A/N - This was supposed to be a Oneshot, that I have been working on and planning for months... since March I think. xD I was going to finish it fully before I posted this, but I already have two-thirds of it done already. Also yes this will be a threeshot... unless I write even more than what I plan.

I started out with a comical idea, and like always angst snuck in. So hopefully there is a good balance of funny and angst... or not. lol. Well either way I hope you enjoy this little fairy tale.

More love than I can give goes to Disgrunted Minion for being a wonderful Beta. 3

Disclaimer: Sadly I do not own Naruto, nor make money off of it.

Mythical Nonsense

By: Akiru chan

Part One

A cat screeched, jumping off a pile of trash. The metal cans clinked to the ground, scaring the poor animal off into some unknown hideaway in the dirty alley. Farther away sirens could be heard. Another accident probably. Not an uncommon thing in a city as big as this one. The act of some senseless drunk driver or inexperienced teen.

The sounds of the night were a serenade that often went unheard to the people who called this place home. A tune comprised of all the things that made up the city. Tonight though, if one were to listen extra closely, another chorus could be heard. Knew and strange, magical even. The mourning sound of pain, despair, and fear.

Pulsating beats of a rushing heart, the trickle of sweat upon the brow, the sickening sound of blood dripping onto cold pavement, it was a beautiful song; so thick in it's gruesome hymn. The man though, for whom the song played was deaf to it. His mind frantic to lose his pursuer, losing all thought as to the happenings of the world around him. He had lived far too long for it all to end like this; hunted like a dumb animal. Used as a pawn in some human's petty dreams.

He would not let himself be caught, could not let himself. A brave thought, but bravado can only go so far. The mind was far stronger than the body; want alone would not save him. The blood had already seeped deep into his clothes. The golden liquid glistened in the moonlight, shining like a gem. It lost its brilliance though when it fell to the ground, forming puddles of black tar.

So much blood. He had lost so much. His precious life source was seeping away. Blast his wounds for not healing as fast as they should. Death from his wound was not his main worry. He knew they would heal before taking his life. Unconsciousness was what piked his anxiety. He would soon fall to the darkness, leaving himself defenseless if his attacker was to find him.

Already the black fuzz oozed into his vision; his head light and airy. It wouldn't be long now. He would soon be taken, the dark surrounding him. So very soon, it would all end. He could only hope that he would indeed wake once again.

The man's dark gaze fell upon the moonless night. Giving up a prayer in a hope for a tomorrow. His body sagged and his eyes closed upon the world, seeing nothing but the darkness.

In the alley, the morbid tune ceased, falling back into the song of the city. The forgotten man now lying still in a pool of his onyx blood.

Naruto shivered; how he hated new moons. The night seemed to engulf everything, as if it were keeping secrets from the waking world. What horrors could it possibly be trying to hide? He wasn't sure if he wanted to know.

People always associated the full moon with the wicked and occult, yet wasn't the new moon so much more sinister. Why fear the brilliant moon when it casts its glow, bringing forth a light in the darkness? Naruto took it upon himself to fear the moonless sky, when the darkness truly consumed the earth.

It was times like tonight that he cursed himself for not putting money towards a car. What had ever plagued him to think that walking was better for him? It didn't matter that his apartment was only two blocks away. He still had to travel through one of the less sightly alleys in order to find the safety of his home.

The small strip of space between an old hardware store and an abandoned hotel always gave him the creeps. It gave his skin an ominous feel, as if this alley would bring him trouble one day. Quite ridiculous, but that didn't mean the feeling was any less real.

"Good-night Naruto!" Jiraiya, Naruto's manager called as he headed off towards his vehicle. The sleek black sports car looked inviting in the lonely parking lot.

Maybe this was Naruto's salvation. Surely, Jiraiya would not deny him this one small favor.

"Hey old man!" Said old man turned around, a frown firm of his face. Ok so maybe that wasn't the best choice of words. "Can I, uh... Have a lift back to my place?"

Jiraiya seemed to contemplate the idea. Rolling it around in his head like a good wine.

"No."

Naruto almost thought he had heard wrong. He had been so sure the man would say yes. Apparently, he had been wrong.

"But—"

"Sorry kid, but I've got things that require my immediate attention." He explained, in a most serious tone.

Yeah, like Naruto would buy that. He knew the old pervert was just going to go get laid at some trashy whorehouse. Jiraiya really didn't give Naruto much time to argue. He was already in his car with the engine revving, by the time the blond boy had opened his mouth.

"That pervert." Naruto cursed under his breath as he turned towards home. Maybe he would just take the long route back. The extra exercise wouldn't hurt, but he was awfully hungry. In times like these, Naruto found that his stomach usually won. What could he say? He was a man who loved to eat.

A large grin passed along his face, for now the dark alley was forgotten. No need to dwell on things that have yet to happen. Plus who was to say that something sinister would be lurking there, among the garbage.

Naruto had walked down that alley a million times over. Sure, it was scary as hell, but it had yet to eat him. He really did need to grow up. There were no such things as monsters or magical creatures that would be lurking in the dark. He had learned that a long time ago.

The world was painfully normal, nothing fantastical about it. When Naruto was a kid, he often wished to be spirited away into an unknown world, far away from the orphanage in which he grew up. No matter how much he wished, he soon had to come to the hard truth.

There was no such thing as magic, dragons, unicorns, or fairy godmothers. They were only colorful characters in books and movies. There sole purpose to bring a smile to a child's face. For Naruto, all they brought was disappointment.

So lost in his thoughts, he didn't even notice the alleyway growing closer and closer, a hungry mouth in the darkened street. It wasn't until Naruto stood before its entrance that the foreboding pressed at him. Sending chills down his back, and sweat to bead along his face. He could no longer deny that something felt wrong about this. Naruto knew his primal instincts were trying to tell him something. Probably to run, yet he couldn't bring himself to turn away from the dark street.

A noise to his right made him jump as a cat scampered from her hiding place. The feral animal ran off down the street, no doubt hunting for its nightly meal.

Naruto laughed, this whole thing was just silly. That cat was probably the most fearsome beast that he would encounter here.

Swallowing his fear, Naruto strolled forward. His ears were intently focused on the noises around him, whereas his eyes locked straight ahead. There was no point to let them wander about. If there was something in here, Naruto didn't want to know it was coming.

So far so good, and Naruto could already see the rusty old sign of the barbershop next to his apartment complex. He was going to make it, there was nothing here...

His thoughts faded off. A faint splash meeting his ears as his foot met unknown liquid. The oddity of it all brought Naruto's gaze downwards against his better judgment. Thick, black goo impeded his path, spreading out to cover most of the narrow alley.

Naruto was faintly reminded of oil, except it lacked the usual odor that he associated with mechanics. No, this stuff gave off a sickly sweet smell. It turned his stomach, making his head feel fuzzy.

'What is this crap?' His mind screamed as he looked around to find its source. He immediate wished he hadn't, for what he saw rekindled the fear that he had fought to overcome.

There, amongst the piles of trash laid a man, the obvious source of the unsightly liquid. His body was soaked with it.

Taking no time to think, Naruto ran to the man. He might have been scared beyond all reason, but he was not going to let some stranger die because of it. What if he needed medical attention? Naruto couldn't live with himself if he knew he had let someone die for selfish reasons.

Naruto's forward progress halted, almost as quickly as he started. He was kneeled next to the young man, his knees soaking in the black as his hand stretched out in an attempt to touch the stranger. Yet Naruto could not bring himself to reach out to cover the remaining distance. His eyes were trained on the boys' face, which had captivated him. Yes, the man was handsome, but that was nothing compared to the liquid gold the seemed to bubble up from an obviously fresh wound on the strangers forehead.

The man's raven black hair was coated in the substance, sticking to his pale face at odd angles. It was almost as if this man was bleeding gold. It was too outrageous for Naruto to even comprehend. Maybe the man was just a victim of some new drug, but even that couldn't be right. Not when a golden drop feel to the darkened pool, melding in with the black.

Hesitating Naruto let his fingers graze the thick liquid, amazed at how warm it was. Maybe it was some sort of paint; that would explain things. He brought his fingers back towards his face, hoping that his sense of smell could help in solving this mystery. What he saw froze his fingers in their tracks. There smudged along his tanned digits was the crude liquid that now soaked his pants. No longer was it the warm gold that seemed so enticing, but the black goo that turned his stomach.

What was this? Who the hell was this man? Suddenly Naruto found himself not caring what happened to him. All he could think of was running to the safety of his home and hiding within the blanket of his bed. And Naruto probably would have done just that. Sadly, it was hard to run when there was a cold hand holding you in place.

The pounding beat of his own heart was all Naruto could feel as he looked into bottomless black eyes. Never had Naruto imagined that his life would end in such a fashion. Here in a dark alley way, murdered by something he wasn't even sure was human.

Through his panic, he almost missed the words that spilled through sinful lips. The words so smooth and calm despite this mans obvious distress.

"Get out of here. She's coming." Naruto didn't know who 'she' was, but as he watched those dark eyes fall back into unawareness, Naruto knew that he didn't want to know. It was apparent that 'she' had done harm to this man. It almost made Naruto appreciate the stranger, for giving Naruto warning with out the care of his own well being.

Naruto, in the end, could only curse the man. Now he felt grateful. He could no longer leave him out here to die. He knew this was a big mistake. That nothing good would come of this, but what else could he do? This man would surely die, if not from his wounds then from 'her', if Naruto did not take him home.

Fighting an internal battle, Naruto found that his logical side was quickly losing. Sighing, Naruto began to gingerly pick the other up. He was careful not to jostle his body too much. The man no doubt had extensive wounds. The last thing Naruto need was to reopen them. He could still see some of the liquid drying and flaking off that was reminiscent of gold leaf.

The golden flakes that managed to fall from the pale body burst into ash as soon as it made contact with the pavement. It puzzled Naruto. Could there be a logical explanation for this? Naruto had a sinking suspicion that what ever this was, it wasn't of the norm.

Naruto thanked the gods that no one was on the street tonight. It was deserted. Most likely, everyone had headed in early to watch the football game. If not, then you could find a great deal at the local bar.

Either way, the street was desolate and almost eerie. It did not help to ease Naruto's anxiety. He couldn't wait to be safely tucked away inside his small apartment. For him, it couldn't happen soon enough.

Red doors met Naruto as he fumbled to get them open. It was funny how much they resembled the color of blood. Ironic how that didn't seem to be all that true anymore. He would soon have to revise that statement. Not all blood was red. A new fact that Naruto was reluctant to admit.

The door swung open revealing a dimly lit hallway lined with matching crimson doors. How was it that everything seemed to boldly flaunt the color? Even more so now that Naruto did not want to be reminded of blood. Blood that was unnaturally gold.

His own door was no different. The bold color seemed to be mocking him in its brightness. Had it always been this striking?

Cold metal fumbled in his hands. The task of finding the right key was proving difficult. Why couldn't he keep his hands from shaking?

After his second try Naruto became frustrated. It wasn't easy trying to open a door with an unconscious man on his shoulder. Finally, it seemed someone was smiling upon him. The key slide cleanly into the lock and the door opened.

The apartment was normal; clean, aside from some random beer bottles scattered about. In the living room sat only a couch and a recliner facing a modest sized television.

Naruto maneuvered the dark haired man to lie on the couch. He had been meaning to get a new one, so he wasn't worried about staining it. Right now, it was the least of his worries.

Quickly Naruto entered his bathroom that was down the adjacent hall. In the cabinet sat the first aid kit. Now if only he could find it. Maybe it was about time to do some spring-cleaning.

He momentarily blinked at the tampon in his hand. How the hell had that gotten there? An image of Ino flashed through his head. She was always making herself at home when she crashed at his place. It had probably been left there after one of her visits.

Tucked away in a corner, under some old rags, Naruto found the aged medical kit. The white plastic had grime caked onto its face, making Naruto wonder if the contents would be sanitary. Upon closer inspection, he found everything to be perfectly sealed in its own wrapping. Seemingly satisfied with the cleaner inside, Naruto shut the case and headed back out towards the main room.

The dark haired man was still lying motionless on the couch. Already the cushions were soaked in the black blood. Naruto would have to move him once his injuries were taken care off, although the thought of putting a stranger in his bed was less than pleasing. To Naruto, his room was his sanctuary. He rarely let even his closest friends venture beyond the usually closed door. Tonight he would have to swallow his uncertainty and let the man have his bed.

Kneeling before the stranger, Naruto got to work. He tore open one of the many sanitary pads and began to wipe away the dry blood on his face. The newly cleaned skin seemed to gleam in a pearly iridescence. Naruto would have found interest in this discovery if something else had not drawn his full attention.

There, where a bloody gash or cut should be, was nothing more than a reddened welt. If Naruto hadn't known any better, he would have thought that the wound had closed on its own. Renewed interest in the man drove Naruto on. He quickly began to clear the man of his grime, being met with the same outcome. The open lacerations that he knew to have once marred this man no longer existed.

It wasn't until Naruto had cleaned the raven's back that he got his answer to this mystery written in stone. He watched in wonder as the only open sore that he had found sizzled and wove the torn flesh back together, leaving an all too familiar red welt. No human could possibly heal that fast. It was impossible, yet Naruto wasn't sure he was ready to admit to himself just what that meant.

There was no longer any doubt in the blonds' mind. This man, no thing, was not human. The knowledge scared him, but not as much as he would have expected. It settled over him like a thick blanket, dulling his senses and leading him into a haze. He felt oddly content and awed by his realization. Everything felt so strange and surreal.

As soon as the haze had come, it had vanished leaving Naruto feeling oddly empty and just sickly normal.

Tired from work and this unexpected occurrence, Naruto slid down onto the floor. His back resting on the sullied couch and his head lolling over to rest on his shoulder. He welcomed the sleep that overtook him as he was pulled into the oblivion of his own dreams.

"You lost him?" Emerald eyes narrowed, sliding over to take in the speaker. He seemed unfazed by the glare, preferring to look out over the sleeping city. Its bright lights reflected off his pale face and silver hair giving him an almost golden glow.

"And you know where he is. Don't you Kakashi?" The man smirked, turning his gaze away from the city to look at his companion. The small woman was looking at him expectantly, waiting to hear the information she needed. Her eyes swam with something Kakashi could not decipher. It unnerved him in some respect but he pushed the feeling aside.

"Don't I always know Sakura?" This seemed to bring a smile to the woman's face. She flashed him a look, tossing her strawberry locks behind her shoulders.

"And that's what I love about you." Sakura waltzed across the rooftop, closing in the gap that had separated her from Kakashi. The man watched her warily.

She raised her delicate hand to trace the curve of his jaw. Kakashi couldn't help the shiver that racked its way up his spine. No matter the spite, he felt towards this woman, he could not ignore the attraction he held for her. Sakura was by no means plain. She was truly a beauty, though not surprising given her lineage.

"You are my precious pet." She ran her finger over his brow stopping at the crease of his right eye. Sakura stared into the crimson iris that told of what this man really was. It was what connected him to the beasts of this world. To Sakura, this man was simply her faithful and dear dog. He was nothing more and nothing less; merely a tool.

Sakura gave him a quick kiss to his temple before yanking his face down to her level by the collar he wore. The leather band pulsed around her fingers in recognition. She had been the one to place such a thing upon Kakashi's neck, binding him to her until his promised task was complete.

"Now tell me dear, what you know." She patted his head as one might pet a cat.

He looked her in the eye and smiled. "A little kitty told me that a blond found him."

"So someone is hiding him away?" Kakashi shrugged.

"I would guess. He isn't laying half dead in an alley like he was when the cat saw him." Sakura released the man. She was pleased to know that she had pushed the creature to such a point. Maybe after all these years he would finally be hers. This blasted curse would finally be dispelled, and she could be welcomed back among her people.

Sakura cursed quietly. She was an elf dammit, and not this human she was currently doomed to be. The fairies were to blame for this. Their narcissistic attitudes had gotten her into this mess.

Sakura promised herself that the fairies and their queen would pay for this once she was back in her elfen body.

"Find him, Kakashi. I want to know who is hiding that Re'em from me."

The man nodded, looking back out over the sleeping city. He could only hope this wouldn't take all night.

In one leap, Kakashi disappeared over the buildings edge. Sakura watched, waiting to see the hawk that would soon soar up into the sky. Soon enough it made its appearance, cawing over the city noises.

Kakashi spread his wings taking flight in the polluted air. His destination was set, and he would not disappoint his master. After all his freedom depended on it.

The early morning sun found Naruto diving deep within his subconscious. His waking dreams were spurred on by the delightful warmth that seemed to radiate from his lower half. He felt quite content despite the awkward position he had fallen asleep in.

His dreams ran rampant, filled with bright-eyed demons with their blood dripping fangs. Naruto could only hope and run. His feet working their hardest to put space between him and his pursuers. Like any nightmare, he could not seem to get away. With every look over his shoulder, he could see the demons just behind him.

The warmth in his lap was forgotten, an eerie cold over taking it. His body shook and sweat began to appear of his brow. Naruto needed to wake up, to get away. An invisible obstacle within his path made him trip. The fall did not hurt, but instead his stomach dropped. Fierce growls were heard behind him as the creatures prepared to pounce.

Naruto would never know if he made it out alive. No sooner had the monster come upon him that his eyes flew opened and he was assaulted by the bright sun shining in through the sliding doors of the balcony.

He groaned, rubbing at his eyes. That was not his preferred method of waking up. It was situated right there, next to wet dreams on his list. Having slept on the floor didn't make matters any better. The only thing that seemed to calm his racing nerves was the warmth that still emanated from his lap, like a comforting blanket.

When had he grabbed a cover? Naruto looked down and blinked. It was really all he could do. Nothing had prepared him for what he was about to see. In truth, he was expecting anything from a blanket to a pillow, maybe even a cat. As to how it would have gotten in was the least of his worries.

In fact, Naruto really wished it were a cat staring back at him with coal black eyes. If it had been, then maybe Naruto wouldn't have reacted like he had. He jumped, pushing the man's head off his lap to hit harshly against the leg of the coffee table.

Naruto scrambled backward onto the couch. For the moment, he ignored the crusty dried blood that scraped at his palms. It was the least of his worries that his couch was still covered in the mysterious black substance.

"Fuck." The strangers' voice caused Naruto's heart to thrum against his chest. For some reason he hadn't thought the thing would speak. Speech was a talent Naruto had associated with humans, and despite this man's human appearance, some part of Naruto had not expected normal human attributes. Maybe he was waiting for the male to sputter and growl before launching himself on the poor helpless blond.

Images of Naruto's nightmare assaulted his mind. He half expected the man to grow dagger like fangs that he would use to draw his blood. A thought occurred to him then. What if this creature was a monster like the ones in his dream, or worse a vampire?

The thought sent a picture reel of zombie like creatures, drawing the blood from unsuspecting women before flying off as a bat, through his mind. Well the man didn't resemble a zombie; that much was for sure. He resembled a model more than anything, though he had the dark and mysterious thing going for him.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Naruto's voice boomed in the quiet room. He had almost forgotten about the previous night's events, but now they surged forth in great heaps. The golden blood and the healing flesh as it knitted together of its own accord came to mind.

Black eyes flashed towards the startled blond on the couch, taking in the sight with mild interest. "I could ask the same thing." Was the smooth reply that Naruto received.

For some reason the man's voice soothed him, calming Naruto's racing heart. It was like a lullaby, rich and melodious. He was able to ease himself back onto the couch. Naruto frowned at the black mess on the cushions but gave it little regard; it only served as a reminder that this man was not human.

"You were lying in my lap." The man had enough decency to look away in embarrassment. His pale cheeks held the faintest hints of a blush.

"You're a virgin." It was stated so matter of factly as if it answered everything.

It was Naruto's turn to blush, albeit ten times brighter than the man in front of him.

"Excuse me?" Naruto wasn't ashamed of being twenty-one and a virgin, but something about a complete stranger pointing it out left him feeling awkward and exposed.

The other male chose to ignore the comment, his eyes hardening over with something akin to irritation. His gaze was glued to the stained couch. The longer he looked, the deeper his frown became.

"You saved me." It wasn't a question, but Naruto found he needed to confirm the man's statement.

"Yes, I came across you on my way home. You were..." Naruto faded off for a moment, unsure of how to phrase his words. "You were bleeding?" It was a question more than anything else. He still couldn't believe that last night had actually happened.

"I would have been fine if you had left me. I'm sure you have realized that I heal fast." He would ignore for now that he might have been killed if not for this man in front of him.

"I didn't know... at that time I still thought you were..." Naruto stopped dead, his eyes training in on a pair of coal black. The man stared back with a heart stopping intensity.

"You thought I was what?" A whisper of words, but Naruto heard them and felt compelled to answer.

"You aren't human." The strange man smirked, and Naruto half expected to see a pair of sharp fangs peaking out from that mouth. To his surprise, the strangers' teeth were like any other humans teeth. "You're not a vampire?"

They looked at each other for moment, before a chorus of dark chuckles expected the raven-haired man. The mirth was evident in his eyes. "Is that what you think I am?"

Naruto nodded not seeing the humor in his guess.

"I'm sorry to disappoint, but vampires really don't exist. Well unless you consider the bat, but that's hardly the creatures Hollywood like's to push into your easily corrupted human mind." Naruto really wanted to take offense at that, but he was just too happy to know that this man wasn't going to drain him of blood.

"So what are you?" The fear he once felt morphed into fascination in a blink of the eye.

"Hn." Apparently, the man saw no reason in answering the question. He knew all to well the consequences that could come about with giving out such information. After all, it was the reason he was currently in such a sticky situation.

"Do you think I could have some clothes... um..." He fished around for a name, not that he really cared what this idiot called himself. He was just another human.

"Oh um, Naruto... Naruto Uzumaki."

"Sasuke..." He waited for a moment. Hoping that the exchanging of names would get the blond known as Naruto off his ass. Sasuke didn't like walking around in his boxers if he could help it. Plus it wasn't like he could redress in his own clothes. They were in no shape to be wearable.

Naruto wanted to wrestle some answers out of this man, but he decided that for now he would stay quiet. At least it seemed like this Sasuke person wasn't dangerous. Still he was unnerved by the whole cuddling into his lap thing. What kind of sane person does that to a stranger? Perhaps it was some kind of odd creature ritual or something. One thing was for sure, Naruto hoped it didn't happen again.

Sasuke watched as Naruto soundlessly got up and walked off into the back of the apartment, no doubt where his bedroom was located. Now that he was alone, Sasuke allowed himself to relax with a heavy sigh. He would be safe here for the time being. It would give him a chance to formulate a plan, and hopefully go back into hiding.

The same thing happened year after year, century after century. Forever he was hunted with no peace to call his own. Sasuke was beginning to grow sick from always having to watch his back. He had even become to despise what he was, one of the last magical creatures that still walked this earth, and perhaps the rarest if not valuable.

Sometimes he wished for death, wondering if maybe giving himself up wouldn't be so bad. The only thing that seemed to stop him was the fear of what came after this life. Being alive for so long often made the individual attached to the world of the living. It was no different for Sasuke; he had grown to love living, even a life such as this.

Naruto then decided to return, a change of clothes held carelessly in his hands. Sasuke was sure they would be wrinkled.

"Here, I hope they fit." It was odd how comfortable Naruto felt around this man. It was as if he emanated a soothing aura. In any other situation, Naruto was sure he would have been a nervous wreck. It wasn't every day that you were in the presence of someone who was plainly not human. There was also the issue of what Sasuke actually was. By his dark appearance, Naruto had to guess he wasn't anything bright and cheery like a fairy or elf. Or maybe he was a dark elf. That could work.

Sasuke gave Naruto little notice as he pulled on a pair of worn jeans and a t-shirt with some unknown band's logo on it. They were a tad too big for him, but they would do. He wasn't in any mood to argue. At least the shirt was black, his preferred color of choice.

The clothes suited Sasuke quite well in Naruto's opinion. They flattered his dark aura and his handsome frame. Naruto was openly bisexual so he found no shame in eyeing a good-looking man, and Sasuke was by no means unattractive. Still Naruto made it a point to remind himself that this man was not human, which brought him back to the growing question. What was Sasuke?

"Are you like a Night Elf?" Naruto ventured, earning him a pointed look from his companion.

"You do know that this isn't a computer game." Naruto looked embarrassed for a moment. His friends really were rubbing off on him. Maybe he should try to block out their WOW conversations from now on.

"Ok then, how about just an elf." Naruto immediately regretted his words. The look he was thrown was overflowing with so much malice that it left Naruto breathless. Sasuke's dark eyes narrowed and bored into his own light blue.

"Don't ever compare me to those egotistical bastards." Apparently, Sasuke didn't like elves, that much was certain.

'Well I can cross that one off my list.' Naruto slumped against the couch next to Sasuke's feet. He was sure to push out the coffee table to give himself more legroom. Normally he would sit himself on his couch, but given it's current condition he thought better of it.

"You owe me a new couch."

"What?" Naruto pointed to his soiled upholstery. Why would he bother paying for the damage when he could get Sasuke to. After all, it was his blood, or whatever the black shit was.

"You ruined my couch." Sasuke took a seat next to Naruto on the floor. Despite everything, he was content in his current surroundings. It had been forever since he had last been able to enjoy another's company without them trying to take advantage of what he was.

Naruto might have been annoying, but the blond was refreshing. He would never admit it, but Naruto was quickly growing on him. There was just something different about this boy. The fact that he was sitting here calmly with Sasuke like they were old friends, was proof enough.

"You're the one who put me on your couch." That was true, and Naruto wasn't sure he could argue with that. So instead, he faced forward and began to pout. This guy was an ass, but it was amusing nonetheless.

They were silent for a moment, Sasuke choosing to take in the small home around him. Given from its interior, he had to guess that it was an apartment. Not that it mattered; at least it was a place to call home; something Sasuke had been without for a long time.

Sasuke looked back towards Naruto; the boy had a frown spread over his features. It looked as if he were deep in thought. Sasuke could only imagine the things being brought up in that mind. He had the hunch that they concerned him, and what he was. Too bad Naruto wasn't going to find out anytime soon. Still that didn't keep his deep-rooted instincts from bubbling to the surface. One of which was rather embarrassing. Out of all the people who could have found him, it had to be this blond whom Sasuke was strangely attracted to.

The urge to lay his head upon that warm, soft lap was pulling at the back of his mind. Perhaps if he closed his eyes and focused on more important things he could ignore the impulse. He needed to devise a plan of action. It was clear that Sasuke could not stay here for long. In doing so, he would be putting this boy in danger. The woman who was pursuing him was a demon, and would not stop until she had Sasuke within her reach. Even if it meant killing Naruto, she would not stop.

"Umm... Sasuke." What was it now? Sasuke didn't feel like answering any more questions.

"Not now Naruto." He let his course of thoughts resume, falling back into his mind.

"Yeah well, you're doing it again." The uncertainty in the blonds' voice triggered some concern from Sasuke. Whether he wanted to admit it or not. Slowly he reopened his eyes to the world around him. Strangely, the view had changed since he had last taken it in. The room around him looked distorted. It was if he had gone from sitting up straight to lying on his side.

'But I never laid down...' His thought process immediately derailed when he felt the floor beneath him shift. Craning his neck, Sasuke came face to face with a blushing Naruto whom peered down at him through thick lashes.

Sasuke felt the same intense heat rise unto his cheeks, and he fought a losing battle over his blush. Sighing he resigned himself to his fate. It was pointless to fight his instincts.

"Just deal with it Naruto. It's just something I do." It was clipped and forced, but it had its desired affect. Naruto relaxed under him.

A tanned hand came up to lazily pick at Sasuke's hair; twirling a strand around slender fingers. The action was soothing to Sasuke's frayed nerves, calming him down and relaxing his tired muscles. His body was still sore from the beating it had taken the previous night.

"Is this something you do to everyone?" The quiet question startled Sasuke at first, but he quickly settled his anxiety and stilled.

"No, you're one of the first. It's just a part of what I am." And it was the truth. Very few humans caused this unsightly urge to surface. In fact, he could count them all on one hand. Naruto, though, was the first in few hundred years.

"So then what are you?" The curiosity was blatant in Naruto's eyes, making Sasuke want to divulge the information in which the blond sought. Sighing he decided that he could at least throw the boy a bone.

"I am probably the last thing you would expect. Although your culture is filled with legends of my kind." The words were spoken in slow clarity. He had to be sure that he gave nothing definite away while giving Naruto some of the information he thirsted for.

"You're an alien!" Sasuke could only look on completely dumbfounded. Something told him that even if he had spelt it out, Naruto would not have guessed correctly. Although it had yet to be proven if the blond could read at all. Instead of replying with some smart-ass retort, Sasuke merely chuckled. There was just something so endearing about this boy.

"Nice try, but that's another strike." Naruto groaned his defeat. This man was an enigma, and he was sure that Sasuke would continue to surprise him. Well at least it was Monday. He had a nice long day off to try and figure out this man who now lay as if asleep in his lap.

It was calming having the man there. Sasuke reminded Naruto of a cat. He was beginning to expect the dark man to purr at any given moment. Maybe he was a feline? Naruto would have asked, but the man just looked so content dozing.

A small smile spread it's way across Naruto's lips. Was it possible to grow attached to some in such a short amount of time? There was surely some deep-rooted magic at work, if nothing else.

Clink, the sound of metal upon metal, broke Naruto from his thoughts. The noise was so faint, but the beating of wind that came along with it caught the blonds' full attention.

Naruto's eyes darted around his small living room searching for the source of the disturbance. They trained in on the set of sliding glass doors that lead out onto the dirtied balcony. What he saw there took his breath away.

The city had been Naruto's home for as long as he could remember. He had been raised in the slums before getting himself a job and moving into a more middle class area. Yet through all his years with in this grim ridden city, he had never seen the magnificent bird that perched upon the railing outside his apartment.

Pigeons were a common sight. He had even chanced a glance at a falcon. This though was a hawk, Naruto knew that much. Its red color glinted in the morning sun as it looked intently at Naruto. The birds' eyes had a hint of intelligence that seemed all wrong in an animal.

His hands stilled their work on Sasuke's hair, letting the silken locks fall between stiff fingers. Naruto's full attention was trained upon the hawk, his mind working on why such an animal was roosting on his old and filthy balcony.

Sasuke who had been drifting of in a light slumber began to stir. The hypnotic fingers had ceased their work causing him to come back towards the waking world. His eyes fluttered open taking sight of Naruto's intent stare.

The look of wonder etched upon that handsome face halted Sasuke in his thoughts. It took him a moment before he could bring himself to look away. The curiosity of what could have captured Naruto's interest won over his earlier infatuation.

His head rolled lazily to its side. The dull beat of his heart turned into a rolling tide. Only the croaked screech of the hawk could make his heart pause in frantic fear.

The bird flew off just as Sasuke made it to his feet, startling a confused Naruto. Everything was going wrong too quickly for Sasuke's liking. He knew that hawk had not been a normal bird. The intent red eye that pierced through him was enough proof.

Sasuke knew that the creature was Sakura's lap dog. He had almost forgotten about the wretched changeling. It had been the reason for his sudden predicament. That damned Kakashi could find him no matter where he hid.

"Sasuke, what the hell?" And now it seemed that Naruto had been drug into all of this as well. From the way things looked, Sasuke was sure that Sakura would use Naruto against him. Kakashi would be a good boy and relay what he had seen. She would know right well that this human boy meant something to him.

"We have to leave." The next few minutes were the most crucial. They had to get as far from here as they could. There was no way of knowing how far away Sakura was at the moment.

"What? Why? I can't just leave." Sasuke wasn't in any mood to deal with a back-talking idiot. The blond had no clue how much danger he was in now.

It was up to Sasuke to keep him safe, and he would be sure that no harm came to this human.

Not giving Naruto much of a choice, Sasuke pulled him from the comfort of his home and into the eerily quiet hallway.

"I've been found, and it would be wise if you shut the hell up. Your life now depends on me!"

Naruto couldn't say he liked the way that sounded. He should have known better than let his guard down while he was with this bastard. Thinking back on it, maybe he should have left Sasuke to bleed to death.

The idea stung him deep within his chest. Somehow, the idea just seemed all wrong. He knew that he was lying to himself. If Naruto could do everything all over again, he knew that nothing would have changed. Perhaps this was that moment in life when you discover your purpose. Something told Naruto that he was always meant to find Sasuke. They were destined to meet.

Giving up on trying to fight what was coming at him, Naruto grasped Sasuke's hand firmly as he let himself be led into the unknown. He was afraid of what would come after this, and what evil they were fleeing from, but everything just felt calmer as he held Sasuke's hand with in his own. It was almost as if Naruto knew that despite what may happen from this moment on, everything would be okay in the end.

Naruto no longer cared if he was putting all his faith in a strange man he had met only the night before. He would even go so far as to ignore the fact that this man was some unknown creature. To Naruto, none of that mattered. He would believe in his gut feeling. Sasuke would keep him safe. That much he knew for sure.

To Be Continued . . .

A/N - Well there you have it. Sadly the relationship development is speedy, or so I think. I blame it on me trying to keep this short, and then failing... also what is Sasuke? xD I know... but ya'll don't... or you shouldn't. Don't try to guess either, cause I won't say a word, except that I think it's funny that he is what he is in this fic. I blame my bad sense of humor.

Part two will be out real soon since it's written.

-Akiru-