"Naruto, is there a problem?" Naruto flinched, blinking as he realized that Kakashi was looking right at him.
"Huh?" He said smartly, lifting his head from where it was propped on his hand.
"You've been staring at me for a few minutes now," Kakashi stated, returning to the paperwork on his desk and Naruto remembered that he was supposed to be helping and not staring at his former sensei, thinking about what his face actually looked like. Seriously, after eight years of knowing the man he still had never caught a glimpse of what was under that mask. "Are you that bored?" He could hear the amusement in Kakashi's tone.
"No, sorry," he mumbled, looking back to his own stack of papers. This was their routine now, whenever Naruto was home and not helping Iruka out at the Academy, he was in Kakashi's office. He was usually better at keeping his focus, managing to find something interesting in the endless paperwork or meetings, but sometimes, most of the time, his thoughts did wander to the man across from him. He shot a glance over at him again, taking in the subtle slouch of his shoulders as he read, the way his brow furrowed as he concentrated. For all the whining and fuss he had put up before his inauguration two years ago, Kakashi really looked like he was always meant to be in that seat.
"Just jump his bones already," Kurama groused and Naruto nearly dropped the pen. "I'm tired of all this pining over that brat."
"Why'd you gotta say it like that huh? And I don't know what you're talking about," he snapped.
"Oh really," Kurama smiled, fangs flashing. "Then what was that the other night hmm? You were certainly mumbling something in your sleep." Naruto coughed into his hand, trying to stay calm as he felt his face heat up.
"Dammit, Kurama!" The demon threw his head back and laughed. "Fine I like him, but I'm not pining!"
"Tch, yes you are. You stupid humans, you always waste so much time by beating around the bush. You want me to take over for you?" Kurama leered and Naruto did not like the look in his eye one bit. "It might be fun, maybe I could-"
"No! Stop, I don't wanna hear it!" He waved his hands and Kurama cackled louder. "I swear I'll lock you up again."
"Just jump him. I really don't think he'd mind."
"Stop saying that, and what the hell are you getting at?"
"'I'll carry you!' 'I won't let you get your hands on Naruto!'" Kurama cooed, closing his left eye to try and imitate Kakashi. "'You've surpassed me Naruto!' 'Only you!'" Kurama finished with an over-exaggerated gag.
"Argh shut up!" he yelled, trying to cover the furious blush on the side of his face that Kakashi could see. "Those were just compliments!"
"Look at you, he's got you blushing like a virgin!"
"You don't know what you're saying," he grumbled.
"I'm a thousand years old, I think I do brat," he snorted. "I should tell you of the sappy filth your father used to spew to your mother," he pretended to retch again.
"Why are you even encouraging this?" He asked, genuinely curious because the fox had said nothing during the few dates he had been on or when he went home with somebody in the past.
"He's the best of a bad lot," Kurama shrugged, resting his head on his massive paws. "He's entertaining."
"You like him don't you?" He accused, grinning cockily.
"No!" The demon said a little too quickly, fur bristling and it was Naruto's turn to laugh. "It doesn't matter anyway since you're too much of a chicken shit to do anything about it."
"Oi! That's not fair!"
"You don't think he'd show you his face if you asked nicely?" Kurama grinned coyly. "You might want to start paying attention Lover Boy." Naruto blinked as he was shunted out of Kurama's space. Kakashi was now standing in front of him, a silver eyebrow arching questioningly.
"Kurama have something to say?" He asked, leaning against the side of Naruto's desk.
"Not really, he was just being an asshole," Naruto scowled, taking a deep breath to try and clear his mind, Kakashi's crisp scent always seemed to help make him feel calmer. "I guess I haven't been much help today," he sighed, stretching his arms above his head.
"Just means more for you to do tomorrow," Kakashi shrugged, his eyes closing with his smile. Naruto fell out of the stretch with a groan, collapsing over the desk.
"It's never-ending," he whined, "Don't you have a mission to send me on or something?"
"Maa, and here I thought you liked spending time with me," he teased with a chuckle and Naruto's heart did something funny in his chest, Kurama's words replaying in his head. Shit, maybe he had a point, he had been aware of his crush on his former sensei for a while now, but was he really pining? He just enjoyed being able to spend time with him now that things had settled down after the war, he just hadn't expected to enjoy their moments together so much. It didn't matter what they were doing, sparring, getting meals together, or even sitting like they were now, in the quiet of the office, he always felt the most like himself when he was with him.
But Kakashi was still Kakashi, stoic and steadfast, and even though he was warm and familiar with him, Naruto still had little idea of what went on in his head.
"Let's take a break."
"A break?" He perked up at that, the office was starting to feel a bit too small and cramped, and that scent that had been calming a minute ago now made him feel antsy.
"I knew that would get your attention. Are you hungry? Should we go to Ichiraku's?" Naruto hesitated for a moment, we always go to Ichiraku's… he didn't want Kakashi to feel forced into going there just because it was his favorite.
"Or we could go somewhere else?" He added a bit awkwardly, both of Kakashi's eyebrows rose with that.
"You don't want to get ramen? Are you sure you're feeling okay?" Kakashi asked, his tone only half-joking as he took a step closer to him.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, forget I said anything. Let's go eat," Naruto said in a rush, pushing passed him and out of the office and pointedly ignoring the chuckle from Kurama as he felt Kakashi catch up, his even stride matching easily with his. He pushed Kurama's words out of his mind, focusing instead on the way their shoulders brushed as they navigated the busy street. A lot had changed in Konoha over the last three years, more people had settled into the city and technology was booming. Even his friends had started to change, pairing up and thinking about the future. It was weird for Naruto to think about when he had spent a large chunk of his adolescence either training to bring Sasuke back or staying out of the Akatsuki's grasp. But now, at twenty, it seemed to be all anyone ever talked about. He wondered if Kakashi thought about settling down. Maybe he had some secret partner somewhere, but it seemed unlikely to Naruto.
But what would you do if he did? the thought unsettled him. The clear answer was nothing, he wouldn't want to get in the way of the man's happiness. But there still was a more complicated answer that he didn't want to think about. There was that woman a couple of years ago that kept sending letters…
"Are you sure everything is all right Naruto?" Kakashi asked and Naruto looked up at him, they had arrived at the restaurant and sat down in their usual booth in the corner and he hadn't even noticed. "You've been unusually quiet."
"Offer still stands," Kurama chuckled in the back of his mind.
"Can I see your face?" He blurted out before he could think and Kakashi stared at him blankly. "Fuck! Kurama was that you? I swear to God I'll-"
"Heh, that was all you brat."
"I mean, it's just," he stammered, ears ringing, and his face felt unbearably hot. Is this how Hinata felt when she had that crush on me?
"I suppose so," Kakashi hummed thoughtfully.
"What?" He couldn't have heard him right.
"I said yes."
"That I can see your face?" He repeated dumbfounded.
"I don't see why not." Kakashi's eyes crinkled at him in a smile and he felt like was dreaming, or if the man was playing some kind of joke on him. It couldn't be that easy, could it?
"Really, you're gonna let me see your face?"
"I didn't realize it was that important to you," he shrugged. "You could have asked sooner." Naruto stammered a bit, still not quite processing the words coming out of his mouth.
"Bullshit! I- we," he corrected quickly, referring to his other teammates, "We did ask! Are you just messing with me? You're gonna pull that mask down and have there be another one again or something?" He scowled, remembering the trouble he, Sakura, and Sasuke had gone into when they were younger.
"Maa, you were twelve then. I had to keep some air of mystery," he was grinning and Naruto realized that he might soon know what that actually looked like.
"Mystery, my ass," he huffed, crossing his arms. "Well, come on then, let's see it."
"I'm not going to show you my face in the middle of Ichiraku's," Kakashi shook his head with a sigh.
"When then?" He asked petulantly, keeping his gaze locked onto the other man's as he seemed to think it over.
"Later," Kakashi finally said, suddenly lurching to his feet.
"Hey, wait, what?" He protested loudly, not caring if others were looking. "I thought you said you'd show me?"
"I did and I will," he added quickly when Naruto opened his mouth. "Tonight." He nodded his head as if confirming that for himself. "Patience Naruto."
"You just need time to come up with some kind of scheme!"
"Such little faith you have in me," the man sighed wearily, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. "No schemes. Promise." His eyes closed with his smile and a second later he was replaced with a pillar of smoke as he disappeared.
"Hey!" Naruto squawked after him, jumping to his feet, but he was already gone. "Sneaky bastard," he muttered under his breath, preparing to chase after him. The man should know by now that he wouldn't be able to get away so easily anymore.
"Um, Naruto?" He turned at Ayame's voice, the woman standing behind him. "Kakashi left this for you." She held out a small piece of folded paper and he quickly accepted it.
Later, was printed in Kakashi's neat lettering. No schemes. He groaned, sitting heavily back into his seat.
"Everything all right?" Ayame asked cautiously, stepping closer.
"Yeah," Naruto tried to smile at her, nervousness coiling in his gut. Later. He was really going to see Kakashi's face, the man had promised and if it was just some prank he could always pin him down and make him regret it. So why was he so nervous? He blinked out of his thoughts at the soft giggle. "What?"
"Oh nothing," her dark eyes were shining. "Would you like to sit at the bar since he left?"
"Yeah, sure Ayame," he relaxed, he had time to kill apparently since it was clear that Kakashi didn't want him back in the office. Not that I was actually doing much work. He followed Ayame up the bar, a large portion of miso ramen already waiting for him.
He was able to relax some, chatting lightly with Ayama or Teuchi when they weren't busy, or with other villagers and shinobi. The stress returned when he went to pay only to learn that Kakashi had already, seeming to know exactly how much he would eat. Sneaky bastard, he repeated to himself, hands fidgeting in his pockets as Kurama's deep chuckle rumbled through his head again.
"What's the matter Naruto? You're getting what you asked for, isn't that what you wanted?" Kurama asked, seeming genuinely curious.
"Well yeah but," he trailed off, knowing that the other was just going to ridicule whatever he said.
"Nervousness doesn't suit you brat," Kurama flashed his teeth.
"Gah!" He mentally threw up his hands in frustration. "You already know I have feelings for him."
"Clearly." Naruto bristled, jumping up onto his balcony. "You love him." He tripped into his apartment with a shout.
"Love?!" He shouted to the empty room, limbs splayed out on the floor. "I didn't say anything about that!"
"Tch, I've been with you for twenty cursed years, do you really think you need to tell me what goes on in that thick head of yours?" His smile was smug as he pulled back, leaving Naruto alone.
"Love huh," he said quietly, resting his hands on his stomach and staring at the ceiling. A fragment of a conversation with Sai filtering through his brain.
"Frustrations with any barriers keeping one away from the object of their desire, the sense that time is passing very slowly, difficulty focusing. Even avoiding the subject of one's-"
"The hell are you on about?" Naruto groused, peering over his teammate's shoulder at the book he was reading from. "What does that have to do with anything?" He frowned, trying to make sense of the mess of words along with Sai's meticulous notes.
"I think," Sai started, carefully closing the book between his hands, and dark eyes meeting his. "I think I have feelings for someone."
"What?" Naruto blinked, and Sai looked away.
"I think I've developed romantic feelings for someone. Those factors are all indicators of longing and longing could escalate to love," he explained.
"Oh," Naruto sat heavily on the ground next to him, wondering who out of their friends Sai liked. "Well, congrats Sai."
"I would like your advice," Sai stated, his calculating eyes were back on his and it made Naruto squirm. "I am unsure how to proceed."
"Well, I guess I'd say be honest with them?" He supplied, scratching at his neck. "I don't really know what to tell you other than that."
"What did you feel with Hinata?" The other asked, leaning in closer as if Naruto had some great secret to reveal.
"Well, uh, I didn't feel that way with her? We're close now and all but I didn't feel any of those indicators of whatever you were talking about," he shrugged, feeling immensely uncomfortable. That whole business on the moon had been awkward, he thought that maybe he could feel that way about her and they had kissed but there just wasn't anything there for him. He hadn't felt frustration with any barriers or that time was passing slowly or distracted with her or really anyone else.
Naruto rolled over onto his stomach, propping his head on his folded arms as the sun warmed his back. He thought of the indicators Sai had talked about, how it frustrated him when he didn't get the chance to see Kakashi, or how time really did seem to stand still as he waited at Ichiraku's or the training grounds. Hell, earlier today he couldn't focus because he was thinking of Kakashi when he was just a few feet from him. He hated it because he didn't feel like himself in those moments.
"I'd say be honest with them."
He groaned, burying his face into his arms and kicking his feet childishly. He needed to take his own goddamned advice. If Kakashi was actually going to show him his face, then Naruto would come clean about his feelings. He pushed himself up to his feet, he didn't know when Kakashi was coming over so he had to get ready.
By the time Kakashi did show up Naruto felt like he was about to vibrate out of his skin. He had thoroughly cleaned his apartment, changed his clothes more times than he'd like to admit, and even ran out to the corner market when he realized his tea had a suspicious odor, all with Kurama's goading in the back of his mind. So when he felt the familiar chakra at his front door he nearly knocked over his chair in his haste.
"Naruto?" Kakashi's hand was still raised awkwardly, prepared to knock on the door.
"Why are you at the front door?" Naruto asked, quickly scanning him to see if something was wrong. Kakashi usually knocked on his window for a summons or waited on his balcony, he didn't even know that the man knew where his front door was. But he seemed fine, most likely just coming from the office with his white cloak tucked at his elbow and hand in his pocket.
"Maa, the air of mystery remember?" He shrugged a shoulder. "What good would I be if I couldn't keep on your toes?" Naruto scowled, there was that air of mystery nonsense again, the man was full of mysteries, but now there might be one less.
"Yeah whatever," he grumbled, moving away from the door so that the man could enter the small hallway. "Uh, do you want tea or something?"
"And here I thought you were in a rush to see my face?" Kakashi teased, stepping over the threshold. "Or have you changed your mind?"
"Well, you wouldn't show me at Ichiraku's so I doubt you'd show me in the middle of my hallway Kakashi-sensei. Or have you changed your mind?" He fired back.
"I suppose you have a point." Naruto could hear the amusement in his voice and he turned away. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand as he led the way down the hall, he was used to feeling people's eyes on him, friendly or not, and right now he could feel Kakashi's eyes digging curiously into the back of his head. He kept his eyes forward, focusing on moving about his kitchen to setting the kettle on the stove. However, he knew that he couldn't ignore the man forever and the silence was already getting to him, but he couldn't just blurt it out that he loved him right? That wasn't exactly romantic. But I don't even know if he likes me like that…
"Naruto?" He jumped whirling around, Kakashi's voice much closer than he had anticipated and sure enough the man was standing behind him, his cloak now draped over a chair.
"Huh?" He stammered, taking a half step back, the edge of the counter digging into his lower back. "What?" He asked, forcing himself to look into dark gray eyes and hoping his face wasn't too red.
"Are you sure you're feeling all right?" Kakashi asked, his tone soft and Naruto's stomach clenched. "You haven't been yourself. Is there something on your mind?"
"I swear I'm fine," he held up his hands between them, trying to flash a reassuring smile. "I think," he sucked his bottom lip between his teeth. "I think I might have something to say though." He dragged his eyes back up to Kakashi's, watching the crease form between his brows as the silence stretched out. They were standing so close, the man's scent washing over him and making him feel light-headed. Kakashi's hand hovered near his elbow and he found himself yearning for the touch as his heart picked up. He had faced scarier things, surely he could come clean about this.
Naruto opened his mouth and-
He nearly jumped out of his skin as the kettle whistled, shrill and abrasive and effectively shattering the moment.
"Shit," he blindly reached for it to make the sound stop but the side of his hand glanced across the searing metal. "Ow!" Kakashi was already moving, turning off the stove and moving the pot before grabbing Naruto's singed hand in his cool ones.
"You always move too fast," Kakashi chastised, examining the already healing skin. "It's amazing you made it this far."
"It's fine," Naruto pouted, cursing himself for being such an idiot as Kurama laughed. "See," he wiggled his fingers, the pain just a memory already. "All better." Kakashi huffed, letting his hand go and Naruto already missed the contact.
"Maybe I should have let him kiss it better?" Kurama suggested and Naruto shoved him down.
"Sit," Kakashi ordered, nudging him out of the way. "I'll finish this."
"But it's my house," he complained loudly. "You're my guest."
"Maa since when have you ever cared about proper etiquette Naruto?" the man teased, shooing him with his hands and already reaching for the cupboard where Naruto kept his old mugs. He was impressed that Kakashi remembered, but he had spent a fair amount of time here, dropping by when Naruto was recovering, and then there was before when he was younger and the man would sneak veggies into his refrigerator at his old apartment. He blinked as the steaming cup was placed in front of him, running his thumb over the worn chip in the lip before taking it in his hand. "What's on your mind?" Kakashi asked, holding onto his own cup but not moving to pull down his mask.
"Hey, no," Naruto protested, "You first, I'll tell you mine when you show me yours Kakashi," he grinned as Kakashi stared at him. He wasn't going to let him get out of this so easily.
"I see," he sighed, running his hand through his gray hair and dislodging his headband, to Naruto's surprise the man removed it completely, letting his hair fall forward. "I suppose I did promise." Kakashi's eyes met his and his breath caught in his throat. This was happening. Holy shit.
"No schemes."
"No schemes," Kakashi reaffirmed, a pale finger hooking on the fabric and dragging it down without any further fuss.
Naruto wasn't sure his eyes were working anymore, he had honestly expected the man to pull something so he could not comprehend the skin now freely on display. He moved on autopilot, getting up from his chair and tracing the sharp cheekbones with his fingertips, feeling Kakashi's soft breath against his wrist.
"Naruto." He watched his lips move around the syllables of his name and it felt like he was hearing it from him for the first time, his heart pounding in his ears as he looked at him and realized that he was touching him, his thumb moving along the curve of his jaw. It was too forward and too fast, but Kakashi wasn't pushing him away. There was something there in his gaze, something that looked as anticipatory as he felt. Naruto swallowed hard, holding Kakashi's exposed face in his hands. Hadn't he just said a moment ago that he always moved too fast? Why should he stop now? He closed his eyes as he leaned down.
The kiss was soft and Kakashi still hadn't pushed him away, instead, he kissed him back, fingers splaying across his ribs as he seemed to hold him closer and Naruto hummed. He pulled away slowly, lips still brushing as he finally opened his eyes.
"So, I take it that's what you wanted to talk about?" Kakashi said gently, hands running down Naruto's sides to his hips. The contact and heat sent a shiver up his spine.
"Uh, yeah," Naruto stammered, feeling his face heat up again. "You don't look surprised," he observed, watching the face he had longed to see. Kakashi sighed, head dropping forward to rest on Naruto's chest.
"I can't say that I am." Naruto scowled.
"Wait, did you know that I liked you?" he accused and the man snorted, at least looking a little chagrined as he looked up at him.
"I had… an idea," the corner of his mouth quirked up and Naruto's mild annoyance faded slightly, there was something oddly familiar about it. "But I wasn't sure." He started to pull away and Naruto felt a rush of cold wash over him. He had kissed him back, so that had to mean something right?
"And what about you?" He asked, nearly flinching as Kakashi's hands covered his, pulling them from his face. "Do you like me?"
"I'm sure half of the village is in love with you Naruto." He flinched, feeling a rush of anger and embarrassment at the dismissive statement.
"Well, I wasn't asking half the village, was I?" He snapped, glaring at him.
"You weren't," he sighed again as he stood and Naruto wondered if he was going to say that there was some kind of mistake and leave but instead gloved hands cupped his face, mirroring the way Naruto had just held him and in the next breath they were kissing once more.
"You kissed me. Again," Naruto said when they pulled apart and he could see a slight red tinge on Kakashi's cheeks.
"I thought that was obvious," Kakashi hummed, lips brushing against his jaw and up over his cheek.
"You like me." His poor brain wasn't keeping up from seeing Kakashi's face for the first time to now being kissed by the man he had been pining over.
"Ha!"
"Apparently that part wasn't as obvious," the man snorted, and the breath tickled against his ear.
"No, not really, you're pretty damn hard to read sometimes you know that? And if you say 'air of mystery' I'll get in Sage mode and kick your ass," he threatened when he opened his mouth.
"Could you focus enough?" He shuddered at how low his voice was. This was a dream, right? He was going to wake up any second now, tangled in his sheets with a hard-on and Kurama's cackle in his ear.
"You're teasing me," he breathed, flexing his fingers on Kakashi's forearms and his former sensei, future something, chuckled before pulling back and Naruto had to blink. Oh right, face.
"I am, sorry." He watched, feeling disconnected from his own body. "I wouldn't have shown you my face if I didn't have feelings for you. But-"
"You have a mole," he interrupted, wanting to touch the mark this his finger, so he did.
"I do," he confirmed, his hands were now resting on Naruto's hips and it was distracting him but he was trying to focus because there was just something about his face that he couldn't put a finger on.
"Shit Kakashi, no wonder you wear a mask all the time. Y'know you're like, unfairly attractive." Kakashi smiled, full and soft and there it was again! Kakashi grunted as Naruto slapped his hand over his eyes. "I've seen this face before!" He scowled, the memory was there, but just out of reach. Sure he had dreamed of Kakashi's face but just the general lines of the slope of his nose and jaw, there was no way that even his subconscious mind could come up with something close enough.
"Oh, have you now?" He asked lightly, clearly not believing him.
"Yes. I might be shitty with names but I definitely remember this face." His hand moved, tracing down his nose and over his cheekbones again because he was allowed. "But it's not quite right."
"Ah, I've been told I just have one of those faces," the annoying man grinned playfully, taking his hands in his once again. "Naruto-"
"You like me. This isn't some fever genjutsu from someone trying to kidnap you?" He asked, cringing as he remembered the events of the Moon mission again.
"What?" Shit, Kakashi was looking genuinely confused.
"Did I not tell you about that bit?" He tried to grin up at the man but his frown only deepened. "It's nothing really! We figured it out and besides, it all ended fine!" he rambled and Kakashi shook his head, no doubt regretting coming here in the first place now.
"We're going to come back to whatever it is that you were just talking about. But-"
"But?" He scowled once again and Kakashi clapped a hand over his mouth.
"Stop talking," the man huffed, but there was something still fond behind his eyes. "Is there any way that I can tell you that this is a horrible idea?"
"No," he mumbled against his hand and Kakashi chuckled, dropping his hand and placing it on the back of Naruto's neck in a familiar, grounding gesture. "I don't think this is a horrible idea, I don't think you do either," he added.
"You'll never be a horrible idea Naruto." He swallowed hard at the surge of emotion rising in his chest, something strong and warm that he couldn't quite name. "But-"
"Stop," he groaned, exasperated. "You're not a horrible idea either, you hear me Kakashi? So just shut up and kiss me okay? We can deal with everything else later."
"All right, if you say so dear," he smiled again, broader this time, and really, wow, face, it wasn't fair. There had to be some way he could rub this in the faces of the others but at the same time, he was happy to keep this to himself as Kakashi kissed him again in his kitchen.
Kurama, for now, was blessedly silent.