Chapter 44
�I thought this place was abandoned,� Kiba said with a scowl as he watched the activity around the Sound Village base.
�It had been,� Shino said quietly. �But apparently someone decided to move back in.�
�Let�s go say �Hi!�� Sai said while starting to stand up from the covering foliage. Two male hands grabbed his shoulders from either side and pulled him back down.
�We really should make sure who they are first, Sai-san,� Hinata said hesitantly.
�Yeah, I wouldn�t want to run into the son of a bitch that had burnt themselves a new forest clearing back there and find out it�s a bad guy,� Kiba agreed.
Shino looked over at Hinata. They had both seen someone deforest an area to that extent when they had been here previously, but the manner in which it had been done looked different.
�She�s pretty,� Kiba whistled through his teeth quietly.
Shino looked back over toward the base to see a young woman about their own age standing on the first step leading down into the lair. She looked the area over as if searching for something, ignoring the few comings and goings of what appeared to be both civilians as well as one or two ninja. They noticed that none of them were wearing a hitae-ate.
Her eyes came to rest in the direction in which they were hiding.
�Well, they�ve spotted us now,� Sai said almost happily. �Nothing to do but go introduce ourselves.� He stood up and casually started walking over to the girl.
Shino looked like he wanted to heave a sigh, but was too reserved to do so. Hinata stood up and followed the mission leader out of the woods. Kiba glanced over at Shino, shrugged and fell in behind her, Akamaru at his side. Shino shook his head but stepped out as well.
A few other individuals had stopped when they had stepped towards the base and stood behind the girl as if waiting for orders. She said something and one of them immediately turned and ran down the stairs.
Kiba and Hinata stopped a comfortable distance away from the girl. Shino reached out and caught Sai�s arm to make sure he did the same.
�What do ninja from the Leaf want here?� she asked boldly.
Sai looked over at Shino and smiled, waiting in amusement. �We�re wondering what you are doing here at a known location for the Sound Village,� Shino stated in his unaffected tone.
�Since we're not in Fire Country, I do not believe that it's any of your business,� she retorted shortly.
�We are enemies with Sound, that makes it our business,� he contradicted.
�I would think that would make it even less your business,� she scowled.
�On the contrary, one should always know what one�s enemies are up to,� he disagreed.
�Do you think that we are your enemies then?� she asked condescendingly.
�While this is interesting and all.. well, actually it isn�t, what we are really here for is to see Uzumaki Naruto,� Sai interrupted.
�I don�t know who you're referring to,� she said coldly.
Akamaru barked and growled. Kiba grinned at her. �Short, blonde hair, blue eyes, scrawny and has an obsession with orange and ramen. And his scent is all over this place.�
�Perhaps he had been through here before we started renovating. We�ve only been here a few weeks,� she suggested.
�Sorry, it�s more recent than that,� Kiba informed her with a half-feral grin.
Sai lifted his head slightly and tilted it. Then he grinned at the shinobi around him. �Excuse me, I need to go take a leak.� With that, he pivoted on his heel and walked back toward the woods.
As soon as Sai was several meters away, Shino said very quietly, �Hinata.�
The girl nodded, turned to face the direction that Sai had gone and activated her Byakugan.
Sai stepped into the woods and glanced around casually. �How have you been, Naruto?� he asked casually.
There was a quiet moment, followed by someone heaving a sigh and then Naruto dropped out of a nearby tree. �How did you know I was here?� the blonde grumbled while readjusting a simple sling holding up his right arm.
Sai pointed up to a blackbird resting on a tree branch. �I had him spying on the area, looking out for you. Once he saw you, he flew over head to alert me then led me back here.�
�You and your damn inks,� Naruto grumbled. �So, are you here to finally try to take me back to Konoha?�
Sai took a moment to look the other young man over. �Not unless you�re wanting to go back. You�ve gotten taller, but have you gotten any bigger?�
It took Naruto a moment to figure out to what his friend was referring. He blushed slightly. �You pervert! As if I�ll ever let you find out!�
Sai grinned. �I�ll just have to get you into another hot spring.�
Naruto gave a snort, not deigning to reply to the comment. �What are you here for then?�
�We�re here to take you back to Konoha,� Shino said from the tree line. Team Eight stepped into the woods and joined the other two boys.
�I hate to disappoint you, Shino, but I�m not ready to go back yet,� Naruto drawled.
�It's in your best interest, Naruto,� the bug user explained. �There the Hokage-sama can extract your other resident and then you can go back to being a ninja.�
�I�m a ninja whether I am in the Leaf or not. The only difference is that in Konoha I wouldn�t be allowed to go on any missions,� Naruto countered with a slight narrowing of his eyes.
Akamaru gave a slight whimper. Kiba gave a big stretch and spoke, interrupting the other two. �Hey, let�s talk about this later. Right now I�m sore, hungry and tired.�
What he didn�t mention was that, according to Akamaru, there were other ninja out in the woods around them and he didn�t feel like getting into a pitched battle when they could just talk things out.
Kiba walked up and threw an arm around Naruto�s shoulders. He was slightly surprised when he had to lift his arm up rather than drop it down. �Wow, what are they feeding you around here? You�re no longer the runt of the litter!�
Naruto made a face as he started leading them over to the entrance of the base. �Veggies and vitamins. That bastard Sasuke won�t let a day go by without shoving several of each down my throat.�
The blue eyes missed the startled looks as his friends took in the fact that the cold Uchiha was making an effort to take care of the blonde. Sai, of course, merely looked smug.
Naruto glanced over at Sasame and gave her a small nod to let her know that everything was alright. She nodded in reply and went back inside ahead of them.
Hinata finally gathered up her courage to speak out. �What h-happened to your arm, N-Naruto-kun?�
Naruto lifted the arm in question. �Oh, this? It�s nothing,� he demurred. �I just hurt myself messing around with my new jutsu. It�ll be better in a day or so.� Naruto hated to hide the truth from his friends, but until he knew what their intentions were, he didn't want to reveal more than was necessary.
He led them down through the halls with ease. Most of the traps had been removed or disabled since there were currently a lot of civilians around. As soon as the repairs were completed, Sasuke intended on resetting their defenses. Naruto knew he would have to "remind" his dark-haired friend to tell the other shinobi that shared their home when he did so.
Naruto led them to two decent sized spare rooms that were next to each other where he told them that they could stay the night. After they had deposited their gear, he then led them to the kitchen. "If you guys are hungry, I can see if there is anything left from lunch or throw something together."
"As long as it isn't ramen," Kiba muttered.
"Heh, I'm lucky if I get to see a bowl a week. Damn bastard," Naruto grumbled.
Kiba snickered. "He's got you pretty whipped, huh?"
Naruto flushed slightly. "He does not! He just wants to make sure I eat right. I have to keep this sexy body of mine in top shape, you know." He grinned over at the Inuzuka while he flexed his left arm.
Hinata giggled softly with a bright blush.
"They say that sex is great for a cardiovascular workout," Sai volunteered cheerfully. "And if you really want to multitask, you can get some stretching exercises in as well."
"Sai!" Kiba, Hinata and Naruto exclaimed simultaneously.
"Fucking pervert," Naruto added.
They entered the kitchen to find Sasuke leaning against the corner of the cabinets where they curved around. He had his arms crossed over his chest and he glared at the four newcomers balefully.
Naruto gave him a concerned glance, wondering if the other teen should even be out of bed yet. He had been healed by a moderately skilled medical-nin but still had some healing to do on his own. He sported bandages wrapped around his lower torso under his shirt and, if you knew him well, was standing a bit stiffly.
Sai gave him a quick once over before giving that vacant grin. "Nice outfit. A definite upgrade from the gay pirate look."
Kiba snorted, Sasuke narrowed his eyes dangerously and Hinata took a discreet step away from Sai. Shino was busy getting a feel of the power level of the shinobi before him, his insects whispering of his potential chakra level.
Kiba, feeling a little giddy on the apparent success of their mission, couldn't help but get a jibe in as well. "Damn, Uchiha, you've gotten downright pretty for a guy," he said with a fanged smirk.
Naruto, who didn't missing the further tensing of Sasuke's body, shot his lover a playful look that agreed with what the dog-boy had said. Sasuke met his eyes for a moment, understood that Naruto didn't want him to start killing off the Leaf-nin, and gave a "Hn."
"Have a seat, guys. Let me see what's available," Naruto said while gesturing toward the table. "Have you eaten yet, bastard?"
"Not hungry," Sasuke said quietly, his eyes remaining on their new guests. He watched as everyone but Shino sat around the four-person table. As Naruto started to walk past him to check the fridge, he nudged his arm and held out his cupped hand. Naruto frowned for a second then saw the two medium sized pills resting in his palm.
His lip curled in distaste, but he grabbed them and tossed them back dry. He made a worse face and ran his tongue up against his pallet a few times like a dog that had just licked a skunk's ass.
As he searched the fridge for something easy to throw together, Sai started telling them of their search for the two young men. Between him and Kiba, they managed to make it sound like a grand adventure. Shino was quietly observing everything around him and Hinata was trying to fade into the background, sensing a slowly building tension from certain members in the room.
Naruto was hoping that things wouldn't get violent between his various friends. He didn't want to go back yet. He couldn't go back yet. Not until he had fulfilled his promise to Sasuke. In addition to that, he really wanted to help Sound get back on its feet under the right leadership. The things that he had seen lately made him even more determined to help out in any way he could to liberate the country out from under Orochimaru's remaining influence.
He set a small plate with a couple of rice balls on it next to Sasuke and started piling the table with various leftovers and finger foods. "Dinner will be better," he promised. He took the last vacant seat and piled up his own plate even though he had eaten not too long ago. There was always room for more in the black hole that was Uzumaki Naruto's stomach.
Shino slid over to where Sasuke was standing. The other teen eyed him with arrogant wariness as he came into range, as if saying that he knew the bug user couldn't hurt him but he would watch him just in case he wanted to be annoying. Shino figured it must be a genetic trait to allow someone to make an art form out of looking down their nose at a person. After all, the Hyuuga's were distantly related to the Uchiha's and Neji possessed the same ability.
"It would be best for him if you convince him to come with us," he said quietly, not wanting to interrupt the rather loud banter coming from the table.
"How do you figure that?" Sasuke returned just as softly, but somehow still made it sound condescending.
"If he comes back, we can remove the snake so that it won't take control of him again," Shino pointed out.
"The snake is sealed and is being guarded over by the fox. I don't think he'll be visiting us any time soon," Sasuke sneered derisively.
"If he comes back willingly, Tsunade-sama will keep him safe from the council; will keep him as an active ninja. If he has to be dragged back, they will take away his status for sure," Shino said, trying to reason with the other teen. "If he has to be dragged back, he will never have the chance to become Hokage. Are you willing to sacrifice his dreams for your revenge?"
Sasuke leveled a glare on the other boy. "Don't presume you know anything about his dreams or mine."
"You've already chosen the life of an outcast, Uchiha. Don't drag him down with you."
"You know that is the one thing that I have learned to find so amusing about the ninja of Konoha," Sasuke drawled as he watched the others at the table. "You are so impressed with yourselves and your village that you don't realize that there is a whole world out here besides you. Perhaps Naruto doesn't need the Leaf as much as you would wish him to."
"Everyone needs a home to return to," Shino pointed out.
"Yes, but the location of that home can change."
"For us, that's called a nuke-nin and they are generally hunted down," Shino said calmly.
"Orochimaru and the Akatsuki have shown just how well the Hunter-nin do their jobs." Sasuke pushed himself away from the counter and slowly and gracefully moved through the kitchen. He was trying not to favor his side so as to not display any weakness, so he made up for his usual confident stride by a casual pace.
He dropped a hand on the back of Naruto's neck, thumb unconsciously rubbing against his nape. "Want to move this into the room? It will be a bit more private there and you can discuss what needs to be said."
Naruto nodded, noticing that his friend was a little paler than usual. He knew that Sasuke more than likely needed to sit down to rest for a bit, but had too much pride to say so. "Sure, we'll meet you in there in a sec."
Sasuke nodded and left the room, certain that as soon as he did so, the conversation topic would swing to him. It was better that they got it out of the way now so that they could be sent on their way at the first opportunity. Then he and Naruto could disappear from Sound.
Sai watched Sasuke exit the room and turned toward his blonde friend. "So what were you guys doing that got the both of you injured? And don't tell me a training accident. I've seen enough injuries to tell the difference."
Naruto squirmed for a moment as all eyes focused on him. "You see, now that Orochimaru has been taken care of, Sound is trying to gain control over itself and set itself up as a real Hidden Village. But to do that, they need to get rid of the shinobi that are die-hard Orochimaru fans." He gave a shrug. "We've been helping out by shutting down some of the research facilities that were operating in Rice Field Country. In the next day or two we have to go and hit the last one that we are aware of. The last one we attacked," he paused and shuddered. "Let's just say that I won't leave a lab standing if I can help it."
"Why are you doing this? Sound is our enemy," Kiba protested.
"No," Naruto contradicted. "Orochimaru was our enemy and the village as it was ran under him was our enemy. Without him, they have a chance to make things right now. They can actually protect their people instead of using them."
Hinata spoke up in a surprisingly sure, albeit soft, voice. "If you think they are good people, then I think it is a wonderful thing that you are trying to help them."
"I agree," Shino said, "and I think that the Hokage would also agree and would encourage a mission to make Sound into an ally instead of an enemy. However, I think she would support it more if you came back and got an official mission for it."
"Shino, I can't go back until I finish what I started here. If I go back, there is no guarantee that I will ever be allowed to leave again. I overheard the council talking to baa-chan. They want to prevent me from ever leaving the village again. They wanted to put a Hyuuga curse mark on me so they could kill me if they needed to. I won't go back to that!"
A silence fell over the group as they absorbed the information. Hinata's eyes were widened in shock, perhaps knowing better than all of them what the seal fully entailed.
"You overheard them actually saying this?" Shino finally said in a low tone.
"Yes," Naruto said, hanging his head. "'They... they don't even see me as human."
"They see you as the Kyuubi," Kiba stated quietly. "They can't see Naruto."
Naruto's head jerked up, looking at them in surprise. "You know?" he asked, panic rising in his tone.
"Shino and Hinata saw your fight with Orochimaru when you used the fox's powers," Sai told him. "Kiba was told later after we started this mission because I felt he had a right to know what we were up against. And because I knew he was your friend, and friends don't judge each other." He put on a smile. "I read that in a book!"
"We've known for awhile now, Naruto-kun. We've had time to get used to the idea," Hinata assured him. "We know that you are still you."
"Yeah," Kiba said. "And it kinda explains a lot about you that was confusing. Things that Akamaru would sometimes sense, the way your face would sometimes change when you were backed into a corner by some opponent." He hesitated a moment. "You are still you when it comes out, right? Kakashi and Sakura both kinda warned us to stay away from you when your eyes turn red. Is that when it comes out?"
Naruto swallowed with difficulty. It would be such a relief to tell his friends everything, but would they stay his friends if he did?
"Let's take this somewhere more private," Sai suddenly suggested.
Naruto nodded, grateful for the reprieve, and gathered up their dishes to stack in the sink. He then led the silent group down to the bedroom he shared with Sasuke. The door could be sealed and everyone knew better by now than to try to open it. Plus there was a small sitting area where they had dragged some furniture in when their home had been invaded by strangers.
Naruto gave the knock that indicated that he was here with people. A few moments later the door was released. Naruto pushed it open and gestured everyone inside. "Have a seat." He stepped in and closed the door behind him then turned to reseal it.
Sasuke watched from where he was propped up on the bed, ostensibly studying a scroll of some type. Truthfully, he was both resting his body and keeping his ears on the rest of the room's occupants. He watched Naruto draw a deep breath and move over to where everyone else was seated on a couple of plush chairs and a sofa. Shino was in the process of sitting in one of the chairs as Sai, Hinata and Kiba commandeered the sofa. Naruto flopped down in the comfy chair and dragged the ottoman over to prop his feet up.
Once comfortable, Naruto started talking in what was apparently a continuance of a conversation. "It depends on the level of power that I'm using. If my features just change a little, then I'm still me. Once the red aura surrounds me, then I start losing parts of me. I keep control until four tails manifest."
"Five," Sasuke interrupted from the bed. "The last time you went up against Orochimaru you were still in control with four tails."
"Barely," Naruto muttered.
"Barely still counts, dobe. You didn't attack me and you didn't attack anyone that you deemed an innocent bystander," Sasuke pointed out, standing up for his friend, even against himself.
"Bastard," he said, but the insult sounded affectionate even to the others in the room.
"Usuratonkachi," Sasuke replied calmly and without inflection. It still caused Naruto to smile.
"What's the word? What's the word?" Sai said to himself with a look of concentration. "Oh yes!" he brightened. "Are you two snogging now?"
"Sai!" Naruto protested with a blush.
"Yes," came the calm reply from the bed.
"Sasuke!"
"What, dobe?" Sasuke had no problems with letting the others know that he was involved with Naruto. He knew that given half a chance Sai would probably try to jump the blonde and, if she ever grew a backbone, Hinata would be right behind him.
"Do you mind!?"
"Not at all," he said, looking up from his scroll. "Want me to go into details?"
"No!" Naruto yelled out in a rather high pitched tone.
"Yes!" Sai contradicted.
"No!" Kiba yelled desperately. "I don't need to know about my male friend doing the nasty with his boyfriend."
"Mate," Sasuke corrected. "That is the term you used, right, Naruto?"
"Bastard!! You are so going to pay for this later!" Naruto threatened.
Sasuke smirked back at him. "I look forward to it."
"What's the difference between the two?" Sai asked, still sporting a gleeful smile on his face at the chaos he was causing. Chaos always led to much more human interaction and gave him many opportunities to observe individuals and their emotions.
Shino and Kiba were both still, seeming to innately understand the nuances of what Sasuke was implying while Hinata sat staring straight ahead as if trying to decide whether to hyperventilate or pass out.
"It depends on the species," Shino answered slowly. "For some species there isn't much difference. Their allegiances change at their whim."
There was a sudden frigid feeling of icy fire coming from the bed. "Some just have priorities," Sasuke said coldly.
"And just which is higher on your list? Your vengeance or your mate?" Shino asked with a seemingly mild curiosity. He held up a hand. "Wait, you don't have to answer that. I remember what happened over three years ago."
Naruto kicked the ottoman out of the way and stood. "That's enough, Shino," he growled.
Before, Naruto had always had a strong, feral presence when he had wanted. Now, with the added physique and experience in his eyes, the presence took on a more powerful, dominant note; one that commanded attention. The blue eyes burned into Shino's even through the sunglasses and the other boy knew that now would be a good time to back down because Naruto certainly wouldn't.
"You know everything that you need to know to report to baa-chan," the teen growled out. "Kabuto is dead, Orochimaru is sealed and I am not coming back until Sound is free to rule itself and Itachi is dead. You don't need to know anything else other than by the time you report these things that Sasuke and I will be gone from this place."
Sasuke looked onto the scene with both smugness and something else that he couldn't quite put his finger on. It was possessive, proud, impressed and excited all at the same time.
"Well, there's only one problem with that, Naruto," Sai said after a brief moment.
"And that is?" the blonde's voice practically rumbled with displeasure.
"We were told that if we couldn't bring you back, we were to stay with you," Sai answered with a delighted smile.
Chapter 45
"We could kill them all in their sleep," Sasuke suggested blandly.
Naruto decided he really didn't want to know whether he was kidding or not. Instead, he shot the dark-haired teen an exasperated look.
"Just a suggestion," he murmured with a tinge of what Naruto was afraid was disappointment in his tone.
"At least they aren't going to try to force us back," he said with a heavy sigh.
"That you know of. They might wait until we are injured or until our guard is down," Sasuke pointed out.
"Hn," Naruto answered as he stripped down, throwing his clothes carelessly on their bedroom floor.
Sasuke admired the view as the naked, tanned body moved over to the dresser to fish out a pair of his boxers. He loved watching Naruto's body. It was akin to watching a sleekly muscled, large cat moving about the room. Latent strength and power that was ready to awaken and turn deadly at the first hint of danger. His lips twitched into a smirk. Well perhaps it would be at the second hint of danger. This was Naruto to whom was referring.
And that lethal package was all his.
Speaking of packages.
His eyes dropped down as the boxers were pulled over a firm, tight ass; the package he had wanted to examine disappeared under dark blue cloth. Feeling Naruto's gaze on him, he glanced up at his lover's face, which was pulled into a wide smile.
"Something you wanted?" the blonde asked lightly.
Sasuke lifted an eyebrow with a "Hn." They both knew that it was a charade however, put on by his pride and stubbornness.
"You know, I do recall now that I owe you one for announcing to everybody that we were sleeping together," Naruto said half playfully, half with a growl.
"Embarrassed about it?" Sasuke asked casually, but with a sharp look in his eyes.
"It's none of their business what you and I do in private," Naruto declared.
"Maybe a few of them needed to know that you were no longer available," Sasuke suggested.
Naruto gave him an incredulous look. "I really don't think any of them had designs on my body," he said with exasperation.
"That only proves how blind you really are," Sasuke affirmed.
Unable to think of a witty come-back, Naruto stuck his tongue out at the other teen. "The only person that has designs on my body is you," he asserted.
"Perhaps not the only one, but the only one that will get to fulfill those designs," Sasuke said with a smirk.
Naruto placed a finger on his bottom lip. "Hmm, I dunno. Shino was looking pretty hot tonight," he said thoughtfully.
Every trace of expression was wiped from Sasuke's face except for the crimson eyes that started spinning. "Don't even joke about it," he said in a dead voice.
Naruto blinked in bewilderment. He then recalled all of the uchiwa fans that decorated practically every surface in the Uchiha compound. He should have remembered that Uchiha�s were rather obsessively possessive. It both unnerved him and yet gave him a warm feeling to have that attention turned toward him.
He walked over to the stiffly sitting young man on the bed and reached out to gently cup his cheek. "As long as you want me, I will only be yours," he quietly reassured him. He then gave a lopsided smile. "And I think I've already proven that even if you say you don't want me, I'm still yours."
Sasuke slowly relaxed as Naruto's words sank in. It was true. The dobe had doggedly tried to get him back for years. If someone could be said to be obsessive, it would be Naruto just as easily as it was Sasuke.
�Hn. Let�s get some sleep, usuratonkachi. We�ve had a long day and I don�t think either of us is healthy enough to play at the moment.� Sasuke stripped down to his boxers and slid under the covers, being careful not to bump his side. Hopefully the tenderness would fade in a few days.
Naruto left the sling off as he crawled into bed. He shut off the lights and then settled down beside Sasuke, letting the older shinobi spoon against his back with an arm around his waist. It was nice to fall asleep while being held; something he enjoyed immensely.
As they both fell silent in the darkness, Naruto pulled a little extra power from Kyuubi, hoping to speed up his healing as he slept. He wanted to recover as quickly as possible so that they could take down the last lab.
****************
Orochimaru watched as the small trickle of power became slightly thicker as the vessel pulled on the demon�s chakra. The creature itself was resting, having spent energy keeping the boy healed the last few days. The Sannin didn�t know what Naruto had been up to, but it had apparently involved a lot of fighting.
He crept over to the cage doors and pulled himself up until he was even with the seal. After casting a glance over his shoulder, he turned and pushed his arm into the back of the seal. He could feel a bit of resistance, but he forced himself to flow along with the red chakra that was leaking through. He felt excitement spike through him as his chakra wrapped arm emerged on the other side.
He looked back once again to make sure the demon was still slumbering. Satisfied that he was still out of danger, he pressed his face against the bars and willed himself through.
It felt as if his head was being squeezed by a vice. The pressure kept increasing until he thought his eyes would burst from his skull. Slowly but surely the red haze cleared from his vision and he could see from the outside of the cage. Smiling a bit maniacally, he began to pull more of his form out.
He couldn�t move.
Scowling, he tried again, but his shoulders refused to pass beyond the seal. He could pull back but he couldn�t go any farther. He frowned, but realized there was nothing else he could do to escape at this point in time.
Deciding not to waste what he had accomplished, he probed at the vessel�s mind only to find him unconscious.
Perfect. It was time to look around.
Yellow eyes opened onto a familiarly decorated room. He could tell he was in one of his bases, just not which one exactly.
Feeling something tickle his face, he glanced down onto a dark mop of hair that had taken residence against his neck and shoulder. The pale body shivered against him although he couldn�t feel it as a soft, distressed sound emanated from the figure.
Orochimaru could guess that his own chakra was stirring the curse seal somewhat and, by what his senses told him, it had been activated recently which added to its sensitivity.
�Don�t we look so comfy, Sasuke-kun,� he whispered softly in a mocking tone. �I told you that bonds only made you weak, yet here you are, clinging to the demon-brat like some lost waif. And here I thought you were trying to be a real shinobi so you could go kill your brother. Sickening.�
While he wanted Sasuke to stay around so that he would be within reach when he once again took control over his vessel, Orochimaru also wanted there to be enough strife to force Naruto to call upon Kyuubi�s powers. The more power that the boy called upon, the better chances the Sannin had of escaping his prison.
He knew, however, that even if Sasuke left that Naruto wouldn�t be far behind.
Smiling, he used his one working arm to pull Sasuke closer and brought his cold lips down upon the black marks on the teen�s neck. As his mouth brushed the white skin, his power slipped from between his lips and into the seal.
Sasuke moaned plaintively in his sleep.
�Sweet dreams,� the voice said smugly before relinquishing its hold on reality.
****************
Sasuke�s eyes snapped open, but the images of the nightmare still danced in his vision. His parents� blood pooling on the floor, his brother�s emotionless face and his own terror were vivid in his mind. Terror was then followed by pain. The pain of his parents� deaths, the pain of his brother�s betrayal and the pain of having his whole world ripped apart around him while he could do nothing.
Pain only made one stronger; he shouldn�t try to push it away.
Sasuke shook his head with a frown. No, people made one stronger. Naruto had proven that to him. He was stronger when he was with his friend.
Unconsciously, his hand crept up to cover the curse mark.
Pain defined a person, hardened them, tempered them and made them stronger. No, pain clouded a person�s judgment and made them do irrational things.
He felt a burning in his neck.
What the hell was he doing here playing house with Naruto? He should be out looking for his brother. He should be trying to find that son of a bitch and make him pay for his crimes. Make him pay for leaving him alone.
He wasn�t alone. He needed Naruto�s help in taking on his brother. They always traveled in pairs; Orochimaru had warned him at one point. With Naruto beside him, he would have the strength to do what was necessary to avenge his clan and then put it to rest. So that he might actually have a life afterwards to call his own.
There was no life beyond his vengeance. Everything else was an illusion. A genjutsu manufactured by his own weak wishes for something more in his life when he knew he had but one purpose.
He shouldn�t be here.
He carefully sat up and looked down at the other occupant of the bed.
�Mangekyou,� his mind whispered to him.
�NO!!�
He may not have a place in Naruto�s life, but that didn�t mean he would take it away. Naruto was the last link he had to being human. Naruto represented his last childish wish that things could have been different. No matter how much he hated having that wish in front of him, taunting him with its allure, he just couldn�t bring himself to destroy it.
He eased out of bed and quickly dressed. He wanted to be out of the room as fast as possible before the contradicting emotions pulled him apart.
Naruto struggled up through the layers of sleep as something in his subconscious nagged him into wakefulness. He knew he wasn�t in danger, yet something wasn�t right.
The first thing his mind registered was that the usual comforting weight on his chest was gone.
He sat up and looked around the room, noting that the other shinobi was nowhere around. Thinking that perhaps Sasuke had gone to the bathroom, Naruto shifted to lie back down when he froze.
One of two packs that they had near the door in case of a need for an emergency exit was gone.
Not sparing time to wonder what the hell was going on; Naruto yanked on his pants and shirt and ran out of the room. He didn�t care about shoes or coats or any other frivolity when it was possible that Sasuke was sneaking away into the night.
Naruto ran down the cold stone corridor, heading for the exit. He half stumbled to a stop when he came across one of the Fuuma clan shinobi standing guard at the doors. �Has anyone left this way?� he demanded.
Naruto only waited long enough for the man to shake his head before turning and bolting down the hall. He had to have left through the concealed crack in the wall. Not too many people knew about it and they had planned on keeping it that way.
He came to the narrow channel in the rock and started to force his bulkier frame through. Half way through he stopped with a string of curses before using a henge to change his form into that of the white furred, blue-eyed fox. He quickly ran through the rock and earth until he came out into the night.
He scanned the area with sharp eyes and ears until he caught the flash of what could possibly be a gleam of steel in the moonlight. Not unlike that of a buckle catching the light.
He dropped the henge and tore off in that direction, trying to catch up with his wayward lover.
Sasuke dimly heard a voice filled with concern, calling his name. When the owner of that voice approached, the fire in his neck increased tenfold. He staggered away and was thankful that the person let him.
�Damn you, Sasuke, fight it! I know you can!� the voice yelled at him.
He knew that voice. He knew that it belonged to someone dear to him. He realized with sudden clarity that the curse seal was trying to control him again instead of the other way around. He fought back against the darkness in his mind, fought his way back towards the light that was talking to him in an anxious, but encouraging tone.
He came to on his hands and knees, breath wheezing out of him in great heaves. His stomach felt nauseous and he was afraid he was going to be revisited by his dinner. He slowly regained control over himself, proud that he was able to do so without hurling all over the place, and stood upright.
�Are you okay now?� Naruto asked from the next tree over.
Was he okay? No, he could still feel the fire and rage eating at his psyche. He could still feel the need to tear into something, the dark need to make something hurt.
Sasuke nodded wordlessly, unwilling to admit that he might not be.
�What happened?� Naruto asked hesitantly.
Sasuke shook his head. �I�m not sure.�
Naruto cautiously approached his friend, but his presence seemed to make the other teen to tense up again. He watched as the black flame markings remained on his lover�s skin, refusing to recede.
�Maybe you need to work through it,� Naruto ventured. �Like you told me to do when the Kyuubi was influencing me.�
�I can control it,� Sasuke said through gritted teeth as he tried to fight down his emotions and bottle everything up again.
�Maybe you just need to change it into something else. If I could change lust into anger, maybe you can change your anger into something else,� Naruto suggested. �It would be easier than trying to feel nothing.�
"True," Sasuke allowed with an attempt at a smirk. "But then I am an unbending control freak that refuses to give into anything that isn't a result of my will. You on the other hand are moved by your emotions and bend with the forces around you so that you don't break."
"Are you saying that you're broken?" Naruto asked quietly.
Sasuke's whole body tensed for a chilling moment, his eyes spinning into red. His muscles relaxed slowly and he tilted his head, looking Naruto over like he was debating whether he would be tasty or not. If the blonde wanted him to channel his anger into something else, far be it for him to refuse.
"And right now I think you should be bending to my will," Sasuke continued in a whisper.
Desire laced adrenaline surged through Naruto as he realized he had inadvertently triggered the more dominating aspects of Sasuke's personality. His raven-haired friend wasn't one to let his strength be called into question and now Naruto was going to pay the price for doing so.
Sasuke slowly crouched into a fighting stance. �Well, dobe? You are always chasing me down and fighting me. Why should this be any different?�
�I don�t want to fight you,� Naruto stated adamantly.
�Scaredy cat,� Sasuke sneered, smirking as he watched Naruto stiffen indignantly. �You said you wanted me to change my anger into something else. I�m willing to try to change my anger into lust, but I need you to play, too.�
�Then why are we fighting?� Naruto asked warily.
An almost feverish grin appeared on Sasuke�s face. �To see who gets to top, usuratonkachi, or do you just want to bend over for me so we can get down to business?� He was deliberately goading the other boy. If this was going to work, he had to work the edge off of his anger first. He didn�t want to take Naruto while still feeling the need to lash out and cause pain.
Naruto would recover from getting his ass kicked, but Sasuke didn�t want to find out if he could recover from being raped or not.
An errant breeze stirred Sasuke's dark hair, causing a few strands to curl gently around his chin. The spike of lust from the vision was enough to drive Naruto straight at him with a low, rumbling growl. Sasuke waited until the last moment then dropped down on his back. His hands and feet caught Naruto in mid-leap and boosted him over the other's head. As the blonde sailed through the trees, his body twisted much like a cat's to get his feet underneath him. He landed on a branch much further down and looked up only to see Sasuke almost on top of him.
Naruto jumped back as the older teen's feet hit the wooden limb. Not even pausing, Sasuke continued his charge. Naruto took a few quick steps to meet him, but Sasuke side-stepped as he grabbed the blonde's shirt-front. Allowing his momentum to carry him forward, he lifted the younger man up off his feet only to reverse his motion and slam the tanned body down into the branch upon which he stood.
All of his air left his lungs on impact. Knowing he would be able to breathe again momentarily, Naruto didn't panic but rather took the opportunity to grab Sasuke�s wrist and to wrap his legs around the arm, which was still clutching his shirt-front. He then abruptly realized that in this kind of fight such a maneuver was almost useless since he couldn't exactly break the other boy's arm. That wasn't what this contest was about.
Grinning almost viciously, Sasuke dropped his body forward and down, forcing himself between Naruto's legs. His free hand grabbed the blonde's hips and lifted so he could press boldly into Naruto's groin. Naruto groaned loudly as he felt his growing erection pressed by an even greater hardness. He forced his eyes back open from where they slid closed upon bodily contact and reached up to grab a handful of black hair.
Sasuke ruthlessly quelled the desire to not only submit but to do so with a moan when he felt the grip at the back of his head. He bared his teeth down at the blonde then started yanking at the fastenings of the orange pants violently.
Realizing that his tactic wasn't working, Naruto reached up and clawed open Sasuke's shirt. He then shoved the pale arm out of his way so he could lean forward and latch onto a nipple, sharp canines pricking skin to either side of the pink nub.
Naruto seemed to become aware of how close he was to losing when he realized that his pants were halfway down his thighs and that Sasuke was starting to open his own. Suddenly understanding that he was in a rather compromising position, he placed his feet on the lean hips above him and shoved hard, forcing Sasuke off the branch. He then did a kip-up to his feet, pushing his body from lying flat on his back to upright with a surge of muscle, and dragged his pants back up over his hips.
He looked down and saw his quarry standing on the barren forest floor. He absently noted the patches of green in the moonlight giving hints that spring was arriving. He leapt down without thought, his eyes riveted on the other young man; a slave to the desire that was now thrumming like a sweet addiction through his system.
Sasuke pulled the remnants of his shirt from his shoulders as he watched the blonde land not too far from him. They faced each other and he couldn't help but let a slow smirk form across his lips. Not wanting to give the dobe any time to think or calm down, he rushed the bulkier form.
They both went tumbling down in a frenzy of ripping cloth, biting teeth and clawing fingers with the musical accompaniment of groans, growls and mewls. The pure uninhibited savagery of their desire drove them further into madness in their need for each other.
Sasuke finally forced the blonde over onto his stomach and pinned him down, holding his wrists above his head. He forced a knee in between the toned legs and ground his hips against the tight ass below him.
He didn�t stop to gloat however. He didn�t want to lose that wild edge that their play held. It was almost as liberating as submitting to Naruto�s dominance. It was untamed and free and he knew that no one else could have held up under the brutality of it. No one else would have been strong enough to handle the obsessively crazed passion that was between them.
He transferred both of Naruto�s wrists to his one hand and used his other to jerk his own pants down enough to pull out his cock. He then yanked down the orange eyesores to the other�s knees, his lust riding him hard as the tanned ass was bared. He barely had enough forethought to hold his hand up under the boy�s lips. The other seemed to intuitively know what he wanted since he felt the slick wetness of spit hit his fingers. His own saliva joined it and he reached down to slick himself. He wiped whatever was left on the blonde�s puckered entrance before jerking the other teen�s hips higher.
Sasuke pressed himself forward and felt the tight muscle slowly give way. Naruto gave out a loud cry as he was penetrated, his body tensing up automatically at the painful yet erotic sensation. His brain wanted him to stop while his body wanted more. Or perhaps it was his body that wanted him to stop while his brain wanted more. Maybe it was both. He didn�t have time to decide however because less than three heaving breaths later, Sasuke began to move.
The raven-haired man pulled out and slammed in experimentally a few times, perhaps giving Naruto time to adjust or perhaps just testing out the body beneath him, like tuning an instrument. Indeed the blonde was quivering like a plucked string as a brutal pace was set within him. Sasuke was like a maestro conducting a darkly passionate symphony upon the blonde�s body and soul. Nerves were struck like the chords, bringing out a litany of resonant moans and cries. The rhythmic pounding in his ass met and melded with the quick tempo of his pulse. Fingers coated in black flames danced over his skin until they found their way between his thighs where they began to strum his hardened flesh.
Naruto felt as if he were descending into madness as the opus swelled into a crescendo. Discordant sound joined into the harmony, but instead of detracting from it, it seemed to enhance the perfection of the melody.
�Sasuke! Oh gods, Sasuke! Fuck me! Please!� Naruto, the instrument, practically wept. Wails and cries of rapture sounded in response to the pure beauty of the music until everything went silent and tense as that one perfect note was struck.
Teeth buried themselves into Naruto�s shoulder as the body above his shuddered almost violently. A hand clutched almost desperately around his pulsing cock as both males lost themselves in their release.
Darkness opened its embrace to Sasuke and the young man felt himself falling into it as his body went limp.
Naruto lowered himself down with the sudden dead weight on his back as he stubbornly clung to the light around him. His mind reeled, his body was almost numb and yet achingly alive at the same time and he could feel the coolness of tear tracks down his face.
He didn�t know what in the hell had just happened, but it had been intense, it had been wonderful and he wasn�t sure if he ever wanted to do it again. He told himself that it had just been the cursed seal that was influencing Sasuke and that his lover would never have acted that savagely on his own. He wasn�t sure if he wanted to truly believe that or not.
He carefully turned in the arms of his lover and cupped the other boy�s unmarked face in his hands. When the other didn�t open his eyes or respond in any way, Naruto felt safe enough to tell Sasuke finally what he had always wanted.
�I love you.�
Chapter 46
Sasuke slowly woke up to the sensation of lips lightly brushing across his. He drew in a breath and immediately recognized the scent of his lover. He noticed that the skin was no longer winter chapped but softer and warmer and figured it was due to the coming of spring and the increase in temperatures.
The mouth moved to nibble along his jaw line and ghosted over the lobe of his ear before trekking its way northward to skim over his brow before dropping to give a peck onto the tip of his nose. As that wonderful mouth descended on his again, everything faded. He didn�t note that he was in a warm room on a soft bed and no longer outside in the forest. He didn�t note that he was naked under the warm covers because the heated skin of his lover wasn�t brushing up against his, but rather was on the outside of the blankets. He didn�t even note how his body ached because all of his sensory input came from his lips being kissed, licked and tenderly nipped.
Callused fingers gently brushed his jaw, causing his breath to hitch jerkily. The gentle touch was caring and loving. It was everything that he didn�t deserve after his actions of the night before. He didn�t deserve this man�s soft caresses after nearly raping him in his rage and madness.
But he would selfishly hold him and never let him go. Naruto was the other half of his soul, his conscience and the one person who kept him from being consumed by his own darkness. Without Naruto, there was no Sasuke. There was only the Avenger of the Uchiha Clan.
A warm tongue deftly lapped away the single drop of salty water that escaped from the corner of his eye and raced into the hairline at his temple. Comforting words were softly murmured into the shell of his ear before the mouth returned to his own.
He drew Naruto�s tongue into his mouth as he wished he could draw his lover�s body into his own. He needed to be a part of this warmth. He needed to feel the light and love that he knew was given to him even though they hadn�t exchanged the words. He needed to know that he was forgiven for his actions last night and was still wanted and needed in return.
Strong fingers slid through ebony locks as Naruto gently cradled his head in the palm of his hand. His hair wasn�t gripped in a demand for submission; he was tenderly held as if he were cherished. Sasuke lifted his arms up and wrapped them around strong, broad shoulders, finally noting that he was bare while his lover was not.
�Naruto,� he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. He hated feeling this way. He hated the vulnerability, the weakness and the dependency that this emotion made him have for the other male. But he loved it as well. He loved the warmth, the passion and the need to be with this man.
Naruto looked down into his eyes which were quite literally windows to his soul and smiled a gentle, genuine and loving smile. �Yeah, me, too,� he said, calm and almost peaceful in contrast to Sasuke�s own conflicting emotions.
The loud knocking on the door effectively shattered the moment. �Oi, you two love birds done in there?� Kiba�s voice could be heard through the thick wood. �Everyone�s waiting in the kitchen.�
Naruto smiled at Sasuke�s expression. �No, you can�t kill him. I told everyone to meet me in the kitchen while I went and woke you up.� His eyes took in his lover�s appearance with a carefully neutral expression. �Why don�t you get dressed while I try to beat it into their heads that we aren�t going with them?� He wanted to give Sasuke time to put himself back together and get his emotions under control once again.
While he loved being able to get under his skin and into his heart in such a manner, he didn�t want anyone else to know how fragile Sasuke could sometimes be. He didn�t know if it was because of whatever trauma the teen had suffered as a child, the shock of realizing his feelings for what they were or the after effects of having gone to the second level of the curse seal but for some reason Sasuke was off center and unstable at the moment. The night before had shown that quite clearly.
He didn�t hold the brunette�s actions against him. Indeed, he knew what it was like trying to deal with outside (or perhaps it should be inside) influences that were not his own. If he had to go through what he did last night to prevent Sasuke from leaving him again, he would do so in a heartbeat. He guessed that it didn�t say much about his own mental health if he would accept such actions on a regular basis from his lover. Of course, he shoved the fact that part of him hadn�t minded it at all deeper into the recesses of his psyche.
He gently kissed those cool lips once more before standing and moving to the door. �I�ll see you in a few,� he said with a quirk of his lips.
Sasuke nodded, but didn�t voice a response.
***********************
Naruto joined the others in the kitchen where they had seemed to take up residence. It was past lunch time and the area was empty of both workers and other shinobi. The blonde poured himself a cup of tea and hopped up on the counter, making himself comfortable.
�So, what are you guys going to do really?� he finally asked as the silence dragged on.
Sai spoke up when he saw Shino open his mouth to reply. �We�re going to stick around you and try to convince you to come home. Barring that, we are going to have to follow you around and be a general nuisance.�
Naruto raised an eyebrow. �You can�t follow us around everywhere,� he declared. �We have missions to do.�
Hinata smiled shyly at him. �Then I guess we will have to accompany you on your missions.�
�Yeah,� Kiba agreed. �The sooner you get done with whatever it is you are doing, the sooner you can come home. So,� he said while shooting a look at Shino, �I guess you could say it is our duty to help you out.�
Naruto grinned at his friends. �Just like old times, eh?�
Shino sighed and nodded. �It would appear so. If helping you finish this task hastens your return home, then I am willing to help.�
Naruto let out a laugh, understanding that his friends meant well and weren�t going to push the issue. He knew ultimately that he would have to make a decision, but for now, things would be alright. He slung and arm around Kiba and ruffled his hair good-naturedly.
It was amidst all this laughter and teasing that Sasuke walked into the doorway. His first reactions were panic, envy and derision. He was panicked that he would lose Naruto to them, envious of their easy closeness and yet sneered at it at the same time.
Naruto raised his head, his sixth sense seeming to alert him that Sasuke was present as it usually did. Naruto shot a smile in his direction and held out a hand to him, inviting him to join.
Sasuke let out his typical �Hn,� in response and leaned casually against the door frame. While he turned up his nose at the offer, the offer itself put to rest some of his concerns. Naruto was still there for him. Naruto wouldn�t leave him to return to Konoha. The blonde had already told him that he was Sasuke�s as long as Sasuke wanted him.
He had nothing to fear from the others.
At that moment, Sasame brushed by his shoulder as she entered the room, but not in a careless or challenging manner. Sasuke realized that many of his reactions to her had been based upon his paranoia of someone taking Naruto away from him. He would admit that the girl wasn�t too terribly annoying, especially when she wasn�t looking at Naruto with doe eyes.
Naruto flashed a welcoming smile over at the orange-haired girl and offered her a cup of tea.
She gladly took the refreshment and, after a sip, let out a breath that seemed to relax her. �I just got back from the village. Hanzaki wants to see you both. He says that there have been some new developments and we are needed to take action.�
�When does he want us there?� Naruto asked with a suddenly serious expression.
�Tomorrow,� she answered. �He knows you have been injured and said to take this day to heal up a little more.�
Naruto held up his bare arm. �I should be good for sure tomorrow. It feels a lot better.�
Naruto shot a questioning look over at Sasuke, but refrained from inquiring about his health. He knew that the other shinobi was sore, especially with all the fighting they did last night. His body warmed slightly as he remembered what else they had done.
�Tomorrow will be fine,� Sasuke said in response to Naruto�s look.
�Sweet! Finally, something exciting!� Kiba said with a pleased expression on his face.
Sasame gave Naruto a confused look.
�It seems like we have a few more ninjas to lend a helping hand,� he answered her unspoken question.
�Welcome aboard,� she said with a pleased smile.
*********************
They spent the rest of the day bringing the four Leaf-nins up to date on what was happening within Rice Field Country. At first Sasame was reluctant to impart information to foreign ninja, but she quickly became impressed with their insight and suggestions.
The conversation had been relaxed and easy going with the shinobi spread around the sitting area of Sasuke�s and Naruto�s bedroom for privacy. Naruto was sitting next to Sasuke with his back leaned into the other male who was idly playing with his hair. Sai, Shino and the two girls were sitting on the other furniture while Kiba was stretched out comfortably on the floor with Akamaru.
Naruto finally decided to stop avoiding the subject and asked, �What�s been happening in Konoha?�
There was an awkward moment of silence before Sai spoke up. �Asuma-sensei was killed by a member of the Akatsuki,� he said emotionlessly. �We almost lost a few others as well before the two members were taken out. Kakashi-sensei was in the hospital for a long time after using his new Sharingan.�
That immediately had Sasuke�s attention. �New Sharingan?� he demanded.
�Yep,� Sai nodded.
Sasuke waited with growing impatience, but the addition to team seven remained silent. �Well?!� Sasuke finally growled out. �What did it look like? What did it do? How did he get it?�
Sai gave a quirk of his lips as if he were enjoying Sasuke�s unusual display. After all, it wasn�t everyday that someone could shake the cold shinobi�s typical stoic appearance.
Sai slowly pulled out a scroll from his weapon�s pouch. He carefully retrieved a brush and his ink. He mixed the ink with cool precision, seeming to ignore the dark eyes that were boring into him. He mentally gave a gleeful chuckle as he circumspectly observed the Uchiha�s reactions. It was interesting that he finally found a way to crack the teen�s aloof mask.
He drew Kakashi�s eye in minute detail and tilted the scroll upwards ostensibly to blow on the ink, but also removing it from Sasuke�s view. It was only when Naruto winced from the fingers that had tightened out of frustration in his hair that Sai casually turned the scroll around to show to the boy.
Two onyx eyes widened incredulously.
�As for how he got it, I am not sure,� Sai stated calmly. �He used it in the fight against the Akatsuki. It is how they defeated Kakuzu.�
�What did it do?� Sasuke demanded. He felt Naruto prying at his fingers and released his grip on the blonde locks. He shot a very brief apologetic look at him before returning his gaze to Sai.
�It somehow sucked some of the shadow things that surrounded Kakuzu into some kind of dimensional vortex,� Sai said with a frown. He wasn�t really exactly sure what Kakashi had done, only that it removed several of Kakuzu�s �lives.�
Sasuke frowned. He knew that Itachi was able to suck a person�s mind into some kind of dimension, but he had never heard of it affecting a person physically except in as much as draining their strength and putting them into a coma.
Sai shrugged. �Sakura said the first time she saw it was when she, Naruto, Kakashi and some old lady went up against the Akatsuki members that had taken the Kazekage.�
Sasuke turned a disbelieving look on Naruto. �And you didn�t tell me about it?�
Naruto blinked under that accusing stare. �Well, it was a while back. And other things have happened since then. I.. I sort of forgot about it.�
�You forgot about it?� Sasuke asked incredulously.
�Yes, I forgot about it. I had other things on my mind like how I was going to break out of the fucking prison in � that Orochimaru had stuck me in,� he amended, forcing himself not to look in Sasame�s direction.
Sasuke forced himself to take a deep breath and continued in a more reasonable tone. �How did he get it? What was he doing when he used it?�
Naruto gave a shrug against the firm chest behind him. �He just had it. He lifted his headband and there it was. He used it to suck in an explosion to protect the rest of us.�
Sasuke frowned. He had to talk to Kakashi. He had to know how he had developed the Mangekyou. He thought he knew Kakashi well enough to know that the man hadn�t killed anyone that was close to him for it. Not after all the lectures he gave about teamwork and never leaving a teammate behind. If he knew something that hadn�t been recorded on the stone beneath the Uchiha family home, then Sasuke needed to find out about it.
Of course, the moment Sasuke showed his face in Konoha he would be arrested.
Also, he doubted that Kakashi would even tell him how he developed it since he would know that Sasuke would turn right around and leave again with the intent on hunting down his brother.
Lost in his own thoughts, Sasuke paid little attention as the others went back to discussing current events back in the Leaf. It wasn�t until he saw everyone standing to leave and gathering up dirty dishes that he realized that it was late and he had completely missed dinner.
As soon as the door shut a pair of lips found their way to his, bringing him fully into the present.
�You okay?� Naruto asked worriedly.
He gave a short nod. �Just confused, I guess. A bit shocked. If there was a way that Kakashi developed the Mangekyou, then there has to be a way that I can as well.�
�You mean without killing me?� Naruto couldn�t resist the sharp half-tease, half-serious jibe.
Sasuke lifted an eyebrow at him, then abruptly reached up and clasped his hand to the back of Naruto�s neck. He yanked the younger man back down to him so he could take his lips in a deep kiss. After a moment, Naruto started to respond, pressing himself against his lover, wanting to feel every inch of him.
Sasuke broke away from the kiss. �I couldn�t do it back then and you are even more precious to me now,� he whispered.
�Sasuke,� Naruto said back just as quietly in a voice filled with emotion. He stood and drew the other boy up with him, his gaze full of love and longing. He hooked a finger under the leather collar with a wide grin and proceeded to lead his lover towards the bed.
**************
Kiba had finally settled in for the night on the comfortable futon that was in the room he shared with Sai and Shino. Akamaru was snuggled up against his side, radiating a familiar and comfortable warmth that let him know that he had his faithful friend watching his back.
Wham. Wham. Wham.
�What the fuck?�
The sound of something metal slamming into stone resonated through the closed door from not far away.
Wham. Wham. Wham.
Accompanying each slam was a low noise like a moan or a groan of pain. A snicker came from the futon where Sai was supposed to be sleeping.
�What the hell is that?� Kiba demanded.
Wham.Wham.Wham.
The snicker became a snort of laughter. �You can�t tell?�
The deep toned moans became slightly louder as the tempo increased.
Whamwhamwham.
Kiba got up and walked over to the door, intent on finding out what the hell was going on.
�You might not want to do that,� Shino said quietly from the other side of Sai.
Incensed that he seemed to be the only clueless one in the room, Kiba opened the door. The noise was much louder out in the hall.
Whamwhamwham.
�Naruto!�
That sounded like Sasuke�s voice. It was a tone he had never heard coming from the dark-haired teen before and he wasn�t sure what it was.
�Harder!�
His face went slightly pale before becoming very red.
Whamwhamwhamwhamwhamwham.
�Oh god, yes!!�
Another sound joined the moans-turned-cries of pleasure. It wasn�t as low in timbre as Sasuke�s voice, but it made up for it in a growling, rumbling way.
That was when the scent of sexual arousal hit him full in the nose. Although he himself wasn�t interested in males, his body responded instinctually.
He quickly stepped back into the room and practically slammed the door shut, although he doubted anyone could hear it over the two in the other room.
�They�they�re�� he stuttered out.
�Having sex,� Shino replied in a bland tone.
�Snogging,� Sai supplied with what sounded suspiciously like a giggle.
�Fucking!� he finally finished his own sentence.
His sensitive ears picked up the staccato cries and his ninja training happily informed him for Sasuke to be making those sounds that Naruto must have been reaming him pretty damn hard and fast.
There was a brief moment of silence when only the sound of what Kiba remembered being a metal headboard was being rammed into the stone wall. The stillness was shattered by a deep, hoarse cry of release. It was quickly joined by an almost guttural roar that shot straight down to Kiba�s groin.
�Well, now I know who�s on top,� Sai chuckled.
Kiba swallowed with some difficulty. �I need to use the bathroom.� He quickly ducked out of the room before anyone could comment, leaving Akamaru behind. Thankfully, all of the noises had stopped but the heavy smell of cum and pheromones were still thick in the air.
Kiba lazily walked back to his room about a half an hour later, feeling much better. It was amazing what a good jerking off in the shower could do for your stress. He was able to ignore the lingering smell of sex in the air as he opened his door and silently slid inside. He crawled inside of his covers and Akamaru happily snuggled up against his back. The other two occupants seemed to have finally drifted off asleep.
He slowly relaxed and felt himself drifting off toward dreamland.
Wham. Wham. Wham.
His eyes shot open and he sat up in bed.
Wham. Wham. Wham.
�You gotta be fuckin� kidding me!�
His only reply was a muffled snickering from not far away.