Naruto comes to visit him. He brings his wife, Hinata, and they sit and talk for a long time. Hinata is quiet and gentle, and she balances Naruto's boisterous persona perfectly. He can see the love they share when they look at each other. He regrets, a little. It would've been nice to get to know her better, to see Naruto grow a little more clearly into the exceptional man he is now.
When Hinata steps out to grab them a quick bite to eat, Naruto leaves his spot on the chair beside Kakashi's bed, only to sit on the bed itself. He reaches out and grabs Kakashi's hand, a pained smile on his face.
"Thank you for being there for me, Kakashi-sensei. If it weren't for you, I probably wouldn't have been able to make everyone's dreams become reality," he says, his grip tightening imperceptibly. Kakashi pointedly doesn't sniffle, but he does smile and squeeze his student's hand back in response.
"You've always had it in you, Naruto. I'm proud of the man you've become. Your father would be proud, too."
Naruto doesn't hide his tears as well as he'd like, not from Kakashi, who's known him nearly his entire life. Kakashi himself might shed a few tears, but no one can call him on it when his ever-present mask hides their tracks. Hinata doesn't say anything when she reenters the room, despite her husband's red-rimmed eyes. She does come to stand beside him, though, and puts a comforting hand on his shoulder.
When it's time for the couple to leave, Naruto escorts his wife to the door with a hand on the small of her back. He turns back one last time before he shuts the door and gives Kakashi a bright smile, filled with the same familial love that it's always held for his teacher.
The door clicks shut, and Kakashi daydreams.
Sakura makes an appearance not long after. She's dressed in a rumpled medic-nin's uniform, and she probably just got off a long shift, if her tired eyes are any indication. She offers him a wane smile and he knows that she can tell his time is coming to a close. She would, considering she's the best medical ninja since Tsunade. Not even Shizune can hold a candle to Sakura's determined dedication to her patient's well-being.
"Maa, Sakura-chan," Kakashi says, eyes crinkling. "How wonderful of you to grace me with your presence." His attempt at lightening the mood works, and he watches as Sakura unwinds.
She comes over to his bedside and sits, much like Naruto did just moments ago, and sighs. "It's been a long day, Kakashi-sensei. Sunako-chan has been having boy-troubles lately, and it's making Sarada-chan all stressed out. She's been calling me all day, asking for advice." She offers him a long-suffering look. "I don't know how you put up with us when we were genin, Kakashi-sensei. I don't have the energy to keep up with my daughter, let alone my grandchild."
He chuckles warmly and brings up a gnarled hand to tousle her hair. Sakura sighs but accepts the treatment. "It's never easy, Sakura-chan," Kakashi says, "But that just makes it all the more worth it."
Sakura's face is veiled by her hair, more grey than pink, nowadays, but Kakashi still sees the tear roll down her cheek. "I'm going to miss you so much, Kakashi-sensei," she whispers, voice strangled by emotion. With the hand still on her head, he pulls her to his chest for a hug. She cries on his shoulder for a long while. He keeps a hand on her neck to steady her and doesn't say a word.
When the sobs petter off into sniffles, Sakura lifts her head and gives him a peck on the cheek. She leans away and gets to her feet, turning to give him a watery smile. "Bye, Kakashi-sensei," she says quietly. "Take care."
She leaves, and Kakashi stares at nothing for a long time afterwards.
Gai bursts into his room with the typical fanfare despite his wheelchair, and Kakashi can't help but crack a smile. "My Eternal Rival!" He shouts, loud and energetic as always, "I heard that your Youth has been diminishing, and I have come to restore it to its usual glorious flame!"
Kakashi chuckles but doesn't respond. He knows Gai is aware that his fate can't really be changed so easily, or at all, but appreciates the sentiment regardless.
Gai steers himself to Kakashi's beside and settles him with a rare look of seriousness. It clashes with the large, colourful bouquet on his lap, but Kakashi doesn't mind the contrast. It's very Gai-like, he thinks. "It appears you will beat me to the finish line of life, My Youthful Rival." Gai's warm hand, just as wrinkled and spotted as Kakashi's, settles on his own. His face creases further with his gentle smile, and Kakashi feels the burn of building tears behind his eyes. "But do not despair," his rival continues, "I'll meet you there soon enough."
If Kakashi's laughter hiccups in his chest, Gai doesn't say anything about it. He wonders, even after Gai has finished his fussing and left the room to complete his next challenge, what he did to deserve such an incredible best friend.
His last student comes to see him still dressed in his travelling robes. "Kakashi," Sasuke says, and the part of Kakashi that wishes he could've done more to prevent him from defecting all those years ago stirs. Sasuke might've been able to live a proper, happy life with Sakura and Sarada if things hadn't gone the way the way they had, Kakashi thinks. But then again, maybe not. Maybe things never would've changed between the two, if that were the case.
Sasuke is still one of Kakashi's biggest regrets. The fact that his wayward student has come to him now, in his last moments, means more than he can say.
But Kakashi is half-conscious at this point, and he can feel his time rapidly approaching. He can barely blink, let alone respond. He still catches Sasuke's words, regardless of his nearing end. "Thank you, for everything."
The rest of the world fades, after that.
Kakashi is seventy-eight when he takes his last, shuddering breath. He's lying in a hospital bed, withered and dying from old age. He supposes he's lucky, in a way. Not many shinobi of his calibre live long enough to die peacefully.
It isn't painful, not really. At first, his body begins to feel heavy. His eyes slide shut, and he feels like he's sinking into the warm, watery depths of an ocean. Every limb relaxes, all his muscles uncoil, and his thoughts dissipate. The sounds of the hospital around him recede until all he can hear is the rush of his blood through his veins.
Then, he begins to remember.
The memories of his time with his students begin to flicker and intertwine. He watches as they fail then subsequently pass the bell-test, as they try their best to defeat their foes. He's there whenever he can be, despite his nonchalant persona. He watches them grow up and fall in love. He sees them with their children, and their children's children, and he is so, so happy.
Then he feels light. So light, in fact, that he floats up, breaking from the heavy weight of the ocean that once held him, and rises into the gentle breeze. A flash of light and he sees Rin there, holding Obito's hand. The two of them look young again, like the children they were before Kannabi. Minato is standing behind them, a warm smile on his face and an arm wrapped tight around Kushina's waist. Dad is there too, a bittersweet, loving smile on his face, and he thinks the woman beside him might be his mother. There are many more people standing behind them, but he's distracted by the faces of those he's so desperately loved, and he'll be able to meet the rest of them soon enough anyway.
He hears them calling his name, hears their laughter, and he reaches out. Together, they grab his hand and pull him into the light.
Kakashi is seventy-eight when he takes his last, shuddering breath. He's lying in a hospital bed, withered and dying from old age. When he finally passes, he goes to meet those he loves in the warm embrace of a Nirvana long-awaited and bides his time while he waits for the rest of his precious people to follow.
Kakashi has never felt so very thankful for the life he has lived, and the people he has come to care for. He supposes it was worth all the trouble, in the end.