A/N: I have no idea where this came from. Some of the stuff mentioned here won't happen for a while, but oh well. It gives you a slight glimpse of the future. :)
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Sensei's Shoulders
Slumped shoulders reflect a lot of things.
Team Seven knew this for a fact, especially since they all knew their sensei's story.
To Kakashi, they represented defeat. He couldn't save his comrades, or his own sensei from death. He couldn't save Itachi from the darkness that engulfed him. He couldn't save Sasuke from his compassion. He couldn't save Caitlin from her curse. He couldn't save Naruto from his despair.
To Sasuke, they represented secrets. Kakashi's opponents always underestimate him because of those lazy shoulders. Of course, they never did so again once they met the end of his blade. There was a hidden strength to them that was only revealed at the end of his enemy's life.
To Naruto, they represented hope. Hope was everything to Naruto, which was why he hoped that someday, maybe his sensei could stop seeing only his defeats, and start seeing what he had accomplished. Naruto hoped for a lot of things, but his sensei's happiness was one of the top things on his list.
To Caitlin, they represented strength. Her sensei held the weight of the world on his shoulders without a please or thank you. He did all that he could to stop the death of his comrades. He was a hero, even if he didn't know it.