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He had stepped into that office hundreds of times, accepting new missions, reporting concluded ones and delivering the requested paperwork for mission reports. He had, more than once, left the floor stained with blood, sometimes his own, others a mix from the faceless ninjas he had encountered on his mission. On some occasions he had found himself coming in through the window, instead of the door, bearing secret scrolls or reports he was to give the Hokage and only them.
It brought Kakashi memories, of course, most of them a reminder of those who were no longer there, of the way he was unable to save them. But after years, he had finally found closure. Or so he was forcing himself to believe.
Kakashi had stepped into that office hundreds of times but he had never seen it from this perspective. The large window gave a full view of the town, and when he stepped on the far left of it, he could see the Hokage Monument, his face being currently carved onto the stone mountain…he really didn’t feel qualified enough to be wearing that hat.
“None sense!” Tsunade had told him when he’d mentioned that to her, right before letting a mountain of paperwork fall on his desk. “If I could manage, you damn well can, I can’t think of anyone who is more suited for this than you, Kakashi, specially now more than ever”
They had talked about it before, of course, in the time Naruto was away training with Jiraiya, Sasuke was somewhere drowning in the shadows of revenge and Sakura was getting stronger each day under Tsunade’s tutelage.
“I want you to take the hat when I leave the chair”
“Mah. I don’t think the hat will fit me”
“Don’t worry, we can put an elastic on it”
Tsunade had then given Kakashi six books on bureaucratic nonsense so thick, that when he was not reading them, Gai used them as a table for tea when they sat in the living room together. Later that night, when Kakashi told Gai about the conversation with Lady Tsunade, he laughed and agreed it was a perfect idea to keep such a big hat in place when the wind blew.
Well, Kakashi was going to make sure that, at least, they didn’t start another war. Fortunately, with things settling down as they were, he was sure they wouldn’t, and yet…it didn’t hurt to be too careful. Re-building the village and stablishing firm peace ties with the other nations was his priority, he was born in war, had been there, through the third war and all the way through the fourth one, so he knew firsthand of the decisions that should be avoided in order to prevent any similar events from happening again. As well as known firsthand of the faulty system that needed to be renewed so that no one, especially no child, had to go through the same thing that he went through. He knew that had been what Tsunade had meant when she told Kakashi she needed him to be her successor and dammit, he was going to make it right, even if he had to fight the whole council of elders, which Kakashi hoped he wouldn't have to, after Chiyo-Sama, he was not very fond of being attacked by grandmothers, thank you very much.
He saw a flicker to his right and recognized it as one of the AMBU currently watching him through the window. As Hokage, he was now not only the absolute captain and leader of the AMBU and Special Forces, but he was also assigned a team that were in charge of his protection 24/7. Great, because he was so used to being watched at all times.
He wouldn’t be hard on them, after all, it was their job, and as a former AMBU himself, he knew just how dedicated the teams were to their missions. They had to be. That thought took him to another of his priorities: Dismantling ROOT. That was going to be really hard, yet not impossible, Kakashi was not ignorant to the fact that the Elders were pretty much aware of the shit show that Danzo had going on for the longest time, and only decided to ignore the situation when things got out of hand with Orochimaru's involvement and what not. He still had to deal with that creep too, and if he was being honest, he would love to let Ibiki and Anko have their way with their old sensei without a care in the world, but in Tsunade's words "He can be useful, unfortunately".
Kakashi let out a sigh as he thought about how it was easier to kill than deal with politics and yet, he was aware of his own capabilities. When Genma had said Kakashi could disarm a bomb using only words he had not been wrong. He didn't consider himself a conceited man, but he was not going to undermine his own abilities either, he had trained hard to have them as sharp as they were and he was going to use them to stir all of them towards peace and cement them in there, and he was not only talking about Konohagakure...
Kakashi uncovered his left eye. It was strange. After almost twenty years of having the Sharingan, it was weird to suddenly find yourself with two normal, not-mismatched, seeing eyes. He had tripped over a step a couple hours ago because it just wasn’t where it was supposed to and had more than once closed his eye out of reflex. Who knew that getting used to having dept perception again could be so hard? On the bright side, he didn’t have to worry about draining his chakra reserves in the blink of an eye.
In the days after the war he had managed to work on combinations of the thousand and more Jutsus he had copied and learned through his life so far, it was a nice distraction from the fact that he had too much work to do and the constant intrusive thoughts that would more often than not, feature Gai’s name on a tombstone.
Seven days ago, he had woken up to the feeling of being electrocuted, which wasn’t strange for him, really…except for the fact that he was not using Chidori or Raikiri and still, it seemed like his whole body was engulfed in a bright white electric ball th and oh…the Hatake Clan White Chakra.
Turned out, because the Sharingan would absorb most of his chakra and energy, his inherited White Chakra couldn’t really develop itself and now that it was gone, the inherited gene appeared with a vengeance and took advantage of the fact that Kakashi’s body was used to producing three times more chakra than a normal shinobi, which was great, except to the poor person that had been changing the lights and every window and mirror in his apartment twice a day for the last week. It would have been easier if his father had ever instructed him on how to use the Hatake gene chakra, but Sakumo had died before his son had fully developed it and Kakashi had more important matters to talk to him about when they met in the afterlife. Still, Kakashi was not called a genius for nothing. He was an expert in chakra control and the White Chakra was not going to be an exception for him, although he still had to work on controlling it when he was sleeping. Nightmares and a ridiculous amount of uncontrolled pure electricity mixed with raw chakra was not a good combination, specially for his already fried nerves.
Speaking of which, he was running out of excuses to avoid moving out of his apartment, he just didn’t see the point. Sure, he was the Hokage now, but lately he barely slept anyways, so it really was not necessary, he would be there for around one hour a day (if he didn't disassociate enough in the tub to the point where he spent hours inside the quickly cooling water). Besides, his apartment was conveniently nearer to the Hospital than the Hokage Residence was and speaking of which…
He looked at the clock on the wall. It was almost 9, meaning that six hours had passed since he had last visited Gai at the hospital.
Gai had yet to wake up, Kakashi knew that he would be the first one to know, still it had been close to six months already and so far nothing. To say that Kakashi was getting restless would be an understatement. One of the reasons he had not been sleeping much was not only the incredibly big pile of paperwork he had in his desk or the sudden exploding lightbulbs, it was the nightmares (that caused the exploding lightbulbs) which really, he should be used to them by now, but lets just say that whenever they got to be too much Gai was always there like the human boulder he was, ready to let Kakashi wrap himself around him like an octopus without a complaint. Now, Kakashi could not even hold Gai's hand in fear of the skin turning to ash like it would in his nightmares.
Kakashi got up from his chair, making sure to leave Shikamaru a note, although Kakashi knew he was smart enough to know where to find him if he needed him.
He took the least transited road (jumping from roof to roof), because even after two months, he really didn’t feel comfortable being called Lord yet, he didn’t think he ever would. Just “Kakashi” was okay, “Kakashi-sensei” if you must, but Lord? Wow, he had not seen that one coming, although from the looks of everyone when told the news, he had been the only one that hadn’t seen it. He was more than surprised to find the whole village cheering for him at his appointment ceremony one month after the war.
The AMBU followed him closely, and he considered losing them at some point, but decided against it. He didn’t want to antagonize Shizune so soon into his Hokage term, after all. Although...he would technically be just annoying Tenzō and wasn’t that normal by now?
He picked a pink carnation from the Yamanaka flower shop, insisting on paying even after Ino, now the head of the Yamanaka clan, refused. Kakashi made a mental note to visit Inoichi's grave later.
Kakashi had only had one condition to becoming Hokage, and that was engraving his father's name, along with Itachi's and Shisui's on the memorial stone. He also had a proper Itaoba made for his father, one where his full name could be seen, along with the name with which he had served the village until his very last breath. He had visited his father, after his appointment ceremony and he had talked to him about everything he wanted to do, had told his father how he would not let anyone go through what he did.
He had also visited Rin and Obito's graves, it was strange now, to look at Obito's. After the war, a few had been convinced that Obito's name should not be among those that had died in the fourth shinobi war, nevertheless after Naruto's and Kakashi's intervention and reasoning those that had been against it had desisted and understood.
Guess only time could judge them all.
When he entered Gai's hospital room (by the window because old habits die hard), Gai was just as he had left him six hours ago; except now the light of the moon hit the leftside of his face, his hair had grown back now, and so had his eyebrows and the little skin Kakashi could see through the bandages was slowly, very slowly but steadily going back to normal. Still, the fact that the room was silent except for the beeping machines that indicated Gai’s heart rate, his flow of oxigen, helped by a couple of other machines that did... who knows what else, really made the whole scenery seem wrong. This was not how things were supposed to be. Kakashi was supposed to be on that bed while Gai was patiently waiting on the chair next to it, like he always did.
It was far too late for visit time but, as Hokage, he was sure no one would tell him to leave, but even if they did, he was ready to fight them. He would have expected them to get used to him being there after almost three months of doing so every day, whenever he had time (or whenever he left a shadow clone in his office without Tenzō catching him).
Slowly, he got the chair closer to the bed. He was sure he had seen a nurse pass by at least five times now, Sakura would also pass by, and he would pretend he didn’t see her peaking worriedly every now and then, still he appreciated the fact that she never tried to ask him how he was because honestly, he did not know it himself.
Most days he would concentrate on his work, it would absorb him completely until he felt like he was watching himself from afar, in a reality where somehow everything was in order and then, just like that, he would wake up and reality would come crashing on him, the white and sterilized walls and floors of the Hospital reminding him of the fact that not everything was fine, that his everything could die at any second.
The truth was that he couldn't leave his apartment, just as he couldn't stop buying flowers from the Yamanaka flower shop, because if he did, it would be like accepting the fact that Gai might never come back, moving on from him, assuming he was as good as dead and Kakashi couldn't do that. He simply could not.
Kakashi ran a hand through his hair. He felt tired, he didn’t think he had rested since the war had ended, except for that day after Kaguya was sealed, Kakashi had stayed awake for the next 37 hours, commanding, planning and trying to pretend he had not seen Shizune and the other doctors and healers take Gai away along with the other injured shinobi. On the 38th hour he had simply dropped face-first on the floor. He awoke two days later, feeling incredibly hungry and also feeling like his chakra was going to burst out of the pathways on his body.
He took off the headband, putting it next to the glass of water on the small table next to the hospital bed. The metal making a soft clattering sound, and slowly, he placed his face on the bed, next to Gai’s hand. He was still weary when touching him, he didn’t want to hurt Gai’s already damaged skin and he didn’t trust himself with his control of the White Chakra enough to get too close, yet. Still, Gai’s hand was so warm…
The dirt under his feet is dry, the wind moves the trees around him, but Kakashi doesn’t feel cold. “Come on, we are almost there, Kakashi” The voice of his father makes him look upwards and Sakumo smiles when Kakashi spots him, long hair, and clean clothes. Kakashi walks to meet him, reaching for him, he knows that his father will hold him as soon as he reaches him, but with each step, the air turns wilder, the sky gets darker, and his father is looking now at him with a terrified expression.
“Kakashi, what have you done?” Sakumo asks him and Kakashi runs, he needs to get to him…but it’s too late, there is blood on the floor and a Tanto in his stomach and Kakashi finally meets his father and he tries desperately to stop the flood of blood and guts but it keeps spilling, drowning him, painting his right arm with red. “Kakashi” Sakumo’s voice is far away and—
“Ka-Ka-shi”
“Kakashi!” Rin demands and she is angry and why shouldn’t she? “What have you done?” She asks and Kakashi can’t move, she is not standing there, with Kakashi's hand through her chest like Kakashi expected her to be, instead in front of him is Gai, his eyes scream betrayal and Kakashi can't bear it, he closes them and when he opens them again it’s to the disfigured face of Obito who cries and yells at him, "how could you not know, Kakashi?" How didn’t he figure it out? If he had, then Madara would never have tried to—there’s laughter and Kakashi is thrown harshly across the now wet dirt where Gai is lying, a piece of charcoal, dead because Kakashi couldn’t protect him. Madara’s laughter is louder and Itachi is crying, was he always that small? The world turns red and he remembers the pain of being stabbed and tortured for three days inside his own head. "Will you do something now, sempai? How could you not know? Am I like you now? Am I enough?" He never quite forgot Itachi's voice, neither did he ever forgot how much he looked like Fugatu.
“How could you not know?” Obito asks him again, pleading, and Kakashi does not know how to answer. “Why didn’t you do anything?” If he had, would this have happened? Isn’t Kaguya’s perfect world one where Kakashi was not born, where he was not the trigger of so much pain? His mere existence has been a line of dominoes that culminated in death and destruction.
“It’s too late” Gai’s voice reminds him and Kakashi turns around to see him turn to ash and leave with the wind, just like everyone that perished in the war, Inoichi, Neji, Jiraiya...he can’t do anything to stop it. “Kakashi wake up!” It’s Sakumo’s voice but he can’t see him "Kakashi, you have to wake up!". Darkness swallows him as they keep demanding, all of them and Kakashi drowns.
Kakashi woke up startled and the chair he was sitting on balanced backwards, the sudden movement making Kakashi aware of the white energy crackling, invading the room, he quickly stopped it, the sudden retaliation hitting him and sending him flying against the wall, his back hitting the hard concrete. Ironic to think that his ancestors used the Hatake White Chakra for agricultural proposes. Then, again, they hadn’t had to deal with their body over producing their natural chakra and his dad usually channeled it to his weapons, namely his Tanto, to cut through anything. Well, at least Gai was alright, all the machines seemed to be working fine too...
Great, one would think that after making peace with his dad, with Obito, Rin, his sensei... and after pretty much the whole shit-show that had been the Fourth Shinobi War-- including fighting an all-powerful alien--, the nightmares would have just stopped...well, Kakashi had been wrong before.
Three of his AMBU guards were instantly next to him, all of them ready to attack, looking around only to realize Kakashi had just electrocuted himself, again. It was not really necessary to clarify what had just happened, but Kakashi did it anyways, earning him a sarcastic reply from Bear and "wow, that is very mature coming from someone who stabbed himself on the foot once, Bear" Kakashi signed back in AMBU code. Next to Bear, Bird asked if they should call Captain Yamato. Kakashi only shook his head and sent them away.
--------
On the days following the war, it felt like the battle was not over. There were so many injured, so many houses and buildings to be rebuilt. The hospital itself was under remodeling and after two months, the number of wounded shinobi and civilians had diminished considerably, and yet, Sakura felt like she had not slept in years. Well, of course she had slept, small naps here and there, not even having time to go back home to her own bed. Shizune and Tsunade were also with her at the hospital more often than not, if anything Tsunade had only ever left to pass the hat onto Kakashi-sensei and most likely instruct him on the responsibilities the position of Hokage brought, as well as get him started on the mountains of paperwork Kakashi had to handle after everything that had happened.
The first time Sakura saw Kakashi at the hospital after the war, the newly appointed Hokage had personally asked her what she needed in order to tend to the wounded. Kakashi had quickly made an alliance with the other nations to have their most wounded be treated at Konoha. Medical supplies started flowing between the nations and suddenly Sakura had her hands full of work, yes, but also the means, doctors, nurses and tools necessary to heal the injured.
The second time she saw him, Sakura almost dropped the patient registry notebook she had been holding as she got into a fighting stance. She was a trained shinobi, of course, but she swore Gai-Sensei’s room was empty when she had passed by it at around three in the morning only to find a dark figure looming there only a couple of minutes afterwards. She had entered the room in a haste only to find her Sensei sitting by the bed, close to the window. Kakashi didn’t even look at her, his eyes still scanning the figure in front of him.
“How is he?” He asked and it took Sakura a moment to gather her thoughts again.
“Good for now, as much tissue as possible is being regenerated every day by Shizune, Lady Tsunade and me, nevertheless we can’t go too fast or his body will fall into shock. He is healing by himself too, that is a good sign” It was strange to see her sensei without his headband covering one of his eyes, nevertheless his half-masked face gave nothing away, except that Sakura could see a cloud of sadness in his dark eyes. “That means his body is fighting too” She tried to say it as positive as she could, after all, she was not giving him false hope, it did seem like Gai was indeed getting better.
Kakashi hummed and nodded but said nothing else. Sakura stared at him for a couple of seconds until it was obvious that he was not going to ask anything else. Sakura felt like she was intruding something, so she wrote down Gai’s vitals on the registry and left the two alone. In the morning, Kakashi was gone, there was a sunflower on the table next to Gai sensei’s bed, though.
It became a routine, Kakashi would always appear out of nowhere inside Gai’s room at any time in the late night and be gone in the early morning. He would also visit around on the day, but those visits were more sporadic, and when he did, he would use the door as a civilized person instead of a window on the fifth floor and ask about the recovery of the still wounded patients, would inquire about what else did the hospital - and the newly built rehab and recovery clinic - need and would go through the inventory himself to make sure Konoha had as much supplies as possible. After the agreement, Sakura also had the help of various medic ninja from across the world and that was a big relief. After doing so, Kakashi would visit Gai again and sometimes make questions regarding his – slowly — recovery. Every day a new flower would appear on Gai sensei’s night table, most of the time it was a carnation.
On the fourth week Sakura noticed the hand holding.
It was not uncommon for visitors to hold the injured patients’ hands, especially when it was their family or spouses, obviously the physical contact brought comfort to the patient as much as it did the family, and yet it was...odd, to see Kakashi doing it.
Sakura was not dumb; it took her at least a couple of hours of looking at Gai-sensei spending time with her sensei to know that there was something between them. By the unsurprised look of the other teachers, it was as obvious as the sky being blue, and yet, Kakashi was not someone that relished on casual physical contact, she knew it by experience.
Kakashi was to Naruto, Sasuke and herself something like a big brother figure, hell, after everything that had happened, she was more than sure now. She had fond memories of Kakashi holding their hands whenever they got scared or were walking on a busy street on missions, even when Naruto was running around everywhere, there was at least a chakra tread attached to his bag just so Kakashi could restrain him if he walked too far away or started running towards a shady looking alley. She even had the vague memory of the stories Kakashi would make up for them once after those mission where the three children were so full of energy they wouldn't let their teacher in peace unless he told them a story. Those stories usually involved a watered down retell of Kakashi's missions that would suddenly turn into tales of strange lands and hidden treasures. There were also, of course, the head-pats and hair ruffling, the hugs after they had nightmares and the comforting when Sasuke or Naruto had panic attacks or nightmares derived from their past experiences or in Naruto’s case, from having a literal fox demon sealed inside him.
Sakura also recalled fondly a few memories of Kakashi patiently letting her cry on his shoulder as a 13 year old, when she had been the most frustrated at her own lack of power only for Kakashi to remind her that she was more than capable of rivaling anyone she could think of, she just needed to believe it herself and practice.
"What if he is right?" She had asked one day after one of the C class missions they were given that did not require the team to get too far from the village turned into an ambush. She had been distracted and Sasuke had saved her from the weapon of a militarized (but not shinobi) enemy. Sakura had fallen to the floor scratching both her knees and Sasuke had only looked at her sideways and murmured "useless". In that moment, Sakura had felt tears start to fall and, as she saw Kakashi-sensei approach, she tried to wipe them away as quick as she could, after all, "shinobi did not cry". Still, Kakashi had ignored Sasuke's search for praise from their mentor after a job well done, instead deciding to put antiseptic on sakura's injuries as he calmly reminded Sasuke that if he was not one to look out for his teammates, then, he was not yet ready for the shinobi world. "No teammate is useless, Sasuke" The words were spoken calmly but firmly and with a sense of finality that had made Sasuke look down to the floor angry and ashamed before walking away.
"Mah. Not only is he wrong, Sakura-chan, but I think Sasuke realized you have enough skill and power to surpass both your teammates"
"Really?"
"Yes, unfortunately your teammates still think that brawl is more important than brains. There is still so much for you three to learn, so be patient and resilient. Never stop practicing, yes?"
It was obvious that Kakashi-sensei's plan of life had not been remotely close to being a teacher, in contrast to Gai-sensei, Kurenai-sensei or even Yamato-sensei, Kakashi was first and foremost an experienced shinobi team captain, and then he was a teacher and that was clear since day one. Still, he was a good captain, and a good older brother.
That lead her to think about how Sakura had never seen Kakashi have any sort of physical contact with anyone else, except for Gai, and even then it was only those “manly” hugs or whenever Gai had to carry Kakashi after he had used the sharingan. Seeing him hold Gai’s hand with such tenderness, like he was afraid it would break or turn to dust under his fingers was a sight to behold. Curiously he didn’t stop as she entered the room to write down Gai’s vitals, instead he wrapped both his hands around Gai’s right hand, resting his cheek momentarily over them, before asking Sakura, once again, how was Gai’s progress going.
One day Gai collapsed. It started with a mild fever that evolved into shock. His blood pressure got so low Sakura was sure Gai would go into cardiac arrest and not come back. He did come back to them, but now they had another big problem: kidney failure.
For days, tubes adorned Gai-Sensei's bed and when Sakura opened the door to Gai’s room to take his vitals at night, the soft beeping of the machines that kept Gai alive greeted Sakura. Kakashi was not in his usual seat by the bed, nevertheless, there was always a new flower, on the table.
Lee and TenTen visited again the week after it happened, when visitors were allowed again (although Sakura was sure he had seen Kakashi by the window), they would stay for a couple of hours and talk between them as if their sensei was listening...and maybe he was. The soft sound of the breathing machine was smothered by their cheerful conversation as they would recount stories of their missions, past and present ones, silence would invade the room when a particular mission featuring Neji’s bravery was told. They would inform Gai about all the new things that had happened around the village, of the new treaties that had been announced by the Rokudaime, and even of the progress of Kakashi’s face being carved into the Hokage Monument. Sakura would stay outside the room and listen, curiosity getting the best out of her.
“Of course, they couldn’t convince him to take off his mask” TenTen laughed as she told the story. “There were at least twenty people on the roof of the sculptor’s shop and even more outside peering from the windows, waiting for him to actually do it!”
“We thought the roof was going to collapse!” Lee finished the story with a laugh. “You see, that is why you can’t die. After all, you are the only person who knows what is behind his mask!” Suddenly, there was silence.
“He really misses you, sensei” TenTen broke the silence and then Sakura was called to one of the wards.
Sakura often wondered if Gai-Sensei was more talkative regarding whatever Kakashi and him had going on between them with his students than Kakashi did with Team 7. Perhaps he did, Gai was infinitely more loud compared to Kakashi, after all. For the longest time, all team 7 knew about Kakashi was his name. When they found out Kakashi was in the Bingo Book, no, not just there, but that he was the first entry on the Konoha section of “most wanted but still, if you encounter him, we recommend you run as fast as you can”, their jaws had dropped so hard that Sasuke had snatched the book from Naruto’s hands and checked it twice, his eyebrows nearly disappearing into his hairline after seeing that no, the book was not simply talking about a different “Hatake Kakashi”.
“Sure, Sasuke, because ‘Field Scarecrow’ is such a popular name in the country of Fire”
“Watch it you—“
“Please just stop arguing, guys”
Sakura chuckled at the memory and she wondered if maybe they would make an academy book about Kakashi's life like they did for the other Hokages, Sakura remembered those history lessons from years ago, when she was just a kid at the academy. Then again, after the war, she was sure those books hid more than they showed of the actual life of the Kages.
Before that thought could go deeper, she was distracted by an AMBU appearing right before her. Something like a bird mask was hiding their face and it didn’t move as they said, “The Hokage asks for your immediate presence in Gai-San’s room. He is awake”
Sakura ran.
-----
Two more weeks pass after the wall incident and by now Kakashi was sure he had bought one of each of the flowers the Yamanaka flowershop had ever displayed, he had also learned to control the White Chakra even when he was asleep by treating it the same way he would used Yin and Yang release, except this was way easier to get a hold of when in battle, and way more powerful too.
Gai was also looking much better and the number of patients in the hospital had reduced dramatically thanks to the amazing job Sakura, Tsunade, Shizune and all the medical personnel inside the medical center had done. Peace ties were working nicely, and pacts and treaties were being signed. Everything was looking up.
Still, it had been three months and two weeks and Gai had yet to wake up.
When Gai had collapsed, causing him a kidney problem, Kakashi was more than ready to give him both of his kidneys as soon as he heard the prognosis; Sakura promptly informed him it didn’t work that way. Kakashi had then proposed Gai be given the Hashirama cells that had literally helped Naruto grow an arm. Tsunade then explained, it also did not work like that. Apparently if they did it, Gai was as good as dead: his body was too weak to stand a transplant and his chakra pathways were destroyed so badly, the Hashirama cells would only break up his already existing ones, giving Gai the equivalent of radiation poisoning.
That day Tsunade sat down with him at the Hokage’s office, paperwork forgotten as she explained the possibility of Gai simply not waking up and the fact that they might have to let him go. Kakashi had stayed silent, his mind going into overdrive, he had wanted to scream, to bolt, to fight whoever had cursed him into seeing everyone he loved die (then realizing it had probably been himself and wasn’t everything supposed to be alright now?), but then the image of his father sitting next to him on that fire in the afterlife had come to his head followed by that word: Endure.
Kakashi had shook his head, then, and simply stated: “He will come home” And as the words came out from his mouth, he had hoped, with all his might, that he was right.
Kakashi now sat on the chair again, as he did every night and closed his eyes, letting his head fall over the bed. He opened them again to meet Gai. The bandages were still in place over his face and most of his body, but Kakashi got closer until his masked nose was touching Gai’s pinky finger and fell asleep.
Kakashi woke up as soon as he felt someone touch his face, he went into full defense mode making the chair fall backwards. An ANBU was instantly at the window, a bird mask on her face, hand already reaching the sword on her back, she was soon followed by other two who backed up Bird before freezing just as Kakashi did. In front of him was Gai with both eyes open, mouth twitching as he tried to speak. Something came out of Gai’s mouth that sounded very similar to his name and Kakashi almost hit himself in the leg with the corner of the nighttable as he reached for the glass of water he had been drinking before falling asleep, only to stop midway. Wait, was he supposed to give him water?? He quickly signaled Bird to get Sakura, the AMBU nodded and disappeared.
Kakashi was smiling, he was sure there were tears starting to roll down his cheeks, he did not care, he got closer again and took Gai’s hand, cautiously, worried it was another dream, terrified it would suddenly turn into a nightmare and he would wake up with Gai’s still comatose figure on the hospital bed.
“Gai?” He asked and Gai’s mouth twitched again and went upwards in a smile as so did his eyes and there was a soft squeeze of bandaged fingers on his own globed ones and now Kakashi was sure he was crying.
----
Almost four months after the war, the hospital beds were as unconfortable as ever, Kakashi was glad to know, as he snuggled closer to Gai; still not as close as to actually touch him, though. Kakashi had asked for a new bed and Gai had gotten a king sized one and uh, the perks of being the Hokage.
“So, Lord Hokage Rokudaime Hatake Kakashi. I must admit it, it has a nice ring to it” Kakashi grunted, covering his eyes with his hand.
“I am still not used to the Lord part” He mumbled. "Or the Lord Hokage or Rokudaime part". Gai chuckled and then the both of them stayed quiet for a moment, the rumbling and beeping of the machines next to Gai’s bed the only noise inside the room. It was night again.
Kakashi broke the silence. “How are you feeling?” He grimaced at his own question, he supposed there was an only obvious answer.
“Much better, still weak, to be honest, but nothing compared to yesterday” Kakashi didn’t say anything, instead stared at the oxygen line and the IV on Gai’s left hand as Gai tried to settle it in a position where the fluid was still flowing but it did not hurt his tender recovering skin.
“This is not going to be easy” Gai said, and he sounded defeated. Kakashi looked upwards, meeting Gai's face. He understood, and frankly he did not care, he did not care that Gai would never be able to recover movement to a 100%, he did not care that his right leg was shattered or that he could barely move now without help, he did not care that Gai's body was covered in scars that resembled a thousand of the one Kakashi had on his back from when he had cut lighting in half, he did not care if he had to wheel Gai everywhere, he did not care if he had to massage the tender and swollen muscles every night, neither if he had to remind Gai every single day that he loved him just as much as he did since he turned 13 and, as he felt the raw electricity of the lighting go through him, he realized Gai was his most precious person…
“It’s alright” Kakashi said, touching Gai’s face as tenderly and softly as he could “We can put an elastic on it” And the smile and hope in Gai’s face was the sun for Kakashi. It was alright, there were going to be bumps along the way and some days would be better than others, but it was going to be alright. They were, after all, Eternal Rivals.