By: Selim
Summary: When the newlywed Iruka wants to adopt a child, he meets a discriminated boy named Naruto with a dark past. Can Iruka and Kakashi obtain a small family with the boy, or lose him back to the boys original parents..
Pairings: Kakashi x Iruka, Sasuke + Naruto
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
Information of this fiction: This is a slight AU. Though it has to do with Ninjas, has Kyuubi, and both Kakashi and Iruka are at designated jobs in the manga, some things are different. Instead of 25, Iruka is only 22, and Naruto is 9 along with all the other kids he grew up with in the manga. Beware of OOCness, because there are so many characters, and the amount of manga I've read only introduced a few.
Mou. Also, this isn't beta'd. My beta isn't a big Naruto fan, and is really busy to be checking my fanfiction at the time. Until she's got free time, or I fall out of this Naruto phase (whichever comes first) this fic won't be beta'd. I usually find big mistakes, but I'm still human when typing.
Answers to question(s):
Yukiko: I have a reason why Sasuke isn't being adopted; he's still with his parents (they're still alive…for now). I plan to use him later. He's a key role character, not background.
Kallipso: -I felt that you asked a reasonable question- I'm portraying the caretakers as the villagers since Naruto isn't on his own, as he is in the manga. The caretakers, however, won't be portrayed more until the next chapter.
The room was spotless, Iruka noted as he sat at the table across an empty chair. His perverted husband was on a mission that week with his recent team, so Iruka had decided to go through with his interview with Takanashi-san. The man had a late appointment with one of the children, which was reasonable to Iruka, but his nerves were shot and he fidgeted every so often his seat, listening to children run by the room, their voices echoing. Somehow, it reminded him of his academy years back after his parents died. When he'd do something wrong and one of his teachers wanted him to stay after class for a discussion. That fear that he'd be denied admittance was still there, only it wasn't to become a ninja this time. It was to become a father.
When he first brought up parenting with Kakashi, it had shocked the silver haired jounin, who had quickly learned that when Iruka suddenly jumped him after a mission and demanded sex continuously, the man wanted something. And Iruka did. After their third time, and Iruka was rubbing his hands over his lover's manhood, the dark haired instructor gazed lovingly at his goo of a husband and asked straight forward if they could adopt a child. At first, Kakashi had thought he didn't hear right, but from further questioning on why Iruka had asked such a question, Kakashi had bluntly said no.
Of course, stubbornness was in Iruka's bones. Since, obviously, sex didn't win automatically, he'd had to try other routes. For a week and a half, he removed sex from his social life. Of course, that didn't mean he didn't play horrible jokes on the jounin. From walking out of the bathroom draped in nothing but what he was born with, he shook his rear at the man sitting at the table. Each day, he began to worry that he wasn't going to live to see tomorrow. Or at least not upright. Kakashi was much stronger than he was, and the looks the older man gave him said more than just anger for being denied sexually. They gave strong lust, a lot stronger than passion. After a little while, Iruka cooled down, since the lack of sex was beginning to affect him as well.
Idea two was to beg for children. Of course, Kakashi didn't budge from the answer no. Everything else had failed, even logic. It took graduation night for Kakashi to cave in as he watched Iruka hug several of his students before they left his classroom, leaving the man in an empty classroom. No children, just himself (he didn't see the jounin watching him from outside). Finally, after he felt safe, he broke into tears. Kakashi had been there for him as he cried out why he so badly wanted a family. A husband was fine and dandy, but children would make living reasonable. Kakashi finally agreed. Though, he made no promises.
Iruka smirked. True to his word, Kakashi was making this as hard as possible. Their first day in the building had been proof that Kakashi was going to make no effort for this to come true, just back Iruka up. It didn't matter, when the time was right, Kakashi would get his act together and help out.
"Hatake-san?" Iruka glanced up as his husband's family name was addressed. It was hard to remember that it now was his, even though his older students still called him 'Umino-sensei'. Takanashi-san stepped into the room fully, shutting the door behind him. His arms were fully of folders, but he made no hint that this troubled him. "I'm sorry for my lateness. One of our children was having a behavior problem that needed to be counseled. I hope this hasn't troubled you?"
"Not at all." Iruka smiled nervously, expected his hands since he was unable to stare at the councilors face.
"Well, let's get on with this then. Relax, this is just so I can get to know you and will hold no effect to the privilege of adopting." He reassured, and Iruka nodded. "All right, I'll have a series of questions for you I'd like you to answer. If I touch a subject you'd rather not talk about, we'll move on, all right?" He asked, watching Iruka carefully, the dark-haired instructor nodded. "All right then, let's start with the first question. How would you consider yours and Hatake-san's relationship?"
Blushing, Iruka made eye contact with the man finally, staring into the pooling depths of the man's firm face. "Our relationship on what level? All together, we get along fine – no different than any other couple would act. Of course, I wouldn't consider us overzealous teenagers thinking they are in love." He pressed his fingers to his lips.
"How about we move the question a little further?" Takanashi-san twiddled his thumbs. "How long have you two known each other?" He smiled, Iruka relaxed.
Memories seemed to flood his mind, causing him to blush before regaining his proper hue. "I meet him during the demon attack, nine years ago. I so badly wanted to see my parents, make sure they were okay when the main fighting had just begun. I remember the screams so clearly, then someone grabbed me. I tried fighting this guy off me, he was so much stronger though. I remember being dumped into a cave, a little away from Konoha with other children, and I remembered the guy's dark eyes and silver hair. He told me to stay, but I didn't. I think he drug me back there at least three times before he knocked me unconscious." Iruka noticed the color drain from the other's face on the mention of the demon attack, but he brushed it aside. The man had asked. "Kakashi was the one that also told me my parents were dead. I hated him them. Called him a liar and went out to find them." His eyes widened when he realized he strayed from the original question, biting his lip, he faced the man again. "Nine years, I've known him for nine years."
Takanashi-san nodded, leaning his head into his hand. "That's a long time, to be a couple." He smiled, and Iruka quickly waved his hands.
"No! I was so vague, if that's what you meant. We've dated for three years, and he asked me to marry him a year ago. We had our union ceremony six months ago." Iruka felt his cheeks burn again, the third time in only a few minutes. If he and Kakashi had dated for nine years, he'd had been thirteen, and Kakashi only sixteen. Both only friends two years later when Iruka began to accept how things had turned out.
"Hm. Tell me about your childhood." The councilor smiled. "Y'know, where you grew up, your fondest memories."
Nodding, Iruka relaxed, letting memories flow. "I grew up here, in Konoha, born and breed. My dad was a ninja; I always idolized him for it. My mom was also, but she always took time off when I had something I wanted her or dad to do with me. She wanted me to grow up a good little boy, as did my dad. To understand values."
"They seem nice. Can you remember how your punishment was, and what you were ever punished for?"
Laughing, the teacher nodded. "Yes, Yes. I can remember. My dad was lenient, stood firmly on the whole belief that 'boys will be boys'. My mother never agreed to that though. I do remember a time when I was caught stealing. My dad's face was so red. Sure, every child has stolen before. They want to see if they can outsmart adults. I almost did, too bad I decided to celebrate my theft on the way home. I stole gum, cheap at the time. That didn't mean it was right, though. I didn't know. My dad was so furious, made me walk all the way back to the store, apologize. Then I was grounded for a week, had two weeks without dessert. It was horrible. Mom kept saying he was being too hard on me, that I'd learned my lesson. Didn't lessen the punishment though. I never stole again…"
"That's a reasonable away to punish your child upon thievery, and yes, children are prone to steal. How would you handle if the child you adopt stole something?"
Iruka stared up, frown taking over his face. "I'd probably do what my parents do. However, the reason may change. If he was on a mission by Hokage-sama to steal something, I wouldn't be too mad." He glanced at his hand, clenching it into a fist. "I've seen parents spank their children for wrong doing. It doesn't teach the child much. I know I've lost my temper over things my students have done. Harmless jokes that go too far on bad days."
"Would you ever hit them?" The dark haired councilor asked.
Shaking his head, Iruka gave a horrified look. "Gods! No! I've never even grown close to doing so either. Usually the more stubborn ones I use some ninjutsu on them, tie them up with chakra." He'd only done that six times, and the parents usually understood that he was dealing with nearly thirty students, and couldn't keep his eyes on one, it would get too out of hand.
The man only seemed to nod, and Iruka began to wonder if he was just taking up oxygen talking. "You seem fond of your career, Hatake-san." He suppressed a smile. "Why didn't you go into the Elite, or ANBU?" He watched as Iruka closed his eyes breathing deeply what seemed regret.
"My dad was an elite." He whispered after what seemed an eternity. "I wanted to be one, to live up to his reflection, but I couldn't. After my parent's death, I made wrong decisions. Acted like a class clown, did the wrong things to receive attention. I remember one of my teachers took me aside one day and gave me a stern talking to. 'Iruka,' he said, 'It's been two years. I know it's hard to live without your parents, but think of them for this moment. What would go through your father's head to find out his son is bottom of his class? Your mother would cry to know you needed to misbehave because you thought it's the only way to get noticed. If you want to be noticed, make something of yourself!' I remember those words fondly. Sure, Elite Jounin and ANBU are well known, but they can't get attached to anything in fear of death. Being a teacher, I'll be remembered for so much good. I can defend Konoha, but I can also proudly point, when I'm on my deathbed, and say 'I taught that boy!' The one who's Captain of the ANBU, or our next hokage. It's great pleasure knowing I'll have that." Iruka smiled, reflected on that conversation.
"Isn't Hatake-san," Takanashi-san referred back to Kakashi, "an Elite Jounin?"
"H-Hai," Iruka froze. "I know he is. Every time he has to go on a mission, it always flashes in my head that our last goodbye could be then. He always makes it worth my while, and leaves while I'm sleeping. He once left a rose on the pillow next to me, with a note that said that if I kept the rose alive, he'll come back alive." Iruka giggled. Kakashi could be a romantic fool without realizing it. "I know have a bouquet of roses. I'm planning on stating my own greenery on the balcony. Rose bushes in Konoha. Sounds nice to me."
Takanashi-san smirked, nodding as well to that thought. "That would be lovely." He stood up. "Hatake-san, I'd like to thank you for this talk. I've learned much about you. Let me assure you, if anyone deserves a child, it's you. I can understand your husband will be a bit more difficult to get answers from, but I won't let it reflect to anything." Iruka's face burst into brightness, knowing that Kakashi's ignorant behavior wasn't going to affect the decision. "Let me make you aware though. I'm not the final decision. You'll have the child in your care for about six months, under surveillance of social workers. I can't tell you when their visits will be, but I trust that things will be just fine. By the end of the term, you'll have a case meeting with the Hokage, allowing him to determine if you're suitable parents."
"Do you determine the social worker?" Iruka asked.
"Sadly, I do not. I can be of help though if you give me the social worker's name when the time comes. I know of several that will put their foot down and find any means to remove a child from adoptive parents or foster care if the parents are 'unique'." Iruka's mind went blank with that thought. He didn't want them to not allow him children just because he was with another male, or that said male was always on life threatening missions. "Anyway. Have you come down with a list of children you'd like to talk with?"
"Actually, I have." The instructor nodded, finally standing up. "The problem is that I didn't find any paperwork on him within the folder, as if he didn't exist. I saw him, here, but I didn't find his paperwork."
"Well," Takanashi-san scratched his chin, thinking for a minute. "That could be because the child has already been picked by a family and will be leaving shortly. This isn't an auction where the child goes to the highest bidder, but to whoever wants first. Which child is it, and I'll look into it."
"Naruto-san." Iruka noticed the grimace that met the man's facial structure. "He's a sweet boy, reminds me of myself growing up. Besides, I think he made a real impact on Kakashi."
Walking to the door, Takanashi opened it preparing to step out, probably for another meeting. "Naruto hasn't been decided if should be up for adoption. His parents still have full custody of him, but under the Forth Hokage orders, Naruto is to be in this environment where he can be…safe, in a sense. He's not safe with normal people, and wouldn't only be isolated if in public."
"Why is that?" Iruka glared at the councilor, his arms crossing. "I don't see anything wrong with the boy. He has great potential with his chakra, from what I could tell. Nobody is giving him a chance."
Takanashi growled lowly, his eyes narrowing to saucers. "Were you around nine years ago, that boy holds that demon inside him. If it weren't the Fourth Hokage's wish that Naruto be alive, I can assure you, he wouldn't be. For his own safety, as well as Konoha's, we must oblige with demands, keep him here until he's thirteen, then we plan to send him off far away. As far away from Konoha as possible."
Taking an even breath, Iruka spoke evenly. "What, then, are the chances to adopt him at all?"
"Adopting him would require permission from Hokage-sama, but it would still be under the same rules as any other adoptee. Since no one has bothered trying to adopt him, we never bothered to look into it. Since his parents have legal custody over him, they might fight you from adopting him as your own, which will cause the adoption to be more stressful than it is."
"Do his biological parents ever visit him?"
Takanashi-san shook his head negatively. "But that doesn't mean anything. Some parents in this situation throw a fit when they lose the child they didn't care for to begin with. Legal issues that take time, years. If you want Naruto so bad, I'll write out the information about him, but don't expect much. If Hokage-sama even permits this, it'll be a miracle." He left the room, leaving Iruka by himself. The information he'd just heard swarmed in his head, but that didn't change his mind. No, he spoke to the boy. The boy seemed pure hearted and innocent. His eyes didn't show any evil intentions. He still wanted the boy with all his heart.
"Hatake-san, here's the boy's information." A young woman entered the room with the crinkled paperwork, handing it to the man. She bit her lip and turned, leaving the man standing alone again, glancing over the scroll in his hands. So little was known about the boy, Iruka frowned, closing the scroll to take it home with him, his mind racing over what information had been given to him.
Naruto, age nine, blue eyes, blonde hair.
And that was all it read. No talents, No height, no weight, no information. No medical records. It was just a blank sheet with a few Kanji letters on it. Iruka couldn't help but want this boy more, to give the boy so much more than what he'd been given thus far in his life.