Pairing: KakaIru

Rating: PG/K+

Warnings: none

A/N: written for ann89103's prompt of "family" on the KakaIru livejournal community

Next of Kin

Really, it was about as close to a marriage proposal as you could get between two male shinobi.

"You're sure about this?" I asked, for about the eleventh time that evening. "I mean it is rather a big step. A serious commitment."

He shot me a bland look from his visible eye. "Oi, 'Ruka, just sign the form already. You sound like you're trying to talk me out of it. Don't you want this?"

"Of course I do!" I exclaimed. "It's just – Oh, I don't know." I waved my hands vaguely in the air, sketching out who knows what as I tried to order my thoughts. "It's just big, that's all."

He grinned behind his mask and crawled around the table, crouching next to me. "Maa, getting cold feet on me?" He nuzzled my ear, the cloth over his nose soft against my skin. "I'm sure I can think of a way to warm them up." His hand began a suggestive caress up the inside of my thigh.

Irritated that he wasn't taking this seriously, I placed my hand in the middle of his face and shoved, sending him over backwards. He went easily and pouted at me from his position on the floor.

"I'm serious, Kakashi," I grumbled, "and distracting me now isn't going to get the forms signed."

He must have seen something in my face, because he sobered and sat up, resting his elbows on his knees and regarding me with a level look. "Something's seriously bothering you about this, isn't it. Look, neither of us has any family. I just thought, you know, that we should."

"That's just it, I think," I sighed, staring at the form in front of me. "It's just been a while since any name besides the Hokage's was listed there." I raised my eyes to meet his, a small smile on my lips. "I think I'd like your name there."

His return smile was gentle. "I thought you would." He handed me a pen. I took it and signed my name to the next-of-kin paperwork.

Setting down the pen, I reached for him, one hand going to pull down his mask. "Here's to family," I murmured.

"To family," he replied and closed the distance. We could turn in the paperwork tomorrow.