Dog Gone Days: The Funeral
Author: remthedogsitter
Summary: A collection of ficlets and drabbles set in the Dogs universe to clear up some potholes and other things. Not exclusively Kakairu
A/N: hmm DGD will be updated more or less together with the third installment of the Dogs universe just to fill in the time gaps
Timeline: A little close to a year that the village lost contact with Iruka
Kakashi is the only figure at the memorial stone that early in the morning, just before dawn when the mildew sparkles from the first ray of the sun and everything smells fresh. The birds were singing somewhere far off as if they too knew the silence of the souls that rested in this place.
"I wont be able to visit for a while but I'll be back, alright?" he lightly runs his fingers over all the names that he came to mourn but his hand pauses at an empty space that was due to be filled in later today.
It was a miserably wet day that Kakashi felt compelled to move slower than usual, his jounin garb exchanged for a more serious dress suit. His breakfast is cold coffee from the night before and the mug he uses is three days old since it's last seen the sink. The shower was brisk and just as cold because it felt necessary to rub the 48 year old blood off from a stranger from another mission.
He buttons up the shirt with a deliberate attention to detail. He shines his ring before he slips it onto his gloveless finger. Pure white and a pure white mask. A small rebellion against what this day meant.
"I refuse Hokage-sama."
"I know it's hard brat but we have to face facts—"
"He's not dead as long as no one has brought me his body to see for my own eyes."
After that it was a painful stab at Obito's eye, since yesterday it showed no sign of stopping. There was a line of people dressed in black, slowly growing as it snaked its way from the heart of the village to the memorial stone. Kakashi watches the display from his perch of the branch an extremely old tree, Iruka's favorite tree that he planted with his parents before they passed.
He was worn. Worn from every mission he extended to search for signs, even his dogs were worn from running and scrapping. They howled so painfully most nights, the howl of a pack trying to guide others home but so torn from no response. They refused to sing a funeral song.
Naruto's presence made itself known, the now young man seemed to be able to practice much more self control now compared to his younger days. They were together because they shared the same sadness and the same loss over one man, father to one, lover to the other. It was limbo hanging like this, at least others had a body to mourn.
"Watch the village for me Naruto." Kakashi was just a breath away from him, looming over his former student as he watched the crowd carry a framed picture of his lover. Naruto shared his sentiments, there was no point in mourning a man who was merely missing and not dead.
"You have my word Kakashi-sensei."
The two shared an awkward hug, both needing the comfort it would give. "I'll bring him back. I promise."