Blame It All on Me. Part 1

Chapter 7. It Must Be Silly

Arina woke up as if from a mild impulse, but everything was calm. It was already quite light. Kakashi was sleeping on his side facing her, there was a slight distance between them again. The girl studied him for a while. While he was sleeping, his features seemed to be much softer and he looked very young, almost a boy.

Most of all, probably, she was fascinated by his eyes: as if outlined with a charcoal, with eyelashes that would surely be envied by more than one girl, they contrasted strikingly with silver hair and eyebrows, and radiated calm, confident strength. However, the further, the more often their expression changed to serenity or even some laziness – and this dissonance also intrigued the girl a lot. And even the scar, which at first unsettled her, quickly became a familiar and integral part of his image for her, together with the unusual eye that possessed mysterious powers.

Indeed, the man was very attractive, even despite the mask. And perhaps – in many ways actually thanks to it. Oh, that mask though... Arina really wanted to look behind it, but there was no question of trying to do it without permission.

As if overhearing her thoughts, Kakashi slowly opened his eyes, then squinted for a moment – as the girl had already learned, this was how he smiled.

"Good morning. Everything alright?" he asked.

Arina nodded, smiling slightly, but didn't say anything. She continued to look at him thoughtfully for a moment and then said:

"You know, I've been meaning to say for a long time..." she gestured to Kakashi, who twitched slightly and seemed to also want to say something, not to interrupt her. "I am very grateful to you for your patience... I don't really know how you've managed to bear with me all this time. And one more thing..."

She paused for a instance. Kakashi was looking at her intently, slightly narrowing his eyes.

"It's probably silly," the girl continued, choosing her words carefully, remembering what she had taught him the day before, so as not to accidentally say too much. "But, it seems, I have fallen for you..."

She couldn't help herself and closed her eyes, smiling slightly at her mischievousness – for now she could afford such a revelation...

Kakashi continued to stare at her in silence for a while, and then suddenly responded:

"You know, I think I have, too."

Arina opened her eyes in horror, looking at his contented face, turned pale, and then quickly blushed.

"Shit, you... you understand me..." She covered her face with her hands.

"No, it's you who is finally talking like an ordinary human being," Kakashi objected. He was smiling with his gaze, but there was not a bit of mockery in it.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I tried, but you stopped me..."

"How silly..." the girl mumbled from behind her palms. How did she not notice at all?

"Indeed..." Kakashi suddenly got embarrassed too: he began to doubt the appropriateness of his answer himself. This was not entirely correct by all rules.

"I do not know what came over me."

"Yeah, me too..."

"I haven't even seen your face."

"And I haven't exchanged even a couple of proper phrases with you..."

"So silly..."

"Absolutely."

They were both silent for a while, flustered. Arina kept hiding her face behind her palms.

Suddenly Kakashi cursed softly, moved closer and took Arina's wrists carefully. He took her hands away from her face, then gently touched her chin.