Hatake-san

Hatake-san...?" The voice was gentle, yet commanding. Kakashi wondered where it came from.
"Hatake-san!" Still Kakashi ignored it. Something far more important had his complete and undivided attention.
"Hatake, at least wrap him in the towel; he'll get cold!" He obeyed this order automatically. His brain had stopped functioning properly since it had been placed in his arms.

This...brand-new person.

Obito laughed at him, saying that the thing he was having the most trouble understanding was that this was a human being.

Not an obscure entity that came to take his Iruka away from him.
Not an abstract idea to understand.
Not an invading alien.
Not a miniature copy of himself.

A human being. A naked, bald, wet, screaming and confused human being. He wrapped the towel around the tiny body very gently. He'd never been so scared of dropping something in his entire life. There seemed to be a sharp contrast between his scarred and calloused hands and the baby's soft skin, even if it was a little bloody. The child continued crying loudly.

Suddenly, he felt a pang of anxiety. He remembered how the relationship with his own father had been. The fear resurfaced. What if he doesn't like me? What if I'm not a good father? I don't know anything about him, his personality, his likes, dislikes!
But reassurance flooded into his mind when a gentle hand touched his arm. He knew the owner of the hand was his chuunin. Iruka will be there with me. It is possible that we will have some fights, some disagreements. But with Iruka by my side, everything will be all right in the end...

He carefully hugged the small body to his chest. For some reason, he loved Iruka more than ever right at this moment. He noticed that the child had opened his eyes, and could not hold back a smile. He was starting to love this kid too, though it would take time for them to get to know each other.

Huh, about fifteen years! Obito said mockingly. Kakashi ignored him. He handed the baby to the doctor.
"He's a healthy child. Three kilos!" She measured his height and weight and made notes on her clippad. A sigh from the bed reminded Kakashi that he'd completely forgotten Natsume.

"Er...are you all right? You almost broke my hand there, so it must have hurt a lot...You did wonderfully, by the way."
She smiled tiredly. "He's officially yours, Kakashi. All I want now is some rest..." Her smile became broader. "And just think...in a few weeks...I'll be able to fit into my college pants again!"
"That's nice..." The jounin answered absently; he wasn't really listening.

Iruka felt himself shaking. Kami, he was so close to tears that his vision was blurry. My son, my child...mine and Kakashi's...I'm so happy...

Just then, he felt a pair of strong arms enveloping him. He buried his face in his lover's shoulder. "Kashi...I love you so much..."

He felt the hug getting tighter. "Me too..."

"All right! We're home; aren't you excited? This is where you'll be spending your childhood! Let's have a tour."

"Seriously Iru-kun, we need a name for him. How long do you think we can keep up calling him 'you'?"

"Maa, maa, when it comes to that, you're more indecisive than me, you've got no right to complain."

"That's true..." Kakashi chuckled and kissed his beaming lover on the forehead. Iruka's enthusiasm was contagious, and he followed his dolphin as he toured the house with the 48-hour-old baby in his arms.

"This used to be the study, but now it's your room. See the crib there? Daddy Kashi made it for you! Isn't he amazing?"

The jounin playfully poked Iruka at the last comment, but he kept on smiling. He set down the baby seat on the floor and looked around. He was amazed that they had managed to get everything they needed without buying anything new.

Not that he hadn't been willing to spend, but he and Iruka hated seeing things going to waste. Most of the mothers of Iruka's students had single-child families, so they had a ton of hardly-used baby clothes and accessories to give away. The only brand-new things they had were the diapers and the pacifier, now neatly put away in the dresser.

"And we're back to this room, where Daddy Kashi seems to be daydreaming." Kakashi turned around. Iruka was smiling at him, making their son wave his arm. He cracked a smile too.

"Come here, both of you."

He wrapped one arm around Iruka and took the child in the other and held them both tightly. He let out a deep breath. He was home. He had Iruka in his arms. Now he even had son. For the first time he felt complete.

Iruka let the hug to go on as long as his arms would allow before cramping. "Let's go to bed." Kakashi started to move towards the crib, but Iruka stopped him and took the baby. He walked into the bedroom, put the kid in the center of the bed and changed into his pajamas.

Kakashi walked in right after him. "What are you doing?" He sounded confused, not scolding. "He has his own crib, why did you bring him here? And the changing table is in the other room, too."
"He's sleeping with us."
"Whaa? But...but I'll turn over and smother him, Iruka!"
"Maa, you won't. Sometimes you turn over and squish me for a second, but then you sense you're on something uneven and turn again without even waking up."
"Are you sure...?"
"He's not that tiny." He smiled. "He'll cry if he's uncomfortable, so don't worry."

Still a bit unsure, Kakashi took off his shirt and slipped on his pajama pants beofre before slipping under the covers. The baby turned unfocused eyes on him. The jounin caressed the soft cheek gently.
"Let me guess, is this so he can get used to us?"
"Partly. It's also because we have to get used to him."
"Maa, we both like him already."

Iruka lay down on the other side of the bed, the child between them. Both lovers smiled at the same time. "I love you two."

Kakashi felt a tugging in his neck. "No, don't put that in your mouth, it tastes icky!" He did his best to gently remove his dog tag from the child's mouth.

"Hey, Kashi! Asuma and Kurenai are here!" Iruka called from the front door.

Kakashi bounced his son on his hip. "Look sharp! We have guests."

Kurenai's first reaction upon seeing the baby was a squeal. "He's the cutest thing in the world!"

"I know!"

"He's so tiny!"

"He's adorable!"

The copy-nin sat down smiling next to Asuma, while his spouse and the kunoichi fawned over his confused-looking son.

"Congratulations, Kakashi; he looks just like you."

"You're just saying that; right now he doesn't look like anybody."

"Fine, but I would bet this week's wages that he turns out with your face, at the least."

"Hmmm..."

The older jounin chewed his unlit cigarette. "You know, I was worried at first."

"About what?"

"About you. You don't look exactly like a family man...and you were so happy just with Iruka-sensei...I dunno, I feared this would end badly... But now I'm glad to see you so happy."

"Thank you, Asuma. I feared so too, actually...but with Iruka at my side, I could do anything."

The chain-smoker gave him a knowing smile. "I know what you mean; I feel the same about my Kuren--"

"Hey, Asuma, hold him while I take a picture!" The infant was suddenly placed on the jounin's lap.

The man almost panicked. "Kurenai, what am I supposed to do with this??"

She laughed. "Just make sure he doesn't fall off. C'mon, he won't bite!" She fumbled in her bag for a camera.

Asuma, meanwhile, looked as if he feared that biting was just the thing Kakashi's son was likely to do and didn't move. The kid ignored him and continued chewing on the ear of the small stuffed cat Kurenai had bought him.

"Oh, and what's his name?" the kunoichi asked as she focused the lens and clicked, capturing her husband's bemused expression.

"Kashi and I are still debating about it. We've narrowed it down to two options: Kasuma or Shinji."

"Really? I like Shinji better; it's cuter."

The bearded man cleared his throat. "Kasuma? Is that a sort of anagram for Sakumo?"

Kakashi smiled and scratched his nose. "Sharp as ever, my friend."

"Then I would agree with giving him such an honorable name."

Iruka took the child and placed it between his crossed legs. "See, Kashi? Even they have a fifty-fifty opinion on this. Maybe we should toss a coin."

"Maa, let's wait another week."

"And what did Naruto have to say, Kakashi? He's your student, and he's also fond of Iruka; he's bound to have an opinion."

"I'm afraid that Naruto II or Uzumaki Jr. were not part of the definitive list, even if he suggests it a few hundred times every time he comes over," responded the copy-nin tiredly. Asuma and Kurenai laughed good-humoredly.

"And Gai?" Kurenai twirled a pacifier between her fingers.

Iruka chuckled nervously. "He made a list, too."

"Really?" Asuma turned around to face the other jounin, who was pressing his fingers against the bridge of his nose. He smiled. "I guess, it was full of his usual Gai-ness."

"You wouldn't know..." Kakashi mumbled.

He had a flashback of the events a week past. He had naively opened the door when someone knocked and there had been his rival, clad in full spandex glory.

"I have heard the wonderful news! This must be the most joyous event of the springtime of your youth, oh Eternal Rival! What a joyous time to populate the village with your own! This must be a highly emotional time for you! Now, without fear or hesitation, fly! Fly into my bosom!" The man delivered a speech in his usual booming voice, which woke up the baby, who began to cry.

Kakashi was too stunned by Gai's presence to kill him. He had completely forgotten the man's existence since he had brought his son home. And at the best of times, Gai's whole demeanor was...overwhelming. Since the copy-nin did not run to embrace him, Gai stepped inside and delivered his bone-cracking hug # 3.

"Aren't you happy to see me, rival?"

"Hgnh!" Was all that Kakashi could manage to say for the lack of air in his lungs.

"And is this the son of my eternal rival? Pleased to meet you!"

"Gai, no!"

But before the silver-haired nin could get his breath back, the Green Beast of Konoha strode his way into the living room. He picked up the bawling child with a gentleness that flabbergasted Kakashi. He recalled that Gai could un-Gai himself at will for serious situations, but he was still surprised.

The spandex-clad man rocked the baby softly. "I hope he's a strong as you, Kakashi," he smiled, "then he'll grow up to be a great man, too."

"Uhh...thanks?" Kakashi's breathing eased when his son's cries became softer has he calmed down in his friend's arms.

"What's his name?"

"Iruka and I haven't decided yet...he's out buying groceries, if you're wondering."

"Why, then I shall have to compose a list, to help my eternal rival choose a good name for his offspring!"

Like an elastic band, Gai returned to his usual self. He handed back the whimpering infant to Kakashi, who was now back to his usual self. The copy-nin had figured out years ago that trying to understand Gai's ways would break his brain. "There! I'm done!"

"What the hell? That was fast!"

"Ha ha! Perhaps you're not the only genius in Konoha, Eternal Rival!"

Kakashi glanced down at the scroll Gai had just handed him. It was full of complex kanji.

"Mountain-cat-that-jumps-over-creek-to-battle-fire, Little-cricket-flies-to-defeat-snail, eagle-watches-over-battle-fields, boy-that-one-day-shall-wear-green."

author's note: kanji names can be interpreted in several ways since each kanji has usually at least two meanings. For example "Kakeru Manabe" can be written "true pot flies" (ma true, nabe pot, kakeru to fly) So Gai's suggestion's are not far-fetched, just extravagant

Iruka doubled over with laughter. "You didn't tell me the cricket one before!"

The copy-nin shook his head. "And it went on after that. He stayed until I told him I had a favourite."

"And what did you do with the list?" Asuma chuckled.

"I had my ninken bury it. I have a hard time coming to terms with any child being named 'lily-that-blooms-at-blue-pond-in-springtime'."

Kurenai laughed heartily as she got up. "Well, it's high time we left. Let's go, Asuma."

He got up and nodded to the married couple. "Congratulations again, you two."

"Maa, Asuma, " Iruka joked, "Maybe next time we see each other we will congratulate you on making a kid."

The older jounin momentarily lost his cool. "That's not going to happen to me! Kurenai and I are very happy as we are!"

"After today, I actually think I could go for a little family." The kunoichi shook hands with the kid merrily.

"What??"

"It's the fate of every man, Asuma," Kakashi patted his friend's back knowingly, "Sooner or later you're going to be trapped, too."

"Kashi! Don't make it sound so negative!"

"Maa, I was joking, right, Asuma?"

Kurenai laughed at the way her husband went pale at Kakashi words. She hooked her arm on his and said good bye.

Kakashi waited until the door was closed to loop his arm around his husband's waist.

"So how about we have our own fun now, hm...?"

"Kashi...at least let me put him to sleep...nh!" There was hand groping its way into Iruka's underwear, and it was not his own.

"I've been thinking...this indecision over the name is getting old...I've decided that you are gonna choose..." He stroked the hardening length to punctuate each word, "right now, while we do this."

"Ngh! Kashi, are you sure we should ah! d-do it this way...?"

The copy-nin slipped his tongue sensually over Iruka's ear, while undoing his own pants. "I'm quite sure, love."

"Hghnah...Kasuma...no...Shinji...yes...wait..Kasu--nongh!" Iruka felt his brain beginning to shut down as his lover thrusted against him. He knew he didn't have much longer.

"C'mon Iruka, say the name, just tell me."

"Shinji!" Iruka managed to blurt out as he came.

Kakashi smiled. "I knew you'd go for the cute one."

Omake: Ninja's lullaby song

"Hush little baby, don't say a word

daddy's going to buy a mocking bird

and if that mocking bird don't sing

daddy's going to rip its head off

and shove it down its throat

until it shits it out through the other side."