Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Author's Notes: This is actually very old. I just never got around to posting it on here. It was done as part of an ItachiNaruto swap over on LJ.
Read, review and please enjoy!
Naruto glared across the table at the man he currently considered the bane of his existence. The blonde impatiently tapped his foot on the floor, more than ready to be out of the dining hall and in the safety of his rooms. But the cook was apparently behind schedule today, yet Naruto was still required to arrive at the appointed time to the hall. He wasn't allowed to eat in his room anymore, either. Not after he'd all but hid in there for a week and a half.
Naruto glared daggers across the table and was met with a calm obsidian gaze. Not much seemed to work up the addition to his palace, except the blonde's excessive absences from his presence. Itachi Uchiha, the Alliance Politician who had been sent to help keep the Uzumaki and his planet, in line. The takeover had been rather short and easy. They just didn't have the troops to fight back and most of his people were sick anyway. They weren't that large of a planet to begin with and the sickness had weakened them even more. Naruto had, had no choice, but to hand over his home; but he didn't give it up without a few choice words and giving the Uchiha a black eye.
They had many meetings and worked out treaties and contracts until the wee hours of the morning for days until finally everything was settled. Naruto would stay on the planet, still get to rule his kingdom, but the Alliance pulled the strings through Itachi. Naruto hadn't liked the idea one bit and had protested adamantly about it until his advisers had finally managed to get him to agree. The blonde had done so grudgingly.
Everything had been going smoothly, Itachi was spreading medicine and doctors around the planet, and Naruto's people were finally looking healthier. The blonde didn't get along per say with the Alliance Politician, but he could deal with idle chit chat. He had a duty to uphold and knowing what kind of man would be pulling all the strings from now on was a part of that.
Itachi was a mystery to the blonde. The Alliance seemed content to let him do as he pleased. Naruto had found out that the Uchiha was actually pretty high up in the large group, high enough that the Council was content with a report from the raven every two weeks. Naruto knew the Alliance was known for being heavy handed when taking over, wars, death tolls in the thousands, seizure of ports, and trading lines, assassinations of officials and leaders, and sometimes people were even taken as slaves, these were all common when the Alliance took control of a new planet. The blonde didn't think he'd ever heard of a takeover that had gone as smoothly as his planet's.
Itachi didn't talk much and was great at avoiding questions while Naruto said whatever came to mind as soon as the Uchiha asked him something. It had only been a little over two months since the raven had arrived when what Naruto had come to call "The Incident" had happened. The two of them were getting along in a way and Naruto felt that the older man was opening up to him some, when Itachi did something that scared the blonde into hiding.
Now, Naruto was an outgoing guy, had many friends, but he'd never had someone he cared about on that different level. He had never been in love or never been one to go looking for it. If it happened, it happened. If not, oh well. Since he'd never been that close to anyone, no one ever touched him intimately. Factor in the fact that he was royalty and that equaled he was rarely touched in any manner.
No one would call Naruto the brightest person in the world, nor was he the most observant. If it had been anyone else, they would have seen the intent in Itachi's eyes. Would have known there had to be a reason for the Uchiha to still be on the planet when he could have easily returned home once everything had calmed down. But Naruto noticed nothing except that the older male talked more openly to him.
So when Itachi asked if he could walk with the blonde one afternoon, Naruto thought nothing of it. They chatted about anything and everything, though Naruto did most of the talking. He was becoming kind of fond talking with the Uchiha. He felt he could tell the raven about the worries of ruling a kingdom and Itachi would understand or would give him advice. The Uchiha hadn't made any official announcements since the Alliance had taken over besides the one where he greeted the country and Naruto still wasn't sure what the Alliance wanted with his tiny planet. They didn't farm much; the soil wasn't good for it. Fishing wasn't the greatest, but his people could make a decent living from it. They didn't trade and export much because their natural resources weren't in high supply.
They were in the gardens when it had happened. Naruto had been talking adamantly about how his advisors tended to annoy him, when the raven had suddenly cupped the nape of his neck. The touch had been light, gentle. It was barely there, but the blonde felt it like a lightning strike. Every nerve in his body stood at attention and the hairs on the back of his neck rose as gooseflesh broke out along his body.
He was so startled by the small touch that he didn't notice the raven leaning down towards him until Itachi spoke. It was one word just above a whisper, his name. Naruto's wide eyes met Itachi's and there was a fire in those dark depths. The blonde's heart jumped to his throat and he swallowed hard before quickly backing up. There were no excuses stuttered, no words exchanged. He didn't wait for an explanation. Naruto ran./i
He'd holed himself up in his room for a week and a half after that. And now here he was, staring across the table at Itachi Uchiha. All Naruto wanted was to leave the room or maybe to gorge the raven's eyes out so Itachi would stop looking at him like that. The raven didn't talk and Naruto kept to himself. As soon as the food arrived, Naruto dug in, trying to get out of there as fast as he could. His advisers glared at him and the blonde resisted the urge to stick his tongue out at them. He didn't care if he was being impolite. Naruto just wanted out of there before Itachi could bring up that day or touch him again.
Naruto had thought a lot about that day and how he had reacted. He'd also tried to figure out Itachi's motives. Did the Uchiha like him? He hadn't seen any signs, but Naruto didn't really know what said signs would have been. But the look in those obsidian eyes gave him shivers. Never in his life had anyone looked at him with such a heated gaze. The look made Naruto feel hot and stirred things in him he had no idea about. He'd even been having dreams about the blasted incident. And sometimes he swore he could still feel the Uchiha's hand on him.
As soon as his plate was empty, the blonde excused himself from the table. His main advisor, Iruka, glared daggers at him, but Naruto ignored the look. He could deal with the man later. Right now, he was getting out of this room and away from Itachi's steady gaze.
His footsteps echoed as he walked as fast as he could without full out running. He had just turned the corner after the dining hall, when he realized someone was following. He growled to himself and turned around to tell Iruka off, but the person behind him wasn't Iruka. Itachi stopped about a foot from him, looking calm in his black slacks and dark red button down shirt. His long hair was pulled into his usual low ponytail, his angular face free of any distraction.
Naruto's eyes widened in surprise and he swallowed hard. His body screamed at him to turn around and go. Run like he had before, but the blonde couldn't seem to make his feet move. He stood there, feeling like a fish out of water.
"We need to talk." The Uchiha's voice was deep, leaving no room for argument. Naruto tried to smile, but it ended up as more of a grimace.
"About what?' The blonde tried to act dumb. He knew what Itachi wanted to talk about or he had a good idea. He really had no desire to discuss what had happened. He was embarrassed by his actions, but he would never admit that to anyone willingly.
"What happened in the gardens," Itachi said as he took step towards the blonde. Naruto resisted the urge to take a step back.
"Uh, about that…" Naruto scratched the back of his neck, raking his mind for some kind of explanation. He didn't want to admit that the touch was something that he had basically no experience with and therefore, it seemed to affect him in strange ways. It was like the sensation was multiplied.
"I did not mean to frighten you, but I cannot hold back anymore." Naruto frowned, blinking at the older man, and tilting his head to the side. He couldn't hold back anymore? What did he mean by that?
"Uh, what?" Naruto's grasp on words had never been great, but never had he been at a loss for something to say. But he was so confused now and wasn't sure what was even going on anymore.
"The real reason I am here is for you." The raven took another step forward and this time Naruto did step back. His eyebrows furrowed and he frowned harder. Itachi was there for him? But he was just an Alliance Politician, right?
"For me?" Itachi sighed. The Uchiha had wanted to keep his motives for being on this tiny planet hidden until the right time, but after the way Naruto had reacted to one simple touch the raven had decided it was best to be honest and tell the Uzumaki the truth.
"Yes, Naruto." The blonde's name on his tongue sounded nice, and Naruto resisted the urge to shiver. Few people actually used his first name. To his advisors he was Uzumaki and that was it.
"I met you years ago, at a party at this very palace. But I am sure you were too young to remember me. You used to play with my brother, Sasuke. The two of you were only about five or six at the time just before your parents died of the very illness your people were fighting when I arrived." Naruto bit his lip at the mention of his parents. Ever since their deaths he'd felt so alone in this huge palace. He still remembered them like he'd seen them moments before. But they were gone and weren't coming back.
"I remember your brother. He was a bit of a brat, but he was always talking about his big brother. I never realized it was you." Naruto thought back through the years and came up with the face of Sasuke. The boy had been small, smaller than normal for a five year old, but had been energetic and had never stopped talking about the big brother that had taught him how to ride horse's, fish, and even hunt. But the blonde couldn't seem to remember Itachi; then it came to him.
"That was you…" Naruto whispered, blinking up at the taller man. Itachi smiled and nodded.
"You were the one who saved us that night when the rebels attacked." The memory was clear now that he had a hold of it.
iThe party was just as lavish as any other party his parents had thrown, but this day was special. It was their wedding anniversary. The great hall was covered in orchids, his mother's favorite flower. The colors of the evening were blue and purple and it could be seen everywhere in the hall. In small splashes of color in the flower bouquets, the table cloths, the fountain in the garden even had colored water for the night. But what was most beautiful of all was his mother's dress. It was a grand affair, slim fitting, and a deep blue that matched Minato and Naruto's eyes. Someone had braided flowers into Kushina's hair, a diamond necklace adorning her neck and small diamond earrings finished off the look.
Naruto was excited he loved parties, especially if he got presents. But his father had told him it wasn't that kind of part, not for Naruto at least. The blonde boy had enjoyed seeing all the nobles and their children and there was even a family from off the planet coming. His father had said they had a son about his age and Naruto couldn't wait to meet him.
When he finally met the young Uchiha, Naruto was bouncing in excitement. Sasuke was just as energetic as the blonde and the two hit off right from the start. They ran off on their own playing mostly in the gardens away from the larger groups of people in the great hall. It was something the two boys came to regret later in the evening.
Naruto and Sasuke were hidden behind the large oak that was close to the edge of the palace grounds. Sasuke was telling Naruto about the time when Itachi had taken him out for an afternoon ride when their horse spooked and ran off. Leaving them to walk the long distance home. Suddenly there was a rustling in the bushes behind them. Naruto waved it off as just being one of the palace cats, but the palace cats didn't carry guns and they sure didn't take them hostage.
The boy's screams echoed around the hall as they were carried fighting into the palace. Two large men held one boy a piece, a gun pressed hard against their temples. Sasuke was crying lashing out at the man holding him. Naruto was doing the same, only with less tears and more screaming. He called the man holding him all manner of names; many of which would have made his parents tan his hide in any other situation.
The men started by demanding that Naruto's parents give over the control of their planet; otherwise the two boy's would die. Before his parents could say anything there was a loud clang and the man holding Sasuke suddenly didn't have a head. The small raven fell to the floor, collapsing in a shaking pile of tears and blood. There was a pause and then the room was sent into chaos.
Men stormed in from the gardens and even the inside of the palace. Naruto was dropped like a ton of bricks as the man holding him panicked and fled towards safer battles. Naruto was scooped up off the floor along with Sasuke and the two boys found themselves being carried away from the fighting and deeper into the castle.
They took turn after turn and soon Naruto had no idea where they were. This was his home and he'd explored far into the palace, but he had never been in this part. It looked old and was dark and damp. After sometime both boys were sat on the ground and Naruto found himself staring up at an older Sasuke.
Long dark hair was braided down his back, obsidian eyes darker than night looked them over, ensuring they were uninjured. His skin was pale, nearly translucent, and his clothing was smeared with blood.
"Itachi!" Sasuke cried, flinging himself in his brother's arms. Itachi pulled Sasuke into his lap and rocked the small raven until he calmed down. Naruto was hesitant to approach the teen, but when Itachi held a hand out to him, Naruto took it. He let himself be pulled up beside Sasuke and there they sat long into the night until the palace guards found them./i
"After that, your family came a few more times to visit until the sickness started spreading. You guys never returned after that." Naruto remembered. Itachi nodded, face grim.
"I've wanted to see you ever since, but I had no way of coming back to this planet. My father died soon after our last visit. And then my mother followed a few months after. The doctors didn't know what killed her, but both Sasuke and I think it was heart break." Naruto nodded as he listened. All of this made a lot of sense, but it didn't tell him why Itachi was here for him.
"Why did you come back?" The question seemed to linger in the air and the tension in the hall rose.
"Because of you." Itachi replied as if it was the simplest answer in the world. But it was very complicated to the blonde.
"Naruto, I think I've been in love with you since that night." Itachi said before Naruto could say anything else, "I didn't know it at the time and it probably wasn't even love then. But I found myself admiring someone so young with enough courage to fight back against someone so much bigger and stronger than one's self. But as we came back and I grew older I realized that it wasn't just admiration. I was in love with you and probably had been for a while. I just didn't know it." Naruto wasn't quite sure what to say. His face was hot with a flush, his throat was tight, and his heart was hammering in his chest. And he had no idea why.
"You…you l-love…me?" Naruto had to pause to get the words out.
"Yes, and I am here because I want to court you," Itachi answered, "I got in with the Alliance through my father's company and when I heard they were planning an invasion and takeover of your planet, I stepped in. I asked if they could send me in as a diplomat with a few thousand soldiers. I told them there was no need for fighting or killing. You're people were too sick to defend themselves. My position among them allowed me to be able to save your planet and I finally get the chance to see you." Itachi paused letting all of that sink in for the blonde. When Naruto nodded the Uchiha continued.
"When I first saw you…I can't express the emotion I felt. You were everything I had ever dreamed you'd be. You're fiery, outspoken, but caring, and gentle at the same time. You love your people, more than you love the life you lead as ruler. I would like to court you." Naruto blinked at the word. Court?
"Do you mean like date me?" Naruto asked. Itachi nodded. The blonde frowned. This was all so much to take in all at once. No one had ever confessed love for him before. His parents had used the word many times, but the blonde knew that Itachi's love was a different kind. Naruto mulled the confession over. He liked Itachi. The man wasn't a bad person even if he did work for the Alliance. He'd seen such good in the man, a good that had saved his life. What was the harm in letting the man have a chance? Itachi was going to be on planet for a long time it seemed, he might as well make it a good time.
"Sure." the blonde answered finally. Itachi's face light up. He took three steps forward and stopped in front of the blonde. Naruto blinked up at him, heart in his throat. He wasn't sure what was about to happen, but he had a good idea.
So when Itachi cupped the back of his neck just like he had done in the gardens, the blonde only shivered. The Uchiha's fingers toyed with the hair at the back of his neck as he leaned down. Naruto tilted his head further upwards, blue eyes locking onto obsidian. When the raven's lips touched his, the blonde sighed softly, eyes fluttering shut. Itachi kissed him softly, lips moving against lips.
Naruto's hands came up to clutch at the raven's shirt, and Itachi pulled him closer wrapping his other arm around the blonde's waist. Itachi deepened the kiss, moaning softly at the feel of the blonde against him. Slowly, the raven deepened the kiss. Sliding his tongue from between his lips and swiping it slowly across Naruto's bottom lip.
The blonde gasped and Itachi used that as an opportunity to slide his tongue into Naruto's mouth. The Uzumaki's hand tightened its grip on Itachi's shirt as Itachi's tongue slid across his own. Naruto moaned at the feeling. Never in his life had he thought kissing could feel this good.
When they broke apart, Naruto gasped for air, face flushed, and body hot. Itachi pressed another kiss softly against his forehead.
"Yeah, you can court me." The blonde murmured, voice full of amazement. Itachi's laugh followed the pair down the hall and to the blonde's chambers.
Author's Notes: I actually hated ending this here but I ran out of steam and time while doing this. I will probably pick this up again at some point and it will probably become MPREG and have lots of smuts. Anyways, hope you enjoyed what I have of it! For now, it will remain complete until I decide if I will add more. Thank you for reading!