In Konohagakure, it was no secret that Copy-Cat-Nin Hatake Kakashi and his best friend (Last Name) (Name) were head over heels for one another. As their closest friends would describe to those new to the overworked gossip mill, the pair were positively infatuated with one another to the point that their mutual adoration was more than just obvious (obvious, that was, if you weren’t either of them). It was just as ridiculous as it sounded when worded aloud, the fact that neither of them knew about the other’s feelings should be an impossibility instead of reality.
As though they were a pair of blind moles, the two of them walked around the truth that hung in the air, seemingly unable to see it for what it was. Their feelings were mutual, undeniably so, but remained unacknowledged by both parties.
Things couldn’t continue on as they were, so everyone knew.
After seeing the couple (of friends, sadly enough) walk on eggshells around the other, their shared friends had decided that enough was enough. Not only was it quite pathetic to see two people, especially their close friends, miss their shot at the love they deserved, but it was also pretty frustrating to have the two of you drunkenly complaining over your supposed unrequited love.
The plan the group consisting of Sarutobi Asuma, Yūhi Kurenai, Maito Gai, and Shiranui Genma created was rather foolproof, that much they could agree upon. Over drunken ramblings of their own they had come up with the idea to somehow force your relationship to progress from friends to lovers, or otherwise, both of you would continue wallowing in self-pity.
“If I hear either of them complain one more time about their feelings being unrequited, I will tell them myself.” Asuma had threatened after dragging a breath of smoke from his cigarette.
Kurenai, who leaned against his arm shook her head with a soft sigh. “I tried. (Name) wouldn’t believe me when I told them. They kept denying it and told me to ‘stop lying to them to make them feel better’.”
“When I told my eternal rival about the love our lovely flower (Name) holds for him, he told me all about how I must have misread their friendly gestures for signs of affection,” Gai added. He took a sip from his almost empty beer and practically slammed the glass back down onto the table. “He does not believe that (Name) could love him.”
“So neither of them will confess on their own because neither believe that the other has feeling for them?” Kurenai summarized.
Without a doubt, they could collectively agree on the fact that their friends were blind idiots.
Asuma took another drag from his cigarette, forming delicate shapes with the smoke. “Force is the only plausible solution.”
“I agree with that,” Genma leaned forward in his seat and placed his chin on his hands in thought. “I have an idea. How about we make either of them jealous? That will surely get them acting on their feelings.”
At that, Gai perked up. “Jealousy?! Oh, how youthful such a proclamation of one’s feelings for the other is!”
“I gotta agree with Gai. That’s genius.” Asuma said.
Against his arm, Kurenai nodded with the slightest furrow of her dark brows. “But how do you plan on doing that?”
With a smug expression, Genma now leaned backward in his seat and chewed on his senbon, making it move upward in his mouth. “We have to get someone to ask (Name) out, preferably when Kakashi is present. That will get him acting for sure.”
“How do you know that it won’t backfire?”
Jealousy was a powerful emotion that could give a mind a complete twist. It was no secret that many who acted upon jealousy fell into a fit of rage, one that made them the servant instead of the master of their own emotions. They were often uncontrollable and also unpredictable, a dangerous combination if underestimated.
Genma let out a short laugh. “It won’t, just relax, Kurenai. And even if he decides to deck me over the head, I will just dodge. Easy as that.”
The others around the table couldn’t help but give the overconfident brunette man looks of doubt, which he merely brushed off. It was decided: Genma would make a faux move on a certain silver-haired’s (Name) to provoke the man into acting so that hopefully, by the end of the day, the two of them were dating. That is, if everything goes according to plan.
***
Already minutes ago, Shiranui Genma had set eyes on his target, you. There was no doubt that you were indeed a sight to behold, with a pair of gleaming e/c-color eyes and a smile so bright it was almost blinding. Were it not for the fact that Kakashi was utterly infatuated with you, Genma may have asked you out by now (but again, he couldn’t do such a thing to a friend, that went against all fundamental rules of camaraderie).
His trademark senbon protruded from his lips, as pointed as ever with the dull end held in place by his tongue. While it was primarily a weapon, it was also a nervous habit of his and one that gave him the confidence needed to enact his plan perfectly, that is once he found the right moment to strike.
As of right now, you weren’t alone. In fact, the silver-haired target number two was standing beside you, almost protectively shielding you from the few civilians walking by with their shopping. From what Genma could make out, the two of you were planning to buy something yourself, most likely something simple from the little shop behind the two of you. According to the mission plan, the two of you were set to go on a mission together the following day, so now you were most likely planning out what you would take along the way. All he needed to wait for was for Kakashi to enter the store and leave you alone for a moment or two, so Genma could hurry over and do his thing.
It was easier said than done, however. The silver-haired was practically attached to your side, as though glued to it. While that hindered the brunette’s plan greatly, he would not allow himself to entirely be deterred from it. Not even Hatake ‘too blind to see the person he loves also loves him’ Kakashi could foil his plan, he wouldn’t allow for that to happen.
His time to strike was once Kakashi turned away from you to enter the store. That was the moment he had been waiting for such an excruciatingly long time.
(Ignoring the prospect that maybe both of you decided to go into the store together then Genma would have to improvise, but fortunately for him, that did not happen.)
Once Kakashi was safely out of view, Genma hurried over to you with a sly grin playing on his lips.
You noticed the brunette practically creeping closer to you immediately. It was difficult to miss him, at least that was what you thought. With the way he had his set of gleaming eyes solely focused on you, as though making a beeline in your direction was also hard to not notice (despite him acting rather sly about it).
Quickly, you glanced behind yourself and into the store, hoping to catch a glimpse of a certain silver-haired making his way back to you or at least standing at the tills already. Yet, there was no one but you, the civilians, and Genma with something clearly on his mind.
Once he was close enough to hear you, you let out a small sigh and peered up at the undeniably handsome man. “What can I do for you, Genma?”
You were well aware of the fact that of you, it was more than just a tad bit unfair of you to react with a small groan to his presence, but you couldn’t keep the annoyance away from your tone. Secretly, you had been hoping to spend your day alone with Kakashi, only you and him with no one else (even though such meet-ups were absolutely deadly to your feelings for him) for yourself to be able to pull yourself together before the mission tomorrow began. While Genma’s new presence certainly was not a bother, since he was the friend of both of you, it was still surprising and again, a bit annoying.
Maybe it was the jealousy bubbling up in your stomach that a person such as Genma was able to express his love for others so easily, that he always blurted out the right words to wrap anyone around his fingers. You, meanwhile, already struggled with confronting your own feelings, nevermind speaking them. How he was able to do everything with such confidence, you wished you knew.
“I really need to talk to you, (Name). It’s really important.” Genma said seriously, the sly expression almost fully wiped off of his face.
Your brows knitted together in obvious confusion, concern slowly rising to your features. “Are you alright? Did something happen?”
Genma winked at you of all things. “You happened.”
Now that confused you even more. Without a doubt, the brunette was a walking enigma.
“I’m sorry- what?”
“You make me go crazy, (Name), make my mind spin and be dizzy, my thoughts spin and my heart beat faster. You do something to me.”
Maybe Genma was not as suave as you had always perceived him to be, but that was not the point. More so, you were confused by his words or confession, if you will. It had come out of the blue, utterly unexpected by poor shocked you, who was still trying to comprehend what had just happened. The warmth of emberassment that rose to your cheeks was utterly mortifying and left you speechless with your mouth gaping open.
“Genma, I-”
“And I’ve got to say, I really like you, (Name), so would you maybe like to go on a date with me?”
Before you could even get one word out of your mouth, a large hand clamped down on your shoulder, startling you. A glance behind yourself revealed the sight of a fuming Kakashi, with his visible eye gleaming with an emotion you found difficult to read and obvious anger. You barely ever saw him in such a state, with his emotions out like that, so that certainly took you by surprise.
“Isn’t it obvious that you are confusing them?” Kakashi spoke, his hand on your shoulder tightening the smallest bit.
From the peripheral of your vision, you could see his gaze flit to your features once before resuming to glare at the brunette man again.
Genma crossed his arms over his chest with a teasing smirk. “I think (Name) can speak for themselves. If they don’t want to go on a date with me and rather with someone else, then they can tell me themselves.”
Your palms felt sweaty once the attention of both men traveled to you. You weren’t entirely used to being the center of attention, so it was both unfamiliar and nerve-wracking for you. While both of the men maybe had the best intentions in mind, they still made you nervous.
Before speaking, you took a deep breath to calm your rising heartbeat. “Genma, I’m s-sorry, but I don’t think I can reciprocate your feelings-” Now Kakashi’s grip on your shoulder loosened. “and I don’t want to lead you on. I would rather stay friends.”
To your explanation, Genma calmly nodded along without interfering at all. Then, he smiled at you as though unbothered by your rejection. “I understand, (Name). I always knew that against Kakashi I had no chance. With the steam practically coming out of his ears, I think it is better if I don’t ask again.”
Against … Kakashi?
Genma’s word barely made any sense to you. Why would he have to compete against Kakashi when it came to your feelings unless … unless … it couldn’t be, could it?
“That’s right. Just as (Name) doesn’t reciprocate my feelings, they don’t yours either.” Kakashi said, his jaw clenching.
Did Kakashi maybe, potentially, share your feelings? The mere concept sounded like a lie to you (even though you heard him just speak it). You know he would never lie to you about such a thing, especially not to hurt you. And yet, it sounded like a fever dream to you.
You just had to know the truth, you were yearning to know, to get a confirmation.
“Kakashi?” Hesitantly, you turned around to face the silver-haired man behind you, making his hand fall off of your shoulder along with your motion. Then you looked up at the silver-man, who appeared to not even have realized that you had spoken his name. As though falling into his own bubble, the man in question froze in an instant, barely blinking as he looked down at your confused figure.
He swallowed harshly and you could see his adam’s apple bop down. “(Name), I-”
With clammy hands, you got yourself to speak the words floating around your mind. “D-do you also have feelings for me, Kakashi?”
In an instant, he froze yet another time before his visible eye widened drastically. “‘Also’?” He whispered almost breathlessly.
Now it was time for you to mirror his position in obvious shock. You hadn’t meant to tell him like that! Rather, you had planned that in a few years, one eventual and lucky day, you would figure out a proper way to do so without stumbling over each word you spoke, to at least have a minuscule chance with him. And now, now you managed to ruin and throw away all of your friends in one go.
The reasons why you hadn’t confessed up until now were glaringly obvious and now, there was no way to backtrack. You had done what you wanted to do for years already, after all.
So, you swallowed your pride and the spit gathering in your mouth and nodded. “I do.” You spoke firmly to keep the nervousness away from your voice.
The many emotions that flashed across Kakashi’s face were too many in mere moments and had you stunned, unable to say anything more but to merely stare at him, awaiting a reply. Whether it would be a rejection or acceptance, or even neither, you just wanted him to somehow react.
With a flush peeking out from underneath his mask, Kakashi looked away from you, fully averting his gaze as he turned his head away. “Why me of all people? I don’t understand, (Name). Couldn’t you have chosen someone else to-”
“No,” You interrupted him immediately with newfound confidence. When it came to erasing his doubts, your passion lit up as a flame would. Gently, you placed your hand onto his masked cheeks to turn him toward you, to be able to face him as you spoke, “I never chose who to fall in love with Kakashi, I just did. Falling in love with you was the easiest thing I have done and something I didn’t want to fight against.”
Slowly, he allowed your hand to turn his head toward you.
“I love you, not anyone else and there is reasons why that is, Kakashi. I love you, for being you. Nothing could ever change that.”
Externally, you appeared calm and most likely lovestruck, but internally, you were pretty much ready to smash your head into the nearest wall. Most likely the warmth spreading onto your face revealed said fact.
You had always known that Kakashi was not an expert when it came to expressing his feelings, especially when he decided to open up and talk about them. The road he walked on was a difficult one with many obstacles in his way that had him close up time and time again, the words not even pushing past his lips. Words were not always his strong suit, but his actions were clear.
The way Kakashi pressed his lips to your own almost felt magical. To be involved with the stunning silver-haired man was something you thought would remain a dream forever, with no realization in sight. And yet, his lips moved slowly against your own, his tongue even teasing your mouth as though begging for entry. His lips were slightly chapped against your own, but regardless of that, anything other than him that you could possibly recognize was drowned out by the harsh beating of your heart drumming in your ears. For you, there was only him.
If you could, you would stay in the position the two of you were in forever. In his presence, you not only felt safe but also loved and appreciated, based on the way your heart thumped against your chest in an irregular manner. It was only once the two of you separated from one another that you took a deep breath to calm yourself down from the sudden euphoria you were experiencing.
Sheepishly, Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck, his face completely red. “If it wasn’t obvious, I like- no wait, I love you too.”
You were sure that, without a single doubt, you were right now the happiest person there was on the planet. Nothing could compare to how you felt at that moment. “I love you too.” You blurted out shortly afterward, unsure of what to say.
Kakashi chuckled. “You may have already mentioned that.”
Again, your face felt warmer than it did before. “I just wanted to remind you.”
“Something like that, I could never forget.”
It may have been the emotion of jealousy that managed to bring the two of you together (but not without an almighty push stemming from an overeager Genma), and yet it would always be your mutual love for the other that would connect you and hold the two of you together. Through wind and weather, you would stand united and hand in hand, and all of that would not have happened if it weren’t for your thoughtful friends.