Red (Kakashi Hatake x Might Guy)

Chapter Fifteen

A week had passed, and Kakashi was unsure of what to do about the entire situation. He was afraid to make any sort of move, knowing that Guy had the right to be mad at him about everything that had been spoken the last time they'd talked. Of course, Guy wasn't the type to hold grudges, but Kakashi knew that the risk was there.

He had been sitting at the training grounds on one of the many logs, reading a copy of his favorite book. Of course, he was never allowed to have peace and quiet for too long, and a familiar dark-haired, bushy-browed ravenette in an obnoxious green jumpsuit popped out from behind one of the trees, running up to him.

"Kakashi-Sensei!"

"Oh, Lee," Kakashi started, eyes flickering between the boy who was in front of him and the book he held on his lap. "What's up?"

"I have an important favor to ask of you!"

Ah. So, he wouldn't be getting any reading done after all... So much for that idea.

"And what would that be?"

"Guy-Sensei has been upset recently, and I'm not sure why," Kakashi thought he knew exactly why; Guy had gone nearly thirty years without having any inkling as to who his soulmate was, only to find out that it was his baggage-carrying friend who had been purposefully hiding it since they were children. On top of that, instead of doing the normal thing and asking him out on a date or asking him to be his boyfriend since they'd known each other for three-fourths of their lives, said douchebag soulmate had decided to make things difficult and bring his issues into everything to piss him off. The fact that Lee had picked up on Guy's upset was especially concerning, though, as the older Jonin was usually pretty good at not letting his negative personal emotions show at all, let alone around his students. "I think something happened on that mission we all went on! He's been really downtrodden, not as... Youthful as usual. It's actually been depressing to see, but when I ask, he won't tell me what's wrong!" Lee stopped, placing a hand on his chin like he was in deep thought before blinking his dark eyes in realization. "I think it's because I'm his student and he doesn't want to burden me with his problems, or he feels like I'm not mature enough to handle them, but you're his friend, right?"

"I mean, yes, we're..." Kakashi paused, unsure of what he should call Guy at this point. Rival? Outdated. Friend? They were more complicated than that simple of a label, so it couldn't be applied. Soulmates? Kakashi wasn't even sure if Guy had told anyone that they were soulmates yet... He doubted it. "Best friends. I've noticed it too, but why are you asking me about it?"

"I was wondering if you'd maybe do me a youthful solid and check up on him?" Kakashi felt his heart drop at the admittedly innocent and well-meaning question. "Maybe try to make sure he's okay? If you can't fix whatever's going on, then please at least try to find out and let me know what the issue is so I can fix it!"

"You know, he'd punish you if he found out that you were putting your nose in his business like this," Lee's face fell, like he thought that Kakashi was going to run and tell Guy about this exchange, but Kakashi only laughed and moved to hold his book in one hand so he could give a dismissive wave with his newly-free one. "But I can admire how much you care. I know your intentions are good, so I won't rat you out. Just don't let anyone else know that we had this conversation."

Lee's face lit back up as he clapped his hands together, grinning brightly.

"Does that mean you'll do it!?"

Kakashi really didn't want to say that he would as just the mere thought of it scared him, but he knew that he needed to resolve the situation eventually, and this was most likely the best way to do it. If he approached Guy and the older man was angry enough that he didn't want to talk, Kakashi could just say that Lee was the one who'd put him up to it and escape the situation with ease.

"Sure. I'll try to talk to him in the next few days for you..." Kakashi reluctantly agreed, running a hand through his silvery locks. Lee seemed as oblivious as ever, but Kakashi was happy that Guy had students who cared about him so much. "Though I'm pretty sure I already have a good idea of what the issue is."

"Wait, really!?" Lee questioned, practically brimming with curiosity as he leaned forward. Kakashi looked up from the pages of his book again. "What is it?"

Kakashi could only sigh, knowing that he didn't want to spill his business to Rock Lee of all people- not that he meant that insultingly, of course, it was just that the ravenette was so close with Guy that it could risk making things worse. Even if he did want to spill his guts out to one of their students (which he most definitely did not want to do), it wasn't only his business, but Guy's as well, and it wasn't Kakashi's place to tell the older man's star student about everything that had been happening between them recently.

Plus, if he told Lee, it's spread to Neji and Tenten, then to Hanabi, Hinata, and Gaara, and down the entire gossip train that The Leaf Village had somehow unknowingly established over time until it eventually, inevitably got back to Guy.

"I said I'm pretty sure, not absolutely sure. Don't worry about it, Lee," Kakashi looked off to the side for a moment before standing up and closing his book, shoving it into his back pocket. With that, the silver-haired man ruffled the boy's hair, offering a small smile, though it was hidden by his mask. "I'll see you later, yeah? Peace."

With that, he left, heading through the streets of Konoha... He could do it tomorrow, right? Putting it off wasn't too bad of an idea... One more day wouldn't hurt.