Kakashi stared at the mirror and pulled on his collar in discomfort.

He hated tight clothes with a passion.

Nothing fit quite right. Nothing felt quite right. And if anyone other than Tsunade would have dared to demand he'd sacrifice his comfort for the sake of fashion, he'd tell them to shove their opinions up their ass and would have fucked right off. Well, he would've worded it better.

But Tsunade sent him an email – and called – and asked Jiraiya to call – and remind him to show up to the alumni prom to get money for the college.

To beg, in all honesty.

And he would have skipped like he had done every year before had Jiraya not suggested – very clumsily – that the funds for Naruto's scholarship might be allocated elsewhere had they not gained enough donations.

So there he was, trying on a suit and hating himself.

A hand knocked on the panel next to his changing room. "Sir? Some options for you to try."

Kakashi moved the heavy curtain and stared at the clerk. "I did not think this was a service your store provided," he pointed out, scrutinizing the man. The shop was one out of a chain – neither expensive nor small enough to opt for a more personal touch.

The clerk smiled. "We don't." His eyes twinkled as he leaned closer and whispered, "These were picked by a very nice young man who claimed he knows you." He put his finger against his lips. "He asked me not to tell."

Kakashi accepted the pile, which included jeans, dress shirts, sweaters, a coat, and a tailored suit. And all of it was marked by the slightest scent of summer. He managed a tight-lipped, annoyed smile. "Thank you, I appreciate you telling me."

The clerk looked positively giddy as he nodded. "I'll let you try them on." He grinned and walked away, stifling a giggle.

So now, it was his turn to be stalked. And, apparently, styled.

Kakashi raked his fingers through his hair, considered cursing, and then gave up. He took off the suit he currently wore, which felt clumsy but not in the way that he liked, and wore the one Naruto chose for him.

It was, he had to admit, nicer. It fit him, for one thing, and looked… flattering. Suits tended to look odd on his shoulders, but this one had no added padding that made him look – and feel – lumpy. It was not tight around his waist, but it did not feel boxy either.

And the pants were easy enough to walk in.

Fine, he thought, taking the suit off. You win.

He had no need for the rest of the pile since he had plenty of shirts at home. All of them were baggy, and none of them… made of Egyptian cotton, dyed dark green and navy blue that looked becoming on his skin, and were comfortable.

And… pretty.

Kakashi swallowed uneasily as he looked away from the mirror. He never liked gazing at his reflection, which was another reason he favored shapeless clothes – they could not be styled and, therefore, required zero mirror time.

The coat and the jeans were as flattering, though he skipped the pair that felt too tight around his waist. He stared at the pile, cursed his own foolishness, and picked it up in his arms.

He walked out – and nearly stumbled on a scarf, which rested on top of a flannel pajama set that wasn't there before – and sighed.

It seemed Naruto hated every single clothing item in his wardrobe.

Still, Kakashi added them to the pile and walked to the register, ignoring the prickling of his neck that indicated someone was watching him intently.

He smiled at the beaming clerk and handed him the pajama set. "Could you find me a version in a smaller size?"

The clerk looked baffled, then smiled brightly. "Of course, I'll add – "

"No, instead." Kakashi kept his smile tight and opaque. "Thank you." He had no use for pajamas when he slept as a wolf, after all.

He paid for the rest and walked casually around the mall, pretending he was unaware he was being followed.

When the large hallway split into two – one corridor continuing right and the other straight – he leaned against the wall of the right corridor, hidden from those who walked forward.

And waited.

Sure enough, Naruto appeared, scanning the crowd with worried eyes, even going as far as to balance on his toes to get a better view.

He donned his mask of stoic calm and walked until he stood right behind him. "I thought you didn't like the mall."

Naruto jumped and spun, turning to face him with an odd combination of different expressions: guilty eyes, red cheeks, and a sunny grin.

He gazed at the many bags Kakashi carried, and his grin widened as his blush deepened. He rubbed the back of his neck and managed to mold his expression into something that Kakashi could only describe as giddy. "Yeah, well, I don't, but I needed to get swimming trunks for the trip next week, and Sakura said that a lot of stores had a last-season sale, or something, so." His eyes flickered toward the bags again, and though they gleamed mischievously, a deep warmth, soft and shy, shone underneath. "I see you did plenty of shopping, too."

Kakashi hmmed. "Picked personally by the clerk. He had a rather good eye."

Naruto's grin faltered. He swallowed and smiled again as if comforted by the second part of the sentence.

And the teen dared to wonder how he always knew what he was thinking.

"S'good, then, isn't it?" he managed.

Kakashi nodded. "I told him I needed a suit, but it seems he thought I needed a new wardrobe."

Naruto gulped. He clearly sensed something was off but still tried to assume an innocent expression. "Um. So he tried to up-sale, right?"

Kakashi pretended to think. "Well, sure, but he did a fine job." He rubbed his chin. "Maybe I should buy him something, what do you say? Like ice cream."

Naruto stared at him, eyes wide and lips parted, looking almost betrayed by Kakashi's careless shrug.

Kakashi turned around. "Well, I think I will. See you later, U-"

A hand gripped his wrist and pulled, causing him to stumble backward. "I picked those clothes," Naruto confessed, his eyes ardent and desperate as they sought his. "Buy me ice cream."

Kakashi hmmed again. "My, my. I did not picture you as a stalker, Uzumaki."

Naruto's nose burned bright red. "M'not a stalker! I just saw you and I was curious – " He blinked and shoved the hand he held away. "You knew," he accused, scowling. His hand – the one that did not hold a bag – turned into a fist.

Finally, Kakashi smiled. He ruffled the teen's hair, despite his protests. "The clerk told me."

Naruto's ears joined the party and blazed red as well. "But he said he wouldn't tell…" he mumbled, as if to himself, and then glared up at him, eyes determined yet hiding underneath unruly golden hair. "You still owe me ice cream."

Kakashi sighed as if carrying a heavy burden. "I suppose I do." He picked up his bags and walked toward the nearest ice cream shop. "I am never taking you shopping again, by the way."

Naruto caught up to him. "What? Why?!"

"You nearly emptied my bank account."

Naruto scoffed. "S'not my fault you don't own anything in your size." He crossed his arms, kicking his own bag as he walked. "What'd you need a suit for?"

Kakashi sighed again, this time from the depth of his marrow. "College Alumni money-raising prom," he said, his voice flat and tired. "Konoha's dean is a slave driver." He led the teen to the colorful cart and waved in the ice cream's general direction.

Naruto gazed up at him, then smirked. "You pick first, Sensei!" He showed him his frog-shaped wallet proudly. "I'll invite you this time."

Kakashi held his gaze, then turned to face the cashier. "One expresso, please."

Naruto blinked, then punched his arm. "That doesn't count!"

He offered the teen a small smile. "I don't like sweets."

"Then why," Naruto pointed an accusatory finger at him, "did you suggest we get ice cream?!"

Kakashi remembered Naruto's broken tale mumbled to a halt on his birthday. His eyes shone, reflecting the flickering candlelight as he cried. "Well, I imagined you like it," he said nonchalantly. He accepted the small mug and smiled at the man offering it. "Thank you."

The cashier smiled back, looking a tad worried.

Naruto looked torn between scowling and blushing. Finally, he stomped his way to the glass and glared at him. "I'm gonna try all the flavors."

Kakashi still smiled as he sipped his drink. "Go ahead."

And Naruto did. He tried every flavor, licking the tiny spoon clean and tracing his tongue on the edges of his lips. Kakashi watched him, mesmerized and silent, as he tried to commit to memory every flavor that made Naruto's eyes light up. He was so expressive.

He was beautiful.

Kakashi looked away and snuck his gift into Naruto's bag just as the teen picked two flavors – one in a cup and another in a cone – and paid.

He carried them both to a small, brightly colored table and looked very pleased with himself.

Kakashi returned the cup to the cashier and followed the teen. "Two, Uzumaki?" He eyed the light-brown ice cream. "I thought you did not like the coffee one."

"I didn't." He placed the ice cream in front of him and glared stubbornly. "It's gross and bitter, so I got it for you."

Kakashi blinked and sat down slowly. His heart beat faster than he would have liked at the stark admission. "Well," he coughed. "Thank you." He cleared his throat. "What flavor did you pick?"

"Rum and raisin," Naruto grinned. "It's alcoholic."

Kakashi stuck his tiny spoon in the mocha-colored ice cream and gave it an experimental lick. "You wish it were."

Naruto scoffed, still grinning at him. His eyes followed the movement of the spoon from the cup to his lips, and Kakashi suddenly regretted he offered to buy the teen ice cream. Then Naruto licked his cone and his grin widened and Kakashi could not bring himself to look away.

"What's the alumni prom like?" Naruto suddenly asked, gazing at him curiously.

Kakashi licked his spoon thoughtfully. "Hmm. Dreadful."

Naruto kicked his shin. "I want a real answer," he demanded, trying to force down a grin.

Kakashi swallowed and looked away. "Well. I imagine it's not very different from the ones in your school," he tried. "There is music and drinks and appetizers, and you need to walk around and talk to people and convince them to donate money to your research."

"Bet you're good at that," Naruto asserted, licking his cone. "Also, that sounds nothing like our proms. The music's really loud, and everyone dances." Then Naruto sat up and stared at him intently. "You've never been to a high school prom," he realized slowly.

"From your description, it doesn't sound like I missed much," he deadpanned, his voice flat and dismissive.

Naruto tried to form a mischievous grin, but his red ears gave him away. "You gonna chaperone this year?" he asked innocently.

Kakashi hid his wince by taking another bite of his ice cream. "I hope not." The teen… damn it. It almost sounded like Naruto was asking him out.

Naruto scowled as the blush faded from his ears. "Why not? It's your only chance!"

"Again. Not tempting."

Naruto's scowl darkened as he focused on his ice cream. "Sakura and Ino are planning it," he mumbled. "They're obsessed."

Kakashi hummed noncommittally.

Naruto said nothing in response. He licked his ice cream mechanically, frowning at nothing.

"I think I might ask Hinata," he continued suddenly. "She gave me a scarf."

Kakashi gazed at the teen and wondered what he expected him to say. He looked lonely, but that wasn't something Kakashi could fix. It was too early to ask him about his sexuality, and if Naruto wasn't ready to come out…

He waited.

"I've never went, before," Naruto blurted. "You need a limo and a suit and a corsage and… matching socks."

Kakashi lowered his spoon. "Matching socks."

Naruto nodded gravely. "To the tie. So I also need a tie."

Kakashi frowned. "You don't seem very excited," he pointed out carefully. "Why go –"

"Because it's my last chance," Naruto cut him off, eyes defiant. "And if I can't go with someone I like, I'll go with someone who likes me."

Kakashi stared.

He licked his spoon to cool off his thoughts. "Well." He swallowed. "Why not go with Haruno and Uchiha? You like them, don't you?"

Naruto rolled his eyes. "They're dating," he objected. "Sorta. They don't answer my questions. N' they act weird."

Kakashi huffed. "It's their first relationship. They'll figure it out."

"S'not fair, though!" Naruto protested. "They go on dates n' they say I can't come!"

"So that's why you came to the mall," Kakashi hazarded a guess. Alone, but that he did not say.

Naruto nodded and donned a mask of annoyance that failed to hide the abandoned pain lurking below. Suddenly, he grinned. "But I still got you."

Kakashi choked on his ice cream and prayed his ears were not as red as they felt. "I do not know much about high school, but I am quite certain hanging out with teachers is considered nerdy."

Naruto scoffed. "That's 'cause teachers are nerds. You're different, though."

Kakashi stared again. Was the teen about to confess? This time, he could not rely on alcohol to make him forget –

But Naruto leaned closer, grinning mischievously. "Bet you're an assassin."

Kakashi shoved his face away. "Beware of running away with your imagination, Uzumaki," he said dryly, his heart drumming against his chest, "or reality will start to lose its appeal."

Naruto pursed his lips and swatted his hand, his eyes no less determined than before. "Drug lord."

"Uzumaki – "

"Ninja!"

"Uzumaki."

"Super soldier!"

Kakashi stared blankly.

Naruto faltered. "Um. James Bond?"

Kakashi huffed and tousled his hair. "Well, I am glad to learn you think so highly of me," he bit, but Naruto grinned at him from underneath his fingers, eyes shining just a bit too brightly, and Kakashi, despite the warning bells ringing in his head, could not bring himself to look away.


Naruto locked his door and covered his cheeks with his hands as a grin broke out, taking over his face and his thoughts. Sensei invited him to ice cream.

The man took the dogs out for a run – still refusing to let him tag along – and Naruto had no outlet for his excitement, so he simply ran around his apartment alone. Sensei knew he picked those clothes and he still tried them on and then bought them and then found him and he didn't get mad at all he ate ice cream with him –

He knew the man would be appalled at the notion, but Naruto decided it was a date. And since Sensei smiled at him throughout it, it was a pretty good one.

Yosh. Now I need to ask Sakura to ask Iruka to make him chaperone, he thought, still grinning.

And then I will find him and lead him away, saying I want some fresh air, and when the slow dance starts, I'll ask him to dance. And he'll probably say no at first, but we will stand really far away, and I'll tell him it's the last dance of the night, or something, and he'll sigh like he's really tired, and then he'll say fine, but just this once

In Naruto's mind, it all played out perfectly. In one scenario he imagined, Sensei helped him fix his tie and then told him he looked really good in a suit…

The sound of sharp claws scraping against the floor and pants – and a small bark at the rattle of a set of keys – Sensei was back.

Naruto sat up and eyed the colorful bag that contained his new swimming trunks. He did not mean to follow Sensei. In fact, he wanted to come and say hi. However, his heart started racing the moment he spotted him, looking disinterested and grumpy – and clueless – as he entered the fanciest clothing store at the mall.

Which was, he discovered, the kind that sells suits.

Sensei walked around, looking oddly out of his element as he picked whichever jacket his hand found first, sniffed it for some reason, and slouched his way to the changing room.

He looked positively defeated.

Naruto drew the man so many times he knew his body proportions by heart. It was the easiest, most natural thing to just know which articles would look good on him and which wouldn't. It took him less than ten minutes to collect quite an impressive pile of clothes and about a minute to convince a kind-looking clerk to help him.

He did not know what Sensei searched for, but he hoped at least one of the options he picked would stick. He did not expect him to buy everything, let alone figure out it was him who got them for him…

But Sensei knew it was him and still bought the clothes.

Naruto felt positively giddy at the notion.

He reached for his bag. He was still too skinny, but perhaps not to the point anyone will comment. Still, he wanted to try on the trunks again and see if they fitted him even now –

His fingers encountered something soft that definitely wasn't made for swimming.

He drew the thing out – and stared. That. That was the pajama set he got for Sensei. It was –

Naruto paled. Did I… did I accidentally shoplift?!

His head snapped to the door, but no police came a-knocking; yet. They have cameras, so they'll probably figure out it was him – he spoke to the clerk, after all, so he can identify him and –

Naruto growled, frustrated and panicked, and ran to the balcony. People never listen to him, but they always listen to Sensei. He'll know what to do. He –

Naruto leaned toward the man's balcony and shouted. "Sensei!"

Immediately, eight dogs began to bark. They ran to the balcony and back inside and then outside again, raising the alarm and making a hell of a noise –

Which was silenced.

And Naruto's heart began to race because that meant –

The man ran outside, dressed in a bathrobe that he tightened around his waist. His hair was wet, and the usually spiky silver strands stuck to his face, framing his sharp cheekbones and strong jaw.

His entire body, Naruto noted, half-dazed, was wet and dripping water on the floor.

Sensei stared at him, his eye wide, and then glared. "This better be important, Uzumaki." His face no longer looked pale and worried but rather annoyed.

Naruto closed his mouth abruptly as his cheeks threatened to blush – and then he remembered why he started this mess in the first place. "It is!" He waved the pajama set in front of the unimpressed man. "I think I shoplifted," he admitted, heart racing for a different reason.

Sensei raked his fingers through his hair, brushing it back, and managed to look even more handsome, despite his obvious irritation. "You think," he repeated.

Naruto scowled in embarrassment. "Well, I didn't pay for it, so maybe I accidentally pushed it in, and – "

"Why," Sensei breathed, exhausted, "would you think that."

Naruto looked up, almost relieved to see Sensei's head tilted in silent amusement. It was not the reaction he expected –either resignation or a silent nod as he decided who to call to solve this mess – and confusion bubbled within him.

"Well," he mumbled, trying to figure out what he had missed. "It was in my bag."

"I know." Sensei's lips tilted into a tight-lipped, sardonic smile. "I put it there."

Naruto's hair spiked up as his chest decided, for some reason, to explode. "You!" He sputtered. "But – why – "

Sensei lifted his hand and stopped his directionless tantrum. "You still don't sleep well. Flannel is supposed to help."

Naruto just stared. His mind turned off, buzzing with tension yet too overburdened to produce anything intelligible. "How," he breathed, flinching at his own voice. "How d'you know," he whispered.

Sensei's eye was too soft and understanding for his liking. "You fell asleep in my car and during your study sessions with Haruno and Uchiha. It wasn't hard to tell." He stuffed his hands into his robe pockets and headed back inside. "Try not to have another meltdown until I'm done showering."

Naruto crossed his arms, cheeks red and expression mutinous. "Ass."

"Language."

And he disappeared.

Naruto scowled and stomped inside as well, crushing the set in his fist. He growled, annoyed, and tried them on. Stupid Sensei, he thought, embarrassed. Clothes and milk don't do shit for sleeping.

The fabric was soft and light, almost weightless, and warm. It was probably the softest thing he had ever owned. He hmphed again, running his fingers on his pants and shirt, and climbed to bed. This will prove, beyond any reasonable doubt –

Naruto sighed, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.


Notes:


First official escapade to the mall! Naruto is not good at receiving gifts and Kakashi is not good at giving them, but at least they sorta had their first date, too! Only sorta because dates don't work out unacknowledged and because I'm pretty sure Naruto would be nervous as hell if it were but at least got closure for the ice-cream memory.

What'd you guys think?

Anyways, in the next chapter, the kids are going on a trip! I mean, they are seniors, so they deserve a little break and an opportunity to make some lasting memories…

Sorry about the late posting today, I'll do my best to keep posting on Fridays! See ya next time!