Standing at his usual spot on the bridge, Kisame peered over the guardrail that prevented inattentive and clumsy people from falling over the edge and distracted drivers from plunging into the murky river depths below.

In his hands, he tightly clutched a small, rectangular box that held what was left of Fuguki Suikazan, neatly packaged and ground into a fine powder.

Readjusting the grip he had on the box, holding it close against his body as he carefully pried open the lid and gently set it on top of the guardrail.

If he did this, Suikazan would be gone forever. There would be no place to visit him. His remains would be at the mercy of the dark waters below the bridge. His only friend in life would vanish with the tide.

The alternative, keeping the ashes on the fireplace mantel where it'd only collect dust, was the last thing he wanted to do. He wasn't even sure if Itachi's apartment even had a fireplace with a mantel. If he did, Kisame was certain that he wouldn't be very open to the idea of having a stranger's ashes showcased on his mantle for all to see.

Does he even have visitors over often? Kisame wondered. Itachi didn't seem like the type of person who enjoyed social outings in general, much less ones that took place in his own apartment. At least, that's the impression Kisame had when he first met the man, anyways.

Determined to finish what he came here to do, Kisame dipped his hand into Suikazan's ashes and watched as the fine grain poured from between his fingers and vanish with the breeze. Extending his arm, he tilted his hand and watched the rest of the mound fall towards the water below before being carried off with the wind before it could even reach the surface.

He did this another four and a half times before the box was completely empty and his hand was coated in what was left of his former boss.

He clapped his hands together a few times to dispel a majority of the ashes before wiping them on his jeans. He didn't care that he just dirtied his last clean pair of jeans. If anything, knowing that he would be able to carry some of Suikazan with him after he left here made him feel slightly better about what he'd just done.

"Kisame?" A feminine voice asked him. "Is that you?"

The sound of another person's voice took Kisame back a little. Not many people stood by the side of the road idly glancing over the guardrail, watching the few boats bobble on the water's glistening surface. When he glanced in the direction of the person addressing him, a small smile spread over his face.

"Miru?" He asked. His smile faded when he noticed that she was being accompanied from the boyfriend she spoke of a month ago.

"Hey," he said with a small wave, "what're you doing here?"

"We were just taking a walk around town." She said.

From beside her, a generic ringtone sounded. Fishing the mobile device out of his back pocket, her boyfriend uttered "Babe, I'm gonna take this real quick."

"Okay." She answered and watched him walk towards the town. "So, how've you been?" She asked Kisame. "Oh." She said when she noticed the black box sitting on the guardrail and the dust adorning Kisame's dark jeans.

"I've been better, honestly." He answered her.

Miru was quiet for a moment, her gaze fixated on the rectangular box before she spoke again. "I heard what happened to Fuguki; I'm sorry." She said, leaning beside him.

"It was bound to happen soon or later." Kisame replied indifferently.

She offered him a sympathetic smile. "He was getting pretty old, I guess." She said. "He didn't want a funeral?"

Kisame shrugged. "I don't know what he wanted. I don't know if he had a will or not."

Miru frowned. "You couldn't find it, Kisame?"

"I didn't look." He gritted out through clenched teeth. It was too soon to be discussing the details of Suikazan's untimely death. And after scattering the man's ashes, Kisame was in a particularly touchy mood at the moment.

"He didn't tell you what he—?"

"No, he didn't tell me what he wanted, he didn't tell me where to find his will, he didn't even mention whether or not he had a will or not, and in case you didn't realize, I'm not even related to him." Kisame growled and bowed his head in defeat. "I'm not family." He whispered.

Miru smiled and placed a comforting hand on his back. "But you were the closest thing he had to a family."

"Living family." Kisame pointed out. "All of his relatives are dead. To him, I was just an employee."

Miru chuckled and only because she was Kisame's friend was she spared from getting punched in the face for doing so. "He may have said that Kisame, but based on what you've told me about Fuguki, I think he thought of you as more than family. Trust me."

Kisame nodded, genuinely appreciated of her advice and glanced out of the great blue expanse before them. "I don't think he would've wanted anything as fancy as a funeral." Kisame said and released a short laugh. "If he knew I was planning on giving him a funeral, he'd probably say 'why spend all this money when you could just cremate me and throw me into the river or somethin'?'"

"He probably would say that." Miru said whilst trying to control her own laughter. "So where are you going to stay, then?" She asked suddenly.

The question caught Kisame off guard as he wondered for a split second where he could stay. Then he remembered that he had made arrangements to move in with Itachi on the basis that he found another job within the next week. "I've made arrangements." He said.

"You have?"

"Yup."

"Are you sure?" She asked him. "You wouldn't be lying to me to save your pride, now would you?"

She knew him too well. In the past he might have done just that, but this time he really did make prior arrangements. "Yeah. I've got a place set up."

Miru still held a look of uncertainty. "Alright. If it doesn't work out, come to my place. They'll always be a sofa waiting for you if you need it." She said when her boyfriend started to stalk over to where they were standing.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, what?" He asked, shoving his phone back into his pocket. "Babe, are you making decisions without me? What's going on here?"

"I'm fine, Miru. I have a place to stay." Kisame said, holding up a hand to silence her boyfriend. "Trust me. It'll all work out."

The admission seems to soothe her boyfriend, who closed his mouth and let his shoulders drop. The act seems to appease Miru, who offers him a kind, albeit concerned smile in return. "Okay." She said and glanced at her boyfriend. "Well, I'll catch you around, Kisame! Don't be a stranger!"

"See you around." He chuckled as he waved and watched the couple clasp their hands together, walking in the opposite direction. It didn't escape his notice that her boyfriend, when passing him by, shot him a look that said "You got let off easy this time, buddy" and promised severe consequences in the future.

He chuckled to himself as he pictured appearing at Itachi's apartment next week beaten and bruised. I wonder what he would think of me then… He wondered. He'll probably think I'm a gang leader and refuse to let me room with him.

Slowly but surely, his smile faded as he was reminded of the task looming before him. He couldn't get his hopes high and assume anything until he secured a job first. But before then, he needed to collect a few job applications.

"Ya should've done that a long time ago instead of talkin' with yer girlfriend there!" He could hear Suikazan saying.

And with that, Kisame pushed himself away from the railing and walked in the direction of town before imaginary Suikazan could cuss him out further.

So Miru's boyfriend makes his debut...so what do we all think of him? (most people who've read this don't like him.)

Author's note(s): Miru's boyfriend is supposed to be one of the guys in the manga/anime when Miru makes her appearance. He should be the first man in the Cypher Squad to reprimand her for talking to Kisame - so he's canon. (though I don't know his name)

If you are a regular and were redirected here after seeing the author's note at the beginning of chapter sixteen:

- Did you like this revision better than the old chapter 15? Why or why not?

If you are new and have just started reading this fic from chapter 1 - now: Have a nice day and please review

Until next time!

~Sasori33-001

PS The next chapter is an Itachi chapter! (It wasn't always an Itachi chapter, but due to revision, it's now an Itachi chapter) To further explain, while writing chapter 19, I decided to add an extra chapter (the next one in line - chapter 16) in between pre-existing ones.