Work Text:
Kakashi was not sure exactly why cold, winter air was giving him runny nose every time but it was simply awful considering he was wearing a mask.
With a pained sigh through his mouth, he pulled it down and with his other hand, he fished out a tissue. Blowing his nose muffled the sounds of somebody running towards him.
‘Rival!’ yelled Gai.
‘Uh, yeah?’ He turned around, wiping his nose.
Gai stopped dead in his track and let his arm drop. He smiled, suddenly looking embarrassed - it was a new, weird look on his face.
‘Sorry! I thought you were someone else!’ he explained with a chuckle and turned around to skip away to where he jumped out in the first place.
Kakashi blinked, staring at his back. He crumpled the tissue and put it back in his pocket.
‘Is this a joke I’m supposed to understand?’ he called after Gai, putting the mask back in his place.
‘Not at all!’ He turned to looked back at him and froze. ‘Kakashi’ he said slowly.
‘Yeah? What do you want?’
Gai looked around, frowning.
‘I was… I’m getting some miso and I… Saw you, so! Wanna join me?’
Kakashi shrugged.
‘Yeah, sure.’ He could really use something warm. He put both hands deep in the pockets of his jacket, closing the distance between them. He gave his friend a critical once over. ‘What’s with that face?’
‘Hm? Nothing!’ He beamed at him and threw and arm around Kakashi’s shoulders.
Kakashi just stared at him.
‘Are you sure?’ He smacked his arm off of him and circled him slowly, looking him up and down.
‘Yeah? What do you mean?’
Kakashi yanked the other boy’s hat off, but he did not find any bandages around his head.
‘You didn’t recognize me’ he explained. ‘A concussion?’
‘I’m fine! And I could never NOT recognize you, Kakashi! Hahah! How bold of you, dear friend!’
‘You literally just told me you mistaken me for someone else.’
‘No I didn’t?’
‘I was here! What, I hallucinated it? I was blowing my nose and you showed up.’ He pointed at him, jabbing a finger at Gai’s chest. ‘And you said you thought I was someone else!’
Gai only laughed uncomfortably, turning around.
‘Miso it is then!’
Kakashi snorted.
‘Oi, don’t tell me you didn’t recognize me because I had my mask down! Come on, Gai!’ He frowned when there were no response. For a moment they just walked in silence. ‘Now that I think about it. Didn’t you say something similar to Obito during exam when you had your one-on-one fight?’
‘Impossible, I know who Obito is!’
‘Well, it didn’t look like it!’
‘Lies.’
‘Is it though? And… Didn’t you mistake Rin with Shizune yesterday?’
‘They look similar!’
‘Where?’ he barked a laugh.
‘F-from behind! They have the same hair!’
‘Rin’s hair is brown and longer, and Shizune’s black!’
‘Details’ he huffed.
Kakashi tilted his head to the side, squinting at Gai’s profile.
‘And. I remember Genma saying something about you thinking he was Ebisu because he was trying on his glasses.’
‘I was joking! Anyway, do you want miso from somewhere specific, or?’
‘Nah, not really.’
There was another silence. Kakashi once again had to blow his nose; Gai glanced at him a few times, clearly tense.
‘You look weird with a face’ he commented.
‘Hmm, do I? I’ve always had it.’
‘But you barely show it and it’s weird when you suddenly do!’
‘Or it’s not weird and you’re just squimmish about faces!’
‘Now that’s just stupid.’
‘Why?’ Kakashi shrugged. ‘If people can be squimmish about feet, why not about faces?’
Gai snorted.
‘Who’s squimmish about feet?’
‘Obito. They freak him out’ he explained with amused grin. ‘Or! You are faceblind!’
‘Is that even a thing?’ Gai frowned at him.
‘Yeah, I remember aunt Tsunade talking about it with that creep Orochimaru. It was one of her patients I think? They had a head injury and it made them unable to recognize faces. Like they knew the face I there, they knew the parts and everything, but they stopped making sense to them suddenly. They couldn’t even describe his friends anymore.’ He sniffed. ‘It sounds so odd.’
Gai was quiet, nervously twisting his fingers.
‘Is it not like that for everyone?’
‘No? Of course it’s not, how else do you expect anyone to describe people?’
‘Well… They do kind of all look the same, don’t they?’
‘…No?’
They both stopped and Kakashi pulled his mask down. The other boy blinked a few times, confused and just stared. For a moment Kakashi just let Gai’s gaze quickly skim his face before he covered it again.
‘Describe me.’
Gai snorted.
‘That’s dumb.’
‘Come on, you just saw me.'
Gai sighed, exasperated, and waved his arms.
‘Two eyes, a nose, mouth. And cheeks. And forehead too even if I can’t see it under your headband.’
‘Yeah, but the shapes? Details?’
‘Just… Normal?’
Kakashi frowned, tilting his head again.
‘You really can’t do it, can you? Is this why you messed up the escort mission, because you didn’t recognize the man when he left your side?’
Gai could feel his cheeks getting warm despite the crispy cold air around them. Kakashi’s eye widened in shocked amusement and he started to chuckle.
‘It’s so weird!’ he grinned. ‘Did you have head trauma?’
‘…Yes, but it didn’t start after having cracked skull! It’s always been like that!’
‘Huh.’ He propped his hands on his hips, standing wide. ‘How do you even function? There are people everywhere all the time. How do you get around if you can’t see differences? Especially the higher ranks, they all wear uniforms!’
‘Don’t even tell me’ he winced. ‘I just. Avoid using names when I’m not sure’ he admitted with a sigh. Kakashi hummed, trying to recall similar situations. ‘And I just… Look for something different?’ He made a weak gesture with his hand. ‘You don’t have a face. Usually. Ebisu has glasses, like, always. And Genma chews on the toothpick all the time… And even if not, I don’t know anyone else with a choker.’
‘Huh. Is that why you always get Shizune and Rin wrong?’
‘Only when I don’t see their faces, I mean, Rin has the painting on her cheeks…’
‘Do you recognize your face?’ he butted in, struck with a great question to ask.
Gai shot him an unamused look.
‘I know when I’m looking in the mirror, Rival. I don’t expect to see anyone else in there.’
Kakashi snorted.
‘On a group photo?’
‘Not at first glance, no’ he admitted after a short pause. Kakashi kept staring at him without blinking, clearly fascinated by the discovery.
‘But you don’t know how you look like’ he argued. ‘If I changed into you and walked up to you on the street, you wouldn’t know?’
‘It’s… I mean, I’d know you look familiar? And that I have to know you somewhere. But I’d recognize you, I mean myself, anyway – I’m the only one wearing my wonderful jumpsuit!’
‘And if I changed clothes?’
Gai shrugged in response, looking away.
‘…Wow. That’s interesting’ Kakashi hummed to himself, glancing around. ‘So like. You don’t know how do you look like! You can’t describe yourself!’
‘Can you?’ He crossed his arms.
‘Obviously.’
‘Go on then.’ He raised his eyebrows.
Kakashi snorted.
‘I have a straight nose, a mole on the left cheek and a scar going from my nose through the upper lip, which is thinner than the lower one, and my eyes are a little upturned and with heavy eyelids. Almost black. And I also thin eyebrows, my forehead is nothing special... That's it, really.'
Gai pressed his lips in a thin line.
‘I just. Cannot. Imagine than description.’
‘You literally just saw me.’
‘I know! But the words just don’t make sense in my head, there is no mental image! I can imagine it all separately? But it just, doesn’t come together. Its like… Separate parts floating in the dark!’
'That's how it looks to you?’
‘Uh-uh.’
‘And when you see someone and then look away?’
‘I guess… Similar to a mannequin in a shop?’
Kakashi made a face, tilting his head back for a change.
‘Creepy.’
‘Tell me about it.’
Luckily for Gai, Kakashi dropped the conversation for another longer while they walked in silence.
‘So. You recognize us by something characteristic?’
Gai sighed in defeat, tilting his head back to stare at the sky.
‘Yes. I pick one or two things and look for it in people I know.’
‘And if they don’t have it for some reason?’
Gai shrugged.
‘If I’m approached by someone I should know – I mean judging by how they talk to me – I just kind of… Hope they’ll say something that will hint me on who they are.’
Kakashi blinked at him a few times.
‘So your ‘dear friend’ to everyone is you unsure who you’re talking to?’ he asked, voice choked from holding a laugh.
‘I’m glad you find some amusement in this, Kakashi.’
‘It’s the little things.’ He put his hands deep in the pockets, strolling next to him in long steps. When they turned around the corner, Kakashi frowned at a group of his colleagues. They seemed to be gathered around someone in the middle.
‘What’s this about?’ asked Gai with a frown.
‘Let’s go and see.’
They approached their friends unnoticed, all being focused on Obito in the middle who was doing a weird dance in the middle. One of the villagers had their window open for everyone on the street to hear the music they were playing. The rest of the group was clapping to the rhythm, laughing.
Kakashi tilted his head, staring at Obito. Uchiha was making weird faces, jumping and wiggling on stiff legs and was overdoing every movement with his upper body. He looked stupid. He suddenly pointed at Asuma, who jumped in and now both of them were doing that weird dance of a chicken limping on both legs.
‘He’s so dumb’ murmured Kakashi, slowly shaking his head.
Gai snorted.
‘It’s Obito we’re talking about, what else did you expect?’
‘Nothing, and yet I’m still disappointed.’
Gai snorted.
‘Come on now, Rival, lie all you want but we both know you like him!’ he whispered loudly just for Kakashi to hear.
Kakashi shook his head.
‘No. I won’t accept it’ he said flatly. ‘I’m just. No. I just cannot have a crush on someone that embarrassing.’
Gai leaned to the side, giving his Rival an amused look.
‘And what you’re going to do about it? Papa always says it’s not like you can just stop having feelings for someone!’
‘Pfh, of course I can! Watch me.’ He frowned and assumed a dark, tormented look on his face. He held his breath, puffing his chest out before suddenly relaxing. ‘It’s done. My embarrassing crush days are over.’
Gai raised his eyebrow.
‘Sure’ he mused and sniffed, fixing his jacket. ‘Watch me believing it.’
‘It’s true! I just… I relocated it.’ He raised his chin.
‘What?’
‘If I can’t stop having feelings – fine. But nothing can stop me from moving the to a different target!’ He turned to look at Gai, giving him a once-over. ‘You’re my crush now' he decided.
‘What’ he spluttered, raising both eyebrows with a snort.
‘I’m having a crush on you from now on.’
‘…Okay?’ He blinked a few times, a little skeptical but who he was to argue with his Rival about who can he has feelings for? He could only do his best to be worthy of his affections!
Kakashi only nodded, pleased. He stared at wiggling Obito for a while and glanced at Gai.
‘You don’t mind?’
‘Of course not! I’m just happy you’ve moved on with your unfortunately located feelings!’ he assured, giving him thumbs up.
‘Good.’
‘Right? I’ll do my best to be a good crush, Kakashi!’
‘It’s… I don’t think you have to do anything’ he hummed.
‘Oh, alright. But let me know if you come up with something!’
‘Fine.’
Gai grinned at him happily and threw his arm around Kakashi’s shoulders. The boy did not move away but did not look at him either.
‘Let’s see what they are up to’ suggested Gai and pulled him along; now Genma joined the shimming duo.
‘Looks like they’re being dumb.’
‘Looks like fun to me! Oii! Whatcha up to?!’ he called.
‘Gai, Kakashi! Hi!’ Rin smiled at them, waving. ‘We’re dancing! Someone is blasting music, it would be a shame to not use this occasion!’
He laughed, nodding.
‘It does look like fun!’
‘Come on!’ Genma waved at him, finally noticing his teammate and Kakashi. ‘Get in the middle, Gai!’
Gai gasped excitedly but stopped dead in his tracks, looking at Kakashi.
‘You won’t mind me being embarrassing?’ he asked, lowering his voice.
‘No. You’re always embarrassing’ he noticed, unfazed.
Gai beamed at him.
‘Right! I was worried you’d mind it, since it made you change your crush!’
‘What?’ Obito turned to them with a mischievous grin. ‘Am I hearing this right? Kakashi has a CRUSH?’
Kakashi scoffed.
‘What’s it for you? It’s not like it’s you!’
‘Who is it?’ he laughed, jumping out of the circle. ‘Tell me everything!’
‘Get lost!’
Obito crossed arms on his chest, staring at Kakashi. He hummed loudly.
‘Is it… Ebisu?’
‘Why on Earth I’d have a crush on him?!’
‘Oi!’ Ebisu made a face. ‘Why not?!’
All their friends laughed out loud at his annoyed reaction. Obito cackled, ignoring him. He pointed at Kakashi again and fixed his googles.
‘What, am I wrong? Is it a girl?’
Kakashi looked away.
‘No.’ Uchiha screeched in triumph, pointing at him. ‘And it’s not you, so let it go.’
‘Why would I want you to have a crush on me? Stop saying it!’ he screamed and scooted away. ‘Ew, that would be so gross!’ he laughed.
Kakashi blinked and frowned. That stung.
‘You’re too dumb to even be considered!’ he snapped, immediately angry.
‘…Take that back, Bakashi!’
‘If you want me to take it back’ He walked closer, looking him defiantly in the eyes. ‘Make me.’
‘You bet!’ He started shrugging his jacket off. ‘Fight me!’
‘You already lost!’
‘Prove it, pretty boy!’
Kakashi froze – he almost did not hear the collective laughter – and started untangling his scarf, grateful for the mask because his face felt unnaturally hot all of sudden.
‘Now you’ve done it. I’ll demolish you.’
‘In your dreams! I’ll make you take it back!’
‘Are they… Are they going to fight because Kakashi does not have a crush on Obito? Am I getting this right?’ asked Asuma nobody in particular.
‘It seems like it’ agreed Genma. He chuckled. ‘Come on, guys! Make it count!’
‘Don’t encourage them’ whined Rin. ‘Boys, please, can you not just for once!’
‘It’s the matter of honor!’ huffed Obito. ‘I’ll make him eat his stupid pride AND TAKE IT BACK!’ His jacket landed on the ground, followed by his scarf and gloves. Kakashi took off his jacket as well, but Uchiha did not wait for him to face him – he run straight at him, jumping on him with his full body weight.
They both landed in a snowbank – Kakashi’s scandalized scream was loud enough to make the music stop. Some snow got under his shirt and he was ready to kill. He managed to turn under his opponent and using his leg as a lever, he threw Obito off of himself. It was his turn to screech from the snow on his neck and under his collar. Kakashi grabbed a handful of snow and threw it at his face, starting to rub it in. Uchiha blindly reached in front of him to pull his mask down with one hand and grabbed a fistful of snow to attack him as well.
Their friends just gathered around them, watching their struggle. Since none of the fighting boys were trying to use ninjutsu or some actual hand-to-hand combat techniques, nobody felt obliged to try and pull them apart. People passing by were also giving them curious looks.
Uchiha managed to expose Kakashi’s face – he was scrunched angrily, showing his teeth – and flatten it with a lump of snow. Hatake shoveled more at him, trying to bury him under the white mass and leaning as far as possible in the process.
Genma sighed with a smile, leaning on Gai.
‘They are so stupid’ he whispered. ‘It’s amazing.’
Gai pressed his lips in a thin line, watching the struggle.
‘…Are you planning to keep it up for long?’ asked Rin, but there was no answer.
Asuma looked around and crouched down. He started making a snowball. Ebisu raised a questioning brow and Sarutobi threw it, aiming at Kakashi’s back – the toss was perfect, landing where it was supposed to, but there was no reaction.
Obito managed to push Kakashi off of him and they ended up both laying in the snow, kicking and trashing around, trying to rub as much snow in each other faces as possible. Hatake changed his tactics and tried to pull away Obito’s shirt enough to toss some snow underneath it. The boy howled – there was nothing worse than snow under clothes! – and attacked with renewed fury.
Asuma chuckled and kept throwing snowballs at them. Genma soon joined them, wondering how many times they will get hit until they realize what was happening.
With a sigh, Rin walked a few steps away to make a big ball of snow. After a few minutes off rolling it in the snow, she decided it was big enough and with a strain she picked it up. Watched by her peers, she walked towards her teammates.
‘Enough of this!’ She tossed the sizeable ball right on their heads, followed by a loud, collective laughter of her friends. Obito and Kakashi squawked, suddenly crushed by a mass of snow and stopped writhing. Snorting and panting, they dug themselves out. Kakashi shook his head like a dog, trying to get as much snow out of his hair as possible.
‘Not funny’ he grumbled. Gai, still chuckling, walked closer and grabbed his arm to pull him out of the ditch. Rin helped Obito.
‘A bit funny, actually. Here.’ He gave him his jacket. With a sigh, Kakashi quickly put it on and patted the snow off his clothes. Everyone was still laughing, and despite himself, Kakashi could feel a smile tugging on his lips too.
‘Fine. Just a little.’
Gai laughed loudly and patted his arm.
‘Let’s finally get that miso. Who’s with me?’ he added to all of them – it was not surprising that everyone wanted to go. They all spent quite a lot of time outside and was at least a little cold.
Kakashi and Obito were the most eager to eat something warm – they clothes were moist and now that they stopped fighting, they felt rather cold.
Kakashi was sure he was going to get a cold but it was still worth it. Gai gave him his scarf, hat and gloves – they were dry and warm, which immediately made him feel a little more comfortable.
He was much better crush than Obito, but he did not say it out loud. He would definitely not mind if one day he really had a crush on Gai instead.