~Chapter XIII~

~I Will Not Bow~

Now the dark begins to rise / Take a breath it's far from over / Leave the lost and dead behind / Now's your chance to run for cover / I don't want to change the world / I just want to leave it colder

How fitting, Naruto thought as he walked into school the morning following his encounter with Sasuke. Today was Friday the 13th and what was usually a fun, teasing atmosphere was now filled with dread. He constantly heard whispers suspecting another murder drifting around. Yet again, Naruto was reminded of how the recent events had impacted his home. His rambunctious peers hardly laughed anymore. The social groups that had road-blocked the hallways were always shifting and always watching. Their was barely any socializing and much more looking out for each other.

Another thing Naruto noticed – especially today – was that a lot more people were donning some form of a cross. Whether it was a necklace, an earring, or a belt chain, everyone wanted to ward off the evil that had penetrated through Konoha's peace. As Naruto moved with the swift flowing traffic and caught the gleaming metal on his peers, he wondered how the Uchihas were faring. Were they affected by the holy symbol? Were they even in attendance on this unlucky day?

Naruto's first few classes went by in a blur. All he could think about was the previous night and the meeting he was scheduled to attend after school today. He didn't have the gun with him during school hours. He didn't want to deal with the fallout if he slipped up and someone discovered he was in possession of a weapon like that. He always thought about it as the school day dragged on. He thought about how he first held it after his conversation with Tayuya yesterday. Upon entering his apartment, he had discovered a black box on his bed and a note resting atop it.

"Don't be stupid. Use it well. Love, H," had been what the note read. A phone number had followed. He had gazed in awe at the gun upon opening the box. It was simple, sleek, and fully loaded. The only mark that scarred the smooth surface was an engraved S on the right side of the short barrel. After admiring Huntress's gift, the boy had called the number provided. The person had picked up after the first ring and had known exactly who Naruto was.

"Hello Naruto," the male voice had said. "I assume you've received Huntress's gift then."

"Y-Yes," Naruto had replied, always uncomfortable when these strangers knew his name.

"It's called a slayer," the man explained. "That's what the S on the side stands for. The best way to slay a leech is with a silver bullet. The myths about it working on werewolves are bull. The leeches made that up to protect themselves. You know how to fire a gun, right?"

"Of course."

"Yeah, sure. Like I haven't heard that before," the man sighed. "From what I know, you still have a lot to learn about hunting, kid."

The man had given him an address and told Naruto to meet him there tomorrow afternoon. He gave him a few instructions about the slayer, including the one about stray bullets, and then had hung up. It was then that Naruto had taken it upon himself to take the gun for a test run. After firing at Sasuke and walking away with his life, Naruto had immediately gotten on his laptop to type to Huntress when he got home. Her response to him going out on his own was less than pleased. Regardless, Naruto had felt accomplished and could not wait to meet this new hunter today.

"Naruto, are you okay?"

The blond blinked back into awareness. He had zoned out, thinking about everything that had happened. He was in lunch already? Hinata had been the one to speak to him. She was beside him and her pale complexion was contorted in concern. Kiba beside her was conversing with Shikamaru across the table. Choji munched on his snacks next to his friend and across from Naruto, Lee was adjusting his wreath of good luck charms he'd armed himself with for the day – he was the most superstitious of all of them.

"Naruto?" Hinata repeated, worry coating her voice.

"I'm fine," he answered this time. "I just spaced out for a second there. You worry too much Hinata."

He gave her his standard, goofy smile to reassure her but, her expression remained unconvinced. To direct the attention away from himself, he glanced at the silver object around her neck. He could see it in her silver eyes that she knew he was trying to change the subject. She didn't object though, her dainty fingers tracing the shape of the cross as she continued to look at him.

"I got it after you were hospitalized," she answered, evenly.

After Sakura died.

The unspoken words rang out loud and clear in Naruto's ears but, his false smile did not falter. He could see mistrust in his friend's gaze and it tugged at his heart. He couldn't fool himself into thinking the wariness about her wasn't aimed towards him. Ever since he'd been released from the hospital, he noticed that Hinata always looked at him like he was dangerous. Again, he was made to doubt the path h e was taking. He drew his blue gaze away from her and found it drawn to where Sakura used to sit. The table had been empty since her death but, recently, Naruto had found her best friend sitting there, eating alone.

He analyzed the broken and lost form of the blond girl aimlessly for a long time until his sight was abruptly blocked by a rustle of black and then, the face of the murderer himself. The temperature around the boy dropped instantly as Uchiha Sasuke seated himself across the cafeteria table from Naruto. The split second that their gazes were connected felt like days. The carefree, almost innocence that had filled those black orbs in past meetings was replaced with a freezing hate and a lust for vengeance. The cold, calculating air that surrounded Sasuke now made Naruto wish he hadn't left his gun locked away at home. What was the leech planning to do?

"Ack! Holy crap, Sasuke! You scared me!" Lee exclaimed, jumping in his seat when he found the Uchiha beside him.

"Terribly sorry," Sasuke apologized.

The last thing Naruto saw in those deceptive eyes was mischief and spite before Sasuke turned to work his charms over his friends. Why was he here? Naruto asked himself, his heart hammering against his chest in revulsion. Was this payback for shooting at him last night? Was he meant to sit by and watch this monster steal his friends away with his slick words and clever smile? Naruto dared to tear his eyes away from the demon to look at his friends. All eyes were on Sasuke. Choji had stopped munching and his gaze was as bright and thrilled as Lee's smile at Sasuke's return. A shy smile was on Hinata's face as she turned her attention away from Naruto and onto Sasuke. Kiba was smiling as well but, it was a little uneasy. Shikamaru regarded the Uchiha with a long, suspicious glance.

Naruto took a silent, subtle breath and quickly flipped through his options as his eyes returned to the threat before him. He couldn't act hostile towards him; otherwise his friend would ask questions he couldn't answer. He couldn't just sit there and be silent while the bastard exacted whatever vengeance he had planned for him. He wouldn't give Sasuke the pleasure of seeing him so helpless. He would just fake the friend then, Naruto concluded. That was all he could do.

"Sasuke, where have you been?" Lee began interrogating him, rather frantically.

"I apologize for my absence," Sasuke replied, smoothly, as he focused those hypnotic eyes on the gullible teenager. "I have missed joining all of you for lunch. I hope you can forgive me."

"That depends," Kiba spoke up, switching the Uchiha's attention to him.

Naruto's heart flip-flopped when – already! – he saw tears of forgiveness bubbling up in Lee. How fast could Sasuke win the others over? Naruto knew Lee caved easy, especially with someone he really liked but, still…Naruto had barely blinked before Sasuke had focused on his next prey.

"What have you been up to?" Kiba continued, his voice guarded as he talked with the flawless Uchiha.

"I've been across the room, talking with Dosu and Kin," Sasuke answered, without regret or joy, very humanly jerking his raven head to where the aforementioned friends sat.

Naruto couldn't help but look over at the enemy table. His gaze hardened as he found Dosu staring over at them – more specifically, at Sasuke. Kin had her back to Naruto but, she was leaning over the table and whispering to the mysterious student. Were they vampires? Naruto wondered. Why else would Sasuke care to speak with them, especially after learning of their rivalry with Naruto and his friends? Speaking of, Naruto quickly brought his attention back to the Uchiha and the effect he was having on his friends.

"Why are you talking to them?" Kiba asked of him, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

"It's kind of embarrassing, actually," Sasuke laughed, scratching the back of his head, sheepishly.

Naruto blinked once at the action. How could he act so human? How could he be so fake and not feel a drop of guilt at how he was deceiving such innocent people? Naruto just could not stomach such a perfect façade. Watching the leech dare to trick his friends into thinking he was someone to trust, just made Naruto want to destroy him so much more.

"Please," Shikamaru said from beside Lee, his voice very clearly displaying his distrust of Sasuke since he'd abandoned the group. "Enlighten us."

Sasuke was not fazed in the least bit by Shikamaru's harshness. In fact, he hadn't even seemed to notice it. Naruto noticed that Choji had turned to his best friend in shock. The chubby boy didn't talk a lot but, all his feelings were revealed on his face. Ever since Sasuke had stood up for them on that first day, it was clear that Choji idolized him. Hurt welled up inside of Naruto as he gazed over at his innocent friend. Would he really defend Sasuke – a guy he'd barely known for weeks – over his best friends, whom he'd known for years? He was tearing them apart, Naruto realized as he glared back at the Uchiha. Was that his intention? Was that how he would get back at Naruto?

"Dosu's tutoring me in math, actually," Sasuke laughed again, the velvet sound effortlessly melting past his lips.

"That's a load of crap," Shikamaru spat and even Naruto had to admit he was surprised.

The brunette wasn't usually cruel unless someone had wronged him. Naruto was all for having a friend hate Sasuke but, he did wonder where Shikamaru's sudden dislike came from. Naruto thought that since Sasuke had defended them, his lazy comrade would be just as starry-eyed as Choji. Was it because it seemed Sasuke had befriended the enemy soon afterwards that sparked Shikamaru's hostility?

Naruto noticed that everyone had turned to Shikamaru, aghast, at his comment. Even Kiba looked offended. Oh no, had Sasuke really won him over with those few words? The blond noticed an excited spark in the onyx gaze of the monster as he fixed his sights on Shikamaru. He was enjoying the skepticism! It was all just a game to him and Shikamaru was just another obstacle standing between him and the prize. It was terrifying to realize this as Naruto sat by, silently, and observed.

"How so?" Sasuke asked of the brunette, raising an elegant brow in false curiosity as he met the challenge the boy posed.

"Do you really expect me to believe that a bum like Dosu is tutoring someone like you?" Shikamaru hissed, glaring around Lee at the relaxed Uchiha.

"Someone like me?" Sasuke repeated, something Naruto knew wasn't common practice for the leech.

"You're perfect Sasuke," Naruto's friend snorted. "You're in all advanced c lasses and you have everyone in the school tripping over themselves to do whatever you want. There's no way you're taking lessons from Dosu. The guy's too much of an ass to help anyone. Quit lying and tell me the real reason you're sneaking behind our backs to see them."

"Shikamaru!" Hinata interjected horror in her voice at his cruelty.

Naruto didn't turn to see the expression on her face though. Instead, he watched a pang of hurt flash across Sasuke's frozen features, as if he truly cared about what Shikamaru thought of him.

"You're just like the rest of them, aren't you Sasuke?" Shikamaru pressed on through the Uchiha's silence, despite Hinata's objection. "You come in and make us nobodies feel like we're worth the time and then you spin around and laugh at how pathetic we are."

He could see on all of their faces that Shikamaru's words had been a slap in the face to all of Naruto's friends, including himself. That wasn't Sasuke talking, nor was he influencing Shikamaru to say it. Naruto was well aware of his group's social status as he knew the rest of them were but, it had never bothered any of them. To hear one of their own insult all of them like that was a huge punch in the face. What had stirred such aggression in Shikamaru? This behavior was very out of character for him. Naruto could see confusion in Sasuke's unwavering stare as he struggled to decipher the boy's sudden personality shift.

"Shikamaru…" Choji peeped, giving his close friend a pained stare.

No one got the chance to add anything further as Shikamaru jolted up from his seat in his fit of anger and marched away from the table. The remaining were left in shocked silence. Lee fingered a four-leaf clover on his scarf of lucky charms, as if the objects had failed him in their purpose for the day.

"I'm sorry," came Sasuke's silken voice, drawing four, broken pairs of eyes upon him.

Naruto quickly discarded his questions about Shikamaru, and his hatred for the Uchiha demon quickly rejuvenated. Sasuke's guilty face didn't fool Naruto. His blue eyes remained hard and frigid as he took in Sasuke's contemplative position. The Uchiha's dark gaze was on his white hands, folded neatly on the table before him. His delicate brows were knit together as he thought about the events that had just transpired.

"I didn't realize how upsetting my interactions with Dosu and Kin were. Perhaps I shouldn't have come back to join you. I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused you all," Sasuke said, choosing his words ever so meticulously.

"It's not your fault," Hinata automatically argued with a determined fervor Naruto hadn't known she was capable of. "You're our friend but, that shouldn't restrain you from getting to know other people. Just because we don't get along with them, doesn't mean you can't. Shikamaru's overreacting."

Every pore in Naruto's body was screaming to stop Hinata's words. He couldn't allow Sasuke such easy access to his friends like this! How did he stop him? Naruto had to grind his teeth together and clench his fists to stop himself from blurting out the foul words he held in regards to that son of a bitch. He was able to cause a scene and ruin everything. He could hear Tayuya's raspy voice in his head, barking the words, "Shut up and don't be stupid!" He was meeting another hunter today. He could get advice then. He just had to hold out until then and pray his friends would be safe until he could truly protect them.

"Sasuke…" Kiba hesitated beside Hinata. "Why are you hanging out with those guys?"

"It's like I said," he responded, raising his eyes and putting on a sad smile that shattered any doubt left at the table. "Dosu's tutoring me. You wouldn't guess that he was good at math. Shikamaru's right though. Dosu hates my guts but, he's the best my teachers could set me up with."

Naruto's gaze flickered to Dosu and by his tensed shoulders and seething glare towards Sasuke, the blond knew he could hear them. Naruto looked back at the Uchiha and found his pitiful smile turned further up in a cocky smirk, like he knew Dosu was listening. The boy's gut twisted, convulsively, as he came to the conclusion that the older student was in fact a vampire. It didn't surprise Naruto that much, actually. The guy was creepy enough to be a leech. He'd done a damn good job of hiding it all these years though. That scared Naruto. One of his worst enemies was now a part of his supernatural war. Well, he wouldn't have a problem slaying Dosu if it came to it.

"I'm sorry about Shikamaru!" Choji blurted from at the end of the table over the laugh Sasuke was sharing with Kiba about an insult towards Dosu.

The attention shifted down to the quiet boy who was quivering a little as he looked at Sasuke. It was a nervous and embarrassed shaking; not one of fear. Sasuke blinked once and a kind smile alighted on his face that made Naruto want to vomit.

"Why are you apologizing?" he began. "It's not your fault. I don't expect everyone to like me. Shikamaru's entitled to his opinion. I may not understand where it come from but, I won't argue with it."

The capacity for forgiveness and automatic understanding finished off Naruto's friends. He knew that Sasuke had enticed them into trusting him and he couldn't do anything about it. He had lost this fight and the defeat was like bile in his mouth, especially when Sasuke turned to meet his glare again. There was superiority and self-achievement in those venomous eyes. He knew he'd won and his next words just rubbed it in.

"I don't mind a little hate. It's actually a relief after all the sugary-sweet adoration people have been giving me. It's nice to be treated like a human being for once."

Naruto's mind was racing as he tracked down the address given to him after school that day. He kept running the scene at lunch through his head, trying to find an answer from it that could solve all his problems. Sasuke just wanted to piss him off by staking a claim over his friends. He'd gotten the message the vampire had been intent on sending. He was going to fight him throughout all of this confusion. He wasn't going to make anything easy for him. Today's incident had been the warm up round. Sasuke had finally displayed what he was capable of and had opened up Naruto's eyes to all he had to lose. He had offered him an opportunity to surrender before he got hurt. It was insulting, really.

Naruto couldn't stand how Sasuke had harnessed all the power out from under him. He was holding all the aces before Naruto had gotten the chance to draw. His accomplishment in firing at the leech had been completely wiped away with his sudden rise to the challenge. Naruto hoped the hunters could help him, especially the one he was about to meet. As much as he wanted to get information from this stranger, the boy also wanted to get home so he could call Shikamaru. His outburst today had given Naruto a shred of hope. If he could only save one friend from falling under Sasuke's spell, it was going to have to be Shikamaru. He had to make sure the doubt remained in his lazy comrade and try to feed it even more. He had a busy night ahead of him but, he knew it would all be worth it.

Naruto took a quiet and calming breath as he stood at the address. The building before him was small and a little run-down. It was squished between two large department stores and if the directions he had been given weren't so specific, Naruto would have walked right past it. He hadn't known it was a bookstore which surprised him a little. Feeling unsure, the blond stepped through the glass door beneath the faded white and red sign that read, "BOOKS." He twitched at the tinkling bell that sounded upon his entrance. This was a hunter's hideout? It was such a typical bookstore! The small space was packed with books in disorganized rows and piles. There were five shelves on each wall filled with beat up tomes that leaned, precariously, against each other. Everything else was packed together in disheveled mounds of leather and paper.

"Um…hello?" the amateur hunter called, looking around the towers of books for any sign of life.

The place was lit by a single bulb, dangling in the center of the ceiling. Any other light came from the setting sun through the front windows – which weren't the cleanest for letting light in. Naruto carefully maneuvered around the various novels and encyclopedias and eventually found himself at what he assumed was the desk where you paid – the desk being a few boards of wood, sloppily nailed together as if by a six-year-old. There was a paint-chipped door behind the box-like desk and that was it. Who the hell was he supposed to meet in a dusty place like this? And where the hell was he?

"Hello?" he called again, wondering if he should go around the box-desk to knock on the rickety-looking door.

"We heard you the first time."

Naruto jumped at the whispery sound and whirled around in fright. At first, he thought the pale man standing behind him was a ghost, or worse, a leech. However, he recognized the voice from over the phone. Was this who he was supposed to meet? Where the hell had he come from? Naruto doubted he could have missed him in such a small space.

"Who are you?" Naruto asked him, trying to calm his racing heart after the scare he'd given him.

"He's Sakon," a similar voice said behind him, making Naruto yelp and jump around again.

The pale, gray-haired man that had just stood before him now leaned over the box-desk, looking at the blond, inquisitively.

"He's Ukon," the same voice said behind Naruto.

The boy's heart started to beat regularly again when he stepped back and found that there were in fact two men in the small shop with him. They were just one hundred percent identical.

"Geez, you're awfully skittish for a guy that wants to hunt leeches," the first twin – Sakon – said, rolling his eyes.

"Huntress did not lie," Ukon – the twin behind the box – added, snorting in disdain. "You definitely overreact."

"We have a lot of work cut out for us, brother," Sakon sighed, looking Naruto over, skeptically.

"No wonder Tayuya dropped him on us," Ukon said. "She'd never have the patience to teach him the necessities."

"Hey!" Naruto interrupted the twins, trying to keep up with their quick chatter. "Can you stop talking like I'm not here and start giving me some answers?"

"The big mouth she would have fared great with though," Ukon commented, as if Naruto had never opened his mouth.

"She might have ripped him to shreds but, being talked back to might have done her good," Sakon continued.

"Should I just leave? Was there any point in me coming here, at all?" Naruto spat out, his temper rising as they continued to disregard him.

"Yes and yes," they both answered, their identical voices melding together to sound like one.

Naruto blinked once as they stared at him, like he was supposed to do something. They were useless, he gathered in that second. What the hell was Huntress thinking, sending him here? He shook his head in disgust, feeling like a fool, and turned on his heel to leave.

"Didn't Huntress say not to do anything stupid?" one of the twin voices hissed after Naruto.

"Leaving would be stupid," the other followed.

"Standing here wasting time is – Gah!"

Naruto turned around to retort and was surprised again when he found the twins directly behind him, only a few inches away. They moved so fast and so silently! He would have never known they were there! How did they do that? Were they human? Huntress wouldn't send him to anything more, would she? Honestly, he was starting to have his doubts. Tayuya was such a beast that he had thought she was a devil spat out of Hell! And now there were these two…

"We have a lot to teach you," both, black-clad brothers told him.

"Already, you're bad at anticipating," the one he thought was Sakon said.

"You're also to full of yourself," the other – which he assumed was Ukon – went on.

"You're senses need to be sharpened."

"You're wardrobe needs to be changed."

"It doesn't look like you have any fighting ability."

"And your freakishness might cost you with the slayer."

"Overall, you're a mess."

"We have our work cut out for us."

They finished together and just stared at him. They had spoken to fast for his brain to comprehend it so it took him a moment to catch up. These two were going to teach him how to slay the Uchihas? He was a dead man!

"How are you going to teach me?" he asked them, aloud.

"Come back tomorrow morning," Sakon – or at least he thought – instructed.

"Don't forget your slayer," Ukon quickly added.

"We'll expect you at ten."

"Eat something healthy."

"And don't tell anyone about us."

"Ta ta!"

Again, it took Naruto a moment to process all of that and when he was next able to think, coherently, he was blinking in confusion on the sidewalk outside the shop. He turned around and found the twins smiling and waving at him from behind the glass door. He stared at them, trying to comprehend what the hell had just happened. Slowly, he started to walk away, keeping a wary eye on the disturbing pair behind the glass until he was out of sight.

"Absolutely not," had been what Itachi had said when Sasuke had told him he was going to pay Naruto a visit. "The brat has a slayer, Sasuke. He almost shot you last night. You have to stay away from him."

"It was a lucky shot," Sasuke argued, coolly. "The kid has no idea what he's doing. No harm will come of this visit. I promise."

His brother had stared at him, with nothing to say, for a very long time. Sasuke was touched at the worry all over his lover's face but, he had to convince him to let him do what he had to.

"I have to get it through his head, Itachi. He's stubborn to an extent. I'm in a very persuasive mood today and I have a good feeling. Trust me, I'll be fine."

Itachi gazed at him for a few breaths longer before finally giving in. The elder Uchiha closed his eyes and gently pulled Sasuke into an embrace, stroking his spiky hair, fondly. All of his concern flooded over Sasuke with his affectionate motions, pushing the younger brother to hug him back.

"Break a finger for me all right," Itachi teased, kissing his brother's head.

"Gladly," Sasuke sighed, stepping back and smiling up at Itachi.

"Be careful. I'll be listening."

Sasuke nodded and gave him a kiss good-bye before flitting down the many flights of stairs in the mansion and departing. He didn't waste any time, arriving at Naruto's apartment door a heartbeat after stepping out of the mansion. Sasuke had felt good ever since he had mentally kicked Naruto's ass that day at lunch. He didn't know what had possessed him to wait so long to go on the offensive. He was an immortal Uchiha and Naruto was a human nobody! He was a human nobody that had dared to fire a silver bullet at him. He should have never taken pity on the kid. He was a nuisance to Sasuke and he wasn't going to stand for anymore of his pointless, revenge crap.

With a confident, business-like smile on his face, Sasuke knocked on Naruto's door. He could scent the pulsing blood in Naruto's body from within the apartment and he could hear his soft footsteps coming to answer the door. The Uchiha also scented something else. It was bizarre and alien and Sasuke had a feeling he was supposed to know what it was. The fact that he could not identify it troubled Sasuke but, he brushed the worry aside as Naruto opened the door. It was probably just some form of mortal trash, Sasuke told himself, evil grin in place to greet Naruto. The scent smelled foul enough to be as such.

"Evening," Sasuke greeted the boy, cheerily.

He didn't contain the chuckle spawned from the shock and bewilderment on the blond's face. Good, he should be scared. Maybe he'd keep his damn bullets to himself, then. Before the boy could slam the door in his face, Sasuke easily melted around Naruto and came to stand in the middle of the living room. The Uchiha examined his new surroundings as Naruto shut and locked the door, thinking Sasuke was still on the other side.

"This place is so small," he spoke up, boredly, listening to Naruto whirl around in horror as he continued to survey his surroundings. "How do you live here every day? I would get claustrophobic."

That weird smell continued to fill Sasuke's heightened senses, making his stomach lurch in disgust. It was so vulgar! What the hell was it?

"What the hell do you want," Naruto growled and Sasuke detested how he demanded an answer more than questioned him like that.

Who did the brat think he was? Wasn't he aware of how easily Sasuke could snap him in two? It may piss off Tsunade and the Council but, the Uchiha really wouldn't mind taking him out. It would be much less of a burden for him and Itachi.

"No wonder your friends like me better," Sasuke sighed, pleasantly, not answering him since what he wanted would make him look guilty of all the murders. "You have a lot less to offer."

Sasuke's sly smile broadened as he sensed the heat rise in his opponent. He crossed over to Naruto's bedroom in three, long strides. He was enjoying his torture of the blond. It was unlike him and cruel but, as far as Sasuke was concerned, Naruto deserved it. He was being an idiot and had to get some sense knocked into him. Plus, that disgusting smell was making the Uchiha feel even more aggressive.

"It's so easy to win you people over," Sasuke went on, folding his hands behind his back and bouncing around the room, examining all the tiny details. "All it takes is a smile and a lie."

"You sick bastard," Naruto seethed in the bedroom doorway, emanating hatred. "How do you live with yourself knowing you've deceived such innocent people?"

"Oh, that's just the thing!" Sasuke beamed, pompously. "I don't live. But, you know all about that, don't you?"

Sasuke stood up straight and grinned at the blond, proudly showing off his gleaming teeth and adoring the way Naruto's eyes twitched in a fearful response. That was how it should always be, Sasuke told himself. The brat was supposed to fear him. He wouldn't let him forget the disadvantage he had.

"I'm a heartless bastard, right?" Sasuke asked of him, stalking past to the window," unconsciously following that revolting smell. "I kill for pleasure and don't care about anyone's feelings. That's what we are to you, isn't it?"

"Why are you here?" Naruto hissed, trying to sound menacing but, just making Sasuke laugh.

"You have some foolish vendetta against me. I'm just scoping out enemy territory," Sasuke answered, simply, sniffing at the windowpane.

What was that? It was a familiar sent but…he just couldn't place it…It was bothering him, he realized. It wasn't just bothersome to his thoughts but, also to his physical state. Now that it had gained his attention and he was paying it mind, his limbs felt a little stiff and he was a little dizzy. As the scent grew stronger when he continued to pursue it, Sasuke's eyes stung a tiny bit. He recognized this reaction…people had it all the time…allergies, right? He didn't get allergies though…

Panic that Sasuke hadn't felt in centuries rushed through him as his cold eyes found a yellowed bulb in the dark, top corner of Naruto's window. He hadn't come into contact with the damned herb for so long that he didn't recognize it at first. In fact, he had completely forgotten his vulnerability to it. He hadn't been exposed to it for so long. He had to get out of there, Sasuke realized. He had to leave before Naruto knew it was weakening him! Just as the bewildered Uchiha straightened to make his escape, something hard came into contact with his head and he couldn't stop himself from collapsing to the floor. His vision swam with purplish dots and he could barely make out Naruto's shoes beside his face. The kid had him at his weakest…damnit.

I will not bow / I will not break / I will shut the world away / I will not fall / I will not fade / I will take your breath away