Kakashi saw it in Naruto's eyes, he always saw it now. How could he have not seen it back when---no no point in wishing for things that can't be changed. Still, he HAD seen it!...and that was why the damage was all the worse. When Naruto was younger, Kakashi thought those feelings might become a problem, but back then in his naivety, Kakashi thought nothing could hurt Naruto. He was too strong, too outgoing, too busy helping others. But Naruto was still human, capable of feelings, still capable to understand rejection.

It had been two...? No maybe three...a few years since Sasuke had left, but Naruto hadn't made any attempt to get any closer to his old, childhood sensei. In fact, he grew more distant. Kakashi couldn't say he blamed him. He brought it on himself, all those years adding up to the final result...

Rejection.

Hurt.

Anger.

And on Kakashi's part? Failure.

Of course, Naruto never outright showed these feelings towards Kakashi. Naruto was quite the actor, ever since he was little. He had to, because of how everyone treated him, but Kakashi should have been a better teacher to him. Naruto was his student. But Kakashi had picked Sasuke as his favorite, saying they were more alike. But Kakashi realized too late that they weren't alike. Not in the long run. Sasuke had left when he felt all was lost. Kakashi stayed. Naruto lost everything, but then when he was on a team, he hoped deep down that things would be different. And they were eventually, but not with Kakashi and his team. The big breakthrough for him was that Sasuke considered him an equal rival. And what did that prove and show Naruto? Power was what brought people together.

But that was the wrong lesson, Kakashi would think bitterly to himself. And it was his fault for Naruto learning that, for not training Naruto and encouraging him. Even for the Chuunin exams, he didn't want anything to do with Naruto, instead he pushed him aside, took Sasuke under his wing, taught him his one original move. But that move was what was used to almost destroy Naruto.

His fault.

When Naruto returned after two years training with the Sanin Jiraiya, Naruto was a independent young ninja, who was truly powerful in many ways. He had mastered the Rasengan, had learned to control his inner demon, and had learned to accept himself for who he was. Not the burden he carried. And only then, when he was powerful and matured, did Kakashi want to relate to him equally.

But Naruto didn't care anymore. He had moved on, moved on to something greater, where Kakashi could go. The bitterness in Naruto's heart would never fade, it always lurked below the surface. Even with Sakura, whom he had always had feelings for. Now, he respected her and considered her a close friend, but his foolish crush was no more. They had both grown up. But Naruto had also...changed. In a way that made Kakashi realize just how much damage had been done.

Those two years made Naruto finalize his thoughts on important lessons that Kakashi was just realizing could never be undone. Every day in the past that Kakashi had idly push Naruto away, another scar was being added to Naruto's heart, adding to the bitterness and hate building up.

Because Naruto should have been able to trust Kakashi and believe that he would be there for him. But when Naruto went to fight Sasuke and lost, Naruto felt he failed again, that all he could do was fail. He swore to get stronger and in doing so had lost a part of himself.

And it was his fault. Kakashi's fault.

Another student lost because Kakashi realized too late what he was doing.

He was too late to undo this damage.

Naruto knew this.

And finally Kakashi did too.

He was too late...

...Some things just couldn't be undone.

If you're not sure what the heck this is, it's a 3rd person point of view of how Naruto feels about Kakashi. He had ignored him for so long when he was a child, picking Sasuke. But when Sasuke left for good, not only did he lose him, but he lost Naruto. And he's only realizing the damage done now. Kind of angsty, but there ya have it. Ta-da.