Ruminant

xx

"Suit yourself," The omnivore chuckled lightly. "I'll suggest going to the Inuzuka since you pilfered that one from them in the first place, but-" He paused as he saw Kyoya grimace. "if you don't want to, you could approach Kakashi-chan." The man smiled, his eyes crinkling with warmth. "He raised his own dogs since he was about your age, after all."

Kyoya hummed, considering the man's proposal.

Shikaku waved his hands away as he closed his eyes to nap. "Just ask for a gray-haired brat that wears a mask and you'll find him in no time. I've heard he was playing genin this week, so you could probably get him to advise you about proper caring practices."

After a moment, Kyoya stood up and whistled. With not even a by your leave, he left with his dog waddling obediently behind him - ignoring the loud laugh that suddenly boomed out from his father as he left.

Kyoya would be gracious this time and let it go.

After all, the omnivore still had his uses.
-

----

Kakashi looked at the chaos in front of him with a strange expression.

Two pursing babies were looking at him judgementally, his dog - Pakkun abandoned and left him for rubs from a toddler army, and Gai was dementedly shouting about the power of youth.

Kakashi closed his eyes sorrowfully.

He knew he shouldn't have gone the long way to make Kushina-san wait and have his sensei punished as petty revenge.

If he knew-

Kakashi shook his head, weary and fed up with all of this already.

Could he have a re-do, please?

...

..

.

It all started with chocolate-flavored ramen.

An hour ago, Kakashi was asked by Minato-sensei to fetch three servings chocolate-flavored ramen from Ichirakus. Apparently, Kushina-san had strange cravings these past few days and since his sensei was busy tying up loose strings to finish the war, it was up to his students - mostly Kakashi, since Obito was still in the Yamanaka's care, and Rin cited her hospital work to get out of it - to play gopher.

It wasn't like he minded it.

A break from his usual routine would be good since, after Obito's return, he still found himself ill at ease. Kakashi-

Kakashi wasn't exactly sure how to act after everything that happened.

Obito's abrupt revival, although welcome, made him queasy and restless and-

Kakashi didn't know what to do with himself.

(He wasn't Rin who could, after a cry and a cuddle, get along with Obito almost immediately due to their previous dynamics. They knew each other for years - liked each other sincerely for years and compared to Kakashi's relationship with Obito-)

(For the two of them, there was only dislike, disdain and grudging camaraderie born from working together in close quarters - forced by duty and a village that believed they worked best together even if they despised each other to pieces.)