New Paths

Kakashi sat relaxed on the living room couch, his back against the soft armrests, legs slightly bent. In his hand, he held a book he had randomly pulled from the shelf. It was about weapons and their tactical use—a work Kakashi had probably read multiple times to grasp every detail and find new inspiration. As he flipped through it now, he felt a certain boredom, but it was still better than nothing.

His father had spent the morning weeding the garden, and Kakashi had helped him. Working side by side with his father was a soothing experience. In the past, when he was truly five years old, he preferred training over helping in the garden. But now he recognized the importance of these shared moments. By midday, he felt fatigue slowly creeping over him. He had noticed his exhaustion yesterday evening when he came home, even though he hadn't exerted himself excessively. He hoped it was just the aftermath of chakra depletion, but feared it was more because he was a child again.

Kakashi remembered how frustrating it used to be when he got tired around midday and his concentration waned. Minato had always had to persuade him to take a longer break, explaining that it was not unusual and normal for his age. Over time, Kakashi had learned to adapt to his training days and cope better. It felt strange to him to be so quickly exhausted again. The situation became even more uncomfortable when his father noticed and sent him inside. Kakashi had tried to hide it as best as he could, but his father was just too observant.

Sitting on the couch, Kakashi immersed himself in his book, waiting for his father to come in. Sakumo was supposed to go to the Hokage's office today to receive his mission. At least Kakashi was convinced it should happen today. Yet his father hadn't mentioned a word about it. Doubts began to creep into Kakashi's mind about whether he might have gotten something wrong.

He set the book on his lap and glanced at the wall clock. Already 2 pm. Kakashi frowned, wondering if he had missed something. His thoughts were interrupted when his father entered the living room. Kakashi immediately turned his gaze to the door and was greeted by a gentle smile from his father. "I thought you might have fallen asleep. You looked very tired." Sakumo approached Kakashi, stroked his head once, and settled next to him on the couch. "What are you reading?"

Kakashi slowly closed the book and held it in his hands, looking at it. "It's about ninja weapons and their proper use," Kakashi replied, meeting his father's gaze. Sakumo smiled and leaned back on the couch.

"Thank you for helping me so diligently this morning. I didn't think gardening would be your thing," he remarked kindly, looking at Kakashi with interest.

Kakashi shrugged slightly. "I just enjoyed spending time with you," he said with a gentle smile, noticing the surprise in his father's eyes. As a child, Kakashi hadn't been particularly open, not even with his father. He had never really expressed how much he loved his father. In his childhood, he believed he had to show his affection through hard training and the desire to become a strong shinobi. But now he knew his father loved him and he didn't need to prove himself anymore; his father was already proud of Kakashi. "What do you have planned for today?" Kakashi asked curiously to break the emerging silence.

Sakumo seemed surprised by Kakashi's statement and wasn't sure how to react at first. But Kakashi's question brought him back from his thoughts. "It's good you bring that up," he began with a slight smile. "The Hokage asked me to stop by his office today. I assume it's about a mission. So I'll have to head out again shortly. I thought about picking up some food on the way back so we don't have to cook and can spend the evening together. What do you think?"

Internally, Kakashi felt a slight pang as he realized he was right. Sakumo would receive his mission today. The thought hurt, considering this might be their last carefree evening together. Still, Kakashi managed to keep his emotions in check and not show any of it. "That sounds great!" he confirmed. His father nodded and leaned back comfortably. He closed his eyes gently and seemed to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere.

Kakashi watched his father and carefully reviewed his plan once more. Quiet doubts began to spread in his mind—was this really the right way? He knew his father would worry if he felt unwell. But Kakashi was convinced he had dosed the poison correctly, so it shouldn't be life-threatening. His gaze wandered around the room, but he saw no other way to save his father. Determinedly, he focused his gaze back on Sakumo, tightened his grip on the book in his hand, and felt a firm resolve within himself: he wanted to save his father at all costs and spend more time with him. For that, he would risk everything.

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Kakashi glanced out the window, watching as his father made his way to the Hokage's office. Knowing the meeting would take a while, he seized the opportunity for a little excursion. Once he was sure his father had enough distance, he slipped into his sandals and set out. With his hands in his pockets, he strolled through the streets, careful to avoid the busy paths.

It didn't take long for Kakashi to reach his destination. He briefly lifted his gaze and then walked through the gate into the cemetery. With determined steps, he headed toward a particular grave. Once there, he pulled his hands out of his pockets and fixed his gaze on the tombstone. Slowly, he squatted down and gently ran his small hand over the stone. "Hello, Mom," he murmured softly. He longed for the tranquility of the cemetery, and luckily, there weren't many graves he needed to visit at this time.

Even though Kakashi had never met his mother, he visited from time to time. Especially after his father's death, he felt the need to return to this place more often and take care of this grave as well. Before his suicide, Sakumo had lovingly tended to his wife's grave. Over the years, however, the visits had become less frequent.

Kakashi's mother had died when he was just four months old. She had also been a shinobi, an experienced kunoichi, as his father often told him. But she had fallen into an ambush with her team and lost her life. Especially when Kakashi was younger, he often missed his mother, particularly when his father was away on missions. But over time, he learned to cope with it and accepted the situation.

"I'm sorry I haven't been here in so long. I've been busy," he began and paused briefly as his gaze wandered through the peaceful surroundings. "I've gotten myself into a bit of a bind and traveled back in time," he continued, refocusing his gaze on the tombstone.

"This time, I'll do things differently, I promise! I'll make sure Dad doesn't have to die," Kakashi said resolutely. He sighed deeply and looked up at the sky. "You don't need to worry, but to save Dad, I have to take a risk. I've thought everything through carefully," he added. His gaze returned to the tombstone. It felt good to voice his thoughts. Of course, there was no response—and that was okay. For Kakashi, it had always been helpful to simply speak his thoughts out loud.

Even after becoming Hokage, Kakashi often found himself drawn to the memorial stone to talk about what was on his mind. This place helped him clarify his thoughts. The many meetings he had to attend as the leader often felt burdensome and overwhelming. Yet the elders insisted on their regular gatherings. Kakashi complied with their demands but made it clear what he thought of these meetings. He wasn't always punctual and only participated when the topics were truly important.

Kakashi sat down in front of the tombstone, enjoying the peaceful silence around him. He wanted to pause for a moment before moving on. As he lingered there, he kept his gaze fixed on the tombstone. The question of what it would be like to have a mother crossed his mind. Whenever he thought about it, Kushina automatically came to mind. If he had to answer, he would say that Kushina had made him feel like he had a mother. But he had pushed her away, just like Minato.

He quickly pushed his thoughts aside and refocused. He couldn't afford to be distracted. Soon, he would head home and prepare for what lay ahead. Slowly, Kakashi stood up, gently ran his hand over the tombstone one last time in farewell, and smiled tenderly. "Everything will be okay, I promise, Mom! Once I've saved Dad, I'll come back to you," he whispered softly and then turned away.

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Arriving home, Kakashi removed his sandals and immediately headed to the bedroom. He opened his closet and reached for the vial with precision. It didn't take long before he held it in his hands. Leaning against the closet door, he took a deep breath to calm himself. Everything was fine, and everything would be fine.

Pushing off from the closet gently, he sat at his desk. Carefully, he placed the vial on it, leaned back in his chair, and crossed his arms. His eyes drifted to the small clock on the table. He had about half an hour to wait before taking the poison. Kakashi estimated the effects to kick in within thirty minutes to an hour. The exact time didn't matter; what mattered was that his father was nearby.

Kakashi stared at the second hand, feeling time drag painfully slow. But within him, he felt a growing tension he hadn't felt in a long time. He remembered a similar feeling when Sasuke left the village and Naruto followed him with a team. The tension grew with each step forward in his search for them. He didn't know what to expect, and the unknown only intensified his nervousness.

When he found Naruto back then, his heart ached momentarily. The overwhelming fear that gripped him was hard to put into words. For a brief moment, he thought Naruto was dead, and he knew he could never forgive himself. He had made many mistakes, especially in his relationship with Naruto. The guilt of not being there for the boy haunted him to this day. He felt indebted to Kushina and Minato.

Kakashi grabbed the vial, opened it, and fixed his eyes on it. He tightened his grip, eyes shifting back to the clock. Without hesitation, he took the poison. After swallowing it, he lowered his arm slowly, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes for a moment. Opening them again, he carefully destroyed the vial to leave no traces.

Deciding to go to the living room and continue reading his book while waiting, Kakashi noticed after a few minutes that the letters started to blur and his vision became fuzzy. He closed the book and stood up; his heart began to beat faster. Frowning, he looked at the clock: only ten minutes had passed since he took the poison. Had he miscalculated the dosage?

Kakashi set the book aside and rose from the couch. As he took a few steps, a sharp pain suddenly shot through his entire body. He stopped abruptly, clenched his fists, and stared at the floor with wide eyes. His breathing accelerated, and his body began to tremble. The effects were much faster than Kakashi had anticipated.

"Damn it!" Kakashi whispered, trying to move forward. Each step was torture. His body felt like lead, and he seemed to slowly lose control. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and the trembling in his limbs intensified as the pain grew more intense. The violent reaction of his body made Kakashi worry that he had made a mistake.

He paused when he heard the front door open. His gaze shifted to the hallway, hearing the rustle of bags and his father's voice: "I'm home!" Kakashi tried to respond, but no words came out; his body no longer obeyed him. "Kakashi?" his father called out again, while Kakashi couldn't move any further. The pain was overwhelming. Footsteps approached, growing louder. His father appeared in the doorway, a bag with their dinner in hand. A smile faded quickly from his father's face, replaced by concern. "There you are."

Kakashi looked at his father with wide eyes, sweat streaming down his forehead. The smile on his father's face quickly disappeared, replaced by a worried look. He stepped closer to Kakashi. "What's wrong, Kakashi?" Genuine concern was evident in his voice.

Kakashi tried to speak but couldn't. His legs gave out, threatening to send him to the floor. Quickly, his father dropped the bag and caught Kakashi. With a worried look, he held him tightly, panic in his eyes as Kakashi's breath came in gasps and his vision blurred. "Dad..." Kakashi murmured between breaths.

His father removed Kakashi's mask to help him breathe and soothingly ran his fingers through his hair. "It's okay, Kashi. I'm here; everything will be okay," he reassured, though panic was evident in his voice. Although Kakashi could hardly think clearly at that moment, he felt his father's effort to remain calm. Sakumo's grip on Kakashi tightened as he firmly said, "Don't worry; I'll take you to the hospital."

More dots danced before Kakashi's eyes, and unconsciousness seemed to envelop him. He hadn't expected such a strong reaction; breathing became more difficult, and he seemed to lose more and more feeling in his body. A cool breeze brushed against him, and he felt his father rushing with him over the rooftops of Konoha, holding him close.

Kakashi's thoughts moved slowly, but he was certain he had miscalculated the dosage of the poison. He had underestimated his childlike body. Panic rose within him, but he quickly forced himself to calm down. In the Anbu, he had learned to handle such situations. He needed to stay calm, try to slow down his heartbeat and breathing to reduce the spread of the poison. Even if it might be too late, Kakashi switched to survival mode, which he had perfected in the Anbu.

While his father raced unyieldingly through the village, Kakashi's gaze lazily wandered to the sky. His vision was blurry, and he could barely make out a bright, blue sea. He wondered if it would really be so bad to die now. He had died once before; he actually feared neither death nor dying itself. His biggest fear was dying alone, but now, here in his father's arms, it would at least be comforting.

If he were to die now, at least the others would have a chance to live without being put in danger by his presence. Obito and Rin could be on a different team, maybe they would never have to go to the Kannabi Bridge. Obito wouldn't have to sacrifice himself for Kakashi and wouldn't be exposed to Madara's influence. Rin could be safe, never kidnapped or made into a Jinchuuriki, not having to shield herself from Kakashi's Chidori. Minato and Kushina could still be alive; Obito wouldn't attack the village or unleash the Kyuubi. They all would have a chance to continue living, even if Kakashi died.

Slowly, Kakashi's gaze returned to his father. He wondered how his father would cope with his death. Would he ever be able to move past Kakashi's loss? It seemed almost unimaginable that his father could ever forgive himself. A lump formed in Kakashi's throat. If he were to die now, he wouldn't have been able to save his father. But maybe his friends would support him, encourage him. The village would stand by him, and that could give his father the strength to go on.

A sharp pain shot through Kakashi's body, pulling him out of his thoughts. He tensed up, grasping for a breathing technique he had learned in the Anbu. Soft words reached his ears, and he looked up at his father, who was looking at him with clear panic in his eyes. "You have to hang on, Kashi! I'm with you," his father said firmly. Kakashi smiled weakly and closed his eyes. Unconsciousness pulled him under, and he didn't know if he would ever wake up again, but his father was with him.

"I love you, Dad," he whispered with his last strength before finally slipping into unconsciousness, comforted by the warmth of his father and the knowledge that he was not alone.