Naruto wanted to stand up to him and be strong but still a part of him was hesitant. So he buried the uncertainty and stepped out of the carriage, holding his head high.
"Ah, Naruto, welcome." Itachi said with a sly smile. Naruto felt sick all over again.
"Good evening brother, where are mother and father?" Sasuke replied quickly as he exited the carriage. Naurto could almost feel the ice between the brothers, as they spoke.
"They are attending a dinner with the elders, they've asked me to greet you. You aren't required to attend anything until the morning after tomorrow." Itachi said with no smile even hinting on his face as he spoke to the younger prince.
Then suddenly it changed, Naruto saw the elder turn to him with the smile back in place, "So why don't you rest up?"
Naruto shivered and nodded. Itachi stood there for a moment longer before he turned and left. Naruto guessed that was all that was required of him.
He looked to his husband and saw the tension set in the others jaw, his teeth obviously clenched together.
"Sasuke?" Naurto asked softly, reaching out and touching the others arm.
"Sorry, let me show you to my room." Sasuke said and tried to relax, but noticeably failed.
Naruto said nothing and kept his head down, he saw the guards sizing him up and most of the looks were of disgust.
Naruto wanted to stand tall and be proud but had been told to just look down and wait until they were alone. So he did, he held his tongue and followed the back of his husband as they walked down corridors.
The castle here was closed off, the whole building was huge but it was all closed up. Naruto missed his open walkways that had grass between halls and sunlight shining through no matter where you went. The Uzumaki palace was built more horizontally than vertically, the whole palace being only on ground level, no second level added in.
The Uchiha palace was the opposite. It was built in what seemed like three wings with many stories, probably four or five, but Naruto couldn't tell once they were inside. It was warmer inside than out which made sense for the closed nature of the palace but it was dark, and seemed hollow.
Once they reached a tall door on the second floor Sasuke stopped and opened it. He pushed inside quickly and closed the door behind the blonde even quicker. "God he looked like he wanted to eat you." Sasuke said with a large sigh of relief, "I'm so sorry I didn't notice before. But trust me, I have Suigetsu guarding this wing. I will update him and he will keep you safe. I may also have Sui-"
"It's okay. I can handle myself. Like I said before, I did knight training. I can hold my own." Naruto said very sure of himself, standing as tall and wide as he could.
Sasuke stopped and smiled softly, "You're right, my apologies. I will still inform Juugo because he needs to know to keep an eye on Itachi with you. But otherwise I trust you. Okay?"
The blonde felt a rush of heat fill his chest and he nodded proudly, quickly. Then the door opened and the blonde tried to assume a smaller space.
"Good evening, sir. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, I'm Juugo." A large orange haired man said as he entered the room and bowed.
Naurto looked to his husband for direction but bowed back out of respect.
"Juugo this is Naruto, my husband. You are to watch over him and care for him as if he were myself, if anything with more care. Am I understood?" Sasuke said with authority and Naruto felt odd hearing the demanding tone from the raven.
"Understood, nice to meet you Naruto-san. Please call for me if you need anything. Would you both like a bath?" Juugo asked as he moved to the bathroom.
"Separately, yes." Sasuke replied and took off his coat. Naruto suddenly realized he was still wearing his and began to disrobe, not needing all the extra layers anymore.
"Can I start a fire?" Naruto asked looking at the fireplace in the corner of the room.
Naruto was lounging peacefully on the couch when the door was slammed open some time later.
"Hey hey Princey! Got yourself a misses?" A white haired man burst in yelling while smirking to himself, looking slightly animalistic.
"Suigetsu, close the door. You're letting in the cold." Sasuke said without looking up from his book.
"Ah, even marriage can't change a prick like you, eh? Where is she?" The man named Suigetsu asked and looked around the room, right over Naruto.
"Suigetsu. Shut up. Listen." Sasuke said and snapped his fingers when the white haired man didn't look to the prince, "You have a new job. My husband needs extra supervision here with my family. You will respect him and who he is. Got it?"
Naruto swallowed and felt uncomfortable seeing Sasuke in such a commanding tone, and being introduced to someone in such an aggressive way.
"Fine, fine, where is he?" Suigetsu asked and turned from the prince.
"Hello, I'm Naruto." the blonde said standing up and offered an outstretched hand.
"Holy shit, you? I thought you were a guard, man." Suigetsu said and took his hand, shaking it roughly.
"Ah, thanks… I think." Naruto said and blushed, looking down at himself. He knew he was muscular but he didn't think he was that muscular.
"Man I always thought you were pretty Sasuke but didn't peg you for a bottom. Get it peg? Bec-"
"Suigetsu shut up." Sasuke cut off the white haired man, which Naruto found hilarious.
"Ah, come on. I'd let him fuck me. With those arms? He'd cradle me like a little baby and take good care-"
"Suigetsu!" Sasuke cut him off again, this time the blonde was happy for the abrupt cut off. He felt somehow objectified in a whole new way and it still felt as weird.
"Anyways, stop being weird Suigetsu. Just watch after Naruto when you can, he can hold his own but he doesn't know the culture here." Sasuke repeated and approached the two light haired males.
"Naruto, I made a promise, would you like to go out in the snow?" Sasuke asked and looked to the blonde who immediately nodded excitedly.
"Yes I would love to!" Naruto responded and started putting his shoes back on quickly.
The trio headed out into the snow and Naruto pranced around the soft blanket covering the floor and made outlines of himself by throwing his body into the snow and getting up gently.
Suigetsu and the blonde warmed up a little more as Sasuke stood watch and denied joining. He seemed tense here, and watched every small movement as if it was a killer coming for them.
It added more and more to Naruto's unease until he couldn't play anymore, which happened to be when Juugo and some maids called for them to get ready for dinner.
When dinner arrived Naruto was already tired from playing in the snow and was completely unprepared for dinner.
He had put on a dress (which he hated), they put in extensions (which he hated), he was wearing heels (which he hated), and his face itched from the make up they put on him (which he hated).
"Naruto, before we go, just… I know it is unlike you but please, keep yourself reserved. Don't interact. Just nod when appropriate, my mother will be parading you around so there is no need to put in effort. It won't be worth it either way." Sasuke said and again looked like any small thing could set him off.
Naruto nodded and tried to swallow his anxiety but he felt he would do fine with the dissociation prickling right under the surface with each flow of the dress or his hair.
"I… will be fine." Naruto said, already feeling the social block coming on. "I just… I don't feel good. So I'll be quiet."
"Are you okay?" Sasuke asked and put his wrist to Naruto's forehead. Naruto would have chuckled and maybe swatted away the hand usually but now he could barely lift his arm to push away the other.
He had never spoken of his dissociation before with anyone but Hinata, and he felt anxiety build thinking about talking about it.
"Wearing… This. It makes me feel… Bad. I can't focus, my mind gets foggy. Seeing myself with long hair and a dress makes me feel… Sick." Naruto explained the best he could through his fog, barely noticing the frown that came over the ravens face.
"I'm so sorry. I will make sure we leave early to get you out of it as soon as possible, okay?" Sasuke offered, the guilt obvious in his voice.
Naruto could only nod, and so they headed out to dinner.