"Perhaps home is not a place but simply an irrevocable condition."
The rain had finally passed as an air of sunlight warmed the ground beneath the ninjas feet, he walked inside the safety of the walls named once again after his original home. He ran a hand through his white hair as he passed the faces he knew well, those faces were not the only ones he met eyes with however. There were so many new faces now that the armies had laid down the weapons a month before. A light breeze blew past and it nipped at his skin, the sun was only just starting to shine again as he walked alone through the streets. Puddles were drying up as the residents shuffled about their business. There was still much to rebuild, a mere thirty one days not quite enough time to repair what had been done to the cities left in wars wake. People met his eyes with both respect and sadness, he had lost something due to their actions, they knew that.
However it was because they knew that, it was because of that large scale loss that the ninja and NW's did not dare raise any object that could harm anyone else. It would take true evil to look the copy ninja in the eyes and show any trace of ingratitude for the loss he had suffered. They had offered him a title greater than Kage, they were willing to allow him to lead the Kage themselves as well as the Superior who had soon after the war been replaced by Satoru. The Imperial, who now stood as their leader over throwing his father when he had decided his men would not die for what was so avoidable. Nya took the lead of the army, Satoru now the superior, Nya the Imperial. It took them a while to adjust but they wore their badges with honour, and in the notion that they would only ever fight for peace and nothing more. Kakashi had rejected the offer, he did not want to lead the nations, he hoped that they would lead themselves in to the same notion of peace. As it stood no one fought and tensions were completely gone.
There was the unmentionable sense of sadness still loosely hanging in the air but it was being replaced day by day with a sense of serenity. Deidara swooped above the copy ninja as he walked, he hadn't seen him and he nearly collided with the helicopter which was passing over the village. The blond yelled at the man, he was unaccustomed to air traffic. Kakashi watched him pass, he did not call to him, he was leaving the village, he had notified everyone that he would be doing so. They had asked him to stay but no words would ever bind him to a village again. He had bid them a farewell and packed a small bag to take with him out the gates of any set place. He carried on, he would miss a home town to call his and so he allowed himself to fall prey to a false sense of nostalgia. It was notably easier since the new Konoha did not share any features that resembled his old home. He passed many more people he knew, Hidan who had opted to stay for so long as he was not bored, Sasuke, who had also claimed he wished to leave the nation but still seemed to not have done so. He passed Kisame who stayed for so long as the other two Akatsuki members did.
Other ninja who were free also made their way back to the village, the tragedy of the war had even halted their thirst for revenge. The need for hatred had died with the Sannin. Tsunade had approached Kakashi one quiet night, she had tried to console the copy ninja but had ended up needing the consolation herself. Naruto and Sakura were desperate for their teacher to stay but they knew he would not. They let him go with heavy hearts and kind words. Kakashi reached the last place he wished to visit, he entered the graveyard and looked at the large white statue that was now a symbol of both the war and the deaths of the fighters who had passed in it. A large eight headed snake stood at the front of all the graves where the fire symbol used to reside. On its long elegant body it had the names of everyone, NW and ninja alike who had died in the war. Any missing person was added to the statue, it had gentle eyes, yet they still captured the Sannin's intensity and determination.
"Kakashi," a voice said, the man turned to see his friend. Asuma walked to his side and looked up at the mighty statue. In all its glory it did not live up to the true sight of the hydra that had fought until the end. "So you're really leaving?"
"I am," Kakashi said, he noticed the black flower the man held tightly in his grasp. He then noticed him place the flower on the spot marked by the copy ninjas lovers name. They did not bury any of the bodies as there were too many deaths and not enough room. Instead they packed the gravestones near one another with just the names carved on it.
"He was a true shinobi, not all his life but certainly in his final moments," Asuma said. Kakashi nodded, he hadn't expected to see the other man pay his partner respect. He had thought that it was quite the sudden change of heart. He appreciated the sentiment. He had not told the man he would be at the graveyard, it showed that Asuma had truly wished to pay his respects to the fallen comrade. No one disputed which side the Sannin was on, they all accepted his name as a part of their nation and city.
"It'll be weird without you here," Asuma said, he then threw an arm over the other man's shoulder and briefly hugged him. "You better come visit sometime."
Kakashi watched his retreating form as it left the now empty plot. He sighed out.
"I'm touched," a voice said softly with the hint of laughter.
"You shouldn't be here, they could see you," Kakashi said as he looked back over his shoulder.
The Sannin gracefully came out from behind the hydra statue, he looked up at it his long black hair blowing lightly in the wind.
"If I had known all it took was dying I would have done so years ago," Orochimaru joked. He then passed his eyes over the long list of names, he read his own. He had thought he would die too, but he had never been one out of options to regenerate himself. Once his mighty transformation had gone down healers had come to try their best. Both NW and ninja had attempted to resurrect him, but he had not awoken, his mighty form remained still. They had not realized that it was that action which had allowed him to regenerate. When he awoke he was alone beside Kakashi in the pouring rain, the man had refused to leave the Sannin's side even when it was blatantly clear he was not breathing, truth be told the hydra's body was dead, but he had slipped out in the form of a much smaller snake as it was all he could muster when he was drained. Once he had revealed himself to the copy ninja they had both decided that it may be best they go in to hiding, if the people thought the Sannin was dead they would never fight in his name. That was something they both wanted. Kakashi returned to village to make sure it was truly going to go according to plan, but now he was going to leave.
They were going to leave together.
"Don't you dare do that again," Kakashi said as he hugged his lover, he had been much more attached to the Sannin since the scare, he almost never left his side unless he had too. Orochimaru did not mind it, he thought it endearing. He had never thought for once in his life that so many people would mourn him. He moved down the isle of graves until he stopped at one, he pulled out a headband from his kimono sleeve and placed it on the floor by it. Kakashi read the name, it was Saura's.
"He was a ninja," Orochimaru said. "That should have been given to him before he passed."
"We'll remember him, for what he was," Kakashi acknowledged, he looked around worriedly. They knew they could not be seen. They threw their eyes back at the large statue once more taking in to account all the names that were displayed had people who would too remember them. Then they ran, they ran far from the threshold of any nation, they moved across lakes and hopped through the trees with more freedom than they had felt in a long time. The Sannin felt bad for lying, there were some people he wished he could go to and console, such as Deidara and the other rogues. But he knew that was not what he had faked his death for. There was a reason he was doing it, it was not to instil guilt for no reason, it was to preserve the promise of peace. The sun still shone down around them whenever the branches parted ways, they chased one another playfully as they raced to their chosen home.
It was still early in the morning and the sound of many excited yips filled the air when they gained on their destination. They had been smelt far before the canines had seen them. They reached the hidden entrance of their new home, or at least their temporary one. They had decided a solid home would never allow them to do what they wanted to do, and that was maintain peace between the nations for as long as they could. They would work form the shadows if it was the only way to do so, but they would achieve it. The copy ninja's summons barged out the hidden entrance as they tore out form the hall, they greeted both ninja in a hyper mess. Orochimaru threw his eyes to the door and waited for the last hound to make his way out. Slowly but surely Tsukiko hobbled towards them, still not deterred by his slowness. His tail waved in eagerness as he reached both humans side and his tongue lolled out his mouth in its usual clumsy fashion. They checked to make sure they had not been followed before they entered the secretive den. All their lives they had tried to attain something, the Sannin had wished to belong, and the copy ninja had tussled with obeying the law and doing what was right. They had found what they were looking for without meaning to.
Kakashi found that he did not have wear any one headband, but could honour them all the same. He could keep watch of all the nations and cities without conforming to the rules that would make that hope impossible. He could save the innocent, he could have a clean view of the issues. He could finally do right without the dreaded word sacrifice being attached. Orochimaru looked up at his lover as they walked deeper in to the candle lit area. At the same time, the Sannin had longed to find a place he could call home, and that would in turn not make him feel unwanted. The snake had found safety beneath the scarecrow, he had found safety in the one place the ravens could not go.
He had learned the true meaning of the word home, and although he had always thought he knew, it had finally sunk in. Home was where ever he ran too when he ran out of shelters, home was where he belonged even when he broke the rules in his curious nature. Home was wherever the copy ninja was.
Authors note: He isn't dead! Nobody panic! Haha, I just couldn't end it like that, the message of this story was finding home in places that wasn't necessarily a fixed place. It was about doing what was right and not about doing what people said was right. Hope you enjoyed the story, a huge thanks to those who kept up with it and reviewed, they really helped me get to the end! I will be publishing a new story, so keep your eyes out for it! A special thanks to Vampiredoll666 who has been a huge support from start to finish with all my stories! I really appreciate it. Thank you too all the new people who have been reviewing (FMA Yaoi Addict I'm talking to you!) I love every word that you say! I truly enjoy reading each one that pops up in my inbox!