Title: "Haunting Melody"

Status: OneShot

Fandom: Naruto

Characters/Pairing: Kakashi Hatake

Disclaimer: Copyright Masashi Kishimoto; no copyright infringement intended.

Rating: K

Genre: family

Warnings: unbeta'ed

Summary: The silence that greets him is so dense that it hums...

Note: Based on the theme prompt "haunting melody."

Haunted Melody

Kakashi slides the door shut with the soft clatter of wood hitting frame. The entrance hall is evening dark; its air stale and full of dust. He slips out of his sandals and sets them neatly aside; one after the other.

"Tadaima," he mutters.

Silence echoes down the corridor. Kakashi scowls and pulls down his mask; he hates this habit because he doesn't know how to break it.

He takes three quick steps, passing the door to his father's office. It's a childish thing to do and shame squirms inside his belly, but if he doesn't rush he will smell the stench of fresh blood.

Kakashi goes straight into his room and flops down on his futon. His stomach growls; he ignores it. The ceiling above is stark white and seems to glow in the twilight. He inhales the scent of ink and scrolls and weapon oil.

The whole Hatake estate is quiet. The silence is so dense that it hums in Kakashi's ears. The faucet in the kitchen starts dripping the moment his eyes close.

Kakashi swallows, small hands clenching into fists, and doesn't cry.

The End

R&R