Author's note: I got some things on my mind and I needed a distraction, so voilà. No idea how I came up with this. Maybe inspired by Heaven Official's Blessing in a way, who knows? My mind is a mysterious place, let's keep it at that.

Warnings: Dual pov; Alternate universe; deity Naruto (sort of); established slash; implied mature content; medievalish setting

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.

I hope you'll like it!

Natural Remedy

The scent of incense was almost cloying, on the verge of being unbearable if not for the fact how it enhanced the view in the middle of the temple. There in the middle, the grand marble wall behind serving as enhancement, sat a slender, blond haired, young man cross-legged on a soft white pillow. He had his eyes closed, appearing immobile like a statue. His skin was fair and smooth, save for a couple of very light whisker marks marring his cheeks. His hands rested on his knees and he looked serene, almost like a doll. If he were to open his eyes, one would see they were a particular shade of bright blue. The young man was very beautiful, could even be called pretty, but it wasn't his good looks which saw people venturing into the temple to pay their respects.

No, it was what was contained inside him that made him so exquisite. For he was the vessel of the Nine Tailed Fox, a deity known for its infinite wisdom. People came here to pray for even a sliver of its wisdom, hoping to attain some of its enlightenment. The more impressive their offers, the higher their chance of success in gaining what they sought or so they believed. Deities wouldn't expend their power and influence for nothing after all.

When the gong announced it was time, Danzo rose up from his own seat in the shadows and strode towards the doors, cutting off an elderly man who was about to walk in. The other man looked at him in surprise to which Danzo offered a polite but bland smile.

"I apologise, but the temple will close for tonight," he explained. "Please come back tomorrow."

"Oh, all right, good night," the man said and offered a bow before turning around and making his way down the cobbled path again.

Danzo kept the smile on his face until he closed the doors and turned around. The vessel opened his eyes; their blue colour was more intense tonight, almost overflowing with brightness. It made Danzo purse his lips together and he made his way over towards the vessel. The vessel was still sitting cross-legged, but he appeared a lot more tense now and right as Danzo reached the alter, a lightning bolt cleaved through the air, hitting the left wall. The impact sent thin cracks spreading out towards the ceiling and caused the temple to shake lightly before the building settled, absorbing the hit.

"Too much energy?" Danzo questioned neutrally. He supposed there had been more offers lately; it made sense that the vessel would become overwhelmed faster with the deity's energy.

The vessel nodded tersely; his hands turning into claws around his knees.

"Who do you need?"

"The hunter," the vessel rasped out. He was visibly struggling to contain the energy; his head dipping low while his breathing increased, turning harsher.

"Very well." Danzo offered a shallow bow. "Return to your private quarters. I will send the hunter at once."

The vessel nodded and rose up from his pillow. He stood there for a moment, stretching his fingers, before he walked over to the right corner where the marble wall met with regular stone. He pressed his hand right next to the marble wall, revealing a hidden door which swung open silently, admitting entrance.

As soon as the vessel was gone, Danzo turned around, putting out the candles one by one. Before he would retire for the night, he would need to send in the hunter to attend to the vessel. The rite of purification needed to happen more and more often, but alas, that came with the territory of containing one of the most powerful deities in exchange.

Sasuke listened to the door falling shut behind him. The only light illuminating the dark corridor came from candles. There weren't many of them; just enough to make sure he could see the pathway unfolding in front of him. It wasn't as if the way to the hidden chamber was that complicated, but light sources were always appreciated in these dark corridors.

He threaded quietly through the corridor; the soft crackling of the small flames and his own breathing the only sounds disturbing the heavy silence. He had been pulled away from his guard duty by a sneering Danzo, who had informed him that his services were "requested by the vessel". It was obvious to anyone with even the slightest lick of sense that it grated on Danzo's nerves to act as a messenger to someone he considered to be lower in position than him, but that was what he had signed up for when he had insisted on becoming the head priest at the temple. Possessing such a high position did not only come with a large amount of respect, but also involved duties Danzo considered to be beneath his station: acting as a messenger.

Some whispered that the only reason why Danzo was so irate every time was because he carried the secret hope that he would be chosen one day to aid with the purification process. It was a suspicion that had everyone who heard about it shuddering in revulsion, because nobody wanted to imagine that old man laying with anybody, least of all with him.

The vague scent of orange blossoms alerted him that he was getting closer to his destination. He increased his pace; the flame of the last candle flickering wildly back and forth when he marched past it. His fingers closed around the edge of the shoji; behind the translucent paper he could see a shadow moving around. The shoji slid easily to the side, allowing him entrance. He closed it behind him and took in the sight which greeted him.

A couple of candles had been lit here, providing enough light that one wouldn't accidentally stumble into a wall or furniture. The smell of orange blossom was stronger here; it had gained an alluring component to it for Sasuke, knowing what awaited him here. The wardrobe in the far left corner of the room was made out of dark oak and contained a multitude of robes, though they all were made out of the same white colour. There was a small bookcase filled with old manuscripts, which had not seen the light in years.

The centrepiece of the room was definitely the large futon in the middle, enlarged through the use of multiple soft, downy pillows. Several blankets added to the comfort, draped alongside the futon and the pillows. If the futon was the centrepiece, then the one lying on top of it was absolutely attention grabbing. The young man wore nothing but a thin robe and lounged in the middle of the futon with one leg bent at the knee. He looked quite calm, save for the intense look in his bright blue eyes.

Sasuke slowly approached the futon, delighting in the way that gaze remained glued to him. "You called?" he asked mildly.

"Hm, I am in need of purification," the other one confirmed; the corners of his mouth tugging up slightly.

Sasuke lifted an eyebrow and slipped off his shoes. He removed his cloak next, letting it pool next to the futon. "Did I not aid you in a purification ritual four days ago?"

"It is remarkable how fast the energy builds up," the blond man drawled and sat up, resting his hands between his spread knees. "Are you complaining, Sasuke?"

"Far from it," Sasuke reassured him. "You did make me worry, though."

"I'm sorry," Naruto said and looked slightly contrite at least. "He was just getting on my nerves and I needed a distraction."

"I'm surprised he didn't try to convince you to pick someone else," Sasuke murmured and sank down on the futon, letting Naruto drag him closer by his wrists.

Naruto scoffed. "I had lightening hit the wall. He wouldn't dare to go against me then."

Ah, that did explain a lot. Worried as the head priest was that the 'vessel' as he constantly called Naruto would form an attachment to the person helping him purify excess energy, Danzo insisted that Naruto could not lay too often with the same person. It was beyond vexing, that rule, and only the knowledge that Naruto did not go as far with the others as he did with him was enough to keep Sasuke settled – for now.

"I missed you," Naruto whispered and their mouths met in a deep kiss; the blond man's limber body crawling easily onto Sasuke's lap.

"I missed you too," Sasuke admitted and ran his hands across Naruto's spine.

It was difficult to stay away, harder on the nights he knew someone else was visiting Naruto. He had a good rapport with the others Naruto tended to select, but that did not make it any easier to walk around with that knowledge during those long, long nights.

"How is the plan going?" Naruto asked, running his nose alongside Sasuke's temple. His hands, warm in spite of the cool air down here, slipped underneath Sasuke's shirt, brushing across his stomach.

"One more week," Sasuke informed him and used his weight to shift them, lowering Naruto's body back onto the futon.

Naruto's legs easily opened up, providing space for him to lie between them. His hands slid towards Sasuke's back; his fingers digging into the muscle there.

"One more week and then we're gone?" Blue eyes widened, growing bright with anticipation.

"One more week and then you'll be free," Sasuke promised him and bent down to kiss him again; his own hand slipping underneath the tunic Naruto wore, pushing it higher and higher so that it revealed his bare thighs.

Stealing the holder of a deity away from the temple was normally punishable by death, which was why most holders were resigned to spending their entire lives locked up within the same confined space. No matter how opulent a temple was, for a holder of a deity it was no better than a prison, confining them to a single space from where they could only see the outside world whenever a visitor opened the door. Temples were very strict with who was allowed to interact with the holders; any suspicion that the holder was forming an attachment and that sentiment would be cut off brutally. Thus, most holders were resigned to live out their entire lives never knowing freedom or love.

But even temples containing deities had to keep to certain rules. One of them being that if the temple ended up losing the holder because the building became damaged – through riots, natural disasters, everything that could compromise the integrity of a temple – they no longer held any claim over the holder of the deity. For if a temple could not protect the holder, how could they call themselves worthy of serving the deity?

It was that rule that Sasuke and the others were going to capitalise on; that one rule that would ruin this entire temple and finally set Naruto free. It had taken a long time to set up the plan, to gather all the necessities and find enough people willing to help, but the moment would soon be there.

"I never thanked you for following me here," Naruto mumbled against his lips as their hands set about divesting the other of his clothes.

"There's nothing to thank me for," Sasuke instantly denied and shoved the tunic further up, up, up, past Naruto's stomach, forcing the other man to lift his arms so that Sasuke could completely pull off the tunic.

"You could have forgotten about me," Naruto pointed out, sitting up when Sasuke straightened up for a moment, sitting on his knees so he could drop the tunic onto the floor.

Sasuke snorted, letting Naruto remove his own shirt. "That would be like forgetting the sun: impossible to do so," he declared, delighting in the embarrassed whine his response elicited.

How could Naruto have expected him to forget all about him? They had been friends since birth, ever since Sasuke's parents had taken in Naruto after his parents had perished in a house fire. They had grown up together and right when their feelings had started to blossom, had started to deepen between them, the local temple had sent out its priests in order to seek out a suitable vessel for its deity. They had found that in Naruto.

What had started out as a beautiful morning in which Sasuke had been gathering his courage to confess had ended in Naruto disappearing, taken away by the priests in order to undergo the Sealing Ritual. It had taken Sasuke and his family two months before they had finally figured out where Naruto had been taken. Three more months before Sasuke had managed to infiltrate and act as a hunter, a guard protecting the temple against roaming bandits. It had taken even longer before he had finally been considered trustworthy enough to be presented to Naruto once the need for a purification ritual had arisen.

If it had been all up to Sasuke solely, he would have burnt down this temple the very first day they had discovered what had truly happened to Naruto. They had to play the long waiting game, however, set things up so that the temple would never have a claim to Naruto or its deity again. It was risky, trying to set up this plan, especially when Danzo was far from stupid, but Sasuke couldn't bear to see Naruto trapped here any longer. Naruto had never been meant to be trapped, confined to a single room. He was meant to be free, to travel the world, to laugh, love and enjoy his life.

It had taken way too long, but Naruto's time of freedom was finally rapidly approaching.

"I'm glad you never gave up on me," Naruto confessed as the last layer of clothing disappeared. He sighed when Sasuke laid back down between his legs; his arms reaching up to close around Sasuke's shoulders.

"You wouldn't have given up either," Sasuke mumbled against his chest. He felt him quiver underneath him when his lips wrapped around his left nipple, gently worrying the nub between his teeth. A noise of surprise escaped Naruto when Sasuke bit down a bit harder, feeling the nipple fully pebble against his tongue when he flicked the tip over it.

When he dipped his hand lower, brushing against Naruto's lower belly, it was his turn to be surprised when instead of encountering dryness, his fingers became coated with slickness. He lifted his head and looked down at Naruto, who was blushing but also had a smug glint in his eyes.

"You kept me waiting," Naruto fake scolded him, moaning when Sasuke's finger dipped inside, pushing deeper into him.

"Perhaps I should keep you waiting more often if this is what I find," Sasuke teased, smirking when Naruto pouted up at him.

Naruto's hand landed in the back of his neck, grabbing him there to pull him down so he could kiss him again. Whenever their mouths touched, sparks made Sasuke's lips tingle as his body was forced to take in some of the excess energy Naruto had stored throughout the many praying sessions. It wasn't anything painful, accepting the energy, but the combination of the sparks and the knowledge of who he was laying with was often enough to turn Sasuke's brain into absolute mush.

His mind turned hazy, as it so often did, and almost like in a dream, he watched Naruto's eyes widen slightly before he moaned and arched his back when Sasuke pushed a second finger inside him. He wanted to take his time, take Naruto apart until he was nothing but a screaming, crying mess, but he was too worked up tonight, too impatient. He would give Naruto the loving he deserved later, when they were away from here and most importantly free. For tonight he would give in to the beast lurking inside of him and take what Naruto was willing to give.

Naruto surged upwards, catching his mouth in a heated kiss when Sasuke thrusted inside him, pushing all the way in. He didn't stop until he fully bottomed out, until Naruto's muscles were spasming around him; soft puffs of hot breath hitting his face as Naruto adjusted to his size. He drew back when Naruto opened his mouth, enjoyed the punched out groan that left him when Sasuke swiftly pushed back in. The rhythm they fell into was both familiar and new; their hips rocking together as they joined their bodies again and again; the act turning from purifying to loving along the way.

When Sasuke's lips tingled now it was because Naruto nipped at them, kissing him deep and wet; their mouths barely breaking apart to breathe.

When sparks shot down his spine it was because of Naruto's hands caressing him, because of the way his muscles squeezed down around Sasuke, like they never wanted to let him go.

When he shivered, it was because the sight of those blown out blue eyes was magnificent, making him drown like he drowned in Naruto's touch.

Slender legs wrapped around his waist and if possible, that move sent him even deeper into Naruto, deeper and deeper, until it felt like nobody could ever come between them, until they were so joined it was impossible to tell where Sasuke began and where Naruto ended. Their moans were music; their caresses, their touch everything they could not say aloud.

When they came, stumbling over that proverbial cliff together, it was with each other's name on their lips and with arms clutching around each other, never letting go. It was with love coursing through every cell of their body and with the promise of freedom turning their bodies light like feathers.

A week later the temple was ablaze and priests ran in panic outside. The flames roared loudly, viciously tearing down wood and blackening stone. The air was filled with heavy smoke and cinder and everyone bemoaned the stupidity of the one who had not thought to put out the candles. The casualties were numerous, as not everybody managed to make it out on time.

It was truly terrifying what one careless act, what one simple flame, could accomplish. The temple was no more; the deity having disappeared along with the smoke.

As the priests' life long work crumpled down, turning to ashes in front of their very eyes, nobody took notice of two shadows disappearing into the woods.

One pair of dark eyes met one pair of bright blue ones. Hands touched. The peal of laughter was swallowed up by the ferocious fire behind them.

They were finally free.

The End

AN2: Remember guys, always make sure to extinguish candles properly; accidents can always happen, you know? I hope it wasn't too bad!

I hope to see you all back in my future stories! Please stay safe and take care of yourselves!

Cuddles

Melissa

P.S. For more information about my upcoming and posted stories, please visit my profile.