Midnight Memories

A/N my poor beta has so much on her plate that this is unbetaed. Please enjoy, you guys have earned it with the wait.



Midnight Memories



Chapter Seven



July 30, 2004



Itachi fought the urge to murder the angry looking youth sitting before him. He’d hoped he and the boy had come to some sort of accord. The small instances of rebellion were annoying but manageable. This, however, was above and beyond even his seemingly limitless patience.



In all the years of his existence, never had he come across a more stubborn individual. There was no way his brother would have handled raising this boy. He would have probably slaughtered him as well. Either that or joined him.



As it was, he stood staring through the bars of the cell belonging to the newest member to the world of juvenile delinquents. He was careful to keep his gaze neutral, though in truth, he wanted to scream out his frustration. He’d practically raised his brother and never had he give him even half the hassle as Naruto.



“So?” Naruto grumbled.



“So what, Naruto?”



“So when are you forking over the money so I can get out of here. I’m starving.”



“Oh, I don’t think so. I think you need a lesson. I’ve arranged with the police for you to stay the night.”



“What!” Naruto jumped to his feet, his eyes suddenly taking on a frightened glint as he glanced around the small cell, from the stained mattress to the dirty toilet. “You can’t leave me here!”



“I didn’t put you there. You put yourself there when you and your friends decided to go off joy riding in a car not belonging to you. Was the car I bought you for your birthday not good enough?”



“That’s not the point.” Naruto pouted, slumping on the bed.



“Well, I certainly hope the ride was enjoyable since you shall be staying here in this…cell. Maybe it will give you time to sort through why you are trying to rebel.”



Naruto shot from the bed towards the cell door. “Please…don’t leave me here.”



Itachi turned to face his ward. Naruto’s fingers clenched on the bars so hard the knuckles whitened. Black eyes narrowed. He noticed the way Naruto’s hair clung to his sweat dampened face as well as the extreme pallor of his skin. Something wasn’t right.



Normally when a night walker is among the humans, they tune down their senses to prevent being overwhelmed by the sensory overload. Itachi was well versed in the skill, especially living with a teenage boy. Hormones made for frustrating emotions. Now, his curiosity was peaked.



Opening his senses, he was first overpowered by the smell of sweat, blood, and urine encompassing the area. Filtering out the scents and sounds he didn’t want, he stared at the boy before him. Naruto’s heart was pounding so hard in his chest; Itachi feared he was close to passing out. The scent of fear poured from the other. He was alone in the holding cell; he didn’t have anything to fear. Itachi had wanted this to be a lesson. He’d made sure no harm would come to him, yet the boy was quaking with more than simple fear of the unknown. This fear bordered on phobic.



“Naruto?”



“Please…get me out of here. I feel like I’m suffocating in here.”



“What are you afraid of?”



“Just get me the fuck out of here.”



“Hn.” Itachi turned, leaving the boy. The sobs echoing off the stone walls tore at his heart. He signaled the guard. “Get him out. I’m taking him home.”

~*~



The car ride began in silence. The tears had long since dried up but the tortured look on Naruto’s face had not. His fear of being left alone in that cell had terrified him. Itachi was more than just intrigued now. He knew nearly every breath the boy had taken since the day of his birth. He knew the backgrounds on all his friends and their families. There was no reasonable explanation for why he was so terrified.



“Why were you so frightened in the cell?”



Naruto crossed his arms, turning his eyes from Itachi to the passing road. It was almost three in the morning. The streets of this part of Olympia were nearly deserted, only a few homeless ambling down the lonesome road.



Itachi crossed his own arms, waiting for some response. Naruto shot him a look from the corner of his eye but said nothing.



“Suit yourself.” Itachi commented, his fingers pulling out an antique pocket watch.



The silence resumed until Naruto spoke. “I don’t know why I was scared. It just felt…like I was going to die in there. I felt cold.”



“Hn.”



“Fine, don’t believe me. I just don’t want to go back there.”



“You won’t…if you show up at court. I’ll make sure you don’t go to jail but you will never again do what you did tonight. You will not screw up your life because your friends want to have a little fun.”



“Don’t act like you care. You throw money and cars my way. You placate me but why can’t you be my father?”



“Because I’m not your father.”



“My brother then, something. I feel like we are two strangers living together. I’ve lived with you since I was five. Don’t you feel anything for me?”



“No.”



Naruto jerked as if slapped. He blinked a few times, digesting the information before turning his eyes to the road. “What am I to you then?”



“You are Naruto and if you do not stop participating in felonious activities, I will be forced to take more drastic measures than slapping you on the wrist.” Itachi opened the door as the car stopped before the house.



“Who are the people that come to see you at night?” Naruto yelled as Itachi trotted up the steps causing him to pause.



“What do you know of it?”



“You’re a drug dealer, aren’t you?”



“What I am is none of your business. You are restricted to your room for two weeks and since you obviously don’t want the car I gave you, you are restricted from driving until January.” Itachi turned once more, disappearing into the house.



Naruto slammed his hand against the roof, wanting to yell out obscenities to the retreating back. Over the last few months, things had become more and more strained with Itachi. Naruto’s dreams started coming more and more often. Some nights he was afraid to sleep. The most recent ones terrified him more than anything ever had. They weren’t dreams in that they told a story but instead spoke of a dark, dank place. It stirred an irresolvable fear in him. The only light in the dream comes from eyes of the darkest pitch, shining out from the blackness. Eyes and a reoccurring name came to him again and again. Sasuke.



February 12, 1693 Salem Village, Massachusetts



Men and women alike walked through the dusty streets in fear. Since February of the previous year, the small communities surrounding Essex, Suffux, and Middlesex counties had been gripped in a nightmare with seemingly no end in sight. All feared the finger pointed in their direction with the dreaded word…witch.



So many had been executed and still others waited in prison. The hanging tree in the clearing was cursed with the deaths of many. Salem Village wasn’t the only village infected with this nightmare, but it was the village in which Naruto Uzumaki was imprisoned.



Naruto slumped against the dank wall of the cell. He coughed lightly into his hand giving a small smile to young girl sitting next to him. There were two fates for those imprisoned in the small space with him. Death from sickness in the cell, or death from a noose on the tree. Guilt or innocence did not matter. The finger was pointed. Their fates were sealed.



The people screamed witch, proclaiming the work of their God. Naruto wanted to argue the fact that God had deserted them. No merciful god would leave them to rot in these prison cells. His God had deserted him.



“Thy cough is getting worse.” Mary whispered to Naruto, pulling a threadbare blanket tightly around thin shoulders before leaning against him to share what little warmth there was.



“It’s fine. I’m more worried for you. You are becoming nothing but bones.” He wrapped a comforting arm around her.



“I believe they are testing our resolve. If thy situation is horrible enough, a witch would reveal the truth. No matter what is done, thy must not lose thy resolve.”



“You are brave for someone only sixteen.”



“And thy flatter with a skill best left to poets.”



Naruto chuckled before going into a body quaking cough. Mary was right. His cough was worse. Several of the others had developed a cough as well. Elizabeth, an older woman curled in the corner was barely moving anymore. The cough had taken her strength. She would be dead within days if not sooner. They all knew, but never spoke of it. Nothing could be done. Death would be their only escape.



“Thy need to have faith. God will protect you if thy have faith.” Mary whispered, partially to Naruto and partially to herself. Faith was in short supply these days.



Naruto shivered, his hand lay on the dirty head of brown hair. She would live. When the food came, he’d give her part of his share. It wasn’t fair what was done to them. Naruto closed his eyes. He didn’t pray, for he had lost his faith in a God who left good people to die in order to please religious fanatics who saw witches where there were none.

~*~



“So this is the new world.” Sasuke murmured to himself.



For the last 20 years he’d tore apart Europe and Asia in search of his beloved. Itachi tried to keep him away, going so far as to threaten to send him to sleep. He’d refused. He’d learned to listen for Naruto. The moment of his conception, he could feel a tiny tingle in his soul. It was so small; he would miss it if he was not looking for it.



That small tingle would grow in potency as Naruto grew. It was a beacon for him. He learned to follow its lead. His fingers clenched tightly as he recalled the last life. He could have saved him if he’d been willing to risk his heart. He was foolish because he’d lost it the moment he’d seen him.



Since the moment he felt that first tingle, his mind focused purely on it. Itachi’s ranting fell on deaf ears as he left no stone unturned. Standing on the shores of England, he stared across the sea. He was there, in the new world. Naruto had become his obsession. He had to find him.



Sanity and insanity warred with each other. There were moments when his mind could barely function. He was so close. Where once he thought watching each death would drive him insane, now he knew each life was all that kept him sane. He was only sane when Naruto existed.



His need for blood increased. He spent so much time in the daylight hours; his energy was constantly being sapped. The increased need to feed drove him nearly mad. The taste was like ash. His body constantly rebelled against the nourishment.



After nearly twenty years of searching Europe and Asia, he was forced into the realization that Naruto was further away than ever before. The New World. The colonies. He was across a vast ocean in a land rich and untouched.



And so, here he stood. Boston Harbor. He could practically taste Naruto in the air. It was a refreshing break from fowl smell of rats and unwashed bodies. Perhaps soon he could actually taste Naruto. Rats made for poor dining but he couldn‘t risk the chance of killing one of the sailors on the long trip. His body was practically shaking as he stepped cautiously from the gangplank, an obvious side effect of malnutrition.



“Sir, are you well?”



Sasuke ignored the questions. Using his cane to steady himself, he placed his feet on the new world. The air smelled different. It was wilder, barely touched by humans and their ideals.



“I am fine. I don’t travel well.” he said, pushing aside any who wished to help him.



He breathed deep, pushing aside the scents of the ocean, humans, and wildlife. He focused only on Naruto. It was faint, almost none existent but there. He smiled darkly. He’d found him.

~*~



March 13, 1693



Naruto stroked the face of Mary. She’d died a few minutes prior. Her suffering was minor. She was one of the lucky ones. Despite the cold air wafting through the damp cell, her skin still felt warm. She’d professed her belief that God would save her until her last breath. It made him sick to remember her constant belief. After living here for the past few months, he held no belief in a merciful God.



He’d wanted her to live. He’d prayed for her health. Despite all his attempts, fever had set in several days ago. There was nothing he could do for her. In the end, the experience only destroyed the little bit of faith remaining in him. “I’m sorry, Mary.”



“Mary Sullivan?”



Naruto glanced up at the unwashed guard. “Who wants to know?”



“The judge is here for her trial. Wake her up.”



“The only person who can wake her up is God.”



The guard frowned. A clanking of keys and the squeal of rusted hinges signaled the opening of the cell. Any time before his incarceration, Naruto’s nose would have wrinkled under the wafting odor of sweat and unwashed bodies. He knew now his own odor was far worse than that of the guard. He’d adjusted weeks ago to the smell.



“Yur right, she’s maggot food.” The guard spit on the ground near Mary’s body. Naruto’s mind went red.



“You bastard. She just died and you could care less.” he yelled.



“She weren’t nothing but a slut.”



“She was a girl. She had her whole life ahead of her.”



“The only thing she had to look forward to was the noose on a tree. Those judges don’t find people innocent. You’d best pray for yourself. Yur next before them, and the noose.”



Naruto’s scream startled awake a few of the sleeping prisoners. He lunged to his feet, charging the jailer. The man was taken by surprise, giving him an opening to plow his fist into the meaty jaw. The man yelled out for his fellow jailers as Naruto’s fist landed again and again.



Blood spurted from the other’s nose as he began to fight back. He spit the draining blood into Naruto’s eyes, temporarily blinding him. Naruto let out a shout, wiping frantically at his eyes. His chance was lost; the momentarily blindness gave the guard the opening he needed. Now it was his turn to go on the offensive.



Leather booted feet kicked harshly at the imprisoned man. Naruto cried out at the sharp pain in his ribs. He felt the crack. Agony shot up his body, sending him crashing to the slime covered ground. The kicks kept coming, causing blood to rise into his mouth from his lungs. Wracking coughs quaked his body as blood dribbled from his lips.



As unconsciousness hit him, he wondered if he would die here as well. Perhaps death would be better than this hell hole he was being subjected to. Where was God? Where was the benevolent being that saved the suffering?



He floated for what seemed like hours. The nothingness tugged him this way and that until finally breaking. His first thought was that he was no longer in the cold jail. The next forced him to realize he was outside. As cold and horrid as the cell was, at least it protected him from the chill of the spring wind.



Droplets of rain fell from the sky to patter against him. The cool drops pulled him from his slight stupor. It was then he realized his predicament. His neck and hands were restrained in a wooden stock. He pulled at them harshly, but to no avail.



He’d seen what happened to those sentenced to stocks. Exposure to the elements usually resulted in death. Tears dripped down his face, mixing with the rain to splash on the ground. His body began shaking violently from the cold. March nights still held the chill of winter. He would be lucky to live through the night.



“Where are you!” he screamed.



A flash of red startled him. It was likely to be a wild animal. Fear coursed through him. He’d hoped the animals would leave him alone until he died. Apparently that was not the case. His body shivered violently. The cough he’d been fighting for several weeks wracked him once more. The eyes moved closer and closer until the owner was revealed.



Instead of an animal, a man stepped forward. His clothes looked more appropriate for tea in a parlor than for a dusty village in the New World colonies. Another cough spasmed through him. He tasted blood on his lips. His shivering wouldn’t stop but he had to know before he was unable to speak.



“Who are you?” he whispered, looking upon the most beautiful creature he‘d ever seen.



~*~



Sasuke dropped the deer carcass to the ground. The heavy thud of the body barely garnered a response. He could feel the animals waiting in the darkness, waiting to devour the dead beast. The meat would not go to waste. There was always some animal able to devour the dead.



He took a deep breath, inhaling in the scent of the forest. He could feel the beast’s blood coursing through him. It was weak, barely able to do more than sustain him. Finding appropriate blood was proving more difficult than he’d hoped. The Puritan communities making up this part of the world were going through some sort of religious fright. Every town and village he approached once he left the larger town of Boston locked their doors tight as soon as the sun dipped below the horizon. Their fear lay thick in the air. They screamed witches.



He smirked into the pitch black forest. He would love to tell them there were much more dangerous things to be afraid of than witches. Much more dangerous. He refrained, despite wanting to feast in the blood. He would need to feed on a human soon despite the risk of drawing attention to himself. He could only survive so long on the blood of wildlife.



Once he’d tasted the power of death, he never truly forgot it. His brother knew this would happen. He knew the taste of it would always beat at him. Sasuke wondered if even the knowledge of this constant hunger would have stopped him in Constantinople. He debated the issue but knew the real answer. It would not have stopped him. He would have feasted on all of them again and again. He would have bathed in their blood in retribution for the sanity they took from him. His mind had never been the same after that. He played at sanity for the sake of his brother.



He’d felt little pity from those he’d murdered in his grief stricken rage. He felt nothing for anyone but Naruto. Itachi knew this. He knew the danger of keeping him. He knew the danger and yet his life was spared. An integral part of him was lost in the process. He’d tried to push aside the emotions and was successful…until Naruto.



Only Naruto was able to break through the wall he’d built around himself. Naruto was his damnation and his salvation. Naruto gave him the will to live, only to take it away. He wondered why he bothered. Now being able to track him, why not simply avoid him?



He laughed with little humor. He was kidding himself. He would never be able to stay away. His soul was irreversibly bound to him. He would be forced to bear this weight. He knew without a doubt he would die without Naruto. Just the knowledge he would be born again kept him hanging by the smallest thread of sanity.



Pain shot through his chest, sending Sasuke to ground with a snarl. His eyes bled red as clawed fingers dug through the wet dirt. It was several minutes before he realized the pain was not his own. Anger tore through him. Naruto was in pain so powerful, he was barely conscious.



“Naruto.”



Tamping down his emotions, he sped through the forest towards the nearby town. Salem Village appeared before his sight as he stopped just short of the town square. The hacking cough coming from the pitiful excuse for a human sent a wave of protective impulses through him.



His eyes flared red as he stalked closer. The coughs became louder, more panicked. He tried but couldn’t calm himself. He wanted to know who put him there. Naruto. Despite the tattered clothing and pale features, he couldn’t take his eyes from him.



“Who are you?”



Sasuke ignored the question, stalking closer. His eyes never left him. Kneeling before the other, he rubbed his fingers down one grime covered cheek.



“Naruto.”



“You…know…my name? Are you an angel? Has God…not forsaken me?” Coughs fractured the sentences.



“You don’t need God. I will take care of you.” hissed Sasuke, his fingers easily breaking the iron lock.



Naruto lacked the ability to even hold himself aloft. His body crumpled from the stock to the ground. Mud splashed around him as he stared up to his savior. The pale, perfect skin gleamed in the light of the newly risen moon. This man could be nothing but an angel. Every physical aspect of him was perfection.



“Who…?”



“Sasuke. Rest.” Sasuke’s hand brushed at dirty blond hair. He watched as dull blue eyes closed.



Lifting Naruto in his arms as if he was a babe, Sasuke faded to the shadows. A deserted barn was the best shelter he could provide. The witch scare had even inn doors locked after dark. At least this way there would be no questions.



A thunderous expression remained on his face as he broke several pieces of rotten wood from an old gate. The material shattered like twigs beneath his palms. Even with his lack of proper feeding, his strength during the night hours far surpassed that of humans.



Dumping the broken wood and a bit of straw, he dug a fire pit before striking a flint. A bit of wind pushed through the cracks in the shabby walls. Naruto shivered beside him, his eyes shut in a restless sleep causing Sasuke to work harder to warm him.



It took little time to build a comfortable fire; there was plenty of hay to use as starter fuel. Once the flames crackled comfortably, he turned worried eyes to the shivering bundle of bones. Heat poured off Naruto in waves. A fever was waging war inside him. Sasuke could smell the illness in him. There was little he could do but attempt to bring the fever down.



“Stop trying to die.” growled Sasuke, pressing a wet bit of cloth to Naruto’s brow.



A moan was the only response, bringing another wave of malice through him. He was fucking tired of the suffering Naruto experienced lifetime after lifetime. He was tired of being left behind to watch him die without being able to do a thing.



“I will destroy anyone who comes near you.” Sasuke murmured, his fingers stroking through the dirty locks.



Standing, he glided out of the barn. Naruto would be safe for now. He would know if any came near him.



Closing his eyes, he listened for life in the nearby forest. The heartbeat of the forest fauna pounded through him until he found what he sought. Moving faster than humanly possible, he snatched a medium sized hare from the forest floor. The animal was dead before it could register being in his hands.



His next stop was a small farm house a mile from Salem Village. Even from here, he could smell the taint spreading across the village. These people reeked of their sins. It took all his strength not to release them of their suffering. Thoughts of Naruto were all that kept his darker side at bay.



Creeping into the house, he chuckled at the ease in which he entered. It was amusing these humans believed a simple locked door and prayer could keep the darker things of the world from them.



Taking a pot, loaf of bread, stirring spoon, and a bowl from the dwelling, Sasuke left as silently as he came. He was at Naruto’s side moments later. Laying aside his pilfered goods, he lifted the limp body into his arms. For a moment, everything faded away. His anger. His hurt. His ever present madness. Everything was as it should be. Naruto was in his arms, breathing and alive.



“Stop making me suffer.” he whispered before forcing water down the other’s throat.



Naruto choked on the water before drinking greedily. Satisfied, he laid aside his companion in favor of preparing some nourishment for him. He quickly skinned the rabbit. Throwing the dressed meat into the pot, he sat silently as the stew boiled. It was little more than boiled rabbit but would have to do for now. Sasuke wasn’t well versed in cooking.



Just before dawn, he poured rich broth into the bowl. Lifting Naruto once more, he dribbled the soup over his tongue. The other turned his head at first until the warmth hit his empty stomach. Instincts are stronger than illness, causing him to greedily down the broth despite his illness.



Despite Naruto’s protests, Sasuke forced him to eat slowly. From the shape he was in, he hadn’t had a decent meal in a long time. It was yet another reason to wipe out these worthless humans. All they did was destroy anything different or anyone who spoke out.



“Sleep.” Sasuke whispered, seeing the complete exhaustion on Naruto’s face.



Covering Naruto with a blanket, he curled against a wooden wall with Naruto in his arms. The sun rising in the east was draining what little energy he possessed. There would be no getting around it come nightfall. He would have to feed but for now, he was happy simply holding Naruto in his arms.

~*~



As the sun dipped low on the horizon, Sasuke blinked awake. On a subconscious level, his body watched over Naruto. He would awaken at the slightest distress from the human. It made for very poor rest.



With the sun gone, his energy increased tenfold. It wasn’t enough. There was no getting around hunting for more dangerous prey. He shrugged into his cloak, turning to see fevered eyes staring deeply.



“Why did you…save me?”



“You called to me.”



“I called…to God.”



“And I answered. I’m your God now. Think only of me. I’ll take care of you.”



“Where are…you going?”



“To feed.”



“There is…plenty of broth.”



Sasuke chuckled, turning to face Naruto with gleaming red eyes. “That food will do nothing for me. I will take blood and then I will be able to care for you properly.”



“Blood…?”



Sasuke’s fangs lengthened at the subtle scent of fear. Naruto’s blood pounding through his body flavored the air with everything that was him. A part of him hated the fear, yet another more primal part relished in it. Fear gave control.



“You’re scared.”



“I’m not…”



“Don’t lie…I can smell it. Of all the creatures in this world, you are the only one I can say has nothing to fear from me. I live for you and I would die for you. You own my soul.” Sasuke leaned closer until their breath mingled.



“You aren’t God.”



“I’m your God, just as you are my God.”



“That’s blasphemy.”



“My entire existence is blasphemous to those bible thumping people who imprisoned you? Your God has abandoned you…if he was even there in the first place.”



“Stop saying that!”



Sasuke grabbed Naruto’s hair, his fingers digging roughly into the scalp. He heard the hiss of pain but ignored it. “I have to feed. Don’t worry, I’m sane enough not to kill them…unless, you’d like to nourish me.”



His tongue stroked up the skin, tasting sweat and the slightest hint of lust. He allowed his teeth to trail over where his tongue just tasted. He felt his fangs lengthen even more as heat poured into his loins. Even Naruto’s sick and starved body aroused him beyond his control. His tongue longed taste the crimson liquid just below the surface.



“Would it stop you from hurting someone?”



“Hurt? The pleasure that one feels from my bite is greater than anything they have ever experienced.”



“Just because it feels good, doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.”



Sasuke snorted. “You’re too weak. I can’t use your blood. I promise to leave no noticeable mark. Don’t worry, Naruto. I’ll be feeding from you soon enough.”



Sasuke gave one last lick to the arched neck before standing. To Naruto’s eyes he seemed to vanish where he stood. In actuality, he was simply moving too fast for Naruto’s eyes to process the movement.



His body started cramping up as he reached the edge of Salem Village. In order to keep his presence masked, he would have to take a little from several people. It was an annoying process. Normally, he would feed from one or two people. They would be tired for a couple of days before recovering with no permanent damage.



That wasn’t an option here. The absolute fear these people had made him extra cautious. He didn’t want to stir the locals any more than need be. Naruto wasn’t in any shape for hard travel.



Taking a calming breath, he entered the first house he came to. A husband and wife resided here. At least that was a bit more convenient than only one individual. He crept to the bedroom, teeth gleaming white. He lifted a lily white wrist to his lips, sinking his teeth in immediately. Blood rushed down his throat. He nearly moaned.



It was not an intelligent thing to let himself get so bad. The taste was not pleasurable but the power it gave was. Already he could feel his strength returning. His tongue swiped the marks as he forced himself to withdraw after only a few swallows, switching immediately to the husband.



It was the same after every house. He visited four houses before he was satisfied. He needed to make sure his energy was at its full potential.



As he stepped back into the ramshackle barn, he saw Naruto sipping the broth from the previous night and nibbling on bread. His hunger beat at Sasuke’s consciousness, yet he ate slowly when he obviously wanted to devour the bread and broth.



“You’re hungry.”



Naruto coughed, “I haven’t had more than moldy gruel and tepid water in months.”



“Then eat. I can provide you with as much as you wish.”



“I can’t. I’ll get sick. It’s better to start slow.”



“Hn.” Sasuke grunted, poking the fire embers into full life before adding extra wood.



“What are you?”



Sasuke continued to stir the fire. The warmth of blood coursing through him energized him and yet his mouth still watered for the blood flowing beneath the skin of his companion.



“Aren’t you going to answer me? Are you a demon? An Angel?” Naruto slammed his bowl to the ground.



“I told you, I’m your God and you are mine. I exist for you. You bound me to you so long ago and yet I can still remember that day as if it was yesterday. I can still taste your pleasure on my lips.” Sasuke lunged across the fire, forcing Naruto to his back as his fingers pressed over the rapidly beating heart.



“You never remember, not until the end and then it’s too late. Not this time. I’m keeping you even if I have murder any living creature within miles of you. No one will touch you. No one will kill you. I’m keeping you.” Sasuke flinched as a warm hand covered his own cool one.



“If God decides to take me…”



“I told you, I’m your God!”



Sasuke pushed away, striding away. He paced nervously, his ears perking at the smallest sound. Closing his eyes, he calmed his breathing. “Finish the broth. I’m taking you from here. It’s not safe.”



“What are you so afraid of?” Naruto asked quietly.



“I’m…this is not going to help you. I’m taking you to Boston. I’ll get you the care you need. You won’t get any care here.” Sasuke shrugged from his coat, draping it around Naruto’s shoulders.



“Everyone dies.”



“Not me.” Sasuke scooped the thin body in his arms before taking to the woods.



Naruto buried his face in Sasuke’s chest. The thick coat protected his body from being scratched by the tree limbs. His body would jerk as the coughs wracked his body from time to time.



Sasuke’s arms tightened around the quaking body as he moved faster than any human possibly could. The world moved by at a blur. He refused to stop, even for a moment until he reached the sea scented town of Boston.



“I’m taking you to a doctor.”



“If you are so powerful, why not heal me yourself.”



Sasuke closed his eyes. His kind could take lives but not save them. “It’s not within my power.”



“So my life remains in God’s hands.”



“Stop saying that. Whatever creature you pray to, he deserted you the moment you were thrown in that prison. All you have left is me.”



“I tried to push him away but in the end I returned to him.”



Sasuke remained quiet, slamming his fist against door of who he knew was a reputable doctor. He’d heard the words of several people during his first trip through this town. When no one answered, he beat against the door again.



Several minutes passed before a maid sleepily opened the door. “What is it, sir?”



“I need to see the doctor.”



“I’m sorry…the doctor is sleeping…”



“I don’t care if he is fucking the chambermaid…get him down here right now or I will tear this place apart.” hissed Sasuke, his eyes flashing dangerously while Naruto’s cough continued to rattle.



The maid nibbled on her lip before nodding before stepping aside so that Sasuke could carry Naruto into the examination area. His color seemed to be improving slightly, giving Sasuke a little relief. The introduction of unspoiled food was obviously helping.



“What’s the meaning of this?” A large busted woman stood in the doorway, her arms crossed. Her brow rose slowly as she waited for an explanation. “Well.”



“He’s sick. Tell your husband to get out of bed and fix him.”



“What makes you think I’ll do anything more than call a constable to come remove both of you from my home?”



“You’re…?” Naruto gaped at the woman, used to the helpmate wives in Salem Village.



“That’s right, boy. My late husband was a doctor. He was significantly older than me and trained me. I may not have a medical degree to hang on my wall but my practice is more respected than some who do. Now, back to my question. What makes you think I’d waste my time with street rat boy who probably pick pockets for a living?”



Sasuke was on her in a moment, his breath hissing in her ear. “Because if you don’t heal him, I will kill you before finding someone who will.”



“Sasuke!” Naruto gasped out before falling in a fit of coughs.



Sasuke and the woman eyed each other before she nodded. “Do you plan on paying or should I just give up.”



Sasuke fished a bag of gold from his pocket before tossing it at the woman. “Heal him.”



She nodded, walking to Naruto. Her hands deftly felt along his ribs, lifting his shirt and coat before noting the deep bruising that signaled a possible broken rib. “What’s your name?”



“Naruto. What’s yours?”



“Tsunade.”



“That’s pretty.” Naruto doubled over with his cough. A white kerchief was placed over his lips until the spasms eased.



Tsunade pulled back the kerchief only to sigh. The blood coating the white linen was a tell-tale sign. “How long have you been sick?”



Naruto shot Sasuke a glance before answering. “A couple of months.”



“Have you been around anyone who’s been sick or died?” she asked.



Again he glanced towards Sasuke. He wasn’t sure why, but he trusted him. He’d saved him from certain death, brought him to a doctor. Despite all that, he saw the pain in his eyes, hidden deeply. He wanted to take away that pain. A creature as beautiful as Sasuke shouldn’t be in such pain. He wanted to take it away. He might be a demon or an angel, but he was his savior.



“I’ve been in Salem Village prison for about four months.” He whispered, pulling up the sleeves of the coat to reveal restraint scarred wrists.



“Did you say Salem?” she asked.



He nodded, sending another wave of curses flying from her lips. “Those damned puritan bastards. You were accused of being a witch?”



He nodded again. “I’d lived there all my life. When my father died of a strange illness, I was blamed. My father was the local preacher. His death was not taken well.”



“I’m surprised the sanctimonious bastards let you live this long.”



“There were more powerful people pushing for the trial of others and the courts wouldn’t dare hang a person without a ’trial’.”



She snorted before laying her head on Naruto’s chest. “Breath in and out.”



He did as she asked. It was only for show, to make Naruto and Sasuke more at ease. She knew the truth.



“I know what’s wrong with you.” she said, pouring herself a snifter of spirits.



“What is it? Is there medicine?” Naruto shook his head at the offer of a drink.



“No…you have consumption. When a lot of people are crowded together, the disease spreads from one person to the next. I’ve heard of research being done in England but there is no treatment. The most you can do is manage the symptoms. It will get worse. Your body will waste away. Eventually you will lose the ability to walk and will have to be confined to a bed. You’re dying. I’m sorry.” She took another swallow of the liquid.



“How…how long?” Naruto asked.



“It’s hard to say. Some people live years with it, others months. The weaker your body, the more easily the disease can take hold. I would suggest getting as healthy as you can. It might extend your time…”



The sound of breaking plaster startled both from their discussion. Sasuke’s fist was through the plaster wall of her examination room. His body began to shake horribly.



“Sasuke…”



“We’re leaving.”



“Any physician will tell you the same thing unless they are trying to bleed you dry of money.” Tsunade stood, helping Naruto into the coat he’d discarded.



“Thank you.” Naruto smiled as Sasuke scooped him into his arms.



Within several minutes, Naruto was curled in a warm bed at a local inn. There were still several hours until sunrise, forcing Sasuke to remain awake. He stroked the now clean blond hair. The sight brought a burning to his eyes as bright red drops trickled down his cheeks. “What are you trying to do to me?”



Naruto slept the remainder of the night and the entire next day wrapped in Sasuke’s arms. He didn’t awaken until he felt the gentle stroke of fingers along his cheeks. “You shouldn’t stay close to me. You might get sick.”



“Hn. If it meant dying in your arms, I would do it again and again.” Sasuke murmured, kissing Naruto’s brow before answering the knocking at the door.



“Thick beef broth and bread, just as ye requested sir.” A crotchety old woman struggled to place the tray on the bed.



“Ah, young master, I was told ye needed food that would help ye build up ye strength. Ye friend is kind to make sure ye get better.” she placed the tray on his lap, along with a glass of mead. “When, I have a cough, I always drink a bit of mead. It helps.”



“Thank you.” Naruto smiled.



The woman patted his hand, her eyes twinkling with some unknown knowledge. “Cherish every moment.”



Naruto nodded, dipping his spoon in the broth. He felt the dark eyes of Sasuke on him. “What is it?”



“Why aren’t you afraid?”



“Of death?”



Sasuke nodded. “And me.”



Naruto sighed, putting down the spoon. “When I was locked in the prison, I prayed for a savior, for someone to take me from that place. I lost all faith as I watched people die from either the noose or whatever sickness they developed. I wanted to be freed from that place and then I saw you. I thought you must be an angel to be so beautiful. I thought you must be the angel of death come to take me home. But you didn’t take my soul, you saved me.”



“Naruto…I don’t think I can watch you die again.”



“You keep saying that you knew me before. That means you will know me again.”



Sasuke’s lips pulled back to reveal pristine fangs as he lunged at Naruto, sending the soup and tray to the ground. “I could kill you now and save me the trouble of watching you waste away.”



“Do it.”



His lips hovered over the fluttering pulse. Saliva pooled in his mouth at the thought of tasting the blood flowing so close to the surface. “I hate you.”



“You hate what you think I represent.”



“And what’s that?”



“Mortality.”



“I don’t have to fear death.”



“I didn’t mean yours.”



“My existence revolves around you. I tell you what I am and you smile. I threaten to kill and you began speaking in riddles. What do you want from me?” Sasuke lifted his face to reveal crimson orbs.



“I don’t know why, but I need you with me. When I die, I want you by my side. The thought doesn’t scare me then. I want to know why I feel like you will always save me.”



Naruto paused, looking pleadingly at the other. “Sasuke…can I stay with you?”



“I told you. You belong to me. I will not let you leave me.”



“You act like you love me.”



“I do.”



“No, you don’t. You love your memories of who I was. I don’t think I’ll die until I’m sure you love ME. Yes. I’ll stay with you until I’m sure you love me.”



“Then I hope you never find out.” Sasuke growled, earning a congested laugh.



Sasuke laid his head above the beating heart. He didn’t have to be so close to hear it but it comforted him. He was happy like this. Fingers stroked his hair. They laid there for the entirety of the night. And the next night, and the next.



Naruto’s strength returned. With the exception of the cough, his body grew stronger. Each day was a blessing. There were no accidents or assassinations. The witch scare blew over as it was destined to do. The courts were made to see how foolish they were to allow irrational fear of the unknown to coerce them into wrongfully accusing innocent men and women with no proof other than a pointed finger.



Life was seemingly perfect. Sasuke purchased a town house near the park. Every day, he and Naruto would stroll through, talking about everything and nothing. It was beneath one of those trees that he received his first kiss from him. He thought his happiness would never end.



May 20, 1698 Boston, Massachusetts



Sasuke closed his eyes, unable to watch the grave diggers lowering the coffin into the ground. If he watched, he was afraid his sanity would be ripped from him. If he kept his mind focused on something other than the cold body of his lover being lowered into the ground, maybe he would survive.



For nearly five years, Naruto’s health seemed stable. He had good days and bad days, yet still kept his smile. The past winter was different. His coughing grew worse. He tried to hide the increased blood expelled from his lungs. He should have known he could hide nothing from Sasuke.



As spring came, Sasuke was sure Naruto would rally with the introduction of warm weather. Such wasn’t the case. His strength failed him as he continued to deteriorate. Sasuke swallowed his pride before begged Dr. Tsunade for something, no matter how radical. Anything was better than watching him waste away.



Naruto just smiled. He knew this wasn’t the end. Sasuke’s presence in his life assured him of that. Naruto’s contentment did not help Sasuke deal with his loss. The only comfort was that Naruto died quietly in his sleep with Sasuke at his side.



So focused inward, he didn’t sense the presence behind him until a gentle hand pressed to his shoulder. His mind was jarred back into his body. Opening his eyes, he saw the emotionless face of his brother.



“I’m sorry.”



“Why are you here, Itachi?”



“A lot of the family is migrating to the colonies, seeking freedom.”



“And being the good little king, you had to see the layout for yourself.” Sasuke jerked his shoulder from Itachi’s hand.



“You don’t have to mourn alone.”



“You didn’t even know him and you want to mourn him. You’ve never liked him and you want to help me. You’re a bastard.”



“Sasuke…I know you. I’ve seen you lose him more times than I wish to remember. Let me help you.”



“I…I’m considering the sleep.”



Itachi paled considerably, his hand jerked Sasuke to face him. “You are stupid. Just because our parents grew bored with life doesn’t give you the right…”



“I hurt!” Sasuke screamed, drawing the eyes of the graveside mourners. “It hurts, Itachi. It hurts so much more. I didn’t get just a taste. I had the entire meal. For five years, he was mine. I can‘t return to our bed. It hurts so much I can barely breathe.”



“I can’t lose you. Stay with me. A little longer.” Itachi’s voice drifted off as Sasuke’s dead eyes drifted to the freshly turned soil of a new grave.



“A little longer…”



To be continued.