Almost like a songfic: Slip out the Back Fort Minor

Note: Lyrics italicized

Naruto leaned into the icy metal door, ear pressed against it as he tried to hear the dialogue coming from the other side of it. Even with his ears straining, Naruto could not make out any of the words, so he pushed himself even closer to the door, resting his hand just in front of his face, and closed his eyes. Sasuke's voice suddenly got louder. 'Damn,' Naruto thought, 'What's his deal?' Naruto focused all of his attention on the voices once more.

"You know me, I used to get caught up in everyday life;

Tried to make it through my day so I could sleep at night.

It could have been—should have been all right, but

Nothing feels like it's really worth it."

"…Where does that leave you now? Does your perfect life afterwards suddenly seem--"

"Forget perfect! I'm trying not to be worthless!

Since I last saw you, I've been looking for a purpose " Naruto flinched. 'If Sasuke thinks that HE'S worthless, what does he think of me?' sigh This was getting too deep. Sasuke rarely spoke of Itachi anymore. Even though Sasuke hadn't actually said the name, Naruto knew that he was referring to Itachi's death. Now that the man he had most wanted to kill was gone, Sasuke had nothing.

Naruto heard Sasuke sigh on the other side of the door. Just when he thought that Sasuke was done ranting, Naruto heard him start up again.

"Listen its like poker: you can play your best,

But you got to know when to fold your cards and take a rest,

And know when to hold your cards and hold your breath,

And hope that nobody else is stacking the deck, because

I don't need to tell you that life isn't fair: it doesn't care;

It arbitrarily cuts off your air, and like you I want someone to say its OKAY,

But in the truest parts of our hearts everybody's afraid,

But just underappreciated and overwhelmed;

Fighting so hard to hide our fear that we're scaring ourselves.

You understand when I'm saying that you always did,

But its different in the words of a cowardly kid." His voice was shaking, and it was obvious that Sasuke was having a hard time talking like this.

"Even heroes know when to be scared," came Kakashi's cool response. "But you—you just never learned to read the cards right, did you?"

"I'm not a hero but don't think I didn't care." Sasuke's voice was shaking even more now, and Naruto was sure that the young man was on the verge of another breakdown.

Then he heard a single sob. Then footsteps. The metal door swung open and Kakashi stepped out.

"…Naruto, he's all yours."

Slip out the back before they know you were there

And at the worst you'll see nobody cares

'Cause you don't wanna be around when it all goes down

Even heroes know when to be scared

Slip out the back before they know you were there

And at the worst you'll see nobody cares

'Cause you don't wanna be around when it all goes down

Even heroes know when to be scared