![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mokutonno) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
sunshineverse2014-08-26 10:10 pm
[Closed] We have to stop meeting like this.
Who: Tenzou and Kakashi
When: July 14th
Where: Entrance to Hokage Tower
What: Tenzou encounters Kakashi for the first time since his reassignment. Names and roles are questioned.
The novelty of filing paperwork in the daylight hours had still to wear off and Tenzou smiled softly to himself as he meandered back to the towers exit. A good majority of his life had just been filed for the archives and his ANBU status changed from ‘active’ to ‘request only’, his fate as a mentor and regular shinobi finally sealed.
Lord Obito had been incredibly persuasive in his argument and if he was honest with himself, Tenzou was simply glad that his reassignment was due to his competence rather than failing.
His musing continued as he made his way out into the tower courtyard; idle thoughts of lunch and a possible trip to the library, the only other thoughts that encroached his mind.
no subject
His giggling died down to a helpless smile and he grumbled quietly at the assessment of blame.
"Mnh, It's just like you to get me into trouble.."
It was only half true; historically they were pretty even for misadventures, but it was always comforting when Kakashi himself owned up to his half of it, without teasing him for him own failing.
The thought was followed with that wave of nostalgia that had been dogging his steps all afternoon and Tenzou huffed a small sigh at himself. He was too sauced, too warm and too aware of the fact that Kakashi smelt like long away missions and comfortable silences and that he didn't want to move.
no subject
He lifted his arms with little to no deliberation, wrapping them about Tenzou's shoulders and holding him close. He was warm and smelt like comfort, like nostalgia, and the scent brought back a wave of memories he didn't know he still had; long hair draped across his arm, alert and hardened eyes staring at him while hands moved fast in the dark, a laboring sigh as Kakashi foisted his paperwork off on his young subordinate... Tenzou was a precious friend, and only now did Kakashi understand what he'd been missing by avoiding ANBU, and avoiding contact.
It wasn't clear how long they stood like that, but eventually Kakashi broke the silence with some quiet words, muttered over Tenzou's head.
"You should sleep. You don't want to wake up regretting this tomorrow." he said, patting the man's shoulder gently.
no subject
His hands came up to tangle in the front of Kakashi's flack jacket, still uncertain despite the arms around his shoulders and allowed himself a moment to breathe.
Like this, Tenzou could imagine that the past five years hadn't happened, that he hadn't been nursing the ache of absence under his ribs the whole time and that it hand't been just another thing he'd gotten used to. Like this he was still twenty, still had a comrade, a friend even, that he could rely on and could pretend he didn't still wonder at times, why things had collapsed the way they did.
Tenzou blamed the sake and the Hokage and definitely Kakashi, for the morose slide of his thoughts and especially blamed the first one for his next faltering words.
"..Stay? I- it doesn't have to be long, just..until I fall asleep or the last of the hour, either just-"
He cut himself off, self aware enough to know he was babbling and closed his eyes against the dizzy wave of emotion and fatigue that hit him in the wake of his own words.
no subject
"Of course," he said brightly behind his mask and pushing the other man back from his chest to study him. "It would be reckless of me to leave you at your weakest, Tenzou."
And with that he forcibly turned the younger man on his heel, ushering him bed-ward without another word.
no subject
His dazed mind was elated, of course, but luck had never really been his strong suit and he couldn't help but feel so very fortunate now; the Jounin was under no obligation to indulge him and yet there he was..
Once inside the other room and stationary, Tenzou fumbled his way free of his happuri and flack jacket, setting them across the trunk at the end of his bed.
The weight of Kakashi's amused gaze, had him feeling small again; awkward and lost in a way that he'd only ever felt during those first months of finding his feet in ANBU.
He offered a weak smile; some of the melancholy in his expression, no doubt, mistaken for tiredness, but he couldn't hide it all and sunk down gratefully onto his bed, kicking off his sandals in the process.
"..Thank you."
no subject
It was curious how their rooms differed but were still startlingly similar. Kakashi's room was probably just as bare as Tenzou's was - he didn't see much need for too many homely touches when he was hardly at home in the first place - but this room seemed to have an almost military clean to it, like Tenzou was afraid to settle down.
His eye lingered on the curve of a pale mask sitting to the side of the dresser.
no subject
A twenty year old Kakashi and sixteen year old version of himself stood huddled in the open roots of the nearby bonsai. Clad in uniform but unmasked, their heads bent in a silent conversation, they had been his first successful attempt at Mokuton grown figures and the only ones he had personally kept. The two had been set there on a whim and he had carefully cultivated the tree around them; letting it grow naturally, with little of his own input and only now did he see the security issue and felt almost embarrassed at Kakashi seeing them now, after all this time.
Flopping sideways onto his bed seemed as good a cover as any for his sudden nervous thoughts and Tenzou let the fatigue and warm sake feeling, drag him down, closing his eyes against the half light and Kakashi's assessing gaze.
It's an essay, I'm sorry. (I'm not sorry.)
The melancholy in the other man's expression was glaringly obvious, and Kakashi fumbled with himself slightly, feeling a little awkward in the quiet. How was he to deal with this? Here, he was like an unwelcome change, a ripple in the contented waters that had been Tenzou's life as an ANBU captain.. He'd already been thrust into uncomfortable change, and here Kakashi was like a ghost of his former self to harsh the blow.
Suddenly he was struck with a nostalgic wave of memory. On a dark evening in ANBU when the pair had a third who had taken watch to leave them both to rest, they'd found solace in a tree and the same melancholy expression had been present on Tenzou's face. To this day Kakashi didn't know what had been troubling him, but when he'd pressed against the other boy in an effort for comfortable space in the small hideaway they'd made in a tree, the sadness had dissipated with the comfortable touch of a warm friend.
Kakashi moved almost on instinct, kicking off his sandals and his flak as he got closer, and settling himself beside the curve of Tenzou's back, one gloved hand pressed lazily into his hair.
no subject
Tenzou could count the softer moments that had happened between them on both hands; rare and strangely precious moments when he had truly felt his age and less like the carefully honed killer that ANBU demanded of him. Like this he was small again, fragile in some way that only Kakashi had noticed and soothed away with action and few words.
Just as he had done the times before, Tenzou responded hesitantly in kind, reaching out to tangle the fingers of one hand into the fabric of Kakashi's uniform and holding on in a childish gesture of security.
no subject
He was glad that Gai was outside it though; because the nightmares that plagued Kakashi would always keep him at arms length, and if Gai was ever exposed to that...
Tenzou was capable enough to flourish in ANBU and that knowledge was relieving, especially to Kakashi's over-active worry impulse.
He delved his hand into dusty brown locks, petting like he would the tummy of one of his dogs. Like this he'd usually have an orange book in hand, eyes trained on the words while his hand moved instinctively... But he didn't need the distraction or facade of his book now, not here where his own thoughts couldn't reach him.
"Sleep, Tenzou. You'll feel better."
no subject
He fully intended to follow the Jounin's quiet advice, lulled as he was by the hand in his hair and the slow burn of sake, but something had been tumbling at the back of his mind since Kakashi had mentioned it.
"Senpai.. how does, 'Yamato' sound?"
Tenzou's words were quiet and a little slurred, but the name had been the one that stood out amongst the one's he'd been considering all evening and it felt right to seek out Kakashi's approval, after all it was somewhat like tradition at this point.
no subject
The thought made Kakashi chuckle a little, and then he realised he had a decision to confirm.
"Yamato.." Kakashi mused, testing the name out on his tongue. It was a good name. Strong but simple.. He supposed it suited Tenzou well, although...
"I'll never be able to remember that.." he muttered, smoothing his hand through Ten- Yamato's hair softly, the closest to 'I like it' as Kakashi was willing to get.
no subject
"Well, get used to it. It's what I'll be introducing myself as from now on."
Yamato gave a decisive nod under the hand in his hair and settled back down with a comfortable sigh. There was no particular meaning behind the name he had chosen, not one that anyone besides himself would find interesting at least, but it felt good to be the one in control of the choice and better yet to have that choice accepted so readily.
It felt as if the last stress of the day had righted itself in his head; all that had been nagging and uneasy about his transfer to the village proper, finally resolving enough to allow his mind rest and Yamato found himself drifting comfortably on his way to sleep.
The morning after.....~
Kakashi poked the man in the middle of his forehead, jabbing at the vulnerable skin that was usually hidden beneath his happuri. It was early and Kakashi was already fully washed and dressed albeit in old clothes and therefore had to be off soon to change for the sake of his own piece of mind.
If he'd had his way he probably would have snoozed till the afternoon, but a scroll delivery had awoken him early. That was when he'd discovered that in his sleep he'd somehow managed to wriggle out of most of his clothes, leaving him in just his underwear and, oddly enough, his flak jacket. He looked a sight, or so he assumed by the look the delivery-nin had given him as he accepted the scroll for Yamato with a hand over the lower half of his face, explaining that the man in question was still in bed and Kakashi would give it to him as soon as he woke up before promptly shutting the door.
Kakashi bapped the scroll on his friend's nose.
"Come on, you have a mission." Kakashi knew this because the scroll looked official. Also because he'd taken the liberty of opening it and reading it for himself. Just to make sure.
"Tenz-" Then he remembered. "Ah, damn.. Yamato. Wake up." he corrected himself as he nudged the man in question again, waiting for the groan of a hangover-induced headache and smiling as he basked in perfect, painless freedom. Apart from the ache in his shoulders, but that was nothing. Falling asleep propped up against the headboard Yamato's bed hadn't been his brightest idea but it was what it was, and he couldn't say he regretted it.
Kakashi noooo..
At the second attempt to rouse him, Yamato pushed away the phantom Senpai's face with the flat of his hand and rolled over with a pained moan.
"You're not supposed to be here, go away."
no subject
"Eh? What's with this rudeness, have you lost respect for your superiors in the last five years?" Kakashi bitched as he lifted a leg to jab Yamato in the small of his back. "And after you practically dragged me inside last night. No wonder that little old woman gave me a strange look this morning when I went to get some air...."
no subject
"..Oh god. Tae-san will never let me live this down." The little old widow that ran the tea shop below his apartment was equal parts wonder and living, breathing terror. She had a nose for gossip and rumour and had taken a shine to a then, fourteen year old Yamato almost immediately and would no doubt want every detail of last night.
He batted Kakashi's foot away, curling tighter in on himself and finally having to accept that this wasn't a dream, that his Senpai was still here, that- wait.
..He was still here?
Yamato rolled over at that and peered up at Kakashi suspiciously, hand raised to sooth his aching head and block out some of the light streaming in from the open blinds.
"..Why are you still here?"
no subject
"Was I supposed to be out of your hair come morning?" he asked, only the faintest audible trace of a pout present in his voice. "If you wanted me gone, you should have told me and I would have complied."
no subject
That warmth he had felt last night was back, fluttering like butterfly wings under his ribs and couldn't help the bright smile that stretched his mouth in response. It was the type of smile that Anbu should have stripped him of years ago, one that was reserved for small victories and for the nameless giddy feeling he had now.
Yamato looked away sheepishly, hangover momentarily forgotten in favour of following through on a reckless impulse he'd only been brave enough to commit to twice before.
He stepped forward, meeting Kakashi's eyes again "..It was just unexpected..Thank you, Senpai."
He was into the other Shinobi's personal space in the next step, leaning up to press the briefest of kisses to the the skin of Kakashi's cheek not covered by his mask and stole past him, snagging the mission scroll from lax fingers as he went.
"I'm not going to chase you out, Kakashi-senpai, but I do have a summons to attend to!" Yamato fled to the bathroom, biting back the laughter threatening to escape him.