Summary: an odd little piece I came up with. The Yondiame, Rin, and Obito are all worried about Kakashi, but Kakashi isn't worried, he just wants to try to paint.

Warning: blood, probably light R

Paint

There were people shouting around Kakashi, they sounded a little panicked. His trained ear caught the distinct cadences and timbres of each voice. Rin's voice always got higher, got a little strained so she would have breathe deeper to form words. Obito talked faster, as if cramming more words into the same amount of time would make things better. It was the hardest to tell with Sensei, Kakashi rarely heard him even vaguely panicked, and he was so good at controlling his voice. But his deep voice was more clipped, he bit off shorter sentences.

Kakashi guessed that he must have been wounded pretty badly if Sensei was worried. He glanced down, looking past the handle that protruded from his abdomen. There was certainly lots of blood. It was if his entire lower half had been painted carmine red. He was surprised that his body held that much blood. Well, there was an equation to figure out how much blood his body contained, he could check. Seven percent of his weight in kilograms was approximately how many liters of blood in his body. Kakashi tried to do the math, but the numbers kept slipping from his mind, it was like trying to hold water in a sieve. Anyways, there was a shitload of blood everywhere. Damn, this was his favorite uniform too. Bloodstains were so hard to get out.

"Why isn't he talking Sensei? Why is he so still? Why does he look so calm? Sensei?" Obito's rushed voice slid past Kakashi's ears, not really registering.

"He's in shock Obito." came Rin's strained reply. "He probably doesn't feel much pain right now." He hands were glowing with warm chakra and hovering over Kakashi's crimson stomach.

"I don't think the knife hit the descending aorta," she muttered to herself, "That's one good thing…"

Rin was right, he really didn't feel much pain right now. It was as if his mind was disconnected from his body. He was floating above it, watching everyone. Rin was hunched over his body, forehead creased in concentration. Obito and Sensei were hovering near her. Sensei's long hands gripped Obito's shoulder, giving him support.

Rin muttered something, but Kakashi couldn't hear her. Things sounded very faint and distant now. He was drifting away. He frowned. He really didn't want to leave right now, he much rather be here, thanks. He just needed something to focus on.

Obito was saying something again, but he couldn't make out the words. He looked down again, captivated by the blood splashed everywhere. There seemed to be more of it now. Curiously he dragged his fingers through the thick liquid. It was such a vivid color, better than any red paint he had ever seen. The only thing that was as red were the markings on the ANBU masks.

He had never finger painted when he was a child, he thought it was dumb and always had better things to do, like learning jutsus or something.

Well, he really didn't have anything better to do, so why not?

Slowly, and deliberately he drew only long red line up his arm. He grinned a little and puffed out a small laugh. This immediately sent cables of fire through his body, his back arched off the ground with the sudden agony. Of course more movement only intensified the pain. His mouth opened in a silent scream.

There were hands on his chest pushing him back down. There were also larger hands on his cheeks, gently stroking and soothing.

"Hold him down, hold him still…" Rin's voice weaved in and out of Kakashi's hearing, she sounded close to tears now.

The pain started now, not as intense, but it was there, a burning, sharp sensation burrowing into his stomach and spreading throughout his body. Kakashi grimaced. He wanted to finish his painting. Slowly, he dragged his fingers through the blood again, getting more paint. He ran three fingers up his arm, making three more lines. He then raised his hand to his face, gasping a little with the pain. He slowly drew lines under his eyes, right above his mask. He grinned a little, proud of his accomplishment.

"Hey Kakashi," Sensei's deep voice floated to his ears. Kakashi strained to pay attention, he needed to pay attention to Sensei.

"What are you doing?" he asked, trying to keep Kakashi present and focused.

Kakashi would have laughed if wouldn't hurt so much.

"Isn't obvious Sensei?" he said dreamily. "I'm painting."

-End-