23.
The young Nara heiress smiled at Kakashi gently, her dimples showing as she blocked his way to Kushina-san's house.
"Herbivore," She warned in a tender voice. "Stop running away from me."
"I'm not running away," Kakashi insisted calmly, his eyes curving into crescents as he tried to keep his cool. He tried to convince himself that it wasn't creepy at all, no, how the Nara heiress managed to find him every time despite Kakashi covering his own tracks as best as he could.
(He was jounin-level for Kami's sake. She shouldn't have been able to get even an inkling of his practically nonexistent tracks - let alone find him every single time she deigned him worthy of her time.)
(Don't tell him she's getting lessons from Gai because if she was, he was going to beat him up, that traitor.)
"Don't be ridiculous, Shikari-chan."
Shikari's eyes narrowed. "Spar with me then."
"But I have to deliver this to a pregnant lady," Kakashi gestured to the Kushina's regular ramen package he got from Ichirakus - trying his best to channel Jiraiya as he affected an air of exaggerated sorrow. "I have too much work." He shook his head regretfully. "I can't just drop it all off to fight you, Shikari-chan."
"Disgusting," Shikari muttered bluntly as she looked at him in disdain.
Kakashi gasped - getting really into it now as he tried to be as dramatic as possible. "Don't be like that hime, this baby's heart would hurt if you continue."
Shikari surveyed him up and down, before shaking her head - apparently finding him utterly contemptible.
...
Kakashi felt that. He knew he hadn't been able to practice much, but still-
The kid should still have the decency to give him A for effort.
Weeks after Kakashi got roped into the dubious friendship-association-that-advocates-for-peace, Kakashi tried his hardest to lose the single-minded interest the Nara heiress had for him. From his observation and covert interviews to other chibis that were in Shikari's social circle, he concluded that going for this route would yield the best results.
(Shikari disliked people who hide behind dramatic, exaggerated facades.)
(That's why she greatly disliked with Jiraiya actually, yet accepted Gai and the Inuzuka heiress well enough when they were just as dramatic and boisterous.)
(Shikari valued sincerity and Jiraiya who hides behind a loud, perverted mask made her teeth itch. As much as she liked beating the old man up, his personality was enough to deter her from fighting again and again - letting the other chibis in their organization to handle the old man instead.)
Let it be known that desperation had pushed him toward this path.
Kakashi didn't know how to hold back in a fight and he wasn't eager to put his head on the line in the case that he wasn't able to manage his strength when fighting against the kid.
He'll do it once she was older maybe, or once he acquired enough experience to get enough handle on how much he could dish out and not get his head loped off by the Nara clan head and all the backers this little kid had.
Kakashi let none of his dissatisfaction show on his face, his eyes glistening now as he used genjutsu to up the stakes. "I'm always like this." He insisted earnestly.
Shikari eyed him, her whole countenance still judging.
Kakashi held up a hand to his heart. "I'm showing you my true self, Shikari-chan," He said in a sentimental manner, looking away as if he got struck from the cold shoulder he was getting. "I-"
Kakashi paused, his eyes catching sight of Obito's form as his teammate went inside Kushina-san's house.
"I-" Shikari prompted after a minute of Kakashi's silence.
"I-" Kakashi coughed, straightening his back as he gave up his admittedly lame attempt in being a dramatic and exaggerated - voice going back to its original bland tone, "In the name of the relationship we had, in good conscience couldn't fight you since I'm an unworthy opponent. Therefore, I'm handing this," Kakashi handed over the ramen package in his hand, "gift for a worthwhile opponent far stronger than I am. You can eat this then offer the remains to the red-haired lady in that house," Kakashi pointed to Kushina-san's house. "and you'll definitely get the spar that you've been asking for since forever."
"You just said this was for a pregnant lady, omnivore," Shikari said dryly. "I'm not interested in fighting someone who's carrying kits."
Kakashi shook his head empathically. "No, no. I'm not referring to Kushina-san. I'm referring to the ferocious bodyguard that's guarding her who I'm sure, would feel righteous in Kushina-san's behalf if you'll eat the 6th serving of ramen she'd asked of me earlier."
"Besides, aren't you hungry Shikari-chan? It's almost past your lunchtime." He patted the Nara heiress head and quickly pushed the package in his hands to the bemused kid. "He's strong, very strong, you wouldn't lose out, hime."
Before Shikari could reply, he body-flickered his way out of there as he tried to convince himself that no, he wasn't running away.
Again.
This was just a strategic retreat.
Yes.
Retreat.
Not because he was still scared or guilty or anything.
Of course not.
Kakashi scowled.
(Kami, he's pathetic.)
-----
When Kushina opened the door to her house, she was prepared to rag on Kakashi hard but stopped when she got a little chibi instead.
The chibi looked satisfied, well-fed, and handed what seemed to be the remains of the ramen Kushina ordered Kakashi to get.
"Ohayo," the baby greeted politely.
"Ohayo," Kushina echoed, confused. Wasn't this Yoshino's daughter, Shikari, 'ttebane? What was she doing here?
When Kushina didn't continue, the brunette gestured to the bowl of ramen she has in her hands.
"I ate this."
"Okay," Kushina nodded, her head popping up and down like a chicken pecking at corn on the ground.
The chibi pursed her lips when Kushina continued to be unresponsive. "It's supposed to be yours," She informed helpfully.
"Indeed," Kushina agreed, staring in fascination at the chibi's puffed-up cheeks.
The two of them stared at each other, waiting.
Shikari coughed.
Once Kushina got back to herself, her cheeks flushed fetchingly. "Oh, I was being rude, wasn't I?" she smiled and patted Shikari's head. "Come on in, Shikari-chan. Are you still hungry?"
Shikari looked up at her confused.
Kushina cooed, "Don't be shy, 'ttebane. Please, come in."
The little girl seemed hesitant before taking off her slippers as she followed Kushina inside the house.
"Please excuse me," The chibi said politely after she entered the house.
"What would you like to eat?"
"I'm full. There's no need to prepare anything. Thank you."
"How about some tea?" Kushina asked cheerfully, pushing Shikari gently to the dining table. She set the matcha-flavored mochi Obito dropped off earlier in front of the chibi and looked at the brunette expectantly.
"Hn."
Kushina would take that as a yes. Yoshino really wasn't kidding when she said the kid resembled an Uchiha with her mannerisms.
When all was ready and done, the red-haired woman smiled at the Nara heiress cheerfully.
"I forgot to introduce myself earlier, Shikari-chan. I'm Uzumaki Kushina," Kushina grinned. "I'll have to thank you for trying to help my husband's students, 'ttebane. I've been looking forward to meeting you this whole time."
The chibi stared up at her, bemused, before taking a sip of her tea. "Oh."
"Yes!" Kushina's eyes twinkled. "I was really looking forward to giving you suggestions for handling the organization you and my godson put up. I was quite impressed that you were taking the initiative to help the village as much as you can."
Shikari hummed, slightly intrigued.
Kushina grinned with teeth. "Disciplining herbivores as you called it seems to be a good way to spend my forced break and stopping Jiraiya in his perverted ways is always a good thing."
Shikari eyed Kushina before smiling demurely, "Please, tell me more."
...
..
.
Nara Shikari was a blessing, that was what Kushina concluded after the chibi finally left for nap time.
Kushina decided that she could let Kakashi go this once since he got her an oddly elegant baby to spend her afternoon with.
..
.
(Not again though, he should face Obito again after putting it off for a long time.)
----
A/N: Slightly edited. I edit chapters from time to time so if there are times when you think a previous chapter seems different, it really is different orz.