DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN Naruto or any of its characters and I do not make any profit off of this. This is only for my pure enjoyment and those who wish to read.

CLAIMER: I OWN my original character Yami Uchiha.

WARNING: This is a MALE X MALE / SLASH fan-fiction. If you DO NOT like same-sex relationships, then this story may not be for you. This will be slightly AU.

BETA READER: There is no beta reader for this fan-fiction, so there will be mistakes that I have missed.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Oh my gosh, has it really been four years since I updated this story? Wow, so much for the hiatus being temporary. I apologize for the long as all get out wait for this chapter and I hope that I do not disappoint any readers with it. I really do appreciate each and every single one of you. Thank you for giving this story a chance. Enjoy

Chapter Seventy-Two

Mature Content Ahead

.:oOo:.

It was a dream…just a horrible, disturbing dream. A nightmare. Yes. How could it be anything less than a nightmare Yami wishes more than anything to wake up from. Colors; dark and bright, hues soft…some harsh, all sped through the raven's mind and practically bringing the Uchiha to his knees. The pain was piercing and his heart raced against his chest in a similar resemblance of one of Kakashi's chidoris.

Kakashi?

That name. A groan tumbled free of Yami's parted lips and a pair of familiar and completely unwanted arms wrapped around the raven's shoulders securely. Warm breath fluttered over the curve of Yami's ear and he shuddered, the action filled with repulsion instead of pleasure if caused by … by who? Pitch orbs flashed open, reflecting the pain practically engulfing all other feelings inside. Narrowed orbs of molten gold locked onto pitch and Yami let out a shaky breath, many thoughts and decisions being made within seconds.

"Otto (husband)," Yami spoke softly, as if speaking any louder would make his silent thoughts known.

Orochimaru's face relaxed and the hebi Sannin's arms curled more gently around the raven. Long ebony locks fell down around Orochimaru's shoulders, the silky strands brushing Yami's cheek as the golden eyed man leaned down.

"Are you alright, Yami-chan?" Orochimaru asked, a slight hiss of his otherwise caring tone.

Bringing a hand up, Yami tucked a loose strand of ebony behind Orochimaru's ear and watched in fake fascination as golden orbs widened at his action.

"I'm sorry for being such a burden," Yami whispered, forcing his face to reflect shame and he let his hand fall away with his gaze.

Orochimaru caught Yami's wrist before the raven's touch could completely leave him and the hebi Sannin openly nuzzled Yami's slender wrist. Yami shivered in disgust, but made the action seem the complete opposite, pushing a breathy gasp through parted lips.

"Do you want to finish dinner? You missed lunch and barely touched your breakfast," Orochimaru asked, even as he closed the distance between them to nuzzle Yami's pale throat.

"I should," Yami forced himself to relax his clenching teeth, his fingers wanting nothing more than to tear out those golden orbs that were clouding with lust. "I'm famished."

A husky groan escaped Orochimaru and hit gave Yami's pulse a playful nip. Yami's fingernails dug crescents on ivory shoulders and Orochimaru actually moaned in the raven's ear. Pitch orbs shut, motion going unseen as Orochimaru took his time marking Yami's slender neck. It took everything within the eldest Uchiha to swallow back the bile wanting to rise up at the man's touch. A hesitant throat clearing caused pitch orbs to flash open as Orochimaru pulled away to glare at the interruption.

"Orochimaru-sama, I apologize for the interruption, but—," The new arrival, someone Yami did not recognize and immediately pegged as one of Orochimaru's lower guards, stopped speaking as the hebi Sannin stood up.

Yami found himself being pulled up from the stone floor, having fallen from his seat once the piercing pain slammed into his head from awakening memories. Orochimaru's arm tightened around Yami's waist, forcing the raven's chest up against his.

"What is it that could not wait," Orochimaru hissed, his free hand sliding passed the folds of Yami's black haori and amaranth yukata to touch the bare skin of the raven's thigh.

Yami sucked in a breath, his knuckles turning white from his hold on the front of Orochimaru's slate gray kimono style top. He buried his face against the hebi Sannin's shoulder to hide smoldering pitch orbs. Orochimaru's hand continued to trail upwards until he was cupping Yami's hip, his thumb brushing gently against the soft flesh.

"A br-breech at the wes-western out-outpost," The unknown shinobi stuttered and Yami felt Orochimaru tense.

Leaning back, Yami caught Orochimaru's gaze and let his mouth curve downward with a frown while shifting even closer. Willing his fingers to loosen their death grip on the fabric of Orochimaru's top, Yami glided his hands up and looped them around the snake hebi's neck. Yami's lips brushed Orochimaru's chin as he spoke, inwardly thanking every god in the Elemental Nations for his experience with seduction missions and forced himself to think of his current predicament as such.

"Otto-sama, what's wrong?" Yami voiced softly with fake concern, his fingers tangling in long ebony locks.

The tension seemed to leave Orochimaru, but the irritation of being interrupted remained in golden orbs. It took every ounce of Yami's willpower to react in kind when Orochimaru's mouth slanted over his in a heated kiss that would have left anyone breathless.

"Finish your dinner, Yami-chan," Orochimaru murmured after breaking the kiss, brushing his knuckles over Yami's cheek before pulling away entirely. "I have some things to take care of and will see you later tonight."

Yami nodded, moving to take his seat at the table. Seeing no resistance in the raven's movements, Orochimaru left the room. It would not be said aloud that that particular guard would not be seen again.

'Now…what to do about these?' Yami thought, glancing down at his wrists were chakra blocking seals were seared into the skin.

.:oOo:.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

"Sunlight," Yami whispered under his breath, wanting nothing more at that very second to be in sunlight and not in this dreary damp that was an underwater fortress.

Twenty minutes after Orochimaru's exit, Yami left through the same door and picked a direction. Ten minutes of walking and turning down different halls did nothing but cause the vein above Yami's left eye to twitch. If it was not for the dampness seeping through the stone walls, Yami could see himself enjoying venturing through the darkened layout.

"Yami-sama, are you lost?"

At the familiar voice of Orochimaru's apprentice and most trusted right-hand, Yami paused in his slow steps to turn around and face the gray-haired male. Yami tilted his head slightly, before his lips began to curve upwards in a smile. The action seemed to surprise the glasses-wearing medic nin just as much as they did Orochimaru.

"Kabuto-san, I was just looking for a bit of sunlight," Yami admitted truthfully, even if he wanted nothing more than to draw up a chakra scalpel of his own and gut the traitorous pig in front of him.

"Why?"

Yami made a face that spoke of confusion to the other's words.

"I've grown weary of the dampness. I would like to bask in a bit of warmth. I was going to ask my husband, but he was suddenly called away," Yami voiced with fake fond exasperation. "I must have been walking for around ten minutes now and have yet to find any sunlight."

Kabuto frowned heavily, unsure of what to do. He knew of his master's ability with seals, but Yami's progress with Orochimaru-sama's memory alteration seal was phenomenal. Kabuto suddenly wanted to experiment with the raven to see just how much the raven remember and what the raven thought he remembered. Kabuto smiled and stepped closer.

"How about I show you where you can spend some time in the sun?" Kabuto suggested and Yami almost refused.

The raven returned the smile instead and nodded.

.:oOo:.

For the next fifteen minutes, Yami followed beside Kabuto as the gray haired medic lead him through multiple halls and up several stone stairways. Seeming to reach their destination, Kabuto glanced at Yami from over his shoulder before opening the door. Sunlight shone brightly and Yami closed his eyes to give them a change to adjust to the sudden change. Peeking through dark lashes, Yami blinked.

Beyond the doorway was a small courtyard surrounded by tall stone walls covered in flowing vines. The base of the courtyard itself appeared to be a small pond with a grassy island at its center. Stepping stones appeared to be the only means of accessing the island that contained a single oriental maple tree with a stone bench. Above was the open sky and would have been a godsend if not for the sunlight reflecting off of a dome-like shield.

"Orochimaru-sama designed this with you in mind. It is unfinished, but I doubt he will be opposed to you seeing it as it is," Kabuto stated, stepping to the side to allow Yami entrance.

Yami caught sight of some parting grass and a viper peeking through.

'Of course,' Yami thought, hiding his disappointment. 'That would be too easy.'

"Thank you," Yami voiced quietly before taking the stepping stones one at a time until he was on the island.

The raven ignored the viper trailing silently behind him, knowing it would report to Orochimaru as soon as it possibly could. Taking a seat on the stone bench, Yami leaned his head back to rest against the tall maple and peered upwards through the leaves at the sky. Pitch orbs closed and he signed at the feeling of warmth running over him from the sun. Smooth scales slithered over one of Yami's feet before curling around his ankle. He inwardly rolled his eyes, but let a soft smile grace his lips.

"Orochimaru-sama would say you look radiant right now," Kabuto stated, breaking the silence.

Yami hid the building tension in his body by opening his eyes to stare at the glasses-wearing medic.

"You're all he ever talks about," Kabuto continued and it was then Yami noticed the somewhat glazed look in the medic's gaze. "At first, I thought he was obsessed with obtaining the seemingly unobtainable. But then I met you and it suddenly made so much more sense."

By now Yami was staring intently at Kabuto, a feeling of foreboding pressing in on him.

"I seem to have become curious," Kabuto mumbled under his breath, before he suddenly turned away. "Don't stay out too long, Yami-sama. Exposure to too much heat could be bad for your delicate health."

'Come over here and I'll show you delicate,' Yami thought with a vicious snap, his face remaining placid on the outside.

The feeling of smooth scales circling up his leg caught Yami's attention and he lifted his leg up until the folds of his black haori and amaranth yutaka drifted open to reveal pale skin. He stared into glassy maroon orbs of an opal scaled viper that continued creeping up his leg without a thought.

"Hey, hentai-hebi, any closer and my husband will get jealous," Yami huffed dryly, giving his leg a half-hearted shake.

An amused hissed sounded from the opal scaled viper and it finally made it to Yami's lap where it curled up to bask in the sunlight.

"Sssilly sssnakelet, Oro-sssama gifted me to you for protection."

Yami frowned down at the brazen snake.

'A spy is more like it,' Yami mentally signed before leaning back up against the maple and closing his eyes.

The sunlight felt nice.

'I'll sit out here for a bit,' Yami thought, his body relaxing even more. 'Kashi…'

.:oOo:.

"You are dismissed, Azukiiro," Orochimaru whispered to his opal scaled viper as he carefully scooped a sleeping Yami up in his arms.

The raven's head lolled to the side before Yami's face nuzzled against Orochimaru's shoulder, one hand coming up to grab hold of the front of the hebi Sannin's top. A soft sigh left Yami's parted lips and a rare curve of Orochimaru's mouth was quickly hidden by raven locks. Carrying the raven to their shared chamber, Orochimaru lay Yami on their bed before pulling the thick duvet over him. Rounding the bed, the Sannin made quick work of his outer layer of clothes before slipping under the duvet. Pulling Yami close, Orochimaru curled around the raven and pressed his faced against the back of Yami's slender neck.

"Mmm," Yami sighed, shifting backwards and more against the warmth Orochimaru emitted.

"Are you awake, Koibito?" Orochimaru asked with a breathless chuckle, his hands shamelessly dipping into the folds of Yami's yakuta and caressing warm skin.

Orochimaru's hand moved lower. Yami's breathe shuttered. Nipping the curve of where shoulder met neck, Orochimaru focused on finishing what was started during dinner before they were interrupted.

"Anata…," Yami sighed with a breathless moan, his thoughts centered around his silver haired lover.

The whispered word ignited something deep within the hebi Sannin and it was to burning warmth engulfing him that pitch orbs shot open and a shaky moan left the raven.