safety [Kakashi Hatake x OC]

fifty-one

Nothing was the same after that. Kakashi stopped teasing Eri, and she stopped taunting him as well. He only ever touched her when they went to bed, and it was always just a cautious hand. She didn't want to push him away or scare him, so she never tried to touch him either.

Nonetheless, they were still very close and practically inseparable for the next year. The entire village was suspicious of who they really were to each other, but only the close few really knew what their relationship was like.

Kotetsu eventually moved on from being rejected by Eri and returned to being the laid-back, jokester of a man that he typically was.

Despite all the faith that Tsunade and Konoha had grown to accept in Eri, honoring her as one of their trusted kunoichi, she had not yet moved out from Kakashi's apartment. It was strange; they saw that she had become one of them in the village, yet the Hokage hadn't given the go-ahead for her to become fully independent.

After two long years, Kakashi finally decided to ask about it. He never thought to before because he didn't find it urgent and enjoyed her company, and even though none of that changed, it was curious that nothing had been done yet regarding their living situation.

The man gently knocked on the open door of Tsunade's office, to which she beckoned for him to enter. "Good morning, Kakashi." She hummed tiredly.

"Morning." He shoved his hands in his pockets. Showered with responsibilities, the woman was focused on the paperwork in front of her.

"Did you need something?" She asked with a raised brow, pausing to look at him quizzically.

"Ah, yeah." He rubbed the back of his head. "I was wondering about Eri."

Tsunade put down her papers, suddenly intrigued and attentive. "Yes?"

"When she first came to the Leaf Village, she was seeking protection. You let her stay upon the condition that she lived with me and I watched over her." He began. "Since then, she's become a chunin of our village, gone on several missions of varying levels of difficulty, and -"

She cut him off. "I'm very aware of Ms. Zayaka's contribution and status in the village."

"Well, I guess I'm just wondering why she hasn't been allowed to move out on her own."

"She's allowed to." The Hokage - the sole authority - stated bluntly. 

"What?" Kakashi was confused. 

"She's been allowed to since becoming a kunoichi."

"Seriously?"

She nodded. "Neither of you have asked."

"Oh..." 

"There's an apartment available here." She showed the dazed man a map, showing an apartment building a few blocks from his. "She can move in tomorrow."

"I see."

"So, she's going to move out?"

"Yeah, I think that'd be what's best for her." He reasoned, but his heart was in his stomach as it churned restlessly. The thought of her actually moving out instilled a sense of panic. He didn't want to be alone again, but he felt like it was too late to get what he truly wanted. And he answered only what he thought was truly best for the woman he cared so deeply for.

"Well," Tsunade sighed. "It looks like Eri is going to be truly independent in Konoha."

Kakashi didn't say anything. He just took the map and left with a short, "Thank you, Tsunade-sama."

As soon as he shut the door behind him, the Hokage slammed her fist on her desk. "Damnit!" She cursed between her teeth. 

Her assistant, having stood beside her during the entire conversation, chuckled blissfully. "You lost."

"How?! It was so obvious!" The blonde woman whined.

"Maybe to everyone else, but not them." Shizune reasoned.

"I'm so disappointed."

"Why? You know Kakashi is painfully cautious."

"They've lived together for two god-damn years and he can't make a move?! That's not cautious, that's pathetic."

"Either way, you owe me." Shizune beckoned for her superior to pay her for her loss of the bet. It was a bet that Eri would never actually move out from Kakashi's home and that they'd end up becoming a couple and ultimately, get married. Clearly and predictably, Tsunade lost the bet.

She groaned. "What should we do, Shizune?"

"I don't think there's anything we can do."

"Except pray that by some miracle Kakashi gets some balls."

"Yes, perhaps we can do that."