Snow-white dishonour.

A/N Ok, this is still not betad, and I still need one =/ Not only for the proof reading, but I also need someone to toss ideas with for this one.

Warnings are in chapter one and I still don’t own Naruto or make any money from this. It’s just for fun.

Sorry, but no lemons in this on either =/ But I WILL put up a GenmaNeji fic, a pre-fic to this one, soon. With lime in it :P

Once again thanks to Hestia, I’ve changed the things you pointed out. And by all means, spread the GenmaNeji love, in what ever form =)


R&R?


Shikamaru was more than a little impressed by finding Kakashi waiting for him by the gates. Genma was there too and the two Jounins quickly finished their conversation as he approached them. He could feel Genma’s insecurity but managed to change it into relief as he nodded and smirked slightly at the brown haired man. He had however troubles hiding his smirk as he saw the love bite that was just visible over the Jounin’s collar. Seemed that Neji was quiet possessive even if they weren’t officially toghter…

Kakashi glanced at the frowning boy genius as they jumped through the trees, keeping good speed but not rushing. What was going on in that complicated head? He smiled at the boy and slowed down somewhat.

“Are you thinking about Genma and Neji?”

Shikamaru gave him a quick glance before staring straight ahead again. It took a couple of minutes before he replied.

“In away I guess I am. Is it true, that legally you’re an adult once you become a chonin?”

“Yes, even though very few knows about that law. It’s old and no one bothers about it. Except Genma the only once I’ve heard talk about it before is my father and my sensei. My father wrote about it in his… His suicide letter…”

Shikamaru frowned and looked at Kakashi.

“I’ve heard rumours about your father from the elders in my clan. But I’ve never even heard you mention him before.”

“Well, we haven’t talked a lot before.” Kakashi forced a one eyed smiled at him.

“Maybe we haven’t, but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t listened. A lot of people seem to forget that I’m around at times… Guess there’s an advantage of being silent…”

Kakashi couldn’t help but being shocked, had Shikamaru really looked at him as he had at Shikamaru?

“So, to get back to the subject, if Neji passes the chuunin test the next time, legally they’ll be fine, but then there’s Neji’s clan to worry about. I assume that you’re as ok with it as I am?” Shikamaru said without looking at the other.

Kakashi nodded. “Although I must say that I’m a bit surprised, Genma has never been much for serious relationships, and now he seems prepared to give up everything for Neji. And I never thought that Neji would defy his “fate” that hard.”

“Neji had changed a lot since the third exam, part because of Naruto, and part because of the time he spent with Gaara when they were here last… Kakashi… There’s something I’ve wanted to say to you for about a month… I’m sorry for not being able to bring back Sasuke. I failed completely…”

Kakashi stopped dead on the branch and Shikamaru stopped on the next as he realised that Kakashi wasn’t with him anymore. Shikamaru turned towards Kakashi but didn’t look at him. To his surprise he suddenly felt someone tilt his head up again and he realised that Kakashi had moved to stand straight in front of him.

“Don’t think like that. You and the team you brought with you ended up defeating five very powerful ninjas. And don’t start with the “All I did was thrust the others”. I’ve talked to Naruto, if you hadn’t been there they would have been consumed by your first opponent. If you look at the situation with the intellect I know you have and leave your emotions out of it, you know that you did a good job.” Kakashi let go of Shikamaru’s chin, sighed and rubbed the back of his head. “I guess Genma was right, you’re no kid anymore. But I have to ask, why do you apologise to me?”

Shikamaru just stared at the other for a while. Trying to do just what Kakashi had told him and use his head to come up with an answer that would make sense.

“I don’t know… I just saw the way you felt for your team, so different from every other Sensei, even Gai doesn’t come close to the way you cared for them, and still do. I was unable to give your team back to you, and now Naruto has left too and Sakura is training with Tsunade. Your team is gone…”

“I’ve lost teams before, and this time they are at least alive all of them. Don’t worry about me or my feelings Shika-kun.” Kakashi grinned down at the younger, un aware about the small shiver that went along Shikamaru’s spine at the use of his nick name.

The next couple of days were uneventful, even though they talked some more about Genma and Neji and if there was anything they could do to help them. And about the strange old laws that excited in Konoha. Shikamaru was amazed by the copynin’s knowledge in law. Kakashi merely smirked when he was told this.

“Try being friend with Genma for more than a week with out the NEED to know what’s legal and what isn’t.”

“If he’s that bad why do they allow him to judge in the chuunin exam?”

“Because very few know how bad he is. Let’s just say that he runs circles around Naruto in playing stunts. But unlike Naruto he doesn’t want to get caught. That’s why no one knows, but me and Iruka… and now you. So I hope that you won’t tell anyone, he has never done anything illegal… Until now that is.”

“Is it really illegal if they don’t have sex?”

“No, not unless there’s a law I don’t know about. But I do know that since Neji is underage his family can forbid them to see each other, at least until Neji becomes a chuunin, and they can also forbid him to take the exam until he’s 18…”

“This is becoming really troublesome.” Shikamaru stretched lazily and sighed. He got lost in the flames of the camp fire for a while before asking something he had wondered for a while. “Are you in love with some one Kakashi?”

Kakashi was startled by the question.

“No, I don’t think I am. I’m like Genma in away I guess, there is just too much going on anyway, to many people to risk as it is. You? Do you have any pretty girl on your mind?”

“No.”

That was the short version, but Shikamaru had no intention of telling Kakashi about all the confused thoughts that swirled in his head. Shikamaru liked being in control of his own life and decisions. And at the moment he had no idea of what was going on in his head.

Later that night when Kakashi was a sleep and the fire had been reduced to glowing heap Shikamaru was still awake. He lay on his back and stared at the stars above him. He had a slight frown on his face and was biting his lip without noticing. He felt different with Kakashi then he did with anyone else. Kakashi didn’t look down on him as the other Jounin’s and Chonin’s did, nor did he judge him for his failed mission. And still he felt that the grey haired Ninja would always have his back. Always defend him if needed. And for some reason he didn’t feel like a kid for that, which he did with his dad or uncles. He felt… He felt like an equal to Kakashi, not that he deluded himself to think for a second that he was as good as Kakashi, but that he was worth the same respect and treatment. That was all it took for him to finally decide for sure that he was going to move from home when they got back. He rolled over to his side and looked straight into a black, piercing eye.

“Can’t sleep Shika-kun?”

“You neither I presume.” He grinned back at Kakashi and noticed that shiver was back…

Kakashi sat up and dug trough his back pack and pulled out two books. He tossed one to Shikamaru who gasped as he saw what it was.

“Itcha-Itcha??? I’m not old enough to read this!?!”

“I thought we just agreed that you were an adult. If you are old enough to get married, then you’re old enough to read this.”

Shikamaru glanced at Kakashi as the Jounin dug his nose into the book. With shaky hands he opened the book and started to read. He couldn’t stop the blush that soon adored his cheeks and his breathing became shallow. But he refused to put the book away, not only did he want to know about the physical love, but he also felt as if Kakashi really had accepted him as an adult by letting him read it. He could feel Kakashi’s eyes on him from time to time but refused to look back. Finally he fell asleep, the book still clutched to his chest.

Kakashi smiled at the sight of the sleeping blushing boy. He silently walked over and tucked in the chuunin before returning to his own sleeping bag.

“Maybe you’re right Genma, he’s no kid anymore, but he isn’t an adult yet either… I guess I just have to show him…” He whispered into the dark. He had no intention of seducing the boy as Genma had suggested, that was not what he meant. He was going to help the boy adjust to the life of being a chuunin.