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Yamato was a very punctual man. He kept a written calendar, as well as the one on his phone that hooked up to his smart watch. All day long, he obeyed the command of his calendar, and made sure he made it to each of his engagements with at least ten minutes to spare. He was - that is, until his gym hired a new trainer. A beautiful, striking man, with dark eyes, a stylized mess of sliver hair, and a perfectly built body, hugged tight by black athletic wear. Kakashi, Yamato had heard his clients and the other staff call him. Kakashi was the man that had him lingering late at the gym, snoozing his calendar alarms, interrupting his schedule, and sending Yamato’s general sanity for a loop. If anything, it was good for his workouts, as he found he would add time and reps to his normal rotation, simply from getting lost starting at the man.
He kept telling himself that he should just go over when Kakashi was between clients, or having a water break, and start up a conversation, see if he might be interested in exchanging numbers. He’d even considered booking a session to try and get close. But, instead he stared, finishing out the third extra mile he’d unknowingly put in on the treadmill, snoozing yet another reminder to hit the showers and head on.
“Great job! I’ll see you Monday.”
Yamato’s ears pricked up, hearing Kakashi’s voice, low and smooth, bidding a client farewell.
This should be his opportunity. He had to move, to do something rather than continue to let his life spiral out of structure and into madness. Yamato drew a sharp breath, ignoring all of the loud voices in his head warning against an impromptu charge, and lowered the speed of his treadmill.
He was going to to it. He was going to finally introduce himself even if it meant crashing and burning and having to move gyms.
“Keep focused on your meal plan over the weekend,” Kakashi called, offering a last, assuring nod good-bye to his client. He then turned to grab his water and clipboard, sitting on an empty bench press to make note of something and tear open a power bar.
This was it. Now or never.
Yamato fully shut off his treadmill, wiping it over quickly, and started a few bold steps toward the gorgeous trainer across the gym. He made it just past the juice bar, confidence actually starting to swell in his chest a little, when a hand caught his elbow and a bright, overly-cheery greeting interrupted his stride.
“Excuse me, sir!”
Yamato paused begrudgingly, peeling his gaze away from the sight of Kakashi licking a bit of melted chocolate from the protein bar off his finger, and onto a young blonde, long hair in a high pony, sporting a trendy designer set of purple athletic wear.
“You left your locker key on the machine over there.”
“Ah, yes. Thanks.”
“No problem.”
With a cursory smile, Yamato made to move around the young woman, and set his sights back on Kakashi before he lost his nerve to even try. It seemed, however, the perky blonde might have been as set on her own sights. She side stepped in front of Yamato’s path.
“Hey, I think I know you!”
“I’m sorry, I don’t think so.”
“Yamanaka’s?” She insisted, inching closer. “The flower shop off 7th? That’s my shop. I run it with my mom. I know I’ve seen you there before.”
“Um, yes. Lovely shop.”
From over the top of her swishing pony tail, Yamato could see Kakashi shove the last of the protein bar in his mouth and begin to start walking away.
“My apologies, if you’ll excuse-" Yamato tried again, more frantic now as his hunky trainer was now on the move.
“I’m Ino, by the way. Ino Yamanaka.”
Yamato breathed a sigh of relief. Kakashi had just been throwing his wrapper away. Still, he didn’t want to waste any more time, not his, or the poor girl so obviously trying to make a play in front of him.
“Pleasure. Thank you for my locker key.”
He tried to end it there, and even made it past, when the young Miss Yamanaka caught him by the hand, boldly demanding with a playful wink, “And you are?”
“Yamato. I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be rude, but I really do need to be-"
“Oh, I’m sorry,” she gushed, keeping a tight hold over Yamato’s hand, ignoring how he tugged to reclaim it. “I don’t mean to hold you up. It’s just - I feel like it is wasn’t just coincidence that brought us together today, and I don’t know about you, but-“
Yamato tuned her out as, very clearly from across the way, Kakashi’s dark eyes caught and held his. All at once his chest flushed, heart leaping into his throat, and oxygen became impossible to find through the air. A squeeze to his hand brought him back to the situation in which he found himself stuck. This had to end. He turned to Ino and looked her dead in the eyes.
“Listen, Ino, that’s very flattering. You seem lovely, but I’m actually-“
“Hey, Tenzo!” A voice called behind him, and Yamato nearly combusted from the burst of his blush. It was Kakashi, calling him by his first name, just a few steps away and coming closer, huge grin spread over perfect lips and revealing a peel at stunningly white teeth.
“I didn’t know you were still here,” he said, reaching Yamato and Ino. “You finished up and headed home now?”
The heart that had leapt up into Yamato’s throat had stopped altogether, his brain short-circuiting. For a moment, it was all he could do to try and run a reboot of himself, and put together that Kakashi had indeed come to rescue him from Ino’s advances by playing at a ruse, while also trying to decipher how on earth Kakashi could some how be more attractive up close.
“Uh, I-I’m, yes. Yah,” Yamato stammered. “Yes, I was just about to leave.”
Ino released his hand, and Kakashi held his eyes.
“Cool. I have two more clients and then I’ll head that way, too.”
“‘Tenzo’?” Ino interjected. “I thought you said your name was ‘Yamato’.”
“It is. Tenzo is my first name.”
“Oh...” she frowned. “Y’all have plans to hang out tonight?”
“We live together.”
Yamato fought with every part of himself not to let his eyes grow wide at Kakashi’s proud declaration.
“Oh, that’s cool,” Ino smiled, clearly missing the implication. “I had a roommate for a while, too. The break in rent from splitting it is so great, right?”
Both Kakashi and Yamato nearly rolled their eyes at her optimistic heteronormativity. Instead, Kakashi stifled the urge with another bold leap. Without any subtlety, he snaked an arm around Yamato’s waist, and answered as slow and sarcastic as possible.
“Yah, the rent is great...”
A nervous laugh nearly bubbled out of Yamato, one part amusement, one part nervous giddiness to have his super sexy crush holding his waist, and one part second-hand embarrassment for this poor oblivious girl that really seemed to be pleasant enough, just cursed with zero ability to look past her own attraction and read between the lines.
“Anyway,” Kakashi continued, when Ino still didn’t take the hint and excuse herself. He turned to Yamato, directly speaking to him, inches from his face, a mist of sweat over his forehead, and his sweet breath smelling like chocolate and walnuts from his protein bar. He couldn’t help it anymore, Yamato’s lips parted with a tiny, breathless exhale, and a rosy warmth spread over his cheeks.
“Sorry to interrupt. Just wanted to check in and say ‘bye’ before my next session started.”
Their eyes held a brief moment, and then Kakashi upped the ante further by going in for the kill. He leaned in, without a trace of hesitation, and captured Yamato’s lips with his own in a quick, albeit passionate, kiss.
“I’ll pick up dinner on the way home,” he said with a casual smile as he pulled away. “Text me what you want?”
His soul having left his body, Yamato could only nod and offer a tiny, “Okay, yes. Very good.”
“And hey,” Kakashi added, pulling in close a last time, eyes wild with flirtatious mischief. “Wait for me to shower, hm?”
His huge hand slapped hard onto Yamato’s ass cheek with a smack - the perfect punctuation to absolutely obliterate both Yamato, and Ino, and the half a dozen spectators that had been sucked into the show and distracted from their workouts.
“See you soon.”
Kakashi winked, removing his hand after a firm squeeze, and then turned to offer a cursory wave to Ino.
“Have a nice night.”
With Kakashi crossing back to his side of the gym, Yamato and Ino were forced to return to their bodies, and look back at one another.
“Uh, I,” she fumbled quickly, mortified and pale as a ghost. “I’m actually heading out too, since you have everything you need here…”
“Yah, thank you for the key, again. It was nice to meet you. I’m sure I’ll see you at the shop soon.”
“Sure...”
She’d already turned to leave, desperate to escape with what shreds of dignity she had left.
“Hey, um, wait,” Yamato blurted, extending a hand after her. “I’m on a committee planning the city’s Arbor Day festival. You should have the shop set up a booth. If you’re interested, I can hold you a stall without a reservation fee.”
She paused her escape, turning back over her shoulder.
“Really?”
“Yah. We could use a good botanical booth. Right now it’s all fertilizer.”
Yamato smiled sheepishly, and rubbed an embarrassed hand over the back of his neck.
“I’ll save the shop a spot, and bring an application by the shop on Monday.”
Ino turned around fully then, sparkle back in her eye and color returning to her cheeks.
“That’d be amazing,” she beamed. “Thank you so much!”
“Least I can do, you know...” Yamato’s eyes trailed over toward Kakashi briefly. “For bringing me my locker key...”
“Right... Thanks.”
“And hey,” he went on, refocusing on damage control. “We’re adding some contests this year. There will be several flower categories. You and your mom should consider entering. I’m sure you’d fare well.”
“Absolutely! I’m sure we’ll crush the competition - as long as the flowers aren’t gay!”
She winked, flashing a wicked grin before turning to leave once more.
“Thank you, Yamato. Don’t forget to bring those forms by!”
“I won’t! Have a good night!”
Just as she trotted away, Yamato’s phone and watch gave a simultaneous buzz - a reminder to keep him on schedule. He should have already been home, showered, have tended to his house plants, tidied his cat’s litter box, and started dinner. Yet, his eyes wandered back to Kakashi, who was working in some of his own weight sets before his next client arrived. Yamato remembered the playful glint in his eyes, the feel of his lips pulling at his own, and the strength of his fingers squeezing into his ass. He silenced the notification, inhaled deep and charged back toward the trainer with renewed vigor.
“Come to chew me out?” Kakashi asked, seeing Yamato’s approach out of the corner of his eye.
“Chew you out?”
Kakashi finished his set, and returned his weights to the rack, nodding his head.
“For the kiss. And the ass grab,” he explained. “I felt like it was too far as soon as I did it, but she just wasn’t getting the picture, and you were getting so flustered, too.”
“Oh, actually I was coming to say thank you...” Yamato corrected with a slight blush.
“Oh?”
“For the rescue, I mean. Although, the kiss was nice.”
A sly smirk curved up on Kakashi’s perfect lips.
“And the ass grab?"
“Well, yes...” Yamato murmured, blush overtaking his ears. “Listen, I was actually on my way over to talk to you before I was interrupted. I wanted to introduce myself, and see if you’d be interested in a date sometime.”
“I don’t think we need one,” Kakashi replied, cool and calm.
Yamato’s heart sunk.
“I mean,” Kakashi continued. “We’re already living together. Maybe we should just stick with the plans we made for dinner.”
“I - um…”
Another notification buzz from Yamato’s calendar it interrupted him once more.
“Sure,” he said, shutting his phone off. “Yes, I’d love that.”
A nervous laugh bubbled out of him. This beautiful, unpredictable man was sure to be the death of him, and yet he didn’t seem to care in the least. On the contrary, it seemed to be all he could do to run head first into the chaos, and the electric thrill it burned through his veins.
“Maybe a restaurant, first?” Kakashi asked, and suddenly Yamato remembered that their original dinner date had been scheduled for the imaginary house they’d shared as lovers.
“Perfect,” Yamato agreed.
Kakashi handed over his phone for Yamato to add his contact information, promising to shoot him a text with the restaurant address.
Nearly pressing ‘done’ and handing back Kakashi’s phone, Yamato hesitated a minute.
“Hey, how did you know my first name?” He asked.
Suddenly, Kakashi looked very sheepish, his smooth confidence dimming down as he admitted, “Sorry. I may have looked you up in the gym’s database about a week ago. We use the picture you took when you first registered as a way to make sure you’re the one using your key card to get in the gym. The picture comes up on the front desk screen when you scan in. I just… went through the pictures to find out your name… You really go by ‘Yamato?’”
Shaking his head in disbelief, Yamato re-entered his name at the top of his contact information, and handed Kakashi his phone back.
“You can call me Tenzo,” he smiled. “If you’d like.”
“Tenzo,” the trainer tried over his lips outside of their rouse. Immediately, Yamato considered that it might have been a mistake to offer, because of the honey-sweet way it dripped off of Kakashi’s tongue.
“Am I early?” A voice asked from behind them, low, without warning, and almost sounding a touch annoyed.
“Sorry, no,” Yamato offered, as he and Kakashi turned to see a surly-looking, dark-haired teenager who’d snuck up on them. “I was just leaving.”
“Ah, Sasuke,” Kakashi said with a wide grin. He slapped an affectionate hand over the teen’s shoulder. “I’ll be right with you.”
The frown in his brow deepened, and he gave a Yamato a blatant once-over before rolling his eyes an announcing he would go stretch.
“My next client,” Kakashi explained.
Yamato nodded.
“Seems like a ray of sunshine.”
Kakashi let out a short laugh, and shrugged.
“Mah, he’s got a gruff bark, and a sharp bite - but, there’s a soft underbelly there, too.”
At the last second, Yamato stopped himself from blurting out all of his piqued curiosity as to whether or not Kakashi was a dog person, if so, how many dogs he had, and if that also meant he alternatively disliked cats. But, he restrained, and resigned himself to the knowledge that he could save it for their date in just a few hours. He’d already ruined his own schedule, he didn’t want to ruin the schedule of a man at his job. Plus, Sasuke seemed like one of those teenagers who would threaten to stab you, and then actually do it.
“Still, probably best not to keep him waiting,” Yamato thought aloud. “I’ll see you later, Kakashi, and thank you again, for earlier.”
The trainer nodded, offering a tiny wave as he took a few backwards steps toward his client.
“Don’t mention it. Pleasure was all mine. See you soon.”
Yamato echoed a “see you soon,” and forced himself away. He was halfway to his car before he pulled his phone back from his pocket and turned it back on. Fifteen missed notifications. And one new text from an unknown number. His heart leapt to see it was Kakashi who’d already messaged him with a restaurant name and address, Ichiraku Ramen. Yamato nearly laughed out loud; he’d been wanting to go there for months, and hadn’t ever made time for it. The irony made his heart swell, and, following the rush through his veins, he navigated to his calendar and cleared the rest of his schedule for the night. It felt good, wild, cathartic even. Although, he did ask his AI assistant before pocketing the phone, to set a reminder for Monday morning, to visit Yamanaka’s Flower Shop with festival paper work, and, maybe even a thank you note.