Guess how many times I re-wrote the beginning of this chapter? if you guessed three, you're really on the ball today. That's right, three whole times I decided it wasn't good enough or was just too...Irrelevant. Of course one of the openings I had in mind was gunna be kinda sexy but I thought it would be too much work, so i was like screw that because my laptop, dear Susan, has passed away. RIP. so I'll be using my tablet...

Yay...Anyway, I'm sorry if this chapter's quality is low. I got really inspired and just word vomit everywhere with all of the plot progression. This chapter starts out with a memory and you look beautiful today. Enjoy
-.-.-.-

Sasuke groaned, coughing hard as he rolled onto his side. He hated being sick, especially when he had the flu. The only reason he had woken up and was enduring the onslaught of sweating, coughing, and generally feeling all around disgusting, was that his phone kept going off. He unlocked the screen and saw that he had gotten multiple snap-chats from Itachi and Naruto. Sasuke took a deep breath, checking them. The first one was almost enough to make him put down his phone and just go back to bed.

'On my way to steal yo gurl!' Itachi was wearing his work clothes, giving the camera a peace sign and a completely expressionless face. Sasuke made sure to screen-shot all of Itachi's just in case they were all embarrassing.

The next one was of Naruto coming out of his house. 'Got your boyfriend.'

'Hanging with your man cause you can't.' Itachi took a picture of him and Naruto getting food, the blond looking like he was in the middle of laughing about something, face red and scrunched up.

The last one was similar to the third one; Itachi and Naruto sitting together but the blond was making a duck face. 'Your boyfriend's coming home with me.'

Sasuke shook his head, then checked Naruto's snaps.

'Oh hell your brother smiled at me. RIP me.' Naruto took a picture of his worried face, frowning.

'So serious.' It was short video of Itachi driving, his neutral profile mindfully watching the road. His long hair falling over his shoulder as he turned at an intersection.

The next one from Naruto he was making another worried face, sheepishly smiling. 'you're not responding, are you dead?'

'You're dead and I'm next, right?'

'Itachi says we're getting food. Which is exactly what a murderer would say.' Part of it was written in Naruto's atrocious hand writing, obscuring the photo beneath the orange text.

'Itachi is kinda bae, tho.' Naruto had snapped a picture of his brother, drink in hand, sucking through a straw as he turned his head away. Sasuke rolled his eyes but made sure to screen shot that photo just so he could have proof of Naruto fawning over his brother.

'I'm coming to see you soon babe.' Naruto made a kissy face.

Sasuke chuckled softly, about to use his camera to snap Naruto back when he heard a commotion out in the living room. Itachi and Naruto were finally back from whatever they had been doing. Sasuke was about to get out of bed and greet them when Naruto stormed into his room, flopping down into Sasuke's bed with him. "Bae, I'm here."

"Don't call me 'bae'."

"Teme, it is then. You're supposed to be happy to see me, asshat."

"Aren't you worried you'll get the flu?"

"Hell no, you got your flu from the flu shot, which is very counter intuitive, so I ain't even worried."

"You being able to use 'counter-intuitive' in a sentence is counter-intuitive."

"If you weren't sick, I'd destroy you."

Itachi came into the room after Naruto had settled in, counting some bills in his hand. He stopped right in front of Naruto, straightening the money and with his free hand, made it rain on them. Naruto looked bewildered for a second as multiple bills fell all over him, some even hitting him in the face. Sasuke frowned, picking up the new and sudden mess on his bed, glaring at his brother. "We are not strippers!"

"Doesn't matter, I was still going to drop a couple stacks on you."

"Why can't you just hand people things like a normal person?" Sasuke further scolded, holding back a cough so he could sound as serious as possible.

"I've always wanted to make it rain on someone but I'm not interested in wasting all the money on naked people."

"I hope it was worth it because one of those bills had a super sharp corner and got me right in the eye." Naruto muttered, "I mean now I can live out my dream of being a pirate, but on the real, I am in a lot of pain."

"Would another stack help with the pain?" Itachi asked, reaching for his wallet.

"NO!"

Itachi smirked gently, leaning over Naruto and pulling Sasuke into a loose embrace. "Well I'm leaving so don't burn down the house." He nuzzled Sasuke's hair for a second. "And no crazy parties."

"If I'm going to throw up it'll be because I'm sick, not because I'm a bad child."

Itachi nodded his head, patting Naruto's hair as he headed through the door, waving a brief goodbye. "Awww, Itachi loves you."

"I know, isn't it stupid?" Sasuke smirked; he leaned against Naruto who was fumbling with the remotes. He queued up a movie on Netflix and moved so his arm was draped over Sasuke's shoulder.

"Ah yeah, get in my cuddle zone, girl." Sasuke tried to immediately pull away, Naruto clinging onto him with enough force to keep him completely still. "Wow, rude ass bitch. I'm keeping you warm."

"Hn." Sasuke pulled up his blanket more, letting Naruto get under it as he leaned back against his headboard. He shut his eyes, but found that the new headache pulsing behind his eye was enough to keep him both awake and in a foul mood. "Since you're refusing to let me go, will you go to bathroom and get me a couple aspirin?"

Naruto nodded, untangling himself from Sasuke and walking into the adjoining room. After a couple bangs of cabinets, Naruto returned, handing the pills to the Uchiha. He took them quickly, wincing at the coldness of the water on his nightstand. "Let's hope I can keep them down."

"Is that what this is for?" Naruto asked, pointing to the large pan on the floor.

"Yeah, yesterday I woke up and proceeded to vomit everywhere." Sasuke shrugged. "So Itachi was like, 'I really love you and everything but I don't want to clean up more, so here.'"

Naruto settled back down next to Sasuke; the Uchiha unconsciously cuddling up to the new heat source in his bed. "He seemed really bummed about not being here."

"Yeah, well, I know he'd be here if he could." Sasuke muttered, pulling his legs up to his chest. "It's not like I don't understand that he has work to do. And he did try to call and re-schedule the trip…For two hours, while yelling at the person on the phone, and I was trying to sleep. But it's fine. Hopefully, you'll make sure I won't die."

Naruto grinned, giving the Uchiha a thumbs-up. "Of course, I will. It's like that Vine. 'You are my best friend, if I'm dying, you dying with me. Ain't no choice.' So if you did die, obviously the most logical choice would be to die too because if Itachi found out, he'd kill me anyway."

"Good to know." Sasuke rolled his eyes. After a few moments of silence between them, Sasuke looked over at the blond's face. He yawned, checked his phone, but stayed relatively impassive. "I'm sorry."

"Hey, don't sweat it. I'd rather spend time with you watching movies and eating every brand of chicken soup than do anything else."

"But Ino's party was tonight."

"And?"

"You can go if you want."

Naruto blew air out of his mouth, laughing. "As if. Like I said, much rather be with my sick, little Teme."

"I'll make it up to you."

"Let me call you 'bae'."

"Go straight to hell with that." Naruto started laughing, making Sasuke crack a smile. He coughed, groaning and Naruto sat up slightly.

"Come in here, little sick one. I shall heal you." He curled his fingers like claws at Sasuke and the Uchiha blinked.

"Hn." He made him sink even closer to Naruto; the blond's hand rested on the middle of his back, rubbing small circles into the tight muscles. Sasuke felt a slight relief to his back pain for a moment. He even felt like the congestion in his lungs was breaking up, making it a little easier to breathe. Naruto moved his hand up to Sasuke's head, resting it against Sasuke's right temple.

"Your head still hurt?" Sasuke nodded blankly, enjoying the warm fingers petting his hair. The Uchiha closed his eyes and for a moment against his eyelids, he swore the room got brighter. Suddenly he felt light, yet sleepy. His head hanging a little more lowly so that his cheek was resting against Naruto's shoulder.

When Sasuke opened his eyes, the screams were what startled him first. He looked around, getting up from his crouched position only to find he was being weighed down by something at his side. He fumbled, falling back down to his knees as he noticed Naruto's death grip on the cloth of his shirt. The blond laid on the ground next to him, unmoving, covered in blood. "Sasuke, run. Please." He could feel the heat of the blaze behind him slowly creeping in; he needed to move. Naruto's weight shifted awkwardly as he tried to get an arm underneath the blond shoulder, keeping them in one spot as Sasuke tried to pick them both up. He felt like he was sinking every single time he tried to make the blond move. Tears of frustration started to well up in his eyes as Naruto used his last ounce of strength to push the Uchiha away, making Sasuke land on his butt slightly to the side. "Sasuke, please." The blond's voice was strained, eyes streaming with tears as he stared up in the Uchiha's face. "RUN! HE'S COMING!"

Sasuke was planted to the spot. He couldn't bring himself to move a muscle away from Naruto. The screams and moans of the people around him were ringing out clearly as Sasuke felt panic welling up in his chest. "Naruto? NARUTO!" He could see him desperately trying to move but fell back down to the ground, overexerted and exhausted. He leaned over the blond, hands move more franticly than he thought possible; he needed Naruto, he needed him. He wouldn't leave him here. "Please, please, Naruto get up. I need you to…"

He felt someone rubbing soothing circles into his back and he turned around, coming face to face with a crimson stare, midnight black hair, and a smirk that spelled out his doom. "I missed you, my love."
-.-.-.-

Sasuke woke with a start, breathing heavily as he looked around the room. He sat up, rubbing the back of his head as he glanced over at Naruto, who was still snoring next to him. The blond was muttering something incoherent in his sleep before he rolled over, facing away from Sasuke. The Uchiha sighed, resting his arms on his knees. Tonight would be the full moon and the thought of demons being stronger made him shiver. Sure, he would be protected by the village and their barriers, but he just had a bad feeling about this.

He had nightmares all night about Madara's arrival and didn't know if he should trust his instincts, which were screaming that the demon would come tonight, or if he was just being paranoid. Those dreams felt so real, especially the last one. It had blended itself into one of his memories, making him sick to his stomach with fear. Of course, Sasuke didn't exactly know he should do about it. If he told Naruto about his fears, it wasn't as though Tsunade would let them leave, put some distance between themselves and the village. He wanted to do what was best for himself and the village, but he wasn't sure what that was. Should he leave without Naruto? Should he tell anyone about his dreams? What if he was wrong?

Should he just...Go?

Sasuke clenched his fists, gritting his teeth with frustration at his own weakness. He had been training for a couple days now and while he was getting better, there was no way he could face Madara in a battle to the death. Madara had magic; what did he have? The chance he could hurt Madara with his mediocre skills were low and all he'd be doing is putting himself in danger. "Why am I so weak?" He muttered, hugging his knees to his chest.

"Sasuke?" The Uchiha jolted hearing Naruto's voice weakly coming from the futon next to him. The blond yawned, sitting up as he glanced over at his companion. "It's barely dawn, why are you awake?"

The Uchiha's words caught on his tongue, unable to properly voice or know what he could say in this situation. Naruto blinked, sleepily, getting up from his futon and coming over to the Uchiha. He shoved him slightly over as he crawled onto Sasuke's futon, enveloping him with the warmth of his body. He forced Sasuke to lay down, holding him as he settled down for sleep once more. "Naruto? Hey! Don't go back to sleep, let me go! It's too hot for this!"

"Shhh, I'll share some of my chakra with you. You were having nightmares, right? My chakra will soothe you, so you can have a peaceful sleep." Sasuke felt his eye lids getting droopy, but he still tried to struggle a bit. He gave up after a few moments, sighing. He settled down again, wrapping his arms around the blond who seemed to insist their closeness. "Even in your dreams, Sasuke, I will protect you from him."

"Okay…" Sasuke watched Naruto's face as they both fell asleep together. He was oddly soothed by the embrace, not understanding why, but just having the blond this close, reassured him. "I'll protect you too." He whispered.
-

The sun's blistering rays spread across the sky, painting the morning in blossoms of reds and purples. Madara smirked to himself as he watched the night scatter among the trees, hiding in the crevices of the world. He refused to hide from the light, letting it bathe him in the gentle warmth of the spawning day. Soon, his flesh would be whole again. Soon, he would have his sacrifice under him.

"My lord, at your command, we are ready to depart."

Madara turned his head towards Tobi and Itachi; the two Uchihas who would follow him into the belly of the beast. He would destroy the monolith of false protection Sasuke hid himself behind. He would break down the barriers, spill the blood of the defiant, and let their dreams fall into ash…

Unless, they were to give him Sasuke without a struggle.

The Uchiha chuckled to himself, standing up and moving into the grass. It swayed in the morning breeze, sending a small cool shiver up his spine. He hoped they struggled.

Itachi looked at the ground, arms folded over his chest as Madara moved closer to them. Tobi put a hand on the small of the youngest Uchiha's back, making him stand straight, at attention to the demonic Uchiha approaching him. "You should be gracious to our Lord, Madara. He chose your body as a conduit for even more strength. It is a great honor."

"I am no longer a strong, chaste priest." Itachi replied, turning his head away from the two of them.

"Being bitter towards me will not help you now, little Uchiha." Madara grabbed Itachi's face, forcing him to look into the oldest Uchiha's face. "With your voice screaming my name as a mantra, I have become very powerful. I am thankful for you. Even though, if the family had followed me, I would have had you and every virgin in the family underneath me."

Making a disgusted face, Itachi turned away. Madara laughed at the rebellious attitude of the youngest Uchiha, smirking. "It is your duty as prince, Itachi, to do what is best for the clan." Tobi said. "Sacrificing your power for our lord's is a trivial issue. He will bring peace to the world."

"Hn." Itachi walked away from them, heading down a path which would bring them all to Konoha. Madara watched at the Uchiha's body started to fade amongst the tall grass, amused at the coldness of the boy.

"Forgive him, my lord." Tobi said with a bow, but Madara waved his hand, dismissively.

"All Uchiha are defiant and aloof at his age. It is to be expected." The older smirked. "It wouldn't be any fun if Itachi was passive in his submission to me." Madara moved quickly, jumping up to the top of a tree, standing in the bright, rising rays of the sun. He stared down at Tobi. "Now come, we have a village to visit."

-.-.-.-.-.-

Naruto swung his legs thoughtfully as he watched Sasuke practice. He was sweating, trickles rolling gently down his back as he swung at the dummy, moving much faster and with an increased air of grace. He was panting harshly, steps only faltering because he was tired, not because of his lack of skill. The priest was more than impressed with the Uchiha's progress. Sasuke learned quickly and efficiently; his dedication to the art of sword play and natural prowess far exceeded Naruto's own. He frowned at the thought. He'd never tell Sasuke this praise out-loud so he could forgo the gloating.

There was something about Sasuke, however, that made the blond all prickles of excitement being near to him. It wasn't just the determination, the sweet reprieve of his fleeting moments of kindness, or something like that. Naruto felt drawn in by the Uchiha, not really knowing the true meaning of his attraction. To the priest, this matter was becoming less about helping Sasuke back to his time, and more about just wasting the time with him. He enjoyed the banter, the arguing, the reliance, and even the occasional comforting words.

"Honestly, you humans are such disgusting creatures."

Naruto blinked, his eyes opening slowly as he was brought before a looming cage, the Kyuubi resting its head on oversized paws. Naruto sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Why have you summoned me here?"

"You act as though this is an actual place that resides outside of yourself. It is only natural you return here, to me, when your mind is wandering."

"Is that all you wanted to say to me, fox?"

"I do believe you should distance yourself from that Uchiha boy."

Naruto rolled his eyes, taking a few steps forward so that he could meet at least one of the monster's eyes. "And I believe we've discussed this matter in its entirety. I am only with Sasuke to be of assistance and protect him on his journey."

"Oh? And this morning when you coddled him gently, was that to help him on his journey? Or, perhaps, your thorny jealousy towards your own reincarnation? Are not your thoughts and reflections upon him because you are in the midst of falling in love?"

Naruto let out a startled, nervous laugh. "Love? Have you become stupid?"

"Hmph, if I became stupid it is because you're a dim host, at best."

Naruto felt the heat of his body rise, flustered by the comment. He frowned, eyes narrowing. "Is that all? What a waste of time."

"Your heart is your only reliable organ, little priest, do remember to use it and give it wisely."

"Which would be to you, correct?"

The fox smirked, large lips stretching so that bright white teeth barred at the little blond. "You're beginning to understand."

"I am not in love with Sasuke." The Kyuubi laughed at the statement, settling on the bottom of the cage. Large rows of pearly white teeth appeared against the red fur.

"You humans fall in love so easily; it's disgraceful. Only a few days with this boy and you are already consumed with thoughts of him. Love is a sickness to your kind. It takes all of you and reduces the self to a weakened, useless form."

Naruto grit his teeth. "That is what it means to be human. Trusting other people and fighting selflessly for the people you love and care about."

The fox curled its tail around its massive body, enormous paws flexing in front of Naruto's face. "Pathetic." Naruto's eyes widened at the words, clenching his fists at his sides. "True strength comes from self-reliance. Think about it, even priests are strong because they do not intermingle with other humans in ways that form strong relationships. They are chaste. And once your chastity is broken, your divine powers are cut."

The blond turned his back to the fox, shaking his head. "Naruto?"

Naruto blinked, looking around. He was lying on his back, having fallen from the roof, Sasuke's face hovering above him. He seemed impassive, not showing much concern "Oi, what the hell are you doing?" Naruto sputtered, embarrassed. He suddenly sat up, catching Sasuke off-guard. The force in which their foreheads collided was enough to knock Sasuke off his feet. He fell backwards, clutching his face. "Naruto, what the fuck? That hurt you absolute dumbass. Jesus fucking Christ, I was just checking on you."

Naruto rolled on the ground, holding his head in his hands, moaning with pain. Slowly, however, he realized he had hurt Sasuke. "Sasuke! Are you alright?"

The Uchiha got to his feet, glaring at the blond as he did so. "I'm never helping you again, Dobe."

"How is this my fault? You were the one who was far too close to me!"

"You fell off the roof! I was checking to see if you were okay, idiot!"

"I am one of the strongest priests in the land, do you actually think a fall from that high would hurt me?"

"Well you're also the stupidest priest in the land! So yes, I was checking to make sure you didn't kill yourself!"

Naruto huffed, brushing dirt off of himself as he stood. Sasuke walked away from the blond, placing the practice sword back on the rack. "You were talking to yourself." Naruto perked up at Sasuke's sudden statement.

"What?"

"You heard me, you were talking to yourself before you fell."

Naruto swallowed; he hadn't realized he spoke aloud when he communed with the Kyuubi within himself. Usually such moments were in times where he was alone. A hot flood of embarrassment washed over the blond as he looked away from Sasuke's arrogant eyes. "It was nothing. The demon inside wished to speak with me."

"He talks to you?"

"Yes. The Kyuubi is a living being, so of course he has much to say about humanity." Naruto muttered with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "OH! This reminds, we must head into town today."

Sasuke blinked. "Sure."

"But first, let me see your wound. It might leave a gruesome bruise." Naruto stated, reaching up to Sasuke's face. His thumb light pressed into the middle of the Uchiha's forehead, gentle golden light pulsing from the pad of his finger.

"RUN! HE'S COMING!"

"I missed you, my love."

Sasuke jerked back so fast he nearly tripped over his own feet. A startling breath exited him as Naruto watched with wide eyes; they held nothing but concern over the Uchiha's sudden movements. The tension within the space grew as Sasuke let out a strangled breath; hand moving up to his forehead. Naruto frowned, "What happened?"

"I…I-I'm fine." Sasuke replied in a calm tone, but his face hadn't changed, still displaying a look Naruto was far more than concerned with.

"Sasuke, the pulse of your heart says otherwise. Your face is flushed like you've experienced the heat of battle! What is the matter? Even if I hurt you with my chakra, there is no reason for you to look as you do!"

It was just as Sasuke had feared; the moment of his worries, he supposed, should be spoken aloud so Naruto could reassure him. But he wasn't sure what kind of reception his anxiety would get him. Naruto might laugh it off or he may take it seriously. He wasn't sure which. Sasuke turned his face away, a pulse of both desire and fear making his body tremble. He hated Madara so much in this moment. It was only when he thought of the demon that he felt so weak. Turning back to face Naruto, eyes cast downwards, Sasuke opened his mouth. "I had nightmares this morning, remember?"

The priest raised an eyebrow, nodding. "What of them?"

"The last one started out like a memory, but at the end I was in the village. It was being burned to the ground and you were…" Sasuke stopped remembering the panic in his chest at the sight of Naruto struggling to get himself off the ground and protect Sasuke; the blood of blood soaking into his clothes and how desperate Naruto's voice sounded when he told Sasuke to run. "Madara had come to the village and he hurt you because of me….And I…"

Sasuke jolted slightly feeling the press of Naruto's warm hand on his shoulder. He looked up into sparkling blues, ones that held a symphony of emotion and empathy. "Sasuke, it's going to be fine. It was just the stresses of life following you into your sleeping hours. Madara doesn't know where you are and even if he did, the village has very strong barriers in place to keep out demons. We will protect you, Sasuke. And I will personally see to it that you never fall into Madara's hands, believe it."

-.-.-.-.-

The dirt and stone streets bustled with life as Sasuke and Naruto made their way into the market district, assaulted by the yelling of merchants, the stench of the daily produce, and the bombardment of people rushing around. Seeing so many faces, so many lives, Sasuke felt sick to his stomach with anxiety. He didn't want anyone to get hurt because of him. These were all innocent people, living and breathing, without a care in the world except for their day to day. But because Sasuke was here, he could get them all hurt or worse…

Naruto seeming to sense the sullenness of Sasuke's mood, grabbed his companion by the sleeve of his yukata and directed him towards a less crowded section of the market place. The priest knew he would have to take the lead and keep Sasuke focused on their goals for the moment to appease his overly active mind. "I believe three days' time should suffice."

"What?" Sasuke, caught off-guard by the suddenness of conversation, turned his face towards the blond. He was smiling at the Uchiha.

"Did you forget about our undertakings of an adventure?"

Sasuke scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Hn, I understand. Will three days really be enough? We've only managed to obtain a few herbs and remedies from Tsunade."

"It would put us in prime territory to strike at the heart of Orochimaru's lair, giving us a means of equal negotiation." Naruto said with a nod of his head. "But the extra time in the village gives us more opportunities to train and scavenge markets for rare items. Even though I may not look it, I have received some training in the art of potion crafting."

"Why would you be in need of potions?" Naruto jumped out of his skin, startling Sasuke when a large hand landed on the blond's shoulder. Sasuke put a hand over his chest, willing the rapid beating of his heart to still as he glanced at the man who was gently smiling at the priest.

"Please refrain from doing such a thing!"

Sasuke knew that face anywhere; it was Iruka. Or at least, his past life. Just like with most of the incarnations he had encountered, there was a difference between this Iruka and the one back home, namely the giant scar running across his nose.

Sasuke watched with a strange hint of nostalgia while the two of them bickered, Naruto getting flustered and taken aback whenever Iruka gave a quick, but cutting response. It reminded Sasuke of coming over to Naruto's house, where Iruka was home after school, grading papers, always smiling and almost unbearably kind. And then Naruto would make some kind of smart comment and the arguing would be begin. But unlike when Itachi and Sasuke argued, their arguments always ended with laughing or a hug.

Naruto let out an energetic laugh, pulling Sasuke back into the moment. Iruka, with a fatherly yet gentle look on his face, patted the blond on the head. "Sasuke, this i-"

"Iruka." The Uchiha replied. Both of them stared with a slightly shocked look on their faces for a couple seconds. Sasuke smirked, "Have you forgot my powers of mysticism?"

"Mysticism?" Naruto shook his head.

"Sasuke, I know who you are as well, and that you are not some kind of prophet."

"Oh." Sasuke replied, blinking. "It was worth a shot."

"I will commend your efforts on the disguise of your situation. It is a well thought-out move on your behalf." Iruka said with a smile. "Not many would believe the truth, nor think you were a simple human because of it."

"Who spoke to you of Sasuke's situation?"

"Why, Tsunade, of course. All the high priests know about Sasuke for his…arrival was certainly not missed in the community. Most believed it to be demonic activity. Our worries had to be put to rest, you see."

"See Sasuke, your arrival did seem incredibly demonic." Naruto said, smirking at this Uchiha companion.

"You smelled yourself on me, I rest my case." Sasuke replied, snippily, making the blond priest sputter at the quickness and pointed edge of Sasuke's words.

"But back to the matter at hand, why are you in need of potions, Naruto?" Iruka questioned. Sasuke could feel the subtle shift in Iruka's tone and posture; it was slightly more accusatory, meaning he probably figured out something was happening. Naruto's wordless response and flustered countenance didn't help either.

"Because of my curse, I have chest pains." Sasuke responded, faking his best embarrassed smile to garner sympathy. He felt like his brother would be proud of this lie. "I do not wish to be so bothersome and take up so much of Tsunade's time so Naruto proposed, since he is usually the priest who ventures with me, that perhaps he may have the skill set to produce a cure."

Iruka's face lightened up, obviously not expecting such answer that seemed so true. Sasuke had mastered the art of lying when he was still only a mere child; the only person he couldn't seem to fool was his own brother. But considering Itachi could boldly lie straight to someone's face without a single twitch in his voice or facial movement, it wasn't surprising he could see through any façade Sasuke had.

"Oh, well perhaps it would be a better decision on your part to keep with Tsunade's remedies. Naruto was not the best potions student." Sasuke glared at the side of Naruto's head, who conveniently, was looking completely away from the Uchiha, adding to his guilt. Iruka laughed, placing a comforting hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "But you never know, Naruto is highly unpredictable when he sets his mind to a matter."
-.-.-.-

"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked looking up from his futon. Naruto was painting something in black ink of the floor, making almost a perfect circle with just the writing. He glanced up at Sasuke, smiling.

"It is the full moon, after all. Every high ranking priest has to guard the village by spending a bit chakra on this night; there's a reason as to why the temple is in the middle of the village and so large. To create an effective barrier, we must encompass the entire village with equal power on each side." Naruto blew on the ink, waving his hand and willing it to dry. "Just go ahead and sleep, Sasuke. There's nothing to worry about. I'll be awake the entire evening, watching over you."

"Just the thought of you watching me sleep is enough to make me want to stay awake."

Taken aback by Sasuke rude comment, Naruto puffed up, turning away from the Uchiha. "Stay up if you wish, I will be focused and will not be much of a conversational partner."

"As long as I don't have to deal with another night of you snoring."

Naruto stuck his tongue out at Sasuke, childishly defending himself. The Uchiha snorted, settling down for the night. "Goodnight Naruto, I trust you'll keep everyone safe."

The blond felt a small blush creeping up on his face, setting his face aflame as he moved into the circle, settling down. He pushed the off-handedly sweet comment to the side, taking a deep breath and focusing his mind. It didn't take much for him to create a barrier, but when other people were involved, he had to keep his chakra flowing at a steady, constant rate, as to not create weak spots. He pictured everyone settled around the shine, making a circle.

Before long, Naruto's body burst with a golden light, shrouding him in a cloak of his chakra.
-.-.-.-

"Hn, what a strong barrier." Madara commented, setting his hand against the dimly shimmer layer of chakra and magic surrounding the village. "Were they expecting me? I wanted a warmer welcome than this."

Itachi and Tobi stood to Madara's side, watching the oldest Uchiha laugh gently, pressing his palm further against the barrier. "Do you think you can dissolve it?" Tobi asked.

"Naturally," Madara replied in a plain, nonchalant tone. "a barrier like this may have many priest feeding its flames, but that doesn't mean I haven't hit a peak in my power. I am a man of limitless possibilities. Aside from that…" The Uchiha's Sharingan spun wildly in his eyes, "The only man who could really stop me is dead."

Without an additional word, Madara brought forth a sudden wave of black fire, engulfing the barrier. It consumed the barrier, washing it away in bursts of flames. It would be mere moments before the priests would abandon the barrier and come out to check the threat. Madara smirked as he walked through the new hole in Konoha's defenses. He would enjoy the destruction of such a holy relic.

Tobi and Itachi followed through the hole as well, making sure to avoid the fire which seem to burn without reason. Reluctantly, Itachi looked towards the middle of the village, knowing that if Sasuke was still here, he'd undoubtedly still be in the shrine. He clenched his fists, steeling himself for the onslaught about to confront them. He could already hear the shifting movement of the priests and military assembling and enclosing around them.

Madara leapt to the highest point of the structure next to them, his dark figure shadowed by the shining fullness of the moon. He looked more demonic then, staring down at the village with his unearthly red eyes, than he ever did previously. Itachi swallowed the lump in his throat.

The oldest Uchiha sent out a dark pulse of magic. It spread slowly, like some kind of diseased wave of darkness, slinking through crevices and buildings. It crawled like it was some kind of hunting predator, close to the ground, scrapping long, black nails on the ground to scare the prey. Itachi prayed; he begged Kami's forgiveness and asked for hope that Sasuke had already departed, but when Madara exclaimed, "I FOUND YOU, MY LOVE." Itachi knew it was pointless to pray. Gods always seemed to wait until the demons got the upper hand.
-.-.-.-

Sasuke woke up with a loud scream, gripping the area over his heart like a knife had been stabbed straight into his chest. He thrashed under the thin sheets of his futon, pain making it difficult to move; it was difficult to breathe. Naruto was at his side already, forcing Sasuke into his arms and moving them towards the cubby. He threw the duffle bag into Sasuke's arms and made the Uchiha rise to his feet. Sasuke fell back to his knees, waves of pain mixing with desire, hypnotizing him to crave the pleasure and fight against the unbearable throb he felt. "I can't…I can't…I need him, I need it so bad."

Naruto slapped Sasuke hard across the face, seeming to snap him back to the hard reality of the situation. "Get ahold of yourself, Sasuke. Now is not the time to act as such; leave here now. There is a secret passage out of the room next door that leads into the woods. I will hold him off so you need to run away."

"I can't leave here without you." Sasuke said, grabbing on the sleeve of Naruto's yukata. "Come with me."

A hesitant look crossed Naruto's face, but his moment of hesitation was quickly replaced when they both heard the screams and wails coming from outside. Sasuke could smell the thick lingering of smoke in the air, and it wasn't because of the fire in their room. The Uchiha's grip tightened, eyes widening. Naruto bit his lip, reaching up and pulling off a necklace with a blue jewel. He slipped it over Sasuke's head. "This will keep you safe, Sasuke. Please, for me, leave this place. I won't be able to fight knowing you're in danger. Slip away into the night Sasuke; I'm begging you."

Naruto felt another dark pulse of energy spread through the room, he shuddered as Sasuke clutched his chest. He was more pale than usual, struggling to breathe. Naruto slowly started to realize Sasuke may not be able to make it anywhere without Naruto supporting him.

Making a quick, rash decision, Naruto grabbed the Uchiha in his arms, running towards the room next door. He saw everyone rushing around, yelling; screams could already he heard from the rest of the village. Unnatural fires burned buildings and the smoldering ashes and cinders filled the air around them. Sasuke watched, eyes wide and full of a strangling pained emotional turmoil. Before Naruto could get a grasp on the situation, the Uchiha swung at him, fist colliding straight into his jaw. The priest stumbled back, landing on his knees as Sasuke got to his feet, running out of the shrine as fast as he could. The blond's eyes widened, fear and realization consuming his thought as he quickly got back on his feet. He would save Sasuke. He would keep him safe.

He wouldn't let Madara lay a single hand on him.

-.-.-.-.-

Sasuke ran past the masses who were heading either to the shrine or completely from the village. He knew he was heading the right way because of how many people he passed. This was all his fault. He had decided to ignore his dream and carry on like reality wouldn't catch up with him. He was an idiot. He put all of these lives in danger. And now, he would be the one to make it right.

If Madara wanted him…

He would go to the demon.

No one else needed to die for him.

His heart leapt out of his chest when he saw Madara take out a wave of priests without barely lifting an arm. For a moment, he watched in silence as Tsunade moved forward, scaling a building with ease and aiming a punch straight for him. She was deflected by some bone shaped aura, seemingly unable to be broken. She continued her onslaught of golden cloaked punches, hoping to crack and damage the outer shell of his barrier. Madara just laughed, the barrier moving around him and grabbing her. She struggled in the grip before she was thrown towards the very edge of the village, a building crumbling upon her impact.

"STOP!" Sasuke yelled; everyone around him paused, including Madara who finally seemed to notice Sasuke's presence. "Stop it!"

Madara's barrier faded, all the priests in the area were laying in huddles around him, not moving. Slowly, he walked towards the younger Uchiha, smirking victoriously. "Finally, you've come to me."

"If I go with you, will you leave this place?"

Madara stopped short of Sasuke, looking into his face with dangerous red eyes. They shone inhumanly in the bright light of the moon, making him seem far more ominous with a shadowed face. "Of course, my love. I only sought you and if you will come with me, I will never return here." Madara held out his hand, long pale fingers stretching hungrily towards Sasuke. "Be my salvation and you will be the world's salvation; that is how it works."

Sasuke hesitated for a moment, eyes scanning the destruction of the area. Itachi and a man in an orange mask were waiting behind Madara. Something in Itachi face, however, told Sasuke not to accept the hand which was gently splayed in front of him, it was telling him to run. But what real choice did he have? He reached out, going to accept Madara's hand when a large force impacted the ground, knocking him back.

Madara sneered, setting up his barrier again. His eyes widened only fractionally when he saw a figure cloaked in chakra stained with blood. He laughed, drawn to the threatening figure which moved closer to him. The Jinchuuriki had finally decided to grace Madara with his presence, and the Uchiha was not disappointed. "Oh, he's on a rampage? How exciting!" Madara crouched down, intending to jump when a multitude of blood red hands shot out of Naruto's back, reaching for him. It crunched down on Madara, squeezing the Uchiha's barrier and cracking it. Screeching like a wild animal, Naruto rushed forward, breaking the barrier even more with three tails of chakra seeping into the cracks. Madara couldn't find his balance and fell back, rolling across the ground until he was able to catch himself and slow the momentum of his body. He got back onto his feet as quickly as he could but was quickly met with a clawed fist to the cheek.

Sasuke couldn't look away as Madara's body slammed into the stone wall of the village; it crumbled to dust upon impact. He looked towards the red figure, on all fours and screaming like it was in pain. He remembered when he came to this world and how Naruto attacked him with red fists…

"Naruto?" A deafening howl filled the air as the red figure moved towards Sasuke at a speed the Uchiha couldn't keep up with. It lingered in front of him, showing a facial structure under that chakra that Sasuke knew. "What happened to you?" Sasuke reached out but before he could touch the priest, Madara fell from the sky, landing in the middle of Naruto's back and smashing him into the ground. The stone exploded, leaving a crater from the impact. A rock scratched the side of Sasuke's face, causing a red burst of blood to bloom across his face. His eyes widened as he searched for Naruto's figure in the dust.

A sudden movement startled him when Madara and Naruto erupted from the dust, colliding with each other midair, attempting to knock the other back into the earth. Sasuke could tell one thing from this fighting; Naruto was trying hard to win…But…

Madara slammed Naruto through numerous of the stone buildings before he landed back on the ground. The priest struggled to get back on his feet, letting out a weak roar as he did so. Sasuke noticed another tail beginning to form with the others but Madara shook his head. "Relying a demon's power when you're not a demon yourself will only kill you, little priest." Madara smirked triumphantly as he made a sign with his hand, eyes widening as they spiraled with a black design. "Our fight ends here, child."

Naruto let out a scream so horrendous that Sasuke had to cover his ears. The blond's red chakra started to recede, leaving a bloody, skinless mess behind. Wave after wave of crimson droplets scattered across the ground as Naruto wailed, the demonic form leaving him. His eyes looked soulless as the last bits of the power left him. He fell to the ground, boneless, body steaming as the bloody, pulp of his skin started to regrow.

Horrified by Naruto's lifeless demeanor, Sasuke ran to him, afraid to touch the still blood soaked body. The muscles tissues of his face and upper torso were still exposed and he was breathing heavily, crying out in a monotonous way as his skin slowly started to pull upwards.

"Such a pathetic lie, this place is." Madara began. "This monolith of protection is a farce; nothing could hold my strength for I am too righteous in my path. They even placed a demon in a young boy, thinking that with his strength, they could not possibly be defeated. But oh, how loathsome a fate. That demon consumed him, tortured him even now…"

Sasuke cradled Naruto to his chest, ignoring Madara. Feeling a strangling pain ricocheting through his chest as he held the blond closely. Because of him, Naruto got hurt. Madara was smirking at him, staring down with shining red eyes. Sasuke scooted backwards, dragging Naruto's body with him. "Get away from me!" He yelled, burying his face in blond hair. Madara took a step forward, kneeling down in front of Sasuke, reaching out to caress the Uchiha's face. Defiantly, Sasuke reeled back, spitting in the demon's face.

Unamused by Sasuke's lack of cooperation, he reached out, grabbing Sasuke by the hair and hauling him up to his feet. "Now, love, is that any way to treat me?"

"Fuck you!" Sasuke yelled, kicking Madara in the side. The Uchiha didn't even flinch nor did he bat an eye at the feeble attempt to hurt him. Madara's red eyes shone with annoyance as he got a better grip on Sasuke's head, pulling it back as he forced the boy forward. "Let me go!"

"My, my, what a change in attitude. But no fear, I will repair what the village has done to you and then we shall become one."

"I SAID LET ME GO!" Sasuke ducked down, grabbing the sword from Naruto's belt and blindly swung it into Madara's chest. The demon's eyes widened as the blade sunk deeper, black blood spilling out of the wound as Madara stared, lips parted in surprise. The grip on Sasuke's hair lessened and he was able to shake himself free, scrambling to pick up the priest. Naruto opened his eyes as Sasuke forcefully pulled him off the ground, getting him to his feet.

Madara's laughter made the two of them freeze as he smirked at them, eyes showing a plethora of mirth. "Did you really think a simple blade would be enough to destroy me? I am Uchiha Madara; savior of this world! I AM UNSTOPPABLE."

Naruto reached out, hands glowing golden as he grabbed the hilt of the sword, his chakra pulsing through the blade and into the demon's body. "GO BACK TO AFTERLIFE, DEMON!" Madara wailed as a bright, encompassing light filled and enveloped him. He fell onto his knees, golden runes spreading up from his chest to his face, down his arms, and pulsing sporadically. He couldn't move, could barely breathe. His wound spat out ichor; black and thick like tar. Naruto grunted in pain, standing up a little more straight. "Sasuke, we need to move. My chakra can't keep him contained for long."

Tobi moved to stand in front of them, Itachi at his side, looking impassive. "I cannot allow that, I'm afraid. Our lord needs his sacrifice."

Itachi quickly turned towards Tobi, pulling a poisoned needle from his folds of his clothes, digging it into the Uchiha's neck. Tobi sputtered at the sudden attack and fell to his knees, gripping the trickling wound. He shuddered, unable to keep himself in an upright position as Itachi watched, his eyes narrowed and glaring; hatred burned in the scarlet iris. "You bastard, I'll remember this."

Itachi ran forward, towards the two stunned boys in front of him. Before either of them could say a word, he grabbed them by the wrists, pulling them into a run. Sasuke kept pace with Itachi just fine but worried about Naruto, constantly turning his head to check on the blond. He stumbled a few times on his feet before falling into a rhythm, easily keeping up with the two Uchihas.

They headed into the shrine, towards the room with the false wall, Naruto leading the way after they passed through the arches. He grabbed the long abandoned bag and waited for Itachi and Sasuke to pass him by before sealing the door shut behind them.

Running as quickly as they could, they made it into the forest on the other side of Konoha. Sasuke was breathing a little hard from how quickly he was sprinting but could barely feel the burn of his lungs as they continued to put distance between themselves and Madara. He could feel the sting of tears in his eyes about how horrifically he had failed the village, but bit them back.

After what seemed like an eternity of running, the three of them had to stop. Naruto wobbled on his feet, leaning against a tree and proceeded to start vomiting. Sasuke rushed to his side, patting his back and comforting him to the best of his ability. Itachi sat down against a different tree, panting and wiping the sweat from his eyes. "Why did you refuse to leave, Sasuke?" Naruto coughed out; he angrily swayed into a position where he could look the Uchiha in the face. "Why did you stay?"

"This is my fault, isn't it? No one should suffer because of me!"

"Fool! If you had just run, I-"

"Would have died!" Sasuke yelled into the blond's face. "I cannot allow it! I cannot allow people to die for me."

Sensing the tense atmosphere between them, Itachi stood up, placing a hand on both their chests and pushing them away from each other. "Now is not the time for you two to fight amongst yourselves. What is to be acknowledged about this situation is that we all escaped and Madara does not have Sasuke. Your rune seal should hold until dawn so we need to continue to put distance between us and him."

Sasuke and Naruto both settled down, refusing to look at the other. Itachi sighed. "When you feel well enough too, we will continue forward."

Moments of silence passed before Naruto straightened and they started walking deeper into the forest. By the time dawn was breaking across the horizon, the three of them had set up a quick, make-shift camp. Sasuke fell to his knees, hand clutching his chest. He panted harshly before his head hit the soil.

-.-.-.-

*was supposed to write a chapter for promies*

*Completely blows it*

Naruto: Yeah, seriously what the fuck happened?
Me: I was watching Cry play Asura's Wrath and I got so inspired to not do what I was supposed to...
Naruto: HAVE YOU EVEN STARTED?!
Me: Yeah, I'm like halfway done with the new chapter but I felt like 'why make everyone wait for something when I had the Classic done?'
Naruto: Just do your work in order.
Me: No, I'm bad at things. This was Hitoko-sama.