Title: Forever loved, forever missed!
Characters: Kakashi Hatake, Minato Namikaze
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Friendship
Ranking: T
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto...
Warning: Character Death, OOC
Beta: No! I don't have one.
A/N: Before you start reading. Please look above. It's not beta read. English isn't my mother-tongue, so I'm really sorry, if my English is too bad. I tried my best in translating. If you want to leave a review, you are welcome to do so, but please be polite. Don't flame.
The streets of Konoha were uncrowded, because of the bad weather. It was dark and raining cats and dogs. Everyone who had the courage to go outside had an umbrella, with the exception of one young person with silver hair. His fingerless gloves were tucked away in his pants pockets. Neither the chilly air, nor his drenched Jounin-Uniform seemed to bother him. All the passers-by were staring at him, but he didn't give a damn and ignored them.
His targeted place was the memorial-stone, where all deceased heroes were engraved. Amongst them were his most important people. Although they were dead for years, the walk to the memorial-stone still was difficult. Every step was too damn painful. So, why did he do it again and again? Easy to answer. Because he needed the unbearable aches and pains it caused. Only then he knew, he was still alive and still could feel something in his cold and broken heart.
Through all those years he had changed a lot. So much that he was called: "cold-blooded" and "insensitive". He never denied it. Why should he? It was the plain truth. And all of this started with the sudden death of his father the "white fang of Konoha", who has killed himself, because of humiliation and the following desperation. When his best friend died, he was deeply hurt and hardened his heart against all. No one ever got close to him again. He was cold and distant. The complete breakdown came with the death of his beloved Sensei. Kakashi was touched to the quick.
Minato Namikaze was a wonderful person and a lot more to him than only his Sensei. The memorial-stone came into his view. He walked the last steps very carefully, almost in slow motion. Eventually, he stood in front of it. He lowered his head and took a deep breath of air. He had a big lump in his throat as he touched the cold stone with the names of his loved ones. He traced every letter of Minato's name with his forefinger. Timidly, almost anxious. His hand trembled terribly and the nagging pain deep within his heart paralyzed him. There we go again. It was back, the awful stabbing in his left eye. The eye which once was the eye of his best friend. He hated it, but also loved it. As always, it was the only eye which was filled with tears. He couldn't hold them back. They literally were flowing down his face. That's because his best friend was a crybaby. Kakashi closed his right eye, put his head back and let the somewhat warm rain, patter into his masked face. Smiling, even though it was faintly and agonizing, he thought back to all the good times he had with his Sensei.
He owed a lot to him. He didn't know where to start. Minato was always at his side. When he experienced his first loss, it was he who was there for him. That was the day, when he came home unsuspecting, to happily greet his father and tell him proudly about what he had learned at the academy. However, instead of meeting his father still lively and happy, he found his lifeless body lying in a puddle of blood on the floor. It was Minato then, who has hugged him tightly, despite of all his struggles against the comforting embrace. He didn't want to hear the kind and softly spoken words. He didn't need the warm-heartedness. He didn't want to cry over his dead father. He only wanted to be alone, but Minato didn't let go of him.
In the end it was Minato, who was crying first. It was Minato, who cared selflessly for him. He was the one, who welcomed him with open arms. He gave him food, water and all other necessities of life. He had given him a new, warm and happy home. As with the death of his father, Minato didn't leave his side when he lost his best friend. He helped him on his feet again. Thanks to his help, Kakashi managed to continue his work as a Shinobi.
God! His heart was still bleeding. He missed Minato so much. How should he ever get over this damn grievous loss of his beloved Sensei? Till this day, he couldn't believe that he really was gone forever. His heart will never heal again.
There was nothing what the hard-hearted Copy-Nin couldn't remember. Every little thing was etched in his mind forever. A breeze had sprung up. It was only as Kakashi felt a gust of wind in his face that he was aware of it. He could feel Minato's presence. It felt like he would say: "Idiot! Would you finally stop your sentimentalism. I'm here with you. I will always be by your side and watch over you." Wasn't it crazy to feel your dead Sensei all around you? When had he started believing in guardian-angels? 'Cause he saw his late Sensei as such. When he was on a single mission, where his life was hanging by a thread, Minato was always on his mind. Sometimes, he even saw him standing in front of him, holding out his hand to him. Many times he had heard his soft voice near his ear. The coldness in his heart vanished. A pleasant and comfortable warmth spread around it. As if by magic, a long forgotten smile, even if it is only faintly, played on his lips.
In spite of all his changes in his character, Minato had never turned his back on him. He was always there for him. It doesn't matter at which time of day. If he needed someone to talk, he went to him. Every time Minato listened to him quietly. Only when he was done talking, Minato started to talk. When he needed a shoulder to cry on, it had been Minato's shoulder. Nobody knew about this little secret. Whenever it was possible for Minato, he sat at home, waiting for his homecoming. Until the day, where Minato sacrificed his own life to save him and whole Konoha.
Now on entering his apartment, he was only greeted with emptiness and dead silence. The blond whom he had expected to see, had been long gone. Kakashi felt a piercing pain. He missed his bright face. He missed his warm, charming, beatific and sickly sweet smile. Tiredly he closed his sensitive eye to see it once again. Only if he did this, the agonizing pain deep inside him subsided.
He took a very special Kunai out of his Shuriken holster. It still looked the same. Whenever he touched it, he could feel Minato's warmth. He never had the guts to use it. For fear of breaking it. The mere thought of it hit the panic button. He had kept everything what reminded him of Minato. So he could look at the mementos whenever he wanted to, just to be near him once again. He was really terrified of forgetting him, when he didn't have memorabilia.
Kakashi couldn't remember to ever have met someone like Minato, who was too good-natured for the Ninja-World. He often asked himself, what he has done to deserve such a lovable and gentle person like Minato at his side. Although Minato was dead for so many years already, he still meant the world to him.
After what seemed like ages, Kakashi was home again. As every other day, he was greeted with awful silence. He felt nothing but loneliness. Would he get used to his empty and comfortless home, some day? Would he see his smiling face in front of his eyes, for the rest of his life and then wish it wasn't an illusion, but real? He walked to the bedside table and took the picture, which was placed on it, in is hand. A sad gray eye looked at the broadly grinning blond. Now that he had his beaming face close before his eye, he knew one thing for sure. Minato would always be a part of him, because the people you love are never really gone.
"Forever loved, forever missed", Kakashi whispered with a slightly broken voice. Indeed! Minato Namikaze walked beside him every day; unseen and unheard, but always near.