Author's Notes: I really am extremely late this time :S Sorry everyone :( I had a lot to deal with, but I think things are starting to cool down a little… hopefully. The chapter is also a little short, but I'll try to make up for it in the next one, which I'm already starting with. Please read and let me know what you thought about it!

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Chapter 8

The boy slips.

But, it's really more accurate to say that he falls face-first onto the ground, throwing a kunai that drops with a sad thud a good distance in front of Kakashi.

The mess of limbs looks up from the ground, squinting.

Then, just as quickly as he drops, the boy is up again, laughing boisterously, "Careful there, kid. Could have hurt you with that!" He says, patting Kakashi on the head. Kakashi glares back, offended, because that kunai never even had a chance of getting to him in the first place, and, more importantly, this kid has no right to call him a kid.

Kakashi opens his mouth to argue, but the boy continues talking before he gets the chance to, "I'm Obito, by the way. Uchiha Obito! And you better remember it 'cause I'm going to be the next Hokage!"

"Not with that aim, you're not," Kakashi points out, a little more harshly than necessary. The boy's, Obito's, seem to get glassy for a second before he roughly rubs at them and puts on the most absurd orange-looking goggles Kakashi has ever had the displeasure of seeing.

"Am too! That was just a bad shot," Obito insists, his eyes shining with a determined fire. Then, he grabs Kakashi's arm, "I'll show you! I'm the best ninja ever!"

-oOo-

Sakumo avoids the bustling streets of Konoha, choosing to take the long way home rather than to risk running into anyone, friendly or otherwise. It could pass as training too if he takes the roofs.

Yeah, right…

It's calm and relatively quiet, but even the rare peace isn't enough to be soothing. Sakumo feels invisible eyes on him, silently watching, sneering, questioning what the disgraced White Fang is up to.

…Or, maybe he's only imagining it because just as quickly as the feeling comes, it disappears.

Sakumo shakes his head, takes a breath and lets it out slowly. Tension presses in on him from all sides, covering him up like a blanket. Exhaustion seeps through his bones, rattling them. Sakumo can't remember the last time he felt anything similar. He doesn't remember feeling so done with everything, so, so… defeated.

Not even when he had a blade inches away from his gut.

For some reason, trying to deal with his mistake, living despite knowing that his very existence is unwanted, is much harder than anything he's ever had to do.

And, unlike every other time that he's faced a problem, this time, he lacks the confidence he would usually fall back on, the easy sureness that would tell him that it's going to be okay.

Sakumo doesn't know how to deal with that.

But, if he's going to fix things, get back to the point he fell from and soar above it… then, he's going to have to figure out his game plan.

-oOo-

"Well?" Jiraiya prods when Minato takes too long to answer.

"Well what?" Minato falls on acting ignorant to get out of giving a reply. Based on Sakumo's earlier reaction, there's not much he's allowed to say. And if Minato were completely honest with himself, there's barely anything he wants to tell his teacher. What if he ends up breaking the trust Sakumo's put in him?

Jiraiya sighs, long and hard. His stomach is tied in knots, and a horrible feeling churns from within his gut and propagates throughout his entire body, preventing Jiraiya from ignoring it. Minato can see the worry, can feel the nervousness, but he's not stupid enough to allow a guilt trip to force answers out of him.

He doesn't even want to ignore it. This feeling stems from thoughts he's had concerning Sakumo, his comrade, his friend. For his sake and for Sakumo's sake, he has to figure out what's going on, and Minato's going to be the one to tell him.

"Cloud watching, was it?" Jiraiya presses, repeating Sakumo's excuse, disbelief coloring his tone. Minato smiles weakly. It really is a horrible excuse.

"It's fun," Minato defends, a little too hastily, "It passes the time. And… well, if it got Sakumo-san out of the house, then it's probably… good?" Minato ends as a question because he knows he's messed up, just a little. He knows Jiraiya like the back of his hand, and he notices little things, like the slight, fast upturning of his lips, the little tells that show that Jiraiya's getting what he wants.

"It is," Jiraiya agrees, "I'm happy that he's getting out. Really," Jiraiya pauses, his expression becomes curious, "But, I'm surprised that he's asked you to tag along," Oh, so that's what this is about. Does Jiraiya feel betrayed that Sakumo hadn't come to him?

"Eh, no, it's not like that," Minato says, "Actually, I asked him to come," Minato decides to say, sticking as close as possible to the truth.

"To count clouds?" Jiraiya raises a brow, and somehow, he makes that action look incredulous and condescending.

"Yes," Minato stresses, drawing out the short word far longer than necessary. He stares at Jiraiya for a few moments, a thick silence stretching between them.

"I'll see you around, then, Sensei," Minato makes to leave, but Jiraiya catches his arm before he gets far.

"Minato, please… I want to help," Jiraiya pleads. Minato has never heard his teacher sound like that. It's an odd experience coupled with an unfamiliar feeling. Beneath the desperation coating his sensei's words, there's a familiar honesty, and the sheer truth behind it makes Minato hesitate.

"You know what's been going on with Sakumo," Jiraiya states, and Minato knows that it's not a question but more like an accusation, "You know, and you're helping him. So, just… just tell me what's going on, so that I can help too," Minato's lips thin into a straight, grim line.

"I'm sorry, Sensei. That's not my choice to make,"

-oOo-

Obito proves to be just as bad as that first throw promised he'd be, "That was just an accident too. This time, I'll get it for sure! Just watch!"

Kakashi would believe him had this not been the exact thing he's been saying since he's dragged him out into one of the empty training grounds.

The kunai Obito throws makes a half-loop in the air before it falls on the ground to keep its siblings company.

Obito's face is red with embarrassment, but Kakashi just feels annoyed by his continued failed attempts. Kakashi sighs through his nose, irritated. He turns to leave, but… he remembers Obito's earlier mutterings, and he… stops.

Obito throws two more kunai in the time it takes Kakashi to make a choice, "It's not working because you're holding it wrong," Kakashi points out, and before Obito can protest, he takes one of the fallen kunai and holds it the right way. He twirls it in his hand once, twice, then sends it hurtling through the air, hitting the target in the center.

"Woah! That was amazing!" Obito screeches, his voice loud and obnoxious. He looks back at Kakashi in wonder, "Hey… What's your name again?" Obito asks, remembering that, in his excitement, he probably hasn't asked Kakashi to introduce himself in the first place.

"Kakashi…" He answers simply. Obito grins like the cat who just got the cream.

"Well, Kashi! Don't get any ideas just 'cause you can throw a kunai better, alright? I'll activate my Sharingan and become way better! Then, I'll become Hokage! Just you wait!"

Author's Notes: I hope you enjoyed this incredibly late chapter XD Please let me know what you thought of it and what (or who) you'd like to see more of :D

A Response to the Reviews on Chapter 7:

wildtrance: Right? XD Obito is actually one of my favorite characters, and I love his friendship with Kakashi! I hope I can do him justice in coming chapters though :S

bfrancesss: Nice guess :D And you're right :P

Tobi Uchiha-chan: I hope you've enjoyed reading this chapter :D

Sadt6: Your comment actually made me laugh, so thanks XD

Bosma19: Sorry for the long wait :(

Alexa Hiwatari: XD He probably would think of something like that! I hope you've enjoyed reading this chapter too!

Until next time!