Immortal Chapter 14: Awkward, a naruto fanfic

-1Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

A.N: I tried to get this out sooner, and shockingly I finished this earlier than I had anticipated. An informative chapter.

XxX Chapter 13 XxX

Heavy breathing could be heard coming in short uneven intervals. The figure leaned heavily against a rock. With effort he picked himself up and dove into the river in hopes of getting away; escaping from his pursuers. They were zeroing in on him, it had been weeks since he had been on the run. Now was the perfect time to get away, and he would. With that in mind he let the current take him, down and down the stream, where a waterfall awaited him.

Ha! try following me now, bastards.

"Gaara, status report" came the bellowing voice of one very angry commander.

Gaara stared at him with indifferent jade eyes "Everything's going well, nothing you should be concerned about"

This did nothing to help the commander's already angered state, if anything Gaara's indifference made it boil over "Don't you dare talk to your superior like that!, I have a good mind to take you off this assignment"

"And I have a good mind to kill you" Gaara whispered to himself.

"What was that!" the commander shouted, face turning an impeccable shade of red.

"I apologize for my insolence, oh great commander"

The commander in question narrowed his eyes, not quite sure of what to think of Gaara's words. It seemed though that he accepted them and their false sincerity as he turned on his heel and left without another word.

"As if I'd ever listen to him" Gaara said aloud as he continued his trek to the dome. Apparently they wanted a word with him. A new assignment and hopefully under a different commander.

He was tied to chair. He was tied to a fucking chair. Why the fuck was he tied to a goddamn fucking chair!?

"If you don't stop squirming, I'll keep you tied up longer. And you wouldn't want that now, would you Sasuke?"

And Sasuke stopped. There sitting next to him was Naruto, in all his impeccable glory. Looking at him as if he was quite comfortable on the floor.

"Do you feel better?"

He kept his mouth firmly shut, not exactly knowing what to say or describe what he was feeling. The pain hadn't subsided in the least, it had been a few days now. And the whole time he had been kept in this chair that he had come to loathe. And Naruto had stayed, watching him with a certain gleam in his eye. He probably got some sick satisfaction in causing him pain, and without lifting a finger.

He hadn't spoken to him, better yet his actions spoke louder than words. He had launched himself at Naruto as soon as he had come close. His instincts kicked in and he wanted more of his blood. Kyuubi had intervened, glaring at him. His hate or was it resentment doubling. But if he didn't know any better he'd push the incident aside as just any other incident.

But the fact was that he did know better, Naruto had deliberately made himself vulnerable and susceptible to any attack- defenseless- knowing that he'd attack. And if Kyuubi hadn't come along he was sure that Naruto would have let him drink his fill. If his hunger could ever be quenched, now that he had tasted such pure blood.

The days that followed were filled with Naruto's inquiries and Itachi's frequent visits. And today was no different, Naruto's trivial if not routine questions filled the room.

"Don't tell me you're so weak that you can't speak" Naruto stated, never questioned.

"Or does it have to do with the fact that you're scared of me, now that you know who I am…and what I can do."

"Who said I'm scared" Sasuke growled out, the first time he'd spoken since he found out that Naruto, this guy, was the pureblood- the originator.

"Ah, well its good to see your not a coward. I hate cowards"

"But, aren't you a coward yourself?" Sasuke questioned.

"What?" Naruto said taken aback.

"You, the pureblood. Everyone knows that you're dead, well that's what everyone's come to believe because no one has seen you for centuries. The only ones who think you're still alive are called crazy. You've been hiding from the world isn't that right? You're a coward, too scared to come out of hiding"

"You have no idea what's been going on" Naruto said inching closer.

"Doesn't matter, the point is you're hiding…you're a coward" Sasuke said decisively.

Naruto looked away, trying to form words that would enlighten Sasuke on the severity of it all. That he had to hide, better yet run away. If he was stupid enough to stop and fight all those that were after him, then surely he would lose. He would be outnumbered and outwitted, after all he might as well fight with a blindfold. There were too many wildcards that were being used against him. One being that he didn't know the faces of those against him. Everyone could be his enemy, everyone.

"You're one to talk, you're hiding as well" it seemed that no enlightening words had formed.

Sasuke stilled and Naruto walked away.

"You can get up now"

Sasuke looked at his bound body and then looked at Naruto, thinking that Naruto was mocking him. Knowing full well that he couldn't get up. When he did try he was surprised that he could stand, nearly falling in his wake.

"I found a deer, earlier. It's still alive" with those words Naruto exited through the door.

Sasuke looked around and sure enough, through the tiny window he could see a magnificent deer tied to a tree. Did Naruto just…no he just- Sasuke shook his head.

Did Naruto really bring him something to eat?

"So how is he?"

"He should be fine, it took longer than I had anticipated for the thirst to subside. It probably has to do with the fact that he's a half blood."

"You know you didn't have to check on him"

"I know. I just-" Naruto stopped himself.

"Just?" Itachi questioned.

"Nothing, never mind"

Itachi went to open the door, to the room in which Sasuke resided in.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you"

Itachi stilled.

"Even though his thirst for my blood is calmed, it doesn't mean that the thirst itself is gone. I'm sure that he'll break down the door to get the nearest source of blood- and yes that includes us as well. It would be best if we all just stayed out of his way. There's a deer outside that should satiate him"

"Why are you so sure?"

"I've had my share of very hungry vampires and have dealt with the insatiables"

"Insatiables?"

"Oh surely, you've run across one of their kind"

Itachi's silence and questioning eyes was his answer and he arched an eyebrow in disbelief.

"The raving mad ones, the insane vampires who know only one truth and that is to feed. To drink blood and kill. They show no human behaviors or thought processes except their survival instincts"

"The insatiables" Itachi repeated.

"Well that's what we called them back then, when we hunted them down to the brink of extinction"

"There was no other way, they would not stop killing and feeding. They weren't discrete about it either. It is because of them that our existence became known to humans."

"But, how did they come to be insatiables"

"They were born that way"

"How?"

"There are no necessary methods that one has to take to make one of our kind into mindless, bloodsucking creatures. When, you turn a human they don't always take well to the change- our blood will act like a poison. Some die shortly afterward and some just…go raving mad and those are the insatiables. There is no way of controlling them, they are stronger and faster than any regular vampire. They are a force to be reckoned with"

"There is no such thing, we weren't told of them"

"You don't need to be told, you can see with your own eyes. From what I've gathered over the course of my life and experiences there is one insatiable for every ten vampires. There is no way that they can be completely wiped out of existence. Either you've found a way to treat them or-" a look of realization overtook Naruto's features and suddenly his voice wasn't so charismatic anymore as he spoke the words with venom.

"The senate. It was their doing, I'm sure"

"What does the senate have to do with anything?" Itachi questioned not really understanding how the insatiable and the senate came hand in hand.

"Think about it. The senate controls what goes on with a vampire's daily life even if their guiding hands are hidden away, the point is that they are there. Watching us. It wouldn't surprise me if they kept the insatiable away- killing them in silence. The insatiables are after all a great threat to out secrecy. We live in a time where vampires are no longer hunted down by vampire slayers. We have become a myth and it would be best if we stayed just that. Do you get it?"

Itachi nodded, comprehending where Naruto was getting at.

"So to keep any possibility of others trying to create an insatiable or find one for whatever means the senate-" Naruto trailed off

"Made their complete existence a secret"

"Exactly"

"But if the senate was willing to go so far as to keep us in the dark of a different kind of vampire, then that means that surely they could be keeping other things from all of us"

"Yes, I wouldn't put it past them if anything I should have expected you to not know. But, who knows what they want from me now, surely they want more- everything…"

"Naruto, what are you hiding?"

Naruto looked at Itachi, no he really looked at him. Looking at those wise, imploring ebony eyes that seemed to know more than they let on.

"Nothing" he answered dispassionately.

"You're lying"

"I know…", Itachi waited for him to continue, "..but it- I can't tell you. I can't trust either of you I can't even trust Kyuubi with it. It is for me to know and no one to find out"

And when he finally let that sentence spew from his lips he felt something within him unwind. He had never voiced out his cynical distrust for others and he suddenly felt so cold. Really seeing the line that divided him and everyone else. What he saw…it wasn't pretty.

"Eventually you'll need to talk about it. You can't do it alone, no one can. "

"Yes, eventually but not now"

"You may not trust me, but I can trust you"

"How can you be so sure, I can betray you. I can throw you to your executioners without a thought" Naruto said angrily, his composure not perfectly intact.

"You could but I know you won't"

"You can't trust someone without a basis behind it, you can't trust a stranger you've barely met"

"I haven't and I won't. Your not a stranger because within me, within every vampire out there, there is a part of you infused in our blood. You-the first vampire to walk this earth. The Father of our kind, the pureblood"

"Pureblood" Naruto said with a laugh "is that what it means to you?"

Itachi was silent looking at Naruto with critical eyes, not finding the matter funny at all "What does that word mean to you?" he questioned.

"It means everything"

"And nothing" Itachi added.

Naruto smiled "Yes, and nothing. Loneliness, betrayal and heartache; that is what it means to me"

Itachi looked on with silence not knowing what exactly to say to someone who sounded like they didn't care anymore "You're a sad creature"

"Well I wouldn't say it like that… but yes I can agree with you in that"

They stood in silence, not knowing what else to say to each other, or better yet how to. It stay that way for long however.

"Why have you come out of hiding?" Itachi asked, hinting that he had overheard his and Sasuke's conversation.

"Now is not the time for those questions, we must inform the others of our little discovery"

"Alright"

"We must outmaneuver them, with quick efficiency without that we are lost. The senate has grown in power and surely in intelligence"

"Will you ever tell us-" Itachi trailed off.

"Don't worry, I will tell you some things- all of you- in due time"

The truth was that he didn't want to, even if he had promised. There were just some things that he just could not talk about and he hoped he didn't have to. Though he wasn't one to hope so he let a part of himself believe.

He devoured the blood, drank the animal dry. It hadn't taken long for the desire to drink to overwhelm him when he stared at the deer. He had jumped out of the window and caught his prey. It had bucked wildly, running in every direction but held back by the rope that bound it. Its shrieks died quickly.

When he was done he acted quickly and disposed of the cooling body. He had enough sense to get rid of it before it started to rot, and garner an unwanted and undesirable odor.

"Did you have a nice meal?"

Sasuke stared at Naruto's figure, surprised that even after their heated conversation that he was well…not avoiding him.

"Thanks" he said quietly.

"What was that?, I couldn't quite hear you do you mind repeating it again."

Sasuke let out a bemused sigh "You already heard me the first time, and I'm not going to say it a second time"

Naruto gave a low grunt "Well you're no fun"

Sasuke opened his mouth to say something, anything but found that Naruto beat him to the punch.

"You missed a very interesting meeting, though I'm sure your brother will inform you about all that was discussed"

"Yeah, whatever"

Naruto continued to stare at him, searchingly. And to be frank it unnerved him not that he'd ever admit that to Naruto, not in a million years.

"Do you miss your mother?" Naruto asked quietly looking off into the distance, shielding his eyes from Sasuke.

Sasuke hadn't expected such an abrupt question and if it wasn't for the sincerity in his voice, the true curiosity that could be heard he would have punched Naruto. If it had been in any other tone he would have done so without hesitation. It wasn't mocking and it surprised, I truly did because here he thought that Naruto was a very mocking individual not to mention an insensitive ass hole.

It wasn't the first time that he was proven wrong, but then again Naruto was very confusing with his shifting moods and his muddled intentions. Was this the nice Naruto?

"Yes" Sasuke said evenly.

"What was she like?"

"Kind and affectionate. What about yours?"

"I don't know?"

"Huh?" Sasuke asked perplexed.

"I don't remember having a mother, I think- I think….I did though"

It was then that he realized who exactly he was talking to. In their studies of the originator- Naruto, but they hadn't given him a name because no one knew what it was- they had never discussed anything of him having a mother, just that he had made and cared for more of their kind.

If there was a father, then surely there must have been a mother too….right?

He was silent for the longest, and so was Naruto- thinking very hard. Trying to remember any recollection of having a mother. He felt like the most insensitive vampire in the world in that moment when he looked at Naruto and at his concentration. Had he ever thought of it, of parents? Had he completely not known or thought of having parents? He didn't know and he wanted to find out. Sadly their little conversation came to the close when another ventured into the room.

"Lady Tsunade I've found an intruder" Shizune interrupted, her voice not in the least worried.

The intruder was struggling to get out of her hold "Let me go! you don't understand I have to find Naruto. Dammit let me go!"

"Zaku" Naruto said slowly.

Zaku looked up and went to him when Shizune finally let him go.

"What are you doing here?" Naruto questioned coldly.

"I needed to see you" he moved closer to Naruto, and embraced him. Naruto stiffened but he paid it no mind.

"Zaku" Naruto said in warning and slowly he retracted himself, loving the warmth that washed over him and the scent that had soaked into his clothes.

"Were you even thinking?"

"What?" Zaku dubiously asked.

"It was stupid of me to place any trust in you, any trust that you would stay away until I came to you. Now I'm paying the price"

Zaku looked confused, not quite realizing what Naruto was hinting at, and feeling angry all the same because Naruto was disappointed at him. Regretting that they had met and he clenched his fists.

"They followed you" Naruto said, his eyes closed shut.

"No, I led them away, giving them false trails and I lost them in the waterfall. They couldn't track my scent"

Naruto turned away from Zaku and was now looking at Sasuke "Sasuke, tell the others that we are no longer safe here and that we must leave immediately"

Sasuke left without a word.

"Who is he?" Zaku questioned with frustration and a hint of jealousy that Naruto didn't catch, too busy thinking and calculating the severity of the blunder Zaku had made.

"No, one you should worry about"

And even with those words that should have comforted him, he did worry. A lot.

They were in a cave, taking a short break. They had been running for a whole day. It was raining and that was a good thing since the rain covered their scent- their trail. The downside was that it was harder to keep a fast pace. It was slippery and Zaku had slipped and gotten a nasty blow to the head.

"Have you heard anything from them" Sasuke inquired.

"No, in this weather and at this location we won't be able to get a good signal. We will know all that we need to know when we get to the rendezvous."

"Honestly Naruto associating with him" here he pointed at a sleeping Zaku, "if only I hadn't left you alone we could have avoided that run in and ultimately our current situation" Kyuubi said in clipped tones.

Naruto ignored the comment and checked to see how Zaku was doing, he was after all unconscious.

"Believe it or not Kyuubi he will be useful after all he's one of Orochimaru's fledglings"

Kyuubi stiffened "That's even more of a reason for us to not associate with him!"

"Kyuubi calm down, he's on my side. He has cut his ties with Orochimaru, his loyalties lie with me"

Kyuubi didn't look convinced, far from it but he kept his silence. At the moment it was only the four of them. They had parted ways, it would be easier to lose their pursuers if they separated into two smaller groups, and even though it would have been better if they were in groups of two the forming of the groups wouldn't work out. Itachi, Tsunade, Shizune and Jiraiya had gone together and that left the remaining of them as a group. Though Kyuubi had been firm about staying with Naruto.

There was a groan that signaled the awakening of their slumbering companion.

"Ughh, what the hell… my head hurts"

"You hit your head against a rock after you lost your footing" Naruto informed him.

Zaku gave a dazed smile "Naruto" he said slowly letting the name stretch and trail off.

"Snap out of it, we have to get going"

It would take them three more days until they were in the clear. And it would take them one more day to finally reach the rendezvous point.

"Do you see them?"

"No, but they should be here shortly. I can sense them and they're close. Very close"

"Are you sure that we should be so out in the open, in a such a", he trailed off looking at their surroundings bustling with life, "crowded place"

"Yes, not only does this provide us with coverage but it will be easier for Jiraiya to find us with so many humans around"

Zaku looked skeptical "But wouldn't it be easier for them, for the ones after us to pick us out?"

Naruto turned to him face solemn "They shouldn't even know where we are, we lost them. What would make you think that they are here, looking for us?"

Zaku looked around nervously and Naruto gave a thoughtful frown. Something didn't sit well with him. Why was Zaku acting so skittishly?

It was strange and made him give their surrounding area a once-over, several times over just in case.

Suddenly he looked at Zaku with doubt. Had Kyuubi been right, had it been wrong of him to believe that Zaku was on his side after all?

And in that moment he wasn't as confident as he'd been before.

There were bullets fired and soon everyone was running, everything was in chaos. People running and Naruto turned to Zaku his eyes ablaze with fury.

"You led them to us"

"No, I- I didn't meant to."

Naruto looked on in disbelief and he drew closer to Zaku menacingly.

"How dare you endanger them"

"I didn't know, that it was Orochimaru who sent them after me"

And just like that Naruto stilled. Orochimaru could not know of their partnership. And through the chaos Naruto commanded Zaku, told him what to do and what to say. Zaku disagreed vehemently but Naruto would have none of that. With an effective shove he was gone.

The firing had not ceased and only humans, he thought with relief, laid strewn down on the floor. They needed to get away, all of them especially Sasuke and Itachi. Who knew what would happen if Orochimaru's subordinates knew what they looked like or more importantly who they were.

He searched desperately for a familiar pale white face and found Sasuke being pushed through the running crowds, he ran quickly and took a hold of him. His hold unyielding as Sasuke struggled to get away and then realizing who it was, trying to keep up.

He ran from sight and eventually they were away from the disaster that had been waiting for them. He hoped that the rest got out safely. He clenched his fists at the thought of one of them dead. No! he would not let Orochimaru take the life of one more fledgling of his. If he did, his eyes blazed at the possibility, he would kill him. He wouldn't let him get away like last time. He would stain his hands with his own blood.

He glanced back at Sasuke and tightened his hold. Right now he had to protect him. Someone to feel needed. Neither would die on his watch, he assured himself.

He changed courses, heading towards the mountains that were at the horizon. Even though he wanted to go back and search for the others he willed himself to quench those feelings. Now was not the time to let his emotions get the best of him. It would never be alright. Having such strong emotions, he had learned that it was best to deprive himself of the things he craved and longed for.

He looked at Sasuke again.

But how long would he last until then. Could he really do it? And he knew that it would be impossible.

Sasuke was searching for any sign of the other group. He was growing impatient and worried. They hadn't heard any word from them and even though Kyuubi had told him that Naruto had sensed their oncoming approach he felt apprehensive and distrustful. And that Zaku, guy…well was an odd one. And had been glaring at him the whole time when he and Naruto had taken to the front of the group. He wondered if Kyuubi and him got along since they both liked boring holes into the back of his head. Naruto remained unawares, well if he knew then he didn't show any hint that he had noticed or cared.

He scanned the crowds again and a glint of to the side caught his attention. He searched the apartment windows and saw an eerie smiling pale face. His eyes widen in shock when he saw a gun. The person smirked and twirled its hand, his hand giving various signals. He looked around and to his horror he saw a dozen other pale faces stationed at the top of buildings with guns. They were surrounded he noted, they were in the center plaza.

"Kyuubi" he called but his warning came too late as the shots were fired.

They both ducked and hid. They were being targeted by other vampires.

"Stay down! I need to find Naruto" Kyuubi bellowed.

He stayed rooted, keeping clear of any bullets that came close. He looked up at the roofs of the high buildings and could make out more figures and to his amazement he could make out his brothers figure disarming a vampire. He gave a sigh of relief; the others had made it safely but now the problem was getting out.

Disregarding Kyuubi's order he left, mingling into the crowds. He couldn't just stay, he had to fight and help the others.

Before he could get very far he found a hand drag him away from the crowds and from the plaza. He struggled, naturally, but when he caught sight of that familiar blonde hair he stopped and let himself be dragged.

"We must get away" he heard Naruto say to him.

He couldn't help it, he looked back and he could see the distant dot of where they had been only minutes before. They were running so fast, they blurred into the scenery. None of the humans they passed saw them but could only feel the rush of wind that they had left behind.

He didn't know where they were going but he got a vague sense that they weren't going anywhere near civilization when he realized that they were going into the direction of the mountains.

They lay in the deep recedes of a cave high up a mountain. They could see each other perfectly well with their keen eye sight even without a fire. Their clothes were covered with dirt and foliage but neither said a word.

They were alone, in a cave, in the middle of nowhere and it was……..awkward.

Tbc…