Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Naruto or any of their characters

She watched as he glared at some girls crying and complaining about 'being alone'. (boy trouble most likely)

Ever since she came to Konohagakure she had noticed that that Sasuke Uchiha guy always had this look of annoyance in his eyes and not just for certain people or certain things but almost everyone and everything.

It wasn't like she paid much attention to the guy, in her book he was nothing really special she only noticed because she was observant and he lived in the apartment next-door to her own.

she didn't want to be a ninja but the 'council' had insinuated that if she didn't comply they would not be the least bit sorry or ashamed for making her life miserable and due to the fact she didn't know how to get back to her world she was stuck here so she accepted.

Now she didn't have much trouble with most of the people but she had a few really good friends, but like most kids there were also those that she didn't get along with.

But… Sasuke Uchiha was a different story it's not that they got in a whole lot of fights or anything she mostly just didn't like certain things like, his attitude towards other people, the way he was always in a bad mood, hardly ever talked to other people as if he was above everyone and everything else.

But most of all there was this look in his eyes this little feeling buried underneath the surface but shone brightly in his eyes and it struck a nerve with the force of a wrecking ball, she know she instinctually knew what it was but… she herself didn't know what it was consciously, and the worst was he held onto that feeling he didn't even try to release the emotion like he felt the emotion did something for him like justified him being a bastard. in her opinion it only be justified if it was something you have no control over.

She glared at him from her spot in the tree she was hiding in,concealing her energy; she knew some people were looking for her to give her some sort of stupid job or something that she had no interest in taking part in. Just because she graduated the academy in two months doesn't mean that she was something all that special it's just that she knew half of the stuff already and due to the fact that she learned a technique that allowed her to pick up on something's quickly and she was apparently really fast. Not to mention that she immediately took up inactive status (and still attended classes at the academy.)

While she was good at this ninja stuff it didn't mean she had to like it, and she doesn't. she glared harder at the young boy and almost laughed when he stiffened and tried to inconspicuously look around for where the feeling was coming from and at that point Kagome was worried he was going to find her.

She was well hidden in the tree and wouldn't really be noticed unless you really looked so being seen wasn't her worry, no she was afraid she that might not be able to hold in her laughter for much longer. The look on his face was priceless. Unfortunately she was the only one there to see it, now that the girls had continued on their way down the forest trail.

In her mirth the glare was replaced by a mischievous smile of a girl finding entertainment in the nervousness of a boy she didn't like. And while he still seemed wary he had relaxed a bit.

It seemed Sasuke was much better at being inconspicuous so as to not be noticed by people than he was with hiding his nervousness although he was pretty good looking he could somehow blend in if he wanted to. Yes she had noticed his good looks but that didn't mean she liked him or anything, he was just the casual eye candy. (although still a kid) Kagome had remembered when she had first seen him he was four and she was physically four, she remembered when she first met him she just wanted pick him up and cuddle him, although she was physically the same age on the inside she was still a teenager, he had the cutest little smile and than a few years later around the time he moved into the apartment next to her he changed completely.

Seeing that Sasuke was still a bit anxious from her glare of contempt she just had to do it.

Kagome landed silently on the ground she smirked and once again tried to hold in her laughter.

She watched her prey for a few moments to see if he would notice her, when he didn't she placed a hand on his shoulder asking oh so sweetly "Sasuke?'

Sasuke immediately reacted seeing whatever it was had snuck up on him so closely without him noticing and that often indicated a dangerous opponent he had his kunai out swinging around in an attempt to stab his would be attacker Kagome swiftly dodged missing getting hit by an inch.

He stared at her in surprise "be careful you could hurt someone with that thing." Kagome said in a somewhat mocking tone she had recently found much pleasure in upsetting the people who felt superior to everyone else (often due to their family line).

Sasuke gave her a mild glare "I believe that's the point of a weapon, to attack others or to defend yourself." He scoffed putting said weapon away.

Kagome only smirked this was quickly becoming one of her favorite past-times badger the Uchiha until he turned red but that would have to wait due to the fact she suddenly recognized the look in his eyes.

Kagome stopped her bugging of the boy, she suddenly under stood part of his behavior, the emotion in his eyes, and could empathize because contrary to popular belief she too felt… lonely.

"You know, you're not the only person with problems so give it a rest will you? Just because your problems may be worse doesn't mean you have any reason to be scornfulto ones who feel their problems are big because they haven't been through true hardships... the feelings are completely beyond their capacity to even imagine until something of the sort happens to them…"Kagome said with a soft yet firm voice.

Sasuke just chuckled wryly at the girl beside him"give what a rest and what would you know of true hardships?don't preach to me about something you don't understand" he voiced in mild disgust Kagome still got the creeps from this kid. It simply was not normal to hear a kid talk like that in that tone of voice.

Kagome leaned on a weepingwillow tree and slid down to sit at its base "I saw you glaring at those girls they couldn't possibly understand, could they? You say it, and people think they understand and leave it at that, when to truly understand you need to realize it's not at all simple, or when they don't even try to understand because 'it's in the past' or some other crap of the sort."He turned to this girl who he had believed to be a clueless, naïve, ditz. And saw a look that said it all.

'is it even possible for such a insufferable overly cheerful girl to…' Sasukes thoughts stopped dead in their tracks by the look on her face the tone of her voice and her simple words.

Her eyes looked old and tired like she's seen more hell than anyone should ever experience they were…dull and lost that playful, Cheerful and optimistic little glint that they always held, her delicate features' spoke volumes of her pain. Her voice sober and low as she said "you're not the only one who has to deal with a pain that feels almost empty… you're not the only one who feels isolated… lonely…"

She turned her eyes from the ground back to him and he suddenly knew what they meant when people said that 'The eyes are the window to the soul' he saw it all, she felt the pain but she forced a smile that told him of her suffering in silence.

"I know… you don't have to be alone… to be lonely" her eyes filled with understanding and melancholy

Sasuke suddenly felt… bad for rebuking the girl for as harshly as he did for simply talking about something that she apparently did know something about and not even attempting to listen to her. Guilt is NOT something he's USED TO!

"Damn it." He hissed under his breath through clenched teeth but kagome seemed to hear it any way if the smile she wore, even if slightly dejected, was anything to go by.

He sat down sighing, back resting against the same tree but facing a different direction he looked at the girl beside him for a moment and then turned away again this time he felt not guilt but something else something he could not identify no it wasn't a bad feeling it just worried him he didn't know what to make of it the feeling was so… surreal. The weeping willows branches hung low enough to brush along the ground giving a sense of privacy.

"You know, my family is still alive, but I can never see them… because of my duty and because my friends would lock me up and force me to stay with them forever if they could so when I do see my family it only lasts two days every month, and four if I'm extremely lucky.

I know that if their families werealive again… if they weren't dead, my friends would spend every waking with them and just protect them from the world and forget about our current situation, they have no idea exactly how much I want to do just that they have no idea how much I worry for my family not to mention that I don't know whether my family knows I'm alive or is grieving because they think I'm dead… I want them to know how much I love them and I want them to smile and be happy and I want so badly to know them but… I'm missing so much of their lives that I feel like I'm totally neglecting them my friends can't possibly understand what they're putting me through."

he looked over at her in surprise and couldn't help but stare at her for a moment and all he could think was 'okay… so maybe she does have some depth after all…'

"and it hurts to be stabbed in the back by someone you trust…" his eyes although not looking at her almost popped out of his head at that statement.

Kagome suddenly found an Uchiha in her face eyes narrowed in suspicion "elaborate!" he ordered 'can she possibly know anything about what I went through?'

Kagomes wide eyed just stared for a moment he had taken her by surprise with his sudden close proximity and order she could only imagine that he meant he wantedto hear her own experiences with betrayal and he looked slightly anxious to actually hear about it if she read his aura correctly so she didn't really have a problem so she hopped right on it.

"there is this boy that I really like and he said he'd protect me but he's in love with this other girl who's tried to kill me and he did nothing but defend her after her attempt at my life." she closed eyes head hanging slightly.

"one minute he acts like he likes me the same way I like him and as soon as I let my guard down he's off with her and it kills me, he knows she at least tried to hurt me but lives in denial and as stupid as it sounds I'm willing to let him do so. So I'll never directly tell him she tried to kill me I've seen him heartbroken but this would only top it all I can't stand to see him like that so… I can't tell anyone" she was shaking her head back and forth he was barely able to see but under her bangs her eyes were closed tightly.

" it's hard to bear alone but… if only to keep him happy I'll hold my peace on the matter and either way I know he'd break his promise if it had to come to the choice between me and her he'd choose her she is after all the superior of the two of us… but still he promised me…" her voice was low he watched her clench her fists until they were shaking and noticed as they began to bleed from the palm showing that her nails must have pierced the skin

"Whenever she comes around into the area he's off to see her so he can't protect me it's funny you know… I'm willing to bet; if to save her life he'd take mine away from me… in cold blood, no less." he saw the somber smile of a agonized soul grace her lips upon that statement.

"He promised to follow her to hell you know… so where does that leave his promise to me? He lied and he did it all for a woman who wants me dead and tried to kill me right after I saved her…" Sasuke felt his blood boil towards those two people he had already disliked the boy as soon as she mentioned him but now he hated him he decided to add a new couple of people to his hit list.

"And from what I understand… and please correct me if you feel I'm crossing a line or that I'm prying and it upsets you, but… you know what it feels like to be compared to someone… that people can'tseem to understand that you're not and that they shouldn't expect you to be… someone else…" he could have sworn she was some sort of psychic mind-reader.

Judging by his expression she had taken him by surprise she smiled "I'm never good enough she's always better… in almost every way possible, prettier, kinder, smarter, stronger, more level headed, more understanding-" at that point Sasuke had not just heard what he thought he heard… right?

"kinder? More understanding? Stronger? Listen,you're probably the only person who has under stood me as far as you have… and you're probably one of the kindest people I've met… almost to the point that it's sickening… it's probably your worst flaw…and you may not be the strongest person I've met but… you're Not weak either actually you're pretty intense!" 'What the hell am I doing? What the hell am I saying? What's wrong with me? Why am I being… NICE?' he questioned internally completely surprised by himself, he just spoke without thinking and judging by Kagome's expression she was just as surprised.

Despite her surprise she smiled a big grin being that it was Uchiha Sasuke who said this it had to be true he doesn't lie or sugar coat things for other peoples benefit he doesn't care what any one thinks of him or what he says but she couldn't help but ask "really? You mean it? You think I'm Kind? You think I'm strong? Really?" he noticed this extremely happy and hopeful gleam in her eyes.

Okay he wasn't used to people giving him that look he's only ever seen anything close to it when people have asked him out and they were all rather nervous. This innocently hopeful and almost euphoric expression had him nervous, something he hadn't felt in a long time.

He pushed down the feeling of nervousness and allowed mild annoyance "why would I lie! Of course I think those things most people do and who ever told you otherwise either doesn't know you, is a such a bad judge of character to the point that it's scary or they're lying." He was starting to get a head ach

"Geez, you're not only barf-inducingly NICE but you're WAY to damn forgiving! WHAT IS YOUR PROBLE-" Sasuke was cut off by an enthusiastic hug, kagome was so happy to hear those words sure he may have worded it harshly and made it all sound like a bad thing but after being called 'heartless' time and again by certain dog eared boy she liked and being told that she's 'barf-inducingly nice', she had always tried her best and her actions became habit and she enjoyed it, she was glad to hear him say that she's nice rather than 'more trouble than she's worth.'

Kagome suddenly realized what she was doing and let go of him and scooted back a bit with a slight blush on her face she said "sorry… and thank you…"

"Thank -? For what?" he asked irritated, she had just hugged him and let go of him than apologized and thanked him… he wasn't quite sure how to react to that and it was irritating.

"For saying that, that I'm kind… you know… you just made my day, heck, maybe even my whole week!" she was smiling so brightly

'what's wrong with me I'm… this crazy girl,I'm-'his thoughts were cut off by a question that he desperately wanted to ask

"Higurashi? How is it you're so cheerful? It doesn't make sense."

Kagome looked at him smiling again not as brightly as before it was more of a bittersweet smile "I have to be. My family is still alive remember, my friends couldn't possibly understand, while they can all understand each other, who can understand me? Who will even try?"

"why can't you visit your family? I don't think it should be too much of a problem." He asked he was working on a puzzle and he would solve it.

"They live in I guess you could say… the place is completely different like a different world it's far, far away actually it makes me wonder where do I belong? Or do I even have a place to belong? My original home was safe and then while when with my friends everything was dangerous so I was born one place so I don't belong in the world my friends live in nor do I belong back home… not after everything I've seen… I'll never fit in either world."

She thought of something that Sasuke might need to hear.

"you know, where I come from there's a few sayings 'life suck's, and then you die', 'Life is just one damned thing after another.' And you know life does suck but… not always… life is often just one thing followed by another in an endless pattern but it's what you make of the pattern and how you perceive it that really matters, but to be honest I prefer 'Never take life seriously. No one gets out alive anyway.' Well I think everyone should enjoy the time they have and if you try to look at the positive things in life, life is more enjoyable…" Kagome gave him a small smile while turning to him "you know it wouldn't kill you to smile and laugh every once in a while, in fact it's actually good for you and you seem to think all the girls fawning over you is just plain annoying one of the things that causes that is the 'dark and mysterious' crap if you begin to act more cheerful, even if only a little bit, it might help get them off your back!" kagome smiled at him and if he hadn't just learned what he had it would seem genuine but he saw it was at least partially forced.

"you don't have to force yourself besides what good will it do when I know its fake." He said giving her a bland look

Her expression slightly altered she still held a smile but it was a bit different it wasn't as happy as she faked it earlier

"Well… it's a habit I suppose..." she looked at him and gave a wry, sad smile.

"where the hell were you before you came to Konoha and just what the hell were you doing?" he almost yelled'to make faking a smile a habit?' Sasuke was just dumbstruck by this girl

She looked away from him still holding that sad smile "Well…"she trailed off and decided to get while the getting's good before she told him her story and got herself locked up in the loony bin.

"Sasuke-san if you ever want to talk to someone or something you can always talk to me I'll do my best to understand you and I won't judge you" she said getting up from her spot "and you have to understand there are some people out there who just can't fathom your pain so cut them a little slack, okay?" she didn't wait for his reply as she walked away and he could only watch her retreating form

a few minutes later he was still sitting at the base of that weeping willow sorting out every thing he just learned and heard, when Kagome darted past at a blurring speed he watched as an ANBU member followed, he smirked "she maybe sad, but she's kept busy enough that she can't focus on the bad things." He knew immediately that they were chasing her down to send her on some errand that she probably reallydoesn't want to go on 'she was probably hiding from the ANBU and others trying to track her down rather than stalking me.' That was good to know one person who actually under stands him isn't a weirdo stalker. He for once didn't feel so alone.

There you have it! I was just editing this to fit for the next chapter and noticed all the errors and for some reason all of this has made me reeeeeeeaaaaaaally hyper! I FEEL SORRY FOR THE NEXT PERSON WHO'S GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH ME! Please leave a review.