"Kakashi," An said as he lifted up his cup of tea to have a slip. "Have you thought of the future?" He looked into the younger's eyes, which only half lidded eyes opened in alert. "I have been thinking of you and Naruto recently, after my "recovery"."
"I don't know, An-niisan… I want to be with him no matter what, and in fact, Kazu-niisan was sharing his experience to prolong his life span. Everything seems too good to be true, when I see glimpse of hope to be with him forever. Yet… at the same time, I am so afraid. I am scared, unsettled that I'll lose him again. I don't want to go through the dying pain and anger… I never tell him that, however, sometimes I am so scared that I feel like giving up."
"I understand," the older vampire answered, "so as Kazuhiko. That's why we have decided for you, if it is okay." He paused, "since you're no longer the carrier of Medusa, I would like to resume my bond with Tsuki. Furthermore, you would no longer serve my person unit, until," he gestured to prevent the younger to speak, "when Naruto formally join our clan." He folded his hands and leaned back, "at least that's the plan if I can convince Hiruzen-kun, to let go of the key member of Namikaze. There's high chance of disagreement, nonetheless, aren't you glad that your Kazu-nii is the oldest member of Namikaze, despite the fact that he stayed with us for long."
"But what about the Uzumaki? Naruto is still carrying their names…"
"I will handle that, don't you worry." An waved off the worry. "All you need to promise me that, Kakashi, take care of yourself as well as Naruto. We'll send you around the world trips, so that Naruto could fulfil his responsibility as a priest. Vampire hunter and his vampire assistant…" he grinned, "I can't wait to see your name shake the world, again."
"I think the world would be stunned, if you have both swords back, nii-san," Kakashi casted a warm smile back, "nonetheless, arigatou gozaimasu." He bowed while he remained seated. "Thank you for giving us a chance. By the way, niisan, what had happened when you were unconscious?"
An said nothing, but sighed. He discussed with the Fallen Angel, finally understood more, see the whole event more clearly. The pain that he has endured. He could not even let his assistant know, nowhere that he would ever tell the young vampire. "Nothing, I was dreaming."
"But you seems to have lots to say when you saw Naruto and I, at least that's what we think. There is so much that I wish I can help you. Maybe I am still young, in your eyes, but I would like to help out as much as I can, for your sake, as well as Kazu-niisan's."
"I am alright, thank you Kakashi, but nothing much that you could do. It's my task, as the head of clan. It's the burdens that I chose to bear, for the sake of it."
After the conversation between An & Kakashi, the same evening, in An's study
Yamato sat opposite of the vampire's assistant uncomfortably, waiting for the vampire. He has not bought in good news as he would have hoped. He tried all the points that Neji and himself prepared before he was sent off, yet no any hard works borne the fruit. The assistant said nothing, but prepared his usual camomile tea and put one cup in front of the mokuton user. "Drink up," he gestured.
"Hai." Yamato let the warm liquid to smooth his gut, which was tickling by his own thoughts and the urge to offer the nonsense that he was preparing to say. He wasn't sure whether it would be good to discuss with the assistant before the vampire's presence. He appreciated the guidance that the man has provided, and that he felt that they were closer to each other, not only master's assistant and himself as a servant, but more mentor of life and protege. Just as he gathered his thoughts and courage, before he has the glimpse chance to speak up, the vampire opened the wooden door.
The waff of sakura was so strong that Yamato noticed that Kazuhiko knitted his brows, removal his gaze to the side for a fraction of second. Obviously, the man still remembered the saga that they have in Misoka's place. The vampire placed the metallic suitcase by his feet as he sat at his usual spot. "So?" he questioned.
"The church seems subtle with our proposal, even though there are plenty of issues that we have to settle. Even though priests tend to have longer lifespan than others. They are more happy to see a fit and strong priest even pass their middle age. The only problem is heir and we haven't have many bargain chips to smooth it out."
"That's always an issue, with heirs, especially for clan with thin bloodline. Nonetheless, that's not an ace card. Since the name of Namikaze has less power than before, I think it would be the Uzumaki that Naruto has inherited would create trouble."
"Hai, exactly as you predicted, An-sama. The elders of Uzumaki rejected everything that we are offering." Yamato hesitated, "in fact, one of the elders suggested the term for them to let go of Naruto…" He gulped, "they want me, the only known mokuton user of Senju."
"What?" the assistant shocked. "How?"
An calmed his assistant and pulled the man back to his chair. "They are desperate, aren't they?" he gestured. "Did they not know that your mokuton came earlier than Hashimara-kun?"
"I'm not sure, as there was no chance for me to ask, the elders were prepared. Girls came in various direction, in different sizes and style, flooded the room."
"Those old slyly foxes," An commented. "Presumably all red-headed?"
"Hai," Yamato nodded.
"Red hair is the majority Uzumaki, I thought they would let you mate their snow white," An commented.
"Too risky to do that, after all there are many genes that Yamato is carrying can lead to a Sasaki heir. They would not want to have our gene to contaminate the pure white."
"it's a 50:50 game," An grinned. "And since they are so hopeless of having the right gene, I thought they will take the risk..."
"B-but, An-sama," Yamato interrupted." I am willing. If it's for Kakashi senpai."
"You're not gigolo, not under my watch, Tenzou," An concluded. "Sasaki is strong enough to bargain, but using your body to trade."
"An-sama," Yamato pleaded.
"That's my decision. Kazuhiko-kun, please prepare to pay a visit to the Uzumaki."
"An-sama," both called.
"No worries, Yamato, you're going with us, get Neji and Hayato along."
Rather than the usual way that An would travel as the head of clan, the group moved in the speed as the vampire's personal squad. They jumped tree by tree as the moon was hanging low in the sky.
"Kazuhiko san, daijoubu?" Hayato asked, almost whispered. "You didn't look too well,, let me give the emergency supply to An-sama."
"I'm okay," the man replied as he grabbed hold of the wooden door knob, "at least we have Yamato around, I have a decent place to rest "
The younger vampire said nothing, looked at the assistant in monotone and then and nodded softly. "Please do tell me if An-sama needs more blood," he pet his bag gently, "I've bought enough provision."
"Thanks."The man replied and opened the door softly. He closed the door behind and locked as he settled his sight. He watched the vampire who was making his bed in silent. He felt not well, which he wasn't sure why. All the indicators revealed that he was normal; An did not express anything either, when the vampire would know everything from the man's blood. He slipped into the bed after the vampire did so. "An-chan," he questioned, "is there something you need to tell me?"
"Like?" the vampire asked hazily, getting into a sleepy mood. They have two more days to go, and that even the vampire himself was not certain what would be waiting for them in the Uzumaki's territory.
"You know," the man pointed at his wound by the neck. As they were traveling, he prefer not to waste his energy on covering the tooth mark, after all, it was an open secret that the vampire leader fed on his assistant.
"You're fine," the leader reassured. "nothing wrong."
"But you have drink less?"
"I am tired, just like you. Mentally tired. It's just the odd occasion when I somehow… felt more depressed?"
"It's just with the age, I suppose." Kazuhiko replied, toned in defeat and agreement. "As your physician, I thought the cycle did not start this early."
"Hmm…" An distracted the man by brushing the soft blue threads. It was not the right time to tell the man what he has encountered in his dream. "So, can I now?"
"Hai," the man nodded softly, rolled his head to the side. The vampire did not bit the neck from the side. Instead he rolled on top of the man and only then slowly pin his fangs into the blood vein. Blood slowly left Kazuhiko's brain and the sun was rising up from the horizon.