safety [Kakashi Hatake x OC]

one hundred two

"Eri, I want to marry you."

The said girl became paralyzed, waiting for the 'but' - the catch or the punch line.

Kakashi stared at her with a gentle smile. How much he loved her was always in his eyes, but she very rarely saw the cheesy grin he wore when he thought of her.

After a few moments of Eri contemplating whether or not he was being serious, he sighed, slightly uncertain about the fact that she couldn't respond. He thought, 'does she not want the same thing I do?' It was pretty out-of-character for him to feel so insecure, but the girl had him feeling all kinds of things he never felt before.

He rested his chin on top of her head so he didn't have to look at the shock on her face, and so that she could hide her heated face in his chest.

"There's no rush." He whispered.

He felt her start to tremble in his arms, followed by a sharp breath. Kakashi quickly pulled away from her to see the silent tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Ah, sorry." He panicked. "I didn't mean to make it worse."

"No." She muttered and wiped away her tears. "I guess I just never expected to hear someone say that to me."

"Didn't you have a bunch of low-life Mist shinobi wanting to marry you when we first met?"

"I told you about that?"

Kakashi nodded, forgetting that there was a gap in her memories for a moment.

"Well, it wasn't 'a bunch,' and they didn't want to marry me. They just wanted me to have their babies so they could claim my kekkei genkai in their bloodline."

"Who wouldn't? You're hot." He commented bluntly.

"Oh, so instead of wanting to marry me for my kekkei genkai and babies, it's because I'm hot?" Eri teased, although subtly pushed for validation that he did - in fact - want to marry her.

He looked up thoughtfully and playfully, quietly grateful she was starting to act more like herself. He then simply hummed, "Yup."

"Rude." She huffed and turned away from him, but couldn't hide the small grin that crept onto her lips.

Kakashi wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her in close again. She was able to melt into his arms, and it was her favorite feeling in the entire world. "You're also strong, tough, and kind. You're smart, warm, talented, and you're mischievous, playful, and adorable when you're embarrassed." She could feel his breath tickle her ear before he nuzzled his nose under her chin. His voice got lower and more serious. "You're my best friend, and the only person I've ever truly been able to rely on. I don't ever want to live a life without you."

Eri gently placed her hand on his cheek, trying not to cry again.

He squeezed her waist and finished, "That's why I want to marry you." He stated, then added in his sly way of teasing her, "and you're hot."

She breathed out a short laugh.

"So, if you want to, just know that I am ready to marry you."

"Okay." She whispered with a cheesy smile that wouldn't leave her face.

"Okay? I spill out all my feelings, which is very abnormal for me, and all you say is 'okay?'"

"I want to marry you, too."