*I hope you enjoy this chapter, I've had a lot of time to write lately :) Like always, any feedback you can give is welcomed!*
"It isn't Kakashi is it?" Tsunade asked already knowing the answer, "because if it is, and you'll admit it I can send him with you. I have Naruto here to protect the village, and you two can have a few days to yourselves."
Aiko finally looked up and made eye contact with Tsunade, "Things are just getting better with him, I don't want to go off on my own right now."
"Then you'll go together, you can tell him yourself, both of you be in my office early tomorrow morning and we'll go over everything." Tsunade smiled at Aiko, "You seem happy, Aiko."
The young woman looked at Tsunade and smiled, "Forgiveness can do a lot for someone's happiness." She said before leaving, waving one hand at Tsunade as she walked out the door.
It was only 6 am, but Kakashi and Aiko were both bowing in front of Lady Tsunade in her office.
"Kakashi Hatake and Aiko Tanaka, you are both officially assigned to a delivery mission to the Land of Iron. You will deliver this scroll to the leader of the samurai, await his response, and then return home. Understood?"
"Yes, My Lady." The two said in unison, Kakashi picked up the scroll, and the two walked out of the office.
They were quiet on their way to the front gates of the village; Aiko had been pretty quiet since she returned from Tsunade's office the previous day. She did seem excited that they'd get to spend time alone together but didn't say a whole lot else. She was keeping to herself a little bit too much for Kakashi's comfort, and he was hoping it didn't have anything to do with their lovemaking the day before. After they passed through the gate Kakashi reached his hand out to take Aiko's and she accepted it without hesitation. Aiko looked up at Kakashi and gave him a small smile, and then she pushed her side against his causing the Copy Ninja to gasp and stumble a little bit, and she giggled at him.
"You think that's, funny, do you?" Kakashi said arching an eyebrow at the lovely woman next to him.
Aiko had a large grin spread across her face that quickly turned into a look of shock as Kakashi tackled her to the ground straddled her and began tickling her mercilessly.
"Kakashi! Kakashi! Please stop Kakashi!" Aiko was screaming, and thrashing around under the weight of her lover trying to escape.
Still pinning Aiko to the ground Kakashi lowered his head so that his mouth was next to her ear. "I like it when you scream my name Aiko," he whispered to her and began kissing her neck.
Momentarily, Aiko was caught up in the moment and a moan of pleasure escaped through her lips, "Mmm, Kakashi," and she began to move her hips to grind against his. After a minute or so Aiko's senses returned and she placed both hands on Kakashi's chest to push him off of her.
Kakashi was now hovering just above her, cocking his head to one side to feign innocence, "What's wrong my love?"
Aiko sighed and rolled her eyes dramatically at him, "Kakashi we're literally in the middle of the road, anyone could walk by, we can't be doing this here." Her face was a crimson red, and she had her face turned to the left trying to avoid contact with the gorgeous man on top of her.
"You're so shy," he said pecking her on the forehead and then the lips.
"Not wanting strangers to see us have sex isn't being shy Kakashi," She said to him exasperated.
Kakashi looked down at Aiko still lying beneath him and used one hand to push her chin so she was forced to look up at him. "If we weren't in the middle of the road, you'd let me continue?" He asked teasingly.
"I suppose if we found somewhere more private to stay along the way I wouldn't object," she said, still attempting to wriggle away from him.
"Okay then, let's get going," Kakashi stood up and reached one hand out for Aiko to grab, so he could pull her up with him.
They walked on like that slowly, there was no reason to rush this mission, after all, Tsunade had sent them so they could spend time together. Kakashi had been the one who planned out their root to the Land of Iron, and Aiko hadn't even bothered to check it out. As they walked their surroundings seemed oddly familiar to her, too familiar. Soon Aiko realized where she was, and she stopped dead in her tracks.
"Kakashi where exactly are we going?" Aiko asked with a slight twinge of worry in her voice.
The silver-haired shinobi eyed her skeptically, "There's a little inn not far from here Aiko, it's nice, I've stayed there once or twice during missions, they have particularly comfortable beds," he said making his eyebrows dance suggestively.
He had been expecting Aiko to blush, but she was even more pale than usual. "Kakashi I don't think it's a good idea for us to stay there." She didn't know how to tell him about her life at that inn, she wasn't sure how he'd take it. How in the world did he manage to pick this place? Aiko thought to herself.
Kakashi closed the gap in between them, put his arms around her, and put his forehead to hers. "I don't understand Aiko, what's wrong? I promise you it's safe, and Lady Tsunade won't mind if we take our time on this mission."
Aiko shook her head back and forth, forcing the Copy Ninja to loosen his grip, and she began rubbing both of her temples with one hand. A habit they both shared from their youth. "Kakashi I have a past here, I used to live here, and I helped the old woman who runs the place. I just don't feel like dealing with all of it." I can't tell him…everything's been so good, and he's always been a jealous man.
Kakashi looked confused, "Wouldn't she be happy to see you then?"
"Well yes, but…" Aiko didn't get a chance to finish before Kakashi brought her into a long kiss.
"If we don't stay there, we're going to have to camp out for the night, and I'm not going to be able to keep myself from you. I know how shy you can be Aiko," Kakashi picked up her right hand and brought it to his lips, "C'mon, let's have some fun…please?" He said to her with pleading eyes.
Aiko could not bring herself to tell the man she just reconciled with about her former lover. The man that helped her move on from Kakashi the first time. She had confided in Dai everything about the Copy Ninja, and even though she'd left him many moons ago, she could not foresee the meeting going well. There is a fairly decent chance he's not even there. She thought, it has been quite a few years, and Dai had always had big dreams for himself. It would be nice to see Granny again too, she had been like a mother to me. Aiko was lost in her thoughts when Kakashi finally managed to shake her out of them.
"Aiko, what's going on, why can't we just stay at the Inn, why are you acting so strangely?" Kakashi was becoming agitated with her.
"I'm sorry Kakashi, we can go, I'm just being silly," she sighed. "It's just that I wasn't exactly the happiest when I first ended up here. It's a little hard for me still, but we can go, it'll be fun." She forced a smile at him.
Kakashi thought he understood, "This is where you went after what I did to you?" Kakashi looked hurt.
The raven-haired beauty nodded at the man in front of her, "It's okay Kakashi, I've missed Granny anyway, she treated me like a daughter, it'll be nice to see her again." Aiko stood on her tiptoes and gave Kakashi a peck on the cheek." Maybe he won't be there, please don't let him be there. Aiko thought to herself, while pulling Kakashi's arm, so they could begin walking again.
"Are you sure about this Aiko, I didn't know…" Kakashi didn't want to relive the past.
Aiko turned to the silver-haired man she had just recently begun to trust again, "Yes, Kakashi I'm good. We're good. Let's go."
A while later they were both standing in front of the Inn, Aiko had once called home.
Kakashi opened the door for Aiko, and she took her first steps inside. She quickly analyzed each person in the room, and let out a sigh of relief when she realized he wasn't there. The Inn was exactly the same, on the left was the front desk, and on the right, the room opened up into a decently sized dining room. Straight ahead were the stairs that led up to the bedrooms, and behind the front desk was a door that led back to the kitchen and storage rooms. Aiko felt at home.
She walked up to the front desk to ring the bell, looking forward to seeing Granny. While she was waiting Kakashi joined her, and slung one arm around her shoulder while kissing the top of her head gently. After a few minutes, Granny finally emerged from the back room while wiping her glasses on her shirt.
"I'm sorry dearies, I'm not as young as I used to be. It takes me a little longer to get around these days," Granny chuckled a little, climbed up on the box she used to see above the counter, and finally put her glasses on. "Aiko is that you girl?" Granny quickly hopped off of her crate and ran around the counter. "It's been what seven or eight years, you don't come back to visit me nearly enough you know," Granny stated matter-of-factly.
Aiko bowed her head, "Forgive me, Granny, I'm sorry for not visiting you more," she said with a smile.
Granny swung both arms around Aiko's bowed neck, "Of course you're forgiven! Now, now, who's your friend," Granny asked, looking over Aiko's shoulder at Kakashi.
The Copy Ninja rubbed the back of his head with one hand, "Well I'm Kakashi Hatake," he bowed and smiled at the old woman.
"Kakashi huh?" Granny looked at him skeptically and then pushed back on Aiko's shoulders to look her in the eyes. "You're happy Aiko?" Granny looked concerned, but that was not shocking. Granny was not aware of all the details, but she did know that Kakashi was the reason she showed up at her doorstep a broken young woman.
Aiko gave Granny a genuine smile, "Yes, Granny I am."
Granny pulled her into one more hug and whispered in her ear, "Dai is out of town, but he'll be back tomorrow afternoon, you two should try to leave before then."
Aiko pulled back and gave the older woman a curt nod of understanding, "Well you two must be starving, I'll get you a room key, and when you're ready come down for dinner," she said as she ushered the two of them up the stairs.
Aiko's fill-in mother had given them the largest room in the place, that still wasn't that big, but it did have a very large comfortable bed and a fairly roomy walk-in shower.
After Aiko and Kakashi put down their stuff Kakashi flopped down on the bed, stretched out, and said "Let me nap for a half-hour before dinner, I never get to nap."
Aiko kissed him on the forehead, and stroked his cheek with her hand, "Okay, I'm going to jump in the shower."
Aiko walked into the bathroom and stripped off her clothing allowing it to fall onto the floor. She made the water as hot as it would go and stepped in under it. The scolding water quickly turned her pale skin a bright shade of red, but Aiko had always enjoyed taking hot showers, they relaxed her. She took her time washing off her body and her hair, and then placed her forehead against the wall and let the water just run over her. I need to make sure we're out of here first thing in the morning. I can't risk running into him, especially with Kakashi in tow. Dai took me leaving well enough, but I know I hurt him. If he found out that I returned to Kakashi's arms instead of his it'd break his heart and he'd hate me. I wouldn't be able to blame him, he had been so kind and loving towards me, but while I cared deeply for him it wasn't like the love, I have for Kakashi.
Aiko was lost in thought for longer than she realized, she hadn't even heard Kakashi enter the bathroom, but all of a sudden Kakashi's hands were on either side of her waist and he was kissing her shoulder. "Aiko, this water is too hot, it's burning you. Why are you just standing in here?" Kakashi's hands were now roaming Aiko's body, and she moved back into him. He began cupping her wet breasts and kissing her necks.
She didn't want Kakashi to worry, "I'm sorry, I just like hot showers, they help me relax."
Kakashi felt that something was wrong, but knew better than to press her, she would tell him when she was ready, he turned Aiko around and bent down to plant a kiss on her lips, while entangling his fingers in her wet hair. "You look so beautiful like this," he said to her with eyes filled with sincerity, "But I wish your skin wasn't all red like this."
Aiko placed her head against Kakashi's torso, and hugged him, "My skin is fine, I'm used to it, and You're not so bad yourself Hatake," she said and reached up to run her fingers threw his wet mop of silver hair. She could feel Kakashi's erection pressing up against her, and she pulled his head down for one more long kiss, and then whispered to him, "you're turn."
He looked down at her genuinely confused, as Aiko slowly dropped to her knees in front of him. He barely had time to register what she was doing before she took all of him into her mouth. Kakashi hissed through his teeth, it had been so long since a woman did this for him, and even longer since a woman he cared for did this for him. Aiko brought one hand up to play with his sack. She moved her head slowly up and down Kakashi's shaft, while he continued to hiss and groan with pleasure.
Aiko felt a sense of satisfaction for making him feel this way, so she ever so slowly pulled her mouth completely off of him. She looked up at him trying to make her eyes appear big and innocent, she tilted her head to one side, "Do you like that?" She said while fluttering her eyelashes at him.
Kakashi exhaled sharply while Aiko continued to use her hand to drive him crazy, "You could drive a man to madness Aiko," he said while he wound his hands into her hair.
She moved her closed mouth to the tip of Kakashi's girth and circled the tip with her tongue before taking all of him in again. She moved faster this time, with intent. Kakashi began to move his hips to meet Aiko's mouth plunging himself into her faster and harder.
Aiko let him take her, and as Kakashi's member began to twitch inside her mouth, she felt warmth in the back of her throat she pulled back so she could swallow. Aiko stood up and hugged Kakashi again, she just wanted to be close to him. "I'm starting to look like a prune, I should get out now," she said still pressing herself against him.
Kakashi was stroking her hair now, "Go get dressed, I'll take a quick shower and we can go down to dinner."
Soon they were both sitting at a table with Granny eating the feast she had prepared for them. Aiko and Kakashi were the only guests at the Inn that night, so they had the dining room to themselves. "I'm so happy you two are enjoying the food," the elderly woman said excitedly.
"You know I always loved your cooking Granny," Aiko said while shoveling more food into her mouth in a very unladylike manner.
Kakashi was eating slowly, so he wouldn't have to remove his mask in front of strangers, "Best I've ever had," Kakashi said patting his stomach.
Aiko and Granny talked a lot about what they had been up to and Granny made it a point to grill Kakashi on his life as well.
"Granny please, leave him be, he's a good man I promise," Aiko said in an attempt to save Kakashi from the endless questioning.
"You can't bring a handsome man home and expect me not to ask him some questions," she said teasingly to Aiko.
"Oh, it's okay, I don't mind, really," Kakashi said while waving both of his hands in front of him.
Granny smiled and looked at the girl she considered a daughter, "Fine, fine, I guess, Aiko help me clear these plates and I'll grab us the chocolate cake I made for dessert."
Aiko licked her lips, "Chocolate cake! You know me, well Granny," Aiko quickly cleared the plates and followed Granny in to the kitchen, excited for her favorite dessert.
While the women were in the kitchen Kakashi heard the front door open and looked up to see a man around his age walk in. He was carrying a travel bag and looked tired. "Granny, I'm home, where are you?" The young man threw his bag onto the floor behind the front desk, and finally looked up into the dining room and saw Kakashi. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know we had guests," the man said with a genuine smile on his face, "Do you know where my Granny is?"
"Oh, they're in the back cleaning up and getting dessert," Kakashi said nodding towards the door the women had walked through a few minutes prior.
"They're? Oh no, did Granny force you and your girl into having dinner with her? I'm sorry about that, she loves having people to tell her stories to," he said while laughing a little bit."
"Oh no…" Kakashi got out just before the women walked back into the room, Aiko holding the cake and laughing at something, the older woman had said to her.
Kakashi was still looking at the young man across the room from him, and when he looked up to see Aiko his entire body tensed and his jaw dropped in surprise. Kakashi was now interested in what was going on. Does he know Aiko too? He thought.
Granny looked up and saw Dai first, stopping dead in her tracks, knowing full well what was about to happen.
Aiko's eyes were closed as she laughed, and she hadn't seen Dai yet or Granny come to a dead halt. Aiko bumped into her but managed not to drop the cake. Aiko opened her eyes, "Granny what are you doing, dessert could have been ruined," she pouted. It was then that she noticed that Granny was staring at something, and followed the gray-haired woman's gaze, her eyes finally landed on Dai, and Aiko dropped the cake.