Cev || he/him | 24 || OCxCannon | nonsharing Yumedanshi || back in the fUCKING NARUTO BUILDING | will occasionally take requests | Minors and Doubles DNI.
hellohello! come in, come in! sit down, have a biscuit <3
welcome to my silly little blog where i write about my silly little one piece faves
you can read about it and a lil bit about the writer (that’s me!!) here :]
writing -
canon chara masterlist | OP OC masterlist | naruto OC masterlist
requests are: open
make sure to read the rules before sending anything in :]
chibi comms: OPEN | ko-fi
prompts: | NSFW Alphabet |
send me a doodle: https://electroheart.straw.page/
taglist here
As commissioned by @cebwrites, I loved working with ya boi again! It was quite fun writing so much yearning lol
Warnings: Yearning and mild miscommunication.
Functionally a sequel to From Scratch(+18)
Word Count: 5,496
Kirin couldn’t help the soft smile on his lips as he moved past Law, careful to brush his hand down the hunched arc of Law’s spine affectionately. His eyes lingering on the contrast between tan skin and the wrinkled lab coat that teased the delicate line of his throat. Kirin barely restrained a heartfelt sigh.
It was a little too easy to get lost in Law. Every time Kirin felt he was close to figuring out his favorite aspect of the sullen man his eyes or ears or nose or—his attention would be arrested to a new and fascinating feature. Last week as he was bullying Law to go to sleep, he got a little sappy and lost in the edge of Law’s jawline where prickly hairs scraped his fingertips. How the dark hairs that formed what was usually a neat goatee faded out into a scraggly mess after a three day bender in the lab.
Even the dark lines of his tattoos fascinated Kirin. He particularly liked the soft sound Law made when Kirin stroked a rough line on his chest where the ink refused to settle properly. The faintest ridge marking the line between clean skin and black ink. There were several spots of skin like it, but few were openly on display often or greeted Kirin with such a cute sound. Not that he’d complain about it—though Law certainly did. Ears red as he huffed and looked away from Kirin’s teasing smile.
Point being—Kirin was pretty madly in love with Law and deliriously happy about their life together at his point.
Law ran his experiments that Kirin could only just understand after several hours of explanation and Kirin made sure Law didn’t run themself into the ground. Or get to the point that standing up made them black out. It was harder than it seemed, often requiring a bit of… cajoling, but it was a labor of love Kirin indulged in nonetheless. Sometimes, if he caught Law in just the right mood, they’d bathe together.
Just bathing… usually. But the soft intimacy never failed to make his heart race.
Kirin enjoyed scrubbing shampoo into Law’s scalp, dark hair like liquid ink and silk between his fingers. Occasionally requiring a few rinses to clean whatever chemical mixture managed to tangle into their locks. Watching their eyes slide shut in contentment as they hummed. Heart a steady beat under wet skin as he washed off whatever unfortunate accident miraculously turned out to not be acidic from Law’s body.
There was a close call once with an exploding beaker than sent shards of glass across Law’s cheek and Kirin spent extra time cleaning the shallow wounds and pressing his lips over them in worry. Any higher and it would have gotten their eyes—though Law was safety conscious enough to not neglect safety glasses… but Kirin still worried. He couldn’t help fussing over Law.
His reckless, beautiful lover.
And in turn, despite Law’s clinical attitude, they returned the favor. Gentle fingertips driving the washcloth over the healed stitches where disparate body parts were now firmly fused. Care taken to his long hair and their roots, thumbs massaging into his temples and nape. Kirin nearly fell asleep several times, melting into Law’s arm as they washed his back. Not a single inch missed or cleaned with more pressure than necessary. Sometimes Kirin suspected he wasn’t as dirty as Law’s thorough care implied but he didn’t voice his suspicions. Just smiled and pressed a kiss to the nearest patch of damp skin.
It was in the little things, more than anything else really, that spoke of Law’s affection. They didn’t waste time on things that didn’t matter to him. And Kirin was hardly any different in that regard. It just so happened that Law mattered a whole lot to Kirin.
Listening to Law’s steady heart as he laid across the couch over him, Kirin couldn’t imagine these simple facts ever changing.
Forgive the naivete, Kirin was technically born not long ago. Fully developed and independently functioning but still. At that time, he couldn’t imagine anything changing how he felt.
One day, while Kirin and Law were lounging in the living room after breakfast, there was a flurry of knocking on the front door. Kirin was baffled, wondering if whoever was at the door had the wrong address. In his several months of living with Law, he’d never once heard of other people. Let alone had them visit.
Law grumbled, burying their face into Kirin’s hair before getting up. Gently forcing Kirin to move aside as he shuffled to the door. Huffing, Law seemed to gather himself before yanking the front door open.
Law didn’t seem surprised at whoever was there.
“What do you two want?” Law huffed but stepped aside, much to Kirin’s surprise.
Law’s expression was strange but familiar. Grumpy but fond. The exact look he gives Kirin when he pulls them from the lab to eat dinner.
The two were dressed casually in sweatshirts and baggy jeans, nearly identical with strange cartoons on the front. One, a redhead with shaggy hair tucked under a backwards baseball cap, and sunglasses. The other with a penguin themed cap that completely obscured their eyes and hair. They were grinning and stumbling over each other, completely at ease with how in each other’s space they were.
“Law! So you were finally out of your dungeon for once!” The redhead declared with a cheerful grin, turning to their companion with a chortle. “I told you we wouldn’t be left standing outside!”
The other laughed.
“Hey! It wasn’t impossible. We’ve stood out in the rain for almost an hour before—thought someone was going to call the cops on us!” They threw their arm over their companion’s shoulder and patted Law’s arm as they walked in properly. “You look better than I thought you would, bud! Take on a new experiment about hygiene lately, ahah~!” They laughed before pausing. Their expression turned to a shocked one and their companion followed their gaze. Right to Kirin.
Kirin smiled and gave a wave, unsure as to who exactly they were.
“Woah! Law! Who’s this?!?” The redhead demanded with a bright smile. So… a good reaction then. At least, Kirin assumed that was the case.
Law flushed, looking away as he closed the front door.
“This is Kirin. My lab partner… I… made him. Somehow.” Law muttered just loud enough to be heard.
…Lab partner? Well, Kirin supposed that wasn’t… inaccurate. But the term felt so distant and cold. Like they were just coworkers. As though they didn’t kiss each other good night and fall asleep to the other’s heart. He knew Law was awkward and likely felt put on the spot, but the words echoed in his head.
Was this how Law felt? Kirin felt a foreign chill run down his spine, startling him.
The two looked even more surprised.
“What! Holy shit!”
“No way, that’s so cool!” the two came over like puppies, tumbling over each other as they rushed to great him. It was cute and heartwarming but that persistent chill lingered in his heart. He felt alone in the room as they introduced each other.
“I’m Shachi! And this is my beau, Penguin!” The red head proclaimed, pausing to kiss their partner’s cheek.
Penguin laughed, nuzzling back as Kirin stood up. They seemed thrown by his height but still affable.
“Shachi and I grew up with Doctor Grumpy butt over there! So, like, how’s living?!” He asked excitedly.
Kirin paused at the odd question before shrugging.
“…I’m here?” The two cackled, nodding their heads.
“Ahah! I hear ya! I hear ya!” Shachi declared, slapping their thigh.
“Did you two come over here to menace me or was there an actual reason?” Law hissed, slumping onto the couch out of reach of Kirin. They laughed and tumbled into the space, hands locked together as they swayed against the couch cushions.
“We haven’t hung out in forever! You went and made a whole ass person and didn’t even send a text!” Penguin lamented, dramatically leaning against Shachi as he was playfully consoled. “And he has clearly been looking after you! Thanks for that by the way! Law gets stuck in his head really easily and petty, mortal things tends to fall to the wayside.” Penguin sassed.
“Yeah! Like showering and eating.” Shachi poked Law’s side with a grin. Law hissed, kicking at Shachi’s leg petulantly, like he was a moody teen at dinner.
“I can get by just fine.” Law hissed.
“Wait. You’re friends?” Kirin asked dumbly, setting aside the uncomfortable feeling of loneliness settling in his bones like a deep ache.
All three turned to him.
“Yeah!”
“Best friends!” Shachi and Penguin declared with identical, beaming smiles.
“No.” Law narrowed his eyes, shoving Shachi further from him as the redhead playfully leaned back.
“I didn’t know Law had friends…” Kirin mused thoughtfully. He knew it was possible. But given how moody Law was, he rather assumed that Law tended to chase people away until they got close enough that Law couldn’t resist holding onto them despite that. And in that case, Kirin had thought they would have shown up long before now.
Law liked having him around, after all… but maybe he didn’t know as much about Law as he thought.
The two guffawed as Law flushed, resorting to straight up shoving them off the couch with his foot.
“Don’t you have shit to do?!” Law grumbled as the two rolled on the floor in hysterics. Usually, if Law got this huffy, he’d clamber over and bury his face into Kirin’s shoulder or chest. Expecting Kirin to card his fingers through Law’s hair to sooth him or kiss his cheek. But Law made no move to leave the corner of the couch. Instead choosing to sink deeper into the cushions with a huff.
Like he was ashamed of being with Kirin.
Kirin kept smiling in amusement but the realization thundered painfully in his chest.
Had they not been on the same page? Had they ever been on the same page?
Kirin understood intrinsically that their relationship was unconventional to say the least. But it was cozy and warm until this very moment. They supported each other. But, without realizing it, was Kirin just ‘a lab partner with benefits’ for Law? Someone that he didn’t have to worry about weirding out or not understanding their dedication to experiments and science. The attraction wasn’t planned after all. And technically neither was his creation.
Maybe Law just got lonely and, while exhausted from lack of sleep, created someone to help them. Which Kirin did and so much more. But was it because Law wanted that? Or did he just have a moment of weakness. Brought on by stress and a lack of other—possibly more technically human interactions—and Kirin just so happened to be there.
Kirin… didn’t know what to do. He loved Law. He knew it. There was no other way to describe how often his heart fluttered or he found himself smiling when looking at Law at work. He felt so happy with Law… but did Law even want to be with him? Like Kirin wanted to be with Law?
Could Kirin handle being with Law if he didn’t feel the same?
The question haunted him as Shachi and Penguin goaded Law into a movie night with pizza delivery. The three interact chaotically with Law pushing them away but never far and not once touching Kirin. Not even a brush of hands as Kirin reached for a slice of pizza. The two were friendly with Kirin, eagerly talking about their childhoods with Law and their many shenanigans. Asking how Kirin liked things or if he had seen or tasted this and that.
They were open and friendly. Completely accepting him despite his unorthodox origins.
It made him want to cry. In his flustered, unprepared state of mind, he suddenly felt self-conscious. Of himself. Of his relationship up until now with Law. Though undeniably innocent and platonic, their interest in his person felt deeper than most of his intimate moments with Law in light of this new conflict. Perhaps it wasn’t fair to their relationship, but Kirin couldn’t help feeling that way. Shachi and Penguin were incredibly comfortable with each other and Kirin felt envious that he couldn’t do that with Law. At least not with guests over.
Were they something that needed to hide?
It made him feel twisted and ugly, somehow. His scars the two marveled over as proof of his unexpected origins burning like they hadn’t since he first awoke in the lab. Kirin struggled to not compare himself to the other two or inspect his own person for flaws. Unconsciously searching for reasons that Law would be so uncomfortable even touching when others could see.
Was it his skin? That mostly matched in tone across his body and bore odd scars from previous lifetimes. Things he’d never be able to explain or remember. Hands still bearing foreign callouses unlike the ones Law held under layers of rubber gloves.
His face? That once Law held so tenderly late at night in the lab before joining him in bed. Sharp and often smiling as a counter to Law’s unamused expression.
His eyes? A bright, burning yellow like candlelight that Law had ceased breathing when they first looked into them? Nothing like Law’s dark, steady gaze. Or the shaded and shielded eyes of his longtime friends that still somehow held a soft warmth to them.
Or maybe it was his long, white hair. That took ages to detangle and clean, though previously Law had never complained as it draped over the bed sheets or his bare back. It was certainly a far cry from the clipped black locks Law was partial to for it’s lack of needed maintenance.
It could even be his origin. The idea of loving an amalgamation of dead parts an uneasy prospect under the gaze of his peers. Even without the details his many scars told a grim story on their own. The idea of watching Law lie about where they came from made guilt curl in his guts. Even if Law had no issue with it himself, that level of scrutiny would eventually rankle.
What did they have to bond over aside from proximity and chemistry? It wasn’t like Kirin held life experiences that would reflect and refract from Law’s own life. Unique instances he could share with Law from when they weren’t together. Not like Shachi and Penguin or even Law and his friends.
Kirin just… didn’t know. Had no way of knowing and knew he’d cry if he tried asking at that moment. And he thought—reluctantly conceded—that he’d embarrassed Law enough for one afternoon.
By the end of the night, as the two left, Kirin resigned himself to the knowledge that he was likely a hopeless romantic. Realizing only now how badly he wanted to experience life with Law… and how increasingly likely it was that Kirin was alone in that feeling.
He couldn’t—wouldn’t—blame Law for his own feelings. It wasn’t like they ever really talked about the particulars of their relationship before. Expectations or ground rules. Names and their future together…
If Law only wanted a lab partner, that’s what he’d be.
It’s basically what they’d been this whole time and Kirin…
Kirin could learn to be happy with this. Just…
Just this.
--*--
There was a shift in the house after the unexpected visit from his old… acquaintances.
At first, Law wasn’t sure what to make of it. Typically, they tried not to think too much about the kind of chaos his friends brought with them. It was, after all, only a single afternoon. But the difference was stark.
Kirin had been avoiding him. Sort of. He still assisted in the lab and ensured Law was dragged out for food and rest, but the pampering they’d received before was gone. Law didn’t say anything at first. Accepting that it was meant to be a rare treat to have his hair washed and spend downtime relaxing on Kirin’s chest. Listening to his steady heartbeat with a fascination they privately compared to how they once beheld centuries old cathedrals that towered over them in his youth.
But Law actually wanted to know Kirin deeper than those old buildings with dust covered hymns and worn organs. If they didn’t fear undoing the miracle that created who Kirin was, they’d gently peel away the skin and bones to admire the complex system within. The arch of his ribs protecting sturdy lungs. Shielding a heart so delicately made but resilient enough to beat past the reaper’s blade. Law could inspect every sinew and artery and still crave to go deeper.
And Law suspects that Kirin would let him.
The image was macabre and more than a little deranged, but no less so than how dizzy Law felt when Kirin’s hands cupped his shoulders. Cradled his face in the midst of their passion like spun glass. Thumb pressing over Law’s jugular vein like he intended to set a rhythm to Law’s racing heart. Law craved the intimacy Kirin seemed to naturally revel in without shame. They wanted everything Kirin had and this sudden wall between them made his chest ache.
It took several hours and three medical books to realize they weren’t experiencing an early sign of a heart defect.
Law was just experiencing a loss he’d never felt before.
Kirin wasn’t gone. He was still there. But… distant now. In a way that made Law instinctively reach out when he passed by. Experiments forgotten the minute they registered Kirin’s thoughtful footsteps. The hint of Kirin’s unique scent or glimpse of his shadow.
Law had been called a mad scientist many times over the years but he’d never felt mad before now.
Law created a chemical mixture for an experiment only to derail the entire thing trying to recreate Kirin’s gold eyes for a chance to pretend they were holding another silent conversation together. Only to dump it out in a hurry when the real deal walked into the lab in mortification.
They changed clothes more often so Kirin’s scent on his clothes never faded from shared loads of laundry. Law even conducted a secret experiment to recreate it when Kirin began sleeping facing away from them. Kirin’s reactive flinch when Law curled around Kirin’s back constricting their throat.
Waking up to a cold bed where before Kirin would kiss them awake brought tears to his eyes.
They couldn’t sleep. Hours in bed spent staring at white hair braided into a low bun, back turned towards them. Law memorizing Kirin’s soft breaths and the occasional shudder from distressing dreams.
They wanted to know what was wrong. They needed to know what happened.
But Law didn’t know where to start. What to say—if there was even anything they could say.
There was a time they would have been thrilled to be left alone. Treated with a professional but dedicated gloved touch while they did important work.
Now Law just craved the sensation of feeling Kirin. Anywhere. Anything. Everywhere. Whatever they did, they were sorry, alright. And desperate.
It was late at night, staring yet again at the delicate curve of Kirin’s spine and wanting to taste it, when a horrible thought occurred to them.
Did Kirin ever want to be with them?
Law didn’t doubt Kirin wanted their… intimate affair. Strong enough to make any denial of affection more than clear, even at Law’s most stubborn. But after the initial sparks formed, how much of that enthusiasm was kept? Did Kirin grow tired of looking after his lover?
Did, perhaps, the glimpse into Law’s relationship with his oldest friends reveal a fatal flaw between them? Or perhaps Kirin wanted that goofy, attached love the two shared easily over many years. Law understood that… he’d been jealous himself on occasion of how easy the two made it look. Even knowing that wasn’t the case at all did little to help the dark, rotten feeling in his chest during particular times of the year.
Law felt cold and achingly alone in the bed next to Kirin. Hand reaching out without thought to curl around Kirin’s ribs and pull the other close.
They loved Kirin, strange as their relationship was. But loving them couldn’t be easy, if Kirin ever really did in the first place.
Law slipped out of bed, kissing Kirin’s temple as they pulled the blanket over his broad shoulders.
Had they trapped Kirin?
Law set up the coffee pot and sat at the kitchen table, feeling unpleasantly foul and wretched as his thoughts raced.
Law knew they weren’t thinking clearly when they made Kirin. Nothing to be done there, even if Law could recall those few fevered weeks. Decisions had clearly been made but to what end? Law didn’t know.
The sinking feeling that Law had made a critical error in Kirin’s creation only grew.
There was no way in hell they made Kirin to love them—wouldn’t have the faintest idea how to manufacture that in such a way that it would occur without Law’s deliberate action after the fact. Conditioning would take weeks and require steps even sleep-deprived Law would be unable to stand engaging in. And Law was aware of himself when Kirin awoke. So that was certainly not by design, at the very least.
It couldn’t have been to keep Law company—why make a sentient creature for that?! A dog would have sufficed, and a sufficiently intelligent one could even help fetch objects in the lab without a fuss. A dog would certainly listen to orders better than Kirin ever would if he believed it went against Law’s base needs. Or maybe a robot, though mechanical engineering wasn’t Law’s field of study, it would have to be easier than reanimating the dead!
In the end, there wasn’t much of a point in fretting over his motivations for creating Kirin. That ship had long since sailed.
The problem was if Law had trapped Kirin, knowingly or not, where Law was his only option. What did Kirin even do while Law was working alone? He’d never spoken on the subject.
Law’s train of thought broke when they heard the coffee maker beep. Getting up to pour a fresh cup and almost choking when he took a sip. Usually they let it cool a little, the old coffee maker borderline sadistic in it’s temperature output. But they’d forgotten, having gotten used to Kirin bringing a new mug every so often.
Selfishly, Law’s knee-jerk reaction is to reiterate how much they need Kirin now. How wrong it feels to sit in the kitchen alone instead of holding onto his lover in bed. Law couldn’t imagine going back to an empty house with experiments and half-finished studies only about a dozen people care about outside of Law themself.
But that’s the problem, isn’t it? That’s just what Law wants. This whole thing started because of Law’s wants.
A single, aching thought breaks through his clouded mind.
What did Kirin want?
If Kirin had the choice, what kind of life would Kirin look for? It certainly couldn’t be waiting on Law hand and foot with barely a word of thanks. Law wasn’t that far up his own ass.
Maybe Kirin wanted to do his own experiments. Or maybe he didn’t want to do any of the STEM fields at all! For all Law knew, he wanted to—to!—grow a garden! Explore the world outside of their home.
Law sighed, eyes watering as they imagined it.
Kirin dressed appropriately for a nature hike, pondering a trail map. Long, white hair braided over his shoulder. He’d look breathtaking with wildflowers. Or paint on his hands. Basking in the sun or marveling at the chaotic world beyond the beakers and tile floors of the lab.
Law chuckled wetly.
Maybe Kirin would like to see the ocean. Dive into the deep and admire the diverse ecosystems found there.
Law daydreamed possible paths Kirin would want but they all had the same feeling.
Freedom. Kirin in all his loving, handsome beauty.
And Law nowhere in sight. Perhaps, if they were lucky, watching Kirin’s success from a distance. Out of the way.
Law realized after a moment they were crying into an empty cup. Tears watering down the dried dregs of coffee as the morning sun began to cast the horizon in soft pinks.
Law sniffed, getting up to shower away the lingering feeling of his pity party. Resolution beginning to thunder in his chest.
Law was clearly a shit lover, but they loved Kirin. And it was time they started acting like it.
Law had printed, organized, and nearly laminated reams of paper for Kirin by noon in his ill-used office they’d, frankly, forgotten about. Namely because it was where his ‘official business phone’ was and honestly, fuck those guys. Law hated talking to them to begin with. This was a much better use of the space to begin with.
Law thought they heard Kirin call out for him but chalked it up to sleep-deprivation until Kirin appeared in the doorway in confusion.
“You have an office?” Kirin asked faintly, holding two coffee mugs in his hands as he carefully stepped past piles of paper Law didn’t bother remembering the purpose for.
“Yes—not important! It’s pretty short notice, but I’ve gotten a good head start on things. Sorry about that, by the way, I was feeling… inspired this morning.” Law rambled, taking the cup of coffee and downing it in one go as Kirin watched with something approaching caution.
“…Yeah?” Kirin asked softly, taking a small sip from his own cup. “So… what is all this?” Kirin gestured to the desk with dozens of color coded folders.
“Careers! Well, mostly. Sort of. Its—look, they’re activities you can do. Red requires at least some sort of degree, blue some certifications, and green you could theoretically walk out right now and do today.”
Kirin looked completely baffled.
“…Are you asking me to get a job?” Kirin asked, looking over the many folders in bewilderment.
“Yes! No—No wait, no, not like that. It’s just—I was thinking—” Law tripped over his words and felt like a complete moron. Of course they were thinking! They never stop! What a stupid thing to say, but it was too late to take it back now! “You’re here! All the time! And you don’t have to be—you know that, right? You can… you can g-go?” Law asked with a soft voice, not looking up at Kirin, that familiar psychosomatic lump constricting his words.
“… you want me to leave?” Kirin asked in a tone Law had never heard before. Too soft and small and wounded. Law looked up in concern and his heart dropped.
Kirin’s face was flush, eyes wide and watery with unshed tears. Law’s chest thundered with self-loathing, realizing what his words sounded like too late.
“No!” Law nearly shouted, startling them both over the sound of yet another ream of paper spitting out from the printer. “Never… but you… if you want to…?” Law trailed off uncertainly.
Kirin’s face twisted in hurt and irritation.
“Just spit it out, Law. What are you getting at?” Kirin hissed, blinking as tears fell down his cheeks.
Law felt small behind his desk, they’d made a grave miscalculation.
“You’re here. Every day, every hour, and minute. All you’ve ever seen is my house and the lab. I don’t—I don’t know what you do in your free time. Never asked—I should have but I didn’t.” Law began. “You’re so… distant now and I realized how little you’ve seen. I spent years getting to where I am and this is… I wanted to let you do the same thing. Whatever it is, I’ll make it happen. Anything. I-I don’t care what it is as long as you’re happy with it—”
“Law.”
Law stopped, looking back up at Kirin as he sat down his coffee mug and leaned in close.
“Do you want me to leave?” Kirin asked softly and Law felt his hands move of their own accord, cradling Kirin’s cheeks and brushing away the tear tracks.
“No. I want you to live.” Law replied honestly, all thoughts freezing as they marveled in how perfectly Kirin’s jawline fit between his hands. Kirin’s hands pressed over Law’s.
“Then why do you think I want to leave?” Kirin asked, his words curling over Law’s trembling lips. A ghost of a kiss Law ached to resurrect.
“Why would you want to stay? You could have anything in the world… why would you want to stay with a grumpy, neglectful scientist?” Law questioned, ignoring the beeping of his overworked printer informing him that it was empty of paper again.
Kirin chuckled, smile ever closer to Law’s lips. His words low as his warm gaze cut into Law tenderly.
“Because I love them.” Law nearly collapsed forward into Kirin’s lips. Soft, warm pressure folding against his lips as the touch lingered. Half-thought words dying with every pass across silky, delicate skin.
Law didn’t understand. Didn’t know how they’d even begin to understand what could drive Kirin to say that. His voice a dying prayer as firm hands dragged him over the desk, knocking over files neither cared about.
When Kirin pulled away, Law swayed forward to chase his lips, words suddenly bursting forward like a dam had ruptured.
“I’m a doctor of science, Kirin. I spent years studying how people work on the inside. The complex firing of neurons and cycling of the cells. Every system of the body I’ve written and lead entire studies into. I don’t believe in miracles or fairy tales or fucking magic but…” Law kissed Kirin in a hard press, slipping over Kirin’s chin in his enthusiasm without breaking his gaze. “I’d have to be philosopher of god to understand how you came to be here right now. You give me pause, Kirin, after years of self-assured arrogance, I can’t help but wonder who I should thank on my knees—in prayer you filthy heathen!—for your presence. I love you, Kirin. I need you.”
Law closed his eyes and pressed his head against Kirin’s sternum, listening for the first time in weeks to that strong, steady beat.
“But I want you to be happy before anything else.” Law swore softly, breathlessly as his chest ached with want.
Kirin’s arms wrapped around their shoulders gently. Hand curling around the back of their neck. They shuddered at the soft touch, Kirin’s thumb pressing over the notch of his nape where neck met spine. Law felt Kirin lean down, lips brushing the tip of his ear.
“But what if all I want is you?” Law’s breath froze in his chest as they blinked away tears.
“You have me.” They answered instantly. “Always.”
“Always.” Kirin purred, squeezing Law closer still. “I love you, you silly ‘doctor of science’.”
Law relaxed into Kirin’s arms with a happy sigh.
“Still… seems an awful waste to not put your work to use. How does an aquarium visit sound to start with. As a date.” Kirin suggested.
Law laughed, face burning as they glanced down at the many spilled papers.
In hindsight, they could have saved a lot of paper and ink by just asking ahead of time.
“It’s a date.” Law confirmed, allowing Kirin to drag them to the living room for cuddles. Law’s arms draped over Kirin’s shoulders as he rested his head over Law’s chest. Confessing his own silly thoughts that rivaled Law’s own after Shachi and Penguin’s visit.
When Kirin had finished, laying boneless across Law’s body, Law realized something. Making a small noise, they pulled out his phone. Kirin whined at the slight movement, complaint curling into a purr when Law rubbed Kirin’s back in apology.
“What are you doing?” Kirin murmured, kissing over Law’s sternum lazily.
“Seeing about a double date.”
L: You two alive?
S: Boss!
P: Boss man!
P: You’re alive!
L: stfu
L: aquarium on main. Next week at three?
P: ?!?
S: !?!
S: You running public experiments now boss?
S: Didn’t know you could get permits for that so easily after last time…
L: Shut up!
L: It’s for a date.
L: A double date with Kirin.
P: !!! u owe me five bucks!!!
S: Babe, wrong gc
P: shit
L: …you two made a bet?
P: lol, yeah?
S: It was obvious, wasn’t it?
S: We figured you would confess eventually.
L: …
L: So are you coming or not?
S: Absolutely!
P: Tell Kirin we said hi!
S: And that we can’t wait to see him again, he’s a pretty cool dude!
“It’s officially a double date.” Law declared, finding Kirin’s gaze on them again. Soft smile curling over Law’s chest. Law ran his hand over Kirin’s bare back sweetly, leaning forward for a soft kiss. “I love you.”
“Love you too, Law.” Kirin replied against his lips.
Jiraiya leans against the trunk of a tree while he slyly drops hints about the next Icha Icha installment, Kakashi pretends like he's not listening absolutely with rapt attention. Naruto's been sent off to trained somewhere out of sight but not where it'd be too difficult for Jiraiya to shunshin to in a pinch.
The men are free to giggle between each other for a short while.
Not that short, however, as once Tae and Takashi come into view, the former gets a twitch in his otherwise flat expression—those who know him would recognize this as annoyance. He asks his brother for a sip of his milk tea; Takashi agrees, and proceeds to watch Tae nail their father directly between the eyes with a tapioca pearl as they approach the other pair.
"What was that for, you rotten brat?!"
"Nobody wants to hear your dirty ramblings, old man."
"At the very least we don't, dad."
Kakashi makes vague attempts to put the conversation back on track while Jiraiya fusses indignantly at his sons, between complaints that Tae should've at least aimed for the forehead protector, to urge the Sannin to at least finish his train of thought before the twins arrived; but faced with Tae's flat, judgmental stare and Takashi's look of sheer disgust, he hangs his head in defeat. Point taken.
Jiraiya calms down somewhat after Takashi offers the karaage he'd brought back for him from the festival a little bit aways while Takashi himself has some rice crackers, the other boys share a pack of assorted trail mix. Whenever he finds a yogurt chip, Kakashi prompts Tae by nudging him with his foot and tosses it into his mouth.
He stopped tossing them to Takashi after the second one bounced off his nose.
Kakashi - 7 | Sweets - 2
After all this time Takashi still has no idea how the hell Kakashi seemed to eat without removing his mask.
Under the shade of a huge tree, a mild chill in the early autumn breeze tousling their hair, the ambient sounds of a forest in the ears of this group's more astute members. Occasionally, Naruto's chakra will spike enough to alert all of them but it's only ever in short bursts to show his progress with the Rasengan.
It's an oddly peaceful moment between members of their odd little family.
Kakashi lifts the dogeared copy of his old Icha Icha Paradise novel off his face when he sees the orange skies and tells Tae they'd better get going, their comrades should be at the rendezvous point by now. Tae points out that he got a nice nap out of this and snacks on his dime so Kakai-nii ought to cover dinner tonight.
Kakashi ignores him, waving off the the other men with two fingers while Tae gives them a curt nod, placid expression betraying the annoyance at his big brother's antics, before both jonin disappear in a puff of smoke.
"I should probably get going, I spent way too much time out here," Takashi rises after packing away his basket and the herbs he'd been foraging for in a scroll,
"See you when I see you, dad."
"Huh? Oh, uh—Yeah, see you."
Takashi offers a small smile, though Jiraiya can't quite parse what it means. He could never tell what Tae was thinking, having this sudden wall with his youngest too feels jarring. Jiraiya watches his son's back get further and further away, pouring himself more sake into the little dish he always carries with him. The damn thing was probably older than Naruto at this point.
The Toad Sage hears Naruto before he sees him, covered in the dirt of training and ranting about something he'd gotten side tracked with late into the day, but Jiraiya's gaze doesn't leave the horizon for a while. Naruto can't make out what he's thinking either, waving his hand in front of his face and wiggling his limbs to get Jiraiya's attention.
When Jiraiya does acknowledge his student it's to grab his arm and yell at him to cut that out, but he then says, more sobered, that they'd better hurry if they wanted to get a nice hotel before the sun set.
Shikamaru asks one day, a year or so after Naruto's left with Jiraiya, why Captain Takeru bothers with trying to reform a troublesome criminal like Mizuki anyway. Why he's so hell bend on helping him recuperate by going so far to get the Godaime's help on it too, surely she has more important things to do than to treat one of Orochimaru's pawns once a week. Seems like special treatment to him.
Tae doesn't refute that he's pulling some sentimental strings through their bond to smooth this along, but if Lady Tsunade really didn't want to help she simply wouldn't; a fact that both of them knew very well given her personality. Though Tae was very grateful that she did.
As for Mizuki...
Shikamaru notes what he thinks is a contemplative look on his senior's face—Tae's never been easy to read even by those in his inner circle, though the few times he'd seen them interact, Mizuki seemed to be one of the few who had that ability down pat—before Tae says that they're the same.
He continues to say that there was a time where he probably would not have minded if the Leaf Village had been brought to ruin. It's not something he's proud of, but there's a deep shadow in his heart that Tae claims he shares with the ex-rogue nin; so all the pain, all the sorrow, the isolation, and betrayal that Mizuki feels is suffering he understands all too well.
None of this excuses his actions and Tae wouldn't begrudge people now who mistrust him for it, but he tells Shikamaru that despite his actions and the things he's said, he doesn't think that Mizuki is completely irredeemable. He's just having a hard time right now. Shikamaru did remember overhearing some chunin talk about how in the reports there were mentions of manipulation by Orochimaru's hand, but he's still skeptical at best.
Orochimaru... is a bastard, but so is Mizuki for hurting Naruto and Iruka-sensei.
Tae continues, he mentions that it's partially his fault for not noticing his plight sooner. Shikamaru counters quickly that Mizuki's a fully fledged shinobi who chose to do all those horrible things on his own, so Captain Take shouldn't have to take the fall for him. Tae leans back on his palms, staring up distantly at the lazy clouds that float on by, and shakes his head.
If they were strangers, maybe, but it's the least he should've done for his first friend.
The jonin asks his junior if he remembers seeing him in those dark times, how unnerving and sullen he was skulking the halls of the Intelligence Division; Shikamaru nods, the memories of having the absolute dogshit scared out of him at least once or twice when he saw Tae in a dark hallway with his hair down during the middle of the night flooding to the forefront of his mind. Instances where he totally did not run away from with his tail between his legs, mind you.
"If it wasn't for them, the precious people in my life, I would probably still be that gloomy person to this day. A ghost stuck in the past. I have my brothers and my friends to thank for bringing me out of it.
Mizuki... I don't think he had anyone else to turn to when he tricked Naruto into stealing the Scroll of Seals for him."
Tae fails to mention that Homura and Koharu had inklings of Mizuki's affliction from Orochimaru from as far back as his exam to become an academy teacher but chose to keep a close eye on him in case he became a lead to the ex-Sannin. Once the Third was killed and Mizuki was still supposedly staying quiet in his maximum security cell, they left him and their side project to rot.
The Nara boy doesn't need to know that much at his age.
"Listen, Shikamaru. There's a dark side to this village that you haven't learned about yet," Shikamaru cuts him off before he can finish.
"Does that side have something to do with whatever happened between you and my old man? I swear, you grown ups always twist and wind your words around everything but the truth."
Tae takes a moment to look at him, surprised but it doesn't really show on his face. Just as the tension starts to get a little awkward, he pats his junior on the head with a warm smile, in possibly the softest expression Shikamaru's ever seen the man make.
"You're a bright kid, Shikamaru," though this only lasts for a second as he leans close to whisper something in his ear.
"Be careful."
Two shadows just out his line of sight bristle, they quickly disappear between Konoha's many buildings like their presence was never there.
Tae rises to his feet properly, offering to treat him to a snack on the way home. Shikamaru jokes halfheartedly not to say that that so loud or Choji's going to put a real dent in his wallet. As if on cue, his best friend steps out from around the corner with a big grin and the mention of a free lunch.
Captain Takeru never stood a chance.
Later that week while visiting the Intelligence Division to deliver orders on Tsunade's behalf, Mawashi points out that Tae's been spending more time with Shikamaru lately—Tonbo chimes in to say that he's suprised Tae can even stomach being around the kid after, you know. Shimon chides his colleagues for prying into other people's business.
Tae's expression, which had been placid as ever if not a little tighter like it usually is when he comes down here, changes to something more grim in tone even though it doesn't visibly alter.
He tells the men that none of this is particularly their business, but what Shikaku had done years ago under orders has nothing to do with his son now, and it wouldn't be Shikamaru's fault if he was implicated somehow anyway.
With that, he leaves with a curt bow and they don't see him for another month.
Hyou answered easily, not quite absentminded but definitely more focused on folding laundry than the scheming glint in Hana's eyes they choose to ignore. Across the room Kakashi stiffened for a moment, then continued to mend the tear in Hana's jacket she'd approached Hyou for help with—they handed it to Kakashi since he was better with needlework than they were.
Or at least, that was the excuse she used to pop into their living room for a tick to take a peek at what domesticity looked like for Hyou-nee and the "stray" they had picked up; and more importantly to make sure he was treating them up to standard.
Never mind their decades' long bond, she needed to see this for herself.
Honestly they should count themselves lucky that Hana didn't let Kiba tag along for the sake of discretion.
Bull laid in a spot next to the Haimaru brothers in a cleared area of the apartment by the window where the ninken usually sunbathed, making quiet little grunts and chuffs in his sleep. Occasionally, one of the triplets twitched or rolled over as the conversation drew on with different topics; slow, comfortable, and lazy like the rest of their day had been.
The older shinobi opted to go out for dinner after Hana left, a little too worn after walking the dogs to make dinner on their own but still craving the satisfaction of a fresh hot meal.
Kakashi's slightly boastful promises that he'd make something nice for both them tomorrow to make up for it was met with Hyou's intrigued ooo's and a playful nudge to his elbow, followed by a knowing smile not to push himself when they locked up to leave. Pakkun rolls his eyes at the display right as the door shuts.
Though their meal was served in the privacy of a secluded room at the traditional-style restaurant, Kakashi never really could relax with his mask down in public so he ate in quick bursts not to upset his stomach. The rest of his time was spent listening to his partner talk about their week and joke about how stuffy this place feels, and that they feel a little underdressed in just their summer uniform blues for the occasion.
Kakashi counted the creases on their face as Hyou snickered throughout the night, putting them in his back pocket for later while they piled more side dishes into his bowl and made sure he had enough to drink—making a mental note to kiss every single one of them the second they got home. Hell, Kakashi didn't know if he'd be able to last that long.
Cicadas serenade their walk home, even the street lamps feel a little too warm in the current humidity so Hyou has their mane of hair begrudgingly pulled back into a low ponytail; they caved somewhere after the 10 minute mark between bites of gyudon and wiping the sweat from their brow.
Kakashi had to smile at the way their face seemed to scrunch into an undignified little pout while they tied it.
"You've been spaced out all evening, 'Kashi," his lowers copy of Make out Tactics to meet their gaze, a step or two behind him with one hand on their hip, "talk to me, is this about what Hana asked?"
"Ah, that's..." Hyou gets their answer when his one eye drifts to the side, Kakashi scratches his cheek in a bashful way where they know he's being cute (avoidant) on purpose.
"Geez, I wish you would've just told me."
They lead him by the wrist to a nearby bench; sitting with the noise of a man twice their age, both knees far apart, Kakashi joins them with one leg crossed over the other to feign casualty—feeling if he didn't that he was sure they'd read his nerves like a tapestry. Hyou takes a second to breathe before they talk again, this time with their hand on his. Kakashi lets their fingers intertwine as Hyou spoke.
"I said I wanted a big family, but that doesn't mean we have to have kids, you know? I think the arrangements we have now are comfortable; you and me with the ninken, Gen when he's free, and Rai when he wants to come with.
Adding the boys would cramp up the apartment pretty quickly for festivities I think, that's not even considering partners and friends."
"You know, I'm still not sure if I believe Tacchan managed to convince Shizune of all people to go out with him."
Hyou jabs him in the ribs with their free hand for the comment, clicking their tongue, but both ninja giggle to themselves under the flickering street lamp. Their hands start to get clammy but they don't pull apart just yet, even when the space where their bare arms touch begins to stick.
Kakashi's just grateful that his gloves absorb some of the moisture.
"You remember what it was like when our parents got everyone together, right? Every time was always so rowdy but it was fun. After everything... the house just got so quiet. It was unbearable. Maybe it's selfish, but I miss it, I want to be around that kind of commotion again, 'Kashi."
Hyou's the one to pull away first, the look in their eyes tell him they're staring off into the dredges of some distant, faraway memory, but Kakashi reels them back in by laying their head onto his shoulder. They take in his scent, allowing a handful of tears to streak their face. Hyou leans with almost desperate longing into his touch when Kakashi gently wipes them away with his thumbs. They thank him, grateful that the only thing to witness their vulnerability now is their partner and the ambient sound of natural life at night.
Hyou sniffs, rubbing their eyes in the crook of their elbow to recenter themself with a laugh.
"God, could you actually imagine us with kids? That'd be a nightmare."
Kakashi thinks about it, just briefly, because it's a thought that's crossed his mind long and hard many times before. And the painful conclusion that he's come to; is that if Hyou ever wanted children, he wouldn't be able to go through with their wishes. Not after his own father, and not with the laundry list of issues Kakashi brought to the table.
His mind drifted to a simpler time, not one free of grief but still, a kinder time where his heart hadn't lost all hope just yet.
Kushina watched as the young boy put away the groceries he'd helped her carry home, rubbing her belly in soothing motions in an attempt to settle Naruto, "Sorry for making you boys run all these errands for me. I'd do them myself but it's starting to get harder, ya know."
"Not at all. I don't think Genma and Raidou mind at all, either.
If there isn't anything else you need me for, Kushina-san, I'll be heading out now."
Kakashi packed away the last perishable, turning to make his leave but instead found his sensei's wife waddling over and instantaneously, he reached out to steady her gait. Being careful to avoid touching her stomach, however. Kushina laughed, a joyful chime Minato could fall in love with over and over again.
"I'm not made of glass, y'know, just a new mom!" She smiled as she offered, "Do you want to feel him kick?"
Kakashi looked like a deer caught in headlights; his peers and others close to him would often tease how tense and skittish he got around Kushina the further along in her pregnancy she was. Some of this could just be attributed to the awkwardness of being a fourteen year old boy, but the darker parts of his mind formed the shape of a person, haunting his every move, let alone something as precious as this.
"...I, I—I don't—"
"Ya don't have to if you don't wanna, but you won't hurt us if you do, ya know?"
Kushina held his hand, using the other one to wipe tears Kakashi didn't even notice were starting to prickle in his eyes before she pulled him into a hug.
Being treated with such a tender hand, kindness that Minato-sensei had always shown him too, and maybe a hidden maternal need that had been absent in his life up until now; Kakashi, at least for the moment, allowed Rin's ghost to recede into the depths of his memory.
Though it wasn't same on many levels, Kakashi noticed Hyou displayed that same care to the young ones in their life—from checking in their late sensei's son, babysitting their comrades kids, keeping the peace between troubled twins, or even the care they'd shown to Naruto after he'd been assigned to Kakashi's team.
He recalled once when Hyou had plans to make bento for Kiba before an event since Tsume was out of the village and Hana, bless her heart, wasn't the best at domestic labor.
Kakashi lagged behind them, Make out Paradise in hand, as Hyou added more things to their shopping cart, mentioning that they might as well make some for Neji since he'd be there while they're here, and they'd best not leave out the boys' team mates either. Oh, and Konohamaru too, since his father was going to be sent out on a mission that morning.
What would have been one, maybe two meals for two boys suddenly turned into staying up all night to make sure nine mouths would be fed the next day, Kakashi only barely managed to convince them not to make more for Tae and Takashi with the fact that those boys were grown, and the grocery bill was long enough as is.
Genma pitched in once he got home and thoroughly washed up before handling any of the food—working in the poisons division was a pain like that—but Kakashi was content to simply watch and "taste test" while his partners bickered over what to do.
His gaze softens exponentially.
"I don't know, I think you'd make a great parent."
"Mm, I'm tired though. I've think I've had my fill of babysitting for a lifetime."
Kakashi watches, enraptured by the love of his life rattling off habits they'd have to amend, scheduling changes, things they'd have to buy and keep up with, this hypothetical kid itself not even part of the conversation yet.
"—And we'd have to run it by Gen and Rai first, too, obviously. Who knows what their feelings on this are. Fuuuck, I think I'm ready for an early retirement, 'Kashi." Hyou leans their head against his shoulder again on their own this time, too exhausted by the tizzy they worked themself into to look up and see Kakashi staring at them with the softest, most loving smile in Konoha that night, possibly even across the Five Great Nations.
Hyou knew, however. They just knew.
Kakashi was right; they hadn't reached home yet before his urges won out, but he at least managed to make it to the front door before he pressed a litany of masked kisses to his partner's face and neck while Hyou fumbled with their keys, laughing.
The next morning, the couple's peace was disturbed by a loud banging on the door and someone's muffled yelling way before an appropriate time. Which would have been never, by the way, if you asked them.
Kakashi and Hyou rock paper scissors'ed for who would have to deal with it because there was no way in hell Genma was getting up; having lost, Kakashi moped out of bed, detangling himself from the wonderful—warm, comfortable—mess of sheets and his lovers' bodies to answer the door. Only just halfway "decent" enough for it. His face stayed hidden, of course
When the old thing creaked open, he was greeted with Kiba and Naruto shouting over each other indistinctly with intermediate barks from Akamaru in-between. Kakashi wanted to go back to bed and forget about this until at least 3 in the afternoon, but he eventually got the boys settled enough to be coherent because he's a good, and respectful jonin teacher, dammit.
"What do you mean you're having a baby?!"
Kakashi promptly shut the door, turned the lock, and placed a sound barrier on it for the foreseeable future.
This was—a minimum 12pm problem and, as far as he knew—it wasn't even 9 in the morning yet. So he wiggled back into bed between his older comrades and shut his eye.
Hoping that preferably someone else would have already solved it by the time he woke.
Back when the current jonin were young, their sensei organized a little training camp for them as team building exercises along with a little bit of respite from the war because most of them are around the same age with some gaps here and there. Minato and Hizashi's teams are pit against each other so it's Obito against Sou, Rin against Azu, and Hyou has the task of keeping Kakashi away from the flag.
Obito has some reservations about fighting them but wizens up real quick after Sou doesn't hesitate to send him flying, Rin compliments Azu's technique, mentioning that he's getting better, and Azu complains that she's not taking him seriously though it's all in good jest.
Hyou manages to catch Kakashi off guard long enough to pull him underground with the Earth Style: Headhunter technique, mentioning that the "genius" isn't so infallible after all, but when they meet up again with their team mates once Obito and Rin were incapacitated by them respectively Hyou says they have to be quick because they probably only bought them a couple seconds with technique and Kakashi wouldn't be stopped for long.
From their campsite overlooking the forest, Hizashi keeps an eye on his students with the Byakugan and acknowledges Choza coming up to him with a plate of food, declining before he can even make the polite offer, while the other teachers filter in either praising, lightly complaining, or bragging about their students.
Shikaku says Hizashi must have his hands full with a team of all girls, ignoring the nudge from Inoichi, but Hizashi doesn't turn his gaze away from the horizon where vigilantly watches his students. He warns Shikaku not to underestimate them, after all his students are reflections of his teachings and the Hyuga are not known to be so soft on anybody, regardless of gender.
Inoichi puts a placating hand on his shoulder but mentions that if he had a daughter he'd be worried about her being put through these drills too, Shibi comes over to remind his peers that if he didn't want to worry then he shouldn't let his hypothetical daughter become a shinobi. Kushina tops off Shibi's plate with more curry, making her agreement known before she piles a second helping onto Minato's; who appears weary over the spice content but happily accepts his girlfriend's cooking without a word.
She then levels a glare at Shikaku that would make lesser men a husk, he only withers a little but avoids her for the rest of the morning, maybe even afternoon.
As the day stretches on into dusk the sensei see more and more flares color the sky, signifying which teams have successfully won their matches before making their way back to the campsite. Winning or losing side, most of the kids seem to get along pretty well witch each other with the odd complaint here and there about hunger or what a pain bugs have been.
It's not until Hizashi's team arrives back and Hyou grabs Kakashi by the straps of his holster to ask what the hell is wrong with him that trouble breaks out.
Hyou makes a scene of yelling at and shaking him, though Kakashi barely reacts he is visibly annoyed and grabs them back by the collar. He narrows his eyes to say that their objective was to win and he prioritized the mission over all else, he was simply being as efficient as possible.
Some sensei get ready to break the kids apart and their peers stare in a mix of concern and curiosity but eventually something falls to the ground out of his pocket and on sight, Hyou seems to get madder, crushing it under their foot before storming off.
Apparently during their match, Kakashi had used a whistle his team confiscated from smugglers in a prior mission that he was supposed to hand in later; said whistle had a similar effect to those used for dogs except these were made to specifically target members of the Inuzuka clan by scrambling their five senses, along with the high pitched ringing to their sensitive ears. Come to no one's surprise years later these whistles were developed in the early foundations of what would become the Hidden Sound.
Hizashi mentions quietly with Shikaku in earshot that it seems his team isn't the only handful present.
Minato finds Hyou cleaning their weapons a little bit aways from the campsite and offers a rice ball to tide them over until Kushina's done with dinner, he's sure they're tired after today. Hyou thanks him, says they'll eat a bit later. Minato asks if their ears still hurt, they shake their head but their senses are a little messed up so it's hard to hear him and they can't smell very well.
He starts by saying that Kakashi can be a little... difficult? Hyou finishes the sentence for him - Minato gives them a wry smile, apologizing on his team and Kakashi's behalf.
Hyou says they know, Kakashi's always been arrogant like that, but they're just a little upset this time because they didn't think he'd stoop to using something like that. Over what, a taunt? His ego? They thought they were his friend. They've known him forever and yeah they're just family friends because of their parents but after Kakashi's dad... they worry about him more.
Minato pats them on the head, saying that they really care about their comrades, huh? He then says he'll talk to Kakashi but for now everybody should rest and recoup; plus, he needs to get back before Kushina puts too much birds eye curry in the soup again.
He manages to get a laugh out of Hyou with that and they walk back to camp. Over Minato's shoulder, he spies Kakashi hiding up in one of the trees.
It doesn't take long at all for Hyou to simmer down and converse with their friends again, chasing each other around and rolling in the grass together in their free time after drills as children should. Though they still give Kakashi the cold shoulder, Hyou is more than willing to chat with Obito and Rin or have them join on team activities.
It's only after few days that Kakashi musters up the humility to face them and apologize, though he still looks away in an attempt to seem nonchalant when he owns up to his mistakes. Genma eyes them suspiciously from the side while Ebisu gossips about how conceited that is, Gai flashes his "nice guy" pose at the genuine attempt being made by his rival.
Hyou stares at him for only a moment, before saying that they don't forgive him. Kakashi's taken aback but Hyou says they'd have to wait until after their ears stop ringing to give him a proper response before he can retort in annoyance.
Kakashi deflates a little as they walk past, frustrated with himself and the eyes he feels on him. Expectations of him as the "child genius", as Sakumo's son, as—they stop a few paces away, however, wishing him good luck in the final challenge and not to get too into his own head about things like this.
Hyou's used to having people gawk at and ogle their partners; it's happened often enough over the years that aside from brief moments of animal possessiveness or a day where they need some reassurance, they're not in a position to be bothered by it at this point. Kakashi and Genma, mostly Kakashi, have sided eyed their fair share of folks staring at their bear for a little too long as well—whether or not Hyou notices is beside the point—they're in no position to complain.
So when Hyou overhears a group of what they imagine were younger shinobi gossip about how well Genma did on the recent jonin performance exam, they don't sweat it. The small group was comprised of both men and women; Gen's always been easy on the eyes and a smooth talker, it goes without reason his charm wouldn't be limited to just one gender. If anything, Hyou's a little proud.
Damn right their man aced his review with flying colors and damn right he looked good doing in. They bagged that shit. If Hyou was the type to brag, they'd come over and say it to their juniors' faces.
They listen in for a little while waiting for the man behind the counter fixes up their order, no harm in that. Hyou finds what this group considers Genma's physical highlights amusing, agreeing on a few points, and then internally snickering at the wild conjecture the group makes about his personality at home away and untethered by shinobi duties, wondering if he was just as much a Casanova as he appeared to them as.
One woman mention how deep and silky Genma's voice was when she'd conversed with him recently to get some paperwork in order for the Godaime. He was so polite, so dashing—she'd say, leaning against her friend for dramatic effect.
Hyou wonders if these kids would be just as enamored if they knew the shit their "senpai" said with that voice over the years.
Now that they thought about it, they did have one particular memory about Gen's voice that stuck out to them.
They were still genin at the time, wrapping up a mission to pull some weeds from an older lady's garden with Raidou as the designated captain since he'd made chunin a short while ago. Genma had her hands in his while she mentioned how much of a hardworking young man he was, as if the other two weren't just as covered in dirt from the same backbreaking labor, turning up that annoying charm factor he had somehow mastered to an eleven.
Hyou and Raidou rolled their eyes at the display.
Though as he was bidding his farewell, Genma's voice cracked pretty severely right at the end into an undignified squeak. The elderly woman politely overlooked this and sent them on their way, but his peers most definitely did not. Raidou and Hyou laughed for a good while on their way home from the countryside, at some point both of them were in tears and the former of the two broke into a coughing fit.
Shiranui threatened with kicking their asses of course, but his efforts were dashed when his voice cracked once more mid-sentence, which really only prompted them both to laugh more.
Thoroughly knocked down a couple pegs and bright red, Genma had a soft launch of his bisexual awakening that day watching both his friends laugh until their throats hurt. Those damn annoying smiles were the ones he strived to protect at the end of it all.
Hyou was brought back by the group getting skittish and making a quick exit. Turning slightly, they spotted the reason why—Genma standing behind them with his mouth drawn in a tight slant to indicate he was less than pleased. He'd taken their order for them and looked ready to leave.
"You were eavesdropping on them while they talked about me, weren't you."
"Well, what else was I supposed to do..."
"Stop looking so smug. The hell were they saying?"
Hyou smiled at the informal tone he took when they talked, ignoring more complaints as both ninja walked to find a seat somewhere at this food court in favor of the warm, sweet taiyaki he'd picked up. More important things were at hand.
When Genma tried holding it out of reach, that's when they had a problem.
Kakashi comes to bother Hyou in the bath - they only let him in if he promises not to read Make-out Tactic excerpts at them again and to leave his "hobby" outside. Almost immediately; Kakashi's clingy, and handsy, and pressing kisses to their back and shoulders through the face towel he wears in the bath.
Hyou complains that there's a bug in here with them now and Kakashi mumbles into their hair that they should probably do something, before it becomes a problem, then asks if he can go "first" today.
They give him a look over their shoulder, mildly annoyed that he's interrupting their solace of rest, but responds with an exasperated "anything for my princess" and takes him against the tub.
At some point Hyou asks if they can see his face and Kakashi agrees, breathless and heavy lidded just the way they remember it. How easily his pale skin flushes is definitely something they've come to appreciate over the time they've been with one another - Hyou runs their thumb across part of the scar that mars his cheek, kisses his beauty mark, then takes their time marking up Kakashi's neck and collarbone as much as they like.
Not like anyone else would be able to see with his mask on all the time, but maybe some part animal of them that Hyou neglects to acknowledge in polite company likes it in this regard.
If Kakashi had his way they'd stay like this for hours, getting pruny and even more pent up in some kind of erotic homosexual soup until they're well and truly fit to burst, but the ninja catch their breath after they both finish; Kakashi between their stomachs in the bath that now runs lukewarm and Hyou buried deep inside him.
Hyou laments that they'd have to wash up again and how this was supposed to be their their evening to relax, but now all they want to do is have dinner and sleep. Kakashi plies them with apologetic kisses, basking in their warmth, and says that doesn't sound like too bad of an idea.
But maybe after a little longer in the bath, since they hadn't had their turn yet, after all.
His kisses were a plea, fingers intertwined while they kept him warm alongside the little glances they'd catch from Kakashi when they looked back. The greedy bastard at least had the decency to ask for permission. Hyou anticipated this from the second Kakashi started getting cuddly again—tipped off by the way he'd bury his face into the crook of their neck and clung to them with a familiar want—and despite the fact that they'd both just finished, they felt him already start to perk up once more against the heat of their thigh.
So really there's little need for complaint when Kakashi takes them doggy style over the edge of the tub, bothering the neighbors or whatever shinobi was patrolling their area with raspy moans, whines, and each other's names wrapped in so much affection you'd think it would be suffocating.
Afterwards, through a thorough actual washing up; both hounds did, in fact, enjoy a warm (reheated) dinner and did nothing else but sleep until dawn.
a/n: feeling real nostalgic over Castle On The Hill so i'm semi back in the writing mines, naruto has unsurprisingly got me AGAIN </3
oc x canon
word count: 0.8k
The younger members of Team Choza and Team Hiashi take a load off for the weekend, though it's been a while since all of them have properly been a unit under their sensei - all of them just got back from respective exhausting missions and want nothing more than to relax.
They've got some cheap spirits thanks to Raidou sneaking them over before prepping to head out on his own mission a little later. It's rare that they all get together like this because of some tensions between some people in the group but for tonight they're just dumb teenagers trying to find some peace between their duties to the village and responsibilities in their personal lives.
It's the first drink for some of them because there are a couple younger than the rest of the group, Azu gets teased by Ebisu and Sou for disliking the taste despite it not being his first, Hyou's nose wrinkles the same but they don't complain because they can't be picky given the situation; a free drink is a free drink.
They young shinobi laugh, they complain, they commiserate, some cry and blame it on the alcohol, they grieve in the same dysfunctional ways they've seen their parents and the other older shinobi around them because it's the only way they know how.
At some point in the night Genma and Hyou get awfully comfortable in each other's space, he even beckons them close and transfers the liquor from his mouth to theirs in a kiss that they're surprised by but don't pull away from; Hyou snickers at him afterwards and calls their old friend nasty (affectionate).
Ebisu groans, airing out his protests about PDA and gross couple stuff while Genma insists that they aren't even a couple, Hyou rolls their eyes. Their attention shifts when Sou questions why Gai's been so quiet this whole time but when Azu leans over to ask what's the matter everyone notices that he's broken into the sweat of silently keeping his gags to himself, though seems to have reached his breaking point.
They all recoil and take a step back when he lean over the gazebo to unceremoniously empty the contents of his stomach; which was, unwisely - nothing, before they started drinking.
A little ways away, Kakashi sits on a rooftop out of sight but his comrades make enough noise to keep an ear out for them - it doesn't take long for Hyou to come up behind him, a little wobbly, and disturb Kakashi's light reading by a holding a cold bottle to his face.
Kakashi doesn't jerk away in surprise but he also doesn't move, he tells them they reek of alcohol and doesn't approve of drinking at their age, Hyou once again rolls their eyes and tells him it's tea from the vending machine then takes a seat next to Kakashi to lean against him, irrespective of his undignified squawk at having his space invaded. They open a bottle of water for themself, a familiar silence settles back in comfortably now that the commotion of teenage shenanigans have died down. It's a wonder no chunin have been sent after them to corral these kids back home.
Hyou mentions with their head on his shoulder that Kakashi's free to join them any time, you know, since they're friends and all, aren't they?
Maybe not to drink because he's a year younger than them still, but there's no reason for him to sit up here all by his lonesome all the time. Kakashi can't bring himself to act annoyed or suppress the undertone of something when he makes the tired excuse that he's been busy.
Raidou comes to check on Genma the next morning before he has to leave for his mission and predictably finds everyone from the group prior strewn about the Shiranui household's living room with what ranged from monumental first-time hangovers to at best minor headaches for the lucky ones.
When he asks his best friend what happened to Hyou, Genma's face twitches in a way that tells Rai that he's unhappy about something and says they never came back last night.
Several blocks down the way, Hyou snores comfortably underneath Kakashi's shuriken pattern sheets while the copynin himself covers his ears with a pillow on the floor.
It does take some time because Kakashi wasn't entirely lying when he said he was busy, as much as one of the village's top ninja at 17 would be in any case, but at a bigger gathering later in the year, everyone's pleasantly surprised to see their antisocial, glum comrade join the celebration.
Gai is over the top and explosively shows his excitement as usual when he sees him, but what Kakashi's lone eye looks for in the crowd is a certain snaggle toothed grin who invited him in the first place. When he finds it, seeing Hyou light up with a wave after spotting him, he thinks to himself that he can put up with being dragged around by the Leaf's loudest Green Beast of Prey for a little while longer before he finds some excuse to slip away.
Kakashi wakes up in the hospital again overusing his sharingan again and turns to see Hyou making little bunnies out of apple slices at his bedside, he asks what the time is
He then says the last time the nurse was here she said he wasn't allowed to have solid food yet but it's a sweet gesture nonetheless with a little smile, Genma pipes up to say who said these were for him in the first place and Kakashi glances over, somehow he managed to miss his presence in his recovery addled mind, still a little (a lot) exhausted
Hyou plays along for a little and they both get to tease the man who's technically their junior even though he supercedes them in rank, eventually Hyou says that he's been out for a while and that he should regain his strength a little before they head out, they promised Konohamaru they'd train with him while his dad was away and would help Kiba give Akamaru a bath later
Kakashi and Genma exist in the comfortable silence while he eats for a little with idle chit chat here and there but it's after Kakashi tucks himself back in that Genma stands at his bedside, arms crossed and looking out the far window, where he mentions that Hyou sure looks out for a lot of people
Kakashi acknowledges this, Genma pushes his forehead back onto the pillow with his index finger and tells him if he knows then he shouldn't give them more to worry about, they've all got a lot on their shoulders but it wouldn't hurt to lean on each other once in a while - they're still his comrades, right?
Whether it's "them" singular for just Hyou or "them" plural for both older ninja is left up in the air after Genma leaves
good morning gamers i'm thinking of tae going through the 7 stages of grief trying to reconcile the fact that he's actually falling for tenzo ie the: "is it okay to want this" -> "oh god i want this" -> "please god let this die with me" -> "fuckfuCKFUCK" -> "he loves me : ]"
hi hello coming back 2 years later back on my bullshit
anyway I think Tenzo's stages would be along the lines of "this is out of convenience" -> "don't get comfortable" -> "this is out of necessity" -> "maybe comfort can be nice" -> "oh god oh fuck oh god oh fuck" -> "i've never been this terrified of losing someone in my life" -> "we're comfortable in (yearn for) each other's space"
Hey all! Medication costs are starting to rack up so i'm trying out a new comm type with these chibi refs
$100 dollars at base, +$50 dollars if the character needs to be designed from scratch (price may vary depending on design complexity)
