safety [Kakashi Hatake x OC]

twenty-six

Kakashi and Eri were quiet for the rest of the night, but the silence was filled with a sense of tension. Neither one of them could look each other in the eye. Perhaps, it was because they were unsure of where they truly stood with each other.

The girl was unusually distant and shy - at least with him. He wondered if he had gone too far or had said something to upset her. She was typically pretty tough and forgiving, making light of things that would offend most by counteracting with joking.

She really was just unsure about why she was being so weird, but ultimately settled for sleeping it off, assuming it would just disappear by morning. So, she settled into the bed as Kakashi sat in the single chair across the room. Blankets were folded over his legs as he read. He had respectfully allowed her to have the bed, just like when they were in his home.

She knew that he absolutely wouldn't let her sleep on the floor or chair, despite his teasing. So, hiding her heated face beneath the sheets, she spoke up. "Kakashi."

He hummed in acknowledgement and looked at her.

"Is the chair comfortable?"

"Comfortable enough."

"You know, I don't mind if you share the bed with me."

He blinked, taking time to decide what he'd do.

"I just feel bad." She continued. "Even at home; I'm always taking your bed."

The fact that she called his apartment "home" was not unnoticed by him. It softened his heart in a way he didn't think was possible. He smiled gently, an atmosphere of genuine compassion and warmth surround him as he slowly got up, closed his book, fixed the chair, and brought the blankets back over to the bed.

Eri still couldn't bring herself to meet his kind eye, and she didn't know why she felt so shy.

"I didn't exactly mean this when I said that "all you have to do is ask.""

She rolled over so that her back was facing him as she felt the mattress lower with his weight. "I don't want to be a burden, and if you want to use the bed, then you should be able to." She muttered.

He sighed. "You're not a burden, Eri." Then he placed his hand on her arm. Even though he couldn't see her face, he knew that after the initial shock of his touch, it would be what would make her feel better. "I honestly like having you around."

Eri felt like crying. She hadn't experienced this much genuine kindness in such a long time, and she was overwhelmed and grateful. Yet, she managed to keep her emotions relatively in control. Instead, she placed her smaller hand on top of his. He took her fingers and reassuringly intertwined his within them.

"Kakashi." She whispered, again.

"Yeah."

"I guess if I have to have a babysitter, I'm glad it's you." The tiredness was evident in her voice. Even though he was on the other side of a large bed with only his hand touching her, she could feel the warmth from his skin, and it soothed her. 

He didn't say it out loud, but he was glad, too. He couldn't remember what it felt like to live alone again, without her there. He peacefully watched her breathing steady and slow as she drifted to sleep. He was so close to her, but his heart was filled with an unfamiliar longing.

Despite this, he found himself comfortable and calmed, and he slept better that night than any night he could remember.

----------

Eri hugged her body tightly and drew in a deep breath. Her shoulders inflated and deflated with her waking breaths, but they were stifled by a weight at her back. The solidness was warming, and she felt like she wanted to melt into it, but as her senses came to, she realized that as she held her torso, her fingers were gripped onto large, muscular arms that also held her waist.

Her dark eyes flung open and she stopped breathing for a moment. Kakashi hugged her close to his own body; so close that she could feel the swelling and contracting of every muscle of his chest, abdomen, and shoulders against her smaller back. The air from his nose tickled the back of her neck with every exhale. 

He held her so tight that she couldn't wiggle from his grasp. He was much stronger than her when it came to brute strength, so there wasn't much hope for her. 

Embarrassed, she whined, "Kakashi..." hoping that he would wake up and let go of her. She knew him well enough, however, to know that that wouldn't do. 

She tried to wriggle from his hold again, but was unsuccessful, again. She tried to push his hands off of her torso, only to groan louder, "Kakashi!"

He inhaled sharply, and she was relieved for a moment, turning to try to force her way from the fleshy prison that wasn't entirely unpleasant to be held captive in. But Kakashi only drew her closer, finding the curve of her spine with his fingers and nuzzling his masked nose in her clavicle, nearly kissing the top of her chest. 

Her face was red, and she was completely flustered. Having now gotten into a more vulnerable position, she finally yelled, "Kakashi!" and shoved her knee where she could.

That woke him up.