Chapter Text
Kakashi was tired. His body ached and his heart begged him to give in. His will was the only thing that forced him to keep going, but it was losing strength every day. Naruto was the only person keeping him alive when his body was deemed beyond repair under the hands of most medical nin. Naruto’s youthful spirit was all the energy the scarecrow needed to live through the pain.
He heaved himself over another hill, traipsing through the rugged forest landscape with a seemingly unclear path. He looked more like a drunk than the second in command of Konoha and right hand of the man who would have been Hokage had there been any people left to protect.
Kakashi knew where he was going. He was going to his death. His body was too far gone to be saved. His scars were too thick and too many in number to not ache when he walked and constrict his range of motion when he fought. He should have died a long time ago, but Kami-sama was always cruel to his favorites.
Despite the disparaging state of his being, there was no one left who could fight the man he was fated to face off against. Any who stood a chance had already been killed off. All except for Naruto, but he and Naruto were the de facto leaders of Konoha; if they were both lost to the man Kakashi was ready to lose to, the war would finally be over and Konoha would be on the losing side.
Kakashi tripped over a rock and fell down the opposite side of the hill he had just finished climbing. The exhaustion in his limbs prevented him from doing anything but roll and relax to avoid any serious blunt force trauma. He came to a stop at the bottom, resting in a patch of green, lively grass.
It appeared to be untouched by the war that had raged all around it for years now. The grass reminded him of Naruto. Kakashi chuckled bitterly at the thought. Naruto, the happy-go-lucky and knuckleheaded Genin brat was the only light left in Kakashi’s life. The silver-haired man would never have foreseen the future coming to pass as it had.
War ravaged the elemental nations, and all had been forced to pick sides. As it stood, there were two sides left fighting: Konoha and Amegakure. Konoha had lasted longer than most, but she was dying quickly. Amegakure had single-handedly declared war on the world, led by the Akatsuki, who stole the Jinchuuriki of all nations save one. They harnessed the power of the tailed beasts to its near fullest potential, and destroyed the nations they were taken from just to prove it.
Unfortunately for them, the only beast they had yet to claim was the strongest in existence. As a blunt kick in the teeth, that demon, more powerful than any other, was the partner of the one man who had managed to bond with his Bijuu more closely than any other. Their power was absolute when wielded without mercy, but vulnerable all the same.
Uzumaki Naruto. Keeper and protector of Kurama, the Kyuubi, last of the nine tailed beasts.
Kakashi held no false illusions in his mind about the outcome of the war they were sucked into. There would be no recovering for his home village. Konoha, even if she managed to survive the entire ordeal by some divine miracle, would never be the same.
Kakashi pulled himself to his feet when the soft click of a microphone being switched on sounded in his ear.
“Sensei, can you hear me?” Naruto’s voice called on the other end of the comm link. Kakashi let a rare smile slip onto his masked features as he continued on, slowly passing through the dense forests of the Land of Fire.
“When will you finally accept that I’m no longer your sensei, Naruto?” he chided lightly, his single eye scanning the surrounding area intently. Naruto scoffed in his ear.
“You’ll always be my sensei, you pervert,” he admitted fondly. Kakashi could hear the sadness in his student’s voice. He felt the breeze brushing over his shoulders, and he knew that Naruto had sent it just for him.
“Are you watching me still? You have other things to be doing, Naruto,” Kakashi scolded without any heat behind his words. He took silent comfort in the company. Kakashi had been close to death many times in his life, but to be accepting of it, to know that there was no possible chance he would live to see his only remaining student, his only remaining friend, was difficult. Kakashi would give his life in a heartbeat if it meant saving Naruto, it was the biggest reason he was able to put one foot in front of the other without collapsing. If he couldn’t, Naruto would die without question. This way, if Kakashi could accomplish his final mission, there was a chance that Naruto would live. His voice flooded over Kakashi yet again, giving him warmth and energy, even from many miles away.
“You drugged me last night and tied me to the pole in my command tent so I wouldn’t follow you. What the hell am I supposed to do?” he bit out dryly. Over in the remnants of the village, Naruto was sitting on the floor with a microphone and earpiece attached to his head. Kakashi had been kind enough to leave him with one. His hands and elbows were bound tightly behind him with braided wires around the only steel pole in the tent and away from all tables with weapons on them. It would take even the Jinchuuriki a little effort to get out of his restraints.
“If I hadn’t done that, you wouldn’t have let me go,” Kakashi reasoned. Naruto growled at him, but the noise soon died away to be replaced by a small sigh.
“I don’t want you to be alone, sensei. I know how bad the loneliness is, and we both know what you are facing. I don’t want you to be there by yourself.” Kakashi shook his head, stepping over a large log that had fallen over the path. Naruto had yet to accept that his sensei was going to die. His heart was larger than the Hokage Monument, and his hope burned brighter than the sun, but the silver haired shinobi heard the sadness in his pupil’s voice.
“Hey, Naruto, remember that time you were playing with a rubbery chakra ball and got your hand stuck in it for an entire day?” Kakashi said out of nowhere. Naruto couldn’t help but chuckle.
“If I remember right, Sasuke’s hand got attached to mine. That was so embarrassing! We fell off a waterfall and kissed, it was gross!” he laughed with genuine happiness. Kakashi was doubly proud of that laugh. He was proud of himself for successfully making his leader even a little less despondent, but he was also proud of Naruto. After everything that had happened to them, their friends, their home, he hadn’t forgotten how to laugh.
“I believe you two kissed quite frequently during your Genin years. Some of us believed you were secretly together,” Kakashi pointed out nonchalantly, earning another chuckle.
“Don’t remind me, sensei. Kami-sama sure did have his fun with us,” he sighed.
They talked of trivial things as Kakashi continued his journey. With every step, Kakashi’s body became heavier. With every step, he drew closer to death.
Naruto’s voice filled his mind even as Kakashi fought through the lower class shinobi who dared to block his path. Naruto talked of the old days when he was still a green shinobi learning about teamwork from a habitually late sensei who read porn in public.
He lamented briefly that he never got the chance to marry or have kids, and that Kakashi didn’t get the chance either, but he turned around the one-sided conversation all on his own. Naruto described a future that Kakashi knew would never come to pass, where Konoha would be able to rebuild herself and flourish once more. He dreamed about living with a family, probably just Kakashi, actually. He was the closest thing to family the blond had.
The scarecrow had entered the enemy’s main tower and was rapidly scaling the floors, headed straight for the top. Naruto spoke of a bright future that they could share. Kakashi focused on the part where they would spend it together. There was no lust in their bodies for one another. The love they shared was pure, that of two people close in spirit, yet physically driven so far apart because of the war. All of their time together was cherished.
He came to the top floor of the tower and his opponent stood before him. Naruto’s voice was given priority over the monologuing villain. Kakashi drew up his forehead protector, revealing the Sharingan in his left eye. It came to life when asked and immediately tapped into Kakashi’s remaining strength. He didn’t have long.
“Remember that time we spent the whole day trying to take off your mask, just to see what your face looks like?” A hearty laugh. Kakashi was unable to dodge a handful of the hundred shuriken thrown his way.
“What about the time you dressed up like a photographer and helped all of us Genin sneak into ANBU headquarters to find your own shinobi files?” A quiet chuckle. This time, his enemy took the hit, a long vertical gash in his chest, courtesy of Kakashi’s tanto blade. He had picked up the habit of using it again during the last few months of the war.
“There was one time when we actually managed to steal the Icha Icha books from your house. You were so mad at us! I don’t think I’ve ever had to run faster in my life.” There was an indistinguishable noise that could have been a sniffle from the other end. Kakashi was caught from behind, and his left arm was severed at the shoulder. He growled at the unique pain that came with it.
“I think my favorite memory of us was when we got to go to that fireworks festival near the Capitol. It was just the four of us… you, me, Sakura and Sasuke. We sat on one of the buildings and ate popsicles and watched the fireworks. I’d never seen anything like it. It was so pretty, Kakashi-sensei.” He was crying, but he was trying so hard not to let his companion hear him. Kakashi heard it, however, even above the noise generated by his Raikiri. His chakra coils were no longer balanced with only one arm and all of his chakra went into that final attack as he surged forward with a guttural roar. It landed square in the enemy’s chest, and light exploded around Kakashi.
He fell to the ground, completely drained and half-conscious. He saw the mangled body of his opponent lying across the room. Kakashi smirked, content that he managed to take the bastard with him to the other side.
“I’m tired, Naruto… so tired,” he whispered, unaware of the unusual chakra leaking out of his dead foe. Naruto was not unaware, however, and screamed at him to move.
“Get up, Sensei! Move, damnit! Something’s wrong! I can still feel him in there with you, please get out of there… please… I can’t lose you too,” he cried pitifully, pulling hard against the bindings that restrained him. Kakashi felt tears falling from his eyes, both of them, for once. After endless fighting and losses mixed in with a few sparse wins, the sunny blond had never once lost his hope, his confidence. Konoha needed that from him, and he gave it to them, but there was no more Konoha. Naruto had finally cracked. Kakashi had never wanted to be alive to witness the day his student lost his ever abounding faith in the order of the world.
In that moment, Kakashi’s regret hit a peak. He wished he didn’t have to break the heart of the only person left in his life that he would admit he loved. He wished he could prevent the world from spiraling out of control in the first place.
Many miles away, Naruto was suffering the same fate. His heart ached as he listened to Kakashi’s duel. His body flinched every time the scarecrow’s body jerked violently with every blow it was forced to take. He saw it all with his sage mode, with his all-feeling eyes. He felt Kakashi’s pain and his fatigue. Naruto felt the evil within the enemy, and the tiny flame that was flickering desperately to stay lit inside of Kakashi.
Naruto felt regret for the way their world ended up. He wished to change it as well. He wished to have spent more time with Kakashi before the end. He may not have been fighting himself, but Naruto knew that if Kakashi died, he would follow soon after. He wouldn’t take his own life and reach the same end as Kakashi’s father. Naruto would wait until the Fates decided he had had enough punishment and smote him out of existence.
As one half lay dying in body, the other half was losing its soul.
“Naruto, do you want to live again with him?” a fond voice asked gently. He too was deeply affected by Kakashi’s imminent death and the state of the world in which they lived. There was no future for them anymore. Kurama’s mind was made up. Naruto nodded without hesitation.
“I do, Kurama, more than anything I want another chance with you and Kakashi-sensei by my side,” he decided. The great fox nodded. He quickly set to work preparing for the jutsu.
“Go to him, Naruto. Use my chakra, you need his body if this is going to work,” Kurama instructed vaguely. Naruto shook his head.
“I don’t understa-” Kurama filled his chakra system with energy without warning. The rush was sudden, but not unwelcome. The fox’s chakra blended perfectly with his sage mode chakra, leaving Naruto’s body incredibly strong. Raw energy thrummed underneath his skin.
“You must hurry, Naruto. If this works, we can save him,” he explained, but what was said was enough.
Naruto flexed his wrists and broke through the wires as if they were made of paper. Then he was gone, out of the hidden tent and tearing through Fire county, all in order to be with his dying mentor.
Kakashi overheard Naruto’s half of the interaction, but he didn’t want his cute little student to die before his time. He knew the thought was obsolete, but he couldn’t help the protective streak that blossomed in his chest. Naruto was approaching faster than any other human being could hope to travel. A few minutes passed and Kakashi could already feel him tickling the edge of his senses.
“Naruto… don’t… you can’t die… what about… Konoha?” he asked weakly, silently thankful that his mic still worked.
“Put a sock in it, sensei! You shouldn’t be talking. Save your strength for now; I’m coming,” was the blond man’s response. Kakashi’s mind was the only part of him that protested anymore. His heart was selfish, his heart wanted Naruto.
“Naruto-” he was cut off by an angry snarl.
“There is no Konoha, Kakashi! Our home is not even a shadow of what it used to be. I know you believe the same. Stay with me now, I’m almost there,” he reassured, pumping his legs as fast as he was able. Kakashi smiled despite the pain that coursed through his body to the very depths of his soul. He coughed up some blood, but it was sticking to his mask. He was having a hard enough time breathing without the added assistance.
Using his only remaining hand, Kakashi tried to pull down his mask. He stopped when his fingers came into view. They were black and burnt horribly by the amount of chakra that had surged through his arm for the Raikiri that finally killed the enemy. Kakashi’s whole body was numb, he hadn’t felt it.
The fingers were stiff, but not immovable, and Kakashi managed to work off his mask and breathe in some air that was tainted with blood and metal, rather than just double the normal dose of blood. Naruto came moments later. He appeared in the doorway of the tower’s final level, and Kakashi was understandably happy to see him.
The blond walked right past him, however, and thrust his hand through the body of Kakashi’s last opponent. He had just enough life left in him to crawl towards Kakashi, intent on killing him. As soon as the deed was done, the air felt lighter, cleaner. The scarecrow was too far from reality to have noticed the dark chakra trying to squeeze his body to a quick death.
“Can you hear me, sensei?” Naruto asked him gently, kneeling at his side and cupping one side of his exposed face. The blond didn’t have the heart to make a joke about seeing his face for the first time. Kakashi groaned in response.
“You… called me… Kakashi,” he pointed out with a gurgling laugh. Naruto smiled. Tears gathered in his eyes, but it was not the right time for him to cry. It pained him to see his only remaining friend in such a state of being.
“What now, Kurama? What do we do now?” he asked. The Fox was already stirring.
“You need to connect your chakra with Kakashi’s. He can’t mold chakra right now so you need to tap into his system and bring his out for him. In the meantime, I’m drawing a seal in your mind. When I’m done, I want you to draw it on Kakashi. With your chakra in his body, I can activate them at the same time and I can give you two another chance,” he explained. Naruto nodded, he understood, but he had no idea what Kurama meant by a second chance. He trusted in his partner, however.
A few minutes later, Naruto was able to draw the seal onto his sensei. Even with his extensive knowledge of fuinjutsu, Naruto had never seen something so complex. He had no idea what it was or what it would do to them.
“I’m done, Kurama. Are you ready?” he asked, locking eyes with Kakashi, who had enough strength to blink in order to show his understanding.
“I’m ready, you brat, start pumping your chakra through Kakashi and into the seal. Listen to me while you’re doing so,” he said, growing somber. Naruto’s throat was dry and his hands felt clammy. “I have never known a host that has been kinder than you. You’ve helped me let go of the hate that ruled my being, and I am proud to be your partner and your friend.”
“Kurama…” Naruto said, fear creeping into his voice, but he wasn’t allowed to speak just yet.
“I’m afraid that I will not make the journey back with you, Naruto. This seal will use up all of my chakra, and there’s no way I could exist where you’re going anyways,” he admitted, though Naruto was confused about their destination. He held onto the fact that Kurama would die.
“I can’t leave you behind! You can’t sacrifice yourself for me!” he protested. A rough hand brushed his face. Looking down, he saw Kakashi staring up at him.
“He has made his choice… trust in him and respect… his decision,” he rasped. Naruto bit his lip but he bowed his head in submission.
“I’m ready to activate the seal, Naruto, are you two ready?” Kurama asked one last time. Naruto nodded his head, closing his pretty blue eyes.
“We’re ready, Kurama,” he whispered. The pain that immediately followed was enough to make Naruto collapse beside his sensei. Neither would allow themselves to scream as liquid fire coursed through their veins.
The world grew bright. Naruto clung to Kakashi’s side, refusing to let him go. The ground shook and Naruto felt weightless. Kakashi was having a hard time feeling anything, but his internal sense of orientation, what was up and what was down, was out of control. The blood rushing in Naruto’s ears was louder than anything else. The only thing that grounded him was the hand that gripped Kakashi’s ripped shirt. His mind was wheeling and there were too many sensations everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
The world went dark and everything stopped.
“You might never remember this life… or me… but it’s been fun, kid. I will see you again.”