CHAPTER 3 – Decisions

Kakashi collapsed onto the bed, he was exhausted but this was a different kind of fatigue to what he was used. He hadn't used his sharingan but did contemplate it to just get some order into his life. He heard footsteps approaching and groaned at the touch to his leg "I don't know how to be a father Ruka. Your good with kids, I'm good with missing Nins and dogs. If I'm this tired after 10 days with her what's it going to be like when she's older?" Iruka assured him he was doing fine.

There were serious matters they had to discuss and Yamato's mission was taking longer due to complications forcing them to make decisions without him.

"Kakashi, Mikiko doesn't have long, Tsunade Sama says she's going to get worse". Kakashi nodded in agreement. "We should let them move in with us and make Mikiko more comfortable. It's not good for the kids to be staying at a hospital either and we'll get more access to Sachiko making it easier for you to get to know your daughter".

Kakashi sighed into the bed and turned his head to look at Iruka "are you sure you want that cute nonsense talking clumsy monster to move in with us? She must get the clumsiness from her mother and I can only take so much talking till I go mad. I can't even read my book while I pretend to listen to her!" this caused Iruka to laugh. Kakashi could see Iruka was attached to the kids. "We have to think about Hiro too. What do we do with him if Mikiko was to suddenly pass away? He clearly doesn't like us; we have to think about this."

Iruka nodded "and then there's us Ruka and missions. I want to watch her grow though I don't think I'll be much use to her apart from frightening away all the boys that dare to look at her" he smiled at the thought, maybe fatherhood could be fun. "She's so small and needs so much attention".

Iruka laughed softly at the thought of Kakashi frightening away any advances on Sachiko "Kashi, we'll work around the missions. You're doing great with her so far. Little girls just want some attention and have someone listen to them. Am sure Hiro will come round too, his opening up a bit more now and doesn't give us death stares constantly. AND… if there are 3 of us looking after them…" he smiled. Kakashi sat up and pulled Iruka into a tight hug. "You'd be willing go mad for me?" he asked.

"Kashi, I love you, I'd do anything for you". Kakashi smiled "Thank You. Do you think Yamato would want to do this too?" "Kashi, both the kids are beautiful. Yasahiro even looks a little like Yamato don't you think?" Kakashi nodded thinking of his Yamato's soft brown hair and smile.

Kakashi looked down at Iruka and smiled sadly "Ruka, I know how much you'd like a big family and I'm sorry I can't give you that. But this is taking a big risk. We still need to talk to Yamato. If Yasahiro decides he doesn't want anything to do with us after their mother's death, I can't separate him from his sister. It would devastate both of them. By letting them live with us we risk losing even more when they leave us".

"Kashi I'd rather have a week with them, then none at all" he replied sadly. "And I want them to have someone they can talk to, someone that has even a small connection to them when it's time for Mikiko to leave us. I don't want them to go through what I did, what you did when we lost our parents. Yamato will understand once he gets over the initial shock. None of us had great childhoods, I'd like to try and give them something even if for a short while".

Mikiko agreed it would be good for the kids and herself to move in with them and 2 days later Kakashi found he wasn't regretting their decision. All he had to do now was break the news to Yamato…

oOo

Yamato's mission had gone horribly wrong. He had lost a team member as the Intel they were given was incorrect leading to his 3 man squad being ambushed. They had a spy amongst them and they had to find out whom and immediately. He sent one of Sai's ink birds with a warning to the Hokage. He barely managed to get himself and Sai out of there unharmed causing their mission to last a week longer.

Sai and Yamato reached the village tired and worn covered in road dust; their body's aching both physically and with the loss of their comrade. Yamato squeezed Sai's shoulder in comfort and sent him home with a sad smile, they'd been through a lot but Yamato's mind was on the leak they had as he met the ANBU leader. All Yamato wanted to do after his debrief was go home, have a hot bath, curl up with his lovers and go to sleep. On reaching home however, he found neither were in, well I can still have the hot bath he thought. In his tired and emotional state, Yamato didn't notice the spare pair of slippers at the door or the 2 small cloaks that hang beside his hook. He didn't notice the presence of children's toys strewn around the living room or the women's toiletries in the bathroom. He let the warm water soothe his aching bones as he fought the emotions that whirled with the loss of his comrade. He was the captain, it should've been him but the enemy knew to take out their sensory Shinobi first.

Yamato shut off the water and in the midst of his sorrow had forgotten to bring a towel in with him. He brushed of the droplets that clung to him and walked out the bathroom. Unbeknown to him Eyes followed Yamato as he padded from the bathroom to the bedroom. He heard a snigger and turned stealthily to be greeted by 5 pairs of eyes watching him with surprise and humour in them. Belatedly, Yamato registered that he was stark naked and squeaked in shock like a teenage girl as he tried to cover himself and run to the bedroom.

Iruka and Kakashi watched in amusement admiring their lover's body as he tried his best to cover his dignity shrieking and bounding towards the bedroom shutting the door with a loud slam. Mikiko smirked and raised an eyebrow at them chuckling. They heard sniggering from Sachiko and Yasahiro who were finding it hard to hold in their laughter. "Who's that funny naked man" Sachiko asked now laughing out loud. Kakashi bent down to her level and smiled crinkling his eyes, "that funny naked man is my beautiful funny lover" he chuckled. "That's not exactly how I was going to introduce you to him. His not going to be happy that you've seen him naked though I think it's a good thing, least we got that bit over with" he smiled causing Iruka and Mikiko to laugh. "Think I'll let you enter the lion's den first" Iruka smirked as he helped Mikiko settle down on the couch and went to make some tea. Kakashi's smile dropped "Meh, Ruka you're going to come and help me explain right?" he asked nervously rubbing the back of his head watching Iruka make tea smirking still.

Kakashi waited for a bit bracing himself and knocked on the door before entering, "Yamato are you decent?" he got a growl in response and a towel came flying hitting him square in the face. "Maa Yamato, that was quite the entrance you were blushing like a bride" he chuckled earning himself another growl as he replied "Get. Lost. Kakashi" through gritted teeth.

Iruka entered at that moment with tea smiling at the two and hitting Kakashi playfully for his teasing. He wrapped his arms around Yamato and pulled him in closer resting his head on Yamato's back "You can get lost too Ruka, I heard you laughing" Yamato said softer the edge of embarrassment leaving. "But I love this body of yours, I never getting tired of seeing or feeling it". Yamato relaxed into Iruka's arms as Kakashi picked up the towel and started drying Yamato's hair.

"Why didn't you warn me we had guests? And who are they?" Yamato asked frowning at Kakashi. "Why do I always get the frowns?" Kakashi asked dodging the question "He laughed too". "But I bought him tea and didn't tease him" Iruka said matter of fact-ly kissing Yamato's cheek "missed you Yama" he whispered nuzzling his neck "Love you". Iruka caressed Yamato's chest feeling his tension ebb away. Kakashi joined them both in the embrace and felt Yamato's arm tighten around his waist as he captured Yamato's lips for a slow deep kiss. Yamato sighed letting the strain leave his body and rested his head against Kakashi "Missed you both too" he replied softly as Iruka took his mouth for a kiss of his own. "But this doesn't mean I've forgiven you" Yamato sulked pulling away from Kakashi's lips on his throat. "Will one of you tell me who our guests are?"

Iruka and Kakashi looked at one another exchanging nervous looks "You might want to sit down for this" Kakashi said rubbing the back of his head, an impulsive response when he was nervous. Iruka sat in one of the arm chairs and pulled Yamato into his lap whilst Kakashi took the other beside them. "Yama, you know I love you right" Kakashi began raising Yamato's suspicions. "What's going on you two? What have you done?" he eyed them questionably causing a nervous laughter from Kakashi.

"You see…" Kakashi started to explain nervously about how he had met Mikiko in the Snow country and her and the kid's arrival and their situation and ended with "Yamato, I'm a father". To his surprise all he got from Yamato was another frown. "Very funny Kashi" Yamato said not in the mood for Kakashi's teasing and looked at Iruka who still held him "care to explain?" Iruka took a deep breath "Yama, his not joking. Sachiko is his daughter. Kakashi's…a dad". Yamato's mind wondered back to the image earlier of 5 pairs of eyes staring at him and the child with silver hair with Iruka's words repeating in his head Kakashi's a dad, Kakashi's a dad. Kakashi and Iruka saw the exact moment it hit Yamato as his eyes widened and jaw dropped. Yamato looked at both his lovers' speech less and took the cup offered by Iruka drinking thirstily as they guided it to his mouth. "I think he took that well" Kakashi said smiling and then saw Yamato's body slump against Iruka "meh guess I spoke too soon".

Thank you once again for reading and all the follows I've gotten. I will try to update quicker in the future have just been very busy recently and taken over by Olympic fever!

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