---Book of Paradise---
(Part 9)
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Inuyasha.
Alright! (Yawn) Another update! Unfortunately, school is making me extremely tired since I haven't adapted yet. Then again, I don't think I ever will…
Many thanks to Kurama'sFoxyMiko for supplying some great ideas for Kakashi's apartment! Arigato K.F.M-san!
"Where's Kagome-chan?" Sakura yawned, rubbing her eyes.
"Somewhere…" Naruto mumbled, blinking.
Sasuke remained silent, annoyed that Kakashi woke them up at the crack of damn for some damn reason, and would probably be late as usual again. Everybody silently agreed.
"Yo" Their sensei's voice startled the three, causing them to do a little jump in surprise.
"K-Kakashi-sensei…you're early…" Sakura scrunched up her eyebrows in confusion, he had never been early before…well, except for that one time when Naruto fell into the river with a couple stacks of ramen cups and whipped cream…but never mind…
"Yeah, we're doing something very important today" He stated lazily, but you could hear the eagerness in his voice.
Sasuke raised an eyebrow, 'What's pumping him up so much…?'
"What is it?" Naruto asked excitedly, jumping around, "Are we protecting a feudal lord?"
"Naruto" Sakura twitched, "What is it, sensei?"
"We're working on our tracking and stealth skills today" He announced proudly, "We're going to be following a person and we can't let them know what we're doing. We can't loose them either"
The three perked up at this more exciting training strategy, "So…who are we tracking?"
Kakashi grinned.
Outside a Window…
"I can't believe we're actually doing this" Sakura grumbled.
"Aw…cheer up, Sakura-chan! At least we're going around the village!" Naruto tried to encourage her.
"Yeah…" The kunoichi sighed, gripping the windowpane a bit tighter so she wouldn't fall.
Sasuke grunted, "Sick teacher" he was referring to Kakashi.
"Now, now Sasuke" Kakashi grinned, "Is that any way to treat your elders?"
"Maybe I'll start doing that when you begin acting like one"
It was silent after that.
"Watch the target" Kakashi warned, peering into the window and turning a healthy shade of red as he saw a sight. The teacher giggled girlishly.
Sakura smacked him lightly, "Sensei! You pervert!"
Inside a Hotel…
Kagome hummed as she packed away her belongings, 'I'm going to have to find a place to stay for the last couple of days' her time at the hotel had expired.
She paused for a minute, towel drying her hair a bit more and fixed her bathrobe on more securely.
Kagome then startled re-organizing her bag, folding her shirts and pants, whatever in, one-by-one.
"Eh…?" Kagome's feet that were halfway under the bed, had caught onto some sort of fabric, "What's this?"
She bent down, fishing her hand under the bed and drawing out an olive green vest with some red swirls on it, "Isn't this what Jounin wear here?"
Kagome thought back to a couple nights back, "Come to think of it now, I don't remember how I actually got home that night…" she muttered, and then shrugged.
(And if I had mentioned that she did earlier, gomen ne!)
"Ah well…if somebody mentions a missing vest, then I'll just hand it back to them and thank the person for bringing me back to the hotel…"
Kagome folded the vest neatly and packed it into her bag, along with all her other items. But not before sniffing it… "This smells familiar…I can't really pinpoint it though…" the miko mumbled absently.
"Wait" She whispered and paused when she heard a scratching sound near the window, "It was probably nothing"
Team 7 let out a relieved sigh outside.
The Streets of Konoha…
Kagome walked down the dusty streets of the village, humming a small tune to herself, 'At least the innkeeper let me keep my stuff in there until I can find a place to stay for a while…I still can't shake the feeling that I'm being followed'
------
"Ero-sensei…" Naruto twitched as their teacher guided them behind their 'target'.
The three couldn't help but notice Kakashi-sensei's gaze – down southward.
"Pervert!" Sakura hissed, hitting him again.
"Don't hit your teacher without good reason" Kakashi whined.
"This is one" Sakura's darkened face showed irritation.
Team 7 darted over the rooftops of the village, watching Kagome carefully, while trying not to be spotted. Kagome seemed to be on 'high-alert' for some reason, as if she sensed that they were following her.
Jumping onto the ground, they tiptoed behind store support beams and food carts.
As Kagome walked down the middle of the path, she crossed her arms together, and then sat down on a bench. It just happened to be right by the fountain, the same one that she had gotten her first kiss at. She gained a blush at this thought.
Sasuke raised an eyebrow, "What's she blushing about?"
Kakashi blinked, another odd surge of jealously overcoming him again, 'I've been having quite alot of those these days. I wonder if I'm coming down with a fever' He pondered thoughtfully.
"Alright, training for today is over" Kakashi checked the time, "It's nearly lunchtime and I think everybody is tired from last night's party"
Sakura groaned in agreement, yawning, "Arigato, Kakashi-sensei!"
"Yeah!" Naruto grinned, "I'm going to find Iruka-sensei! I'm hungry!"
Sasuke just sighed, rolling his eyes and trudged away.
The only person left shifted his view to Kagome.
With a blur, Kakashi was now approaching the miko.
Kagome looked up at the person coming towards her, "Oh, hey Kakashi! How are you today?" She smiled, sitting up a bit more from her original slumped position.
"Great!" Kakashi grinned. Just being around her somehow compelled him to do so, "What's bothering you?"
"Oh!" Kagome looked surprised that the teacher had noticed, "Well…" Kagome fingered the head protector in her hands absently, "I'm not sure where I should put this forehead protector and…it's my last day at the hotel, so I've gotta find a place to stay…"
"For starters…" Kakashi began, taking the object from her hands, "I think it would look good…" he looked at her for a bit, analyzing her, "Maybe around your neck…"
"Really…?" Kagome asked, cocking her head, which in Kakashi's opinion, looked extremely cute.
"Yeah" The Jounin responded thoughtfully, "Here, I'll help you tie it on"
Taking the strip of fabric, Kakashi leaned forward and over her shoulder, brushing some hair away and tying a secure knot, "There"
Kagome breathed in his scent, 'that was! That's his vest! -'
Her thoughts were interrupted, "What do you think?"
"Comfortable enough" Kagome blushed as she realized their proximity just moments before.
"Anyways, about your second question, you could…err…stay at my place. It's clean enough…" Oh my god! He nearly stumbled over his words!
"Eh…?" Kagome's face turned light pink.
Seeing her 'discomfort', Kakashi quickly added in, "That is, if you want it"
Kagome's blush got darker, "Oh! No, no! That would be great – I hope I won't be a bother…Thank you! By the way…I have your vest and…thanks for bringing me home and…-"
Kakashi raised his arms up in surrender, not prepared for all the comments that had followed his statement.
Kagome looked at the ground. Suddenly, a rock was more interesting than anything in the world at the moment, "Sorry…" She mumbled sheepishly, "I was babbling, wasn't I?"
Kakashi's Apartment…
"You are sure you're fine with this?" Kagome asked for the last time.
"Yes, I'm sure" Kakashi grinned, "Now, the place is pretty small…you can sleep on the bed. I'll sleep on the ground"
The miko was suddenly extremely embarrassed, "Oh, no! You only have one bed! I'll take the floor, it's your apartment anyways and…"
"It's fine really, you take the bed!" Kakashi nudged her in the now open door, dropping her bag by the bed and reaching into a small closet for some extra blankets and a pillow for himself.
"Oh…alright, if you insist" Kagome whispered, sighing and going into the washroom to change into some pajamas.
Since they had already had ramen for dinner at the Ichiraku's place, there was nearly nothing to be done before calling it a night.
Later on That Night…
Kagome couldn't sleep.
She couldn't sleep at all.
Not even the rhythmic breathing of Kakashi on the ground below her could lull the girl to a fitful slumber.
It bothered her; she was on the bed.
He was on the ground.
His back was probably aching.
Sighing in defeat, Kagome slipped out of bed, her feet pressing against the freezing hardwood floor.
Staring at the sleeping figure for a moment, Kagome took a good look at him.
Silver hair, (Like a certain hanyou jerk…) smooth face, (He removed his mask since she had already seen underneath it) he looked so peaceful, and she hated to bother him at this time of night…but…
"Kakashi!" Kagome whispered urgently, gently shaking his shoulder, "Kakashi! Wake up!"
He groaned a little, turning over. It took just another nudge to wake him up, "Oh…Kagome…? What's the matter?" He mumbled sleepily, turning his body towards her so they could talk face-to-face.
"Well…" Kagome fiddled with the hem of her top, "I'm not sleeping very well and…I think I'd sleep better knowing that you'd be comfortable…"
Kakashi, now quite awake, raised an eyebrow at her form. The darkness in the room only showed a silhouette of the girl and if he activated the Sharingan…well…he was too tired.
The miko took the silence as a permission to continue, "And I think I'd sleep easier if you were in the bed with me…-Not like that!" Kagome was blushing furiously, "I mean like…there's enough room for two and…I don't want you to sleep on the floor…" She was now stumbling over her words.
"Alright…" Kakashi sighed hesitantly.
Getting up from his makeshift bedding, the lighting in the room caused him to miss her beet red face. Sliding into the right side of the bed, Kagome slid into the left and sighed in contentment. Kakashi thought it was in relief.
And sometime in the middle of the night, Kagome rolled over and hugged Kakashi's body, just like in the Feudal Era where she grew so used to hugging Shippo.
The two slept well that night.
Alright! This chapter is finally done! I notice I haven't shown Miroku for a while – don't worry, he'll show up sometime…beaten up… LOL! Anyways, read and review onegai! XD
Sayonara,
Tenshi-Battosai