Konnichi wa, people!

I'm killing myself – that's all I'll say. I can never FINISH anything, CAN I? Just start something and then kill myself to TRY to finish it and never finish it anyway. XP

Idea: Naruto is taught to hate demons, but somehow that never sinks into his thick skull. When he's an adult, he finally gets his wish of meeting a demon, but what happens when this demon is more than just nameless?

Inspiration for Story: I remember reading a fanfiction one day about Sasuke being taught to hate demons. However, he's never REALLY hated demons, and then one day after he's moved out, he meets one – Naruto. Then they talk and cut a rug and Sasuke gets pregnant and it's really hot and well written and whatever. So, then I got the idea – "Hey, why can't SASUKE be a demon?" And thus you see this before you.

Inspiration for Title: I got the title for the first part, Blackened Ashes, out of nowhere. And then I got inspiration for the sixth part, Weeping Rains. Then I linked the two together, and thought, "Hey. Ashes can be blackened, and rains can weep. AHA!" (ding dong – light bulb appears over head) "There's my connection!"

I also like the idea that the titles of the parts themselves kinda tell a story. Right now you can't see what I mean, but you will:D

Hope you like it!

One Shot

Love of Ancient Kings

Part One

Blackened Ashes: Meet the Nameless Demon

You aren't supposed to love demons.

You're not even supposed to LOOK at them, let alone talk to them, get to know them, dream of them, fall for them, love them, fuck them.

But since when did Naruto ever pay attention to rules like that?

Though he was an outcast, he had heard the stories – the sacred laws – that ruled the village. He had been told them countless times by his teacher – Iruka Umino.

"Don't have anything to do with demons, Naruto. Don't talk to them, listen to them – don't even LOOK at them! If you do, you'll burn away from the inside out and be sent to hell!"

Of course, having a priest for a teacher never really helped matters.

Roaming through the village, he constantly heard about these 'demons', and he sought out his teacher's best friend – Kakashi Hatake – to find out more about demons.

"Kakashi, why do people hate demons so much?"

Kakashi had merely looked at him for a moment.

"Don't tell Iruka I told you this Naruto, but people hate demons because they are afraid of them. People who grow up afraid of something eventually hate that thing as they grow older. The village's adults – when they were small – were taught to be afraid of demons. Therefore they grew up hating demons, and they pass that hatred on to their children."

"Have YOU ever seen a demon, Kakashi?"

At this, the older man had merely looked at him from across the table, and then he smiled from underneath the mask.

"Yes. I have, Naruto. And let me tell you – he was damned beautiful."

Naruto never learned to hate demons.

Days, months, YEARS passed, allowing him to grow older and wiser. The talk about demons was still as strong as ever, but he never let them affect him.

I want to see one. He decided, always keeping a look out for any possible demons after that.

But then again, what did demons LOOK like? Were they large? Small? Did they look human? Or were they beautiful as only animals could be? All these questions made Naruto look forward to an encounter with a demon.

"The chance of coming across a demon is a million chances in one," Kakashi had told him. "Many have died without ever having a glimpse of one."

"How did you react when YOU saw YOUR demon?"

Kakashi had shaken his head at Naruto.

"Naruto, he wasn't MY demon. Demons choose to give themselves to whomever they wish – not the other way around. We were merely friends who helped each other when both of us were feeling weak-hearted."

"Did you have sex with him, Kakashi?"

The older man had actually laughed at this.

"Naruto, if I had HAD sex with that demon, I wouldn't be here speaking to you right now. People belonging to the house of God are able to sense a demon's breath on a person's flesh – they would either burn me at the stake or forcibly baptize me. And demons are very possessive – if I had HAD sex with a demon, I would be his mate for life."

"Demons don't care if the person they have sex with is a boy or girl?"

Kakashi had shaken his head once more.

"No – only humans have such qualms with genders and sexuality. If a demon likes you, they will appear before you. And if they want you, you will become theirs – doesn't matter if you're a boy or girl."

"Iruka told me that the only reason demons appear before humans is to get the human pregnant."

The other had shrugged.

"Sometimes. But other times the demons are in need of companionship, or it's just that time of their lives that they need to find a mate. But rest assured, if a human DOES become pregnant with a demon's child – doesn't matter if the human is a boy or girl – the demon won't abandon them. The demon will stay by their mate's side and kill anyone who tries to touch them."

"…Kakashi?"

"Hm?"

"Are demons noble?"

Kakashi had smiled warmly then – as if glad Naruto had asked that question.

"Yes Naruto. They are VERY noble – more noble than any human I've ever met. If you befriend a demon, they'll fight for you to the death. THAT'S why everyone fears them."

It was only after Naruto had left Kakashi's home did he realize that Kakashi had never asked his first question.

"How did you react when you saw the demon?"

"I can't tell you Naruto. If I told you, a part of me would die. I hold that memory very close to my heart. Only me and the demon know of it – remember it. And that's the way it'll always be."

Naruto – thoughtful and quiet – made his way into the forests surrounding the village for a stroll.

"You have to find out for yourself Naruto – how will YOU react?"

The blonde didn't know.

How WILL I react?

Slowly, he walked deeper and deeper into the forest, lost in his own thoughts.

"Meeting a demon wouldn't be that bad," he mused out loud. "I'm actually looking forward to it! Meeting a demon would be really exciting!" Then his eyes grew sad. "They say a demon lives in these woods. To be shunned by the entire village – how alone he must feel." He looked upwards to the sky. "If I ever do meet a demon, I want to be his friend!" He decided, staring up to the heavens with determination in his eyes. "I want to be there for him! Just because he's strong, it doesn't mean he can't feel the pain of heart."

Like I have.

"You're pretty philosophical. …For a human."

Naruto's eyes widened, and he turned his head to see another person – swallowed in shadow of a tall bush – leaning against a tree.

In the back of the blonde's mind – in his bones – he knew it could only be one person – one being.

Demon lord…

There was silence between them for a moment.

"Who… are you?" Naruto managed to ask.

The dark head raised itself slightly, allowing Naruto to see a glowing black eye – standing out bright against the dark shadows.

"You already know, don't you?" The other asked softly, a deep, rich voice rebounding gently out of a small frame. Naruto – eyes still wide – leaned down next to the other.

"Yes. I think so," he breathed, setting his hand against the tree the other was leaning on – above the other's head. "Do you know who I am?"

The other must have smirked – Naruto could see the barest hint of white teeth flashing in the faint light underneath the bush – in the shade.

"Yes. I know who you are. It's impossible not to – the entirety of the air is saturated with your aura. Even for a human, your presence is surely loud."

Naruto cocked his head.

"Is having a loud presence good?" He asked. The other cocked his head at him – Naruto could see the outline of a head move in the shadows – in thought.

After a moment, the other's smirk widened.

"Yes. It is rare for my kind to sense humans without trying to. It is very rarely a human's aura is bright – usually they are cold and dark and gray – no life. You, however…" the other itched to form the right words. "Your aura is absurdly alive – thriving. Never before have I felt such a thing. What is your name?"

Naruto blinked and then grinned.

"You know me yet you don't know my name? That's kinda strange, don't you think?" He asked. The other rolled his eyes.

"I haven't needed to know your name to differentiate you from others. Now I am asking… merely for curiosity's sake."

Naruto blinked once more and then gave another wide smile.

"Okay! I'll tell you! My name's Uzumaki Naruto! Nice to meet you!" He held out a hand, meaning for the other to shake it.

The other merely looked down at the tanned flesh before raising a hand of his own, and Naruto was shocked when he saw pale, delicate, elegant fingers touch his palm in a gently accepting gesture. The blonde then realized there was no need to shake hands, and merely looked down at the fragile digits as they interlaced with his own, a cool hand gently holding his.

"It's nice to meet you too, Naruto."

The blonde felt himself pulled to those fingers – pulled to that voice.

"And what's YOUR name?" He asked. The other chuckled darkly, his face still hidden in shadow. When he spoke, his voice had turned bitter.

"Me – I have none. Whatever name I had has been forgotten to me through all these years of imprisonment."

Naruto's eyes grew wide.

"WHAT? IMPRISONMENT?"

The other's fingers tightened around his slightly in uncertainty.

"Oh – you mean they haven't told you? You mean you don't know? Heh…" Naruto knew that the other was smirking – knew it in his bones. "The ignorance of the villagers nowadays. I'm sure the Hokage and his pathetic crew of wise men have banned the villagers from speaking of me – from speaking of that day, so long ago. I doubt any of them have even heard of the Day of Sealing."

Naruto blinked.

"The Day of Sealing?" He repeated. "No – I've never heard of that. What is it?" And then as an afterthought. "And why won't you show me your face?"

The other laughed softly.

"I haven't showed myself to you because you never asked for me to show myself – I haven't refused to show you what I look like, now have I?"

Naruto blinked.

"Oh… no. I guess you haven't. Well…" His eyes narrowed. "Will you show me, then?"

There was silence for a moment.

"Very well. You must let go of my hand, though."

Naruto realized that as soon as the pale fingers had tried to withdraw, he had tightened his grip on them to keep them from pulling away. With a muttered, embarrassed apology, he released the soft appendages.

The other said nothing, though Naruto knew in his bones that the other had an amused smile on his face.

There was movement from underneath the shrub, and Naruto's eyes widened as the other stood, allowing the blonde to drink it all in.

Kakashi had been right. This demon – though it might not have been the same one the older man saw – was damned GORGEOUS.

Thick black hair with a hint of dark blue highlights cascaded broad shoulders in endless waves, draping over a lithe frame and accentuating the soft facial features and even darker eyes as black midnight-blue bangs outlined the heart-shaped face. Slanted, elegant eyes shaped and emphasized the high cheekbones, while naturally thin and sculpted eyebrows framed the proud forehead. Lips a soft hue of pinkish peach were set in a confident line, and Naruto found the back of his mind wondering if those lips were as soft as they looked. His eyes traveled from the face to a pale, shapely throat that had the proud head lifted high, and he continued on to broad, powerful shoulders and lithe arms – limbs that had their attached, elegant hands set on wide, attractive hips. A strong chest hidden beneath a black half-shirt stretched to powerful abdominal muscles covered by wire mesh, allowing Naruto to see every curve in the well-formed abs as the supple body slanted downwards to meet the hips and created a soft, subtle impression of an hourglass. The blonde had to fight to make his gaze travel downwards past the area six inches below the belt buckle that graced those elegant hips, drinking in every curve of powerful, pleasing legs that were covered by dark black cargo pants, the material stretching down to cover the other's feet.

Naruto was in shock.

By the gods – he's beautiful.

There was silence between them for a long while. Naruto couldn't raise his eyes to meet the other's – where black, molten tar surveyed the blonde as much as Naruto surveyed him.

"Do you like what you see?"

Naruto jumped slightly, and he risked raising his eyes, saying,

"God, you're beautiful –"

Their eyes locked, and Naruto's words caught in his throat as he felt his entire soul become bare to the other's intense, fiery gaze.

He's looking into my very soul.

Those dark eyes – like molten tar – seemed to burn away all the emotional defenses Naruto possessed, lying bare his fears and doubts and hates. Those black orbs sparked with something that Naruto couldn't describe – that gaze – oh, that gaze.

He knew from that moment on that he couldn't walk away from the other – that there was no way he would be able to forget the dark-headed demon – that whatever the other wanted of the blonde, without question he would give it –

I'm his slave.

For some reason, that thought didn't strike Naruto as bad.

He returned to reality by soft laughter – like gently ringing bells. He blinked to see those orbs – full of blackened ashes that hid smoldering flames, waiting to burst into life with the smallest chance – had closed – crinkled up into soft upside down 'u's.

"You are… extremely stupid," the demon commented. Naruto's eyes widened and he immediately opened his mouth to retort, but the other straightened his head and surveyed him – surveyed him with the darkest of eyes and the most powerful of souls. "I like you." He then smirked. "Naruto Uzumaki."

That day – that afternoon – that moment…

This is what Kakashi meant.

Naruto knew he'd never tell a soul about this moment – not even his closest friend.

I'll take this moment – this secret – to the grave.

And as the nameless demon surveyed him, powerful and defiant even in the very way he was standing –

By all the Gods – he's BEAUTIFUL –

That day – that afternoon – that moment…

– and then demon gave him a small smirk – so provocative but so amazingly gorgeous that it made Naruto itch to have the demon grab his hand, push him to the ground and – GOD he needed it so much – to just fuck him already –

I've met the nameless demon.

Naruto knew he would NEVER forget it.

End Part One – Blackened Ashes: Meet the Nameless Demon

-sighs tiredly-

Never finish, only start… -mutters-

This one shot will have seven parts, including the epilogue.

Well, I know you guys are thinking, "What the feck? ONE SHOT? Why is it a ONE SHOT if it has seven parts, including the epilogue?"

Well, I'll tell you. :D Each part is going to be published as a different story, seeing as how I don't see the parts as chapters but more like literal PARTS.

That's why this is not a multi-chapter fic. It's a ONESHOT! HA! –laughs-

I hope you liked it, everyone!

And – on a different note – I know you guys are aching to get the next chapter of Crumbling Dreams, but… uh… question.

WHERE THE HELL DO I TAKE THE STORY?

Yes – I know – I don't ask for ideas at all very much, but I'm marring my perfect record (I SAY) and asking for some fresh ideas. Any help, people?

Anyway, hope you like this new story!

Review?

Ja ne!

DDB