Katsuko cracked an eye open. “Challenge accepted.”

Kakashi paused in his ministrations. "...I'm going to regret asking, but what does that mean, exactly?"

“You issued a challenge. I accepted. Now I’m gonna have to go to sleep on you, or I’ll lose.”

He stared at her. "I'm having sudden, disturbing flashbacks to the academy. Are you five?"

“I was a perfectly well-behaved five-year-old,” Katsuko retorted, straight-faced. She pushed her head against Kakashi’s hand until he resumed petting her hair again.

"And I was the Queen of Tea Country," he said, dryly.

“Your people miss you, Your Majesty,” Katsuko cackled, grinning up at him. After a moment, though, she sighed and crossed her arms, staring up at the sky. “Hey, are we still playin’ the Nice Things game?”

He looked at her. After a moment, he said softly, “Ryouma.”

“Ryouma,” Katsuko agreed, smiling. “Ryouma and you.” She yawned, closing her eyes again. “You know what else is nice? The sky, and the moon, and stars. They’re always there, and you don’t know how beautiful they are until someone takes you away from ‘em. Look.” She waved an arm in the general direction of up. “It’s up there, an’ we’re down here, an’ Ryouma’s down there, and everythin’s where it should be. And everythin’s beautiful.”