safety [Kakashi Hatake x OC]

sixty-eight

"No, you're good." Eri shook her head with a smile. "I think Tsunade-sama and I were just finishing up our conversation."

"Ah, thanks. Sorry about that." Anko's voice was low and casual. It reminded her of Kakashi's comforting voice, just more feminine. "This should be short, anyways." She smirked as her brown eyes met Eri's dark ones.

"It should be." Tsunade joined the conversation. "Anko, I have a mission for you."

"Oo-ooh." She hummed in a song-like tone.

"Tourists and villagers are disappearing in the Village Hidden in the Hot Water. They haven't functioned as an active shinobi village for a while and are unequipped to deal with something like this."

Eri shrunk to the edge of the room, but was listening nonetheless, intrigued by the thought of a mission, or briefly leaving the confusing cycle in the Leaf Village of not knowing what relationships are with who and who's who to take some time to figure out her own thoughts and opinions.

"So, you need me to go to Yugakure, find this guy, and take him out?" Anko concluded.

"Yes. That's essentially it." The blonde woman confirmed.

"Can I go?" The mauve-haired girl stood tall, yet asked with a meek voice.

All eyes turned towards her, but she didn't shy away from them. "I mean, I think it might be good to get out of the village to process a little bit. It's all a little overwhelming."

Tsunade didn't seem to think about it very much and just shrugged. "I don't see why not. Anko?"

Anko seemed slightly taken aback, but it was mostly just shock. "Yeah, I don't mind."

"Great!" The Hokage slammed her fist on the table decidedly. "You'll leave first thing tomorrow morning."

The violet-haired woman nodded and turned to leave, then paused as she passed Eri. Her playful gaze met the other girl's, and she smirked. "See you tomorrow, bright and early." She then dropped the volume at which she spoke and murmured with a sensual drawl, "And don't make me come wake you up."

Clearly shocked, Eri blinked rapidly, only regaining her composure when Anko left the room. 

"Eri." Tsunade broke through her circle of thoughts. "You should spend more time with Kakashi."

"Oh, why?" She answered, still trying to unravel Anko's personality in her head.

"I think he holds a lot of answers for you. Not to mention you feel comfortable around him, yes?"

"Yes, that's true."

"Then trust me on this."

"Okay...?" The end of her phrase turned upwards in pitch. 

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Surely enough, Kakashi came by Eri's apartment later that evening. He knocked on her door, and she answered, slightly disappointed that he didn't bring food this time. 

"Hey Kakashi." The girl smiled, letting him inside even without a gift - which she didn't really care about anyway.

"Hey, do you want to go on a walk?"

"It's dark outside," was the first thing that came to mind.

"So?" He chuckled, keeping his hands in his pockets.

His light-hearted demeanor made her calm and warm, so she shrugged and said, "Sure, why not?"

"Because 'stranger danger.'" He answered jokingly. "Who knows," He got shockingly close to her and placed a strong finger under her chin, bringing her face up to his. "I could just be luring you out into the darkness to take advantage of you and do as I wish."

This made Eri laugh. She rolled her eyes and gave him a smirk. "If that's what you're after," she stood on her toes, hovering centimeters from his chin, their noses nearly touching and his mask acting as a veil between them, "you could try right here."

She had no idea how tempted he was. But this - the unfiltered, flirtatious comments and underlying mischievous personality behind a the skin of a kind, warm young woman - was Eri, and that fact made hope swell within his chest.