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 29

"Thanks Pakkun."

She unfolded the piece of paper that the pug had delivered and ran her eyes over it; typically short and succinct in barely legible handwriting. They'd arrived safely, excepting the small altercation that was presumably unrelated to the mission and he had sustained… her subordinate was a different kind of tragic. Though, on reflection, it was unusual for Hatake to even take the time to include such details. She did find it humorous and felt it would have been quite the sight to see Nina hurling the infamous copy-nin.

"I have no further correspondence for them. That'll be all thank you."

"Lady Tsunade."

Pakkun disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Perhaps she should have given the poor girl some tips on how physical violence isn't about to win hearts. At least it was looking more promising that she would be victorious in the bet with Jiraiya.

She was mumbling inaudibly, her fingers twisting in the fabric of his undervest; once again he brushed her hair from her face, letting his hand trace along her arm until he managed to replace his shirt for his hand. Eventually she stopped writhing and settled back into a calmer state. Kakashi continued to run his thumb back and forth over the back of her hand, his other hand resting on her hip.

"Ka-Kakashi" she murmured, nuzzling into his frame; her forehead nudged against his jaw line.

He'd revelled in the company of women plenty enough, but none had ever called him so innocently. For the most part they had sung his name as he brought them to the height of their orgasm, but this was unique. Her soft coo disarmed him.

A deep-rooted feeling had surfaced upon hearing his name break from her mouth as it had, and he drew his jaw backwards until his cloth-covered lips pressed against her forehead. Unconsciously, she responded with an airy hum.

Rationale had escaped him for his recent actions but he reckoned that he had plenty of time to sort that out, for now they would sleep.

Unable to quell his mind, Kakashi had spent the last few hours deliberating on his intentions for this mission and for her.

Nina may have been a soft-hearted and genial medic-nin however, she was also a veteran Anbu operative- cold-blooded, proficient and merciless. The girl nestled into him was a frightful beauty.

He needed to clear his head. He nipped his thumb to summon Pukkun.

"Boss."

The pug's eyes passed over Kakashi and Nina and he raised an eyebrow. Kakashi lifted his index finger to his lips to signal to Pakkun to be quiet.

"I'll explain later."

Kakashi managed to slip out of the bed whilst avoiding waking Nina by replacing his body with the pillows that he had kept from her. He grabbed a long sleeve shirt off the back of the chair, removed Pakkun's hitai-ate and they left the room.

"So, what was with you and Nina, are you seeing each other?"

"Not here, a talking dog is going to raise suspicions."

The continued a whiles along, until they were on the outskirts of the village where Kakashi had summoned the pug earlier.

"We are in a sense. It's a requirement for our mission to pose as a couple whilst we are here for recon."

"Ah. Awfully cosy considering no one was there to see."

"You're curious this morning."

"Yes well, you've never been that close with Nina before."

"No."
"Anyway, you summoned me what can I do for you?"

"Did you deliver the letter?"

"Yes and she had nothing to return."

"Okay. The other thing is I want you to go back to Nina so when she wakes she knows where to find me; that is if she wants to see me."

"Boss. Why wouldn't she want to see you?"
Kakashi dug at the ground with the top of his sandal. He couldn't even give clear orders.

"I'm going to go train, head back to Nina."

"Okay Boss."

Kakashi watched Pakkun head back in the direction from which they had come before he turned and padded to the other side of the hill to start some physical excerption in hopes to declutter his mind.

"She did what?"

Genma sat up on the lounge in his apartment, staring wide eyed at Shizune.

"Apparently it was unintentional but she threw him and his shoulder was pretty badly dislocated."

"That woman is more terrifying than Tsunade."

A chill ripped through his body. Shizune was shaking her head back and forth.

"What are you thinking?"

"Nothing really. She really is hopeless."

"Don't sweat it. I'm sure Hatake will have her in the sack in no time."

Genma dove onto the floor to miss the incoming cushion that Shizune had thrown at him.

"Genma, she's still my friend. Would it kill you to try and not be so crude?"

"All's fair in love and bets."

He didn't avoid the second cushion.

There wasn't the same solidarity against her body that had been there a few hours before, and she cracked her eyes open to find Kakashi's body replaced by the two cushions he had commandeered last night. Additionally, there was another weight near her shins and the sounds of a snuffled snore.

"Pakkun?"

"Nina. Good morning."

The pug stretched and padded his way up the bed to her chest.

"Morning. Where's Kakashi?"

"Ah, he's out training."

"Oh."

She sat up wrangling her hair into two plaits that hung over the front of her shoulders.

"Is everything okay Nina?"

"Yeah. I just didn't hear him leave. Odd because…"

"You were snuggling him?"

"Yes, hang on. You saw us?"

"Yep. He summoned me here and I followed him to where he's training. He also explained your mission briefly."

"Yes. That was his idea. I mean well, he was compromising. And well the snuggling was my idea… sort of."

This was certainly unusual, the pair of them were extremely clumsy this morning with their words. He'd seen his boss with women before, often he would be used for errands whilst he was preoccupied with bedroom antics, however this was Nina. He had been on missions with them both and Kakashi had preferred to have Nina tend to any injuries Pakkun sustained rather than by the local vet.

"Nina. What happened last night?"

"Huh?"

She appeared from the laundry, tights on and buttoning up the jacket she had on last night over her tube top.

"Between you and Kakashi?"

"Nothing really." She sat on the bed next to him. "He was hogging the pillows and he said if I used him as a pillow I wouldn't have to pay the 5,000 Ryo from earlier."

"I see. What did you do to owe him 5,000 Ryo?"
"Broke character. I have a rather dismal love life and he figured it would be easier to keep me on task by fining me 5,000 for any misdemeanours."

"Sounds fair."

"I suppose. Did he say something?"

"No."

"Hmm. I guess we should go find him."

"Only if you want to."

"Why wouldn't I want to?"

Pakkun shrugged, jumping down from the bed to head towards the door and Nina followed.