Seventh

Fury pummeled down the sheets into the laundry basket, fighting against the blustering wind that threatened to blow the clean white cloth into the muddy grounds. After she managed to get every square inch of the sheets into the basket, she retreated into the house hastily.

A few of the Elementals looked up in unison when she entered but went back to their dinner again after seeing that it was her. Rush shot her an inquiring look from the end of the table.

'Are you joining us for dinner?'

Fury grunted, tossing the basket to one side. 'If there's any left.' She answered, glancing at the plates in the middle of the table with a sinking heart – most of them were already empty.

Rush quirked an eyebrow. 'You might want to pick up the pace then.'

Sighing, Fury waved a hand dismissively. 'I'll whip up something for myself later. Just clean up when you guys are finished.' She addressed the last part loudly to her friends who mumbled their replies half-heartedly.

Just as she headed into the kitchen, a shadow flitted across the window. A knock came from the backdoor and she felt a surge of irritation. What now?

She swung open the door. 'We have a front door for guests, you know–' Her voice died abruptly when she saw who it was.

'Hey, sorry for dropping in like this.' Kakashi scratched the back of his head, a sheepish smile on his face.

'Um, no, it's alright! D-do you want to come in?' Fury spluttered, stepping back quickly and waving a hand wildly around the kitchen.

He grinned at her reaction. 'Thanks. I hope I didn't interrupt anything.' He said, looking towards the dining room area briefly. 'Did you just have dinner?'

'No, I mean, yes, the others were having dinner. I, um, haven't had any yet.' She replied, the words tumbling out of her mouth clumsily. Fury cursed herself inwardly at her gracelessness. Pull yourself together, she screamed inside her head.

But it was so difficult. Especially when Kakashi was standing so close to her, his presence filling the entire kitchen in an instant, stealing her breath away with each word and gesture.

His expression lit up at her revelation. 'You have not eaten? Would you accompany me to dinner then?' He asked eagerly, beaming down at her.

Fury swallowed. 'Sure, of course!' She gasped out.

'Perfect.' Kakashi turned towards the backdoor, offering the crook of his arm to her. She accepted it, wrapping herself around his elbow gingerly.

They trudged through the forest silently. Occasionally, Kakashi would glance over at her, a fond smile at the ready. Fury returned the smiles happily, her heart skipping with joy.

His presence was enough to make her forget about her exhaustion but as the silence stretched on, Fury couldn't stifle a yawn from escaping. She muffled the sound as best as she could, rubbing away the sleepiness from her eyes discreetly.

However, Kakashi caught on to her immediately. 'Tired?' He inquired softly.

She flushed. 'Just a little.'

'We don't need to walk into the village. I can bring some food back if you'd like.' He suggested.

'No, I'll be fine!' Fury said hurriedly. 'There's no need for you to go to all that trouble.'

'It's not a big deal.' He murmured, lifting a hand to her cheek. The back of his fingers brushed her cheek gently and Fury felt the heat rising in her face. Noting her blush, Kakashi smirked slightly. 'It's a pity, I had quite a few things planned for us this evening. But it seems that this would be a short date.'

His expectant tone was light but Fury caught it anyway. She hesitated, knowing that Kakashi was expecting her curiosity to be piqued by his mysteriousness. 'Perhaps we can do all those things on our next date, when I'm more…recharged.'

A look of disappointment settled over his visible features and he paused in his strolling. 'I suppose…but it won't take long after dinner, I promise.' He appealed again to her, dropping all hints of subtlety. 'I just want to spend a little more time with you.'

Fury's breath hitched in her throat at his last sentence. She locked eyes with him, her heart swaying at how unbelievably vulnerable and sweet he looked at the moment. 'Kakashi, I would really love to…but I've had a really long day. I still want to have dinner with you and that's all I can manage for today.'

His eye shuttered. 'Okay.'

Instead of offering his arm to her again, Kakashi draped his arm over her shoulders and resumed their walk. Relieved, Fury leaned her head against him, submitting herself to his cozy embrace.

~…~…~

Fury tapped her foot nervously on the ground as she waited for Kakashi outside the restaurant. He had insisted on paying for their meal, an unusually generous move on his part, but that was not what had unnerved her. There was something in his expression that seemed to tell her that he was not going to end the date here, as she had wanted.

Before she could dwell any longer on her doubts, Kakashi appeared next to her, proffering his hand. Warily, Fury took it, letting him lead her around the district.

As she had guessed, he did not walk her home. Instead, they meandered slowly in a market which was slowly filling with people.

Unable to hold in her frustration anymore, Fury tugged at Kakashi's hand which was firmly grasping hers. He looked over at her questioningly, his expression softening momentarily from its usual impassive mask.

'I'm really tired.' She confessed. 'Is it alright if we end the date here?'

Just as she expected, Kakashi's brow furrowed at her request and his grip on her hand tightened. 'It's barely nighttime, we can rest somewhere for a while…' He suggested with a hint of an edge in his otherwise neutral voice.

Fury placed her other hand over his reassuringly. 'I really want to continue our date, but I'm exhausted. Today just isn't good for me.' She said gently.

Kakashi stopped in his tracks, looking extremely torn. 'Alright, if that's what you want. But do you mind stopping by one more place? It would only take a while.' He asked, hopefulness tinging his tone.

Reluctantly, Fury nodded. Looking relieved, Kakashi pulled her in the opposite direction of where they had been walking. They weaved around the crowd, slipping into small streets and finally emerging to a less occupied district.

Fury glanced around, puzzled at her surroundings. It looked like a residential area which was odd…

Her mind connected the dots just in time as Kakashi paused in front of a building. Alarmed, Fury tried to catch Kakashi's eye but he was adamant in avoiding her questioning gaze. Yanking her after him, he led her inside the building, ascending the stairs swiftly.

'Kakashi…' Fury bit her lip anxiously when they stopped in front of a door and Kakashi reached into his pockets.

'I'm not suggesting anything…' He murmured after unlocking the door to his apartment. Crossing the threshold, he gestured at her to enter too.

She hovered at the entrance, her resolve crumbling at Kakashi's apparent discomfort. 'Is this where you live?' She asked softly, knowing the answer immediately when she spotted the framed pictures of his teams and the row of Icha Icha books.

'You can rest here as long as you like. Here…' Looking flustered, Kakashi awkwardly pulled out a chair from his desk and offered it to Fury.

She sat down gingerly, keeping her eyes roving around his apartment. To her surprise, Kakashi crouched down in front of her just then, hands coveting hers warily.

'Like I said, I'm not trying to take advantage of you or anything of that sort.' He said in a firm tone. 'I just hope that you can rest here and be by my side at the same time. I…I don't want you to go.' He mumbled the last part, a red tint appearing over his visible features.

Relaxing, Fury turned her hand over and held on to his gloved hand. 'I don't want to leave you either.' She murmured, prompting Kakashi to brighten up again. 'But a little warning would be nice. I, um, I'm not the sort of girl to…sleep over at a man's house.'

'I know you're not!' Kakashi said hurriedly. 'I just thought that if I had told you, you wouldn't come at all.'

'I wouldn't have.' Fury agreed in discomfiture. 'It's a little early for us to be this comfortable with each other.'

Kakashi's brow furrowed again. 'Really? I think this has been long overdue.' He replied, fixating his gaze onto hers. 'I've wanted to show you my place since the first date.'

Blushing furiously, she pulled away from him. 'We've just had our first kiss a few days ago.' She reminded him.

'But I fell in love with you a long time before that.' Kakashi fired back, a look of suppressed contentment spreading across his face.

Cheeks heating dangerously, Fury tore her gaze from him. 'I'm tired.' She declared. Then glanced downwards, realizing her awkward sitting position. 'Um…'

Eagerly, Kakashi got to his feet. 'You can take a nap if you want to.' He waved carelessly at his bed then froze at the provocative note behind his words.

Sensing a very embarrassing overture to their conversation, Fury jumped up from her seat, edging towards the door. 'I think it's best if I go back. I'll make up for this date another time, I promise.' She blurted out, not quite meeting Kakashi's eye.

'Fury, please!' Kakashi caught her wrist just as she turned the doorknob. 'I swear, I'm not suggesting we do anything inappropriate. The last thing I want to do is hurt you. I just…want you to stay, that's all.'

'Kakashi…' She chewed her lip, her brain buzzing to find the best way to excuse herself from the situation.

'Please. Trust me,' He said quietly.

Sighing, Fury released the doorknob. 'Okay.'

~…~…~

Fury shifting uncomfortably on the bed, glancing at Kakashi's open arms in front of her.

He was propped up beside her on his bed, leaning against the backboard in a casual manner. His arms were outstretched, a sign that he wanted to embrace her. Carefully, Fury leaned into him, laying her head on the pillow.

She heard his heartbeat thrumming rapidly, invoking a small smile to tug at the corners of her mouth. She draped her arm across his abdomen, surprising herself at the intimate act. Kakashi was evidently shocked as well as she heard him inhaling sharply.

'Is this alright?' She asked tentatively, pulling her arm away self-consciously.

After a beat's silence, Kakashi reached down and positioned her arm back in place. 'It's perfect.' He whispered so softly that she almost missed it.

Smiling, Fury closed her eyes. Kakashi's presence made her extremely nervous but she felt more peaceful than ever as she drifted into a deep sleep.

~…~…~

Warmth. Solid heat that felt so soft at the same time enveloped her. Fury opened her eyes to a slit, lazily searching for the source of this pleasant sensation. She saw darkness, then dim light as her eyes adjusted. She stiffened instantly when she did not recognize the room she was in. Before she could move, the soothing blanket of warmth around her shifted.

Fury gasped as her cheek bumped against a wall of flesh. A very sturdy and masculine chest, to be exact. The arm extending from its side was slung across her hip and just below that, a pair of legs was tangled languidly with hers.

Stunned, Fury lifted her head slowly. A masked face, still in sleeping form fortunately, occupied her view. His breath fluffed her fringe lightly, calming her for a brief moment.

Recovering from her shock, Fury slowly started to take in her surroundings. She was in Kakashi's apartment, she reminded herself, and she had fallen asleep in his arms. She groaned inwardly as she registered that fact. Looking up at Kakashi again, she felt panic rising in her chest. She had not expected him to fall asleep with her, much less in such an intimate position. How could she ever look at him the same way again?

Very carefully, she eased herself from his embrace. With bated breath, she managed to slip out of the bed without waking him. As she adjusted her clothes, she realized with a pang of affection that Kakashi had removed her shoes while she slept. She picked them up and silently made her exit.

Outside the building, Fury pulled on her shoes hastily, grateful to see that the streets were more or less empty. She caught her reflection in a dark window and saw the look of guilt painted in her flustered appearance. Her hair was mussed slightly on one side, which she quickly smoothed down before heading in the direction of her home.

Halfway through in the forest, Fury realized she probably should have left a note with Kakashi about her sudden departure. Troubled, she paused in her walk and stretched out a hand. Flames burst out in her palm and convulsed into a hovering orb above it. She murmured words to it then tossed it gently into the air. The flames disintegrated into wisps and faded into thin air.

It was the first time she had tried that technique but there was no time to check if it had worked. Shamefaced, Fury continued on her way home, her thoughts floating back and forth to the images of Kakashi in his sleep. She had slept with him – not the way she had been afraid of – but it was still unsettling nonetheless.

Although…a smile spread across her face at the memory of Kakashi's warm presence. It had been a long time since she had slept so fitfully. And to wake up in the arms of someone she loved, it was a dream come true.

~…~…~

Three days had passed since she visited Kakashi's apartment. Three days since she sent him a fire-message. And he had not shown up or made any contact at all.

Fury traced the spine of her book anxiously as she swirled the cup of coffee in her other hand. Downing the remains in one go, she got to her feet from the bench slowly. She refilled the cup and headed upstairs to her bedroom, trudging heavily up the steps.

With a sickened heart, she let herself into her bedroom, slamming the book and cup of coffee down on her desk. A light breeze tickled her cheek and she froze instantly.

Fire flared up in her hands and she lashed out at the shadow she had spotted from the direction of her bed. A hand loomed into view and blocked her attack easily.

'Fury, it's me.' A deep, slow voice unfurled from the darkness.

The flames dissipated immediately and Fury drew her arm back in mortification. She fumbled for the light switch but before she could reach it, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her, pinning her in place.

'Don't.' He breathed out into her ear.

'I'm just turning on the lights.' She said, faltering as she felt the muscles on the arms tightening, squeezing the air out of her.

'I don't care.' The voice said gruffly. 'Just let me hold you for a moment.'

Fury stilled, leaning into Kakashi's embrace. 'I'm sorry for leaving like that.' She blurted out, reaching up to touch his wrist.

'I thought I had lost you.' He murmured into her ear, anguish lacing his tone. 'I thought you never wanted to see me again.'

'What–?' Fury dug her fingers into his forearm. 'Didn't you get my message?'

'No, what message?' Kakashi tensed up against her.

She cursed inwardly at herself. 'I thought I left you a message. But I must have…forgotten.' She finished lamely.

He buried his face into the side of her neck, masked lips brushing her hot skin. 'Then you owe me an explanation.'

Gulping, Fury pivoted around with difficulty. Kakashi loosened his hold on her reluctantly as she faced him. 'I know. But let me just say this – I didn't mean to leave without saying goodbye, I just couldn't face you after seeing us like that.'

'Like what? Asleep?'

His incredulous tone made her flinch. 'We were sleeping. Together. Don't you realize what that means?'

An apprehensive look drew upon his face and Kakashi backed up slowly. 'I know what it meant to me. But apparently, we're not on the same page about this. Was it too…overwhelming for you?'

Fury swallowed hard, clenching her fists. 'Of course it was. You're the first person I've ever dated, I just shared my first kiss with you a week ago. And now I've almost spent the night with you. This is moving way too fast for me, Kakashi.'

Instantly, his arms were back around her again. 'I didn't know you felt this way.' Kakashi said, distressed. 'Have you really not dated anyone before?'

Fury shook her head rigidly and he let out a heavy sigh.

'I'm so sorry. I forgot that you're only…sixteen?' Kakashi recalled tentatively, relaxing visibly as Fury nodded. 'I did not realize that I was your first…' He broke off, clearly thrown by her revelation.

Fury lowered her head in embarrassment. 'If my age bothers you, we don't have to do this. I forgot that you are not a teenager like me, you probably want someone more mature–'

'That's not what I meant.' He interrupted her, seizing her by the shoulders. 'Your age does not matter to me in the least. I just…overlooked it, and I'm deeply sorry about that.'

'It's not your fault.' She mumbled then fell into silence, unsure of how to carry on with their less-than-comfortable conversation.

'If it's any consolation, I didn't take what happened that day lightly. That evening meant a lot to me,' Kakashi said softly. 'Probably not as much as it must have been for you, but I won't say that it wasn't significant. I really enjoy what I have with you, Fury. This is not just a casual relationship to me, I hope you can see that.'

Unable to suppress a smile, Fury finally looked up at him. 'Well then, is it alright if you give me a second chance?'

Perplexed, Kakashi stared at her for a second before light dawned on him. With a smile, he picked up her hand. 'I can give it to you right now.' He pulled her gently towards her bed, sitting down gingerly on the mattress.

Instead of following him, Fury moved in front of him and leaned down. Her fingers rested nervously on the edge of his shoes. 'Let me.' She murmured, unstrapping them carefully whilst keeping her eyes fixed determinedly on Kakashi.

~…~…~

Kakashi swallowed the lump in his throat at Fury's expression. He let her remove his shoes, trying hard to ignore the tingling trail her fingers left on his bare skin. He shuffled into position on her bed, holding out his arms as he had done last time.

This time she did not hesitate before falling into them. Suppressing his eagerness, Kakashi slowly folded himself over her. Her arm slithered around his waist, closing the remaining distance between them, and Kakashi felt his heart bursting with joy at that moment.

'You didn't do anything after I slept, did you?' Fury said in a muffled voice suddenly.

Kakashi stiffened. 'Of course not.' He said indignantly then paused. 'Well, actually, there was something I did…'

Alarmed, her head popped up at his words. 'What?'

Peeling off his mask, Kakashi let her see his smile before lowered his head to claim her lips.

Fury squeaked in shock and he deepened the kiss hastily. Her body arced in response, prompting a grin to spread across his face. He did not let up until the both of them were completely out of breath.

'Was I really your first kiss?' Kakashi couldn't resist asking.

She blushed beautifully as she nodded and he continued probing. 'And the first time you held hands with a man? Was your first date with me too?'

She bobbed her head in agreement to his questions. 'You were my first for everything.' She admitted shyly.

A sudden wave of affection swept over him at her bashfulness. 'Thank you for telling me.' He said gruffly. 'I promise, I'll be your first and last relationship. You're mine forever, Fury of Fire.'

A laugh bubbled from her lips and she buried her face in his chest in embarrassment. Chuckling too, Kakashi hugged her tight, planting a subtle kiss on the top of her head.

'How long can you stay?' Fury inquired suddenly after a long, peaceful silence.

'As long as you want me to.' He answered smoothly.

She paused as though seriously considering his reply. 'Just until I fall asleep then?'

Feeling slightly amused, Kakashi tipped her head upwards by the chin. 'What if I fall asleep first? What are you going to do then?' He murmured, quirking up a corner of his mouth in a smirk.

As he had predicted, Fury's eyes widened and her expression became flustered. 'Um, well, you can stay for the night, I suppose…but I, um…' She trailed off, mortified at her own suggestion.

He burst into laughter. 'Relax, I was joking.' He said, patting her head reassuringly. 'I would never put you in an awkward position like that.'

She blushed instantly at his revelation. 'You already did, you ass!' She blurted out, drawing away from him slightly.

His eyebrow rose up at her outburst but he couldn't hide a grin. 'That was refreshing indeed.' He commented, sliding an arm around Fury's waist and reeling her closer again. 'You look adorable when you're angry.'

'This isn't a joke to me.' She mumbled. 'I really want things to work out between us.'

Kakashi subsided. 'I know, I want that too. I'm sorry,' He apologized, cupping her face with a hand. 'I keep forgetting you're new at this.'

The black orbs of her eyes wavered. 'How many girls have you dated before me?' She asked, her voice quavering slightly.

He stiffened. 'Not a lot. I've been on…dates, but nothing remotely serious.' He said hesitantly.

'Oh.' She shifted uncomfortably before asking her next question. 'So is this the first serious relationship you've ever had?'

He smiled then. 'You could say that. I've honestly never felt this way about another woman before.' He said truthfully.

Her expression lit up momentarily at his answer, prompting his smile to widen. His gaze flickered downwards as her body wriggled in response to her barely restrained glee and without warning he casted his mind back to the first time they slept in his bed – after she had fallen into a deep sleep, he had moved her head carefully onto the pillow then cuddled up to her in satisfaction, draping his arm and leg over her sleeping form. He remembered loving the way her body fitted perfectly beside him, how easy it was for him to lean down and kiss her goodnight on her soft lips, and with utmost clarity, he remembered all the things he yearned to do with her each night that would make them fall into an easy, fitful slumber.

At that notion, Kakashi shuttered his memories immediately, averting his eye from Fury's body. Instead he focused on her lips, those pink, fresh buds that screamed for his attention every time. Biting back a moan, he leaned into her, nudging their noses together. He heard her catch her breath, felt her bracing for his kiss. He didn't disappoint her.

Pouring as much passion as he could into the kiss, Kakashi drove all other thoughts from his mind. He crushed Fury against him, nibbling at her lips and flickering his tongue into and out of her mouth playfully. She was utterly helpless under him, her thrusts engaging him weakly. For some reason, that made her all the more irresistible, stoking the lust he had been trying to bury deep within him.

With difficulty, he stopped kissing midway and cupped her face in both hands. 'Let me take over from here. You don't need to do anything.' He said hoarsely. She gave a single nod, too dazed to say anything.

At her submissiveness, Kakashi cursed out loud. Her eyes widened but before she could speak, he claimed her lips again, tangling his tongue with her feeble one as she let out moan after moan of pure delight.

Damn it. Her moans were more than he could take, but he did not want her to stop at all. Breaking off their kiss, he trailed his mouth hungrily from her jaw to her neck where he roamed until hitting her weak spot. He suckled at her skin, nipping at her as the frequency of her moans increased, faltering into mere gasps.

Her fingers dug into his shirt and he was suddenly aware of their position. Somehow along the way, he had worked himself between her legs, which were clinched around his hips loosely. Had he been grinding against her? Kakashi thought frantically to himself as he ravaged Fury's neck. His finger hooked around the collar of her shirt and tugged, banishing all his worries as her creamy, smooth collarbone was exposed.

It was only a glimpse of flesh but with his lust-addled brain, it was enough to push him over the edge.

~…~…~

The cool night air came as a shock to her feverish skin. Fury's eyes fluttered open as she felt her shirt hitching up her torso and Kakashi's warm hands skimming across her skin. He had barely brushed her ribs before she grabbed him by the wrists.

'Kakashi, no!' She heard herself gasp out.

He froze instantly. Their eyes clashed and Fury watched as the haziness in his stare cleared up, replaced by dark guilt. In a heartbeat, he was scrambling up and away from her, swearing audibly.

'Fury, I'm so sorry!' He burst out, lurching forwards to help her up then halted himself.

She accepted his half-stretched hand, squeezing it comfortingly. 'It's alright.' She said softly, pulling her shirt down one-handedly.

He shot her a look of raw grief that sent a shiver down her spine. 'I don't know what came over me, I really don't. That was out of line. Forgive me, please.' He choked out, holding up their clasped hands to his cheek.

'Kakashi, I said it was alright.' Fury murmured, sidling up to him for a hug. 'I know you didn't mean to do that.'

He didn't return her hug, as if afraid to touch her. 'I think I need to go.' He said gruffly into her shoulder.

Before she could protest, Kakashi eased her off him and started pulling on his shoes.

'Kakashi, wait…' She snatched at his wrist then realized she did not know what to say.

As if sensing her distress, Kakashi paused and glanced over at her. Slowly, he turned his hand around until he was holding her wrist too. 'I'll see you tomorrow, alright? We can have dinner to make up for our last date.' He said calmly.

'I–alright.' She gave in reluctantly, knowing that Kakashi was attempting to clear the tension between them.

'I'll pick you up here in the evening.' He continued, rubbing the inside of her wrist with his thumb – whether consciously or not, she could not tell – 'Wait for me.'

'I will.' Fury hesitated. 'Kakashi, are we going to talking about this?'

With a look of barely suppressed agony, Kakashi dropped his hand, turning away to resume pulling on his shoes. 'You're right when you said that things were moving too fast between us.' He sighed, getting to his feet. 'I'm sorry for forcing you to come over to my place and for starting this,' He gestured vaguely at her rumpled bed. 'I thought that all we needed was more intimate time together but I underestimated myself.'

Fury walked over to him, coveting his arm. 'Are you saying that this is all your fault? Because it's not,' She said quietly. 'I want to spend as much time as I can with you too.'

He gave her a small, warm smile. 'I'm glad to hear that. Don't worry about tonight, let's just cap it as lesson learned. At least I know where our relationship is right now.'

Her brows furrowed at his clean, dismissive tone but she nodded anyway.

With a final pat on her head, Kakashi whispered a goodbye and left, leaving her standing in the darkness.

~…~…~

Once he was in the middle of the forest, Kakashi came to a rest, out of breath at his quick exit. Filled with sudden rage at himself, he slammed a fist on the trunk of a tree.

What had he done? How could he lose control like that? And with Fury, the one person he should have cherished and protected unconditionally.

Her horrified expression flashed in front of his eye and he blinked it away in frustration. If she had not stopped him, would he have gone all the way with her? A sixteen-year-old tainted by his lack of self-control, just what he needed on his conscience.

He could end everything right now, end his relationship with Fury and protect her. But he didn't want to. His accursed heart wanted so much to be with her, to hold her, talk to her and kiss her until every star in the sky ceased to exist. They could do that, he just needed a little more time and self-discipline to get use to his innate urges.

Glancing over his shoulder, Kakashi let out an exasperated sigh. The temptation to turn back and return to Fury's arms gnawed at him. He had left her alone so unceremoniously that it had been impossible for him to look back one last time.

Tomorrow, he would make it up to her tomorrow. He would see her again tomorrow – that thought brought a fleeting smile to his face – and everything would go back to normal. It had to, she had brought such happiness to his life that he could not imagine living without in a world without her anymore. He could only hope that she felt the same way.

THE END