Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This story is purely a work of fanfiction.

Chapter 21

Morning broke and the chirping of the nearby birds roused Nina from her sleep. She peeped her eyes open, allowing them time to adjust and was stunned when she seen their hands clasped together.

"Morning, did you sleep well?" He was on his side reading, he held her hand and flicked the page over before resting it back down from between them.

She didn't say anything, after waiting a few minutes he glanced over to see she was fixated on their hands. He lifted their hands and cocked his head into his typical crinkled-eyed smile. "This?" He returned to his book. "You instigated it last night and since you had resisted so strongly to it yesterday, figured I wouldn't reject it."

"Oh, it's probably out of habit after yesterday's training."

"Good, we can extend on it today then. There is a small village not far from here that we will stop at and then we will head for our destination tomorrow." He shut the book, let go of Nina's hand and started packing up the camp.

"I think the village you're talking about has a little inn that sells the most amazing dumplings."

"Yes, the inn there has quite affordable accommodation too so we should be able to get a room there for the night."

"Just what sort of training are you considering, Hatake?" She was arguing with the latch on her pack as she tried to stow her bed roll.

He knelt down grazing his fingers over hers to clip the pack closed. Nina jolted back landing on her bottom, Kakashi remained unperturbed and stood up holding the straps out for her to loop her arms through. She got up and accepted the help, running her thumbs under the straps so that it sat more comfortably against her body. "Nothing quite like what you're imagining. We have a long way to go before even considering broaching bedroom-" He curled his fingers around her right ear, dragging them along the back of her hairline to free her plait from behind her pack.

"What the-. Oh, um thanks."

"Nina…" He kept minimal distance between them and let his hand drag to rest on her shoulder. "This needs to be second nature. If you're constantly falling over yourself and swatting my hands away-"

"I know; I just…"

"5,000 Ryo."

"Huh?"

"You will owe me 5,000 Ryo every time you break character."

"Kakashi! That's just-"

"Handholding is child's play."

"I know but… 5,000 Ryo, really?"

"Yes. Now we need to keep moving otherwise we won't be there until after lunch."

Nina resumed their hand holding as she had done the day before and began walking, deciding against reading any more of her novel.

She tried to take in the sights around her, but she couldn't shake her trepidation and it was infuriating. She had completed missions that delved into the deeper realms of her sensuality more than that of boyfriend and girlfriend and yet so far for this mission she had been nothing but a bungling mess. What was the problem? Kakashi Hatake wasn't some target or stranger, he was a fellow shinobi, a member of Anbu and one of her brothers friend, if not, her brother's best friend. Nina had known him for her whole life, although she was three years their junior, he wasn't what she could call an acquaintance. Was he just too familiar? Or was it something else? It wasn't that he wasn't attractive; she'd seriously have to consider her self-honesty if she denied that. He had a certain amount of illusiveness surrounding him with his mask and he didn't seem to struggle landing company. He hardly would have to look far to find a woman who wouldn't be willing to share his bed; you only had to see the crowd of wanton women at Shushu-ya the other night. Nina didn't like holding any truth to rumours so she figured a bit of investigating wouldn't go astray.

"How many women have you been with?"

"Hmm, you'll have to be a bit more specific. Do you mean with as in relationship or are you asking me for the number of women I've had sex with?"

"Aren't they pretty much the same?"

"Have you had sex with all the guys you've dated?"

And there was the crux of her and by default their problem. She had been avoiding this predicament and yet she had set herself up to walk right into this interrogation.

"You're awfully quiet."

"Well, no." Not exactly a lie but still a half-truth.

"Can't say I keep count but I wouldn't call them relationships either."

"But I thought you said you'd gone on a romantic getaway before?"

"I have. But it's a bit of a grey area, I suppose. She wasn't from Konoha so I had to travel. We met halfway but it was something I planned for both our enjoyment."

"That's a lot of trouble for a fling."

Kakashi shrugged and used their joined hand to flip another page. "It's nice to have a bit of variety." "Don't you think?"

"Um. Yes I guess." Way to go Nina, he's sure to believe that.

"Okay, my turn. Just how many guys have you been with?"

Nina could feel a cold sweat fall upon her skin and she was grateful she had decided to put her full gloves on this morning.

"That many huh?"

"N-No! I'm thinking."

"You've kept count?"

The whole situation had gone askew and the truth, her truth, was all but inescapable at this point. However, the moment had been interrupted and both skilled shinobi readied themselves for an attack from approaching chakra sources.