Shattered |Kakashi x OC|

Chapter 30: Open Wounds

For a terrifying second, the world was tilting on its axis, and Ahsoka was barely clinging to the edge, moments away from taking a tumble. Though it was Kakashi she held on to for dear life.

His dear life.

With her arm wrapped around Kakashi, and his good arm slung over her shoulders, they leapt from branch to branch in the tall forest. But the silver-haired teen's face paled by the second as the wound on his shoulder kept gushing blood.

His head hung loosely, and a pained moan escaped him.

Ahsoka didn't know if she might have still been screaming or sobbing— like when she first saw that spear impale Kakashi— only that there was a deafening silence in her head. And an insistent ringing in her ears.

She had barely register when she had hurled Daiki's sword across the oasis, hitting true in between the eyes of her enemy. Splitting his head in two with his own Master's sword.

She had barely registered removing the spear out of Kakashi's shoulder and hearing his screams of pain before grabbing him, then running as fast as she could with his added weight.

And she had barely registered when they had cleared the desert of the Land of Wind and entered the covered forests of the Land of Fire again, trying to put as much distance between themselves and the temple they had left behind in flames.

Now, she struggled under Kakashi's height and weight to keep jumping from tree to tree. He had tried to help her at the beginning, tried not to lean too much into her and carry his weight.

But he now sagged against Ahsoka, his strength flagged and eye half-closed. He couldn't even lift his head.

So much blood— he had lost so much blood.

Ahsoka looked at him, desperation in her eyes, glimpsing the paleness in his face despite the mask. She hadn't noticed she had been talking to him as well:

"Kakashi, hold on. Hold on, please!"

But his world only turned black.

Kakashi didn't think being dead would hurt this much. The radiating pain he felt coming from his shoulder was enough to bring him back to consciousness.

Not dead then.

It took him a couple of long moments, that could've been minutes or hours, to finally crack open his eyes enough to register the dark leaves and large trees trunks above his head. They were illuminated by a warm, orange light emanating from what seemed to be a small fire just ahead.

However, more important than the fire, was the figure hovering over Kakashi's left side, framed by the firelight that darkened their features. But Kakashi would've recognized that auburn hair glowing in the orange light, those catlike eyes that were closed, and those worried, furrowed brows even in the dark.

He shifted his aching body slightly, and that was enough to alert her of his state as her eyes flew open, immediately falling on his tired face.

"Ahsoka..." Kakashi croaked her name, his half-lidded eyes meetings her wide ones.

She inhaled sharply. Then her head dropped down to her chest, letting a cascade of auburn hair cover her face.

Her body shuddered as she released a breath. "You're awake..." She looked back at his face, smiling ruefully down at him, "Thank Kami-sama."

That's when, even through his hazy mind, Kakashi noticed her hands. They were glowing a mint green, hovering over a gaping wound in his shoulder. Medical ninjutsu.