Summary: Menma is left with no other choice but to entrust his precious twin with the Uchiha… He just hoped he hadn't made a mistake. Esper/Guide modern Sci-Fi AU. SasuNaru.

TRIGGER WARNING: Prologue contains mild (? lol) incest that isn't followed through.

Prologue

''You're awake.''

Naruto's blurry vision slowly cleared. The hospital's bright light made him wince, but he soon adjusted. Standing not far from his bed was an unknown, masked, gray-haired man. He was a wearing vaguely familiar uniform; a military-style black suit and tie with a red shirt, along with gun holsters. He was also wearing a badge with a logo that Naruto couldn't quite make out.

''Where am I?'' The blond weakly sat up in his bed, wincing as he moved his aching limbs. He had bandages and patches all over. He rubbed his eyes awake, mind groggy and unfocused undoubtedly from heavy painkillers. He noticed the other bed next to him. His eyes widened.

''Menma!'' He cried out at the sight of his unconscious, injured brother. His skin was sickly pale, drenched in cold sweat and he was connected to a respirator. Naruto threw the blanked off him and rushed out of bed. His weak legs instantly gave in under his weight. He whimpered and gripped onto the bars of his bed to help himself up.

He froze when he saw a gloved hand reach out. He looked up hesitantly to meet the eyes of his visitor. Now properly awake and looking closer, he finally recognized Uchiha Corp's logo. He frowned suspiciously but accepted the hand nonetheless. He doubted having a man of the most powerful entity in Japan in his hospital room could mean anything good. Not that the organization was evil; they were the only reason Japan was still standing somewhat strong and stable despite everything, but...

''Good thing you're awake. Your brother needs you. He'll get better now that you are able to guide him.'' The man helped him move to his twin brother's bed. Naruto stared.

''G-guide? … I'm not a guide.''

''Late bloomers like yourselves are rarer but it is not unheard of when new gates appear,'' the man smiled. ''I'm Hatake Kakashi, by the way.''

''A new gate?'' Confusion was quickly followed by a sharp headache. Flashes of the accident suddenly came to him. He gripped his hair on the sides of his head, trying to distract from the searing pain building up in his brain. A fissure in the sky, monsters, the car tumbling, his parents dead... ''Ah... no... no!'' Tears gathered and streamed along his cheeks. He felt the uniformed man help climb into his brother's bed.

''I know it's difficult, but your brother needs you. You need to focus. Do you know what to do?''

Naruto sniffed and tried to calm himself down. He forced himself to push aside the morbid memories and to instead concentrate on his brother. He had lost his parents... but he would not lose his twin.

''I-I think I do. Physical contact.'' Naruto stammered nervously. Of course, like anybody else, he knew of Hunters and Guides. He knew their roles and roughly the mechanics of their abilities. Did that mean Menma was now a hunter?

''That's right.''

Naruto swallowed thickly and undid the first few buttons of his hospital-provided pyjamas. Then, he gently propped up his twin brother, careful not to mess with the IV and mask, and gently placed his head in the crook of his neck, his cheek resting on his exposed tanned skin.

Kakashi observed silently, eyes sharp and focused, ready to spot anything of interest. In seconds, the expression on the unconscious boy softened already. The lieutenant's brow rose, intrigued. Soon, colour came back to the teen's complexion... then, right before his eyes, he saw a few minor, surface cuts heal up entirely before him.

Interesting... it seems I didn't waste my time coming here after all. These boys were the only survivors of that new gate. I see why now. This Hunter seems low level judging from the blood test results but this blond kid on the other hand...

Kakashi suspected the other twin, Naruto, was the only reason the hunter was still alive. The squadron on site had found the fifteen years old twins on top of each other in the debris. The hunter had protect his guide from the blunt of the explosion. It seemed that surface contact from the guide had been enough to keep the other alive.

Looks like I might have finally found a guide for you, Sasuke, Kakashi thought, smile hidden under his mask.

''Excellent. He already looks better,'' the lieutenant said cheerfully.

''Does he really?'' Naruto asked hopefully, eyes brimming with tears.

''He does.'' Kakashi nodded. ''Now you to rest up. The medical staff will take good care of you. I will check up on you again to sign you up and begin your training in a few weeks time.''

Naruto stared uncertainly but chose to say nothing. He supposed everything made sense now. Indeed, if his brother and him were hunter and guide respectfully, Uchiha Corp would waste no time in recruiting them in the fight against their recent invaders.

The blond watched the officer leave the room silently. His heart felt heavy with the new reality facing him and his brother. Tears fell freely down his cheeks. He held his brother tighter... whatever would come next... at least they had each other.

OoOoO

''So it's true...''

Both Menma and Naruto turned to the new visitor entering their hospital room. Both twins smiled recognizing their childhood friend Neji. He had been among the first ''batch'' of awakened now three years ago already. He had only been thirteen back then, but Uchiha Corp had wasted no time in recruiting him regardless. The monsters had just started appearing back then. Everything was chaos and forces were amassing as best they could to defeat the enemy. The world had reached a fragile equilibrium now with the menace more or less under control and the main gates under high surveillance.

''Neji! It's been so long!'' Menma was the first to get up and greet their friend with a warm hug. Naruto followed suit. He noticed the insignia on his uniform. From the looks of it and what little he knew of hunter ranking, it seems Neji was a formidable one sitting at rank B.

''I'm glad to see you alive, Neji,'' Naruto smiled, breaking the embrace.

''That's my line, Naruto...'' Neji's smiled sobered. ''I'm sorry for your loss...''

Both twins looked at each other, seeking comfort in their presence.

''Thank you,'' Menma answered. ''What brings you here?''

Neji threw a nervous look at Naruto, then focused on Menma once more.

''Oh, just, when I saw your names among the new upcoming recruits, I had to check on you myself. I actually help train newcomers.''

''Really? That's great to hear,'' Naruto smiled, shoulders relaxing. ''It'll be good to see a familiar face there, right?'' He turned to his twin brother. Naruto blinked. His dark haired twin didn't look pleased at all.

''Yeah,'' Menma replied awkwardly a second too late. He smiled, trying to reassure his concerned brother.

The three of them then went on with small talk; catching up with each other's lives and the general situations with the mutants in the region. Menma kept a close eye on Neji. It seemed, from the brief looks he was getting from him whenever Naruto was distracted, that he wanted to speak alone with him. After a while, when it seemed appropriate and more natural to do so, he asked his blond brother to get them some refreshments from the cafeteria. It seemed to work; Naruto perked up and diligently exited the room with a smile.

Neji kept his eye on Naruto as he closed the door behind him and strained his ear to make sure he could the sounds of his footsteps were dying down. A trail of sweat dripped along Menma's temple. Neji turned to him and whispered.

''You have to get Naruto out of here as soon as you can... as far away from Uchiha Corp as you can.''

Menma stared, mouth agape. He frowned, confused.

''W-why?''

''Do you have even the slightest idea how guides are treated?'' Menma flinched at his old friend's harsh tone. He looked away, trying to recall what public information was shared... Guides were not involved in combat. They were kept safe and waited for hunters to come back from raids to offer grounding and healing.

''I know what the public thinks,'' Neji sighed. He rubbed his temples. ''There are not many hunters in this world... and even less guides... You know how guiding works, right? The more intimate the physical contact, the more efficient it is...''

Menma let the information sink in... He also knew this, but, putting two and two together... He looked up at his childhood friend, throat tight. He felt too terrified by the idea to speak it out loud.

''If you don't want your brother to end up a glorified whore to a half a dozen random hunters, then get the fuck out of here as soon as you can.''

OoOoO

Five years later …

''Watch out! There's another one on the left!'' Menma shouted to his brother as he punched another mutant. His abnormal strength made the creature practically explode into dozens of filthy pieces.

Naruto flung himself behind one of the many small concrete walls that had been put around the mine for cover, narrowly escaping a shot of acid from the monster. He quickly put in a new cartridge in his gun, then shot several loads at the horrid, cockroach-like monster. It let out horrid screeching sounds with each bullet.

Guns were far from the most rffective weapons against them, but fortunately it was enough to slow them down until the hunters could take care of them. He stopped shooting when his brother rushed towards the creature. In no time, the creature was dealt with, but not without leaving his brother seriously injured.

''Menma!'' Naruto panicked, rushing over to his brother. He bit his lips nervously when he saw the acid burns on his brother. He wrapped his brother's arm around his neck and helped him up, letting himself be used as a clutch.

''A-are they all gone?'' Menma said, looking around for enemies.

''I think they're all gone.'' Naruto looked worriedly over his brother. He was not only injured, but also clearly overtaxed from using his powers. Fortunately, the shift was almost over and he'd be able to guide him at home.

The two of them limped their way to the small makeshift Hunter HQ of the mine. The other hunters gathered as well, all of them injured or tired, but none were missing this time.

Familiar angry and dirty looks were shot their way. Naruto was used to them, but they were starting to become harder and harder to ignore as these attacks had strangely become more frequent in the last two weeks. The hunters were exhausted and self-control was running thin.

''For fuck's sake…'' one of them spat. ''If you aren't going to share the guide, you could at least do us the courtesy of getting killed.''

''Maybe I should put you out of your misery,'' Menma replied through clenched teeth.

''Brother…'' Naruto squeezed his shoulder and helped him to a nearby couch for both of them to sit down. ''Just ignore them,'' he whispered.

''You think you're above everyone else, protecting your brother like that…'' Lee, one of the hunters, growled and clenched his fists. Both twins looked up in surprise. He was one of the rare few who normally wasn't so spiteful to them. The young man shook in anger, tears gathering in his eyes. He turned to them and snapped. ''What about Tenten?! Don't you have any compassion at all?!''

Naruto looked down in shame and guilt. Tenten was the only other guide for this facility… far all other nine hunters besides Menma.

''I-if you shared the load,'' Lee stuttered through tears, staring angrily at the blond. ''She wouldn't be so- so-''

''Miserable?!'' Menma snapped, rising from the couch. Lee stepped back, surprised by the outburst. Ominous, black smoke fumed from Menma's fists as he clenched them.

''Menma, stop!'' Naruto rose behind. His brother ignored him.

''I don't care how heartless or selfish that makes me,'' Menma uttered darkly. ''I'm not letting any of you fuckers lay a hand on my brother, you hear me?!'' He slammed his fist on the table in the center of the room. It shattered into hundreds of wooden shards. ''You'll have to kill me first!''

Cold silence stilled everyone in the room.

''Leave it lee,'' another hunter stepped in.

Tension slowly decreased and the rest of the shift was spent in awkward silence, but without any further attacks. At six am on the dot, Menma wordlessly grabbed his twin's hand and dragged him out of the HQ, quickly passing by the day-shift hunters.

Once in the quietness of their apartment, Menma noticed how ragged his breathing was. Tonight had been particularly demanding. His throat tightened uncomfortably when he felt his brother's gentle hand on his cheek. Naruto made their eyes met; those soft blue eyes full of compassion and understanding made him choke a sob.

The blond carefully led them to their bed. Menma sat down and let his brother take his T-shirt off, numb. Then, the blond took the hem of his own shirt with trembling hands. Menma grabbed it, squeezing it to a stop… but Naruto simply pushed it away and took off his shirt. The hunter closed his eyes and took a deep breath to try to calm himself down.

It all went to shits when he felt his twin straddle his lap and wrapped his arms around his neck.

Menma growled and pushed Naruto onto the mattress beneath him. He pressed his hard, clothed girth against his twin's thigh and buried his nose into the soft tanned neck. He inhaled deeply, like an addicted smoker's first cigarette in weeks. The simple feeling of Naruto's skin against his own brought such relief to the pain and anxiety… as well as unbearable, burning arousal.

Naruto tried his best to control his tremor. For his brother's sake, he tried not look as terrified as he felt. Menma tormented himself enough on his own.

A long moment passed like this. Menma dug his nails in the blankets and focusing only on not rutting against this brother. When he felt he had regain some semblance of control, he propped himself up, looking down at his twin with utter shame. He was disgusted with himself.

Naruto smiled kindly. No matter how difficult it got for his brother, he simply refused to cross the line…

''I told you… I understand… you can do it.''

Those words only made Menma angrier. He looked away, fists clenched tightly.

''I'm not a fucking monster.'' Naruto cupped his cheeks and forced their eyes to meet again. It broke Menma's heart to see Naruto like this; underneath him, frightened, yet so calm and willing to do the unthinkable for him.

''This isn't the old world, Menma...'' He brushed his brother's dark hair off his sweaty face gently. ''We have to do whatever it takes to keep each other's safe... I don't want you to suffer alone.''

Menma stared down at his brother, breathing picking up once more as he felt his guide's gentle touch. Despite himself, his let his eyes linger on his brother's tan chest... His groin burned with overwhelming desire. He took a deep breath.

''I'll cling to the old world until my last breath, brother.'' Menma tore himself away from the bed and left into the bathroom.

Naruto turned to his side, heartbroken... but relieved...

They slept through most of the day. Naruto was the first to wake up and prepared a simple meal for them. Once his brother woke up, the two sat and ate in silence. The blond quietly inspected his older brother by a few minutes. The dark circle under his eyes, the sickly complexion... He bit down onto his lip anxiously.

''We should leave and find a new job, Menma...''

The hunter's eyebrows rose, surprised by the sudden suggestions. Naruto continued.

''There's been lots of mutant attacks lately... it's taking a toll on you.'' He looked down at his meal uncomfortably. ''And since I can't fully guide you...'' He trailed off.

Menma sighed... They had found this job almost a year ago now. The four years before that had been very difficult. It was extremely hard to find a decent, stable job while trying to stay hidden from Uchiha Corp. This had been recluse -which was good for them- and paid well.

The mine was in the far north of Japan. The iron was massively important for the fabrication of weapons and many other war-effort products. While Japan's mines were poor in minerals, they were left with no other choice seeing as other countries -the rest of the world, really- were also dealing with the invaders and, therefore, keeping their precious resources for the defense of their own nations. Important, sensitive locations like these hired their own hunters to protect them and Uchiha Corp tolerated it. Most directly hired or worked with Uchiha Corp for protection, others, like this mine, preferred operating on their own and not depend on another entity for their protection.

This would have meant a safe, stable job for a long time for the twins... but Naruto knew he was right. He was feeling himself becoming weaker. If he was too weak, he wouldn't be able to protect Naruto properly... Besides, increasing attacks were a danger to Naruto too, even if he was at his hundred percent. As a guide, aside from providing grounding and healing to hunters, Naruto was just a normal citizen like anybody else. He couldn't sustain injuries the way hunters could.

He had tried many times to convince Naruto to stay home and let him work alone... but the blond would have none of it, of course.

And if Menma had to be honest, if his twin wasn't within eyesight, he became anxious and could hardly function.

''You're right,'' Menma admitted finally with a sigh. ''Tonight's going to be our last shift.''

Naruto smiled.

OoOoO

''Fuck!'' Naruto cursed, panicked. ''I-I don't have anymore ammunition!'' He shouted to his brother. Why... two nights in a row... and there are so many of them! ''Menma!''

''It's alright... just hide!'' Menma shouted and kicked one of the two monsters that were on him away. ''Argh!'' He screamed when the second one used the distraction to slash him with its long blade-like fingers.

''Menma!'' Naruto screamed again and looked around him frantically. He gun was useless now... he needed something, anything...

He rushed to a nearby pile of rods that were used for the mines and quickly grabbed one. He ran back to his brother and pummeled the monster on its deformed humanoid head, letting it fall to the ground. His brother quickly seized him by the arms and dragged him behind a concrete wall. Naruto looked over his brother's injuries.

''Fuck this,'' the blond said. ''We need to get out of here.'' Menma stared, panting heavily. The thought of deserting post mid-combat didn't set well with him, but his brother was right. Getting both of them out of here alive was what mattered the most.

''Let's go.''

Menma took his younger twin's hand in his and crouched discretely along the wall. Sounds of fighting, gunshot and explosions could be heard all over, as well as the horrifying sounds of the invaders. From the corner of his eye, he saw what looked to be Lee's unmoving and bloodied form on the ground. He swallowed thickly. He ducked and held Naruto close to him when he saw a creature approaching. They changed direction and went the other way to avoid fighting as much as possible.

The gate to exit the mine was in sight now... just a little more...

''Quick!'' Menma whispered hastily. They moved from cover to cover, zigzagging amongst the dangers, then, when the opportunity was right, they bolted directly towards the gate.

A loud, piercing and inhumane scream rang across the field. The twins stopped they saw the massive beast approach; larger than all the others they had encountered so far. It casually threw away the remains of one of their fellow hunters and made its towards them.

They froze. They knew they wouldn't make it to the gate in time; they quickly turned the other way.

The beast started running... faster than they could escape. It rose its long, tanslucent pale arm and sliced with its deadly fingers. Menma roughly pushed Naruto to the ground, taking the blow.

''Aarrrgh!'' Menma fell, blood pooling around him. Naruto froze with horror. He instantly crawled on the ground towards his brother.

''R-run...'' Menma said weakly, coughing out blood. Naruto shook his head, trembling uncontrollably.

''I'm not leaving without you.'' He reached out to his brother, placing his hand on his cheek. He closed his eyes and braced himself for the monster's next attack, at peace with the thought that they would die together.

The creature shrieked and the blow never came.

Naruto opened his eyes once more, confused. He stared wide eyed; the creature was floating high up in the air, wriggling as if in pain. It was then flung by an unknown force several feet away, revealing the man behind it…

A monster… Was the first thing Naruto thought when he saw him. Although he looked human in shape, everything else about him was off putting and terrifying; sickly pale skin, dark veins crawling up his turtleneck to the side of his face, bloodshot eyes, blackened mouth. Even his breathing was ragged and difficult, as if plagued with lung cancer. Naruto shivered at the sight. Was this what lack of guiding led to?

The mysterious figure moved towards the creature to finish it off. Naruto didn't care to watch how it would end; he needed to save his brother. He sat up behind him to take care of him properly. He looked down at his brother's injury…

He instantly looked away, suddenly feeling ill.

''N-no…'' He whispered shakily. He felt like he was about to vomit. It's okay… it's okay… I'll guide him. He carefully set his brother's upper body in his lap. He took off his leather gloves and cupped his cheeks. He couldn't bring himself to look at the wound. He knew if he did, he'd lose his mind.

Menma held onto life beyond all possibilities. He couldn't leave yet. Not without making sure his brother was safe. He was barely able to breathe yet, strangely, he couldn't feel any pain. Like he was too far gone and already leaving his physical body, but his consciousness stayed stubbornly grounded. Though he couldn't feel the pain, he could feel his twin's hot tears falling down his face.

The hunter turned his attention to the heavy approaching footsteps. Menma wanted to laugh. Uchiha Corp had found them, it would seem. All this, these past five years, for nothing…

Sasuke looked down at the injured twin. How the injured young man was still even conscious was beyond understanding. He looked away from the wound and up to the two twin's faces, feeling slightly ill. In these past 8 years of fighting, he had seen the most atrocious kinds of deaths, from dismembering to eaten to skin peeled off from toxic ooze. He had never really gotten used to it. He supposed he should be grateful; at least there was still that part of humanity left in him.

Though the man before appeared less and less in public due to his worsening appearance, Menma knew who this was: Uchiha Sasuke. The last remaining Uchiha and Japan's most powerful S-ranked hunter. Also still guideless to this day. He knew of what the man had done. Hated by the corrupted, a hero to the public… But feared by all; a monster sleeping, waiting to wake up and take over with each day he passed without guidance.

Fine. If it had come to this… if this was to be his brother's fate after all…

''I- I'm… giving him… to you,'' Menma muttered weakly, blood spilling out of his mouth with each word that came out. ''a-and no… one else.''

''Stop talking!'' Naruto shouted. ''Save your strength!'' Menma ignored him.

''S-swear it.''

Sasuke stared blankly at the dying man, then at his crying twin. Twins… he thought. Ah, I remember now. He recalled the files Kakashi had given him all those years ago. The promising blond twin his assistant had been searching for relentlessly ever since their escape. He smirked. The odds of finding him here.

''SWEAR IT!''

''Menma!''

Sasuke had to admit he was impressed. He respected and admired this man's desire to protect his brother even beyond the grave. Had he been a higher-level hunter, he would have made a formidable enemy to the invaders.

He heard the sounds of reinforcements and helicopters coming from behind him.

''I swear.''

Relief came to Menma so blissfully that he nearly let himself go… he kept the darkness at bay just one more short moment to look at his brother for the last time.

Naruto knew.

''I love you,'' the blond whispered desperately as he watched his brother's eyes close forever.

OoOoO

Sasuke looked at the unconscious blond next to him. They were on his private military-style jet back towards Tokyo. Even in his drugged-induced sleep, the blond still looked tormented. The man had refused to let go of his dead brother, and so had to be taken by force. Perhaps in his dream he was still holding onto his lifeless body.

The Uchiha turned to his briefcase on the ground and took out one of the many med containers in it. He shoved the pills in mechanically. The chemicals made him feel like shit, but they kept his head above water, so he endured.

Perhaps he wouldn't have to endure much longer. Soon, he would either die or… he looked towards the young blond.

He noticed the sleeping blond shivering. The plane was high up and the air was much cooler. Sasuke got up and took of his heavy leather trench coat and carefully covered Naruto with it.

''Hm…'' Naruto twitched and blinked his eyes open slowly. He smiled tiredly, believe for a brief second that his brother was there… but his vision cleared and instead saw the ill-fated face of the Uchiha. His smile dropped. He felt his heart break all over again. His brother was truly dead.

''You should rest,'' came the raspy, strained voice. Sasuke leaned back into his seat and looked ahead.

Naruto kept his blank stare on him. The Uchiha was covered from head to toe. With his turtleneck, long sleeves, gloves and boots, only his face was uncovered. Dark purple-ish black veins peered trough the sweater… they appeared to have crawled a little higher onto the pale man's cheek than what he had seen earlier. His breathing was shallow and noisy. Naruto's heart sank. Whenever his brother had suffered from using his ability, he had always been there to help him.

He moved closer, which caught the other man's attention.

Sasuke froze when Naruto planted a tender kiss on his lips, lips quivering. It was like a soothing breeze gently passed through his lungs. If felt to him like the fresh air of spring all those years ago, before the mutants started to corrupt the Earth by their mere presence.

Naruto broke the kiss and collapsed onto him.

''Menma…'' he murmured, asleep once again.

Sasuke stayed unmoving, still gripped by stupor. He took a deep breath. A real, deep, painless and silent breath. It had been years…

He looked down at the blond and nearly laughed at the absurdity… just one small, timid kiss and he was finally breathing again.

100% compatibility.

The number was preposterous. When Kakashi had shown him the test results, neither of them had believed it. It had never been seen before, not even in any other country.

He steeled his expression and propped the blond more comfortably against him. He rearranged the coat -makeshift blanket- and wrapped an arm around him.

I finally have you… my guide.

AN: Wow. I wrote something. Here's to a new and impulsive story I won't finish, woohoo!