He was awoken quite rudely when a stranger entered his tent. Iruka.
He sat up before the other man had a chance to touch him. "What's wrong?"
Iruka looked pale. "A storm is coming. This entire area will flood in about… an hour? Half an hour? We need to get the students to a high ground and – "
"Understood." Kakashi dressed up as quickly as he could, hiding a shiver as he reached for his coat and walked out. "Tell everyone to pack their essentials and go. Leave the tents."
"But – "
"We must consider the worst option. We won't make it out in half an hour unless we leave now." He got out and started knocking on tents. "Wake everyone up! Have them form teams of three and head out to the rendezvous point –" He quickly scanned his surroundings, then pointed at a nearby cliff, free of trees and similar foliage. "There. We can see everyone and call a helicopter if we need to. Now, Iruka."
As expected, it was a mess.
He had to round up kids, frightened and panicky, and instruct them to – somehow – keep calm and think rationally. He spoke with Sasuke – and the teen was quick to take care of his own group.
Kakashi urged the rest, causing them to run to the nearby cliff –
'Where's Naruto?'
His heart stopped beating. He felt cold.
'He's not with you?'
The teen's anger flashed. 'I thought he was with you!'
Kakashi scanned the group frantically just as Iruka started to count. Rising waves began to wash over the camp area, dragging a few poorly constructed tents with them.
"Where's Uzumaki?" he demanded, searching in vain for bright gold and an orange coat. His breath quickened. "Who saw him last? Speak up!"
Damn it. That was just what he needed. That –
Kakashi suddenly noticed that he was cold. He was cold and tired for a very long while. Which was an odd sensation; ever since his transformation began, he rarely got cold. It was as if he was always covered in his thick coat of fur.
But now, he was cold to the point his skin felt as if it was pierced by a thousand small knives. Every breath burned through his body. Every movement cut deep.
He's in the water.
The realization tore through him. He could hear the violent crashing of the waves upon the shore. He could smell the storm picking up and rushing closer and closer.
He could feel Naruto's exhaustion.
"S-sensei?"
Sakura's whisper stirred his slow mind – so fucking slow – into action. Naruto was drowning and he –
He looked up to find the students looking at him anxiously; to find his hand, once again, covering his eye. To find Sasuke looking at him, determined and pale.
'Come. I need you.' He ran to the edge of the cliff and tried in vain to spot Naruto; all he saw were the whirlpools below. 'I need you to transform and find him, then direct me to him. Be quick,' he added, 'but stay safe.'
Sasuke ran into the trees as Kakashi took off his clothes in a hurry, kicking off his shoes and his pants and his shirt and his coat, and waited.
Heart drumming in his throat, breath shivering and raw, he waited.
He could not use his eye to find him like before. The sharp, terrible pangs that tore through the teen would render him helpless. He had to focus.
"Sensei!" cried Sakura, panting as she ran after him. "Wh-what's going on? Where's Naruto?"
'There! The largest whirlpool near the stone wall. He's – '
Kakashi did not need to hear the rest. He could feel Sasuke's panic leaking and tainting his words.
He could not see him, but he trusted Sasuke's eyes.
He judged the distance, stilled his breaths, and assumed a swimmer's position.
"Sensei!" screamed Sakura. "No! You can't! The bedrock – "
He counted the steps, slowed his heart, and ran. One – two – three – he timed his kick to the cliff's edge, pushing himself as far away from the death awaiting below as he could, and dove headfirst into the water.
Frozen and razor-sharp and immobilizing. The water sought his warmth with greedy and jagged fingers as he delved in. Kakashi kicked, pushing himself up, and swam below the waves.
Just like college, he told himself.
He did not push his head out of the water unless he had to. The added resistance – and the icy wind – burned his lungs and caused his muscles to spasm and fail.
And if he felt that, Naruto…
He had to swim faster. Move faster. Act faster. Find the teen and bring him to safety. Find him. Find him. Find him.
'You're close! To your right! He's drowning!'
Kakashi pushed, reaching out with everything he had, and swam faster.
And then he saw him.
He saw Naruto sinking into the water. Air bubbles floated around him, deserting him to his fall. His hair shone like a halo, making him look almost peaceful…
Kakashi grabbed a handful of hair and pulled the teen toward him. He held him. He got him.
Kakashi pushed up, holding the teen's head above water, listening –
Naruto's face was blue, and his body was still in his arms.
He wasn't breathing.
'There's a cave! To your right! Hurry!'
Kakashi cradled the teen against him, keeping his head above water, as he swam – more out of desperation than anything else – toward the cave. He had to drag him down with him to avoid one wave, then another, and his heart trembled painfully when he did not feel his pulse.
Let me make it in time. He begged, his words stale as they were just a few months ago. Let him live. Let him live. Don't let him die like his parents!
He crashed into something – rigid and unyielding, rough to the touch – a rock.
Shore.
Kakashi dragged the teen with him and laid him on the rocky sand. He barely had enough strength to keep himself from toppling over him.
He was blue, ice to the touch.
He looked dead.
"No, no, kid…." Kakashi swallowed and began administering CPR. He pushed the teen's chest down, counting, and then tried to force air into his lungs. His lips were blue and cold, and they did not respond to him.
He tried again and again, using more and more force…
Kakashi bit his tongue, flooding his mouth with his blood, cradled Naruto's chin, and shoved his bleeding tongue as deeply as he could into his mouth. He massaged his throat, guiding the liquid down with the touch of his thumb, and prayed his blood was enough.
It had to be enough. Please be enough. Please wake up. Please.
Something pushed him. Something that tasted like water and salt –
Naruto pushed him away, curled on his side, and coughed, puking an impressive amount of water from his lungs. He pushed himself up on his elbows and leaned on his knees and continued to vomit until his lungs were empty and his voice was hoarse.
Kakashi breathed deeply, shakily, and rubbed the teen's trembling back.
He was awake. He was alive.
His blood continued to drip onto the teen's shirt, but instead of staining it, it disappeared into his skin, glowing like gold.
Naruto still trembled, his limbs strained and weak. Kakashi wrapped a hand around his waist and guided him to roll onto his back, away from the puddle he coughed from his lungs.
"Naruto," he whispered. He leaned on his elbow as his hand cradled his head, protecting him from the harsh sand, while the other caressed his cheek. "Naruto, can you hear me?"
The teen managed to – just barely – open his eyes. He looked exhausted, close to fainting, but he still managed to lift his arm, trembling and weak, and brush his fingers against Kakashi's lip. "You're… wounded…."
His voice was raw and quiet, barely audible, and Kakashi's breath shattered in response.
"Don't worry about that. Let's get you warm." He picked up the teen and limped – somehow – to the least exposed part of the cave. He held him like a child, wrapping his arm around his shoulders while the other held his behind and supported his back, but Naruto was too weak to do anything except allow himself to be maneuvered.
He sat down, leaning against the wall, and took off Naruto's shirt, which was wet and half-frozen. He rubbed his back with all the strength he had left, keeping him as close as he could to his chest. Despite the cold water and the icy wind, he hoped he retained enough warmth in his core to heat Naruto's frozen body, immobile and frigid against his own.
He hugged him closer.
And Naruto melted against him, too weak to shiver, and buried his face in Kakashi's neck. His hands rested uselessly at his sides, and his breath was shallow and labored.
Kakashi bit his thumb and drew with his blood on the teen's back.
The blood disappeared, and Naruto seemed to be breathing easier.
He felt Naruto's body, cold and weak, before the water flooded their camp. He was too far away from the shore for it to be the result of one unruly wave.
He entered the water on his own accord.
Kakashi's hold tightened. "What the hell were you thinking," he hissed. "I know I told you to stay out of the water. And yet you had to go for a swim – in the middle of a storm – "
Naruto's breath shifted. "What... what storm."
Kakashi swallowed with difficulty. He breathed down the teen's back, trying to get him warm. Trying, at the very least, to get him to shiver. His heart was beating too slowly for his liking. Naruto was so cold. "Why were you in the water, Naruto?" he whispered. "Why didn't you tell anyone?"
He lifted his knees to try and, somehow, hug him closer. Get him warmer. He debated whether or not he should transform. Caution and secrecy aside, if it would save the teen's life –
Naruto, slowly, began to shiver. "Hinata said... there's a legend. If you cross." He lifted his hands and wrapped them around Kakashi's neck, burying the icy digits in his hair. "Get a wish."
Kakashi was too weary to act on the rage stirring inside him. "And you believed that?" he seethed. "Even if there is such a myth, and there isn't, what wish would be worth risking your life – "
"You," Naruto breathed. His shivers grew violent. "You. I want you to stay. Don't leave me."
Kakashi instinctively pulled him closer. He guided the teen to rest against his side as he tucked his frozen toes between his thigh and shin and hid his stiffening fingers in the nook of his arm. He continued to rub his back, tearing open his wound whenever the blood flow weakened.
"Pointless attempt if you die," he managed, trying to keep at bay the onslaught of emotions that threatened to overtake him.
"Wasn't planning on doing that," the teen mumbled stubbornly. He dug deeper into him, shivering still, desperately trying to get warm. "Don't go," he begged.
"I did not say I was leaving," Kakashi murmured against the teen's ear. "I simply said I do not know where I was going. I will be a phone call away," he quickly added. "I promise to always pick up your calls."
"S'not good enough," Naruto whispered, his voice raspy and barely heard. "No one sees me. No one wants me. No one – "
"I see you," he objected, too hotly and too pained and too fucking tired. "I see you," he repeated, caressing the teen's wet hair. "You are never out of my sight."
He swallowed weakly and hugged him closer, engulfing him with his body. His heart trembled uncontrollably, but Naruto finally opened his darkened blue eyes and looked at him. He tried, with everything he had, to keep them open.
Kakashi could not think with those blue eyes gazing up at him.
Naruto snuggled closer. "You like me," he whispered.
Kakashi's ears burned. "Well, yes," he said, faking his calm and his answer, "like a younger brother."
Naruto scowled. "Don't wanna be your brother," he objected. "Brothers fight."
And that's the only problem you have with this comparison. Kakashi sighed. "Everyone fights, every once in a while."
Naruto shook his head against his shoulder. "Siblings are cruel," he mumbled to his collarbone.
Kakashi, very briefly, brushed his hair. "Not all siblings," he tried to counter but gave up when Naruto glared at him. "Fine. I'll just be your sensei, then."
"No."
Kakashi blinked. "Your neighbor."
"No."
"Your…." He tried to think. His mind felt sluggish. "Driving instructor."
Naruto tightened his hold on his neck. "Just be mine," he breathed against his rapidly pulsing vein.
Kakashi could not do the same.
His lungs no longer seemed to function.
Light flashed into the cave, blinding him. For a second, he thought it was Minato, coming down to yell at him or something like that. Probably Kushina. Minato never yelled.
'Rescue's coming. Get ready.'
Sasuke. Kakashi picked up the teen again, cradling him against his chest, and walked slowly – and carefully – just as the rumbling of a boat motor penetrated through the howling of the storm.
"There! There they are! Help them!"
Three men jumped down to try and help him. One of them tried to pick up the teen –
But Naruto resisted, pressing himself against his chest, so Kakashi simply smiled, promised he was fine, and carried Naruto onboard. He saw black wings flapping from the corner of his eye and breathed in relief as he took Naruto below deck.
'You all right?'
'Yes,' Sasuke's reply was sharp and curt. 'How's Naruto?' he demanded.
Kakashi sat down wearily and thanked the men for the thermal blankets they wrapped around them. He cradled Naruto closer. 'He'll be fine,' he reassured the teen. 'Don't fly into the storm. Wait for the boat to reach the shore.'
Sasuke tsked but didn't argue, so Kakashi focused his attention on Naruto.
The teen still shivered, his breath labored and weak, but his iron hold of Kakashis's neck did not weaken. His eyes fluttered close as he buried his frozen face in Kakashi's shoulder, so Kakashi tore at his wound and rubbed his bleeding thumb along his back.
Relief flooded him again, warm and dizzying, when Naruto moaned softly and curled closer – and opened his eyes.
One of the men returned and offered him tea, steaming hot, then sat next to them.
Kakashi made Naruto finish an entire thermos before he agreed to drink as well. He was already used to making him drink as he held him in his arms. That was not an encouraging thought.
And Naruto was used to him. The once suspicious, volatile teen now leaned against him, responding to his lightest touch, soft and malleable and trusting. His eyes, though dark, fluttered open whenever he touched him, seeking him with every ounce of willpower the teen had left.
It must have been an instinct, nothing more, born of survival and not of desire. The way Naruto held on to him, fingers digging into his flesh, was nothing but the result of a primitive command to seek warmth no matter the cost.
If the man thought him strange for holding on to the teen, he did not comment. Naruto refused to let him go, so all Kakashi could do was tighten the blankets around him and massage his frozen fingers and toes and try to keep him warm.
He could not look away.
A beeping sound made him jump – the man sitting next to him got up and retrieved a set of heated gloves which he then offered him.
Without a second thought, Kakashi untangled Naruto's hands from around his neck and guided his frozen fingers into the gloves. Naruto hissed softly in response, trembling against him, and then dragged his tired hands along Kakashi's body until, once again, he managed to wrap his arms around his neck.
Kakashi instinctively shifted his hold to support him and tangled his fingers in the teen's wet hair, guiding him closer.
"That was some impressive swimming," the man said, smiling in response to Kakashi's shock.
Which he must have misinterpreted as a response to his compliment; Kakashi simply forgot he was there.
The man continued, "To get into the ocean, during a storm, find someone drowning and get him to a safe shore… I've been a lifeguard as part of the coast guard for twenty years, and I've never seen such a thing."
Naruto blinked, trying to open his eyes and look at him, and Kakashi had to fight to slow down his heart. His lashes flickered against his neck, teasing his pulse with their lightness.
He tried to come up with an appropriate response. "Surely… I'm not the first to rescue another from drowning."
"No," the lifeguard laughed, but the sound was humorless. "In those conditions, however? The rescuers usually drown with the person they were trying to rescue." He waved his hand. "Drop the false modesty. You were a competitive swimmer, weren't you? Reports said you jumped into the water from the top of a cliff! That's a seventy-foot drop! That's not something an average swimmer can manage. And then to swim through all those whirlpools…." He shook his head. "You are wasted as a teacher, you know that?"
Naruto's hands tightened their hold on his neck as he pulled himself closer, as if in a protest.
Kakashi flinched. "I suppose it does not matter what you choose to do as long as you try to do it well," he said.
Naruto's body was wired muscle, lean and hard. He had no softness, not an iota of fat to protect him from the outside world. And yet… and yet, in his arms, Naruto's body melted, expanding against the cavities of his body and completing –
The man's voice shattered his scattered thoughts. "The kid must be a good swimmer, too," he said, smiling when Naruto blinked dazedly at him. "To stay alive until being rescued."
Kakashi swallowed when he remembered how his body nearly slipped from his fingers, dragged below walls of raging water and beyond his reach.
"He is a survivor," he said quietly. "He doesn't know how to give up."
The man nodded. "Well, the two of you seem better than I thought. We planned to take you to the hospital, but we'll take you to the hostel where the rest of the school lodges currently." Another man arrived and handed Kakashi two sets of heated clothes as the lifeguard got up. "Call us if you need a quick rescue, all right?"
They left.
Kakashi picked up the sweater first and pulled it over Naruto's head. He balanced the teen against him, his back pressed into his chest as he dressed him. Naruto yielded to his touch, still seeking to nuzzle at his neck.
The sweatpants were a bit more complicated. Kakashi lifted his legs, one by one, and folded them against his chest as he guided each skinny limb into the thick sweatpants. Then, he had to lift him again to pull the pants up. Finally, he put on the socks.
Naruto still sought him, his warmth. At that point, Kakashi wasn't confident that he was as conscious as he seemed during his conversation with their rescuer. His eyes were open, but he did not respond to instructions.
Kakashi gave up. He balanced him against his chest and donned the second sweater, then maneuvered him to straddle his sides and somehow managed to wear the sweatpants. He supposed it was far better to show up like that than have him carry the almost naked teen – while wearing nothing but his underwear.
He lifted Naruto's legs again and snuggled the shivering teen into his lap as he wrapped the thermal blanket around him.
They reached the shore. The men, once again, offered to help, but Kakashi still carried Naruto – barefoot on the rocky sand – trying to keep him warm. And Naruto, once again, wrapped his arms around his neck and nuzzled at his throat. The teen held on as if he was still drowning.
His ears picked up the rustling of giants wings – and he quickly looked up to find Sasuke disappearing into the darkened sky.
"That's how we found you," said the lifeguard, smiling at the bird. "That albatross must've thought you were food. We saw it circling near the cave, so we rushed to investigate."
Kakashi reminded himself to thank Sasuke for his ingenuity and didn't bother pointing out that he was not, in fact, an albatross. "We were lucky, then," he said instead.
"The sea is traitorous, so luck isn't something to treat lightly," the man replied. He wanted to say more but was stopped when Iruka ran out to meet them, worried and pale.
"How's – oh, thank god! Is Naruto ok? Are you ok? How did you find them? Was – "
A tremor shot through Kakashi's shoulder. "The rest of the students," he interrupted abruptly. "Are they all right?"
"Yes," Iruka breathed, gazing worriedly at Naruto. "They are all in their rooms – and all accounted for. What about Naruto? Does he need treatment? Do we need to call the helicopter? Do – "
"He needs to rest," Kakashi dismissed him. "I'll stay with him. Where is his room?"
Iruka blinked. "No offense, Kakashi, but you look like you're about to drop," he said slowly. "I'll stay with Naruto. Just rest – "
"I'll stay. I'm the only teacher here with medical experience." Iruka was not wrong, however. He was exhausted, though he did not know if he felt Naruto's exhaustion or his own. "His room, Iruka."
"I did not get him a room, and we're already far too many for this hostel. They only took us in because of the storm, I mean – " Iruka stopped to breathe as his eyes scrutinized Naruto. "I thought he'd be taken straight to the hospital."
"He'll stay in my room, then," Kakashi said curtly, then narrowed his eyes when Iruka opened his mouth to argue. "Is there a problem?"
Iruka flinched. "N-no! Not at all! Uh – " He handed him a key. "There are two beds, so it should be… convenient."
Kakashi stiffened. "Two beds? Who's the roommate?"
Iruka waved his hand. "Do-don't worry about it. I'll take care of it! And about the equipment – don't worry! Just rest, yes?"
Kakashi took the key and walked away. He was too tired – his muscles ached and screamed with every step – but he had to get the teen to safety to ensure he was warm and comfortable and taken care of…
The truth might have been simpler, however. Maybe the only reason he still held on was that he did not want to let him go.
Kakashi winced at his thoughts, swiped the key, and entered the room. He moved the blanket and lowered Naruto to the bed, gently untangling his hands from around his neck, and covered him in the thick blanket. He sat beside him and pressed the back of his hand against his forehead, searching for a sign of fever.
Naruto's eyes flickered open, still too dazed for his liking. His cheeks blazed red, and his breath was labored. He was burning up.
Kakashi tensed as he walked to the bathroom – but discovered it contained a shower, not a bath. Still, he turned on the water, debating whether he was strong enough to hold Naruto while he washed him, to find out there was no hot water.
The place must have sustained damage from the storm. Or simply ran out of hot water. Fuck.
Instead, he made a cup of tea using the flimsy kettle the simple room had to offer and carried it to the teen.
"Can you sit up?" he mumbled.
Naruto did not respond, though his eyes followed him, so Kakashi sat on the bed next to him and pulled him up, cradling the teen against his side. He held the cup to his lips and tilted it slowly when Naruto opened his mouth. As an added measure, he snaked his other hand under the teen's sweater and rested it against his lungs, then scratched himself, digging deep into his skin until he felt the blood dripping from his thumb and sinking into Naruto's skin.
The teen was affected almost immediately. He finished his drink and looked up. "Sensei…."
"How are you feeling?" he murmured as he put the cup on the side table.
"Like shit," the teen complained. He snuggled against his side with a weak, pained sigh. "Stay."
"I'm not going anywhere," Kakashi promised. He guided the teen back down and covered him with the blanket, then crouched and brushed his hair from his face. "Is this all right?" he whispered.
Naruto nodded, sinking into the pillow. He snuck out his hand and grabbed his sleeve.
Kakashi stifled a sigh. "All right. Just a moment." He untangled the fabric from Naruto's grip, picked up a chair, and placed it against the wall. He covered himself with a blanket, sat down, and held Naruto's sweaty palm. His own thumb continued to bleed unto Naruto's skin. He hoped it was, somehow, helping.
"Sleep, Naruto. I'm right here. I'm not leaving you."
Naruto mumbled something incomprehensible even to his sharp ears, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.
Notes:
So… yes; those are my favorite cliches – hypothermia, sharing body warmth, and rescue missions. I also considered doing 'there was only one bed,' but Naruto isn't conscious enough for that, so it's not as fun.
I had a bit of fun with the sharingan in this chapter. Having Kakashi and Sasuke work together as a sharingan team (which is something I wish they'd done in the manga) was fun, and having Kakashi learn that blood doesn't need to be injected or swallowed was even more fun (though it works better). But not before administering some life-saving kisses! (do those count as kisses? I wasn't sure, so I put the underage warning tag. Better safe than sorry, right?)
Btw Im entering my finals, so I might not be able to post for the next month. I'll try, but I can't make any promises.
So what did you guys think? Please let me know in the comments! Thank you so much for your continuous support! You guys are the best 333
