NotesNotesNotes: Yes, I kept my word. Although I did plan to upload this yesterday but I wasn't sure if I should make this longer or not. I had some bits written out and I liked the scenario but I didn't like how it came out so I said Screw this! I'll put this on the next chapter! So uhm, here I am.

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Dedicated To: withloveagain, Life'sNotPerfect, SapphiteRivulet, blondebarbievamp

Because I appreciate people taking the time to not just lurk but also give me insights. Seriously, I appreciate it. Insights are important to keep me motivated and to keep me inspired, and work better to improve. I don't like disappointing people if I could help it, after all. :)

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Coexisting

Standard disclaimer is applied, my friends.

neon kun

.chapter xii

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Sasuke was eager to finally get some rest. While his undead body was quite further resilient than when he was mortal, it was his mind that warranted respite. As he walked down the halls towards his room, he was suddenly pulled by the arm and into a room. He sighed. Rest delayed, it seemed.

"Naruto," he said, looking at the seething Imperial. "What do you want?"

"I ran into Sakura-chan earlier," he said. Sasuke merely sneered and raised an eyebrow. Naruto continued, regardless. "She then ran away from me. From the mere sight of me—," he slammed a hand on the table surface, enraged. "Teme, she ran away."

"Perhaps she grew tired of your face, Naruto," he simply replied, his voice calm and his body relaxed. It was not his problem and he frankly could not see why Naruto confronted him about it in the first place. Looking closely, Sasuke noticed something different and he spoke out loud the thoughts that came with it. "Mind you, you look absolutely replenished. Now that is certainly something new."

Naruto looked sputtered, suddenly all rage gone.

"Ah, yes," Sasuke exclaimed, putting two and two together, then continued. "The Hyuuga Heiress is within the castle's walls. Your quarters, yes? So, tell me, has she finally fed? Her abstinence is notorious especially there. Quite legendary, if I do say so myself."

Naruto hesitantly nodded. "She would die soon, otherwise. I had to convince her to feed on me."

"So she would," he said. Naruto knew Sasuke was not mocking him – with this vampire, there was so little a difference to which disdain was and which veracity was. It did take a while for him, nevertheless, to see through this exterior Sasuke donned. "It's not a wonder you are looking rather… healthy, then. You, Imperials, sure are quite uncanny; both sadistic as you are masochistic."

"It has been years," Naruto said. Somehow the subject has shifted and he did not come for such a topic. "Since she and I had both fed."

"Naruto, I don't even care, but I rather retire to my quarters. So you will have to excuse me," Sasuke said, surprising Naruto even more. "Unless you shall use it against me?" Sasuke smirked. Naruto growled in reply, his fangs showing. How insulting! This was becoming to be low, but he retracted his fangs and calmed himself, reminding himself that Sasuke has too many thoughts in his mind. He reminded himself that Sasuke didn't mean that. "No," Naruto bit back. "I'll talk to you about this another time, I suppose."

Sasuke nodded and moved to leave. As he opened the door, he looked back to one of the handful Imperial vampires that he would ever spare from his plans. Naruto proved him to be an ally, without bending to his more ferocious nature. He looked slack, but glowing, like how effervescent they become once sustained – one of the biggest difference between him and the rest of the coven with Naruto and the Imperials.

"If," Sasuke found himself calling back to Naruto. The man looked up at him in curiosity. "If you truly do not understand, look back upon our conversation just now and you shall see the reason why she ran away from you."

"Sasuke-teme, must you always have to make it hard for me?"

"If you can't even realize, then perhaps it is just right that she had ran away from you." He finally left, intent on resting, comforted by the thought that he knew she was already doing so, with a small part of his mind contemplating on Naruto.

Sasuke was his best friend. He meant to tell him a piece of his mind and he had meant Sasuke to explain what exactly was just going on. "It's become so confusing now," Naruto said out loud, even if it's just to himself. "Holy, I'm just not good with this." And I'm finally starting to shed out from that dialect Sakura-chan and the others always use. He couldn't help it – it was hard to use, and it wasn't like it was his native way either. Moreover, he was surprised (and proud) that he was even able to keep up with it. After all, spending even just a day out of this area can dissolve his hard work completely. Things were truly so different there.

Naruto sighed to himself, feeling as though he had just committed blunders after blunders, and perhaps, him being a tad bit ludicrous. The time he has spent here in this land had been longer than he had suspected, and he had enjoyed it immensely. But the moment Sakura was taken as an Offer, he knew this carefree temporary life would change completely. He fisted his hands. He had trust in that man who had only a scornful past to look at. At that decisive moment, most of the coven and the townspeople would think that this was a whim Sasuke had overturned. Years had been spent to show them his interest on her, to rouse little to no suspicions. These few years that was built up on that were short but enough.

Nevertheless, Naruto knew it as a signal for all involved – it was only time before he starts his plan. And he had long ago decided he would oversee this plan and let nothing hinder it pushing through. Even if it's against his own clan.

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Shikamaru woke up from his cot, seeing as he had a particular guest that piqued his interest. Judging from his casual stance, this man had no bitter engagements to discuss with him. But looking from his peripheral vision does not provide enough information. His makeshift home and hideout in a cave was camouflaged well but sustenance had become a problem recently. What with the recent commotion, even from inside the forest, the animals were scared off and he did not have enough knowledge when it came to berry gathering. Those were tasks left best to women. And though he was not one to be a firm believer of such injudicious segregation, it did well for his laziness. He should have known something like this would happen sooner or later.

"Finally I have been caught, this be it?"

"I must commend you. Had it not been me, most of the coven may not have found you; your scent has become one with the forest," the man said, moving forward. It was daytime and most of the coven were asleep, save for a few. "Though you may rest easy for I came alone."

"How generous," Shikamaru smirked, feeling a queasy dread steadily moving through his body, regardless. He began to sweat. "But all the more morosely dubious, you must see. Out to kill me in secret, have you not?"

"I assure you, my intentions are everything but that."

This calmed Shikamaru for some reason; he didn't trust this vampire, his rampaging heart was enough to have his mind spiraling for different strategies and outcomes – how would he be able to leave the cave with minimal damage, if he could, at all. The ghostly movements coupled with its unnerving silence were enough to still him in place, however. In a moment of silence, he gathered his wits and mustered enough courage to face his guest. He was not surprised to see Sasuke standing in front of him a few feet away. It was then that things came into place. Goosebumps calmed down and his slight trembling ceased. Instead, a subtle smirk graced his lips again, this time with confidence.

"Then I must welcome you, Second Prince Sasuke of the Uchiha Coven. It is not much of a hideout, but I suspect I may know your intentions," Shikamaru said, a damp sweat on his temples, but his voice did not quaver. "I will listen to your proposition."

Sasuke smirked. "It seems, then, that I have made the right choice."

MoreNotes: Yeeees, I finally got this out. I'm getting a clearer picture in my head the in between of how I want this story to turn out. Short but detrimental to the plot.

I was also browsing through my previous stories (written years ago and when I had just started writing and didn't know better) and I must say I was appalled and embarrassed. I tried deleting one of them but somehow my internet didn't want to cooperate. God, I sucked at endings. My one shots are ridiculous. Somebody shoot me now.

Like I said, insights are important to me. Leave me some love, please review!

~neon kun