I'm not pleased with the length of this chapter, believe me I wanted to produce more, but I felt SO bad that I hadn't posted anything for a bit on this tale, since work and life have been ridiculously overwhelming and I have NO time to give this story my full love and attention it so deserves.
Yeah yeah... keep whining, I hear that little voice sounding sarcastic in the back of my mind.
Many hugs and thanks to you that are still putting up with me and my slow ass updates heh
Special shout out to those who leave me a comment! Its great to see a handle with the count of hits! Badbutt94 and KitsuneJen and Fictionlover87 and inaaa999...I see you all! You all get my love and attention :D
==x00x00x00x00x00x00x==
Naruto and Kakashi sat near Kyuubi as he began to wake. His eyes blinked rapidly and looked about the cave, appearing to take in the surroundings. When he stopped looking about, his green eyes landed on Kakashi then Naruto. The fire was crackling between them, casting shadows all around. Green eyes widened in shock as he struggled to get up. Kyuubi panted out in panic as he struggled to move his human arms and legs. They shook uncontrollably, slapping out on the cold dirt floor.
"Hey, easy partner," Naruto called out and shuffled closer to him. "Your limbs probably haven't been in this form for quite awhile, take it slow." He laid a hand on his shoulder.
Kyuubi flinched at Naruto's touch, a low growl escaping his lips. "D-don't-ugh-" his voice cracked out, while he tried to lift himself with his arms. His hair hung long and past his face, hiding his pained look but his breathing in heavy pants gave away his struggle. As he held his torso up, his arms shook uncontrollably, straining to keep his body up.
"Let me help you," Naruto touched the rough fingers of the other alpha. Kyuubi's fingers clenched into fists at the brief touch and he growled lowly. Naruto fell back, his face scrunched up with confusion and hurt.
"Give him some space Naruto," Kakashi breathed out calmly. Naruto pouted at the man before he sighed out, relaxed back on his ass and shifted backwards.
Three sets of eyes watched as Kyuubi wobbled slightly to sit up, his head still bowed low so his long red hair covered his eyes. He flexed his hands over and over before grabbing his feet, forcing them to go in the direction he wanted, tucked close to him so he could sit up. He breathed out heavily, sounding as if he had run a marathon but the raspy growls were heard with each breath. Sweat sheened on his skin, the firelight lighting the sharp muscled curves of his thighs and his green eyes peered through the stings of his fire red hair.
"W-wha-'av you-done," Kyuubi harsh whisper growled out with each heavy breath.
"Welcome back pup," Kakashi responded with a smile in his voice.
"What-have-you-done?" Kyuubi breathed out louder now, his voice quaking with anger.
"We've come to bring you home," Naruto answered this time. "You been away too-"
"SHUT-UP!" Kyuubi snapped out suddenly, his head snapping straight up bearing his canines and his pupils were rimmed with yellow as he glared solely at Naruto.
Naruto blinked at the surprise outburst, looking from Kyuubi to Kakashi and back to Kyuubi again. Kyuubi was hissing through his clenched teeth, spit dripping to the dirt floor and if Naruto didn't know better, he would have thought Kyuubi was challenging him.
"Kyuubi, what happened?" Naruto asked gently. He reminded himself that Kyuubi ran rogue when Naruto was in a coma, then from what he understood, Kyuubi ran further away from whatever happened at the raid.
Kyuubi shook his head, spit flying in all directions and he fell back into himself, grasping his hair tight while he shook his head. A whimper escaped his lips, his hair hiding his face once again as he rocked back and forth.
Naruto couldn't hold himself back anymore while his alpha called out to the younger, eager to console, coddle, anything to soothe the pain the younger vibrated out. Naruto quickly moved in front of Kyuubi, gathering up the smaller alpha in his arms and tucked him beneath his chin. His chest released a deep rumble of calm waves and sounds as Naruto rocked Kyuubi gently. The smaller alpha shook and trembled in Naruto's arms while the other two wolves watched quietly.
Naruto ran his hands over Kyuubi's wild red locks, slowly and gently, wishing he could take away what was causing his alpha brother distress. He leaned his cheek on Kyuubi's head, continuing to release his scent and sounds. He would sit there forever if it meant Kyuubi calming down and coming back to his regular self.
Time had passed that left the fire nothing but glowing embers, but neither Kakashi or Utakata moved to stoke the fire as they waited and watched Naruto and Kyuubi. Eventually Kyuubi had finally stopped shaking and relaxed into Naruto's hold. His breathing had calmed to more even breaths and Naruto felt Kyuubi move his hands around Naruto's torso. His fingers moved slowly, as if feeling Naruto's body cautiously, touching his back, spine, feeling his muscles, and Naruto let him. If Kyuubi needed reassurance that Naruto was real, Naruto would give Kyuubi what he needed.
Kakashi gave Utakata a nod towards the entrance. Utakata nodded in response, getting up and both men left the cave, leaving Naruto and Kyuubi alone.
"Naru-" Kyuubi whimpered out in a breath. His fingers continued to touch around Naruto's torso, eventually leading up to the blond's head. His fingers touched ears, twirled blond locks and then fell to Naruto's cheeks. The pads of his fingers slowly traced Naruto's jaw line, cheek bones, then his feather touches ran up the blond's temples and across his forehead. "C-can you be r-real?" Kyuubi whispered out through a sob.
Naruto squeezed Kyuubi tighter in his embrace, his alpha calling proudly to the smaller alpha, inhaling Kyuubi's scent while in turn releasing his own and moving his one cheek to rub on Kyuubi's head. "I'm here, still here. I've come to save you," Naruto purred out, rubbing Kyuubi's back while Kyuubi's hands shook at this voice.
Kyuubi pulled his head back and lifted his chin. His puffy glistening green eyes looked into blue, his bottom lip quivered slightly so he sucked it in and bit it softly. He placed his trembling hands on each side of Naruto's face, his thumbs rubbing softly, carefully and a stray tear escaped his eye. "Y-your okay. You're here." His voice trembled slightly as his eyes began to look all around Naruto's face, his hands moving Naruto's head about. The blond alpha allowed Kyuubi free rein to touch, smell and look as much as he wanted. "H-how?"
Naruto chuckled and beamed a bright grin at Kyuubi while Kyuubi continued to move his head and touch. Kyuubi looked down at Naruto's chest, his fingers poking at Naruto's ribs causing Naruto to flinch and giggle. "Easy now, that's ticklish!" Naruto flinched while Kyuubi still poked.
"But, you - the silver, and, and-coma, N-naru-" Kyuubi sat up straighter, placing his hands on Naruto's shoulders now and still his eyes scanned the blond.
Naruto rubbed his hand on the back of his head and shrugged. "Well, that's a long story, but I'll be sure to tell you all about it when you come home!" He smiled as he brought his hand up to the side of Kyuubi's head.
Closing his eyes briefly, Kyuubi leaned into the touch, feeling the blond alpha's call of warmth, love and welcoming. He suddenly felt very tired and let out a shuddering exhale.
"Kyuubi? What's wrong?" Naruto whispered out, his head tilting slightly to see the smaller alpha.
Kyuubi's shoulders slouched and he shook his head. "I'm a failure Naru." His voice cracked, sounding riddled with pain. "I-I couldn't save you. Then the hell with the sales, and-and Nago-to-k-kimmi, the cubs-I-I... c-c-save them Naru, I couldn't save them!" His shoulders began to shake again and Naruto pulled him back into an embrace.
"Okay...okay. You don't have to talk now," he hummed quietly, holding Kyuubi as he began to sob once more.
Naruto held Kyuubi until he fell asleep, then arranged him so he was lying back down, Kyuubi's head on Naruto's lap. Naruto continued to stroke Kyuubi's long wild red locks gently, massaging his scalp, his alpha soothing purr echoing off the cave walls. He glanced up when Kakashi and Utakata walked back into the cave quietly, several small rabbits and wild turkeys hanging from their hands for dinner. Kakashi glanced at the red headed alpha, sleeping deeply under the blanket and raised his brow at Naruto, a silent question.
"He feels he failed," Naruto sighed out. "With me and whatever happened while he was gone." He frowned slightly and glanced back down, seeing Kyuubi's forehead wrinkled, his eyebrows frowning and slight hiccup whimpers escape his lips. "I don't know what happened while he was gone. He was too upset to make coherent sentences. Something about cubs, a nago and kimmi." Naruto inhaled deeply as he moved his hand to rub across Kyuubi's forehead, trying to smooth out his worry lines. "Any idea Kakashi?"
Kakashi shook his head before sitting down with the kill. He frowned and hummed as he started prepping the wild game. "The only thing I know is something upset him after the raid and the fire…"
~Flashback~
"What about the fucking fire!? What the hell happened?!" Kyuubi growled out.
"One of the lackey's started a fire, thinking that it would help them get away. Before we knew it, the fire was out of control and we got all the cubs out, thank heavens," Temari answered the question.
" What...About...The...Bar? " Kyuubi spat out between clenched teeth.
"The bar?" Temari asked with a quizzical look on her face.
"The fucking bar attached to the building for fucks sakes!" Kyuubi roared out, throwing the glass in his hand against the wall.
Kakashi stepped into Kyuubi's sight, holding his hands up. "Okay okay, it's alright Kyuubi," Kakashi chanted out while keeping Kyuubi's eyes focused on him. When Kyuubi notably settled slightly, Kakashi sighed out, "sorry kiddo, that building burnt to the ground."
Kyuubi's eyes widened in shock.
Kakashi placed a damp rag on Kyuubi's forehead, gently pushing him back down on the bed. "You're looking pale there, you need more rest to heal up completely. I'm going out to get you some food, okay?" Kakashi dabbed the cool cloth around Kyuubi's face before placing it on his forehead.
...later
"Kyuubi?" Kakashi called out after time had passed and Kyuubi still did not give any type of response after Kakashi had explained what had gone down the night before. "Kyuubi, what has happened?" Kakashi knew this type of behaviour, having been witness to many traumatized wolves and suffering through his own losses throughout his life. He recognized the sorrow practically emanating from the young alpha.
"It doesn't matter now," Kyuubi whispered.
Kakashi could hear the hurt in his voice. "It matters to you, and that's what is important," Kakashi comforted. Kyuubi said nothing in response. "You were pretty adamant about wanting to know about the fire last night," Kakashi prompted, recalling the outburst Kyuubi had. He heard Kyuubi whimper slightly and saw his shoulders tense. "Was there someone in that bar you mentioned?"
"It doesn't fucking matter so shut the fuck up!" Kyuubi suddenly growled out. "I'm leaving."
~End Flashback~
"Do you think he knew someone there?" Naruto whispered.
Kakashi nodded while plucking a turkey. "Though he didn't talk about it, I wouldn't doubt that during the months that he spent there, he could have made some friends. Would seem odd if he didn't, he's always been an outgoing extrovert."
Naruto nodded quietly before he released a yawn.
"It was a long day for you too pup. Kyuubi wasn't the only one we had to pull out of the water, get some rest," Kakashi's tone was firm when he looked over at Naruto yawning, his eyes drooping. "Besides, Kyuubi's wolf most likely needs the continuous comfort from his alpha."
Naruto nodded and made himself comfortable behind Kyuubi under a blanket. His alpha continued to release a calming scent and vibrate through his chest. Naruto inhaled Kyuubi's scent and smiled as the smaller alpha responded fully to his own wolf. 'We'll get through this together, promise,' Naruto mentally called out as he began to drift into sleep.
Kakashi and Utakata sat in silence around the fire, both focused on preparing the game. Nothing but the crackling of the fire and the soft snores of the two alpha's filled the space.
"Thank you again for your help, can we help you with anything? We are in your debt," Kakashi hummed out while he continued to pull feathers, his eyes not looking up.
Utakata hesitated for a moment, glancing up at Kakashi. "Hn," was all he said.
==x00x00x00x00x00x==
Snarls, barks, heavy panting and the cracks of branches were echoing in the forest area. A large red wolf ran through the trees, dodging rocks and mounds of dead trees, dirt flying up from massive paws that ripped at the ground. A large pink tongue flapped about, hanging from the side of his muzzle as the wolf continued to run.
The red wolf let out a surprised loud huff like sound when an enormous blur of dark blond fur popped out of a heavy wooded area and attacked. The red wolf twisted and turned, rolling through the forest greenery, crushing and breaking anything in the way as it tried to break free of the blond wolf. The equally sized blond wolf snapped its jaws, released barks and nipped at the red wolf as they both rolled. A clash of massive paws twisted about each other as the two wolves wrestled for dominance. Muzzles filled with rows of sharp white teeth snapped and nipped at each other's thick fur coats.
When the two wolves came to a stop, the blond wolf had his jaws secured on the red wolf's scruff and both wolves panted heavily into the morning air, their breaths appearing in the cool mist air.
'Pinned ya!' Naruto's voice teased through the wolf bond.
'I let you cause I'm bored,' Kyuubi responded, a smirk in his voice.
Naruto let go over Kyuubi's large neck, his pink tongue lapping about his muzzle. 'Shit, I got your hair all stuck in my teeth! Hairy bugger!' The blond wolf stepped back, his tongue still flapping about his teeth and muzzle.
Kyuubi snorted out as he moved to get off the forest floor. Shaking his body, dirt and hair flew in all directions, causing Naruto to headbutt Kyuubi in the shoulder.
'You're such a mess. I'll give you head start this time...slowpoke,' Naruto teased out again. He lowered his head and placed his massive paws over his eyes, his tail wagging fiercely. 'Look! I can't see youuuuu.'
Kyuubi looked down at his alpha and snorted again at the childishness of him. He licked his muzzle quickly, turned his head to head to the side, before sprinting off through the forest once again, his paws leaving scratch marks in the soft ground.
'I'll give you to tennnnnn Kyu'bs! Oneeeee…..twoooooo….' Naruto called out through the bond, his voice high with mirth, his tail continuing to wag and his massive paws still covering his wolf eyes.
Kakashi wandered through the trees, his nose sniffing at various areas and he snickered to himself listening to Naruto and Kyuubi horseplay through the bond and crashing about through the forest. It had been at least three days since they brought Kyuubi back, but the young red wolf alpha still held a lot of pain. It hadn't been easy to get Kyuubi to let go and at least get out, as he spent the first couple days depressed and quiet in the cave. Any questions that Naruto or Kakashi had about what was on his mind got either an icy glare or a cold blast of yelling to mind their own business. Kyuubi still wouldn't talk about what happened, but with Naruto around, Kakashi was pleased that once again Naruto's optimistic, caring and loving behaviour had begun to crack through Kyuubi's walls. Today it was nice to see that Naruto's constant pushing and whining had gotten under Kyuubi's skin enough to get him to go outside. With Naruto physically pushing and pawing at Kyuubi, the two began to act like cubs. Running about, nipping at each other's heels, tumbling over each other and just plain having fun.
'Pinned ya again!' Naruto giggled out through the bond. Kakashi huffed out a snort with a smile in his head as he heard Kyuubi grumbling back about cheating or something. Yup, it never thought that he would miss hearing the two being rambunctious again.
Utakata's tall lean figure leaned against a tree, watching and listening from a distance as the two wolves pranced around the forest like a couple of kids. His forehead wrinkled, his lips frowned slightly while he watched them nip and snap at each other, knocking their paws at the other to make the other fall. He hadn't witnessed such behaviour in grown alphas before, it was...odd. Alphas were supposed to be fierce and aloof, always the ones that showed they are powerful and not to be messed with. Well, at least that's the stories he was told. He frowned harder as memories of his mother began to surface.
~memory~
"What's happening mommy?" Ten year old Utakata rubs his eyes when he is woken from his sleep.
"We need to go now baby, it isn't safe." The woman mutters as she grabs clothes and shoves them in a duffle bag. "Come on now, remember what I told you," she whispers when she stops packing and runs a hand through his bed hair.
"Mhm, to keep safe we need to hide," Utakata yawned. "Cause all bad hunters got special eyes."
"Very good love. Those eyes have found us, so we need to go. Get dressed." She gave a kiss on Utakata's forehead before getting up, grabbing the duffle bag and leaving the room.
~end memory~
Utakata rubbed his temples and closed his eyes when that one particular memory hit him the hardest. He remembers leaving, from which place? He doesn't know. They moved so many times, mostly in the middle of the night, there were too many places to keep track. It was so common that eventually they left their bags packed since there was no point unpacking.
A strong puff of air startled him and he turned to see the large grey wolf standing beside him, his eyes large and unmoving upon his face.
Utakata just frowned in response. "What?" he snapped out. Kakashi tilted his large wolf head, his ears perked straight up, staring at Utakata and Utakata could tell that Kakashi was questioning him. Utakata then snorted out a smirk. "Just wondering how a couple of childish nitwits can be alphas." He looked back into the direction he could hear Naruto and Kyuubi running or tumbling through the forest. "They're going to demolish this forest," Utakata mumbled out while he turned and walked away. Kakashi's eyes followed and he drooped his ears while watching the other walk away.
Hours later, the four were back in the cave, all in human form, preparing small game again for their dinner. The fire crackled and the four sat in silence while they worked.
"We need to head back soon," Kakashi spoke up, breaking the silence. He didn't look up as he spoke, he kept his eyes on his fingers pulling out feathers from the wild turkey.
"Ah hell yah!" Naruto's face popped up, a grin on his face. "Though it's really pretty here, but I really miss Sasuke…" He suddenly slouched, his face covered by his hair and the rabbit in his hand flopped onto the dirt floor.
Kyuubi glanced at the blond alpha quickly, his hands hesitating for a moment as if in thought before he brought his eyes back down to the turkey in his hand. He pinched his lips and took a breath, "Sasuke's okay then eh?" His voice was but a whisper, his eyes still on the turkey, his fingers still plucking out feathers.
Naruto looked up at Kyuubi's comment and nodded his head. "Yeah. It was pretty rough for a while, ya know, but after all the shit that went down, and believe me there was hell," Naruto scoffed out. He then gave a small happy smile, rubbing the back of his head, "we officially bonded." Naruto gave a small chuckle.
Kyuubi stopped and turned to look at Naruto, who was giving a sheepish grin in response. Kyuubi raised his brow and his eyes dropped to Naruto's neck.
Realizing what Kyuubi was looking at, Naruto quickly turned his body slightly and lifted his hair. "See?"
Kyuubi could see the faint lines of the bonding mark on his neck. "Huh, never thought…" Kyuubi muttered out. A sharp pain suddenly ripped through his chest and Kyuubi dropped his face, biting his lower lip. "C-congratulations," he muttered. He clenched his fists and quickly got up, moving towards the opening of the cave.
"Kyu'bs?" Naruto called out to Kyuubi's retreating back, his face in a shocked expression at the sudden departure.
Naruto quickly got up from his seat and hurried after the younger alpha, Utakata and Kakashi only giving a glance at the blond. Utakata looked over at Kakashi with a look of question on his face. Kakashi just shrugged his shoulders and hummed a response before directing his attention back to the turkey in his hand.
"Hey, Kyuubi, wait up." Naruto trotted up to the red haired man who had just stepped out of the mouth of the cave. Naruto stood beside him, watching as Kyuubi stopped and stared up at the night sky. The moon was half full, the night was clear and the cold November air was noticeable in white puffs of smoke when the men breathed. 'Why are you so sad?' Naruto thought to himself, as he took in Kyuubi's features. Kyuubi's eyes were noticeably sad, his bottom lip trembled slightly and he often bit on it to stop it from doing so. "Did I say something wrong?" Naruto whispered out, his hands rubbing his arms to keep off the chill of the night.
Kyuubi said nothing and Naruto waited. Naruto's wolf reached out, seeking, wanting to feel the other alpha pack member and soothe his hurt. The two stood and looked up at the stars, listening to the quiet of the night in the forest. "Who hurt you Kyu'bs?" Naruto tested the air when he turned to look at Kyuubi again.
Green eyes turned wide when Kyuubi snapped his head at the blond alpha. "Who hurt…? What?" Kyuubi seethed out in a deep voice. He frowned when he noticed Naruto didn't budge from his question, his blue eyes giving a look of concern. Kyuubi then began to laugh at the sight of his alpha and realizing the question Naruto asked. But the laugh wasn't cheerful or funny, it was a deep maniacal laugh that caused Naruto to step back, his blue eyes wide in surprise then cautious, his muscles tense and ready for anything. "WHO. HURT. ME? SERIOUSLY?" Kyuubi's maniacal laughter continued to echo through the chilly air, carrying through the trees, his hands now clutching his abdomen and tears squeezed from his eyes, leaving a glistening trail that reflected in the moonlight.
Naruto bit his bottom lip, thinking hard for a moment. "Kyuubi, please, tell me how I can-"
"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" Kyuubi roared out, turning suddenly and grabbing Naruto's shoulders. He leaned in close, his eyes only an inches away from Naruto. "I..HURT..THEM...ME!" Kyuubi gripped Naruto's shoulders and shook him with every word, those blue eyes wide watching him. "Get it?! I COULDN'T SAVE THEM!" Kyuubi seethed out in a growl as his green eyes ringed in yellow, boring holes into Naruto's blue while his fingers clawed at the blond alpha's shoulders. "I-couldn't-save-them," he lowered his voice, but his words still dripped with anger and grief. His breath huffed heavily against Naruto's face while they stared at each other, neither moving away.
Naruto remained steady while Kyuubi released his emotions, letting him release in any way he could, Naruto would do anything to give him peace. He could see the despair and suffering in those green eyes of the younger alpha causing his own heart and wolf to cry in sorrow. Green glistening eyes stared back at Naruto, seeking, hoping, calling out to the alpha, please. Pulling the younger into his arms, Naruto squeezed Kyuubi hard, wishing with all his might he could save Kyuubi from the pain and take it all for him. "Kyu'bs, please, let me help you," Naruto whispered out as he held the shaking redheaded alpha.
The warmth of the blond alpha engulfed Kyuubi, his green eyes wide with surprise, his body trembled, the emotions erupting in all directions like a volcano within him. His vision blurred while the tears built up as the blond alpha held him close, whispering words of comfort, Kyuubi felt the familiar burning in his throat when his inner wolf reached in deep and released the heartache Kyuubi tried to hold in for far too long. His legs gave out, but Naruto held on and lowered them both to the ground slowly, Naruto still clutching him tightly, whispering, "I got you Kyu'bs, I got you." into his ear, and Kyuubi finally let go.
The next morning Naruto walked quietly with Kyuubi through the trees. The morning sun caused the hoarfrost to twinkle off the branches of trees, bushes and even the snow, making the November morning sparkle dozens of diamonds like a winter wonderland.
Naruto gave Kyuubi his peace, the time to think and process after his melt down the night prior. Whatever happened, Naruto knew that Kyuubi blamed himself and was slowly tearing away at his alpha pride. But what exactly happened, Naruto still had yet to know.
"You know, I never thought that I would meet someone like-" Kyuubi whispered through the air. The air was calm, there was no wind, but his voice carried through to Naruto's ears. "The whole situation that was going on, I never thought-never considered, that Nagato and Konan would put themselves in that situation just for the others." Kyuubi drew in a shuddering breath before continuing. "I-I had no right to be angry with them, I'm just glad they were there. Especially for Kimmi." He squeezed his eyes momentarily before looking up into the clear blue sky. "I-I wonder how many more…" He stopped at the edge of a rock cliff, staring out across the sea.
Naruto gnawed his bottom lip. He struggled with what to say and how to say it without upsetting Kyuubi. "How many more?" Naruto asked softly.
Kyuubi brought a hand up to his hair, moving the stray strands that were blowing about from the sea breeze and tucking it behind his ear. "How many more they helped just that little bit. How many more are there to remember Konan and her kindness." His green eyes scanned the horizon, but he didn't see it. His thoughts were on Konan, the cubs in the auctions and memories of Kimimaro's smile. He glanced down at the rough seas in the distance. "The sea, it's the same colour as Kimmi's eyes," he choked out.
Naruto looked out across the sea, noticing that it was rough, and even though the sky was blue, the sea water was a moss green colour. Whitecaps breached the surface hundreds of meters away, showing just how rough the sea was. "It's a beautiful colour Kyu'bs," Naruto whispered out, keeping his eyes on the horizon, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"The whitecaps on the waves, reminds me of his hair…" Kyuubi wiped a tear from his eye. "Everything about the sea reminds me of him," Kyuubi breathed out, his voice cracking slightly. "I can't go back. I can't leave him."
Naruto glanced at the young alpha, understanding now. "They deserve a proper shrine of remembrance Kyu'bs. We can give them that-at home." Naruto nodded firmly looking back out across the scene. "Such bravery cannot go unforgotten, they deserve that, don't ya think?" Naruto glanced back at him, his eyes watching Kyuubi's response.
Kyuubi didn't respond. His eyes continued to have a far away look, as he stared across the sea. The wind suddenly picked up and whipped his red hair about and Kyuubi closed his eyes. He inhaled deeply, smelling the salt and scents of the ocean. His eyes stung with unshed tears as memories of the omega invaded his thoughts. Naruto just let him be.
==x00x00x00x00x00x==
Sasuke yawned loudly and stretched his arms and legs. He hummed in content as his muscles enjoyed the satisfying stretches they received. Rubbing his eyes, he blinked several times about the room. Right...he was at his brother's home. Yawning again, he rolled to sit up, rubbing his palm over his face. Grabbing his phone, he saw that it was after 6pm already and couldn't believe how tired he still was. He looked over to the desk to see Itachi wasn't there but could smell the warm scent of Deidara's cooking. Sending a quick text to Sakura and Hinata saying he probably wouldn't be home tonight, he got up and headed for the kitchen.
Kisame and Hidan were stomping about the kitchen, gathering various foods, wrapping them and shoving them into packs. Sasuke leaned against the door frame, tilting his head at the scene, noticing that Deidara was cooking something on the stove while the other two beta's were shuffling around.
"Camping?" Sasuke decided to ask, breaking the movement in the room.
"Hey squirt, you're looking pale." Hidan grinned towards Sasuke. "Well, I guess it's no different than any other time," he chuckled and winked at Sasuke. Sasuke just threw him a glare. "Well, that's nothing new either ya know," Hidan joked back at the glare, sticking his tongue out at the omega. He continued to shove some food into his pack.
"You hungry 'un?" Deidara called out from the stove. "You were asleep for a couple hours. You must be exhausted 'un." Deidara moved the hot pan to a cold burner, wiped his hands on his apron and came to stand before Sasuke. He leaned over slightly, looking Sasuke in the eyes then around his face. Placing a hand on his forehead, he tsk'd. "You look more pale than usual, and those circles under your eyes are telling stories 'un." Sasuke moved his head away from the omega's hand on his forehead, letting out an irritated huff. Deidara chuckled, "now come sit, having something to eat. I have fried rice and egg, one of your favorites." Deidara squeezed Sasuke's shoulder, guiding him to the table.
"Better listen to momma-Dei," Kisame sung out with a laugh. Sasuke threw him a glare for good measure. "And no, we aren't going camping. Road trip!" he called out and gave Hidan a high five. Both beta's wooted out a call and finished shoving more things in their packs.
"Itachi will want to talk to you 'un," Deidara mentioned out as he scooped some food on a plate. "These boys are going to need some details from you." Deidara winked and placed the plate of food before Sasuke. Sasuke blinked at Deidara then over at two laughing hyena beta's before shaking his head and digging into the food. His mouth salivated over the scent and then taste of the fried rice Deidara had prepared. An approved moan escaped his lips as he swallowed the food. Deidara just grinned at him from across the kitchen.
Itachi came in with a rolled up parchment and nodded at the two beta's to take a seat. They all sat across from Sasuke, who raised his brow in question at the trio.
"I have here a map of Canada. Sasuke, if you could, could you show us in the general area that Naruto and Kakashi were headed?" Itachi rolled out the map on the table, turning it towards Sasuke.
"The hell for?" Sasuke asked after he swallowed his food. He didn't want to be reminded of exactly how far away his mate was, his omega wolf cried in response to that memory.
"I'm sending Kisame and Hidan to assist Naruto and Kakashi." He tapped on the map. "If they need the help, then great. If not, then Kisame and Hidan have a vacation, either way, all parties benefit." Itachi smirked.
Sasuke pondered the idea. If Naruto needed more wolf power to get his ass home with Kyuubi, this could be a great idea. But if Naruto was lost, how would Hidan and Kisame find him? How would they bring him home, wouldn't that take longer if Naruto was lost? Sasuke furrowed his brows at the thought of Naruto lost.
"Kisame and Hidan are excellent trackers otouto. I trust them completely to find Naruto and Kakashi. They helped me find you remember." Itachi gave a soft smile.
Sasuke swallowed his guilt in a large gulp. Yes, it was Kisame and Hidan along with Itachi that helped find Sasuke when he was in one of Orochimaru's many secret labs, when he ran to that madman, when he thought that Orochimaru could save him from his wolf. He shuddered slightly at what he could remember after he woke up from being feral for weeks if not months. He inhaled a deep breath when Itachi placed his warm hand on his arm, giving him that reassurance he needed to stay down to earth.
"Okay," Sasuke nodded. He finished off his plate and then went over the map with the pack.
Within the next hour, Sasuke found himself waving goodbye to Kisame and Hidan as they took off through the wilderness, their destination in their minds and Sasuke swore he could hear them bickering as they ran. He huffed out a chuckle before he felt Itachi's arm around his shoulder.
==intermission==
Sasuke poured the alcohol into the glass of ice with ease, his other hand moving to grab the dispenser to add the mix with a grace that showed how long he had been doing this. He had decided to work the club tonight, after speaking with Itachi about what had been happening at the Uzumaki household. He wasn't ready yet to go back, he needed some space and being with Itachi helped calm his wolf. The sense of being in his family home was warm and Sasuke wanted to embrace it for a while longer. The club life started late in the evening, as usually, the crowd was average, the music just as lively as always, flashing lights in time with the bass beats. A sense of normality ran through Sasuke, and he almost would have smiled.
"Sasuke," a deep silk voice broke through the music filled air.
Sasuke smirked as he finished the drink he was preparing and handed it to the customer. A blue haired beta woman fluttered her eyes at him. He took her money when she got her drink and kept his face stoic while he nodded in response to her saying 'keep the change handsome.' Turning to see the voice, he gave a small nod to the red haired man who sat at the edge of his bar.
"Gaara. Good to see you," Sasuke called out as he grabbed a short glass. "Usual?" he asked before grabbing scotch. He continues to grab some ice and pour the drink when the fire coloured haired alpha nods in agreement. "Didn't know you were still hanging around," Sasuke states when he places the drink in front of Gaara.
"Need to tie up some loose ends," Gaara responds before taking a sip of his drink. "How you holding out?"
Sasuke shrugs nonchalantly. He turns to see Deidara waiting for him at the counter with a list of drinks to prepare. "Same old, same old," Sasuke mumbles as he starts preparing the drinks. Deidara waved to Gaara, blowing him a kiss as well. Gaara snorted out a laugh.
"How's Naruto's trip going? Have you heard much?" Gaara knew that Kakashi and Naruto had headed north to retrieve Kyuubi, but that was all he knew of the sort. Dealing with the political nightmare after the raids and more that were being discovered, he was up to his ears in paperwork and trying to secure the evidence to keep Danzo and others behind bars. The most difficult challenge thus far was finding a link between Danzo and Orochimaru.
"We get a letter now and then, but we haven't heard from them for a few weeks," Sasuke shook his head slightly feeling his wolf rise up at the thought of the alpha not being around.
"Hn." Gaara swirled his drink, the ice cubes clinking against the sides of the glass. He watched as Sasuke placed the orders on Deidara's tray before speaking up again. "My team has discovered," he paused for a moment, watching as Sasuke's eyes turned towards him, indicating he was listening. "Possible remains of Sai." He whispered the last sentence out in a low growl.
Sasuke froze. The music continued to pound in the background and echoed through his ears, but it all sounded like he was underwater but did nothing to deter the sudden flashes of scenes that appeared before his eyes. He grabbed the side of the bar when he felt his balance shift and he feared he would fall. Bringing his other hand up to his forehead, he squeezed his eyes shut, willing the scenes in his head to go away. His chest constricted tight around his heart and he tried to take deep breaths, wanting to remain calm.
"Sas-" Gaara called out.
He heard Gaara call, but he sounded so far away. Flashes of Sai continued to overload his mind, blocking out the sounds of the club around him. The flickering of memories was so fast, Sasuke couldn't keep up, he was feeling dizzy and the pounding between his temples intensified. His hand on the bar wasn't keeping him stable and he blindly felt around, trying to find a chair, stool, a bench, anything for fucks sakes so he could just sit and let this pass.
'I'm in the club, can't-can't let them see-' he screamed at himself while his mind began to slowly panic. He couldn't get any air, someone was squeezing his chest.
Sai-Sai, he's here, he's here- 'no he's not'- Sai's coming, touching, laughing, snarling -'no he's not'- Sasuke's mind fought with itself. His wolf trembled, growled, slammed against his walls - it was too much, it had to stop! 'I can't...I can't--'
Sasuke then let go and succumbed to darkness.
Gaara vaulted over the bar in order to catch Sasuke before he fell to the filthy floor. He cradled the man to his chest and held him close, checking his vitals. Gaara could feel Sasuke's heart rate going at an alarming rate. Scooping up Sasuke's legs, he cradled him bridal style and pushed his way through the crowd, heading towards the office. The bouncers who were on the floor cleared the way for Gaara to get through and one opened the door for him.
The room was dimly lit, the music was muffled to a low humming and thumping when the bouncer closed the door behind him. Laying Sasuke on the couch, he quickly went over Sasuke closely to determine if he was in distress. The omega was panting out short quick uneven breaths, a sheen of sweat was on his forehead, causing some black locks to stick to his skin. His face was pale and his heart was beating wildly.
Itachi came rushing in, immediately dropping to the floor and placing his forehead on Sasuke's. The alpha wolf called out, searching, feeling, and releasing a rumble of worry. Gaara watched from a distance and after some time, noticed Sasuke's vitals going down to normal, his colour coming back in his face. After a few more minutes, Itachi lifted himself away from Sasuke's sleeping form, placing a soft kiss on his forehead before standing up. He grabbed a throw from the back of the couch, covering Sasuke's sleeping form. Folding his arms, he let out a sigh and glanced at Gaara. Tilting his head towards the desk in the far corner, Gaara nodded in response and the two left the sleeping omega.
Sitting behind his desk, Itachi closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a loud sigh. "Thank you Gaara. How did this happen?" Itachi now leaned forward, his chin resting on his two folded hands on top of his desk.
Gaara crossed his arms and leaned against the large desk. "He may have had a panic attack," he started out. "I informed him that my team may have discovered Sai's remains, and he froze after that." Gaara shook his head. "I didn't realize he would have reacted that way. I wouldn't have said anything had I known."
Itachi shook his head and held up his hand at the other alpha. "No, this reaction is not a norm for Sasuke. He's strong, but lately, he's struggling." Itachi brought his hands back together, interlinking them and tucking them back under his chin. "Since Naruto has been gone, his wolf struggles with the absence and it's wearing on Sasuke physically and mentally. I knew I shouldn't have let him work," he grumbled out.
"If they have truly found his remains, that doesn't bode well for any evidence against Orochimaru I'm afraid," Gaara kept his voice low. "Sasuke still hasn't recalled anything?" Itachi just shook his head no. Gaara pinched his lips together tightly in a frown. "Well, I'll keep you updated on the progress." Gaara moved towards the door, Itachi humming out in agreement. "Good night," Gaara called out when he closed the door behind him.
Itachi looked over at Sasuke, whose lips were slightly parted as he took in deep breaths from sleep. His eyelids fluttered slightly showing that he was in deep rem sleep and Itachi's wolf reached out to the omega. The omega wolf seemed calm now, but it still held a sliver of longing and slight despair. Itachi's wolf called out to soothe the other but he snapped his head up when he felt the omega suddenly lash out towards his alpha. Itachi stood up so suddenly he bumped his desk and papers went toppling to the floor. His eyes narrowed at Sasuke's sleeping form, who still lay still beneath the blanket, his breathing calm and steady. Itachi stepped around the corner of the desk, ignoring the fallen papers and stood closer to Sasuke. Itachi closed his eyes as his alpha reached out again to the omega, sensing the loneliness it felt for its blond alpha, the apha softly stroking the other wolf entity, coaxing it out to embrace Itachi's wolf. The omega wolf rumbled out softly in response to Itachi's alpha, causing Itachi to release a breath he didn't realize he was holding.
*SNAP*
Itachi stumbled backwards, his eyes flying open as he felt the mental bite of the omega on his alpha. 'What the fuck was that for?' Itachi thought while holding his forehead and regaining his balance. He blinked several times as he looked at his still sleeping otouto, on the couch, under a blanket and still resting comfortably. His inner alpha growled out in irritation but did not raise anymore of a fuss than that in his mind. 'Otouto...what is going on?'
Sasuke began to come to his thoughts, when he heard the soft speaking in the room. His mind was confused suddenly as he recognized the voices but the smell of the room wasn't right. His eyes squinted and he moved his head slightly taking in the scent of the room. Leather couch, old wood, dusty carpet and the strong scent of alcohol, both old and new. 'The club...yes...I'm at the club-working.' Sasuke suddenly opened his eyes realizing that he was in his brother's office. 'What the hell-' He brought a hand up to his face, rubbing his temple where a dull ache had made itself known.
"How you feeling 'un?" It was Deidara, moving to sit next to Sasuke lying on the couch. His hand ran through the raven dark locks gently and the omega purred out in concern.
Sasuke inhaled deeply as the dull ache began to subside and looked into the powder blue eyes that looked at him worriedly. "What happened?" Sasuke moved slightly to sit up. Deidara moved to the side more, helping him sit up and moved the blanket to drape over Sasuke's shoulders.
"You fainted 'un. What do you remember?" Deidara grabbed Sasuke's hand, petting his hand softly.
Sasuke lowered his head and rubbed his forehead, thinking back for the evening. "Gaara. He came in and-and." Sasuke squeezed his eyes. '...possible remains of Sai...' The memory was there, plain as day. Gaara holding his drink, looking into the golden liquid, his lips moving to the sounds of Sai. "Sai-" Sasuke whispered out. "He spoke of Sai." His head flicked up quickly, his eyes moving to his aniki, looking for an answer.
Itachi nodded his head from behind the desk. "We don't know for sure yet, it will be some time." Itachi watched Sasuke for a few moments while he took in the information. Sasuke just inhaled deeply and dropped his shoulders. "Deidara will take you home. You need your rest otouto," Itachi's voice was stern that left no room for argument. "Until you are better, I don't want you working anymore."
"What the hell Itachi?" Sasuke snapped back angrily. "I'm fine dammit! Just because-"
"Enough otouto!" Itachi barked back. "You haven't been sleeping well, the stress of your wolf missing Naruto is affecting your health, and-" Itachi stopped and bit his lip, looking away from his little brother.
"This is bullshit Itachi!" Sasuke growled out, not hearing how Itachi stopped mid sentence.
"Sasuke 'un, please calm down," Deidara piped up, moving to pull Sasuke into a hug but Sasuke just glared at the other omega in warning. Deidara gave a sad frown. "We are just worried about you 'un! You're exhausted! Please!" Deidara whined out. He grabbed Sasuke's hands and gave them a squeeze.
Sasuke continued to glare at Deidara who's light blue eyes pleaded with him. Sasuke looked deep into those eyes, trying to read them, and he could see concern and fear behind those eyes. After a few moments, Sasuke released a loud sigh. He couldn't stay angry with the omega so he looked to his aniki instead. The alpha had a firm look, his arms were crossed indicating there was no room for discussion. Sasuke frowned in response to his aniki. He felt his inner wolf grumble at the alpha's command but Sasuke bit his cheek. "Fine," he huffed out, still glaring at his brother. "But you have to keep me informed on Gaara's team progress." He pointed a finger at Itachi, who in response pinched his lips together in a frown. "Niisan-" Sasuke growled out.
Itachi rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine otouto," he breathed out in annoyance and waved his hand about. "But you better swear to get some rest." He lowered his head and lifted his eyes in warning towards Sasuke.
"Hn," Sasuke responded.
"Oh sweety!" Deidara exclaimed and pulled Sasuke in for a hug, not caring that Sasuke was grumbling under his breath. "Let's get you home, get you something to eat and some tea, then a hot bath before bed!" Deidara rubbed his cheek over and over on Sasuke's head, the blond omega practically purring in happiness.
"Before you go otouto, about that name you asked me about," Itachi called out while Deidara was pulling Sasuke up from the couch, getting him to put on his jacket. Sasuke turned his head, giving his full attention to Itachi. "Yahiko Amegakure," Itachi pulled out a random paper from his desk drawer. "It's the only Yahiko I know of, but if he's the one you were asking about...he still works for us but he hasn't called in for a shift for months." Itachi shrugged. "Not uncommon for our kind of course, but, you wanted to know."
==x00x00x00x00x00x==
Beta rambles: Still going strong with my adorable little authors, helping them post their favorite stories. Did I mention I really enjoy doing it? But sometimes with work, life, beta stuff...I rarely have time for my own stories! But... all you authors out there, do keep posting and writing, and for those of you that can, keep drawing! I really am envious of those who draw my favorite guys together and am always looking for more wonderful creations!
Be safe all, and keep smiling :)