safety [Kakashi Hatake x OC]

twenty-four

Kakashi left Eri on the bed, running his hand down her side before crawling off of her. She covered her eyes with her arm, embarrassed and flustered, and earned a chuckle from the man who was satisfied with his efforts.

She pouted, and he leaned by the window reading his novel. Eventually, she grabbed a copy of an Icha Icha book that the man had packed for her and bitterly flipped through the pages, although she really was reading the words. It took some time, but she did get over the humiliation of her circumstances.

As time drew on, one of the two Kumogakure ninjas who had escorted Team Seven and Eri to where they'd be staying came to retrieve her and Kakashi for dinner with the Raikage. She finally introduced herself by name, apologizing for forgetting to do so earlier.

She bowed, her long blonde hair falling over her shoulders just before she stood upright again and looked the infamous Leaf shinobi in his one eye. "My name is Hosui; I'm a jonin of Kumogakure." She didn't look at Eri once. "I'll take you to the Raikage's table." She wore a smile, but it was strange, and her brown eyes seemed distant, although still laser-focused on the silver-haired man.

"Alright." He nodded, closing his book. "I was just getting hungry anyway."

Hosui took his side before Eri could, stopping her in her tracks and making her realize how comfortable she was when she was standing next to and walking with him, only noticing when it wasn't an option. She furrowed her brows at the strange emotions she felt as she watched the back of their heads.

The blonde kept trying to make conversation with Kakashi, but he kept giving her one-word acknowledgements and didn't care much to appease her whims. It wasn't like he was an extroverted character to begin with.

They reunited with his students and the other Kumogakure shinobi when they arrived at the Raikage's dining room. The large, muscular and tan man bellowed from the head of the table, "Yo! Kakashi Hatake, the Copy Ninja! Welcome to the Cloud Village!"

The said man gave a closed-eyed grin. "Thank you for the warm welcome; the genin and Eri certainly appreciate it as well."

With that, he took a seat. The blonde Cloud kunoichi prepared to take a seat next to him, but before she could, he placed his hand on top of the chair, preventing her from doing so.

"Eri." He turned slightly behind him to meet her shy gaze. "Please have a seat by me."

Something about his phrase made the mauve-haired girl's stomach flutter. Still, she nodded and did as he asked, gently forcing her way in between him and Hosui, who seemed a bit more stern than she was when talking to Kakashi.

The Raikage was an odd character. He was stern and determined, but there was a sense of informality about him. It was like he had been serious for so long, and with age he was realizing not to take himself so seriously. The Leaf genin began by being polite and poised, but it didn't take Naruto long to abandon his almost mature act. From there, it was a downward spiral of professionalism.

Once they finished eating, the Raikage quickly dismissed them, not in the mood to deal with the childishness of the younger ninjas. He asked that the visitors be escorted back to their rooms, and the Cloud shinobi that brought them there took them back.

Once they were out of sight from any of their peers and isolated in their small group of three, Hosui overtly grabbed Kakashi's elbow and hooked her arm within his. He stiffened and narrowed his eye at the forward blonde. He wasn't the kind of man to forcefully push a girl away, but he wasn't comfortable either.

Eri felt her heart drop to her stomach. She felt hurt but tried to quiet the emotion because it didn't make sense to her.