Child of the Moon

Dango

"I wish I felt as confident now, as I did then..."

Tsukiko shoved a stick with dangos in Kakashi's face, causing him to blink in surprise at the sudden appearance of the treat.

"Don't be so glum," she said, eating one of her own. "Sasuke is a prodigy, he'll figure it out. Naruto is gutsy, he won't quit."

"And Sakura?"

"Late bloomer, she'll be fine."

Kakashi sighed, staring at the dango stick in hand. "Are you trying to get my mask off again?"

"I've accomplished my goal for the day," she responded, eating another. "You don't have to worry about any weird tricks or whatever. Just sweet, dangoy goodness."

"Hmm."

She rolled her eyes at him and turned so her back was facing him. "You're such a child."

His arm appeared over her shoulder, reaching for the box of sweets, and she froze.

"Well, this is new..."

"ARGHHHHHH!"

Both Tsukiko and Kakashi looked over to see Kurai appear.

"YOU TWO! I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY TO - wait, when did you two hook up?"

"Huh?"

"What?"

"Oh... OH!"

"What?"

"Your arm you moron! He thinks you're putting your arm around me and doesn't realise you're aiming for my dangos!" Tsukiko pushed Kakashi's arm off and glared at Kurai. "Hands off! My dangos!"

Kakashi sighed, putting his hands up in a small surrender.

"Wait, dangos?"

"Kurai, don't-"

Kurai grabbed one of the sweets and stuck it into his mouth with a loud 'nom' and was so pleased with his catch that he failed to see Kakashi turn a few shades paler, and Tsukiko's blank smile.

"So," Kurai said, with his mouth full. "I'm really mad at you guys because you fought and defeated a member of the Seven Swordsmen without me... So..."

"Kurai," Tsukiko said sweetly.

"Yes?"

"Run," Kakashi answered.

"OH CRAP I'M SORRY!" he yelled as he ran from the furious kunoichi.

"YOU BETTER HOPE I DON'T FIND YOU KURAI!" Tsukiko yelled after him, furiously.

Kakashi chuckled slightly, and something Tsukiko had overheard from her students' thoughts came to mind.

"Is he actually into me, or are they seeing things?" she thought to herself, staring at him blankly.

"Um... Tsukiko?"

"I don't have Nanami's ability to hear a heartbeat unless I'm using... her... and Shisui used to make fun of me for being unable to read body language. Joke's on him though, cause I can read minds."

"Tsukiko."

"Except, right now he's thinking about how weird it is that I'm just staring at him... Wait, that is weird."

Kakashi sighed and poked her forehead.

"Ow, hey!"

"Don't zone out like that, it's kinda weird."

Tsukiko tilted her head, chewing on the end of one of the dango sticks. "Kakashi..."

"What?"

"Ugh, I don't know... He seems the same as always..."

She shook her head. "Nevermind. Also, don't be so worried. You've got a good squad, they'll be fine. Like you said back with the Hokage. A little pain might do them some good. Sasuke needs to be reminded that as good as he is, there's always someone better. The other two just need to be reminded of how much they need to work."

Kakashi shrugged. "I guess."

"Ugh, eat some dangos and stop being such a worrywart," she said, shoving the rest of them into his hands and then flouncing away. "You're such a drama queen!"

Her cheeks burned when she heard him chuckle, but she wasn't sure why.

"Darn kids and their silly theories."