Yay... Another chapter! Thanks so much to anyone who is still following this story... I know it has been quite the long haul, but I promise it'll be over soon. (That said, I'm not going to fuck up the story by giving it a stupid ending or skimming on the plot, so we're probably looking at around two or three, possibly five more chapters).

XXXXXX

"You agreed to be his in every sense of the word?" Itachi let panic sound in his voice as his brother finished nervously relaying what had happened when he first got to the Akatsuki lair. There's no negotiating that... Pein has him exactly where he wants him.

Sasuke bit his lip and looked away. Maybe I should have been a little less honest... The raven cringed as he thought of the consequences of backing out on the deal. Even though I didn't extend the curse to myself, Pein will almost certainly use Akatsuki to attack Konoha since I'm not upholding my end of the deal... "Itachi, I... I know it was stupid. I just... I really wanted to keep Konoha safe, and I knew Pein had his eye on the Kyuubi, so I did the only thing I could think of..." In the big scheme of things, it really is a small price to pay to avoid another Great Ninja War.

The older Uchiha nodded with a sigh. "It was an honorable thought, Sasuke, but if Pein wants to start another war... Well, nothing's going to stop him. And if he wants you along with it..." He seems to have been forcing all of this into position from the beginning... He might have even been counting on Sasuke to break their agreement so he could take everything he wanted - including Sasuke - without penalty. After thinking about it for a moment, he looked up at the raven and saw that his dark eyes were hanging on every expression that had crossed his features. "Love, don't worry; I won't let anything happen to you."

Again, I'm the cause of all this... He's been hurt so much more ever since we were reunited. "Itachi... Part of the deal was that you would be able to leave Akatsuki. I know how much you hate them, and, well, if you wanted to go..."

Itachi barely restrained himself from literally trying to smack sense into his brother. "I don't want to live any life that doesn't have you in it. I think I've been away from you for long enough; I'm never letting you go." As awful as Madara showing up was, I'm glad he told me about the deal; I think it might have been just what he needed to come back to me.

"But then... What can we do? We can't just leave Konoha to contend with Akatsuki; they'd never survive." Sasuke felt logic wash over him like a freezing wave. It isn't worth it. We can't put everyone else in danger, we can't destroy the lives of countless people to serve our own selfish ends. The raven knew he couldn't reveal his thoughts to Itachi; he wouldn't accept it without a fight. This is all my fault, so fixing it falls on me... But how can I convince him?

"I don't know yet, but we can't give up... Please, Sasuke; trust me." The older Uchiha pulled the younger into a kiss and sighed with relief as Sasuke deepened it, taking his passion to be a concession.

There's no way I can change his mind... He's so sure that love can conquer all. The raven swallowed his protestation and gave himself over to the movements of his brother's tongue, suddenly very aware that their time together might soon be over. "Let's just focus on the task at hand; we have to secure peace with Konoha. With them off our backs we'll be able to focus on what we should do about Pein and Madara."

Itachi sighed and nodded before reluctantly pulling away. I was hoping for that kiss to turn into a bit more... "You're right, Otouto." He seems to have calmed down. As much as I hate to say it, Madara might have saved us; his arrival forced Sasuke to reconnect with his humanity.

XXXXXX

Tsunade sighed as she walked down the twisting corridor that led to her office; it had been a long day. After sending the assassination teams out (which was difficult enough), a ranting and furious Naruto had cornered her. Even with the help of the others that weren't participating in the mission, it had taken her a few hours to escape and make sure that the hyperactive blonde wasn't going anywhere. Then, of course, she had felt the need to seek companionship in several bottles of sake. I'll never understand why so many great ninja have fallen so far for that Uchiha boy…

Head still a little fuzzy, Tsunade stopped in front of the door to her office. For an instant she was struck with a bit of guilt; Sasuke had been twisted mercilessly by Orochimaru, so, in a way, his current actions weren't his fault… But clearly he's sane enough to kill, and the threat that he poses to the village makes him too dangerous to be left alive. She shrugged, grateful for the slight drunken haze that surrounded her, and opened the door before stepping inside. Deciding that a nice nap was in order, she shut the door and headed for the desk before stopping dead in her tracks. There was someone sitting in her chair. And, apparently, another someone standing behind it.

"Hokage-sama… You seem surprised." The figure leant forward gracefully and spoke in response to her next movement. "Don't bother summoning the Anbu; we would incapacitate and, quite possibly, kill them without batting an eye." He shifted again, this time leaning back in his seat to confront the blonde woman with an appraising gaze. "But we aren't here for that… In fact, I have a proposition for you."

The man behind the chair stepped to stand beside the other, placing a hand firmly on a pale shoulder. He fixed Tsunade with a hard stare. "I strongly suggest you hear it out."

The Hokage blinked a few times to clear her mind before responding. "Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Itachi… How did you…?" Realizing that they weren't going to answer, she didn't bother finishing her sentence. I suppose I don't have a choice but to hear them out… It doesn't look like punching one of them through the wall will be terribly effective. "Fine, what is it?" Her voice came out a bit hoarser than she would have liked, but other than that she was impressed with the composure it maintained.

Sasuke smirked and spoke again from the Hokage's chair. "As I understand things, you want me dead. Now, as much as I'd like to oblige the Leaf Village's attempts to carry out your dirty work, I'd only end up beating the shit out of them, and it wouldn't solve either of our problems. They would keep coming back, am I right?"

Tsunade stared, horrified and hypnotized, as Itachi's hand moved into his brother's hair. He began stroking his scalp and smirked down at the raven as he hummed appreciatively and leant into the touch while waiting for an answer. They… They're really… I can't believe it. Is Sasuke really the reason that Itachi killed their entire clan? She settled for a nod, not trusting herself to speak.

The younger Uchiha rolled his eyes as his suspicions were confirmed. "I thought so." He gestured to Itachi, who produced a dark silken sack. "In hopes of changing your mind on the matter, I've brought you a present." The raven took the bag from his brother and stood, setting it gently upon the large desk in front of him. After arranging it briefly, he slid it across the desk between them.

After a momentary hesitation, the blonde woman swallowed thickly, willing strength into her voice. "What is it?" Tsunade grimaced as she forced it out, her question barely a whisper. What could it possibly be? No matter what it is, I can't just stop chasing them... They're my problem as former ninja of the leaf; it would be my failure if I were to let them escape.

"Open it."

Itachi's words seemed to snap the Hokage out of her trance. She nodded again and tentatively reached forward to unlace the bag before stopping abruptly. I don't know what's in there; I'm not going to open it just like that! It could be a trap or a curse or, anything, really... "No." Her face settled into a hard glare. "I don't want any present from you."

I think that was a threat... But if she makes a single move, she's dead. There's no way I'd let her so much as touch my Sasuke. The older Uchiha stiffened at her tone and moved to stand slightly in front of his brother.

"Calm down, Nii-san." The raven placed his hand on Itachi's shoulder to still any further movement. "I don't think she'd be stupid enough to attack us."

How dare he patronize me? If I wasn't outnumbered I could beat the shit out of him. "Look, if you're going to kill me, just do it. I'm sick of your bullshit." Tsunade slammed her fist into the desk to emphasize her point.

Sasuke cocked an eyebrow, utterly unfazed by her outburst. "We have no intention of killing you, Lady Hokage. All I want you to do is hear us out." He reached forward with a sneer and yanked the bag open.

"Wha-? Is that?" Tsunade gasped in recognition as she beheld Orochimaru's head, his angry expression perfectly preserved. She sunk into one of the chairs across from her desk in spite of herself. They... They killed him. He's...gone. He isn't a threat anymore...

The older Uchiha looked away in disgust; the sight of the snake reminded him of the marks on Sasuke's neck, of the scream he had heard while rushing through the lair. I hope getting rid of that thing will finally release him from whatever he felt after killing him... I need to get my Otouto far away from here so we can move on completely, and I'd prefer not having to kill every unsuspecting group that wanders across our path. Itachi shook his head to clear it and returned his attention to the Hokage.

Tsunade stared at the head, hardly daring to believe that it wasn't part of another of the snake's deviousplans. But Itachi wouldn't go along with it, even if Sasuke might. No, it has to be real... After reassuring herself by examining it a little more closely and carefully checking for any sign of fraud, she returned her gaze to the brothers before her. "It's really him. How did you-?"

"Never mind that." The raven's eyes hardened and his voice fell to a monotone that indicated his seriousness. "The point is, I have eliminated one of your most dangerous enemies. We might end up taking out a couple more if you're lucky, but I think the cessation of Orochimaru's vile plans and experiments should be plenty to secure our disappearance from your radar."

They don't want to be chased anymore... The blonde woman blinked at the request. "The Anbu would never erase you from their records." She paused as Itachi shifted, no doubt preparing to attack if she didn't agree to their terms. "But I can call off the teams I sent out as soon as they report in."

"That would be suspicious; it would jeopardize your position and bring your honor into question." It could hinder our ability to get away; if we can't take out Madara and Pein, we'll have a hell of a time avoiding detection anyway. Sasuke stared at the blonde woman, gauging her reaction to what he said. When her eyes widened and she didn't respond, the raven knew she hadn't considered the ramifications. At least that means we have her sufficiently scared.

The older Uchiha spoke just before his brother could continue. "While we have little regard for your reputation, Konoha doesn't need any more problems."

He's right... After everything that has happened lately we have to try and preserve as much peace as we can for as long as possible. Tsunade nodded and exhaled; she had to try to regain her composure so she could think logically about their proposal. We've expended so many resources to bring Sasuke back, and all have been in vain. Now that Orochimaru is dead, there really isn't any reason to keep tracking him down... And if he and Itachi end up joining forces with Akatsuki, it won't change our position much; we'll still have to take them out. But if they're serious about staying away, we'll lose a lot less nin... Having made up her mind, she looked back and forth between them. "Can you both give me your word that you won't kill any Konoha nin, even if they attack?"

Itachi scoffed. "They won't be able to track us down."

The raven glanced at his brother and suppressed a laugh. "You have our word. Do we have a deal?"

"Yes. Now get out of here; both of you are forbidden from returning to Konoha ever again unless specifically summoned by the acting Hokage." She stood and glared at them, waiting until they had nodded and disappeared before slumping back into her chair. At least that's over... A knock sounded at the door and she groaned. "What is it?"

Shizune stuck her head in. "Lady Hokage, the team supervising Naruto failed to check in. It seems he has incapacitated them and escaped..."

Tsunade let her head fall backward against her chair. "Goddamnit! That little prick had better have a damn good explanation when I get a hold of him..."

XXXXXX

Naruto sprinted through the forest, trying desperately to remember where the teams were going to be deployed. They went in too many different directions... There's no way I can stop all of them.

Kyuubi's voice sounded in his head. :You don't have to find them; if we know anything about Sasuke, he won't be anywhere close to the teams. He doesn't want to kill them.:

"Duh!" The blonde smacked his forehead and scolded himself for thinking they would ever be able to catch the raven. Okay, so where do we look? I don't suppose you can smell him? He inhaled experimentally and sighed, finding nothing.

:That's where the problem lies... He wouldn't be stupid enough to go around without suppressing his chakra, either.: The demon growled in frustration and leered as an idea came to mind. :We will just have to make him come to us...:

Yeah, and how the hell are we going to do that? He's spent the last three years avoiding me... It's not like we have anything he wants. Naruto conveyed the thought bitterly; it hurt to acknowledge that Sasuke didn't care anymore.

Kyuubi smirked at the blonde's naivety. :As much as he wants you to believe that, it isn't true. If he didn't care, he would've killed you by now.:

Trying to suppress a smile, the Jinchuuriki nodded a bit. If even Kyuubi thinks that... He barely contained his giddiness and returned to the question at hand. But how are we going to lure him in?

:Oh you will see, kit. Just let me take care of everything.:

XXXXXX

Itachi and Sasuke walked lazily through the forest, each perfectly content to walk in silence with the other. It's so nice to have this with him again... I didn't realize how much I missed these casual strolls. The older Uchiha let himself reminisce for a moment, recalling the long-past peaceful days of their youth.

"Do you think we've waited long enough yet?" The thoughts running around in Sasuke's head made him a tense, and though he was trying his best not to show it, he was eager to leave Konoha behind and turn his attention to the real problem. I don't know what else I can do about my deal with Pein... I can't just leave him to put his plans into action, but... Fuck, giving in to him might be the only way. Forcing his shoulders to relax, he turned to look at his brother as he responded.

"Hmm... Probably." Itachi had to admit that he was excited to test out their deal with the Hokage. I haven't been able to feel his chakra for so long... We're finally far enough away from our enemies to do it safely, assuming Konoha has kept up their end of the bargain.

Without hesitation they placed their palms together and closed their eyes. The raven took a deep breath and willed himself to bury his emotions relating to the conflict with Pein. If he feels them in my chakra it'll all be over. I have to convince him that I think there's a way out, that I have faith and that I'm sure we'll find a way... He deserves to be happy as long as possible. He released a deep breath and focused on his feelings for his brother. Instead of letting the other Uchiha feel his doubt, his resignation, he provided all of the love he could muster.

Itachi shuddered as their energy grew and began to wind together. They released their limits simultaneously, steadily relaxing into one another as it pulsed along their skin. Finally, the older Uchiha opened his eyes and found onyx orbs staring back at him. There was a look in Sasuke's eyes that he couldn't quite place, and for a moment it worried him. We've been through a lot, and it's nowhere close to being over... If he's nervous I certainly don't blame him. "Otouto..." He curled his fingers around the other man's and let his feelings flow into his chakra as it curled around Sasuke.

"Nii-san." The raven closed his eyes as he was encompassed with so much love, so much devotion, that it hurt. He cares so much... I don't know how I'll be able to leave him, but... I have to. As much as I'd like to delude myself, our love isn't more important than the lives of thousands. Sasuke let himself enjoy the moment and leaned forward, meeting Itachi's lips as though at the same moment they had been searching for him.

The kiss became more heated and for a few moments they were lost in each other as arms wound around necks and waists and the brothers let themselves give in to the moment. Finally they parted, both shaking from the intensity of their exchange, and slowly began rebuilding the walls that they used to keep their power in check. They waited in silence, sure that any Anbu squad would come running without opposing orders.

Sasuke rested his head on the older Uchiha's shoulder and revelled in the feel of strong arms around him. I will give him everything I can before we confront Pein. He nuzzled the warm neck before him and planted a soft kiss over his brother's pulse before relaxing as much as he could, trying for just a moment to ignore the fate that lay ahead.

XXXXXX

How are we going to find him, again? Goddamnit I thought you had a plan, Kyuubi. Naruto growled under his breath. They had been sprinting through the forest for hours now looking for something, anything that could lead them to Sasuke.

:Relax, kit. We've been on their trail for a while now... Apparently they've paid a visit to Konoha in the past couple hours.: Kyuubi practically purred to himself; it was a pleasure to follow the raven's scent, and there was nothing like being allowed to chase his prey without restraint.

The blonde tried to contain the different emotions that hit him all at once. What the fuck was he doing there? He goes back as soon as I leave? "Goddamnit, Sasuke." He ground out the name with a tired frustration and was just about to express how hopeless he feared their chase to be when he stopped dead. The nine-tailed beast flared inside him and he felt heat pooling in his groin.

:You see, kit?: Kyuubi smirked, feeling the lust wash over their shared form as they were both consumed with the same thought. :He's close... We're an hour away at most. Now that you sense him, feel him, do you think you can abandon your honor and give him one last fuck to remember us by? Who knows, it just might change his mind.:

Naruto licked his lips and tried to rid his mind of the pervasive ideas that rushed to the forefront all too easily. No... We have to... We have to just catch up and warn him... We can't... He won't want anything else. He released a shuddering breath and willed his arousal down before swallowing thickly; he had to keep his sanity.

:Are you afraid of what we could do to him? You're too considerate. After all that he's done to you a good, rough fuck is the least that he deserves.: With a lustful growl Kyuubi conjured a few especially delectable images to tempt the blonde. :Think of all the things we could do... Together we could overpower him and make him ours, we could put him in a cage, tie him to a bed, whatever, and have our way with him until he begged us to do all sorts of naughty things to him...:

St-top... The Uzumaki was losing his grip on reality, his vision going red as he thought of all that the darkest parts of him wanted to do to Sasuke. I couldn't imprison him like that... I to love him, not break him! I want him to love me, to want me like I want him... I would take him only if he wanted me to, and you're not going to convince me otherwise. Naruto felt the sweat settle on his skin, cool as the sun began to peek behind the mountains in the distance. He seemed to have appeased the fox for the moment, at least. "So don't do anything devious."

Kyuubi seemed to roll his eyes, but kept his protestation to himself; the time would come, he was sure of it. :We'll see. Now let's go.: When the blonde saw Sasuke, a beautiful temptation in the moonlight, he knew he wouldn't be able to resist.

XXXXXX

A/N
I am fully aware that this story may have faded into obscurity, but I will finish it, goddamnit! Perhaps this summer...

Anyway, please review! For my sanity I need to know if anyone is still out there. Oh and btw there's totally a lemon next chapter; it is long past due.

Much Love,
Viotox