3

The Skating Rink:

Friendship that flows from the heart cannot be frozen by adversity, as the water that flows from the spring cannot congeal in winter.

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Kakashi loved this time of year for the exact same reason he was bitter about it.

His father, it seemed, was always in the back of his mind. Like some omnipresent force, he always managed to sneak up into a memory of whatever Kakashi was doing.

On missions; he would remember how his dad would try and go as fast as possible to complete his own missions so he could be there to walk Kakashi home from the academy. Training; he remembered his father's lessons ringing throughout his head, 'You got this Kakashi, now gather your chakra, and yes! You did it!' His father always narrated exactly what Kakashi did while trying to teach him something, like he was trying to walk him through it. When Kakashi ate at a 'come and go joint', he would remember how his father, at least twice a week took his time to prepare a big meal for himself and his son. They would sit at the table together, and Sakumo would listen to everything that happened to Kakashi during his training at the academy that day. Kakashi hadn't had a real home cooked meal since…heck, he couldn't even remember.

Kakashi tried to float through life like his father had done, like Obito could so easily do, but he still had a hard time achieving that goal. Kakashi thought these things whenever he shoveled down his food at that fast food joint, when he ran by his luxurious kitchen because he didn't want to cook, when he spent days out on missions just to clear his head. He tried, but that didn't mean he always succeeded.

Even when Kakashi was at the market he would remember his father letting people pass him in line when they had a lot of children, or just looked particularly worn out. As always in the leaf village, the first to come in line got the best pick of the fresh food at the stand. The fresh food was only kept at the front and had to be the last thing customers picked up, and Kakashi only wanted fresh food today. Kakashi was about to rip his hair out when he saw the line was all the way back like fifteen people! He didn't know how his dad found the patience to survive so peacefully because Kakashi couldn't help looking down the other shop aisles and trying to figure out which one was smallest. He stopped himself just barely from looking at the groceries the others were carrying, and figuring out which person would get through the line first.

It was early on Friday morning, but as it goes with unreliable news stations, it hadn't snowed like predicted.

Kakashi wished it would snow, but instead, Konoha received a shitty ice storm!

Everything; all the trees, plants, the ground, and houses, heck some of his Christmas lights even shattered from the cold, were all covered in sheet after sheet of ice.

It was a complete nightmare to walk around in, slipping and sliding everywhere Kakashi went.

He loved when it snowed, but he hated when it iced.

Kakashi was very nearly put in a sour mood. He first woke up to find Konoha to be an iced hell, second, he stubbed his toe walking to the bathroom, third, his new pup in training, Shiba, peed on the floor, then he made a disgusting batch of Fruit Cake. This was the first year he felt brave enough to try and recreate his dad's fruit cake recipe, even if he hated all fruit cake, he wanted to make it for memories sake. And lastly, he found that he lost the grocery list he had made the other night, Kakashi blamed Pakkun, even if the ninken swore he never touched his precious list.

The only thing that saved his mood for the day, was that fact that he saw a particularly familiar 'duck butt' hair styled head at the back of a line three shops away.

Kakashi slid out of his line, much to the couple of people that already trotted up behind him, pleasure. It wasn't like he was going to get anything real good and fresh at that market anyway, so Kakashi entertained himself with striding over to the Uchiha.

After the 'Hug Incident' as Kakashi took to calling it, the day before, both Kakashi and Sasuke had went their separate ways without saying much of anything about it. Sasuke thanked Kakashi for his offer of help whenever need be, and then mumbled something about having to go.

It was only a little awkward, and yeah, maybe it was supposed to be, Kakashi wasn't the expert on social interactions and how they are supposed to go.

Since the night before, whenever he thought of Sasuke, he felt his stomach flip chaotically, he'd been over the two's moment a hundred times in his head since last night, and it was just enough to very much freak him out.

Kakashi hoped that feeling didn't stay, he wanted to still feel comfortable around Sasuke. To Kakashi's upmost pleasure, when he stomped up to the young Uchiha, the pressure he had been feeling after the day before, vanished, and a knowing comfort and assurance settled into his gut.

Kakashi had been very worried that he would feel stressed out by Sasuke's presence, as he normally did when he thought he committed to anything. A drowning feeling always overtook him with unease until he destroyed what he had committed to, or weaseled his way out of the job. He was completely shocked that the feeling wasn't skyrocketing through his chest at this moment, and his mouth wasn't spewing any shit, and his intestines weren't being squeezed brutally, and he wasn't tormented by the thought of being needed and relied on again.

He felt….Okay. And to Kakashi, that thought that was amazing.

This was okay. They were okay. They were okay!

Kakashi chanted that in his head, and every time he did he felt his mood brighten.

Sasuke on the other hand was looking at Kakashi in confusion.

He was just standing there, staring at him, and Kakashi hadn't said anything. Not even a hello.

Kakashi shook himself from his revere of being impressed with himself and his positive emotions about the subject, and realized that he needed to say something.

He came over for a reason, but he couldn't really remember why at the moment. Was there a reason to begin with?

Kakashi didn't care, he was just so happy that he wasn't subconsciously trying to pull away, and he wasn't being crushed under some nervousness either.

Kakashi just decided to act casual, matched with Sasuke's stony expression, he guessed that was the right route.

"Yo," signature peace sign in place, "What's up?"

This seemed to relax Sasuke enough, and his tense posture seeped back into his normally soldier like stance of nonchalance.

Sasuke took a couple of steps forward as the line moved up, he was looking into the shoulder blades of the person in front of him. "Grocery shopping." He shrugged a shoulder while raising a basket up with his left hand unceremoniously, "Why did you leave the line you were waiting in? You lost your place."

Kakashi was surprised by this question, he hadn't been aware that Sasuke had known Kakashi was there as well. Kakashi let a sheepish smile grace his face and shrugged. "Eh." was the only answer Sasuke received.

Sasuke continuously walked forward as the line slowly dispersed, Kakashi went right along with him.

Being the nosy person Kakashi was, he studied the items Sasuke was going to buy. He couldn't help it if he wanted to. Kakashi had always been a curious soul.

Two boxes of bran cereal, a can of oats, a jar of peanut butter, and some crackers.

Wow, Sasuke, that's so exciting….

Kakashi decided not to comment on the plain food choice, he still felt uncomfortable with the idea of resembling a parent to Sasuke too much. He wasn't looking to replace anyone. The terror of boundaries bleeding into one another, of falling into a role he has no business filling and no right to take on. Kakashi had agreed that he would look after the boy when he really needed it, but that didn't mean Kakashi was going to really enter the kid's life. Kakashi thought that maybe it wouldn't be so bad to be the fun uncle instead. Someone there only in case something bad happened. That sounded better and a lot less responsible or reliable than a parent, or father.

The idea that he could be like an uncle to Sasuke made Kakashi feel better.

Kakashi didn't have any plans for today. Team 7 was off mission duty, a nice break from yesterday's workload, but to Kakashi, it was terrible thing. Too much time made it too easy to get distracted.

He wondered if he could get out of lazing around the cemetery with another activity, in a mood like today, it'd be best if he wasn't caught alone.

Maybe Sasuke would be training? Maybe he could train with Sasuke?

Sasuke spent enough hours alone at the training grounds anyway.

Something held Kakashi back from asking though, and it came in a form that Kakashi should have been expecting.

A Bushy browed, spandex wearing, bowl haircut sporting, sensei, cartwheeled into view, with his little protégé on his toes of course.

"Ka-Kaa-shii." Guy said, stretching his name intolerably long and making it sound more like a saying than an actual name. "Such a coincidence that I would run into you here!" he winked and his teeth sparkled.

Kakashi rolled his eye to the sky, he had a feeling this wasn't at all a coincidence, and that he knew exactly what Guy wanted to see him for.

Kakashi glanced over to the raven at his side, and caught him smirking, looking forward, and meeting none of their eyes. He looked far more pleased than he should be allowed to be.

Kakashi grit his teeth and turned around to meet Guy.

He nodded his head once, "Guy." He greeted coolly.

This plain almost non-existent greeting seemed to invigorate Guy, and he sent out a happy thumbs up to the whole area, Lee matching his stance and attitude.

"Good morning Kakashi sensei!" Lee greeted respectfully, but enthusiasm filled as well.

Kakashi greeted Lee, Sasuke remained forward, but his small smile didn't waver.

Guy took the reins of the conversation and spoke with the eagerness of a child on Christmas morning.

"I have come to you today to ask you to participate in our hundred and thirty-fourth eternal rival challenge!" He announced loudly enough that everyone around the outdoor stores looked at him with either annoyed faces, or ones of much amusement.

Kakashi sent them a single glare, not too occupied with what other people thought, but he didn't feel like they should act like Guy was an idiot. It wasn't like Guy never noticed their upturned noses when he was around.

So the man talked loud and dressed weird, maybe he sounded like he was on a game show, but he had helped to protect the village more times than Kakashi could count, and he would sacrifice himself to save any villager in a heartbeat.

He deserved better, at least Kakashi thought so. Sure, Kakashi acted like he didn't care a whole lot, but the man was really remarkable in Kakashi's eyes and should be respected and treated as such.

He quickly noted that both Guy and Lee were wearing their normal spandex, but with two slickery snow coats over it, and flexible fancy looking snow boots adorned both's feet. They both had headband shaped sweatbands that kept both of their ears warm as well.

Kakashi wished so bad that he had a camera. They both had their bright orange leg warmers on too, and the gloves they wore matched in color.

Kakashi would have bet a lot of money that Guy had bought all of this for Lee, it was kind of sweet and made Kakashi want to laugh, but it also made him feel real shitty because he hadn't even thought of giving Sasuke a coat, and here Guy was, looking like the kid's twin dressed in the same clothes and bringing him around wherever he went.

Kakashi glanced back at Sasuke, and confirmed his worried suspicion that yes, the kid was still wearing the crappy brown coat that the random old guy had given him a day prior.

Number one sensei award goes too…

Kakashi really wished he could turn off the sarcasm in his head.

Kakashi composed himself and acted cool as a cucumber just the way he knew Guy would despise.

"Oh? Is it time for another challenge already?" he asked casually.

Guy burned with rage, "We haven't had a challenge in over a week! You are only trying to hold off on this one because you know it is my turn for choice of challenge!"

Kakashi rolled his eye, waiting for Guy to get all his long speech out, the man was known to be quite long winded.

"Aha! Have I finally scared you off? No! That would be impossible, you are my eternal rival, and you would never step down from a challenge! It must be about something else?"

He took on a lower voice, far more concerned and earnest, "Are you well my friend?"

Kakashi blinked for a minute, always amazed at Guy's heart, and ability to change from playful to serious so swiftly.

He ducked his head and squinted his eye, "Yes, I'm fine, Guy, just a bit 'Eh' today." Kakashi wouldn't lie to Guy. He'd been at his side since he could remember, even when he didn't want him there. For the longest time, Kakashi didn't really even know he was there; so caught in his own world that he became numb to most everything else. If anyone deserved the truth, it was Guy, but that didn't mean Kakashi would act real serious when giving it to him.

Guy smiled brightly, it was blinding. Kakashi was shocked how the sight brought him back to reality so easily. Lee high fived Guy from his side, "Does that mean you are able accept my challenge eternal rival?"

Kakashi nodded vaguely, "Uh huh."

Guy continued to rant, "Yes! Thank you for my chance to prove myself to you. When would you be willing? I'm expecting soon, for I already have our challenge in mind." If Guy was capable of smiling sneakily he probably would be from the tone of his voice, but instead of doing so he just produced another bright grin that was sincere and happy.

Kakashi only let a twinge of worry enter his mind, wondering what the hell Guy was planning.

Kakashi crossed his arms, "Whenever you are ready, Guy."

Guy jumped for joy, "Oh, wonderful! We showcase our youthful hearts in the form of an epic challenge! Meet me at the edge of the village in twenty three minutes! I should be properly ready then! See you then my friend."

Kakashi thought that if Guy could end his sentence with a smiley face, he would.

The gray haired man nodded his head at Guy, "I'll be prepared for anything." He placed a smirk on his face even if Guy couldn't completely see it. Guy always seemed to know what he was really feeling without even needing to see his face.

Guy saluted and ran off, Lee following suit.

Kakashi sighed loudly, but secretly was very happy to have the distraction today. Guy always knew what he needed to occupy his mind. He was hoping he wouldn't have to spend today alone, and then there was Guy, by his side, with the perfect solution.

Kakashi almost forgot Sasuke was there, but when the two idiots were completely out of sight, Sasuke spoke.

"I like them." Was the vague explanation he gave.

Kakashi didn't ask, but felt happiness swell inside him. He didn't know why he was glad that Sasuke liked his friend, that he approved, but it felt good.

It was almost laughable what with the way Sasuke nodded to himself as if he had assessed every possible aspect of both Lee and Guy's beings and found their records spotless just while listening to the conversation. But then again, Sasuke survived this long, he had to have some kind of good judge of character.

Kakashi only now realized that boy had already paid for his food and was completely out of line now.

Kakashi sifted awkwardly from one foot to the other, not sure what he should do or say.

Sasuke had it covered though, "I have to go put my groceries away." His eyes bored into the air between the two of them. To most Sasuke would look dazed, but Kakashi could tell his brain was still working hard. "I'll see you later. Your meeting Guy at the edge of the village, right?"

Kakashi nodded suspiciously, but Sasuke just tilted his head, pleased.

Only as Sasuke bobbed his up and down to a beat completely his own, did Kakashi notice the earmuffs he wore snuggling over his ears.

Kakashi resisted the urge to sigh contently and looked down. When he glanced back up it was to the back of the boy's head fluttering out of sight. This left Kakashi wondering what the heck was going on in the edge of the village and irritated that he somehow the kid had alluded him.

Everything could be so much easier if that kid wasn't so stubborn.

Then he realized that whatever was at the edge of the village was what Guy was planning for his challenge. Kakashi was still as he worried over what kind of challenge Guy had created for him.

Eh, I'll be fine…..

Kakashi had waited the twenty three minutes out before he thought about leaving to meet Guy, and then he waited fourteen more just to spite him.

By the time he had made his way across the village, it had already been forty four minutes, but this was Kakashi Hatake we were talking about, he couldn't be on time if his life depended on it.

Once he arrived, Kakashi stood shock still with a look of horror across the small part of his face that was showing.

Before the disgust stricken man was a lake, frozen over, by layer after layer of thickets of ice. On that ice were at least a couple hundred Genin, Chunnin, and civilians alike, skating around in circles happily.

Socializing mixed with ice walking…..could he go home now!

There wasn't many attractions around Konoha, since they were a soul ninja village, they didn't take much time to practice arts of any sort. The little amount of civilians they did have, usually worked for restaurants or on just trying to keep the village running. They didn't have the time or money to make and do superfluous things like tourist attractions.

The villagers learned to appreciate temporary activities when they could. In the heat of summer natural springs were a popular spot for the children of the village, while the adults found comfort in underground ponds. Usually, the kiddos just had to find their own ways to entertain themselves, so when something like an actual skating rink showed up for free people flocked there like moths to a flame.

From the happy sounds coming from area it was as if this was the biggest thing to happen in Konoha in a long time. If Kakashi wasn't completely horrified, he would notice that it was kind of sad how such a small thing could get everyone so excited.

Kakashi was frozen for a good twenty seconds. That was apparently enough time for Guy to weasel his way through the large crowd around them, that was only growing bigger by the minute, and trot up to his rival happily.

Kakashi didn't even look at the man when he spoke, still horror struck by the scene before him.

"No." he stated flatly.

Guy rolled his eyes like he had dealt with this situation before.

"Kakashi." He said with a reasonable mix of amusement and tiredness in his voice, but still that underlying enthusiasm the man always carried.

"No." Kakashi said again while shaking his head and shrugging his shoulders at the same time. It seemed like a strange and conflicting movement, but Guy was accustomed to Kakashi's strange and conflicting ways. He smiled.

"You already agreed." Guy argued, "Besides, it's not like you to back out of a Rival Challenge?"

Kakashi glared intensely at Guy with his one eye.

"Yeah." He stated like the single word was a fact, "I agreed because I didn't know the outcome was going to be at the suspense of my dignity."

Guy grinned, "If that is the cost, so be it."

Kakashi chuckled at the man's blunt nature. If he was honest with himself, he would go to the ends of the earth for his friend. He would jump into the ocean during a hurricane for the man if it was necessary.

Though, swimming during a hurricane seemed like it was going to be less painful then this next experience Guy had chosen for them.

"Are you trying to humiliate me in front of the entire village?" he asked just because he felt like being troublesome. The bickering and poking fun were giving him a sense of normalcy that he needed on mind numbing days like today.

Guy put a fist up as he spoke, "Tis no need to worry my friend, only many of our beloved village's youth are present during this activity."

Kakashi let a lazy look fall onto his face while his eyebrow bent mischievously.

This was good. This was what he needed today.

"I don't know Guy," Kakashi said flippantly, "I see a lot of couples out there as well. Wouldn't you say they are all just burning with affection." Kakashi was hoping to get a rise from the man. He was usually very embarrassed by public shows of affection, screeching about youth's innocence.

But instead of blushing madly and sputtering uncontrollably, Guy's eyes widened as he searched around. He watched as cute couples held hands around the makeshift rink, skating in unison. Then the man grinned at Kakashi, "Very true, I see many youth's love blooming for each other, it is quite beautiful this time of year, wouldn't you agree."

Kakashi deadpanned, and Guy's smile just broadened. He raised two pairs of skates by the laces.

Kakashi begrudgingly took the glossy black pair of skates Guy held out for him, Kakashi briefly noticing that the bushy browed man had kept the scruffier pair for himself.

They both made their way to an empty bench, which was very hard to find through the crowds of people.

The thing that most people didn't know about Kakashi's best friend Guy is that, as a child, his father signed him up for figure skating lessons in a village a couple hours away. Guy had been a very uncoordinated child, too lanky and eager to focus his skills. His dad thought that pinpointing his son's sporadic movements to hone his strength and mind into something controlled, like figure skating, he would be able to refine his actions. Looking at the man now, Kakashi had to agree that it really did well for him. It muscled his body in the lean kind of way, and allowed his long limbs to find something that they were useful for.

Kakashi would normally use this kind of information to openly mock Guy, but the man was so stupidly confident about his love for the sport that it was like trying to poke fun at a rock.

Kakashi on the other hand, was a shit ice skater.

He'd been to exactly one ice skating rink in his whole life. It had been a random luck grabbed time when his father was traveling on a measly C ranked mission, and had invited Kakashi along for the trip. It had been the fanciest village Kakashi had ever seen. Huge buildings everywhere, and thousands and thousands of people! It was one of the most exciting things Kakashi did as a child. There was a festival in the village going on at the time, something huge for the holidays, and after the mission in the day was complete, his father and him stayed until night so they could skate on the humongous skating rink they had set up with all the bells and whistles. There was even a giant Christmas tree in the center of the rink; it was all aglow and sparkling.

He'd stepped one foot on the ice and fell flat on his ass. Throughout the rest of the night he continued to eat it on the ice. His father was always at his side, laughing, but constantly helping him back up. Kakashi remembered his dad looking much too pleased to find something his talent driven, prodigy son couldn't grasp immediately.

His father died that year and he hadn't been on the ice since. Not that it had been intentional, but now when he thought of ice skating, he associated it with his dad. He hadn't avoided it totally on purpose, only declining all chances to skate because he knew he'd make a fool of himself, but now, when he was really about to skate again, he felt a twisting in his chest. A yearning to look over his shoulder and find his dad by his side, laughing in his suspense like the first time he'd gone.

The crowd around them was truly nothing compared to the crowd that had been surrounding him when he went skating with his dad, but even despite that, it made him feel a little tingle of familiarity, a spark of the anxiety mixed in with nerves and excitement he'd felt that first time with his dad.

So off he went on a Friday morning, grumbling as Guy cheerfully dragged him to the so called 'rink' which really wasn't anything more than a sea of people on a large frozen puddle.

Once Kakashi was really out there, he was like five percent less resentful for the idea.

The whole atmosphere of the area was light.

Happy, Kakashi reminded himself.

There were kid's racing around, glad to be free, and groups of teens were rushing around the skating rink, jumping at the chance to act their age for once. Even a few geezers worked up energy to come out here to play on the ice. There was meaningless chatter, hundreds of people stumbling around each other trying to get moving, screaming from random kids who looked to be in a giant re-lay race, and a whole lot of laughter filling the air. The good kind of laughter, Kakashi noted, no malice or underlying truths at all.

It was all irritatingly contagious, even if he was just invited here as a sacrifice made for humiliation.

Not until they got through the first crowd of people, the one that was always near the first entering sides no matter what rink you go to, Kakashi felt his nerves kick back in.

He looked around desperately for a wall to grab onto as his legs wobbled and arms were held out at his sides to keep him steady.

Kakashi was devastated to remember that this was a 'Homegrown' kind of skating rink, and walls to hang onto were out of the question.

Kakashi bent his knees in tightly and pointed his toes towards one and other until he stopped completely. He sighed in relief, feeling content until Guy's voice met his ears.

"Why did you stop my rival?" Guy said while skating circles around the man with ease. Kakashi growled underneath his breath. Anyone else, he would have socked in the face, but Guy was Guy, and he meant nothing by the constant circling and the look of pure bliss on his face as he moved. He only meant that he was glad to be there and glad to be there Kakashi.

"Are you in need of my assistance Kakashi?" Guy asked while bending down to where Kakashi was half bent over.

Kakashi's gritted teeth went lax and he begrudgingly accepted Guy's hand up.

Guy straightened Kakashi out and elbowed him in the side, smiling jovially.

They finally made it to a nice open area and Guy started to glide like he was born to be on the ice, talking Kakashi's ear off while he did, not even looking like the movement took any effort.

Kakashi tried for about two point five seconds to actually listen to the man blather about, but he realized all too soon that he needed all his concentration to make sure he didn't break his legs slipping on the ice.

After a while, Kakashi felt like he was starting to get used to the ice, slowly adapting to the feeling of his weight being balanced on small shards of metal.

The feeling of 'I'm about to fall' never truly left Kakashi, a constant inkling in the back of his mind, but he did relax some, and Guy's continuous voice in the background of his monotone mind helped to keep him grounded to the present.

In the small crevices of his mind, he felt a tiny amount of pleasure in the activity at hand, and grasped those fleeting moments and chased them around the rink.

As Kakashi's confidence grew, his small mindedness widened, and soon, he wasn't staring at his feet anymore, and he was taking actual strides instead of stumped steps.

Kakashi really wished he would have seen it, really wished he had some sort of prediction of the next second, because he could have saved himself at least part of the humiliation he now felt.

Kakashi heard it, and he should have known.

The cursed sound of blabbering fifteen year olds.

Kakashi could have sworn he smelt the bad attitude and discipline issues on their clothes as they passed.

The four teenage boys were wearing 'get the shit knocked out you' slicker pants, sharp black skates and the kind of graphic T-shirts that made you have to take a second look at them to make sure what you first read was what the fabric really said. They were all unwilling to wear coats, hats, or gloves, and were grinning hugely at one and other despite their red tinted faces.

Kakashi held his breath as they weaved in and out between him and Guy like lightening streaks.

Luckily they slid right by with ease.

Kakashi let his breath go in relief, but he soon realized that he acted too soon.

He turned a smiled at Guy, a nice squinted eye smile too, and at that moment he wasn't looking at the ground so he didn't know to avoid the hitch in the ice.

Kakashi, to his credit, moved and twisted with amazing grace. It wasn't enough though, for the boy's sharp toothed skate had left a small chink in the ground, and just when Kakashi was almost balanced out, his skate slipped into it.

He was chucked forward with his whole weight force, but with a last effort to remain standing he let his hands fall to the ground first. He wiggled funnily for a moment, but eventually his hands hit the ground gently, and Guy let out a deep gasp from his side.

The good thing, was the fact that the boys had already sped away, long gone and not even thinking about how Kakashi Hatake had just wriggled his way out eating it on the ice. The bad thing was the dozens of heads that turned to stare at them after Kakashi had let out a couple of sounds that he wasn't proud of while he was falling.

Kakashi blushed immediately, but like the good friend Guy was, he went into the exact same position Kakashi was in, and started skating small circles.

"What is this new type of skating technic that you have come up with?"

Kakashi sagged letting all his tension fall out of him as he watched his best friend make a fool of himself so he wasn't alone.

After a moment, all the interested strangers went back to their own business, no longer curious, for Guy was normally strange, and it wasn't special to see such occurrences.

Kakashi waited a minute before speaking, letting Guy's laughter at the awkward situation pass over in waves.

"So…What are the odds of a photo of this becoming the headline of The Konoha Post?"

Guy nodded his head, but from the upside down view both men were at, it looked more like the man was trying to push the blood rushing into his brain away.

"I'd say we have 10/10 chance that this will be the most popular story for weeks to come my friend. Very unfortunate indeed."

Kakashi laughed at the serious look Guy wore. They were silent and still until Kakashi felt too stupid hanging around with their asses in the air.

"So, this is the new hip way to skate, huh? Real smooth. I don't know if I'm feeling it though. I think my old man back is going to break." Kakashi joked. He knew Guy always got enthusiastic when he made fun of himself even just a tad bit.

Guy's back went rigid immediately, "Don't say such things! You are in your prime Kakashi! We are starting you on a daily stretching routine immediately! In fact, if we can't stay like this all day, I will-"

Guy continued on, and Kakashi couldn't help the small smile that graced his face. It felt good to be so thoroughly cared for.

Kakashi straightened with a pained grunt. Maybe he really did need those stretching routines.

Guy let his body sag instead of holding it up, and so his head touched the top of the ice and he could clearly see what was behind him.

Then he moved his head forward and looked up at Kakashi.

Guy's lip quirked up in the funny way it does sometimes when he's thinking.

"What?" Kakashi asked, amused.

Guy pronounced his next words clearly, as if that would help his friend hear him better. "I think that your prodigy student is here. Uchiha is it?" He flopped back down to look between his legs.

Kakashi followed Guy's eyes and sure enough, there stood none other than Sasuke Uchiha, decked out in his too-big coat, and very ratty pair of brown rental skates.

He was moving much too delicately on the ice for someone who had zero social skills and probably wouldn't go to a real ice rink unless he was forced there.

Kakashi didn't think it was fair.

"Nope" Kakashi said popping the 'P', "I don't have a single prodigy student. Unlike you, I don't play favorites."

Guy flipped his head back again, and glared at him with forced intensity. It was pointless to try and intimidate Kakashi, especially when he was upside down.

Guy put up his finger and shook it like Iruka would do to trouble making academy students.

"I don't play favorites Kakashi, you know that I love my students all with my entire being. But anyone with an ounce of observation skills could tell that I connect most with Lee. Just like anyone with even only one eyeball such as yourself could tell that you have connected most with this…strange hair-styled student of yours."

Kakashi pursed his lips even if it wasn't visible.

He wasn't sure how he wanted to respond, but he definitely wanted to handle this situation maturely. "Looks who's talking bowl cut head."

Damn.

Guy laughed joyfully, and bent his head back down to watch Sasuke.

"His name is Sasuke by the way." Kakashi couldn't help but adding petulantly, he didn't know why, but he wanted Guy to know him by name, not only by 'Uchiha.'

Guy hummed in acknowledgment.

"Very passionate name, I'm sure he'll be a splendid ninja someday." He said it offhandedly, like it was the most normal thing in the world to say about a stranger.

Kakashi chuckled softly while shaking his head.

Guy then jumped from the strange upside down position like he'd been shocked with Kakashi's Chidori.

He jumped up and down on his skates, beaming happily. Kakashi was momentarily awed that the man could do such a thing on ice skates.

"Are you ready for our challenge, Kaa-kah-shii?" He asked, stretching his name like he usually did.

Kakashi felt his stomach flip at the thought of moving any faster than what he'd done so far.

He grimaced internally while fixing his gloves to stall just a bit longer.

"Yes." He finally stated to Guy's, who was twitchy with excitement, relief.

"YOSH! Our race will be to see who can make three laps around the skating rink first!"

Kakashi sighed in that long lasting kind of way.

"Oh, do you not think that challenge enough? We could try it on our hands? Do you think that would be more sufficient?" Guy asked, and the cruel part was that he was totally serious.

Kakashi squinted his eye with headache inducing pain, "How did you become such an important part of my life?"

XXX

Kakashi spent the next hour or so of his life participating in a very very embarrassing skating race around the lake.

Of course, Guy's team had to be there to support their sensei, whooping and hollering at the lap mark as Guy completely creamed him.

Kakashi skated with numb toes from lack of blood and movement, and small amounts of pleasure that he didn't want to acknowledge ringing through him like sleigh bells.

Okay, a race was a race, and he wasn't doing as horribly as he thought he would, and Guy had a way to make anything light hearted. Fine! He was maybe having the smallest, littlest, tidbit of a good time.

But Guy didn't need to know that, otherwise he might suggest more time spent on the ice.

Unlike the two's regular races, they were very far apart from each other instead of toe to toe.

Kakashi kept a keen eye on the back of Guy's head as he weaved in and out of the crowd gracefully.

He only tripped once, keeping focus the second time around to keep his feet planted and balance centered.

In the end, it wasn't too surprising who the victor was.

But hey, Kakashi was pretty proud of himself. He'd actually made it the three laps!

The two men grabbed each other's two first fingers in a sign of a good match after their race just like they always did.

Tenten, of course, had miraculously pulled candy canes out of her satchel and given one to everyone before skating away with her teammates. Guy grinned around his peppermint stick and Kakashi wondered what it was like to smile for no reason other than having a nice piece of candy to suck on. Just watching Guy's happiness made Kakashi's insides warm, he even felt his lips start to quirk up on their own accord.

Guy moved the candy cane to the side of his mouth like it was a cigarette and skated backwards in front of Kakashi so he could see him as he spoke.

"So…What do you say to another race?"

Hours later led Guy and Kakashi to sitting on a nearby bench where usually villagers would fish from, but instead was being used as a place to take a rest from their "Vigorous workout" as Guy had called it.

The Ice rink was still pretty full, but there was no longer a buzzing energy about the place, it was replaced with a sort of calm that can only be achieved within the confines of winter.

They both took to staying silent and scouring the crowd for their students.

Kakashi couldn't help the choked laugh that left him when he watched Naruto try and drag a very reluctant Iruka onto the ice, only to pull so hard that they both splatted onto the ground painfully hard.

There was a big cracked hole in the ground from where they both had landed.

Guy sighed contently beside his friend, happy to watch their students devour their free time.

Kakashi was always fascinated by this part of Guy. For all the love Guy had for being the center of attention and always being the one up to bat, there were these times when he loved to just sit back and watch. He said it was exciting to see how the youth fared on their own, "We must learn from our past but also our future, these children are our future."

Kakashi loved observing people. He'd say it was right up there with reading his Icha Icha Paradise books on list of favorite hobbies.

A flash of bubble gum pink hair caught his eye in the far end of the skating rink to his right. He zoned in on that and was pleased to see the entirety of his team all skating about.

Sakura and Naruto were both in front, skating right next to each other, and the scene might have been sweet if not for the angry look they both wore identically. They two seemed to be shouting at each other for some reason or another. Right behind them, just three steps farther back, was Sasuke skating in a curvy sort of pattern and wide eyes that gave him a permanently surprised look.

No one would recognize it unless they knew the boy, but Sasuke was definitely still aware of his surroundings and probably even still listening to Sakura and Naruto's babble. Kakashi's extremely sharp eye could catch the smallest amount of movement from Sasuke's mouth only when he seemed to be in agreement or disagreement with one of his two friends.

Kakashi recognized that look on Sasuke. He got this way sometimes on missions or training days that were extra-long. He was there, but he wasn't all in the present. When this was reported in his academy days, the leaders struggled with their concern for if this would affect Sasuke's ninja abilities. Kakashi hadn't quite believed it until he'd seen it in true action, but after close up inspection, he personally didn't believe it affected Sasuke's ninja duties much at all. The boy's body knew exactly what to do in a crisis whether his mind was completely present or not. He agreed to keep the boy on his team, but he was forced to promise to report back to the village if anything did happen while he was like this.

Fat chance.

Kakashi wasn't telling anybody anything if he didn't have to.

The three interlaced through a large crowd that they needed to get around, and while Sakura and Naruto both stumbled some and even took a moment to stop yelling at each other, Sasuke unfazed, swept around the people and in between the tiniest gaps. His eyes didn't even change direction to look at any of the people. His dark orbs were focused solely on what was in front of him, never wavering from his target of the cold wind laying wait of his flushed face.

Now Naruto and Sakura were skating just a little ways behind Sasuke instead of the other way around, but it didn't seem to bother any of them and they continued on seamlessly.

Kakashi stood and stretched himself out and Guy made a curious noise from beside him.

The white haired man glanced over to his friend, "This was nice."

For now, that was the best Kakashi could do. Heck, coming from him, that was practically and marriage proposal.

Kakashi couldn't see it, but Guy nodded to himself just the smallest of fractions and smiled real small and soft.

"I had a nice time too, my friend. Until next time." He clapped a hand to Kakashi's shoulder all rough and heavy in his boyish way. Then stretched out his muscles as well and skated away.

Probably in search of Lee- Kakashi thought reasonably.

Kakashi tried not to dwell on the appreciation he felt flare up in him when Guy just knew that Kakashi wanted to be apart now, and that he didn't even have to ask, Guy just got up without making a big deal, and left him to himself. No questions asked.

Kakashi felt a wave of fear creep up on him at the prospect of stepping on the ice again, this time alone, but he hid away in his chest safely. He wanted to see his team.

He stepped out onto the ice, meeting eyes with his teammates. It was weird, like they all were connected on the same wave length somehow. They all just seemed to look up at the right time to notice one and other. Before Kakashi even had a moment to feel pride for his team, he felt a fatal flip in his chest, and his hands and knees were meeting the cold surface of the ice.

For the first second, Kakashi hadn't even realized what happened, just that his knees ached and his hands felt like they were being burnt.

Then he was surrounded by his freakishly worried students.

Sakura's shrill shriek met his ears and he almost groaned.

Naruto was on his hands and knees right next to him, talking five miles a minute, asking him if he wanted him to make him a couple clones so they could all help him up.

He waved them off and smacked their hands away with a huff, but honestly their worry wasn't unappreciated.

He then chuckled to make sure they weren't too concerned for him.

"I'm fine. I'm fine…..yes really Naruto….No Sakura I don't need a hospital! I'm not that fragile!"

This seemed to appease the two and they backed off some.

Sasuke on the other hand was standing very close, not helping him up like Kakashi had stated he didn't want, but glaring down at him in a way that made him look like he was trying to restrain himself.

Kakashi slowly raised himself from the ground checking over his body inconspicuously as he did so. He saw Sasuke clinch his fists tightly when he noticed the rips on his pants and icy residue that had already gathered on his clothing from the fall.

He was in an sore sort of pain, but nothing he couldn't handle, and luckily his hands weren't cut up like he thought they would be. His gloves had saved him from that tragedy.

Since he'd already wiped out once today, this wasn't as interesting for everybody to look at, though he was still receiving a pretty fair amount of stares for his blunder, funny enough, just as soon as they come they were fearfully taken away.

It may have been due to the combined efforts of Sakura and Sasuke's darkest looks, but Kakashi didn't need to know that.

It took a couple minutes for Naruto to get out all his jokes about his sensei's epic fail, and after that, a little while longer of the retelling of what had happened even if everyone he was telling had been there as well.

It's a blurry mess of what happened after that.

They all ended up skating a couple laps together.

Kakashi tried hard to pay attention to his students as they each overlap each other's speech trying to tell the 'correct' version of their epic tag game they'd had that morning on the ice.

They played on teams against all of the rookie ninja.

It seems they heartbreakingly lost the game and Naruto made it very clear that he blamed Sasuke for their loss.

Apparently, Sasuke had stopped skating to help up some weird shy girl who had slipped during the game. She'd been being chased and fell. The person that was 'IT' at the time was someone they all three called 'This dog kid' and he bypassed the shy girl who fell and went straight in for the kill on Sasuke.

Now, how this one time being 'IT' cost them all the whole entire game, Kakashi had no idea, but he definitely didn't miss the way Sasuke glared heatedly at the two of his teammates when they started talking about it.

Kakashi was still struggling to skate the entire time, and while Sakura ignored it purposefully, and Naruto seemed oblivious in light of his epic stories, Sasuke was by his side.

The boy would look up at him every time he stutter stepped and would get this knowing look on his face. Kakashi kept stumbling despite his best efforts to stay straight. His feet were starting to throb uncomfortably, the blood feeling like they had left them ages ago.

But he kept going because Sasuke was at his side and his head felt fuller than it had all day.

The whole situation gave him the feeling of realness that he'd been missing today, and that was all Kakashi needed for now.

Sasuke was laughing at him now, but constantly helping him back up. Kakashi thought he looked much too pleased to find something his sensei couldn't grasp as well as he could.

The immediate reaction to this realization was to twist away from the familiarity of it all.

But he didn't, and he didn't want to spend his time to figure out why.

Instead he basked in it.

If he was one for introspection, he'd notice the irony.

He'd been trying so hard to live in the moment, and now he was doing it by accident. He would have laughed but he couldn't, his mind was captured by the boy beside him.

Sasuke was laughing. It was a soft and unsure sound. Kakashi wasn't quite fooled by the soft exterior-he knows Sasuke can be kind and awkward and gentle, but he's felt the boy's fist against his face in plenty of their training practices, and he knows he's got a fire in him.

One that'd likely get him in trouble one of these days, but Kakashi thinks he might be warming up to the idea of him being the one to get him out of it.

A lot of stuttering questions and beating around the bush later, and they are all four squished onto the bench he and Guy had sat at earlier.

Sakura was in between Naruto and Sasuke happily squeezing herself into place, while Kakashi sat comfortably on the entire right side of the bench that the three had left for him.

Ah, it's good to be the sensei.

The December air was cold, but the sunshine was clear and unobstructed, sure to melt the ice if it became much warmer.

Sakura tried resting her head on Sasuke's shoulder but he shook her off almost instantly with a warning glare. She huffed but settled for knowing that she was as close as any girl ever got to be to Sasuke.

Kakashi couldn't help the memory that flashed through his head at that moment.

It was of him and his team years ago.

Unlike when he blocked out memories from when he was a child with his father, he relaxed into the memories that involved his team and sensei.

This particular one was kind of bitter because it reminded him of how dark of place he'd been in when he was young, but he let it pass through his mind anyway.

His eyes slipped closed while he imagined the memory as clearly as if it was right in front of him.

It was one of those weird winter days when the sun shines hot and wind blows cold, when it could be spring in the sun, but icy in the shade. It was like this every year at the beginning of winter in Konoha.Like a morning of the pale season was still trying to cling to its autumn roots.

He remembered Rin was always a light in their lives even when the winter chill tried to consume her.She loved the warmer seasons and even though it was clear she never quite enjoyed the cold, she never said anything about it.

Flowers had always played a big role in Rin's life. Kakashi hadn't known until they had been a team, but Obito was well aware of this fact. They were how she displayed her emotions, her opinions, often times her feelings.Surprisingly, she was a rather private person despite the joy and openness she seemed to radiate. She didn't enjoy the spotlight for she was quite shy; the flowers always gave her a hard time keeping to herself though.

At first, the flowers did nothing except turn to her when she walked by, Kakashi noticed of course, he wasn't blind or oblivious like some of his other classmates, but he never saw concern for this strange occurrence.As she got older and faced more intense emotions, they began to bloom whenever she felt something strongly.

Sure, occasionally people would find it strange that flowers, no matter the type or time of year it was, bloomed around her, but she was such a pleasant little thing, everyone around her couldn't care less, just happy to be in her presence . And she never drew attention to herself or her own talents, always lifting other people before herself.

It wasn't a rare occasion to see to trails of Anthurium, Aster, and Columbine falling the girl's soft footsteps.

By the time they had become a team, flowers began to bloom around her constantly.Kakashi never took the chance to ask Obito if he'd asked Rin about it himself, but in spite of how much he ogled over the young girl, he never brought up her gift with plants.

The flowers never wilted or died and grew anywhere and everywhere she was!They stayed by her side no matter what.

When Obito started finding Daisies in his weapons pouch he all but fainted with joy.

Minato would just smile in that soft and understanding way when she would turn completely red and apologize profusely every time Hydrangea would grow out of his hair.

Obito took his sweet time rubbing it in his face that she never made flowers grow for Kakashi, but what Kakashi didn't say was that every morning he found Jonquil from his shoes.

He always just picked them and re-planted them in little pots every time one of the flowers would die. Kakashi wasn't verbal with his suspicions of the flowers meaning her feelings, but that just meant he did private research. He found a book at the library on flower meanings. He was quite amused to find out that Daisies represented 'innocence and cheerfulness' because Obito was the least innocent child Kakashi had ever met! But as reading farther, he found that it also meant 'loyal love.' At that age, Kakashi felt he knew nothing of love so he didn't think should be one to judge what Rin's flowers meant.

Kakashi threw out the book and never looked back at it the day he found Jonquil in the glossary of it.

Jonquil: Predominantly a spring perennial plant. It can be otherwise known as a Daffodil.

A widely cultivated Narcissus with cluster of small fragrant yellow flowers and cylindrical leaves.

Meaning: 'A Desire for a return of affection'

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He accidently let a sigh release from somewhere deep inside his bones and he opened his eyes to find a young Uchiha giving him a raised eyebrow that wasn't really raised, (He must not have as good muscles in his face as me) but Kakashi still got the point.

"Uh, sensei? Are you okay, what are you doing?" Sasuke asked casually, not even looking at Kakashi, dutifully focusing on something interesting beside his head, but Kakashi could hear the concern in his voice, but refused to see it in his dark eyes.

Sasuke scuffed his foot on the ground and tilted his head.

Kakashi looked down, barely peeking through his eye. To anyone else, he would have looked like a crazy man, but Sasuke just peered up at him with blank look.

Kakashi straightened out, his body going lax at the sight of the young Uchiha.

"Oh, just sleeping while standing. I had to do it for ANBU training purposes." He shrugged his shoulders, still not quite meeting Sasuke's eyes, maybe just a little afraid of what he'd find there.

Sasuke snorted, and shook his head.

Sasuke then nodded in a going with it kind of way, not unwilling to ask for farther reassurance, but knowing that Kakashi had none to give.

Kakashi's eyes slipped closed again as he let his new team's voices linger in his head and play a symphony with the memories of Obito, Rin and Minato.

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Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed!

I'd appreciate it if you'd comment! I will try my best to get the next chapter up as soon as possible, but I will have to work around my school and other projects, so I can't be sure when they will be done. Thank you again for reading:D