I DO NOT OWN NARUTO!

Sasuke POV:

Training the new recruits day in and day out was becoming tiring. Half of them still couldn't access their chakra! Since the war started we've been sending many talented shinobi to the front lines in an effort to stop (or at least slow down) sound's invasion. But many are already dead. That's exactly why these ninja must be better, stronger and faster. Unfortunately I haven't seen much progress since the training started. The only people with any talent were either too young or cowardly to send to battle. I sighed heavily and slumped on my desk. I wished that I had someone here to distract me. Someone with golden hair, tan skin, blue eyes and that dazzling smile. Naruto…I missed him. After he disappeared I had realized that I had fallen in love with him. Whenever he was with me I felt happy and content. Tasuke closed his eyes. ed it' along with a group of ninja, to speak with Kyuubi. We'eld my chin tightly to force me to face himhe way his smiles brighten the room. How he always manages to make me reveal my emotions, even if it is annoyance. He was so loud and full of that he was gone all I feel is loneliness. I don't even know where he went! No one in the village had seen him. Had sound taken him? Perhaps they were torturing him for information. Or using him as a slave. My troubled thoughts were interrupted by a loud bang. Caused from my door being swung open and hitting the wall. Kiba came running inside. I stood up stiffly.

"My lord! You will not believe what I just saw!"

"Sigh~ What was it?"

"The great nine-tailed fox in the forest. It killed a sound ninja and dropped him before me, before going back into the forest. Surely you heard its loud roar. The fox is still alive!"

"Have you informed my father?"

"Yes prince. He has called a meeting for you, Kakashi and the other jonin."

"Very well. I am on my way then."

I stood up and threw a formal robe over my dirt covered clothes and gracefully walked through the doorway. I made my way to the meeting room. It was a fairly large room with a long oval table at its center. Seated around it was Kakashi, Kurenai, Asuma, Gai, Shikaku, and now myself. After another 5 minutes my father walked in and sat down. He stayed silent until Kurenai asked a question.

"King Fugaku-sama. Why have you called us here?"

"Ahh~ I am sure that is the question on all of your minds. Correct?" They all nodded. "I have 2 sound nin in custody." Immediately chatter started about how to interrogate them. "Please wait until I have finished." All conversations stopped. "Now then. The nin are dead. Killed by a nine tailed fox in the forest." All the jonin present shot up from their seats, except for Shikaku.

Asuma spoke directly to my father. "Are you sure this is true? I thought that the demon foxes were killed."

"I am sure. You see, we managed to kill a mated pair, but don't you wonder how a group of humans could kill 2 powerful demons?" They all nodded their heads hesitantly. "We had a bit of….leverage. Their kit."

Kurenai spoke up. "They had a child? Why didn't we know about this?"

"To prevent panic. The kit was captured and kept in a cage to lure out its parents. They came to find it and surrendered. We killed them and moved to kill the kit, but it escaped. The emotional torment gave it more power and it managed to kill 3 ninjas before it escaped."

"How terrible…"

"Foxes do gain their power through emotions. So this new demon is probably that kit. The question is why did it kill the sound nins and not us?"

My father nodded. "Correct Kakashi."

Shikaku spoke in a bored voice. "Maybe this kit is no longer a kit. It may have grown and the ones responsible for its parents death have aged (or have died).They no longer prove to be a threat and we, ourselves, are not guilty. It most likely realizes this."

"So what do you propose we do about it?" Asuma asked.

Shikaku leaned back in his chair. "Nothing."

Roars of disapproval swept through the room. I listened before turning to my father. "Father, may I speak?" He looked at me curiously before nodding. "I propose we send a gift to the fox, as thanks for killing the sound nin. We can leave something at the edge of the forest for it to find. This will make us seem honorable and it will, perhaps, lessen its hatred for us." Silence reigned throughout the room until my father broke it.

"A very insightful analysis Sasuke. That could work in our favor. For now I will go with your plan. If at any point the fox threatens us we will kill it." He leveled a glare at the wall full of promise and resolve. Everyone bowed their heads to him. "Meeting dismissed." The jonin left to think about what they had just learned. "Sasuke. I want you to pick this gift, and even with this war going on we will still be having the ball. It'll create some stability for you and village."

I froze momentarily in the doorway. I had forgotten about the marriage plans. "Very well father." I bowed again before leaving. Everything in this kingdom was stressing me. Naruto….I wish you were here.

Naruto POV: 2 weeks later

Everyone could tell that the war was getting worse. The aura of the kingdom was dimmed and more and more territory was being lost to sound. The new ninjas were getting killed as soon as they reached the battle grounds. Some people began evacuating to Suna to escape the war. Children didn't run and laugh in the streets anymore. The village became extremely quiet. Everyone knew that Konoha was losing. We had some of the strongest ninja alive but it wasn't enough. Sound had sheer numbers. Jiraiya had returned with Tsunade to help in the war. They had been in the front lines for a week now.

I mindlessly played with the golden trinket left with me from Sasuke's gift to the demon fox. I had killed about 10 sound nins who had entered my forest, and then they stopped. I guess their leader learned not to mess with me. I continuously checked on Sasuke and was happy to see him safe, but lately he had been looking worn down. Dark bags under his eyes, paler complexion and thin. It worried me. I knew that my feelings for Sasuke were developing in the castle. It was one of the reasons I came back to the forest. Unfortunately, after I left those feelings only got stronger. I stopped messing with the trinket and stood up. Perhaps I should go visit him. I wandered to the edge of the forest and peaked out of the bushes. No one was outside. I stepped onto the well-worn path and walked into town. Some people recognized me and waved at me with a smile, but it seemed strained. I waved back and asked how everyone was doing. They told me that everyone stayed inside now, just in case sound attacked here. I nodded and kept walking. I made a detour to go see Frank and the kids. I walked towards their home and saw the tilled field. It looked the kids held up their duties well. I knocked on the door and Renji answered. I noticed that he had grown a couple inches.

"Yes? Can I help y- Naruto!"

I smiled. "Hey Renji. What's up?"

He gaped for a few seconds befpre grabbing my arm and dragging me inside. "Cora! Frank! Naruto's here!"

I heard the running of a pair feet, and another's following at a slower pace. A door opened and Cora and Frank stepped out. Cora visibly brightened. "Naruto! It's so good to see you again."

"You too." I gave the kids a hug before nodding to Frank, who nodded back. "So what did I miss while I was away?"

I spent the next 2 hours learning about everything they had done. They had started school and were doing great in it. Turns out that Renji had great skill in paiting and Cora was perfect for becoming a kunoichi. They had grown and gained muscle from working the field. Frank had become their grandfather in all but blood. It was nice to talk and laugh with them again. I told them about the pranks I pulled in the castle and my escape. I looked to the sky and saw that the sun would set in about an hour so I said goodbye and left. I walked to the bottom of the hill and took a deep breath before using Hell's Gate (a demon technique) to transport to the castle. Purple flames rose around me before I disappeared. I searched for Sasuke's chakra and found him to be in his room. I smiled and ran to it. I reached his door and threw it open. I saw Sasuke jump into a fighting stance before freezing. His face showed shock.

"N-Naruto!" I smiled and ran to him. I wrapped my arms around his waist and did so around my back. I felt him lean down and inhale my scent. We stayed like that for a few moments, just embracing eachother, before Sasuke broke the silence. "Where were you?" I shook my head on his chest and sighed. Sasuke frowned. He pushed my away and looked me in the eyes. "You disappeared. Don't you know how worried I was about you?"

I saw the hurt in Sasuke's eyes and felt guilt well up inside me. I had only realized the full extent of my feelings for him after I had left. I lowered my eyes to the floor and spoke. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you. It's just….I wanted to go home."

Sasuke stared at me for a second before sighing and enveloping me in a hug. I nuzzled into his chest, ears folded back, as he pet my hair. He unknowingly rubbed between my ears causing me to purr. "I'm glad you're back. With the war I had thought something terrible had happened to you…."

I looked up to him and grinned. "No way! I'm too strong to be caught or killed."

Sasuke smirked. "I'm sure you are but just in case, I want you to stay here." Sasuke saw my annoyed face and quickly continued. "At least until my birthday is over."

My ADD quickly came out and I forgot all about my annoyance. "Birthday?" I blinked up at him.

He nodded. "Yes. There will be a ball next week for all the nobles to attend. Their daughters will be introduced to me so that I may pick one to be my bride." I noticed that he said 'bride' with contempt.

"O-oh. Your…bride. I really don't think I should go. I mean, I'm not a noble or anything." Unfortunately, I couldn't hide the sadness in my voice.

Sasuke heard and lifted my chin to look me in the eyes. I tried to look away but he held my chin tightly to force me to face him. I slid my eyes up to his and saw their seriousness. "Listen to me. I don't want to marry any of them. If I had a choice I would call off this entire thing."

I smiled. Sasuke didn't want one of those girls. That made me happy. "Thank-you Sasuke."

"So you'll stay?"

"For now. I guess someone will have to protect you."

He smirked. "Hn. I'll get Kakashi then."

"He'll be too busy with Iruka to protect you."

"The guards then."

"None of them are as good as me." I gave him one of my foxy grins.

"I'll be sure to bring you with us to the forest then."

My smile dropped. "The forest?" I heard Sasuke curse. "Sasuke….Why are you going to the forest?"

"Sigh~ My father is sending me, along with a group of ninja, to speak with Kyuubi. We're losing the war and need its help."

"….When are you leaving?"

Sasuke closed his eyes. "Tomorrow."