Dentes

“But I can still remember what his face looked like when I found him in an alley in the middle of the night. Tell me what you know, tell me what you‘ve gone and done now.”

Just to get High, by Nickelback

February 14, 1905

He’s alive.

As expected, a flurry of thoughts fought for dominance in his head, all centered around the same central idea. And then there were two additional thoughts, simple ones.

I need more time

and

Damage control

There was no better way to attract attention to oneself than by leaving sexuality up to public opinion. Sasukeh didn’t have time. Therefore, he needed to make more. If he needed more time, he needed cover.

Damage control

He’s alive.

It was a simple request, but the look upon Naruto’s face that lasted all of two seconds before it was artfully concealed made Sasukeh want to take it back. Naruto was entirely too accommodating in setting up a meeting, and before Sasukeh knew it he was faced with Naruto’s back as he trailed off and the prospect of a date with a woman Naruto clearly wanted for himself.

Alive.

Sasukeh pushed and shoved at the reminder, at the constant ache that was a thousand times more painful than any blood thirst. He’s alive. Sasukeh knew this. And now, it was time to figure out of Naruto knew, as well.

There were several suspicions in his head. The first and foremost was rooted in the fact that the look on Naruto’s--Naruto, my Naruto, alive--face was more surprise than anything, then embarrassment as everyone within a twelve-foot radius burst into laughter and jeers. His face had remained red for the rest of the day, the blush deepening whenever he happened to catch Sasukeh’s eye. Embarrassment. Not disgust. As feeble a hope it was, it was hope nonetheless.

He’s alive.

Sasukeh had woken up in an old barn far from his village, the snow drifting through the rafters slowly, steadily, piling up as high as the bails of straw. The hay he lay on smelled like dust and mold. There was no one with him, only pain, a pain so deep it froze him to the bone. He’d sacrificed himself for someone he loved. And let the memories, so fresh and so deep, drift away and freeze like snow.

It was frustrating. He could remember, but he couldn’t--Naruto’s face, his face and so much blood. A wicked promise, made near that barn, that damned lonely barn, footsteps crunching on the snow and fleeing so fast, leaving Naruto, his face, so far behind, so far that even his name became impossible to remember. Feeling faint, seeing human, seeing skin and so much blood--

“Sasukeh?”

Sasukeh looked up from his untouched cup. The liquid was a warm honey gold. He wanted to see him. To see him now, take him by the shoulders, the arms, crush him and smell him until he could, they both could, remember everything. Alive.

Instead, he forced himself to smile politely at his lunch companion. “I apologize,” he said in a silky voice he found himself using when faced with an amorous woman. He used to find it amusing. Now, it was a nuisance. “I find myself spacing out at the worst possible times.”

Sakura giggled, smiling back and leaning forward slightly, setting down her teacup. If she’d noticed Sasukeh hadn’t taken a sip of his own, she didn’t show it. She was a smart girl, he found. Smarter than most who shared her gender, at least. She showed too much interest too openly, but otherwise, he found she didn‘t intrude too far on the great expanse of thoughts his mind was currently shuffling through. “So Naruto tells me you’re something of a world traveler,” she said.

“Somewhat,” Sasukeh said. “I would not call myself as much a world traveler as… restless.”

Sakura nodded in understanding, thought he doubted she had a clue. “Father’s never let me leave the city,” she said before sighing wistfully. “I’ve always wanted to visit Paris.”

She wasn’t the first women Sasukeh had met to say that, and he winced. Personally, he found nothing alluring about France. The people had horrible hygiene, the food created an awful stench in his nose, and inhabitants were downright rude. Instead, he said, “I visited there two years ago on business.”

“Did you?” Fascination made her green eyes light up. “Was it lovely?”

It was something. “It was. I could not stay there long. They were not all that interested in new lofts.”

“Is that what you do?” Sakura asked. “Invest in lofts?”

“Not quite. I sell shares and investments for lofts and apartment buildings. Lately I have been more interested in department stores, though.”

“Did you get that idea from the states?” Sakura asked. How much has Naruto told her about him and his travels? Did he do this often?

“I did. But the business there was… a bit too crowded for my tastes.”

“So you moved here?” Sasukeh nodded, feigning a sip of tea. He felt the warmth hit his stone cold lips, and wished for a different sort of heat. “Will you be staying long?”

A sacrifice. One that sapped him of all his will power. Now, there was nothing left to stop him. No more righteousness. No more sense of right and wrong. Sasukeh damned himself for it. Damn it. Damn it, Naruto, you would have been safe. Safe.

“Yes,” Sasukeh murmured, feeling his gaze drift away from the café setting. “I have a feeling I will be staying for quite some time.”

Sakura blushed, ducking her head and hiding her smile with the lip of her tea cup. Sasukeh let her assume wrongly. His mind was already in a far away place, focused several streets down, several floors up, to a lonely boy sketching in a room made of a window.

--

Sasukeh first saw him when he got off one of the last trolleys of the day. A bowler squeezed about his head, nose near buried in a paper, brief case swinging from his hand. A man getting odd looks, eyes darting from Sasukeh to this new passenger. At his foreign face. An identical face.

By the time Sasukeh had realized who--what--he was, the trolley was getting ready to depart. He hopped back on it, traveling to the back instantly, without so much as giving a second thought to what he was doing. Just what am I doing? And then they were off.

Lunch had gone smoothly. Far too smoothly. Sakura had already expressed her father’s wishes of meeting him the next week, and distracted, Sasukeh agreed. Sakura’s father, the banker. A man with limited intelligence, perhaps, but with enough to probably be able to verify some of the stories he’d told Sakura of his travels. He’d kept descriptions vague, focusing on telling stories of the country side as opposed to politics. It killed two birds with one stone. She was far more interested in the beauty of foreign lands than she was of who was fighting over them, and there was no way Sasukeh could be caught in a lie.

After that he’d gone to pick up several items. His clothing from the cleaners, a few food items (cheap ones, ones that wouldn’t hurt his finances, ones that would keep up his charade), as well as several books on ancient Japanese history. He couldn’t remember much, and it was obvious that Naruto remembered even less. Perhaps these would spark some memories, illuminate a few hidden parts of the past he’d forced himself to forget.

And now--and now--he saw him. He saw himself.

He’d connected things somewhat hastily, but he was so sure of himself, so damned sure, that there was no more room for any doubts. Years ago, hundreds if Sasukeh’s estimates were right, Sasukeh had met the second half of him. He couldn’t remember if he’d resisted fate or if he embraced it willingly, but he saw his second half. Perhaps he’d been the reincarnate of a different person, who’d also met the same half hundreds of years before him.

And now, before him, was the reincarnate of his second half. And now, right in front of his eyes, was the reincarnate of the Sasukeh that was meant to be with Naruto.

I never should have lived, Sasukeh thought dizzily, watching his unaware copy depart the trolley. This is… this is the man Naruto should be with. I had my chance. I should have died. Fate intended for me to die. And now… here he is.

Sasukeh refused to leave his loft for five days after that. Hunger became his second shadow, darkening everything. Even Naruto‘s hair, his eyes, golden skin he could faintly remember feel centuries ago, were left drab and gray in his mind. Exhaustion dragged at him for he could not sleep. Constant knocks on his door, Naruto’s concerned shouts. But Sasukeh did not move.

I’m already a monster, so what difference could one little murder make?

A world of difference. You can be better He deserves better.

Then why not let that other man have at him?

He might not want Naruto. It might be a coincidence.

There are no coincidences. This is no coincidence. He’s here. For Naruto. Sasukeh’s fists clenched tightly. I’m just left overs from hundreds of years ago. I’m old. I should be dead. I should be dead.

But I’m not.

But I’m not. What if he doesn’t treat Naruto right? He doesn’t know him. It would take him years to know him half as well as I do. It’s not healthy.

I shouldn’t be here. There’s no reason for me to be here.

But nevertheless.

I can make a reason.

In the end, the decision was disturbingly simple to make. He’d known his course of actions the moment he’d locked himself in this room. His only battle--the only war, now lost--was against it. To do what was right.

I’ve done what was right before.

Although he could not remember what.

This is a sign.

What had happened? What had happened? What was it he’d done, what Naruto had done, all those years ago?

I’m being given a second chance.

Sasukeh looked out the window. Somewhere out there, Naruto’s lover--his real partner, the one he’d been destined to have from the day he was born and even before then, was walking the streets a free man.

Sasukeh’d fists tightened.

I’ve done what was right before. Now this is my reward.

But what was it I’d done?

Here is my chance.

What had I done?

His belief, his will, was only reinforced when finding the human was as easy as it was to make the decision. In the end, Sasukeh couldn’t hide from what he wanted. He’d done it before. Now was his chance to make up for his past mistakes. Over and over. If I ever let him go, it would just happen over and over. Over and over.

Sasukeh’s reincarnation was lost. He must have been to walk the drab streets of West End so late at night. Women, as scantily clad as the cloudless night sky, hovered about the street corners as thickly as the trash in the sewage drains. Painted nails, painted faces, like dolls covered in grime. He slid past them as quickly as a ghost, and unlike other nights where they flocked to him like gnats to a torch light, they gave him a wide berth. Perhaps it was his eyes, always brighter in the dead of night. Perhaps it was his face, lethal in its concentration.

Perhaps it was another act of fate.

In the dark alley, the chasm between the walls of buildings was so narrow Sasukeh felt his shoulder brush up against it with nearly every step he took. Nails like jagged teeth stuck out and plucked at his clothes, scraping against skin that had long since been conditioned to ignore pain. The man ahead of him wasn’t as lucky. His walk was slowed as he tried to avoid the walls. A briefcase swung limply in his live, warm hand. There was a map, opened in front of him. He heard the human mutter curses and was disturbed to find how very similar it was to his own. A bit lighter. Unhindered by dark thoughts. His voice had a bit of gravel. Sasukeh wondered briefly if he smoked, and thought Naruto would hate that taste, it’s all for the better, really.

As light as Sasukeh’s footsteps were, eventually they found a puddle. The splash alerted the human to his pursuer, and he stopped on a pence, whirling around to face him. It was dark, so dark. Feeble human eyes had little chance of making out his face.

The human took a step back. The vampire followed. “What is it you want? I haven’t a lot of money.” He was lying, not that it mattered. His eyes had crinkled in the corners. His travel companion told him he did that whenever he lied. So he was wealthy. Did it matter? Sasukeh had plenty of money. More than this human, undoubtedly. And he’d taste better.

The night was so cold. His breath fanned out before him. Sasukeh watched it wistfully.

What was it I’d done?

“I can give you all that I have.” For a man who was under the impression he was about to be mugged, he was extremely level-headed. Form the tense set of his shoulders, Sasukeh could tell that as soon as he drew closer, presumably to reach for money, the human would attempt to break his neck. Perhaps he would have succeeded, had Sasukeh been human. But this--this him--this human him--

He backed away further, into a small plaza where a series of spindling alleyways met. Sasukeh could see him more clearly now. His eyes were dark, very dark, a cobalt gray. His hair was the same, black as pitch, his height seemed about the same. The differences between them were subtle, but noticeable. Had Naruto ever noticed him, the connection would be immediate, but still passable as a coincidence. This man, this human man, would fit into Naruto’s life like a key to its deadbolt.

Sasukeh hated him. This feeble human man. But most of all, he hated himself. What had I done to deserve this? Why, why, why make me this on top of it. Damn it, Naruto. Damn you. Damn him. Damn me.

I love you.

“I’m just reaching for my wallet.” A definite gravel to his voice. Naruto liked spiced foods. He probably wouldn’t mind the taste of smoke on this human’s breath. Might even be attracted to it. And Sasukeh would slip out of his life as fast as an interesting, forgettable traveling circus.

I love you.

If he could cry, he would.

I love you.

Something locked into place. Something dark, something evil, and it made Sasukeh shake as he stepped into the light of the moon. The dark-haired man’s eyes--a deep gray, so deep, Naruto might like them, the calm cool gray as opposed to bitter, metallic red--spread open wide in his face when he saw what must have look to him like a walking mirror. The briefcase slipped from his lax fingers and cracked open upon the ground, scattering papers--schematics, he noticed, they’d have much in common--around the vampire’s feet.

“I apologize,” Sasukeh told his human counterpart, and was slightly disappointed in himself that he didn’t sound remotely apologetic. “It would never have worked.”

If I told you I loved you, that I’d never let you go, because I won’t, would you find it in your heart to forgive me? Because I can’t even forgive myself.

“What are you?” Not ‘who’. He was smart. An attractive trait.

An attractive person. A good person.

As Sasukeh swept forward, the human--Sasuke--could barely blink. There was a hand, cold, something hard as stone pressing into his Adam’s apple, the feel of smooth leather.

A single crack rang through the night, and then all was silent.

February 20, 1905

It was raining that morning. Just like every morning. But the world seemed brighter, somehow, as he knocked on Naruto’s door. Brightened even more as he saw Naruto’s scowl, but saw more clearly the poorly concealed joy, the relief.

My second chance.

Sasukeh smiled. For the first time in years, and years, and years, and Naruto seemed momentarily dumbstruck, and the vampire took the opportunity to invite himself into the human’s home, sliding the door shut, hands reaching, arms reaching, the world is so much brighter, finally, finally. With the same hand that had wrapped around a pale, slim throat--crack--he cupped the side of Naruto’s neck gently, firmly pressing with his fingers. Tracing them into the hairs at the nape of Naruto’s neck. Taking advantage of the blond’s shock, pulling him closer, another step forward, the second hand reaching out, gripping, pulling, the hand tracing up to his chin to tilt his head, thinking, Yes, finally, yes.

February 25, 1905

Sasukeh had expected this, and was therefore far from discouraged after being shoved out of Naruto’s loft. The door slamming in his face had been amusing. He’d retired back to his apartment, now more of a waiting room than his self-built Hell.

He spent the last few days walking around in a mellow daze. He had a date with Sakura the day before, meeting her for tea, then politely declining the offer to return home with her to meet her father. He’d left before any further discussions were made about meeting again. He paid the tab for his dry cleaning. He’d left for an hour or two while the maid he hired for the evening cleaned his loft.

On the fifth day, there was finally that familiar knock upon his door. When Sasukeh opened the door, smug and assured, all of his confidence dropped to the floor at the sight he was greeted with. He expected an angry face, cheeks flushed with rage. What he got were dark circles under dulled eyes, and disappointment, a bit of sadness, and above all else betrayal.

This, Sasukeh had not expected.

Naruto stated what was so obviously written all over his face. “I thought we were mates.”

We could be. He nearly shook his head. Not that kind. Focus. You will never get anywhere, you miscalculated, I miscalculated, fix this.

“We are,” Sasukeh said, putting extra emphasis on the last word to give the sentence a present tense as opposed to the past tense Naruto was using. Like he was mourning a lost relative.

“Why.” Naruto swallowed. “How.” His eyes narrowed, and the hurt in Naruto’s eyes and voice made Sasukeh’s dead heart lurch painfully in his chest. “Why would you--how--could you--Do you think I’m stupid? I know you say it often enough, but am I really that much of a fool in your eyes?”

“N-no.” Sasukeh stuttered. He never did that. That’s when it hit him. Really, truly hit him. He was in love. Again. With the same person. Therefore this should not be this hard. Forcing more confidence into his voice, he said authoritatively, “Naruto,” but with no words to chase the name down with, it came out feeble and ridiculous sounding.

“You,” Naruto gritted out, “complete idiot.” And took a step back. To hit him. To walk away. It was one of the two.

For a split second, Sasukeh panicked. Naruto was going to leave. Wouldn’t bother coming back. The sensible part of his brain told him Naruto was as deeply rooted to him as he was to Naruto, but the sudden dip of confidence led him into a blind moment of panic. He’d done this motion so often, several times a week in fact, that he hadn’t even realized what he’d done until Naruto slumped into his arms, unconscious.

The vampire looked down at him, then eyed the reddened area on his neck that he’d brutally pinched, and thought, Damn it. Then Sasukeh said it out loud, just to punish himself, before lifting him up in his arms and walking to lay Naruto down on the bed.

--

Sasukeh had never seen someone so livid upon first waking up. His act of kindness, of laying Naruto on the bed as opposed to the uncomfortable couch, was lost on the blond who blushed furiously, shouting and snarling the moment upon which he found out what he was laying on.

There had been yelling, there’d been screaming, and for a long few minutes Naruto had been shouting at him to get out of his loft. When Sasukeh had finally gotten it across Naruto’s head that this was his home and like Hell he’d be pushed out of it, Naruto threw up his arms and shouted, “Fine. Then I’ll go.”

This resulted in tugging as opposed to pushing. They toppled into a wall. Sasukeh flung an arm out to take the brunt of the force, but this polite act earned him a punch in the face as their chests pressed together. The awkward angle from which the hit was thrown cause the punch to lose a lot of its intended force, but Sasukeh forced his head to snap to the side, just so Naruto would at least think he got in a hit. Grunting, he spun them around, felt his own back hit the wall, Naruto stumbling into him. Their legs tangled, Naruto cursed, and asked, “Why, why, you think I’m an idiot?” Sasukeh held on tight, confused and very much lost as to what to do. By the time he’d realized what it was, exactly, that Naruto was upset about, the human had nearly tired himself out, panting heavily. His breath tasted sweet, felt warm, on his cold tongue. So did his lips. He swallowed Naruto’s yelp, and by his waist tugged the blond closer. Naruto punched him again. Sasuke didn’t even bother to jerk his head to the side.

The tangle of lips and tongue lasted only five seconds before Naruto twisted away, panting, and backing up step by step. But he wasn’t running. The small glimmer of hope in that gave Sasukeh his voice back. “Do you…” Sasukeh said slowly, “want to never see me again?” He knew the answer before he received it.

Naruto blinked dumbly, appearing floored. “No.” His mouth was red, and Sasukeh licked his lips. He caught Naruto tracing the motion. It felt good to be wanted again. Wanted by the right person.

“Then I will not. But…” Sasukeh straightened up, trying to seem taller, but Naruto didn’t seem so short anymore. He looked perhaps a little stronger than he did a week ago, for a human that is. Stubborn to resist the fate Sasukeh had been weak enough to succumb to. “But things will change.”

Naruto snorted. “Says you,” he spat, sounding angry. Sounding a bit scared. No one liked change. Even if the possible outcome was a good one, it was best to stay with the good things one was familiar with. Naruto was not unique in this.

“Yes,” Sasukeh agreed. “So says I.” He took a deep breath. “You want a friend. I apol--no, I don’t. I can no longer remain a companion to you.” Naruto was looking at him oddly. “I will no longer stand for such a low status. And for that, I am not sorry.”

Naruto snorted again, and it sounded forced. When Sasukeh stepped forward, reaching for his hand, for his anything, Naruto brushed by him without a word. Sasukeh didn’t turn, listening to the sound of the door shutting behind him.

Why didn’t I stop him?

It’s his choice.

I’ll chase him anyway.

Yes… but let him choose. Let him choose.

It would be better, always better, to have him choose me.

Don’t force him. Don’t force him.

Outside, it began to rain.

March 2, 1905

When Sasuke opens the door, Naruto is standing there and glaring at the threshold. He mutters something under his breath that Sasukeh can barely hear. He hears a ‘bastard’ buried somewhere in there, but doesn’t mind much. Because when he reaches for Naruto’s hand, tugging, Naruto does not try to pull away.

May 9, 1905

It took long days, long hours, of convincing before Sasukeh finally was able to draw Naruto into his bed. To feel skin that wasn’t just at his face, his hands, or the occasion brush of his back. It was like warm rock, muscles rippling and tensing, the peach fuzz on the skin causing tremors to shake Sasukeh down to his core. But after so many months of gentle prodding, of teases, he began to push, and push, literally and figuratively, holding Naruto down as he struggled half-heartedly, distracting him with his mouth that must have felt so cold yet Naruto never questioned it. He knew. Must have known Sasuke was different. Sasukeh realized then, drawing back to look at the flushed human with his shirt halfway undone, that perhaps Naruto hadn’t been resisting because of his gender. He was smart. And naïve. A deadly combination. He was ignorant of his own knowledge. Piecing together why Sasukeh never came to visit on sunny days, why he never ate with him, why he never let Naruto’s tongue into his own mouth, pushing into his instead, why he’d never take off his gloves, why his smiles were tight-lipped, refusing to show teeth.

Perhaps Naruto resisted him because he knew, on all levels of consciousness, that Sasukeh was not human.

Self-preservation

He’s scared

Self-preservation

“Trust me,” Sasukeh breathed. The words sounded more like a demand than a plea, and Naruto’s eyes darkened in slight distrust, in lust, in fear, and above all--

Want

Want not just for his body. Not just for his company. But for him. Always him.

“Trust me,” Sasukeh breathed. Slowly, his lips parted, farther than he’d ever parted them in an awake human’s presence. He could tell, from the widening of blue eyes, that Naruto saw them. “Trust me.” He felt his fangs brush against his lower lip as he spoke. He wondered if, when he first awoke to being a vampire, it hurt to move his mouth. Feeling the constant digging of fangs into the tender flesh of his lower lip. He was sure it did.

Sasukeh dipped down to kiss Naruto’s slack mouth. Shock? Fear? It was like kissing a statue, so he moved down, down to familiar territory. Naruto’s throat jumped beneath his mouth, and a hissed, “Don’t.” Sasukeh looked up, surprised. But Naruto was staring at his mouth. “Don’t,” he repeated, and Sasukeh understood.

“I will not,” Sasukeh promised. “Not unless you let me.” Unless you want me to.

He moved to kiss him again, and this time, warm lips parted without Sasukeh’s encouragement. The blond reached a steady hand up to shove lightly at Sasukeh’s shoulder and the vampire complied, rolling over to his side. He drew his arm up, encircled Naruto’s waist, and tugged until the boy lay half on-top of him, kissing still. Sasukeh could taste the questions burning on his tongue, but it was so warm he wouldn’t let the human draw back to ask him. Just for a while. He traced patterns across Naruto’s back, felt a hand palm the muscles of his shoulder, and he groaned, kissing fiercely, drawing nearer, nearer--

May 15, 1905

“How did you know what I was?”

Naruto hm’ed quietly. He had made a cup of tea for himself. It was the first time he’d had Sasukeh in his own home for quite a few weeks and, almost awkwardly, he’d fetched only one cup for himself, not bothering to ask Sasukeh if he wanted anything. He knew the answer already. And now, Sasukeh was wondering why.

“You’ve never had anyone figure anything out anymore?” Naruto asked, stalling.

“No,” Sasukeh replied back stonily, and wondered if he felt resentment. If that was what made him so anxious. No one, in several centuries, had ever figured him out. But this boy, just this one small boy, had him caught. But then again, he’d never gotten this close to a human before. And it was Naruto. Naruto, who knew him better than he knew himself.

“I can’t say that I… I still don’t, really, know what you are.” Naruto did this a lot, Sasukeh thought idly. Found himself stumbling for answers, always rushing to fill in the silence with words before he could sort out his thoughts. It was both a gift and a curse. A gift, because Sasukeh was always able to hear unedited thoughts. A curse for the very same reason. “I just knew you… weren’t like me?” It sounded more like a question, and Sasukeh smirked, leaning back into his chair.

“And that never bothered you?”

Naruto gave a jerky shrugged. “You were different. Not bad.”

Wrong.

“Thank you.”

Naruto snorted. “Whatever,” he muttered, twisting the tea cup in circles on the table before him.

Sasukeh wasn’t about to let it go. If he tried to resurrect this conversation at a later date, he knew Naruto would clam up and it would be near impossible to extract answers.

“You like different, don’t you?” he pried and, as expected, Naruto’s overwhelming guilt complex pushed him to speak.

“That’s not the reason why I… fancy…. Your company.” Sasukeh snorted and Naruto took it the wrong way. “It’s true!”

“I know that, fool.” Sasukeh sighed. His eyes glanced at the tea in Naruto’s hands. “Is that any good?”

“Huh?” Naruto looked down. “Oh, it’s all right, I suppose.” He swirled it around for a moment, looking contemplative, before looking up with a expression caught somewhere between mortified and curious. “Is blood any good?”

Sasukeh chuckled lightly, and Naruto flushed scarlet, looking very much like he wanted to take back his question. “It’s all right,” he mimicked.

When Naruto turned away, muttering angrily under his breath, Sasukeh stood to circle around the table. Naruto look up at him curiously. With a pang, the vampire noted the slight tinge of fear causing his eyebrows to crinkle inwards slightly. He couldn’t blame Naruto for this. It was human instinct to fear things that they knew were more powerful than them. To help, Sasukeh crouched down on one knee, lowering himself so that he had to crane his neck slightly to meet Naruto’s eye.

“I’m not some cornered animal.“ And then the blond surprised him. Even though he felt that he knew this Naruto, knew him just as well as the Naruto from his memory, he was still caught off guard all too often.

Sasukeh’s lips tilted upwards, slowly and easily, like he’d done it every day of his very long existence. “I know.” There wasn’t much conviction behind the words, which was probably the reason behind the glare Naruto aimed at him now. In order to avoid getting himself into any more trouble, Sasukeh leaned forward for a kiss. He was done talking for now. Dozens of questions littered the space between them, but a thin blanket of lust suddenly covered it all. Naruto resisted for a short moment, shoving Sasukeh lightly on the shoulder, before fisting the older man’s hair and tilting his head, allowing the searching tongue to sweep firmly at his mouth. Sasukeh kept a steady hand on Naruto’s hip, holding it against the back of the chair, tilting his head and leaning closer as…

June 17, 1905

Naruto clawed at his back, mouth agape in a silent scream. Blue eyes slammed shut, and Sasukeh wished they hadn’t. He so craved that color. He could only imagine the pain, so he kept it as slow as possible, stilling himself and waiting, counting in sync with Naruto’s breaths. Thighs quivered around his hips, clenching tightly, daring him to move.

A full minute passed before Naruto’s legs unclenched enough for Sasukeh to pull back before pushing forward again, and even then it was slow, the pace maddening. Naruto groaned and Sasukeh’s lips planted furious kiss over whatever patch of skin he could reach. The hands were in his hair now, tugging his mouth up, then their tongues tangled. Sasukeh moaned before pressing in deeper, moving faster, and Naruto cried softly into his mouth.

Soon it was louder, harsher, their noises undoubtedly traveling through the thin walls, but they didn’t care. Rain rattled the windows like a cage, and Naruto groaned, arching. Sasuke pushing faster and deeper, mouth agape, teeth poised and so ready like the horse at the gate, waiting for the gun shot.

Naruto nearly cried. Sasukeh could see the monumental effort it took not to. But then he began chanting, “Yes, yes,” in between thrusts, and Sasukeh made longer strokes, thinking that was what he wanted. But then the human tilted his head to the side, baring his neck, panting into the pillow, “Yes, yes.” Yes, you can. Yes.

Sasukeh didn‘t wait for further encouragement. He‘d wanted it nearly as much as he wanted his body, his brain, the steadily beating heart in his chest, and everything in-between. So bad. Badly enough that the blood he‘d forced himself to indulge in over the course of his stay in London rotted and turned putrid in his mouth. He bit down. Not on the throat, but further down, deep into the pit between neck and shoulder, opposite his heart, and drank deeply. Naruto shouted, body convulsing, the shock bringing him to an abrupt climax. A harsh suck was given with each jab of his hips, because Naruto had gone and done what he shouldn’t have. If Naruto had begged him to stop, he wouldn’t have been able to. It was frightening. It was enlightening. It was exhilarating. And when full, Sasukeh groaned, pressed, saw white such a blinding white, it was gorgeous, like riding a storm. Naruto writhed, groaning, and with his body, with everything he possessed, Sasukeh held him down, holding, and drowning in the blissful realization that Naruto was more than willing to let him.

November 2, 1905

He found Naruto just as he was exiting the bank. Sasukeh had found that, while his bank account still listed quite a large savings, having it dip any lower would be a bother. Now that Naruto knew of his true nature, there was no need to keep up the charade of a traveling investor, but after several months the idea had become somewhat appealing. He’d invested in a three-story Macy’s two months ago, and his share had tripled since it had opened its doors a month ago. He was just cashing a check given to him by the lender when he spotted Naruto.

Naruto stood with two other people. One, he recognized, the red-headed Sakura. Next to her was another man, his hair rather short and bunched into a sloppy ponytail at the back of his head. Sasukeh debated going over to join them, or to at least lure Naruto away, when the blond finally felt the heavy gaze on his back and turned. Naruto smiled in his direction before turning back to his companions, waving them off when they said something to him, and then jogging across the street. They looked suspiciously in Sasukeh’s direction. However much the blond was willing to accept Sasukeh for his dangerous differences, the rest were not. The vampire shook off the nagging thought--it’s getting late. Suspicion is starting to arise. Sasukeh had never stayed in one spot for nearly this long, and he was just now remembering why. But Naruto was by his side now, smirking up at him because he knew Sasukeh was jealous, was practically reveling in it, the smug little--

Sasukeh decided to humor him. “Just how many suitors do you have?” Sasukeh teased, but there was a trace of seriousness in his voice.

Naruto just laughed. “Gentlemen don’t have suitors,” he said, eyes dancing. “Damsels do.”

“Well I’m no damsel,” Sasukeh breathed into his ear, ducking lightly to let his cool breath well in Naruto‘s ear cannel. He saw goosebumps prickle the back of his lover’s neck. They were walking a bit too close, and people were staring. I can’t stay much long--Then Naruto laughed and changed the subject, a little too quickly, like Sasukeh had whispered a private joke into his ear. He was dense, but not dense enough to miss the looks.

“Feed yet?” Naruto breathed some time later when they turned to the alleyway that would lead to his complex. They rarely went to Sasukeh‘s anymore, and time and time again Sasukeh had to explain to Naruto why it was he couldn‘t move in--”What will I do when the sun comes up, idiot? Kip under the bed?”

“No,” Sasukeh admitted, turning with mischief in his eyes. When he quickened his steps a bit, Naruto laughed breathlessly. “But I would very much like to.” Sasukeh never quite got the attraction of having one‘s blood sucked, but Naruto never gave him a serious answer, and Sasukeh never complained about a willing food source. Naruto‘s blood taste so much better than most, at least to him. Spicy and hot, with a taste he would have lingering on his tongue for hours afterwards.

When Naruto’s hand reaches up, tucks the hair behind his ear, and smirks, eyebrow quirking, he knew how much of his neck was showing, damn minx, Sasukeh curses under his breath and all other depressing thoughts were drowned out.

--

Two hours later, there was rain on the windows, and Sasukeh sighed in contentment. Naruto chuckled from somewhere beneath his chin, planting a kiss over his chest. The room smelled like ozone, like copper, but more potently, like them. Sasukeh dusted his fingertips over Naruto’s back, enjoying how slick it was with sweat. Sweat he’d caused. He pressed harder, massaging, and Naruto sighed in contentment, stretching to give Sasukeh better access.

They stayed silent for another hour, dozing on and off, listening to the rain, listening to their breathing. At one point Sasukeh tried to initiate another round but Naruto pushed him off, chuckling, “Twice is enough,” and they fell back into a companionable silence.

Until…

“I have a question.”

“Hm?”

When Naruto didn’t immediately respond, Sasuke pulled back slightly to look at his lover’s face. “Naruto?” The human wasn’t meeting his eye.

“I don’t know if you’re comfortable enough to answer.”

Sasukeh snorted softly. “Naruto,” he scoffed, “ask.” Very few things made him uncomfortable these days. Nervous, anxious, but not uncomfortable.

“Well…” Naruto turned a bit away from him, laying on his stomach. “Have you always… been a…”

“Vampire?” Naruto averted his gaze. “No.” They eyes snapped back to him, and Sasukeh shifted uncertainly under the sudden scrutiny. He propped himself up on his elbows before finishing his answer. “I can’t remember much of my human life before this.” He clenched his right hand slightly for emphasis, and the familiar ache returned. His hand felt so heavy. “Just a few key details.” He knew it was a mistake to add the last part because Naruto asked him just what those were.

Sasukeh sighed. He’d progressed so far. Their relationship had taken such a sharp turn, so fast, so quickly, and oddly enough, not once was it based on distrust. Except for--crack--

Swallowing back the guilt, refusing to loop an arm around Naruto until he forced himself to forget that doing so would put Naruto in a murderer’s embrace, Sasukeh decided to tell him the truth.

“I remember fields,” he said. “Rice patties. My tent.” He was never at home. Always, forever, traveling. Like now. Perhaps it was a trait that carried over to this new life. “I remember a lot of deaths.” By my hand. “And… you.”

“Me?” If he wasn’t curious before, he most certainly was now. Naruto sat up, the sheet falling away, and Sasukeh glance down. Naruto ignored him. “What about me?”

Resigned, calling himself several sorts of idiot, Sasukeh said, “Yes. You were there. Not… you, specifically. Obviously not you, as you are here now, but still, distinctively, you.” The past Naruto was a bit shorter, he remembered. His eyes were a bit darker, his hair almost white blond, but everything else--except, of course, one detail. He examined Naruto’s cheeks closely, trying to decide if he liked them better with scars or without.

“Like, a reincarnation?”

Sasukeh hummed, lifting a hand to trace Naruto’s hairline. “Technically, love, you would be the reincarnate.”

A rather unpleasant look crossed Naruto’s face. Not ugly, but… Sasukeh didn’t like to look upon it. He couldn’t quite place the emotion, or emotions--certainly Naruto had to be feeling more than one--but it instantly made Sasukeh regret having ever started the conversation in the first place.

The look hadn’t gone from Naruto’s face when he asked his next question. “Was he a vampire, too?” ‘He’. Not ‘I’. Sasukeh instantly realized his mistake, and knew immediately that there was no way to correct it.

Reluctantly, he answered with the truth. “I don’t know.”

Naruto didn’t look away. He pushed Sasukeh’s hand away--what are you doing, Naruto, don’t make me--and then hands were at Sasukeh’s naked shoulders, and Naruto had pushed him into bed, climbing on top of the vampire.

“Naruto?”

There was a hand in his hair, stroking, and Sasukeh was nearly distracted by it. It was one of those rare moment, moments which he despised, in which he felt as weak as a human. Breakable. Too fragile to breathe on, even, and he scowled. “Naruto.”

Naruto tilted his head down closer, and Sasukeh thought for a brief moment that the blond man was going to kiss him.

He got something quite a bit different.

“How does one become a vampire?”

--

Author’s Notes: I’m sure you could all do very well without this knowledge, but for the purpose of this fiction, the way vampires are designed is that the blood in their veins remains stationary until they feed. Once they’ve ingested blood, their own blood courses, adrenaline goes, and… Long story short, before intercourse, they’d have to feed. Kind of like jump starting a car. You can’t get it going until you give it a little jolt. So on that June 17 part of the chapter, a few hours before they had sex Sasuke had gone off to feed.

I get far too technical, don’t I?

-Kodak