Lifetime Heartbreak: Kakashi x Reader

| River

The summer heat shimmered across the trees of Konoha, making even shinobi-in-training too lazy to train properly. Y/N Uzumaki and Kakashi Hatake had abandoned the training ground in favor of the river that wound behind the hills near the edge of the village.

Kakashi POV

I found her down by the river, barefoot and grinning like she'd just robbed the Hokage's office and gotten away with it. Her red hair caught the sunlight in a way that made it glow, and the loose tie at the back of her head kept slipping lower every time she moved. She looked completely at peace, toes splashing in the cool stream like the war outside the village's borders didn't exist.

I crossed my arms and frowned. "We should be training."

She didn't even look at me—just splashed a small wave in my direction with her foot.

"We are training," she said, smirking. "Training in chakra control, stealth, and very advanced water techniques."

I arched an eyebrow. "That sounded made up."

She shrugged. "You're just mad I'm better at relaxing than you."

I hated to admit it, but... she was right. Sometimes it felt like she was better at everything–not because she tried harder, but because she let herself to breathe. I had forgotten what that was like.

Then she spoke. "Do you ever think about... what we're doing all this for?"

The question caught me off guard.

I turned to look at her. "What do you mean?"

"Training, missions, and becoming a shinobi. It's like... we're always preparing for something, but I don't what I want at the end of it."

I didn't answer her right away. Mostly because... I didn't know either.

"I don't think we are supposed to know," I said slowly. "We just keep moving forward."

She turned to me, eyes narrowed in thought.
"That's kinda sad, isn't it?"

"Not if you've got someone to walk forward with."

The words left me before I could think. I immediately regretted it. Too open. Too real.

I could feel her eyes looking at me.

"That was.. weirdly sweet," she teased.

My ears heat up, but I kept my voice calm. "Don't get used to it."

And then she laughed. The laugh—light, full of life—it stayed with me longer than I liked to admit. It stirred something in me—something that had nothing to do with rivalry or teammates or competition.

I liked that laugh.

I wanted hear it again.

We stayed at the river until the sky turned orange and gold. As they made their way back to the village, she nudge my elbow.

"Same time tomorrow?"

"Yeah. Same time."

And even though I wouldn't say it out loud, walking beside her made me feel like maybe—just maybe—I'm heading somewhere worth going.

As we walked, I found myself watching the way she moved. The way wind played in her hair. And for the for time in a long time, I wasn't thinking about training or missions.

I was thinking about her.

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