Fear Is Not The End Of This

Chapter 2

Mature kakanaru read at your own risk.

I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.

Fear Will Not Be The End of This

Chapter 2

Bare hands grip each side of the porcelain sink, fingerless metal plated gloves tossed to the side carelessly along with the rest of his Hidden Leaf uniform.  Water drips down from just washed hair causing goose pimples to rise up along the entire length of Kakashi's naked body as he scrutinizes the reflection in the small bathroom mirror.  Every battle scar inflicted on him during the Fourth War is gone.  Of course many others still remain, after all he has been an active duty Shinobi since the tender age of five.  But those last ones, the ones he earned fighting alongside his comrades to the very end, the ones that were just as important to him as the scar slashed over his eye, are gone.

The once again Sharingan user pegs himself to now be between twenty six and thirty.

A too loud knock at the front door of his apartment makes his head pound, pulling  him out of his reverie.  Sakura spent hours ( I should make you stay for a least three days Sensei !!!) in that damn hospital making sure his body and mind adjusted in a healthy manner to the drastic change forced upon him but he still has headaches.  She assured him they wouldn't last and to take it easy but there's work to be done and that just won't do. 

After dressing quickly Kakashi opens the door to reveal the presence of his Eternal Rival.  Gai stares at him intently in the doorway, arms crossed with no readable expression on his face.  After a moment of silence that just starts to stretch into awkwardness, they speak at the same time.

"My friend..."

"Jealous?"

Gai frowns and steps out of the way before bothering to continue, realizing Kakashi intends to leave the apartment anyway.

"Lets walk and talk." Kakashi pulls the door shut behind him and begins to walk away, careful to be slow for the man supported by a crutch although god knows Gai is still perfectly capable of running a marathon on one leg even at this age.

"You've had the Flames of Youth restored to you, Kakashi!!" He declares passionately, waving his crutch in the air. "A blessing to be had I'm sure!!" A silver head bows with a light shake, not sure how to express that he doesn't feel the same way about his restored youth without feeling like an ass.  Gai would skip to the ends of the earth and back with outrageous enthusiasm if he were in Kakashi's shoes.

"However," Gai continues, "For a seasoned warrior who has already been through a lifetime of unbearable hardships, I suppose this gift can be a double edged sword.  My old friend, this second chance doesn't have to be another lifetime of battles and loss outweighing what little joy a Shinobi can find. Start over on a new path, no one would judge you, in fact I encourage it. But If you choose to stay an elite protector of Konoha as you already are,  don't ever let this drag you down into darkness.  Don't feel guilty that you have a chance to keep going, knowing others would cherish it more than you do. Don't throw yourself away. Swear it to me as a friend and fellow comrade who finally admitted I had surpassed you. For me Kakashi, if not for all those who love you for there are many."

Kakashi nods, understanding what he means.  The Green Beast of Konoha knows him too well.  His younger self was always prone to turning off his humanity, finding it easier to deal when disregarding all  emotions and simply becoming a cold blooded killing machine for the Higher Ups to use as they please.  I guess I am the Higher Up, he thinks to himself bemusedly, I suppose just because I have the body of a young adult doesn't mean I have the right to be immature...and Naruto-kun needs me. Or so he likes to tell himself, always holding on desperately to the thought that keeps him anchored in a positive way.