Hyuuga was more than early. He had practically come home with them once Uchiha had finished his business. When asked if he needed to pack anything, Hyuuga shook his head, carrying only a small sports bag.

Naruto packed a small bag as well, not that he had brought much to the mansion to begin with. He was still bitter about Hyuuga coming, but as they took the ferry to the mainland and then boarded the private plane, Naruto observed him like a hawk.

Hyuuga was quiet, not saying a word since asking to join them. Hyuuga wasn't really the talkative type which was why it had always been out of the ordinary for Hyuuga to constantly pick fights with him. Fights he could never really win. He'd say a few words to make sure Naruto was riled up, and not really do anything after that. It was like… he was doing it for attention.

Pursing his lips, Naruto got out of his seat, disappearing into the airplane bathroom for a few seconds, returning with a cold rag. Uchiha was sitting in the back, typing away on a computer. Supposedly this was his private plane. It had limited seats but a lot of room to move around.

When Naruto asked about where they were going before they left, Uchiha just raised an eyebrow asking if he had a passport. Naruto, of course, answered in the negative, receiving a "then you don't need to know" from Uchiha. Normally, Naruto would have been angry about it, but he had a sense that Uchiha couldn't say anything. Uchiha had looked tense when he had asked. All he knew was that it would be a 12-hour flight to their destination.

Sitting in the seat next to Hyuuga, he offered the rag silently.

Hyuuga took the rag, offering a small thanks and pressing it gingerly to his cheek.

They both sat next to each other for the rest of the flight in silence. Naruto got up one more time to change the rag, but other than that, neither ate nor slept, each preoccupied with their own problems.

The plane landed without a hitch. Stepping out, Naruto was greeted with hot, dry weather, and there was sand as far as the eye could see. So, Gaara really did come from a place like this.

A car was waiting for them when they arrived, its windows heavily tinted. That ride took an additional hour to their destination.

Naruto knew Gaara was rich, so he expected a large mansion with a bunch of land and servants. The reality was a bit more disappointing.

It was a nice house with modern architecture and a lot of glass windows, and there was a gate and fence around it, but the fence was just enough to surround the perimeter of the building and contain a small yard, and the house itself was not ridiculously huge. It was on the more modest side. Enough to know the owner had money, but not flaunt it.

The person who answered the door wasn't a servant either. He was a well-dressed man in his mid-twenties. At the sight of Naruto and his two companions, his face became immediately disapproving. He asked something in what Naruto assumed was Arabic.

He looked at Uchiha who stood in the back, completely disinterested in what was going on.

It was Hyuuga who answered him. It was clumsy and sounded rehearsed. The man frowned, staring at Hyuuga as if he was the bane of the world. Turning his head, the man yelled to the second floor. "Gaara!" He then allowed them inside the house to wait in the foyer.

There was an uncomfortable silence as they waited. The man didn't move a single muscle as he appraised them. Still dressed in their school uniforms, Naruto supposed it gave him a better impression than his casual clothing which normally consisted of a sleeveless shirt and cargo shorts.

A soft, groggy voice came from the second floor that overlooked the area down below. The words may have been in another language, but Naruto recognized that voice anywhere.

Gaara stood looking as if he had rolled out of bed. Given the time, Gaara probably was in bed. With another quiet murmur, Gaara spoke to the man.

The man's frown deepened but responded in kind, walking around the group of visitors and out the door.

"Forgive my brother, he's not fond of strangers." Gaara's eyes glanced at Naruto then at Hyuuga. His shoulders sagged likes a mother's would when seeing the mess her children have caused. "What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean, what are we doing here? You just upped and left school without telling anyone."

Gaara let slip a small sigh. Putting a hand on the banister, he leaped over it, jumping down to the front floor. Rather than be surprised, Naruto was used to Gaara's abilities. He had learned some martial arts from him after all. Not much, but enough to protect himself from untrained fighters.

Hyuuga didn't seem surprised either, though he did take one step back.

Gaara watched Hyuuga's small retreat and said nothing to him. "I felt it was best to return to my home country." With weak movements, Gaara waved them further inside. "I'll assume you have no place to stay. You can stay for the rest of the night, but I expect you to leave in the morning."

"Gaara," Naruto grabbed Gaara's shoulder, forcing him to turn around. "What's going on? You can tell me you know."

Gaara's green eyes met Naruto's blue ones, but it didn't last long. Gaara shifted his gaze away almost immediately, brushing Naruto's hands away from him. "I'm sure you're hungry. There should be some leftovers in the fridge."

Watching Gaara walk away felt like Gaara was shutting a door in his face. Loneliness was wrapped around Gaara like a blanket, using it to keep his distance as he had when they had first met. He didn't know how to break that bubble around him. He never did, no matter what he did.

All he could do was follow him into the kitchen where some chairs were placed at the counter. Naruto took a seat as did Hyuuga two seats down. Uchiha remained standing near the door. "So… you're Middle Eastern," Naruto began, not noticing how Gaara tensed. "Are you Muslim?"

Hyuuga sent him a small glare though Naruto didn't know why? No one else was offering conversation, and he really did want to know more about Gaara. It wasn't like Gaara could deny it being here.

"I'm an atheist." Gaara stopped the flow of conversation with that sentence. He moved around the kitchen, pulling out plates and warming food he had retrieved from the refrigerator.

He should have thought this over more. Naruto had begged Uchiha to bring him and came unannounced without so much as a gift. No matter how worried he was, he should have taken Gaara's feelings into consideration. It was obvious Gaara didn't want him to know where he lived or that he wanted to leave.

Gaara placed a plate in front of Naruto and Hyuuga. "It's called shawarma," he supplied to Naruto's confused face. "Just eat it."

Naruto poked at his food, trying to figure out something to say. Traveling presumably half-way across the world, and he hadn't thought to come up with conversation. Hyuuga wasn't much help either. He was just obediently eating as Gaara told him to.

Not sure of what to do, a thought occurred to him, and before he could think twice, words started to leave his mouth like a river. It felt natural, even right, in this situation.

"Skin as smooth and bright as the finest porcelain. Hair as dark as a moonless night. A song nor portrait could capture the beauty that you radiate. Every move, every gesture, nature responds in kind. A goddess in mind or heart, how can I bear to make my presence known to you? For I am but a humble soldier, not ever meant to be graced by your gentle smile. Your back is all I should ever know. My life, forfeit at the first sign of danger.

"But the gods are cruel, cursing my slumber with visions of you. My thoughts, my heart, are anything but pure. But I had hardened my resolve, to keep such secrets to my grave, but you… you must be gifted with second sight, for you always see me. Me who should be invisible to you.

"I have no right to speak to you. No right to look at you. But I am only human, nay, a simple man. If you reach out to me, how can I not want to drag you into my awaiting arms? Must I kill my heart, make it bleed until I am no longer human so that I may stay at your side? Should death not be more merciful? And yet, for you, I am willing. Willing to suffer. Willing to endure. Just send me one more smile, one more laugh to soothe my wounded heart. For I am but your bodyguard and you, my princess. No human nor demon shall ever harm you.

"For as I did in life, in death I spend protecting you, loving you, waiting for the day you and I can cross over together."

Naruto stopped in his storytelling, rubbing the back of his head embarrassed. The feeling of pen across paper was different than an oral story, and he preferred the former. He enjoyed the way his hand flew across paper, expressing words elegantly that he could never do in real life. Hearing them aloud, sounded clumsy in his ears, and lacked the elegance of cursive on paper. "Sorry. It's not one of my better ones."

A small gentle smile lit up Gaara's face as he chuckled softly. "Did you just make that one up?"

Naruto nodded. "I just thought that maybe… you're always reading so… sorry if it wasn't any good."

"No, it's quite like you," Gaara replied. His expression was gentler and slightly brighter, making Naruto feel that perhaps the embarrassment was worth it.

Grinning, Naruto took a bite of his shawarma, noting the new taste with interest. "It's weird, it kind of felt nostalgic somehow. You sure we didn't meet in another life or something."

Naruto hadn't meant anything by it, but Gaara looked away as he usually did when he wasn't telling him something. The question stuck in Naruto's throat begging to be asked. Instead, he said, "This is the part where you tell me it's part of my imagination and that I should be eating rather than talking."

The smile that had been genuine was now more strained and everyone could see it.

"You're imagining things. Shut up and eat." Gaara followed the instruction to the letter, and it left a bitter taste in Naruto's mouth.

"Can I offer you something, Uchiha? I'm sure I have something that runs along your taste." As polite as the words were, the tone in which Gaara said them sounded more accusing.

Coming over to the counter, Uchiha just smiled. "Don't trouble yourself, Gaara-san. Don't bleed anyone out for my account. I wouldn't want to unnerve the children with my eating habits."

Gaara's eyes darted to Hyuuga who scooted to the end of his seat, away from Uchiha. "Why bother pretending to hide something you obviously don't want hidden."

"Wait! How do you know about him?" Naruto interjected, clearly distressed.

"Inuzuka," Gaara replied. Again, the feeling that it wasn't the whole truth assaulted Naruto, but he held his tongue. "When you're done eating, I'll show you to your rooms."

"Actually, I'm not very hungry," Naruto said, pushing the plate away from him. "Lead the way."

There were enough rooms for each guest to get his own. Gaara didn't point out which one was his, but he put Uchiha on one side of the house while Naruto had the room on the other side, Hyuuga was across the hall from him.

"If you need anything, call," it was just Naruto and Gaara, the others already in their assigned room.

Before Gaara could leave Naruto had to ask, "Gaara… We're friends, right?"

Stopped, the red-headed boy nodded and quietly said, "Of course we are, Uzumaki."

"If that's true, you know you can tell me anything. I won't get mad. Whatever it is." It almost sounded like a plea. Naruto had no other way to get across to Gaara that he was here. That he would do whatever he could to help him.

"I know I can," Gaara replied. "Goodnight, Uzumaki."

"Naruto. Call me Naruto, already."

There was a brief silence then, "Goodnight, Uzumaki," left Gaara's lips before he left, leaving Naruto behind.

"We've located him."

Itachi lent only half an ear to the announcement, focusing on the cup of tea in his lap. "He's on a plane heading to the Oita prefecture," he said.

Kisame, the person who had brought his message sat across from him, plopping onto the couch and putting his feet on the glass table. "Why bother telling me to look when you always already know?"

"Confirmation," Itachi said without hesitating. "If one thing goes astray, it could ruin everything."

Kisame snorted with derision. "Not a very good plan then."

"That is what contingency plans are for, but it is impossible to account for everything." Itachi placed the tea onto the table. "Though it is unexpected that Uzumaki-san would move in with my little brother. Perhaps them meeting was fate."

"Won't that put a kink in your plans?"

"On the contrary, I believe this will help. I don't even think our opponent would have considered such an outcome either. Is your schedule free?"

"If it wasn't, you'd make me free it anyway, not that I have a life since I got involved with you."

"I made a small change to my plans," completely ignoring Kisame's comment. "Now then, shall we go?"

As promised, once sunrise came, Naruto left. He couldn't even negotiate to stay longer as Gaara's brother had thrown him out the door. Hyuuga didn't go with them. In fact, Naruto hadn't seen hide nor tail of Hyuuga since the night before.

Of course, Naruto wanted to protest, but Uchiha just picked him up by the scruff of his collar and carried him out. Naruto wasn't even mad, which was a bit alarming at how used he was getting to being manhandled by Uchiha. There was no use getting angry when Uchiha was so much stronger than him, so he settled for sulking the entire flight home.

They did take a detour though. They came in through Haneda airport and went into the city. Being on an island his entire life, seeing a city like Tokyo was an experience he couldn't describe. It was well after midnight, but there were still so many people out enjoying the nightlife even with the short downpour of heavy rain.

That was because they were in the nightlife district, filled with questionable establishments that most normal Japanese citizens would deny ever setting foot in. The street was lined with host clubs, bars, casinos, and love hotels. It was something out of a movie, and Naruto was fascinated by it all. Naruto didn't stand out here nearly as much as he did at home, though his blonde hair still gained him several glances.

"What are we doing here?" Naruto finally asked when led to what looked to be a host club. "You know I'm underage, right?"

"As a person in the midst of a change, it is the sire's responsibility to register them with the council. Failure to do so can result in both of our deaths."

Naruto felt a knot in his throat as he asked. "Why's that?"

"Too many immortals unchecked leads to too many of our kind causing trouble. So, we have a council that governs our overall affairs and enforces the cardinal rules they put into place. The sooner I register you, the better it will be." Uchiha opened the door to the club. "After you."

Rolling his eyes, Naruto went in. It was a host club. There was a line of well-dressed men waiting to greet them. All of them greeted Uchiha by name, making Naruto wonder just how often Uchiha came to this club.

"It's not what you think," Uchiha said. His denial may have been convincing if it weren't for the fact every host was catering to him, taking his jacket, asking how he was, and offering him a meal for the night.

"Of course not," Naruto said sarcastically when a host literally offered a silver tray with a tobacco pipe on it.

It may have been just Naruto, but he swore a host or two glared at him.

"This is an immortal establishment. They cater to immortal needs." With a wave of his hand, all of them dispersed. "Which brings me to my next point. Whatever you do, don't talk to anyone, don't move, and don't start a fight. Deidara has his men on a leash, but there is no one to stop people from killing you here if you piss them off."

"Yeah, yeah. I get it. Stop worrying so much. You make me more nervous than your stupid warnings."

"I'm serious."

"So am I."

Uchiha's lips thinned as if he wasn't sure what to do with Naruto at that moment. Relenting, Uchiha led him to a booth. "Sit here. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Naruto restrained an eye roll until Uchiha finally left. Really, Uchiha was way too controlling sometimes. Granted, Naruto didn't know this world, but it was a little stifling at times.

The establishment was nice, on the higher end. The hosts were very well dressed, and the furniture and chandeliers matched the upper-class atmosphere. Most of the clientele were women with a few men here and there, but overall, there was no indication the club was for vampires. The only thing strange was that there was no food and the liquid in the glasses was thicker than it should have been.

It took a grand total of ten minutes before Naruto could no longer stand being in one spot. He stood up, heading to the door, pulling out a cigarette and lighter in the process.

It was late at night and establishments were starting to close. There were still people wandering the streets, but there were considerably less compared to earlier. Even the sign on the club window said it would be closing in a half hour or so.

Naruto received a few looks, probably due to his age, but thankfully no one bothered him. He could light up his cigarette in peace. He wasn't a heavy smoker. He could go a couple of days even a week without a smoke. Essentially, he only lit up when he was extremely stressed, and he hadn't had the opportunity to do so since meeting Uchiha.

He took a long drag, letting the nicotine relax his shoulders and ease tension from his body. Then he exhaled, watching the smoke float up into the night sky. Perhaps he should quit smoking. He had told Jiraiya and Tsunade he had left to better himself. While he had said it as an excuse, he did want to be better than what he was. He just didn't know how to go about doing it, and he wondered, was it too late to change when he wasn't even going to be human soon?

After another long drag, he decided no it wasn't. Even if it was just a little bit, if it could ease his guardian's life just a little bit, he should put in the effort. Maybe then, Gaara would have enough confidence in Naruto to rely on him more.

He looked for a nearby ashtray, not fond of littering no matter where he was. He rarely finished entire cigarettes, but today he decided to quit so he wasn't going to hesitate just to get a couple more drags in.

"Hey, are you Uzumaki, Naruto?"

Immediately, Naruto's senses were on alert. How could anyone all the way out here know who he was?

The man who had called out to him stood out. His skin held a blue-gray tinge to it that reminded one of a corpse, and his hair appeared to be a dark blue in color.

If the color of his skin wasn't enough to stand out, then his height would have. He was nearing if not over 200 centimeters in height, and he wasn't even wearing shoes. He had broad shoulders and a toned body that made Naruto think of a warrior at first glance. His clothes consisted of tight black leather. His shirt was sleeveless, showing off his arms and the wide, metal bracelet on each wrist. They didn't look like a fashion statement either as he didn't wear any other piece of jewelry.

"Who wants to know?" Naruto asked. The hairs on the back of his neck were standing on end.

You better run, kit.

Wha-?

The next thing Naruto knew, he was doubled over in pain. He clutched his stomach, gasping for the air that had been punched out of him. Before Naruto could even realize what had happened, the man pulled him up by his shirt, forcing him to stand.

"You don't seem like someone so special. You seem so . . . human," the man sounded amused with a dark sense of humor lacing his tone.

"Maybe 'cause I am, you crazy bastard," Naruto wheezed, glaring at him through the pain.

"Sure you are," he smirked. "But you do have some guts to look at me like that," he shoved him back.

Naruto fell against the side of the building, but it felt more like he was slammed.

"Well kid, let's see what you got." He grounded his feet. "If you can that is."

"I thought you'd never ask." It was more talk than he would have liked. He still hadn't recovered from that punch and shove, but Naruto had a strong feeling the stranger wasn't going to wait for him to recover.

He brought his fists up like he was taught. He couldn't see this ending well. A common delinquent like him would probably not be a challenge for him. Maybe he should have begged Gaara for more lessons, but Jiraiya and Tsunade seemed firmly against it, so he hadn't pushed.

Naruto ran up to him, throwing a jab at his face. The man dodged it with ease and returned with a jab of his own, in the same place where he had attacked Naruto before, but much, much harder. Naruto felt something snap, probably a rib, and blood came out of his mouth as he flew back into the wall. His training kept him from hitting his head, but it hardly mattered. The building material had given in on impact, cracking the wall.

Naruto fell to the ground in pain, hardly able to move. From the pain, he could tell his clavicle had broken as well as another rib. His back was heavily bruised, and it hurt to move his head.

His teeth clenched through the pain, and he tried to stand, his legs shaking.

"I'm kind of disappointed." The man said walking up to him. "I expected more from a container." He kicked Naruto again in the stomach, and Naruto coughed up even more blood. Naruto fell back to the ground.

"I guess it can't be helped. Maybe we'll be luckier with a new container," the man didn't seem disappointed. A twisted smile was on his face as he looked down at him.

Naruto didn't know when, maybe when his vision had whited out for a moment or two from pain, the man held a great sword in his hand that he easily wielded with one hand. The blade was wider than it should have been for a sword that size as the weight should have made it impractical, but he aimed it at him with little to no effort.

He lifted the sword above his head. "It's nothing personal, kid. Just following orders."

Fear numbed Naruto's body. Was this it? Was going to die by some guy he had never even met? He knew he had done a lot of bad things, but did it warrant him a death sentence? His body shook, and he closed his eyes, awaiting the final blow.

I don't want to die.

Who said you had to die?

The world around Naruto faded out where only darkness remained. A vague image of a man appeared in his mind. It was so blurry that Naruto couldn't make out a single detail except for flaming red-orange hair and a Japanese Yukata. I can save us.

How can you? You aren't real. You don't really exist.

Do I seem like a figment of your imagination? Power wafted off the man in waves like water and licked at Naruto like flames. I could give you the strength. Just give me control.

Do you think I'm stupid? Naruto bit out. You're the part of me that hurts people, right? You'd probably keep my body to yourself.

Yes or no, kit. Red eyes stared through the matted hair, glowing in the darkness. They were the eyes of an animal. He's starting to swing. The man smiled revealing fangs, sure of what Naruto would choose.

The sword came down hard and fast; it may as well have been in slow motion. With blue eyes now red, Naruto caught the blade with a single hand. Surprise flitted over the man's face.

With little force, Naruto pushed the blade back, causing the man to stumble, but he regained him footing quickly, readying for another attack.

Naruto's once pure blond hair was now tinged with strands of orange. He stood, wiping the rubble and dirt from his clothes without an ounce of pain on his face. A crooked smile full of malevolence covered his face. He tilted his head to both sides, cracking his neck then rolling his left shoulder, flexing his hand.

"That was some punch. You actually broke a few of my bones." Naruto licked the blood of his lips, and his smirk widened. "Now, let's have a real fight, shall we?"

The moment the man blinked Naruto had disappeared from his view.

A soft splash was heard from behind him, and he moved his sword to cover his back just in time to block the attack. A loud crack was heard where the fist had connected. Cursing, the man dropped the sword and jumped back to put space between them. There was a large crack in the metal of his sword, and Naruto stood shaking his hand as if it was a small sting despite his knuckles dripping blood. They were obviously shattered, but Naruto didn't seem to notice at all.

Naruto raised his fists again, daring the man to come at him with a smug smirk.

The man smiled in return. He ran at him throwing a serious of punches and kicks which Naruto evaded, his grin never leaving his face. Right, left, jump back, parry, duck. It was done effortlessly, and the man's own smile grew as the assault continued. He didn't think fighting the brat would be so much fun.

Naruto caught one of the kicks, countering with one of his own, connecting with the man's jaw. He fell, skidding a few feet across the asphalt and rolled onto his feet before he came to a stop, ready to continue the fight. He took the time to wipe thick blood from his lips.

Neither one of them moved, engaged in a staredown to see who would make the next move.

"Uzumaki!"

Sasuke had come out of the club, standing at the entrance. His face was stoic, and his eyes were shifting between the man and Naruto constantly.

He had heard the ruckus from inside the building, and he had assumed Naruto had ended up in a fight with one of the patrons. However, someone had told him about the commotion outside, so it wasn't something he could ignore.

With only a glance, Sasuke could tell that the man was some type of ghoul. Not the standard one. Something a bit stronger and sturdier. A hybrid perhaps. It was Naruto's state however that drew concern. Naruto's features had changed again, and from the way Naruto looked at him in response, he knew it wasn't Naruto in control.

Naruto glanced at him then raised his fists higher, preparing for another attack as did his opponent. Neither seemed to care or notice that their fight had drawn employees out from their businesses and stopped stragglers on their way home to see the commotion or that they were in the middle of the street, cars stopped on both sides. Neither seemed to care, too engrossed in their fight to worry about onlookers.

Before either could continue, another interference occurred.

"Kisame-san, that is more than enough." A raven-haired man stepped out from the crowd. His voice wasn't loud but had pierced through the crowd's chatter.

Naruto's eyes drifted to the man. He looked like Sasuke. There was no mistaking the resemblance, but this man carried himself completely different. He felt like an aristocrat. His long raven hair was neatly pulled back in a low ponytail. His posture was ramrod straight and he moved with grace. His clothes were also perfectly pressed, wearing a three-piece suit. At first glance, you would think he was in the wrong time period.

There was also something about him that pulled people, and his aura unlike, Sasuke and Deidara, was almost nonexistent. You couldn't feel how strong or how deadly he was just by looking at him. The biggest difference between Sasuke and this man was the lack of emotion. His eyes were as dead as a corpse, detracting from what would otherwise be a gorgeous individual. It was unsettling. He was like a walking, breathing doll.

There was no question of who he was. Naruto had seen the portrait only days before and he looked too similar to Sasuke to deny a connection between them.

"Uzumaki, don't look into his eyes," Sasuke growled as Itachi came forward. He wanted to put himself between Naruto and his brother, but with Naruto's current state, Naruto might attack him as well.

Naruto's eyes followed Itachi's every move. The lack of presence put him on edge. The man named Kisame had backed down immediately once ordered. That man had to be his boss, meaning he had to be more powerful though he didn't seem to be.

Itachi picked up the sword Kisame had dropped, examining the blade before looking at Naruto then at his younger brother who was walking towards them. Naruto stared back, not blinking.

"Little brother," he bowed his head in greeting.

"Itachi," Sasuke spat with venom dripping from his voice. Since Naruto wasn't paying him much attention, he was carefully getting closer to the fledgling. "If you have come for me, I will go with you but leave him out of this. He had nothing to do with me."

"Who said he did?" was the emotionless reply. "My every waking moment is not thoughts of you, though it does not appear to be the case for you, is it?"

Sasuke ground his teeth. He was seething, his anger causing his fist to shake. His restraint was thin, the only thing holding him back was Naruto's safety and a large number of onlookers around them. Reason was barely enough to contain him. He wanted to let go. He wanted Itachi to give him a reason to fly off the handle. He was so close, closer than he had ever been. This could be his one and only chance to get revenge.

"Kisame-san, we are done here for today. Let us leave before unwanted attention arrives."

Kisame huffed, grabbing his sword from him, clicking his tongue with annoyance at the damage it had taken. "You always get in the way when I'm finally having fun."

Itachi ignored him and, to Sasuke's annoyance, him as well. With growing fury, Sasuke watched as Itachi walked away, who not even concerned about him. The crowd parted for Takeshi, allowing him to pass.

He was getting away. After over a hundred years of searching, he was in his grasp for the first time. Sasuke took a step to follow after him.

Then he was hit was the strong smell of blood, reminding him that Naruto had been injured.

Naruto's eyes had faded back to blue, and his hair had turned mostly back to blond though a few orange strands still remained. His breathing turned to short pants and pain contorted his face. Sasuke had barely caught him before he completely collapsed.

With one more glance at his brother's escape route, Sasuke cursed. He picked up Naruto's semi-conscious form in his arms and hurried to his car. He could hear the sound of sirens approaching.

He sped out of the area before the cops could arrive, going back to the airport. It was quicker to fly to Oita rather than to take the train, and he couldn't take Naruto on the train looking as he did anyway.

He glanced over at Naruto who groaned in pain. He had to take another look to confirm what he had seen. Naruto was healing at an accelerated pace. Even if Naruto was turning, it would be impossible to heal that fast until after his turn was complete.

"Damn asshole," Naruto muttered weakly under his breath. His eyes were barely open and glazed over. Sasuke couldn't tell who he was talking about whether him or his brother.

"Are you okay, Uzumaki?" he asked when Naruto's expressions started changing from angry to puzzled then to irritated.

"Yeah…I'm fine," he drawled. "Just having a conversation with myself." Naruto's eyes grew heavier and heavier until they finally drifted shut.

By the time Naruto had fallen asleep, he had returned back to normal completely and the accelerated healing had slowed to a crawl.

Sasuke frowned. Itachi had not returned for him, but for Uzumaki. Why?

It wasn't a coincidence another ghoul had found and picked a fight with Uzumaki. The first one had to have been working for his brother too, but why was Itachi wasting his time sending ghouls to do something he could finish so easily? Itachi was interested in Naruto but obviously didn't want to kill him. Why? Why did Sasori know about Naruto already?

And then there was the council assistant Sasuke had talked to today. When attempting to get Naruto registered, the assistant had informed him Naruto was already entered into the database. He wouldn't give any details as to why a human would be registered with the database, but logically speaking, Naruto should have known about the supernatural world before Sasuke got involved in his life, yet he knew nothing.

At least today he discovered how Naruto survived the first encounter with a ghoul. He had been unsure before due to the volatile nature, but today, Naruto had seemed in control of whatever power he possessed. Or rather, the power seemed to be in complete control. Like another consciousness had taken over. Was that the cause of everything? What was it?

Sasuke parked the car and leaned on the steering wheel.

When he drank Naruto's blood, it had tasted entirely human. His body was human. It wasn't a hybrid of any sort. His blood was a little unusual, but not out of the ordinary. He didn't survive off blood or show any other traits with any other supernatural being that he was aware of. A demon maybe, but even then it didn't make sense. Naruto acted like he was possessed by some sort of animal spirit the other day, but today, he seemed like another person altogether.

He looked at the sleeping boy in the passenger seat. He looked peaceful and calm, not self-conscious or guarded as he was when he was awake. "You're more trouble than you're worth, aren't you?"

Naruto's head fell forward, making it look like a nod.

A small smile spread on Sasuke's lips, his gaze softening and muttering a gentle, "Idiot."