“Soul meets soul on lover’s lips.” -Percy Bysshe Shelly
“Oi, Kakashi!” a loud voice calls out to him as he walks by a fruit stall by the road. He is on his way home from submitting a mission report at the Hokage office. A fruit stall owner who always greets him every morning calls out to him. He stops on his track and makes his way to the side of the busy street.
The fruit stall owner is busy packing something in a big white box. As Kakashi approaches the stall and lifts a hand as a sign for greeting, the stall owner pushes a white box to his chest. He instinctively holds it with both arms. The citrusy scent fills up his nose.
“I’ve been wanting to thank you for helping me the other day and today, I happen to have extra tangerines,” the fruit stall owner says while stacking another box on top of the one in Kakashi’s hands. “You can share this with your cute genins. If those are not enough, I’ve got plenty more! Hahaha!”
Kakashi laughs politely. He cannot refuse the offer. Not when he is so worn out after coming back from a 3-days mission. Speaking of his three cute genins, this is the first time they were given separate missions. Of course, being in the same team doesn’t mean you will be assigned to a mission together. Sometimes, missions required certain shinobi who specialized in certain areas to balance the work dynamic.
The weight of the boxes on his arms doesn’t bother him at all, thanks to all his training and missions. However, he is having a hard time walking as the stacking boxes are blocking his vision.
“Kakashi-san?” a familiar voice calls out to him. He turns to his right to see Iruka looking at him dumbfoundedly.
“Maa, Iruka-sensei. May you lend me a hand?” ask Kakashi.
Iruka quickly grabs one box from him. They never talk much with each other. Just exchange greetings and a few small talks about the day. This time too, they talk about Team 7, particularly Naruto who Iruka has been really worried about.
The two lads reach in front of Kakashi’s house.
“Um..would you like to join me for dinner? I mean I’ve got a lot of oranges,” Kakashi asks, while his hand scratches the back of his head. A faint blush forms on his uncovered cheek.
“Tangerine for dinner?” Iruka chuckles, “why not?”
—----------------------
Kakashi peels the tangerine. He spends his time peeling every last bit of the pith. Iruka looks at him, fascinated by the unexpected habit.
“So, you’re the type to peel the white thing on the tangerine,” Iruka asks while peeling his own tangerine.
“Maa, I hate the bitterness of this thing,” he replies while putting a piece into his mouth.
“They are not bitter. You just have a sensitive tongue.”
This overall calm ambience is far different from all the missions Kakashi went on. With Iruka sitting next to him in the kotatsu. Stray strands of hair fallen from the loose hair tie framing his face. Engulf in each other's presence. He wants to secure this moment in his palm. Lock the memory in a box and never let go.
After a few piles of tangerine peels later, Kakashi’s voice breaks the silence.
“Are you okay with me?” he asks quietly. Eyes never leave the tangerine in his hands.
Iruka startles. Never expecting this question from Kakashi. However, the man’s anxiety is truly understandable. Their relationship might be vague as Kakashi has never elicited any advances toward him. Needless to say, they haven’t had their first kiss with each other yet. His mind wanders to the day Kakashi confesses to him. There is uncertainty on the man’s face, and his words and nervous action are far different from the usual Sharingan Kakashi of Hidden Leaf. His face however, well at least his eye, Iruka could see the child like innocent. That made Iruka’s heart flutter for the first time.
“It has to be you.”
Iruka is aware of how the man acts around him. Kakashi is usually calm and collected during missions. Always stays alert in every situation. Contrary to the person in front of him, so vulnerable and self-conscious. Is this how Kakashi usually is? Or is he unconsciously letting off his guard around Iruka? Being with Kakashi like this warms Iruka's heart.
“I’m very fond of you, you know,” Iruka says. Hand reaching toward Kakashi’s. He gently strokes his hand, attempting to ease the uneasiness in Kakashi’s heart.
Kakashi looks up to meet Iruka’s face. He gently cups Iruka's face with both his hands. His droopy eyes wander on Iruka's dark brown eyes. The same pair that holds every emotion whether in sadness or joyous moments. The eyes that reflect his heart. His eyes always find Iruka's, longing for his attention every time Kakashi sees him at the academy or during a meeting. It was his clear brown eyes that gave out his soft and kind look.
Kakashi’s gaze falls onto the scar stretched across Iruka's nose bridge. The scar is lighter in tone compared to his sunkissed complexion. Kakashi’s heart flutters whenever blush creeps across Iruka's face, making the scar light up soft pink as well as his ear lobes. His precious person is so gorgeous.
“Kakashi-san”, the soft voice calling his name.
Now, his gaze fixes on Iruka’s lips, calling his name. He has thin, slightly upcurved corner lips that give a serious yet playful expression. Kakashi has always been a sucker for those lips. Iruka’s lips curved up into an awkward smile whenever Naruto said something stupid, or when his thin lips stretched into a straight line in a serious situation, or when a small giggle slipped out of those lips whenever he’s being teased, everything about those lips always left Kakashi in awe.
For instance, at this moment.
“Can I kiss you?” Kakashi finally said, eyes still fixated on Iruka's lips. Thumb softly rubbing the corner of Iruka’s mouth.
Iruka leaves out a small chuckle, “Idiot,” he says quietly.
Iruka closes the gap between them. Two lips instinctively draw to each other. Iruka’s hand finds Kakashi's, encouraging him to go deeper. Kakashi holds his breath, never wanting to disturb this moment, their moment. Everything feels right. It always feels right with Iruka.
Iruka slowly pulls apart first, resting his forehead on Kakashi’s. Gentle palms still on his cheeks. Soft breathing hitting his face. The rustling sound of the old aircon fills the tranquility, as well as the sound of their beating heartbeats.
The sun is letting down its curtain, illuminating the apartment with a deep orange hue through the window. Soft smiles are carved on each of the lovebirds' lips. Skin flush from the blushing after their innocent yet tender first kiss. Kakashi gently strokes the loose strands of Iruka’s hair behind his ear. Fingers softly grazing the warmth of the man’s cheeks. He looks so ethereal, so gorgeous.
Kakashi leans in again to plant a kiss on the scar across his nose bridge. Lips flutter softly on the warm skin, Iruka’s giggle fills up the room. Sounds like music to his ears. Iruka throws his body into Kakashi’s embrace. Never wanting to let go of each other’s warmth.
Kakashi might have fucked up their first kiss because he imagines it would be after a date at a fancy restaurant. In contrast, they are in his shitty apartment, with orange peels sprawling across the kotatsu. Yet, all he can think is that his lips taste like tangerine.
Well this is their way of romance and both of them like it.