Pretty late, right? Sorry but been really tired from work.
And the document manager has not yet been fixed. I already alerted the admin with all the errors I'm getting. If the format is bad, blame it on the error. I did what I could. Despite everything, I hope you'll enjoy the story. Thank you.
Chapter 71: Day and night
In a particular room lit only by the moonlight shafts streaming from the gaps between curtains, Sasuke moaned and his wife's name came forth from his swollen lips in a trembling seductive whisper. He moaned again as the all too familiar all-consuming insatiable desire flowed through him like lava, unbearably hot and slow.
Slow... Burning…
That was what they were. That was what their slow lovemaking always was. It was very different from their wild romp. There were no crude and sinfully delightful words like 'fuck'. Instead there were just affectionate sweet nothings that always leave them warm and fuzzy. During these times, their animalistic instincts were tightly controlled and more often than not, Naruto would be on the top leading the pace because in the bed Sasuke was the impatient one between them. But that didn't mean that the Uchiha leader didn't like the slow sex. He did. He loved it as much as he did with its animalistic counterpart because the former affirmed the things that were forgotten or disregarded during the times they did the latter.
He let his hands gripped tanned waist as Naruto moved. He watched, still fascinated at the desire the blonde's face never failed to show. And he imagined himself under the bluest sky, the sun very close to him with its heat engulfing him possessively, sweetly and greedily.
Naruto bent down to alternately lap the still erect nipples before sucking them. He winced in pain when his partner's hold on his hair tightened that he was sure few strands had been pulled. However, despite the slight pain, he continued for few more seconds before he licked Sasuke's chest upwards, sucked on his chin before he hovered above him, his arms planted on either side of the dark-haired man's, supporting his weight.
Sasuke had to blink at the bead of sweat that had dropped on his right eye before he focus or tried to focus his passion-blurry gaze on his dobe.
"Sasuke," Naruto breathed. "Sasuke," he repeated again worshipping the man inside him with his name.
Their eyes widened when they felt five familiar chakras trespassing the Uchiha compound gate. They knew the trespassers were ANBU members and for them to come to the hokage's residence near midnight meant their business with their leader was very important.
The two looked at each other waiting for the other's decision. Should they stop or continue? Sasuke didn't want to but what about his wife who was very committed to his job? A small part of him expected Naruto to pull away but the latter just grinned and created a clone who nodded and left to meet the slightly welcomed trespassers.
"I won't meet them horny, unsatiated and all," he explained, not that Sasuke needed one. "Now my dear sexy husband," he purred making pale skin shiver, "let's continue where we left off but this time we have to hurry."
Sasuke smirked glad that his delicious torture was over. He gripped his wife's waist again as they resumed moving, this time in a hurried pace.
"You're always impatient," the blonde breathed between pants, his eyes almost rolling to the back of his head as his sweet spot was rammed.
"Let's see who's going to get more impatient," the other replied as he increased his tempo. His lust-hazed mind did a victory dance as the blonde rode him desperately after awhile.
"Sasu... harder... more... ke..." Naruto gasped slightly when his spouse suddenly changed their position. "Give it to me," he continued mumbling while arching his hips, meeting Sasuke's thrust for thrust. "I want... it bad. Desperately needed it so please..."
The Uchiha leader leaned forward to whisper, "I'm giving it so hold tight."
The blonde nodded and held his legs against his chest tightly. He moaned and clung to Sasuke, wanting to be completely devoured by the hot friction they created with their movements. For once, he allowed himself to be selfish completely thinking of himself and his needs instead of the village.
"Yeah, Sasuke. That... just like…" he didn't finish his sentence as he preferred to press his lips against Sasuke's.
Their furious and rhythmic movement stopped and they stilled as orgasm washed them away to blankness.
A moment later, Sasuke sighed while Naruto purred. Regretfully, they broke apart and the former watched as latter rolled away and sat on the edge of the bed.
"Are you sure you can stand?" the dark-haired man he watched his wife rubbing his lower back.
Naruto gingerly and slowly put his weight on his legs. He stood still letting his limbs get used to their burden. "I'm going to take a shower. Wanna join?" he asked over his shoulder.
"No." Sasuke liked the post-coital scent that filled the air and Naruto's that still clung onto his skin.
-SasuNaru is love-
ANBU members bowed and greeted their leader's shadow clone. "Another team had fallen to the rodent's trap," the team leader murmured. "That's the fifth team already."
"Their status?" the Rokudaime asked tensely.
"All of them are dead."
The blonde nodded tersely while cursing whoever was the insider. "This isn't the place to discuss matters further. Let's proceed to the Hokage tower."
His subordinates nodded.
-SasuNaru is love-
Heavy silence ruled the Hokage's office as they sat quietly. Once in a while, one or two ANBU would discretely look at the Rokudaime who seemed to be in a deep thought
Naruto clasped his hands together, his knuckles turning white with its tightness. Five teams for one month... He shook his head in regret and disbelief.
At first the injuries of one particular team and their failed mission was nothing out of ordinary. Failure and injuries were daily part of their job but when another team experienced the same situation, Shikamaru was disturbed and decided to observe things. That was how Naruto was alerted that one of the dormant spies was now active and was causing deaths of few Konoha shinobis for whatever purpose he or she had.
Whoever the spy was, he was really doing well not only in leaking information but also hiding his identity. And Naruto passionately hated it. He was a sore loser especially when the game was being held in his turf.
The other occupants almost jumped when the blonde brought his fist crashing into the table.
"That asshole! He's so dead when we find him."
They jumped again when the hokage exploded into a puff of white smoke. It was only then did they realize that they had been talking to a clone. Out of respect, they stood up as they saw the real Naruto sitting on his chair with a serious look as if he hadn't done anything with his clone.
"Rodent is declaring a war against us. We have to get rid of him as quickly as possible." Naruto knew that he was a sore loser especially when the game was being held on his own turf.
The gentlemen nodded in agreement.
"We only knew of the spies' existence in our circuit and in the village because their existence is just natural," one member said. "But we have no idea who these guys are and identifying them would take time."
Naruto nodded. "I want you guys to investigate everyone. Break them into shinobi and civilian categories. Let the shinobis working at the mission center be the first priority of the former category while genins the last. For the other category let the priority be those who aren't natural-born civilians of Konoha," he instructed. "Understood?"
"But there are a lot of subjects and five of us-"
"I think five is enough. Anything beyond five would alert the asshole," the captain stated coolly.
"Okay then. I want a report once in every two days. If you don't have any question then you're dismissed."
Naruto watched as they disappeared before he let out a sigh. Briefly, he wondered whether he should go back home to join Sasuke in their warm bed. But when he remembered those who had perished earlier, he couldn't bring himself to indulge his wants. He leaned back on his chair and stared at the darkness beyond his office windows wondering what other quick way to find the spy's identity. When nothing came to his mind, he decided to work on signing pension documents and writing condolence letters to the victims' family.
-SasuNaru is love-
The coldness and hugeness on the bed told Sasuke that Naruto didn't return after he left to meet the ANBU members last night. Having no reason to stay longer in bed, the Uchiha leader threw the covers and stood up to make breakfast for everyone assuming that his wife was still in the office. He decided to bring his dobe breakfast later on. But when he was near the kitchen, he heard noises and as he entered, he found Naruto already cooking.
"Morning, bastard!" the blonde greeted cheerfully.
"Did you get a good sleep?"
"It would have been better if you were by my side," Sasuke sleepily answered as he took a seat and roughly brushed his hair. He sat there for a moment letting sleep leave him while he contentedly watched his wife moving in the kitchen. He murmured a 'thanks' as the other placed a mug of steaming coffee in front of him but he didn't feel like drinking… not yet.
"You okay?" he asked as he felt sadness coming from the blonde and seeping into him.
"A whole team died and it sucks knowing that. I'll be meeting with their families this morning. I've been hokage for a long time now and I should have been used to this thing but…"
Not knowing what to say, Sasuke just squeezed Naruto's hand.
Naruto looked at his spouse, fear creeping into his eyes as he realized that Sasuke would be leaving for a mission that day. Gulping and unable to stop himself, he suddenly embraced him. "I don't want you to go," he murmured, gulping back the lump of tears in his throat. He didn't want to lose Sasuke… never… They had to capture the rodent before he would lose his loved ones especially Sasuke.
"Go where, Naruto?"
"I don't want you to die because of some stupid mission," he continued. The mission for Sasuke's team wasn't stupid. It was an S-class one and yet he had called it stupid. Anything that would put his love in danger was stupid even if it was for the village. "I wish you're not one of the strongest shinobi in this village. In that way, I don't have to send you to dangerous missions."
Pale arms wrapped around Naruto's waist and drew him closer. "I'm not gonna die for some stupid mission." I'd die for you. "I won't die… not until you say the word."
"I love you. I love you so much," Naruto whispered achingly, "so if I lose you..." If he loses Sasuke, he'd be more than dead and rendered to worse than nothing. The two stared at each other, Naruto's head lowering for a heart-warming kiss when a sight stopped him dead.
"Don't stop at my expense," Kisho said. The boy was leaning beside the doorway fully intent on watching his parents kiss and hopefully make out.
The couple straightened from their position but their arms were still around each other.
"Kisho! You're as bad as…" he trailed off. But all of them knew what he meant.
As bad as Jiraiya. The old was probably cheering the kid on wherever he was.
"Show's over," Sasuke said with displeasure.
Unfazed, Kisho replied, "Too bad." He straightened and said, "I'm off to have a light spar with my buddies. Will be back past six for breakfast."
And with that he left. Sasuke sighed knowing the mood between them was gone. "Aside from rasengan and chidori, we should teach that boy not only respect but timing also."
The blonde laughed but whole-heartedly agreed with his husband.
-SasuNaru is love-
"You're way beyond our league, Kisho," Kazushi said as he lay down on the grass to cool his body just like everyone else. Except for the Uchiha boy, their bodies were beyond exhausted.
"I'm glad today is our day off," Makoto commented between pants.
"Speak for yourself." Kisho replied not as exhausted as his friends. At the age of twelve, he no longer saw his friends as a challenge. The reason he spar with them was because it was the most enjoyable way of hanging out together and his friends knew of this. At first it disappointed them but as friends they had to understand that Kisho was different; that he was experiencing a spurt of improvement. If Kisho really wanted a challenge, he would go to his family members.
Yes, the Uchiha family was the only one who could make him drop to his knees claiming exhaustion and defeat. His family members were the only one who could give him a challenge. In a way, it was natural because his parents were experienced; aware of their capabilities and knew how to go beyond their limitations.
His spars with Yuuzuki were always not what they seemed to be. Because his brother was always smiling, it seemed the training was friendly... a playful game but his attacks said otherwise. His attacks were vicious as well as well-planned that even if he was careful and wary his brother's attacks always rocked his nerves. Kisho's goal was to unmasked him brother and see the cruel and awesome ninja hiding that angelic façade.
His fights with Akemi were something he looked forward to as they were more intellectual… a mind game. Akemi was a manipulator, a writer of each of their spars. Even if tried, he still ended up being manipulated so effortlessly. His brother was always ahead of him by few attacks and Kisho couldn't catch up with him. The blonde's objective was to free himself from the role Akemi masterfully and slyly forced him into playing as well as get ahead of him by a number of attacks.
If Kisho wanted to sharpen his reflex and intuition he challenged Miki. For all her cuteness, she was as sly as a fox. No matter how many times he cornered her, she always had a trick to save her. Although he knew her attacks, he couldn't guess where and when her offenses were going to come. His aim was to read her attacks and corner her completely, making her totally powerless.
Kazushi looked at Shigure who coughed to clear his throat.
"Guys, we," he paused to move his fingers between him and Kazushi, "had been dying to tell you this. We want you to hear it from us rather from the villagers. I'm sure it won't be long before word would spread."
Makoto arched an eyebrow while Kisho just waited calmly.
"Kazushi and I are together for two weeks now," he confessed. And both guys were waiting for a violent reaction or something but Makoto and Kisho just smiled.
"Took you long to realize your feelings," Makoto said. "Kisho and I thought we'd die before you'd become an item."
"You know?" Kazushi said.
"It's so obvious especially to me," Kisho said.
"Ah yes… the king of pheromones," Shigure commented off-handedly.
The blonde threw his arm over Makoto's waist and whispered suggestively, "So Mako-chan, how about you and me?"
"Yeah, you and me," and Makoto delivered a good punch right into Kisho's grinning face.
Bull's eye.
-SasuNaru is love-
One man team. That was Kisho was. Ever since he had become a chuunin after the probation, the Konoha councilors and elders had decided that it was more appropriate to him if he worked alone. And for once, he couldn't help but agree with them. Teammates were good but not for him. In a way, they were just a burden to him. He understood the dynamics of teamwork that was why he wanted to work alone. Alone, he didn't have to hold back anything nor he had to worry about leaving teammates behind or slowing down just for them to catch up with him.
He refused any offers of working together from his close friends. He didn't want them to get hurt especially not them. Working alone could be sometimes lonely especially during resting… he had no one talk but it was something he needed to live with if he wanted to protect them. In fact, he was glad that he was working alone especially now.
He softly landed on a highest branch and leaned against a trunk, his breathing labored. He looked at his blood-stained hand that covered his biggest and deepest wound and sighed. He had been careless. There was no other explanation other than that. He had failed to think that maybe... just maybe the wounded man whom he had an arm wrapped around his neck would have a hidden weapon to wound him. Of course he had done it out of desperation and resulted to his death but the damage had been done. He had been injured- a state which his remaining enemies took advantage of. He swore that next time he won't be careless. He frowned. How many times did he make the same promises but always ended up breaking them albeit unconsciously? But he couldn't be blamed. When one had so much power and almost unlimited supply of chakra, one would definitely fall into false assurance that they were invincible just like him.
Kisho hovered a hand over the big gash on his right arm and started healing it with his own chakra. No, it wasn't the same kind of chakra that medic-nins used. His was just raw. It was something he learned more than a few months ago that his fast healing skills could be accelerated by applying a good amount of chakra from the outside. He had told Miki about this and the latter immediately advised him from doing it until her research would deem such way safe. But he didn't feel like listening to his sister. Besides, she wouldn't know. Nobody would except him and the one who had been following him for ten hours now.
Somebody was following him patiently and obstinately. Kisho didn't know what his stalker wanted. It couldn't be his life because the man who'd have attacked him in his injured state if he was. It was as if he was just curious about him but Kisho remained wary.
"You should show yourself before I get angry," he said calmly but there was a warning to it.
Not wanting to get on the blonde's bad side, the man appeared in front of the boy by perching on the thinnest twig of the branch where Kisho was sitting. The Konoha ninja rolled his eyes at the uncalled display of skills.
"Nasty wound," the man commented off-handedly.
"It's not something I can't handle."
"As expected from you, Kisho-kun."
The boy gave him a sardonic grin, "I'm not the least bit flattered. So what do you want?"
"I'm looking for a partner," the man answered lightly while sheepishly rubbing his nape.
"I'm Seichi Ouda by the way."
"Cut it out," Kisho growled in annoyance. "Your eyes tell me you aren't a cheerful guy so cut it out. And why does a twenty-five something missing-nin want me for a partner, hmm?"
Seichi was even more impressed. Not only did the Uchiha and Uzumaki union produce really amazing kids but Konoha also did a wonderful job in upbringing its ninjas. He lowered himself into a crouching position but never left his place. "We're going to change the world so there won't be discrimination against those who are different like you."
"What made you think I want to join?" Kisho asked.
"What made you think you don't want to join?" Seichi countered. "I'm certain you know what its like to be feared and discriminated."
Kisho certainly did. Beyond his comfort zone were accusatory, fearful and disgusted glances and the whispers that were carried by the wind to the infinite sky. No friendship or anything that could veil the label the other villagers put on him.
Demon.
And all because he had an unknown limit chakra supply, strength and a chichiue for a jinchuuruki. It was unfair and painful.
"Is that all?" he asked.
"That's the only thing I can tell you for now. What do you think?"
Kisho smiled wickedly. "Interesting." He extended his hand and said, "Count me in."
And Seichi smiled victoriously. They now had an ace.
-SasuNaru is love-
Kisho was led inside a weird looking inverted spiraling cone. Outside it looked unfit to stay in and the ominous look it had scared any living thing away.
"New guy," a lanky man with an iron pole twisting around his upper announced to a comrade as he looked over one of the too many holes. "Or should I say boy?" he added, chuckling insanely.
"If it's Seichi's choice, leader would immediately give his approval. That man has a good set of eyes," a man completely hidden in shadow said.
"Whatever. Let's go and meet them," another said.
Kisho together with Seichi had been walking in the dark for quite sometime now that the moment he stepped inside what almost look like a cave, he cringed and closed his eyes at the blinding white light. It took him quite sometime to adjust his eyes and the others took that moment to assess him.
"Name?" asked the man who was sitting five feet tall pedestal made of rock and bejeweled with bones. The authority ringing in his voice told the Uchiha that the man was the leader.
"Kisho... Uchiha, Kisho."
"Uchiha," the man repeated, letting its syllables roll from his short tongue. After nodding and murmuring incoherently, he clucked his tongue. "Itachi's nephew, I presume. Come forward so I can see you clearly."
While obeying the man's request, Kisho wondered how the man knew his infamous uncle.
After a moment of scrutinizing the boy, the leader sighed in disappointment. "You don't look like him at all."
"Kouya-sama!" called out a panting voice. "I-" The newcomer stopped as his eyes landed on Kisho who looked surprised.
"Saburo," the blonde said calmly.
"What the hell are you doing here?" the other Konoha ninja angrily demanded.
"I should ask you the same question." Was the amused comeback.
"You know each other. Lovely," Kouya stated apathetically.
"We were classmates and used to be friends," the Uchiha boy supplied.
"Before you betrayed me."
"I was just being honest with myself."
The leader jumped from his place and draped an arm on both boys' shoulders. "I don't care if you have differences and all those shit but you better work together for the common good of this team or else..." he brought his head down to whisper, "I'll kill you." And to prove that he wasn't kidding, he squeezed their shoulders tight before he let them go. "And now Kisho-kun, a proof of your defection."
The boy untied his hitae-ate he wrapped around his left thigh, pulled out a kunai and dragged the weapon over the metal plate, engraving a big cross over the Konoha symbol. With no remorse of what he did, he threw his hitae-ate to Kouya's feet. "Anything else?"
The man nodded his head to one member who walked towards the boy.
"Just to make sure you're sincere," he said before he gripped the boy's head and read every single one of his thoughts.
"I'm Hiromi," the man a moment later while flashing Kisho his very yellow teeth. Seeing that the mind reader had introduced himself, each member followed suit.
"Tama," a male in his late teens said, his canine protruding even when he had closed his mouth. Kisho was reminded of a cat.
"Green," another one stated almost meekly causing the others to arch an eyebrow wondering what happened to his flamboyant and annoying character. Of course, none of them knew about his traumatic encounter with an Uchiha member. When Ryouji died by the fatal wound his former friend caused, his lover committed suicide right there and then and those who were left behind decided to disband.
"Kenta," the lanky man rasped as he let a pointer finger glide on his pole.
"Kagemusha," came a hollow voice from the shadows.
"Show yourself, you idiot!" Kouya barked in annoyance.
There was a grumble before the member obeyed. Kagemusha looked more like a corpse rather than what his name say- shadow warrior. His eyes were sunken pronouncing the sharpness of his cheekbones and length of his nose. His skin complexion was deathly pale proving that he spent more time in the dark. His lips were purple... naturally so. And his long hair was unkempt and anybody who saw him could have sworn that they saw one or two insects were flying his head.
The last person stepped forward and introduced herself but no sound came from her mouth but her name echoed all over the place.
"Jou really likes to show off," Tama muttered.
Kisho looked at them- his new friends or to be exact comrades and nodded in approval. "Nice to meet you guys."
"Five hours from now, we'll have a general meeting. Everybody will meet everybody," Seichi as he guided Kisho to another area. This meeting was in a way formalizing the existence of their organization and the bond that held them together.
And just as Seichi said, all members had gathered. There were fifteen of them. And Kisho had to be impressed finding out that the spies were either genin or low-class chuunin- shinobis who were always the last person to be suspected.
During the meeting, it had become a common knowledge that Kouya was a fanatic of Akatsuki. But as much as he wanted to name the group Akebono, synonym of Akatsuki, he didn't want the group to be associated with Akatsuki.
"How?" Jou asked. In order for them to dominate villages especially the hidden, they needed something or someone powerful than Kisho.
Kouya smiled smugly before he answered. "Akatsuki had left some helpful notes about extraction of demons from jinchuuriki and sealing of them. And I found them."
"So? It's not like that would be helpful," Tama commented. As far as he knew, all Akatsuki who had become jinchuuriki was killed by Konoha and its allies. There were no more demons anymore for them to capture and seal.
The leader clucked his tongue at the other's obliviousness. "Eight demons are dead but the most powerful one is still existing," he paused to shift his gaze to the Uchiha boy, "right, Kisho?"
"My chichiue," he agreed.
The older man nodded. "He was mainly the cause of the Akatsuki's defeat and this area is the witness of such historical battle."
"How are we going to get him then?" "Kenta, when are you going to start thinking that maybe... just maybe I sent you out to kill Konoha shinobis for a reason?"
"Oh," Kenta replied eloquently, immediately catching on. He thought the spree killing was just to kill time before the meeting. Now he knew it was to draw the hokage out. It was the reason why their spy in Konoha was the only one active.
"With the hokage being to emotional for his own good, it's just a matter of time before he'll come out." Kisho nodded again. With ANBU members and jounins being killed one after another, the Rokudaime won't have any choice but to send someone strong- his otousan or Yuuzuki or Akemi. And the death of one of the three especially of his otousan's would suck out everything from his chichiue until he would be nothing but a shell of his former self and a killing a machine… a demon.
"And with the jutsu I came up with, all of us could wield its power," Kouya said, ending the discussion.
"I don't need it," Kisho said, surprising all those who were present. "All I want is the destruction of the village by these hands," he extended his hands in front of him then clenched them, his eyes glinting with danger while he smiled malevolently. Revenge would be his anytime soon. Perfect.
-SasuNaru is love-
From the top of the cone, Kisho apathetically watched the small form of Saburo as he left the place.
"He's off to get information again," Hiromi said as he joined the blonde.
"Aren't you worried that this time the victim would be one from your family?"
"No, I prefer them to be killed earlier and by somebody's hands. In that way, they won't be in our way if we capture the hokage or when we would take over the village."
Hiromi looked at the boy almost in pity. The Uchiha blood was really cursed. He had defected from Konoha just like his otousan and his uncle and he wanted his family's death just like Itachi albeit by somebody's hands. The Uchiha members were really a menace enfolded with breathtaking gift wrappers.
-SasuNaru is love-
And the days rolled of one by one with no word from or contact with Kisho in any form. Everyone in his close circle of friends was worried. Was he hurt? Was he fatally injured? Were the few questions running through their minds. Although he was still within the timeframe of his mission, which was one week, it was no secret that he could complete mission in three or four days. But his friends and family weren't the only ones who were worried, there were others but for a different reason. Whispers of defection, betrayal and prophecy of Konoha's annihilation created ripples within the village that it made the elders barged into the hokage's office unannounced. "Shouldn't you do something?" Tamura asked as preamble to their topic.
"It's still within the mission time frame," Naruto stated coolly, disrespecting them by paying more attention to the documents he was working on.
A large vein twitched on the woman's forehead. "He's already out for five days. Dammit!" she snapped, totally annoyed with the blonde's cool composure. If only she knew of the turmoil brewing beneath that facade.
"This is the first time to happen."
"Have you ever thought that perhaps he's injured or captured. He could be killed for all we know!" Naruto replied. He was close to getting angry. "That's ridiculous! That boy couldn't be. He knows your techniques as well as those of the Uchiha. We have a reason to feel threatened."
"Will you stop treating my son as a menace?" he demanded, his palms pressed into the surface tightly. "Or... like a demon," he choked, his frame trembling with anger.
Konohamaru who had been watching the exchange took pity and had the urge to throw the elders out as rudely as possible. What do they know about Kisho? He thought. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
The male elder, Ishii successfully hid the glee he felt as he accused Naruto of being bias. "You should set your priorities, Rokudaime-sama."
"Think about the situation carefully and objectively," ordered Tamura. "Or are you not aware that-"
"I'm aware of everything," the blonde interrupted grimly, "more than you guys do. And I'm making decisions objectively." He straightened and looked at them straight in the eye. "That's why the Rules of Uncontactable and Untraceable Ninjas will be applied on him."
Both elders frowned. The rules stated that when there was no contact for three days even after the mission's time frame, a team would be sent to find the missing ninja. Within the four days, would there be any proof that he committed a crime or even after four days the shinobi won't be found, he'd be declared a missing-nin unless evidences showed otherwise.
"What?" the hokage asked, taking in their displeased expression. "Didn't you tell me a while ago to think carefully and objectively?"
The two looked miffed.
"What if by the time we learned that he is a nuke-nin, he is attacking a village?" Ishii demanded in a hiss.
"Then he would be killed by my hands," Naruto replied with no hesitation or insincerity in his voice. He would kill a family member if it was to save the rest. He was willing but that didn't mean he wanted it. Absolutely not.
"Even if he is your child?"
Naruto's face became as serene as a calm sea as he answered with unquestionable conviction. "The Hokage has no son or family. If there is, it is the village."
The smile that graced their crinkled and sagging face told the village leader that they were pleased. And he watched them leave the room as if they gained a new lease on life. How pathetic.
Naruto let out a sigh and tiredly slumped back on his chair. He looked up when there was a soft clink. He smiled and immediately drank the coffee Konohamaru had prepared for him. "How about we switch places for one day?"
Konohamaru laughed while bringing the tray to his chest albeit unconsciously. "I prefer not to be hokage. Thank you."
Naruto just sighed as he swiveled his chair around to stare outside.
Kisho...Kisho? Kisho!
-SasuNaru is love-
When Naruto came home, he found Sasuke sitting on the porch his gaze fixed on the gate.
"Naruto," Sasuke said, conveying everything through that name.
And Naruto slumped against him, falling into his strong arms while alternately murmuring his spouse's name and apologizing that things were slipping from his control. And all they could do was to cling to each other trying to draw strength and light for their dimming hope.
Dinner at the Uchiha households was silent and at best awkward.
Kisho?!
Sasuke stepped inside the house and walked into the living room then stopped. He let his gaze swept through the area nothing was out of place and yet... he smirked knowing that his youngest son was hiding somewhere. "
Kisho," he called out softly. A second later, he stumbled forward as something plastered behind him. Sasuke sighed and looked over his shoulder to see his son's grinning face. He turned around, crouched down while taking small and soft hands in his big ones. He thought it was time to teach the younger Uchiha that showing oneself when his name was being called defeat the purpose of hide and seek. "You shouldn't come out when your name is being called out or you'll be it."
Confusion created lines on the boy's forehead as he frowned. "But chichiue said that I should come out or respond when parents and siblings would call me. It could be important."
"I'm certain he didn't mean it when you're playing hide and seek." The boy's reply was rubbing his nape while grinning sheepishly reminding the other one of his spouse when they were still kids.
But that had been eight years ago. And as much as they wanted to believe that the youngest Uchiha was just playing an almost twisted hide and seek, they knew that wasn't the case. And no matter how many times they called out his name, Kisho remained missing and there was just a deafening silence and haunting emptiness.
Kisho
Won't you respond anymore? Had you became deaf and mute? Or are you somewhere very far where even the wind carrying our voices calling your name won't reach you?
TBC