A/N: Wolf packs bite (gently) the bottom jaw of the pack leader. I made Naruto do this, even though he's a fox.

Necromancy: Summoning the dead by magic, having to do with the dead and magic.

Necrophilia: having sex with the dead.

"There's touch, but no contact." Line borrowed from Mr. James Baldwin's stunning novel, Giovanni's Room.

I'd like to thank all my lovely reviewers who have stuck with me through this monster of a saga; I know it's long darlings; my fingers ache; it's long. I'm thinking too long but I don't seem able to cut. It. Down. *_^ I'm wordy. Special thanks to Seraphina DW for catching the mistake in the lyrics-quote in Ch.9--gosh, I'm really lazy with stuff like that. I'd didn't even really bother to check to see if it was right, so thanks for correcting me *hands magical bowl of Cheerios* I hope you like cereal, I'm off to take a nap!

I didn't really like how I kept shifting tenses, and by the time I realized it, it was too late to fix without screwing things up; that and I got lazy.

***

Standard Disclaimer Applies at All Times

Attraction

by gelfling

gelfling8604@yahoo.com

//Thoughts//

::Invading Thoughts::

***

Heroes went for the monster's heart, but monsters went for the neck.

--Chapter 5

"Is that a gun in your pocket or are you just happy to see me? Good God that is a gun in your pocket!"

"But I am happy to see you...stay still."

--Conservation between Me and Friend

"I never sleep with men, especially ugly ones."

-Vash the Stampede, Trigun

***

"Well," Shikamaru remarked lazily after being the unwilling listener to what seemed a three-hour rant against the unfairness of the world in general and against poverty to beautiful young maidens and unfeeling comrades in particular. //Sheesh...is it over yet?//

Ino didn't touch on the monster subject, no surprise there. That was a real problem that couldn't even be whined or gossiped about. It was a constant worry, but a little taboo to talk about lightly. It was real enough every night without having to talk about it in her free time, so she didn't waste much energy on it, at least not when gorgeous but icy Sasuke Uchiha proved more interesting because he constantly harassed her even he wasn't there.

Shikamaru watched her tap scratched fingernails irritably against her crossed arms, and hoped she didn't have a new hangnail. Those always caused lectures that lasted way too long, he didn't understand a word she said, and he had no idea what he was expected to do either. Ino grunted in her throat and glared at him expectantly.

Oh, right. This was the part where he came in with a dazzling sympathetic condolence. He'd almost forgotten. "At least money's not a problem anymore," he drawled sensibly.

The blonde beauty scowled prettily at him, before rolling her eyes and flipping her cut hair over one shoulder daintily. "Trust you boys to stick together no matter what happens and it's not even like he likes you anymore than he likes me either!" She shook her head irritably as she changed his bandages a bit too roughly, yanking the old ones off instead of removing them neatly.

//She's so sloppy...Hinata-kun is much better at this. And so much quieter.//

"Anyway it's not--natural for him, or at least I'm sure it's not healthy. He works too much, a whole lot more than you do, no surprise there," Shikamaru ponders how much sleep he can get in before she realizes he isn't paying attention, "but he's going to run himself ragged just like Kakashi-sensei did and then what? Huh? Then what're we supposed to do?"

He flinched when the bandage is pulled a little too hard; oozing fluids making them stick to his body despite how clean he is. He'd been pushed into the shower and scrubbed only every other night.

"I swear, just because he gets itchy at night he thinks it's okay to do whatever he wants and nobody tells him not to!" she glared at him pointedly. Shikamaru raised an eyebrow sluggishly just to humor her.

"So that makes everything okay! He could die out there, and no one's bothering to stop him! He's gonna get himself killed and it'll probably be days before anyone even knows it! It's driving me nuts!"

"He's always done what he wanted," Shikamaru mutters coolly.

His eyes and voice are cool. It's enough to stop her, the chill demanding even though he speaks quietly, idly. Shikamaru can stand a lot of things, but some wounds he can't ignore. He and Uchiha haven't really ever been friends, and he's given a lot for the other's whims. More than he ever wanted to and nearly more than he can stand. He's somewhat thankful the Yamanaka crush isn't as serious as it once was, but the residual protectiveness Ino feels gets on his nerves.

Her hands aren't so rough over his wounds anymore, and she only glances up briefly at his eyes that aren't looking at her. She warms up the ointment in her hands thoughtfully before applying it gently. He stays silent.

He can barely walk a couple feet unaided, needs help to stand up, and running is a far off dream. There's something wrong with his back, something that has to do with nerves. It isn't terminal or permanent, but it'll keep him from fighting physically for a couple years, the doctors estimate. It gives him an excuse to lie on his back all day, so he doesn't complain too much; just enough to shut Ino up.

It's better than Lee, who was always a little raw from his leg surgery years ago to start with and now has real trouble just sitting up. He can stay awake longer now though, and sometimes makes really bad jokes that draw a smile out of Hinata and a laugh out of Ino.

Iruka is worse. He isn't badly hurt physically, but inside his head there's things going on that not even Shikamaru can figure out. When he asked, Kakashi-sensei (who's somehow been elected leader of the fragmented group) just said that Iruka-sensei needed his space and time. Either he'd get better on his own, or they'd have to do something about it. Right now it was best just to let things lie.

Shikamaru ponders this.

Well, things had been lying for a while now. They'd licked their wounds and found out that it was still hard to get up in the morning, and for all the comfort they can give each other, the pain doesn't go away. Every time he breathes the air outside, he can smell the stink of ash. The autumn rains took a lot of it away, caused some pretty bad flooding and landslides because of the loose dirt, but Shikamaru can still smell the ash and feel the heat of the fire, and when he looks into Iruka's face he knows he's not the only one.

They keep moving because there's nothing else to do. They keep fighting because giving up isn't what Leaf shinobi do, and Kakashi would probably lecture them--in his lazy, sarcastic way--for it until they got back up again. The only one who's reacted to it violently has been Sasuke Uchiha.

Sasuke Uchiha who was supposed to prevent it, and by turn of fate didn't. Shikamaru doesn't blame him too much for that, the crux of the attack wasn't his fault. But it's strange that Sasuke didn't die in it, that he isn't marked by scars that can be seen on his skin. No burns, no cuts, no nothing. He's a bit starved and his hair is longer: that's the only physical change.

No one mentions it--not Kakashi-sensei who sees everything, not Neji who comes close to smiling at times, and not Shikamaru who is always looking for their weakest spot and thinking how to protect it--but they know that Sasuke wasn't just lucky, not like they were. It wasn't that he was fast enough to get out.

His Sharingan is nearly a reflex now, and he knows Stone and Sand ninjutsu that not even Kakashi can attest to. He always looks a little bit haunted, always a little bit hungry, and always a little bit cold. Nervously and out of character, Hinata even pointed out quietly to Kakashi-sensei that Sasuke-kun's energy signature looks a little bit different; he simply smiled and thanked her for telling him. He won't say what happened to him if he can be cornered and questioned.

Ino Yamanaka managed it, asked him what the hell had happened to him and where had he been hiding out all this time, and Kakashi had to keep Sasuke from attacking her and Iruka held her back while she kicked and screamed, her lip bleeding fiercely and eyes flashing. Who gave a fuck if it was Sasuke-kun or not; no one hit her! No one!

Neji stood back and watched, the slight nearly-there smile haunting his lips before taking Sasuke out for a silent walk like a rabid dog.

No one else has been stupid enough to pry information from him. Sasuke's angrier than anyone has seen in a long time, cynical, and he sees deeper into a person and doesn't have the scruples to shove their weaknesses in their face. He won't attack if left alone, but if provoked he'd go after anyone anyhow. And he is their strongest fighter. He held back when he punched the girl; if it had been the blind one, he might've fractured his skull. Not kill him, but throw him into a coma. He wasn't to be touched. He didn't want to be touched. He didn't want to talk.

Kakashi says he isn't a spy though it seems pretty damn likely. Still, Shikamaru believes him. If anyone can get the Uchiha to open up, can control him, Shikamaru knows it'll be him. For as long as Kakashi's with them, he doesn't worry about the Uchiha as much as he feels inclined to.

In the mean time, they wait and wonder, drawing their own conclusions, and watch his nightly romps. Sasuke usually comes back with his sandals and blades bloody, tired, and Neji usually goes with him to make sure he isn't attacking innocents or humans, nearly synonymous now.

The group travels from village to tavern steadily moving east towards the ocean despite the complications Lee and Shikamaru provide because towards the west there are too many things. Dark things. Unnatural things. Evil things.

It isn't safe towards the west anymore. It's as if someone opened a huge dam; the creatures keep pouring in, raiding the towns that can't protect themselves and those that can they burn. The remaining shinobi--the Grass, Lightening, and Mist--hold back the majority of night folk in a net stretching from north to south, but many slip through the holes. They aren't human, though many look it. Enough to pass through in daylight, enough to kill and steal and not be caught.

Kakashi-sensei remarked dryly that there's a war brewing, but he isn't sure if it's starting or ending. The war's been brewing a while; the party obviously happened somewhere, and apparently they got stuck with the check, so they might as well deal with it on their own terms. And nothing else's.

And this is where Sasuke Uchiha comes in.

Neji Hyuuga comes close to smiling; just standing by and watching him work every night, through rain or fog, it doesn't matter to Sasuke. Neji always has to be on guard, because though Sasuke can tell when they're being followed, knows when they're about to be attacked, he usually doesn't bother to inform Neji even after the battle begins. He forgets Neji's with him at times. It's like Sasuke can smell them, sense them, and he attacks them before they have a chance to even scramble. The predators have a hunter from the most unlikely of places--nowhere--and Neji nearly smiles at the irony.

Kakashi doesn't like them being away at night--his two best fighters gone, it leaves the nest unprotected. But it'd be near impossible to tie the Uchiha down for even one night--and again Neji almost smiles--and impossible to keep him once they'd done it. He needs it, he needs to run and fight more than he needs to eat.

So he goes on his nightly runs, and if the nest is attacked then there's always Ino, Hinata, and Kakashi to defend it. Shikamaru and Lee have trouble standing up, and Iruka has trouble living in the present; they have no idea how he'd react. Neji carries a communicator, just in case of emergencies.

The little ninja group is becoming popular because of their mysterious psychopath--Neji ducks his head because he feels a smirk coming on--so they're getting assignments and missions from desperate and sometimes rich, sometimes poor villages who want the little red-eyed lunatic's attention even while they lick their wounds, even though they're supposed to be silent and invisible because it's still far too dangerous to be seen yet.

The other people are on the hunt--the half-breeds and vampires and monsters--and save for the dark little shadow with red eyes that flits in and out of their lives they don't have a solid a defense. But they need the money, need doctors and a place to sleep, so they lease out what they have and what is in very high demand. Ordinary people who had abandoned magic years ago in favor of microwave ovens find the night-fairies stealing the children and hunting the men.

Rumor travels fast on fear, Shikamaru notes. The employers deal with Kakashi only; they don't meet their savior, their demon hunter, or else they might shit in their pants from fear. Their demon slayer is barely human himself.

Neji smiles. He has to hold himself back or else he might start laughing.

***

No one sees him tremble at night. No one sees him scream.

He's angry, and he's afraid. He doesn't know how to grieve, but his loss is so great that he almost wishes he had learned just so he could be rid of the feeling once and for all. It's tiring. And it hurts. He hurts.

The blind one is at his back, nearly smiling, watching him. That makes him angry. That makes him feel safe.

The old one--the one he remembers--makes him tea late in the morning when he comes back. He doesn't know if it's drugged or not; he doesn't care. He gulps down chamomile and green before falling asleep in the elder's bed. The window is open if the day is warm, the curtains always pulled back to let the sunlight in even if it rains. He won't sleep in a room without a window; he'd rather sleep outside.

He usually wakes up in the late afternoon, and stared once for a long time at the antique gold light coming through the window in thick rods. He's mesmerized until he hears laughter in the back of his ears, a flash of summer blue, and then he jumps, landing on his feet on the ceiling, reaching for weapons that have been taken off him while he slept.

He reacts defensively to the mechanical beep and the older one that he came to think of as father so many long years ago pulls fried rice from the microwave still in it's Styrofoam take-out box. He's lectured about cleaning his weapons properly while rice is served into two bowls. He comes down from the ceiling. There's more tea to drink. Oolong, Kakashi tells him.

//Kakashi.//

The pieces fall into place quicker. The names come together easier. He doesn't say his own, but he remembers the old one's name. He's starting to understand what happened. It makes it harder to go out into the night and kill indiscriminately while the blind one watches his back and nearly smiles.

He hesitates. "Thanks."

The lighter man doesn't even blink. "No problem. Sugar? Or honey?"

"No. Thanks."

He speaks to him alone. And he never says much. But he still hears the silent sigh of relief that the elder breathes out.

The old anger is still there, the humiliation and sorrow. Grief. But it isn't going away with what he does, so he's kind of trying to figure out what will make it go away.

"Still hungry?"

"Yes."

"If you want more--well, actually that was the last of the fried rice. Errr...I could make some more if you feel brave enough to try my cooking, or there's the veggie stew Hinata made a couple days ago, it's not too bad, and strange green vegetables are healthy for you. It's pretty good once you put enough salt into it. Want some?"

"No."

"What can I get you then?"

"You can't."

And they left it at that. He doesn't know what he wants. He knows no one else can get it for him.

***

He doesn't know what makes everything click into place. Maybe it's seeing Kakashi tie his head protector over his scarred eye, and realize that he doesn't have one to push his hair back, even though he used to have one before it was stolen. Taken.

Maybe it's seeing Ino flip her blonde hair over her shoulder, crystalline light blue eyes glowering at him balefully before relenting enough to offer a small smile. Maybe it's Neji's nearly-smile on his back, watching him silently while he labors.

He barely notices Shikamaru and Lee. He forgets they are there.

Iruka looks the way he feels. Silent. Cold. Hinata is better off, and sometimes he watches her secretly from a distance. She's the healer of the group, clever with herbs and her hands and offering quiet kindness, but her eyes aren't the same as his or Iruka's. She doesn't know. She suspects, knows more than she lets on, but she doesn't know. And he slouches, brooding.

Hinata had a crush. And he's never forgotten it, though he forgave it sometime back and now resents it again. He doesn't know why.

He needs more than he's getting. He's hungry. And even though he doesn't want to hurt Kakashi more than he has already with his silence and slaughter, he's going to have to if he's going to feel settled again.

So he delays one night in apology, staying his wander lust and sits on the roof of their new living space, and keeps watch through the chilly night. It's turning to winter. Neji sits with him; as always, he ignores him completely, but he notes that he isn't nearly-smiling anymore. He isn't angry, but he's not smiling. He wouldn't be surprised if Neji knows what he's going to do. He won't stop him, he isn't able to, but he acknowledges inside his head. He leaves a little bit after 2:05 AM, visiting Kakashi's bed silently. He's never seen his face uncovered and he doesn't care to. He touches the head protector laid by the bedside.

He leaves before the sun rises.

***

"Hello miss," Naruto said with a grin. "Is Ayami available? Only I've got the worst crick in my neck like you wouldn't believe, and it's been killing me all week."

An elderly, plump woman with an amiable and vacant smile and sharp ambitious eyes smiled extravagantly at him and nodded rapidly: Naruto not only paid on time, but he tipped heavy if the girl made him happy, practically threw the money away. All tips, naturally, went straight to her. The girls tried to make him very happy.

Then the request registered in her brain.

"Oh, so sorry, but Ayami is visiting her sister in the country, she may not be back for some time. Very sorry, very sorry...But any other girl you want, you can have for half price, yes? All are excellent masseuses, they get crick out of neck no time! Any girl, any other girl you want, yes? Who would you like?"

//Ayami doesn't have a sister... Old crone, I'm blonde, not stupid. You could just say she's busy stupid, I know she's here.//

Naruto's face shows none of this. //...Whatever. Whatever.//

Naruto's face just radiates pure amiable bewilderment while it twisted into several interesting pictures while he thought, raising his eyebrows and quirking the corners of his mouth into huge grins and extravagant frowns, before closing his eyes and slightly raising his hands in front of him and concentrating and then--

His eyes snapped opened.

His face was calm if a little disturbed, but the wide smile came back easily to him when he said playfully, "Surprise me! I'm not too picky, and I really just want this gone."

He put his hand on the side of his neck, and flinched before snapping it away. "Gone! Wow, geez, I think it's only getting worse! ...Better give me someone with strong hands who knows how to be gentle, I'm gonna need it..."

He grinned sheepishly and shrugged. So it's cheesy, so what? He doesn't care. It's not like it matters what the old bag in front of him thinks anyway.

The woman's face dimmed momentarily before switching on like a light bulb.

"Ah! I know just the girl. Special girl, you'll like a lot. Here key, West Cherry Room, I get girl to show you--"

Naruto snatched the key from out of her hand.

"No, no, that'll be all right! I know my way by now. Just don't keep me waiting, €˜kay?"

Naruto flashed her with a winning grin, and was mildly pleased when she blushed slightly before laughing out loud and sauntered out the room and down the hall. He had a good reputation here; besides paying well, he wasn't cruel with the girls, and tried to take an interest in everybody.

If absolutely necessary, he could count on the ladies for a small bit of protection if he was ever in trouble, and all sorts of interesting information could be picked from their minds, and even more would be willingly told.

He approached the door of the room silently, and watched the other doors and end of the hall carefully, even more attention paid to the space behind him. He paused before the door, then unlocked and opened it, to find it empty. He still examined above the door before entering, and left the door unlocked behind him.

Did anyone care that this wasn't a real massage parlor? Doubtful. Management didn't try very hard to hide it, not with the queen-sized bed that dominated the room with its dark embroidered comforter and clean sheets trimmed with satin. There was a glass sliding door that overlooked the cliffside garden and a better part of the ocean, partially hidden by a folding paper screen. Naruto sighed, his face somber and took his shoes off.

He was in the bathroom when he heard the door open and shut, took a deep breath, and stepped out with a wide smile and squeezing some strawberry lotion into his hands.

"Do you like strawberry? I've been more of an apple kinda guy myself, but..."

A girl met his eyes somewhat timidly, her face clean and pale with dark auburn hair pulled back and away from her face into a single thin ponytail at the nape of her neck, twin strands of bangs framing her face. Her face and body was a fragile Oriental structure, wrapped up in a loose gray-blue silk kimono with kiwi green sprigs embroidered on the hemline and obi. Light blue charcoal gray eyes met his, with tiny flecks of lavender surrounding the iris.

"...But you...can pick something different...if you want. There's...plenty to choose from..."

Naruto grinned widely at her, a little goofily while a bright light sprung on behind his eyes, and lotion overflowing in his hand. Her eyes traveled to his hand.

"Oh, sh--shoot! Shoot! My mistake! I'll just, um, get that cleaned up be with you in right a minute!"

Naruto darted back into the bathroom, turned on the sink loudly, wiped his hands roughly on a towel and put a thick leather glove on one hand. A thin layer of copper was sewn inside of it, and it was plated with bronze and silver. He slipped off a silver bracelet from his other hand and shoved it into his pocket after serious thought.

He came back out of the bathroom loudly, just in time to dodge crouch, grab and turn on his heel and push.

Movement stopped momentarily. He ignored the sharp pain in his gut and crotch, as well as the cut burning gratingly on his arm, and clutched the iron knife tighter in his gloved fist. He leaned down to the girl's ear and whispered:

"Hey Sasuke. Thought you'd never get here."

His face was hit hard as the head in front of him reared back violently, swore, rolled and swung out hard clipping a good hit, scoring a good punch, backpedaled quickly and shifted to the left and threw the knife hard into the wall so it vibrated where it hit, his fingers bleeding and ribs bruised.

He darted to the right, planning to charge, but instead quickly jumped and clung to the ceiling where three iron shuriken buried themselves down into the woodwork, and dropped down only to change direction midway. He was slightly surprised, but too busy flowing with the movement to show it.

//He's faster.//

He swung across with his elbow and felt relieved satisfaction when it connected with a meaty thud, grabbed, tossed, punched down again and winced as he was kicked in the gut and snatched the wire string out of his side pockets and tied them painfully tight around the wrists and ankles, muttering under his breath and digging his knee into the center of the figure's spine. He pulled the body roughly on to it's back, pinning the shoulders carefully.

Straddling the waist and holding down heavily on one shoulder, he pulled another slim iron dagger out of the kimono with his gloved hand.

Naruto's face was completely serious and slightly breathless as he tapped Sasuke's nose once with the tip.

"Bad. Not bring here..." Light blue gray eyes dusted with purple glanced up at him, a little breathless. Naruto nodded shakily. "I take it you're not here for a massage."

Sasuke snorted, his feminine voice now a little lighter and smoother than when he was child. He was glowering, but not too angrily. "Neither are you." It's strange, but he doesn't have a problem talking to the fox. He had imagined he would.

"Was too!" he shot back sulkily. "I really do have a crick in my neck," he looked pointedly down at Sasuke, "And a pain in my ass like you wouldn't--"

Sasuke jerked his knees forward into Naruto back, and arched up to bite him when he came crashing down. He squirmed feverishly and jerked at his wrists bound behind his back and funneled some chakra down, but the binds didn't feel any looser.

He was shoved back down severely, both hands on his shoulders and pressing down painfully on his arms bent under him, with Naruto now slightly kneeling between his legs while at the same time sitting on top of them. It didn't help at all that he was in a female body, something he was unfamiliar with and wouldn't do exactly what he wanted it to, and he hadn't the time to learn how to accommodate it. The legs are strong, but weaker than his real ones, and the arms are very weak.

Naruto's eyes razed quickly over his body, and laughed dirtily.

The kimono had come undone during the scuffle, showing ample amount of neckline and thighs, two small hills peaked just under the hemline, barely covered, his collarbone prominent, his stomach open and vulnerable, and there was barely enough to cover his crotch. There was barely anything covering it at all.

Sasuke was scowling indifferently, his eyes narrowing.

Naruto was still grinning at him darkly, his breath coming back to him as his panting slowed.

Then, dipping his head and keeping eye contact, stuck his tongue out and ran the tip along the divide of his ribcage, making sure Sasuke was watching.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

His voice was very odd in his female form--It didn't sound nearly cold enough. Vulpine eyes flared with pleasure.

Naruto just chuckled darkly, gripped his shoulders harder, mildly surprised when Sasuke refused to flinch and ran his tongue slowly up the curve of the sphere, applied even more pressure when Sasuke did flinch and pushed the hanging kimono off the left breast and began sucking on the pert pink nipple, listened to Sasuke's heart rapping under his skin, and playfully pressed his hips into Sasuke's.

Now Sasuke did jump and struggled hard, kicking out with his ankles and knees and biting whatever he could because that was just too fucking weird.

//No.//

//No!//

Dimly, he heard Naruto swear and yelp, and found himself again pinned down, this time with a cloud of chakra weighing and keeping him there, slight invisible bonds wrapped around his chest and pulling him down. A hand clamped down over his mouth.

"If you scream, they'll think it's a compliment," Naruto said rapidly while he struggled. There was a red mark on his cheek from where Sasuke's forehead had hit him and blood dribbling out of his healing lip. "I'm known for not hurting anybody. Famous for it. I'm not gonna start now with the new girl, am I? ...No one'll come. Don't waste your breath."

The hand was taken away and Sasuke wrenched his face away, resisting the urge to spit and anger burned in his eyes while Naruto stared down at him. He was still breathing hard, his eyes narrowed and with a red-russet thread of color flashing off and on in the back of his eyes.

Naruto was staring down impassively at him, neither surprised nor angry with him. He had known Sasuke was here, but Sasuke had known about him longer. He'd been watching, waiting, just laying the trap.

//Funny place to lay a trap.//

If he hadn't taken the time to think about a new girl, hadn't puzzled over Ayami's absence, hadn't bothered to check the prospective minds and bodies first...Sasuke would have had him solid. He was too careless. And since Sasuke had had two iron knives on him and shuriken, he would have been caught easy. Caught and killed easy, too easy, by the looks of things.

Naruto sighed.

"Guess this means I'm not gonna get my massage, huh?"

"Let go of my hands and see." His voice is steady. His voice is steady and it doesn't stick in his throat like usual. The fox doesn't seem to notice.

Naruto sighed again, and flicked a finger against Sasuke's cheek. He wasn't really here for a massage; hardly anyone ever came here for a massage. But he did need to burn off some of the extra energy that had been built up over the days, and Sasuke just had to screw things around.

Sasuke.

Hm.

He could feel his baser nature watching him, just pushing him ever so gently in the absolutely wrong direction. //...and to think I was avoiding you. You never do what I want.//

"You know..." Naruto looked down at him speculatively. "You do look good as a girl."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. He isn't surprised; he didn't want this, but he isn't surprised. His mind is stuck in present, his muscles think for him like they have been for the past month. He isn't surprised.

"You looked good as a boy, but you look good as a girl too."

Naruto allowed this to sink in with a calculating smirk while he continued to lay down the facts. Sasuke's expression hadn't changed yet.

"And this is a brothel. And I am legally paying for you half-price per the hour. You sir," Naruto poked the center of Sasuke's chest, "Owe me some action."

Sasuke looked up at him incredulously. His reply took a second too long, because unfortunately, most cuss words have innuendos buried in them, even the very innocent one's like "Fuck you" and "Up yours". Besides, he isn't sure if he should bother with insults at all.

Naruto's hearing was damnably good.

"No, no, no...I'm in control. You're on the bottom. It's up yours," he whispered with a smile.

Sasuke looked up at him darkly, his eyes only slightly wider in his female form, still breathtakingly beautiful and feeling alien, uncomfortable sensations as Naruto cupped one breast gently and was idly stroking the nipple with his thumb, smiling down gently at him. Wasn't this an illusion? Wasn't it just a form of concentrated chakra? ...So how could he feel the sensations?

Sasuke pouts.

Sasuke Uchiha came all this way, abandoned them (momentarily, he tells himself. They'd thank him later) and he came with one purpose in mind. Strangely, now that the chance is there, the opportunity was there, he didn't do everything he could have. He came here to fight. He didn't fight as hard as he could have. Strangely, he isn't afraid. He should be afraid; this sort of thing snapped him awake in the afternoons, made him crawl the walls as 4 AM. But he's not afraid.

"Personally," Naruto said softly, glancing down along their bodies, his knees firmly wedged between Sasuke's legs tied together at the ankles, "I'd think it'd be kinda weird for you...but very easy for me."

Sasuke frowned, before a kind of disgusted understanding dawned on him, confirmed when Naruto glanced back up to grin ferally at him, and felt his cheeks blush. It had been bad enough when Naruto was just...kissing him there but--

"You'll rape me, then?" Sasuke asked, no emotion betrayed in his voice except casual, academic interest.

Naruto hadn't done it before. That wasn't what he wanted. He could have done it before, done it anytime he wanted and they both knew he could have and Sasuke really had been helpless to stop him but he hadn't. Naruto had made a point of not doing it. He wouldn't want it now, wouldn't do it now. No. That wouldn't make sense.

Sasuke waits.

He wonders behind the thick wall of his mind if this was really what he came here for.

Naruto hesitated on answering, something strange and foreign wavering in his eyes, and finally shrugged. His voice was flat.

"Sure, why not? I'm a demon, remember? Raping is part of what I do."

Sasuke filed this away. Even through the mask, Naruto could still feel the disappointment trickling from him, and his grin faded. For a moment there's a smidgen of a familiar teen in front of Sasuke's eyes, sober and pensive. It doesn't pass, but it doesn't stop Naruto from leaning down to kiss his breast, hard and round beneath his hand and mildly surprised when it isn't there anymore, only his hand on Sasuke's flat male chest, lily white and lanky.

Sasuke isn't fighting him. He isn't yelling, isn't trying to kick or bite him, and that should have made Naruto wonder more than he did, but the sight of the nearly naked Sasuke Uchiha underneath him makes him a little woozy. The coldness in his head makes him loose his footing, and the temptation under him keeps him from looking for it.

"You know I'll fight you," Sasuke states.

Naruto's smile returned, and he replied, "Yeah, I know," he whispered softly, and God Sasuke was handsome when he was mad, especially when he couldn't kick or hit or bite or throw anything or stab anymore iron in him, "But I'm still going to take you...Unless you change your mind. I'd like it lots if you changed your mind."

Naruto's eyes were hopeful, and his smile faint and slightly innocent. Innocent enough to seem endearing. Sasuke snorted cynically, eyes so cold they nearly burned. Despite everything, Naruto couldn't help being a little unnerved.

He had found Sasuke again, and he hadn't even been looking for him. He hadn't planned on meeting him again this early, much less this way. And even though Sasuke was still...not friendly with him, he wasn't exploding with hatred either. He was being much too relaxed, too comfortable even with his hands tied up behind him. And Naruto couldn't be sure if this was a trap or not.

"For you? Forget it. I won't."

Naruto kept his face impassive a while longer, before smiling and blowing a kiss in Sasuke's face. He waited for a reaction. Then he just watched Sasuke closely, the grin easing from his face and nodded silently, not agreeing to anything.

//He's playing...he doesn't mean it. He doesn't. He's just playing, teasing me again to see how far I'll believe him. He doesn't mean it.//

//He can't mean it.//

Reaching under Sasuke, Naruto untied the obi, and tested it between his hands before pushing his kimono away, eyes trailing down Sasuke's body in somber appreciation while his fingers glided along his waist, raising bumps on Sasuke's skin. Girls' clothes--whore clothes--on Sasuke looked strange, kinky, because although Sasuke had always been refined and darkly beautiful, he had too much muscle, too many angles and not enough softness to be taken for a girl. The combination of softness and muscle clashed. But that was all right. Naruto could flow with kinky.

//And if he does mean it? ...then what?//

//What was I thinking? What am I thinking? This...maybe because its daylight. The sharpness only comes when night falls.//

He wrapped the obi around Sasuke's eyes, slightly surprised when he didn't resist though perhaps he shouldn't have been. Then he reached up, eyes still sharp on Sasuke in case he decided to make things interesting, grabbed a pillow and pushed it under him, so his weight wasn't too heavy on his arms. As silently as possible, he slips on the silver bracelet that he stuck in his pocket earlier.

//He means it.//

Sasuke made a point of keeping his breathing steady; he was blind, bound, and nearly naked with a demon hovering above him, just watching his body speculatively. Air wafted over his bare skin, and he could feel the heat Naruto's body was emanating because they were so close together. He had no idea what was going on. He had no idea what was going to happen, or what to expect.

If Sasuke was afraid, he wasn't allowing himself to feel it, much less show it. He was fairly sure Naruto wouldn't kill him, though he might try to hurt him, humiliate him. If Naruto hadn't killed him after all this time, he wasn't going to start now.

Still...being helpless before the demon Nine Tails was not a happy thought. It hadn't been the castle. It wasn't now.

He wasn't even struggling to get away. The cord was thin and tight, biting into his wrists, so the more he struggled against it the deeper it would bite, until it was coated in sticky and rough blood that would make it even harder to slip off. He couldn't easily perform any jutsus lying on his fingers, with most of his weight on them, and Naruto would feel his chakra flow if he tried. The demon chakra pushing him down didn't allow for any amazing acrobatics...

Still...it bothered Sasuke in a detached manner that he wasn't trying to get away. That he wasn't fighting. That he wasn't afraid, that he wasn't angry.

//Oh well.//

//The fox was probably telling the truth about screaming,// he thought, //but if I scream loud enough...//

A hand gripped his chin so he couldn't move his head, fingers stroking through his hair. The action must have pleased him, because he ran his fingers along Sasuke's skull and down to the tips of his hair over and over again.

::Nobody will come. My word carries more weight here than yours here, Sasuke-kun.::

Sasuke's muscles tensed unintentionally, absolutely not flinching when something rough and warm and wet stroked over his cheek, and silently held his ground. That funny glimmer in his mind, like a dull yellow taste in the back of his throat...

//...So this is how you do it. The mind speech...//

Sasuke made a mental note, filling it away for later use. Strangely, it didn't bother him that he was being touched. He, who reacted lethally to a tap on his arm, didn't have a problem with being groped and caressed by the creature that came close to replacing his Itachi. Sasuke wonders at himself without caring.

Naruto, for his part, is too wrapped up with the idea of finally having Sasuke in bed--even if he can't call it his--nearly naked and not fighting him, actually being relaxed with him. It was like a dream come true, and he has no idea how it happened but he's damn jolly it has.

He nibbled down his throat, kissing and suckling the skin between his lips, his breath breaking soft and warm like salt water against Sasuke's ear. He nudged the bridge of his nose under Sasuke's jaw-line, pressing into him, both of them missing the significance of the gesture completely; Sasuke pushing it off to Naruto being Naruto, and Naruto doing it because it felt right.

//...You don't want to do this.//

Naruto chuckled darkly in his throat, mouthing the junction of Sasuke's neck and shoulder, sucking his skin in between his teeth and gently holding it there. When he scrapes his teeth, he can feel Sasuke inhale just a little more than he usually does, and Naruto grins with satisfaction.

::Don't sound too sure of yourself there, darling. But yes, actually I do. I know what I want.::

Sasuke flinched despite his best efforts when Naruto bit down, pain blossoming out slowly along his blushing neck--the blush caused mostly by shock--his breathing hitching and a muffled curse caged inside his throat. He tried to blink against the blind, and failed. He still isn't afraid, he's surprised to note.

::And I've wanted this for a while. And I think, maybe...you have too.::

Sasuke turned his head away to the side towards the wall impassively, not having quite the strength necessary to stay attentive while Naruto was...getting ready. He'd just ignore it. He'd just ignore it all, be an impassive and unparticipating objective watcher. He knew his cheeks were flushed. He hated that, but couldn't stop it either.

::I mean, why else would you be here? Here? Why else would you come to me angel?::

//I'm here to kill you.//

::Really? Gee golly, and with your hands tied behind your back and everything? ...You came back to me--I knew you would. You're mine...you're finally mine.::

When Naruto licked his ear idly he exhaled too quickly, squirmed his shoulders and turned his head to the side, trying to get away but actually opening his sensitive area more, which Naruto took full advantage of.

He gasped softly in the back of his throat as he ear was taken into a mouth that was entirely too hot, entirely too gentle, and teased with gentle teeth and a tongue entirely too clever and invasive and ticklish. A brighter blush bloomed along his expanse of neck with the feelings, in humiliation and pleasure. His teeth were clenched together, and his control had a strangle hold on his throat.

Had this happened to him before in the darkness, in the stone prison? ...He doesn't remember. Things happened, but so much that it's a tangle to get them all out. He kind of remembers feeling this way before, feeling the familiar crunch in his stomach, and he isn't afraid.

He wished fervently, belatedly, that there was someone else there in the room with them. Even if they wouldn't help him or do anything it would give him something to concentrate on, something to take his mind off the thick sensations Naruto was causing his body to wrack up. At least this wouldn't feel so...personal.

//He's done this before.//

::Yes.::

//You've done this to me before.//

::Yes.::

He was never sure exactly when he closed his eyes, but he would always remember how he cried out in frustration and confusion, a tiny sound of "ehh", so soft it wouldn't have been heard if no one was listening for it, and turned his head away from Naruto's mouth and curled into his shoulder and the bed, never realizing consciously how very kittenish he was acting. His skin was flushed and warm--warm! He was actually warm--and he felt a little sick in his throat and his stomach ached.

One of the unbelievable things about Sasuke Uchiha is that he has no idea how to flirt, how to attract attention; it's something he does naturally without trying. It's the honesty in his movements; he does what he does because he wants to, because he needs to. His body reacts, and until he decides to control it (which is often), it reacts honestly with what it feels.

Naruto grinned like he hadn't before, like Sasuke hadn't seen him since they were kids and he didn't see now with his eyes closed, and felt his other ear and cheekbones nibbled and touched all the more gently.

Naruto was fanning the fires without adding wood, without adding any fuel or substance, just teasing and leading along without actually doing anything.

Sasuke knew something was happening, he knew at once that he hated it. But since he didn't know what it was or how it was happening, he didn't know how to stop it. He exhaled noisily through his nose, trying to control his first impulse that involved a lot of force and violence in yet undetermined ways.**

Fingertips, just the bare fingertips, danced the flamenco on his collarbone and chest, diving and sliding into all the nooks and crannies and lightly scratching burning hot trails over the flat hard planes. He rubs his nipples with his thumbs, and Sasuke flinches. Supple wet satin licks at his lips, sucking on the bottom one and caressing it fully, and Sasuke trembles minutely, gently.

In his mind, Sasuke swore. Not in language or anything either of them would realize, but the sentiment was still there and very strong, words not encompassing it. He isn't afraid. He isn't afraid, but his stomach feels warm, nearly full but hungrier than ever. He doesn't understand it, he doesn't like it, but since he doesn't understand it he can't fight it. Dry, slightly chapped full lips tickle his ear before speaking softly aloud.

"Sasuke...angel...it's only rape if you don't want it."

Burning hands roamed over him gently, touching his skin and caressing him like he meant it. Blind, working on sound and smell and touch alone, he trembles a little when he feels warmth blanket him as Naruto lays flush on top of him still clothed against his own naked skin, bumping his hips lightly into his and Sasuke feels himself flush yet again and twitch, sweat breaking out in super-thin film over his scalp. He can't help it--he is affected, and his body betrays him. For all that, Sasuke stays silent.

Sasuke said nothing. Sasuke thought nothing.

//He's really going to do it.//

Then finally his mind screamed.

//NO!//

"I think so, yes."

"Stop it."

He hated his voice. It didn't even sound like him.

Pale orange fire kissed the corner of his jaw gently, lovingly, both of them missing the significance yet again. Again, the bottom of Naruto's nose nudges the edge of his chin, before nibbling on it softly, and neither realizes what it really means.

Naruto's hands slipped lower.

"No...no not this time, angel..."

Sasuke inhaled evenly when thumbs slid down his stomach, his sides rubbed in Naruto's palms, tracing over his hips and down across his thighs. It misses his groin for now, but he's not stupid enough to think that'll last. It's hard not to squirm, not to wriggle away. He wants away; he does. He just isn't doing it.

//Damn it. Damn it all.//

//Not this.//

::Yes.::

//...don't. You don't--//

"Why wouldn't I Sasuke, huh?" Naruto asked angrily.

After all this time, his own body saying what he wanted and what he didn't and the damn straight perfect soldier drone just couldn't accept the obvious! "Why the hell wouldn't I? I think I do, so just give me a straight reason or shut up!"

His mind goes silent and Naruto narrows his eyes, Sasuke's mouth and visible body giving no indication of what he was thinking. That was the gun shot Sasuke had been waiting for, and it hit the mark perfectly. He slips the mask on flawlessly; so smoothly that neither realizes he's done it. In his mind he turns his back on the wall without a sound and closes his eyes in defeat. So...

...he wasn't coming back after all. No. No. //No.//

Things came in threes.

Finally, he turns his head to the side, ignoring the fox.

There are many things Naruto can stand; many things he's endured. Criticism, condemnation, as long as it meant someone was paying attention to him* was okay. He can't stand to be ignored. He just can't stand it. And Sasuke knows him too well, well enough that he knows exactly the one thing Naruto can't stand.

Naruto feels his teeth lengthen, feels the anger start to burn in his hands and lips aching and isn't startled when a growl starts to vibrate in his throat. Sasuke does it on purpose, did it because he knew the reaction it would get out of him and there isn't--

He yanked him up and shoved his tongue in his mouth, kissing hard and badly, roughly. Frustration grows: Sasuke won't unclench his teeth, so Naruto applies pressure (too much) to the hinge of his jaw, and his teeth part reluctantly. He expects to be bitten, but he sticks his tongue in anyway, and is surprised when he isn't. Sasuke isn't resisting him, isn't fighting. He lays limp, cold, waiting and learning. Naruto dropped him.

//Why not take this blind-fold off?//

::You're mine, I'll do what I want.::

//What are you afraid I'll see?//

"I'm not afraid of anything! Asshole!" Naruto yells in his face, and he doesn't wiggle. He isn't afraid. He's talking to him, talking back to him, and it isn't working. "You don't get a say Sasuke, get it through your stupid head. ...I've got the power, I'm in charge."

Sasuke has his own nearly-smile. It haunts his lips, and Naruto snarls.

It should have worked. It really should have worked.

With a little psychology and a little force, it wasn't impossible for prisoners to become emotionally attached, even dependent, on their captors. It'd been done before; it'd been done lots of times before. That's why returned prisoners were always quarantined for years at times, in case the enemy had managed to turn the agents to their side and the agent was now a spy for the enemy. It wasn't unheard of; it sure wasn't impossible, and Naruto was good at doing the impossible. He was real good at it.

But Sasuke had fought back. Sasuke had fought back and resisted, and Naruto had lost. But now...now here he was again. Naruto doesn't know if he's losing now or not.

When he shoves his tongue in his mouth again, it doesn't hurt as much, and Sasuke doesn't lock his jaw. He feels a heavy warm exhalation against his cheek, and he keeps his body slack, relaxed.

Whatever. Whatever. He doesn't care. Might as well see what the big deal was, what the hell the fox was raving on about and what was so very precious that he wanted from him, that he hurt him and tortured him for so long. That he took his friend away, turned into something unnatural. Might was well see.

This kiss doesn't hurt: it feels kind of nice. Hands tilt Sasuke's head to find a better angle for the mouth sucking hungrily at his lips while his tongue is still a bit too thick, later trailing down his neck, licking at his collarbone. It doesn't hurt. It's not bad. Lips suck at his shoulder; teeth graze over the skin enough to create goosebumps and a shiver down his spine. Because as damnable as the fox was...he still had Naruto's hands, still small and rough, still had Naruto's lips, generous and laughing.

He can feel the fox smirking from his response. Demon hands are warm and gentle, relaxing him further, trying to get further reactions from him.

The fox knows what he's doing; he's probably done it a thousand times before. Sasuke's had sex once before with a woman during a mission; he took information from her notebooks while she slept afterwards. He thinks he did pretty well for his first time; she smiled at him in the morning, clung to him later on, and got really upset when he left and even more upset when she realized what he had taken from her. That meant he was good at it, right?

There's warmth under his skin, burning embers along the sides of his neck and a coiling in his stomach, warmth along his legs. His toes are cold and his ears are red. The air is cool and he can feel it everywhere, because his kimono has been pushed back to his tied hands. Sasuke doesn't nearly-smile, doesn't think. He just learns.

For his part, Naruto's trying to go slow. It isn't hard; it might've been better if Sasuke was fighting or insulting him in his head. It doesn't even feel like he's touching Sasuke; it's a perfect body, but it's empty. He's trying to go slow, trying to wake up the fire that he knows is there, the fire he's always been attracted to and infuriated by, the incessant strength that fuels Sasuke Uchiha. He can't find it, can't feel it, so he just goes through the motions, sure that it'll show up sooner or later, and when it does he'll be waiting and ready.

For now he's licking his stomach, pressing his tongue into Sasuke's navel to see if that gets a reaction, because that can feel sort of tingly at times; he doesn't want to go into Sasuke's mind, talk him through that way. He's done that before, and he wants to do this without magic, without the damned fox's help. Naruto wants to do it--make him want him--on his own.

Naruto's breathing is faster, and his stomach is ricocheting and churning with acid. He's wanted this so bad that he isn't thinking, and even though he said lots of things, he's never forced anyone this way. He's done lots of bad things, but he's never forced anyone to this: he's never had to.

It doesn't feel like he's forcing Sasuke though; it doesn't feel like rape.

Being the Demon King has taught Naruto a lot of things about the occult that he might not have learned otherwise, and one of those things--two of those things, actually--are necromancy and necrophilia. The second word keeps on creeping on the back of his mind, and he feels a little sick and mistakes it for eagerness.

Sasuke keeps his eyes closed and his ears open. He hears himself gasp when Naruto touches him, hears his breathing speed up and feels films of sweat collect in his hair and down his back, over his nipples still burning and hard from the fox's mouth and fingers. He can feel his mouth, hot and wet swallowing him tightly, feel his fingers stroking and invading him, and his body trembles on its own. There's a burning, growing, growing, and then a volcano.

Sasuke lays silent again, and watches and waits. His ankles are untied, and rubbed to relieve the pain (sting, warmth, comfort), and he can feel eyes watching him suspiciously. He doesn't move, doesn't attack. His breath comes back to him and his heart stops racing.

He's still hungry. Still hungry for that thing no one else can give him.

He isn't fighting.

He thinks he knows why now.

He's poked and prodded, and thankful that he can't see after all. It's so much easier to be someone else, to hide behind the mask of chilly white superiority, when one's eyes are closed. If he could see the fox doing what he's doing to him, see the fox with that face and those eyes that are still crystal blue after the rains have come, he might actually feel something, might actually hurt.

As it is, things are happening to his body that don't particularly pain him, and his body is reacting in ways that Sasuke doesn't take responsibility for. There's a zipping, rustling sound as the fox takes off his clothes. There's movement, and momentary detached pain. Sasuke waits, feeling the bed underneath him bouncing a little and his own body trembling, sweating, jumping at times and twisting unexpectedly, surprising him.

He starts to panic when he feels sound trying to come out of his mouth, and for a minute he's torn between clenching his jaw and just letting whatever would happen, happen. After a minute, intense thrumming and warm ticklish sensations coming from his spine and lower body as every inch of his skin is sensitive to the slightest whiff of air and lightest brush of fingers or lips, he lets the sound go out of his mouth.

He recognizes the sound; he's heard it before in the shower when he was much younger, before the fire, before his idiot friend left the village. He used to like that sound, hearing it from his lips as his heart raced and legs trembled while he touched and kissed himself in the shower, masturbating to a fantasy he'd never give name to. It was a nice sound; it still was. It just...didn't belong to him. He wasn't responsible for it, it was an accident, and so he gets no pleasure from hearing it like he had before.

There's sound, but no feeling.

There's touch, but no contact.

It's over.

He can hear heavy breathing next to his ear, warm and humid against his sweaty neck and hair brushing his neck. He's warm and sweaty, and his breathing comes by almost labored. They're both like that. Sasuke ponders absently, and waits, feeling tired kisses timidly touch along his jaw--almost desperately--before feeling fingers brush back his wet hair again, and lips press at his mouth almost apologetically, shyly nearly. He doesn't like this kiss, he realizes. He liked it better when it was hard, uncaring. This kiss, this kiss against his lips now...

He wants to kiss back.

Fingers start to pull the ribbon off his eyes, and he panics.

"Don't!" he snaps too quickly, realizing late that might be exactly what the fox was looking for. "Please," he murmurs softly instead, hoping that the show of submissiveness might work in his favor. Hopefully. He keeps his eyes shut instead, just in case, and for the first time feels the warm adrenaline returning to his fingers as they woke up, his arms sore from lying on them.

The blind is left in place, and he's tempted to thank the fox, but decides not to overplay his cards. Fingers caress down the side of his face, lips touch his own again softly and he winces as he doesn't kiss back because he really wants to.

//After everything you've done...//

It feels familiar. It feels so familiar because even though Sasuke and Naruto were never really friends most of times and never more than the best of friends at the best of times...Sasuke Uchiha never told anyone that he's been kissed twice. That he's kissed someone else when he was 14 years old.

Everyone saw his first kiss at 12 years unfortunately, but he's never told anyone that he's kissed someone else later on of his own free will and desire, that there was someone else in his life that he intensely needed to touch and be close to. That he wanted to touch, wanted to smile with and laugh at, wanted to kiss and take care of. He did all those things, but it was always under the table, where he didn't have to take responsibility for it and only a few people guessed what he might've wanted, what he was really doing.

Kakashi Hatake guessed, but thanks to the stars above he never did anything about it.

//After everything you've done... I still have to fight.//

He's sure the fox has heard him, but there's no voice inside his head, no tawny burning presence lighting up the darkness of his mind. And for that he's thankful.

He is turned gently and pulled into a real embrace, cradled in strong arms, the top of the fox's cheek pressed against his forehead, sharing the same air with one leg possessively thrown over Sasuke and their bodies pressed close together. He's warm and he's comfortable. It didn't hurt--he had been so damned sure it would--and his body is tingling, coming down dazed and drunk.

Sasuke's throat tightens.

He hates himself. He really does. Sometimes--most of the time--he's sure he's his own worse enemy, because even though the fox tried with all his power he could never make him feel anything he didn't want to. No one can. No one can make him do anything he doesn't want to, feel anything he doesn't want to, except for his number one enemy, Sasuke Uchiha.

He feels safe.

Sasuke flinches, and he feels the body beside him wake up enough to inspect him, to see if he was okay. He's not okay, and the fox can't fix him. He wouldn't let him if he could. And cursing himself every step of the way, he lets his body do what it wants because it hurts too much to keep it to his will, and he's been hurting too much for too long already.

Sasuke kisses the edge of the jaw lightly, not much. It's so close to him that he doesn't even have to move his head, just exercise his lips a little and touch it. The skin's a little bit sticky, and very warm. Or maybe because Sasuke's so cold, it just seems warm to him. Maybe it really isn't. He doesn't know.

His body tingles all over and he swallows hard, his tongue coming out despite everything he's thinking and touching the skin, warm and salty and his lips follow too quickly, closing over the skin and finding that it really was as sweet as he always dreamed, really was soft and wonderful as he'd knew it'd be. He exhales heavily before pulling away in shame, his head hurting and his tongue tingling, singing exuberant and dancing a wild stampede in his mouth.

A hand touches him lightly, nearly shyly, and Sasuke sits with rapid jerk. That was too inviting; this was far too close. He keeps his back away from the fox and he has to turn his head away too. There's a hesitant touch on his thigh, but thankfully no words; the fox doesn't sit up next to him, but is watching his every breath. His hands are clenching each other inside the crumpled kimono so hard that it hurts, but not as much as his chest is hurting him.

He's cursing himself hard, hating himself hard, because despite everything that he's done to him, everything that he's lost and the pain and sorrow he's watched in others and felt their hurt and pain, if Naruto really did open his arms and kiss him gently again...

Damn it.

He wouldn't even fight the second time. He'd let him. He'd let him and he'd enjoy it the way he did the very first time, the very first time when he thought it was a dream because Naruto would never dream of touching him that way. Making him feel that way. Never. If he really invited him in, really took him in and at least gave him the illusion of security, the illusion of independence, the Sasuke would run into his arms like the first time when Naruto sat him on his lap and made love to him in his castle.

If the fox had pulled this earlier, had pulled it in the castle when he was really under his power...damn.

Sasuke realizes he would have crumbled. Would have buckled under.

He realizes what the fox wants from him.

His body reacts.

His hands had come untied a long time earlier, back when Naruto was sucking and stroking him, and they've been free all that time. He just hadn't pulled them out because he hadn't had a reason to before.

Some of the magic folk--the demons, the fair folk, and the nightwalkers--can sense iron, because it's a blind spot in their vision. It's like people seeing darkness--you can't actually see the shadows, but you know they're there because there's no color, no shape, so if there's just a shapeless dark spot then that has to be a shadow. Well, that's how magic folk see iron. There's nothing there, so they know its iron.

But in his time specializing in hunting them and killing them, Sasuke Uchiha has learned a very interesting thing. Some can sense iron, but none can sense silver. And silver can hurt them almost as much as iron can.

Smooth as water, he drew the silver blade across in deep. He didn't take off the blindfold because he didn't want to see and he didn't have to; he knew where the fox's neck was. The blade had been hidden in the folds of his robe; the iron had been a diversion, and that had worked. The fox had never bothered to check; foolishly, thoughtlessly.

Warm wetness fell across his hand, and the fox's hand clamped over his own and he could feel that he was trying to get away, but he didn't have a chance. Sasuke always killed what he went after; that's why he was in such a high demand. He held on until it went still-cold.

Then it was done, and Sasuke slipped off the bed, walking around it silently to the door, only pausing once. He took off the blindfold, and risked a quick look.

Black met blue.

His eyes widened, and then...

And then...

Sasuke Uchiha walked out, naked and hands bloody. He'd question what he did later on, spend the rest of the next night and day wandering and chasing his tail, but two things kept him from ever doubting himself.

The next night, in Kakashi's bed, he slept after he showered. When the sun rose he wasn't hungry anymore.

***

*The best you could ever hope for was attention, not love...only by getting into trouble...And you didn't care. You were willing to accept any criticism, any condemnation as long as it meant someone was paying attention to you.

--Iruka, Naruto vol.1

Sasuke knew something was happening, he knew at once that he hated it. But since he didn't know what it was or how it was happening, he didn't know how to stop it. He exhaled noisily through his nose, trying to control his first impulse that involved a lot of force and violence in yet undetermined ways.

--Vignette, Ch. 3

Er. Note. The next chapter won't be coming out for a while, because it takes me a while to shift characters. I focused on Naruto in the beginning, lately Sasuke, and now I'm gonna have to focus on Naruto again so that's gonna take some time in my head. Criticism appreciated.

Welcome to the middle.

Back to foreigners
Back to team seven
Back to the main page