Prompt: Light | Title: Suddenly I See - 500 words
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A single moment changes everything.
Before: Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura were his students and now they are jounin; his equals, his teammates, his friends. Naruto is still loud and obnoxious, Sasuke is still sulky and irritable, and Sakura's temper hasn't waned even a little. But then Naruto is also wiser, Sasuke has found the courage to live well in revenge, and Sakura has accepted that soft doesn't mean weak.
It could have been so much worse. Somehow Kakashi knows that he is lucky, blessed, fortunate - whatever you want to call it - that his students are happy and thriving, and that the world hasn't imploded (because he knows it could have been so much different; they all have the capability of making the world go down in flames). Kakashi hasn't lost anyone and he is not alone, and he's more content than he's ever been.
A single moment changes everything.
After: He can't sleep. His training has suffered from his bad concentration and lethargy. He can't even read Icha Icha because the heroines are somehow all her now. There's nowhere he can go that doesn't remind him of her in some way. She even has the audacity to ask if he's alright, comment that he's flushed, press her hand against his forehead.
Her palm is cool against his heated skin. He likes the feel of her touch too much and he despairs because this was never a problem before.
A single moment changes everything.
The Moment: He was practicing with Naruto and Sasuke. Sakura was at the hospital. This is all very normal. Sometimes she comes late to workout with them. Most times her shifts run long.
It's the middle of the summer and swelteringly hot. She arrives just as they're taking a seat in the grass beneath a large oak tree. She's wearing a white sundress and there is a light sheen to her skin; as airy and fresh as she looks, no one escapes the humidity.
She's brought popsicles. His eye crinkles.
It isn't until ten minutes later it happens. Naruto says something idiotic, Sasuke calls him on it, and she laughs. This, too, is very normal. But Kakashi's eye lingers, is caught by the weak rays of the setting sun shining through her hair. He finds himself wondering if her hair is as soft as it looks, and has her bottom lip always been that pink and pouty? Her skin is damp from the humidity and he can smell her. Sakura does not wear artificial fragrances and her natural scent is so faint and light he usually has to make an effort to catch it on the breeze. He breathes deeply and his gaze follows the curve of her jaw, down her neck, lingers where her pulse is pounding.
When he catches himself wondering what her skin would taste like Kakashi finds a reason to leave immediately.
Now that he's seen her, really seen her, he can't go back to before.
It only takes a moment.
