After a month of raising Mieko, Kakashi was beginning to struggle. She was a perfect child but only when he stays with her. She'll cry if he leaves her or when she wakes up and finds he's gone. He needed time to himself, raising a child is hard work, especially when that child is part tiger. He's gotten the cat part right, with the help of the Inuzuka clan he was able to get some knowledge of cat-like behaviour. He used to panic and think something was wrong when Mieko would sleep for hours on end, turns out that's just how cats are. He also found out that instead of baby food, Mieko could only be fed milk. Luckily the village had multitudes of wet-nurses who supplied breast milk for a reasonable charge. There were many Konoha Kunoichi who could not feed their child as they were on missions so they would hire babysitters who would breastfeed. It was a good job as the ladies would have a steady income that would allow them to be very comfortable until they chose to stop having children.
After another night of loud crying, he decided to find to someone who knew how to raise a human child. There were plenty of mothers in Konoha, he just felt weird about approaching them. The last time he did he didn't get to find anything out as the mother decided it was better to flirt with him and coo at the baby. Being a single father was a turn on for women, which was weird because he was 14 and they were older than 20.
As he was walking the streets with Mieko in his arms – she hates prams and he hates harnesses – he saw someone who may have been able to help "Mikoto" he said with relief.
The beautiful Uchiha matriarch turned to him and smiled "Kakashi, what a pleasant surprise!" in her arms was a chubby baby boy who was sleeping soundly. "I haven't seen you in quite a while" she looked down and gasped at the child in his arms "oh, this must be the famed Hatake baby I've heard so much about" she cooed at the sweet little girl "I see she hates to be in prams just as much a Sasuke does."
"Yes, you're quite right. I actually need your help with her actually."
"Of course Kakashi. To adopt a baby so young must be a difficult task, brave yes, but difficult. Follow me to the Uchiha compound and we can talk there, I need to feed Sasuke soon" he nodded and followed alongside her. "So, tell me, what do you need help with?"
"Mieko doesn't like to be put down. As soon as I do she cries loudly and doesn't stop until I pick her up. She sleeps all day as a tiger would but stays awake all night, especially when I need to sleep."
She hummed at him "yes, I can see the tiredness in your eyes. It is quite natural to not get any sleep the first year or so. Do you know when she was born?" She asked as she readjusted Sasuke in her arms.
"Doctor Hiroshi believes that she was born in May as her eyesight was still underdeveloped when he examined her. Since she is part feline she could only see light and shapes."
"So she was born two months before my Sasuke" Mikoto gave birth only two weeks ago, she had the body any pregnant woman would dream of. She had already trimmed the added weight and probably had no stretch marks either.
They arrived at the Uchiha compound and walked into the Matriarchs home. It was the largest and most prestigious of all the Uchiha's houses as her and her husband Fugaku were the leaders of the clan. Once they were settled in the lounge room Mikoto grabbed a blanket and covered her chest as she fed Sasuke. "Are you ok with me feeding Sasuke?"
"Of course, it is a natural part of life."
"Have you fed Mieko today?" she asked kindly only to wince.
"Are you alright?" Kakashi asked with concern.
"I'm perfectly fine, Sasuke likes to nibble, it doesn't hurt much as he only has gums but when he tugs it is a little painful."
"Of course, and to answer your question I fed her about an hour ago. She'll no doubt be hungry when she wakes."
"If you would like I can feed her? That is if she isn't formula fed."
"She can't handle formula, her cat side needs natural food or she gets sick." As though she had heard him speaking, Mieko woke up and grumbled as she fidgeted.
"Pass her here" Mikoto cooed gently, she loved children. They were a blessing that brightened anyone's day. Kakashi nodded and hesitantly passed his daughter over to the matriarch. She placed the baby under her blanket and made sure that the two babies were comfortable with being so close to each other. Luckily, neither cared about the other as food was more important. "Now, you were saying that she won't stop crying when you put her down?"
"Yes, she must like you though. She doesn't like anyone touching her." He showed Mieko to all his friends, Asuma Sarutobi, Might Guy – though he isn't really a friend – Yugato Nii and Kurenai Yūhi. They all took turns in holding Mieko and she wailed with every one of them. Mikoto must have a natural connection to children.
"What I have learnt from Itachi and Sasuke is that for the first year, to help with her sleeping alone, all you need to do is put her where she sleeps or even just beside you and rest a hand on her head or stroke her arm, so long as she knows that you are there then it will be fine. Soon enough she will be fine with sleeping alone. Is there anything else you may need help with?"
"No I don't believe so, I should probably be getting home soon, Mieko likes to sleep after she's fed."
"Oh, she can sleep here if you like? That way you can have some time to yourself."
Kakashi frowned "I don't…I don't know about that…" he said hesitantly, he didn't know about having her sleep here without him. He hasn't left her side since he first brought her home.
"Kakashi, you are a 14 year old boy who has so much of his life ahead of him. Why don't we see if she will sleep beside Sasuke, I've seen children with attachment issues sleep perfectly fine with another baby beside them."
"If it works then…perhaps it would be a good idea" he did want some time alone, even if it was to sleep for hours without interruption.
"Excellent" she used her teeth to move the blanket so the two kids were revealed. Kakashi tried not to blush when he saw her breasts. He grabbed Mieko and brought her to his arms whilst Mikoto covered herself. "If you follow me, they can sleep in my bed." They walked into the master bedroom and placed the two babies besides each other. They remained silent as they watched the two babies interact.
Two big black eyes slowly opened and stared into a pair of golden ones, he tilted his head to the right and watched as the thing in front of him did the same. He giggled which made the thing giggle too, he crawled closer to the strange thing that looked up at him. He brought his hand out and touched the weird things on top then touched the things on his head, it was the same. He then touched the thing that protruded from just below the golden, he had the same thing too. He continued this for several moments, his smile widening when he realised this thing was the same as him "Aga!" he cried happily.
"Igoo!" the thing cried back, they both giggled.
"Well, it seems they like each other" Kakashi commented with a soft smile.
"Aww, I don't even want to separate them" Mikoto cooed as she watched the two babies curl up with each other.
"Why not see what happens" Kakashi replied, Mikoto nodded and pulled the girl into her arms.
"Waa!" it wasn't the girl that began to cry but Sasuke which in turn made the girl cry, Mikoto smiled and placed the small girl back with Sasuke. They both fell asleep, curled up beside each other once again.
"It seems Sasuke liked Mieko, it will be difficult to take her away from him. Hopefully, Itachi will be home when we do." Mikoto turned to Kakashi "now off you go. Get some sleep and do whatever you need to do before picking her up."
"Are you sure you're fine to look after her?" Kakashi asked once more, he knew she would be fine but his worries wouldn't stop rushing over him.
"Yes, of course, she will be fine. I'll feed her again in another hour. Come back in 3 hours and she will be ready to go."
"Thank you Mikoto, I suppose I shall be off now" he smiled at her and said his goodbyes as he walked off. Sleep was definitely his first priority.