“Senpai, you need to be more careful”, Yamato scolded with concern lacing his expression. Kakashi had a thick, bloody gash on his chest, with one of his arms slung around the captain’s shoulders. He was carried swiftly through the trees, each step more tiring than the last.
“We should set up camp somewhere”. Kakashi groaned with pain, his free hand making sure there was pressure on the wound on his chest,” Both of us are not in the condition to be traveling much longer”. Normally, if anyone else had said this, Yamtato would usually disagree, but this time he complied with Kakashi’s statement. He took more notice at his own fatigue alongside Kakashi’s.
They’d originally planned to get back to Konoha in one trip, but things go bad. “Your right”, the wood user mumbled,” It’s going to rain harder soon anyways”. The drizzling that had only been faintly noticeable, was now gradually increasing to a soon downpour.
Kakashi and Yamato were sent on a mission to gain some intel and make it back to the village. It seemed easy until the ambush. Apparently those who they needed the info from had anticipated the intrusion and made sure to set up enough traps and guards to keep them off. But nothing ever stops those two. Kakashi somehow managed to get scratched across the chest in the wild scuffle as they escaped. Though their intel was safe and all they needed was a safe place to camp.
***
“Well there goes any plans for a fire”, Kakashi spoke almost sourly as he sat with his back against the wall. The two found shelter in a small cave encased in the thick roots of some trees above. Outside was cold and gloomy with heavy rain splattering against the land while booms of thunder arose in the distance. Yeah, the ninja could’ve used mokuton for firewood or a house even, but the risk of being smoked out and the significant lack of chakra prevented that.
“Well no fire’s better than no shelter”, Yamato replied, creating a little wooden doorway for the cave entrance with a grimace. It was shabby and weak, but it at least kept most of the windy rain from making its way inside.
“Hey, don’t completely exert your chakra”, Kakashi muttered quietly, letting out an audible wince as he readjusted his back. Yamato turned around from the front of the cave and nearly panicked. Kakashi already had his sleeveless undershirt going over his head.
“H-Hey!”, the younger man stuttered, trying to avert his eyes away from his face, “You don’t have to remove your mask!”. Yamato downright refused to look him in the eye.
“Well I didn’t want to catch a cold wearing soaking wet clothes”, Kakashi countered smugly,” And Tenzo, it’s fine, I don’t even care if you see my face or not at this point. You look nervous”. But his junior however, disagreed.
”Im not! I am not nervous! It’s just that-”, mid sentence, Tenzo accidentally glanced up to meet Kakashi’s gaze. The wood user immediately breaking contact, proving his superior’s words. Yamato sometimes thought about what the shinobi’s face looked like, but this, he was not expecting. The small beauty mark by his chin, those lips and that smile which made something spark inside his chest—knowing that almost no one else would get to see that smile in flesh and blood, never knowing how much more handsome— Yamato blinked out his daze, face flushing. “J-Just let me dress it ”. While he gingerly cleaned and wrapped the other man’s wounds up, he couldn’t barely function being as flustered as he was.
Yamato lay on the hard ground, back to his senpai with only a blanket dividing their exhausted bodies from the dirt floor. Despite being right next to each other, it still felt cold. “Tenzo you’re freezing cold”, Kakashi abruptly pointed out,” It’s your clothes. They’re still really wet from the rain”. Yamato never took off any of his sodden clothing, even his vest.
“What are you trying to say, Senpai?”.
“I think you know what I’m trying to say, Kouhai”.
With pure obliviousness, Yamato rolled over with confusion. Kakashi lay on his side, lacking his uniform besides the pants. His face was quickly grew hot at the sight, eyes widening at the realization of how close he was. Yamato anxiously looked up to find Kakashi’s half lidded yet confident gaze entrancing, welcoming even. But quickly turned away, embarrassed from letting his superior see him like this.
“Didn’t think you could ever get this shy, Tenzo”, Kakashi murmured gently, with a small chuckle escaping his lips. “It’s kind of cute”. The silver haired ninja leaned closer until their bodies were nearly pressed up against one another.
His breath caught in his throat in a strangulated stutter,”S-Senpai..?”, he asked softly, face igniting in a bright red blush. “What’re you- What’re you on about?”. Yamato was inwardly panicking as thoughts rushed in and left his mind muddled. Craning his head to glance beside him in the groggy haze. “-Kakashi?”.
Kakashi froze as their eyes locked, face reddening even more. He held an unreadable expression, brow knitted with conflict. Was he this flustered the entire time? Did that mean...?
”I know about how you feel about me”.
The words were sudden. It hit Yamato like a sucker punch to the gut.
“Everyone knows. When you’d get wasted drunk, sometimes you’d end up moping, going on and on about how I’d never like you more than a friend— and sometimes, erm, you’d swoon over the little things you liked about me... which I didn’t think anyone even noticed”. There was a pause, confusion and embarrassment filling the air as the silence dragged on. “You were probably too drunk to even realize what you were even talking about, anyway”, he muttered quietly, looking away with something that resembled guilt. The warmth gradually left as Kakashi slid away.
Yamato shot up,” It wasn’t just the alcohol talking”, he quickly said,” And if you think that I never liked you like that... it’s because.. well a giant dumbass with these things”. Kakashi looked over at him, his expression shifting into happiness. “You always knew what to do, and did everything so flawlessly and wh.. You could say I do admire you in more ways than one”.
The silver haired shinobi smiled,” Oh Tenzo. I’d never guess that you’d be the one sweet talking”, he exhaled, sitting up as well. Tenzo didn’t respond but instead leaned in closer until their lips were only inches apart and their foreheads touched.
“I guess this is payback then”, he spoke softly, enamored as he stared more closely into his eye, gaze faltering to his lips. “-for all the ramen..”, Yamato’s voice trailed off as he fell into the serenity of the moment, slowly gravitating towards the shinobi without noticing himself.
It was quick. It was fast. Kakashi’s hands flew up, carefully grabbing the sides of his face before pulling him forwards. Lips locked with much needed relief, warmth exploding from their bodies. Yamato let out a muffled groan, hands finding themselves at the base of his partner’s neck. His lips were surprisingly soft, like dampened petals with the morning’s dew. Kakashi brought his body up against the younger man’s more, lips parting ever so often for a quick, heavy breath. Yamato, too engrossed in the sudden euphoria, didn’t know he’d been tipping over until the second his back met the ground. It’s not like he cared nonetheless.
Kakashi pulled away, panting as he peered down at his kouhai. “I regret not doing this sooner”, the white haired man whispered hoarsely,” Tenzo”. Yamato’s eyes were wide as he looked up at the shinobi, out of breath.
“God, I love you”