Talking of Love

By: Lazuli

Fic for the 20loves community

Challenge #12 and #17

Pairings? Slight Yondaime/Kakashi mentioned, maybe Kaka/Naru

(platonic)

Love isn’t always deep kisses and passionate embraces. There are different levels of love and everyone has to start somewhere.

~

"The other day I woke up and I swear I smelled you in the air. But when I rolled over you weren't there. I got mad at myself for getting happy." The small bouquet of flowers was set down by the memorial stone.

“I don’t know why—we never really shared that type of relationship, even though you were always over at my house. Maybe I’ve just been dreaming too much of the past lately. I have a bad habit of that.” Sake was pulled out of a pouch and there was a long, thoughtful sip before the one-way conversation continued.

“The past is always there, though. No matter how they say ‘don’t live in the past’ or ‘the past will drag you down’ it’s always there. Little things—people and places. I can’t escape from it, even though I’ve spent the last decade or so trying.” A short laugh. “He’s like you…but he’s not like you. Hides more emotionally wise. You always had to shout out things to the rooftops. Always enthusiastic whenever I worked with you.”

Sake finished, the bottle went back into the pouch, but the flowers stayed. “He pokes around me as much as you do…but he has his own ways of looking at life and friends. He gets into everything and everyone’s lives and won’t leave them alone. I suppose it’s a good thing. Can’t keep a hold of ‘em forever—but for that short time, it was like having you around again.”

He paused and laughed as if the silent stone made a remark. “Oh, don’t think of it that way. Our relationship wasn’t like that either. I loved the kid, but it was like how I saw you. Love isn’t always groping and bodies and everything. You taught me that.” Another sigh.

“I’ll do my best to make sure the kid is on the right track—well, keep him on the right track. He made his choices a long time ago and most of them seem to be good ones. I’ll just do for him what I couldn’t complete with you. He needs me like I once needed you.” A gloved hand reached out to touch the stone. “I miss you. The day you left I thought I would die. Strange thing was that was when I truly began to live."

A faint smile could be barely seen as the figure got up. “I’ll keep visiting you. Someone has to keep you updated on him. I can see so much of him in you. I guess just being with him is like returning some of that love you gave me. Maybe one day he’ll return that love to someone. I don’t know. I’ll just wait.”

~

The small bouquet of sunflowers remained on the stone long after Kakashi had left to meet up with Naruto again—to train him and go over the tactics taught to him long ago by another blonde haired shinobi that made such a difference in Kakashi’s life.

Love isn’t always about the kisses and hugs and deep relationship. A small showing of feeling, a resting of gentle hands on the head and a kind set of encouraging words displayed it’s own kind of love.

~