Lesson Learnt
Kakashi groaned in relief as Iruka poured cool aloe vera gel all over his back, and gently rubbed it in.
“Why did I ever think it would be a good idea to go overseas during the holidays, and trade that winter time for summer?”
“More like, why did you ever think it would be a good idea to not keep reapplying sunscreen throughout the day?” Iruka teased.
“But I was only in the water for an hour! And we were in the shade the rest of the day!”
“Except when you wanted to get ice cream. And then got talked into playing a few rounds of beach volleyball while one of that group’s team members had to temporarily step away. And then helped that little girl find her lost dog.” Iruka added. “Oh, and then after the ninken were summoned to help, we played fetch with them afterwards, too. You were in the sun more than thought.”
Kakashi sighed.
“Why do you have to put this on my back, anyway?” He asked. “Can’t you just cast healing jutsu?”
“I could…”
Iruka leaned down, and gently pressed his lips against Kakashi’s ear.
“But then you wouldn’t learn your lesson, would you…?” He murmured teasingly.
“Irukaaaa…… Please…” Kakashi whined. “I promise I’ll do whatever you want!”
“Anything?” Iruka hummed, a sly smile creeping on his lips.
“Yes! Anything! I promise!”
Iruka kissed the crook of Kakashi’s neck, then pulled back again.
“Good.” He said, beginning the healing jutsu. “Tomorrow, when we go kayaking, you’re going to put so much sunscreen on, you skin will be whiter than a cloud. You’re going to blind everyone you see, because of how white you are. And when you need to apply it again, because you will most definitely need to, you are going to stay so white that you’ll easily be spotted in space.”
“What?! No!” Kakashi protested. “That’s -”
Iruka paused the jutsu, and ran a finger along Kakashi’s back with light pressure.
“Would you rather keep your painful, hot, burning, blistering skin, and risk someone slapping it when we go down for dinner later, then?” He asked. “Those volleyballers we got acquainted with certainly seemed like the type for friendly slaps on the back; and a lot of them have some pretty big hands…”
“I-I’ll take the punishment!” Kakashi conceded quickly. “Please heal me!”
There was no way in hell he’d survive if he had to face that!
“Good.” Iruka said smugly, starting his healing jutsu again.
He couldn’t wait for the next day.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Um, Kakashi, what is this?” Iruka asked, stifling a laugh. “We’re not going diving!”
Kakashi was wearing a diving suit that covered his body from the top of his neck, to his wrists, down to his ankles; and beneath it, he was wearing his usual undershirt with a mask attachment covering half his face; and where his face was exposed, he was wearing large-framed sunglasses that hid the rest of it.
His feet were covered with beach shoes; and he was wearing fingerless gloves that looked a lot like his shinobi gear, but without the Leaf symbol. The only exposed skin was his ears, and fingertips; and they were a very bright white, covered in sunscreen.
“Maa, you told me I’d have to put on a lot of sunscreen today; and I was thinking about it, and realised the lesson you were trying to teach was sun safety, so I snuck out to the surf store earlier this morning to see what they had, and I was able to get all this.” Kakashi replied cheerfully. “Unfortunately, there was no protection for my fingertips or ears; but I’ve got it covered with sunscreen.”
“You…” Iruka stared at Kakashi in disbelief.
“You cheat!” He accused. “You didn’t really learn your lesson, you just don’t want to wear sunscreen all day!”
“Maa, you never said I had to be shirtless like I was yesterday.”
“Yeah, but… Your whole body? Really?”
“Well, as I’ve learnt, it pays to be sun smart.” Kakashi winked.
Iruka groaned. Why was Kakashi so good at finding loopholes? He had been looking forward to seeing him smothered in sunscreen, too…
Suddenly, a thought occurred to him; and he smirked.
“Okay, you can wear that.” He said. “But just so you know, if you have to take off any part of your outfit for any reason, you’ll be exposing yourself to the sun; and we can’t have you unprotected and getting burnt again… So every time that happens, you will be putting sunscreen on, even if you only take the item off for five minutes.”
“Maa, that’s fine. I don’t think I’ll need to take anything off.” Kakashi said cheerfully.
“What about when I ask you to rub sunscreen on my back, and you take your gloves off to do it properly?” Iruka asked. “Or when you want to eat or drink, and have to pull your mask away?”
He leaned in.
“What if we find an isolated island, and want to have a little fun?” He murmured. “You would have to get naked if you wanted to do anything but make out.”
Kakashi’s face went red at the thought.
“O-Okay, okay! I get it!” He exclaimed. “I’ll go and change into something more… appropriate.”
“I knew you’d see it my way.” Iruka grinned.
Kakashi quickly disappeared to go and change again, and when he came back, he was wearing swim shorts, a thin, button up cotton shirt, sunglasses folded in the pocket, a mask, and the beach shoes he was wearing before.
“Maa, what do you think?” He asked.
“Much better.” Iruka replied warmly.
He couldn’t wait to see him with all that sunscreen on.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“I regret making you do this…”
“Maa, whatever do you mean?” Kakashi asked cheerfully, as he took a bite of onigiri. “I’m having a great time out in the sun, and not getting burnt at all!”
They’d been kayaking for some time, and had found a nice little island; and had decided to take a break for lunch.
“Well, I know I said to smother yourself in sunscreen until you’re white, but… You’re too damn bright!” Iruka said. “My eyes hurt looking at you, because it’s like you’re shining a flashlight directly at my face.”
“This could have been avoided if you’d let me wear the diving suit.” Kakashi winked.
He unzipped his bag.
“It’s not too late.” He said, he pulling it out. “If you cancel the punishment, you won’t have to suffer anymore.”
Iruka’s eyes widened in shock. Kakashi wouldn’t have brought the diving suit for no reason, he wasn’t one to carry more than the necessities; so for him to have that with him meant…
“You knew?!” He exclaimed. “Did you accept the punishment on purpose because you knew it would blind me?”
“Maybe.” Kakashi winked.
“Kakashi! That’s not fair!” Iruka protested.
He sighed, then smiled to himself.
“You really are a cheat, you know.”
“And you love me anyway.”
“I do.” Iruka replied fondly. “Forever and always.”
“So can I change into my diving suit?”
“Go on, then.” Iruka said. “I think we’ve been punished enough.”
Kakashi leaned in and kissed Iruka.
“For what it’s worth, I love you, too.”
And I would do any punishment you asked me to…
But I think it’ll be safer if I never tell you that!
