(art from @chun18r on Twitter)
(Y/n) smiled, even if her fingers were tracing the many scars Kakashi had on his back. It would be something to be sad about —she used to be sad about it —but right now, she couldn't help but enjoy this moment. It was a moment that had become slightly common, but that never ceased to please her, and that was, taking a shower with Kakashi.
She could feel his hard back, and not because he was very fit (which he was), but because she could feel some muscle knots here and there. She could not imagine the pressure he must've felt as a ninja. Especially after still failing every team that took his test. She thought that the least she could do is relieve some of that stress one way or another. Sometimes more than in one way. And this one, giving him back rubs and massages while soaping his back up, was the second time in the day that she tried to help with his stress.
He sat in front of her, letting her do her thing while also enjoying her soft and tough caresses; the way her smaller and gentle hands touched his skin and cared for him. And she stood behind him, unable to think back to last week despite loving her task at hand. But it was a fact that she hadn't been able to stop thinking about something that happened the other day. The image of Kakashi and her sister talking by the outskirts of the training grounds stuck in her mind ever since then. She knew there was nothing she had to worry about, but even then, she couldn't help but be curious about what they talked about. Or well, what Alyss wanted of Kakashi.
"Kakashi," she started. He turned his head to the side ever so slightly to signal her that he was listening "What were you and Alyss talking in my first day of teaching?" She didn't want to sound crazy, or toxic, and luckily, Kakashi knew her and knew that she was asking out of curiosity and not due to any other ulterior motive.
"She has been demoted," he started explaining while he also remembered the conversation he had with her.
"Please, you have to help me," Alyss pleaded, having it very difficult to keep Kakashi's stare. She was desperate, and she hated to look like that. It was embarrassing, but it would be more embarrassing to be disciplined by her sister. Her sister, who had always been under her, and who she had always handled so easily. No, she couldn't go through that "If you talk to the Hokage... maybe—"
"Move," Kakashi said uninterested. Or actually, looking somewhat annoyed.
"Wait, just help me on this. Please..." she continued to beg, trying for him to stay and not force her to join the rest of (Y/n)'s students... Even that phrase made her cringe. How could her sister have managed to have such a great position all of a sudden?!
It enraged her, especially because she had coincidentally been demoted. But it hadn't been her fault! Her teammates were the ones responsible for the failure of the mission! But of course, Alyss was the only one to think like that.
Again, he didn't answer. Instead, his frown hardened.
"I'm your sister-in-law now, you have to help me" Alyss tried to approach it differently. Sounding confident but actually being even more desperate after seeing Kakashi's impassive state "If you don't help me, my father won't allow you to marry her..." she added, still confused as to why he would choose her sister. After all, he was Hatake Kakashi, and (Y/n) was... well, (Y/n). But obviously, her pity of a threat only did but enrage Kakashi even more.
But he seemed calm. He brought his hand to his forehead protector slowly and uncovered his left eye. And so, when he opened his closed scarred eye, his brow frowned heavily, showing her his Sharingan.
"Even with this eye, I don't see how that's my problem," he said, his tone calm and composed, but his eyes and visible expression colder than ever. It actually worsened the shiver that ran down her spine. Then, he grabbed her forearm forcefully and started pushing her to the center of (Y/n)'s group "You'll do everything that (Y/n) says, and if you don't, I'll make sure you go back to genin and share team with 12-year-olds" he added, before he threw her in the back of the group.
(Y/n) rinsed the soap while she listened to him, and when he was finished she couldn't help but throw her arms around him in a hug. Hearing how he defended her, even when she wasn't around... it melted her heart, and she could feel warming up even though the water wasn't completely boiling.
And then, her happiness increased after she thought about Alyss' words. She wasn't surprised that her father and sister couldn't believe where she was. But she herself couldn't believe it either. Perhaps, she should thank her father and mother for that. For always repeating how she didn't have a future or a life. Of how she should learn from her sister if she wanted to ever be remotely close to her sister. Yet there she was. She was having a better life than her father and mother ever thought she would, even better than (Y/n) thought. She now had a better position than her sister, and even was over her. And on top of that, she was married to the best man she could ever think of. Someone who actually took care of her and genuinely and selflessly cared for her.
"Thank you," Kakashi said, referring to her helping him wash his back and untie some of his muscle knots. He softly placed his hands over hers, which were caressing his abs in a tender hug. He didn't want to trouble her any further and so he decided to start washing his own hair. But (Y/n) pouted.
"Wait, can I too?" she asked him.
"Are you sure?" he asked back, really not wanting to trouble her further because ever since the shower started, she had been taking care of him.
"Yes! Just relax," she smiled softly. And after that, Kakashi didn't refute her any longer. After all, he could never say no to her caresses. Especially if they were to his hair.
She squeezed the shampoo bottle, letting the liquid fall onto Kakashi's wet hair. Then she started rubbing his soft hair. Now even softer due to the water. It was so soft on her fingers, that it felt like literal liquid silver, like silk. She just loved his hair almost as much as he loved her fingers going through his hair.
She loved it so much, she didn't realize she was smiling while washing him. And it was then, that her eyes fell on her ring finger. It caught her attention quite quickly actually, for her golden marriage ring really stood out over his silver hair. She remembered the day he gave it to her. Even though of course, she didn't know half of the things that went through his mind until he finally decided on a ring.
Kakashi had thought about giving (Y/n) a ring ever since he proposed marrying each other. He had to get one if he wanted to marry her, and he didn't want her to think that he wasn't doing it out of love, he had to show her. In fact, his stress about getting a good ring, a perfect ring that matched her beauty, only got worse after they were legally married.
He had visited dozens of jewelers, looking at rings, and imagining them around her finger. But none matched her beauty, none were worthy of her. And don't get me started about how he was to give it to her. He obviously didn't want to just give it to her, as if it was whatever. But he wasn't thinking of doing anything particularly special either. After all, they were already married. In fact, he even told her his plan. Kind of, at least.
It was one day, they were watching the stars in what used to be their place: by the river. Both of them were laying on the grass, but (Y/n) was laying her head on his shoulder, hugging his arm while his hand entwined with both of hers. And from time to time, he placed a kiss on top of her head.
"I'm sorry I still haven't given you a proper ring," he admitted to her softly. (Y/n) rubbed her cheek on his shoulder, tightening her hug around him, and smiled.
"You don't need to!" she said, kissing his shoulder/arm as well. His fingers caressed her hand in his.
"But I want to," he answered lowly, thinking of all the rings he had seen that day, that of course, she didn't know of yet "I promise, I'll get you a good ring," he continued, ignoring her words. She didn't say anything else and forgot about it for the following days. Of course, until one specific day.
Kakashi had to come home that day from a week-long mission, and (Y/n) knew. That's why she was cooking one of his favorite meals. She was already happy while she was cooking, singing parts of a song that had been lately stuck to her head. But her smile widened even more when she heard the door opening.
"You're right on time," she said to Kakashi "I'm just getting finished," she added, flipping the frying food.
He didn't say anything, instead, he just wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her warmly while nuzzling his maskless face in the crook of her neck. He kissed her passionately but softly, having missed her scent. And she smiled, having missed his secure arms.
"It's alright," he mumbled after a while, still enjoying the feeling of having her in his arms "I can stay like this some more,"
She smiled again and switched off the stove. Running her hands up and down his arms to caress him back. At her actions, he separated slightly, moving his hands to hers. Or well, more specifically one of his hands to one of hers. He enclosed his hand around hers, laying short pecks on her neck that caused her tickles; and of course, when she giggled he smiled as well. Then, he stopped, and slowly brought his other hand to hers, this time, placing something in it. A box she could already imagine the contents of.
(Y/n) smiled at the sight of the ring again, remembering that day. However, she stopped smiling when she realized Kakashi was acting weird.
"Are you okay?" (Y/n) asked, noticing that he had started to rub his eyes and thinking that she had gotten some shampoo in his eyes.
He had been smiling. He obviously enjoyed the touch of her hands. It always gave him chills when she touched his hair, but for some reason, it was now giving him different chills. Happy chills, but different, almost melancholic.
"Yes, I'm fine," he answered with a smile "This... feels nice, keep going," he said, still having his eyes teary despite having rubbed them. And so, (Y/n) continued to massage his hair like the many times he had done with her to help her lull her to sleep.
He felt the way her hands moved on his head, the way her fingers moved through the wet strands of hair. And he just thought about how much he loved her. About how much she had changed him, and how much he had grown as a person thanks to her. She had become his whole life and reason of being, and he couldn't imagine a life without her anymore. Waking up to an empty bed, something he had to inevitably do in his missions, already seemed like an arduous task.
"I—" he began after a while.
"I love you," she said before he could while rinsing his hair. Both of them chuckled, and Kakashi held one of her hands. He brought it close to his face, the hand that had their matching rings, and kissed it as a form of a vow. Like the one they did when they promised to be together forever. The vow they did to have each other forever. Even when they didn't have anyone else, even if they were to be alone like they did when they met each other.
Maybe they wouldn't have anyone else. Maybe (hopefully not), they'd lose everyone else, and end up alone. But as long as they had each other, they'd be alright. Even if they were alone, they'd at least be alone together. And that for them had been and would always be enough.
The end :S
[Check out my other books if you want more of Kakashi :)]