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Blood and screaming surrounded him.
People were dying all around him, and there was nothing he could do. All he could do was stand there, watching, traumatised.
He was losing his parents all over again.
But there were new faces there as well.
Naruto.
Sasuke.
Sakura.
Every kid he’d ever taught.
All his friends; Genma, Izumo, Kotetsu.
Kakashi.
He was losing them all.
In the distance, there was the roar of the Nine-Tailed fox.
…………………………………………..
Iruka shot up with a gasp.
He was shaking, tears forming in his eyes as his heart hammered in his chest.
“Just a nightmare.” He whispered to himself. It didn’t help, as he was still shaking. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, but saw only everyone dying around him, prompting him to reopen them.
He’d had nightmares before, but this was the worst of them.
He almost jumped right off the bed when someone touched his shoulder.
“Iruka?” Kakashi’s voice was soft, his concern obvious, “Iruka, what happened?” He moved his hand so that his arm was draped over Iruka’s shoulder.
Iruka couldn’t speak, leaning into the touch, his breathing ragged.
Kakashi wrapped his other arm around him, holding him in an embrace as Iruka’s head lay on his shoulder. He pressed his masked lips to Iruka’s forehead, keeping them there as he rocked back and forth, waiting until Iruka started to relax.
Once he was relaxed enough, they lay back down, Kakashi still holding onto him as Iruka snuggled closer.
“What happened?”
“I-I couldn’t do anything…” Iruka whispered, “… I couldn’t save them… I couldn’t save anyone! Everyone I’ve ever loved or cared about was dying all around me, and I could do nothing.” Iruka could feel the tears streaming down his cheeks, felt them falling onto Kakashi’s sleep shirt, “I could do nothing!”
Kakashi tightened his hold on him.
“You are stronger than you know.” He whispered, “Your seals have saved countless people in the past, me included.”
Iruka felt the hold on him tighten, feeling more safe and secure than he had a few minutes ago.
But then again, he always felt safe in Kakashi’s arms.
He closed his eyes, not knowing what he’d done in the past to deserve this gorgeous man beside him, but he knew that as well as Naruto and his students, Kakashi was the greatest part of his whole life, and he would never let him go.
With that thought, he drifted off to sleep.