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The Konoha Academy Spring Festival ✧ Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Closer

Part 2 of the For Your Own Good Series Prev Chapter → Next Chapter

Relationship: Hatake Kakashi x fem!Reader

Content: fluff, angst, slow burn, mutual pining, awkward flirting, suggestive humor. alternating POV. self-ship coded; please see author's note on series page for defined characteristics of reader.

Word Count: 3.9k

Work Summary: Kakashi can't deny it; he's developing feelings for you. When he hears that you've signed up to organize and work the Shinobi Academy's Spring Festival, he wonders if he can use the opportunity to finally spend time with you; uninterrupted by his noisy students or your duties at Ichiraku. But of course, a genius like him should know it won't be that simple.

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Gai finally released Kakashi’s shoulders and disappeared into the crowd. The more reserved jōnin groaned, straightening his clothes and thinking of all the ways he could have—and would have—thrown Gai off of him if they’d been anywhere else. But no; Gai had managed to drop Kakashi exactly where he wanted him.

You were only a few feet away with a few members of the Academy staff. Your back was to him, and you were discussing something animatedly with your hands, despite the small plate in your left. Great. An audience.

Kakashi sighed, reconsidering the timing of this whole thing. He still wanted to apologize, but maybe Sakura was wrong this morning. After all, if Gai was signing off on the plan, it was bound to have more than a few important details missing. Like, how am I supposed to get her away from all these other people?

He let out a breath before taking the few steps to be close enough for you to notice him. “Y/N.”

You turned, revealing Iruka right behind you. What a surprise. Kakashi couldn’t help but notice that the chūnin still hadn’t managed to put more than two feet between himself and you.

“Oh, hi Kakashi,” Iruka smiled.

Did I miss the part where I addressed him? “Iruka,” Kakashi nodded at the Academy sensei before turning to you. “Y/N,” he repeated, “could I talk to you?”

“Actually,” Iruka interjected, “I may need your help with the raffle, Y/N.”

The excuse seemed flimsy, but Kakashi wanted you to take it if you truly didn’t want to talk to him. He thought about pleading his case, insisting he would only take a second of your time, but if you were so desperate to avoid him that you needed Iruka to invent fake tasks for you, the smartest thing Kakashi could do was probably just to leave you to it.

Iruka placed his hand on your shoulder to lead you away. You held Kakashi’s gaze for several seconds, and despite his conclusion two seconds ago, he had to fight the barbaric urge to throw you over his shoulder and get you as far from the meddling chūnin as possible.

“Iruka,” you started, still looking at Kakashi. “I’ll be right back.”

Kakashi’s heart skipped a beat as you sat your plate on the table and stepped toward him. Iruka looked more and more confused with every step you put between you and him, and Kakashi had to be careful his smile didn’t reach his eye.

“Um, let’s go over here,” Kakashi suggested, gesturing towards a sparsely populated corner of the grounds. He held his hand out for you automatically, and he suffered an agonizing second where he wasn’t sure you would accept. But then your fingers curled around his, almost like they had yesterday, and he nearly sighed in relief.

He led you over to the other side of the grounds, running over what he wanted to say in his head. Sakura’s and Gai’s advice were ringing in his ears, but he just didn’t know how to actually put into words how he felt. Most of what immediately came to mind was clunky or awkward, or just plain presumptuous. The tips of his ears burned as he remembered how easy it was last night, to imagine you wanting to take that kiss farther. He had tried not to think about it, but he had run it through his head so many times, he almost convinced himself it had happened in real life just as it had in his mind. But it wasn’t the truth. He clearly hurt you, based on the lengths you went to avoid him today, and he was lucky you were even giving him this chance to explain.

He finally reached the place he was heading for. He stopped and turned to face you. But looking at you was going to make this a thousand times harder.

For one thing, you hadn’t let go of his hand, and that simple contact alone was enough to make him forget even things imprinted on his brain by his Sharingan eye. For another, he was finally getting an up-close view of you in your yukata.

He had never seen you in something so formal; typically, you were dressed for serving customers at Ichiraku or running errands during your free time. Of course, he had noticed your outfit earlier in the evening, but seeing up close just how beautifully the greens and blues in the floral pattern of your dress complimented the stormy aqua of your eyes made him want to fully open both of his so that he could see you like this whenever he wanted. And the way your hair was done, warm auburn falling loose around your face—

“What did you want to talk about?” you asked, snapping him from the spell he was under.

Kakashi reluctantly let go of your hand. He took a breath and centered himself, giving up on finding some perfect words or great speech.

I’m sure it’s nothing a good apology couldn’t fix, dear rival!

If you said something that hurt her feelings, you need to tell her that you’re sorry!

They made it sound so simple. So maybe, simple was the answer. “I’m sorry for yesterday, with Asuma and Kurenai.”

Your eyes widened, and he thought he might die at seeing more of that beautiful color surrounded by the dark makeup you had applied for the occasion. “You are?” you asked, sounding surprised, and confused, but also maybe a bit comforted.

“Yes.” Okay, this is working. Just keep talking.

Kakashi started to seem more like himself, relaxed and assured, the more he spoke. “I can see how the way I responded to that was uncomfortable or embarrassing for you. I never meant to make you feel that way. I apologize.”

“Oh.” Well, that’s honestly more than I dared to hope for. “I appreciate you saying that, Kakashi.”

You let one side of your mouth curve up in a little smile. You berated yourself in your mind; of course you should have known Kakashi didn’t mean any harm by what he said. You had taken him by surprise with the kiss—which is a feat all in itself, now that you think about it—and then when his friends had shown up, he had simply tried to make sure they didn’t get the wrong idea.

He was so private; of course he wouldn’t want gossipy shinobi running around and tormenting him over the civilian who’d mistaken his kindness for romantic interest. He had a reputation for being cold, but you already knew from the time you’d spent around him that it wasn’t true. He had just spent so much time becoming the infallible Copy Ninja, being social had never been his priority. And considering everything he had done in his career to protect the place you and so many others called home, you should be more grateful and understanding.

Just stop trying to kiss him and things won’t have to get so awkward anymore.

“Really, I should apologize too,” you blushed.

“Hmm?”

“I shouldn’t have… kissed you,” you mumbled. “I was way out of line. You’re clearly very… protective, or cautious? Over your face, I mean. So I really shouldn’t have just… done that. And I am truly sorry for being invasive.”

“I… wouldn’t go so far as to call it invasive,” he answered, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Still, I’m sorry.”

“No apology necessary,” he offered with a gentle smile. “So, are we okay?”

“Yeah.” Remember, just don’t try to kiss him. “We’re okay.”

“Alright.” He nodded, his eye darting around just a little like he wasn’t sure what to say next. “Good. I’m glad we had a chance to talk.”

“So am I.” You paused a bit awkwardly, almost feeling like you needed to wait to be dismissed. He rolled his shoulder, and you realized he might have been waiting for you to let him off the hook. “So, I’ll see—”

“Would you—”

“—you around?”

“—like to dance?”

You and Kakashi had spoken at the same time, and you had to actually shake out your head to catch up with him. “Sorry, what?”

“I asked if you wanted to dance,” he repeated. “Unless of course, you need to get back to your duties. The raffle, and all.” He scrunched his visible eye in a crescent-moon shape as he smiled and rubbed the back of his neck again. This exact combination was the reason you’d gotten so brazen as to kiss him in the first place. And with him in his formal yukata, you were on the verge of spontaneously combusting.

“Yes. I mean, no!”

He just opened his eye and looked at you.

Get it together! “I uh, actually can spare a few minutes. A dance sounds nice.”

Kakashi smiled again, the corner of his eye crinkling in a way that was absolutely not fair for a person to witness when they were trying to remember that things could only be platonic. He held out his hand again, and it was no less anxiety-inducing than when he did it a few minutes ago. You accepted, letting him lead you just a little further away from the corner.

You smiled at the place he finally chose. Leave it to Kakashi to do everything by his own rules, wrapping his free hand around your waist on the furthest outskirt of the dancing area. You shivered under his touch. You hoped he didn’t notice, but this was Kakashi Hatake you were talking about.

You threw him a self-conscious smile. “I don’t really dance often.”

“Me neither,” he answered. “But how bad can we be?”

You laughed, giving yourself over to him as he started leading you. The music was simple and slow—hardly even dancing music—but plenty of people were in an embrace just like you and Kakashi, swaying gently to the sound. Without thinking, you used the hand on his upper back to pull him a little closer.

What are you doing!??! Your cheeks burned as you realized you may be repeating your mistake from yesterday already. You parted your lips, another apology ready on your tongue, before he cut you off.

“The Academy staff have been keeping you much busier today than you were yesterday,” he observed.

“Oh, yeah,” you stuttered. “Well, with the festival going almost right into the banquet, there was a lot that needed attention. Volunteers didn’t even have time to go home to change clothes. I had to use one of the Academy classrooms.”

“Well, I’d never know. You look beautiful.”

You were confused as you met his gaze. Maybe with all the social skills he was lacking, he was overcorrecting. Still, it was a nice thing for him to say, and you just knew your cheeks were a deeper shade of pink. You hardly felt comfortable returning the compliment, because every word that came to mind to describe him now—with his relaxed hair and uncovered hands and just being so close—would give away your persistent feelings.

“Thank you. And you look… good. In that.”

WHAT.

“I-I mean…this is the first time I’ve ever seen your other eye. Without your headband over it, I mean. Not like, open.”

…WHAT?!

“It drains my chakra,” he explained simply. You tilted your head, not comprehending how he was even still bothering to speak to you after hearing the unintelligible things spewing from your mouth. “The Sharingan,” he continued. “It uses a lot of chakra, so I only uncover it when I need it. It’s easiest to just keep my forehead protector over it, otherwise I just have to keep it closed.”

“Oh,” you answered lamely. “That makes sense.”

Things were quiet for a few moments before he spoke again.

“So what exactly do you need to do to help with a raffle, anyway?”

“I guess just call off the winners?” you shrugged. “I’m not entirely sure. Ichiraku donated a bunch of coupons for free ramen, so maybe I just need to be available in case Naruto doesn’t win,” you smiled.

“Or if he does win,” Kakashi countered.

You laughed a little too loud, imagining just how Naruto’s reaction to winning or losing would be equally destructive. You covered your mouth with your hand, trying to calm the fit of giggles.

Kakashi smiled at your reaction, thrilled to see you comfortable and laughing with him again. He made a mental note to thank Naruto later for his general enthusiasm. The compliment might come back to haunt him the next time he needed the genin to give him a second of quiet. But even a thousand hours of Naruto’s exuberant chattering would be worth just this moment of your unguarded smile.

“I really don’t know which would be worse!” you laughed, uninhibited sounds spilling from your lips. You took a deep breath to try and stop yourself, but it only gave you more fuel to keep going. You tucked your face into Kakashi’s shoulder in an effort to stifle the sound. His cheeks burned, but he savored every second of your form against him.

Sakura grabbed Naruto’s arm, nearly making him drop his plate of food. “Hey, what gives?”

“Look!” she screeched, pointing across the grounds to a slightly shadowed area.

“I don’t see anything!”

“Moron,” Sasuke scoffed.

“It’s Kakashi-sensei and Y/N!” Sakura shook Naruto by the shoulders. “They’re dancing! They made up!”

“Ugh, are they kissing?!” Naruto recoiled.

“What?!” the girl shouted. “Obviously they aren’t kissing! Naruto, I swear sometimes you can be so annoying.”

“Sometimes?” Sasuke chuckled. “Don’t lie to him, Sakura. He’s always annoying.”

“Nobody asked you, Sasuke!”

“Shut up! I can’t hear them!”

“It looks like she’s laughing,” Sasuke announced.

“Maybe he told her a joke,” Sakura supplied.

“But Kakashi-sensei isn’t funny!!” Naruto argued.

“Shut up Naruto!” Sakura shouted. “This is going perfectly. Kakashi-sensei will ask Y/N to go on a date, and after that he’ll ask her to be his girlfriend, and once she’s his girlfriend he’ll be so happy. And he’ll be so grateful to us, of course, for making this happen in the first place. He’ll start going easier on us in training, and he’ll make sure we get all the best missions. Nothing lame or boring or embarrassing.”

“And he’ll teach us all the really cool jutsu he knows so we can become chūnin and jōnin faster!” Naruto nodded. “That way we can go out and do all the missions ourselves and get all the glory, and he can just stay home and kiss his girlfriend.”

“Idiot.”

You were finally catching your breath, settling against his shoulder with a content exhale. Kakashi wanted to rest his cheek on the top of your head, but that seemed too intimate for an event attended by the entire village. Instead, he sated himself by holding your waist just a little closer.

A muffled sound boomed from the speakers, causing you to lift your head off of Kakashi’s shoulder after far too short of a time. You gave him a shy smile before looking up at the stage. He followed your line of sight and saw Iruka adjusting the microphone stand. The raffle boxes were stacked on a folding table behind him.

“Oh, it looks like they’re setting up for announcing the raffle winners,” you surmised. “I’d better go.”

Will Iruka never stop? Kakashi reluctantly loosened his hold, allowing you to step away. “Thank you, for the dance. And for talking with me.”

“Of course. I’m happy we got that settled.” You looked down at your outfit and straightened it, drawing his attention again to just how beautiful you looked. “Okay, wish me luck.”

“Best of luck,” he smirked, “��with Naruto.”

You bit your lower lip to fight the next bout of giggles. “Stop!” you laughed, waving your hand at him in dismissal. He just smiled wider, letting his eye crinkle shut as he held his hand up in a wave of his own.

You walked up the stairs on the side of the stage, reluctant to even look away from Kakashi. Sure, it had just been a friendly dance, nothing specifically romantic about it, but he had called you beautiful and you could probably survive on that compliment alone for a week. And sure, he meant it in a strictly factual way. But it still felt so nice to hear. It was just that it felt too nice when he said it while holding you by your waist. For a guy trying to keep things companionable, he might need a lesson in finding a middle ground.

Iruka jostled one of the raffle boxes, locking eyes with you as you made it onto the stage.

“Hey,” you started.

“Hey yourself,” he answered. “Everything okay?”

Can my answer somehow be yes, and more than okay, and kind of not okay at all? “Yeah, everything’s okay.”

Iruka scrunched his eyes, clearly recognizing your confusion. “Are you sure?” he asked, gesturing to Kakashi with a slight nod of his head. “What did he have to talk to you about?”

“Actually, he wanted to apologize for how he handled the situation yesterday.”

Iruka set down the box and raised his eyebrow at you. “Really?”

“Yes, really,” you confirmed. “He said he realized that what he said put me in an embarrassing position, and he honestly seemed really sorry for making me feel like that.”

You’d been on the receiving end of far too many excuses and rationalizations masquerading as apologies; you’d almost forgotten what it felt like when someone showed true remorse and took ownership for their actions, instead of giving a perfunctory “sorry your feelings got hurt.” But Kakashi had sought you out, when he could have easily acted like it had never happened in the first place.

Iruka’s expression softened. “I know he doesn’t try to be cold. Outside of missions, at least. I just didn’t expect he would actually acknowledge it.” He started to chuckle. “You know, you might be the first person he’s ever apologized to.”

You pushed Iruka by the shoulder. “Oh leave him alone,” you smirked as you scolded him. “Kakashi’s actually a really cool guy. He’s just a little… socially impaired, I guess? Everyone assumes he’s this rude and intentionally cruel person, but it isn’t true. He doesn’t mean to come off like that, and I should have known better.”

“You should have known better? Since you know him so well?” Iruka looked at you conspiratorially. “So, is there something going on between you two?”

“No, Iruka,” you sighed. You glanced over to where Kakashi was still standing, smiling up at you. “Kakashi and I are friends.”

“Just friends?”

“Right.” You smiled back at Kakashi, then turned to stand beside the raffle boxes. “Nothing’s changed there.”

Kakashi couldn’t look away from you, although he assumed he was meant to be paying attention to Iruka as the Academy sensei started giving an (over-rehearsed, in his opinion) speech of gratitude toward the vendors and donors who contributed the items in the raffle. You stood in the background, looking unsure of your role. Kakashi wondered if you had truly been meant to help with this raffle all along, or if it had just started as another of Iruka’s flimsy excuses. But even if it had started out that way, he already knew that was just the type of person you were; following through on your word, even though it meant being a little uncomfortable in the spotlight.

“I would also like to celebrate the volunteers who have given their time and sanity to make this weekend possible,” Iruka continued. “I know I drove most of them crazy with my ideas to make this festival a success, and they really came through for the entire village.”

You waved at the front of the crowd where Squad Seven was joined by their classmates and a number of other kids Kakashi didn’t recognize. Naruto’s blonde head kept popping up as the genin jumped for a better view. You mouthed something at him and laughed before your gaze momentarily swept over Kakashi’s again.

He didn’t have a chance to react before he heard Gai hurrying toward him, a grin spreading from ear to ear. His smile pushed his cheeks so high; his eyes were screwed shut tight. Kakashi knew from experience that there was nothing he could do to slow the taijutsu master now.

Once he reached his friend’s side, Gai threw his arm around Kakashi’s shoulders and pulled the Copy Ninja in. “So, that seemed to go well, eh rival?” Gai smirked.

“Yes,” Kakashi blushed. “I think it went very well.”

“Ohhhh, stop being so cool!” Gai groaned. “Tell me everything. What did you say? How did she respond?”

“I just followed your advice and apologized for the uncomfortable position I put her in,” Kakashi explained.

“Good, good!” Gai cheered. “And?”

“And, what?”

Gai leaned away from Kakashi, holding him at arm’s length and holding his eye. “AAAND what about when you professed to her the undeniable feelings you have for her? All that passion and desire you displayed??”

Kakashi quickly broke eye contact. “Gai, nearly every citizen of Konoha is here.”

“Exactly! Bare your passion in front of the entire village! Can you think of anything more romantic?!”

“Do you hear yourself?” Kakashi scoffed. “I’m not baring or professing anything with all these people around.”

Gai’s eyebrows crinkled as he narrowed his eyes. “So, you mean to tell me you didn’t pour out your heart?!”

“Of course I didn’t.”

The black-haired ninja’s jaw dropped. “Kakashi! How do you expect her to understand the depths of your feelings unless you make a proper confession?”

“Relax Gai,” Kakashi shushed him. “She knows.”

“She knows?” Gai gasped. “Where is the romance in that? Does she return your feelings? What did she say?”

“She…” Kakashi felt less and less confident as he tried to remember the full conversation. “She said we’re okay.”

“OKAY?!” Gai boomed, dramatic as if he’d just heard green spandex had been outlawed. “Kakashi, I don’t understand! Is okay really all you want with Y/N?”

Onstage, a painfully excited Naruto whooped and hollered as he brandished the free ramen vouchers he’d inevitably won. You were already looking at Kakashi, and when his gaze locked with yours, the smile that broke across your face could have knocked him flat.

“Well, no, but…” Kakashi argued. “You know what I mean.”

“But does she??!” Gai dragged a hand down his face. “Why not confess your full feelings!? Request the pleasure of her company on a romantic outing!”

“I told you, this just… isn’t the right time.”

Gai sighed. “Life is short, Kakashi. Especially for us,” he pointed out. “If you aren’t ready, I suppose I cannot convince you. But I hate to see your youth wasted as you wait to be ready.”

Kakashi looked back to the stage, hating to admit that Gai had a point. The very nature of his existence was to put his life on the line for the Hidden Leaf. If the day came when the only way to protect the village and all those who lived there was to give his life, he was expected to do so. He’d never had an issue with that—and still didn’t—but that didn’t change the fact that he most likely had less time to actually experience life than the next person. He knew he shouldn’t hold back with you, especially after really identifying just how strong his feelings were for you. Problem was, he’d gone about the past twenty-odd years prioritizing privacy, which would be a tough habit to break.

To be closer to you, though; finding a way would be more than worth it.

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#cant believe i found out 8 came out by seeing 9 #brb asking to be added to the tag list this is embarrassing #rookie the way you write is so beautiful #i almost feel the embarrassment kakashi is experiencing first hand #also iruka my beloved u are the best cockblocker a man has ever had to deal with ilu

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