Disclaimer: READ! I do not own any of the character's, ideas, definitions, names, or symbols from Naruto. I did not copy anyone else's story; I write all the chapters on loose leaf paper during study hall at school, so don't look at me. I'm obviously not looking off anything during school, and then come home to type them. This chapter contains mature and possibly offending material for some people. Please, if you can't handle it, don't read it.

EDIT: 7/15/07

A Taste of Strange Determination

A buzzing noise, one so slight that it was barely audible, filled the air. It was like an invisible quivering motor somewhere in the gloom. There was a soft gasp somewhere, one of hurt and confusion.

Kakashi gazed out into his surroundings with unclear eyes. Blood was caked and crusted over his cheeks, and unfortunately, all over his body. It created and irritating and searing itch all over him. A humorous thought managed to sneak its way into his head. He seriously hadn't known when he was going to be clean again. He recalled how he had taken a shower before going on the mission just for that reason. To enjoy that last bit of comfort he was to have for a long time. The absurd recollection dissipated as quickly as it came.

He quickly reunited with his last memories while he had been conscious. He had been fighting the murderer of almost the entire Uchiha clan…Itachi. Kakashi's expression shadowed. He had lost miserably to him during the middle of the night. But how many night's ago?

He continued to mull over the past events, deciding that he must be either dead, or more likely captured. Where was he? In some sort of chamber? He really hoped it wasn't the first idea. Did you feel pain and depression in the afterlife? He still felt aware of his existence. But what use would Akatsuki have of bringing him here…keeping him alive? But his pondering was abruptly put to an end, for someone was entering.

The murky walls of the cell groaned with the sudden heave of air pressure towards the locked door in front of him. Slow monotonous footsteps approached him from behind the darkness. There was a quiet muffle of cloth sliding across the stone floor. Kakashi glanced into the pitch black abyss before him, wincing in agony.

What a hell he was in, like a dog, he was chained to the wall behind him. His wrists were cleverly shackled to the ceiling, his fingers bound outwards with dull metal prongs so that he wouldn't be able to move them without breaking his own bones. He couldn't for hand seals. His feet were anchored down with some strong threadlike material; he had discovered this by trying to lift his feet. Maybe it was just thread, and his body was still useless from the loss of energy and couldn't break it. It was hopeless for him to get away…for now. He groaned inwardly.

With his body in such a gruesome condition, the only thing he could do was wait and try and cling to life. Blood and sweat trickled down his forehead, seeping into the torn scraps of what were left of clothing, only to finally collect into the crimson pools that had begun to form below him.

A pale hand touched his shoulder causing him to flinch back in torture. Such an agonizing hell this was! A flickering notion raced across his psyche again. Escape…but this was impossible! He was still inwardly hoping to escape like this?! Was he an idiot?! He sunk lower into the pits of his doom. He didn't know the way out, or even where he was. The room he was in was probably filled with various traps alone, hidden in the dimness. He was also completely empty of all chakra, it seemed. The only light that came into his dark grave was from a minuscule hole above him, in which it angled out like a sun ray.

The mysterious hand tightened its grip, forcing the silver haired jounin to bend down into his crushed shoulder in an awkward manner. He managed to slowly trace the long fingers and up the arm as his eyes adjusted. He then came face to face with his captor. Kakashi's mismatched eyes now narrowed in anger at what he saw.

Not only had he been seriously injured, but his head protector had been sliced off, forcing him to try and keep his sharingun eye shut. It was just another setback to this situation. If he didn't close it, the last bit, if any, chakra that was left in him would be used up and he would be put into a state of shock, or quite possibly death. But this time, if only for a moment, he stared into the face of Uchiha Itachi with both eyes.

The eldest of what was left of the Uchiha clan, was in striking resemblance to his previous student Sasuke. They were brothers after all. Now, Itachi glared at him with an empty expression on his face. It was probably the same one he held when he followed through with his twisted, murderous intentions. His sharingun eyes were deactivated, one of the few occasions that he had seen them this way. It was to Kakashi's humiliation, that because of his weakened state, Itachi saw no meaning to activating them. As of now, Itachi had the upper hand. Again….

The black haired Uchiha now held the fine metal edge of a kunai to the leaf ninja's tender throat. His voice, like a vibrating purr, reached his throbbing eardrums.

"Liar, Kakashi." This brought a shade of puzzlement to the jounin's face. What the hell was Itachi talking about? Seeing this response, Itachi continued. "You said you came alone…you lied." Kakashi took a shuddering intake of musty air through his mask. His mask was, thankfully, still on and intact. But It was just now that Kakashi noticed the lush rivers of blood that shimmered down Itachi's hair and cheeks, twirling and branching down the white flesh of his neck. Kakashi felt pleased by this, he'd at least managed to do some damage to him…But he hadn't done all of it. Some of the cuts were unfamiliar.

A new revelation occurred to him, causing a fresh layer of sweat to consume his torn up skin. He must have found some of the ANBU…. This is what Itachi must be talking about. He hadn't lied though, he had indeed traveled alone and the ANBU had just been there in case he would have need of assistance. When he had taken part in the brawl with Itachi, he hadn't had time to call for help. But they must have known somehow and tracked him down apparently.

"It doesn't matter," Itachi growled after a few minutes, "They're finished."

Shivers rand down Kakashi's spine. Finished? How many members had Itachi encountered after he had blacked out? How pathetic he was, before his most powerful enemy, besides Orochimaru, he stood here, visibly shaking. Itachi could probably feel him trembling. Angrily he yanked at the shackles encasing his wrists. He didn't want this filth who called himself a shinobi touching him. This man went against all of his moral values.

Kakashi knew Itachi as a man who always knew what he wanted, and always got it in the end by unimaginable ways. Right now, Itachi wanted nothing more to have power over everything. That's why he joined Akatsuki and became an S ranked missing Nin. That's why he killed his family…to prove his power to everyone, because they were lower than him. That was why he was so keen on getting all the nine bijuu into his possession.

Naruto…. With almost everyone in Konoha out on missions, Naruto and the village wouldn't be very safe…if he wasn't there…something bad could happen.

"I can't stand Konoha, you or that odd, green beast." Kakashi assumed that he was referring to Gai. Itachi pushed the Kunai harder into his skin, creating a new slice of anguish that poured crimson life with unyielding force. He gasped, choking on his own blood. "I don't know why you even try Kakashi…"

"You were scared… Itachi-san. You were scared when I revealed my Mangekyou Sharingan to you." Kakashi was able to squeeze out those few words.

"You can't use it properly. You are not an Uchiha." His voice was restrained.

"But I can use it, nonetheless." Kakashi's tone was now icy. This made Itachi's eyes widen.

"That doesn't matter. You can't measure up to an Uchiha, no matter how hard you try. I don't see why you can't just give in to death."

"It's not my time to die."

"How would you ever know? My clan certainly did not expect it." The last few words contained a slight edge to them.

"I don't give up. I see you and your hatred. You and your pain. I know I've at least done something."

"Pain?" He blurted this in disgust. "I have no pain, Kakashi-san. You above anyone should know that." Kakashi shook his head in frustration.

"The things that make us human, never really change. You, Itachi-san, are still human in all aspects." This comment brought a blow to his stomach, reopening the gaping wound that was finally starting to scab over. The motions made him heave; spurting blood from his lungs. The crimson liquid seeped through the mask, down the corners of his mouth. He coughed.

Kakashi jerked his body, causing the kunai in Itachi's hand to go flying into the gloom of the small room. "Damn," he shook his head painfully to get some of the blood off his face.

"Shut up, Kakashi-san. You are in no condition to be talking like that." The leaf Nin's face lit up. Finally they were getting somewhere. Kakashi had stuck a nerve. Itachi's eyes were filled with a strange fury.

"You don't want to be human? Is that why you're trying to—?" He was cut off by Itachi's hand. It was covering his mouth behind the mask. Suddenly, he couldn't breath. His body twitched as it tried to knock the hand away. Kakashi let out angry yells, and they too were stifled. But then something happened, something that the jounin didn't see coming.

Kakashi's mask was pulled away, revealing his full face. His skin was cleaner here, only speckled by the blood that had recently dribbled out of his lungs. His yelling stopped immediately in shock as soft, cold lips pressed against his own. Again, both eyes were open wide, staring at the vast area behind Itachi's face. His body was completely still as Itachi pressed his body hard up against his. He grew tense and uncomfortable after the realization of what was happening fully processed. The Uchiha slightly deepened the kiss, spreading the blood on their cheeks and necks. Fresh blood that gushed from Kakashi's stomach wound was now glazed over the front of the dark Akatsuki uniform.

Before parting, the jounin felt a hand slowly run through his hair in a caressing motion. The air finally rushed back into his lungs, the oxygen fueling the intensity of the pain and confusion he was once again experiencing. He gasped quietly, staring wide eyed at the man in front of him. There was an odd look on his face, one that he'd never seen before. Itachi seemed to take in the full picture of Kakashi's stunned and unmasked face for a few moments, before slipping the mask back up on his face.

"Such a mystery…." Softly spoken, more to himself than anything else, were the last three words that came out of Itachi's mouth before he wiped the blood off his face with his sleeve, grabbed the kunai that was skewed onto the ground, and backed out into the shadows. There was finally a reassuring metallic click of a lock before Kakashi let himself breathe normally again.

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