Koka and Kaede sat with Itachi and Shisui, the two boys finally asleep with their heads resting on the laps on their friends. The genin had allowed themselves to be led around by the girls as they dragged them to the bath.
Neither had put up a fight when the girls stripped them to their boxers and proceeded to wash off the blood and grime from their bodies and treated their wounds. Itachi and Shisui only moved from their stupor to change their undergarments while the girls turned around. Then they had let out no complaints as the girls finished drying them thoroughly and dressing them in some of the many clothes the boys had left at the shrine in the past.
Koka and Kaede had then taken the boys to the kitchen where the older girl gave them some tea and simple soup. The shock had begun to wear of for the Uchiha boys, but exhaustion took its place. It was only after Shisui's face almost landed in his bowl that the girls dragged them to bed. Then a whole new issue arose. Neither boy wanted the girls to leave their sight. A fact that was silently driven in by the way they were clutching at the shrine girls. The result was where they were now.
The sun was beginning to creep over the horizon as the boys slept. Eventually the girls would have to extract themselves so they could fulfill their shrine duties, but for now, neither of them had the heart to disturb the boys as they slept. Exhaustion weighed heavily on the two girls, having gotten only a few scarce hours of sleep before caring for their friends.
"How are they?" Both girls looked up at Kakashi, who had just arrived. After dealing with the intruders, the silver haired teen had filled Heiwa in on the situation.
"Sleeping now. They were in shock." Kaede told the teen as she gently brushed Shisui's hair back. The Kakashi nodded. Their reactions were understandable. The ANBU pitied the boys though. They were so young in a cruel world.
"You're taking good care of them." Kakashi told the two girls as they held their vigilance over the boys. "Heiwa told me to tell you to not worry about the chores today. Just rest and take care of Itachi and Shisui."
Kakashi turned to leave as the girls nodded, but Koka's voice stopped him. "Your room is set up for you."
Kakashi sighed but was internally grateful. He was tired after the fight and getting little sleep. He was at the shrine often enough that at some point the females of the shrine had assigned Kakashi his own room. Now he often spent nights at the shrine in between missions instead of going to his apartment. The shrine had become a place of safety and comfort to him. It was peaceful.
After Kakashi left, Koka and Kaede carefully maneuvered the Uchiha boys so that the two shrine girls could sit back to back without taking Itachi's and Shisui's heads off their laps. Eventually the two girls nodded off, their backs propping each other up, and their arms draped over the boys.
When Itachi woke, it took him a moment to remember where he was and what had happened. Only the feeling of arms resting on him stopped the young Uchiha from jumping up. Itachi's eyes snapped open to see a sleeping Koka. It was her lap his head was resting on, while her arms were draped over his chest. It was then that Itachi noticed she was sitting up, back to back with Kaede. Koka's head was slightly tilted downwards and he knew both girls were going to be sore when they woke up. He spotted Shisui, who was also beginning to wake up.
Itachi caught his eye, holding a finger to his lips and pointed to the girls. Shisui turned beat red at their situation. With careful movements they were only able to achieve as shinobi, the two Uchiha boys maneuvered the girls so that they were laying down on the futon instead.
Silently the boys made their way out of the room and into the hall. They passed Kakashi's room, where the silver haired teen cracked open an eye at their passing before going back to sleep.
Eventually they came to the kitchen. Heiwa sat at the stove, stirring something that made Itachi's and Shisui's bellies growl. The older woman looked over at the two as they sat at the table. Silently she ladled out two bowls, bringing them to the table. It was their favorite stew.
It had started out as an experiment by Koka two years ago, bound and determined to make something they had never tasted before. When Kaede had found out what the smaller girl was doing, perched precariously on a stool over the stove, the older girl had moved in to help. Later when Itachi and Shisui arrived, the two boys found Kaede on the stool, dangerously unstable as she stirred the pot, and Koka, standing on top of the counter near the edge on her toes, reaching for dishes. Never in their life had Itachi and Shisui been more thankful for their shinobi training as they moved to rescue the girls from their predicaments.
The still grieving boys silently ate their food after thanking the woman as Heiwa gave it to them. "Koka and Kaede made it last night. I just heated it up for you."
The old shrine maiden said nothing as she moved to the sink, not commenting on the tears that fell down the genins cheeks.
After eating, Itachi and Shisui felt much better. Kakashi, who had woken up at the scent of food, stopped in to grab a bowl. He left to take it to the other room, pausing only to tell the boys that tomorrow morning they would have to report to the Hokage. They nodded, relieved they would not have to relive the mission so soon.
Minutes later a half asleep Koka and Kaede walked into the room. Heiwa smiled as she handed them their bowls. The two girls shuffled over to the table where they sat on either side of the boys. If the sight of the exhausted Koka and Kaede had not made them feel guilty, Itachi and Shisui would have laughed at their behavior.
The girls had inverted their normal positions, placing the boys between them instead of the other way around. Like a shield from the outside world. The yawn that escaped Kaede as she and Koka struggled to keep their eyes open and not make a mess however, only slightly detracted from the fierce protectiveness coming from the girls.
Heiwa laughed at the sight. "Itachi, Shisui, take the two of them back to bed. You two should rest a little more too."
Seeing Koka almost miss her mouth made Itachi agree as he and Shisui led their friends back to the room the four of them had been in previously. It was the room Itachi often used at the shrine.
Two futons had been set out last night for the boys. Neither one of them had the energy to pull out two others, nor did they want to be separated from the girls at the moment. Instead, Shisui pulled the two futons together so that the edges were overlapping while Itachi pulled out some extra blankets.
The Uchihas placed the sleepy girls in the center before spreading the blankets over the bedding and climbing in beside the two girls. It was fairly tight, even with two futons, but no one complained. The four children needed the comfort of having each other nearby.