AN: So, I'm predicting another four? maybe five? chapters.

and this one is NC-17

thanks for reading!

Disclaimer: Don't own.

One week later...

Minoru was finishing his shift in the mission room, preparing to go to the Hokage tower afterwards. The fact that he hadn't seen or spoken to Hatchi in the past week, didn't surprise him. And he was going to heed Naruto's advice and try very hard not to be upset when he did see him, because, like he had told him, "he wasn't worth it".

He left the mission room and headed down the hall, and much to his chagrin Hatchi came in through the entrance. The other man's teal eyes looked at him just as he turned on his heel and walked the direction from which he came from.

"Minoru-san - wait!"

"Be civil."

Minoru stopped and sighed when the older man's words came into mind. Fine. He mentally frowned as he turned around and Hatchi caught up to him. The other man hesitated before speaking.

"Can...Can I have a word with you?" Hatchi paused, "In private?"

Minoru furrowed a brow, "...Okay...I don't have long though..."

Hatchi shook his head, "I won't take too much of your time." He gestured for him to follow, and Minoru reluctantly did.

Minoru followed the other man to a courtyard that people hardly used. Maybe for quick lunches, but that was about it. He watched as the older man scratched at his head and then looked at him. He quirked a brow in question.

"I wanted to apologize," Hatchi started, "For what I said the other day. For... Everything I've said to you. It's really inexcusable but...I hope you can forgive me."

Minoru stared at the other man, apparently for a bit too long because he started to fidget, "Can I ask you something?" The other man nodded, "Just... Why? Because for some reason since day one you've had this attitude towards me..."

Hatchi sighed and looked off to the side for a brief moment before looking at Minoru again, "Self-preservation."

Minoru narrowed his eyes, "What?"

"I have feelings for you, Minoru-san," Hatchi forced out, "That day I 'bumped' into you in the Hokage tower wasn't an accident. I just wanted an excuse to talk to you... Because I had seen you around, for quite a while," he hesitated averting his gaze, "And that same day I learned I was going to be training you to work at the mission room. And for some reason, I was cold towards you... I didn't mean to, but I was. And I apologize for that." He sighed, "I have a tendency to push people away when I have feelings towards them.. And when I found out about you and Naruto," he scratched at the back of his neck and looked at the other man, "I'm sorry."

Minoru furrowed his brows slightly, "I would say it's okay, but it's not..."

Hatchi sighed, "I know..." There was a long moment of silence before he spoke again, "I don't think I had a chance, did I?" He smiled at the rhetorical question, "It seems that you two have been in love for a long time."

Minoru fought a blush and offered the other man a small smile, "Yeah."

Hatchi smiled, "I wish you two the best."

Minoru's smile softened, "Thank you." The other man hesitated before leaving and walked back into the building. And Minoru pinched the bridge of his nose and tried not to laugh at himself or the situation. Naruto was right. He sighed and made his trip to the Hokage tower.

Kakashi frowned at the file he was reading and leaned back in his chair. He looked up when he heard the double doors to his office open.

Minoru smiled and laughed at the bored look on his dad's face, "You wanted to see me?"

Kakashi closed the file on his desk and gestured to an open chair. Minoru eyed the stack of papers on his desk as he took a seat, "Oh, that too, but there's another matter I want to discuss with you first."

Minoru looked from the stack of papers to his dad, "Okay."

"I'm going to assign you a mission, class B, borderline A. It'll be a solo mission, think you can handle it?"

Minoru hesitated before nodding, "Yeah," Kakashi wasn't convinced.

"I personally know you can, but you need to know that too," Kakashi drummed his fingers on the desk, "You have everything under control now, I know you handle being out there by yourself. What do you think?"

"I agree, and I won't know how it's like until I do it."

Kakashi considered his son for a moment, before handing him the scroll, "it shouldn't take you long. Maybe three days. I expect you back no later than five." He watched Minoru as he read the scroll, "There may be casualties, you'll have to take care of them as you see fit. Take care of your objective."

Minoru nodded, "When do I leave?"

"Tomorrow morning, I would suggest earlier the better," Kakashi cleared his throat, "Make sure you get enough rest."

Minoru looked down at the scroll again to fight off his blush from the implication, "Kakashi-dad?"

"Hm?"

"Thank you."

Kakashi tilted his head and furrowed a brow, "For what?"

Minoru smiled, "Just thank you."

Kakashi smiled, "And thank you for helping me with these," he gestured at the stack of papers on his desk.

Minoru chuckled, "Yeah, you better."

Naruto walked down a road with a bag of groceries in a hand. He looked up in thought and stuffed a hand into his pocket and pulled out a paper that had "GET THESE TODAY" written across the top in Minoru's handwriting with a doodle of a grocery bag holding a shuriken in one hand and a loaf of bread in another. He laughed to himself and looked over the list to make sure he got everything. A half gloved hand took a bag from him and he looked up in surprise as lips slipped over his in a brief kiss.

"I see you actually got your groceries!" Minoru said in an amused tone.

Naruto grinned, "I didn't want another lecture."

Minoru gave him a somewhat horrified look, "Oh god, please don't tell me I nag at you!"

Naruto laughed and couldn't stop laughing even after the younger man gave him a half hearted smack on the arm. He tried, he did, but snorted when Minoru frowned at him. "For what it's worth, you don't nag, you just worry about my well being and I appreciate that," he snorted, "But that look on your face was priceless."

Minoru felt his face heat up as he glared and walked away from the older man, "By the way, you forgot your milk!" He called back behind him and heard a soft curse.

When they reached Naruto's apartment, Minoru helped him put his things away and Naruto cut up some fruit.

"I have some news, which do you want first, good or bad?" Minoru asked and pushed himself up onto the counter.

Naruto frowned, "The fact that there's bad news is unnerving... So give me the bad first." He pressed a slice of an apple against the younger man's lips and grinned when he playfully snatched it away.

Minoru stalled with his chewing and gave the older man a sideways look, "You were right about Hatchi." The knife Naruto was cutting with hit the board rather hard, and he looked from the knife to the older man who was staring down at the now embedded blade. Cerulean eyes turned to him and gave him a sheepish look.

"Well, that's a first," Naruto chuckled nervously and yanked the knife out. He cleared his throat and cleared off his cutting board before casually turning it over, "What did he tell you?"

Minoru looked down at his lap, "He apologized for everything. He explained that he didn't mean to be rude towards me,that it was a self-preservation thing... Which I guess I understand."

Naruto pressed another slice of apple on lips that was snatched away by teeth, "What did you tell him?"

Minoru sighed, "Nothing really, I just told him that I couldn't really say it's okay and forgive him. But I guess he understood," he bit his slice, "Which now I feel kind of bad about." Naruto gave him a questioning look, "'Cause...I kinda know how it feels..."

Naruto's expression softened, "But he said some hurtful things to you, Minoru. More than one occasion."

"I know," Minoru watched as the older man plucked grapes and washed them, "I just.. I don't know."

Naruto smiled, "Its because you're a good person," he popped a grape into his mouth, "I think otherwise you wouldn't give a single care."

Minoru sighed and smiled when a grape was pressed against his mouth. He locked eyes with the cerulean pair and teasingly swirled his tongue around it before taking it between his teeth.

Naruto chuckled and put everything into a bowl and moved to the living room, Minoru followed, "Well, in the end that's kinda awkward." He sat on the couch and propped an arm on the back rest.

Minoru sat facing him in the same manner, and ran a hand through his hair, "Yeah, well there's nothing I can do about that." He took an apple from the bowl between them and bit off a piece.

Naruto smiled, "So what was the good news?"

"I got my first solo mission," he said with a smile.

Naruto's smile widened, "And how do you feel about it?" He said knowingly, and his smile softened when Minoru's faltered.

Minoru looked down at the couch, at the bowl of fruit in between them, "I guess I feel kind of nervous, but I don't really have anything to worry about."

Naruto nodded, "I for one know you can handle it, but the important thing is that you know that you can. Because you're the one that is going to be there."

Minoru looked at the older man with an unsure look on his face, "Maybe it's because I've only worked with teams, I don't really know how it's like to be out there by myself."

"And there's nothing wrong with that," Naruto reassured and popped a grape into his mouth, "There's shinobi that prefer working with teams than being solo. And there's some that prefer working alone, like Kakashi. But it's important to know that you can work alone if needed."

Minoru sighed and leaned his head on his propped hand, "What's your preference?"

"You," Naruto teased and laughed when Minoru blushed and glared, "I prefer working in teams. I personally think it helps to look at a situation with different perspectives. But, there's advantages to working alone too." He took a slice if an apple and crunched into it, "although it helps to lessen the blow when working in a team."

Minoru took a grape and considered it, "It the end it'll be okay."

"When do you leave?"

"Tomorrow morning."

Naruto nodded and took a slow bite from an apple slices as he thought. He noticed the midnight blue eyes looking intently at him making him quirked a brow.

"What is it?"

Naruto smiled, "Nothing," a grape effectively hit him on the forehead. He frowned and threw it back. He sighed, "It's nothing really. However, I did rent a movie." He reached for the movie on the coffee table, "Movie time?"

Minoru smiled warmly at the older man, "Of course."

Minoru had a tendency of falling asleep during movies, mostly when the story line dragged or it wasn't really one he cared much for. And Naruto had noticed over the span of time that they've been together, that the younger man falls asleep much quicker when snuggled up against him. But he didn't mind. Not at all. Minoru was always a comfortable weight whether he was leaning or half sprawled on him. He was always warm and comfortable, and Naruto hardly ever had the heart to wake him.

Naruto looked from the TV to his lap where Minoru was using his thigh as a pillow. He smiled down at him, at the way he was holding his hand in his while he slept. He remembered an instance when Minoru had fallen asleep on him, they were watching a movie and they were lounging on the couch. Somehow, Minoru had wound up wedged between the back of the couch and Naruto's side. His arm has wound up over his leg and his head was pillowed on a hip. And Naruto still remembered how it felt, when Minoru snuggled closer, the warmth on his hip, how cold it felt when Minoru woke up and moved away embarrassed. How hard he tried not to think about how it felt to have his body pressed against his.

And right now, with him holding his hand and using him as a pillow he couldn't stop smiling. He looked at the TV when the credits started to roll. He reluctantly reached for the remote which caused Minoru to stir. Sleepy midnight blue eyes blinked up at him and yawned. He threaded his free hand into the dark hair and smiled when Minoru snuggled closer to him, "Do you have to go?"

Minoru sighed and brought the hand in his up to his lips and kissed the knuckles, "Unfortunately all my gear is at home."

Naruto lightly tugged on the dark locks between his fingers earning him a soft hum in response.

"But I have some time," Minoru said softly and chuckled.

Naruto beamed, "You don't say."

Naruto found himself staring up at his ceiling. It was late enough in the morning and he was pretty sure Minoru had left at dawn like he planned. He sighed and rubbed a hand on his face and reached over to his nightstand to retrieve a book that he has been wanting to catch up on.

The next day Naruto was finding it hard to distract himself. Even after sparring sessions with Lee, and some lessons from Sakura. He didn't know what to do with himself. It was strange, he didn't usually have this problem, and he knew why he was having it now. It was inevitable and he knew, and it wasn't that he worried, it was that he wasn't used to this. It was usually him that went away on an assignment or they went away together in a team. He wasn't used to his absence. And he knew Minoru would be okay, it was something he could handle.

Naruto wandered into a store and mentally frowned at himself when he realized it was the art store that Minoru could basically live in. He sighed when a pang of longing hit him, and frowned at himself again when he realized it was only the second day. He wandered around the store anyway looking at the different supplies and materials. He reached the canvas aisle and looked at the different sizes. He eyed a size that said sixteen by twenty, slightly smaller than the one in his apartment. He picked it up on a whim and walked with him. A thought occurred to him and wandered into another aisle and picked up some pens he knew Minoru liked to use. And some oil pastels he knew were running out. He paid and left before he got carried away.

Two days later...

Night had just fallen when the gates to Konoha came into sight. They should have brought a sense of relief, but they didn't. Minoru moved on auto pilot, going through the gates wordlessly and taking to the rooftops to the mission room. He knew it was still open and he wanted to get it out of the way. He didn't remember walking through the halls but he was there, going through the double doors. Hatchi and someone else was manning the desk during the closing shift. He walked up to the one that available and handed his report. He looked around idly, waiting, missing the intent look Hatchi was giving him.

"Minoru-san?"

Minoru looked at Hatchi and quirked an eyebrow in response.

"Are you alright?"

Minoru nodded, his fingers twitched, "Am I done?"

Hatchi eyed him, noting a dark stain on the other man's uniform. He quickly went over the report and filed it away, "Thank you."

Minoru nodded and left. He moved without thinking. He took to the rooftops, the air felt cold on his face. He landed back down on a road and looked up at the apartment building before moving. He was knocking on the door before he knew it. Chilled fingers pulled on a glove subconsciously, and dark eyes scanned the hall he walked through. His attention snapped to the door when it opened and Naruto gave him a surprised smile.

"You're back!" Naruto said happily and noticed the forced small smile that pulled on Minoru's lips. Something was off. He didn't know what but he could feel it, "Get in," he gestured inside and the younger man walked in and toed off his shoes before walking a few steps towards the living room.

Naruto eyed him, noticed the tension in the younger man's back, the way he took a deep breath as he stood facing away from him, the way it came out ragged but some of the tension left his back, "Minoru? Are you okay?"

Minoru swallowed and turned around to look at the older man. The cerulean eyes were on him, worried. He searched the older man's face and moved without realizing it. All he knew was that needed him, needed his warmth, his lips, his love. Him.

Naruto found himself being pulled by a half gloved hand and locked into a deep kiss. He couldn't help but notice that it felt almost desperate. He cupped the younger man's jaw and delved his tongue into his mouth and felt the body against his shiver. Then he knew. Minoru needed this. Whatever it was that he sensed when he opened the door and the younger man gave him a forced smile, he'll find out later. But right now, Minoru was grabbing at his shirt and eagerly pulling it off.

He pulled away and his shirt met the floor, glowing eyes roamed over him and Minoru let out a sharp breath through his nose as he pulled off his gloves and let them join the shirt. Hands were on him and lips locked over his again. He managed to undue Minoru's hitai ate and let it meet the other articles on the floor with a thud that went unnoticed. He pulled away and gave them a paused, he took a warm cheek into his palm and looked at his breathless lover. Glowing eyes locked with his and he brushed his thumb on a cheek bone, noticing how he leaned into his touch.

"Naruto."

He locked their lips in a searing kiss at the sound of his whispered name. His hands stripped the younger man of his gear and shirt. Hands roamed over pale skin making the younger man moan in the kiss and hands pulled him flush. He groaned at the hardness that nudged his, at the way Minoru ground his hips on him. He threaded his fingers into the dark locks and latched onto that spot and wasn't disappointed when Minoru arched towards him, rocked his hips against him, moaned his name. He maneuvered them and pushed Minoru onto the bed crawling over him as he moved further back. Hands pulled him down into another kiss as his hands undid the belted pants. They both gasped for air as Minoru lifted his hips letting him pull the pants off. Naruto groaned at the sight of his aroused lover, as hips slowly rocked towards him, wanting him, urging him. He took the heated flesh into his hand and groaned when Minoru's hips bucked at his touch. Hands smoothed over to his lower back and pulled his pelvis closer. It was clear what Minoru wanted, and he wasn't going to deny him of anything, especially right now.

Naruto leaned over to the nightstand and hands pulled his sleeping pants past his hips, and lips latched onto a sensitive nipple. He rolled his hips making the younger man arch his neck back as he let out a loud moan. He breathed out sharply through his nose as he leaned back to rid of his pants, his eyes roaming over the body laid out in front of him. The glowing pair of eyes were fixed on him as he slicked his fingers. Legs spread wider for him as he traced the younger man's entrance and slowly pushed in a finger, making him gasp and his hips rock back onto the intrusion.

"Naruto," Minoru moaned, "More -" be broke off with a cry of pleasure as another finger pushed in and crooked inside of him, "P-please-"

Naruto leaned down, bracing himself on a forearm and sealed his lips over the panting pair. He teased the bundle of nerves as he pumped his fingers. Hands found purchase on his shoulder blades and hugged him closer. He withdrew his fingers when he felt a hand move around to his front and grasp his aching flesh, and leaned back to slick himself. The slender hips shifted closer and glowing eyes were fixed on him as he positioned himself and started to push in. He planted his hands on the younger man's hips when he felt them push back a bit too eagerly. He rubbed circles with the pads of his thumbs on the sharp hip bones as he steadied himself.

"Minoru," he said a bit too breathlessly, and the younger man reached for him, pulled him down and kissed him deep and hard and wet. And fingers threaded into his hair, and fingers gripped onto his shoulder. And legs wrapped around his waist with thighs shivering against him. And he moved, thrusting into the hot body under him, eliciting gasps and moaned and those noises. Oh those noises Minoru made. The heel that dug into the small of his back asked for more.

"Naruto," Minoru said between pants, "Ha-harder - " he choked on a moan as the rigid length thrust against his prostate, "Please - " A pulse ran down his spine when the older man growled in response.

Naruto planted his hands next to the dark head, entwining his fingers with a hand that was tangled in the sheets. He circled his hips and drove into the tight heat, Minoru cried out from under him, moaning and panting for air as he aimed for that spot. That spot that made him writhe with pleasure, made him arch towards him, made those glowing eyes look at him from under dark lashes. He thrust hard and deep, and reached in between them making Minoru whisper his name between pants of hot air as he started stroking him in time. The hand in his tightened its grip as it's pair directed him into a hot kiss. He delved his tongue into that hot mouth, eliciting needy noises from the back of Minoru's throat. His hips moved faster on their own accord, sharply against that spot.

"I love you," Naruto whispered against lips, "I love you." Minoru choked on his response as his orgasm claimed him, making him arch towards him as he spilled his hot seed in between them. The resulting contraction pushed him off the edge and he was coming with him, spilling his seed deep inside the younger man. Their hips rolled through their shared orgasm, their breaths mingling together as they calmed themselves. Naruto pressed a kiss against over the thundering pulse, and the hand in his relaxed its grip. He looked down at Minoru, at the flushed face and glowing eyes that slowly opened to look back up at him. A warm hand cupped his cheek, the thumb stroking his cheekbone, his nose, bottom lip, his chin.

"Better?" He asked softly with a smile, and Minoru smiled back at him and nodded, and he was relieved to see that it wasn't forced.

Minoru traced the older man's brow, gingerly brushing away the stray bangs from his forehead, "...I'm sorry." The blonde brows furrowed in question, and he blushed despite himself.

Naruto's expression softened and he planted a kiss on a flushed cheek, "Minoru," he trailed off thinking of his words, "I love you. And I love making love to you," he softly chuckled, "maybe a little bit too much, but that's besides the point," he gave the younger man a chaste kiss,"Whether it's spontaneous, or you need to feel like yourself again, I'm here for you as I know you're there for me. Okay?"

Minoru swallowed through the lump in throat and a soft smile tugged on his lips, he brushed his thumb under a smiling eye and nodded, "Okay."

Naruto softly chuckled and lovingly nuzzled a cheek, planting a kiss, "Okay?" He gave be the same treatment to his neck, "Okay?" Minoru laughed under him as he moved to the opposite side, "Okay?"

"Okay," Minoru said with a laugh and lips sealed over his in a languid kiss that made his skin break out into goosebumps.

"Welcome home."

Minoru's smile widened, "Thank you."

"And... If you want to talk about what happened..." Naruto left his statement unfinished and the midnight blue eyes flickered for a second before the younger man nodded. He pressed his lips on the pale forehead before shifting and pulling the covers over them. He rolled onto his side, facing Minoru who shifted closer. He threaded his fingers into the dark locks and smiled when his lover's breathing evened out. It wasn't long until he followed.

He was soundless. Undetectable. He landed on a rooftop silently. And slipped in.

It was simple, get in get out. The client needs something retrieved. So far it was going well.

He moved. Listened. And slipped through a door.

It must've been bad timing. It must've been something he missed. Because there was a guard where there wasn't supposed to be.

It must've been a change in rounds.

His kunai moved quicker than the guard reacted. His hand muffled any noise he could have made.

Same for the guard that came around the corner.

Same for the guards that he couldn't avoid.

He was soundless. His kunai was soundless.

The blood that soiled the floor was soundless.

Minoru's eyes snapped open. There was a warm hand on his cold face, and equally warm cerulean eyes looking right at him.

"Breathe," Naruto said softly, noting the faint glow in the younger man's eyes, "Breathe."

He exhaled a ragged breath he didn't know he was holding and swallowed as he closed his eyes, trying to chase away the images. The memory. He took comfort from the thumb that brushed under his eye, from the warmth radiating from the older man. He let out a deep sigh and opened his eyes to find the cerulean pair giving him a soft look.

"I'm not used to killing, Naruto," he said softly, barely a whisper, and the thumb that was tracing his cheekbone paused for a fraction of second before continuing. "It's not that I never have, you know that," he swallowed, "Its just that... It was different. Before, I wasn't alone, there was some sort of camaraderie. But this time...," he paused and brushed his fingers on the older man's chin, "Kakashi-dad warned me, he told me this could happen, the numbness. He said that it just need to remember that... What I do doesn't make me who I am..." He swallowed and fingers combed into his hair, "I felt...cold inside. I was moving on auto pilot and... Kept trying to remember what I've been told, but I couldn't keep that feeling away. I know that it takes some getting used to, and I need to remember that it's our duty and it doesn't make us who we are. And I got back, and all I could think of was you. How I never feel cold with you," a thumb swiped at his eye, and lips kissed his forehead.

"You're okay now," Naruto reassured with a gentle smile, "It's important to remember that, that you aren't what you do. It's your duty, it doesn't make you who you are. It's hard to remember that at first, but when you do, in the end you know you'll be okay." Fingers traced his lips before moving to his cheek. Minoru sighed before snuggling closer and tucking his head under his chin. He kissed the crown of his head wrapped his arm around him, "You're safe now, you're home." He felt lips kiss his clavicle and he couldn't help but smile.

Naruto was on the border of sleep and wake when he felt a warm gentle hand slowly smoothed down over his chest, fingers teased a nipple into a nub and lightly pinched. He sighed and lips pressed against his clavicle, and felt them curve into a smile as the hand trailed down over his ribs. Lips brushed against a nipple, hot breath ghosting over his skin as the hand continued to move lower over his stomach. He sighed again when those fingers ghosted over his growing erection and a hot tongue teased his nipple. The body against his side slid closer, his erection nudged his hip. Fingers circled the head of his hard member and moved along the underside of his shaft. Lips made a trail of kisses along his chest up to his clavicle, up his neck and below is earlobe.

"Naruto."

The sultry whisper sent a shiver through him and he forced opened his heavy eyelids as lips brushed against his earlobe and the warm hand wrapped around his erection in a loose teasing grip.

"Naruto."

His breath caught when that hot mouth latched onto his neck and sucked lightly over his pulse. He groaned when the grip around him firmed. Minoru chuckled against his neck and rocked his hips towards him. He shifted, rolling and sliding to straddle his thigh, positioning himself with one knee between his. Naruto looked up at him as he hovered above him, a warm smile on his lips as he slowly stroked him. He slid his hand up a strong thigh and cupped a hip, following their slow rocking motion. He reached up, tangling his fingers into the dark locks and pulled him down into a slow, tender kiss. His hand gravitated to the ignored erection bobbing for attention causing the younger man to mewl into the kiss.

They stroked each other slowly, teasingly, hands working with familiarity. They dragged it out until they were both panting and gasping for air, thrusting their hips into each others hands. Their breathless moans echoed in the room. Naruto came first, his orgasm washing over him like a tidal wave. The illuminated eyes were on him, watching him until they slid shut and the erection in his hand pulsed and come spurted onto his stomach. Their lips met in a loving kiss, and Naruto couldn't help the silly grin that spread on his lips.