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Chapter Text

It was hot.

Kakashi thought death would feel peaceful. But it isn't. His skin burned and his chest hurts with an itch to claw at his skin and rip his heart out. His body covered in sweats. Drowning himself in the dirty and sticky fluids.

He thought death would be dark. A simple void. Before the heaven and the hell.

Though, he may has skip a part because now now he's in hell. It's too bright. Too red. Too hot. He's being burn alive —He's in amaterasu— He thinks. Or maybe he's not thinking at all.

Because the next thing he knew, his body jolts and and shudders. His eyes hurt. Like someone ripping his eyes off and planting a new one. Is his body not cremated? Did someone steal his corpse? Is this his punishment? Kakashi groans and hissed. Yet even moving to make a sounds cause him to doubled over and twist his body in pain. His jaw sore and his throat stings. He taste blood.

Then his head swings and his eyes snap open and the world— once red— become white. No, it's supposed to be black. Not... white. It's supposed to be darkness and void and... limbo. Yet it isn't. And he can see the blurry lines of window, table and the lone chair at the side.

Even though his body didn't seems to function, his mind does.

And kakashi hate that it does.

Because the moment his brain register the familiar outline of his apartment, he immediately yank himself back and grab his stomach as an agonising urge to puke overwhelmed him.

"Why..?" His voice dry and crispy. He cough blood soon after while trying to keep the acid in his stomach at bay.

Why? Why is he here? This can't be his waiting place. This can't be his end. Why? why? why?why?why?why?why?why??????

His feet pushed but his knees protest. Still, he kept pushing. 7 steps forward, 3 steps left, 2 steps, bend, and— his mouth open and in an instant, disgusting smells of puke filled the toilet. His eyes glassy but he can see the inside of the bowl he's currently crouching beside.

Green, yellow and red.

Kakashi sigh and lean his body beside the wall. It's wet and the droplets of water soak into his clothes. But he didn't mind it. In fact, he feels grateful. He's burning and the water helps.

There's knocking. Then another came and another. It didn't stop and each time it came back— it come harsher and meaner. Kakashi simply stare at the floor. His eyebrows furrowed and his mouth open and panting like a dog. Blood and saliva dripping down his chin.

He heard the knocking. But his body is too weak. Too useless. And he can't even pinpoint where it came from. He can feels himself drown in the trickling water and thumping hearts.

Then the door to the bathroom swings open. Kakashi can see two pairs of legs. Blue pants. And it crouch down. Kakashi didn't lift his head. He simply let his head hang loose. It was just a nightmare after all. Or his personal hell. He's already dead, isn't he? Why would he be scared of another death? Strangely, he wants to welcome this one. Maybe the second time he would get his peaceful void.

But the figure in front of him which he didn't even bother to look at, didn't agree.

"Kakashi." He heard distant and hollow. Like an echo of a ghost. And isn't that ironic? Kakashi coughs. he lifted his hand to stop it but when he retracts, his palm had covered in liquid red

Then sounds enraged everywhere. Stream of screams and questions everywhere. It's overstimulating and kakashi can't help the groans that escape his lips. His head hurts and his ears sting from the loud noises. Even more when the figure shakes his body and pull his chin up and oh.

Yeah. He may skip a part. This is hell. A personal hell that's made to trap him. A perfect prison.

Minato-sensei

"Kakashi, kakashi." The voice called out in desperation. But it's distance. Like a foggy memory.

"Kakashi, wakes up. Focus— no,no, don't, please don't close your eyes, you have to tell me what happened!" Sensei's words are long and messy. Kakashi can't understand it. He's not sure if he even want to understand. 

So he let himself slip. His eyes drifted away, glassy and broken. His lips— cracked from dryness— move painfully.

"....sensei.." and his world finally turn black.

x

His eye, his legs, his chest, his jaw. Painful.

However, his body feels lighter. So, that's a win— Kakashi thinks. He didn't open his eyes when the consciousness threaten his peace, he simply let his eyes rest. Kakashi, the ex-hokage knows, if he did open them, he would be back to his hell where he needs to confront his sins and wrongdoings. He don't think he's ready enough.

He ran forward for far too long that simply taking a step back feels like pushing the great mountain. 

"Will he ever wakes up?"

Kakashi heard. The voice is again, feels like it's in water. It's distant and muffled but he know it's close. It's very close but at the same time, it feels very far away.

He crack his eye open, struggling to keep them in that position. It's painful. But he'll manage. 

"Kakashi!" A shrill voice can be heard and now it seems a bit clearer. Less muffled and distant. Maybe because the girl is leaning so close in shock. Kakashi just stare. And his eyebrows furrowed.

"Sakura...?" He mumbled instinctively. His heart scream 'safe' and his body relax a fraction. He can't see well. His eye is still squinting and the sight is still blurry. By nature, kakashi didn't notice the girl stiffen up and instead shift his head slowly towards his left.

He sigh. Rubbing his head and sit up. Seriously, what the hell happen? His body hurts like hell but better. Maybe sakura is healing him? 

His eyes blurry and his head is aching wildly. He saw the three figure standing beside the bed.

"Maaaa, what did you do now, Naruto?" Kakashi mumbled and coughs. Immediately, a glass of water appear in front of him from a gentle hand.

Kakashi takes it without looking up and drink the glass full. He wonder why sakura hasn't been screaming at him for his self-sacrificial act yet. He knew they're livid. If he knew he would be save, he wouldn't have done what he did. Though, he's pretty sure he's already dead. His eyebrows creased into a frown.

"Kakashi...? Are you... okay?" Distant. Mute. Is his ears not working properly? Kakashi shakes his head. Trying to get his ears to work. Though, the blond in front of him probably takes it as an answer. Considering how now there's a difference in volume in their voice. They all speak at once and urges him to lay down. Seriously, no respect at all!

"Geez, I know I'm old but I can handle myself." Kakashi swiftly push them away. His body didn't move from his sitting position. Then a black haired guy look at him with an incredulous look. 

Huh. He didn't know sasuke can do that. He thought the overly exaggerated expression of his had long gone, kept locked in his childhood. However, it may be a good thing that such expression finally resurface back.

"Bakashi, lay back down! You just woke up from the dead!"

"Your body need healing, don't push yourself."

Huh, that... doesn't sounds like any of his genins. But his brain halts as he picks up what they said. Woke up from the dead?

"Sasuke, what did you just say?" He groans. "You can't just edo-tensei me! It hurts like hell, you should've let me die." He mutter into his hands with exasperation. He didn't see the three figure eye's widen and their shared glances

He lift his head and turns towards the blond boy that seems a bit too tall. Maybe it's just his perception that has been skewed. Well, his eyes did feels like it's been rip out and put back on.

"And naruto, why the hell you agree to do it? I know sasuke wouldn't do this if you didn't agree to it. And sakura, you too. You should've been the responsibl one." Kakashi sigh at his team. Except... they all doesnt feels quite it. Too quiet. Too... scared? Well, a war may do that to people. "Is there an s level threat? I barely receive peace, let me rest, man." Kakashi continue annoyedly.

Then, voices erupted everywhere.

"What the hell are you talking about, Bakashi?"  

"You're not going to die and I won't let you die."

"Kakashi! You can't just say that!"

Kakashi groans and turns his head towards the black haired guy. Well, if naruto can't be making any sense perhaps this well composed kid can.

"Maaa, I'm serious, you really shouldn't revive me, sasuke. And stop with the weird name." He mumbled. Rubbing his eyes because the longer he open them, the weirder his vision became. It's such a bad thing for someone like him that depends way too much on his eyes. It's his life long weapon, after all. If it's not because of his teams being here instead of anyone else, he may would've panic and run away without caring by now.

"You're didn't die, kakashi." The distant faraway voice spoke.

".... and I'm not sasuke either." The voice is clear now. Close and loud. Kakashi's heart thumps loudly and suddenly, his vision too, has cleared. And what he saw was not his genins team.

Genjutsu? Tsukuyomi? Edo-tensei?

His minds whirlled with thousands different possibilities. None of it make sense. Then, in a twist of a moment, kakashi jolts away. Pushing his toes harshly on the bed with his body turning and leaning away. He makes a leap towards the window.

The wires, attached rip out andhis arms ooze blood. It didn't matter. He needs to get away.

"Kakashi! Stay down!" Naruto— no, Minato-sensei yelled with urgency. Then a pair of hands yank at the hospital gown of his. Shoving him back down to the floor. His back crack with a loud noise.

"Fuck—" kakashi hissed. His feet's quickly get to work and kick the man because whatever this is, he can't accept it. His foot hit the man chin and he quickly twist body to get away. His arms move, preparing a jutsu until—

His chakra rupture like a dam and his chest feels like it's being shove down by a foot. His mouth coughing blood and his body trembles. Everything is wrong. His chakra is everywhere and nowhere— 

His eyes hurts again with the worst headache. Everything is blurry once more and everything is red when he lift his chin up. Seeing the ghost in front of him.

Enemyenemyenemyenemy—

"I'm sorry, kakashi." A soft voice enter his ear when he feels. A stab at his arm. Then his vision went black.

Ah, needle. He hates needle.

Please let it stay black. He pray for one last time.

Chapter Text

One... Two... Three.. four.

Four people is in the same room as kakashi is. Though, three of them are hiding away. ANBU? Of course, Kakashi can sense them. However, his sensing abilities is not through his chakra but by his keen sense of smell.

Strangely enough, he could not reach out to his chakra at all— empty, silent, and unmoving. Like a calm water in a void with zero motion. Perhaps a chakra reduction jutsu? Certainly not a chakra-absorbtion cuffs since his arms are not bound to anything.

Which is a mystery. Why wouldn't they? If they were an enemy, and he had shown them aggression, shouldn't they take precautions? Binding his legs or hands? 

He's not an unknown shinobi. It's impossible for them to not be aware of him. Maybe his small chakra pool situation cause them to believe him as not a threat? He hope that was the case.

"Kakashi, please open your eyes if you can hear me." A strict and professional deep voice boom in the silent room. Kakashi's shoulder sagged as he realised he had been way too tense to pretend to be a sleeping person. Curse him, he never make such newbie mistake.

His eyes peered open. And a huff escaped his lips, arrogant as they say.

"Who are you?" He asked right away.

"I'm your doctor. That's all you need to know."

"Bah, as if that explains anything." Kakashi rolled his eyes. Of course, does he expect this strange man to just give away his name? "Did you drug me?" He shoots another question.

The doctor looks barely amused. His eyebrows lifted in a questioning manner. Then he let out a heavy sigh. 

"Other than anesthetic, no." He answer flatly.

"Then—"

"Kakashi Hatake, please refrain from asking question. I'll do a health checkup by giving you a couple questions." The man in white coat interrupts kakashi, making him scowl and sit up, leaning by the bedframe. He dully noted the wires and tapes on his arms.

Sure, he'll play by their game. 

"What's your name?"

"Like you said, hatake kakashi."

"Your age?"

"Maaa, isn't that a sensitive topic? You're hurting this old man's feeling" Kakashi decide that if he can't get answer now, then he'll just play around. Naruto would be proud, he thinks.

Though, the man definitely did not play as he quickly make notes. Scratching noises emitted from the man who's holding a wooden board with sticks of paper.

"Where do you live?" The doctor barely bats an eye at kakashi's remark.

"Do you hate your job?" Kakashi tilt his head as he ask. Really, shouldn't the man at least be 'cuckoo' in the head? Play along, threatens him? Isn't that how it all supposed to go?

"Yes, now where do you live?" Huh, that's fair.

"Somewhere, here and there, everywhere, ehhh... sometimes a bit near, sometimes far..." He answer dully.

"....What's your name?" Kakashi ask the doctor. he got ignored, sadly.

"Who's on your team?"

"It was me and people" He jots down more on the paper. It irks the silver-haired man.

"Do you know of Minato Namikaze?"

Kakashi stilled. Silenced.

His stomach drop and suddenly all of his stupid retorts falls short and he left looking like a fish on land.

Right, he firmly shut his mouth as he try his best to composed himself. What's with that question? No one ask him that unless they're trying to bring up the... fuck. Obito is dead. Dead dead. He would know that. It's been years. Why would anybody bring it up? What's there to use? Why minato-sensei? It's not like he has the eye anymore

He knew he should just answer it. Just say, 'of course, everybody know. Minato namikaze was the fourth hokage.' Yet he couldn't bring himself to say it. His mouth shuts up tight and a lump form inside his throat.

 Oh.

He felt like a child. Unable to answer a simple thing without spiraling and branching out his thoughts. 

"Who?" His mouth settled. The man's eyebrow arched and his hold on the pen tighten, ready to jot down more stupid comments.

"His name is Minato Namikaze, your jounin sen—"

"Who are you?" Kakashi seethed beneath the words. Halting the man from forming another words.

His hand clenches on the thin white blanket. Creases now appears. "I asked a question." He growls. Eyes looking stern but his face has fallen ill and pale. 

"Kakashi—" the man tries.

"Who the hell are you?!" Kakashi charged at the man. Kicking his feet beneath the covers and shoot his arms forward. Pushing the empty pool of chakra towards his left eye and bared his teeth.

"Shit!" The man cursed and jump off the chair, away from kakashi. Kakashi chased but the machines and wires tied him to the bed. Yanking, the tubes off himself, he keep leaping forward and grab the clothes.

"Kakashi!"

"Hatake Kakashi!"

Two voices simultaneously appears in the room. Kakashi's eyes quickly scan their figure.

Blonde hair. Old man. Jounin vest. Long coat.

Minato and the Sandaime.

His arms fell limb as his face turn into a scowl. Eyes glaring deathly at the two figures. 

"Who are you?" He ask the same question.

The blonde haired man's face dripped with worries at the question. 

That's cruel. Who is he to use his sensei's face like that? Who is he to use the third hokage's body like that?

"Are you an Iwa-nin?" His voice lowered.

"Kakashi, calm down. Stay on your bed—" the man spoke with his arm reaching forward towards him.

"Answer me!" Kakashi's body freezes but his mouth keeps moving. This is too bad. What the hell is going on? The man stops his mouth. His body tenses all over. He should be, kakashi thought. He's in front of the hokage wearing a fake identity. This could cause a war. It should.

"Minato. Minato namikaze. Your sense—"

"You're not him."

"I am, kakashi. I teach you—"

"You're not!" Kakashi grumbles

"Kakashi Hatake, stop this behaviour of yours. " Sandaime. Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"Go away." Kakashi glares

"Kakashi, that's no way to talk with your hokage—"

"You're not my sensei, stop acting like him." 

"Kakashi, what happened?"

"You're not my hokage either, I don't need to reply to you." Kakashi rolled his eyes, spatting the words like venom. 

Sarutobi blanched at the words. Eyes wide and stricken at it. It was words of treason. Kakashi knows of that, but regardles, he has passed the time of Sarutobi as his hokage. This is a fake. So it wouldn't be wrong. the man glowers at kakashi.

The jounin grip his hand firm and moves forward. Arms reaching out once again with a worried look. In response, kakashi immediately turns, hand clenching the fabric and flips. Shoving his feet on the man's face. 

Minato yelps, hands yanking kakashi's clothes back down and immediately pinned him on the bed. Kakasi growled and grab the scalpel from the steel trolley. His body struggles as the man holding him down harshly. His breath going ragged and wild. His eyes swift away, watching the so-called hokage stepping back and being ushered away by the nurses and doctors. ANBU appearing from all side as minato yelled into his ears.

"Kakashi!" The man screamed. Putting his hand on kakashi's mouth to shut him up and subdue him.

 Kakakshi looks back up at the man. Huffing and panting as his hand grips tightly at the scalpel. His wrist has been shoved up above his head. Huh, this man... is way too damn big. Shadows cast upon him as he struggles below the man.

Kakashi then let's out a labored breath and smiles. Body relaxing gradually, causing the blonde man to flinches at the contrast.

"Nee... you really are... not my sensei." He huff.

Then in a fluid motion, he kicks the man stomach and rip his hand away from the bruising holds. He push energy to his upper body and knock the man away by his head. Making a loud thudding sounds as their head clashed and back away. Kakashi swings his arm and stab the scalpel at the man's shoulder. And quickly kicks him off as he looks at the others. Eyes analysing each ANBU in frantic manner. 

There's too much. He couldn't possible get a hold of them. His arms has start to hurt, and beads of sweats has accumulated. Sticking the hospital gown to his body in a disgusting manner.

It was unfortunate that he took too much time to assess the situation. Because now, he's again being pushed to the bed. More firmly and secured. From the same man.

"It's me, kakashi. Minato." The man's voice rough. Legs and arms all pushing in full force at kakashi's limb. Kakashi struggles but it was to no avail.

"You're not, you're not." He yelled as his vision swirled. There's too much movements. Those ANBU had all crowed over. Bringing stringe and pushing all others objects away, clearing out the area.

He stretch his head and snaps his head down forcefully with an open mouth and sharp teeth. sinking down and feels blood filled his mouth.

"Kakashi! It's me!" The man hissed and ripped his arms away. His position quickly change to support his hand. Knees pushing at kakashi's guts.

"You're not! Stop pretending to be him!" Kakashi yelled back full force. Mouth covered with dripping blood.

Then warmth filled his mouth and body. So warm, so hot it burns. His body went limp as his eyes blown wide. His head snaps back and his body twitches wildly.

"Shit— sorry, I send too much—" the man mutters in panic. Though the words feels hollow and far. Kakashi's body soften and his hazy eyes looks back up at the man. Minato. It must be minato-sensei. This warmth... his chakra.

"Minato-sensei..?" He mumbled out dumbly. His body feels overheated and wreck by now. He just realizes how aching his body is. Pushing past it's limit with his chakra seems to be nowhere.

"Yes, yes that's right, good." Minato sigh and relax his body. His arms and legs retracts away slowly. Though, not all the way. Simply moving a fraction to give kakashi some breath. 

Kakashi could feels the burning morphed into a soft warmth. Humming and codling him slowly. A gentle surge of chakra went into his body. Calm, warm, and inviting all at once.

"....What happened?"

"...it was an accident. On mission injuries." Minato reply softly and pull himself away. Kakashi didn't move from the spot.

Minato-sensei's words didnt make any sense. He didn't partake in any missions. Nor does he ever remember minato being this tall and broad. But most important of all, how did minato came back? Why is he here? Did someone revive them again? Where is he? What's happening?

Kakashi winces as he feels a headache coming by. 

"Your chakra pathway has blown, what you need right now is rest."

Huh, so that must be why he's feeling empty.

"Just... don't lash out or ran away next time, yeah?" The man said as he pressed his palm on kakashi's eyes. Blinding him for a second and push his palm down to his nose. Guiding kakashi to close his eyes.

Kakashi dutifully did so. A relief breath escape his lips in a waves.

He nods dumbly, and his vision went out.

"Hokage-sama, perhaps we can talk about this later on..." minato mutter as he pulled up the blanket to cover kakashi's body.

Sarutobi walks in again with his hands at the back. Eyebrows furrowed and his eyes glancing at the sleeping kakashi.

"Yes, it appears so." He mumbled.

Minato sigh and stand straight, facing his hokage. "I need to talk about something." Minato said with a serious face.

"About Kakashi?" Sarutobi's eyebrow raised. Curiosity etched on his face.

Minato nods his head and they walk out of the room, leaving kakashi's unconscious body behind.