A/N: Hello everyone. I have for you here the next chapter of You Only Mate Once. I have a question to ask all of you. How about we have a game? Just to try and lighten things up a bit, I have unleashed a story that will have a set of intros of stories I'm thinking of unleashing. Depending on the situations at hand. I know I still have a lot to compete but I can't help it and besides 'Naruto Cold Cases', some of my ideas are a little dry. Come on, lets be honest here. But anyway, I will be unleashing a question from not only this story, but also 'Would You Love Me'; you know the horror one I started? If you haven't noticed it or read it, I don't blame you. I am writing that story out of my own depression in life because things aren't going that well for me at the moment and I just have this need to kill something. Just trying to keep myself sane, you know? Besides that, for the person who gets the answer to my question right, that person can vote what story will be published after 'Would You Love Me', 'Naruto Cold Cases', and/or this story will be finished. I have several ideas so there can be a first, second, and third place. I have more rules about it in the story. But until I reveal who the winner is, please don't hesitate to look inside and roam through it to see which one you like.

I do NOT OWN ANY of the Naruto characters or the story itself. If I did, I would many terrible things to the ones known as Uchiha Madara and Kabuto. Thank you for those who have reviewed and please keep them coming. They help inspire me to write and I love every single one of them. My question for this story will be revealed at the end of the chapter. Thank you and enjoy.

Ch. 20: Our Time Together

"Ah! Isn't this refreshing, Itachi-teme?" Naruto asks feeling the wind in his hair and rush through his clothes. As he's completely enjoying this incredible feeling on top of the castle tower nearly at the edge of it, Itachi looks like he can sense his own demise coming at him sooner than expected. The icy breath of death is just breathing on his neck as Naruto is just having a grand old time.

"Sasuke is going to kill us both," he mutters. He can already imagine his brother right now screaming and yelling like there's no tomorrow. It's bad enough he started his baby brother's day with a heart attack and now Naruto is just making it better.

Naruto heard the distressed Uchiha and turns around to assure him, "Oh don't worry about it. You know he can't kill me and I know for a fact that he won't kill you."

Itachi's not too sure about the last part. He can only imagine the tantrum Sasuke is throwing after Naruto practically stole him away after Sakura 'betrayed' him for the Kyuubi.

"Where the fuck did he go? Where's Naruto?" he'll scream, either at the spot Itachi was standing not too long ago or at Sakura herself.

She might be bowing to him multiple times with glossy wide eyes like a puppy and a supposedly an adorable pout on her lips. "I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun. But it was a direct order from Naruto-sama. I couldn't disobey."

"But now he has that useless whore with him!" He'll definitely call Itachi that, no doubt about it. "Just…augh! Never mind! I got to find them before that idiot ends up dead. What the hell was he thinking?"

Maybe Hinata will come out and either hide behind Sakura or hide behind the door. "He said something about wanting to talk to Itachi-sama personally about something but he knew he couldn't talk to him in private because you wouldn't allow it."

"Oh course I wouldn't! That guy wants to KILL the idiot! Sakura, I can understand but why didn't you stop him, Hinata?"

In her defense, Sakura might try to plea, "Oh please, Sasuke-kun. Don't get angry with her. Naruto-sama was very convincing with his words."

"Ignore the love of your life for once and use some common sense!..."

"…But what am I going to do if that idiot get hurts? It's not about duties with me. I care for that guy and if anything should happen to him, rather he'll be raped or brutally murder, I would accept death for failing my life goal!"

Why is Naruto saying that while Itachi was imaging what's either going on this very moment or only minutes ago? And why is he holding a microphone? Where did he get that?

"What are you doing?" Itachi asks, stopping his daydream and wondering why Naruto interrupted it with those corny, nonexistent lines.

The blonde answers, "You were just imaging what kind of tantrum Sasuke would be having after I just stole you away. I'm just adding some lines for him to say."

Well thank the Kyuubi it was Itachi's imagination because there is no way in hell that Sasuke would ever say something like that. At least not when he's ready to explode into a flaming volcano mode and take Itachi's place as the next Demon Lord.

But the older Uchiha prince lets out a sigh in defeat. No use thinking about it now, especially since they're already here and Naruto took him away for a reason. "What are you doing, Naruto-kun? I don't mean the lines you just imagined my little brother to be saying at this moment. I mean bringing me here when you know he doesn't like it when I'm alone with you."

"Because he thinks you're gonna kill me?" Naruto asks. Bingo. But the blonde just smiles at him like he always does, only his smile is more gentle and sincere. "I'm not worried. If you wanted to kill me earlier, you would have done it a long time ago. You're a skilled warrior and I'm sure one hell of an incredible assassin. Even though Sasuke is strong, it's obvious that he lets his guard down when he's around you." The compliments didn't faze Itachi, nor did the fact that really could have just killed Naruto if he wanted to. But when the Kyuubi's Jinchuriki said the part about his little brother, his eyes widen slightly in external small surprise. "I brought you here because I want to talk to you in private. Something I know Sasuke would never agree to if I ask him." Then in a blink of an eye, actually less than that, Naruto moved from the edge of the tower to right in front of Itachi. He had to take a small step back because he was so close. Invading his personal bubble again. "Tell me. You know that Sasuke's starving himself right? Maybe not as extreme as you since you arrived here skin and bones, but you get it, right?"

Itachi's eyes widen a little more and his lips became a straight solid line. He gets it all right. The events of last night replays in his head; the blood, him vomiting and coughing it out, and him looking like a dried up, starving animal. At this moment, all he can think about is the bad incidents of last night. "I know about it. I witness it, but I don't understand why he would do that. His accomplishments are amazing and he has grown so much stronger than he was before. It just doesn't make sense."

When Sasuke was a kid, Itachi could read him as simple as reading a book. But now, nothing makes sense anymore. It's just like that time when Sasuke's behavior went from the sweet, innocent little boy to an antisocial, short tempered kid; like how he is now. However after twenty years, his new behavior has gotten worst, to Itachi's perspective. Maybe being as close as they were since tiny kids won't happen any time soon but if Itachi had a choice on taking the early stages of the new Sasuke and the Sasuke now, he would rather have the early stages of the new Sasuke. As confusing as that sounds, the older Uchiha prince just wants to be close to his little brother again. He never wants to go through that again. Feel as though he's nothing but a stranger to his baby brother.

"He'll get angry if I tell you the whole reason so I'll only tell you half. He's punishing himself."

When Itachi heard that, his eyes didn't get any wider but his mouth opens in shock. What did Naruto jus say? "Punishing himself? For what?" he asks, himself confused and practically demanding answers right now.

"For making you leave." And the Uchiha prince remains silent. Naruto doesn't have his smile anymore. He's first staring at Itachi to see if he'll notice anything else besides the speechless shock he's already experiencing. When he saw none and he can see that the Uchiha vampire wants some answers, his face sadness when thinking of his friend. "He feels it was his fault you left. Felt like he couldn't keep you here so to bring you back, he did all of those amazing things but when you still didn't, he started starving himself. I think he was losing the will to live and he wanted to feel pain. To be punished for what he did so he started eating less and less. Then you came back and he just stopped all together."

Now Itachi may be speechless but his mind didn't go blank enough for his brain to stop functioning. When he heard that, he knew the reason. "Because I came back for a different reason than the reason he wanted." It sounded more like a fact than a question and he's right.

"Yep."

"But that's still no reason to do that. He…"

Gosh, now he feels a lot worst than he did yesterday when they told him about every accomplishment Sasuke achieved, every move he made was all for him. In a way, it almost sounds like the boy lived for him and what did Itachi do? He ran off and tried to kill him when he returned. Seeing Sasuke like how he was last night was truly the worst thing he has ever seen in his life, like the Kyuubi was punishing him by making him see that. 'I never want to see him like that again. Not like that.'

"Hey, do you remember when I told you I liked you but I also disliked you?" Naruto asks, summoning back Itachi's attention. This time when the blonde looks at him, he looks very serious compared to his usual happy self. "I said I disliked you because of what you've done to my friend. I care for him like a brother and for the tears you made him shed and the pain you caused him, I promised myself I would never forgive you for it. But then you came and you unleashed a whole different side of him that I have never seen. A side that shows how much he still cares about you. A side that has a heart." It's just one surprise after another. In a way, it sounds like the great genius of the Uchiha clan needs things to be spelled out to him. Naruto's serious façade softens and he smiles as he's now thinking of his dear friend. "I've always known deep inside that Sasuke is a kind and loving person but he doesn't want to get close to someone and end up losing them like how he lost you. He's afraid of getting close. I think out of everyone in the castle, he trusts me more; or at least I hope so. He sure talks to me more personally than he does with everyone else. Maybe it was because I was there for him when he cried."

What happened twenty years ago…

It was shortly after I was discovered as the Kyuubi's Jinchuriki. My mother died giving birth to me and my father died a great hero. I was being raised in a village far away from here in the Suna country but it was terrible. No one really cared about me and I had no parents to love me so it was pretty lonely living there by yourself. But I did meet this one boy who was quiet and who was also a loner. He and I soon became good friends. Even to this day, I still think of him as a dear friend and wonder how he's doing. Then after a small accident, I revealed myself to be the reincarnation of the vampire god and I was sent to the Uchiha castle for safe keeping. The friend I made in the Suna country, I told him that we would meet again. I didn't know how but I knew deep in my gut we would. Then I left.

"This is our god?" became the first thing that the king said to me. Instantly in his presence, I felt like I was in the audience of a father. He just had that look of him – kind, strong, wise; but I noticed that he looked stressed and a little tired. At the time I didn't know why but I know now that it was because his first son had disappeared and hasn't returned for days since a village was attacked by some blood-thirsty vampires few days ago.

I didn't see the queen that day and now I wonder if he was sobbing over the disappearance of his son. You caused a lot of people a lot of pain, you know.

"Yes," the vampire from the Suna country answered, bowing to the king. I suspected I had to bow and I was just about to when the king stopped me.

"Don't bow, little one. By rights, I am the one who should be bowing to you."

He got off his chair and he bowed before me. I was just a kid so I was confused of why a king would bow to someone like me. "Welcome to the Uchiha mansion. I am the King of vampires, Uchiha Madara. As the king I swear by the blood that runs through my veins, I will protect you with all of my power until my dying breath." Then he stood up and smiled at me, a sad one. I would have been self-conscious about him making that kind of vow to me but I was distracted by the sadness on his face.

He instructed a different guard from his castle to escort me to my new room and later he would give me a personal tour of the castle. I agreed since I saw that he needed a minute to collect himself and the Suna vampire left to his own country. Then on the way to my room, I heard crying. A little boy's crying. I have a much more sensitive hearing compared to regular vampires so I escaped my escort and ran off. That's when I met Sasuke. His cries were coming from a room that smelled a lot like you. I first thought it was his room but his scent is different from the smell of the room. I first tried to open the door but it was locked. The sound of it alarmed him.

"Who's there? Go away!"

I got angry real fast.

"Don't talk to me like that! Open this door!"

And he did. Just like that, I heard the door click and he opened it. It was then I really first saw him and he looked just as surprised as I was that he obeyed my command. If not, maybe more.

"Wh-What just happened?" he asked softly.

I answered, "I have no idea." I was staring at his face for a moment, taking it all in. He looked similar to the king so I suspected that he must be the prince and that was when I realized that his scent smells different from the smell in the room. I didn't understand at first why he was there but what I did understand was he looked like he was crying for days. Really swollen blood shot eyes, hair was messed up, and I mean more than usual, tear stains, dry or wet, on his face, and he looked like he hadn't consumed blood much longer than he's been crying.

Since it was an awkward moment for both of us, I figured it was time I introduced myself. "My name's Uzumaki Naruto. I'm the Kyuubi's Jinchuriki."

His eyes grew wider, which I didn't think was possible since they were already wide from the confusion of him following my orders, and he repeated, "Kyuubi's Jinchuriki? That explains it then."

"Uh? Explains what?"

Then he looked at me like an idiot but I think because of my first order, he didn't sound as rude as how he wanted to sound. "When the Kyuubi's reincarnation makes an order, we vampires have to obey, no matter what it is. That includes me opening the door for you when I haven't done that to anyone else – including my parents."

When I heard that, I didn't like it for two reasons. Number one, I don't like to make people do something they don't want to do and number two, since the moment I got here, the castle's been nothing but depressing. I wanted to add some light to the moody castle but the first thing to do is find out what the heck is making everyone so sad.

"Would you…let me in?" I ask him, a little meekly. I did after all just met the guy.

He looked at me confused before he asked, "Why not just order me to let you in? I won't be able to refuse if you do."

He was trying not to sound rude when I could tell he wanted to be. So I took it as rude and said, "I don't like to make people do things against their will, so that's why I'm giving you the choice of letting me in or not. If you say no, I'll sit outside this door all night if I have to." Then he just stared at me, as if debating rather to let me in or not.

"No." Then he slammed the door in my face. "No one is allowed in this room ever again! Except…"

"Except who?" I asked when he didn't finish.

"Except my brother. No one else is allowed in here but him!"

"Well where is he? Let me look for him and maybe he can help."

He must have started crying again because when he answered, his voice was pitchy again. "He's not here. He's gone. He's gone…" Then he started sobbing again. So that was why the king looked so depressed.

I asked, "Where did he go? On a trip to a dangerous land or something? I'm sure your brother is a strong guy. He'll come back, I'm sure!"

"How would you know?" he asked. "You don't even know him!"

"I may not know him since I just got here but I know he'll come back! There's nothing wrong with believing in someone. Did he promise you that he'll come back?"

"sob…y-yeah…"

I smiled when I heard that. "Then he'll come. Just believe in him and his words. I'm sure that he won't ever break a promise to you."

But then he said, "He promised that he'll come back, but…sniff…I know he's not…My brother is never coming back…sob…I'm never going to see my nii-san again…"

Then he started sobbing as if he had no pride at all. I bet even if he was in a crowd of strangers or even humans, he would have cried like that. He cried in front of me and I only met the guy for like two minutes.

I asked him, "Why do you think that?"

Then he told me like sinful man in church. I can't tell you what he said because that's the other half of the reason of why he's punishing himself. That is something he needs to tell you, Itachi-teme. But after he told me, he continued crying and I was left standing in shock. They tell me I'm pretty good to giving people advice on their problems but with him, I had no idea what to say. He said that he can't ever be forgiven for what he did but he wasn't the type to not be forgiven. At the moment, I only thought of one thing.

"Ne, what's your name?" I asked after long moment of silence and him crying.

He tried to stop his tears and he answered, "M-my name is…Sasuke. Uchiha Sasuke."

"Well then Uchiha Sasuke, I demand for you to come out of your room!"

He obeyed. A minute later, he opened the door, his face looking down at the ground, and he came out and he closed the door before he leaned on it.

"I hate liars. You told me that you don't like making people do things they don't want to do," he said, bitterly.

I said, "I don't. But I'm not allowed in that room, remember?" He looked at me then, shocked to hear my words. I tried to smile at him before I hugged him. I felt him stiffen but I just held him tighter and I told him, "You shouldn't be alone, Uchiha Sasuke. Right now, you need someone to comfort you. I can tell. A friend maybe. I don't know what it's like but I can see that it's tearing you apart. I know I can't get rid of the pain but I can try and ease it a little. What do you say?"

"Oh Naruto, you're so nice and so warm. Thank you. Please, I beg you. Never leave me side."

"I know you made up the last part," Itachi interrupts, not at all believing the last part.

Naruto asks, "How do you know? You weren't there and he was crying."

And the flashback ends…

Itachi is narrowing his eyes at the jinchuriki and he has his arms crossed in front of his chest as he says, "Because everything that you said up until now sounds like him. That did not."

And the blonde smiles, rubs the back of his head, and chuckles nervously. "Hehe, got me there then." Itachi's hardening gaze of 'stop fooling around and finish the story' got to the Jinchuriki and he went back into seriousness. "He didn't say anything after that. He just continued to cry. All he needed was a shoulder to cry and since he was in your room, he wanted you to be the one to comfort him but you weren't there. I can understand why he didn't go to his parents but to let a complete stranger like me comfort him in his time of need, I have to admit that I was honored and really happy. I made a friend the very first day I arrived here. He stopped crying eventually and he found out on his own that he can't cry forever. He had to do something and he started these new changes. He wanted to keep the promise he made to you and more than anything before he dies, he wants to apologize for what he's done. That's all he wants to do now. He wants you to realize how sorry he is. He's lived all these years with nothing but that in mind. That guy is one of the strongest people I know, but you know even he can be fragile if you know where to hit him."

Then silence fell upon them like rain pouring from the sky. Naruto said nothing more and Itachi continued to stare at him for a moment longer with a softer gaze than the one he had on before. In time, he looked away and he was left to think about the story the blonde just told him. They always said that a moon suffers alone. The stars only gleaming a small speck of life into their lives but the moon will always be the brightest light in the night, forever alone with no one to understand him but the brightest star in the sky; the sun who he'll never be able to reach.

"Naruto-kun, why are you tell me this?"

"Because I want to make sure you realize just how important you really are to him than how he acts. One day you're friends are going to come here and try to take you away. It's up to you rather or not you'll let them, but there are going to be consequences to your decision. Go with them and allow them to kill you and you know who's going to be affected the most about it. Now I'm not saying this for him, really. I'm saying this for me because I don't think I can handle losing him like how he lost you."

Nice save. If Naruto was only telling Itachi these things out of his own concern for his raven hair friend, he's going to be lecture to mind his own business. Really, this gap the two brothers have is between these two brothers. It should be of no concern to anyone else but them. However, Naruto claiming that he's only doing this to save himself an enormous amount of pain is a good excuse.

But it's only as good as the person who is willing to listen to it.

"You're right. It is my decision rather to go with them or not."

Before Naruto got the wrong idea for his words, Itachi looks at him with, surprisingly, a smirk on his face. The blonde jinchuriki was surely shock to see this expression on his face as the eldest Uchiha prince proclaims, "But until then, I'm staying here with my little brother. Obviously, he can't take very good care of himself and it's my job as his older brother and his servant to make sure he does."

Naruto sure liked the sound of that. It only took him a while to get over the shock of this guy showing any type of emotion besides observing, analyzing, and a look of disappointment. It soon became his turn for his lips to curl up on his face – only into a rather goofy and joyous smile. "Yep! It's time to be the servant and start taking care of your master. But there is one more thing I have to ask you." Well that became a little unexpected. Itachi eyes him curiously and then Naruto invades his personal space again, nearly close enough to almost kiss the guy. Itachi has been living a long time with having weirdos and people he instantly disliked come so close to him. So he wasn't surprised, especially since Naruto likes to get up in people's faces. What he was surprised about was Naruto's question. "Will you accept him? All of him? No matter what he did in the past?"

What he did in the past? What the heck does that mean? As far as Itachi knows, Sasuke's been doing nothing but great and grand things for the vampire race. And why does Itachi have to be the one to accept what he did in the past?

But then Naruto suddenly tenses up and shyly backs away. "I think I'll wait till later to hear that answer."

What?

"Narutoooooo…."

Oh. That's why.

Sensing the demonic energy from the Demon Lord's little brother, Itachi casually looks to the side as Naruto's head turning is shaking, hesitant, and very fearful. What they both see is none other a very stressed looking, fuming rage Sasuke with at least eight pulsing veins and a very dark and angry aura all around him. It was only a second later that Naruto hide behind the fearless Itachi. "Ah..h-h-hi, Sasuke-e-e…"

"Don't 'hi' me, usuratonkachi!" He screams at the top of his lungs. Naruto yelps and hides even further behind Itachi. Not that it matters anyway. It sounded like Sasuke is screaming at Itachi too. "What the hell were you thinking? Running off like that with HIM of all people!"

"Calm down, Sasuke. He just wanted to talk," his older brother tries to soothe. But all it does is enrage the younger prince all the more.

"Shut up, Itachi! Don't say a single word in his defense!" he orders, and as commanded Itachi has no choice but to obey. But maybe he can get around it.

"Then I won't but I will speak in my defense." Sasuke's anger falters a moment when he heard that. Naruto then looks up at the older Uchiha with a new ray of hope gleaming in his eyes as Itachi points out, "Your lashing out is clearly unwanted. He's alive, we're alive, the whole vampire race is still alive; I didn't touch him. You can relax."

But his brother doesn't look the least bit satisfied with that answer. He was just about to open his mouth to say something when Naruto suddenly cuts in.

"Ne, Sasuke! I have a great idea! Wanna hear it?" he asks, like an excited child at a carnival. What happened to his fear of his protector's anger?

Both Uchihas look confused for a moment before Sasuke asks, "Why should I?"

"Because I'm sure that everyone in the castle would love it as well. Why don't you and Itachi-teme have a spar!"

Wahoo, what?

Both Uchihas ask, "What did you say?"

And there you go. How was it? Good? Bad? Let me know.

Game Question: Who will win the battle? Sasuke or Itachi?

Thank you and see you next time.