The first time they met at the memorial stones, his world had just fallen apart again. Masako found him staring blankly at Obito's engraving; in the madness of the day, he had forgotten to bring anything to pay his respects to the fallen Uchiha. Instead, he had been too busy weathering the intense questioning of the clan elders, who seemed more concerned about the 'stolen' Sharingan than the fact that its wielder had died alone, and in agony.

"I brought some flowers."

Although she had begun her life as a ninja in earnest, this kind of loss was still foreign to her. What's more, due to Kakashi's rapid progression through the ranks, she no longer had the constant contact of that distant first year in the academy. The boy she found in mourning was almost as unfamiliar to her as the he had been the first day they met.

But her mother had taught her compassion, the sort of compassion that recognized that this prodigy was almost completely alone in spite of his genius, and it had spurred her to meet him when she heard the villagers whispering that he had been at the stone for hours.

"Thank you."

His voice was composed but empty. Taking her offered bouquet, he placed it gently on the ground. He was exhausted, too exhausted to be surprised that she had come.

(Years after, when he thought back to that horrific day, it was almost natural. She had, after all, been one of the few that offered their condolences when his father died. The carefully prepared bento that her mother had sent with her remained untouched, but the kindness of the memory had struck a light note in all the cruelty of Sakumo's passing.)

"Do you want to talk?" She wasn't entirely sure she was equipped to help him much, but she was prepared to listen.

"No."

"I'll see you around then," she said, taking her cue to leave. She couldn't even take offense, not really. Not when he was like this. "Take care, Kakashi."

When Rin died soon after, she made her way to him almost immediately, and they kept a silent vigil over the ones he had lost.

The third time they met at the memorial stones, it was her that was laying flowers for a fallen teammate. It was evening when he'd heard about that disastrous mission from Asuma; he found her there shortly after.

That was the day that he learned that while his grief was silent and unmoving, hers was the complete opposite.

"Masako," he began, before she gave him a look that made him wilt. Her red-rimmed eyes were so full of grief and anger that he would have gladly moved heaven and earth to never see either mar her features again.

"If it's something you've read out of that stupid book, I don't want to hear it. You can't tell me that Kaito's death was honorable at all – it was all because that idiot merchant was too cheap to pay for more shinobi," she snapped, turning on him. "He lied, straight to our faces! He knew what kind of people were after his goods, and he lied, and now Kaito's dead and he'll never do anything again. He'll never make jonin, he'll never see his little sister, or – or make jokes or tell Sensei off or talk about rivers or anything. How's that honorable at all?"

He bristled slightly at her hostility – he was just trying to help.

"You're putting words in my mouth."

Masako fumed in silence before she looked away, shoulders slumped. "Whatever. It's not like it was your fault anyway."

She left straight afterwards, and he didn't try to stop her.

It surprised him a little when he found Masako standing in front of him the next morning with a ready apology on her lips.

"I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

"It's okay," he said, unsure on how to accept it. It felt a little selfish, accepting an apology when she was mourning. "I'm sorry about Kaito."

She nodded, and that would have been the end of the conversation. Except –

"Want to talk about it?"

A pause, and Masako looked almost as confused as he felt. She knew that verbal emotional support wasn't his strong suit.

"Do you?"

Another pause. He was uncomfortable enough that he didn't really want to lie and answer in the affirmative. To her credit, Masako let it pass.

"No, it's okay. Thank you, though."

Relieved, he said something noncommittal and shoved his hands back into his pockets. But she wasn't finished.

"Do you want to get some breakfast with me?" At that, he nodded and motioned for her to lead the way. He understood what she was trying to say without her having to say it: she wasn't quite ready to be alone again.

Both of them walked on in companionable silence, and though she knew that it was temporary, the peace did a lot to soothe her aching heart.

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