Chapter 10

Alysha wasn't sure if the inside of her cheek would take it anymore. She had been sitting in front of the window waiting for Monica's car to pull up for close to half an hour. Not only had she been chewing the inside of her cheek and lips, but her leg had not stopped bouncing. Her heart flooded with anticipation that was steeped in a mixture of both intense excitement and bone rattling nerves.

From behind her, Kakashi walked into the room. He observed for a moment the way Alysha had pulled the recliner over to the window and bounced her leg erratically. He smiled to himself and made his way over, sitting on the arm of the couch facing her. "That nervous, huh?"

She jumped, so lost in her own thoughts she hadn't even noticed him enter the room. To her credit, Kakashi rarely seemed to make a noise in his movements. "Well, I would say I'm more excited than nervous. I'm just nervous what Monica will think of you."

"Do you think she will have a problem with me being here?" He was suddenly reminded of Adrian, Alysha's brother. He had been less than impressed and probably would have punched him had Kakashi let him. Or, if his towel hadn't fallen when it did. He had to wonder if it would be like that. Monica had wanted to call the authorities on him previously.

Alysha shook her head, "No, nothing like that." She paused, thinking of all the messages Monica had been sending in regards to Kakashi. "She's far past thinking you're a serial murderer."

Kakashi tilted his head, crossing his arms and leaning back slightly, "If that's not it, why are you so worried about what she will think of me?"

Her eyes darted back to the window and she cleared her throat. She couldn't tell him that Monica teased her all the time about him. What would he think then? She cleared her throat, "Just… Please don't do anything strange. Please be as normal as you can be." The memories of shadow clones and Spider Man-like abilities danced in her mind.

Kakashi opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off.

"I will specify, normal for this world's standards. I know what you do is perfectly normal back home." Kakashi had a way of making light of the situation when she spoke about his abilities being weird. Insisting they were perfectly natural and a sign of his hard work.

The man let out a laugh and smiled a little, "I promise I will behave myself. How do I look? Do you think I will blend in?"

She looked over at him and had to force herself not to do a once-over. He looked so good in that outfit. It was the first time he had worn it. Black jeans, a deep navy blue V-neck shirt that looked like Kakashi had tried to tuck it in on one side, and the black jacket. The collar of the jacket popped so it stood up, but it suited him. And of course, the eye patch covering his scarred eye. In truth, Alysha thought he could be on the cover of a magazine centering around pop idols.

"You look nice," she said with a smile, trying her best to fight off the thundering of her heart. "I think you will fit in just fine." Either that, or he will be the center of attention due to his good looks.

Before Kakashi had time to respond, the sound of a car alerted them both. A blue honda accord rounded the drive and parked. As the woman driving prepared to leave the vehicle Alysha bounced up out of her chair and nearly sprinted toward the door.

Jasper, who had been lounging on the couch, noticed her excitement and fed off her energy. He ran right after her, excited to be a part of the excitement!

That was, until Kakashi caught him by the collar and held him back. "Whoa, easy there big guy." He knew how easily the entry way could be crowded. Best to let them enter before releasing Jasper to beg for attention.

The large dog sat back on his haunches, licking his lips and whining, his feet dancing in place.

As soon as Monica entered, the two smiled and embraced in a long hug. "It's so good to see you!" Monica said brightly, swaying them side to side.

Alysha laughed and swayed as well, causing them to nearly hit their heads on the wall. "It's good to see you too!"

Monica pulled back, excitement glistening in her dark chocolate eyes, "So, is he here?"

Alysha could only nod. This was the part she was worried about.

Once her friend had taken off her jacket and made their way through the kitchen, Jasper rounded the corner from the living room. Monica's face lit up at seeing him and greeted the canine as though he was one of her own! But, Jasper was easily double the size of her sweet cocker spaniel, Emilia.

Kakashi rounded the corner shortly after. Alysha noticed him right away and stood quietly. The two of them waited in silence as Monica finished smothering Jasper with affection. Kakashi crossed his arms, leaning his shoulder against the door frame.

Even though she was bent over toward him, he did his best to get a good look at this friend of Alysha's. He would guess she is just a little taller than Alysha. Dressed in dark skinny jeans and a skin tight ribbed white turtleneck sweater. The mass of short dark hair was packed into tight curls that bounced with every move she made. He also noticed her skin was a rather dark complexion. It wasn't very often that he saw someone with such a dark rich tone to their skin.

Finally, she looked up.

And stopped.

In the moment before she acted, he took note of her face. She was rather stunning, he couldn't deny that. Large dark eyes were opened wide as she stared at him. Her hair, miraculously, didn't fall into her face and framed it nicely. The mass of tight curls barely brushing her shoulders. It made him wonder how long her hair was if he were to grab a strand and pull it straight. It wasn't long until he was pulled back into the suffocating silence.

The silence was tense, until Monica let out a loud whistle. "Damn, aren't you a tall glass of water!"

The man wasn't sure how to take the remark. Was it a good or a bad thing to be compared to a glass of water? He glanced at Alysha and noticed her face turning a delightful shade of pink, and he got the meaning. Trying his best to ignore it, he was going to say something until Monica moved right up to him, hands on her hips and shamelessly studied him. The thorough attention was enough to make even him blush a little.

Before Monica had a chance to interrogate him too much, Alysha rushed forward and grabbed her hand in hers. "We should catch up a bit before we need to leave for the party. Don't you think so?"

Taking the hint, Monica smirked and followed her friend into the living room.

Kakashi felt it was best to let the two have some privacy, so he sat at the dining room table and pulled the small book out of his jacket pocket. The papers he was using to learn English were currently stashed away in a closet upstairs hidden inside of an old book. Alysha hadn't wanted them out where Monica could see them. After all, it would be a little strange if Kakashi couldn't read the language, given how well he spoke it now.

He wasn't sure how much it mattered, but it was a small thing that made her feel better so he complied. For all he knew it really did matter.

So, he began reading Make out Paradise for the umpteenth time. It didn't take long to realize that Monica didn't have much of an inside voice. He didn't have to focus too hard on their conversation to hear it, at least not Monica's side of it.

"I think we've stalled long enough, Aly. Tell me, has anything happened between you two yet? You can't tell me you don't want to sample a piece of that!"

The way she had emphasized 'that' made him squirm. She wanted to know… about them? Together? While he didn't react in terms of sound or movement, he couldn't help the warmth creeping up his neck at the thought. He would never go there with her. He couldn't. But the thought of it…

Kakashi brought the book up to his face, effectively hiding the blush and forcing himself to focus on reading. Quickly realizing that he had to skip major sections because they were not helping.

~0~

It wasn't long until the three of them were piled into Monica's car and headed into town. Since Monica would need to drive back home the next day she self appointed herself as the designated driver. Better that than risk driving while hungover. Besides, Monica enjoyed watching other people let loose their wild side!

Getting into town, they made their way toward the Madlad Taphouse. One of the more popular drinking establishments on the main drag. Odds were, after they had their fill of karaoke the group would do a bit of bar hopping. There were about ten different bars and pubs in about a six block stretch. One of the main things people did for fun was drink. It was one of the reasons Alysha didn't go out much. While she enjoyed getting a little drunk now and then, the cost and hangovers were solid deterrents.

They made their way inside and saw the place was pretty packed. Kakashi was surprised that it wasn't much different than late nights in the village. Besides all the bright lights and loud music, of course. It was similar because of how people carried themselves, how they interacted with one another. Just out to have a good time.

Making their way toward the back they passed by the bar, and Kakashi couldn't help but notice all the colorfully labeled bottles lining the wall. Was that all liquor? Why was there so much? He had to hold himself back from pulling a face. Acting astonished or surprised about things that were most likely normal was something he had to keep under control.

Another thing he noticed were the quick glances some people shot his way. There was one girl openly staring. Shit, was he not dressed properly? Maybe it was just the eyepatch. He reached a hand to the back of his neck in an uneasy gesture.

"Hey! So happy you could make it!"

Kakashi looked up and saw Steven. The man he and Alysha ran into at Joann's earlier that week. His hair was tousled and he wore a shirt of a character he recognized from one of the shows he had been enjoying. Byakuya Kuchiki. Behind Steven he could see several other people seated in a wide booth together, chatting amongst themselves. The taller man waved and greeted their group with open arms, smiling wide. "I take it this is the friend you mentioned?" he asked, gesturing with his drink toward Monica.

Alysha smiled, "Yeah, this is Monica." The mentioned woman flashed a peace sign and a flattering eye smile. "And you've met Kakashi."

The two men made eye contact and it took a second for Steven to look away, "Right, the more the merrier!" He forced a smile. "First round of drinks is one me! I did invite you guys out after all. What'll it be?"

"He didn't offer us any drinks." Molly whined from the booth, turning around to look at the group for the first time. The young woman had to do a double take and her eyes widened when she noticed Kakashi for the first time.

The only person who seemed to notice this was Alysha and Monica. Who both shot thinly veiled glares at her. They quickly remembered themselves and returned their attention to Steven who was still waiting for their drink order.

"I'll just have a Mike's." Alysha requested.

"No."

A startled Alysha turned her head toward her friend and laughed uneasily. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, no. You're going to have something with a bit more pizzazz than that! I've got an idea." Monica stepped toward Steven and motioned him to let her whisper in his ear. He leaned down, and a wicked smile spread across his face. "Great, she will have that."

Alysha reached out a hand, "Wait, what am I having?"

"Something much more exciting than a boring Mike's!" Monica stated brightly, patting her friend on the back.

The red head gulped. That meant it was going to be strong. Monica wanted to get her wasted. She should have guessed that much.

"How about you Kakashi, what will you have?" Monica turned to him curiosity brimming in her voice.

Not knowing what any of the brightly colored bottles said, he stuck with something simple. "Sake is fine."

The three in front of him turned silent. His skin crawled at the feeling of judgmental eyes. Did he say something strange?

Steven gave him a weird look, "Sake? We're not at a sushi restaurant." Sure, there was one across town, but there was no way he was going across town to get any.

"Sake is something they don't have here, Kakashi." Alysha told him. Kakashi had to admit, she was doing an admirable job at hiding her usually flustered demeanor. "I know you liked to drink it a lot back home, but we can find you something else in the meantime."

He hadn't drunk much back home, but he recognized her words for what they were. A cover. A cover for his blunder. It seemed to be a smooth recovery and he was thankful for that. He laughed a little, "Right, what would you recommend?"

"You look like a whiskey man to me." Monica said boldly.

Unfamiliar with anything they would most likely serve him, he shrugged, "Sure."

"Want any mixer?" Steven asked him as he started to head to the bar.

"No, that's fine. Just whiskey."

Again, he got odd looks. He noted some, like Monica, were impressed. While Alysha looked a little worried. How bad could it be, it was just alcohol. He had had his fair share in his life.

Steven stepped away and Monica noticed there was only one extra seat at the booth other than the one Steven had been in before they arrived. Persuading Alysha to sit with her coworkers, she and Kakashi sat at the small round table just five feet away.

The two sat in silence for a bit. Monica switches her gaze between Alysha and Kakashi. Kakashi however, was busy watching Alysha out of the corner of his eye. Over the next several minutes, he noticed her start to relax. The music was loud enough though, that he couldn't make out what they were saying. It would seem that they were welcoming to her though. That was good. He wanted her to enjoy this outing.

It wasn't long after Steven gave them their drinks that he heard a voice.

"She's pretty great, right?"

Kakashi blinked and turned his head toward Monica who was now leaning over the table. Arms folded under her chest and propping her up. He jolted back in surprise and said, "Yeah, she is."

She smirked, "Spill, what's going on between you?"

Damn, not he really regretted not listening in to their conversation earlier. What did she know? What information did she want? She couldn't know about their predicament. Him being trapped there and forced to stay with Alysha as he found a way home. No, Alysha wouldn't tell anyone. Not even Monica. He trusted her.

At his silence, her smirk grew. "Oh, come on. You can tell me. I'm not gonna tell her about any crush you might have." She winked, holding a finger to her lips.

Now it all made sense and his eyes went wider than they had been in a while. He smiled and laughed nervously, "I'm not sure what you're talking about."

"And I have no idea what a blush looks like." Monica teased, evident from her tone that she didn't believe him.

Shit, he was blushing wasn't he. He glanced down at the drink he had yet to touch. Reaching for it, he brought it to his lips and took a sip. Not only did the cold catch him off guard, but also the flavor. His eye twitched and he went rigid.

What had he gotten himself into?

"You good?"

He coughed, "Never been better." Now he had to force himself to finish it. He would be expected to most likely.

"Right…" Monica said slowly. "Anyway, gonna tell me?"

She was persistent. After running through several ideas in his head, he settled on the truth. "Look, I'm thankful for what Alysha has done for me. She's helped me more than most people ever have. But, I can't stay forever."

Monica drew back a little. Sitting straighter. "You're going to at least keep in touch, right?"

He couldn't answer. How was he supposed to? It wasn't like he had a phone to communicate across worlds. Once he got home… That was it. He would need to leave her behind. Knowing that, he couldn't allow himself to get attached anymore than he already had. But, Alysha made that hard.

When he didn't answer, Monica grew irritated. Her eyes narrowed and she sucked in her bottom lip. This guy wasn't planning to just up and leave randomly, was he? After freeloading for so long? She needed to get more answers out of him before she decided to get too judgmental. Besides, she didn't want to ruin Alysha's night out because her friends were arguing. She was going to pick up the conversation with something else when the music cut out and a man walked up on the small stage across the room.

"What is up everybody?! We all ready for some Karaoke?" Loud cheers erupted and the man waved for them to settle, "That's fantastic! I've already got a few volunteers to start us off. Anyone wanting to come on up, walk up to my assistant with your name and song and we will call you when it's your time to shine! Our first guest, Casey!"

And so, Kakashi was introduced to the wonder of karaoke. From the good singers, to the bad. At one point, Monica had gotten up to chat with Alysha. After a few minutes, she stood straight, leaving Alysha behind as she made her way to the assistant. Was she planning on singing?

He didn't bother asking Monica about it when she returned. They probably wouldn't have been able to hear each other over the loud wailing of the man currently on stage. Most people weren't too bad, but this guy was something else. He had to at least give the guy props for getting on stage.

After a few more songs and some of Alysha's coworkers performances, the announcer called,

"Next up, we have Alysha!"

He blinked, looking over at the girl who was called on. She received encouraging words from the whole table as she made her way on the stage. He noticed she wasn't walking in her natural rhythm. It was a little sloppy and rushed. She couldn't be drunk yet, could she? She only had two drinks. Surely that wasn't enough to change much.

He turned to Monica who was cheering with the crowd, "What is she drinking?"

"Nothing much. Just a tickle me elmo."

"A what?"

She waved him off dismissively, "It's got everclear. Fastest and easiest way to let loose!"

He had no idea what that drink was, but he could only assume it was strong. He hoped Alysha could handle it. Hopefully her friend knew what she was doing.

"Don't look so worried, she's getting nothing but water for the next few drinks." Monica took a sip of her Sprite, "I'm not a complete monster."

"...right."

The music started back up again, this time with a more mellow beat. Kakashi rather liked it. So far the songs had been loud, fast and obnoxious at times. He found himself excited to hear what she sounded like, and he didn't have to wait long.

'There goes my heart beating
Cause you are the reason
I'm losing my sleep
Please come back now'

He hadn't been prepared for it. The soft tenderness in her voice. He hadn't expected her to have such a breathtaking voice.

'I'd climb every mountain
And swim every ocean
Just to be with you
And fix what I've broken
Oh, 'cause I need you to see
That you are the reason'

He noticed the rest of the room stop and watch her. Most of the people so far who had gone up were only passively listening. People elected to speak to themselves and treated the singers as background noise when it wasn't someone from their own group. But, not her. Nearly every set of eyes was on her.

'There goes my hands shaking
And you are the reason
My heart keeps bleeding
And I need you now
And if I could turn back the clock
I'd make sure the light defeated the dark
I'd spend every hour of every day
Keeping you safe'

It wasn't only the sound of her voice, but the passion she put into each lyric. This song meant something to her. Sure, she may have just been putting on a show. But that wasn't like Alysha. She was genuine, and he could feel it in his soul that she resonated with this song.

The song came to a close, and the room exploded with applause and cheers. Seeming to pop out of whatever trance she had been in while singing, Alysha's face turned red and she smiled bashfully. As she retreated off the stage, he digested the song and its lyrics. The way she sang made him believe that she enjoyed the song for far more than just how it sounded.

He concluded that she must have been in love once. A relationship she didn't want to end? If that were the case there had to have been someone before her last ex Adrian had mentioned to him. All signs pointed to Alysha being thankful Drake was gone. So then…

An idea struck him. Could she yearn for a relationship that made her feel that way? A relationship where she was wanted and yearned for. Protected. Things that he could only assume were vacant with Drake around.

He shook his head. Or, maybe he was overthinking it.

"She's amazing." Monica sighed wistfully. "I swear she could make a name for herself with that voice."

Alysha smiled at the two of them before sitting back with her coworkers. She received mountains of praise and Kakashi couldn't help but notice the lovesick look on Steven's face. "You're right, she is amazing." He found himself smiling. Happy to see she was enjoying herself.

"Now, it's your turn."

Kakashi blinked and looked at the sadistic smile Monica now wore plastered to her face.

"Huh?"

AN - Told you I was back! And don't worry, their night out will continue in the next chapter.

A tickle me elmo is a mixed drink containing strawberry schnapps, pineapple juice, orange juice and everclear. Some of you may know what everclear is not actually legal to serve in MN because of the high alcohol content. As high as 190 proof. 95% alcohol. So in this universe it's legal... The drink it pretty good for those of you reading this of legal drinking age.

And for the song, it's You are the Reason by Calum Scott. It's one of my favorite songs that helped me in a tough spot in my life. I think Alysha would appreciate it similarly to how I did.

Hope you enjoyed!

Posted - 7/18/2024