Chapter 22 - 3 Days

As expected, Tenzo saw neither hide nor tail of the girl, and he was in a right foul mood. He usually loved the rain, but today it was just a nuisance. His thoughts turned to Kakashi, and the “date” he was with. To the untrained eye it would look like nothing more than a sensei accompanying his student on some errands. But Tenzo knew Kakashi better than most. He saw past the aloof façade and the torrent of emotions underneath. And he definitely saw the way his senpai was looking at Sakura. And the way her body unconsciously reacted to his told Tenzo that Kakashi wasn’t alone in his feelings. Honestly, he didn’t have a problem with them as a couple, but he knew that there were less accepting people. And if he knew Kakashi, which he did, he’d try to push her away.

If I’m right about how their “date” ended, he probably needs some emotional support right about now, even though he’d rather die than admit it.

With that last thought in mind, Tenzo headed home to drop his groceries off, then headed straight to Kakashi’s house.

--

Kakashi walked home slowly, his foul mood giving off a tangible aura that caused any passerby (few and far between in this weather) to give him a wide berth. His posture was even more slouchy than usual, and his heels dug into the ground with each step, kicking up mud. His hands were stuffed in his pockets angrily, and if “looks could kill,” anyone who met his gaze would have died a thousand times over.

Sometimes, doing the right thing sucks balls, Kakashi noted sourly. He knew he made the right decision by putting her in her place and walking away. So why did it hurt so damn much? Being with her felt so right. It was so easy to forget everything when he was around her.

Maybe I should encourage a relationship between her and Sasuke. I’m not sure how that’ll work… He can’t stand her most of the time. Hmm… Maybe, I could… bribe him with special training… He may eventually learn to like her. As long as she’s happy… That’s all I can really ask.

Kakashi rounded the corner and started up the first step to his cold, empty apartment when he spotted Tenzo leaning casually against the fence next to the door. Kakashi reigned in his emotions and put on his usual cheerful face.

“Well, hey there. How’s my favorite little kohai?” His cheery voice gave away nothing of the hurt he was going through inside. Tenzo was impressed, if he admitted it to himself.

“Hey, senpai… I was… just in the neighborhood, and I thought I’d stop by. We haven’t seen each other in a while, so…” He threw his hand behind his head and ran his fingers through his hair sheepishly, knowing that excuse was shaky at best.

“That’s true,” Kakashi agreed, putting a hand to his chin in contemplation. He then put that hand on Tenzo’s shoulder and finished, “But I just feel like being alone tonight, if it’s all the same to you, Ten-chan.”

“B-but senpai,” he stammered, flustered by the absurd pet name. “We haven’t seen each other in so long! I’ve missed your company.”

“Tenzo…” Kakashi looked taken aback. Tenzo could have sworn he saw a sly grin creep across the man’s masked face then. His eyes widened in surprise when Kakashi put a thumb on Tenzo’s chin, angling it upward as he leaned forward until their faces were mere centimeters away. “If you wanted ‘company,’ you should have said so in the first place.”

Tenzo blushed as Kakashi’s voice whispered intimately in his ear. He pushed the older man away gently and coughed as he regained his personal space.

“Very funny, Kakashi-senpai,” Tenzo said in a shaky voice. Kakashi always messed around with him like that, and he always got the same reaction out of Tenzo- lots of stammering and blushing.

“Oh, well,” Kakashi sighed, seemingly disappointed. “It’s your loss.” He shook his head sadly and walked slowly up the steps, each footfall echoing loudly in the gloomy darkness.

“Oy, senpai-“ Tenzo started forward, stretching out his palm in a “wait” gesture, but stopped in his tracks when Kakashi held up a hand.

“Tell you what, Ten-chan,” Kakashi said, earning another protesting blush from his kohai. “I should be done with my Icha Icha marathon in about three days. Meet me at the teahouse downtown, you know the one, and we can go for drinks. First one’s on me for a change.”

“Um, yes…” Tenzo knew it was the best he could do when he was dealing with someone like Kakashi.

--

True to his word, Kakashi went upstairs and put in the first of many Icha Icha movies, grabbed a bag of munchies, and settled in for three days of mind-numbing Makeout Paradise. Truth be told, he probably wouldn’t move at all during those three days. Besides, mind-numbing sounded pretty good about now; being alone with one’s thoughts didn’t appeal to Kakashi right then, or any time soon.

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Chapter 23: http://www.fanart-central.net/chapter-100902.html

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