tags: friends in love, kunoichi! reader, unresolved feelings, jealousy, pakkun does not want to be here
synopsis: kakashi is very good at being distant, and very bad at admitting he doesn’t want to be. so bad he resorts to using his dog as a wingman to gain his former teammate’s attention.
or in which kakashi uses pakkun to distract you from your conversation with another man. jealous? him? never.
wc: 1.4k
masterlist
“this is an all-time low. even for you.”
pakkun’s tone held the stern disappointment of a father reprimanding its child. kakashi was a grown man in his early twenties.
“i don’t know what you mean,” the ninja shrugged, his non-chalant exterior working hard not to betray his inner turmoil.
“you’re not asking me to spy on y/n’s conversation?”
okay maybe he was asking that. it was not his fault you were leaning against the bar’s wall, outside, a glass in hand and raidō at your side, laughing far too much at his jokes. raidō was not that funny of a guy.
to witness this proximity made the inside of his stomach twist with something inconfortable and… undeniably green. and maybe the few beers he’d downed were starting to nibble at his common sense. because why else would he summon pakkun at this ungodly hour of the night in the middle of konoha’s safe streets?
“no, i just thought you might want to say hi.”
kakashi knew he was being childish. pakkun’s eyes narrowed. he knew too.
“her pets are good, but not that good,” the dog’s voice was flat. “say kakashi, do you like this female?”
the man ignored the way his face heated with the question – or the answers he was struggling to form.
a long sigh. “i don’t know how i feel. will you… just help me?”
pakkun looked up at him unimpressed. “i already have my answer anyway. you’ve never been discreet when you were teammates either.”
with a sassy turn, the dog trotted in your direction, grumbling some things about his owner being pathetic.
yea, kakashi was never going to live this down. but for all he knew, that was worth it. the second you spotted the furry creature you loved so wholeheartedly, you shrieked and abandoned raidō immediately to rush over to pakkun.
the copy ninja watched with a little too much satisfaction as you picked the dog up, twirling him around before covering his head in smooches.
he didn’t know what excuse his little furry friend came up with, but you nodded, waved at raidō, and then walked in kakashi’s direction. your head was lowered to talk with the dog you still held in your arms. ah, pakkun could pretend all he wanted, he loved your attention.
“my poor boy,” the man heard as you grew closer. “he really got you doing all that? with no treats? that’s not a way to behave at all!”
oh no. pakkun was definetly using your affection for him to turn the situation around.
but your former teammate didn’t have time to worry – when you spotted him, leaning against a wall in the twilight, your face lit up with a bright grin and his heart skipped a beat.
“kakashi!” you called, the excitement in your voice clouding his thoughts.
he didn’t trust his voice, so instead he took a few steps in your direction.
there was no hesitation when your wrapped one arm around his neck in a hug, the other arm still tightly secured around his dog.
his body stiffened – physical contact was never something most people indulged with him. but soon enough he relaxed in your embrace, your scent invading his senses and making his heart race quicker.
“it’s been a while,” he finally got out, feeling stupid about staying silent for son long.
you took a step back. the smile hadn’t left your lips. pakkun had closed his eyes in content, your fingers returning to pet him softly. if he was a cat, there was no doubt he’d purr under your touch.
“mmmh, we did see each other last week for gai’s birthday,” a teasing glint sparkled in your eyes. “but i get what you mean. it has been a while... so much so that you forget how to treat your dog right!”
a comically deep frown settled between your brows, your expression disapproving. god, you looked even prettier.
“pakkun’s telling me you’ve been overworking him.”
kakashi’s lips twitched. of course he did…
“did he tell you that i spoil him a lot more than i should and now he’s become a self-entitled brat?” the man’s eyes narrowed as he eyed his dog.
he was annoyed enough to have to compete for your attention with raidō, he’d rather not continue doing so with his own ninken. also… he had a feeling he wouldn’t win…
pakkun huffed. “careful kakashi, or i might just reveal your big secret to–“
poof. a white cloud exploded in your arms and you let out a small scream of protest, sending a glare at your former teammate.
“hey! that’s not nice. i didn’t even say goodbye.”
kakashi shrugged in indifference. “he wanted some rest, didn’t he?”
you shoved his shoulder with your own as you started walking away, complaining about him. kakashi followed you, his eyes crinkling with amusement.
“that’s not the way to your house,” he remarked before he realized he shouldn’t remember where your house is – you only showed him once. the rest of the time, it was just him taking a detour as he returned from his anbu missions, passing by your house to catch a glimpse of you.
to his relief, you didn’t mention it. “no. we’re going to buy some well-deserved dog treats. there’s a convenience store open 24/7, they sell his favorite.”
you sent him a pointed look, daring him to protest. he would never – not when this convenience store was conveniently located on the other side of town.
the walk was long – at one point, kakashi casually wrapped his jacket around your shoulders. he could have sworn your ears turned pinker. maybe that was the cold of january. but the way you laughed, the way your eyes sparkled everytime you told a story, the way you understood him when the conversation shifted to more guarded topics he could only ever talk about with you. that made him feel warm in a way even the sunniest summer day could have never.
once the treats were bought – way too much treats, including an entire bag that weighed a ton and that kakashi took from your hands to slung over his shoulder – he walked you back to your house. your arms brushed, your knuckles sometimes collided gently. his heart raced each time.
“i missed this,” he finally admitted when you stood by your apartment’s open door. “missed you,” he corrected.
your features softened with the confession. a sincere smile bloomed on your lips, and he knew the words went straight to your heart from the way your eyes seemed to grow more watery.
“me too.”
this time when you hugged him, both your arms were wrapped around his shoulders and your bodies were flushed against one another. he was certain you could feel his heart threaten to burst out of his chest, but he still melted under your touch. his face nestled against the crook of your neck, and he took a deep inhale, your scent clouding his mind and making his head spin.
“i really do miss you,” you repeated again, voice muffled against his cloth, holding him tighter. “sometimes you seem so… out of reach.”
his muscles tensed under your fingers. he knew. he didn’t know if he did it on purpose or if it was just how things were now.
he didn’t let go when your grip lessened. you chuckled and shifted so that your hands could softly trace patterns in his wild mass of grey hair.
kakashi shuddered.
no wonder pakkun was so fond of you.
he couldn’t tell how much time passed until your bodies finally separated. he just knew he’d never felt more peaceful ever since… everything went down.
maybe isolating himself within the anbu corps was… not his endpoint.
your eyes sparkled when you kissed his cheek to wish him a goodnight. you kept one of the treat bags, telling him he’d “have no other choice than to hang out with you again” if he wanted them.
“oh, that reminds me,” you added just as you were about to close the door. “next time you’re jealous or want to spend time with me… spare pakkun and come get me yourself.”
his eyes widened, but already the door closed and he was left alone in his embarrassment. he swore he heard you giggle inside your appartment.