The next few days did nothing to quell Sakura's annoyance at the situation that she'd found herself in. She hadn't seen Kakashi again, but she was fairly certain that the man had heard her coming once and shunshined out of Yamato's room before she could catch him. Her patient had ignored the repeated questions about stimulant usage after one conversation. He'd parroted Kakashi's excuse that all Anbu used them, citing Saiyo's use on their last mission. Sakura didn't bother trying to compare their numbers since she hadn't run bloodwork for the woman.
Despite Sakura's irritation with Yamato, his health continued to improve. Within two days of his admittance, the man's heart rate and blood pressure sank to the low range of normal. The infection had cleared up with the introduction of a new antibiotic, and the soldier pills had worked their way out of Yamato's system. Sakura didn't draw another test since the man had improved. She had seen Saiyo crash and recover after using one pill not long ago; Yamato's body appeared to be doing the same.
When Sakura made her way to Yamato's room to do the final check before release, she was surprised to find him reading. She raised one eyebrow, unsure why the similarity with Kakashi struck her as amusing. Unbidden, her eyes skimmed over the title, and she couldn't stop a chuckle. "Modern Architecture? Are you trying to put yourself to sleep?"
Yamato glanced up, then tucked a strip of ribbon between the pages. He laid the book aside and offered a tight smile. "Something to pass the time while I wait for a certain someone to sign my release forms."
Sakura dipped her chin and picked up Yamato's chart from the end of his bed. "Let's see about getting that taken care of, shall we? How are you feeling?"
"I feel fine." Yamato levered himself into a sitting position without wincing in pain, then rolled his eyes. "I felt fine four days ago, when you decided to keep me here."
The annoyance in Yamato's voice would have surprised Sakura on his first night of admittance. After the past few days, she was used to his more abrasive nature. It seemed that he liked to spend time in the hospital almost as much as Kakashi did. Sakura skimmed over the notes. "The nurses tell me that you haven't been sleeping?"
"I have a hard time sleeping when people are coming in and out of the room." Yamato raised his shoulders in a shrug. "Survival instincts, or something like that."
The excuse wasn't unbelievable, especially for shinobi. Sakura saw it often enough. The constant hustle and bustle of the hospital wasn't conducive to rest, even for civilians. Shinobi had a worse time with it; most found it difficult to trust someone to look after them, even in a safe place. Sakura had noticed the same defense mechanism in Kakashi though she'd never thought to correlate it to a heightened fight or flight response from Anbu.
Humming in agreement, Sakura kept the thoughts to herself. "I'm going to give everything one final check, then we'll get you out of here."
Yamato nodded as Sakura moved closer to the bed. He tensed when her hands moved toward his chest, then visibly let out a breath that relaxed his body and tipped his head for her to continue. Sakura pressed her hands against the warmth of his shirt. A brief sweep of chakra revealed that Yamato's internal bleeding had stopped, and the bruises that had marred his skin were nearly gone. The man hadn't spiked a fever for over forty-eight hours. Despite the nagging in Sakura's gut, he appeared to be the picture of perfect health.
"Everything looks good," Sakura announced, withdrawing her hands. She eyed Yamato as he settled backward onto the pillows. Shadows stood out beneath his eyes. Sakura thought that he'd lost weight since the end of the war, but that was two years ago so it wasn't remarkable. Weight often fluctuated with missions and training. It looked as if a few more days of rest would set things right, either way.
Yamato tapped his fingers along his thigh, impatience bleeding through his calm exterior. "Medically, I have no reason to hold you," Sakura began, making a couple of notations in the man's file. She raised her eyes to meet his for a long moment. "But, I want you to be honest with me. Is there something else going on?"
"Something like what?" Yamato's expression was as innocent as Sakura had ever seen; it made her wonder if he was trying to pull something over on her. He popped each finger in turn, eyes drifting down to focus on that task while he waited for her to continue.
Sakura chewed her lower lip, considering the best way to word her question. There was no easy way to frame what came next. "As shinobi, some missions are worse, or affect us, more than others. If you're having a hard time—"
Yamato scoffed, heat entering his gaze when it came back to Sakura. "I don't need a shoulder to cry on. I need you to sign my release forms so that I can get back to work."
"There's nothing wrong with needing help sometimes," Sakura countered, annoyance flooding her tone. She didn't know if the reluctance to ask for help was a failing of shinobi, Anbu, or men in general, but it was frustrating that it became an issue so often.
When Yamato didn't respond, Sakura shook her head and picked up the discharge paperwork that she'd printed before coming to check on him. She tossed the list of instructions onto the bed with a huff. "I'll get your fitness for duty assessment to the Hokage's office by tomorrow."
"Thanks." Yamato threw his legs over the side of the bed and pushed to his feet. For a moment, he resembled the Yamato that Sakura remembered leading Team Kakashi. The jonin blues looked more natural than the black and grey of Anbu, though Sakura thought of him with the latter as often as the former now.
The thin line of agitation on Yamato's mouth transformed the man into someone that Sakura didn't recognize. She couldn't help but wonder if it was that easy for Anbu to change their personas. How did they remember who they were after years of adjusting themselves to fit their missions?
Yamato picked up the papers and took two steps toward the door before pausing. "I appreciate the concern, I really do. But, I'm fine."
"Would you tell me if you weren't?" Silence answered Sakura's question, and Yamato's shoulders tensed like he was waiting for a blow. She couldn't stop herself from continuing. "If you don't want to talk to me, that's fine. But, what about your team? Why weren't they here?"
Deadly hardness entered Yamato's eyes, and Sakura couldn't help but wonder if that was what the man's enemies saw before he moved in for the kill. "Because this is the way Anbu works. They brought me here; that's all they needed to do."
"Bullshit," Sakura spat, anger surging back to the surface. She hadn't been able to wrap her mind around the fact that Yamato's team had left him alone, not knowing whether or not he'd live. "I did some research on the night that you were injured. Saiyo is the one that brought you in. Why didn't she come back?"
Yamato's jaw tightened hard enough that Sakura imagined that she could hear his teeth grinding. Something passed over the man's face, but she wasn't able to get a read on the expression. "How do you know she didn't? She's Anbu. If Saiyo didn't want you to see her, you wouldn't have."
Sakura considered that, then decided that it was probably true. They didn't make her feel any better, but she didn't argue the point. "Fine. If not your team, what about someone else? There are resources within T&I or at the hospital that could help. Or, can I prescribe a sleep aid?"
The half smile that Yamato offered didn't quite reach his eyes. "I know, I've been doing this a lot longer than you have."
"I suppose you have," Sakura conceded, barely containing the eye roll that threatened to reveal her annoyance. "Even so, you're only human. If you start to have nightmares, increased trouble sleeping, irritability or mood swings, or something feels off, please come back in. We can help. It's not something that you have to deal with alone."
"Yup, will do." Yamato turned away, and Sakura watched him walk out of the room without speaking. Shinobi rarely asked for help until there were no other options. Sakura couldn't shake the feeling that Yamato might be more stubborn than most.
When Sakura's shift ended, she wanted nothing more than to go home and throw herself into bed. Except, she'd promised to meet Ino for drinks as soon as she got off. The girls tried to get together at least once a week when their schedules permitted. Sometimes, it was a simple dinner at one of their apartments, either takeout or some new dish they were trying to learn. Other times, like tonight, Ino insisted on dragging Sakura out to a bar for some alcohol.
Ino enjoyed the social scene more than Sakura did, but sometimes compromises were necessary. They had met up at one of Ino's favorite haunts, a noisy dive filled with too many people and thumping music that made Sakura's heart leap in her chest. She had a headache in the first fifteen minutes, and a round of alcohol and food had done nothing to ease the stiffness in the back of her neck.
Even though Sakura already wanted to leave, she doubted that she'd be out too late anyway. Usually, Ino met someone interesting in the first couple of hours and left with him well before midnight. The blond would always apologize the next day, no matter how many times Sakura assured her that she didn't mind getting home early. Hopefully, tonight would be no different. Sakura could really use a couple of extra hours of sleep.
When the conversation lulled, Sakura realized that she'd missed something that her friend had said. She shook her head to clear the thoughts that hadn't fully formed and brought her attention back to the table. "Hm?"
Ino rolled her eyes, taking another drink of her electric blue cocktail. "I asked why you're so quiet tonight. Bad day at work? Not enough sleep the night before?"
Sakura rolled her eyes at the suggestive wiggle of Ino's eyebrows. Since the disaster with Kazuko, she hadn't tried to be intimate with anyone else. Sakura knew that half of Ino's reason for dragging her out to bars on nights like this was so she could meet someone. Ino wanted Sakura to have companionship in her life, someone besides a bad memory. She should have never told the blonde about Sasuke. The words had kind of tumbled out, and ever since, Ino had been on a mission to make sure Sakura didn't die old and alone or start pining after him again
When Sakura didn't answer right away, Ino nudged her foot under the table. "Well, spill it already."
Stirring her drink with the tiny straw provided by the bar, Sakura considered the millions of thoughts swirling through her mind. She hadn't been able to get Yamato out of her head, though she knew that she needed to drop it. Easier said than done. "Do shinobi ever use the counseling services that T&I offer?"
Ino didn't speak for a moment, then the warmth of her hand enveloped Sakura's. "If there's something going on that you need to talk about—"
"Not me," Sakura interrupted, a blush staining her cheeks for reasons that she didn't quite understand. "I was thinking about one of my patients."
"Oh." Ino took a long pull of her drink and digested the question. In fact, the silence dragged on for so long that Sakura almost wondered if she needed to repeat the question. Then, Ino spoke. "Few shinobi come to counseling. I'd say maybe one in twenty actually gets the help that they need. Ninja are expected to be resilient, able to shut down their emotions and continue no matter what."
Ino's jaw clenched around the words, her lips pressing into a thin line. Sakura was surprised that the question had struck a nerve, but she wasn't sure why. Ino cared about other people, obviously, but this was something more. The girl let out a sigh, then shrugged. "Dad and Tsunade-sama started to develop a plan for better screenings and assessments, but then the war happened."
The war happened, and everything was thrown into chaos. Then, one person's mental health no longer mattered as much as it had, Sakura supplied without saying the words aloud. She'd heard similar sentiments from both Tsunade and Kakashi over the years. The horror stories of kids only half prepared who were thrown into a higher rank due to war-induced shortages still gave Sakura nightmares. The practice was one that she planned to see eliminated in her lifetime.
Ino took another drink and shuddered before continuing. "Anyway, what's up with your patient?"
Sakura reached for one of the pork dumplings that Ino had ordered before she got there, shaking her head. "You know that I can't go into detail about my patients."
"I didn't ask for details, just generalities." Ino placed her drink back on the table, brow furrowing as her gaze drifted around the room. If Sakura hadn't known better, she would have thought the girl was worried about something. "I'm curious about which symptoms you think suggest that someone needs counseling."
Sakura couldn't help but wonder who the question had brought to Ino's mind, but she didn't ask. That speculative look was too troubled to be simple curiosity; there was something deeper going on, and Sakura intended to find out what when the time was right.
Ever since Yamato's tox screen, Sakura couldn't get the man out of her head. The amount of stimulants in his system was high, yes, but there was also a perfectly valid reason for the bloodwork to show what it had. Knowing that didn't put Sakura's mind at ease. She regretted not repeating the screening a second time before releasing him. Her gut told her that something was off, and it wasn't usually wrong about these kinds of things.
Sakura had filled out the paperwork required for a shinobi to return to duty for Yamato, but she hadn't submitted it to the Hokage yet. She'd thought about stopping by Kakashi's office before joining Ino for drinks, then didn't. Sakura hadn't been able to decide if her recommendation was for a full return to mission availability, or for a set period of continued observation. She didn't have enough evidence to deem Yamato unfit beyond half developed suspicions, and he deserved more than that.
Sakura raised her shoulders in a shrug. "I don't know anything for sure, but it seems like some of the signs are there: mood swings, restlessness, losing weight, and possibly increased risk taking."
As Sakura rattled off the list, she could see half a dozen diagnoses, both physical and mental. Some of them were innocuous, while others were more serious. Screenings were woefully underutilized because there was little to no follow up on the findings. Sakura wasn't sure if she was allowed to order a psych evaluation on suspicion. She'd need hard evidence, and even if she got that, she couldn't force Yamato to work through his issues. The problem with counseling was that a person had to want help. She got the distinct impression that Yamato didn't fit into that category.
"Those could be post traumatic stress, a hard mission, or purely coincidental." Ino shrugged and finished her drink. She smacked her lips together against the burn of alcohol, then sighed. "You can offer them counseling services if you think it would help, but I doubt they'd take you up on it."
Sakura nodded; she knew that she couldn't help someone who wasn't willing to move forward. Besides, she didn't know if Yamato had a problem yet. Ino offered a tight lipped smile as the silence dragged on. "So, should I be expecting someone who we know to stop by the office soon?"
"You know I can't tell you who it is," Sakura chided half-heartedly. She had worried about this problem for almost a week and was no closer to a solution than when she began. Forgetting about it for a while sounded like a wonderful idea. "You're right, though. It's probably nothing except a bad mission."
Ino nodded without speaking, and Sakura wondered which mission the girl was reliving. Every shinobi had one, a time when everything went impossibly wrong. You came home from those unsure how you were going to keep moving forward, but you did. Sakura had several like that, but she didn't want to dwell on them. In fact, she wanted the exact opposite, so she changed the subject. "So, which handsome stranger do you have your eye on tonight?"
Laughing, Ino swept her pale blue eyes over the patrons, a decent mix of shinobi and civilians. Ino tended to prefer mostly civilian bars lately, though Sakura wasn't sure why. She assumed that the woman got tired of seeing the same faces every day. The pool of ninja wasn't that large to begin with, so it wouldn't take a person long to work through all of them if they put their mind to it. And, Ino certainly seemed to have tried.
After a few moments, Ino nodded her chin toward a man at the bar. He leaned his forearms against the polished stone edge, standing with his back toward them. "How about that one?"
When the man turned, Sakura's heart leaped into her throat. She should have recognized the black pants and pale shirt, but she'd been too absorbed in her worries about Yamato and Anbu. A strand of hair fell across her forehead at the violent shake of her head. She pushed it behind her ear as she answered, words coming too quickly. "I think you can do better."
"He has a nice ass though, for a civilian I mean." Ino chuckled and watched the stranger from the corner of one eye. When Sakura didn't join in the amusement, the blond frowned and focused on her friend. "Unless you had your heart set on taking him home? If that's the case, I can definitely arrange—"
"I work with him," Sakura growled underneath her breath, slinking lower into the booth so that her hair wouldn't be so obvious over the top. "Please don't make a scene."
Ino raised an eyebrow, and her gaze shifted between the bar and Sakura without comprehension. Then, after a few uncertain moments, she grinned. "Wait, is this the hot doctor?"
Sakura rolled her eyes and renewed her attempts at invisibility. She fought to keep the blush from her cheeks so that Ino wouldn't be interested in her relationship with Kazuko. The last thing that she needed right now was for Ino to slip into matchmaker mode. "He's a doctor, yes," Sakura admitted.
"Well damn, I'm suddenly feeling faint." Ino put the back of her hand to her forehead and swayed in her chair, giggling. Mischief shone in her eyes.
Kazuko turned away from the bar to look around the room, presumably waiting for his drink to arrive. Sakura dipped her head lower and kicked her friend beneath the table. "Stop being such an idiot. Can we please just go?"
Ino opened her mouth to respond, but another voice cut in before the words left her lips. "Sakura?"
Kazuko stood beside the table, a long necked beer bottle in one hand. The man looked identical to the night that he and Sakura had almost slept together, minus the exhaustion written on every inch of his face, of course. He ran a hand through his black hair, making it stand up in short tufts. "I haven't seen you around here before," he offered with a dry chuckle.
Unable to think of a response that didn't sound foolish or flirty, Sakura raised her shoulders in a shrug. Ino looked between them before grinning up at Kazuko. "And who might you be?" Her voice took on the innocent tone that she'd worked for years to perfect, and her eyelashes fluttered.
Kazuko bowed to Ino, a delicate blush covering his cheeks. Sakura wondered if the man had just noticed that she had company and was embarrassed by the oversight, or if he was already falling under Ino's spell. The blond looked amazing as always, make-up perfect and her dress impossibly tight in all the right places. Sakura looked frumpy by comparison. "I'm Takeda Kazuko. I'm sorry; I didn't mean to interrupt."
"Oh, not at all," Ino purred, grinning up at Kazuko. Her gaze darted to Sakura's flushed cheeks, and her smile widened. "Actually, I was about to go and get a drink. I'll leave you two to talk."
Sakura cast a pleading look at her friend, but the woman ignored it as she skipped toward the bar. At least, as much as was possible in heels. Kazuko watched her for a moment, then turned back to Sakura. After an uncomfortable second, he slipped into the seat that Ino had vacated. "You can't keep avoiding me, you know."
"I'm not avoiding you." Sakura grumbled, lifting the fruity cocktail to her lips. The mixer almost masked the alcohol inside, leaving a sugary warmth in its wake. She rolled her eyes when Kazuko offered a flat stare in response, then sighed. "I just don't have anything to say to you; there's a difference."
Kazuko snorted without a trace of humor to soften it. He glanced around, then lowered his voice. "Look, I'm sorry for the way things happened between us. How many times do you want me to apologize? I didn't mean it the way that it sounded."
Humming noncommittally, Sakura glanced at the bar. Ino perched on a stool, chatting with a man that Sakura didn't recognize. The blond laughed at something the stranger said and reached across to twine a strand of curly brown hair around one finger. Sakura couldn't resist rolling her eyes. Ino wasn't going to help her out of this situation. In fact, she would probably just make things worse.
"Can I buy you a drink and make it up to you?" Kazuko sounded sincere, but the memory of his words still stung. Sakura had thought about that night countless times over the past few weeks, and she still hadn't decided how she felt about it.
What ifKazuko's insinuations had been right? Were Sakura's emotions skewed because she was shinobi? Wasn't that exactly what she and Ino had just discussed? Had her time with Sasuke been just a moment of passion and nothing else? Two shinobi falling into bed together because they knew that their lives might end, so why not take whatever pleasure they could find?
Sakura didn't want to think about those questions, but she couldn't get away from them. Lifting her glass a second time, Sakura tipped her head toward it. "I already have a drink."
"You make it difficult for a man to fix things, do you know that?" Kazuko picked at the label on his bottle with a fingernail, then sighed. "I want to go back to the way things were before that night."
"The way things were?" Sakura repeated, unsure what the man meant. They'd been acquaintances at best, then coworkers. They had almost turned into a one night stand, but things like that didn't require labels.
Sakura had gotten caught up in the easy banter with Kazuko. He hadn't seen a deadly ninja or girl who cried more than she fought when he looked at Sakura. He'd seen her, at least, she thought he had. The fact that he couldn't divorce the idea of an emotionless shinobi from the Sakura's that he knew, shocked her. She'd been furious when she left his apartment that night, and terrified that Kazuko was right. Now, an undercurrent of anger and fear ran through every interaction with him.
Kazuko raised his bottle and took a deep pull before continuing. "It might sound stupid, but Emiko had just broken up with me. We'd been drinking. I wasn't looking for a pity lay or a rebound, and I should have handled it better. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply whatever it is that you took from my words."
"That I was a nineteen year old shinobi who didn't know better?" Bitterness clung to Sakura's words, but she didn't try to moderate it. Shaking her head, she lifted her drink and swallowed the last drops of liquid. Sakura thumped the glass back onto the table and exhaled. "Now, you can buy me a drink."
A chuckle sounded in the back of Kazuko's throat. "Fair enough."
The man pushed away from the booth and walked toward the bar. Sakura watched him for a moment, then let her gaze wander over to Ino. She sat with the same man from before, but her eyes continued cutting over at Sakura. Ino laughed at something Curly said, then caught Sakura's gaze and wiggled her eyebrows in Kazuko's direction. Ino leaned closer to the man, her lips moving against his ear, then stood and walked away.
Curly's eyes lingered on Ino's curves when she swayed back to Sakura's side. A smile graced the girl's lips, and she leaned down to whisper. "So, are you going to take him home? I mean, you definitely should. Look at him." Her eyes swept over Kazuko, drinking in the details that Sakura tried not to notice.
"No, I'm not not," Sakura growled. Annoyance laced her words like venom. "You don't get what it's like to have to work with someone day in and day out the way that we do. You can't just sleep around and act like—"
The sound of footsteps drew Sakura's argument up short. Kazuko stopped beside the table, looking between Sakura and Ino before placing the new drink in front of the former. Ino flashed a brilliant grin at Kazuko without missing a beat. "Oh, good. You're back. I was just telling Sakura that I've been called away. You'll make sure she gets home safe for me, won't you?"
The stunned expression on Kazuko's face hadn't had a chance to fade before Ino threw her arms around him in a too familiar hug. "You're the absolute best, thank you." She glanced over her shoulder at Sakura with mischievous eyes. "I'll check in with you tomorrow."
As Ino turned away, Kazuko slid back into the seat across from Sakura. The silence between them hung over the table like the stillness after a storm. Then, he laughed, a warm, inviting sound. "She's a bit-"
"Over the top," Sakura supplied, taking a sip of her new drink. She came up with a few more adjectives as the alcohol burned her tongue, some that were better kept to herself. "Full on? Pushy? Idiotic? Forward?"
"Exuberant was my thought." Kazuko chuckled, swallowing a mouthful of the beer that he'd replaced at the bar. "So, what is she? Your guard dog?"
Sakura couldn't help but smile at the idea that Ino could be anything except a troublemaker. Truth be told, it had been a long time since she'd had to explain the high strung blond to someone. Their mutual friends knew exactly who Ino was, but she was a new experience for Kazuko. Sakura snorted and shook her head. "She's my friend, I think."
Kazuko and Sakura spent a pleasant evening together that temporarily made her forget the troubles she'd arrived with. The conversation had been awkward at first, but it settled into a mimicry of normalcy by the end. Sakura accepted Kazuko's apology without agreeing with his assessment of her emotional state. They had allowed that discussion to drop, and spent almost two hours with small talk and greasy food. Sakura had glanced around the bar for Ino, but the girl was nowhere to be seen, so she called it a night.
The evening had been a decent distraction as far it went. But, the following morning, when Sakura found herself outside of Kakashi's office, reality crashed back in. She ran her fingers over Yamato's paperwork and tried to stifle the worry that something was wrong. Genma and Raido watched her from their positions on either side of the doorway.
The former grinned around his senbon and nodded behind him. "Want to go in, or did you just want to look at it?"
"I need to speak with Hokage-sama, obviously," Sakura grouched. She left out that she'd been trying to gather her courage for the confrontation for the last several minutes. The teasing tone in Genma's voice annoyed her, as did the smirk on his face.
Raido shook his head at the pair's bickering, then raised one hand and knocked on the door. Silence reigned for two heartbeats, then a muffled voice answered from the other side. Raido ducked into the room, leaving Sakura with Genma. The man slouched against the wall, the image of lazy insolence, then shifted his weapon to the opposite side of his mouth. "He's been testy all day, I'd tread lightly," Genma offered.
Sakura considered whether or not she wanted to bring up Yamato's blood work again if Kakashi was already in a bad mood, but she didn't have enough time to back out. Raido reappeared and pushed the door wider behind him. "Whenever you're ready," he said, indicating the office.
"Thanks." Squaring her shoulders, Sakura swept between the men without a backward glance. The formality of the room made her feel like she was being called into Iruka's office at the academy. Or, perhaps it was a remnant from Tsunade's time as Hokage. Kami knew that Sakura had received enough lectures to last a lifetime in this room. She exhaled as the door clicked shut behind her.
Sakura temporarily forgot the reason that she'd come to the Hokage's office as she took in the changes that the room had undergone. The desk that Tsunade normally kept neat and efficient was in danger of being swallowed by piles of paperwork that leaned at precarious angles. The ever present bottle of sake and cup were missing, replaced by a mug of something that might have been tea or coffee at some point. A dark brown ring in the bottom was all that remained.
"Sakura," Kakashi acknowledged, looking up from the report that he'd been reading. Silver hair stuck up at odd angles like he'd been raking his fingers through it; exhaustion etched deeper lines around his grey eyes. Even Kakashi's voice sounded tired. Despite that, his gaze still held the smile that he'd used to diffuse every problem since Sakura had known him. "What can I help you with?"
Sakura gestured at the desk, struggling to find words for her disbelief. "How is it possible to be this far behind on your paperwork already? You've only been doing the job for a few weeks."
Kakashi chuckled and leaned backward in his chair, stretching his back in a way that almost made Sakura reprimand him. "It's a special talent of mine." He shrugged. "I haven't found a capable assistant. Tsunade took Shizune with her, sent you to manage the hospital, and there weren't any obvious options past that."
Because Shikaku died during the war, like Inoichi. Sakura's mind filled in the blank, then she did a double take to realize that Kakashi would have considered her competent enough to be his assistant. She hadn't worked with the Hokage's office since the war, but she'd helped Tsunade frequently before that. The thought brought a smile to her lips as she considered the words.
"You could ask Shikamaru," Sakura suggested, surprised that Kakashi hadn't thought of the man. "He'll complain the whole time, but he's got a good brain for things like this. I'm sure his dad taught him a lot, too."
"You're probably right." Humming under his breath, Kakashi nodded and sat up. He grabbed a pen and scrawled something down on a scrap of paper before returning his attention to Sakura. "But, I'm sure you didn't come here to scold me for being behind on paperwork. Is there a reason for this visit?"
Sakura tightened her grip on the paperwork in her arms and forced herself to draw a deep breath. "No, that wasn't the reason," she admitted. "I actually wanted to talk to you about Yamato-taichou."
Kakashi paused in the middle of reaching for his cup, a wariness creeping into his posture. He completed the movement as if nothing had happened, but Sakura saw the hesitation. She wondered what it meant. Kakashi glanced into the cup and grimaced at finding it empty. Then, he nodded toward Sakura's hands. "Is that his release for duty paperwork? You didn't have to bring it by personally. You know that, right?"
"I do." Sakura drew in another gulp of air. She'd tried to figure out what to say, but hadn't been able to do so. Instead, she let the words flow without attempting to moderate them. "I'm not sure if I should approve Yamato's return to action yet. Physically, there's nothing wrong with him that hasn't been explained already, but something is still bothering me."
"You're still worried about the soldier pills?" Kakashi's voice took on a sharp edge that Sakura was unfamiliar with. He didn't wait for her hesitant nod before continuing. "We've talked about this. It isn't unusual for an Anbu to take soldier pills on their missions, especially at the end. Their work is more taxing than what you're used to. They push themselves to their limits almost constantly."
Sakura frowned and clutched the paperwork to her chest, a flimsy shield against the exasperation in Kakashi's tone. They had talked about it, yes, but she wasn't ready to accept such a simple explanation. "I feel like there's more to this than meets the eye. You're the one who told me to always look underneath the underneath."
"I did say that, didn't I?" Kakashi snorted, then regarded Sakura for a long moment before his shoulders rounded and the defensiveness left his posture. "What is it that you're so concerned about?"
"Yamato-taichou is exhibiting symptoms of post-traumatic stress." Sakura had considered the best angle to approach the problem and decided that head on was the best method. Sugar coating the issue wouldn't make it easier. When Kakashi's expression didn't alter, Sakura continued. "I'm worried that he might be using stimulants to cope with it."
Pregnant silence filled the office. Kakashi's eyes drifted to the door that shut them away from the rest of the world. He steepled his fingers in front of him on the desk without speaking for so long that Sakura felt a flush of irrational embarrassment creep onto her cheeks. Then, Kakashi gestured with one hand. "Go on."
Fearing that she was losing a battle that hadn't begun, Sakura consulted the notes that she'd made in Yamato's file. "He was restless in the hospital, barely sleeping. His heart rate and blood pressure were elevated, though they eventually came down to acceptable levels over time. He is exhibiting irritability and moodiness, which isn't like him at all."
Sakura chewed on her lower lip as she looked at the final symptom that she'd recorded. The words were circled in red with a thick question mark beside them. Now wasn't the time to back down, however, so she made herself go on. "I've personally treated him twice in the past month. Both times were for serious injuries. I'm worried that he's taking excessive risks, indicating a general disregard for his physical health."
"Enough," Kakashi interrupted, holding up one hand. "Yamato is Anbu. I've said this before, and I will say it once more: they do not function like jonin. The symptoms that you're outlining could be recorded of every shinobi, at one point in their lives or another. Anbu go through it more frequently. It doesn't mean that he's abusing soldier pills."
Something in Kakashi's expression looked pained, and Sakura couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking about. The man's voice had grown softer as he spoke, like he didn't want to risk the words leaving the office. She wondered what happened when accusations like this got out about a fellow shinobi. It wasn't something that people talked about.
Sakura laid the paperwork on Kakashi's desk and pushed it toward him. "Something feels off, something more than the fact that he's in Anbu. Please, take a look at it."
The plea moved Kakashi to pick up the report. He skimmed through the file with an air of familiarity, like he'd already reviewed Yamato's admission notes. Sakura had only brought the report from the two most recent visits to the hospital. She kicked herself for not pulling the man's complete record. Did she even have access to his full history? Would it have given her a more complete image of what was going on in Yamato's life? Had she missed something that she hadn't even known to look for?
Kakashi closed the manila folder, holding it close for a moment like he didn't plan to return it. When he spoke, the softness of his voice made Sakura uneasy. "What you are suggesting has serious consequences. Can you tell me, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that Yamato is having problems, or are you guessing?"
Sakura considered the question the same way she had since reading the toxicity report. She was operating on a hunch and a handful of circumstantial facts. There were no firm details definitively proving that Yamato was struggling with a particular vise. But, there also weren't any that proved that he wasn't. It could go either way. Sakura sighed. "I don't know."
Holding out the report, Kakashi nodded. "I've known Yamato far longer than you have. He and I worked closely before I became a jonin sensei, and we've worked hand in hand for the past two years. If there was a problem, I would know about it."
Eyeing the stacks of uncompleted reports dotting the desk, Sakura raised one eyebrow. How could Kakashi keep tabs on someone else when he was this busy? He hadn't seen through her struggles at the hospital, not really. "Are you sure that you'd have the time to notice?"
Kakashi nodded, a brief bob of his head that didn't inspire as much confidence as Sakura hoped it would. "I'm sure. Now, are you going to stop poking at this and trust me?"
Pursing her lips, Sakura tucked the file into the bag at her hip. "I don't have much of a choice, do I?"
While Kakashi shook his head, Sakura retrieved the medical evaluation and placed it on the desk. He reached for the paper, but she pinned it between her splayed fingers and the polished surface. When Kakashi looked up in surprise, Sakura narrowed her eyes. "If I see anything else that looks suspicious, I'll be back to see you. And, I won't be as nice about it the second time."
Kakashi chuckled in the back of his throat and collected the paper. "Fair enough. Does this mean that he's cleared for duty?"
"Yamato is approved for light duty as of tomorrow. He still needs to complete his antibiotics and have one final check before I'll release him for missions." Sakura summarized the words that she'd written at the bottom of Yamato's report so that Kakashi could pretend that he'd read them.
With another eye smile, Kakashi nodded and tucked the form into a drawer. He paused, then glanced back at Sakura, expression softening. "I know that you're just trying to do your job. I want what's best for Yamato, too. Trust me when I say that everything is good, okay?"
"You'll let me know if something looks otherwise?" Sakura hated the pleading tone in her voice but she didn't know how to fix it. She'd wanted to be stronger, to force Kakashi to see things her way, but it hadn't happened. She didn't want to be comforted by his words because he had an answer for everything, but because she actually believed him.
Kakashi hummed an agreement. "Of course. But I won't, because everything is fine. Now, did you need anything else?"
Sakura sighed and shook her head. The visit to Kakashi's office left her feeling wrung out and restless, though she couldn't put her finger on why. She knew that Kakashi cared about Yamato, more than she'd anticipated, but there was something else bothering her. Sakura couldn't shake the feeling that Kakashi might not understand the best way to help someone, especially someone who wasn't ready to admit that they needed the help.
The sunlight on the wall faded from gold to bronze, then dipped toward darkness as the hour grew later. Kakashi watched the play of colors with his mind a million miles away from the Treatise on Systematic Poverty in Shinobi Nations that he was supposed to be reading. Since Sakura's visit, he hadn't been able to focus on anything except the words that she'd so carelessly thrown out. I'm worried that he might be using stimulants to cope. I'm worried that he's taking excessive risks.
Kakashi hated that Sakura made him question Tenzo's mental state. He had known Tenzo for most of his life. The man had been a rock for Kakashi more times than he cared to remember. Their days in Anbu had been filled with the same type of missions that Tenzo continued to complete, the ones where you counted yourself lucky to come back from because not everyone did. Kakashi remembered the hurt that he buried after every loss. Somehow, Tenzo had always seemed above the darkness that sucked so many shinobi under. Had things changed?
Sometimes, Kakashi still thought of Tenzo as the brat that he'd rescued from Root. Their relationship had been unusual from the start, despite the closeness in their ages. It was rare that Kakashi allowed someone else to get that close to him, but he'd seen something of himself in Tenzo. He had taken the boy under his wing when he entered Anbu, partially because he was afraid that Tenzo might be too tender for the role. Kakashi had watched with morbid curiosity to see how the younger man would fare.
Where Kakashi had expected Tenzo to fail, the man had excelled. His mission completion record was exceptional, even after so many years of service. Kakashi and Tenzo's work on Team Ro had cemented a friendship between them that was closer than brothers. In fact, Kakashi was probably the closest thing that Tenzo had to a family. Though, they weren't quite as close as they had been when they were younger.
When Kakashi left Anbu, he hadn't kept in touch with Tenzo the way that he should have. The pair had reconnected when Kakashi was in the hospital after the mission to rescue the Kazekage. Tsunade had needed someone to lead Team Seven while Kakashi was injured, and she'd suggested Tenzo. Kakashi still wasn't sure if the woman knew how perfect her choice had been, or if she'd gotten lucky by picking his former subordinate.
Tenzo's mission had been something of a disaster, though Kakashi knew that only his kohai's presence had kept it from spiraling into something worse. Tenzo had come back seriously wounded after a run-in with Sasuke. Kakashi had visited the man in hospital, half to apologize for the injury and half to get a detailed account of what happened. When he'd entered the room, Tenzo had pushed himself up on the bed and leveled Kakashi with a hard stare. Then, he'd burst into laughter, teasing that Kakashi's kids needed more training if they didn't even know how to properly kill someone. Kakashi hadn't bothered to point out that Sasuke wasn't technically his student any longer.
The day in the hospital had been the first time that Kakashi had seen Tenzo in months, but it was the start of reconnection. The pair renewed their friendship with an ease that surprised Kakashi since he had so few friends that stuck around through the years. Tenzo had been one of the few people that Kakashi had managed to maintain a friendship with despite the pressures of missions and life that often kept them apart. They'd picked up right where they'd left off.
With the war looming on the horizon, life had taken on an air of predictability. Kakashi spent his days training Naruto. The youth needed to learn to control his chakra and change its nature for a new jutsu he'd been working on. Kakashi and Tenzo had worked hand in hand for weeks with the boy, developing his skills enough that they'd stand a chance in the war. During those long days, Kakashi realized that he was proud of the man that Tenzo had become and their friendship had returned as easily as breathing.
Then, another mission had come and gone for Team Seven. Only, this time, Tenzo hadn't returned home from it. The details were hazy, and there hadn't been enough for Kakashi to go after him. He had almost attempted it, but Naruto and Sakura needed him. Then, Tsunade threatened Kakashi within an inch of his life if he left the village. Those realities were enough to keep Kakashi in Konoha, but he'd never forgiven himself for not going to find Tenzo. He still didn't know what had taken place during the time that the man was missing.
There had been so much chaos between developing the shinobi alliance and thwarting Madara's plans that Kakashi hadn't been able to worry about Tenzo, not much anyway. Then, when the battle was over and the world tree released its prisoners, Kakashi had seen Tenzo stumbling through the crowd. The dazed expression on the man's face had been enough to pull Kakashi away from his students. He'd been half frightened that it might be another trick of the infinite tsukuyomi. When Kakashi touched Tenzo's shoulder, the man glanced at his face without recognition. Then, he'd crumpled into Kakashi's arms with a sob.
Tenzo had been mumbling nonsense about decisions that he never meant to make and things that he'd never do again, but Kakashi couldn't follow the logic. When their combined weight dragged them to the ground, Kakashi shushed Tenzo's rambling. Sakura had been the one to find them after what seemed like an eternity later. When she saw how disoriented Tenzo was, she'd run a cursory exam. She'd found nothing wrong except exhaustion and dehydration. Even so, Tenzo hadn't been in a good place at the end of the war.
And, what if he still isn't? The question nagged at Kakashi's mind. He glanced at the clock, surprised to find that he'd worked past his normal office hours. While there was still plenty of paperwork that needed attention, it could wait until tomorrow. Besides, Kakashi could count checking on Tenzo as work, technically. He lived for those grey areas, preferring to spend time out of the office when he could get it. It wasn't like anyone could stop him now, not really.
As he stood, Kakashi glanced over to where the hokage's robes hung on the wall and decided to leave them there. Tenzo didn't need a reminder of the distance that time had put between them. The medical recommendation glared up at Kakashi from his desk, taunting him in Sakura's voice. No matter how many times he tried to view it from the objective stance of an outsider, Kakashi couldn't fit her accusations into the report. To him, it looked like every other Anbu mission.
Rather than going straight to Tenzo's apartment, Kakashi wandered through the streets to collect his thoughts. He considered the best way to approach his old friend so as not to appear concerned. Tenzo wasn't open about things like this, he never had been. Not that Kakashi could blame him. He chuckled under his breath, realizing that he'd been the one to teach Tenzo how to deal with bad missions. It shouldn't surprise him that their methods remained similar.
Not wanting to show up empty handed with vague assumptions, Kakashi stopped by the liquor store and bought a bottle of whiskey. The alcohol was more expensive than the swill they drank in the old days, but the sentiment was the same. Kakashi had dozens of spotty memories where he and Tenzo had passed a bottle back and forth, carefully not talking about anything that touched on how they felt. Despite the years that had passed, Kakashi hadn't met many problems that alcohol couldn't dissolve, especially if you drank enough of it.
When Kakashi reached Tenzo's apartment, he paused. He considered shunshinning inside, then discarded the idea. Surprising an Anbu captain was a good way to earn an extended stay in the hospital or an early grave. Neither of which appealed to Kakashi. Besides, Tenzo could be busy with a number of things that Kakashi didn't want to walk in on. While he didn't think that Tenzo was involved with anyone, Kakashi couldn't be sure. He liked to think that he would have known at least that much, though.
Tenzo might be trying to sleep as well. He'd just been released from the hospital yesterday, and he'd sustained serious injuries. No matter what medics pretended, a medical environment was hardly conducive to rest with the constant noise and the poking and prodding by nurses at all hours. Tenzo would be thankful to take a shower, get back to his bed, and be left alone. Except, Kakashi was about to ruin all of that because Sakura thought the man might be too proud to ask for help when he needed it.
As much as Kakashi wanted to leave Tenzo to his own devices, he couldn't risk the man spiralling out of control, not again. Sighing, Kakashi knocked on the heavy wooden panel; silence answered for several long heartbeats. Waiting for what he judged to be about a minute, Kakashi knocked again. He'd never survive Sakura's annoyance if he left without seeing Tenzo face to face. They could all have a good laugh about her assumptions, write it off as naivety, then get back to work.
As Kakashi raised his hand for his third attempt before taking his chances with the shunshin, he heard the heavy tread of feet from the opposite side. Locks clicked free of their places, and the door cracked open. A bleary eyed Tenzo peered out of the semi-darkness, brown hair mused from sleep and head protector conspicuously missing. He wore old Anbu blacks; the sleeveless compression shirt showed wear on the shoulders from the armor rubbing against it.
Rubbing grit from his eyes, Tenzo frowned. Then, he pushed the door wider and dropped into a bow. "Hokage-sama," he murmured, voice gravelly like it hadn't been used in a while.
Arching one eyebrow, Kakashi acknowledged the title with a pang of longing for the days when such formality was unimaginable. He dipped his head and reverted to his friend's old code name in response. "Yamato."
Tenzo's lips twitched toward a smile as his eyes scanned the hallway around Kakashi. "Point taken," he conceded. "What can I help you with, Kakashi?"
The words held just the right amount of levity to seem genuine, but Kakashi could tell that Tenzo was treading carefully. He cursed the change in their positions, wondering if it was possible to be close with someone that you worked for. He didn't want to lose a good friend over the damn robes. Kakashi shook the thoughts away; that would never happen. "Mind if I come in? I'd like to talk to you about something."
Shrugging, Tenzo pushed the door wide enough for Kakashi to enter, then shut it behind him. "Sorry for the mess," he mumbled.
Tenzo reached past Kakashi to flick on the light, throwing the normally immaculate apartment into chaotic detail. A blanket hung from the edge of the couch, puddling onto the floor like a spilled drink. On the table, two books were face down to hold their places; two glasses nestled between them. One was empty, the other half full of clear liquid. Tenzo's Anbu mask lay beside them while his armor made an untidy pile next to the door.
Setting the bottle of whiskey next to the cups, Kakashi arched one eyebrow. "Seems like I'm a little late to the party."
Tenzo followed Kakashi's gaze, then shrugged after a moment. He bent to scoop the blanket from the floor and tossed it over the armchair. Kakashi watched in his peripheral vision, wondering how much Tenzo had already drank. The movements were careful and precise, but a deep flush covered the man's cheeks. When his gaze met Kakashi's, his eyes were bloodshot.
"You woke me up," Tenzo complained, throwing himself onto the couch without a hint of grace. He rubbed his eyes again like he couldn't clear them, then gave up.
"I thought you'd want to celebrate escaping from the hospital," Kakashi suggested. The reasoning sounded pathetic even to him, but he wasn't ready to jump into anything deeper. Not until he had a chance to evaluate Tenzo's mental state.
Now that Kakashi was closer, he saw the sticky patina of alcohol in the empty cup on the table. That meant that the other one probably contained water. Tenzo followed Kakashi's gaze and chuckled. "Some of your lessons stuck better than others."
Years ago, when Tenzo had been placed on Kakashi's team, they had a mission that went to hell and ended in the loss of two teammates. Three days later, when they resumed training, Kakashi noticed Tenzo's hangover. Sure, they'd drank more alcohol than they should have the previous night, but Kakashi felt fully functional. When he'd pulled the younger man aside, Tenzo had tensed in preparation for a lecture about shinobi vices. Instead, Kakashi had explained that the dehydrating effect of alcohol could be offset by drinking water alongside it. He couldn't remember who'd first taught him that, Genma, maybe?
The fact that Tenzo was cognizant enough to drink water alongside his alcohol was a good sign. Kakashi noticed the neck of a bottle sticking from beneath the couch near the man's bare foot. He considered reaching for it, if only to get a look at the label, but decided to leave it alone. Kakashi crossed to the kitchen and opened a cabinet. He took out two cups and carried them back to the living room. Tenzo watched him reach for the bottle and pour a measure of whiskey into the first glass without speaking. Kakashi hesitated over the second, then filled it with half the amount and pushed it toward Tenzo.
Tenzo reached forward, his hand hovering over the glasses. Kakashi noticed the tremble in the man's fingers as they closed around the water instead. A knot of tension released in Kakashi's shoulders; that was the second sign that maybe Sakura was wrong about Tenzo's mental state. There was some worrying evidence that she was right, however. Normally, Tenzo was meticulous about cleaning his apartment. The disarray around them was as out of place as the man's unkempt appearance. Kakashi noted the shadow of stubble on Tenzo's cheeks when he ran a hand over his face.
Lowering himself onto the opposite end of the couch, Kakashi slid his mask down and took a drink. He tipped his head to the side and closed his eyes against the burn of alcohol. Warmth settled in his stomach, sharpening his next breath. "Damn, that's strong."
Tenzo drained the water and bobbled the glass when he put it back on the table, almost knocking it off. He exhaled, then lifted the alcohol and drank it like a shot. Shaking his head, Tenzo thumped it down with a moderate degree of accuracy. "Yeah," he coughed.
Kakashi took another pull from his glass, watching Tenzo over the rim. There was no easy way to bring up the next thing he needed to ask. He lowered his drink to rest on his thigh, affecting an easy posture that he didn't feel. "So, how are you doing?"
"You never were good at small talk." Tenzo laughed, snagging the whiskey. Despite the earlier shake of his hand, he refilled his cup without spilling a drop. He offered the bottle to Kakashi for a refill, then put it back on the table when Kakashi declined. Tenzo raised his drink, then took a smaller sip, holding the alcohol in his mouth like he wanted to savor its flavor. Finally, the man sighed. "Is this about Sakura's accusation?"
"This is about whether or not you're doing okay." Kakashi framed the words carefully, keeping both the pity and question out of his voice. Tenzo didn't need someone to hold his hand; he needed honesty. Six months ago, Kakashi would have checked on Tenzo without prompting. He'd taken the man's steadfastness for granted, but no more.
Tenzo snorted without a trace of his normal, dry humor. "But, it's about Sakura, isn't it? She put you up to checking on me?"
"She's worried about you," Kakashi conceded with a dip of his head. He knew that Sakura was only trying to help, but sometimes the best way to move past things was to leave them alone. Kakashi didn't believe in the idea of talk therapy to find closure, whatever that meant. Sometimes, it was best to bury things and move on. "Sakura doesn't understand the pressures of Anbu."
"Small blessings, that." Tenzo chuckled, tipping his glass into the air to catch the remaining droplets. He glanced at the bottle as he sat the glass back on the table, dark circles showing under his eyes.
Kakashi hummed in agreement, thankful that his students could live in a better world than he had. He didn't ask Tenzo how the mission had gone; there was no need. Not long after the man had been dropped off at the hospital, Kakashi received the report, along with the intel that Konoha needed. The mission was a success, on paper at least. But, as he watched his friend refill his glass for a third time, Kakashi tallied the cost.
Tenzo had been hospitalized with serious injuries, but his partner had come back healthy and whole. Kakashi wondered if there had been civilian casualties that weren't recorded in the notes. Had someone been injured and healed before they made it back to Konoha? Had the mission triggered flashbacks of something else? Kakashi could only guess what memories Tenzo wanted to drown.
Finishing off the alcohol, Tenzo pushed into a standing position. As the man rose from the couch, he tilted dangerously over the table. Kakashi stood and started to steady him, but Tenzo pulled away. He grabbed the glass that had been filled with water and stumbled toward the kitchen. Moments later, the tap turned on, and liquid splashed into the cup. Kakashi exhaled and settled back on the couch, pouring himself another drink.
Kakashi watched the doorway, noting the sway in Tenzo's step when he reappeared. The man looked like hell, but Kakakshi had seen him look worse. Tenzo hefted the new cup of water and took a long drink before sitting on the couch. He tucked one leg beneath himself to face Kakashi. "Don't worry about me. I'm fine."
"And, will you tell me if that changes?" Kakashi hated to press Tenzo further, but he had to know. There had been several times in Anbu that he'd turned a blind eye to someone's struggle. As long as his team remained functional, he could allow a lot of things. As Hokage, he couldn't put his shinobi, his friends, through that.
Tenzo hardly considered the question before nodding, and Kakashi let it go. The men drank in companionable silence for several minutes. The alcohol numbed the exhaustion in Kakashi's shoulders, back, and mind. For the moment, it was easy to forget that he carried the weight of the village on his shoulders, or the multiple situations dragging at his peace. Life had been so much easier before the robes.
"Are you doing okay," Tenzo asked, starling Kakashi from his thoughts. The man's face showed genuine concern and interest.
Kakashi couldn't stop the rueful laugh that rose in his throat. "Being hokage sucks, but I manage well enough. It'll be better when you're back. I need someone I can trust."
"Always," Tenzo answered. He ran his tongue over his lips as he finished the water. When the man's fingers twitched toward the alcohol again, Kakashi didn't mention it. If Tenzo said he was fine, then he was fine. He held the glass without drinking. "So, am I back on duty now?"
"Not yet, which is probably a good thing considering how much alcohol you've had." When Tenzo opened his mouth to argue, Kakashi waved him off. "Sakura has you on light duty for another week, but you can continue organizing missions. I don't think she's realized that you're the head of Anbu yet."
Tenzo chuckled, tipping his head back on the cushions. He stayed there for a minute before looking at Kakashi. "She's pissed about the whole thing. It wasn't very observant of her to not realize I was black ops"
"She had other things to worry about," Kakashi suggested. He studied the softening expression on Tenzo's face, the easing of the lines around his mouth and eyes. The stronger alcohol had done it's work, numbing whatever hurt lingered from the mission. Tenzo's shoulders rounded rather than tensed, and his blinks became longer. His words were slurred and soft. Kakashi didn't mention the change as he finished his glass and put it back on the table. "Sakura is a medical shinobi, I think they're obligated to worry too much."
"Shouldn't, 'm fine," Tenzo mumbled, head lulling toward his chest only to pop back up immediately. Even so, the tell tale signs were there. The flow of conversation slowed further as exhaustion and alcohol wrapped Tenzo's mind in a blanket. Kakashi knew the warm, fuzzy safeness that came from drinking too much. Nothing could penetrate that, not even pain.
Within half an hour, Tenzo's head didn't come back up when it slumped against the cushions. His breathing leveled out, taking on the deeper cadence of sleep. A few minutes later, he drifted to the side and curled on the couch with his head almost brushing Kakashi's hip. A sense of nostalgia surrounded Kakashi as he eased to his feet, careful not to wake his friend. He put the cap back on the whiskey and waited for a few seconds. Tenzo didn't move or startle, even when Kakashi dragged the blanket off the chair and threw it over him.
"Sleep well, old friend," Kakashi murmured, as he walked across the apartment. He paused before turning out the light, studying Tenzo's sleeping form. "It'll all look better in the morning. I promise."