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The sun shone brightly and lit up the leaves around Kakashi’s favourite resting spot on the tree, surrounding him in a warm, green cocoon.
It was times like these that he had missed, and he revelled quietly in his first perfect day off in a long time. His previous day off had been besieged by an urgent S-rank mission, the one before that was Naruto’s birthday and he couldn’t say no to the eager expression on the kid’s face, the one before that was in the middle of a storm, and sitting in a tree in stormy weather was always very unrelaxing, and so on.
He felt like he hadn’t had a break in a long time, but today was just exactly what he had wanted. Nice weather, favourite book, favourite spot. If only he had his favourite person, that would have been actually perfect; but Kakashi was just grateful he wasn’t forced to go trudging through a swamp on some crazy mission so he was more than satisfied with how today was turning out.
Daisuke could feel the trembling of Sayuri’s body as she pressed herself against his back, hiding her face from the newcomers.
“Hand over the princess without a fuss and we will kill you quickly,” sneered the bearded leader. “Or we can take her and string out your death, nice and slowly.”
Daisuke slowly flexed his fingers in his trademark move, and placed them on one of his two swords.
Fools, he grinned to himself. “I’d like to see you try,” he said mildly. “But first, I think you should clean off the food crumbs from your beard. It’s a bit embarrassing to look at you. Unless you were saving it for a snack later, that is.”
Engrossed in the simple plot – oh, how he wished life was that simple! – he missed picking up on an approaching chakra signature.
“Yo, Kakashi. How are you today?” asked Kurenai, hopping on the tree, on a branch slightly below him. Kakashi, jolted unceremoniously from his reading, sent her an irritated look. She just smiled even more brightly.
He wanted to ignore her and go back to his book but if she told Asuma, he would be even more insufferable. The last time he ignored one of his friends, Asuma had dragged a whole lot of jounin into his house to force Kakashi to socialize. He didn’t want that sort of headache again.
“Fine. It’s my day off.” Kakashi tried to put enough irritation into his voice. Hopefully she was bored and would clear off soon. Her chakra felt more meddlesome and annoying than usual today, or maybe he was just crabby from being interrupted. “Where’s Asuma?”
“He’s gone on a mission today. I miss him, it’s the perfect day to have a date,” she sighed wistfully.
Kakashi was even more irritated. It looked like he just couldn’t have a day to himself, when he was just left in peace for once.
“Hey Kakashi, let’s play that game we played last time at your house. We take turns saying what we want to do.”
“That is the stupidest, most boring game ever.”
“Just do it,” she snapped. Then she smiled brightly again, her red eyes positively glowing evilly like Lucifer himself. “I’ll start. I want to go on a date with Asuma,” she smiled happily.
Kakashi looked at her disbelievingly for a second, but he knew she wouldn’t leave him alone unless he played. Crazy kunoichis.
“I want to be left alone to read my book,” he said dryly.
“I want to go on a lunch date with Asuma at the Golden Leaf,” she sang.
“You can’t say the same thing again.”
“Why not? There’s no such rule. This is just about saying what we want to do. Your turn, Kakashi.”
Kakashi glared at her and at his terrible life.
“Your turn, Kakashi.”
“I want to eat broiled saury.”
“I want to hold Asuma’s hand and walk in the park.”
“I want to water Mr. Ukki.”
“Oh, come on, Kakashi, is that really all you want to do? I want to take Asuma out for dinner and treat him to bbq with extra sausages, and then take him home and comb my hands through his short, black hair as he gazes into my eyes –“
“Too much information. Go take your pining somewhere else, I really don’t want to hear it.”
“Oh, am I hitting a nerve, Kakashi?” she smirked. “I forgot, you don’t have a boyfriend. You’re pining for the same things but you can’t do anything about it because you’re a big baby and you haven’t found the courage to tell him yet.”
“I’m not pining for those things.” Kakashi tried to school his enraged features back into his custom boredom and ignored the last part of what she said.
“Oh?” she said innocently. “What are you pining for then, Kakashi? I’m pining for Asuma’s hug that he gives me after a mission, Asuma’s kiss on my neck, Asuma’s big hands firmly grabbing me on the –“
“I WANT TO GO ON A DATE WITH IRUKA-SENSEI! I WANT TO COOK FOR HIM AND WATCH HIM EAT RAMEN! ARE YOU HAPPY NOW!?” Kakashi yelled, screwing up his face a little, unable to hold back his fury. Fury at Kurenai and her stupid game, fury at his ruined day off, fury at his sad, sad life.
“Oh.”
Kakashi looked down at her in surprise at the different voice tone, and froze.
Kurenai was grinning the most evil smile.
And Iruka-sensei was standing on the street below them, arms full of scrolls, face a delicious bright red as his eyes abashedly bore holes into the ground.
All the blood drained from Kakashi’s face and he was left alone as Kurenai disappeared with a small pop.
Kakashi felt like a second was eternity as his eye widened in almost slow motion and he struggled to raise his hands into a transportation or suicide jutsu –
“Ah, um. Kakashi-san,” said Iruka-sensei, face still red but voice calm and steady. “If you’re free today, would you like to go to dinner with me? I hear the Golden Leaf is very good.”
Iruka’s voice held the slightest hint of amusement.
It was Kakashi’s turn to blush bright red. Redder than Kurenai’s devil eyes.