#Icha Pri!

[lachatalovematcha]

🎀🌈🐱 ⋅ ☆୧ ‧₊˚ 空からみてる ⋅ ☆୧ ‧₊˚ ☀️🎀だって花は咲く｡･ﾟ★｡＋ﾟ｡＊☘️🌈ＳＯＵＰ ＯＦ ＲＯＳＥ🌹⭐️🍎＋ﾟ｡＊ Ｏｈ！Ｉ　ＬＯＶＥ　ＹＯＵ夢みる唇お目覚め 🍀🍊今・日・は・ＬＯＶＥ★ＤＡＹ🌈🍓 あなたのそばよ♪＊：･’ﾟ♭🎀🍅💚⊹˚‧˚✩#｡˚✿.˚⊹˚‧˚✩🍦🎀

[electrasev5nwrites]

Ninja Daily: Vapors 41

"Hatake, put down that damn book and pay attention for once in your life, or I'm going to leave you in the dark."

He glared a little, but obediently tucked Icha Icha Madness away safely.

Tsunade rolled her eyes and sighed, momentarily considering the intelligence of trusting this smartass with anything. But it was his kid.

"Uzumaki, you're clear to tell Hatake what I classified earlier. Usage is now at his discretion."

Aiko nodded, but Hatake and Yamato gave her sharp looks. She cringed a little.

"You will be taking two genin corps teams as backup so that we're sending a respectable force. I expect you three to keep an eye on them."

"Genin," Yamato asked disbelievingly. Tsunade gave him a dirty look.

"Yes, genin. We're a bit understaffed. Besides, they're just needed to supplement Wind's border guard and allow their Chuunin relief. As is, they're three men short for a full watch at the area of the incidents. You'll be dealing with the actual excursions, along with three teams from Sand and three from Mist."

Kakashi sniggered at the snub. Ostensibly, by sending three teams, Konoha was contributing just as much as her allies. But the rank disparity would almost certainly piss people off. Tsunade pretended to look innocent about the implicit claim that Konoha's genin were equal to Sand's Chuunin and that a three man team from Konoha was as good as nine people from Sand or Mist.

The only one in the office who might possibly have bought her innocent expression was Tonton.

'Kami, it's a good thing that Gaara has been working on his temper. I bet Terumi Mei is hopping mad, though.'

The Hokage cleared her throat. "The Border stretch in question is the one that runs along Bird Country." She rolled her eyes a little. "Ten guesses as to which country probably let Sound get there unhindered from Grass," she said dryly.

'And if we guess 'Rain', she'll probably hit us.' Aiko pressed her lips together to avoid an inappropriate smile. It really wasn't funny that Earth appeared to have let Sound pass their borders unhindered at least twice. Of course they had plausible deniability, but it seemed pretty plain to see that the Tsuchikage didn't mind letting someone else take a swing at Sand.

That meant that even if he wasn't actually planning to go to war with the Leaf-Sand-Mist alliance, he didn't wish them well either.

'Actually, Rock and Lightning might feel threatened by a three country alliance,' Aiko realized. 'I would, if it were me. It looks like we're militarizing, even if we don't actually plan to start anything.'

"You'll be reporting here, and the time your team is expected to report is on your mission file, along with all other relevant information. Meet the two genin teams downstairs, they should be in the second waiting room. Any questions?"

No one had any, so they got the hell out and met the genin teams.

"Aiko-senpai!"

Akira caught her in a hug around the waist, digging her pony-tailed little head onto her chest. Aiko stiffened, not exactly certain as to what she should be doing. Usually only Naruto gave her surprise hugs. Her standard procedure for that was to let him do what he wanted and maybe pat his back a little.

'I didn't think the ducklings liked me that much…'

Luckily, the other two ducklings and the three older genin corps members in the room were much more reserved. Ken gave a little wave, and Emiko gave a polite nod. Once she'd finally pried off Akira and exchanged greetings with the genin she knew, the other team introduced themselves. It happened to be an all male team, with a much wider age group than the other genin group. The youngest looked to be about thirteen, but the other two had to be between sixteen and nineteen or so.

"Yamato, teams 2 and 3." Everyone jumped at the sudden serious tone of command from Kakashi, who was in charge of all the squads. "Go to the gate to await departure. Aiko, I want to talk to you at training ground 7."

She fingered the kunai in her pocket nervously as she followed her shishou, trying not to look too nervous. Tsunade had 'allowed' (read: ordered) Aiko to practice and demonstrate the Hiraishin on her private grounds. In retrospect, that was probably so that she knew whether or not it was wise to clue in her commanding officer that the technique was at his disposal when she sent them into the field. But it had never even occurred to the otherwise-thorough Tsunade to ask if Aiko could do anything other than what she thought of as the 'standard' Hiraishin.

And why should it have? Aiko hadn't actually really made modifications to the seal, per say. Her triangulation was only a different way of thinking about the Hiraishin, not an actual modification. Minato (and probably the Hokage who had invented it) had been able to appear in slightly different locations to their seals as needed, so their seals hadn't really been that different.

Really, her idea said more about her relative laziness than any actual flaw in the technique. Why throw the seal again and again when she could use three stationary ones for a similar purpose?

When she'd had time to think after the tongue-lashing/impromptu career advisory session that Tsunade had given her, Aiko had realized that her modified idea should be kept close to the vest. If everyone would assume they knew the weakness of her technique (that she had to appear next to the seals, which was why Rock had always tried to steal Minato's kunai) then they wouldn't actually be making plans that took advantage of her real weaknesses, which were more along the lines of her repeated inability to transport more than twenty times without getting a nosebleed. That was a generally good sign that her regular cognitive function would be deteriorating as well, due to low oxygen levels.

'At least,' she amended, 'I hope that will keep anyone from finding out about my real problems until I can mitigate them.'

To that end, she had affixed seals to four kunai. Enough that she could set up an array if she needed to, but also few enough to convince a casual viewer that there was no reason to assume she'd done anything different if she just used the 'standard' Hiraishin.

It smacked of lying when she thought about keeping the information from Kakashi, one of the few people she really trusted. Then again, it wasn't like she'd ever been completely honest with another person in her living memory, and it would be hard to explain her apparently revolutionary idea without hinting at her extra, unexplainable knowledge. She'd tentatively decided to tell him about the modification with the weak explanation that it had just occurred to her, but only after she knew how he'd react to finding out that she'd been experimenting and hadn't told him. He'd respect that Tsunade had classified the information. That was what being in the chain of command meant, after all. But he wouldn't be happy about having been out of the loop in the first place.

He stopped first, and turned to face her. For once, she couldn't read his expression.

That was a little unnerving. She had learned to read what was really going on under that mask a long time ago. The only time it could really keep his thoughts (or reactions, at least) from her was if he was intentionally stilling his face.

That made this a conversation between a commander and his subordinate, not Kakashi-shishou and Aiko. She straightened accordingly and met his gaze levelly.

"What did the Hokage refer to as classified information?"

Aiko closed her eyes to steel her nerves, and slipped her left hand into her kunai pouch where the special kunai were being kept. He had no doubt noticed the extra weaponry. She opened her eyes as she flung it to the left, and flipped positions to catch it just before the tip touched a tree trunk… without moving her unbent legs or turning her face. She turned to face him again, somewhat comforted by the extra distance. "That. When I was with Jiraiya, he gave me notes from a former student. I found his explanations and analyses of his process with the Hiraishin… so I deconstructed it and made my own adaption."

'Well, the mask isn't doing much good right now,' she noted with black humor. He looked shocked, an expression she'd never seen written so clearly before in his dropped jaw, raised eyebrow, and wide eye.

Weakly, he cleared his throat. "And you took this to Tsunade?"

She winced. Aiko had hoped he would forget that detail. "Ah, no. She found out when I got slightly overexcited with my first try and ended up with minor injuries. She classified it immediately, had me show her my seal, and then had me practice under her supervision."

"Minor injuries?"

"A nose bleed and a burst blood vessel in my eye from rapid changes in pressure."

Well, sort of, anyway. That was easier to explain.

He didn't even look like he was seeing her. Kakashi didn't look upset so much as nostalgic and mildly blindsided.

Aiko started to feel a bit irritated. Shouldn't he say something? Be mad or proud or something, not just stare over her shoulder?

As if he'd heard her thoughts, he gave a fake eye-smile. "I suppose this coincided with your decision to ask Gai for extra training? You know, you could have talked to me if you felt I wasn't giving you enough to do."

She flushed red. "That's not it!" Aiko cleared her throat and started again, more calmly. "That's not what I meant. I mean, Tsunade told me I wasn't allowed to use it because I'm not strong enough to deal with everyone who hates the Hiraishin. I was supposed to ask you for a more powerful attack when you got back, but then you taught me summoning right away."

The smile that followed was reflexive and natural. She loved the dogs, even though she didn't know most of them very well yet. Pakkun had even introduced her to a 'puppy' (puppy her ass, that dog was almost as big as Aiko) who needed a summoner and they were in the meet-and-greet stage.

"I see." Now he sounded proud, and a little amused. "Do you have the Hiraishin mastered, then?"

Aiko shrugged. "I have it pretty well under hand, but 'mastered' would be a strong word. The more I use it at once, the less precise I am.'

He cracked a smile. "That's amazing, Aiko-chan. You should have asked me. Maybe it's time for you to learn Rasengan. Your brother has it, after all."

She stared, the smile slipping off her face. Kakashi frowned at her, sensing the change in attitude.

"Why do you always do that," she blurted out, unthinkingly.

The far away gaze she'd noted a million times was gone, but she hadn't forgotten it. "Is something wrong?"

'This is a conversation I never wanted to have with you, that's what's wrong.'

Aiko took a deep breath. "I don't want to learn Rasengan."

He was very still, for a moment. Then he moved closer, as if trying to understand her. "Why not?"

"I don't think we should have this conversation." Aiko swallowed, hard, pushing back the words that she knew weren't a good idea to speak aloud.

"Aiko. Why don't you want to learn the Rasengan?"

'I can't say no to that face,' she thought miserably. And the words came out, hot and heavy with all the weight of the years where she'd never hinted at the thoughts she was expressing. "Shishou, sometimes you look at me like you don't even see me. You're seeing Minato or Kushina or some half-assed amalgamation of the two. I'm not either of my parents. That's why you pushed the chakra chains so much, right? Because Kushina was good at them. Well, I'm not nearly that good and I never will be," she added fiercely. 'I don't even want to be. I'm Aiko damnit, not Kushina.'

He was pale, but she was on a roll. "And I know that's why Jiraiya gave me those notes," she added quickly, letting something strange slip into her tone. "That's why he taught Naruto Rasengan. He thinks we're them too, not us."

"Who told you about your parents? I wasn't allowed to." His voice was quiet, and painfully devoid of inflection or tone.

And ohhh boy, wasn't that a loaded question?

"No one. Tsunade was going to tell me earlier, though. But I'm not stupid, you know. I don't know how anyone expected us to see the pictures in our textbooks and not see that Naruto looked exactly like the Fourth Hokage and we 'just happen' to have the last name of the one other S-class war hero from the last war." She didn't even try to hide the irritation. "The one who was famous for using chakra chains, which you were insistent I could learn." She leveled him with an unimpressed look. "It'd be almost harder not to figure it out if you have even the slightest interest."

Kakashi gave an odd chuckle, as if he didn't know what to think. "Sensei's in your textbooks? So it wasn't the hundred meter monument that clued you in, huh?"

"That's an awful likeness," she muttered. "Whoever made it shouldn't quit his day job."

He made a choking sound, twitching slightly. His head shook slightly, and he let his hand cradle his cheekbone, fingers splaying out over his eyes. The end result was that he looked like he had a massive headache.

"Right," he finally muttered, letting his hand slide up to his forehead and further up to ruffle at his hair. "I get it, adults are stupid. I held similar sentiments at one point. What does that have to do with not wanting to learn Rasengan? It's a very powerful move, and Naruto learned it in record time. It's your legacy."

"Well, I'm not Naruto either," she snapped irritably. He looked a little unnerved by the uncharacteristic temper, leaning back slightly. It was clear he was uncomfortable. She'd known he had no stomach for emotions, and that logic was the way to get through to him. If she wanted Kakashi to take her seriously, she had to remain as calm as possible. But at this point she was on a roll. She'd told him exactly why she didn't want to learn it and he just didn't want to understand. Shishou was far too intelligent to not understand the concept. It just wasn't that hard.

These were thoughts she'd had for years, but never expressed. They were practically heretical in the post-Kyuubi konoha, and wouldn't have made life any easier for Naruto.

But Uzumaki Kushina and Namekaze Minato weren't her parents. She didn't have parents, and didn't really think Naruto did either. If he wasn't desperate for parental affection, he'd probably come to the same conclusion.

What kind of parent died for their village when they had two infant children?

Her voice was cold. "I'm sick of you looking at me and seeing dead people, Kakashi." He recoiled as if struck. "Because that's what they are. Dead people that I never knew, who were never any sort of parents to me." She laughed bitterly. "They aren't anyone's parents. I'm more Naruto's parent than either of them. I raised him." She placed her hand on her chest and let it make a fist convulsively. "A good shinobi dies for their village. A good parent would have lived for their kid."

She turned away, courage failing. The words had been bottled up for fourteen years. This hadn't been the time to share them.

"It's like I don't know you," he said finally, quietly. Aiko screwed her eyes shut, breaths shuddering.

That had been an outcome she was afraid of. Kakashi had never liked her on her own merits. He'd only wanted her as a student because he looked at her and thought of Minato. She'd never considered either of those people her parents. She was an adult and she didn't need parents. Maybe she could acknowledge them as family in the same sense that Karin was, someone who she might like on a personal level if she got the chance, but that wasn't a parent.

Her hand clenched around her thigh, and she kept her voice carefully calm. It still broke a little. "Maybe it's not fair to them, but they're my feelings and I'm allowed to have them."

There was a moment of stillness, like a breath. Then the training ground was silent, and she knew she was alone. Aiko opened her eyes, took a calming breath as she roughly rubbed at her eyes, and made her way to the gate.

When she made it, all she saw of Kakashi was his back before he silently took off. Yamato gave her a distinctly baffled look that she answered with a glare. 'Mind your own damn business,' she thought fiercely. He was smart enough not to even try a conversation. The pace was brutal, and soon the genin were struggling.

Yamato carefully didn't look at either of his teammates. 'My tactical assessment is that something weird has happened.' He'd never seen Kakashi-shishou and Aiko so obviously on the outs with each other. He wasn't going to touch that situation with a ten-foot wooden pole, in no small part because Aiko would ask him if he was compensating for something. She looked to be in a mean mood.

Aiko had no idea what the second team of genin was named, and didn't even care enough to feel guilty about it. The trip proved that none of them were very interesting. Aside from Akira's easily rebuffed attempts to ingratiate herself with the upper level shinobi (Aiko had been relieved to find out that the girl had just wanted to snag herself an upper level sponsor, because that meant that she hadn't accidentally made a friend and then neglected her for months), everyone stayed in their own squads.

'Wind Country hasn't gotten any more pleasant,' she grouched internally as, over the course of a day of running, the trees got shorter and dirt turned to sand. Breathing in such dry air was an uncomfortable transition, and they had to stop twice to allow the younger teams to catch their breath and adjust to the dryness in their mouths. Without words, the senior nin stopped and set up camp for the night the third time that the genin couldn't go on. The second day of travel was just as painfully silent as the first. Even the genin eventually managed to shut their mouths and just concentrate on running.

Kakashi still didn't look at her.

Sand was pleased to see them show up. They were somewhat less pleased when the low level of the two younger teams became known (although annoyingly, they seemed to think Aiko was the third team member for the boys' team and that the tall one with the stupid hair was the Chuunin).

'I'm not that short,' she glowered. 'A year ago, I was the tall one, you stupid fucks.'

The teams separated, a team of Chuunin waving for them to wait and taking the genin with them to the wall. Aiko waited, dull-eyed and uninterested while Yamato fidgeted and Kakashi looked uncharacteristically professional. She only managed to drum up some interest when she realized she recognized all three members of the team that touched down in the clearing and stood to look at them.

Granted, she only knew of Baki in the vaguest sense. She might not have recognized him if Temari and Kankuro weren't on either side of him… and both giving her weird, assessing looks. She bared her teeth in response, not feeling up to taking anyone's shit today. Normally she'd fake nonchalance and deflect aggression around foreign nin to avoid getting into a fight. It was what she had done in past, when she first met them in Sand and they decided to act like jackasses for no reason. But today she was pissed off.

When they simultaneously paled and exchanged 'creeped-out' looks, she had to wonder if her scary face wasn't a little too scary.

(Temari grimaced, trying not to cringe. 'It looks like when Gaara tries to smile.'

'I was kind of expecting a tiger with lipstick,' Kankuro thought optimistically. 'By comparison, she seems very nice. Nicer than a girl that I thought Gaara would tolerate and take out for ice cream would be, anyway.')

Kakashi gave Aiko a sharp look, devoid of any of the usual affection. She huffed and turned away sullenly. So that's how it was. He provoked people all the time, and they'd started it anyways.

If the world had been a fair place, she would have been led to her room and allowed to go do her best to drown herself in the shower, maybe scream into pillow for a bit and write an angry poem. But it was a shitstorm of totally unfair suckiness designed to make even the worst of days worse, so that was when some shrieking harpy landed in the clearing, heralding what was probably the worst surprise attack in the history of ninja that hadn't been orchestrated by Naruto.

Yamato cut her down in an instant, looking almost surprised that he was the first one to move.

"That's just perfect," Aiko muttered, angrily yanking the sword on her back out of the hilt with an icy sliding sound that matched her bad mood nicely. Kankuro was moving to arm himself as well, his oversized doll flying off his back and leading the way into the trees. Baki overtook him in a breathless moment, hitting the next visible Sound ninja so hard he flew into a tree. Temari was waiting to slice him into pieces with a wind blade attack from her iron-tipped fan. The corpse collapsed, jaw falling open grotesquely and intestines spilling out, lung tissue splattering the ground and even onto Temari's front.

Kankuro just pouted and mumbled something bitter about them being glory hogs. As Temari actually took the time to stick her tongue out at her brother (completely disregarding the flesh sticking soppily to her kimono), the Konoha nin leapt into the fray. Honestly, what kind of surprise attack was staggered entire seconds apart?

The brutally short altercation that followed served to prove that the ninja they were facing were…

"Total incompetents," Temari growled, kicking a corpse irritably. "Most of them are no-name genin and shit like that from various villages, missing nin that no one cared about. I don't know what the hell Sound does, but they've all been genetically altered and sent out to fight." She sneered and wiped a bit of loose hair off of her face. "I don't know where Sound is getting all of them, though. They just keep coming."

"Seems like a waste of expensive resources," Yamato mused, mildly interested (and somehow managing to look like a mild-mannered librarian even through the blood spatter on his face). "Those genetic alterations can't be cheap. Why wouldn't they bother to give them at least basic tactical training?"

The six-man squad they'd fought… well, it hadn't been much of a squad. They fought like overpowered Academy students, with no sense of strategy or teamwork. She could see why the border Chuunin teams might have problems with them, but with a few Jounin to oppose them they were hopelessly outmatched.

"Please tell me you have showers at this base of yours," Aiko interjected, wishing she'd thought to pull up the mask attached to her shirt. 'God, I hate getting blood on my lips.' It was so hard not to lick them when she kept feeling them stick and crackle.

The look on Kankuro's face wasn't encouraging. She narrowed her eyes at him.

Omake- one that was actually requested!

Inoichi hummed cheerily in the way that his wife hated, tugging his hair into the standard ponytail. Then he stopped and frowned at his wrist, realizing that his black rubber band wasn't where it should be. He looked around the floor, but didn't spot it.

"That's strange..."

He shrugged and re-secured his left hand's grip on the ponytail, striding down the hallway and elbowing open his daughter's door. "Ino, honey, can I borrow a hair tie?"

She looked up from her spot on her bed, laying on her back with a book held above her face and leveled him with a thoroughly unimpressed look. "Dad, you've got to stop borrowing my hair stuff. I want my mousse back. But fine." she rolled her eyes in that 'teen girl' way and turned her attention back to her book. "You can have the lavender one on the dresser."

"Thanks, sweetheart." He snatched up the tie in question and wrapped it around his hair twice with a look of intense concentration that he caught in the mirror. He turned his head from side to side to appreciate the perfect way the hair fell, before his mind caught up with the thoroughly uncharacteristic detail that his daughter was reading a real book unprompted. It had been months since he'd last seen her with anything other than those terrible magazines that he'd gotten sick of and banned. ('120 ways to please your man indeed,' he thought vindictively. Not for his baby girl!)

"So, got a new book?"

She grunted distractedly. "I borrowed it from Aiko. It's really good, dad. You should read that one there, with the green cover. I finished it already." She curled them up and lifted one knee to cross her legs, letting her ankle swing idly.

"Oh?" He let an eyebrow raise. It was hard to believe his baby had much in common with the Uzumaki girl for reading tastes. From what Ino had told him (repeatedly and loudly at the dinner table) back when they were in the academy together, she was a straight-laced brainiac with very little humor or personality, but a general good nature.

Curious as to what Ino might have found so interesting, he bent to pick up the first book off the short stack beside her bed, and immediately noticed something odd. "This is a drugstore diary..."

'Ino, you're not reading the poor girl's journals, are you?' He gave her a suspicious glance, but she appeared more absorbed than amused.

"Yeah, she wrote them," Ino said distractedly a second later, turning a page and blinking over at him briefly.

He stilled. That was odd. Skeptically, he glanced down at the pile by his daughter's bed. It wasn't impossible, per say, that a fourteen year old with a full-time job could have written six books, but it did seem unlikely that they were any good. Inoichi fought a very short war with his skepticism, but his innately nosy nature won out and he flipped open the green book.

A page in, he sat down hard on Ino's pink chair and really began to concentrate. That was how his wife found them. She rolled her eyes. "Honestly, you two. Breakfast is cold and you're both late for work."

Ino shot up like a rocket, suddenly alarmed. "Oh crap!" She cringed away from the scolding that curse prompted but dashed around her room shoving gear into her little pouch and tugging up her own hair with a brush and some bobby pins.

"Ino, leave that book." She gave him an odd look.

"Dad, I'm not done with it."

He gave her a stern look. "You can finish it later. Don't tell your little friend I borrowed these, okay?"

There was no normal fourteen year old that wrote like this. 'Maybe that's why she was given to Hatake,' he hypothesized years too late. 'Weird, socially disinclined geniuses should stick together and all that.' Tsunade didn't seem to know about this. He'd gone to her strategy meetings with Shikaku before, and the Hokage brought up Naruto more often than she probably realized. It had been almost impossible for her total lack of knowledge about his sister to come up.

'At the very least, it'll provide an interesting read while I wait outside her office,' he thought smugly. 'And an excuse for being late to the office.'

[effeminateboyninja]

💚 congrats on 700 followers!!! First time I’ve sent an ask but uh, I love your posts. (And how easily you interact w your followers 🥺) hoping I can submit a request for the event 👉🏻👈🏻

Name: Kat

Pronouns: she/her

Personality: usually pretty chill and easy going but can be energetic once in a blue moon. I love bad jokes and am always trying to make others laugh. A dog and book lover. I can’t cook for shit…

Dream date: Something low key? I want to be able to get to know the person so, as long as I can do that easily it’s a good date.

S/O: kakashi ❤️‍🔥 love his dedication to his friends/family but also how dorky he can be too. 🙈

🐈‍⬛ anon

a chance worth taking - kakashi + kat ♡

your personalities meld so well together that even before you two made it official everyone knew that where they found kakashi they would also find you. he just feels so at ease when he's around you and your laid-back personality, it's his little bit of sanity in the midst of the whirlwind that is his daily life and after a long day of dealing with his chaotic team he's just happy to come home to the quiet little life you've made together

as relaxed and comfortable as your relationship can typically be though, you two are also very goofy and when you get into one of your energetic moods it always leads to a fun adventure. he loves your bad jokes and is always ready to shoot one right back at you so he can watch your face light up and hear the musical sound of the laugh that he loves so much. he appreciates your dorky humour but the laugh is his favourite part

knows you’re not the most confident in the kitchen so he almost always makes dinner for the two of you. he’s a great cook and he just loves treating you to a nice home cooked meal after a long day of work, the way you always make sure to thank him with a kiss and that sweet smile is more than enough payment. but he’d also love teaching you his favourite recipes, and he’ll eat every bite even if you don’t necessarily nail it

the tiny house you share is a cozy space with bookshelves lining the walls, filled with all of your most-loved series and of course his prized icha icha copies. when he’s not busy with work his favourite way to unwind is to lay on the opposite side of the couch from you, legs tangled up under a shared blanket as the two of you read your books in a comfortable silence

well, as close to silence as you can get in a house with eight ninja hounds and whatever strays the two of you managed to take in. but regardless of the noise, or the fur, there’s nowhere else he’d rather be than with the little family he’s built with you. especially on rainy days when the two of you snuggle up under a pile of blankets and dogs, forgetting about everything else

“You’re staring again, senpai.”

The sound of Yamato’s chuckle pulled Kakashi from the trance he’d been caught in the moment before and he pried his gaze from where you were standing across the road with a shake of his head and the ghost of a smile.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he pretended, rising from his seat with a sigh and flicking his younger companion on his forehead protector.

The wood style user winced instinctively at the assault but recovered quickly, not letting his old sensei get off so easily. And truth be told, as much as he loved teasing his former senpai about looking like a love-struck school boy whenever he was around you, he was determined to make Kakashi accept what was already so obvious - that he was in love. So he tried again.

“C’mon, you know what I mean. Kat. You’re practically inseparable already, you should just ask her out... it doesn’t even have to be a proper date!” he added quickly to soothe at the copy ninja’s horrified expression at the very suggestion, putting out his hands in front of him like he was calming a spooked horse. “Just… ask her to get dinner, just the two of you.”

Kakashi scowled as he shoved his hands in his pockets and mumbled, “it’s not that easy… what if she doesn’t like me that way? … I don’t want to make things awkward…”

After the third excuse Yamato had enough.

“Fine. You’ve left me no choice,” he sighed, taking a little pleasure in the way his confident friend’s expression went from confused to terrified recognition in the split second it took him to raise his arm above his head to get your attention, a wide grin on his face as he waved you over eagerly.

“Asshole,” Kakashi muttered under his breath.

“You’ll thank me one day.”

Then he was off, bidding you farewell with an excuse about having somewhere to be and one last wink over his shoulder at his panicked friend.

“Hey Kakashi! What’s up?” you greeted him cheerfully with a smile.

Damn that smile, he thought to himself, that certainly wasn’t going to make keeping his cool any easier. He could already feel his palms start to sweat as he struggled to come up with something casual to say to you, but despite all his usual charm and ability to think on the spot he came up with nothing, Yamato’s suggestion the only thing echoing throughout his mind.

“Dinner,” he stuttered, trying again at your amused giggle, “I was just about to get dinner… care to join me?”

If Yamato had been around to hear the nervous lilt in his tone he would’ve laughed, Kakashi knew it, but he would’ve absolutely cackled at your next words.

“Like a date?”

The silver-haired ninja’s ears went red but he stood his ground, encouraged by the eagerness in your voice.

“Yeah, like a date.”

A wide smile broke out across your face that nearly knocked him off his feet. Then he regained his composure and enough of his confidence to reach out and intertwined his fingers with yours, relishing the way yours seemed to fit so perfectly between his. He had suspected Tenzo had been correct when he said he would thank him for his actions, he didn’t think it would be so soon though.

[chestnut-b]

Himawari - Chapter 5

A request to kindly reblog if you like the art or the story! (Still not appearing in tags, unfortunately ;_; Thank you so much!

Chapter 5 of a Demon Slayer AU.

“Please don’t go hoisting your parental duties on me just yet, sensei. Do you really want to entrust Naruto’s growth to a guy who reads Icha Icha Paradise?”

Or worse, writes it. Iruka could only laugh. He couldn’t remember when he’d laughed this freely before.

He’d have to find a way to live forever now.

------------------------------------------------------------------

All Kakashi had to do was follow the yelling. Naruto’s, specifically. 

Swiftly, he navigated the dark tunnels, stopping only to orient himself at the numerous forks along the way. When Naruto’s voice faded, his ears picked up the sound of waves and rushing water. That too, lasted a few short seconds before dissipating into soft echoes, but Kakashi knew he was close. The stench of death was growing stronger with each step.

He arrived just in time to see Iruka, standing seemingly still in a shallow pool of water at the base of a huge cavern, Naruto clinging to his side. Their backs bore signs of having been dragged a distance, Iruka’s more than Naruto’s. Kakashi couldn’t see if they’d sustained any injuries, but knowing the teacher, he must have taken the brunt of it on their way down here.

He gazed at Iruka’s form. That defensive stance… a breath technique?

His curiosity piqued, Kakashi resisted the urge to act, instead choosing to mask his presence. There was barely enough light being emitted from the pool for him to get a view of their grim surroundings. The corpses of beasts, predator and prey alike, littered every nook and cranny, some hung from the stalactite-covered ceiling as skeletal, brittle husks.

Soon, an ominous rattling reached his ears, followed by what could only be described as a grotesque symphony of hisses, groans and moving parts. 

“Mare..chi…what a feast...ha..haha...it’s been a while since I’ve had a human meal..”a wretched voice echoed, already drunk with hunger.

Well, that confirmed it, Kakashi cursed inwardly. He’d left the cave obediently at Iruka’s request, and now they were facing a demon that was already salivating at the thought of rare blood. The slayer hadn’t spoken, nor had he moved an inch despite Naruto’s presence beside him. His hands were poised to draw his blade from its sheath at a moment’s notice. 

The pool at his feet started to ripple in slow, rhythmic pulses. 

There it was again. Kakashi felt a familiar, gentle wave pass over him. His presence had been felt, but Iruka made no appeal for assistance.

Let’s see what you’re made of, Iruka-sensei. 

A single piece of rock fell from the ceiling, creating a secondary wave of ripples in the water. Kakashi spied a snaking form in the reflection, and in the next instant, the foe descended upon the pair.

Legs, too many legs. Kakashi cringed inwardly. 

He hated centipedes. 

A demon large enough to hunt monsters for prey, with a long, segmented body twice as thick as a human adult. The demon’s face and neck were nowhere to be seen, though he had a good idea of where it was hidden.

There was a flash of metal, followed by a terrible shriek of pain. The demon fell and thrashed violently in the water. With a shining blue blade, Iruka had managed to fend off the first strike, slicing off a row of legs in the process. 

But there wasn’t enough strength behind Iruka’s blow to have dealt significant damage to the main body, Kakashi observed. If the path of his blade had strayed, there would have been trouble. It had been a concentrated effort, judging from the deep, controlled exhale that followed.

The teacher had taken the chance to jump back with Naruto, increasing the distance between them and their foe. The boy let out a taunt, but was quickly silenced with an extended arm and a hushed admonishment. 

Just as the demon found its bearings, Iruka reached into the sleeve of his haori and in the next instant, three kunai had found their marks deep in the crevices of the centipede’s body, this time producing a sputter of indignant rage as tiny streams of blood seeped into the pool.

With a shrill shriek, the mouth of the creature pried open, and out emerged a humanesque head and torso, its skin pale and wet. Veins of purple had started to snake up its neck.

Naruto failed to rein in his cry of disgust. 

“You bastard...wisteria?!” The thing screamed bloody murder. 

Iruka kept silent, walking towards the demon while staring it down with an unrelenting glare. This seemed to enrage it even more, for it backed up, coiling like a snake preparing to strike. In its delirium, it opted for a head-on attack, lunging straight for the approaching slayer with blinding speed. 

“Iruka-nii!” 

The slayer’s strike had only opened a wide gash in its torso as it whipped past. Iruka hadn’t expected the change in trajectory. Naruto had already started running his way, and the demon adjusted its course for retaliatory strike. 

“Get down!” Iruka screamed. 

The boy took to the ground, arms over his head. Iruka shielded him with his own body, bracing for a direct hit.

However, nothing came but a wet crash and an inhuman screech. Iruka lifted his head in time to see one of the severed segments drop onto the ground beside him. 

“Iruka-sensei, I don’t think this is what you meant when you said we’d be in time for dinner.” 

Kakashi turned his head for a moment to beam moronically at the teacher. Iruka sighed in response, but favoured him with an exasperated smile in return anyway. Kakashi found himself thinking; while a glare was always an interesting look on Iruka, nothing quite looked as natural on him as a smile.

The teacher had taken a few bumps on the way down, a cut on his head bled worse than it actually was, but other than that, Kakashi saw no reason for alarm, 

A sharp interruption broke his train of thought.

“Shut up. You’re late!” Naruto berated him.

Kakashi rolled his eyes, as he was prone to doing when around the boy. 

He wasn’t late; it was in fact, a strategically delayed entry. 

Nevertheless, the Hashira approached the writhing demon, gleaming black blade in hand.

“Hey, where’s your master? I’ll make it a painless death if you tell me.” 

There was no coherent or useful answer to be gleaned in the screams that followed. 

”That’s a pity. Well, be seeing you then.” 

Contrary to his threat, Kakashi took the demon’s head clean off with one silent, clean strike. Soon after, the body started its slow disintegration into black ash. 

“May you find peace...and light on the other side.” 

He knew full well it wasn’t meant for him, but something in that gentle voice made Kakashi’s heart stir in a way it hadn’t for a long time. For a moment, his father’s visage surfaced in his mind. 

He turned back to the pair, only to see Iruka looking into the eyes of the fallen demon. On his exhausted face was a genuinely forlorn expression. The demon stared silently, but a single tear joined the rest of the pool at their feet, creating a final ripple before the last of the body disappeared for good.

“Iruka-nii!” Naruto cried, bearing the now slumped Iruka on his shoulder. He’d lost consciousness. 

Kakashi flicked the blood off his sword before returning it to its sheath, doing the same for Iruka’s. He passed the sheathed blade to Naruto before picking the teacher up into his arms. Truthfully, he would have wanted to see the reaction on his face had he been awake, but instead Kakashi was met with another somber realisation; Iruka was a half a head shorter than Kakashi at most, but his weight scarcely reflected it. He didn’t have time to ponder for long before a subdued voice spoke out.

“Is he going to be ok?” It was one of those times when Naruto sounded the most like the 7 year old child he was. 

“He’ll be fine. Sensei’s stronger than he looks.”

His gaze lingered on Iruka’s worn face just a bit longer. 

When my time comes, will you pray for me too, sensei?

 ------------------------------------------------------------------

 Sound was always the first thing to come to him when he woke up. He remembered the chirping of birds or summer cicadas, his mother’s humming as she laid out breakfast, or his father’s stern but warm voice as he trained at dawn.

In this place was the gentle crackle of a fire, the rush of trees and grass swaying in the wind, and the rhythmic pitter-patter of a light rain hitting stone. On his right could only be Naruto’s soft snoring. The weight of fabric over his shoulders felt like a warm embrace. He wanted desperately to lose himself in the sheer comfort of the composition, but Iruka knew he was not lying in his room or in his bed. 

Cautiously, he opened his eyes to see a soft orange glow in the stone ceiling above him. 

“Good evening, sensei.” 

And there was Kakashi. 

Iruka cringed as he struggled to sit himself upright, every part of him ached. Now that the adrenaline had worn off, he could feel every bump and bruise all over again. He turned to his right to see Naruto, sleeping like a log, wrapped in Iruka’s haori. Seeing that, he looked down at his own lap to see what could only be Kakashi’s haori. It was a deep maroon that at times shone a silk-like black under the right light. It was beautiful, and, looking at it up close like he was now, easy to get lost in its richness. He removed his arms from under the coat, and was surprised to see the cuts and scrapes that his hands had suffered had been cleaned and carefully bandaged. The red braided cord he used to tie his hair was neatly rolled and left in his palm. 

“I had to look into your bag to see if there was anything we could use, sorry sensei.”

The Hashira had saved their lives, and now he was apologising? Iruka wondered if all the pillars were as odd as this one. Iruka shook his head before taking in his surroundings. They were still in the same cave, and judging from the height of the moon outside, it was just after midnight.

The wind brought a slight chill, but the worst of it was fended off by the warmth of the fire and the haori that had been draped over him. His hair, now spilling over his shoulders, protected his neck from the worst of the cold. He turned to Kakashi, dressed in only the standard blacks, gently lit by the moonlight as he sat closer to the mouth of the cave. 

He looks cold. 

“How are you feeling?”

Like crap, if he was going to be truthful. But it must have been miles better than being a drained shell of a meal for a demon. 

“I’ll survive.” 

Iruka struggled to his feet. Taking the haori along with him, he offered it back to Kakashi, who merely smiled and shook his head. 

“You should get back to sleep. You need it.”

“Right. So we’re sharing then.”

“What?”

Iruka draped the haori back onto Kakashi’s shoulders. But instead of returning to where he’d been lying, he plopped himself bodily next to Kakashi, pressing their shoulders together before wrapping the other half of the haori around himself. Kakashi let out a warm, amused chuckle that vibrated through his battered body. He dug his face into his knees. The heat he felt rising to his cheeks wasn’t from the warmth of the fire. 

“That’s what you get for being stubborn about it.”

“Oh sensei, If we’re going to be children here, how about a bed-time story?”

There was a rustle of paper, and Iruka lifted his head to see a very child-unfriendly woodblock-printed illustration shoved right in his face.

“What the hell is this?!” He hissed indignantly, swatting the book away from his face. Kakashi’s hand retreated with it before any damage could have been dealt.

“Jiraiya-sensei’s latest work. Icha-Icha Paradise: Romance in the Floating World! He left the manuscript in his-, I mean, my room, as a way of keeping me occupied while I play babysitter.” 

Iruka swore he had never heard the man sound this happy. He looked so satisfied thumbing through the book with the brightest orange washi-paper cover he’d ever seen that Iruka couldn’t help but think himself an idiot. Because, even just for a moment, he’d thought Kakashi looked quite dignified, sitting there in the moonlight. 

Iruka had never been so wrong. 

Beside him sat the strongest of the Hashira, legendary user of multiple breath-styles; Hatake Kakashi, and he was reading porn in a cave. Iruka was dumbstruck.

Maybe this is all a dream, or maybe I did get eaten by the demon and I’m in hell where I belong.

But Naruto was here too, so that couldn’t be it. He groaned, rubbing his forehead. That had been carefully bandaged too. 

“I suppose this is why you didn’t try to get us back tonight.” He’d shown Kakashi the map, he knew where the entry points were.

Kakashi nodded solemnly. “I hate getting wet even under normal circumstances. If Jiraiya found out I destroyed his manuscript, well, I’m not sure if there will be any of me left for the demons, sensei.” He didn’t know if the shiver Kakashi produced was real or mere parody.

“Plus, it’s a beautiful night, isn’t it?” 

Iruka couldn’t deny that part. He couldn’t recall the last time he’d slept rough like this, but he felt the same sentiment. He’d remember this night, and not just for the scenery and soundscape.

Jiraiya-sama. It wasn’t the first time he had met the man, but he’d taken the task of observing Naruto even less seriously than Kakashi had at first, spending most of his time in the town taverns or in his room. He’d requested a good supply of paper and ink blocks upon his arrival. So this is what they were for. Iruka sighed, what a waste of good writing materials. As if they weren’t troublesome enough to obtain too. 

The books though; he’d seen them as he browsed the town’s bookshops. They stood out in the most indiscreet fashion possible, Iruka’s eyes couldn’t help but be drawn to them. Kotetsu had been bugging him to buy one on his trips there, but once he saw the title, he decided there were definitely better uses for his limited savings. He never expected the author and the esteemed retired Hashira to be one in the same Jiraiya. 

The sounds of water that surrounded them made Iruka realise how thirsty he was. He placed a hand on his throat in an attempt to soothe it. Another article was soon in his line of sight, a bamboo water canteen. 

“Sorry I couldn’t get it to you sooner.” He’d sounded genuinely apologetic, and it wasn’t just about the water either. Iruka shook his head. He’d have apologised too, for being this weak, but Kakashi had witnessed it for himself plenty by now. Nevertheless, he took the water gratefully. Gingerly, he reached into his pocket, taking out a small sachet. He emptied its contents into his mouth before taking a large swig of water. 

From the day he was born, it never failed to taste absolutely awful.

Kakashi chuckled. The reaction on his face must have been too obvious.

“Mustn’t be easy being a Senju huh, Umino Iruka-kun.”

Iruka blinked at him before bursting out laughing. He was grateful Kakashi had waited for him to swallow before bringing that one out. 

How many years had it been since he’d heard those two names in the same sentence. 

“You must have been a great student, Kakashi-san.”

“Quite the contrary, Minato-sensei was just about ready to kill me himself. Too many questions can be a problem, apparently.”

If there was a time Iruka could relate to Naruto’s late Father, it was right at this moment. 

“When did you realise?” Iruka sighed, he’d laughed so hard, he had to wipe the tears out of the corners of his eyes. 

Kakashi turned his head, his one eye, grey as stone, gazed at him warmly.

“Maa, my suspicions were just about confirmed today, actually.” 

“Please, do enlighten me.” 

Kakashi made a pleased sound, nodding his head. 

“Firstly, Sarutobi doesn’t take just anyone as a student. No offence, sensei, but physically speaking, you’re not the strongest combatant. So there had to be other reasons for him to keep you around, especially knowing what happened between you and Naruto that day.”

Iruka nodded slowly. He’d barely made it through every Hashira training session that Kakashi had been instructed to conduct when he was posted at the school. Iruka, like everyone else there, dreaded those days the most,

“Secondly, Your earrings. Sea-glass from the Uzumaki coast, and a bit too expensive for a commoner’s family. It’s not just where the Uzumaki came from, the Senju had long been there before moving further east. Not the strongest evidence, I admit, but there it is.” 

Unconsciously, Iruka’s hand had moved to touch the earring on his left ear. The only things he had left of his Mother.

“Thirdly, that troublesome condition of yours. The stuff you take for it, smells just like what they get delivered to the main estate. Not envious of that one at all, sensei.”

Iruka chuckled, and swore to himself he’d sneak it into Kakashi’s tea one day. It would be a difficult task, with his hound-like sense of smell, but he’d find a way. 

“Anything else?”

“Hmmm. A man you share your family name with, Umino Ikaku, famously spiriting away Kohari, a Daughter of Senju, even one from a minor branch family, caused a bit of a stir at the time, even though I was a kid when I heard about it. Father found it pretty amusing, like a Shinobi love-story come to life. Maybe that’s where I got it from.” He mused, waving the book in his hand.

That he had the audacity to even mention the two stories in the same breath. It was enough to make Iruka burst a blood vessel, but he settled for a hard shove in Kakashi’s direction. If he was lucky, that book would find itself tinder for the fire by sunrise. 

“Also.” Kakashi continued, glancing at the red cord bunched in Iruka’s fist. It had been gifted to him by his Father when he’d hit his first bullseye with a kunai.

“You may not know this, but with your hair down, you’re a splitting image of Oyakata-sama.”

Iruka sighed. He’d never stepped foot on the Senju Estate, never set eyes on the great Senju-Hashirama. Sometimes, his Mother would mention it as she combed through his hair, how much they looked alike. But Iruka had no point of reference, and so had never thought much about it. 

But in hindsight, Sarutobi had always been soft on him. The Hashira designation wasn’t that old, and Sarutobi had been one of the first named Hashira, after the great founder himself. Great warriors, all, each carrying part of his name into battle with their sworn enemies.

Iruka started when he felt a gloved hand grab his. Kakashi lifted it up and pulled the sleeve back, looking at his arm as if he expected something to materialise if he stared hard enough.

“I’d ask you for your password, but we both know nothing will come of it. Right, sensei?”

Checkmate. 

He’d never been through the final selection, and was thus, a rankless pretender.

Iruka took back his arm and hugged his knees. Despite the fire and Kakashi’s warmth beside him, he felt the chill of guilt spread through his body.

“The Senju lead the Slayers, send good men and women to die for their mistakes, and yet…...we can’t join them.” 

“Well, but here you are on the ground. Fighting alongside everyone else. I think that’s pretty admirable, wouldn’t you say?”

Iruka glanced at the sleeping boy, He’d done well today. Despite the chaos of his first demon encounter, he kept himself calm, as calm as Naruto could be, anyway. Children of experienced slayers might not have stood as steadily as he did. His reaction to the wisteria gave Iruka so much hope too, even if the boy didn’t realise it himself. 

He’d be a fine warrior one day, if he chose to walk the path. 

“Naruto’s going to get stronger and stronger. Eventually, I’ll just be a burden on him.” Iruka whispered, how many times had he regretted his weakness, his cursed inheritance. 

“On the contrary, sensei. You showed him there’s someone out there who’s willing to lay down their life for him.” Kakashi’s voice was as warm as the fire. “He kept watch over you until he fell asleep, you know. He’s not going to forget what you did for him. What you continue to do for him, every day.” 

Iruka burrowed his head deeper. He was so tired, there were no more tears to let fall.

“Kakashi-san, if I’m not around……”

“Please don’t go hoisting your parental duties on me just yet, sensei. Do you really want to entrust Naruto’s growth to a guy who reads Icha Icha Paradise?” 

Or worse, writes it. Iruka could only laugh. He couldn’t remember when he’d laughed this freely before. He’d have to find a way to live forever now. He lifted his head to look Kakashi in the eye. 

“You know, the Senju are famously short lived.” 

“And wielders of black blades and demon marks are said to be short-lived too. Slayers fall in battle every day, sensei. You could say that we are the lucky ones.” He said, tapping his eye-patch. 

For the second time that night, Iruka felt tremendously stupid. 

“So, if you want to keep me accountable, try to outlive me, won’t you, Umino Iruka-sensei? For both our sakes.” An arm had landed around Iruka’s shoulders. 

Warm. Kakashi had stripped him bare, but he’d never felt this way, not since his parents left. But he had no strength left to cry, and so his response was reduced to a single nod.

“Even if I hadn’t been there, I know you would have protected him no matter what, Iruka.” His voice was already slipping away.  

Kakashi was a weird Hashira. 

Those were his last thoughts as he slipped into unconsciousness. 

For the first time in years, Iruka dreamt of his parents, still alive, and it was a happy, warm dream. 

 Author’s Notes:

A nice meaty chapter which much to chew on! A chapter which was a joy to write from start to finish. I’d love to hear what you think about it (and the reveals at the end!) 

Terminology:

Marechi: Humans with Rare Blood, drives demons mad with hunger.

Password and Rank: Confirmed slayers have their rank engraved on their arms, it's supposed to appear using a password.

Oyakata-sama: Another term for 'leader'.

[fourangers]

Kakashi’s exposé

Dedicated to @rivaille-plisetsky that suggested the prompt: 

Post-War shenanigans with Kakashi being the only one with knowledge of their relationship

So here it is! I hope you’ll like it. SNS, with a tiny bit one-sided Sakura --> Sasuke, and sex insinuations. Comedy and it’s a lil to the side of crack.

AO3 link

==.==.==

Somehow, some way, it just clicked. Maybe it was due to exhaustion, or Sakura's confession still fresh in his mind but Kakashi witnessed the way Sasuke was looking at his best friend/rival/nemesis, how affection warmed his black eyes mixed with longing and burning intensity and it was just…oh. Oh. OoooooOooH.

Everything made sense now. It's no wonder he was so desperate to cut off his bonds with Naruto and why it brought him so much pain to do so. 

Kakashi just stood mildly shocked as his eyes followed his previous students' behavior, from Sakura's relieved smile, Naruto's wide beam and Sasuke's gaze constantly trained towards the blond nin. 

Ah…to be young and naive.

⏤.⏤ 

Kakashi had a hard time feigning surprise when he saw both boys tucked together, blissfully sleeping on the small bed at the hospital. Sakura, on the other hand, was so happy about Sasuke's return that she didn't connect the dots yet.

The next few months was a cumbersome process of finding solid proofs about the Uchiha's massacre tying with Konoha's higher office corruption, since the elders were eager to throw Sasuke in jail while he was still recuperating from his wounds. Fortunately Naruto called Shikamaru for help as they searched in the archives with Tsunade's permission. 

Soon enough all the guilty were charged for conspiracy in ethnic cleansing and thrown behind bars. Sasuke also spent some time in jail for multiple attempts of murder against the 5 kages, but thankfully due to his contributions in ending the latest ninja war and Naruto’s constant nagging with Tsunade, he was set free.

Naruto and Kakashi both expected that Sasuke would bolt out of Konoha the second he was unchained. However, much to their puzzled astonishment, the last Uchiha had decided to settle down. He even took the chuunin exams with Naruto as some sort of proof that he desired to get back being a Konoha citizen. As if there was something(someone) that rooted him to the ground.

When Sasuke reached 18 years old, Kakashi gifted him a special Icha Icha book with prim pride.

Sasuke glanced at the title, glared his ex-teacher with his face bright red, and promptly hid when they noticed Naruto’s chakra close by. Several comrades joined in afterwards, some were part of the rookie nine, other were Sasuke’s current teammates, all gathered to celebrate his birthday.

Through the course of that night, wherever Sasuke would go, Ino and Sakura were on his toes once again, vying for his attention. It was a confusing realization for Kakashi, that even if Sakura was now an accomplished medic-nin and jounin, she would revert to her pre-teen self once Sasuke was around. Kakashi simply observed in between sips of sake while Sakura fussed over Sasuke with her doe-eyed expression, and Sasuke tolerated her presence with the smallest furrow on his handsome face. Black eyes flickered towards Naruto’s back, before he exhaled a heavy sigh, calling Sakura much to Ino’s annoyance.

On the next day, the news about Sasuke and Sakura dating was the talk of the whole town. Or rather, how Sakura was running behind her beloved wherever they go, emerald eyes glimmering like a little girl winning the affection of her idolized popular boy.

This is bizarre; Kakashi concluded watching the one-sided interactions. Those youngsters were just too much for him sometimes.

Naruto swore that he welcomed this new development with open arms, really, like…really. He’d accept no one else but Sasuke, if he was going to lose Sakura’s hand to another man. But Kakashi could notice the tightness of his grins whenever team 7 would reunite, but whether he was jealous over Sakura or Sasuke, no one would ever know.

Months have passed and Sasuke was slowly entering a dangerous territory, returning to his personal darkness that few could reach. Maybe it was due to Sakura’s impatience that their relationship got stuck since day one, or how she finally broke the illusion that her idol was just a regular man, so she was currently much more content spending her time with Ino nowadays. Maybe it was because his friendship with Naruto was becoming strained over the days. Maybe the Hyuuga’s heiress bold approach towards his best friend was grating Sasuke’s nerves.

Kakashi sighed. They were so much cuter back when they were little genins.

But Kakashi was; he hoped, wiser now. The accumulated experience he built up all over those years brought him a wider scope about how he should handle human emotions and its complexities. He wouldn't make the same mistake he had done before, unlike last time when he failed talking some sense to pre-teen Sasuke. 

He stood up, hopping on the direction towards Naruto’s house.

⏤.⏤ 

One year later… 

Konohamaru cleared his throat, knocking on the door. He heard grumbles, quiet steps and then the door was pried open with a pair of glaring eyes.

He gulped. “Good morning. Is Naruto-niichan nearby?” 

Sasuke thinned his lips, turning around. “Cooking breakfast.”

Konohamaru gave a brisk nod, striding towards the kitchen and being greeted by Naruto’s wide gin.

“Hey Konohamaru! ‘Sup?”

“Naruto-niichan! It’s your first day in the Hokage’s apprenticeship, are you excited?”

“Sure am! Man, can’t believe that Tsunade-baachan is going to pass the torch to me, I thought for sure they were going to choose Kakashi-sensei that⏤”

“Oh? Talking about me?”

Konohamaru and Naruto shrieked when they heard Kakashi’s sudden chime, Sasuke stood leaning on the wall unimpressed. 

The older man said. “Ah, here I was coming here to congratulate my former protegée, and all I hear is Naruto-kun talking behind my back. You’re hurting my fragile heart.”

“Can’t you knock on the door like a regular person? You almost gave me a heart attack dammit.” Naruto complained, rubbing his chest. 

“Another reason why I’m questioning Konoha’s decision to make you the next Hokage. I assumed the prerequisite for such an important job was to master basic moves like noticing someone’s chakra when they are close by, dumbass.” Sasuke scoffed.

“Say what, you asshole⏤”

“As much as I’d love to get down the memory lane watching you boys bicker, I’m here to give you a gift, Naruto.” Kakashi placed several books on the table. “My entire Icha Icha collection. All signed by Jiraiya-sama.”

Naruto stared wide-eyed once the information sank in, picking up one book as if it was the most precious thing in the world. He leafed through pages, smiling fondly when he read Jiraiya’s message. They let Naruto take his time browsing through the books, even Sasuke curbed his usual teasing barb too.

The Uchiha nin seemed to realize something, coughing. “Well, since Kakashi already gave you his present, I suppose I should also give you mine.”

Naruto’s eyes were narrowed and suspicious. “And what exactly you’re gonna give me, bastard?”

Sasuke smirked, throwing his arm around Naruto’s shoulder and directing to their bedroom. “You’ll enjoy it, for sure.” 

Konohamaru and Kakashi watched as Naruto was dragged by Sasuke. Konohamaru muttered. “Well, I guess I’ll wait here until they are done. I was also gonna give Naruto-niichan my gift.”

Oh. “Ooooh, there’s no need for you to wait this long Konohamaru-kun. You can give him once we’re in Konoha’s headquarters.”

“What? I can wait a little, I mean⏤”

Kakashi patted the younger nin’s shoulder as he hurried them to the exit. “I have a feeling they are going to take a while, so we better go.”

Several months had passed and Naruto was beginning to get used to the hectic schedule of being Tsunade’s apprentice. The assistants were also smoothly adapting with his working style too, most comfortable with his friendliness.

The rare exceptions were when Naruto’s best friend would go to a long term mission, and the sunny personality will cloud to a petulant pout. 

“Naruto.” Everyone jumped startled from the familiar baritone voice, swiveling their heads to see Sasuke perched on the window.

Naruto instantly brightened up, turning back to face their assistants as he declared. “Hey guys! Sasuke is here so I’m gonna go ok, ‘s gonna be really quick I swear. Be right back, be right back!” Both Naruto and Sasuke disappeared in a cloud of poof.

The assistants shrugged, some even rolled his eyes while they resumed their work. 

⏤.⏤ 

How odd it was that whenever Sasuke was around though, Naruto would always blink out of their eyes. For someone who wore neon orange outfit and had bright golden hair in midst of an ocean of dark heads, Naruto could disappear without an effort. 

Saeko rubbed her shoulders while she searched the aforementioned blond nin, seeking his signature. She’s way past her prime to be able to find a strong shinobi like Naruto-kun. 

Fortunately for her, she spotted Kakashi from afar, calling him. “Kakashi-kun!”

Kakashi acknowledged her with a nod.

“Have you seen Naruto-kun? I really need his signature to authorize a new mission.” She sighed.

Kakashi chuckled. “Well…in case you can’t see him, I guess you could look around and try to find Sasuke instead.”

“Ah right…Uchiha-kun right.” Saeko shook her head. “They are almost attached to the hip.”

“Right.” 

“Such a beautiful friendship between those two boys, right?”

Kakashi stared the old lady before settled with a hum.

“They need to settle down and find a good ladies in their lives though.” She quipped with chiding tone. “Why are they taking so long to get married, I wonder. Youngsters those days are in no hurry to build a family, they are exactly like that Yamanaka girl; living with her best friend Haruno-chan.”

Kakashi hummed absentmindedly once again.

Almost as if he was reading their minds, Sasuke exited the toilet in front of them, licking his lips as his finger wiped his mouth.

“Ah, Uchiha-kun!” Saeko tightened her steps, approaching him. “Have you seen Naruto-kun anywhere?”

Sasuke glanced at her back, then gazed Kakashi’s amused eyes, shrugging. “Behind me.”

“Behind y⏤?” Lo and behold, the future Hokage opened the door a little breathless and disheveled, hand combing through his golden hair. 

His cheeks were tinged red but he soon recomposed himself when he saw the old lady. “Oh hey, Saeko-san, Kakashi-sensei! Why are you⏤”

“Naruto-kun, you’re going to be the death of this old woman, I swear!” Saeko interrupted him, shoving the papers on his face. “I know that Uchiha-kun is your best friend but do you really need to have him next to you 24/7?”

“I’m sure that Naruto-kun would happily perform his tasks as the Hokage apprentice, normally…” Kakashi muttered. “But I guess Sasuke just missed him too much.”

Sasuke glared, rolling his eyes. “I’ll see you soon Naruto.”  

Saeko concluded that their friendship is really one of a kind, watching Uchiha-kun’s back as Naruto was signing her papers. Gossip around town said that a female shinobi might disrupt such cozy relationship, even though Sasuke kept turning down every date request. There was a bet about which man would find a girlfriend first, however, Kakashi almost zeroed his bank account with the belief that his former students wouldn’t find any girl whatsoever.

Every female shinobi dedicated their time to seduce either the last Uchiha or the future of Hokage of Konoha. This also meant that they were thinning Sasuke’s very limited patience, their constant pestering wouldn’t give them some time for themselves.

⏤.⏤ 

“Naruto-niichan! Wow, you lucky dog!” Konohamaru chirped when he spotted his friend in the corridor, punching the tanned arm playfully. “I can’t believe this⏤!”

“Believe what, Konohamaru?” Naruto questioned. 

“Haven’t you heard? Tomoko Saiyuri, the most gorgeous woman of all Konoha is actually going to ask you on a date!”

“He’s not interested.” Sasuke grunted.

“Oh, c’mon Sasuke-niichan, I know you might be sore because she chose Naruto-niichan instead of you, but there’s no way Naruto-niichan wouldn’t be interested because⏤”

“But he’s not interested, he’s not available, he won’t do anything with her.” Sasuke hissed.

“Uh, yeah…Konohamaru, why would I be interested?” Naruto squinted his eyes puzzled. “I’m honored, honestly, but where did you get the idea I would⏤”

“You know that this is your fault right.” Sasuke snapped towards Naruto. 

“What?” Naruto grumbled.

“You give too many openings, people are still thinking you’re available.”

“Uh…wait, Naruto-niichan, does that mean you’re actually seeing someone⏤?”

“Wait, don’t put the blame on me, asshole. Where in the hell did I show that I’m available?”  

“Well, you’re such an oblivious dumbass, that you wouldn’t realize yours and anyone’s feelings even if it’s right under your nose.” Sasuke muttered under his breath. “Maybe this is the reason why everyone is also blind about us.”

Naruto stared for a while with his jaw slacked, before blurting out. “We live together, I thought everyone knew.”

“Most think we’re just roommates, some still believe that you’re guarding me while I’m on house arrest.”

“What? We share a bed.”

“They think we didn’t find a good house with two bedrooms.”

Konohamaru interjected tentatively. “Um, Naruto-niichan, what exactly are you talking about⏤?”

Naruto however, couldn’t listen to him, blue eyes still trained towards Sasuke. “I don’t get it, we haven’t seen anyone else so far ever since we decided to live together, I thought⏤”

Sasuke sighed. “They think we’re just taking our time to find a girl to settle down.”

Naruto nodded numbly, scratching his head. “Oh. Is that why Momiji-san wanted to cook me some obento?”

Sasuke grunted, his glare darkening. “And you almost fell for it, hook line and sinker.”

Naruto gazed back, studying the Uchiha’s activated Sharingan. Everyone was staring with growing confusion until Naruto snorted. “Are you jealous Sasuke-chan?” He laughed.

“No, absolutely not.” Sasuke promptly defended himself, raising his chin. “I’m staking my claim, that is all, since someone else is not making any effort over this relationship.”

“Awwww⏤you’re really jealous!” Naruto grinned.

“I’m not jealous, usuratonkachi, I just feel like you should have made everything clear to everyone so I can avoid all those troublesome harpies and⏤” When Sasuke saw the determined blue eyes, he tensed but all of a sudden, Naruto grabbed him and hoisted over his shoulder.  "Naruto, what the hell are you doing, I swear I'm going to fry your sorry ass if you⏤Naruto⏤!" The door slammed shut.

Then, silence. All ninjas on the vicinity didn’t know whether they should intervene whatever skirmish because Naruto was going to be the Hokage, but still, since he’s the future Hokage, he didn’t need anyone to defend him, right?

Their thought process was interrupted when he heard a moan. But not any moan, it was specifically Sasuke’s moan. Every face was colored red. As the moans and groans were increasing in speed and volume, the shade of their blushes were darkening, and everyone froze on the spot. 

A constant thumping noise joined in, eliminating whatever doubt they might had out of the window, in concern with the activity they were doing in the Hokage’s office. The banging grew faster and louder, that at this point everyone in the building could hear it out.

A guttural scream ripped from Naruto’s voice, that made all women fan to themselves and all men shuffle uncomfortably. Another pregnant silence reigned in the building, until Naruto opened the door beaming ear to ear, holding Sasuke’s hand while the latter was scowling, limping his steps.

“So!” Naruto proclaimed cheerfully. “As you can see, Sasuke and I are unavailable for any possible dates at the present and future moment. We’re pretty busy screwing each other, after all.”

“I am screwing you next time, usuratonkachi.” Sasuke grumbled darkly.

Naruto chortled, unaffected by his threat. “He’s so sweet right. I can’t ask for any better boyfriend.”

Sasuke kicked his legs. Naruto retaliated by slapping hard his back. As their skirmish was growing more violent, everyone scurried away from the couple.

Those two are insane.

(Kakashi later appeared in Konoha’s headquarters, ready to collect his money from the bet. It’s more than enough to secure a very nice retirement. The news about Naruto and Sasuke’s relationship reached to Tsunade’s ears but she was wholly unimpressed. She did punch her protegée to seven foot below ground for soiling her office though.)

[xoxoendohwrites]

“Just how much did you drink before coming down here??” “Sakura,” Kakashi murmured darkly, trailing his hands down her thighs as he knelt at her feet, “I’m still thirsty.”

Happy Swalloween, KakaSaku lovers! 👻🖤🎃 This is my first time contributing to the KS Fandom, though I’ve been meaning to ever since @tipsyraconteur‘s J’accuse! sucked me back in. This lovely little event—@thisisswalloween—was the perfect push, so thank you to the hosts. Hope ya'll enjoy these 5,119 unedited words of fluffy, teasing, dirty, wine-influenced, ninja-verse KS smut. 

Summary: Kakashi notices that his wife could use a little 'de-stressing' before hosting the hospital's first Halloween Benefit Gala. Good thing he has the perfect cure to what ails Konoha's new Chief of Surgery….

Read on FF.net | AO3

Jukebox: Ready for a blast from the past? ‘Cause I sure as hell wasn’t when these two gems got stuck in my head at a 🎃 party over the weekend—“Candyman” by Christina Aguilera + “I Kissed a Girl” by Katy Perry. Lawdy, those songs came out when I was in middle school!

"Hey, quit it!" Sakura scolded, slapping the thieving hand away from the overflowing bowl. "Those are for the children, you overgrown twelve-year-old!"

Grinning like an idiot beneath his mask, Kakashi sidestepped the slap she'd aimed for the back of his head and held up his prize. Its vacuum-sealed cellophane glittered under the fluorescent lights as his other hand rose to tear it open.

Her green glare intensified, but she couldn't keep the corners of her mouth from rising with her favorite petname for the hokage: "Don't even think about it, old man. Not tonight!"

Before she could sling another insult or fist his way, he had two fingers tucked in his mask, lazily sliding along the seam. Clearly ready to take his pilfering to the next level.

Sakura stilled her eyes as they threatened to roll, instead shaking her head. "I mean it, Kakashi—not tonight!" She jabbed an accusing finger in his direction, switching the digit threateningly with each word: "Put. It. Back."

Utterly undeterred by her reprimands, Kakashi only escalated his daring heist:

He pried his mask up with those long, deadly fingers and started the gradual descent. A master of prolonging his ‘grand reveal,’ Kakashi slowly peeled it low enough to display the end of his scar, followed by his high cheekbones, that cocky grin of his, …and finally that little beauty mark—the moneymakers. Oh, but he didn't stop there. A tomcat with his canary, he smirked and began twirling the little white stick between his talented fingers, flipping his stolen goods around like one of his damned kunai.

Showoff, she thought, flattening the grin that threatened to surface at his favorite stupid party trick…and the sight of his striking face. Even now, every single time he shed that mask, she had to stop herself from melting to the floor. Instead, her hands—the ones capable of the most delicate, intricate procedures—met and cracked her knuckles, all menace. She just couldn't help herself. "Give it here, Hatake."

"Make me, Hatake," he quipped, sounding every bit the twelve-year-old.

But damn if he didn't look every inch the handsome man…. She bristled.

"Listen," Sakura warned, serious again, "you know I don't have time for your antics right now." She'd worked so hard to make this event a success, and there was still so much left to finish! Plus, neither of them were dressed! Her work outfit, sleek as it was, certainly didn't meet black-tie standards, ...and Kakashi didn’t even have his jonin vest on. "Come on, Benjamin Button! Put that back and go pretend you're interested in the hospital's finances or something."

"Make me," he echoed, fingers dancing dangerously over the perforated edge of the wrapper, crooked smirk widening to expose the gleam of a single canine.

Sakura huffed in exasperation. Kakashi had a playful streak in him—and it ran deep—but her husband was being far more obnoxious than usual tonight! Her hand landed on her hip in preparation to deliver one of her signature "You're the hokage, now act like it" speeches, but as she opened her mouth, …he sniggered.

Kakashi shrugged his shoulders theatrically and tsk-ed…at her. He nearly sang out his next taunt, "That tired tactic won't work, Sakuraaa!"

Oh, he knew just how to push her buttons.

Dammit, am I really that predictable?? She twisted the heel of her stiletto into the floor with a frustrated flush but shot a glance at the clock.

For she'd learned his pressure points just as well….

Fine, Kakashi. You asked for it….

A heartbeat later, her features and posture had softened drastically, and she slinked toward him. "You mean you'd really steal candy"—she widened her eyes and covered her heart—"…from sick children??" She gave him a scandalized gasp and clutched at her blouse, …covertly loosening a fastening or two. "Oh, Hokage-sama, I just can't believe my eyes!" She swooned for him, medical coat swishing dramatically behind her.

Sporting an obvious smirk and a devious twinkle in his eyes, he was visibly pleased to have roped her into his little game and distracted her from her duties. Yet his response came in a masterful deadpan: "Why else would I be listed in so many Bingo Books?" With that, Kakashi sank his teeth into the plastic, tore it off with a savage zeal only he could get away with, …and wrapped his lips around the bright red lollipop.

As much as she wanted to rip his smug little head off, …Sakura couldn't resist this idiot, her idiot, and he knew it. Her eyes closed as she pinched the bridge of her nose, but she didn't contain her smile. It would have been a pointless effort when he was trying so hard to get in her pants.

"Mmm…" he hummed loudly, obviously wanting her eyes back on him as his tongue went to town on the lolli behind his lips. "Oooh… Oh, Sakura! It's my favorite. You know how much I love the taste of…" he trailed off breathlessly, drawing out her torment.

Dammit. Don't say it. Don't you dare say it! she warned silently.

He smacked his lips for a sinful little pop around, "…Cherry."

Of fucking course he grabbed a cherry one! Sakura groaned inwardly, blushing redder than the candy receiving Kakashi's most…painstaking…attention. She shook her head, trying to ignore the heat flaring in her stomach. Somehow, he managed to sound so damn cheeky—pornographic, even!—despite the globe of sugar stuffed in his stupid chipmunk cheek, clinking like glass against his teeth with every stupid word. How the hell was this juvenile display turning her on—how did he always?!

She bit down on her lip.

Because when the hokage wasn't using that sharp tongue of his to taunt her with perfect deadpan sarcasm or just straight stupid little jibes, …he was using it to thoroughly tease the length of her body. …To powerful effect. She could feel the flush creeping down her neck at the thought, teeth sinking further as she considered her options.

Perhaps bribery would shut him up.

Decided on a new strategy, Sakura sauntered over, heels clicking with every sway of her hips. She pushed him down into a nearby swivel chair. Leaning in close to accentuate her mysteriously undone buttons and the dark lace their absence revealed, raking her crimson nails over his shoulder, she yanked the lollipop out of his mouth. Green eyes held grey as she gave it a long, languid lick; smirking as his gaze somehow darkened further, as his hands landed on her waist to urge her closer. But as the sweet cherry hit her taste buds, she noticed there was something a bit odd about the flavor. She gave the sucker a good suck, then gasped, actually a bit scandalized this time: There was something decidedly not kid-friendly lingering on the candy. "You!" she accused, brandishing the lollipop at him. "Did you… Did you actually pregame my fundraiser?"

"Did you actually," he asked so sweetly, so innocently, …so mockingly, "expect me to spend my evening in a tux, judge a kid's costume contest, and then verbally pickpocket Konoha's assorted lords and ladies, …all while sober?"

Dammit, he’s got me there. Sakura rubbed the irritation from her face, dragging her hand a little too forcefully down her cheek. It wasn't like she'd been planning on downing two flutes of champagne the second she approved the setup or anything…. And he'd actually shown up early—no Icha Icha in sight! Hell, he probably would have strolled in two hours late with his face buried in the book if he hadn't been painfully aware of just how important this event was to her….

"It's not just a costume contest, it's to show the donors all the children we saved in the last year—to show them exactly why they should fork over the dough for the new wing!" She sighed and shook her head, getting her head back in the game. "Listen…," she whispered on his ear, "behave like an adult for the rest of the evening, and I'll make it…"—she paused for dramatic effect, letting him soak up her sultry, breathless tone—"worth your while." She treated the lolli to a hearty, wet suck and released it with her own devilish little pop. "'Kay?"

His hands tightened around her waist. "Oh, now we're talking, Doctor," he growled, eyes crinkling with mirth.

Sakura grinned around the candy. He'd taken the bait, and she could finally go back to work.

"But," he started, his signature roguishness back in full force, "I'm afraid the answer is still a 'nope.'"

"Kaka—!"

"I think I'd rather behave… Oh, how did you put it?" Kakashi feigned confusion, raising his hand to tap thoughtfully on his sugary lips, …before turning them up an evil smile. "'Like an adult' right now, thanks."

All at once, he stood, hauled her by the ass to him, and buried his face in her hair, trailing wet kisses down her neck.

She let out trill of exasperation and slapped him away. "Kakashi, I'm serious!" she fumed, the lollipop stick bobbing rather un-seriously from her mouth.

He snorted. His heart beat solely to torment this woman he adored so much...but only when she truly needed some tormenting.

Sakura poked his chest, hard enough to both stop that heart of his and send him and his boots screeching backwards on the polished linoleum. "Enough already, I—!"

The distinct whirl of teleportation cut off her complaint.

"Oh, come on!" she growled around the sweet as they reappeared in her dim office, nearly stamping her feet. "What the hell are you—?!"

"Sakura." He silenced her with a finger to her sticky lips, his voice suddenly stern, suddenly sounding very much like a kage's. "You need to take a breath."

He pressed a little harder when her lips parted, clinking the lollipop against her clenched teeth.

Before she could object further, he’d hoisted her up on the massive Chief of Surgery's desk, smearing a line of pink sweetness down the back of her thigh, and planted his hands firmly on either side of her. He leaned down close, a few displaced files fluttering softly in the background….

Sakura shot daggers at him, pouting and grumbling around the lolli, crossing both sets of limbs, …unintentionally making her dress ride up even higher.

Part of him—the part that lived to relentlessly tease his wife—longed to point out just how much the maturity tables had turned, ...but he allowed himself only a quick elevation of the lips: He had goals, and time was never on his side.

"Show me the moronic few who are whispering about our marriage getting you ahead, and I'll staple your fucking novel of resume to their foreheads."

Sakura took in a sharp breath, lolli lolling. She hadn't even told him about the gossip.

"You're young, but you earned this promotion. And now you're going to take a few minutes to enjoy it…." He pressed in closer when she started, murmuring, "Sorry, Chief. Hokage's orders."

She bit her lip but stayed put. Perhaps he had a point, perhaps a quick makeout might be just what the doctor ordered….

But Kakashi had something a bit sweeter in mind.

Dark eyes boring so closely into hers, he grazed the flats of his nails all the way up, then back down her bare thighs, crossed so intractably tight; slow and deliberate torture, breathing hot and humid on her cheeks. He inched higher with every repetition, gradually increased the weight of his touch …until he felt her skin prickle under his, until her knees shook beneath his hands, until true desire dilated her eyes, until she sucked hard on the lollipop, until her candy-red mouth parted for a gasp, until her jaws crunched through half of that sugar crystal in retaliation, …until she finally—stubbornly—flung her limbs apart and her nails etched her need into the desk. Only then did he accept her reluctant invitation and press fully into her, wandering hands kneading the white flesh at her spread hips, the beginnings of her ass, …just beneath the lace band of her panties.

Every little thing she did sent his blood surging, rewired his circulatory system. He kissed sporadically up her neck, delighting in the rush of respiration he felt beneath his lips, and skimmed over her jawline. One hand crawled out from her dress and slid casually over her taut stomach and heaving breasts, finally reaching her neck as his lips met her chin. He ghosted upward another inch and took her candy-coated bottom lip between his teeth. He gave it a lingering lick before he carefully, thoroughly sucked the remaining sugar off, …finally releasing it with another 'Mmmm…'.

Her body reacted of its own accord, sounding a saccharine moan, splayed arms straining, jutting her spread hips into his.

Yet Kakashi retreated, holding her steady by the chin. He pressed his forehead to hers, breathing her in as he stared her down. "Do you trust me not to jeopardize your night?"

She breathed a yes.

"Then let me do this for you, baby."

She nodded infinitesimally against him and waited, anticipation coiling up her legs like hot vines.

Kakashi gave her a moment to pout and knit her brows, just a moment, before he grasped the cherry confection by the stem. Her mouth opened slightly, curiously. Leaning back just enough to take in the view, he gave the ball of sugar a twirl against her candy-dyed tongue, then carefully withdrew it from her sweet mouth. He dragged it over her bottom lip, methodically smearing the full crescent sticky-sweet. Her mouth and eyes widened at the sensation. She took in a ragged breath as Kakashi traced the globe over the arc of her cupid's bow, …as he meticulously painted her the perfect cherry kiss.

He bent back, and Sakura gazed up at him, verdant eyes so far from innocent, exhilaration and sweet longing written on her every feature. Moving just as slowly, just as deliberately, she pursed her lips together with another inviting little pop.

And he could take no more. Two hot breaths and one wicked grin later, and he replaced her lost lolli with his tongue.

Sakura snapped upward in an arc—one hand tangling roughly into his hair, the other twisting in the jonin shirt he insisted on wearing even as hokage—and demanded everything he could offer in a kiss. She yanked him down on top of her, showering her office floor in paperwork as his hands slapped against the lacquered wood with the force of his collapse. Desperate for any modicum of relief—just some damn friction!—she wound her legs around him, swallowing then overpowering his groans as he ground her into the desk. They spiraled into a mess of teeth and tongues and sweet cherry sugar, determined to savor every last trace of candy, groping blindly for zippers and buttons in the hunt for more heated skin.

Yet when a heavy thud interrupted their wild movements, both their eyes drawn to the source. The culprit was an ornate little desk clock; it was knocked on its side but still ticked away the seconds….

The concept of time hit them both like a bucket of ice water.

Shirtless and panting, Kakashi's hand stilled on his belt buckle. Damn it, what was he doing? His pants were staying on, this was her night.

Sakura, however, stiffened and disentangled herself from him, scooting back on the desk and opening her mouth for a frantic rebuttal: "Shit, the kids! We have to get changed and get back out there before they arrive!" She jolted upright and took him with her, her disheveled white-coat somehow clinging to one shoulder, the side zip of her dress revealing a gaping hole of skin.

Kakashi glanced at the sideways clock one more time. "We still have over half an hour," he drawled before hungrily dragging her back to him by the knees. Though he didn't have the time to tease her as ruthlessly as he would have liked, his stint behind the hokage desk had taught him just a thing or two about prioritizing…. "That's plenty for a little stress relief…with just enough left to get us party-ready." He wiggled his eyebrows, goading.

Yet the sincere distress on her flushed face stopped him in his tracks. That look was why he'd kidnapped her in the first place.

"I know this is your first big project as Chief, I know how important it is to show the board what you can do," Kakashi conceded, right hand skimming over her thigh, left cupping her rosy cheek. He stroked her skin as he considered his options: They could talk through her stress, …or he could obliterate it entirely with multiple orgasms. A wolfish grin landed on his face. His wife deserved the best of both worlds.

"I know this is big. But you've worked so hard for months, you've planned everything to…"—he paused to brazenly palm her sodden panties, breathing his next word in reverence—"…perfection." He groaned as her desire dampened his glove, circling her clit through the lace, thumb outlining her swollen bottom lip.

Sakura sucked it into her mouth, using his digit to stifle her own salacious little noise.

That was almost too much. "You…you have the best people on your team, you've delegated, you've—oh, fuck." He couldn't help but cut himself off. He'd slipped his hand fully into her panties, and the sensation of his fingers sliding so effortlessly against her wet folds...

She raked her teeth against his thumb, both hands wrapped around his wrist for leverage.

"Dammit, Sakura…" His cock jumped against his zipper. She was nearly dripping for him. "You want me, don't you, sweetheart?"

She nodded around his finger, writhing against him, plunging her nails into his forearm, …digging the points of her heels into his ass to draw him closer.

"Soon, princess, soon…," he murmured, trying desperately to ignore the waves of longing crashing against her seaglass eyes, the ceaseless suction of her lips…; to recall his purpose, to fucking collect himself. "Listen, you've done everything to ensure tonight will be perfect. Now you just need to sit back and watch it all unfold. But you're just strung so damn…"—he finally slid a single finger into her, nearly losing it as her body gripped him, pulled him in—"tight…." He grunted from deep in his chest, low and guttural, teasing her with shallow strokes, just to the edge of his fingerless glove. "So. Fucking. Tight." With her little moans vibrating through his left hand and his right coated in her slick lust, his words turned into a nonsensical hum on her forehead, savoring every sound as he moved inside her.

It was getting harder and harder to keep to his gameplan, to keep his reactions in check when hers were just so…. Groaning on her seal, he dug deep and found the wherewithal to go on, …in a way: "Sakura, you'll have all those bigwig donors wrapped around your little…"—he added another, reveling in her whine of his name, the sudden gush of desire on his skin—"finger…. Dammit, you're going to drown me if you get any wetter…." He bit down on the inside of his cheek, yearning for something—anything—to keep his mind off the drumming ache in his veins.

"Kakashi, …please," she pleaded, her lips dragging over his fingertip with every breathy syllable. “More.”

Hearing her beg, feeling her needy words on his skin… That did not help his cause. He closed his eyes and stilled, ignoring her muffled cry of disappointment, her insistent writhing. He breathed in. He breathed out.

When he started again, his voice was strained, tight with dogged resolve: "They'll be putty in your hands. You just need to…"—he slid in his ring finger, rasping a gravelly fuuuck this time as she bucked into his touch, scraped her nails and teeth over his skin—“…loosen up"—he hissed his lewd joke as she clenched around his fingers, both breathing raggedly now, both rocking into the other—“a bit first….” His belt buckle grated over wrist, and he realized he’d been undulating against—with—the hand he had working between her thighs, his cock hard past painful, longing to fuck her outright….

She released his thumb with a wet, frustrated whimper of please! and dropped her hands from his arm. One dove inside her dress, the other went to join his teasing fingers, trying to urge him deeper, to slide behind his wrist and stroke her clit—desperate to end the dizzying, rise-and-fall endless loop he had her on.

As he watched her fondle her breasts, as he denied her, ...Kakashi could feel his cockhead weeping for his wife. Fuck if he couldn’t do this all day… But that wasn’t an option. By some miracle, he regained his train of thought, words coming out thick: "Let me take care of you."

"God, yes! Just stop teasing me!"

Kakashi shook his head, a seductive taunt even in his refusal. He would, …but not yet. Instead, he moved slowly, making sure she took in his every movement:

Finally letting his wife’s fingers go where they pleased, Kakashi retracted both hands from her. He brought the right to his lips, not yet making contact, and let the familiar, heady scent of her desire overwhelm his senses; it made his mouth water, it clamped his free hand around the edge of the desk. Temptation parted his lips, and he slid his hand against his tongue; beginning with his slick, cotton-covered palm and ending with the tip of his wettest finger—eyes on hers all the while. He shuddered at her taste, muttering something like 'Fuck lollipops…', and sank a canine into the elastic fabric at his wrist.

Sakura was breathing hard and heavy with his display.

Only Hatake fucking Kakashi could turn taking off a single glove into a damn striptease: his teeth tugged at the fingerless thing, sliding it off inch by lazy inch, …finger by long finger. And Sakura was taking it all in, rapt as she pulled at a pebbled nipple, as she stoked the flames building behind her clit, stroke by fervent stroke…. She whined and spread her legs wider, stilettos clicking against the desk, dress already hiked up miles past indecent. Something flickered through her sight, something started to flare.

Because only Hatake fucking Kakashi could make her forget the suffocating, now-or-never weight of raking in enough cash to build the much-needed Pediatrics Wing—her first true project as Chief, her flagship, her baby, her dream ever since the war ended….

He finally dragged the last centimeter of glove off the length of his middle finger, and flung it away with a wink. Holding her eye, he gave his that finger one last lick. "Good to the last drop, sweetheart…."

Heat nearly consumed her, …nearly. He was going to kill her. Was he trying to kill her?? Her own touch had her burning up, but it wasn’t enough.

"Dammit, Kakashi! …Please!" She clamped her eyes shut in frustration and slapped both hands—one glistening, one dry—down on the desk.

He grinned. He had her right where he wanted her. But between the taste of her and his name on her lips, …he knew he had to keep his hands to himself for this next part. If he didn't, he'd never be able say what he needed to say. He drew in another steadying breath of air.

"Look at me, Sakura," he said softly, waiting until she did as he instructed. "You're ready for this. You've earned this. You helped revolutionize this hospital and transform it into the most sought-after in the great villages! You were the youngest, most effective Chief of Neuro Konoha has ever seen, and now…!" He groaned, more from the swelling in his chest than in his pants. "Sweetheart, just look at you: You're the youngest Chief of Surgery…probably anywhere, probably ever? Sakura, you amaze me."

Kakashi so rarely spoke like this, and it took her breath away. A different sort of heat welled up in her, soft and warm. He sounds just like he did when he proposed…. Sakura was suddenly keenly aware of her pulse, the pounding of her heart.

Kakashi could tell his peptalk was working. He could see her muscles loosen; he could sense her becoming more herself, blooming at honesty in his words. Encouraged, he continued: "Not to mention that you were trained and hand-selected by the best medical nin in the world, and then you surpassed even Lad—"

"So help me, Kakashi…!" Sakura cut him off with a breathless laugh. "If you say another woman's name—even my shishou's—while you've got me like this…!" She threw her arms out over the disaster that had once been her perfectly organized desk, then gestured at the bulge he was surreptitiously grinding against her leg.

Her husband only grinned lazily, innocently, …just waiting for it to hit her.

Realization and fresh indignation dawned on Sakura, but humor won out: "Poor thing…," she cooed, frowning with faux sympathy. "You must really believe I've got some student-teacher kink, huh?" She flicked his ear, tone hardening: "Now quit imagining a threeway, you old perv, and go back to my peptalk! It was working until you ruined it…."

"Fine, fine. I'll keep my fantasies to myself." He gave a hearty chuckle and an impish wiggle of his brows. "But remind me: who here has punched a demigod-alien-witch in the face?"

Sakura let out a belly laugh at that, arms barely keeping her sitting up. Her obnoxious, pervy old man…! She felt like she'd just shaken off a layer of rust in that fit of laughter. She felt truly light for the first time since the mad countdown to the gala started…two weeks ago. "J-just how much did you drink before coming down here?" she gasped through giggles.

"Sakura," he murmured darkly, running his hands down her thighs as he knelt at her dangling feet, "I'm still thirsty."

Her jaw fell with another moan of his name, levity forgotten. She felt his words in a deep twist of lust and fell back on the desk with a leaden thud, …but she glanced at the toppled clock.

He hauled her to the edge of the desk. "Let me do this for you, baby," he implored once more, kissing the inside of her knee, lips gliding upward with every word, "I'll make it quick this time, I promise."

Once Sakura nodded, he wasted no more time. He’d strung this out long enough. For both of them.

He yanked her panties down, now stretched flimsy and useless, and draped her milky legs around his shoulders. Exploiting his wife’s considerable flexibility, he looped his arms under her thighs and spread her wide for every one of his greedy senses to devour. He heard her whimper with his hot breath on her, his mouth so close to where she needed it. Groaning as the points of her heels scratched into his skin, as her fingers fisted his in hair, he bypassed any semblance of teasing and finally got the taste he'd sought after so fervently, sealing his lips to her little pearl.

Sakura arched into him like the black cats of the season, mewling with claws tangled in silver hair—still so close from his…peptalk. "Yes, 'Kashi, yes," she encouraged, breathless.

It was music to his ears as she quivered beneath him, as he gently lapped and sucked at her little bud. With the sounds of his own pleasure rumbling into her bundle of nerves, he had her stretched taut, ready to spring. Just one little push…

"I need you inside me again, please—fuck!"

He did as she commanded, and with just a slip of his fingers, he had her crumbling in his arms, stroking that one little spot in time with his tongue on her clit.

“Mmnnnh…! Don’t stop, don’t stop, don’t—!”

She released his hair the second before her every neuron went haywire, before every muscle in her body convulsed, and mercifully unleashed her death-grip on the rim of the desk instead.

“Kakashi!”

His shoulder blades, however, were not spared the wrath of her heels as her orgasm shook through her limbs. Yet the sting only compounded his sensation overload, bathing him in the intoxication of giving. He held her thrashing hips down, lightening the pressure of his wet caresses but not stopping until he’d given all she could take, until he’d had every shuddering breath from her lungs, until she'd ridden out every second of her high….

Finally, Sakura sank back onto the desk, utterly robbed of breath, bones, and words.

Finally, Kakashi allowed himself a shaky inhale of his own, the beautiful blend of extreme satisfaction…and his own untended need whorling inside him. He licked his lips. Because he wasn’t done—far from it: He loved having her like this, knowing he could bring her to edge over and over; basking in the scent, the taste of her need for him….

And now that he'd given his wife a little relief after all his torture, he decided he would savor her in the style he preferred: leisurely, unhurried, …self-indulgent. He reclaimed his hand—Sakura’s sated sigh jolting all the way through him, reveling in her shine on his fingers—and opened her for his mouth again. He roamed sedately over her clit and across her rosebud folds; each movement of his tongue on her body, each sound she made singing and singeing through him…. At last, he came to her entrance, lapping up her desire from the inside, drinking her in like it was the first time.

He could feel her winding up again, her heels pressing harder into his shoulders, her pants turning into gasps, the sting in his roots as she spun silver, …the subsequent pounding in his cock. Rumbling with anticipation, he let his thumb drag over her clit once, twice, …and she was gone, snapping like a bow string. And he was ready for her, greedily swallowing her pleasure as she pulsed around his tongue, whining his name like it was the only word she knew.

He’d never know a more beautiful sound.

Once she stilled, he came up for air and rested his head on her quivering thigh, panting with her as she came down, watching her flushed breasts rise and fall. He caught his breath far before she did and trailed his wet lips along both her thighs, stroking a hand over her rumpled dress as her body became reacquainted with gravity, knowing she'd be hypersensitive after her second. When her breathing ultimately evened out, he unwrapped her legs from his neck with a final kiss before feeling around for some discarded article of clothing to dry his face.

Not his mask, …preferably.

"Ready to go fund that new hospital wing, princess?" he called out, patting his chin with his jonin-issue shirt, …silently ordering his cock to settle down. He’d gotten the gratification he needed, the rest would keep ‘til later.

"Almost," she murmured to the lamp by her face. "But first…," her voice grew louder as she lifted her head, "get your ass up here, Hatake."

His eyebrow quirked in question, but he only dabbed at his chin with dark cotton, back to using her thigh as pillow.

She sat up straight, every exposed inch of her skin dewy and flushed to compliment the color of her mussed sex-hair. "I said, get up here," she smirked, crooking a finger at him, nudging him with a heel. "I'm not going to let the hokage walk around my gala with a massive tent in his tuxedo."

Kakashi only shrugged from between her legs and went back to circling a finger around her clit, rather indifferent to the prospect of sporting a hard-on in front of the Land of Fire’s upper crust. Besides, his body would cooperate soon enough.

Sakura slapped the sole remaining folder off the huge desk. "See? Now there's plenty of room for two…." She smiled a satisfied, feline grin, purring her indecent invitation, "Maybe even…sixty-nine?"

Dammit. She sounded just like her husband….

As much as a third and final peak appealed to her, she also knew this would be the quickest way to gain her husband’s acquiescence.

Kakashi grinned wide, undaunted by the recharged pulsing in his cock, and drawled his reply, "We've only got fifteen minutes before this thing starts. Shouldn't you be getting dressed?" He nuzzled her leg and waggled a gloveless finger at her, ever teasing.

But his tongue flicked out to lick his lips, and Sakura knew she had him.

"And you think they wouldn't wait another five for the Hokage and the Chief?”

Evidently, his treatment for stress had worked even better than he'd hoped. He could have leapt into the air and clicked his heels together.

“After all, you had some very…”—eyes half lidded and fully satisfied, Sakura pretended to consider her words—“important business to take care of. Besides…" It was her turn for twinkling eyes and ravenous, knowing smiles. "Your wife wants a little taste of you." She flipped up on the desk, stealing his leg-pillow, arched her back, and shimmied out of her once-professional dress, all sex-kitten grace. She posed seductively for him, her head casually propped up on twined fingers, ankles crossed, heels and ass pointed toward the ceiling.

Her husband didn't hold back his leering eye-fuck. All she had on was her afterglow and a sheer black bra, her rosy hair all perfectly askew….

Then Sakura patted the wide swath of desk, scarlet nails tapping lightly on the wood.

How could he deny her when she’d asked so sweetly? His boots, pants, and boxer briefs flew off in a fit of kage-speed, but, once naked, he slammed on the brakes. Surely he had a few more seconds of teasing left in him, just a few…. Smirking down at her, Kakashi swaggered back over to the desk: his broad shoulders leading, the scarred x on his chest contouring his movements; his thick cock jutting out from his rigid stomach, giving an appetizing little jump with each deliberate step; watching her sated expression turn hungry all over again.

Once he got within arm's reach, however, his wife snatched up his hand and had him pinned beneath her in perfect 69 form—all before he could utter a single word of sarcasm. She grinned at the little ooof that left his lungs, but that was it. She had neither the patience nor the time to give him a taste of his own medicine. Besides, there was only one taste on her mind, and it was just a lick away….

And fuck lollipops!

He hissed as her lips reached his cock, as she kissed away the liquid beads on his thick head, as her tongue darted out to catch a dribble…before tracing the trail back to the source.

“Oh, fuuuuck…” His voice came out strangled, his neck arched from the desk when her tongue slid along his slit, when her talented hand began to wring him slowly. “Yes, Sakura, yes…” He was not going to last long, but that notion was far from troubling.

As she moaned on his shaft in return, he realized he must have closed his eyes the second her maddening mouth touched him. He flung them open to see his wife’s ass bobbing tantalizingly overhead as her hot tongue slid along the ridge of his head a second before her lips closed around him with sweet suction. His hands shot up to drown out his desperate groan with a smack across each pert cheek. Her excited moan rattling straight to his balls. Lips spread wide, she sank lower on his cock. His breath caught in his chest when she let her teeth graze so lightly over his throbbing shaft, leaving a trail of searing sparks in her wake. Fuck, it hurt so good.

“Nnnnn… Just like that, just like that…”

Kakashi was having trouble remembering the point of a 69. Hell, he was having trouble noticing anything but the sweet, sweet relief he was finally receiving after being so hard for so long. It was all he could do just keeping his hips still. So he laid there grunting wordlessly like a caveman, mindlessly kneading his wife’s ass while she sucked him hard….

But a little stiletto poke to his ear quickly resolved that.

“Oh, fuck—sorry!”

He was many things but a pillowprincess was not one of them. He pulled her back by the hips so he could reach her, determined to send one more endorphin rush through her system, …to taste the aphrodisiac of her orgasm one last time before his own—his thirst for her truly unquenchable. She cried out around his cock as he locked his lips to her clit, sucking and humming and spiraling. Thrusting lightly into her mouth, his fingers gripped her toned ass like a lifeline, guiding her undulations as she rode his tongue.

They lasted all of three minutes: Sakura fell first, sending Kakashi plummeting over the edge of sanity as she cried out her gratification around his cock. Head thrashing to the side, he pounded a fist on the desk with a shattered groan of her name, muscles spasming to pump out his pleasure, …spurt after long spurt. Greedy as her husband, Sakura drank him in, throat and tongue welcoming the evidence of his blinding release. She held him gently in her mouth as he came down, hard abdominals still twitching beneath her.

Finally, she slid off him to her stomach, catching a lone trickle on her thumb, and sucked it off with a final little pop.

Kage and Chief laid there a moment, head to feet, sprawled and panting on that desk, …as wrecked as Sakura's freshly-inaugurated office.

“You do have your tux, right?” she asked his foot.

“Mmhhhm. Hanging with your dress on the door.”

"We really ought to move now," she muttered, unmoving.

"You first," Kakashi retorted lazily and gave her ass a slap of encouragement, not even bothering to open his eyes…or to remove his hand.

She laughed, yet she still didn't move. “I’m sure Shizune will cover for us. She’ll just say we’re on a call that couldn’t wait and have the staff bring in a round of champagne for the adults…. Maybe a sugar rush for the kids...” She yawned, ruffling a few disheveled, pink tendrils; she curled her arms under her face. “And if we’re only a few minutes late, no one should make a fuss….”

“Mmmhhm,” he agreed, caught between overwhelming pride in his good work…and the sleepy siren song of oxytocin.

With that, a sated, stress-free silence sank in the humid air….

Sakura broke the spell:

“Hey, ‘Kashi, can you undo the straps on my shoes?” she murmured to her elbow, wiggling the heel nearest his head. She hadn’t noticed before, but now she longed to stretch her toes and calves.

He rolled to his side, kissed both her ankles, and released the heels to thump to the floor.

But another noise piqued their shinobi ears.

It sounded like crackling, …like peeling? Like tape or some other adhesive slowly becoming…un-stuck? They pushed up in one motion, four suspicious eyes combing every wall, every corner….

It wasn’t her shoes—that didn’t add up—and they sensed no other presence. So… What. The. Hell?

A little vrrrp brought Kakashi's eyes upward just in time to witness it fall from the sky.

Still on her stomach, Sakura’s neck pivoted right as the long-forgotten thing landed…right next to her husband’s thoroughly satisfied cock.

For a moment, neither of them said a word, merely gaping.

Sakura’s incredulous whisper broke the silence: "Is that the…?" Realization dawned on her once again, and a strangled laugh erupted from her lungs; pure, lighthearted glee quickly overtook the confusion on her beautiful face. “Oh, my god! You-you just… You just threw it??” she wheezed, slapping a fist down on her desk as tears welled up in her jade eyes, …blurring her view of the half-eat cherry. “To the damned ceiling?!” She managed to drag herself to his chest to laugh directly in his unamused face. "Did you…did you plan this, too?!"

"If it had fallen there when I was still hard, maybe…,” Kakashi sulked, sticking his bottom lip out in a perfect, practiced pout while his evil wife cackled at and on him. “A man has his priorities, Sakura,” he sniffed, winding a reluctant arm around her heaving shoulders, …staring despondently at the tiny pink smudge on the acoustic tile overhead. “The trajectory of a piece of candy does not top the list when a man has his wife spread out on her desk like a page from Icha Icha!” He reached an even more reluctant hand down to pluck the sticky lolli off his silvery happy trail, grimacing as the molten candy goo tugged unpleasantly at still-sensitized area. “Owww…”

Sakura could no longer breathe properly, so overwhelmed with merriment was she.

Kakashi’s lip stuck out further. How quickly this wife of his had gone from begging him for release, wantonly whining his name over and over through the waves of pleasure he crashed down on her…to nearly howling in diabolical delight. Grumbling, and with more force than necessary, Kakashi flung the rejected lollipop into the metal trashbin somewhere on the opposite side of the desk; it hit with a resounding thunk—which, of course, only amplified the giggles in his ear.

But he knew how to put a lid on that….

Grumbling no more, Kakashi hauled his breathless wife on top of him. His hands wove into her tangled hair as he pulled her lips to his, quickly slipping his is tongue into her mouth before she could let out another laugh. Her mirth melted into a hum as he kissed her slowly, thoroughly: letting her taste the remnants of her sweet pleasure as he tasted his, …reminding her exactly how that damned cherry lollipop had ended up on the ceiling….

Omg. I truly have ZERO shame. Also, this was supposed to be quickie but it turned a two-night marathon speedwrite. Story of my lifeeee. Alsoo I totally ran out of time, and you can probs tell where I started checking the clock.... ;) But it’s now past 11, and I am SO late for this Halloween party. I swear I'll go back and round out the ending / actually read it through and edit tomorrow! But for now… Please let me know if you liked it! Feedback is so helpful for writing. 💙 And as much as I love these two, I've never written KakaSaku before! Should I do more KS? Should I just keep to my lane and stick to my other Sakura pairings?? sfjlsdfjldskf 🙈 I hope you at least got a kick out of it, but if you didn't...let's just blame it on my thirst…for wine. 😅🍷

PS: Threw in a few "princesses" 'cause I got a random anon ask for that soooo, voila!

💋🍭🍒 11/06/18 UPDATE! 💋🍭🍒 

So juuust under a week after Halloween, I finally had the time to go back and finish this thing right. It only took another 2,000 words.... 😂 Sorry about that! Was not my best work, but I was feeling festive so I rushed to have it out by the 31st. Write tipsy, edit sober, amiright?

[sparklecryptid]

highway to hell

paging the @madakaka crew. i have written a thing.

it is a good thing i think, you can readit here or on ao3

Kakashi has no idea where he went wrong. He has done this hundreds of times before with nothing going amiss; has summoned all sorts of dog demons and was even allowed to raise a pack of them by himself.

Nothing should have gone wrong when he tried to summon his pack, and yet instead of his dogs there is a strangely handsome, human looking, demon in front of him.

The demon is powerful, Kakashi knows that much. He can feel the power radiating off the displeased man in front of him.

Kakashi can relate, he himself is displeased with the current situation. He wanted to see his dogs damn it, he didn’t want to have to deal with a demon.

No matter how attractive this demon is.

Kakashi slowly blinks his one good eye.

“Maa,” he says, and despite his lax tone Kakashi is tense and ready to cast a spell at any moment, “You’re not one of my dogs.”

The demon snorts.

“I should hope not,” he says, “Your mutts are unruly. Dealing with them was a nightmare.”

Thunder rumbles above them, a second later lightning flashes.

Kakashi smiles underneath his mask. It isn’t a nice smile, all fangs and teeth and Kakashi is mildly disappointed that the demon can’t see it.

“I hope they didn’t give you too much trouble,” Kakashi lies cheerfully, “Though I did train them to be wary of strangers.”

The demon scoffs.

“Of course you did,” he says dismissively.

“A pack should always know how to protect each other,” Kakashi says, “But why are you here?”

The demons mood darkens, and Kakashi has the sudden urge to call lightning into his hands. He doesn’t because he can’t play his cards right away, but also because the demon seems familiar somehow.

“I need your help,” the demon admits, “My nephew has gone missing.”

Kakashi raises an eyebrow.

“How is that my problem?”

“Because,” the demon snarls and Kakashi tenses, “My nephew is Uchiha Obito.”

Kakashi freezes because he knows Obito. Obito is his half-demon best friend who had been abandoned by his family because of he hadn’t been good enough. Obito had been part of the Uchiha Clan of demons. A clan that boasted some of the most powerful demons in existence.

Obito had gone to live with his uncle, Uchiha Madara, when his bloodline had awakened, and had given Kakashi one of his eyes as both a farewell gift and in return for being his friend. The rest of his clan was pissed, but Obito had laughed when Kakashi told him about would be assassins and promised to keep the angry demon horde of Uchiha’s away from him.

Obito had kept that promise.

Not Obito is missing and Kakashi feels worry twist his gut into knots. He suddenly doesn’t care that Madara is one of the most powerful demons in existence because Kakashi is a witch with demon blood and he’s one of the best there is.

If anyone can go head to head with Madara, it’s probably him. At least, he likes to think so.

“What happened?” Kakashi demands and drags his foot over the summoning circle that had ensnared Madara. He had no doubts that Madara could break it if he really wanted to but Madara was being civil so Kakashi would be too.

“We don’t know,” Madara confides grudgingly, “One moment he was fine, if a little depressed, and the next he was gone.”

Kakashi’s worry disappears at the word depressed because he knows the only person beside Kakashi himself that Obito would go to when depressed. If he’s right, even after all these years, Obito will be at her house.

“You harassed my dogs because you couldn’t find a depressed half-demon,” Kakashi says, his tone unimpressed, “Did any of you bother to even ask him about what he was like before you snatched him away?”

Kakashi takes Madara’s silence and towering glare as a ‘no’.

Kakashi sighs.

“Follow me,” he says.

AAAAA

Madara refuses to get in the car.

“Madara,” Kakashi says, “Get in the car.”

“No,” Madara says, “I am not going to allow you to kill me in some hell forsaken death machine.”

“It is a car,” Kakashi stresses the last word, “It won’t kill you.”

“Couldn’t we take a broom or something instead?”

“No,” Kakashi says and wonders how long this guy has been off the mortal realm, no one has used brooms for centuries, “We cannot.”

Madara glares at him, red eyes staring him down.

Kakashi glares back. His one red eye twitching.

AAA

He gets Madara in the car. He isn’t sure how, but he’s pretty sure it had something to do with Gai running toward them yelling about youth.

“The man in green is terrifying,” Madara says to him once they are on the road and sounds a little bit in awe, “Who was he?”

“That was Gai,” Kakashi makes no effort to sound unamused, “He’s a friend.”

“I don’t know whether or not I’d like to meet him.”

AAAAA

Kakashi hates the fact that Rin now lives in Suna. Not only does it mean that his best friend is further away from him, but it also means that he has to deal with Madara for longer than he should.

Madara is attractive, but he is also cocky and annoying and powerful and Kakashi might have a thing for that combination in men but Madara took everything to extremes and Kakashi cannot decide if he likes Madara or not.

If he catches Madara staring at him more than once that’s his business. If he stares at Madara when they stop for food and Kakashi can take his eyes off the road that’s no ones business.

AAAAA

Kakashi jerks awake in the car he’s been sleeping in for the past few nights a scream lodged in the back of his throat.

He had dreamed of his father again. Of the blood on his childhood home and his father’s blank eyes staring up at him and he remembers shoving his hand through Rin’s chest as the seal on the beast inside her almost brought Konoha to ruin and he remembers that it was only thanks to Rin’s own magic that she had survived.

Guilt wells up in his throat.

“Are you alright?” Madara asks from beside him, putting one of Kakashi’s books down. It’s the newest book of the Icha Icha series and Kakashi is grateful for the distraction it brings.

“Yes,” Kakashi says because his problems are his own and no one elses, “How’s the book?”

AAAA

They wind up in Suna in the middle of a festival celebrating Suna’s wind gods. Despite the packed streets, Kakashi manages to find Rin easily. She still smells the same, smells like flowers and medicine and Kakashi smiles when he sees her. She’s chatting with a dark haired man that smells like trees and growing things and Kakashi knows that’s Obito.

So does Madara apparently, because he marches over to them with a scowl on his face begins to lecture him about telling people where he is going and checking in once and awhile. and

Obito doesn’t looked scared in the least despite the fact that the people around him flee lest they turn the wrath of Madara onto themselves.

Kakashi snorts, the sound catching Obito’s attention and when Obito looks at him Kakashi’s breath catches.

Obito had been like a brother to him. Kakashi loved him as one and was devastated when he had to leave.

Obito stares at Kakashi for a moment before he grins and launches himself into Kakashi’s arms.

“Bakashi,” Obito says and Kakashi can’t help but smile fondly, “I was wondering when you’d show up! Didn’t expect you to bring the old man too though.”

Madara’s face turns a pretty shade of red and the demons splutters trying to get words out.

Kakashi wonders what color Madara’s face would turn during sex.

“Idiot,” Kakashi says to Obito, derailing the thoughts of ‘Madara’ and ‘sex’ before they can gain traction, “Of course I would find you.”

“I told you he was missing in the first place,” Madara says, crossing his arms with a huff.

Rin laughs and takes a sip of sake.

“How did you know where to find him?” Rin asks, “Did Obito blab about us?”

Madara grins.

“Of course he did,” he purrs, his eyes locking with Kakashi’s, “In fact, he told me some very interesting stories about you three and the Yellow Flash.”

Kakashi knows what story Madara must have been told and narrows his eyes.

“No one was to know of that,” he says and Obito snickers.

“You mean that sensei stole your clothes and you had to walk through Konoha in your underwear looking for them before he burned them? That was speed, stealth, and tracking training wasn’t it?”

It was. Kakashi doesn’t like thinking about how many times he almost got caught though. His sensei had done it so Kakashi would be detained for public indecency should he get caught.

Kakashi hadn’t gotten caught, but he could look Kushina in the eye for ages after she found him in her backyard mostly naked and filthy.

Madara laughs, and it fills Kakashi to his very core. Kakashi is suddenly very aware of how much he wants Madara in his bed.

Coughing, he looks away and Rin and Obito trade devious glances with each other.

If Kakashi gets drunk that night, it’s worth it to see the flush on Madara’s face when they find some alcohol that actually effects demons.

AAAAAA

Kakashi wakes up to a warm body pressed up against his and the weight of metal on his ring finger.

He opens his eyes, looks up, and finds himself cuddled up against Madara and suddenly aware that they are both very naked.

He lifts the finger with the ring on it to his face. It’s clearly a wedding ring.

The only other person in the room is Madara. Madara who he has only known for a couple of weeks and yet would like to see that blush on his face again. Madara who hasn’t pried into Kakashi’s past or asked why when Kakashi dozed he woke up screaming at times.

Madara who was kind of a nice person all things considered.

Kakashi blinks, his first thought as a married man is:

What the fuck?

His second thought is:

It could be worse.

That's when he realizes he can feel the peace that radiates through Madara as he slumbers. He should not be able to do that, he realizes, he should not be able to feel Madara's emotions.

Only bonded couples could do that.

It is indeed worse. If there were just married they could get a divorce, but a night of drinking had led to them binding themselves together in a way that is almost impossible to break.

Obito is going to kill him

Kakashi is going to die.

Fuck.

SparkleMoose Post Work

[planetesoufie]

L’institution du Mawlid et la louange du Prophète par ses noms par Néfissa Roty-Geoffroy  Au nom de Dieu le Tout Miséricordieux, le Très Miséricordieux  La fête du Mawlid - ou Mawlûd 1  - célèbre la naissance du Prophète Muhammad, le 12 rabî' al-awwal, au troisième mois du calendrier islamique. A l’époque du Prophète, cet événement n’était pas fêté, bien sûr. Pour autant, le Prophète jeûnait toujours le lundi car, expliquait-il, c’était le jour de sa naissance et celui du début de sa prophétie.  Après sa mort, les musulmans ont ressenti le besoin de commémorer la naissance du prophète Muhammad en pratiquant des actions de grâces particulières, mais ce n’étaient que des manifestations ponctuelles, sans caractère officiel 2. Le Mawlid est devenu une pratique courante et institutionnelle au début du 13ème siècle, grâce à la ferveur des soufis.  Les voyageurs Ibn Jubayr (m. 1217) et Ibn Battûta (m. 1369) évoquent dans leur relations de voyage (al-Rihla) la célébration du Mawlid : « La demeure du Prophète est ouverte tous les lundis du mois rabî‘ al-awwal et tout le monde y entre pour profiter de ce lieu béni, car c’est en ce jour et en ce mois qu’est né le Prophète » ; « le jour anniversaire de la naissance du Prophète, le chef de la tribu Banû Shayba, gardien de la Kaaba, ouvre la porte de celle-ci et distribue de la nourriture aux gens ».  D’autres historiens 3 relatent que Le 12 de Rabî' al-awwal de chaque année, après la prière de Maghrib, les quatre qadis de la Mecque et de nombreux groupes, composés de juristes et de notables, de cheikhs et de leurs disciples, de magistrats et de savants, sortent ensemble de la Grande Mosquée et se rendent sur le lieu où le Prophète vint au monde, en récitant dhikr et tahlil (lâ ilâha illa-Llâh). Les maisons sur le parcours sont illuminées par de nombreuses lanternes et bougies, et les habitants se joignent au cortège. Tous sont revêtus de leurs plus beaux habits et leurs enfants les accompagnent. Un discours religieux est prononcé pour se remémorer la naissance du Prophète et les miracles (karamat) qui eurent lieu en ce jour. Peu de temps avant la prière de l''Icha, la foule retourne à la Grande Mosquée, se range derrière le Maqam Ibrahim et commence alors les invocations…  Cette célébration religieuse a longtemps fait débat au sein de la communauté musulmane. Certains théologiens l’ont interdite, arguant du fait que c’est une innovation (bid’a), sans référence au Coran ou à la tradition prophétique. Cette opinion est encore celle de l’Arabie saoudite, qui ne fête pas officiellement le Mawlid, mais en tolère néanmoins les festivités privées. Cependant, la majorité des autorités religieuses ont légitimé la célébration du Mawlid en lui donnant le statut de bid’a hasana, une bonne innovation, propre à renforcer la foi du croyant et son amour pour le Prophète. C’est le cas notamment du savant Suyûtî (m. 1505), réputé pour ses fatwas, qui reconnaît et encourage les pratiques du Mawlid telles que la réunion spirituelle des musulmans, la récitation du Coran, la narration de la naissance du Prophète et des signes qui l’ont accompagnée ainsi que la distribution de nourriture.  En général, les pays musulmans en ont fait un jour férié. En Syrie, les célébrations s’échelonnent sur deux mois, rabî’ al-awwal, rabî’ ath-thânî durant lesquels des petits groupes de chanteurs et de musiciens tournent dans les maisons pour y célébrer le Prophète 4.  Nous tenons de Sidi Ben Slîmân Al-Jazûlî (m. 1465), un des sept saints vénérés à Marrakech au Maroc, Le guide des bienfaits, Dalâ’il al-khayrât. C’est un recueil d’oraisons à la louange du Prophète, très célèbre dans le monde musulman et particulièrement dans les milieux soufis. L’auteur y cite en préambule tous les hadiths (traditions prophétiques) qui décrivent les bienfaits que peuvent tirer les musulmans de la prière sur le Prophète. Il recense ensuite les noms divins et ceux du Prophète sous forme de litanie. Enfin, il divise son ouvrage en sept chapitres, un pour chaque jour de la semaine, tel un bréviaire. Ce sont de longues prières sur le Prophète, à la fois simples et lyriques : chaque grain de sable, chaque goutte des océans, chaque souffle des créatures est pris à témoin et participe à cette célébration cosmique donnant ainsi au Prophète sa dimension d’Homme universel (al-Insân al-kâmil). La forme incantatoire des invocations se prête parfaitement à la récitation collective : ces prières animent souvent les réunions spirituelles, notamment durant les festivités du Mawlid.  Les noms et surnoms qui sont attribués au Prophète dans Dalâ’il al-Khayrât sont au nombre de 201. Ils sont d’origines diverses :  ●    Le nom que lui donna, à sa naissance, son grand-père ‘Abd al-Muttalib : “ Je l’ai nommé Muhammad (loué) car j’ai voulu qu’il soit loué au ciel par Dieu, et sur terre par les créatures de Dieu 5 ”.  ●    Les Kunya (noms de paternité) : Abû-l-Qâsim (père de Qâsim), du prénom de son premier fils qui mourut avant d’avoir atteint l’âge de deux ans 6. Il est encore évoqué par une autre kunya, celle d’Abû z-Zahrâ’ (père de Zahrâ'), surnom de sa fille bien aimée Fatima.  ●    Les noms par lesquels il est qualifié dans le coran : Karîm (généreux, noble) Muzammil  (qui est enveloppé [d’un manteau]) 7  …  ●    Les noms par lesquels, dans le hadîth, le Prophète se définit lui-même : “ J’ai cinq noms : Je suis Muhammad ; je suis Ahmad ; je suis al-Mâhî, par lequel Dieu efface l’incroyance ; je suis al-Hâshir, qui rassemble les gens derrière lui jour du Jugement dernier ; je suis al-‘Âqib, celui après lequel il n’y aura plus de prophète 8. »  ●    Les surnoms (laqab) que lui donnèrent ses compagnons : Badr (pleine lune) ... et ceux par lesquels la tradition islamique le loue et le vénère et qui ont souvent trait à sa mission prophétique : Nabî ar-Rahma (le prophète de la Miséricorde) Khâtib al-Umam (le prédicateur des communautés), Shâfi’ (intercesseur)…  ●    Les noms que la tradition musulmane attribue au Prophète et qui sont souvent utilisés comme substitut à celui de Muhammad : Amîn (digne de confiance), Habîb (bien-aimé), Mustafâ (élu pour sa pureté), Munîr (lumineux) Hâdî (guide), Tâhâ et Yâsîn (titres de deux sourates coraniques) …  Rappelons que le nom complet du Prophète est, Muhammad (prénom / ism), Abû-l-Qâsim (Père de Qassim - nom de paternité / kunya), Ibn ‘Abd-Allâh Ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib (fils de Abdallah, fils de ‘Abd al-Muttalib - nom de filiation / nasab), al-Hâshimî (de la tribu Hachimite – nom d’origine / nisba).  Concernant l’identité prophétique, le hadith le plus emblématique est le suivant : “Celui qui nomme son fils Muhammad (très loué), par amour pour moi et pour attirer ma bénédiction sur cet enfant, entrera au Paradis avec lui 9."   Cette parole n’a pas été vaine car le prénom du Prophète est devenu, depuis le VIIe siècle, l'un des prénoms masculins les plus attribués dans le monde, si l’on considère ses nombreuses adaptations dans les langues d’accueil: il devient Mamode à La Réunion, Mouhamadou ou Mamadou en Afrique noire, Mehmet en Turquie, Magomed en Tchétchénie …. On ne compte plus les personnages illustres qui ont porté et portent encore ce prénom, imam, sultans, généraux, poètes, savants ou réformistes… Traditionnellement, il est porté par le fils aîné d’une famille, parfois en premier terme d’un nom composé, le deuxième étant choisi parmi les nombreuses autres appellations qui qualifient le Prophète : Mohammed-Amin, Mohammed-Yassin …  Aujourd'hui, Mohamed, la variante maghrébine simplifiée, reste le prénom arabe le plus fréquemment attribué dans les familles musulmanes de France, en dépit de toutes les modes en la matière. Il connait même actuellement un pic de popularité, peut-être en réaction à l’histoire des « caricatures de Mahomet » 10 ... Quant au Mawlid, sa célébration en Occident va croissant, et est bien accueilli en tant qu’événement spirituel propice au rapprochement des cultures et à l’instauration d’une fraternité partagée.  Notes :  1- Ces mots appartiennent à deux catégories grammaticales différentes : mawlid est un nom de temps et de lieu, et signifie donc « le lieu ou le temps de naissance » ; mawlûd est un participe passif, et signifie alors « celui qui est mis au monde ».  2- Les Fatimides de l’Egypte (909-1171) fêtaient quatre anniversaires : ceux du Prophète Muhammad, de ‘Alî, de Fâtima et du calife régnant. L’historien al-Maqrîzî rapporte même que la naissance du Prophète ‘Îssâ  (Jésus) était également célébrée à cette époque.  3- Ibn Zâhira al-Hanafî, Ibn Hajar al-Haythamî, al-Nahrawalî, al-Diyarbakrî.  4- En France, les fonctionnaires musulmans ont droit à un jour de congé à l’occasion du Mawlid, au même titre que les deux Aïd : c’est au journal officiel, mais peu de gens le savent.  5- Ibn Hishâm.  6- Le Prophète a dit : “ Portez mon nom, mais ne portez pas ma kunya (Bukhârî). Selon les interprètes du hadîth, cet interdit n’aurait été en vigueur que de son vivant : il fallait éviter qu’un de ses contemporains ne s’appelle comme lui Muhammad Abû-l-Qâsim, source possible de confusion.  7- Après avoir reçu la révélation, le Prophète s’enveloppait d’un ample manteau pour calmer les frissons qui le parcouraient, d’où cette appellation coranique, ainsi que celle d’al-Mudaththir « celui qui est drapé », titre de la sourate 74.  8- Al-Bukhârî  9- Suyûtî, Al-hâwî lil-fatâwî, Le Caire, t. II, p. 41-42.  10- L’appellation Mahomet, forgée par les Français pour désigner le prophète de l’islam, n’est pas appréciée par les musulmans qui y voient une déformation : le prénom n’adopte donc jamais cette forme francisée.  Néfissa Roty-Geoffroy est professeure certifiée d’arabe et enseignante-formatrice de français langue étrangère dans l’enseignement public secondaire à Strasbourg, elle est co-auteur du Grand livre des prénoms arabes et pratique le chant spirituel soufi (samâ‘). Elle fait partie du conseil de la Fondation Conscience Soufie. Copyright © - Planète Soufie 2015

[lvrexe]

Wild Ride | [2] Hatake

ughhh finally this is completed... it took me a month and some revisions but I got it out. s/n: it’s hardly edited.

[ AO3 ] [ CHAPTER ONE ]

General Fic Info

Rating — Explicit Category — M/M

Content Warnings — None apply Completion — Unfinished

Ships; Hatake Kakashi/Shiranui Genma, Sarutobi Asuma/Shiranui Genma, Hatake Kakashi/Shiranui Genma/Sarutobi Asuma, Nohara Rin/Uchiha Obito

Genre; Romance, Angst, Modern! AU, Occasional Fluff

Tags; Porn with Plot, Poly Relationships, Friends with Benefits, Eventual Romance, Alternative Universe, Semi-Modern AU, Anal sex, Explicit Content, Misinterpreted Relationships, Misunderstandings, Drinking, Alcoholism

Chapter Specific Tags; SFW, just Kakashi set-up, Kakashi mistaking a hook-up as a romantic relationship

Kakashi stirred awake with a heavy weight on his chest. Propping one eye open, he was greeted with the sight of Genma sleeping soundly in his bare chest. Rays of sunlight highlighted most of his features, shining parts of Genma’s peaceful expression, strands of chestnut brown bangs covered parts of his face. His lips gently parted as his body rose and fell with each subtle and calm breath he took.

His eyes narrowed as he inspected the brunette; Genma was an oddity to him— not that he actually minded, quite the opposite. Now, he looked peaceful and sweet, as if he didn’t just ride Kakashi’s dick the previous night. Surprisingly, Genma was well-versed in hiding his more… “slutty” side, to put it bluntly— not many outside of the close-knit friend group knew of his nightly activities. To outsiders, Genma was a man of a calm and collected nature and truly, he was. There just was this hidden side to him.

Slipping Genma off him, Kakashi slowly peeled himself off his bed. He stumbled across his room, stepping over his clothes scattered around his floor. He had expected several sights to be regular occurrences; Naruto and Sasuke fighting, Sakura stopping them; Gai challenging him to any sort of test of skill; Obito and Rin dragging him out of his house. Was him waking up to Genma in his bed and their clothes scattered across his house going to be another recurring scene?

He scrounged around in his drawers for a pair of boxers, some loose pants and fished out a plain white tee. He headed for his bathroom silently, slipping out of his room to not disturb his sleeping… Well, he assumed “partner”. A warm sensation filled his chest as he thought about that. Genma as his partner. Huh, that sounded oddly nice.

He was quick to snap out of it once he reached the door to his bathroom. He shook off the thoughts and let out a sigh. He disregarded the warmth those thoughts brung and pushed into his bathroom.

By the time Kakashi was finished with his shower, Genma was still in his deep slumber. He decided to let him sleep in. His bedroom was just Genma’s for now. Though, Kakashi managed to snag his favourite book series, Icha Icha Paradise. His living area was better lit than his bedroom; a near perfect quantity of natural light peering through the kitchen window, some wandering into his attached living room, the glass sliding doors also provided a fair amount of light as well. He plopped down on his couch and he momentarily froze when his eyes landed on the open whiskey bottle Genma had left. Beside it was Genma’s buzzing phone. It stopped and the screen went black before Kakashi could see what the notification was.

Kakashi was a simple man; he saw a phone buzz from a notification, he got curious. Interest piqued, he reached down and snatched up the phone. It lit up as he pressed the power button. A monochromatic picture of a hand lazily holding a cigarette between two fingers was set as the background. Kakashi cocked his eyebrows at Genma’s set background, it was a bit odd to him but it oddly fit Genma. His attention switched over to the notifications on the screen. A few missed calls, some unanswered messages from Hayate and Shizune, all previews hidden until unlocked, and at the top of it was a reminder. “Tell squads of Chunin Exams” was the title. Guess Genma couldn’t tell all of them the day before.

A tinge of guilt pulled at his chest, he shouldn’t be snooping around. He followed his gut and shut off the phone and placed it back on his coffee table. He grabbed his book and leaned back into his couch, kicking up his feet on his table. Flipping his book open, he tore his attention away from Genma’s phone.

He wasn’t certain how much time had passed after he started a new chapter, but a knock pulled his head out from the pages of his book. He snapped his book closed and pulled himself up from the couch, tossing his book onto the table. He peered through the peephole and stood outside his door was his old teammate, Obito.

Obito’s scarred but bright face beamed at his door, as if he could tell Kakashi was peeking through the hole. His right side was heavily scarred and deformed, a lifetime reminder of the consequences of war. It was a damn miracle Obito survived the war, especially after getting crushed. Kakashi insisted that he return his Sharingan but Obito denied no matter the protest. Now, Obito’s left eye bore the late Fourth Hokage’s eye. Kakashi never got the story of how he received it, but regardless, he was grateful to the Gods, or the Heavens, or whatever, that Obito still stood tall beside him nonetheless.

Unlocking the door, the silver-haired shinobi swung his front door open. Obito grinned ear-to-ear as the white door opened. “Kakashi!” he blurted out, arms spread wide in an exaggerated way to greet the tired shinobi before him. Without warning, he hooked around Kakashi’s neck, pulling the man close. “How’s it going, huh?”

“Obito… it’s only…” Kakashi peeled himself away from his friend and leaned backwards to peer back into his kitchen. “9:30 in the morning.”

“Yeah, but didja forget already?” Obito chirped up as he tugged his best friend close once more, “Breakfast with me and Rin?”

Kakashi’s face recoiled with regret as a hiss left his throat— aimed towards him obviously. “Shit… I’m sorry,” he apologized. “Uh... Just give me a moment. Just stay here.”

As Obito released his grip, Kakashi pushed away from him. “No worries, ‘Kashi,” he replied. He peered over the shoulder of the silver-haired shinobi as Kakashi scrambled around in his house. He took note of the open whiskey bottle in the open living room and the extra pair of shinobi sandals. Obito wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, but he also wasn’t naive.

A grin pried at the corners of the Uchiha’s lips as he peered over to Kakashi hovering over his kitchen table, scribbling something down. “Hey, Kakashi, it’s a bit rude to not invite someone in, right?” he teasingly piped up.

Kakashi immediately flinched and sputtered a bit. He knew Obito knew. He turned his head and shakingly looked over at his teammate. “Uh… Well, we’re heading out in a minute, right?” he blurted out. He pushed the cap onto the pen and tossed it to the side. He ripped off the sticky note from the stack and slapped it onto his fridge. As Obito leaned forward in an attempt to read the note, he huffed and covered the side with his hand. Obito backed off and he let out a sigh before reading over the note;

Genma,

I’m heading out for the day. Help yourself to some coffee and breakfast. Make sure to lock the door on your way out. If you’re free, come by tonight.

Kakashi

That was inviting enough, right?... Yeah, probably. Kakashi pushed himself away from his fridge and gathered himself. He slipped on his shoes and pushed Obito out of his house by stepping out himself. He locked the door and shoved the key into his pocket. “Ready to go?” he asked his friend.

Obito, his prying now diminished by the front door shutting, sighed but shrugged his shoulders. He stuffed his hands in his pocket and nodded. “Guess so,” he murmured. Kakashi walked past him and he took one final glance at the house, hoping to spot any sort of movement in the house. But alas, the person in Kakashi’s house was still out-cold sleeping.

“Obito.”

He jolted a bit before scurrying off the porch to catch up with Kakashi.

Rin gazed through the large windows of the small cafe, the lines were long and most tables were filled. She had expected the long lines but not the tables being filled, it was a week day, shouldn’t people be hurrying off to their jobs?

She cursed to herself, silently lecturing to herself for not going in sooner. She took a glance around before slipping inside the shop and sneaking off to the back where one table was clear and free for the taking. The smell of brewing coffee, freshly baked bagels and muffins reached her nostrils and left her a warm, fuzzy feeling blooming in her chest. Nostalgia? Maybe. Team Minato did share several memories here. She slipped into the booth seat and pulled out her phone from her back pocket. Two messages from Obito popped up when her lock screen lit up; “Got Kakashi.”, and “Heading over now~ <3”. She simply sent a thumbs up back, then added a heart emoji for good measure.

It didn’t take the two long before they arrived through the glass doors, bell ringing to alert the baristas of new customers. Rin raised up and a smile grew on her glossy lips. She waved the two Jounin over and closed her mobile game. Kakashi slid onto the seat across from her and Obito walked over to her side, leaning in for a quick kiss of greeting. She shifted over and gave him a spot to sit.

“Didn’t order us drinks?” Obito questioned.

She shook her head and sighed. “Not yet. Line’s been busy and I wanted to grab a good table.” She leaned back into the booth as she gazed over to the two lines at the counters. The cafe had died down a bit in noise but a good five or six people still stood in line. “Here, scoot out, I’ll go order now.”

Kakashi raised his hand in quick protest. “No, no,” he was quick to speak up. He smiled under his mask and stood up. “I’ll pay for our drinks,” he assured as he shifted out of their booth. If Rin or Obito had any objections, he didn’t wait to hear them as he walked into the nearest line.

It took a few minutes but Kakashi finally arrived at the front of the line, tapping on the counter with two fingers as he waited for the barista to come back around. He stood up straight as the employee approached the counter after handing over another customer’s order. His cheeks heated up under his mask as the man approached him. He wore the company uniform of a plain white shirt, black pants and a dark green apron wrapped around his front. Attached to his apron was a nametag: “Touma”.

“Sorry about that, just a busy day today,” Touma excused with a quick chuckle. His face beamed with happiness, a bright smile upon his lips. Kakashi couldn’t tell if it was genuine or if it was forced, but it felt genuine. “What can I get you today?”

Kakashi was grateful he always wore masks, he knew he was a blushing mess underneath. “Urm, well,” he sputtered for a moment, “A medium espresso, large iced coffee and a large mocha coffee.”

Touma hummed in response as he punched in the order. “Anything else today?” he asked.

Kakashi shook his head. “Uh, no, that’s all,” he replied.

“Alright,” Touma nodded. “Your total is 1,212 yen.”

He was quick to pay in cash and slid off to the side, waiting for his order. His eyes lingered on the barista he spoke to. Touma was his type. Shoulder-length dark hair, average height and slender. Touma also held his hair back— but the more Kakashi thought about it, it was probably a requirement for work—, pinning his bangs out of eyes, hair placed in a low, short ponytail. Walnut brown hair, pale skin and deep brown eyes. Touma wasn’t too extraordinary but God, he was attractive.

As he stared, Touma looked familiar. It most definitely wasn’t from him being a regular; Kakashi never paid much attention to the workers. The long locks of brown hair, the deep brown eyes, the pale skin. The same height too. As his eyes lingered on Touma, the barista shifted from himself to another Jounin. Genma.

Touma was a near-perfect doppelganger of Genma.

The three drinks were pushed onto the counter in front of him. He snapped out of his daze and gripped the edge of the cardboard cup tray. As he picked it up, Touma spoke up: “Hey, uh, you’re a shinobi, right?”

“Huh? Yeah, I am,” he answered. “Oh good, I could tell by your headband,” Touma explained. He scratched the back of his neck and chuckled a bit. “If you’re free, come by on Sunday. We do this thing called ‘Shinobi Sunday’ every month. Shinobi of the Leaf get discounts on their orders.”

Kakashi raised his brows in surprise; it must’ve been something new. He nodded and cleared his throat. “Yeah… I’ll see if I’m free.” Not sure how to continue the conversation, or if he even should, Kakashi nodded his head goodbye and slipped away from the counter, letting Touma return to his work.

As he returned to his table, the first thing he noticed was Rin staring intently at him, head resting between her hands. He sighed, preparing for Rin’s antics, and slid the tray onto the table as he sat down.

Rin grabbed her iced coffee and pulled her straw out of its paper wrapping. She grinned as she stabbed her straw into the lid. “Soooo~...?” she sang, giggling to herself. “Did you get his number?”

“I’m– I’m sorry?”

“Did you get that guy’s number?” she repeated. She sipped on her iced coffee and leaned on the table. She had watched the entire interaction but she lacked the audio. “He seemed into you, y’know,” she whispered, as if Obito couldn’t hear. “You should totally ask him out.”

Kakashi’s entire face turned a deep shade of red, face practically steaming, body melting away in embarrassment. “I—! N-no, I couldn’t… He’s just an employee, he’s just doing his job,” he excused, waving off Rin’s pushing. He took a glance over to Touma as he grabbed his espresso. He turned his head down and stared into his cup before prying off his mask to take a sip. “Besides, we hardly know each other. It’d be awkward, right?”

Rin, used to Kakashi’s dismissals, only sighed and slumped her shoulders, sinking back into her seat, sipping on her iced coffee. This was a regular affair between the two, ever since the two were in their teens. Of course, back then, Rin had assumed Kakashi was straight and constantly tried to set him up with any girl who indicated the slightest interest in the son of the White Fang. She had apologized a million times over when he had revealed he was actually gay when the three of them were 17. But that hardly stopped her from her self-promoted role of ‘matchmaker’.

One advantage of being so close with Kakashi was the fact Rin understood his mannerisms. It took her a couple of years but she could tell who and what he was attracted to— probably quicker than he would. But alas, no matter how hard she pushed, Kakashi would retreat back into his shell of solitude. It was a back-and-forth between the two and Kakashi always remained the victor each and every single time.

Defeated, Rin sipped on her iced coffee, ready to change the topic, perhaps about her or Kakashi’s team— oh, how she wondered how Kakashi’s students were doing. She couldn’t remember the last time she had seen them. As she finished off her few sips, she opened her mouth to direct the conversation elsewhere, but Obito had other plans.

“You should ask him out,” Obito insisted.

Kakashi jerked forward as his drink got stuck in his throat from pure shock. He coughed and hid his face in his arm as he slowly recovered. “I’m sorry?”

“Come on, Kakashi. You can’t honestly expect love to just fall into your arms, do you?”

“Well no but—”

Obito leaned forward onto the table. “Then go ask him out. You find him attractive, he probably finds you attractive— half of this damn village does, so take the risk, Kakashi.”

Rin huffed and smacked Obito in the arm. “Come on, Obito, he already said he won’t.”

“Well, he never tries. He should just this once,” Obito insisted. “He’s missed out on so many opportunities already.”

“Obito!” Rin badgered.

Kakashi sighed and finished off his drink with large gulps. He tugged his mask back up his face and over his nose. He raised his hand, butting into the argument. “Rin, it’s fine,” he assured as he spoke up. “Obito’s right.”

Rin turned her head. “What? So you’ll ask the barista out?”

He shook his head, “I never said that. I just said Obito’s right in me never trying.”

Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck. His cheeks tinted a shade of red. “I guess I’m trying to… not miss an opportunity this time,” he admitted sheepishly to his teammates. “There’s someone, I suppose…”

That caught Rin’s attention. Leaning forward, she rested her elbows on the table. “Oh~?” she sang, “Who is it? How’d you two finally start things? Is he cute? I bet he’s cute.”

“Well, I-.. I wouldn’t want to share his personal information…”

“Oh come on, just a name Kakashi? Please?”

Obito took a few sips out of his drink as he watched Rin pester Kakashi for answers but he remained strong in holding back any information she pried for. His mind wandered for a moment before it snapped back to the extra shoes he had seen before. “Wait, is it the guy you—”

“Yes.” Kakashi was quick to butt in.

“Huh. You sure he’s who you want?”

The silver-haired shinobi nodded. He sighed with content and thought back to the brunette man who drove him utterly crazy. “... Yeah,” he affirmed as he thought of Genma.

“He’s who I want.”

“Bye Kakashi!” Rin called out one last time as she and Obito parted ways with him.

Kakashi smiled under his mask, waving goodbye to the other two Jounin. He ambled down the streets of Konoha, shuffling past the groups and gatherings that crowded the roads. His mind lingered back to the upcoming Chunin Exams as he passed by some excited Genin team rambling about it. He’d have to tell his own team about it soon. That, and he’d have to send a message to the Fifth assuring her the three were ready for their second Chunin Exam. He could go visit her personally as well, but Genma’s words from the day before advised him against it; she was probably busied to the bone.

“Kakashi-senpai.”

He recognized that tranquil and composed voice and he shifted around on his heels. A man with cedar brown hair landed on the dirt street before him. His face lit up when he saw the face of an old ANBU friend. “Ah, Tenzo,” he greeted, “It’s nice to finally see you once again. Been awhile.”

Tenzo had a gentle smile on his lips as he approached Kakashi. “It has,” he replied. “Since the disbandment of the ANBU, correct?” Kakashi nodded. Tenzo only nodded in response. “... So, why’d you stop by?” the silver-haired shinobi questioned. He cleared his throat before swiftly changing the subject. “Ah, right, I came to ask about the Chunin Exams on Lady Tsunade’s behalf.”

“Chunin Exams? For what?”

“Lady Tsunade has tasked me with gathering the confirmations of each team’s leader,” Tenzo explained. “And I’ve received confirmation from Team 3’s sensei. But I still need some confirmation from Team 8, Team 10 when they come back from their mission, and of course, your Team 7, Kakashi-senpai.”

He let out a sigh. “Official statement?”

Tenzo gave him a nod. “More or less.”

“Ah, I see…” Kakashi let out another sigh as his shoulders dropped. He straightened himself up and cleared his throat. “The Kakashi led team of Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, and Haruno Sakura… Under the name of Hatake Kakashi, I nominate the three for the Chunin Exams.” Same spiel as always, or maybe he got some words wrong. Nonetheless, same format but with different names.

It was enough for Tenzo apparently as he nodded. “Alright, that’s good…” he murmured. “I’d love to keep chatting, but I need to gather more confirmations.”

As Tenzo readied to disappear, Kakashi was quick to raise his hand to grab Tenzo’s attention. “Wait, Tenzo,” he called, “Just a quick question.”

“Yes?”

“Will you be around during the Chunin Exams?”

“Of course, why?”

Kakashi pursed his lips under his mask and his brows furrowed. “I have a feeling you’ll need to be there, Tenzo,” he asserted.

Tenzo didn’t need details; the look in Kakashi’s uncovered eye told him enough. “Understood… I’ll be sure to attend. I’ll let Lady Tsunade know,” he assured.

As he took a step to hop off, Tenzo stopped for a moment. “Oh yes, I nearly forgot…” he turned on his heel again to face Kakashi one last time. His hand shuffled around in his back pouch before he pulled out a scroll and tossed it to his superior. “New mission for Team Kakashi, assigned specifically from the Fifth herself.”

Kakashi caught the scroll and rotated it in his hand to eye down the seal. He sighed. No free time anymore.

With a grunt, Naruto collided with the ground, face digging into the ground as Kakashi swung him off his shoulders. And finally, that was it. Team 7 laid defeated before him. Sasuke laid stuck under a fallen tree, Sakura trembling on the dirt ground as she slowly tended to her wounds through medical ninjutsu, and Naruto had his face buried deep in the dirt, his shadow clones poofing away with clouds of smoke.

Kakashi sighed and lowered his guard finally. He frowned his brows as he thought back to the beginning days of their team. ‘I miss when a simple Genjutsu put all of them out of commission…’

His attention was brought to his blonde student behind him as the Genin groaned. Naruto growled and pushed himself up. “That’s it, Kakashi-sensei! Rematch! Right now!!” he shouted at the top of his lungs. “That ain’t fair at all!”

“Now, now, maybe another time, Naruto,” Kakashi denied with a small chuckle. He shifted over to Sakura who was pushing herself up off the ground. “Think you can get Sasuke?”

“Yes, Kakashi-sensei,” she nodded as she scurried off to her teammate.

He swung his open hand out and caught Naruto’s forehead in his palm. “Naruto, I told you we’ll have a rematch another day.”

Sakura pried the tree log off of Sasuke and after some medical ninjutsu, got Sasuke on his feet. With the three Genin settled, Kakashi let out a deep sigh. He had two announcements to make. He pondered which to state first.

“Well… To start this off, we have a mission today,” he finally stated, “and then, the Chunin Exams are also around the corner. If I’m not mistaken, you should be given enough time to squeeze in some additional training by the time we return.”

“The Chunin Exams? You’ve referred us again?” Sakura butted in.

“I’ve nominated you, yes. But you must be the ones to sign up.”

He reached into his pouch, pulled out the Exams registration sheets and tossed them to the three. “Feel free to sign them when you’re gathering supplies for the mission. Have your parents drop them off at the Hokage’s residence,” he instructed.

“About our mission, Kakashi,” Sasuke spoke up, “What is it?”

“Ah, right, our mission…” Kakashi hummed, bringing his hand to his chin. “Well, Suna has requested aid from Konoha shinobi. Apparently, one of their own S-ranked criminals is running about, poisoning their shinobi. Not only are we to aid them in capturing Sasori of the Red Sand but we’ll also need to help them cure the poison.”

Kakashi brought his eyes to Sakura. “We’ll need you to assist with finding that cure as well as aiding our team against the fight with Sasori.” Sakura nodded in response.

This would be the team’s second time taking a mission outside the Land of Fire so it was evident that the three Genin were excited but nervous lingered behind their thrilled expressions. Their first time out of the Land of Fire was their time in the Land of Waves and with that as their only experience, it was understandable to Kakashi.

“I’ll let you go to properly gather what you need,” Kakashi waved off his students. “Please don’t be too late.”

The three Genin nodded and Sasuke was the first to scurry off, heading off in the direction of the Uchiha district. Sakura was next upon the completion of patching up her blonde boyfriend. As Naruto turned on his heels, Kakashi called out, “Naruto.”

“Eh? Kakashi-sensei?” Naruto turned to his teacher. “What is it?”

He took a deep breath. “Be careful, Naruto. Both in mission and the Chunin Exams. You can’t let your anger overwhelm you,” he insisted.

“Try as you might, you cannot deny that seal is cracking, Naruto.”