[fic] Glass Dolphin
Kakashi relaxed exiting the daimyo's home where he'd just delivered a scroll. It was still outside of his country, but now that he wasn't carrying anything more important than his reputation the likely hood of him being attacked had dropped significantly. The mission had most likely been over ranked, not that he minded. The extra week before he was expected home gave him a couple free days to possibly buy some souvenirs.
Kakashi walked briskly through the streets excited. He might finally find something to give to Naruto’s old chuunin sensei that might portray the copy-nin's intentions without scaring him away.
He looked into random shops, merely inspecting the contents for an idea of what kind of merchandise they had. He peeked inside the chocolate shop only for a minute giving up when he found the thing jam packed. Chocolates were cliché any way; he wanted something original.
Kakashi sighed. He'd thought of gloves which just came across as motherly, not I want to be your boyfriend-y; and dolls, but even if he was gay that came off as a little too girly. He was getting so desperate the decorative basket shop across the street from where he was sitting was starting to feel like a possibility.
Kakashi sighed getting up. One last pass through the market place, and he'd either give up or get a painted fan. Half way down the third to last street of the entire market, around 30 or 40 streets total, Kakashi spotted a dusty little shop on the corner. In the slightly dirty window display was an array of shining glass figurines in colors varying from a deep midnight purple to a bright orange glaring enough to make Naruto buy it just on principle.
This would be perfect. The younger chuunin sensei with an eye for beautiful things would simply swoon if Kakashi gave him one of these. Price was no value, so Kakashi strolled confidently in heart set on buying the biggest most beautiful thing he could find, even if he had to spend the rest of his free week lugging it home.
Choosing was difficult. There were stylized curved and twisted pieces that could look like anything from a bizarre bird to the ripple in a pool depending upon the direction you looked at it. On other shelves there were elaborate sculptures that very clearly depicted trees and fish, and even one that had curling colored patterns lining the back of a frog, Naruto would have lost it at the sight. Kakashi was very glad the hyperactive genin was not with him, or he would most likely have had to pay for half the shop’s merchandise due to damage.
It was all so beautiful, even to Kakashi’s untrained eyes, he had no idea which to choose. He finally settled on one of the smaller more elaborate ones. It was a simple tree with a swing hanging from it, but the fact that the tree had a realistic cluster of leaves at the end of every branch, and the rope holding the swing was actually twisted and separate from the tree in such a way that the slightest brush would send it swaying sweetly, made the piece unique and exactly what Kakashi wanted. It was a beautiful depiction of innocence and youth. Kakashi could be certain a sensei who was forced to teach small children how to loose that innocence would be very appreaciative of it.
Bringing the prize of his search to the counter, Kakashi began to glance around wondering where the proprietor of this emporium could be. After about five minutes of waiting and worried glancing about that he might not be there and Kakashi wouldn't be able to buy the new present, the shop owner came wandering through a glass beaded curtain from the back. Fully engrossed in a new and apparently ruined piece, if the low volume curses were any indication, he failed to notice Kakashi until he was directly behind the counter.
Kakashi was very glad he'd already set his present down because the sight of the art the man was carrying would have caused him to drop it. It was small only just larger than the palm of the ninja's hand but glittering blue in the obvious shape of a playful dolphin, exquisitely made, so the eyes held a shining sparkle befitting of another dolphin Kakashi knew of.
The ‘blemish’ that the artist had been earlier grumbling over only made it more desirable in Kakashi’s eyes. An added piece of glass obviously intended to be a spout of water from a blow hole had been over heated and burned brown, so it looked shockingly similar to a bouncy chocolate ponytail.
All thought escaped from Kakashi’s mind aside from he had to have this animal. He reached out in a daze taking it from the counter where the man had set it down to make a sale. Staring longingly into the translucent black eye's Kakashi was reminded of his crush's eyes back home. The way they appeared to be windows into the sensei's soul this was a near perfect rendition of exactly what Iruka meant to Kakashi. "Iruka..." he mumbled to himself gently stroking the 'pony tail'.
Kakashi snapped out of his daze and stared at the shopkeeper. "I want this. How much does it cost?”
The shop keep blinked nervously at the intense stare the obviously potentially dangerous man was giving him. He chose his words carefully, "nothing sir, I was going to throw it away it was a mistake, but if you want it you are welcome to take it.” He relaxed immediately as the ninja's eyes softened to stare more at the ‘worthless’ piece of glass. The man smiled as he realized for this man apparently it was far from ‘worthless’. For a Konoha ninja he wasn't very good at hiding his feelings from civilians apparently as his eye was glazed with an emotion that could only be described as pure and true love. The artist was surprised he didn't pull down his mask when he lifted it to his face to kiss it lovingly. The craftsman felt faintly sick he had to interrupt to ask a question, "You brought this tree up here. I assume you want to buy it too?"
The copy-nin looked over still clutching the dolphin close to his chest. "Which do I want?" He finally remembered the reason he came into the shop looking to the tree and swing on the counter. "Oh yes, please. It's a gift for a friend. If you have any kind of packaging, please, box it up as well." Kakashi proceeded to ignore the man further, concentrating on the beautiful jewel he'd only acquired out of luck cradled in his arms.
The shop keep laughed at the man in front of him, easily packing up the tree snuggly into a box so it wouldn't break on transit. After Kakashi had paid and regretfully parted with his new favorite artwork to have it boxed up as well, he was running home heart lighter and feet far faster than they had been on his way to wave, extremely excited to get home and see how well his present would work to woo a different dolphin into joining his household. A piece of glass was a nice substitute but nothing compared to the thought of having the real thing in his home.
Kakashi walked briskly through the streets excited. He might finally find something to give to Naruto’s old chuunin sensei that might portray the copy-nin's intentions without scaring him away.
He looked into random shops, merely inspecting the contents for an idea of what kind of merchandise they had. He peeked inside the chocolate shop only for a minute giving up when he found the thing jam packed. Chocolates were cliché any way; he wanted something original.
Kakashi sighed. He'd thought of gloves which just came across as motherly, not I want to be your boyfriend-y; and dolls, but even if he was gay that came off as a little too girly. He was getting so desperate the decorative basket shop across the street from where he was sitting was starting to feel like a possibility.
Kakashi sighed getting up. One last pass through the market place, and he'd either give up or get a painted fan. Half way down the third to last street of the entire market, around 30 or 40 streets total, Kakashi spotted a dusty little shop on the corner. In the slightly dirty window display was an array of shining glass figurines in colors varying from a deep midnight purple to a bright orange glaring enough to make Naruto buy it just on principle.
This would be perfect. The younger chuunin sensei with an eye for beautiful things would simply swoon if Kakashi gave him one of these. Price was no value, so Kakashi strolled confidently in heart set on buying the biggest most beautiful thing he could find, even if he had to spend the rest of his free week lugging it home.
Choosing was difficult. There were stylized curved and twisted pieces that could look like anything from a bizarre bird to the ripple in a pool depending upon the direction you looked at it. On other shelves there were elaborate sculptures that very clearly depicted trees and fish, and even one that had curling colored patterns lining the back of a frog, Naruto would have lost it at the sight. Kakashi was very glad the hyperactive genin was not with him, or he would most likely have had to pay for half the shop’s merchandise due to damage.
It was all so beautiful, even to Kakashi’s untrained eyes, he had no idea which to choose. He finally settled on one of the smaller more elaborate ones. It was a simple tree with a swing hanging from it, but the fact that the tree had a realistic cluster of leaves at the end of every branch, and the rope holding the swing was actually twisted and separate from the tree in such a way that the slightest brush would send it swaying sweetly, made the piece unique and exactly what Kakashi wanted. It was a beautiful depiction of innocence and youth. Kakashi could be certain a sensei who was forced to teach small children how to loose that innocence would be very appreaciative of it.
Bringing the prize of his search to the counter, Kakashi began to glance around wondering where the proprietor of this emporium could be. After about five minutes of waiting and worried glancing about that he might not be there and Kakashi wouldn't be able to buy the new present, the shop owner came wandering through a glass beaded curtain from the back. Fully engrossed in a new and apparently ruined piece, if the low volume curses were any indication, he failed to notice Kakashi until he was directly behind the counter.
Kakashi was very glad he'd already set his present down because the sight of the art the man was carrying would have caused him to drop it. It was small only just larger than the palm of the ninja's hand but glittering blue in the obvious shape of a playful dolphin, exquisitely made, so the eyes held a shining sparkle befitting of another dolphin Kakashi knew of.
The ‘blemish’ that the artist had been earlier grumbling over only made it more desirable in Kakashi’s eyes. An added piece of glass obviously intended to be a spout of water from a blow hole had been over heated and burned brown, so it looked shockingly similar to a bouncy chocolate ponytail.
All thought escaped from Kakashi’s mind aside from he had to have this animal. He reached out in a daze taking it from the counter where the man had set it down to make a sale. Staring longingly into the translucent black eye's Kakashi was reminded of his crush's eyes back home. The way they appeared to be windows into the sensei's soul this was a near perfect rendition of exactly what Iruka meant to Kakashi. "Iruka..." he mumbled to himself gently stroking the 'pony tail'.
Kakashi snapped out of his daze and stared at the shopkeeper. "I want this. How much does it cost?”
The shop keep blinked nervously at the intense stare the obviously potentially dangerous man was giving him. He chose his words carefully, "nothing sir, I was going to throw it away it was a mistake, but if you want it you are welcome to take it.” He relaxed immediately as the ninja's eyes softened to stare more at the ‘worthless’ piece of glass. The man smiled as he realized for this man apparently it was far from ‘worthless’. For a Konoha ninja he wasn't very good at hiding his feelings from civilians apparently as his eye was glazed with an emotion that could only be described as pure and true love. The artist was surprised he didn't pull down his mask when he lifted it to his face to kiss it lovingly. The craftsman felt faintly sick he had to interrupt to ask a question, "You brought this tree up here. I assume you want to buy it too?"
The copy-nin looked over still clutching the dolphin close to his chest. "Which do I want?" He finally remembered the reason he came into the shop looking to the tree and swing on the counter. "Oh yes, please. It's a gift for a friend. If you have any kind of packaging, please, box it up as well." Kakashi proceeded to ignore the man further, concentrating on the beautiful jewel he'd only acquired out of luck cradled in his arms.
The shop keep laughed at the man in front of him, easily packing up the tree snuggly into a box so it wouldn't break on transit. After Kakashi had paid and regretfully parted with his new favorite artwork to have it boxed up as well, he was running home heart lighter and feet far faster than they had been on his way to wave, extremely excited to get home and see how well his present would work to woo a different dolphin into joining his household. A piece of glass was a nice substitute but nothing compared to the thought of having the real thing in his home.