Kakashi sat quietly in the middle of the bar, pretending to sip sake through his mask and watching the crowd around him shuffle and grunt and yell with a small smile on his face. He was not a party sort of person, nor was he inclined to participate in large, crowded social events, but he could still appreciate them from the outside, as it were, especially when they pertained to the life of a shinobi. And one thing could be guaranteed, across every hidden village and every nation in the world; Whenever two or more people compete, three or more people will be betting on the outcome.
Kakashi actually enjoyed the betting system for the Chunin Exams, specifically, that there was no system. Anyone could bet with anyone, for anything of value, be it money or goods or information. No betting laws were in place, at least not in Konohagakure, beyond the simple rule that to welch on a bet made in good faith was identical to theft, and treated accordingly, which in a hidden village populated mostly by shinobi, generally meant D-rank missions for the value of the debits, a strong incentive for any gambler to stay honest.
So, every time the exams happened, Kakashi would grab a drink and sit quietly in the middle of the maelstrom. He never offered a bet, no matter how much others pressed. But he would accept bets offered to him, and in the process of playing hard to get, he generally got far better odds than he would get pursuing the same bets. As of yet, the only one who no longer fell for that trap within his small circle of friends and acquaintances was Kurenai, who made a bet with him exactly once, and never again.
This year was special, however. This year, he had his own team in the running, made of two previously hopeless cases and a single genius with a reputation for being pig headed. It helped that, with a village full of often bored shinobi, the local records office was filled with people trying to find an edge with public information, and Kakashi had not bothered to update the public files on his little genin squad since he began training them.
He continued to stare towards the exit, watching the crowds outside mill about through the windows. He could feel the man approaching from a mile away, his heavy frame and uneven footfalls playing a song for Kakashi's ears on the carefully prepared floor. It was a bar in a hidden village, and if it wanted shinobi business, like most pars did, there were plenty of ways to keep track of your surroundings.
"Hey... arn't you Hatake Kakashi."
Kakashi turned and smiled at the man, a slightly overweight, middle aged male whose dress and manner told Kakashi all he needed to know. A shop owner, and based on his businesslike attire, some sort of general store owner. "I am," he acknowledged amicably.
"You got that Uchiha kid, right? And the little weak pink girl and the... thing, right?"
Kakashi carefully set his sake bottle down, least he be tempted to use in an unusual manner, such as a bludgeon. This fellow was drunk enough to lose his discretion, which was never wise amongst shinobi, especially one you do not know well. Kakashi smiled to himself, and decided to make an example out of him. "I have Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, and the Thingkeeper himself, Uzumaki Naruto."
"Pffffft." The shopkeeper sat heavily across from Kakashi, pointing at him with one greasy finger, each hand movement sloshing some liquid on the table. "I hear from the book keepers that they suck! That the girl is weak, and the Thing spends all of his money on ramen because he's hungry... for blood. Muhahaha."
Kakashi kept his smile firmly in place. You'd spend all your money on ramen if you couldn't get anything better with the generous payout given to him, I bet. "I cannot speak on personal matters at this time, honorable shopkeep. It would change the odds for all those betting. Terrible thing to do."
"C'mon... if you believe in them, you'd bet on them! It's betting season!" Kakashi shook his head, and the man leaned in. "Howsa bet. I am willing to bet you ten thousand ryo per genin on your team. I pay for each kid who makes it to the final round. You pay for each kid who does not."
Kakashi took a moment to look thoughtful, then shrugged. "Do you have thirty thousand ryo? I won't bet with someone who's no good for it." The man fumbled for his wallet, and Kakashi smiled under his mask. A shinobi is nothing if not observant, and Kakashi already knew the answer to this one, because the guy had loudly begged for the drink in his hand before approaching. When the man shook his head sadly, Kakashi took a thoughtful pose. "Well, how does this sound. I give you ten thousand ryo per genin on my team who does not make it to the final. You offer me ten percent off of merchandise for the next year for each genin that does make it."
It took some haggling, and some artful encouragement from Kakashi, but the man eventually agreed to five percent per genin. Kakashi wrote out the contract and signed it, and let the man read it over and sign it, before tucking it into his vest, grinning like a thief, which he might as well be. When the man stumbled off to bother someone else, Kakashi pulled out the agreement and smiled as he reread it.
"I, Hatake Kakashi, while of sound mind, agree to pay to Yasui Kaz the sum of Ten Thousand (10,000) Ryo per genin on my team who does not reach the final round in the current Chunin Exam. I, Yasui Kaz, while of sound mind, agree to grant to Hatake Kakashi, in lieu of money, a Five Percent (5%) discount on all merchandise in my shop per genin who reaches the final round in the current Chunin Exam, for one year after the end of the current Chunin exam. The above has been examined by both parties and found to be correct according to the terms of our bet."
Without a formal betting system enforced by the village, bets were enforced by the community. A shopkeeper who dodged payment would quickly find that the local shinobi were quite adept at covert action, and cared very little for those who did not keep their word. To not follow through would be the same as throwing their business away. And when it came time to settle, the exact wording of the contract was followed.
Ten thousand per genin on my team verses five percent off per genin, period. The fine print matters, pal, and I have a genin who could use a hefty discount under my guise. He took another slip of paper out and made a few notes on it. Based on previous exams, he'd be getting a solid forty to fifty percent off from the merchant for a year, depending on how many made it to the finals. I wonder if Naruto can figure out how to put Yasui-san out of business, reselling his merchandise at a solid profit. He tucked the note away for later consideration, maybe as a mental exercise for the boy. He needed to keep up appearances, after all, and one did not ponder ones bets while gleefully cackling if one is to appear unwilling to gamble.
He'd had more then fifteen people in the last few days make bets with him, and win or lose, he'd be ahead by the end. A few financial gains, but mostly social gains.
He had bet Asuma his cigarettes for a month against seeing what was under his mask if all three of his genin made it to the finals, and he was quite looking forward to losing that bet if Asuma's team all made it, because the "Another Mask" routine was a surefire hit, and it was getting harder to find someone it worked on. In fact, Kurenai had choked on her drink when Asuma made that bet, but she kept it to herself, managing only a small smile when Asuma wasn't looking.
He'd bet Guy, of course. This year, Guy insisted on betting for Kakashi to wear a suit similar to his own for a day, against having to wear one of his own suits, only two sizes smaller, for a day. Kakashi had carefully noted to himself that nothing in the bet said what day, or that he'd be seen in public on that day. He highly suspected that Guy would end up finding a woman finally after he lost that bet, although considering Kurenai had choked on her drink again at that one, maybe not.
Once he stopped laughing over Naruto's stunt during the "Cheater's Test," Morino Ibiki had bet that if Naruto made it to the final round, he'd eat his headband. Unlike most of those who bet with Kakashi, he had carefully reread the betting contract, after which he smirked, and wrote in a clause allowing him to remove the metal plate he had sewn into it. Against it, Kakashi had gotten a few days worth of training time for the genin, and thankfully, Ibiki did not look nearly as close to that part of the bet. Or he let it go as worth doing, Kakashi thought. For all of his imposing manner, Head Interrogator Ibiki was as sociable and good willed as most people, and it might well be that he saw value in training the next generation.
Kakashi sensed another person approaching and grinned to himself. He had been waiting days for this, patiently waiting at a bar and putting on a show of not caring, solely to draw the attention of his foe. They'd passed him by several times over the last few days, and now they crept up quietly behind his chair, arms raised.
Anko draped her arms over Kakashi from behind, frowning when he did not react to her sudden closeness. "What gave me away," she asked, holding her place and pressing her chest against his back. They'd been playing this game for months now, and as of yet, she had not managed to sneak up on the more experienced jonin.
"You avoided the front door, and made no sound on the floors, but three things gave you away." Kakashi pointed forward, and Anko leaned into him to follow his line of sight, coincidentally pressing herself even tighter against Kakashi. Her face went from a frown to a scowl when she realized he was pointing at the window, not through it. She could see their reflection on the glass clearly. "First, I was watching for you. Second, no matter where you go, people talk quietly when you pass, something I am sure can be attributed to your... great personality."
Anko grinned and tightened her grip on Kakashi. "I'm sure you didn't look at my... great personality, when you saw me coming up behind you, either." Her mesh top did little to conceal her chest, nor did the long coat she wore open at all times, and Anko knew it was generally distracting to others, both for those who found her style uncouth, and for those who found the style not quite uncouth enough. She knew it, and Kakashi knew it, and for all that he played the part of the pervert, she had yet to catch him actually checking the goods. She wasn't sure if he was not looking out of respect, or he was just so good she didn't catch him at it, but even knowing the real contents of his ever present book, she had her own ideas on the matter.
It was a grand game, a battle of perversion between two of Konohagakure's most overtly inappropriate people, and the best part of the game was that nobody else really knew the rules, although they both suspected Kurenai had some idea what was going on. Anko did her best to make Kakashi look like a pervert, Kakashi did his best to make her look ineffective against even such a legendary pervert as himself, and both worked as hard as they could to make as many people uncomfortable as possible in the process. What fun.
"So," she said, leaning into his ear and speaking quietly, "What was the third thing that gave me away? A dowsing rod?" She nibbled his ear slightly and grinned to herself when she heard the sound of at least two glasses hitting the floor nearby.
"Nonsense," said Kakashi, leaning back and giving her a dull look. "The third thing was, I knew you'd get desperate enough to approach me eventually."
Anko sighed and sauntered around the table. She grabbed a chair and spun it around, smoothly straddling it and counting the scooting chairs and sudden held breaths as more then a few folks watched. "I want to make a bet with you." Kakashi nodded politely for her to talk. "For each student of yours who fails, I get to take one piece of clothing off of you. For every student who passes, you get to claim something of mine." She casually flicked her coat open and gave Kakashi a smile that was completely genuine, if only for the gratifying spit take one of the civilians behind him made when he saw that move.
Kakashi shrugged. "You're still trying to get my cloths off, I see. But why would I bet? You've been throwing yourself at me for weeks now. If you haven't got them off me yet, you're not getting them on a bet where I have no stakes. Maybe you should try someone who's more desperate then I am."
A small circle opened around them, to the sound of every chair within reach being skillfully slid away, because it was a shinobi bar, which means that the clientele were usually aggressive, drunk, and more then willing to use their surroundings as weapons, and Anko had a reputation for all three.
Kakashi held up his hands peacefully, grinning under his mask. Here we go, this is going to be great. Kakashi was a good shinobi, and as such, his intelligence gathering skills were excellent. He knew that Anko had met up with the other jonin who had teams in the exam, and he'd managed to learn where this bet was going before she approached him. He had spotted the other jonin in the crowd earlier as well, so the timing was perfect. He was about to make so many points in their little game. "Maa, maa, before you get all angry, how about a trade?"
Anko frowned, little warning bells going off in her head. "What trade?"
"We split the average. You give me two items of clothing, and I'll give you two. Right here and now."
Anko's eyes narrowed. They had agreed that they could not do anything during their games that Kakashi was unwilling to do in front of his students, which means no making him strip down in public, nor him doing the same to her. But not demanding her cloths after this bet would break character, which was also against the rules of their game. She smelled a trap, but backing down would also break character. Damn him.
She smiled as a thought occurred to her. "If we're doing this publicly, I think the public should have a say. I think they are permitted to vote on what I take off of you."
"And I am sure they'll all agree with what I take off you, in the end, Anko-san."
"Deal," she said, pulling her coat back to give the Kakashi, and the crowd, a show. "Take your pick."
Kakashi looked carefully at her, a single slow once over. To be fair, most of the males and at least a few of the females in the room were doing the same, but Kakashi was doing it as if searching for weapons.
"Your kunai holster," he said with a smirk, to the sound of many, many folks in the bar groaning in frustration.
Shit, thought Anko. She knew that smirk. Kakashi thought he had one up on her, and the sad truth was, when he got like that, he often did. But if she had to lose, she'd get as many points as she could in the process. She lifted her leg, raising it much higher then she had to, and set it on the table to undo her kunai holster, carefully giving herself plenty of time in that pose while the crowd shuffled around to get a good look. She set the holster on the table and slowly lowered her leg. "And what else," she said, setting her hands on her hips.
"Your weapons pouch."
The bar grumbled and cussed as she removed her secondary pouch from her back and set it on the table too. There were no saucy movements for her to make there, and she didn't even try. Whatever his trap was, she must have fallen into it, because he was still smirking, although she had no idea why he wanted her disarmed. Hell with it, at least I'll make it a pyrrhic victory for him.
She turned to the crowd, sweeping her coat out and open, and bowed to them. "So, having just disappointed you so much, now it is time for your revenge. What shall we remove first?"
There was one shouted answer that dominated every other. More then a few called for his forehead protector, and a few more, including many of the women in the bar, called for his pants. But above them both was the call from every jonin and chunin in the bar, and they called for his mask. Of course, Kakashi thought cheerfully to himself. Boy oh boy, it's going to be a good night.
Kakashi smiled and shrugged. "Very well, the rules are the rules. If you really want to know, I wear this mask because, behind it, there is a secret." He reached up and hooked his finger into his mask, then pulled it down to reveal...
"Another mask."
It was a credit to his efforts that most of the shinobi in the room said it with him, many of them with the weary chuckle of someone seeing the same amusing joke for the tenth time. But Kakashi distinctly heard the sound of Asuma shouting in confusion. "By the way," he calmly called out casually, "You have now cheated me of my stakes for our bet, Asuma-san. I know this was a setup. I suggest you get your smokes in now, because you're taking a little break after the exams." The crowd laughed, and Kakashi caught sight of Kurenai pumping her fist in victory.
Anko shook her head and turned to the crowd, without theatrics. The next part was painfully obvious, if you knew Kakashi. And the crowd fell for it. "His other mask," they shouted, and while many of the jonin in the crown tried to shout them down, the chunin and civilians far outnumbered them. Anko sighed and turned to Kakashi. "Very well, take off your other ma..." he voice trailed off at the look of horror wrote on Kakashi's face. He looked deeply uncomfortable, and his one visible eye was pleading.
No way, she thought.
Kakashi took a moment to swallow, and turned to the crowd. "The rules are the rules. As much as it... bothers me, I'll take off my mask. But first, I ask that we close the blinds over the windows. I don't want this to leave this room." The various patrons rushed forward, sliding the thick wooden blinds down to block off the view of the street. As they did so, Anko watched Kakashi closely. He made no hand signs, he made no move at all, he simply stood quietly, his face pale and drawn.
No way, she thought again.
As the crowd gathered around, Kakashi looked at Anko. "Are you sure you want this," he asked her quietly, his voice subdued. "I know you wanted to get my mask off in private. Won't this rob you of that victory?"
Anko grinned at him. I can't believe it! "Rules are rules, you said, Kakashi. And I think you weren't prepared for this after all. You should have gone for a henge when people were distracted." She would have even let him get away with it for fun. She actually felt a little bad at instigating this, but he overplayed his hand, and now he'd have to pay. "It's time to see what's really behind your mask, Kakashi. Do it."
Kakashi let out a deep sigh, then raised a shaking hand to his mask. The entire crowd leaned in, and the room went still, everyone holding their breath at this chance to witness the birth of a legend, the tale of how a single bet had revealed the infamous face of Hatake Kakashi. He hooked his finger into his mask, and his one eye turned to Anko. He gave her a wink and a smile, and her jaw dropped.
You bastard.
He pulled, revealing... a dark green piece of cloth. "Oh, look," he said, grinning at Anko, "another mas-"
It was worth it.
Even when Anko threw him out of window, the wooden blind slats preventing the glass from cutting Kakashi too much.
Even when the crowd chased him, through the streets for the civilians, and over the rooftops for the shinobi.
Even when the barkeep presented Kakashi the repair bill, after those who stayed behind trashed the place. Apparently, Anko had still been really angry, and stools were shockingly expensive.
Even when Anko chewed him out later for being such a jerk, although she was laughing at the time.
Twelve years. He'd waited twelve years for someone to get to the third mask. And to get to reveal it in front of a massive crowd like that...
It was worth it.
Author's Notes: Sorry for the omake in the middle of the story, but I've started some anti-anxiety medication, and the side effects, while mild, are making it hard for me to focus. That should fade in a few weeks, assuming I am able to keep taking them, so my next update may be a little later then usual. Figured I should warn folks about it, rather then instilling that dreaded "dead fic" fear on everyone. So I powered through for this chapter, and it came out as I wanted it to, short and amusing.
For those who are curious, the rules to Kakashi and Anko's game are:
1) No nudity. Anko's shirt gets a bye out of necessity, but that's it. He does have kids around, you know!
2) Anko gains points any time she manages to get another person to convey distraction or confusion because of her activities.
3) Kakashi gains points any time he manages to get another person to convey disbelief or concern because of his activities.
4) All points for the event are lost if one has to break character.
5) Points can only be earned in each other's presence
6) Game suspended on official business.
The game will come up in future omakes, and the above is as close to inappropriate as I'll ever get in this setting.
By the way, thanks for the kind remarks, folks. It's a pleasure to see that those who click on my story are enjoying this.