True Crime Chapter 3: If Tomorrow You Love Me, a naruto fanfic

"'Cause we've got this thing I wanna trust, even if it falls apart, I want you to love me like it's the end of the world…The end of the world…" -End Of The World, EPIK HIGH

A Collection of ITASASU One-shots...

Summary: Sasuke and Naruto have been told they are cursed, born without a soulmate, and their union is fated to happen in order to keep balance in their world. Neither boy believes it, so they go out of their way to prove they do have a soulmate- its just not each other!

Pairings: Itasasu. / KuramaNaruto / ShisuiIzumi

Genre: Fantacy/Romance/hurt/comfort

"If tomorrow you leave, tomorrow I forget you. If tomorrow you love me, I'll escape with you. I never limit myself, I don't fear destiny. You stay or you leave, make your decision…."- I'ts All Up To You- Aventura Ft Wisin Yandel Akon

True Crime:

Third Story: If Tomorrow You Love Me...

"I've decided, I'm going to run away with her. I'm going to defy my parents and carve my own path," the man on the other side of the phone clearly said while holding his cell phone close to his ear. Rustling followed while he adjusted the phone, "I'll take the stone, money, and we are going to elope. I don't want anyone getting in the way. Can you help us, or not?"

The man he was talking to let out a heavy sigh at the announcement.

"Are you sure?" he asked, getting an affirmative.

"It's now or never," there was no hesitation in his tone. "What do you say?"

"Ha ha, you've never done things by halves, have you… heh…okay, I hear you cousin, but listen. Your parents just want to be sure that she is truly your soulmate," The man said, trying to get him to think his decision over.

But there was nothing left to think about.

"She's the one," his cousin assured. His eyes flickered down to the soul mark on the back of his hand. This proved it. There shouldn't be any doubt. "I'm sure of it. I just don't understand why they can't see it. Why don't they believe me when I tell them that I am sure she is the one?" he leaned against the frame of the balcony in his room.

He slid the glass door open, taking in the fresh air and the full moon. He was currently alone, lost in his thoughts for escape.

"They have gotten old in their age and they have beliefs that they refuse to change." The other man said as he dragged his tumbler full of Jose Cuervo to his waiting mouth. He licked his lips as he threw a glance to his bed where rustling called his attention.

The naked, gorgeous, female sprawled on it, beckon him to return already. Her body covered in nothing but satiny lingerie that barely covered all the important bits, leaving nothing to the imagination. She was a divine vision under the light of the full moon.

Sin to his salivating glands.

"Cousin, I just need your support. Are you with me or not?" He was tired of having to repeat himself.

He grinned as he walked closer to the bed, allowing the woman to crawl over to him. Her dark eyes shining mischievously under her long raven hair, "You got it cousin, anything that you need, I'll be there." he replied as the bathrobe he was wearing was pushed aside, to reveal his hard cock.

She moaned softly as her tongue lapped at the drooling tip. Pliant lips parted, swallowing him down. He bit back a moan not to call attention to what he was enjoying.

"Great, I knew I could count on you." his naïve cousin said.

"What's the location?" he asked, head thrown back in pleasure. This was just too easy, he could nearly taste his price.

"Since we are going to be taking the Stone of Rinnegan with us," his cousin said, "we will be leaving from the Uchiha Monument tomorrow night. Be there with your car, I think it's best that we leave by means that are least to be suspected."

"Okay. Got it. I will meet you there, cousin," he said, hanging up once his cousin thanked him. He could nearly laugh at that, thanking him really, was something he shouldn't be doing. His hand cruelly reached down for the woman's hair, pulling her to fully gag on his cock. "Such a good girl, everything is falling through just perfect," he said with a slow chuckle.

The woman's eyes watered as she took him deep, splitting her throat around him.

She glanced down at her trembling hands, where the soulmate mark shone at the back of her hand. Guilt filtering through her and she fisted her hand, closing her eyes as she allowed herself to be used for the pleasure of the man in front of her.

If Tomorrow You Love Me

Years Later

Uchiha Sasuke took a deep breath, his hard gaze settled over the steady, undisturbed water in front of him.

The pool glistened serenely in dancing shadows and minimal light, like calm, compared to the storm of emotions raging deep inside of his chest. Sasuke felt tears come to his burning gaze, loneliness drowning him better than anything else could. The suffocating feeling was too much and he wanted it to end. He wanted to get away from it so badly!

He jumped.

His graceful, lithe, and pale body crashed into the pool causing heavy waves of water to pull him down, deeply- caving him in. Sasuke closed his eyes, holding his breath as he allowed the water to hold him down, feeling so much like an old friend calling his name.

Images suddenly filled his mind like they usually did when so much water surrounded him.

Like an old memory of a broken heart. A chest ripped into, dripping blood on lips that spoke about betrayal and loss. The inability to breathe, his lungs burning with the sensation, one that was his and yet wasn't his at all.

Sasuke propelled forward, bursting out of the water, gasping and greedily taking gulps of air.

His deep black eyes settled over the high, dark ceiling. His teeth softly sunk into his lower lip as he tried to make sense of what he had just seen. It was only in those moments, deep in silence and desperation that he was granted such visions…

Although they felt so much like memories…

"Beautiful," A playful male voice called from across the pool.

Sasuke's eyes widened slightly as he sharply turned his body, eyes locking onto a tall man standing at the edge of the pool. Sasuke frowned, wondering what he was doing there. Brushing his hair back, he stayed rooted to where he was, keeping his distance while his gaze never left the other man.

It would be dangerous to do so.

"Shisui, shouldn't you be at home, asleep?" Sasuke asked.

"I could say the same thing to you, Sasuke," Shisui said. He crouched down, his fingers touching the water in slow motions. "I heard that your parents are introducing you to your fiancée, I suspect it is what is keeping you awake?" the man asked.

Shisui smiled, giving off a gentle aura about him.

Sasuke suspected though, that there was nothing gentle about the man in front of him. No one needed to tell him to keep away from him. Sasuke just naturally always felt that way towards him. There was always more to Shisui than met the eye, he just couldn't pin down what that was.

"My parents say that the arrangement is best because it will help maintain peace between Konoha and the Uchiha," Sasuke angrily hissed. "I don't want to go with what they have arranged. I want to be able to choose on my own,"

"You're perfect though, you have no soulmate," Shisui rested his head on his knees, watching the way Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed in disagreement. The boy was always so stubborn. Such an adorable trait on someone so beautiful, "You and I are so similar and yet so different. I lost my soulmate to death, but you were born without one,"

"They say that you should be dead. That you should have followed your soulmate to their death!" Sasuke snapped what was in his mind, but clamped his mouth shut the next moment. It was rude of him to say what was on his mind.

He shouldn't be repeating the things he had heard other talk about.

Shisui gave him a surprised look before he dropped it for a smile. A small chuckle parted his lips as he shook his head.

"The elders are set in their ways. My heart aches and I long for my soulmate, but death is not at my door…" Shisui gave Sasuke a hopeful look. "I believe that what I feel is now hope, that you and I could be something…"

Sasuke paused, giving his cousin a disapproving glare. He felt shock at his word. He'd heard all the tales about how a soulmate was one of a kind. One in million and that usually when one died, the other followed. It was impossible for one to live without the other.

How could Shisui suggest such a cold hearted thing…

"But I'm…"

"The strength between us both can mend our broken bonds, Sasuke." Shisui got to his feet, giving his younger cousin an imploring look. "If you so decide not to take that arrangement your parents have made, I'd more than gladly take you as my soulmate, and forge a bond with you. Just consider it," he waved, calling a short goodnight as he left.

Sasuke remained floating in the middle of the cold pool. The words his cousin had said rang heavily in his ears, but he couldn't accept them.

Thing was that as much as he was told that he was born without a soulmate, cursed to not have one, Sasuke believed differently. He felt that he had one, and his soulmate was out there, somewhere, waiting for him to find them.

Thing was, he was stuck here in between so many telling him different things.

Trying to control his life and tell him what to do.

If it wasn't his parents then it was the council, and even his dumb cousin.

Sasuke didn't want to hear it anymore.

He wanted to make his own choices.

Splashing water away from him angrily, Sasuke finally pulled himself out of the water. He grabbed his towel that he had set aside when he first come in, and made his way back to his bedroom.

The next day, the sun was shining brightly. The world was speeding past them, looking all too happy for how upset Sasuke was truly feeling.

A black carriage tore right through the paved road, with hellish black horses pulling it along. Inside sat the Uchiha main family.

Uchiha Fugaku, the father had his arms crossed and eyes closed, the stern look on his face screaming of finality. He was often a man that hated being defied, strict in what he stood for. There was never any arguing with him.

Mikoto, the mother, was smiling, trying to keep the peace as she always did. Playing the middle man and trying to placate her husband and their grumpy child, Sasuke, who continued to sulk and pout at them.

"It's unbecoming of you to make that face," his father snapped when he caught Sasuke's expression.

"I want to go back home. I don't want to be here!" Sasuke retorted in return.

He was already feeling upset because he had not slept the night before. Too worried about what today promised. The thing he had been trying his best to avoid. Something he wanted to run away from.

The day had come, and it was time for him to meet his promised fiancée.

Honestly, he'd rather die.

"Like it or not, this is what is best for our world, for our family. I won't lose another child to circumstance. You will listen to us Sasuke," His father glared, trying to make his words final.

"What do you mean another child, I'm your only child!" Sasuke glared at his parents. He hated how they always referred to another child, making it sound like it wasn't only him that they had.

His parents never elaborated.

His father clammed up, shutting his mouth.

His mother looked between them, for the first time looking like she was asking for permission for something. When his father inclined his head, giving her the go ahead, she turned to Sasuke with saddened eyes, and a heavy heart.

"Sasuke, before there was you, there was your older brother. We lost him to unpredictable things…we…" his mother teared up, looking completely broken as she choked on her words. She wasn't able to finish her thoughts.

How could she, even now the wound of losing her first born was too fresh for her. Fugaku pulled her towards him, rubbing his hand over her back in circular and comforting motions. Although the look in his face told Sasuke that he too found this topic hard to deal with.

Sasuke paused, looking between his parents with a confused look on his face.

He had a brother…since when?

Why was he only learning of this now?

Before anything else could be said, they had reached their destination. The tall bright and white building glowed against the light of the sun. His parents climbed down first, and with no other choice he followed them.

The painful and hollow feeling in his chest grew as he took his first steps into the mansion. His very steps brought him pain as the realization of why he was here sunk in. The flurry of people welcoming them felt like a blur to him until he was glaring into equally pained and angry blue eyes of a blond.

The blond that was to be his so called fiancée.

Mikoto and Fugaku smiled at the equally smiling Uzumaki family. Any signs that they had been sad left behind in the carriage that had brought them here.

Sasuke truly wanted out of his family!

"Welcome everyone," Minato greeted.

Uzumaki Naruto was spitting fire from his eyes as he glared at the raven haired boy in front of him. Damn his parents, Kushina and Minato, who had a hand over his blond head to keep him from lashing out at the stuck up Uchiha. There was just something so irritating about the boy that was his fiancée.

Even his name, Sasuke, left a bad taste in his mouth.

"Isn't it wonderful," Mikoto said.

"Truly wonderful, you two are meeting for the first time!" Kushina agreed.

"I've been engaged to this loser for my whole life and you expect me to just follow as you say and be with him?" Sasuke growled, unable to believe his parents.

"Huh! Who the hell are you calling a loser!" Naruto snapped loudly, gritting his teeth as his annoyance grew.

"So loud," Sasuke grumbled.

"Why you…." Naruto fisted both his hands, wanting so badly to hit the other boy. He was so irritating!

"Well, the two of you have a curse in common," Minato gently started to explain, keeping a calming hand on Naruto. He was amused that Naruto had been complaining about the same things Sasuke was, before the Uchiha family had arrived. "It's only logical that we try and pair you. We believe you two are the chosen ones that will bring peace into the world and end all wars."

"Sasuke, you have no soulmate, and Naruto is cursed without one as well. The prophecy written on our familial walls call upon two with such fate to bring about a new and stronger era." Fugaku patted his son's head, trying to encourage him. "For new peace between the here and thereafter,"

Sasuke and Naruto both bared their teeth at each other.

"No," They simultaneously growled.

Their parents sighed, but they decided it would just take some time for them to come to terms with the idea of being with each other. Trying to bring two people not meant for one another together was always difficult. Sasuke and Naruto shared similar circumstances, and were sure they could find a common ground if given the chance.

Their union must be fate completely.

Fugaku and Mikoto couldn't think of any other reason as to why they lost their first born. His disappearance had to mean something.

It just had to.

Even if Sasuke didn't realize it now, they were placing all their hope in him.

Sasuke and Naruto would have to figure things out themselves.

"Mikoto, why don't I show you to your rooms," Kushina lively said as she changed the subject. It was best if they didn't have Sasuke and Naruto trying to kill each other. "I'm sure you and your family must be tired from your trip!"

"Oh yes, please," Mikoto agreed, moving to follow Kushina. Fugaku followed after her while Minato was left behind between both boys.

Neither boy had moved an inch or stopped glaring at each other.

"You two have to spend time together. I suggest you start now and get to know each other well." Minato said the words with a smile on his face. Clearly his tone conveyed that it was an order and that neither boy had a choice in the matter.

That didn't mean that they liked it.

Both Sasuke and Naruto huffed in anger, turning away from the other. Naruto walked off to his bedroom and Sasuke followed where he'd seen Kushina leading his parents. Minato sighed, watching them both go with a faint smile on his face.

This wasn't going to be easy.

Thus Sasuke and Naruto were forced to spend time together.

Weeks went by, months came and went, and the animosity between them only grew. It was painfully obvious that they weren't soulmates. Neither wanted to give the day of time to the other because they were being forced to.

Sasuke wanted to go back home.

Naruto rather lock himself in his room.

Although not ideal, after meeting the two had come to a mutual understanding between their fists and kicks. Sasuke and Naruto eventually went from fighting each other, to silently respecting the others abilities and turned it into training. Training being the name that they gave to the real purpose that they had, and that was to kill the other.

While their parents thought they had progressed and had at least built a friendship, that was further from the truth of what either boy felt.

They rather the other be dead than have to spend the rest of their lives together.

"I don't want to be married to you, my dream is to find my soulmate and be with them!" Naruto declared one day in the middle of their so called training. "I don't believe them when they say that I don't have one. I have to have one! I will go out there and find them and show the world that I have somewhere I belong!"

Sasuke paused mid strike, and then laughed at the blond. "You're an idiot, you know that. Our parents say that we are cursed to have no soulmate. There's a reason why they say that."

"But why us?" Naruto asked, stomping one of his feet in frustration. There wasn't a moment that Naruto could remember ever feeling happy and settled. If anything, his being itched to search until he was dead from it. "Why is it that they say that everyone has a soulmate, and everyone is encouraged to search for them, but not us!"

Sasuke blinked at the blond.

He had always been so angry, arguing with his parents, that he never truly stopped to think about it. His cousin, Shisui had said that sometimes it happened, and that it was bad luck, but it didn't matter. He would find someone with similar fate.

He had been upset when his parents had found him that person with a similar fate. That person just happened to be Naruto. Yet everything he was told fell into place. The curse, the fact that there was someone with a similar curse to his—the arranged pairing…

Shisui…

Shisui, his cousin, had lost his mate in a tragic death around the time of his birth. At least, that is what he had heard from the others in their family. The vicious whispers had always followed that man, saying how he never mourned or seemed to care that he lost his soulmate. Come to think of it, before he had left to come and meet Naruto, the man had asked him to give him a chance…

Wanting to fill the role of a cursed being and claim Sasuke as his mate.

Truthfully, Sasuke had never thought that Shisui would be better than Naruto, but at the same time he really didn't care for either of them. Sasuke didn't want either of them.

He didn't care how similar their circumstances were or whatever other bullshit anyone else had to say about his situation.

He just wanted out of it.

Nor did he care about a stupid prophecy, he just…he was sure that his soulmate was out there too. The thing was that Sasuke had not thought there was another choice. He thought he had to do as his parents asked.

Hearing Naruto now filled him with hope.

There was a choice.

It had been there all along.

"Then why don't we?" Sasuke asked, the question sounding crazy the moment that it left his mouth, but he didn't want to take it back. He wanted it so bad.

"Huh?" Naruto looked at him like he was an idiot.

"Why don't we go and search for ours! We can prove them wrong. Curse, what the fuck, no shit like that can control our lives. So why don't we?" Sasuke said, determination painting his words.

Naruto's eyes lit up, "Yes, let's go!" The blond happily jumped. "For once something you are saying is making sense teme!" Naruto stated proudly.

Sasuke gave him a deadpanned look, but decided not to say anything to the idiot in front of him.

It just wasn't worth it.

In the following days, the two of them made their plans and preparation for departure, acquiring everything that they would need for their trip. Although neither of them knew for how long it would be, they hoped that it wouldn't take too long. After all, people found their soulmates all the time, maybe they would get lucky for once as well.

There was only one thing that would impede in their journey.

That was convincing their parents.

That night before their planned departure, they talked to their respective parents.

Sasuke told his that he wanted to go on a journey to get to know Naruto better, outside of the kingdom walls. That he wanted to see how well they could handle things together, and if they could work as a team.

His parents had hesitated but Sasuke was able to convince them that he needed to make sure that he and Naruto could at least be compatible in something.

Much to his amazement, his reasoning convinced his parents and he was allowed to go.

Naruto had an easier time.

He told his parents that he wanted to go with Sasuke on an adventure and both of his parent agreed that it was a great idea. They even suggested places that they could go visit on their journey. Guilt grew in the blond at how excited his parents were that he was putting effort into his possible union with Sasuke.

The blond just grinned and bared it.

With packed bags, and the blessings of their clans behind them, both boys set out on their mission of finding their soul mates under the pretense of a journey to get along. They didn't plan on returning until, and only when, they found said mates.

The day was looking bright, and nothing was standing in the way.

Sasuke and Naruto felt like for once, the world wasn't crushing them, but instead opening up to them with new possibilities.

Shisui bitterly gritted his teeth, watching both boys leave.

Months had gone by and Sasuke had not come to him. He was worried that the boy never would. He needed to make him his. Sasuke would be his.

Setting aside his plights, he decided to follow them. His intentions being not to allow either boy to grow close to the other.

He'd be damned if Naruto stepped on his plans and stole Sasuke from him!

In a different location, space, and time, two other people were having a conflict with the promised future of the world that they knew and cared about.

The threat loomed over their heads like a bad dream waiting to become a reality and eradicate their very existence. Time was of the essence and the only clue and lead that they had to the bright future, wasn't leading them there fast enough.

"I'm telling you the only way for our society to move forward is to get rid of these delusional people!" A man by the name of Danzo hissed, slamming his hand over the table. His glare set on the leader of their village, whom he believed to be an idiot at this point.

Hiruzen, the leader of their village glared at him.

"I'm not sure. Over the time that we have been studying Crow I can't find any faults in him," Hiruzen said, his tone low and even. His old eyes settled over the silent young man sitting at the table with them. "He's perfect, there is absolutely nothing wrong with him."

"That's because he lacks memory," Danzo gritted his teeth. "If he so much as remembered, he would have killed us all. Don't for a second think that he's harmless or some fucking pet, Hiruzen, you of all people should know better."

"Despite everything we've learned, we can't deny that he's a gentle soul." Hiruzen argued, "I think it's about time that we stopped. We can't force him to show us where his kind resides. It's best to just let him live out his life as he wishes,"

Danzo sat back in his chair, a deep sigh leaving his lips.

"There you go again, being a soft ninny, going easy on those that have plagued us for centuries. Do you know how many of us they have killed just so that they can live how they please?" Danzo hissed, narrowing his eyes as he implored Hiruzen to do more than he was doing. To help them solve their problems and protect their village!

"And we've killed just as many of them. This bitter war has to come to an end at some point. Be it here and now. If he can live among us and not cause any harm. What is to say that things between us and them can't change?" Hiruzen pleaded, asking for there to be friendliness between both worlds. That was all he truly wanted and wished for, how could Danzo not see it?

How could he not understand…?

Hiruzen feared that many were like Danzo, still wishing for that war to come. Hiruzen hoped it never would.

Danzo shook his head. "The prophecy says that we'd have a guide. That we'd be shown the other world by that guide and be brought to peace and the moment that we found him, we knew that is what he was!" Danzo argued, "The fact that his memory is lost is what is keeping us safe!"

"If he is the guide, isn't he showing us the way to peace now, by just being?" Hiruzen argued back.

"I don't like this!" Danzo roared. He got to his feet and left Hiruzen's office, clearly upset.

Hiruzen silently watched him go.

He understood the frustration that his friend felt.

This world was divided between those who believed in soul mates and practiced it, versus those who didn't believe in it. Those who believed had ascended to some sort of alternative human life form that made them live longer, and resilient to life. Compared to them, who were left behind dull with shortened life spans and no magical attributes.

Glancing over to the silent Crow, who rarely spoke, Hiruzen had to wonder what secrets he was hiding behind the veil of his lost memories. Crow…they had named him that because those birds seemed so fond of him. Refusing to allow Danzo to kill him at that last second before Hiruzen had been shook from his stupor and talked sense into the man.

The idea that he was the guide was the only thing that kept Crow living.

He looked at his old and wrinkled hand. He couldn't help but be happy to be dying soon. His mortality was showing and he had no regrets over how he had lived his life. He had a wife, children, and ensured that his village was always warm and fed. He didn't know what else he could ask for, or wish for, everything had been fine.

On the other hand…ever since he met Crow, the man had not aged, nor had he changed from looking like a young adult. He was sweet, gentle, and always willing to help. Handsome in a sense, and kind to those around him.

He seemed untainted and untouched by the world.

The way they had found him though, led to a story of someone wanting him dead. Crow had been badly wounded, bloodied, poisoned and left to drown.

Was Crow perhaps cruel?

A criminal in his own world?

Someone worthy of fear?

Hiruzen couldn't imagine him being so.

Just like he could no longer imagine wanting to obtain their secret to immortality. In the grand scheme of things, it didn't feel necessary. Life was life, whether long or short, it was what you made of it that counted.

Deep down inside he knew that Danzo and the rest of the village had not given up on that dream. =

Yet it was specially Danzo that drove that dream now.

Danzo hid his intentions behind the so called prophecy written on their walls, but Hiruzen knew the truth. He knew the man would seek out the immortality that called out to him, even if it killed him. Immortality truly drove greed and it was something he feared he wasn't going to be able to stop their village, nor Danzo, from thirsting after it.

Turning to his young charge, he smiled as he leaned towards him.

"Do me a favor Crow, never reveal any of the secrets that you know. War isn't the answer anymore is it…mortality, immortality. Human greed and all…I think we are all dealt with the hand that we must follow…but what do you think?" Hiruzen spoke, wishing to hear an answer worthy of setting his worries aside.

Crow innocently blinked back at him and Hiruzen couldn't help but chuckle at the clueless expression.

He supposed, in the end, Danzo would find his answer.

Whether it'd be one he liked or not, life was never guaranteed in that. He'd only ever get what was meant for him.

For days now, Sasuke and Naruto wondered about with no real destination.

When they had set out for their journey, they had not accounted for not knowing where or how to start.

The only thing that they knew was that when they saw their soulmate, they would know. The question became, just how would they know such a thing.

In their lessons, or anyone that they had asked, the answer had always been the same. They will just know, and there was no other way about it. The answer alone was annoying, and one that they couldn't wait to solve.

"This is so dumb," Naruto groaned, tugging at his hair in despair. "We will never find them because they aren't real. We should just give up. We are doomed to be miserable with each other." When the blond didn't get a reply from the raven haired boy he paused to look at him. Sasuke kept walking, his dumb nose buried in that book of his. "Hey, what the hell are you reading!" he growled, snatching the book away.

"Hey, I was reading that." Sasuke hissed, snatching the book back with a harsh glare on his face. Why was the blond so rude?

"Fortune telling, what the hell is that?" Naruto asked as he caught the heading on the book.

"It's this interesting way people learn about their past, present, and future. I think if we can find a real fortune teller, we could be given a clue as to where our soulmates are hiding." Sasuke explained, trying hard not to feel embarrassed by what he was saying.

It was kind of stupid, but when they had met that pink haired girl and she mentioned it, he couldn't help but think it was worth looking into. After all, they had no other clue or basis to go from, they might as well try everything, no matter how dumb it sounded.

"I guess that sounds better than just walking around in circles as we have," Naruto grumbled, scratching his head in uncertainty.

"I would do anything to find my soulmate Naruto. I thought that you would as well." Sasuke said when he noted the blonde's lack of enthusiasm.

"I'd do anything as well!" Naruto retorted, angry that Sasuke would for a second think otherwise.

"Then let's figure out where to find one of these fortune tellers and get some answers!" Sasuke said.

Naruto sighed, and nodded. "Okay, sure, but where?"

As if something heard his question, a flyer came their way and smacked the blond on the face. Naruto pulled the light blue flyer away from his face and was about to crumble it in anger when Sasuke snatched it from him and read it.

"We're going to this carnival with a fortune telling booth!" he announced, marching away from Naruto. The blond blinked, and struggled to catch up to the raven haired boy. When Sasuke got something in his head, he really could be annoyingly determined about it.

Naruto just hoped that this would actually lead somewhere, because, fuck if he wasn't tired.

Groaning in annoyance, right behind them was Shisui.

He had kept a low profile in order to see what the two would do and to be there in case they were getting to close. The thing was that the two were going around in circles. He was starting to think that the two boys were complete idiots and he was wasting his time following them.

No, this was necessary.

He needed to find the best way to approach Sasuke and make him his.

Crow couldn't remember anything of his past life.

Often he would get flashes of images that would make him recall things, but they were vague and out of his reach. It felt like his mind was flickering, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth, and making him feel nothing but despair. The images of long hair and curved lips that seemed to call his name, but he just couldn't make out the syllables that they were trying to say.

Those same lips taunted and mocked him, making him feel uselessly foolish.

What did it all mean?

The way that Hiruzen and Danzo always talked about him, it made it sound like he was a bad person. Someone that didn't deserve to live…

But if he had committed something wrong in his past he would like to know what it was.

It wouldn't be fair to just die without knowing what it was that he had done.

Had he killed someone?

Had he hurt someone?

Crow found himself aimlessly walking at the edge of the village, alone. Lost in his thoughts, he tried hard to remember everything that he needed to. The thing was that it felt like there was a block in his mind that wouldn't allow him to recall anything.

He should have known that he wasn't actually alone, because Danzo was standing in front of him in the next second. The man had his hands crossed behind his back, his head tilted up to the skies as if he was feeling the weight of the world in that moment. Or like he was seeing something that Crow wasn't privy to, there was never any telling with Danzo.

"Crow, you know that Hiruzen and I found you at the banks of our lakes, sixteen years ago. We were young men then. Since then all that has happened is we've wrinkled and we haven't solved any of our villages issues." The man turned his head with a heavy sigh, "When we found you, I thought it'd be best to put you out of your misery and just end your life, but not Hiruzen…"

Crow bowed his head, "I've realized, thank you for what you've done for me and allowing me to live"

Danzo hid a smirk as he turned his head once more. Crow didn't always speak, but when he did it was because what was being said was getting to him. This was perfect. At least Crow understood that he owed them for saving him.

"Yes, there is no need for that. I wanted to kill you and for that I am sorry. You see Hiruzen had an idea, for you to lead us back to your clan, so we can ambush them and destroy them before they destroy us…" Danzo turned to lock eyes with Crow, "I know that it's not what you expect, and after all you say you don't remember a thing. But you are an enemy. Do you at least understand that?"

Crow was looking away, thinking.

Danzo straightened, continuing, "Let me explain. A long time ago, humans fought for the power of immortality. Oh, what it would be for man to live beyond the allotted time that life granted. That power was shared amongst clans that grew in exponential power. Many called it supernatural and unreal…" Danzo shook his head, "And thinking they were suddenly better bullied us, who were not blessed with such, pushing us into a corner where we couldn't grow and have been oppressed ever since!"

"Supernatural abilities, how would that be possible?" Crow asked, looking down at his hands. "I'm just as human as you and Hiruzen, no different."

Danzo chuckled, shaking his head. "You, Crow, haven't aged a single moment since we found you. While Hiruzen and I have grown wrinkled and weak, you remain young and untouched by time. Don't you see the difference?" he asked, turning his head this way and that. "Look closely, the wrinkles on my skin will tell you the difference. The end of what is my story as I shrivel up and await deaths call…"

Crow stared at him, taking in the aged appearance.

He had not noticed the changes.

He simply saw everyone in this village as they were, the vibrancy and authenticity of their being. He never once thought about the fact that they were aging when he was not…

"Is that all it is?" Crow asked. "If you too got the answer towards immortality, would that bring happiness to you and your village…"

Danzo pursed his lips, taking a moment before answering. "It would perhaps be the best answer to ending this war," he finally said. "It would place us at an equal stance, and give us a way to protect ourselves. To show we deserve to live as much as the others do…"

"Would you be happy?" Crow pressed on the question he wanted answered. He was at odds. He wasn't sure what his purpose in life was, much less what he should do about the conflict these people that had helped him faced.

"It will bring us prosperity, Crow. You can lead us to the gates and we can take what we need." Danzo said. "I know that it's a lot that I ask, but think of this. Why is it that we found you half dead and drowned in the river, if your own kind was not trying to get rid of you? What purpose would it serve protecting them…come on, remember. The gate!"

The gate was the place that separated this society from the one that Danzo claimed lived on the other side.

The here and thereafter- two different sides of the same coin.

All Crow had to do was remember where it was.

Closing his eyes, he nodded. "Alright," He wanted to remember so badly, but the answers weren't coming to him.

"Perfect, then we can do something to get to your memories about it, and you can lead us into this battle!" Danzo grinned, glad that Crow had agreed. This was the edge he was hoping to gain, it was all his now.

"How?" Crow asked. Why hadn't they told him there was a way of getting his memories before this…

"We will use hypnosis to get it out," Danzo explained, "It's truly a simple procedure we have perfected in the last few years, and it's time to see the fruits of our labor. Are you ready Crow?"

Crow nodded.

Trust was such a fragile thing.

Once obtained it was a powerful weapon.

Sasuke and Naruto were sitting in front of an old lady, as she hummed in front of a crystal ball. The two watched the crystal in anticipation.

"The red fox, a power house of its own awaits for you in this journey little golden boy." She said, her eyes flickering towards Naruto with a sharp glare. The blond flinched, wondering what she meant. "Locked in between the gates of the here and thereafter. Lack of trust will break you, but if you can get them to trust, you will be able to break the curse that had been inflicted on you both. I'd advice that you be yourself,"

"Wait, what…" Naruto grumbled, crossing his arms. He was so confused by her words, couldn't she just make sense?

She didn't elaborate for him. Instead she turned to Sasuke, ready to read him the fate of his soulmate.

"The Crow of a hundred shadows of illusory deceit. He lies, and lies well, because of what he believes is best to guard. Listen little hawk, you have to see past everything to get to his core and reveal to him what he forgot." The old woman leaned forward, this time glaring at Sasuke, "He's so lost that he will defend, don't be crushed or fooled, he will make it hard on you. Show him truth."

"A red fox and a crow, what the fuck are you smoking lady!" Sasuke roared, slamming his hands on the table. He had come here for answers, not to be led by the nose into more questions.

The woman chuckled, watching both boys closely.

"Impatience will impede that damned curse on you boy, you want your soulmates to live then you have to listen to me." She sneered when her words got their attention. "Head to the gates of our sanctuary, there the seekers of our power will set about a war when they try to break through. Whatever your choice, it will either be The end, or The Beginning."

"The gates," Sasuke murmured, remembering having read something about them in his text books as a child. "Aren't those metaphorical…"

"Magical, dear boy," She smiled, laying her hands on the sphere in front of her, "You didn't hear this from me, but every hundred years the gates get to swallow a sacrifice, burning the years from them until they are nothing but bones. They haven't found another way for the gates to be powered, but there is another way…it's up to you two to figure it out." She said.

Both Sasuke and Naruto stared at her and nodded.

They had no other leads and nothing to lose. "Where do we find the gates?"

The woman grinned, showing off yellow teeth with holes, "That's simple, follow the river where it dies, and there you will see the fog. Once you do, sing, Things unseen, things unheard, that keep me away from the misery and hide me away from the world. Show upon me what I cannot see, and let me go through…"

"Ugh," Naruto groaned.

"Do we have to," Sasuke deadpanned.

The woman simply laughed at their less than optimistic reactions, "Just ensure that you carry an offering with you," she sang, ominously sending a shiver down their spines, "The frogs and snakes will show you the nest. Don't approach the gate until you have what you need."

"The Gates of the Unholy, they are said to be where the river dies," Danzo said as he read through the scriptures that had been written in their sacred books. Generations upon generations had gifted them with the knowledge needed for this moment. "As an army lead by Crow we will be able to get in and gain everything that we've always dreamed of!" Danzo preached making the crowd roar in excitement over his words.

Hiruzen pulled Crow to the side.

"Listen Crow, Danzo told me that you decided this, but I want to be sure. Is this really what you want? To go against what would potentially be your family," Hiruzen asked, his eyes gentle. He wanted to show Crow that he should be comfortable speaking with him.

Crow nodded stiffly.

Family, his kind, he had no clue what that meant if what they wanted from him was death. These people had helped him, and thus he wanted to return the favor. It was the least that he could do for them.

"Are you afraid that I am making a wrong choice, sir?" he asked when he saw doubt in Hiruzen's face.

"Potentially, yes, but at the same time I can't help but be curious of what lays ahead," Hiruzen pursed his lips. Human nature was all in him and he was ashamed of it, but he couldn't tell Crow that. "I feel like a terrible person,"

"Don't" Crow said, looking away from him "I don't."

"I just wished you had more memories before we decided this," Hiruzen murmured.

Crow wasn't sure if he had meant for him to hear it, but it weigh heavily. He wished he could remember more before he had to do this as well.

"Crow, please come this way. We will start the hypnotizing ritual," The village elder called from where she was standing beside Danzo.

Crow headed to the front of the crowd.

Everyone was waiting, a single seat was placed in front of the village elder, her wary eyes locked on the ground while her wrinkled fingers rotated the beads of her sacred necklace.

He took his seat, and the village elder moved to place her fingers over his face, muttering a few prayers. The lady was old, but had these knowing wise eyes that radiated an undying youth. She smiled at him, looking at him for a moment.

Crow waited for her instructions.

She glanced to the side, knowing what it was that Danzo wanted, but she was afraid of what they were going to find. When she'd been younger, she remember hearing her people talk about how great, and how much better their lives would be if they could live longer. If their longevity and power became exponential they wouldn't have a reason to hate.

That peace would bloom.

In youth, ambition was something clear.

With growth and time, knowledge grew and being wise outweighed that ambition. It grounded the human soul to accept what it was destined for in the first place.

For a moment, she had been right there with them, sharing in the dream and seeking that promised immortality. When Crow showed up though, something heavy settled over her chest and she worried. IT had been fear of the unknown that they had sought suddenly seeming that much closer.

What if what they were dreaming about was truly just a nightmare…

It was that thirst, that hunger for that same power and immortality that blood was being spilled. The reason why the villagers gnawed and clung to the idea that Crow had been sent to be their catalyst in this war.

But would happiness and peace greet them at the end?

Closing her eyes, she kept her intentions positive.

She guided Crow on what to do and placed him under hypnosis. His eyes dulled from their inky black color to a hazed gray. She pulled at his knowledge, amazed at the vastness that was his mind. Crow had a lot of things locked away from his head injury, but she was careful to only pull the information needed to lead them to victory.

They didn't need him to turn against them.

None of them knew his story or how he had come to be here, and frankly, no one cared to learn it. They just wanted one thing from him and that was what he was going to give them now.

The key to the gate.

Taking seriously what they had been told, Sasuke and Naruto sought the snakes and the frogs.

They had learned of different worlds, and met a man named Jiraiya and another named Orochimaru, who kept the keys to the gates of those worlds. Each world had been different. The first one they entered was the snake one, where Sasuke gained his contracts.

It took days to learn that there was such a thing as summons. You could summon different creatures to aid you in your work. Sasuke's contract now allowed him to summon snakes and birds. As nice as that was, what they had sought was not in the world of the snakes.

That's when they turned to Jiraiya, the gate keeper of the frogs. Getting this man to allow them entrance was harder, and took a bit of bribing. When they learned that he was a large perv, getting him some porn had been easy.

Getting him to open the gate after that, even easier.

Naruto learned to summon frogs as he made a contract with them. The thing was that it wasn't the answer that they sought either and they had nearly given up. Thankfully a small frog whispered to Naruto about where he'd find the nest.

So they went to find it.

The cascading waterfall turned out to be the nest, and eventually the whispers in Naruto's head made sense.

That's where they found a magical never ending core that was buried deep in the nest of the frogs, simply sitting there awaiting the right person to find it. Sasuke, using his snakes plowed right through, allowing Naruto to fall into the running water when the snakes couldn't go further. He took the rest of the way, and imbedded himself with part of the energy as he reached for the sphere.

The never ending stone in hand, drove the blond crazy, spiking his powers out of control. Sasuke had to hold him back, creating a wall between the nest and the frog world. The frogs had to guide Naruto's mind back to reality.

Breathing hard, Sasuke had been forced to use powers he had not thought he'd ever need, like his Susanoo. It had guarded him and armored Naruto, pulling the blond out of that frog's nest and back to their world.

Once out, the blond was able to regain control of his mind and body, allowing him to come to his senses.

It had been hard work, but one they were glad they had done.

Because they had part of their answer to breaking Naruto's curse and hopefully, finding his mate.

It took effort, cracking into a tormented mind that was determined to keep its secrets locked, the village elder finally pulled through what she sought. The answers as to where the gate was.

Crow got to his feet, ready to lead the way the moment the information about the gate had been pulled to the forefront of his mind.

She moved away from him, bowing her head to signal that it had been done. He was under their full control and would do just as they asked. Crow was definitely not only their guide, but their weapon. Danzo stepped forward with wide excited eyes, he was so close to what he always dreamt that he could almost taste it.

"Please, Crow, lead the way to the gate," she murmured, closing her eyes with slight regret. She was praying that she was wrong.

That prosperity would truly be theirs.

Crow moved forward, vanishing before their eyes with how fast he moved. If they weren't trained in order to keep up with the fast pace of the supernatural, they would have lost Crow in less then seconds. The crowd made up of their strongest warriors moved to follow him, keeping up as Crow led the way to what they all hoped was salvation.

All of them communicated, allowing those that weren't sure what to follow the ability to catch up and join them.

Everyone else, women, children, the elderly, even their leader stayed behind, watching with abated breaths and hope that their loved ones all returned safely from this mission.

Naruto and Sasuke were for once talking civilly as they made their way to where Jiraiya and Orochimaru claimed that they would find the gates.

The place was far and they had a lot of time to kill, but both were unsure as to what to expect. They had only ever heard about the gates being like a metaphor, maybe they existed, maybe they didn't. No one had ever ventured far enough to find out if they did or didn't.

What they could look like, no one knew.

"When I heard about soulmates it was from my cousin Karin. I was like ten and she made it sound so nice and sweet," Naruto said, "Like something that is yours, a place to belong, and all I could think was that I couldn't wait to meet mine. What would they be like and what would we share together. She made such a fuss about going out to meet hers. I wanted to do the same."

"That sounds so nice," Sasuke murmured.

"I was so disappointed when mom and dad said that I was born with no mate…I felt like it just couldn't be true…" Naruto looked at Sasuke with a crestfallen face and asked, "What about you. How did you find out that you didn't have….that you…?" The blond couldn't even finish that thought. With everything he and Sasuke had gone through so far, there was no way that their efforts would lead them to nothing.

Sasuke scoffed as he noted how Naruto had a hard time placing his words. The blond didn't want to say it, but the truth was that they both had been told the same.

They had no soulmate.

Neither of them believed that.

"For me my cousin Shisui said that having a soulmate was a lucky privilege, which not everyone got one. That was why I had been born without one. He said that even if I did have one, I had to be careful or I could lose them. I thought he said that because he lost his but I always wondered what he truly meant by it…" Sasuke got a thoughtful look on his face. "Also, I don't know why my parents never mentioned to me that I could go and search for mine…like how do they know I don't have one?"

"Right! How the hell do they know," Naruto looked at Sasuke with sparkling eyes, finally someone that understood what he was going through. "I'm so glad that we decided to go and search. I feel like I'll go crazy if I don't try."

"What if we don't find them," Sasuke voiced his doubts. "What if they are right and we don't have a soulmate out there,"

"There's no way, we have to!" Naruto shook his head in refusal, "I'll search until I die!"

Sasuke looked at the blond with slight awe. How was Naruto so confident?

It made Sasuke feel guilty for doubting.

He wanted to search for ever as well.

"You're an idiot," Sasuke said, a slight smirk taking his features as he looked away from the sparkling blond. Maybe meeting Naruto was not so bad. He was a ray of sunshine where his family had been a gloomy cloud settled over him. It gave him hope.

His mate was out there, and he will find him with Naruto's help!

Both of them tensed when fog started to grow around them.

"Where is that coming from?" Naruto asked, confused. Sasuke wasn't sure either, but he was sure that now they were heading the right way. The fact that fog was swallowing them into the unknown meant that they were close.

The more they kept walking, the thicker the fog became until they couldn't see an inch in front of them.

Shisui grew anxious the more that he followed Sasuke and Naruto around.

The two had been to odd places that he had not been able to follow them through. There was no doubt that they had grown closer to each other.

He was now worried that Sasuke was actually considering getting married to Naruto. The two looked like they were the best of friends now and that didn't settle right with him. Shisui knew that the odds were against him.

He had no doubts that his uncle and aunt suspected him over their missing first born.

They couldn't prove it though.

Shisui made sure that they would never be able to know what had happened to their precious son. That didn't matter. His plans for taking over their clan and becoming the head had failed the moment that stupid brat Sasuke was born. Once more, impeding on him taking what was rightfully his as the head of the Uchiha clan.

Shisui was stronger than many in the family.

He'd be named the heir if only…if only he had not been born. Annoyingly, that is why he had to marry and bond with Sasuke. He had to make him his. There was no other way that he would get what he wanted.

The Rinnegan stone was now written under Sasuke's name and blood, he had no choice.

Watching them so far, he could see that there was no love between Sasuke and Naruto. Although, there was definitely a budding and odd friendship between them, that alone could pose a problem. Shisui didn't need them to get closer. He needed them to hate each other.

Although, honestly, he didn't think that would be a problem.

He had a backup plan in case Sasuke did for some reason accept Naruto to be his partner in life.

No, the issue was that Sasuke was stubbornly thick headed and a complete idiot. Shisui had been working for years now in getting Sasuke to consider him. He'd been sweet toward the boy and what did he get in return, fucking nothing.

How useless.

He had forsaken his mate for him.

He'd killed Sasuke's mate before the boy had been born.

He'd done everything so that Sasuke had a clear path in choosing him as a potential mate.

It was starting to get ridiculous. Shisui was growing impatient. He was about to step in and intervene on this little adventure that Sasuke and Naruto had going on, when suddenly both boys vanished from his sight. Shisui whipped his head around, wondering if he had perhaps missed something and rushed forward to where he had last seen them.

There was no trace of Naruto or Sasuke…

"Fucking damn it!"

"This fog is kind of scary," Naruto muttered, hugging himself as he got a cold chill down his back.

"It's annoying, it's what it is." Sasuke hissed as he trudged forward. He had noticed the sudden chill but pretended it didn't bother him. "The old lady did mention this stupid fog. I think this is where we have to sing that song." Sasuke said.

Naruto groaned, "I can't remember the words to the song she mentioned," he bemoaned, not wanting to sing it.

Sasuke clicked his tongue, and as they continued to walk forward he started to sing "Things unseen, things unheard, that keep me away from the misery and hide me away from the world. Show upon me what I cannot see, and let me go through…"

Naruto reached for the hem of Sasuke's shirt, afraid to lose him as he repeated the words to the song. The two sung it a few times, until the fog lifted.

They paused when gates stood in front of them. A step or two and they would have run into the black metal bars. Both of them looked up, noting that the gates went up towards the sky, looking like they had no end…

Beyond the gate nothing but hollow darkness stretched for miles. As they looked around, there was nothing that they could clearly see. There didn't seem to be an actual destination.

Just directionless emptiness.

Naruto let out a frustrated scream, approaching the gates.

His fingers curled around the bars as he started to violently kick and pull at them.

"The fuck man, did we come here for nothing!" he cried and then gasped when he spotted glowing red eyes hidden in the darkness in front of him. He jumped back with a scared scream on his lips and rushed to hide behind the raven haired boy. He proceeded to stutter and point into the darkness, making no sense.

This caused Sasuke to jump on alert, wondering what was wrong with the blond.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he demanded when nothing immediately caught his attention.

"There's someone on the other side." Naruto said, shakenly pointing his finger towards the darkness to emphasize his point.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes as he walked closer, trying to get a better look. That was when a large fox like demon lurched forward, sharp teeth snapping at him. Sasuke flinched a bit, but held his ground as he looked at it. Wide eyed and shocked, fascinated by the large creature, he held back a laugh at the sight.

"What the hell are you?" he asked.

"Go away," The fox entity growled, its tone dripping with his malice. His words were a clear warning that they shouldn't be here.

Sasuke was stubborn as he placed his hands on his hips, defiantly. "Not until you give us Naruto's mate, you damned fox,"

"Mate?" the fox laughed, "Why don't you get closer instead, I can show you something else instead,"

"No thanks," Sasuke huffed.

Sasuke turned to look at Naruto intending to tell him something about what the old lady had said regarding the fox, when he noted that the blond was looking on with wonder and a soft blush. On each of his cheeks there were now three whiskers markings that had not been there before.

Sasuke looked from the blond to the fox, and back again. No way…did the old lady mean that….

"Is that your…" Sasuke started.

Naruto snapped out of it and glanced at Sasuke. He grinned happily and nodded. "That's my mate," he whispered with an unrestrained happiness. The soft glowing joy in Naruto's blue eyes spoke of a finding the love of his life.

"Cursed, that's what your parents meant. You're not the one, your mate is…" Sasuke turned to look at the red fox entity once more. Locked away like an animal, this being was one of them…just being used as a sacrifice if the tales in the book were true. "Naruto, you'll need the endless stone in order to get him out of there!"

There was tales of how the essence of a person could be shaped into that of an animal. While a sacrifice was common, to have a nine tail fox as an essence was unique and definitely something to be exploited. How selfish, to place someone blessed with power as the source to power the damned gate.

No doubt that this person, Naruto's mate, was a victim of circumstance.

"Right, the stone," Naruto nodded, ready to try and use it. He just wasn't sure how to do it…

"I have no time to entertain children, state your business or get out of here now!" the fox growled.

"I'm sure that you don't," Sasuke stated with a smirk, letting his eyes run red. The Fox entity flinched back, recognizing the eyes.

"Demon," it growled. "Devil spawn,"

Sasuke was about to take control and see if he could get the gates open, when the fox was suddenly encased in a red sphere. The fox spun with a growl, behind him was a man in the shadows, with the same red eyes, but colder, more sinister then the raven haired boy that had been in front of him.

Was this an illusion?

Damn, he hated the accursed red eyes of the Sharingan.

He became still as red armor wrapped around him. He was under the control of whoever this was, and the person moved to jump at the top of his head.

"Hey what's going on?" Naruto asked, glancing to Sasuke and into the darkness. He wanted to see what was wrong, because there was the sound of a struggle. His mate was in trouble and he could easily feel it.

Sasuke too was concerned, unable to determined what was happening.

A gust of wind whipped over them, making them shield their faces from it. Sasuke and Naruto ground their feet to keep from getting blown away. The gates creaked and squealed as they started to open.

The red fox was now encased in a strange skeletal armor that felt familiar in a way.

Sasuke's eyes drifted to the person on the head of the fox, a shadow… Sasuke felt a slight burn come around his eyes.

Sasuke gasped when he felt his actual eyeballs itch, and he pressed the heel of his hands against his stinging eyes. Bloody tears started to stream down his cheeks, but in the next second, there was no pain. Just a soft pleasure and a surge of energy that was foreign to him, yet warm and familiar as it blanketed him completely.

There was no doubt in Sasuke's mind.

That strange silhouette was his mate…

Sasuke opened his eyes, looking up hopeful as he gazed at what was his.

Finally he would get to meet his mate.

Danzo and the others cheered, happy to have found the elusive gates.

This had to be a dream come true.

To be standing before pearly white gates of the here and thereafter felt like something that would not have happened in his life time. Yet, here he was. Danzo was in awe, watching as many of his people ran to touch the gates. They cried, and muttered in joy how incredible all of this was.

He smirked in triumph.

He was so close to immortality that there were no doubts left in his mind, it was his. It was just a matter of getting the gates open. Then it truly would be within his reach! He would finally realize his true potential and become strong, and lead his people.

He'd done this.

He'd accomplish this.

And when it was all said and done, Crow would be dead at his feet while he led a victory.

"Crow, lead us through the gates!" he called, turning to the dazed young man standing just in front of him. "Lead us to the other side and bring us to immortality," he commanded without any other thought.

Crow started to move forward.

Danzo crossed his arms, feeling very much in power at the moment. This is how things should be. His people shouldn't have to cower in fear over a race that thought they were better just because of their immortality and supernatural abilities. What was it though that gave them that which they did not have…immortality, just what was that secret…?

Hiruzen walked closer to Danzo, worry painting his face as he watched Crow approach the gates that everyone was touching and praising. He had a bad feeling, wanting to call everyone back. There was something ominous about these gates and they called for blood…

He gasped when a red aura started to surround Crow, looking like rib cage armor. A skeletal large arm sprouted next, along with a blade. The reality of what was happening hit him hard. The blade swung down, cutting through the people at the gate.

Their bodies disappeared in seconds, not a scream of agony allowed to drip from their lips, while Crow continued to approach the gate.

"What…" Danzo cried, shocked at what he had seen.

Crow spilled the blood onto the gate.

Turning the white gates a bright crimson, they started to disappear, opening the way into the void. Hiruzen and Danzo reached to hold onto the trees around them, as strong winds started to pull at them, threatening to suck their world in.

They gasped when the trees started to sway towards the void, the root system threatened to be ripped away from the ground. When they heard a strange sound behind them they turned around to see that their homes, their village was being sucked forward by the strong wind. Fear crossed their faces as well as the realization that they were way in over their heads.

This couldn't be the end.

"STOP THIS CROW!" Hiruzen cried.

Crow was at the front, unaffected by the strong winds. He then started to walk willingly into the void, Danzo and Hiruzen watched him, their hearts in their throat.

Was he listening to them?

The moment that Crow disappeared into the void, the wind stopped. Hiruzen and Danzo let out a breath of relief as both men shakily fell to their knees.

"This was a bad idea." Hiruzen whispered. He shakily got to his legs and ran towards the void, his intention was to get a hold of Crow and fully stop him.

Danzo watched with wide eyes, too afraid to call him back.

Too afraid to follow him.

Hiruzen couldn't see anything in front of him. The darkness surrounded him and it took him a second to realize that he couldn't hear anything either. The feeling was scary and he thought about turning around to go back from where he had come from.

Turning around and seeing nothing, he started to feel disorientated.

There was no telling which way he should go.

It wasn't until a red light caught his attention that he felt his heart still.

His breath caught at the sight of Crow encasing a large red fox demon with his powers. Hiruzen started to feel sluggish. His skin was melting and his eyes were burning, blood trickled past his lips as it became hard to breathe. He started to cough, and staggered onto his knees.

His skin melted from his bones, his eyes disintegrated in his sockets, and he tumbled forward, vines covered his body in seconds and absorbed him into the void.

Once his body was gone, the white gates on the other side rose up again, closing off the void. Fog settled over and started concealing the gates. Making it so that they had never been there.

Danzo jumped, wondering what was happening.

Hiruzen was still trapped in there. He needed to get him out. He ran forward, intending to grab and pull at the gates, but as fast as he ran the more they vanished. Until he could see nothing but the white fog and no matter how much he ran there was nothing.

There was fucking nothing there!

Danzo panted hard, standing still and hopeless when the fog drifted away and he was left in the middle of the familiar forest that protected his village. He shook, not only feeling hopeless but angry that what he had wanted had slipped right through his fingers.

"HIRUZEN!" he cried, shaking his head he snapped. "CROW FIX THIS YOU BASTARD!"

Crow, still under the hypnosis caged the nine tail fox in front of him, separating it from the void. Doing this would stop the destruction of the village and protect the humans there. He jumped onto the head, knowing that as soon as he separates the demon from the void, it would want something else to be its sacrifice.

Crow guided the fox toward the other gate, a black one.

The one that lead to his home, the thereafter.

The command was to search for that which granted immortality, and he knew what that meant. Crow led the fox into the other world, his destination set on the first thing he needed. The village before him would be Konoha, and they had what the humans sought.

The Rasengan Stone…

Naruto and Sasuke were perplexed when they watched their mates run off.

That fact quickly left them when another problem arose. The wild winds coming from within the void pulled at them the second that the red fox was no longer feeding the endless rift.

Sasuke and Naruto gasped, quick to grab onto something.

The ferocity itself threatened to swallow in their world, much like a black hole would.

"Fuck, what are we going to do Sasuke!" Naruto cried, scared out of his mind that this would be the end. Sasuke couldn't blame him, he was right there with Naruto, scared shitless. He looked around, trying to think fast until he remembered.

"The endless stone Naruto, throw the fucking endless stone!" Sasuke commanded, turning a harsh leveled glare at the blond.

The blond nodded with a determined look on his face. He struggled as he searched his pockets, looking for the stone and panicking when he didn't immediately find it. He was about to cry to Sasuke that he had lost it when a small frog popped from one of his pockets, the stone wrapped on its tongue. It then threw the stone into the void.

The moment that it did, the wind stopped blowing and they fell to the ground harshly. Panting hard, they watched as the gate close, and the fog consumed it, hiding the gates away once again, fading like they had never existed.

"You guys have to get a move on," the small frog spoke. Catching their attention, "Konoha is in danger if that demon reaches it!" it warned before poofing away.

"Let's go," Sasuke whispered, getting onto his feet. Shaky at first, but he willed his body to still.

Naruto nodded, keeping himself from puking as he too got up on unsteady feet.

They had nearly been sucked and become victims to such a soul sucking thing. How could such a place exist here, this thing that had threatened to swallow his mate's life?

Fuck if it hadn't been super scary.

"We have to hurry," Sasuke said.

After getting their bearings, neither waste another second in chasing after their mates, wondering what was happening. Wondering why this was happening at all. They had not expected something like this to happen when they found their soulmates.

On their way they passed a lost Shisui, who was busy gapping when he caught sight of the red fox demon. Not because he was shocked to see it, but because of who was controlling it. That sight, that aura, that person…there was no mistaking him…

His heart sunk.

"Itachi…" he whispered in pure disbelief, he could almost laugh. Right, why did he think that getting rid of him would have been so simple, fuck him.

Before he could think of following that haunting apparition, he was knocked on his ass by Sasuke and Naruto, who were calling their mates to wait for them. Shisui spat out dirt, and flipped over. No, he couldn't let those two get near that person.

If they did, there was no telling what would become of him!

Itachi would surely tell them what he had done!

Shisui got to his feet and followed. He could still remember the last time that he had seen Itachi.

Half dead and spitting out blood…

Fuck, why couldn't he stay dead.

"What do you think is going on," Naruto huffed as he ran as fast as he could to keep up with his mate. Sasuke gritted his teeth, not knowing what to answer him. He would have thought that their mates would be happy to see them, but he supposed there was a reason why they weren't in the picture.

Why they were said to be cursed from having them.

Just what was going on?

Was this really the curse?

At the moment it felt like Naruto and Sasuke were running for their lives. Both of them realized that they were in trouble the moment that they started to close in on the village of Naruto's hometown, Konoha.

Had the village always been that close by?

"Oh no," Naruto whispered, realizing that they had to do something now.

"We have to stop them!" Sasuke hissed.

The two sped up, with Naruto multiplying into several shadow clones of himself, praying that he would be able to build a wall between his mate and the village.

Sasuke threw out several Kunai wrapped in string, readily surrounding the red fox and caging it in a trap, pulling tight. He flinched, but it was somehow enough to bring the beast to a halt. Naruto sighed, holding out his arms.

"Stop please!" he called out, hoping his voice would be enough to catch the attention of his mate.

The fox suddenly lit up with black flames, cutting away the string cage-pushing forward like an unstoppable force. Naruto gasped, shrinking into himself, unsure of what to do to stop it.

Sasuke gasped, releasing the string before the black flames climbed into his hands. He had never seen black flames before, but he wasn't about to try and figure out what it was that they did.

Naruto took a step back, watching with wide eyes as his mate released himself, coming towards him.

Sasuke cursed under his breath, but was glad when the black flames receded.

The red fox got ready to continue on, past them, completely ignoring them. Cursing, the two ran after, trying to keep up.

"Naruto! Try to find a way to communicate with your mate. I'm going to try and reach mine!" Sasuke called out his game plan.

Naruto nodded his understanding even when he wasn't sure how he was going to reach his mate. His blue eyes stared wide at the red and unfocused eyes of his mate. He thought hard, trying to come up with the best solution to this problem.

He paused for a moment, breath abated.

Was his mate truly this fox…?

If so, what was wrong with him?

Naruto shook his head, shaking off the hesitation and fear that he was feeling, and gasped. The fox suddenly jumped high into the sky, leaping the last bounds of forest, and directly into the village.

The blond cried out, running to reach his mate.

He had to stop him, he couldn't allow him to destroy his hometown!

Sasuke had only one goal in mind.

That was getting to his mate and knocking some sense into him. He jumped high, to climb on the large beast quickly, just as fast as it had launched itself into the air. Sasuke staggered, hands gripping into the red fur while he orientated himself. Taking a deep breath, out of the churning uncertainty in his gut, Sasuke moved to where the silhouette of his mate stood.

If he could communicate with his mate, then they could stop this. The last thing he wanted was for trouble to come to his mate for destroying the village of Konoha. Sasuke knew that they were already in it, that there were people already screaming in fear, but he didn't allow it to detour him.

The energy surrounding the fox demon was a warm caress, like he was coming home for the first time ever and welcoming him. Sasuke shuddered in pleasure as he approached. He had been scared that he wouldn't be able to get to his mate, but he was easily let into the red armor. It practically welcomed him.

Sasuke's heart was pounding hard in his chest when he caught sight of his mate's back. Wide, strong, and calling to him, he stepped forward with sureness. Before he knew it, he was embracing his mate, burying his face in between his shoulder blades.

"Mate," he crooned softly. "Please calm down,"

Crow had been so focused on reaching the village, getting that stone that relegated immortality. Trying to fulfil what had been demanded of him. The fox jumped high, leaving the forest and landing at the center of the village. It destroyed several buildings, tumbling into them.

Crow shifted, ready to launch an attack. His hand lifted, the fox mimicking him, ready to gut out the building in front of them, in search of the stone.

The sound of people screaming in fear was nothing but a distant echo to him.

The Rasengan stone, he had to get to it. In order to take over this world, you needed to collect two specific stones. He knew that much. Not that Crow was thinking much past the fact that he was working with knowledge that had been dormant within him. He was just acting based on what was asked of him.

Once he had the Rasengan stone, he would set his eyes on the Rinnegan Stone. The two stones were to forever remain separate, and at balance, to maintain peace. Once brought together, they'd cause chaos and destruction. If pulled from their respective place, they would kill hundreds, upon thousands of people that they currently protected.

It would tear apart what had been built around them, but Danzo and Hiruzen would have what they always wanted.

The chance at immortality at the cost of others' lives and he was going to give it to them.

Ordering the fox to plunge into the buildings that stood in their way, Crow set route for the center of the village, where the sacred Konohan palace proudly stood. The loud commotion had people stirring and along with it the rulers of said kingdom. They were rushing out to see what was happening, scared of the destruction.

He moved his hand forward, directing when suddenly, arms wrapped tightly around him and warmth coursed through his body, making him halt and shiver at the intensity of it. His breath caught, time stopped for him, and his ears began to ring.

His mind went blank, unsure of what it was that he had been doing just moments before. He cried out as his mind harshly snapped out of the hypnosis, and the armor he had built dropped.

The screams of the people mixed with his and he woke up to reality, his mind able to rationalize and think for itself once more.

He wasn't sure what this feeling was, it was unfamiliar to say the least.

It had his heart racing with fear and mistrust, so he did what he thought would be best. He attacked. Turning his body around, he caught the one behind him, a strong hand snaring the neck of the person who had been holding him.

He heard a chocking sound as he looked down at messy spiky short raven hair, and the pale face that looked at him lovingly.

It was a boy.

"Who are you?" He asked and something inside of him started hurting. He tried his best to keep his focus on the boy before him but something inside of him was struggling. It was burning him from the inside out.

The boy didn't struggle against him, he simply looked at him softly and pleading. Teary deep black eyes stared at him so lovingly it was confusing to him. "Mate…" the boy crooned, smiling softly as if begging him to recognize him. Shaky hands reaching for his, not to pry him away from his neck, but to caress and welcome his touch…

Mate…

Crow froze, staring at those beautiful eyes. Shakenly, he removed his hand from the boy's neck and pulled it back, feeling guilt building up in his chest. His eyes burned, and tears of blood cascaded down his cheeks.

"Sorry," he whispered.

The boy stumbled, reaching to rub at his neck but never once did he look away from him. If anything he kept looking at him lovingly and softly. Something that Crow didn't think he deserved to be looked at as. Carefully, the boy moved towards him. He noted how he got on his tippy toes to reach his face, and then his tongue was gently licking away his bloody tears.

Crow completely lost focus then, the turmoil he felt fading and he fell.

The boy gasped, trying his best to reach for him. His mate just slipped past his fingers, panic settling over his chest as he jumped after him. "No, fuck!"

"ITACHI!" Someone else suddenly yelled.

His mate had been harsh with him.

Not that Sasuke cared now that he could see that his mate was looking at him. His heart built up with pride as he watched his mates marks come around his eyes. Is that was their soulmate mark looked like, Sasuke wasn't able to see his own face at the moment.

The fact that they appeared on his mate meant that he was able to hear him, and see him now.

Carefully he moved forward, lapping up the blood from his mate's eyes.

His mate watched him, disarmed. Then his eyes grayed out and he lost focus or consciousness, Sasuke wasn't sure. It all happened so fast and before he knew it, his mate, unprotected, started to fall. Sasuke attempted to reach for him, but he was too late as the man slipped from his reach.

He jumped after him, praying to reach him before he hit the ground.

Naruto at this point had managed to catch up with his mate, glad that the fox was frozen in midair. He wasn't sure what kept him rooted there, but he was thankful because he was not able to reach him.

The blond gasped when he noticed how the closer he got, the fox started to shrink and transform into a more human form. He didn't pay attention to Sasuke who was attempting to catch the man that had been controlling the fox. His focus was on the fact that his mate was falling as well, and there was nothing to protect his body from that fall.

Naruto rushed forward, in time to catch a red headed man with tired golden eyes, enveloping him in a tight hug. The word "Mate" leaving his lips as he fell with him the rest of the way, landing softly on the shredded ground.

That simple word seemed to do it, as the red head shut his eyes and his body went limp. Naruto nervously watched him.

"ITACHI!" a sudden scream came.

Naruto looked over his shoulder to see Uchiha Fugaku making his way over. His eyes widened as the man passed him with a desperation only a father could own. In seconds, Fugaku had easily caught both the mystery man and Sasuke with something that looked similar to what the mystery man had used as armor for the fox…

The large skeletal ghostly being cradled Sasuke and the mystery man in a hand each, bringing them down slowly. Fugaku was wide eyed, heart pounding hard in his chest as he rushed to both, checking that they were alright.

"Oh no…"

Naruto turned once more to see that Uchiha Mikoto was shaking where she stood, her hands pressed to her mouth as she cried.

Just behind her were his parents who ran past her and towards him.

"Naruto are you alright?" his father asked, but Naruto wasn't listening as he tightened his arms around the red headed man that slept in them. He was shaking, although he was also trying to be strong. He wanted to be firm with his words. Yet the warmth of his father's hand resting on his head, and his mother's hands squeezing his cheeks was enough to break whatever brave front he had taken.

Naruto started crying ugly, telling his parents everything that had happened.

Minato and Kushina both looked at their son and the unknown red haired man with surprise, before pulling both into a hug and telling Naruto that everything would be alright now.

Shisui stumbled forward, cursing to learn that he had been too late.

Today just wasn't his day.

He hid, keeping out of sight within the curious crowd as he watched his uncle catch both Sasuke and Itachi. He had no doubt that there would be trouble. Once Itachi spoke and told them what had happened all those years ago.

"Shisui, I trusted you," Itachi coughed, blood dripping past his lips. He was struggling to keep conscious now.

Shisui looked at his pathetic and naïve cousin, sneering at him cruelly.

"Well wasn't that a big mistake," Shisui chuckled.

Damn it, if Itachi revealed what had happened that night when he was sure he had killed him, he would be exiled from their clan. No one would want anything to do with him. He couldn't allow for that to happen.

He had to get to Itachi, and this time for sure, he would silence him forever.

Naruto was the first to wake up.

The room felt warm and cozy. He blinked his eyes and turned when he heard soft snoring so close to his ear. He slowly sat up, watching in wonderment at the man that slept beside him. Someone that he couldn't mistake, his mate, and yet a complete stranger that he knew nothing about.

Softly, he reached to touch one whiskered cheek.

It yield pleasantly under his fingers and Naruto smiled. He had found his soulmate. Who cared if he didn't yet know him, he would as soon as he woke up. He'd get to talk to him and interact. It was so unbelievable.

It had to be a damned dream but he hoped that it wasn't.

His mate was here with him.

Naruto was so happy, although unsure as to where they would go from here, he hoped that it would be together.

He felt so confused.

Waking up for Crow had been surprising. Not because that same boy was staring at him with anxiousness, but so had two other people he couldn't place. All three had been waiting for him to wake up and it placed him on edge, especially when they dumped so much information his way.

From the boy calling him his mate, and the two other hugging him and unloading not only that they were his parents but he had a name.

For years he had believed that his name was Crow because that had been what Hiruzen had called him. Although he knew that not all his memories were in place, he couldn't fathom who the people claiming to be his family were. They said his name is Uchiha Itachi, that he had gone missing and that they were glad that he was home.

When he asked why he would leave the two older ones hesitated.

The younger one, his little brother, who he had no doubts was his soulmate didn't know the answer to that question.

Glancing at Sasuke he stared in wonder. Soulmate, something he didn't think he would ever have. Something he hadn't known he could have… Although in the back of his mind, something whispered that it was because he'd been impatient.

That was not the point.

"So I just disappeared, why don't I remember anything?" Itachi asked.

"Why did you hide him from me!" The younger one snapped and demanded that they give him an answer. Itachi was surprised as the smaller raven stood protectively in front of him, baring his teeth at what was essentially their parents.

"We didn't hide him," Mikoto chided Sasuke who glared in retaliation. She ignored him as she continued, "from what we could speculate, Itachi was upset that we would not accept Izumi as his mate. He then left without saying a word to us and for a long time we thought he was dead. The stone had been moved and no energy was left in it, concluding what we dreaded. We had lost Itachi…at least we thought."

"Before you were even born Sasuke we had it divined that you were to be born for Itachi. We were devastated when he was gone because we had been unable to tell him." Fugaku said, a hard look on his face and his arms crossed. "Because of this turn of events, we decided that you were not going to be with anyone in the family. The power struggle there meant that you could have ended up with someone that would want you for your status and to manipulate you in order to lead our family. Not having a soulmate would have made you too vulnerable."

Sasuke knew that he was amongst one of the youngest member currently in their family. If he had to choose someone from there it would be someone way older than him. Someone that no doubt, could have easily manipulated him, as much as Sasuke hated to admit.

Itachi was silent, listening carefully as small details tugged at his mind.

"It doesn't matter now, I found my soulmate and I wish to be with him," Sasuke said, reaching to take Itachi's hand in his.

Itachi gasped, reacting to the sudden electrifying connection he felt to his so called soulmate.

Fugaku and Mikoto looked from one son to the other, worried as they took in their reactions to each other. Itachi had no memory of what had happened to him, he couldn't even tell them where he had been all this time. They knew that Itachi wasn't affectionate, and often did things alone and independently.

Sasuke was the complete opposite, always happy to share time with family. There was no doubt he would smother Itachi will all of his affections.

They stayed tense as Itachi looked at Sasuke curiously, taking his time to relax into the touch before curling his fingers around Sasuke's in return.

Both parents released their held breath, smiling at the sight, glad that Itachi wasn't pushing his little brother away.

For now, this was fine. The thing was that they were still unsettled, confused as to what could have happened to Itachi. Where had he been if he had not been dead? What or who could have done this to their son.

They wanted to so badly find out.

"Sasuke!"

A few days later, Naruto and Sasuke had coaxed their soulmates to go out of their room with them.

The red head had said his name is Kurama and been a bit mean with Naruto at first. The blond had understood that his mate needed some time to trust him, but they were slowly getting there. Naruto had to keep looking over his shoulder to ensure that Kurama was following him, seeing as the red head refuse to hold his hand.

Sasuke was having a whole other experience with Itachi.

The man was docile towards him, allowing for Sasuke to do whatever he wanted with him. Sasuke mostly remained glued to him, holding his hand. He wished Itachi would return the affection, but he knew there was a lot in his older brother's mind, especially to do with his missing memories. If anything, Sasuke wished he could get his memories back for him.

He wanted to ensure that Itachi was alright, because most of the time he seemed to be somewhere else.

"Hey Naruto," he greeted once the blond was standing in front of him.

The two glanced at the other's mates before the blond grinned and the raven gave a faint smile.

"We did it," Naruto cheered, "We found our mates…although," just as quickly his enthusiasm fell. Sasuke sighed. Their mates weren't in the best state it seemed.

"What's wrong with yours?" Sasuke asked.

"He doesn't trust anyone," Naruto turned to look at Kurama, wishing that he could reach for his hand, "Come here Kurama, meet Sasuke. He's my friend," Naruto said the word proudly. After everything he and Sasuke had gone through, there was no way that they weren't friend.

Sasuke made a face, but thankfully didn't deny their friendship.

"Uh, yeah…Itachi, this is Naruto. He came with me to help find you," Sasuke said leaning close to Itachi, seeing as the two were holding hands. Itachi glanced from Sasuke to the blond and the red head.

"Oh, sorry about taking control of you," Itachi suddenly said.

Kurama blinked, "its okay. I would still be stuck there if it weren't for that," the man said.

Sasuke and Naruto watched their two awkward mates, wondering if they would say anything else, but when nothing was said the two turned back to each other.

"How did Kurama end up at the gate?" Sasuke asked. He was curious about it.

"I don't know, he won't say," Naruto shrugged, looking hopeless.

"He was sacrificed," Itachi answered. "There's always someone new that is placed within the gates, they come from the Jinchuriki clan," he explained, "They serve no other purpose than to power the gate of the here and thereafter. It's a sacrificial clan,"

Naruto turned to Kurama with a sad look on his face, throwing himself against the red head with sorrow. How could his mate be subjected to that?

Sasuke looked up at Itachi, "How do you know that?"

Itachi took a pause before answering. "I don't know,"

Sasuke smiled, "I don't think all your memory is lost nii-san, you still remember things so hopefully you'll remember everything you need too soon,"

For the first time since they met, Itachi smiled back at Sasuke.

"He lost his memory?" Naruto asked with concern.

"Yeah," Sasuke said. "Get this. Itachi said there was something on the other side of the gate. A whole other village like Konoha with people that don't have immortality," Sasuke said. Itachi had told him and their parents a lot of what he had seen on the other side. While their parents were skeptical, Sasuke believed every word Itachi spoke.

"What no way," Naruto said in disbelief, "Could there really be such a thing, freaky,"

"Really, there was?" Kurama was intrigued.

Itachi nodded, "The gate exists to keep them apart from dropping the world into a war over immortality," Itachi said.

"Well, I suppose that makes me feel less useless and unimportant," Kurama sighed, running a hand through his red hair, "I always thought my life was meaningless."

"Not at all our world is just…" Itachi paused, "Wait how did the gate not pull Kurama back in place?" Itachi asked.

Naruto grinned, "The endless stone from Mount Myoboku," was all he said and neither he or Sasuke clarified what that meant.

That was a story for another time after all.

"You're leaving already?" Kushina sadly asked a few days later.

Ever since Naruto had returned back to Konoha with Kurama, their kingdom had started to flourished. There was something about their relationship that enriched their kingdom and had people celebrating for their upcoming union.

What mattered to her and Minato more was that their son was extremely happy, so they couldn't ask for more.

"We have to go, it is best to reintroduce Itachi and unify him and Sasuke," Mikoto said.

Sasuke and Itachi had started to grow closer and more comfortable with each other. The two were more than ready to take their place back in Sharingan.

"I understand," Kushina sighed, "Before you go stay with us for a go away celebration. We want to share in your prosperity, I know that your land will bloom as ours has under the love of both your sons," She smiled, giving her friend a pleading look.

Mikoto nodded her head, returning the smile, "Thank you my friend, allow me to tell Fugaku about it so we can plan accordingly,"

"Perfect,"

Both women giggled, so happy that their sons were happy.

The going away celebration from Konoha took place two days later. There were so many congratulating not only Kurama and Naruto, but Sasuke and Itachi as well. The fact that he was standing here amongst people, Kurama was flustered.

Sasuke and Itachi had accepted their relationship, and at this point Itachi was about ready to let go of what he couldn't remember.

He figured that moving forward with Sasuke mattered the most now. The past could stay in the past.

At least, he had hoped that things would be like that, when suddenly a familiar face came into view,

Uchiha Shisui was among the crowd, making his way through to get closer to the couples. He wanted to say something to Itachi. He was dead set on talking to him, but the crowd kept getting in the way, because they wanted the same,

Sasuke was being announced to have found his mate, and it pissed him off.

It was mere seconds. He caught Itachi's eye and Shisui instantly knew, Itachi remembered him.

I'll fucking kill you, Itachi…

Sasuke found himself sitting outside, quietly next to Itachi, wondering what was going through his head. His brother had suddenly asked him to step out of the celebration, needing to get some fresh air. It had worried Sasuke how frantic he was about it.

Now seeing him quiet and somber bothered him.

He still didn't know much about his brother, but he wished he'd speak more and let him in. Itachi only ever allowed little things to slip, as if being careful despite saying that he would move on from his unknown past—whether he remembered it or not.

"I remembered," Itachi finally breathed, looking uncomfortable. Everything had returned back to him, fresh as the day he had vanished.

Sasuke looked at him curiously. "You mean you got your memory back?" he asked, excited. "That's great, you will no longer feel confused about being here, we can-"

Sasuke was silenced when gentle fingers were placed against his lips. The boy tilted his head curiously, watching Itachi closely.

"Sasuke, what happened in the past… how could you ever forgive me?" Itachi asked, the expression on his face telling Sasuke that something that he remembered wasn't settling well with him.

"Just tell me. What happened?" Sasuke begged, wanting to understand. He was growing frustrated that Itachi and he weren't fully connecting. Not for the lack of connection either, but because Itachi was stomping on it over this past. "I won't judge you over it, your past is yours. It can't be change, I just want to know what's eating at you,"

Itachi took a deep breath, turning to fully face the younger boy. He held Sasuke's hands in his as he looked at him. The heavy and serious look on his face gave his younger brother a concern gaze, but he needed to get this off his chest.

It was now or never.

Itachi was never one to do things by halves.

"The night," He took a deep breath, "The night that I vanished was because I had made a crucial decision…" Itachi started, his mind going back to that night. It was so clear to him now and the guilt and regret were eating him up.

Itachi was in his bedroom.

The darkness clocked him away from everything, and the moon's light a show of hope- of something beyond it waiting for him out there. He had just finished packing his bag, making sure he had everything he would need. A few days ago he had called Shisui and told him his plan to elope with Izumi. There was no looking back from his decision.

He threw his bag over his shoulder and gave his room a last glace goodbye.

He was dressed all in sleek black and slight armor as he took a glance into the living room. His mother's sweet smiling face seemed flushed as she read through a book and his father was diligently rubbing her swollen feet.

She was pregnant and glowing. Itachi thought she looked beautiful despite the fact that she also looked tired. Both his parents looked so happy in that moment.

There was no doubt.

His parents were always kind and loving.

He had always dreamed of him and his soulmate being the same. Loving and trusting towards each other. While Itachi knew that his parents meant well, he was not sure why they were denying his feelings.

Questioning if he knew who his soulmate truly was…

Their society thrived in soulmates.

Itachi had been a bit nervous when he hadn't gotten his at the age of fourteen like many tended to do. His parents had smiled and told him not to worry. It was just the case that his soulmate might be someone he has yet to meet. They were immortal, with a larger life expectancy. It could be centuries before he even met his soulmate.

They couldn't understand how relieved he felt when he turned eighteen and finally got a mark that matched with Izumi.

Itachi felt confused at first, wondering then why it had taken so long to appear. He had known her since childhood. Something inside of him told him that there was something wrong, but he had ignored it for clinging onto that relief, that finally, he had found his soulmate.

Besides, he liked her well enough.

He just didn't want to continue being alone anymore.

Shisui had joked that he was a late bloomer and that made him feel a bit self-conscious about himself and his abilities.

His parents had looked at him with confusion, unable to believe that Izumi was his soulmate. They had not reacted as happy as Itachi had thought that they would. He loved his parents, he truly did. He knew that they expected great things from him, but he couldn't live with knowing that they didn't accept who his soulmate was.

That was why he was leaving.

He was taking the stone of Rinnegan as well to impede them from finding him. He was tied to the damn stone and his role as the heir that would continue their clan. He'd been baptized to it a long time ago. Without that stone, their lives would be cut shorter.

So it was best if he held the power source, to insure that they left him be.

Walking away, he tried to wipe the image of his pregnant mother and doting father out of his head as he made his way outside, all the while clutching his aching head with confusion as he felt a tug call back to him- begging for him to stay.

Itachi wondered if he was making any sense even to himself.

Wouldn't taking the stone kill his clan?

Just as the thought entered his head, the faster it vanished.

The further away he got from home. Itachi forgot what he had been thinking and made his way to the meeting place. He needed to get to Izumi quickly. He always felt better when she was around.

Itachi jumped from building to building, passing by the warm homes of his clan until he reached the cold outskirts of the monument. There was no light, and the only sounds that filter through were the soft wind and the gentle rush of water.

Izumi was already waiting for him, her face grinning when she spotted him.

Itachi smiled, reaching to take her hand in his.

They headed inside. It took his eyes, and a bit of blood to open the underground hide out. Itachi lead the way to where the stone was kept, and reached to touch it for a second. The stone resonated with him, glowing a soft red color that made him smile.

It was strange, like an old friend saying hello.

All he had to do now was lift it.

Carefully, he placed the stone into his backpack and closed it. Itachi paused, looking at the stone with wonder. It felt like it was trying to say something but he couldn't quite make it out. His head felt fuzzy and confused= there was too much noise.

Suddenly, Izumi's warm hand came over his shoulder smiling against his cheek she whispered. "I know it's hard, from now on it's only going to be us. We're going to be perfect."

Itachi turned to look at her, his mind clearing, quieting down, and returned the smile. He gave a slight nod.

"Yeah," he said.

Just as they were leaving, and making their way across the embankment and to the getaway car, Izumi stopped him.

"Wait, I can't run anymore," she huffed, breathing hard.

"Are you alright?" Itachi asked with concern, leaning into her. They hadn't run that far. Had she gotten hurt?

She launched forward, grabbing his shirt to pull him down and forcefully kissed him on the lips. Itachi's eyebrows furrowed, as they always did when kissing her. It wasn't a pleasant feeling and her lips were bitter, but she was his soulmate. He should grant her this much.

So he forced himself to stay still as she took what she wanted.

Once she pulled away, she smiled at him once more. "Sorry," she whispered. It was like she was falling away, looking past him.

Itachi looked at her strangely.

Then the ground under him felt unsteady, his vision started to swim, and he knew that there was something wrong. He jumped out of the way in time when several knives flew his way. His instincts still high, despite being impaired.

The attacks kept coming.

Itachi twirled midair, catching sight of Shisui, his cousin, whom he trusted the most. The man was glaring at him under the glowing moon, his face half hidden in shadows. Itachi dodged as the man came at him.

"Why!" Itachi demanded when their blades clashed with each other.

"Because I deserve to be the next leader of our clan, not you!" Shisui hissed with hatred showing in his eyes, "I've always been better, faster, stronger, and then you had to be born. I have no idea what they see in you, but there is nothing special about you!" He slashed Itachi, cutting some of his long hair when the younger man dodged.

Itachi narrowed his eyes and attempted to focus, "I don't want the title, you can have it. I will just go with Izumi!" he hissed.

"It doesn't work that way, you idiot! You have to die!" Shisui kicked him, catching Itachi around his stomach and off guard.

Itachi skidded across the field, hitting a tree. His head was spinning, and he wasn't at his best. He wasn't sure what was wrong, or why his body was shaking. The more he moved, the less his body listened to him.

Shakily getting to his feet, he dodged a few more attacks when his chest was pierced, and he was kicked once more.

"Shisui, I trusted you," Itachi coughed, blood dripping past his lips. He was struggling to keep conscious now.

"Well wasn't that a big mistake," Shisui chuckled. "Just so you know, Izumi is my mate, not yours. You have no mate, because you are a loser with nothing. And now you'll be a loser without a life," Shisui kicked Itachi in the face, knocking him out cold.

Itachi laid unconscious on the ground, barely breathing.

"The poison is doing its job, let's tie him up and send him down the river." Shisui instructed.

Izumi nodded, "Alright," she said, reaching to help Shisui get rid of Itachi's body. Neither of them wanted Itachi's blood on them. Their family would be able to tell if they had any of it. The best way to get rid of him is to drown his body, and hope that no one ever found him.

They tied Itachi up so he curled into himself. Taking the stone from his bag, they filled it with heavy rocks and wrapped it around his neck. Shisui pulled out a hand gun and shot his body with several rounds, until he was satisfied.

Then they threw him into the river.

Shisui smirked as he held the stone, the red light becoming dim until it was nonexistent. Vanishing and signaling the end of Itachi's life.

He was dead.

Izumi watched the water, and the way it licked the shoreline. She reached for her hand, scrubbing at the soulmate mark she had altered for this. Shisui reached for her hand, telling her to stop. He kissed her knuckles.

Both of them returned the stone and locked the monument once more. Soon, a new leader will have to be chosen, and with Itachi dead, Shisui was sure that it would be him.

Nothing will stand in his way.

"Shisui wanted to be the new leader but he had not counted on my birth," Sasuke murmured, realizing what had happened. Everything fell into place somehow, making sense as to why his soul mate was gone, why Shisui was hanging around, why Shisui's soul mate was out of the picture. The man had been targeting the tittle of leader. "He's so disgusting, coming on to me like that knowing he had hurt my mate," Sasuke bristled.

Itachi frowned.

"I won't allow him to get close to you," the man said.

Sasuke could no longer sit still. He shot up, pacing back and forth, "Did he hurt his mate just for this," he wondered, confused at what Shisui could have done. There was no doubt in his mind that Shisui was heartless. "I'll kill him for touching you," he hissed, turning to give Itachi a hard look.

Itachi looked at his younger brother in awe, before smiling.

"I'm blessed to be here, meeting you my mate," Itachi said, closing his eyes. When he opened them again, they were in his eternal mangekyo, a gift he received when he met his mate, the same as Sasuke. Seeing his eyes had Sasuke on alert.

As if on cue, they were no longer alone. They were approached by Shisui, the man looking angry and determined all at once, approaching them.

"Well, well, who'd thought you'd find such a devil, Sasuke." Shisui smirked.

Sasuke bristled, "Shisui, you!" he was about to attack, his own eternal mangekyo flashing in his eyes, but was stopped by Itachi grabbing his hand.

"Calm, Sasuke," Itachi commanded.

"But nii-san he," Sasuke shut his mouth with a groan when he saw that his brother wasn't even paying attention to him.

"I see that Itachi told you," Shisui said, sounding like he couldn't care less that he had. "He doesn't want you Sasuke. Itachi has always wanted my mate as his own,"

"How dare you set up your own mate to fool mine," Sasuke demanded, "For that matter you should fucking be dead if you lost your mate, but you haven't. What do you have her doing?"

Shisui didn't humor Sasuke. He didn't say anything as he looked past the small raven to Itachi. "Itachi, you've always been a great friend to me. Like a younger brother whom I wanted to dote on, but you had to go ahead and get better. Become the head of the Uchiha and take the titles that belonged to me, how do you think I fucking felt?"

"It's not something I ever intended to take," Itachi said.

"Don't stand there claiming that you hadn't. You were always doing one thing or the other to impress those of our clan," Shisui spat.

"I never," Itachi gritted his teeth, "You betrayed me,"

"Did it hurt? Because that's how much it hurt for me, Itachi. You think I felt any better than you did when you betrayed me. If anything it was just. I was simply claiming back what was mine." Shisui smirked, "for you to fall for such a trick,"

"You took advantage!" Itachi hissed, "You knew I was anxious for when I'd meet my mate," he'd been young and stupid, but he thought he could trust this man... how could it had all turned out like this.

"Interested on how I did it," Shisui pulled out a bottle, filled with colorful round pills. "It only took accepting that one drink from Izumi to get to you," he smirked. "then you're perception was mine,"

Itachi could remember accepting so many things from Izumi- snacks and drinks. He could remember the fog that his mind had been in. That he had wondered so many times why he was only now realizing that she might be his mate—and it had all been a well planted trick.

One done by the two people he trusted the most, his best friends.

"Itachi, there is no room left here for you. It's time for you to go. Either that or Sasuke has to die, because that stone, the leadership will be mine," Shisui said, moving forward.

Sasuke glared in anger, wanting to attack him but his hand was in Itachi's tight grip, keeping him in place. He turned to look at his mate, and was confused when he saw that the man wasn't moving.

"Itachi," he called, trying to get his attention.

Shisui chuckled, "He's always been a bit slow in things that matter uck…" Shisui faltered, his vision going out of focus. The bottle of pills dropped on the floor, cracking open and spilling it's contents. Shisui was seeing double, confused by the sudden disorientation that had hit him. It was like he was underwater all of a sudden and couldn't breathe.

Sasuke turned to look at him, confused at the sudden pause.

Shisui was spitting up blood past his lips, his body trembling where he stood, his eyes wide and frozen.

Itachi pulled Sasuke close to him, holding him.

From the darkness came a shaking woman. She was finely dressed, nothing wrong with her, not even a blemish. Sasuke had never seen her before, nor did he know who she could be. She was in a daze as she came forward, her body getting closer to Shisui.

That's when she spluttered blood as well, tears streaming down her face.

"Izumi..." Shisui was looking at her with wide eyes before turning to look back at Itachi and Sasuke. Anger f;ashed in his eyes, for once showing the care that he held for his mate. "What have you done," he demanded.

Itachi didn't say anything, his fingers carded through Sasuke's hair gently and comforting. His mate melted against him, calmly watching what was going on.

"I may have fallen for your tricks once, but you out of all people should know such a thing, would never work twice." Itachi said.

Shisui laughed, while the woman at his side vomited blood, her eyes disintegrating in her sockets, only for his body to follow her example. Black flames covered her, shriveling up and destroying her very being- like she had never existed. Shisui cursed, following the same fate.

This is how you truly killed an Uchiha.

"Nii-san," Sasuke called to him when the dust had cleared. Nothing but the lulled sound of the party going on inside, and the bright light of the moon surrounded them. Leaving them in a sense of suspense. Sasuke could understand what just had happened. It hadn't been an all-out battle, and it hadn't taken a long time, but he knew that all the same, the weight of the death of the two people whom had been his brother's best friends must be falling heavily on Itachi.

He glanced up at his older brother, gasping when he saw tears streaming down his handsome face. He reached up, gently wiping the tears away.

Itachi finally looked at him, giving him a small smile.

"Let's start out lives new Sasuke," Itachi spoke, leaning in close to his soul mate. This is where he was home, something he had been ignoring all this time. While sad, he was also happy, and these feelings despite overwhelming, were easy to handle because Sasuke was at his side. Honestly, he felt like he had gotten rid of the block that had been in his mind. A weight that had been lifted off his mind and chest, he felt free. "Together, we can move forward…Otouto."

That was the first time Itachi called him Otouto and it meant the world to Sasuke.

"Yes," Sasuke whispered, elated and ready to go anywhere and everywhere with Itachi.

Sasuke lowered his eyes, anticipation lacing into his chest as he waited for Itachi's lips to brush his. When they didn't immediately, he pushed up on his toes, connecting that last bit of distance that kept them apart.

Their first kiss was electric, eager, and solidifying the connection that had begun the moment that they locked eyes. Both smiled against the other's lips, moving to deepen it as mouths opened, allowing tongues to play with each other as they shared even more, passionate kissess.

This wasn't the end, but their beginning.

This wasn't just another chapter, but the first one to what their future would be, and neither of them would have it any different, than to face what life would throw at them, together.

They couldn't wait to get started.