The Anachronism

Chapter 22

Entering the room, Tatsu didn't know what to expect, maybe a room full of plants or a simple lab of sorts. Certainly nothing similar to what he'd seen. Stopping dead in his tracks, Tatsu noticed a room full of all different types of flowers all surrounding a blushing man around the age of Kakashi. 

"I was warned of your beauty, but this nothing like what I'd imagined." The man spoke attempting to capture Tatsu's attention. 

"What is this?" Tatsu questioned his eyes flickering around the room. 

"Where are my manners, I'm Darui, it's a pleasure to meet you and an honor to lay eyes on you," Darui said introducing himself.

"Well, Darui, it's a pleasure to meet you too, but what is going on here?" Tatsu questioned, his eyes widening when the man dropped down to one knee. 

"Tatsu of Konohagakure, will you marry me as a sign of peace and friendship between our lands?" The man inquired, the ring he held was simple, but the gem within it was dazzling. 

"So, what do you say Tatsu-kun?" Ay questioned from behind him. 

He stood there, perplexed, what was he supposed to say. He didn't want to marry him, he literally just met him two minutes ago, but what would happen if he said no? Would that mean war?

"No."

---

"Welcome back Tatsu, I take it the mission wasn't as easy as we thought?" Minato questioned as Tatsu walked into his office. 

"The mission went smoothly, it's just, here just take the scroll." The brunette said resting his eyes for a second. 

The blonde-haired man sat there for a second, his eyes skimming over the scroll taking in all of its contents. As he reached the end of the brief missive from the Raikage, one of his eyebrows rose before his eyes directed towards Tatsu. 

"They offered one of their shinobi's hand in marriage, one close to the Raikage at that, and you declined because you were already persuing a relationship with Kakashi?" The Hokage questioned.

"Yes."

"So you lied to them to escape the awkwardness of not wanting to marry any of them?"

"I didn't lie, well not fully."

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing, this is getting a little too personal."

"I'm your sensei before your Hokage."

"Sensei or not, you're pushing your boundaries."

"Have you good day Tatsu, you're dismissed."

As he left the office, Tatsu saw Kakashi leaning on the wall beside the door. No words were exchanged, the cyclopes just bent down allowing Tatsu to climb on his back, carrying the younger male home. 

"Do you want to go to the bathhouse, or better yet we could leave for a while and go to a hot spring?" The older man questioned as he continued to walk through the streets, ignoring the eyes of those around them. 

"Kakashi, I meant what I said, I'm happy here for right now. You're here, why would I leave? So, what do you have to say about what I told them?" Tatsu answered.

"What is there to say? You said you were pursuing me and I'm fine with that."

"What?"

"I'm perfectly fine with the thought of you pursuing me Tatsu, I'd like for it to be true, but it's alright if it's not."

"Something about this isn't right?" Tatsu thought to himself. 

Continuing to make their way through the town, the two silently agreed that they'd stop for ramen. It'd been a while since Tatsu had it and Kakashi was fine with whatever Tatsu wanted. While eating his ramen, Tatsu noticed that his older counterpart was raising his hand to remove his mask. He'd seen the man's handsome face, but never outside of the Byakugan's filtered view. 

"Tatsu?" Kakashi questioned pulling the brown-haired male out of his daze.

"Sorry, I just wanted to see your face without using the Byakugan."

"No, it's fine, but if you really want to see next time just ask."

"This definitely isn't right, Kakashi's never this nice or open ever, it's not adding up."

"Tatsu." A voice called out to him, it sounded like a child.

"Tatsu wake up." There it was again

Focusing all of himself on "waking up", the brown-haired male unconsciously broke free from the genjutsu. His eyes fluttering open as he saw a kid around the age of Sasuke, but his hair was short and soft, its shape was very similar to Kakashi's but brown. 

"Hey kid what's your name?" Tatsu questioned.

"Hōki sir, I'm here under the orders of the Hokage." The boy said averting his eyes. 

"Hōki, what're you doing here, and why are your eyes black, I specifically remember them being purple. Also, how'd you get here, you're not supposed to be born yet?"

"As funny as it is to see you like this, I'm sorry that I'm not allowed to answer those questions. Take this, it'll help to counteract the effects of the drug they gave you."

"Where am I?"

"Kumogakure sir."

"You're nervous, why, is this your first time outside of the village?"

"No that's not it."

"What am I famous in your future?"

"Something like that."

"Am I dead? Wait no, it's me we're talking about, it'll be a long time before I die."

"Tatsu-san, I have to go now that the drug is wearing off."

"Well, thank you Hōki, until we meet again little one," Tatsu said as he ruffled the boy's hair before "lightly" tapping the wall behind him with his fist. 

"Goodbye." The boy whispered, Tatsu's ears not catching what he said after goodbye as he leaped out of the hole he'd created. 

-----

A/N: I won, don't ask what I won just know I won. Well, since I'm updating throughout the week I probably won't update this weekend because I don't know if I'll be able to find the time. Anyway, give me suggestions, tell me what you think, you know things of that sort.