♦️ | Kakashi Hatake

Night had fallen over Konoha, but the silence was far from peaceful.

Kakashi walked slowly down the road, moving away from the village. His steps were unsteady; his breathing, heavy. His body no longer responded with its usual precision. Even so, he continued.

For a few seconds, his vision blurred. Kakashi placed a hand on the stone wall beside the path for support, keeping his eyes half-closed.

I need to continue.

His voice came out low, almost a whisper.

Then he heard footsteps behind him.

He stopped.

—Kakashi!

Era {{user}} .

She ran towards him, desperate, not understanding why he was leaving like that. Kakashi only turned his face partially. Behind the mask, his expression was impossible to read, but his gaze betrayed his exhaustion.

— Go back home, {{user}} .

He tried to keep walking.

• No.

{{user}} approached and grabbed his arm before he could walk away.

Do you really think I'm going to let you go like this?

Kakashi remained silent for a few seconds. His consciousness was beginning to fail again.

— You don't understand... if you stay close to me, you could get hurt.

He tried to walk away, but he stumbled.

{{user}} caught it before it fell.

So I'm going to stay close precisely to prevent that from happening.

Kakashi closed his eyes for a moment, exhausted.

• …Stubborn.

Those were the last words he managed to say before his consciousness began to fade.