It was easy to tell that the knuckleheaded Hokage was beyond tired, and beyond uncomfortable. As he let out a groan, causing Kakashi to chuckle under his breath. The situation, despite Naruto having lost his arm, was quite comical, and as the boy finally sat up, he winced and rubbed at the nearly invisible stump. The arm had been cut off inches away from the shoulder, having been amputated thanks to Sasuke's less than... orthodox way of removing limbs.
"Kakashi-Sensei I can't sleep..." He finally mumbled, before the Hokage looked at his assistant with those pitiful blue eyes. It was expected for Naruto to be in pain, but Kakashi couldn't help but feel sorry for him. After a long moment, he finally looked up from his book, closing it and slipping it back into it's pouch.
"I know, Naruto, but you need to at least try to relax..." He looked worried, and Naruto could see it in his eyes, but the Hokage would sigh and shake his head. He couldn't relax... not with Sasuke so close to the Village and him being unable to do anything about it. Kiba had nearly lost his life trying to keep Sasuke distracted enough for his plan to work, and Akamaru was pronounced dead the first few minutes before Sakura was able to pull him out of the darkness.
"I can't..." Another long pause between words, and Naruto looked up. "Is Shino okay?" That was an odd question, and he could sense that Kakashi was a bit surprised by it.
"Of course he is, why wouldn't he be...?" The Fox-boy would keep quiet for a few moments, lips pursed and eyes narrowed, before he'd sigh and stand up. Wincing a bit, it was enough to have Kakashi over in an instant, one hand placed gently underneath his good arm, while other hand pressed against his lower back. Naruto could feel his face getting red, and he smiled gently. Making his way to the window, he allowed himself to lean against Kakashi, if only for a moment. "And you really need to stop moving around, or your arm will never heal right." Scolding voice came from behind that mask, and Naruto began to laugh.
"It's my arm that's wounded, Kakashi-Sensei, not my legs. And besides, no one will respect a Hokage that stays in bed!" He'd nod sternly, letting out a harrumph, those eyes suddenly growing very soft. It was a look that Kakashi couldn't bear to see on such a strong person. "No one will ever respect a Hokage that remains down after such an injury."
"No Naruto, but they would expect it! You're injured, and you're also not sleeping well... You haven't been eating and you're not yourself!" Urgent tone was in Sensei's voice, which made Naruto's eye him in both confusion and smugness. Oh he loved making Kakashi gripe about him. It was one of his pastimes. However, look would remain serious, something rarely seen on the otherwise obnoxious immature young man.
"Kakashi... my arm was ripped off by my once best friend..." He whispered, before looking out to the blossoming sakura trees. "And it's my fault." Kakashi would watch him for a long moment, finally staring out the window with a steady exhale of breath.
"What Sasuke's decision was wasn't your fault..." He mumbled, bringing the knuckleheaded ninja close, pressing the boy's cheek against that Jounin's vest. "And if I hear you blame yourself over it again, I'll hurt you... Shino and Kiba are going to be fine, you are going to be fine, and you are going to be ten times the Hokage any of our past leaders would ever have been, so relax, sleep, and maybe tomorrow I'll take you to lunch..." Naruto would grin, looking up at him. There were those innocent sparkles that Kakashi knew and loved.
"Ramen?" Naruto looked so hopeful, and Kakashi couldn't help but smile, fingertip hooking the inside of his mask. He pulled it down, tilting the Hokage's chin up and he pressed a gentle kiss on his lips.
"Yes... Ramen..."
Shino stared up at Sasuke in horror as his fist punched through Kiba's back, fingertips sparking with blue lightning, sending the smell of burning flesh and blood torrenting through the air. Bugs were swarming around his own hands, and as his mouth opened, a horrified... disturbing, high pitched scream rose up from his voice. Pestilence frothed at his lips as flies roared around him, and as he watched Akamaru launch himself forward, he couldn't do anything, riveted to the spot as he watched another hand rip outwards, slamming the dog in the throat with another blast of blue chakra lightning.
Sasuke was laughing, and Shino looked from Akamaru to Kiba in horror, taking a step back. Thankfully, Naruto was there in an instant, seven tails ripping from his back, and skin frothing with red chakra. Jack-o-lantern smile and deep black eyes were directed to the last of the Uchiha. With a crack and a stretch of that evil-looking maw, a black ball of Chakra was formed, sending itself screaming towards Sasuke.
Sasuke pulled his arm out of Kiba's chest, and Shino was behind him, lowering him onto the ground with a hand pressed to his cheek. "Kiba-san!" He whimpered, eyes wide from behind those circular black lensed glasses. Kiba gurgled, eyes widening before he shook his head and pointed to Akamaru.
"No he'll be fine... Kiba please..." Shino whimpered, eyes lifting to the fight that Sasuke and Naruto were visciously locked in, before looking down to Kiba, who's mouth was beginning to open, wide... wider.. .until it consumed the world around him in blackness, and Shino was left alone.
Then the growling... Eyes would twist around, and body would back up, hitting an invisible wall, a white shape slowly began to melt from the shadows.
"A...Akamaru..." He whimpered, staring at the dog, which was covered in blood, with hackles raised and foam dripping from the corners of his mouth. Another step was taken back, but that wall wouldn't budge. Shino was pinned, pinned by that awful looking beast. He opened his mouth, tears beginning to stream down his cheeks. He was now beginning to panic, breath catching in his chest each time he tried to inhale. "A-Akamaru... I..."
Dog would let out a viscious bark, before suddenly launching itself forward, teeth locked onto Shino's throat, and he could feel sinew, muscle and bone tearing and breaking underneath the beast's maw. His mouth would open once more and a scream would tear from it, garbled from the mass of blood building in his throat, and the dog would begin to violently shake...
And his eyes opened.
Cold sweat covered his body, and the poor boy was shivering. Chest was bare, except for a tanktop made from loose fishnet, and the only thing he was dressed in were those black, loose bottoms. Pouch was still wrapped around his leg, and as his hands came around himself in a hug.
He felt his body tense up...
Looking around the room wide eyed, eyes still adjusting to the dim light, he could see Kiba laying on a bedfull of pillows, arms and legs jerking back and forth, almost as if he were running after something that always seemed to illude his capture, teeth bared in the frustration of it all, tiny growls and chuffs coming from his throat... A dog having a dream.
Despite his own nightmare, Shino couldn't help but smile a bit, but before long it faded, and he swallowed. Moving up from the bed to lay himself next to Kiba, he suddenly froze, watching Akamaru's head lift up. He only could remember that frothing maw and that bloodied muzzle, and he eased himself back down, before Akamaru chuffed and laid his head down on the pillow once more. His tail was wagging... that had to be something good.
He'd slowly ease himself back up again, padding quietly to where Kiba was sleeping, lowering himself down into the pillows and curling up next to his friend with a soft sigh. Hand would move slowly to Kiba's chest, touching where Sasuke's hand had penetrated through, before Kiba's own would move up, grabbing gently at Shino's wrist as those beastly eyes opened.
"S'bout time..." He mumbled, voice still plagued with sleep before he rolled over, arm lolling itself tiredly over Shino's body, raking him in close. "I was having a nightmare..."
Shino blushed, chest against chest with his friend, before he blushed and cocked his head. "So... So was I..." He mumbled gently, before he nuzzled underneath Kiba's chin, arm wrapping around him tightly before he sniffed gently.
"Don't be getting all sad... my dream wasn't that bad!" Kiba said, eyes widening, before he heard what Shino said, staying silent for a long moment. "It... wasn't about..." He mumbled, falling silent once more. He'd bring his arms around shino's shoulders, holding the male tight. "Don't worry... you're safe with Akamaru and I... No doubt about that!" He'd grin, but Shino was still serious. He'd remain silent long enough to allow Kiba to drift back into a restful sleep, before he'd shift gently so that he was laying on his back.
"I hope so..."