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Chapter 2: Chained, Regrets, Alone

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To Naruto, Sasuke has always been the first bond he created. Through there were people who cared for him such as Iruka and even Teuchi who accepted him as their own blood kin but Sasuke is different in that he have mostly ignored Naruto for as long as he could remember. To Naruto, Sasuke was a blank canvass because there was no hate, no judgment that preceded their blooming rivalry. Iruka have hated him before Mizuki's graduation test. And Teuchi and Ayame were aware of his history as the Jinchuuriki, though they don't voice it out loud.

But Sasuke… Sasuke was different. He was the first bond that Naruto have considered to be his brother, though he may not have known it at the time during their blooming rivalry. But Naruto appreciated the fact that while other kids have judged him, Sasuke mostly kept to his own, pursuing his own goals without a care in the world.

When Sasuke moved in front of Haku's senbons, that have been the turning point in Naruto's life, the key event in his life where he realized that what they had were beyond simple rivalry. Though they have no one to tell or guide them, being but mere orphans, they couldn't put a finger as to what to call that bond. And so the rivalry, the one-upmanship continued, watering their blossoming friendship that while atypical of common boys their age, was definitely worth something to be defended.

So when Sasuke left the village, Naruto wanted to give his all to cherish and protect that bond, an untainted bond that he nurtured since childhood. He had used whatever excuse he can to justify chasing after the alpha. First it was a promise to Sakura and even when that promise faded and waned over time, he had justified his pursuit of his role and dreams as future Hokage, telling others how unworthy he would be of such a title if he can't even protect one friend. It was how Naruto renewed a personal conviction to bring this person home, this person who made him feel human, who looked at him by his pure deeds and actions alone, not by what he housed and carried within him.

It would be a long road before Naruto's personal wish would be granted. As if the universe itself conspired against Naruto and Sasuke, it teased their fateful reunion but never their restful homecoming. Even after saving the world and erasing their past hatred, Naruto and Sasuke would be cruelly ripped apart from each other, with one chained and rooted upon the village he loved, while the other punished to exile, condemned in a self-imposed isolation for atonement.

So when Naruto saw the man before him, before his wedding no less, he couldn't turn the man away. He studied the figure before him, once proud and unreadable, but now so vulnerable, weak and pathetic. It had occurred to the omega that the alpha is intoxicated, his eyes brimming with emotions, his scent going haywire and his entire body language a mess- a mess that Naruto can't help but want to untangle.

He had always been fascinated by Sasuke, as if he's a moth drawn to the light of that lone lamp amidst the cold darkness of the night, Naruto always finds himself gravitating to the enigma that is Sasuke. The alpha swayed a bit before his piercing gaze bore through Naruto's very soul. While his body was uncoordinated, addled by the intoxicating alcoholic drink he imbibed, his eyes spoke a different message. They were resolute, earnest, and unguarded so much so that it touched Naruto to the deepest recess of his heart, tugging at the sleeping emotions he thought he have hidden for so long.

"Why are you marrying her, Naruto?"

Was the simple question. It had been no secret. The news of his wedding was spreading like wildfire throughout the world. All the great nations were preparing for it, their streets alit, abuzz, loud and excited with their war hero's upcoming union. Naruto gulped as he heard the hint of betrayal, of pain, of anguish and regrets, of desperation behind the cold steely voice that invaded his ears. Naruto said nothing.

He thought it would be the right thing to do. It's what expected after all. For someone so bereft of family, Naruto have no one else to teach him nor guide him what his future will entail. All he knows is that like any Hokage before him have families. Even the idea was preposterous, even deep within Naruto. He knows he doesn't deserve a family. For despite the acknowledgment and the acceptance that he gained over the years, Naruto knows that he have none.

And having no family means he's not equipped to start one. But he did it anyway, thinking it's the path that everyone has to follow. So when Hinata showed a slightest bit of interest in him, Naruto decided that it's his ticket. No one else have shown any romantic interest in him. Maybe that was partly his fault.

He have been too obsessed, too focused on one over-arching goal- the retrieval of his best friend- to develop any romantic relationship with anyone that when Hinata came into the picture, Naruto grabbed the chance. He knew no one else will give him a chance like this- a chance at a normal, happy life with a family, just as society has expected of him, of their future Hokage.

The omega would be proven wrong when the alpha, drunk with the substance he consumed mere moments ago, have pushed him to the walls within his own apartment. The alpha's grip was vice-like, his hands desperate for contact as he tried so hard to convinced himself that the omega before him is real and not just an illusion induced by the alcohol he drank and his deep-seated illusions.

"I Love You! Naruto!"

Naruto's eyes widened. And suddenly, realization hit. Had he really been blind all those years ago? Sasuke and him only had eyes for each other. They defended each other in battles, they chased each other within and outside the village. They constantly sought to become better for each other, to suit and fulfill each other's weakness and bolster their strength. Naruto at this point have a hand weakly placed against the alpha's chest, those very same hands trembling at the revelation in a feeble attempt to maintain some distance, some modicum of control over the situation. But none could have prepared him for what happened next.

"Don't leave me ALONE, Naruto." A silent plea. It was soft, barely audible but it touched Naruto so deeply that he felt his heart constrict, his chest tight feeling as if he's drowning. "I don't want to be alone anymore." Naruto felt hot tears stream from the corner of his eyes. There is this man, whom he chased for years begging him not to leave him. Sasuke, who used to fight against all odds just to break the bonds between them is now asking him not to leave him alone. And yet…

"I can't Sasuke. I promised her." Was Naruto's soft reply. He instantly regretted it when the alpha pressed their bodies together and pounded the wall beside the omega's temple; frustration and longingness all rolling into one silent plea.

"Please Naruto. At least just for tonight. Let me love you."

Waves of emotion hit Naruto all at once as the room flooded with pheromones. He knew, he could practically taste the desperation behind the alpha's voice, the scent in the air overwhelming him as he tried to make sense of what the other man is saying. He felt his knees weakened as a strong arm caught him by his waist, and Naruto realized just how easy he had fallen into the alpha's grasp. Without hesitation, Sasuke finally closed the distance between them, their lips meeting into a soft tender kiss that practically destroyed the omega's ability to think.

I'm sorry Hinata.

Was what's on his mind as he responded to the alpha's touch. The night soon became a blur of sweet passionate love that quickly devolved into an aggressive, wanton submission to carnal desires. Drunk with each other's scents, with each other's presence, both alpha and omega would unite as one, hidden under the veil of the darkness' shadow with only the soft ethereal moonlight glow bearing witness to their grunts, moans and animalistic growls. Two souls that have been separated time and again by the cruel strands of fate, the universe conspired yet time and again to bring the two over and over again. And yet just as cruelly as it teased their fateful reunion, Naruto knows that they'll have to put this behind them, for it will conspire yet time and again to separate them, away from each other, away from their embrace.

As his alpha collapsed on top of him, Naruto looked on at him in horror upon realizing what he has done, what they have done. He had betrayed two people this night. Sasuke and Hinata. He have to make things right. He knows that the alpha won't remember his rut in the morning. The strong scent in the air have told Naruto just how much lust have his alpha built up for him. While a deep part of him was flattered and even overjoyed at such a revelation, guilt soon began to ate up at him.

And so with steely resolve, he composed himself, carried the alpha back to the Uchiha mansion. With one last look, the omega took in the beautiful sight of his alpha, face flushed as he mumbled a soft "Naruto" that invited a fond smile up to the omega's face. But as soon as it appeared, his face hardened. He can't betray his promise to Hinata. It would go against his ninja way, cut at the very core of his very being, betray not just Hinata but who Naruto is. That is simply not who Naruto Uzumaki is. He does not betray anyone, and when he does he will make it right, he will make things right again. And so with mournful regret, Naruto slowly limped away from the man he loved, the other piece of his soul, his brother and best friend, the only person he considers his home.

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Naruto and Hinata have been trying for two months now and yet, every time they go for a check-up there would be no proof of the life within Hinata's womb that they had been hoping for. It's because she have an alpha recessive gene or so they have been told. Other doctors would explain just how impossible it would be for two omegas to conceive a child together. The doctors told them it was unheard of.

It was also around this time that Naruto started feeling more and more sick. He started having weird cravings in the middle of the night. He have his clones to thank for to secretly fulfilling this craving. He consulted Tsunade in secret, without his wife just as the Kyuubi within him recommended.

He was confused at his suggestion at first but over time, Kurama and Naruto have developed a bond beyond that of host and Jinchuuriki. They are no longer the jailed and jailor that they have been forged to be. More than anything, Kurama have become a paternal figure in Naruto's life, even his other consciousness that balances his decision making even in combat and in life. Whenever he's confused about something, he'd always run to the fox within him.

But in their last encounter, the fox have been particularly cryptic.

"You won't like it Naruto. But go to the Hokage, alone."

Naruto raised his eyebrow at this. That would be the first time he would lie to his wife. His suspicions would be confirmed when he would come face to face with a perplexed Tsunade.

"You're pregnant Naruto." Amidst the surprise and initial shock, there was also a hidden accusatory tone beneath his godmother's voice. "How?" Briefly Naruto's mind flashed back to the night that the alpha have visited him and he gritted his teeth. He had nearly succeeded in forgetting that encounter, hoping to put it behind him so he can move forward to the future. That is if it weren't… for this.

"No one can know grandma Tsunade!"

Surprised at the omega's respectful tone, Tsunade cooked up an elaborate plan to help cover for her godson's plea. The next time that the new Uzumaki couple consulted at the office, she had suggested an artificial insemination to Naruto; convincing Hinata that her alpha carrier womb won't be sufficient to successfully house an infant. And so she have convincingly extracted a seed from both Naruto and Hinata and implanted it to her male omega.

Tsunade was successful in her ruse and Boruto was conceived with Hinata's approval; the other omega not knowing that Naruto have been carrying him for far earlier than that. Naruto was then sent on a year-long training program, a diplomatic program to the land of Waves under the guise of his pre-Hokage duties to hide to their friends his growing and noticeable pregnancy.

With the help of Tsunade, an elaborate genjutsu, not that much different from the one that keeps her youthful appearance have been developed, along with an obsessive study and replication of the fabled Kotoamatsukami and other ninja techniques that convinced the entire village of Hinata's growing pregnancy.

When Boruto was conceived, Hinata became pregnant with Himawari, a miracle perhaps, but Hinata never doubted, never lost her love for their first born. Perhaps it was just an unwanted side effect of the host of genjutsu and techniques placed upon her to maintain her ruse of pregnancy, not even Tsunade herself can explain, they rationalized. But Naruto and Hinata lived their lives loving both their children, with one of the oblivious to the true nature behind their relationship.

No one ever suspected that Hinata's first born was not of Hyuuga blood. He carried proficiency in Hyuuga techniques, having inherited the natural adaptability of Naruto's wind nature and the Uchiha's genius; the village believed Boruto's wit, cunning and talent were all in thanks to the Hyuuga blood coursing through his veins.

And for a while, Naruto have forgotten, and forced himself to forget the biggest lie he ever have to come up with in his life. Until Sasuke's arrival back from his atonement. Naruto and Sasuke would quickly rekindle a growing friendship that blossomed through clandestine meetings, through discreet stolen glances wherever the Uchiha would be in the village.

Naruto could not begrudge the man when he married Sakura, but he accepted it wholeheartedly, sealing the lie he carried in his heart that Sasuke, too would have moved on from his feelings. But it is undeniable that both alpha and omega would continue to dance around each other even after their marriage.

The hokage would seek out ways and excuses to stay away from home, bury himself in his work in anticipation of Sasuke's reports. And Sasuke in turn would linger in his office for far longer, or demand an evidence be handed by the Hokage himself to an undisclosed location where they will rendezvous in silence, away from prying eyes and judgment of the world.

For a time, Naruto have been content with this arrangement. He was content that the alpha have forgotten his passionate confession that night, the gentle kisses turned to whirlwind of emotions that forever will haunt him in his dreams; the omega content in consoling himself that it would be for the best. Self-sacrifice have always been one of his stronger suits, even when he have to fight and bury his guilt over the lies he told. But this guilt would soon come back once more. He have suppressed it for so long that when Sasuke confronted him in his office about Boruto, he just can't help but admit to his alpha, admit to the man that he loved and still loves.

Never would he have thought that the alpha would demand something like this. Naruto looked on in disbelief as Sasuke continued to overpower his senses; the alpha before him continually assaulting him with his pheromones. And the omega could feel it. The need to submit nagging, encroaching at the very back of his mind, threatening to chip away at Naruto's carefully constructed world, lies and deceit to allay his feelings and console his wandering mind of things that could have been.

Here is Sasuke in front of him, offering him, no demanding him the life he had always wanted, to submit, to surrender to an alpha he respected, loved and cherished all those years ago.

And no matter how his rationality tries to fight the alpha's influence, Naruto finds that the omega within him is trying to break free, eager, excited, overjoyed at the chance for liberation against the chains and cage of lies, guilt and deceit that Naruto have constructed all those years ago.

Somewhere deep within, something is screaming at him to make amends to his alpha, the alpha he lied to and deceived all those years. Sasuke have been right. Naruto had lied to him. Naruto deserves whatever scorn the man have for him. And as Naruto met Sasuke's resolute and hardened eyes, his own guilty sapphire blue looked down in utter submission.

Everything have been his fault after all. He had to make things right for him and Sasuke. He is a liar, a dirty deceiver who hurt the man he chased and claimed to love and cherish. And this time, he will pick his alpha's side. He feels his last resolve break as the alpha looked down on him with unreadable expression.

Sensing his faltering and waning control, Sasuke picked up his omega again. He shook the man slightly as he lifted the shaking and conflicted omega before him.

Then Sasuke put on a vulnerable face, a face so pitiful that even Naruto can't help but feel his chest constrict, his breath catching at his throat.

"Please Naruto. Fix this. Fix US. Give us a chance Naruto." The Uchiha straight to his eyes before finally delivering a hot searing kiss that made the omega's mind fly from his body. And Naruto finally welcomed the man, letting the tongue wander inside his mouth. His hands that were balled into fists have now relaxed as he finally submitted to his alpha.

You promised her Naruto

No! My alpha needs me.

It's my fault. I have to make this right.

And just like that. Naruto finally felt his will, his very resolve break as he nod into the kiss. The alpha threw him back to the floor unceremoniously before he turned his back to his omega.

"You will deal with Hinata, Hokage-sama, won't you?"

"Yes, Sasuke." Came a defeated reply, Naruto finally realizes his error, an error that he must make right, something that he consciously done and have to correct; accepting the consequences as a mature grown up man that he is. A triumphant smirk graced Sasuke's face as he makes his way to the door, his body stiff and his eyes cold.

"You will spend the rest of your life making it up to me, Naruto. Are we clear?"

"Yes, alpha."

"Thank you, Naruto." Sasuke's smirk grew wider as he slammed the door before him, a dangerous predatory glint on his eyes as he planned for his next moves. But first, he'll have to do some gentle massage and prodding with his own son as well. Nothing, and no one will separate him from his omega again. In the end, the omega always submits to his alpha.

And Sasuke wouldn't have it any other way.

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A/N: I hope that satisfies. As always tell me what you like or don't like about it. I'm so sorry if some are offended by my recent fics. I've been hit with the submission/domination bug recently and I wanted to write a fic where Naruto will submit to his alpha. But don't worry, my other fics will still be updated. I'm just having a bit of fun with Crimson Lotus for now, just because the submission/domination dynamics have been fun to write lately. Haha.