Prologue
Every time, Kakashi would lose him.
No matter what he did, their paths would always cross. But Iruka would never remember. It would be in a different place, different time, sometimes a different world. And Iruka had never seen Kakashi Hatake before. But Kakashi knew him. And Kakashi always, always remembered. No matter how desperately he wished he could forget, he knew that he always would.
He remembered the beautiful brown eyes, and the warmth that had glowed in them that first time they met. Those eyes, that smile, were the only things that could melt the ice around his heart. But it wasn't always like that. Each time Kakashi met him, Iruka was different. Yet, somehow, he was always the same. Or perhaps it was simply that Kakashi always loved him with everything he had, no matter who Iruka had become.
Sometimes, Iruka would be happy, his eyes shining with the life that had first drawn Kakashi to him. In those times Kakashi would be happy as well, even if there was no room for him in Iruka's peaceful life. But other times… Kakashi swore what was left of his heart shattered into pieces.
No matter what, Kakashi was always there. Sometimes for years, sometimes only weeks. But every time, he would lose Iruka. And every time, Kakashi's heart would break.