Cling

Epilogue

XxX

Two Months Later…

Iruka realized it was the weekend as soon as his eyes opened to the bright sunlight filling the bedroom. That meant no school. He almost felt like jumping out of bed and crying for joy like a little kid. He didn't know why though? It wasn't like any other weekend. No sooner had he thought of this than he realized Kakashi was missing and no tell-tale sign of the television was coming from Karasu's bedroom.

He slid out of bed and made his way to the kitchen, half-expecting to find a massacre. Usually the only reason for such an occurrence was because Kakashi woke up before him and was hungry right at that moment! But, there was no one there. Maybe the living room? Nope! No one there either. Iruka huffed in exasperation and made his way back to the kitchen to make himself a cup of coffee. "Where are they," he murmured while looking down into the black liquid. "They really need to start leaving a note."

Iruka hadn't even taken a sip of his java when he heard a cry from a child and then said child burst through the door like death itself was after him. "Iruka, tell otousan that other boys can't be molesting me!" Tears were threatening to spill down his cheeks as he pointed back toward the living room where Kakashi was coming in.

The Chuunin sputtered at the statement. "What do you mean?"

"It was Toka! We were at the park and he wouldn't stop touching me again! Otousan said Toka was just flirting with me...just like that day at the academy," he exclaimed, tears splashing from his eyes as he clinched them shut.

Iruka looked up just as his lover entered and glared ominously. He swore he could have almost felt hell freeze over from the withering look he received from the Jounin. "You were encouraging it?!"

Kakashi took a moment to recompose himself. "Eh? The kid was asking for it." He peered down at his son with a sneer. "And anyways, I like that kid, Toka. He reminds me of someone."

Gee, I wonder who? Iruka thought sarcastically. "Kakashi, I'm trying to teach my students how to defend themselves during a battle. Not to molest their enemies!"

"Don't worry," Kakashi said with a grin, even though the only way they could tell was from the inverted U of his eye. "I didn't let it get out of hand."

Iruka balled his hands into fists. "Kakashi!"

Both Kakashi and Karasu flinched, but only one of them started to back away in trepidation until he was cornered between the stove, wall, and an angry Chuunin. "I-Iruka-love…Now calm down. I wouldn't let anything happen to our baby." Apparently it wasn't enough to convince the brunette as a tanned fist met Kakashi's visible eye and it immediately started to turn an ugly black, purple, and blue.

"You know very well I will not tolerate such behavior." Iruka huffed. "I don't care if it's an innocent touch on the arm. Don't let it happen again! And Toka will be punished as soon as class starts Monday." He lifted Karasu into his arms and carried him into their bedroom.

Kakashi caught a glimpse of Karasu giving him a triumphant smirk from over Iruka's shoulder and glowered as best he could with his bruised eye.

XxX

Two Years Later…

Iruka bit his tongue in deep concentration. "There!" He pulled away and gave a satisfied grin. He then looked into the wide, wavering eyes that were staring back at him intently, expecting some sort of response for all of his hard work.

"Does it look alright?" Karasu leaped to his feet to stand in front of the body mirror hanging on his bedroom wall. He practically looked giddy with delight as he peered at his brand new, glittering red hair clips in his reflection. "Will he like it?"

"I'm sure," Iruka smiled thoughtfully as he ran his fingers through the back part of Karasu's hair. To say the least, he had been a bit surprised to find out that Karasu had gotten upset when his old, average looking hairclips had broken while playing with Toka at the academy playground.

However, what perplexed him the most was the fact that Toka had purposefully failed two years of ninja exams just so he could graduate with Karasu. Iruka had started to wonder, because despite Toka being a prankster, he was a straight A student, but the boy's grades just dropped dramatically. He had even been expecting to get frequent visits from the boy's parents, but not once had they ever dropped by to show their disapproval of his 'poor learning skills' and he was fairly certain the boy did have parents. Did they understand his reasoning behind it? Iruka could only hope. And Toka probably wouldn't have failed the first year if he hadn't found out that Karasu was going to wait until the year after to get into Iruka's class.

Karasu had even been touched by the dark haired boy's compulsive behavior and finally accepted his more or less vigorous advances. He had taken Toka's 'pretty' compliments to heart as well and took extra care to make his hair nice each day or at least to the point that his bangs didn't cover his eyes. Iruka could almost swear he was raising a daughter.

Usually, during recess, Iruka would watch them interact with each other from an inconspicuous distance, and sometimes he would doubt it was playing considering how Toka would straddle him from behind when rough housing. He never worried for long though. Toka would be up in a shot and running off while yelling for Karasu to catch him. He later found out it was just a rougher version of tag because there would be other boys joining in the fray.

And then there was Kakashi. Karasu's over, Chuunin-possessive father. At least the man had gradually become more like a father instead of a full grown, spoiled brat. He started cherishing the moments they spent with each other, even when it was as simple as watching television or reading a book. He would cuddle him, comment on every accomplished and/or failed endeavor, and cook for him; just about everything a father would take time off to do for his son. Kakashi had even commented on how the boy looked with the hairclips. It wasn't 'pretty', much to the boy's relief, but rather adorable and then proceeded to spout off at how Iruka had always made him wear hairclips as well when he wasn't wearing his forehead protector, which was always only half the time.

Iruka looked up as Karasu rushed pass him into the living room and leaped into Kakashi's lap. "How do these look, otousan? They're glittery this time!"

The Chuunin smiled when he heard a soft, bellowing laugh from his lover and a high pitched squeal of laughter from the boy.

"Hey, Iruka-love. Maybe we should get him a glittery dress as well," Kakashi suggested with a bark of laughter.

"Good idea, Kakashi," Iruka teased as he entered the leaving room and made himself comfortable under his lover's arm.

Karasu responded with an indignant thwap against his father's head. "I'm not wearing any stickin' dress! I don't care how much Toka will like it!"

Iruka snickered as he tugged on Karasu's shirt. "You about ready to go?"

The boy nodded enthusiastically as he grabbed his satchel off the floor near his father's feet and ambled toward the door.

"Love you!" Kakashi gave his most cherished grin to Iruka before kissing him softly and slowly.

Iruka sighed contently before getting to his feet and leaving with Karasu. But before he could close the door, Karasu had run back into the apartment and threw his arms around Kakashi's waist, the Copy-nin just as surprised as Iruka. "I love you…dad." And without another word, Karasu was gone and so was Iruka.

Kakashi sat alone in the apartment, staring at his trembling hands and thinking. When had he decided to become a father; to protect a life that would take his place in the world some day? Simple. It was Iruka. Iruka was the answer to everything and anything. He always spent his devoted time trying to convince the Chuunin that he was more than a Jounin screwed up in the head. If Iruka wanted him to be a good father, a better lover, or just someone he could confide in, then Kakashi would achieve those goals at some point, and he did. And now that he had reached them, he couldn't be any happier.

Fin