Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine.
If our insides were on our outside, everyone would be a hell of a lot less attractive. This is what Kakashi tells himself as he walks down the hall, towards the room where the hospital staff had put Sasuke up after they had emptied his stomach.
If our insides were on our outside, then maybe no one would care about each other, he thinks as he enters the room.
Upon seeing the boy sleeping on the bed, he finds the anger that has been building in his chest like a fierce, hot fire, suddenly be extinguished in a flash flood of relief. Sasuke's safe. Sasuke's a stupid, stupid boy, but he's safe.
No matter how much Kakashi tells himself that if things were different he wouldn't care about the kid, he can't bury the truth. Things are the way they are and there's nothing he can do about it. He cares about Sasuke, no matter how fucked up the kid is, no matter how often he disappoints everyone, no matter how many times he fails to recognize how lucky he is. He cares about Sasuke and there's nothing he can do about it.
Even if Kakashi likes to think that if our insides were on our outside no one would care about each other, he knows that it isn't true. Sasuke's poisoned insides are outside and Kakashi is still here. He hasn't given up yet, and he won't until the boy either succeeds in killing or he is killed.
Either way, Kakashi knows it won't be long. If Sasuke doesn't do himself in with pills soon, someone will gladly shove a kunai through the traitor's ribs for him.
As inevitable as the fate is, as much as it makes Kakashi's own insides begin to harden once again, as much as Kakashi feels as if he will shatter when Sasuke's bones do, he knows that he won't. He has weathered much worse in the past.
Another blow will only drive him crazy, but it won't kill him. Another blow will only cause him to snap and start seeing everyone's insides on their outside.
And then maybe, just maybe, he won't fall for the beautiful, damaged boy in the corner with the dark eyes and pale skin like he always does. And maybe, just maybe, he won't end up being hurt again like he always is.