A.N. I think I've spoiled you... I got so many pleadings to update, as if I don't do it fast enough! Now, don't be ungrateful brats, respect your uploader and Honorable Author and show her love and love only!

Chapter 7 - Please come back to me!

Iruka tried to go to work the day after he had run from Kakashi's apartment. It wasn't a good idea.

"Iruka sensei? Are you ok?"

Iruka shook his head, snapping out of his thoughts. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Sensei… you don't look very good", Moegi said, sounding worried.

"No, I'm fine, I just…"

"Umino Iruka, what in the world do you think you're doing?", a loud voice asked.

Iruka turned to face his Hokage, who was looking angrily at him. He smiled hesitantly.

"Working?", he kind of asked.

"Precisely!", Tsunade waved her arm, in a motioning out of the room gesture and said firmly. "You're coming with me, now!"

"Iruka sensei, what did you do?", Moegi asked, even more worried.

"It's ok, Moegi-chan. Class, I'm needed by our Honorable Hokage. You'll be sent a deputy teacher. Now you behave, while I'm gone and be sure I'll be informed if you don't!", his last words were mostly towards Konohamaru, who looked innocent like an angel. Iruka found that utterly suspicious.

Iruka exited the room, followed by his Hokage.

"What the hell were you thinking, straining yourself in your condition!", she yelled. Iruka paled.

"Shhhh, Tsunade-sama, please!"

"Did you just shushed your Hokage?"

"I-I-I…. yeah?"

She looked ready to kill for a second, but then just smiled and whispered.

"Well, since you're pretty much the most important person in Konoha right now… you're forgiven… Mommy."

Iruka paled even more, then blushed furiously.

"I need to examine you again", she said, then noticed Iruka's wide eyes and added immediately "No needles, I promise!"

She led him in the same examine room and made him remove his vest. Then she made him lie down and lift his uniform shirt up.

"This might be a little cold, I'm sorry", she said pouring some gel on Iruka's belly. Iruka hissed from the contact of the cold substance with his skin. Tsunade turned on a monitor next to Iruka and pulled some other thing, positioning him on Iruka's abs. Then she started moving the thing over gel covered skin.

"So… how did Kakashi react?", she asked, looking at the monitor.

"I don't know.", Iruka said flatly. She gave him a look. "I ran away after I told him everything.", Iruka confessed quietly.

Tsunade shook her head but said nothing. She looked concentrated at the monitor.

"Look, Iruka… I know how much you love your job, but… I don't want to risk this". She gave him a look. "Not only I am worried about you, since your body wasn't designed, but rather forced to handle this… But there's more. I don't know if you realize the full meaning of carrying Sharingan Kakashi's child. Konoha's genius Copy Nin. You carry the next Hatake, Iruka, even if he doesn't acknowledge the child and it is not named like that. You and the baby are far too precious for Konoha and me to take any risks."

Iruka smiled, dizzied. Tsunade returned the smile, but continued firmly.

"That's why I… well, ask, but don't make me order you! Iruka, from now on you'll take half a shift in the Academy, and only because I know how much you love the job and those little monsters, and no shifts in the Mission Room. And even the half shift in the Academy is only until you start to show. Then… we'll see."

Iruka nodded slowly – he knew his Hokage had a point and noted her efforts to keep him happy. Suddenly she smiled and pointed a gray little spot on the monitor. "You see that, Iruka-kun? That's your baby."

Iruka shifted his head and took a look. He couldn't see anything baby-like, but the words made his heart swell pleasantly. "My baby.", he repeated and felt tears filling his eyes again. He brushed them off, ashamed. "I don't know what's going on with me these days, crying like a girl for everything…"

"I know", Tsunade grinned. "Hormones."


It was the third day since Iruka had told Kakashi he was going to be a father. He hadn't seen him ever since he had run afterwards.

It was already dark outside, the night coming faster because of the rainy clouds. It had begun to rain about 20 minutes ago. Iruka sat on the wide inner window sill, which had many pillows and was Iruka's favorite place in his apartment. So, he sat there, reading a good book and drinking jasmine tea, finally managing to feel a bit more relaxed, remembering how peace felt.

It didn't last long – a loud, angry knocking on the door startled him and he leapt in that direction. The knocking continued. "Alright, alright, I'm coming!", Iruka yelled, annoyed.

He opened the door. And froze.

A maskless, looking desperate Kakashi stared back at him, soaking and panting as if he had run.

"Please come back to me!", he pleaded solemnly.

Iruka's body started to shake. His lips were trembling again and his hand flew to his face to cover them. Kakashi continued "I wanted to beg you to come back to me from the moment you left my apartment but I was so shocked I couldn't even move and my mind was screaming "Too much information!" and… and… I wanted to be sure. Those three days till now, I couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, I was thinking and calculating and I think I got it all cleared now as long you want me and you'll have me I… We'll move to my family's house, there would be enough room for the baby and I went to check if the main bedroom has a shortcut to the nursery and it has and I painted it bright green and…. Please come back to me!", he pleaded again.

Iruka was silently shaking.

"Ruru?", Kakashi asked and was terrified to see his lover's tear stained face. Iruka motioned angrily towards his tears and said with a thin voice "Stupid hormones!". They stared at each other – Iruka crying and Kakashi soaking in his rain dripping clothes. Another second. Iruka pounced and hung on Kakashi's neck.

"Just hold me, please…", he sobbed. And Kakashi did, hugging him almost crushingly.

They stood like that for a minute, then Kakashi slowly lifted Iruka and moved inside. He reached the bedroom and positioned Iruka on the floor next to the bed. He took another look in his lover. Iruka wore a baggy grey pullover and just as baggy dark green pants, all of which were wet now. His ponytail was loosened and wet locks stuck to his forehead. Kakashi had never seen someone that beautiful before.

He slowly removed their wet clothes then walked in the bathroom and run them a bath. While they were waiting for the tub to be full they were just staring unbelievingly at each other, caressing each other's faces. When the tub was full, Kakashi stepped in first, then helped Iruka do the same and relax his back on Kakashi's front. Kakashi's hands crawled around Iruka and closed over his belly. "I love you", he whispered. "I love you both", he added, caressing his lover's still flat belly.

Iruka smiled widely and contently. He was happy now. Whole again.

A.N. So? Fluffy enough? Did I make up for all the angst?