Chapter Text
Is it like this
In death's other kingdom
Waking alone
At the hour when we are
Trembling with tenderness
Lips that would kiss
Form prayers to broken stone.
-T.S.Eliot, The Hollow Men
“They’re all gone,” Naruto says bitterly to the now last remaining battalion. “The fifth division is gone. A giant bijudama took them out. We’re all that’s left.”
Kakashi compartmentalizes, tucks away that piece of information in the back of his head like he’s done since the beginning of the war, not dwelling on the fact that Yugao and Kurenai were part of the fifth division, just another tally to keep until he joins them. It’s telling that everyone else’s reaction is muted as well. Their grief is quiet, almost defeated—nothing like the anguished rage that clutched their hearts when Kaguya attacked the Allied Forces the first time, completely wiping out half of their shinobi. They are discovering what Kakashi already knows, that it's possible for a person to exhaust their grief until all that remained were ghosts.
“Alright,” says Kakashi. “Naruto, Sakura, and Shikamaru. Could I have a word with you please?”
They huddle together on a cliff facing the sunset. They’re in the Land of Lightning, having come as reinforcements when Kaguya’s most recent attack hit. All that was left to greet them were broken bodies and a bloodstained battlefield. Killer Bee, Terumi Mei, A, and Gaara were only some of those they’d lost in that fight. Shikamaru lights a cigarette as sunset reds and oranges blaze across the sky.
“We need to figure out what our next plan is,” Kakashi starts, “now that we’re the only battalion left.”
“Yeah.” Naruto says desolately.
For Kakashi, one of the most terrible things this war has taken from them is the light and smile in Naruto’s eyes, leaving behind this bitter, almost cynical young man before him. It’s almost as if Kakashi’s watching Obito’s devolution without the Uchiha curse. Sasuke’s death changed Naruto, broke his heart as much as Rin’s death broke Obito’s. Now, a year and so many more deaths later, Naruto is questioning whether there are enough precious people to even fight for.
“Kurama says he’s got a plan,” Naruto says, jolting Kakashi out of his thoughts. “We might not be able to save this reality, but we could go back in time, prevent all of this from happening.”
“Time-travel? How is such a thing even possible?” Shikamaru asks.
“Well, Kurama says he can do it!” Naruto says, showing signs of hope for the first time in months. “I can go back with him by—”
Kakashi hears a large explosion and feels debris fly in front of him. Fuck. This can only mean one thing.
“Another attack! Let’s go! This time, let’s try attacking Kaguya in her blind spot.” Shikamaru says.
By the time they reach the main camp away from the cliff, they find an aftermath they’ve seen many times before. When Sakura spots Ino’s dead body, she wails and cries and rages like she hasn’t done since Sasuke passed. Shikamaru’s right beside her, brushing Ino’s limp hair disbelievingly. Naruto looks on grimly, aging at least ten years in seconds.
Then, Kaguya fires an ash bone at Sakura and Shikamaru. And it isn’t a thought, but an instinct that leads Kakashi to use Hiraishin to teleport in front of them (he’d marked Sakura with a seal a long time ago). Kakashi feels pain and blood and the world goes blurry in front of him. This is not at all like the first time he died. He can hear Sakura screaming his name; Kakashi wants to tell her that saving her life was possibly the best thing he’s ever done. But instead, he tells her the words he’s always left unsaid.
“Sakura, I’m proud of you.” He can hear her sobbing.
“Sensei!” Ah. That’s Naruto. He could apologize a million times to this boy and it still wouldn’t be enough.
“Sensei,” Naruto says through muffled sobs. “It’s okay. You’ll be okay, I promise you.” Naruto places his hand against Kakashi’s forehead. All Kakashi can see and feel is a bright light.
And then, it’s over.