A/N: Thanks for the great reviews!

I can't wait for Sasuke to come to his senses either. I've already got most of that scene drafted and I can't wait to write it. For now, though, we'll be living with Naruto and his new companions for a bit. I updated the Always You blog (accessible from my homepage). Remember, this fic will be around the same length as Until You, so I guess I'm about halfway done.

Thanks for reading! Onward.

Chapter 5

Naruto did not take the hand offered to him. Instead, he glanced around at his surroundings, seeking enemies. The man appeared to be alone, though. And Naruto did not sense any of Akatsuki nearby.

At last he did turn his eyes to his companion when the other man removed his hand. Naruto took in the predominately white attire, the white hair and beard. There were seven swords protruding from the man's back. Naruto got to his feet slowly. The man seemed to be looking at him, but Naruto couldn't see his eyes to be sure.

There was a lot of chakra in the man. Naruto sensed this and he sensed some sort of resonance with his own body…something. Something about this man drew Naruto. "Why did you call me brother," the blond asked slowly.

"A fellow Jinchuuriki is always a brother. I am Killerbee, but you may call me Jinchuuriki-sama," the man joked. "You must be the Nine-Tails. Only the One-Tail and Nine-Tails are left besides myself. Akatsuki killed the rest." Naruto's eyes sharpened at the name Akatsuki, Killerbee saw. "Is that who you were running from?"

Naruto gave a very slow nod, staring at the man. He'd never met another like him. That must be why I feel a connection to him. He let his eyes run over the powerful body. It was much like his own. The man was even the same height as Naruto. Perhaps all Jinchuuriki were tall and muscular men?

Killerbee studied the boy. Calm and collected. Bet nothing ruffles this one. "Come, you can refresh yourself before you continue your journey."

Naruto watched as Killerbee turned and began loping up the rocky wall of the ravine with ease. After another minute of staring around, he followed.

The place Killerbee led him to was a cave. He ducked his white head beneath the rocky ceiling and went in. Naruto was right behind him. The cave was dark. Naruto stretched out a hand to let the wall guide him. They continued in the dark for at least a mile before sunlight showed up ahead. Killerbee led him out of the cave to a grassy valley. In the bottom of the valley was a stone cottage. Killerbee headed towards it.

The valley was beautiful. Naruto didn't think of it in those terms, but he found that it pleased him. The way Sasuke's smile pleased him.

Sunlight slanted through the valley. Butterflies danced in these warm rays, flitting around apple, apricot and pear trees. A tiny brook meandered down one side of the valley and across the grassy floor to gather in an equally tiny pond. The stone cottage stood near this pond. There were flowers everywhere.

"Are you coming?" Killerbee called. He was looking up at Naruto from where he stood at the open cottage door. Naruto started down the verdant slope.

The cottage was cool yet bright and sunny. It was larger than it had seemed from the top of the valley. It had three rooms. One room belonged to Killerbee, Naruto's host explained. The largest room was the main one that they were currently standing in.

"What's behind that door?" Naruto asked. He tipped his head in the direction of a door opposite Killerbee's room.

"Ah, that," the dark man said. "That's Gaara's room. No one enters it but him. He isn't here right now." Killerbee turned to a cabinet near the window.

"Gaara," Naruto tasted the name on his tongue. "Is he your partner?"

Killerbee snorted as he brought bread, cheese and salted beef to the small square table. "Gaara is insane. He'd be the last person you'd want to partner. Hungry?"

Naruto was starving. He bowed deeply in thanks before sitting at the table and grabbing a loaf of bread. "Why does he live with you then," Naruto said after he'd swallowed the first mouthful. He took another tremendous bite as his host answered.

"Gaara is Jinchuuriki like you and I are. We have to stick together or Akatsuki will destroy us all. As it is, Gaara and I failed to save the Four-Tails. He and I, and now you, are all that's left." Killerbee's face was sad as he poured some kind of frothy liquid into a mug for Naruto. The blond sipped it cautiously. It was delicious.

"What is this?" He drained the mug.

"Apple cider," Killerbee smiled. "I made it from the fruit of my trees. What's your name, son?"

"Naruto."

Naruto ate in silence after that. His mug was refilled thrice more. Killerbee did not inundate him with questions or chatter. He seemed content with the silence, alternating between looking out the window and at Naruto. When Naruto was finished he sat back, belching softly into his fist.

He didn't want to continue his journey. He didn't have a journey. He'd been running for his life. True, he did have a home to go to now, but he felt very comfortable here. Secure. Naruto wished he'd been invited to stay. It was an extremely soothing experience to be in this cool, safe house after the constant danger and evil of the Akatsuki hideout. The pain of Sasuke's predicament had been left behind. It still hurt Naruto terribly, but just now he felt alright. He felt…relaxed. At ease.

Killerbee had been eying him behind his shades. He suspected the boy had nowhere to go. "Would you like to remain here a few days?" he asked casually.

Naruto once again bowed. "Arigato gusaimasu."

Itachi paced up and down the main room of the hideout, hands on his hips. Sasuke was sitting on a chair watching him. He got up to go to his room now.

"Stay there," Itachi spat. Sasuke sank back into the chair.

It had been two days, where the fuck were they? Itachi's red eyes kept going back to the doors of the hideout, expecting them to crash open, his companions dragging the blond asshole between them.

But that didn't happen.

What happened was that on the evening of the third day his companions came crashing through the door carrying the dead bodies of Deidara and Zetsu. Itachi was ready to shit.

"Dare I ask what happened?" Itachi hissed. His eyes remained on the mangled carcasses.

"The Jinchuuriki, Boss," Konan said. "We lost him. We thought it wiser to come back here for further instructions."

Itachi raised his eyes to her. "Further instructions? I told you to bring his fucking ass back here. What further instructions could you have possibly needed? You were scared. That's why you're all back here." Itachi smiled. "You fear him more than you fear me. Allow me to fix that."

Sasuke watched in silence as the blood began to flow.

Naruto yawned behind his hand. Killerbee got up and led the way to his room. "I'm afraid the only place to sleep is in my bed," The big man said apologetically. "Unless you want the floor out here. Gets cold, though."

Naruto was by now well acquainted with the practice of offering one's possessions if they were staying with you. He accepted the bed gratefully. He was still exhausted from running for all those days.

Killerbee's room was sparsely furnished. The bed consisted of a large mattress on the floor in one corner. There were blankets piled on it. A wardrobe stood in another corner. That was all, except for a fireplace in one wall. It was unlit.

Naruto removed his clothes and folded them neatly near the bed as Killerbee left him alone. He settled himself onto the mattress with a quiet sigh of relief. He was soon asleep.

Sometime later that night Naruto was disturbed by a crash and a great deal of cursing. He rolled over sleepily, but did not wake up. Bits and pieces of conversation floated to him as if in a dream.

"The fuck you say! The Nine-Tails is here?"

"Shhhh, he's sleeping. I think Akatsuki-"

"How long will he be here? Fuck, I hope he knows how to have a good time-"

"He can stay as long as he likes. I find him easy to be around."

"What, you're trying to say I'm not easy to be around?"

"You're a maniac."

"And damn proud of it, too."

There was mumbling after this, as if the speakers were moving away. Then a shout, "You gave him all our food?!"

Naruto actually did wake up during the night. Killerbee was next to him in the bed, his shades removed. In fact, most of his clothing was removed. He had on a pair of loose pants, nothing else. Though they weren't touching, Naruto could feel the heat coming from the man. "Am I bothering you," the older man asked.

"No…where is the bathroom?"

"Outside. Bury anything you leave."

Naruto stepped out into the moonlit valley and relieved himself in some bushes by a tree. He went back into the cottage, to the room and bed he was sleeping in. He and Killerbee had their backs to each other. Naruto heard his even breathing.

He wouldn't be getting back to sleep, that much he knew. He was rested. It was too pleasant under the blankets, inside that safe house, for Naruto to get up, though. Now that he was fed and recovered and out of harm's way, he could think. His thoughts turned to Sasuke.

He wondered if his lover even knew what was happening to him. Until he did, Sasuke would remain with his brother, his personality slowly eroding away.

Naruto missed Sasuke like he'd never missed anything in his life. He missed the snarky, sarcastic, street-smart, bullying Sasuke he'd fallen in love with. That Sasuke was hard when he had to be yet soft at night with Naruto. He missed Sasuke's eager kisses and cries of pleasure. He missed the way Sasuke always thought Naruto was a god of destruction. Sasuke managed to make anything and everything interesting. It was just the way he was. Naruto felt like all the color and life had gone out of the world without Sasuke beside him. He felt like something in him was broken. Sasuke. Please see what's happening and come back. Please.


In the morning, he met Gaara. Gaara reminded him strongly of the Sasuke Naruto missed, if that Sasuke had ingested three boxes of sugar and was twenty times as violent.

Naruto was sitting at the table watching Killerbee knead dough for bread when Gaara's bedroom door flew open and a small redhead ran out. He zoomed right up to the table, slammed his small palms down and leaned into Naruto's startled face. The blond noticed light green eyes and an odd tattoo before the redhead spoke.

"How many people have you killed?"

"I don't know…several ANBU units and hunter-nin. A houseful of girls, others that I cannot remember." Naruto tried to lean back from that avid face.

"Shit! Sounds like you know how to party! Wanna come with me on my next spree?" Gaara's eyes were shining.

"I-"

"Leave him alone," Killerbee said as he eased the bread into the oven. "He's probably only killed when he had to."

Naruto looked at Killerbee. The older man caught the look. So did Gaara. "Ha," the redhead said, "Bet he hasn't. Naruto, is it?"

Naruto nodded.

"You don't just kill when you have to, right?"

"If Sasuke says someone needs to die then they die. He's usually right." Naruto frowned. It hurt to say Sasuke's name.

"Who's Sasuke," Gaara wanted to know. He had his face propped on his hands, elbows on the table.

"Uchiha Sasuke. My partner. He-"

"Uchiha?!" Gaara crowed.

Killerbee came to the table and set a pitcher of the cider down. He sat and listened as Naruto told them about meeting Sasuke last year in Konoha, of everything that had happened since. Gaara's eyes were wide. By now he was sitting, staring open-mouthed at Naruto's calm face.

"Wow," Gaara said softly. "I love a good story. That was awesome. Got more?"

Killerbee smacked him in the head. He turned to address Naruto while Gaara screamed about his 'poor head'. "Son, you're lucky to have escaped Akatsuki. I know that Itachi. He's bad news. And if his brother is under his thumb as you say then you're better off without him. Trust me."

Naruto listened to this, but it did not lessen the ache in his chest. "I miss him."

"Yeah, but screw him, you know?" Gaara said with a wave of his hand. "You got us for friends now. We won't turn our backs on you like Sasuke did. And we're all Jinchuuriki, ain't that the shit?"

Naruto eyed Gaara's petite body. He looked nothing like Killerbee or himself. He had an oddly shaped gourd strapped to his back. "Why are you so small," Naruto said.

"Why are you so big," Gaara shot back.

"Aren't…all Jinchuuriki big men?" Naruto asked.

Killerbee laughed. It was a rich, rumbling sound. "Not at all. Some are small like Gaara there or even women. My good friend Yugito Nii was the Jinchuuriki for the Two-Tails."

Later that day, Gaara went to sleep and Naruto went to a town with Killerbee to buy supplies. Naruto watched how the older man interacted with people. He was kind and soft-spoken. A few people told him that his brother was asking after him.

"Who is your brother?" Naruto asked.

"The Raikage. He always worries about me as if I weren't fully grown. You have brothers or sisters?"

"No. Only Sasuke."

At the store, Naruto helped Killrbee get the things they needed. Afterwards, he made as if to leave the store with the bags. Killerbee stopped him. "What are you doing?"

"Stealing," Naruto said calmly. "I don't have any money and I heard you tell Gaara that you were running low on funds."

"That doesn't mean we need to steal," Killeree said. He took the bags from Naruto and went to the store clerk. He paid for the food and left the store. Naruto followed after a moment.

"Where will you get more money?" Naruto asked after awhile.

"My brother will probably send some. Or Gaara will obtain some when he completes his next mission. Have you always been a thief?"

Naruto thought about it. He'd never stolen a thing until he'd met Sasuke. Sasuke had drilled into him that they were entitled to take what they wanted from people. If people weren't capable of holding onto what they had then they deserved to have it stolen from them. Survival of the fittest, that was the rule Sasuke lived by. That and a few others, but mainly that. Naruto had quickly adopted it as his own rule.

"Not always," the blond said now. "But there's nothing wrong with stealing when you have to."

"Says who? Sasuke? Stealing is wrong no matter the circumstances."

"What if one were starving? Surely stealing is right then?"

"What would prevent the starving person from hunting?"

Naruto and Killerbee went back and forth over the issue all the way back to the cottage in the valley. By the time they got there, Naruto was starting to question Sasuke's teachings.

Gaara was waiting for them. He latched onto Naruto the second he walked in the door.

"Let's go play," the redhead said cheerfully. He dragged Naruto back outside. They went back through the tunnel in the valley wall and came out in the ravine Killerbee had found Naruto in the day before.

"What are we doing?" Naruto asked when Gaara paced a few steps away from him.

"Playing," Gaara said. "Well, Ole' Fuddy Duddy calls it training, but it's way too fun to give it such a boring name. Come on, let's see what you got."

Training. Here was something Naruto understood. He backed away a few steps himself, feeling excited and eager suddenly. He hadn't trained in weeks.

Naruto called up his chakra and had a tornado swirling with rocks from the ravine chasing Gaara. "Nice!" the redhead said. Sand erupted from his gourd and knocked the tornado away. "Another wind user!"

Gaara eyed the spinning orb of chakra that materialized in Naruto's hand curiously. The big kid was fast. Gaara dodged that attack, noted the destruction it caused and decided to hold his smart comments for the time being. He needed to concentrate here.

It was good they'd decided to fight in the ravine. The valley would have been destroyed. Once, they'd switched from Ninjutsu to Taijutsu. Gaara sucked at close-range combat and quickly reverted back to Ninjutsu and his long range attacks.

When Naruto broke out of Sabaku Kyuu with brute strength, Gaara laughed and actually clapped. "Wanna go all the way?" he called from up on his floating cloud of sand.

Naruto wiped sweat from his brow and nodded. He was enjoying himself. His eyes widened as a huge, monstrous shape seemed to coalesce from all the sand. Gaara disappeared. An enormous raccoon stood filling the ravine, his one tail whipping the air in agitation. He screeched and pointed at Naruto.

Never had Naruto released tails while training. He did so now, going to the three tails state with some trepidation. He wasn't entirely sure of how strong he was like this. He had control of his Bijuu, yes, but he knew going to tailed states shortened his lifespan. Jiraiya had told him that releasing tails outside of the direst of emergencies was folly. Three tails was as much as Naruto could release safely, though he could release more if he had to. Still, he'd never really fought like this. It would be a learning experience for him as well as training. One thing was for sure, the blond discovered; being in this transformed state was somewhat exhilarating.

Killerbee was just taking the roast out of the oven when the valley shook as if from an earthquake. The window by the kitchen alcove shattered. He sensed the enormous chakra output that had to be coming from the ravine and ran out of the cottage with a curse.

He arrived at the top of the ravine and felt his jaw dropping. They'd released their Bijuus! The Kyuubi was fast, a blur. Shukaku was cackling with glee.

"Futon: Renkudan!"

Naruto roared and a blast of chakra from his mouth sent the powerful wind bullets Shukaku had fired spinning out of their trajectory.

"Stop it," Killerbee hollered. "Do you want to bring my brother down on our heads!"

If they heard him they ignored him. Naruto was charging Shukaku and the giant raccoon was lumbering towards Naruto eagerly. Killerbee clenched his fist in rage. Hachibi, looks like we've got some disciplining to do.

Just so, the Eight-Tails replied.

Naruto latched onto Shukaku's back and tore great handfuls of his heavy hide apart. Shukaku howled…then he was quiet. "Oi, Kyuubi," Shukaku pointed. Naruto stopped his attack long enough to see what Shukaku was looking at.

A massive bull with eight octopus tails was running right at them.

"Kyuubi, quick," Shukaku panted in fear. "Knock me awake when you see my host, neh? Then you change back, too. Killerbee will kill us otherwise. Hurry!"

Naruto didn't understand everything, but when Gaara's sleeping form appeared in Shukaku's forehead he released Kyuubi's chakra hurriedly and punched Gaara awake. Gaara sputtered, his sand gathering itself as he fell to the ravine floor. Naruto dropped beside him.

"That's Killerbee?" Naruto asked. He had to shade his eyes to stare up at the huge shape coming towards them. He was nearly on top of them.

Gaara shook his head at Naruto's calm tone. Didn't he realize what danger they were in? "Run, asshole!" Gaara suited the action to his words and turned to flee. After a second, Naruto sprinted after him.

It was hopeless, of course. Killerbee caught them with no trouble whatsoever, knocking them both into the rocky ravine wall with a swipe of one hand. Gaara was dazed, almost unconscious. Naruto twisted midair to land on the wall and stick there with chakra concentrated to his feet. Killerbee watched them as he slowly reverted to human form. He stood looking down at Gaara with his hands on his hips. Then he glared up at Naruto.

"Get your asses to the house. Now. Or I will make sure you both live the rest of your lives in extreme pain." With that, Killerbee turned and made his way back to the valley.

Naruto watched his stiff strides for a few moments. Then he went to where Gaara lay groaning. He picked up the slight boy and carried him back to the cottage.

They arrived to find Killerbee slamming plates and mugs on the table and muttering angrily to himself. He saw them standing in the doorway and pointed to the table and chairs. "Sit," he commanded wrathfully.

Naruto and Gaara sat.

Killerbee took a moment to calm himself. When he spoke to them at last, he was leaning his hands on the back of one chair, his head bowed.

"Perhaps Naruto doesn't know it," the dark-skinned man said in a low voice, "but we are in hiding. Gaara, you definitely know that, just as you know that we are not to go into released states, ever. It would draw Akatsuki right to us. That much chakra can be sensed miles away. Do you want them finding us?" Killerbee asked plaintively.

Naruto didn't answer. He only stared impassively at his host's concerned face. Gaara shifted uncomfortably on his seat.

"Well?" Killerbee barked.

"I just wanted to see how strong he was," Gaara whined in a small voice. "You almost broke my back."

"Dammit, Gaara!" Killerbee slammed a fist onto the table. "I promised my brother I wouldn't release my Bijuu! You know he lets us live in this valley under that condition." Killerbee pointed out the doorway to a distant mountain wreathed in clouds. "What's he supposed to think when you force me to let the Eight-Tails out to chastise a couple of children? If you insist on endangering us, then go back to Suna. Let's see how long you last against Akatsuki then."

Gaara hung his head. He mumbled an apology.

Naruto gave his apology in a louder voice. "I'm sorry. I didn't know. Gaara asked to train with me and I agreed. It will not happen again."

Killerbee studied the forthright blue eyes. "It's okay to train, Naruto. Just leave the Bijuus out of it, for God's sake. If you value your life, you have to learn how to lay low. Can you?"

"Yes," Naruto stated. He would not jeopardize this kind man or the only people in the world he'd found to be like himself. "I will not endanger us again."

Killerbee nodded. Then he served dinner and they all began eating.

That night, as Naruto was watching Gaara head to his room, Naruto asked if he could see inside. Killerbee answered before Gaara could. "You don't want to go in there, Naruto. It's as scary as he is. You'd be scarred for life just seeing what he has in there. Believe me."

Gaara snorted. "I don't like people in my room, Naruto." With that he entered the room in question and slammed the door. Naruto and Killerbee heard the lock engage.

Naruto went to Killerbee's room with him and began to undress. When he was nude, he went towards the bed.

"You have a nice body," Killerbee said as he put on the loose pants he slept in.

Naruto looked at the dark muscular chest and bulging arms. "It's like your body. I was surprised Gaara's body isn't like ours. I thought that was how all Jinchuurikis were."

Killerbee chuckled. "It depends on genes and training, I think. You probably have superb Taijutsu."

"Yes," Naruto confirmed truthfully.

Killerbee came to him then and ran his hands over Naruto's heavy shoulders and arms. Down his chest. Naruto found the touch to be unthreatening. The palms were warm and callused. "Very nice," Killerbee said softly.

For some reason, the tone and touch Killerbee used put Naruto in mind of gay sex. He remembered the price the crone and her daughters had exacted for their hospitality. He wondered if Killerbee would be exacting the same price. Then he asked it out loud.

The older man dropped his hands in shock. He stepped back. "Has that happened to you?"

Naruto's silent stare was answer enough.

"No, Naruto. I would never force you to have sex in payment for staying here. You are welcome here. Safe." Killerbee took off his sunglasses and regarded Naruto thoughtfully for a few minutes before resuming. "But you are clever enough to see that I'm attracted to you. I do like you, Naruto. You're a bit young for me, though. Relax. You will never have to do anything you feel uncomfortable with while you're here." He turned and got into the bed, turning his broad back to Naruto's space.

The next morning, Killerbee informed the two teens that they would be on their own for a few days. "My brother has summoned me to Kumogakure. No doubt he sensed the chakra yesterday. You are both to remain here. Gaara, you can complete that mission I gave you when I get back. There's food in the cabinets. Don't cause any trouble while I'm gone."

Killerbee left soon afterward, heading for the cloud-shrouded mountain he'd pointed to last night. Gaara watched from the doorway until he was out of sight. Then he turned to Naruto with a grin of sublime pleasure on his face.

"Right," the redhead said as he rubbed his hands together. "We're going on that mission now. Before he gets back."

"But he said-"

"Never mind what he said. We need the money. Besides, you and I are supposed to go on a spree, remember?"

Naruto considered Gaara's words. He had no idea what a spree was but he understood the necessity of money. Perhaps Killerbee had partially convinced him that stealing was wrong yesterday, but this was a mission. They would be paid for it, so it wasn't stealing. Sasuke always said that nothing in life was more important than money. Anything might be done in the pursuit of it, the Uchiha had told Naruto time and again. Going on this mission wasn't the same as releasing his Bijuu so the blond reasoned that he wouldn't be going back on his word to not endanger them all. And if he was going to be staying here, he should do his part to help support them. He nodded at Gaara and the redhead whooped happily.

They set off an hour later.