—07—

KAKASHI'S POV

The fire had finally gotten to a good crackle with the help of Itachi. Yamato had gathered and stacked all the wood, but couldn't seem to get it to light. Kakashi had taken a chair across the fire from Ren. As much as they wanted to be next to her, it was nice to be able to look at her like this, too.

"…I think that's great. The small farmers around here could use the business, considering they're like a needle in a haystack, except the hay has been replaced with monocultures of corn and soy," Yamato said, who was sitting on a bench next to Ren.

"I like the idea, but people here are attached to their greasy spoons, the good ol' American fare. Good luck trying to feed them something that doesn't spike their cholesterol, let alone have them pay for it," Sasori said.

"I don't know, I have hope. If the farmer's market is any indication, there seems to be a growing interest in supporting local products. When I went with Kakashi last week, there were far more vendors and customers than I expected," Ren said, taking a sip of her wine.

"You'd have better luck with that kind of thing in Chicago. You should of stayed there, where the demand is," said some guy Kakashi didn't recognize. Kakashi thought his tone was a little too aggressive.

"I wouldn't be making a difference if I stayed there because it's already being done," she said, simply. "And I don't like the idea that 'progressive' people should flock to the city, just to surround themselves with like-minded people. How do you think a town like this got so Republican? Probably because everybody who thought differently left, instead of trying to stay and implement change."

Kakashi moved their eyes off of Ren to Itachi, who was staring at her intently. A small smile pulled at the corner of his mouth, as if he were trying to fight it. Itachi had given Kakashi a similar speech a few years ago, when they themselves had flirted with the idea of leaving.

"What's wrong with being a Republican?" the unknown guy asked.

"How can you even ask that when you're surrounded by people Republicans actively try to oppress on a daily basis?"

"Tell it sister," Deidara said, who was sitting on the ground, leaning against the shins of the red-headed boy, Sasori.

The guy shifted his eyes around, as if he had no idea what she was talking about. Kakashi smirked. Did this guy really not know he was hanging out with a bunch of queers? He mustn't because he evaded the question.

"All I'm saying is you're smack dab in the middle of the corn belt. It's likely everyone you meet has a family member who works for Monsanto. People don't give a shit about all that non-gmo organic crap. All they care about is that Monsanto has employed their family for generations. Why would they support places like your restaurant that want to take it down, huh?"

Who is this guy, Kakashi thought, before leaning over to ask Deidara that same question.

"Eh, he's Yahiko's cousin." Dei said quietly. "He's a freshmen at the University. I think Yahiko feels bad for him because he doesn't have any friends. I can't imagine why," Dei said rolling his eyes.

"Because Monsanto will literally be the death of agriculture? Of seed diversity and accessible land? Of nature's ability to adapt to a rapidly warming climate? Among five thousand other reasons," Ren said, uncrossing her legs, her other foot coming down with a thump.

"Look, I understand it's complex. I didn't come here to judge how people have made a living for themselves and their families, but I also can't support an empire that is the root of so many injustices. It goes beyond the label of "organic." I couldn't give a shit about that label either. It has it's pitfalls. But what people should care about, is putting power back into people's hands. Back into communities. You think farmers who work for Monsanto have power just because they have work? They are at the MERCY of Monsanto! Utterly dependent on them for seed, fertilizer, pesticide, you name it. And I'm sorry… but that's not real farming. They aren't growing food, they're growing feed for livestock."

The guy knew he was clearly beaten, you could see it all over his face. With nothing intelligible left to say, he resorted to an insult.

"So, what? You're going to swoop in here and be our savior? I mean you're real pretty but"

"Hold on. You did not just imply that the only reason someone would listen to Ren is because she's attractive." Kakashi said, before turning to Yahiko. "Why did you bring your sexist Republican cousin to hang out with us again?" They didn't want Ren to think that this asshole was a friend of theirs.

"So now I'm a sexist for giving her a compliment?"

Kakashi glared at him and made to open their mouth but Yahiko spoke up.

"It's good for him. He needs to be exposed to conversations like this so he doesn't grow up to be a racist, sexist, right-wing bigot like his father."

"Fuck you, Yahiko. I'm leaving," the kid said, getting up from his chair.

"Heeeey, come on now." Hidan said, who was laying on his back on a blanket, swirling a cup of wine around in his hand. "Shouldn't we be roasting marshmallows and singing some kum-bi-fucking-ya's. You all are giving me a headache."

"We should take him home, Yahiko." Konan said. She got up from the ground and held her hand out to her boyfriend. He took it and they left, waving their goodbyes, as if this wasn't the first time they had to do something like this.

"Well, that was exciting." Deidara said. "What a little twat."

Sasori flicked Dei on the back of his head.

"We were all ignorant at that age."

Dei turned around and stared at him, rubbing the back of his head.

"If you were that ignorant at his age, I might reconsider sleeping with you."

"I think it's a little late for that," Sasori grinned.

Deidara laughed. "I might have to reconsider sleeping with you again."

Sasori hit him on the head harder this time.

"Ow."

"Could you two keep your foreplay to yourselves?" Itachi said. "I've already seen enough of that tonight."

"Ok, grouch. Maybe you just need to get laid," Dei said.

"Are you offering?" Itachi asked, with a scowl.

"Are you interested? Dei replied. "I wouldn't be opposed to helping a friend, if it meant you might loosen up a bit. That could be fun," he turned to Sasori, as if in question. "I haven't had a threesome in a long time."

"Why are you looking at me? Who says I'm interested in sleeping with Itachi?" Sasori asked. "Something tells me he'd be a freak in bed. No thanks."

"Who wouldn't want to sleep with Itachi?" Hidan asked lazily, an arm slumped over his eyes.

Dei laughed loudly.

"Excuse me? Is this a confession Hidan?"

Hidan mumbled something unintelligible. Itachi remained silent, staring into the fire.

Kakashi had gotten up to go and sit next to Ren. Yamato had left ten minutes ago, having gotten a phone call and never returned.

Ren let her head fall on Kakashi's shoulder. They wrapped an arm around her, almost in reflex.

"You know, when Deidara introduced you to me, I got the impression that you were painfully shy, but you sure had a lot to say to that guy," Sasori said, looking at Ren.

"It's the wine," she said, holding up her glass. "Combined with my allergy to bullshit."

Everybody laughed. Kakashi noticed that even Itachi let out a chuckle. It was so quiet, they wouldn't have known if they hadn't seen his shoulders give a small shake.

"Plus," she began, picking her head up from Kakashi's shoulder. "I'm not that shy. It's a big misconception about me. I just don't speak unless I have something to say."

After that everyone had gone quiet. Dei was having his own conversation with Sasori, Itachi's gaze was still transfixed on the flames, and it appeared as if Hidan had fallen asleep.

"How are you doing?" Kakashi asked Ren, who looked as if her eyelids were getting heavy.

"Tired. I only got 4 hours of sleep last night."

"Oh, shit. I totally forgot."

"It's okay," she smiled. "I'm happy to be here, with you."

Ren dropped her head back onto their shoulder.

Kakashi felt nervous, knowing what they were going to ask next. What they've been wanting to ask her the whole night. Thinking about the question made them sweat; it was better to just get it over with. If she said no, it wasn't the end of the world, they'd just drive her home.

"You could stay here, if you want," they suggested, a sense of terror thrashing through them.

She picked up her head and looked at them for what felt like an eternity.

"I'd love to."

Kakashi tried to pretend like they weren't about to fall over in relief.

"Can we…go inside now? I'm exhausted, to be honest."

A second wave of terror gnawed at them. Would they just… get in bed with Ren? Should they suggest that they could sleep on the couch or something? Why were they freaking the fuck out?

"Sure," they somehow managed to say, despite their mild panic attack.

Kakashi pulled themselves together enough to tell the rest of them to make sure the fire was out before they left. Deidara gave them a suggestive look that they tried their hardest to avoid. It's not like anything was going to happen; Ren could barely stay awake. There was no way in hell they were going to try and make a move when she was like that.

20 minutes later, Kakashi found themselves shutting the door to their bedroom with Ren inside. They watched her observe their room. They were never a fan of overhead lighting, so they had switched on their desk lamp, basking the room in low light.

"This is nice," she said, dropping her bag onto the bed. "It feels like you."

Kakashi smiled, and then shifted on their feet nervously.

"So, the bathroom is right next door. Do you need a toothbrush or anything?" they asked, feeling their face heat up.

"No…" she placed a hand on her bag. "I may have packed on overnight bag, just in case."

That made Kakashi even more nervous for some reason. They stuck their hands in their pockets.

"Ok. Well, I can sleep…"

"Don't you dare suggest that you can sleep on the couch," she said, cutting them off.

She rifled through her bag to pull out a toothbrush.

"Don't. Go. Anywhere," she said, pointing her toothbrush at them menacingly.

Kakashi sat down on the edge of their bed and took a deep breath.

Ok. So, they were going to share their bed with Ren. Ren was going to be in their bed… REN WAS GOING TO BE IN THEIR BED. Their heart began to race.

What should I do? Should I change? Should I pull the covers back? Should I sprint out to the porch and smoke a cigarette? Should I smack myself in the face for being a goddamn idiot?

It took them so long to let their thoughts run their course, that Ren had returned to the room before they had decided to do anything.

Kakashi watched as she went to her bag and moved it from the mattress to their desk chair. A thought struck them.

"Do you want me to leave while you change?"

"No. In fact… I'd rather have you take off my clothes."

Kakashi felt as if they had just been electrocuted.

"Uh, but," they swallowed, as she walked towards them.

"Aren't you tired?" they asked, stupidly.

She ran a hand through their hair, before leaning down to kiss them.

"There are ways to keep me awake."

Every inch of Kakashi's body screamed yes, but there was a small part of their mind that spoke out in protest. They had to ask.

"Ren, I know you're exhausted, if you just want to sleep, I totally underst-"

"Shh," she said, placing a hand over their mouth, coming to straddle them on the mattress.

"I want this."

She kissed at their neck.

"I want you," she breathed into their ear.

-edited for content—-

At that, Kakashi's brain turned off completely, allowing themselves to be pushed back against the bed. She straddled them on all fours, pressing her mouth hard against theirs. She parted her lips, inviting their tongue inside. They hesitated every so often, before plunging their tongue back in again.

Kakashi let their hands slip under her shirt, coming to caress the skin on the small of her back for the first time. The feel of her made them instinctively lift their hips up, begging for contact, but Ren remained hovering above them. They inched their fingers farther up her back, walking along her spine, to come and rake down her sides. They took a hold of her hipbones, giving them a hard pull, to bring her down on top of them.

She sat up, her ass settled on top of their pelvis, and began to unbutton the collar of her shirt. Kakashi watched her, grasping impatiently at her thighs. She lifted the shirt up over her head and Kakashi let out an audible gasp upon seeing the lace of her black bra. It was flush with her skin, as if it had been painted on. They brought themselves up to capture her mouth with theirs, bringing both hands to clutch at her hair.

Ren pushed them back onto the bed, using the weight of their kiss, and then held herself up on her palms. She locked eyes with them and smiled, rocking her hips against them before slowly grinding down. The sensation, combined with the view they had of her chest, hugged tightly by the lace, overwhelmed Kakashi with pleasure. They had to shut their eyes.

"A-ah," they breathed heavily, before kissing every available inch of her skin. They inhaled deeply, their head spinning with the smell of her, getting lost inside a mess of hair and skin and lace. Saliva started to pool inside their mouth.

Unable to take it anymore, they reached around and unhooked her bra. When she slipped out of it and threw it to the floor, Kakashi saw a thin silver bar, that ended in tiny balls on both ends, pierced through her left nipple.

"Fuck," they breathed, finding it unbelievably sexy. It sent a surge of energy through them.

Kakashi flipped Ren roughly onto her back, sitting above her for a minute to admire her body. It was the most gorgeous thing they had ever seen. And it was heaving and sweating and pulsing for them. The thought lit them on fire.

Kakashi kissed down her stomach, and then licked a trail up from her navel before finding her mouth again. Ren parted her legs, allowing Kakashi to sink down, pressing their body into hers. She brought her hands down to their ass and gave it a squeeze, encouraging them to rub against her. They released her mouth to breathe into her neck, giving it a kiss, a lick, a bite. She brought her mouth to Kakashi's ear and traced the shell of it with her tongue before saying,

"Touch me."

It came out breathy and desperate, causing the hair to rise off their skin. Kakashi had never heard anything so erotic in their life. It was enough to make them lose their mind. Unfortunately, their mind decided to reel right back. They didn't want to say it, but they were going to. It's not like they doubted what they were, but they had to be sure. They lifted themselves up to straddle her hips. It took all of their control to stay still, it made them tremble. Or maybe that's because they were so nervous.

They gripped at the bridge of their nose.

"Ren. I-I don't sleep with people I'm not officially dating."

"Are we not?" She asked, looking amused.

"What?"

She laughed, apparently realizing where Kakashi was going before they realized it themselves.

"I didn't know you were so old-fashioned," she teased.

"W..what?"

"Ask me," she said.

Kakashi stared at her, trying to force their mind to work, but it ceased to function at the sight of her bare chest. They looked away from her to collect their thoughts for a moment. They weren't about to dumbly say 'what' again, dammit. Ok, think back…what was I saying? Oh.

Oh.

Kakashi whipped their head back to her.

"Ren, would you like to be my girlfriend?"

"Yes. A million times yes," she said, grabbing the front of their shirt.

They kissed her aggressively, clanking their teeth against hers, high off of the fact that she said yes.

Ren was their girlfriend.

Touch me, they remembered.

Oh fuck yes.

They brought their hands down to her pants and began to undo the belt, before fumbling with the button and zipper. They glanced down to see it was going to be near impossible to fit their hand inside, let alone move the way they wanted, given how tight her pants were.

They scooted down her body, grabbed hold of the top of her pants and gave them a tug. She lifted up her hips in assistance, before bending each knee, allowing Kakashi to peel the material off her shins, one by one.

Her underwear was fashioned from the same lace as her bra. It made Kakashi blow out a breath. All of a sudden, they felt incredibly intimidated. They started to doubt they knew what they were doing at all. It's not that they were inexperienced, but it was as if no one had even existed before Ren.

"Come here," Ren beckoned. "Stop thinking so much."

Kakashi had no idea how long they had lingered there.

"Bad habit," they laughed nervously, before climbing back on top of her.

They propped an elbow above her shoulder, resting their head in their hand.

"I'm.. a little nervous," they admitted.

"Is this your first time?" she asked, gently.

"No, but I just… want you to like it."

She smiled, while biting her bottom lip.

"Is that what you're worried about? Of course I'm going to like it."

She shifted Kakashi slightly to the side. She grabbed their hand and placed it above the waistband of her underwear, before coming to give them a kiss. She brushed her nose against theirs.

"If you could feel how wet you've made me, you wouldn't be doubting yourself."

She pushed their hand inside her underwear, and Kakashi collapsed their face into her shoulder when they felt it. She wasn't kidding, she was so wet.

"That's what you do to me," she whispered, moving into the touch.

"Oh god," they groaned.

They pushed every self-conscious thought out of their mind and focused on listening to Ren's body. The way she responded to what touch. Pretty soon, Kakashi found a rhythm that seemed to make her very happy.

They looked down to watch their fingers at work. How they disappeared beneath a blanket of lace. They rubbed against her thigh, bringing their teeth to bite down on her collarbone.

She clutched at their arm, her body beginning to shake. She was getting close and the thought thrilled Kakashi beyond belief.

Kakashi shifted to be directly on top of her and Ren immediately came to wrap her arms around them, rocking her hips into their hand. She dug the nails of one hand into their back, while the other came to grip at the back of their head.

"A-ah, oh, Ka-kasshh-iii," she let out in a long low moan, her body trembling beneath them, riding out the waves of her orgasm. It sounded as if their name had been brought forth from some deep place inside her.

She went limp, releasing her hold on their hair. She kissed at the beads of sweat that had collected near their temples.

"Was that convincing enough?" she teased, as Kakashi enveloped her in a kiss.

They smiled against her mouth.

"Fuck yes," they said, kissing her again.

"Mmm, no wonder you're sweating," she said, smoothing a hand out along the skin of their lower back. It was slick with sweat. "You're wearing way too much clothing."

She rolled them over, so she was on top, and pushed their shirt up above their navel, showering kisses along their stomach. When she made to undo their belt, they brought a hand to hers and gripped it. She looked up at them. Kakashi swallowed.

"You know I want you, right?" they asked.

"If I'm to judge by the desire radiating off of your skin, then yes. Definitely."

Kakashi chuckled, and smiled at her.

"I..I'm not..I'm not uncomfortable with my body, it just…it takes me a little while before I'm comfortable with someone touching me. Does that make sense?"

The last woman Kakashi was with, had pressured them into being sexually intimate before they were ready. They had given in, and it led to a multitude of issues revolving around trust and respect. They weren't about to ruin it with Ren.

"Absolutely."

Kakashi felt a tremendous weight, they hadn't even known was there, being lifted off their chest. The fact that she understood them so quickly, without question, was enough to make them want to rip their clothes off right then, but that would be defeating the point.

She removed her hands from their belt and came to lie down next to them. They pushed her hair behind her ear, before reaching out to touch the piercing in her nipple.

"I like this," they said. "A lot."

"I'm glad," she laughed. "Me too."

"I'm cold," she said, after a moment, her eyes fluttering shut.

She brought up a hand to stifle a yawn. Kakashi remembered how tired she must be. They leaned over and kissed her on the forehead.

"Let's go to sleep," Kakashi said, moving to get up off the bed.

"Mmm, that sounds wonderful. Hey, could you go in my bag and toss me my nightgown?"

They peered inside her bag. They saw a velvety black fabric speckled with yellow stars and crescent moons.

"Is this it?" they asked, unfurling an unbelievably soft, long sleeve dress.

"Yep. Thanks."

They tossed it to her before grabbing a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt from their dresser.

By the time they had gotten back from the bathroom, Ren had already burrowed under the covers and fallen asleep.

—-

Kakashi awoke the following morning just before 8:00, with the weight of something warm on their belly. They blinked their eyes open and looked down to find Ren's hand resting there. The rest of her body was curled up in a ball, close to their side. They turned their head, their nose barely grazing her hair, and inhaled. It still smelled of smoke from the bonfire last night.

They were hesitant to move for more than one reason. They didn't want to disturb her, knowing she needed to catch up on sleep, and they wanted to soak in the beauty of this moment for a little while longer. Kakashi couldn't remember the last time they felt this happy and content. They watched as her hand rose and fell on top of their stomach, every time they took a breath. The longer they lay there, the less they could feel her hand. When they searched for it with their mind, it was hard to distinguish where their body ended and hers began.

Eventually, when their back began to ache, they decided to get up. Slowly, they slid out from under her hand. Without waking, she brought it back into herself, curling into an even tighter ball.

After taking a shower and getting dressed for the day, Kakashi headed downstairs. They found Yamato in the kitchen, listening to the Morning Edition on NPR, while brewing a pot of coffee.

"Morning," he said, upon seeing them.

"Good morning."

Kakashi opened the fridge and poured themselves a glass of cold water from the BRITA.

"Ren still here?"

"Yeah, I think she'll be asleep for a few more hours though."

"You two must be dating then," Yamato said, knowing Kakashi well.

Kakashi smiled, nodding their head.

"I'm happy for you. She seems great. I wish I could have talked to her more last night, but I got a call from Rachel. You know how rare it is for her to find signal."

"When does she get back from Thailand again?"

"Not for another three months."

"Eesh."

"Yeah, but I've swamped myself with work, so hopefully I won't notice."

Kakashi laughed.

"I'm going to smoke on the porch, do you want to join me?"

"Sure. I'll come when the coffee's done. Do you want me to bring you a cup?"

"That sounds nice actually, yeah."

—-

REN's POV

Ren rolled onto her back, stretching her arms and legs. She sat up, forgetting where she was for a moment. With the sheets pooled around her waist, she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, and took in Kakashi's room. She looked at the side of the bed Kakashi had gotten out of, the indentation still visible in their pillow. She grabbed it and hugged it to her chest, smiling.

Memories of last night flooded her mind. She shivered, shoving her face in the pillow to smash her grin. She wondered what time it was and what they were doing right now. She peeked behind the wooden blinds that covered the window next to the bed and saw the charred remains of yesterday's fire. Judging by the light, it was definitely well past morning.

She got out of bed, picked her bra up from off the floor, and took some fresh clothes out of her bag. She changed into a tight, long-sleeve, turquoise dress that dropped down to the ankles. There was slit on the left side, that came just above her knee. After throwing her hair up into a messy bun, she ventured downstairs.

When she reached the bottom of the steps, the jangling sound of a dog collar greeted her as Pakkun came running.

"Morning, Pakkun," she said.

Seeing as Kakashi wasn't in the sitting room, she poked her head into the kitchen, and then out onto the porch, all with Pakkun at her heels.

"Where's Kakashi, huh?" she asked Pakkun, bending down to pick him up. She gave him a scratch behind the ears.

Just then, Yamato came walking down the stairs, with Bisque trotting in his wake.

"I thought I heard movement down here. You're alive!" he said dramatically.

She laughed, putting Pakkun down.

"I needed to catch up on some sleep. I feel much better."

"Kakashi had to run into work for a minute. Something about someone forgetting his keys to the shop. Would you like something to drink? Coffee? Water? I think we have some tea?"

"Water is fine for now, thanks."

She followed Yamato into the kitchen. When her eyes hit the counter, she saw a couple of pieces of ginger next to a few heads of garlic in a shallow bowl.

"Actually, do you mind if I make some ginger tea?"

"Not at all. What do you need?"

"Just a sharp knife, and a pot with a lid for boiling water."

Yamato got her both, along with a cutting board and a glass of water. He set them all on the counter.

"So Kakashi tells me you've known each other for a long time," Ren said, starting to slice the ginger. "That you met in a bamboo sword fight," she smiled, raising an eyebrow at him.

Yamato laughed.

"You could say that. We were two of the very few kids at our school with Japanese heritage. Even all the guys in the martial arts club were white."

"Did they suck?"

Yamato laughed again.

"They didn't suck, but they did seem to lack a certain… grace."

"I could see Kakashi being really graceful, for some reason."

"They were. Like a fucking water dancer."

"How did I know?" Ren teased, as she slid the ginger slices into the pot, filled it with water from the sink, and set it on the stove.

"You two seem like a good match," Yamato said, sitting down into one of the kitchen chairs.

"I think so too," she smiled. "Does this house belong to you? The wood work is beautiful."

"I've done a lot of work on it, but no, it's Kakashi's. It's been in their family a long time."

She thought about that for a moment. She didn't know anything about Kakashi's family, and they knew nothing about hers.

Pakkun ran out of the kitchen. A second later, she heard the screen door open. Her heart skipped, knowing Kakashi was going to round the corner at any moment.

"Hi," they smiled, upon seeing her. "Do you feel better?"

"A lot."

Kakashi snapped off their messenger bag and dropped it on one of the kitchen chairs.

"If I didn't know any better, I would think Shikamaru was high all the time. He has zero motivation and is constantly forgetting things. Actually, I don't know if it's so much he forgets things, or he just can't bother himself to do it. It's a miracle Tsunade hasn't fired him."

"You would never know he's a genius. I played him in chess once at a party…" Yamato said, speaking to Ren. "He kicked my ass. And I pride myself on my chess skills."

"Wait.. you played him in chess at a party? What kind of party was this?" Ren asked, amused.

Kakashi and Yamato shared a look.

"A LAN party," Yamato said.

"And that is…?

"It's where a bunch of people get together in one room, hook up their computers or game consoles, and play multiplayer video games with each other," Kakashi said, slightly embarrassed. "It was in high school…."

"Yamato, can you believe Kakashi had the audacity to call me a nerd the first night we met, solely for referencing Tolkien?" Ren said, turning off the stove.

"Ludacris," Yamato smirked at Kakashi.

"I know! Let's see… martial arts club, LAN parties…" she started ticking things off on her fingers. "English Lit major.."

Kakashi walked over to her, placing a hand over her outstretched fingers, causing them to collapse into a fist.

"What?" she flirted. "You don't want me to continue? Were you in band too?"

Yamato burst out laughing.

"Oh my god, you were!" she said, giving Kakashi a little push to the chest. "I was kidding! What did you play?"

Kakashi pinched and poked at her side, causing her to buckle over.

"Yamato, what did they play?!" she asked, between laughs, trying to dodge Kakashi.

"Piano. And cello."

"Ohh… cello's kinda sexy," she said, raising an eyebrow suggestively at Kakashi, who currently had a vice-like grip on her wrists.

They smiled widely at her, dimples and all. If it was possible to swoon out loud, she probably would have.

"Well, don't get excited. I haven't played in years."

"Hn," she sniggered, as Kakashi let go of her.

"I brought breakfast, by the way," they said, crossing back over to their bag. They pulled out a large paper sack.

"From the Bagel Shop? Hell yeah. Get ready to have the best bagel of your life, Ren."

"Yamato, she lived in New York for two years."

"Get ready to have the best mediocre bagel of your life, Ren."

"I'm sure I'll like them," she laughed.

"At least they make them fresh everyday. And they make their own cream cheese, which is close to gourmet for this town," Kakashi said, pulling two tubs out of the bag. "I thought we could have them with some scrambled eggs or something."

Kakashi was looking at Ren expectantly. She knew that look. She'd seen friends and exes give it to her many times.

"Nuh uh. Don't pull the chef card on me. You know how to make scrambled eggs, I presume?"

"Well, yeah…"

"Then make them. I can whip up something to eat on the side. Can I browse your fridge?"

"Go for it."

—-

45 minutes later, the three of them sat down to plates full of scrambled eggs, braised kale with cherry tomatoes and onions, turnips pan seared in butter and garlic, and of course, bagels and cream cheese.

"This is by far the best breakfast I've had in a long time. If this is any indication of the food you're going to serve Ren, I'll be there everyday."

"I can only take credit for half of it, but thank you," she smiled, before taking a sip of her orange juice.

"I don't think my scrambled eggs merit any praise," Kakashi said.

"I think she was referring to the bagels, Kash," Yamato joked.

"I was talking about both, actually. Scrambled eggs are something that seem so simple, but can be tricky. Keep them in the pan too long, you kill them and they end up dry. Too little time and they're too wet. There's barely a second in between, because they still cook on the pan when you turn off the flame. So, there. Take my praise!" she smirked at Kakashi, who was sitting to her right. She poked her foot against their shin under the table.

"Well, shit. Now that you've pointed it out, I think mine come out dry," Yamato said.

"They do," Kakashi confirmed.

"Let's see if I ever make eggs for you again," Yamato teased, poking Kakashi in the shoulder as he walked his dish to the sink.

Ren pulled a leg up onto the chair and reached for the local newspaper that was still laying on the middle of the table. She immediately flipped to the classifieds, not having much interest in anything else.

"Hey, Lake Argyle was in Colchester right?" she asked, turning to Kakashi.

"Yeah, why?"

"There's an estate sale happening there today. We should go!"

"Okay, whatever you want."

"Yamato, do you want to come?"

"I have to go into work. You two have fun. Thanks again for breakfast, both of you," he emphasized with a smile, before walking out of the kitchen and out the front door.

"He says that as if he doesn't make his own schedule. You think he'd at least take Sunday off," Kakashi said.

"I guess when you love what you do, leisure and work can blend together. He's lucky. Not many people lead lives like that, unfortunately. "

Ren listened as Yamato pulled out of the driveway. She stretched her arms above her head before gathering all the plates and placing them in the sink.

"I made some ginger tea earlier that I never got around to drinking. Would you like some? I'm going to heat it up again," she said, igniting the stove.

"Sure."

She went back to the sink, piling the used pans on top of the plates, and grabbed the sponge. Kakashi wrapped their arms around her from behind.

"What are you doing?" they said, into her hair.

"The dishes?" she said, titling her head to the side to give them access to her neck.

They placed a kiss there. And then another.

"Unless there's something else you'd rather have me do?"

Kakashi chuckled softly into her ear, her favorite sound, sending a shiver down her spine. They pulled her tighter against them. She closed her eyes and they swayed (ever so slightly) together for a moment. Ren's chest felt as if it were filling up with light. She was so happy.

She put the sponge down and turned around, cupping Kakashi's face in her hands, before giving them a kiss. They returned it eagerly, pressing her into the counter with their body. She lost herself in their kissing, in their lips, the taste of their tongue, in the heat that was beginning to build between them. She placed a kiss to one corner of their mouth, and then the other, trying to coax their dimples to appear. When she kissed their nose, it worked. They let out a small laugh, followed by a wide smile, making her melt. Kakashi rested their hands on her hips, before sliding them around to her back. She threw her arms around their neck, and kissed them again.

She heard the sputter and sizzle of tea boiling over and hitting the flame. Groaning, she broke away from Kakashi to turn it off. They grabbed two mugs from the cabinet and set them before her.

After finishing their tea, stopping by Ren's to let Nymeria out and give her a quick walk, they were on their way to Colchester.

When they pulled up to the correct house, Kakashi parked across the street, behind another car.

"Are you sure this is it? It doesn't look like anything is being sold here…" Kakashi said, pocketing their keys.

"Everything is being sold here. That's the point. They don't have to display it, like a garage sale, because every item is up for grabs, including the house itself. Which, by the way, reminds of the one The Munster's lived in. Maybe we should buy it and make it into a replica. People make a lot of money off that shit."

"You know someone actually did that, right? I think it's in Texas or something."

"Way to kill my dreams of dressing up as Lily everyday. She had such an awesome costume, too. Her sleeves were bat wings, Kakashi."

Kakashi stopped in the middle of the driveway, giving her an odd look.

Uh oh. Nerd was one thing, but weird? Was Kakashi into weird? Had she gone too far?

"Wait. Would that make me Herman because…ew? I'd make a much better Gomez, minus the mustache. His suits were pretty cool. He had that one made out of red velvet. You'd have to amp up your goth game though," they teased, giving her bright dress a once over.

Ren laughed and felt the words 'I love you' bubbling up from inside her. They almost slipped from her mouth. It astonished her how natural it came. She swallowed the words before they escaped.

"You could totally rock a bowtie," she said.

"What makes you think I don't already?" they said, raising their eyebrows at her.

She gave them a light punch on the shoulder before hooking her arm through theirs. Picturing Kakashi in a bowtie was…surprisingly hot. She pushed the image out of her mind because they had reached the front door, which had been left wide open, inviting them inside.

"It smells like old people in here," she whispered, leaning into Kakashi.

"Probably because an old lady lived here, look at the decor."

There were several embroidered pillows on the couch with long cloth curtains that skirted the floor on either side of the windows. Porcelain figurines adorned the shelves and side tables, sitting on top of lacey white dolies.

"Hey. I quite like that one with the flowers on it. I'm getting it if it's affordable."

She picked up the pillow in question and hugged it to her chest.

"You would," Kakashi laughed.

She brought the pillow to her face and inhaled.

"But why do they all smell the same? It's like they have their own brand."

"I don't know. Maybe the mystery will be unlocked when you become an old lady."

"Please. I'm going to look exactly this punk when I'm 80. Just with more wrinkles."

They left the front room to wander about the rest of the house.

"Doesn't it make you feel uncomfortable, going through someone's home like this, deciding what has value and what doesn't?" Kakashi asked, picking up an old radio from the kitchen counter, only to put it back down.

"I don't feel like I'm judging, but I can understand what you're saying. It is sort of weird to be picking over someone's life. But if I were this lady, I'd be happy if someone ending up caring for what I used to have. I think it'd be much more sad if everything ended up in a land fill or collecting dust in a thrift store somewhere."

She picked up a ceramic cookie jar in the shape of a toadstool. The lid was the mushroom cap, painted red with white spots. She cradled it in her other arm, knowing she was going to buy it too.

They approached a set of stairs with bright green carpeting that led to a basement. It was well lit and Ren could hear a few voices coming from down below. She descended the stairs to find a finished basement with wood paneled walls. It smelled a little musty, like mold. There were several racks of clothing and many boxes filled with books, blankets, holiday decorations, and miscellaneous knick knacks.

Against the wall, behind a brown folding table, sat an older man with a small cashiers box in front of him. He was currently negotiating with a middle-aged woman about the price of a sewing machine. She placed the two items she was carrying on the far edge of the table, so she could browse more freely.

She started to pursue the boxes, picking up a yellow knit hat with a large black pom on the top. She let her hair down, pulled it on, and looked into a mirror leaning against the wall. She kept it on her head as she flicked through the coats, stopping when she came across an olive green, button-up, military jacket. She lifted it off the rack to examine it more closely. It was heavy, made from a material that reminded her of denim. It had a high collar, with shoulder details, and four pockets: two breast, and the normal ones for your hands. She checked the tag. It was the real deal, not some imitation made by designers.

Deidara.

There was a small yellow sticker on it that read $10. She slung it over her arm, along with a navy blue bomber jacket with yellow and orange stripes that angled down from the shoulders to the middle of the chest. She thought it would look incredible on Kakashi. Speaking of, she heard them call to her from another room.

When she found them, they were standing in front of a pastel yellow cruiser, with a white patent seat, and a basket.

"Have you ever wanted a bike? Because this one has your name written all over it."

She placed the jackets on top of a large suitcase and walked over to it.

"I've thought about it. To go to the farmer's market or things around town. Do you think this would work?"

"It's perfect for things like that. They're asking $50, which is a little steep, considering it'd need new brakes, the handle grips would have to be replaced, the rust removed, and the paint is chipping. I'm not sure what kind of shape the tires are in either. But… it has a great frame. Bianchi makes really good bikes. Still, I wouldn't pay more than $25."

She gave them a nervous look.

"I'd be happy to do the haggling for you, if you want it," they said, reading her mind.

She nodded and smiled widely.

"Good. I was hoping I wouldn't have to try and convince you. I'm pretty excited to ride together," they said, returning her smile.

They started to wheel the bike out of the room.

"That hat is adorable by the way, you should get it," they said, as they passed her by.

She picked up both jackets and followed them out of the room.

She stood beside Kakashi timidly, listening to them bargain on her behalf. She was expecting them to be assertive, but Kakashi was far from it. They were so kind and charming, making conversation about the house and its history before even talking about the bike, which was probably why the man gave it to them for $10 less than Kakashi asked for, bringing it to a whopping total of $15. She paid $45 for everything.

"That was my mom's favorite hat," the old man told Ren, packing her items into a cardboard box. "She knit it herself."

"Wow. It's in excellent shape. She must have been very skilled," Ren said.

"She was," the man smiled, nostalgically. "If you want, there's a pair of matching yellow gloves. I'll give them to you for free."

"I'd love that," she said, her heart aglow.

"Do you need help bringing the bicycle up the stairs, son?" the man asked, as he crossed over to a box and rifled through it until he found the gloves.

Ren shot her eyes over to Kakashi. Part of her wanted to correct the man for his mistake, but she knew it wasn't her place.

"I'll be alright, thanks," Kakashi said, not appearing bothered. "I hope the rest of today goes well for you."

"Thank you. You two seem like such a nice young couple. Good luck to you both."

He handed the gloves to Ren.

Kakashi hoisted the bike frame on top of their shoulder and ascended the stairs. She hoped it wouldn't stain their shirt; a long-sleeve thermal, the color of oatmeal. Ren admired how good their butt looked beneath their shorts, which were dark green, and ended just above their knee. She saw their muscled calves for the first time, toned into the signature 'v' of a bike rider. She felt herself get hot, pulling the knit hat off of her head, ruffling her hair. She propped the cardboard box against her hip, waved goodbye to the old man, and followed Kakashi up the steps.

"I guess we can bring the bike inside, considering I don't have a garage," Ren said, after they got out of the car in front of her house.

"Not until I'm finished with it."

"Kakashi…" she started, feeling nervous. She didn't want them to think she was expecting them to do all that work for her.

"You're dating a bike mechanic, Ren. I'm more than happy to do it. Actually it…" they paused, smiling at her.

"What?" she asked.

"It kind of turns me on to know I'll be working on your bike. There's something sexy about it," they laughed.

She bit her lip at them.

"Do you want to come inside?" she asked, her mind going back to the image of their ass and legs.

"Yeah, I'll come in for bit."

They were inside for a whole 20 minutes before Ren had them pinned against her bed, with their arms above their head. She slid the tip of her tongue across their bottom lip.

"You have really great legs, you know that?"

"You think so?"

"Yes," she said, coming to sit on her ankles between their legs.

She slid her hands below their thighs, making them bend their knees, before running her hands down their calves.

"I was checking you out while you were going up the stairs."

"In front of that sweet old man?"

"Scandalous, I know."

—-edited for content—-

She gave their calves a squeeze and planted a kiss on their kneecap, before sinking her teeth into the same spot. Kakashi grabbed one of her arms and pulled her forward, causing her to collapse into them. They kissed her, nibbling at her lip, before rolling the two of them together onto their sides.

The position allowed her to deepen their kiss and Ren pushed her tongue in as far as she could, intent on devouring them. On the way out, Kakashi caught her tongue between their lips and sucked it back into their mouth. She hooked a leg over their hips, allowing their bodies to get closer than they already were.

Kakashi was an excellent kisser. They knew exactly when to soften and when to get rough. Their mouths moved intuitively with each other. It was effortless. Intoxicating. She felt like she could come just from making out with them alone. She was well on her way there already.

She rolled on top of them, widening her legs, so her knees rested on either side of their body. She brought herself down, moving against them. Kakashi arched their back in response.

"Is this okay?" she breathed near their ear.

"Yes," they gasped, digging their fingers into her lower back.

Hearing their consent increased her desire tenfold. There was nothing sexier to her than hearing yes in bed. She pulled her dress up past her hips, getting the fabric out of the way, before coming back to rub against them.

She showered their neck with a series of wet, open-mouthed kisses, Kakashi was moving against her, their bodies undulating together, with a series of circles and thrusts. Her abdomen was beginning to burn from the effort.

"f-fuck," Kakashi breathed, before switching their positions so they were on top.

"I'm going to come if you keep going like that, holy shit," they said.

The fact that Kakashi was mere minutes away from an orgasm made her body ache with an unfathomable desire. What she wouldn't give to feel them release beneath her right now. She attempted to clear it from her mind, wanting to respect where they were at with her. She didn't have to try very hard because when Kakashi brought their hand between her legs, she saw nothing but the back of her eyelids. She brought one of her hands down to the bed, gathering the comforter in her fist.

"Oh my god, that was incredible," she said, as Kakashi rolled onto their side, next to her.

Kakashi smiled, entangling their fingers with hers on top of her stomach. She brought their hand to her lips and then sucked the finger that was touching her into her mouth.

"uh..,jesus, ren," kakashi groaned, squirming against her.

She smiled mischievously at them.

"I don't know how much longer I can hold out with you," they said, engulfing her in a kiss. "I've never been so turned on by someone that it actually hurts."

"mmm.. I'll be dreaming of the day I can relieve you," she hummed against their ear, grazing her fingers beneath their shirt. "Of what you'll sound like when I fuck you."

"ha..ahh," they breathed, as she trailed her fingertip across their ribs. "Keep talking like that and I'm going to lose it for sure."

She laughed.

"Are you encouraging me? Because I'd be fucking ecstatic to talk dirty to you, Kakashi," she drawled, tugging at their earlobe with her teeth. "If you only knew the things I want to do to you right now…"

Kakashi inhaled deeply.

Ren took it as a sign to back off a little. They were clearly fighting for control and she knew she was only making it worse. She waited for them to decide the next move.

Kakashi had shifted onto their back, and closed their eyes. Ren watched their chest rise and fall as they breathed. She could see their rapid heartbeat pulsing in a vein against their neck. She wondered what they were thinking, as she traced the outline of their scar with her eyes, feeling a familiar urge to kiss it. She leaned in and did just that.

Kakashi's eyes fluttered open and smiled up at her, their dimples causing her heart to ache.

They blew out a breath and sat up.

"I'm going to use the bathroom. I'll be right back," they said, giving her a kiss before they got up off the bed.

Ren took it as an opportunity to recollect herself too. She slipped out of her underwear, not wanting to sit in wet fabric. She'd shower as soon as Kakashi left.

Oh, but why did they have to leave?

She wanted this moment, this day, to stretch on forever, before both of them went back to work tomorrow. With their schedules, she didn't know when she'd see them next. She sighed and got up off the bed.

When Kakashi came out of the bathroom, she was sitting on the arm of the couch, near the door, with the jacket she bought them in her hand.

"I bought this jacket for you. I thought you'd like it. Or if I'm being completely honest, I wanted to see you in it," she smiled.

"How is it that you know me so well already?" Kakashi asked, taking it from her outstretched hand and slipping it on. It fit perfectly. "I love it. Thank you."

They came up to her and she wrapped her arms around their torso, smooshing her cheek against their abdomen.

"When will we see each other again?" she asked.

Kakashi kissed the top of her head.

"We'll find time. Or make time. Don't worry."

They gripped her chin, pulling her face up to meet theirs. They pressed their lips against hers, giving her a long kiss.

"Ugh," she pouted.

She could smell herself all over their fingers still. It made her want to jump back into bed.

"I'll see you soon," they laughed. "Can I call you babe?"

They looked at her shyly, as if unsure.

"You can call me whatever you want," she flirted, hooking her fingers over the waistband of their shorts and giving it a tug.

Kakashi brought her up to stand and gave her another kiss.

"I'll see you soon, babe," they said, still cupping her face.

"Uggghhh," she said again, wrapping her arms around them in a hug. "Ok, go. Or I'll drag this out forever."

"I'll call you tomorrow."

"Call me tonight."

"I knew that was being too optimistic. I never would have lasted anyway."

"Go," she laughed, latching onto their new jacket to pull them into a final kiss, before pushing them towards the door.

"Okay, okay," they laughed. "Bye, Ren."

"Bye, Kakashi."

She shut the door behind them.