Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Chapter 2
Kakashi was exhausted. The mission had dragged on for three weeks instead of two. They had not anticipated the strength of the Daimyo's guards when they had planned their mission so it had taken a lot longer to assassinate the bastard. Thankfully there had been no casualties on his team, however; several of them, Kakashi included, were pretty banged up but they would live.
Jumping from roof to roof was not helping in his condition. Kakashi could feel his broken ribs from where one of the particularly nastier guards had landed a hard chakra infused kick. He knew he probably should go to the hospital but he needed to see his Ruka first and hold him. Being in ANBU had its repercussions. After each mission Kakashi craved human contact to distract him from the horrors and murders he had just committed. Even though it had been done for the village, he couldn't stop himself from feeling immense guilt after each mission.
Kakashi shivered slightly. Despite it being February, Konoha still retained its winter chill and the night air was cold. He was almost to his apartment when he heard it. A soft wailing was coming from the alley he had been just about to leap over. He wasn't sure if he should stop or not, after all it was almost three in the morning and he was so sleep exhausted it could just be his mind playing tricks on him. Kakashi could almost hear his boyfriend's voice in his ear, chastising him for leaving a child crying in a dark alleyway on this cold winter night. Sighing, Kakashi made his decision.
After leaping down into the dark and decrepit space, Kakashi began to search for the source of the high pitched bawls.
"Hello? Is anyone there?" Kakashi called, feeling like an idiot, "You can come out now, I won't hurt you."
Wow, that's exactly what any creep would say Kakashi mused, opting for a different tactic. He searched for any nearby chakra signatures and was surprised to feel a surprising amount of chakra emanating from the end of the alley. Approaching the end, Kakashi uncovered his Sharingan so he could see in the limited lighting, he also wanted it uncovered incase this was all a trap.
A small box lay beside one of the dumpsters, the wailing had increased in volume the closer the ANBU got to it. Kakashi suddenly gasped, it was a baby! While Kakashi knew absolutely nothing about babies he knew that normal people definitely didn't dump their child in some random alley beside the dumpster.
Crouching down, Kakashi carefully opened the box more to peer inside. A small blonde baby was crying inside, he wore only a ratty diaper and no blanket or source of warmth to fit off the evening chill.
It was too dark to properly assess the baby's condition and Kakashi didn't want to just leave him there. Should he take it to the hospital? If he took it to the hospital than Kakashi knew the nurses were bound to strap him down and put him through many painful procedures to fix his own wounds. Kakashi planned to see Sandiame tomorrow morning, well technically today, to give his report and then he would fix his ribs. He also couldn't just leave the baby here where some wild animal could get to it.
Making up his mind, Kakashi reached in the box and scooped the baby out, awkwardly cradling him against his chest. Iruka was good with kid's right? He hoped his boyfriend wouldn't mind the temporary addition to their unconventional family.
The baby instantly quieted down and gazed up at Kakashi with the bluest eyes he had ever seen. They reminded him so much of his late sensei, it made his heart ache. The strange whisker shaped marks puzzled Kakashi but he decided he would investigate them later.
Thankfully his apartment wasn't too far away from where he was so it only took his another ten minutes of very delicate roof hopping to reach it. The baby seemed to enjoy the ride because it had giggled the whole way.
Kakashi quickly dismantled all the traps, praising himself for being able to make seals with a baby in his arms, and climbed through the bedroom window. He could have used the front door but he didn't want to risk anyone seeing him in his ANBU uniform even if it was three a.m.
Iruka was sprawled across the bed, nestled up onto Kakashi's side of the bed. The gentle rise and fall of his chest indicated he was in deep sleep. Kakashi normally would have chastised his boyfriend for not noticing another presence in the room, but the dark circles under the chunins eyes showed Kakashi that his dolphin was clearly exhausted. It made Kakashi feel a little guilty about having to wake him up.
"Iruka," Kakashi called softly, "wake up." He settled on the bed beside the sleeping brunet and ran his spare hand through the soft brown locks.
"Mmmm," Iruka mumbled lazily opening an eye. He sat upright in a second, kunai in hand, at the intruder.
"Maaa babe what a welcome," Kakashi grinned.
"Kakashi!" Iruka gasped, dropping the kunai in embarrassment, "You're back!" Iruka tried to throw his arms around the older man but was stopped quickly.
"Wait, wait, Ruka," Kakashi began, "I was on my way home when I heard something from an alley…" He shifted his arms to show Iruka the baby nestled against his chest. Iruka gasped soflty and reached a hand out tentatively to touch the baby's matted hair, "What happened?"
Kakashi relayed his story to his boyfriend, watching as tears pooled into his eyes at the baby's apparent abandonment.
Iruka gasped reaching out a shaking hand to stroke the soft golden hairs on the baby's scalp, "is it a boy or a girl?"
"Maa.." Kakashi chuckled, "I didn't really check." The baby gurgled up at them, giving them a gummy smile. Iruka's heart melted for the baby, who could just desert a child like that?
"Well he or she needs a bath and a fresh diaper!" Iruka cooed, scooping the baby out of Kakashi's arms. His lover had gone from boyfriend mode to doting sensei mode. Iruka slid out of the warm bed with the baby and headed to the kitchen. He was suddenly thankful for all those babysitting missions he had as a genin.
Kakashi trailed behind his brunet, watching as he filled up the sink with water and checked the temperature.
"Kashi can you grab me some soap and a towel?" Iruka said, gently setting the baby down on the counter. Kakashi quickly retrieved the items and wordlessly handed them over to the dolphin.
Iruka gently laid the baby down on the counter and tried to pull of its diaper. The baby soon began to wail. The diaper had clearly been on for two long and it had dried against the babys skin. Iruka and Kakashi were horrified. Who could do this to a child?
"Shhhh," Iruka soothed as he eventually worked the diaper off. Angry red welts were the diaper had once been glared up at the couple.
"Well at least we know it's a boy," Kakashi said, running his hand up and down his seething boyfriends back.
"I'm seeing Sandiame about this tomorrow!" Iruka said through gritted teeth, "Whoever did this should be punished!"
The baby's cries had turned into soft hiccups as he watched the older man console the other above him. Iruka turned back to the little boy and picked him up to put him in the sink.
"It's good he can support his own head," Iruka mused, "I'm guessing he's probably four or five months." The baby giggled and slapped the water with his little hands. Obviously enjoying the strange substance. Iruka gathered a small amount of soap in his hands and began to gently rub the dirt and grime from the baby's hair and body.
"Kashi could you take over here while I look for something we can use for a diaper?" Iruka asked, turning to the silver man who was watching the procession silently.
"Of course." Kakashi said, lathering his own hands up with soap.
Iruka leaned up and pressed their lips together, "I forgot to tell you earlier, I'm so glad your back!" Kakashi smiled at the brunet and rubbed their noses together, "I'm glad I'm back too."
Iruka rummaged through their bathroom cabinets to find something he could use for a makeshift diaper, he would have to go to the store in the morning to fit the baby boy with a proper diaper before they went to the Hokage.
"Aha!" Iruka exclaimed triumphantly, he found a large piece of soft cloth and some clothes pins he could use to pin it together. Iruka didn't have anything to put on the baby's rash. He was afraid that the ointments he and Kakashi used would be too strong for such a sensitive area on the baby.
Iruka returned to the kitchen with his findings and smiled softly at the site of his boyfriend chuckling as the baby splashed about in their small sink. The baby looked completely different now that he was clean, underneath the layer of grime his skin was a nice peachy color and his hair was so blond it reminded Iruka of the sun. The baby squeaked when he saw Iruka walk back in. His hands reached out and made grabbing motions towards the brunet.
"You're all nice and clean now cutie!" Iruka cooed, spreading out the towel Kakashi had brought earlier for the baby. Kakashi, taking Iruka's towel que, scooped the baby out of the dirty water and laid him on the fluffy towel. He couldn't help but wince at the searing pain through his ribs when he lifted the small baby.
"Kashi! You're hurt!" Iruka gushed, "Why didn't you tell me?!"
"Maa I'm fine Ru," Kakashi replied, "Let's get him cleaned up first."
Iruka bit his lip apprehensively but still turned back to the task at hand, "We don't have any ointment or baby powder to put on him but I'll go in the morning to get stuff before we see Sandiame."
"Ok," Kakashi replied, watching as Iruka clasped the makeshift diaper on the baby, "You're really good at that."
Iruka chuckled, "My team and I used to take tons of babysitting missions and I was always stuck with diaper duty. I suppose it's finally coming in handy now." Iruka blew a quick raspberry on the little tan belly, causing the blonde to erupt into giggles. Iruka swaddled the baby up in a dry towel, Kakashi had brought two towels over, and stroked his cheek.
"We don't have any formula either but the bath should help him fall asleep soon." Sure enough, the babys eyes were beginning to shut slowly.
"Your turn," Iruka said, turning to his stubborn boyfriend, "Why didn't you say you were hurt? What happened on the mission? Or is it confidential?"
Kakashi was used to Iruka's countless questions after each mission, "I'm fine. The mission was a success, I'll tell you about it after I turn in my report. I got a well-placed kick to the ribs so they might be broken."
"Baka!" Iruka gasped, "You shouldn't be standing! Sit down and I'll try to heal them!" After dealing with several pre-genin Iruka was well able to heal minor breaks and burns.
Kakashi slid off his uniform, he had forgotten he was still wearing it, and allowed Iruka to pump chakra into his chest. The cuts closed up and the bruising lessened. After a few moments, Iruka stepped back, "That's the best I can do for now, I set the bones but you still need to see a proper medic nin tomorrow!"
"Thanks love," Kakashi said, leaning down to brush his lips against Iruka's. His ribs hurt considerably less at the movement, just a slight twinge.
Kakashi glanced appreciatively at the boxers that hung low off of Iruka's tanned hips. He wanted nothing more than to drag his brunet into their bedroom and show him how much he had missed him. Their relationship had recently turned intimate so Kakashi knew his brunet was still tentative towards certain things.
Kakashi wrapped his arms around Irukas torso and nuzzled the dusky skin, "I want you.." he mumbled against the warmth.
A small blush flashed across Iruka's scarred face, "Kashi we have to look after the baby."
"Please? I really need you.."
Iruka sighed, he knew Kakashi became more needy after bad missions so who was he to deny his lover, "tomorrow I promise. Let's get this figured out with Sandiame first."
Kakashi smiled and pecked the soft stomach. He could live with that compromise.
Iruka turned around to scoop up the drowsy baby. He wasn't sure where they would let him sleep tonight because they didn't have anything crib-like in their apartment.
"We can put him in our bed with cushions around him," Iruka suggested. He knew it would be a really tight fit with the three of them in the small bed but they would have to make it work.
Kakashi nodded and followed Iruka into the bedroom. Iruka laid the baby on the right side of the bed and gathered a nest of spare pillows around him to stop him from rolling off.
"This'll have to do until tomorrow," Iruka said, smiling as he watched the gentle rise and fall of the slumbering baby's chest.
"Maa I'm gonna take a quick shower love," Kakashi said, "get some sleep."
Iruka nodded softly. Kakashi gave him one last kiss before retreating into the bathroom. The brunet slid into bed carefully beside the slumbering baby. He smiled as he traced his finger across the baby's button nose, before settling back down into the blankets as sleep claimed him.