The Toughest Lesson

"Daddy, can you tell me again how you met Mommy?" Hunter asked as Rinni giggled. The five year old looked oddly at the eight year old, who was hugging a ragged, stuffed fox that had obvious wear and tear on it. "What? What's so funny?" The brunette looked at his older, silver haired sister. Both of the Hatake children settled down on Rinni's bed for a bedtime story.

"I remember when Mommy hated being called Mommy." Rinni giggled as Naruto picked her up, a fake pout on his lips. Adjusting her on his lap, he smiled and looked to his husband, blue eyes softening.

Kakashi chuckled, smiling at Naruto. "Yes, he did. Well..." Kakashi sighed, getting a far off look on his face, "I met your mommy when I was teaching class at his high school. It was forbidden for him and me to be together." The stormy gray eye and the red and black eye stared at his husband with absolute love and adoration. Kakashi had no need to wear the contacts at home. He also had no need to tell his young children that he could not keep his hands off his then student.

"Did you teach Grampa Jii too?" Hunter asked as Kakashi humphed.

"Hunter! I'm not that old!" Kakashi feigned a look of hurt.

Hunter just looked at Kakashi, "But you have same color hair as Jii." he pointed out.

Naruto busted up laughing at that as Kakashi gave a very unimpressed look to his family.

"Was Daddy a good sensei?" Rinni asked, looking up at Naruto after Naruto quit laughing and wiped the tears from his eyes.

"Your da---" Naruto started.

"Is it normal to have two mommies and two daddies?" Hunter interrupted. Even after the full adoption of both children by both men, neither Naruto nor Kakashi had tried to keep secret Alexis nor Rin...both children needed to know of their birth mothers and the love those women had for their children.

"What's normal?" Kakashi asked, blowing a raspberry in Hunter's neck as the boy giggled.

"Yea, what's normal?" Rinni asked a hand on her hip. "We ain't normal and I love it!" She had recently found the series "Star Wars" and was fascinated with Leia, her fashion, her determination, and her leadership ability. So much so, she had the cinnamon bun braids over her ears and had become somewhat bossy.

Hunter started wiggling in Kakashi's arms trying to get away to go tackle his sister as Kakashi held him tighter. "Nope...no fighting." Kakashi warned as Hunter stilled under Kakashi's calm voice.

"Your daddy was...and is...a great sensei." Naruto remarked fondly, answering the earlier question.

"Ooo, what was the toughest lesson you had to learn from Daddy?" Rinni asked eyes sparkling as she stared at her mommy.

Naruto sat back, cradling Rinni to him as he thought back on these past years. Faces floated in front of him...Sasuke, who, to this day had not gotten over the death of Orochimaru; Hinata, who loved Sasuke for what he was, limitations and all, accepting her place as second in Sasuke's life, Rin, who loved Obito and Kakashi enough to try to keep her vow, and Alexis, who couldn't go on without her husband. Finally, Kakashi, who loved Naruto and whom Naruto loved so completely that they were willing to risk everything to be together. Naruto smiled at his husband softly. "True love comes along once in a lifetime, and has its share of pain. But when you find your Sorumeito, you hold on...and never let go."