title from What Are You Doing New Year's Eve by Ella Fitzgerald and it's such a perfect song for this.
Also, I was like half tipsy when I wrote/posted this so if there are any glaring errors I apologize. I was tempted to set this in canon timeline but I love Minato and Kushina so.
What are you doing New Year's Eve?
What are you doing New Year's Eve?
Wonder whose arms will hold you good and tight
When it's exactly twelve o'clock that night
Welcoming in the New Year, New Year's Eve?
The Uzumaki-Namikaze's always knew how to throw a party, Kakashi thought making his way through the throng of people. He held his cup up, trying not to accidentally spill some of Minato's famous punch onto some unexpected party goer. He never could tell what was in it, Minato kept the recipe closely guarded, but it definitely had a harder kick this year, giving everything a warm haze. His eyes roved over the people, landing on Gai, Lee, Aoba, and Yamato in one corner and Asuma, Kurenai, and Shikamaru in another talking with Minato and Kushina in another. Shikamaru looked like he was grudgingly holding a sleeping Mirai, the toddler drooling copiously onto his jacket. He watched as Kushina laughed at something Asuma said, the sound echoing clear across the room. Minato, still clad in his pink apron, wrapped his arm around her waist pulling her in closer to place a kiss against her temple. Kushina and Minato had practically raised him after his father had died, taking care of him even though he had not been a pleasant child and they had been barely adults themselves with a baby of their own on the way. He had spent more time here in this house than he could remember with them and with their son Naruto.
Naruto who wasn't here for New Year's for the first time in his life.
Suddenly the party felt stifling. A quick glance at his watch told him that it was ten minutes until the new year, time enough for some fresh air before Kushina or one of his friends would want to drag him in for the countdown. He took a deep breath once he stepped out of the crowded living room and onto the large wrap-around deck, the noise fading to an excited din as the door slid shut. They had decorated out here too, strings of twinkling white lights wrapped around the railing in a soft glow. Naruto had left Konoha five months ago to travel, taking after his Godfather's footsteps. It was a bit of a sore subject with Minato and Kushina but they knew that Naruto had always had big dreams and they wouldn't stand in the way of that. Kakashi wouldn't stand in the way of that either.
He closed his eyes against the cool air, thinking of a day in July at the river. Naruto's tan skin was sun-warmed and radiating heat from Kakashi's shoulder to thigh as they sat close. Too close, so close that he could catch the varying shades of blue and the white specks in Naruto's eyes. So close that all he would really need to do was tilt his chin just so and then he'd be kissing him. But he didn't tilt his chin just so, and he didn't tell him of the feelings that he had been harboring for a while now. Then the next day he was announcing that he would be gone for three years and Kakashi said nothing. Now he was in Suna and there was this Gaara, showing up on his social media posts and Naruto was smiling there at him like he used to smile here at him. Not that he was checking of course.
Idiot, he smiled to himself. He checked his watch again, five minutes to the new year. Maybe he should call him, just to say hello and wish him a sincere happy new year. Or maybe you've had too much punch, laughing to himself as he set his cup down on the rail. Naruto was probably with this Gaara now, having a good time and he shouldn't spoil it.
He looked up as someone else stumbled onto the porch, coming from the front of the house. A shadowed hand pushed back a hood and revealed an unruly shock of yellow hair.
"Naruto?" He breathed, finally able to see the familiar orange of the blonde's favorite jacket, clashing with the red of his worn scarf. Something was different about him though, his shoulders seemed broader, his form more filled out. The person's attention snapped to him.
"Kakashi, hey!" Naruto's blue eyes shined in the low light as he ran over to him. "What are you doin' out here?" His surprisingly strong arms wrapped around his shoulders in a quick hug.
"Did you grow some more?" Kakashi blinked, when he pulled away, realizing that he didn't have to look down as much.
"Maybe I did," he beamed and there was the same eager expression that he loved.
"Or maybe you're wearing heels?" He teased, leaning back to try and look at his shoes.
"Shut up!" Naruto's hand shot out, shoving him hard in the shoulder and he laughed, feigning injury.
"Why are you here?"
"I think I asked you that first Kakashi," Naruto grinned.
"I needed air," he answered honestly, glancing through the glass doors and at the party. He felt anxious, someone could notice and come sweep this dream away from him.
"Oh right." The smile turned small, private. "You never were a fan of parties." I was never a fan of parties when you weren't there, Kakashi shrugged. "Oh hey, is that some of Dad's punch?" Kakashi plucked the cup up and handed it to him.
"Your turn Naruto," he prodded after he had taken a sip.
"Oh right… well, I wanted to surprise everybody. I can't believe I actually made it though, y'know? Practically had to run to catch my connecting flight." His eyes flicked up to his, he was hiding something and Kakashi knew it. Naruto never was the best liar.
"I'm sure your parents would love to see you." He stepped back again, pulling away from what wasn't his.
"Aren't you happy to see me Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked, falling back on the stupid nickname he used to call him when he was a willful child, and he took a step closer.
"I am," he answered truthfully, a feeling twisting in his chest. "Really. I missed you." That seemed to surprise him.
"You did?" Naruto breathed, breath fanning out in a heavy cloud.
"Of course, things are quiet when you aren't around, too quiet," he joked, "I can't think when you're here and I can't think when you're gone." His voice caught, slurring slightly. Damn punch.
"Are you drunk Kakashi?" The smile was back, mildly threatening, like a fox cornering its prey.
"Tsunade must have gotten her hands on the punch this year." He turned away, stepping back to the rail and away from him.
"Yeah, uh-huh." Naruto was next to him in one step, his body just as warm as he remembered it. "I think you're probably gonna be more honest since you're drunk. Did you really miss me?"
"No, I lied," he snapped. "Why are you back?"
"I said I wanted to surprise everyone," he shrugged, his shoulders really had gotten bigger in the five months he'd seen him last, it was distracting. "I wanted to surprise you."
"Naruto-"
"I missed you okay? Is that what you want to hear?" He explained loudly, Kakashi worried that maybe someone would hear but there was a cheer from inside. The new year was only a minute away.
"You left," he said, it sounded pathetic in his own ears and Naruto flinched. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that."
"Y'know you let me leave Kakashi," he said softly and he hated it, Naruto was loud, confident. "But that's okay, I'm glad you did, you had to."
"Is it okay?" He asked. "Why would you come back for me?"
"The new year is like, twenty seconds away, is that what you really want to ask?" Naruto rolled his bright blue eyes, it didn't matter how dark it was, those eyes always shined. "If you hadn't let me go then we wouldn't be having this conversation." He stepped closer, he was just as warm as he had been at the river in July. "I've had a crush on you for a while, did you know that?"
Ten.
"I think you're the one that's drunk Naruto."
"Uh-huh, but you like me too." It wasn't a question.
Nine.
He brought his hand up, thumb brushing along Naruto's flushed cheek.
"And if I admit it?" He asked, whispering. "That I've liked you for a while."
Eight.
Naruto's finger slowly hooked onto the edge of his mask, eyes searching, asking for permission.
Seven.
"Are you just gonna say that you like me or do something about it?" Naruto taunted, still somehow moving closer, chest pressing against his.
Six.
"You wanted to kiss me, at the river back then didn't you?" Naruto asked a sliver of uncertainty there in his gaze and Kakashi moved his hand from his cheek to tangle in the back of his hair, his cold fingers stiff.
Five.
"I've wanted to kiss you for longer than that," Kakashi admitted, fixating on the soft curve of his ear against his thumb.
Four.
Naruto's hair was slightly greasy against his fingers, Suna was at least a ten-hour flight. A day of travel just to come back home. To surprise me.
Three.
"Then what are you waiting for?" He huffed, impatient, the gray puffs of their breaths mixing in between them.
Two.
"I'm trying to be romantic, idiot," Kakashi couldn't help the smile and Naruto's mouth opened on a complaint.
One.
There were cheers coming from inside the house, strings of some song that he could never quite understand but Kakashi was only focusing the feel of Naruto's mouth against his. Slightly chapped lips warm as they spread against his, tongue and breath hot despite the cold around him. He pulled him closer, not wanting to let him go, let this dream slip by. A firework burst above them in the distance, and Kakashi pulled back, watching the colors shine on his skin.
"Happy New Year Naruto." He pressed their foreheads together.
"Happy New Year Kakashi," he smiled, soft but bright up at him. "I win though." His nose crinkled adorably as he leaned in for another kiss.
"Win what?" Kakashi let him kiss him once more before he pulled back slightly.
"C'mon you gotta admit, me flying home on New Year's Eve from another country is way more romantic than you waiting an extra second to kiss me," he pushed closer again, cold hands wrapping in Kakashi's jacket to keep him in place.
"Mah I could," he dragged it out as if it was something that he really was thinking over. "But I won't."
Naruto made an indignant sound of protest and Kakashi smiled, wrapping his fingers around his. They'd have another few seconds together before someone would notice them and then Naruto would be sucked away for a bit, only to return back to his side in the end.
Maybe I'm crazy to suppose
I'd ever be the one you chose
Out of the thousand invitations you received
Ah, but in case I stand one little chance
Here comes the jackpot question in advance
What are you doing New Year's, New Year's Eve?
I'd just like to thank you all for being patient with me this past year. It wasn't the best between moves and then not-moves and then moves again, my brain not cooperating with me, and then my computer dying. I definitely didn't get as much done as I had planned for and I hope that this year will be better. I couldn't have gotten through it without you.
I hope you all had a very wonderful and safe new year and here's to a happy 2022!
Be safe my friends.
