Chapter Text
He started his day like he always did. Before the dawn’s rays broke the horizon, Kakashi nudged Pukkun by his side and Bull by his feet to coax them to the realm of the living. With bleary eyes and wide yawns, the smaller dog would get to work calling the rest of the pack while the tank performed his morning stretches after stepping off the bed.
Engaging each muscle one by one to lift himself from the covers, Kakashi made his way slowly out of his cot, repeating the mantra in his head over and over.
You live to carry on their memories.
From the kitchen came Akino, a boiling kettle hanging from his jaws. Bisuke and Urushi, emerging from the closet after Kakashi finished rubbing the sleep from his eyes, each brought over Kakashi’s ninja sandals, while Shiba carried his flak jacket on top of his own uniform. Uhei dragged over the duffle bag containing Kakashi’s equipment, such as his kunai knives, shirukuen, many paper bombs, and of course his precious summoning scroll.
All ninken assisted the copy ninja in dressing, even the non-dextrous Bull who acted as support for Kakashi’s lack of balance in the early hours of the morning.
Once the pack was confident their companion could stand up on his own, Guruko snatched the copy of Itcha Itcha from Kakashi’s book stand. Perching on his hindlegs, he offered the book to Kakashi.
“Thanks, bud,” Kakashi murmured, giving the dog a pat on the head. Guruko responded with a vigorous tail wag.
Pulling the jacket tighter in preparation for the cold, Kakashi nodded to his trusted friends.
“Okay. Let’s go, everyone.”
A group “woof” was his reply. Receiving their confirmation, Kakashi set off.
The cenotaph lay as unremarkable as it always did, flat and gray. The only mark of color was the wilting bouquet of flowers Kakashi had left the previous day. His hands were empty this morning, so Kakashi knelt to pluck the few leaves that appeared completely dead.
“I’m sorry,” Kakashi whispered. Why he thought every time visiting the graves would make it easier, he did not understand. The memory of Obito pinned under the rock still haunted his nightmares, along with the gush of blood that left Rin as she uttered her last words. Never did it fade with time, and it only stung more as the number of comrades he outlived, outlasted, grew.
As he stood back up, the ninken in a V-formation bowed their heads to the square stone. Kakashi put his hands flat together and offered his former teammates a silent prayer.
By now the first sign of light peaked over the trees of the forests. With a sigh, Kakashi peered to his pack.
“Where did Genma want to meet for breakfast again?”
“Mijori, boss,” Pakkun answered.
Ugh. That sushi stand was over halfway through the village. There was no way Kakashi would make it on time.
Grabbing Makeout Paradise from his pocket, Kakashi sighed again.
“Guess I should start heading over.”
Brushing the curtains to the side, Kakashi saw the elite ninja leaning his stool at an angle so it precariously stood on one leg. His eyes were closed in supposed peace, and the senbon in his mouth jittered up and down.
“Yo,” Kakashi greeted as he took the empty stool beside Genma.
“Shh, I was enjoying the silence for once,” Genma said, holding up a finger. “It’s so rare nowadays.”
Kakashi chuckled. “Ah, yes. How’s married life suiting you?”
Genma righted his stool, flailing about to stop himself from falling off. “Married? Hold up, that is no way the situation I’m in. Moving in together is hardly the same, Hatake.”
“It’s hard to tell the difference when the man saying that used to claim himself as the eternal bachelor.” Kakashi motioned a hand to call over the server.
“I know!” Genma shouted, slamming his fist on the ground. “That damn Yamanaka, she somehow got me wrapped around that finger of hers.”
“Three hamachi sashimi and two unagi nigiri,” Kakashi said to the server. He nodded, took Genma’s bland order of cucumber maki, and walked away.
“Or,” Kakashi suggested, “she used a secret clan jutsu to control you.”
“I’ve considered that,” Genma said, “and have decided that if that is indeed the case, I’m fine with it. Have you seen the woman? Insane! Her mind? Literally levels above mind. Plus, she has a fine-ass clan name.”
“Remind me why she picked you, then?”
“Uh,” Genma gestured to his torso. “My body, duh.”
“Mahh, a match made in heaven, then, is it?”
Genma stabbed the wood with his senbon to keep it upright as their food slid on the table.
“Fucking soulmates, Hatake. I used to not believe they existed, but I sure as hell do now.”
“Soulmates? Shit, Shiranui, you do plan on marrying her eventually.”
Genma chewed on his roll, eyes looking at the ceiling. After taking a big gulp, he said, “You know, I can’t see a life without her anymore. We may be heading that direction after all. After all we’ve been through, the radiance she provides me, if I never got to see it again I would rather die. I mean that. I’ve been sent on enough missions, seen enough shit, to recognize when I’ve got it good. Ino… she’s good.”
Kakashi scoffed. “She works in T&I, second only to her father. She’s not good. None of us are.”
Genma snapped his chopsticks at Kakashi’s face. “Sometimes I tolerate your cynicism, but in this case, I won’t. You’re wrong. Despite what she does, she wakes up every morning and takes care of the flowers in the apartment. Says it is crucial to remind ourselves of the living things we protect every day, even if they are unaware of our acts. And then she does this super sexy thing where she lets down her hair, takes off her shirt, and—”
Faking a gag, Kakashi thrusts his hand on his chest. “Kami, please, okay, I submit!” Lifting his mask back up, Kakashi turned to his trusted friend with a smile. “I really am happy for you, Genma. Soulmates or not, seeing you unironically joyful is a pleasure to see.”
Genma shoved the senbon back in his mouth, the crooked smile a distant as he thought about his kunoichi. “Yeah. I sure am lucky.” He stuffed his last roll into this mouth. “What’s on your plate today?”
“Besides this wasabi?”
Genma elbowed Kakashi’s stomach.
Batting the man’s arm away, Kakashi said, “Tsunade-sama called me in for a meeting later. Guessing she’s about to send me on some solo assignment, as per usual.”
Genma hefted himself off the stool, waving his hand to the street. “C’mon, my shift at the tower is about to start. We can walk over together.”
Their journey was silent for the most part. The market of the village began to wake up in earnest now that the sun lifted a few hours into the sky. Mundanes and ninja alike went about their morning routines, and Genma and Kakashi became two more Konoha ninja devoted to the Hokage.
Genma cleared his throat. “Kakashi… I’m sure you’ll find someone too, eventually. You shouldn’t give up hope.”
Kakashi stared at his feet, not confident in keeping his voice from cracking if he responded.
By now, he assumed he was a walking omen of bad luck. After he’d lost both Rin and Obito, Kakashi had done a long stint in ANBU before being called out to remake Team 7. The new members, Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke, apparently had lost their civilian teammate in some mishap, and Hiruzen figured it would be better to bring in a veteran ninja to hold them together.
How wrong that old man had been. Driven to absolute madness by his brother, Sasuke eventually ran away to train as he thought the village and the ties it forced upon him made him weak. It had now been years since anyone had heard a word from him. His whereabouts alluded even Naruto, despite his many efforts. The blonde ninja scoured the plains, mountains, even seas for his old teammate. He never received any reward, any tidbit of optimism in his search, yet he still somehow had faith.
Now, Kakashi was once again left without a team. Thrown back into ANBU, the truth could no longer be kept from him.
He would always be alone. That was simply his fate.
“Meh, I’m not so positive, Genma,” he finally said. “Some people are just meant to be lonely.”
“You’re not alone, Hatake. You do have me after all!”
“That certainly makes me feel much better, Shuranui. I’ll be seeing you.”
“Stay alive,” Genma called, turning to relieve Tatami Iwashi of his guard duties.
“You too,” Kakashi said, and opened the door to the Hokage’s office.
Tsunade lay buried under piles of paper, Shizune tapping her foot next to the desk.
“Tsunade-sama, you need to get this paper work done. They were due last week…”
“Please, Shizune. It’s too much at this hour. At least let me have a little break!”
Kakashi coughed into his fist, shoulders slumped.
Both women jolted upright at the sound. Shizune sighed, while Tsunade stood up from her chair with baring her teeth in a large smile.
“Hatake! Just in time.”
“He’s actually half an hour late,” Shizune stated, putting her armful of papers down.
Tsunade rounded the side of her desk to rummage through a cabinet full to the brim of scrolls. “No, he’s just in time to save me from the boring aspects of this job. Aha!” She pulled out a scroll deep from the drawer. “I’m sure you’re aware of the drug dealings taking place on our border with the Land of Rivers,” she said as she unsealed the scroll.
“Briefly. I haven’t participated in many missions with the Narcotic Division. My skill set typically places me in different situations.”
He saw Shizune roll her eyes from the corner of his, while Tsunade unfurled the scroll on her desk. “I’m well aware of your skillset, Hatake. We aren’t looking for a bust. We have deep intel in the area regarding the gang that operates the supply. We need you to locate and extract the information.” She pointed to the map scratched to the side of the scroll, a location near the Fire border but north of Tanigakure. “Head this direction. We understand the headquarters are nearby, but the exact position is unknown. From there, you take the lead, however you see fit. Just make sure the information is retrieved in good condition.”
“Hai. How will I know what I’m looking for, intel-wise?”
Tsunade wrapped up the scroll and handed it to Kakashi to analyze. “I cannot say exactly, but we have a code for you to use: Shushu-ya. I have complete faith in you that you’ll figure out how to use it.”
“That’s just grand,” Kakashi muttered under his breath.
“Watch it, Kakashi.” Tsunade cracked her fist once.
Feigning fear, Kakashi bowed deeply to his Hokage. “Of course, Hokage-same. Whatever you and the village needs. I am at your service.”
“Just get out of here! And please, come back in one piece.”
“Hai, Tsunade-sama.” Kakashi stood upright and brought his hands together. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
With that, he shunshinned away.