Gone

Title: Gone
Pairing: KoIzu
Summary: The Kyuubi attack took a lot, but not everything and Kotetsu holds onto what he has left.
Disclaimer: I quite obviously don't own Naruto.
Dedicated to: Durgas (art trade)
Thank you to my betas: morgainedeshone and Kita the Spaz

The tears had stopped some time ago, if only because for the moment he couldn’t cry anymore. Kotetsu stared at the wall, feeling empty and broken. His stomach was knotted and his face hurt from all the crying.

The news had swept through the caves and even though no one had announced anything, they had heard the whispers from the adults standing guard. That was the first sign they had, seeing the adults’ faces, they had known then it was bad. Not all of their classmates had been there, Iruka had been brought in by an ANBU, but then the protective barrier had gone up and nobody else had arrived. Iruka had been bawling and the adults had moved him to another part of the cave, that had been the second sign.

It was nearly morning before they were told, before they knew for sure what was going on. They had found out then some of those who hadn’t made it. They hadn’t been the first to be told. He had thought… that somebody would come get him and Izumo. Then he’d thought that they couldn’t because they were busy with the rescue, but then more scrolls with names had come in.

A medic that wasn’t a shinobi looked him over. A flashlight was shone in his eyes. She told him to follow her finger, but he just looked away. She ran her hands over his head, lifted his arms, turned his head. She asked him questions he didn’t really hear and didn’t know if he’d answered, couldn’t remember answering.

Then she’d moved on to Izumo with the same routine. He watched the whole thing, staring blankly and wondering how Izumo got the words out.

The whole time he just sat there, feeling dead, knowing he wasn’t, not sure if he wanted to be. Then Izumo snuggled up to him, sliding under his arm and hugging him and suddenly the tears started again.  That was all it took - Izumo there and real and alive - and he was glad he wasn’t dead. He couldn’t leave Izumo alone, he had to watch out for him the way Izumi had told him to. So even though they were… gone and never coming back. Even though his parents were and their apartment was buried under the rubble and fire with everything he’d ever known he was glad he wasn’t.

He pulled Izumo closer. He would never leave him, not for anything.