WARNING(S): N/A

The little cafe was crowded for a weekend morning. Scanning the room quickly, he found the one he was looking for in a booth in the back near the wall, slowly sipping from a to-go cup.

Shaking off the cold morning air, he made his way past the tables and slid into the booth, the plush leather pleasant to his weary bones.

The hooded person looked up from their cup with a wry little smile. "Well, well. Hello there."

He didn't reply at first.

"Eh... this one isn't very talkative, are you...?" The hooded person sighed, shaking their head. Baby pink spilled out around the sides of it, belying light hair.

"I'm not here to make smalltalk, I'm here because you need to tell your master to stop sending people into the Depths." His voice was rough and gritty, low and vaguely threatening.

The hooded person blinked.

"The last one she sent nearly killed my mother," the young man snapped, dark eyes narrowing. "She has nothing to do with my activities. At least tell your master to leave my family out of it."

"... seriously...?" Finally, the person lifted the hood from her face and heaved another sigh. "I'll tell her. The next time a slayer tries to go after your parents and brother, let me know - they aren't even supposed to be showing themselves to your family in the first place."

Nodding firmly, he sat back in the booth.

"So... can I buy you a cup? Coffee, tea, water...?"

"I drank yesterday, I'm just fine."

"Oh, right, new moon." She shook her head and waved it off. "Sorry, I always think of the full moon whenever I see you. Maybe I'm just thinking of Naruto."

"Don't let him hear you say that. He'll never let me live it down." Rolling his eyes, the young vampire snorted.

The girl laughed. "He'd never let you forget it! 'I guess that means she was closer to me when we were kids, huh Teme'? I'd pay to hear him gloat."

The young man scowled as she continued to laugh. "I'm not gonna stay just so you can keep making fun of me."

"Oh, Sasuke, who's making fun?" Poking his cheek, she gave him a playful smile. "Lighten up a little. I'll tell my master to stop chasing down your family, and you can keep visiting me while I'm on break! Sound fun?"

"You know it's gonna drain my energy faster just to keep coming here in the daylight, right? That means more slayers are gonna be riding my ass."

"Then I'll visit you," she insisted with a firm nod. "It won't be too hard. Mikoto-sama loves me."

"She loves you because you're the only girl I tolerate."

"Aw, see? I knew you cared."

"I'm leaving now." He made to get up.

"C'mon, Sasuke, I'm only teasing." She went to grasp his wrist. "All joking aside, I'll try to bring word of the other territories when I can. Just be patient; everyone and their mother is looking for the Snake right now and news is going to be very scarce."

Sasuke paused, turning to look her in the face. Her narrowed eyes and determined line of her lips stared right back at him.

He sighed, gently tugging his wrist free of her grip. "I'll try. But if that bastard goes for my brother again, I'm making my move without you."

The concern in her expression disappeared, replaced with something like exasperated pride. "Master Senju is not gonna be happy to hear that, but I trust you to do what you must. Just be careful this time."

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A/N: Let me know what you thought!