Unplanned Paternity

6

NARUTO'S BIRTHDAY

(And Some Plot Because I Couldn't Keep It Out)

Kakashi worked to unclench his fist and allow the scroll he'd caught there to fall into the appropriate place in his filing cabinet. He was angry – furious. Vibrating.

He had just come home from the fourth – and final – Council meeting concerning The Kumo Situation. In the two and a half months since a Kumo squad had taken his son, Kakashi had been howling for vengeance. Preferably in the form of lots of screaming, blood and mayhem.

The Council (including the Hokage) was less convinced. They were maddeningly reluctant to declare war, despite the blatant disregard Kumo had shown to date for the peace contract standing between the two nations.

Kakashi had been (perhaps foolishly) surprised to find the Hyuuga clan head, Hiashi, openly and firmly on his side. Surprised because the stuffy Hyuuga clan had never quite gotten over that whole oh-would-you-look-at-that-Hatake-Sakumo-started-a-war fiasco, foolish because the man had almost lost his own daughter four years previously in another botched attempt by Kumo to try and abduct a child of a famous clan. The whole affair had been kept remarkably quiet, probably because Hiashi's twin brother had been executed as a result, to appease the Kumo government, but Sarutobi had felt it pertinent to inform Kakashi, just in case any of the Hyuuga sought revenge against Naruto who 'had Kumo blood'.

Strife, politics made him sick to his stomach. The Hatake was grimly pleased to find a kindred spirit in Hiashi.

"These attacks will continue," the Hyuuga had argued. "Unless we do something, Kumo will just grow bolder."

"We have no proof," insisted Koharu, the old coot, as she shot a dirty look at Kakashi. "Hatake-san has seen to that."

Which was how he had ended up with no war and an official reprimand in his hand for 'unnecessary force'. With a heavy sigh, Kakashi pushed his filing cabinet closed and willed his anger away. Carefully closing the study window he'd come in by, he trotted down the stairs with a cheery, "I'm home!"

"Daddy!" Something orange, blue, green, yellow, purple and red attached itself to Kakashi's leg. "Daddy! You're back! We were face-painting! I'm a dog!"

Kakashi looked down at the jumble of colours haphazardly applied to Naruto's face. Truth be told, he looked less like a dog and more like a paint palette had barfed on him. He pulled up a painful grin.

"How cool. Who's the artist? Did you do it yourself?"

"Uh-huh!" the four year old said brightly. This time, Kakashi's smile was easier.

"Figures," he chuckled.

"Oh, there you are, kid," said a grown-up voice – Tsume, who had agreed to baby-sit today.

"Inuzuka-san," Kakashi said, bowing just slightly. "Thank you so much for watching my son. I'm sorry I was longer than I expected."

Tsume waved a hand. "Oh, don't worry 'bout that," she said dismissively. "I know what the Council's like. Anyway, s'good for the kids to play a bit. Er, your yard may be a bit... painted... but your house missed the worst of it."

Kakashi grimaced at the thought of what awaited him outside. "And Oink?"

"...May have been face-painted," Tsume grinned. "It'll come off in the bath." Kakashi groaned.

He made no move into the kitchen where he could hear Tsume's two children arguing. Naruto detached himself from his father's leg to go join in. Kakashi would have reluctantly followed, but the woman standing before him caught his arm, halting his progress.