Sorry for the uber long time it took to update…

I stood in Naruto's apartment, my bare feet cold on the wooden floor, my eyes flickering back and forth with the shadows that danced on the wall. My eyes drew to the ceiling and I felt my heart ache when I saw muddy shoe prints up there. My gaze wavered towards the door and I spotted a familiar shape in the darkness. He stepped into the lighter part of the room, his ebony has glistening, his pale skin standing out from the shadows providing a beautiful complement to the eyes that flashed red with black ellipses in them. "Come on, Kakashi," he said, unintentionally cooing my name with a certain confidence and suaveness that could make silk look like sandpaper if silk could be made words.

As Sasuke leapt out the window, I delayed for half a second to make certain I would be out reach of his sword if he were to draw it in midair. As we flew through the night, I couldn't help but notice that he would glance at me ever-so often.

^.^

We stopped at the entrance to the cemetery. Sasuke took out his sword and threw it on the ground. "Leave your weapons here, Kakashi. We're not here to fight; we're here for a different purpose. Now, go, put your weapons down." My hand involuntarily went to my kunai pouch and threw out the metal armaments. Sasuke nodded and walked through the tall, stone pillars that seemed to forbid life.

Sasuke's footsteps treaded lightly on the dying grass, my own not being much louder. We arrived at the gravestone that had been erected in honor of the orange ninja. The raven bent down and angled his head towards the numerous flowers that had been placed on the grave, probably all from Hinata and Sakura. I noticed his lip start to quiver and his eyes glaze over. Suddenly, I saw a side of Sasuke I had only seen once before in my life, and that was when we were training.

Sasuke threw his kunai towards a rock, splitting it in half and sending the pieces flying in every direction. "Sasuke," I began.

"Shut up Kakashi. Just shut the hell up. I don't need you. I don't need my family. I don't need this damn academy." He threw another kunai and watched the pieces shatter in pleasure. I saw the rock as the result of too much tension. He saw it as a way to express the delight he found in harming people; objects; selfless, compassionate wretches that had a backbone to stand up for others but not themselves.

This was definitely Sasuke Uchiha,

"What you need," I said in an attempt to calm his nerves, "is a break. You've been training for five days straight now. We have a month Sasuke. You need," my mouth went dry. "You need…"

Sasuke's dark eyes traced over me and took in every detail. Every freaking one.

Then he smirked. "Kakashi, I don't need Naruto."

Despite his words, I could tell his persona changed as soon as he said his name. He made an attempt to go on, but his voice began to crack. His head dropped for a brief second then shot back up. "Let's train."

My eyes follow his body as he continued to work on Chidori before me. In that brief second he had dropped his eyes, I knew he felt something he's never felt before.

Warmth.

Maybe it was just a trick of the sun…oh wait, it was night time. Sasuke noticed me staring and glared at me with new found intensity. His recently found soft spot was now as dead as Itachi. Half of me expected him to flick me off. The other half thought he would start crying. My pupils focused on his body, and almost didn't notice when he began to walk away. "Sasuke, where are you going?"

"Back," he called over his shoulder. My face went deadpan. What a little bitch. At least he had mastered keeping his voice steady.

"Back where? You aren't going to say anything?" I yelled over the now-howling wind. "He's dead! He can't protect you! You have nowhere to call back, Sasuke!" I snarled those last few words.

"Kakashi, damn it," he boomed, his words proceeded immediately by a crack of thunder. Then he started to laugh. He didn't laugh actually, he screeched. He sounded like he was in pain. It was quite eerie. Something no one ever wants to hear at night, or ever wants to hear at all. He voice out matched the wind and now more frequent thunder claps, overpowering it in volume and maniacal angst. He voice quieted. "He's not dead," he whispered. "He's not dead." I stared at him wide eyed, overcoming the urge to scream at him and wring that slender, ivory neck of his then shove reality down his throat. The rain started to pour, just like the day of the funeral. "He's not dead," I barely managed to make out, "because it doesn't feel empty inside yet. When I met Naruto, I instantly swore I would be the one to defeat, inwardly and in front of everyone else. I was never at rest in Orochimaru's layer. I didn't think of anything expect him and that stupid feeling inside that wouldn't shut the hell up." He exhaled and I heard him breathe in rapidly, most likely to refill his lungs after that speech he just gave. I don't think I've ever heard him talk so much in one sentence. He turned to walk away and I screamed his name. I cut off half way when I realized he wasn't yet done talking.

"I know he isn't dead because my warmth hasn't left yet. I can still feel him, hear his voice, see his smiling face…and it's annoying as fuck." With that he disappeared with a flash of lightning that left me blinded for a half second.

It's annoying as fuck.

The words echoed in my head. I knew he didn't mean them, because if he meant them, he wouldn't have said it. Sasuke never says what he means, or means what he says—and that's a fact.

With that conclusion, I shoved my hands in my pockets and stared at the pooling water. I turned on my heels and just barely resisted the urge to crush the flower that was growing in the center of that puddle and disturb the perfect stillness we all knew and loved so well.

I thought it was just getting as annoying as fuck.

^.^

Okay guys, I want to throw another character in there, but whom? Throw me a random Naruto character's name, and I'll include him/her in my next chapter. I'm getting the jist that this story is beginning to get boring…

Oh, and since today's Halloween, and I've decided to be Kankuro, how should I paint my face? Should I do it like it is in Part one, or Part two, or when he's talking to Gaara in Part two? Thanks! :D