-1Silver hair caught a light breeze and softly rustled; a glove covered hand touched cold stone and the owner sighed lowly. Kakashi ignored the impending storm, the darkening sky holding nothing for him but gloom. It had been decades since they had died and yet he still couldn't get over it; he rubbed his eye under his headband and sighed again as he fell to his knees. His voice was a whisper, "Damn you, Obito." Thunder rolled across the clouds and lightening flashed as a few drops of rain landed on the cold stone in front of him; marking the names of his friends with a gentle splash. "Damn you, Rin." His fists clenched as they pulled the wet grass from the ground, his voice lowered to a soft whisper, "Sensei…."
The copy-nin hardly called his old teacher by that name anymore - only when it hurt the most did it slip. Only when he needed that warm hand on his shoulder; that soft reassurance that everything would be alright again. He, the famous copy ninja, the aloof and calm one - had never let anyone get close to him after his sensei died. But those kids that had slowly worked their way into his heart; who reminded him of what could have been between the four of his companions. His dark eye almost closed as his hand slowly crept to edge of the stone to an empty spot; he hoped the name that took that spot wouldn't be one of his students.
He needed them; they had brought hope back to him. The Hokage knew that putting him in a jounin spot to teach would make him feel again; something he didn't want to do anymore. He was worried for Sasuke; he didn't know if he had changed, if Naruto could bring him back this time. His heart ached for his students, especially the tender hearted Sasuke. A thumb caressed the name of his female companion whom he had ignored; his biggest regret was that he had never noticed her until it was too late. Sakura was so much like her that he had a hard time keeping the tears in at times; his little blossom was suffering for her love. She kept most of the hurt inside; what she did let out was only a small part of the pain she was feeling. If she let out more, she would die.
"Naruto," Kakashi whispered and his fingers danced over engraved words of the one who gave him his red eye. "He's just like you, Obito." The fox child was loud, passionate, and more than just a little dense; but his hurt was deeper than the others. They all missed Sasuke; but Naruto took it especially hard and that the jounin could understand. Seeing Obito die was the same as Naruto seeing Sasuke walk away from him; the person he once knew, once fought beside, was now someone he didn't know. So many regrets the copy-nin had that it was overwhelming; not being able to protect the one's closest to him nearly killed him.
From his pocket the silver headed jounin pulled a scratched headband and squeezed it in his palm, "Don't end up like me Sasuke… it's the deepest hell you've ever been in."