Title Refraction
Author Uozumi
Genre General
Rating G
Disclaimer I do not own nor claim to own this. The characters, ect...contained within are not my property. This is an act of fandom and I do not make a profit from this endeavor.
Summary Kakashi reflects on Team Seven. Set in the current chapters.

Refraction

When Kakashi heard he would have one of the Uchiha under his care, he braced himself. The wound left by Obito still bled and he prepared himself for it to open wider. This was a way for him to atone for his sins, and maybe a way to thank Obito for the Sharigan. He expected the boy to be a reminder, however, he was wrong.

When he met Sasuke, he didn't see Obito at all. The boy was brooding and would rather go off on his own it seemed. What Kakashi began to see was himself in Sasuke, and slightly hoped he could keep the boy from repeating his mistakes. Yet, Sasuke seemed less cold than he had been.

He knew better than to begin likening this squad to the one he had back when he was a Genin. Yet, he couldn't help it. Naruto looked too much like his sensei and Sakura was too much like Rin, though he didn't remember Rin ever being that obsessed with a boy. Both girls were strong chakra users, but both at first appeared the weakest of the group. Kakashi didn't mean to neglect Sakura, but he had rarely paid attention to Rin. She was the medic, she always took care of them, but in the end, he was rarely involved with her.

He didn't mean to distance himself from Naruto either. Many could understand that it wasn't because of the Kyûbi. Naturally only Kakashi could mentor Sasuke, so it would make sense that the other students would be left behind. Yet, Naruto, as much as he looked like Sensei, was the one who reminded Kakashi of Obito the most. Naruto was a different brand of loud, but the drive to prove himself was just as strong. Sometimes when Naruto challenged Sasuke, Kakashi could almost hear Obito's voice layered over his, the challenge very similar.

Sometimes he wonders if that's why he was protective yet distant. He knew that he couldn't teach both Sasuke and Naruto intensively in preparation for the Chûnin Exams, so he chose Sasuke and shoveled Naruto off on Ebisu, only to have Jiraiya take over. The irony didn't escape Kakashi who had seen his sensei's team picture many times. Yet, where many saw the Yondaime as Naruto grew, Kakashi still saw Obito.

As Sakura grew, he saw Rin more and more. They would run into each other periodically when he wasn't on a mission and she wasn't training with Tsunade. With her obsessive proclamations of love for Sasuke gone, she showed a more studious and serious side. Sometimes when she saw him, she would talk to him for a few minutes. He could remember some of the things Rin used to say to Sensei and found her voice layered over Sakura's. He didn't know if his sensei ever split his attention equally between his members, but Kakashi did know that he might have received the most.

Sitting in his hospital bed, he tries to imagine what will happen when Naruto and Sakura finally catch up to Sasuke. He knows that he shouldn't, but there's nothing else to think about in the monotonous room. Soon he will be released and then he will be able to catch up with his students and their new captain Yamato.

Looking out the window, he can't help but think he has a bad feeling about all of this.

The End

Short and cracktastic, I know, but I kind of liked writing it.