Will Of Fire ~KakashixOc (Editing)

Funeral Ch.31

      Getting ready for the funeral the next morning was harder than I'd ever exspected it to be. The high collared black top and matching pants were traditional shinobi funeral attire and it hurt to remember all the times I've wore it before. I kept my hair down, letting the waves tumble down my back. Before I leave my apartment, I tie my headband to my forehead. I pull it tight, frowning slightly. I know where Kakashi would be right now, visiting the KIA monument, and a part of me wanted to be there with him. The other part of me wants to close my eyes and never see him again. I let out a small sigh, looking up into the dark sky. There was going to be rain today, without a doubt.

I walk through the village quietly, eyes scanning the rubble the still littered the streets. My hands tighten at my sides, forming fists. I feel my chest tightening along side, my heart finding it's resolve. Konoha should never find ourselves in the state ever again. The lives that were sacrificed, the families that were torn apart, that should never happen again. It used to pain me to see my village in disarray and ruin, now... Now it's just pissing me off. My anger fuels my fire, which feeds my resolve. This is my village and I'm never letting anything like this happen to us again. Konoha is everything to me and I'm going to protect it with everything in me. Whenever I become Hokage, I will build our relationships with the other lands and forge a new future. War and battles won't be fought and lives wouldn't be taken. Father's and Mother's won't be stollen from the tides of war and brothers and sisters won't be tossed aside. My father sacrificed himself for the village and now I see why. With his final act in my heart, I develop my own beliefs and I carve them deep into my soul.

It was raining during the funeral, like the heavens were grieving along with us. I stood in between Gai and Asuma, both of them holding my hands. Gai stood next to me, as stiff as an oak tree. His eyes were trained on the stone faces of the Hokage in front of us, to the large scar that ran through the face of my father. His eyes would flicker to me and scan my face. Gai has been experiencing a new levels of worry that he's never felt before. With his student, Lee, demobilized and unable to stay a shinobi, he doesn't get a lot of rest at night. He spends a lot of time researching medical treatments and visiting the hospital everyday. Now, when he looks at me, a new worry fills his eyes. His eyes scan mine, searching for any clue on what I was thinking. My face softens and I smile sightly at him. My hand tightens around his and he stands a little closer to me, shoulder against mine. His touch relaxes me little by little, his strong body next to mine begins to tear down some of my walls. I suck in a quick breath, feeling sadness rushing through me like waves. I take another shaky breath and I get a small grip on myself.
The sound of a child sobbing slams against my ears. My eyes instantly find Konohamaru, balling in Iruka's arms. Tears tumble down his face as he clung to his teacher. My loose grip on myself slips and tears fill my eyes. I haven't cried since Dad died, but seeing little Konohamaru crying out for his grandfather reflected on how I felt on the inside. I was calling out for my father.

I don't wail. I don't sob, but my tears run thicker than the rain that drenches and drips from my eyelashes. Silent tears blur my vision and leave salty trails down my face. I didn't lift my hands to dry my tears, I kept my grip tightly around Gai and Asuma. My brother's eyes meet mine and widen slightly. His brown eyes soften as he silently pulls me into his arms. I collapse against his chest, breathing in his comforting scent. He smelled like home, like Dad. His arms hold me tightly and I relax in his arms. The eyes of the shinobi around us doesn't loosen Asuma's grip around me. He rubs my back in comforting circles and I look up from his chest. My eyes pull past his shoulder, meeting a pair of dark grey eyes in the distance. Kakashi watched me, standing next to our team. His face was blank, taking in the tears that stain my face. I keep my face blank as well, wiping the tears. I won't let Kakashi see me like this, not again. I quickly step out of Suma's arms and roughly wipe my face. Gai puts his arm around me, pulling me against his side. I lean against him, resting my head on his shoulder. I could feel Kakashi's eyes burning into the back on my head. For the test of the funeral, I stayed in Gai's arms.