When Naruto was finally released from the station, he was ready to bash his head off a wall. Spending four hours in a precinct, two hours of which spent sitting in front of a desk, with an officer that makes the Uchihas look overly emotional, is enough to kill his soul.

During the first two hours he sat in front of a desk with an officer who asked a whole two questions, "do you have a history with violence?" And "Why did you attack Kiba Inuzuka?" The rest of the time, the bald portly officer sat there staring at his computer monitor, finger typing a million miles an hour.

Now, Naruto knew there are people with exceptionally fast typing skills, but something about this officer was off. After observing the officer's mindless key mashing, he was positive the officer was doing that thing kids do, where they try to pretend to type something but it's utter gibberish. Dying a little more inside, Naruto figured he was at least lucky to get the most clueless officer in the precinct, he seemed to have no idea who he was.

The last two hours were just as irritating, though not for the same reasons. The blond finally had a competent officer, only problem was it was the same officer he ditched the night his house was destroyed. Regardless of radiating an aura of disappointment, officer Gekko was nothing but cordial. The man went through his list of questions before taking the blond's recount of events. Naruto found it odd that neither officer mentioned Minato, but tried to place that fact in the back of his mind for now, it made him feel too uneasy to think about.

With no current charges being laid against the blond, he was finally free to go. It was around 6pm when he finally walked out into the cold November air. The night air wasn't as calm and soothing as Naruto usually found it, he chalked it up to an overly stressful day.

Pulling out his phone he notes the missed calls and texts from Sasuke but before he gets a chance to reply a matt grey Audi honks at him. Looking over at the offensive vehicle, he raises an eyebrow, unable to see through the heavily tinted windows. The driver finally realises and opens the window. Yet another thing Naruto would never expect.

The driver shouts through the window, "get in Uzumaki, we need to have a chat."

Naruto looks at the teen phlegmatically. "Now, why would I do that Hyuga?"

Rolling his eyes, Neji huffs, "just get in the fucking car, I've been waiting for two hours. Don't be difficult."

'What else could possibly go wrong?' Naruto mentally snorts at himself, he must be a sucker for punishment.

"Fine." Naruto strolls over to the car, hops in the passenger seat and buckles himself in.

Neji pulls out of KPD, "you like BJ's?"

Naruto whips his head around. "Excuse me?!"

Neji shakes his head with a snort, "the burger joint down by the billiards on 4th."

The blond instantly relaxes, he would have laughed, but not in the presence of the Hyuga. "Oh...never eaten there before. Why?"

"I'm taking you there." Neji states as if it were the most normal thing ever.

"Um, why?" Naruto was starting to think there was something in the air. Neji was being far too casual for bitter enemies.

Neji sighs heavily. "Because we need to talk, and I'm hungry."

Naruto didn't respond, instead he just gave a slight nod before turning his head to watch the night life pass by. This was certainly not something he foresaw happening. Never once had he ever desired to be alone in a close quarters situation with the pale eyed teen.

The remainder of the ride was quiet, but Naruto could sense something akin to fear coming from the Hyuga, it made the blond smirk. Neji was never one to yield, their last couple altercations proved so. After today's incident, something changed, Naruto knew the teens fear was warranted, he was even scared of himself now.

When the two enemies arrived at BJ's, they made their way in quickly. The burger place was a quaint little diner. The windows were lined with booths that housed faux red leather benches with stark white tables, while equally red stools lined the front counter. The far corner even had an old jukebox, making Naruto ponder if it worked or was merely there for aesthetics.

Neji leads the blond to the booth at the farthest side of the room. An older red headed waitress wearing a pale pink dress with a white apron came and gave them their menus while taking their drink orders. She returned with their Narutos water and Neji's iced tea, then quickly took their orders. Naruto ordered their grilled chicken burger with thick cut home fries while Neji ordered some monstrous burger that had bacon and a fried egg on top, with a side of onion rings. It was definitely not something Naruto would have pictured the elitist to put into his body, but to each their own he supposed.

Up until now, the two teens stayed quiet, taking their time to savour their meals. Naruto had to agree that their fries were amazing and the buns that they used for their chicken burgers were phenomenal, complimenting each other perfectly. He'd definitely come back.

With their meals finished the two quietly observed the other until Naruto couldn't handle it anymore. "You gonna spill it already?"

Taking his last gurgled sip through the ice at the bottom of his iced tea, Neji pushed his cup away with a sigh. "Look Uzumaki, the thing with Kiba, thanks. That being said, you can't hang around Sasuke. We are in a different league than you, it's just the way it has to be."

Naruto leans back, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "How very bold of you, but I don't remember that being your decision."

"Listen, I can't have you leading Sasuke away." Neji grits out.

Naruto smirks, "what, falling in love with him like you did Kiba? I wonder how Tenten would feel knowing she's being used." He wasn't stupid, he knew the feeling the Hyuga harbored.

Neji's mouth gapes, his eyebrows skyrocketing. "How?!"

The blond scoffs, "oh please, don't insult my intelligence."

The brunette is quick to get defensive. "You can't prove anything."

"I don't really need to. Don't care to prove it either." Naruto shrugs, he didn't feel the need to be petty, it was never his style. "However, you will not keep me from Sasuke, it's his decision, not yours or mine."

Neji's scrutinising squint tries to pin the blond down. "Your reputation will ruin him, do you really want that for him?"

The stare did nothing to the blonde but make him feel like he could chuckle at the pathetic show of attempted dominance. "Kiba finally confessed, I fail to see the problem."

"That may be the case, but you should know better than anyone else just how easily a reputation sticks, and how impossible it is to change." Neji states, almost turning his nose up at Naruto.

"Hm, weird, I know you're in love with that fucker, but he hurt your cousin, I'd think you'd show a bit more gratitude that he got what he deserved. Does my status really make it so hard for you to accept I'm a human being?" Naruto could never imagine feeling like he was so above someone, let alone going out of his way to make sure they continued to feel that way.

Neji shrugs unapologetically, "just the way it is Uzumaki. I'm only giving you the courtesy of warning you because of what you did for Hinata, don't misconstrue my motives, I still loathe you. If you don't stay away from Sasuke, our group will do what we need to to forcibly remove you if need be."

Masking his facial expression, Naruto leans forward over the table so he's encroaching on the Hyugas' space. "You're a real piece of work Hyuga, you sure you want to fight this battle?"

"Don't threaten me, freak!" Neji growls, but a brief flash of terror flashes through his eyes, it was like he couldn't believe he just threatened the blond.

This end of Neji's outburst brings a smirk to the blond face. "Do I scare you Hyuga?"

Quickly averting his eyes Neji mutters, "After what you did to Kiba I'd be an idiot not to watch myself around you. Yet another reason for you to stay away from Sasuke."

Naruto snorts, his fear made the blond feel unusually elated, he liked having that effect on the Hyuga. "How bold of you, but like I said Hyuga, it's up to Sasuke." Naruto stands up, "thanks for the food."

"Where are you going?" Neji shouts out to him as he starts walking away.

Naruto answers without turning around. "Figure it out yourself." With that the blond disappeared from the establishment, the last sound he heard was a string of curses from the Hyuga.

What he didn't witness was Neji making a call. "Hey."

"Hey, did he concede?" the voice on the other line asks.

Neji scoffs, "no he didn't."

"How do you plan on making it work?" the person askes hesitantly.

"We'll keep an eye on it" Neji confidently states.

A heavy sigh is heard. "And if that doesn't work?"

Neji was a bit irritated that his plan was being questioned, but replied as calmly as he could. "Then we'll make him."

The person on the other end wasn't convinced. "Enlighten me, how do you plan on getting Sasuke to listen to you? From the little show today, he's clearly closer with the blond than any of us could have imagined."

"You still have those pictures?" Neji asks, figuring his question should be enough to clue his friend in on his plan.

The line was silent for a second before the voice began to answer. "Uh, yeah, wh-"

Neji cuts him off before he can finish answering. "Good, keep them handy. They'll be the ace up our sleeve."

After a moment the person uttered, "sure thing."

Hearing this, Neji's lips tug to show a smirk of superiority. "Thanks Sai."

"Don't mention it." The line goes dead immediately.

Feeling satisfied for the first time all day, Neji pays the bill and proceeds to leave. The teen was happy that his plan was set in motion, he would not lose to that freak Uzumaki again.


Naruto was done with the day, he didn't even have it in him to respond to Sasuke now, he was both physically and emotionally exhausted, wanting nothing more than to get home and crawl into bed.

The walk home was a quiet one, not even music seemed to help. Naruto couldn't believe the nerve of Neji, he knew status was important to the pedigrees that ran the town, but was it really that important? Sasukes family had no qualms with him, then again they weren't privy to the rumours either. What would happen if today's incident got back to them? What would they think of him now? These are all things he was kicking himself for now, if he could have kept his distance from the raven, this wouldn't even matter. Naruto knew Sasuke and him were in too deep to even consider going down that train of thought.

As the blond approaches his residence, he's thrilled that Minato's car is nowhere in sight. Allowing himself to revel in that small victory he unlocks the front door and slowly enters. The house was dark and quiet, had Minato been there he would have sensed him by now. Releasing a relieved sigh, he makes his way inside locking the door behind him.

Before long, Naruto was upstairs sitting on the edge of his bed. The day was so chaotic he swore it felt like a month passed him by. Maybe that was why he never realised the extent of his hand injuries. Looking down at the throbbing appendages, they were swollen and bruised, he found it difficult to fully stretch his fingers out. Bringing his left index finger over to the knuckle of his right middle finger, he gently pushes the oddly shaped mound. Upon pushing on it a fragment of bone seemed to be floating around at will. 'Well fuck...'

Fucked up hands were all the motivation Naruto needed to carefully pack himself a rather generous bowl. He found unlocking his windows to be a rather difficult task, it seemed that the more he came to terms with his injured hands, the more they seemed to lock up on him. Conquering the dreaded window latches he rewards himself with several greedy hits, basking in the calm warmth that began to envelope him.

Feeling a nice buzz, Naruto haphazardly clears the pipe of its offensive ash. His nightly indulgences successfully worked not only on his mind but his battered hands as well, making light work of clearing his pipe and re latching his window.

Naruto had managed to pack his pipe and stash away, his only task left was to brush his teeth. Propping open his door he takes a tentative listen, he hadn't heard anything, but he often zones out and misses things during these night time toke sessions. Happy with nothing more than the annoying ticking of the clock downstairs that Naruto was positive you could probably still hear from space, he made his way to the washroom.

After relieving himself he set out washing his face and hands before moving on to floss and brush his teeth. Naruto would have showered, but he just didn't have the energy to do so at the moment. Finally changing his tongue ring to the black metal studs, it seemed to be the ravens' favourite for some reason. Naruto left the washroom, shutting the light out as he exited.

When Naruto walked back into his room he couldn't even find it in himself to change now. He knew he'd left Sasuke hanging, but right now sleep was calling to him, he'd just have to deal with the fallout tomorrow. With his decision made, he finalised it by flopping backwards onto his bed, finally allowing sleep to take over both his exhausted mind and body. Naruto fell into a dreamless sleep immediately.

There was this strange smell he couldn't place, something wasn't right. Somehow Naruto was lucid in his sleep, but he wasn't dreaming. It's like he was conscious while he was sleeping, but his mind wasn't filtering through dream imagery, it was bizarre. At first it felt like he was being jostled around, then he felt like his chest was constricting, slowly getting more and more difficult to breathe. When Naruto's dreaming mind couldn't pull in another breath of air the blond's eyes shot open, and it was then that he knew his real life nightmare was about to begin.

Standing in front of him with the look of pure hatred was Minato. It took a moment for Naruto to realise he still couldn't breath, and that's when he realised he was in the basement. 'Nononono!' His brain went into fight or flight mode, flight trying to take over but failing as the tips of his toes barely skimmed the cold hard floor.

Refusing to meet the man's gaze, Naruto violently struggled, trying to use his hands only to find them bound behind his back. Narutos foggy brain was unable to make heads or tails out of what the monster in front of him was muttering, and that's when the force of a wooden baseball bat collided with the left side of his ribs. Red hot pain shot through the blond's ribs, and his slow suffocation denied him the ability to yell.

The almost silence caused Minato to lower the blond so his feet were just barely touching the ground, giving the teen a chance to breathe. After all, he couldn't have him quiet, half the fun was listening to the pathetic cries he could draw out from the demon spawn.

When Minato found out what happened from his buddies at the PD he was pissed. With the Akatsuki actively hunting him again, he couldn't take a chance returning home after the break in, he'd rather them take it out on the monster that robbed him of his wife. He hated that he couldn't bring himself to finish the blond teen off, something always stopped him, if the Akatsuki got to him then he would finally be free to live in a world without the monstrosity.

When he was informed of the break in, he had to answer questions that ranged from "Why do you have so many security cameras in your house?" To, "why is your basement locked up like Fort Knox?" Minato was able to convince them that the cameras didn't work, and that his weapons were kept in the basement and the excessive locks were to merely keep them out of reach of everyone. Seeing as the Akatsuki who broke in, didn't manage to break through, they figured he must have been telling the truth, after all they all trusted him with their lives.

After that incident, the Akatsuki have been quiet, but he still didn't take a chance returning home, no matter how much he craved the release that was brought to him only through thoroughly beating the blonde teenager. Lucky for him Guren has been putting him up without any fuss, she seemed to thoroughly enjoy his company. The thing he liked best about her was she didn't ask questions.

When Chief Hashirama Senju called him into his office to ask why he wasn't present for his son's questioning he had to keep calm so as to not show his utter rage for the monster. Over the years he'd gotten really good at it, it was second nature to him at this point. He explained to his chief that he was out on assignment and only just received the news when he returned to the precinct. The excuse did the trick, his chief gave him a big smile and a heart chuckle before dismissing him.

The ride home was torture, all Minato could do to ease himself was come up with appropriate methods of punishment, it was enough to bring a malevolent smirk to his face. Arriving home around 11pm and noticed all the lights were out, he knew from the fact that Naruto was at the station until 6pm that he didn't work tonight, so he only hoped the teenager was already in bed and not out somewhere.

Quietly making his way through the house he finds that Naruto was dead to the world, relief fills him, now he could follow through. He didn't want the blond to wake up, and he could bring his plan to fruition with him being in his bedroom so he had to get creative.

It had been ages since he broke out his chloroform, but tonight seemed like the perfect time to use it once again. Unlocking all the basement locks, he makes his way down stairs. He decided to use tie straps to bind Narutos feet and hand this time, just imagining the harsh plastic straps cutting into his wrists and ankles brought a malicious grin to his face.

Minato was going to keep tonight's punishment simple with tie straps, rope, and a baseball bat. There was something he enjoyed about breaking the monsters bones, and a wooden baseball bat got stuck in his head, and he couldn't find it in himself to use any other tool after that. There wouldn't be a huge mess for Naruto to clean when he regained consciousness, but the physical effort Minato would need to use with each swing more than made up for it. Exerting himself on the punishment he delivered Naruto was almost spiritual for him. Something about the weight of an object , mixed with the vibration sent through his body with each hit made him feel euphoric.

Chloroform and rag in hand he makes quick work of entering the blonds room. Holding the soaked rag over the demon's face, the blond didn't even flinch as the chemical did its job flawlessly. It was harder to heave the teen over his shoulder, Minato figured he's probably taller than himself by now, heavier too by the feel of him.

When he made it to the basement he shrugs the blond off his shoulder, making the teenager hit the floor with a painful sounding 'thud'. Grabbing the tie straps, he binds Narutos ankle before moving his arms around his back and binding his wrist just so. Retrieving the rope he ties it around Narutos neck, he didn't make a noose as he didn't want the rope to constantly get tighter, he wanted the resistance to remain the same.

The other end of the ropes was threaded through an industrial strength ceiling mount as Minato began to hoist Naruto off the ground until his toes barely skimmed the floor. Achieving his desired height he wrapped the end of the rope around the wall hook, securing it.

Walking over to his bench Minato grabs the baseball bat, by the time he turns around Naruto begins to struggle. The teens lack of oxygen caused his eyes to fly open in a panic, making Minato chuckle with malicious delight.

"You really fucked up this time." Minato winds up, delivering a blow to Narutos left side, he could physically feel the injury he caused the teens ribs vibrate through the solid wood bat. To Minato, it felt right.

There was a problem though, Naruto didn't make a single sound, and Minato couldn't have that. Naruto was turning a bluish purple, so obviously his screams of pain wouldn't come through, he loosened the rope so Naruto could just barely stand on his tippy toes, enabling him to breathe. Minato's efforts were rewarded when he heard the teen painfully gasp for air, and it only seemed to piss him off even further.

"Ungrateful piece of shit!" Minato hit the left side again, but hit a bit lower when Naruto managed to flinch away slightly.

"Ah!" Naruto grunts, doing his best not to show weakness, he didn't want to give Minato that power. "Like I'd ever be grateful to you!" he growls back.

Minato's face flushed red, he didn't appreciate the lip. Dropping the bat to his side he violently grasps the teens face. "After the shit you pulled I'd watch your fucking mouth!"

Naruto sneers at him, trying his best not to show the fear that was rapidly enveloping him. "Oh, did I inconvenience his majesty?"

Minato was a little taken back, but quickly reels himself in, allowing his wrath to explode. "WATCH YOU FUCKING MOUTH!" The man put so much animosity into his words that saliva flew out of his mouth, splattering the teens face. "You brought your shit to my work you little asshole!"

There was something switching inside of Naruto, something that prevented him from shutting up. "Oh boo hoo, shut the fuck up Minato!"

Just as he finishes cussing the man out, Minato releases his face, bringing the brunt of the bat up, violently jabbing him into the gut. Naruto lets out a strangled cry, the teen would have toppled forward had the rope around his neck not been hooked to the ceiling. Instead, Naruto tilts his face to the ground. "Is that the best you got?" He struggles getting the words out.

"You piece of shit!" Minato grabs the teen by the hair, wrenching the blonds head up.

Narutos eyes remained closed. "Wrong answer." When he opened his eyes Minato let go immediately stumbling backwards. For he was no longer looking at fearful blue eyes, he was being glared at with rage fueled crimson orbs. "What, something on my face Minato?" Naruto chuckled darkly.

"You—YOU!" Minato shrieked, his face paling.

"Me what?" Naruto smirks at the man.

"You-you're a monster" Minato stutter, Naruto was really enjoying the look of terror on the mans face.

Naruto really wanted to drive the man into madness, he didn't know why, but all of his fear left him for the moment, it was like he was looking through someone else's eyes. "Tch, what would mom say if she ever heard you say that to me?"

Hearing Naruto call his Kushina "mom" was enough to enrage him once again. "YOU DON'T FUCKING TALK ABOUT KUSHINA!"

"Imagine her seeing you now, taking pleasure in beating her son, you think she'd love you now?" Every torment Minato had made him endure came flooding through him, and Naruto rage came flooding out with it. " Please, NO ONE COULD LOVE THE MONSTER YOU'VE BECOME!"

"The only monster here is you!" Minato growls, he wasn't going to listen to the demon that took everything from him. The bat didn't feel fitting anymore, no, it was time to kill this monster. Minato turned around to the locked cabinet that housed all his more intense "tools" and started searching for what he was looking for.

Minato didn't take into account the fact that tie straps really aren't an appropriate method of securing someone like Naruto. While Minato was on the other side of the room, rummaging through the cabinet, Naruto brought his arms back, swinging them forward against the back of his right leg with enough force to snap the tie. With his arms free, and Minato none the wiser he unties the knot that's responsible for holding him in place. With the knot untying, Naruto falls silent to the floor, using the force of his muscular legs to snap the last of his ties.

Naruto had enough, today was his breaking point, no more would he allow this monster to rule his life, to suffocate him with fear. It was Minato's turn to fear. Silently stalking over behind Minato, he taps him on the shoulder. Minato freezes, Naruto couldn't see his face, but he could make out the goosebumps that littered the man's neck.

Without warning Minato swung around trying to connect his fist with Narutos face, Naruto was able to grab his arm while hooking his foot around the man's leg, sending him hurling to the floor. With Minato pinned beneath him, Naruto grabs the man by the hair, slamming his face a few times against the cold hard floor. If he thought beating Kiba felt good, this was fucking euphoric.

After the fourth slam, Naruto leans down to the struggling man's ear, slowly articulating every word with more malice than he would have thought possible. "You're done, if you so much as look at me again, you'll regret it."

Naruto doesn't get any response. "I'm going to get off of you now, I'll let you go lick your wounds as long as you behave yourself." Naruto smirked when he heard the man beneath him growl. Deep inside the recesses of Narutos minds Kurama was awake for a change, and was enjoying how the events were unfolding. The fox felt extremely proud of its jinchūriki.

Naruto gets up while the man ceases struggling, making no attempt to move. Turning around to the stairs, Naruto hears Minato jump up and charge him. Before the man can send the blade he grabbed from the cabinet into Narutos throat, the teen uses what's left of the strength in his hands to grasp the man's armed wrist with one hand, and the man's throat with the other.

Minato wanted to shout, but the grasp Naruto had on his throat made his words come out garbled. "You're a demon, you took everything from me. You don't deserve to walk around after what you've done." Tears began to form in the man's eyes, though Naruto wasn't sure why.

Naruto squeezed and twisted Minato's wrist back, the blade clinking off the floor as he successfully dislodged it. The man's other hand was violently scratching the teens arm trying to free himself, leaving angry, bleeding cuts in their wake. This brought Naruto a snippet of amusement, seeing Minato at his mercy was more than he could ever dreamt of.

Naruto was in fact taller than his sperm donor now, enabling him to look down on him in more ways than one. Staring at the struggling, panic filled swine in front of him, he couldn't believe this man was an esteemed detective. 'Pathetic.' Naruto thought, was directed at both of them. Minato for being utterly useless and himself for not standing up for himself sooner.

The man definitely didn't give up easily, wanting to end this Naruto grips the man's throat harder, slowly lifting him off the ground. Minato started kicking, as panic fully took over him. Narutos crimson eyes never waver from the terrorised blue orbs staring back at him. Narutos face was cold, but his voice was oddly calm. "The only demon, the only monster, the only piece of shit here is you, Minato. This will be your last warning, come at me again and it won't end well for you."

The man kicked and clawed, exerting all his energy as he panicked trying to break free, but it proved useless. Minato's face quickly turned a very unnatural shade of blue before darkness took him. As the man's body went limp, Naruto tossed him to the floor, this was the start of his new beginning. This was the start of living free of fear.

Quickly checking to make sure the man was only unconscious because he refused to go to jail for killing the monster, Naruto retreated upstairs after confirming so. By the time Naruto made it upstairs he rushed to the washroom and threw up, apparently the situation was more stressful on him then he thought. After his stomach emptied the reminisce of his supper he went to re-brush his teeth and wash his face. When he looked in the mirror he was startled, looking back at him were those crimson eyes, he couldn't believe it. This was the first time seeing them for himself, it was uncanny, they really were miniature Kurama eyes. With a final blink they were his usual blue once more.

Finishing in the washroom, Naruto makes his way to his bedroom. He wasn't going to stay here and wait for the man to come to, again, he planned on being far away. Naruto would give the man just enough time to disappear again, or at least that's what he was banking on.

Narutos arms were shredded, the only way to hide it was to wear sweaters and jackets. Luckily for him it was November. The blond only hoped if Sasuke gets a peek at his arms he'll think it's from the fight with Kiba.

Naruto threw on his favourite Slipknot hoodie and grabbed his phone. As he began to slip his shoes on and leave the house everything was catching up to him. Where was he going to go? Did today really happen? Naruto didn't notice the throbbing in his hands and torso or that his whole body was quivering. He just walked, allowing his body's auto pilot to guide him. Before long he was sitting on a bench at a bus stop, allowing himself time to process what the fuck just happened. At the time he had felt otherworldly, like he was untouchable. Now he just felt nauseous.

The night was chilly, but his nerves were making him far more susceptible to the cold, and him not thinking of anything other then "get the fuck out of the house" had completely blanked grabbing his jacket. He sighed, not sure where he was going to go. Looking down at his phone it was currently 12:21am, the shitty day was officially behind him.

Reading over Sasukes texts again, he suddenly feels a pain in his heart. Deciding he needed him to ground him, he dialled his ravens number.

On the final ring a sleepy, panic sounding Sasuke answered the phone. "Naruto? Are you okay?"

The worry in his boyfriend's voice both hurt and warmed his heart, if only his voice had the ability to show it at the moment. After today he wasn't sure if Sasuke would want to see him, let alone let him come over. Naruto asks in a small broken voice, "um, can I come over for the night?"

Sasuke answered without hesitation, "of course!" This brought a very small smile to Narutos face, maybe they were okay.

"Alright, I'll be there soon." Naruto whispers before hanging up.

After today he needed to be with the only person who could ground him. Naruto wasn't sure how he got lucky enough to have Sasuke in his life, but he wasn't going to squander it.