"You little devil!" the plump owner of the wagashi* store shrieks as she dashes after Snake's small form, wielding a broom. The ANBU captain clutches her paper box of meticulously crafted treats against her chest, stuffing one in her mouth as she weaves through the sparse crowd of shoppers.
Kakashi is running along the alleyway as well, keeping an eye on Snake but not intending to show himself before she decides to get caught. 'Snake is enjoying this too much,' Sakumo muses with a silent chuckle.
"Oh, an Uchiha!" Rin laughs, her eyes shining as they run alongside Kakashi.
Kakashi notices as well and groans, running his hand through his floppy brown hair. "Senpai..."
Sure enough, Snake takes the opportunity to collide hard into the Uchiha policeman, sending both of them tumbling into the ground. The Uchiha squeaks, his voice several octaves higher than the normal male vocal range, when Snake uses his stomach as a cushion for her fall. In her hand, the box of wagashi stays mysteriously intact — not one piece is out of place. Seeing the red-faced shop-owner gaining upon them, Snake hurriedly crams another two wagashi into her mouth before setting the box down beside the groaning Uchiha's head.
Snake hops onto her feet, brushing herself off daintily. Just as she prepares to dash off, the Uchiha grabs her around the waist with an iron grip, lifting her off her feet. "You brat!" the policeman grunts, glaring as he holds onto the squirming and kicking "six-year-old". If not for the fact that her face is stuffed like a chipmunk's, Sakumo suspects that Snake will go as far as to give the Uchiha a good chomp on the arm.
"Omawari-san**!" the shop-owner greets effusively, doubling over in a partly to bow, partly to catch her breath. She props herself up with her hands on her knees to glare at Snake, who has stopped struggling in favour of wide-eyed innocence. "Thank you for catching that thief!" The disguised ANBU captain continues chewing on her wagashi, her eyes curved into happy arches.
The Uchiha shakes her a little. "Did you steal that box of sweets?" he growls, black hair falling over his face as he scowls down at Snake. She merely blinks at him, still chewing. "I see you're an unrepentant criminal. Where are your parents?"
"Ah, Ariko-chan! There you are!" Kakashi exclaims as he pushes through the crowd. Grinning sheepishly at the scowling store-owner and the policeman, he holds out his arms. The Uchiha reluctantly transfer a limp "Ariko-chan" into Kakashi's arms.
"Tou-chan," Snake mumbles as Kakashi sets her on her feet, keeping a firm grip on her shoulders.
"Ahahaha! I'm so sorry!" Kakashi's booming laugh makes everyone flinch as he casually gives Snake a noogie.
"Ow, ow, ow! Tou-chan!" Snake grabs Kakashi's hand and tries to bite him but Kakashi manages to evade the snap of her teeth, still smiling.
Wheezing with laughter, Rin wipes at her tearing eyes. "Sakumo-san, you've been promoted to an ojii-san."
Sakumo shakes his head solemnly, his arms crossed and the corner of his mouth twitching. "I can't say I expected this."
"Your kid stole from my shop!" the woman fumes, perching her hands on her hips as she points to the half-open box on the ground. "What are you teaching your child?"
"Hn," the Uchiha grunts.
Kakashi's face softens in earnest sympathy as he reaches out to take her hand. "Madam, I can't apologise enough." He let's go to push Snake's head down in a bow, doing the same himself. "Please forgive us!"
The shop-owner looks a bit flustered.
Kakashi pops back upright energetically and whips around to the Uchiha. "And Uchiha-san, thank you for catching my little miscreant." He flashes a blinding grin. "As expected of a most excellent ninja like yourself!" The Uchiha's cheeks turn a flattered pink.
"Gai," Sakumo chortles. "He's channeling Gai." Rin is breathless with giggles.
Reaching for his wallet, Kakashi presses several bills into the shop-owner's hand, patting her hand and leaning forward slightly as he speaks. "I can't hope to make up for the inconvenience that we've caused you, of course, but please take this as the least your beautifully crafted sweets deserve."
The shop-keeper is looking a little rosy in the cheeks. "Oh it's no problem..."
"He's really pouring it on thick, isn't he?" Rin chuckles.
"Ariko, go get the box; how can you put them on the floor?"
Snake pouts, a glint in her eye. "NO. They're not that good anyway. You liar, tou-chan."
Everyone seems to freeze. All the buttering-up that Kakashi had managed with the shop-owner seems to be melting away before his eyes. The promise of retribution creeps into Kakashi's eyes. "Ariko-chan..." Still, the young ANBU seems to realise he has to keep in character and he bends down to take her by the hands. "I know you miss kaa-chan but you can't act like this."
Luckily, Snake is willing to play along. Huffing and fixing her gaze on her feet, she acts the part of the recalcitrant but guilty child.
Sighing dramatically, Kakashi stands to speak to his audience again. "I'm sorry. My wife just passed and..." He draws his hand over his face and trails off. He smiles again, though this time it's tired and visibly a little forced. "My wife loves - loved - the wagashi you make. Ariko is just, well..."
In the end, the shop-owner is cooing over Kakashi and even the Uchiha looks rather hangdog.
Sakumo sighs wistfully. It's hitting a little too close to home to be comfortable, but Kakashi's acting skills seem to be up to par. Hearing a little sniffle, he glances over at Rin and promptly does a double-take.
"Rin? Rin, dear, are you crying?!"
"I-It's so t-tragic!"
*(和菓子) traditional japanese sweets
**casual form of address for policemen
Omake:
"Ow, senpai!" Kakashi shouts. "Stop or I'll throw you all the way to the Hokage mountain!"
Seated on Kakashi's shoulders, Snake tugs hard again at Kakashi's hair. They're still in their respective Henges, walking back to the ANBU compound. "This is revenge for the noogie earlier!" she cackles.
"I think we're even when I actually paid for the wagashi you ate all by yourself!"
"Hah! What sort of father are you?"
"YOU'RE NOT ACTUALLY MY KID!"
"... ooh scandalous."
A/N: I think you guys know where Kakashi's bad habits come from now... hahaha ;)