genre : fluff; more than friends, less than lovers
tags: unresolved sexual tension if you squint, domestic fluff, cuddles, kakashi has a hair pulling kink
synopsis : responsibilities drained the life out of kakashi. when you suggested that he comes sleep and rest at your place whenever he's too tired to make the way to his house, you never expected the hokage to completely let you in, seeking your warmth and longstanding affection to get him through his days.
or in which kakashi comes one evening, exhausted but content to fall asleep in your arms.
wc : 2.9k
a/n: this was very much inspired by yamato’s prompt from this hc by bttrflybb like i couldn’t stopppp thinking about a kakashi ver so here it is
i’m so down bad for this man i seem to have read the whole of tumblr fanfics on kakashi. so i’m on my last resort – writing fics myself. check my masterlist for more kakashi one shots and please send recs if you have any 🙏
you told kakashi he didn't need to knock to come into your appartment. he never even used to. he was always more of a breaking-in-silently-and-give-you-a-heart-attack kind of guy.
but for some reasons, he'd always knock now. you suspected he thought he was respecting your privacy, which was ridiculous, given that you'd known each other since ANBU, and then again after, when you'd both quietly found your way back to each other as regular jōnin. you had been friends for a decade now. though 'friends' seemed like a word only accurate to the extent of a map - technically correct, missing most of the texture. you knew you weren't friends with him the way you were friends with others.
still, he now knocked. you thought about teasing him for it, but eh. he had enough going on.
things had changed since he became hokage. you had never seen him so disheartened. one time when you handed in your mission's report, you were commenting on how rarely you crossed paths with him these days until you caught his glassy eyes, his dark circles, his back hunched under the weight of exhaustion.
"kakashi," you had frowned, stopping in your tracks. "are you ok?"
it had taken some insistence for him to spill his guts, but he was never one to resist you, and you had known exactly how to get your way with him since approximately your second year in ANBU. when you realized just how much this new function consumed him - not just the work, but the isolation too - something tugged at your heart. guilt, for not having noticed sooner. concern, definitely. and... well, that other thing too.
it was what drove you to offer him to sleep over at your apartment whenever he left the office too late, or had to come in too early. your house was indeed conveniently located just a few minutes away - a handful of seconds if he bothered to use the rooftops, which you knew he would.
he'd made an odd sound, eyes wide and alert. something between a cough and a stutter; and you'd watched him try to find a reason to say no with red ears and come up empty. you'd ignore your own blush you could feel creep in under his intense stare. instead, you'd shove his shoulder playfully, a smile eating your face as you looked up to him fondly. "i don't have spares, but i don't doubt the window will do just fine for you."
you were surprised he proved you wrong three days later. and then ever since. more and more frequently.
sometimes, you were asleep or even away on missions, and in those cases, you wondered how much time he waited behind the door before entering. the thought put a small smile on your face as you walked towards your entrance.
as usual nowadays, a soft knock had disrupted your evening. not like you had stayed up waiting for him or anything... no, you were just... coincidentally awake.
"hey," you opened gently.
kakashi was leaning on the doorframe, his hokage hat dangling from two fingers like he forgot he was holding it, his shoulders dropping under the weight of the world and his right eye, tired, softening imperceptibly when he landed on you.
"you look awful."
there was a teasing tone in your voice that did not escape him. "thank you," he sighed, stepping inside. "i feel awful too."
he stepped out of his sandals, automatically placing them right by yours as he had started doing since month one. his vest found its place on the back of the chair he'd slowly claim as his - the one you stopped using around month two, carefully setting it aside for kakashi even on the days he was not there.
you let him undress, walking back to the stove where soup was waiting to be re-heated. "aw," you cooed, still teasing him. "what put my favourite hokage in this state?"
kakashi sighed, making his way towards you. "there was a council meeting." a long exhale punctuated the explanation. "five hours."
suddenly, you felt his presence way too close to you - one hand resting right next to yours near the gas cooker, his body almost caging you against the stove but not quite touching you. your heart rate picked up, shoulders stiffening until you felt a tingle on your collarbone. grey hair brushed softly against your cheek until kakashi fully nestled his chin in the crook of your neck, resting his weight on you, his eyes closing in exhaustion.
"need help?" he mumbled, his mask barely retaining the breath that caressed your skin and sent a chill down your spine.
your heart melted. occasionally living with kakashi meant witnessing sides of him you didn't expect. for instance, you knew he never was one for physical contact. you didn't know if it was the lateness of the hour or the intimacy of four walls and a roof, but with you, he turned clingy sometimes, needy even, in a way you never saw him be before.
"all good kashi," you answered softly, and you could've sworn he hummed in contentment at the nickname. "go rest. i'll bring you dinner."
he didn't make a move yet. you'd thought he fell asleep right here still standing up, head resting on your shoulder if he hadn't thanked you, his hand travelling to your hips to give a light, grateful, squeeze. you bit your lips, cursing your body's reaction and the way your breath hitched every time he'd get close to you.
when he tore himself away finally your mind cleared, your heart's frenetic gallop slowing down only ever so slightly. well, that was until you noticed a splash of colour on your table from the corner of your eyes. a fresh bouquet of pink lilies - your favourites - proudly spilled from the edge of your previously empty vase. this sneaky- when did he even find time to get those? or even put them here without me noticing?
your questions didn't tame the surge of affection you now felt.
when you entered his room - well, the guest room, but really, his room now - with an irrepressible smile and two bowls of soup in your hand, he was exactly where you expected him to be. sat cross-legged on his bed, his back against the wall, head tipped up toward the ceiling, eyes closed, looking as drained as he probably was. you didn't let your eyes wander on the muscular arms that poured from his sleeveless tank top. nope, definitely not oggling him.
you settled on the bed next to him and set a bowl in his hand.
"thank you, y/n."
he always said 'thank you' with an intensity way too excessive for a simple polite formula, searching for your eyes and looking at you in a mysterious, pensive way.
"my pleasure, lord sixth," you deflected, a chuckled leaving your lips when his eyes drooped.
he let out a small groan. "it's bad enough others keep calling me that, please don't start."
you swung his way so that your shoulder gently bumped his. "my most sincere apologies, lord hokage, sixth of the name. are you still feeling shy about your outstanding, once-in-a-lifetime achievement?"
"y/n."
"kakashi," you returned, matching his tone.
the corner of his eyes creased, and you knew his mask was hiding a smile.
well, until it wasn't anymore.
the butterflies in your stomach always fluttered their wings frantically whenever kakashi'd slid down his mask before you. it was just not his handsome face - which, trust, was out of this world - but also the sheer intimacy, vulnerability, and trust that the gesture implied.
unbeknownst to you, the ninja enjoyed just as much the warmth of sharing this well-kept side of him with you. plus, he loved seeing you all flustered, pretending he couldn't feel you trying not to stare even after countless meals where he chose to stop hiding from you. it filled him with pride and a giddy sensation to know he had that effect on you. so what if he abused of it a bit from time to time?
"so, five hours, uh?" you said eventually, curious about this day. "finally settling the whole mission filing system reform thing then. you did a lot of talking in there?"
"not exactly," he winced, grim. "they didn't received my suggestion well to settle it with a coin at hour two. thought it better to keep to myself after that."
he knew you'd be looking at him with a shocked expression, and the corners of his mouth curled.
you gave him a stern look. "kakashi."
"though i also suggested they were welcome to do the filing themselves if they had such strong opinions about it."
"kakashi."
you pressed your lips together very hard, suppressing a laugh. he glanced at you sidelong, that single grey eye catching the light and sparkling with amusement, fondly scanning your reaction.
soon, the bowls emptied and his head found the wall again, eyes drifting shut. you admired his profile as the tension held in his features slowly disappeared. your brave, selfless, tiny bit lazy but admirable kakashi, bound by responsabilities he never asked for. he was far from the wilderness - the freedom - of your S-ranks missions now, and there was no doubt in your mind he missed the thrill of adventure.
you took his bowl from his loosening grip before it could tip.
"hey," you kept your voice low. "don't sleep sitting up, you'll feel horrible."
"m'fine," he muttered.
"you need a good night of sleep, kakashi," you set both bowls aside on the nightstand and shifted to face him. "don't be stubborn."
a long pause. "...don't go."
the words startled you. kakashi was never one for confessions.
your hand hesitated as it rose. "okay," you murmured, the beats of your heart resonating in your entire self. slowly, shifting on the bed, you let your fingers graze the side of his jaw, guiding his head, and then his entire body, to lay down, his head resting on your lap. kakashi's right eye fluttered opened, scanning your face in silence, too long for your own comfort. "sleep," you ordered, and he made a show of closing his eye right back and sighing in content.
a lock of grey hair slipped, brushing the side of his eye to lodge against his nose. without thinking, you reached over and pushed the hair back from his forehead. you felt kakashi's entire body stiffen, and, realizing what you just did, you stilled. but he moved into your hand, silently beckoning you to continue. slowly, you let your fingers move tentatively through the silver strands, unhurried, tracing no particular path. his breath heaved, and you wondered if it was just because he was falling asleep.
you let your thoughts wander as you admired his features, enjoying the softness of his hair.
"sleeping yet?" you whispered, barely audibly.
"'m not tired," he answered back, making you frown with confusion. the man just collapsed from exhaustion. "you can talk," he added, knowing you too well not to sense you had a question on the tip of your tongue.
"i saw tenzō yesterday," you said, and kakashi's head shifted on your lap.
"...ah."
you knew he knew where you were getting at, and his little innocence act was not holding up. "he looked like he hadn't slept since the fourth great war."
"tenzō is very dedicated to his work."
you raised a dubious brow. "kakashi."
"he volunteered, actually-"
catching him in his lie, you tugged at his hair. not hard, but a firm pull at the root, meant as a gentle punishment and not as anything else. certainly not something that elicited such a reaction from him. the noise he made was not very successfully swallowed - it'd been quiet, very quiet, and brief, and he covered it almost immediately with a rough exhale, but you felt it.
oh.
kakashi jumped up, out of your lap, red tainting his entire face as he looked anywhere but at you.
something warm unfurled in your chest and travelled somewhere it had absolutely no business going, you stared at the wall ahead. that was... interesting.
a long moment passed. then another.
"...you were saying," kakashi cleared his throat at last. careful and robotic like a man insisting nothing happened. "something about tenzō."
the devil on your shoulder tempted you to torture the man a bit by letting the moment drag, playing clueless, watching him getting all flustered. but one look of his stiff, straight body made you take pity. mostly.
"right," you couldn't control the amused edge of your tone. "you can't keep guilt tripping him into taking on your paperwork load. you know he can't refuse you anything."
"i handle plenty of work myself," he replied, a slight pout in his voice that you only ever heard in the privacy of your apartment. he really is like a puppy sometimes, the thought popped into your mind. so needy.
"i know," you laughed, letting yourself fall on the bed, laying on your back and looking up at kakashi. "and i know you're saturated with the new mission report system. but come on. spare the poor man."
a sigh. a long pause. "i'll make it up to him," the hokage conceded.
"you will," you agreed. "starting tomorrow."
"starting tomorrow," he nodded, admitting defeat.
you let out a satisfied hum.
the weight of the bed dipped under you, and suddenly kakashi was laying next to you, putting a respectful distance between your bodies - as much as he could on the one-person bed he usually occupied alone.
"you're terrible," you heard him mutter, but his face turned just far enough that you couldn't quite make out the rest. you wiggled on the bed, trying to find a comfortable position where you could read the words on his lips.
"what are you even grumpy about now," you muttered as you attempted to roll over.
suddenly, a muscular arm grabbed your middle, pinning you to the mattress. you gasped, stunned by the sight of him propped up on his elbow above you. "stop kicking me," he scolded, playful, his tired eye tracing fondly the curves of your face.
"i couldn't hear what you were saying."
"i said you're terrible," he repeated. "they all go through you. tenzō, naruto. the others. they know if they want something you'll find a way to get me to do it." a pause. "it's irritating."
"maybe stop pretending you don't hear them then."
you chuckled at the face he pulled, half exasperated and half resigned. "aw, poor you," you cooed, one hand rising to cradle the side of his face. "everyone using me to get to the great and terrible sixth hokage."
his eyes fluttered at your touch. you hadn't noticed before, but he truly was battling sleep ever since he finished eating, just for the sake of talking with you. your heart melted, that familiar fond exasperation sitting warm in your chest.
"maybe they come to me because i know your weaknesses," you lowered your voice, and, sensing he was starting to lose his battle, you made space for him and he took it immediately, his head settling right below yours.
you never had him so close physically, yet it did not feel weird. when the rest of his body moved, you felt his hesitancy, his stiffness, but you let him make his own choice, deciding what was too much or not for him. his arm ended up draping over you, bringing you closer than you think he'd want. a content sigh brushed over your skin.
you thought the conversation died before you heard his question, "such as?"
a smile threatened to rip your face into. he was almost half asleep, warm and serene against you. you felt a bit guilt closing your trap on him but...
you let the pause stretch just long enough.
"such as a raging hair pulling kink, for instance."
the effect was instantaneous.
the red that had barely faded from his ears came back more bright than it was before, flooding up his neck, across his cheeks, all the way to the tips of his ears in a single catastrophic wave. he made a sound that was not a word.
then, with the quiet dignity of a man who had run out of all other options, kakashi hatake, sixth hokage, legendary warrior and copy ninja, buried his face directly into the curve of your neck to hide his blush.
“knew you wouldn’t let that slide…”
you burst out laughing, unable to hear if he had replied anything. for reading so much smut, he surely got shy with alarming ease.
at least you were sure he was no longer dwelling on council meetings and mission filing systems. your fingers found their way again to the nape of his neck, brushing gently over his skin, soothing.
you were still smiling at the ceiling. his hair was soft against your jaw and his breath was warm and he was heavy and probably a bit embarrassed at your side and you had never in your life felt more fond of another human being.
"go to sleep, kashi," you murmured softly.
a long exhale - then his arm, still around your middle, pulled you imperceptibly closer.
"goodnight," he muttered, and the tenderness with which he said it made your heart race.
Please picture this: it's the first time you've stayed the night at Bucky's place, though you spend almost as much time there as you do at your place. Alpine loves you, but you're kind of worried that she'll be angry or upset that you're also cuddling her human at night.
Flash forward, and you're sound asleep. You wake up to Bucky trying to convince Alpine that she's in his spot and that he's also allowed to sleep by you, because the second he got up for something she settled into his place and claimed you.
You don’t think you’re nervous until you’re standing in Bucky’s bedroom in socked feet, holding an overnight bag like it might bite you.
You practically live here already. Your toothbrush has been in his bathroom for weeks. Your hoodie hangs on the back of his chair. Alpine knows the sound of your footsteps and greets you at the door like you belong there. Still—this feels different. Sleeping here. Staying the whole night.
Bucky notices immediately.
“You okay?” he asks softly, leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed loose and relaxed. Alpine is already at your ankles, circling like a fluffy little shark, tail flicking.
“I’m fine,” you say, which is a lie. “Just… first night jitters, I guess.”
He smiles, small and fond. “She already claimed you, y’know.”
You look down. Alpine has plopped directly onto your feet, sitting like a sentry.
“That’s actually what I’m worried about,” you admit, lowering your voice like she might understand. “What if she gets mad that I’m… you know. In your bed. With you.”
Bucky snorts, then immediately softens when Alpine looks up at him. “She gets mad if I sit in the wrong chair. You’re fine.”
Still, later, when you’re brushing your teeth side by side, you catch yourself glancing at the cat bed in the corner. At the empty space on the other side of his mattress. You’ve seen Alpine curl up there before, possessive and proud.
When you finally crawl into bed, Bucky goes out of his way to make space. He keeps his arm light around your waist, like he’s giving you an out. Alpine hops up a minute later, does one slow, deliberate circle near your chest, then settles between you and Bucky with a satisfied huff.
You freeze.
“She—she’s okay, right?” you whisper.
Bucky presses a kiss to your hair. “She likes you. That’s her saying it.”
Eventually, the warmth of them both pulls you under. Bucky’s steady breathing. Alpine’s rumbling purr, loud and insistent against your ribs. You fall asleep thinking, maybe foolishly, that this might be the safest you’ve ever felt.
---
You wake up to murmuring.
Low. Careful. Slightly exasperated.
“Al, c’mon. That’s not fair.”
Your eyes stay closed as your brain catches up. The bed feels… different. Warmer on one side. Heavier on the other.
“Alpine,” Bucky whispers, trying—and failing—to keep the fondness out of his voice. “That’s my spot.”
A soft, unimpressed mrrp answers him.
You crack one eye open.
Sometime during the night, Bucky must have gotten up. Bathroom, water, nightmares—you’re not sure. What you are sure of is that Alpine has taken full advantage of his absence.
She’s sprawled exactly where he was, pressed flush against your side, one paw draped possessively over your stomach. Her chin is tucked under your jaw. You are, unmistakably, claimed.
Bucky stands at the edge of the bed, hair a mess, t-shirt wrinkled, looking betrayed.
“You don’t even like that side,” he says quietly, gesturing. “You always sleep by the window.”
Alpine flicks an ear and does not move.
You bite your lip to keep from laughing.
“I live here too,” he continues, earnest now. “I’m also allowed to sleep with my girlfriend.”
Girlfriend.
Your chest warms at the word.
Alpine’s tail swishes once. Her paw tightens, claws just barely pressing through the fabric of your shirt.
Bucky sighs. “You’re doing this on purpose.”
He tries to ease her paw away. She tightens her grip and lets out a warning trill.
“Al,” he warns, glancing at you apologetically. “Don’t bully her.”
You finally open your eyes all the way. “She’s not bullying me,” you mumble sleepily. “I think she’s protecting me.”
“That’s my job,” he says immediately.
Alpine lifts her head and stares him down.
There’s a long, silent standoff. Super soldier versus cat. The cat is winning.
Bucky scrubs a hand down his face. “I was gone for two minutes.”
“She missed me,” you say, half-asleep and teasing.
“She replaced me.”
Eventually, Bucky gives up on moving her and carefully slides in on the other side instead, crowding closer until you’re sandwiched. Alpine grumbles but allows it, adjusting just enough that she stays pressed to you while acknowledging his presence.
Bucky wraps an arm around you from behind, tucking his chin over your shoulder.
“She kicked me out of my own bed,” he mutters.
You reach back, threading your fingers through his. “You can share.”
He presses a soft kiss to your neck. “You’re worth it.”
Alpine purrs louder, victorious.
Bucky watches her for a moment, then huffs a quiet laugh. “Guess that’s it, then.”
“What?”
“She picked you.” His voice is gentle, almost reverent. “Took my place without even askin’.”
Your throat tightens. You shift just enough to kiss his knuckles. “She learned from you.”
He stills, then squeezes your hand.
The three of you settle like that—warm, tangled, claimed—until sleep pulls you back under, this time with Bucky right where he belongs and Alpine making sure neither of you even thinks about moving.
wc: 439, yearning, mutual pining, developing relationship, dums both think it's unrequited, sleepy lovers, tooth-rotting fluff, reader is not the trailblazer, no use of y/n or [name]
crossposted to ao3. masterlist
the path of the trailblaze is not for the faint of heart, nor for the weary—yet here you are.
each warp only led to precarious situations, from second identities hidden within oneself to lord ravagers threatening to push the universe to the finality. akivili knows there are neither limits nor hurdles to making the unknown become knowable, so you repaid THEM by gracing yourself with a long nap.
a soft creek from your door echoed throughout the silent room, yet you did not react. what comes with trailblazing were unforgettable moments, some that affected others way more than you—some like danheng.
the burden of a past life is inconceivable for a nameless like you, someone who has no clue of theirs anyway—but it's still a burden worth sharing, which led to an unspoken tradition between you two.
you could hear him try to lighten his steps, muttering a curse after a step too loud for his taste before stopping by your bedside.
"i know you're awake"
you turned to face him, not even trying to hide your amusement anymore. he looked disheveled, with a few strands sticking out while wearing a star-patterned shirt that you bought him on a whim back in penacony and holding the blanket that messily covered his makeshift bed in the data bank—so unlike his typical persona. not many get to see him so vulnerable like this.
"well, someone kept rejecting having their own room." in spite of your tone, you sleepily patted his reserved spot by your side.
he huffed, making himself at home with his side of the mattress. the bed sunk with the added weight but it only filled your chest with warmth that always came with him.
no matter how many quests that ended up like this, it never failed to make your heart stutter. there was a domestic aspect to it that neither of you were willing to touch on nor break away from.
silence continued to envelope the room, but it only made you even more awake with his presence. you resist the urge to touch shoulders with him.
because no matter how many quests that end up like this, you could not bring yourself to cross that boundary with him. the extra pillow of his that stuck with you after a week of this routine found solace in your room and served as a border between you two.
but in the end, you both would always end up entangled in each others' arms—several pillows tossed aside (with march sneaking in a photo or two). and the rest could only facepalm at both of your coyness in the morning.
˖·˳.༄˚₊ do not feed my writing to ai nor repost it to other platforms without permissions.
