Disclaimer: I Don't Own Naruto, or the characters, cept my oc's.

Summary: 'Hear the words that i cannot say. See the pain that i cannot show. know that i need your help, even if i don't say it.' Rated M for mature content, mentions of self-harm, drug/alcohol usage rape and suicide. You have been warned. pairings, SasuKaka. Takes place before and after time skip, with flashbacks.

"sign language"

"normal"

'thoughts'

Chapter 6: Ray of hope

Normal Pov.

"come on Sasuke, you have to try" Ayame says to the boy sitting with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face.

"but its hard meme-Chan" Sasuke says puffing out his cheeks. The one dubbed as 'meme-Chan' rolls her eyes holding back a smile from her face. She places her hands gently on top of his smaller ones, taking notice at how he grows stiff and flinches; only slightly.

'that's…odd, he's been doing that a lot lately...' Ayame thinks to herself, scrunching her brows in worry. Sasuke shifts uncomfortably looking down at the floor to her serious face and back down again. He gives a little huff before speaking up.

"m-meme-Chan, why do you have that look on your face?" Sasuke asks quietly.

"you know you can talk to me if anything's wrong, you know that right?" She says looking into his eyes gently. Sasuke bites his lip before shaking his head and giving a nervous chuckle.

"what are you talking about meme?" He says faking another laugh. Ayame shakes her head before smiling and clapping her hands.

"nothing, now back to signing." She says, laughing at the face he makes.

Kakashi's Pov.

I had just gotten back from another successful Anbu mission, and I was dead tired. I trudge my way home aiming to cut through the park to get there faster, a stone catches my foot and I fall face first into the sand. For a time, I just sit there feeling the cool sand against my face, and the soft breeze outside. It wouldn't have been so bad if it wasn't for the horrid smell of fresh cat dung; it was disturbingly strong scent and I shudder to think I landed in it. I close my tired eyes and sigh heavily turning my head to the side.

"hey…hey m-mister" A timid voice addresses to me quietly poking my side with a stick.

My eyes take in his pale skin, dark onyx eyes, and black hair he back the shape of a chicken's ass. He's wearing a black long sleeve shirt and white-tan shorts. His eyes seem puffy and red like he's been crying for a while. He pokes me again as I fail to respond quick enough.

"hmm?" I manage moving sluggishly to turn over on my back and prop myself up on my elbows.

"are you alright sir?" he asks avoiding my eyes. I inwardly chuckle at his shyness, it's almost…cute…in a puppy-dog sort of way of course, I'm not some kind of perv mind you…well not that perverted. Haha not helping my case, but you get the gist of it.

"hmmm a little tired but I'm alright kid." I tell him in a bored tone of voice.

"oh, is that why you were lying in the sand?" he asks me finally looking up to meet my eyes. Onyx meets Onyx and I blink at what his seemingly innocent eyes reveal to me.

'he's so young, yet his eyes…there's a story behind this little boy, I can't help but to wonder what kind of hardships he's had to face.' I ponder shaking my head and clearing my throat.

"ah, suppose I'm just too lazy to get up, ahaha" I say giving him an 'eye' smile. He smiles back before he looks down at my shirt. He shifts around nervously before pointing to my shirt then looking back at me.

"you know you have cat poo on your shirt right?" he says bluntly. I blink before looking down, and low and behold, there's a huge circle with the smudged substance on my shirt. I look back at him, and the look on his face makes me chuckle a bit.

"ahaha, I uh suppose I do huh?" I say scratching the back of my head awkwardly. He laughs along with me, his little face turning red in his joy.

"well I should be going my mother is probably looking for me. Bye…erm.." he trails off and I catching on, give him an answer.

"just call me Kakashi." I tell him simply. He smiles and nods his head.

"and you can call me Sasuke." He says before reaching out his hand shyly. I chuckle once more, making his blush come back and shake his hand.

"nice meeting you Sasuke." I tell him. He smiles at me once more before waving goodbye and turning his back to me and walking away.

I lower my hand mid-wave and my eyes are locked onto the family crest shown clearly and brightly on his shirt. My eyes widen a bit in shock and I sit up fully closing my eyes.

'so…that boy was…an Uchiha huh?' I shake my head and reluctantly push myself up, I stretch a bit before picking up my Kunai pouch and making my way to the Hokage tower.

Sasuke's Pov.

I hum to myself as I make my way home, for once not dreading going there. Father was called away on a mission and would be gone for a few days, so it was just me, Mother, and Itachi. I kick a rock that's in my patch as I think back to what just transpired not 30 minutes ago.

I think back to the strange looking man. He was tall and fairly young looking despite his gravity defying grey hair. He wore his headband covering one eye and the other was kinda squinted like he was bored or something, the majority of his face was covered with a blue mask, and he had another mask connected to his waist belt. Now that I recall it looked a little like Itachi's mask and he wore the same kind of uniform as well.

'he was a part of the Anbu' I conclude my eyes widening a bit. But aren't they supposed to be emotionless and invincible? The man that I met may have been a bit odd but he seemed nice enough. Then again compared to Itachi, when he's in one of his moods, I guess anyone can look as friendly as a cute little newborn kitten.

'he didn't seem to judge me for my name and he…he made me smile…I haven't done that in a long time…not since father…' my thoughts trail off and a sad smile comes onto my face.

"thank you Kakashi…you've done more for me than you know'' I whisper to the wind. I meant every word of what I've spoken, because even if it was for just a moment, he made believe that there was still…a small ray of hope.

R&R! yay, enter Hatake Kakashi, and our little Sasuke needed some little happiness no matter have brief it may have been.