Warnings: extremely underage drinking. Needless to say, do not follow Kakashi and Gai's bad example and damage your brains.
Rin and Sakumo sit perched on Kakashi's window sill, listening to the gradually dimming sounds of the festivities. It would have been peaceful too, if not for the sudden feminine screaming that quickly turns into angry shouting and small explosions. 'Jiraiya,' Sakumo thinks, 'probably drunk out of his gourd. At least Kakashi had been better behaved.'
Behind them, buried in his blankets with his limbs akimbo and kimono rumpled (Kushina is going to kill him for that), Kakashi sleeps off his drinking challenge with Gai (correction: Kushina is going to absolutely murder Kakashi and Gai). Thank goodness Gai had the sense to concede before Kakashi's stubbornness landed them both in the hospital for alcohol poisoning. Rin had already started ranting about the effects of alcohol on brain development and Sakumo had been on the verge of breaking out some jutsu - a Katon preferably - ghost or not.
The two rivals are both way too young to drink but keeping a determined jounin and a newly promoted chuunin away from the sake caskets isn't possible without some real firepower. The memory of Kakashi being soundly rebuffed by his summons for commanding them to fetch more sake makes Sakumo smile despite himself, though.
Eventually, even miscreants like Jiraiya have to go home (or pass out in the streets). As the last lanterns are snuffed out, Rin and Sakumo are left in the wan moonlight. "I suppose that's the end of it," Sakumo sighs and Rin pouts, looking disappointed. Mumbling in his sleep, Kakashi buries his face further into his pillow. It's a testament to his tenacity that he still hasn't taken off his mask.
"Ne... Sakumo-san, we've been to my grave. Where's yours?"
The older Hatake shrugs, wondering if this is Rin's idea of small talk. "At the edge of Konoha. It's quite secluded."
She smiles at him with guileless brown eyes. "Can we go?"
Bemused, Sakumo raises his eyebrows. "What for? I'm right here, you know," he jokes.
Rin grins briefly, swinging her legs idly. "Just curious."
"It'll be dark. And no-one will be there."
Her expressions softens and Sakumo winces internally at his slip. He hadn't meant to sound so... hurt? But the flicker of sympathy it's hidden as fast as it appeared, replaced by a mischievous tilt of her mouth. "Scared of ghosts, Sakumo-san?"
He laughs.
"Come on then," Rin says, slipping out of the window to float down five floors onto the pavement below. She beckons with exaggerated enthusiasm. "We can stargaze!"
Sakumo blinks at the glowing specks of golden light floating around them, swirling and weaving about in patterns unknown to their observers.
"Wow," Rin breathes, her voice saturated with wonder. "Fireflies!" She throws her arms out wide, golden light dancing on her face as she twirls.
Sitting down and leaning against his gravestone, Sakumo watches Rin skip around the clearing, sending the confused lightning bugs fluttering this way and that in response. Her innocent joy at this simple thing is infectious. The lingering memory of Kakashi's words years ago eases it's grip a little and Sakumo finds himself reaching a hand out towards the fireflies as well.
"It's lovely, isn't it?" Rin exclaims breathlessly as she sits down beside him, her hands braced behind her and her legs outstretched onto the grass.
"It is," he murmurs, drinking in the sight of the dark clearing being lit up by its own constellation of lights. They're just fireflies, mindless little creatures, but... it makes him feel like he hasn't been completely abandoned, forgotten. That there's still something beautiful left for him.
"We're lucky, aren't we? We came here at the right time."
She says it so easily but her words make something stick in his throat. The last time he had been here - no, anywhere, really - he had felt anything but lucky.
It had been painful; it still is.
Yet somehow, she looks at peace, sitting here in the dark with only the dead for company.
"This is our second chance, isn't it?"
It takes Sakumo a moment to process her words and even then, he can't quite compute what she means. "What?"
She turns her hand in the air, her gaze focused on the way the lights play over her skin. "We're here for a reason, right? We're not done with life yet, that's why we stayed back." She says it like she has a choice. Oblivious to his astounded gaze, she carries on with confidence. "I want to become strong. Then I can watch over Kakashi and help him like you do."
... A second chance?
But it has always been punishment for Sakumo. He is atoning. Always atoning.
"I can tell that you love him so much," Rin gushes and the warmth in her voice almost scalds him. "You're a good person, Sakumo-san."
He doesn't want to deny that admiring smile so he smiles back and accepts her compliments. He feels like such a fake. Does she know? How the White Fang had disgraced himself and committed suicide for it?
If he really had loved Kakashi enough, been strong enough, things wouldn't have turned out this way.
A/N: Rin's trying to cheer Sakumo up but he can't quite forgive himself yet...
Well, exams start tomorrow and I've run out of drafted chapters, so it will be a while before I can update again. Wish me luck :) When I come back, we'll be off to ANBU! There will be a few new ghosts too, though no-one you'll expect :) If you all have any ideas or requests, feel free to put it in a review or PM me!