Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Faerie Tale ❯ Chapter 7
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: theablackthorn 
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Fantasy | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 06.09.2012 | Pages: 3 | Words: 5.3K | Visits: 273 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Fantasy | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 06.09.2012 | Pages: 3 | Words: 5.3K | Visits: 273 | Status: Work In Progress
Title: Fairy Tale Part 7
Author: Theablackthorn
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Sasuke/Naruto
Warnings: BL
Note: Part of my 100 themes Challenge no: 61.
2 weeks later...
Sasuke emerged from sleep slowly, struggling against it like he was pulling himself through thick treacle. When his eyes finally cracked open, he winced as the light hit his retinas before slowly adjusting. As the bright coloured spots faded and the sudden sharp pain eased he looked up, seeing the familiar hard packed earth he had come to recognise whenever he’d managed to pull himself from healing slumber.
He sighed softly, blinking slowly, absorbing the feel of the space around him, the covers pulled over his chest scratched slightly, the furs beneath him were a warm presence that were more comfortable than his own duck down bed and then there was the quiet. Sasuke frowned, there was something missing. His brother had been in the larger portion of the room when he’d woken last and Kisame too. He’d seen Suigetsu, Karin and Juugo around on a few occasions too. But there was something more missing; steady warmth that had been at his left side every time he’d awoken that had brought a sense of peace.
Sasuke’s eyes shot wide as realisation dawned like a sharp slap to the cheek. He turned his head sharply to the left, eyes staring at the empty cream coloured pillow beside him. He sat up swiftly, head spinning at the sudden and unwelcome change in position. “Naru-!” His voice cracked as it came out of his mouth, his tongue felt thick, throat parched from the lack of moisture. He tried again after a few futile swallows, voice barely a whisper as he called for the fox changeling, turning his gaze out on the main room and seeing no one around to answer his call.
Sasuke shifted, feeling stiff muscles bunch and pull as he moved his legs from under the covers. His feet landed on the ground with soft thuds, the hard packed earth coarse but comfortable underfoot. His eyes searched his body, assessing quickly, he found a multitude of bandages bound around his limbs and chest but the bone deep ache had gone. There was an almost gentle throb, a reminder he supposed, where the iron arrow tip had pierced his chest. It was just a puckered mark now, slightly pink at the edges - but, for iron, it had healed well.
He pressed his palms to the pile of furs on either side of him, pushing downwards, using the force to leverage his body up slowly. Sasuke grit his teeth when a spike of pain resonated out from the wound that had finally healed, another reminder that he needed to build up the muscles again. He felt like he’d been in a coma for months, his body unreliable and awkward as he managed to gain his feet after some shuffling. He ducked his head at the last moment to avoid banging his head on the low ceiling over the bedding platform as he stepped forward.
Sasuke groaned softly as he moved, knowing that getting his body up and going was the answer to two of his current problems - finding Naruto would be much easier when on his feet and loosening up his stiff muscles which needed a degree of encouragement. He had finally healed, but his body was used to rigorous daily exercise, the lack of it had caused his muscles to seize up and he would not abide the loss of mobility for long.
There was a loud clang from across the room and Sasuke tried to stabilise himself, his hand pressing back against the wall above the low bedding area, so he could look up without fear of humiliating himself by slumping to the floor. Balance achieved, he looked up just in time to catch a flash of bright blond and russet, and then he was toppling backwards, clipping the back of his head on the low ceiling that he’d initially managed to avoid. He gasped as weight pushed him back and then pressed him down. There was a heavy weight on his chest and a steady throbbing set up home in the back of his skull, which forced his eyes closed on a wince.
He groaned audibly, eyes heavy as he cracked them open the barest amount to glare at the idiot fox now hovering over him. Sasuke tried to speak but his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth, which was still as parched as a desert, as his first steps back into the real world hadn’t taken him as far as the sink for a sip of water. He shook his head, and then reconsidered the motion as the throb grew sharper. He chose to continue glaring at the idiot male that was now pressed up close. Sasuke rolled his eyes before his gaze shifted from eagerly shifting ears, down over bright eyes and a broad toothy grin. Sasuke eyed what he could see of Naruto’s lightly bandaged torso, the bare arms now bracketing his head were already clean of cuts and bruises. The slice that had been over Naruto’s eyebrow when Sasuke had really seen him last and the burn marks on his wrists and throat from the iron manacles were gone too.
Sasuke took all that in slowly, his chest easing by degrees as he assessed Naruto from top to toe - what he could see anyway. The tightness around his heart ebbed away even though Naruto’s weight remained. He sighed, eyes sliding shut for a moment as relief coursed though him as refreshing as a cold drink on a hot day. He lay there for long minutes just listening to Naruto breath, and then the idiot opened his mouth, “You’re awake! I thought you were goin’ to sleep forever!”
“Che, idiot.” Sasuke snorted softly, wincing when the motion made his chest and upper arm ache. He opened his eyes to come face to face with the blond, nose almost touching and Sasuke couldn’t help but absorb the sight of pale whisker mark’s and a light dusting of freckles over Naruto’s nose as they should be - unmarred by dried blood and dirt as they had been before.
“Hey!” Naruto protested, but Sasuke paid it no mind, content in the view he was inadvertently receiving. He couldn’t remember a time when they been this close, when he’d actually touched Naruto. Sasuke absorbed the sight like a man starved, Naruto’s healthy glow, the perked ears and the twitch of his tails brushing lightly over his bandaged legs. He raised his hands slowly on either side of Naruto, the weight of the fox pressed against his body had been uncomfortable to start with but as he settled and just let himself feel Naruto it was improving. He could feel Naruto’s warmth through the coarse cotton of his shirt, so Sasuke pressed both his palms to Naruto’s back, running one up and down the length of the fox’s spine as the other held him carefully close. When Naruto arched into his hand like a cat that enjoyed being petted he let the smallest smirk twist his lip at the corners rubbing the hand up and down, dragging the coarse cotton across warm skin with every pass.
When it occurred to him that he could just shift his hand and brush his finger’s directly against that warm skin he trailed his hand lower. As his finger’s encountered the slight thickening of cotton that indicated he’d reached the hem of Naruto’s shirt Sasuke unconsciously ran his tongue over his lower lip, taking a deep breath when his finger’s left cotton to tentatively stroke over Naruto’s skin.
He felt Naruto go preternaturally still against him, breath growing shallow, the faintest tremor rippling across his skin. The shiver drove Sasuke to flatten his palm over Naruto’s back, feeling the heat of supple skin as muscles bunched and shifted. He ran his calloused palm along the knobs of the fox’s spine; lip turning down a scowl darkened his features. It looked like Naruto wasn’t completely recovered from his ordeal after all. Sasuke hated the fact that his Dobe had lost weight alongside everything else he’d had to go through.
Sasuke pressed up into Naruto’s body, feeling the fox relax into him with a soft exhale. He looped him other arm around Naruto’s waist hold him close as he explored the smooth skin of his back with his free hand. He lifted his head just enough to murmur into Naruto’s ear, voice still hoarse, the fine hairs covering Naruto’s ear tickling his lips, “You need to put on some weight on, Dobe.”
Naruto made a rather indignant huff that Sasuke felt against his ribs before the Dobe pulled back just enough to look down at him. Sasuke’s lips curled into a smirk at the glare he received from his fox, and then growled, “Teme!”
He didn’t relinquish his hold on Naruto though, even at the obvious irritation in the fox’s tone. Instead he enjoyed the press of Naruto’s lower body settling more firmly into the cradle of his hips as he moved. Sasuke was about to tug the idiot back down, eyes roving across the smooth planes of Naruto’s face, the rust coloured ears peeking out from underneath the rumpled blond spikes of his hair, when cold air licked across his skin. He turned his head to stare past Naruto’s shoulder, shifting his torso around when he couldn’t see as much as he needed to of the room beyond the bed they were lying on. The movement caused his shoulder to ache as he craned around enough to see where the cold air was coming from as he spoke briskly, “Naruto, get off me.”
Sasuke didn’t think, reacting instinctively in defensive of himself and Naruto both. When Naruto started to protest his ousting he flicked his dark gaze up to the fox’s and stated firmly, “Off - now.” Naruto moved quickly, the air filling with his disgruntled curses, as he lifted his leg over Sasuke’s thighs, tails swishing restlessly, settling beside him on the fur mattress.
Sasuke rose as quickly as the ache in his chest would allow, which was still faster than most people could manage positioning himself in front of Naruto. His eyes focused back across the room, his senses expanding to take in his surroundings as he assessed everything at once. The air was fresh but chilled around him indicating that though he’d only just felt the cool touch of the breeze from outside, someone had ensured that the air inside the den didn’t grow musty. The obstructions were few and far between, most of the furniture tucked around the edges of the round room. The state of his body, reasonable - bandaged, bruised and stiff but, if needs must, he would make do, and the level of his magic - brimming. And more importantly - if there was a threat to Naruto - after everything they’d experienced recently he was understandably on edge and that protective urge he’d been doing his best to smother before was now front and centre demanding his attention like a rabid bear.
What greeted Sasuke’s intent gaze wasn’t a threat, well not as such. It was an equally assessing gaze in familiar obsidian eyes that he knew would turn a deep crimson flecked with spinning tomoe if the banked fire inside was roused.
“Itachi.” Sasuke said on an exhalation, eyes looking deep before running over the unfamiliar visage of his brother. He hadn’t really seen his brother during the fight. Itachi had been stood behind or beside him for most of it and he’d been too distracted by a giant snake dripping venom and a summoning spell. But now he assessed the man he hadn’t seen in far too long, banished by the snake that had taken his Father’s throne. He was dressed neatly, hair tied back in a loose, low tail, crisp black shirt bound by a thick leather belt, black trousers tucked into highly polished knee high boots that were tooled with some design around the lip. He had no weapons, but then the Itachi he knew didn’t need them.
Altogether different and yet the same as the memories he’d held from childhood.
Itachi nodded in response to his name, before speaking in that same soft cadence he’d always had, “Sasuke - you are awake,” his brother paused as his gaze pointedly flicked to Naruto who was trying to peer around him, “and apparently feeling well.”
Sasuke noted the subtlest inflection to Itachi’s tone and felt his cheek’s warm. That heat, that tone of voice, the almost reprimand that was also Itachi’s way of teasing took Sasuke back in time to when he’d been just a boy trying to impress his elder brother. The memory of emotions long buried stirred an old anger that had lain dormant in the pit of his belly like a banked fire waiting for a poker to prod it into wakefulness.
Sasuke glared at the other man, right arm looping across his waist to brace his aching body as he shifted a single step closer, locking his knees when his muscles threatened to give way as any support from the bed was lost. He stood tall, an equal to the man he’d once deemed his most precious person, but that person was now sat on the bed just behind him trying to look around him.
A few moments went by when there were no words; just the sound of breath and then it was broken by warm hands. Sasuke felt calloused hands come to rest on his hips from behind, the slight scratch of rough finger’s tickling exposed skin. Daring to break Itachi’s stare, he glanced behind him and felt the soft brush of fur as Naruto pressed himself against his back; tail’s flicking against the hand that hung loosely at his side.
Sasuke let Naruto take the barest amount of his weight, a silent concession to the fact he’d only just woken up and his body was still stiff. He looked back at his brother, noting the look of interest that flickered and vanished in a moment. There was so much to say, some of it too hard to even consider at the moment, but he had to say something, “Nii-san...”
“Oi, Itachi that brat awake yet.”
Sasuke watched Kisame come up behind his brother and lay a huge paw of a hand on his shoulder and Itachi let him, even seemed to ease into the touch. “He is, Kisame.”
A shark’s gaze greeted him, blue grey and quick - those eyes caught everything almost as quickly as his own. A leer peeled lips from sharp teeth and Sasuke didn’t flinch, “I see ya got yourself a pretty fox changeling. Did Itachi interrupt ya?”
That leering smile, those fishy eyes and the dark tattoo’s in three curved lines on each cheek were exactly what he remembered. That and the brash, no holds barred attitude Kisame carried around him like a cloak of barbs. “Kisame Hoshigake, how I did not miss you?” Sasuke said heat tinting his cheek’s just the smallest amount at the implication of what he had missed by moments.
Would he have continued if they hadn’t been interrupted? The flash of Naruto torn up and bleeding flashed in his mind and he shook his head, frowning, eyes shifting away from the intruders and down to a hand that had inched its way from hip to waist, splaying across his bandaged belly almost protectively.
No - he couldn’t, not after that. It would be too much for Naruto. He would not be the one to cause him more pain - when Naruto was ready and not until then - he could wait. He’d been waiting for a time, a little more wouldn’t hurt, though his heart gave a small pang at the thought, Sasuke pushed it aside.
Sasuke felt warm breath shift over his skin and stir the hair at the nape of his neck, making something low in his belly twist. He flushed and shifted forward, speaking back to Naruto even as he withdrew from his hold, wobbling as he stepped forward further into the room, “Come on Dobe, I haven’t eaten in an eternity,” He chanced a glance back at Naruto and felt his breath squeezed out of him at the sadness that twisted Naruto’s features, ears flat against his head, hands curling into his own shirt. Sasuke sighed, frowned, turned slowly to keep his balance, ignoring the two men who were murmuring quietly across the room. He stepped into Naruto, hand coming up to lift his chin, thumb running over a pouting lower lip. Sasuke leant in - careful of his balance - and murmured softly, “If I remember right Dobe, you never seem to stop eating.” It wasn’t really what Sasuke wanted to say, but it was what he needed to say. A distraction for Naruto and him too, his body missed the heat of Naruto’s, the brush of silky soft fur and the press of his body helping him to stand on his own.
Sasuke watched Naruto’s eyes come up; stare at him under furrowed brows and then a smile curled his lips, like he knew exactly what Sasuke was doing. “Damn, Teme.” Naruto’s voice was a husky murmur that sent heat flooding through Sasuke’s blood causing him to straighten and pull back from Naruto’s skin, unable and unwilling to face this now in front of witnesses.
“Come.”
“Demanding, son of a...”
“Do not finish that sentence, Dobe.”
“Stupid, Teme.”
Harsh laughter echoed off the dirt wall’s of the den. Kisame was chuckling throatily at their expense, “Definitely frustrated, Itachi.”
“Oi!” Sasuke watched as Naruto darted across the room after the fish. His instinct’s flared for a moment but receded quickly, the blond blurred past Itachi in hot pursuit of the tall water fae who had started running with a belt of laughter.
“He’s yours then?” Itachi said quietly as he approached from across the room.
Sasuke kept eye contact with his brother, “Yes.” He wasn’t sure what Itachi would make of his assent, but it was the truth, Naruto was his and would always be. According to the Kyuubi, Naruto had always been his from the beginning and they had been searching for each other all along. Sasuke wasn’t sure he believed in that, it sounded a little too much like destiny to him. But Naruto was here and now the last survivor of his blood family had returned - if that was destiny so be it.
“Good.” Sasuke blinked at the mono-syllabic reply.
“Good?” Sasuke questioned.
“Yes.” And that was that, the succinct way Itachi had said it indicated he wouldn’t speak on the matter further, which irritated Sasuke to no end. But, if he was correct and still knew his brother, then Itachi would clarify the statement eventually - usually after he had discovered the reason himself. They seemed to have fallen back into their roles as siblings with ease. But Sasuke didn’t mistake the underlying tension for anything other than the quest for answers he was determined to have and he had no doubt he would get them eventually.
He was proud to say he was even more tenacious now than he had been in his childhood. Itachi was in for a variety of surprises from him and that almost made Sasuke smile as he carefully made his way to the door. He could feel Itachi watching him, but he never tried to assist, knowing just how much an Uchiha prided himself on his strength, as any other good Uchiha would. And that was the final nail in the coffin so to speak - any doubts gone - this was Itachi.
Sasuke sighed; he needed a little air and Naruto safe. The rest would come with time.
4 weeks later...
Sasuke stared down into Naruto’s scowling face with carefully hidden need. Naruto had been pushing him for the last two weeks to take him, to make what he had proclaimed in front of the Court a reality and he had held fast to the decision he had made. He would wait until he thought Naruto was ready. The fox changeling had been hurt badly by Orochimaru, had suffered the pain of iron against his skin, had nearly broken - you didn’t just pop up all fine and dandy after that kind of experience.
And yet Naruto insisted he was fine - repeatedly - after Sasuke had finally said something about waiting until he felt Naruto was ready. He wasn’t certain how he would know; from Naruto’s behaviour he seemed fine. His wounds had healed swiftly and Sasuke had no doubt that the Kyuubi had something to do with that. The fox had been very quiet, keeping his word that he was resting inside Naruto to recuperate in peace. But that type of experience didn’t always leave marks on the skin - though Sasuke was decorated with a few new scars because of it. Most physical wounds healed, it was the emotional opens that could scar badly.
Sasuke had tried to get Naruto to talk about it, thinking the idiot would be more than willing, but he’d been mistaken. The fox had clammed up tight, lips going thin, eyes hooded and dark, ears back along his head as his tails lashed behind him. Sasuke had only managed to pry a few words from the blond, “It is in the past and will be staying there.”
That alone had given Sasuke enough reason to keep Naruto at bay. Without knowing what had happened, how far Naruto’s torture had gone, he had no way to know what landmines they might uncover by accident if they got close. Sasuke didn’t like the distance he needed to put between them, his instinct’s fired like sparks across his synapses whenever he didn’t know where Naruto was or whenever he’d been away from him for too long. On those occasions Sasuke had stalked his fox, never letting on that he was close. He just needed to know where he was, even though his skin itched like a flea ridden pelt when he refused to touch. Sasuke felt like he was going a little crazier every day that he tried to keep his distance. Naruto had managed to sneak up on him a time or two because his mind was elsewhere, normally caught up in a fantasy of taking the very man who seemed to like stalking him in return.
He looked at Naruto, really looked at him, seeing pinched lips, the faint circles under his eyes, perhaps Naruto was experiencing the same kind of torture as he was. But Naruto was getting pissed off about it. The blond had an infamously short temper, but it blew out quickly which was a relief because seeing the Dobe all riled up made Sasuke want to fuck him into a senseless puddle of sated lust.
Sasuke closed his eyes and stepped back, the fabric of his shirt pulling taut where Naruto had grabbed fist full’s of it. “Dobe, release me.” Sasuke said firmly, dark eyes boring into cerulean pools.
“No.” Sasuke looked down into determined eyes and felt his heart clench at the sight of sheer hard headed determination written across Naruto’s face.
“Naruto.” Sasuke said softly, he wasn’t sure if he could muster up the will to pull away from Naruto, but he could still protest against the blond whilst indulging in his proximity.
“No, ya can’t hide from this Sasuke!” Naruto moved so he was almost spitting words in Sasuke's face. Sasuke needed to pull back then, needed to remove himself from the temptation that had pushed into his space and was inches away from his mouth. If he moved just an inch their lips would brush and... no he couldn’t allow that to happen. If he kissed Naruto it would be over, because he needed him, his skin was itching to touch and to be touched and Naruto was so damn close.
But Sasuke pushed the feeling’s back, trying to focus on Naruto’s words instead of watching his lips, seeing sharp canines peak out where there had been none before. “Uchiha do not hide from anything.” Sasuke stated coolly, trying for composed and pulling it off if only barely.
“Pah, then why are you running away from me?” Naruto snorted in derision, pulling back slightly and tugging on his shirt whilst doing so. If Naruto pulled his shirt up instead of out he could press himself against the fox bare skinned - no!
“I am not and you know it.” Sasuke forced the words passed his lips as his mind kept straying to more interesting things that were making his body awaken one brush of feeble cotton and warmth at a time.
“Oh, right for some asinine reason you think it’s up to you when I am ready.” Naruto emphasised with a shake of his fist, which pulled Sasuke closer again.
Sasuke arched a brow at Naruto’s words, seeing where this was headed but unwavering in his resolve, even as his body called out for Naruto’s. “Of course I do, Dobe. You just prove my point with these little displays.”
“Little displays - is that what you really think?” Sasuke could see hurt in those dark sapphire coloured eyes, the frown on Naruto’s brow deepened and Sasuke wanted to wipe it away. But instead he remained silent, unable to let the words he wanted to say free. Because Naruto may be ostentatious, exuberant and sometimes overbearing - but Sasuke believed the fox knew his own mind, even when Sasuke pretended that he didn’t. So he remained silent for fear that the word’s he couldn’t say yet would slip free.
“Well, let me tell you something Teme, it’s my choice, will always be my choice. And for some stupid reason I choose you.” Sasuke blinked at the bold statement, seeing sadness filter across Naruto’s face as the fox continued in subdued tones, “And I thought you’d chosen me too. But that was a lie wasn’t it? You’ll never decide that I’m ready - even when it’s not your choice to make!” Naruto accused, anger flaring like he’d poured oil on the blaze.
Sasuke reached out, hands searching wanting to touch, to comfort to ease the tornado building inside Naruto that made him look so desperate and hurt. He went to speak, to try and sooth ruffled feathers and calm the man who had finally managed to shock him, but Naruto wouldn’t let him finish."Nar...”
“That claim won’t last forever - if you don’t want me then bloody well say so.” Naruto shook his head as he spoke, the soft brush of fur against Sasuke’s hands told him that Naruto was beyond agitated and heading into rash decision making which was the fox normal MO.
Then, as if a whisper at his ear he heard a familiar voice, husky and thick with disuse, almost a memory, “You have to chase him.”
Kyuubi. The fox had said that to him once before, had made a point of it in fact and Sasuke frowned at the resonance the simple accumulation of words had caused. He felt his heart beat pick up, his hearing muffled and his skin felt like it had been dipped in an icy river fresh with snow melt. An awareness of the temperature, the magic and the displacement of air as Naruto fidgeted before him that he hadn’t ever known and that made his blood soar.
He blinked slowly, the sound of Naruto’s voice easing passed the muffled sound and ringing in his ear drum like a struck bell, “Fine if you don’t have the balls to say it I’ll give you one chance to show me. I challenge you.”
The next second Sasuke felt a sharp pain at his lip, felt warmth slip free and trail over his chin saw Naruto stare for a moment and then vanish in a puff of smoke, no trail to follow. Sasuke lifted a hand to his mouth, feeling the warmth of the blood on his skin against his finger’s before staring at the crimson smear as he pulled his fingertips from his lip. Naruto had bitten him, drawn blood, challenged him and as that awareness took hold once more Sasuke responded to the blatant violence with pleasure. He ignored the blood on his fingers and trailing from his lip, licking the small perforation where Naruto’s sharp canine had pierced and let his magic flow free. He felt the displacement of molecules where the fox had been stood, felt the warmth of them, got a taste of the intent and feeling that steeped them and felt his cock throb to hardness.
Naruto was his.
Sasuke didn’t hear the intruder until they gave a fake cough behind him, his focus set on his prey. He turned at the sound so fast he almost lost his balance, a glare darkening his features as he noted that it was Itachi loitering in the doorway. Sasuke arched a brow, inpatients finally setting in as his heart beat hammered in his chest, adrenaline seething through his blood, sending his arousal higher, his need to claim was an undeniable shout at his ear. Take him, claim him - he’s mine.
Itachi stepped a little further into the room, arms loose and free at his sides, ready for anything and Sasuke approved in his odd haze. He knew he was unpredictable right now, there was something riding him and he welcomed it.
“Chase him or lose him, Otou-san.” The whisper of Itachi’s voice carrying across the room made Sasuke scowl and snort derisively before he too vanished in a snaking coil of inky black smoke.
Author: Theablackthorn
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Sasuke/Naruto
Warnings: BL
Note: Part of my 100 themes Challenge no: 61.
2 weeks later...
Sasuke emerged from sleep slowly, struggling against it like he was pulling himself through thick treacle. When his eyes finally cracked open, he winced as the light hit his retinas before slowly adjusting. As the bright coloured spots faded and the sudden sharp pain eased he looked up, seeing the familiar hard packed earth he had come to recognise whenever he’d managed to pull himself from healing slumber.
He sighed softly, blinking slowly, absorbing the feel of the space around him, the covers pulled over his chest scratched slightly, the furs beneath him were a warm presence that were more comfortable than his own duck down bed and then there was the quiet. Sasuke frowned, there was something missing. His brother had been in the larger portion of the room when he’d woken last and Kisame too. He’d seen Suigetsu, Karin and Juugo around on a few occasions too. But there was something more missing; steady warmth that had been at his left side every time he’d awoken that had brought a sense of peace.
Sasuke’s eyes shot wide as realisation dawned like a sharp slap to the cheek. He turned his head sharply to the left, eyes staring at the empty cream coloured pillow beside him. He sat up swiftly, head spinning at the sudden and unwelcome change in position. “Naru-!” His voice cracked as it came out of his mouth, his tongue felt thick, throat parched from the lack of moisture. He tried again after a few futile swallows, voice barely a whisper as he called for the fox changeling, turning his gaze out on the main room and seeing no one around to answer his call.
Sasuke shifted, feeling stiff muscles bunch and pull as he moved his legs from under the covers. His feet landed on the ground with soft thuds, the hard packed earth coarse but comfortable underfoot. His eyes searched his body, assessing quickly, he found a multitude of bandages bound around his limbs and chest but the bone deep ache had gone. There was an almost gentle throb, a reminder he supposed, where the iron arrow tip had pierced his chest. It was just a puckered mark now, slightly pink at the edges - but, for iron, it had healed well.
He pressed his palms to the pile of furs on either side of him, pushing downwards, using the force to leverage his body up slowly. Sasuke grit his teeth when a spike of pain resonated out from the wound that had finally healed, another reminder that he needed to build up the muscles again. He felt like he’d been in a coma for months, his body unreliable and awkward as he managed to gain his feet after some shuffling. He ducked his head at the last moment to avoid banging his head on the low ceiling over the bedding platform as he stepped forward.
Sasuke groaned softly as he moved, knowing that getting his body up and going was the answer to two of his current problems - finding Naruto would be much easier when on his feet and loosening up his stiff muscles which needed a degree of encouragement. He had finally healed, but his body was used to rigorous daily exercise, the lack of it had caused his muscles to seize up and he would not abide the loss of mobility for long.
There was a loud clang from across the room and Sasuke tried to stabilise himself, his hand pressing back against the wall above the low bedding area, so he could look up without fear of humiliating himself by slumping to the floor. Balance achieved, he looked up just in time to catch a flash of bright blond and russet, and then he was toppling backwards, clipping the back of his head on the low ceiling that he’d initially managed to avoid. He gasped as weight pushed him back and then pressed him down. There was a heavy weight on his chest and a steady throbbing set up home in the back of his skull, which forced his eyes closed on a wince.
He groaned audibly, eyes heavy as he cracked them open the barest amount to glare at the idiot fox now hovering over him. Sasuke tried to speak but his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth, which was still as parched as a desert, as his first steps back into the real world hadn’t taken him as far as the sink for a sip of water. He shook his head, and then reconsidered the motion as the throb grew sharper. He chose to continue glaring at the idiot male that was now pressed up close. Sasuke rolled his eyes before his gaze shifted from eagerly shifting ears, down over bright eyes and a broad toothy grin. Sasuke eyed what he could see of Naruto’s lightly bandaged torso, the bare arms now bracketing his head were already clean of cuts and bruises. The slice that had been over Naruto’s eyebrow when Sasuke had really seen him last and the burn marks on his wrists and throat from the iron manacles were gone too.
Sasuke took all that in slowly, his chest easing by degrees as he assessed Naruto from top to toe - what he could see anyway. The tightness around his heart ebbed away even though Naruto’s weight remained. He sighed, eyes sliding shut for a moment as relief coursed though him as refreshing as a cold drink on a hot day. He lay there for long minutes just listening to Naruto breath, and then the idiot opened his mouth, “You’re awake! I thought you were goin’ to sleep forever!”
“Che, idiot.” Sasuke snorted softly, wincing when the motion made his chest and upper arm ache. He opened his eyes to come face to face with the blond, nose almost touching and Sasuke couldn’t help but absorb the sight of pale whisker mark’s and a light dusting of freckles over Naruto’s nose as they should be - unmarred by dried blood and dirt as they had been before.
“Hey!” Naruto protested, but Sasuke paid it no mind, content in the view he was inadvertently receiving. He couldn’t remember a time when they been this close, when he’d actually touched Naruto. Sasuke absorbed the sight like a man starved, Naruto’s healthy glow, the perked ears and the twitch of his tails brushing lightly over his bandaged legs. He raised his hands slowly on either side of Naruto, the weight of the fox pressed against his body had been uncomfortable to start with but as he settled and just let himself feel Naruto it was improving. He could feel Naruto’s warmth through the coarse cotton of his shirt, so Sasuke pressed both his palms to Naruto’s back, running one up and down the length of the fox’s spine as the other held him carefully close. When Naruto arched into his hand like a cat that enjoyed being petted he let the smallest smirk twist his lip at the corners rubbing the hand up and down, dragging the coarse cotton across warm skin with every pass.
When it occurred to him that he could just shift his hand and brush his finger’s directly against that warm skin he trailed his hand lower. As his finger’s encountered the slight thickening of cotton that indicated he’d reached the hem of Naruto’s shirt Sasuke unconsciously ran his tongue over his lower lip, taking a deep breath when his finger’s left cotton to tentatively stroke over Naruto’s skin.
He felt Naruto go preternaturally still against him, breath growing shallow, the faintest tremor rippling across his skin. The shiver drove Sasuke to flatten his palm over Naruto’s back, feeling the heat of supple skin as muscles bunched and shifted. He ran his calloused palm along the knobs of the fox’s spine; lip turning down a scowl darkened his features. It looked like Naruto wasn’t completely recovered from his ordeal after all. Sasuke hated the fact that his Dobe had lost weight alongside everything else he’d had to go through.
Sasuke pressed up into Naruto’s body, feeling the fox relax into him with a soft exhale. He looped him other arm around Naruto’s waist hold him close as he explored the smooth skin of his back with his free hand. He lifted his head just enough to murmur into Naruto’s ear, voice still hoarse, the fine hairs covering Naruto’s ear tickling his lips, “You need to put on some weight on, Dobe.”
Naruto made a rather indignant huff that Sasuke felt against his ribs before the Dobe pulled back just enough to look down at him. Sasuke’s lips curled into a smirk at the glare he received from his fox, and then growled, “Teme!”
He didn’t relinquish his hold on Naruto though, even at the obvious irritation in the fox’s tone. Instead he enjoyed the press of Naruto’s lower body settling more firmly into the cradle of his hips as he moved. Sasuke was about to tug the idiot back down, eyes roving across the smooth planes of Naruto’s face, the rust coloured ears peeking out from underneath the rumpled blond spikes of his hair, when cold air licked across his skin. He turned his head to stare past Naruto’s shoulder, shifting his torso around when he couldn’t see as much as he needed to of the room beyond the bed they were lying on. The movement caused his shoulder to ache as he craned around enough to see where the cold air was coming from as he spoke briskly, “Naruto, get off me.”
Sasuke didn’t think, reacting instinctively in defensive of himself and Naruto both. When Naruto started to protest his ousting he flicked his dark gaze up to the fox’s and stated firmly, “Off - now.” Naruto moved quickly, the air filling with his disgruntled curses, as he lifted his leg over Sasuke’s thighs, tails swishing restlessly, settling beside him on the fur mattress.
Sasuke rose as quickly as the ache in his chest would allow, which was still faster than most people could manage positioning himself in front of Naruto. His eyes focused back across the room, his senses expanding to take in his surroundings as he assessed everything at once. The air was fresh but chilled around him indicating that though he’d only just felt the cool touch of the breeze from outside, someone had ensured that the air inside the den didn’t grow musty. The obstructions were few and far between, most of the furniture tucked around the edges of the round room. The state of his body, reasonable - bandaged, bruised and stiff but, if needs must, he would make do, and the level of his magic - brimming. And more importantly - if there was a threat to Naruto - after everything they’d experienced recently he was understandably on edge and that protective urge he’d been doing his best to smother before was now front and centre demanding his attention like a rabid bear.
What greeted Sasuke’s intent gaze wasn’t a threat, well not as such. It was an equally assessing gaze in familiar obsidian eyes that he knew would turn a deep crimson flecked with spinning tomoe if the banked fire inside was roused.
“Itachi.” Sasuke said on an exhalation, eyes looking deep before running over the unfamiliar visage of his brother. He hadn’t really seen his brother during the fight. Itachi had been stood behind or beside him for most of it and he’d been too distracted by a giant snake dripping venom and a summoning spell. But now he assessed the man he hadn’t seen in far too long, banished by the snake that had taken his Father’s throne. He was dressed neatly, hair tied back in a loose, low tail, crisp black shirt bound by a thick leather belt, black trousers tucked into highly polished knee high boots that were tooled with some design around the lip. He had no weapons, but then the Itachi he knew didn’t need them.
Altogether different and yet the same as the memories he’d held from childhood.
Itachi nodded in response to his name, before speaking in that same soft cadence he’d always had, “Sasuke - you are awake,” his brother paused as his gaze pointedly flicked to Naruto who was trying to peer around him, “and apparently feeling well.”
Sasuke noted the subtlest inflection to Itachi’s tone and felt his cheek’s warm. That heat, that tone of voice, the almost reprimand that was also Itachi’s way of teasing took Sasuke back in time to when he’d been just a boy trying to impress his elder brother. The memory of emotions long buried stirred an old anger that had lain dormant in the pit of his belly like a banked fire waiting for a poker to prod it into wakefulness.
Sasuke glared at the other man, right arm looping across his waist to brace his aching body as he shifted a single step closer, locking his knees when his muscles threatened to give way as any support from the bed was lost. He stood tall, an equal to the man he’d once deemed his most precious person, but that person was now sat on the bed just behind him trying to look around him.
A few moments went by when there were no words; just the sound of breath and then it was broken by warm hands. Sasuke felt calloused hands come to rest on his hips from behind, the slight scratch of rough finger’s tickling exposed skin. Daring to break Itachi’s stare, he glanced behind him and felt the soft brush of fur as Naruto pressed himself against his back; tail’s flicking against the hand that hung loosely at his side.
Sasuke let Naruto take the barest amount of his weight, a silent concession to the fact he’d only just woken up and his body was still stiff. He looked back at his brother, noting the look of interest that flickered and vanished in a moment. There was so much to say, some of it too hard to even consider at the moment, but he had to say something, “Nii-san...”
“Oi, Itachi that brat awake yet.”
Sasuke watched Kisame come up behind his brother and lay a huge paw of a hand on his shoulder and Itachi let him, even seemed to ease into the touch. “He is, Kisame.”
A shark’s gaze greeted him, blue grey and quick - those eyes caught everything almost as quickly as his own. A leer peeled lips from sharp teeth and Sasuke didn’t flinch, “I see ya got yourself a pretty fox changeling. Did Itachi interrupt ya?”
That leering smile, those fishy eyes and the dark tattoo’s in three curved lines on each cheek were exactly what he remembered. That and the brash, no holds barred attitude Kisame carried around him like a cloak of barbs. “Kisame Hoshigake, how I did not miss you?” Sasuke said heat tinting his cheek’s just the smallest amount at the implication of what he had missed by moments.
Would he have continued if they hadn’t been interrupted? The flash of Naruto torn up and bleeding flashed in his mind and he shook his head, frowning, eyes shifting away from the intruders and down to a hand that had inched its way from hip to waist, splaying across his bandaged belly almost protectively.
No - he couldn’t, not after that. It would be too much for Naruto. He would not be the one to cause him more pain - when Naruto was ready and not until then - he could wait. He’d been waiting for a time, a little more wouldn’t hurt, though his heart gave a small pang at the thought, Sasuke pushed it aside.
Sasuke felt warm breath shift over his skin and stir the hair at the nape of his neck, making something low in his belly twist. He flushed and shifted forward, speaking back to Naruto even as he withdrew from his hold, wobbling as he stepped forward further into the room, “Come on Dobe, I haven’t eaten in an eternity,” He chanced a glance back at Naruto and felt his breath squeezed out of him at the sadness that twisted Naruto’s features, ears flat against his head, hands curling into his own shirt. Sasuke sighed, frowned, turned slowly to keep his balance, ignoring the two men who were murmuring quietly across the room. He stepped into Naruto, hand coming up to lift his chin, thumb running over a pouting lower lip. Sasuke leant in - careful of his balance - and murmured softly, “If I remember right Dobe, you never seem to stop eating.” It wasn’t really what Sasuke wanted to say, but it was what he needed to say. A distraction for Naruto and him too, his body missed the heat of Naruto’s, the brush of silky soft fur and the press of his body helping him to stand on his own.
Sasuke watched Naruto’s eyes come up; stare at him under furrowed brows and then a smile curled his lips, like he knew exactly what Sasuke was doing. “Damn, Teme.” Naruto’s voice was a husky murmur that sent heat flooding through Sasuke’s blood causing him to straighten and pull back from Naruto’s skin, unable and unwilling to face this now in front of witnesses.
“Come.”
“Demanding, son of a...”
“Do not finish that sentence, Dobe.”
“Stupid, Teme.”
Harsh laughter echoed off the dirt wall’s of the den. Kisame was chuckling throatily at their expense, “Definitely frustrated, Itachi.”
“Oi!” Sasuke watched as Naruto darted across the room after the fish. His instinct’s flared for a moment but receded quickly, the blond blurred past Itachi in hot pursuit of the tall water fae who had started running with a belt of laughter.
“He’s yours then?” Itachi said quietly as he approached from across the room.
Sasuke kept eye contact with his brother, “Yes.” He wasn’t sure what Itachi would make of his assent, but it was the truth, Naruto was his and would always be. According to the Kyuubi, Naruto had always been his from the beginning and they had been searching for each other all along. Sasuke wasn’t sure he believed in that, it sounded a little too much like destiny to him. But Naruto was here and now the last survivor of his blood family had returned - if that was destiny so be it.
“Good.” Sasuke blinked at the mono-syllabic reply.
“Good?” Sasuke questioned.
“Yes.” And that was that, the succinct way Itachi had said it indicated he wouldn’t speak on the matter further, which irritated Sasuke to no end. But, if he was correct and still knew his brother, then Itachi would clarify the statement eventually - usually after he had discovered the reason himself. They seemed to have fallen back into their roles as siblings with ease. But Sasuke didn’t mistake the underlying tension for anything other than the quest for answers he was determined to have and he had no doubt he would get them eventually.
He was proud to say he was even more tenacious now than he had been in his childhood. Itachi was in for a variety of surprises from him and that almost made Sasuke smile as he carefully made his way to the door. He could feel Itachi watching him, but he never tried to assist, knowing just how much an Uchiha prided himself on his strength, as any other good Uchiha would. And that was the final nail in the coffin so to speak - any doubts gone - this was Itachi.
Sasuke sighed; he needed a little air and Naruto safe. The rest would come with time.
4 weeks later...
Sasuke stared down into Naruto’s scowling face with carefully hidden need. Naruto had been pushing him for the last two weeks to take him, to make what he had proclaimed in front of the Court a reality and he had held fast to the decision he had made. He would wait until he thought Naruto was ready. The fox changeling had been hurt badly by Orochimaru, had suffered the pain of iron against his skin, had nearly broken - you didn’t just pop up all fine and dandy after that kind of experience.
And yet Naruto insisted he was fine - repeatedly - after Sasuke had finally said something about waiting until he felt Naruto was ready. He wasn’t certain how he would know; from Naruto’s behaviour he seemed fine. His wounds had healed swiftly and Sasuke had no doubt that the Kyuubi had something to do with that. The fox had been very quiet, keeping his word that he was resting inside Naruto to recuperate in peace. But that type of experience didn’t always leave marks on the skin - though Sasuke was decorated with a few new scars because of it. Most physical wounds healed, it was the emotional opens that could scar badly.
Sasuke had tried to get Naruto to talk about it, thinking the idiot would be more than willing, but he’d been mistaken. The fox had clammed up tight, lips going thin, eyes hooded and dark, ears back along his head as his tails lashed behind him. Sasuke had only managed to pry a few words from the blond, “It is in the past and will be staying there.”
That alone had given Sasuke enough reason to keep Naruto at bay. Without knowing what had happened, how far Naruto’s torture had gone, he had no way to know what landmines they might uncover by accident if they got close. Sasuke didn’t like the distance he needed to put between them, his instinct’s fired like sparks across his synapses whenever he didn’t know where Naruto was or whenever he’d been away from him for too long. On those occasions Sasuke had stalked his fox, never letting on that he was close. He just needed to know where he was, even though his skin itched like a flea ridden pelt when he refused to touch. Sasuke felt like he was going a little crazier every day that he tried to keep his distance. Naruto had managed to sneak up on him a time or two because his mind was elsewhere, normally caught up in a fantasy of taking the very man who seemed to like stalking him in return.
He looked at Naruto, really looked at him, seeing pinched lips, the faint circles under his eyes, perhaps Naruto was experiencing the same kind of torture as he was. But Naruto was getting pissed off about it. The blond had an infamously short temper, but it blew out quickly which was a relief because seeing the Dobe all riled up made Sasuke want to fuck him into a senseless puddle of sated lust.
Sasuke closed his eyes and stepped back, the fabric of his shirt pulling taut where Naruto had grabbed fist full’s of it. “Dobe, release me.” Sasuke said firmly, dark eyes boring into cerulean pools.
“No.” Sasuke looked down into determined eyes and felt his heart clench at the sight of sheer hard headed determination written across Naruto’s face.
“Naruto.” Sasuke said softly, he wasn’t sure if he could muster up the will to pull away from Naruto, but he could still protest against the blond whilst indulging in his proximity.
“No, ya can’t hide from this Sasuke!” Naruto moved so he was almost spitting words in Sasuke's face. Sasuke needed to pull back then, needed to remove himself from the temptation that had pushed into his space and was inches away from his mouth. If he moved just an inch their lips would brush and... no he couldn’t allow that to happen. If he kissed Naruto it would be over, because he needed him, his skin was itching to touch and to be touched and Naruto was so damn close.
But Sasuke pushed the feeling’s back, trying to focus on Naruto’s words instead of watching his lips, seeing sharp canines peak out where there had been none before. “Uchiha do not hide from anything.” Sasuke stated coolly, trying for composed and pulling it off if only barely.
“Pah, then why are you running away from me?” Naruto snorted in derision, pulling back slightly and tugging on his shirt whilst doing so. If Naruto pulled his shirt up instead of out he could press himself against the fox bare skinned - no!
“I am not and you know it.” Sasuke forced the words passed his lips as his mind kept straying to more interesting things that were making his body awaken one brush of feeble cotton and warmth at a time.
“Oh, right for some asinine reason you think it’s up to you when I am ready.” Naruto emphasised with a shake of his fist, which pulled Sasuke closer again.
Sasuke arched a brow at Naruto’s words, seeing where this was headed but unwavering in his resolve, even as his body called out for Naruto’s. “Of course I do, Dobe. You just prove my point with these little displays.”
“Little displays - is that what you really think?” Sasuke could see hurt in those dark sapphire coloured eyes, the frown on Naruto’s brow deepened and Sasuke wanted to wipe it away. But instead he remained silent, unable to let the words he wanted to say free. Because Naruto may be ostentatious, exuberant and sometimes overbearing - but Sasuke believed the fox knew his own mind, even when Sasuke pretended that he didn’t. So he remained silent for fear that the word’s he couldn’t say yet would slip free.
“Well, let me tell you something Teme, it’s my choice, will always be my choice. And for some stupid reason I choose you.” Sasuke blinked at the bold statement, seeing sadness filter across Naruto’s face as the fox continued in subdued tones, “And I thought you’d chosen me too. But that was a lie wasn’t it? You’ll never decide that I’m ready - even when it’s not your choice to make!” Naruto accused, anger flaring like he’d poured oil on the blaze.
Sasuke reached out, hands searching wanting to touch, to comfort to ease the tornado building inside Naruto that made him look so desperate and hurt. He went to speak, to try and sooth ruffled feathers and calm the man who had finally managed to shock him, but Naruto wouldn’t let him finish."Nar...”
“That claim won’t last forever - if you don’t want me then bloody well say so.” Naruto shook his head as he spoke, the soft brush of fur against Sasuke’s hands told him that Naruto was beyond agitated and heading into rash decision making which was the fox normal MO.
Then, as if a whisper at his ear he heard a familiar voice, husky and thick with disuse, almost a memory, “You have to chase him.”
Kyuubi. The fox had said that to him once before, had made a point of it in fact and Sasuke frowned at the resonance the simple accumulation of words had caused. He felt his heart beat pick up, his hearing muffled and his skin felt like it had been dipped in an icy river fresh with snow melt. An awareness of the temperature, the magic and the displacement of air as Naruto fidgeted before him that he hadn’t ever known and that made his blood soar.
He blinked slowly, the sound of Naruto’s voice easing passed the muffled sound and ringing in his ear drum like a struck bell, “Fine if you don’t have the balls to say it I’ll give you one chance to show me. I challenge you.”
The next second Sasuke felt a sharp pain at his lip, felt warmth slip free and trail over his chin saw Naruto stare for a moment and then vanish in a puff of smoke, no trail to follow. Sasuke lifted a hand to his mouth, feeling the warmth of the blood on his skin against his finger’s before staring at the crimson smear as he pulled his fingertips from his lip. Naruto had bitten him, drawn blood, challenged him and as that awareness took hold once more Sasuke responded to the blatant violence with pleasure. He ignored the blood on his fingers and trailing from his lip, licking the small perforation where Naruto’s sharp canine had pierced and let his magic flow free. He felt the displacement of molecules where the fox had been stood, felt the warmth of them, got a taste of the intent and feeling that steeped them and felt his cock throb to hardness.
Naruto was his.
Sasuke didn’t hear the intruder until they gave a fake cough behind him, his focus set on his prey. He turned at the sound so fast he almost lost his balance, a glare darkening his features as he noted that it was Itachi loitering in the doorway. Sasuke arched a brow, inpatients finally setting in as his heart beat hammered in his chest, adrenaline seething through his blood, sending his arousal higher, his need to claim was an undeniable shout at his ear. Take him, claim him - he’s mine.
Itachi stepped a little further into the room, arms loose and free at his sides, ready for anything and Sasuke approved in his odd haze. He knew he was unpredictable right now, there was something riding him and he welcomed it.
“Chase him or lose him, Otou-san.” The whisper of Itachi’s voice carrying across the room made Sasuke scowl and snort derisively before he too vanished in a snaking coil of inky black smoke.