Difficult Engagements

Chapter 25

The Things we do for Love

Third POV

Kyuubi was usually a calm individual, in his own mind at least. Lately, things have been going on that have prevented him from being his normal composed self. It might have to do with the other Kage's death threats or the idea of no longer having full control of the situation at hand. Ultimately, he doesn't care, he just wants it to stop.

The redhead is looking over the information he has on his most pressing problem right now, Uchiha Itachi. Not much. There is almost no information available about his whereabouts. It turns out his number one strategist was very good at his job. Which never bothered the fox before, until it was used against him.

He never would have known of Itachi's existence if it wasn't for the letter he tried to send his son. The little weasel popped his head out of hiding, and made himself known to all with that one stupid action. He could have laid low and never been thought of again. Alphas do the dumbest things for the Omega they want to fuck.

Kyuubi mutters out, "Stupid fool."

Now that he knows of the wolf's existence he has had people look into him. They found some interesting things, like the death of one of his old Sanin, Orochimaru. Considering That man's involvement with the recent destruction of the Uchiha Clan. It's safe to say Itachi is probably hiding somewhere in the Sound, or at least one of their hideouts.

Good thing people liked to impress the fox while trying to get the upper hand… because Kyuubi knew where most of the old Sound Kage's bases are. It's just a matter of going to each one, one by one until he found a wolf. Once the wolf was out of the picture, there was his other opponent.

Sunagakure's Monster, Sabaku no Gaara, the Godaime Kazekage, Leader of the Allied Shinobi Forces, and the Next Kyuubi.

Heh.

He wished.

That little boy just likes to play pretend. The titles were a bit warring at first, but like most titles, they were all useless words. The Kazekage is still unable to control himself, just like before. And, just like before, the Kazekage had the same weakness.

Uzumaki Naruto. This young Omega was very important merchandise to Kyuubi. His son's ass could give the two kingdoms peace… At least long enough for Kyuubi to get the upper hand on the Kazekage.

Kyuubi's bigger opponent was at a disadvantage.

Naruto didn't have any of his memories. While something like that wouldn't bother the fox, he knew it would bother the racoon. Gaara was always sentimental in that way. Kyuubi was the only one who knew how to break the seal on his son. So if Gaara really wanted to unwrap his present, he'd have to rely on the fox.

Even if the other Kage changed and didn't mind the loss of his precious toy memories, it obviously shook him enough to throw him off his balance. That would be enough to ensure the foxes upper hand.

It's not like The Wind has ever won against the Flame before. History likes repeating itself. Kyuubi always won, and despite current circumstances, it didn't seem like that would change any time soon.

As for the military strength Danzo would be taking care of that shortly. They just needed a few more months to get readjusted to the situation at hand. Kyuubi was still the most powerful Kage one on one, it was just about getting the entire military back on track now.

At least the Wolves of Konoha don't want to kill him any more… they are all dead. So he couldn't use them. Dead is not a threat though.

Itachi is now just a burden. He must be taken care of, sure. However, the Kazekage was the prized opponent. Once he got rid of the wolf, he would just need to get the Kazekage in a one on one.

Light penetrated the room as the door opened, obscuring the newly intruding figure from sight. It was obvious who it was, no one dared disturb the Hokage under any circumstances except two people. And one of them was in another country.

"Kyuubi?" Minato questioned.

"What do you want?" Kyuubi said, closing the files.

"I want to know what was in that letter. Please, I am your mate." the blonde says while he calmly puts a hand on the other man's arm. Exposing the scent glands on his wrist to be taken if needed.

"I let you get away with a lot when you say that phrase, but not this time. Now, leave." He slaps away the offer of relaxing omega scent.

"Does this have to deal with Naruto?"

"It does," Kyuubi admitted.

"Then it is my business. He's our son."

"It doesn't work that way. Why don't you go back to our room and play with yourself or something. I'm busy."

"You've been stressed lately." Minato is trying anything to get any information on his son, exposing his scent to him again.

"I am tired of your tricks, Minato. I usually let you play them, because it gives you something to do. Sometimes, it's even fun for me. Right now, however, I am in no mood. I'm in the mood to fix one of your problems."

"My problems?" The blonde scoffed.

"Yes, I let you play a little game with our boys' love life, and now it's coming to bite us in the ass. All because you wanted to remember not-fucking some low ranking Uchiha from your youth."

"You needed the Uchiha's support to maintain your power. They were planning on turning against you before that. I fixed one of your problems."

"You made my problems worse."

"Really? I made them worse? What would have happened if the Kazekage picked up hints that the Uchihas wanted to start a civil war? Huh?" Minato elaborated the problem even further, "The Uchiha had more connections to all of the clans inside of Konoha. If the Fan of War teamed up with the Wind instead of the Flame, you wouldn't be standing here."

"You did it to save me? If you're going to lie, at least pick something more believable. You chose the Uchiha because you were always more aligned with them. You wanted to be an Uchiha so bad you would give them anything. Even your own son."

em"I chose Itachi, /embecause the Uchiha are loyal people. When they knew their son, their prodigy, had a chance of sitting on the throne they would do anything to maintain that. You misused the tool I gave you to maintain your own power."

"If I just mated him off with Gaara in the first place, we wouldn't be in the situation."

"Don't pretend that was an option. You hated Gaara the second he presented as an Alpha. You're the one that tore them apart in the first place. I had to fix that problem for you."

"You did it for selfish reasons. Don't lie."

"I'm selfish?! You hated the entire Uchiha Clan for someone I never-fucked! It's why you treated them so badly. You restricted their growth opportunities. Didn't give them any of the territory. That they helped you secure, by the way. Since the beginning of Konoha our two Clans have been intertwined, but, because you were jealous of a man you already killed. You fucked that up."

"You loved them together." Kyuubi added, not wanting to talk about the Uchiha's any more.

"Stop comparing our son's relationship to my dead mate."

"I'm not. I was referring to Naruto and Gaara. You loved the two of them together… when they were younger."

"Yeah, I did. Gaara was good for Naruto. Kept him from acting on impulse, he needed someone like that." Mnatio paused, "And then when you realized they could end you, you separated them. I saw your eyes that night."

"I wasn't afraid of dying."

"Yes - you were. You were so afraid of them!"

"All of these things I do for you, and you'll never love me. Why do I even bother being nice." Kyuubi tries to change the conversation again.

"You've never been nice."

"You just don't see all the things I do for you. All the things I do to keep you safe. Everything I do is for you."

"You do what you want to do. Don't rope me into it."

"It's been for you this whole time." Kyuubi tries to show his devotion for his mate.

"I never asked for it."

"You didn't have to."

"... You know, I tried loving you. When Naruto was first born. I tried." the blonde admitted, "I tried so hard… No matter what I did I just couldn't."

"We did good for a few years." Kyuubi tried to persuade, moving his Omega onto his lap.

Minato just scoffed, "Yeah, right."

"We did." Kyuubi brushed a few strands of hair out of the other's face, "Remember when Naruto was a kid… he was such a handful."

"Yeah… I guess."

"You were always so happy back then. You and little Naruto in the gardens..."

A small smile creeped across Minato's face, "Yeah… Remember when you first trained Naruto? He was so excited."

"He takes after me." Pride emanates from his voice.

"He was so aggressive. Kept trying to prove something to everyone. You gave him big shoes to fill." Minato's soft laughter rang through the room.

"He would have filled them well. Knew how to take what he wanted."

"He never let anyone stop him once he set his mind on something." the blonde continued the thought. "I almost felt bad for Gaara."

"That kid never stood a chance against my boy. If it wasn't for his presentation, our son would have been unstoppable."

"You have to forgive him for that. It's not like he had a choice."

"Naruto was doomed by fate. But he chose to keep making bad decisions on top of that. If I knew how close he would have gotten to that kid, I never would have allowed them to meet up in the first place… He could have chosen anyone else, the whole fucking world was open to him, but he had to choose that wind kid."

"Why do you hate Gaara so much?"

"Why are you so willing to offer our son up to the monsters of this world?" Kyuubi grips at his mate's waist tighter, almost bruising.

"You are a monster of this world." There was no venom in this Omega's bite, just the truth.

"It's why I'm not willing to offer our kid up to them. I know what one will do with him if given the chance."

"Sometimes it does sound like you really do love him."

"I love my family. I don't know why you can't see that." Kyuubi finally admitted, "He did scare me."

"Ga-"

Kyuubi finally took a good wift of his Omega's scent trying to calm down. "You stopped taking the tea?"

"How-"

"My Omega hasn't had a single heat in almost 20 years and you think I wouldn't have suspected anything? I let you do that. You know that, right? I wanted a whole litter. I knew you didn't want any more of my children. So I gave you that."

"I thought I would be infertile by now."

"You almost died the first time… Why would you even risk it again?" he yelled, not being able to hide his concern.

"... I didn't think I could any more… I… I really didn't." holding his stomach in fear.

Kyuubi takes a deep breath into his lover's neck, "You haven't started it just yet… either take the tea tonight or get ready to take my knot."

The redhead pressed the button on his desk, "Haruno, get my bedroom ready for a heat and get Minato his tea."

Shock rested on the Omega's face.

"I have to go somewhere tonight, so this is your decision. When I come back I'll know."

"Keep our son safe." Minato adds, knowing he won't get any answers tonight.

"All I do is keep this family safe."

The blonde fox felt as if he had the first real conversation with his husband in years. He unconsciously nuzzled into his chest for safety. Kyuubi just rubbed his scent onto the top of the other's head while looking over the last bit of paperwork.

The Omega's presence did bring some comfort to the Alpha.

Akatsuki members start piling into their leader's office, not used to the sight of affection displayed in front of them.

"Keep the castle safe tonight, I'm going alone." They understood the affection between the two immediately after this statement.

"Will do."

As soon as Kyuubi knew the Palace was well guarded he left for the closest known sound hide out.

Minato POV

Kyuubi left alone. I don't know if I'm ready to face that decision tonight. I never thought I'd have to deal with this again. Instead of going straight to our bedroom, I go to my son's…

I guess this isn't my son's room any more.

Naruto belongs to Gaara now. His new home is in Sunagakure. This all happened so fast, they were just supposed to see each other and get acquainted. That other night was the last real night I had with my baby.

I wish I would have known. I would have done so much more.

Wrapping myself in his blanket, it still smells like my little boy. This room isn't his… it's whatever Kyuubi thought an Omega's room should look like. He tried changing him almost as soon as he presented.

Kyuubi succeeded, I guess.

I checked his hiding spot wondering what he was keeping from us. In a bag hidden in the folds of the mattress and the head board are some scrolls. Itachi must have given them to him, some are Uchiha specific techniques. I knew that Itachi was training Naruto. It didn't take a high level military strategist to figure that out.

Maybe Kyuubi didn't win… My son's spirit is strong. It always has been. He still fights.

Itachi just wanted to make sure that Naruto could defend himself if he ever needed to. I wonder if he knew about the memory loss. He must have known something. He's an Uchiha, he would have noticed the seal. He's a smart kid, he would have figured it out. He probably just wanted to ensure Naruto was safe.

I start flipping through the scrolls to see if any of them could tell me something more about the bond between them. A lot of these techniques are just defense. Very little offensive fighting styles.

Some very specifically Uchiha Omega related for heats. It wasn't obvious to anyone who didn't know the Uchiha's, it looks like a normal defense technique for when your Chakra is unstable. They were very private about any matters, especially those related to Omegas. I wonder if Naruto knew what they were.

At least I know my little boy knows how to protect himself.

I put the rest of the scrolls back in Naruto's hiding place. I just sit on Naruto's bed, I still don't want to make a decision.

It should be easy for me, the answer should be no. I don't want to have a child born into this cruel world. No child should have to experience this. One already did, and each day of that nearly killed me.

Why do I still want to try? Is it just my biology?

Lower belly starts churning with heat, the first symptoms are starting. If I don't take that medicine soon, nothing I can do will stop it. My body wants something I know it shouldn't have.

After a while I start to hear creaking from the window. It's just the wind. Nothing can get past all the guards here. Kyuubi made sure nothing could ever get in… or out of here.

"Naruto? Are you in here?" A voice that I never thought he would hear again, Itachi's.

"I must be fooling myself." Minato thinks out loud. I'm just thinking too much of the past.

"Naru-chan, I have something I need your option about." Itachi's voice said once more.

"Itachi?"

"Oh, Lady Minato, I'm sorry." Itachi bows with the window open behind him.

"You're alive?"

"Yes. I thought Naruto would tell you, but I guess he wanted to keep it a secret. I sent him letters."

"I don't think he knows…" Trailing off at the end. Could he be keeping this a secret… Narutos has never been good at keeping secrets.

Itachi looks at me as if to ask me to continue.

I realized the paper on my husband's desk the day Gaara took my baby away, "They were intercepted."

"The Kyuubi." he whispers.

I just nod, not knowing if it's a question.

"He set Naruto up with The Kazekage… When we thought you were dead.." I said, then thinking more on tonight, the way my husband talked tonight, "That must be why he left tonight... He's looking for you!"

"Where is Naruto?" Itachi said, completely ignoring the fact that he is a target.

"Itachi…" I know he won't leave without this information, "He's with him now. He is with Gaara."

"That son of a bitch is not going to be with my Naruto!" his natural Alpha instinct takes over.

I do not like the way he was talking about Naruto. "Naruto is not property."

"I know he's not, Naruto has free will. Naruto is the one I love, my mate, and I am not going to let some fucked up little kid have his way with him." Itachi is angry, but he's in control of it.

"I'm sorry, it's just… Kyuubi talks about me like that. I don't want Naruto to be talked about like he is property…" I then add, "Naruto needs to know you're alive. I'll let him know as soon as possible."

"It will get inter-"

"I'll make sure it doesn't."

"Hn."

I need to warn him, "You have to leave now; Kyuubi will find you… and if he does he'll kill you."

"Thank you for helping me make my decision. I'll be back in 2 months. Let him know that." Itachi disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"I have to tell him right away." I say to myself alone in my son's old room.

Itachi POV

I follow the same routes Naruto told me about months ago. Never expecting myself to need to use that particular bit of information. However when the blonde speaks, his words seem to stretch across the world and create usefulness from within them. Small kernels of truth and wisdom beyond years fall from his lips as if he said nothing.

All I knew right now was, this entire mission was futile.

A pitiful attempt to reconnect with the one I love, where I did not learn anything I did not already know. I missed him too much that I continued to make stupid decision after stupid decsion to end up here with nothing. I needed so desperately for something to ground me that I risked everything for nothing. I needed to be in the presence of Naruto again.

The way the Omega would make everything seem so, so, so...

Easy.

Nothing has ever been hard for me…. However, falling in love with him was the easiest thing I ever did in my entire life. Naruto could make the whole world seem as if it was as simple as a childs story book. Standing next to him the sun shined brighter and this crazy world made a little bit of sense. I have never desired such a need to give myself over to another quite like this before meeting him.

I was too impulsive.

I could have made so many mistakes.

I did make so many mistakes.

I just needed to see Naruto again, even for a minute. Seeing that blonde hair did give me hope, it was quickly dashed, but I held onto it for a second. Things will get better one day. One day, hopefully soon.

Before I was able to leave the place Kyuubi stopped me.

Shit.

I have not prepared to face him just yet.

His red eyes looked around before landing on me, "You found Naruto's old ways of escape?"

"He told you?"

"Why do so many people think I don't know everything that happens in my own house?" He seems genuinely offended, "No, he didn't have to tell me anything. I know how he thinks. It's interesting to know that he told you, though… He must have really liked you."

"Hn."

"You know, you're supposed to be dead." The fox grinned.

"I'll work harder on that."

"You're usually very good at following orders, almost like an Omega." Kyuubi toys around, cracking knots from his limbs, reading himself for a fight "I liked that about you."

I have to get out of here.

This is not the time to fight him, not while I reside in the foxes territory with his terms. It is not safe, but I need to use my eyes. I do not think it would last long, but it should be able to get me some distance. I get close enough to look into his eyes.

It's a desperate situation.

Tsukuyomi.

I have the Hokage trapped behind a cage. Thick red bars separate him and me.

The Kyuubi looks around, "Nice place."

"Hn."

"Why are you all such ass holes?" he sneers, "It was a compliment."

I do not reply to him. I have no desire to give him any ammunition against me.

"Fine be that way."

My father always said these eyes would be able to control The Kyuubi. Let's put that theory to the test. He does not seem to be able to escape, he's at my mercy.

I might actually be able to end this tonight.

Echos of quickening uneasy footsteps bounce across the walls. The fox is a caged animal still fighting to have control in my Tsukuyomi. He does not want to come to grips that this is my world. I have full control in here.

The Kyuubi grinned as he paced back and forth behind the bars, "You know, I usually don't do the whole monologue thing… but I've been really stressed lately and you're not going to make it out of here."

"You're pretty confident for a man behind bars." I smirk, the fox is right where I want him.

"From where I'm standing, that seems to be you." he jokes, eyes me up and down, paints a grin on his face and asks, "You want to know why I gave him Naruto?"

"I'll bite. Tell me."

"Well, the Kazekage is a very powerful young man…" He starts an idea he doesn't finish.

"So, Naruto is a peace offering?"

Laugher echoes back a response of, "When have you known me to be a man of peace?"

"Hn." I should have left it at that, but I add, "Never."

"Come on my boy, I'm curious, now, why do you really think I gave our opponent my most prized possession?"

"Hn."

"Come on, I was just enjoying our little back and forth. Don't be like the rest of them, have some fun with this. You have the Great and Powerful Kyuubi at your mercy, and you're going to be boring about it?"

"Hn."

"I always hoped my death would be more entertaining than this." he tapped at the bars that divide us.

"I thought you said I was going to die here."

"And you believed me… didn't you?"

"Hn."

"You did!" he says with a childish glee, "You have me trapped in your little world, but you know deep down in that little head of yours… you're at my mercy."

"Hn." I try to redirect the conversation back to the original subject, "So why did you give the Kazekage your son?"

"Guess."

"I'm not going to guess."

"Come on, my boy. It's harmless fun."

"Hn."

He shrugs, "Well if you're not going to play my games, you might as well kill me. How long do I have here by the way?"

"Hn."

"When the last one of you tried this I had a couple of weeks. It was a nice little vacation for me if I'm being honest. Should I prepare for the long haul or?" Kyuubi reveals to me that my father probably did try to control him with his Tsukiyomi, it obviously didn't work. However, I am more powerful than my father. Mine should work.

"You've been here before?"

"Well not here, but yeah. You don't hang around Uchiha without getting familiar with this place." Hetwirls around his personal prison cell with an ostentatious flourish landing on a grin.

"So you know there's no way out."

"Exactly." he redirects, "Now that we both know I'm stuck here, why don't you answer my question… why do you think I gave our opponent my most prized possession?"

Done with his games, I answer his question, "You're using Naruto as bait, to lure the Kazekage into a false sense of security. You plan on double crossing him. Probably at the wedding so you can make a show of it."

"It's a shame…" he shakes his head, muttering to himself after that.

"Hm?"

"Oh?" he perks up as if he didn't expect me to hear that, "I thought you were smart."

"Then enlighten me on the truth."

"I thought you'd never ask, dear boy. It's because I've seen that look in our opponents eyes when he looks at Naruto." he starts.

I let him keep talking, not acknowledging that I had asked many times. I do actually want to hear more of why he killed everyone I know and love. I will hear the information I want straight from the foxes mouth.

I trap him with ropes to stop him from pacing back and forth. The never ending echo was getting on my nerves. His body relaxes into the bindings, no struggling, no attempt to leave. Just a man at peace in his own world.

The Kyuubi speaks almost as if reliving a memory, "It's the same look in my eyes when I look at Minato. You've felt it, too. I've seen it."

I use my control to make everything feel more unstable here. I want him off guard. I tighten the ropes around his neck like a collar...or a noose. I string it up. He's bound and hanging from a rope, with a chair precariously placed under him… ready to slip at any moment.

He's still calm.

"The second I looked into Minato's eyes I became completely encapsulated by them. My brain wants nothing more than to own him. A-know-nothing little farm boy is more powerful than the greatest Uchiha prodigy at their number one skill. This world you made is child's play compared to what Minato can do to me." He is laughing as if every world he has ever been in is just a joke.

He is still behind bars, I remind myself.

"I'm not phased by this make-believe fantasy world you've created. You're so curious about why. I can tell." His red chakra is so hot that it is singing the ropes of my world, he is gaining back control. His body morphing into a full fox with 9 tails swirling behind him.

Larger than life.

Ready to pounce.

Just like the first time I saw him.

He's still in a cage.

He can't get out.

His large arm reaches out past the bars to grab me. He's squeezed so tight. I can't focus.

"The reason I took over so much land? The reason why I can't seem to escape war? Because the only time my brain isn't filled with thoughts of my mate is when I'm on that battlefield. Right now, with my hand on your throat, my only thought is him."

The illusion I created is completely shattered, The Kyuubi's hand is actually around my throat.

The Kyuubi continues his conversation from our old world, "Don't let them deceive you, Minato and Naruto are monsters greater than any of us. Once one of them is in your head, they will never leave. It's why you're doing this right now. The blonde fox got in your head and made a nest there."

Is Naruto in my head?

The Kyuubi was able to take back control so easily. I did something stupid coming here tonight. Especially while my only remaining family, my brother, is vulnerable with child.

"I can't blame you for this. It's not going to save you, but I can't blame you." his hand was still firmly around my throat, removing the air from my lungs.

He almost seems to have pity on me. I can barely see, creating the illusion took a lot out of me. I can feel the blood streaming down my face.

"Our opponent, the Kazekage, he has that same look too. It burns brighter than yours. It's why he killed his father. Not for the years of abuse, no that would be too easy. He wanted the power he could get with his death. The power he needed to get our dear Naru-chan back into his life."

Back into his life? So they really did know each other before, the snake was not lying about that. Naruto didn't seem to have many friends and he definitely would have told me about the Kazekage being one of them...

"It's why he was raising armies against me. You saw the board, it only would have been 5 more months before he started a war. A month before you and my son were supposed to bond for life. That's how I knew why he was doing all of this."

So it was personal this whole time… It also explains why Kyuubi would not have told me about their connection. He was debating which one of us was the easiest to take out first.

"He helped me kill your entire clan just so Naruto would be single. It took one letter, two-fucking-sentences, really, one promise of engagement, and he did exactly as I asked. Thanks for not fucking my son, by the way. I don't think it would have mattered. But it makes the prize a lot sweeter knowing a Uchiha hasn't fucked it first."

This definitely feels personal…

"All of this death, all of this destruction, just for the ownership of one boy." Kyuubi is insane, these are just men, they don't have this type of power over people, "If I didn't give him Naruto. Gaara simply would have killed me for him. And like it or not, they are going to need me around for the hell they are about to unleash upon the world."

"Stop this at once, Kurama." Minato walked in on us, the blonde had a knife to his own throat. "I will kill myself. If everything you say is true that's the last thing you want."

The Kyuubi drops me to the ground and starts to walk over to him, "Don't think you have me, Minato."

Minato brings the knife closer to his own throat, drawing blood, at the sight of the red liquid The Kyuubi flinches. He becomes completely paralized, maybe The Kyuubi was right. Minanto's control over him is stronger than any Tsukuyomi I ever could have put him under.

"Itachi leave! This is between me and my husband now."

"Put the knife down, and he's free to go." the red fox is still terrified to move an inch, I've never seen this man afraid of anything. This man loves the sight of blood. He's bargaining my life against the others.

"When Itachi is gone I will." He's shaking.

This is my only chance to leave, I use my last bit of chakra to get myself out of the room. As soon as I leave I hear the sound of the knife hitting the floor. Kyuubi is not concerned with getting me right now.

Pure fear dripped from each one of his words, "Don't ever do that again."

What's up demons? It's ya' boi.

I was gonna make this a Kyuubi POV Chapter… but then I was like no. It would be insufferable to watch him argue with Minato from his point of view. So I decided to spare you from that and keep it third person and Itachi.

I was also going to merge this one with the next one and give you one big chapter… but I was like it's the weekend and I feel like I never release anything on the weekend.

This is technically the last bit of content from the old fic, the scene where Itachi visits Minato, but seeing that the old fic is only 50k words and this one is 130k words… There's obviously a lot that has changed. I hope that if you have read the original that you enjoy the changes… If you haven't please don't, this ones better.