A.N. ... I wonder if someone does read those a/n-s... Lets's try - I promise a sequel if the reviews hit 200 by the end of the story (a few more chapters)! :D Seriously now... I even have some notes on the sequel already... Also I'll be starting the Izumo-Kotetsu fics soon... not that you seem interested... YET *evil grin*. Notes on them are still on my facebook and twitter, links to which are in my FanFiction profile... if you somehow turn out to BE interested... Yeah... Oh, and Kakashi is a bit OCC here...

Chapter Thirty Four – Daddy's princess

Kakashi woke up, groaning a bit – he had taken the long shift last night, meaning he got up trice to calm down a crying Rikka and Iruka got up once. Kakashi's hand felt the sheets beside him, which were empty of course.

"Ah… Ruka's taken the morning shift I guess…", he thought sleepily. Well, he was awake already, better go check on his family, he decided, a smile creeping on his face.

In just three days, it was already obvious there was a child, living in this house – there was a baby stroller in the hallway, a basket resembling baby carrier on the couch in the living room, a tiny shuriken printed blanket on the loveseat, a teddy bear on the low table… Kakashi's grin grew wider and wider…

Now, where were they?

Kakashi entered the kitchen and chuckled, seeing the empty coffee mug and the empty juice bottle on the table – seemed like father and daughter had went through their morning ritual of taking their (Kakashi-less) time to drink their respective drinks in the morning at peace.

Finally, Kakashi went out in the garden and saw who he was looking for, his smile getting bigger and bigger…

Iruka, baby sling wrapped around him again, was doing exercises. But not kata-s – these looked like…

"Yoga?", Kakashi asked, surprised.

Iruka turned and smiled. "Yes, yoga. It can be done with the two of us.", he nodded towards Rikka, wide eyed, her head poking out of the sling. "You had coffee?", he asked.

"No, not yet."

"Hm. Well, you can hold her while you're drinking it still… And I'll prepare her puree, do some real exercise, take a shower and then we'll switch – you'll do your kata-s, while I watch her, then take a shower, then we'll go shopping, then we'll stop by the Hokage's office…"

Kakashi chuckled. Iruka frowned. "What?", he asked.

"You're bossy again", Kakashi grinned.

"Well, someone has to keep you on a short leash!", Iruka smiled a tiny, mischievous and a bit sadistic smile. Kakashi decided it was best to remain quiet.

"Ah, it's good Tsunade sama gave us both some time to adjust to Rikka… but eventually we'll have to get a nanny…", Iruka said.

"… But we just took her with us…", Kakashi looked down.

"I know, I know… Look, I can teach part time and take lesser Mission room shifts, but still, if you're not here to help me…"

Kakashi sighed – he knew Iruka was right. Maybe it was time for some changes again…

But he won't think about it just now. Today he was gonna become a dad – officially!

"Come in!", Tsunade yelled, hearing the knocking on her door.

She looked up and had to swallow a typical womanly "Oooooh!", seeing what she saw.

Iruka was wrapped up in the baby sling again, and Kakashi was carrying about a dozen bags, most of which were pink – Tsunade recognized some of Konoha's baby shops logos on them. Both of them, now off duty, were dressed in shirts and jeans and Rikka was in a new dress – a simple green one, not one of those frilly pink things some mothers were crazy about.

"I see you've gone shopping…", Tsunade smiled. Iruka grinned back and Kakashi smiled his crescent-eyed smile.

"Yeah, there lots to be done. It was quite unexpected after all…", Iruka started, but was interrupted by an excited Kakashi.

"Yes! A major repair! I liked a color for the walls in the nursery, I'm sure you'll like it, Ruka, it's sky blue, and there would be white clouds on the walls too and that child's bed with the little white canopy drapes…What?", he blinked, catching their shocked expressions.

"You sound like Gai again…", Iruka muttered and Tsunade had to stifle a laugh. Who would have thought – lazy, indifferent or arrogant Kakashi – an enthusiastic father?

As if catching her thoughts, Iruka quietly muttered: "Oh, he can be quite enthusiastic, all right… Given the right prize…", he smirked (and Tsunade had the urge to blush, which she didn't of course – she had an image to keep!).

"So… Any difficulties? With feeding or bathing…?"

"No, not really. We have only once cleared the walls from a potatoes puree and we always get soaked in the bath, but otherwise we're good!", Iruka grinned.

"Really? And nappy changing…?", Tsunade asked.

"Hehe, you should see Kakashi, Tsunade sama, a real nappy master! Ah, I should take a picture – no one would believe me!"

Seeing their Hokage's unbelieving look, Kakashi smiled with understanding.

"It's true we're men, Hokage sama, but we're shinobi as well. We can handle extreme situations… … And there're books…", he admitted.

Tsunade chuckled. "All right then, no need to take this any longer…", she pulled out the documents. "Sign here."

They did – first Iruka and then Kakashi; Kakashi's hand was trembling, and even more so after he read that specific line in the document… "Hatake Rikka…"

"Well… congratulations,… daddies", Tsunade winked.

They looked at each other again. Daddies. They liked the way that sounded…

"Come on, switch. I'll take the bags and you'll hold her on the way back. It's only fair.", Iruka smiled.

Kakashi nodded and they made the arrangements before they bid their Hokage a good day and left.

Tsunade sighed happily again, bringing back her sake. This was worth a drink!

3 am, Hatake compound…

"Whaaaaah!"

Iruka grunted, they both shifted in bed.

"K'shiiii… you wanted a noisy house… go make her stop!", Iruka muttered sleepily and half-coherently.

Kakashi got up, dragging his feet to the baby crib, which was still in their bedroom. He picked up the baby and quietly left the room with the wailing child. Iruka sighed happily…. Ah, sleep…

Wait a minute… Why did Kakashi exit the room? Iruka had personally fed Rikka an hour ago, she couldn't have been hungry… Kakashi had changed the nappy around that time too… So… what the…?

Worried, Iruka got up and sneaked out of the room, searching for his two precious ones, to tell the first one not to feed the second one, again… He walked by the half closed sliding door to the outer corridors, surrounding the compound… and he went back.

He knew Kakashi didn't know any lullabies and had secretly wondered how his husband managed to calm their daughter when it was his turn. He understood now.

Kakashi was humming softly, not a real melody, but a nice calming sound, occasionally saying simple words… "Shh, Rikka, it's ok…. Daddy's here, it's ok…mmmm-hmmmm, hmmmm…."

"Whaaa…!"

"Yeah, I know, I know….. Shhh…. Daddy loves you…."

"Wh…"

"Hmmmm? Seems you got that, huh? Yeah, baby, daddy loves you…."

"Gh…"

"And daddy Ruka needs to sleep, angel, so we're here now, ok?..."

A laughing-like sound could be heard.

"Oh? What did you say? He's eavesdropping by the door, really?"

Iruka gagged with his laugh and hearing another laughing-like sound. He slid the door open and went to sit, cross-legged, opposite to Kakashi. They smiled to each other.

"… Have you really always been like that?", Iruka asked. "I mean, I know you told me it was a mask before, but…"

"Yes, Ruka. It's just that you're the only one who has ever seen me. The real me, not some of my masks…"

Iruka smiled genuinely. "… Thank you."

Kakashi smiled back. "You're welcome… in my life, in my soul…" he sighed and nodded to the baby. "She's asleep again."

"Let's take her in the bed with us. She'll sleep between us, it'll calm her down…"

"Just admit you want to hug her too…"

"Oh, shush…"

A.N. ... oh, just review...