After spending the last few days and nights outside the Sensei's room, Kakashi had finally decided he could leave, there didn't seem to be any sign of a threat or any strange characters hanging around the hospital. So once Iruka's breathing had slowed and steadied for the night, as he slipped into a sleep, Kakashi stepped silently into the room. He pulled out a small canister that held Iruka's pony tail in his hands, wondering if the Sensei would want it or hate it. When the Jounin had spotted it on the ground with the hitae-ate, without thinking, he had picked it up and stored it. Not wanting to leave anything of the Sensei's behind after obviously going through hell out there.
Kakashi was too deep in thought about when he had found the Sensei again that he hadn't realised the change in Iruka's breathing.
"What do you want from me?" Iruka asked in a soft murmur. He was strapped to the hospital bed with nobody believing the Jounin had attacked him. He may aswell try to get him to talk. Kakashi dropped the canister to the floor, jolted back to reality, it rolled slowly along the tile floor echoing painfully in the silence between the two men. "What was that?" He asked impatiently.
"Shit!" Kakashi whispered, more to himself than anything, and followed after the canister. "It's... well... I don't know if you would actually want this or not... I just couldn't leave it behind.." he trailed off. Picking up the canister he began to roll it between his fingers again as he stood beside the bed.
"If I free your hands, could you just not try to attack me this time?" Kakashi spoke as he was already loosening the straps on tanned wrists, he wasn't in the mood to fight. Once the hands were free he left the canister on Iruka's lap and placed the hitae-ate beside him silently before retiring to the chair in the corner of the room. He would have to strap him back down if he left the room or he would have to answer to Tsunade, which was too much hassle at the moment.
Iruka opened the canister impatiently, wondering what was so important about it.
"Wha... This is..." Iruka fumbled, trying to find the words "Is this my hair? That you cut?" He spat bitterly.
"Yeah, it's a fucking trophy." Kakashi said sarcastically, trying to hide the hurt. "What would it take for you to believe it wasn't actually me?" He stood up and slowly walked back to beside Iruka, who was now thumbing the leaf engraving on his hitae-ate.
"Show... show me..." He said softly, "Show me your sharingan."
"I will if you want," Kakashi agreed, "But it's not an easy sight, it will be draini-" Before Kakashi realised the Chuunin's hands had moved, one was on Kakashi's vest holding him face to face, the other one pulling the hitae-ate off the sharingan. Before he had time to close his eye, it activated whirling fast and narrowing in on the Chuunin, rapidly showing his memories and feelings of frantically searching for the brunette and hunting down the civilian, at the same time Iruka's torture from Kakashi had been shown until the blackout. Iruka's grip on his vest relaxed and Kakashi pulled away as quick as he could, stumbling backwards, shakey and out of breath, trembling slightly.
"F-fuck..." Kakashi stuttered, suddenly fighting himself, what if it was him, but he didn't remember? "I'm sorry... Iruka-Sensei"
"I was so sure it was you, I don't understand why you wanted to hurt me..." Iruka whispered, shaking as adrenaline began to wear off, "were you actually worried about me? but why?"
Kakashi stood silently covering his Sharingan with his hand, not sure how to respond. Iruka was still brooding, even though he had been shown Kakashi's side, he couldn't help but feel cheated, knowing the Jounin could choose what to show.
"Why my hair?" Iruka said with bitterness back in his voice. "Do you not like a guy with long hair? Or do you really just hate me that much?!"
Kakashi quickly and silently appeared over Iruka, his Sharingan covered again. "If I wanted to hurt you Sensei," he spoke clear and low, how Iruka imagined he would speak before an assassination, he couldn't help but hold his breath and sink into the bed, "Would I not use Naruto?" Iruka couldn't help but tremble as he struggled to swallow, "If I wanted you dead... Sensei, I could do it with a click of my fingers." Kakashi's voice changed suddenly as he croaked out, "Don't think just because I care about you, that means you can keep treating me like dirt." He turned away and looked out of the hospital window over Konoha, the sun had just started to rise. Iruka was still shocked, trying to comprehend what had been said. "I've never had a reason to hate you Iruka-Sensei, quite the opposite..." he added with a sigh, "How long have you hated me?" He spoke to the window, not daring to face the brunette for his answer. His mask was his last defence now, to not give anything away.
"I - I don't ..." Iruka stuttered, "I mean, I didn't. I mean... I don't know... it looked exactly like you!" He played with the canister again, trying to find the words.
Kakashi stayed silent, he didn't know how to help, he didn't know how to change the brunettes mind. He wanted to comfort him and to know the Sensei was actually safe. Kakashi had fallen for Iruka so long ago, but never had the confidence to approach him. When he had been given Naruto in his team, he thought it would be a good opportunity to spend time with the Sensei, that wasn't going so well, and now it was even worse.
"Your chakra..." Iruka mumbled after some time, "it was full of killing intent..."
"Did it actually feel like mine?"
"Umm, to be honest," he blushed slightly, "I've not felt your chakra properly. You always conceal it." Kakashi was a little shocked by that statement, it never occurred to him that it's usually concealed, he'd been doing it from such a young age it had become second nature. Kakashi reached out to take Iruka's hand gently. Instead the Sensei recoiled shakily, looking at him wide eyed. That hurt, but wasn't completely unexpected.
"Give me your hand, Iruka-Sensei...please" He curved his visible eye with a false smile.
"Why?" He held his hands to his chest, eyeing the Jounin sceptically. Kakashi held out one hand, palm up to show Iruka, softly glowing with chakra. Iruka hesitated for too long. Kakashi turned back to the window, 'forget it' he thought bitterly. There was no changing the other mans mind, he would have to sort through it all in his own time.
Tsunade and Ibiki loudly walked back into the room, the sun was rising over Konoha and Tsunade was starting rounds again. Ibiki was coming to assess Iruka's reactions again.
"I've got good news, Iruka-Sensei!" Tsunade cheerfully offered, "and some news you won't like so much."
"I'll leave you all to it then" Kakashi said calmly as he turned from the window, heading toward the door. Ibiki simply looked at him and shook his head, causing Kakashi to stop. He knew Ibiki's mannerisms a little too well. "Or not, of course." Kakashi stood beside Ibiki instead.
"I'm happy with your progress. Most of your wounds are healed, bruising will take a little longer. So we've decided you can go home Iruka," she smirked at the Sensei before continuing, "with Kakashi here." Kakashi froze, his visible eye wide with shock and looked at Ibiki confused, the torture specialist just nodded slightly in confirmation. Iruka thrashed and yelled and tried to get free of the remaining restraints.
"We spoke to Team 7, Iruka," Ibiki stated, "I am confident the man that tortured you was not Kakashi, but instead someone who henged into his image. Kakashi is the best option to watch over you and protect you at this point in time. You may have been targeted randomly, but we aren't willing to take chances."
Ibiki handed a scroll to Kakashi silently. He was to live with him and determine whether there seemed to be any connection with Iruka and the man from the Bingo book. If nothing was found, he was to monitor the Sensei for mental disturbances or change of character without bringing it to his attention. Kakashi sighed softly before nodding acknowledgement of the mission at hand.
"I guess I'll get him signed out." He said lazily, leaving Tsunade and Ibiki to deal with the restraints and calming the man enough to get him back home.