Gracie Abrams is eking out a solitary existence, fighting day-in, day-out against the drain of working customer service and nursing two newborn kittens in her off time. Out on her own ever since her sister moved in with her boyfriend, the burden of...
It all became clear to me then. The kids had brought Kakashi back into the light. Though he'd still had Guy, Asuma, and Kurenai caring for him, he'd been so sucked into the darkness plaguing him that he hadn't been able to see it. It wasn't until he'd met the kids that he dared to dream of the future, and it wasn't until the Fourth Great Shinobi War that Kakashi had been able to confront the worst memories living inside of his soul, finding the path forward to peace within himself.
Even with all the knowledge I had of his affliction, there was nothing I could do to stop it. If I did a quick Google search on how to support him, I'm sure I would find contradictory methods because every case is unique.
If I walked in there, he might be in a lucid dreaming state and mistake me for one of the Hidden Mist ninjas trying to capture Rin. Keeping my distance would also be wrong because Kakashi was making a lot of noise—what if he accidentally hurt himself in there, and I stood here, doing nothing?
And if I opened that door, trying to call out to him, there was no guarantee he would wake up.
But what if he did?
What could I possibly say?
What words could I use to make any of the emotions plaguing him even a little bit better?
But... My thoughts stopped me cold, and I felt my sharp intake of breath.
What if I did nothing at all, and he learned that I'd stood out here, purposefully doing nothing? How would I ever be able to look him in the eye again?
I have to try. Dammit, Gracie, get yourself together right this instant. Just for a second, just for one goddamn minute, stop thinking about yourself and actually try to help someone.
If you blunder, then whatever. At least you tried, right? Nobody can fault you for trying...but they can fault you for doing nothing.
Resolve and self-hatred warred their way through my chest, now feeling bruised at the mental gymnastics in my mind. I steeled myself as best I could, already regretting everything I was about to do.
I knew I was going to say something stupid again...if I could get the man to wake up at all.
Weren't ninjas supposed to be light sleepers? How has Kakashi not woken up yet?
Realizing I didn't know if the man in question was still asleep or not, I quickly opened the door, revealing the low-rise bed smushed close to the left wall, just like in my room. Unlike my room, however, there weren't any curtains or blinds and the space was jammed with things I hadn't gotten around to dealing with yet.
You know how life accumulates boxes of meaningless garbage?
Kakashi was nowhere in sight, and my heart plummeted straight to my toes. I froze, unsure if I should step inside. The idea of an intruder seemed a lot more possible right now.
He'd spent most of the past few nights patrolling or on the couch watching Naruto. What if he wasn't even in the apartment right now, and this really was an intruder?
But I swore I heard him say he wasn't planning to be out long tonight...So shouldn't he be back by now?
A flailing arm flashed up and out of sight on the far side of the ground covered by the bed.
I swear, I jumped almost high enough to bump my head against the doorway that tall people like Kakashi casually brushed under everytime they moved.
"Ka–kashi?"
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