The smell of sanitary had become adapt to his nose, having crawled into his senses in long remembrance, having taken residence within the hospital so many times- he knew it well. Now, he sat on a hardly cushioned waiting chair, with a sore body- and a dry eye, simply waiting for the prone blond to wake. Wanting to be a presence of comfort when he did, some type of person to lean on with traumatic news and comprehension. So he sat, in the day, in the night, hardly managing to take rest as he stood- some form of guard over his former student. He had left briefly to shower, to change, but that was the extent, he had gotten a slight amount of food from the kind nurse who came in to check Naruto's vitals. His book remained untouched as such- the week had dragged on and he spent time watching out the window as leisure. On occasion another would come in, Sakura had brought fresh lilies for the bedside- and surprisingly the young Yamanaka and been just behind her with wet eyelids and a frown, they didn't stay long. Shikamaru had come along too two days later, stared at Naruto for a minute, called him an idiot then left. Iruka in his devastation had accompanied Kakashi's presence for two days before he had to return to teaching- he had loudly protested against it, and lost. Jiraiya simply hadn't shown.

Kakashi had watched them all come and go, but none of them spoke to him, nor did he innate conversation.

They days melted from cognate thought, and he only knew they were passing by from the dusk and dawn. When Tsunade had come in many days later, he hadn't turned to look at her, yet knew that she had glared at his back with a fierce anger- or impatience. She had spoken with stern tone, that of a leader, under the tone of a leader, near a yell- but perhaps to hesitant to do so with Naruto beside almost comatose. Telling him to return to duty, and the only valuded information he had gained from her words; was that he had been there for a month. Even with his lack of interest, she had continued, it had turned into a drone in his ears, null and mumbled. Eventually, with the disruption of his silence and therein the want to not have Naruto's silence disturbed by her ire at him; he did turn to look at her, and he could not know what she saw then- but she froze, eyes widened and a clear fear painted over her face, she swallowed visually- then stepped back turned on her heel and exited without anything further said. Kakashi did not bother to waste energy wondering what had scared her so in his expression, and once again stared down at the village from his perch.

Though, that was perhaps in consequence of his dulled emotions, so blanketed that nothing crawled forth to the forefront, and the only flicker within was a contempt he had no wish to be witnessed by anyone. Possibly, that was what the Hokage had seen.

Another day passed by, afternoon shone a bright sun and warmed temperature, many children could be seen playing on the streets. It was commonality for the summer, the season having only just crawled forward. A loud cough broke the air, rasped and followed by stuttered breathing, but undeniable, and it had Kakashi's head snapping back at dramatic speed, eye widened and anticipatory. Staring straight to the twitching body on the bed, the opening lids and the sight of oceanic irises revealed had the jounin sag with drastic relief. The blond made a loud hiss as a twitch was made with his ruined arm, nothing further- and Kakashi knew that it would not be possible for the limb to do much more then it had. Staring down at the still boy, as his eyes became wider and wider, realization crawling over in horrendous understanding as his expression became more and more panicked, the heart monitor becoming rapid, Kakashi hastened to his side, and placed his ungloved hand over a sweating forehead, as timid as he felt in that moment, stroking his thumb through the blond hairline. It took many drawnout minutes for Naruto's breathing to even and his eyes to drop from their panicked state, roaring waters calming into gentle waves. A placated ease forming his expression as he gazed up, and Kakashi's emotions came thundering forward; horror primarily, though commiseration, and his own profound sorrow- they all did their part to block a burning and vast odium fermenting.

A warm smile drew upwards paled lips, small, impactful, yet more piteous the longer Kakashi looked upon it. His hand did not move, and the tempered blond made no complaint. "Kakashi-sensei?.." A cracked voice shaken and so very quiet it was difficult for the jounin to comprehend that it was his former student speaking. "...what happened? I-" The upturn of his lips remained, but it was strained as an obvious attempt a movement was made and there another fragile hiss escaped from grated teethed. Confusion creeping forward as blond brows furrowed. "I- my body feels weird, I- my arm feels numb, but when I try to move it, it hurts. I don't- my chest, its hurts when I breath but its numb if I'm not- I- my leg! I can't! My leg! It hurts so much but I can't-" A scream rang out, before any attempt of calming could be made- Naruto began to flail in instinct; seeking further sensation to cast away the muted feelings of his chest and arm, while also avoid the pain radiating from what remained of his leg. It took a second to react- to recall his exposure to such circumstance, but Kakashi managed to hold down the undamaged shoulder, just past the large scar wound then bent to Naruto's left ear and whispered as delicate as he was capable.

"Focus on me Naruto." There was a sudden halt of the heaving, failed attempts to raise his body upwards, and he was stared at with gaping, horrified eyes- underlined with strain as chapped pale lips trembled. Naruto swallowed visibly, nerves prominent as he waited for some type of explanation. Yet, when faced the aspect of properly coordinating an explanation, he felt crushingly overwhelmed. A type of pressure that he hadn't felt since he had heard the sickening sound of his hand taring through flesh; when blood had seeped down his hand; wrapped with twitching muscle and the sight of widened scared brown eyes staring him down, the explicit compression on his chest as he had stood entirely unable to comprehend the situation. That same feeling stood as he watched Naruto seeking answers in his silence, yet he was paused, a man so genius- comprised with brilliant tactics and strategy, able to read nearly any situation for a proper solution, the silver shinobi stood stock still under the duress of aquamarine irises imploring him for elucidate a reasoning for his numb torso and randomized pain. It was not the glance that froze him- though he was rather panicked on what to say, no, it was the prominent trust so visible that gaze which had Kakashi of The Sharingan standing prone.

It was through carefully crafted resolution integrated within the life of a shinobi which made it possible for him to force his mouth to open, and give the frightened man an explanation. It drawled out of him, just as his lessons had been whence training team seven three years previous, dull and bored, but not nullifying the importance in the words spoken. He barely managed to breathe succinctly as he spoke, for the irrational nerves rattling his mind in the moment. As his voice faded away and he mutely watched his student. There was a blankness to Naruto's expression- void, and it made him flinch even when he had worked with many mentally broken comrades and fought against an infinite number of similarly raptured enemies. Naruto held no emotion in his face, it was more then unusual to see on the lively man- it was nary possible.

"So, I'm done." He had no solace to provide with the statement- because continuing as a shinobi for the blond would be more then difficult, and far too dangerous to rationally condone. Candidly, under his condition, Kakashi was frightful of the concept that was Naruto maintaining his status; and stated plainly within his mind, the jouin did not want him to. What came worse however, was the fact that his student appeared less concerned with the gravity of his wounds, and more with the fact he could not pursue his ambition as a fully-fledged shinobi of Konoha. Kakashi's brow slanted down dramatically just as his eye narrowed- disconcerted by the obvious lack of care given to his own severe wounds. A nanoscopic amount of ire formed under his skin at the blase insouciance displayed. Still, his hand remained ontop of blond bangs, thumb automatically stoking up and down, ired or not, the circumstance was such that he could not allow his own considerations and opinions to brashly impact his words or actions.

Yet, it did not matter, as his mouth refused to open, no sound came out his lips, nor did any raise within his throat. For there was nothing to be said to ended the current strain of hopelessness weighing on the genin, Kakashi maintained deep empathy for his situation; even if his student was abnormally unconcerned for his own health presently. "Naruto, you need to keep yourself calm right now." The glare he earned was not impactful, but it was rare enough to be surprising, as Kakashi had only seen such an expression from the blond on the rare occasion. Yet instead of retaliation, his student passified himself and breathed deep through his nose in an obvious irritation, then within a second, flinched in obvious pain.

It was luck that in their silence the door clicked open, because Kakashi could think of nothing further to say. Her face deplayed her shock at seeing the blond awake well enough, though it was soothed away within professional speed, shoulders straight and eyes hard- rather then sympathetic; Kakashi raised a brow at that. She caught Naruto's immediate attention, though he gave not a smile or truly any express other then stoicism, Suzanne stood just behind the Hokage and her eyes were softened far more then the sannin's, it was peculiar. Tsunade coughed into a fist. "Naruto, I cannot hide the fact that your injures are severe, and even in my expertise, they are beyond me. Your left arm is beyond salvation, truly, I think it would be best to remove it entirely-" A yell sounded throughout the room.

"No! I won't-" It was desperation coming forth and everyone could hear it. But he was quickly interrupted, a fierce glare hardening the Hokage's visage, and it made the jonin narrow his eyes in annoyance for the sight. No image of sympathy rested on her face.

"-Naruto! If you keep your arm then it will lead to a constant pain, your skin had is close to being ash! There are only a few sections that remain unscorged, and even then it will continue to give you pain!" A bitterly spoken truth none wanted to hear, and Naruto froze, his expression stuck in place; widened eyes and parted lips. Only calming as Tsunade rubbed her forehead. "Now, as for the rest of your injuries. Your left leg had to be romoved already, as you've no doubt noticed- your chest is in terrible condition. And though it is blackened, I focused all of my attention on it when you were brought here and while it will not heal entirely, it will heal and you will survive. There will be phantom pains of course, with all your injuries, but I will give you a some medication to ease it, if only slightly. Both your shoulders have been deeply cut and you may have trouble moving them on occasion, but luckily I was able to seal them and only scars remain." When she stopped, no one moved, and instead of yelling protest or anger, loud sobs filled the area, Naruto's arm thrown over his eyes in failed attempt to hide his dorlorous emotion. Eventually however, the tapping of heels were heard as both women exited.

Very cautiously, Kakashi lent down and moved the sobbing teen into a sitting position, no protest came. Instead, Kakashi almost reiled back in shock as his chest was hit with a blond head and arm around his waist- Naruto, -somehow- crying even louder. Uncertain, the jonin allowed his own arm to wrap around his student's shoulders and held him closer. Shivering ever so slightly at the anguish brought before him.

Kakashi was no stranger with the feeling- in fact his relationship with despair was quite longstanding and affectionate. Yet, even understanding his old friend, he had no want to see it capture another- call it a profound jealousy, but to see agony bestow its touch unto Naruto; was disgustingly wrong.