Why yes, I am aware that I have other stories that I should be working on. But Vi's busy with school and I'm full of weird thoughts and I've recently discovered that my literary talent lies in dark, twisted one-shots, so I'm spouting loads of nonsense to get over writer's block.

I really don't know what this story is about, so it's open to interpretation, I guess. This pairing just makes so much sense to me.

Also, I'm aware that things like this have been written way too many times before. Like I said, this is to get over writer's block, and also because I'm not claiming to be original. I'm just saying that my writing is worth checking out and commenting on.

Warning/Disclaimers: Swearing, yaoi, and making out. It's not sex because I'm not in a sex mood, and sex is too complex for a story this short. It's less that 1000 words. Plot is mine, characters aren't.

Kakashi never stopped searching, even when there was nothing left to search for.

In a way, he was relieved that Sasuke sought out Orochimaru. He had known Sasuke was leaving—ever since he first set eyes on the boy, he recognized the hate in him and knew that no matter who did what, that thirst for revenge would drive him wherever he need to go to get it. At least Orochimaru was tangible. They knew where he hid; they knew what he looked like. They could find him, and Sasuke with him. It calmed his nerves, ever so slightly, to know that Sasuke hadn't walked out of the village with no destination in mind.

When news reached them that Orochimaru was dead and Sasuke was gone, cold dread settled in the pit of his stomach.

It had been hard, letting Sasuke leave—for many reasons. He could muse philosophically about how he felt that he had failed his student by not turning him away from the road of hate, but that was bullshit. Hate fueled the world, even though money—and some might argue, love—made it go round. Hate killed Obito, hate killed Jiraiya, hate killed Orochimaru and hate killed Itachi.

When news reached them that Sasuke had killed Itachi, Kakashi couldn't say that he was surprised—even though he was. For some reason that he couldn't fathom, he still clung to the thought that the young man that used to be one of his 'kids' wouldn't lower himself to that level.

But he did. Vague news of the last Uchiha—how melodramatic did that sound?—flittered into the village from time to time, and despite their best efforts, no progress could be made on capturing the rogue as he formed his band of misfits, joined Akatsuki, and generally made Kakashi's life a bureaucratic nightmare. In between reports of Eight-Tails' capture and Pein's march on Konoha, the shinobi found himself cursing and praising his former student in the same breath.

When news reached him of Sasuke's death, he left.

The ridiculousness of it made itself the be all and end all as he ran—he wasn't some sixteen-year-old hormonal idiot. Running wasn't going to do anything, and he knew damn well that he would be back in a few days to put up with Tsunade's sympathetic frustration at his taking off, that two days in the cold, rain and forest wouldn't do anything more than make him feel justified in his self-pity.

But it seemed like a pretty fucking good option at the moment.

So when he woke up, in the middle of the night, the far too light weight of a young man—who had eyes that were far too wise—resting on his lap, fuck it all if he didn't think he'd finally gone insane.

"I thought you were dead." Behold Kakashi, the human yardstick of intelligence.

Sasuke sneered, leaning too close. "Surprise."

The silence stretched between them, tense, like a jumper about to hit the ground. It was hard for Kakashi to breathe, his back pressed into the tree like it was. Sasuke's face inches from his own made it hard not to notice the gauntness of his face—the gauntness of all of him, really. He was too skinny, he had always been too skinny, but this almost emaciated creature of knives and pain and hollow vengeance straddling his hips made Kakashi wonder what years with Orochimaru, followed by near isolation, had done to the boy.

"I think," he said slowly, mindful of the kunai at his throat, "that I hate you more than anything else on this earth."

Sasuke's laugh was dry—almost like Itachi's. "I hate you too."

Then his mask was gone and there were teeth clashing with his and the kunai was dropped somewhere, tantalizingly close, as long fingers fisted his shirt, pulling him close—too close, always too close.

And always not close enough.

Kakashi's fingers wound their way into scratchy black hair, jerking his head back way too harshly; enjoying Sasuke's hiss of pain as he moved down his neck with open-mouthed kissed and scrapes of teeth. Hate and anger boiled in him—how dare this stupid, obnoxious little punk? Where did he fucking get off on just leaving everything and everyone behind?—and he bit down harder, blood flooding from under his teeth as he feels skin give way and the man above him cries out.

He smirks. A reaction; about time.

But Sasuke is quick to retaliate, Kakashi's shoulder screaming in protest as he finds himself bodily thrown to the ground. This is not a place for love, or things that they would never admit to. This isn't a place for feelings. The shinobi's knees are on either side of his hips again and he leaning down, grinding himself against the older man and clamping his teeth down, hard, on the skin just above Kakashi's heart—fucking bastard, when did he get his shirt open?

And suddenly, the most awful imitation of a owl rips through the trees. Sasuke jerks up, his eyes feral again, and dread seizes Kakashi. The other shinobi is on his feet before he can even sit up, the discard kunai back in its holster. Blood is running from his lips and his neck and he looks utterly debauched and Kakashi can't help but grin.

Sasuke prepares to leave, his knees bent to leap, when Kakashi speaks. His voice is rough. "I'm not going to stop searching."

The last Uchiha turns, his expression cryptic. "You won't have to."

If you liked it, reviews would be nice. Nothing is more discouraging that views without reviews (see what I did there?). Also, if you liked it, reviews might make me more inclined to spout more, similar nonsense.

Kit