The Spaces In-Between

Trees Are My Enemies

Y/N grunted as she hit the ground hard again.  She cast a baleful glare at the tree looming over her.  She was really beginning to hate that damn tree.  She had made some progress but she was reminded of all the times she had failed in the dream world.  Why couldn't she get it?  She hit the ground with her fist in frustration.

"Damn it!" she cursed.

Kakashi's shadow fell over her and he looked down at her with a raised brow.  She glared at him, not at all pleased with the look.  "Y/N it takes time to get this.  Did you really think you would get it in one day?  How many times did we practice it in the dream?"

"Bah, I did better yesterday than I ever did in the dream," she scowled. "This should be the same!"

Kakashi tilted his head to the side, giving her that half-lidded smile of his.  The look was enough to raise up a bit of irritation in her.  It was that same smug look he would give her when they were kids.  She twisted abruptly and swept his legs out from under him.  He caught himself before he hit the ground, much to her disgust.  Kakashi knelt over her, resting his forearms on his knee.  Laughter was in his gray eyes as he looked down at her.

"And there is the brat I remember from our little world.  You almost had me convinced that the brat was gone..."

Y/N slowly smiled at him before abruptly twisting her body, wrapping her legs around his torso and flipping him.  He countered fast and the next thing she knew he had her laying flat across his lap and his hand swatted her backside, hard.  She growled and grappled a bit with him until they both were rolling as they tried to gain dominance over the other.

Kakashi laughed when he finally got her pinned.  "You never change and I love that about you."

Y/N tried to glare at him but couldn't.  It had been a bit of fun wrestling with him like they had done so many times as kids.  "You're still a know it all snob.... and a perv."

Kakashi grabbed her up in his arms and laughed, holding her tightly.  "Call me what you will, brat, but you know you love that I'm a perv."

She laughed, unable to stay irritated with him for long.  She never had been able to in the past either.  She hugged him back, "It's frustrating."

He sighed, "Yes, I'm sure it is.  You'll get it,  Y/N, just not in a day.  Come on, let's go get something to eat.  That's enough for one day."

"Fine," she said while casting a glare at the tree.  "I'll get you tomorrow!"

Kakashi rolled his eyes and pulled her to her feet.  She would yell at a tree. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, "What do you think about getting some barbeque?  I haven't taken you there yet."

"Okay, that sounds nice," she said with a grin.

A few minutes later, they were sitting inside a booth with a grill in the center of the table.  Kakashi ordered several items for them and a few minutes later, he was flipping pieces of meat on the grill in front of them.  She watched wordlessly, her eyes shifting to his hands.  God, she loved those fingers.  He noticed her look and his face heated up.

"You were serious about the hands weren't you?"

Y/N face blushed, "Well... they are very sexy hands and fingers.  Deadly but also... gentle."

He leaned towards her, "Why did you blush more when you said deadly, brat?  I'm beginning to think you like that more than the gentle."

Y/N cleared her throat, "I think the meat is burning."

"Something will be burning later," he said softly, making her blush even more.

The waitress brought a bottle of sake to the table.  Y/N reached for it and Kakashi moved it out of her reach.  She raised both brows at him in question.  "Hey... I wanted some of that."

That goofy look came on his face again.  What in the world is he thinking?  He cleared his throat, rubbed the back of his neck while chuckling, "I think until you can get up that tree you should keep away from any alcohol.  Hinders the performance, you know."

"Kakashi, that doesn't even make sense."

"Trust me on this," he remarked as he poured himself a cup.

"Huh," she said as she leaned back into her seat and crossed her arms in front of her.  She narrowed her eyes slightly.  "I always trust you but you've been acting weird all day."

He laughed and rubbed the back of his neck before flipping the meat in front of them.  He handed her a rice ball.  "Try a rice ball."

Y/N took it from him and took a bite out of it.  She had known him all her life but she could not figure out what he was about this time.  He then piled her plate with meat and she stared at it.  That was a lot of protein.  How much did he think she could eat?

"Well go on, try it," he encouraged.  "Protein is very good for the ba-body, especially after all that training."

He motioned the waitress over, said something low to her.  She gave a quick nod of her head and left.  Y/N shook her head at him.  Kakashi was being such a weirdo.  Then the waitress returned and set a glass of milk in front of her.  She had just popped a delicious piece of meat into her mouth and almost choked as she looked at the milk.

"I think..." Kakashi said as he rubbed his chin, "that you should have a high diet of protein, vegetables, and calcium to help build up your chakra.  No alcohol and limit your sugar intake."

"Are you kidding me right now?" She gaped at him after swallowing the piece of meat.

He raised a finger and gave a half-lidded smile, "A strong body starts with a healthy diet after all, right?  We want you to be strong in body, mind, and spirit. Once that is all accomplished, you'll be amazed at the progress you'll make."

Y/N was certain of only one thing.  Kakashi had lost his damn mind!