Chapter Text
Hatake came back to the Inuzuka Compound around dawn.
There was something in his eye, in his body-language, that told of a decision made. Of resolve hardened.
Tsume concluded that Kakashi had, in fact, been tunning her out when she explained about the custom of adopting men who wanted to be full fathers to their pups into the Clan.
Or he was entirely opposed to put himself under anyone's authority.
Tsume highly doubted that it was a simple matter of pride that kept him from taking the offer. That had happened before and kept some prospective fathers from committing. Not a big loss as far as she was concerned.
It might simply be attachment to his name?
She would have to let him know that they had worked a way to adopt men without them needing to change names. In fact, she should let him know how the scope of her and the Clan's authority over him would be limited to only his relationship with Raiden.
Though, admittedly that might not be completely reassuring considering the coldly patient look Hatake fixed on her as he gently took the girl from Miyu's arms and headed for the quiet corner of the nursery, hiking his shirt up all the way to his armpits and settling Raiden down on his bared skin.
Miyu shot her an amused look as Manae hiccuped and hid her face behind her son.
Tsume could sympathize. Did the brat not even know how attractive he was? Sure, they had all insisted on the importance of skin-to-skin contact with infants. And since he was probably passively emitting chakra to help Raiden recover from her exhaustion, the lack of barriers could only help.
But also, for some reason, the configuration of bunched-up fabric that hid his face and collarbones while entirely baring his pectorals and nipples was even more scandalous that simply being topless.
And the baby laying on his pale skin might make him look less... scandalous... in the eye of some. But Inuzuka considered men who were good with children even more attractive.
Right on cue, Max finished nursing and turned in a circle, whining, looking for her partner. Miyu huffed a laugh and went to grab the distraught puppy and settle him next to Raiden (on Hatake's impressive abdomen).
A few minutes later, the entire rest of Akina's litter finished with their meal too and started yawning.
Akina, being a very practical Ninken and wanting some free time for herself, lost no time conveying all of the babies to the convenient puppy pile that already existed so she could go out and stretch her legs.
Manae's son then woke up and started fussing at being the only one not in the puppy pile and making demanding noises at his mom, which also landed him on top of Hatake, even if his poor mother had some breathing malfunctions in the process of setting him down.
As another, slightly older child was taken into the nursery by his father (a born Inuzuka, not an adopted one) after obviously tiring herself out, and was then, obviously, set down on the already existing pile of babies, Hatake's eyes started drooping.
Kakashi barely stirred as he just kept being pilled upon with puppies and babies alike, prompting Tsume to conclude he'd fallen into a shinobi-doze.
She would have to discretely praise her Clan members for guessing her intent and helping it along so readily, though. She doubted the toddler and up aged children had the idea of coming into the nursery to nap on Hatake all on their own.
Which was part of why she was, understandably, unhappy to have Hiruzen (He no longer deserved a -sama, not that Tsume was very inclined to give one to anyone to begin with) show up at her Compound's gate asking to talk to 'the dear boy' and muck up adoption-related plans.
Though, then again, seeing how happily Hatake bounced over to the Hokage, he had probably done something to deserve the visit.
And considering the venomous "Took you long enough" that Kakashi shot out, barely veiled in enthusiasm...
Tsume waved the two away to go discuss whatever they were both angry about somewhere she could say she didn't hear anything.
She had a Clan to look after, and conveniently enough, Kakashi wasn't part of it (yet) so she could shield her own people from the consequences of his actions so long as she could conceivably argue that she had nothing to do with them.
