"I thought you were supposed to keep watch," Naruto muttered to Uchiha, keeping his voice low.

Uchiha only scoffed, looking rather annoyed by the way his eyebrow ticked. "This place is weird. I can barely feel you nearby." He didn't bother trying to lower his voice, acting as if the gun pointed at them was a minor inconvenience.

"Quiet both of you. You're under arrest." The voice behind them was frantic and strained like someone just on the edge of a meltdown.

The voice was familiar though, piquing Naruto's curiosity as to who was holding them up at gunpoint.

"Put your hands above your heads slowly. Any suspicious movements will be seen as a threat."

Naruto did as he was told, raising his hands slowly over his head. Uchiha on the other hand kept his hands in his pockets, not inclined to listen to a human.

"I said raise your hands!"

The voice was familiar. Naruto frowned.

"And if I refuse?" Uchiha said not impressed. Naruto turned wide eyes to Uchiha. Was he trying to get them killed? Well more accurately, him killed.

The stranger turned the gun to Uchiha, giving Naruto a chance to see who their attacker was. His eyebrow furrowed. "You, you're the cop from the station."

Yamato looked terrified like he was the sole survivor from a horror movie, jumping at everything, whirling his gun back towards Naruto.

Uchiha used the distraction to grab the muzzle of the gun and yank the gun from the officer's hand, simultaneously pulling him slightly forward in the process and punching Yamato's stomach hard enough to knock him out cold. Yamato's body fell to the floor while Uchiha examined the gun.

"Hn, the safety wasn't even off."

"Is he going to be okay?" Naruto asked, kneeling at the officer's side to make sure he was breathing.

"Don't know." It appeared Uchiha had stopped thinking about the officer altogether, already moving towards the exit.

"We can't leave him here," Naruto argued.

"The human found his way here, he can find his way out." There wasn't a single moment's hesitation in Uchiha's steps.

Scowling, Naruto decided a fireman's carry would be best. If he left Yamato here, there was no telling if his situation would have grown worse. He could not explain it, but Naruto felt this place influenced Yamato's erratic actions. While he had been distracted by visions of his past, the dark eerie feeling that lingered on the facility like a bad stink hadn't dissipated, only grown stronger the further they entered.

It was a strange sight as Yamato was quite bigger, being taller and more muscular than him, but Yamato was lighter than he looked. More accurately, Naruto was just stronger now and found him to be just slightly heavy.

Uchiha had already traveled back to the elevator entrance, arms crossed looking every bit annoyed upon seeing him. "You should have left the dead weight."

"And I told you I wasn't leaving him here," Naruto said, glaring back.

There was a slight hint of disgust on Uchiha's face, that was soon out of sight, turning his head and looking at the elevator shaft. "Give him to me. You can't climb the shaft and carry him."

Naruto hadn't even thought of that.

Before Naruto could say anything, Uchiha wrenched the officer from his arms and in a swift movement, disappeared into the shaft, leaving Naruto behind. It really didn't make much sense. One moment, Uchiha was kind, the next annoyed. What was with him lately?

Going into the shaft himself, a rope was dangling from above. It must have been what Yamato used to get down here. It made climbing a bit easier. The shaft was dark and this way all he had to do was climb the rope and not worry about handholds.

Thankfully, Uchiha was waiting at the top. During the climb, the uncomfortable atmosphere was beginning to wrap itself around him again. It only took a minute to climb, but the difference was as clear as night and day. Goosebumps and a cold sweat covered his skin by the time Naruto pulled himself over the ledge of the main floor. Seeing Uchiha waiting was like plunging into a soothing bath, the chill warded off as warmth seeped into his bones.

"There's a car parked out front. Turns out there was an abandoned road on the other side of the building that wasn't on the map," Uchiha said. In his hands were a set of keys that were definitely not his.

But the abandoned road made sense. He remembered coming to this place in a van. "You searched the area already?"

"I got tired of waiting," he said already walking off.

Naruto pressed his lips together but followed. The hot and cold act was starting to get on his nerves.

As Uchiha had said, the car was on the other side of the building, just out of sight with some bushes. It was going to make their trip down the mountain faster and much more comfortable. Night was already approaching.

Uchiha opened the back door of the car, tossing the officer onto the backseat, not caring that the human hit his head in the process.

"Was that necessary?" Naruto asked, becoming a bit exasperated at his behavior.

"He'll live." Uchiha closed the door and got in the driver seat as Naruto got into the passenger side.

"What about the rental we took?"

"We'll switch over once we get off the mountain."

"Are you sure we can let him go? Won't he know you're alive?"

He had a point, and Uchiha knew it. They couldn't leave the cop to his own devices. If he reported them, moving around would be more difficult than it already was.

"You used a fake name to get the rental anyway. If you abandon it, they won't track you right?"

"Or we could just kill the human." The seriousness in Uchiha's voice made the color in Naruto's face drain. With a sideways glance, Uchiha added in, "I'm kidding…. Mostly."

"Right," Naruto wasn't all convinced, he was joking. At times like this, Naruto could see the resemblance between Uchiha and Itachi. It put things in an odd perspective. As if they were two sides of a mirror. Uchiha, a bit rough, childish in some regards, with random small displays of kindness and no regards to adhering to any particular cultural etiquette, hid something cold and dark that Naruto had only seen glimpses off. Itachi on the other hand, was mature, on the surface always kind and patient and following either Japanese or Western customs, but always marring his otherwise pleasant demeanor with a cold, emotionless mask that set everyone on edge. Itachi's cruelty was front and present. His kindness, a façade meant to lure and trap. Uchiha….

If Naruto thought about it, he knew little of Uchiha. His past, his aims, all were a mystery to him. He was never one to pry into people's pasts. Not when he had been running from his own. Even if his memories from the facility had returned, there were still parts that were a blur due to age. He still had questions. Something was still missing.

Uchiha followed the mountain road until they exited the forest and was on the main road once again. 10 minutes later, they located their rental and transferred Officer Yamato over and quickly took off the license plates, receipts, Yamato's things, and anything that could quickly identify who the car belonged to. Once that was done, Uchiha and Naruto piled into their own car and abandoned the officer's, heading back to town.

Naruto kept glancing back, worrying that Yamato would wake up any minute. Uchiha must not have been as concerned as he didn't check on the human once. Was he that confident or did he know something Naruto didn't?

Naruto's concern was unneeded. They made it to a hotel and the officer was still unconscious in the back seat. Waiting in the car as Uchiha checked them in, Naruto went over what he had discovered in his head. It happened a long time ago, but some of the memories were horrifyingly vivid. The distaste and fear that it left made it feel like it was only a week or two ago. He knew no one expected him to adapt to his memories right away, but did he even have the time? He was wanted. By the police and by Itachi. How long before either of them found him? And would Uchiha want to keep being by his side with such heavy baggage attached to him?

A knock on the window startled Naruto, looking up to see Uchiha motioning him to come out. Naruto stepped out of the car where he was handed a hotel key.

"Room 515," Uchiha told him.

Naruto nodded, watching Uchiha pull out Yamato and wandering how Uchiha was going to get Yamato into the room without anyone noticing.

Whatever, Naruto found himself thinking, oddly exhausted. If Uchiha wasn't worried, then he would probably succeed. Fatigued, and being pulled back into his memories, Naruto walked through the side door and took the elevator to the room. It didn't even occur to him that he should probably keep his face hidden just in case. He simply went to the room, vaguely taking a quick look around.

It was a nice room. Not up to Uchiha's standard probably but on the higher end of the quality spectrum. It had a sitting room and two separate bedrooms and even a small kitchen. That was all Naruto could really take in at the moment, collapsing at the small dining room table and letting his body sag into the chair. Maybe he just needed sleep. A lot of things happened today after all.

Yet Naruto didn't sleep. He was staring off into space not thinking of anything. His mind was completely blank. His mind was fried as everything was catching up to him and hitting him at once. His time with Itachi. The lies Gaara had told him over the years. His transformation. His feelings towards Uchiha that was slowly growing more and more complicated. His past. The revelation that he wasn't crazy but housing another being's soul inside his body.

So his brain just shut down, giving him time to recuperate. He stopped thinking. He just stared off into space, letting the peace of oblivion wash over him.

His return to reality was a gentle one. The feeling of Uchiha beside him, the smell of hot tea, and the soft clinking of porcelain being placed on a table. Slowly, Naruto moved his head, listlessly, until he was able to look up at Uchiha. He hadn't even heard him come in.

"I thought you could use it considering your day."

Naruto's hand wrapped around the mug. "Thanks, Uchiha." He took a sip. Uchiha had gone with just basic green tea, probably so that he didn't ruin it, but it was brewed at the correct length and just the right strength.

Uchiha took a seat across from him, watching him drink. It was very reminiscent of his first night in the Uchiha mansion.

"Are you willing to listen?" Naruto asked, staring into his tea. "About what I figured out?"

"I believe it will help keep both of us alive."

Naruto agreed. "I don't know where to start though."

"How did you come to that facility?"

"I don't remember much. It was night. I remember being in my bed and seeing the window open. After that, waking in a van." Naruto's brows furrowed as he tried to remember. "I don't remember much before that. But I was definitely taken there afterward. There were two men waiting for me. I remember that they gave me the creeps. The way they looked at me was something below human. To them, I may as well have been a mouse or a fungus sample. They didn't care what happened to me . . . or Gaara."

"Do you remember what they were after?" Uchiha asked, but Naruto was already shaking his head before he had even finished the question.

"Too young to understand it. They gave me a lot of drugs. Most of them would cause me to blackout or cause a lot of pain. Every day was a constant state of fear. The guards would beat us and treat us like caged animals, and if we were really bad, if we were out of line, they'd send us into a room with no light and no sound. We would be left there for what seemed like an eternity."

Naruto paused when he heard wood cracking. The table was splintered just in front of Uchiha as if he had grabbed the edge and applied pressure until it cracked, but Uchiha's hands were calmly folded in front of him. "Continue," he said.

"I was there for a year or two," he paused. "I think it is the soul inside of me they were interested in. I still don't know what it is, but thinking about it now, they asked about it often. I planned an escape but," Naruto frowned. "It's blurry. I don't think I was all there."

"What do you mean?" Uchiha pressed.

"I think…" Naruto rubbed his head furiously as if rubbing harder would somehow jog his memory. "I think Kurama may have had partial control or I was on drugs. I know my dad was there… and two others." Realization lit up Naruto's face. "That was the night my dad died. He died during my rescue."

A low groan made Naruto jump. Uchiha had dumped Yamato onto the couch, his legs dangling off the side and head tilted in an uncomfortable position. It was likely Uchiha had dropped him on the couch and left it at that, but the officer was finally waking.

Naruto took another sip of tea, preparing himself mentally.

Yamato straightened his neck into a more comfortable position then stretched the best he could open his eyes, groggily. Naruto watched with semi-interest at the process. Yamato then bolted upright, looking around wildly until his eyes landed on them, a couple of meters away.

The officer's eyes focused on Uchiha then Naruto. "You're not Itachi," he said slowly. "But you look a lot like him. Uchiha, Sasuke I presume."

"Officer Yamato," Uchiha greeted politely. His greeting was more fake than usual. His expression seemed quite genuine, but being closer to Uchiha, Naruto could feel the air become dense around him, giving Naruto goosebumps at the potential threat stewing beside him. "I'm glad to see you're awake."

Yamato felt for his weapon, not taking his eyes off them, but his hand met nothing but air. Uchiha casually showed the gun to the officer, never dropping his smile, and placed it on the table.

"Do you mind if I ask how you are alive, Uchiha-kun?" Yamato was also trying to keep a polite face. In contrast to Uchiha's, it was much easier to tell he was internally freaked out.

"'san' if you please, Detective-san. I'm not fond of people much younger than me, calling me kun."

Yamato opened his mouth to voice his confusion, but Naruto interrupted with his own comment, hoping to stall that conversation a bit longer. "How do you feel?"

"Uzumaki-kun. What's going on? The last thing I remember was confronting you at the abandoned facility in the Hokkado mountains."

"Yeah… about that." Naruto trailed off. Maybe they could play this all off.

"If I may, Detective-san, I have a question for you. How do you know about my brother, Itachi." Uchiha wasn't even trying to hide the demand in his question. His gaze would make anyone take a step back or two.

"Your brother?" There was a shift in Yamato. The detective in him slide to the front as his confusion took the backseat.

"If you've seen and remember him, then you must know something. My brother doesn't leave loose threads." The intensity around Uchiha was steadily increasing. "So where is he?"

"I came here in hopes of finding him. We discovered he took Uzumaki-kun from my custody and wanted to ensure Uzumaki-kun was safe as well as bring him back in." Maybe it was because Yamato was an officer and used to dangerous situations, but he didn't back away from Uchiha's increasingly agitated state.

"And how did you find that out?" Uchiha pressed.

"How are you still alive, Uchiha-san?" Yamato countered. "You were pronounced dead on the scene and afterward."

"Um, Yamato-san, I wouldn't piss this bastard off if I were you," Naruto stood up and blocked Uchiha from Yamato's view. "I know I owe you an explanation, but things are kind of difficult to explain right now."

"You've put me into a difficult situation, Uzumaki-kun. You've kidnapped a detective."

"Um. Well…Uh," Naruto was flustered, unable to offer an argument that would sound plausible and not reveal anything. When Yamato put it like that, it sounded much worse than Naruto had originally thought.

"If we left you, you would have gone insane from the amount of negative emotions that were clinging to that place." Uchiha grabbed Naruto's shoulder, pulling him back towards him while stepping in front. "You should thank Uzumaki for convincing me to bring you along."

Yamato glanced to the right. "Are you trying to tell me that placed was cursed?"

"I'm only trying to discern whether or not you were influenced by that place or just my brother." Uchiha had pretty much dropped his polite smile, arms crossed, and slowly looking more and more condescending.

"I'm concerned that you may be having difficulty sorting through what's real and what's not."

"Says the officer who had pointed a gun at us in a panic not even two hours ago."

The tension between them was building and Naruto was trying to find a way to defuse it before Uchiha or Yamato came to fists. It did not take a genius to figure out who would win that fight. Thankfully, Yamato took the high ground, sighing and backing down. "You don't have me tied up. Can I assume that means I can leave?"

"That may be a bit complicated," Naruto admitted. "I mean, you'll report us, right?"

There was the flicker of hesitation. Naruto recognized it instantly. Uchiha must have recognized it as well as a smirk crossed his face, slowly, like a predator that had found an unexpected treat. "You can't report us, can you?"

"You're jumping to conclusions, aren't you?" Yamato's face hardened. It didn't do him any favors in convincing them that it wasn't the case.

A chuckle escaped Uchiha. There was a small sparkle of humor in his eyes. "Seems, Tsunade-sama finally managed to do her job."

Naruto furrowed his eyebrows. "What does 'baa-chan have to do with it?"

"It's nothing."

"No, please, do continue, Uchiha-san," Yamato stood up, arms crossed.

The look on Uchiha's face almost made Naruto laugh. It was as if he was trying to resist rolling his eyes but was too classy to do something that childish.

"Yeah, Uchiha, explain."

It looked like Uchiha was going to give in to his urge to roll his eyes and probably make a dry and sarcastic comment but suddenly his demeanor changed. He sat forward, eyes looking towards the window. "Do you hear that?"

"Don't change the subject, basta-"

"Shut up and listen."

At the sharp tone, Naruto sobered and did as he was told, noting the seriousness. It took a few seconds, but he heard it too. The sound of a helicopter. But that wouldn't make sense. There was no way a helicopter would fly this low.

The next following seconds barely registered with Naruto. One minute he was standing, the next, he was being thrown to the floor behind the counter with a weight on top of him as the window exploded. Glass flew everywhere, cutting Naruto's skin while Uchiha took the brunt of the flying debris. The sound of the helicopter was deafening.

"Run to the door. I'll lead the attack away," Uchiha yelled over the sound. Naruto could barely nod before Uchiha was off him and jumping over the kitchen counter. The sound of a large machine gun started immediately, following Uchiha into the left bedroom.

Bullets pierced the wood beside Naruto, barely missing him, and followed Uchiha's path into the next room. He glanced beside him, noticing Yamato hidden in the doorway of the opposite bedroom. His face was cut up from the debris and there was a piece of wood lodged in his forearm, but he seemed mostly fine since he pulled it out like it was nothing.

Uchiha wouldn't go down easily, even with a helicopter. Knowing that, he knew he had to prioritize his own safety and leave. He wouldn't make the same mistake twice. Dashing across the short way to Yamato, he grabbed his wrist and jerked him forward towards the door. Naruto yanked it open even as he heard the gun start to turn back towards them.

"Keep your head down," Naruto yelled just before holes started to appear, cutting their way through the wall, reducing it to a pulp.

He intended to run to the elevator but was yanked hard to the door leading to the stairway as they passed. He didn't question it.

"Are they with you?" Naruto asked as they ran down the stairs.

"No. I was forced to resign after you escaped."

Suspicion towards Yamato didn't quite leave Naruto, but if they were with him, they didn't care if he died or not given the reckless way they attacked. Oddly, even as he was running for his life, he felt calm. Almost as if this was a minor inconvenience than a life and death situation. His mind was analyzing the situation.

"They'll be waiting at the bottom, won't they?" Naruto asked.

"Most likely."

Once they reached the second landing, Naruto kicked down the door with a single kick, just as the door to the first floor opened.

"Move," Naruto ordered, shoving Yamato through first as he heard gunshots go off from the floor below. One nicked his shoulder as he followed Yamato. Compared to Kisame's beatings, it was a mosquito bite.

They ran to the end of the hall where Yamato started faltering, looking for an exit. "Just keep running," Naruto told him, grabbing his elbow and running full speed as men emerged dressed in military gear from the door they just came.

"It's a dead end!"

"No, it's not." Naruto was eying the window. It was the second floor. He could do it.

Figuring out his plan, Yamato began to slow. Naruto wasn't having that. He wrapped his hand around the older man's waist, lifting him just enough off the ground. He was heavy, but Naruto pushed, running faster, just as the bullets started flying once again. One caught his leg just as he braced for impact, falling into the window rather than breaking it with his shoulder as planned.

More bullets grazed him before he was completely out of reach. Gritting his teeth was all he could do as glass tore into his flesh as well. As they fell towards the concrete ground, Naruto twisted in the air, putting himself between the ground and Yamato, and made sure his back took most of the impact.

The landing was less than perfect. While he did protect his head, it did receive some damage, disorienting him. His shoulder was dislocated, and a piece of glass had impaled his side. Still hurt less than Kisame's training, though it was coming up to a close second. "Are you alright, Yamato-san?" he wheezed out.

The detective moved off him, surveying the damage. "I should be asking you that."

Naruto sat up, pushing the pain to the back of his mind. "Come on, they'll find us if we stay." Standing on his bleeding leg, and leaving the glass in, he pulled Yamato into the alley, cutting one street over.

They were waiting. As they turned the corner onto the main street, there was a blockade with a very large gun attached to one of the Humvees.

"You have got to be shitting me!" Naruto jumped back into the alley right before they could be shot and barged into a shop, hoping its exit would be in another alley. They only had seconds.

How could such a large military operation happen in a small town like this so quickly? Were they being tracked? Should he just leave Yamato?

Thankfully, there was another exit, and Naruto took it away from the main road. He didn't know the city, but he tried to stay off the main road as much as possible, going through businesses if he could. It was as he suspected as he went through another empty store, most of this city had been evacuated. It just didn't seem possible. They were behind him somewhere, the people tracking them. He could hear the heavy boots, their breath, and sometimes even their heartbeat. Or maybe it was his own heartbeat. He didn't know where his new abilities kicked in or if his imagination took over, but he avoided them, missing them by a hair. There were a couple of faraway explosions more than once that had drawn their pursuers' attention. Most likely, Uchiha was drawing them away as promised, raising hell.

But their luck came to an end. Naruto finally ran into a dead end, and he wasn't sure he could double back. He was probably leaving a trail of blood. They would find him soon enough, and he was tiring. His adrenaline couldn't keep him going. He would have to pull out the piece of glass eventually.

"We should turn ourselves in, Uzumaki-kun," Yamato said softly. "You need medical attention."

"If they wanted our surrender, they wouldn't have attacked like that," Naruto muttered. It was rude, and Naruto was growing impatient. They couldn't stop here.

"Uzumaki-sama," a soft voice called out to him. It was quiet, and he wasn't sure if he had even heard it. Then it called out to him again. "Uzumaki-sama. This way."

"This way," Naruto motioned for Yamato to follow him to the back wall of the alley.

A soft giggle.

The giggle was familiar. Neither male nor female. Light and breathy like air itself.

A glimpse of a small white figure. No bigger than a size of a hand, translucent with a humanistic shape, similar to a paper doll. Naruto felt compelled to follow it. As he got closer it disappeared, but it had been sitting on what looked like a lever, hidden on a vine-covered wall. With nothing else to lose, he pulled it.

The wall rumbled, and Naruto jerked his head back to see if anyone would come. The stone retracted into the floor, and a woman in a traditional kimono was revealed, her head bowed. She said nothing. She took a step back and, with an old, oil-based lantern, motioned for them to enter the passageway.

The sounds of boots approaching were getting nearer, and with nowhere else to run, Naruto entered and with no hesitation, Yamato as well. As soon as they stepped through, the wall closed, the light from the lantern the only source of light. The orangish light barely illuminated even two meters in front of them.

"Thanks for helping us," Naruto bowed his head in thanks a bit awkwardly.

The woman shook her head, and Naruto noticed she was blindfolded with a silver cloth tied around her eyes. Her long, dark hair, wild in appearance but well taken care of.

She gestured for them to follow, leading the way down the passage without a single misstep, walking as if she could see as clear as day. With no other choice and a quick glance at each other, Naruto and Yamato followed her.

The passage was surprisingly dry and well maintained. The path was made of dirt, but not a single thing grew in the passage. The terrain was flat as if it was walked every day and wide enough to walk side by side and leave some room. With the state of the passage, it was obviously well maintained, but something about it insinuated that it wasn't the case, that few ever treaded here. It had a similar feel to the lab they had been in. A feeling as if it was trapped in time, never aging and separated from the rest of the world, but unlike the lab, Naruto felt no creeping fear, no threat of being strangled and held down by some unknown force. This feeling was more familiar. Calmer. Gentler.

"May I ask why you helped us?" Yamato broke the silence that had fallen on them. With the limited light, Naruto couldn't see what expression he was making, but he could imagine it was that same inquisitive look he had when talking with Uchiha or himself during his interrogation.

"I am but a servant to the last remaining young lady. What she wills, I obey."

"And who is this young lady?" Yamato asked.

"And how does she know me," Naruto thought, walking behind in silence. She had called to him as if she knew him, and that thing that drew him to the lever. What was that? Or did he even see it in the first place?

"The young lady is the young lady," the woman replied. She never spoke louder than a step above a whisper. Her voice was course and graveled. It was difficult to tell her age. She could have been 20 or 50. The flickering light was misleading, giving illusions of paths in some places, and hiding turns in others. And they made many turns.

In the beginning, Naruto tried to remember the path they came, but it soon grew too complicated, taking turn after turn in some complex maze underneath the city. And around that time, Naruto knew that even if it was a trap, they wouldn't be able to escape, too far into the maze to find their way out.

Yamato tried to ask additional questions. The woman did not respond. Naruto would have felt bad for him if not for the fact Yamato turned his attention onto Naruto as a result.

"So Uchiha-san was alive after all."

It may have been casual, but it was still the beginning of a probe.

"Is it really that surprising?" Naruto asked. "I gave you enough warnings."

"True," Yamato agreed. "But you also asked me if I believed in vampires."

He did say that, didn't he. He exhaled loudly, staring at the woman's feet, noting she was barefoot.

"So are you one?"

Naruto felt the urge to bang his head. It really had been a long day and answering more questions wasn't doing anything to brighten his mood. Still, an innocent man was almost killed because of him, and after surviving that fall and mostly picking up Yamato with one arm, it wasn't like he could shake off the question easily either.

"Half, I guess. It's hard to explain."

"How about this man named Itachi? He's the one who took you from the station, correct?"

"Honestly, I don't know much about him other than he's a psychopath. I really don't want to talk about it." Tired of being asked all the questions, he decided to ask his own. "What about you? How did you find us?"

Naruto's question was interrupted. The woman pulled a hidden level, and just like before, the stone wall retreated into the ground. The lighting was dim even as they exited, but they were in a man-made structure. The smell of gasoline hung in the air mixed with the scent of grass, and the temperature was cool. As his eyes adjusted to the additional light, the subway tiles and platform became clearer as well as the grass that had begun to grow along with the moss and grass on the tracks. Some moonlight filtered down from above through small holes in the ceiling, but the majority of the abandoned station was lit by lanterns.

"I don't recall being any stations in this area," Naruto overheard Yamato's muttering to himself. He had to say he was impressed at how calmly Yamato was taking everything in stride, especially after their encounter in the lab when he was borderline unstable. Maybe that was the difference between still being a kid and an adult. Or Yamato was just weird. Either was possible.

There were several other people occupying the station, occupied with various activities. It appeared they were packing, clearing out the small camp─ taking down tents and the like.

"Please make yourself comfortable until the last member of your party arrives. Food has been prepared for you."

"…Thanks." It may have just been him, but it was beginning to come off as if they knew they were coming. "You got any supplies we can use?"

"When Uchiha-san returns, we will make the necessary arrangement for your departure."

And they were confident that Uchiha would find them. Well, Naruto was pretty confident about it even with the small worry that a military helicopter might be too much to handle, but that was because he knew Uchiha. What did these people know about him?

It occurred to him briefly as he was sitting down on the edge of the platform that the woman had used a higher honorific when addressing him compared to Uchiha. When he thought to ask why that was, she was nowhere to be seen.

No one spoke to him. The people who were scuttling about varied in age and gender as did their clothes. Some wore suits, others dressed in rags, some in construction clothes. They appeared to be from all walks of life.

As Naruto watched them, kicking his feet as they dangled, he listened to the radio they had crackling in a corner tuned into what sounded like a police frequency. He was provided with instant yakisoba, but he barely touched it, focusing on the radio conversations. A lot of it was in code or shorthand, and being unfamiliar with the area, he wasn't sure of the places referenced either, but he did understand that they had lost both targets, him and Uchiha.

Yamato was making the most of his time. During their wait, he was making his way to every member, asking questions. It was commendable he was able to continue working in these conditions. It was better than waiting.

An hour passed before anything interesting happened. A yelp from one young woman, drew the attention of the others. The woman took a step back, hands covering her mouth. Naruto sat up straighter, getting to his feet in case he needed to run or fight. Upon seeing what had frightened the woman, Naruto could understand her reaction.

Coming down the stairs, clothing in tatters, drenched in an obscene amount of blood, Uchiha entered with a body riddled with large bullet holes. It was something out of a horror movie for most people.

For Naruto, it was a relief. One less thing to worry about. Their eyes met, and Naruto smirked at him. "You've looked better."

"Damn helicopter chased me halfway across town." His dark eyes bore into Naruto before flickering off to the side. "We'll leave in twenty minutes." With his declaration, he walked past Naruto to a quiet corner. With little grace, Uchiha dropped to a seated position on the ground and rested his head against the wall, closing his eyes.

Naruto should have left him alone, yet he followed, stopping just in front of him. Within the minute it took for Uchiha to walk from the entrance to his place to rest, his injuries were already significantly better, the holes noticeably smaller and some cuts even fully healed, which made him wonder how battered Uchiha was beforehand.

Naruto stood before him unsure of what to say now that he was there. Uchiha always had a comment on hand to make him feel better whether it was something comforting or teasing. Naruto's brain had decided to go blank.

"You're injured," Uchiha said. He didn't open his eyes or move other to speak.

"It's not too bad. It's stopped bleeding I think." Naruto took a step closer, watching Uchiha's body tense. "So how hungry are you?" Naruto asked casually.

"I can handle it until we reach our next location," Uchiha responded, but he wasn't breathing.

"Really?" he said, not believing him one bit. "Well, aren't you tough?"

Uchiha took a small breath so he could reply, clenching his jaw as he did so. "Would you prefer I take a bite out of one of the humans here?"

"Why don't you take a bite out of me?"

Uchiha's eyes snapped open, and his predatory gaze locked onto Naruto. "I'm assuming you're being sarcastic."

"I'm still technically human. Is it no good?"

Uchiha slowly stood, his eyes never leaving Naruto. Though injured, Uchiha's presence felt large once his hunger focused on Naruto. Naruto had the urge to back down. What prey wouldn't? But Naruto refused to shrink under his presence even as Uchiha closed the distance between them.

"Technically speaking," Uchiha agreed, his voice lower and containing a small growl. "But you won't recover as fast without drinking blood yourself."

Naruto gave a partial shrug. "I've got Kurama. I'll be fine. . . probably. But if we get attacked again, can we really afford you not being at full strength?"

He had no idea why he had offered himself up as a meal. He was worried about Uchiha's injuries, but he knew that it was nowhere near as bad as his fight with that woman in town. He knew Uchiha would be fine, but he also knew what it was like to be hungry and what it was like to force yourself to continue as if you weren't in any pain at all.

It was easy to forget. Even now Uchiha didn't look to be in pain at all as he contemplated Naruto's offer.

"Alright," he agreed. He tilted his head towards the dark and rather isolated part of the station. "Over there."

A shiver went up Naruto's spine. He couldn't tell whether it was fear or excitement. "So, how do you want to do this? Should I slice my wrist or…" he trailed off as he turned around. Uchiha was extremely close, trapping him against the wall with one arm. Any words he had planned to say were forgotten.

"If you don't mind, I prefer the neck." Uchiha's fingers threaded through Naruto's hair. Just his touch made Naruto's skin heat. He had to remind himself that there was nothing in the gesture especially as Uchiha tilted his head with that same hand, exposing his neck. Even so, his heart rate kept rising as Uchiha pressed him against the wall with his own body, lips near his pulse.

He swallowed hard, trying to focus on anything else but the breath on his neck and the fangs grazing against his skin. He wished he could focus, but he was failing. The moment the fangs pierced his skin, he inhaled sharply in pain but surprisingly pleasure as well. It was overwhelming having Uchiha pressed against him, his lips on him, his scent enveloping him. Each pull of blood into Uchiha's mouth sent pleasurable pulses coursing through his body, making him groan softly.

He couldn't stop himself even if he wanted to. His blood felt like it was fire coursing through his veins. Uchiha pressed closer, rubbing his leg against his member in the process. His head banged against the wall, trying to stifle his moan. His hands buried in his dark locks, encouraging him, wanting to drink more. His mind was cloudy with need. He couldn't remember how he got himself in this situation or why this was a bad thing. Uchiha seemed happy to oblige so why stop him.

Eventually, Uchiha pulled his head away, licking the wound that stopped bleeding within seconds. Instead of pulling away, he settled for sucking and kissing his neck, scraping his fangs against his skin again, teasing Naruto as if he was going to bite him again.

Naruto almost told him to go ahead. Then someone cleared their throat. Uchiha looked over his shoulder, throwing a glare at Yamato who had interrupted him.

Yamato looked uncomfortable, not looking directly looking at them. "They said we will be leaving in a few minutes."

Naruto's brain didn't immediately reboot, staring blankly at Yamato as if he was speaking another language. Once it did, his face heated in embarrassment, noticing his erection was pressed against Uchiha's leg and vice versa.

"Give us a moment. I'm eating." Uchiha's tone didn't sound like a request, and the blood he licked off his lips looked how a lion would after a kill, knocking any idea that this was more than a meal from anyone's mind.

"Right. I'll just…" Yamato's discomfort grew until he just walked away, not even bothering to finish his sentence.

Thank the gods for small miracles. Trying to explain this to Uchiha was going to be bad enough. He couldn't think of anything to say or do. He opened his mouth once. Twice, and finally a small, "thanks," escaped his lips for driving Yamato away. "I didn't mean… This is…" Naruto glanced down then away. "Sorry."

Uchiha smirked. His skin was brighter and healthier after his meal, and he was back to his gorgeous self and it kind of pissed Naruto off. "I didn't mind at all." His tongue dashed out, licking the last droplets of blood from his neck. "Thanks for the meal."

A dark flush lit up Naruto's cheeks. Then he punched Uchiha's jaw with a strong right hook, forcing the vampire to take a step back and allowing Naruto a quick escape.

The group of people left had diminished. There were only two left, waiting at the base of the stairs leading to the surface.

"There is a car waiting for you," the man who spoke was old, his back hunched over and beginning to bald. "It will take you to our young lady."

"Thanks for the help." Naruto bowed his head in thanks. "What do we owe you?"

"No thanks is needed. It was our honor to help." The old man bowed his own head to him as did the middle age man beside him. "Have a safe trip, Uzumaki-sama."

The old man and the younger man beside him lead Naruto, Uchiha, and Yamato up the stairs where a car was indeed waiting for them with a map on the navigation system waiting. Looking around, it appeared they were somewhere outside the city at a rundown station. There didn't appear to be any building nearby, further confusing Naruto why there was a station in this area to begin with.

The old man and his companion left, leaving the rest to ponder their next move.

"So are we going to speak to this young lady they keep referring to," Naruto asked, leaning against the car.

"I have a feeling I know who it is," Uchiha replied, opening the trunk and sifting around the contents. "If we go, we may be able to get answers."

Naruto tilted his head. "Why do you sound like you rather chew off an arm then?"

Uchiha ignored the question and turned to Yamato. "Do you plan to keep following us?"

"No," Yamato said. "I think I'd slow you down. And I have a feeling they found you through me. Until I figure out how it won't help either of us."

"Good answer." Uchiha pulled open the driver's seat, hoping in.

Naruto didn't follow right away. He turned to Yamato, rubbing the back of his head. "Hey, about that interrogation at the station, I'm sorry for the way I acted. I'm sure it was a pain in the ass for you."

"Don't worry about it. I'm kind of starting to see why you didn't say anything." Yamato smiled. His smile a bit crooked but held a fondness toward Naruto too. "You're a good kid, Uzumaki-kun. I hope everything works out for you."

"Thanks. See ya, Yamato-san."

The detective waved as Naruto got into the car too. He reminded Naruto a lot of Asuma. They would probably meet again in the future. He could feel it in his gut.

"Ready?" Uchiha asked, turning on the car.

"Yeah. Let's go."