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Iruka wakes up. The world around him is green, seemingly endless with only darker hues on the horizon. He thumbed the ring on his left hand, a tic developed since Kakashi gave it to him a few months ago. He didn’t peg the Copy-nin for a marrying kind, but he’s married to one now.
Or was. Does it still count when he’s dead? Until death does them apart?
He stands up slowly. From a distance, he sees two white tufts of silver hair, glowing softly from embers of fire in front of them. Familiar, so utterly familiar.
“Kakashi?”
Both figures turned to him. Kakashi’s eyes widen, scrambling quickly onto his feet. “Iruka–Iruka, you shouldn’t be here, you–”
“I’m sorry.” Iruka placed his hands over Kakashi’s, who is tracing the seals marring his cheeks with trembling hands. “Apparently I can cover a fifth of Konoha, I found out the hard way.”
Kakashi looks like he’s at a loss of words, so Iruka pulled him into a tight hug.
He’s sure it’s been just a few after he last meet Kakashi, defending him from the Akatsuki member, but it sure feels like a lifetime. He remembers Tsunade’s order for him to stand by at the hospital, to set extra barriers to protect the injured and the civilians, in case Akatsuki breaks Konoha’s outer barrier.
He feels it first, the earth rattling like a landslide is happening, before he even hears it.
He remembers lowering his hitai-ate to his neck, biting his thumb and spreading the bead of blood upwards on his forehead, activating the seal of his bloodline. The same barrier seal saved him from Kyuubi attack years ago, done by his mother. He knows he won’t have enough chakra to keep his heart beating if he covers where he stands to the bunkers closest to him, but damned if he doesn’t try.
Iruka makes his choice. The seals erupts through his forehead to his arms, to his feet, as he runs the handsigns as quickly as he can. Bigger seal creeps through his hands on the ground as he slams them down, finishing his handsigns. A bright blue barrier forms in the sky, the edge stopping the landslide from wrecking the hospital and the bunkers.
He remembers looking down at the glint of his ring with his blurring sight, wishing for more time. More time to teach his children, to see Naruto’s smile, to wake up beside Kakashi.
To be with Kakashi.
Now there he is, with Kakashi tucked tight into his neck.
His hand finds Kakashi’s hair, petting it gently. “How..” did you die, he doesn’t dare to ask.
Apparently Kakashi catches on. “Chakra exhaustion. I used too much of Mangekyou,” he pulls slightly to rub his scarred eye.
“You never know moderation,” he smiles. “Thank you for protecting me, Kakashi.”
Kakashi bumps his forehead on Iruka’s, eyes catching his. “But you died.”
“I made my choice, Kakashi. Akatsuki tried to demolish Konoha, I had to protect the hospital and the bunkers. I don’t know if they succeed though, but I have faith in Konoha.”
Kakashi clutches his hands. “I didn’t know you manage to master your kekkei genkai.”
“I didn’t. I honestly don’t know if the barrier will last long enough, I–” he choked on the word, “–died after setting it up.”
Kakashi pulls on his waist again. Iruka shuts his eyes, feeling the warmth of Kakashi’s neck.
Iruka’s blink his eyes open as remember the other figure in the room, who is still observing them from afar. Long silver hair, skin slightly tanned, face unmasked and similarly structured like the one still tightly hugging him now, smile lines so pronounced from age. He must’ve been Kakashi’s dad, the White Fang. For a bit, Iruka wonders how would Kakashi look with age, whether he’ll have crinkles on the corners of his mouth when he smiles, will have crow’s feet under his eyes.
Too bad he won’t see Kakashi actually growing older, with how they’re both dead now.
His heart clenches painfully.
He also realizes he’s still hugging the White Fang’s son. In front of White Fang himself. He pulls Kakashi off as he fights a blush creeping up his neck.
“Kakashi, is that–”
“Oh! Right,” he pulls Iruka along. “Dad, I would like you to meet Umino Iruka...”