Byakuya

Chapter 37

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Inside Naruto's apartment, Yuki was seething and pacing as he read the scroll in his hand over and over again.

"Stupid Naruto…" Yuki mumbled to himself, before starting to read the scroll aloud.

"…Yuki, I'm sending this to you because I know you're with Naruto and assuming he has done something stupid and he's not actually with you right now.." Yuki snorted.

"…Minoru and Yei along with their respective guards went to Wave country to see what the confusing note Naruto sent me was all about."

What? Minoru had… been up and about? Last Yuki knew Drake had been completely bedridden and simply exhausted.

"…What they found was a bit alarming: the side of the village in which apparently the house of this Mika person had been in was completely demolished. And I mean completely. All that was left was rubble and pieces of wood floating around in the flooding the village was under."

Flooding?

"And after reading some background info on the Sanbi, three tailed demon, it is safe to assume that the demon was released at some point. Whether the Gate was involved or not is still unclear. They found no sign of the medium, but Yei and Minoru made contact with the two Akatsuki members after Sanbi, later identified as Uchiha Itachi of the hidden leaf village and Deidara of the hidden village of rock."

Uchiha Itachi of the hidden village of leaf? If I remember right Naruto mentioned him sometime years ago… Well, I am in the hidden village of the leaves. Might as well do some background work on this.

"What now is of most concern is the whereabouts of the Jinchuuriki. Yei said they found signs of it crossing the border to the fire country, but we shouldn't assume anything yet: though as a connection has been proved between Naruto and Koichi, we should keep in mind that the possibility of Koichi heading towards the leaf is great. This in mind, it would be best if you were to stay in the village for three days…" Yuki scoffed.

Three days? Three days!? He expects as to stay in this place for so long? I was hoping we could have already left tomorrow, what with Drake…

"…So that were Koichi no Nami contact you, you would be able to take him here. We should question him for his background and connections just as well his shinobi training. After all he could be an asset. We will be expecting you back here the day before the celebration of the red moon."

"What now also is of great concern is Naruto. You should keep an eye on him. Though Naruto hasn't shown signs of betrayal or such of the matters of the Coven, he should be kept in line. Though I know it is your habit of taking a slightly more physical opinion on things, this is a matter of outmost discretion. I trust you'll know to keep your nose dry. We don't want to distance ourselves from the leaf village as well, so take it as a past-time to make friends and allies both."

In other words he wants me to spy on them while making friends? I can do that.

"There is also the matter of Minoru or Drake as you call him. A new recipe of a medical conduction has been brought to our attention. Yei stumbled on it while visiting the vaults one night..."

Which means Yei is still s crazy as before and has been playing in the vaults, Yuki mused.

"We have produced the medicine, a mixture of rare herbs from the surrounding mountains and issued it to Drake. The medicine has been a huge success. It both numbs the pain and allows Minoru to both move and think more clearly. It also helps with the after effects of his seizures. However, keep in mind that the problem is not fixed, so don't get your hopes up."

Yuki sniffed before wiping his eyes. Drake was coherent once again.

"Also, Kylara of the neko-jin clan is going to make an appearance at the celebration of the red moon.

--Kisho."

Yuki smiled to himself. The celebration of the red moon. It's almost been a full year now after the last time. I can't wait. And maybe… maybe Drake will be able to run with us too. And Kylara…. sister. It's been too long. Wonder if you'll take your big brother with you? I'm sure Naruto would be happy to see him. Yuki thought before starting to put away the groceries. Sighing when he spotted another ruined jar of yam the pink-haired chuunin slammed it onto the counter; making bits of broken glass fly everywhere after which he proceeded to lick his ringers clean of the red goo.

A lot of the groceries had been ruined by Yuki's and Naruto's run-ins with the black haired boy they had met earlier, but a lot of the groceries were still usable. Starting to hum slightly off-tune Yuki put some meat and potatoes to the side before resuming his mission to put everything in the cupboards.

Wonder where Naruto run off to…? Remembering the way the blonde had panicked on the street, Yuki glared darkly at the package of meat before him, Rokubi's rage awakening inside him. I still can't believe he knew where the Sanbi was and didn't tell us. Oh well, he's bound to show up in here sometime, so I guess I should just enjoy myself until he does, Yuki thought, before putting the potatoes into the casserole and opening the paper wrapping with the meat in it.

Reaching with nimble fingers for a slice of fresh meat, Yuki sighed in bliss. Licking his fingers off the red blood, repeating his earlier actions, Yuki's eyes ran from the meat to the remains of the jam jar and the strawberry jam in it.

Well, it's too bad if it goes to waste; Yuki shrugged before taking another slice of raw meat and dipped it into the jam. Groaning loudly at the mixed taste of sweet strawberry and bloodied raw meat on his tongue, the Jinchuuriki shivered in pleasure.

Damn that's good.

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"You knew…?" Naruto whispered his eyes shining with confusion. Sasuke let his fingers caress the warm skin of Naruto's lower back before reaching down to nibble on Naruto's earlobe, as if offering comfort. Sasuke didn't really know how to react, he had been so caught off guard that Naruto had started crying that he didn't know what to do or say. He wasn't exactly good with crying people.

"Mmm…" Sasuke nodded in agreement before sucking lightly on the now swollen earlobe. Now, he may not be equipped to deal with crying people and the awkwardness afterwards, but sexual tension he could deal with. As if sensing the change in atmosphere, Naruto grumbled before pushing the brunettes head away.

"Stop that," Naruto complained before pouting slightly. Sasuke laid down in defeat and sighed. So much for changing the subject. They were silent for a moment, Naruto feeling awkward and at loss with words and Sasuke seemingly calm and unaffected by the silence lying comfortably on the floor. "How…," Naruto's voice broke off, not knowing what to ask first.

How did you find out?

How could you act normal around me?

How could you consider touching me after knowing?

How do you know?

"How did I know…?" Sasuke completed the unfinished sentence, as if hearing the inner turmoil Naruto was going through. "Do… you remember the fight we had before you left to train with Jiriya-sama?" Sasuke asked, and Naruto shivered before hugging the Uchiha closely as if trying to crawl inside Sasuke's skin.

Naruto didn't answer, but Sasuke continued anyway, sure that he had the blondes complete attention.

"I'm sure you were told that a mind-altering jutsu was placed on me."

"They didn't?" Naruto asked, shocked.

"They did," Sasuke answered and Naruto frowned in confusion. "But I broke free of it two weeks after it was placed on me. I didn't remember anything at first. It was… alarming, forgetting as long time period of my life as that. The jutsu wiped three weeks of my life away, and though I was in hospital the whole time, I still had the remains of the injuries left. Not anything on the outside, but the sort of tenseness that one has weeks after being hurt. I was…confused,"

"I didn't understand how I was hurt, or when or if someone had attacked me. It disturbed me a lot, not knowing…. So I guess that and the Sharingan made me remember. Having the Sharingan effects ones brain and makes me more resistant to genjutsu and such because of the strain that comes with it…" Sasuke explained, before a contemplative silence fell over them.

Naruto buried his face into Sasuke's neck and mumbled something.

"What was that? I didn't hear you," Sasuke teased.

"I'm sorry, okay!" Naruto snapped, his voice shaking with pain.

"What are you talking about?"

"I almost killed you!" Naruto yelled rising over the Uchiha so that his elbows were braced on each side of the Uchiha's head and so that the brunette had a clear view of his face, which was filled with tears. There was pain in his voice, and Naruto couldn't help the guilt slipping in it as well. He had been anxious and angry at himself of the incident for three years, and he had been so afraid that he had killed one of his most important people.

And he had buried all those feelings inside, knowing that he would never be able to discuss them with Sasuke.

Except, here he was, leaning over the other boy, who said he remembered. The surge of emotions was unbearable, like letting suddenly free of the kunai you had been spinning 'round and 'round on the tip of your finger for weeks.

"I thought I killed you." Sasuke's eyes widened slightly, taking in the sight of Naruto leaning over him, so close that their noses were almost touching, his blue eyes filled with pain and overflowing with tears that fell on Sasuke's cheeks. Sasuke reached up to tuck some of the loose strands of blonde hair behind Naruto's ears before slipping his hands on each side of Naruto's face, and pulling the blondes face closer to kiss him gently on the lips. Naruto hiccupped and pulled away so that their sweaty foreheads were touching.

Naruto sniffed, because if Sasuke was tolerant of the tears, he doubted the prodigy would be delighted to have the insides of Naruto's running nose over his face.

"Stop crying." Sasuke ordered, his voice smooth, as it always was, only a slight undercurrent of concern revealing his emotions. Naruto nodded shakily, swallowing and trying to force the tears away. "I'm here. I'm alive. And it was my fault anyway. I shouldn't have said what I said." Sasuke muttered, except Uchiha's didn't mutter, so it was more like a silent statement.

"You said I was a dead-last, a loser, and orphan; nothing thousands of people haven't said already. I doubt that's good enough to get killed for." Naruto laughed slightly, though there was no humour in the bitter voice.

"I said worse things than that, and I'm sorry for that. Once I pushed you too far it wasn't you anymore, and I don't blame you for protecting yourself, because make no mistake, " Sasuke growled, his arrogance surfacing "I was kicking you ass before you started using that red chakra."

Naruto chuckled.

"Yeah." And then they were smiling at each other, looking into each others eyes and everything was like it always had been. Naruto let out a relieved breath and started to climb off Sasuke.

Looking shyly to the side, Naruto mumbled again.

"What was that?" Sasuke asked, amused. "You're acting awfully shy suddenly. What? Cat got your tongue?" Naruto flushed with embarrassment and slight anger.

"I said we're okay then right?" Naruto looked at Sasuke, unknowingly forming a quite tantalizing picture with his knees brought up conveniently covering his private parts, his shoulders thrown back, his sweaty blonde, slightly overgrown hair plastered all over his face and his blue eyes shining with youthful innocence.

"Uh huh," Sasuke whispered, distracted by the slight curling of Naruto's toes.

When did they have sex last time now again?

Sasuke glanced behind Naruto's shoulder, taking note of the long shadows under the tree on his yard and mentally noted that it was late evening and they had been enjoying the after glow quite long.

"Did I just hear the famous Uchiha Sasuke, prodigy of our graduation year and the heart-throb of Konoha say 'uh huh'?" And this time it was Naruto doing the teasing and Sasuke was relieved to see the blonde smiling again. He hated it when people cried.

Sasuke stood up, feeling his joints ache and his muscles shake with the slight exertion. Fucking against the wall had taken more out of him than he had expected, and though Naruto was slim, he was still, as all ninja, packed with more muscle than fat.

Sasuke offered his hand to help Naruto up and the blonde took the hand with a suspicious look in his eyes. Sasuke pulled abruptly the blonde to his feet, pulling him against Sasuke's chest. Naruto shivered at the teasing look in Sasuke's eyes.

"Uh huh," Sasuke smirked, before leaning down to slip his left arm under Naruto's knees and pulling his closer to his chest, this time lifting him completely off the ground, holding him like a bride. Naruto swatted Sasuke on the chest, annoyed.

"Hey! Stop that!" Sasuke ignored the protest and started to trek deeper into the house and up the stairs towards his bedroom.

"Are you saying you can still walk?" Sasuke hummed, and Naruto felt the familiar warmth of a blush spread on his cheeks.

"Of course I can!" Naruto yelled, much in the same tone he used to call Kakashi a liar. Sasuke shook his head slightly, before turning around to open the bedroom with his back.

"What?" Naruto asked, curious as to why the brunette would shake his head. Sasuke threw Naruto down on the bed and the blonde let out a rather feminine squeak.

"Tsk. Tsk. Then obviously I haven't done my job properly," Sasuke smirked, all the while shaking his head slightly, keeping his gaze locked on Naruto's while starting to twirl a nearby rope around his arm.

Naruto kept shifting his eyes from the rope Sasuke was wrapping around his arm –and why did Sasuke a rope in his bedroom? - To the dark gleam in the Uchiha's eyes, one that Naruto knew well. Lust.

Naruto swallowed.

"Oh."

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The following morning found Naruto sprawled comfortably on Sasuke's bed, his limbs thrown about randomly, his face buried deep into a pillow that smelled of Sasuke and sex. Naruto let out a groan as he came to, opening his eyes carefully because of the sun early summer sun that was shining brightly in his face and making his skin heat up.

It was incredibly hot, and so the first thing Naruto said, was surprisingly -or not, nothing intelligent.

"Blah." Naruto opened his mouth and almost cringed at the awful taste spreading through his newly awakened taste buds, a mix of dental plaque and the stingy reminder of their yesterday's activities. Looking around with blurry eyes Naruto gathered that Sasuke wasn't in the room anymore. Shrugging to himself Naruto clambered off the silky sheets and almost slipped rather embarrassingly off the bed before reaching the floor safely. Looking around and seeing no cloth in the room except for the sheets full of semen and lube, Naruto huffed for himself before starting to walk towards the door.

"Uwah!" Naruto shrieked once he fell face first on the floor, tripped by the searing pain radiating from his ass. Whining pitifully at the pain of his sore ass, Naruto glared at the floor before him.

Damn that Uchiha and his big, secret, Uchiha weapon.

After several tries of falling and more whining Naruto managed to rise on all fours and then proceeded to crawl towards the bedroom door. Teeth gritted in pain, Naruto swore inside his head.

I. am. Going. To. Kill. That. Bastard.

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"Whoa, would you look at that, Ami-chan?" Hagane Kotetsu leered at the woman next to him. Ami, the quite plain woman with dark blue shoulder-length hair and deep brown eyes turned to look at where Kotetsu was pointing. Indeed, walking (more like stumbling) along the road that led to the Konoha village gates was a boy.

Ami frowned, before turning to the jounin next to him. She could see what had caught Kotetsu's attention; even under all that grime the boy was gorgeous.

"I didn't know you were into younger boys, Ko-tet-su," Ami teased drawing out the syllables irritably, jumping out of the way as Kotetsu tried to impale her with some shuriken, a barely recognizable blush creeping to his cheeks.

"God no, I like my 'boys' legal and all, I just meant, isn't it a bit weird that a boy like that is walking alo-" Kotetsu stopped in mid-sentence, his mouth dropping open as he stared at the road. Ami turned to look as well, her eyes widening in shock. The road was wide and there was no way the boy should have been able to run so fast out of their sight, and they hadn't sensed any chakra either.

"Where did he go?" Ami cursed, checking the now empty road again, as if the boy would suddenly appear again. Kotetsu turned thoughtful.

"We should probably inform the Hokage about this. Even though he didn't look like a ninja, you never know-"

"You think?" Ami interrupted sarcastic. Kotetsu sighed.

Why did I have to be paired with her of all people?

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Sasuke was frowning silently at himself as he absently flipped the blueberry pancake over, only half paying attention to the slight sizzling of the frying pan. He was feeling anxious about how Naruto would act this following day. Yesterday had, by all accounts been a hectic day filled with lot of emotions that still, even after a lot of talking weren't cleared up.

There was only one thing Sasuke feared right now.

If Naruto scrambles through that hallway, all smiles and hugs and exclamations of, Sasuke swallowed the sudden bitter taste in his mouth ….love, I'm so out of here.

God I hope he isn't in love with me or anything… Sasuke pleaded to the ceiling before letting an uncharacteristic sigh slip between his lips. Then suddenly Sasuke could hear footsteps in the hallway and the Uchiha tensed, slightly nervous, before throwing a closer look at the huge pile of blueberry pancakes he had made along with eggs, bacon, bread, muffins, each of the full plates surrounded by huge jars of jam and creamed cheese.

Sasuke sweat dropped at the huge breakfast before him just as Naruto came in, with a toothbrush in his mouth. All thoughts of his earlier embarrassment over the huge pile of breakfast he had made disappeared when he realized who's toothbrush Naruto was using.

"That's my toothbrush." Sasuke saw red. A few ugly incidents with his fan-girls (or -boys, he reminded himself) had caused him to be very careful with his personal items. Naruto limped in front of Sasuke, and inside his head the brunette was smirking with satisfaction.

Naruto limped pitifully around the Uchiha to spit the white toothpaste into the sink, before turning to raise an eyebrow at Sasuke.

"You've had your cock up my ass, your tongue thrown my throat, and your cock in my mouth and vice versa, and now you're worried aboutpersonal hygiene?" Naruto asked incredulously, before resuming brushing his teeth. Sasuke threw his hands in the air in the universal sign of giving up.

"Good boy," Naruto smiled, before putting the toothbrush down and washing his mouth. Naruto's eyes hone with glee as he watched at the table, and let out a wanton moan.

I never got him to moan like that, Sasuke grumbled inside his head.

"Oh," Naruto groaned. "We're definitely having sex again. I'll even deal with the pain as long as there's breakfast like this afterwards." Naruto glided into a seat by the table with speed Sasuke couldn't follow and made a huge stack of pancakes and covered them with a huge amount of syrup before turning to Sasuke expectantly, fork and knife in hand.

"Well?" Naruto demanded. "Are you going to sit down sometime this century so that I can get on with my breakfast, or not?" Naruto almost whined, before frowning to himself. "That's a rhetorical question. If you're going to say 'no' get ready for a world of pain."

So, he has some manners after all, Sasuke mused before obediently sitting down and starting to eat as well. "Rhetorical? I'm surprised you even know such a 'complicated' word, dobe," Sasuke smirked. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Gee, what a bright way to start a day, bastard," Naruto grumbled before continuing inhaling his breakfast. Sasuke looked at the blonde from under his eyelashes and let out a silent breath of relief. Naruto acted exactly like before they had sex, perhaps a bit friendlier towards him, but he wasn't by any means clingy or such.

Seeing Naruto sit on the kitchen table in only his pants which he seemed to have recovered somewhere in the hall, his blonde hair dirty and sticking everywhere, his eyes closed as he enjoyed his breakfast, the kitchens lamps making the usually bright hair pale and dirty: Naruto looked unusually fitting, like this was where he belonged; in the kitchen of the morbid Uchiha mansion.

Smiling to himself slightly, Sasuke raised his hand over his mouth so that Naruto wouldn't spot the facial movement.

I could kind of… get used to this.

"I saw that, bastard." And then Naruto was smiling too, brightening up the kitchen and making world seem just that much liverier.

"Hn."

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A/N: Right, well, here's chapter 37. I'll try to post chapter 38 within the week this time. Here's just mostly…stuff, happening, and then there'll be finally some action and I'm going to explain more about the coven and such…so, stay tuned .

---Dark