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(I don't own any characters etc etc)
Kakashi snarled as he fought an enemy nin, putting everything he had behind his kicks and punches.
Finally, the enemy took one too many hits and collapsed.
Kakashi kicked him, for good measure.
“That’s for taking up too much of my time,” he snapped. “I hope Ibiki makes you pay for this as much as I want you to…”
____
The jonin sighed as he was cleared from the hospital and caught sight of the calendar hanging on the wall by the main reception desk.
He had been called out on a mission on February 5th, something that was estimated to take approximately a week. Yet it had taken much, much longer, and here he was, having arrived back in Konoha just hours ago in the early morning of February 23rd.
“Stupid mission and stupid enemy,” he grumbled to himself as he stepped out into the midday sun. “Taking me away from here…”
“Rival!” a familiar voice boomed, and Kakashi turned to greet the other jonin. “You have returned!”
“Don’t remind me,” the copy nin sighed, sticking his hands in his pockets.
“It went well?” Gai asked, dropping his voice.
“Yeah.”
Gai smiled, blinding Kakashi momentarily. “Then why look so glum, my friend?”
Kakashi shook his head. “The mission went longer than expected.”
“As can happen,” Gai agreed, nodding.
“I was hoping to have had some plans in that time,” Kakashi sighed, scratching the back of his own head. “But I think it’s too late.”
“No!” Gai gasped. “Certainly you can still enjoy whatever you intended to!”
“I doubt it, there was a….time for that, and it’s not that time anymore.”
“No!” Gai gasped again. “Unless it was an actual timed event that will expire, there is always time for another chance at things! Anyone and anything here is very understanding of the nature of our work, need I remind you of that?”
“I guess,” Kakashi admitted, “but I just can’t see it happening now.”
“You must try!” his friend shouted, gripping him by the shoulders. “Kakashi, how can I help? What must I do?”
“That would be terrible,” the other jonin said, trying to leave the strong grasp. “Trust me, things are already in shambles, but you getting involved would be a whole new level of awful.”
“Then I will leave you to handle it, and will be cheering you on! Have no regrets, Kakashi! Seize the day! Take life by the –”
“Stop with the sayings already,” Kakashi interrupted him, pushing him gently away. “Don’t you have training to do or something?”
“I do!” Gai cheered. “How did you know?”
“No clue,” the copy nin sarcastically said. “Now go, I’m fine, really.” Gai opened his mouth and Kakashi continued. “Yes, if there’s anything you can do, I’ll let you know.”
With that, Gai seemed content enough to leave, waving as he ran to his next destination.
Sticking his hands back in his pockets, Kakashi began to walk around the village.
“Maybe it’s not too late,” he thought to himself, doing some window shopping.
For there, in several stores, he saw Valentine’s Day items on sale and some decorations still hanging here and there.
The thing was, he had been interested in a certain academy teacher for some time, and had every intention of making a move for Valentine’s Day. If Icha Icha taught him nothing else, it was that a big romantic gesture was a surefire way to start a relationship!
Unfortunately, then work got in the way, and Valentine’s Day came and went, as did his presumed chances with Iruka.
He entered a small stationary store, the little bell over the door chiming cheerfully as he did so.
Picking up a Valentine’s Day card, Kakashi couldn’t help but smile underneath his mask.
“Better late than never, I suppose…”
_______
Iruka tried to not fidget in his seat as his class took a quiz in silence. There was a red card-sized envelope that was sitting in the top drawer of his desk just begging to be opened.
He had no clue who it was from, or when or how it had been delivered, just that when he came to work this morning, it was laying there on his desk.
It had been one of those mornings, though, where Iruka had been running a little late, then some students came in early to ask for some tutoring. Then at lunch he had to help with something, and got caught up eating with other teachers for the remainder of the break, when all he wanted to do was come back and open his surprise.
And now? He didn’t dare do that in front of his class, for who knew what was inside it?
Iruka was absolutely dying from curiosity. If it had been, say, two weeks ago, or even almost ten days ago, he’d have been blushing from a possible surprise Valentine. But now it was near the end of that month, and no one had come or gone for him.
No Valentine’s date, no secret admirer, no surprise or special thing or person.
Which was fine, really, he was content with his life as it was. Well, almost, for he did have an interest in –
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of classes ending, and his students cheered as they finished their quizzes and turned them in, hurrying to leave the academy for the day.
Smiling, Iruka wished them well before locking the door behind the last student and racing to his desk.
He sat and pulled out the envelope, turning it this way and that, but there was nothing of note about it. It didn’t even feel heavy, though it wouldn’t weigh much to put a sealed prank in there, he thought, reflecting on his own previous adventures…
Shaking his head, Iruka bit his lip as he carefully opened the envelope, bracing for…well, he wasn’t sure what.
Instead, he relaxed and smiled as he pulled out a white card with a drawing of a hot sauce bottle on it.
“Hey, hot stuff,” it read. Iruka opened it and his eyes widened at the handwritten inside.
“A nontraditional card for a nontraditional invitation. What would you say to celebrating a belated Valentine’s Day? If so, I hope to see you then,” it read, listing a meeting point near training ground ten for a set time for the following evening, Friday night.
Iruka turned the card over and looked at the back, then read it and re-read it several more times.
There was absolutely nothing that would give the sender’s identity away, so he really was at a loss for who it could be.
Still, Iruka liked nothing more than adventure and fun, and since the invitation was a semi-public venue, he figured he had nothing to lose.
Now he just had to wait for Friday night…
___
Iruka nervously left the academy and walked to the meeting location. Yes, he would be a little early, but he didn’t care. He was far too excited to find out who his mystery date would be!
The teacher ran through possibilities as he neared the training ground. He hoped it wasn’t Anko asking him out on a pity date, as she had invited him to multiple events on and after Valentine’s Day.
Was it Genma, finding a fun way to get Iruka to hang out more? It’s not his fault the missions office had been busy lately!
Deep down, however, Iruka really wished it was a certain person he had been trying to flirt with more and more. A certain someone who had definitely caught his eye, and who he hoped was as interested in him as he was in them.
A certain shinobi named –
“Kakashi?!” Iruka asked, surprised to find the copy nin standing at the meeting location. Well, leaning against a tree there, but same thing, right?
“Iruka,” Kakashi greeted, looking up from his book and giving an eye smile.”You came.”
“And you’re early,” Iruka laughed, as he stood opposite the other man, who put his book away. “You left the card for me?”
Kakashi shifted slightly but nodded. “I did, I hope it was okay?”
“Okay?” Iruka laughed. “It was amazing! I saw it when I got in but couldn’t open it til the end of the school day, long story,” he said, shaking his head. “I’ve been so intrigued by it all!”
“Good,” the jonin said, but didn’t continue.
The two looked at each other in comfortable silence, but silence nonetheless.
“So,” Iruka began, but Kakashi cut him off.
“I’m sorry.”
“What?” Iruka asked, surprised. “For what?” They had just met up, what could have already happened?!
“I wanted to ask you out for Valentine’s Day,” Kakashi explained, “on the actual day, for it, at least. But then I got called away for a mission, and I thought I’d be back in time, I really did.”
Iruka smiled. “It’s fine, I think I have an idea or two about how that sort of thing goes.”
“Still,” Kakashi sighed. “I couldn’t even get word to you about it. I…uh…did you go out that night?”
“On a date, with someone else?” was clearly implied, but not spoken.
“No,” Iruka told him, shrugging. “I actually made plans but they got canceled.”
“Oh,” Kakashi said, nodding. “I see,” he said, clearing his throat. Of course Iruka had someone he was interested in, even if they weren’t available that night. The teacher was probably just here to see who sent him the card and let them down nicely…
“It was you,” Iruka told him, laughing as Kakashi snapped out of his thoughts.
“What?”
Iruka gave him a warm smile. “I was also going to ask you out for that night. I made reservations at a restaurant a few weeks ago and was going to invite you for dinner. But then I heard through some sources that you had a mission. I kept the reservation up until that day, but by morning I gave it up. I figured even if you came back that day you’d probably want to rest and not go somewhere busy for dinner.”
“I would have,” Kakashi said in a rush. “I’d have gone to dinner with you that night. Whatever you would have wanted,” he continued, blushing underneath his mask at how he sounded. “Whatever you want, if you still want to,” he added, in a smaller voice.
Iruka smiled again. “But it was a popular place,” he sighed, “I’m not sure I can get us a reservation there for tonight…”
“I don’t need anything fancy,” the jonin assured him. “Anywhere would be fine with me.”
“Well, it’s a nice night out, and unseasonably warm for this time of year. Let’s wander and see where we end up,” Iruka suggested, and Kakashi nodded.
The two walked around the village for some time before getting takeout from a small restaurant and sitting eating in a park, talking until the early hours of the morning.
And if you asked either of them, it was the perfect Valentine’s Day night, no matter the actual date.