Hours later, at the hospital in Konoha
"His mask!"
The medic-nin mumbled something inaudible as they carried Kakashi into the hospital. "...later..."
"No, you don't understand, he needs his mask. You can't...you can't take him through the halls like that!" Breaking away from the hands holding him back, Iruka was at Kakashi's side in heartbeat. He pulled the sheet up over the Copy-nin's mouth and nose, then glared at the closest medical ninja. "He must have his face covered. Do you understand? It's just who he is..."
"Iruka-sensei, we need to get him to the operating room. And since you're not family..." The voice was urgent, but gentle, and in it, Iruka recognized Kibou Mai, a member of his first graduating class of pre-genin. "Don't worry. I'll make sure they keep him covered as much as possible. You can stay here in the waiting room, though you should really get some rest, sensei. We need to get to work now."
Iruka directed a small bow and a very tired smile toward his former student. "Th-thank you, Mai-chan." In silence, he watched as they carried Kakashi away on the stretcher, trying to swallow past a lump in his throat and wondering if the jounin would survive the night.
It had taken more than three hours for help to arrive and another hour to carefully move him from the forest to the hospital. The medic-nin had estimated Kakashi and Genma had been lying there for more than twenty-four hours before being found. Blood loss, dehydration, infection, blood poisoning as well as actual poisoning from the weapons, severe chakra depletion...and he hasn't woken up. The whole time he'd held the man in the forest, he'd remained unconscious, and then, all the way to the hospital. It wasn't a good sign.
There was a chance he wouldn't wake at all.
"You look...very tired, sensei. Please, sit down."
Iruka snapped his head up to find Sakura standing between him and the front doors of the hospital. He offered her a smile before sitting, but was aware that his smiles were probably running toward the thin and desperate side. Her cringe confirmed it.
"It's going to be you, Sakura-chan?"
She came to sit next to him on a waiting room bench. "They called me as soon as they confirmed his identity. Kaka-sensei...How is he? What was his condition when you found him?" Iruka glanced meaningfully toward the door Kakashi had just disappeared through and Sakura nodded. "They're preparing him for surgery, but it will be a few more minutes. Anything you can tell me will help."
Iruka quickly described the condition and location in which he'd found the jounin. He noticed her calm demeanor faltered slightly at the details of his injuries.
"I need to ask you something, sensei. Are you and Kaka-sensei...together? I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to, but if you are, you should ask Tsunade-sama to grant you temporary family visiting privileges. So you can visit him, afterward."
Iruka stared at the floor, unable to answer the question properly. Were they together? They hadn't exactly figured that out, yet. And now..."No, we're...we're just friends."
Sakura's face hardened into the calm detachment of a medical ninja. "I won't lie to you. He may not make it. I'm going to do everything I can to--"
"Haruno-san, we're ready for you, now."
"Ah, thank you. Iruka-sensei, please excuse me. Why don't you go home and rest?" With a tense little smile of her own, Sakura headed through the double doors.
Iruka waited two hours for word of Kakashi's condition. He didn't consider leaving even for a moment. Kakashi was his friend, and Iruka didn't abandon his friends. Whatever else the man was to him could wait until the current crisis was over. At least, that's what he told himself. As he paced and chewed his lip, Iruka tried not to think about the way his chest had tightened at the sight of Kakashi's body, the way he'd held the man. The weight of Kakashi in his arms...
The receiving clerk cleared her throat rather loudly and Iruka got the feeling she'd been forced to do it more than once in order to get his attention. "Umino-san? Tsunade-sama has sent a message. You are to report to her office immediately."
"Thank you." With a sigh and one last look toward the double doors, Iruka left the hospital and headed toward the Hokage tower.
The young sensei managed to stand before the Hokage's desk a whole three minutes longer than the Hatake brat usually could. By now, Kakashi would have that damned book out. Tsunade scrutinized him a moment longer, fingers interlaced and locked in front of her, before allowing her mouth to form into a kinder line--not really a smile, but neither a frown. "Iruka, look at you." Hmph. Just friends, my ass. "Baka. Did Haruno Sakura tell you to get some rest or did she not?"
A blush tinged the scar across his nose. "Eh, she suggested it, yes, Hokage-sama."
"And yet, here you are. You need rest, Iruka. I don't want any more calls about you hanging around the hospital--"
"But, Hokage-sama! I need to be with--" His blush brightened as he realized his outburst.
Now she did frown. "Let me finish. I want you to go home and rest. Get at least ten hours of sleep. Your levels are probably as screwed up as his. What were you thinking, pouring your chakra into him like that?"
"Did I do something wrong? I only thought I could..."
The Hokage stood and came around the desk, draping an arm around the younger man and tousling his ponytail. "You did very well, but at the risk of your own life." She directed him into a chair and sat beside him. "I want you to get your rest, and if you do, I'm going to grant you family privileges for visiting him outside of normal hours, as well as time off from the mission desk. I still need you at the academy, but Shikamaru can help-out, if he doesn't mind, so you can have some full days off, too."
She took his hand, and he could feel something warm and tingly across his palm.Her chakra. She's making me drowsy.
"Get some rest and then stop by the hospital on your way to the academy in the morning. Understood?"
Iruka dipped his head. "Yes, Hokage-sama. Thank you."
"Thank you, sensei. You saved a man's life today; two, really. I'd expect Namiashi Raidou to contact you in the next few days. Have faith in Sakura's abilities. Not to brag, but she did have three very excellent teachers along the way. She's an accomplished medic and I trust her to bring Kakashi back. You should, too."
She squeezed his hand, pulling him up and ushering him to the door. "Shizune!"
The young woman appeared in an instant. "Yes, Tsunade-sama!"
"Please escort Iruka-sensei to his apartment." With a nod, Shizune took Iruka's arm. "Goodnight, sensei. The Third would have been proud."
"Goodnight...Hokage...sama."
Shizune glared at Tsunade, suddenly realizing she would probably have to carry a dozing Iruka most of the way, and the Hokage chuckled to herself. Closing the door behind them, she went back over to the desk and flopped into her chair with a tired "hmph." She poured herself a cup of sake and pulled a photograph out of the bottom drawer of her desk, one photo amongst many stashed there over the years by the various Hokage. She studied it for a moment before downing her sake and pouring another.
The picture was of Jiraiya and Tsunade, a blond young man holding a baby, and a silver-haired child. They were all standing together in front of the Hokage tower, commemorating the Fourth's inauguration to office. Even Kakashi looked happy and very proud of his sensei.
It didn't pass her notice that the photo represented the best of Konoha. Two Hokage, one aspiring to be, and two who had graciously declined the offer. Inheriting the Will of Fire, indeed.
"Brats, all of them," she muttered, gulping another sake. She was counting on the biggest brat of them all to make it through the night. Both for the sake of the village and a certain chuunin, who obviously cared for him whether he knew it or not.
With a disparaging look at the stack of papers on her desk, Tsunade corked the bottle and retired to bed.
The next morning, Iruka did as he was instructed and reported to the hospital reception desk on his way to the academy. "Ah, Umino-san, welcome back. Right this way."
He followed a white-clad medic-nin upstairs and down a long gray corridor. As they walked, she explained Kakashi's condition. It seemed his wounds had been easily healed, though the two deepest would take a repeat session tomorrow. He'd received numerous blood transfusions. The poison was extracted, though it left his body temporarily weak, and Kakashi was hooked-up to intravenous fluids for battling his dehydration.
Though he was still unconscious, it was hoped he would recover with rest.
Sakura stood in Kakashi's room, checking his vital signs and ensuring all of the monitors were securely in place. "It was you that called Tsunade-sama?" With a curt nod, Sakura turned back to her ministrations. "Thank you, Sakura-chan. It was what I needed, even if I didn't realize it."
Again she nodded, though she didn't look up from adjusting Kakashi's bandages. Stepping forward, Iruka placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?" She was shaking and all-at-once collapsed into Iruka's arms. "Is it the twins? Has something happened to Lee?"
"No...no, Iruka-sensei, I thought he was going to...He nearly did...a few times..."
He held her in silence, watching the unconscious man over her shoulder, as she cried into his vest. He could've died...
"Sakura, it's okay now. It's fine. Kakashi's fine." Stroking her hair, his eyes remained on Kakashi. ...but he didn't.
She pushed away and held him at arm's length, her vibrant gaze catching his own. "Kaka-sensei's always been good to us. He's become something like Sasuke's father and Naruto's perverted uncle. He's like the older brother I never had. I don't know what he is to you, sensei, but you were genuinely worried last night. Your own chakra levels were so low, and...and I was afraid something would happen...that one of you would be left alone, again." She closed her eyes and took a deep, cleansing breath before opening them again. "Does he make you smile, sensei?"
Iruka blushed slightly, not sure he was ready to have this conversation with his former student. "I, uh...yeah. Yes, he does."
After a moment's hesitation, as if weighing something in her mind, Sakura whispered, "Then, I think you should know, he called your name, once, while I was working on the worst of his wounds."
"Well...I mean, I'm sure...it's just because I was with him in the for--"
"It's the only thing he's said since he got here, sensei. And you told me yourself, that he never woke up in the forest." She offered a small half-smile and pulled away, moving toward the door. "Just think about it, okay?"
The door closed with a click and he was alone with Kakashi. The last time they were alone was a disaster.
No, the last time we were alone was the morning he left on his mission. Iruka's fingers moved on their own to trace his lips where Kakashi had kissed him.
The primrose Kakashi had given him rested on the nightstand next to the well-worn copy of Icha Icha Paradise, the only spots of color in the room. The bland gray decor could use some brightening up in his opinion. The loudly ticking clock showed he still had a half hour to get to the academy, just around the corner. Plenty of time...
He sat watching Kakashi for a while. His unmoving form lay outlined beneath the white sheet, his eyes and silver hair poking out at the top. It was unnerving--the way it looked like the sheet had shifted down while covering a corpse instead of up to cover the man's face. Shaking his head to clear the image, Iruka reached out reflexively and grabbed Kakashi's bare hand in his. He held it, watching the minutes count down on that annoyingly loud clock, watching the heart monitor pound out its own syncopated beat.
Coming to a decision, Iruka exhaled loudly, the weight he hadn't noticed suddenly lifted. "Said my name, huh?" he whispered into the back of Kakashi's hand as he kissed it, "I'm glad."
After a while, he gently situated the man as comfortably as he could. Stalking over to that damned clock, Iruka yanked the batteries out, tossing them on the desk nearby. Then, he left the room for a moment, returning with a beige eye patch one of the nurses found in the supply closet. He carefully situated it over the unconscious man's left eye where he knew the Sharingan rested, brushing the Copy-nin's hair out of his face. The sensei leaned down and left a quick kiss on Kakashi's forehead before surveying his work.
With a hopeful smile, he hurried off toward the academy.
----------------------------
The next afternoon.
When he opened his eyes, it was to white ceiling tiles and the smell of disinfectant. Turning his head even the smallest distance took enormous effort, so Kakashi settled for his partial view out of the window and gave up trying. Sunlight shone through the glass, illuminating the rest of the room, and a small vase of flowers sat on the sill.
Someone had removed the clock, so he couldn't know the exact time, but by the sun's angle, he guess it was close to two. On cue, his mind helpfully supplied,Iruka will be out of class in an hour.
The normalcy of the thought jarred against the reality around him and something clicked into place. So, I'm here again.
He became aware of many things at once--sore muscles, hunger, thirst, exhaustion, an itch on the back of his knee that he couldn't reach, his mask, an eye patch...That's new. The medics had never taken the time to bother with such things.
Why am I here? No, how did I get here? Where's Genma? His exposed eye searched the room, eventually falling on a nearby plaque. It read, "Welcome home and thank you for your service." It bore a large Leaf emblem, but that wasn't proof enough. Only a real plaque would bear the small uzumaki etched lightly into the wood underneath the words. He found it in the top left corner, invisible if you weren't looking for it. So we made it.
He tried to remember what had happened. It was all a bit hazy, though he knew the mission had escalated from B-class to S-class, somehow.
His train of thought was interrupted by the flare of powerful chakra in the near distance. Tsunade's chakra signature always preceded her in the village; she had nothing to fear there and was truly at her ease. Kakashi felt his lips twitch, not making it into a grin, before closing his eyes and calming his body, pretending unconsciousness. He wasn't ready to deal with people yet.
Tsunade entered without a sound, only detectable by her chakra. She stood over the Copy-nin for a moment, doing a quick, superficial check. He could almost feel her frowning.
"Gaki...Sakura did good work. Hn. The girl insisted on doing it all herself. Said it was important." Tsunade sighed and moved to sit on the bed beside the supposedly unconscious nin. The bed shifted a bit as she leaned over to smooth his hair. "I promised him I'd watch out for you, you know. Minato would be proud, but how many times have I had to visit you in the hospital over the years? It doesn't get any easier, kid." She felt his cheek with the back of her hand, checked his pulse. "He's been taking care of you. Doing a damn good job. Though getting him to go home...hn...he's as stubborn as you. Maybe worse."
He felt her stand as the moving weight slid from his side. After a moment, her voice came from closer to the window, mumbling under her breath, "At least his flowers haven't died yet." A little louder, obviously directed back at Kakashi, she added, "Treat him right kid. He'll be good for you. And if you're just playing one of your little mind games, I won't lift a finger to stop those baka assistants of mine if they decide to make your life a living hell. Consider it a warning."
Again, Tsunade sighed, crossing back to the door, still muttering. "Dammit, it was worth a try. Maybe in a day or two he'll come around." Just before the door closed, he heard, "You better wake up soon, brat. It's an order."
He waited until he felt her chakra recede beyond the hospital before relaxing and opening his eyes.
Strange. Who is he? Surely not Genma. Though, if I were injured and he wasn't, he would probably feel some kind of obligation. His mouth quirked into a pout. He was never exactly the sort of person to give flowers, though.
And why would Izumo and Kotetsu-- No way.
Kakashi peered at the vase and read its hidden meanings--affection, sincerity, good health. It was something Iruka would do, of course. It brought a smile to his dry, chapped lips as he imagined the sensei's blush. How he rubbed at his scar when he was thoughtful. Realizing he was dozing off, he murmured, "Hope so."
A few hours later, after a much needed nap that was infinitely more fulfilling than his three days of unconsciousness, Kakashi awoke to a voice in his room.
----------------------------
Iruka moved around the room, straightening a the little notepad on the desk, closing the blinds to redirect the last of the day's light away from Kakashi for the most part, adjusting and smoothing his sheet. "...in any case, they aren't as bad as Naruto or Konohamaru." He rubbed his hands over his face and dropped into the chair at Kakashi's bedside. Sakura had told him that Kakashi couldn't hear him or understand what he said, but that sometimes talking to coma patients helped. He'd taken her words to heart, visiting daily to tell the Copy-nin about events in the village, his students, anything that might trigger the man's brain into consciousness. "I guess my shitty day didn't compare to yours, huh?"
He reached out and took hold of Kakashi's closest hand, sandwiching it between both of his. "Please, wake up?" He watched the pale features, noticing the failing light glint off the silvery eyelashes. Kakashi seemed so fragile in the small hospital room. He seemed utterly unlike himself, and yet Iruka wondered if this was the Kakashi no one got to see. Sometimes it felt like he was intruding into the man's life. Other times, he worried that Kakashi would slip away if he wasn't there to keep him buoyed. He was drained and tired, but someone he cared about needed him. There was nothing he could do, but continue to show up and talk to Kakashi, occasionally moving the man's limbs to flex his muscles or pulling down his mask to apply medicinal balm to his chapped lips.
Sitting up straighter, he tried to smile. "Kashi, I went by your apartment today. Um, sorry about the traps--I had to disable them, but don't worry, I set new ones. It should be okay until you get a chance to check them over. Just didn't want you coming home to rotten food in the fridge, heh. Should of known you didn't actually have any food in your refrigerator to start with. Oh, and I checked your mail. The couriers dropped a letter from Naruto in your box, and I brought it to read. I thought it might give you a break from my boring rambles, anyway."
Iruka pulled a bright red envelope from his pack and carefully removed the folded letter. Clearing his throat, he began reading in his clear lecture voice,
Kakashi-sensei
and Iruka-sensei, How are
you doing? Sasuke-teme and I are doing great! So, how
are you doing? I bet Iruka-sensei's bored without The
dobe was writing nonsense. What he failed to Uh,
sorry. I smudged Sasuke's writing. I just wanted to add We hope
there's still a little snow on the ground when we NARUTO & Uchiha
Sasuke
We've
stopped in Suna for a few weeks and it's so hot.
Sasuke
says I just like to complain, but it really is. And the
wind
blows all of the time. They say it will only get hotter
over
the next few months, so I think we'll leave soon to
avoid
that.
anyone
to go to Ichiraku with him. Man, I miss that Ichiraku!
We were
camping in Earth Country a few weeks ago, and
Sasuke
got us some cup ramen and we cooked it over the
fire. I
pretended it was Ichiraku and, well, I couldn't
pretend
Sasuke was Iruka-sensei, but I did imagine you were
there.
And Kakashi-sensei, too. Sasuke says I'm writing
nonsense
and he wants to...hey, am not! Fine, he wants to
write
you something, too.
mention
is that we'll be home soon. That's the real reason
we are
writing. I can't tell you about our mission, of course,
but I
can say it will be another month at most, and th-
that I
hope Sakura-chan and the kiddos are doing well.
Don't
tell them, but we have presents from Suna. It's a
surprise!
get
there. Take care of yourselves.
Iruka chuckled and smiled at Kakashi's resting form. "I suppose they'll be a bit let down that it's already starting to feel like springtime around here. Still, it sounds like they've had a good time." He folded the letter and slid it back into his envelope, dropping it onto the nightstand beside Icha Icha Paradise. For a moment, he considered reading the book, but honestly felt too tired to try. Instead, taking up Kakashi's hand once more, Iruka slumped in the chair and just watched him.
If he'd been paying attention to the heart monitor's incessant beat, he might have noticed it jumped minutely before settling back into it's perfect rhythm. Unfortunately, the sensei had already fallen asleep.
----------------------------
Kakashi lay in bed for an hour, until the last of the light had disappeared beyond the horizon and Iruka's soft snores had dwindled and faded. Experimentally, he moved his arms and legs, finding them much more pliable than his neck muscles. His torso and chest complained, but it wasn't as bad as he expected, and he even managed to move over a bit, making room.
Across from him, Iruka sat lopsided in the plastic chair beside the bed that looked like it'd seen one too many mourning visitors. Iruka, himself, looked horribly uncomfortable and cold. Miserable.
"Iruka..." Kakashi choked down his gasp at the pain in his throat. Slowly, he reached for a glass of water on the nightstand and gulped it down at once.
"Iruka." The water had extinguished the burning, but his voice still sounded raspy and dry.
"Iruka!" That seemed to do the trick. The sensei's eyes opened slightly and Kakashi ordered, "Come here."
Iruka didn't even fully awaken, but followed the other's commands in his sleep. He rose from his chair, climbed onto the bed with Kakashi, and lay down beside him. Kakashi wiggled an under and around the broad shoulders. He buried his face in Iruka's back. He smelled wonderful and Kakashi worked to fill his nostrils with that smell instead of the hospital around him. He might not have another chance if Iruka awoke and wasn't agreeable with the arrangement, so he took in the warmth of his body, his scent, the feel of his weight in the same bed. A million little details committed to the Copy-nin's memory.
Pulling the blanket up over his companion and settling down against him, Kakashi rubbed his thumb gently along Iruka's jaw, mumbling, "Goodnight, sensei. I think I love you."