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. I am using a beta (THANK YOU MAYHEM!).
Note; you guys will know when the fic is
Thanks for reviewing: (FF) LynnGryphon, Fullmoonhowler, IceNight009, Coldplayer, IlluminatedShadow, Narasha-Leona, Chewy-Chan, Ankotenshi, Crysania Fay, AnonGirl88, ERM, Alaskantiger, AmaneRose, FXL, KuroKioku, Nesssachiel, BlackMoon13, L'Arc-En-Ciel, Ryou-La-Lune, Silver Fox aka Vash(AFF) Inoku, Briryan, Inuyashaismine, and Deathsangel
Someone was outside his window. Kakashi opened both eyes, his red one darkening to scan the area outside for the potential enemy. At first, he'd thought it was just Naruto, running around the house in his pajamas while trying to be quiet so the adults could sleep. He dismissed this idea when the noticed the chakra strain outside his window. Involuntarily, his hold on Iruka tightened.
"Humph…" Iruka mumbled in his sleep, wiggling to free himself out of Kakashi's hold. "Not now, Kaka-chan." He whispered, using Kakashi's pet name affectionately. The jounin relented his hold around Iruka's waist, pulling out of bed. "What is it-?"
Pressing his finger firmly against Iruka's lips, silencing the man quickly, Kakashi pulled himself out of bed. Without bothering to put on his facemask or his hitai-ate he approached the bedroom window and with a 'poof' he vanished. In shock, Iruka rushed out of bed and towards the window, throwing it open in time for Kakashi to fall into the room with a body under him. One was joyously happy, though Kakashi didn't seem happy in the least. "Gai-san! Kakashi!" Iruka yelled, startled.
"Much apologies for dropping in this early, Iruka-san! I heard the joyous news of your adoption being a huge success and had to come see the newest member of your small family! Seeing Kakashi was also a plus. We thought we'd never see him again. He's always off doing this, or off doing that for the hokage. I thought I was going to have to get a new rival!"
Releasing his hold on the cheerful man, Kakashi stood up, brushing imaginary dust from his shoulders as Iruka walked towards him with his hitai-ate and mask. Pink sketched over Iruka's face as he kissed his husband's nose while putting on the man's face wear. "Kaka-chan, could you go wake Naruto up and get him ready. I'm going to start breakfast. Would you like to join us, Gai-san?" He smiled at the green clad jounin instructor.
"Yes I would! But first -! My rival! Where is that son of yours?" He took off out the door.
"Gai-san! Please wait!" Iruka yelled. "Kakashi… Please, I don't…"
Giving the academy teacher a peck on the lips, Kakashi pulled on his own mask. "I'll go get Naruto ready for the day, you just fend Gai away with food." With a smile, Kakashi walked out the door towards their adoptive child's (a word that slithered off his back due to the freshness of use) room. Iruka walked past him as he stood outside, anticipating on how to wake the child up, calmly listening to Gai and Iruka talk inside the kitchen about what both had been up too since they had last met. Finally Kakashi opened the bedroom door and stared inside.
Iruka had gone into a cleaning spree when they first heard the news that they could take Naruto home. The bedding bought had a blue spread and white pillows that matched the white carpet on the floor. Beige walls were decorated with random pictures, from silly animals that they'd found in stores, to wall decorations that children were said to love. Around Naruto's bed, taped up flimsily was all the boy's artwork.
What shocked Kakashi was that the bed itself was bare from any lumps of human flesh hiding under blankets. Sheets lay disarrayed from being tucked under the night before, but no human form was under them. Blankets slid out from under the bed and finally a figure moved. A tiny hand escaped from the blanket under the bed before sliding back in. Then a foot moved out before sliding back under. The only sign that Kakashi was given that the small boy was sleeping peacefully was the small
Bending to his knees, Kakashi lifted the blanket high enough to stare at the round face of a little boy clutching a fox to his chest. "Naruto, time to get up." He spoke loud enough for the boy to hear him. Still, the boy didn't move to wake up, only tensed and clutched his stuff animal close. "Naruto, you need to get up, we have guest that want to meet you." Kakashi reached under to pull the boy out, but when his hand met the boy's arm chakra flared. Naruto's eyes flashed open, narrow and red.
Breathing that was once even became rushed before relaxing. Everything relaxed but the glare of red eyes that seemed to analyze the jounin before turning. "Pathetic human, don't touch me." A very-non-Naruto voice whispered before crawling out from under the bed. Naruto sat still, red eyes glaring at the door.
"Kakashi, is something wrong in there?" Iruka's voice echoed through the apartment and the door opened. Kakashi didn't stop watching Naruto as the red eyes became large and blue and with a flash, the child clung to the other parent's leg, staring up with aspiration. "Good morning, Naruto. Why don't you get dressed and make your bed then come join us for some breakfast?"
"What's for breakfast, Iruka-san?" Naruto asked, enthused.
"I made some miso soup with rice. Now go get dressed and make your bed." Iruka smirked, grabbing onto Kakashi's arm. "Stop your friend, he's insisting I'm putting on weight and should do two hundred laps around Konoha." He led the lazy jounin into the kitchen.
"You exercise every night with me…just horizontally and below sheets." Kakashi spoke up, loud enough for Gai to hear. With red ears, Iruka turned and was about to slap Kakashi only to have his hand grabbed and his lips captured in a kiss. "You're so cute when your angry and embarrassed." Kakashi smirked, pulling his mask back over his lips.
With a glare, Iruka walked past the elite ninja. "You'd think with how many times he steals kisses, Gai-san, he'd completely rid himself of that stupid mask." The fellow ninja nodded with a smile. "Breakfast is done, Gai, we're just waiting for Naruto." He explained, setting up plates for breakfast. "Kakashi, what did you do for Naruto to raise his chakra like that?"
Jokes aside, Kakashi sat down at the table. "Absolutely nothing. He was sleeping under the bed – which we should look into, that isn't normal – so I reached under to wake him up. When my hand touched him, Kyuubi was startled awake instead. I believe the damn fox was expecting something because he relaxed when he took in the surroundings. Fell back asleep when you walked into the room. I'm going to stop by with the Hokage to see if he could check the seal. Kyuubi shouldn't be able to escape as he has the last two days."
With a hesitant nod, Iruka looked back at the food asking Kakashi to bring the dishes back over one-by-one so they could be filled. "The Kyuubi, my rival? Quite the challenge you've taken." Gai spoke up. The two nodded.
"Food!" Naruto yelled, running into the kitchen in his new clothes. His bare feet slipped on the wood causing him to tumble, but he quickly picked himself and ran towards the table. "Can I eat?" He asked brightly.
"That's why it's there." Iruka smiled. "Just wait until we get the table completely set, all right?" With another nod Iruka set into making the fourth dish. "Naruto-kun, why were you sleeping under your bed? Is it not comfortable?"
"It was comfortable, real comfortable! I just don't sleep in the bed anymore. When I did, people use to try to hurt me with pillows and stuff. I remember once being dragged off my bed by my ear by Karina-sama because I didn't wake up when she told me to, so my c-conscious," the boy tried to pronounce the word but chose the wrong one, "told me to sleep under the bed."
"Conscience." Iruka fixed up his wording, Naruto nodded. "What do you mean…a conscience? Like two creatures on your shoulder that talk?" He set the example based on cartoons he'd seen on television, even when he was growing up.
"No. Only one. In my mind," Naruto smiled. "He talks to me, my c-conscience," he fixed his word, "but won't give me his name. He tells me where it's safe to go, and that I'm a good boy even when people say I've done bad things. He protects me like a conscience should!" The child nodded as everyone sat at the table. "Thanks for this food," he said with everyone else before beginning to eat.
Kakashi glanced the boy over while shoveling some rice into his mouth. "Oh? You don't need to worry about that here, Naruto." The small boy nodded, putting his bowl down that once had miso soup in it.
"Yum! You're a really good cook, Iruka-san!" Naruto smiled brightly at the teacher, causing a deeper blush to etch over the Chuunin's face. As if Kakashi's hand that suddenly slithered up his thigh wasn't bad enough! "Who are you?" He finally asked, looking over to the green clad, bowl cut, man.
"I am Gai Maito!" He pointed towards himself. "Archrival to master Kakashi!"
"Really?" Naruto shouted in awe. "Who's stronger?"
"I am!" Both Kakashi and Gai said at the same time. Iruka laughed. It was Gai that continued smirking as Kakashi slammed his palms on the table, glaring darkly at the other jounin. He was ready to jump the man and show him just who was stronger, but a hand on his elbow stopped him from doing such. With a backwards glance at the smiling Iruka, Kakashi sat down, glaring at the food before getting up. "I need to see the hokage, anyway. I'll be back later."
"I shall come with you!" Gai stood, following Kakashi outside. Naruto laid his head onto his shoulder with confusion as Iruka shook his head.
Note to self: Never let Gai-san baby-sit Naruto. Iruka mused, picking up dirty dishes. "Let's clean up before they get home."
"What are we going to do today, Iruka-san?" Naruto asked, picking up rice bowls.
Filling the sink up with water, Iruka thought about that. "Might as well head over to the academy and get you applied for the next semester. I need to drop off this weeks lesson plan to Anko-san. I still can't believe she agreed to take care of a bunch of pre-genin for this week…" Iruka whispered in astonishment before a mischievous grin took over his face but he didn't say anymore. The two stood at the sink in silence, cleaning the dishes before Iruka spoke out. "Let's go now, Naruto. Let them dry some by the time we get back."
With a nod, Naruto followed after the adult.
"Sit out here, Naruto. I'll be right back." Iruka held onto a number of papers he'd collected from several people upon entering the academy. The papers ranged from mission reports that needed to be dropped off to assignments that needed to be passed around. He tried to deny helping the people, but their pleading had won and he found himself dragging Naruto around on errands. The blonde seemed less than thrilled to have to do the boring work, but didn't verbally say anything in fear of disappointing his adoptive parents – something Kakashi and Iruka knew they were going to have to work through with the boy.
Entering the class room, he was greeted with Anko's yelling for silence, but the children only seemed to get louder as if they were mocking what lack of control she had. Feeling pity for her (since it was only her first day taking care of Pre-Genins at the academy) Iruka made his presence known with a sharp yell of "Quiet!" The room fell dead silent, all the student's eyes falling onto their real teacher. "Hey, Anko-san. This is the lesson plan for this week. I will be back by Wednesday."
"Thanks, Iruka." Anko smiled, putting the papers on the desks that Iruka handed her. "Did you get that child you were after – Naruto?"
Nodding, Iruka couldn't hold back the grin of achievement. "Yah. He's outside the classroom right now. We're going to see the Hokage after this, see if he can put Naruto in the roster next semester for the eight-to-nine year old's class. Is there anything you need before I leave."
"Hardly!" Anko bit back a laugh. "By the time this weeks over, you won't even know whose students these kids are!"
Opening the door to his classroom, Iruka laughed at her antics. "I'll hold you to that Anko-san!" He left the room, shutting the door behind you. "Let's go…Naruto?" He turned the hall, looking for the blonde haired boy, only to find nothing. The hall seemed bare and quiet, all students inside the classrooms being taught by Chuunin teachers. Naruto, however, was also not in the hall where he'd been left. Iruka panicked.
This had to be the first time he lost his charge, ever. Usually he was very good at keeping track of important things and persons – which was why he was placed at the missions' desk, taking up mission reports. He could remember who had and had not turned in their report and usually caught up with them to give it to him before they were due. This - This wasn't a mission report, this was his child! "Naruto!" He called again.
The boy couldn't have gotten too far, Iruka decided. He had only spoke with Anko for a minute so he should still be in the building. Of course, this was a child who seemed to have limitless childlike energy given to running around, based on how the boy acted the night before. "Naruto!" The Chuunin walked down the hall, looking in all directions, niches, and other various areas.
After ten minutes of searching the school, Iruka was hyperventilating. He'd checked into every classroom and found Naruto nowhere. He was beginning to worry that someone that had fought Kyuubi nine years before had sensed the boy's chakra and lured the curious boy away. Maybe Naruto was lying dead outside! Iruka paled. "Naruto!" He turned and ran outside, a place he had yet to check.
With a brush down the stairs, he all but threw himself out the doors, taking in the surroundings outside. The courtyard for the academy was used mostly for graduation on nice days and training of the younger students for shuriken use. The courtyard was in use at that moment. Several small children were sitting around; watching and listening to their teacher explain to her example student how to hold a shuriken.
Glancing over the children, Iruka passed on the many blondes that sat there being they weren't the one he was looking for. Instead, the one he was looking for was with the teacher, his tiny hands wrapped around the shuriken, confirming if his footing was right to throw it. With a nod, Naruto tossed the shuriken, barely glazing the target placed out for them. With a groan, he turned around and sat with the children as another one ran up to try, barely doing any better.
Iruka didn't move, calming himself down as Naruto turned his head to talk to the boy next to him. The boy, a young black haired child with the Uchiha crest on his back, smiled at Naruto's comments before turning his head forward with a wise crack about Naruto's lack of control as his name was called to throw the shuriken.
Deciding it was time to get Naruto's attention, Iruka walked towards the boy, sitting beside him carefully. "You scared me Naruto. Didn't I say to wait outside the classroom?"
With a gasp, Naruto jerked to stare at his father. "Iruka-san! Don't sneak up on me like that!"
"I'm a ninja, stealth is what I'm suppose to do." Iruka joked.
"Oh." Naruto blushed, watching the dark haired boy throw the shuriken directly into the target's center. "I was waiting!" He whispered sharply as the teacher started talking, he didn't say anymore after that as he listened closely to what the teacher was saying before she continued taking students up to continue shuriken throwing. The dark haired boy walked back towards Naruto, smirking proudly about himself. "You're so cool, Sasuke-san!" Naruto cried out.
"My brother taught me that!" Sasuke smiled proudly.
Iruka watched the two carefully as they spoke, quickly realizing that the boy was the youngest of the Uchiha family. He didn't pull Naruto away though, so they could leave. The child was having so much fun making friends.
"Iruka-sensei! I thought you were on a small vacation!" A laughing voice broke his thoughts away from the two boys. Glancing up, Iruka smiled politely at the teacher who had earlier been teaching the children shuriken use.
"I am still, it's just… I stopped to drop Anko-san some paperwork and lesson plans and ended up losing him. I'm sorry if he's hassled you any, Hikari-sensei." Iruka stood up, brushing himself off. Naruto followed, playfully doing the same as Iruka had.
Hikari placed her fingers against her lips, a surprised look capturing her face. "Oh! I thought he was waiting outside the classroom for a brother or something. I didn't think it was right to leave him there for another two hours, so I brought him along with my class."
"It's okay." Iruka smiled. "He'll probably be a student of yours next semester anyway, now he knows what to expect in this school."
With a smile, Hikari patted Naruto on the head. "Well, I'll see you next Monday than, Naruto." She then turned around to continue her teachings – as soon as she got them under control again. With the conversation over, Iruka took Naruto's hand after the boy waved goodbye to Sasuke.
"Let's get you signed up for classes then. I know of a nice little place we can go eat lunch at after this. Do you like ramen?" Iruka asked cheerfully.
With an enthusiastic jump, Naruto cheered loudly. "I love ramen!"