This chapter is edited down for the M rating. The explicit version is posted on Archive of our own. To read, please copy the link below and paste in to your browser after the AO3 website name.

/works/3171836/chapters/7348469

OoOoOoOo

Kakashi paced the room nervously. Tenzou had been gone for a while. He had been called upon by the Hokage just after dinner and he hadn't returned since.

Has he been sent on a mission? No… He would have had to gather this things before something like that. He would have come back here first…

He stopped himself in front of the kitchen window, forcing himself to sit on the seat in front of him and think positively.

Something could have happened to him… What if he was mugged? No… that stupid. He's a Shinobi. I should have more faith in his skills.

He hugged his knees, looking out over the vast expanse that was the leaf village. Or what he could see of it anyway. His eyes fell to the neon sign coming off the second floor of the building next to him.

All night liquor store… This is such a shitty place.

The click of the lock on the front door made him jump slightly. The jingle of keys accompanied by a long exasperated sigh signalling that his friend was home safe. Kakashi stood, wringing his hands nervously as he waited for the other man to acknowledge him.

He had been just about to ask him, before he was called away. It had taken all day to muster up the courage and in the long hours of his absence it had slowly slipped away again. But he had to ask now, before he was called away again. Before it was too late.

Tenzou looked up and smiled kindly, his tired eyes giving away his state of mind.

"I didn't think you would be up." He stated as he chucked his keys in the bowl by the door and made his way in to the bedroom. Kakashi followed, hovering behind him as he changed in to his pyjamas, forgoing a shower all together.

"I was waiting for you." He said softly, his voice sounding way too small for his liking. Tenzou turned to him and grinned sheepishly, a blush colouring his cheeks.

"Why?"

"If you didn't come home, I was going to look for you."

Tenzou eyed him questionably and he felt he should continue.

"The last time I just went to bed instead of waiting for someone to come home it didn't end very well for me." He said with a strong swallow. "I didn't want to make that mistake again."

Tenzou felt his cheeks grow hotter as he turned away. They had talked about this. Kakashi was just being friendly.

"Can I ask you something?" Kakashi asked, as he studied his friend.

"Of course." Tenzou answered, a smile on his lips.

"Why do you live here?"

"What?"

"Why do you live here? Like, in this apartment specifically. It's not really the best part of town." He said doubtfully, looking out the window.

"Oh… well… The rent is cheap, the apartment is all I need, as a Shinobi I don't really have to worry about petty crime like the civilian's do so… why move?" He chuckled. "I may as well save my money… in case someday I do want something better for myself or… you know. For my family." He finished weakly, he was sure by now that his cheeks were actually on fire. The realisation he had actually said that even though he didn't have a family extremely disconcerting. It was a silly pipe dream that would probably never come to fruition.

I'm saving for nothing…

He thought meekly, his heart sinking. Kakashi nodded in understanding. He had been saving without a cause for most of his life as well. But he liked living in a nicer part of town. Just because he was a ninja didn't mean people wouldn't try and rob him. Sure they would get their neck broken or at the very least a Kunai to the face, if they tried. But it was nice to be able to sleep a fraction easier knowing someone wasn't going to try and rob him for his TV. All he had to worry about in his neighbourhood was the countless deadly assassins after the bounty on his head.

"That's what I thought… I get it." He grinned, looking up in to his friend's eyes. "So… um… I was thinking…" He began. The courage that had been slowly building wavered. He crossed the small room, walking over to his friend and taking his hand. Tenzou eyed him, feeling incredibly nervous all of the sudden. Kakashi placed the hand on his arm and Tenzou squeezed it firmly. The Jonin smiled, the feeling of being grounded by his anchor making his knees feel weak.

"You were thinking…?" The ANBU asked, encouraging his friend to continue.

"I was thinking that maybe, if you wanted… We could save money together…" He finished lamely, hoping his meaning was understood.

"Are you asking to move in?" Tenzou smirked, knowing full well that's what Kakashi meant. The silver haired man nodded awkwardly.

"I was thinking that if I moved in here… we would both be able to save heaps of money and then you know… use it to buy our own place, somewhere nicer… where we could start our family." He finished, his mouth dry.

There was a second of silence. It felt like a century. Kakashi opened his mouth to take back what he had said, thinking he had horribly misread the situation.

A tongue slipped slowly in to his mouth, a hand cradling the back of his head.

"I love you." Tenzou panted, pushing Kakashi down on to the bed behind him. He let himself fall and within a second the brunette was on top of him, straddling his thighs and kissing him to the point of bleeding lips.

"I want to… give you everything." Kakashi panted, his hips bucking up so his clothed erection rubbed against his lover's. He opened his eyes to stare in to Tenzou's almond pools as they over flowed. Salty tears hit his cheeks and he lapped at them hungrily, hands fisting in the dark head of hair. "I love you." He breathed, wrapping his legs around bulky hips and pulling himself up to grind their arousals together.

"Fuck." Tenzou gasped, rolling them over so the other man was straddling him. "You're on top this time." He stated bluntly, his voice husky. Kakashi nodded eagerly, using his thumbs to gently wipe the tears from under his lover's eyes.

OoOoOoOo

Kakashi fell on top of his lover, breathing hard, mouth opened as he struggled to pull himself back from wherever he had gone.

Tenzou's strong arms wrapped around him, holding him still as he regained his composure.

"I love you." Kakashi said again, turning his head to the side so his breath ghosted on his partner's cheek.

"I love you too." Tenzou smiled, squeezing him tight once before rolling Kakashi off him. He pulled him back so his head was on his chest. "God I love you." He reiterated, his face beaming.

"I fucking love you." Kakashi choked, as he listened to the man's rapidly beating heart. He couldn't think of anywhere he would rather be. His head on Tenzou's chest was his favourite position in the world. He never wanted to move.

I never have to…

He thought thankfully as his heart skipped a beat.

OoOoOoOo

Hours before

"You wanted to see me M'lady?" Tenzou asked, bowing slightly as he approached her desk.

"Yes I have a favour to ask you." She stated bluntly, not looking up from the paper in front of her.

He waited, looking around the room awkwardly when she didn't continue. Stepping forward slightly he leaned closer to her desk.

"Lady Tsunade?" He asked again.

"Sit." She instructed, pointing to a chair slightly to the right of the front of her desk. He did as he was told, sitting heavily and resting his forearms on his knees. "What's Kakashi doing at the moment?" She asked, stamping a form and organising it neatly atop a pile.

"Um… probably waiting for me to get back." He answered honestly, taken aback by the question. Kakashi had taken to waiting on him when he left. He pretended like he had better things to do but they both knew he didn't. He was lonely when Tenzou was gone and always waiting for him like a love sick puppy when he returned.

"Good." She smiled wickedly, making eye contact with him for the first time. "Let's make him wait for a little while. He needs to work out how to be alone now that he's gotten better."

Tenzou's mouth dropped opened as his brows furrowed in a frown. He tried to protest, telling her Kakashi needed him and this was cruel. But she waved him off with a cheeky grin.

"Trust me brat. This will be good for you." She said gently, pushing her work aside to lean back and stare at him eagerly. "Now, I think it's time to give me your mission report."

OoOoOoOo

As his hand absently stroked through silver hair Tenzou wondered to himself if she was right. He wondered if things would have gone any differently had he stayed home after dinner. A few hours of listening to Tsunade complain about her gambling losses had taken a toll on his own mental health. But before that, getting to spend a couple of hours talking about his favourite person in the world made it worth it. Even if he did technically have to disclose everything that had happened between them for the sake of the mission. He found he didn't care. He was extremely eager to report to Tsunade the next day and officially sign off his mission as complete.

THE END

OoOoOoOo

There is a sequel to this story called Chisel Through the Heart. I am currently working on editing out graphic scenes which unfortunately means the story loses whole chapters. It is available to read on AO3.

/works/3506282/chapters/7707167