A/N: I am finally back with an update! I really am sorry that it has taken be so long to get back to this story, but both my personal life and schooling got a little crazy. Thanks so much to those of you who have stuck around. I do have another five or so chapters planned out for this fic, so never fear, this is not the end of Tenzou and Kakashi!

Still not entirely confident in my abilities to write fluff and romance, so let me know what you guys think.

Kakashi was responsible for a lot of Tenzou's firsts: first captain, first birthday, first real friends, first kiss.

"Captain, you missed another briefing today."

Kakashi didn't respond, eyes glued to the small display of the beeping heart monitor. He watched the faint line of colored light intently as it moved up and down in a thankfully steady motion. He couldn't bear to lower his gaze to Tenzou's still figure on the bed, because looking at that pale face and those closed eyes only served to remind Kakashi that he had already faced nearly four weeks of this silent torture.

"Captain, the higher ups are starting to-"

"I'm not taking any missions. There are a dozen other highly skilled Anbu teams that are running at full strength. If the mission is so important, they can send out one of those teams."

Raido sighed in exasperation, looking to Genma for help. The younger man swirled his senbon once more before crouching beside his captain's chair. "Kakashi, we're all just worried. When was the last time you slept in your own bed?"

Kakashi stiffened almost imperceptibly, but the other two shinobi had served under his command for too long to miss it. "Where I spend my personal time is none of your concern."

"Tenzou will be alright," Genma tried softly. "His wounds are nearly completely healed and the medics say it's only a matter of time before he'll wake up. I know you've lost a lot of people in the past, but that doesn't mean-"

Now Kakashi reacted sharply, head snapping around to fix his subordinates with a tired, yet fierce glare. His words were harsh, like venom. "You know nothing about me."

Genma closed his eyes briefly in defeat, shaking his head as he slowly rose from his crouch. "Whatever. Look, Raido and I accepted a two-man mission. We should be back in a couple of days. Try to remember to eat something."

The Sharingan user didn't turn around as Raido and Genma made their quiet departure. They were falling apart, his team. Kakashi could feel it. They had only truly come together after Tenzou had been thrust into the midst of their often strained dynamic, and now that Tenzou was… well, they seemed to have lost their glue. In the back of his mind Kakashi knew he was obsessing and distancing himself from his older teammates, and yet he still couldn't bring himself to leave his kohai's side.

Letting out a shaky breath, Kakashi rubbed tiredly at his one exposed eye. "Damn it."

It had been nearly four weeks since Team Hound had rescued their injured Mokuton user from the clutches of his captors. After nearly a week of harrowing travel, the team finally managed to deliver Tenzou into the hands of their trusted Anbu medics, only to find that, despite their best efforts, the deep wound in his abdomen has begun to fester and turn septic. Several days of treatment - chakra healing and otherwise - later, Tenzou still hadn't regained consciousness and Kakashi had really begun to worry.

"His body has been through a serious trauma and is just doing what it need to in order to heal. Tenzou will wake up when his body is ready."

Kakashi had thought of a few choice places where the medics could shove their supposedly helpful words, but had wisely kept his peace. In fact, he had even tried to be patient and optimistic. But then the days turned into weeks and Tenzou was still unresponsive, still half-hidden by the oxygen mask helping out his infection-weakened lungs. Kakashi wasn't sure which point he started to make the uncomfortable chair at Tenzou's bedside his new home; all he knew was that he didn't plan on leaving until he got to see those piercing brown eyes again.

Kakashi jerked awake when something twitched against his forehead. Cursing himself silently, the Sharingan user stood and rolled his shoulders in a vain attempt at relieving the kink in his neck. His reputation was already taking a serious blow thanks to his seeming obsession with his kohai; he didn't need to add "falls asleep on duty" to his surely growing list of flaws as a shinobi.

Cough. Cough.

Kakashi froze, startled by the sudden sound, and risked a look down at the bed in front of him. While Tenzou's eyes had yet to open, his face was screwed up in discomfort and he was coughing weakly into the oxygen mask that covered his mouth. Tentatively, Kakashi placed a hand on the Mokuton user's shoulder.

"Tenzou?"

The brunette's eyelids flicked, allowing Kakashi a brief glimpse of that warm brown before they slid shut again. Just when the older shinobi was beginning to think he had imagined it, Tenzou gave another weak cough, a muffled "Sempai" escaping from his lips.

That was all the encouragement needed to spur Kakashi into motion. He rushed out to find help and soon Tenzou's small room was swarmed by a hoard of medics and assistants. The oxygen mask was removed, more pillows added to prop the young man up, his wounds were checked and dressings changed. Someone was sent to fetch the Hokage. And all the while Kakashi stood out in the hallway, arms crossed tightly over his chest to force some semblance of calm and patience into his tense body.

Several hours later, the Lord Third stepped out of Tenzou's room, sliding the door shut behind him. He approached Kakashi with an appraising gaze that made Kakashi feel as though he were laid bare for all the world to see. Apparently satisfied with whatever it was he found, Hiruzen nodded.

"He's waiting for you."

Kakashi pushed off the wall and, heart hammering in his chest like an academy student before his first real assignment, cautiously approached the door. After hours of impatiently waiting, he now found himself nervous, limbs tingling in unfamiliar anticipation and palms feeling distinctly sweaty. Taking a deep breath to try and expel whatever odd combination of feelings had him in their grasp, Kakashi opened the door and stepped into the room.

Tenzou was now propped up with several pillows, his bed angled toward the window to allow the light from the sun to spill across the blanket covering his lap. He was no longer wearing the oxygen mask and his thick brown hair was still mussed up from three weeks of sleep. Quite frankly, Kakashi didn't think he'd ever been so happy to see anyone in his life.

Hearing the door slide shut softly, Tenzou looked up and upon seeing his senpai, his expression went shy. There were several minutes of silence before the Mokuton user called up the courage to speak. "I thought you'd left."

Tenzou's voice, hoarse from disuse, raised the hairs on Kakashi's arms and made his spine tingle. He took a step toward his kohai. "Never."

Tenzou looked up at Kakashi, his warm brown eyes swimming with something Kakashi couldn't quite place. The light from the window illuminated his pale face, highlighting the defined contours of his bone structure and making him look like the mythical wood sprite that Genma often swore he was.

Before he knew what he was doing, Kakashi dipped his head and pressed his lips against Tenzou's, the movement gentle and lingering. His kohai's lips were soft even after weeks under an oxygen mask and they twitched slightly under the unexpected contact.

The suddenly increased beeping of the heart monitor caused Kakashi to pull back in concern. What was he thinking? Tenzou had been unconscious for nearly a month and here he was, practically forcing himself on the poor boy… The Sharingan user pressed one hand to his kohai's chest, just over his heart. "Your heart's racing."

"I'm alright," came Tenzou's breathy reply. He blushed, a welcome wash of color spreading across his otherwise white features. He brought his own hand up to lightly grasp the front of Kakashi's well-worn Anbu vest. "Don't go."

As Kakashi sank down to sit on the bed and prove to Tenzou that he had no intention of ever going anywhere without him, the silver-haired shinobi thought that this is what it must feel like to finally come home.