The Lost Uzumaki (Kakashi x OC)

Chapter Sixteen- Bear with Me?

Meilani buried her face in the pillow and stretched her arms and legs. With a groan, she lazily tried to get up on her knees, dragging her legs forward and her palms hardly pressed against the bed. A half-effort made only to collapse back onto the mattress. Her head turned towards the nightstand beside her to check the clock and smelled tea, fresh rice, and something buttery. When she heard footsteps approaching, she frantically covered her body.
"Kakashi?" Her hand clutched her chest when she saw white hair peaking around her bedroom door. "You're up early."

"Good morning!" He beamed with a close-eyed smile. Mei's hair had become slightly frizzy and wild, most likely from the friction against the pillows. Her eyes were hidden under her squinted, perplexed expression. "Breakfast is served early, so I brought you some."
She tucked the ivory sheets and comforter firmly under her thighs and around her waist. Kakashi set down a breakfast bed tray over her lap. Upon it was a small bowl of miso soup, a covered bowl of steaming rice, a soft-boiled egg upon a beige ceramic egg holder, and a cup of black tea beside a breakfast pastry and a single pink clematis.
Her favorite flower.
"Thank you." Mei pulled all of her hair to one side.
"Not a problem," he nodded, sitting beside her right thigh. "the sooner we finish this mission, the sooner we can get back to the Leaf. That way, we can finish what was started last night."
Mei stopped mid-chew. Her eyes widened and she swallowed her food roughly. "Huh?"
"With a proper beginning, of course. If you're willing to give me a chance."
Kakashi hadn't felt this bashful in a while, and hoped the mask hid the evidence well enough. She looked at their hands as he delicately took hers, and noticed the clamminess in his palm. And while she took in the sight of him, she noted an expression in his eye that was quite new to her. She almost wanted to call it nervousness.

"I don't want to say or do anything that can.... Change things, while we're on a mission together. I know I don't have a right to ask, but could you bear with me until then?"
Meilani pressed her lips together to try and hide a smile.
"I kinda wish I had the chance to wake up a little more before this."
His face dropped. "Of course, I'm sorry! I shouldn't have ambushed-"
He stopped mid-rise when she giggled and squeezed his hand.
"I'm kidding. Do you really mean it?"
He nodded. "I do." He tilted his head when she tried to hide her blushing face.
"Well, let's eat breakfast so we can head out and finish this mission. But, I'll need to speak with Naruto first."
"Anything you need, Mei."
"Okay, I need you to get out... Right now. Please," She said rather embarrassedly. "I, um... Need to get up and I'm not...."
He didn't understand until he noticed her pajama pants discarded on the floor.
"You're.... Oh." He was thankful his hair was still down to hide his scarlet face. Without another word he ran out, much to her amusement.

She quickly ate her breakfast and got dressed in her uniform, the same she usually wears during her travels minus the cloak and a shorter vest. She strapped her two swords onto her back and groaned at the sight of her hair. After finding a few pins in her pack, she pinned the top half back and ran her fingers through the tangles with watered hands.
Kakashi was reading My First Love as she entered the living room space. She listened to him while he continued reading.
"I talked to the silversmith earlier, he said that Habiki should arrive by noon. I say we lay low in the tea shop and follow him once we're a good distance."
Meilani picked through her black vest and checked it's contents. "From there, we can either grab him for Intel or follow him all the way to his friends. I really think the first option is best, we don't know their skills."
Kakashi closed the book and laid it down gently once she adjusted the bottom of her vest and her bell-sleeves once more. She had loosened it to stop snagging her blouse upwards.

"They have the whole town on edge, so I agree with that being the best course of action."
After going through a few more details, the two Shinobi made their way to the tea shop. Meilani smiled widely at Suki as they entered the leaf-scented shop.
"You brought a friend this time!"
"Yes, ma'am. And we need a table with a fair yet discreet view of the silversmiths shop. If it's possible, of course."
Happily, the elderly woman helped set up a covert scouting table for them. Her husband excitedly brought tea and fruit sandwiches.
"Let us know if you need anything." With a beaming grin they let the two work. At the moment, that only consisted of a comfortable silence and occasional glances at the silversmiths shop.