Lamented Love

Lamented Love

It hurt, and he knew why. The gash in his side was deep, and was probably infected at this point. Still he didn't care. He had to get back. There was someone waiting for him. He couldn't give up now, not when he was so close to reaching the village.

Still, the blood loss was starting to affect his head. After a couple of steps he tripped on nothing. Falling he threw his hand out to brace himself from the fall, but still he landed in a puddle. The murky water reflected his horrid state. His silver hair had patches of dried blood. His mask was torn exposing some of his face. His headband was long gone, and his sharingan was exposed. But despite all that, it was the dim pale look in his eyes that made him fight to stand. He couldn't be beaten here. He had to get home.

Iruka was waiting, and he wouldn't let him down. There was still so much he had to tell him, wanted to do with him. The image of Iruka's smiling face drifted to the front of his mind urging him on. That sweet voice that always called his name in a blissfully upset tone, just remembering it made him laugh. Wincing as pain pierced through his chest with the act of laughing, he stumbled on.

He could see the gates of Konoha just beyond the tree line, but he couldn't enter through them. If someone saw him they would be take him directly to the hospital, and then he would never get the chance to see Iruka. Bringing his hands together, he gathered the last bit of his chakra, and teleported himself passed the gates and directly outside Iruka's apartment. Fumbling in his pocket he reached for the spare key given to him several months ago. It was a hard earned symbol of what the two of them had.

"Almost, there," he wheezed as he tried to get the key into the lock. His hand slipped, and the key dropped from his fingers clattering to the floor. "Damn," he cursed as he bent to pick it up. His head swam with the effort. Reaching out, he steadied himself on the door. "Damn it, open up," he growled as he banged on the door. Putting the last of his strength into it he broke through the barrier keep him out. "Finally," he sighed as he fell to the floor.

Dragging himself along the entrance he worked his way further into the apartment until he reached the living room. With a soft groan he propped himself against the wall and waited. Iruka should have been arriving home from the academy soon before going to his job at the mission desk. If he waited he would get to see him. All he had to do was hold out until he came. Just a little longer, just a few more minutes and he would be able to tell him. If he could only hold out a bit more Iruka would know everything.

Still, time was slipping by and he could feel himself growing tired. As he sat there he considered the option of never getting to see Iruka, of never telling him. He couldn't let that happen. There had to be a way for him to tell him, even if he didn't come home in time. Looking around he tried to find something to write with, but found nothing. For the first time he was irritated that Iruka was so organized.  

Sitting there his mind drifted off to the place he had been not long ago. He didn't know how long he had spent in that cell, or how many times they had come for him, but he did know that he had barely managed to escape. He had tried keeping track of the days, but it proved futile when he couldn't see the sun. There was a point that he had even started to forget who he was, and to remember he had started writing his name on the cell walls. He had given up that he would be saved, and that he would leave that place alive. He had accepted he would never see Iruka again.

Then, just as he had submitted to the thought of never seeing his beloved the door opened and the silhouette of a man crossed his eyes. He couldn't see him clearly, but his ponytail and build reminded him greatly of the one he so desperately wanted to see. It was with that reminder that he fought to escape. He wasn't sure how it happened, but he managed to get free.

Now he was sitting in Iruka's house, waiting for him to come home. The light was starting to dim, and his sight was blurring. This was it; the end was finally upon him. Sighing he leaned back and closed his eyes. He really wished he could have said it.

"-ashi. Kakashi," the sound was distant, but it was definitely the sound of Iruka's voice that drew him back to the light. "Kakashi!" Iruka shouted as he knelt over him. "Hold on, I'm taking you to the hospital."

"Iruka," Kakashi gasped and reached up to touch the brunet's face. A sad smile split his lips as he looked at the pained expression on his love's face. "I loved you, Iruka." As the words left him his hand fell and his eyes closed.

"Kakashi!" Iruka screamed as the other went limp in his arms. "No, Kakashi! Wake up, wake up now!" he cried as he held him. "Don't leave me! I-I love you too."

xXx Lamented Love xXx

Iruka sat beside a hospital bed. His eyes were red rimmed, his hair was in disarray, and his face was pale. Tsunade had finished with the surgery only moments ago, and now it was all up to Kakashi. Iruka knew the jounnin had a strong will to live, but he wasn't sure if that would be enough this time. His last words to him were so much like a farewell that he wasn't positive he had the will to come back to him.

"Please," Iruka whispered as he reached for Kakashi's hand and held it tight, "Please open your eyes and tell me those words again." Iruka closed his eyes and put his whole heart into the silent and honest wish. He didn't want to lament what he never realized he had. He didn't want to release this love now that it was finally returned. "Kakashi," he sobbed as a tear slid from his eye.

"-ruka," the silent, almost ghost like voice drifted to the chunnin's ears. Opening his eyes Iruka looked at the figure lying in the bed. His breath stopped, and his heart pounded as he watched Kakashi's eyes drift open.

The End