(A/N: Thanks for nearly 60 reviews!
Watermelon Gal: lol I love your interpretation of the Tsunade-Naruto "sex talk". lmao Unfortunately, that's not how it goes. Yes, that chapter's probably the strangest out of what I've written so far. =)
Bishiehuggler: I like to explain, because I feel that it does make everything a little more plausible, because theoretically, it's like "proving" it, even despite the impossibility of it. I'm not going to say Sasuke was too malnourished, but I will say that his per cent of body fat was too low to warrant a menstrual cycle and successfully conceive and support a baby. That's not to say he didn't have anything to eat since he was thirteen or so. . .so about five years, but just that he wasn't getting enough. And if you won't take that as an answer, he's a late bloomer. lol
AquaHawk-04: Eh. Actually, I think the weirdness kind of rises and falls, with no clear peak, per say. And don't fear, I am very effective in the category of 'weird'. I think I learned that from my brother. =3
Kaiyo No Hime: I'm glad you like the fic so much. =D
Kurisuteru-chan: Erm...I'm not actually sure if it was or wasn't rape. . .as Sasuke didn't put up much of a struggle...::scratches head in confusion:: Eh, for all purposes, we'll just call it nonconsenual ...which pretty much covers rape to the 'I don't wanna, but it feels good'. ::nods:: I'm glad you're enjoying the fic so far.
ChibiCatDemon: I'm glad you're enjoying the story.
ManicReversed: Yup, a biology lesson indeed. I'm glad you're liking the story so far. =)
Kathryn: ::nods:: That's actually one of the faults with the theory I was going to point out earlier, but I'm not exactly sure how to explain the eradication of that problem, so I'm simply going to say that time and evolution did it's thing, and everything got smoothed over in the end. ::nods:: I'm going to say that the Great War was a few hundred years back, so there was time elapsed enough for that to plausible. I actually formed the theory before I saw the problems. Hindsight's always 20/20, ne? I'm glad you find the story interesting despite the mpreg in it, and I'm glad to hear that you'll keep reading. =)
Yuen-chan: Oh, you trust me too much. There's much faulty with that theory, but you don't really need to know how it works in order to understand the plain facts. I simply wrote that explanation because it makes the idea just a little more tangible, and realistic, and not in the way that, well, yanno, that duded just got knocked up with no rhyme or reason, that I find many mpregs seem slightly prone to. And you're not stupid.
Kyuuketsuki-Chan: I'm glad you like the story. =)
keelhaul lizzie: I'm glad you liked the chapter. I'm glad you found the explanation scientific, and at least, somewhat supportive of the idea. =) And no, I don't think Sakura is drooling over anyone in the fic, and I like her when she's not doing that, so I hope I've written her in a more realistic way than that. =)
mistress ethereal: I'm glad you enjoyed the style of my story. I tend to get off on tangents, saying one thing I find somewhat profound and run with it, rather than just dialogue, which helps the characters interact, but doesn't always give the insight into their thoughts and feelings that description can. Description also places tone and mood a little better than dialogue, I find. =)
artemis347: Knowing Sasuke, he'll be quiet for a long, long time. Quite possibly forever. I'm glad you like the story though. =)
Arukiche: I'm glad you like the story. =)
Warnings: References to sex, references to mpreg, sex
And now, on with the fic!)
Chapter 5: Last Dawn
The sun rose, hot over Konoha, promising another blistering September day. Sasuke pondered vaguely if winter was even coming this year. Normally, the wind would have been cooler by now, having started coming from the Northeast. Today, however, was stifling hot, with the breeze still, unable to move the heavy air.
The birds had yet to take to the air and fly South, toward the Ocean, and instead, they were still feeding and some of the young were still in the nest, newly hatched. It seemed that summer had lengthened itself this year, and everything along with it.
He was on the balcony, the cool stones pressing up against his bare feet. The sun beat down on the morning world, the sky turning blood red with the rise. His ebony locks were already sticking to the back of his neck, and the sides of his face.
He'd been up for half-an-hour now, waking just before dawn from another confused nightmare. Sore, and sticky, and sweaty, he'd given thought to the notion of a bath, but had decided that the running water would wake the kitsune-jin prince, despite what a heavy sleeper he seemed to be.
Getting out of the bed had probably been the worst part, his body protesting every movement he made. Once free of the sheets, he noticed that Naruto had left some clothes draped over a chair, along with a note. Curious as to what the prince had in mind, and unwilling to remain nude in the prince's presence in light of his current course of action, he, with some difficulty, manoeuvred over to the chair. He sat in it, his legs unwilling to support him any longer.
He picked up the scrap of parchment, which was very thick and a creamy colour, unlike any paper Sasuke had ever seen. He turned it over and read the messy hand-scrawled message, with the bleeding black ink. Naruto, a prince though he may have been, had obviously never mastered writing.
Still, the message came across to him. 'I want you to wear this,' it said, and it had some sort of little hand-drawn icon with it that looked like a smiling face. Sasuke snorted and dropped the paper, picking up the linen garment, almost angrily. It was light, like cotton, and a perfect white, indicating it had never been worn before. Sasuke unfolded it and stared in horror, indignation and his cheeks flushed with anger. There was absolutely no way in hell he was wearing...this! in front of that...that...
Remembering he was still exposed, he slid the offensive thing over his head. With any luck, he'd bleed all over it and he'd have to throw it out. The fabric was airy and light, and the garment was large and folded itself onto his small frame. It was cinched at the waist, a little too much, so that Sasuke almost couldn't breathe. It ended just above his ankles, the linen kissing his shins. It was a dressing gown, but not just any dressing gown. It was a woman's dressing gown, and Sasuke ruffled at the very thought of being forced down so low. It was borrowed, that much he knew, and Sasuke didn't wonder if it belonged to Hinata, for she would have done anything for the prince.
And thus, that was how he came to be on the balcony. Not wanting to remain in the same room, he'd slipped outside, for he knew that if he tried to even get out of the room, he wouldn't get very far. He'd left the curtains shut, hoping that they'd block him out and Naruto wouldn't see him.
Unless of course, Naruto opened the curtains. Which was so plain Naruto-like that it was the first thing he did and Sasuke cursed his rotten luck.
Naruto merely grinned at him from behind the glass. He sulked and crossed his arms, looking away. The lace trim of the dressing gown rubbed against his bare skin. Silently, he cursed women and their stupid fashions.
He heard the door open and Naruto was on the balcony with him. He did the only sensible thing to do - continue to ignore the blond. Naruto couched down beside him, grinning like an insane fox. "You look cute," he told the dark-haired human.
Sasuke turned to glower at the boy. Naruto just kept grinning. "You know, there are gardeners in the gardens, right?"
Sasuke dropped the glare for a second, his dark eyes widening slightly. Naruto laughed lightly. "It's okay. . .they probably think you're some pretty human girl I found. Not a human boy."
Sasuke fumed, and his cheeks turned red. He turned away from the blond, refusing to be insulted more. Naruto was silent for a moment. They sat, listening to the morning birds singing their songs to the glory of the sun.
The door of the room opened and Naruto turned to look back, then got up and disappeared into the room. Sasuke heard the quiet voices, one male and one female, talking with each other. Naruto emerged onto the balcony again a moment later, looking down at the human perched on the marble stones.
"Come back inside and have some breakfast, Sasuke. You need to eat."
He said nothing in reply. If it would please Naruto for him to eat, then he wouldn't. He had starved before, and he could do it again. Food was not necessary for him.
A warm, strong hand wrapped about his wrist and pulled him up. Naruto was frowning, a sort of worry-anger playing in his eyes. "You're going to eat, Sasuke. You have to feed our child."
Sasuke recoiled, hissing, "No."
Naruto sighed. He knew it was harsh to say to the creature in front of him, but he needed to be harsh to goad the boy into submission. He crouched down and gently placed his hand on Sasuke's cheek, not at all surprised when the boy turned away.
"Sasuke," he growled, becoming annoyed with the human. "Please, listen to what I'm saying -"
Sasuke tried to push him away, tears wetting his eyes. He looked like a scared child, and the sunlight radiating on him made him irresistible. The sun's rays were gentle to him, despite that he was a creature of the night, dark-featured, with a pale complexion, like the moon herself.
"Please, Sasuke, I know, this is strange and -"
The boy was weeping openly now, despite trying to facade behind strength. He fought weakly, trying to push the blond kitsune-jin away. Eventually, Naruto let him and watched as he curled in on himself, crying.
Naruto sighed and pulled the weepy boy to his feet, forcing him to stand. He draped his arms about the shaking shoulders, trying to be soothing, as best he could. "Shush, shush. You'll get used to it."
"I don't want to get used to it," Sasuke growled, misery evident in his voice.
Naruto sighed. He knew the only way he was going to be allowed to keep Sasuke was if the boy actually ended up with his child. It seemed truly the impossible goal, between Sasuke's unyielding defiance and the laws of nature.
By the time Naruto was wed to his fiancee, he would have to get rid of any pleasure slaves he held. It was customary. He'd never had a sex slave, and he didn't intend to. He viewed Sasuke as more of someone he was helping out, not a slave.
But if the boy kept up like this, he was going to be sold into bondage, most likely into the Western deserts, where he'd heard the cruelest kitsune-jins - and humans - lived. The environment was harsh, and so were the inhabitants.
Somehow, that was the last thing Naruto wanted to see. Gods forbid, he was actually starting to care about the stupid human! How utterly pathetic.
Then again, he supposed that he sympathized. There had been a time when he'd almost lost his family, and been forced to live in hiding as a peasant boy. Right after the death of the Sandaime, there had been mass objection to the Yondaime. Some had wanted to see Jiraiya take the throne; others had cheered Tsunade on, which had strained their marriage. Still others were supporters of the Yondaime, and others wanted to see the Sandaime's daughter, Anko, in power.
A lot of rebel fighting had broke out and the Yondaime, who wouldn't have been able to claim the throne without an heir, had to take Naruto into hiding. Tsunade and Jiraiya had gone their separate ways. He vaguely remembered being very hungry, and very dirty in a hovel on the other side of town, though he didn't remember it very clearly.
He supposed Sasuke knew more.
"Stop being so conservative and act like the whore you are," Naruto growled, pulling the startled boy to his feet.
Sasuke could only stare at Naruto, anger and insult written all across his face. "I am not-" he started, but was cut off when the blond kitsune-jin kissed him fiercely.
He felt like a china doll in Naruto's grip, so thin and flimsy. Arms snaked about his pinched waist, then under him, forcing his feet off the ground. Lips were still sealed by lips and Sasuke couldn't breathe. He felt dizzy from lack of oxygen. He pawed feebly at Naruto's shoulder, feeling like he was going to faint.
He was thrown to the bed, landing in an ungraceful heap. Naruto joined him almost immediately, plying his mouth to Sasuke's neck, licking and biting into the pulsing flesh. Sasuke tried to push him away. The reaction was hot-wired into his brain.
Naruto growled, pressing himself into the crook of Sasuke's neck, nuzzling as hard as he could. He was determined to get a positive reaction out of Sasuke. "We can stop," he whispered, then licked his way from the neck to the ear. "If you want," he hissed, wrapping his tongue coyly about the shell of Sasuke's ear.
The dark-haired boy suppressed a shudder, but if he thought Naruto hadn't felt it, he was oh-so-wrong. Naruto smirked and nuzzled more. He gently touched the tips of his fingers to the human's lips, as if to make sure he stayed quiet.
He stroked the base of the boy's neck, making him shudder, more visibly this time. His hands were tangled in the sheets, clenching them tightly. The dark, slanted eyes were shut tight. Naruto grinned and kissed him, then suckled his way down the front of his neck. Nothing more than a whimper escaped the human, but the blond knew he was on the right path.
Grinning wickedly, he lifted up the ebony-haired boy's skirt and slid his head up. While he was doing this, his hands were frantic, groping at Sasuke, all over, paying special attention to the boy's nipples, squeezing and pinching, and when he arrived, his mouth took control of the pink buds.
He sucked, he licked and he made sure his whore liked it. This was about Sasuke. He refused to have an unwilling partner in his bed anymore. Sasuke groaned, a little loudly, and Naruto was almost sure that Hinata, who was down the hall, setting breakfast, must have heard.
He backed off and blew his breath onto the wet bud, making Sasuke shiver. "Mmmhmmm, oh, you like that don't you? Oh, you'll like feeding our baby, won't you?"
He removed himself from Sasuke, then pulled the white dressing gown over Sasuke's head, watching as the boy's expression didn't change - his eyes, wide, slightly dilated, staring blankly, straight ahead, and his mouth open partly, his breath forcing itself in and out.
Naruto grinned. He looked at Sasuke, in his full glory. The human was sprawled out on his bed, sweaty and scattered. Naruto took in the sight of the black-haired geisha, with all his swollen flesh seeking attention in his bed for the first time.
Naruto was over him now, pressing his forehead to Sasuke's. "Do you want me, you dirty whore?" he asked, growling lowly.
Sasuke said nothing, unsure of how to respond. Naruto pressed his hips against the other boy's, feeling the bone there. Sasuke tipped back his head, his mouth open in a silent scream, pressing his own hips upwards.
The prince of kitsune-jins grinned madly. "I'll take that as a yes," he growled.
Three doors down, Hinata blushed and continued setting the table, trying to block from her ears the sounds of fornication with the sounds of clattering plates. She nearly dropped them, she was shaking so badly from embarrassment, and from disappointment. Her mind was making her picture the act, and she was envious. Why couldn't that be her, writhing underneath the prince? Why couldn't she be the one he had chosen to mother his children?
She dropped the plate she was holding when she realized what she was thinking, holding the corner of her apron to her mouth, in a mock sort of horror.
Hastily, to stay further thoughts in that direction, she began to clean up the broken fragments of the plate.
It was a little while later that her prince and his lover entered the room, looking flushed and dishevelled. She kept her eyes down on the floor, muttering only a mandatory, "You're welcome, Uzumaki-sama," and "thank you, Uzumaki-sama," before she disappeared into the hallway.
Sasuke seemed shy at first, sitting at the end of the table, his hands in his lap, his eyes downcast. He kept glancing up, and then back down. Narutp paused in his eating and gestured to his mate. "Go on," he said, sounding almost benevolent. "Eat up."
Sasuke seemed hesitant, and then, reached for one of the sweet rolls. It seemed that the boy was far too busy to chew as he crammed the pastry into his mouth, already reaching for the hard-boiled eggs on the table.
Naruto watched with interest, wondering if this was how Sasuke ate all the time, until he remembered all the boy had to eat the night prior was a slice of cake and a cup of green tea. Sasuke said something, though it was too muffled by his mouthful of food for Naruto to really understand.
Sasuke swallowed, then said, "Pass the pancakes."
He held out his hand to emphasize his point. Naruto hastily passed the human the basket and watched as he heaped the fluffy flapjacks onto his plate, then poured sticky maple syrup all over them.
When Sasuke was finished decimating breakfast, there was nothing left, except a few lonely rejects and a bunch of crumbs.
Naruto could only blink. If this was how the human ate on a regular basis, he could only imagine what it would be like if he ever came into the family way.
Sasuke, on the other hand, had leaned over a bit, huffing and puffing, wishing he'd shown some restraint. He knew for sure now that he was going to be sick.
Hastily, he stumbled to his feet, his head still bowed, still breathing harshly. God, he was going to be so sick...
"E-excuse me," was all he managed, before he sent himself hurtling for the door, down the hall, and for the washroom in the bedchamber.
Naruto stared after the former whore, then got to his feet, and chased after him. He paused just outside the bathroom door, hearing the ugly retching sounds emanating from inside. "Sasuke?" he asked, wincing as he was greeted by only more gagging.
"Are you okay?" he asked, wincing as he slowly entered the room.
The boy was hunched over the toilet, on his knees, his head practically immersed in the bowl. Naruto nearly retched himself at the stench that the sick made in the room. He laid a hand on Sasuke's shaky shoulder.
Hastily, the human tore a piece of tissue from the roll beside the toilet, wiped his mouth and flushed the mess away.
He turned around, sliding to the floor, shaking and huffing, though he felt better. "I-I...s-sorry," he murmured, wrapping his arms about himself as a sudden chill had taken hold.
"Don't be sorry," Naruto murmured, helping the human up to his feet. "Just be a little more restrained in the future, okay?"
Sasuke nodded a little bit, letting the blond kitsune-jin lead him from the bathroom, back to the bedroom.
"You should lie down," the prince said, guiding the human in the direction of the bed. "You're freezing," he murmured as Sasuke suppressed a shiver.
Sasuke crawled into the re-made bed, for Hinata had apparently cleaned up their mess, and lay down, still shivering. He felt downright rotten.
Naruto pulled the blankets over his mate, tucking him in gently. "Get some rest," he murmured, then shut the drapes and left the room.
Yume crawled out from under the bed, hissing a little, then hopped up onto the bed. She nudged Sasuke's brow with her snout, then grudgingly curled up beside him. She growled a little as the human absently scratched her head.
While the human was resting, Naruto decided to take a run down to the palace doctor, Temari. Temari wasn't much older then himself, maybe eighteen or nineteen at best, but she had mastered all the crucial arts of medicine available in those days. She was an apothecary, a surgeon, a healer, and, some believed, a witch doctor, practised in the dark arts of voodoo, and other such things.
Nonetheless, the young woman was brilliant in her profession, and the entire royal family had trusted themselves in her abilities. Her father had been the Kazekage, who had recently passed away. The Kazekage, though he lived in the Western Deserts, was a distant cousin of the royal family, and a trusted leader, doctor, merchant, hunter, artist, musician - the list went on and on. He had taught the arts of medicine to Temari, his only daughter, because he knew he was going to die someday, and then, the royal family in Konoha should have been without doctor. He had an elder son, to whom he had left his estate. He also had a third child, who had been three quarters human, though no one knew what had happened to this boy.
Temari's green eyes glowed like emeralds in the dark of her cellar laboratory. Unless she was summoned to the royal family, this was where she spent her days. Strange chemicals, a multitude of different herbs and mixtures all lined the walls.
Temari seemed to have been waiting for him, as she sat on the counter, just in front of a near overflowing pot, smirking at him. "Ah, Lord Uzumaki. I've been expecting you."
Naruto felt slightly uneasy, partially because of her comment, and partially because of her gaze, but he shrugged it off and masked it by grinning widely. "Glad to hear it," he chirped brightly, laughing.
Temari laughed a little too. It wasn't because the blond had made a joke, nor was it because his laughter was infectious, but because she knew exactly why the prince of kitsune-jins had come to visit her. She hopped down off the counter and walked toward the prince, who was still shorter than her. "So, Lord Uzumaki, what is it that you require today?"
Naruto put his hands on his head, rocking back and forth on his heels. "Well, you know. . ."
"Is it about the Uchiha?" the medicine woman asked, a flash of something lighting up her eyes, then quickly dying down again.
Sheepishly, Naruto nodded. "Uh...yeah, actually..."
Temari turned to the shelves upon shelves of potions and herbal medicines, and other strange mixtures. She glanced over her shoulder, with a sly smirk. "So, what will it be today, my dear Lord? A potion, perhaps, to make him hopelessly in love with you? Or perhaps a solution to his sleeping problems?"
She waited patiently for Naruto to tell her what he wanted, as she was determined not to be hasty and give him something he actually might have wanted. The blond looked at the floor and scuffed it with his toes. "Uh...well, really, I wanted something...a little different."
Temari raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
Naruto blushed and raised his eyes. "Er...yeah...I ... was kinda looking for something like...a fertility drug?"
Temari nearly grinned. "Oh, my, troubles with that already?" she murmured, going over the names on the shelf, finding the bottle she wanted.
Naruto blushed harder, though she didn't see. "Well, er...I just wanted to help it along a bit, eh?"
Temari walked back to him, thrusting a bottle full of pills into his hands. "Have him take one of these, once a day, everyday, alright?"
Naruto nodded, taking the bottle into his hands. Temari smirked as she watched him scurry off, obviously eager to present his new miracle drug to the Uchiha. Unfortunately for him, he hadn't yet realized that the apothecary had given him the exact opposite of his request. Instead of a fertility drug to speed along the process, she had given him a form of birth control, which should have prevented the Uchiha from conceiving.
Temari had been plotting this from the first time she'd seen the human. True, he'd been scrawny and beaten then, but nonetheless beautiful, and Temari had vowed that she would have him. She knew that when the prince married, he had to give away all of his sex slaves, and she knew that since he was fond of this one, he wouldn't begrudge giving him to her, because at least he'd stay in the castle. She knew the only way out of that was if the whore conceived Naruto's child, which was quite possible. She hadn't believed it at first, but that had been before she'd been called to look upon Uchiha Itachi.
So, she'd decided that the first time Naruto came for some kind of medicine for the human boy, she'd give him the birth control. She knew it wouldn't take long - the boy had withdrawal problems, insomnia, and so much else wrong with him.
Her plan was flawless. Except if the Uchiha refused to take the stuff.
And because irony loves to crush people, that was exactly what the Uchiha did.
"I'm not taking any more drugs," Sasuke huffed, turning his nose away from the little pill Naruto was trying to condole him into downing.
"Sasuke, hon! It'll increase our chances a child."
Sasuke eyed the pill warily. "Even a better reason not to take it. I don't want to have a child, and I most certainly do not want to be pregnant. Ever."
Naruto felt exasperated. "Sasuke, please. Just take the goddamn pill."
"No."
"Goddamnit!" Naruto screeched, grabbing Sasuke roughly by the jaw and trying to pry his mouth open. "You're gonna take this damn pill, and you're gonna like it!"
Sasuke shook his head from side to side, trying to dislodge Naruto's hands. There was a knock at the door, and both boys paused. Naruto growled. Sasuke used the distraction to snap at Naruto's finger.
"You son of a-" Naruto started, then stopped, and clambered away from Sasuke as the knocking became increasingly persistent.
"Hold your horses!" he yelled to whoever it was, throwing on a robe, then meandering to the door.
Sasuke sat up at bit, making sure he was wrapped in the sheets. Naruto opened the door, a little bit surprised at seeing his grandmother standing in the hall. His gaze narrowed. "What do you want, old hag?"
Tsunade shrugged lightly. "I merely want to speak with you...grandson."
Naruto seemed even more wary now. "If it's about that Harunananan...or whatever her name is, I don't want t-"
"May I come in?" Tsunade asked, rather abruptly, then strode into the room, without waiting for the blond's consent.
She spied Sasuke curled on the prince's bed, covered with the blankets, and with the curtains of the bed slightly drawn. She forced a smile. "Ah, good, you're here too."
Sasuke seemed to find this an odd comment, and cocked his head to the side. Tsunade sat down in the nearest chair. "Well," she murmured. "I wanted to have a talk with you - both of you."
Naruto flopped down on the bed, next to the human, looking at her curiously. Tsunade didn't object to his choice of seating - it would be just as easy if they couldn't see her, and she couldn't see them. She drew a breath. This was slightly embarrassing. Maybe she should have sent her husband to talk to them - he was a pervert, he'd have no qualms.
"Now, I know you're both nearly adults, but I still think you need to be prepared. Especially if the case is as I suspect it."
Nobody said anything in reply to that. Tsunade continued. "Now, I'm sure you're both aware of the Uchiha Curse -"
A cough from one of the boys assured her they knew. Still, she plunged on with her pre-planned monologue. "And if you don't, then you should know that all males in the Uchiha family possess the unique ability to carry a child."
Another cough, followed by a slight whimper and she denoted that the human boy obviously didn't favour this idea. "So, I was wondering if you two had considered birth control."
Another whimper from the human, this time sounding like a thank you, rather than a bad thing, and vaguely, she could see her grandson grinning widely. "Not at all, old hag. In fact, I saw Temari this morning and Uchiha darling here is now on some type of fertility drug."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "A fertility drug?" she asked, pure curiosity outweighing any scepticism she might have otherwise denoted.
Naruto nodded. Tsunade got up. "What's it called?"
"Er...I dunno."
Tsunade sighed and spotted the bottle Naruto had left on the chest-of-drawers. She meandered over to the furniture, and she picked up the bottle, absently remarking, "You should know what he's taking...what if he's allergic to it?"
"Allergic?" Naruto asked.
Tsunade nodded. "Oh, yes. Humans can be allergic to many, many things, including drugs. That's how we manage to kill a lot of them. Find out what they're allergic to, and how badly, then give them a dose that would be lethal."
"What?" Naruto nearly shrieked.
Tsunade studied the label on the bottle, then dumped a pill or two out, just to confirm her thoughts. "Naruto, you dork ..."
"What?" the blond asked, coming to stand beside the old woman.
"These aren't fertility drugs. These are birth control pills."
Naruto stared in horror. "But...but...Temari must have given me the wrong stuff!"
"Has he had one of these yet?" the female kitsune-jin asked, eyeing her grandson warily.
Naruto shook his head. "Not..," he turned back to glare at the bed, then hollered, "If you dare take that thing, Uchiha, you're dead!"
Naruto stormed back over to the bed, throwing open the curtains and glaring at Sasuke, who promptly dropped the pink pill he'd picked up (which had previously been forgotten), after he'd heard it was birth control.
Naruto snatched it off the floor, grumbling. "I'd better take this stuff back to Temari...get the right stuff."
Naruto continued grumbling and groaning about what a pain in the ass it was to climb up and down all those stairs. Tsunade, in the meantime, wandered over to the bedside.
Sasuke glared at her, and attempted to hide himself again under the covers, but the kitsune-jin woman grabbed him by the arm and dragged him out. She inspected him, raking her eyes up and down his body. He merely glared at her all the while.
"Naruto," she said finally, just as he was about to head out the door.
The blond paused, with his hand on the door knob, and glared. "What is it, old hag?"
"I really don't think pumping him full of drugs is the answer here."
Sasuke nodded, in complete agreement. Obviously, Tsunade was somewhat wiser than her grandson. Or, at least, he thought so, until she continued on.
"You should be able to impregnate him without any trouble."
"No!" Sasuke cried, pulling away and burying himself under the blankets.
Tsunade smiled at her grandson, almost gently. Naruto was still grumpy. "Well, I've still got to get rid of this stuff, or he'll down it all. As you can see, he really couldn't care less about his royal connections."
Tsunade took the bottle out her grandson's grasp. "It's good to see you have such an interest in keeping with the family line. I'll take this for you."
With that, she was gone, into the hall, leaving Naruto stare after her in confusion, then to return to Sasuke.
Tsunade sighed. "Oh, it's good to see his desires in continuing the family line, but not with that goddamn human!"
--------------
[A/N: And another chapter is finished. This story is complete on my computer, and it's a hundred and thirty odd pages long...xX I'm going away for a week, though, so don't expect any updates from August 16th - 22nd. Maybe after that. =) R&R,but don't kill my inbox, eh? =D
Watermelon Gal: lol I love your interpretation of the Tsunade-Naruto "sex talk". lmao Unfortunately, that's not how it goes. Yes, that chapter's probably the strangest out of what I've written so far. =)
Bishiehuggler: I like to explain, because I feel that it does make everything a little more plausible, because theoretically, it's like "proving" it, even despite the impossibility of it. I'm not going to say Sasuke was too malnourished, but I will say that his per cent of body fat was too low to warrant a menstrual cycle and successfully conceive and support a baby. That's not to say he didn't have anything to eat since he was thirteen or so. . .so about five years, but just that he wasn't getting enough. And if you won't take that as an answer, he's a late bloomer. lol
AquaHawk-04: Eh. Actually, I think the weirdness kind of rises and falls, with no clear peak, per say. And don't fear, I am very effective in the category of 'weird'. I think I learned that from my brother. =3
Kaiyo No Hime: I'm glad you like the fic so much. =D
Kurisuteru-chan: Erm...I'm not actually sure if it was or wasn't rape. . .as Sasuke didn't put up much of a struggle...::scratches head in confusion:: Eh, for all purposes, we'll just call it nonconsenual ...which pretty much covers rape to the 'I don't wanna, but it feels good'. ::nods:: I'm glad you're enjoying the fic so far.
ChibiCatDemon: I'm glad you're enjoying the story.
ManicReversed: Yup, a biology lesson indeed. I'm glad you're liking the story so far. =)
Kathryn: ::nods:: That's actually one of the faults with the theory I was going to point out earlier, but I'm not exactly sure how to explain the eradication of that problem, so I'm simply going to say that time and evolution did it's thing, and everything got smoothed over in the end. ::nods:: I'm going to say that the Great War was a few hundred years back, so there was time elapsed enough for that to plausible. I actually formed the theory before I saw the problems. Hindsight's always 20/20, ne? I'm glad you find the story interesting despite the mpreg in it, and I'm glad to hear that you'll keep reading. =)
Yuen-chan: Oh, you trust me too much. There's much faulty with that theory, but you don't really need to know how it works in order to understand the plain facts. I simply wrote that explanation because it makes the idea just a little more tangible, and realistic, and not in the way that, well, yanno, that duded just got knocked up with no rhyme or reason, that I find many mpregs seem slightly prone to. And you're not stupid.
Kyuuketsuki-Chan: I'm glad you like the story. =)
keelhaul lizzie: I'm glad you liked the chapter. I'm glad you found the explanation scientific, and at least, somewhat supportive of the idea. =) And no, I don't think Sakura is drooling over anyone in the fic, and I like her when she's not doing that, so I hope I've written her in a more realistic way than that. =)
mistress ethereal: I'm glad you enjoyed the style of my story. I tend to get off on tangents, saying one thing I find somewhat profound and run with it, rather than just dialogue, which helps the characters interact, but doesn't always give the insight into their thoughts and feelings that description can. Description also places tone and mood a little better than dialogue, I find. =)
artemis347: Knowing Sasuke, he'll be quiet for a long, long time. Quite possibly forever. I'm glad you like the story though. =)
Arukiche: I'm glad you like the story. =)
Warnings: References to sex, references to mpreg, sex
And now, on with the fic!)
Chapter 5: Last Dawn
The sun rose, hot over Konoha, promising another blistering September day. Sasuke pondered vaguely if winter was even coming this year. Normally, the wind would have been cooler by now, having started coming from the Northeast. Today, however, was stifling hot, with the breeze still, unable to move the heavy air.
The birds had yet to take to the air and fly South, toward the Ocean, and instead, they were still feeding and some of the young were still in the nest, newly hatched. It seemed that summer had lengthened itself this year, and everything along with it.
He was on the balcony, the cool stones pressing up against his bare feet. The sun beat down on the morning world, the sky turning blood red with the rise. His ebony locks were already sticking to the back of his neck, and the sides of his face.
He'd been up for half-an-hour now, waking just before dawn from another confused nightmare. Sore, and sticky, and sweaty, he'd given thought to the notion of a bath, but had decided that the running water would wake the kitsune-jin prince, despite what a heavy sleeper he seemed to be.
Getting out of the bed had probably been the worst part, his body protesting every movement he made. Once free of the sheets, he noticed that Naruto had left some clothes draped over a chair, along with a note. Curious as to what the prince had in mind, and unwilling to remain nude in the prince's presence in light of his current course of action, he, with some difficulty, manoeuvred over to the chair. He sat in it, his legs unwilling to support him any longer.
He picked up the scrap of parchment, which was very thick and a creamy colour, unlike any paper Sasuke had ever seen. He turned it over and read the messy hand-scrawled message, with the bleeding black ink. Naruto, a prince though he may have been, had obviously never mastered writing.
Still, the message came across to him. 'I want you to wear this,' it said, and it had some sort of little hand-drawn icon with it that looked like a smiling face. Sasuke snorted and dropped the paper, picking up the linen garment, almost angrily. It was light, like cotton, and a perfect white, indicating it had never been worn before. Sasuke unfolded it and stared in horror, indignation and his cheeks flushed with anger. There was absolutely no way in hell he was wearing...this! in front of that...that...
Remembering he was still exposed, he slid the offensive thing over his head. With any luck, he'd bleed all over it and he'd have to throw it out. The fabric was airy and light, and the garment was large and folded itself onto his small frame. It was cinched at the waist, a little too much, so that Sasuke almost couldn't breathe. It ended just above his ankles, the linen kissing his shins. It was a dressing gown, but not just any dressing gown. It was a woman's dressing gown, and Sasuke ruffled at the very thought of being forced down so low. It was borrowed, that much he knew, and Sasuke didn't wonder if it belonged to Hinata, for she would have done anything for the prince.
And thus, that was how he came to be on the balcony. Not wanting to remain in the same room, he'd slipped outside, for he knew that if he tried to even get out of the room, he wouldn't get very far. He'd left the curtains shut, hoping that they'd block him out and Naruto wouldn't see him.
Unless of course, Naruto opened the curtains. Which was so plain Naruto-like that it was the first thing he did and Sasuke cursed his rotten luck.
Naruto merely grinned at him from behind the glass. He sulked and crossed his arms, looking away. The lace trim of the dressing gown rubbed against his bare skin. Silently, he cursed women and their stupid fashions.
He heard the door open and Naruto was on the balcony with him. He did the only sensible thing to do - continue to ignore the blond. Naruto couched down beside him, grinning like an insane fox. "You look cute," he told the dark-haired human.
Sasuke turned to glower at the boy. Naruto just kept grinning. "You know, there are gardeners in the gardens, right?"
Sasuke dropped the glare for a second, his dark eyes widening slightly. Naruto laughed lightly. "It's okay. . .they probably think you're some pretty human girl I found. Not a human boy."
Sasuke fumed, and his cheeks turned red. He turned away from the blond, refusing to be insulted more. Naruto was silent for a moment. They sat, listening to the morning birds singing their songs to the glory of the sun.
The door of the room opened and Naruto turned to look back, then got up and disappeared into the room. Sasuke heard the quiet voices, one male and one female, talking with each other. Naruto emerged onto the balcony again a moment later, looking down at the human perched on the marble stones.
"Come back inside and have some breakfast, Sasuke. You need to eat."
He said nothing in reply. If it would please Naruto for him to eat, then he wouldn't. He had starved before, and he could do it again. Food was not necessary for him.
A warm, strong hand wrapped about his wrist and pulled him up. Naruto was frowning, a sort of worry-anger playing in his eyes. "You're going to eat, Sasuke. You have to feed our child."
Sasuke recoiled, hissing, "No."
Naruto sighed. He knew it was harsh to say to the creature in front of him, but he needed to be harsh to goad the boy into submission. He crouched down and gently placed his hand on Sasuke's cheek, not at all surprised when the boy turned away.
"Sasuke," he growled, becoming annoyed with the human. "Please, listen to what I'm saying -"
Sasuke tried to push him away, tears wetting his eyes. He looked like a scared child, and the sunlight radiating on him made him irresistible. The sun's rays were gentle to him, despite that he was a creature of the night, dark-featured, with a pale complexion, like the moon herself.
"Please, Sasuke, I know, this is strange and -"
The boy was weeping openly now, despite trying to facade behind strength. He fought weakly, trying to push the blond kitsune-jin away. Eventually, Naruto let him and watched as he curled in on himself, crying.
Naruto sighed and pulled the weepy boy to his feet, forcing him to stand. He draped his arms about the shaking shoulders, trying to be soothing, as best he could. "Shush, shush. You'll get used to it."
"I don't want to get used to it," Sasuke growled, misery evident in his voice.
Naruto sighed. He knew the only way he was going to be allowed to keep Sasuke was if the boy actually ended up with his child. It seemed truly the impossible goal, between Sasuke's unyielding defiance and the laws of nature.
By the time Naruto was wed to his fiancee, he would have to get rid of any pleasure slaves he held. It was customary. He'd never had a sex slave, and he didn't intend to. He viewed Sasuke as more of someone he was helping out, not a slave.
But if the boy kept up like this, he was going to be sold into bondage, most likely into the Western deserts, where he'd heard the cruelest kitsune-jins - and humans - lived. The environment was harsh, and so were the inhabitants.
Somehow, that was the last thing Naruto wanted to see. Gods forbid, he was actually starting to care about the stupid human! How utterly pathetic.
Then again, he supposed that he sympathized. There had been a time when he'd almost lost his family, and been forced to live in hiding as a peasant boy. Right after the death of the Sandaime, there had been mass objection to the Yondaime. Some had wanted to see Jiraiya take the throne; others had cheered Tsunade on, which had strained their marriage. Still others were supporters of the Yondaime, and others wanted to see the Sandaime's daughter, Anko, in power.
A lot of rebel fighting had broke out and the Yondaime, who wouldn't have been able to claim the throne without an heir, had to take Naruto into hiding. Tsunade and Jiraiya had gone their separate ways. He vaguely remembered being very hungry, and very dirty in a hovel on the other side of town, though he didn't remember it very clearly.
He supposed Sasuke knew more.
"Stop being so conservative and act like the whore you are," Naruto growled, pulling the startled boy to his feet.
Sasuke could only stare at Naruto, anger and insult written all across his face. "I am not-" he started, but was cut off when the blond kitsune-jin kissed him fiercely.
He felt like a china doll in Naruto's grip, so thin and flimsy. Arms snaked about his pinched waist, then under him, forcing his feet off the ground. Lips were still sealed by lips and Sasuke couldn't breathe. He felt dizzy from lack of oxygen. He pawed feebly at Naruto's shoulder, feeling like he was going to faint.
He was thrown to the bed, landing in an ungraceful heap. Naruto joined him almost immediately, plying his mouth to Sasuke's neck, licking and biting into the pulsing flesh. Sasuke tried to push him away. The reaction was hot-wired into his brain.
Naruto growled, pressing himself into the crook of Sasuke's neck, nuzzling as hard as he could. He was determined to get a positive reaction out of Sasuke. "We can stop," he whispered, then licked his way from the neck to the ear. "If you want," he hissed, wrapping his tongue coyly about the shell of Sasuke's ear.
The dark-haired boy suppressed a shudder, but if he thought Naruto hadn't felt it, he was oh-so-wrong. Naruto smirked and nuzzled more. He gently touched the tips of his fingers to the human's lips, as if to make sure he stayed quiet.
He stroked the base of the boy's neck, making him shudder, more visibly this time. His hands were tangled in the sheets, clenching them tightly. The dark, slanted eyes were shut tight. Naruto grinned and kissed him, then suckled his way down the front of his neck. Nothing more than a whimper escaped the human, but the blond knew he was on the right path.
Grinning wickedly, he lifted up the ebony-haired boy's skirt and slid his head up. While he was doing this, his hands were frantic, groping at Sasuke, all over, paying special attention to the boy's nipples, squeezing and pinching, and when he arrived, his mouth took control of the pink buds.
He sucked, he licked and he made sure his whore liked it. This was about Sasuke. He refused to have an unwilling partner in his bed anymore. Sasuke groaned, a little loudly, and Naruto was almost sure that Hinata, who was down the hall, setting breakfast, must have heard.
He backed off and blew his breath onto the wet bud, making Sasuke shiver. "Mmmhmmm, oh, you like that don't you? Oh, you'll like feeding our baby, won't you?"
He removed himself from Sasuke, then pulled the white dressing gown over Sasuke's head, watching as the boy's expression didn't change - his eyes, wide, slightly dilated, staring blankly, straight ahead, and his mouth open partly, his breath forcing itself in and out.
Naruto grinned. He looked at Sasuke, in his full glory. The human was sprawled out on his bed, sweaty and scattered. Naruto took in the sight of the black-haired geisha, with all his swollen flesh seeking attention in his bed for the first time.
Naruto was over him now, pressing his forehead to Sasuke's. "Do you want me, you dirty whore?" he asked, growling lowly.
Sasuke said nothing, unsure of how to respond. Naruto pressed his hips against the other boy's, feeling the bone there. Sasuke tipped back his head, his mouth open in a silent scream, pressing his own hips upwards.
The prince of kitsune-jins grinned madly. "I'll take that as a yes," he growled.
Three doors down, Hinata blushed and continued setting the table, trying to block from her ears the sounds of fornication with the sounds of clattering plates. She nearly dropped them, she was shaking so badly from embarrassment, and from disappointment. Her mind was making her picture the act, and she was envious. Why couldn't that be her, writhing underneath the prince? Why couldn't she be the one he had chosen to mother his children?
She dropped the plate she was holding when she realized what she was thinking, holding the corner of her apron to her mouth, in a mock sort of horror.
Hastily, to stay further thoughts in that direction, she began to clean up the broken fragments of the plate.
It was a little while later that her prince and his lover entered the room, looking flushed and dishevelled. She kept her eyes down on the floor, muttering only a mandatory, "You're welcome, Uzumaki-sama," and "thank you, Uzumaki-sama," before she disappeared into the hallway.
Sasuke seemed shy at first, sitting at the end of the table, his hands in his lap, his eyes downcast. He kept glancing up, and then back down. Narutp paused in his eating and gestured to his mate. "Go on," he said, sounding almost benevolent. "Eat up."
Sasuke seemed hesitant, and then, reached for one of the sweet rolls. It seemed that the boy was far too busy to chew as he crammed the pastry into his mouth, already reaching for the hard-boiled eggs on the table.
Naruto watched with interest, wondering if this was how Sasuke ate all the time, until he remembered all the boy had to eat the night prior was a slice of cake and a cup of green tea. Sasuke said something, though it was too muffled by his mouthful of food for Naruto to really understand.
Sasuke swallowed, then said, "Pass the pancakes."
He held out his hand to emphasize his point. Naruto hastily passed the human the basket and watched as he heaped the fluffy flapjacks onto his plate, then poured sticky maple syrup all over them.
When Sasuke was finished decimating breakfast, there was nothing left, except a few lonely rejects and a bunch of crumbs.
Naruto could only blink. If this was how the human ate on a regular basis, he could only imagine what it would be like if he ever came into the family way.
Sasuke, on the other hand, had leaned over a bit, huffing and puffing, wishing he'd shown some restraint. He knew for sure now that he was going to be sick.
Hastily, he stumbled to his feet, his head still bowed, still breathing harshly. God, he was going to be so sick...
"E-excuse me," was all he managed, before he sent himself hurtling for the door, down the hall, and for the washroom in the bedchamber.
Naruto stared after the former whore, then got to his feet, and chased after him. He paused just outside the bathroom door, hearing the ugly retching sounds emanating from inside. "Sasuke?" he asked, wincing as he was greeted by only more gagging.
"Are you okay?" he asked, wincing as he slowly entered the room.
The boy was hunched over the toilet, on his knees, his head practically immersed in the bowl. Naruto nearly retched himself at the stench that the sick made in the room. He laid a hand on Sasuke's shaky shoulder.
Hastily, the human tore a piece of tissue from the roll beside the toilet, wiped his mouth and flushed the mess away.
He turned around, sliding to the floor, shaking and huffing, though he felt better. "I-I...s-sorry," he murmured, wrapping his arms about himself as a sudden chill had taken hold.
"Don't be sorry," Naruto murmured, helping the human up to his feet. "Just be a little more restrained in the future, okay?"
Sasuke nodded a little bit, letting the blond kitsune-jin lead him from the bathroom, back to the bedroom.
"You should lie down," the prince said, guiding the human in the direction of the bed. "You're freezing," he murmured as Sasuke suppressed a shiver.
Sasuke crawled into the re-made bed, for Hinata had apparently cleaned up their mess, and lay down, still shivering. He felt downright rotten.
Naruto pulled the blankets over his mate, tucking him in gently. "Get some rest," he murmured, then shut the drapes and left the room.
Yume crawled out from under the bed, hissing a little, then hopped up onto the bed. She nudged Sasuke's brow with her snout, then grudgingly curled up beside him. She growled a little as the human absently scratched her head.
While the human was resting, Naruto decided to take a run down to the palace doctor, Temari. Temari wasn't much older then himself, maybe eighteen or nineteen at best, but she had mastered all the crucial arts of medicine available in those days. She was an apothecary, a surgeon, a healer, and, some believed, a witch doctor, practised in the dark arts of voodoo, and other such things.
Nonetheless, the young woman was brilliant in her profession, and the entire royal family had trusted themselves in her abilities. Her father had been the Kazekage, who had recently passed away. The Kazekage, though he lived in the Western Deserts, was a distant cousin of the royal family, and a trusted leader, doctor, merchant, hunter, artist, musician - the list went on and on. He had taught the arts of medicine to Temari, his only daughter, because he knew he was going to die someday, and then, the royal family in Konoha should have been without doctor. He had an elder son, to whom he had left his estate. He also had a third child, who had been three quarters human, though no one knew what had happened to this boy.
Temari's green eyes glowed like emeralds in the dark of her cellar laboratory. Unless she was summoned to the royal family, this was where she spent her days. Strange chemicals, a multitude of different herbs and mixtures all lined the walls.
Temari seemed to have been waiting for him, as she sat on the counter, just in front of a near overflowing pot, smirking at him. "Ah, Lord Uzumaki. I've been expecting you."
Naruto felt slightly uneasy, partially because of her comment, and partially because of her gaze, but he shrugged it off and masked it by grinning widely. "Glad to hear it," he chirped brightly, laughing.
Temari laughed a little too. It wasn't because the blond had made a joke, nor was it because his laughter was infectious, but because she knew exactly why the prince of kitsune-jins had come to visit her. She hopped down off the counter and walked toward the prince, who was still shorter than her. "So, Lord Uzumaki, what is it that you require today?"
Naruto put his hands on his head, rocking back and forth on his heels. "Well, you know. . ."
"Is it about the Uchiha?" the medicine woman asked, a flash of something lighting up her eyes, then quickly dying down again.
Sheepishly, Naruto nodded. "Uh...yeah, actually..."
Temari turned to the shelves upon shelves of potions and herbal medicines, and other strange mixtures. She glanced over her shoulder, with a sly smirk. "So, what will it be today, my dear Lord? A potion, perhaps, to make him hopelessly in love with you? Or perhaps a solution to his sleeping problems?"
She waited patiently for Naruto to tell her what he wanted, as she was determined not to be hasty and give him something he actually might have wanted. The blond looked at the floor and scuffed it with his toes. "Uh...well, really, I wanted something...a little different."
Temari raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
Naruto blushed and raised his eyes. "Er...yeah...I ... was kinda looking for something like...a fertility drug?"
Temari nearly grinned. "Oh, my, troubles with that already?" she murmured, going over the names on the shelf, finding the bottle she wanted.
Naruto blushed harder, though she didn't see. "Well, er...I just wanted to help it along a bit, eh?"
Temari walked back to him, thrusting a bottle full of pills into his hands. "Have him take one of these, once a day, everyday, alright?"
Naruto nodded, taking the bottle into his hands. Temari smirked as she watched him scurry off, obviously eager to present his new miracle drug to the Uchiha. Unfortunately for him, he hadn't yet realized that the apothecary had given him the exact opposite of his request. Instead of a fertility drug to speed along the process, she had given him a form of birth control, which should have prevented the Uchiha from conceiving.
Temari had been plotting this from the first time she'd seen the human. True, he'd been scrawny and beaten then, but nonetheless beautiful, and Temari had vowed that she would have him. She knew that when the prince married, he had to give away all of his sex slaves, and she knew that since he was fond of this one, he wouldn't begrudge giving him to her, because at least he'd stay in the castle. She knew the only way out of that was if the whore conceived Naruto's child, which was quite possible. She hadn't believed it at first, but that had been before she'd been called to look upon Uchiha Itachi.
So, she'd decided that the first time Naruto came for some kind of medicine for the human boy, she'd give him the birth control. She knew it wouldn't take long - the boy had withdrawal problems, insomnia, and so much else wrong with him.
Her plan was flawless. Except if the Uchiha refused to take the stuff.
And because irony loves to crush people, that was exactly what the Uchiha did.
"I'm not taking any more drugs," Sasuke huffed, turning his nose away from the little pill Naruto was trying to condole him into downing.
"Sasuke, hon! It'll increase our chances a child."
Sasuke eyed the pill warily. "Even a better reason not to take it. I don't want to have a child, and I most certainly do not want to be pregnant. Ever."
Naruto felt exasperated. "Sasuke, please. Just take the goddamn pill."
"No."
"Goddamnit!" Naruto screeched, grabbing Sasuke roughly by the jaw and trying to pry his mouth open. "You're gonna take this damn pill, and you're gonna like it!"
Sasuke shook his head from side to side, trying to dislodge Naruto's hands. There was a knock at the door, and both boys paused. Naruto growled. Sasuke used the distraction to snap at Naruto's finger.
"You son of a-" Naruto started, then stopped, and clambered away from Sasuke as the knocking became increasingly persistent.
"Hold your horses!" he yelled to whoever it was, throwing on a robe, then meandering to the door.
Sasuke sat up at bit, making sure he was wrapped in the sheets. Naruto opened the door, a little bit surprised at seeing his grandmother standing in the hall. His gaze narrowed. "What do you want, old hag?"
Tsunade shrugged lightly. "I merely want to speak with you...grandson."
Naruto seemed even more wary now. "If it's about that Harunananan...or whatever her name is, I don't want t-"
"May I come in?" Tsunade asked, rather abruptly, then strode into the room, without waiting for the blond's consent.
She spied Sasuke curled on the prince's bed, covered with the blankets, and with the curtains of the bed slightly drawn. She forced a smile. "Ah, good, you're here too."
Sasuke seemed to find this an odd comment, and cocked his head to the side. Tsunade sat down in the nearest chair. "Well," she murmured. "I wanted to have a talk with you - both of you."
Naruto flopped down on the bed, next to the human, looking at her curiously. Tsunade didn't object to his choice of seating - it would be just as easy if they couldn't see her, and she couldn't see them. She drew a breath. This was slightly embarrassing. Maybe she should have sent her husband to talk to them - he was a pervert, he'd have no qualms.
"Now, I know you're both nearly adults, but I still think you need to be prepared. Especially if the case is as I suspect it."
Nobody said anything in reply to that. Tsunade continued. "Now, I'm sure you're both aware of the Uchiha Curse -"
A cough from one of the boys assured her they knew. Still, she plunged on with her pre-planned monologue. "And if you don't, then you should know that all males in the Uchiha family possess the unique ability to carry a child."
Another cough, followed by a slight whimper and she denoted that the human boy obviously didn't favour this idea. "So, I was wondering if you two had considered birth control."
Another whimper from the human, this time sounding like a thank you, rather than a bad thing, and vaguely, she could see her grandson grinning widely. "Not at all, old hag. In fact, I saw Temari this morning and Uchiha darling here is now on some type of fertility drug."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "A fertility drug?" she asked, pure curiosity outweighing any scepticism she might have otherwise denoted.
Naruto nodded. Tsunade got up. "What's it called?"
"Er...I dunno."
Tsunade sighed and spotted the bottle Naruto had left on the chest-of-drawers. She meandered over to the furniture, and she picked up the bottle, absently remarking, "You should know what he's taking...what if he's allergic to it?"
"Allergic?" Naruto asked.
Tsunade nodded. "Oh, yes. Humans can be allergic to many, many things, including drugs. That's how we manage to kill a lot of them. Find out what they're allergic to, and how badly, then give them a dose that would be lethal."
"What?" Naruto nearly shrieked.
Tsunade studied the label on the bottle, then dumped a pill or two out, just to confirm her thoughts. "Naruto, you dork ..."
"What?" the blond asked, coming to stand beside the old woman.
"These aren't fertility drugs. These are birth control pills."
Naruto stared in horror. "But...but...Temari must have given me the wrong stuff!"
"Has he had one of these yet?" the female kitsune-jin asked, eyeing her grandson warily.
Naruto shook his head. "Not..," he turned back to glare at the bed, then hollered, "If you dare take that thing, Uchiha, you're dead!"
Naruto stormed back over to the bed, throwing open the curtains and glaring at Sasuke, who promptly dropped the pink pill he'd picked up (which had previously been forgotten), after he'd heard it was birth control.
Naruto snatched it off the floor, grumbling. "I'd better take this stuff back to Temari...get the right stuff."
Naruto continued grumbling and groaning about what a pain in the ass it was to climb up and down all those stairs. Tsunade, in the meantime, wandered over to the bedside.
Sasuke glared at her, and attempted to hide himself again under the covers, but the kitsune-jin woman grabbed him by the arm and dragged him out. She inspected him, raking her eyes up and down his body. He merely glared at her all the while.
"Naruto," she said finally, just as he was about to head out the door.
The blond paused, with his hand on the door knob, and glared. "What is it, old hag?"
"I really don't think pumping him full of drugs is the answer here."
Sasuke nodded, in complete agreement. Obviously, Tsunade was somewhat wiser than her grandson. Or, at least, he thought so, until she continued on.
"You should be able to impregnate him without any trouble."
"No!" Sasuke cried, pulling away and burying himself under the blankets.
Tsunade smiled at her grandson, almost gently. Naruto was still grumpy. "Well, I've still got to get rid of this stuff, or he'll down it all. As you can see, he really couldn't care less about his royal connections."
Tsunade took the bottle out her grandson's grasp. "It's good to see you have such an interest in keeping with the family line. I'll take this for you."
With that, she was gone, into the hall, leaving Naruto stare after her in confusion, then to return to Sasuke.
Tsunade sighed. "Oh, it's good to see his desires in continuing the family line, but not with that goddamn human!"
--------------
[A/N: And another chapter is finished. This story is complete on my computer, and it's a hundred and thirty odd pages long...xX I'm going away for a week, though, so don't expect any updates from August 16th - 22nd. Maybe after that. =) R&R,but don't kill my inbox, eh? =D