My Masked Rival - a Kakashi X OC Love Story

Chapter 12

The next morning was...well beyond awkward to say the least. As I made my way from the cave to where I sensed Kakashi's chakra I felt like I was going to go crazy. I wracked my brain all night, but I honestly didn't know what I was going to do or say. For now I just kept myself cloaked while I hopped up into the branch next to him.

He was crouched in a tree again communicating with his students through a headset while they worked on their current mission.

"What's the distance to the target?" He asked them.

Oooh, target. Maybe things were getting good. I leaned forward on the branch trying to peer through the tree limbs to see if I could see anything.

"Go!!"

Nearby I heard a commotion of shuffling amongst the trees and and Naruto yelling, "Gotcha!!"

"Good, lost pet 'Tora' search mission..."

All that for a cat?! I couldn't help but 'pop' back up as I fell from my perch and rolled on the ground laughing Yep, things were not getting good

Kakashi eyed me wearily as he dropped down from the branch and landed next to me "Complete!" He cheered to them over the headset. I could tell he was holding back a chuckle from my contagious laughter.

No fun I pouted.

He turned to gather the others then paused and turned back to me with his visible brow raised. "So..." He drawled out as he clasped one hand over his mic.

And there it was, let the awkward commence.

"Yes?" I asked him, choosing to take an innocent idiot approach.

"Last night..." He ran his hand over his face and through his hair as he searched for the words to come up with. Understandable of course...how do you ask your imagination if last night was real?

"At the bar?" I asked, pretending to poorly guess what he was going to ask.

"No...after the bar." He reluctantly got out with a sigh.

"After the bar? What happened after the bar?" I asked 'curiously'...again, innocent idiot...although at this moment I feel like the 'idiot' part is right on the dot for describing me.

"What happened..." His brow dropped and jaw clenched as he studied my face. Just like the first day, he tugged at his hair then ran his hand back over his face again. "Never mind." He sighed again, then finally turned back to catch up with his team.

Once his back was fully towards me his shoulders slumped forward and my gut wrenched. Have I taken things too far? When this all first started I was so angry with Kakashi...angry at my life...that I would have said 'no'...but now after I've spent every day by his side. Watching him. Getting to know him. Being there for him and him for me...yes this was too far.

But even if I were to end this...I still have no life outside of this here in Konoha...outside of Konoha or outside of Kakashi?

I angrily kicked a few rocks in my path as I shuffled slowly behind Kakashi arguing with myself. Even if I did decide to unveil myself and try to start a life in Konoha, something in my gut told me this wasn't the right time. I needed to wait a little longer for the moment...and maybe until then I'll slowly lessen my presence to Kakashi and slowly ease away from his 'mind'.

About 10 minutes behind them I caught up with them as they turned in their mission to the Hokage. Thinking I had already cloaked myself again from Kakashi, I crossed the room and perched on a window sill. I listened as Naruto argued so bluntly with the Hokage, not realizing the whole time that Kakashi was watching me and the breeze that blew my hair all around me as I watched the sway of the branches just outside.