When the fox took his leave an orange glow was left in his wake. The splash of fading light remained for a moment before the night returned and Naruto found himself looking into the water. He touched his stomach again and felt the seal had returned to its former size and was no longer welted or hot.
He thought of how he was supposed to go to the Uchiha land soon and felt fear fill him. He also wondered if Sasuke knew of the fox and their families ties to one another.
Somehow he felt the other prince was also unaware with how he behaved.
Then he felt his stomach drop, Sasuke had to have known he was pregnant by now. How would he feel? Disgusted that Itachi had left a physical piece of himself in the blonde? Hurt that Naruto had hidden what had happened? He felt all of these things so why wouldn't the other prince?
He couldn't pretend what happened with Itachi didn't happen anymore. Everyone would know - or knew. Part of the prince didn't want to go back and face his family but another part of him feels like he needed to find Sasuke and… apologize? He didn't know how he felt about it but he knew he needed the raven.
So the blonde got up and dusted himself off before heading back to the castle. He traveled the direct path on his return, not worried about being caught now. This is exactly what happened; as soon as he was within view, guards started coming down from their post and approached him quickly.
The first to respond was Kakashi who seemed shocked to see the blonde once he was close enough to recognize the prince. "N-Naruto? What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be in the medical wing?" The silver haired soldier asked as he jogged to the younger man.
"I was… at the pond. I'm fine though. Do you know where Sasuke is?" Naruto asked trying to look firm, not wanting the soldier to fight him back to bed.
The silver haired man looked at the prince intensely, obviously contemplating something before he replied, "He is in your room, sir. But he was in a meeting this evening, he may still be busy."
"A meeting? For what?" Naruto asked, wondering who could be wanting to meet with the Uchiha. Maybe his parents? To scold him for Itachi's actions? It wasn't his fault!
Again, Naruto feels the urge to apologize to his husband. Logically, he knows he didn't do anything wrong, but the instinct to seek Sasuke out and explain himself is strong.
Naruto rushed to his room feeling his face heat with anger and embarrassment, and when he approached his door he saw two guards standing outside. His parents were definitely inside.
The blonde pushed past the confused guard and threw the door open. He was immediately met with his parents glaring eyes, obviously wanting privacy. Once they realized who was intruding their faces softened immediately and his mothers eyes began to water.
"What are you doing out of bed? How are you dirty? Did you go out?" Kushina asked as she approached her son and began rubbing at his face and hair.
Naruto looked past his mother and saw the Uchiha sitting on the sofa across from his father still facing away from the door, looking stiff. "I- yes I went out. I'm fine. I-" Naruto looked to Sasuke again, thinking of the foxes words to not bring him up to the Uchiha, "I went back to the pond. The fox healed me."
"You went back?! Naruto! The fox nearly killed you! That damn beast and the Uchihas! I swear I'm not going to let them-"
"Mom! Stop!" Naruto interrupted as she wrapped herself around him, he pushed out of her grip and looked her in the eye before moving to his husband.
When he rounded the corner of the sofa and met the onyx eyes his heart dropped. He could see Sasuke was hurt, but like a wall was blocking the emotion. He had closed up.
"Sasuke. I-" the blonde began but was cut off by his father, loudly clearing his throat.
"Naruto take a seat please. Let's all speak." Minato said with the serious expression back.
Naruto looked between his father and husband before nodding slowly and taking a seat.
"Naruto, how are you?" Minato asked after everyone sat down.
"I'm fine. Like I said the fox healed me. I went back-"
"Don't go back there unattended." Minato cut off his son, keeping the stern look on his face. "Sasuke, again, where were you when Naruto was attacked?"
The room went silent, Naruto felt his jaw drop and his face heat with anger. They were interrogating Sasuke before he came in.
"I was at the water line with Kakashi and Iruka, like they both confirmed." Sasuke replied with a tone that sounded different, more sure and authoritative. The voice he used with his parents.
"They did confirm this but why didn't you go with Naruto? He was gone for awhile; did you not wonder where he was?" Kushina now added in, her anger clear in her voice.
"He said he was going to the restroom and I did not think of the timing as I was giving him privacy." Sasuke responded again seeming cold.
"You should have done something, you are now his husband. How are we supposed to trust you with him if you can't even be bothered to keep track of him?" Minato added in, closing his glare directly on the raven.
"Hello? I'm right here. I'm not something that should be 'kept track of'! Why are you coming down on him? Iruka and Kakashi were in the same spot with the same assumptions! I left because I heard the fox, they didn't. How is any of this Sasuke's fault? Why am I being treated like some object to be protected? Has being married somehow lessened my knightly training?" Naruto asked his parents angrily before turning to Sasuke.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry you are being judged for your brothers crimes and for simply being at the pond with me. I wanted- I tried-" Naruto looked down at his hands, "I was trying to thank you. For accepting me and letting me be me. But instead it's come to this. I'm sor-"
"Stop."
The blonde looked up and met onyx eyes, they had softened and a pale hand came up to brush the blondes cheek tenderly.
"I do feel bad. I should have been watching over you. I know you can hold your own, but we were still away from the security of the palace. I should be the one apologizing. For… my brothers cruel actions to you." Sasuke seemed to spit the word 'brother' out and took a moment to breathe before continuing, "I was worried, too. Endlessly. Please don't leave me- or your parents out of the know again. Especially about my family's actions."
Naruto saw the pain behind the still guarded princes expression and felt his anger burst into nothingness before the pain crept in again. This whole situation was fucked.
"Okay." Naruto replied looking down at his lap again, feeling guilty. It felt like nothing he was doing was right. If he hid what happened for the sake of the kingdom, he was hurt. If he stopped anything from occurring his kingdom would be hurt. There was no right.
"He is absolutely right. You need to tell us if anything-" Kushina began in a nagging tone before being stopped by the elder blonde.
"We will leave for now, but this conversation isn't over. Sasuke." Minato said still hanging a lot of anger onto the ravens name.