Here For You - Kakashi Hatake x OC

Chapter 2: Unexpected bonds

The months flew by. The Academy was a nice place to be to keep my mind off of my depressing life. I enjoyed my classes, and I even made friends with Obito. He talked about Rin a lot, though, and I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He had fallen head over heels in love with her, thought he could never bring himself to confess to her. After classes at the Academy, I spent my days training, training until my hands bled, training until I could no longer stand. I was determined to becoming more skilled and powerful. Obito sometimes came over and helped me home when I couldn't walk on my own anymore, he also helped me bandage up my hands, which I basically lived in these days. He would help me change them if I was unable. He was a good friend, even though as a ninja he was... not the best. He hadn't activated his Sharingan yet and he was becoming more and more frustrated as time went by. I tried reassuring him that it would happen in no time, but my attempts were fruitless. He appreciated it, though.

Today was a morning like no other, heavy rain pouring down and a chilly breeze in the air. I took out my umbrella and set off to the KIA stone with some lilies for my father. I was shocked once I arrived and saw him standing in front of the memorial.

Kakashi.

He didn't seem to care about the rain or the cold, he just stood there, on his knees, his usual gravity-defying hair plastered to his face, his clothes clinging to his body, and his hands shaking. Actually, his whole body was shaking. I wasn't sure of what I should do, but my legs moved themselves. Before I knew it, I was kneeling next to him, covering him with my umbrella. I quickly placed my lilies into an empty vase before turning back to him. I noticed he was crying, I had never seen this side of him. I realized his father must have died, I couldn't find another explanation. I felt pain in my heart as I found his name on the KIA stone. Sakumo Hatake, the White Fang of the Leaf, my father's friend, dead? I couldn't believe it.

Kakashi's hands were trembling hard, and he couldn't stop his tears. I couldn't blame him. Although I shocked myself as I took his hand into my own. He looked up at me. His onyx eyes bore into mine, making my heart stop. Those eyes of his were filled with pain and sorrow. He squeezed my hand gently and whispered, almost inaudibly, but I could hear him.

"Thank you."

I stood up, dragging him alongside me. "Kakashi, you need to change your clothes, otherwise you'll get sick." He shook his head. "I can't... go back there." He choked. "I can get you your clothes if you tell me where they are." I wanted to help him. I knew what he felt. He needed someone to be with him, just as I had needed someone, except I never had anybody. He has me, at least, at this moment. He nodded and led me to his house. I saw his eyes fill with tear once again, and I told him to stay outside with my umbrella while I got his stuff. I noticed an empty box, which was perfect. I took all the clothes Kakashi owned, which wasn't that much, as I thought about it, and the other things in his room that I thought he'd want in his new apartment. The Hokage would be giving him a new apartment to live in, just as he had done with me.

I walked outside, handing the box to Kakashi and taking the umbrella. I mentally gasped as he took my hand  once again. He really did need me. I smiled a bit and led him to the apartment complex in which I lived, and in which he would be living. "Apartment 43," he spoke as we approached the building. "Really? I'm in apartment 42!" So we would be neighbors. I didn't have a problem with that, seeing as that would only make it easier for me to watch over him.

We reached apartment 43 and I smiled at him, "Well, I guess I'll leave you to it." I was turning away when he grabbed my arm, "Wait." I looked back to him questioningly. "Could you... uh... could you stay?" He stammered. I obliged, "Of course." We entered the apartment, which looked almost exactly like mine, except mine contained my possessions, while this one didn't have much. Just a simple bed, a kitchen, a desk, and a wardrobe. He took some of his clothes and went to the bathroom to change while I looked around. I wandered around the small enclosure until he came back, his hair somehow already dry and in it's normal state, you know, defying gravity. I sat on the bed as he emptied the box we had brought over, stuffing clothes into the wardrobe, placing the kitchen utensils into the drawers and throwing a few onto the counter. He reached into the box and stared at the framed photograph of him and his father. After a few moments, he placed it onto the bedside table and sat down next to me.

It was quiet for a while. He had reached for my hand once again and we sat there like that, staring at our intertwined fingers.

*Kakashi's POV*

I felt broken and lost for words. I didn't know what to say to Katsumi. I was tremendously grateful to her for her staying with me after helping me. I felt comfort next to her, holding her hand. It felt... good. It felt right. I was scared to look up at her, so I stared at our hands. Her hands were covered in bandages once again, covering her bloodstained pale skin. I knew how hard she was training. I had watched and admired her countless times from afar. She would become a splendid kunoichi. But right now I was just enjoying her company, sitting still in the silence. Suddenly, I heard her speak, bringing me back to reality:

"I lost my father, too, you know."

I looked at her painfully. I had never known. And in that moment, it came to me. Her surname, Abe... I knew it. Yoshiki Abe. Killed in action almost a year ago. My father used to speak fondly of him. I remembered now, I had been at his funeral. And yet I had never thought about Katsumi as his daughter. I felt greatly ashamed of myself.

"I... I'm sorry. I know. I was at his funeral."

Her eyes met mine. They were an amazing bright blue color, and yet they looked glassy. But she didn't let herself cry. She was strong, and I admired her for it. I also noticed how beautiful she really was. Her light, blonde hair complimenting her, the scars on her arms from the restless training making her even more attractive. She spoke again.

"I know how you feel. I've been through the same thing. I never knew my mother and I lost the only thing I had – my father. I was all alone, but you're not," She smiled at me. I think it was the first time I had ever seen her smile. It suited her.

"You have me."

My heart began to beat faster and I realized she was right. I knew that she'd be here, even though we had never really been friends before. She had been through the same thing as me. She knew how it felt and she would never let somebody else suffer as she had. She squeezed my hand lightly, making me look at her again.

I would never let her go.