Chapter 13

Time ticked as he mentally prepared himself for those dreaded moments he gets to visit his best friend at the makeshift hospital. An old building taken by the rampant cases of blank ink that swept the nation in the last few years.

Truth be told, there were more pained faces he would steal some glances at before his heart would shatter.

Kakashi hated to see pain.

Even if his work would push him to cause pain to those who - let's be honest - asked for it, it did not mean he was one of those criminals who developed the sick thrill of causing it on others.

Hell, he had to undergo the psychological and mental evaluations just to be sure he wasn't showing those sings, because, either you believe it or not, that sickness will show it's ugly face.

Part of the problem was not only the physical damage the black ink, but the emotional and mental damage. He saw first hand the monster that it creates.

Normal men who would rather be stabbed than hurt the innocent would smile as they shattered bones and carved skin on battle.

Whatever it was, it brought the worst in people, rotting them from the inside out.

Children included.

Mothers who used to love their children would turn on them, children who had friends and education would end up in custody after they tried to burn down a school filled with innocents, fathers who worked hard on the field would turn to unsafe practices and fall in the pit of darkness.

Yes, evil does exist even without the horrid condition. But evil can also be created from outside factors.

Most of Kakashi's colleagues would fight it until the bitter end, pushing back on those dark thoughts that plagued their mind at every turn, leaving shadows under their eyes from the strain.

Eventually, they would fail the evaluation, sent to the camps, and undergo the inefficient treatment.

One by one, falling like domino's.

His father fell not long ago, the most honourable and kind man he ever met was found injured at the edge of the forest, he had stabbed himself once the pain became too much to bear and his mind started to darken.

He rather die than hurt his village.

Sadly, he was in the intensive unit. No visitors allowed. Only updates on his comatose condition, the spread had stopped as his body no longer responded to anything, asleep until further notice.

Maybe they had the perfect guinea pig for their purpose… find a cure.

Let us return to the present - Dark gloomy eyes stared at the entrance, people coming in and out with supplies and bad news as they rushed to deal with the impossible. The sun was high and pretty, blue skies warming his dark green uniform. It was another day of work for him, soon he would end his thoughts and focus on his blade to fight and protect.

No time to feel.

No energy to wonder.

Just focus on anything other than his closest suffering. His hand itched for the small pocketbook he used to shut his lingering thoughts.

It was a wonder how his depraved mind was willing to switch between naughty romance novels and work like night and day.

His father called it a defence mechanism against the gloom reality above him. That dark cloud that refused to rain, but he knew it would be his turn eventually.

To fall.

- "Mister Hatake. Are you going to stand there all day?" - questioned the tired woman. Her appearance masked by her protective gear. Light green scrubs, gloves and masks just like all the others who had to care for the sick.

His focus landed on those dark circles, obviously not amused by his lingering eyes, she huffed. - "Don't mind me." - he spoke under his dark mask, only covering half his face.

He would never wear those ugly surgical versions.

Passing by the woman he knew since childhood; he could never express to her how much it pained him to take a step in the building. - "It will just be a minute." - he mentioned before crossing the threshold between that promising blue sky and the grim reality behind closed doors.

From the outside, the building looks just like any other hotel, painted with bright colours and decorated windows of bricks and wood, masking to the people passing by that this place is just another hospital that cares for the rich.

Gladly, he would lie if anyone asked.

No one spoke about this place, just knew what it harbours. The harsh stigma over the sick and those who go near was reason enough for the civilians to keep distance.

The tourists and anyone visiting wouldn't bat an eye at it, they did not keep it in the map. If the enemy knew of this occurrence taking a toll on the town and the location of the sick.

There was no hope left for anyone.

He worked hard to keep secrets hidden, no one wants a witch hunt.

As his heavy steps took him to the fifth floor, something caught his attention. A lingering presence he welcomed with a breath of fresh air in a suffocating environment. He had to follow it.

Lighter than ever, he rushed. Skipping through nurses and doctors to his next destination. The closed door was just as he remembered, his best friend's room.

His military dark boots rooted him in place, was he about to find the room empty? Is he going to get the wary smiles of his friend?

What was on the other side?

His chest was heavy with doubts, on one side, he yearned to follow that presence; on the other side, he feared the painful reminder of his limited time left with his friend.

A friend he would switch places with in a heartbeat.

Before he could make up his mind, the door opened. Rays of sun bleeding through the door into the hallway, a tall man glancing at him. - "Hatake. We are in the middle of something." - the Uchiha spoke.

For a second, his mind glitched. That presence was definitely not the Madara Uchiha, there was something else messing with his mind.

Peeking behind the massive man, he focused on a blur of pink. A soft colour he would associate with a delicate flower.

A halo of light adorned the woman as she turned to him. - "Dara, what's wrong?" - she spoke, oh so softly.

- "Nothing." - the man grunted as he tried to close the door on the Hatake's face. His foot held the door open as to not lose sight of the woman, there was no way he would just allow his vision of pink just slip away.

- "Now, now Uchiha." - the Hatake spoke. - "That is no way to treat the loved ones of the patient." - his smile only showed at his crinkled eyes. The Uchiha was not amused.

- "Let him in and shut the door." - snapped his friend. Oh - right - the reason for the visit.

Using the distraction, he slipped in the room as the Uchiha slammed the door behind him. - "Dara! Don't make a ruckus." - scolded the woman.

There she sat on a chair in front of the window, her grace watching over the angry looking Uchiha sitting on the single bed. Her fine brows soften as she shifted her attention to the Uchiha's and then to him.

Green.

And a smile.

- "You must be Kakashi Hatake, Obito told us about you." - she spoke.

Said man grunted once he glanced at those dark orbs, the man was his same age but seemed as he had become older as his condition progressed. Fine lines of held pain were visible as those eyes lost their shine.

The silver-haired man casually walked to the other single bed and sat facing them. - "Indeed I am." - he glanced at the older Uchiha who just brooded at the entrance. - "And here I thought I would visit my best friend. I didn't know you -" - his eyes caught the arm his friend used to hide from others as the ink progressed to the rest of his body.

It was normal.

Not a single speck of ink could be seen as he sported a sleeveless white shirt and a frown. - "Umm… Are you ok?" - the woman spoke, unsure as her eyes scanned his form. - "Obito, is he also sick?" - she whispered.

His friend took a moment before a tug at his lips caught his attention. - "No, he is just surprised to see me." - Obito spoke, his smirk becoming more presence as his eyes showed a determination he thought was lost. - "You aren't getting rid of me yet Kakashi." - that toothy smile of his was just the start.

The start of something he yearned for.

Hope.

- "A cure." - Madara spoke next. - "But we must keep it under wraps." - he approached the stunned Hatake. - "We don't want to lose it now that we found it." - he loomed over the silver-haired man, expecting his answer.

- "Hey! I am not an "It"." - protested the pinket. A huff escaping her as she crossed her arms in defiance of the Uchiha warrior.

Was he going mad?

Kakashi had a hard time wrapping his mind around it. His relationship with the Uchiha clan had strong ties and stood upon his innate ability to hold secrets. Madara trusted he would hold - hold what? - a woman a secret?

- "You want me to act like I never saw her?" - he asked, carefully.

- "No." - he answered. - "I want you to keep her safe." -

What?

- "I still need more time. It's extensive and I must be very careful with him. For now, I can only do little at a time." - she spoke, her eyes sad with heavy words. - "I will do my best. I know there's more people in pain and- and I really want to help." - her words stumbled a little as she held on to her tears and glanced at his best friend. - "If you'd let me, of course." -

Determination shined across her body, there was something about her that he could not quite place. Something out of this world.

- "You will get the story later." - smiled Obito, his attention back to him. - "For now, meet Sakura. She is new here and needs a guide." -

Movement caught his eye, the older Uchiha had turned to the door. - "I must attend to my duties and will return." - he stopped, turned to the Hatake and spoke. - "Tell the Senju to bugger off." -

And with that. The door slammed closed. - "Dara! I told you not to create a ruckus!" - scolded the pinket, again.

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