Hello everyone,
Since this was one of the leading stories I decided to get it done before hand and I somehow managed to. I will be only posting on the weekends now more and likely Saturdays or Sundays.
I hope you enjoy the chapter.
Sasuke didn't exactly know what was going to happen since his uncle came back but he knew it wasn't good, seeing as he heard stories about him and none of them were good.
"What's on your mind, Sasuke?" Itachi asked as he sat by his little brother.
"It's uneasy not knowing why uncle Madara is back. Why did he come back here? He makes me nervous." Sasuke said honestly.
"I used to feel the same way when I was your age. I don't know what he is here for. But I did hear him and father talking about going to the Fox Shrine." Itachi said making Sasuke's head whip up quickly with wide eyes.
"Why? Why do they need to go there? Isn't it dangerous to go there unless you're invited?" Sasuke questioned completely worried for Naruto.
"That's true but father and uncle want to know why neither of us has been marked. Damn it I said too much asks father or mother later." Itachi said pulling over.
"No, you tell me." Sasuke demanded.
"Okay fine, it means we were supposed to hear the voice of the fox and be a shrine protector or maiden. But it hasn't been like that since uncle Izuna was alive, uncle Madara's younger brother." Itachi said.
"What does that have to do with us?" Sasuke asked nervously.
"You would understand more if you listened to the history when we were kids." Itachi grumbled.
"Okay, sorry but what does the Fox Shrine have to do with us now?" Sasuke asked he didn't know why they wanted to be in the Shrine so badly.
"Because we have been taking care of the shrine for generations. The protection of the fox was always are responsibility then it went to another clan which in father and uncle's opinion bullshit. He just thinks the fox doesn't want us." Itachi said with a serene look on his face like he didn't want to be at the shrine anyway.
"Itachi, do they think the fox betrayed them?" Sasuke asked with a low voice.
"Actually that's exactly how they feel." Itachi said stopping at a stop light.
That was a perfect moment for Sasuke to jump out the car and to run into the forest to warn Naruto. Sasuke knew his brother was calling him back even turning the car around to go after him but he wasn't listening nor did he care.
'Would if they try hurting Naruto or Naruto hurts them?' Sasuke thought as he ran through the forest to see his father and uncle going to the doors.
He looked up to see Shikamaru prepared to fight if need be his face also blocked so no one could see it.
"FATHER!" Sasuke screamed running out the bushes to stop them from entering the shrine without permission.
"Sasuke, what are you doing here?" Fugaku asked looking shocked that his son found the path to get up here seeing as it changes every day.
Fugaku walked to his son but before he could get to him Shikamaru jumped off the roof and grabbed Sasuke.
"Leave the Shrine, you were not invited." Shikamaru said with a cold detached voice that lingered no type of life aside from protecting the shrine.
"Father," Sasuke said being held in a choke hold from Shikamaru.
"I will give you one warning let go of my son or I will destroy everything and everyone here." Fugaku threatened with a glare on his face.
"No, I just came here to tell you not to come. You can't be here unless invited." Sasuke said quickly looking at his father and uncle who was currently still trying to get in the shrine but got a throwing knife thrown at him by Shikamaru.
"My master doesn't wish to speak to you so LEAVE!" Shikamaru said leaving the threat up in the air.
Shikamaru didn't seem the least bit worried about his or anyone else's life for that matter in Sasuke's eyes.
"We will go," Sasuke said loud enough for all them to hear.
The bushes started to rustle and out popped Itachi. All he saw was what looked like his little brother being held captive by a man with a mask and his father trying to diffuse the situation while his uncle was worried about getting inside the shrine.
Shikamaru jumped away from the entire ruckus taking a very terrified Sasuke with him.
"SASUKE!" Itachi screamed trying to follow.
"Sasuke, what the hell are you doing here?" Shikamaru asked taking off the mask.
"I had to stop them from getting hurt or you guys." Sasuke said with sadness in his eyes. "You weren't really going to hurt me, right?" Sasuke asked looking up.
"No, of course not I don't want an angry fox on my hands which is what they are about to have if we don't get them to stop." Shikamaru said.
"We might have to tell them that I can see and hear him." Sasuke said.
"No, we mustn't. Your brother can see and hear him to but that doesn't mean we say anything about it." Shikamaru said shocking Sasuke immediately.
"What?" Sasuke questioned.
"No time for that now, Sasuke focus." Shikamaru said brushing it off like it wasn't a big deal.
But it was a big deal at least to Sasuke it was. He couldn't believe his brother would hide that from him. He was definitely talking to his brother the moment he solved this mess with his uncle. Then it was too late Sasuke, Shikamaru, and Itachi all heard a roar duly noting that Naruto was awake and very angry. Shikamaru sprang into action grabbing Sasuke. Shikamaru sprung right in front of Fugaku handing Sasuke off and then kicked Madara off the steps before Naruto could catch him.
"GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE NOW!" Shikamaru yelled holding the shrine doors closed.
Sasuke and Itachi pulled at their father and uncle away from the house. Fugaku and Madara didn't know what was going on as they got pulled away because they couldn't see the big fox coming out the shrine as Shikamaru held it back.
"CALM DOWN KURAMA!" Shikamaru screamed.
That was the last thing Sasuke heard and that got him wondering who exactly Kurama was.
"WHY DID YOU TWO COME UP THERE?!" Fugaku screamed at his boys when they got to the bottom. They all barely noticed that the pathway was changing places.
"You were making a mistake. You can't just go up to the shrine without notice." Sasuke said standing in front of Itachi.
"You still shouldn't have been up there. You could have been killed." Fugaku said to only Sasuke.
"AND YOU COULDN'T?" Sasuke screamed shocking the three. "There was a chance and I had to take it to save everyone from something that isn't necessary." Sasuke said.
'Don't tell them about you hearing and seeing me it will be dangerous.' Naruto whispered in Sasuke's ear it felt like.
Fugaku diligently ignored his son turning away from him and not looking back. "Get in the car and head back home me and your uncle will be right behind you." Fugaku said walking to the other car.
Itachi and Sasuke walked to the car in silence not believing what just happened and knowing that a serious argument at home was about to happen. The minute the doors closed, Itachi snapped.
"WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM? YOU COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED!" Itachi screamed completely angry.
"I couldn't help it. I had to save him. You should know seeing as you can see him and hear him." Sasuke said back glaring.
Itachi stiffened immediately not liking that his brother knew about the fox and himself. "You don't know anything." Itachi said through gritted teeth.
"Sadly, yes I do." Sasuke said still glaring at his brother.
"Who the hell told you? It's not like being a shrine protector is a blessing Sasuke." Itachi said mad but keeping his composure.
"No one had to tell me. I saw the terror on your face when you saw him trying to come out the Shrine when Shikamaru was stopping him." Sasuke said realizing he said too much.
"No... Don't tell me you saw him too. And you even know his Shrine guards name. Sasuke what the hell did you do?" Itachi said completely scared.
"Yes I can see and I have talked to all of them in the Shrine." Sasuke said bitterly.
"You can't go around them Sasuke. Not ever..." Itachi said stopping when he felt something coming toward the car and it was coming fast.
It definitely wasn't Naruto or Sasuke would feel it too.
"Sasuke, buckle up now." Itachi said urgently as he did his own seatbelt.
Sasuke didn't know what was freaking his brother out but did as he was told and just in time too because they got knocked over and tossed across the road skidding through the road as the car flipped. For the split second that Sasuke saw his brother's face it was the face of fear for once in his life he saw something other than contentment, relief, happy, or angry and it was the one he didn't want to see.
"These are the Uchiha's that can see us right?" A voice said making Sasuke rise a little not fully coherent but coherent enough to look at his brother and see that he was bleeding profusely.
It was honestly starting to scare him but before he could call for help there was silence and then screaming. The last thing Sasuke heard before he fell back to unconscious was Shikamaru and Naruto talking.
The next time Sasuke woke up he was disoriented and wasn't exactly sure where he was but his primary concern was if his brother was okay.
"Chill out, you can't get up right away you have a few broken bones." Sasuke turned his head to see Shikamaru sitting next to him.
"Where's my brother?" Sasuke asked in a scratchy voice.
"That one is really way more durable. He is in the other room with Temari and Naruto." Shikamaru said.
"Is he okay? There was a lot of blood." Sasuke asked scared.
"Yeah, it's a good thing you two had seat belts on or you would have flew out the car, well both of you would have." Shikamaru said.
"He told me to put my seatbelt on right before it happened." Sasuke said.
"And for good reason." Shikamaru said looking outside to see clouds.
"How did he know that was going to happen?" Sasuke asked.
"I think we should have a talk." Naruto said from the doorway in his human form.
Sasuke tried to pick himself up but Naruto was by him in a flash gently pushing him back down.
"Itachi was one of the chosen Shrine protectors and was getting training for it that's why he could sense other demons coming." Naruto said seeing in Sasuke's eyes that he wanted more of an explanation.
"Why did he stop?" Sasuke asked.
"I don't know." Naruto said.
"You're lying to me. You can read thoughts and emotions and you don't know why he didn't want to all of a sudden." Sasuke said getting irritated.
"Shika, go out there." Naruto said.
"Troublesome," Shikamaru said but still got up and left.
"Just because I can doesn't mean I do. He was going to be my Shrine protector I have to give him some kind of respect and not dig around his head and if you honestly want to know ask him yourself. But as for the demons that attacked you two yesterday they are terminated." Naruto said with a dead look in his eyes.
"Did you want him to be a shrine protector?" Sasuke asked.
"I didn't want him to be something he didn't want to be." Naruto said with a sad smile.
"WAIT YOU CAN'T BE UP RIGHT NOW!" Temari screamed chasing Itachi.
"Sasuke, are you okay?" Itachi asked running to his little brother.
"Your skills are still as sharp. That's what saved you two before I came." Naruto said getting up to leave them alone.
"Naruto, thank you." Itachi said softly.
"No problem, Kid." Naruto said ruffling Itachi's hair making Itachi blush.
Sasuke caught everything and didn't like it at all. Why does Naruto have the tendency to make others blush? It irritated him.
"Are you okay?" Itachi asked while checking Sasuke.
"Yeah, my pride is wounded but I am okay." Sasuke grumbled.
How was his brother up and running around but he was with broken bones and in bed.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you. If something would have happened to you and those were our last words to each I wouldn't have been able to live with myself." Itachi said hugging Sasuke.
"Me too," Sasuke whispered.
"Now, we should really get out of here." Itachi said after he pulled away.
"I want to know why you stopped wanting to be a guard." Sasuke said not planning on moving until he got his answers.
"Do we have to talk about that here?" Itachi asked.
"I want to know now. If I let you go you will never tell me. Just keep telling me that you will tell me later." Sasuke said resilient.
"Tell him kid, he isn't going to let it go." Naruto said at the door.
"You wouldn't understand." Itachi said to Naruto.
"No I wouldn't but he would." Naruto said nodding his head to Sasuke.
"I thought you said you didn't know." Sasuke said seething with irritation about their little conversation.
"I said I didn't listen to his thoughts. I just am not going to tell you something your brother should say to you." Naruto said sitting in the doorway in his fox form.
"I was getting too attached just like you are now. What are you going to do in the real world if you get too attached to Naruto? We die, he doesn't. He is just going to get close to us to lose us I didn't want him to bear the pain of having memories of me when he didn't have to have them in the first place." Itachi said.
"Who are you to tell me though? Did you ever think I want the memories? It's not about what will happen it's about what is going on now. In the present. You might not want to be here, but I do." Sasuke said looking to his brother than to Naruto.
"He's right though. I do get attached and it's sad when the ones I take care of die on me. But I do treasure every single person that comes into my life and my doors. I cry but the tears eventually fade away because I think about how wonderful they were when they were around. In reality I seen more people in my lifetime then you see in a day and yes it's sad but time eventually heals all wounds." Naruto said looking outside.
"Doesn't it hurt?" Sasuke asked as he tried to get out the bed again.
"Of course, but I am here for a reason like everyone else. Maybe I was here and am meant to be here to protect you two little dipshits." Naruto said with a small smile that seemed to crack Sasuke's and Itachi's heart in the same way.
"You don't have to protect us." Itachi said standing up.
Naruto tilted his head to look at him with a fond smile that broke their hearts at the same time but for different reasons.
"I'm sorry that you feel that way." Naruto said looking only at Itachi with sadness in his eyes.
"Naruto, I want to be here with you and learn what it means to be a shrine guard." Sasuke said making both look at him.
"You can't." Shikamaru said suddenly standing next to Naruto.
"AND WHY THE HELL NOT?!" Sasuke screamed trying to get up only to get pushed down by his brother.
"Because you're my friend and you passed the age requirement. I have to have a shrine guard before they turn thirteen. Once it's passed their thirteenth birthday they can no longer be a shrine guard." Naruto said conclusively.
"Why is there an age requirement?" Sasuke asked but was extremely upset about not being wanted.
"The reason there is an age requirement is because by the time a kid gets a certain age they have their own beliefs molded into them so it would be hard to change what they believe. Your wanted kit, it's just I can't have you as a shrine guard. I never said you couldn't stay though." Naruto said softly as he looked out the window again only to turn his head at the end to smile at Sasuke.
"So, I can stay?" Sasuke asked in an excited tone.
"Yes," Naruto said standing up because he heard someone in the woods.
Naruto was followed by Shikamaru after telling Temari to stay with the boys.
"Why are you doing this?" Itachi asked shocked.
"Because I want to stay with him. I feel a connection with him." Sasuke said.
"So do I, but we're not shrine guards." Itachi said.
"Actually you are Itachi," Temari said at the doorway not trying to enter.
"Where did Naruto and Shikamaru go?" Itachi asked.
Temari didn't say anything just walk out the room with her head down making the brothers feel suspicious that something was going on. Itachi stood up and tried to sense Naruto on the mountain. He sensed him but also sensed someone else human.
"Sasuke, stay here." Itachi said and ran out the room.
Sasuke didn't stay seated and followed his brother right out the door well followed him slowly because he was still in pain.
"Itachi, what are you doing here again? Your car crashed and I knew it had something to do with the fox after we got mad at him." Fugaku said.
Sasuke was shocked.
"It had nothing to do with us. If we didn't go down to help them they both would have been dead." Shikamaru growled out.
"Can you see him, Itachi?" Fugaku asked with a hopeful glint in his eyes.
"No he can't, but Sasuke can." Shikamaru said.
Sasuke was shocked to hear him say his name and not include Itachi but then he remembered Itachi didn't want to be involved in this to begin with. Sasuke chose to come at that moment he saw Naruto look like was ready to attack but was keeping his cool. He saw that Itachi was being extra fidgety since Shikamaru said what he said. He noticed his father's eyes brighten at hearing Sasuke could see him but also darken the minute he saw all his injuries. Naruto took that opportunity to walk to Sasuke in his fox form and rub on him making Sasuke pet his head and smile down at him.
"Sasuke, is this true?" Fugaku asked.
"Yes, and I want to stay here after I graduate high school." Sasuke said.
"I knew it, there is always a storm on the day a baby is born that will be protecting this shrine. There was a storm for both of you. But maybe Itachi just is a late bloomer." Fugaku said.
"Father, even if I could see him or her I wouldn't want to stay up here. I have a life I want to live." Itachi said.
"Nonsense," Fugaku brushed it off like it didn't matter at all.
Itachi was irritated and those made Naruto goes up to him and rub on his arm. It was a gentle brush to let Itachi know he was here for him if he needed him. Itachi gave him a warm smile but directed it to Sasuke so it wouldn't be suspicious.
"I love you; I hope you will be happy up here." Itachi said walking off toward the exit of the mountain.
Naruto looked absolutely sad. Naruto, Sasuke, and Shikamaru knew what he just said was directed to Naruto not toward Sasuke. But Fugaku thought it was to Sasuke. Naruto started to growl, he wanted everyone off his property.
"Father, you have to go." Sasuke said.
"Why?" Fugaku asked.
"Because he doesn't want anyone here right now." Shikamaru said stepping in the conversation.
"We will be back Sasuke." Fugaku said and followed after his oldest son.
"That was his goodbye." Naruto mumbled and walked toward the shrine.
"So he's not coming back?" Sasuke asked only for the question to fall on deaf ears.
"He wasn't supposed to come back in the first place honestly." Shikamaru said after releasing a heavy sigh.
"What exactly happened?" Sasuke asked while Naruto entered the shrine slamming the doors shut.
"Itachi got really attached to Naruto, when Itachi started to get closer to Naruto he noticed one day Naruto was going to be alone without us, which is true. But the thought of one day separating from Naruto and leaving a broken heart he left earlier than expected not trying to get closer. Good thing I was around or Naruto would have gone to look for him." Shikamaru explained.
"Why? He should have figured that before he decided this." Sasuke said.
"You said the same thing I did. Everyone that comes here should figure that out by now. The only one that can stay with him forever would be his mate. That he hasn't found yet." Shikamaru said mumbling a troublesome.
Shikamaru started to walk back to the house when he remembered something making him turn around and walk back toward the stairs. He put his hand out and that made the stairs switch to a different location.
"What the hell was that?" Sasuke asked.
"It is what we're supposed to do when some unwelcome guests come we change the location of the stairs." Shikamaru said and continued to walk to the shrine.
"Hmm..." Sasuke hummed out and followed after Shikamaru not wanting to be outside anymore.
Once they got inside they noticed the shrine was slightly destroyed from Naruto's anger.
"Troublesome," Shikamaru mumbled and started picking things up. "Temari, where is he?" Shikamaru asked.
"He went to the top level of the shrine. He seems really heartbroken. What happened out there?" Temari asked.
"Itachi said goodbye for good. I am sure that is what triggered this destructive behavior. Sasuke, go up and comfort him." Shikamaru said.
"Why me? You know him more than I do." Sasuke said unsure of himself.
"You can do it. He likes you and I say this because I know him well. He won't want to listen to what I have to say at the moment." Shikamaru said shaking his head.
"Fine," Sasuke said and started going upstairs.
When Sasuke finally got up the stairwells he found Naruto in his human form looking out the window.
"Naruto," Sasuke said gently.
"You know I never had anyone here that cared more about my feelings than their own." Naruto said softly making Sasuke trend by him quietly.
When Sasuke got near Naruto he sat down so he could listen to him better.
"Itachi was different. He used to question what I would feel if they left and I was alone here. You know with the ritual I am alone here for a while and it breaks my heart to be here alone. When Itachi was here I was happy because it was fun and he was fun to teach. I used to think I wish he was my mate so he can stay around longer but I knew he wasn't." Naruto said sadly looking at the window then taking a glance at Sasuke.
Sasuke on the other hand was jealous that his older brother could have that much influence on the God. It irritated him that he didn't have that effect at all. It saddened Sasuke to know what type of effect his older brother had on that beautiful God here.
"How do you know he isn't your mate?" Sasuke asked in a silent whisper not really wanting to hear the answer but wanting to know at the same time.
"Because I didn't feel it." Naruto said looking out the window in thought.
"Did you ever feel it?" Sasuke chanced himself to ask.
"Yes," Naruto said.
"With who?" Sasuke asked softly.
"You," Naruto said in a whisper.
"What?" Sasuke asked shocked looking up at him.
"Do you believe in reincarnation?" Naruto asked not changing the subject but not really staying on it either.
"Don't try to change the subject on me. You said you felt like I was your mate." Sasuke said shocked.
"I'm not changing the subject. I was asking because my mate dies and gets reincarnated within every two hundred years. My first ever mate was a woman I must say so the change can always happen. I never met my mate and a guard from the same family, though." Naruto explained shocking Sasuke.
"But Shikamaru said that your mate will live." Sasuke said shocked.
"There soul is forever but body is not." Naruto said.
"Oh, so I am like a soulmate." Sasuke said slowly not sure.
"Pretty much, I didn't notice until I saw the mark on you that all my other mates had in the three thousand years of me being here." Naruto said. "Of course, I also remember the original mate that I had but it was always nice to see my mate with a new personality and all. It always amused me. I couldn't help the new attachment I felt every time I met my mate. It was always exciting and now I understand why I felt deep longing for Itachi because something inside me told me I was close to my mate. Your special to me in a different way and I would like to get to know you better." Naruto said turning to Sasuke with a warm smile with the sun set that shined on his face making him even more dazzling.
"Yeah that would be nice," Sasuke said with a smile.
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