Rating: T
Words: 5800
Pairings: Rin/Kakashi, Kushina/Minato
Summary/Warnings: Some light fluff memories, many feels, Kakashi angst/hurt, sort of cliffhanger (mostly because otherwise this would have been a 10K+ word chapter)
Author Notes: First of all, a huge thanks to tabjoy13 and Cinlat for reading this and making it a much stronger chapter. Both are fantastic and you should check out their stories as well. Also, if you're a lurker on FF but use AO3, I've started cross-posting my work on both sites so there's that. I've also succumbed to joining tumblr which has been somewhat detrimental to my focus but oh so many new story ideas. You can find me under Dimigex on both, tumblr is open for asks so if you have any questions/whatever about this story that's the place to ask them. I feel like I need to put out a disclaimer that I really do love Kakashi. Torture is kind-of a by product of being loved by me I think but he does angst and hurt so well. All of that said, you guys are the best. Thanks for reading, enjoy the chapter and review/pm/reach out with your questions and thoughts!
"Genjutsu?" Minato asked disbelievingly. It had taken Kakashi ten minutes to finally answer, and when he did, the revelation had nothing to do with Obito. "Why do you think you're trapped in a genjutsu?"
Kakashi exhaled, wheezing softly. "It's the only thing that makes sense."
Though the silver-haired man was no longer bleeding, Kakashi's face was swollen and bruised. His eyes were closed, head resting against the back of the couch. Minato wondered if Obito looked this bad. While the pair often fought, they'd never taken it to this extent. Only one person could produce this amount of emotion in both men.
"How does that make sense?" Minato questioned.
Kakashi was silent for several moments. "My memories from before two weeks ago," he paused, voice growing thick as he tried to find the words. "They don't make sense. Not in this world, anyway."
Minato frowned at the final sentence, but didn't ask what the other man meant. "The normal kai release hasn't worked?" He rested a hand on Kakashi's forearm, then released a stream of chakra into him. Kakashi jerked upright and opened his sharingan, closing it again when he found Minato's face. "Two weeks is a long time to be inside a genjutsu."
"Not for Itachi's tsukuyomi," Kakashi mumbled without reopening his eyes.
Minato's frown deepend. "Uchiha Itachi is in ANBU. Are you suggesting that he would use a genjutsu on you? That he has one powerful enough to trap you for an extended period of time without eye contact?"
Anger flitted across Kakashi's face, his emotions easier to read for once. The mask still hung around his neck from where Kushina had pulled it down earlier. Minato wasn't sure if Kakashi had forgotten about it, or if it would put too much pressure on his possibly broken nose. Either way he'd left it down. "Itachi is a member of the Akatsuki, a traitor. Annd yes, he is that powerful."
Minato hesitated at the mention of the Akatsuki. Kakashi shouldn't know that name; the Hokage had only recently learned it from one of Jiraiya's reports. The next words made even less sense. "Why would he put me through this? I think I'd rather have the three days of torture."
"How can you say that your memories don't fit? You know who I am, Kakashi. You called me sensei." Kakashi had been a little off lately, but Minato hadn't been truly worried that something was wrong until now.
"I remember a different world. You were my sensei there as well." Kakashi shook his head. "But so much has changed."
Minato watched the younger man try to find his words. "I've known you for nearly twenty years Kakashi. You can't remember any of it?" His voice was gentle. "You were there when we brought Naruto home; you and Rin surprised us and you were terrified that you were going to drop the baby until she showed you how to hold him." Kakashi shuddered visibly. "Do you remember being raised to jonin? You were so proud, I could see it even through the look of disinterest you always wore back then."
"I remember my first mission as team captain. It was the one where I got Obito killed." Kakashi's voice had an edge to it.
"Is that what this is about? We've been over this dozens of times. Kakashi, you aren't at fault for what happened. Obito is fine." Minato sighed. How long would the man keep beating himself up over that?
Kakashi opened his sharingan again. "Except he isn't. He never made it out of that cave."
After the accident, Kakashi had nearly fallen apart. The boy had begged Minato to strip him of his rank, claiming that he was unworthy to be jonin. It had taken months for Minato and Rin to put him back together. Even in her own pain, Rin had supported Kakashi. Those had been the first steps toward love, though everyone else in the village realized it long before Kakashi caught on.
Minato still remembered the day that he'd known that Kakashi and Rin were perfect for one another. He'd found them early one morning at the memorial stone, knowing they'd been there all night. Kakashi spent most of his free time there, and Rin followed him like a shadow so finding them together wasn't unusual. Minato had been aware of them instantly. Rin's back was propped against the memorial, while Kakashi was curled on his side, head resting in her lap. The girl's fingers had been brushing through his silver hair as she watched the sunrise. Minato left without disturbing them, trusting that if anyone could save Kakashi, it would be Rin.
"Kakashi, I was there when you married Rin. I stood in for your dad. You can't tell me that you don't remember that." Minato pretended not to notice the way Kakashi's hands balled into fists. "You were so nervous that I thought you were going to be sick. Once you started pacing, Obito physically restrained you until it was time for the ceremony. Then you forgot your vows and-"
"Stop it," Kakashi pleaded. "I'm not married. I've never been married, and certainly not to Rin. She's dead, sensei." Words poured out of Kakashi like water from an open floodgate. "I killed her. I didn't imagine that; I didn't make it up. I still see her blood on my hands, hear the way she whispered my name with her final breath." Kakashi's voice broke and he pushed himself to his feet, turning away.
Minato didn't know how to process the words. Kakashi clearly believed them, felt their agony, but they weren't true. Their wedding had been one of Minato's fondest memories. Briefly, the Hokage wondered if he should be afraid for Rin's safety. He didn't think that Kakashi would ever hurt her, but then again, Minato never imagined the boys escalating to this level of violence either. If Kakashi is this out of touch with reality-Minato stopped that line of reasoning before it could form entirely.
Kakashi groaned. "You and Kushina died too and I couldn't-"
Shock stole Minato's breath as he heard the undeniable pain in Kakashi's words. The idea of losing Kushina made fear twist through Minato's gut. She and Naruto were his everything; he would put his life before theirs in a heartbeat. If there was even a slim chance that Kakashi's memories were somehow a vision of the future, he had to know, even if the idea was too terrible to contemplate. "How did it happen?"
When Kakashi's face contorted with pain, Minato wished he'd kept the morbid curiosity to himself. "The night she gave birth, the nine-tails escaped." Kakashi squeezed his eyes shut, struggling with memory. "You sealed the demon, then-"
Minato didn't push Kakashi to continue. If the kyuubi had broken free from Kushina's control, there was only one option. He had desperately hoped that the reaper death seal would never be needed, but Minato had prepared for any eventuality. His heart constricted at the memory of Naruto's birth. They'd taken every precaution: a safe house, ANBU guards, midwives, and Minato to hold the seal during the delivery. Feeling that furious hatred surging against him, while witnessing Kushina's pain, had been one of the most helpless moments of his life.
"We're alive, Kakashi. This is some remnant of a nightmare or-"
"Or I'm insane," the jonin answered darkly. "That's what I've been trying to tell you. I have memories that don't fit, and I don't know how to explain them. Some I remember clearly, like Rin's death. Others, like the chunin exam, are hazy."
Now that he knew what was wrong, Minato had to find a way to fix it. Sarutobi would know which jutsu could plant false memories, but they needed more information. After a few minutes of thought, it came to Minato. Yamanaka should be able to use his mind transmission jutsu to read what was going on inside Kakashi's head. It was the fastest and easiest way to get answers. "Would you be willing to let Inoichi examine you?" He asked quietly.
"Anything to make it stop," Kakashi opened his eye and met the Hokage's gaze for the first time in several minutes.
Minato felt a stab of pity for the battered man before him. Though Kushina had cleaned his face, Kakashi still looked terrible. His uniform was covered with streaks of dirt and crusted with dried blood. "Come on," Minato guided Kakashi out of the study and through the apartment. The man's emotional state was reminiscent of how he'd been after Obito's injury, trying to project strength while crumbling under the weight. Fragile wasn't a word that many would have used for the Copy Ninja, but most didn't know him the way that Minato did. "It will take me some time to make the arrangements, why don't you get cleaned up in the meantime?"
Kakashi followed Minato numbly to the bathroom where the blond nodded toward the shower. "I'll have Kushina bring you something to change into." When Kakashi didn't move, Minato stepped past him to turn the water on. That seemed to shake the other man out of his trance. As he walked to the door, Minato paused. "We'll get this figured out, Kakashi, I promise."
"Well?" Kushina asked, standing up as soon as Minato reappeared.
When her husband crossed the room, Kushina saw the pain in his blue eyes. She wrapped him in the familiar hug that usually dispelled all of his tension, but tonight, it hardly seemed to have an effect. "It's bad," Minato admitted. "I'm taking Kakashi to Inoichi for questioning and once we're done, I think he should stay with us. Can Naruto spend the night with Sasuke?"
"Questioning for what?" Kushina felt a stab of fear, but Minato didn't answer right away. "Naruto is old enough to look after himself, ya know?" She said with soft laugh, trying to ease the anxiety of the situation.
"I don't want Naruto here for this," Minato said firmly. "This is the worst I've ever seen Kakashi, Kushina. I'm worried about sending him home to Rin. He's not himself."
Kushina squeezed Minato closer and glanced up. "What happened, Min?"
The man placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "I'm not sure and we don't have a lot of time, can you trust me until I know more?" While she wasn't the most patient person, Kushina could tell that her husband hadn't had enough time to process whatever Kakashi had revealed in the study.
"Just this once," Kushina murmured, pulling away.
"He's showering," Minato glanced back toward the bathroom. "Can you see that he has something to change into and get Naruto moving? I need to summon Inoichi and a medic so we can get this taken care of tonight."
When Kushina nodded, Minato flashed her a grateful smile before going to summon one of his ANBU to set up the meetings. She went to the bedroom and pulled out a pair of Minato's pants and a shirt from the closet. Her husband was a bit wider through the shoulders, but otherwise the two men were built similarly. His clothes should fit Kakashi well enough and at least they were clean, unlike his own.
Hearing the shower running, Kushina cracked the door and placed the clothes on the edge of the counter. Through the cloud of steam produced by the hot water, Kushina saw Kakashi's uniform and felt a slight smile tug at her lips. His green vest was on the floor, pants and shirt folded neatly on top. His gloves and headband were resting next to the pile with his mask, the one not attached to his shirt, nestled beside them. Even in the middle of a mental breakdown, Kakashi remained perfectly neat, as was his habit. After picking up the mask, Kushina shut the door.
Blood and dirt were easy enough to wash out of the mask's fabric, but it would still be damp when Kakashi was done showering. Though Kushina thought that he was being unnecessarily difficult about keeping his face covered, Kakashi could be allowed a security blanket, especially now. After hanging it off the bathroom counter to dry, Kushina went to find Naruto.
Her son was sitting by the door in his bedroom, undoubtedly trying to hear what was happening. She couldn't blame him. There was too much of Kushina in Naruto for her to be angry. "You're going to spend the night at Sasuke's," she began without warning. Blue eyes, so like Minato's, widened in surprise. "Get your things together."
For once, Naruto obeyed without asking a million questions. In fact, he had only one. "Is Kakashi-sensei okay?"
"Of course," Kushina said, ruffling his hair. Naruto cared deeply about people, felt their pain like it was his own. She wasn't surprised that he was worried about his battered sensei. "He's fine, but he needs to stay here tonight to talk to your dad."
Kushina looked at her son, thinking of what she would have done at his age. "You're not to mention anything that happened tonight. Not to Sasuke, or anyone else, unless your father tells you otherwise. Are we clear?" The boy grudgingly nodded. "Good, get your bag packed. We're leaving in ten minutes."
With the last of her tasks complete, Kushina went in search of Minato. He was sitting behind the desk in his study, hastily scrawled notes in front of him. The man had put his flak vest on, but not the heavy mantle of the Hokage. Not yet. The cloak was draped over his lap, but Minato was a sensei first. She knew that expression on his face. He was wondering what he should have done differently, looking lost as he gazed at the three seals on the inside of his wrist. Kushina crossed the room to run her fingers through his hair. "He'll be fine," she murmured. "Kakashi is stronger than this."
Pressing his head against her side, Minato sighed. "What are we going to do about Obito?"
"First, I'm going to hit him so hard that he'll have to claim mission injuries to show his face in the ANBU barracks again." Kushina growled. "Then, I'm going to get to the bottom of what he was thinking."
Minato chuckled and his voice was less tense when he spoke. "I don't think that's the correct order, Kushina. We should leave off confronting Obito until we know what happened. What about Rin?"
"I'm going to talk to her after I drop off Naruto." Kushina frowned. "When grown men act this stupid, there's almost always a woman involved, and knowing those two, it's Rin. I'm sure she's worried."
"I love you," Minato said suddenly, standing to wrap Kushina in his arms.
Warmth spread through Kushina's chest as she nestled briefly against her husband. "I love you, too."
Kakashi cleared his throat from the doorway and Kushina pulled away from Minato, turning toward him. His sharingan was open, the other eye swollen shut, ringed in black and red. The mask covered the rest of his injuries except for a bruise spreading up his cheek. Damp silver hair hung across his forehead, the headband that usually held it back was wrapped around his wrist. The hand pressing against the door frame looked like it was the only thing holding him up.
Rather than waiting for Minato, Kushina crossed the distance to rest her hand on Kakashi's arm. He flinched, but didn't pull away. "I'm going to let Rin know that you'll be staying with us until we get this sorted out. Do you want me to tell her anything for you?"
"Can you tell her that I-," Kakashi paused then shook his head, choking on the words he couldn't say.
The entry to the Interrogation Division was bathed in shadow but for a single lamp that threw a halo of golden light into the darkness. Fitting for a place like this, Minato thought, pushing the door open to lead Kakashi inside. Bringing his former student here made the Hokage's skin crawl. Kakashi wasn't a traitor to the village, wasn't an enemy to extract intelligence from. He was one of Konoha's own shinobi.
The jonin hadn't spoken since they'd left the house, but Minato recognized that a change had come over him. Despite his exhaustion, Kakashi held his head high as they walked deeper into the building. Minato had expected some flicker of fear or apprehension after the outpouring in his office, but Kakashi's emotions were locked away. He reminded the Hokage of an ANBU captain coming to report a mission failure, dispassionate and removed from the situation.
Minato couldn't worry about that now, not until he had some answers. The pair approached the interrogation rooms and found Inoichi waiting outside with a medical nin. The latter was wiping his glasses on his shirt, nodding at something the Yamanaka had said. When they saw Minato and Kakashi, they both bowed respectfully. Minato had thrown the Hokage cloak over his shoulders before they left the house. As much as seeing Kakashi in pain hurt Minato, he had to face this situation with the level head of a village leader.
"Thank you for coming," Minato broke the silence, voice echoing in the hallway.
"Of course, Hokage-sama," Inoichi responded. "Hatake-san," he inclined his head to Kakashi as well.
Clearly neither Inoichi nor the medic, a man named Kusushi, knew what to make of the Hokage's request. Kakashi looked terrible and they were openly staring at him, trying to figure out how the damaged jonin fit into the picture. "No matter what happens here tonight, I'm trusting your discretion in this. Please heal him, Kusushi," Minato asked.
"This way, Hatake-san," the medic guided him to a chair in the interrogation room, then stepped closer. Green light filled the space. Kakashi stiffened and closed his eye, but he didn't refuse. That alone told Minato how much pain he was in. Bruises faded from Kakashi's eye and cheek, but the process took longer than Minato anticipated. There must have been other injuries he couldn't see.
"Thanks," Kakashi brought his eye up to the medic's now that he could open it again.
Kusushi stepped back into the hallway and turned to leave but Minato stopped him. "I'd like you to stay. I know this doesn't usually require medical intervention, but I don't want to take any chances tonight. This is hardly a normal situation."
Even though Kakashi looked confident, Minato could feel the weakness in his chakra signature. He had spent a great deal of energy today, and the continued use of the sharingan only made it worse. Minato was worried about the way Kakashi had retreated into himself now that other people were present. He wondered if Rin had seen this cold, distant version of her husband. Her love had drawn out Kakashi's warmth, but there was no trace of it now. What had happened to reverse that?
"You may hear sensitive information while you're here," Minato began, turning toward Kusushi, but Inoichi held up a hand.
"Hokage-sama, when I received your summons and request to bring a medical ninja, I selected Kusushi because he's worked with us before." The ash blond man didn't quite say that the medic was familiar with holding his tongue, but the insinuation was there.
Minato looked at the man, then nodded thoughtfully. There was only one reason a medic would be frequently used by the intelligence division: Kusushi could put the broken bodies back together after torture. The Hokage didn't shudder at the thought, though he disliked the needs for such tactics. Instead, he inclined his head. "Out of respect, I'd like you to wait here. I don't know what, if anything, will be revealed, but Kakashi is still a respected jonin."
"Of course, Hokage-sama," Kusushi said, bowing his head and remaining still when Minato and Inoichi stepped into the room and shut the door behind him.
The interrogator turned to the two men with a frown. "What is this about, Lord Hokage?"
"Kakashi is," Minato's heart ached faintly as he looked at his student. The man was already on the point of exhaustion and interrogations were never easy. Exhaling, Minato forced himself to continue. "Kakashi is having trouble distinguishing real memories, which may be blocked, from false ones planted by a genjutsu. At least, that's what we think. We're hoping you can confirm this."
Inoichi stepped around the table to look down at Kakashi. The jonin met his gaze with a hard, single-eye stare. He hadn't put his headband back on, but he'd closed the sharingan. "You understand that once we begin, I'll have access to all of your memories, good and bad?" Kakashi nodded. "There may be things that you don't want me to see. I'll try to go through them as quickly as possible, but it will be easier if you don't fight once we start. Remember, I'm not trying to hurt you." Kakashi's shoulders stiffened, but he nodded again.
"Is there anything specific that I'm looking for?" Inoichi's question was directed to either man, but Kakashi answered.
"The chunin exams. I don't remember what happened, but I know the village is in danger."
Inoichi nodded. "Pain and fear are two of the most powerful human emotions, so they create the strongest memories. If both are associated with the chunin exams, I should be able to find the memory quickly. Are you ready?"
Kakashi shifted in the chair and drew a breath before nodding. Minato wondered what he was afraid of seeing, then decided that he didn't want to know. Inoichi glanced at the Hokage, awaiting permission before resting a hand on Kakashi's head. Both men closed their eyes, and chakra swelled in the room. Kakashi's body stiffened and Minato could see the hard set of his mouth through the mask.
Near silence dominated the room for several minutes, then Kakashi made a sound that Minato had never heard before. Kakashi's lips pulled back from his teeth and he snarled, reminiscent of a wolf backed into a corner. His sedate breathing sped to a rasping cadence that his mask couldn't disguise. Inoichi matched Kakashi's tension, inhaling sharply, then gritting his teeth. Sweat broke out on their faces as the snarl evolved into a growl that sent chills through Minato's chest. Kakashi's fingers clenched around the arms of the chair, knuckles white, and he panted, chest heaving as he tried to draw in enough air.
"Please no, not again," Kakashi gasped, arching away from the chair. Inoichi's entire body shook, face growing pale and lips compressing into a thin line. Kakashi jerked against the hold, then he collapsed backward, eyes squeezing shut. His right hand stretched toward something, fingers trembling under the tension. "Please, Rin," Kakashi sobbed. His distress was obvious, tears glistening in the corners of his eyes. Kakashi's next breath came out as a strangled cry, and the agonized sound of Rin's name wrung from his lips was enough to break Minato's heart.
"Enough." The Hokage's voice was as strained as Kakashi's.
Inoichi braced the inside of his elbow with his free hand to steady the one on Kakashi's head. His voice was tense. "Lord Hokage, I don't have enough informat-"
Blue sparks flickered off Kakashi's outstretched right hand, a subconscious response to whatever memory he was seeing. As the chittering of birds started to fill the air, Minato lunged, grabbing the man's forearm and forcing it back to the chair. The jonin's muscles felt like steel beneath his hands. As often as Minato had seen Kakashi use or train with the chidori, this was the first time he'd ever summoned it without forming hand seals. When had he learned to do that? That was a question for another time.
"I said enough Inoichi," Minato shouted. The interrogator removed his hand, staggering backward while Kakashi collapsed forward. The Hokage caught his former student around the chest, exhaling as the chidori dissipated without fully forming. Kakashi wheezed without opening his eyes, shuddering. Inoichi had the presence of mind to step into the hall and call for the medic. Kushusi reached for his charge, green light surrounded him then blinked out immediately.
"Help me move him to the floor," Kusushi entreated, voice betraying nothing. Minato shoved the chair out of the way with one foot and eased Kakashi to the ground. The jonin was completely unresponsive to anything the medic did, eyes shut, breath whistling, and body shaking. Kusushi knelt beside Kakashi, then glanced up at Minato. "Lord Hokage, please move back so I can tend to him."
Minato obeyed, standing up and taking a step backward from the pair. The emerald light from Kusushi's hands highlighted the lines of tears that were out of place on Kakashi's cheeks. The man in the floor didn't even look like the jonin he knew, not without his armor and headband on. He looked like a stranger in Minato's clothes. The Hokage could almost believe that except for the way his chest ached at the sight.
Minato turned away and followed Inoichi into the hallway. The interrogation room had a panel of glass that allowed someone to look in, but prevented the person inside from seeing out. Minato would still be able to see Kakashi while getting an explanation from Inoichi.
The man stood with both palms pressed against the wall, head hanging forward between his shoulders. "Are you okay, Inoichi?" The Yamanaka nodded then pushed himself upright, turning toward the Hokage. "What happened in there?"
Inoichi sighed. "I've never seen a reaction that strong, Hokage-sama. Kakashi was reliving the memories rather than simply being aware of what I was seeing."
Minato wondered what could reduce Kakashi to that level of blind agony. "What was it?"
"Most people have a handful of painful or frightening memories that are immediately obvious when we begin Saiko Denshin. Once those are isolated, we can sort through other memories." Inoichi paused, then frowned. "For Kakashi, the painful memories never stopped coming."
Ninja led difficult lives, so Minato wasn't surprised that Kakashi had darkness inside him. "Did you find any recollection of Gai? Any memories at all?" If there was a single event that could have caused this type of pain in Kakashi, it would have centered around that.
Inoichi shook his head. "There were no memories of his death, or the mission that caused it. Or, they were buried deeper than I could reach. I didn't discern a block though. Kakashi fully believes that all the memories I saw are real, but most were jumbled or fragmented. I would need to complete a more thorough examination to give you better answers."
Minato glanced back into the room where Kusushi knelt over Kakashi, healing glow surrounding him. The jonin's body was no longer trembling, but he hadn't opened his eye yet. "Did you learn anything from his memories?"
"I didn't understand most of what I saw, the thoughts were more emotion than concrete details." Inoichi's words were careful. "When he cried out for Rin, the anguish and shame were suffocating, even secondhand. The memory itself was hazy though. Rain and darkness, then blinding lightning illuminating Rin's face as blood ran down her chin. Thunder shaking the ground and lung choking dust in the air. Rin screaming. Uchiha Obito coughing up blood and reaching for his left eye."
Of course Obito's injury would be painful for Kakashi. The other, blood running down Rin's chin, had to be related to what Kakashi had said in the office. I killed her. I didn't imagine that; I didn't make it up. Minato shivered and Inoichi continued. "Crimson splashed over the Uchiha crest. Blood covering Kakashi's hands, even under running water. The cloying taste of evil chakra in the air. Screaming and smoke. Uchiha Sasuke kneeling, sealing jutsu on his shoulder. Paralyzing fear. A black cloak with red clouds. Excruciating pain." Inoichi paused then looked away from the Hokage's eyes. "Naruto unconscious and bleeding in Kakashi's arms."
Minato's chest squeezed so tightly that he couldn't breathe, the last words repeated over and over. Naruto unconscious and bleeding in Kakashi's arms. Naruto. Unconscious and bleeding. He couldn't focus on that now. "What else?"
Inoichi shook his head. "I couldn't find any of the memories that should be there either. Nothing from his life with Rin. No images from their wedding day. No excitement about finding out she was pregnant. The joy of those should have been close to, if not greater than the pain, but there was only heartache."
There was the scuff of feet against the floor, then Kusushi cleared his throat. "Lord Hokage, Hatake-san is awake. I would advise leaving off questioning for the night. His chakra reserves are nearly depleted. Even the healing I've done can't erase his physical exhaustion. He needs rest. In fact, he should spend the night in the hospital."
"No," Minato said. "I'll make sure that he rests. Thank you Kusushi, you're dismissed. You too Inoichi. You two have been invaluable tonight." The men bowed to the Hokage, then shuffled down the hallway. Minato turned back to the interrogation room. Kakashi's elbows were on the table and his head was forward, fingers laced behind his neck. He didn't look up when Minato entered the room.
"Kakashi?" The Hokage leaned a hip on the table, then asked gently. "How are you feeling?"
The jonin's voice was hoarse. "Was Inoichi able to discover anything useful?"
"A little," Minato hedged. "You've pushed yourself too hard today, Kakashi. You're going to stay with Kushina and I until we get to the bottom of this. Can you stand up?"
The man pushed his hands against the table and stood, wobbling immediately. Minato was there before he could fall, one arm around Kakashi's waist to steady him as he guided the other arm over his shoulder. Uncharacteristically, the jonin sagged against Minato.
"I've got you, Kakashi," Minato said. "Just hold on."
The world shifted, then they were standing in the study at Minato's house. Kakashi groaned and Minato helped him sit on the couch. Transporting wasn't the most comfortable experience, but it was easier than dragging Kakashi through the streets. The man was drawing deep breaths undoubtedly trying to center himself and get the nausea to pass. "I'll be back in just a few minutes, okay? Make yourself comfortable."
Water, food, blankets, and pillows were the things that Kakashi needed. Those and sleep, probably several days of it. Pushing the door open, Minato stepped into the hallway and almost collided with Rin, who was pacing outside it.
Rin tried to see around Minato, but he blocked her view with his body. When she started to move toward the door anyway, the man caught her shoulders. Brown eyes, full of worry and unshed tears, came up to meet Minato's blue ones and he folded his arms around her. It was as instinctive as catching Kakashi before he fell. When Minato pulled her against his chest, Rin let out a soft sob. "How is he, sensei? I want to see him."
Rubbing her back, Minato glanced over Rin's head at Kushina. His wife shook her head in silent confirmation of what he already knew. The tears dampening his chest were proof that Rin was only doing marginally better than Kakashi. "We have to talk first," Minato murmured comfortingly, guiding her toward the table where Kushina was sitting. He pulled out a chair for the girl then took one beside her. She bit her lower lip, rubbing a hand over her stomach subconsciously. Minato followed the movement with his eyes, recalling how excited she and Kakashi had been when they'd found out.
The pair had asked Minato and Kushina over for dinner. During the entire meal, it had been obvious that the younger couple wanted to say something, but the food and dishes were cleared away without a word. Rin had been in the kitchen, washing one of the dishes when Minato saw Kakashi approach her. It had been brief, the way Kakashi pressed a hand to her stomach as he kissed her cheek, but Minato had known.
Later that night, when Kakashi finally told them, Kushina had squealed in excitement and thrown her arms around Rin, spilling congratulations and helpful tips. Kakashi had sat across from his sensei, looking the proudest and happiest Minato had ever seen. Had Minato looked that way when telling Jiraiya about Naruto? Probably. He and Kakashi had a lot of similarities.
Minato's chest squeezed tightly at the thought of the shattering man in his office and his unborn child. Rin was watching Minato, hoping for answers. She looked like she might be sick at any moment. This wasn't going to be easy, but he needed to tell her. "I know this is scary Rin, but right now Kakashi needs rest more than anything else. Physically he's exhausted, his chakra is spent, and he's having trouble with his memory. We don't know why yet, but we're going to figure it out."
"What happened to him?" Rin looked between Minato and Kushina, twisting a strand of hair around her finger.
For a moment, Minato thought about softening the blow, but this was too important. "We don't know yet," he answered honestly. "Kakashi is confused and hurting. Until we get it figured out, he may need space Rin."
Kushina and Rin were both looking at Minato like he was speaking a foreign language. "Sensei, he's my husband," the girl whispered. "If Kakashi needs anyone or anything right now, it's me."
"Rin," Minato began. Kushina reached across the table and squeezed his hand before he could finish.
"She's right Minato," Kushina agreed. "He needs her."
Looking at the two women, Minato knew he was beaten. Kakashi needed someone, and Rin had always been the force that saved him in the past. He and Kushina had often discussed how she was the only person who could find the light in Kakashi's darkness. He needed her, but Minato didn't know if he would accept her. Not now. "There's one condition, Rin. Kakashi is exhausted and not thinking clearly, if he asks you to go, respect his wishes and try not to take it personally. Kushina and I will keep an eye on him tonight, and for as long as it's necessary. Can you agree to that?"
Rin nodded and stood with Minato's assistance. Kushina moved to get pillows and blankets from the closet. When she brought them back and handed them to Rin, the girl glanced at Minato. I still see her blood on my hands, hear the way she whispered my name with her final breath. The words echoed through Minato's subconscious. He wondered if the same thing that had broken Kakashi could make him whole again, or if it would shatter him beyond repair.
