Work Text:
(I don't own any characters etc etc)
Kakashi walked down the hallway of the dorm, glancing at doors here and there. His own dorm hall two floors up had a lot less decorations than this one, he noted, as he passed different Konoha U banners, flags, and assorted campus cheer.
Stopping at room 223, he knocked and a moment later Genma opened the door for him, heading back to his desk as Kakashi closed it behind him.
“You’re all settled and unpacked,” Kakashi commented as he flopped onto Genma’s bed. “Usually it takes you like half a semester.”
“My roommate is a good influence on me this year,” Genma laughed as he finished a paper. “Isn’t Gai the same for you?”
“Only to eat healthy and exercise way too much,” Kakashi said, shaking his head as he looked around the room at the other side. “You’re so lucky to live with Iruka,” he sighed. “His side is so cool!”
Genma laughed and followed his gaze to Iruka’s half of the bedroom. They had matching standard furniture - bed, wardrobe, desk, desk chair. But while Genma just had a band poster, a calendar, and some postcards from Raidou’s summer trips, Iruka had more…personality. He had two silk fans from an anime on the wall above his bed, one white with red flames and one black with red clouds. Iruka had a different calendar than Genma’s, one of old travel posters, as well as some art that his friends Anko and Deidara had made for him. There was also a framed menu from Ichiraku Ramen someone had given him as a joke gift for his last birthday, but the joke was on them as Iruka loved it and proudly displayed it. And in the corner, away from the sun, sat a spider plant that Iruka was trying to grow.
“I’m glad he moved into my room last winter when the other guy left, and that he was up for living together again. He’s a cool guy,” Genma agreed, nodding as he looked back at his computer.
“Right?” Kakashi sighed again, and his friend laughed.
“Just ask him out, finally. You’ve been crushing for how many months?”
“I can’t, you know that. I get so embarrassed!” Kakashi reminded him. “And anyway, what if he said no and I ruined our friendship? He’s great to play games with!”
Genma rolled his eyes. “Is that all you two did this summer?”
“When we could coordinate it between our different jobs and all, yeah.”
“Well, he wouldn’t make a big deal out of it if he says no. And we’re all convinced he likes you too, he just doesn’t know if you like him.”
“Has he said that?” Kakashi asked, sitting up.
“No, but we all get that vibe,” Genma admitted, and Kakashi dramatically flopped back onto the bed. “And if he’s been playing games all summer and still tolerates you…”
Before either could say anything more, the unmistakable sound of a key in the door was heard and Iruka entered, greeting them both, smiling at finding Kakashi there.
“How’s the start of your semester going?” he asked Kakashi as he took off his backpack and left it by his desk, sitting down and grabbing his water bottle.
Kakashi sat up to lean against the wall along Genma’s bed. “It’s not bad. Some good classes and teachers this semester. You?”
“Same, a few papers that might kick my butt but I’ll start them in advance so I can still have a life.”
“Speaking of,” Genma interrupted. “Iruka, a bunch of us are going out for Kakashi’s birthday next week, you should come out.”
“It’s your birthday?” Iruka asked Kakashi, who nodded. “Awesome! Thanks, I will. Let me know when and where,” he said, before his phone chirped at him. “Ah, meeting Anko for dinner, gotta run!”
The other two waved as he left, and Kakashi frowned at his friend. “Since when do we have plans for my birthday?”
“Since you won’t make a move with Iruka,” Genma told him as he reached for his own phone. “It’ll be a way to set you two up, finally. I’ll text a few people and we’ll figure something out.”
“Nothing over the top.”
“Deal.”
“Or expensive.”
“Sure.
“Or loud,” Kakashi added, thinking that then he wouldn't be able to hear anyone well, especially Iruka.
“No promises there, but we’ll at least make sure you and Iruka sit next to each other,” Genma told him. “You can hold his hand under the table,” he teased, laughing as Kakashi threw his pillow at him.
___
Kakashi was excited for the following Friday as plans were made and confirmed for his birthday. Dinner out, followed by bowling at one of those barcade places with a fancy bowling lane and upscale bowling alley food and drinks. Genma and Raidou would be there, as would Gai, Asuma, and Kurenai. A few others might join them for dinner, and a few might swing by the bowling to say hello. And of course, Iruka was going!
As the days crept on, everyone settled back into their school year routines following returning from summer break. Gai, Iruka, and Kurenai went back to their campus jobs. Asuma volunteered to help with freshmen events, and Kakashi settled into his tutoring job, though this early into the semester he was just making his availability known within his department.
He also began to get back into his exercise routine with Gai, and continued his gaming with Iruka, as once the two found their groove with their regular routines they could coordinate gaming together more.
“Genma says you’re a loser,” Iruka laughed into his headset as Kakashi’s character got injured in their game one night, a team shooting one.
“He doesn’t even play, and I’m not dead,” Kakashi sighed into his own headset. “Tell him to play and then he can trash talk.”
“I can trash talk just fine watching over Iruka’s shoulder,” Genma said, and Kakashi was momentarily distracted by the thought that Genma was in such close proximity to Iruka. Proximity Kakashi wanted to be…what did Iruka smell like, he wondered? What shampoo did he use? Could Kakashi look next time he was hanging out in their room? Would that be weird? That would probably be weird, he decided.
“Look out!” Iruka shouted, snapping him out of his thoughts just as he was hit and killed. “Ooh, bad luck!”
“Yeah,” Kakashi sighed again. “Not my night.”
“Something on your mind?” Genma texted. “Something? Or someone?”
“Shut up,” Kakashi wrote back.
“Another round?” Iruka asked. “When I’m done, of course,” he laughed, for he had full health and still more to go.
“Sure,” Kakashi agreed, knowing he’d never say no to Iruka on, well, anything. He set his game to watch the match, and admired Iruka’s skill, always enjoying it…unless they played one on one, and then Kakashi knew to never underestimate him!
“Maybe you can ask him for private gaming lessons,” Genma texted, and Kakashi rolled his eyes, choosing to ignore his friend. Though, it wasn’t a bad idea…
___
Thursday night, Kakashi got bad news. Terrible news. The worst news ever.
Iruka had to cancel going out the next night for his birthday, sharing that something came up with his job on campus. Or did he have more than one, Kakashi thought? He worked at the student center for at least one, and had to man an event as someone unexpectedly had to go home that weekend for an emergency.
“I’ll make it up to you!” Iruka wrote, and Kakashi thanked him but assured him there was no need. Kakashi actually really wanted Iruka to make it up to him, but he had to pretend to have some social graces.
“Maybe I can ask him out…by the end of the year…at the end of the year…” Kakashi thought as he went to his Friday morning class, a frown on his face. “Ugh, December is so far away! And then I have to hope no one has asked him out before then!”
The thought struck horror into him, and he made a note to ask Genma to block any prospective admirers, wincing at how Genma might tease him for that. Maybe he’d ask Iruka out sooner…but not yet…
Kakashi’s birthday night was fun, more fun than he expected, even with the absence of one cute brunette. It was good food, good friends, and good bowling, as everyone was fairly matched. They went out for more food and drinks after, and stumbled back to their dorm rooms in the wee hours. Kakashi dropped the gifts people had given him on his desk before crawling into bed and mumbling a goodnight to Gai. Kurenai gave him some nice pens; Asuma gave him a coffee shop gift card; Gai had written him a list of ten challenges for them to have; and Genma had said that his gift “was coming, and it’s gonna be a great one!”
Kakashi didn’t know what to think about that, figuring it was just something Genma hadn’t wanted to bring out and carry around all night. He shrugged as his eyes closed, and that night he had a dream about bowling, ice cream, takoyaki, and Iruka, and woke with a smile on his face, albeit perplexed by it all.
“I blame it on everything I ate and drank last night,” he thought as he stretched, for as with any night out, they had eaten a random assortment of things. Glancing to the other side of the room, Gai’s bed was already neatly made, and Gai had written on their white board that he was out for a long run and more training, and would reach out about lunch together.
Kakashi checked the time, noting it wasn’t too late, but not too early, and scrolled through his phone a bit. He finally dragged himself out of bed to sit at his desk, feet up on it as he sipped water and thought about the day ahead as he scrolled some more.
Suddenly, his eyes went wide as a new text came in. Iruka had texted that he was going to run up to Kakashi’s room to give him his birthday gift.
“What? Now? Him? Now?” Kakashi’s brain panicked, as he looked around. The room itself was in fine condition for guests, as neither he nor Gai were messy. He looked at himself, horrified to realize that he had almost no time to change out of his pajamas. Grabbing a sweater, Kakashi threw it over his t-shirt; his paw print pajama pants would have to do.
He ran a hand through his hair and popped a mint just as there was a knock on the door. Kakashi rushed to it but paused, taking a deep breath and casually opening it, smiling at Iruka’s cheerful smile.
“Good morning! I hope I’m not bothering you?” Iruka asked, and Kakashi shook his head.
“Not at all, come on in,” he said, stepping aside. Iruka smiled and entered, glancing around.
“Gai sure loves his motivational posters,” Iruka laughed, spying the wall decorated in those. “He hasn’t put any up on your side?”
“He tries, but I warned him I’d pull out all my Icha Icha posters if he did, so he stopped.”
“But you have your calendar out, so that’s something,” Iruka laughed again as he glanced at the decoration, which was only book covers and so not scandalous. Kakashi’s more…interesting…Icha Icha calendar was on the inside of his wardrobe door, thank you very much!
“I’m sorry again I couldn’t make it last night, I heard it was a lot of fun,” Iruka said, and Kakashi nodded.
“It was, maybe you can come out next time?” he posed, and Iruka grinned and nodded.
“Definitely! In the meantime, I wanted to give you this,” he said, passing a flat item in birthday wrapping paper.
“Thank you,” Kakashi said as he accepted it. “Should I open it now?”
“If you want,” Iruka told him. “I also got you coffee,” he said, passing a to-go cup.
“My hero,” Kakashi sighed, and Iruka laughed as he sipped his own.
Kakashi set his coffee down after taking a long sip and carefully opened the paper, to reveal a black bound book, with a design on the cover in a black, nearly invisible design.
“I know you love your notebooks during the semester, so I thought a nice one would be, well, nice,” Iruka said, sipping his coffee as he waited for a reaction.
“I love it, thank you!” Kakashi said, and Iruka grinned widely.
“Great!” Iruka said, as his phone chirped. “I have to head to the library to meet a study group, but do you want to play later? Say, six?”
Kakashi agreed and waved as Iruka left, closing the door behind him. Kakashi looked at the book, gingerly holding it as he looked at it this way and that. He placed it on his desk next to the Icha Icha collection he had brought with him and sighed happily before wishing he could speed up time.
“Guess I should start my day, if only so six o’clock will get here sooner!” he said, standing and grabbing his shower things.
Finally, it was time. Kakashi had had an early dinner and brought back some salty snacks and an energy drink, planning on crushing a few hours with Iruka.
The other man logged on right on time, and they went into a lobby to wait for more teammates for their favorite action role playing game. They got in a few matches, ending with some more focused on shooting than anything else, and were victorious, as usual.
“Good game,” Kakashi said into his headset. “We beat the pants off of them.”
“Right?” Iruka laughed. “Want to do 1v1?”
“Sure, same map or different?”
“Your call,” Iruka told him, and waited until Kakashi had chosen one to speak again. “Want to bet on it?”
This wasn’t uncommon for them, so Kakashi nodded. “Sure. Loser buys the next meal?” he asked, another common bet.
“Yep. You good for the map still?” Iruka checked. “Now that I’m trying to get you to buy me ramen.”
Kakashi sighed; he’d buy Iruka ramen any day, any night, however many bowls he wanted. “Yeah, it’s fine,” he said instead, and they went to choose their characters and gear. It was a good fight, a tense one, which was par for the course with them, especially after getting in a few matches previously with others. In the end, Kakashi narrowly won, and Iruka groaned as he was declared the victor.
“Guess you’re buying me ramen this time,” Kakashi laughed as he sipped his energy drink.
“Sure,” Iruka sighed. “When?”
Kakashi looked at his planner. “Monday?”
“Okay,” Iruka agreed. “It’s a date.”
Kakashi sat up straight, not that Iruka could see. “Uh, what?”
“A date,” Iruka repeated.
“Uh…”
“Genma told me you’re interested,” Iruka said, and Kakashi’s blood froze. Why would Genma do that?
Suddenly, Kakashi recalled memories from last night of Genma slinging an arm around Kakashi’s shoulders and telling him yet again that he had “the bestest ever birthday gift for you! Just you wait!”
Kakashi closed his eyes, making a note to punch his so-called friend in the face the next time he saw him.
“Um…” he said, at a loss of what else to say. Could he say that Genma was just saying it because he was drunk?
“If it helps,” Iruka began, and Kakashi squeezed his eyes shut, torn between wanting to rip off his headset to end the conversation or let it ride out and swallow him whole. Because, really, what would actually help? “He only told me because he knew I was having trouble asking you out.”
Oh, Kakashi thought, eyes open wide now. That would help, that definitely helped.
“You did?” he breathlessly asked, glad that Iruka couldn’t see him. There was something so very intimate and old fashioned about having this conversation over coms, like by phone.
“Yeah. So, let’s go out?”
“Okay!” Kakashi quickly agreed, and Iruka laughed.
“Great!” he agreed, and they sat in silence for a moment, until Kakashi’s character impatiently watching him inspired him.
“Um, do you want to play again?” Kakashi asked, unsure of what to do or where to take the conversation otherwise.
“Sure, how about a different map?” Iruka suggested, and Kakashi agreed, encouraging him to pick this time.
“Okay, this one looks good,” Iruka decided soon after.
“Want to place another bet?”
Iruka laughed. “Like what?”
“If you win, you get to plan the second date, but I pay.”
Iruka laughed again. “What? Already planning a second date?”
“Yeah,” Kakashi agreed, a smile on his face.
“Hmm,” Iruka teased. “And if I lose again?”
“Same.”
“That’s a lot of pressure for the first date to go well,” Iruka commented.
“I have no doubt it will,” Kakashi admitted, and there was a pause in the conversation. Was that too much? It was probably too much, he decided.
“Me too,” Iruka softly agreed, and Kakashi let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “Okay, you’re on!”
Kakashi grinned as the game began, resuming his focus. He now had two dates with Iruka no matter the outcome, but he still didn’t want to lose this round…