Title:
Promises, Promises
Author: desolate butterfly
Genre:
gen, slight angst
Pairing: KakaSasu, slight
SakuSasu
Rating: PG
Summary: Kakashi is not
indestructible and Sasuke can't lose any more precious people.
--
On the day Kakashi was over six hours late to meet his team, an irritated trio converged on his apartment in order to drag him out to the training grounds. They found no one there except a neighbour who informed them that Hatake Kakashi had been injured on a mission and was presently being treated at the hospital.
When they arrived at the hospital, they were turned away from the door by a grinning man in a green jumpsuit who told them that Kakashi could have visitors tomorrow and that they should come back then.
"He just inhaled a little poison gas a little too close to an exploding tag, that's all" the strange man said. "He'll be up and about in no time, enjoying the springtime of his youth!"
"I wonder who could have gotten the drop on Kakashi-sensei like that?" Sakura had wondered aloud as they made the long walk back from the hospital. "It must have been a very powerful shinobi."
"Or he stuffed a gas pellet into the latest edition of Icha Icha," Naruto snorted, putting his hands behind his head. "Kakashi-sensei's slipping."
Sasuke had been very quiet on the walk home, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, shoulders tensed. He didn't bother to point out that Kakashi had quite easily taken Naruto down while reading an issue of Icha Icha only a few months before.
They parted ways at the bridge, Naruto waving casually at Sasuke's back and Sakura giving him a worried glance before moving in the direction of her own house.
--
The next day, Naruto and Sakura visited Kakashi at the hospital. Sakura brought him flowers, and Naruto brought him a small cup of ramen which was quickly confiscated by the nurse.
"I'm on a liquid diet," Kakashi admitted, his voice low and hoarse, arms swathed in bandages. "It's because my throat was burned badly and they're still healing it. You'd think having a mask would help against that sort of thing but…"
Kakashi didn't ask about Sasuke. When Naruto and Sakura left, he dozed until nightfall, and then waited.
Around midnight there was a click and a rustling noise as the window was opened and the curtain brushed aside. As Sasuke lowered himself down off the window sill Kakashi slowly sat up in his bed. The two stared at each other for a few moments. Then Kakashi gestured towards the foot of his bed and slid his feet back a bit so there would be a space for Sasuke to sit.
Sasuke eyed the space, then stalked forward and perched uncomfortably on the very edge of the bed, his hand spread on the sheets for balance, his back to Kakashi.
"You're really stupid," he muttered, glaring at his knees. "To get caught like that….How stupid. What kind of shitty ninja are you anyway?"
There was another moment of silence, and then Kakashi's hand was on his shoulder, rubbing in comforting circles. Sasuke bowed his head and tensed, but didn't pull away. Kakashi's bandaged fingers caught on the fabric of his shirt.
"It's alright, Sasuke," he soothed. "I'll be more careful next time, promise."
I'm not going to die on you.
That was the promise Sasuke needed to hear.
It was the only one Kakashi couldn't really give.
--
Sasuke never visited Kakashi in the hospital after that night. No matter how many times Sakura asked him to.
--
fin.
--
