Tag: kagami

namiashiraidou:

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Tobirama doesn’t like a fuss. As far as Kagami can tell, he would be content to let his own birthday pass without remark, and if it weren’t for Hashirama’s attempts to throw parties for him, Kagami is sure no one save the Hokage himself would know when the day even was.

But, luckily for Kagami, he does know, and it also coincides with his return from a mission. He has in his hand what he hopes is a good gift: a bottle of spirits he discovered in the hills near the border to the north. It doesn’t seem to be found anywhere else. Whether or not Tobirama will drink it Kagami doesn’t know, but the spirit’s name of ‘fire water’ seemed fitting.

Tobirama is, of course, working. Kagami doesn’t even need to knock before the man calls out: “Come.”

Kagami slips into his office, smile already in place as he sees Tobirama bent over paperwork, brow furrowed in concentration. He waits a moment, giving the man a chance to finish whatever line it is he’s been inspecting, and then grins when Tobirama at last looks up.

“Happy birthday, Tobirama-san.”

Tobirama’s eyes widen. “Again?”

“Well, birthdays do have a habit of occurring on the same date every year.” Kagami chuckles, holding out the bottle of amber liquid. “Many happy returns.”

Tobirama sighs, pushing away from his desk and surprising Kagami by walking closer to accept the gift. He holds the bottle in his hand, inspecting it. “What is it?”

Kagami reaches out, pointing at the label. “Fire water.”

Tobirama shakes his head a little. “You shouldn’t have.”

“I wanted to,” he insists, relieved that Tobirama hasn’t tried to return the gift. But then again, he hasn’t exactly accepted it yet, and Kagami’s mind frets as Tobirama continues to stare down at the bottle, seeming to be lost in thought. “It was this or a birthday kiss,” Kagami jokes.

Only to realise he really, really shouldn’t have said that. Tobirama’s gaze snaps upwards, his body otherwise stilling as he stares at Kagami, and Kagami is horrified to discover that his cheeks are burning, his heart suddenly in his mouth. It was a joke. They both know it was a joke. He hopes Tobirama knows it was a joke, because there’s no way Kagami can survive Tobirama realising that he actually wants to kiss him.

Tobirama’s focus shifts after one of the longest moments Kagami has ever endured, becoming unfocused and unreadable as he looks away. He turns towards the desk, placing the bottle of spirits down. The sound is almost as loud as the drumming of Kagami’s heart. Frozen to the spot, he can do nothing as he waits for Tobirama’s dismissal.

“Thank you.”

That sounds like it, and Kagami, realising he’s forgetting to smile but unable to remember how to perform the expression, feels some of the tension leave his body as he turns and prepares to walk away (not run, that would be undignified, and as Tobirama is a sensor he will know if Kagami body flickers away).

“Hashirama is hosting dinner party tonight,” Tobirama says, his tone oddly tense. He sounds uncomfortable, and Kagami stills, wondering where the strange announcement is leading. “To celebrate my living to see another year.” Kagami’s pretty sure that’s not how Hashirama worded it. “Would you do me the honour of attending as my guest?”

Kagami falters, his mouth falling open as he tries to work out how to respond. “I… I would love to,” he manages.

Tobirama’s gaze is calculating, as if trying to judge the sincerity of Kagami’s answer, and then the tension leaves the Senju’s body, his shoulders dropping a little as he looks away and turns back towards his desk.

“It’s an informal dinner, seven o’clock at Hashirama’s home,” he tells him, sitting back down and looking for all the world as if his attention is already back on his work. He pulls a page from the middle of a neat stack, and peers down at it. “And for future reference, a kiss would have been just fine.”

Kagami blinks. The off-hand way in which Tobirama speaks unbalances him, and he wavers, knowing he ought to leave but also wanting; so, so badly wanting… Did Tobirama really just say that?

He knows he should go. He shouldn’t stand there, dithering like a pre-genin. He should thank Tobirama for the invitation, promise to see him at seven, and then leave.

Instead, Kagami finds himself gravitating towards Tobirama. He tries to swallow and dislodge his heart from his mouth, but it seems to have made itself at home there. His hand trembles as he reaches out and lets his fingers graze against the back of Tobirama’s hand, catching the Senju’s attention. Tobirama looks up at him in question, no judgement or discomfort in his gaze, and Kagami wets his lips, trying to find his voice to answer him.

“I didn’t get you anything last year,” Kagami reminds him, attention flickering to Tobirama’s parted lips. He sees Tobirama swallow, the action jagged and audible in the space between them, and his knees threaten to give out on him as, with tentative care, he leans in, the greeting a whisper before he presses his lips to Tobirama’s surprisingly soft, pliant ones:

“Happy belated birthday.”