A Light So Dim
Sakura grumbled as she slowly lifted herself up by the elbows on her bed. Fighting back a yawn, she rubbed her eyes and struggled to adjust to the dark surroundings around her. Noticing a bright orange light dancing along the walls with the shadows of her apartment's window, she sat up a little more in wondering what on Earth it was. Glancing to her clock, it was only four in the morning. It should still be completely dark outside.
Swinging her feet over the edge of her bed, she sleepily stumbled over to her window. Her mouth fell open in horror realizing the light was cause by a building being consumed by fire across the street. Immediately moving to grab her robe and slippers, she slid open her window and bolted out into the street where a large crowd had started to gather. In the front there was a large line of people with buckets of water desperately trying to put out the flames along with a couple of shinobi who were adept with water jutsus.
Wanting to help in anyway that she could, she saw a few people huddled along the side of the road with smudges of black along their faces and clothes. There were a few people she recognized as medic-nin's examining them. Wanting to see if she could also help, she froze in her steps when she heard someone say in a crying voice, "H-He's still in there! Kakashi never came back out."
Her heart dropped as a wave a fear washed over her. Spotting her Shishou through the crowd, Sakura ran to the front lines and frantically asked if that was really the case.
Tsunade regretfully nodded. "He was helping us rescue the few people that were left inside. He's been in there way too long… and the fire is too dangerous for us to go inside and check for sure. Sakura, I'm sorry but we can't."
Tears began to form in her eyes. "No! We have to do something!"
"We're hoping to get a few more water users here to help that live on the other side of the village. They are coming here fast as they can. Once we have a handle on it, we'll certainly-"
"There's no time for that!" Sakura spat. Staring to move towards the building, Tsunade grabbed her arm. Forcefully twisting away, she yelled, "I'm going!"
"Sakura!"
Immediately running towards the burning building without another word, she heard several people call out her name telling her not to go. There was no way that she couldn't. Not if there was a chance he was still inside and alive. She would never forgive herself if she didn't try to save someone who had saved her countless times without ever asking for a thank you.
Jumping along the wall, she searched for a window that hadn't been completely consumed by flames yet. Pulling the very top of her shirt up and over her nose, she took in a deep breath before jumping inside. Fire was all around her as she stepped through the burning apartment. The intense heat was already making her sweat with the mere few seconds she stood there.
Looking for a way around, she saw an opening through a fallen wall that went towards the building's main hallway. Swallowing down her nerves, she pressed forward and desperately searched for any sign of a place where he could possibly be. Being met with only with more flames, she backed out the way she came through the window and looked for a higher floor to enter.
Running several stories up, she found a broken window that led into a small bathroom. After shrugging off her robe, she wrapped it around her fist to get rid a few more shards of glass that still remained around the edges. Once inside, she felt the back of the door and found it to be only slightly warm.
Opening it slowly at first, she ran down a short hallway to find one of the walls of the living room quickly being consumed by flames. Just beyond that she could see the entire floor of the kitchen was already engulfed. Jogging towards the front door which led out into the main hall, a loud groan sounded as she felt the floor strangely shift. Before she had a chance to move, the floor had suddenly given way beneath her feet.
Screaming as she fell backwards, she slammed hard into the floor below which knocked the wind out of her. Several wooden boards fell on top of her from above, cutting the sides of her arms as she braced herself. Moving the debris out of the way from her body, she saw a large gaping hole of where she had fallen through. Finding herself inside of a different apartment, she quickly stood up as she saw flames spread across the entire room.
Grabbing her shirt back over the top of her mouth, she darted through the open front door that led into a large hallway. Sensing a small source of charka below, she ran through the hall and suddenly stopped at the edge of a large opening where the floor had caved in. Looking down, she gasped in surprise from seeing a lone crumpled hand sticking out beneath a large beam.
Jumping below, the flames that raged along the broken edges of the tattered ceiling licked at her fingertips as she pushed through to drop below. Using her chakra strength, she easily picked up the fallen beam and carefully placed it to the side. Feeling relieved that she had found Kakashi, that relief only lasted for a moment until she saw a small pool of blood beneath his head.
"K-Kakashi," her voice cracked out. Kneeling beside him, tears blurred her vision as she checked his pulse. It was still there, but very weak. Wiping her eyes with new determination, she carefully picked him up in her arms and evenly applied her chakra between her hands to handle his size. About to jump back through the ceiling, a large crack echoed around them as a large beam suddenly fell towards them.
Having no where to jump that wasn't already consumed in fire, she fell with Kakashi in her arms towards the floor. Laying him down beneath her just as the beam slammed into her back, she cried out in pain before holding back the remaining weight with one of her hands. Using her other hand to hover above Kakashi's chest, her arms trembled the more she lost focus on her chakra against the sharp throbbing pain she felt along her spine.
Looking towards his sleeping face that was a few mere inches away, she watched as her tears fell towards his mask. Never in her life had she ever felt so scared than right now.
"K-Kakashi," she choked out, hoping by some miracle that her words alone would stir him awake. "Kakashi…"
With no response, her tears increased as she broke out into a quiet sob. Feeling the entire building sway and groan for a few seconds as another loud crack sounded in the distance, she was starting to feel lightheaded.
"You can do this," she murmured to herself. "Get up."
Mustering a feat of strength to her fingertips, she finally pushed the heavy beam off to the side. Shielding against his chest as embers rained around them from the sudden movement, she coughed and painfully picked herself up with him in her arms once again. Jumping to the level above, she gritted her teeth against the pain she felt with each hurried step.
Panicking as she heard several cracks of wood around them sound at once, the entire ceiling and everything above it began to tumble down. Dodging between fallen bricks, broken furniture and appliances, she ran as fast as she could to the end of the hall and crashed through a large window. Catching herself along the wall of the building across from them, she ran towards the tiled rooftop and finally fell to her knees with Kakashi by her side.
Tearing away his mask, she swallowed hard as she examined his head and neck. Tilting his head to the side, she saw a large gash hidden within his silver hair which was now partly stained in red. Using her chakra to try and mend the wound inside and out, she prayed that she wasn't too late.
Glancing across to the burning apartment complex as it suddenly collapsed, she took in a shaking breath thanking the Gods that they at least made it out this far. Fighting back the burn within her throat, she tried to stop herself from crying once more. She needed to focus. She could cry all she wanted to when this was all over. Now wasn't the time.
But it was hard not to. Staring at her former sensei with trembling hands, she was so scared to lose the very man she had slowly fallen in love with through the years. She knew better as a shinobi to know that time was never on your side. It could be taken away from you in an instant. She took their time together for granted. She couldn't understand why she felt so apprehensive and nervous in wanting to confess her feelings to him after all this time, but she always decided not to for one reason or another. Now she was terrified that she was never going to get the chance to.
Nearly out of charka, she slowly slumped beside him as she placed a hand over his heart. Moving towards his exposed lips, she stole a kiss as the world around her slowly began to grow dark.
She hoped it was enough.
The End
This was written for an Ask I was sent for a prompt on Tumblr by kakasaku-yay. They wanted a "a kakasaku fic where Kakashi is kidnapped and Sakura is sent out to save him" but most of the ideas I had with that required something a bit longer which would prob stretch into something more than 4k. So I ran with the latter part of her saving him and came up with this random thing.
Thanks for reading :)
