Chapter Text
He’s rethinking his decisions when he finds his third dead end. He’s breathing hard by now, sweat dripping down his neck as the world spins. With a groan Kakashi slides down the wall, leaning his head back as he tries to catch his breath. He can feel his hands shaking so he folds them in his lap. His vision pulses, static forming in the corners, and he’s glad that he’s sitting down already. Passing out in the middle of the hallway of the man he was assigned to protect would be an all-time low. He would just wait for the dizzy spell to end, and then he would get back to mission: ‘find kids’.
“Kakashi sensei?” Or not.
He opens his eye to see all three students at the end of the hallway. Well, that certainly made his job a little easier.
“Ah, done training already?” He asks, attempting to push himself up a little farther.
“Yeah, we just finished,” Naruto jogs over, looking confused. “What are you doing here, sensei? Shouldn’t you be resting?”
“I wanted a change of scenery.” Kakashi replies nonchalantly, waving his hand vaguely at the barren walls as if that proves anything. He really needed to work on his excuses. Sasuke and Sakura are wearing matching looks of disbelief and irritation, though Naruto nods thoughtfully.
“I guess it would be pretty boring just lying in bed all day.” He says, rubbing the back of his neck.
“He’s lying, you moron,” Sasuke spits, “He probably got lost looking for us and couldn’t get back to his room.” Naruto bristles at the insult, preparing to launch his own when Sakura speaks up.
“Is that true, Kakashi sensei?” She looks nervous, hovering next to him. He supposes that with last nights events, it was a valid response.
“Of course not, I was just taking a quick break before I went back to my room.” Kakashi shoots a small glare at Sasuke, who returns it much too easily. Damn, he had taught that kid well.
“Oh, well we were heading back to our room for lunch if you wanted to join us?” The kunoichi still looks doubtful, though she backs up a little.
Kakashi nods, placing his hands on the ground as he prepares to get up. He gets about halfway to his feet before the world flips violently and his legs give out, sending him crashing back down. His back slams into the wall, knocking the wind out of him.
“Fuck,” He curses, coughing weakly. His students are next to him in a second, faces worried. He tries again, but his arms tremble so hard he can’t even get off the ground.
“Woah, easy Kakashi sensei,” Naruto yelps. “Just stay there for a minute.” While he appreciates the sentiment, he doubts he could do anything but stay there for now.
Kakashi waits just long enough to catch his breath, before he moves to stand and finds he can’t. His body is practically limp, and no matter how hard he tries he just can’t get up. He’s stuck in the damn hallway, dizzy and exhausted, and he can’t even get back to his room.
“Are you okay?” Sakura asks, sensing his frustration. She’s perched on his left side, so all he can make out of her is the corner of her head, but he can hear the worry in her voice.
“Well, it seems I’m having a bit of difficulty getting up,” Kakashi admits, not meeting her gaze. His dignity was reaching an all-time low, collapsed in a corner unable to move in front of his students. He was supposed to be strong and collected, someone for his team to look up to. He doubts they’re looking up to him now, huddled shaking on the ground. He was pathetic, probably the furthest thing from a role model, and-
“Do you need some help?” The question is so casual, so nonchalant for something so huge. Kakashi scans Naruto, looking for some hint of humor, but all he finds is sincerity. The boy is genuinely asking if he needs some help, and all Kakashi can do is sit there dumbfounded.
“But I’m your teacher,” he protests, “I’m supposed to help you. It’s not your responsibility to look after me.” He was being a burden, bringing down the team when he was supposed to be the pillar of support. But when he looks at Naruto, he doesn’t see anger or disappointment, just a gentle worry.
“Well, yeah. But you’re also tired, right? And you always take care of us, so the least we can do is give you a hand when you’re not feeling well.” Naruto hums thoughtfully, before continuing more softly. “You don’t always have to be strong. We can help each other out, ‘cuz that’s what a team does.” He flashes Kakashi a smile, like he hadn’t just dropped the most earth-braking few lines. Emotion swells through Kakashi, and to his horror, he feels moisture in his Sharingan. He hadn’t cried in over a decade, Obito’s eye weeping as he woke up screaming from nightmares, a teenager with blood caked onto his hands.
He blinks several times, eternally grateful to his headband for covering his eye, soaking up the stray tears as they slip down his cheek.
“Oh…” his voice cracks, so he clears his throat and starts again. “Thank you. I would appreciate the help.” He had finally admitted his weakness, showed his vulnerability to his team. Yet both Sakura and Naruto smile, and even Sasuke doesn’t wear his usual frown. They weren’t mad. His kids honestly wanted to help.
Naruto takes one arm, and Sakura takes the other as they carefully pull him to his feet. And when his legs immediately go limp, Sasuke is there to catch him, slipping an arm around his waist as they make their way back.
Kakashi is deposited into bed and watches as his kids split rations. He’s handed a meal bar, and while he isn’t very hungry, he still eats half. For the first time in a while, he closes his eyes and feels comfort.
**********
Kakashi sensei had been sleeping for a while. Sakura knew that chakra exhaustion could leave one tired, but after over 12 hours, Kakashi hadn’t woken up. He had tossed and turned, muttering in his sleep, but never opened his eye.
She could see his messy hair plastered to his scalp with sweat, and she could see droplets rolling down his temples. She remembers carrying him down the hall, and while she didn’t think much of it then, he was much warmer than usual.
Sakura knew that shinobi recovering from chakra exhaustion often got fevers, their bodies trying to compensate and heal, but she had hoped Kakashi wouldn’t. It seemed she was being a bit too optimistic.
She carefully reaches a hand out, slipping her fingers under his headband to feel his forehead, and winces. He was practically radiating heat, his forehead much too warm beneath her hand.
Sakura nearly jumps out of her skin when a hand closes around her wrist, though she quickly recognizes Kakashi’s thin, calloused fingers. He blinks slowly, looking disoriented.
“Sakura? What’s wrong?” He croaks, trying to sit up.
“It’s okay, nothings wrong.” She pushes him back into the mattress gently, “You have a fever, Kakashi sensei.” She watches him raise a hand to his head, attempting to gauge his temperature.
“Ah, I knew this would happen.” He groans, dropping his head back down to the pillow. “I was really hoping it wouldn’t.” Sakura nods in sympathy, remembering how miserable fevers always made her.
“Just wait here, I’ll be right back.” She stands, slipping out the door.
It’s a short walk to the kitchen, and after a bit of rummaging, she’s carefully filling a bowl with cold water. She was in search of some very elusive cloths when the door slides open and Sasuke walks in. She sees him eye the bowl, looking slightly confused.
“What’s that for?” He asks, peering over the edge.
“It’s for Kakashi sensei, he’s got a fever. I’m just trying to cool him down.” Sakura answers, finally finding the cloths and grabbing a few. She takes the bowl and starts heading back, noting that Sasuke follows a few paces behind her.
She opens the door and is greeted by soft snores. It seems Kakashi had fallen asleep again. Kneeling down beside him, she dips a cloth into the water and wrings it out before pulling off his headband and placing it on his head. She hears him let out a small sigh of relief, the cool water soothing his burning skin.
It’s a little strange to see Kakashi sensei without his eye covered, and Sakura finds herself staring. Though closed, she can feel the power of the Sharingan humming beneath his damaged eyelid. Her eyes trail his scar, more noticeable against his pale skin, starting at his forehead and running down his eye before disappearing beneath his mask. The damaged tissue stands out starkly against his otherwise unmarred skin. She wonders morbidly what could have caused such a scar, shivering slightly.
She takes in his paper white skin, paler than usual, with splotches of feverish red peeking out from under his mask and flushing his cheeks. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Sasuke do the same.
The boy glances around, as if making sure nobody was watching, before he raises a hand to feel Kakashi’s head just beneath the cloth. He curses under his breath, turning to face her.
“He’s burning up.” He mutters, chewing on his bottom lip. It was the first time Sakura had seen him fidget, and she found it strangely endearing.
“Yeah,” she nods, “But hopefully this will help. If it gets much worse we’ll have to ask Tazuna if he has any fever reducers.” She moves to check the cloth, but Sasuke beats her to it, slipping it off and rewetting it before gently putting it back. Kakashi leans into the touch unconsciously, and Sakura watches in shock as Sasuke carefully cards his hand through their teachers hair, smoothing the thick, silver locks off of his face.
He senses her looking and flushes, yanking his hand away and muttering something, before he stalks away. Sakura smiles to herself. Despite his prickly exterior, Sasuke Uchiha cared deeply for the people close to him. She resumes changing the cloth, her heart feeling just a little bit lighter than before.
*********