25 Days of Christmas-Day 16
After a rather amusing incident teaching Kakashi how to actually wrap gifts, Iruka made some more hot cocoa and settled on the couch next to Kakashi. He added marshmallows this time, rather than peppermint sticks. Kakashi hadn’t reacted well to his molesting the candy. Or rather he had reacted too well. Iruka didn’t want to scare him off.
Kakashi was staring at the tree Iruka had set up a few days ago, his visible eye distant and distracted. He was thinking too hard again. Iruka sighed and shifted marginally closer to the other man. He kept out of his personal space, though. Let Kakashi have that illusion of distance as a comfort zone. “Kakashi-san?”
Kakashi blinked and glanced back at him, a hint of pink just showing over the edge of his mask. “Meh?”
“Would you like to stay the night?” Before the jounin could protest, Iruka raised a hand. “Before you overreact, I won’t do anything you don’t want. But it’s late and cold out there and warm in here. And sometimes this apartment gets a little empty.” Iruka let a wistful smile cross his face. “I have a futon you can use, if you’re unwilling to share the bed.” He knew there was a hint of red on his own cheeks. “I’d like you to stay.”
Kakashi stared down into his mug, silent for a long moment. Iruka sighed and rose. “I understand. I’ll see you to-”
“You didn’t give me a chance to answer.”
Iruka paused, turning back to the lean man on the couch. He refused to let himself look at all hopeful. “You were so quiet; I thought you were thinking of a way to turn down my offer.”
Kakashi stood, stretching almost indolently. “Why would I want to turn down an offer of a warm bed instead of going back to my apartment? I forgot to turn the heater on. It’s probably cold as hell in there.”
Iruka felt a smile stretch his lips. “Thank you.”
Kakashi smile was visible through the thin fabric of the mask. Iruka set his mug down and stepped in close. He slid his arms around the narrow waist and rested his head against the jounin’s shoulder. “Thank you,” he said again, breathing the words quietly into the cloth-covered neck. He relaxed as he felt the strong arms hesitantly return the embrace.
When they had finished the cocoa, Iruka led Kakashi back to his bedroom. He offered him a pair of sweatpants to change into while he changed into his sleepwear. He brushed his teeth and dug up a spare toothbrush so Kakashi could do the same. Quietly, while the other man was in the bathroom, Iruka slid into the bed and moved as far to one side as the bed allowed.
When Kakashi came out of the bathroom he hesitated for a moment before sliding into the bed. But then he did the unexpected. Iruka let out an undignified squeak as Kakashi reached out and pulled him close, fitting an arm around his shoulders. At the sound, Kakashi let out a hesitant chuckle and murmured, “The blankets are warm, but this is warmer.”
Iruka smiled and let himself relax against the warm body beside him, basking in the heat and the fact that Kakashi was in his bed willingly. He was nearly asleep when Kakashi muttered quietly that he’d still have to go to his cold apartment to get fresh clothes.
Iruka smiled a sleepy grin and murmured, “Not necessarily.”
He was already asleep as Kakashi turned to him with a questioning look.
Kakashi was staring at the tree Iruka had set up a few days ago, his visible eye distant and distracted. He was thinking too hard again. Iruka sighed and shifted marginally closer to the other man. He kept out of his personal space, though. Let Kakashi have that illusion of distance as a comfort zone. “Kakashi-san?”
Kakashi blinked and glanced back at him, a hint of pink just showing over the edge of his mask. “Meh?”
“Would you like to stay the night?” Before the jounin could protest, Iruka raised a hand. “Before you overreact, I won’t do anything you don’t want. But it’s late and cold out there and warm in here. And sometimes this apartment gets a little empty.” Iruka let a wistful smile cross his face. “I have a futon you can use, if you’re unwilling to share the bed.” He knew there was a hint of red on his own cheeks. “I’d like you to stay.”
Kakashi stared down into his mug, silent for a long moment. Iruka sighed and rose. “I understand. I’ll see you to-”
“You didn’t give me a chance to answer.”
Iruka paused, turning back to the lean man on the couch. He refused to let himself look at all hopeful. “You were so quiet; I thought you were thinking of a way to turn down my offer.”
Kakashi stood, stretching almost indolently. “Why would I want to turn down an offer of a warm bed instead of going back to my apartment? I forgot to turn the heater on. It’s probably cold as hell in there.”
Iruka felt a smile stretch his lips. “Thank you.”
Kakashi smile was visible through the thin fabric of the mask. Iruka set his mug down and stepped in close. He slid his arms around the narrow waist and rested his head against the jounin’s shoulder. “Thank you,” he said again, breathing the words quietly into the cloth-covered neck. He relaxed as he felt the strong arms hesitantly return the embrace.
When they had finished the cocoa, Iruka led Kakashi back to his bedroom. He offered him a pair of sweatpants to change into while he changed into his sleepwear. He brushed his teeth and dug up a spare toothbrush so Kakashi could do the same. Quietly, while the other man was in the bathroom, Iruka slid into the bed and moved as far to one side as the bed allowed.
When Kakashi came out of the bathroom he hesitated for a moment before sliding into the bed. But then he did the unexpected. Iruka let out an undignified squeak as Kakashi reached out and pulled him close, fitting an arm around his shoulders. At the sound, Kakashi let out a hesitant chuckle and murmured, “The blankets are warm, but this is warmer.”
Iruka smiled and let himself relax against the warm body beside him, basking in the heat and the fact that Kakashi was in his bed willingly. He was nearly asleep when Kakashi muttered quietly that he’d still have to go to his cold apartment to get fresh clothes.
Iruka smiled a sleepy grin and murmured, “Not necessarily.”
He was already asleep as Kakashi turned to him with a questioning look.