Chapter Text
With Danzo's crimes coming to light and a swift, private execution at the hands of the Uchiha clan (as was their right due to the bloodline theft—Kakashi still felt a little sick thinking about the eyes Danzo had crammed into his arm), the Sandaime felt it was time to step down. And somehow, he'd managed to convince Tsunade to take his spot.
All things considered, it was slated to be a swift transition, only a few weeks from start to finish. Only Hiashi seemed to oppose the appointment amongst the clan council, and even that protest was tamped down when Aunt Tsume brought up the fact he was so close with Danzo. (Don't think we've forgotten about that damn seal you slap on people, Hyuuga, she'd added, much to Fugaku's delight. The Uchiha head made no secret about his desire to prosecute the clan elders for the practice).
Against all odds, Obito was on her transition team, thrust into the spotlight alongside Rin for their miraculous (and mysterious) return from the grave. Given Rin was busy planning a wedding and learning the ropes of working in the hospital, though, most of those duties fell to Obito and the InoShikaCho heads, who rounded out the team. Kakashi had some responsibilities, too, but he was so busy raising Sakura that he pretended not to remember he had them.
Obito was welcomed into the clan by Fugaku and Mikoto, too, but he didn't move back to the compound. Instead, he shooed the contractors working on the finishing touches to Kakashi's house away and gave himself work as a handyman.
When Tsunade teased him about being a househusband, Obito puffed his chest out and asked, so what?
Kakashi had been thankful Sakura had her own bedroom by then, because it meant he got to show Obito just how much he enjoyed the thought of coming home to him every day.
Tobirama and Madara were the trickiest parts of the process. Tobirama was upset that Tsunade had been able to see him, but chose to ignore him, while Madara continued to pester them all to use the tablet on them.
Kakashi was too exhausted to get involved in any of it, but when he slipped up and called Tobirama dad to his face…
Somehow the fussing over his dietary habits only increased. Kakashi suspected it was Tobirama's way of expressing love, though—especially because that was all he ever seemed to do with Madara, and they were attached at the hip.
Even when Madara strutted into the Uchiha compound ahead of Kakashi, Obito, and Sakura a few days after their return to the village, heading for a play date with Sasuke, who needed some company now that the Academy was back in session and Itachi was in school most of the time.
The first Uchiha to spot Madara was a younger man, dressed in standard jounin blue and on his way out of the gates, likely on a mission. He took one look at the group and dropped the pack he'd been shuffling through as he walked.
"M-Madara-sama?"
Madara smirked, while Tobirama shook his head in exasperation.
The reactions lasted all the way until they made it to the front door of the Uchiha main house, where Mikoto was waiting for them on the engawa.
"Madara-sama, Senju-sama," she dipped in a bow that was low enough to be respectful but not so low as to be deferential. Kakashi considered that maybe he should start learning some diplomacy from her, because he had a sinking feeling that he was about to be pulled for some kind of position in Tsunade's administration.
Madara studied her as she stood back up and gave less formal greetings to Kakashi and Sakura, then turned her attention towards Obito.
"Obito-kun, it's good to see you again." She smiled softly at him, and some of the tension building in his shoulders bled out.
"Mikoto-san—" He started, but she clicked her tongue at him.
"It's Aunt Mikoto to you." Then leveling a look at Kakashi, added, "Both of you."
Madara nodded, as though passing some magnanimous judgment, but as Mikoto turned to lead them all into the house, she caught his eye and rolled her own before letting her gaze flicker back to the direction Madara was in.
It was hard to restrain his laughter, especially when Madara proceeded to stride inside with all the confidence of a man who hadn't shriveled up in a cave for decades.
Then Sasuke poked his head into the hallway and Kakashi had to fight not to cringe as Sakura shouted in delight.
"Hi Sasu-chan! Come on, I have to show you this cool trick Papa taught me!" She raced ahead of the adults, all but tackling Sasuke, who stood frozen at the sudden attention.
Two things occurred to Kakashi at once: the first was that Sakura seemed to have done a total turn around on her feelings for Sasuke since their trip. The second…
"And what exactly did you teach her, Obito?"
To top off all the chaos, Ino turned five the week following their return to Konoha.
Her birthday party was a lavish affair, hosted by Inoichi for his little princess. There was plenty of good food, courtesy of the Akimichi, and lots of running around and shouting by way of the kids and ninken.
Kakashi had some concerns about the way Hana and Shisui seemed to gravitate towards each other, too. Or rather, he could see the lovestruck look in Shisui's eyes when Hana flipped him over her shoulder and pinned him to the ground after he'd underestimated her in a little play fight they'd been putting on for the younger kids. Platonic or more, any sort of partnership between those two would spelled nothing but mischief
From several spots to his right, he heard Fugaku sigh and Tsume cackle.
Then, an unmistakable voice floated over from the garden gate.
"I'm here to see the brat." Tsunade paused, then with more than a bit of humor in her voice, added, "The older brat. Hatake."
Kakashi stiffened in his seat, grumbling as multiple sets of eyes turned to him.
"Shut up," he grumbled to Obito, who was the closest to him.
"I didn't say anything," he protested, not bothering to hide his shit-eating grin.
Kakashi didn't have time to try and smack his lover before Tsunade was there, shoving her finger in his chest as she stood before him, feet wide in her usual authoritative stance.
"Brat. If I don't see you in my office at seven sharp tomorrow morning, I will hunt you down and drag you to the nearest training ground." She scowled. "Clearly you need to have some of your insubordination smacked out of you.
Kakashi felt a twinge of real fear at the threat, which he thought was perfectly justified given Tsunade could liquefy his spleen with a single hit. But then Obito and Aunt Tsume started snickering, and his spite overpowered any other emotion.
"Maa, Hokage-sama, I already told you I'm not cut out—"
"You're taking the hat as soon as I can get you ready and that's that final, brat."
He slumped in his seat as his Aunt let out a delighted cackle and Obito patted his back (while smirking, the bastard).
"It's not all bad, Bakashi. You get to stay in the village with me and squirt!"
"Yeah, Kakashi-kun," Rin chimed in as she wandered by with two glasses in her hand, on a mission to get to her fiancee. "You have more time to spend with all of us, now. And you're not being run ragged for once."
He couldn't argue about that—especially now that Rin and Shizune were working with Fugaku on a way to get Kakashi's implanted Sharingan to actually turn off when he wasn't using it. Once that was successful (and he had no doubt it would be), he wouldn't risk chakra exhaustion just by walking around with his eye uncovered. And he did like staying in the village with everyone—he never wanted to take his eyes off Obito after he'd nearly lost him a second time, and Sakura was growing so fast he didn't want to miss the wildly precocious years she was going through now.
And speaking of Sakura, Ino came dragging her over, the two holding each other's hands like they would disappear if they didn't. They only stopped when they stood right between Kakashi and Tsunade, who'd retracted her hand to stand straight once more.
Then, with her usual lack of fear, Ino came right out with a demand.
"Tsunade-sama, you have to train me, too!"
Tsunade frowned, and Kakashi watched Inoichi tense from several yards away, undoubtedly calculating whether or not he needed to intervene. He wasn't close enough to see the sparkle of amusement in the Godaime's eyes.
"Oh yeah, squirt? And just why do I need to train you? If this is some way to spend time with your little girlfriend since you're going to be on an InoShikaCho team—"
Ino stiffened her spine, drawing up to her full height (which only just reached Tsunade's waist) and stomping her foot.
"It's no fair if Sakura does all the protecting. She's my wife, so she should be able to depend on me when she needs to!"
The corners of Tsunade's lips twitched just slightly, and Kakashi knew she was trying to keep any mirth from showing on her face. She favored boldness, and Ino was nothing if not bold. It was a perfect match.
"Tell you what, squirt," she started, ignoring the way Ino's nose wrinkled at the nickname. "If you can do the same thing your wife," her voice wobbled a little with restrained laughter at the word, "did, then I'll train you both once you make chuunin." From an inner pocket of her haori, she produced another card, this time the Queen of Spades.
"You'll have to work hard to beat me, Ino-chan," Sakura grinned. "I got mine to stick for three whole minutes!"
Ino's eyes widened in awe for a moment, but then narrowed as she took the bait.
"I'll get it to stick for five!"
"Then I'll do it for ten!"
"She's already going to train you, Sakura!"