A Ninja's Path (Kakashi X Reader)

Chapter Sixty Eight

Your mind drifted back to the genjutsu, a realm of pain and torture. That had become your reality. Nothing else existed except that. Until Fuyu saved you.

"Hibiki..." You clasped her hand and she flinched at first. She blinked a few times before recognizing who you were.

"Phantom! You're here..." She tried to sit up but you shook your head.

"Just rest... and please, call me (Y/N)."

She nodded slowly, staring at you. Looking into your eyes in awe. Speaking of eyes, you noted that she had the most beautiful almond eyes you'd ever seen.

She brushed jet black bangs out of her face. "We're... in the shinobi war camp, right?"

You nodded. "Yes, we're outside of the Night Village. You're in the clinic." You stroked her hand with your thumb. "Did you... did you have a bad dream?"

The young woman nodded, closing her eyes as if remembering. "Yeah... I've had them every night since..." Her voice faltered. "Since the prison..."

You let out a shuddered breath, recalling those weeks under the Administration Building. A true, living, nightmare. The screams... Anonna's screams. Hibiki's screams...

"It's not your fault."

You turned around to find him. The young man of hope and resilience. The one who banged on the bars. The one who nodded to you during your execution.

His brown hair was tousled from sleep, his brown eyes bright with patience. He gave you another smile and it brought you back to the prison.

A tear slipped down your cheek before you even knew what was happening.

"You..." You said shakily. You slowly walked towards him. "You're the one of hope..."

His eyes turned sad. "I'm not-" He lost his voice as you fell to your knees beside his bed.

You bowed your head, grasping for his hand. Your shoulders shook as you silently sobbed.

He seemed unsure of what to do, looking to Anonna and Hibiki. They seemed just as shocked.

You raised your eyes, meeting his own. "Thank you."

The amount of meaning in your voice caused his eyes to water and he blinked profusely. "I..." He looked up at the ceiling and chuckled quietly. "I don't know-"

"I think," You wiped the tears from your cheeks, "I think you're the reason I kept fighting. When you smiled-" You stopped before a sob could choke you up. "When you smiled at me in the prison... you were bleeding... you were hurting... but you smiled..." You shook your head in disbelief. "You smiled like we would be okay. And that... that made me feel like we were going to be okay..." More tears slipped out and you waited for them to pass. "And... you clanged on the bars and then everyone was doing it... you... gave everyone hope." You let out a shaky breath and stood up. "So on behalf of those of the rebellion who aren't here today- thank you."

The man's expression was so wonderfully contradicting. His eyes were full of so much sadness and pain- of grief. The rest of his face was of joy, of relief and happiness and it made his eyes crinkle as he smiled.

You laughed at how innately and unexplainably human his expression was as you wiped the tears from your eyes. Out of the corner of your vision you could see Anonna and Hibiki wiping their own noses and cheeks.

You met the man's gaze again. "May I... ask what your name is?"

He smiled again, letting out a soft laugh. "My name is Tatsuo."