I mean, it's only been like two years since I last updates right, so this is fine.

This is the second-to-last chapter, because let's be honest, I look at this and I try to write more, but then I just. Don't. And I just want this to be finished so you guys can read it in full.

So, it's been a long long time, but this is still the work that gets the most attention, so. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and favorited and bookmarked even though this story is old as hell.

Particulars
25 years old

When Ebisu grabs Gai by the arm and leads him to a restaurant, saying he wants to talk, Gai grins big, puffs out his chest, and pats his former teammate on the back.

"You never ask me to eat with you!" He says, which means he yells it, and Ebisu sighs. "Do you have news you wish to share?"

"Hm. Not exactly. More of I have a question."

Gai's grin widens, and Ebisu is too used to it to ask him if it hurts.

They sit in a booth near a corner, away from most customers but close enough to the bar that the waitress will see them easily if they call her. The menus are already on the table, spread as if they expected four people to sit in the booth instead of just two. Ebisu doesn't bother to glance at it; Gai rushes to read everything as if the end of the menu is the finish line of a race only Gai knows about.

Ebisu waits for Gai to look like he's decided on a meal, then waits some more because he knows Gai will inevitably change his mind. It's only when Gai closes his menu that Ebisu raises his hand so the waitress will see him and come take their orders.

Ebisu sighs again, when their food is brought to them. "I have a mission with Hatake tomorrow," he starts. Gai can't see his eyes through his shades, so he wrinkles his nose to show he doesn't like the idea. "You know him, right?"

And of course Gai knows him! Kakashi is his rival! And his friend! And he and Obito sometimes help him train his new team when he needs one-on-one sparring to go quicker.

"Of course!" Gai pauses, catching up, "Does that bother you?"

"That you know him? Not particularly. I don't like that boy of his, though." Gai thinks hard, but he doesn't know if Ebisu is talking about Obito, or Sasuke, or Naruto. "That's not the point, though. I want to know why he doesn't talk. You understand, don't you? If he was attacked as a child, I'd prefer to avoid similar circumstances to those of the attack." Ebisu uses his fingers to adjust his shades properly over the bridge of his nose.

Twenty years into their rivalry, Gai still has no idea why Kakashi does not—cannot?—talk.

He figures it's not his fault. Gai hates pressuring people when there's no need to, and there has never been a need to know why Kakashi doesn't talk.

To Gai, it's just one of those things that is particular of Kakashi, that makes him who he is. Like Naruto's exuberance or Neji's need to prove himself or Tenten's unnaturally acute aim.

He cannot say he has not wondered, sometimes, if their friendship would be different, if Kakashi would have become such a fierce, shrewd shinobi if he talked. If he would have skipped grades the same way, if Sakumo would have trained Kakashi just as hard, or if Kakashi would still relax the same way when Obito hovered near him.

Gai only lets these thoughts prevail for half a second, and then he squashes them flat.

For Ebisu's benefit, Gai shrugs. "There's no scars on his neck and he does have a tongue, if that's what you're asking."

"I heard he wears two masks?"

"Ah, he does try to hide a couple of scars like that, but I doubt you'll need to worry about them." Gai replies, though he himself is not even sure how the scars came to be. "Perhaps asking Uchiha Obito would be a better idea."

Ebisu chews thoughtfully, then shakes his head.

"It is a reasonable idea," Ebisu admits. He takes a sip of his beer and puts the glass back on the table "But it's like those two are on their honeymoon stage. They're never apart."

Gai knows this to be untrue; he's more likely to see Kakashi walking around by himself than he ever is walking next to Obito.

"Well," Gai starts. He crosses his arms over his chest, staring intently at his food. "I'll be the first to admit I don't know the reason Kakashi doesn't talk. But it has never stopped me before, you know."

"I don't think you're the best example…"

"Nonsense!"

"Gai, Hatake hates your challenges and yet—"

Gai gets up from the table as if that's the most offensive thing anyone has ever said to him and leaves Ebisu behind.

"Hey!" Ebisu calls, "Gai, come back here and pay your dinner!"

{…}

There's a little girl in Kakashi's arms.

…

That's it, that's all Gai's brain is giving him.

Gai is vaguely aware of Lee finally noticing he wasn't paying attention to him and stopping mid-sentence. Out of the corner of his eye, Gai sees the way Lee's eyebrows furrow together, the way he leans to the side to follow his teacher's line of sight. Gai sees Lee opening his mouth, and before Gai can open his—to stop him or to say something first, he doesn't know—Lee raises his arm.

"Ah! Hatake-sama!" Lee screams. Kakashi, of course, does not startle, he simply turns around looking for all the world like he'd rather be anywhere but there in the middle of the street being yelled at by a young man. "Who is that little princess you have with you?!"

Then Lee isn't at Gai's side anymore, and Gai approaches Kakashi, too. He wants to smile at him, ask how his mission with Ebisu went, but he sees the girl, the way she curls more into herself when they approach, and he knows exactly what is happening.

He puts his hand on Lee's shoulder to keep him from crowding the child.

"Don't worry, my dear rival. I can help you get through the crowd quicker, if you must." Gai says.

Kakashi, surprisingly, relaxes at his words. He nods at him, which is surprise number two. Gai doesn't miss the way Kakashi's grip on the girl tightens, and then his arms loosen slightly, pulling the girl away from his chest. Making sure the girl is watching him, Kakashi starts to sign.

And that. That's surprise number three.

His perfect Lee seems astonished into silence as well, and when the girl, all large eyes and caramel skin, smiles so big she covers her mouth like it hurts, Gai doesn't know what to do.

In the end, what he does is send Lee on his way with the promise they can talk all about his special training first thing tomorrow, and walk next to Kakashi as they make their way to the hospital.

"Not the Hogake Tower?"

Kakashi shrugs, but Gai doesn't really know any signs except for a few and Kakashi has his hands full at the moment. After long deliberation, Kakashi finally points at Gai and makes a simple sign that means team. It takes Gai a few seconds, but he realizes, a bit belatedly, that he's referring to Gai's teammate, Ebisu.

"Oh, Ebisu-kun took is giving the report this time?"

Kakashi nods.

{…}

The girl is deaf.

Kakashi doesn't seem surprised, but Gai is. He's met deaf people before, though few far in between, and only adults. They never lasted long. Their deafness was always a product of a battle, and their scars acted up, their nightmares consumed them until they passed away, hidden away in their homes.

But the girl seems happy enough, so long as Kakashi's next to her to translate.

Gai wants to know her name, and Kakashi starts to write it down on his notepad before Gai stops him.

"I… I want her to tell me."

So Kakashi moves his hands. The girl is too young to read, still, though that hadn't stopped Kakashi at her age, Gai doesn't think.

The girl's eyes lock on Gai, and she puts her arms up, hands moving. She's clumsy in a way he's never seen Kakashi be, and Kakashi actually stops her, seems to correct her, and then smiles when she gets rest of her name correctly.

Which, of course, Gai doesn't understand anyway.

For his benefit, Kakashi notes down Ishikawa Mei anyway.

Later, when the girl is sleeping and Kakashi seems to finish sorting out what will happen to the foreign little girl, Gai sighs.

"You were teaching her sign language."

Kakashi moves his head in a 'kind of' motion. He writes down on his notepad, explaining that the girl had had some knowledge already, but somewhere along the way, a couple things they had taught her had been wrong. He was just adjusting.

"But you taught Naruto, didn't you? And Sasuke, too?"

At this, Kakashi nods and makes no effort to elaborate so Gai nods decisively.

"Please teach me and my genin, too, my rival."

Kakashi shrugs, and Gai takes that as a yes just like he always does.

"Also… Kakashi." Gai says. From where he's half-lying on his chair, neck braced against the backrest, Kakashi raises a single eyebrow. "Ebisu asked me…"

Gai stops and thinks it over. He looks at the girl lying on the bed—Kakashi's until the council or the orphanage or someone comes get her in the morning—then back at Kakashi and shakes his head.

"It's not important."