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His sharingan was gone. So was Obito.
A wave of dizziness descended upon him and his legs wobbled uncertainly. An indescribable sensation was settling deep inside his bones and he listed sideways, unable to keep his balance any longer. This new feeling didn’t feel anything like the chakra exhaustion he was so used to. This sensation felt more like something inside of him had been brutally cut out and then something too big was being forced in its place. His skin was tingling and he knew his whole body was shaking. He felt a little like he was floating, like his consciousness no longer recognized his own body.
Gentle hands caught him before he hit the ground, pulling him from the spiral of confusing thoughts and the uncomfortableness of his own body.
“Thank you, Sakura.” he mumbled, fighting through another bout of dizziness. She always seemed to be there to catch him when he fell.
The teenager was staring at him, green eyes awash with concern, “Kakas-Sensei!” she exclaimed, “Your eyes!”
“Hmh” he sighed, “Sharingan no Kakashi is no more.”
She looked at him, alarmed. He curved his eyes back at her, trying to let her know he was okay. He really was. Obito’s eyes had been a heavy burden, physically and mentally. Surprisingly, them being gone did not bother him nearly as much as he would have expected.
Naruto was running off now, heading towards Kurama. Sasuke was also advancing on where Madara lay prone on the ground.
Kakashi knew he needed to speak to both boys as soon as possible, but his tired body prevented him from taking even a single step. Sakura tightened her grip on his arm. He leaned against her gratefully.
“Kakashi-Kun.”
Kakashi’s swallowed back the hard lump in his throat. He hadn’t heard anybody call him that in a very long time.
He looked towards the voice. Minato caught his eye and he found he could not bear to hold the other man’s gaze. Now that the heat of battle was wearing off he had no idea how to talk to him. What could he possibly even say? He looked down at the ground. Anything was better than being scrutinized by those kind blue eyes. He’d tried to kill Obito.
“Minato-Sensei.” he whispered. This was all so very disorienting. So many of the truths he’d clung to were now completely shattered. In the last 5 hours his entire world had been flipped upside down. He’d discovered that, in a strange way this whole battle, this war, these betrayals, these deaths, they were his fault. How could he look at his old sensei and not be ashamed?
“I think my time is almost up.”
Kakashi could only nod. He’d noticed it too. The reanimated Hokage were all slowly fading, their bodies releasing bright particles into the air. The Yondaime was no exception. Soon he’d be the last living member of Team Minato.
Again.
“I’m glad I got to see you all grown up. See a little of the man you’ve become.”
The comment jerked him from his thoughts and he blinked at his teacher, feeling dazed. Minato’s gaze was still leveled firmly on him, and he shrunk back ever so slightly against Sakura’s chest.
“You’ve done well, Kakashi-Kun. I’m so proud of you.”
If hearing Hagoromo-Sama praise him left him feeling overwhelmed, it was nothing compared to what he felt when hearing those words from his old Sensei. His mouth opened and closed several times like a fish out of water. He tried to speak, but nothing came out except an exhale that sounded even to him suspiciously like a sob. He swallowed heavily.
“I had a good nindo to follow.” he managed to choke out.
Minato laughed. “You did. And in the end, I suppose it saved everyone.” They both looked over to Naruto. He was still jumping up and down excitedly, shouting something up to the Kyuubi. Kakashi couldn’t help a small smile from forming on his face. What an incredible young man. His whole team was incredible, really. They kept proving it over, and over, and over again. Even Sasuke. It was a relief, really. Moments ago he’d seen the ultimate act of teamwork as they’d ended the war together.
“Thank you for taking care of my son.” Minato’s voice was soft and light and full of love Kakashi didn’t deserve.
It was too much. He sagged heavily against his student. The cuts on his chest throbbed. Some of the stitches must have burst during the fight with Kaguya.
“Sensei.” he stammered, “I didn’t. I- I-“ he choked on his own words, “Sensei, I didn’t ever-“ he trailed off and fell silent, the whirl of emotions and guilt too difficult to put into words.
“Kakashi-“
“Please don’t thank me for that. Not that.” he begged, “I wasn’t there for him. Not until the Sandaime put him on my team.” The words were rolling off his tongue now and he couldn’t seem to stop them, “And even then I couldn’t protect him.” he confessed miserably. Sakura’s grip on his shoulder was so tight now it was painful. He deserved it. He didn’t bother trying to shake it off.
“Look at me.”
He couldn’t.
“Kakashi. Look at me.” The 4th Hokage’s tone left no room for disobedience and Kakashi felt his head tip up against his will. He supposed old habits died hard.
Minato was smiling gently, understanding and compassion oh so visible on his face. He looked exactly the same as the last day he’d seen him, on that fateful night where everything changed. It was funny, he thought distantly. He was 6 years older than Minato was when he died. He had 6 more years of experience now. 6 more years of growth. And here he was, feeling small. Like a small child confessing his sins to a disappointed parent.
“I know the grief and darkness you faced, Kakashi. Despite it all, you stayed loyal to the Village. Learned and grew.” Minato’s smile widened, “I could not have asked for a better teacher for my son.”
“Sensei-“
“ You were also an orphan.” Minato continued gently, “When we forced you to be capable we forgot to care for your heart.” Minato took a step towards him, and Kakashi knew that if the other man were able, he’d have reached out and ruffled his hair. His heart ached. “I’m the one who should be sorry, Kakashi.”
Kakashi blinked, surprised. Why was the other man apologizing to him? “But I-“
“The village failed you, Kakashi.” Minato continued, not allowing him to interrupt, “He- they should not have left you there.” He was looking out across the battlefield, staring at the other Hokages with something akin to deep disappointment on his face, “Can you forgive me for sending you down that path? For forcing you to grow up on your own?”
Kakashi felt his stomach churn unpleasantly. “Nothing that happened to me was your fault,” he said sadly, “or The Third’s.” He couldn’t stand to see the other man blame himself, not when Kakashi himself made so many mistakes, “I made my own choices. I could have left.”
“Perhaps.” Minato hummed, “But nonetheless, we asked too much of you. Children should not be asked to shoulder their parent’s burdens, nor pay for the crimes of their elders.”
That was something he could agree with. “No.” Kakashi said quietly, “No, they should not.” It was by no means a foreign thought to him. He’d spent thousands of sleepless nights pondering how the children of Konoha were seen as nothing more than potential weapons and remembering his father and the way they’d been mistreated. He’d spent hours wondering if much of the agony and unrest the Village endured was of its own creation.
There was a lot that needed to change. Maybe- maybe he could-
“I have a guess as to what Obito asked you to do next, Kakashi-Kun.” It seemed his old sensei could still read his mind, “You’ll make a good Hokage.”
“I hope so, Sensei.” he bowed his head, “I have large shoes to fill.”
“I have no doubt you’ll fill them excellently.” Minato laughed, “The Village needs someone like you.”
“A perpetually late, porn addicted, ass?”
“You know, at one point I wanted you to be more like Obito.” There was a teasing note to Minato’s voice now and his eyes were glittering mischievously, “I never expected you to turn into him.”
Kakashi snorted, unable to contain his amusement. Obito’s nindo certainly wasn’t the only thing he’d stolen from his friend.
“But yes.” Minato continued, smiling, “The village needs someone who’s seen the effects of war and persevered.”
Minato leaned closer, pressing his forehead to Kakashi’s own. Kakashi squeezed his eyes shut, knowing tears were running down his cheeks now. It had been so long since both his eyes cried together. Even in his wildest dreams he’d never imagined being able to stand, face to face, with Minato again. He never wanted it to end.
“Watch over me.” he whispered.
“Always.
They stood there a while, savoring the moment, before Minato pulled away. His eyes were searching the war torn landscape again, looking for something. It didn’t take a genius to know what he was trying to find.
“He’s over there.” Kakashi smiled through the tears, pointing to where Naruto was now dancing around, “Go to him.” He’d been selfish, keeping Minato for as long as he already had. There was still someone who needed to speak to him more.
Minato turned back for just a moment, eyes sparking with joy and warmth. He winked. “We’ll be waiting for you,” he added knowingly over his shoulder, “but don’t be in a rush. There are people here who love you too.”
Kakashi watched him go, feeling like a massive weight had just been lifted off his chest. He was outright weeping now, the tears refusing to slow. He took a shaky breath and more tears fell. He could feel them scattering across his shredded vest. He wasn’t even really sure why he was crying. He hadn’t felt this happy in a long while.
He closed his eyes, body slumping down further. The adrenaline was long gone. He shook his head, trying to shake the tears off his face.
“The 4th Hokage was your sensei?!”
Kakashi’s eyes popped back open. He’d totally forgotten Sakura was even there. How that was even possible, he didn’t know. She was the only thing holding him up right now. Two guilty onyx eyes met accusing emerald. He let out a wet chuckle.
“Ah.” Kakashi scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, “Did I really forget to mention that?”