A/N: sorry for the super long wait... yeah.. junior year is horrible. Anyway.. I hope this chapter makes up for the delay..

Disclaimer: Naruto not mine.. but someday he will be... when i rule the world.. muahahah..

The Legend of the Thiasa

Chapter 8: Cursed Nightmares

Naruto tasted blood. He could smell it – the rusty, stomach-turning odor. He felt sticky liquid running through his fingers, across his bare skin, tainting all it came in contact with. He wanted to draw back but found himself frozen in place. Inwardly, he struggled to free himself. All these sensations happened in an instant that seemed to span eternity. Then, without warning, his head exploded with the whiteness of pain.

Naruto screamed long and hard, his voice rising and rising. His crescendo of sound kept perfect pace with the increase of agony. He thrashed wildly, trying vainly to escape from the pain. His limbs would not obey him and when he looked down, he saw with horror, the thick chains that encircled his body. He screamed again, this time with desperation edging his voice. He jerked about and abruptly, felt himself hit something hard with a thud.

His eyes shot open to reveal panicked eyes. His pupils had dilated until the dark, troubled blue seemed to merely rim the black. He realized that he was still screaming hoarsely and forced himself to stop. Panting hard, Naruto attempted to orient himself. Where was he? In his room, still. Where were the chains? A glance down made him acknowledge sheepishly the blankets tangled around his body. Where was the blood? Nowhere. Then... where had the blood come from? Sasuke...

Instantly, the thought of Sasuke cleared all sleepiness from Naruto's mind. With renewed vigor, he began to try and struggle free from the blankets. At that very moment, Iruka burst into the room with wild eyes.

"Naruto! What happened? Are you alright?" the worried man ran to his adopted son's side and knelt, joining in the battle against the knotted bedsheets.

"Help me... help me..." Naruto's mumblings came distractedly, as he tried to focus on untangling himself. Sasuke... There was no way Naruto could have not known that Sasuke was in trouble by now. Raw pain and anguish poured uncensored through their bond, pounding in Naruto's head and making all thoughts slippery with fear.

Now that he was more awake, images of Sasuke slipped through the pain as well. It was only a flash here and there, but what he saw made his chest ache. "Sasuke ... Sasuke... SASUKE..." Naruto breathed his name. His heart raced uncontrollably as his worry grew to a screaming pitch. In a rush of adrenaline and frustration, Naruto cried out and tore through the offending restraints. He stumbled upright, nearly tripping over his father, and in an instant he was out the door.

"Naruto! NARUTO!" Iruka stared helplessly in the direction Naruto had gone, confusion and worry shining in his eyes. He glanced down at the shredded pieces of linen with a furrowed brow. What could have possibly made Naruto so panicked? Sighing, he let his hands drop to his lap and closed his eyes. Kyarae... let him be alright...

Sasuke ran. His vision was blurred red and he no longer knew where he was. He knew only and saw only of the bodies – the bodies were everywhere. Blood dripped from his face, his body. He could not stop the shudders that ran through his weakened frame. He no longer existed as Uchiha Sasuke – he had become merely emotions, kept together only by the thick strands of sorrow that were everywhere.

His eyes wild, he ran. Pain the blood Kyarae too much blood rage consuming weak wrath no Mother Father dead darkness everywhere Brother how could you weakling hate despair – NOOO! Exhausted, Sasuke collapsed, barely feeling the twigs and dirt against his face. He curled up in a ball, trying to warm the coldness in his heart. He struggled to breathe through the overwhelming tightness in his chest.

The trembling in his body disgusted him. What right did he have to be this afraid when his entire family lay dead at the hands of his brother? Sasuke tried in vain to stop, but found that the more he thought about it, the harder he shook. A hoarse cry of frustration escaped from his chapped lips and he began to sob. Itachi... what have you done? Sasuke felt ripples of self-loathing run through him again. He should have been there, he should have been dead instead of his father or his mother. If only he had trained harder, he could have stopped Itachi. If only he had been there, he might have been able to persuade Itachi to stop his quest. If only he had been stronger... faster... better...

A loud crash broke him from his thoughts. Vaguely, his mind registered heavy panting and the faint rustling of fabric. He smelled Naruto's unique scent and closed his eyes. He hurt too much to care.

Naruto surveyed his mate with obvious worry as he walked quickly over to where Sasuke lay in a fetal position. He sank to knees in front of the dark-haired boy and pulled him into his arms. There was so much blood. Discretely, Naruto checked to make sure the blood was not Sasuke's. The fleeting sense of relief when he discovered only minor injuries was quickly chased away by worry for Sasuke.

Naruto felt Sasuke's tremors and held him even more tightly in an attempt to stop them. Hesitantly, Sasuke brought his shaking arms around Naruto. His hands found the rough fabric of Naruto's pajamas and he clung to his mate with a strength he did not know he still had left.

Inside, the Canis' heart was breaking. It seemed odd how the very sight of the Avian in pain wrenched at his heart and stopped his own breathing. When was it that Naruto's hatred for his enemy had been replaced with this warm tightening in his chest? He hardly knew what to call it – it was an utterly foreign and strange feeling. And yet... he welcomed it and clung to it, his starved fingers stroked its presence tenderly and with awe. Was this love? Was this the feeling Iruka had expressed so often to him? Was this what made level-headed men and women act with such impulsivity?

Naruto felt Sasuke's trembling resound in his own body. His vision blurred and closing his eyes, he felt the warm streams of sorrow drip down. Was love really this painful? Without realizing it, Naruto began to whisper words of comfort to his wounded mate. He knew not what words, what phrases, slipped from his lips. He knew only that he longed to - he needed to - stop Sasuke's pain.

"Shh... my love... hush... I'm here now. You're ok now. Don't cry, Sasuke, don't cry. Oh Sasuke... hush... you'll be ok, you'll be ok. Shh... I'm here now, don't cry..."

Over and over, Naruto's words fell softly on Sasuke's shattered heart. Lovingly, he sent images of stillness and peace through their bond. Tying the comforting images together was his unconditional love – they provided a sweet symphony that Sasuke clung desperately to. The night was silent, as if in mourning for the fallen family and the broken boy they left behind. The comfort that flowed from Naruto's heart and mind became dampened in the mystery of the darkness, each word and image seemed to be ethereal and all the more beautiful. Slowly, Sasuke's shuddering ceased and his sobs quieted. The two boys remained in each other's tight embrace for a while – each unwilling to let the other go.

Eventually, Sasuke gathered enough strength and pulled back slightly to look at Naruto. Wonderment filtered through his pain and flickered in his eyes as he beheld his partner. Hesitantly, he reached out and touched Naruto's face gingerly.

"Naruto..." Sasuke hated how his voice came out scratchy and whispered. "...you're crying...why?" He did not understand how this beautiful boy could be crying. Shouldn't he be angry for being bonded with a weakling such as him? Shouldn't he hate him now? He could not remember when Naruto's opinion had begun to matter. For the life of him, he could not pinpoint when Naruto himself had begun to matter so much. How had such a clumsy enemy found entry to a heart that he had so carefully guarded? Sasuke felt a familiar fear begin to curl in his already weary heart. What if... What if Naruto hurt him too? What if he –

"Sasuke, you idiot," Naruto's soft voice broke through his thoughts and Sasuke noticed with a dull pang of worry that his voice was cracked and hoarse as well. "Of course I'm crying... How could I not cry when you cry?"

Sasuke stared, disbelieving. Naruto was crying because of him? But ... why? Why would anyone cry over a failure like him? He hadn't realized he had voiced his thoughts until he saw the flash of sorrow that appeared on Naruto's face.

"Sasuke... Sasuke..." Naruto whispered. His eyes held compassion and love. Gently, he raised his calloused hands and cupped his love's face. A shiver ran down Sasuke's spine at the touch. His breath hitched as Naruto leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on his forehead. Tenderly and lovingly, Naruto showered kisses on Sasuke's face. Each spot that he touched with his lips seemed to burn on Sasuke's skin. He wondered how Naruto could be so controlled and gentle. Where had the loud, clumsy boy gone? Naruto drew back a little and placed his forehead against Sasuke's.

.:May I?:.

.:Yes.:.

Sasuke closed the distance between them and for the first time, their lips met. Each boy felt the tightening in their chests again as rough, chapped mouths pressed against one another. Through the bond, Naruto felt Sasuke's enjoyment and hesitantly, he deepened the kiss. Sasuke responded and soon their first kiss grew passionately until they had to break free for air. Panting hard, they stared at each other for a moment before hungrily seeking another kiss.

'Why is this happening? I... I... Kyarae... He tastes like summer... like the sun...' But now it was becoming harder and harder to string coherent thoughts together and Sasuke surrendered to the glow he felt in his chest. Reason and logic be damned.

Sasuke stifled a gasp when he felt Naruto's tongue run over his bottom lip. Seizing the opportunity, Naruto entered Sasuke's mouth. Warmth began to seep through his body as Sasuke gradually responded to Naruto's exploring. Each boy knew keenly of the pleasure the other was experiencing and that knowledge only served to heighten their own pleasure. Their kisses grew more and more fevered and hungry. The small sounds that escaped from Naruto occasionally drove Sasuke insane with desire.

Naruto broke free and ignoring the whimper of disappointment from his mate, began to kiss down the side of Sasuke's neck. A loud gasp of pleasure informed him that he had hit a particularly sensitive spot. With a faint smile, Naruto proceeded to suck and kiss Sasuke's neck, aware of his mate's tightened grip on his shoulders and his increased breathing.

Sasuke closed his eyes in bliss. He had never experienced so much pleasure and Naruto had yet to touch him. None of the times he had clumsily fumbled at himself in the shower could compare to this. His pants were becoming uncomfortably tight. He felt Naruto's own pleasure as well, both from the drunken messages he was receiving through the bond and the hardness he felt pressed against his leg.

Sasuke raised his hand to bury it in Naruto's golden mass of hair. A glimpse of crimson blood registered through his half-closed lids and immediately he recoiled. The dreamy lust and happiness that had enveloped him were dispelled in an instant. His mind was drenched in blood again.

Through his reeling horror, the thought of Naruto still presided in Sasuke's mind. No! Naruto must not see this. Naruto must not be tainted with this. Resolutely, Sasuke gathered the little energy he had and slammed the bond shut before any more images could leak out to his love.

With a cry of pain, Naruto fell back. His head and chest pounded with an emptiness that pierced his very being. Clutching his heart, he lifted his head to meet Sasuke's gaze.

Naruto beheld brokenness. "I'm sorry, Naruto... I can't..." came the pain-filled whisper.

Naruto shook his head in agony. "No... I'm sorry, Sasuke. I shouldn't have done that. But please... let me in. Don't shut me out like that..."

"...I can't show you."

"But don't leave completely! Sasuke, stop this, please!" the cry was torn from Naruto and it wrenched at Sasuke's heart. How could he say no to this? Slowly, he released his stranglehold on the bond but still, he kept the memory of the massacre hidden. He could not share that with Naruto – not yet.

Naruto sighed as he felt Sasuke's presence in his mind and heart once again. He had not realized how badly he needed him there. Without Sasuke now, it seemed as if he was only half a man. Gently, he touched Sasuke's mind.

.:Thank you for letting me in.:.

Sasuke did not respond, but Naruto felt the confusion that raged within him and understood. No words were needed. Silently, he vowed to himself that he would not kiss Sasuke again until he was ready. Sasuke needed to heal first.

Naruto crawled over to where Sasuke sat and gently, he took him in his arms. Sasuke stiffened then relaxed when he realized that Naruto was not going to do anything else. The warmth of his mate's embrace and the open love he was sending through the bond lulled Sasuke to drowsiness. His exhaustion finally got the better of him and he surrendered to the welcome grip of darkness with a sigh.

Naruto listened as his love's breathing grew even and deep. When he was sure that Sasuke was asleep, he shifted him gently to the ground, to a more comfortable sleeping position. Quietly, he lay down next to him. For the longest time, Naruto gazed at Sasuke's sleeping face. Unable to help himself, he traced the delicate features with a calloused finger. Wonder descended on him. Sasuke's beauty was all the more evident when he was sleeping – the guarded expression that he always wore was gone and the true softness of his face was allowed to shine through. Naruto felt a pang of deep worry resonate in his chest. How had this beautiful angel been hurt? He recalled the single image that had gotten through to him before Sasuke had shut the bond. He had not mentioned it to Sasuke for fear that it would upset him but now, Naruto was free to examine it more thoroughly.

He remembered that there was a bloodied room and bodies piled in the center. At the far end, a figure shrouded in black approached slowly. His red eyes glittered fiercely and the silver blade he held shone coldly through the bright blood that coated it. An infinite amount of fear and hatred consumed the image.

Naruto shook his head slightly. What had happened? He sighed and suddenly realized how incredibly tired he was. He gathered Sasuke into his embrace lovingly and allowed his own eyes to close.

Sasuke stirred peacefully. Gradually, the sunlight filtered through his eyelids and bade him to greet the day. He resisted, unwilling to leave the warmth that enveloped him. But the years of training kicked in and he found that he could not go back to sleep anymore. With a sigh, he cracked open his eyes.

Immediately he squinted in the bright sunlight. He became aware of someone's hand running through his hair, over and over again. Looking up, he found himself gazing into Naruto's smiling face.

Never stopping his stroking, Naruto spoke cheerfully, "Good morning!"

Puzzled, Sasuke gazed at his love's face. His keen observation skills showed him the shadows under the brilliant blue eyes, and the tightness of Naruto's mouth as he tried hard not to yawn. Quietly, he inquired, "Why didn't you sleep?"

Naruto's smile remained unfaltering and loving as he replied, "I couldn't. Your nightmares kept me up."

Sasuke pushed himself out of Naruto's lap and into a sitting position. For several minutes he remained silent, brooding, while Naruto lay down on his back and gazed contently at the dancing shadows above.

"I never told you about my nightmares, did I?" Naruto did not answer and Sasuke sighed inwardly. Now was the time to tell Naruto. "The Uchiha family has – had," his voiced cracked slightly but he continued. "a special ... aspect. Every child was born with a curse that would not activate until they were ten. The curse... you probably already guessed by now... All of my family was cursed with bloodlust. The bloodlust makes my eyes turn red and it increases my power immensely. But, when the curse overtakes me, I can't stop or control myself. I kill until the lust is satisfied – and at the time, I don't care who I kill. It's one of the main reasons why I really don't have any friends – I don't want to wake up to find their blood covering me."

Sasuke trailed off and waited expectantly for Naruto's response. "... Do you think the bond's power is stronger than your bloodlust?" came the curious question.

Sasuke stared dejectedly at nothing. "You mean... will the 'no hurting' aspect of the bond be enough to stop me from killing you?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"...I don't know, Naruto."

"Ah well... I'm sure it won't be a problem." Naruto's ease and confidence startled Sasuke and he stared openly at the reclining blonde.

"You don't need to give me that look – I know what you're thinking. But, I mean, c'mon, Sasuke... first of all, I don't think the bonding would have worked if you were meant to kill me – mates are destined to be together right? Plus, if you ever do go psycho on me, I'll just knock you around a bit, mentally, y'know?" So saying, Naruto demonstrated. ::Like this, only a million times louder.:: "And you do know that if you kill me, you basically kill yourself."

Naruto's logic forced Sasuke to concede defeat. Weird. The boy actually had some brains under that wild hair and wide smile. Sasuke never thought he would be forced to admit that.

Naruto got up and stretched. He offered a hand to Sasuke and pulled him to his feet. "Are you alright now?" Suddenly quiet and serious, Naruto searched Sasuke's face with worried eyes.

"Yes..."

"... do you want to talk about anything?"

"...no."

A brief moment of silence passed before Naruto sighed and spoke again. "Alright. I'm not going to force you. I should go home though – Iruka's probably mad with worry by now."

Sasuke started. Iruka? Where had he heard that name before? He thought for a second or two before giving up, convinced that it was a trivial fact. Naruto turned to go but the sight of him leaving tore at Sasuke's already broken heart. He thought of the home he had to return to – blood would probably still be there, along with all the bodies. He shuddered violently. He couldn't go back just yet.

After a flash of hesitation, Sasuke opened his mouth, "Umm, Naruto?" the boy in question turned with a slight questioning sound. "Could I... Could I stay with you? I mean... just for a little while..."

Naruto faced Sasuke fully now and he stared at him with confusion written all over his face. Dropping his head slightly, Sasuke added quietly, "I don't want to go home."

Naruto nodded slowly. "Alright then."

Casually, two boys slipped into the hidden entrance to the Canis tunnels. The blonde chattered excitedly to the brown-haired boy, who remained silent with a faint smile hovering upon his lips. Both were tanned and had blue eyes – one a glittering sky blue, the other a darker, more serene hue. The two walked, their heights and strides perfectly matching. No one paid any heed to them – it wasn't unusual for teens to come in for lunch at this hour.

Dark, ocean, eyes became more and more bewildered with each turn or twist that they took. The other boy merely laughed at his companions confusion and continued at his brisk pace. Soon, however, the two reached their destination and slowed. They gave each other long, steady looks before breathing deeply and entering.

"Naruto! Where have you been?! You just ran out in the middle of the night and I-"Iruka halted abruptly when he saw the visitor emerge through the doorway. "Oh!"

"Who's –"His brown eyes narrowed as his intuition told him that the boy before him was not a Canis, as he appeared to be, but an Avian. Naruto nodded slightly and the stranger changed out of the transformation with a little poof. In place of the short brown haired, blue eyed boy, there stood a taller, darker Avian. His black hair hung silkily, framing a face sharpened by pain. Obsidian eyes hid wells of emotion behind a cold mirror. Iruka stood unsurely.

Naruto took a deep breath. "Iruka," he began. "I would like you to meet my bondmate, Uchiha Sasuke." He shot an uncertain but gentle glance towards his partner before returning his gaze to his father. "He's going to be staying with us for a while."

Iruka started. He was getting to old for this. First an Avian in a CANIS home, then him turning out to be his baby's bondmate. And now he was going to be staying for a while! Kyarae! His mind reeled with the information. His eyes narrowed slightly as he examined the Avian boy.

From the dampness of both of their hairs, Iruka could tell that they had been swimming, or washing lately. His keen nose smelled the faint scent of blood – sharp and metallic in the air. He looked intently into Sasuke's black eyes. The boy had gone through immense pain recently – he was sure of it. Iruka felt a small curl of protectiveness rise in his stomach but he squashed it quickly. He could tell from the way the two boys were standing next to each other that they cared about the other deeply. He had to trust that Naruto's mate would take care of Naruto.

Hesitantly, he offered his hand. "I'm Naruto's father, Umino Iruka. I'm glad that I finally got to meet you."

Expressionless, Sasuke gripped his hand in a firm handshake. "Thank you for letting me stay." He raised his left hand and touched his right cheek in the sign of respect before remembering belatedly that Iruka would have no idea what it meant. Recovering quickly, he bowed slightly before retreating back to Naruto's side.

"Well..." Iruka said briskly. "Naruto, why don't you show Sasuke your room while I make lunch?" He wanted to ask why they both smelled like blood, but forced himself to stay silent.

Naruto nodded and happily dragged Sasuke off to show him where he would be sleeping.

Later that night, Iruka reluctantly left the two boys alone to attend the High Shinobi meeting. With an uneasy feeling in his stomach, he walked away and prayed fiercely that nothing would happen while he was gone.

The night progressed quietly and uneventfully. Naruto and Sasuke talked – or rather, Naruto talked and Sasuke listened – each gathering strength and comfort from the other's presence. It was not long after Iruka left that Naruto began to yawn. Having not slept in more than 24 hours, he was exhausted. Sasuke, too, felt weary from running from his memories the entire day.

"I'm going to bed," Naruto said with a yawn. "Are you going to come?"

Sasuke shrugged, unwilling to show his own tiredness.

The two boys tumbled into their respective beds, and Naruto was soon sound asleep. Sasuke listened to his mate's deep breathing and stared despondently into the darkness. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw his brother – he saw blood. He shifted about for an hour before surrendering. With a sigh, he quietly rolled out of bed and padded over to Naruto's side.

Gently, he reached into Naruto's sleeping mind and shook him awake. ::Naruto?:: Naruto's eyes fluttered open blearily. ::Sasuke?::

::Could I...:: embarrassed, Sasuke could not put it in words and settled for sending an image instead. He felt Naruto's faint amusement radiate through the bond as the blonde gestured his assent sleepily. Thankfully, Sasuke lay down stiffly next to Naruto, his back toward him. Startled, he felt Naruto's arms wrap around him and pull him closer. Slowly, he relaxed, as he allowed his love's gentle breathing and comforting scent to surround him. Just when Sasuke was sure Naruto had fallen asleep again, he spoke softly in his ear.

"I love you."

That night, Sasuke dreamt of fields upon fields of gentle, waving grass. The wind stroked the plants into a perfectly choreographed dance and the tiny, exquisite flowers that dotted the landscape seemed to shine brighter with each tender breeze. A figure was walking slowly to him, his form blurred and wavering in time with the grass. With a hint of a smile, Sasuke began to walk toward him, focusing only on the clear, blue eyes, and the endless, unbroken love. The scent of vanilla enveloped him.

Preview:

Gaara walked slowly over to where Sasuke stood. Each step was filled with predatory intent and his green eyes hinted at malice. Sasuke's returned stare was just as hostile – tension seemed to condense.

A faint whisper of noise was all the warning Sasuke had before he found himself wrapped from neck to toe in sand. He gasped for air as the sand began to tighten. His disguise flickered wildly as he focused his energies on escaping. In a deadly quiet voice, Gaara began to speak.

A/N: there ya go.. hope you guys like it..

Monkan: yay! You read Hawksong!! Isn't it such a good book?? Hahah I could never do it justice..

Ghostninja85: thanks again for the emails.. with my memory.. if I didn't have someone to remind me every now and then, this fic would be gathering cobwebs.. hahah.. and look! I updated before my deadline again!! Yay for me!

Ravyn-09: thanks for the encouragement... school is being retarded right now.. but I hope you like this chapter!

ILLK: I'm glad you like it!

Iceheart19: sorry... this chapter is really really overdue too.. waah.. well hopefully, the wait was worth it this time too.. hopefully... ::crosses fingers::

Riddle: hahaha yeah sorry.. I was originally going to have some other sasunaru stuff in this chapter.. but then.. it didn't really follow the storyline and I couldn't' get it to fit.. so I cut most of it out.. so sorry.. the fact that they're staying together doesn't lead to any sasunaru.. not yet at least.. muahahahaha

Sunhawk: lol I'm glad you like the story.

LilBlackNiteCat: eep!! I'm sorry!! ::runs and ducks the random thrown objects:: this chapter took longer than the last one to get out.. .. I blame it all on school... man.. surviving on four hours of sleep each day is NOT fun.. . hahah o well.. I'm having self-imposed deadlines now so hopefully, it'll help keep me in check..

Izumi: no it's not a flashback.. this is AU, so I twisted the storyline a lot.. so yeah.. the massacre happens when Sasuke and Naruto are already bonded and they are about 18.

Myuu-Foxgirl: yay! I'm glad you like it! Hahah it's ok if you started reading it only for the sasunaru.. I do that a lot too.. hehe .. and yes.. you're right with your prediction.. yah I know.. very cliché but still good... right?

Heero2001: thanks. I hope college isn't that hard.. so you can more time to write! I haven't read your story yet.. haven't found the time.. but don't worry, I'll get around to it soon.. hopefully..

Chibi nazumi: I'm glad you like the story! Thanks for the comment and happy (very) late bday!!

Lady Geuna: lol there ya go.. hope this chapter lived up to your expectations.. don't worry, Kakashi and Iruka will eventually meet again.. mehehehe...

Thank you also to Dreamer, Renn, Meep, Kurokioku, Manga-lover123, therockingrollking, mooneyoukai, Sapphire, Tryster, TheTrueSilver!!!! ::hug::