The Dream Devourer (Kakashi X OC)

The Dream World

Kakashi watched as blood fell from Chiisai's parted lips. His hand twitched on the other side of her, and his chidori flickered out. Her small form spasmed, and tears welled in Kakashi's eyes as he yanked his arm out of her chest cavity.

She reached for his hand, but her fingers went limp. Her eyes widened as she fell backward. Kakashi reached for her, but his movements were painfully slow.

He had failed her, just like Rin and Obito. He had broken yet another promise, and there was no one to blame but himself.

But then she froze, and Kakashi watched as the image of her fractured like glass. He sank to his knees as she fell like dust through his fingers. The scenery changed, and he now sat in a grassy field on a sunny day.

The weight in chest suddenly lifted, and he took in a haggard breath. The pain was gone, his mind clear. It was as if he could suddenly feel again.

Now his senses were alert, and he realized someone stood behind him.

He quickly pulled out a kunai, turned, and threw it before realizing who it was.

He made a definite thunk as it landed into Chiisai's shoulder. Her breathing was labored, and tears fell down her face and dripped off her chin as she staggered back. She yanked the kunai out of her body, and blood gushed from the wound.

What was happening became painfully clear.

"I'm dreaming," he said.

She nodded and dropped the weapon. He watched as her skin patched itself back together, the sound like leather stretching. The kunai disappeared.

His eye narrowed as he stepped towards her. If she could do this, then how close was her seal to breaking? Concern flickered in his haze as he said,  "Has your seal broken? You're crying."

Chiisai wiped her face and sniffed, replying, "No, but my powers are slowly coming back. I don't think it's going to hold out for long."

He turned his head to where Chiiisai had once stood. There was nothing but grass and hills. It was peaceful, and birds flew in the sky, the breeze tugging at his unkept hair.

He breathed in the flower-scented air. Everything felt so real, and he was beginning to understand Chiisai a little bit more. He gestured around him and asked, "What did you do?"

Chiisai took a deep breath. Her words were low, as if she had admitted doing something wrong. "I absorbed your nightmare, so you wouldn't have to feel it anymore, and I replaced it with something else."

Shock passed through him as he took her in. The pain in her face, the tears, the dried blood on her hand.

She didn't meet his gaze as he said, "You're feeling what I should be feeling."

"Yes," she nodded, rotating her shoulder. "And don't give me that look. I've done this plenty of times, with a lot of different people."

He reached for her, paused, and drew his hand back. Shame rose inside of him, yet again, and he forced it down. "You didn't have to do it," he said.

"I did," she replied. Chiisai straightened and added, "There's a reason I'm here. Apparently, since I can do this now, it wouldn't hurt to prepare you in case something happens."

"Like what?"

"I don't know," she shrugged. "I just have a bad feeling." She crossed her arms and added, "And it would be good for you to train here, to experience what I do, before my chakra lashes out or something. It would be good for me too, I think."

She looked nervous, and he didn't blame her. So far, her chakra was acting normal, but when would that stop?

He raised his eyebrow and said, "Training?"