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‟Itchy, cubling?” Sakumo asked, amused.
Kakashi wrinkled his nose and stopped squirming. ‟No, it’s just. . .” He drew a deep breath, then only huffed softly.
‟Something wrong?” Orochimaru asked, barely glancing up from the set of senbon he was testing, running his thumb over the tip of another and flicking it into the discard pile with a curl of his lip.
‟I’ve been watching over Kushi-nee for months,” Kakashi said, shaking his head, ‟why not now, when she’s really getting. . . It feels like I should be with her.”
Sakumo had his own guesses at the reasons Kakashi had been chosen to be Kushina’s bodyguard while she was pregnant, only some of which related to her actually needing one - also she liked Kakashi, and was more likely to tolerate him shadowing her so frequently - but he had a fair point. Kushina had only vaguely needed one in the early days, but as her pregnancy progressed having someone around to help her would have, Sakumo knew, grown only more important, even if an attack was very unlikely within Konoha. And now she was due any day-
Sakumo twitched, turning his head as someone banged carelessly quick and hard on their door. ‟I’ll go.” he said, gesturing absently at his mate and cub, and Kakashi snorted but didn’t protest, fidgeting where he sat and watching his mother.
Sakumo went to the door, sliding it back only to find-
‟Please, I’m sorry, I-” Minato rubbed his face, taking a hitching breath. ‟I think I need help but maybe he’s right and I’m being hysterical but I thought- either way- you-”
‟Nikkou!” Sakumo reached out, crooning thoughtlessly, and Minato fell into him with a soft sob.
‟Minato-sensei?” Kakashi called, sharp but calm.
‟What’s wrong?” Sakumo asked, glancing behind Minato; there was no one else.
‟Kushina.” Minato said, eyes damp, which was not particularly surprising - his wife was extremely pregnant and Minato might be excitable but he wasn’t prone to hysterics; Sakumo couldn’t think what else might have him this distressed.
‟What’s happened to Kushi-nee?” Kakashi demanded, resting a hand on Minato’s elbow, expression intense.
Orochimaru brushed past, fingers trailing over Sakumo’s back.
‟She’s- The baby-” Minato gestured incomprehensibly, and Sakumo rumbled softly, squeezing him around the waist.
Kakashi whined anxiously but remained silent, and Orochimaru clasped Minato’s shoulder, drawing his attention. ‟Breathe. Focus. Tell us.” he instructed, and Minato obeyed, immediately. A shaky breath smoothed into a quick, shallow, but steady one; his eyes cleared, holding Orochimaru’s gaze.
‟Kushina went into labour; there’s a risk. . . While she’s in labour or when the baby comes I mean, the seal holding the Kyuubi. . . Kushina may be weaker, I mean, will be, she’s giving birth!” Minato shook his head sharply. ‟She may not have the strength or the focus to hold the seal, or the fox, if. . .”
Orochimaru nodded slightly.
‟Sandaime sent her out of the village,” Minato said, and Sakumo stilled, brows drawing together, ‟to- so it wouldn’t- to keep the village safe. And there’s no one- Only Biwako-san and an ANBU I don’t even know are with her!”
Sakumo filed that away as well - there should be no ANBU Minato did not know at least somewhat, if that was in earnest and not hyperbole for it being someone generally unfamiliar; in any case unacceptable.
‟Why is Sarutobi-sensei ordering anything at all?” Orochimaru asked, sharp and flat.
‟You’re the Hokage, Minato-sensei,” Kakashi cocked his head, eyes narrowed in a sharp, judgemental expression just like his mother’s, ‟why are you letting a terrified old idiot tell you what to do?”
Minato opened his mouth, then closed it. Kakashi huffed, nudging into Minato’s side gently, and he smiled, trembly and weak. ‟I just. . . I’m afraid for Kushina. Sandaime told me I was being hysterical but I knew. . . You would- If I am- But even if not- And Kushina.” He looked tormented, sniffing a bit as he drooped.
‟If Mito-ba managed to get through it twice,” Orochimaru said dryly, gentle, ‟I have no doubt Kushina will manage quite handily and be insisting she’s entirely well enough to run about causing trouble again in no time.”
Minato trembled in Sakumo’s hold, and he rubbed the boy’s back.
‟However,” Orochimaru continued, and Minato lifted his head, ‟it is a fact that while she is in labour the seal will be weakened, and Kushina shall certainly not be in any condition to shore it up, nor should she have to try; what does Sarutobi-sensei think Enma is going to do about that? Squeak?”
‟Oro-sensei. . .” Minato’s eyes were wide, his lips trembling even as he pressed them together.
‟I presume you at least know where Sarutobi-sensei declared your wife should be exiled without sufficient medical care to give birth?” Orochimaru asked dryly. ‟If not I’m sure Sakumo or Kakashi can find them, but. . .”
‟I know. Biwako-san wouldn’t allow me inside, or- or to stay with her.” Minato swallowed hard and Sakumo’s eye twitched; he reminded himself that Minato was frazzled and frightened, and generally polite and easygoing. He would not have wished to argue, let alone force the issue, perhaps especially with his beloved wife requiring the attention of what midwifery she had far more pressingly, but Sakumo still had to stifle a disapproving growl. ‟And- and she has my seal on her, I can go to her anywhere, always.”
Sakumo blinked, but nodded; that was wise, at least.
‟Take us there, then,” Orochimaru instructed, ‟we will relocate Kushina to the hospital and you can remain by her side.”
‟And- the-”
‟I shall deal with it.” Orochimaru said, with the easy way he had of pronouncing things that felt like reality would shift to align with his expectations, if need be. Minato settled visibly, drawing a deep breath as he nodded. ‟Kakashi-”
‟I’m coming.” Kakashi said firmly, eyes narrowed.
No one argued, and within a few minutes Minato was leading them across the village and out of it, past the very outskirts; Sakumo grew less and less impressed as they followed Minato all the way to a doorway when into rough rock - and a few ANBU posted around it, who tried to block them.
It didn’t take long to send them scattering - but they had not been by their Hokage’s order, Sakumo noted for later, unease growing.
Minato hurried on, leading them into a cave, little more than unfinished rock and dirt inside as well. Sakumo’s lip curled. Minato was already darting ahead, arrowing towards the raised platform at the centre where Kushina lay.
‟What are you doing here? How dare you! Get out! This is not a place for men!” Biwako snapped, drawing herself up and pointing at Minato, getting in his way; the watching ANBU pushed off the far wall and Kakashi interposed himself, blocking her. ‟We will summon you when needed for the-”
‟Kushina-chan,” Sakumo bypassed the others and moved to stand by her shoulder, ‟do you want Minato?”
‟Yes!” Kushina snarled, eyes blazing. Minato was at her side a moment later, clasping her hand between both of his own, and her expression softened. ‟Where were you?” She paused, scowling. ‟Biwako.”
‟I’m sorry, darling,” Minato squeezed her hand, then delicately picked a sweaty lock of hair off her face and brushed it aside, ‟I shouldn’t have let her throw me out but I didn’t know what to do. . .”
‟So he came to get us.” Sakumo filled in, ignoring Biwako as she started yelling again; she broke off with a terrified squawk a moment later and Orochimaru joined him.
‟And we are going to get you into the actual hospital.” Orochimaru said, dry but gentle, giving the cave an unimpressed look.
‟I don’t think I can walk,” Kushina grimaced, ‟not that far.”
‟Minato-sensei has a marker at the hospital.” Kakashi said and Sakumo blinked.
He glanced at Minato for confirmation and he nodded. ‟Since that last fiasco with my team on a mission, you better believe it.” He looked back at his wife.
‟Can, ah,” Sakumo paused, ‟the hiraishin is rather . . . jarring, isn’t it?”
‟I’ll deal with it.” Kushina said flatly, face screwing up again. She panted for a moment. ‟I would rather my son not be born in this-” She broke off, glancing around. ‟But- If I lose control of the fox. . .”
‟Gamabunta can deal with the fox.” Minato said immediately.
Kushina gave him a fond, exasperated look. ‟I don’t want to birth our son here, but neither do I want to put everyone else at risk, it was why I went along. . . If I lose him in the hospital. . .”
‟I will see to that.” Orochimaru said smoothly, and Kushina looked up at him. ‟If you do not object to my presence?” He smiled slightly, and Kushina laughed a little, breathless and tight.
‟You’ve been here before, haven’t you? Where is Kashi-kun?” she asked, looking around.
‟Here, Kushi-nee.” Kakashi appeared obligingly. ‟Can I help you get up?”
Kushina huffed, but allowed Kakashi and Minato to help her to her feet, steadying her between them.
She patted Minato’s chest, stopping him after that. She looked at Orochimaru. ‟You can truly control him?” she asked, serious and even despite the tension strung through her. ‟I would not allow anyone else to be put in danger for my sake.”
‟I do not make promises I cannot keep.” Orochimaru said, steady as the earth beneath them. ‟I can take up the slack while your own strength is required elsewhere,” he glanced down at her belly, ‟with the fallback that we can certainly corral the creature if something goes wrong.”
Kushina frowned, but nodded permission, and Minato rubbed up and down her arm, shifting to allow Orochimaru to join him at his other side.
‟Which it will not.” Orochimaru added dryly.
Kakashi nudged Kushina gently, stepping away. ‟Dad and I can follow; it takes a lot of chakra to bring more with you.” he added to Sakumo. ‟It won’t take us long to run back.”
‟Wait!” Kushina said sharply, and Minato stilled. ‟No, I- Kashi-kun-” She bit her lip. Kakashi cocked his head, moving closer, and Kushina grabbed at him. Kakashi moved to counterbalance her, and Kushina winced. ‟I want- Will you stay with me? You’ve been with me for months,” she smiled crookedly, ‟me and your nephew.”
‟It’s no problem.” Minato said firmly, beckoning, and Sakumo took him at his word, joining his own mate.
‟Of course, Kushi-nee.” Kakashi said softly, allowing her to cling to his shoulders and hushing her apology.
Minato nodded sharply and with a blinding twist they were gone and then reality snapped around them in a way that left Sakumo fighting with his stomach; he could only imagine how Kushina was dealing with it - though she had, at least, been taken by Minato’s hiraishin before.
. . .she still looked very pale beneath the sweaty flush.
Sakumo nodded as Orochimaru gave him a sharp look and strode off to bring some order to the iryou nin milling around in a startled fluster. Iryou nin generally pulled together swiftly and well when given direction and particularly with an urgent medical concern, he didn’t imagine it would take long.
It didn’t.
Sakumo folded his arms and leaned easily against the doors to the delivery room; he could more than hear everything inside well enough to know if - unlikely - he was needed for anything, and he could head off anyone who wasn’t before they got close enough to cause any unnecessary distress or disruption. Kakashi had taken up position opposite - Sakumo smothered his amusement, fond and warm; Kakashi most often reminded Sakumo of his mate, but there were times . . . and his precise little mimic of Sakumo’s post. . .
‟Kashi-kun!” Kushina called again, her voice threaded with alarm. ‟I want him!”
Minato poked his head through the doors, beckoning, and when Kakashi hesitated-
‟If momma wants you, you belong.” an iryou nin said, opening one door wider. ‟If you aren’t bothered by the idea, at least.” It was half a question, and Kakashi raised an eyebrow, giving her a dubious look before ducking past, into the delivery room.
Sakumo shook his head, amused, and resettled against the wall, head tipped to one side as he listened.
It was chaos inside, but primarily the mundane chaos of labour, he judged. Certainly nothing more concerning.
Kushina swore, the iryou nin talked fast and rarely raised their voices, Minato was quick and excitable and soothing all at once - Sakumo wondered how much Kushina really needed soothing - Orochimaru offered periodic reassurance that the fox was remaining just where he should when Kushina asked it, Kakashi offered awkward encouragement that made Kushina laugh around a gasp and, Sakumo gathered, allowed her to squeeze his hand as well as Minato’s.
It went on for some time, nothing out of the ordinary so far as Sakumo would guess, and no one tried to pass by him save iryou nin. He wondered idly what his mate had done with Biwako, or indeed the idiotic ANBU, and if they were still in the cave where they had intended Kushina be sequestered. Sakumo had been too focused on Kushina to bother checking; Orochimaru never left messy variables lying around.
Sakumo smiled slightly as the chaos reached a crescendo and then in the very midst of it a baby shrieked. Kushina laughed, loud and delighted, and demanded him back, and several minutes later several of the iryou nin left, followed by Orochimaru, Kakashi at his heels.
‟Good job, cubling.” Orochimaru said softly, smoothing Kakashi’s hair, and he smiled, leaning into his mother.
‟How are they?” Sakumo asked, tipping his head towards the doors; he could hear Kushina and Minato fussing over their newborn and it made him smile.
‟The baby is healthy; Kushina is worn out and Minato perhaps almost as much,” Orochimaru snorted, ‟perhaps more, with the energy she rallied at the prospect of holding her son. The Kyuubi remains where he should, and the danger is past.”
Omake:
Hiruzen shook his head as he climbed the steps to the floor he had been advised was where he could find Minato’s new infant. It was unfamiliar, but he headed for the nearest iryou nin to request directions.
He followed them and found-
Kakashi stepped forwards, his arms wrapped around a bundle in pale red cloth. Hiruzen raised his eyebrows, but . . . well, he supposed Minato had assigned the boy as guard for his wife over the past months. Perhaps he had taken it as his responsibility to look after the infant.
Hiruzen had expected to find his own wife around here somewhere, but perhaps she had returned home and retired before he rose.
His eyebrows rose as Kakashi growled at him. ‟Kushi-nee is sleeping; Minato-sensei is also resting and nothing that important is happening. Go away.” he snapped, as though he had the right to talk to Hiruzen like that.
Beyond that, however-
‟She’s . . . all right?” Hiruzen asked, surprised. She was alive?
Kakashi growled again, rocking the infant. ‟Yes. Now go away. You didn’t do anything useful last night, there’s nothing for you to do now.”
Hiruzen opened his mouth - he had questions, and he refused to be so scolded by a boy, whatever his rank or skill - then backed up a step, startled, as Sakumo appeared beside his son. Though generally affable, now his glare matched Kakashi’s as well.
‟I have no doubt our Hokage,” Sakumo leaned on the title, stepping closer, ‟will have a number of things to discuss with you later, but for now you will leave his family alone. Go.”