Drace: yes, well i've begun to poke at my stories again, but i wont have much more because school is going to eat my life, i have a beta reader now, but right now this stories hasn't be beta'd but when it is i'll edit the previous chapters...maybe. i dunno. anywas! enjoy! it's sorta short but i figured something was better than nothing right?

Kisame had another day of painting the ocean and all within its depths. Ships sinking, sailing, laying on the bottom covered by a squid. He enjoyed his artistic life and the simple joy he felt at completing each project.

Having payed his rent that morning however, had soured his day to being nothing but images of rolling storms over furious waves. Stupid groping dick oriented rent collection bastard would have his balls clawed off if Itachi had still been here.

With a soft longing sigh, Kisame put away his latest work and switched over to a personal project he had started a little more than a week after he discovered Itachis' still form curled on the bed. It was a large canvas image of said cat posed elegantly balanced on the balcony railing. The large sakura tree in the background filled with lush pink flowers dancing on the wind. It helped Kisame remember his feline companion and gave him something other than work to do.

Having zoned out for some hours as he worked, Kisame gave a puzzled glance at his door as he overheard odd banging sounds from what was either Sakuras' or Narutos' apartment; logic said it was Naruto. Hearing more banging than an odd sort of squeak, Kisame decided it may be best to make sure Naruto hadn't decided to try and nail his bed to the wall or something.

Going out into the hall Kisame followed the sounds to Narutos' apartment and discovered the door open, as well as Sakura and Lee also within. Naruto was trying to hang a picture it looked like. There wasn't much hope in it ever being hung straight.

"How about now Sakura-chan!?" Naruto called over his shoulder to the rose haired nurse.

"Uhhh...n-yeah! Yeah Naruto! It's PERFECT! Now why don't you just hang the picture and call it a day okay?" She responded as everyone other than Naruto smiled at the crooked painting.

Kisame was about to ask Naruto where he got the painting when a dark haired young man entered the home. Kisame didn't recognize him, other than he looked slightly like Sai.

"Oi, dobe. Can't you even hang a painting right?" the mans' sarcastic voice drawled. The blond in question turned his head and nobly stuck his tongue out in the others' direction.

Giving a soft chuckle at the scene Kisame prepared to leave as it appeared that the fuss was over and the other man seemed to know Naruto. Turning out into the hall Kisame stopped as someone bumped into his chest as he turned. Looking down Kisame found himself looking into a dark haired mans red eyes. Make that a very well dressed, clean cut, pale skinned dark haired mans red eyes.

Kisame forced himself to blink, apologize then walk himself into his apartment and hide his embarrassment about having just spent a good two minutes just staring into a mans eyes without knowing them. Now wasn't the time to get himself another pretty boy who wants the money, or wants a night then nothing. Now was the time to remember that he was a hermit... who lived in an apartment building because no one looks for hermits in apartment buildings. Ingenious, right?

Itachi blinked as his bumped into an obstacle that hadn't previously been there. His eyes may have been shit, but they weren't that bad. Looking up Itachi had a moment where he wondered if he'd somehow gotten security called on him, the man before him was tall and built. It took a second blink before he realized that while, tall, and built, the blue haired man didn't have idiotic macho vibe peeling off him in waves, rather he seemed more quiet and purpose orientated.

Itachi was about to... well. Do something, when the other man suddenly blinked, said a quick sorry then disappeared down the hall and into a different room. Itachi blinked at the now closed door. Was his breath bad? Itachi then did a customary hand breath sniff check. Nope, still strawberry pocky fresh.

Drace:wow... that's uber sad short. it was 3 pages i swear! but yeah... i sorta poked the idea and out spat this little dribble, once school is over though i'll try to vent out a bit more in all my stories. so nibble on this for now.