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Chapter 13

One week later and it was Azami's birthday, and we; Gai, Azami, Naruto, and I, were all going out for a meal. Azami had said I could invite Kakashi, but I had said no. We weren't that close again yet, I had barely reacquainted ourselves, unless you count the years of Kakashi being Hideki, which I don't. That was Hideki, this was Kakashi. Different masks. Different people to me.

It was this new barbeque house we were going to. Azami loved food on a stick, and when she heard that they served food on a stick dishes here – really like a kebab at home – she just had to come here. And Gai was privy to her command. It was really quite sweet. Lee looked up to them both, and I saw him taking notes from whatever Gai said about wooing his love. No doubt in hopes of winning Sakura's heart in the future when they would meet. I wasn't quite sure how that would go.

We ate first before presents, Azami and Gai pairing off at one end while me and the genin were at the other. It was interesting staying with Naruto and lee through dinner. They had completely different interests in conversation topic to what I had in mind, so I took the time to study Gai and Azami, what? I was bored!

Azami's face was alight with excitement as she watched Gai prepare the 'perfect' barbeque kebab, to her instructions of course, and to his goals. He was trying to make fifty kebabs in sixty seconds I think, not a new challenge really. Azami was cheering him on, pointing out the ingredients she wanted to have in particular. How she kept up with his speed I'll never know, but they were a unique pair.

"The peppers Gai-kun! Don't forget the peppers, I like those."

"YOSH! I shall give Azami-chan ALL the peppers then!"

"Aww, you don't have to do that. Don't you like peppers too?"

"But Azami-chan likes the peppers, and Gai loves Azami-chan. Plus it is your birthday, so I shall get you what you want."

"Aww Gai-kun! I love you too!" I smiled when I saw Azami reach over to give Gai a peck on the lips. I turned away when they started to get a little too X-rated for the dinner table, in front of the kids! I would have said something, but I wasn't sure what to say. I was sort of speechless in the bad sense. And then something happened in which I had no idea.

Gai, while still sucking faces with Azami, managed to notice a certain silver-haired book-reading ninja pass by, outside the restaurant. "KAKASHI! My eternal rival! Join us in celebrating my BEAUTIFUL wife's birthday!" oh god, the whole restaurant was staring now...

"Gai-kun! You're so sweet." Azami said with a smile, completely unembarrassed by the whole declaration... well I suppose she had lived with him for a few years.

Kakashi popped his head into the restaurant through its wide open window, "Maa... I don't know. I don't have a present for her or anything."

"Then I challenge you to an eating competition. That can be your present for Azami-chan!"

"Are you paying?" I rolled my eyes at the statement, cheap bastard.

"Yes."

"Okay then." Kakashi walked out of sight for a second, before appearing inside the restaurant. When we all shuffled to make room, Naruto moved aside, so Kakashi was stuck sitting next to me. "Good evening Natsuki-chan."

"Hatake."

"Hey Kakashi-sensei?" shut up Naruto! Go back to your ramen! "You know Natsuki-chan?"

"Yes, we're friends."

"Then why does she call you 'Hatake' if you're friends?" No! Why does he have to be observant tonight?

"I don't know," oh don't you turn this on me Hatake, he turned and faced me, and I could practically see the smirk through his mask, "Why don't you call me Kakashi?"

I narrowed my eyes at him, "Don't you mean why don't I call you Kakashi anymore?"

I heard him clear his throat nervously and felt smug. Hah! "Well... what can I do to make you call me Kakashi again?"

I was surprised; he wanted me to call him Kakashi again? Well this could be interesting... what could I make him do? "Well... what about..." I started to grin, a plan forming brilliantly in my mind, "Read an extract from your favourite book to Gai."

His eye almost popped out, "What?"

"And it has to be... steamy. We'll see if that gets me to call you by your name again. And that's still an if." He wouldn't do it. Wait, where's he goin- Kakashi get away from Gai!

"Ahem, Gai?"

"Yosh my eternal rival?"

"Can I talk to you in private please?"

"Is that a challenge?"

"Something like that..."

Oh my god, he was going to do it! I sat frozen as I watched Kakashi and Gai leave the restaurant. But I couldn't resist it, I had to go see. Without another word I left the restaurant too, and found the pair not too far down the road. I followed them and when Kakashi stopped them by a bench I stood far away enough not to be noticed, but still in hearing range. My eyes widened as I listened to Kakashi stumbling over the words of a particularly descriptive, definitely adult scene from his book. Oh my god, he was actually doing this! I felt embarrassed for him, but felt a shiver of happiness in me also. He was embarrassing himself for me.

"Ahem... and then the beautiful w-woman reached up and-"

"Excuse me my good friend, but why are you reading this to me?"

"Ah well, I have a perfectly good explanation for that... hehe, you see...-" oh I can't leave him hanging like that.

I stepped out of the shadows, "It was a challenge Gai. I wanted to see what you are always so excited about."

Kakashi slumped in relief, and Gai shot me another blinding grin, "I see Natsuki-chan. Good for you, participating in a youthful challenge with the Natsuki-chan Kakashi." He suddenly snatched the book out of Kakashi's hand, flashing us both a thumbs up, "Excuse me! I want to go wish my beautiful wife a proper birthday. I shall return this wonderful book soon!"

And then there were two...

"Well," Kakashi said, breaking the slightly awkward silence, "I don't think I want to have that book back, knowing that Gai has... you know..."

I burst out laughing at him now, "I can't believe you actually did that! You got some balls Hatake."

"Hatake?" Kakashi asked once my laughter had subsided, "What about calling me Kakashi?"

"I only said it was an if."

"Well, what can I do to make you call me Kakashi again?"

I looked up at him now and saw a serious and pleading look on his face. "What would you do?"

"Anything."

"Anything?"

"Well... except remove my mask, I'm not ready for you to see me yet."

"Yet?"

"That's an if." He said with a smirk. "So? What can I do?"

"Well... if you won't take off your mask for me, yet, how about you dye your mask."

"Okay."

"Pink."

"What?"

"And wear it around the village for a whole day, and act oblivious to any remarks. Can you so that?"

He gave out a sigh, and I was about to wave it off as a joke when he started speaking again, "For you... yes. Can I have a request though?"

"What do you want?"

"A hug?"

I was surprised.

He had never really liked physical contact, even when we were close years ago. I'd be lucky to have got a pat on my head or shoulder. He'd pat my hand if he was really feeling bold. And now he was asking me for a hug? A hug? An action when he'd have to not only be close to another person; but he'd have to wrap his arms around me and, well, hug me. I had always wanted to hug him, my not-so-successfully-suppressed crush being one cause for it. But I had lived with Naruto, who loved the attention and hugs and kisses, it had become natural for me to want, even need physical contact with people close to me. Kakashi had always been an exception to that. He had been an exception to most things in my life so far though. "Sure."

I think he was smiling, but that damn mask was blocking any confirmation for me. However, he grabbed hold of my arm and tugged me closer to him. When I was right in front of him, my nose only really level with his chest, damn tall man making me feel shorter than I already am, I felt him slowly wrap his arms around my shoulders, pulling me to him. He seemed hesitant, so I wrapped my arms around his torso and pulled him firmly to me, giving him a proper hug. Honestly, he must have been so out of practise.

It felt really nice being in Kakashi's arms, especially when he started to relax. Then I really relaxed. He smelt woodsy, truly a leaf ninja. It was nice though, with a scent I guess that was just Kakashi. I rested my head against his chest, my arms still around his waist while his were around my shoulders. Eventually he rested his head on top of mine too, "This is nice."

I chuckled, "Yeah, what brought this on though? I didn't think you liked this sort of thing."

"I'm not sure, it just felt like it."

"Hmm." We stayed in our hug for a little while longer, before I reminded him that we probably needed to return to the restaurant, if not for the likely absent-to-celebrate-with-her-husband Azami, at least for me to go and collect Naruto.

"Fine, let's go back to the kids then."

"And don't forget your 'challenge'."

"Damn, I thought you forgot."

"You wish."

"That I do."

I laughed with Kakashi as we walked back to the restaurant, one of his arms slung over my shoulders, and the other arm tucked into his pocket. Well, he had just recently 'loaned' his precious book to Gai, so it wasn't too surprising. Although I had always thought he carried a spare book in his pocket. The pervert.

Oh god...

Oh GOD...

I hate my time of month. Azami was lucky enough to get no excruciating cramps each month, but she always had her unanswerable comeback of "at least your fertile" which made me feel selfish and then guilty and then sad. And then I'd go into one of my moods. But the worst thing possible had happened.

I had been really busy with work lately, so had hardly had time for shopping for anything, let alone shopping for feminine toiletries. And I wouldn't embarrass Naruto enough to ask him to shop for those things for me, besides he was out training with his team right now.

But in the bathroom I found my last pad.

The last one.

I had searched everywhere for another pad, tampon, anything, but I couldn't find one. And I couldn't go out to shop; my cramps were so strong I was practically a hobbling hunchback walking around the apartment. I'd never make it to the store.

Hence, "oh god..." Oh, maybe this once I could ask Naruto to go get them for me, he was my brother. He was due back anytime soon too. Until then I'd wait on the couch, curled up around my stomach for someone to come. This was ridiculous. I a trained Jounin of Konoha, one of the deadliest kunoichi and with a currently unique Jutsu in my arsenal, was crippled by my time of month. I'd be beating myself up right now, if my stomach wasn't doing such a good job already.

And like I had guessed, not half an hour later I heard from my position on the sofa the front door being opened. I managed to pull myself up into a sitting position sort of, and saw Naruto and Kakashi enter the living room. I really didn't want to divulge my private affairs in front of Kakashi, but I was getting desperate here. "Naruto!"

"Natsuki-chan? What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

Honestly, you'd think he worked out what was wrong with me every month after he had 'the Talk', but no, he was Naruto. "I need you to go buy me some things."

"What? Why can't you get them Natsuki-chan? I'm tired..."

"Naruto please-"

"But-"

"NARUTO I AM IN A LOT OF PAIN HERE. WOULD YOU JUST LISTEN TO ME?" ah, there was that slightly frightened expression I occasionally relished on Naruto's face. "Good. I need you to go get me some more painkillers and two packs of sanitary towels."

"S-S-Sanitary towels?" Naruto asked, scratching the back of his neck nervously, "Do y-you really need them?"

"Naruto are you really asking me that? Am I not a fully grown woman?"

"I-I but don't you have any, erm, things, left?"

"If I did, would I be asking you to buy me some more?"

"No, I guess not... well... if I have to-" maybe I should just suck up my pain and go buy them myself. I hate seeing Naruto this embarrassed.

I turned to face Kakashi, my last hope, "Kakashi? Can you get them for me then? Please?"

His eye widened in surprise, and I'm sure I saw a blush on his visible skin, "I-well-erm-"

"Please?"

Kakashi looked at me before sighing, "I can get them for you."

"Really? That's great Kakashi-sensei! Well I'm going for a shower and to get some ramen, seeya both later, dattebayo!" and then there were two... again.

I raised my eyebrows at him, "You would?"

"What are friends for?"

I smiled at him now, "Really? You're facing potential fatal embarrassment here from your friends."

"Maa, I can handle them."

"Thank you so much."

"So, erm, which ones do I buy you?"

"There should be an empty packet in the bin. Could you just get me two packs of those please?"

Kakashi walked over to the bin and scanned the empty packet I had thrown in it. "Any preference in painkiller?"

"Any's fine, thank you."

"Well, I'll be back soon then." Kakashi nodded at me again, before making his way out of the apartment. I flopped back onto the sofa in relief, knowing help was coming back soon. I hope Kakashi wouldn't be too embarrassed out shopping. Oh well, it was a desperate situation for me.

But he'd better hurry up.