Authors Note: Major OOC-ness happening in this chapter… -bows- When I wrote the Shikamaru/Chouji thing, I didn't know what they were like, so I made it up…

Eripmav

Part One, Chapter Three

"Mr. Tazuna!" Naruto cried when he saw him. "YOU'RE the one who we're escorting?" He ran to the old bridge-maker who nodded, grinning.

"Of course!" he laughed "I requested you specially!" He nodded again in Sasuke's direction and patted Sakura's shoulder when they walked to Naruto's side.

"What's got you into trouble this time?" Sakura asked smiling up at him.

"Nothing actually. I just made something up and requested you. I thought you guys might need a little break, and that it might be nice seeing you three again." He began walking through the town. Sasuke rolled his eyes, but smiled -slightly- nonetheless.

Mr. Tazuna and Naruto chatted happily, walking aimlessly through the open-air market place. Sakura drifted from stall to stall, admiring merchandise.

"Oh!" Tazuna said suddenly, cutting himself off mid-sentence. "I love these things! I'm not sure why though... Isn't it lovely? Inari is getting interested in them too because of me. I'm starting to collect them!" he held something up for Naruto to see, the blonde shrugged, an odd smile placed on his lips. "I think I will get it for him. What do you think pretty-boy?" Tazuna whipped around rather suddenly and waved a chain with a large golden cross on the end in front of Sasuke's face.

He squeaked in a very un-manly way and stumbled backwards and into Sakura who was inspecting fruit. She screeched as she fell forwards knocking over a barrel of apples and falling to the ground. Tazuna watched all this unfold with a shocked expression.

"Bit jumpy, ain't he?" he whispered to Naruto who was giggling uncontrollably behind his hands.

Sasuke kept his distance from Tazuna for the next while, his heart pounding whenever he thought about what was in the right pocket of the man's jacket. Naruto burst out laughing whenever he even looked in Sasuke's direction.

--

"Naruto! SHUT UP!" Sakura hissed. "It's not funny!" she glared at him.

"YEAH it is!" Naruto said clutching his gut and gasping for breath. "Sakura, you should have SEEN his face! It was like… like…" He screwed up his face and made his eyes pop out; he dropped his jaw and gasped dramatically. He burst out laughing again. Sakura couldn't help a small smile. That would have been funny to see on Sasuke…

"I didn't look like that." Sasuke growled, his hair covering his eyes. Sakura quickly wiped her smile away and replaced is with a dangerous glare which she directed at Naruto.

"I agree, he looked more like this:" Tazuna said. Sakura turned away as Naruto started crying with laughter.

"Shut up and pick on somebody else." Sakura said darkly staring straight ahead.

/YOU'RE STICKING UP FOR HIM/ Inner Sakura gasped. /HOW CAN YOU DO THAT! HE ALMOST KILLED YOU/ Sakura told her inner self to go suck and egg. Naruto tried silencing himself to no avail and had to excuse himself.

Tazuna took the trio out to dinner that night – a very fancy restaurant. Sasuke sat uncomfortably to the corner of the booth, Sakura next to him. Naruto sat across from them, Tazuna at his side.

"Order anything you like!" Tazuna told them, clasping his hands behind his head. "It's my treat!" Sasuke sighed, glancing at the menu before only ordering a tall glass of tomato juice. Tazuna raised an eyebrow in his direction but didn't comment. Sakura ordered pickled sour plums and fruit salad with dumplings. (Her favorite!) And Naruto was to have the special ramen deal. Tazuna didn't have anything.

"I have already eaten." He shrugged when the waitress came with her small note pad and mini skirt.

"Hold the garlic on the ramen." Sakura told her.

"What?" Naruto cried; then silenced himself seeing that it was for the best. Sasuke's best… (Grumble) The waitress raised her eyebrows.

"Hold the garlic on the Garlic Ramen order?" Naruto nodded his had glumly. She licked her lips then walked away shaking her head.

"Juice all you having?" The waitress asked Sasuke when she returned with their orders (garlic friendly). Sasuke nodded. "Could you pass me your utensils then?" He shrugged in response and reached to pick up his fork.

"OH GOD!" he screamed dropping the fork and sucking on his burnt fingers. "Shit." He said under his breath, watching Sakura collect his fork and knife and giving him a worried glance.

"Silverware." He sighed nursing his blistering fingers when the waitress left again. Tazuna watched wide-eyed and Naruto was rubbing his shin where Sakura had kicked him before he could start laughing.

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"OW!" Sasuke jerked his hand away.

"Hold still!" Sakura grabbed his wrist and started dabbing his fingers that had started to bleed shortly after leaving the restaurant.

"Sakura! Leave them be, they will be fine tomorrow!" He tried to pull away again but Sakura held him firmly.

"Please, just let me put the blasted band-aids on! It'll at least make me feel better!" Sasuke sighed heavily as Sakura fussed over his hand.

"There. See?" She let him go. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" Sasuke blinked.

"Do you really want me to answer that…? Sakura sighed, aggravated. Sasuke got up and walked to the front door. "Do you still need me, or am I free to leave?"

"Yes, fine! Goodnight." Sakura cleaned up her kitchen counter and threw everything into the bathroom cabinet. Sasuke opened the door.

"…Sakura?" He asked just before stepping outside. "Umm… Just to let you know, you tasted good. – Your blood I mean. Uhh… better than Ino, that is." His face started to redden. It was an odd compliment, and he wasn't used to giving them… but it was a start. She deserved one, after all. After all she had done for him over the years… He was just closing the door when Sakura called him back.

"Did you ever figure out about reversing your change?" She asked shyly.

"Umm… yeah." Sasuke didn't volunteer any more information and left Sakura puzzling.

'To drain the blood of one I love.' He sighed. 'I have no more family left… This sucks.' He tilted his head back and let the moon's light wash over his face. 'Do I love anybody?' before he could answer his thought, he walked into something.

"Hey," it said. Sasuke looked up into the angry eyes of Shikamaru Nara and Choji Akimichi. "Heard you hurt Ino" Nara growled grabbing Sasuke's collar.

"Yeah!" Choji added.

"We don't like that." Nara said his long nose inches from Sasuke. Choji added "Yeah!" and took a large bite out of a doughnut. Sasuke swallowed. How disgusting.

Nara shoved him away roughly; Sasuke struggled to keep his balance. Choji caught him and pushed him back to Nara. The thought of some nine-year-old being bullied flitted across his mind but soon fled away when he got a fist in his jaw.

He focused his eyes in time to see another flying fist. He knew instantly that he would have a black eye come tomorrow. Anger bubbled in his gut. He scrambled to his feet, eyes burning.

When he focused his eyes again, Nara and Choji were smirking at him.

"Gonna try and fight, Uchiha?" Nara laughed. "Won't do you any good!" Choji added "yeah!" Sasuke growled as they laughed at him. AT HIM! NOBODY -should- have the nerve to laugh at him..! And how did they actually hit him! He must be pretty messed in the head…

He shocked himself when his vision suddenly tinted read and he felt an odd sensation in his mouth. He ran his tongue over his fangs and found they had grown longer.

He snarled at Choji and Nara, who stared at him – frozen to the spot.

"Dude!" Nara chocked. "His eyes… and fangs!" His voice traveled an octave up and his hands began to shake. "He's not human, man!" Let's get out of here!"

"Y-yeah!" Choji added and wobbled after his teammate.

Sasuke half-sighed half-laughed and rubbed his tender eye. 'Sakura's gonna flip.' He thought as he dawdled home.

Sakura…