Pairing: Kakashi/Yamato
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It was almost too good to be true, but Kakashi saw Naruto's smile and felt relief flood through him. It was over – fully over – and cheers erupted all around them, people remembering life and death, mourning and celebrating in equal measure. They had lost so much, too much, but the rest of them would recover and learn, push for a new peaceful age.
Kakashi turned away as he saw Sakura and Naruto run to each other and then shuffle over to Sasuke. They'd want him to join them, no doubt, but there were other things Kakashi needed to do. His own war was far from over, and there was still so much Kakashi needed to do before he could declare peace for himself.
Medical ninjas were already attending to Gai and the others who had been injured, and so Kakashi was able to walk away from the centre of the battle. He passed by without much fuss, though a few people reached out to cheer with him. Kakashi couldn't find it in himself to summon more than a weak smile, but his chest felt a little lighter when he saw the joy of his comrades.
Still, the heavy weight didn't lift completely, and Kakashi licked his dry lips, dead tired as he walked onwards, through various terrains and through various groups of people, all for one goal. He was exhausted, but there was nothing on earth that would stop him now. Everyone else could celebrate and be happy, but Kakashi was missing something – missing someone.
He had very little chakra left, but Kakashi pushed his all into summoning his nindogs. Pakkun took one look at him, barked an order, and the other shot off. They all knew him too well, knew what he needed more than anyone else, and Kakashi stroked Pakkun's head gently, bringing him up to sit on his shoulder.
"He has to be around here somewhere," Kakashi said, and his voice sounded so small even to his own ears. He was so thirsty, but drinking was the last thing he needed right now.
"You're no use to him dead," Pakkun muttered, butting his head against Kakashi's ear. "When it's too much, you have to find some people. That's not a request."
Kakashi nodded, though they both knew he'd push himself to the very edge of his limits before he did return to others. That was simply who he was. Kakashi had lost too much to go back now, and he was on the edge of losing someone else.
Not Tenzō his mind supplied, and Kakashi gritted his jaw. No, he wasn't going to leave Tenzō out here. Tenzō wasn't going to be just another one he couldn't save. He wasn't Minato-sensei or Rin or even Obito (and that was still something Kakashi hadn't fully processed, but he needed Tenzō right now, more than anything else).
There hadn't been time when he'd been fighting to think of Tenzō. Kakashi had fought with everything he had, but he hadn't been able to think of anything but the fight, even during the moments he'd thought he was about to take his last breath (and there had been more than a few of those). It was as if a dam had broken now, though, and Tenzō filled Kakashi's entire head, his heart beating just to find him.
What had they done to him? All Kakashi knew was that he'd been kidnapped (so, so long ago now) to power the enemy. Kakashi could remember countless times when Tenzō had pressed against his side, small and afraid, muttering into the darkness that one day someone would take him for his power, it was just a matter of time. And they had – they'd taken him and tortured him, and he was still suffering.
So Kakashi continued walking. He marched onwards, Pakkun huffing occasionally in his ear, thoughts only of getting to Tenzō and saving him.
Perhaps he should have checked in with someone before he had left, but if they were really worried, Naruto would be able to find him in a moment. Kakashi's eyes widened, and he cursed himself for setting off so soon. Naruto would have been able to pinpoint Tenzō exactly, though he had been in the middle of a rather tearful reunion with their team. Kakashi looked down, wondering if he had made the right choice after all, or whether he should have waited.
He always had done better in moments of action than waiting around.
And then there was a familiar bark that drew his attention, and Kakashi's decision had been the right one. Two of his dogs came up to him, barking excitedly as Pakkun translated, informing Kakashi that Tenzō had been spotted.
"He's in a bad way," Pakkun warned as Kakashi sped off, and how he was still able to run, he had no idea. Kakashi suspected there would be a few weeks cooped up in a hospital when he finally returned home, but it was worth it. If he could get to Tenzō, help him, all of this was worth it.
When he reached the areas the dogs had found Tenzō, Kakashi's heart pounded in his chest. He slowed to a walk, surveying the rubble around them, searching for any sign of Tenzō. For a heart wrenching moment there was nothing but rubble and destruction – and then... and then…
There he was. He was a tiny blob lying in the rubble, looking more like a corpse than anything, but he was there.
"Tenzō," Kakashi whispered, lurching forward. Pakkun jumped neatly down, but Kakashi hardly noticed his dogs following him. He stumbled as he ran over the rubble, scraping his knees and hands more than once, but it didn't matter. All that mattered was that he get to Tenzō, and he did.
He looked so pale, so fragile, Kakashi thought first. Of course, Tenzō was the furthest thing from fragile that could be. He'd spent weeks in this condition and survived; he was a steady tree, rooted deep into the earth and weathering any storm that the world threw at him. He always had been, Kakashi thought. He always had been Kakashi's root.
"Tenzō," Kakashi said softly, lowering himself onto his knees so he was almost at Tenzō's level, his dogs whining behind him. They surrounded him and Tenzō, looking down cautiously, afraid to step too close. Kakashi closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and gently brushed Tenzō's cheek.
"Sorry," he said quietly. "But if you want me to call you by your other name, you need to wake up and scold me yourself, Tenzō." Kakashi smiled slightly, waiting for the usual reply telling him off for using his older name, but there was only silence.
"Tenzō, please," Kakashi said, moving closer to Tenzō's face. "Please, you can't leave me. Not you," Kakashi added desperately, and the rational part of him that was left told him he needed to stop now, that they both needed medical help and there was no way either of them were okay.
"I'll go," Kakashi registered Pakkun saying, but he didn't completely understand why. The rest of the dogs pressed in around them as Pakkun ran off, and the logical part of his mind told him that Pakkun was getting help.
"They'll help you soon," Kakashi said, staring down at Tenzō. He could almost imagine they were in bed together, on a rare morning Tenzō woke after Kakashi. He looked so peaceful, though the dark circles and lines of fatigue on his face belied that.
Kakashi shifted until he was lying next to Tenzō, as best he could anyway. The ground was uncomfortable, Kakashi was tired, but Tenzō was right there in front of him, and Kakashi had never seen anything more wonderful in his entire life. He closed his eyes just for a moment, his dogs settling down to guard them, and then he was gone, exhaustion overwhelming him.
.
It was a distorted beeping sound that roused Yamato from his sleep. He instantly knew that something was wrong (no, wrong wasn't quite the right word, different was much more accurate), and opened his eyes slowly. The hospital wasn't an unusual sight, for Yamato could remember where he'd been, how he'd been forced to see death and destruction through the Zetsu army consciousness, and how he'd been in so much pain and misery and uncertainty.
How he got to the hospital though, well that was a mystery. There was a slight memory of soft fur and someone, Kakashi, murmuring a name that shouldn't exist anymore, but Yamato wasn't sure if that was just wishful thinking or not.
"Yamato-taichō," someone said in a rush, breathing his name out in relief more than speaking. Sakura was there, a chakra mark like Tsunade's marking her forehead and darker circles than he could ever remember (even when she'd been planning to take care of Sasuke herself), and Yamato knew it had to all be over.
Something was still different though, and as Sakura neared his bed, chattering away about how they had all been so worried when he'd been taken (etc. etc.), Yamato realised he couldn't properly hear her. Which was ridiculous – why couldn't he hear her?
Yamato's eyes widened and he sat up slowly, looking around. Sakura stopped talking and the ringing in his ears built up. Yamato knew he needed to calm down, and he took a deep breath, shutting his eyes to try and focus on what was happening.
"Yamato-taicho," Sakura said softly, and there was still something different, her voice a little muffled and distorted. "Your hearing, it…" she broke off, and Yamato suddenly understood, opening his eyes in comprehension.
"I'm deaf," he said, his voice slightly muffled. It was still his voice though, and Yamato felt relief flood him that not all of his hearing had been taken. "Or at least partially."
Sakura nodded, worrying her lip between her teeth. "It's not something we can heal. We've tried everything, but whatever they did to you… it's not reversible."
She sounded so sad, but Yamato didn't understand why. He was still alive, they had survived the war – why was she so upset that he couldn't hear fully?
"It's okay," Yamato said kindly, and Sakura looked at him with wide eyes. "I'm here."
She nodded slowly, smile forming on her face. She looked so much younger with her smile, years of hardship and grief rolling away as her teeth flashed, and she took the seat at Yamato's bedside.
"We won," she confided, "though that's probably obvious. Naruto and Sasuke-kun were amazing, as was Kakashi-sensei." Sakura's smile brightened, and Yamato felt a tug in his chest at the mention of Kakashi's name.
"Kakashi-senpai is okay?" he asked quickly, and Sakura touched his hand gently. It was the first touch Yamato could remember in weeks, and he felt his skin prickle at the slight brush of her fingers, an almost shiver passing through him. It was a ridiculous reaction, but it showed exactly how starved of affection (starved of everything) he had been.
"Exhausted but okay. He's still confined to the hospital, but he's already helping Tsunade-sama with all the paperwork. He'll take office soon, everyone's saying," Sakura said, and there was pride in her voice. It was clear why, if Kakashi was really going to be Hokage.
There had always been mutters of Kakashi becoming Hokage, even when they were in ANBU together. Kakashi had always brushed such rumours off, even more after the Sandaime had passed, and here they were. Yamato wondered if Kakashi had accepted the role willingly or whether Tsunade had pressed him. He smiled, the sorrow in his chest easing as he realised he had so many stories to catch up on.
"He was with you when they found you," Sakura said quietly, and the air shifted. Yamato looked at her with wide eyes. Perhaps he'd misheard what she'd said?
"He left at the end of the battle to find you. Pakkun was the one to alert us to your location, but he was with you." Sakura smiled slightly, but she wouldn't look at him, and Yamato wondered just what condition they'd both been in. It couldn't have been a particularly reassuring condition – particularly if Kakashi had left right from the end of the battle.
"Can I see him?" Yamato asked, though he was going to see Kakashi no matter what, and the grin that sprang to Sakura's lips told him she knew exactly what he was thinking.
"He's in the room opposite. You didn't hear that from me though," she added with a wink, picking up the chart beside Yamato's bed and scribbling something down. "Conveniently, this part of the hospital will all be on break in a few minutes. Funny that," Sakura said, and Yamato smiled, his face aching with the gesture. He hadn't smiled in so long.
"I appreciate that," Yamato said, and after she'd run a few more tests, Sakura vanished, soliciting a promise that he would return to his room if he tired.
Yamato didn't leave to see Kakashi at once. He sat still, trying to listen out for anyone in the corridor, but that was a useless pursuit really. He couldn't hear much, but he had no idea if that was because of his newfound deafness or whether there really was no activity going on outside. He sunk lower in his bed.
In truth, the deafness didn't bother him. He knew enough that it wouldn't impact upon his abilities to perform as an ANBU member, and it was a small price to pay for his slip up. He'd let himself get kidnapped, after all, and goodness knows what information he'd given up during his torture. Yamato didn't think he'd let anything slip, but what if they'd plucked something from his brain? What if Naruto hadn't won the war? What if…
So it was a small price to pay, really. It was just another part of life, really, and Yamato had dealt with far worse before. He was alive, back with the people he cared for, and a new generation was about to begin.
Yamato steadily rose out of the bed, grateful that his body was used to dealing with swift recoveries. He had a feeling it had something to do with his mokuton genes (Senju genes, regardless if they were supposed to be his, had always helped Yamato to a speedier recovery), and they were the only reason why he was able to stand from his bed despite weeks in captivity and not even have a woozy head.
That and Sakura was a damned good medic.
Yamato didn't bother to change from the hospital issue clothing, but he did grab the dressing gown and slippers that were on the back of the door and by the bed respectively. He felt like an old man and stifled down a ridiculous laugh. Yamato hadn't ever really thought living to become old was something he'd achieve, but it seemed stranger things had happened.
As Yamato opened his door, a flash of worry spiked through him. It was too late to stop his legs carrying him across the corridor, but his mind whirled in thought. What if Kakashi blamed him for not being able to protect Naruto? Yes, everything had ended up okay, but lots of people had died, their enemy had almost succeeded, and where had Yamato been?
He bit the inside of his cheek and entered Kakashi's room. It was like any other hospital room, quiet and unnaturally white, and Yamato wondered if he'd somehow misheard Sakura (maybe, it was certainly more possible now that ever) when his eyes met the figure sleeping soundly.
Even here, Kakashi was wearing his mask. It was a strange sight to see him fast asleep and still wearing it, and Yamato wished he could peel it back. He wanted to see every inch of Kakashi, affirm that he was okay and alive and whole and living, and Yamato didn't care anymore if Kakashi blamed him or anything like that. Kakashi had come to find him (he always did), and Yamato trusted him how he'd never trusted another.
He sat down on a chair that stood next to the bed and just watched for a few moments. Despite being in a hospital and wearing his mask, Kakashi did look peaceful, as if he'd needed this sleep. Yamato smiled at the thought that he probably really had needed it, and he wished he'd been able to be there by Kakashi's side during the final battle.
What horrors had Kakashi faced that Yamato hadn't been there to help him with? It was always something they had put up with (he remembered a time when Kakashi had come back from what was supposed to have been a simple mission, stating his genin had faced an A-ranked mission and he'd spilt blood where he hadn't meant to, and all Yamato had been able to do was cradle Kakashi's head to his chest and wait), but this war was something Yamato should have fought in with his village.
He couldn't change that though. Yamato had to accept that and move on – it was what they were all best at. Compartmentalise it and move on. It was that or dwell on it forever and have it haunt you, and Yamato knew what he'd prefer.
Yamato sat there for a while, soaking in Kakashi's presence. He smiled as he looked down; his memories of Kakashi were nothing like seeing the real thing, and Yamato was glad he had survived. Survival was one thing he was good at, and it was worth it when he got to see Kakashi, got to see their team, and Yamato was filled suddenly with a peculiar sense of loss.
"Tenzō?" a weak voice mumbled, and Yamato's eyes snapped back to Kakashi's face, retreating away from where they'd been watching the rise and fall of his chest. The loss sprang back like an elastic band, and Yamato made a stifled sound, halfway between a sob and a laugh. Of course he'd know Kakashi was alright, but hearing him, however muffled or distorted, was something else, something wonderful and amazing.
Hearing Kakashi again made everything seem as if it was going to be alright.
"It's me," Yamato said softly, scooting the chair closer to the bed and letting his forehead fall, resting against Kakashi's shoulder. "I'm here."
Kakashi didn't say anything, but the hand running through Yamato's hair was more than enough to reassure him things would be okay. They had survived this war and come out of it together, and regardless of what the future held, it was theirs.
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