After I switched my chakra with some from a random sycamore tree, Kakashi and I went up to the Hokage's office briefly to yell to a bemused Lord Third, without even going all the way into the office, that Kakashi was cured before I dragged him out again to go and get food. Truth be told, I was starving and was dying to not just get some good food, but also to spend a little time alone with Kakashi that didn't include one of us being hurt or unconscious.
"Where to, then?" Kakashi asked.
"I don't really care," I replied. "Anywhere."
"Alright. Well, I know a little tea shop that will be nice and quiet. I just need to grab something from my place first," Kakashi said.
"Sounds perfect." I smiled.
I waited just outside the front door as Kakashi went and got whatever it was he needed. He wasn't gone long, and when he reappeared he held up his wallet, which I realised must have been left in his house.
"You didn't have to get that," I said. "I don't mind paying."
"With what money?" Kakashi asked, eyebrow raised. I glared at him and plunged a hand into my thigh holster, only to find that my purse was missing.
"Did you take my purse?" I accused.
"You don't need it," Kakashi replied evasively.
"Yes I do!" I protested. "I have to pay for food-"
"I'll pay," Kakashi said firmly.
"You don't have to pay all the time, really Kashi, I've got loads-"
"Maybe I was also left a significant heritage?" Kakashi said.
"Were you?" I asked in surprise.
Kakashi shrugged. "A fair amount. Not a lot."
"I still don't think you should pay for everything all the time," I said.
"And I still don't think I care," Kakashi replied, already walking off. I grumbled under my breath, and I'm sure he heard, but neither of us made any attempt to argue even more. I followed him to the tea shop, already thinking of ways I could slip money into his wallet and pay him back somehow without giving him a chance to refuse it.
Kakashi took my hand as we walked towards the tea shop. It surprised me, since he never was one for hand-holding, but it made me happy. The reassuring warmth of his hand in mine, the occasional squeeze as if to remind me he was there, as if I could ever forget - it was, for lack of a better word, nice.
"Can we get a table for two, please?" Kakashi asked, and the sound of his voice made me snap out of my reverie and realise that we had arrived.
"Of course. If you'll come this way, there's one over here by the window." A waitress bowed and led us past a little bronze sign that said please wait here to be seated and showed us to a small, round table set for two.
"I'll come around in a few minutes to take your order." The waitress bowed again before moving off to serve someone else.
"This place is cute," I said as I sat down. It was exactly that; the walls outside were painted a pastel pink, and it was small but not cramped. Inside, the walls were dark red and it was lit with circular lamps that hung from the wall and glowed a soft yellow, so in the dark winter night it felt a little like candlelight. In fact, there actually were candles burning around the place, and a roaring fire set into one wall.
Kakashi hummed in agreement. "I don't usually come down here, but on the few occasions that I do, it's always nice and quiet."
I picked up a menu and examined it. "You know, I'm actually in the mood for a salad right now."
"I get that you're vegetarian, but that doesn't mean you have to eat nothing but vegetables," Kakashi rolled his eyes.
"Oh no, I sometimes eat eggs as well," I replied. "And bread. And dairy, sometimes. Also sugary stuff."
"Very reassuring," Kakashi said sarcastically.
"Are you ready to order?" asked the waitress, coming over to us with a little notepad.
"Can I have the Caesar salad?" I asked.
"I'll have the broiled saury with salt," Kakashi said.
"It'll be here in just a moment." The waitress bowed yet again and walked off.
We struck up a casual conversation, chatting about nothing in particular. Our food arrived, and we continued our conversation as we ate. I laughed when Kakashi moved the menu so nobody in the shop could see his face.
"Why do you like salty food so much?"
"Why do you like sugary food so much?"
"Answer my question."
"After you answer mine."
"Well... because sugar."
"That doesn't make sense."
"I dunno, it's delicious!"
"That's what I think about salty food."
"Is it because you're salty?"
Kakashi shot me a withering look. "No."
I shrugged. "Just asking."
Kakashi sighed. "If you're done, we'll just go. There's one more place I wanted to go."
He placed the money on the table and led me out of the tea shop, taking my hand again. I had no idea where he was taking me; I had assumed we would just go home afterward.
"What are we doing?" I asked, but Kakashi didn't say anything. I could have sworn he was smiling underneath that mask. "Where are we going?"
Still no response.
"Kashiiiiiiiiiii!"
"You're adorable when you call me that."
I was so shocked that I almost forgot to keep walking. I was glad it was dark out, because I was almost certainly blushing. I'd been calling Kakashi that for, what, a year? He'd never said anything about it before now.
"Here will do." Kakashi stopped walking suddenly, and reached up to tie his torch to a low tree branch so it illuminated the area around us. I hadn't even noticed him take it out and turn it on, though I could see that we were beside the lake.
"What are we doing here?" I asked.
"I've been thinking." Kakashi said, as if I hadn't asked a question at all.
"Always good to hear," I said. Kakashi gave me another look, so I said, "what have you been thinking about?"
"About you, and me," Kakashi responded. I could almost sense him trying to reach for the right words to say, though I couldn't tell what he was trying to get out. "I've realised that if I do the very best I can to make you hate me and yet you still chase after me into a dangerous situation and save my life, I'm going to struggle to get rid of you."
"Your point is?" I raised an eyebrow.
"If I'm not going to get rid of you any time soon, I may as well keep you close," Kakashi said. "So... I want you to marry me."