Through the eyes of an animal

Last Chapter: The occasions where your bond grows

The date got cancelled due to an important mission which came up suddenly for Kakashi. But you visited him in the hospital with a basket filled with fruits and two of your ANBU romances afterwards and the smile the man showed was worth seeing him covered in bandages and cuts. Nevertheless you scolded him for being irresponsible and scheduled a light walk through a nearby park when he was getting dismissed by the Hokage herself.

From there on it was an almost daily occurrence you two would do something together, if now take a walk, eat lunch or dinner, train or exchange opinions about the romances you had read.

Just as promised, you got to know the infamous copy ninja and the real person couldn't be farther away from the cool and aloof image he portrayed to the world. Kakashi was not only a sucker for romances, he was also a big softie. Every date would end with a close hug and with the ongoing time, the hugs only increased and dragged out, until you swore he was clinging to you like an obstinate flu. Not that you were bothered by it. Or on a rainy evening you caught him standing at the memorial stone and together you had prayed to the souls which lost their lives in the fights for your home. The whole visit was silent and as soon as you crossed the doorstep to your flat, Kakashi clung to you with the strength of a desperate man, eyes tightly shut and whispering incoherent things. Like never before you answered his hug and suppressed the small tears burning in your eyes as he nosed your cheekbone, just like Rascal had done so many times before.

Lately your mood had worsened due to the sudden missing of Rascal in your life, but Kakashi claimed instantly the now empty place (again). And he was even better than the cat. Sometimes the scarecrow lounged in your room, faintly complaining about the hardness of your couch and reading one of your books, sometimes he invited you into his flat and cooked for you (you insisted on helping what always lead to "accidental" touches on both of your parts). You liked to spend time with the man. Kakashi was not surprisingly a little tease (just like Rascal) who loved to make you blush, but in return he got just as easily flustered when you teased him back. You found out that Kakashi tended to drop things he held onto whenever you initiated some skin contact or made only a lightly fluffy comment and everytime you managed to catch sight of the fidgeting jonin your day was suddenly a little brighter.

Your friends noticed your improved mood too.

The first one to say something was Iruka, who handed you another mission scroll, for a B-Rank this time. One look at you and the man who had followed you casually and the teacher broke into a smile, wider than any you had ever seen on him.

"Good that you two worked your misunderstandings out." he said.

"I wouldn't call them misunderstandings," you answered and read shortly over the description of the mission, "but yes, we cleared them up."

"Thank god I hadn't had to resort to desperate measures."

"Thank god."

"You do know that Akito fell during a talk with Anko into a bush of nettles?"

"Huh?" Surprised at the sudden change of topic you looked up. "Who?"

Iruka's grin widened. "Akito. Your unlucky blind date." At his words Kakashi stepped closer and the menacing aura emitting from the jonin crashed against the barriers of your mind. The teacher exchanged looks with the shinobi, nodded and continued, not without a little twinge of contentment swaying in his words. "Apparently Anko saw the need to tell him that she was also part of the T&I department and he overreacted. Poor guy fell into a maybe or maybe not prepared hole filled with nettles and now he has red pustules all over his body."

"Good." Not fazed you let the scroll snap shut. "But I doubt he will change his mind."

Suddenly Kakashi brushed shortly his hand against yours. A little reassuring touch and secretly on top of that, meant to calm you and maybe also calm Kakashi down.