Warning: really mushy, yaoi, yuri, het, and various pairings...

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, blah blah blah

AN: (Honeysuckle – bonds of love) This particular chapter is a side story of that one flashback in chapter two of Dolphins Are Supposed To Swim, only in Kakashi's P.O.V.... Anyway, on with the show!!!!! Opens curtains

"A" = speech

A = thoughts

A = actions/sound effects

{A = authors notes on story

[A] = authors notes

&A& = flashback

= P.O.V./scene change

{Bouquets of Honeysuckle}

KAKASHI

Kakashi sighed as he walked dejectedly towards the monument, holding a loosely wrapped bouquet of yarrow [AN: Yes, this is a flower...] and red carnations. He read the card attached to it absentmindedly.

Carnations red, alas! my poor heart : Yarrow, when healing has come to part

He scowled. What bull...Kakashi thought, fingering the plentiful, miniscule white flowers and the paper-thin, red carnations. As red as spilt blood... He looked up and spotted the huge stone, surrounded by incense and other flowers. Kakashi walked up, placing the flowers next to the many other ones, and lightly fingered the carved names of Konoha's dead. He was constantly reminded of what he did wrong when he looked at the slab of concrete before him, and his hand straying over one name in particular. Oibito...To his dismay, his thoughts led to his dead friend's forever smiling figure. Kakashi felt something wet slide down his face, and he brushed it off with his fingers. When was the last time I cried? He thought, inspecting the tears. Since that night...His mind was over filled with memories, memories of the dreadful night of Oibito's assassination. He used to lay awake at night, just laying there, staring up at the ceiling, going over the details in his mind. His tears renewed and it soon became rather uncomfortable, crying with his hitai-at band covering one of his eyes. He slowly took it off, letting the restrained wetness free. He stood there, crying shamelessly, staring at the carved name of his best friend. Kakashi suddenly felt someone walk over and stand beside him and he glanced over to see whom it was. Umino Iruka had obviously walked over without him noticing and he dejectedly continued looking at the stone. He had met Iruka already and was usually at the blunt end of his wrath, what with him being Naruto's teacher and all. He was actually quite famous throughout the town, due to his kind and responsible nature. He doesn't seem so special to me...Kakashi thought, but was surprisingly interrupted.

"I...miss them too..."

Kakashi's eyes widened and he turned to the softly smiling dolphin. Iruka looked back at him smiling kindly. His eyes held an unknown understanding, as if he knew what he was thinking. As he stared into Iruka's face he finally took in his facial features that had gone unnoticed. Like the scar that crossed the bridge of his nose, the way his eyes showed everything that was hidden deep inside his heart, how the angles of his face were formed just so, how he kept his hair tied up in a bushy ponytail. Kakashi could feel all the blood rush to his cheeks, and a hot blush crept up his neck, going unnoticed due to his mask. Iruka's actually...kind of...cute... The chuunin continued smiling at him before he spoke again.

"My mother once said, that when you die, no one is truly gone...you just look around, and there they are." Iruka smiled that knowing smile once again before turning around and walking away.

Kakashi stared at him as he left, quickly regretting what he was thinking earlier on. He smiled warmly under his mask. You really are...quite special...He thought as he continued to gaze at the retreating dolphin that would unknowingly break through his shell and steal his heart.



AN: Read Dolphins Are Supposed To Swim, if you want to know what happens later...cough LEMON cough Thanks much!!!!!!