Author's Note: I'm finally home from college. -.-
Which means that I can finally post chapter three! :D
I'm sorry for the wait, but I hope you enjoy anyway!
Thank you to BlackRose723 and Accesorized for the reviews! They made me smile. :D
Anyway, enjoy this chapter, and look out for chapter four, which I will be posting before I go back up to school!

Three: Dinner and a Starlit Sky

After an extremely long and tiresome taijutsu training session, I dismissed my students for the day and began heading back home. Entering the village gates, my stomach began to rumble and ache. The sun's low position in the sky indicated that it was indeed time for dinner. Remembering that I had been out of groceries for a while now (I absolutely despised grocery shopping), I contemplated simply stopping by the Barbeque restaurant on my way home, but I decided against it considering that I had eaten out for every meal in the past week. Sighing in defeat, I trudged to the produce shop in the market square, dragging my feet the entire way.

When I entered the store, I was relieved to see that it wasn't terribly busy. I quickly picked out an assortment of fruits and vegetables, a loaf of bread, some milk, cheese, meat, and rice, and I placed them on the front counter for the merchant. After bagging my goods, the middle-aged man turned to me and gave me my total with a smile. I paid the grocer and scooped the two paper bags in my arms, thanking him as I hurriedly exited the shop.

I breathed a sigh of relief upon completion of that tedious chore, nearly sprinting back to my home with eagerness. Luckily, I didn't live too far from the market, and I was home in less than a minute. Kicking my shoes off at the door, I headed straight for the kitchen to drop the paper bags on the counter. I pulled loose the fabric of my Konoha headband and placed it next to the groceries, letting out a sigh of relief as I did so.

I decided on stir-fry for dinner, so I pulled out some rice, chicken, and various vegetables from the grocery bags. I quickly filled the rice cooker with water and a pack of rice, and as I pulled a kitchen knife from the silverware drawer, I heard the door of my apartment creaking as it was slowly pushed open. I didn't even have to look before I knew who it was.

"Just in time!" I shouted as I began to cut the chicken into little bits.

"In time for what?" Kakashi inquired as he entered the kitchen. I turned to face him, and I laughed when I saw that his glazed eye looked even more tired and bored than it normally did. He was probably just tired from the mission. He perked up, however, once he saw that I was cooking. "Hey, what's for dinner?"

"Stir-fry," I answered, "Now make yourself useful and chop the veggies."

"Damn woman, putting me to work," he grumbled as he plodded into the room.

I handed him a knife and pushed the pile of carrots, onions, and broccoli that I had waiting on the counter. He sighed before grabbing a carrot and beginning to chop. I grinned at my own accomplishment.

"How was the mission?" I asked him after a moment.

"Oh, nothing special, really," he simply answered.

"Then why do you look even worse than you normally do?" I smirked.

"Excuse me," he glared, "but have you ever been on a team with Naruto?"

I scoffed, pushing the pile of chopped up chicken bits to the side and grabbing a hand towel to wipe the juice from my fingers.

"Naruto nearly attacked a child when he mistakenly thought he was calling him names. Then, he challenged an elderly woman to a fight after she challenged his intelligence. I had to hold him back while Sakura smoothed over the situation with the townspeople, and, let me tell you, repeatedly taking an elbow to the face by that kid can put you in a bad mood."

Attempting to hide the fit of laughter that threatened to burst from my lips, I ruffled my friend's spiky grey hair and put on a sympathetic expression. "Aw, poor Kakashi."

"It really hurt," he pouted.

"I'm sure it did," I replied, turning my back to pull the frying pan from the cupboard by the stove. I let a few giggles slip as I said in a hushed voice, "What a baby."

A chunk of carrot promptly hit me in the back of the head. "I heard that!" Kakashi shouted.

Placing the frying pan on the counter, I shut the cupboard and spun on my heel to glare at Kakashi. I held the carrot in front of his right eye. "This one's going in your helping."

Kakashi sneered. "It was on the floor for two seconds."

"You obviously don't realize that I haven't cleaned in weeks."

He paused for a moment before making a face. "You're gross."

"Bite me."

"When and where?"

"Oh, just chop the veggies, Princess!"

"Yes, Sir!"

When I finished cooking the stir-fry, Kakashi and I took our plates and headed upstairs to sit and eat on the balcony. The sky was darker now, the stars just beginning to emerge, and a cool breeze chilled the air. We both sat on a small bench and looked out at the quiet village as we ate.

Kakashi sighed as he chewed his first bite. "Remind me again why you don't cook more often?"

"Because then I'd have to worry about you hanging around all the time."

"Ouch," Kakashi breathed as he took another bite.

"Oh, you know I'm just kidding," I told him as I playfully nudged his arm.

We finished eating our dinner in a peaceful silence. Kakashi leaned back in his seat, placed his hands behind his head, and let his eyes fall close as he sighed happily. "That was delicious, Kae."

I turned to look at him and smiled. "Thanks."

The starlight outlined his profile in a bright white light that glowed brilliantly against the darkness; from the metal plate on his headband, down to the curve of his nose and the slight pucker of his lips from underneath his mask, and then continuing down the length of his body. The gentle rise and fall of his chest suggested that his conscience was floating somewhere in between sleep and a subconscious daze. I carefully snaked my hand behind his head to pull loose the fabric of his headband, deciding that would be more comfortable. Holding the headband in my hands, I ran the pad of my thumb across the metal, feeling all the scratches and dents received from battles passed. He was always such a talented ninja; I couldn't help but be a little jealous of him.

"Thanks, that feels better," Kakashi said in a low, rough voice.

I smiled. "I thought it might."

He slowly turned his head to face me, and his Sharingan eye and the scar caused by its transplant were now fully visible. For some unknown reason, my hand slowly lifted to gently touch the scar with my fingertips. I bit my lip as I felt the coarse, unhealed skin.

"It's probably not all that attractive, huh?" Kakashi asked in a half-whisper, his eyes focused on me.

Gasping quietly, I jerked my hand away from his face and averted my gaze to my lap. I could feel my cheeks beginning to burn, and I became thankful for the nighttime darkness. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have—"

Kakashi chuckled, interrupting my apology. "Don't worry about it. It's fine, really."

Lifting my eyes to the starlit sky, I noticed that I was growing sleepy. I slumped in my seat and rested the base of my head on the back of the bench, lacing my fingers together and placing my hands comfortably on my stomach. My eyelids grew heavier, and soon, I couldn't help but let them fall close. I would just rest my eyes for a moment, nothing more…

Kaeda…

Kaeda…

"Kaeda?"

I felt a nudge on my right arm, so I slowly lifted my eyelids to gaze back at Kakashi. "Hmm?" I breathed, yawning quietly.

"You fell asleep," Kakashi grinned, letting a small laugh escape his masked lips.

"Shit," I whispered, wiping my eyes and sitting up in my seat, "I'm sorry."

"It's alright," he replied, standing up and stretching his back and arms, "I think I'm just going to head home for the night."

I followed Kakashi's lead and stood up as well. His headband, which I apparently still possessed, slid off my lap and landed on the wooden deck, the metal plate clanking loudly and interrupting the quiet night. I cringed at the sound. "Sorry," I apologized again, "I didn't realize I still had—"

"Kae," Kakashi interjected, placing a hand on my shoulder and looking me in the eyes, "you apologize too much."

"Right," I agreed, scratching the back of my neck nervously, "Sorr—"

Kakashi raised his eyebrows at me.

"I mean… pick up your headband, lazy-ass!"

Entertained by my command, he chuckled loudly and did exactly as I said. He swiftly tied the fabric around his head, concealing the Sharingan once more. "I guess I'll be going now," he sighed, "Need any help getting to bed?"

"Perv," I rolled my eyes.

Kakashi's visible eye displayed an amused smile as he reached forward to wrap his arms around my middle. I returned the gesture, and for a split second, I didn't want him to leave. But soon enough, Kakashi freed himself from my grasp and before I could even protest, he was leaping from rooftop to rooftop back to his own apartment. After watching him until he was no longer in sight, I slipped back into my apartment and headed straight for bed.