AN; Yes, yes, it's a surprise that I've actually written two things with in a week but HA! It just goes to show you can't give up on me yet! Just wait till summer gets here, then you'll see how often I can post….

Anywho, this leans heavily on the Kakashi Gaiden, so unless you've read that, I'm not sure how much of this you'll understand…

Disclaimer: keh….

Not Like Me

"You should treat your teammates with more respect." A soft, disapproving voice fell lightly on Sasuke's ears and the boy paused to lift his dark gaze to the tree above him. Kakashi was seated comfortably in on of the branches, back resting comfortably against the steadfast trunk and nose buried in between the pages of his latest novel. He hadn't even looked up to address his young student. Sasuke rolled his shoulders in the form of a half-hearted shrug.

"Naruto doesn't deserve my respect. He has in no way proved that he's of any use." The Uchiha murmured, with his usual eloquence. "Until he shows me what he's worth, that's all he'll get." Sasuke shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his pants and continued on his path home until Kakashi spoke once more.

"And how will you ever know what he's worth until you give him the chance he wants and deserves?" Kakashi reprimanded gently. "Not everyone learns at the same pace you do."

Sasuke snorted softly. "And what would he be to me even if I ever gave him that chance? Nothing. Naruto will never be anything more to me than he is now. A nuisance."

"Is that what you know, or is that what you believe?" Kakashi hadn't moved an inch, but Sasuke heard a slight edge to his teacher's voice. "Your one-track thinking is dangerous Sasuke."

"Don't lecture me Kakashi." Sasuke snapped back. "What makes you think that things would ever be different between Naruto and me? What 'wisdom' allows you to see into the future and find me respecting the biggest idiot in all of Konoha?"

Kakashi closed his visible eye for a moment and then sighed. "Nothing, just a hunch." And Sasuke gave him a final roll of the eyes and started on his way once more when he was stopped as Kakashi appeared in front him. The single grey inspected him for a moment and then the older man sighed and stepped aside.

"Just remember Sasuke," Kakashi murmured as Sasuke made to go past him, "the people we value the most are the ones we don't fully appreciate until it's too late." Still the boy ignored him. Kakashi reached out to catch Sasuke's shoulder and swung him around. For a moment the two stared at each other, Kakashi searched Sasuke's eyes for something, something Sasuke didn't understand and then Kakashi let him go.

"You really are nothing like him." A note of sadness lingered in the man's voice and then; "Just remember, he could save your life."

It wasn't till he was a good deal done the road that Sasuke processed the information and punched a hole through an innocent picket wood fence. What could Kakashi ever know about him? How could he ever understand what Sasuke had to put up with while he was around Naruto. Naruto, the stupid boy who did nothing but fool around and mess up. It wasn't conceivable that Naruto would ever be anything different to him. Especially saving his life. That was just stupid. Sasuke growled, trying to ignore his now stinging hand that did nothing to improve his mood.

Really, how could Kakashi ever relate to Sasuke?