AN: Kakashi's POV on that scene in chapter 64.

"Is it all right if I ask what the other nightmare was?" Kei asks, her voice hesitant despite her conviction before.

Where's the flippant tone now? It's weird to see her go back to being soft around the edges in the dark. Kakashi doesn't know what to do with her when she sounds like any girl concerned about her friends, and not just another verbal sparring partner.

Well. He does. But he can't see her angle.

Still. He tries. "Same as the last image." He can't help the bitterness that creeps into his voice. "And related to the Sharingan thing, since we weren't talking about it."

Red, red, so much red…

Kei's shoulder bumps his. It reminds him that her bony fingers are still wrapped around his, that they're sitting so close together that touch is just…casual. It's still hard to remind himself that she never means anything by it other than to comfort others.

Kakashi sighs deeply, closing his eyes. If she wants an answer, she'll get it out of him sooner or later. She knows that. His throat tries to close around the words she's pulling out of him, but Kakashi forces himself to answer. "…I dreamed that the Sharingan"—that my Sharingan—"burned the you out of your body, and the Tailed beast just went berserk. I wouldn't…" I'll never be capable of—"I couldn't kill you when I'd done that, and Obito…"

Kakashi thinks dream-Obito would kill him first. He remembers the pain in that shade's eyes and it hurts to think about it even know, when their Obito is probably in the village sleeping off his latest date with Rin or something.

Kei is very still as he tries to manage his thoughts. She's waiting for him to continue, but he can't read her and that scares him.

"Sensei had to put you down"—"I'm sorry, Kei!"—"but by then…" Kakashi shakes his head, trying to get the voices out. "There wasn't anything left of our team."

Obito on the ground, screaming his defiance at reality itself while the spiraling monster around him attacks for him—

"No offense to your subconscious meant," Kei says in a surprisingly mild voice, "but between the promise you just made and the fact that the Three-Tails and I get along okay, I think we'll be all right."

Kakashi looks at her, disbelieving, as she continues in a steady tone, "Not that it's bad to worry—I've heard the stories before, and without the Sharingan involved—but I'll do my absolute best to not let that happen."

Kakashi gives Kei a very long look.

She actually believes that. She thinks she can hold off the demonic chakra in her chest, for…what? Until it gets bored enough to be friendly? He already knew Kei didn't have the same perspective on reality as most other people, but he…didn't appreciate the width of the gap. Kei's going to guilelessly go along with this insane plan until it kills her—she gets like that. Often.

Not while he's around. But Kakashi can't do anything about it just yet, not without help.

So he sighs and rolls his eyes and hopes Kei leaves it at that.

"I can't believe you avoided me for a month over that." Kei says, sounding relieved despite the heavy atmosphere. She can read the mood—he's seen her do it—but she doesn't always bother where he's concerned. "We really need to talk things out more."

Kakashi doesn't disagree, exactly, but sometimes he wonders and worries about what she could possibly want to bring up.

Though the last month was pretty miserable. He'd had to avoid everyone sans Sensei, because he never knew when she was going to be in the area. Anything had been a better option than hurting her, or at least that's what he'd told himself.

Only to find out that Kei had never been the problem. The turtle had.

Kakashi looks down at the way her hand is still wrapped around his, pausing. It…it hadn't been all a waste, he supposes. Though the genjutsu experience is still one he'd rather never go through again.

Kei shifts her grip on his hand, pushing her fingers between his so their fingers are interlaced.

Kakashi blinks, freezing in place and feeling his face heat up against his will—what's she doing?—before Kei loops her other arm around him and pulls him against her in a hug. That doesn't happen—he can count on one hand the number of times they've hugged, ever—and her face is really close to his, isn't it—

Kei kisses him.

He can feel the faint brush of her breath against his cheek, can feel her lips brush over his mask—

She pulls out of the hug.

He has to let go of her hand to bring it up to his face. That—that happened, didn't it? It wasn't a dream?

She's already leaving, sliding down toward the edge of the branch. "Promise me we'll talk if something comes up, all right?"

Kakashi feels himself nod, his hand still to his cheek. That had happened. And he—and she—

She disappears into the forest, heading back in the direction of their campsite.

It takes Kakashi a couple of minutes to compose himself.

When he does, he heads back to the camp. His dogs are all there, with Pakkun in particular looking back at him like he's an especially slow pup.

Kakashi makes a "tch" noise and steps carefully into the nest of dogs. Akino charitably moves out of his long-abandoned spot and gives Kakashi space to lie down with his head against Bull's back, while Guruko curls into his side and Pakkun crawls onto Kakashi's chest again.

He's long asleep again by the time Kei's watch shift ends.

But his dogs, who are lighter sleepers, are not.

She climbs down from the tree and wakes Ensui, who takes over watch duties.

Kei kicks her bedroll into position and climbs inside, falling asleep in minutes.

Bisuke and Akino creep over to her and lie down to her left and her right, tucking their noses against the sleeping girl. While they may not have been able to say thank you earlier, they can do it now. This girl helped their master sleep again, and the dogs appreciate the calm that's returned to their lives.

And their night, since their little master kicks.