Chapter Text
Kakashi clamped down the excited whine building in his throat as he stalked closer to his quarry, careful to still his wagging tail and tread lightly on the dew-studded grass. His prey was hunched over in the garden, toiling at the small seedlings as they erupted from the fertile soil and entirely unaware of Kakashi’s presence.
With bated breath, Kakashi inched closer until he was within striking range, quivering with pent-up energy. He bunched his hindquarters beneath him and allowed himself a little wiggle of excitement. There was no way he could fail now, not when the final move was only heartbeats away.
He blinked and his quarry was gone.
Before Kakashi could utter a sound as to where his prey had disappeared off to, two strong hands lifted him up from his sides, ignoring Kakashi's yelp of surprise and subsequent escape attempts.
“Now, now, that’s not very nice, Kakashi.” Minato fake chided with a pout.
Kakashi stopped wriggling in favor of looking over his shoulder at the blond’s face, mouth agape.
“How… how did you do that, Mina-nii?”
Minato lightly set Kakashi down on the grass, a grin curling his lips. “Do what?” He teased with a hand in his pocket, feigning nonchalance.
“Get behind me so quick!” It was Kakashi’s turn to pout now, lip jutting out in an uncharacteristic display of petulance. “It was like a flash and you were gone!”
Minato’s eyes sparkled with mirth at Kakashi’s confusion. It was rare for the younger Hatake to become stumped by anything these days, and Minato was relishing in letting Kakashi squirm just a little more.
“Hmm, I think that’s a secret for me to know and for you to find out.” Minato said impishly. He could see the exact moment that Kakashi’s prodigy brain realized that his question had been denied, and the grin he sported grew. Minato counted down from three mentally as Kakashi’s young face distorted with frustration, a mirror of his Mama’s.
He reached zero and leapt away, laughing, as a tiny wolf pup pursued him with a growl. Of course Minato would tone down his famed speed for the tiny Hatake after him, the young pup barely nipping at his heels as they bobbed and weaved around the flowerbeds. It would be years before Minato would fully be able to explain the intricacies of the Hiraishin to Kakashi, but he indulged in the impromptu game of chase all the same.
“Ouch! Kakashi! It’s bad manners to bite!”
“Tell me how or else I’ll hide Mama’s antivenom!” Minato blanched at the thought of getting sent to the hospital for venom extraction… again.
Luckily, Minato was saved by the Sannin himself. “Now, now, hatchling,” Orochimaru called from the genkan, “what did we say about threatening guests?”
“Mina-nii isn’t a guest, Mama!” Kakashi huffed. “He’s pack, so the rules about biting don’t count!”
Orochimaru’s sly grin was turned on Minato then, and the young jounin knew there was no hope of rescue now.
“Well, you best get going, Nikkō.” His grin turned sharp then. “You know how Kakashi loves to hunt.”
Minato had never been more thankful for the many Hiraishin seals placed around the compound.