Kiss Me Goodnight

Chapter 18: Gifts and Curses

Kakashi awoke to the feeling of something poking his cheek through the mask. His eyes still closed, he tried to find out what was disturbing him in his slumber, but couldn't quite recognize it. He knew that he knew it somehow, but just couldn't seem to place it. Whatever it was, was soft, and yielding, yet somehow rough like the pad of a finger. But it couldn't be Sakura; he could feel her hands on his chest, just beside her head. The young woman was still sleeping, so what was waking him up?

Maybe he was imagening things?

Just as he was about to turn his face the other way, and continue on in his wonderful dream, where he had been holding Sakura much like right now, just... uhm... different- hey, he was still a guy after all!- the soft, yielding, yet rough thing turned into something hard, cold, and pointy, and scratched over his arm, before going back to poking his cheek. Strange enough, when he concentrated, he could feel something on his left arm and shoulder, though Sakura's head was on his right side. Not sure, what he had to deal with, he let his hand inch closer to his always near-by kunai pouch, grabbing hold of the first weapon that he could feel under his fingers.

A senbon.

Cracking an eye open, ready to attack, he found that it wasn't necessary. Sitting on his arm and shoulder, looming over his face, and poking his cheek with one paw, was Chihiro. Recognizing the black furball, Kakashi sighed in exasperation. When he had not seen Chihiro for their entire journey, though he was sure, she was in some pocket of Sakura's, he had gotten his hopes up that the little hellcat had gotten enough of human beings, and fled into the wilderness again. Now, however, he realized his mistake, as he saw Chihiro drop beside his face what she had had in her mouth when she woke him. He inclined his head a little to see that it was a dead bird.

Poor thing. Pretty one, too.

"It means that they really like you when they bring you gifts like that," a soft murmur could be heard from his other side.

Apparently, Sakura had awoken.

"I thought you were sleeping."

"Not since Chihiro brought me a mouse," the pink-haired girl answered, dangling the dead animal infront of his face for emphasis. She didn't seem afraid of it at all like he would've imagined. It was white, too.

"Well, I never asked for her to like me, or bring me gifts," Kakashi replied, wisely keeping his thoughts about the young woman, and the mouse to himself.

Sakura slapped his chest.

"Be grateful."

"Why would I?"

"She allows you to kiss me, nowadays," Sakura replied, and pressed her lips to his jawline. "See?"

"She couldn't have stopped me, anyway," Kakashi retorted, defiantly.

"But she could've made it so much more difficult," the medic argued, kissing a little higher, and blushing furiously as she was the one initiating it this time. She had somehow managed to scratch together what little courage there was in her being to do so, and it was costing her everything to just look at him. Any on-looker would probably think that she had been in the sun for too long.

"So?"

"So what?"

"What should I do? Go looking for a bone or something?"

"That would be an idea, if Chihro were a dog, Kakashi." Sakura giggled. "For a start, try to pet her head, and scratch her behind her ear. She likes that. A lot."

Grumbling, the Copy Nin did as he was told, grabbing the tiny kitten with one hand, and beginning to caress it with the other. The little thing rolled itself to a small ball on his hand, then rolled over on her back to present him with her stomach. Chancing a curious glance at Sakura, who urged him on, the silver-haired male started to gently scratch over Chihiro's belly. Yellow eyes almost closed, purring loudly, the young cat responed by clawing at his fingers, just without the claws. Only her soft, yet rough pads of her paws playing with his hand. Then her mouth came in, biting down on his skin, careful not to hurt him. It only tickled him a little, and he found it to be actually quite endearing.