Disclaimer – Characters belong to Kishimoto Masashi.
The Bouncer
"I'm telling you, this guy tossed all five of them out without breaking a sweat. By himself. In no more than a couple minutes. And, he was grinning!" Genma swore, gesturing with his hands as if the movements made it all the more believable.
"What's your point? So what if he did?" Raidou drawled, sipping his beer as he leaned back with his legs stretched out in front of him.
"Guys, I'm trying to watch the game," Kakashi spoke up then yawned. Okay, so the game was boring this week. Still, he didn't want to hear Genma going on about whatever guy had taken his fancy this time. It was always the same with Genma. One guy showed a little muscle, stood out from the crowd just a little bit, and the dirty blond was 'in love'.
Ignoring Kakashi, Genma waved his hand again, beer bottle and all. "Do you know what kind of guys Tanaka and his goons are?"
"I've seen them. I'm still not seeing the big deal." Raidou yawned himself. Genma's hero worship was nothing new to him, either. In fact, he hated it, but he'd never tell Genma to outright stop bothering him with it, but his indifference was plain to see.
"It usually takes three or four guys, at least, to toss them out, with difficulty. Especially, when they're drunk."
"Let's go then." Kakashi turned off the game and yawned again. He needed to do something before he fell asleep from boredom. There was something about this mystery bouncer that tickled at his mind, something familiar in all that Genma had said. He wanted to put it to rest, as well.
"Huh?" Genma intelligently said, not following what Kakashi meant. He'd, more or less, been ignoring him, his attention focused on Raidou as he told him about the new bouncer.
"Go where?" Raidou asked, likewise not understanding. He worried what harebrained idea Kakashi was cooking up this time. Bored Kakashi was a dangerous thing. Bored Kakashi plus hyper Genma was near deadly, but somehow usually just for Raidou.
Kakashi rolled his eyes. They were helpless. "He wants us to see this new bouncer, so let's go." He stood and headed for the door. It was early on a Thursday, so not many people would be at Tsunade's. The two shared a look, jumping up to follow. "Maybe they'll have a fight on or something."
"He may not even be there," Raidou pointed out. Not that he objected to going either way. Though, part of him hoped he wasn't so they wouldn't have to put up with Genma drooling over him all night.
"Doesn't matter. May have something better on TV. And, I'll at least have beer in my fridge tomorrow." Genma and Raidou rarely left him any after a night of watching a game, or whatever other reason they were over at his place.
"Cheap bastard." Raidou mumbled, not bringing up the fact that it was his beer in Kakashi's fridge. He was the one that had bought it and brought it over, after all. Kakashi rarely restocked his own alcohol.
"He'll be there. Worked every night since he started." Genma was practically bouncing, not that he seemed to know it. While his friends were completely aware of his behavior, and the reasons behind it, he steadfastly denied any and all implications. Sometimes they wondered if he truly was ignorant to it all.
"What are you? Captain of his fan club?" Raidou eyed his friend. This was getting nearly as bad as when Genma had set his worship on his former CO turned police captain, or when it had been Kakashi. If it got much worse, he was getting piss ass drunk and that was that.
"Or his stalker..." Kakashi added indifferently. He, too, remembered both instances. Trying to convince Ibiki that Genma hadn't gone insane had been difficult, especially since the man was a seasoned military and police officer highly trained in torture, interrogation, and profiling. As for when he'd been the center of Genma's world... Well, that had been very hilarious, and he'd had lots of fun, mostly at Raidou's expense. It wasn't lost on him Genma's timing with the whole thing, either. It had helped him get out of a funk he'd been in after... He wasn't going to think about that.
"I am not!" Genma snapped, a bit too loud, drawing every eye on the street to them. "Temes," he growled at Kakashi and Raidou under his breath.
Raidou shook his head as he followed the other two to the bar, Kakashi asking teasing and embarrassing questions about just how much Genma knew about this guy. Their long haired friend was decidedly closed lipped, sharing not a single detail, not even a name, which seemed a bit out of character for Genma. Instead, he began to ask probing questions back at Kakashi, using a great deal of the same questions the silver-haired man was asking about the bouncer. He got the inkling Genma was up to something.
The scarred man sighed. He hated being the 'normal' one.
- - - - - - -
Genma had visibly deflated when there was no sign of the mystery bouncer. Asking Kotetsu, who was stuck serving at the bar, much to said man's displeasure, if he was there, Genma was informed he had another job and was due in anytime for his shift. Spirits lifted, the long-haired man returned to the other two.
The wait for the bouncer's arrival was short lived, and he made his presence known in a way that left everyone speechless. Kakashi had just returned from talking Kotetsu out of the remote for the big screen TV, and was about to sit down, when from behind him he heard "Kakashi!" exclaimed in loud excitement. Only out of instinct and experience was he prepared, with wide shocked eyes, for the bone crushing embrace from behind that lifted him clean off his feet.
Except for the TV, which had stopped on some awful talk show or another, you could have heard a pin drop. All eyes were on Kakashi and the man behind him.
"Gai?" Kakashi asked, wide eyes on Genma. "Gai's your mystery bouncer?" That explained why the vague details about the guy had sounded familiar.
Genma smirked. "Are you really surprised, after the little I did tell you?"
"Why the hell were you acting like a love sick bafoon?" Raidou demanded, annoyed that it was some stupid joke, but not overly surprised Genma would pull something like this, that he had.
"I was pulling one over on Kakashi!" He responded, like it explained everything in the world. "Do you know how hard that is?" He was clearly very proud of himself. All the... 'love sickness' had merely been his excitement at setting up Kakashi, which worked to his advantage. He knew how he came across about some guys, even if the others thought he didn't. If only it would finally have the desired outcome he wanted...
"You can put me down now, Gai." Kakashi spoke indifferently, but tone slightly cool, over his shock at the sudden appearance of the loud man. He was now bordering on being angry with Genma. Not because of him pulling a joke, he could take a joke. No, it was the joke itself that upset him.
"Of course!" Gai lowered Kakashi to his feet and stepped back, grinning broadly at seeing the other man. "It has been a long time, my friend."
"I didn't know you were back in town," his voice was guarded and he looked in no one's direction as he sat, returning his attention, instead, to channel surfing. He had yet to spare Gai a single glance.
"Just last week." Gai watched Kakashi's back, reading how tense he truly was, even if he appeared to be sitting in his normal languid manner. He had felt it when he touched him, and he could tell it hadn't left the thin frame.
"Hn," was the only response Kakashi offered, his eyes never leaving the TV, never blinking.
Genma looked to Raidou, confused. He thought Kakashi would have a laugh over the joke and have a beer with Gai, the two catching up on the time since they'd last seen one another. Kakashi had been so upset when Gai had left. He thought the silver-haired man would be happy to see their friend. He was even more confused, and concerned, when Kakashi suddenly stood. "I'll see you two later," he spoke to Genma and Raidou before turning and brushing by Gai, still not looking at the other man.
Gai watched him go, kicking himself for thinking Kakashi would be happy to see him. He should have never agreed to Genma's plan, but he was so excited to see Kakashi himself, that he'd never really thought of what would happen once they were face to face, or face to back as the case was.
"What's going on?" Genma asked Raidou, who only shook his head, eyes saying he had no more idea than Genma did. "Gai?" Genma looked to the black-haired man, but the moment he spoke his name, Gai seemed to realize he had to follow Kakashi, and he ran after the silver-haired man. "What the hell is going on?" Genma demanded to the mostly empty bar.
"I don't know," Raidou answered. "But, I don't like it." Gai and Kakashi had been close, very close. What could have made Kakashi more or less ignore Gai? Especially after moping for so long that he was gone.
- - - - - - -
"Kakashi!" Gai ran after the other man, not caring that he very well may get hit once he caught up to him. They needed to talk, whether Kakashi wanted to or not. He knew the other would never outright run away, but he did note a slight pick up in the speed the smaller man walked.
Kakashi had rounded the corner and was crossing the street when he felt the hand wrap around his arm. He'd heard the footsteps, could have avoided the grab, but a part of him wanted to address what was left hanging between them. A part of him wanted to see Gai, hear him, feel him close.
"Let go of me, Gai." His voice was even, quiet.
"We have to talk." Gai did not remove his grip as they crossed the street. He was afraid if he let go that Kakashi would get away. That was something he really didn't want.
"Fine. My apartment." He jerked free. "You do remember were that is, right?" He asked sarcastically. His tone was beginning to grow defensive, maybe even angry, something Gai had rarely heard.
Gai nodded mutely, figuring it best not to antagonize Kakashi. Especially since he had no idea what may set him off. So, the two made their way to Kakashi's apartment in silence, uncomfortable silence.
Once at the apartment, Gai felt a bit nervous, apprehensive. He'd not been there since the last time he'd seen Kakashi, eighteen months before, give or take a week or two. They had said little that night, not even good bye. All because Kakashi had said one small sentence, six words, that had rocked Gai's world.
Looking around, not much had changed. Kakashi was a creature of habit and had little in the way of material possessions, so Gai was not surprised. The place was clean and neat, a trait shared by many former military officers and soldiers. If nothing else, looking around gave him an excuse to not meet the angry eyes of who he hoped was still his oldest and truest friend.
"What do you want, Gai?" Kakashi stood with his arms crossed just passed the small foyer, in the living room. He gazed at Gai with an indifferent, bordering on angry, gaze. The silver-haired man was finding it difficult to control his emotions, but he didn't want to give Gai the satisfaction of gaining a reaction.
"To talk. It's been a long time..."
"You left, Gai. Don't pretend it isn't your fault we haven't talked," Kakashi cut him off. Gai could pretend everything was alright if he wanted, but Kakashi knew better.
"I had to get away, to think..."
"You could have told me that instead of just walking out and not coming back. Not talking to me or anyone. Did you even stay in contact with Lee?" The control on his anger was beginning to slowly slip. All the idiot had to do was say he needed time to think. He knew Kakashi well enough, or so Kakashi thought, to know the slightly smaller man would let him have time to do so, no pressure.
"Of course I did," Gai bit out, not meaning to snap. This was why he wanted to, if only for the night, pretend that nothing had happened. He had hoped, and he knew it was a pointless hope, that Kakashi would just move on, act like nothing had happened. That he would have just been happy to see Gai. Even though a part of Gai, a large part, wanted Kakashi to feel like he had, like Gai did.
"Just not me." Kakashi sighed, sounding defeated. He turned away, going to pour himself some sake. Before the night was over, he'd need to be piss drunk, or at least he wanted to be.
"Kakashi ..." Gai could read the hurt in his friend's posture, voice. Even if the other was trying to hide it, likely even from himself.
"Don't." One simple compound word, but it spoke volumes to what might happen if Gai persisted on his present course. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, Gai was never good at listening to such warnings.
"I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you. You know I'd never hurt anyone important to me. I just wasn't sure..."
"You left, Gai!" Kakashi again cut him off. "You walked out that door, without a word, a year and a half ago. All you can say is you're sorry? That you didn't want to hurt me? What the HELL did you THINK I'd feel?!" It wasn't often that Kakashi ever raised his voice, and certainly not to scream at someone like he was. To emphasize his words as much as what he was feeling, he turned and slung the sake saucer at Gai's head.
Then, as if all his fight, his strength was needed for that one action, his shoulders slumped. "How could you think that wouldn't hurt me?" His voice was soft, hurt.
If Gai didn't know Kakashi better, he would have swore then and there the man was about to cry. "I suppose I did know it would, but I didn't know what else to do." He took a step toward Kakashi, noticing that the other man was trembling as he did. "Kakashi?" Was he actually crying? Gai felt like someone had stabbed him in the gut.
"You could have talked to me. We could have acted like I never said anything. You didn't have to leave, to make me feel like you hated me." Kakashi was refusing to look at him again.
"Kakashi ..." Reaching for him, Gai's hand was smacked away, but he would not let that deter him. Gai pulled him to his chest, holding him tightly even as he gave a meager struggle to get away. "I had to decide what I needed to say to you. I'm sorry I left as I did, and that you felt as you did because of it." He spoke softly, into Kakashi's hair. "But, I didn't want to screw anything up. It seems like I did."
Kakashi stopped his struggling, finally slumping into Gai. "You left me," he said softly. "We could have pretended..."
It was Gai's turn to interrupt him. "I didn't want to do that to you." He talked into his hair, tightening his hold of the slighter man. "I wanted to know before I said something."
"Know?" Kakashi could read a lot into what Gai was saying, but he wasn't sure if he should assume anything, especially with Gai.
"My feelings." He sighed softly, making the silver strands dance briefly in the small gust of air. "I've been training with various masters and monks, trying to find the answer. The longer I was gone, the harder it was to focus on the training, the soul searching. Then, I realized that none of it was going to tell me anything. I could do it all here."
Kakashi felt Gai squeeze him briefly as he set his chin on his head. Part of him realized that Gai had never held him like this before, but again he didn't want to read too much into anything. He would relish in the touch for as long as it lasted.
After a small pause, to see if Kakashi was going to say anything tot what he had said so far, Gai continued. "When I decided to come back, to face having left... You were all I could think about, and that scared me," he admitted, and Gai never admitted to being scared of anything.
The slighter man shifted, looking up at Gai. "We can't just..." He wasn't sure how to finish the sentence. In a way, he'd be lying if he said they couldn't just move on, jump in with both feet. It would also be a lie to say he didn't want to. Yet, he knew that, if he wanted this to work long term, he'd have to put his foot down now, take it in baby steps.
"I know." Gai gave a genuine smile, and Kakashi felt his belly flutter. He liked the small smiles so much better than the cocksure grins. "But, I don't know how... What to do."
"Just... Just stay like this for now." He would worry about the baby steps later. For the time being, he just wanted to be held.
- - - - - - -
The slow progression of mending their friendship and building a relationship was almost maddening to them both, but they knew it had to be done in such a way that they had a firm foundation with no doubts or regrets. They started out with the occasional drink at the bar, then staying in with the guys for a game or fight on the TV. Kakashi began to help Gai and Lee with their community work, and Gai spent more of Kakashi's lunch breaks with him at the favored police lunch spot. Over a month or so, they progressed to friendly movie outings and dinners in not so intimate settings. They started going to games, instead of just watching them, and after three months there wasn't a night they didn't spend together doing something, unless work interfered.
Six months, being a nice round amount of time in Kakashi's opinion, was long enough with the tiny baby steps. It was then that he made the first move, taking Gai's hand as the other man watched a movie while he had his nose in a book. And, when Gai got up to head home later, he walked him to the door and kissed him good night.
Three months of casual hand holding and chaste kisses followed the initial ones, and Kakashi decided the next step had to be Gai's. That didn't mean, however, that he couldn't hint at it. With some carefully placed words and the teeniest of touches here or there, accidental in nature if not thought about, Gai extended their nightly chaste kiss be drawing Kakashi into his arms and licking his way into the others mouth.
After just one of those kisses, both men knew that slow wasn't going to last anymore. It took only a week for the nightly kisses to turn into nightly make out sessions, which grew longer and longer by the night until one night the inevitable couldn't be staved off anymore.
The two men were reclined on the couch but had long since forgotten that they had money riding on the basketball game on the screen. It wasn't like they ever lost a bet with Tsunade anyhow. Instead, Gai was laying on his back with his hands up inside Kakashi's t-shirt. The other had his head tossed back as he panted softly and arched into the touch. Gai had been touching his body while leaving love bites along his neck for what felt like hours but was likely only several minutes.
Kakashi was laying on Gai, their legs entwined and hips flush together. His own hands were busy holding him somewhat upright as he arched into hands and mouth, moaning softly every time Gai decided to tease one of his sensitive places. For not the first time, Kakashi wondered just what all sorts of masters Gai had visited while gone if he was this good at turning him to goo so quickly. He knew the other had never been with a man before, at least not before he left, but he seemed to know just how to touch, where to touch.
The silver-haired man rubbed his hips down into the hardness beneath them as he felt a hand snake down the back of his jeans. He shivered as the hiss that escaped Gai ghosted over the sensitized, moist flesh of his neck. He could feel himself leaking against the inside of his pants and decided a change of position was called for.
Gai paused as he felt Kakashi begin to move, watching as he sat up and slide his legs to straddle Gai's hips. The ebony-haired man licked his lips as he looked up into lust filled eyes and spied the small smirk gracing kiss swollen lips. He couldn't help but moan as he arched his back, Kakashi sliding his hands inside of Gai's hoodie and dragging his nails down over taunt skin and hard muscle.
Not one to lay prone and let his boyfriend do all the work, Gai pulled his hand from the back of Kakashi's pants, where it had stayed when the other had moved, and ran his hands up the lithe frame above him, taking the shirt with them. Once the barrier of cloth was out of his way, he pulled Kakashi down and began to lick and suck the pale skin, marking a path as his mouth moved.
Kakashi raised his hips then shifted them down, rubbing their clothed erections together in small thrusts. He relished in the feel of the lips, teeth, and tongue dancing across his chest and shoulders, imagining the mouth going other places, drawing out pleasure on the rest of his body. Arching his back, he rubbed on Gai harder, urging him with needy moans to do something more before he went crazy.
The return of the hand down the back of his jeans only made him rock harder, but the addition of the second found him held in a firm grip and unable to move. With a whine, he wiggled against the hold. He wanted to move, to feel all of Gai stretched out against him. Just as he was about to tell Gai to do something, anything, though whether it would be a demand or begging he didn't know, he felt the mouth pull away as well.
"Wha..." He looked down at the other in confusion and bordering irritation. Why the hell was he stopping? If he planned to leave it as it was, Kakashi was going to kill him.
"Before we... I need..." Gai sighed. It was going to be harder to say than he thought. "Say it again, Kakashi. I need to hear it. I want to do this right." Gai's gaze flicked between meeting Kakashi's and staring at all the red marks he'd left on the pale chest.
Kakashi stared at Gai in mild surprise a moment before smiling at him fondly. He leaned over so their noses touched and the only way for Gai to not look at him was to close his eyes. Bestowing a small, chaste kiss, Kakashi whispered one small sentence. Six words that had torn his world apart nearly two and a half years before. Six words he hoped were about to cement the rest of his life with the man below him.
Hearing the words that had scared him what felt like forever ago, Gai surged forward the tiny distance between their mouths. His kiss made all they had shared up to that point seem mild, tame. Their lips clashed, teeth clicked together, and tongues dueled passionately. It was like a fire had been sparked inside Gai that was instantly an inferno, smothering and burning Kakashi alive in its wake.
It didn't take long for Gai to lose his hoodie and undershirt. Nor for Kakashi to find himself completely nude. He was busy working on Gai's pants while rubbing their bare erections together when Gai grasped his hips. For a split second, he wondered if Gai was stopping again, but then he was drawn up the body beneath him until he found himself straddling Gai's shoulders. He looked down at him curiously.
The smirk that Gai gave him made him shiver. Then all there was, was the sensation of a hot wet mouth on his rock hard cock. His hips moved against the vise-like grip that held them of their own accord. He whimpered in pleasure and need, feeling the tongue and lips caress his straining flesh in ways that sent shivers up and down his spine. Gai was not the most talented he'd had suck his cock, but the passion and love he felt from him as he did made up for all of it.
He was a writhing mass of nerves, wriggling and moaning as Gai shifted him yet again. He couldn't help but stroke himself as he felt the strong wet muscle in Gai's mouth tease his anus. He whimpered as it pushed inside. "Gai ..."
Knowing that Kakashi was masturbating as he probed the tight, pale ass with his tongue made Gai moan and reach his own hand down and shove his pants further out of his way. He wrapped a strong tanned hand around himself, stroking in time with the slight rocking motion of the hips above him, tongue wiggling and tasting. Each gasp, moan, and whimper above him made him ache all the more to be inside Kakashi.
Finally, he pulled his mouth away and moved Kakashi to sit on his chest. He met the mismatched eyes, panting and licking his lips. The fingers of his free hand entered his own mouth, sucking and wetting them as he watched Kakashi stroke himself. He watched how the other watched his fingers disappear in his mouth, heard how his breath caught at the sight.
After teasing a little longer, he pulled the fingers out with a small pop. Then, he moved his hand behind Kakashi, slowly preparing him. Leaning up, his mouth joined Kakashi's hand on the other's cock, suckling at the head as his fingers searched for the small bundle of nerves inside the lithe man.
"Gai!" Kakashi jerked his hips forward when Gai found what he was looking for. "Gai, take me now. I can't take it anymore," Kakashi begged. His hand tightened on his cock, not wanting to come yet.
"Need something..." Gai began to say.
"I am not getting off you, and you are not getting up," Kakashi said firmly. He could take a little pain. As long as Gai moved slowly, they should be alright.
"I'm not hurting either of us." Gai pushed Kakashi up and off, moving to stand up.
"Well hurry the fuck up," Kakashi growled, laying back on the couch with his legs spread, one hand being used as a makeshift cock ring while the other stroked himself. Gai didn't need told twice.
The tan-toned man rushed down the hall, nearly falling on his face before he was able to kick his jeans and boxers off his ankles, and following the shouted directions behind him to get the tube in the top drawer of Kakashi's chest of drawers. He only vaguely acknowledged the various sex toys that also graced the drawer, just grabbing what he needed and rushing back to Kakashi. The sight before him, of Kakashi fingering himself as he waited, made his cock weep in need.
Gai batted Kakashi's hand out of the way, coming to kneel between his knees and kissing him deeply. He spread lube around the tight ring of muscle and just inside before lubing his own cock and resting its head at Kakashi's entrance.
They both hissed as he finally slowly pushed inside. A few thrusts later, Kakashi felt safe enough to stroke himself. They were both close, and he was confident that he would not come too long before his lover. He let his body move with Gai's, riding the waves of pleasure, the fire burning through his blood, the electricity across his skin. The coupling was basic. There was no finesse, no grace, but the passion and emotion didn't give Kakashi time to notice.
All too soon, it was over. Kakashi felt both energized and tired at the same time, as he came all over himself. He panted and watched Gai's face closely as it contorted in pleasure. He whimpered at both the feel and sight of Gai coming. The way Gai's seed coated and warmed his insides made him shiver and moan.
Gai smiled down at Kakashi, slowly pulling free from the limp body beneath him. With the last of his energy, he lifted him up and carried him to his bedroom. He got him in bed then went to get a damp cloth, cleaning himself off before going to do the same to Kakashi, who smiled at him with a dopey smile as he did. Once done, he returned to his lover and got them under the covers and held him close.
Just as they were about to drift into welcome sleep, he heard that sentence again, in his memory. That small sentence. Six little words. He smiled and kissed Kakashi lovingly even though he was mostly asleep. "I love you, Kakashi." The small smile on the silver-haired police officer's face was the last thing he saw before he fell into a peaceful sleep. In his mind, that little sentence played again.
Gai, I'm in love with you.