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Maito Gai’s love letters are his most prized possessions.
Gai has experienced crushes so intense that he needed to write these letters in order to truly understand his feelings and to, hopefully put them past him so he can move on. There are four letters total, for four boys.
Kakashi Hatake, also known as one of the most popular boys in the Academy, whether he likes it or not, and Gai’s rival. Also, whether he likes it or not.
Genma Shiranui, from his class and also from his squad.
Asuma Sarutobi, who he practiced taijutsu with.
Lastly, Obito Uchiha. Kakashi’s ex-boyfriend. Rin’s current boyfriend. Who constantly insists on having himself and sometimes Kakashi join them on their dates. Which is fine, because he could handle being friends with them. Anytime he felt any feelings rise, he would simply look at their letters and he would be okay again. Besides, he wouldn’t do that to his friend. Never.
“Your dad is right, you know? Maybe a boyfriend wouldn’t hurt.” Rin says, jogging next to Gai. During dinner the previous night, both his dad and Rin decided to get on his case about putting himself out there, but in a more vulnerable way, instead of his usual self.
“Gai, my precious boy, I know it can be difficult and scary, but I think having a partner might be good for you. Besides, you don’t want to end up like your old man.” Quite frankly, he didn’t, but he also felt like his dad never gave himself enough credit. Gai and Rin slow down on their jogging and walk it off, both of them sweating.
“I just don’t think it’s necessary. I have enough friends, I have you and Obito and my squad, and that feels like enough for me.” It wasn’t, but she didn’t need to know that. Rin’s smile dims, and she puts a hand on Gai’s shoulder.
“Obito and I actually broke up. But of course he’s still a friend to me! He can absolutely be a friend to you too!” Rin tries to sound cheery, but it doesn’t come off the way she wishes it did. Gai simply stares, a bit in shock.
“I thought you guys were happy.”
“My mom always said once I become a shinobi, I shouldn’t focus on romance, either one of us could die at any moment. I don’t want that kind of heartbreak. Besides, I need to stay focused if I want to be a strong asset to my squad.” But I don’t?, Gai thought to himself.
“Is that going to work though? Given the fact you and Obito are in the same squad?”, is what Gai decides to say instead. Rin smiles, this time, it almost feels real.
“I think I’ll be just fine. They’re my comrades before anything else.” Rin responds, as she picks up her jogging once again. Gai takes a stretch and prepares himself to catch up to her when he hears his name being shouted in the distance. Turning around, Gai sees Kakashi walking up to him, something in his hand. For a moment, his complete focus rests on Kakashi, the way he’s walking towards him with purpose, and he lets himself imagine that he himself is his purpose. Which is why, he barely registers what Kakashi is actually saying to him before it finally hits, and it comes crashing like a violent wave.
“Listen Gai, I appreciate the sentiment, and the fact that you think I smell like "what you think heaven will smell like", whatever that means, but. Never gonna happen.” He looks down at what Kakashi is holding in his hand. A letter. His letter. His letter written for Kakashi Hatake. He feels like he’s going to throw up or have a heart attack and die. His vision begins to blur and before he knows it, everything is tilting, and he’s on the ground, fainting. Kakashi spends a few minutes trying to wake him up, not really knowing what to do in this situation.
“Uh, Gai? Hello?” Kakashi leans forward, looking directly at him. Gai’s eyes start to flutter open, brows furrowed in confusion.
“What happened?” But before Kakashi can even begin to explain, Gai’s own brain catches up to him and he hears his name once again being yelled out in the distance.
“Gai!” Obito shouts, the doors of the Academy opening. There’s absolutely no way he also got a letter. And then, Obito lifts his hand to wave, letter in hand. I’m gonna die.
Without much thought, Gai does what he thinks is the most appropriate response, and grabs Kakashi’s shirt, pulling him in for a kiss. While the timing couldn’t be more terrible, Gai can’t help but enjoy this kiss. The softness of Kakashi’s lips, the fact that he isn’t pulling away, and more importantly, for a moment, Kakashi might be kissing him back. But surely not, because in his own words ‘never gonna happen’. Gai pulls away slowly, almost not wanting to, and looks over to see if Obito’s still around.
Gai sighs in relief, muttering a ‘thank god’, before realizing the fact that he did just kiss his rival who had very much read his letter to him. Who is currently just staring at him.
“Sorry about that, I have to go, goodbye!” Gai stands quickly, grabbing his stuff and sprinting home, to the box where his letters need to be.
—————————————————————————————————————
“My pride and joy!” Maito Dai greets him, barely seeing his son as he sprints right past him running to his bedroom. Despite the mess of his room, he knew the box was on the top shelf of his closet, which he was staring at, with absolutely no box inside it.
No no no no no. This can’t be happening, this is actually my worst nightmare come to life. I have to die, I just have to. Or move to another village, legally change my name and entire identity.
It would be fine. It had to be. I mean surely they would understand. It’s not like he had a crush on any of them at the moment. He briefly remembers the kiss he shared with Kakashi and how goof that felt and quickly shakes his head, as if to shake the thought out of him.
“Gai, Obito’s at the door and says he needs to talk to you!” His dad shouts from the front door. Crap. He needed to think of something quickly. Which, right now, the best he could come up with was climbing down the back window and riding his bike somewhere. So that’s what he does. He bikes to one of the shops in town, just to sit somewhere and think. He gets himself some tea, as a distraction for him accidentally throwing entire bombs at his own life. Unknowingly of course, because he still cannot figure out how the hell those letters left his house.
Sitting next to him, because his day simply couldn’t get any worse if he tried, was the boy he had just kissed several moments ago.
“If it isn’t the heartbreaker himself.” Kakashi says, taking a sip of his own drink. Gai sighs and turns to Kakashi. He could do this. That kiss meant nothing to either of them, and the letter was probably already in the garbage anyway.
“Listen. You were never meant to see that letter. It’s just something I do for stupid crushes in order to get over them. Which I have.”
“So, you’re saying you aren’t into me anymore?” They stare at each other for a moment and Gai wants to say that’s not the truth. That the kiss threw him off his axis and he doesn’t know anything anymore. Perhaps he needs that letter back in order to remind himself that he doesn’t need a boyfriend. He doesn’t need Kakashi.
“Yes.” Kakashi stares, a small smirk on his lips.
“I mean no. I mea- I’m not into you anymore is correct.” Not a complete lie, but also pretty far from the truth.
There’s a moment of silence between the two of them.
“Besides, don’t feel special, there are three other letters.” Kakashi slaps a hand on his own chest and gasps .
“Damn Gai, I didn’t know you were a player.” Gai audibly groans, dropping his head on the countertop in front of him.
“Can you just forget that letter even existed? Please?” Kakashi’s eyes soften and he’s about to nod and agree with Gai, when he has an idea of his own.
“What if we didn’t forget about the letter?” Gai’s head shoots up, in utter confusion. Where the hell was this coming from?
“You don’t want to confront Obito-” Gai attempts to interject, but he is quickly shut down by Kakashi’s hand against his mouth.
“You literally kissed me to avoid him, don’t lie. Look, I’m trying to get him back. Maybe we pretend to date for a little bit. Obito backs off of you, gets jealous, and boom, he and I are back together.”
Gai stares at Kakashi before carefully removing his hand from his mouth. He reaches for his pocket and pays the nice cashier for his tea. And he begins to walk away.
“Woah woah woah, was the idea really that bad?”
“The worst one I’ve ever heard, actually.” Kakashi quickly grabs Gai’s arm, stopping him.
“Fine, bad idea. Let me at least walk you home, it’s getting dark out.” Gai wants to say no, he knows he shouldn’t allow this, but his feelings about Kakashi and Obito are all over the place. Quite frankly, he didn’t want to be alone.
“Let’s go then.”
They walk in silence for the most part, Gai trying to forget this entire day and Kakashi trying to forget throwing away all rationale and coming up with that stupid idea. Kakashi hadn’t thrown the letter away, but he hadn’t finished reading it either. Yes, the letter was addressed to him, but even just reading the beginning, he felt like it wasn’t something he was ever supposed to know about. Looking at Gai now, furrowed brows, biting his lip in concentration, he knew he made the right call. He would give the letter back tomorrow. They reached the front of Gai’s home and turn to each other.
“Thanks for walking me home, I appreciate it.” Gai says, not quite looking at Kakashi.
“Of course, sorry about today. I hope you figure out who sent those letters. And look, I’ll give you back mine tomorrow at the Academy.” Gai gives him a small smile, which Kakashi has never quite seen, normally Gai smiles are big and full of life. This one barely reaches his eyes.
“Thanks, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Gai spends the night laying in his bed, thinking about Kakashi’s idea. It was ridiculous, he wasn’t wrong about that. But the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to do it. His heart would break a little, seeing Kakashi and Obito back together, and he has no idea how Rin would feel. His dad would be happy for a bit that he found someone, and then when they “break up”, he would simply tell his dad things just didn’t work out.
This ridiculous idea was starting to sound a little too brilliant for him. Maybe fake dating Kakashi wouldn’t be so bad.