Minato laughed as Naruto's tent collapsed for the fifth time. Sasuke was rolling his eyes and muttering beneath his breath, and Naruto was squirming beneath the tent, yelling for help. Just when Minato had composed himself, Kakashi's ninken dived on the bundle that was Naruto and howled in unison, making Naruto wriggle harder and squeal in delight.

The garden was just as secure as the rest of the house, but Minato didn't feel comfortable leaving the children outside all night without supervision. He had resigned himself to sleeping on the veranda, or at the very least on the couch in the main room, so that he would be right there if anything happened.

He left Naruto and his friends to wrestle with the tents as he moved back inside. Kakashi was in the kitchen, washing the dishes that had been used during dinner. The younger man had his arms in the sink, humming softly to himself, and Minato found himself frozen in the doorway as he watched him.

He was only just coming to realise the torment he had let himself in for. His hands were itching with the desire to run his fingers through Kakashi's hair. He had taken his hitai-ate off and his silvery locks were falling haphazardly over his eyes, begging Minato to brush them away.

He cleared his throat and stepped further into the kitchen.

"You didn't have to do that, you know," Minato said, "I'd have cleaned up."

Kakashi turned to give Minato a smile, "I'll have to start earning my keep if you won't accept any rent."

Minato scowled at the thought of taking money off Kakashi, just the pleasure of having him around was payment enough. He strode up to the sink and snatched up a towel, "I'll dry."

"If you insist, sensei," Kakashi replied.

Minato smacked the back of Kakashi's head, "what have I told you about calling me that?"

"I'm sorry, I forgot," Kakashi replied, smirking, "I promise not to do it again, Hokage-sama."

Minato narrowed his eyes and made a move to pinch Kakashi, just as he had promised he would, but Kakashi slid out of reach and raised a handful of bubbles from the sink to smear them in Minato's hair.

Minato blinked as the bubbles slid down the side of his face, and bit the inside of his cheek. Kakashi was shaking with mirth, one hand still in the sink and the other held out in front of him, as though to protect himself from Minato.

Minato watched the younger man stifle his laughter for a moment before he took a step towards him, shoved his hand into the sink beside Kakashi's to scoop up some bubbles for himself, and wiped them over Kakashi's mask, creating a beard of bubbles.

"Hey!" Kakashi dragged his mask down, revealing a dazzling smile, and splashed water from the sink into Minato's face.

The situation degenerated from there.

He didn't know whose laughter was loudest, his or Kakashi's, but after a few moments they were both drenched, there were bubbles everywhere and the towel ended up on Minato's head. He was holding Kakashi's wrists in his hands, trying to keep them away from him, while trying to remain upright upon the wet, slippery floor.

"Alright, fine!" Laughed Kakashi, shaking his head to get his wet hair out of his eyes, "I'll call you Minato from now on."

Something tightened in Minato's chest. He was breathing heavily but he wasn't laughing anymore, he was staring at Kakashi, trying to make sense of the heat creeping up his neck.

"Minato?" Kakashi blinked in concern, his smile fading.

"I…" Minato swallowed around the lump in his throat and dragged in a shaky breath. He still had Kakashi's wrists trapped in his hands, and he suddenly realised that he could feel the younger man's pulse speeding up.

The towel slipped from his head as he leaned slightly into Kakashi, not really realising that he was doing it. "Say it again," he said, watching Kakashi's lips.

Kakashi's licked his lips, and the sight went straight to Minato's groin, "what?"

"My name," Minato said, vaguely aware that his voice was nothing more than a hoarse whisper, "say it again."

Kakashi swallowed, Minato was so close he could hear it, and in a voice that sounded completely wrecked, Kakashi said, "Minato."

Minato's eyes flicked up to meet Kakashi's, and his mind stumbled when he saw how blown Kakashi's eyes were, how his irises were nothing more than thin rings swallowed up by his pupils, and how his cheeks were glowing with colour. He realised that he was clutching Kakashi's wrists so hard that he had to be hurting him, but Kakashi was making no move to pull away, he seemed to be leaning closer, until Minato could feel each exhale of warm breath across his lips.

oO0Oo

Kakashi's heart was trying to beat its way out of his chest. He could barely breathe. Minato was squeezing his wrists and pulling him slowly closer, seemingly without realising what he was doing, and the part of Kakashi that was panicking was being stealthily ignored by the insistent little voice in the back of his mind that was trying to convince him that Minato was staring at his lips with a hungry glimmer in his eyes.

He was going to kiss him. Hysterical laughter was building up in his chest but it couldn't escape because his throat had completely closed up. This couldn't be happening. He watched with a mixture of fear and elation as Minato tugged on his wrists to bring them closer together, until they were sharing the same breath.

It was happening, their noses were touching, and for a fleeting moment he could feel the pressure of Minato's lips brushing against his. He had only just allowed his eyes to fall closed when…

"NO! Look out!"

He stumbled forwards when his wrists were released. He slipped on the wet floor and had to grab the worktop to stop himself from falling. When he looked up, Minato was on the other side of the room, watching Kakashi with wide, terrified eyes and with no colour whatsoever in his face, oblivious to the yelling children and the massive dog that had barrelled into the kitchen.

Kakashi tore his eyes away from Minato and watched as Bull, the largest of his dogs, loped quickly around the table, with one corner of Kakashi's tent clamped in his massive jaws. He was dragging the tent along with him while Naruto and Sasuke raced frantically after him, chased by Kiba and Chouji who were yelling for them to catch the dog.

Kakashi breathed shakily, feeling jittery and confused. Minato had turned to stone on the other side of the room and Kakashi found that he couldn't meet his eyes. Minato had kissed him, hadn't he?

Kakashi straightened up and watched as his dog fought Naruto for the tent.

"Bull!" he yelled. The dog made a questioning noise and turned his huge head to look for Kakashi. He could see the dog's happiness in his huge, drooping eyes when he caught sight of him, and Naruto yelped when Bull charged towards Kakashi, pulling the tent and consequently Naruto along with him.

The dog slid to a halt at Kakashi's feet and looked up at him, wagging his stubby little tail furiously.

"Drop it," Kakashi told him, and Bull let the corner of the tent fall from his teeth before he barged into Kakashi, looking for affection. With the size of the animal Kakashi was crushed against the cupboards, his legs trapped behind Bull as the dog reared up to drool upon him.

"Hey!" Kiba cried, pointing to Kakashi, "Naruto! He isn't an old guy!"

Kakashi frowned, and then realised that his mask was still pooled beneath his chin. He hastily yanked it back up, and saw Minato quickly dive out of the room.

"That's what I've been telling you!" Naruto yelled as he stomped across the kitchen with the tattered tent in his hands.

Kakashi tried to shove Bull out of the way, to go after Minato, but the dog refused to budge, happy to remain leaning against Kakashi. Kakashi watched as the children piled out of the room, leaving him alone with his dog, and he slumped back against the cupboards.

oO0Oo

Minato was under no illusions as to what he was doing, he was in his bedroom hiding, pure and simple.

He could hear the children's laughter drifting up from the garden. Night had fallen some time ago, but he was still reluctant to leave the sanctuary of his room. He had kissed Kakashi. There was no pretending now, and he had no idea how he was supposed to face Kakashi with this hanging over them. He had managed to keep his attraction to Kakashi a secret for so long, hiding it from even himself for the longest time, and now that he finally had everything he should want, his entire family together under one roof, he had to ruin it all by asking for more.

He groaned as he dropped his head into his hands. But whenever he closed his eyes he could see Kakashi's dazed eyes and his parted lips, he could feel Kakashi's mouth slanted against his own for that one perfect second and his entire body flushed with heat.

He raised his head, blinking in confusion. Kakashi's eyes had fluttered shut when their lips met, and for an instant, Kakashi had kissed him back.

He surged up from his seat upon the bed, his heart beating wildly behind his ribcage. Kakashi had kissed him back. He had been so intent upon beating himself up about his moment of weakness that he hadn't considered what had actually happened.

When he cautiously edged down the stairs the scent of smoke wafted towards him. He moved towards the veranda when he had finally reached the bottom of the stairs and saw firelight dancing with the shadows outside in the garden. Someone had lit a campfire, and the children were huddled together near the tents giggling together with the dogs keeping watch.

As Minato wondered where Kakashi was, suddenly struck with the thought that the younger man might have left, he stepped out onto the veranda. The cold night air was countered with the heat of the fire, but Minato still couldn't suppress a shiver.

"Cold?"

Minato jumped, startled that he hadn't noticed Kakashi sitting further along the veranda, closer to the fire. He was lounging on a futon that he must have dragged outside, with the blanket that was usually thrown over the back of the couch wrapped around his shoulders and a steaming cup of tea by his knee. He had a book in his hand, and Minato wondered how he could read in such poor light before he noticed how Kakashi's skin seemed to glow in the light of the fire.

"What are you reading?" Minato asked softly.

Kakashi lifted his book, letting Minato see the bright orange book and the title emblazoned across the cover.

"Didn't Itachi leave with all those books?" he asked.

"I have more than one copy of some of them," Kakashi explained, snapping the book closed. Minato found himself gravitating towards him. Naruto and his friends erupted in laughter before huddling closer together to speak in hushed voices.

"It looks like they're having fun," Minato said as he neared Kakashi.

"You missed all of the excitement," Kakashi replied, smiling fondly down at Naruto, "we ate marshmallows, and Naruto had the dogs try to bury Kiba in the back of the garden."

Minato smiled, "is that why they all look filthy?"

Kakashi nodded, and it was only when he had to crane his neck to look up at Minato that he realised he was standing right next to him.

"Are you going to sit down?" Kakashi asked, "only, this angle is doing nothing for my neck."

Minato licked his suddenly dry lips and cautiously settled onto the futon beside the younger man. He left a full foot of space between them, but he still imagined that he could feel the warmth of Kakashi's body. He shivered, but not from the cold.

He froze when one of Kakashi's arms draped around his shoulder, drawing him beneath the blanket. All of his focus was suddenly on Kakashi's hand, and how it was resting over his shoulder, the tips of his fingers brushing his collarbone. He was snapped back to awareness when Naruto screamed, frightened by Sasuke who had crept up behind him.

"Minato?" Kakashi said hesitantly, and Minato had to close his eyes for a second, surprised by how much he enjoyed hearing Kakashi say his name. He turned to face Kakashi, not realising how close they were, as Naruto and Sasuke yelled at one another somewhere out in the garden. Kakashi must have inched closer to him without him noticing.

"Yes?" he said in response, pausing to clear his throat.

Kakashi looked nervous, his uncovered eye was wide and blinking rapidly, "you kissed me."

Minato's heart stopped. He would have fled if Kakashi hadn't been holding him in place with the arm around his shoulders. Instead he sucked in a steadying breath and met Kakashi's gaze squarely.

"You kissed me back," he said.

He could see Kakashi's cheeks colour above his mask, but the younger man didn't look away or deny it, he simply nodded.

The admission made something that had gone tight inside Minato loosen. He couldn't look away from Kakashi's face, from the uncertain light in his eye. His heart seemed to start up again and heat surged through his veins.

A smile spread out across Minato's face. Kakashi still looked as though his heart was about to fail him, but he seemed to melt when Minato wound his own arm around Kakashi's waist. There were fine tremors running through Kakashi's body, Minato could feel them vibrating up his arm.

He thought back on all of the times he had tried to deny the feelings he had for Kakashi, and he almost laughed when Kakashi leant into him and sighed in contentment. They were both idiots.

Practically in a daze, Minato raised his hand to Kakashi's face. His fingertips brushed against the material of his mask and his pulse sped up with the lingering memory of Kakashi's lips beneath his. He curled his fingers beneath the material, ready to pull the fabric down and kiss him properly this time.

"Dad!"

They both froze, stock still and staring at one another.

"Dad!" Naruto bounced up to them, practically falling in their laps, "do you know any ghost stories?"

"Um…"

"Come on!" Naruto wriggled in his lap, "tell a ghost story!"

Minato watched as the rest of Naruto's friends scrambled closer, listening avidly. Beside him, Kakashi chuckled.

"Okay…" Minato looked at Kakashi, to find him waiting along with the children for him to begin, "uh… once upon a time – "

"You don't start a ghost story with 'once upon a time'!" Naruto shrieked.

Kakashi snorted in laughter.

"Alright then," Minato said, giving Kakashi a sour look, "let's see if you can do better."

Kakashi shrugged and turned to the attentive little faces surrounding them.

"It was a dark and stormy night…"

oO0Oo

Naruto rubbed his eyes and squinted across the garden. The sun was only just coming up, the sky above the trees had turned pink. Sasuke crawled out of the tent behind him and yawned.

"Is it time for breakfast?" Chouji mumbled as he stumbled out of the tent next to Naruto's.

Naruto stretched his arms above his head and peered across the garden to the veranda, and the still sleeping lumps of his dad and Kakashi under the blankets. He padded swiftly across the grass, expecting his dad to get up at any second and find them some cereal.

But his dad didn't wake up. Even when Naruto was standing close enough to kick him he stayed fast asleep. Naruto frowned, he had never been able to get this close to his dad without waking him up before. Even the slightest noise or movement would have him wide awake and alert.

Next to his dad, Kakashi was fast asleep too. They were bundled together, curled around one another under the blanket. Naruto cocked his head to the side and watched them. They looked so comfortable that he didn't really want to wake them. He was sure that he could find the cereal by himself.

But when he turned to go into the house, he found the way blocked by his friends. They had all crowded behind him to see what he was looking at, and they didn't seem inclined to move.

"Are they dead?" Kiba asked.

Naruto scowled, "don't be stupid." But he turned back to double check that they were both still breathing anyway.

"Aren't they cold?" Hinata spoke quietly, "they've been outside all night."

Naruto's dad hummed in his sleep and burrowed further into Kakashi.

"They're cute," Sakura giggled.

Naruto rolled his eyes and kicked his dad's foot, "dad! Get up!"

His dad sprang into a sitting position, blinking blearily at them and making them all stumble backwards in fright.

"Huh?" Naruto's dad raked his fingers through his hair where it had started to stick up even worse that usual, "wha' time's it?"

"Breakfast time," Naruto said, "hey, can Kakashi make bacon and eggs for us all?"

"Bacon?" Chouji cried, pushing his way to the front.

Naruto grinned, "my dad can't cook, but Kakashi can!"

"Hey," his dad whined, "I can cook!"

"Kakashi-san!" Chouji yelled, "wake up! Bacon!"

Kakashi prised one eye open and squinted up at them, "oh god," he groaned, "we're surrounded. Quick Minato, flee for your life, I'll draw their attention."

Naruto's dad chuckled and heaved himself to his feet, "did everyone sleep well?"

"I had a nightmare," Sakura whispered.

Naruto's dad turned to scowl down at Kakashi, who hid his head beneath the blanket.

oO0Oo

Kakashi tossed the frying pan into the sink and watched as the last of the little people made off with the last of the bacon. He could envision the kitchen and him become very well acquainted since he was the only person who lived in the house that could cook without creating charcoal.

When Kakashi turned, Minato was holding out a cup of tea to him with a smile on his face.

"Where are they all?" Kakashi asked as he took the offered cup.

"In the dining room," Minato replied, "they're all huddled around the table watching Naruto draw something."

Kakashi sipped his tea and closed his eyes in bliss. When he opened them again he found Minato watching him with the same hungry expression he had been wearing the night before, they were even standing in the same spot, next to the sink.

Kakashi almost forgot how to breathe beneath the weight of Minato's gaze. He placed the cup down on the worktop with an unsteady hand and tried to figure out what he should say or do, but they hadn't actually agreed about anything where the kiss was concerned, apart from the fact that it had happened.

He had just parted his lips, preparing to speak, when Minato stepped forwards, invading his personal space, and raised his hands to Kakashi's cheeks. Kakashi was sure that the man would be able to feel him blushing through his mask, but Minato only hesitated for a moment before he gently pulled it down.

"I…" Minato swallowed and let his eyes dance over Kakashi's naked face, "I'm going to kiss you now."

Kakashi couldn't catch his breath. He couldn't find his voice to reply, all he could do was nod as he watched Minato lick his lips nervously and lean slowly towards him.

Kakashi clutched at the man's waist and surged forwards, too impatient to wait for Minato to kiss him first. Minato made a shocked sound as their lips met, but the sound quickly turned into a low, longing moan as Kakashi tipped his head and pressed closer to him.

He felt lightheaded. Minato buried his fingers in Kakashi's hair, dragging shivers out of him, and thrust his tongue into Kakashi's mouth. Kakashi had never imagined that this could happen, he didn't want the kiss to ever stop in case it was all a hallucination. He let out a desperate mewling sound that he would deny making until the end of his days as Minato pressed him back into the cupboards with the length of his body.

"Aargh!"

Kakashi's eyes flew open. Minato leapt back, and turned panicked eyes upon Naruto, who was standing in the kitchen doorway, looking back and forth from Kakashi to his dad.

"N-Naruto," Minato looked back towards Kakashi, wide eyed and deliciously dishevelled, but obviously panicking.

Naruto's friends all gathered behind the boy, drawn towards the sound of his shocked cry. Naruto pointed a furiously shaking finger at Kakashi and then at his dad, turning bright red.

Kakashi felt dread settle in the pit of his stomach. Naruto did not look pleased.

"You… you…" Naruto stammered, "you did it all backwards!"

Kakashi blinked, confused, and chanced a quick glance at Minato. He looked just as lost as Kakashi.

"You're not supposed to go on dates, then move in together, then do the kissy stuff!" Naruto yelled at them, "don't you know anything?"

Minato looked like he didn't know if he was supposed to laugh or apologise. He looked at Kakashi, obviously looking for guidance in this situation, but Kakashi was at a loss, he simply shrugged.

"Um…" Minato turned back to Naruto, "I guess not."

Naruto rolled his eyes, "you're both useless."

"Hey, Naruto," Kiba said, "does this mean we have to move all of Kakashi's stuff into your dad's room?"

Naruto suddenly got a far away look in his eyes, "no…" he said as a grin spread slowly across his face, "we can move dad's stuff into Kakashi's room, then I can have the big room!" he turned towards Minato, glowing happily, "right, dad?"

"I don't think…"

"Let's go!" Naruto cried, ignoring Minato's protest, "I already know where I want to put my painting!"

"Hey!" Minato took a single step towards the children as they charged out of the kitchen, but he stopped the moment Kakashi started laughing. Kakashi clapped his hand to his mouth and ducked his head, but he couldn't stop the laughter from falling out of his mouth. He didn't know if it was hysterical laughter, relieved laughter, or amused laughter, all he knew was that if he didn't laugh he would explode.

Minato's lips quirked, "it's not funny," he said, even though he was trying not to smile.

Kakashi met his gaze and bit his lip, and realised that he wasn't laughing because he was hysterical, relieved or amused. He was laughing because he was happy. Completely, overwhelmingly happy. And his happiness was reflected right back at him in the way Minato was smiling at him.

"Ack! I forgot!" Naruto dived back into the room, clutching a sheet of paper in his hands, "Kakashi, this is for you!"

He thrust the paper towards Kakashi, grinning manically up at him. Kakashi ruffled his hair and turned the paper around, and the smile fell from his face.

It was a picture of them, Kakashi, Naruto and Minato, holding hands and smiling widely. It wasn't the images of the three of them that caused his smile to evaporate though, he had plenty of drawings Naruto had created of the three of them. It was the words scribbled across the top of the page that made time stand still.

Me and my dads.

"Kakashi?" Naruto called, tugging on his sleeve and looking up at him with wide eyes, "don't you like it?"

How could he explain that he felt too happy to smile? He couldn't regain control of his face, he couldn't force a sound past his lips. His hands were shaking, making the paper rustle.

"Kakashi?"

Kakashi placed the picture on the worktop, bent down, threw his arms around Naruto's little body and lifted him up, squeezing him for all he was worth.

"Ah! Put me down!"

Kakashi planted the sloppiest kiss imaginable on the boy's cheek, "I love it," he said, finally managing to smile, "and I love you."

Naruto grinned back and wrapped his arms around Kakashi's neck, "I love you too."

"What about me?" Minato asked, giving them a mock pout.

Kakashi and Naruto both held out an arm, and grinning like a loon, Minato stepped into the hug and wrapped himself around them, "I love both of you."

Naruto giggled, "just don't do the kissy stuff around me, okay?"

Kakashi laughed again. He had everything he wanted, everything he would ever need, right there with him in the kitchen. Naruto had his arms around his neck and his head resting on his shoulder, and Minato had his arms around both of them, smiling at them with almost unbelieving happiness.

He wanted to capture this moment in time and put it somewhere safe, so that whenever he was feeling down he could take it out again and remember what it was like to be so immeasurably happy, to be so content that the rest of the world was nothing but a vague memory.

"Okay," Naruto said, wiggling, "you can let me go now. I need to move into my new room."

"You aren't moving anywhere, young man," Minato said.

And Kakashi carried on laughing, thinking he would never stop.

The end.