Synchronization
Love Naruto and thought I'd try my hand at a few stories with these amazingly rich and deep characters. I hope you enjoy and will review to let me know your opinions good or bad. I do not have one problem with yaoi, but this story will not contain that genre. I am only stating this for those that do not understand that love is simply love.
I own nothing. Nothing.
Chapter Twelve
"You all were cruel," Naruto pointed out as Genma sighed.
"We were, weren't we?" Genma said, looking down angrily, "Being shinobi is complicated, Naruto. Sometimes we must follow our orders without question. Leaf and Mist were tricked good and the only one that saw that was your Iruka-sensei."
"He has good eyes," Naruto bragged, looking to Iruka with pride before sobering, "He saw me. No one else saw me for being Naruto. They only saw the kyuubi and all the eyes and the whispers and even the hands were hard to handle before Iruka-sensei. It hurts to feel hated and you all did that to my favorite person. You have no idea how hard it is to live like that. None of you do."
Genma swallowed uncomfortably as Jiraiya and the Anbu looked at one another feeling shaken.
"You'll have to teach us what Iruka-sensei did to help you feel better so we can do the same for him once he wakes up again," Genma insisted as Naruto blinked, "Can you help us be better comrades, Kid?"
"Yeah!"
oOo
Iruka smiled up at the happy exclamation as he sat huddled against the wall of his almost prison. The vision of Naruto babbling away made affection well up for the loud youth. Naruto never meant any harm. He only wished to be seen for being who he was and his friend had tapped into just what Naruto needed to not dwell on the past.
"Thank you, Genma, for distracting him from feeling bad and remembering painful memories," Iruka hummed, watching his old student chirp away, "And…and thank you for your words. It is nice to know that most of Konoha may have thought they were teaching me something rather than being cruel. That makes me feel better."
"I don't feel better about it," a voice groaned as the chunin saw Kakashi sit up from where he'd been sleeping on the other side of the wall, "This never should have happened. Lessons are one thing, but what happened to you was cruelty, Iruka. Make no mistake on that. We all owe you one big apology."
"My actions still violated shinobi laws," Iruka sighed, "As much as you wish to apologize to me, Kakashi-san, I also need to apologize for not listening. To a point, Genma was correct. Everyone was trying to teach me a lesson to save my life."
"Bullshit, Sensei," Kakashi snorted, "We missed the truths that you saw. You owe no one an apology for being smarter than the rest of us. You reminded us to look further than face value and be better comrades."
"It seems that Naruto is going to teach that lesson to everyone better than I," Iruka said, grinning softly before hacking deeply into his hands for a few seconds of agonizing pain, "Uhn…hurts…so much."
"Breathe, Iruka," Kakashi instructed, banging on the wall, "Come on breathe. Uhn!"
Iruka hissed as he panted and grabbed at his chest, but it didn't miss his notice that Kakashi was also doubled over in pain. What was this? It was like…it was like the jonin could feel the strain of the chunin's heart as well. The Copy-nin was obviously in pain, but why? Then he began to remember the Hokage's words from earilier…
"Kakashi is working so hard to help you that I fear for him."
Lady Tsunade was afraid for Kakashi. Why was that? The jonin admitted that he'd possibly figured out a way to anchor Iruka without realizing what he was doing. Was Kakashi hurting in what he had done to set up the anchoring?
"How is this possible?" Iruka groaned, pushing himself up against the wall as Kakashi panted and glanced to him, "What have you done, Kakashi-san?"
The Copy-nin blinked in confusion as pieces began to fit into place for Iruka more and more as the chunin thought over some of what he witnessed and heard. Kakashi's face was paler than before and he was clearly in pain…just like Iruka.
"Why are you still with me?" Iruka demanded, "Why are my students making you a get well card, Kakashi-san? You should have woken up by now. How are you still with me and how is it you can feel my pain? What did you do?"
"I don't know what I've done," Kakashi breathed, leaning back on his heels, "I know I should have woken by now so I can only assume that I no longer can."
"What…are you saying…oh, my God," Iruka gasped, looking in horror at the Copy-nin, "Coma? That's it. You're in a coma and stuck here with me because…this is my fault."
"No, Sensei," Kakashi denied, seeing Iruka's panic well up, "Don't get upset. When you are upset, your fever spikes and you are trembling too much to be healthy. I probably just used too much chakra and need to sleep so my body is in a coma while I get to visit with you. No big deal. I'll be fine and so will you. Just calm down, Iruka."
"Let me go," Iruka spat suddenly as the jonin gaped, "Tell everyone that I forgive them and not to grieve for me. Take care of my Naruto, but get out of here. Go back."
"Iruka," Kakashi snapped, "I won't leave you to die."
"GET OUT!" Iruka thundered, bashing his fists on the barrier as he hung his head to hide his face behind his hair, "GO HOME, HATAKE-SAMA! LEAVE ME BE! I'M FINE WITH ALLOWING NATURE TO TAKE IT'S COURSE, OKAY? GET AWAY FROM HERE, HATAKE-SAMA! UNDO THE ANCHORING AND GO HOME! I DON'T NEED YOUR HELP!"
Kakashi inhaled sharply as he smelled the bit of salt in the air while tears dropped to the ground near where Iruka was kneeling. The chunin was willing to sacrifice himself for Kakashi. Iruka was still protecting Konoha in his own unique way. Affection welled up for this self-sacrificing man.
"Won't and can't leave you be," Kakashi whispered, kneeling opposite the chunin, "I promised my student to bring you home. I don't go back on my word, Sensei. Don't push me away. You calling me 'Hatake-sama' shows that you are trying to distance yourself and force me from your side. I told you we are friends. My friends are precious to me. I'm going to do anything I can to help a friend. That is my way, Iruka."
"Please, please go back," Iruka choked, "Don't make me a burden to our village. It would be my fault that Konoha loses you if my heart finally falters. I'm sick, Kakashi-san, and I'm not getting better. I can't. I'm too weakened. Let me go. Your duty is to put Konoha first. I don't matter above our village. Your way is kind, but serving the village matters more."
"I am serving our village even now," Kakashi pointed out as Iruka's tear-stained face look up at him in confusion, "I'm bringing a Leaf back home and I won't stop until he's safe again. Konoha might need me, but the village needs you too. Period, Iruka."
oOo
Several days had passed since Tsunade had finished her research and began to develop a new medication that might help Iruka fight the pneumonia. This was both Iruka's and Kakashi's last chance to pull through all of this.
"There we go, Iruka-kun. This is hopefully going to help you heal by increasing the antibodies to fight the infection," Lady Tsunade spoke as she ease the needle into Iruka's arm as Turtle gagged behind her, "Turtle, are you serious? I cannot believe an Anbu is afraid of needles."
"Not afraid, Hokage-same," Turtle growled, "Just…watching it push into the skin. I don't mind getting shots, but seeing others getting one is horrific. Ugh, you medic-nins far outweigh even Anbu in courage and youthful fortitude."
"I will forgive this bit of weakness since it seems that you are a smart man, Turtle. Go take a break," the Hokage ordered since it looked like the tall Anbu was about to throw up by his movements, "Get some air before you pass out on me. Shoo."
"Hai, Hokage-sama," Turtle agreed, walking stiffly from the room while the blonde snorted in amusement.
"Shinobi can be so silly, Iruka-kun," Tsunade grinned out before going to do a quick scan of the Copy-nin, "Brat, you are getting thin. It is time to wake back up, Kakashi. You can help Iruka better on this end."
The Hokage fussed a little more before glancing back at Iruka. Tsunade frowned as she noticed a familiar blush creeping over the nin's cheeks.
"Please, no," Tsunade begged as she felt the chunin's forehead, "No, not now, Iruka-kun. Shimatta! Anbu!"
Growling, the lady turned to Iruka's doorway as Anbu pushed in ready to attack.
"What is wrong, Hokage-sama?" Asuma asked as he and Genma slid into the room as well.
"The medicine is not working or I've administered it too late," Tsunade snarled, turning to Iruka, "His fever has spiked again. Listen. The heartbeats are strained and growing weaker."
"But…what do we do without Kakashi's jutsu?" Turtle questioned, stepping forward, "How do we cool Iruka down?"
"I'm not sure. None of the other methods have any effect on Iruka-kun," Tsunade admitted before turning in shock as Kakashi arched with a pained cry from the bed he rested upon, "What? Brat?!"
The Hokage rushed forward as Kakashi arched again with a choked scream. Shizune pushed through the crowd and gaped with everyone else as the downed jonin continued to thrash in place. What was this?
"My God," Tsunade gasped, using her medical jutsu to examine the Copy-nin, "Shizune, monitor Iruka's heart now! Kakashi has engaged the ice jutsu!"
"How?" Shizune questioned, hurrying to do as asked.
"Kakashi must be in there with Iruka like I reckoned and using the jutsu internally," Tsunade snapped, trying to hold the jonin down as he arched again while the two heart monitors beat an erratic beat as one, "He needs more chakra! Hurry, we are losing them both from the strain!"
"Move!" Badger practically howled as an Anbu was shoved to the side while the shinobi raced to help the Hokage, "Take it, Senpai. Take all you need. Hokage-sama, I can barely feel a chakra signature. Turtle, hold him down. He's too strong."
"On it," Turtle gritted out as he practically laid on top of the seizing man, "I can barely feel his chakra signature too, Hokage-sama, and what I can feel seems to be ebbing away. Do something!"
"Genma! Asuma!" Tsunade snarled as the two jonin jumped to donate their own chakra to the Copy-nin with Badger, "Shizune, report!"
"Not good!" Shizune cried as Tsunade turned to see all color drained from Iruka's skin, "The fever is stopping his heart and there is a block or a wall preventing me from reaching the source of Iruka's illness! I'm losing him!"
"A wall?" Tsunade whispered, turning to look back at the Copy-nin before she darted forward to lean over the jonin, "Kakashi, listen to me. It's the wall! The one you spoke about that you need to get down. The wall is the answer. Help Iruka get that wall down. Help him keep fighting, Brat! Kakashi, you have to do this! Time is running out for you both!"
oOo
"Don't, Iruka," Kakashi gasped as he continued to concentrate on sending the cooling waves throughout the chunin's body even as Iruka stood before the swirling blackness that beckoned and blew the ill shinobi's hair around his head with wild abandonment, "Don't step through that. Help me get the wall down."
"You're killing yourself," Iruka choked, glancing over his shoulder, "I can't allow you to die for someone like me. It's time for me to go, Kakashi. You've got to stay in Konoha and tell everyone that I'm sorry that I couldn't hold on for them and that I forgave everyone long ago. Watch over Naruto for me. He'll be amazing one day."
"Uhn! Stop," Kakashi grunted as his heart seized violently and he coughed up some blood, but not once did he let up his jutsu, "I won't allow you to do this."
Iruka said nothing as he turned back to the blackness even as he coughed hard into a hand and spat up blood as well.
Kakashi, listen to me. It's the wall! The one you spoke about that you need to get down. The wall is the answer. Help Iruka get that wall down. Help him keep fighting, Brat! Kakashi, you have to do this! Time is running out for you both!
Lady Tsunade? Kakashi glanced to where he knew the wall stood. Of course! The wall had always kept him from finding the source of Iruka's fevers. The damn wall had always been the problem. The jonin let up the ice jutsu and stumbled forward.
"Break!" Kakashi howled despite his pain and exhaustion, throwing himself at the wall, "Break, damn you! Iruka, you can be healed! Just help me break this! Iruka!"
Too close. Iruka was too close to the blackness. Kakashi panted and pulled every bit of chakra he had left to him for one last try.
oOo
"Kuso!" Turtle roared, pulling Genma and the Hokage away from Kakashi as a familiar chirping filled the air while the Copy-nin's right hand sparked and buzzed with chakra, "Get back!"
"What the hell?" Genma questioned as Turtle lifted Kakashi's arm to keep the residual power from destroying the bed, "Chidori?"
"Not a full version," Tsunade said, with a shake of her head in wonder, "At least not in this plane of existence."
"Senpai is trying to cut through the wall within Iruka's mind," Badger gasped, sitting on the floor as spent as Asuma, while murmurs broke out among the shinobi in amazement.
"Exactly," the Hokage grinned out, "Go for it, Brat! Hurry!"
Sparks flew around the room as the glow grew brighter. Many sheltered their eyes before glancing up as Kakashi arched again with a yell that seemed to come from his toes before the light went out and the Copy-nin went still as stone.
"Kakashi?" Turtle whispered before two, twin sounds could be heard screaming in unison.
Iruka's and Kakashi's hearts had stilled.
To be continued…
