Chapter Text
Eleven years have passed (from the time DoS is currently set in) and a group of Konohans are attending a festival somewhere – not on a mission quite, but more like representatives. A big group. And it's evening and civilian people are walking around in sort of fancy-ish clothing and some of the Konohas group are dressed up as well. Kakashi isn't because he doesn't care. It sort of backfires because local women find foreign but allied shinoby very interesting and noblewomen especially are rather bold. Shikako isn't dressed up either because she had an idea earlier that needed some research and some experimenting and she honestly forgot, and later Chiyako was very exited about the festival so Shikako just decided that whatever, threw a clean vest over a short-sleeved mesh and traditional trousers (there are situations where a visible armor just creates the wrong impression, so...).
Anyway, Shikako and Chiyako join the others little later and find most of their group in various stages of mirth. Looking for the cause Shikako spies Kakashi who has been literally cornered by two very important noblewomen (like the local Daimyo's sisters or something and the Konoha group has Tsunade's firm orders to behave themselves or else!) and he's obviously really uncomfortable with the situation. But Shikako is likely the only one who understands how unsettled he likely really is – let's be honest, Kakashi and socially competent do not really go together – and she's cheating since she has information others do not have (anime/ manga spoilers!), but well. So she decides to do something about the situation.
Sikako walks up to Kakashi and the women and is about to make up an excuse to get him out of there when she notices he has a slight imbalance in his fifth gate – it happens sometimes, an inheritance from his encounter with the Juubi – but luckily it's easy to deal with, she has done it several times before on missions, so she sets her hands on Kakashi (lower back and stomach, on both sides of the gate) and does that little twist with her chakra that fixes the problem. Then she turns to the women to apologize for interrupting – politness over all – but they are kind of pale and pretty much falling all over themselves apologizing. "Sorry, Shikabane-hime" (Shikako is going to kill Ino one of these days), "We did not know, Shikabane-hime."
Then they beat an hasty retreat Like, almost running. In elaborate traditional kimonos.
And that is a serious level of WTF situation right there. Shikako looks suspiciously at Kakashi: "What is wrong with them? Did you do something?"
Then she hears strange sounds – kind of like a pig is stuck somewhere - and turns back towards her friends who are for some reason in throes of laughter. Seriously, Ino and Kiba are kind of on the verge of falling over. Even Hinata is red in the face. Seriously, what? Is there something wrong with her clothing? She was in a hurry...
She checks in the reflecting window pane of a nearby shop. Nothing seems to be out of place. Vest of standard make with Konoha insignia - check. Short sleeved mesh shirt – check. Casual trousers with many pockets for useful stuff – check. Raijin no fuu - check (hammerspace is good, but it's kind of comfortable to have Raijin no fuu on her belt and she still – even now – has that "lightsaber on my belt" reaction). Kunai pouch – there. All right, maybe the trousers were not the best place to draw that experimental seal on, but they were handy. And that brush and blank sealing scroll would probably be better off in the hammerspace than the front pocket she'd absentmindedly stuffed them into... The hairdo is also kind of falling apart – braid rolled into a sort of bun and secured with a kunai-shaped kanzashi (gift from Naruto) might be suitable for a research binge but not really for an evening of walking around the city. The seals on her bare arms did not help the situation either...
But still – not really a charming view but nothing so bad it could explain the noblewomens' hasty exit. She looks at her friends: "No, really, what?"
Kiba does fall over.
Shikako glares at Shikamaru because she really, really does not understand what is so funny, and he literally face-palms.
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Kakashi feels the warmth of her hands on him, the relief her chakra brings, supporting and healing as always and quietly decides it's time.