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 28

She stuffed her jacket and tights back into her bag, swapping them for Kakashi's long sleeved shirt, still stewing over the state the little boy Marco had been in. By the time she made her way back to the main area of their room, he had returned with yakitori for dinner.

"I've already had mine."

Kakashi kicked off his shoes and positioned himself up against the bedhead, making use of both pillows.

"Thanks. Kakashi…"

"I noticed."

"How is it that the Kage can afford to pay so much for a simple recon mission and yet this village is so impoverish?"

"Not unusual."

"I know this mission is meant to be somewhat of a retreat from work but I…"

"Nina…"

"Kakashi, I can't just do nothing. I am bound by oath to a duty of care. He was covered in bruises."

She got up and tossed the rubbish in the little bin and disappeared to the bathroom to wash her hands and brush her teeth.

"Problem?"

She was standing at the edge of the bed, hands on hips and doing her best to boar her eyes through his skull.

"A pillow would be nice."

He didn't budge and calmly just flipped a page in his book.

"I have been thinking about our little conversation regarding the preservation of our cover."

"What exactly did you have in mind?"

She didn't shy away from the notion entirely so that was affirmation that she, and in turn, they, had made progress. This was something a little new for him; he hadn't actually tried it before.

"I'll compromise."

"How gentlemanlike of you."

"I'll rescind on the 5,000 from earlier, if you make do without a pillow."

It didn't take but a moment for her to work out what he was insinuating.

It was possible she could simply lay next to him on her stomach with no need of one of the pillows, however her attention was drawn to the dropping of his leg that had been bent.

"You wish me to use you as a pillow?"

"My offer stands."

Clarifying that it was an offer and not a demand was important, as was keeping his cool, so he returned to reading.

This wasn't feeling like some elaborate plan to sucker her out of further money. She resigned inwardly, that she would need to go to sleep at some point and the lounge chair she had cosied up on earlier wouldn't suffice. She grabbed her book and crawled her way to his side, rolling so she was on her back with her head on his thighs, but she felt unsettled with her legs hanging off to one side of the bed and was hardly as intimate as she had deemed it ought to be.

"This doesn't feel right."

"Hmm," he lifted the book to look down at her.

She sat up to review their predicament.

"Second thoughts?"

"No, it's just that I… shouldn't we be closer? Laying on your lap like that is much the same as if I were treating someone in the field."

Truthfully, he hadn't considered what their embrace should look or feel like, however, on evaluation he was in agreeance with her observation.

Impulsively he responded to her by reclining further on the pillows, as she repositioned herself and smoothly melded into his side. She was on her side, with one arm tucked in between their bodies, her head resting on his chest, the top of her head met his chin, whilst reading her book that she held in the arm which was stretched across his waist.

Once she had settled and he could make out the steady rhythm of her breathing, he arranged himself with one arm resting on her back holding his book and the other hand instinctively laid over her arm that was over his waist.

Undoubtedly their body language would be proof enough of their contrived relationship, and she felt a sense of gratification and … contentedness. In this very moment, with Kakashi, she felt content?

His heartbeat was a steady pounding pattern and although she wasn't cloaked in the blanket, his oversized shirt and his warm body was plenty enough. She had very little to compare to the situation she found herself in, but there was nothing markedly awkward about it at all; their bodies seamlessly entwined. It wasn't particularly sexual either, something she quietly appreciated and filed away in her mind for future reference; should she ever get the chance to date someone for real.

The words on the page were a blur due to his mind being preoccupied by an onslaught of thoughts, ranging from the harmless to the explicit. They were only three days into their mission and he already felt himself faltering somewhat and Nina was… playing her part perfectly.

She had fallen asleep; her book had fallen away. Since he wasn't able to keep his mind on track, he collected their books together and strained slightly to put them on the bedside table and turn the lamp off. As he slid down into the bed further, Nina pressed into him further her hand which was now covered by the sleeve of the shirt, tucked up to her nose. A small hum, reminiscent of the one from their first night, sounded from her, as he brushed down the top of her hair and swept it around her ear, which she tried to bat away- was she ticklish there too or was it … boundaries; they needed them and fast.

A/N : Please feel free to leave a review :) Hope you're all enjoying it so far x