A/N: This was...unexpected. That's all I can say.

SPOILER ALERT: If you're not finished with the Chuunin Exam, this story will spoil a lot of deaths for you. Well, not a LOT I guess. Just two. But two can make all the difference.

The sky was getting dark.

So were the thoughts that were going through the mind of a dark-clad man sitting on the rooftop of an old apartment building, his hands resting on the broken vermillion tiles.

The sun was setting behind the looming mountains nearby, casting a long shadow over the scattered buildings and homes in the area, and throwing faint golden rays of waning light over the man's pale face. The dying light transformed the broken roof tiles into magnificent shards of precious rubies, their beauty outshined only by the pure crimson brilliance of the lone man's eyes.

Hayate tilted his head up slightly, allowing a small smile to creep over his face. The gentle evening breeze blew over him, rustling the strands of raven black hair that fell across his face in uneven bangs. About him, crows fluttered around casually, pecking contentedly at the seeds he had thrown out for them and occassionally letting out a hoarse caw. He closed his eyes.

It was good to be alone.

His moment of peace and quiet ended very abruptly when someone exhaled a huge cloud of smoke right in his face, at the same time conveniently scattering the crows sharing the rooftop into taking off in fright.

Shiranui Genma grinned unrepentantly as he waited patiently for the other man's coughing attack to cease.

Hayate paused long enough to spare his companion a glare before coughing again.

A few of the bolder birds flew back, two of them landing on Hayate's shoulders and regarding the blonde intruder with suspicion in their beady eyes.

Cough. "Genma?" They had known each other long enough for the customary 'san' to be discarded. Not that Genma had ever used it, anyway. "I thought you would still be at the bar."

Genma shrugged his shoulders royally. "The cute blonde wasn't there tonight," he said, as if that answered everything.

When one was Genma, it did.

Hayate coughed again, faintly, and closed his eyes once more. After a moment, he felt the other man settle down on the roof beside him.

"Nice night tonight." Genma commented, stubbing out the cigarette on a roof tile.

Hayate didn't answer. Nor did Genma need one.

They sat there in companionable silence as the sun set completely and the moon began its ascent to reign over the night.

The moon was nearly directly overhead when Genma finally broke the long-standing silence. "Sarutobi died today."

"I know."

"I guess he knew this would happen already before we even suspected anything."

"Most likely."

A pause. Genma looked up at the moon, his mind wondering back to similar nights before when he had sat here with Hayate on the roof, exactly like this, enjoying a peaceful repose. But things were different then. "...You can go back now, you know."

"Yes."

Genma sighed, chewing wistfully on the toothpick he had put in his mouth to replace the cigarette. "You have any idea what's going to happen next?"

Hayate shook his head slightly. "No. Do you?"

"No."

A/N: -san: a prefix attached to the end of people's names for respect. Equivalent to the English "Mr.", "Ms.", "Miss", etc. For reference to the various Japanese used in this fic, consult the first chapter of my other Naruto fic entitled "I'M SO GLAD I DID MY LAUNDRY!" That should help, since I'm too lazy to copy it and put it here.

Hayate is my favorite character. I don't know where this story is going, but I'm definitely going to continue it. Any suggestions for plotlines/conflicts/events?

Oh and yes I claim artistic license for making Hayate's eyes red here in this fic. Just because I can! And Genma is blonde BECAUSE HE IS A BLONDE, DAMMIT. :whistles innocently, despite the fact that she doens't know how to whistle:

If you'd like to see the sfanart I've drawn of Hayate (along with several other Naruto characters), please go visit my Naruto website at
h t t p / c h u w e i . d e v i a n t a r t . c o m