Kakashi barely paid attention to the swift transfer from room to room. He felt the nurses toss things onto the bed around them--IV lines, more blankets, things that smelled medicinal--and heard the tack-tack-tack of dog claws on linoleum as Shouma and Hoshika kept pace, but the feelings were distant. All that really mattered was the small curving shape he could feel tucked under his elbow, breathing slow and steady, and the muscled shoulder next to his face. If he turned his head slightly to the right, he found warm skin to breath against...

The world drifted away for a moment. When it came back, strong hands were sliding under his arms, gripping his armour. Not Ryouma's hands.

"C'mon, lad. You'll feel much better when you can stretch out in your own bed. Up we get..." The voice was deep and male. Callouses rasped over his skin.

Kakashi tensed, arm locking over both people pressed against his side. "No. Lemme stay--need'ta guard--"

"Don't be foolish, shinobi. You're in no fit state to guard anyone. Now let go of your teammates and be sensible." The hands tightened, gripping his armour straps and lifting. "You'll only be in the bed next to them. It's barely five feet away."

Kakashi's chest came off the bed. Exhaustion twisted into something else. He reached back with his free hand, hearing a growl rumble to his right, and found a wrist. His fingernails dug in deeply between stretched tendons. "Lemme go."