safety [Kakashi Hatake x OC]

seven

Kakashi brought Eri to a seamstress in the central part of Konoha where they picked up her repaired original clothes that had been destroyed in the battle. It reminded her of the blue-gray sweater she wore which definitely wasn't hers. The thick black bra and spandex-like shorts were hers, but the loose sweater with open sides was someone else's, and it certainly didn't - or at least shouldn't - belong to the man who had been looking after her.

"Hey, where is this sweater from?" She asked nonchalantly as they walked through the cobblestone streets, staring down at the soft, woven fabric.

"A Leaf kunoichi who also teaches a few genin said you could have it. There wasn't much of an option considering you were out for a few days." He answered.

"I was out for a few days?" She asked, startled that this was the first she was hearing about her lack of consciousness.

"Six, to be exact."

"Ah." She sighed and looked down. "I'm sorry, I must have caused you so much trouble."

A gentle smile stretched over his lips, hidden by his navy mask, but the girl could feel the warm and kind aura emanating from him. "What trouble is someone who's asleep all the time?"

And once again, his smile was infectious, alleviating her insecurity. "That's nice of you to say."

"Honestly, I don't mind it at all, so don't worry about it." He assured, keeping his hands hidden in his pockets. "I also don't think I'll mind the company for a while." He hummed in a low voice, seemingly thinking out loud and not saying it to her directly.

Eri had no idea what Kakashi had been through; she didn't know his past or the kinds of relationships he had and lost, and just how close and dear he held his comrades. But what she could hear was a hint of sorrow in his voice, and she knew there was something behind the short, general statement.

Before she could ask any questions, however, he interrupted her thoughts and changed the subject. "Are you hungry?"

As if on cue, her stomach answered for her and she suddenly realized that she hadn't eaten a single thing in nearly seven days.

The man released a short chuckle in the wake of her embarrassment. "Come on," he urged with a tilt of his head, "let's get you officially welcomed to Konoha."

He led the hungry young woman to a stall-like restaurant on the central road in the village. Drapes hung from the entrance, hiding the view of the customers and chefs from those that passed by. It wasn't particularly fancy, but the smell of freshly cooked food wafted from it, luring in anyone remotely curious. Steam gently rolled out of the back pipes, filling the atmosphere with a busy, yet homey aura.

Kakashi lifted one of the drapes, allowing the girl to step inside and take in the humble appearance. They sat at the bar before them, and it wasn't long until they were served two bowls of ramen, a fresh fog of steam dancing over the surface.

"Thank you for the meal." Eri muttered under her breath before taking the chopsticks. Her dark eyes widened excitedly upon the first bite. She then quickly slurped the remaining noodles that she had wrapped between her chopsticks and mused, "It's really good!"

The moment she looked at the man next to her, his bowl was already empty. His mask still covered half his face as if he had never taken it off to begin with. She furrowed her brows in confusion, trying to make sense of how fast he managed to eat without anyone noticing or removing his mask long enough to consume that amount of food.

She was beginning to understand that Kakashi was, perhaps, a pretty strange man, but it was intriguing to her. She wanted to understand him more, and she figured she would, considering they'd be living together for a little while.

She released a short laugh, earning a peculiar glance from the shinobi. "What?" He asked quizzically, feeling slightly insecure about being laughed at, even though it seemed completely innocent.

"I think you're kind of weird, Kakashi." Eri smiled.

The simple expression, or phrase, or laugh - he didn't know what exactly - brought heat to his cheeks. It was different from the way he reacted to the novels he read; it felt like it came from a more genuine place. All he could understand was that there was something about Eri that he was becoming soft towards, and she made him feel warm inside with a gentle bubbling in his stomach.