“Listen closely, because this mission is important,” Kakashi says seriously, his eyes glinting in the darkened room. “There have been reports of suspicious activity in numerous areas of Konoha. Unfortunately, intel is sparse—we don’t know if these events are connected or if they’re merely isolated incidents. In order to assure myself and all of Konohagakure that concern is unwarranted, I will need to investigate this activity first-hand. And I need you, Yamato, to escort me and ensure my safety. Do you understand?”
The masked ANBU, kneeling on the floor with his fist planted before him, nods. “Yes, Rokudaime-sama,” he says. “I will carry out my duty to my fullest ability.”
“Good.” Kakashi leans back in his chair and steeples his fingers. Yamato doesn’t glance up, but he can feel Kakashi’s gaze, piercing and alert, on him. “Then I’ll detail the itinerary for tomorrow night. First, at around 1800, we’ll go to the shopping district. More than a few stores require investigation, especially the bookstore. Then, we’ll hit up that new takoyaki stall. You know, the one by Tenten’s shop? She’s actually the one who recommended it to me; apparently it’s supposed to be really good, really moist on the inside.”
Behind his mask, Yamato’s brow furrows. Something about this seems… off. “Um, Rokudaime-sama—”
“Wait, I’m not finished yet,” Kakashi says. “After that, we could go to the park or something. I don’t know—it’s up to you, but I know how much you like parks because of your whole, you know, tree thing—”
“Rokudaime-sama—”
“Yamato, seriously, let me finish. There’s also gonna be a concert—and I mean, I’m not sure what kind of music you like, but I’ve listened to their music and I think you’d like them—so I thought, hey, why the hell not? It should be fun—”
“Kakashi-senpai—”
“Yamato, this is literally the best part. And then, finally, as the day winds down, we can sit on Hokage Rock and watch the sun set.” Kakashi takes a moment to sigh wistfully, and then becomes somber again. “I trust you’ll be able to handle this mission.”
Yamato isn’t even kneeling anymore. He’s standing, mask off, and looking at Kakashi with a familiar mixture of exasperation and fondness. “That’s not a mission, Kakashi-senpai,” he says flatly. “That’s a date.”
Kakashi hums, loudly, like he’s thinking, for a very, very long time. “Well, basically,” he says.
Yamato sighs. “Senpai. Please don’t tell me you summoned me here under the pretense of an official mission briefing in order to ask me on a date.”
“Is it a pretense?” Kakashi says, eyebrow cocking suggestively. “Or is it—”
“Senpai.”
“Fine, it’s a pretense. But—hey,” he says, waggling his eyebrows, “it got you to go on a date with me, didn’t it?”
Yamato sighs again—heavier this time, but he can’t quite stop the grin pulling at his mouth. “1800, you said?” he asks, and Kakashi beams.