Rose had the biggest, silliest crush on her friend's teacher.

When Sakura first introduced Kakashi to Rose, it was randomly while on a walk to get some lunch. They had stopped by Ichiraku Ramen, a place Sakura had said she visited way too often. But it was a cold day and a warm bowl of ramen had sounded like the best thing. The man was just leaving when they had arrived. While he and Sakura chatted, Rose was distracted by his white hair and the one eye she could see.

Rose was always interested in how ninja dressed. But this guy was almost covered from head to toe. He was polite, older, and when Sakura introduced Rose he called her pretty. Sakura had tried to punch him. Rose was flattered. From then on, the very short moments they had together Rose always enjoyed. He was sarcastic, honest, but also very sweet. He had a lazy way of communicating and was often late to meetings. Rose fell for him immediately.

Whenever Kakashi was around Rose found she couldn't help herself and always ended up following him with her eyes. This allowed her to catch the moments he probably thought no one saw. Like moving quickly to adjust someone's seat, moments before they sat, so that the person wouldn't fall on their behind.

Or rubbing the back of someone who was coughing.

There was this one-time Kakashi had grabbed the collar of his student's shirt, Naruto – who Rose had met after having known Kakashi for a few weeks. The blonde proceeded to whine that Kakashi was abusive. Except the blonde hadn't realized that the doors they were walking by was about to slam into him, and probably take off one of his toes.

Rose, being one of the Hokage's assistants, usually caught Kakashi slipping out of the Hokage's office. Every time he would just smile at her, or at least she assumed he was smiling from the crinkle of his eye, and with a quick wave to him she would then pretend to not see him as he escaped Tsunade's wrath.

Kakashi was always doing little or weird acts like this, but Rose could see plainly the love he had for his friends, students, his village.

After almost a year living in the Village Hidden in the Leaves Rose and Kakashi had a budding friendship, and sometimes they would even have lunch together. So, Rose knew that finding Kakashi around Konoha staring at nothing was not a rare occurrence. Kakashi always seemed to live in his own world, especially when he was alone. What was different this time around was how much angrier his gaze seemed. Rose knew something was going in his head, and it wasn't good.

O ~ O ~ O ~ O ~ O ~ O

Nothing lasts forever.

It was the cold hard truth Kakashi had come to terms with. Time and time again.

Yet every time something comes to an end he is never prepared for it. The loss leaves him more broken and hallow on the inside each time. His life was jaded, an effect of all the loss and sadness. Although his life was filled again with meaningful people he loved very much, there were moments, like this moment, where Kakashi was afraid to go onto to the next day for fear of losing someone precious.

"Kakashi." The quiet call of his name pulled him out of his depressing thoughts. He glanced up from his cold bowl of soup. Rose smiled shyly down at him. He motioned for his friend to sit and she quickly took his invitation and sat, placing a quick hand on his shoulder in greeting. "You're okay?" Rose was always very good at reading people. She wasn't much good for many things like cooking and fighting and cleaning. But she was skilled at the thing Kakashi thought was most important. People.

"Just pondering."

Rose smiled softly at him with a tilt of her head, a smile that meant it's more than that but I won't push. It was a smile that made it difficult not to open up to Rose. Her presence demanded that of you. To open up and share your weight with her, and let her comfort you and say things were okay. He'd seen her do it a thousand times for his students and her friends. Yet every time she was sincere about it, and she never complained. Strangely, she never needed the comforting. Kakashi wondered if she had it so lucky that this world looked fondly upon her and made sure her days were as painless as they could be. It wouldn't be a far reach. Rose was someone the world could do no harm to. She was faultless to Kakashi, and to everyone. He couldn't believe there existed such a person that could hate her.

"It's quiet depressing, actually."

"You don't want to tell me?"

"It's my best friend's death anniversary. Or rather, his second death anniversary. He has two."

Rose's brows furrowed in confusion but she didn't question it and instead looked appropriately sad for him. "Oh. Sorry."

"You did nothing."

Rose placed her hand over his for a quick moment. Her hand was warm enough that Kakashi felt it through his gloves. "I feel bad that you're in pain."

"You pity me?"

"I'm sorry I can't do anything to help." She corrected softly.

This made Kakashi smile the slightest under his mask. She had no obligation to feel anything for him. Yet there she was. Her gesture and words warmed Kakashi's cold heart.

"It's okay." She then said. "You won't always be sad."

Kakashi leaned back in his seat. "You are right about that."

Kakashi wasn't so sad now that Rose was here.