Disclaimer: Still don't own Naruto. Still don't own Sandman.

A Meeting Over Ramen

Kakashi sighed. Naruto was off training with Jiraiya, Sakura was off training with Tsunade, and Sasuke was...off training with Orochimaru, presumably. Asuma was on a date with Kurenai, Iruka was barricaded in his office grading papers, and Genma was away on a mission. And Kakashi had already read the newest volume in the Icha Icha Paradise series three times.

He was bored.

And hungry.

Kakashi ambled across the village to Ichiraku Ramen. The only empty stool was at the end, next to a broad-shouldered man with red hair tied in a ponytail and a rugged, jovial face. Kakashi sat down on his stool and ordered a bowl of pork ramen. Glancing over, he saw two empty bowls stacked next to the red-haired man's place, while the man worked on a third. Miso-flavored, if Kakashi was identifying the scent correctly.

Kakashi's neighbor grinned at him. "This place has pretty good food, huh?"

"Yeah. My students eat here all the time."

"Oh, you're a teacher? That's a noble profession." The man gestured with his chopsticks at Kakashi's forehead protector. "A ninja teacher, right?"

Kakashi nodded. "Yes. What about you? What do you do for a living?" Normally he wasn't in the habit of striking up conversations with random patrons at Ichiraku's, but a friendly chat seemed as good a way to pass the time as any.

The man shrugged. "I used to be in a family business, but I gave that up. Now, I mostly just wander around from place to place."

Kakashi was about to ask the man another question, but at that moment the ramen arrived, prompting a look of curiosity from his neighbor. "May I ask how you're intending to eat with that mask on?"

Kakashi's one visible eye closed slightly as he gave an enigmatic smile. He took out his chopsticks, turned away briefly, and then turned back with a full mouth.

The man shook his head. "Amazing. You should do that as a party trick."

"Funny, one of my friends says the same thing." Kakashi swallowed. "So, I was going to ask you, why did you leave that family business?"

Another shrug. "I just couldn't do it anymore. The job was like a weight on my shoulders that seemed to get a little heavier each passing day. Then one day, I woke up and realized the weight was so heavy I could barely move. The only thing to do was to set it down and...walk away."

"But doesn't your family miss you?"

"I suppose so. My kid sister came after me, you know. Her and my big brother. Tried to talk me into coming back."

"They didn't succeed, I take it?"

"Seeing as how I'm here, eating miso ramen in your fair village, no."

"But it sounds like they were worried about you."

The man sighed. "To be honest, I was worried about them. Or her, to be more precise. My sister's changed a lot. That's why I wasn't too upset when they found me. I was glad to see her, you know? But when the time came, we went our separate ways again."

"Hmm..." By now, Kakashi was nearly done with his ramen. "Well, it really isn't my place to interfere in your business. But, since you've been so kind as to tell me about yourself, I suppose I owe you a little bit of a story as well."

The man lifted his bowl to his mouth to drain the last dregs of broth. "Fire away," he said. "Although some people might claim otherwise, I've always appreciated a good story."

"I used to have three students," Kakashi said quietly. "Now I have two." He stood up, and set some money down on the counter next to his now-empty bowl. "It hurts to be left behind. That weight you spoke of setting down before? The family members you left are probably carrying burdens ten times as heavy." He lifted the curtain over the entryway and sauntered out into the street. "See you around," he called back over his shoulder, and then was gone.

Destruction took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Another bowl, sir?" the young lady who helped her father run the shop asked hopefully.

Destruction shook his head, no longer looking as carefree as he had a few minutes ago. "I'm not hungry anymore."

A/N: Why yes, Kakashi did just guilt-trip one of the Endless. Why do you ask?

Only one more chapter to go! I've had a lot of fun writing this. I'm glad I was able to include Kakashi, because he's just awesome.