AN: I'm not sure if I like this. It didn't turn out the way I had wanted it to..
It was late in the afternoon, and the sun was sinking behind the trees shielding the village, illuminating the red and orange leaves with the blazing glow that had given the land its name—Fire Country. The slowly dying orange rays lit her sea green eyes, shimmering against the water that was pressing to break free of them and travel down her cheeks. She closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath. The smell of the forest—the leaves and the dirt and the bushes—filled her senses for a few moments before she shakily exhaled, reopening her eyes.
It was still there, still as real as it had been just a few seconds before. She kneeled into the soft dirt in front of the enormous obsidian rock, slightly eroded with age but still as glossy and well-kept as it had always been.
'Hatake Kakashi.'
She leaned her forehead against the cool stone, beside the name that was tempting to break the control she had been fighting so hard to maintain. She felt a familiar presence behind her, but didn't to move from her position slumped against the monument. All was silent for a few moments until finally, she let out a pained sob.
The ninja behind her looked past her shaking shoulders to the stone, setting his clear blue eyes on the same name that haunted the grief-stricken kunoichi before him.
"Kakashi-sensei…."
He knelt down beside her and wrapped a comforting arm around her. Leaning his head against hers, he allowed grief to overtake him as well. The kunoichi cried even harder at his attempts to comfort her. Soothingly, he stroked her hair, cherry blossom pink now streaked with silvery strands. His own golden hair had developed similar strands of pure white. For a moment, a sad smile came over his face as he recalled their permanently silver-haired comrade. He'd never had to deal with such problems.
"Sakura-chan," he muttered, tightening his embrace. Slowly, she allowed herself to lean into him and accept his comfort. He was the only one she could turn to, now. He was her closest friend, and he too knew the pain of losing a spouse. His eyes watered a bit more as they flicked to a spot further up on the stone—to the name of his late pearly-eyed wife.
He heard the woman next to him inhale deeply as her tears finally began to dry up and she started to collect herself, putting the pieces of her wall of comfort back into place brick by brick. They sat in solemn silence for a few minutes more, only broken by a few sniffles and sobs.
Gently, he pressed his lips against the top of her head. "Obito-kun and Hizashi-kun are probably waiting for us." He helped her to her feet and brushed the remaining traces of tears off of her cheeks. He gave her a sad smile, giving her enough reassurance to return it to him.
As he led her away from the monument, he glanced back at it, glittering in what was left of the sun's light.
'I'll take care of her, she'll be okay… thank you for everything, Kakashi-sensei….' He gave her shoulders another gentle, comforting squeeze as he turned forwards and they padded along the worn path, back to what was left of what had been brought away.