The Deception (Chapter 7, part 3)
And then, one night going into the third week he had been there, the entire game got turned on its head.
It started at dinner. He had been busy during his stay at the Feudal Lord’s palace and the heated want in the blazing green gaze had started to become unbearable. Yet while it was clear Aoshi wanted him, he had only gone as far as a few simple touches and spending time with the blond. Not once did he even once bring up his interest in the younger man nor did he bother to ask if Daisuke was interested in return. Of course, the brunette had to know. Though the singer was not of an aggressive nature, he had made sure to show his desire in his small gestures, down to openly flirting with the man in the guise of trying to get him to laugh. Naruto was starting to become frustrated, wondering of perhaps the man couldn’t act on his interest rather than just not wanting to. What the blond hadn’t realized was Aoshi had a plan of his own and that was to follow his own country’s traditions. When he looked back on it, he should have realized it because Arisa was apparently terrible at keeping other people’s secrets and had gone so far as to explain their process of the noble’s way of courting a prospective love interest, even stating that Aoshi had yet to go through the process but wished to.
What Naruto had failed to realize was that Arisa had been suggesting that it was Daisuke that Aoshi wanted to court. It wasn’t a very strict process and once the other party accepted, they had two months to return the gesture, which in this case was a meaningful gift, or they could change their mind. It would then be acknowledged that they were to be united, though he didn’t think betrothal was the right word for it. More like…attached. Which was why, when a servant knelt right behind him and Aoshi holding a large, beautifully lacquered, oddly shaped box just as dessert was served, he was confused.
“What’s going on?” he asked quietly when he caught the Feudal Lord’s gaze that seemed a little brighter than normal, though his voice traveled anyway because the hall had fallen into a breathless hush. Aoshi had his mask on since he was in public but the blond could tell he was smiling. An air of cool confidence surrounded him as though he was perfectly sure of himself. It made Sasuke’s sudden stillness on his other side seem out of place, nearly drawing Naruto’s gaze to it so he could figure out if it was anger or fear that had inspired it. Why it would be fear, he wasn’t sure but the few times he had seen the Uchiha afraid, it had transmuted itself into absolute, icy calm, just like he was then. Then the blond was distracted by the strange box, vowing to think on it later.
“This is a gift for you, from myself,” Aoshi said, deep voice carrying through the hall and Daisuke blushed pleasantly, still not used to the informal gifts that kept showing up in his room. It seemed like an awful lot of ceremony for a gift, “I hope that you will accept it,” the color of his eyes could have drowned the blond then and he had to look away to the box, running his fingers over the smooth surface. The wood was made of deep ebony and inlaid on the top was swirling blue designs that made him think of a vine curling and growing through the night. Beautiful flowers of pink and gold tipped the edges of the blue swirls, the colors of a new dawn while the clasps holding the lid closed in four places were worked silver.
“It’s beautiful,” he breathed, almost afraid to lay his fingers on it because he would mar the beauty of it. In all his life he had never seen anything so fine and that included the shining jewels for his hair and fingers and wrists that now filled his closet drawers. Aoshi laughed and nudged him gently with his knee.
“Go ahead, open it,” So Daisuke, a half pensive, half excited expression in his face, flicked open the clasps and lifted the lid. He was sure his delighted cry was heard all the way in the kitchens and it broke the spell the hall had fallen into, warm laughter filling the hall.
Within the box, lying upon plush, royal blue velvet, was a guitar.
It wasn’t nearly as ornamental as its box but it was just as beautiful. Its full body was made of deep, rich mahogany, so dark that it was nearly black, its tuning keys and guard made of soft, buttery gold. Gold was also inlaid in the neck and around the open scrolls in the full body but that was all for the decoration. When Daisuke reverently lifted it from its resting place and strummed his fingers over the shining steel strings, it let out a rich, purring sound that vibrated throatily against his fingertips. He heard several gasps throughout the hall and there was a low murmuring, no doubt over the richness of the gift. His hands were shaking by the time he set the instrument back in the case but not from joy, though he played it off that way. He was shaking because he realized just what this gift was and by Sasuke’s stillness, he had too.
Surely, he thought even as he threw himself at Aoshi with a stream of gratitude falling from his lips and tossed his arms around the man’s neck, surely Naruto getting a courting gift from someone else couldn’t matter to the Uchiha. It couldn’t because if it did, he was sure he would crumble into a million pieces. As the brunette breathed a pleased laugh in his ear and curled his own arms gently yet possessively around the blonde’s back, he brushed one hand down the back of Sasuke’s shoulder, completely oblivious to the applause that had broken out in the hall. Despite that it would have looked like an accidental touch, the move was still dangerous but he had to know. The Uchiha gave a jolt and tipped his head to the side, fixing the blond with a steady, icy stare but Naruto read the emotion behind it correctly and it nearly knocked him flat.
In the deep, onyx depths of rage, jealousy, confusion but most of all, there was despair.
Their gazes broke a moment later and he pulled away from Aoshi’s embrace, a goofy smile plastered on his face. There was a smile in the green eyes and Daisuke sat back, blushing and nearly giddy with happiness over such a gift but Naruto was shattering silently inside.
“Do you accept it then?” Aoshi asked, one of his hands lingering on the blonde’s knee and in that moment Naruto had to say the hardest thing he was sure he had ever said in his life, or would ever have to say again. He curled his bigger hand around the Feudal Lord’s slender fingers and looked right at him, wide blue eyes clear and unwavering.
“Yes, I accept it,” all the while the depths of his soul screamed. It was the warmest he had ever seen Aoshi and he was sure if the mask were to fall away, the smile he was wearing would positively blind him but in the other man’s happiness, Naruto hurt. Even when Sumei came up and cooed over the beautiful guitar, he felt nothing but agony.
Though he didn’t look at Sasuke again who left the table shortly after that, he couldn’t get the expression he had found in the dark eyes out of his head.
Years. Years he had been in love with Sasuke. Why did it have to be now that he was given the first sign it might be returned? What was worse was that he needed Aoshi to be in love with him for the success of the mission but it was Sasuke his heart needed to survive. As he shut down, diving so deep behind the guise of Daisuke that he couldn’t even remember the rest of the night, he wondered if he even had a chance now…
Or would Sasuke just run away again?
If that happened, Naruto was sure he wouldn’t survive, not here, not this time. Not after touching upon such aching, desperate hope to watch it get taken away from him again.
When he looked at Aoshi’s smiling eyes, all he saw was Sasuke, gaze riddled with emotion like he had never knew the Uchiha could even feel.
~~~
“What is that supposed to mean?” the normally calm, deep voice was sharp and Aoshi could see Soh flinch even from his position in the shadows. He didn’t care because the news that the man had brought to him had been unexpected and disturbing. They stood in a deserted corridor near the Feudal Lord’s rooms, night already filtering in through the windows on the left side of the hall, filled with the soft, distant sound of moving water.
“It is true, my Lord,” the other man responded, his voice flat though there was a hint of fear in it. Soh was an excellent shinobi, strong in his own right but he was one of the few who knew the extent of Aoshi’s power and he was right to fear him, “There is no evidence that Daisuke even exists. There are rumors floating around the immediate area, mostly in the Fire country where he traveled through last but nothing else and nothing concrete. There is a village in the mountains within Lightning that was ravaged by disease but other than that, I have been unable to verify his existence,” The brunette frowned, staring out one of the darkened windows and then tugged at one of the curls that spilled down over his shoulder. It didn’t mean anything, now that he thought more carefully about it. There could be many reasons why someone like Daisuke had left a very small trail behind him that even Soh could not pick up on it and after what had taken place that evening, he didn’t want to immediately think the worst of the blond. Besides, it was hard to believe that someone like Daisuke could be anything but what he said he was.
“I see,” he hesitated, wanting to dismiss the spy but for some reason he couldn’t say the words that would tell Soh to drop the matter. Daisuke had surely wormed his way into Aoshi’s well-guarded heart, with his warm smiles and honeyed voice and he wanted nothing more than to go back to his rooms and dream about how the younger man had felt when he’d flung his arms around the Feudal Lord, his scent filling the man’s senses and his body hard and solid. Never before had he felt drawn to someone like he was to the blond before, not to the point of beginning a courtship with them. He was beautiful and kind and shy but the brunette could see a core of strength underneath it all that he found insanely appealing. And yet he couldn’t deny that it was strange that there was so very little known about the younger man. Even the lowliest of people had a past and Soh was uncannily good a finding those kinds of things out, “Keep looking. I trust him but I would still feel better knowing. Even if it is something small, I want to know,” he said finally and Soh gave him a soundless bow before dissolving into the shadows.
Aoshi turned away, trying not to think about the unease worming within his consciousness. He knew it was probably nothing to worry about because there were plenty of reasons Soh couldn’t find anything out about Daisuke. For one thing, the blond was from Lightning, which took nearly two weeks to reach and the mountains were in the northern most part of it, which was even farther. He didn’t want to think that the man he had thought that he might be able to open himself to was not all that he seemed to be.
Unfortunately, his mind wouldn’t dismiss the possibility and as he closed the door to his private rooms and slipped the stuffy silk mask from his face to breathe a soft sigh, he wondered if maybe he should have protected his heart from this one too.
That was when he realized it was a bit too late for that…
~~~
Sasuke slipped away from the dark corridor, fear stabbing at his heart.
He didn’t know why he had been compelled to follow Aoshi back to his rooms. He had thought, at least on the surface of his mind, that perhaps he would stumble across something that would tell him about the noble’s plans because so far he had found absolutely nothing and it was beginning to grate on his nerves. That on top of Naruto’s continued presence was making him want to go somewhere private and scream in frustration at the top of his lungs and pull out his hair. Only Naruto had the talent to making him lose his control so badly like that and it seems things hadn’t changed, even if the blond was using a different name and an altered personality. Although that was part of the reason he was so distraught; having to watch the blond acting like a completely different person felt like a metal grater had been taken to his heart and was slowly peeling away pieces of his flesh.
And then that spectacle tonight.
He knew, intellectually, that there was a damn good reason his former teammate had adopted a new persona and was attempting to seduce, quite successfully, the country’s Feudal Lord. Of course, Konoha must have learned about the situation here and sent someone as a spy but Naruto? The blond was about as subtle as the sun on a summer day and yet here he was, making everyone here fall in love with him like he always did but he was different, changed in a way Sasuke couldn’t put his finger on. He knew it was him, though. One look into those eyes had dispelled any doubts he might have had, even after watching the blond “learning” to spar with the other ninja down in the Lower Court. Even watching him giggle and simper and widen his beautiful eyes in that sickening way he had, Sasuke had known but all he could do is watch, helpless, wondering when his heart had run away without him noticing. He had always known there were feelings there where Naruto was involved but when had it turned into blind, crippling need?
And tonight…tonight when Naruto, or Daisuke, had all but thrown himself at Aoshi and had run one hand down Sasuke’s shoulder…
It was like he had been struck by lightning and he couldn’t mask the swirling, aching emotion in his face when he had turned and met the blonde’s gaze. What had struck him like a mortal blow, however, was the expression in the deep, clear cobalt eyes. They had been apologetic and begging for understanding, striking to Sasuke’s very soul because they had been so familiar. They had been Naruto’s eyes, not the person he was pretending to be and they had touched upon that raw place within the Uchiha, the single crack in his armor chaffing angrily. What he hated most was that he couldn’t tell how much Naruto meant and how much was an act but whatever it was, he had reeled the Feudal Lord in good and tight and Sasuke hated it with a single minded passion that he thought had died the day his brother did.
As much as he tried to reason with himself, tried to tell himself that surely Naruto wasn’t serious about this, that it was a game to meet whatever ends, the rage and the jealousy had grown within him until he didn’t think he had any more room in which to store it.
And then he had heard Aoshi’s conversation and all of that was chased to the back of his mind. He didn’t know who it was that had been lurking in the shadows and he hadn’t been able to get close enough to see the man’s face for fear of being discovered but he did know that if someone dug deep enough, they would realize that Daisuke was not who he said he was at all. Naruto was strong but even he couldn’t take on everyone here and for some reason, Sasuke couldn’t see the fox that resided within him, leaving him at a disadvantage. It was one of the reasons he hadn’t been sure at first but when he looked closely enough, he could almost see the red chakra that belonged to the beast licking at the edges of the blonde’s presence. It was there but suppressed, which only strengthened his mask. But if his real identity was revealed, Naruto would be in trouble. As much as Sasuke had tried so hard over the past two weeks to ignore how much their bond pulled at him, he found himself unable to let the blond walk blindly into danger.
Which was how he found himself standing outside Naruto’s private rooms, rapping on the door while his breath came in frantic puffs. Despite the fact that they had not acknowledged one another except from a distance this entire time and that he hadn’t actually spoken to the blond in more than a year, it meant nothing next to this. It was strange how a single emotion could change him so drastically but the very thought of his old teammate getting caught unaware of the danger he could be in made his throat constrict and his hands tremble. Somewhere down the line, all Sasuke had come to care about was that Naruto was safe…
Yet when the door opened and he was struck with a pair of blazing blue eyes that were so familiar, he felt like he had been struck so that all the wind was knocked out of him and for a long moment he couldn’t speak. The blond blinked and the dark haired man realized it was confusion on Naruto’s face.
“I’m sorry. Can I help you…” and it was but wasn’t Naruto’s voice while he wore an expression that was and wasn’t Naruto’s and Sasuke just couldn’t take it anymore.
The next thing he knew, he had the blond by the shoulders, pinning him to a wall inside his rooms, the door slamming soundly behind them.
“Don’t,” he hissed, jerking the other man just a bit so he could push his back farther into the wall, “Just…don’t,” fear flickered through the wide blue eyes, the color so clear and flawless that he could have been looking into the morning sky and there was a weak push against his chest that he almost didn’t notice but for the heat of the blonde’s hands burning his skin beneath his shirt. The idiot still thought to cling to his act because he would never have seen such an expression on Naruto’s face; not if he was being himself. It made him want to shake the moron until he couldn’t see straight and punch his stupid, pretty face. What was worse is that he wanted to drag the person he used to know to the surface using his lips and hands and teeth...
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the blond tried, nose scrunching in panic and frustration while he tried to ineffectively push the Uchiha away from him. The dark haired man hissed angrily and pushed the other man again, his solid shoulders giving a satisfying thump against the wood.
“Shut the fuck up,” he barely even recognized his voice, rough and low with the strain of holding himself in check, “Stop acting! I know who you are. Did you think you could fool me? Maybe if it was anyone else I wouldn’t have figured it out but not you…Naruto,” the last word, the single name that tasted of fire and redemption was pressed against the blonde’s ear in a soft whisper and the strong body against his own shivered. It seemed to be enough to break the spell, though.
It was like a veil had been parted, the blue eyes going from scared and confused to calm and direct, just like he remembered them to be.
And then it was truly Naruto standing before him, warm hands still pressed against Sasuke’s chest but no longer trying to push him away. The Uchiha paused, eyes intent on the blonde’s face as he realized how close they really were. Warmth curled through him from where they were connected, thigh, hips, and abdomen while the deep, rich scent stole over him, around him like a heady embrace. They were of a height, their gazes even with one another but Naruto had bulked up, his shoulders and frame slightly broader than Sasuke’s. The whisker marks were gone, his hair was longer and he looked older but it was still him and more beautiful than the Uchiha could ever have imagined. No wonder Aoshi couldn’t keep his eyes off of him.
“So now what?” the blond finally whispered, still making no move to break free from their virtual embrace and Sasuke couldn’t help but watch the full lips as they formed the question. He took a deep breath through his nose which nearly made him dizzy as Naruto’s scent imprinted itself upon his brain and he forced himself to pull away, though he kept his grip on the other man’s shoulders. Their eyes remained locked, clear blue clashing against deep, unforgiving onyx, so many choked back, unspoken words between them that he could almost see them piling up at their feet.
“Why are you here?” he hadn’t wanted to be the first one to back down but he couldn’t stand there staring at the blond all night, as much as the idea held a certain amount of appeal. Those full lips tilted into a familiar, crooked smile that made him ache and which he hadn’t realized he had missed until he saw it again. Daisuke didn’t use a smile like that and he felt a surge of satisfaction that he was the only one here to have seen it. Naruto shrugged off his hands, an action Sasuke allowed, even taking a step back to give them more space but their eyes never broke away, saying things that couldn’t or wouldn’t be spoken aloud.
“I should be asking you that. I assume that you have already guessed at my presence here,” perfect, white teeth dug momentarily into the blonde’s bottom lip, an action that made the Uchiha’s breath catch, “Did you really become Aoshi’s lackey? Are you his loyal dog?” the words sent a flash of anger through him but he held it in check because he could hear the resignation in the husky tenor, could see it in the jeweled color of the other man’s eyes. He crossed his arms over his chest in a defensive gesture because he didn’t think he could take one of Naruto’s speeches of betrayed friendship.
“As if I could,” he responded, voice icy and almost felt bad when he saw relief spill and swirl in the cobalt gaze. The blonde’s eyes fluttered closed for a second, as if he was trying to reassure himself his worst fears hadn’t come true and Sasuke felt a jerk near his navel when he realized how long the honey-colored lashes were when they grazed tawny cheekbones. He lifted one eyebrow when they flickered open again, filling him with the color blue, “Did you think I had?” that crooked smile was back and Naruto took a step closer, bringing them close once again.
“The thought had crossed my mind. You never were the easiest person to figure out. But I’m glad that you haven’t,” the soft tone in his voice was nearly Sasuke’s undoing but he caught himself before he could push the blond back up against the wall, steeling his will with iron. This was not the time or place for that, no matter what that wide, brilliant gaze was doing to his insides, “Then why are you here? You have to admit, it doesn’t make much sense from where I’m standing,” somehow, Sasuke managed a sneer, though he couldn’t quite bring himself to step back again like he should. His body just refused to move.
“Of course it wouldn’t, moron,” the blue gaze narrowed dangerously, but he let the expression drop, too weary of this to drag them both into a stupid, worthless argument, “Honestly, it’s probably for the same reasons you’re here,” he looked the blonde dead in the eye, “I assume Kakashi sent you here to figure out why River’s Feudal Lord was gathering so many ninja to himself?” the golden head just nodded, a few locks sliding over Naruto’s forehead and Sasuke had to violently squash the urge to brush them away, “Well, so am I,” and he shrugged, finally looking away. The other man shifted and he looked faintly surprised though it was tempered by more relief. He supposed his presence must have looked suspicious, considering that he was also a rouge ninja but he would have a hard time explaining his real reasons without dredging up painful memories that were best left in the past.
“Oh,” the blond finally said, face closing off so Sasuke couldn’t read his thoughts so easily, “I…didn’t realize…” the dark haired man scoffed because that much had been obvious but he didn’t get a chance to form a snarky response because those amazing eyes were holding him in place again, “But that doesn’t make any sense either. Why would you care about something like that?” this time the Uchiha physically turned away, unwilling to show his former teammate the surge of pain that the question induced. Only one person would ever understand and he was dead.
“I do,” was his curt response and it seemed to silence the blond for a little while. They stood there like that for long moments, listening to the muffled sound of falling, gurgling water as the night seeped into the dark rooms like a cancerous shadow. There was still so much space between them, space that Sasuke had forcefully forged and had no idea how to go about making smaller. Once, they had been friends, the very best. Naruto had filled the void that Itachi had left behind and there had been a time, for about a year, that the Uchiha had let himself believe that things didn’t have to change. But they had anyway and the bond between him and the blond had become a hindrance. So he had tried to twist it, to sever it, to break it beyond recognition but Naruto had proved too stubborn and Sasuke’s heart too unwilling to let go. How did one explain all that while dancing around other topics that were like a time bomb waiting to blow them apart? He was not proud of his time with Orochimaru or among the Akatsuki but they had been necessary and his pride was unwilling to bend to allow an apology.
“Sasuke,” there was a touch at his shoulder and he turned to find Naruto so close, close enough that if he leaned forward just a few inches, he could press his forehead to the blonde’s. He searched the blue gaze as the rich blue hue, darkened in the deep shadows, trickled into his veins until he thought he could taste it on the back of his tongue.
“Are you going to sleep with him?” he blurted and nearly slapped himself when Naruto’s eyes widened in surprise. Then the blond bit his lip again, a habit he found himself drawn to and looked away, his hand bunching the material of Sasuke’s shirt.
“Does it make a difference?” the words were like a punch in his gut and it was all the dark haired man could do not to show his reaction. It did make a difference and he wanted to scream, to shake the blond hard enough to hear his teeth rattle in his head, do anything to deny the bleakness that filled the blonde’s gaze. Bile rose to the back of his throat and he choked it back while trying to hide the way his hands had started to shake.
“It makes a fucking difference,” his voice was a mere hiss but it had the bright gaze jerking back to his face, wider than he had ever seen them so that he was sure that if he kept looking into them, he would drown, “You don’t need to fall into bed with the man, even if it is for a mission. What the fuck happened to you?” anger flared at that and the blond shoved him away but he didn’t miss the distress that filled the other man’s features, an expression that made his heart once more twist painfully.
“What the hell do you know?” Naruto answered, arms mirroring Sasuke’s as he crossed them tightly over his chest though it looked more defensive than anything else, “You think I want to do this? You have no idea…” he took a deep breath sharply through his nose and let it out slowly, eyes still blazing, “It is not the only way but I think it’s the best way. Aoshi is already half in love with Daisuke…” he didn’t get any further before he was being slammed back against the wall again, a furious Uchiha glaring at him, face two inches away.
“Aoshi is it now?” he growled, seeing the alarm flaring in the blonde’s gaze before it was eaten away by anger and not even caring. He was too angry to care, “Getting awfully cozy with him, aren’t you? Let me tell you something, Naruto,” the full lips parted, drawing in a breath but he blazed on, cutting through whatever scathing retort the blond was about to deliver, “That man is not one to fall in love. He guards himself with layers of thick, impenetrable ice of suspicion and caution. You can let him fuck you every which way and he won’t give anything. Perhaps it’s you that wants it…” and he didn’t get any further because behind the burning fury now seeping from Naruto’s trembling body, tears had glazed his eyes.
“Fuck you, Uchiha,” the words were broken and he nearly cut himself on the shards, “Just…get out,” it was like a light had been flicked off and he felt the fight go out of the blond, who ducked his head and refused to look at the dark haired ninja again. Then Sasuke realized what he had said in his jealous anger and his chest felt hollow. He opened his mouth only to close it again, realizing with a detached kind of horror that this would probably be the last time he would ever be allowed to be this close to the blond again. He stared at the bowed, golden head and did something he didn’t think he would ever have the courage to do if it hadn’t been for the fact that the thought of losing the blond now when he was finally there, right in front of him nearly broke him. Slowly, he lifted one hand off a broad shoulder and cupped the strong jaw, lifting Naruto’s head so he could once again look into his eyes. The color of them was bright and startled and beautiful.
“Very well, I’ll leave,” he said softly, marveling at how soft the tawny skin was under his fingertips. They were so close now that he could taste Naruto’s breath on his lips and it tasted of sunlight and freedom, “but I came here to warn you. Aoshi is digging into Daisuke’s past and when he realizes there is nothing to find, he’s going to start wondering who you really are. I don’t have to tell you what will happen when he finds out you’re Naruto,” the full lips had parted again and a wonderful kind of astonishment had brightened the blonde’s features. He lifted one hand, broader than Sasuke’s own and hesitantly covered the Uchiha’s where it cradled the strong chin and jaw.
“Sasuke…what…?” but his words were once again stilled when the dark haired man dragged the pad of his thumb over the full, bottom lip, wondering at the soft, slightly damp feel of it. The blond drew in a sharp breath, free hand sliding unnoticed into inky locks of hair as the Uchiha leaned forward and finally pressed his forehead against Naruto’s. It conveyed so many things that Sasuke could not and he could feel the blond shaking again, the hand buried in his dark hair griping hard.
“Whatever happens, keep yourself safe,” he breathed into the tiny space that separated their lips, feeling the need and aching, burning, strengthening change of their ever present bond swirling between them like a deep, strong current that threatened to drag them both under, “I’ll be watching you,” There was another whisper of his name, the desperation in it cracked around the edges like an old, well used blade and he knew that if he stood there a second longer, he would give into the fire that seared his blood. Regretfully he extracted himself from Naruto’s hold and stepped back, holding his eyes for another fathomless moment.
Then he turned and slipped from the room.
The look that he had seen in the wide gaze was one that would keep him sane during the days to come for in it he had seen desire, relief and, most amazingly, joy. The realization that it was him to put that look on Naruto’s face filled every last corner of his body with warmth.
~~~
Iruka watched his lover sitting on top of his desk, so still he could have been carved from stone.
A report had just come in from the Kazekage of Sunagakure in an appeal for Konoha’s promise of aid if the tensions between Wind and Earth snapped like they looked like they were about to. The conflicts had started small, stupid disagreements between the shinobi from those nations and even the civilians, trade and other relations becoming awkward and tense. If the negotiations that Garaa was painstakingly striving to make work fell through and Konoha entered the fray, it would be what they had feared would come to pass since the last war. The one that had taken Kakashi’s teammates and friends. Though the man wore a mask over the bottom half of his face, the brunette knew it well enough to know it would be strained and frozen with uncertainty and worry.
Slowly, he closed the door and stepped into the room, making sure the other man heard him. There had been instances early on in their relationship that nearly got Iruka killed because he had accidentally snuck up on the silver haired ninja. The single visible eye flickered to him before sliding away again, peering through the wide windows into the village below. Despite how much Kakashi disliked his position as Hokage, he loved the village and the continued threat of war terrified him. The younger man felt his chest tighten and he walked over to the other man, stopping at Kakashi’s knee.
“Kakashi…” he started, pressing his hand against one broad shoulder but the older man cut him off, voice rough and vulnerable in a way he would only show his lover.
“He hasn’t contacted me,” he rasped, finally looking directly at the teacher, the shadows under his dark eye more pronounced with strain, “He’s been gone nearly three weeks and I don’t know if he’s even still alive,” he shifted, dropping his legs to the floor from where they had been crossed in front of him and he closed his eye, running his fingers through his pale hair, “I should never have sent him in there alone. He didn’t have nearly enough training and anything could go wrong,” fear stuttered in Iruka’s chest when he realized Kakashi was talking about Naruto and he stepped closer, pulling down the other’s man’s mask so he could let his eyes roam freely over the familiar, stunning features.
“There’s nothing you can do about it now,”’ he reasoned, voice sounding calmer than he really was, “and besides, this is Naruto we are talking about. I think maybe you should heed your own advice and have a little more faith in him,” the older man looked at the brunette closely for a second before letting his head fall forward against Iruka’s chest. Slowly, he carded his hands through the silver hair while he tried to believe his own words.
“I know but I wish he would at least send one of those toads at least to let me know he’s okay,” the words were slightly muffled but the younger man heard them all the same. He swallowed against dry fear for the boy that had been like a younger brother to him and tightened his hold on the Hokage’s shoulders. Kakashi had told him about the mission after Naruto had left and Iruka had been furious with him for keeping something like that a secret. But even he had seen the need in it. Should the balance between nations be upset and they were plunged into another war…
Iruka stared out the wide, panoramic windows and worry gnawed his heart. None of it would matter if Naruto got himself killed. As he held the Hokage close, he prayed silently with all his heart.
Please be okay, Naruto. We all need you to come home…
To be continued...
It started at dinner. He had been busy during his stay at the Feudal Lord’s palace and the heated want in the blazing green gaze had started to become unbearable. Yet while it was clear Aoshi wanted him, he had only gone as far as a few simple touches and spending time with the blond. Not once did he even once bring up his interest in the younger man nor did he bother to ask if Daisuke was interested in return. Of course, the brunette had to know. Though the singer was not of an aggressive nature, he had made sure to show his desire in his small gestures, down to openly flirting with the man in the guise of trying to get him to laugh. Naruto was starting to become frustrated, wondering of perhaps the man couldn’t act on his interest rather than just not wanting to. What the blond hadn’t realized was Aoshi had a plan of his own and that was to follow his own country’s traditions. When he looked back on it, he should have realized it because Arisa was apparently terrible at keeping other people’s secrets and had gone so far as to explain their process of the noble’s way of courting a prospective love interest, even stating that Aoshi had yet to go through the process but wished to.
What Naruto had failed to realize was that Arisa had been suggesting that it was Daisuke that Aoshi wanted to court. It wasn’t a very strict process and once the other party accepted, they had two months to return the gesture, which in this case was a meaningful gift, or they could change their mind. It would then be acknowledged that they were to be united, though he didn’t think betrothal was the right word for it. More like…attached. Which was why, when a servant knelt right behind him and Aoshi holding a large, beautifully lacquered, oddly shaped box just as dessert was served, he was confused.
“What’s going on?” he asked quietly when he caught the Feudal Lord’s gaze that seemed a little brighter than normal, though his voice traveled anyway because the hall had fallen into a breathless hush. Aoshi had his mask on since he was in public but the blond could tell he was smiling. An air of cool confidence surrounded him as though he was perfectly sure of himself. It made Sasuke’s sudden stillness on his other side seem out of place, nearly drawing Naruto’s gaze to it so he could figure out if it was anger or fear that had inspired it. Why it would be fear, he wasn’t sure but the few times he had seen the Uchiha afraid, it had transmuted itself into absolute, icy calm, just like he was then. Then the blond was distracted by the strange box, vowing to think on it later.
“This is a gift for you, from myself,” Aoshi said, deep voice carrying through the hall and Daisuke blushed pleasantly, still not used to the informal gifts that kept showing up in his room. It seemed like an awful lot of ceremony for a gift, “I hope that you will accept it,” the color of his eyes could have drowned the blond then and he had to look away to the box, running his fingers over the smooth surface. The wood was made of deep ebony and inlaid on the top was swirling blue designs that made him think of a vine curling and growing through the night. Beautiful flowers of pink and gold tipped the edges of the blue swirls, the colors of a new dawn while the clasps holding the lid closed in four places were worked silver.
“It’s beautiful,” he breathed, almost afraid to lay his fingers on it because he would mar the beauty of it. In all his life he had never seen anything so fine and that included the shining jewels for his hair and fingers and wrists that now filled his closet drawers. Aoshi laughed and nudged him gently with his knee.
“Go ahead, open it,” So Daisuke, a half pensive, half excited expression in his face, flicked open the clasps and lifted the lid. He was sure his delighted cry was heard all the way in the kitchens and it broke the spell the hall had fallen into, warm laughter filling the hall.
Within the box, lying upon plush, royal blue velvet, was a guitar.
It wasn’t nearly as ornamental as its box but it was just as beautiful. Its full body was made of deep, rich mahogany, so dark that it was nearly black, its tuning keys and guard made of soft, buttery gold. Gold was also inlaid in the neck and around the open scrolls in the full body but that was all for the decoration. When Daisuke reverently lifted it from its resting place and strummed his fingers over the shining steel strings, it let out a rich, purring sound that vibrated throatily against his fingertips. He heard several gasps throughout the hall and there was a low murmuring, no doubt over the richness of the gift. His hands were shaking by the time he set the instrument back in the case but not from joy, though he played it off that way. He was shaking because he realized just what this gift was and by Sasuke’s stillness, he had too.
Surely, he thought even as he threw himself at Aoshi with a stream of gratitude falling from his lips and tossed his arms around the man’s neck, surely Naruto getting a courting gift from someone else couldn’t matter to the Uchiha. It couldn’t because if it did, he was sure he would crumble into a million pieces. As the brunette breathed a pleased laugh in his ear and curled his own arms gently yet possessively around the blonde’s back, he brushed one hand down the back of Sasuke’s shoulder, completely oblivious to the applause that had broken out in the hall. Despite that it would have looked like an accidental touch, the move was still dangerous but he had to know. The Uchiha gave a jolt and tipped his head to the side, fixing the blond with a steady, icy stare but Naruto read the emotion behind it correctly and it nearly knocked him flat.
In the deep, onyx depths of rage, jealousy, confusion but most of all, there was despair.
Their gazes broke a moment later and he pulled away from Aoshi’s embrace, a goofy smile plastered on his face. There was a smile in the green eyes and Daisuke sat back, blushing and nearly giddy with happiness over such a gift but Naruto was shattering silently inside.
“Do you accept it then?” Aoshi asked, one of his hands lingering on the blonde’s knee and in that moment Naruto had to say the hardest thing he was sure he had ever said in his life, or would ever have to say again. He curled his bigger hand around the Feudal Lord’s slender fingers and looked right at him, wide blue eyes clear and unwavering.
“Yes, I accept it,” all the while the depths of his soul screamed. It was the warmest he had ever seen Aoshi and he was sure if the mask were to fall away, the smile he was wearing would positively blind him but in the other man’s happiness, Naruto hurt. Even when Sumei came up and cooed over the beautiful guitar, he felt nothing but agony.
Though he didn’t look at Sasuke again who left the table shortly after that, he couldn’t get the expression he had found in the dark eyes out of his head.
Years. Years he had been in love with Sasuke. Why did it have to be now that he was given the first sign it might be returned? What was worse was that he needed Aoshi to be in love with him for the success of the mission but it was Sasuke his heart needed to survive. As he shut down, diving so deep behind the guise of Daisuke that he couldn’t even remember the rest of the night, he wondered if he even had a chance now…
Or would Sasuke just run away again?
If that happened, Naruto was sure he wouldn’t survive, not here, not this time. Not after touching upon such aching, desperate hope to watch it get taken away from him again.
When he looked at Aoshi’s smiling eyes, all he saw was Sasuke, gaze riddled with emotion like he had never knew the Uchiha could even feel.
~~~
“What is that supposed to mean?” the normally calm, deep voice was sharp and Aoshi could see Soh flinch even from his position in the shadows. He didn’t care because the news that the man had brought to him had been unexpected and disturbing. They stood in a deserted corridor near the Feudal Lord’s rooms, night already filtering in through the windows on the left side of the hall, filled with the soft, distant sound of moving water.
“It is true, my Lord,” the other man responded, his voice flat though there was a hint of fear in it. Soh was an excellent shinobi, strong in his own right but he was one of the few who knew the extent of Aoshi’s power and he was right to fear him, “There is no evidence that Daisuke even exists. There are rumors floating around the immediate area, mostly in the Fire country where he traveled through last but nothing else and nothing concrete. There is a village in the mountains within Lightning that was ravaged by disease but other than that, I have been unable to verify his existence,” The brunette frowned, staring out one of the darkened windows and then tugged at one of the curls that spilled down over his shoulder. It didn’t mean anything, now that he thought more carefully about it. There could be many reasons why someone like Daisuke had left a very small trail behind him that even Soh could not pick up on it and after what had taken place that evening, he didn’t want to immediately think the worst of the blond. Besides, it was hard to believe that someone like Daisuke could be anything but what he said he was.
“I see,” he hesitated, wanting to dismiss the spy but for some reason he couldn’t say the words that would tell Soh to drop the matter. Daisuke had surely wormed his way into Aoshi’s well-guarded heart, with his warm smiles and honeyed voice and he wanted nothing more than to go back to his rooms and dream about how the younger man had felt when he’d flung his arms around the Feudal Lord, his scent filling the man’s senses and his body hard and solid. Never before had he felt drawn to someone like he was to the blond before, not to the point of beginning a courtship with them. He was beautiful and kind and shy but the brunette could see a core of strength underneath it all that he found insanely appealing. And yet he couldn’t deny that it was strange that there was so very little known about the younger man. Even the lowliest of people had a past and Soh was uncannily good a finding those kinds of things out, “Keep looking. I trust him but I would still feel better knowing. Even if it is something small, I want to know,” he said finally and Soh gave him a soundless bow before dissolving into the shadows.
Aoshi turned away, trying not to think about the unease worming within his consciousness. He knew it was probably nothing to worry about because there were plenty of reasons Soh couldn’t find anything out about Daisuke. For one thing, the blond was from Lightning, which took nearly two weeks to reach and the mountains were in the northern most part of it, which was even farther. He didn’t want to think that the man he had thought that he might be able to open himself to was not all that he seemed to be.
Unfortunately, his mind wouldn’t dismiss the possibility and as he closed the door to his private rooms and slipped the stuffy silk mask from his face to breathe a soft sigh, he wondered if maybe he should have protected his heart from this one too.
That was when he realized it was a bit too late for that…
~~~
Sasuke slipped away from the dark corridor, fear stabbing at his heart.
He didn’t know why he had been compelled to follow Aoshi back to his rooms. He had thought, at least on the surface of his mind, that perhaps he would stumble across something that would tell him about the noble’s plans because so far he had found absolutely nothing and it was beginning to grate on his nerves. That on top of Naruto’s continued presence was making him want to go somewhere private and scream in frustration at the top of his lungs and pull out his hair. Only Naruto had the talent to making him lose his control so badly like that and it seems things hadn’t changed, even if the blond was using a different name and an altered personality. Although that was part of the reason he was so distraught; having to watch the blond acting like a completely different person felt like a metal grater had been taken to his heart and was slowly peeling away pieces of his flesh.
And then that spectacle tonight.
He knew, intellectually, that there was a damn good reason his former teammate had adopted a new persona and was attempting to seduce, quite successfully, the country’s Feudal Lord. Of course, Konoha must have learned about the situation here and sent someone as a spy but Naruto? The blond was about as subtle as the sun on a summer day and yet here he was, making everyone here fall in love with him like he always did but he was different, changed in a way Sasuke couldn’t put his finger on. He knew it was him, though. One look into those eyes had dispelled any doubts he might have had, even after watching the blond “learning” to spar with the other ninja down in the Lower Court. Even watching him giggle and simper and widen his beautiful eyes in that sickening way he had, Sasuke had known but all he could do is watch, helpless, wondering when his heart had run away without him noticing. He had always known there were feelings there where Naruto was involved but when had it turned into blind, crippling need?
And tonight…tonight when Naruto, or Daisuke, had all but thrown himself at Aoshi and had run one hand down Sasuke’s shoulder…
It was like he had been struck by lightning and he couldn’t mask the swirling, aching emotion in his face when he had turned and met the blonde’s gaze. What had struck him like a mortal blow, however, was the expression in the deep, clear cobalt eyes. They had been apologetic and begging for understanding, striking to Sasuke’s very soul because they had been so familiar. They had been Naruto’s eyes, not the person he was pretending to be and they had touched upon that raw place within the Uchiha, the single crack in his armor chaffing angrily. What he hated most was that he couldn’t tell how much Naruto meant and how much was an act but whatever it was, he had reeled the Feudal Lord in good and tight and Sasuke hated it with a single minded passion that he thought had died the day his brother did.
As much as he tried to reason with himself, tried to tell himself that surely Naruto wasn’t serious about this, that it was a game to meet whatever ends, the rage and the jealousy had grown within him until he didn’t think he had any more room in which to store it.
And then he had heard Aoshi’s conversation and all of that was chased to the back of his mind. He didn’t know who it was that had been lurking in the shadows and he hadn’t been able to get close enough to see the man’s face for fear of being discovered but he did know that if someone dug deep enough, they would realize that Daisuke was not who he said he was at all. Naruto was strong but even he couldn’t take on everyone here and for some reason, Sasuke couldn’t see the fox that resided within him, leaving him at a disadvantage. It was one of the reasons he hadn’t been sure at first but when he looked closely enough, he could almost see the red chakra that belonged to the beast licking at the edges of the blonde’s presence. It was there but suppressed, which only strengthened his mask. But if his real identity was revealed, Naruto would be in trouble. As much as Sasuke had tried so hard over the past two weeks to ignore how much their bond pulled at him, he found himself unable to let the blond walk blindly into danger.
Which was how he found himself standing outside Naruto’s private rooms, rapping on the door while his breath came in frantic puffs. Despite the fact that they had not acknowledged one another except from a distance this entire time and that he hadn’t actually spoken to the blond in more than a year, it meant nothing next to this. It was strange how a single emotion could change him so drastically but the very thought of his old teammate getting caught unaware of the danger he could be in made his throat constrict and his hands tremble. Somewhere down the line, all Sasuke had come to care about was that Naruto was safe…
Yet when the door opened and he was struck with a pair of blazing blue eyes that were so familiar, he felt like he had been struck so that all the wind was knocked out of him and for a long moment he couldn’t speak. The blond blinked and the dark haired man realized it was confusion on Naruto’s face.
“I’m sorry. Can I help you…” and it was but wasn’t Naruto’s voice while he wore an expression that was and wasn’t Naruto’s and Sasuke just couldn’t take it anymore.
The next thing he knew, he had the blond by the shoulders, pinning him to a wall inside his rooms, the door slamming soundly behind them.
“Don’t,” he hissed, jerking the other man just a bit so he could push his back farther into the wall, “Just…don’t,” fear flickered through the wide blue eyes, the color so clear and flawless that he could have been looking into the morning sky and there was a weak push against his chest that he almost didn’t notice but for the heat of the blonde’s hands burning his skin beneath his shirt. The idiot still thought to cling to his act because he would never have seen such an expression on Naruto’s face; not if he was being himself. It made him want to shake the moron until he couldn’t see straight and punch his stupid, pretty face. What was worse is that he wanted to drag the person he used to know to the surface using his lips and hands and teeth...
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the blond tried, nose scrunching in panic and frustration while he tried to ineffectively push the Uchiha away from him. The dark haired man hissed angrily and pushed the other man again, his solid shoulders giving a satisfying thump against the wood.
“Shut the fuck up,” he barely even recognized his voice, rough and low with the strain of holding himself in check, “Stop acting! I know who you are. Did you think you could fool me? Maybe if it was anyone else I wouldn’t have figured it out but not you…Naruto,” the last word, the single name that tasted of fire and redemption was pressed against the blonde’s ear in a soft whisper and the strong body against his own shivered. It seemed to be enough to break the spell, though.
It was like a veil had been parted, the blue eyes going from scared and confused to calm and direct, just like he remembered them to be.
And then it was truly Naruto standing before him, warm hands still pressed against Sasuke’s chest but no longer trying to push him away. The Uchiha paused, eyes intent on the blonde’s face as he realized how close they really were. Warmth curled through him from where they were connected, thigh, hips, and abdomen while the deep, rich scent stole over him, around him like a heady embrace. They were of a height, their gazes even with one another but Naruto had bulked up, his shoulders and frame slightly broader than Sasuke’s. The whisker marks were gone, his hair was longer and he looked older but it was still him and more beautiful than the Uchiha could ever have imagined. No wonder Aoshi couldn’t keep his eyes off of him.
“So now what?” the blond finally whispered, still making no move to break free from their virtual embrace and Sasuke couldn’t help but watch the full lips as they formed the question. He took a deep breath through his nose which nearly made him dizzy as Naruto’s scent imprinted itself upon his brain and he forced himself to pull away, though he kept his grip on the other man’s shoulders. Their eyes remained locked, clear blue clashing against deep, unforgiving onyx, so many choked back, unspoken words between them that he could almost see them piling up at their feet.
“Why are you here?” he hadn’t wanted to be the first one to back down but he couldn’t stand there staring at the blond all night, as much as the idea held a certain amount of appeal. Those full lips tilted into a familiar, crooked smile that made him ache and which he hadn’t realized he had missed until he saw it again. Daisuke didn’t use a smile like that and he felt a surge of satisfaction that he was the only one here to have seen it. Naruto shrugged off his hands, an action Sasuke allowed, even taking a step back to give them more space but their eyes never broke away, saying things that couldn’t or wouldn’t be spoken aloud.
“I should be asking you that. I assume that you have already guessed at my presence here,” perfect, white teeth dug momentarily into the blonde’s bottom lip, an action that made the Uchiha’s breath catch, “Did you really become Aoshi’s lackey? Are you his loyal dog?” the words sent a flash of anger through him but he held it in check because he could hear the resignation in the husky tenor, could see it in the jeweled color of the other man’s eyes. He crossed his arms over his chest in a defensive gesture because he didn’t think he could take one of Naruto’s speeches of betrayed friendship.
“As if I could,” he responded, voice icy and almost felt bad when he saw relief spill and swirl in the cobalt gaze. The blonde’s eyes fluttered closed for a second, as if he was trying to reassure himself his worst fears hadn’t come true and Sasuke felt a jerk near his navel when he realized how long the honey-colored lashes were when they grazed tawny cheekbones. He lifted one eyebrow when they flickered open again, filling him with the color blue, “Did you think I had?” that crooked smile was back and Naruto took a step closer, bringing them close once again.
“The thought had crossed my mind. You never were the easiest person to figure out. But I’m glad that you haven’t,” the soft tone in his voice was nearly Sasuke’s undoing but he caught himself before he could push the blond back up against the wall, steeling his will with iron. This was not the time or place for that, no matter what that wide, brilliant gaze was doing to his insides, “Then why are you here? You have to admit, it doesn’t make much sense from where I’m standing,” somehow, Sasuke managed a sneer, though he couldn’t quite bring himself to step back again like he should. His body just refused to move.
“Of course it wouldn’t, moron,” the blue gaze narrowed dangerously, but he let the expression drop, too weary of this to drag them both into a stupid, worthless argument, “Honestly, it’s probably for the same reasons you’re here,” he looked the blonde dead in the eye, “I assume Kakashi sent you here to figure out why River’s Feudal Lord was gathering so many ninja to himself?” the golden head just nodded, a few locks sliding over Naruto’s forehead and Sasuke had to violently squash the urge to brush them away, “Well, so am I,” and he shrugged, finally looking away. The other man shifted and he looked faintly surprised though it was tempered by more relief. He supposed his presence must have looked suspicious, considering that he was also a rouge ninja but he would have a hard time explaining his real reasons without dredging up painful memories that were best left in the past.
“Oh,” the blond finally said, face closing off so Sasuke couldn’t read his thoughts so easily, “I…didn’t realize…” the dark haired man scoffed because that much had been obvious but he didn’t get a chance to form a snarky response because those amazing eyes were holding him in place again, “But that doesn’t make any sense either. Why would you care about something like that?” this time the Uchiha physically turned away, unwilling to show his former teammate the surge of pain that the question induced. Only one person would ever understand and he was dead.
“I do,” was his curt response and it seemed to silence the blond for a little while. They stood there like that for long moments, listening to the muffled sound of falling, gurgling water as the night seeped into the dark rooms like a cancerous shadow. There was still so much space between them, space that Sasuke had forcefully forged and had no idea how to go about making smaller. Once, they had been friends, the very best. Naruto had filled the void that Itachi had left behind and there had been a time, for about a year, that the Uchiha had let himself believe that things didn’t have to change. But they had anyway and the bond between him and the blond had become a hindrance. So he had tried to twist it, to sever it, to break it beyond recognition but Naruto had proved too stubborn and Sasuke’s heart too unwilling to let go. How did one explain all that while dancing around other topics that were like a time bomb waiting to blow them apart? He was not proud of his time with Orochimaru or among the Akatsuki but they had been necessary and his pride was unwilling to bend to allow an apology.
“Sasuke,” there was a touch at his shoulder and he turned to find Naruto so close, close enough that if he leaned forward just a few inches, he could press his forehead to the blonde’s. He searched the blue gaze as the rich blue hue, darkened in the deep shadows, trickled into his veins until he thought he could taste it on the back of his tongue.
“Are you going to sleep with him?” he blurted and nearly slapped himself when Naruto’s eyes widened in surprise. Then the blond bit his lip again, a habit he found himself drawn to and looked away, his hand bunching the material of Sasuke’s shirt.
“Does it make a difference?” the words were like a punch in his gut and it was all the dark haired man could do not to show his reaction. It did make a difference and he wanted to scream, to shake the blond hard enough to hear his teeth rattle in his head, do anything to deny the bleakness that filled the blonde’s gaze. Bile rose to the back of his throat and he choked it back while trying to hide the way his hands had started to shake.
“It makes a fucking difference,” his voice was a mere hiss but it had the bright gaze jerking back to his face, wider than he had ever seen them so that he was sure that if he kept looking into them, he would drown, “You don’t need to fall into bed with the man, even if it is for a mission. What the fuck happened to you?” anger flared at that and the blond shoved him away but he didn’t miss the distress that filled the other man’s features, an expression that made his heart once more twist painfully.
“What the hell do you know?” Naruto answered, arms mirroring Sasuke’s as he crossed them tightly over his chest though it looked more defensive than anything else, “You think I want to do this? You have no idea…” he took a deep breath sharply through his nose and let it out slowly, eyes still blazing, “It is not the only way but I think it’s the best way. Aoshi is already half in love with Daisuke…” he didn’t get any further before he was being slammed back against the wall again, a furious Uchiha glaring at him, face two inches away.
“Aoshi is it now?” he growled, seeing the alarm flaring in the blonde’s gaze before it was eaten away by anger and not even caring. He was too angry to care, “Getting awfully cozy with him, aren’t you? Let me tell you something, Naruto,” the full lips parted, drawing in a breath but he blazed on, cutting through whatever scathing retort the blond was about to deliver, “That man is not one to fall in love. He guards himself with layers of thick, impenetrable ice of suspicion and caution. You can let him fuck you every which way and he won’t give anything. Perhaps it’s you that wants it…” and he didn’t get any further because behind the burning fury now seeping from Naruto’s trembling body, tears had glazed his eyes.
“Fuck you, Uchiha,” the words were broken and he nearly cut himself on the shards, “Just…get out,” it was like a light had been flicked off and he felt the fight go out of the blond, who ducked his head and refused to look at the dark haired ninja again. Then Sasuke realized what he had said in his jealous anger and his chest felt hollow. He opened his mouth only to close it again, realizing with a detached kind of horror that this would probably be the last time he would ever be allowed to be this close to the blond again. He stared at the bowed, golden head and did something he didn’t think he would ever have the courage to do if it hadn’t been for the fact that the thought of losing the blond now when he was finally there, right in front of him nearly broke him. Slowly, he lifted one hand off a broad shoulder and cupped the strong jaw, lifting Naruto’s head so he could once again look into his eyes. The color of them was bright and startled and beautiful.
“Very well, I’ll leave,” he said softly, marveling at how soft the tawny skin was under his fingertips. They were so close now that he could taste Naruto’s breath on his lips and it tasted of sunlight and freedom, “but I came here to warn you. Aoshi is digging into Daisuke’s past and when he realizes there is nothing to find, he’s going to start wondering who you really are. I don’t have to tell you what will happen when he finds out you’re Naruto,” the full lips had parted again and a wonderful kind of astonishment had brightened the blonde’s features. He lifted one hand, broader than Sasuke’s own and hesitantly covered the Uchiha’s where it cradled the strong chin and jaw.
“Sasuke…what…?” but his words were once again stilled when the dark haired man dragged the pad of his thumb over the full, bottom lip, wondering at the soft, slightly damp feel of it. The blond drew in a sharp breath, free hand sliding unnoticed into inky locks of hair as the Uchiha leaned forward and finally pressed his forehead against Naruto’s. It conveyed so many things that Sasuke could not and he could feel the blond shaking again, the hand buried in his dark hair griping hard.
“Whatever happens, keep yourself safe,” he breathed into the tiny space that separated their lips, feeling the need and aching, burning, strengthening change of their ever present bond swirling between them like a deep, strong current that threatened to drag them both under, “I’ll be watching you,” There was another whisper of his name, the desperation in it cracked around the edges like an old, well used blade and he knew that if he stood there a second longer, he would give into the fire that seared his blood. Regretfully he extracted himself from Naruto’s hold and stepped back, holding his eyes for another fathomless moment.
Then he turned and slipped from the room.
The look that he had seen in the wide gaze was one that would keep him sane during the days to come for in it he had seen desire, relief and, most amazingly, joy. The realization that it was him to put that look on Naruto’s face filled every last corner of his body with warmth.
~~~
Iruka watched his lover sitting on top of his desk, so still he could have been carved from stone.
A report had just come in from the Kazekage of Sunagakure in an appeal for Konoha’s promise of aid if the tensions between Wind and Earth snapped like they looked like they were about to. The conflicts had started small, stupid disagreements between the shinobi from those nations and even the civilians, trade and other relations becoming awkward and tense. If the negotiations that Garaa was painstakingly striving to make work fell through and Konoha entered the fray, it would be what they had feared would come to pass since the last war. The one that had taken Kakashi’s teammates and friends. Though the man wore a mask over the bottom half of his face, the brunette knew it well enough to know it would be strained and frozen with uncertainty and worry.
Slowly, he closed the door and stepped into the room, making sure the other man heard him. There had been instances early on in their relationship that nearly got Iruka killed because he had accidentally snuck up on the silver haired ninja. The single visible eye flickered to him before sliding away again, peering through the wide windows into the village below. Despite how much Kakashi disliked his position as Hokage, he loved the village and the continued threat of war terrified him. The younger man felt his chest tighten and he walked over to the other man, stopping at Kakashi’s knee.
“Kakashi…” he started, pressing his hand against one broad shoulder but the older man cut him off, voice rough and vulnerable in a way he would only show his lover.
“He hasn’t contacted me,” he rasped, finally looking directly at the teacher, the shadows under his dark eye more pronounced with strain, “He’s been gone nearly three weeks and I don’t know if he’s even still alive,” he shifted, dropping his legs to the floor from where they had been crossed in front of him and he closed his eye, running his fingers through his pale hair, “I should never have sent him in there alone. He didn’t have nearly enough training and anything could go wrong,” fear stuttered in Iruka’s chest when he realized Kakashi was talking about Naruto and he stepped closer, pulling down the other’s man’s mask so he could let his eyes roam freely over the familiar, stunning features.
“There’s nothing you can do about it now,”’ he reasoned, voice sounding calmer than he really was, “and besides, this is Naruto we are talking about. I think maybe you should heed your own advice and have a little more faith in him,” the older man looked at the brunette closely for a second before letting his head fall forward against Iruka’s chest. Slowly, he carded his hands through the silver hair while he tried to believe his own words.
“I know but I wish he would at least send one of those toads at least to let me know he’s okay,” the words were slightly muffled but the younger man heard them all the same. He swallowed against dry fear for the boy that had been like a younger brother to him and tightened his hold on the Hokage’s shoulders. Kakashi had told him about the mission after Naruto had left and Iruka had been furious with him for keeping something like that a secret. But even he had seen the need in it. Should the balance between nations be upset and they were plunged into another war…
Iruka stared out the wide, panoramic windows and worry gnawed his heart. None of it would matter if Naruto got himself killed. As he held the Hokage close, he prayed silently with all his heart.
Please be okay, Naruto. We all need you to come home…
To be continued...