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Tenzo and Kakashi had lived together since they’d graduated high school. It just made sense; they went to the same university, they were pursuing jobs in the same city, and they could tolerate each other’s idiosyncrasies like nobody else could ever hope to.
They’d been close ever since their freshman year in high school; when a baby-faced and shaggy-haired Tenzo had run into an awkward, too-lanky Kakashi and ended up flat on his ass on the hallway. By the time the year ended, they were nearly inseparable despite all their teachers’ best efforts to prevent them from causing trouble. It only seemed right that they ended up at the same school for undergrad, and they got a shitty basement apartment that immediately felt like home. It saw them through all-nighters before exams and late nights full of laughter and alcohol in near-equal measure, both of which usually lead to Tenzo falling asleep slumped against Kakashi’s arm, or back, or lap. It saw them through Tenzo failing a class, and through Kakashi’s delayed graduation. Later, it also saw them through Tenzo’s acceptance to law school, and Kakashi’s job offer from the major publishing agency in town. Sure, it wasn’t anything close to luxurious; the walls were paper thin, and it flooded more often than anyone should have to get used to, but it had served them well.
All that in mind, both Tenzo and Kakashi had the skills and aesthetics of single men in their mid-20s who had recently graduated college, and their tastes in apartment décor tended to reflect that. So, when Tenzo arrived home late from a full day of classes to find the kitchen table entirely filled by an elaborate flower arrangement, he was understandably surprised.
“Uh,” Tenzo blinked rapidly in confusion, slowly pulling the door shut behind himself. “Kakashi?”
A muffled curse sounded from Kakashi’s bedroom, before the door burst open and Kakashi skidded to a stop in between Tenzo and the kitchen.
“I thought this was your late day.”
“It is,” Tenzo laughed. “What time do you think it is, exactly?”
Kakashi seemed to deflate as he glanced, surreptitiously, at the clock on the microwave behind him. “Uh. Well. You’ve already seen them, but. Surprise!”
Kakashi gestured grandly towards the spread on the table, beaming from ear to ear. Tenzo could only laugh in response, setting his books down at his feet and shaking his head incredulously.
“Okay. Sure, I’ll bite. Those are for me?”
“They sure are,” Kakashi seemed to have gotten some of his usual mojo back after the initial hit of Tenzo seeing the flowers before he expected. “Do you like them?”
“I mean, yeah, they’re pretty,” Tenzo stepped past Kakashi, reaching out and running his fingers over a rose petal. “But what the hell are they for, ‘Kashi?”
Kakashi’s grin grew, if possible, even more mischievous. “Don’t you know what day it is?”
That question threw Tenzo for a loop. He rapidly cycled through every important date and person he could think of; quickly ruling out most major holidays and both his and Kakashi’s birthdays. Eventually he had to face the fact that, whatever milestone Kakashi was celebrating, he had completely forgotten it.
“Um. It’s Thursday? I really don’t know what you’re getting at.”
“Oh, Tenzo,” Kakashi shook his head slowly, throwing an arm around Tenzo’s shoulders and pulling him close. “It’s our anniversary.”
“What?” Tenzo laughed. “What are you talking about? Anniversary of what?”
“It’s our seventh. And, consequently, our first,” Kakashi plucked a rose from the extravagant bouquet, using it to gently tap Tenzo on the tip of his nose. “It’s our wedding anniversary, of course.”
Tenzo’s eyes grew wide as his face grew hot, and he stammered over his words for several seconds before managing to speak.
“I—what are you talking about?” Tenzo squawked, batting the flower away from his face. “That doesn’t make any—what?”
“Come now,” Kakashi laughed, not at all deterred. “Are you really that confused? You’re the one who told me about it, after all.”
Tenzo snorted, his mouth gaping slightly as he tried to piece together everything Kakashi was saying. “I—I did?”
“It was in your books,” Kakashi nodded. “Remember, a few weeks ago, I was helping you study?”
“’Kashi, I barely remember yesterday, much less an exam I studied for weeks ago.”
“Touché. It’s okay, I’m not offended my own husband forgot me. I’ll refresh your memory,” Kakashi continued to grin as Tenzo squeaked, flushing pink. “You were reading me this case, and I don’t remember any of the details about what the case was actually about. That’s your job. But the important thing is that the two people who were in the case had been living together for seven years, and that meant they were legally married.” Kakashi held the rose out to Tenzo, watching as the blush spread all the way up to his ears. “We’ve been living together for seven years, today. And we’re married now.”
“Oh my god, Kakashi,” Tenzo giggled helplessly, taking the rose that Kakashi offered and biting down on his lower lip. “You seriously—you did all this because I studied one case that tangentially involved common law marriage?”
Kakashi shrugged a shoulder, smiling fondly as Tenzo spun the rose between his fingers. “I mean. That’s what gave me the idea, yeah. I had a few reasons.”
“Oh?” Tenzo raised an eyebrow. “A few?”
“Yeah,” Kakashi nodded, absentmindedly plucking another rose from the bunch and taking a single petal between two fingers. “The first reason was just that I wanted to surprise you.”
“Yeah, mission fuckin’ accomplished.”
“Hah. Well, the second reason is that I figured…we’ve been dancing around how much we fucking like each other since freshman year of high school, and maybe if we jumped directly to being married we could skip the awkward transition of trying to figure out how to date.”
Tenzo’s jaw hit the floor at the same time as the rose he had been holding, a deep flush returning to his face and neck as he stammered out wordless syllables in an attempt at a response. Kakashi knew? The whole time, he’d been trying desperately to conceal his big, stupid crush and Kakashi knew? “Wh—I-I—”
“No pressure, oh shit,” Kakashi amended quickly, his eyes widening. “I mean. I could be completely wrong. I’m mostly talking about me. I’ve been dancing around how much I fucking like you, for sure, and I kind of hoped—but if you didn’t—”
Kakashi fell silent when Tenzo started laughing again, so hard he was doubled over, his hair concealing his face, one hand on the edge of the table for support. Not exactly the reaction one hopes for, but better helpless mirth than overt disgust, right?
“Oh, Kakashi,” Tenzo stood up, giddy and breathless from laughter. “Oh my god. How many fucking years?”
“Including high school? Like, eleven,” Kakashi admitted, rubbing at the back of his neck self-consciously. “I figured it was about fucking time, y’know?”
“Yes. Yes, it was about fucking time,” Tenzo agreed, reaching out towards Kakashi, his fingers gently tracing over Kakashi’s on the flower he was still holding. “Happy anniversary, you big dummy.”
Kakashi smiled then, a silly, lopsided kind of smile that made Tenzo feel warm from deep in his chest.
“Hey, Tenzo?” Kakashi grew suddenly serious, stepping closer. “You know, excluding that one kegger at Asuma’s with that game in the closet, which I don’t really think counts, we never—I mean. Ah, hell,” Kakashi averted his gaze, blush dusting his cheeks. “Can I kiss you?”
“God, yes.”
Kakashi didn’t wait any longer, ducking his head and pressing his lips against Tenzo’s in a firm, sweet kiss. Both men dropped the rose they were holding simultaneously, moving to press closer to each other with a kind of urgency that could only come from eleven years of harbored affection. Kakashi’s fingers moved to thread through Tenzo’s hair, drawing him closer and pulling a gentle hum from deep in Tenzo’s throat. Tenzo slid his hands up Kakashi’s chest, closing into fists around the collar of his shirt, clinging to Kakashi as he was kissed so thoroughly his breath was taken away.
They parted slowly, both short of breath and unwilling to move from each other’s arms. They caught each other’s eyes, both smiling tentatively, hopefully.
“Well, damn,” Tenzo murmured appreciatively, licking his lips. “Kinda makes me wish I remembered more from that night in Asuma’s closet.”
Kakashi snorted. “Judging by how drunk we both were, I doubt it was much worth remembering,” he smirked. “Besides, we’ve got lots of lost time to make up for.”
“Oh, my god,” Tenzo groaned, rolling his eyes. “And you were worried this would be awkward.”
“That’s why we skipped to marriage!”
“Okay, you do know that common law marriages aren’t just automatic after the seven years, right? There’s a whole—”
“Tenzo, I swear, if you ruin this moment by being a smarty-pants…”
Tenzo pouted up at Kakashi, which only served to make Kakashi laugh.
“If I promise to let you geek out at me about law jargon later, will you agree to make out with me on our shitty couch like I’ve been wanting to since ninth grade?”
Tenzo grinned, unable to suppress a small giggle. He used his grip on Kakashi’s collar to tug him towards their sitting room, tossing his hair over his shoulder.
“I thought you’d never ask.”