Short chapter, Finals week is coming up.
Kind of a filler chapter?
Anyways, thank you for reading :).
Lyra
Look at that, a rainbow.
I thought absently as I crossed my legs on the bench outside the Hyuga great hall. The sun was fighting its way from the confines of the clouds, the rain finally letting up and the world returning to light. A giant rainbow was stretched out across the sky, the colors shimmering in the humid sky. The blue of the sky was peeking out from behind the quickly dispersing wall of clouds, and the rainbow was solidifying as the sun hit all of the water droplets in the air. I was sitting by myself on a bench in the Hyuga courtyard, and I could hear the drone of talking come from inside the great hall. Everyone was eating lunch after the morning of rehearsals, and I had grabbed a few eggrolls and a cup of tea and sought out a quiet place.
I can only take so much… people.
I smiled and shook my head at myself as I sipped the warm tea and watched the fish swim in the little pond, content to miss out on the pointless chatter that was occurring inside the building.
I had practiced my part with Neji under the close inspection of his uncle, going over how long each of us would take turns demonstrating offensive and defensive moves that highlighted the unique gentle fist. Having a fight so structured, down to the point where I had to worry about how long we had been fighting, takes the fun and the energy out of an exciting fight, and the morning and early afternoon had taken the energy out of me. Not to mention, the almost visible wall I felt between Neji and me from his serious and unemotional pale eyes and his stiff and uncomfortable body no longer dancing along mine in the balance and symmetry we once had in our fight.
I sighed and pulled out a couple things from my pouch. My fingers found my pile of stray dragon scales I had been saving up, scales that were smaller than coins and thinner than them. Each scale, however, was harder than any diamond, and possessed a value greater than any piece of jewelry. I also pulled out a bunch of small leather strips, the smooth and malleable pieces feeling comfortable and familiar in my hands. I began to weave a bracelet out of the scales and the leather strips, the simple labor of tying knots relaxing my mind and putting a smile on my face.
I wonder when I can leave from here. I would very much like to return to the apartment.
I felt my cheeks blush as I recalled the little action I had been teased with this morning by a certain man, so happening to be my roommate.
I wonder what he's up to.
As much as I would enjoy repeating whatever had happened this morning with him, I was also craving just the normal friend things we do like reading our books and arguing about how good certain scenes were, or cooking or baking food together and fighting over the last bite like it was the last food on earth. I smiled at the thought and continued to tighten the leather strips through the multi-colored scales, my mind lost in a sea of thoughts as I relaxed on the bench and soaked in the beautiful sight of the rainbow.
I looked up, surprised, when I felt Neji's chakra approach mine slowly from the building. The air was quiet except for the small crash of a mini-waterfall falling into the small pond and a bird chirping nearby. I met Neji's hard eyes and I felt my stomach flood with the unpleasant feeling once again, a mix of guilt and regret and sadness. I lowered my eyes from him and tried to swallow the knot that had formed in my throat as he came to sit next to me on the bench.
I glanced up at him and found his eyes softened as he looked down at the pond, his previous stiffness draining out of him and his expression relaxing. I watched as he relaxed from the tension he always held when around his family, and his large pale eyes came to meet mine with a new expression. His expression still held the hardness, but it also held his pain, and an understanding as he looked at me with a kindness I didn't deserve. I felt my heart break as I watched this pained and almost hopeless expression come from my friend, and I closed my eyes, unable to look at him without hugging him or apologizing again. I didn't know what to say.
Mistakes always have consequences. And some consequences are more painful than others.
"Lyra, I am sorry I have been distant. I haven't been a good friend." His soft voice said to me, and my eyes shot open in disbelief.
He's sorry? Why would he be sorry?
I'm the shitty friend here.
His pained face, his hardening eyes from that morning flew into my mind and struck my heart.
Neji saw my surprise and my disagreement, and he gave me a small smile. He closed his eyes and bent his head a bit, his long hair falling forward over his shoulders and framing his face. I frowned, immediately rejecting any apology he could have for me.
"Neji, there is absolutely nothing for you to be sorry about." I clenched my hands, frustrated at myself for this awkward and uncomfortable feeling we now had between us. "I deserve your anger." I angrily took a sip of tea, unsatisfied that he wasn't angry with me and my unfair actions.
I glared at the beautiful pond with the beautiful fish and wished that Neji would realize how selfish my drunken choices were and get mad at me. Get angry with me. Tell me what a horrible friend I was and how I don't deserve to fight against him any longer.
I felt a single tear fall down my angry cheek, and I wiped it away as I looked at his face. He looked at me with patience, and with that understanding that hurt my heart.
"I'm not angry with you, Lyra. I… acted selfishly that night, taking what I wanted and not stopping us when we went too far." He looked down, his own face filling with frustration and pain. The sight of my friend, the friend whom I had taken advantage of when I was under the influence, his face filled with pain and frustration that I caused, looking down and trying to apologize to me, caused my single tear to be met with another. I tentatively reached out my hand and lightly touched his arm, causing him to look up and meet my eyes with his weakened ones.
"Neji, I am so sorry. I am sorry for everything, and I can't stand seeing you thinking some of this was your fault. I turn into a monster when I drink. A monster that takes what it wants and leaves me to deal with it emotionally in the morning." Neji's eyes were watching mine, and I continued. "But I miss you as a friend, as a training partner I can release my energy with. I miss the connection we had, and I would do anything to regain it." I tried to hold his eyes, I tried to look at him straight on, and my heart ached. "I know I don't deserve that."
Neji raised his hand and rested it on my cheek for a few seconds before removing it gently, giving me a small smile. His eyes had softened some more, and his smile was beginning to reach his eyes. He spoke in his soft voice.
"I want us to be friends. Whatever either of us did and whatever either of us deserves, I want us to be friends." I stared at his kind eyes, his patient eyes that still held the tiniest amount of hardness, and I felt a weight from my chest be removed. I slipped my arms under his and hugged him quickly, thanking him. His hand patted my back and I removed myself from him, smiling slightly.
I visibly relaxed there on the bench, the tension from my heart slightly easing up and my brow relaxing from its frown. I looked up to see the rainbow again, counting the blessings I had when it came to my forgiving friends. I felt Neji shift slightly next to me, and I looked over at him to see his expression change to a nervous and uncomfortable one. He closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead, looking visibly stressed, and he opened his pale eyes to look at me again.
"I also came out here to warn you." He looked down again, and I felt my eyebrows rise in question. He continued.
"My uncle… he plans to…" Neji blinked and frowned towards the pond. "He plans to have me ask you to join our family with marriage."
I blinked at him, my mind completely stopping and abandoning my body to fend for its own.
Huh?
Neji continued, holding up his hands calmly, but his eyes were still guarded.
"I know you don't want that, and that is alright. But I know he does." Neji looked down and frowned, and I tried to grasp what he was saying.
His uncle wants… Neji to… huh?
Neji rubbed his forehead again, and he glanced at me, wanting me to respond. I whispered towards him, my face falling.
"I am so sorry, Neji…"
He nodded in understanding, and he glanced towards the great hall, his face taking on its familiar tension and stress it held around his family.
He probably doesn't have any choice in the matter.
Neji has to live his life under the control of his uncle, with next to no choices on his own.
I closed my eyes, feeling anger grow once again at this unfair family.
I wish I could help him.
I wish I could, because he deserves a better life than this.
But I can't be what they want.
I can't.
I sighed deeply, my own stress arising from the stress coming from my friend sitting next to me.
I can't, I won't get married. It's not just Neji… That is just not the life I can lead.
I opened my eyes to see him watching me with a slight sadness, and I looked at him back with the same sadness.
I questioned him with my eyes. I asked how long before I would have to say no. I asked him this, because my friendship with him could be affected if his uncle disapproved of my rejection.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, opening them again to answer me.
"I don't know. But you and I are done today for this rehearsal, so you can leave if you wish."
He looked over at the pond, his pale eyes not really seeing it, and I glared. I glared at the world.
I finished off my tea and also stared at the pond without really seeing it, speaking in my own soft tone.
"I need to punch something, Neji." He looked over at me with his eyebrows slightly raised, and he smiled a small smile in my direction. I met his eyes with my own, for once my expression the serious one and his the one with the smile.
"You can punch me, but I will punch back." He told me seriously, and I felt my crooked smile emerge from the depths of my problems.
"Good. I need a good fight." I said, and I felt the old feeling of friendship form from this friend, from his will to put up with my punches, both physical and metaphorical.
I stood up from the bench and was about to hold a hand out to help Neji up when the door to the great hall slid open and the drone of talking increased in volume. We looked over to see Hiashi emerge from the hall in his decorated robes, his bearing powerful and his expression unyielding.
Shit.
I glanced over at Neji, and his eyes told me he understood. I bowed over to the Lord and got my excuses out as fast as I could, before he could utter a word.
"Lord Hiashi, I apologize but I must leave now. Thank you again for the opportunity to perform in the ceremony, and thank you for lunch." I straightened up and tried to read his expression.
I need to leave now. I don't think I can handle any more confusing social interactions today.
He surprisingly didn't look down at me, he looked at me levelly like I was an equal. His eyes met mine with respect and he nodded at me in understanding, and I almost lost my cool. I smiled slightly at him and looked over at Neji, seeing his slight smile.
"See you later, Neji," I said as I made my way towards the gate to the Hyuga compound, and he nodded at me as well. I left the two in the garden and made my way towards the gate, my nerves out of whack.
I want to return to the apartment.
I exited the large gate and was about to make my way home when a green jump-suited body flew into my vision and made me stop abruptly in my tracks.
"Lyra-chan! I challenge you to a duel!" I blinked and focused on the mini-Gai, his determined look and his endless energy announcing his presence. I felt a large grin form on my face from the good luck.
I still need to punch something.
"Hey Lee, your timing is perfect." I smiled at the vibrating ninja, his energy visible and his determined smile hardening. "How about right now?"
I watched him nod furiously and take off in the direction of the village gate, towards one of the training grounds. I sprinted after him, smiling as it felt good to move and get some of my own pent up energy out. Lee shouted at me over his shoulder as we made our way to a good fighting ground.
"I have been excited to face you, Lyra-chan! I have heard good things about your fighting skills, and I have wanted to test my own skills against yours!"
I smiled at him as we bounded across the village, travelling at a fast rate to reach a suitable distance for a fight.
Lee fights entirely with Taijutsu, but he has all but mastered it.
I breathed in deeply, forgetting the confusing and awkward situation at the Hyugas' and tucking the weird feelings I have from my own apartment into a small space in the back of my mind to deal with later.
Now, now I can forget everything and let my body take over. Now I can fight this ninja and feel the power of his eight inner gates and counter it with my own power!
"Let's go, Lee! I won't hold back on you, so you don't hold back on me!"
Kakashi
Kakashi swirled his drink, watching the small droplets of condensation lazily drip down the sides of the glass. He gulped another mouthful, feeling the stinging liquid wash down his throat, promising the arrival of the drunken elated feeling he was here for. It was still early so the bar was all but empty; just a few other lonely people were nursing their drinks and contemplating life in the dark corners of the quiet pub. Just like he was.
What happened today?
He chuckled slightly and shook his head, trying again for the hundredth time to stop thinking about it. Stop thinking about her.
His training partner, his roommate. That energetic redheaded whirlwind of a woman.
What happened today?
He leaned on the counter, shifting his position to sit more comfortably on the barstool. His mind was a pool of conflicting thoughts. For the last week, no, probably for much longer than that, he had been trying his absolute best to bury any feelings he felt for her. It wasn't easy. Especially when she would bring surprise cookies for lunch after their training, or when she would smack him playfully when he would tease her about something or another, or when she would throw objects at either him or the wall like a book or a lamp or a comb or a sock in her reckless fury.
Kakashi felt a small smile form on his face from the image of his roommate's seething form when she found out he had finished off all of the leftover pancakes after promising to save her some. In their household, that was of course considered one of the most terrible of crimes. And he had done it just to see her face redden with her glare, and her eyes glint in their slits. The sight of his ruffled and exasperated roommate was one of the most amusing and adorable sights he had ever seen, and he admitted that he caused her to be in that state more than he should.
Kakashi closed his eyes and sighed, trying to sort out the mess of thoughts battling each other inside his head. After a while of constant denial and of disregarding any emotions he had for her, the outburst he had this morning was causing his confused mind to be overtaken by another organ in his body. An organ that was currently throbbing with pent up passion that needed to be released that had been lit up by his actions with her; his heart.
And I wasn't even doing a good job of ignoring it. She knew something was up, just by meeting my eyes.
Kakashi sighed again and finished off his drink, ignoring the other couple of empty glasses he had sitting in front of him. He doesn't usually drown his mind and heart in alcohol, but then he doesn't usually feel the need to. He is a high leveled shinobi, one of the most experienced and dependable ones in his village. His name is known across the other villages, and his deeds preceded him. He had served in the Anbu for years and had trained his mind to carry out orders emotionlessly, not allowing his heart to have any say in what his mind ordered his body to do. Kakashi had never before felt his heart betray him like this, where his mental state and even his physical state was affected by the relationship he held with another person.
Of course, her mental and physical states are just as affected, if not more.
His roommate was also a very high leveled shinobi, one he trusted with his life. He had absolutely no doubts about her when it came to combat and her teamwork, and she herself exhibited the perfect example of technique and resolve. But she too was affected by the simple thing of a relationship. Kakashi had found out very early in their friendship of her weakness, her instability when it came to close human contact both physically and emotionally.
Kakashi's brows narrowed, the thought of what caused her to be like that sending a cold chill through his limbs and causing him to clench his fists in anger. He still knew only very little about her past, about what horrifying experiences she had to live through to cause such a powerful woman to break down emotionally. He knew from experience that you cannot force someone to speak about a memory that causes them stress if they are not ready to. He himself had never spoken about Rin before recovering from his PTS, and he now still doesn't think talking about it to anyone back then would have helped him.
All I can do is be there for her. Make her laugh, make her smile, whether it is by kindness or by teasing her.
Kakashi let his mind muddle through his miscellaneous thoughts for a while, enjoying the alcohol and wanting more of it. The bar tender was already raising his eyebrows at him, subtly warning him that he had already had a lot to drink. Kakashi knew this, but he still felt his hand guide more sake to his mouth in his body's will to forget everything confusing.
He looked up when another person sat down beside him, and he found himself looking at his old friend and comrade, Asuma.
"Kakashi, a bit early to be drowning in your sorrows, don't you think?" Asuma asked casually, his expression amused but his eyes kind and understanding. Kakashi lazily blinked his eye at his old friend in response.
Am I drowning in my sorrows? But what sorrows?
Asuma signaled the bartender for a drink and joined Kakashi in the quiet and comfortable sake sipping. Kakashi noticed Asuma's energetic feel around him, and Asuma looked at Kakashi with a joyful glint in his eye. He continued in an excited voice.
"I'm here drinking for a good reason. It's Kurenai, Kakashi," he said, and Kakashi looked over at him in question. Asuma took a gulp of his sake and turned to Kakashi, his voice lowering in an excited whisper.
"She's pregnant," he smiled as he said this, and Kakashi's brows rose high in surprise. He knew his friend cared about Kurenai very much, and they had been in a secret but solid relationship for a while now. He used to wonder what his friend had that he didn't when it came to women, because Asuma's luck with Kurenai was greater than his was. Now, however, he was glad she had ended whatever they had when she did, because they had just never clicked. She and he want different things, and she and Asuma are much happier.
"Congratulations," Kakashi said with his own smile, glad to see his childhood friends take another step in their lives. Start a new chapter. Kakashi took another drink, feeling the sudden weight of his age weigh down on his shoulders in the reminder of how old he and his friends now were. "Children, Asuma," Kakashi mused over his glass, the statement holding a weight of its own.
"I know. I thought at first the thought of kids would terrify me, make me want to run away and start anew," Asuma mused over his own drink, his happy face holding a certain light. "But now that it's actually happening, I couldn't be happier."
Kakashi watched his friend speak his heart, and he felt happy for his friend. Asuma looked past his alcohol and past the bar, seeing something farther and more important than the present. Kakashi related to the feeling, realizing he had spent the last hour in his current thoughtful position here.
"Will she move in with you?" Kakashi asked his friend, and Asuma focused his eyes back to this dimension.
"Eventually. First we want to tell our teams and break the news smoothly," he responded, and Kakashi nodded. For some reason, the personal lives of senseis were an almost fragile subject to the students. Kakashi remembered Sakura's face when she had first met his roommate, her blush and embarrassment apparent but her curiosity also intrigued.
Who would have thought a couple months later, I would actually be doing and thinking about doing so much more with Lyra?
Kakashi looked over at his friend to see his face in a more serious expression, and he guessed what was on his mind.
"I'm sure Lord Third will be watching out for his future grandson or daughter from wherever he is now," Kakashi murmured, and Asuma nodded with a slight smile. Closing his eyes in the respectful silence, he responded,
"My old man would have loved to meet another grandchild. I wonder if he or she will be like Konohamaru." Asuma drank from his glass, and Kakashi did as well. Asuma shook his head a bit and looked at Kakashi, his eyes questioning.
"So what brought you here? I don't usually see you here at all, especially not this early in the evening," he asked, and Kakashi closed his eyes and sighed deeply. He smiled slightly, his alcohol-clouded mind returning to the reason he was here. Asuma watched him for a second, and then read his mind like an old friend would. Or like his roommate would.
"Are you here about a woman as well? I hear you are still training regularly with Lyra, you two still living together too?" He asked, and Kakashi nodded, unable to say more. However close he was to his old friends, he had never been able to properly voice his thoughts well for others. Especially if the thoughts dealt with his emotions. This was one of the reasons he had distanced himself from them so long ago after Rin died. He was unable to communicate with words what was bothering him, and trying to do so just made it harder for him. This was probably another reason he didn't fare too well in relationships.
But not with my roommate. With her, I don't need words.
Kakashi looked down, losing eye contact with him and focusing on his shrinking amount of alcohol. He felt Asuma's eyes on him, and he heard Asuma chuckle slightly.
"From the few times I've met her, she seems like a very unique person. You two have something special in common, besides your fighting skills and your love for graphic novels," Asuma said absently. Kakashi looked at him and questioned him with his eye, and Asuma smiled but his brows came together in his thinking, trying to put his own thoughts into words.
"I don't know what it is, but you two seem to always be on the same page. Like your minds just click with each other," Asuma mused, taking another drink from his glass. Kakashi blinked at him, surprised at how honest and accurate his words were, and how he had been able to tell that from just the few times he had seen them together. Kakashi stayed silent, not knowing what he could say and not even knowing how he would say it if he were to. He always appreciated this about Asuma; how he knew when he should speak and have a conversation with someone where only he speaks and the other just listens and agrees. It helps when a friend can say your own thoughts out loud for you, because sometimes saying your thoughts is painful or still convoluted in your own mind still, like Kakashi's were.
Not that the alcohol is helping with that.
They sat together in comfortable company for a while, and the people were slowly trickling in by the waning time and ordering drinks. After a while, Asuma finished his drink and paid the bartender, laying a hand on Kakashi's shoulder as he stood from the stool.
"I've got a mission tomorrow, I should head home. Take it easy, Kakashi," he smiled slightly, and Kakashi smiled back.
"You too, Asuma." He watched Asuma make his way out of the now crowded bar, and Kakashi sighed heavily.
I should be heading home soon too.
But then the thought of who would be waiting for him there, a tall and beautiful woman with fiery hair and those piercing eyes, with her natural scent and her kind and crooked smile, came flying into his mind and clenched his heart. His heart felt a pressure on it, squeezing it, but it wasn't a bad pressure that is caused by sadness or anxiety. It was a pressure caused by excitement and desire, and an almost awe. He was awed at her, at her elegant figure that moved with the grace of a goddess, at her soft and cool hands as they touched him with tenderness, and at her genuine eyes that held a depth of kindness and patience.
I need another drink.
Lyra
I stumbled over to the steaming heap of a body in front of me, my brows together in worry, making the other pains and fatigue in my body not important.
"Lee!" I called over to him again, my clumsy and tired feet tripping over the ruble we had created in the center of the now ruined training field. We were in the center of a very large and uneven crater, caused by the multiple assaults our fight did to the earth. I held a healing hand over my bloody fist as I made my way over to the crumpled form of Lee.
My eyes widened when I saw him shakily lift his head to look at me, and I felt relief flood through my veins. In our duel, it had become quickly apparent to me that his Taijutsu skills exceeded mine in power and in accuracy. I wasted no time as I had entered into Sage Mode, using the elements around me to increase my speed to be able to keep up with him. After an hour or so of fending off his expert physical attacks, I decided I had to bring ninjutsu into the mix of our fight.
I approached him and sat down heavily on the rubble next to him, holding my hands out to heal his burns I had accidentally given him. The only element fast enough to hit him when he had opened his gates was lightning, thus his steaming body.
"Lyra…chan… that was… an awesome fight…" he smiled up at me, and I smiled back at him as I moved my hands to heal more of his body.
"I am so sorry I burned you, Lee. But you were so fast! That was the only way I could hit you," I said, and I watched Lee smile from the compliment. I looked up at the sky as I continued to soothe his burns, realizing the evening had already worn on for quite some time. "We fought for a long time. That was a great fight, thank you Lee," I told him, and he shook his head.
"Thank you, Lyra-chan. It was great to test my skills against you!" He sat up and began to fasten his training weights back onto his shins. I sighed as I relaxed my beating heart for the first time in a few hours. Unfortunately, as my fight crazed heart and nerves settled down, they let in the thoughts and the worries I had been running from.
"It's so great to just fight for hours like that. I can just forget about everything and just enjoy doing what I do best," I mused over to Lee, and I felt his eyes look at me.
"I agree. But what would you want to forget about?" He asked me with genuine curiosity, and I smiled over to him, trying to understand what I even said.
"I'm not really sure. But I think forgetting about it for a while and coming back to it later is either immature or smart." I said randomly, and I chuckled at myself. I scratched my head and looked up at the dark sky, watching the navy blue clouds drift slowly across. Lee shifted next to me, uncommonly staying still.
"I think it may be both, but if it helps you and makes you happy, then you should continue to do that," he said in his pronunciated speech, and I half-smiled at him in thanks. I hefted myself up onto my feet, and so did he.
"I think I'll head home now. Thanks again for the fight, Lee," I said as we climbed out way out of the crater.
"Thank you again too! We ended this day of training with a powerful match!" He replied, and I nodded. I looked behind me at the ruined earth that we caused, and I quickly formed the hand sign for earth and performed the earth recovery jutsu. The earth rumbled back into a level state, and I felt the jutsu take chakra from the little amount I had left. I made my way home to the apartment after waving back at Lee, my limbs tired from the fight and my stomach a gaping black hole that was whining for food.
I am so eager to go home and relax in just the company of my roommate.
I smiled slightly as I walked home in the dark, realizing that whatever strange feelings I felt for him, I still couldn't wait to just fall asleep on the couch with him or get lost in a book next to him.
I approached our neighborhood, and I noticed the apartment was void of his chakra. I searched the village quickly, closing my eyes to concentrate, and I felt his chakra at the bar. A flashback of the second time we shared a passionate night came barreling into my mind, reminding me of how that night had started; by joining him in that bar.
I'm not drinking. I think I'm done with alcohol for a long time.
Nodding, I told this to myself and changed my path to the bar to join him there. I have a lot to figure out, and alcohol would just make that so much harder.
The moon was rising to light the night as I entered the bar, the heavy smug scent of alcohol sending my involuntary body into an energetic excitement. I shrugged the good feeling off and made my way to the bar, twisting around people and adjusting to the loud music and loud chorus of chatter.
Kakashi was sitting there on a barstool with his back facing me, his shoulders slumped and his head angled downwards. This made my brows come together, and I placed a hand on his shoulder.
He took about three seconds to respond, his head slowly turning to look at me around his shoulder. My eyebrows rose when I saw his glassy eye and his tired look, and I chuckled slightly when I saw the mass of empty glasses in front of him.
I don't think I've ever seen him this drunk.
"Hey, are you feeling okay?" I asked him, and he lazily blinked at me in response. The sight of this strong and powerful man lost in a sea of alcohol was strangely amusing, and I chuckled at him again. "How about we head home now, okay?" I asked him gently as I took his heavy hand. He blinked at me some more as I pulled him up from the stool, and I staggered as he fell against me for support.
"Oof, Kakashi, okay now, here we go," I murmured as I wrapped one of his arms around my neck so he could lean on me.
Nope, I've never seen him this drunk.
I led him slowly out of the crowded bar and into the cool night after paying the bartender a large sum, Kakashi's legs trying to support himself.
"…Lyra?" He asked softly, and I pat his back as I led him down the street.
"I'm here, don't worry we're going home now," I replied gently, and I shifted his heavy arm on my shoulders. We made our way to our close apartment, and as we neared the foot of the stairs, I halted us. I concentrated some of the last bit of chakra I had for today and teleported us up the two flights, not even attempting to get the very drunken Kakashi up that death obstacle course.
I removed his arm from my shoulders and leaned him against the wall next to the door, his drooping eye blinking at me as I fished my keys out of my pouch. I was wrangling with the key into the rusty lock when he spoke quietly into the silence of the night.
"You're so beautiful in the moonlight, Lyra…" I stopped and looked over at him, my eyes wide. He was looking at me, his hidden face smiling slightly, and his eye completely unguarded and open to me while showing a respectful kindness, completely opposite to how most men act when they are drunk.
Completely opposite to how I act when I'm drunk.
I got the door open and grabbed his heavy arm again, looping it around my shoulders and leading him inside our apartment. I sat him down on the couch, taking my shoes off and then crouching down in front of him to take his off as well.
"What made you get so drunk, Kakashi?" I asked myself quietly as I unstrapped his shoes, and I flinched when I actually got a response.
"You make me feel, Lyra…" His soft and mellow voice held such emotion in it; I looked up at him in disbelief. His clumsy hand came to caress my cheek, his fingers trailing down my neck and making me shiver. I finished removing his shoes and got up to place them by the door, looking back at him to see him looking at me back. I approached him and grabbed his arm again, leading him to the bedroom and trying to keep him from bumping into walls on the way there.
"Let's get you to sleep now," I told him as I helped him sit down on his side of the bed. His droopy eye watched me as I started to unbutton his vest, thinking I couldn't have him sleep in that uncomfortable thing. He raised his clumsy hand again to place it gently on my hip, his drunken movements still finding a way to be smooth.
"We always sleep together, but still so far apart," he murmured as he blinked slowly, and I gently took his hand from my waist so I could remove his vest. I untied his headband from his forehead, unveiling another eye to look at me. I worked his shirt off of his muscular chest and arms, his limbs heavy and his movements slow. I turned to fold the vest and place his things on the dresser, shaking my head and smiling slightly at how much my roommate changes when he gets to this level of drunkenness. I turned back towards the bed and was met by his uneven, passionate gaze, and I was stopped in my tracks from his intensity.
"Lyra… I think I may love you."
I blinked at him, not really believing this passionate and drunken man was my roommate. My stoic, serious, lazy but down to earth roommate. The moon was shining on us from the window, casting the bedroom into an intimate twilight. His silver hair lay in its messiness, his broad shoulders and fit body exuded his strength, and his intense but reddening eyes shone his passion. This man was my roommate. This man was the Kakashi I knew.
But he is a very drunk and a very tired Kakashi.
I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply as I walked over to him, lightly pushing him down to lie on the bed.
"You need to sleep now, okay?" I asked him softly as I adjusted his pillow and arranged his half of the blanket. He let me push him down weakly, his brows frowning and his hand grasping mine. I made the mistake of meeting his eyes again, and he trapped me in his drunken onyx and sharingan gaze.
"First…" his hand grasping mine moved to my cheek, and his other hand slipped his mask down to his chin. "Before I sleep…" He brought my startled face closer to his, and I flinched when his warm lips captured mine. My stomach exploded pleasure through my limbs at the contact, and I let him deepen the kiss by tilting our heads. He kissed me with tenderness, with patience, and returned it without thinking as my heart clenched in happiness. It took all of my strength to remember that he was currently very drunk, and he really did need to get to sleep. I tasted the alcohol on his lips, but the kiss was still sweet and gentle, and I would be lying if I said I didn't want more of it. I lightly broke off the kiss and instead kissed his bare forehead, pushing him to settle down in the bed.
"Sleep now. I'll make muffins in the morning," I told him softly, and I watched him smile slightly in the moonlight as he finally passed out. I sighed deeply and readied myself for bed, wondering if my roommate will even remember what he did when he was this drunk. I touched my lips with my fingers and smiled slightly as I slipped under the covers, feeling happy and safe with this gentle man sleeping next to me.
Part of me hopes he remembers what he did tonight. Part of me hopes he actually meant it.
I let myself be pulled into sleep's embrace, the steady breath of my roommate next to me lulling me to sleep.
So I think developing characters is a hard thing for me, I would be so thankful if you have any suggestions about that or anything else for me.
Thank you so much for reading, have a wonderful day. :)
