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(I don't own any characters etc etc)
The team began to eat more meals together as they trained more, especially as they would squeeze in meals after training and before Iruka's shifts at the missions desk or gate duty.
Sometimes, the five of them ate together, sometimes just Iruka and Naruto, and sometimes, just Iruka and Kakashi.
This began to just occur, here and there, as the genin would have their own plans, together or separately, and Iruka and Kakashi would be hungry.
A few times, they ran into each other while out with their own groups of friends, and would spend some time together talking about this or that.
Neither thought anything of it, though they would sometimes think back to their night of cuddling during the team's road trip, and smile to themselves.
The summer temperatures climbed over the course of the competition, and they, like many in the village, began to trade some foods for lighter, summer versions.
Cold noodle dishes, more fish, and even more vegetables.
And, Iruka would go with the genin for ice cream and shaved ice for dessert. Kakashi joined them, here and there, but sweets really weren't his thing, so passing on it wasn't a big deal...
Mostly...
He would end up kicking himself for not agreeing to go, and so after the fourth time of having such regret, resolved to always join them, even if he only had something savory, if that.
Though, he also started a new game, where he would steal a bite of Iruka's dessert, to the delight of the genin, who tried to catch him in the act (they never did).
Iruka, however, caught on fairly fast, and began to order not just overly sweet desserts, but also sour ones. Lemon, it seemed, became a popular flavor, and the others would laugh at the shudders he could not keep to himself when the powerful tastes hit him.
It was just meals as a team, Kakashi thought to himself. Mostly. Sure, sometimes he would go out with just Iruka, if the kids had plans, or if the adults wanted to get a drink. Which, they did, from time to time.
Did he enjoy their time together? Yes. More than he thought he would, and he found himself looking forward to their time together, regardless of if he had to share the teacher's attention with anyone else.
All thoughts of a stuffy, stuck up, pristine desk sensei had gone from the copy nin's head, destroyed by the Iruka he had gotten to know over the summer. The one who watched over the kids like they were his own. Who put the team ahead of his own needs. Who shared a bed with him, shared dinosaur fruit snacks with him, and kami, broke into his apartment and got away with it! Dressed like a genin, to boot!
Kakashi, for the record, was still sure others beyond the team had been involved, but the pack were staying silent about it, and no ANBU or patrols would talk.
Traitors, the lot of them!
Kakashi was musing about this as he nursed a drink at a bar one Friday night. He had thought about inviting Iruka to join him, but the other man reported at dinner with Team 7 that he had to stop by the missions desk, and Kakashi felt it would appear clingy or questionable if he waited around or "dropped by."
So, he was left with memories and Sharingan visions of his new favorite person.
"Yo Hatake," Genma called, sidling up to him at the bar. "A bunch of us just got here, you should join us."
Kakashi nodded and helped Genma grab a round of drinks, heading to join him, Raidou, Asuma, and Kurenai at a table.
They caught up, talking about this and that, before discussing the most recent goings-on of the shinobi competition.
"I don't want to brag," Genma said, putting a fresh senbon in his mouth, "but my team is going to win, I can feel it!"
"Sounds like bragging," Raidou laughed. "That's a bold statement, since you've got representatives from three other teams here."
"It's true," Genma said, shrugging.
Kurenai rolled her eyes. "My team's doing well, that's all that counts."
"That's loser talk," Asuma laughed. "Since you're two places below my team."
"And you're a place below mine," Kakashi mused. "I think we'll take a top spot, for sure."
"Sounds like you all should place bets," Raidou laughed. "If you're all so sure of your teams. Me, I'm just glad I'm on the outside looking in, helping to run the events is enough trouble for me!"
The others nodded at the thought of a semi-friendly wager.
"It's not entirely fair though," Asuma sighed, looking at Kakashi. "You've got an academy sensei, their recent academy sensei. That's practically cheating."
Genma nodded, laughing, and Raidou shook his head.
"Speaking of," Kurenai said, leaning towards Kakashi. "Where is he?"
"Who?" Kakashi asked, sipping his drink.
"Your boyfriend, duh?" she said, and Kakashi coughed into his drink.
"My what?!"
The group sighed.
"We know you're dating Iruka, it's no secret," Genma smirked.
"We're not ---" Kakashi began.
"It's kind of cute, that this event brought you together," Raidou nodded.
"Especially with the blowout you guys had ahead of the chuunin exams," Asuma said, reaching for his own drink and shaking his head. "To be honest, when I saw you had picked him for your team, I thought you'd just end up fighting all summer. Which would have been good for the other teams," he laughed.
"Well, I expected that too," Kakashi said, "but the kids chose him."
"They were smart," Kurenai sighed. "Don't get me wrong, Hana's great, but we have so many dogs on our team! I'm always covered in dog hair!"
"So when did it happen?" Genma asked, moving a senbon around his mouth as he grinned, eager for gossip. "Right away? No...that would have been too close to your exam fight..."
"They seemed to be getting along at the festival at the start of the summer," Raidou commented. "Teamwork points right away, if I recall?"
Kakashi shrugged. "Iruka took the lead with organizing us and whipping us into shape," he admitted.
"So he whips you?" Genma snickered to himself.
"Ooh, no 'Iruka-sensei,' it must be serious!" Kurenai laughed, and Kakashi rolled his eye.
"We're adults working together, I don't have to be formal," he sighed.
"It was probably gradual," Asuma offered. "Iruka doesn't rush into things like that. He's not one to be swept up in crushes anymore. But I'm glad it's working out for you."
"We're not dating," Kakashi argued, again.
"Who's not dating?" Anko asked, dropping into a seat at the table.
"Kakashi's trying to say he's not dating Iruka," Genma caught her up, and she laughed, loudly.
"Ah, that's what he was saying!" she said, shaking her head.
"Who?" Raidou asked.
"Iruka," Anko said, stealing his drink and trying it. "I was just hanging out with him and my teammates, and we were trying to get the dirt but he kept his lips sealed. For us, not for you, eh?" she said to Kakashi, and the table burst out laughing as he sat back in his chair and crossed his arms.
"Just so you know, I'm frowning underneath my mask," he informed them, not that anyone paid him any mind.
"So," Kurenai said, thinking out loud. "You're both running around saying you're not dating, but the whole village sees you spending so much time together!"
"For the competition! With our team!" Kakashi interjected.
"Laughing, talking, having fun," Genma stated.
"And not always with the genin," Anko commented, in a sing-song manner. "Iruka kept saying no, but he turned so red while he argued! He's just not good at hiding his emotions sometimes, not with the three of us, anyway!"
"Ah, they probably just want some privacy," Asuma suggested. "They're both private people."
"Then why do we see them eating dinner alone like once a week?" Raidou asked, and Kakashi threw his hands up in frustration as he looked at him.
"You too, Rai?" Kakashi sighed.
Raidou shrugged. "What? It's true..."
"Is Iruka here?" Genma said to Anko, while he continued to look at Kakashi, a grin on his face as he studied the copy nin. "We could invite him over..."
Kakashi flipped him off as Anko shook her head. "Nah, it was at another bar. I was turning in a report and Izumo and Kotetsu were getting off work, and Iruka had popped in to do something. We grabbed a drink together and I left to meet you all here."
"Oh, was it the report for your last mission?" Raidou asked. "I wanted to ask you about one of the villages you stopped at."
Fortunately for Kakashi, the conversation turned away from his supposed love life before Gai joined them (or he'd never hear the end of it), and he sat half-listening to the group, as his thoughts strayed to what Anko had said about Iruka…
______
Kakashi left the bar after another drink with his friends, and began to head home. He walked at a leisurely pace, hands in his pockets, taking a roundabout way home.
Truthfully, he wasn't feeling like going home just yet, but hadn't wanted to risk being teased by the group about his teammate. Again.
He was deep in his thoughts when he thought he heard Iruka's voice, and silently cursed himself.
"I must have it for him bad," Kakashi sighed to himself, "if I'm imagining hearing him when I'm out by myself."
"Kakashi-sensei!"
"There I go again," Kakashi groaned.
"Kakashi-sensei!" he heard, closer now.
Alarms went off in his head, the voice was real and coming from behind him!
Kakashi stopped and turned, and saw Iruka heading towards him, dodging a few people walking in the opposite direction, waving at him.
And, Kakashi happily noted, wearing a large smile.
Kakashi took a hand out of his pocket and casually waved it.
Iruka stopped in front of him, still smiling. "Hello!"
"Yo," Kakashi said, slightly cringing. He should really find a different greeting for the other man. "Back to being formal with me?" he asked, raising an eyebrow curiously.
"Ah, well, we're in public. How are you?" Iruka asked. "I was heading home and happened to see you, and thought I'd say hello."
"I'm well," Kakashi said. "How was your night?"
They were slightly jostled by the Friday night crowds moving along the sidewalk, and so they began to walk in the direction Kakashi had been going.
"It was good," Iruka said, a small smile on his face. And was that a slight tinge of pink spreading on his cheeks, or was it the lighting?
"I was thinking of stopping for ice cream," Iruka said, bringing Kakashi out of his thoughts. "Would you like to join me?"
"Sure. But ice cream, so late at night?" Kakashi teased, and Iruka laughed, directing them down another street.
"I like to live dangerously," he commented.
"Maa, won't the sugar keep you up all night?"
"I can be a night owl," Iruka said. "Sometimes I don't have a choice, when I need to get in a lot of grading. But it's the summer, and it's been a hot day, so why not? If you're afraid of it, we can get you something sugar-free," Iruka teased back.
Kakashi fake-sighed as they approached the ice cream shop, and held the door open for Iruka, who gave him a soft smile as he thanked him.
"You know I don't eat sweet things," Kakashi said, as they waited in line.
Iruka rolled his eyes. "And yet I keep losing bites of whatever I order when we go out. I wonder why that is..."
"Thieves," Kakashi offered.
"Really?"
"Afraid so. Nasty group of them out and about."
Iruka nodded as he considered this. "A group of thieves who only steal bites of dessert?"
"Only from certain people," Kakashi agreed.
"That's a very hardworking group," Iruka laughed.
"As hardworking as whoever broke into my apartment and changed my clocks," Kakashi mused, as he read the menu, delighting in the full on blush that swept over Iruka's face.
"Such a crime wave we've had in Konoha this summer," Iruka sighed. "Good thing we're out together, you can defend my ice cream."
"Maa, I make no promises, but we'll see what I can do," Kakashi said, as they stepped up to the counter.
They were soon sat with their ice cream outside, at a small table surrounded by other couples or small groups.
Iruka, with a small sundae, and Kakashi, with a blended coffee.
"Smart move, getting something with a straw," Iruka commented.
"Easier for the mask," Kakashi agreed. "Plus, you know, what with the dessert thieves."
Iruka laughed, shaking his head.
"Ah, I think I see Anko waving at you," Kakashi said to Iruka, nodding at a place behind the younger man.
Iruka turned to look, but returned his gaze to Kakashi with a small frown. "I didn't see her?"
Kakashi shrugged, and Iruka mimicked the gesture, before picking up his spoon again...and laughing at a very clear missing area of ice cream.
"Kakashi!" he said, shaking his head. "You were supposed to protect my ice cream!"
Kakashi shrugged. "Ice cream bandits struck again, hmm? Don't know how they got past me..."
Iruka rolled his eyes and they continued to keep up the light hearted conversations about a range of topics, long after their desserts were done.
They eventually parted ways, planning to meet for training with the genin two days later.
As they walked home, got ready for bed, and laid in their separate beds, they both thought about what their friends had said that night.
They weren't dating...and when they spent time together, just the two of them, it wasn't a date....right?
Like that night, ice cream and talking....not a date....right?
But, they both thought, if it was....they'd be more than okay with it....