slow burn • dark romance • psychological drama • reverse harem
Rated E | CW: dark themes, explicit sexual content, violence.
The Version That Saved You
Fic summary: You’re the Uchiha’s best-kept secret. Now that the truth is out, everyone thinks they know what to do with you. The clan says control. The village says results. And someone in the dark just says, “Mine.” The men assigned to guard you? They’re really bad at their job.
Celebratory ch. 100: That Beach Episode.
Your lungs feel like they could be collapsing any moment, but the hand gripping yours hasn't slowed down at all.
"We're late," the person attached to the hand says, completely calm and unbothered, despite also having ran what feels like a marathon. It's a vast contrast to what feels like a near-death experience for you.
"And when… were you ever… concerned about being late?" you ask in between desperate breaths. "Also, what are we late for, exactly?!"
"Maa… I don't know actually." His eye crinkles.
I could be kissing Itachi right now. I could be reading Starlight for the 69th time. Lord Kaname was just about to sheathe his cursed blade into Yuki-chan's forbidden cavern and I LEFT HIM THERE.
At least he's hot. Wait. Why does he smell kinda like dog.
The Clyde to your involuntary Bonnie turns left, and you yelp as you're jerked after him. Rude! You almost trip over, and before you can whine about it, his hand releases yours and he ducks in front of you.
Don't mind if I do, handsome fox.
You let out a sigh of what is strictly relief and absolutely not pleasure from maladaptive daydreaming, and climb onto Kakashi's back, wrapping your arms around his neck. He hooks his gloved hands under your thighs and launches forward so fast that you nearly lose grip and fly backward. And when he lands on the nearest rooftop, you fall forward, face planting into his glorious, silver hair.
Unreasonably, offensively soft.
Kakashi owns one sad bar of soap. You've seen it in his bathroom. One bar for everything. You're pretty sure it's the same brand Shisui gets in his mission packs. Though Shisui would never be caught dead using them. He uses your expensive one. Because he, quote, "misses you too much when you're not around and your shampoo smells like you." Which is hella manipulative.
But apparently, Kakashi has one bar and the hair of a manga love interest. Effortlessly perfect at everything despite the tragic backstory, while you have to sit with oil in your hair like a marinating chicken breast once a week to achieve half the result.
THUMP. Another rooftop. Your internal monologue gets knocked out of you along with most of your remaining oxygen.
"I'm gonna be sick," you whine into the back of Kakashi's head.
"Hold me tighter," he replies. He turns his head back, not enough to meet your eyes, but enough for his cheek to press against yours. You shamelessly nuzzle into it.
Not every day a girl gets the damsel-in-distress experience without the mortal peril.
The next thing you know, tears are pulled from the corners of your eyes by cold wind as Konoha blurs beneath you. Market stalls, laundry lines, even what appears to be a ginger cat sitting on a fence. They all blur.
After what feels like a whole ten minutes of torture, the two of you land hard onto the ground. With a yelp, you're tossed forward again from the momentum. When Kakashi lets you off, your legs feel like noodles and you sway from side to side. Not wanting you to fall on your face and die, Kakashi catches you and lifts you bridal style without question.
"Someone needs more discipline," he drawls, one eye holding more affection than some people with two.
You want to say something clever back. Something devastating. But your brain is still catching up with the rest of your body, so what comes out is: "Mmhfgh."
He sets you down in front of a gate you've never seen before, in a part of Konoha that was definitely not here yesterday. Whatever's on the other side is loud. You hear water, music, people yelling, and holy shit, is that an explosion?!!
You look at Kakashi's hands, which are already in his pockets.
You startle. "You're not coming with me?"
Kakashi steps closer and places his hands on your shoulders. "I'll come find you later," he assures you. He leans down until his face is next to yours, and whispers softly into your ear, "Don't forget about me while I'm gone."
Read from the beginning on AO3.
