Guys; I bought my dog the cutest Christmas sweater! ITS SO CUTE like you don't even understand!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Sasuke was lying on top of a bed in a spare guest room, writhing around in pain as he clutched at the sheets. He felt like he couldn't breath. The wound in his shoulder wasn't bleeding but it felt like his flesh was burning. The bond mark hurts so much that Sasuke could feel it moving across his skin as it stretched out and shrunk. He was angry and sad and in pain. He didn't know what hurt more. The bond breaking apart and taking him with it; or the fact that he it was Misaki that was used to break it.

He knew that Naruto would be mad, that he would hate him. He never thought that he would go and try to transfer the bond, with Misaki of all people. It hurt.

He didn't know what to do. He wanted to cry and scream and yell at Naruto for being an idiot. But then again, he had no right to be mad. He was the reason that Naruto was hurt, the reason that Naruto had been dying.

He was mad at Naruto and at himself, but overall he was hurt. He wanted everything to be over but instead everything hurt.

He was so lost in the pain that he felt that the screaming voices of his brother and Tsunade didn't register.

"What the hell is happening to him?" Itachi yelled, angry and quite honestly, for the first time in his life, terrified of what was going to happen.

"The bond, it's being transferred." Tsunade said and Itachi wanted to feel relieved. This is what he wanted, for Sasuke to have no connection to Naruto and vampires whatsoever but Tsunade's tone suggested that this was far from over.

"Why do you have that face?" Itachi asked, not bothering to hide any frustration.

Tsunade glared but only for a split second, understanding Itachi's situation. When she had seen Naruto and Misaki she was stunned and she immediately thought the worst for Sasuke.

"Transferring bonds is not allowed." Tsunade said.

"Why? Is it against some type of culture that you have?" Itachi asked.

"Well, yes," Tsunade answered, "but, it's mostly because of the side effects that the act creates."

"What side effect?" Itachi asked although he had already found the answer in the grim way Tsunade's lips twisted before she answered.

"The donor dies, almost every time that the bond is transferred." Tsunade answered.

Itachi's blood ran cold, he felt numb to his very core. He was going to lose his little brother, after doing everything that he could to make sure that he didn't get tangled in these types of messes. He had failed. Sasuke was going to die and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Almost every time?" He found himself hopefully asking.

"I won't get your hopes up. We've only ever heard of two donors surviving a bond transfer but the pain of having a bond transferred is like nothing anyone's ever felt." Tsunade responded, true sincerity in her voice. "I'm so sorry Itachi; this was never supposed to happen."

"The bond doesn't even transfer, it's also very rare that such an act will successfully happen." Tsunade said.

"What happens to Naruto." Itachi asked, his voice completely leveled and Tsunade grabbed at her hands in frustration.

"There's a high chance that he'll go rogue." She said.

"I won't hesitate to put him down if he does."

Tsunade's eyes flashed red, "You will not touch him." She growled.

"He is the reason that my brother is in there dying!" Itachi roared. "I can't do anything to help him but I will put down the vampire responsible for this."

"You want to put someone down?" Tsunade questioned angrily, "Why not put down that mad hunter of yours; the one that slaughtered an entire clan of vampires and humans!" She yelled.

Itachi didn't respond. "I'm taking my brother home; since there is nothing that you can do to help."

Tsunade grimly nodded and moved aside to let him pass when her name was suddenly called.

"Tsunade! Where's Naruto? I heard about what happened; is he okay? Where's Sas-"

The flood of questions that were tumbling out of Kurama's mouth came to a halt when he saw Itachi. He stared at the man in front of him for a few seconds, noticing that he was very attractive and shared an uncanny resemblance to Sasuke. "You look familiar." Kurama remarked but Itachi didn't say anything. He only continued to stare at the redhead; his gaze never wavering as if Kurama would disappear if he looked away.

"Who are you?" Kurama asked.

"This is Itachi, Sasuke's older brother." Tsunade answered, seeing as Itachi was set on being mute. Kurama nodded, noticing how even his name seemed to sound so familiar. He was about to ask about his brother again when a loud muffled scream came from the guest room.

Itachi visibly tensed and bit his lower lip, unsure of what to do.

"You shouldn't move him." Tsunade added, "He's unstable; moving him would only…" She trailed off.

"Kill him sooner." Itachi finished and Kurama paused when he heard Itachi's voice. Images of the dreaded night his parent's were murdered ran through his mind, followed by a boy his age. A boy with tired and confused eyes, and black hair, telling him to run.

"You." Kurama whispered and Itachi's eyes widened.

Itachi had never forgotten the redhead. He had always kept an eye on him, but this was the first time that he had seen him in years. He was surprised to find that the redhead was only reacting to him just know.

Itachi nodded slowly.

"You!" He repeated, except this time there was no disbelief or awe, just unadulterated rage. Kurama's eyes were red and his fangs were out. He lunged at Itachi and pinned him against the door and Itachi let him, not caring about the way his back angrily protested at the pain.

"Kurama! What are you doing? Let him go!" Tsunade ordered.

Kurama felt the small pull of obeying his clan leader but he fought against it. "He was there; when my parents were killed. He was part of that attack; why should I let him go?" Kurama seethed.

Itachi didn't respond.

Kurama, right after the attack had thought that the boy that had saved him was kind and merciful. He thought that Itachi had been a good person to have helped them escape, but he then realized that Itachi was the reason his parents were gone. Itachi had been part of the attack. Whether he let them go on a whim of his didn't matter; he hadn't spared his parents.

"Itachi is that true?" Tsunade questioned.

Itachi merely nodded and Kurama growled at the confession.

"I didn't kill anyone that night." Itachi added, "I didn't know that your parents were going to be killed."

Kurama paused when he heard a small plea in Itachi's voice, begging to listen to him. He dismissed it as being his imagination. There was no way that this type of hunter would be begging for anything.

"I don't believe you." Kurama said.

Itachi didn't reply although Kurama could tell that his response had bother the man.

"Kurama, I understand how you feel; but he is to be dealt with later." Tsunade ordered.

"Why not now?" Kurama asked, but despite the act of being angry and wanting revenge, Kurama's heart wasn't in it.

"Sasuke could be dying Kurama; Naruto could go rogue. There are more pressing matters at hand." Tsunade argued and at the mention of his little brother, Kurama's grip loosened and he released the Uchiha.

"Where's Naruto right now?" Kurama asked, now ignoring Itachi although his eyes still burned a bright red.

"He's sleeping." Tsunade answered.

"When will we know if the bond was transferred successfully or not?" Kurama asked.
"With Naruto, it'll be when he wakes up. With Sasuke,"

"It'll be if he wakes up." Kurama finished and glanced at Itachi from the corner of his eye. His hands were clenched in fist and Kurama felt a pang of sympathy.

"What are his chances?" Kurama asked.

"I'm not sure," Tsunade responded. "he was shot, and he hadn't fed in a while."

Kurama cursed under his breath as tears welled up in his eyes. He didn't understand why after everything that he and his brother had gone through, there was a huge chance that he was about to be taken away from him.

"Can I go and see him?" He asked and Tsunade shook her head.

"The last person that went in there was Misaki and he's lost a lot of blood. I don't know how Naruto will react to another vampire and I'm not willing to find out." She warned. She had nearly lost Misaki and there was a possibility that she would lose Naruto. She wasn't going to lose anymore people today.

"But he's my-"

"I know; he's your brother and he's also like a son to me but I'm not putting you in danger." She said, making it very clear that her word was final.

"Then what am I supposed to do?! Just wait?!"Kurama asked angrily and Tsunade's eyes narrowed.

"Yes; because that's all that anyone can do!" She said, her voice breaking a little. "I would love to be of some use but in this situation there is nothing that any of us can do!"

Kurama looked down at his feet in shame, he knew that what was hurting him was hurting Tsunade just as much. "I'm sorry." He apologized and Tsunade's eyes softened.

"I'm going to need you to guard Itachi and Sasuke; while they...wait." Tsunade told Kurama who gave her a questioning look. "Word has traveled that a hunter is inside the house. While I don't expect anything to happen; there has been a lot that has happened tonight so I want to make sure that Sasuke isn't harmed."

Kurama reluctantly nodded and glanced at Itachi from the corner of his eye.

"I'm going to check up on Misaki." Tsunade stated before she walked away and left the two men alone.

Kurama leaned against the wall next to the close door not looking at Itachi; whose eyes he could feel on his person.

"I didn't know what would happen that night," Itachi related and Kurama almost bristled visibly.

"You'll be dealt with later; not now." Kurama responded.

"I need you, to understand; I didn't know." Itachi repeated, his voice heavy.

"Later." Kurama replied.

"I didn't-"

"You didn't know what? You didn't know you were going to kill my parents or that you and your hunters were planning on killing me and my brother?" Kurama snapped. "I find that hard to believe."

"I wasn't supposed to be there." Itachi prostrated.

"That's right; you weren't!" Kurama growled, red that had calmed down to their natural color once again flashing red.

"The hunt wasn't my idea; I was too young for a hunt. I was supposed to only tag along and watch how rogues were hunted." Itachi explained. "I never thought that a family would be hunted."

"I don't believe you." Kurama protested.

"It's the truth." Itachi said. "It's why I helped you and Naruto."

Kurama snarled at Itachi and once again pinned him against the wall.

"Don't say it like that!" He roared. "Like you did it out of the goodness of your heart; like you did me a favor by letting me and my brother live."

"You have no idea how I felt that night. I had to awaken that night by force; because if I didn't Naruto would be killed! Awakening is something special that comes with age and there's supposed to be someone at your side. I didn't have anyone. It was painful and I felt like I dying inside and it was all because of you and those hunters!" Kurama cried and his grip loosened considerably. Itachi looked down at him sadly while tears pooled in his eyes.

"I killed someone that night; my first feeding was horrible. You took so much from me and you have the gull to act like a hero?!" Kurama asked and tears rolled down his cheeks and he furiously wiped them away.

"I'm sorry."

Kurama wanted to punch and kick and bite at Itachi but the sincerity and pain in Itachi's voice seemed to be mincing the way he felt. He would promise himself that the next time that he saw him, he'd get revenge; for himself and his parents but he couldn't hurt him. He wanted to, but at the same time it felt wrong.

"I'm really sorry for the pain."

Kurama growled at him to shut up; "I don't want to hear anymore; please." He begged; hating how the words seemed to make him feel better.

"I'm sorry," Itachi repeated, and the meaning wasn't being lost with every saying, he still meant it completely. "I need you to know that I'm sorry."

"I know." Kurama said between sobs and the way he wiped his tears away. "Shut up already, I know."

"Thank you." Itachi replied and Kurama looked up surprised at the relief in his tone. He was taken back by the smile that Itachi was wearing. He flushed red and wiped away his tears before a serious expression dawned his face.

"Go stay with Sasuke." He ordered, "I'll guard the door." He said as he turned away from Itachi who nodded and went inside the room.

Kurama didn't know why he suddenly felt as if the weight of the world was just lifted off his shoulders. He didn't feel the constant weight of anger and revenge on his heart and it felt good. When he said that he had heard him, he had meant far more than that. He had meant, 'I forgive you' because no matter how angry Kurama was, he knew that Itachi wasn't lying and that he couldn't blame him for what happened that night no matter how badly he wanted to.

Kurama was so lost in his thoughts that a sudden movement in front of him startled him. He looked up and his eyes widened in surprise and disbelief. "Naruto?"

A smile stretched across the red head's face, "You're okay!" He cried and reached out to grab the blonde, wrapping him in a tight hug.

"Sasuke." Naruto called and Kurama's eyebrows furrowed. "I need Sasuke." Naruto said.

"Sasuke needs to be left alone." Kurama informed him as he pulled away from the hug to get a good look at Naruto.

"I need Sasuke."Naruto repeated and Kurama was surprised when Naruto looked up and met his eyes with red ones.

"Naruto; you're," He was cut off when Naruto suddenly grabbed his shoulder and shoved him back into the wall. "Where is he?" The blonde asked and Kurama gasped as the air was knocked out of him.

"Naruto?! What the hell?" He asked as his shoulder began to ache.

"It hurts." Naruto said, "I need Sasuke."

"Sasuke's bond is being transferred!" Kurama tried to desperately explain.

Naruto angrily snapped at him, baring his fangs, "No it is not." He protested before swinging his arm back and sending Kurama crashing against the opposite wall.

The blonde moved blindly towards the door. He was consumed with a painful deep ache in his chest. He felt as if though his connection with Sasuke was being stretched out and barely holding together. He wanted to wrap himself up in everything that was Sasuke. The taste of someone else's blood that was once relieving and sweet now taste bitter and foreign. The only thing he wanted was Sasuke.

He had woken up in his room to a sharp pain and a longing pulling him in the direction of this room. He knew that Sasuke was in pain because of him, and it made him feel disgusted with himself. He couldn't care less at that moment about Sasuke being a hunter. He just wanted to be with him at that moment and he wasn't going to let anyone stop him from getting to his donor.

He forced the door open and startled Itachi who immediately reached for his side gun.

"What the hell do you want?" He asked coldly while aiming the gun at Naruto, not yet noticing the way that Naruto was on the brink of raging out.

The blonde ignored him and simply looked around the room with red vision. He spotted the wriggling figure on the bed and was immediately drawn to it with only Sasuke's name racing through his head.

Itachi noticed the way that Naruto was making his way over to his younger brother who was in pain on the bed and cocked his gun.

"You stay away from him." He warned, his finger on the trigger.

"Don't shoot him!" Itachi heard someone call and turned to see a slightly bruised Kurama standing in the doorway. "Please," Kurama pleaded, "Don't shoot."

Itachi's hand tightened around the gun. He wanted to protect his brother; he didn't know what Naruto would do if he was allowed to touch Sasuke. "What do I do then?" He asked, frustration lacing his voice as he watched Naruto kneel on the bed next to Sasuke.

Kurama tensed as Itachi gripped his gun harder, if possible, when Naruto reached and gently touched the changing bond mark on Sasuke's neck.

Itachi was about to rush in when he heard Sasuke sigh in relief, as if the pain was lessening.

The raven haired boy leaned into the touch and Naruto smiled a little as he felt his ache started to lessen. He leaned over Sasuke and wrapped his arms around him, pulling the younger boy up and into his lap.

The blonde cradled Sasuke, letting his head rest in the crook of his neck. He held him for a few moments, blissfully thinking that this was enough until Sasuke let out a pained whimper and Naruto frowned.

A quick movement in front of him made him look up and he growled at Itachi who had moved closer when he heard Sasuke.

The growling was a clear warning to not bother trying to touch the raven and to move back.

"Itachi, step back." Kurama said and Itachi merely looked at him. "He wants space, he's not gonna stop growling like that until you move back." The redhead explained and Itachi reluctantly stepped

back.

As soon as the Itachi stepped back, Naruto went back to paying attention to Sasuke.

He leaned down and found that Sasuke was scrunching his face up as if the pain were returning. Naruto only wanted to do one thing. He wasn't hungry but he knew that this was what he wanted; this was going to make Sasuke better.

He leaned down and tipped Sasuke's head back, exposing his neck and the continuously changing bond mark. It now stretched across most of his shoulder and shrunk back to the size of a bead.

Naruto let his fangs rake against the skin and Sasuke tensed up before Naruto gently bit down.

Sasuke immediately curled around Naruto, grabbing at his shoulders and pulling himself into a ball in the blonde's lap.

Naruto let his fangs retract and felt relief as his vision cleared and was no longer strained red.

He lazily lapped at the blood that pooled from the wound when Sasuke moaned deeply.

Kurama and Itachi who were watching the exchange carefully were caught by surprise. Itachi realized that there was no clear and present danger for Sasuke and immediately left the room, pulling a blushing redhead with him.

"Naruto" Sasuke moaned as the blonde finished feeding. The raven's head hung as sleep overcame the tired boy. Naruto held Sasuke and drifted off to sleep with him in his arms, content that they were no longer in pain.

So yes, Sasuke is saved and Naruto's okay and Kurama and Itachi have met dun dun dun!

We're out of the woods!

or are weeee?!

What about Madara? What about Misaki? What will happen when they wake up?!

Well, let's ponder these questions! Until next time,

Ja Ne!