on equal terms

A/N: We're skipping through a lot of build-up. This chapter is short because the next one is going to be longer.

Genma notices sixteen things when he is allowed to stay past morning.

Post-war. Mild AU. A ninja and a samurai try the "lovers" thing, hoping for things to go awry.

Early afternoon. They always end in the early afternoons, where they both have the rest of their days to do whatever they want with whoever they want. But he doesn't know what she does after, and she doesn't know what he does after. It's all part of their mystery toward each other, all part of the mystique as to why they're probably attracted to each other.

"I've finally learned the recipe, Shiranui-san."

"Really?"

"Yes, and you'll be the first to try it."

The food is optional, but it's always at her insistence. The food is always optional, but his reason for staying is because it's free. It's free and it's almost suspicious how good it is. People like her shouldn't know how to cook as good as this, shouldn't even bother with cooking because it's not their job. Samurai royalty? What kind of royal makes their own food anyway?

"I learned in my travels."

"Like those stories, huh? Momotaro, was it?"

"Yes! So you have heard the story?"

"A little."

But he doesn't complain. He doesn't complain and she doesn't ask, she doesn't push. She's just so agreeable that he wonders if she was put up to this, if she does this with anyone else, if she wants this with or from someone else... People like her wouldn't normally be so hospitable around people like him, right?

So he asks Raidou.

"She has gyoza sometimes, handmade too."

He asks Kakashi.

"I've never been served cold noodles before her."

He even asks Gai and his students.

"She treated us to lunch yesterday!"

And he ultimately comes to the conclusion that she is just a nice person who was probably a restaurant owner in a past life, because she cannot know these recipes and make them for two just because. He doesn't remember when he started noticing that she was making food for two, for him and her, but then again she makes food for everybody.

"I find it... relieving. That the parts aren't necessarily greater than the whole, the process."

"I can understand, a little."

"Have you ever tried rice cooked in brine before, Shiranui-san?"

"No, I can't imagine the taste."

"Exactly like the sea, as I've been told."

"Exactly?"

"Down to the sand."

So what is this, huh? What was all this, just her being a proper host? Just her being... nice?

Because he doesn't want her to be just nice. If she's attracted and interested in him, she would do something different. She would act a different way, or do something distinct and unique... Something obvious. Or at least obvious enough to him because he can read people extremely well, and he's always reading her but he can't fully understand what she stillwants to say.

"Thank you, Shiranui-san."

"I hope this isn't boring you."

"It will never."

There is hesitation in her pauses, in her breathing, in her pacing. Around him, she is comfortable, but only enough. She keeps her distance the same way she does everyone else. Amicable. Friendly. She doesn't pull too close or push too far, which is why he can't assume what he wants. He can't think she's attracted and interested in him just because of the way she spars with him, the way she looks at him when she fights him, the way she looks at him when he fights back.

"Tired?"

"Just catching my breath, Shiranui-san."

"Sure."

"You've knocked it right out of me."

She flirts easily, smiles at him, and hints at a kind of interest he wishes were clearer. So he does what he knows is best when dealing with things like these, with people like her, he talks to someone else.

And the first person he talks to about it is Kakashi, who's slowly started moving in to the Hokage building, which was left vacated by the Godaime about a week ago. Kakashi's place is bare, as all theor loving quarters are, save for some stand-out belongings such as his collection of books and dog toys. Genma notices Kakashi's ninken are out more often now, and it's only a matter of admitting that Kakashi likes dogs more than people.

When Genma knocks on Kakashi's door, the reply he receives is a two-eyed stare and a small grumble.

"This couldn't wait?"

And a yawn.

Genma shrugs, "You were supposed to be in the office an hour ago."

A sigh.

"And the world was supposed to end seven months ago."

Snark.

"The world's ending now, what are you gonna do?"

And this is a thing they used to do as kids, play like everything is a life-or-death situation, dare each other scared, muster enough courage and enough willpower, then fight it out the best way they know how. Genma knows Kakashi was never really a physical fighter, because neither is he, they both prefer the long, winding road of wits and strategy. Let those brute force fighters pummel and tear their way through the enemy, there's a reason why both he and Kakashi are former ANBU after all.

"Maybe I'd let it."

Tired. Everything about Kakashi tells Genma he's tired. Tired but not exhausted. The tiredness he sees in Kakashi is the same kind he sees in most people like them. They're tired of the inactivity, the mundanity of it all. Especially because they can't admit to themselves that this is what peace is coming to look like. The same everyday things in the same everyday place with the same everyday people.

Speaking of.

"How long is the samurai staying?"

A blink. Two blinks.

"It's not up to me." Kakashi lets him inside, "Why do you ask?"

Genma knows better than to tell it to Kakashi straight, but how else can he say it?

"Isn't there anything else for me to do?"

Genma knows that Kakashi understands he's asking for something better to do. And Kakashi knows that Genma knows that he wouldn't lie about something like that. Something that is both mundane and strange. Something that sound personal. Kakashi may not exactly look it, but he likes gossips and rumors and betting pools.

"Not yet, no."

Kakashi knows that Genma doesn't know about a betting pool concerning him.

So he cocks his head, "Is there a problem?"

And Genma knows that Kakashi knows there isn't.

He narrows his eyes, "What do you mean by that?"

"There isn't any major concern that needs a shinobi to address it."

And Genma really doesn't want to do or say this, but he has to face it directly.

"Any minor concerns, then?"

…at some point.

"Not really."

"Border patrols?"

"All taken."

"Nighttime patrols?"

"No."

"Cats and dogs going missing?"

Kakashi pauses then, and Genma starts feeling a little but hopeful…

"You have a problem with her," he muses aloud, "so why are you asking me?"

"Because you know her, don't you?"

Genma doesn't know what to call them, but they've probably known each other for longer. They wouldn't be eating out in public and meeting every so often if they didn't. And Genma doesn't really put it past either of them if they've been more involved than that.

"Maybe just a little more than you do," Kakashi shrugs, "so I'm not the best person to ask."

Genma doesn't want to think they've been more involved than that.

"Why me?"

And Genma understands that Kakashi knows he owes him an answer.

"Like I've said before, it was the Godaime's orders. I'm just carrying it through."

"The samurai wanted this to be a regular thing?"

Kakashi sighs, "Again, like I've said, she likes you enough."

Enough, what does that mean?

"She doesn't have anything else to do on Tuesdays?"

"Maybe you, eventually."

Now what does that mean? Genma's always found Kakashi's sense of humor to be twisted and macabre, but not like this.

"You moped about not getting laid in years, so here's an opportunity."

No– Genma is not going to let this play out like one of the Makeout Paradise novels.

"You're fucking serious."

"She likes you enough already."

Again with the–

No, Genma won't take that as a confession, and accuses, "You're setting this up."

"Again, Godaime's orders–"

"What, matchmaking the wealthy foreigner?"

"If you put it that way," Kakashi hums, "does that mean you are interested in her?"

Genma can hear that smirk beneath the mask, and thinks Kakashi ought to change his moniker from "Copy Nin" to "Post-War Gossipmonger." There's no escaping, really, once Kakashi's found out something potentially exploitable in someone, especially his closer circle.

So Genma decides to confront the smallest inkling in his head, and attempt to throw him off, "Are you?"

This all feels a little petty, a little melodramatic, a little too unrealistic. He's not asking Kakashi because he needs to know, he's asking because he wants to. As far as he and anyone else knows, Kakashi's interest in smutty and erotic literature doesn't extend to his outward, physical interests. He doesn't fuck, basically, despite numerous self-depreciating jokes about how a spicy affair or two could potentially ruin the feared reputation of the "Master of a Thousand Jutsu" when they were younger. Kakashi's more of a romantic than anyone else, probably, but there's also one reason why the man hasn't really attempted to mimic the swagger of his favorite protagonists. And it's the same reason none of them really do fucking just because– Life's too short to fuck around.

Kakashi says the exact same thing in that monotone yet insightful tone of his, "Life's too short to fuck around."

So Genma now knows that Kakashi isn't, that if Kakashi was ever interested in her, it wouldn't be just because…

"Are you?" Kakashi throws the question back at him.

…and Genma knows that Kakashi isn't going to let him off now that he knows.

So he answers plainly, "I don't know."

And Genma knows that Kakashi knows that despite being such a great, great liar, he wouldn't like about something like this, about something that's almost… personal.

"Well, now you know," Kakashi replies, almost like it's such a great, big revelation, "I'm glad to have been in service, despite it being my off hours."

Genma rolls his eyes, "Work never ends, Rokudaime-sama."

And the mention of the title makes Kakashi visibly flinch.

"Well," Kakashi sighs, "since you're here, you might as well escort me to the office."

Does Kakashi mean what Genma thinks he means?

"You're putting me back in the guard?"

Kakashi blinks at the question, "Were you ever removed?"

Come to think of it…

Genma scoffs, then laughs, "I'll look forward to working with you, Rokudaime-sama."