#light things

One notable fact that caught the interest of fellow shinobi and civilian alike, was the sheer number of missions he’d completed. His career in protecting the village as a whole was remarkable, having started off at a young and exceptional age. People knew this, and trusted him as being strong and competent for it.

The mask was next, specifically the one that lay snug enough to never budge but not snug enough to define the features it hid. How someone could keep the bottom half of their face a literal mystery to the majority (save for a few service people at local eateries-) was staggering. Irritating to the more curious, but mostly a thing of gossiped intrigue.

His reading habit however, well that was a more infamous trait. While one could sing Kakashi’s praise, that collection, making colorful rotation as he continually reread the series of novels was- apparent and often regarded with a quiet look that screamed distaste. How such a well known ninja strolled around with his nose buried in an adult novel for literal years was sort of beyond the people in the village.

‘At least read it in private.’

‘Or more discreetly! He’s a shinobi isn’t he.’

‘...I just don’t understand how a person could reread the same book so many times…’

‘It’s just inappropriate!’

All common lines mumbled between people once Kakashi was out of earshot. (Or presumably out of earshot).

It was the red novel today, Icha Icha Violence, the second in the rotation. Kakashi audibly reacted with a low ‘ooo’ as a particularly heated remark is made in a scene where the leading lady has a relationship testing argument with a love interest. It’s not his favorite scene in the book though it quickly leads up to one. He had to stop himself from speed reading or skipping entire paragraphs. The build up was worth it though, it was always worth it.

He quite literally giggled to himself as he held the book somehow closer to his face, blocking it off entirely. He did it unconsciously but it absolutely served to hide any telling expressions he might be making. Despite this he could still expertly walk around any obstacles that might be in his path and tune out any judgemental stares cast at him from those he passed. Kakashi was even able to fish out his keyring, locate the correct key by the feel of it and unlock the door to his apartment, all while turning to the next page. Being able to do this, on top of being able to find his apartment while reading in the first place, was questionably impressive, possibly sad.

Just as he pushed the door open with his foot, slipping the key back into his pocket, he realized he was not alone and closed the book with a sharp ’pap’, lowering it enough just to see over the edge. In his small apartment he found one Itachi Uchiha, lounging on his back in his bed, one leg bent at the knee, serving to prop his other leg up by the ankle. Not abnormal. What was however, was the orange book Itachi was holding- reading actually. Icha Icha Paradise, the first volume in Kakashi’s favorite series.

Itachi looked over the top of the book as Kakashi had done, though now Kakashi was somewhat hastily tucking his copy into his back pocket. A quick glance told him Itachi had grabbed the book from his collection. Kakashi had never once been embarrassed by his own reading, Itachi had seen him read the series plenty, but now he felt a wave of embarrassment at the possibility of judgement. An old man pulling a face at him for reading when he past his shop never bothered him, nor did a young lady outright pulling a face, but Itachi seemingly halfway through the book made him nervous.

“Welcome back.” Itachi greeted him simply- too simply for someone who must have already gotten through the bathhouse scene where the protagonist finds herself in a private bath with two very handsome men-

Kakashi hummed, casually, as if he didn’t care. He stepped in and closed the door behind him in a similar fashion.

“I’m surprised you’re reading that.” Kakashi brought it up in a calculated step. His tone was still cool, very much so ‘no big deal’, though he wanted to ask ‘why now’ and beg him not to judge him too harshly for his taste.

“You enjoy them, it’s hard not to associate them with you. I felt like I should actually know what they say.” Itachi explained and the dread that he now would associate Kakashi with an awful book pressed him. He felt like he’d been stood there, just in the doorway, for too long. He took off his vest and set it aside so he’d be doing something- anything. One might imagine such a skilled shinobi with tons of completed missions under his belt wouldn’t be so nervous about his partner judging his reading materials.

The bed creaked a bit, it was old and Kakashi didn’t have much of a care to replace it. “Sit with me.” Itachi instructed and Kakashi glanced over his shoulder to find Itachi had made room for him. His bed also wasn’t very big. A modest full size because anything larger wouldn’t fit well in the space and anything smaller would look childish.

He sat down, almost carefully, his back against the pillows Itachi had propped upright for himself before. Kakashi felt like Itachi was sitting him down to gently break the news to him that these books were awful, cliche and in poor taste. Instead, Itachi handed him the book, open to the page he was on.

“I’m halfway through this page, at the line ‘Of course I want to see you, I need to see you’.” Itachi informed and Kakashi at first wasn’t sure what he was meant to do with that, but Itachi only laid on his side enough to face him and watched him expectantly. There was a part of Kakashi that genuinely wanted to ask Itachi to spare him- He cleared his throat and Itachi pressed a hair closer to him, his skin and clothes felt cool against the small expanse of arm Kakashi had exposed from his own rolled up sleeve.

He cleared his throat again. “Hmm… ‘Of course I want to see you, I need to see you’.” Was easy to repeat- Itachi had just said it after all with no issue.

“‘When I can’t I burn to, but when I do I burn another way-’ Her words strained with the intensity behind her need-’.” Kakashi cleared his throat again and despite himself- his face absolutely burned. This was mortifying! He’d much rather Itachi tell him the book was shit instead of making him read it out loud!

“‘-I- I can see that- and… I love- to-’.” His reading was not fluid, smothered in embarrassment. “‘Love to see you…. that- way, n-needing me-’.” He felt beyond foolish. Could he clear his throat again? Was the room this warm when he’d walked in? He hadn’t thought it was. Itachi hadn’t looked like he was sweating when he walked in but Kakashi was keenly aware that he now felt like he was.

...

After what seemed like far too long despite Kakashi seeing with his own eye that he hadn’t even come close to completing the page, Itachi sat back a bit with another creak. Just enough to see Kakashi’s face more clearly, a small smile on his own when he saw just how beet red Kakashi managed to get in reading a few lines. Despite the mask the pleading look Kakashi gave him shone through and pulled a small laugh out of him.

“I thought you’d like to read it to me.” Itachi told him, putting his hand over the book and pressing so it’d sit flat against Kakashi’s lap instead. “Maybe not though.” Itachi settled his free hand on his shoulder and leaned in again, apologetically kissing him over his mask.

Kakashi in turn let out a long, relieved breath from his nose, letting go of the book entirely to rub his hand over his face, pushing his headband up enough so it wouldn’t cover his eye at all before he settled it on Itachi’s hip.

“I’ll read to you instead.” Itachi announced oh so simply and the relieved breath Kakashi had just exhaled turned into a sharp inhale as Itachi grabbed the book from his lap and again made himself comfortable on his back. That would surely be worse! Then he would be able to hear Itachi reading something awful!

“Just don’t give anything away while I’m reading. I have my guess that she won’t end up with any of them definitively by the end of this book.”

And with that the more fearful inhale turned into a normal exhale… To say Kakashi was shocked was either an overstatement or an understatement. It was just a book- he shouldn’t be so thrown by the thought that Itachi didn’t dislike it... But it was pleasant to see Itachi wanting to get to the end- that he might like it at all.

“Sure, sure.” Kakashi let slip, in a not so cool tone as he settled in, making the bed creak one more time.

He told himself not to assume Itachi was judging him, that he neither hated it or loved it… They could just comfortably read together. As Itachi began he read with much more ease, having no issue with the wording that clearly had threatened to give Kakashi a heart attack to read outloud himself a moment ago…

Kakashi realized his actual issue would not be with Itachi hating the series and judging him for it, but enjoying his reading it a little too much… That he’d be sweating for another reason as Itachi got to more- passionate scenes that he could read in that deep and musical voice of his… Worse so that Itachi was so very perceptive.