In which Kakashi and Haruhi relax together.

As she said before, both Zabuza and Haku were injured in the fight with Kakashi.

One of Zabuza's shoulders looked like it was only hanging on by the bone, and the other arm wasn't much better. For some reason, Haku took longer coming to Zabuza's rescue than before.

Plus the fact Haku sustained heavy burns on his hand where Haruhi expelled almost all her Chakra. This probably bought them an extra week or so. Seeing Haku in the woods leave almost as soon as Sasuke arrived, burnt hand in his basket, was a confirmation if any.

Right now it was night time again.

Tazuna was on fire and they had just escorted him home well past eleven at night. He saw an opportunity to get as much done as possible, and took it. The workers at the bridge, having not been directly attacked yet, picked up in the fervor, and they made amazing progress.

But it left everyone bone-tired afterwards. She had gotten tired just watching them.

The Genin had made leaps in their training and she was fortunate enough to arrive with Kakashi to see Sasuke thanking Sakura for her help. The girl had looked like she would jump him, before taking a deep breath and composing herself.

And speaking of Kakashi...

She hadn't really talked to him since before the mission. All the kids were asleep, as it was Kakashi's turn to keep watch, and while her eyes were drooping and she stumbled over her feet, she knew now was her chance.

Her feet padded on the wooden floor as she searched for Kakashi. She turned around a corner and through the windows she could make out the moonlight streaming onto the porch. She heard a sliding noise, only to see a hand pushing the back door open a crack-just enough for her to slip through.

She squeezed through under the hand, and appeared in Kakashi's shadow, the man himself still staring at the moon.

"Hey." She called up.

"Yo." He replied.

She fidgeted, not sure what to do. It was just like last time-she came here to say something, and then her tongue was in knots!

"So, how you doing?" He asked.

"Fine! Fine."

"..."

"...Actually, no. I'm not." Haruhi confessed.

The change was immediate. She had had his full attention before, but his posture changed. He turned and reached out to her. He sure was something else from this angle.

"Are your injuries bothering you? Did something happen-" He began in a hurried voice.

"No! That's fine, I'm just... worried." She rubbed her arms. The night was chilly and so was the porch. His hand twitched towards her, before he laced them at his sides.

"It's pretty chilly, are you gonna be alright?" He asked.

"Yeah."

"...What's wrong then?"

"I'm just worried. Zabuza and the other nin will be ready for us soon. "

"Well, we will be ready for them too." His eye darkened.

"I will be." He must have been pretty shaken up when he got caught in the water prison.

"Yeah, Zabuza won't get you this time. Not when the genin know what they're getting into."

He scratched his cheek and laughed nervously.

"He sure got me..." He forced an upbeat tone.

"But you got him! You kicked his butt and he couldn't do nothing but run away. I was impressed!"

Kakashi's visible eye widened in shock.

"Really? You thought that was cool?" Disbelief coated his voice.

"Sure did! Cool as a cucumber!"

He laughed again, more genuine this time. She yawned, before it was cut off with a ferocious shudder.

"Here-let me." Hands slipped around her slowly and she sighed at the warmth, Kakashi had taken his gloves off. He lifted her feet from the porch, shifting so they were both turned towards the moon. She felt herself being placed on his thigh and his fingers shifted, allowing her to look at the night sky. She blinked eyes adjusting to the moonlight and almost missed Kakashi's intake of breath.

"You okay?" She murmured, strands of silvery hair getting in her face.

He cleared his throat.

"Y-yeah."

His thigh was warm under her, and she sighed happily, legs spreading out against her will. His fingers were still somewhat cupped around her and she looked up for an explanation.

"To break the wind. Don't want you shivering." He said...embarrassed? She nodded in understanding.

"Is there something you want to say to me, Kakashi?" She whispered, not wanting to disturb the Man in the Moon.

"Haruhi...you were taken hostage and hurt, because I got captured. Zabuza's accomplice should never have had the opportunity." The fingers turned and dug into his thigh. She had never actually thought about it like that.

"That's not your fault, nobody knew he had an accomplice. And it's like you said- we'll be ready for when they show up! We'll be ready then."

"Doesn't stop you from having nightmares now." He muttered angrily at himself.

"..."

What did he say?

"S-sorry, I didn't know I was bothering anyone. Did I talk, um, in my sleep?"

"No, you didn't. You didn't make any noise."

"Then how did you know?" He checked up on her when she slept? The was...oddly sweet, but kinda creepy.

"Haruhi, even with Chakra, you are still vulnerable. My mission is to protect you. To sum it up, my mission is you. And I've done a pretty bad job so far."

He sighed.

"I guess...well, I just wanted to apologize. Sorry."

She blinked the sleep from her eyes angrily, standing up.

"Kakashi, I never knew you were stupid! You got nothing to apologize for! If anything, I should be the one saying sorry!" She exclaimed.

"What?" He said surprised.

"Well, I've imposed on you, and invaded your home, and made you take care of me. Hell, Lord Third practically shoved me on you!"

"Well, I think you're exaggerating."

At her annoyed crossed-arm stare, he elaborated.

"No offense, but you're not exactly hard to take care of. In fact, you pretty much take care of yourself. You're more of a help than an hindrance-Sakura's progress is amazing."

"Plus," He added "I don't mind. I was weary at first, but it's not bad at all having you in my house."

A pause.

"How about we just both call ourselves stupid."

"Okay."

"..."

"...I don't think you're stupid." He mumbled.

Haruhi tossed her head back and laughed.

"Quiet you!" She punched his leg.

Things descended into a light hearted quiet silence-the kind where you just enjoy eachothers company. They could almost hear the waves from the harbor hear. The wind was now just a light breeze, shaking some of the branches closer to the house. It was quite a change in perspective when the sun went down.

"Ya know," He chuckled " People don't call me stupid often, in fact, they say I'm pretty smar-Haruhi?"

She had laid back down on his thigh, resting on her side, curled up into a ball and pressing herself closer for warmth. Hair blanketed her shoulders and face, lips parted slightly to let air through.

His eye softened, curling with a smile.

"Goodnight, Haruhi."

Kakashi paused, as if debating something with himself, before shaking his head and leaning down,

pressing a kiss to her side.

Just a little bit of...goodness before the next chapter. Someone reviewed asking for some fluff, and who am I to ignore such a polite request!