Kakashi spent most of the night cleaning the upstairs, including his own room. He even changed his sheets before collapsing into bed.
It was a restless sleep and sooner than he'd like, it was morning. After a quick morning routine he went downstairs and tried his hand at breakfast. Mikeira and Maaku eyed his dish warily but once tasted, heaved it into their mouths at alarming speeds.
Once breakfast was over, Kakashi took the kids outside and summoned all his ninken to watch over them while he set to work 'sprucing up' the outside of his house. Around noon they had lunch and while he went back to work, Mikeira and Maaku worked up a sweat playing like they had never been allowed to before.
When it was starting to get dark and it was finally time to go in, Mikeira and Maaku were only tempted to leave their playing by the promise of food.
Of course, before they were allowed to eat, Kakashi made them take a bath. Strangely enough, they loved the water. After their affair with the river, you would think they would be terrified. But the bath was different he supposed. He sat with them while they bathed and helped lather their hair when the time came.
When their fingers were pruned and their bellies rumbling, he helped wrap them up in towels and lead them downstairs. He placed their clothes in the wash and fed them dinner.
Fish, he quickly found out, was like nothing Mikeira had ever tasted before and she wanted more. In fact, it was all she asked for, for about a week.
During the week, he once glanced inside the two rooms upstairs that had over time collected boxes upon boxes of…stuff. His old nursery and the old master bedroom, neither of which had he touched in years. Shaking his head, he told himself that cleaning out one of the rooms for the kids would be unnecessary. They wouldn't be under his care for that long.
The couch would do for now.
At the end of the week, the Sandaime paid them a visit. He looked around the rooms and voiced is approval of the changes.
"You have done some hard, tedious work Kakashi. I congratulate you." Sarutobi said as he eased himself into a dining room table chair.
Kakashi thought a moment, "It was a long time overdue."
Sarutobi hmmed and smoked his pipe. "Bring the children. I would like to speak to them."
Kakashi did as ordered and brought Mikeira and Maaku from the living room to the Sandaime's side. Sarutobi smiled down at them and patted their heads. "How are you two doing?"
Mikeira smiled up at him, "Great!"
Sarutobi laughed at her enthusiasm, "How are you two liking it here? Has Kakashi-san treated you well?"
Maaku held onto Mikeira's hand, "It's been wonderful."
Mikeira grinned, "Kakashi-san has been…an angel."
'Would she never let that go?' Kakashi inwardly groaned.
Sarutobi seemed to sense Kakashi's embarrassment and laughed once again. He dismissed the children and he and Kakashi talked strategy for a short while. Sarutobi quieted and watched the children playing from the corner of his eye.
"Kakashi, I'm working on finding them a suitable foster home. But it will be a few weeks." Sarutobi spoke quietly.
Kakashi inwardly let out a hoorah. Just a few short weeks and then freedom. It wasn't until after the Sandaime left that Kakashi let himself examine the other little voice in the back of his mind. The one that wasn't so sure a hoorah was correct for this situation. A pang in his gut worried him. He couldn't let himself get attached.
Late that night, Mikeira wakes up screaming from a nightmare. After putting away his weapons and settling his heart speed down. He stares down at the sobbing girl and her brother trying to comfort her. After a moment of deliberation, he gently picks up the crying girl and holds her like he had seen mothers do in the market.
She sniffles into his neck and hiccups as he begins to rock her from side to side. Without really thinking about it he pets her hair and shushes her. He does this until she falls back asleep. He tucks her into her side of the couch and sets to comforting Maaku who was shaken up after the experience.
Maaku takes much less time to fall back asleep and Kakashi barely makes it to the other couch before he collapses. Who knew taking care of a couple of kids would be this exhausting?
When morning comes, Mikeira and Maaku seem to have forgotten the incident. But it's not long after breakfast that they start demanding to go see Hirari again.
Nothing of note happens on the trip there or while in the coma ward. It's on the way back home that what he had been dreading finally happened.
"Kakashi-san?" A familiar woman's voice sounds puzzled.
Kakashi, who is holding one child in his arms and holding the hand of another, cringes. "Kurenai-san."
He turns to the woman and finds her not alone. Kurenai is standing next to Asuma and Gai. Gai, already knowing what to expect, is the only one who doesn't give Kakashi a once over. Asuma chuckles, "Got yourself a load there, don't you Kakashi?"
Kakashi looks down at the children and shrugs. Mikeira smiles and waves, "Gai-san!"
Gai, tickled at being remembered, wiggles his fingers back at her. "Mikeira-chan!"
Kurenai struggles to suppress a smile, "Uh, we were all just about to go out to eat. How about you…come with us?"
Kakashi is about to refuse when Maaku tugs at his hand and stares up at him with big red eyes. He thinks back to how many hours have passed since they have eaten and sighs his agreement. He introduces the toddlers to them.
At the restaurant, Kurenai begins to interrogate him. Kakashi answers calmly until she and Asuma know about everything he does.
"So, you're on babysitting duty until further notice?" Asuma says bluntly.
"Technically." Kakashi agrees.
"Well, technically, you're on a very important protection detail." Gai says as he pats Mikeira's head.
"Where are you keeping them?" Kurenai questions.
"They've been sleeping on my couch." Kakashi begins and immediately knows it was the wrong thing to say.
"They've been what?" Kurenai's shocked expression is almost laughable.
"I know for a fact that you have a couple of spare bedrooms in that old place." Asuma declares, "Why haven't you used one of those?"
Kakashi explains the state of the rooms. "Besides, they won't be staying with me long enough to-"
"That doesn't matter. They need a real bed." Kurenai remarks, "So we'll help you."
"Help me what?" Kakashi asks.
"Set up a room for the kiddos." Asuma answers matter-of-factly.
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Upon seeing the house, Asuma, Kurenai, and Gai congratulate Kakashi on his hard work cleaning up the place. Once inside, Mikeira and Maaku take off running into the living room. Kakashi sets them up with some toys and leads the others upstairs to the former nursery.
The room, unused since Kakashi was a child, is dusty and covered in boxes. Kurenai sets up a game plan immediately. She has Gai and Asuma move the boxes into the unused master bedroom across the hall, while she and Kakashi go through some of them.
Kurenai finds a box of Kakashi's old clothes while he finds a box of his old baby toys. Stuff that Mikeira and Maaku might enjoy and wear. They leave these boxes in the hallway.
Soon, all the boxes are moved, leaving behind a mostly empty room. There is a small bed against one wall and a throw rug in the middle of the floor. Kakashi and Gai are told to dust the room and open the window to let it air out while Kurenai and Asuma go to town for some more furniture.
The job doesn't take long and Kakashi and Gai take the box of toys down stairs to the kids. Mikeira and Maaku are fascinated by their hand-me-downs. They seem giddy over the fact that the toys once belonged to Kakashi.
Gai makes a quick snack and after they are done eating, Asuma and Kurenai arrive with large boxes in tow. Shortly, everyone but the children are busy putting together furniture for the nursery. Another bed about the same size as the old one, two nightstands, and a toy box for the end of each bed are rapidly put together and placed in the room.
Kurenai makes the beds with the sheets she bought and puts up some frilly curtains. With everything intact, Kakashi invites the children upstairs.
The reaction is immediate and full of squeals. Mikeira and Maaku run around the room, investigating every nook and cranny. Their excited chattering bring smiles to the adult's faces. Mikeira collides with Kakashi's legs and hugs him.
Asuma 'aw's' at them and Kurenai smacks him on the head for it.
Not long afterwards, Kurenai, Asuma, and Gai take their leave after getting properly thanked by the children, who refused to leave their new bedroom.
With nothing left to do for the day, Kakashi cooks dinner for the toddlers and afterwards, puts them to bed.
Kakashi went to his room and undressed. As he lay on his bed, he felt exhausted. It was trying to deal with people. Even the ones he called his friends. He falls asleep thinking about it.