Summary: For Sasuke, it's just another town. Only more people. What makes Konoha different? And what additions to his coven have been kept untold? A very vague summary. . It's AU, and I added one OC. Sorry!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto! (Only Itachi's heart.)

This ones mostly dialogue. Just moving along the plot.


Sasuke can hear the huff before every prolonged scream, the rustling finger tips as they grab for anything, everything

Sasuke can hear the huff before every prolonged scream, the rustling finger tips as they grab for anything, everything. He can see blood seep into the threads of the limp carpet. His tongue burns painfully, and he can taste the rusty sting in each of her elongated sips, stale in the air. He sits up, poised, eyes and ears piqued.

The shadowed man gasps again, kicking into the lithe phantom beside him. Cusses stream raggedly through his chapped lips; Sasuke can see him crack a tear.

"You shouldn't stay," Kakashi had said to him. Sasuke had answered tersely, telling him he knew reality was far colder than the teacher's novels led on.

The last beastly gulp climaxes, and the man's stiff neck snaps as his head limps backward, mouth parted toward the ceiling, green eyes ablaze. He leaks his own blood. Sasuke's face darkens, and he stalks silently toward the corpse. His middle and forefinger shut the man's milky lids. "How are you?"

Sakari swallows loudly, raising her head and wiping her sticky lips; her eyes close as she lets out a breathy sigh. Kakashi, beside her, pulls back the dead body, laying it quickly onto the floor. His gaze lingers on it. Wearily, Sakari's joins. "I'm fine."

From the doorway, a thin servant rushes to Kakashi at a signal, fastening the corpse in their arms. Sakari continues to watch the bloodied carpet patch.

"Send for Kabuto," Kakashi says smoothly to the servant. They nod twice before hobbling away.

"What was the bastard in jail for?" Sakari coughs. She smudges the flecks of crimson on her palm.

"He raped a kid," Sasuke says quickly, "then killed him. This one deserved what he got."

"We took him from a place kilometers away," Kakashi continues, patting the wet ground with his shoe. "He had no family. It's like he was never alive."

Sakari licks her lips, turning away from the scene. "It always is," she says tiredly.

Kabuto appears at the doorway; he regards Sakari with feinted concern before stepping deeper into the dark room. He opens his mouth curtly, "I see you've eaten. Shall we get your wound checked again?"

She answers by maneuvering her loose T-shirt and turning so her back is to him. Kakashi leaves immediately, whistling to himself and pocketing both hands; Sasuke doesn't move.

Kabuto walks to her, gloved hangs running down the right side of her back. He clenches the bottom of the shirt and lifts it carelessly to reveal crimson bandages. "Now would be the time to leave, Sasuke," he says cheerfully, his tone detached from the situation.

Sasuke, biting his tongue sharply, nods and leaves hesitantly. His eyes never leave Sakari's.

"Your skin's awfully cold for someone who's just drinken," Kabuto notes. She sits still with curved frown. "Hold your shirt down right there." He leads her hands to a high point of her back. He peels the bandages from her stained skin, relishing the shluck of her blood like an awaited victory. The flat of his fingertips runs over her half-clotted gash.

Sakari doesn't wince but watches the window, focusing on the half-torn branch raking the old glass. Its dull leaves sag in fatigue.

"Not talking to me?" he says. "That isn't very," he slaps on a long cloth across her wound, "kind." He cleans the cracked cliffs of the cut with a new gentleness. "Though you and I are no strangers to hostility."

Sakari asks casually, "Did you write up a report?"

Swabbing thick medicine, Kabuto answers, "Of course."

"And did you suffer from distinguishing what you would tell?"

Kabuto considers, pausing in his administrations. "To a certain degree."

She continues no longer and instead exhales evenly.

"Why do you ask?" His tone is curious.

"Because."

Unwraveling fresh bandages, Kabuto leans towards her ear. "Were you hoping that I'd report your wounds? Were you hoping that he'd drop everything and just come back?"

Her shoulder blades twitches a centimeter to the right. "Not the way you do."

His composure slips grimly, but he 'hm's beneath his breath, shrugging. "No, you aren't that type of person," he says with disregard to her reply. His quick hands latch the thick cloth around her forming scar; he tightens it with a final knot and presses down with a firm hand. "That should hold," he nods.

Sakari lets her shirt fall again and slides off the table. She faces him, cocking her head slightly. "Thanks."

"I didn't do it for you," he smiles blandly.

"And I didn't say thank you," she shrugs. She streches her arms lazily. "How much did you report?"

"Oh, everything," Kabuto curls his lip, "and nothing."


"So what do you want to do with him?" Kakashi asks for the third time. His eyes crinkle at the sides as he peeks from behind his book, "Or is that a private question?"

Sasuke manifests only a slight narrow of eyes, crimson rushing to his cheeks. The two sit in one of the mansion's many dens. An elaborately crystalled chandelier burns above them, and three sofas and an armchair scatter around it. Poking an open-mouthed Naruto, Sasuke shifts with a frown. "Can't we decide after he wakes up?" The boy was still out cold, and Kakashi's constant insisting was all that kept Sasuke from thinking the boy dead.

"It'll be too late then," Kakashi hums to himself, flipping a couple of pages. "'Cause then you'll either have to tell him or--"

"Not tell him," Sasuke grunts. His eyes burn towards the room he'd left only fifteen minutes before. He is forced to swallow his own blood as his teeth sink into his tongue; he growls lowly in response.

"Now what are you worried about?" Kakashi says, looking from Sasuke to the door. His free arm loosens around the back of the worn couch. "I'm sure those two won't hurt each other too bad, no matter how unfriendly they are." A vein throbs in Sasuke's temple, and he tears his gaze back to Kakashi.

Kakashi whistles thoughtfully, "But that isn't your concern."

"Shut up," Sasuke says, turning away.

Kakashi scratches the back of his head, smiling uneasily. "You're worse than Kabuto."

Sasuke growls, "It's different."

"It's the same," Kakashi shrugs. With that, he lifts his book to cover his face.

Crossing his arms, Sasuke sits back into his lumpy chair. He concentrates darkly on the limp blonde in front of him, erasing every anxiety pulsing at his temples.

Naruto lies on the wooden table where Kabuto had dumped him, face up with even breaths. Kabuto had treated his bruises almost hours ago; it felt like days. Sasuke rests his elbows on his knees, folding his hands and pressing his chin against them. Nothing made sense.

Sasuke had been told all his life that vegetables travelled alone, always integrating with other humans. They chose a more peaceful existance to coincide with their unique eating habits. 'Vegetarians' drank only animals' blood. It sounded noble enough, until the excess in beasts' blood made them crazy, and their craving for human water uplifted their senses. Then they would become a rogue, someone truly worth the name 'vampire'.

Sasuke pulls off the leather strap tied to his wrist and unties its knot, so it hangs as a long string. He loops it around his forefinger.

Why then did they mention a leader? What purpose did they have for banding together? A protest? A rebellion? The only benefit their banding would bring would be in explaining their desire for a lynch. Why else but to pique his brother?

"You decide what to do with the kid yet?"

Sitting up, Sasuke faces the newcomer. "Kabuto, where's--"

"She wanted to sleep," Kabuto shrugs and pulls off his thin-framed glasses. He blinks several times, rubbing his eyes. "What a ruse," he says with a change of subject. He tosses his false glasses onto a sofa before falling into it.

"They look cool," Kakashi says from his book.

"Why don't you try them then?" Kabuto asks. The silver-haired boy stretches his arms.

"Not my style."

Kabuto asks again, "Did you decide what to do with the kid?"

"What can we do?" Sasuke says, bringing his attention back to his limp friend.

"Wait for your brother's judgement," Kabuto answers. "But I figured you wouldn't like to wait."

"You're going to send him a message?" Sasuke asks.

"No, I've already sent him this week's report," Kabuto replies easily.

"Report?"

Kabuto raises a brow. "Didn't you know? He instructed for the three of us--Kakashi, Sakari, and myself--to send frequent reports upon his leave. However, he seldom replies."

"Huh." Thinking, Sasuke resumes his previous position, hunched over, fingers meshed.

"I could wait," Kakashi says blankly. "Now, could Naruto?"

"We'll take a risk."

Sasuke looks at Kabuto, narrowing his eyes. "You're serious?"

"Why not?" Kabuto shrugs. "Don't you trust the leader of your coven--No, your own brother to reply punctually?"

"No," is the young Uchiha's reply.

"So we're waiting?" Kakashi asks.

Kabuto answers, "Yes."

"Don't I get a say in this?" Sasuke stares darkly towards the later speaker.

"If you find an idea, over time, then yeah," Kakashi says thoughtfully. "But you need an idea. I'm going home."

"Me as well," Kabuto stands, turning to Sasuke. "Unless you want me to stay for--" he nods to Naruto "--him."

"I'll take care of him," Sasuke says. His frown mollifies. "And Sakari is staying over."

Kabuto's smile grows sour. "And isn't she just a prodgey?"

"She is," Kakashi tilts his head before cloing his book and getting to his feet, "says Iruka. On many occasions."

"Of course," Kabuto replaces his un-prescribed glasses. "Good night, Kakashi. Sasuke."

"Same to you, Yakushi," says Kakashi. "Don't expect me in class tomorrow, both of you. I'm--uh," he considers, "unwell."

Sasuke snorts, standing out of respect. "Good night."

The others nod before leaving the raven-haired immortal alone to sit under yellow lights and watch the trees scrape the windows.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto! (Only Itachi's heart.)