Delicate and Deadly
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Archive Warning: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Category: M/M
Fandom: Naruto
Relationship: Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto, Namikaze Minato/Uzumaki Kushina, Katou Dan/Tsunade, Uchiha Fugaku/Uchiha Mikoto
Characters: Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Fugaku, Hatake Kakashi, Tsunade (Naruto), Uchiha Mikoto, Uzumaki Kushina, Namikaze Minato, Katou Dan, Shizune (Naruto)
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Feminization, princess!naruto, Alpha Uchiha Sasuke, Omega Uzumaki Naruto, Beta Haruno Sakura, Badass Princess, Warrior Princess, Uchiha Sasuke is Whipped, Medic Uzumaki Naruto, BAMF Uzumaki Naruto, Kimono, lots of kimonos, Angst, Blood and Violence, Not Medically Accurate, Canon-Typical Violence
Language: English
Summary:
"It would seem I am terribly uninformed. A severe oversight on my part. Would it be alright to ask what rank the Highness holds?" Sasuke asks.
"The Royal Highness Uzumaki Naruto, Princess of Uzushiogakure, Commander of Ground Defense Force, grandchild of Her Majesty Queen Tsunade," Sakura replies, maybe too fast for Sasuke's liking.
Ah. Then this princess must be full of surprises if he holds a rank that high in the military, something Sasuke didn't expect. Maybe Captain Haruno is implying the princess she serves ranks higher than Sasuke, to put him back in his place when he couldn't bite his tongue.
Or the one where Sasuke falls in love with the omega warrior princess from Uzushiogakure, Uzumaki Naruto.
I have no excuse. I just wanted a princess!naruto. Completely self-indulgent.
Delicate and Deadly
"Captain!"
Sasuke, seated at a communal outdoor area with his team, turns to the soldier calling for him. "What?"
The young man, one of his subordinate shinobi who is posted at one of the gates, bows. "A scout from Uzushiogakure arrived! They've been ambushed at the border! He asks for help to extract their charge!"
His group stands to attention immediately, waiting for his instruction. It's not that Sasuke does these missions for the reward, but his company sure does.
"Inform my father. As for the rest of you. Move," he commands, and he and his group flicker out in a gust of wind.
When they arrive at the site, the carriage is destroyed, luggage trunks and chests thrown about, the horses dead, the ground absolutely leveled and destroyed with craters, and what looks like a very important, very delicate person, surrounded by fatigued shinobi in a defense formation.
And bodies. Of whoever the assailants are.
"I told you to let me handle it!" says the person in the circle, dressed impeccably in a bright orange kimono decorated with black flowers, eyes a clear blue, with brilliant blond hair framing his whiskered face, decorated with more orange and black flower pins, shining under the setting afternoon sun.
Sasuke scoffs. Dressed and looking like that, anybody would target that and demand ransom, especially around here at the border where bandits run amok. Nobility, probably, because he has a crest on his back, then noticing the same flower on the kimono on the shoulders of the shinobi. They're probably a team dedicated to him.
"We were instructed specifically not to let you interfere to avoid attracting attention," says the kunoichi with the pink hair. "You're not here to save your own bodyguards,"
"I know exactly where they are!" the blond insists. "Let me take them out!"
"No,"
"What's going on here?" Sasuke interrupts, he and his team landing right next to the pink haired kunoichi.
"We were ambushed," says the blond in the kimono, immediately recognizing Sasuke is not a threat when he sees the symbol of Konohagakure on his forehead. "If you'd please let me—"
A large, chained kunai pierces the trees and hits and breaks the ground between Sasuke and the pink kunoichi, and several more chained kunai hit the ground between the shinobi and the young noble in attempt to separate him from his protectors. They evade quickly, and Sasuke's sharingan manages to catch the movement of the enemy weapon fast enough to carry their charge out of the way before the next kunai hits the ground.
"That is it!" the blond yells, as soon as Sasuke lands yards and yards away from the chained kunai, where he knows he's capable of defending him. "Let me go! Unhand me at once!"
Sasuke sets him down without another word and steps aside. What a brat. A pretty brat. But a brat, nonetheless.
"I've had enough!"
Sasuke's had his fair share of bratty nobles.
"Denka!" Your Highness!
What? Not nobility, royalty. Sasuke starts to think he's gotten way in over his head.
He starts to dislike this one until—until he's enveloped in energy turning his blue eyes red and his pupils transforming into slits. And tails. Are those tails? Nine tails, emerging from his back, and targeting marks, some in the trees, some in the ground.
It can't be. This Highness is Uzushiogakure's junchuuriki. The vessel for the Nine-tailed fox.
"You're testing my patience!" he growls out to unseen enemy.
And this energy. This chakra. This killing intent freezes Sasuke in his spot, choking him. He's never felt such terror in his life. Not even in the face of death during a mission gone awry. He looks over to his team, who are also petrified, but also unable to look away.
The tails withdraw from the trees and the ground, bodies, impaled on the tails made up of energy materialized, start to drop to the ground with a sickening crunch of bones and dislocated limbs. The tails keep stabbing the trees and the ground around them. Bodies keep falling. Sasuke looks around. These are the missing nin they've all been trying to subdue for months—all mutilated and all very much dead. And the killing intent. Gone. In seconds.
All Sasuke can think about is just how fucked up the last few moments were. How it's going to be a pain in the ass to write this report, identifying at least thirty dead missing nin, the debrief with his father, the Hokage, and the daimyou, and possibly, just quite possibly, being summoned by the Queen of Uzushiogakure for touching their precious child.
When finally, he's able to breathe, Sasuke looks over to the blond, whose tails have disappeared and his eyes back to a sparkling blue and is being fussed over by his company, not a strand of hair on that blond head out of place. How utterly and literally breathtaking.
"I told you we were outnumbered. I told you I could wipe them out!" he tells the pink kunoichi. "Look at them, Sakura. There were thirty of them and five of you. You all could've died!"
"You're not here as a shinobi, Naruto-sama," says the pink girl, Sakura, with a frown. "We are trying to keep up appearances. You think just because you finished off a couple of missing nin, we're safe? What if news goes around that you're here? You don't think more missing nin will attack this border? To get to you?"
The blond—Naruto—huffs. She's right, but Naruto might have just wanted to get out of the situation. "I don't like not being able to do anything! I'm perfectly capable of protecting you and myself!"
"I know that—"
"Then next time, don't let them send a princess to dress up and be pretty for their kage for relations! Send your commander! You hate me, Sakura, why are you even here leading the group pretending to protect me?" he frowns at her and seems to shrink in on himself. "I earned and worked hard to get to where I am. I may not be as smart as you, but I'm not that dumb nor am I stupid,"
This Naruto meets Sasuke's eyes. The blond approaches him just as he finishes giving out orders to seal the bodies into scrolls. "Yes?" says Sasuke, glad to have his breath again.
"You're the Lord Marquess Uchiha Fugaku's son," he says. "Which one?"
The Highness must have noticed the fan on Sasuke's jacket, but not on the members of his team. His team members instead have the head of a striking snake on their shoulders, much like how Itachi has the spread wings of a raven on his team.
"The second," says Sasuke with a bow, and the noble gives him a shallow one in return, "Uchiha Sasuke. I am the captain of this team. We protect this border entrance,"
Naruto nods. Sasuke can feel this Highness scrutinizing him. For someone a head shorter than him, Naruto has presence and holds poise, even when he demanded Sasuke to unhand him. And now that the young noble is up close, Sasuke can properly see his eyes, his whiskers on his full cheeks, then recognizes the pattern and embroidery on his kimono, and the pins in his hair—these are plum blossoms but colored in black and orange. If he remembers correctly, these flowers symbolize perseverance, hope, and beauty thriving in adverse circumstances. That last one is true so far.
"Pleasure to meet you, Uchiha Sasuke-san. I am Uzumaki Naruto. This," he gestures to Sakura, "Captain Haruno Sakura and her team. Thank you for your assistance and your presence, Captain Uchiha. I will ask that you will be commended for your swift action and ensure that you and your company are rewarded handsomely,"
Sasuke tries not to show his surprise. Uzumaki. The royal family of Uzushiogakure, headed by omegas, ruled by ruthless and powerful queens and princesses. As a spare to his father's marquessate, Sasuke hasn't really bothered learning more than what was taught in the classroom, more focused on being his brother's right hand and weapon, as he is the heir. All he can remember right now about the ruling family of their allied village, other than omegas are in power, is that one of their own hokage stepped down to marry into them. He guesses now he'll have to brush up on his politics.
"Thank you, Your Highness," he gives Naruto a nod, even though he knew he and his team did nothing but arrive there. "What about your belongings?"
"Ah," Naruto waves it away. "Those are bluffs. The real luggage is sealed with Sakura," he gives a heavy exhale. "Captain Uchiha, would you be so kind to guide us to your citadel? It's getting dark and I would like warmth and shelter for my comrades. And as it seems, I am supposed to pretend to be meek and powerless, so I would like to acquire a carriage and some horses for rest of our journey,"
"I can help you with that," says Sasuke. This is an opportunity to get on the good graces of the royal family of their allied village. "However, my base is far from a citadel. But comfortable enough,"
"That's fine," Naruto answers. "Are you an alpha?"
The way Naruto asks is mechanical, like a medic asking questions, not a person in a social call. Not at all like an omega assessing whether he is an alpha worthy of becoming a mate. Sasuke doesn't know what that has anything to do with the situation but answers truthfully. "Yes,"
If this Naruto is a Highness, then he is an omega, and Sasuke must admit, it's refreshing to have an omega right in front of him not fawning over his attractiveness and begging for his knot.
"Which members of your company are betas or omegas?"
"None, Your Highness,"
"I see," Naruto hums thoughtfully, glancing at his team. "Then lead the way,"
"Do we walk?" Sasuke asks carefully. He doesn't know the extent of his capabilities and asks only to be sure and polite. "Do we… your shinobi, carry you?"
"Heavens, no. I'd rather you keep your hands to yourself. Run, Captain Uchiha. I'm perfectly capable of catching up with you,"
Perfectly capable indeed. Not a leaf or twig stuck in that pristine blond hair, no crumple in sight on that silk kimono, appearing next to Sasuke with his sleeves billowing under his arms. Not even a drop of sweat on that perfectly manicured brow. He doesn't even sound winded after a run that far. How the Highness manages to land right next to Sasuke without a sound amazes him, too.
How extraordinary. Someone who looks so soft, delicate, and incredibly put together can kill an army in seconds.
Night is falling and it's getting cold. The temperatures start to drop, and Sakura is immediately at Naruto's side, covering him in what is surely expensive furs, most likely unsealed from a scroll like mentioned earlier.
"Thank you," says Naruto, then turns back to Sasuke. "Captain, do you have somewhere we can stay for the night? We aren't chasing you out of your own rooms. I'm sure bases such as this aren't always equipped for guests. We'll stay in whatever is available,"
Sasuke thinks and chooses his next words carefully. "I must insist you take my quarters, Your Highness. It is the most furnished and equipped for the cold,"
"Of course not," says Naruto, "Show me where the barracks are, Captain,"
Barracks? Sasuke can't let a member of the royal family of an allied village sleep in the barracks. His father will behead him. "I really must insist, Your Highness,"
"And I must decline your insistence, Captain," Naruto shows him the same amount of stubbornness. "You're an alpha as stubborn as the rest of them,"
"You're an omega as hardheaded as an alpha," Sasuke regrets it as soon as it leaves his lips.
"Excuse me?" the pink haired kunoichi, Sakura, snaps at him, putting herself between him and her princess. "Hold your tongue, Captain Uchiha,"
"Sakura, stop,"
Sakura huffs, glaring right up at the alpha. This captain better be thankful for that pretty face, or she would've bashed it in for speaking out of turn, had it not been so pleasing to look at. And she's sure Naruto would demote her on the spot.
"Captain Haruno, please stand down," Naruto tells her.
She obviously doesn't want to but steps aside. "As Your Highness commands,"
"How about for now, supper?" says Naruto, trying to lighten the mood, "Some tea and bread would be nice,"
"The mess hall is this way,"
"Lovely,"
It's like his team hasn't seen an omega in ages. Most of them get handsy with their wives and the unmated ones visit the inns for relief during days off. Can he order them to stop looking at the omega seated regally at the table's capital, about to have bad tea and yesterday's bread? Is a command like that that appropriate for his rank to give?
His father will gut him for this gross display of incompetent hospitality. But it's not like they expect guests at a small base. And Sasuke may be a child of a noble family, but he was raised as a soldier, not pampered like the noble before him.
He hopes his father already got his hawk informing him of the day's events and the Highness's urgent need for a carriage and horses.
"Excuse me, Captain Haruno," he calls the attention of the kunoichi determined to spend every waking second at the highness's side.
"Yes, Captain Uchiha?" she answers, her glare less sharp than earlier when she thought Sasuke had done slight on her patron.
With her is a tray of freshly brewed roasted buckwheat tea and stale bread that's most likely somewhat softened from reheating, and a bowl of hot miso soup with seaweed, the same as what's on Sasuke's tray. She must have tried it to ensure it isn't poisoned. Sasuke isn't offended.
"It would seem I am terribly uninformed. A severe oversight on my part. Would it be alright to ask what rank the Highness holds?"
"The Royal Highness Uzumaki Naruto, Princess of Uzushiogakure, Commander of Ground Defense Force, grandchild of Her Majesty Queen Tsunade," Sakura replies, maybe too fast for Sasuke's liking.
Ah. Then this princess must be full of surprises if he holds a rank that high in the military, something Sasuke didn't expect. Maybe Captain Haruno is implying the princess she serves ranks higher than Sasuke, to put him back in his place when he couldn't bite his tongue.
"I see, thank you," Sasuke nods, then joins her and Naruto at the table, where Sakura serves him his tray, and another of their company serves her and himself. "I apologize for this meager meal, Your Highness,"
"Nonsense," Naruto brings his hands together as if in prayer. "Thank you for the meal," he says before breaking the bread. "It's food, isn't it? Don't let the dress fool you too much, Captain Uchiha. I'm a soldier myself. I have drunk dirty water on the field, bread staler than this, and have slept on the ground in the rain, and caves in the winter. I assure you this meal and the warmth of your mess hall is a pleasure,"
Now Sasuke wonders why Naruto hasn't mentioned his rank as a princess at all. For all the times Sasuke had to escort other low-ranking nobility, they wouldn't shut up about it. Naruto seems to be prouder of his service as a soldier than his royal blood as an heir to his domain.
Halfway through the meal and after some small talk, Sasuke tries again. "It would be a relief for me if you took my room, Your Highness. Captain Haruno can join you if you wish,"
A subordinate approaches and whispers something in Sasuke's ear and leaves. Moments later, the doors to the mess hall opens. Sasuke's father enters.
The young Uchiha rises from his seat and is surprised when Naruto joins him.
Uchiha Fugaku bows when he reaches the table's capital, and Naruto gives back a bow shallower than his father's as a greeting. "It's pleasure to have your presence, Your Highness," the elder Uchiha says.
It's surreal, watching his father bow the deepest he's ever seen. Usually, as nobles they acknowledge and greet others with a nod while they show their respect and deference to them with deep bows.
"Good to finally meet you Lord Uchiha," replies Naruto. "Your son has been nothing but kind and hospitable. Your domain is in good hands,"
"Thank you," Fugaku bows again. "The Hokage has been informed of your arrival and is looking forward to meeting welcoming you to the village proper,"
"As am I. Though, I apologize for leaving such a mess at your march. I may have overdone it—my team was in danger, you see,"
"On the contrary, Your Highness, it is I who should be thanking you for your efforts. You've quite literally cleared out the border of what's being a nuisance to Konoha and our Hokage for a while now. We are in your debt,"
"A debt I declare paid, Lord Uchiha,"
"That's very kind of you, Your Highness, but you still have our gratitude,"
It's nauseating, being around so many alphas. Everyone's got blockers on, Naruto's sure, but they're all making the air stuffy and humid even with them on. "If you'll excuse me, I would like to retire. It's been a long day. Some rest I believe will do us all well,"
"Of course," Lord Uchiha answers. "I've had one of the common areas refurnished for your stay, and a carriage and horses are on the way and will arrive in the morning. I hope you'll let the horses have their rest before moving on with your journey. Sasuke, please escort His Highness to his accommodations,"
"Of course, Father,"
"Thank you for your hospitality. Good night,"
The room is some kind of living room to receive Lord Uchiha Fugaku on his visits to this base, his son's post. The furniture has been moved around, some taken away, to make space for the two fine looking futon on the wooden floor with a covered brazier containing lit coal to warm the room, a striking difference from the average looking furniture that decorates it.
A room divider gives privacy to the room attached to the common space and behind it, another divider, and behind that, a tub. Naruto inspects divide and notices the change in the room's material. The floor is stone, the tub made of wood, and in it, hot water. He immediately strips, excited for a wash, and removes the scent blocker from his neck. He leaves his clothes on the stone floor, wets a small towel provided, and wipes and rubs away the grime of the day with soap and water before sinking into the hot water.
Sakura follows him to the attached room and sees the clothes on the floor. She quickly returns to the living area and unseals Naruto's luggage, and lays his night clothing on the futon, then gathers the clothes from the floor to keep from being stained by the stone.
"What do you think of him?" Naruto asks as he floats in the relaxing hot water. "Captain Uchiha Sasuke?"
Sakura deposits the dirty clothes into a bag and seals it back into the scroll. "Well," she exhales. "At first look, he's handsome,"
Naruto hums. "I guess,"
"You guess?"
Naruto can practically hear Sakura's eyebrow going up. "Why?"
"I've never seen you stare at an alpha for so long. A whole three minutes, while you were speaking with him. Has Naruto-hime-sama finally fallen in love with an alpha?"
True, Naruto sort of dislikes most alphas, that's why Sakura and his team are omegas and betas, and why he sends the alphas away as soon as he's done with whatever business he has with them. Except his father. He adores Minato and he's always been a daddy's boy.
But there's something about this alpha, Captain Uchiha. Naruto regrets that he may have been too bratty when he asked (demanded) the captain to put him down. In his defense, his patience was wearing thin and there was absolutely no way Sakura and her team no matter how talented they were, would be able to subdue every single one of those jounin-level missing nin without sacrifices, all of which he's not willing to make.
Sakura comes in from behind the divider and pours a few drops of perfume in the water, then places the hair oils on the small table beside the tub. Naruto dunks himself in the water to wet his hair.
"It's only polite to look at the person who provided us assistance,"
Sakura scoffs. "You'd do anything to not be polite to any alpha, noble, helpful, handsome, or otherwise, Hime-sama. What's different with this one?"
Naruto stares at the ceiling. He's wondering the same thing.
When he wakes, he doesn't wear the kimono Sakura laid out for him. He puts on his own clothes, a black sleeved top, orange pants, with a red short sleeved haori over it, decorated with the orange plum blossom on the left breast and the black outline of Uzumaki crest on the back. He decides to tie his hair up today.
"Do you not wear a hitai-ate?" Sasuke asks at breakfast, the same of buckwheat tea, and but this time, his father had with him rice, fresh fish, and eggs.
It's… jarring for Sasuke to see the princess with his hair up and dressed for battle, when last night he'd been delicately dressed in silks and had flowers in his hair. The battledress does nothing to diminish the beauty, though.
"I can, but here is no need to," Naruto answers. "You wear that hitai-ate because it's what tells others you represent and fight for Konoha. However, I as a person am the living representation of Uzushio as a member of the royal family. The crest on my back is enough,"
"And the plum blossom?"
"My heraldic symbol, much like how your snake head declares a shinobi is a member of your team. If you see it on something, it means it's mine, or it's me," Naruto finishes his tea. "Come with me," he tells him as he gets up from the table, then snatches an Uzushio hitai-ate from one of his subordinates.
"Where to?" asks Sasuke, following Naruto out of the mess hall.
"Play,"
Sakura is hot on their heels and Uchiha Fugaku follows as anxiety rises to his neck.
The rest of the base follows, including their cooks and the shinobi on their off days, when the princess's words spread. They're on the training ground outside of the base, far enough that Naruto knows the damage won't reach the base and the trees will absorb most of it.
"Now, imagine I'm just like everybody else," Naruto puts the hitai-ate on and taps on the metal on his forehead.
"Your Highness—" Fugaku tries to reason.
Sasuke can't hit an omega!
"Pleasure to meet you, Lord Uchiha," Naruto cuts him off. "I am Commander Uzumaki Naruto of the Ground Defense Forces of Uzushiogakure. I'd like you to referee us,"
It doesn't matter if the princess holds a military rank. The Rokudaime is going to strip the Uchiha of their marquessate if something happened to this omega princess. He's going to have to face the queen and tell her what bullshit he let pass. "I must insist that you cease this, Your Highness—"
"Where's the fun in that?" Naruto grins at him.
Sasuke swallows.
"Play with me. Don't hold back, Captain Uchiha," Naruto winks at him, long blond lashes touching his cheek.
Sasuke half gasps and blushes, then gets caught off guard by a series of punches and kicks fast enough that he almost gets kicked into a tree.
That renders Fugaku and his son's team speechless. Naruto's Plum Blossoms are cheering him on. And Sasuke is staring at the shinobi in front of him. This is a princess?
"Correction," Naruto smirks at him. "On the battlefield, I'm a commander,"
Fuck, did Sasuke say that out loud?
Naruto charges at him again almost faster than the Uchiha eye can see, and this time, Sasuke has gathered his thoughts and balls, and fights.
The fight isn't even body parts hitting one another, but just lightning and wind, clashing on the ground and in the sky. Sasuke is cracking blue and Naruto a piercing bright yellow.
Fugaku stops them not because one of them is hurt, but because if they keep up with the lightning, fire, and wind, they're going to burn down the forest. The trees are levelled, the ground full of cracks, fissures meters deep, and craters.
"That was so much fun!" Naruto giggles. "Thank you!"
Uchiha Fugaku breathes a sigh of relief. The princess is unharmed. Sasuke's lightning and katon didn't even singe the haori. Thank the Sage, both for their safety and that they're so evenly matched that neither could get a proper advantage over one another.
Sasuke just stares.
Itachi arrives that night to his brother with a tankard of ale at the mess hall, staring at the princess a few tables over having supper with their father, Captain Haruno, and his blossoms.
"I heard you found your match in the princess," he says, "What's the matter, little brother? You seem… off,"
"Aniki," says Sasuke, sighing, as if he bears grave news. "I think I'm in love,"