A/N: No comment.

Chapter IX

The cool night air filtered in through the open window, gently tousling Sasuke's hair. The boy in question was languidly sleeping on the couch, iPod on, in the dark living room.

Only his eyes weren't closed and he was staring blankly at the ceiling.

With many thoughts constantly running through his head, Sasuke found the peacefullness of night to be a prime time to sift through his many thoughts, doubts, fears and concerns. Not that he had many fears, but he'd been having a reoccurring nightmare lately about mutant food trying to eat him that really needed to be analyzed.

Plus, his body was used to the small amounts of sleep, so he didn't really mind. That and he was healed enough to function on the smaller amounts of sleep with little difficulty.

Digressions aside, Sasuke was up and awake long after Kakashi had said goodnight, shortly after midnight, and he seemed to be waiting for something.

Or, quite possibly, someone.

With a gentle rustle of fabric, Sasuke was no longer alone. His eyes slowly descended upon the figure, not surprised to see his - until recently – thought-dead brother.

"Sasuke," the figure whispered by way of greeting, inclining his head.

Said boy returned the gesture, offhandedly inquiring about the elder's week. But it was said with such nonchalance that it gave Itachi reason to pause. Was there something wrong?

But Itachi didn't voice his concerns, instead just replying with more than just a few edits. Somehow, though, Itachi had the distinct impression Sasuke knew that.

Small talk continued for a while longer, the conversational foreplay, dancing around the topic that Sasuke really wanted to delve into. Until he just couldn't hold the question that had been burning his mind for days in – "What is it exactly, that you do?"

Startled by the loaded question, Itachi didn't show it, nor did he react to the pure knowing the boy's voice held. Just as he opened his mouth to answer, though he wasn't sure how he was about to answer, he heard a curious noise.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Shuffling footsteps.

Itachi was at the window in a breath, looking back helplessly at Sasuke. Who snorted noiselessly – he wasn't fooling anyone, the relief was plain in the elder's gaze – and rolled his eyes, flicking his fingers at the window.

Just a gust and he was gone, the whisper of "Sorry," floating around the silent room, the footfalls reaching the top of the stairs.

…

"Sasuke?" Kakashi softly called out, upon reaching the bottom of the stairs. He had just been woken from a particularly good dream about one of his favourite books, by the sounds of a voice, or voices. But wouldn't Sasuke have told him if he were expecting guests?

Instead of answering, Sasuke pretended he hadn't heard – though he had – and continued singing under his breath, music blaring in his ears. He didn't open his eyes until he felt Kakashi looming over him. When he peered up in the dim light, he flinched and swore. "What the fuck?!"

Bemused, Kakashi raised his hands in a non-threatening manner. "Have you been singing to yourself all night? I had thought I heard voices, but you were just… singing?" he finished, a slight mocking lilting his voice.

A small, not-really-there reddening of his cheeks and Kakashi had his answer. Snickering slightly, Kakashi mussed Sasuke's hair, smirking at the indignant, manly squawk. "Get some sleep, you have school in the morning." He went back to the stairs and waved a lazy hand. "Night."

Sasuke waited until Kakashi was at the top before uttering an almost non-existent, "Night." He waited until he heard the door to the guest– Kakashi–'s room before sighing in relief. He thanked whatever deity that would listen for the few weeks of theater class he took. It could have turned out badly if he wasn't able to casually convince Kakashi he was being uncool.

It wasn't until much later – or much too early, depending on perspective – that Sasuke realized what the burning in his gut was. Guilt. He felt bad for lying to Kakashi.

He rolled over. This was so not what he needed right now.

It took Kakashi the entire fumbling walk back to his room to realize something with and electrifying jolt. It was two different voices he heard. Not one.

When his head touched the pillow again not two minutes later, he realized with similar shocking clarity that he wouldn't be getting much sleep from now on.

Morning shone bright and early with a cloudless sky, and two tired and quiet occupants of Sasuke Uchiha's house. Though for very different reasons, were they quiet. Kakashi, after laying back in his bed, spent valuable sleeping time trying to place the other voice he heard.

It was hauntingly familiar. He knew he must have heard it before, but he couldn't place it to a face to save his life. And if there was one thing he prided himself on, was his quick mind. That appeared to finally be failing him.

Sasuke, however, wasn't trying to remember anything – he was trying to forget. After his revelation and his guilt, Sasuke couldn't get the feeling out of his mind. Why should he have felt guilty? He didn't care about Kakashi's feelings…

Did he?

He was beginning to wonder. Wonder all the ifs and whats, until one struck a particularly painful chord within him – was this what family was supposed to be like?

His relationship, though close, with Itachi wasn't conventional, to say the least. Itachi genuinely cared, most of the time, and when their parents were away, Itachi often had to take over the position of "parent."

It was complicated, sure, and they were brothers, but when he was with his parents, he didn't get that distinct feeling family should give. It was strained, and though they loved and cared for him in that silent, almost unfriendly way most of the Uchiha were ingrained with, it wasn't the same.

But Kakashi seemed to genuinely care. In his own, awkward, sarcastic way. And it was easy to see. To feel. Sasuke didn't have to search for it like he had to with his parents, and sometimes even his brother – because for all intents and purposes, he was and Uchiha, and Uchiha's do not wear their hearts on their sleeves, like normal people.

And so the atmosphere within Sasuke Uchiha's house was lethargic and quiet. Kakashi, tired and frustrated; Sasuke, stubborn and in denial. But both parties were conspicuously completely unaware of the others' attitudes. All except the middle party, staring with curiosity at the two sullen and somber humans.

Nox was a cat. And as a cat, he demanded that certain needs be met. One being enough attention must be paid on a daily basis. And today, it appeared, he was lacking.

So he decided to remedy this situation immediately.

Sasuke had a sudden sense of foreboding an instant before he saw Nox stalking across the counter behind Kakashi. He realized, with a sickening pang of dread, that anything he could say or do would be too late.

"MWRAWRR!!"

With a terrific war cry, as if entering battle, Nox launched his lithe body – after a good running start, of course – at the back of the human who wasn't his ward's head. Just as the man was to take a sip of his coffee. His hot coffee.

And for the next half hour, Sasuke Uchiha's quiet house was full of angry yells of "Get the hell off, demon cat!", "I'm gonna kill you!" and a few choice phrases that even Kakashi was too young to know. An amused bout of chuckles would begin every time the silence reigned for more than a few seconds.

The tension and troubles of the two melted away with the aid of a smug black cat, and were soon forgotten in the amiable atmosphere that had begun to settle between Sasuke and Kakashi in the time they'd been coexisting in the same vicinity.

A smug cat indeed.

"Ah… sir?" Sakura raised a tentative hand, cautious but curiosity ultimately winning out. Cautious because Kakashi seemed to be in a surprisingly dreadful mood. It was quite unlike the usually good-natured laid-back teacher they had all come to know and… well, not love, but like and respect. And curious? Well, that was just the nature of one Sakura Haruno. She disliked mysteries almost as much as she disliked blonde pigs.

Kakashi gave the girl a level look, willing her to just try and ask, before his gaze flittered to the rest of the room, looking just as curious and eager to know why their teacher had lots of angry scratches running up and down his arms, as well as a few across the uncovered portion of his face. They could only guess the rest of him was in a similar predicament. His gaze rested on the pale and smirking Uchiha a second longer before it hardened and fell back on the speaker. "Yes, Miss Haruno?"

"Well, uh, you see -" she began before the blond dolt sitting behind her, using absolutely no tact, spoke the question on everyone's mind.

"What happened to your face?"

The room turned deathly silent. In the very back of his mind, in a very tiny voice, Kakashi seriously wondered about the boy's mental health. He seemed like the type of kid that would go kick a bull, but forget to run away afterwards. "Uzumaki. Office. Go."

Naruto gaped, like a fish out of water, maybe finally realizing his mistake, one could only hope, but no – "What'd I say-"

"Now."

Self-preservation seemed to kick in – or the deadly looks being given to him by Sakura were finally registering somewhere in his brain – because he grabbed his bag and left the room quickly, tail between his legs (metaphorically speaking, of course).

"Okay," Kakashi began, attention back on the class as a whole. "Does anyone have anything else to say regarding my face?"

Eighteen simultaneous head shakes – every person except one – and Kakashi smiled coldly, not that anyone could tell, since it didn't reach his eye. "Then I believe we can continue the lesson…"

"That's all, Kabuto? How disappointing." Contempt laced the silky words.

Frustrated, "I know, Orochimaru, sir. I'm sorry. But my informants tell me that they caught a bit of movement outside the brother's window, very late last night. We're trying to confirm the identity – if it was a person. He's good, sir." Quieter and resentful. "Really good. Cautious."

Infuriated. "I know that, Kabuto!" A bang, the sounds of flesh striking something hard. "Damn it. Put all your efforts into it now. Get everyone involved."

"Everyone? Even…?" Hesitant but strangely hopeful in this tense setting.

"Do not fail me again, Kabuto. We don't have much time left."

"Yes sir."

Sasuke sat, staring at the ceiling later that night. His mind was welcomingly calm, but it was like the calm before the storm. There was just so much he didn't know, so much he wanted to, and it was eating away at him.

Itachi was lying to him.

Or just not telling him the truth. He recognized the white truths, the white lies, since he knew Itachi best, and in their wake came question upon question. But one statement in particular sung out as fact among all the confusion.

He didn't know his brother at all.

A/N: Don't throw anything! I'm sorry for taking so long, but a lot of things have been going on lately, and I wasn't sure I would come out on top this time. But I did! And its longer than normal! With all this intrigue! - I hope people are actually still reading this… -

Anyway, I'm back in the swing of things, so I'll start actually updating every other weekend. If anyone really cares enough, they can periodically bug me about it.

4.11.2009