Blame It All on Me. Part 1

Chapter 8. I'll Probably Regret It Later

When Kakashi, having almost dried up – in a very peculiar way: by dashing around the neighbourhood – returned to the shore, Arina was sitting wistfully by the fire, wrapped in her blanket. Seeing him, she stirred, jumped up and walked over to him. Kakashi looked at her somewhat warily.

The girl smiled and said shyly:

"The way you dived after me... it was very brave. Thank you. I'm sorry I snapped."

Kakashi's eye twitched slightly – he, a ninja, was praised for acting bravely. He smiled wryly:

"When you being, as it turned out, a skilled diver? Please... And it's me who should apologize for almost drowning you..."

"Are we good then?" she clung to him impulsively, almost making him twitch. His fingers itched instantly – he wanted to touch her skin so badly. He looked at his palms behind the girl almost with hatred and deliberately placed his hands over the blanket the girl was wrapped in. Assured hastily:

"It's not like we had some quarrel in the first place..."

"Yes, right, no wonder you tensed up," the girl reproached him gently.

"I'm not tense at all," Kakashi objected and freed himself delicately. "I'm just still wet, you can hardly like that..."

"Hmm," Arina raised her eyebrow sceptically.

Kakashi walked on and sat down by the fire, threw in a couple of twigs. She read him too well. And that was no good at all.

Arina sat down opposite him, looking at him intently. Kakashi stared at the flame persistently.

"Tell me, how old are you?" He suddenly could not hold back any longer.

"What?" Arina's eyelashes batted in confusion.

"Well, what is unclear?" Kakashi looked at her sourly. "I'm asking about your age."

"Old enough." The girl flared up.

"'Old enough' for what?" Kakashi asked suggestively.

"For everything," the girl muttered. "I don't know. I do not remember... Honestly... But not a kid any more. I definitely graduated from school."

Having said that, Arina paused to think.

'Graduated from school?' Kakashi groaned mentally. This could already mean any age starting even with fifteen, depending on the educational system...

He looked at the girl appraisingly again. She was still in deep thought. He had already learned this condition of hers: this happened to her regularly, almost on any occasion. He also knew what would happen next.

Arina clasped her head in her hands.

'And there it is...'

Kakashi sighed resignedly, got up and sat over to her.

"Hey... don't strain yourself," he said as neutrally as possible. He took Arina's wrists gently and removed her hands from her head. The girl looked at him with a slight despair. "You'll remember everything... It's only a matter of time. They will help you with this in Konoha."

"I hope so," Arina sighed, lowering her gaze. Then she looked at Kakashi again. "Is that why you've suddenly changed? You think I might be underage?"

"I haven't changed," Kakashi sighed, realizing that he was hopelessly losing to those golden eyes. He touched her face with his hand and lightly stroked her cheek with his thumb. Smiled with his eyes, instantly making the girl blush. He wanted to lean in to kiss her, but managed to restrain himself. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get on with our dinner..."