Chapter 7

Kakashi woke up the next morning early as per usual. His internal alarm clock went off at around 4 AM every morning no matter how tired he was. He had slept heavily last night so he felt more rested and relaxed than usual.

He stretched lightly and realized he was snuggled against something warm and soft. Various parts of his body slowly came into his awareness as he realized that he was sleeping with a woman next to him. With a smile and his mind still half asleep he thought it must be Ariko. That he was on a weekend getaway with her. She loved when he woke her up for sex in the morning. So he proceeded to raise himself over her and tucked his hips into the vee of her body. They were both still clothed, which was strange. That was typically not how they woke up.

He nuzzled his nose into her neck until she finally acquiesced and moved giving him more access. He softly pressed kisses along her neck and nibbled up and down the long column. She was slowly rousing in awareness. With a happy smile and his eyes still closed he tried to find the straps of her night gown to slide off her body. He frowned when he realized she was wearing a tank top, with frustration he grabbed the neck of the shirt and ripped it off her body, sighing when he finally had access to her silky skin.

He moved his hand over her smooth stomach and over her rib cage finally grasping her breasts. Wait… he squeezed experimentally. What? Ariko did not have breasts like this.

His eyes immediately popped open and he jumped off the bed defensively ready to attack whatever intruder lay in his bed. Glancing around he finally calmed down as his eyes rested on the Hyuga heiress. The events of the last week played across his mind and he slowly eased out of his fighting pose.

Wonderful, this was just great.

It was still dark enough that he couldn't see her bare upper body. But he was going to have an interesting time explaining why her shirt was ripped. And how tired and trusting was she that she slept through that ordeal... he thought?

If it had been Ariko he would be pressed against a wall with a kunai at his throat by now.

He didn't want to wake the sleeping girl up so he quickly got dressed and went outside. At least one of the Anbu should be up and training somewhere.

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Hinata woke up around 6 AM and realized that her shirt had been ripped in half. She gasped in horror crossing her arms across her chest and looked around for Kakashi. She could not figure out what had happened. Maybe kakashi had a nightmare and accidentally grabbed her shirt she thought in confusion?

After a few seconds of confusion, she got dressed for the day in a long flowy dress. It was nice to be out of combat gear for a bit. She washed both her and Kakashi's combat clothes and hung it out to dry.

This dress was a soft white material with small flowers scattered throughout it. The bodice of the dress was ruched around her waist so that her trim figure was highlighted. She also took special care brushing out her hair today. They were going to be doing reconnaissance work so she wanted to blend in with the civilians. She finished the look by popping in some coloured contacts to hide her distinct eyes.

Kakashi came inside the room soon afterwards and took in her appearance. "I guess I should wear something casual too".

He emerged a few minutes afterwards wearing dark blue jeans and a cream coloured t-shirt. He had foregone his mask today. The reputation of the copy ninja with a mask preceded him so he would be safer without it. He looked extremely handsome of course, those clothes suited him well. Kakashi was a fully grown man and his broad shoulders were evident in the nicely tailored shirt he was wearing. It also made it easy for her to see the wide expanse of his chest, back and tapered stomach. He caught her gaze on him when he turned and she felt herself blush. Thankfully he didn't ask any questions.

By the time they made it out of the inn Kakashi was wondering why she was so flustered. But for the moment he decided to leave it alone, she could be freaking out about her ripped shirt and at the moment he didn't want to answer any questions about that.

They took a tuktuk ride to the city center and walked off to the compound of the local Daimyo. Some larger compounds such as this of rich families tended to be open for tours on certain days of the week. It added a tourism boost to these smaller cities.

Under the guise of a tourist couple they bought tickets to get into the property of the Daimyo and joined a tour group. Their objective today was to find the study of this house so they could look for any suspicious correspondence.

After about 15 minutes they were able to slip away from the guided tour and make it to the areas of the house that were restricted. With Hinata's Byakugan they located the study with no trouble and headed towards the room.

"Your Byakugan is very useful" Kakashi whispered and Hinata felt her neck warming at the compliment.

There was no one inside so they snuck into the room quietly. They split up the room into two halves and started pouring through content. Books, scrolls, letters, reports... anything they could find. They also inspected various surfaces carefully for hidden compartments as they moved through the room.

Kakashi's memory was useful for speedily assessing and looking through information. Just as they were wrapping up, Hinata paused and signalled that two sets of people were coming towards the library. They looked to the window and nodded in understanding soon jumping out one after the other. After they landed Hinata grabbed his hand and ran, guiding him away from the footsteps. However one of the persons must have heard some shuffling because they were following behind. They ran down a few corridors without losing their tail, so Kakashi made a last minute decision and tucked them into an alcove up ahead.

He mussed up Hinata's hair, lowered a strap of her dress down her arm and raised her right leg up pushing her against the wall before covering her lips with his. Thankfully she immediately understood what he was doing and melted into him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and messing his hair up quickly too. They moved into the kiss like they had been kissing all their lives.

"Ahhhhh" came the scream of a woman before long, and they looked up with heaving breaths.

Immediately Kakashi drew away and Hinata pulled down her leg and started adjusting her dress apologizing profusely and bowing.

The woman started yelling at them to leave so Kakashi grabbed Hinata's hand and ran down the hall. At a normal speed, like a human would. After a few minutes they switched to Shinobi mode and quickly jumped over the walls of the compound heading back to their Inn.

"Did you find any information?" she asked slightly out of breath.

Kakashi shook his head negative. "All the correspondence was normal, not that anyone would leave conspiracy notes with sensitive information lying around. But I couldn't find any coded messages or false bottom drawers. What about you?"

She shook her negative. "I feel like messages like this could be hidden in a bedroom instead of a study? If you'd like I can sneak in tonight and have a look?"

Kakashi looked at her as if she was crazy, "I can't send you in alone!".

"I would be safest alone" she replied. He wanted to argue but after a deep breath he relented. She had the Byakugan so she was the most qualified to go in and navigate the house quickly.

That night the team waited outside the walls of the Daimyo's compound while Hinata scaled the walls dressed in an all black get up. She had 30 minutes before Kakashi went after her. She gave a quick nod at the top of the wall and disappeared from their sights.

As the minutes trickled by Kakashi was slowly losing his mind waiting. He looked down at his watch every few seconds and paced back and forth by the wall of the compound. The Anbu looked at him curiously… Kakashi was known for his stoicism. He ignored them. This was bad, he shouldn't have let her go in alone. She was the least experienced member of the team when it came to missions of this nature. Just as there was a few minutes left to spare he started adjusting his own clothes getting ready to go after her. But within the last minute marker Hinata got back. He sighed in relief discreetly.

"Did anyone see you?" he whispered. She shook her head negative and signalled for them to leave. They put some distance between themselves and the compound before changing back into their regular combat gear and Hinata finally spoke.

"I found a code for correspondence".

Kakashi looked at her sharply.

"I copied it down and have it here with me, I can show you after we board the ship to Kirigakure".

He nodded telling her he understood and squeezed her shoulder to show his appreciation of her work. She smiled widely and without delay they headed to the boat that the Anbu had arranged for their crossover. They were slightly delayed from their original schedule, but that detour had been well worth it.

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That night huddled in the cramped boat the weather got much colder. Moving closer to Kirigakure the climate continued to get cool at night and the mist that the land was so well known for started to roll in. Kakashi had made this trip many times, but the eeriness of the ocean crossing especially at night never grew old. It reminded him a bit of the tales of Sinbad, the scene where the sirens appeared. Fortunately in this scenario the thickening mist only meant they were getting closer.

Hinata was tucked inside the covers of the bunk when Kakashi finally walked into their room. She moved over on the bed and opened the cover for him to get in. They only had one bunk here similar to the hotel.

He had spent all evening looking over the code, but he needed a letter written based on this coding to start spotting patterns to crack it. As Kakashi slid into their bedroll he noticed that she had goosebumps all over her skin... she was dressed again in her shorts and tank top.

"Do you not have warmer clothes to sleep in?" he asked and she shook her head negative.

"I packed the rest in the suitcases we mailed out to Kiri ahead of us".

He snorted at that, but went over to his backpack to take out a grey shirt.

"You should buy some warmer pajamas when you get to Kiri. The weather there isn't similar to what we are used to in Konoha... especially at night" he mentioned as he handed over the shirt to her. Hinata stopped shivering momentarily to take the shirt from his hands with a grateful look and immediately put it over her head.

He took pity on the girl and grabbed one of his books tucking himself next to her so that they could share body heat. As he opened the book to where he had left off, Hinata without any self consciousness took his free arm and draped it around herself, snuggling more securely against him. He had been told in the past that he generated a lot of body heat. Women seemed to find that appealing about him he thought in amusement.

For the time being he just enjoyed her soft guava scent and stroked the silky skin of her arm as he settled into read.

"What are you reading?" she asked curiously.

"Hmm?... it's a book about the evolution of languages".

"Oh... I didn't realize you liked to read...I mean... other than what you usually read" she stammered turning red.

Kakashi gave her a small smirk and went back to reading without a comment. She seemed to take the hint and closed her eyes, and her breathing patterns soon indicated that she had fallen asleep.

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The next morning they arrived safely into the port of Kirigakure. It was a bustling port filled with ships and fishing boats. Immediately the landscape on this island was different from what they were used to. The weather too was humid and mild but with a nice sea breeze.

There was a town car present to receive them and drive them to the capital city center. As this was a diplomatic mission Hinata and Kakashi had dressed in formal clothing.

Hinata settled into the luxurious leather seat of the town car and gazed around in wonder as they started driving into Kirigakure. This country true to its name seemed to be under a shroud of mist for the majority of the day. In addition, the topography here was littered with lots and lots of trees. These were large trees, the kinds of ancient trees she had never seen in her life before. As they got more inland she could see that the island was covered in a thick layer of forests, and to add to that dramatic landscape there were large rugged mountains scattered across the country. They were in fact driving through a road built inside a thick rainforest nestled between two mountainous ranges. The city of Kirigakure was located in the middle of these mountains. She knew that the capital city had moats built around it as an additional layer of security, but she really didn't see the point when it was already so remote.

She studied the mountains in interest as they drove closer to them. They really didn't seem to be made for hiking, they looked too treacherous and steep for that. She felt her stomach crawl as she thought about how much murder and intrigue surrounded these lands. Rumour has it that there were missing nin who made these mountains their crime syndicates.

"Have you been here before?" Kakashi asked quietly and as she turned to him she realized he had been studying her. She looked down to her lap where their hands were interlaced. Their cover had started in full force once they stepped onto that pier.

"No… this is my first time. It's quite beautiful isn't it."

"Yes it is" he agreed with her but his smile didn't quite reach his eyes. She continued to look at him for a few more seconds but when he didn't continue she turned her attention back out to the scenery glancing nervously at the security detail that was driving them.

A few hours later they arrived into the city. They were greeted by the Mizukage's personal right hand advisor, Ao. He got into the passenger seat of the vehicle and proceeded to give them a brief tour of the city, pointing out waterfalls, ponds, botanical gardens, shopping districts etc. The Anbu was following behind in a separate car. She found it fascinating how most of the city was comprised of large cylindric buildings and these structures had eco-roof gardens.

After about an hour or so of sightseeing they arrived at the guest compound. In addition to them, a few dignitaries from other nations were staying in the same compound. The Mizukage wouldn't be free to greet them right now but they were invited to a party at her house later tonight. Ao explained that he had received word from the Hokage that Kakashi would be attending in her stead, with his fiance.

At that Ao gave Hinata a bow of acknowledgement, but she didn't miss the speculative look in his eyes. Kakashi and Hinata had been holding hands up till that moment, but at that comment Kakashi wrapped his arm around Hinata and dropped a kiss on her head, to which she smiled brightly and leaned into him.

Ao smiled and congratulated them but offered a word of caution to keep the PDA low in front of the Mizukage. She liked keeping the attention of attractive men to herself and she tended to be sensitive about her single status. Hinata nodded solemly, tucking that information away. She would not want to start off on the wrong foot with the Mizukage. Ao continued on that he was grateful for their presence and showed them to their quarters.

They had a large suite to themselves and Ao reassured them of their privacy. The Anbu would be staying in another suite on the same floor as them which was convenient.

Inside their suite there was a large bedroom connected to an enormous washroom. They also had a sitting area and a small kitchenette. This was probably the most modern and luxurious suit she had ever been in her entire life. In fact the washroom had huge windows that looked out into the mountains so you could soak in the tub and also take in the scenic landscape. It was amazing.

"Um... at night how can we make sure there is privacy in the washroom?" she asked after a horrifying thought occurred to her.

"Hinata-san we can assure you that you will have the utmost privacy, the Windows are tinted and it is built in a way that you can only see out from the inside. No one can see in". Ao answered in a dignified manner and she turned in relief to Kakashi, but his shoulders seemed to be shaking in laughter. They exited the washroom to take in the grand bedroom and the room had a large terrace attached overlooking the scenic mountains.

Hinata stepped out enthralled, forgetting about the mission for a second. She stared in awe at the scenery in front, she had never seen mountains like this before. So big, grand and joined together into a chain, they truly felt larger than life. The rainforest atmosphere added to the exotic beauty. If it wasn't for their mission this would have been the most perfect vacation spot. Kakashi and Ao continued their conversation in the background while she ventured forward to take in the natural wonder. Eventually she realized they were alone and glanced behind her to see Kakashi looking at her with smiling eyes.

She turned to him with a returning smile, "You've been here many times before?" she asked before realizing her blunder. She closed her eyes in frustration and could have bitten her tongue as she realized what she said. Of course he had been here before. Probably many times over the last five years.

He continued to smile at her and did not reply until she opened her eyes. "Yes I have been here many times before… for work. Ariko and I often met away from our villages to keep the gossip away".

"Ah... I see, sorry… I didn't mean to pry" she looked into his eyes, her face puckering with a frown all of a sudden. Her body stayed turned towards him as she activated her Byakugan. It was unnerving seeing her gentle face transform with those delicate veins around the eyes. It made her look extremely fierce.

"Ao is looking at us, with his Byakugan" she whispered indignantly.

He nodded his understanding and wrapped his arm around her shoulders tucking her against him. He eventually moved her in front of him and slouched to rest his chin on top of her head. Her guava scent drifted up towards him calming him down and he finally felt himself breathing with ease since he stepped into Kirigakure. There was just something about this country that had always rubbed him the wrong way. Kakashi knew instinctively Ao must have stopped looking in on them by now but he was reluctant to let her go.

"We should start unpacking" Hinata murmured, "tonight is going to be a long night with the gala they are throwing and we have a long day ahead tomorrow. Perhaps we should get some rest while we can?".

Kakashi agreed and just when he was about to walk in, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close whispering "just in case" before she moved his mask out of the way and pressed a slow kiss against his lips.

This was the first time Hinata had kissed him on her own volition and he felt his stomach flutter at the unexpected gesture. She then backed away and walked into the room without further comments and he stared after her with a bit of amusement wondering why she had this reaction on him?