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a little moment with protective Kakashi and his friend who is more than a friend but no one has the balls to admit it with the prompt being “don’t look now but my ex just walked in”

Title: Deserve Better

Prompt: Above

Pairing: Kakashi x Reader

Rating: T

TW: Emotional manipulation/emotional abuse, overall emotionally abusive relationship.

A/N: My brain decided to visit today. 4.5 hours later, I finally have a finished wip. Sorry it's long? I got carried away. Thanks for reading <3

***

Crickets sang their mid-summer song like a melody in your ear, chirping through the hazy aura that hung in the evening sky. Beside you, your boyfriend's sandaled feet stepped out of unison with yours, his gait a millisecond behind you, enough for you to notice.

"Everything okay, Rayuu?" You asked, feeling his clammy hand sweating beneath your lazy grip on his fingers. You glanced over at him, feeling suddenly uneasy as the two of you traveled the path back to your shared apartment. A warm breeze picked up and spun a strand of your hair from its bun. You used the moment as an excuse to let go of his hand, pushing your hair away from your eyes.

"Fine," he murmured, his gaze settled on the ground beneath him. He didn't reach back out for your hand. Instead, he scratched the back of his neck, pushing down the brown locks at its nape. He had been quiet all day, but you had just assumed it to be exhaustion from his last mission. Now his expression seemed to go beyond a fatigued demeanor. Something was bothering him. Perhaps you had said something over dinner this evening? Or maybe you had forgotten to do something he had asked? You frowned, tipping your head quizzically at him.

"You seem distant today," you pointed out calmly, "something on your mind?"

Rayuu looked over at you, his blue eyes soft under the golden light of the setting sun. You met his gaze, feeling your chest tighten as his eyebrows lifted slightly. Was that pity in his eyes?

"Can we sit?" he motioned to the bench close by, and you suddenly became apprehensive. Had you done something wrong?

"What's this all about?" you sat beside him, your voice quiet as he stared out into the distance. He avoided your eyes, choosing to watch a pair of children play in a nearby field instead. He pursed his lips, pressing them together as he drew in a deep breath.

"I don't know how to say this - so I guess I'll just come out and say it. I've met someone," Rayuu said all at once, his elbows balanced at his knees as he continued to avoid your gaze. Your stomach twisted, a strange icy chill spinning down the center of your spine at his words. Your world careened to a stop.

"What?"

"I'm sorry," he sighed, his head sagging, "it all happened so suddenly. I didn't mean for it to be like this."

His shoulders tensed under what he knew was an icy gaze staring back at him. If he had chosen to break up with you because of something you had done, that would be one thing. But choosing another woman? After two years together?

"How could you - .... ? You're leaving me? Have you? Have you already slept with her?" you asked him coldly, your voice steady despite your hands shaking in your lap. Your fingers twitched in your legs, vanquishing the urge to not shove a kunai directly into his eye. He didn't answer. Instead, he lifted his gaze away from you. Coward.

"How long?"

His shoulders lifted as he drew another deep breath in, his eyelashes settling on his cheekbones as he closed his eyes. How could someone you love turn into a complete stranger in mere moments?

"How long, Rayuu?"

"4 months."

Another punch to the stomach. Your mind went blank.

"How could you do this?" you asked quietly after a few incredulous moments passed where you searched for the words in your mind. Your thoughts rode on a carousel of abuses you wished to hurl at him, your tongue sharp with acid and malice. You wanted to hurt him just as he had to you. Yet, you knew it would do you no good. He had made up his mind.

"I'm sorry," was all he could manage again.

"Who is she?" you prodded, standing up. Your fists clenched, nails digging into your palms so tight it very well may have drawn blood.

"I can't say."

"Tell me."

A beat passed as you hovered over him, his eyes staring at the cobbled street below his sandals. You wanted to shove his head back, to make him look at you.

"[y/n], it doesn't matter. I told you what's going on - isn't that enough?"

"Tell me who she is," your voice was shrill, but you couldn't help it. Years of your life squandered on a man who didn't even have the decency to look at you as he broke your heart in favor of another woman. Shock. Anger. Disgust. It all whirled in your mind and made you delirious. Like a bad dream that you couldn't wake yourself up from.

"Mai," Rayuu whispered, shame on his lips. You unintentionally took a step back from him, your face contorting in a way you didn't think was possible as your hand covered your mouth. You felt shattered. Your old teammate? The one you had spent so many years training with, the one you had lived with before you had moved in with Rayuu, the one you had trusted your life with. Not only had your boyfriend betrayed you, but your friend?

You spun around on your heel, unable to say anything more. You wanted to kill him- to kill her. It takes two to tango, does it not? You started to walk away when he called out to you. Tears brimmed at your waterline, quickly spilling down your cheekbones.

"[y/n], wait," Rayuu called, his expression mournful despite it being his fault, "I'm sorry."

Your gaze was pointed, features allowing nothing barring malice for someone you once trusted so profoundly. You shook your head, incredulous that he would even believe for a moment an apology would make anything better. Your heart was shattered, torn from its cavity, and burned at the stake.

"I want your stuff out of the apartment by the end of the week. I don't ever want to see you again."

***

"One more, please," you asked the bartender as politely as possible despite knowing you were becoming sloppy. He looked over at you from the end of the bar, sympathy in his gaze as he carefully shook and poured you another fruity drink.

"I'm closing your tab, miss," he replied, sliding the drink across the bar to you, two fingers at the stem of the glass. You looked up at him, knowing how bad you must look at this moment. Yet you didn't protest, sliding money out of your pocket and counting it quietly. How pathetic you were.

The bar behind you was surprisingly quiet for a Friday evening, you thought. You wondered if most of the shinobi were out on missions. Clearly, you weren't a good enough ninja to be on a mission right now like the rest of them. You weren't a good girlfriend, you weren't a good ninja - what else were you bad at? You took another sip of your drink. Even the alcohol didn't numb your thoughts.

The end of the week had come and gone. When you returned to your apartment earlier that evening, it felt like you were walking into someone else's living room rather than your own. Rayuu had taken all of his belongings, leaving very little for you. Sure, he made more money than you, and most of the furniture belonged to him, but he could have at least left you the chair you loved so dearly. The one you curled up in late at night to read your books.

Had he moved in with Mai, you wondered, your finger tracing the rim of your glass. Had they made plans to live together before you had even known? Was their pillow talk just laughing at how stupid you were for not noticing the signs you now realized were blatantly obvious? The late nights out, the whispering phone calls, his distant disposition towards your relationship? He was a higher-ranking shinobi than you were, and you had simply assumed his career was taking a more considerable toll on him recently than before.

Still, nothing lessened the betrayal you felt. You hunched over the bar more, feeling your eyesight begin to shift if you turned your head too quickly.

"[y/n]?" You heard beside you. "How are you?" looking up, a turf of silver hair stood before you, a single dark exposed eye crinkling in a smile as your old teammate tilted his head at you. You felt his hand gently slap your shoulder, squeezing your trapezius muscle as he smiled at you.

"Kakashi?" you felt a smile creep on your lips for the first time in a week.

"It's been a long time," he told you. You looked over his shoulder, noticing your old friends wandering in the bar behind them. Something tugged at you at the sight of them.

"I don't want you hanging out with guys, is all," Rayuu had told you late one night. "You just can't trust them, you know? It would make me feel better if you stopped hanging out with them."

It hadn't been easy letting go of your friends. But Rayuu had convinced you it was for your own benefit. As the years went on, you slowly loosened your grip on your friendships, heartache in your soul but warmth in your heart as you knew it made Rayuu happy. Now, you saw through the manipulative tactic he had placed on you to control you, as well as the irony of it all. Bitterness rose in your throat.

"You okay?" Kakashi's thin eyebrows knitted together, seeing the glazed-over look in your eyes as he settled beside you on a barstool.

You shrugged your shoulders, feeling your chest tighten at the sight of all your old friends calling out to you as they wandered toward the bartender. You smiled softly at them, wondering how many memories you had missed out on just like this because of how naive you had been.

Kakashi had been the hardest one to let go of. He was your friend, your true friend. Someone you knew you could rely on regardless of the circumstances. Your friendship went back as long as you had a genin headband wrapped around your forehead. Maybe a crush as well, but you would never admit it. Despite the longevity of your relationship with him, you had obeyed your boyfriend's wishes.

Kakashi was the one Ryuu was most jealous of. Rightfully so, you supposed. He would eye him cautiously at every event where their paths would cross, holding you closer to his hip as you wanted desperately to fall back into old habits of cracking jokes with him and Gai, but you had remained casual.

Still, Kakashi was your friend. And maybe something more, if you had pursued it. You were too shy to tell him how you felt, so instead, your feelings fell to the wayside, and your relationship with Rayuu filled the void.

"Where's Rayuu?" Kakashi dipped his head, trying to catch your wandering gaze as he let go of your shoulder. Your eyes met his, and suddenly you felt like a levy had been opened. How you missed everyone, you realized. How you missed Kakashi. Tears threatened your waterline once more, and Kakashi's gaze softened immediately.

"Hey," he called softly, touching your shoulder again. There was no pity in his eyes like everyone else who knew gave you. Only genuine concern for you. "Let's get some fresh air."

You agreed, downing the rest of your drink in one swift gulp. He turned to ensure you could walk on your own, although barely. The world shifted slightly, and he steadied you as you reached a bench outside. It was similar to the one further down the cobble path where the beginning of this mess had all begun. You wiped the tears from your cheek as you sat down, trying to grasp your slipping emotions.

"What's going on?" the silver-haired Jonin asked. His body turned to you, starkly contrasting how Rayuu had shielded himself from you earlier in the week. You shook your head, your chin quivering as you looked up, trying desperately to keep the tears from escaping. They slipped beneath your lids and down your cheeks despite your best efforts.

"Rayuu cheated on me. With Mai," you told him, your voice barely above a whisper. It felt wrong to say it out loud. As though it weren't real if you just kept it in your head. But it was real, and your apartment was empty now.

Kakashi's expression darkened, "he what?"

"Don't make me repeat it," you breathed, exasperated. You knew he didn't want you to repeat yourself, but the effort it took to say it to begin with was enough to break your heart again. He looked away, his jaw set as his finger tapped against his leg.

"He took his things today," you continued, a hiccup threatening at the back of your throat. Your tears cooled the warmth on your cheeks from the alcohol. Kakashi closed his eye, shaking his head as he looked back over at you.

"[y/n]," he began, "I'm sorry you're going through all this. You don't deserve to be treated like this. He doesn't deserve you."

You looked over at him, the street light above illuminating his features despite most of them hiding behind a blue piece of fabric. He seemed genuinely troubled by your news; how he looked at you caused you to fold.

You couldn't help it. You leaned forward, resting your head on his shoulder as you were wracked with quiet sobs. You held a hand over your mouth to muffle your cry.

"[y/n]," he murmured to you wistfully, his breath warm against your neck. Although preoccupied with your cries, you couldn't help but notice how he hesitatingly wrapped his arms around you. No one would have ever suspected "Friend-Killer Kakashi" to be so gentle in such a tumultuous moment in your life. But the warmth of his body was the first you had felt all week. You melted into him, clinging to his shoulder as more tears fell onto his shirt.

"I'm sorry, I'm getting your shirt all wet," you pulled back sometime later, your breath shuddering from crying. He chuckled softly, shaking his head.

"That is so like you to care about my shirt when you're the one that is crying," he smiled softly at you. You laughed lightly, pushing your palm against your eyes to rid yourself of any more tears.

"I'm sorry, though," you said again, looking away in embarrassment, "for crying."

"[y/n]," Kakashi said to you quietly, shaking his head slightly, "I've known you longer than I've known most people in this village. You can cry on my shoulder any time you want."

You smiled at him through another hiccup, a blush creeping across your cheeks at his comment. Had he always been so caring? Yes - of course he had. You had just been blind.

"But I haven't even spoken to you in so long," you told him sadly, remembering how you avoided him whenever you were with Rayuu.

"It's fine," he told you, "I know the reason."

"The reason?" You stiffened, wondering if he had known about your crush all those years ago.

"His jealousy, and all," he waved a dismissive hand, intentionally not saying his name.

You frowned, "I'm sorry. I didn't realize it's as so obvious. Rayuu's jealousy was always targeted at you in particular."

"Well, understandable, I suppose."

Your eyes shot up to him, and he quickly back peddled, "I- uh - it was just some rumor Gai had accidentally started a few years back. There is no truth to it."

"A rumor?" You narrowed your eyebrows, confused. Had someone found out about how she felt?

Kakashi waved a dismissive hand. Was he blushing?

"It's nothing."

You pursed your lips, leaning forward, "tell me, Kakashi. What are you talking about?"

"[y/n], why would you care about some stupid rumor? You're too bright to care about what other people think."

You cocked an eyebrow, seeing him dance around the subject.

"It's about me being with someone? Me and who?"

Kakashi looked away, feigning inattentiveness by watching a group of younger shinobi exit the bar, sloshed. Blush prickled at the tips of his ears. Realization hit you.

"About you and me?" You asked. His eye swiveled back to you, searching your face. The two of you blushed furiously.

"It was years ago, [y/n]," he shook his head, leaning back in his seat in an attempt to appear uncaring, "we were just kids."

You nodded, looking down. Kids, yes. You sighed, watching him look away still. He was a master at hiding his emotions, unlike you.

"Right, kids," you repeated, looking down. The pair sat silently for a few beats as you digested this new information. Was it new? Not really. You looked over at him, the way he leaned back against the bench so nonchalantly a deep contrast to Rayuu's perpetual uptight demeanor. You welcomed Kakashi's calm presence. Something familiar. Something you had forgotten you loved.

"I should get going," you stood, wobbling slightly on the spot as you pushed your hair from your eyes. Kakashi looked up at you, turning his head back at the group of men that had just left the bar.

"Let me walk you home," he offered, standing up. He towered over you, his build wider than you remembered. How long had it been since you last saw him?

"I can take care of myself," you lifted a defensive hand, remembering how Rayuu would always demean your skills as a kunoichi.

"I know you can," he replied sincerely, "I've seen what you are capable of. I'd just like to make sure you get home in one piece before you fall in the river or something."

You laughed, pushing your hair away from your eyes once more. You had forgotten how much he made you laugh. Or the way he made you feel capable.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to be defensive," you said quietly.

"It's okay," he shoved his hands deep in his pockets, "I understand the place you're coming from."

He hesitated, looking at you, "I don't mean to share my opinions, and I hope you don't find this offensive, but you deserve better than him, [y/n]."

You looked up at him, unsure of how to respond. Over the last week, it had become more apparent just how ignorant you were to the circumstances Rayuu subjected you to. His controlling nature had dominated your life, leaving you vulnerable and weak to his rules, so you didn't end up alone. And yet, here you were anyway. Alone.

But were you? Kakashi's eye crinkled in a delicate smile, the kind you used to receive when you would tell him a bad joke, and he felt bad for you. This time, something different was behind it, something you hadn't seen before. Your chest tightened.

When neither of you said a word, you both began walking, your stride in unison with his, falling into an old rhythm just as your relationship with him had. Your limbs felt heavy from the drinks, but your heart felt lighter.

"We should spar soon," you offered suddenly, looking over at him, "like the old days."

Kakashi nodded, his eyebrow lifted as he contemplated your offer.

"We should," he glanced down at you, "your wind technique is always a hassle against my lightning. It always served as a catalyst to improve my skills."

You smiled, "tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow."

***

The cool seasonal air of fall nipped at your cheeks as you entered the bar, tired from your week-long mission. Since your break up, your mission rating had gone up significantly. Maybe it was the amount you were training now, or perhaps it was the quality of your training that had improved, ergo, enhancing your skills and confidence as a kunoichi. Regardless, you felt like a different person.

"Give the lady a drink, will you?" Asuma called to the bartender, slapping a palm between your shoulder blades as Kurenai smiled proudly beside him. "She just got back from her first S-Rank mission."

"How did it go?" Kurenai asked, her chin balanced in her palm. Her ruby lips smiled at you, and you couldn't help but feel prideful for a moment.

"Smoothly," you nodded, taking the drink from the bartender's hand, "the Hokage was pleased with our report."

"And where is your teammate now?" Asuma asked without looking, his fist wrapped around the handle of a large beer.

"I'm here," Kakashi appeared behind you, sitting beside you on the barstool.

"Always late, this one," you shoved a thumb over your shoulder at him, and he shook his head, lifting two fingers at the bartender. A glass of sake appeared before you moments later, its clear contents sloshing around in a shot glass. You looked over at Kakashi, your eyebrows lifted in surprise as he held the glass up between you both.

"Cheers," he said, handing you the shot, "to your first successful s-rank mission. You earned it."

You licked your lip as you tried to hide your grin.

"Couldn't have done it without you," you told him earnestly.

The glasses clinked, and you quickly took the shot, your glasses slamming in unison against the oak bar. You giggled, looking back up at him as he chuckled alongside you. You pushed your hair from your face, your cheeks flushed already as you looked over his shoulder.

Suddenly, your body froze, and you quickly averted your eyes. Rayuu had walked in alone, his eyes scanning the bar as you looked away. Heart pounding, you leaned against the bar and shielded your face. You heard a quizzical noise come from Kakashi's throat as he leaned closer to you.

"Was top shelf too strong?" He jested, not realizing the heat radiating off your ears.

"It's not that," you moved your hand to your mouth, wondering how you could get out of here without him noticing. You cursed under your breath. You hadn't seen him since that day on the bench. It was a relatively small bar, frequented mainly by shinobi after missions. How you had avoided him this long was unknown to you, but it stung extra for him to walk in while you were celebrating.

"What is it?" Kakashi asked, his tone changing.

"Don't look," you told him through gritted teeth, "my ex just walked in."

Kakashi quickly sat back up in his seat, his spine straight as you continued to hunch over the bar. You shook your head. Were your hands shaking? You glanced over, realizing he was trying to shield you from view with his body.

"Hey," Kurenai appeared beside you, whispering in your ear, "do you want me to see if the bartender will ask him to leave? He already looks drunk. I doubt they'll serve him."

"No," you waved dismissively, "He'll know I'm here."

"Mhm," Kurenai nodded, looking over your shoulder, "he's alone. I wonder if the rumor is true."

"The rumor?"

"Kuranai-" Kakashi warned, looking past you.

"She should know, Kakashi," the black-haired woman gestured to you as you looked between them.

"I don't think now is the time-"

"Mai and Rayuu broke up," Kurenai stated shortly, "there. See? That's all."

Kakashi sighed heavily, looking down at you. Kuranai squeezed your shoulder before Asuma pulled her away.

"I hope he doesn't try-"

"[y/n]?"

Your blood ran cold in your veins, your hand jolting as you knocked over the empty shot glass. Behind you, Kurenai and Asuma looked over, their eyes on you. You took a moment, collecting yourself before you lifted your gaze. He was disheveled, hair brown hair greasy and unkempt.

"What are you doing here, Rayuu?" Was all you could manage. You should have just ignored him. You should have just pretended you didn't hear him over the noise of the chatter in the bar. Still, you folded. Weak.

"I was jus' looking for a drink," Kurenai had been right; he was already drunk. You held your head in your hand, looking away. The chair beside you swiveled, and Kakashi's eye connected with two blue ones.

"Ohh," Rayuu cooed mockingly, "the rumor has finally come to fruition."

Asuma stepped in, his hands held up in front of Rayuu, "Rayuu, maybe you should leave."

Rayuu's arm pushed Asuma aside, taking a step closer to you. You shook your head, pleading with him not to do this. He was about to make a scene, you could tell. You looked at the back of Kakashi's head, his calm demeanor like a lighthouse to you.

"No, really," Rayuu continued, "I knew it all along. I knew it would happen. You both always had eyes for each other."

"Nothing is going on, Rayuu," you told him, "it's not what you think."

"She doesn't owe you anything," Kurenai gestured to you, shaking her head.

"[y/n]," Rayuu's voice softened suddenly at your acknowledgment of him, "let's go talk outside. Please?"

Your eyes widened, unable to respond suddenly. Embarrassment enveloped you. Was this really happening? Right in front of everyone?

"I'm sorry, baby," he said to you, taking another step, "I made a mistake. Mai and I are through. I shouldn't have done what I did."

You shook your head, disgusted. His blue eyes remained locked on you, pleading with you. He took another step, and his chest was met with a sturdy extended hand.

"That's enough," Kakashi advised him. Rayuu turned his attention to the silver-haired Jonin, his expression melting into contempt.

"You don't speak for her," Rayuu pointed at you, and your cheeks flushed.

"That's right," Kakashi stood from his chair, "I don't speak for her. Something you weren't real good at."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rayuu's eyes narrowed, his lip curling.

"Rayuu, just leave, please," you stood beside Kakashi, "It's over between us."

"No, really," he continued, looking up at Kakashi as he remained passive, staring down at him, "what do you mean by that, cold-blooded Kakashi?"

The bar had gone quiet, a lingering chatter in the corner to the few that hadn't turned their gazes to the commotion in the front of the room. The bartender gave a warning, knowing well that he would not be able to stop two shinobi from duking it out in front of him.

"Just means she deserves better than a dirtbag like you."

"Kakashi - I don't need y-"

Rayuu threw a left hook at Kakashi, his arm bracing in front of his mask. Before Rayuu's arm even made contact, a fist landed squarely on his jaw, throwing him into a cluster of chairs behind him.

"Kakashi!" A hand flew to your mouth, your eyes wide as other patrons gathered around Rayuu, pulling him up to his feet. He wiped a drip of blood from his lip, trying in vain to get back to Kakashi as Asuma and the other patrons ushered him out of the bar. Your eyebrows narrowed as embarrassment bubbled within you. You grabbed Kakashi's wrist, pulling him past a shocked Kurenai and toward the bar's back hallway.

"Why did you do that?" You asked him pointedly. Clearly, he was flustered by the interaction as well. The usual calm collected Kakashi had disappeared at that moment. "You don't need to fight for me, Kakashi. I can do it myself."

"I know you can," he replied quietly, pushing his hair back. He avoided your eyes.

"Then why did you do that?" You took a step closer.

"I don't know. I-"

You had never seen the copy-ninja lost for words in all the years of knowing him. The way he looked around the room, pushing his hair from his eyes habitually, a nervous tick he did when he felt embarrassed. Still, you pushed him.

"If you think you need to step in for me, you're just like him-"

"It's not like that," he said, his eyes meeting yours.

"Then what is?"

It all happened so quickly that your mind barely registered the reality that had suddenly unfolded. There was a hazy sense of his large hand grabbing your waist, pulling you against his hips as he stared down at you. Your hands landed on his chest, staring at his expression, a tender, affectionate gaze hiding behind a mask of apprehension.

You blinked at him, taken aback, as his eyes flickered to your lips. Your face flushed, and your lips parted, a vague set of words hanging on your tongue that you couldn't find the brain power to speak.

Whispering his name was all you could manage as the modest distance between you both began to shrink. Your ears rang loudly, heat sweeping up your spine as you felt his palm slide up your back. You couldn't breathe, you thought. You couldn't think. What was happening? Was this real?

The question hung in the air between you both, your noses brushing as his eyes clung to yours, searching for your consent. You lifted a shaking hand to his jaw, barely nodding before his mouth pressed boldly against your lips. You exhaled against him, arching your spine to conform to his body while you slid your arms around his neck.

His body pressed against yours, feeling your back hit the wall behind you. You felt his bare lips against yours a moment later, the taste of sake on his tongue and you must have gasped. Quickly, he began pulling away, but your hands were at his cheeks, pressing his mouth back to yours desperately.

A clatter of a glass beyond the hallway pulled you both away. You still held each other close, turning back to look at one another under the dim light of the bar hallway. What a strange place for a first kiss, you thought. It wasn't your first time seeing his face, but it was certainly your first time seeing it at this distance. Still, your heart beat wildly in your chest, a smile surfacing on your lips as you looked up at him. He smiled too.

A hand lifted to your cheek, the side of his thumb ghosting over your skin as his tender gaze stared down at you. Rayuu had never looked at you like this. Such warmth didn't come out of nowhere, you thought. He had to have been harboring these emotions for you for some time.

"How long have you been waiting to do that?" You whispered to him through the darkness. A smile crept on his lips.

"Longer than you'll ever know."

#kakashi x reader #kakashi hatake x reader #kakashi x original character #kakashi imagine #hatake kakashi #kakashi #kakashi fanfiction #my brain visited today #I could actually write?#idk what happened but I'm so happy #probably will never happen again #rip my brain #naruto fandom #naruto fanfiction #naruto shippuden #naruto #kakashi hatake

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