DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. (Though the OCs are mine!)

Webs of Deception

Chapter Twenty-Two

Truth Be Found

Quiet sounds filled the walls of the mostly empty Uchiha house. Filling the silent atmosphere for once with a relaxing feeling instead of the usual dreary and loneliness that normally accompanied the whispering walls. And Sasuke found himself liking how it felt being in his house for the first time since that night with Naruto.

Sasuke flexed his sore and achy body from the position it fell asleep in. Which happen to be upright, leaning against the side of his bed. Sometime moving from downstairs to upstairs with folders and papers during the night to continue looking through them. He wasn't quite sure to why he moved but he wasn't completely awake yet either. So it might come back to him later.

Still slightly stiff, he stood from the floor and rolled his neck around to hopefully get the crick out. But unfortunately luck wasn't on his side today because the crick firmly stay in place. He mentally cursed himself for sleeping in such a uncomfortable--yet idiotic--position as he walked out of his room and into the hall.

As he made his way down the upstairs hallway and down the stairs, he rubbed his sore neck with his hand with his eyes shut in an unpleasant expression. When he reached the bottom step of the stairs he opened his eyes partly and the first thing that his vision landed on was the open living room. Which held the scene of Naruto sleeping on his stomach soundly upon the couch. With his right arm hanging off the couch and touching the wooden floor and a blanket barely hanging onto the blond's body. Most of the material laid on the floor, probably from his moving around as he sleeps.

All the photographs, folders and boxes that Naruto was looking through the night before were still positioned all over the floor. Sasuke lowered his hand from his neck and walked as quietly as possible into the living room. All the while, keeping his eyes on the sleeping angelic face of the blond's. Watching the soft intake of his breath through his slightly parted mouth and the motion of exhaling that same breath.

He looked so peaceful without the stress of the day showing on his face. Completely relaxed--completely vulnerable. This expression being something that he could of experience the morning after that night if circumstances were different.

He purposely shook his head roughly to force those thoughts out of his head. What ifs isn't something he needs to humor at the time. Or ever. It was in the past and could never be changed no matter how much you imagined and wished you could. It just doesn't and could never work that way.

Sasuke was just about to turn away and go to the kitchen for a much needed cup of tea when black markings on Naruto's slightly exposed lower back caught his eye. He stared at the black markings for a long moment. Debating with himself if he should go see what kind of tattoo it was or mind his own business and leave it alone.

Another moment passed and he still hasn't moved closer or farther away. Though the longer he stared at the markings the more curious he was becoming on what it was. It was obviously some kind of words. He could see that from where he was standing but just not exactly what it said.

'Oh fuck it!' His curiosity winning the battle as he proceeded forward toward the sleeping Naruto. His movements silent and gracious as his mind focused on his goal. He was just hoping that in that particular section of flesh wasn't another name of some unknown person. Or he swears to god that someone was going to die.

Now he stood by the couch and he could clearly see part of the tattoo. The other part was being covered by the blond's shirt. But from what was uncovered, it read 'taken by, ke, along' and part of a barcode type design underneath.

With those few words making no sense at all, he glanced over at the blond's face to make sure he was still asleep and when he saw and felt that he was, he raised his hand forward toward the material that was covering the rest. Once he had his hand on the fabric, he glanced at Naruto once again before pulling the material back to reveal the rest of the tattoo permanently on his dobe's skin.

His head bent forward more and his eyes widened as they blinked to see if he was reading this right. Because he couldn't be reading this right. 'Property already taken by Uchiha Sasuke. Please move along.' he read over in his mind. Why would Naruto tattoo this near his ass?

He had to swallow deeply to moist his suddenly dry throat. His hand unconsciously moving from the shirt's material and tentatively touched the marked skin. Sending tingles through his fingers, up his arm and distributing them throughout his body. He gently caressed the tattoo under his fingers, feeling the vibrations of a shiver running through the body below him.

A strange elation developed in his chest as he stared down at the tattoo. In his eyes this was proof that he meant more to the blond than he thought. It's literally saying that Naruto was his and that everyone else was suppose to keep their hands off. And that calmed the possessive side of him that suspected someone else had touch him. But it was only a little. Though it was enough to cause a small smile to form on the raven's features.

He drifted his dark eyes to Naruto's sleeping face, his hand still laying on the blond's back--unmoving. He felt his body move forward on it's own accord. His logically mind momentary lost as he moved ever closer to his goal.

Those slightly parted plumb lips.

He was only two inches away now and he could feel the heated breath escaping from the blond's mouth. That breath mixing with his exhaling from his nose. He was just about to move in and press his lips to the others when the front door burst open loudly. Causing Sasuke to jump back from Naruto like the blond was something that would attack him any second.

'What the hell was I thinking?!' Sasuke stood stiffly to the side with slightly widened eyes as he stared at the still sleeping blond. Wondering but knowing what brought his body to move on its own. He tried to calm down his rapidly beating heart from what his impulse was planning on doing. What he knew would of led to something more. And he didn't want something that could make the situation worse than it already was, just because of his body's desires. Because one taste would never be enough. But damn, if only said body would just listen to his mind.

A few seconds later, Jun stalked himself into the living room. Stopping for a moment to mostly glare though part of him was staring oddly at Sasuke for standing like he just got caught in doing something he shouldn't have. Which he almost had but the kid didn't need to know that.

Jun questionably lifted an eyebrow at the raven before disregarding him and heading over to Naruto. Deciding that it was best if he woke him up. So, bringing his leg back abruptly, he neared the blond and once he was close enough, he kicked forward. Though his leg was caught right before it made contact with Naruto's side by the blond himself. Obviously not as asleep to a blatant threat as the boy thought.

He gripped the ankle within his grasp before pulling forward, resulting in Jun being completely knocked off his feet and landing on his butt with a loud thud. "Go away Jun...." Naruto groaned groggily as he turned his head the other way and settle it back on the soft cushions of the couch. Really not in the mood to deal with the arrogant boy so early in the morning.

The young boy growled at the other and sat up while folding his legs underneath him. Ignoring the dull pain in his rump as he crossed his arms over his chest. "You were suppose to meet me for training. Concentrating on ninjutsu today, if you can remember as far back as yesterday?" he finished sarcastically but his face showed no humor whats so ever.

Another groan came from Naruto as he turned his head back the other way to sleepily glare at the stubborn boy. "What time is it?"

"Almost eleven."

Naruto's glare ceased and simply said, "Shit." He closed his eyes once again but this time it wasn't out of tiredness, though that was still present, it was because he chose to take the responsibility in training the brat and then went lax in said training when his body needed just a little bit of sleep. He brought the hand that was hanging to the floor up and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Jun huffed and stood from the floor in one fluid motion. "Next time shit head, don't be late."

"Fuck you brat! I'll train you when the heeeelllll--" A yawn interrupting. "--I get around to it."

A sinister smirk appeared on Jun's features. He turned and began walking toward the hall that led to the dining room. "Oh sempai.......your property tat is showing!" he yelled over his shoulder as he left the living room grinning manically.

With new energy, Naruto immediately sat up and used his hands to snatch his shirt down in the back to cover the incriminating tattoo. "Brat!" he shouted for the boy as he turned his head in the direction that he knew he went. But stopped short when his eyes landed on the standing Sasuke across the room. A blush dusted his whiskered cheeks, "H-How long have you've been standing there?" he inquired.

Sasuke's body straightened and shifted ever so slightly to show the confidence that automatically translated into arrogance. "Just long enough to know who you belong to." he stated with quite amount of smugness. He almost chuckled when Naruto's face lit up faster than a Christmas light. Tugging on the fabric tighter in a futile attempt to hide whats already been seen. "Y-Y-You s-saw that?" Quite embarrassed that it was known by Sasuke himself.

The latter male walked closer to Naruto until he was standing right in front of him and staring down at the blond. He raised his hand and held the blond's chin in between his fingers and thumb. Naruto's heart rate sped up and his breath quickened from the closeness of the other. His gripped on his shirt tightening from his increasing nerves.

On Sasuke's features the smugness was gone and was replaced with seriousness that wasn't blank nor expression. He leaned slightly forward, making sure he kept his distance but at the same time made sure the other felt his presence. "Do you belong to me, Naruto? Are you mine?" he asked with his possessiveness showing its face. Wanting the verbal reassurance that he was his and no one else's.

Naruto breath hitched as his eyes blinked in confusion at the onyx, wondering where all this was coming from. It couldn't be by just seeing his tattoo, could it? "S-Sasuke, what--" but the hand on his chin tightening it's gripped stopped his next words in his throat.

"Are. You. Mine?" he pointedly growled each word out to let the blond know that he better answer the question.

Seeing the demanding underlay in the other's orbs made him tremble in excitement from head to toe. And without turning away from those eyes, he nodded his head slowly. "I told you Sasuke......I'll always belong to you and no one else."

That one phrase caused Sasuke's heart to skip a beat with the phrase ringing through his head, as it was the last sentence in the blond's note he left him over six years ago. And as he was in his minor stupor, Naruto continued to say but instead of a normal volume, it lowered down to a nervous whisper. "A-And t-that still holds.....It always will."

Without completely consciously knowing it, his hand loosened around the blond's chin and his thumb began to gently caress on the soft tan flesh. He was back into the same state as he was when he was about to kiss the blond. And this reason was why his head was leaning, inch by inch, closer to Naruto's mouth.

The latter was having problems breathing when he saw that the raven was getting closer to him. Closer with a look on his features that had his stomach twisting in knots. The two moved ever closer, only a few centimeters away from each other. Their heavy breathing mixing together.

"Yo! Are we--" began Jun in a loud voice as he walked back into the living with a bagel in hand. But the next words that were planned on following the others were halted and stopped his hand that was bringing his bagel up to his mouth for another bite when he saw the scene in front of him. The two that were the main focus of the scene put some major space between them. Mostly Sasuke putting the space between them, thanks to Naruto being on the couch with hardly any space to run to.

Sasuke was trying to compose himself from the shock of what he was attempting to do yet again. He didn't know what was wrong with himself this morning. Did he wake up with a bug or something? That would be better than what he actually suspected. 'Fuck......Good thing this kid has some impeccable timing.' Because if it wasn't for this jackass of a brat he would probably be doing something that he might regret in the very near future. Like the next morning......

Though if he was completely honest with himself, he was partly irritated that the kid kept interrupting and spoiling the whole thing. But also slightly thankful at the same time.

Jun stood frozen for another awkward moment before he rose an eyebrow at the two in a calculating manner. Bringing his bagel to his mouth and taking a bite of the bread. He chewed the piece in his mouth and swallowed, then spoke with a tone that sounded like he just solved something. "Ahhh, I get it now! You're--" pointing his pinky finger on the hand that was holding his bagel at Sasuke, "--seme!"

This caused Naruto to blush beet red and stare at the boy with unimaginably large eyes, completely shocked at his outburst. But Jun didn't seem fazed at all as he took another bite of his bagel and spoke while chewing, "Hmmm.....And here I thought sempai was seme." He purposely chuckled as he finished the food in his mouth. "Who would of thought!"

"Jun!!" exclaimed Naruto, completely mortified at the boy's bluntness. Normally he wouldn't mind and he, himself, would probably be as blunt as him too. But talking about his own sex life--or non-existent sex life--was just embarrassing.

The young boy practically blew off the blond's embarrassment in a nonchalant way. Eating more of his bagel as he asked, "So, are we going to go train or are you two going to become busy?" Grinning manically against his half-eaten bagel as his sempai's face became redder than before. 'Who knew that he could turn so many different shades of pinks and reds.'

Before either male could retort to the comment of the boy's, Gaara walked into the room and said, "Yes, they'll be busy."

All eyes turned to the red head. One stared at him with mild amusement, wondering if he really knew what he was insinuating. The second one's eyes snapped at the male with unhidden shock. And the last pair glared at him with resentment for even standing there.

Gaara glanced at each one with an non-existent eyebrow raised. Obviously missing something, but really not caring he went on, "The preparation for performing Kokoro Ryuuki need to begin. The faster this is done, the faster we'll know if this is the solution or not."

"Kokoro Ryuuki?" questioned Jun.

The redness within Naruto's face lowered considerably, now only light pink dusting his cheeks. His eyes narrowed at Jun while Gaara stared at him intently. Both silently saying that it wasn't his business to know. And he understood these looks perfectly. He gets them enough. He sighed begrudgingly and took a vicious bite of his bagel in a childish retaliation to the other's pointed stares.

"Fine, fine.....I'm leaving." he said before turning and heading toward the front door. Speaking loudly to himself that the others could hear clearly, "I'll go hang with Cho!"

A mischievous smirk appeared on the blond's features right as he yelled after Jun, "Try not to let your hard on show!" The severe choking that came from the direction of the house's entrance was like music to his ears. "Revenge is a bitch." he muttered as he chuckled lowly.

When he turned his attention back at the other two, Sasuke was looking at him with a quizzical expression while Gaara had his eyes closed and shaking in his slightly. "He has a thing for Cho." he said to answer Sasuke's silent inquiring. "One of two that he's actually humanly nice to."

Sasuke nodded slowly once in odd understanding. Finding it quite......interesting that an ass of a kid like that had a crush on someone. But he couldn't really judge now could he. He was known and still known as the cold-hearted bastard of the village and yet he's loved the same boy since he was young. So, he guessed it didn't matter how you acted to being able to fall for someone.

"Come you two....." began Gaara, breaking Sasuke out of his thoughts. "......we have preparations to do."


The sun was just beginning to set when they were ready to begin. Gaara, Ruri, Sasuke and Naruto stood within the living room once again. But the difference now was that some of the furniture was moved further to the side and that there was a large magick circle in white paint on the wooden flooring. Five white unlit candles in holders stood at the corners of the pentagram; with powder incense on a charcoal block within a metal bowl sat a few inches outside the barrier circle. The burning incense filling the room with the scent of sandalwood.

Within the circle sat a long match and an already lilted white candle directly in the middle of the pentagram. This candle floating in a small ceramic bowl with plain oil that filled the bowl. Underneath the floating candle and in the oil, several different colored stones laid at the bottom. And a wide black ribbon laid neatly folded by the bowl.

Gaara turned his attention to the two that were performing the technique. "Take off your clothes."

Naruto's head snapped to the red head, which consequentially might of caused whip lash, and squealed a few octaves higher than his normal voice. "WHAT!!" While a deep blush covered the whole of his face. Sasuke, on the other hand, turned his head slowly and glared ultimate death on the male. Who, for some ludicrous reason, thought that he would comply with his request.

"Yes, Naruto....." Gaara said to the blond in a patronizing way, ".....it's better if you have as little clothing on as possible." Trying his best to keep his stoic expression up and not to let the smirk that wanted to show to form.

"But-but-but....." sputtered the blond nervously. Which in turn, caused Gaara to roll his eyes in slight annoyance. "It's not like you two haven't seen each other naked before." This, if it was even remotely possible, caused Naruto's already red face to turn a shade darker.

Sasuke's complexion even had a blush showing at the images that comment brought up but even with these images showcasing within his mind, it didn't stop the glare that was slowing turning deadlier the more words that came out of the red head's mouth. "How little clothing do we have to take off? Because I can already tell you that I'm not taking all of my clothes off." he bit out forcibly.

Naruto's head nodded vigorously with what Sasuke said, praying that he didn't have to go all the way down to just bare skin. He could probably deal if it was just Sasuke and himself but he couldn't do it if the other two were in the room also. He's never willingly let anyone else see him completely naked other than Sasuke. And he plans to keep it that way.

Gaara let out a sigh and looked to the side, 'There goes some of my fun.' "I guess to just boxers would do."

An eye twitched on Sasuke's face at having to go to only one piece of clothing. An single piece of material that would separate him from exposing everything. 'God, why did I agree to do this.....?' After thinking this, he thought on the brighter side of the situation--a tanner and much more toner side of the situation. His eyes unwillingly drifted over to the still blushing and nervously fidgeting blond standing near him. He couldn't help but to think how adorable he looked right now and how fuc--let's just stop there......

"Well...." began Gaara as he looked between the two. ".....What are you two waiting for? Take you clothes off." He stated this like it was nothing to him to do so. Like he couldn't care one bit that they would be practically stripping right in front of Ruri and himself. And from the look that he was getting from Naruto, the blond thought exactly that.

Ruri blushed a light shade with the prospect of the two males undressing in front of her viewing area. So she turned around to give them some privacy and to save herself some embarrassment.

Naruto was internally grateful when he noticed Ruri turning around and not watching them undress. But her courtesy gesture obviously didn't flow over to the red head, who continued to stare directly at them with an almost bored expression. The blond bristled, "Can't you turn around or something!"

Gaara lifted an non-existent eyebrow that seemed to aggravate the twitch in the raven's left eye. "Why? It's not like either of you interest me. I have my mate and I'm perfectly happy with him." And then he waved his hand in a nonchalant way of saying 'continue' with a small smirk showing on his features.

This smirk caused Naruto to scowl at the not-too-innocent facial feature. 'Damn you.....' he cursed in his mind as he grabbed the hem of his shirt and walked on the other side of the magick circle than what Sasuke was on. And with his back to the others, he yanked this piece of clothing off with more force than what was necessary and threw it to the floor. Once the shirt was off, it sinfully exposed the blond's gorgeously tan and muscled back.

Sasuke's eyes were glued to that bare skin that was particular screaming to be touch in front of him. His eyes roamed over every inch of skin exposed to him until they landed on the tattoo on his lower back. The smirk that appeared was purely unconsciously formed as he swallowed deeply at the excitement that coursed through his body at the mere sight of the tattoo.

He forced his gaze away from that body that his own body so traitorously wanted and took a deep breath, in hopes that it would calm his arousal down. And then it hit him while he was pulling his black shirt--that he changed into after his shower earier in the day--up to remove it. 'Think of Sakura....' And doing just this resulted in his arousal becoming non-existent. 'Seems to still work. Why am I not surprised.'

A blissful shiver ran down Naruto's back when he felt the heated gaze directed at his exposed skin. And as he took his shoes off, he lowered his hands to undo the button and zipper of his pants. Trying and failing to ignore the gaze that now seemed to have lowered and stopped at his tattoo. He began to unbuckle his pants when he felt the gaze move from his being and heard the sound of clothes ruffling behind him, indicating that Sasuke was taking his clothes off. Though Naruto didn't think that would help his nervousness at all.

Once Naruto was down to nothing but the boxers that he wore, he hesitantly turned around. Forcing his eyes to stay lowered to the ground. Fearing that if he looked up and saw Sasuke in barely no clothes, that he would lose his self-control. But damn his eyes, they love to betray him, and that's the reason why he was now blatantly staring at the broad pale chest of Sasuke's. Running his eyes over ever crevice that he vividly remembers running his hands over six years ago.

His breathing became heavy when he realized that Sasuke was watching everything that he was doing. Watching his ever reaction. Running his own eyes over every inch of his chest and exposed skin.

'Don't stare, don't stare, don't stare.....' Naruto repeated over and over in his mind as he forced his eyes back to the floor.

'But....' began Kyuubi in a sad tone, '......maybe I want to stare......He looks good!'

Naruto growled possessively in the back of his throat at the fox's comment. And the growl was so malevolently threatening that it caused the fox to shrink back in it's cage.

Gaara's attention was momentarily diverted to the blond when he heard the low animalistic growl. A growl that sent a shiver down his spine from the known reason put behind it. He took a couple of steps back from the both of them. Making sure to keep a reasonable distance from the youngest Uchiha right now. He didn't want Naruto to think that he was a threatening male that was after his mate. 'That wouldn't be good.'

He lowered his eyes to the floor, showing that he was no threat--just in case Naruto was looking his way--and said, "Why don't we begin."

Sasuke's quirked an eyebrow from the growl that he heard from the blond. Then the quirk quickly furrowed also with his other eyebrow when he noticed that Gaara did a hasty retreat back and lowered his eyes to the floor for the first time since his torture started. He looked back at Naruto and realized that the red in his eyes had spread slightly. But then it was back to normal in a blink of an eye.

"What?" Naruto asked shortly. Wondering why he was staring at him like that and hoping that he didn't hear his momentary lack of control.

"Hmn." Storing this in the back of his mind to ask about later.

Ruri turned back around when she heard Gaara's words and not only noticed but felt the tense atmosphere. She tentatively stepped closer to the magick closer, which resulted in stepping closer to Sasuke. Which wasn't such a good idea when Naruto's animalistic instincts--these instincts inherited by Kyuubi--were still close to the surface.

A threatening growl rumbled in the blond's throat when he saw Ruri--or in his mind right now--a female approaching his Sasuke. The red in his eyes spreading through his mostly sapphire eyes as his chakra flared in a threatening manner.

Sasuke intently watched Naruto's actions. His senses already telling him that Ruri was coming from behind him but wondering why the blond was reacting in such a way. 'This is just getting more interesting.'

"Ruri I would step back if I were you." stated Gaara toward the partly afraid woman. She definitely didn't need to be told twice, especially from the way her Captain was snarling at her. She quickly stepped back to her original position just moments before.

Once Naruto came back to his normal senses, he lowered his head in shame and lifted his hand to the back of his head, muttering, "Sorry."

Still keeping his eyes to the floor for the time being--just for safe measures--Gaara reassured the blond, "Don't worry 'bout it. I get that way once in awhile."

"So what are we doing?!" Naruto inquired cheerfully, forcing a smile on his face to help with his awkwardness about the situation. Though Sasuke's persistent staring didn't help his awkwardness one bit. He knew that the other probably wanted to know what was with his actions but since he didn't want to answer that particular inquiring, he purposely ignored his inquisitive stare and paid overly close attention at Gaara's instruction.

"Both of you stand in the circle." And after a moment's hesitation, Sasuke and Naruto moved and stood within the boundary of the magick circle. One standing completely still, while the other fidgeted every second.

Gaara didn't dare move any closer to the pair but he did raise his eyes from the floor and back up to their arrogant level. "Lets make sure you both know which is which. Uchiha you're the Vessel and Naruto you're the Anchor for the Vessel." When he saw the confusion that appeared on the blond's face with his decision, he said before Naruto could question him out loud. "I made you the Anchor because I'm not sure how being the Vessel would affect your seal."

Naruto nodded in understanding as Gaara continued on explaining the next step. "Now the Anchor basically does all the physical procedures. So Naruto start with lighting the candles, starting at the position of Chi(1) and moving clockwise to end at Ku(5). While you do this, imagine that a thin white line is connecting to each candle as you light them. By the time all the candles are lit, this line should be a complete circle. And once this circle is formed, neither of you are permitted to step outside the invisible barrier."

With silence following, Naruto took this as his time to do as he was instructed to. So taking a deep breath, he bent down and grabbed the long match from the floor. Bringing the thin piece of wood over to the flame of the middle candle and lighting it aflame. He then proceeded to the Chi candle and lit the unlit wick. He did this to the following candles of Sui(2), Ka(3), Fu(4) and finally Ku before he blew the flame on his long match out. All the while, he imagined the brilliant white line connecting all the candles together. Once this was done, he stood straight once again and went back to the place where he was originally standing across from Sasuke.

A twisted smirk appeared on Gaara's features before he began, "Now the Anchor must cleanse the Vessel's body....." This caused Naruto and Sasuke to turn their heads toward him. Both thinking the most perverse thoughts imaginable. But they didn't think that would cleanse anything. ".....by performing the Fivefold Kiss(6)."

Once this was said, Kyuubi suddenly burst out into hysterical laughter. 'Oh.....that's never good.' Naruto thought just as Gaara instructed him, "Naruto kneel down before Uchiha." The former blinked stupidly while the latter lifted an eyebrow at the next step.

"Eh..." the blond said weakly, ".....why?"

"Because this is the how you begin the Fivefold Kiss." he stated simply, causing Naruto to grumble at the lack of divulged information. He bent his knees and lowered his body, kneeling before Sasuke while he kept his eyes firmly to the floor.

Sasuke gazed down at the blond knelt below him. Taking even breaths in and out in hopes to calm his increasing heartbeat that wouldn't stop thundering in his chest at the position the blond was in. While he took these evens breaths, his mental foot stomped down all the images that seemed to take this moment to there advantage and pop up unwillingly. And he didn't think this would be the best time to get an erection. Especially when Naruto's face was close enough where he would be the first to notice.

Gaara's smirk turned more sadistic as he explained what the Fivefold Kiss entailed. "There are eight different places you must kiss on Uchiha's body."

Naruto's and Sasuke's heads snapped to Gaara with wide eyes and blushes. One more fierce than the other. "K-Kiss....." Naruto stuttered, then finished silently, '.....h-his b-b-body......'

The red head was so tempted to let the chuckle that was building escape, 'And they haven't even heard where yet.' but he kept his composure and forced out in a calm and emotionless tone, "Yes, first you must kiss both of his feet, then both of his knees, then his phallus--just above the pubic line, then both of his breast and then his lips."

By the time Gaara was done, Naruto's mouth was particularly hanging to the floor with his face completely shaded red. Even Sasuke's mouth was parted slightly in shock with a blush dusting vividly on his cheeks. "Are you making this up?" Sasuke asked with all seriousness. Because he wouldn't put it pass the shorter male to torture them like this and it not even be part of what they needed to do.

The red head's expression didn't change, but his chest rumbled with a contained chuckle. "This is partly why this is normally done by couples or by people who don't mind such intimate displays toward each other. But it's needs to be done. So stop......gawking and get on with it."

Naruto pulled his mouth up from the floor, 'Such an asshole.....' But.....he did need to know if the Yuugure villagers were there. It has to be done. So with renewed determination he looked down at Sasuke's pale feet and placed his hands flat on the floor on either side of those feet. He swallowed and breathed deeply at the prospect of kissing all those places. 'I can do this......I can......'

Sasuke attention was suddenly taken from the red head and to the blond mop that was concentrating on his feet. 'He's going to do it?!' he asked himself with slight panic lacing his mental voice. Though this panic only showed partly in his partly widened eyes as he stared down at the blond hair.

The owner of that blond hair chanced a glance up at Sasuke and found that he was staring at him intently. Though that--thought--innocent glance, turned into something stronger--deeper. His own sapphire getting dragged into those captivating onyx. Trapping him......

But he welcomed this capture whole-heartedly......Wanting it.......Submitting to it.......

'I'm yours.....' his eyes told the raven. Who's heartbeat sped up rapidly from the obvious submission in them. Naruto moved his gaze from the other's and lowered his upper body, closing the distance between himself and Sasuke. He placed a soft kiss on Sasuke's left foot first, leaving in its wake a tingling burning sensation. He then did the same to the right foot before lifting his upper body up so his face was level with pale knees.

He kissed both of his knees with a small lick that he couldn't repress. These licks sending shivers down Sasuke's spine, who was trying his best to keep the trembling in his arms and breathing even. He didn't want the blond to know that his actions were affecting him in an extreme way.

Naruto then lifted himself completely up on his knees and brought his hands up to the waistband of Sasuke's boxers. Sasuke bit his inner cheek as the blond lowered his waistband an inch and kissed the skin that was underneath. His breath hitched when the contact of the blond's lips against his skin was made. Like a volt of electricity running through his entire body. 'Oh fuck.....stay calm, stay calm, stay calm.....'

The blond's hands stayed where they were as he rose to his feet. His movements watched closely by Sasuke as he leaned forward and kissed his left nipple. Sasuke could now taste blood in his mouth from the brutal assault of his teeth. His minded continually repeating, 'Stay calm, stay calm, stay calm........' Though this chant quickly changed when he felt Naruto move and lick his right nipple. 'Fuuuuck.......stop......you're driving me crazy......'

But the blond merely straightened up and looked brazenly into those onyx. Immediately spotting the lust that was within their depths. And without breaking their eye contact, Naruto slowly drifted forward. At first, their lips brushed against each other lightly, their hot breaths mixing.

After another moment of their lips barely touching, something seemed to trigger in their eyes, causing the two to close the minuscule distance between them. Their lips moving against each other sensually as Naruto's hands on the raven's waist tightened to keep himself steady from the lightheaded-ness that suddenly rushed through him. Sasuke's logical side of his mind was, once again--for the third time today--lost, and he was only listening to what his instincts told him. And they were particularly screaming for him to take whats his.

Sasuke's tongue slipped out and licked Naruto's lower lip for entrance and he was almost instantly granted access. He plunged his tongue into his hot cavern and ravished the small space. Running his tongue over every spot that his tongue could reach, getting drunk off the sweetness. And as he did this, his left hand lifted to the back of the blond's head while his other moved to his lower back, pushing him closer to his body.

He groaned at the contact of the other's skin combined with one of his hands roaming up his back, feeling the muscles underneath his fingers. Both of Naruto's hands slowly lifted up the raven's chest. His fingers lightly touching his skin, sending pleasurable chills throughout the youngest Uchiha. When his fingers ran over the erect nubs of the raven's nipples, his breath hitched into the kiss. His hands moved higher and tangled them into the black locks, lifting himself higher by standing higher on his toes and pressing his body closer to Sasuke's.

A moan escaped the blond's throat as Sasuke bit his lower lip playfully. He lowered both his hands down Naruto's body, low, where he could grasp the blond's ass and roughly shove him forward. Causing Naruto to gasp loudly from the direct contact of both of their erections.

"Ahem!!" Gaara coughed in almost a yell. Effectively breaking whatever trance type thing they were in. Where they so conveniently forgot that there were other people in the room. "If you don't mind, can we continue?" his smirk firmly in place.

The two stared extremely wide eyed at each other before reluctantly moving away from the other. Naruto doing most of the moving, since he had more space to do so. Though his extreme embarrassment showed in his stiff movements, reddened complexion and tilted down head--hiding his eyes underneath his blond bangs. Sasuke stood rigidly, attempting to calm his highly buzzing body down as he berated himself for letting it be taken so far.

Ruri directed her eyes back at the pair--with a heavy blush on her cheeks--after making sure that they were separated. She didn't think it was for her to see them in such an intimate situation. Though, this thinking obviously didn't cross Gaara's mind or it just wasn't in his mind to begin with, because he kept his gaze directly on them with an amuse expression on his features.

Once Gaara was sure that neither of them would pounce on the other, he continued with the instructions like that little episode didn't happen. "Uchiha sit on the far side of the circle, making sure you stay within the boundaries and Naruto, you sit closest to this side of the circle." pointing to the area where he wanted Naruto to sit.

Now Sasuke sat at the far left of the candle in the middle of the circle with Naruto diagonal from him at the opposite far right. Both sitting indian style and avoiding eye contact with each other.

"Now stick the thumb that's closest to the bowl--Uchiha left, Naruto left also--and draw a pentagram on each other's forehead with the oil. After that, you two present your thumbs to the other's mouth and you both lick the oil off. This consuming of the oil strengthens the connection that you two already have by having it in both of your systems." He paused shortly, then said, "Do that, then I'll tell you what to do next."

Naruto shifted in his place awkwardly before looking slightly up, through his bangs, at Sasuke. Who still had his eyes averted. Still not having his body under control just yet. But when he felt the other's gaze on him, he hesitantly looked over at him. Trying not to let those sapphire eyes get to him. So to preoccupied his mind, he moved his left arm that was casually laying on his bent leg, over to the bowl with the floating candle in the middle. Naruto noticed the movement and did the same silently.

They reached the bowl at the same time and lowered their thumbs into the oil, covering the first inch of the limb. Both arms lifted up towards the other's forehead, Naruto lifting his bangs from over his forehead with his right hand.

The once warm oil now turned cold from the air, touched their foreheads with a slight flinch from Naruto. They both drew the symbol on each other's forehead with slow movements. Their eyes once again not breaking the contact they had as they finished and drifted their limb to the other's mouth. Their movements matching each others as they both gently touched the other's lips with their oiled thumb. Sliding the limb over their bottom lip tenderly before slipping it within the confines of their mouth.

A spike in their heartbeats occurred when the feeling of the other's tongue ran sensually over their thumbs, licking and slight sucking the oil clean off. Sending pleasurable shivers through their bodies from the act. Which caused the heat that never really dissipated from before to resurface.

But fortunately or unfortunately--depends on how you look at it--Gaara interrupted them, sensing what would happen if he didn't. And he personally didn't want to witness something like that between them again. 'If they just weren't so sexually deprived, this would go a lot smoother. Maybe that should have been part of the preparations.' He considered this seriously for about a second. 'Nooo.......they would of killed me......'

"Now...." his interruption snapping the two's limbs back to their original owner. "......Naruto lay your left hand--palm up--over the candle. But not close enough where you're going to get burnt." he added this just in case he was acting like a complete blond today.

Naruto sent him a glare, knowing exactly why he added that in. Though he did as he was told anyway. "Uchiha place your left hand--palm down--on Naruto's." Gaara went on once Naruto's hand was in place. And when Sasuke's hand was laying on top of Naruto's, Gaara went on again, "Naruto take the ribbon and place it on top of Uchiha's hand. So it's hanging equally off both sides."

With a nod, Naruto grabbed the ribbon with his right hand and unraveled it by shaking it loose. He gently placed it on the raven's hand, making sure that an equal amount of ribbon was hanging off both sides as he was instructed.

"Now each of you grab the loose ribbon that's on your side and wrapped it clockwise around your hands. Both of you wrapping it towards yourself and do it loosely." Inwardly thanking anything that this was coming to the end. "Oh plus....." he almost forgot to add. His words stopping the two that already began to wrap the ribbon around their hands. "......when you come to the end of the ribbon, Naruto you tuck it under Uchiha's hand and Uchiha you tuck it under Naruto's."

Once this was completed, the two looked over at Gaara for the next thing to do. And were not disappointed when it came, "Now shut your eyes and relax your bodies. And try to release the tension that's between the two of you. This is important, even if it's only for right now, let the problems that blocks you two from the other fall away. Once this is accomplished, Naruto you focus on the connection that's between you two and concentrate on this connection until I tell you that you can stop. And while he does this, you Uchiha will imagine your astral body floating above you."

Sasuke brows furrowed at wondering how that would do anything but give him a headache. Though even with his doubt he kept on listening as Gaara continued speaking, "A vibrating sensation should occur after a while and when this dies down you can open your eyes. If it's done right, your consciousness should be in your astral body floating above your own body. Now with some information that your gonna need if your successful. In order to travel in the astral plane, you only need to concentrate on your destination. Just imagine the place you want to go."

"I don't even know what the place looks like." Sasuke stated the obvious. He's never visited that village, so how the hell would he know what it looked like?

"An distinct thing about Yuugure is that out of twenty-four hours in a day, twenty of those hours are spent in darkness." said Naruto, hoping this could help the raven. "And directly in the middle of the village there's a beautiful white cherry blossom tree. So, just imagine a HUGE cherry blossom tree with shops on both sides at night. 'Cause I'm been to lots of different villages and that's the the only one I've seen with that kind of thing." All the while, using his free hand to enthusiastically illustrate what he was trying to say.

Sasuke blinked sadly and looked to the side, trying to hide the pain that became more prominent from what Naruto said about going to different villages. He wasn't quite sure why that particular sentence bothered him so much......but it did......

"Also...." began Gaara again, ".....you have to keep your concentration. Because if you think of something else like--for example--Naruto...." Which caused the blond to blush a little. "......you'll be brought back here. I think that's all you really need to know. So, you can begin now." he finished as he took a seat on the pushed off couch, knowing that this part was going to take awhile.

Naruto and Sasuke straightened a little and Sasuke closed his eyes as Naruto flexed his shoulders a little then also closed his eyes. Taking in even breaths and letting them out slowly to relax his body and clear his mind from the random thoughts that invaded it. Though this was easy, the hard part was letting go all of his guilt and the deep pain that came with that guilt so this could work.

Sasuke led this like a normal meditation but his mind kept thinking over what the red head said about letting the problems fall away between them. He didn't know if he could do that. Just to let everything go. How was he suppose to do that? He's lived with the suffering for so long that it's become second nature to feel the misery. And then having to deal with the feelings of betrayal that everything was a lie. All those lies.....all of them to some point. How was he suppose to just let all that go......?

A single tear leaked out of the corner of the blond's eye as he tried to release........everything. Everything that's been building for years. Every single feeling of pain and guilt that always roots back to his raven haired love. 'Just let it go......' he told himself brokenly just as an image, that almost caused him to break down into tears and sobs, flashed before his mind's eye. '......Just for now......' he reassured that image or maybe it was mostly to reassure himself that he wouldn't break his promise and forget.

And as he let out his next breath, he let it out like he was letting out his problems and emotions that were paining him with that same breath. Which amazingly enough, worked. Leaving him much lighter than he was before and letting him feel like he was above the water's surface and breathing fresh air again. After another moment of making sure that he was 'clean' of anything negative, he began to concentrate on the connection between himself and Sasuke.

He concentrated with his feelings on this connection and for a minute he didn't think he was doing this right. That is, until a thin piece of what he thought was string appear in his mind, connecting him and Sasuke together. Each end of the string disappearing into their chests, where their hearts were located.

The latter was having a hard time letting it all go. He just didn't....know.....how! And it was angering to the point that he was growling lowly in the back of his throat. 'Dammit!' he cursed in his mind as he ran his free hand through his dark locks. He placed his hand back on his bent knee and breathed in deeply, calming his anger before it reaches to the point that he lashes out at his surroundings.

He continued to think of ways to get rid of his emotions that were 'blocking' this shit from working. Then an idea suddenly struck him and he began to think of the emotions he felt before all this happened. Before Naruto was thought dead. How it felt when he saw him for the first time in a day, when he saw him smile a true smile, when he laughed......everything that made his heart flutter. And what was most surprising, he didn't feel sadness when he thought of these moments. It warmed him. And he welcomed that warmth. Letting it drown the coldness that he's been living in.

A rare small smile formed on his lips as he let those emotions flow through him. He wanted to continue these feelings that closely resembled happiness. But he had to shift his focus to what he had to do next. So, he imagined his astral body floating above him with as much detail as he could manage. And after what felt like hours of doing this, his felt the vibrations in his body begin.

Naruto's chest was rising and falling in quick repetitions. His breathing all of the suddenly picking up as his mind delved deeper into himself. Sweat glistening and sliding down both of the males skin.

The vibrations in Sasuke's body began to lower in strength. Though even when this happened, he didn't open his eyes right away. He waited a few minutes before he cracked one eye open, only to close it again from the brightness that filled his vision. After another moment, he opened both of his eyes slightly. Looking through a pair of slits at the brightened room but from an whole another view than what he was staring at when he was sitting on the floor.

His eyes opened fully when they adjusted completely to the new volume of hard light. He looked around and realized--to his amazement--that he was exactly where he was imagining him to be......floating above his original body. Which was motionless with his head tilted down, like he fell asleep sitting up. He actually wasn't expecting this to work at all. Not with just imagining. But hey, look at him now.

He glanced over at Naruto, who looked like he was mentally running a mile--he was breathing that hard. He then looked down at his hands. And to his shock, they were see through, like he was some kind of ghost. But when he rubbed them together, they felt real--solid. 'Huh.....interesting.....'

Though after he got over the shock of basically being a ghost, he was asking the real question of, 'Now how the hell do I get down?' He tried wriggling, thinking that it might jostle something that make him just drop to the ground. But no such luck......

Then remembering what Gaara said about concentrating, he focus on dropping to the floor. But he was cursing himself for not thinking more specifically when he fell from the air and landed roughly on the floor. He grumbled underneath his breath as he lifted himself from the ground. 'You would think it wouldn't hurt here.' But unfortunately he had to find out that he was wrong the hard way.

Once he was back on his feet, he turned and looked at the scene of the room and saw that his fall didn't knock nor disrupt anyone or anything in the circle. 'Obviously what I do here doesn't affect the real world.' But that thought was abruptly pushed aside when a small fox caught his eye. Something that wasn't in the room before he came here. He immediately went on guard as he cautiously watched the fox sit there and stare directly at him.

"You must be Uchiha-sama!" exclaimed the small fox, the animal's voice vibrating throughout the whole room.

His guard went up another notch when the animal knew his name. "Who are you and how come your here?"

What he thought resembled a smile graced the fox's features. "Oh I'm sorry, that was rude of me. My name is Meira and I was summoned here by Kyuubi-sama to guide you to Yuugure." she said in a cheerful voice that seemed to light up the solemn atmosphere of this plane.

"I can get there on my own." he all but sneered at the small animal.

"The villagers of Yuugure are there." she began, "I already check! So, you shouldn't worry about that."

Sasuke stood and glared blankly at the fox, inwardly fighting his anger down. "If Kyuubi could of done that, then why didn't he just tell Naruto in the first place. We could of avoided doing all this!" his voice rising with every word he spoke. 'This was all but a waste of fucking time.'

Meira tilted her head and said calmly, "Kyuubi-sama wants you to see something......else in Yuugure that has nothing to do with the disappearances of the villagers. That's why he let the whole procedure go on. He wants you to see what won't be told."

He stayed silent for all but a moment before stating flatly, "Not interested." Then turned around and glanced around the room. Now realizing that the damn red head didn't tell him how he was suppose to get out of the astral plane.

She tilted her head the other way, "So you're not interested in knowing who Asuka-sama is?"

This froze Sasuke to the spot. His insides performing a dramatic jump from that question. And to him it wasn't even a question. Because there was no question about it, he wanted to know who Asuka was. But could he trust this fox in leading him in a place that he's never had any experience in. 'I don't care, I want to know.....' His curiosity was too demanding to not take up on this opportunity. And it didn't seem like Naruto was going to tell him any time soon. And if Kyuubi was willing to let him know, then.....well, he'll deal with that.

And plus, if it is some kind of trap, he'd figure out something off the top of his head. So with his resolve set, he turned back toward the sitting fox. Saying the three words that would change his slowly stabilizing world. "Lead the way."

The fox nodded and without another word, the surroundings began to spin. Causing the raven to sway and stumble a little before he chose wisely to stare down at the ground. Once everything stopped spinning, he looked back up and saw that he was standing in front of an enormous cherry blossom tree with large logs and four benches surrounding the beautiful tree.

'Yuugure.....'

He continued to stare at the stunning piece of nature, seemingly lost in its beauty. Until he heard a noise to his left and snapped his head in that direction, reading himself for something to attack. But was slightly surprised when the noise came from men, woman and children crouching down and huddling in small groups around the buildings and in alley ways, looking terrified. They're appearances also looked like they would in reality, without any of that hard light that seems to highlight everything else.

"See, told you they were here." said Meira from his right side, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. She didn't stay there for even a moment, before she began to walk off. And in no time, she disappeared around an corner. But before she turned around that corner, she looked back, not feeling the youngest Uchiha following her. When she looked back, she saw him glancing at each person on the normally busy street. "Uchiha-sama!" she yelled toward the raven. Who turned his attention to her. "This way! Follow me!" and with that, she continued on to where she was heading.

Sasuke followed a little reluctant, his body tense from keeping his guard up. They turned down several alleys and around corners, passed many buildings and homes, until the small fox trotted through the entrance to the villages cemetery.

'Cemetery?' Sasuke thought as his feet stopped taking steps just outside of the entrance. 'Asuka's dead?' he questioned himself. Wondering if the fox got her directions mixed up or if this was some kind of joke Kyuubi was playing on him. He was shook out of his slight stupor when he heard the fox's voice echo through the air. "Uchiha-sama, she's over here!"

And with a deep breath and an thought of, 'God, I hate cemeteries.' he walked through the entrance and to where he thought the voice came from. Many tombstones passed his vision, some desecrated with broken chucks of stone missing. He finally spotted gray fur protruding around a stone statue and went in that direction, stopping when he was standing right beside the small fox.

Before him stood an elegant faerie statue with elaborate details all throughout it. His gaze unconsciously drifted down to the etchings on the statue's stone slate and once his eyes landed on the writing, his brows furrowed in utter shock and confusion. His breath hitching as he read the engraved name on the slate, 'Uchiha Asuka.....Uchiha...? Tha-That can't be right.....i-it.....'

His eyes immediately went further down to the birth and death of this person. But when they read the dates his heart and breathing practically stopped altogether.

Because this girl was born......and died on the same day......

'A baby......'


The Five Elements in Japanese (Godai)

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1)Chi or Tsuchi-Earth

2)Sui or Mizu-Water

3)Ka or Hi-Fire

4)Fu or Kaze-Air

5)Ku or Sora-Void/Sky/Heaven

6)The Fivefold Kiss-an element of Wiccan ritual involving kissing five parts of the body(actually eight). Each kiss given(or set of kisses) is accompanied by a blessing.

So, the Fivefold Kiss doesn't really purify anything. It's really a blessing but I wanted this part in the ritual of sorts. So I put it in it.