JKirin

Gai does not do anything halfway, and Kakashi is just as bad, so they trek out into the forest to do a photoshoot in nature where the frogs actually are instead of in the perfectly serviceable nature preserve where the education specimens are kept and there are actual walkable paths and places to set up things like lighting.

Gai and Kakashi tease each other the whole time in that familiar way of people who have known each other a long time. Tenzō would feel like an intruder, but they both make an effort to include him in their chatting with an irreverent humour he's never had directed at him before. It's refreshing and fun and he manages to tease back at least a couple times. They find a likely spot to take some photos and despite Kakashi's extensive complaints about controlling the environment for things like lens flare they do well with it. At least they do when Gai finally gets Tenzō to stop paying attention to the camera and start talking about the way the plant life and frogs are important to each other. Tenzō even finds a spot in the little pond they've found where he can show them a cluster of frog eggs attached to the base of a water plant.

It's a wonderful afternoon. Tenzō doesn't know it but Kakashi took several semi-candid shots of Tenzō pointing out things in the forest and pond with sunlight catching in his hair and a soft look on his face. They lose track of time and it's all the way dark before they finish the hike back to the car.

On the drive back to the palace Gai falls asleep in the back seat, leaning on the bags of camera equipment, and Kakashi and Tenzō fall into one of those overly intimate conversations that happen in the dark where you aren't looking at each other. The windows are halfway down and Tenzō has his hand raised to feel the wind rushing through his fingers. He admits he feels less and less able to effect change that matters where he is, and that he envies Kakashi and Gai their work, in sometimes dangerous situations, bringing the truth to light.

"You do what you can," Kakashi says into the dark of the car. It's a rural road, there's not really streetlights so they're going slowly. "You give money and time and use your profile to get people's attention. That's not nothing."

"It doesn't feel like much." Tenzō says looking out the window.

"Sometimes nothing does," says Kakashi. "You have to do it anyway."

By the time they reach the palace, Tenzō is half asleep in the passenger seat and feels like Kakashi knows every secret he's got. It's obviously not true, the drive was only a little under three hours, but it feels that way. Kakashi parks the car and for a moment as one of the valets comes towards the car he and Tenzō just look at each other with something new filling up the space between them.

Then Gai snores loudly from the back seat, and Kakashi leans over to wake him up by poking him on the nose.

Kakashi and Gai are only in the country for a week and a half. They'll stay to cover the fundraising gala Tenzō is throwing and then they'll have to go. It's a packed week, with tours of multiple sites where environmental research and conservation efforts are happening. Some of them are more exciting than others. The forests are majestic and beautiful and easy to stir up excitement about. The site where the main efforts are to revitalize soil stripped bare by industrial farming, less so. Kakashi and Gai cover each front of the battle diligently and in detail.

On the night of the gala, Tenzō is all dressed up and sits for one more set of photos before the guests arrive. He's overly aware of Kakashi watching him from behind the camera and he's going to blame that for how little he's expecting it when Gai asks him a final question.

"Your Highness, with the greatest respect, are you going to put my friend out of his anxiety and kiss him, or will you continue dragging this out?"

Tenzō chokes on nothing.

Kakashi, red all the way up to his ears makes a strangled noise and almost throws his camera at Gai's head.

"Aren't you two," Tenzō trails off with a weak hand gesture between the two of them.

"Ah," says Gai, "your hesitation is explained! I apologize for any unkind thoughts towards your honour. My friend and I are brothers and rivals and comrades, but not lovers. You face no obstacle in me!"

Kakashi makes another horrified gurgle.

"I shall leave the two of you to discuss the matter without my interference," Gai says happily and walks out of the room. He pats Kakashi on the shoulder as he goes and Kakashi gives a full-body twitch.

Silence reigns for a long minute after the door shuts behind Gai.

Tenzō is quickly re-evaluating a handful of moments over the last week, and coming to the conclusion that he really shouldn't have assumed things.

For his part, Kakashi has started to return to his natural complexion instead of looking like a cooked lobster. "I'm so sorry your Highness. Gai's an idiot. Of course we meant no offense."

Tenzō raises an eyebrow at the formality. It's a far cry from the irreverence Kakashi has shown toward the entire concept of monarchy. "You've been flirting with me since you got here," he says, "badly."

"Ah," says Kakashi, "I suppose that's true. But not with intent."

Tenzō raises the other eyebrow. "Not with intent."

"Well, you didn't seem to mind, and it helped you loosen up during the interviews. I don't have any expectations, is all I mean."

Tenzō nods, because fair enough, he hasn't discouraged the flirting really. Partly because Gai had never seemed to mind and mostly because it makes his heartbeat stutter a little. "I have no expectations of you either," he says and feels almost giddy at the barely perceptible disappointed slump of Kakashi's shoulders. "We could set some?"

A smile starts to spread across Kakashi's face. "We could," he says, shoulders straightening back out, "I'd like to."

Tenzō is smiling as well. He can feel the way it stretches his mouth out of the shape of decorum. "So would I."

When the magazine piece runs, it's with a cover shot of Tenzō in the sunlight, kneeling by a pond and lifting a leaf to show a cluster of frogs eggs underneath. The article is titled "The Frog Prince"