Learning to Love | Kakashi x Reader

Prologue

No...

The sound of the heart monitor's constant, monotone screaming rang in your ears, echoing inside them.

No...

The room felt hot, the sticky summer air seeping in from the open window. Maybe it only seemed hot as you felt the boiling, raging emotions of grief, anger, and sadness churning within you

No...!

The sound of lab coats rustling and the scratching of a pen against paper was much more prominent than the sound of your sobbing, which you had learned to drown out in your mind.

No!

"So, deceased," The doctor muttered to the nurse, declaring the word that you didn't want to hear again, and he looked down at his watch at his wrist, "4:27 p.m."

Not again...! Your mind screamed.

He walked over and placed a hand on your shoulder, as you knelt next to his bedside, head buried in your arms that rest on the bed next to him.

"I'm sorry," The doctor said quietly, "We'll let you be for a moment."

He motioned for the nurse to follow him out the door, leaving you and your sorrow to be.

You couldn't help but feel a surge of anger at the doctor.

Why couldn't he save him?!

But you knew it was out of the doctor's power. Once someone was infected by the disease, there was no future for them. Their dreams ceased to exist. They ceased to exist. Once they were infected, they were destined to die. They had no other option but to struggle in vain until the inevitable happened.

You lifted your head up slowly, and it took all of your will power to look at him again one last time, at least. His face, it was so peaceful, a peace that seemed too eerily serene. He no longer wore an expression of pain or suffering as he had for the past couple weeks. His hair lay across his face, framing his head. His eyes were closed, and you would never see his kind eyes again.

Your feelings surged again, and your last look was cut short as tears blurred your vision and spilled over again. It wasn't fair. Now, you had no one. You would have to go home to an empty house from now on.  There would be no one to send you off to school anymore. There would be no one to turn to when you needed help. There wouldn't be anyone to say farewell to when you would be married. He wouldn't be there. He was dead.

Your father was dead.

The last of your family, the dad that loved you more than anything else in the world, was dead. Only several months after your mother's painful passing your father caught it, too. For several weeks he had been bedridden at the hospital, fighting an uphill battle that would never end. He struggled, but it was in vain.

You were utterly heartbroken. You felt beyond repair. You had known this time had been coming soon. You saw how it was with your mother.

"I don't think I can do this," You had said to him tearfully, "I don't think I'll be able to go on. I don't feel I can."

He had given you a weak smile and used some of his last strength to place a hand on your head, ruffling your hair like he had always done. "Don't say that. You have to, because I know you can. You can do it."

"The day is coming soon, Dad," You had looked into his face, searching desperately for as much comfort as you could get from him before he went, "I'll be paired up soon, but I don't want to. I want to stay with you. I can't be married unless you're still here with me."

"Of course I'll be with you," He had responded, "I'll always be with you, no matter what. Even when I'm gone, no matter what, I'll be on your side and I'll be by your side."

"Promise?"

"Promise," He had smiled and placed a hand on top yours, "Now you promise me something."

"Anything."

"Please face that day with a positive attitude," He'd asked, "It will offer you a new life, and you'll learn so much, more than I could teach you."

"But, Dad, what if I don't like him?" You had asked in turn, frowning.

"Learning to love someone is hard," He assured you, "But, I know you can do it. You're my daughter after all," He gave a quiet laugh which turned into a small fit of coughs.

You looked at him worriedly, but he waved you off, motioning that he was fine.

"Just promise me that this will be your opportunity to move on, turn a new leaf, if you will. I just want you to be happy."

You had nodded. "I know."

"Promise?"

"Promise."