I can't believe this took so long to write! I know I promised to upload it sooner, but so many things happened and I just couldn't write at all so I'm super sorry that it's so late, but hey, it's better than never, right?

Also, yes, there are lyrics from Muse in there. I don't own the lyrics, they are copyright of Muse and all of their associates. They are used for non-profit purposes.

Please enjoy this chapter, and please leave a review for me or a message!
Thankyou!

Despite the fact that Kakashi was walking around the village of Konohagakure with his standard casual stroll and Icha Icha book opened inside his left palm, he had to take much more concentration on looking as normal as ever because on the inside, a well of emotions was erupting inside of him; the most severe was an agonizing sadness. He hadn't been able to comprehend any sort of explanation for the 'incident' of last night whilst walking past Iruka's display of affection to the very girl that he had a date with tonight. To Kakashi, he now felt like he had a standard that he had to live up to if he was to impress Renita much more than Iruka had, and he was beginning to worry that he was going to seem unimpressive to her. He really didn't have any idea of what he could do to make her night special, and it was aggravating him as much as it was worrying him. This had been his train of thought since he woke up this morning, so he tried to stop him from thinking about it for a while by divulging himself in his book, yet the results were dismal. Kakashi kept walking, ignoring any type of person passing him, and since no-one normally spoke to him when he was reading, it didn't seem out of the ordinary.
It was a small giggle that snapped his attention away from his book, the low pitch of it deducing the fact that it came from a male, and there was only one male that would 'giggle' so mischievously at someone or something.

He was right, of course, as he came closer and closer to a very tall male with shaggy white hair sitting cross-legged behind an equally-as-tall hedge; a smutty, envious giggle erupting at spontaneous intervals.
'It's been a while, Master Jiraiya' Kakashi said in his deep velvety voice, stopping next to the older man and crouching down next to him, still reading his book.
'Kakashi, you're just in time to check this beauty out' Jiraiya winked, relinquishing his telescope to pass it to Kakashi for him to have a look. Kakashi closed his book and took the small red telescope, and peered through the lens.
'Spotted a good one, have we?' he said, letting his closet pervert sliding loose to the surface a little, as he searched for this apparent 'beauty'.
'Yup' Jiraiya said, keeping an eye around his target's location. 'Look near the green-grocer by the popular tea shop by the corner. Trust me, you'll agree with me when you see her. Long brown hair.'
'Alright, let's look' Kakashi said, focusing the scope onto the suspected woman. Jiraiya was right, however, this girl was beautiful.
It was Renita.

It didn't take a moment for it to sink in for Kakashi, and he acted entirely on impulse. Swinging his arm with the scope in his hand, he propelled it into the side of Jiraiya's face which caught the older man by surprise. The force of the blow knocked him sideways and he sprawled across the soft grass. Kakashi even caught himself by surprise by his sudden outburst of anger, but he was riled up to the maximum point now due to every single event that had happened from last night up until now. He wasn't terribly worried about the Sannin; he was a tough ninja, and he had suffered worse than just a semi-small blow to the face. He tossed the small scope to Jiraiya, who was now sitting upright again, rubbing his face.
'Sorry' Kakashi said, pulling his book out again 'but she's off limits.'
Without another word he traipsed away, still buzzing with annoyance and a small ball of anger burning inside of him. He'll work it off eventually during a large workout, or either in preparation for tonight. Jiraiya, however, wasn't annoyed in the slightest bit at this. A small smile, and he stood up and moved to another area for his 'research'.
'So' he said to himself as he walked away.
'Kakashi finally found someone to care about.'

Renita woke up in the early afternoon after sleeping the entire morning after her long night with Iruka. She was still reminiscing about the events of the evening with him; she was bouncing with a bubbly cheer, so she was looking at everything in a different light. Everything seemed brighter and more colourful with every smell more potent than ever as she stopped to smell the flowers at the florist once again. She picked up a graceful little rose and smelled it, the sweet scent tickling her nose with a delicate aroma. It was a beautiful day; sunshine with nary a cloud in the sky. Perhaps it was only the events of last night that made her so happy, but it was also the thoughts about tonight that sent her feeling like a little girl again. She hated to admit it, but she was feeling just ever so slightly more excited for tonight, and she had to admit that it was due to this mysterious pull that Kakashi seemed to have on her. Her biggest curiosity was what he was hiding underneath that mask; what could have happened in his past that made him wear it, and the biggest thing was how he could breathe so coolly and easily between such thick material. However, she had no reason to question it; she hid her own demons she preferred to disguise. She didn't want to wear her hitai-ate to either of the two dates, but she wasn't prepared to walk around with her eye exposed (being very much reminded of Kakashi). Still, she was ecstatic, and nothing was going to bring her mood down today. Nothing at all.
She wondered to herself what he had in store for her, and how different it would be compared to the date that Iruka had given her, however it may be difficult considering she was on an ecstatic high since last night.
That kiss.
It kept replaying over and over again in her head, and each time it sent tingles coursing through her. How enticing his lips were since she woke up, and she couldn't believe that it had truly happened. Renita was infatuated with Iruka, there was no doubt, but at the same time she couldn't help but relive that one moment; when time had become a stand-still and the only thing traversing her mind was how glorious and splendid this made her feel.

She didn't understand how something simple like a kiss could make her feel so euphoric yet vulnerable at the same time. Positive feelings triumphed however, as she walked through the crowded streets in a blissful daze, barely focusing on where she was going. Consequently, she slipped on a uncommonly smooth section of the path and slipped, not acting quick enough to maintain her footing. To her surprise though, two hands caught her in her underarms and hoisted her back onto her feet.

'Well well' a voice said behind her.
'Damsel in distress before our very eyes.'
'Good thing we were here, huh Iz?' said a second.
Renita looked over her shoulder sheepishly, a small blush creeping over her cheeks in embarrassment.
'Thanks for the catch, but I'm not a damsel' she said, attempting to recover some of her dignity after her slip up.
'And here we thought we were being chivalrous' the second voice said.
It belonged to a mischievous looking nin, with an impressive head of spiky black hair. His partner, or who she assumed was his partner, was sporting an equally as mischievous look, however his hair was squashed under a hat, his fringe covering his right eye.
'I guess she didn't want our help then, 'Tets. Let's go.' said the partner.
'Wait' Renita said, brushing loose dirt from her pants. '...thanks for that. You didn't have to do that, but you did, so...thanks a lot.'

She flashed a genuine, pearly smile at them, easing the tension between them.
'What are your names?'
'Kotetsu' said the spiky hair.
'Izumo' grinned the hatter.
'Together' they began, in almost sing-song. 'We're the dynamic gatekeepers of Konoha!'

Renita just stared at them for a moment before collapsing into giggles over their flamboyant introduction. Something about them is so complimentary of the other, that it's no wonder that they're partners. Even their voices blended together so well, harmonizing the inflections in their tones, like alto and bass. Kotetsu had the deeper voice, which resonated low and mellow, while Izumo's was slightly higher, singing sweet and hollow.

'You two are hilarious!' she laughed, looking at the pair of them grinning like Cheshire cats.
'Well, that's good then' Izumo said, walking around her, inspecting her up and down. 'If we can make a pretty girl laugh, then we've done our job properly.'
His eyes wandered down her back, taking in her hair and below. Coyly, he raised his eyebrows at Kotetsu and signaled an 'ok' to him, refrerring to her rear, which her pants didn't help but accentuate its curves.
Izumo, however, didn't prepare for the punch in the nose from Renita's fist because if it, causing Kotetsu to explode into baritone laughs at his friend's idiocy.

'Iz, you have to learn how to be more subtle...and you call yourself a shinobi' Kotetsu said, after he had settled more.
'I thought I'd compliment her!' Izumo whined, rubbing his nose at the point of contact. 'I think she broke my nose...'
'Oh come here.' Renita said, lifting him onto his feet and steadying him. She inspected his nose with a slight 'tsk' and a shake of her head.
'Yeah, it's broken. Sorry. But I can fix it.'
'Really, it's fine. I'll just go visit Shizune and- Ah!'

Renita's hand clasped his nose and batted it the opposite direction, a satisfying click indicating his bones has slid back into their rightful positions. Kotetsu giggled still while Izumo looked sullen, the pain receding slightly, but swelling was beginning to occur. Pity crossed Renita's features, and she did truly feel sorry for the nin that had helped her only moments previously.
'I really am sorry, Izumo.' she said, patting his shoulder. 'I can take you home and put ice on it if you like?'
It was a rather poor offer, but Izumo seemed to be in more pain that he was letting surface to his features. With a nod of his head and still clasping his nose to clot any blood forming, the trio walked in the direction of her abode as quickly as they could comfortably walk. Kotetsu and Renita talked among themselves as they walked, introducing themselves to one another.

'I've never seen you around here' Kotetsu said, hands in his pockets but grinning all the while. 'But you're right; You're no damsel in distress. You've got a fiery spirit.'
'Well thanks' Renita smiled, enjoying the compliment. 'I'm not normally aggressive, but I just get self conscious and my ego was a bit shattered from my, well, clumsy moment.'
'Ehh, everyone's slipped before. No big deal. Well it may have been for him.' Kotetsu points a finger in his friend's direction. 'How's the nose, Iz?'
'It's definitely been better.' Izumo replies, his voice nasally because of the closed airways to his sinuses. 'Where'd you learn to hit like that?'
'I taught myself.' Renita replied smoothly, putting her hands behind her head as she walked. 'You have to learn how to defend yourself when you're alone.'
'What do you mean alone?' said Izumo, looking at her curiously.
'Ive been alone since I was nine.'
'Why?'
'Well, Orochimaru- (a hiss emanated from the other two) was in charge of our village and then he became corrupt with power and experiments. My family was caught up within it all and-'
She stopped, realizing that Kotetsu and Izumo had stopped in their tracks and were looking at her, much more alert than they had been previously.

'You're from the Sound?' said Kotetsu.
Renita looked at the ground, downcast.
'...yes.' she admittedly weakly.
'You know that-' Izumo started.
'I know perfectly well what the village has done to people!' she snapped, hurt at the sudden change in their demeanour.
'I'm well aware of the things that has happened when our- that village is concerned! I came here because I wanted to get out of it, to make a fresh start!'
She swallowed, biting back tears that threatened to force their way out.
'I came to Konoha because I didn't want to be feared anymore...I want to make friends and be proud of the shinobi I am... I've been alone for years and all I ever heard was how wonderful you all are... and I wanted to be a part of it... Can you deny me that?'

Silence.

'Can you?!'
She was almost pleading with them, waiting for them to say something; anything. Without a word, they glanced at each other and walked over to her, picked her up and squashed her in muscular arms as they hugged her tightly.
'No.' they said in unison, before kissing her on either cheek simultaneously with gusto. When they let her go, they were sporting giant grins once more.
'Anyone that makes a speech like that is more than welcome here!' exclaimed Izumo.
'You wouldn't be here if the Hokage didn't trust you either!' said Kotetsu.
Renita was speechless. A minute ago, they were looking at her like she was scum, but now they were back to their playful selves. She blinked at them confused before a trickle of crimson fell out of Izumo's nostrils.
'Izumo! Your nose!'
He wiped his nose nonchalantly before realizing what the situation was.
'Aww crap!'
'Come on' she said, taking his waist and pulling him forward. 'Let's get you patched up.'
Behind them, Kotetsu giggled again before lending a hand to carry him.

He felt silly wearing the tuxedo, but he had to look good. After all, he was the one that invited her along to have a moonlit dinner with him. He had planned the evening through his head again and again for three whole days but still he felt unprepared. His fingers were trembling as he attempted to tie his Konoha bow-tie neatly around the crisp white collar of his shirt, but he was unsuccessful. He stopped trying and brought his hands to his face, pressing his palms into his features.

'Calm yourself, Kakashi' he told himself, attempting to press his nerves out into his hands 'You can't give her a good time if you're worried so much. She'll enjoy it, don't worry.'
Inhaling through his nose and out of his mouth, he brought his heartbeat down to a steadier pace. It had begun to beat rapidly just by thinking about her, and he prayed that it wouldn't embarrass him later tonight if it decided to repeat this action around her. He felt like it was going to jump out of his chest, the muscle battling against his rib cage with a pounding force. Strangely, he liked the feeling of it doing this: it was new to him, and he never wanted it to go away.

He tried again and successfully knotted the fabric into a decent bow tie. Indeed, Kakashi looked suave, and he was certain that no one else in the village would have seen him wear this before. It was going to be a surprising evening for everyone. Well, everyone that would catch a glimpse of him in this attire. He wanted to keep it secret, and only for Renita. If other people saw him in this, it would require extensive effort to keep the women in the village at bay: it was hard enough as it is just walking around in his shinobi attire that he wore every day, let alone a tuxedo. Even though he had never dressed up many times, he had to admit he did a good job: black suit with tails, white shirt, pressed black dress pants. Heck, he had even accessorised with a matching black face mask and spent his afternoon manipulating a piece of steel so it was emblazoned with the Konoha symbol. He had to thank Sakura for attaching it to the material though. As good as Kakashi was with most things, sewing was not one of his strong points. He felt bad for not telling her why exactly he needed it, and referred to it as 'adult business', ending with him practically begging her to do it.

'I'll make it up to her somehow' he thought, brushing off non-existent dust on his suit 'She did a good job on it and deserves some sort of reward.'
He brushed his tangle of white hair, returning it to its usual fluffiness and letting it fall on its usual angle, though the difference with it this time was that he had taken the time to shampoo it so it was soft and fluffy, rather than him just leaving it to sort itself out and having it a mass of knots at the end of the day. He closed his eyes and a thought of Renita running her hands through his hair crept its way into his thoughts, and his stomach made a swooping sensation and tickled, but it didn't stop the image playing in his head. His mind then wandered onto more personal and private thoughts, sending his stomach into a frenzy of swoops and the tickling spreading lower…
'No no no no no!' he thought frantically, willing himself to stop the fantasy playing through his head, and his body mercifully obeying 'not tonight, just not tonight!'

Instinctively, he reached for his forehead protector, but remembered the condition that Renita had said before, so he left it on the dresser next to his bed, feeling somewhat odd without it. His sharingan eye blazed a blood-red next his brooding onyx right eye and it stood out profusely with his ensemble.
Finally, he was ready to leave.

Kotetsu and Izumo's raucous laughter filled the hallways as Renita was finalising her ensemble for the evening. She couldn't help but laugh at the two larrikins that she had befriended, and she was glad for it. They gave her place a sense of warmth that had been lacking since she had arrived in Konoha, and truly she was grateful to have met more people. It turns out that the three of them were very much alike; quick-witted and playful. Renita was combing the last of her hair when a low wolf-whistle interrupted her concentration.

'Who's the lucky guy?' Kotetsu asked, leaning against the door frame in a slouch and admiring her get-up. She blushed a little at his compliment, though smiling a little.
'Kakashi Hatake.' She pulled her hair aside to tidy her hairstyle.
'No way!.' Kotetsu exclaimed, his jaw dropping.
'What's so unbelievable about me going on a date with him?'
'Because it's Kakashi Hatake, Ren. He is notorious for never admitting his feelings, let alone going on a date with someone.'
'You're making this sound like a bad thing, 'Tets.'
'I, I didn't mean it that way…'
Kotetsu stood and walked over to her, helping her tie the knot to her hitai-ate before turning her to look at her face.
'I just mean that it means you must be special.' He said, before tipping her head forward and kissing her lightly on the top of her head and pulling her into a warm hug. 'Which is true' he finished.
Renita smiled into his pectorals, wrapping her arms around his waist.
'I'm nervous, Kotetsu.'
'What's to be nervous about?'
'I don't know.' She moved her head to the side, still hugging Kotetsu. 'I guess I just don't want to do anything embarrassing.'
'Just be yourself. You can handle any trouble, I assure you. Izumo's proof, but-' Kotetsu tilted her head up, looking her squarely in her eye.
'You are more beautiful than anything in this world.'
With a smile, she pushed away from Kotetsu and ruffled his hair affectionately before a soft knock on the door interrupted the calm.
'That'll be him!'

Her nerves were beginning to race, and she felt an overwhelming desire to hide in the cupboard and cancel the night altogether. It was only when she realised that she had kept Kakashi waiting for far too long. Izumo popped his head through the hallway, wondering what was going on. He was sporting a thick bandage over his nose now, a few spots of blood had seeped through the material. He looked like a macabre version of his partner, if it weren't for the pity you had to give him.

'Wanna answer the door, Ren?' Izumo asked, before meeting up with Kotetsu by her bedroom.
'Yeah…okay.' She squeaked, pulling the door open for her date. Simultaneously, Kotetsu and Izumo's mouths dropped open as they started in disbelief at the infamous jōnin who was dressed in not his standard flak jacket and navy uniform, but an entire tuxedo and bowtie! Renita, however, simply smiled and greeted him shyly.
'You look…You look…wow.' She said, meekly.
'You look gorgeous.' Kakashi chuckled, tucking a water lily into her hair. 'Ready?'
She nodded, and accepted his hand that he had offered to her. With a glance over her shoulder at her friends, her expression read something that was a mixture of glory and nerves.
'Do you two mind house-sitting for a while?' she asked, quickly.
'Not at all.' Izumo said.
'We have everything covered.' Kotetsu said, giving her a slight push out the door. 'Just go and have fun!.'

With a click, her door shuts and the couple are left standing outside; one calm and the other feeling very awkward about herself.
'I lied.' Kakashi blurted out.
'What?'
'I lied…about you.'
'…what exactly about me?'
'You're ravishing, not gorgeous.'
Renita cracks a smile at him, feeling the worry empty from her and relaxing.
'Don't do that.' She said, squeezing his hand. 'You almost gave me a heart attack…and a reason to hit you.'
Kakashi chuckles, flicking her hitai-ate down over both of her eyes.
'Then you'll hate me for this.' He says, scooping her up bridal style and leaping high into the trees.

Renita huddled into his chest in fright, but relaxed after she felt the muscles in his arms tighten on her; holding her in place. Feeling the wind rushing through her hair and Kakashi holding her sent her a smiling frenzy; curiosity and excitement bubbling inside of her.
'Where are we going?' she asked, trying to lift her hitai-ate but Kakashi's other hand prevents her.
"Just wait. I don't want you to see it ye-.'
'Watch out!.'
The branch that Kakashi steps on bends severely, almost snapping underfoot. Quickly, he avoids and accident, taking a different route through the treetops.
'How did you know that was going to happen?' he asks, curious.
'The wood has been getting steadily hollow and lighter every step you continued.' Renita replied simply. 'It wasn't sounding sturdy anymore.'
'I forget you have sensitive hearing. In any case, we're almost there.'
'Oh goodie…'
'Are you ready?' He questioned, landing gracefully on softer turf with a light spring.
'As I'll ever be.'

Swiftly, Kakashi untied her hitai-ate, relishing in the delight that lit up her features at the scene before them. A soft breeze blew through them, atop a moonlit hill: the grass was a translucent white from the Luna light, the water from a nearby river shimmered a brilliant powder blue which sparkled from the speckles studded into the velvet night which stretched above them like a cloak. Somehow, most likely through a henge, the moon was towering over them, a giant orb hanging in the sky cut only from the edge of the spacious cliff that they were on tonight. The light made Renita's kimono almost glow as it was bathed in the soft light, and the sapphire and black flowers adorning looked as if they moved along the soft material: like a breeze had inhabited every weave of thread residing in her clothes. It was this image that Kakashi had to let out a soft 'wow' of astonishment , his heart skipping a beat in his chest.

'You did all this...for me?' Renita said, running her hands along the soft grass and taking off her shoes to squish it between her toes, a smile illuminating her face almost as bright as the moon.
'You inspired this' Kakashi replied, pulling out a blanket from almost thin air.
'With what?'
Kakashi hesitated. He wanted to tell her everything he felt about her, but something inside him told him to wait; to extend it throughout the night lest he scare her.
'Your eyes' he breathed, avoiding her gaze as he lay out a lavish picnic for the two of them, cooked by his own hands. His cheeks were a little pink, and it wasn't from the cold nip in the air. Truthfully, the two of them couldn't feel it at all. They both were too fixated on the other person that was less than a metre away from themselves.
'My...eyes?'
'Yes, your eyes.'
'...explain.'

He finally raised his head to look at her, his breath catching in his throat a minuscule moment before he could press on.
'Everything about them makes me feel like I lose myself' he started, standing as he gazed at her without moving.
'When I look into them, I see nothing but myself and...and you. It's like nothing else matters but seeing you and the way you smile at everything... They say the eyes are the window to the soul and when I looked at you, really looked at you the other night into both of them-'
He took a shuddering breath, wishing his heart would stop hammering against his rib cage painfully.
'-I felt attached to you. It's almost as if you possess this 'fire and ice' quality about you... A quality that I want nothing more than to...to...to be mine.'
He finished, a whisper from the wind in the grass cleaving the silence. He wondered if this was too much, too personal to begin the night with as he stared at her waiting for her reply, to move, to acknowledge that he had attempted to pour his heart out.

Silently, she stepped up to him and placed her hand on his cheek, looking into his eyes, and smiled. With her other hand she untied her own hitai-ate and let it fall, deliberately staring into his mismatched eyes with her own. A small breeze blew over them and flicked their hair slightly, but their gaze never broke away from each others.
'It's yours.' She whispered, her smile growing as he blinked at her in a cute kind of way.

At this point, Kakashi's heart was very near breaking point and he nuzzled into her hand lightly, enjoying her slender hands on his face through the material. Her fingers traced his jaw line, trying to perceive an image of what lies beneath but even that proved difficult to imagine and she let her hand fall off of him. He caught it gracefully and put it back up to his face, closing his eyes and searching for her other hand to take within his and bringing it up to his chest, laying it over his heart. They stayed this way for a moment and to Renita, it was like Kakashi was trying to say to her what he couldn't form into words, despite being such a smooth talker as he is known to be. She broke the moment off, mussing his fluffy white hair lightly and sitting down on the cozy picnic rug.

'Since when are you such a romantic?' She joked coyly. He laughed lightly and sat alongside her and began serving his own dinner: a mixture of sushi rolls, soups, onigiri and platters of sweet fruits which were tangy on the taste buds.
'You made all this?' She asked, slightly muffled from food.
'Every piece...hold still.'
He wipes a small grain of rice from the corner of her mouth, much to her embarrassment.
'Oh great. It's only just begun and I've already made a terrible impression.' She said, pink-cheeked and feeling paranoid.
'Quite the opposite.' Kakashi chuckled, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear.
He stared at her for a moment as she took a mouthful of a sweet nectar, before she looked at him out of the corner of her eye and looking away quickly, but was compelled to look again as she finished her drink.
'What are you looking at?'
'Heaven in the form of a goddess' he whispered, locking his eyes onto hers.
'You have a way with words don't-'

Renita was cut off by the feeling of a supple material that fit like a glove over a set of lips pressed against her own that she was compelled to close her eyes for. In the blink of an eye things had changed and she never even saw him move, let alone flicker before Kakashi has suddenly pressed his own concealed lips to hers. It was a much more powerful feeling than she had ever felt before deep within the pit of her abdomen, like fireworks had been set off within her core. Her heart raced, but it was nothing to the feeling that Kakashi had.

In that small moment he gazed at her, there was nothing else in the world that he had wanted to protect, to nurture, and to love except this girl in front of him. This girl, who like so many others he knew, had some kind of terrible past or moment in their lie but this one just seemed to call to him, tug at his heart strings more than anything ever had. The moment his lips touched hers his heart stopped momentarily and he was in pure bliss. He finally did the thing he'd been secretly wishing for and dreaming about for the past week. But it wasn't enough. He had to touch hers with his; feel the warmth of hers pressing against the soft skin of his. His desire for the touch was overwhelming until something inside if him snapped. His eyes flew open and the fog in his brain lifted, sudden realisation flooding through him and he flushed a deep crimson. He broke away, wide-eyed with fear that he had kissed her too quickly.

'I-I-I...'
Words refused to find their way to diffuse the tension until he strangled a collection of them to his throat and they tumbled out of his mouth.
'I'm so sorry. I should have asked. You probably think I want-'
Two slender fingers pushed against his lips, silencing him.
'And here I thought you were always smooth at talking.' She finished in a low, sultry voice.
Kakashi softened, relaxing himself before he shook his head at his own stupidity.
'You change me.'
'For better or for worse?'
'I don't want to decide...'
He stood up and held out his hand for her which she took happily, being swept up much faster and easier than she thought, and she fell gracefully into his arms with a small squeak of surprise.
'I don't always have to say what I feel, you know.' Kakashi said in his usual casual way and smiling underneath the flexible material. He has planned that entire action countless times and he was pleased at how easily he had executed it.

Renita just shook her head with a smile and buried her face into his shoulders as he slid his hands around her waist. Before she knew it he was leading her in a clinch, moving to a rhythm that she was unaware of but felt so natural. Slowly they moved further away from their picnic rug and into the middle of the hill, positioned perfectly in the centre of the moon. The light of the moon shimmered in his own hair and highlighted the sharingan of his left eye as he gazed at her briefly with both eyes open. His breath caught lightly as he looked into her own eyes, for the light had turned the orange twist a brilliant white and the purple a deep violet for one split second. It was beautiful, she was beautiful, and for a brief moment, she was co-ordinated entirely from her head to her toes until that brilliant dancing orange disrupted the colour scheme once again.

Kakashi leant his head onto her opposite shoulder and took her hand in his for the typical ballroom pose as they swayed to a melody inside of him, quietly humming it to himself as they twirled and rotated in a tight revolution. Renita closed her eyes and let herself fall away in a moment of bliss, feeling the beat of his heart against her own. Since he was leaning his head on her shoulder, she was naturally forced to be pressed against him and it felt wonderful: his muscular frame pushed gently against hers, where he could feel every curve of her body against his own, her slender yet firm frame fitting together perfectly in his own like two pieces of a puzzle.

It was at that moment that both of them came to a sudden realisation: this was how it was meant to be. This is where the two of them should be at as many moments of the day as possible. With each other, in the arms of one another because it felt so natural, so fitting and so...right. Simply, they were meant to be, and there was no better explanation for it.

Kakashi had accepted her almost instantaneously, despite knowing so little about her to begin with but in his heart of hearts he felt it was the right decision: the decision to let one, and only one person in his life as more than anything else was here. He had decided; she was the one for him. Call it imprinting if you will, but he was infatuated with her and he knew that it wouldn't change even if he wanted to. Many people believed that he was a man with no feelings, refusing to let anyone in or close enough to hurt him. But he was human, there's no doubt about that and he had his own needs and desires to please and wish for, despite his apparent lack of enthusiasm for searching for a partnership.

In truth, Kakashi often lay awake at night envisioning someone of his own; someone to hold before he drifted off to sleep or to share his deepest secrets with. He often wondered if he had made the right decisions in life: about his identity, his friendships (or lack of) and the kind of person he is as a whole and who he had become at this day and age. But now he felt like that nothing else mattered at all or could even compare to the sense of elation that was developing in the pit of his stomach. He was so glad in fact, that he started to hum; the vibrations from his vocal chords low and resonant as they swayed to and fro on the spot.

'Sing for me…' Renita said. It had intended to be a question, but her mind was spinning uncontrollably to connect her words properly, let alone think. Her face burned with embarrassment but surprise lit her eyes and Kakashi pulled himself and faced her squarely in the eye. Despite his left eye being closed and riddled with a scar, he still managed to attain a distinguished poise; one that if anyone else were to replicate would fail shamefully at. With a slight cough to clear his throat and a pink in his cheeks he began, feeling terribly self conscious yet unable to yield his will to satisfy her wish.

'…"give me all the peace and joy in your mind"…' he whispered, trying desperately to get the words out to a audible volume, but his nerves were frazzled. Renita smiled, encouraging him wordlessly to continue. It's not that she cared if it was fantastic but rather she just wanted him to break down the protective barrier that he had spent years creating and that was whispered about the village almost as if it was taboo. With a shaky breath he pressed on, slowing their dance to a small shuffle on the spot while still moving to an unidentifiable beat.

'…"Everything about you pains my envying…

… "Everything about you is so easy to…love.."

He stopped, unable to continue but it was deemed more than enough. Surprisingly, Kakashi's voice was smooth and velvety; much like his everyday demeanour but when it spouted lyrics to some unknown song it suddenly became much more revered and otherworldly, due to the lack of musical encounters it would come to in other situations. He gulped down an bubble in his throat that formed in the small moment to reciprocate his breathing to normal amidst the thundering battering his heart was making in his chest.

'Beautiful,' Renita said, looping her arms around his neck and closing the gap between them, causing the swaying to stop. She lifted her chin and brushed her nose against his playfully without breaking her gaze from his. She could see the smallest of movements behind that gauzy mask and believed it to be a smile as she watched his eye crinkle up a little at the corners. There was no doubt about it; she had fallen into his web of mystery and was blinded by a fog of yearning which would ensnare her forever.

'Close your eyes.' Kakashi said, pressing his forehead to hers and wrapping his arms around her back.
'Please…' he urged, and slowly she obliged.
With his index finger of his right hand, he hooked it underneath the flexible weave and tugged it under his chin. With a dip of his head he pressed his naked lips against her quaint pink set. In the darkness, this feeling was something completely different than the previous pressure that weighed on her beforehand, but it was much more pleasant and softer than the original. She knew, almost immediately, that this was his bare skin brushing up against hers as goosebumps rippled over her skin at sheer euphoria from it. Renita felt a harder pressure from him but she refused to open her eyes; she was lost in the darkness and the mystery of it all, barely noticing the slight parting of Kakashi's lips as enveloped her bottom lip lightly, sealing any traces of separation for what felt like an eternity. When he reluctantly pulled himself away, the mask had returned and there was a soft twinkle of accomplishment in his onyx iris.

He wrapped his arms around her tighter before letting her go finally and he stumbled jelly-legged on the soft grass, the broadest of smiles playing on her features. For the rest of the evening they lay under the stars, talking quietly about their dreams and hopes for their futures, joking and laughing until she snuggled up into him, barely awake and falling asleep to the drumming of his heart, which had slowed considerably since the beginning of the evening.

It was morning before she realised where she was, tucked into her own familiar sheets and quilts in the comfort of her own home. Soft snores from what had to be Kotetsu and Izumo floated through the walls of her home and a smile played on her lips. Renita touched her fingers lightly them, reminiscing about that one moment of pure delight and it was then that her choice was made.

She was irrevocably in love with Kakashi Hatake.