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“Would you like to take a bath together, senpai?”
The phrase became code for them years ago. Back when constant ANBU missions left them a shell of a person, feeling the need to be reminded of their humanity through simple grooming rituals. A suggestion to bathe together essentially said: I can tell you’re mentally fucked up, let me help you. A request could be interpreted as a minor cry for help.
Most of the time these baths were innocent; other times, it ended with hands in places not usually permitted. After slinking in through Kakashi’s living room window and looking at the motionless lump under Kakashi’s shuriken-patterned bedspread, Tenzo was quite certain today it would be the former.
Silence answered Tenzo’s question.
“I know you’re awake, senpai.”
Silence again.
“I’ll just go get it started, then.”
Tenzo shifted his weight off the door frame and turned to face the bathroom. Kakashi’s silence didn’t worry Tenzo. Kakashi could go several days without uttering a single word when he got like this; it was normal. Tenzo didn’t need Kakashi’s response to know that the bath would be appreciated, anyway; whether or not his presence would be was another thing. He didn’t mind running a bath only to leave once Kakashi got up to enter it. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time. Tenzo never took offense when Kakashi would quietly ask – in his own way, without words – to be alone. Hell, of all people, Tenzo probably understood this part of him best. Neither shinobi were known to be particularly social, and they often needed complete solitude to sort out their scrambled brains before returning to society as functioning people.
He made a stop at the linen closet to grab a stack of the biggest, fluffiest towels he could find and two white cotton yukatas. After plugging the bath drain and switching on the faucet, Tenzo reached into the cupboard under the sink to find the bag of epsom salts he knew Kakashi always kept handy for his bouts of chakra exhaustion. He sprinkled a good handful into the bathwater and swirled it around, encouraging the salts to dissolve. He then held his hand under the running water to ensure it was still hot and adjusted the knob accordingly. The faucet was switched off just in time for him to hear footsteps in the hallway behind him.
Tenzo turned around. Kakashi stood in the doorway sporting gray boxer briefs and a wrinkled navy civvie tee, his face maskless and showing a sparse five-o-clock shadow.
He didn’t look Tenzo in the eye. He never did when he got like this.
“I was just about to get in. Care to join me?”
This was always the telling moment. If Kakashi wanted to literally stew in his spiraling thoughts alone in the bath, he would stay rooted in the bathroom doorway until Tenzo got the message and left. Today, though, he seemed to be open to Tenzo’s hospitality; moving stiffly and never looking up from the tile floor, he made his way over to the edge of the bath where Tenzo sat.
Tenzo smiled quietly to himself as he undressed, then moved to help Kakashi do the same. He supposed he should’ve felt shame radiating off his senpai for needing help, but he sensed nothing aside from heavy exhaustion. They’d done this so many times, it really was a routine at this point. It was nothing Tenzo hadn’t seen already, anyway. In this state, Kakashi needed help undressing, so Tenzo helped.
The water rippled and splashed gently against the walls of the tub as Tenzo stepped in. He settled against the wall, leaving space between his legs for Kakashi to sit. Kakashi took the invitation and followed Tenzo’s motions, settling in the empty space and leaning his head back on Tenzo’s shoulder. The steady low hum of the ventilation fan filled the air, the lapping bathwater occasionally breaking the monotony.
“Lean forward a little so I can wash your hair, senpai.”
Kakashi obeyed and Tenzo grabbed a cup from the ledge to scoop water and wet Kakashi’s hair. It took multiple cupfulls to saturate his hair. It now sat plastered against his skull, slicked away from his forehead as Kakashi leaned his head back to avoid getting water on his face. It was a sensation he’d always disliked, and Tenzo took great care in keeping it away from his face when possible.
The pop of the shampoo bottle cap echoed against the shower walls. Suds quickly formed in Tenzo’s hands as he distributed the shampoo evenly throughout Kakashi’s hair, using his fingers to gently massage his scalp where he knew he held the most tension. Goosebumps spread down Kakashi’s arms. He could’ve sworn he heard him sigh, but it didn’t really matter. He didn’t need any sort of response to know it was appreciated. Not during times like this.
Tenzo discovered long ago that after periods of high stress, Kakashi tended to shut down. Questions were rarely met with answers; conversations turned one-sided. At first Tenzo was confused. Upset, even. He often worried that he’d messed up on the mission and that Kakashi was angry with him – the silent treatment, to Tenzo, was always associated with cold anger. At some point Kakashi explained himself: put simply, communication became monumentally difficult when his brain was processing large amounts of information. He wasn’t punishing anyone, it was just the way things were. Once communication was no longer vitally necessary post-mission, he shut down. Tenzo accepted this and moved on.
Their bathing arrangements developed soon after.
Once Tenzo was satisfied with the lather in Kakashi’s hair, he scooped more water to rinse it out. Each scoop was punctuated with a gentle smoothing motion to coax out the shampoo suds until Kakashi’s hair squeaked faintly under Tenzo’s hands. Another pop echoed off the tiles as he squeezed body wash onto a washcloth. He rubbed it along the planes of Kakashi’s back, making sure to exercise caution around recent injuries. Kakashi’s vertebrae shifted as he breathed, hypnotizing Tenzo for the smallest moment before he moved on to wash his sides and front.
“You can lean on me again.”
Kakashi did. Wet hair tickled his ear as he laid his head back on Tenzo’s shoulder again. Tenzo shifted the washcloth under his pits and over his chest, where the majority of the scar tissue on Kakashi’s body sat. The scars that matched Tenzo’s looked particularly angry today; he made a mental note to oil them once they got out. The washcloth made its way down over Kakashi’s stomach and crotch, making him exhale shortly at the sensitivity. Tenzo wrapped up quickly by finishing with his legs and feet. The washcloth got draped over the edge of the tub and Tenzo laid his hands on the tops of Kakashi’s thighs.
“Do you want me to shave your face?”
Tenzo waited.
No response.
“Do you want to get out?”
A brief pause, and he felt the slightest nod against his shoulder.
“Alright, let’s get you stood up then.”
Tenzo helped him stand and reached for a towel to wrap Kakashi in, then one to wrap around his own waist. He pulled the drain plug out with his foot and started drying them both off. Yukatas came quickly after, the cool fabric a welcome relief after the steaming hot bathwater. Tenzo grabbed a small vial of oil from the vanity, unscrewed the cap, and applied a small amount to each scar on Kakashi’s chest, then his own. The vial was closed and replaced on the countertop.
Kakashi took a step forward and laid his forehead on Tenzo’s shoulder, the small point of contact speaking volumes. A silent thank you, Tenzo mused. He placed his hand on Kakashi’s shoulder and squeezed gently. Any time, senpai.
The two had moved back into Kakashi’s bedroom, where the bedding had been replaced with a fresh set thanks to one of Tenzo’s wood clones. A window was cracked open just enough to let in a fresh afternoon breeze, livening up the room and airing it out all in one go. Kakashi crawled into his bed facing away from an empty space on the mattress, leaving a clear invitation for Tenzo to join. And really, who was Tenzo to refuse?
Together under the blankets, Tenzo found himself spooning Kakashi, an arm thrown over his waist and legs interwoven with Kakashi’s. He could sense Kakashi’s heartbeat and breathing slowing as exhaustion finally overtook him, and knew he would not be far behind. After all, a nice hot bath will lull anyone to sleep.
The last thing Tenzo remembers is pressing a gentle kiss into Kakashi’s shoulder and bringing him closer before the pull of sleep brought him under.