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The air was still, trees unmoving. Kakashi stared into the distance unfeeling as his body slowly shut down.
Was this how it would end for him? Alone? Was this how his father felt, as his heart slowly stopped beating. The world becoming fuzzy and slowly fading slumped against his wall, breathing shallowly through his bloody mask. The kunai beside him dripping with blood, silently staring at him with no remorse. The tiles beneath him became stained with blood. His Anbu mask grinning at him from afar.
He’s dying.
For real this time. No masked man stopping him. Tenzo won’t arrive in time, having gone on a long term mission the day before.
He knows he deserves this. But deep inside he doesn’t want to die. All he can feel is his body slowly giving out and all he feels is regret.
Regret for not being a better Anbu Captain, regret for not being a better friend for Tenzo, regret for not being a better Rival for Gai, regret for not being a better son and teammate, regret for so many things that he could’ve changed.
I guess I’m the late one in Team Minato, he thought. As the last of his senses gives out and he drifts off surrounded by nothing but his empty apartment.