Title: Patterns
Fandom: Naruto
Rating: PG-13
Pairings: none
Warnings: Written before Kakashi Gaiden. Well, before the end of it anyway. I guessed wrong. Tough luck.
Summary: Kakashi's life is full of ordered chaos.
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After his father's death, Kakashi distanced himself from emotions and lived by rules.
One teacher and two team mates blasted this resolution into tiny bits. Kakashi didn't look back. Obito was pleased with himself.
After his teacher's death, Kakashi distanced himself from people.
Noticeably more than usual, or so his best friend claimed as he was dragged into various social circles and found an eternal rival. Kakashi's stealth and dodging techniques never improved more. Obito laughed like a loon.
After his best friend's death, Kakashi distanced himself from emotions again.
No one caring enough was left to drag him back. Kakashi examined his situation dispassionately. He had enough grief to not mind death, and enough anger to never go down easy. He joined the ANBU.
In four years, he carved a name for himself as an implacable hunter that glared death from mismatched eyes. At the end of that period, rage spent, he stopped running and came back to Konoha.
His first act was to pay his respects at the Memorial Stone. His second was to linger there well into the night.
His third was to be late at his meeting with Hogake-sama the next day.
The excuse blurted out before he had time to think about it. He had gotten lost on the road of life. The old man nodded and remarked he was there now.
Kakashi was there now and he had come back home on his own.
Obito, he thought, would be glad.
… Mostly.
END.