AN: Mermay week one prompt: Courting gifts

Kakashi leaned back with a heavy sigh, tipping his head up towards where the sun filtered through the water, almost feeling it's warmth and imagining it was another. He let his eye slip shut, picturing the halo of blonde hair, deep blue eyes, and the force of his easy smile. Remembering the way that genuine smile had looked yesterday as he watched him graciously reject a courting offer from a pretty young merwoman with a tail the color of a purple sea fan. She left looking dazed, and Kakashi couldn't help but tease.

"I don't think she realizes you said no." He watched as Naruto flushed slightly, bringing his hand up to scratch at his cheek before fiddling with his necklace.

"Well, I didn't want to hurt her feelings y'know," he chuckled, voice a little strained. "I didn't think they'd keep coming since I've turned down so many."

Kakashi frowned as he felt his jealousy resurface, he didn't want Naruto receiving gifts from others. Of course, the potential suitors wouldn't be swayed so easily when he was still unattached. He couldn't blame them really, Uzumaki Naruto was bright and beautiful with his appearance and red-orange tail. He was also unbelievably kind with a heart big enough for everyone he ever met. He was the pride and joy of their village and the time would soon come when he would take over as the leader from his father. Whoever Naruto decided to court would be the envy of everyone across the oceans.

He considered himself lucky just to be a part of his life in any capacity. But he wanted, more than he should and he found himself looking for little things that he thought that Naruto would like. A shell with a perfect spiral, or a piece of sea glass that perfectly matched his eyes or his vibrant scales. Nothing particularly fancy, nothing that the other couldn't collect for himself, but he enjoyed being the one to put that quick, easy smile on his face when he'd discover the gift, looking around to see if he could catch the culprit. But Kakashi knew how to hide.

Because he knew Naruto could do better than some washed-up old soldier.

Anyone else could give him fancier courting gifts than common trinkets. Not that you're officially courting him, he thought, wondering how the blonde would look if he handed him the remaining piece of his father's sword as his formal declaration. He knew that the younger generation had the tendency to find the old rituals outdated and were more casual with their intentions, but he still remembered hearing his father talk about his courtship with his mother and he had helped his Sensei find small gifts to give to Kushina. He might come off as aloof or uncaring when it came to his own romantic life, but he had always found the idea of giving something to the most important person in his life… romantic.

"Oi! Are you in there Sensei?" Kakashi blinked, focusing on those eyes that he'd just been thinking about and trying not to flinch at the sudden proximity.

"Maa, you still call me that do you?" Kakashi sighed, pretending not to be affected by his presence. "That was a long time ago." Naruto shrugged, that smile playing at his mouth and showing off his sharper teeth. He remembered how that smile looked on him when he was young and trailing his father around or playing pranks on the unsuspecting. Naruto had been just a small fry when Minato had assigned Kakashi to protect him and even though he had told him numerous times that he wasn't his teacher, the brat had found it amusing to call him 'sensei'. He had threatened to quit or defect on numerous occasions, not willing to deal with the rowdy child and instead of wanting to keep to himself. Now he was the only one he wanted to be with.

"Well, it still fits you, y'know?" He fidgeted, his tail disturbing the water as it swished. "Why are you all the way up here Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked, looking up at the surface not far above their heads and Kakashi hummed.

"It's nice up here." He stretched his own gray-green tail, dull in comparison to his companion's.

"Yeah," Naruto breathed quietly and they fell into a comfortable silence together. But it wasn't long before Naruto started moving again, fingers going to the small pouch tied to his side and pulling out a small object that he recognized as the bit of intricately carved bone that he had dropped off just that morning.

"Another mystery gift?" He prodded as nonchalantly as he could. "No one has come forward yet?"

"No," he grumbled, bottom lip sticking out with his pout.

"They're a coward."

"Probably," Naruto snorted and Kakashi repressed a flinch at the bluntness, but it was true.

"You're not going to defend them?" He asked.

"Should I?" he grinned again before laying back against the sand, arms behind his head.

"Well, if it's another courting offer," he shrugged, watching his face.

"I dunno Sensei, I think if they wanted to really court me they'd come out and say it," he fiddled with the bone some more. "Wouldn't you?"

"Wouldn't I what?" He swallowed; he hadn't paid attention to the question.

"You'd tell the person you were interested!" he threw his hands up, exasperated.

"Ah right, that." Naruto made another exasperated sound.

"You're impossible Kakashi-sensei," he groaned and Kakashi couldn't help but chuckle.

"Well, it's a good thing that I don't have a trail of people wanting my affections," he sighed. "That would be a disaster."

"That's not true," Naruto said quickly, his cheeks flushing an attractive shade of red. "I mean," he tore his eyes away, looking anywhere but at Kakashi and he thought he felt the water shift up a few degrees in temperature. "You're not all that bad."

"Maa, you're making me blush Naruto," he joked, and the younger's face went even darker.

"Shuddup," he shoved at his shoulder. "Just take the compliment bastard!"

"Is that what that was? I couldn't quite tell," Kakashi drawled sardonically.

"Gods, I take it back, you're the worst," he laughed and Kakashi joined in. He had been called worse in life, mostly from his own queue of rejected courting options. "You're the worst and I'm the only one that puts up with you."

"That does seem to be the case," he hummed. "What does that say about you?"

"I think it says that I like you, maybe we should be the ones courting." The words fell from his mouth so casually that Kakashi thought that maybe he had misheard.

"What?" Naruto turned to face him, this time a more nervous smile pulled at his lips.

"Well, I was thinking about it, and Sakura asked me why I was turning down all the other offers and," he trailed off for a second, running a hand through his hair. "And she asked if it had something to do with you since, y'know, we're always together. It does seem kinda obvious now that I think about it."

"Does it now?" The blonde didn't answer, taking his hand and pressing something cool into his palm. Kakashi looked down at where his darker hand was placed over his, seeing the hint of blue and knowing immediately what it was. He hadn't even noticed that it wasn't in its usual place hanging around the other's neck. "You shouldn't give me this," he said quietly, thumb brushing against the edge of the crystal, feeling anxiety settle on his shoulders.

"Why not? It's my object, I thought that was the whole point of that old ritual crap," Naruto snorted derisively. "I know it's important and I want to give it to you."

"Naruto," he started.

"What Kakashi-sensei, you gonna tell me that you're not good enough for me or something about you being older?" Blue eyes challenged him and Kakashi knew the look, Naruto would argue until the oceans went dry.

"No actually, but thank you for reminding me," he smiled drily, not that age really mattered with them. "I was going to say that it's too soon for you to be giving this. This is a declaration of serious intent."

"That's cuz I am serious!" He huffed, "I like you, a lot, and I'm pretty sure you like me too, especially if this is anything to go by." He held up the piece of bone, a sly grin on his face.

"You know?" The smile grew, teeth flashing.

"Well now I know for sure, I gotta admit I was questioning it when you said that they were a coward," he shook his head, still grinning from ear to ear. "But really Kakashi, since when do I take things slowly? Unless you want me to leave you secret gifts and then run away? I can do that if you really want." His blue eyes were earnest and his hand was still clutching his tightly around the necklace.

"Subtlety was never your strong suit," he sighed. "I don't think you'd last very long."

"Damn straight!" Kakashi cut off his triumphant laugh by hooking his hand behind his neck and pulling him in for a kiss. He closed his eyes as Naruto's lips moved gently against his own, the heaviness disappearing with a breath as he caressed blissfully warm skin and scale.

"I'm in love with you Naruto," he looked into half-lidded eyes, his thumb stroking at the soft skin behind his ear. "I can't give you much, but I do want to be yours if you'll have me."

"Since when have I ever needed anything fancy?" he brushed their lips together again.

"You do tend to be needy," he joked, ignoring Naruto's indignant eye roll.

"Yeah, yeah, just shut up and give me your object already so that we can kiss again," Naruto demanded, holding out his hand like a child wanting a toy.

"How romantic." It was Kakashi's turn to roll his eyes as he reached into the pouch he kept.

"I'll show you romance," the blonde leered as Kakashi gently placed the fragment into his palm and folded his fingers around it. The bravado seemed to disappear as he looked down at the sword piece, no bigger than his little finger, and weighing the heft of it in his hand.

"Are you changing your mind?" He asked quietly, trying to read the emotion flicking across his face.

"No!" His eyes snapped up to meet his. "It just hit me all of the sudden. I always knew I liked you Kakashi, but, y'know, now it's more than that."

"We don't-"

"Let me finish!" Naruto suddenly leaned in close again, "I love you too Kakashi. You've always been there for me and I know even if we weren't doing this you wouldn't abandon me. But now I want to be the one that's always there for you. You're always so… secretive, but I want to be the one you confide in okay?"

"Okay," Kakashi nodded, feeling elated and wondering if it was possible to be so light that he'd just float to the surface world above their heads. He watched as that easy smile bloomed across his smile, blue eyes bright and sparkling.

"Yeah okay." Naruto closed the distance between them this time, his warm hands on Kakashi's waist. Later they'd probably have to deal with the wrath and envy of those who had wanted Naruto but right now he was only Kakashi's.

AN: Song title from: Binary Sea by Death Cab for Cutie - My playlist for mermay is longer than anything I've actually written for this event oops

I have at least two other works planned for week 4 so we'll see if I get any prompts from 2 or 3 done.

I promise to get to my other WIPs soon

thank you for reading