Chapter Eight:
The Fear
(The theme song for this chapter is "The Fear" by Within Temptation)
Then…
Sasuke hacked, clutching his throat with his uninjured hand. His coughing reverberated around him, the echos of his pain bouncing along the walls of the cave. A fire burned in front of him; the flame that kept him warm was beginning to wane, just like his strength.
Itachi had transported them half a kilometer away several nights ago, too exhausted and injured to land them directly in the side of the mountain. He had known about the cave for some time; he could only hope no one thought to look for them there. He held Sasuke's hand tight in his as he forced the young boy to run through the woods towards the opening of the cave. Terrified, Sasuke refused to go in. Itachi eventually carried him, promising they would be safe; though he knew he wasn't in a position to really promise anyone anything at that time.
He had hid Sasuke and himself as far back as he could without going too deep into the mountain's darkness. If they should get lost within the cavern, he wasn't sure he could get them out again.
Itachi had lost count of the days they had spent hidden there; he was finding it more difficult to keep a watch for travelers. He would leave the cave at dusk and pace carefully a meter or two ahead near the common traveling path. He would smell the air futility, and listen for the sounds of travelers that never came.
He needed to feed, as did his brother. They were beginning to waste away. Sasuke, young, weak, and injured, couldn't heal due to his overwhelming thirst and lack of nutrients. The little vampire had never fed directly from a human before. He would normally be introduced to hunting and eating from the source at an older age, but Itachi silently decided he needed to learn how to survive… If something were to happen to him, he would need to know what to do.
He needed to learn right now if they were both going to live through this.
Sasuke rubbed his neck, pretending that it would somehow help with flame of pain burning through him.
Itachi watched him sadly. It seemed like they had not spoken to each other for days, and the pain in Sasuke had obviously worsened. He would choke on his hunger from time to time, otherwise choosing to suffer quietly. Itachi was handling it much better, though he too now felt the stinging sensation of thirst creep up in his throat.
Itachi felt sorry for him. His brother had seen everything he loved massacred before his very eyes. Then again, so had he. If he wasn't so preoccupied with keeping Sasuke alive, he may have met the sun to end the emotional torment he felt.
Itachi's eyes widened as his brother opened his mouth and made a hoarse noise. He grabbed his neck again, rubbing it vigorously. He coughed. "Big brother." He motioned for Itachi, his uninjured hand outstretched.
Itachi was beside him in an instant. "Sasuke. I know. I'm trying."
"I'm thirsty… It hurts."
"I know. I am going to go hunt for us again very soon."
"How will you bring me blood?... Mama always brought me my blood."
Itachi hesitated, unsure of how Sasuke was going to react when he told him his plans for him.
A loud crash distracted both of them. Sasuke jumped in his spot, slamming his hurt arm into a rock. He cried out, and Itachi slapped his hand over his brother's mouth to silence him. Sasuke looked at Itachi with fear in his eyes. "Wait here and stay silent," the elder sibling whispered before he slunk low to the ground; he carefully began to make his way through the front of the cave.
As Itachi crept through the exit, Sasuke could hear what sounded like shouts and horses neighing loudly out of fright. A passing cart must have wrecked while trying to traverse the rough terrain.
Sasuke leaned against the cave wall, cradling his arm; it pulsed painfully in his hand. He knew he should hide behind something so he was not seen, but he felt too weak to get up and move. An unknown amount of time passed, and Sasuke began to fall asleep despite his thirst, resting his head against the cave wall for comfort.
A loud scream pierced the silent air; the sound traveled through the cave like lightning to the sky. It was distant, but still terrifying. Sasuke was quite sure it wasn't Itachi; was his brother attacked by someone?
After a few minutes of complete stillness, he heard footsteps at the mouth of the cavern.
"Sasuke?" a low voice called to him.
Sasuke smiled with relief, but was nearly knocked backwards when the smell hit him.
Blood. Fresh, splattered, warm…. delicious human blood.
Itachi paced towards him, his face covered in the viscous, dark liquid. His eyes matched the substance; the deep red irises could send chills through even the strongest of creatures. Fear struck Sasuke when he saw those eyes, thinking that his brother had been injured in an altercation.
It was then he saw what Itachi was carrying.
Gasping in surprise, Sasuke rose, an uninjured hand bracing himself in fear. "Big Brother?"
"Come, Sasuke."
"Big Brother…" As Sasuke approached him, Itachi set what he was carrying on its feet.
A little girl, shorter than Sasuke, stood motionless in front of him. Her dark hair was pulled into a low bun that settled at her neck, and her ivory dress was tainted scarlett with blood. Her eyes nearly rolled back into her head, while her mouth was slightly open. Her chest rose up and back down slowly, as if she were relaxed, asleep even.
Itachi nudged her towards Sasuke. The young girl stumbled forward, but stayed on her feet. "I have her under my influence. She isn't aware. You need to pierce her throat and drink from her, Sasuke."
Sasuke's eyes bulged in horror. "N-... No! No! No, I can't!"
Itachi's face, lit up by his bright red eyes, frowned. "You have to, Sasuke. You need not worry, she won't feel anything. Her family is dead. She has nothing left to live for, and should be put out of her misery."
Though he shook his head again and again, he felt his fangs brush his tongue. The burning feeling overwhelmed him now and clouded his senses. "No, I won't…"
"You have to, Sasuke. Drink her or die."
"No! I will not! You can not make me!"
Sasuke and his brother stared at each other in silence; the only sounds in the cave for a few moments was the crackling of the fire and the young girl's steady breathing. Itachi's face was unreadable as he looked at Sasuke.
He frowned once more, his gaze never faltering from his sibling. "You need to learn, Sasuke. I will teach you; I will show you what you are. This is what you will do from now on... There is no mother to bring you blood anymore."
Itachi lunged forward, his fangs bared. Sasuke couldn't react fast enough in time to save her; his brother's teeth met the skin of the little girl's throat, and he bit down viciously, causing blood to jet from her neck.
Sasuke screamed in horror. "NO!" He twisted around so he could run and hide; he needed to get away from this. It was too much.
It was too much like what happened to his family.
Itachi grabbed him by the collar, his strength renewed due to feeding.
With his hand around his brother's neck, he forcefully shoved Sasuke's head near the girl. "This is us, Sasuke. This is how we live. You are a vampire, above the humans, your food; never forget that."
He ruthlessly covered his hand in her blood, soaking the pale skin of his fingers in her life force before he smeared it onto his brother's face. "Don't resist."
Sasuke was too thirsty and it was too tempting; the young vampire couldn't stop his tongue from darting out to lick his lips clean.
He lost all control. It was the small taste he needed to lose himself. With that horrific burning in his throat lessening slightly, it was too tempting.
Sasuke reached out and wrapped his arms around the smaller child, embracing her, pulling her close to him as if she were an old friend as he sucked the life out of her.
It only took a minute of drinking before he began to feel the healing affects of her vital fluids. The busted, broken bones of his hand began to hastily repair themselves. He was no longer exhausted; he felt as if he could run around the world without stopping.
He savagely lapped at her neck, making sure he left not even a speck of the delicious drink behind.
When the lifeless, limp body of the girl had no more blood to give him, he dropped her. The carcass fell to the ground with a deafening thud, her skin pale as a ghost and her body devoid of all life.
Sasuke, satiated, felt dizzy.
Itachi reached out to him, attempting to steady Sasuke, who had begun to sway.
If he had not been so much stronger at that moment, he would have been thrust violently into the cave wall.
He looked down, confused. Sasuke was shoving on him, wriggling to escape his grasp.
"Sasuke! What is wrong with you?"
Sasuke whimpered in response. Pulling himself from his brother's grasp, he turned to look at him. His dark eyes glistened with tears. As the water ran from his lashes, it mingled and mixed with the blood of the innocent girl on his face.
He sank down to the dirt floor, his fingers reaching for the listless hand of the child he had just killed.
No, not killed… It was much worse than that. It was murder.
He murdered her while Itachi murdered her family, like their family had been.
The thought overwhelmed him.
As he cried his sorrows out, he felt a strong hand on his shoulder.
"You'll learn to like this, Sasuke. It will get easier."
Sasuke sobbed as he held the little white hand that never moved again.
Now...
Sasuke was knocked from his slumber by a cold chill on his palm.
His eyes flew open as his hand flexed subconsciously. He brought it to his face, studying the cool marble of his skin. It was empty; he wasn't holding her hand.
It was so long ago… Why had he dreamed of that horrid night so suddenly?
A soft cry withdrew him from his thoughts.
He jerked forwards off the bare floor, looking for the source of the sad sounds.
He was greeted by Kakashi; he appeared weary as he tried to calm a screaming infant.
Sasuke watched Kakashi cuddle and rock Sakura, though his efforts were futile. A calm feeling overtook him as he was reminded it was just a bad memory; this was his life now.
Only he could be soothed by the screams of the discontented infant.
Rin had spent the late night and day with them; with the help of Naruto, they took care of Sakura together while Sasuke attempted to sleep. However, rest evaded him. He awoke every time the baby was in need of something, as if he was designed to respond to her cries. He would attempt to enter the tiny living room, only to be forced back down into the dirt basement by a barking Naruto, yelling things akin to "It's still daylight, you dumbass!" and "I will not hesitate to slap you if you open this door again!" Because of this, Kakashi also suffered; he awoke that evening unusually tired though still very willing to help care for the pink haired girl.
Rin had left in the early afternoon, much to Sasuke's chagrin, to find a bed and other necessities for Sakura. She turned over her baby leadership role to Naruto. Surprisingly, Naruto somehow managed to do an okay job with the baby, though he did put a diaper on her inside out. Thankfully, he realized his mistake before a disaster could strike.
As much as he had fought it, they were not prepared for the amount of difficulty caring for an infant presented. Even Kakashi looked wiped, though he refused to admit it. Thirsty and sleep-deprived, Sasuke began to nod off once more, his head bouncing against the wall in an effort to stay upright. He needed to stay awake.
Kakashi had a crying Sakura leaning against his shoulder as he patted her back, attempting to appease her. "Babies have sensitive stomachs. Maybe she senses we are tense and is stressed out as well," he explained to Sasuke, who was only half-listening at that point.
A vile sound of projectile vomiting filled the air. For the second time in less than 24 hours, Kakashi was Sakura's bodily fluid dumping ground.
Sasuke rebounded from his sleepy state and jumped up to help him, taking Sakura, who was no longer crying, into his arms. Kakashi threw off his shirt and handed it to Sasuke, who was carefully holding the baby with one arm. "Use the clean side to wipe her face, and then the floor. It's unfortunate, but I have nothing else at the moment..."
After changing his clothes again, he returned to find a quiet Sakura settled on a pile of soft blankets on the floor; Sasuke was resting, though awake, against the unfinished wall once more. Rin had made the baby a makeshift bed earlier that day, though Sakura didn't seem to mind it at all. It suited her needs perfectly.
"If throwing up on me keeps her happy, then it is a sacrifice I am willing to make." Kakashi chuckled and sat down beside her as Sakura wiggled and squirmed. She looked at Kakashi and gurgled, her eyes bright. They were the perfect shade of jade. "We need to get toys for her. I have a feeling she is bored. Babies need enrichment."
"Hn." Sasuke mumbled in reply.
It was early evening; the sun had set only an hour or so ago, and Kakashi had sent Naruto to Steve's with simple yet explicit instructions: "Explain the situation. Follow all orders. Don't be a moron." The elder vampire could only hope that Naruto wised up and acted like a good employee, at least for a little while. Sasuke was nervous Naruto would ruin his unbuilt reputation, and it took a lot of convincing on Kakashi's part to allow the arrangement to go through.
Kakashi swallowed; his dry throat itched, making him uncomfortable. He needed blood. Sasuke, younger and weaker due to age, needed to feed more often. Kakashi could get away without blood a week or so, but waiting so long had negative consequences on his energy and his abilities.
As they waited for the time to pass, he decided he would accompany Sasuke to Rin's. Sasuke could use the extra protection as he carried the baby, and Kakashi would be able to stop by the bar on the way home.
He was also extremely curious as to how Naruto was holding up. It would be just his luck if they arrived and Naruto had burned the tavern down, reducing it to ashes. It wouldn't surprise Kakashi in the least.
He looked at his watch; it was one of the few new technologies he owned. He wouldn't necessarily be against owning other things, but the cost of them always seemed to stand in the way. Kakashi stood, brushing his pants off as he went. "Sasuke, we should leave soon. I imagine Rin will be home shortly, if she isn't already."
Sasuke silently nodded as he watched Sakura kick and make inadvertently comical faces at him. After gathering their belongings and slipping on his shoes, he carefully collected the bundled babe in his arms. Sakura acknowledged the change of scenery, looking around as though she hadn't spent the entire day in that particular room. As they left the shack, Sasuke held her very close, trying to help keep her warm during the chilly early spring night.
After journeying for a time, Rin's apartment building slowly came into view. It was an older building, and like much of this particular part of town, had seen better days. Two stories tall, it was in need of some outside repairs. It didn't seem to bother Rin at all, who had made herself a nice spot to call home there.
As they made their way closer to their destination, Kakashi pointed out a running figure heading their way.
Rin's short hair bobbed about her head, her black skirt flapping at her knees as she ran towards the people she had been eagerly waiting to see.
"Hey!" She giggled, waving as she caught up to them. "I was wondering when you dudes were going to show up. I've been home for a while now."
Kakashi smiled as he shrugged. "We didn't want to show up to an empty house with a very disgruntled little girl. She would probably wake the entire building's occupants..."
"Oh?" Rin looked down at Sakura, who appeared to be a bit drowsy. "Is she being a handful?"
"She forced me to change my clothes. Again."
Rin clapped her hands gently together as she laughed. Apparently, the thought of Kakashi covered in disgusting fluids was comical to everyone but him.
"Well, come on up. I got a nice area ready for you two, Sasuke." She turned on her heels, her black boots clacking against the pavement. She heard the men shuffling behind her, following her lead.
After climbing the set of stairs to her second floor apartment, Rin fiddled with the lock for a moment before leading them in. Both men were pleased with all of Rin's hard work, but Kakashi was especially enchanted.
Rin had obviously put a large amount of effort into making a place for her guests.
She rearranged her furniture to better suit all of Sakura's new things. The couch was covered in sheets, blankets, and several pillows. Rin had pushed it against the wall to make room for a small cradle placed beside it. A play pen sat bundled up nearby, while several toys were left in a bright, pink crate. Rin had also set up a plastic changing stand on her coffee table; a number of new diapers were stacked underneath. She had also taken the time to cover her all her windows in several layers of thick, black fabric.
Kakashi was the first to speak his gratitude. "Rin, this is wonderful. Thank you so much for your kindness."
Sasuke slightly nodded in agreement. He was embarrassed by her immense charity and by being reminded, once again, of his poverty. Still, inside he was grateful. "Thank you."
Slightly smug, Rin couldn't help but brag a little when she remarked that she got a good deal she got on everything. "I know how to pinch my pennies," she explained with a wink. "Also, I talked to some people when I was in Greater Konoha. I may have found an electrician! But, I'm kind of worried. Won't he be… uh, suspicious of why you are destroying all those old buildings? And why you live in the tiny building, away from everything?"
Kakashi's eye crinkled. "I'm not too concerned. I have a way of handling that sort of situation. Thank you again, Rin."
"No problem!" Rin eagerly nodded before she turned her attention to settling Sakura into her new, albeit temporary, home.
If Kakashi wasn't charmed before, he was now. It had been a long, long time since a mortal had showed him any sort of kindness. All others saw him and his kin as monsters, things to be feared; things that you should run from, not assist. Rin was different. Special.
"Don't even think about it," he insisted to himself. "Nothing good can come from those type of thoughts."
After Sakura was carefully settled into her new bed, Kakashi asked Rin if he could borrow
Sasuke for a few minutes. "I think we should make a trip to the bar to check on Naruto and discuss the current situation with Steve." She smiled in return. "Sure. Sakura and I can hang out together until you get back, Sasuke."
"That's assuming Naruto hasn't gotten himself killed yet," Sasuke pointed out.
"Now now, don't make unfair assumptions. So long as he has kept to himself and remained quiet, he should be just fine," Kakashi said, not mentioning he had thought something similar earlier.
Shock rolled over Sasuke's back like a cold chill, while Kakashi's mask hid his gaping mouth.
Kakashi had hoped things had been, at minimum, okay with his other mentee, but he didn't expect… this.
A decent sized crowd had formed around the obnoxiously loud blonde at the bar. They were all laughing hysterically, as if he had just told the funniest joke in the world. Even the tavern's owner, Steve, had graced the group with his presence. He appeared positively tickled. Sasuke didn't realize demons were capable of such joyous giggling. Meanwhile, Naruto, who had a towel thrown over his shoulder as though he were a seasoned employee, shushed them. "Wait! I haven't even told you guys the best part yet! You won't believe what happened after that…"
Shell shocked, the vampires had yet to make it past the welcome mat. "Well. This is unexpected." Kakashi scratched his head. "Should we interrupt him? He appears to be on a roll, so to speak…"
"Screw that. I'm thirsty." Sasuke began to make his way towards the bar, his hands in his pockets. He exuded confidence, refusing to falter when he heard Naruto mention his name. What was the moron doing?
When his best friend saw him, he beamed. "Sasuke! I was just talking about you!"
Sasuke cocked an eyebrow as he tried to find an empty stool to sit on, but stayed silent. After seating himself, he slightly raised his hand. Understanding him immediately, Naruto began to move about the bar.
"Guys," the were-fox continued as he grabbed glasses and cups from beneath the counter. "This is Sasuke. You know, the famous vampire."
Sasuke glared at Naruto, not appreciating his introduction. Naruto flashed a smile and gave Sasuke a thumb's up, as if Sasuke were in on this little joke of his.
However, Sasuke was slightly surprised when people began introducing themselves.
"Sasuke, what a pleasure! I'm Nalia from Kumo."
"It's nice to meet you, Sasuke."
"Naruto has told us a lot about you! Is it true you took down an army of a fifty vampires on your own?"
"I what?" Bombarded, Sasuke stammered. "I…"
"I wouldn't say it was fifty vampires," Kakashi, who had appeared beside Sasuke, piped in. "It was more like twenty or twenty five. Naruto exaggerates sometimes, heh." He slapped Sasuke's shoulder like a proud father while he made himself comfortable in a seat beside him. "That's our amazing Sasuke for you!"
"The fuck?" Sasuke mumbled under his breath. What were these two crazies thinking, lying like that?
"Wow," a bar patron exclaimed. "That's so amazing. I was worried about vamps moving into town, but now that I know you aren't out for blood, it's great you're here!"
"You will protect our village, right?"
"We have many mortals here. Can you protect them as well?"
"Ohf - of course. With my life. My family always protected the village, no matter who lived here. I look forward to doing the same." He conveniently left out that his family had terrorized the mortals of the village, torturing them and draining them in front of their loved ones; the people were eventually driven out by their fear of death early on. The Uchiha eventually were forced to hunt elsewhere.
Satisfied with this answer, the strangers began to talk amongst themselves again. Sasuke looked hard at Kakashi, realization hitting him.
Naruto, as dense as he could be, was talking Sasuke up. He was doing what Sasuke had hoped to do while working at the tavern - making a positive reputation for himself while influencing the locals to be on his side.
Naruto brought them their drinks: a tall glass for Sasuke, and, naturally, a to-go cup for Kakashi. He eagerly slammed himself down in a seat at the table with them. "How are things? You know, with that thing you just recently aquired."
Tempted to beat him for referring to her as a thing, Sasuke began to speak, but was cut off by Kakashi. "Settling in well, it seems. The other thing, the one we just met, did a wonderful job making the thing at home."
Did they both have a death wish?
He opened his mouth again to protest, and, once more, he was cut off by someone. Steve had appeared suddenly, a strange smile on his face. Sasuke guessed that perhaps it was because he was a demon, and smiling so naturally was a struggle for them.
The local language not in his native tongue, the tavern owner spoke their names in his accent. "Sastay, Narubo tells meh you has a young child now living with ya. Strange, it is. But, good fora you. Take as much time at home as needed. Just come back when youra ready."
Sasuke forced his pride down his throat. Just a few weeks ago, before they had moved back to the village, he hadn't realized just how much bullshit he had to shove from his mouth in order to please people. He reminded himself of a higher goal as he attempted a smile. "Thank you, Steve. I will return soon."
"Narubo isa fun. Strange, but very, very funny."
Feigning a bashful nature, Naruto blushed and looked away. "Aw, gee. I just like it here, Steve. It's the best tavern we've ever visited!"
If Sasuke could vomit like a mortal, he would have at that moment.
"Take a break, Narubo, but not tooa long. Need help cleaning. Night is young."
When Steve left, Naruto's fakery faded, and he turned smug. "You owe me, Sasuke. Big time." His words were serious, but he smirked.
"I didn't know you had it in you. Great job, Narubo." Kakashi laughed at his own joke while Naruto joined him. Stoic, Sasuke drank his blood, looking forward to being away from them for a few days.
He didn't realize that dealing with Naruto's shenanigans paled in comparison when it came to caring for Sakura… alone.
Author's Note:
This is the longest chapter so far!
Writing the first part of this chapter was difficult for me. It was hard to write, but it begins to explain some of Sasuke's pain. There will be many dark, sad things happening soon. Look forward to it!
My favorite stories are the kind that you invest a lot of emotion into. Sadness is important. It can't always be unicorns, candy, and rainbows.
The time skips are coming. Sakura is going to be such a fun kid... until tragedy strikes.
Reviews are loved, appreciated, and can help shape the future of the story.
