You first met Kakashi at the Academy — two talented students who exchanged only brief words now and then. Nothing serious. Nothing lasting.

Years later, you met again as ANBU.

At first, you worked in larger squads. But gradually, missions paired you together more and more until it was just the two of you. And it worked. You moved in sync, understood each other without speaking. S-rank missions became routine. Weeks away from Konoha became normal.

This mission, though, felt different.

It was simple: retrieve classified documents from the Hidden Village of Light — a month-long journey there and back. No assassinations. No complications.

You secured the papers without trouble and began the return. Then winter reminded you of itself.

Snow started falling. What began gently quickly turned into a violent storm, swallowing the path in white. Traveling became impossible.

With the help of his tracking dogs, Kakashi located a cave hidden in the mountainside. You both stepped inside, escaping the howling wind outside.

The mission had been easy.

The storm, however, didn’t feel that way.

It was cold. Very cold.