Chapter Text
13 - missed understandings
“What is the point of coming out to the bar,” Genma directed towards an orange cover (back to Icha Icha Paradise again, was he?), “if you’re just going to sit here and read? You literally do that everywhere.”
“I don’t come here for the company,” Kakashi said dryly, eyes never leaving the page as he pointedly swished his choko, not spilling a drop of sake.
“Ooh, somebody’s grumpy.” Genma grinned. “Care to share?”
Kakashi raised an eyebrow (and it was certainly still strange to see two dark heavy-lidded eyes staring back at him when he looked at Kakashi the ex-Copy Ninja) before returning to his book. Genma sat next to him, patiently sipping on his own drink, and it wasn’t long before he heard Kakashi sigh and put away his reading material.
“It’s Naruto,” he admitted.
Genma nodded in understanding, waiting for Kakashi to elaborate.
He didn’t.
“...And?” Genma prompted.
Kakashi knocked back what was left in his choko before refilling it, staring into the cup a touch morosely. Honestly, Genma had rarely seen Kakashi so...hangdog. It was a little strange, but Genma could roll with it. He was good at that.
“She gave me porn for my birthday, blew up her kitchen, and is now cooking me dinner,” Kakashi blurted out almost on accident, blinking a few times afterwards as if to take his own words in. Genma needed some time to absorb it, too. What?
After a few moments, Genma nodded slowly. “Is she seducing you or something?” Genma could see it. Naruto was a young adult who knew what she wanted and didn’t take no for an answer (in the best way someone possibly could). And Kakashi was an attractive older mentor figure, which definitely made it hotter. Made total sense to him. Her methods were unorthodox, sure, but so was Naruto, and he wouldn’t say no to any of those things she’d done. Well, maybe minus the explosions, but Genma figured since it wasn’t Kakashi’s kitchen he should count himself lucky.
They were shinobi, after all. Explosions were kind of par for the course.
Kakashi’s eyes were wide as he spluttered. “It’s not like that.” He shook his head, gravity-defying fluffy silver hair following the movement. Glancing down, he muttered more quietly, “at least I’m pretty sure it’s not like that.”
Genma just shrugged, eyeing the man next to him consideringly. “How would you feel if it was like that?”
“She’s my student!” Kakashi protested.
“ Former student,” Genma pointed out. “She’s a jounin now, and it’s not like she’s on your ANBU team or something, so you don’t even have any official authority over her.” Genma felt as if he was making a lot of sense here. “And it’s not like she’s never been in any relationships. Didn’t she break up with Hinata recently?”
Kakashi turned to squint at Genma suspiciously. “Are you encouraging this?” He turned pointedly back to his book with a understated derision that indicated he thought the conversation over.
Genma pulled out a senbon and popped it into his mouth, chewing on it thoughtfully. Honestly, he didn’t understand what Kakashi was hung up about. Fair, Genma had never had a genin team of his own, and it’s not like he’s ever wanted to hook up with Chōza—oh kami why did he even think that—but then he’s never been attracted to Guy or Ebisu in that way either, so maybe it’s just his genin team that was weird. Actually, maybe it’s Kakashi’s team that’s weird for being some sort of certified love square.
“I’m just saying.” Genma finally settled on a thought. “You killed a man for the first time when you were what, five? Six? This is a fucked up world we live in, Kakashi. I don’t blame Naruto for trying to find happiness if that’s what she’s doing. And you’re an idiot if you’re denying yourself that to fulfill some sense of penance.”
Kakashi closed his book, and stared at Genma dead in the eye. “I didn’t come here to be psychoanalyzed, either,” he said pointedly. “It’s not nearly that seriously, no matter what you’re imagining.”
“So you don’t mind if I ask her out then?” Genma smirked, leaning back on his barstool.
“Excuse me?” Kakashi side-eyed his friend.
Genma finished his glass and stood to head out. “Hey, she’s funny, strong, cheerful, and cute as hell.” He put some coins on the table and and popped his senbon out, flipping it causally between his fingers. “Plus, she basically bulldozes through whatever shit gets thrown at her to get what she wants and I like that in a woman. Or a man.” Genma paused, considering this. “I’m really not that picky.”
Kakashi felt somewhat struck senseless, which was rare for him. He wasn’t used to not having some witty rejoinder ready, and he didn’t like the feeling. It’s been happening far more than usual lately, and he sensed that this was somehow Naruto’s fault. Again.
“Naruto is way too young for you!” Kakashi spluttered.
“Too young for what?” Suddenly Naruto was there, and Kakashi would swear on his life that he didn’t shriek in surprise. He didn’t .
“Too young to go out on a date with me, apparently.” Genma quipped, and Kakashi was going to kill him later. Painfully. With senbon. It was poetic justice, was what it was.
For a moment Naruto looked taken aback, but then she gained a certain glint in her gaze that Kakashi did not like at all.
“Oh?” Naruto took a slow step closer to Genma, eyeing him up and down. ( Am I being tortured? Kakashi thought to himself. Is this my karmic punishment? ) “Was that you asking me out on a date, then?”
Genma smiled and returned her look of consideration. Kakashi was pretty sure he was in hell or the genjutsu equivalent, now. There was no other explanation for this.
“Depends,” he drawled. “Was that you saying you’re interested?”
I can’t believe they’re flirting right in front of me! Kakashi despaired. It was obviously time for him to step in and protect his sensei’s daughter’s virtue.
“Nope, no dates,” Kakashi declared. “Absolutely not.”
Genma only looked amused—Kakashi wanted to punch that look off his smug face—while Naruto turned to face him, angry. Uh oh.
“Look here, mister,” she started. “First of all, why are you in this bar when I told you I was making dinner? And also, you can’t stop me from dating anyone! I’m twenty years old, Kakashi-sensei!”
“Not your sensei anymore,” Genma pointed out casually.
Naruto nodded. “That’s right! I’m twenty, Kakashi!”
Something inside him twinged at hearing her drop the honorific, but Kakashi pushed that aside to deal with it later. He was an old hat at that. And since when was Naruto twenty? Sure, they had just celebrated her birthday, but twenty… At twenty, he had been in ANBU for eight years already. But still. “He’s sixteen years old than you, Naruto.”
“Wow, stick it where it hurts, why don’t you,” Genma said drily.
Naruto tilted her head in befuddlement (which wasn’t cute, not at all). “Why does that matter?” she asked. “I’m an adult, he’s an adult. In any case, since you obviously don’t need dinner,” she turned to face Genma again, “do you want to join me, Genma-san? I’ve already cooked for two.”
No way were they going to have their first date—or any dates—in Kakashi’s apartment , of all places. Before he could open his mouth to point this out, however, Genma responded.
“I’d love to,” Genma sighed. “But I’m afraid I was just heading out.” (So he did have some sense of self-preservation left.) “How about some other time? I’ll take you somewhere nice.” (Nope, nevermind. Poison and stabbing.)
Naruto blushed prettily. “Sure thing,” she responded, fluttering her eyelashes. Kakashi felt a bit nauseous, which he was going to blame on the alcohol. Nevermind that he hadn’t had nearly enough for that. “Let me know when you’re free?”
“I’ll do that,” he smirked again, and sauntered out of the bar. Kakashi definitely didn’t see Naruto checking out Genma’s ass while he walked away, he was absolutely hallucinating, none of this was happening. He needed another drink. Oh look, he was at a bar!
“One more—” he started calling out to the bartender but was interrupted by Naruto smacking his head.
“Oh no, Kakashi,” she said. “First of all, you’ve drank more than enough on an empty stomach. Plus, I’ve already made dinner. C’mon, let’s go.”
Kakashi let himself get dragged away, and thought morosely, She sure got used to calling my name without ‘sensei’ quickly .
The ramen was delicious, though.