"Oh—your wife." Kakashi drew out the words, a look of understanding flashing in his dark eyes, along with sympathy and a hint of teasing.
"I get it. I completely get it. Shikamaru, Sai, even Choji—they complain about it in private sometimes when we get together."
"They say that after marriage, all that sweetness and charm gets packed away with the memories of when you were dating. You have to go looking for it now and then."
He shook his head as though reflecting on some universal truth.
Kabuto Yakushi stared at the look of seasoned marital wisdom on Kakashi's face beneath his Gintoki Sakata disguise, at a loss for words.
You're an Elite Jonin who's been single forever, whose only experience with Make-Out Paradise is reading it, not putting it into practice. What makes you a marriage expert?
He opened his mouth to explain that it had only been an alcohol-fueled accident involving uncontrolled Monster Strength, with nothing to do with how a couple got along...
But Kakashi had already risen and walked over. With a pat on Kabuto's shoulder that said I understand, brother, he lowered his voice.
"No need to explain. A man's pride, right? Don't worry. I won't put this in my report or tell Naruto and the others."
He winked. The look plainly said, So it finally happened to you.
"..."
Kabuto swallowed every word of explanation. Against Kakashi's preconceived tale of domestic violence and a husband's wounded pride, any denial would be useless.
"Then it's settled. We'll exchange intelligence here every Thursday at two in the afternoon."
Kakashi's tone turned brisk again as he headed for the door. "I'll bring whatever leads I can find on Kumogakure's lower ranks and the Nine Nether. You keep working your way into the family and the upper ranks.