A/N: This fic is my submission to Kakashiweek 2018, "Wings" prompt.
I do not own these characters; I had a wonderful time exploring them.
"Kakashi-sensei, how can you seem so unaffected by all of this?"
Kakashi had thought a picnic lunch atop the Hokage monument would be enough in itself to help his teammates gain a new perspective on the destruction from Pein's attack the previous day. Or at least, they might have been diverted from their troubles by having another chance to sneak a peek at his face when he ate. But Naruto, Sakura, and Sai only picked at their food with glum, downcast eyes. They were unable to see past their individual troubles and missed the golden opportunity he'd provided to them. The question posed by his pink-haired, one-time pupil proved that he still had something to teach.
"I'm curious too, Senpai. You did die yesterday, and I've read that near-death experiences evoke much stronger reactions than what you're displaying." Sai's ability to be polite and awkward at the same time hadn't diminished any, but Sakura couldn't rally herself to chastise him. Naruto only winced.
Kakashi knew that the bright ball of a boy blamed himself for the attack on Konoha because he had been what the Akatsuki sought. It seemed no amount of saving the Hidden Leaf would be enough to assuage the guilt he misplaced within him. Deciding to leave his experience of the night of the Nine-Tails attack out of the lesson, the captain began to lead his team to higher spirits.
"From the ground level, it's difficult to see beyond the broken buildings and shattered streets. But from up here, you can see that the sun still rose today, and continues to shine down on us." The elite jounin looks at the unimpressed faces of his teammates, disappointed that he can't as easily inspire awe in them as he once did. Only Sai meets his eyes, and Kakashi's quick mind sparks with an idea.
"Perhaps we need wings to help you see," he said. "Sai, would you paint a bird for all of us to fly upon?"
A little ink and a few brush strokes had Team Kakashi soaring high above Konoha in moments.
"From here you can see what was, what is, and what will be," the former sensei continued. He took a moment to survey his companions and wondered if they could begin to share his view from this vantage point.
"It may look different to us right now, but home is still there. The legacy and hard work of the Founders remains intact. As you can see, the trees still border the place we know as Konoha. Our village is still hidden in the leaves." When Kakashi recognized pride in the eyes of his young teammates, he added, "the Will of Fire still burns."
"I know we're high up, but, how can we see what will be Kaka-sensei?"
Kakashi looks at the most unlikely ninja he's ever known, honored that the young man still calls him 'sensei,' and directs his attention to the Hokage monument.
"Your face will be carved near the place where we ate lunch today, Naruto. You of all people should be able to see that already."
The End