Of Cats and Dogs (Kakashi x Male OC)

Chapter 10

It is dark outside when I open my eyes. I wonder for how long I've been asleep. I feel... different. It's as if whatever heavy pressure that had been weighing down on me for all my life has lessened considerably. It's almost entirely gone and I feel so much lighter all of the sudden. It feels really, really good, I could get used to this. And it is all thanks to Kakashi. The first person to listen to me and believe my words and actually... care. On the topic of my favorite cyclops, where is he?

I slowly sit up and look over to the other bed. It is empty. A weird feeling rises in my chest. It feels familiar – similar to that one night when I woke up alone in my bed on the night of my engagement, and after looking for my fiancé for over an hour, I found him having sex with the reception woman in a bathroom stall down in the lobby. It's the same dreadful feeling as when I was desperately looking for him. Quickly, I get out of bed and make my way over to the door. But as I walk by the table, I stop. There lay bandages neatly rolled up. Right, he must've put them there so I could change my old ones the next morning. I continue on past them and proceed to the door, quietly opening it.

The hallway before me is dark and silent. Thanks to my eyes, though, I can still see things to some extent. I wonder where everybody is. Surely nothing bad has happened, right? That terrible feeling is getting worse, to a point where it is getting more difficult to breathe. It really does feel like back then. Or am I sick? I don't know anymore. I'm confused. My breathing is getting quicker and quicker as I continue to stare down the dark corridor. Black dots appear in my vision. My ears, too, are filled with a droning sound that drowns out everything around me. What should I do? What's happening? I can't breathe. I can't breathe! I need air! I need- I have to calm down, I have to calm down, I have to calm-

"Shizuya!" I can barely hear somebody call out. Arms wrap around me and pull me against a broad chest. I can hear the soft rhythm of a calm heartbeat. Thump... Thump... Thump... My own heart settles on the same rhythm, my breathing slows down, the black dots disappear, and that bad feeling dissipates. I can feel the other person move. Are they trying to leave? No, I don't want that! I don't want to be alone, not right now! Please stay, don't go! I wrap my arms around the other body and hold on to them. They don't leave. They stay. They even tighten their own grip on me. Slowly my senses return. This smells like Kakashi. It's the same mix of ozone, sandalwood, and something wild. Ah, so it's him who once again saves me. Thank you, thank you so much.

"Have you calmed down?" I hear him ask, his voice thick with worry. But I don't trust myself to speak, so I simply nod. He sighs and rubs my back with his hand soothingly. In an instant, whatever tension I had, leaves my body and I slump against him. I just had an attack, full-blown panic attack. That caught me off guard since I hadn't had one in... well, ever since I came here, I hadn't. Good thing that Kakashi was nearby or else this could've gone south real fast. That reminds me.

"How long?" I mumble.

"A little over two days," is his answer.

"Did I miss much?"

"I've trained the other three while you were out. Other than that, everything else has been rather calm."

"I see..."

"Are you hungry?"

"Mhm." I hum in agreement. Food sounds really good right now.

"Well, you're in luck since I've just returned from dinner and brought you something." I can hear him smile as he says so.

"Sensei?"

"Hm?"

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

We remain silent for a little while. This type of silence is actually not that bad.

"Can you move on your own or do you want me to carry you back to your bed?" Kakashi then asks.