Sunlight, syrupy golden, filtering through his eyelashes. A brightness that, strangely, doesn't hurt even when he looks directly into its burning heart, color washed out the clear blue sky and the last thing he remembers the smell of melting flesh.
Gai blinks, flexing fingers and toes and feeling the feathery tickle of grass against his skin. He remembers the taste of ashes in his mouth, pain like nothing he'd ever felt before, every cell of his body on fire.
Now, though, there's no pain.
He gets up slowly, plants his feet on the ground and surveys the area. A field, wider than the training grounds he's used to, more colorful, flowers nodding their heavy heads in the breeze and he knows. Kakashi's eyes, the look on Lee's face. Images that recede, are overshadowed by the presence he realizes he's been feeling ever since he opened his eyes, maybe even before.
When Gai turns around, he already knows what he will see and yet his heart still somersaults in his chest the very moment he spots the man standing there, waiting for him.
He's laughing and crying, tears catching the light, sparkling like diamonds. He's more handsome than Gai remembered and so much younger. But he's still—
"Father…" Gai's been carrying that word in his chest since he slammed his fist against his ribcage, forcing the last gate open.
"Gai! You-!" There he is, dad, his hair waving in the wind, running towards Gai.
Gai sees his father draw back his fist, much slower than he remembers. He could easily block this one, but he realizes that he doesn't want to. Gai closes his eyes. He can already feel the sting of his father's strong right; he can feel the tears swelling under his eyelids. Papa…
"You IDIOT!" The whoosh of displaced air and then…
No impact. His father's hairy knuckles rest against Gai's clean-shaven cheek. A tremor that he can feel reverberate through his own bones.
"You shouldn't be here. It's too early for you…" Gai's never heard his father's voice tremble quite like this. He swallows against the thickening lump in his throat. It's useless, of course, tears are already rolling down his cheeks.
"I'm sorry, Father. I had to protect—"
"Don't apologize, Gai! How could I be mad at you?!" His father's eyes, shining with pride. Gai had almost forgotten how it felt to be on that receiving end of that look. Almost. They both move at the same time, taking that last step into a rib-crushing hug.
They cling to each other for what could easily be an eternity, weeping with joy and sorrow.
end.