You Were My Light

15. In The Shadows

*** TRIGGER WARNING --> NOT AS BAD AS CHAPTER 14: Who, You. <-- DOES CONTAIN SMUT, SUICIDAL MENTIONS/ACTIONS & TRAUMA ***

PREVIOUSLY: (3rd Person P.O.V) Pakkun would fetch Tsunade, Konoha's best healer and medic, with blood for a transfusion for the unconscious blonde on the floor and agreed that this would stay between all of them for now. In less time than it had taken to summon Pakkun and send him on his way, the three ninja had successfully removed the very large shard of glass and cauterised both the entry and exit wound. The crimson soulmate string binding both Kakashi and Naruto's wrists began to glow, pulsing in the direction from Kakashi to Naruto. "Damn, get us on the bed. Make sure we're touching. Uh, I'm not feeling so .." The jounin started to say before the red string pulsed again, with a brighter light and slightly quicker, and his eyes rolled back into his head.

- - - - - - -

3rd Person P.O.V
.. In Kakashi's apartment with Iruka and Itachi ..

"So. We get them to the bed I guess." Itachi asked Iruka, who nodded in response and said, "Yes. Then I suggest we try to clean up before Tsunade gets here.." The pair shivered at the thought of what she would do to them if she walked in and saw Kakashi's place a mess, even though neither of them lived there or had caused the mess. Making quick work, Iruka changed the sheets before he and Itachi very carefully moved the jounin and the blond sunshine child to the bed, making sure the couples hands were touching. "It's weird," stated Iruka, "Hmm? What is?" replied the dark haired Uchiha, "Kakashi hasn't ever been an expressive person, not since before his father.. died.. but this afternoon I've seen more emotion from him since, well .." "Since ever." Itachi finished Iruka's sentence. Looking at each other they smiled, small at first, then burst out giggling together. Continuing to clean, Iruka got rid of the broken mirror and glass while Itachi cleaned Naruto's blood from the bathroom; both the men began to talk about old times, what they were able to discuss about what had been happening during Itachi's absence. Once they were satisfied they weren't going to be raked over the coals by Tsunade, they began to make their way downstairs and encountered the woman herself coming up the stairs with three huge packs, led by Pakkun. Handing each of the ninja a pack she demanded they take her to Naruto immediately. Sending a look to Itachi for him to continue to go and fetch a bottle of whiskey for their medic and one for them, Iruka took the pack from Itachi and motioned for Tsunade to follow him. He led her to Kakashi's bedroom and the pair on the bed, whose hands were gripped together with their fingers entwined; she looked at them, back to Iruka, back to them, and back to him. "Explain. Now. Are you sure that's Naruto next to Kakashi?"

Iruka ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "I'll give details later but this is the short version. I will assume you know Naruto is the jinchuuriki of this village and the Kyuubi no Kitsune," "Duh." she nodded while unpacking her bags. "Okay. You know the Kyuubi is a fox, and that foxes in the wild have mates?" Again she nodded, "Your point?" "Because Naruto is the jinchuuriki of a fox spirit, he also has a mate. Kakashi is Naruto's mate. Almost a week ago when Kakashi came back from his mission, he went missing, you remember I asked if you'd seen or heard from him. Anyway, the night he came back he found Kurama who was trying to save Naruto who was almost dead from the villagers' latest attack, and.." "Stop. Who's Kurama?" "Oh, Kurama is the name of the jinchuuriki, the Kyuubi no Kitsune." Tsunade's head shot up and she glared at Iruka, sending chills through to his bones, "Later," Iruka promised, "Kurama heals Naruto's wounds all the time from injuries he gets from the villagers and.. uh, some not from villagers.. but from the inside with all this insane chakra he has - those deep reserves we found when we tested Naruto at the Academy? Yeah, they're actually the Kyuubi.. they're Kurama's chakra reserves, not actually all of it's Naruto's chakra, he just teaches Naruto how to control the extra chakra, which is how come Naruto had the entire village under a genjutsu for years or something like that. But now that he's met his mate, which is our favourite secret service ANBU Captain over there, his body is changing or something and that has made the genjutsu fall from everything, but I swear Naruto reminds me of someone I knew and I just, I can't put my finger on it." Iruka finished in a rush.