sunshineverse | [Closed] We have to stop meeting like this.

He rolled his eye at that, his own chopsticks already snapped and poised in his hand as he leant on the table, chin resting in his palm.

"You're training a young hopeful for the very job you're afraid of becoming alienated from..." He shook his head incredulously. "But if you're that afraid of these two lives mixing and becoming murky, why don't you separate them?"

Kakashi spoke as if his solution were the simplest, most obvious approach, and that Tenzou was dense for not thinking of it sooner. He flipped the chunks of meat he'd arranged in a little line on the grill before reaching for the sake and serving them two hearty tumblers full.

He raised his with a mirthful glint in his eye. "So? What should I call you?"

Tenzou blinked at Kakashi as the question sank in, almost sacrificing the pieces of meat he'd been tending to over cooking, before he could formulate an answer.

"..Call me? Wh-" He cut himself off and frowned, mind playing catch up with what the Jounin was suggesting.

Eyebrow raised in question, Tenzou levelled an incredulous look at his former captain. "..You think I should choose a new name?"

Kakashi let his tumbler rest on the table, not rude enough to take the toast without its intended purpose fulfilled.

"You remember your transition from ROOT to ANBU, don't you?" the silver-haired shinobi asked, poking his food with his chopsticks again before deeming a chunk ready and shoving it across to the cooler side of the grill. "You had the same problem then - separating one life from the other."

"If you think you'll find it hard to adjust, help yourself by separating yourself from Tenzou the ANBU Captain." Obviously he could only give Tenzou advice from his own personal experience, but.. When all was said and done, his recovery hadn't turned him out too bad, right? This way he could still embrace his old names and take Tenzou out of the box when he was needed for ANBU whilst allowing himself a life in the village.

"It worked for Kinoe and it worked for me," He looked up into Tenzou's face then, a gentle smile evident in the way his mask contorted over his nose. "I'm sure it could work for Tenzou, if that's what you want."

Tenzou felt himself flooded with an unexpected warmth of feeling at the smile and the words it accompanied. It was an expression he'd almost given up on seeing again, given their separate paths and it struck him then, just how much the depth of Kakashi's understanding meant.

There was no one else that knew how he had battled with the change in environments then and no one but his former captain could quite grasp his current distress now. He wanted nothing more than to fulfil the Hokage's wishes, but his first request had felt like an almost insurmountable task, until now.

Tenzou found himself suddenly very grateful for running into Kakashi after all..

He tried valiantly to suppress the feeling from showing in his face, but his cheeks flushed lightly all the same and Tenzou ducked his head to the task of saving his meal, a helpless chuckle bubbling in his throat.

"Ah, stop making sense, Senpai! You're putting me to shame.."

He couldn't meet the other man's eye yet and fussed with the selection of vegetables before replying in a softer tone.

"I do though, I want that very much.."

As Tenzou dipped his head and blushed, Kakashi was suddenly bowled over with the nostalgic memory of the same-faced but much smaller boy Tenzou had once been - large eyes full of admiration and bashful shyness in the glow of praise. It made Kakashi smile too, and he reached out to temptingly swirl his sake.

"Soooo~?"

Edited 2014-09-09 21:59 (UTC)

Tenzou sighed in mock exasperation at Kakashi's insistence, but matched his smile all the same and set aside his chopsticks in favour of taking up his sake cup. Holding it aloft he considered it with a pleased, if thoughtful look as he met the other Shinobi's gaze.

"I guess I better start thinking up a new name.."

His mind drew a help blank for the time being, including exactly what they should be toasting, but Tenzou still offered his cup across the space between them, punctuating it with an awkward smile.

"To a fresh start, then?"

"To a fresh start!" Kakashi nodded and gladly clinked their tumblers together across the table. He probably could have drank through his mask - he wasn't above that, after all - but instead he waited till Tenzou dipped his head and looked away before slipping his mask down to bring the sake to his lips.

He took that moment to tend to his meal, deeming a few cuts acceptably grilled before popping them into his mouth and chewing thoughtfully.
Typically, he would have felt the need to play a furious game of peekaboo with his mask, but Tenzou had never been one to stare and had therefore acquired Kakashi's trust in this - his most self-conscious - regard.

He wouldn't push the name thing for the time being. It had to come naturally.

Tenzou made a face as the sake burnt across his tongue, drinking slightly more than anticipated in his haste to have it done with and set the glass aside to focus on eating again.

His eyes tracked a path between the grill and his bowl, to the world outside again; falling easily back into the habit of respectful ignorance when it came to sharing a meal with Kakashi. Of course he'd been curious in the early days, but privacy was hoarded for a reason and Tenzou respected that more than anything and it had served their friendship well.

He ate with the mild disinterest and automation of someone who was used to ignoring the taste of their meals and finally relaxed as they settled into the kind of companionable silence he hadn't known he'd missed. The sake helped as well of course; his susceptibility to the substance practically legendary at that point, but Tenzou wasn't fool enough to think that being able to voice his concerns hadn't lifted its own burden too.

Kakashi's eyebrow twitched, glancing at Tenzou's now half-empty tumbler and finding himself quite impressed with the pace at which the other man could put it away. That, or Tenzou was trying to stave off the effects by pushing it through his system as fast as possible. Hahaha, rookie mistake.

Kakashi tipped his own sake clean down his throat, his tolerance proving as always to be sturdy and reliable. He outstretched a hand to pour himself another and top Tenzou up while he wasn't looking, then covered his lower face with the curve of his hand so that Tenzou was free to look at him as he spoke.

"You don't have plans tomorrow, do you?" he asked, only the slightest lilt of a challenge in his voice.

Edited 2014-09-11 18:13 (UTC)

Mid chew, Tenzou reached out unthinkingly for his glass, taking a sip, but gave it a suspicious once over at Kakashi's tone. There was definitely more there than before and the other Shinobi was already on his second helping...This could only end badly.

Tenzou turned his gaze on Kakashi, trying to judge the likely hood that his former captain would actually push the matter and eventually heaved an internal sigh. Perhaps accepting his fate and making a damn good show of it was the better choice after all, though he had the distinct impression that his sixteen year old self was face-palming somewhere in his subconscious at the idea.

So without another thought, he drained the rest of his glass and set it aside as nonchalantly as possible; Tenzou hadn't exercised this particular brand of stupid in a very long time, but then again, no one /but/ Kakashi would turn this into a challenge...

His reply was surprisingly even, mouth turning up at the corners impishly.
"Not especially, Senpai."

That was what he'd been waiting for. If Tenzou wasn't interested in this kind of challenge then Kakashi would have dropped it there, kept the younger man sober and sated and not said another word about it - but as he caught the little smirk and the controlled, even tone of Tenzou's voice, he knew he had a competitor on his hands.

Kakashi's full glass didn't last long after he'd finished off the next row of beef, adding more cuts to the grill with steady hands despite the burn trickling down his throat and pooling in his belly. He knew his limit, knew exactly where he should stop before things took a turn for the worst - and his advantage here was that Tenzou didn't. When they'd last drank together Kakashi had been much younger and much more virgin to the effects of alcohol... Now, many years and lonely sake bottles later, Kakashi was almost certain he would be the last man standing.

"A good thing, too," he muttered as he pushed his empty glass toward Tenzou for a refill. "The way you're headed."

Tenzou trailed after the Jounin at a slower pace, concentrating on actually enjoying his meal and focusing less on the burning sips of sake. An insistent buzz was already taking hold though, settling liquid warmth into his joints and touched across his cheeks in a light flush.

He smiled disarmingly as he refilled their cups, the expression made easier with the alcohol and soon turned back to the grill; heating through what remained of the vegetables and mixing a portion into his rice bowl.

"Don't you worry about me, Kakashi-senpai."
Tenzou wasn't incapable yet, he wasn't /that/ much of a lightweight and the confidence showed through his tone.

Two to one and Kakashi could already tell Tenzou was limbering to the sake. His smiles were broad rather than muted, his tone much more casual than respectful. It made Kakashi happy to know that this Tenzou still existed; his friend as well as his 'kouhai' and subordinate, a man he could let loose with.

"I don't have to worry about you," he replied with a bright little smile, then lowered his hand to continue his meal. The food was good - the meat was chewy and just salty enough to satisfy without being too much, the rice fluffy and plump, and the seasonings were precise... But he hardly had a spare moment to think about them around the thrill of competitive nostalgia he was feeling. Perhaps he should have sought out his rival before now, if this was how he jumped on a challenge..

He picked up on the smile in Kakashi's voice, but wasn't far gone enough to glance up just yet and swirled his gradually diminishing drink in contemplative silence.

The heat of high noon had left them behind, leaving the hazy warmth of the early evening and there they were, drinking and dining as if neither of them were touched by a care in the world.. The thought kept his smile in place and idly, Tenzou supposed that, with the village quiet, it was easy to pretend for a little while that they weren't.

The sake was going down easier and he found himself at the slippery slope of nearing his third cup, putting it off in favour of loading up the grill with the last of the meat.

Tenzou felt in better shape than he had expected but knew that, even with the buffer of a decent meal in his belly, it would all most likely change when he had to stand or actually answer anything important. Still, he gave their glasses a considering look, noting he was still behind and frowned at Kakashi, knowing full well it was his fault in the first place.

"You have an unfair advantage, Senpai.."

Kakashi spared Tenzou a fleeting look, gaze dwindling particularly on the rate at which his sake was disappearing. It had been a long time ago, but Kakashi could remember quite clearly how little it had taken for sixteen year old Tenzou to become wobbly and loud the last time they'd exposed one another to alcohol.. Clearly his own tolerance hadn't been the only one to mature.

"I do?" Kakashi asked innocently once he'd finished his mouthful and started picking at his rice bowl. "What kind of advantage might that be?"

"If we carry on with full cups, I'll always be half of one behind, so you'll win by default." Tenzou explained in a sulking tone, tending to the grill and snagging the last of what he could comfortably manage to eat as he did so.

"So it's only fair that you let me catch up." He shot Kakashi a winning smile and topped his own cup up enough to even the score. Tenzou downed it in a smooth motion, knowing instinctively that he was going to regret he recklessness later, but sake and food warm enough then not to care.
He set the glass back down with a small cough at the burn of the liquor and caught up his bowl, intent on finishing his meal before it went cold.

At that, Kakashi knew it was probably time to stop. Tenzou had looked at him and smiled as bright as ever, unabashed and unashamed without the polite diversion of his eyes away from Kakashi's uncovered face. He was definitely drunk, or at least would be if Kakashi let this little challenge spiral out of control. He'd had his fun, the niggling need for a challenge had been sated enough to put him on for a few more days, and besides.. His own food was in danger of getting cold, too.

He finished quickly, using his typical trick of eating fast enough to not be caught with his mask down, and slid his empty cup up to Tenzou's till they clinked.

"That calls it," he announced, mask firmly back in place. "It's a draw. Congratulations."

Tenzou blinked as Kakashi called the challenge, gnawing absently on the last strip of beef and eyes scanning from the cups, to the bottle and empty grill.

Distantly, the sensible side of him huffed a sigh of relief, but the bratty side of him wrinkled it's nose at the draw. His former captain looked hardly affected at all and Tenzou swallowed the last bite of his meal with an expression verging on a pout, picking up the sake bottle to asses the contents.

"You wouldn't be ducking out on the last of the bottle now, would you Senpai?"

It was underhanded and yes, that was definitely the sake talking, but Tenzou still shook it and, finding somewhere near a full measure left, split it evenly between their two cups. He pushed Kakashi's glass back to towards him, expression turning scheming and took up his own drink without hesitation.

"One for the road?"

Edited 2014-09-12 13:37 (UTC)

Kakashi's eyebrow disappeared under his headband. Tenzou baiting him like that was definitely something he'd have to get used to. He seemed to enjoy the power trip; a vast difference from how he used to act but an endearing one nonetheless, so Kakashi didn't mourn the loss too much. He wouldn't, however, let his impertinence go unpunished.

In an abrupt movement the copy-nin rose to his feet. He snagged the cup out of Tenzou's grip with one hand, hooked his mask down with the other and downed the contents only to pick up his own fill and do the same.

"There," he said, slamming his empty tumbler down next to Tenzou's just as empty one. "I'd rather a one than a half. Loser pays, don't you agree, Tenzou?" he smiled bright, then slipped his mask back up over his nose before turning.

"See you outside!" he called, a hand over his shoulder in a wave before he disappeared down the stairs.

Tenzou vaguely processed that Kakashi must be drunk if he was smiling, unmasked like that and then the full scope of what his former captain had done, sunk in.
He gaped, open mouthed at the the empty cups and was struck speechless; that is, until their server returned with the bill and Tenzou flushed and flustered long enough to settle the payment, before retreating outside.

Walking turned out to be somewhat more of a challenge than when they'd first arrived, but he navigated the stairs without so much as a stumble and stepped out into the early evening air.

And instantly regretted it...
But Tenzou stalled the rush of drunken light headedness, long enough the pout mournfully at Kakashi's relaxed figure.

"That was unfair, Senpai.."

Kakashi was leaning leisurely against the frame of the building, arms folded and head dipped slightly as he let the rush of warmth flood his body, the contrast making him feel kind of tingly against the colder air.

When Tenzou approached, he looked up and smiled.

"Don't pout," he tutted, but his voice was affectionate. He wasn't drunk enough to stumble or fall into step with how he usually acted when drunk, but he was loose enough to show his friend a little more care.

"Here, I'll walk you home?" he offered, and held out his arm as he pushed away from the building.

The pout didn't last long under the warmth of Kakashi's smile and Tenzou looked away, huffing his most put upon sigh, while still accepting the offered arm. He really was quite unsteady on his feet and if the Jounin was offering to get him back in one piece, he wasn't about to refuse, especially given the rarity of the gesture.

Arms linked, Tenzou smiled, wide and happy, expression unhindered by his usual bashfulness and tugged Kakashi in the direction of his apartment.

"It's the least you can do."

The walk back to Tenzou's apartment was a short one; Kakashi knew the way almost instinctively even after all these years, and despite the woozy feeling in his feet his walk was a lot more sturdy than Tenzou's. It had definitely been a good idea to refuse him the last few mouthfuls of sake, otherwise Kakashi might have had to carry him home - and that definitely wasn't a good idea.

Their linked arms became more like a life-line than the display of affection Kakashi had first intended it to be, but as they reached the set of stairs leading to the door of Tenzou's apartment Kakashi had no choice but to break their hold and instead wrap his arm around the younger man's shoulders to guide him better and ensure he didn't drag them both down if he tripped.

He successfully deposited his self-proclaimed kouhai outside his door, and smiled at a job well done.

Tenzou's mind was everywhere and nowhere as they walked, companionable silence wrapping round him like a blanket, adding to the lethargic feeling that food and sake had already started. He was grateful for Kakashi's steadying presence, something that he would, no doubt, be embarrassed by come morning and even more so when they only mounted the stairs successfully with his guidance.

For the moment though, he was blithely ignorant of any potential shame and wrestled his door open on the second try, dispelling security seals almost as an after thought as he went.

Tugging Kakashi in after him, felt like the most natural thing in the world after that and Tenzou had the stray thought that it was especially fortunate, considering the small chakra expenditure had his world sloshing dizzily not a moment later.

In all honesty Kakashi had been expecting to say goodbye there; perhaps a clap on the shoulder and some vague arrangement to see each other again soon before he made his way back to his own abode, drowsy and in need of a good sleep to stave off the effects of the sake. It would be a good end to a good night.

Therefore, when Tenzou's hand wrapped around his forearm and yanked him forwards through the doorway he was caught entirely off guard and stumbled on sake-clumsy feet, sending him ploughing straight into Tenzou's side as he lost his balance.

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