Tenzou smiled wearily as Kakashi downed his 6th drink. The lightweight was becoming more vocal by the minute.

This is what I wanted wasn't it? For him to loosen up and enjoy himself around other people?

He wondered resignedly why he had thought this was a good idea. While Kakashi certainly was loosening up. He was losing certain traits that made him fundamentally Kakashi. The social outcast was fast becoming a charismatic socialite brimming with false confidence. He winked lazily from across the coffee table. At some point in the last hour he had pulled up his headband to reveal his Sharringan for no apparent reason.

From Kakashi's point of view it made perfect sense. How was Tenzou supposed to know he was winking at him if he only had one eye uncovered? His Sharringan captured the small blush his partner struggled to hide at the 5th wink he had thrown him in the last 2 minutes. He really was enjoying himself.

Alcohol isn't so bad…

"Kakashi." Tenzou whispered harshly, snapping his fingers in front of the other man's face when he didn't get a response.

"Tenzou." Kakashi responded in kind, using the same harsh tone of whisper.

"Dude, you need to slow down. It's going to catch up with you and you won't be ready."

Kakashi stared at him blankly, a frown furrowing his brows.

"Did you just dude me?" He asked, anger lacing his voice.

"Yes. I did." Tenzou snapped, sitting back in his chair. "Sorry. You heard me though didn't you ?" He asked with a smug smile.

"Mhmm." Kakashi answered, sitting back in his own chair and cross his arms. "Don't dude me. You call your friends dude… I'm not just your friend anymore remember?"

Tenzou nodded slowly, understanding the words his partner hadn't said.

If you treat me like your friend, people won't know you love me.

Tenzou thought, reading between the lines.

Or perhaps he thinks. If you treat me like your friend… I won't know you love me.

He sighed allowed, standing and moving around the table they were both sitting in front of to slip down next to his lover. His own fingers intertwined with a long slender hand as his thigh connected with another.

"I love you." He whispered, rubbing his free hand over the top of their connected ones. He felt Kakashi relax next to him and instantly knew he had made the right choice. He mentally chastised himself. Even after 2 months together he still wasn't used to having to watch his words. Although not normally an outspoken man himself he had never been forced to mentally filter the words that fell from his lips. But it seemed that with Kakashi he was forced to analyse everything he wanted to say lest the genius took it the wrong way.

It was emotionally exhausting being a source of constant reassurance for someone so insecure. Although he never let it show, it was taking a toll on him. The usually calm and polite Tenzou was finding himself losing his temper more often than usual. His patience was almost non-existent with his ANBU team. A fact that was wreaking havoc with his career.

While Kakashi thought he was out training he was actually responding to an official summons from the Hokage. Twice in the last week she had called him in to talk about his behaviour. Things were not going well.

He knew deep down that it wasn't Kakashi's fault he was having problems at work. He could be nicer to his team. He could make an effort to get more sleep. Even if it meant telling Kakashi no instead of staying up until way past midnight making love.

Although it was exhausting, he honestly didn't mind being the source of Kakashi's security. Being his rock made him feel needed. In the same way he supposed that it made the other man feel wanted.

His thoughts were interrupted by Kakashi standing. He looked down at Tenzou to make sure he was being watched as he pointed to the bathroom. Tenzou nodded, leaning back in the chair once more to survey the rest of the party while Kakashi relieved himself. He wasn't left with much time for contemplation as another heavy presence sat down in his partners place.

"Surprised you didn't go with him" Asuma smirked, nudging him with a strong arm.

"What's that?" He asked, startled by the insinuation.

"No… Not for that." Asuma chuckled, giving him a faintly disgusted look at the thought. "I mean he may as well be surgically attached to you the way he's been hovering all night." He smiled, handing the younger man a drink. He took it, grateful for the second of distraction.

"Oh… Yeah." Tenzou smiled meekly, catching the unasked question.

"I didn't peg Kakashi as the clingy type?" Asuma asked with a raised brow.

"Well… I wouldn't call him clingy." Tenzou laughed, grinning in to his drink.

"What would you call it then?" He was asked complacently.

"Um…" Tenzou thought. There wasn't really another word. He suddenly realised. "Clingy." He coughed awkwardly. Defeated by the question.

Asuma nodded, eyeing the bathroom door to try and gage how much genuine conversation time they had left before the Copy Ninja returned.

"I told you he's damaged goods right?" He asked. It was Tenzou's turn to nod.

"Is clingy bad?" He questioned, already knowing the answer. Asuma ignored the rhetorical question and chose to answer the one he knew the other man desperately wanted to ask in its place.

What do I do?

"This is a good start. He needs to socialise with more people. He can't rely solely on you for his companionship all the time. That's the mistake Iruka made." He said quietly, leaning in before continuing. "I'm not saying you two are going to end up fighting in front of Genin in the mission's room but being that constant source of emotional support for someone is exhausting."

"I know." Tenzou replied simply. Asuma nodded, realising it must already be getting to him.

"Try and get him out of the house more often. That's my only advice. That and get Guy involved. He's good with him." He whispered hastily as he watched the bathroom door open. Tenzou thanked the other man quietly, wondering how someone so young could be so wise as he watched Kakashi approach in his peripheries.

Kakashi glared at Asuma's retreating back as he sat down once more, leaning closer than even to his significant other. He knew the burly man was with Kurenai. He knew he was straight, but he couldn't help it. The thought of someone taking his Tenzou away from him was suddenly the most prominent thought in his mind. The most painful thing he could imagine. This party had made him paranoid. The alcohol meant he was letting his guard down. He was losing control of the situation and he didn't like it.

"How the hell does someone so thin take up so much couch?" Yamato laughed, shoving Kakashi away playfully with his shoulder.

"Sorry." He mumbled, looking down. Tenzou's smile fell as studied Kakashi's face. His cheeks were flushed above his mask, most likely from the alcohol. But more worryingly the one eye he had exposed looked watery like he was about to... He moved closer, wanting to tell him he was joking. Kakashi moved away instinctively, wanting to give him more space. There was only the two of them on the sofa together. He wasn't sure if he was allowed to be close.

Tenzou said it was fine but then he pushed me away…

He thought, confusion ravaging his intoxicated mind. He closed his eye briefly, trying to organise his thoughts. He hadn't had any alcohol since before he went to the bathroom yet he was sure he was still getting drunker by the second. His head was spinning, the room was spinning. Tenzou's words were blurred and sloppy.

Why won't he stop moving?

He wondered, squinting at the brunette who appeared to be whizzing around the room. He suddenly realised Tenzou's hand was on his shoulder. He opened his mouth to ask what was happening but he couldn't form words. He was sure he was going to be sick. But not here. He refused to be sick here. He pulled his hands together to form the first seal for teleportation when two tanned hands grabs a hold of his.

"No." Tenzou said sternly, standing and pulling the other man with him. He wasn't quite sure if his feet were working but somehow he ended up with his head being pressed in to a toilet bowel. Someone had yanked his mask down. He hoped it was Tenzou.

"You can't teleport when you're that drunk. Who knows where you would end up?" Tenzou was saying softly as white knuckles gripped the bowl under him. His stomach clenched painfully as he vomited everything he had drank. He pulled away when he was sure there was nothing left, resting his head on his forearm and breathing heavily.

"Did you know your eyes water before you throw up?" Tenzou asked with a chuckle, rubbing small circles on his back. "I learnt that years ago." He smiled, talking reflectively even though he knew Kakashi wasn't listening. The silver haired man groaned loudly and brunette sighed, pulling him in to a proper sitting position and wiping at his mouth with toilet paper. "Done?" He asked, before pulling his mask back up for him and flushing the toilet next to him. "Alright let's go home." He said quietly, opening the door behind him so that people would know the bathroom was free before grabbing a hold of his partners arm.

"Great party man!" He said somewhat sarcastically as he threw Genma a thumbs up from the doorway. They were gone in an instant, appearing in their own dark bedroom.

"Thank fuck." Tenzou whispered, leaning over to turn on the lamp before throwing his head back in exasperation at an unconscious Kakashi. "Dudeeee." He growled, knowing the other man wouldn't hear him. "I'm going to undress you and put you in bed…. But first swear to me you won't throw up in there!" He demanded, pointing. No response. He hadn't expected one. "I swear to God Kakashi." He said warningly as he started to strip him.

"Don't dude me." Kakashi mumbled with a sly grin. Tenzou grinned back, leaning in to kiss his lovers cheek.

"I love you. Don't throw up in our bed."

OoOoOoOoOo

"I have two questions." Kakashi said softly from the doorway that joined the bedroom and kitchen. Tenzou's lips quirked as he fought to keep his face straight.

"Okay." He replied, stifling a laugh.

"One… my head feels like I've been through a round of sparring and I let Guy win…"

"Not a question."

"And two…" He continued despite the interruption. "Where is my mask. Also my pants. But mostly my mask." He trailed off, his groggy voice failing him. Tenzou inhaled deeply, holding his breath for a second, enjoying this moment before letting it out and answering the questions.

"I told you not to throw up in our bed." He said simply.

"And?"

"You threw up in our bed."

"Sorry…"

"That's alright… Luckily I took the mask off you first or you would probably be dead right now. As for your pants I have no idea. You wouldn't let me undress you. You stumbled out of the bedroom, came back without pants yelling about how you were stuck in your shirt." He finished, finally letting out the laugh he had been holding at the memory. "I seriously don't know where your pants are… I've been looking. I hope you didn't go outside."

Kakashi didn't think it possible for his face to burn any more than it was right now. He was sure he was the colour of beetroot as memories of Tenzou yelling at him for vomiting in bed came flooding back to him.

"I'm so sorry." He groaned, slipping in to the chair across the table from Tenzou and resting his head in his hands.

"It's fine." His partner laughed, pushing a mug of coffee towards him.

"Did…. Did I make a fool of myself in front of anyone else?" He asked tentatively. The ANBU shook his head, taking a sip of his own drink before giving his dishevelled lover a sympathetic look.

"Just me."

"I would rather make a fool of myself in front of people who already don't like me." He said dejectedly. Tenzou cocked his head in question and he continued reluctantly. "I mean you like me, right? I don't want you to think I'm an idiot. You're supposed to love me. If other people think I'm stupid what does it matter they don't like me anyway."

"I do love you." He said simply, reaching across the table to hold one of Kakashi's hands in his.

"You probably left because of me didn't you?" He stated more than asked. Tenzou nodded slowly before grinning again.

"But it alright. You've been asleep for quite a while. I had coffee with Raidou earlier. Apparently he had a worse night than I did. He turned up on our door step practically begging to be let in. Turns out he needed to vent before Genma woke up. He looked like shit. Apparently he was still up at 4am. It took him and 3 other Jonin to wrestle Genma away from the Hokage monument. Someone dared him to hmmm… Do… Some thing's to the Godaime's face and let's just say he was weirdly over prepared to do it." He laughed. Kakashi stared, glazed eyes squinting in the brightness of the room. "But apparently a lot of his parties end like that so… I think Raidou is probably used to it."

Kakashi nodded, staring at his drink.

"Sexual things?" He asked.

"Sexual things." Tenzou agreed. They shivered in unison, their minds involuntarily imagining it.

"At least I'm not that bad." Kakashi said with a self-deprecating smile. "Am I?"

"God no." The brunette laughed, sipping on his coffee and thanking his lucky stars.

Maybe Kakashi being clingy isn't so bad after all… It could be. So. Much. Worse.

OoOoOoOoOo

Tenzou steadied himself outside the front door of his apartment. He was tired, sore and covered in blood that wasn't his own. His mission had been rough. It had not even remotely gone to plan and it was all his fault.

His concentration had been lacking. He had missed his cue. His comrade had nearly died at it was all his fault. He looked down at his shaking hands, still smeared with his friend's blood. He swallowed hard. Things could have been worse, he supposed.

After a heavy breath he turned the knob and entered his small home. He could tell straight away Kakashi wasn't there and he had never been more grateful for solitude in his life.

Slipping off his clothing he stepped under the warm spray of the shower and breathed a sigh of relief at the feeling of washing away his sins. He massaged his own scalp, a moan escaping him as he felt the dirt and grit wash away under the scolding water.

His eyes snapped opened as he felt another presence in the bathroom, he was in battle stance with a kunai in his hand before he could even think. He always left his thigh holster on top of the toilet next to the shower. He found himself becoming increasingly paranoid after finishing missions. It had started as a small comfort but over the years it had grown to be a necessity. He couldn't shower without a Kunai nearby. People had made fun of him in the past but right now he felt like the smartest person in the world.

Kakashi stood next to the sink, hands raised to head height in mock surrender. He lowered them slowly as he saw Tenzou relax. He threw his kunai back on top of the toilet and turned around, continuing with his shower without saying a word.

"I could have been an enemy disguised as me." He said over the noise of the shower.

"You're not though." Tenzou retorted, his voice slightly muffled by the water.

Kakashi stood still for a minute. He got the distinct feeling his boyfriend wanted to be alone. He hadn't intended to intrude. He had forgotten his Icha Icha. He couldn't train without it and he had left it in the bathroom. He desperately wanted to stay. He hadn't seen Tenzou in nearly 4 days. The loneliness was killing him.

"Sorry for scaring you." He mumbled, picking up his book from the counter and holding it up for a second so the ANBU could see why he had entered without knocking. Tenzou turned to watch as Kakashi held up the book before retreating, closing the door behind him. He felt a little bit guilty. He should have told him it was fine. But he just didn't have it in him to reassure him right now. It was after all, his fault that he hadn't been paying attention during his mission.

In the two weeks since Genma's party Tenzou had started to noticed exactly how needy his boyfriend was. He silently cursed Asuma for pointing it out. Although deep down he knew he would have noticed it anyway, it was just convenient to pretend for a second that it was someone else meddling in his life that caused the problem. He scared himself thinking about the possibility that it might not work out with Kakashi. He loved the man a ridiculous amount. He always had. It was just unfortunate that the reality of Kakashi was so different to the fantasy. He has always seen him as a solitary man with little need for affection. When that image of him had been shattered Tenzou had convinced himself it was fine. He had just been hurt deeply by someone that he trusted unconditionally. He was bound to be a little emotionally malnourished. He assumed that the further he got from Iruka and the closer together they got, the more secure he would become. But for some reason that didn't seem to be the case. If the last two weeks were any indication of the future, then he really had to stop and consider that maybe he had bitten off a little more than he could chew. Kakashi having a constant need for reassurance and comfort in their relationship, just wasn't what he had bargained for when he signed up to date the Copy Ninja.

"Stop it." He snapped, slamming his fist in to the shower wall. "He's just a person… like me." He whispered to himself. The anger those thoughts caused him made him want to destroy something. He found himself thinking them a lot lately. In fact he found himself thinking those thoughts a lot more often than he thought anything good about their relationship and it scared him. Kakashi had no idea. Poor sweet Kakashi had no idea that he was thinking that they may not work out, because he just kept reassuring him everything was fine.

Tenzou hated himself more that he could have thought imaginable for the next thought that crossed his mind. He slapped himself harshly, trying desperately to expel the horrid truth of his ponderings. It wouldn't leave his mind and it made him want to vomit. It just kept repeating over and over.

That's probably why Iruka cheated.

OoOoOoOoOo

Kakashi stopped in the bedroom, standing still to listen for a second before deciding he must have imagined the tone in Tenzou's voice. He was about to leave when he heard the thump of something hitting the wall echoing around the small room. His instinct was to call out, to make sure he was okay. But the words his lover uttered stopped him in his tracks.

"Stop it." Spat with such malice, fell from those usually polite and kind lips. Kakashi knew it wasn't directed at him. Tenzou would think he was long gone by now.

But who was it directed at? The soap?

He wondered, moving across the room to sit down on the bed. He silently thanked himself for deciding to take the day off. Truth be told he was hoping for a day away from the Genin to get some real training for himself done. He was sick of using kid gloves with them. He needed to really buckle down or he would lose condition. But now his plans had changed.

Settling down on the bed and flipping opened his book he decided to wait out Tenzou's shower. He wanted to know what had gotten his lover upset enough to punch the wall.