Shattered (#1 in Shifting Series)

A Tease Too Far?

**Photograph by Chobir Dokan**

Sarah was feeling quite satisfied, even if she was being held like an errant child.  She laughed again, knowing she had gotten him back good for teasing her so badly earlier.  Serves him right, she thought to herself smugly.  That hadn't been nice of him at all, using her crush against her for his own amusement.  It was only fair she used one of his only known weaknesses!  The idea to grab one of his books had come just in time.  She would never forget how he had almost fainted when he had to read out loud one of the lines in the book during the war to break Jiraiya's coded message.  The man had been sweating and red as a tomato.  He looked like he was going to pass out as the words had left his lips.  It was the perfect revenge.

"I've been meaning to ask you," he said very close to her ear.  His mask was still off, and his lips were very close to her ear as he held her aloft.  "How old are you?"

Curious about my age, are you?  She laughed softly, "I'll tell you when you put me down."

"Oh no, now that I have you subdued, I want an answer."

Sarah smirked, "Subdued huh?  You wish."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes, that sweet scent was stronger near her ears.  She must dab it there.  Little brat was being purposefully difficult now.  "It's a simple question, Sarah," he responded, the annoyance creeping back into his tone.  "It's not like I asked you something more... intimate."

Sarah was beginning to not like being held the way she was and turned to look back at him.  He was so close that she could see the subtle shadings of gray in his eyes.  She had never seen gray eyes in person until him.  She knew they existed, having done an online search once, but they were very beautiful up close.  She could actually see three different shades of gray.  A dark outer ring, a lighter gray that took up the majority of his eyes, yet towards the pupil...  It looked more silver and was very discrete as it blended into the middle ring. Those beautiful eyes were slightly narrowed on her, and she almost laughed again, oh she really had annoyed him.

"You won't believe me even if I tell you," she responded smugly. She gave a slight oof when he squeezed her tighter, she could feel the muscles on his chest against her back he was holding her so tightly.

"Sarah..." he almost growled.

She laughed hard then having scored another point in her favor, "Fine.  I'm thirty-eight.  Now let me down."

"You're right, I don't believe you," he responded in a tone of doubt.  "You look at best twenty-nine."

Sarah laughed, "Well, I assure you I am thirty-eight.  Everyone thinks I am younger than I am.  All the women in my family look at least ten years younger than their actual age.  That is really the only thing, other than the color of my eyes, that I got from my mother."

"Hmm... then that is a good thing," he responded cryptically.  "A younger woman would probably get scared about now."

Sarah rolled her eyes at him, "Now why would I be scared of you?  You forget, I know everything about you.  I'm perfectly safe here with you.  You aren't going to do anything to me that would hurt me.  Why the intimidation?"

Kakashi's eyes narrowed on her while his lips curled up.  "I don't like to lose."

Sarah laughed, "Oh I know that but, in this case, you've definitely lost this round.  I got you good and at the very least, you should let me down so I can appropriately gloat. Concede your defeat, Kakashi Sensei."

She was feeling quite smug as he started to lower her down.  She then let out a small shriek as he abruptly tossed her into the air with a spin.  How he did it as heavy as she was, she did not know exactly, but she found herself once more trapped in his arms but this time facing him.  Her arms were trapped against his chest, her hands into worthless fists.  He gave her a smug smile and she did feel nervous at that point.  It was one thing to goad him without looking at him.  It was quite another to be facing him dead on and goading him.