei? What had caused him to reduce himself to this? They had heard rumors but they had never in their lives thought that they would be true?

Ino said that she saw Kakashi buy two bags of nothing but alcoholic drinks while grocery shopping with her father.

Neji said he and Lee had to hold Kakashi down once to prevent him from beating a woman black and blue when the poor thing told him they were out of liquor.

Kiba said he had seen Kakashi stumbling down the street, drunker then a sailor, harassing everyone who would come too close.

Had it really been true?

Sakura forced her tears back and called forth every inch of her courage and self-control as she grabbed a still frozen Naruto by the arm and dragged him towards their sensei, preparing herself for a heated lecture, a heated argument and maybe even a heated battle. Naruto did not say anything. He did not resist because he probably would’ve stampeded towards him anyway once he came back to reality. Before they reached him however Kakashi turned around, his eyes unfocused. He spotted the two walking towards him with a reduced, less confident and more wary pace.

“Sakura! Naruto! What brings you two here?!” he stated loudly and obviously drunk though he didn’t slur.

He slipped off his seat and stumbles clumsily towards the two younger shinobi. He bumped into several people, stumbles a few times and opened his arms as if he wanted to hug the pair to death. Naruto looked like he was prepared to do a dash. In which direction he wasn’t sure yet. Sakura, however, looked like she was going to cry again.

This was not right. This was not their sensei. This was not Hatake Kakashi. It couldn’t be. It was impossible.

“You two are looking awfully depressed! I know! Why not have a drink! It always cheers me up!” Naruto and Sakura could do nothing but weakly shake their heads in decline.

“Oh, come on! It’ll be fun! It’ll be like a celebration! For what I don’t know but I’ll think of something! We’ll have a party and a liquor contest! It’ll be great!” several other drunks in the place made agreeing noises.

“I have a better idea.” Sakura said, uncertainly. “Why don’t we go home?”

“Home? This is my home!” and without warning Kakashi turned around and headed back to the bar and ordered three drinks.

“Naruto!” Sakura wispered furiously to the blonde boy next to her. “We have to get him home. This can’t go on.”

“I know, ‘tebayo.” Was the weak reply.

Sakura eyed Naruto, not all that sure if she could rely on him but finding that she didn’t really have another choice. She looked back at Kakashi to see him stumbling back towards them holding three drinks.

“Here! Drink up!” he said, forcing the drinks into their hands. “To Konoha!”

“To Konoha!!” several others replied.

“To Shinobi!”

“To Shinobi!!”

“To the Hokage!”

“To the Hokage!!”

“To Sasuke!”

“To... who?”

Several people looked confused, others just went along and drowned their alcohol just like Kakashi. Sakura and Naruto looked like they were going to faint. But then the demon container looked as if he suddenly realized something.

“That’s it!”

Sakura looked confused.

“What’s it?”

“Sasuke!”

“Huh?”

“The teme’s departure! That’s what caused Kakashi to start drinking.”

“Bu-but why?”

“I don’t know. Maybe he was in love with him or something, ‘tebayo.” Naruto said in an attempt to lighten the mood.

All of a sudden the place became quiet. All eyes were on Kakashi who was eyeing Naruto weirdly.

“Uh, sensei?”

“I always knew you were smarter then you let on, Naruto.” He whispered sadly, before fainting.

“Sensei!” Several people including Sakura went to Kakashi to see if he was alright. Naruto just stood there. Had he heard that right?

“C’mon, Naruto. Let’s take him home.” Sakura said, an unconcious Kakashi drapped over her shoulders like a boa.

“Hai.”

000

Naruto and Sakura stood on the bridge. They had come early cause Naruto had begged Sakura, telling her he had something he wanted to discuss. But after a dream he had last night involving Kakashi comitting suicide and Sasuke in the arms of a ‘loving’ Orochimaru he decided that it was, maybe, better to stay out of it. It was worth getting his lights punched out by an annoyed (and sleepy) Sakura.

Suddenly the pink-haired shinobi gasped causing Naruto to jump.

“What the hell, ‘tebayo!” he turned to glare at Sakura but then he spotted Kakashi casually walking towards them.

“S-sensei?”

“Hai, Sakura?”

“Y-your on time!”

Kakashi raised his eyebrows... or the only visibly one at least.

“Your point?”

Whoa, bad hangover? Naruto thought.

“Sakura, would you do me a favor and buy me some painkillers. I’ll give you back the money.”

The younger shinobi’s stared at him before Sakura shrugged and vanished. Naruto never felt more vulnerably in his life. He was confused. Did Kakashi remember what had happened?

“Naruto?”

“Hai!” said Naruto, thunderstruck for some reason.

“You alright?”

“I’m fine... Can I ask you something, sensei?”

“Go ahead.”

“Sasuke. He’s the reason, isn’t he? Did you feel for him? Were you, uh, lovers?”

Kakashi looked at him blankly for several moments, making Naruto extremely nervous. Then Kakashi turned away and vanished after replying, leaving Naruto with another reason to hate Sasuke and get him back.

“Whatever.” Kakashi had said.