Naruto One-Shot (Yaoi)

Rules and Regulations

Beetlebee

“I’m sorry, what,” says Shikamaru.

Shikamaru knows that Kakashi knows for a fact that Shikamaru heard him. He’s just trying to give Kakashi an out, which he also knows Kakashi isn’t going to take.

“My husband will take over while I’m gone,” Kakashi repeats, easy as anything.

Shikamaru closes his eyes for a long moment, and opens them again. “I want to hope you’re joking, but I’ve worked for you for too long to hope.”

“Maa, what’s the problem? You told me to pick someone, and I did.”

“The optics alone—”

“We have a program for employing reformed criminals,” Kakashi points out. “This could be something nice for Obito to learn, to push him along into gainful employment.”  

Considering Obito’s revelled as a glorified house-husband for the past seven years according to the many stories Kakashi likes to share (“Here’s a picture of some omurice Obito made for me; isn’t the eye design in the ketchup so cute~”), Shikamaru can smell the bullshit from where he’s standing.

He decides on blunt. “I don’t believe you.”

“I’m Hokage!” Kakashi responds blithely. “I can pick who I want!”

Shikamaru eyes a particularly firm section of wall he’s considering bashing his head against.

Kakashi waves a hand. “Maa, none of that, now. But listen, Shikamaru, it’s been seven years, hasn’t it? He’s been a model citizen.”

Shikamaru just glances out the window at the Forest of Death, which is 70% larger than it used to be.

“Mostly. Nothing wrong with added aggressive greenery,” Kakashi amends. “And haven’t you heard of, hm, moving forward?” he asks, scratching his chin with an eye-smile. He laughs a little, and stares out the window at the monument. “It was his dream, after all, and it became his dream for me. And I, well, I want him to share that with me, if only for a couple days.” He sighs, wistful.

It’s really been seven years already; seven to the day exactly if counting from Obito’s emergence from his voluntary stint at T&I. It’s surreal to think they could get to this point; some things from that final war will always be burned in him, but other parts have faded, eased by peace and penance and time. Shikamaru sighs in turn, knowing he’s giving in. Not that he had hope to change Kakashi’s mind to begin with. “This idea is absolutely terrible. But I’ll back you up on it, if only to mitigate the damage.”

“Then we’re in agreement. I knew I could count on you,” Kakashi responds with a wink, cheering up far to quickly. “Everything will go perfectly fine, you’ll see.”

Shikamaru just eyes that section of wall again. Troublesome.

----

“What,” says Obito, pausing to look up from his still-baking quiche.

“You heard me,” Kakashi smiles, pulling his mask down around his neck and setting his robe across the back of a chair.

“Me, as Hokage?” Obito asks, flat. That sounds like a terrible idea.

“Don’t get too excited, now,” Kakashi replies, his smile never wavering. “And it’s just for a couple days.”

“Why the hell would you—”

“I trust you,” Kakashi says simply, stopping Obito in his tracks. Those words always make Obito shiver, his tails furrow involuntarily. He can’t imagine how Kakashi ever trusts him, even after so many years, after all the things he’s done. He’s come to something of an internal equilibrium, an understanding with Datara, but seven years can’t possibly outweigh a lifetime of unspeakable crimes.