A/N: I found this old one shot I had written a while ago, and since I'm stuck on the two stories I am currently working on, I decided to write this one up. I know it's not very good, but please enjoy it anyway. Also, to those waiting for updates on Dark Insanity or Finding Love, I ask that you please bear with me, I am working on getting new chapters for both written and posted.
Iruka Umino had a good memory. The Chunin remembered many things, he remembered the faces of all his previous students, even those he no longer saw. He remembered the countless times he had taken Naruto out for ramen, the many times of listening to the young boy proclaim how he was going to be hokkage one day. He remembered the many time with his lover, the constant teasing, the perverted jokes, and his inability to be on time for things. He remembered seeing his boyfriend lounging around the village, one of his perverted books almost constantly in hand, one eye closed in a happy smile. He remembered seeing Kakashi with his team, the only team he ever took, coming into the mission room after a successful mission, the look of victory on their faces after a particularly tricky one. He remembered He remembered the feel of holding his boyfriend when the older man had returned from the latest mission, more often injured than not. He remembered the feel of the older man's warm, unmasked lips against his own, remembered the feeling of cool, smooth skin under his fingertips as he skimmed them over his lovers cheek. He could remember warm days spent in the forest when both of them had free time, watching as Kakashi's nin dogs either ran around the small clearing and through the trees, or lounged nearby relaxing.
There were many happy memories that he treasured, but at the same time there were many that he would have loved to forget. There was one memory in particular he wished he could forget, but remembered still. He could remember the feel of the warm sun beating down on his back, the sound of the birds singing, the sound of life going on as usual around him. He remembered the cold feeling of despair grip him like an icy fist, settling in the pit of his stomach at the sight of the bloody, weary team that had just walked through the gate shoulders slumped in defeat, the one clutching a pair of bloody dog tags. Tags that should have been with the man they belonged to, the man who was currently missing from the group. Iruka saw the one holding the tags turn his head, eyes widening at the sight of the chunin, before the bloody Jounin shook his head sadly. Iruka felt the bottom drop out of his stomach, felt all the air leave him as though someone had punched him in the gut. Kakashi couldn't be gone, he didn't want to believe it was true, but the look on the faces of the two jounin in front of him told him that his boyfriend wouldn't be coming home this time. He wished he could forget many things, but at the same time knew he never would. Because Iruka Umino had a great memory, even if some of the memories did nothing but haunt him.