"Some people cross your path and change your whole direction."

Dinner At Satori's

A date. A date? A DATE?!

Nanami was nervous from the moment she woke up. She couldn't remember the last date she went on, and it was probably for the best. Nanami had a weird penchant for embarrassing herself in every possible situation. She was praying to the Gods that she could have just one night where everything went swimmingly. Last night, Nanami dreamed of a million scenarios, all of which ended horribly. There was, however, one situation where she found herself sitting across from a man with hair the same tantalizing shade of the moon. Sitting up in bed, Nanami brought her fist to her eyes to rub the dream from behind them. I need to get some headway on Morino's assignment today. Can't be lazy because its Saturday. She eyed her closet almost warily. I don't know if i'll have time to come back and change, Nanami thought, scratching the back of her head. So, I better get ready now.

Her closest didn't house the most fashionable wear, to be honest. Nanami lived with simplicity as her main style choice. Her apartment and her wardrobe could attest to that. She picked out the newest and nicest things she owned. It consisted of a tight-fitted white halter top that stopped just below her navel, letting a strip of skin show before a yellow wrap skit began. With a pair of black sandals, Nanami decided she was on her way. On her way out she fed Gin and bid him goodbye.

A short walk later found Nanami in her office. The halls of the Intelligence branch were quiet as only a few people we assigned to work weekends. Pursing her mouth and thinking hard about the assignment Morino gave her, Nanami decided she would start with the shinobi mission reports before begrudgingly making her way to the interrogation collections room. Hours passed as Nanami worked in silence. The studious archivist found four more mission reports that detailed the specific phase, and though it was not her place, Nanami was beginning to get worried. Nanami shook her head and dumped the scrolls into the basket with the others. Not my business. She was going to continue and make her way down to the archives when her eyes happen to catch the clock.

"My first date in years and I'm going to be late!" Nanami screeched to herself. Where had the time gone?

Across the hall, one of Nanami's coworkers winced at her tone. He, too, glanced at the clock and then his eye brows furrowed. Who in this village would date someone as neurotic as Nanami? Reaching a finger under his forehead protector to scratch at his temple, Yamaki Raichi decided then that he had to find out. An as silent at the genin could muster, he stuck out behind her following her into the oncoming night.

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How is it that I'm the first one here? Kakashi mused to himself. Anko had told him six, so naturally he arrived just after seven, but neither Anko nor his date were here. He was standing casually against the brick wall of Satori's Tea House with his arms crossed. Kakashi could say he was almost annoyed, but knowing Anko, she had probably told him an earlier time since it was no secret he was always late to wherever he was supposed to be. The jonin released an irritable sigh, wondering if he left would that be an automatic forfeit? He didn't have to ponder very long as a familiar head of amethyst hair came into view.

"Hey!" Anko said once she was close enough. Squinting her eyes when she was near Kakashi, Anko looked around. "Did you already scare her off?" Kakashi shrugged.

"It's possible. I am a well-known and feared elite shinobi." He told Anko. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Feared, huh?" Anko said with a scoff. "I haven't met a single woman who's 'afraid' of you, Kakashi." He made to reply, but Anko interrupted him. Kakashi looked up and followed her line of sight, and sure enough. The redhead he had only seen for a moment was walking toward them with that same pleasant smile she had graced him with before.

"Anko!" The woman called out. "Sorry I'm a little late." She looked sheepish as she tucked her hair behind her ear coming to a stop before both ninjas.

"Started on Ibiki's assignment already?" Anko asked, reaching out to un-tuck the copper locks, making the woman's golden gaze narrow in playful irritation.

"Of course I did." Came the soprano response. "I don't need to give him anymore reason to dislike me." Gold eyes met charcoal. Suddenly Nanami felt embarrassed.

"Forgive me, I'm Kurosaki Nanami." She introduced with a bow of her head. Kakashi gave her an appraising look, nodding back and returning the introduction.

"Hatake Kakashi," Kakashi replied, standing straighter. "Nice to finally meet my perfect match." He closed his eye, smiling down at her. Nanami gulped and looked to Anko, who did seem to be slightly embarrassed at Kakashi's wording.

"His what?" Nanami questioned Anko quietly, equal parts incredulous and amused. The redhead shook her head and laughed softly. Kakashi opened his eye, looking down at his date. Nanami was dressed casually and in sunny colors that suited her. If anything, Anko did well in the looks department. His lone eye jumped back up to hers when she started speaking.

"I'm not sure what Anko could have said to convince you to come here tonight," Nanami said, sobering up. "But I'm far from perfect. Anyways," Nanami said, smiling then turning to Anko. "Are we all set, then?"

"Uh, yeah." Anko said shuddering. "So, I've got you a table reserved in the back, and this meal is on me." She said waving a hand to the entrance. With little else to say, she smiled at the couple, soon-to-be couple, and bid them goodnight.

"Shall we?" Kakashi said, sweeping his arm in a gesture to direct her to enter before him. Nanami smirked and complied. The pair was ushered to a table in the back. As they sat Kakashi saw the clear look of apprehension cross her features accompanied by her bustling hands. A waiter came by for them to order and they did quietly, Nanami asking for sake to be brought out first.

"Spirits already?" Kakashi asked with a chuckle. Nanami had the decency to blush, feeling mildly flustered.

"I've had a long week, you know." Nanami started, idling pulling on a copper lock and avoiding the shinobi's stare. "I work in intelligence, which usually isn't stressful, but right now I have an important assignment from Morino that requires alcohol to unwind from." I also am really bad at socializing on dates. But that went unsaid.

"I've heard from several others that Morino doesn't like non-shinobi working at Hokage tower." Kakashi mused, thanking the server as she dropped off the hot bottle of alcohol and two cups. "It it true?" He graciously poured for them both and handed over the cup. Nanami thanked him, knocking it back instantly.

"Oh, It's true, alright." Nanami said, handing her cup back to Kakashi who had also drained his. "The first two years over there was hell on earth. When I assumed my fathers duties, Morino personally oversaw my tutelage. Too young, too fragile. God, I heard it all." Kakashi handed another full cup over the table, Nanami drank.

"And now?" Kakashi prompted, drinking swiftly while Nanami's eyes were closed. Her eyes opened a second later, the burning in her throat abated.

"Now, he know's I'm reliable," Nanami stated, sticking her finger in the cup and swirling the ceramic on the table top. "Even if he won't admit it." She finished with a sly smile and a shrug. "What about you Hatake? Always wanted to be a ninja?"

"Kakashi is fine." He said with a dismissive wave, "And, I suppose. Family business and all that."

"You must be pretty good." Nanami continued, the tendrils of weightlessness beginning to creep into her extremities. Kakashi could see the pleasant flush of color the alcohol was giving her face.

"What makes you say that?"

"I read your mission reports. They send you out a lot." She countered, flicking the porcelain cup across the table and into his waiting hand. "Your handwriting sucks, by the way." Nanami added with a smirk. Kakashi refilled her cup, Nanami drank.

"I think I'm offended." Kakashi said playfully. Appreciating the way Nanami pointedly averted her eyes so Kakashi could drink again. He used the moment to soak up her profile as well. Freckles trailed lightly across her cheeks and down her neck.

"I wouldn't be." Nanami snorted. "I should have specified 'the best of the worst'." Her eyes flicked from patron to patron before moving back to her date. Nanami studied him a moment, he returned her scrutinizing look with a piqued eyebrow of ethereal silver. For a moment, Nanami could pretend that her dream came true. But then, the alcohol made her talk.

"So, give it to me straight." Nanami insisted, "Did she pay you to come here?"

"Who?" Kakashi insisted, the picture of innocent. He refilled their cups for the fourth time. Nanami's eyes narrowed but she smirked.

"Anko."

"Ah, Anko," Kakashi mused, handing a cup back to Nanami. "A lovely woman, capable shinobi." Nanami snorted.

"She so paid you." Nanami accused, relaxing back in her seat with a giggle. Kakashi looked indignant.

"She hasn't paid me yet." He countered, smirking beneath the mask.

"She bribed you, then." Nanami said rolling her eyes. She pull her left leg to rest under her, giving her the perfect vantage to lean her folded arms on the table. "Same thing." She whispered playfully, inclined slightly over the table.

"This happen often?"

"Not really?" Nanami said, reaching over the table not waiting for Kakashi to hand her sake cup over. Kakashi was pleasantly surprised as the floral scent of honeysuckle washed over his face. "I just had a feeling." Nanami casually omitting that she bribed her also.

Kakashi's eye moved from her half-lidded molten gaze, down to her parted lips, the elegant neck, and to the hint of cleavage that was revealed from her current position. Since the sake was causing a little of his manners to fade, he didn't immediately look away from the admittedly tantalizing sight in front of him. When he noticed she didn't move, however, his eye shot up to find her already peering down at him with a knowing smirk. She sat back and gave him a smile that crinkled her nose adorably.

"Enjoying the view?"

"Presently? Yes." He answer honestly.

The food came then and the pair ate in comfortable silence for a moment. Nanami was satisfyingly surprised with how at ease she felt around Kakashi. The conversation came naturally, and with a little help from the booze, she wasn't as jittery as she would normally be around someone of his rank. Nanami wasn't blind. She could see all the wandering eyes around her as they ate. Unfortunately for Kakashi, they just may be the new town gossip. Nanami held her chopsticks to her lips in thought of what excuse she could make to clear his name.

"Something on your mind?" Kakashi asked, noticing the lull in Nanami's eating. She had politely kept her gaze turned away so he could eat comfortably. She was very considerate for someone who just met him, and he wouldn't easily forget that.

"Well," Nanami started, placing the chopsticks on the plate. "would you like me to say this is business related? I do a lot of mission report reviews with shinobi, so this could be passed off as such." Kakashi's single stare bore into her.

"What are you talking about?" He questioned, and Nanami's face melted into something almost irritable. Kakashi was shocked by this, even if he didn't show it.

"Look around." She said, waving her hand towards the rest of the restaurant with out looking. Kakashi saw the other villagers sneaking looks at their table and he understood. "You're an elite shinobi, with a, well a nobody." She said, lamely gesturing to herself. Kakashi prepped to say she wasn't a 'nobody', but Nanami stopped him.

"I just meant, they will expect you to be with someone equally as strong." Nanami said, defending herself. "Another shinobi, maybe?" She clarified when Kakashi still looked unconvinced. "I just don't want your reputation tarnished because you've been seen with, er, me."

"Does it bother you?" He countered, charcoal melding with gold as she looked up to him.

"Not at all, if anything," She stared, the friendly smile he'd grown accustom to making a reappearance. "You raise my value." She finished, laughing. Kakashi didn't exactly know why it bother to hear her self deprecate so, but he ignored it flatly for now.

"Mah," Kakashi lamented, rolling his shoulders. "Then don't worry about them." Nanami nodded, allowing that to be then end of the topic.

The finished the meal, and sake, quickly after that. The server came by to remind them that their meal was paid for in advance and to thank them for their business.

"Ready to go, then?" Kakashi asked after the server departed. Nanami hesitated for only a fraction, because no. She wasn't ready to go. This was the first date in, well, ever that had gone favorably. Nanami was actually enjoying Kakashi's company. Hesitant to leave because she might not get to experience it again. However, she nodded her head and said:

"Of course."

Kakashi read her hesitation, though. It was kinda his job to be perceptive of these things. Seeing her hesitate stirred something in him, something almost satisfying. No, she didn't want to leave. Her face clearly said. She wanted to stay here, with him. Kakashi smiled instinctively, Standing and proffering a hand for her to take. Nanami looked at the gloved appendage dumbly, then up at the man it was attached to.

"I hear walking after a meal does wonders for the body." Kakashi educated, watching as Nanami's eyes lit up at the suggestion. "Would you like to, Nanami?"

"I'd love too." Nanami said without hesitation. The sake eased would-be embarrassment of the eager answer and helped warmed her body at the way Kakashi said her name. Nanami gingerly rested her hand in his and he pulled her to her feet. The alcohol making him misjudge the force he needed, Nanami stumbled into his chest. Kakashi's other hand came to rest on her waist to steady her. The scent of honeysuckle was renewed across his senses with vigor along with rich aura of amber. If he wasn't drunk before, he was now.

Nanami had a similar reaction. Kakashi radiated the aroma of fresh rain in a forest. Earthy, yet sweet. She couldn't stop herself from inhaling softly and closing her eyes. Opening her eyes, she looked up. Damn, he's tall. Her foggy brain announced. He was already looking down at her. Nanami felt lost in the dark grey iris. His eye slowly drifted down to soft pink lips and Nanami's chest lurched. She could feel fire beneath her skin, warming her cheeks. Coughing, Nanami took a step back. Kakashi hummed, his eye crinkling as he smiled.

"That walk?"

"Y-yeah, let's go."

Many pairs of eyes watched the couple leave. Yamaki Raichi among them. He's was not sure when and he was not sure why, but sometime during his coworkers cozy spectacle, he had snapped the chopsticks in his left hand.

OH, god. I love me some sexual tension. This chapter right here got away from me. This is actually only half of it, the original title being 'Dinner at Satori's/Late night walks' Needless to say, 'Late Night Walks' is the next chapter! Phew. Sorry I missed a week, this coronavirus nonsense got me all kinds of messed up. And I got punched in the heart by Hellsing/Hellsing Ultimate and I had to write me an Alucard fic. Hellsing fans, head that way! (its a fic that is really not for the faint of heart, tho.)

This story reached 50 followers! 50. FOLLOWERS! I kinda feel like a local celebrity, ya know? (Just let me have this, pls) Thank you to everyone who stops by! Special thanks to To live and let die, darkangelynn5, Anastasiapoly, and uh, guest, forREVIEWING!

As of 18:18 on 4/26/2020, this is cross posted on AO3.

This chapter was very dialog-heavy and honestly, so is the next. Alright, Ill see you in a week.

Many thanks! -Grey