Downpour (DISCONTINUED)

White

"He should be awake soon, but we'd like to keep him overnight for observation."

"Yes, I see. He hasn't had an episode like this in a long time."

"Your brother will be fine Mr. Uzamaki, the medicine we put him on is quite strong."

Kakashi groaned, forcing his eyes open. The medicine was strong alright, his head felt light and fuzzy, and the world around him was blurry and indistinct. Most of it appeared as smudges of color, a white expanse on all sides with two vague shapes beside him.

"Kashi, you're awake!" A familiar voice yelped from beside him.

"Naruto?" Kakashi muttered. "Where am I?" His voice felt thick, and boy did his chest ache.

"You're in the hospital, when you saw the blood on your hands... you..." Naruto dropped off, and Kakashi squinted as the blonde's face came into focus.

That's right, I had a flashback that triggered an episode.

Faint memories of Iruka shaking his shoulders and shouting his name came drifting to the surface.

"That's right... I remember it now." He muttered, raising a hand to his face. They'd put a mask on him again, that was good. Naruto was leaning over him, his wide blue eyes filled with worry.

Kakashi reached out towards him, ruffling his hair.

"Relax kiddo. I'll be fine." Naruto bowed his head, sniffling quietly. "Ah, c'mon, why are you crying?" The fuzziness from the medicine was wearing off, he could see clearly now. Kakashi kept his hand on Naruto's head as he cried, it was a small gesture, but it had meaning.

"You were... You were.." Naruto hiccuped, his shoulders shaking slightly.

"Can you leave us for a moment, doctor?" Kakashi said firmly. The doctor smiled, grabbing his clipboard before exiting the white room.

Naruto kept his head bowed, and Kakashi pressed a button on the side of the bed to angle himself into a sitting position. Major movements hurt his ribs, which were stressed from the episode.

"Naruto." Kakashi murmured. "I'm okay, really." Naruto shook his head, raising a hand to wipe at his face.

"You were unconscious, you collapsed onto Iruka. He had to lay you down to get the phone, to call an ambulance. You were barely breathing 'Kashi, I thought-" Kakashi sat up fully, and opened his arms.

Naruto didn't need to be told twice. He leaned forward, settling into his older brother's embrace. Kakashi held him tightly, murmuring softly that it was okay, that everything would be fine. Once Naruto had cried himself out, he sat down on the bed next to Kakashi, wiping his nose on his arm.

Kakashi rubbed his back, calming him.

I really scared him, He thought guiltily, I gotta make sure I don't have an episode like that again. Not in front of him at least.

"They wouldn't let Iruka sign for you, for the medicine." Naruto mutters. "They didn't recognize your relationship." Kakashi grit his teeth together, but only nodded. "I couldn't sign for you, because I'm a minor."

Kakashi turned to look at him, frowning.

"Then who signed?" Naruto sighed.

"Our mother."

Kakashi sat in stunned silence.

"Our... mother?" Naruto nodded.

Kakashi and Naruto weren't full blood brothers, they were only half. They shared a mother, but had different fathers. And the concept that their mother actually drove down from who knows where to sign for him was a miracle in itself.

"Our mother was here." Kakashi whispered. It had been years since he'd seen her, but even if she was his physical mother, nothing could compare to Koshina. Koshina was Naruto's foster mother, and had been a mother to Kakashi as well. Her red hair still haunted his dreams.

But Koshina wasn't here, she hadn't been here in a long time, not since she died. After her death, Kakashi had gone to court and fought tooth and nail for custody of Naruto, who was only thirteen at the time. Kakashi had been barely eighteen.

Once he'd won the case, Naruto had moved in with him and Iruka, and continued to stay with Iruka while Kakashi was away at college.

But their mother... She gave them up years ago, had wanted nothing to do with her sons, and Kakashi preferred that she stayed away. Her very personality was toxic, laced with drugs, alcohol, and years of abuse.

"You saw her?" Kakashi asked, breaking the silence. Naruto nodded.

"Actually, Kakashi, she's outside. She said she wanted to talk to you."