Thank you to all the lovely reviews: Montyblack101, Silvermane1, PutPutJunior, SleeplessForest27 and Lili.

I'm living for your reviews rn

The days following Itachi hadn't visited Naruto's room at night at all, they saw each other during the day and talked, sometimes even laughed, he would watch him train Sasuke but Itachi always had an emotionless look on his face. It made Naruto feel nervous, he was used to Itachi laughing and smiling at him but now he couldn't even get a genuine smile. It had been like this ever since that night, Naruto had avoided him the next day like Itachi had predicted and Itachi stopped making an effort to communicate with the fox after a couple hours.

Not to mention over the last week Naruto had begun to notice all the girls and submissive males coming to the compound and flirting with Itachi, they practically threw themselves at him and it irked Naruto to no end, but if he showed any signs of aggression he knew people would immediately think he was giving into his 'crazy fox' nature and lose the trust he had built.

So that was why Naruto was sat in his room, Kyuubi played just outside the door with a couple of cubs from the pack and he kept an eye on him but by now he knew everyone loved the redhead and all looked out for him. Naruto's eyes flicked up and saw Itachi approach a pink haired woman through his open door. Naruto's ears perked up and twitched to face their direction. He had seen this woman about many times, she always touched Itachi on the arm and laughed at everything he said. Naruto's heart ached to no end when he saw Itachi not even fight away the obviously affectionate contact, he felt tears prick at his eyes when Itachi smiled at her, even from this distance he could tell it was a genuine smile that he used to reserve for Naruto and Sasuke. They went into Itachi's office and the lump that had formed in Naruto's throat felt as if it was choking him, it never really occurred to Naruto how much the older man meant to Naruto.

He was the person besides Kyuubi that Naruto most cares about and trusts, he shows it every time he puts Kyuubi in Itachi's arms or when he let Itachi get close, by following Itachi here, and every time he let Itachi get closer to mating with him.

Was that why Itachi was being like this? Because Naruto wouldn't sleep with him? The thought choked Naruto up further and he looked at Itachi's closed office door once more before thinking about the things that Itachi and the pink haired girl were doing. He looked down at himself, at his messy clothes, the scars that were plentiful on his skin, the dirt that came from training and mop of hair on his head that was overgrown and unkept. 'No wonder he doesn't want you anymore.' The thing Naruto hated most was the scars on his body, especially the ones on his face given to him by Orochimaru when he was 8.

He looked up again at the closed door and down to Kyuubi was staring at him concerned, then he walked over tears glistening in his own eyes at the slight of his upset father. "Papa what's wrong?" He asked and his voice quivered, he wasn't used to seeing Naruto sad and Naruto knew he was a sensitive child. Naruto said nothing and just lifted him up and hugged him tight. Not letting go he carried Kyuubi to the door and closed it softly, holding Kyuubi he allowed himself to cry only slightly like he had done only a handful of times in front of him. Kyuubi didn't resist and tried as hard as he could with his tiny arms to hug Naruto back.

Later when Sasuke came to get them for dinner Naruto said he wouldn't be coming, Sasuke didn't try to persuade him but he did say he would have it brought to him.

Itachi didn't visit him that night either.

The next day when Naruto had to train with Sasuke he carried Kyuubi to the training grounds who was quiet the whole way, holding his father who he knew was still upset.

"Hn. Glad you could make it." Itachi said and opened his arms indicating he would take Kyuubi. Naruto bypassed him and gave the child to Iruka who was surprised at their interaction and the child being handed to him. Kyuubi held strongly onto Iruka and watched as Naruto and Sasuke began to train. Itachi watched Kyuubi and Naruto's behaviour with confusion, why hadn't he handed Kyuubi to him? The action had hurt Itachi slightly but he didn't let it show.

"He's getting much better." Iruka commented and interrupted his thoughts, he was clearly impressed with Sasuke's training progression.

"Hn yes, I knew he would." Itachi said and eyed Kyuubi who's head rested on Iruka's chest with his thumb in his mouth.

"Would you like to go to Itachi, Kyuu?" Iruka asked sweetly. Kyuubi knew that Itachi was the reason for his fathers sadness, he was a smart child and knew when he wasn't passed to Itachi that his Papa didn't want him held by the man. He shook his head and continued to watch Naruto.

Itachi was even more hurt that he didn't want to sit with him, the boy was usually all over him laughing and squealing, but today both Naruto and Kyuubi seemed to hate him. "Come along now." Iruka said, he saw the tension between the men and lifted Kyuubi hoping that it might lead to them all making up. However, Kyuubi screamed loudly attracting the attention of Naruto who stopped mid fight with Sasuke, even in his distracted state he ducked the punch coming for his face and in a flash was by Kyuubi's side. Itachi was shocked, Naruto had come over in a blur of yellow.

"Kyuu, are you okay?" Naruto said and pulled the child from Iruka who was embarrassed, feeling as if he had done something wrong. Kyuubi was clearly upset, he felt Naruto's pain as well his own, the nice family dynamic he had for the past couple of weeks was falling apart and he knew before soon he would leave here like they always had to. Suddenly he was crying harshly into Naruto's shirt and held him more firmly before stalking back to their room, not apologetic for leaving their training early.

On his way back he passed the pink haired girl once more and looked her figure up and down, she was perfect, and she didn't have a crying child in her arms, it was clear she was headed towards Itachi and Naruto looked between them, Naruto caught Itachi's eye and looked away before any tears could fall.

That's it, Naruto decided, they were leaving. Who would miss them? Naruto got in and started to pack a bag, he only took things he had brought with him from his small barrow. Kyuubi understood what was happening and wordlessly started grabbing his favourite toys, and his clothes. As he did a couple of tears continued to fall from his his crying fit earlier but he stayed strong knowing he Papa knew what was best for them.

Naruto didn't see anyone he recognised by name as he left, the guards at the door nodded to him, but no one had questioned where he was going all packed up. Before long he and Kyuubi had changed into their fox forms and ran through the forest, Naruto began going the direction he was headed before he got caught up in all that wolf business. He had heard that a community of foxes was living near this village or 2 villages over and that was his goal. To get there with Kyuubi. When they both stopped to rest Kyuubi asked where they were going and Naruto told him of his plan, it was one Kyuubi heard many times, they had been travelling this way for a few months now. Naruto was sad for Kyuubi and the life he could've had with the wolves but he just knew before long Itachi would move on and they would no longer be welcome. Something he decided to speed up but his heart still ached to be by Itachi's side, to have Itachi raise Kyuubi with him and perhaps even their own children. But Naruto just blushed and cleared the thought from his head, 'Itachi wasn't the one' he kept repeating to himself.

Meanwhile, at the compound it was dark out before anyone had truly registered that the 2 foxes the community had come to love had gone. Sasuke had gone to fetch Naruto and Kyuubi for dinner when he saw their clothes gone and room empty. Sasuke had burst into Itachi's office where he was meeting with Sakura.

"Itachi they're gone." Sasuke had said before Itachi could tell him off for not knocking.

"Excuse me?" Itachi said confused.

"Jesus would you stop flirting with her for 2 seconds long enough to notice that your own mate is gone?" Sasuke shouted, Sasuke had loved both Naruto and Kyuubi, Naruto was kind to him when they trained, even when they both knew he was terrible, he had built him up and he had come to see him as second brother. He also knew how happy and how much stronger he made his brother, Itachi was always reluctant to step up to Alpha role but as soon as Naruto had come along he did, something Sasuke had been trying to get him to do for years.

"What did you say?" Itachi bit out his Sharingan now active and watching Sasuke carefully, however he didn't stop to hear Sasuke out before he charged across the compound and into Naruto's room. His heart felt itself being crushed at the empty and cold room. With Sasuke following he ran to the guards and asked if they had seen Naruto. When they told him he had left at noon Itachi felt ashamed that he hadn't noticed his own mate was missing.

"I'm coming with you." Sasuke said before Itachi could even announce he was going after him.

"No you-"

"I'm coming with you! He means a lot to me too, Itachi." He felt he didn't have anymore time to waste arguing and charged into the forest in his wolf form with Sasuke following suit. They ran through the night and Itachi only stopped when he noticed his brother slowing down due to exhaustion, it was around 8am when Itachi said they could rest for an hour.

"Why would he do this?" Itachi asked quietly as they sat on the forest floor. Sasuke debated what to say next, everyone who knew Naruto had noticed the change in his attitude.

"What are you always doing with Sakura?" Sasuke asked referring to the pink haired woman and knew it wasn't his place to ask such things.

"Excuse me? Why is that your business?" Itachi said darkly.

"Naruto watches you you know." Sasuke said trying to get his brother to understand without implying anything. "Both of you. The compound isn't that big Itachi. We notice when you stop visiting his room and start 'hanging out' with her."

"I-" Itachi started angry that Sasuke could even think such a thing. "Nothing like that has ever happened with her. For goodness sake she's works in the council, I was...trying to find whether Naruto had any family. I know his parents are dead but there has to be someone. I see how much he craves family." Itachi said and he felt an ache, trying to see things from Naruto's perspective.

He was avoiding going to his room because after their last steamy encounter because he wanted to fox to come to him, to express his feelings for him. Itachi felt he knew Naruto liked him but he wanted to see the full extend, even now knowing he had run away instead of coming to him to speak to him made him feel awful. It made him feel as if the fox had never wanted him in the first place.

"You should have told him, but when we find them you can." Sasuke reassured and put a hand on his brother's shoulder trying to comfort the obviously hurting man. "We all know how much Naruto loves you, Itachi." Sasuke said.

"Does he?" Itachi remarked and scoffed.

"We can all see he does! He trusts you as well, no one else can walk off with Kyuubi in their arms so easily, not even Iruka. And Choji tells me he's been learning to cook, said he wanted to be able to do it for you and Kyuubi on his own day. And there's so much more, you just gotta see it in what he does." Sasuke offered and Itachi looked at his brother, he reminded him of their Uncle Madara who had been wise and kind to him before he died in war. Itachi always thought Sasuke took after their mother but looking at him he could see a lot of Madara in him.

"Thank you Sasuke, now come, I've got a mate to find." Itachi said and Sasuke nodded, now reenergised after their rest.

When will Itachi find Naruto, WILL Itachi find Naruto? Who knows. And do Naruto and Kyuubi find their foxy haven? Idk we'll see.