Kakashi was walking ahead of Team 7, hands in his pockets, his usual slouchy posture relaxed as Naruto argued loudly with Sasuke behind him. Sakura tried—mostly in vain—to keep the peace. It was the same as always, and Kakashi barely registered the noise anymore.

That is, until he saw you.

The shift in his energy was immediate. His gait didn’t stop, but his steps slowed just slightly—only noticeable to someone paying close attention. His visible eye widened by a fraction before narrowing in silent surprise. You were standing off to the side of the path—and that was what made it worse. You were just existing, and already throwing off his rhythm. He approached without exactly meaning to.

“Yo,” He spole, his voice low and casual. “Fancy seeing you here.” He was cool, calm. Perhaps even believable. But as the kids approached behind him, Kakashi’s body leaned ever so slightly toward you. It was subtle, but there—a tension in his shoulders, a tightness around his eye like he was suddenly too aware of every word that might leave his mouth. Then it happened. He bumped your shoulder gently, a harmless gesture that should’ve meant nothing, but he muttered it out without thinking,

“Sorry, sweetheart.”

Dead silence.

Kakashi blinked. The word had slipped out so naturally, so effortlessly, that it took him a second to realize what he’d said. His eye flicked toward his students—Naruto’s jaw had dropped, Sasuke looked vaguely disgusted, and Sakura was blinking rapidly like she was trying to solve a riddle. He cleared his throat, “I mean—sorry. Slipped.” A beat passed. Sasuke raised an eyebrow as Naruto leaned forward way too eagerly. “Wait, what’d you just call—?”

“Training resumes. Now,” Kakashi cut in sharply, already turning on his heel and walking way too fast for someone who’d just been loitering. The mask covered his face, but the tips of his ears were just slightly red. And for the rest of the day, he was ten times stricter than usual—flustered, annoyed, and completely distracted. Every now and then, though, when he thought no one noticed, his gaze flicked off toward the village. Like he couldn’t stop thinking about what he’d let slip.