Dreams of the Past

Friends to Parents

Chapter 17

Friends to Parents

Disappointingly, Kakashi kept his hands to himself that night. Sakura had hoped to wake up in his arms again, maybe kiss him awake. Instead, she'd woken up to an empty futon. It was just as well. The day before had been confusing, the ups and downs of his attitude towards her as he seemed to sort through whatever he was feeling left her with emotional whiplash.

Assuming Sakumo found Jiraiya, they planned to head out that afternoon to meet him and go to Orochimaru's hideout as a four-man team. If his father's ninken pack were as good as Kakashi's had been, she had no doubt the Toad Sage would be found easily. She was relieved to be rescuing Tenzō sooner. Now that it was all planned, she was anxious to have him with them and safe from whatever Orochimaru was doing to him.

But a small part of her—that she felt extremely guilty about—wished they had more time. It would be nice to sort out whatever was going on with her and Kakashi's relationship before adding the responsibility of a toddler. He was going to take up almost all of their time and attention, at least for a while. Unless he was afraid of them or uncomfortable with physical touch—something she was worried about considering what must be his life—he would be sleeping with them too. There would be precious little time or privacy for them to learn how to be together.

At least, she hoped that's where things were going.

Maybe they should talk about it?

Yeah right.

She dressed quickly and made her way to the kitchen to make breakfast only to find both Kakashis already laying it out on the table.

"Good morning, Ayame." His eyes crinkled with a smile when he looked at her and she answered it with one of her own.

"Good morning, Karasu, Kakashi-kun."

Kakashi-kun looked a little less excited to be awake than Karasu, but when she sat beside him, he scooted closer. "Karasu-san said you are both going to be gone for a couple of days and that I'm supposed to stay with Minato-niisan?"

She met Kakashi's eyes as he rounded the table and sat on her other side. "Yes, but we'll be back."

He sighed, leaning his elbow on the table and propping his cheek on his hand. "I don't need a babysitter. I stayed home alone when dad was gone all the time before you were here."

She shrugged, accepting the fish Kakashi put on her plate. "I know. But he happens to have a few days off and he wanted to spend some time with you." Actually, Sakumo had asked the younger shinobi to keep an eye on his son while they were away from the village. Hiruzen had not let the issue of his son graduating go, and after the stunt he pulled by sending Tsunade, he was worried what he might try with all of them gone.

Kakashi-kun sighed. "Alright. I guess that won't be so bad. Where are you going, anyways?"

"Um... on a mission... sort of." He looked between them, dubious. She glanced at Kakashi and bit her lip. They had decided it would be better to tell him about Tenzō ahead of time so he wouldn't be surprised or hurt when they suddenly had less time for him. "Do you remember when you asked if we were going to have kids?"

His eyes went wide. "Are you pregnant?"

"Uh—" She felt her face heat but she ignored it, shaking her head. "No. I am not. But when we get back from this mission, we are going to have a little boy."

"So you're going on a mission... to an orphanage?" He looked mildly confused.

Kakashi picked up the answer when she wasn't sure what to say. "We can't tell you all the details, it's classified, you understand?" Kakashi-kun nodded. "But he isn't somewhere safe. His parents were killed and we learned that he's being badly mistreated by the man that kidnapped him. We are going to rescue him, and bring him home with us."