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Iruka was in the study room grading papers for his students. It was chilly winter night; they type of nights that caused the glass on windows to fog up so much that the outside can't be seen. Iruka left the responsibility of keeping an eye on the baking cake in the oven to Kabuto who was off duty that day. Itachi came to drop by for a few days before leaving to do his work. His organization was never asked or spoken about. None of their pasts were asked and spoken about between them. It was almost like an unspoken rule that questions related to the topic are to be avoided.
"Iruka-nii! I finished icing the cake!" Kabuto called out from the living room.
Iruka stepped out of his study, leaving half his work done, to reheat dinner just in time to see Kabuto feed Itachi some of the left over strawberries and cream that Iruka prepared for the cake. Itachi had his head pillowed on Kabuto's lap on the couch. The Uchiha would accept every bit of feeding Kabuto gave him, occasionally giving him a coy look and licking the fingers that fed him.
Iruka smiled. Like always. "Do you want more strawberries, Itachi?" Itachi gave him a look before answering. That was when the doorbell rang and the sound of keys jingling sounded from outside. "Hold that answer." Iruka said and padded for the front door to open and let Kakashi in.
"I'm back." Kakashi greeted, quickly pulling his mask down and giving Iruka a warm kiss of hello.
"Welcome back." Iruka smiled again, and moved to take the scarf he knitted for Kakashi around his neck and hang it on the hamper by the door. "They're in the living room."
"Oh?" Kakashi took Iruka's hand and pulled him in to the room as well. "Oh. Strawberries. Did you eat yet?"
"Not yet." Itachi answered, licking Kabuto's finger again before reaching out to pull Iruka on top of him. "I don't want strawberries. I just want you."
"Ah, you have me, Itachi." Iruka smiled and responded to the kiss Itachi pulled him in to. It was almost mechanical to respond back and feel the ever present pleasure that he got used to now.
"Starting so fast huh?" Kakashi mumbled and casually leaned over to kiss Kabuto's forehead and at the same time muss his hair.
"Stop it!" Kabuto frowned.
"You don't like getting your hair mussed?" Kakashi smirked.
"Oh fuck you."
Kakashi grinned, and at this point Iruka breaks the kiss with Itachi slowly. "I know you love my love making!" Kakashi grinned.
"Stop, both of you." Iruka sighed and reached out to smooth down Kabuto's mussed hair. He didn't stop the medic when he was pulled for a hot kiss that involved too much tongue dueling enough to make the other two watching squirm and run their hands up and down Iruka's body. Iruka had to pull back just before he lost any of his clothing. "I'm going to warm dinner up."
"Warm me up!" Kakashi said, giving him a near pouting look.
"We're cold." Kabuto added. Itachi just nodded his want.
"Warm each other up." Iruka laughed and padded for the kitchen smiling. "I just washed the pillow cases! Leave the pillow cases!"
In the kitchen, Iruka could hear Kakashi and Kabuto bicker again. He imagined that the three were on the floor, against the wall where there was no carpet; it was easier to clean wood than wool.
"Move! You're doing it wrong!" Kabuto said with a hint of a frown on his tone.
"Then how?" Kakashi fired back. Iruka didn't miss the whimper Itachi gave out.
"I'll show you how to suck properly! Copy it!" Kabuto answered back just as hotly before groans filled the room.
In the kitchen, Iruka busied himself in tossing the salad and putting the food in to their respective serving dishes. He gave the three outside about twenty minutes before stepping out of the kitchen to find Itachi sagged boneless on the floor and Kakashi on his side. Kabuto remained on his backside licking his lips and staring at the ceiling.
Iruka just smiled and went about fixing the table for dinner.
The three scrambled after him and minutes later they were sitting and having a perfectly good meal of curry, rice and iced chocolate cake.
An hour later, they were all naked in the large futon spread out in the fourth room. Iruka lay in the middle, with both Kakashi and Itachi pillowing their heads on his one shoulder and stomach while Kabuto lay on the other shoulder. Iruka's chest, arms and neck were littered with new bite marks and kiss-bruises. A quick glance at the watch told him that it was nearly two in the morning and he's still not sleepy.
Quietly, he moves one arm and fixes Kabuto's positioning so he's lying down properly on the pillow rather than his shoulder. Then, Iruka gently rouses Kakashi and Itachi and whispers to them quietly and in his loving tone to lie down properly. He made sure that all three were lying on the pillows and straight, rather than in odd angles. Itachi was sandwiched between Kabuto and Kakashi who were both curled against him. Iruka doesn't smile now, in the dark where no one sees him. He moves quietly and automatically; he pulled the blanket over them and made sure that the heater was on low to keep the three warm till morning.
He grabbed his clothes and pulled them on before leaving the room, the door closing with a light click.
At two in the morning, he started grading the papers again.
And he wonders, if life really entered his heart.
He fell asleep on his desk and woke up at sunrise. He only slept for three hours. At seven in the morning, Iruka made sure that he left breakfast on the table while the three were still asleep inside. Kakashi normally woke up at seven fifteen. He'd pick on Kabuto and probably sit on him till the younger man was awake and most probably will convince the medic to give him a morning suck. With the entire racket, Itachi will most definitely join them.
Before all that can even take place, Iruka left the house with a note on the dining table.
I'll be late tonight.
Don't wait for me.
Iruka.
He ate his breakfast in the Academy staff room. The coffee is bland and cheap compared to the one he had at home. But Iruka bares it and doesn't care.
It's just a drink.
-
That night, Iruka spent his evening filing reports. He apologized to Pakkun who tried to drag him home. He smiled at Kabuto who came by after his hospital shift and shook his head.
"No, Kabuto. I'm working tonight. Didn't you read my note?" Iruka asked, all the while smiling.
"I did, Iruka-nii. That's why I'm here." He said, eyes saddening behind round frames.
"Go home. Get rest. You know how behind I am in paper work. You three keep dragging me away from them. I'll try to finish early, I promise."
"You're not having dinner with us?" Kabuto asked.
"No." Iruka shook his head and offered Kabuto a reassuring smile. "Go home. Make sure those two stay away from natto."
Kabuto gave in after some time and nodded. "I'll wait for you Iruka-nii."
Iruka just smiled, waved and returned to work. His face remained passive as he automatically filed the papers, stamped the appropriate words and got rid of the boxes that weren't needed. Standard procedures called for standard actions.
Which was why when Kakashi gave up on Pakkun, he was trying to drag Iruka home. "It's eleven already!"
Iruka shook his head and ran his fingers against Kakashi's hair. He was the only one left in the building. "Kashi, if you care for my well being, you'll let me finish my work and not have Hokage-sama yell at me tomorrow for skiving again."
"I do care for you, Ruka! That's why I'm telling you to come home now!" Kakashi buried his face in Iruka's neck. "They're worried. Kabuto is not even being nice anymore."
Iruka sighed and gave Kakashi a warm embrace. "I know you mean well, Kakashi. But I can't keep putting work aside. I know you understand. The more you keep me from my work, the more late I'll come home."
"Ruka!"
"Look, just take care of those two while I'm gone okay? I promise to make it up once work load is off me. Really. " Iruka whispered.
"I don't want to be Mangekyoued when I get home." Kakashi added his dramatic whine to he whole ordeal.
Iruka can only chuckle. "Tell him I'll make it up. You know what I mean." Iruka leaned up and pressed his lips to Kakashi's temple. "I'll be fine."
"Come home soon okay?"
"I will."
When Kakashi left, Iruka went back to his work. By the time he did finish it was close to one in the morning. He didn't go home immediately. Instead, he sat and planned his lesson for the next day and designed the quiz paper he'd be giving the class. When he stepped in to the front door of his house, it was already two thirty. All the lights were off and Iruka didn't bother turning them on. He knew his own home and went about setting his things down systematically. He kept his clothes in the third room and changed in to it before heading for the fourth room to check on the three. All of them were lying down snuggled against each other. They were all busy people and Iruka understands that they're tired.
He sighs quietly and moves to close the door, until one of them sat up.
"Iruka?"
"Yes, Itachi?" Iruka asked softly, smile back in place.
Itachi glanced at the clock and rubbed at an eye. "Why are you so late?"
The answer came out effortlessly. "I had lots of work to finish."
"You're always working." Itachi grumbled.
Iruka remained at the doorway. "They need me."
"It's late. No one works at this time."
"There's no one else." Iruka shrugged.
"Did you eat yet?" Itachi asked, getting to his feet and coming to the door.
"Yes." Iruka lied. He didn't eat since breakfast that morning and he's not hungry at all.
"Will you come to bed now?" Itachi asked, taking Iruka's hand.
"I didn't want to wake you. Any of you." Iruka gave him an apologetic look.
"Come to bed now." Itachi kissed Iruka's chin and pulled him to the futon.
Iruka ended up holding Itachi with Kakashi spooned behind him. Sometime later on before dawn, Kabuto curled up and spooned himself against Kakashi. Iruka didn't leave them till they were all up. He felt it was only fair now. He had a mission waiting for him that afternoon and it will take him away for a few days.
It was only fair for them.
It was after all, normal.
-
"You ever thought of getting a kid?" His new teammate asked, mask down.
"Once. A long time ago. But I changed my mind." I reply.
"Naruto huh?"
"Yes. He's a son to me. I'm proud of him." I nod, fond memories of the young blonde flashing in my head.
"My kid passed away. Mission."
"I heard. And I'm sorry." I look at the ground. It's common for a child to die before their parents just like it is common for a parent to leave their child behind. I am no exception to this chain.
"I've dreamt of passing things on to him. He died bravely I'm told." My teammate looks at me and asks quietly. "You have things you want to pass on?"
"I do. I already did." I nod. "Naruto has a part of me."
"Ever thought of sharing your – you know – your life with someone?" He asked, genuinely concern because I see it in his eyes. "With anyone?"
"Once. No, twice." I reply, and I thought of Kabuto, my first real lover. Then Kakashi.
"What happened?"
I smile at him like I always do. "I realized that, everything I ever wanted to share already vanished. I have nothing more to share. It died a long time ago …"
That night, I saw pity directed at me.
But I keep smiling. "I'm fine. I'm all right … "
…
…
TTC