Difficult Engagements

Chapter 1

Itachi's POV

It has been a week since I was informed of my engagement, and all that was on my mind was the boy I found in the woods. Which, I suppose, means it worked as a distraction. However, today was the day of the ceremony, there was no more time for distractions.

I still have not met the person I am supposed to be tied to for the rest of my life. They think it is best to do it in front of everyone we know as a sign of alliance. Everything about this has felt rushed, though.

It is going to be a small occasion, at least for a royal affair. Only the heads of local clans in the kingdom. That way everyone who is important is made aware of the couple. It will be seen as an official announcement of intended partnership to all parties involved.

This was a long awaited coupling for both of us. I have been on the market for a long time with no inkling of a mate. My father had not found someone suitable, in his own words. It worked out in his favor to wait, I am going to be king one day. My father gets the ties and power that comes with that. Glory comes to those that wait.

The Kyuubi's child is getting close to 20, the official royal age of partnership. Within his years on earth very few people have seen him. Most other people have only seen from a distance at gatherings, everyone assumed it was for protection being the only child. They had to assume something, as we were told nothing.

"Itachi! I just saw that bit… fox you are going to mate with." Thank the lords that Kisame corrected himself before he said it, because everyone looked at us when he was talking. "You are going to be totally shocked by it."

"Why?" I question, I am very curious why he thinks so. The fish man might just be overreacting, but I doubt it.

"For one the kitsune is a boy!" I already knew that.

"Hn..." I reply, waiting for the rest of his shock.

"If you want to see him he is near the south entrance by the garden." Kisame says to me knowing that I want to. I have never gone into a situation blind, I did not want to start now. I wanted to know what I was getting into and with who.

I leave Kisame to go in search of my future mate. I arrived at the south garden as quickly as I could, there is only one person here besides me. He is hidden underneath all the leaves and I can not see much besides a little bit of golden fur.

The scent is familiar; I just can't place where I smelled it before. There's flowers, but there are flowers everywhere in this garden, so it is hard to pinpoint what is his scent. Almost a faint honey flavor wafts into the air.

"Hey, are you The Kyuubi's child?" I ask of him.

"Yes." He says in a very small voice like he wants to disappear. I remember that voice. That is Naruto.

"Naruto-kun, The Kyuubi is your father." My statement is more like a question. Naruto turned his head; I can see it through the bush he was hiding in. Naruto jumped out from the bushes he was in.

"Uchiha-san! You're here!" Naruto responded happily, until, "Why are you here?"

"I wanted to know who my future mate will be." I respond truthfully, Naruto's face seemed to brighten up and sadden at the same time.

"Iruka-san told me the jacket you gave me belonged to the top military force my father had." completely skipping past my statement.

"Yes, I'm part of The Akatsuki."

"You really shouldn't be giving away a jacket like that." he says matter of factly. "Especially not to just anyone you meet in the woods."

"You were with palace guards." I chuckled.

"I guess you're right… I didn't think about that." he rubs the back of his head… it is kind of cute.

The silence in the air could be cut with a knife. Both of us had so many questions for each other. It was not quite the time or place for all of these questions to be asked. We had to meet each other later tonight.

"Do you think that's why he chose you? Because of your military experience." the blonde fox trailed off at the end of his sentence.

That always crossed my mind. The Kyuubi was all about expanding territory. I am sure he wanted world domination one day. At this rate, he probably was going to have it.

"I do not know." I answer truthfully. The blonde boy looks just as lost as I am with this whole situation. "I hope whatever reason I was chosen, I will make a good partner for you."

"Naruto-chan! We have to get you ready to meet Uchiha-san." another man's voice comes from across the garden. He looks just like Naruto, but older.

"Oh, it seems you already have. Don't worry I won't tell." he laughs with that same sadness too. He looks me up and down, there is so much pain in his pale blue eyes. He quickly hides it with a bright smile.

"Just pretend it's the first time you've met later. Okay?" he says to me while taking his boy off to get ready. He did not even wait for my response.

I go back to my family in the waiting room with this new knowledge. There I rehearse everything I am supposed to do when I first meet my mate. Seeing him, even for a second, made this whole situation easier on me.

A few uncomfortably long hours go by and the ceremony starts. Each family is announced into the throne room by rank to find their place. My family will be the last group called, it only consists of my father and mother, as Sasuke was busy on a mission. Out of my entire family, I do wish he was here as well. However, I understand the duty he has to our kingdom.

My parents will have the honor of walking in front of everyone and being placed second in command to The Royal Family. Honor that seemed slowly stripped from us for many years, finally seems to be put back onto our family. I never understood why it seemed our clan's relations with The Royal Family seemed strained lately.

The Uchiha name is finally called. When they walk in I can see from the crack of the door everyone glares at my family in jealousy. The foul mood uncomfortably filled the room. I am not looking forward to being the next one to walk through that minefield.

My name is finally announced to the room. I walk in, all of their eyes are now on me. At the end of this path is The Kyuubi himself. I have known him for a long time, but never like this. Always as a soldier, a strategist, not the future partner of his child. All of these years working with him and the fox has not once hinted at this being a possibility.

His husband sits to the right of The Kyuubi, he seems uncomfortable in this room as well. His tail is fidting, very slightly, but the movement is there. The blonde is probably not used to the crowd, both of them have been hidden away behind these castle walls for years.

Naruto, dressed in a white ornate ceremonial gown sits to the left of them. His soft blue eyes fixate on the distance, almost as if he is in his own little world. His body shows no sign of noticing the tension in this room.

When I get to the foot of the raised platform I bow, "It is an honor to be here."

Uncharacteristically, The Kyuubi's husband springs out of his chair and seeks up, "I want to thank everyone for being here. I know there have been a lot of murmurs of why we chose the Uchiha Clan."

This is the first time I think anyone has heard him speak officially and he gets right to the point. There has been a lot of clan speculation of why me. Many people want this position I'm in, to be in line to eventually rule Konoha.

"It is in honor of our partnership from the beginning. The first clan to rally behind my husband were the Uchiha's. They saw the potential of this great nation from the beginning, that loyalty had to be repaid."

No one could doubt that as a fact. The Uchiha Clan was the first to join up with The Kyuubi when he wanted war. We fought the hardest for him. We helped build this nation from the beginning. I think that fact put everyone in this room at ease. It gave a reason.

"Uchiha Itachi, himself, has shown great military accomplishments. With his determination our nation will see a victorious future. He will make a great partner with our child."

They did want me for my military experience. I can handle that.

The speech was not a part of the ceremony and no one expected it. However, it did address the elephant in the room and put everyone at ease. Except The Kyuubi, he was hiding it well, but there was rage building in his soul.

My father walks over to me and holds out an ornately carved wooden box lined with red velvet.

Back to the scheduled program. I take out the small pendant of our clans crest, a red and white fan. Since the beginning it has been used to symbolise our clan fanning the flames of war for Konoha. With the white symbolizing keeping the peace at home. We have branded ourselves with it proudly, and now I am the one to put it on the heir of our kingdom.

My father closes the box and walks away.

I stand before The Royal Family, my family, and all of my peers to take an action that will change the history of this nation for years. I walked over to the chair Naruto was sitting on, in complete silence, he still seems a little far off in his own world. With every eye in this room staring at us, I placed my family herolom in his right hand.

This seemed to break whatever trance he was in before, because he blinks twice and looks me right in the eyes. Glancing down at the pendent for a second his mouth turns into a beautiful grin. It seems as though he is finally here with all of us now.

I make a point to kneel in front of him, keeping my eyes locked into his beautiful blue ones. His hands adorably fumble with the locking mechanism of the broach. One mistake could mean so much in front of these eyes behind me. He knows that. Eventually he's able to get it undone. Slowly he puts it on his person, locking it in place, then he smiles. He did it without any issues.

There is already an open box besides him. Inside is his clans symbol for me to wear. I have been marked as property of Konoha many times in my life. Each time it was a new rank up. This engagement would be the final rank and mark from Konoha.

He unlocks it as well.

This wasn't part of the original program, he is supposed to just hand it to me as I did him. I guess neither of the blonde men in this family understand protocol.

Every eye is glued on this action. I am fixated on his hands right now. Any subtle movement of it could potentially cause a coup to form right here. The rejection of this union would be devastating to Konoha.

Naruto effortlessly lifts his body off the throne he sits upon.

No. Don't reject this.

If he walks away this is over. Everyone is frozen. I can feel that they are getting ready for whatever the next step is.

He takes one last step towards me and kneels down to my level. Glides his hand softly under the right side of my jacket. He pushes his fingers forward to tent the fabric, it makes it easier for him to slide the pin in. He locks it in place. Then gently pats it down on my chest to make my jacket flush again.

I let out a breath I did not know I was holding. I can hear the entire room behind me did the same as well.

This was an intimate acceptance of proposals. Something only two people who actually knew each other would do. Based on the old legend of two secret lovers from different lands. Every country has their own version of this story, it would be unmistakable to anyone watching. He is implying a lot to this room right now with this action. His eyes lock deeper into mine, he knows what he's doing.

If this is the route he's going, I have to stand up first. I can not act shocked by this. I stand up swiftly, then hold my arm out for the blonde fox. From the floor he lifts his hand up to mine and takes it into his, giving me a gentle squeeze to let me know he's ready for me to help him up. Effortlessly I help him off the ground and he holds onto the side of my arm.

We bow to the audience, who almost just saw a potential coup turn into a grand romantic gesture in the matter of seconds. Everyone believed this to be our first meeting. He is implying to them all that we know each other, very well.

We leave the room together.

In a separate room the couple is supposed to get to know each other in a more intimate setting. It is supposed to be our first meeting, not that anyone would believe it now. Once we fully exit everyone starts moving from their place and it turns into a formal party for the other noblemen.

They have a lot to talk about at least.

The library we were escorted to is small and intimate. Bookshelves hug along the walls with a few plush sitting areas nuzzled between them. The two of us are joined on one of the loveseats in the corner. A perfect setting to get to know each other in.

"I don't want a loveless union." he says getting straight to the point, then trails off almost as if talking to himself. "My parents have that. I hate it. It's no way to live. I can't-"

"You should have warned me." I cut him off from his rant.

"I didn't know I was going to do it," he said sheepishly. The boy does seem to act on impulse from what I have observed so far.

"At least you didn't reject it," I shrug it off. I have a feeling he could not reject it in the same way I could not. Neither of us seems to have much of a choice in our lives, especially not with this.

"That would have been a little bit of a problem," he laughs trying to undercut the severity of that option. Sadness hides inside his laughter, just like his dad's.

The young fox continued, "I just wanted to tell the world I was in it for love… even if it wasn't really true. I know it's stupid."

"It's not." I understand it, there's a lot of pressure to live as a pawn. Any amount of control can make you feel alive. I suppose, neither of us are pawns at this point, but we are still just pieces of the chess board of our station.

"So your goal is to love me?" I tease.

"I don't know… I didn't think that far ahead!" he's flustered, it's kinda cute.

"It's not a bad goal." I let a small grin escape upon my lips.

"If we can't love eachother, can you promise we won't end up hating each other?" he asks in the most sincere voice that took away any desire to keep teasing him. I move closer to him with a sudden desire to give him comfort.

"Yeah. We won't hate each other." I wrap an arm around him loosely at these words.

"Good." he sank deeper into the intimacy of my embrace.

This is going to be my mate, my Omega, and I am going to keep him safe. I do not want any harm to fall on him. My duty is to protect this fox. I need to know what happened the other day.

"So what happened the first day I met you?" if he was going to be direct then so was I.

"You can't judge me." he prefaced and slacks away from me. His tails started to cover him with his embarrassment.

"I can, but go on."

"Fine. It was the day I found out I was engaged okay." he says in a huff.

"The news of your engagement to me could make you break down like that." I try to tease, I want to keep this light, in case he needs it.

"It's not you, it's this." he waves his arms around insinuating his entire existence, "I don't get choices. I don't know what my days consist of. I didn't even get to meet you before I was just given to you. I was going from one life to another. It was just a lot okay."

"What about your clothes?" I say, then he looks down.

"I don't get to choose them. I'm a boy, and they've been putting me in these women's clothes my whole life just because I'm an Omega. I was sick of wearing them. I ripped them up… you happy?"

No.

"You know in a year that could change." I say trying to give him a life line.

"Huh?" his ears perk up, this fox is dangerously too easy to read.

"In a little under a year you will be mine officially. You would not have to subject yourself to the rules of this house. At least not for the most part. We still would not have full control… you might still have to dress up for formal occasions. But every day..." I trail off. This union starts to feel like a light at the end of a long tunnel for me too.

"You mean it?" he stands there bewildered, ears perked up at this news.

"Yeah." I released a breath I didn't know I was holding my whole life.

With each new rank in the military I was able to remove myself one step further from my father's grasp. I gained my own power. It was within the structure of another system, but it was no less mine. Within this next year I will be free of him completely. My father gave me the keys to my own freedom with this union.

"So, um, after all that talk of trauma and sadness, what do we talk about." he tries to lighten the mood again. He obviously does not like sitting in any form of negative emotion for too long. He truly is a ray of sunshine.

"Hn, I don't know. The weather." I smirked.

"It was a hot one today. Probably the hottest all year." he retorts, mocking customs and tradition of this conversation.

I definitely could fall in love with him. I already don't hate him.

Minato POV

"Why are both of you so fond of the theatrics?" Kyuubi goes right to talking down to me the second we were alone.

This is supposed to be our peaceful interlude from the small gathering to the dinner later, when Naruto and Itachi will join back with everyone. I know not to expect peace from Kyuubi.

"I guess life is more fun that way." I say with a smile, trying to keep the air as light as possible. I don't want any excuse to miss this party.

"Look, everyone was whispering about why we chose the Uchiha boy. Each one wanted our son for their own doing." I say, putting a focus on the words our son, "So I thought I'd remind them of which group came to your aid first. Loyalty should be rewarded."

"And our son," he says it with venom, "had to make it seem like he was already whoring around with the Uchiha."

"Honestly, I think that works more in your favor. The other clans would understand if it was a love match as well. What could you do to stop young love?" I try to make Naruto's actions seem like they were in favor of what Kyuubi wanted.

"A lot."

I stopped moving, "Yeah, I guess you're right. I'll talk to him later about it."

I slipped off the sides of the top of my outfit for this evening, "but first we do have a few minutes before we have to join with everyone else."

He smirks, "Really now?"

"Y.. Ye.. Yeah. " I almost wasn't expecting this to work as a distraction. I lift up my skirt to show I'm ready for him. He seems pleased.

He aggressively walks over to me and grabs me by the hair and pulls my head back. His lips trail down my neck and then his teeth.

"Remember not to leave a mark, we have guests." I beg.

His hands reach from the back of my head to my neck, pouring some of his chakra into the permanent mark on my neck. My head starts getting foggy and my knees weaken from this action.

"I guess." he pulls back. Then shoves my head down to his crotch.

"Show me how much you want it." he looks down on me, I'm on my hands and knees in front of him.

I look up and nod at him. Bending up to my knees with my hands at either side of his hip. I nusle into his erection clothed, tugging at the edges of his pants. Teasing them down. Every so often I look up into Kyuubi's red eyes.

Looking straight into his red eyes, I unbutton his pants and slowly pull them down with his boxers.

I then focus almost 100% of my energy on the erection in front of me. I start from the base, playing around kissing each inch I can get to. Teasing on going up the shaft. I let my hands ghost over it, until finally I move on to it with my mouth slowly kissing up from the base to the tip, doing little licks as I go along.

At the tip, I take the whole thing in my mouth in a quick motion, stopping any teasing. He stifield a gasp at this. Taking my time sucking up and down it. Using my right hand to move the part I can't quite fit into my mouth.

My other hand moves to balance me against his hips as I go faster. He starts holding back my hair to make it easier for me. I look up at him.

"Fuck, you're so good when you're begging."

He grips my hair and slams my mouth deeper on his cock. I start to gag a bit, but I push through, trying to take more in. After a bit of fucking my throat, he yanks my head back off of his shaft.

He then shoves me to the ground while flipping me over. I lift up my skirt to help him, I know what's next. He pulls aside my underwear, I can hear the rip from him tearing them a bit.

He pours some lube on me and then himself. I don't know where he got it from but I was grateful. I guess he was planning on this.

"Beg for it." he rubs his cock against my ass.

"Please," I start to beg.

"Please what?" he pushes more.

"Please fuck me Kyuubi," I whimper out, looking away, pushing towards him.

"I love it when you beg." He slides in one thrust, but again, I push through.

His trust starts slower, but quickly picks up pace. I moan in with each thrust, familiar with the motions. He continues to jackhammer me down until he finishes inside me.

After a second he gets off of me and wipes himself off. I pull up my underwear and adjust myself.

"Well are you coming?" he points to the door.

"Shouldn't I…"

"No." he says before I could finish saying "clean up first." I feel his cum slowly dripping out of me. The mark on my shoulder burning red hot keeps my mind foggy for a while longer. I just follow quietly behind him.

Itachi POV

The longer I sit in this room with Naruto the more I grow fond of him. His natural charms entice me.

His beautiful eyes captured me forever. They say not to look an Uchiha in the eyes for fear you might get caught and never escape. I think the blonde beat me at my own game. I do not know how this will all play out in the end, but with that smile on the other side of the couch, I don't really care.

We get the signal that we have to join everyone else at dinner. As if on a track, Naruto stands up before me and makes his way to the door.

Before he puts his hand on the door I wrap my arms around his shoulders. The smell of his body fully enticing me. I believe this is the first time I've allowed myself to fully embrace it. A tangy blend of sugary sweetness with notes of light citrus.

He leans back into me accepting this, lifting his neck up more exposing it to me in the process. His Omega instincts are kicking in. I lift up one of my hands to his neck, gliding back down to his chest.

He moans softly, I feel the vibration from it against his neck. I slowly lean into it more. He's so vulnerable right now. I take it all in, orange blossoms and honey land my senses against an orange grove where clusters of nature's candy gleams in ripened glory. Ready for me to pick.

"Let me know if you ever plan to do something like that again. I am your partner now and need to know what you're getting us into." I know this has already been a fact, but this time I owned it. I am his partner. I start to kiss down his vulnerable neck, while I press him closer to my body.

"Pa… part.. Partner?" he eventually managed to say.

That exact second the door opens, the man I now know as Kakashi was there, "You two will be late."

Rumors spread fast, I can not have people thinking I have already claimed Naruto. That would be improper, and might jeopardize everything.

He looks over his book at us with a cheeky grin, "That explains the display earlier. It's time to go, clean yourselves up."

He then goes back to reading, he is a place guard, I'm sure he must be used to discretion. I will not worry myself too much for now. The two of us quickly adjusted ourselves to get back to everyone.

If Naruto wanted us to be a loving pair, I would make sure we at least appeared to be one. I hold my arm out for him to link with it. He looked up at me quizzically, then realizing what I am doing links his arm with my own.

The doors of the dining room open, all the murmurs stop for a second. Everyone looked at us, I made sure to look at Naruto. He glanced over at me and smiled. Everyone saw that action.

Good.

Keeping my head held high, I do not bother to look at anyone in this room as we get to our assigned seats. I pull my Omega's chair out for him then place him in. This is all a dance for the people around us. At least with the fox as my partner it is a fun one.

The last people to join this evening's dinner is The Kyuubi and Minato. Somehow Minato's energy was so bright and inviting that you forgot he was standing next to a bloodthirsty monster. I had seen the red fox on the battlefield many times. I have seen him wipe out entire cities, but next to Minato he looked almost normal. Almost.

"Itachi-kun!" Minato pushes past any formality, that must be exactly where Naruto gets it from. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I've heard nothing but great things from everyone. Including my husband, but I don't think he'll say that to you. So forget I did."

He laughed, he seems more alive in this party than before in the garden. I think all the people calmed him down somehow. Maybe it was just nerves from today. Everyone in attendance had them.

"It's a pleasure meeting you Minato-sama." I keep the formality.

"I'm glad it seems like you and Naruto-chan have bonded quite fast. That display in front of everyone was quite a show."

It is interesting when you can tell that everyone is listening. The conversations around us are so dull, to keep an ear out for what is happening here at the front of the table.

"Uh, yeah, well, um, we kinda met each other last week." Naruto admitted to his dad.

Everyone's conversations paused for a millisecond at his words. Each faction has its own designated spy specifically meant to overhear anything important. The blonde's statement, however, shocked everyone into admitting to their eavesdropping.

"Is that so?" Kyuubi spoke up for the first time this evening.

"Yes. We met by the woods outside my family estate. Shortly after we were both informed of the arrangement. We wanted to get to know each other more. You know how I don't like to go into things blind." I say calmly.

I have to stand my ground on this - everyone is watching. The Kyuubi has seen me in other scenarios, he knows I am not to enter any situation blind. My planning and cunning is what brought me to the Akatsuki. My planning and cunning brought me to this table.

He just nods.

"So serious," Minato says for him, "but you Uchiha's usually are."

"Minato-san-ma." my mother almost did not call him by his rank. She never fails on that.

"Oh Mikoto-chan, you know I'm just kidding. Besides someone has to be the serious one, and I'm just glad it's just not me." he says confidently. He might know my mother, he is too informal with everyone to be sure. If they know each other it could explain this situation more.

The blonde fox looked over at his husband and smiled, "Imagine me the serious one?"

The Kyuubi just nodded while Minato laughed filling the room. Naruto tenses in his chair, constantly glancing over to his parents as if there was more going on. I place my hand on his back to reassure him, he leans into it allowing his shoulders to relax. Eventually he glances over to me, gracing me with the smallest smile.

The dinner went on more or less like that for the rest of the night. Naruto or Minato filled the room with laughter and fun after every moment of intense social anxiety where there was a risk of a potential civil war. There is a reason all of the clans do not meet up that often.

The pair of blonde foxes seemed to have a way with people. Both of them could calm an entire room and easily mend things in minutes that others could not attempt in years. It is a mystery of why his husband did not go on more diplomatic missions, he would be a great asset. He is much easier to talk to than The Kyuubi.

The Kyuubi was a might-makes-right kind of man. Which does work when you are one of the most powerful beings on the planet. It is just not pleasant and ends with a long lasting resentment. Minato would be a great person to help mend the relationships between the neighboring countries and new territories. He is vastly underutilized at the home.

Minato seemed to be able to get you to want to work with him. There was no fear, just pure allegiance. He alone was able to end a lot of bad blood between some of these clans, with a simple conversation.

Naruto has the same enigmatic personality. People were just drawn to him. It's not just his position of power. It was him. He is mine. I have the most sought after person in the room.

I'm going to have to get used to this.