All for the Sake of Pleasure

Chapter 30

Iruka chuckled, keeping one eye on Saki as the baby tried to stretch out of the high chair so that he could reach the pile of clean clothes the chuunin was currently folding. To save himself another two hours of work, the brunet slid the pile out of the reach of his food-coated child. Seeing there was little chance he could dirty the clothes (once again), Saki pouted for a moment and then went back to trying to feed himself.
Of course, most of the mashed carrots ended up on the baby, not in him, but who was Iruka to tell Saki he was going about things all wrong?
Shaking his head in disbelief, Iruka wondered how the eternally-messy child could possibly share genes with him. He had been told by his parents that he had been a neat freak even as an infant. He had obsessively straightened his blocks, organized things according to shape or color. He had the manners of a cultured adult even before he was two.
But Saki had inherited none of that, judging from the sheer glee that filled the baby's face as the little brunet discovered a new use for his lunch bowl: a hat. Even as orange goo dripped down his face, the baby clapped and squealed, obviously finding this hysterical. Iruka shook his head, horrible memories of Naruto's messes coming to mind. If Saki turned out to be anything like his uncle, Iruka may very well lose his mind. No man had enough patience to deal with a whirlwind of disasters and messes like that twice!
"Oh Pakkun!" Iruka called in a sing-song voice that his new pet and friend had come to dread. The pug slowly tiptoed into the room, wincing when he saw the orange-covered child. If not for the fact Saki looked far too much like his father, the ninken may have wondered if Naruto had any hand in producing Saki. Who else could be coated in such a color and still smile? Pakkun had never been so happy to be completely color blind, only recognizing orange because of its unique shade of grey. From how Kakashi described vibrant color Naruto favored, it sounded like the color orange would be enough to make his eyes bleed.
"Hell no – I gave him a bath already once today!" Pakkun protested, actually letting out a whimper when Saki's bright eyes focused on him. Until that moment, he had been praying the baby would not have noticed his presence, but no such luck. With a screech that got the ninken's ears to ring, Saki stretched his hands towards the dog, his fingers making grasping motions.
"Paki!" Saki squealed. When the pug did not instantly walk across the kitchen at the lisped command, the baby slowly moved his hands back towards his chest, his fingers shifting fluidly in the first seal of a transportation jutsu. Having discovered that he could transport himself so that he sat firmly on top of Pakkun, Saki had become a master at suddenly landing on Pakkun and demanding rides until the pug collapsed.
Pakkun eyed the child, having already learned that Saki was too smart for his own good. What other child would know how to threaten at this young of an age? And, by the calculating glint in the baby's narrowed eyes, he was fully prepared to go through with the jutsu if Pakkun did not move to obey. Damn, Saki was just as evil as Kakashi. And he had the same ability to raise a single questioning eyebrow that would make even a hardened ANBU member tremble.
"I hate that name..." he grumbled as he all but jogged across the kitchen towards the baby, his claws ticking against the tile. His poor old back could not take another unexpected ride from the growing child. Not that he was about to admit the years had finally started to catch up with him. How the hell had he dealt with this crap when Kakashi was a baby?
"I kind of like it – Pocky..." Iruka replied with a snort when he got a murderous glare from the pug. Biting his lip to silence his laughs, the brunet could not stop his shoulders from shaking. Ever since Saki started naming everything left and right, Pakkun had despised the nickname that sounded all too similar to a cookie.
Going back to folding the laundry, Iruka let out a sigh of relief. Pakkun, despite all of his grumbling and curses, was actually a godsend. The pug helped out a surprising amount considering he was not even human. He watched Saki; he helped cook meals, clean, and whatever else needed to be done. Considering he had no opposable thumbs, Iruka was amazed the pug could change diapers, much less accomplish everything else he did.
Pakkun said that it was his duty to hang around and take care of his master, but Iruka knew that to be a lie. The pug was unquestionably loyal to Kakashi, but Pakkun spent every waking moment with Saki. Iruka was touched by the bond the ninken had formed with his son. He knew as well as any other shinobi that ninken were very particular about the humans they considered to be worth their allegiance. Almost all ninken pledged their lives to one clan and never would take a master outside of that family.
But Pakkun took Iruka and Saki in as though they were part of the Hatake clan.
"Why do you help with Saki?" Iruka asked as he glanced over, watching as Pakkun unhooked Saki from his highchair. The pug did not respond until, with the aid of a transportation jutsu, he had the baby on the floor. Saki crawled off, leaving orange handprints in his wake. Thankfully, mopping was the next thing on Iruka's to-do list, so he did not mind terribly.
"Why wouldn't I?" Pakkun responded as he started off towards the wandering baby, herding Saki towards the hallway. Iruka thought about that for a moment as he unconsciously folded a dark shirt. He was unbelievably thankful for Pakkun's aid – it was because of the pug's presence that he was able to do laundry for the first time in a week – but he could not help but wonder why the pug was still here. Kakashi remained unconscious in the other room, despite five days passing since he brought Saki home, but Pakkun spent almost all of his time with Saki. Iruka was the one who tended to Kakashi, not his loyal pug.
"Saki isn't Kakashi's son. I thought ninken only helped family," Iruka pointed out quietly, refusing to let his sorrow touch his words. But, no matter how hard he tried, he still choked at the admission that Saki was not related to the famed jounin. To hide the tears forming in the corners of his eyes,Iruka started folding another shirt. This one, judging from its different size, was Kakashi's. A slight blush covered his cheeks, banishing his moment of distress, as he recalled stripping his unconscious ex down, his fingers trailing along Kakashi's smooth skin hungrily. Damn it, if the jounin was not comatose, it would have been Iruka's dreams come true!
A single thought was all it took for Iruka to focus his senses on the faint chakra signature in the bedroom. His lips curved upwards in a relieved smile as he realized that the chakra had strengthened since the last time he had checked up on Kakashi. A part of him, however, was saddened by the realization that Kakashi would soon wake up...and then he would leave for Suna, as he had been planning on weeks ago.
"We do," Pakkun succinctly admitted before gently biting down on the back of Saki's shirt and dragging the baby away from the cabinet that contained the pots – Saki's favorite toy other than the ninken he loved to torture. To save both of their ears, Pakkun started to cart Saki out of the kitchen, but he stopped at Iruka's next words.
"W-Wait...what?" Iruka had to think for a moment to recall what he had last said, but when he remembered his words, he dropped the flak vest he had been about to fold as he whirled around and eyed Pakkun. Ninken only helped family. The pug released the energetic baby, letting out a sigh of resignation as Saki quickly crawled back over to the cabinets before he turned to look at Iruka.
"You humans are so particular with titles," Pakkun stated as he sat down on his haunches. "Whether or not you and Kakashi continue your relationship, you are his mate to our pack and, as such, are under our protection. And I do not care what Kakashi believes, that little demon-" He glanced pointedly at the baby who had already retrieved several pots from the cabinet and was currently laying them out in some order only he understood. "-is his."
"B-But the paternity test..." Iruka could not help but stare at the confident pug who already was moving to drag Saki away from his makeshift drum set before the baby destroyed their hearing. "Kakashi didn't...I mean...it proved Saki wasn't his..."
"Test? Oh, the papers the idiot keeps in his breast pocket?" Pakkun gestured to the vest Iruka had dropped back onto the table. Iruka followed his gaze and found himself staring at Kakashi's vest in a mixture of confusion and awe. His breast pocket...right above his heart...Iruka felt his cheeks warm at that thought for reasons he could not logically explain. "I was wondering why he was holding onto an unopened envelope..."
And with those words, the warmth died in Iruka's chest.
"Unopened?" Iruka shrieked in disbelief as he hesitantly touched the jacket. Could Kakashi truly have not even opened the envelope after all this time? Did he not even want to know if Saki was his? As angry tears filled his eyes, Iruka opened the jacket and began feeling around for the envelope. He had emptied the pockets out before washing the vest, discovering countless weapons and two Icha Icha books, but he had not felt the envelope. Then again, he had not been looking very closely at the vest as he pulled out an arsenal's worth of weaponry from it. Hearing the distinctive crinkling of paper, Iruka let out a huff as he opened the secret pouch he had missed this morning when he cleaned out the other pockets. He pulled out an envelope that was, thankfully, not damaged by having been thrown in a washer and dryer twice. A part of him was surprised that Kakashi would have a waterproof pocket put into his jacket; the rest of him considered the man's penchant for romance novels. It made perfect sense for Kakashi to have a hidden pocket that would save its contents from the elements.
Gently, Iruka ran his fingers over the one loosened edge of the envelope, recalling how he had almost opened it, but had decided against it. He had wanted Kakashi to make that decision. He had trusted Kakashi to do what was right.
Was that why Kakashi had not left for Suna as he had been planning on doing? Because he had yet to read the test results? Iruka closed his eyes, not for the first time wondering what had been keeping Kakashi in Konoha – or why Kakashi's apartment had been the first place he had gone after he had discovered Saki missing. It was almost as though his heart had known something his mind didn't – that Kakashi would always be there when he needed him.
"Maa...what does a guy have to do to get some food?"
Iruka spun around at the sound of his voice, letting out a squeal of surprise as he clutched the envelope to his chest. Kakashi merely raised an eyebrow at the jumpy brunet as he leaned against the doorframe, appearing to be back to his normal self. He had the same nonchalance that annoyed everyone he met, but only to Iruka would he have dared saunter around in nothing other than a tight pair of boxers and that smirk of his that promised mind-blowing pleasure. But Iruka could see the differences between this Kakashi and the powerful Copy Ninja everyone else knew. Only those close to him would realize that Kakashi's skin was pale, but not the chalky shade it currently was. Only someone who had become painfully familiar with his mannerisms would see that he leaned too heavily against the wall, as though it was the only thing keeping him upright. Only someone who knew his voice, who dreamed about that deep, seductive tone, would hear the pained reverberation it now contained.
Even before his mind registered the weaving movement of that tall frame, Iruka was across the kitchen, his arms supporting the jounin's weight as Kakashi sagged against him. Though he was worried for the man, Iruka could not help but revel in the feel of Kakashi's bare flesh under his hands. He had to bite his lip to stifle a moan of pleasure as Kakashi's warm breath hit the sensitive skin of his neck. Ignoring his instant physical reaction to having his ex so close to him, Iruka helped Kakashi across the kitchen and eased the tall man into a chair. Confident the jounin was no longer in danger of crumpling to the floor, Iruka stepped back and eyed him.
"Dada!" Saki squeaked, looking up from the pots and pans he and Pakkun were playing tug-of-war with. Kakas blinked several times, still floored by Saki's name for him. He had the feeling no amount of time would get him completely used to the joy that word caused him. Saki, however, did not seem to notice the jounin's awe. He merely repeated himself as he released his tight hold on the pan Pakkun was currently biting down on. Forgetting all about the metal dish he had been fighting with the ninken over, the baby transported himself into Kakashi's lap without warning.
"I wasn't hallucinating..." Kakashi mumbled to himself, a little stunned to have Saki instantly appear in his lap in a puff of smoke. But, being a child prodigy himself, Kakashi merely took the baby's advanced abilities in stride and with a proud smile. Saki merely returned the smile before he brought sticky fingers up to touch Kakashi's nose. The jounin was not about to ask about the child's orange-colored hair and hands; a part of him did not want to know what Saki had been playing with.
All that mattered was that Saki was in his arms, safe and sound. Kakashi had never thought that something so simple would nearly make his eyes water. What made matters worse was the loving look Saki was giving him before the baby plastered himself to Kakashi's chest, clinging to him as though the jounin was about to disappear.
"Dada..." Saki sighed in contentment as he nuzzled his cheek against Kakashi's bare chest.
"You must have been delusional to exhaust yourself to such a point!" Pakkun quipped, ruining the touching moment as he moved to jump up into a nearby chair, glaring at Kakashi angrily. "You're lucky you survived! I would have left you there to die, but Iruka would have then cried and I didn't want to deal with that!"
Iruka had to bite back a snort of disbelief at Pakkun's lies. The pug was just as worried as he was for Kakashi, but in the past week of living with the ninken, Iruka had learned that Pakkun kept his emotions hidden under sarcasm.
"Right...if I died, who would get you your kibble?" Kakashi retorted with a beguiling smile, but his charms did not work on his huffing dog. If anything, Pakkun grumbled all the louder.
"I don't eat kibble, you idiot. At least Iruka feeds me good food – I have to live off ramen when you summon me!" Pakkun snapped back as he stuck his nose up in the air, huffing loud enough that both shinobi could hear him.
Iruka listened to their exchange in amusement. It was not often he heard someone talk back to Pakkun. He usually just rolled his eyes at the pug's dry wit instead of engaging him. But from the glint in both males' eyes, Kakashi and Pakkun had made their quips and barbs towards each other into a sport.
"Oi, you like ramen as much as Naruto!"
"But have you heard of variety! A ninken can only take so much beef ramen that tastes like Styrofoam!"
Iruka sighed and shook his head as the comments bounced back and forth. He was about to go back to folding his laundry, but froze as he recalled the envelope in his hands. Whirling back around, he had to restrain the urge to smack Kakashi with the pages. It was very difficult, however, when he saw the downright sinful smile that the jounin directed at him. Even with the exhaustion and pain in his eyes, Kakashi was still the sexiest man Iruka had ever known and the jounin knew it! It did not help matters that Saki looked so right in his arms, already lulled into a half-asleep state by just the gentle, unconscious rocking of the jounin's body.
Despite the picture of complete domesticity Kakashi painted, Iruka could not stop from grinding his teeth. Kakashi had no right to look so, well, perfect. "You...didn't even open it!" he snapped as he waved the papers in front of Kakashi's face. The jounin looked at him blankly for a moment before his eyes widened, obviously recognizing the envelope that was little more than a blur to his eyes.
"I..."
"Don't!" Iruka growled as he threw the envelope on the table. "Do you even care? You've had this for weeks and you never even opened it! I assumed you weren't Saki's father because you never visited! But you stayed in Konoha instead of leaving on your diplomat mission – why?"
"Why did you come to my apartment after Saki disappeared?" Kakashi asked, breaking Iruka from his ranting. The brunet eyed him coldly, not wanting to admit that, in his irrational, terrified mind, he had only wanted Kakashi to be there for him. He had desperately needed to be held and comforted. He had not even thought about the possibility that Kakashi had left for Suna as he was supposed to a week prior. Iruka did not speak, but his eyes betrayed his emotions as they filled with tears. Slowly, Kakashi stood up, using the table to steady himself as his legs threatened to give out from underneath him. Damn, he had never felt so weak before, but he was not about to lose Iruka again over some stupid misunderstanding.
He had woken up hours ago, but had not alerted Iruka or Pakkun because he had needed time. Time to think about what had happened. Time to consider what to do now. Time to look into his heart and realize that there was one option for him if he was ever going to live with himself.
Nearly losing Saki had taught him that he could not live without the little boy. His presence in Saki's life may threaten the boy, but Kakashi would always be there to protect him. He would guard him and shield him from the kind of childhood Kakashi had had. He would never give the boy a reason to regret their relationship. With a glance down at the half-awake baby cuddling his chest, Kakashi could not help but smile. He was the luckiest man alive to be part of Saki's future.
But if he was to forge a bond with Saki, there was one thing he had to do first.
Unhurriedly, he moved around the table so that he stood before Iruka. The brunet looked at him, his chocolate eyes glistening with tears he refused to shed. Keeping his hip firmly pressed against the tabletop in order to keep himself upright, Kakashi brought his free hand up to brush his trembling fingers against Iruka's cheek.
Who would have thought that he had very nearly given up this? Had he lost his mind during that time he had clung to his pain, desperate to give himself a reason to distance himself from Iruka? The past few hours had been enlightening, showing Kakashi that he did not care one whit about how or why Iruka had slept with him. All that mattered was that Iruka had admitted his love once, and Kakashi would do anything to hear those words again. He could not go on living without Iruka there with him.
The warm feel of Iruka's tanned skin against his fingertips was as necessary as the air he breathed. The sound of the brunet's hitched breath as Kakashi's fingers slid down his neck was like music to his ears. As Kakashi bent down, brushing his lips against Iruka's, he knew that he could not live without the taste of his brunet's kiss. He could not imagine a future without seeing that small smile and those flushed cheeks.
"I stayed...because I love you," Kakashi whispered, looking into Iruka's eyes as his hand fell away from the chuunin's skin. Blindly grasping at the table, Kakashi somehow found enough strength to stand on his own two legs as he tightened his fist around the envelope his fingers came in contact with. Not caring that he was crushing the once-precious pages, Kakashi stepped back and lifted the envelope so that Iruka could see what he was holding.
"And this...I didn't read it-" As he spoke, Kakashi focused what little chakra he had on the pages. It took little more than a thought for the manila envelope to begin curling at the edges before bursting into flames. Dropping the burning pages to the floor, he looked back to the brunet. Iruka squeaked in surprise at the sudden fire jutsu, instinctively moving to stomp out the flames, but froze when he felt Kakashi's warm hand against his neck.
"I don't need a piece of paper to tell me that both of you are mine."
Iruka very nearly melted in a puddle on the floor at the possessive growl that came out of Kakashi. Without warning, he found himself in a powerful, bruising kiss that Iruka was all too happy to continue as his arms wound around Kakashi's neck. Lifting himself on to the tips of his toes, Iruka moaned at the feel of his lover's tongue against his own.
Pakkun merely rolled his eyes as he went to stomp out the last few spluttering flames on the floor. If his master was not currently...erm, preoccupied, he might have mocked the idiot for forgetting that he had less chakra than a newborn at the moment. By his best guess, Kakashi was going to pass out in a matter of seconds; using a fire jutsu would take its toll on him. Not to mention it was a pitiful jutsu to begin with. Oh, it was flashy and all, but considering all it did was burn away the envelope and start darkening the white pages inside, it was an impractical – and asinine – thing for Kakashi to do in his current condition.
Then again, judging from the way the two humans were clinging to each other, that jutsu did exactly what it was meant to, though the pug had no idea why a half-assed fire worked. Did humans have a thing for fire or was he missing something? Pakkun shrugged. He never said he was good at understanding humans and their crazy ideas of romance.
Glancing to his side, the pug merely shook his head as he studied the baby who had just transported himself out of Kakashi's arms before he was crushed between the two shinobi. "Get used to it, brat – there'll be no living with them now," he grumbled, though anyone could hear the relief and amusement in his voice. Saki merely giggled and clapped his hands as though he understood perfectly what had just occurred.
Even though Saki was just a baby, the pug could not help but wonder if this was all some part of Saki's plans. He found Kakashi, dragged the emotionally-dense jounin back to Iruka, and somehow got the two stubborn shinobi to admit their feelings for one another. With a shiver, Pakkun could only imagine what kind of things Saki could accomplish once he could walk and speak in full sentences.
Konoha was never going to be the same again.
Pakkun sighed and brushed off the ashes from the almost untouched pages beneath them. With a snort, he was never so glad Kakashi taught him to read. Continuing to clean off the pages, Pakkun decided that he should save these pages by keeping them out of the hands of Saki's pyromaniac father. Saki may one day want to hear the story about how his fathers got together...again.
XXX
Iruka groaned and swatted his hand towards the annoying object poking him in the side. When his actions were rewarded with a deep chuckle, the brunet cracked an eye open and glared at the smiling jounin who had dared to poke him awake. Kakashi had passed out a few hours ago in the middle of their steamy kiss. Iruka had nearly had a heart attack, only to recall just how drained the jounin had been – and he had stupidly performed a jutsu when he could hardly stand. Needless to say, Kakashi did not wake up for dinner or at any other time throughout the evening, so Iruka had merely slipped into bed after he put Saki down for the night. He had been exhausted, both physically and emotionally, and hoped for a few hours of uninterrupted sleep. He was not so lucky.
"Unlike you, I haven't been unconscious for the past week," Iruka grumbled as he moved to bury his head underneath his pillow and go back to sleep. Slowly, he started to drift back to sleep, only to be poked again just as he was about to fall unconscious. "What?" he hissed, his voice muffled by the pillow.
"I was just wondering...how did Tsunade and everyone take finding out Saki hadn't been kidnapped?" Kakashi asked curiously as he watched his brunet pull his head back out from underneath the pillow. Iruka looked at him with widened eyes. If not for the glint of fear in his brown eyes, Iruka would have looked deliciously rumpled and beddable. Damn it, when he got his strength back, Kakashi was going to make sure his brunet never questioned his feelings for him.
"Please tell me you called off the search parties..." Kakashi said slowly as his lover's face drained of all blood. Worse than the sight of a pale Iruka was the implication his brunet's reaction had.
"I...think Pakkun told her?" Iruka whispered, his tone questioning. Before Kakashi could even blink, the chuunin was gone, racing through the apartment in search of the pug. When Iruka finally came on Pakkun, who was happily snoring away and drooling on the couch, he shook the ninken awake.
"WHAT?" Pakkun barked as he fell to the floor, his dreams of chasing a cat shattered as he came to and glowered at Iruka. "This better be good – Kakashi's mate or not!" When he saw Iruka's white face, the ninken rethought releasing another scathing comment. Instead, he brushed a comforting paw against Iruka's cheek. "Oi, don't give me that look – it's creepy."
"Did you call off the search?" Iruka whispered.
"Search?"
"The manhunt half of Konoha's shinobi were on...to find Saki's kidnappers?"
"...I thought you did..."
XXX
Tsunade rubbed her aching head as she glanced over at the pale jounin before her. Never before had she seen Sasuke so...well, emotional. Not that she was complaining that the powerful ANBU captain was currently clutching his smaller lover. It took her years to finally get a reaction out of the stoic Uchiha. She had just not been anticipating this.
Before she got the chance to tell the two to get out of her office, a puff of smoke abruptly filled the room. With bleary eyes, she focused on the two shinobi that had popped into her office. Kakashi was a little paler than usual, but from what she had heard from Sasuke, it was a miracle the jounin was upright right now. Iruka, on the other hand, looked more like a shinobi who completely drained his chakra recently. Judging from the white shade of Iruka's face and the almost invisible tremble of his body, her favorite teacher had finally realized his error.
"Tsunade-sama...I am so sorry, but I was so relieved...then Kakashi...and I couldn't leave him... I thought Pakkun came to you and-"
Tsunade only had to raise one hand to silence the ranting, nervous teacher. "Oi, not so loud," she croaked as she gestured to the empty bottles covering her desk. She then pointed at the two young jounin, who were far past shit-faced considering their current half-dressed and groping state. "Tell those two to quit it. Had I known they were lightweights...and Sasuke gets touchy-feely when he's drunk...I would have never invited them over for a few drinks..."
"A few?" Kakashi repeated incredulously as he eyed the Uchiha. Sasuke was not a lightweight – he could hold his own in the bars. The only time Kakashi had seen the young man this far gone was at his thirtieth birthday party – the one that no one remembered except for the blonde who got the short straw and got to be their chaperone for the night. Or at least, Kakashi assumed Sasuke had been this drunk – that night, even with Naruto's damn pictures, was still a blur. For Sasuke to reach such a level of drunkenness again meant Tsunade had used her years of alcoholism to her advantage and drank the poor young men under the table.
"Ooooooiiii," Naruto drawled as he eyed the two older shinobi. Somehow pushing his groping lover to the side, the blonde stood up. As soon as he was no longer using the couch as support, the young man's body began weaving unsteadily. "You didn't even tell me Saki was baaaaaack!" he mourned as he gave Iruka the most pitiful pout he could muster.
"O-oh...you know?" Iruka's anxiety drained away so quickly, the brunet felt momentarily light-headed. Did that mean Tsunade had already called off the search? Did everyone think him an idiot for thinking Saki was kidnapped? Did the entire shinobi community want to kill him for putting them on high alert, pulling them out of much more important missions, and otherwise upsetting the balance of their delicate world?
"Idiot," Sasuke said with a wave of greeting, his rosy cheeks and otherwise un-Sasuke-ish mannerisms making Iruka's eyes widen in surprise. He had never seen his uptight brother drunk, but he quickly discovered Sasuke's tight-lipped nature banished with enough alcohol. And even Sasuke's normally icy demeanor was dissolved as the normally stoic jounin let out a chuckle as he shook his head in disbelief. "We've known for days. Saki transported himself here a week ago in the middle of a meeting with the search teams. When he disappeared again, I followed him...back to your apartment where he found Kakashi."
Said jounin felt his cheeks warm as he realized Sasuke must have observed his breakdown. How much had Sasuke seen or heard? Did the bastard even feel a moment of awkwardness for spying on him in his darkest moments? From the smirk on Sasuke's ruddy face – a look that Kakashi deemed pure evil as he glared at the younger man – the young ANBU captain had witnessed more than enough.
Somehow, Iruka missed the exchange between the two Sharingan wielders. Instead he found himself scratching the back of his head as he cocked it to the side. "So...you knew this whole time?" Iruka asked curiously, surprised that Naruto and Sasuke had not come racing over to spend every waking minute with their nephew. Then there was the fact Tsunade blatantly ignored Kakashi's condition by not stopping over and checking up on the jounin.
"Yes...but I have talked things over with the Elders and, with the abilities Saki has already shown, they are willing to make him the youngest academy student in Konoha's history as soon as he's able to talk. Which most likely won't be far away." Tsunade said as an explanation for her lack of visits. "When he can walk, he can start training-"
"No." Kakashi cut her off before she could go any further with that single word. Tsunade gave him a glower, wondering if the Copy Ninja had any idea how hard she had to fight to convince those wrinkly buggers just how important it was to start training Saki early. Someone of his capabilities needed to learn control before he put himself – and the village – in danger.
"What do you mean 'no'? Saki already is showing abilities far beyond any child in the academy. He may even surpass you and Uchiha Itachi in his talents," she said with a narrowed gaze. It was not the first time she had a fight with the jounin, but it was the first time she knew she was not going to win. Never before did Kakashi show such powerful emotions in his eyes.
"My son will not have a childhood similar to mine," Kakashi said firmly, his tone leaving no room for debate. He had known that the moment he admitted to himself that Saki and Iruka were more important to him than anything. He had known that he would never let Saki know a life like his own. Saki would learn to play games like other children; he would be able to laugh and giggle freely. He would have friends throughout his entire life. Saki would never know a moment of heartbreak or loneliness until he was old enough to understand such emotions. He would never learn the meaning of violence until he could appreciate the consequences such actions would have. No – Kakashi would protect his son's innocence as long as he could.
My son. Iruka liked the sound of those two simple words rolling so calmly – so proudly – off Kakashi's tongue. Unknowingly, the brunet smiled, his eyes watering. A few weeks ago, he had not believed the jounin to be capable of such a phrase. But losing Saki, even for a day, was enough to make Kakashi realize that not everything had to make logical sense. Iruka had the feeling that, for the first time in his life, Kakashi was truly listening to his heart.
Tsunade could have cared less about the emotion in Kakashi's voice; his words were far more fascinating to her. So Kakashi finally read the results of the paternity test, did he? She could not help but glance over those pages, resealing the envelope with a jutsu before she gave it to Iruka weeks ago. The proof that miracles happened was enough to alleviate her conscience. She hated lying to Iruka, but this was his and Kakashi's life – their child. She could not interfere...but now that both shinobi were aware of Saki's parentage maybe she could get them to take some tests. Not only was Kakashi not sterile as every medical mind would have believed, but he had somehow had a hand in producing a child with another man. Oh, the implications of her future research were boundless!
"About time you admitted it, you bastard!" Naruto snorted, his words astonishingly understandable in his inebriated state. Kakashi looked over at the blonde with a raised eyebrow, not even surprised Naruto and Sasuke would have known the truth of the night Saki was conceived – or at least as much truth as Iruka and Kakashi knew. With a glance to his brunet, who was blushing furiously while glaring at Naruto threateningly, Kakashi could only wonder what was going on.
"Don't you dare..." Iruka hissed, knowing that devious glint in Naruto's eyes. It was the look many people knew to fear. It was the look that came before an act of infinitely stupid proportions. And there was only one thing Iruka could think of that Naruto, in his current condition, would even consider uttering.
"When's the wedding?"
Kakashi froze where he stood at those words. Wedd...ing? Slowly, he turned to face Naruto in a mixture of confusion and fear. He had never considered the possibility of marriage. How could he have when he never got to know his lovers – sometimes not even bothering to catch their names? He had never thought of one day having a permanent relationship with someone. He was not a person who was accustomed to committing himself to others. He was loyal only to Konoha for so long, it seemed impossible for him to feel such devotion to another person.
"We are not getting married, you idiot!" Iruka growled as he forced his arms to remain at his sides when all he wanted to do was strangle Naruto. His relationship with Kakashi was shaky enough without his brother's attempts at helping them along. Naruto was just about as subtle as a stampede – and far more destructive.
As he took a quick glance over at his lover, Kakashi could not help but smile, his fears disappearing so quickly, it was as though they never existed at all. How could he have, even for a moment, wondered if he was capable of that level of commitment? Iruka gave him everything he had not even dared imagine he would one day possess. Love. Friendship. Family. They were things that Kakashi would never be able to live without again. And, as he considered Naruto's words, he realized that he wanted nothing more than Iruka to be his in every way.