Chapter 3: Set up, Set out, Set in

"Not that I mind much, but... my eyes are actually located a few inches higher."

His head snapped up and as he met her intense gaze, he instantly flushed crimson once again.

.

Kanna didn't avert her eyes, causing Kakashi's blush to creep further, reaching his ears. For the first time in a long while, the infamous copy-nin, who always found some straw in reach, was absolutely out of excuses.

She chuckled. "You're truly inveterate."

As he scowled, his blush faded. "Don't talk as if you know me."

"I do know you. Just because you haven't seen me in eight years, doesn't mean I haven't been there, Hatake-san."

"So you stalked me? For eight years? Without me noticing? I don't think so."

A smile tugged at her lips. "Secluded as you are, you make the perfect guinea pig. I don't know how many times I cleaned while you were on a mission, or brought back things you had lost. You were just too lazy to question your memories at those times. You actually saw me a number of times, and I thought I had been caught, but you didn't really look at me. I admit that thanks to that, you weren't much of a challenge for my skills. Sasuke was a lot harder to deceive, and the Third still got me even after I entered ANBU. In the first months, anyway. He was a skilled shinobi, worthy of the title of Hokage."

"Did he know you used me as a guinea pig?" Kakashi asked, somewhat offended by the term.

"Of course. He didn't like the idea, but there weren't really any other options, so he let me have my way. He went soft on me whenever he had the chance to, like a grandpa, probably because he himself knew best just how hard his training was." She paused for a moment. "He was a good sensei, even though I would've preferred you."

If she had aimed to flatter him, it didn't work. "Why's that? Being the student of a Kage is an honor not everyone can receive. And he was certainly more skilled than me."

"You're right, but to train with your Sharingan would've been a lot more efficient for me, especially for the elemental techniques."

"You specialized in that field?"

"Among others, yes. My fields of expertise turned out to be pretty much like yours. Just as the Third expected."

"How come?"

"I think that's quite obvious," she stated plainly. She clearly didn't intend to help him on this one.

Kakashi sighted. He didn't get it. Why would she chose the same areas of expertise as he had, among the still impressive amount that are not bound to a Kekkai Genkai? Why did the Third expect that? Was there anything else he didn't know?

As he looked at her again, it came back to him that he previously had the feeling that she resembled someone he knew. But he still didn't get it, and it gave him a headache. He sighted again. "I'm going to take a shower."

He stood – and almost fell over as his knees weakened and his sight blurred. But Kanna had excellent reflexes. She leaped to her feet and reached over the table to steady him. From the spread out fingertips on his chest he could tell that she was strong, despite her petite figure. The moment passed and as his vision cleared, he saw concern on her face. Grim concern, like he hadn't seen it directed at him since Rin died. But she didn't say anything. She didn't have to, her face said it all, and he felt the urge to dissolve her worries.

Kanna noticed that he was fine by himself again and released the pressure to his chest. But she did not let go, because she had felt the bandage through his shirt. She pressed her palm onto the compress and felt his heartbeat, and for a moment she wondered if this wound she had not been able to prevent would leave a scar. "I was late." Her hand fell down to her side. "Guess that makes us even."

No, it doesn't, and you know that just as well as I do, Kakashi thought as he saw how she averted her eyes. Then she sat back down, signaling that she did not want this conversation to proceed. So he kept that thought to himself and left for the bathroom without another word.

.

When Kakashi stepped out of the bathroom – only a towel slung around his waist and the mask covering his face as usual, his hair still damp – Kanna had cleaned up already. The table had vanished some place he couldn't think of, and she was just laying out a futon on the far left side of the room.

He harrumphed. "Who said you could stay here? Just because I ate what you cooked–"

"I'm not going back." She shot a glance over her shoulder where he stood, yet showed no reaction whatsoever to his careless get-up, but kept unfolding the futon. "Which you obviously didn't expect, since you're not even dressed. Did you think I was joking when I said we'd be living together?"

"Not at all. But it's invalid without me agreeing, especially since this is my apartment. Besides, it's not like you don't have your own place, right?"

"I'm not going back there."

"Just pack," he ordered. "I'm taking you, too. You must have lived somewhere for the last years. It must've become a home for you."

"I'm not going back there, Hatake-san, no matter what you say or do. Plead, order, beg, yell, or throw me out – I won't set foot into that hell hole ever again. Home, you say? More like a cage." She looked at him again, this time her eyes flitted across his body noticeably and a smirk appeared on her face. "It's been a while since I've seen you naked."

"You-" Kakashi's face turned red in an instant (again), half from embarrassment, half from anger. He stomped across the room and yanked her to her feet. "Get out. Now." He stared down into her eyes and met pure (more like darn sexy) defiance, but he had no intention to give in to that.

They stayed like this for a while, his blush fading while his anger remained and his hand held her arm in a firm grip. Kanna finally clenched her jaw and snapped, "Fine." She freed her arm and broke the eye contact. "Just make sure you rest properly tonight."

His puzzled gaze followed her as she walked past him, out the room. Then he heard the front door open and close again.

.

Shit! He thought she would put up more of a fight so that he wouldn't feel bad about throwing her out. But since she left just like this, he actually did feel bad. Especially since his head just replayed her saying the words "hell hole" and "cage". He determinedly shook his head. No, he couldn't think like that. Doing something and then regretting it only a few seconds later simply wasn't like him. Actually, that last comment of hers had just ticked him off, otherwise he might even have come to an agreement with her. Seriously, what was she thinking, going on and around like she owned the place? And that look she'd given him! Almost like she owned him, too. Looking him up and down all naughty like that, with that smooth smirk on her rosy lips… Damn it! Stop that! This is the absolute wrong direction! He honestly had to stop letting his perverted self get the better of him, especially if he earnestly wanted to obey the Third's order and take her in as his ward.

No, it had been the right thing to firmly show her that she had gone too far. Then again, how much of a cold-blooded bastard was he to do this to her after she had brought him fresh clothes, cleaned his house (as he just noticed while he was looking around thinking), and cooked him dinner? Almost like he had thrown out an inferior, useless maid. He grimaced. Great, now he felt even worse.

He dried up and got dressed, all the while trying to shove that look of hers out of his head. It didn't work. And the more he thought about it, the more he liked it – and the more his conscience pressured him to go look for her.

He bit down on his lip. Screw that!, he restrained himself angrily. He picked up his current Icha Icha volume and began to read.

.

After an hour, Kakashi realized that he hadn't even turned a page, so snapped the book shut with a defeated sigh. She still occupied his mind. The tone of her voice, the look in her eyes, that smirk on her lips, her gestures and stance. She was perfect, truly a sight to behold … and he had just thrown her out. Hell, he was at it again! She's 16, for crying out loud! Get a grip!

But his own restraint shouldn't be the issue here. He was positive that he could get used to her ways, and then learn to keep his cool around her. It might even become natural at some point. But was he willing to actually try – and maybe fail? You bet! He wasn't the type of man to shy away from responsibility. In addition to her looks, which obviously counted in her favor, she was a great cook, seemed self-confident and rather easy to talk to. On top of that, he was actually curious what other qualities she would show, especially regarding her ninja skills. With their expertise being the same, he might be able to teach her properly and make her stronger, while being taught new techniques in return. Maybe she really would enrich his life. … Now he was even making up reasons to take her in. To go out right now and bring her back. Funny, since he didn't have to make up a reason in the first place. He already had one. It had been an order, which he definitively would not disobey.

Kakashi scratched the back of his head and sighted once again. Of course he would end up going out looking for her. Simply because he wasn't that much of self-centered asshole not to. Deep down, he had genuinely already accepted her, knowing that he was not the type to turn a blind eye to things just because they might be inconvenient. Team 7 had clearly opened him up.

So he submitted to the inevitable. He slipped on his shoes and stepped out his door, without the slightest clue where to search for her. He didn't know anything about her. Lucky him, he didn't have to worry about that any more, because Kanna had curled up into a ball right next to his door, sleeping with her head placed onto her arms atop her bend knees like they were a pillow. A strand of her hair was caught in her slightly parted lips, her top was barely covering her panties. Strange enough, she looked rather comfortable.

He crouched down next to her and tucked that taunting strand behind her ear, and although he expected this to wake her up, he was still mesmerized as her eyes fluttered open. She looked him straight in the eye, no traces of sleep in her gaze. Not a sweet, tempting cliché, but this flawless display of strength made his heart ache for a moment just as much. He smiled beneath his mask, somewhat self-conscious, but he still expected her to return in. It caught him off guard when she scowled at him instead.

"What are you doing out here at this hour? You're supposed to sleep so you'll recover quickly."

The smile stayed plastered onto his face, but he fumed. Why the bloody hell was she scolding him? He was being nice here! He decided to just ignore that attitude for now, or he would end up leaving her out here for the rest of the night after all. He really had to get used to this...

"I was about to go look for you. I'm surprised you really didn't leave," Kakashi replied calmly, anxious for peace.

"That's the second time in a few hours," Kanna stated a bit annoyed.

She got up, and now her thighs were right in front of his eyes. He could still smell the soap on her skin – she had used his instead of her own. Right now, he could just bury his face there and-

"What are you taking me for? A joke?"

What the fuck was he thinking (again)! He rushed back up to his feet as well and immediately withdrew to the inside of his apartment without looking at her, because he was not quite sure if he just blushed in front of her again. He didn't give her an answer, either. He just didn't know what to say without jeopardizing the mood once again.

Kanna didn't follow him inside when he remained silent. She stood in front of his threshold, hesitating. Simply stepping in after scolding him like that would equal another impolite intrusion, even though she was actually at his mercy. At least to some extent.

Her right hand clenched over the tattoos on her left arm, drawing strength from them to swallow her pride and ask towards his back, "Won't you invite me in?"