Lonely Fix

"Don't die or I'll just raise you from the dead to kill you again," I warned after a couple of moments in the silence before finally loosening my arms so they dropped to my sides again.

Kakashi gave me a sloppy salute. "Yes ma'am."

I rolled my eyes and pushed him away a little. "Go on already, I want to have the free bed."

Kakashi rolled his eyes and ruffled my hair once more before disappearing in a poof of smoke.

And I continued on my walk home. Alone.

…o0o…

Walking into the empty flat, the only sound the jingling of the keys was incredibly lonely. Shutting the door with a muted thump, I walked around, surveying the damage that I didn't really notice only feeling the carnage in the debris' muffled rolls out of the way of my feet.

Seeing it up so close, I saw that my clothes were in a worse shape than I originally thought. I couldn't restrain the flush of heat that followed my rage over Sakura destroying my things.

I inhaled sharply through my nose to try that failsafe, to no avail. How could she do this? To me? What had I done? Nothing, except try to be that infuriating pervert's friend.

I know the way I acted the day before was calm and collected, but come on. Someone destroying everything that I had to try and comfort the homesickness that I felt? Below the belt.

But I couldn't very well make an enemy out of her right then. I had little to no allies when Kakashi wasn't there. Even when he was, he was going out with Sakura.

In fact, everyone here loved Sakura, so any negative move I made towards her, would mean I would be signing my own death sentence.

I sighed and noticed the way it breathed from my lips and was brought back to the task in hand. The quiet.

Finding that I would just notice it more if I read my book, I began to clean the war path, thinking I had nothing better to do.

Picking up the fabric debris and putting them in one of the empty plastic bags after collecting all the receipts to give to Sakura to get her to re-buy all my stuff, I placed them by the door. Despite what Kiba said about Sakura paying me back, there was that niggling bit of doubt.

But I believed that Kakashi would be true to his word and get Sakura to buy everything back.

After hunting through all the little doors I finally found the utility cupboard with a hoover and a brush.

Piling already the two big black bin liners by the door, I started to round up the plaster, broken pieces of wood and fragmented shards of glass. Wiping my hand across a sweaty forehead, I saw that the time was now eight o'clock in the morning.

I was bone tired but I couldn't help but feel like I need to finish this before going to my bed. Smacking my mouth to try and wet the dry cavern, I padded numbly to the kitchen to down a glass of water.

I was diverted when I heard frantic knocking at my door. Frowning, wondering who it could be, I opened the door and by the time it swung fully open, I wished that I had pretended that I wasn't in.

Ino stood there huffing and I couldn't help but think that it was a common occurrence that she would stand in my doorway, continually angry with me.

"Where were you?" she snarled.

Unconsciously, I moved backwards, as if that would evade her wrath. I stared at her in confusion.

"Was there someplace I was supposed to be?" I asked carefully, making no sudden movements my hands raised. To do what, I don't know. I was about as threatening as a plushie toy.

Ino in all seriousness stomped her foot like a toddler going through a temper tantrum.

"You were supposed to come to my café and work!"

Finally, the realisation hit me like a freight train. My mouth turned down apologetically.

"I'm so sorry, I thought it was a one-time only deal," I tried to say.

But Ino wasn't having any of it.

"No, I got the most customers I have ever entered my shop just because of your come worthy crumpets and if you don't move your blue ass out of here right now I'm going to move it for you!"

My eyes widening, I couldn't help but numbly turn into the bedroom, looking as immaculate as it usually did and feel the little hot sense of loss.

I don't know what I was expecting but I thought there would be some sign that Kakashi had lived there, or at least would have had a sign of having a hot steamy night with Sakura (no matter how much I hated the idea especially since I would have to sleep in it) or anything to show me he was alive before he met me that morning.

With a sigh, I changed into new clothes with some doable underwear, rolling some deodorant on, and rubbed my eyes tiredly. Maybe I should have gone to bed instead of trying to clean the flat.

Yawning, I tried to walk into the bathroom to brush my teeth but a hand grabbed my upper arm to drag me out. I dug my heels in causing major carpet burn. I hissed, stumbling after her trying to keep up to futilely escape her.

"Wait a damn minute!" I finally snarled, yanking my arm.

Ino turned to me startled. "Jenny?"

"I haven't slept since probably four this morning, clean up the shit that was not cleaned yesterday because Kakashi and Sakura were probably getting it on like rabbits! I am tired, hungry and not in the mood to deal with your PMS bullshit when all I want is to fucking brush my teeth!" I ended choking on a sob. I rubbed my eyes irritably. Stupid tears. Stupid tiredness. Stupid Sakura for destroying my shit. Stupid Kakashi for not even cleaning up anything!

I sighed, rubbing my eyes again, trying to dislodge the water from them.

Tentatively, Ino enclosed me into a hug. "You must be more tired than I thought. I'm sorry that was mean. Do you still want to come with me after being a Grade A bitch?"

I nodded, snuffling into her shoulder. "I don't want to be alone," I whispered quietly. "It wasn't so bad when he was here, but I haven't got him to distract me from-" I cut off, unable to finish anything.

Ino's hand which was rubbing my back increased the friction as if the heat would make me feel better in the already hot and humid country.

"Go brush your teeth. I'll be waiting here, Lightbulb," Ino teased lightly, annoyingly different from her usual obnoxious self.

I nodded dully, rotating mechanically to walk to the bathroom where I lazily brushed my teeth until I could feel the plaque removed.

I looked up to the mirror, not really expecting much from the reflective glass but I wasn't expecting to see an already haggard look where I had puffy bags under my eyes, the ethereal blue glow of my eyes exposing how red the whites were. I saw little raised bumps from Kiba's sharp love bites, shown by the low cut top on my chest. I frowned but shaking my head, I caught my brush to comb through the worse of the knots before sloppily tying my hair up into two ponytails again.

I couldn't tell you what happened on the way to the cosplay café, because I couldn't remember.

There was rustling, a tinkling then finally the shutting. Steps, more steps, then another rustling, hands filled with frills, my legs stepping automatically into the clothes. I moved my breasts so they rested better, pulled the tights so they pulled at the right stage of opaque and see through, my feet slid into a pair of not so suitable heels which I think I said.

Uncaring, I followed the blonde down steps, more steps until I was in the cold kitchen. Walking to the multiple ovens, I switched them to their different temperatures before walking to various cupboards, spoons, knives, forks, bowls, and even larger bowls, sieves, baking powder…

I didn't even know anymore.

The morning passed in a blind blur broken only by five minutes of clarity from the multiple, detested cups of coffee. Tasted shit, but it got me to where I was.

I was so out of it I didn't hear someone calling my name until someone shoved my shoulder.

"Kami Lightbulb," Ino, back to normal after my break down that morning, yelled in my ear. "It's a wonder you have lasted so long!"

I gave her a withering stare but turned back to pushing my arm into beating the batter.

"Back to my original point, I thought maybe if I would make it easier for you if you had help?" She gestured to someone over in the door way.

Dread pooled in my stomach and without looking I knew who it was going to be.

Meeting the gaze of an equally awkward Kiba, I plastered a smile on my face.

"Seems great," I said, my cheeks hurting from their strain before I turned back to making a smoother mixture.

I felt rather than saw Kiba move into his position the previous day. We stayed silent.

Kiba was making the citrus-y cake again and I turned for the flour just the same time as Kiba, resulting in our hands brushing. I flushed, barely controlling my hand from snatching away from human contact, instead I gave a small, forced laugh.

"Bagsie!" I caught the bag of flour and the sieve preparing to place it in my bowl.

I saw Kiba rolling his eyes but when his gaze met mine we both stopped. Not suddenly, more like the waning of a cycle, where we had realised the tension was too hard to ignore.

"So…" Kiba began awkwardly, dropping his spoon in the bowl and began rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

I paused my sieving, tipping my head towards him to show I was listening. He was quiet for a moment and I looked up to see Kiba flicking a thread on one of the tatty tea towels.

"I think you are a great girl-" Kiba began and I couldn't help the snigger of laughter come out.

His head snapped up at that. Horrified, I covered my mouth with wide eyes.

"Sorry," I tried, "just if you are doing 'we-should-be-friends' talk then I don't think it is needed." I gave a rueful grin. "We were friends of two hours, you got me drunk in five, and we went home and had sex. No biggie."

Kiba's eyes were about join the little flour particles on the floor when they popped out and rolled.

"So what you are saying," Kiba said carefully, his eyes unwavering, "is that, you are happy with a one night stand and going back to being friends?"

I nodded cheerfully, turning back to my batter.

"I don't see why we should make things awkward considering we don't know much about each other. You love Hinata, I don't love you. This was a win-win situation." I lifted my shoulders and dropped them emphatically.

Kiba slowly nodded, a smile deliberately coming to play on his face. I beamed back.

"Okay, friends," Kiba said, relief evident in his tone.

I rolled my eyes again, nudging my nose with a knuckle, a residue effect for the whole lot of awkward that could have been if he had suddenly changed his mind about Hinata (highly unlikely).

We continued throughout the day just baking in comfortable silence, leaving the witty comments in their unused corner.

The fix I had the night before was wearing off and when Kiba ever left the room I couldn't help but think about how little I knew about this place and my eyes would reflexively start filling with water. I just want to go home.

Sadly, I began to shape my cookies again on the baking tray.

I was so focused on my task that I never realised that crystalline drops were tracing the apple of my cheeks until a pale hand belonging to Ino brushed my face.

"Hey! What are you whinging about?" she demanded, her hands fisting on the frills of her French Maid outfit.

I hurriedly wiped my face, searching the room for a reason I could blame it on.

"Uh, I uh…" I trailed off before allowing my shoulders to slump again this time shuddering with the unexpected sobs that shook through my entire being.

In all honesty, I missed my family, my flat, my job.

I missed the busy city life of London, where you would get glares from the busy, smiles from the easy. Where the scent of coffee and pollution permeated my very skin, leaving me smiling at the grumpy.

I missed the way my flat curved predictably in its shapes, where it was cramped but home-y, where it would feel filled when other humans were around.

But more importantly, I missed my mother, father and brother.

The way my mum would irritably push her bobbed hair behind her ear with a wrist, white with flour. The way her smile gave her little dimples in her cheeks and how I swore lines grew when she heard of mine and Nathaniel's new misdeeds.

The scent of her perfume, a flowery mainstream one that smelled wrong compared to her homemade soap of strawberry and mint. How I could see her powder flashing slightly on her skin.

Her home roasts, best hugs, the illness shroud…

A hot flush covered my body as a depression settled over my shoulders. Cancer.

Then it came to dad. A farmer by nature and occupation, a man of conservative values, a man ruled by coupons and tradition. A man of red, jovial cheeks and cringey jokes, a dad to make everything better when all was wrong.

He came in everyday at six, no later. He smelled of the farm, of silage, cake and cows. But clean, he always smelled of the sharp scent of soap and grass still.

His jolly laugh, his work ethic and his unwavering certainty. I missed it all.

"Shit Lightbulb, what is it?!" Ino enveloped me in a hug, wrapping her arms around my waist, crushing me and reassuring me of another's presence.

Finding the acceptance I needed, I buried my face in her neck allowing the animalistic wails come through.

"I just miss them so much," I managed to snuffle out.

"Who? Kakashi?" Ino asked, confused.

I wagged my head vehemently. "No, my family. I should have my family!" I shouted, pushing her back, scrubbing my face back. "I don't belong here and I just want them back!"

My face reddened at my outburst and I carefully wiped my finger under my nose for any left overs from my sob fest. Plastering a smile on my face, I bared it at both Kiba and Ino who were looking at me in concern.

"Sorry," I muttered, turning to wash my hands in the sink for any bacteria I might have acquired. "I don't know what came over me."

Ino looked down at her watch. "Should be closing time soon, why don't you head on home and we'll meet at the pub we went to last night-You remember where it is right?-and get pissed drunk so you won't miss them as much, yeah?"

I nodded numbly, about to leave through the side door, Ino called me back.

"Why are you going through that way? You are working for me now, you keep the uniform." My mouth opened and closed in stunned silence before I couldn't find the fight in me so I walked back through the café where the men continued to salivate.

"I'll meet you there Lightbulb in like an hour and a half!" Ino yelled after me.

I waved my hand to show I heard her as I walked out of the door into the busy street filled with families and familiar conversation.

While again I walked home alone, to an empty house, absent of the one I needed most.

…o0o…

Where was she? I thought to myself, nursing a water at the bar, not wanting to get drunk on my own. I even made sure to leave late so that she would definitely be there!

With a sigh, I smacked my palm to my forehead before I thought, Fuck it.

Calling over the father like bar tender, I finally bought myself an alcohol beverage. A strong one.

Drinking the majority within the first half in five minutes, I couldn't help but think I was like every cliché given. Drinking alone to fuel my loneliness.

Internally I shrugged.

Maybe this cloud had a silver lining where I could get drunk, have a one night stand with a random stranger and maybe going home, with that hot bulge in my throat absent along with my loneliness.

I nodded, resolving myself.

I was perched on the seat in direct line of the door so I could see if Ino suddenly come through the door, when one of Kakashi's friends walked through instead.

Lowering my gaze to the liquid of spirit, I hoped he hadn't seen me, I couldn't even remember his name! The one with the scar across the nose! Shit! Why do they all have hard names? What was it?! Asai? No, that's completely wrong. Oh god, oh god, why, oh why did I not pay attention?!

I was broken from my frantic thoughts with the stool next to me being brought out with a scrape. I looked up hoping that it was Ino but felt my heart deflate in my chest when I saw it was him.

I gave a sheepish smile. "Hi."

"I don't know if you remember me from the other night?" The man gave me a loose salute. "But I'm Iruka and I'm searching for another lonely drinker for a partner. You mind me joining?"

I held back the snarky comment on him already joining me but instead I fell into the role of attracting.

I smiled languidly, leaning back, crossing my legs slowly, tossing one of my ponytails over my shoulder.

"Thank go-" I cut off saying god again, without an eye roll. "Thank you, I thought I would be like every cliché out there."

He gave a chuckle, picking out something from under his nails which looked like blood. The alcohol turned sourly in my stomach before I took a fortifying gulp of the bitter drink.

"Well, it is my part time job outside of being ninja of helping the innocents," Iruka joked and if I wasn't mistaken, I think I saw him flex his biceps.

He didn't need to do this. He could take me home already. Instead, I nodded, pretending that I didn't notice how when my shoulder dropped, it allowed my spaghetti strap of a black swing dress to fall slightly, exposing my equally black bra to an extent.

Iruka was smooth. I'll give him that.

It was only a flash, but I saw the way his eyes caught onto the fabric before he tugged it back to meet my innocent gaze. Iruka mimicked me from earlier, taking a particularly large gulp of his frothing drink.

"So what is it you do?" Iruka asked, leaning an elbow on the bar top next to him, placing a tired head on a fist.

While he didn't say it, I knew that his curiosity was killing him as now my arms were exposed to his stare, he was wondering what job could allow my skin be damaged so.

I saw no judgement luckily or I think I would have cried then and there.

I smiled, giving a little sip. "I work at Ino's cosplay café."

Iruka's eyes widened in surprise. "Not exactly what I was expecting, although isn't that a French Maid cosplay?" he asked, scanning my body, mentally classifying me in the costume, his eyes alighting in a pleasured stare.

I nodded, twirling my hair around my finger. "I'm their baker. Although waking as early as I have to, kills me."

He nodded in understanding. "When a particularly long mission comes up, the only thing that could make it worse would be if it was raining and early."

I giggled and took a more measured sip of my drink. "It didn't help that I didn't sleep much the night before," I said slyly, cutting him a sideways look to see if he saw unspoken activities.

Oh he understood, from the look of his heated stare on the couple of love bites in his line of vision.

I broke the intense tension looking to his fingers where they were tapping out a nervous beat.

"You need a smoke?" I asked, giving a little point with my knuckle towards the tick.

Iruka startled, jumped in his seat, his elbow sliding off the polished surface of the bar top.

I laughed, patting my hand against his shoulder reassuringly, my hand lingering obviously.

Iruka mock glared at me before bringing out from his pouch a packet of cigarettes. I wrinkled my nose. Ugh, straights.

"You caught me," he said guiltily.

I waved it away. "Everyone deserves a smoke every now and then. Should we take our drinks out to the garden?"

He nodded and I, with a slight wobble showing the slight intoxication which was hitting me then, followed.

Lounging in the beer garden, I couldn't help but breathe in the sweet, smoky humid air.

"You want one? I need to lose some so I have less temptation," Iruka offered bashfully.

With a smile and nod, I placed the stick in my mouth and waited for him to light me up.

Inhaling the smoke with a sigh and closing my eyes, my head lolled back. "I missed this," I moaned.

"You quit?" I felt rather than saw Iruka settle next to me on the bench.

I nodded, not looking at him as I took another drag. "I was nine months clean, you bad influence," I teased, emphatically turning my head to face him and taking another smoke from my cigarette triggering the end to glow a red.

Iruka rolled his eyes but I saw him shift a little closer, his dark eyes eating my reflection.

"I can do a lot more than smoking, if you feel like wanting to have a little bit more bad influence in you system," Iruka offered lowly, his hand placed boldly on my knee.

I arched a perfectly tweezered brow, giving a deliberate smoke of my straight. "I don't know what you mean," I said sultrily, placing my hand on top of his, allowing it to pull up my leg. "Maybe I need a demonstration?"

Iruka licked his lips. "Maybe even a preliminary. Just to make sure," he dead panned, his face leaning closer and closer, his own cigarette forgotten in his hand as he stubs it out unintentionally in the ash tray by our elbows.

"Preliminary sounds good," I breathed, before allowing my head to tip towards his our lips a hair's breadth away before I closed my mouth over his lower lip.

I listened to his guttural growl before his forearm crossed across my back, pressuring me into his chest. I inhaled sharply, combing my hand through his scruffy hair, playing with his stubby ponytail, fluttering my fingers through it.

The palm against the small of my back pressed a heat which I couldn't help but arch into his chest causing his mouth to seek my neck and shoulder. I inhaled again, just staring at the dusk light, few clouds making the journey across the dome. Looking to the side I saw many eyes avoiding and staring at us.

I flushed before smacking the back of Iruka's head. He gave a heady moan before I hit it again more frantically.

"You like to play it that way huh?" Iruka growled into my ear.

I smacked my forehead with my palm. "No you idiot," I hissed, crawling off his lap despite his protests. "I'm just not exactly a voyeur!"

He finally realised our situation before turning to give me a sultry smirk. "Let them watch, they can get an education. I am a teacher."

Before I could argue back, his arms swept me off my feet. I squealed, reaching to cover my bum with the fabric of my dress.

"What are you doing?" I said furiously under my breath.

"I'm taking us somewhere more… private," Iruka said, raising his eyebrows. "Unless you want me to do you here?"

I shook my head desperately but ducked my head when we left the pub. Ino still hadn't shown up.

Did I wait for her? I looked to the watch at my wrist and my eyes widened. She was four fucking hours late! Fuck that! Was the last thought that crossed my mind as Iruka continued to carry me away from the alcohol establishment.

I tucked my head under his chin as he walked quickly for at least ten minutes before impatience overcame me and I finally asked where we were going.

"My place," he offered me shortly.

"At least put me down; I'm too heavy," I wriggled to try and prompt him into letting my feet touch the floor.

Iruka's hand tightened on my arse and I couldn't help but gasp in both shock and because of that little dart of energy leading to my groin. "Please tell me we are going to be there soon," I almost moaned.

Iruka's footsteps sped up.

Finally reaching a block of almost-fancy apartments, Iruka bundled me through one of the nearest doors, his hands already frenzied in their exploration of my body, immediately zoning in on my breasts, giving them an experimental squeeze. I gasped, allowing my head to list backwards, already feeling my limbs jellify.

"Like that do you?" Iruka asked, his mouth closing in on mine and despite low intoxication, I couldn't believe I was doing this half sober.

His hot mouth enclosed mine before his hand brushed down my side stroking and pressing his hand into my waist before his fingers pushed against my skin, demanding me to touch him back.

I was happy to oblige.

Cupping him through his trousers, Iruka's head fell to my shoulder with a low groan.

Encouraged, I gave a particularly large rub. Iruka groaned again, sending vibrations to kick start another flush of heat betwixt my legs. I grinded against the back of my hand to push against him, undulating my hips, trying to create the friction I so needed from him.

Hooking a hand around my knee, Iruka hitched it over his hip, pivoting on one foot, his remaining foot knocked the crook of my other knee causing me to fall to the ground with a surprised squeak. Iruka gave me a wolfish grin before leaning to tug at the spaghetti strap that was already loosely clinging to my body, pulling it down to expose the bra. Looking up at me with those eyes of his, I couldn't help the flush of lust just from being the focus of another human being for so long.

Iruka, keeping his brown eyes on my blue ones he slowly crept down my body, giving the nips here and there forcing me to arch up from the pleasure racing through my body, before his head tucked finally between my legs.

I held my breath.

Not taking off my equally lacy underwear, Iruka barely nudged the wet area before I was panting again, pressing his tongue lightly against me, right there. I tangled my fingers in his hair to force him to stay where he was.

Then he gave a long lick and I couldn't help but let my head laze back, my fingers tracing his ears as I let him begin to take me.

His fingers hooked into the elastic of my knickers before they slowly inched down my legs to my ankles where they were painstakingly palmed off, finger pads trailing against the skin of my ankle.

Placing his face back against my sensitive area, feeling his hot breath caused me to squirm pleasantly, until Iruka's hands out of nowhere pressed down on my hips, dominating me. I gave out a heady moan just as he sucked my clit causing a roar to begin in my ears.

While in the heady aroma of the oral that I was getting and the one that I was going to give I was unable to stop myself from numbly thinking:

How far was I going to sink this time?

…o0o…

Martin tiredly walked to his bathroom, Saskia had already left for her nightshift with a cheerful kiss to the cheek. She thought he couldn't see it but he knew she was excited to go to work.

And not for the love of her job.

No she always had a soft spot for her boss. You know the type. Black haired, angsty, face like a smacked arse. If he wasn't so well qualified and didn't wear designer suits outside of work, Martin would have thought he was the gay struggling artist type.

He snorted to himself rubbing a weary hand over his face, sniffing the air where he had eaten the lonely pot of macaroni cheese.

Opening the medicine cabinet, Martin perused the drugs layered neatly on their different shelves. Spying the white packet with the prescription label smacked on the side. Reading the already well known instructions, sliding the film out of its case, Martin popped two out of their respective beds by their already empty neighbours.

Martin hesitated looking up into the mirror, the little white capsules lying there innocently in his worn palm, forgotten.

He was only taking them because of the dreams. The doctors knew he wasn't telling the truth when it came to it. Well how was he supposed to know that people didn't dream about eating cereal? He hadn't had normal dreams in ages!

Martin shook his head at the ludicrous thought. I am a complete and utter moron. He thought to himself.

But did he really not want the dreams about Naruto?

Sure they were weird when he first got them but slowly he was being drawn in by the blue haired civilian. Who was she? Martin certainly couldn't remember if she was in the manga. Martin gave another sigh. He would probably have to bring out his old collection again. Saskia was going to be so pissed. But he didn't know what to do.

It was odd. Every time he touched blue haired Jenny, it was like he was sucked of energy. Every time he touched her, it was like her whole body flared with a light.

Every time he touched her, he didn't want to wake up.

Shaking his head, Martin returned to the matter at hand; the sleeping pills. He'd been taking the prescribed nine day round and after this last pill he wasn't allowed to be on them for at least a couple of weeks.

Resigning himself, he raised his hand to pop them in his mouth but hesitated. Was it really so bad to dream about Naruto? It was Saskia's idea to take them especially since she heard him murmur Sakura's name in his sleep. That was a narrow miss to say the least.

Did he want to have the action packed dreams where he was needed? Wanted?

The answer is clear as he tipped his hand and closed his mouth while taking a swallow of water, Martin swished it around his mouth before spitting to send the pills down the drain.

He wasn't ready to let go of Jenny yet.

…o0o…

A few days my arse, I snarled to myself irritably. That lying prick.

Whenever I think of a few days, I think of four to five days at the most. Kakashi had been gone eight. I had to deal with sorting out the café which slowly was increasing in its customers, people were beginning to hear of my baking prowess. While it was irritating, working from five in the morning and then leaving at six, it kept me blissfully busy.

It was irritating when some people took dates to the café (poor move on the guys part) because I was slowly reminded that I had no one to even hold. But I wouldn't go to seek Iruka or Kiba again. I don't do seconds.

Not that Iruka hasn't tried. While he got brownie points for you know, doing that, his actual bed skills had left much to be desired. So a couple of days after our preliminary, Iruka sought me out again.

I shook my head, focussing more on baking than anything else. I had gone out a couple of times drinking but my latest bed mate meant that I wasn't going to look for more. Not that I wasn't itching for it, but I decided to resolve myself to waiting until Kakashi was back.

The lampposts that I had to walk past seemed particularly lonely without the silver haired man to lean against, haloed by the yellow light. While it was a silly notion since he only did it once and that was to tell me he was leaving, I couldn't shake the motion that every time that I didn't come home he would do it to make sure he knew where I was.

Home I called it. I frowned. I suppose I couldn't call it anything other than that. As far as theses past 'few days' have gone, I was no closer to figuring out how to get back to my parents and brother. Undoubtedly, I hadn't put my full effort into it considering that I have been working my arse off in Ino's stupid café, getting reasonably drunk every night to ignore the loneliness of the bed and have a way of dealing with my arms.

Admittedly, not being hung over every single morning was a win on so many levels, that even Ino looked at me disbelievingly when I suggested going out that night too.

In response I had a slammed door in my face.

I huffed again, batting my long ponytail out of my eyes, preparing to go home. This was going to be a long night ahead.

Resigning myself to another sleepless night, I turned to put the sticky, batter covered bowl in the sink, the was a slight tingle of the bell by the door, rolling my eyes I started with all the pans leaving the bowl last so I could lick the raw batter. I felt prickles go up my spine in anticipation just thinking about licking the sugary sweetness.

I came to the doorway to see Ino and some ninja talking in excited voices.

"What is it?" I asked suspiciously when they went suddenly quiet at my approach.

They both shared a look before Ino turned to me, careful and deliberate she looked at her fingernails.

"Oh, you know, my friend just told me of another shinobi coming back," Ino tapped her lip thoughtfully, her brow furrowed. "Who was it again Haruo?"

The man looked uncomfortably between my stony expression and Ino's fierce one, not sure which to be more afraid of.

He settled for Ino.

"Hatake Kakashi," he said finally, clearing his throat.

Everything went tunnel vision and I dumbly looked at Ino for confirmation who just nodded her smile barely hidden anymore. Slowly and unconsciously I palmed off the heels which were part of the uniform if I was walking around in the main side of the café and I put them in the blonde's arms much to her protests and continued on out of the door.

I walked through the street to the market.

I jogged through the disablement of said market, each stall lit up by the sunset.

And I sprinted the rest of the way to the gate with some measured direction from various inhabitants of Konoha.

Finally, out of breath I saw him. I saw him reading his blasted porn that I swore one day I would read too and I saw him slowly look up, a cut on his cheek bone, his arm guards dented and scratched, his armour looking a little worse for wear and I couldn't help but beam despite my earlier grievances against him.

Racing up, I barely yelled "drop the backpack!" and Kakashi fumbled to reply before I collided with him in a massive hug, my legs perching on his hips.

While I had no doubt that he could hold me up I don't think either of us took into account the force in which I was travelling so with the trajectory, I sent the pervert into lying flat on his back with a 'humph!'

I giggled before burrowing my face in his neck again.

"You deserve that you prick!" I said darkly into his ear.

I felt Kakashi's surprise with the stiffening of his shoulders and his arms that were still resting on my back. "What could this old man do, to be greeted so harshly after such a trying mission?"

I also heard his pout. I scowled.

"Since he said that he would be back in a few days but no, I forgot to take into account his perpetual need to be late!" I continued to talk into his shoulder, where I felt some of his armour digging into my face. "And you're not old!"

"Sorry there was a black cat in my path, so I decided to take the long way around," Kakashi said into my ear.

I pushed myself back to look down at him disbelievingly, seeing the eye crinkle I smacked him hard on his arm. "You bastard! I was worried sick!"

I threw my arms around him again, the relief was more than the feeling of anger so with some grudging reluctance I allowed myself to accept the sensation of his alive beating and pumping body. Hesitantly, I lowered my voice so if anyone was eavesdropping, they wouldn't hear me. "Don't leave for so long next time."

I felt Kakashi soften his hard demeanour towards me by relaxing into my embrace, in fact tightening his hold on my body imperceptibly. I beamed into his shoulder, hiding my delight from everyone, accepting this joy for me and only me.

"Not so long next time, firefly. I promise," Kakashi murmured into my ear, causing a shiver of excitement to trail down my spine.

Dismayed at the treacherous feeling, I jumped to my feet standing over Kakashi, holding my hand out to him, plastering a fake smile on my face to hide my alarm.

"Well I need to go back to work to change and I think I have a bowl full of cookie batter with just your name on it," I tried to pass off cheerfully, I feared it came off flat.

Kakashi narrowed his eye at me, but widened when he looked at me. However he just shrugged and picked himself off the floor, brushing the dusty dirt off his backside before turning to pick up his back pack, avoiding eye contact with me. I gazed at him curiously, brushing my blue hair back out of my face, studying him.

I rubbed my nose furiously with my knuckle, trying to figure out his turn-a-bout attitude. Twirling a blue ponytail around my fingers worriedly, my eyes looking anywhere but at the man in question, I continued to walk beside the silent man, trying to contain my nervousness at this aloof Kakashi, almost ruining my elation at having him back.

"I didn't know you were into cosplay," Kakashi said, clearing his throat, rubbing the back of his head.

Startled I looked up, to see Kakashi not not looking at me, more like he was more fascinated with the pathway beneath our feet.

"Huh?" I looked down to which I saw my French maid uniform, with its short hemline both on the torso and the thighs where my garter straps were on display. I blushed, pushing a non-existent wayward blue strand from my face, tugging for once at the shortened skirt.

"Oh, this? This is just for Ino. Apparently it is mandatory to wear it despite no one sees me in it. Not-not that I don't want to wear it!" I rushed to say, waving my hands in front of me like a crazy person. "Well, of course I don't mind it because it's cosplay, but I mean that I don't like that it's not appreciated, but not in like a slutty way where I have guys salivating over it but it would be nice to have some appreciation! Is this making sense? Because if not you can shut me up at any time-"

Kakashi finally having enough, bopped my head (hard if I might add) with his book promoting me to yelp, clasping my hands protectively over my scalp.

"Yow!" I cried out, rubbing the sore spot. "What was that for?"

"It is one of my special remedies for the people who begin to annoy me," Kakashi said casually, flipping another page of his book his angular jaw never once straying to look at me.

My own jaw dropped open, a little hurt coming through. He found me annoying?

Swallowing past the little pain in my chest, I mock scowled before picking up the pace, the frills swaying rapidly around my thighs.

"Well, I suppose I won't give you that bowl full of sweet, chocolate infested batter, with a creamy-" I was continuing on the track to make Kakashi jealous when said, ungrateful swine, stopped me with a hand on my elbow. I looked up at him mock haughtily, "can I help you?" I sniffed.

Kakashi rolled his eye before bringing me in for a head rub. Scowling, I couldn't reprimand my body for leaning into his touch which Kakashi had obviously felt as his chuckle spoke volumes.

Taking my body away, I scowled for real this time, turning away from him to angrily stride away.

"Oh come on firefly! It was adorable!" Kakashi tried to smother his laughter behind me but I still heard it.

I flipped him my middle finger never once looking backwards.

"Firefly!" Kakashi called after me humorously, "where are you going?"

"Back to the shop!" I yelled back, my angry strides didn't slow.

"Maybe you want to try taking the correct way? Like maybe the one that takes you straight there?" Kakashi called back, his tone smug. I halted and looked at my surroundings and to my dismay I saw that I had, indeed, walked the wrong way.

Flushing furiously, I pivoted on my heel and stalked my way back to Kakashi who hadn't moved from his position by the junction the road and then had the gall to raise a fingerless gloved hand to lick the pad of his index to peel across another page.

"Not. A. Word." I growled storming past him to head back to the shop, stalking through the rapidly depleting market place, back to the café where Kakashi continued to walk with his backpack on his back, a glaring sign that he had just been on a mission.

Stomping back into the café with a slam of the door, much to the surprise of the patrons who turned to look at me curiously as I headed back towards the kitchen, my stocking clad feet ran ladders up and down my calves some heading as far as my thighs.

With a huff of annoyance, I unclipped the elastic material around my stomach through the thin material of the dress pushing the stockings and the garter belt to the floor in one practiced movement.

I heard a 'fwump' as Kakashi dumped his bag in the corner of the room, his eyebrow almost contemptuously raised as he saw the snakey remains of the stockings. I raised my eyebrows too, lifting my arms to the side. "What?"

Kakashi just shook his head. "Just wondering how long you are going to hold this grudge for," Kakashi elevated his eyebrow even further emphatically.

Just like that, he made me feel like a child and the fight slumped out of my shoulders. "Sorry," I muttered, toeing my bare toe in the wooden slats.

I was looking at my big toe and saw the bloodied nail polish chipping, I'll probably have to repaint it soon, I thought to myself, twisting it to examine the shiny scale in a different light. If I hadn't been looking at my feet, I wouldn't have seen Kakashi's slowly step towards me. I paused everything, my limbs, my eyes, my heart. Tentatively I peeked up to see Kakashi's unreadable eye.

There was a tense moment of uncomfortable silence.

"So where is this bowl of raw cookie dough that you have been raving on about?" he said finally.

Relief restarted my heart and I happily skipped to the tempting bowl that I had placed on the side where I had planned to wash it. I heard a god awful scrape and clatter as the metal backed stool which was usually was abandoned in the corner until it was needed for the blasted bowl on the top of the cupboard, being moved until I heard the settling of a weight.

I turned to find Kakashi already situated at the table, his hands folded on his stomach, tipping on the back legs of the chair, a look of amusement on his face.

Then there was an almighty growl.

We both froze, listening. It came again. We comically looked at each other then at Kakashi's belly where the hungry beast lay. Quick as a mongoose, I snatched the bowl away, leaning to pick bread out of the bread bin.

"Jenny," Kakashi whined, "what are you doing? I was going to eat that."

I huffed, shaking my head. "You probably haven't eaten anything nice for the entirety that you have been away, I am sure you don't even know what a vegetable is anymore."

Kakashi wrinkled his nose at me. "There's a reason I avoid vegetables Jenny, a very important reason."

Turning my body slightly to face him, I lifted my eyebrows in question, still slicing the soft white bread. "Oh yeah? Please, enlighten me."

Kakashi held up two fingers, "Two words: Red. Meat." His fingers curled into his palm respectively.

Snorting, I began to make chutney. "Fine, I'll make something for dinner completely riddled with beef that you are going to regret ever asking me. But for now," I diced some tomatoes and onions, "you are having a sandwich to keep you going and then, and only then will you get to lick the bowl."

Kakashi grumbled something about 'troublesome women' before turning to pick up the rarely put down Icha Icha and began reading again.

We worked in silence. Me, slicing the cheese, smearing the butter and homemade tomato chutney, crushing the lettuce before placing two large slices of white bread together; Kakashi, absently turning pages of his weather worn romance novel.

Finally, placing the sandwich in front of Kakashi, I waited.

Kakashi slowly looked up at me then down at the sandwich and then back at me. Carefully, he pulled the plate towards him, simultaneously placing his orange book by his elbow, he lifted a slice of the bread, inspecting the insides.

There was a moment of silence.

Kakashi bent down to look under the table. I frowned.

"What are you doing?" I asked, a little bit of the annoyance at the check for the food in the sandwich.

"Looking,"

"For what?" I threw my hands in the air in exasperation.

"The meat. It has mysteriously disappeared from my sandwich," Kakashi drawled actually going so far as to go on his hands and knees, looking along the dusty floor.

"Just eat it!" I said, a little bit of hurt layered my voice and that was enough to pull a serious Kakashi out from under the table and dusted his hands on his basically non-existent fabric of his top before daintily picking up the sandwich and paused, his eye staring at me with the unfathomable depth.

Jumping as I realised that he wanted me to turn around, I quickly rushed to the sink to begin to clean the equipment until I heard a low groan that sent tingles to pool around my lower region in happiness. Slowly, so as not to startle him, I turned to see Kakashi with an empty plate, save a few crumbs and a languid Kakashi, just lolling his head back between his shoulder blades, smacking his lips behind that insufferable mask.

"Well? Was it okay?" I asked, wringing my hands in the little apron provided, as the sleeves on the uniform weren't long enough to pull over my wrists.

"Okay?" Kakashi leant further back in his chair, his eye going to the ceiling contemplating my question. "That book I lent you was 'okay'; that sandwich was better than 'okay' kami, I think I want to regurgitate it, just to eat it again."

I gave out a breathy laugh in relief before continuing to wash everything in the bed of soap and water.

"You can start on the bowl now then," I nudged it with my elbow and it rocked dangerously and before I could yank my hands out of their prison of slippery soap, the glass bowl wobbled off the side. I clenched my eyes shut away from the inevitable crack.

It didn't come.

Inching one of my blue eyes open I saw there was Kakashi crouched on the floor, one hand suspended in front of him, his hand the only thing keeping the bowl above the floor. I gave a wheezy sigh of relief as I slumped against the side, holding a wet hand to my chest, as if that would calm my beating heart.

Kakashi pushed himself up calmly from his crouch, twisting on his heel, Kakashi walked back to the table and I saw a glimpse of a dark silvery stubble growing on that jawline before I turned away in courtesy of my friend.

Friend…

Yeah, friend.