Chapter Text
(I don't own any characters etc etc)
Iruka still didn’t feel like going out that weekend as it had been another week of not seeing Kakashi. At all, really, since seeing from a distance didn’t really count. He again told himself that if Kakashi actually liked him, since people seemed to think so, surely the man by now would have approached him outside of parties, when sober, to even just ask him out?
So, Iruka reminded himself, that must mean what he had thought from the start. Kakashi was just drunkenly into him, maybe because he was an easy target when the man’s inhibitions were lowered?
“I’m nice and unassuming, that must be it,” Iruka sighed. “I just bought into the fantasy of it all, the lure of a holiday whirlwind romance. So did everyone else.”
As frustrating as the month had been, it was the end of the holiday season and the start of a new year, so he battled with himself about what to do for new year’s eve. Go out and risk more false interest from Kakashi, though he at least knew it was coming to an end? Or stay home and throw a pity party for himself - what a way to start the new year, hiding. In the end, he decided to brave it and venture out.
It was, though, a fun party. It was also the biggest of the holiday season, for even if people didn’t celebrate other holidays, they all came out for new year’s eve parties, no one really wanting to be home for midnight.
Iruka mingled with friends and coworkers, again drinking more than he intended to. It wasn’t his fault, he told himself. There were fun drinks to try, and champagne was flowing freely, something he would never buy for himself.
He also found himself stressing, truly stressing, about seeing Kakashi. Did he even want to see him, he wondered? And if he did run across him, then what? Challenge his actions for the past several weeks? Make a move? Chew him out, give him a real earful about not hurting others’ feelings?
Iruka didn’t know, and it began to feel overwhelming and claustrophobic, inside and out. There were so many people in the event space, his mind was running a mile a minute, and he just wanted out.
Though it was nearing midnight, he stepped out onto a large balcony area in the crisp night air, heading to a more secluded part, leaning on the railing as he tried to ground himself.
“Hello, Iruka,” Kakashi greeted him a short time later, making the younger man tense, not that he realized it.
“Hello, Kakashi,” Iruka sighed, glancing at him before looking back out over the railing again.
Kakashi attempted to engage him in small talk before Iruka had had enough, even if the other man wasn’t full of stupid sayings, flirtatious banter, and pick up lines..
“And how drunk are you tonight?” he spat out.
“I’m not,” Kakashi told him, surprised. “I wanted to pace myself tonight.”
“Why?” Iruka asked, though he wanted to ask “why now?”
“So I’d remember tonight, and the hopeful outcome.”
“What?” Iruka asked, just as the doors opened and more people streamed outside, chattering about midnight being moments away.
Iruka was going to ask Kakashi more but the crowd swallowed them and Anko pulled him away, not seeing Kakashi standing with him.
The final countdown began, and as Iruka looked around for Kakashi, suddenly desperate to find him, to see him, the teacher felt confused, and unhappy at his confusion. Why was he disappointed to not be with Kakashi, and what did the man mean by "hopeful outcome?"
Just then, he was pulled away from Anko by none other than Kakashi, as the countdown continued around them.
“Seven!” the crowd shouted. “Six!”
“What did you mean?” Iruka asked, but Kakashi shook his head and leaned closer. “What did you mean back there?” Iruka shouted, trying to be heard as the crowd continued counting.
But as the crowd shouted excitedly at the stroke of midnight, Iruka was surprised to find Kakashi kissing him again, secure in the large crowd that everyone else was far too busy celebrating the new year to see or focus on them.
Kakashi pulled away, mask back in place, and Iruka blinked, feeling more confused.
“That was the outcome I was hoping for,” Kakashi said, shouting to be heard. “And more.”
“More?”
“Go out with me?” Kakashi asked, talking into Iruka’s ear to be heard.
“What?” Iruka asked, surprised yet again.
“Go out with me, on a date.”
“Why?” Iruka asked, because let it not be said that he was always a smart guy, he realized, as he kicked himself for challenging the jonin.
Around them, much of the crowd was heading back inside to get out of the cold and continue their partying.
“I like you, I’ve been trying to get up the courage to ask you out. It was just easier with some liquid help, as embarrassing as that is,” Kakashi admitted, no longer needing to yell to be heard. “What do you say?”
“So, no more cheesy lines?” Iruka asked, and Kakashi shrugged.
“I can’t promise that, but they’ve always been genuine, for what it’s worth.”
Iruka laughed, feeling lighter than he had for some time. “I can work with that.”
“You know, I won one of the contests last week,” Kakashi told him.
“Really?”
The jonin nodded. “I guessed the closest number of ornaments on the tree.”
Iruka’s eyes widened. “Did you really? How?”
Kakashi shrugged. “There might be a jutsu or two that help….but, we could use it to have dinner out this week?”
Iruka smiled. “I got a nice bottle of wine from the gift table, we could have some that night too. Or another night,” he added.
“Sure, but trust me when I say I don’t need alcohol to be into you,” Kakashi mused, and Iruka snorted.
“Could’ve fooled me,” he laughed, and Kakashi sighed.
“I’m not going to live this down, am I?” he asked, and Iruka shook his head.
“No, but it wasn’t always bad. Though, it wasn’t always easy for me…”
“Nor for me,” Kakashi sighed. “Between waking up with massive hangovers, my own memories of embarrassing myself in front of you, and what everyone else loved to remind me I did…” He trailed off, sighing again, but Iruka laughed.
“It was quite a month for both of us, but let’s agree we don’t need to go through all this ever again,” the teacher posed, and Kakashi nodded. “Let’s go in and get something to eat, and we can make plans for our date,” he said, taking Kakashi’s hand as they walked back into the party.
“You know, when I was told I’d get something good for the holidays if I was nice, I never thought it would be this,” Iruka commented, as they walked, laughing at how Kakashi laughed deeply at his statement.
“You’ve been holding out on me? This whole time?”
Iruka shrugged. “Guess you’ll have to wait and see if I don’t have my own terrible lines for you.”
“I can’t wait,” Kakashi said, giving him an eye smile, excited for what lay ahead.