Chapter?
AN: I am so SORRY. I tried to make this chapter extra long. 7000 words is a bunch for me and my newbie writin'. Computer was malfunctioning and yeah...SO, there is a gift in this one ;P
Scatter." Menma whispered, and the two split in opposing directions. He wasn't sure if his instincts were a danger-bringing guidance, or a protecting device.
No time to pull the other back, Naruto was already darting through and between the walls, and Menma had already looped himself onto the roof.
He could only wish that Naruto was smart and strong enough to deal with the soldiers coming his way. As the shingles and loose rocks crunched and grinded under his feet, he briefly felt right at home.
His mind flashed to all the other heist' he'd been on and a lukewarm happiness chilled his spirit and sinew.
He smiled as a dagger narrowly missed his back.
This was freedom.
This was a little boy pulling a prank on his sister and running from her feminine fury.
This was being chased in a childish game of tag, knowing you were faster than the tagger.
This was happiness.
Two individual arrows flickered and snapped past his left shoulder. He grinned and caught an arrow that was aimed for his head.
"Try again!" He barked and sent the arrow to the streets with a flick of his wrist. The idiots were always trying to hit the head, no matter the opponent. If they had any snap-strategy skills, they'd aim for the legs to stop him.
He tucked his legs into his bare chest, sent his arms in the air and soared like a cannonball to a roof of a smaller building.
For one elated moment, he was untouchable, unrestricted. He was flying. And nothing could hold him down. Not the unknown locks of his origin, the nobles that followed his every step, and not even the suffocating Uchiha palace with it's lack of family.
The second-long high left his body, but it stayed in his heart and spirit. This joy. It was like the perfect balance of cool winds and warm sun on a fall day. And the explicit happiness belonged to him.
He rolled into his landing, head ducked and flipping diagonally to lessen the strain on his spine and halted the fierce momentum with a crouch. Heart still soaring with joy, he lept down into the hidden alley.
"That'll give em' a jump." He murmured in mischief. Menma pulled into the shadows, waiting, listening for the unorganized shuffle of guards. Thieves were much more stealthy. Everyone knew their place, had at least eight back-up plans, and sent by their strengths and weaknesses. It was perfectly aligned so that if troubled should ever come, every one knew what to do and who to guard. On the other hand.
"Fire that arrow!" Menma pricked his ears at the gruff voice.
"But sir! I've never-" a shrill, younger, newer recruite.
"Do it now!" The bitter misguided twang landed on a sack. Menma could hear it. Soldiers, on the front of the house. Inside the house. The sack was near the window. They were trying to scare him, see if their prize was even there. Menma didn't even bat an eyelid as the younger one retrieved the arrow and made his way to the others.
They were going to fan out. They always did.
Menma darted away from his hiding spot and into the center of the town. From where they walked from, a large axis in the road lay in the center of the markets. All leading to the general areas of; Lower, Commoner, Aristocrat, Noble. The noble, of course, being back to the palace was where he needed to go. It was a gamble of luck and quick thought, but he didn't care. He'd given them the worst slip they could ever dream of, Right under their nose. And Menma got away with it.
O0o0o0o
Naruto wasn't one for looping himself up the roofs. He would rather outrun his prey. A year of living in the Uchiha, the belly of the beast, taught one to have quick reflexes and an even sharper wit.
He had hoped that the encores of thief training never left him, and he was right.
He was never one to make long, drawn out plans. He'd rather come up with them on the snap.
Proven to be true, as he pitched a skull-sized pot at soldier's head.
It hit, hard.
Naruto bolted away from that point of the shops and made way to the basket weaver's set up. The man gave him a curious look as Naruto pulled a larger basket over his crouched form, hiding. The thunder of footsteps along the streets. Eight to ten men. Blundered past the upside-down basket and split into groups of sixteen. Naruto giggled as he pulled up the basket and set it down at the normal.
"Thanks." He whispered. The man caught the glint of the jewels around his neck and shook his head. Crazy things happened these days. Naruto picked up a rock that was twice the size of his foot and hurled it at the commander. A dull thunk of hardened earth and shaped back collided and made the man look back after stumbling two steps. He turned to bark at the brat who dared insult him and was met with a foot to the face.
"You CUNT!" He pulled back and massaged his face. Naruto responded by tying a loose rag around his eyes.
"At the palace, Bi-Shendo." Naruto kicked dust into the face before sprinting down to the axis. That was one of the guards who had held him down when Sasuke did one of his many attempts to control the Thief-raised boy. Naruto bolted around the corner and thanked his lucky stars that they always made a move IN FRONT instead of BEHIND.
He leaped over a stack of cabbage, dodged a group of traveling people, and cartwheeled inbetween a group of circus people.
All accompanied with a 'sorry' 'pardon me' 'excuse me' 'comin' through'. Ok maybe they didn't like his hurry-scurry motions, but hey, when ya gotta go, better go.
He could clearly see the axis now.
If he was right, Menma would be here. If they could be in the palace, it would erase any evidence that they'd even been in the streets. Grunting, Naruto hoisted himself on a low roof and made sure that no one would see him. It briefly crossed his mind "why were the guards chasing him?" They hadn't done anything wrong... Unless Sasuke was too much of a royal puss that he couldn't bear the thought of his most wanted to be with another.
Discarding the thought before it distracted him, he crouched on a roof that overlooked the axis.
The X in the middle of street was void of any soldiers. It didn't surprise him.
The axis was the place for townsfolk and the like to crossover to all the other portions of the city. It also was the place where all the food was. People liked snacks on their crossover.
Plus, lots of people walked from one side to another, it was a smart move to place a sweet-bread shop in the axis. He smirked and scanned the streets for a sign of his companion. Sure enough, Menma was lurking through the smaller zigzaged alleys. Guards were fanning out in the opposite directions of both boys. Naruto grinned and leaped down from his perch to meet the other boy. He passed several shops and rounded through the correct alley. Menma jumped three feet into the air when he saw Naruto.
"You made it out?" Menma said after shaking off his girlish surprise. Naruto walked closer, placing his hand on the other's bare shoulder and whispered.
"Why."
"I don't know." Menma said through his mask.
"I didn't find anything." Menma pulled his vision to the ground in the silence of contemplation.
"Sasuke doesn't know when to stop." Naruto pulled his hand away from the other. "You haven't even done anything serious yet." Naruto stopped his train of thought as it left his tongue. Complaining never makes the problem go away.
Menma growled. There was nothing. Was Riku's spot marked by Sasuke? Did he miss something?
"We need to get back to the palace and make it look like nothing happened. Are you injured?"
"Nay." Naruto scoffed. Just because bandages were wrapped didn't mean he had to do re-wrap them everytime.
"Alright. Let's head out." Menma pulled the other by the sleeve and let go when they came into the open. No soldiers. The two made a curved beeline for the palace road. Dust clouded around their ankles as they attempted to maintain a calm, I'm-not-being-chased air to eachother. Naruto pulled himself by Menma's side.
The after-glee of giving Bi-Shendo the slip still buzzing in his mind. True he'd get another beating but for last weeks attempt, he deserved the dust. They rounded the last shop and hid in an alley as they listened for any hint of the soldiers. None. Menma let out a shaky sigh.
"This is what I live for."
"What?"
"This is my freedom." They rounded the shops in silence.
Menma's ears twitched at a whisper that was elicited from the gossiping people.
"Wait." Menma whispered and shot his hand in front of Naruto, signaling to slow down, nearly stop.
"I heard," A woman, late thirties, with three others. "That these thieves do outrageous scandals!" A overly-shocked chorus of gasps followed.
"Well, I heard that this one group dressed like crazy animals and women." Shocked gasps and murmurs followed. "I think their band name was Youkaikou?" Menma forced himself not to say anything.
"No honor." His brows furrowed. That was the worst insult to EVER tell a thief.
"Who can say they HAVE a drop of honor? I mean, well seducing men and women for money then." Menma couldn't stand it.
A rock sailed within inches of the gossiping womans face.
And a hand followed soon after, pining the person to the wall. Menma fisted the lousy material and began to interogate.
"Listen." He snarled. "I come from the Youkaikou." Her face went to that of horror and terror. Menma swatted away one of the braver women with his free hand when she tried to pull him back.
"My name is Daishi! I own several homes and properties! Take your hands off!" She attempted to gain some backbone but Menma pulled her dress up, lifting her.
Menma barked a laugh. "I'm from that well known band of thieves. For the record, that raid was done under a Chinese dragon costume. We worked very hard to get some information on a small tome of keys and locks." He lifted her higher.
"I said take your hands off, NOW!" She tried to yell. "I'm from a higher family, I deserve respect!" She cowed.
"Aww wook at dat!" Menma mocked her shrill voice then turned back into a snarling jackal. "Another bitch trying to use her reputation as cover." He was now suspending her off the ground.
"In case you didn't notice, I'm a thief. We don't care who you are, we don't do royalty and that useless respect thing that obviously never works." She shuddered, he could feel the skin and cloth shivering in fear.
"I'm sorry." She quaked. Menma glowered at her before making a fist with his free hand.
"Bitch, you shouldn't even have been talking about it. Didn't your hoity-toity maids ever tell you; 'The Golden Rule'?" She nodded, tears crowding the edge of her eyelides.
"Don't spread rumors in the streets. You have no clue who's listening." He snarled before dropping her and glaring at the other women.
"Goes for you too." He said, eyes scanning the women that cowered under his gaze. "Talk about things when you are for certain no one knows." He walked out of the group of women, one scrambled and fell to get out of his way. The women scurried away into the other side of the streets.
"I think I love you." Naruto gaped at his companion before become bitter. "That bitch needed it. Always talking about other people, never truthfully." Naruto kicked a stone. "Talked about me too." Menma brushed his fingers along Naruto's arm, a sign to follow.
"She insulted the honor." Menma said lowly. Head downcast. "We steal because we are never wanted anywhere else." Naruto pulled his stride closer to Menma, fingertips brushing. "I steal because I want to know where I came from." Naruto didn't say anything, but Menma knew he was listening. "Because if no one will tell, going against law to know... It's worth it."
"..." Naruto doesn't know what to say, he never did.
"Naruto..." Menma looked at the other. "Do you see me as scum, or a human without knowledge?" Naruto drew back in shock. What the woman had said was getting to him?
"Nah." Naruto looked back toward the street. "You have a better goal." Naruto murmured. Menma didn't reply. It was touchy. The question if thieves were trash, or a proud group with honor... No one had the answer. It worried every single thief. Their blabbering conscience, or the deed itself. Menma cleared his head. As long as they acknowledged that the items that they took had been of true value, it was acceptable. He shook himself of the woman insulting his group's honor. He had more than what they ever could hope to have.
"Sorry." Menma mumbled.
"Don't be. I'd have done the same thing if they insulted my parents." Naruto took the show of emotion with an open mind. Silence accompanied the two in a welcomed manner.
For Menma, he could only hope that Naruto wasn't offended or uncertain with him.
Naruto was hoping that Menma didn't see him as ignorant or uncaring.
Their moments of contemplation was broken when The call of a high-pitched man rang into the streets.
"All bow! Bow for Prince Uchiha Sasuke!" A murmur was sweeping over the streets. Sasuke was personally marching though the streets. Which was off. He was wearing his black armor again. A small group of bodyguards tailing him. Menma scoffed under his mask. So boastful. As Sasuke saw them, his stride became a little quicker. Menma watched as people fell like cards around him.
"Stop." Naruto flicked Menma's fingers with his own. "It intimidates him." Naruto chuffed. When Sasuke came within ten meters of the others, he halted and arched an eyebrow.
"Bow." Sasuke said, placing a hand on the sword hilt. Menma figured that Naruto wanted to do this himself.
"We got your little welcoming party." Naruto sneered.
"Bow." Sasuke kept a face carefully void of emotion.
"No."
"Bow or I'll whip you again."
"Tell that to Bi-Shendo. He had a fun time with a foot to his face." Sasuke scowled even darker at the statement.
"Menma." He stated, trying a new tactic. "You said you were taking your slave to the Pleasure Shop. Why do you not have supplies?"
"Excuse my inability to shop and save my life at the same time."
"Fair enough. I was just calling you for a... Late morning snack, sweet-breads?" Sasuke was trying to kick his charm into high-gear again.
"Oh?" Menma counters.
"Yes." Sasuke bites out. "I need to discuss a plan with one of my fellow nobles and would be delighted if you joined."
"All that," Naruto cuts Menma off before he could say anything. "For a silly tea-party?" Naruto giggles.
"Do we have a choice?" Menma really doesn't want to know what the sadist has in mind.
"Of course not." Sasuke smiles and walks foreword. "You will come, I can make sure of it." Naruto briefly glances at Menma with a look that says. 'just go.' Menma nods at Naruto and they walked toward the group of people. Menma's mind was going faster than a sea snake.
He fought the bubbling panic in his chest. The fear of being found out was overbearing and huge. He scrambled to figure out the Uchiha's motive. As the pair walked to the palace, guards began closing in on them. Three in back, two at the front, two at both sides...
Man, Uchiha was a bi-polar person. He didn't look around for escape point. Menma knew very well that if he attempted anything, they would instantly be on him. And Naruto. He was worried now, stupid Sasuke. He nearly ruined everything.
Then it hit him, hard.
Why did Sasuke want Menma and Naruto? His panic dissolved. He replaced his fear with cold calculation. Even if Sasuke didn't give any kind of clue that he knew about the cuts, it was obvious that he did. Why else would he pull them alongside? Even if Menma had zero idea why the cuts were there, it was clear that Sasuke did. Maybe...
Something whizzed in the air, a high pitched whistle. It dawned on Naruto first that something was flying.
Naruto raised his arm and opened his palm. Normally he wouldn't do such a strange thing but... Whatever this was, it was rythmical, and moved in a patterned format.
A small object, hardly even fist sized knocked his palm before he snapped his hand closed. He brought it down and scooted closer to a dazed Menma. He ignored the onlooking guard's curious glances, and opened his palm.
A boomerang-shaped object. The item had two wings. One for an angel, the other for a demon.
"It's his." He didn't have to finish. Riku had strange tastes. Menma pulled the double winged boomerang closer to observe it. A piece of parchment slipped into his palm. Silently, he began to read the quick writing.
"I was spotted. Need an extra day." Menma scowled. Naruto grumbled off in his own irritation. He could understand.
But still... He flipped over the paper over, another message.
"source tells me about a green scroll in palace."
'Well... Alright.' Menma's previous irritation faded. This means... He hadn't really had a chance to properly think the situation over, what with all the sudden change.
If Sasuke wanted him for something, and he already knew about his scars... Then he must know a tad bit about his past... Right? He scowled.
His only chance to learn anything was from a sly tyrant who thought he had it all under control. He playfully smirked and remembered how well that one raid went.
It didn't matter, he would just take it.
The boomerang dissolved into white then faded into white glass. Naruto remained surprisingly quiet. Although alarm was emblazoned on his face. Menma crunched the paper violently before shredding it into many pieces.
"I'll use it as an advantage." Menma said as he stripped the pieces into even more flakes.
"We'll talk about it." Naruto didn't say anything. He understood. Menma never really noticed, but Naruto was handling this very well. Considering the situation.
As they passed the gates, Menma began to worry. And worry, he did. Through the corridors, Sasuke pulled up a rather sadistic question.
"Menma, why do you wear a mask?"
Menma arched an eyebrow, if mind games were his play...
"Why do you wear armor when there are over eight guards protecting you?"
"Hips and torso stand out rather well." Sasuke turned his head and looked at the two. It didn't take less than a moment for Menma realize that he was eyeing Naruto.
"So why? You never raid this area, no one could know you."
'Sly.' Menma paused and pretended to look at the wall in a longing stare. "A lady I once loved lives here, if she were to see me, I'd lose my head." Menma knew he was good at faking.
"Jmm. Fair enough." Sasuke said through clenched teeth. "Although, masks are not allowed in this meal. Take it off."
"What if I refuse?"
"I'll make sure that you come. Even by force."
"So I see." Menma smiled slyly. Not that Sasuke could tell he was smiling, only Naruto could.
The rest of the walk down the halls was silent minus the clank of the guards armor. Menma isn't feeling quiet anymore. Even if Sasuke wanted to know that he was right, there was no getting around this. He wanted to see the way the nobles acted. Plus, if all went as planned, he could pass information to his fellow thieves.
When they arrived at Naruto's room, seeing as how Menma couldn't call it his own, Menma opened the door and let his unique friend inside before following. Menma didn't mind calling Naruto his friend. It wasn't because of his trustworthy status everywhere, it wasnt even because of the scars. He just... Enjoyed it.
Sasuke held the door open and cleared his throat to grab the two rugrat's attention. They turned back around simultaneously and Menma was given a look of mild jealousy.
"The maids will be bringing you some proper clothes before the meal." Sasuke was shameless. Menma could SEE his eyes roving over Naruto. That thought was interrupted when Sasuke shifted his eyes to Menma.
"Take a bath soon."...As if this wasn't even a weird situation in the first place... Naruto wasn't fazed in the slightest.
"Psh, like you smell the cleanest with your overdone rolling in ashes." Naruto waved his hand in air for emphasis.
"Hmnp." Sasuke chuffed before shooting him a glare.
"I could smell it down the hall." Naruto poked.
"Nevertheless, behave at the meal." The subtext was filled with 'I'll-skin-you-alive-and-make-a-coat-with-your-flesh'. And then he slammed the door. Leaving the throughly stressed teens alone.
Menma remained silenced until Sasuke left. Fully.
"He's so pathetic." Naruto said. Menma looked over and saw Naruto currently stripping his upper body. Menma forced himself not to promptly freak out and re-do the bandages. After all, he himself WAS shirtless. Menma stood patiently and forced himself to analyze the situation. He wouldn't tell Naruto the plan because it was too risky for a maid to come in and learn the entire thing. So he simply evaluated and re-evaluated the plan as Naruto... what was Naruto doing?
Menma was snapped out of his planning when two hands reached up and fiddled with the hook for the mask. Naruto pulled it away from Menma and waited for any sign of discontent from the other.
"It bothers Sasuke that you look so much like him." Naruto snarked and Menma turned to see him. "He can't understand why. He believes he's better." Naruto smirked and pulled the mask away from Menma entirely. Menma touched his face just to have something to do because the other was uncomfortably close.
"You look pinkish." Naruto smirked and poked Menma in the shoulder. Menma was forcing himself not to end his concentration and act sly back at him right there.
He could see why the Uchiha wanted him all by himself.
The more time he spent with the blond haired boy, the more he wanted to stay with him. His generally happy personality made Menma giddy. Even though he was in slight denial.
"I owe you." Naruto said and took Menma by surprised for the second time in a two minute timespan.
"What do you mean?" Menma pulled his composure back together just in time.
"You washed my wounds, I have to do something back."
"You did save us several times."
"Us. Not anything for just you." Naruto's tone of voice is simple, but Menma could've sworn that there was something else as Naruto crawled his fingers up Menma's arm and flicked off a piece of crusted grime. Menma then assumed it to be part of the wall that he'd been hiding behind.
"Come with me." Naruto said and, without Menma's opinion, dragged him to the bathing room. Menma rose an eyebrow at the site of the tub. Sasuke must've sent a group of maids. The tub was full with steaming water and small droplets littered the area.
He notices that the tub could hold three people. Bracing himself, he begins to pull away his armwarmers and sandals. He snagged a towel with a bar of soap and dipped his hands into the water first.
Naruto steps in next to him, Menma keeps his eyes averted just to respect the teens privacy. The water burns slightly but it's better than being in the tub with Naruto.
"You are very impossible." Naruto says and Menma chances a bewildered look at his ally.
"How so?" Menma says when he sees that Naruto is safe for a viewers eyes. Menma washes his face and feels the droplets soak his bangs. Nuisances.
"To believe that you won't take advantage of a person that has been practically given to you." Now he just sounds conceited.
"I've...restrained myself often." Menma says as he scrubs his upper arms. "Can't be distracted by a pretty face during a heist or anywhere. Women are weapons too, Y'know."
"True true. However..." Naruto says with a sly tint. "You have to make it believable in front of Sasuke." Menma sighs. So that's why he continued to advance.
"I... Become more sinister in... Moments. Hence why I avoid them." Menma could be a psychopath. It was in his heart sometimes, but he held back his crazy desires to make things bleed. It often worked, and he had been working on his personality. But he didn't have to tell Naruto about this.
"Sasuke tries to be that way. But he just can't do it." Naruto chuckles at the Joke. "Why don't you bathe in the water?" Naruto asks to change the topic. Menma didn't even take his pants off.
"Don't have to soak to smell pretty." Menma said as he pulled himself to sit on the edge of the tub and scrubbed his neck with the towel.
"Heh." Naruto replies and watches as Menma cleans himself. Naruto waits until Menma is finished and putting his armwarmers back on before pulling himself out of the water and put on the bed clothes. Just until the maids came with the proper outfits.
"So." Naruto said as Menma plopped onto the large chair near the fire. Menma had a plan. But it'd be better to say it later. Simply because of a nosy maid. Menma nodded his answer and stared into the fire. He wanted to ask so many things about his scars, but if there was a minuscule hint of them in Sasuke's room...
He was loudly interrupted when Naruto slapped his hands on both armrests. Menma looked up to see Naruto above him.
"Practice." Naruto said slyly. For a moment, Menma gaped like a fish. He couldn't seem to find a reasonable excuse not to.
When Naruto leans into chew on his neck, Menma pulled himself up and thought that would solve the issue. Naruto's face brushed Menma's chest. His skin prickles and light explosions cover his body. Menma pushed Naruto back and away.
"I know what I'm doing." Menma hopes it's a plausible excuse. He knows Naruto is enjoying the role-play way too much. He can't meet the counterparts eyes.
"If you say so." Naruto says and backs away. Menma thanks his lucky stars when a maid knocks on the door. And he's all too quick to answer it. He eyed the clothing. A blue outfit that was worn by samurais. Except no undershirts. It also came with matching, poofy pants. The contrasting color was white.
"Two pair. Luckily we have identical sizes, else this would be tedious." Naruto said and began stripping. Menma followed by taking off his black pants and quickly switching the clothing as fast as he could. When he was finished with that, he tied the sash and put on those funky sandals. Naruto mirrored the action almost in the exact same timing.
"Will we be escorted or..." Menma's question was answered when six chimes echoed through the palace.
"I will take you." Naruto said and grabbed the counterpart's arm before dragging him down the halls. After making their way to the lower floor center, Naruto gave the directions and let Menma guide him.
Naruto whispered the lighter customs and hooked his sleeved arm around Menma's before they entered the dining room. Menma took note of the darker coloring of the room and the candles littering the wall. A table lied in the center of the room.
It was good that they weren't late, seeing as how there were several other chairs empty. Sasuke jumped and Menma became acutely aware of his lack of mask. He thanked his smarts of letting his bangs become lengthy enough to hide most of the indentions.
Sasuke waved to a set of two chairs and let them sit down without much bother. Menma used this as an opportunity to observe the people sitting here. He really didn't know if he should be full with pride by the way everyone was gaping at him and Naruto.
One has the audacity to chuckle and steal a glance at the fuming Sasuke. A older person with long brown hair sat with an identical female with long purple-black hair. They both had lavender eyes.
Another person came in but Menma was too busy observing their customs to care. The room obviously held the uppity feeling of nobles.
Sasuke struck up a conversation with a pink haired girl about rubys or something of the like. Menma was too worried about the scars to pay any mind to most of the conversation. When the food came out, he mirrored Naruto and ate with his back straight. Forcing his elbows not to touch the table, chopsticks eating in a petite manner. If the other nobles disapproved, he didn't care and paid no mind. The only thing that mattered at this moment was whatever Sasuke had hidden in his quarters. When the next course of the meal is ramen, he smiles and asks for the bamboo side. He hadn't had a filling meal in a long time. That pirate ship only gave him bread and that breakfast was for dieters. Then Sasuke starts talking about a treasure.
"Black, smooth fox statue about a foot tall with emerald eyes. I think I know where one might be." Menma scowled into his ramen. It sounded familar...
"Sorry!" A loud and feminine yell, followed by the bang of a door breaks the hoity toity atmosphere. "I was dealing with a very picky client. She took longer than expected." Menma isn't sure if he should be cautious or relaxed that it's Ino who is late and he hopes it's just seating arrangement when she sits across from them.
"It's understandable." Sasuke says as he sets his glass down. "Ino," She looks at him as she prepares here meal seating.
"Any new things added to the concubine control?"
"I know that there was recently an addition of four new slaves. If that's what you mean?" Ino says cautiously and a hint of interest cloaks her figure.
"No." Sasuke says and a dark smirk dances over his being.
"I mean the one of the claiming law." Menma felt his blood go cold. He hadn't done anything. He felt like an idiot student who hadn't completed his homework. "The one that involves the owner to mark the neck or go further than touching-" Menma cringes because he can't skip this. He sees that the girl with her lookalike is blushing furiously. He himself is burning with harsh control.
"Ah yes. What do you think of it?" Sasuke chanced a glance at the whiskered boys. "I believe it's a bit much if you don't mind me saying." Ino begins fiddling with her chopsticks. "But I guess it cements ownership right-"
"Exactly." Sasuke sips some more of whatever drink he was drinking. "It also cements the...newer servants." Sasuke is now staring at the whiskered boys openly. "Into law and submission." Sasuke is being extra limey. Sweet but incredibly bitter and sly.
Menma meets Sasuke's gaze with matched calmness. "How would you keep tabs?" Ino inquires. "I have more eyes then what you think." Sasuke's voice keeps a dark tone.
"Well... My apologies your majesty." Ino drops her head for ever questioning him in the first place.
"And..." Sasuke starts then twists his entire figure to Menma and Naruto. "You haven't followed the new law, Menma." Sasuke chides. "Do you not value your piece of flesh?" Menma forces down his rage.
"I assure you, I do. However-" "
So. Do it." Sasuke smiled. He believed that Naruto could handle a simple peck on the cheek. But a full kiss with necking involved? Far is Menma's chance.
Menma scrunched his face into that of disaproval. "In front of everyone?"
"It's been done before." Sasuke lifts an eyebrow.
"I see." Menma numbly replies. Menma turned to Naruto and cupped him by the jaw.
He leaned in and a thousand thoughts went through his mind. He closed his eyes when flesh met flesh.
'Is this awkward? Am I doing it right? Will Sasuke approve? Is my neck at the right angle?' He can only hope he's doing it right when his lips meet the others. Light kisses in school... But... Forget it, go on instinct.
His lips don't exactly have a taste. But the flesh is soft and pursed. The sensation is what he hopes is right. His skin is suddenly rather hot. Menma's cheeks are burning, but Naruto's flesh under his hand is hotter.
He felt a huge sensation in his lower stomach, like his entore body was tensing, when Naruto began to respond by moving his lips in a teasing fashion. Pushing his head towards Menma then pulling back away into a basic lip kiss. Menma inwardly shuddered under the sudden switch of sensations. It makes him want to giggle but he wisely keeps his mouth shut. Menma lowered his face down at an angle and began to pull lightly at Naruto's lower lip. His mind goes black and blank when Naruto begins to mimic his suckling.
The sensation of moving and being moved on is only so much. His mind is burning and that butterfly feeling just won't go away. The world has stopped and there is only him and Naruto.
Menma can't get accustomed to that feeling of acrobatic 's so simple and soft.
Menma is reminded of his duty to mark Naruto in front of Sasuke. Grudgedly, he moves his lips off of the others with a low sound of 'chuh' it sounds like sucking away wet things with air.
Menma brought his hand up to the others face and kissed him again. This one wasn't so experimental. Instead, Menma starts rubbing the cuts with his fingers. It's a way of showing apology, understanding. All the name calling, the mistrust of the people, unreasonable hate.. He expresses it all right here. In this motion of being. Menma cracks his eyes open when Naruto returns the favor and strokes Menma's cheeks with just as much understanding and care as possible.
His face is flushed and red. There's that funny tense feeling again. Naruto pulls his hands away and let's them sit on Menma's neck. Menma takes this as a sign to move on and separates himself from the feelings and roams Naruto's jaw with harsher kisses. His hands leave Naruto's cheeks and sink down to the blond boys shoulder blades, rubbing them. T
he hot pulse underneath his lips is... Indescribable. It's like nothing he's ever felt from another human being.
Menma began to add the inner parts of his lips when he moved his mouth under Naruto's ear and began to pull his lips back as a suction motion. He moved to the part of Naruto's neck that held all the core blood vessels. Naruto let out a gasp and Menma believes he is doing the right job.
He nudged the underside of the chin and jaw with his nose several times. When Naruto didn't get the memo, Menma swiped his hand down Naruto's spine and stopped right above Naruto's behind. Naruto's entire head popped back and he gritted his teeth. Menma's insane demeanor trickles out of his control as the skin stretched and became taught under his partially open mouth.
Going for the finishing moments, he dragged his tongue over Naruto's exposed throat, then moved a spot over and sucked violently. He pulled back when he felt it was right. A bruise stood out plainly against the necklace and flesh.
For a moment he almost understood what Naruto was feeling. The feeling of being marked. Giving in after so much resisting.. It must be scary.
Menma reminded himself that it was all for the escape. Even if he wanted to kiss him one more time.
"Is that enough?" Menma said through his haze. He hoped that it was enough.
"Passionate. Yet successful." Sasuke said hollowly.
Menma forced himself not to be proud and turned back to his food.
"Indeed." His mind was numb. He couldn't focus.
Kissing did things to a person. Naruto seemed to be in just as much of a dilemma. His face was red. His hands were shaking. His eyes were dialated.
Menma forced himself to focus on his surroundings, listen to Sasuke talk casually about the trading routes, Ino talking about the next shipment of tanzanite to some other people he hadn't paid attention too.
The following hour was quiet for the both of them. They did the required observing for the escape and didn't speak to each other for the rest of the hour. Menma assumed it to be of just how much they exposed of themselves to eachother in a limited amount of time, in front of everyone.
'It was only a kiss.' Menma inwardly reassured himself.
He repeated that in his mind. And nearly planted his face into his food from sheer disbelief at how he was trying to convince himself otherwise.
'What did I get myself into?'
He re-evaluated the plan over and over in his mind. It was shallow, but it was all he had to keep himself from being embarassed.
Throught his haze, he learned that most nobles destested the current heir. It held a re-assuring feeling that he wasn't alone.
Some only ate with their left hand.
The meal was cut short when a page ran into the room and whispered something into Sasuke's ear. Menma observed as Sasuke's eyes grew wide and he asked the page for reassurance. He stood up and knocked his chair over in the process.
"This meal is dismissed. I have something important to attend to." That's all he says before he leaves quickly.
As everyone began to leave, the whiskered pair began doing the same in unison.
As the two walk down the windowed halls, it amazes Menma how much time has passed. It's going to be the start of evening soon. The walk is much more plesant than the meal.
Naruto has relaxed visibly and Menma isn't quite as numb as he was before.
When he entered the room, a small amount of time passed where everything was silent and peaceful.
A nice place. A cool, still night to end that perfectly sunny and windy day. He inhales the calm and releases the stress.
Until Naruto is right in front of him. Their blue eyes meet in perfect harmony. Naruto suddenly leans in for a quick peck on the side of the mouth.
Neither of the two can tell what emotions are behind it. All they know is that it's mutual.
"Do you have a plan?" Naruto asks quietly.
"I need your evaluation." Menma nearly whispers.
It's odd, yet comfortable. Like being guarded by the mischief loving fox.
TBC
1. The cabbages were a reference to Avatar The Last AirBender
Man... I don't know what it is about writing romance but it makes me feel weird.
I thought about cutting the slash altogether. But then I remembered how I spent a chunk of my time on this monster. So I'm uploading it.
Was it OK?
Menma is portrayed as a quieter person in this fic. But I did some snoopin'. And found out that he is seen as a crazy person... I love both.
For awhile I was worried that Menma only had black hair when in his crazy form. Then I was worried about him having red and black eyes... Then I saw that thankyou doodle from kishimoto and saw that he kept the black hair and blue eyes . So now I'm relived of that worry.
This story shocks me how well the reception on it is. This is the first one that has had 15 reviews BEFORE chapter 5. so...
THANK YOU FOR REVEIWING :D
like it?
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want me to start working on one of my other projects?
Until next update,
~MonoChro