Flinching at his spoken name, Naruto whipped around and came face to face with its origin. The man standing before him was human and yet simultaneously his entire presence radiated sanctity, the orange hair atop his head glittered in the darkness like flames situated on candles. His eyes were hypnotic, more compelling than any sight Naruto had experienced before…enchanting – dangerous. The neutral expression planted on his features only added to the superiority of his being and yet the most striking part of the man before him was his aura. Naruto had only ever seen one other individual whom possessed such an aura and that was Itachi. Burning white encased his form.

For a small moment Naruto's muscles froze as he took in the beautifully deadly appearance in front of him; he felt as if his whole body had been placed in an endless trance, colours twirling and spiralling into the man's radiance without neither a beginning nor an end.

And the spell broke.

Naruto's cognition returned and as such his sense of reality. Regardless of this person's aura and commanding appearance, he was a stranger to Naruto – a stranger who had entered his house, his sacred sanctuary, without permission. The anger, which had become so familiar after losing his grandfather, surfaced and bubbled under his skin; liquid acid boiling blood red.

"Who the hell are you?"

A perfect orange eye brow raised and the man took a step forward. Immediately, Naruto took a step back and assumed a defensive position; glaring at the man before him.

"I assure you, I mean you no harm…" the man said silkily, bringing his palms up to relay submission – peace.

"You didn't answer my question." Naruto growled, willing his body to relax slightly yet keeping his fists clenched at his side.

The man regarded Naruto's posture for a split second and lowered his hands slowly, making no sudden movements. He had not come to threaten the boy; not yet. "My name is Nagato. I've come to speak with you, Naruto."

Naruto frowned at the use of his name; he hated being left in the dark, particularly when it regarded information involving him. There were so many questions he wanted to ask, so many answers he needed to obtain. And yet, Naruto did not trust the man before him, no matter how much tranquillity he resonated.

"Why? And how is it that you know my name?" Naruto asked, "I've never seen you before in my life."

Nagato hummed in contemplation before his deep voice bounced from the walls. "Perhaps you don't remember me; you were only very young at the time of our first meeting."

Naruto's frown only deepened and his eyes narrowed, reluctant to believe Nagato's words.

"However, that is quite irrelevant at the moment." Nagato said, dismissing Naruto's curiosity and confusion and getting straight to his desired point. "I'm going to assume you've already met them both."

Naruto's stomach flipped with unease. He had a slight inkling about who Nagato was referring to and he did not like the sensation one bit. Having been isolated and alone most of his life, Naruto did not make a habit of meeting new people; there was only two individuals that Nagato could be referring to. And yet, he had a strong urge to protect this information, to protect Itachi and Sasuke both from the charismatic man.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Naruto said through clenched teeth; his mind drifting back, trying desperately to remember whether he locked the door – Naruto needed an exit, needed a path to freedom.

Nagato's face remained void of emotion. "I can see through your lies, yet I do not understand why you try to hide the fact that you know them from me. Do you truly believe them to be on your side? Do you trust them over me, Naruto?"

"Obviously," Naruto snorted. "They didn't break into my house."

"A house is merely a structure built from bricks you do not own, residing on earth you do not own; the action of entering such a structure is meaningless…it is not yours. You cannot base your trust on such an insignificant detail."

Nails digging into palms, Naruto was prepared to lash out; scream at the bastard that dared insinuate he had no claim to this house. It was his, his sanctuary – it had never been nor ever would be meaningless to Naruto. Before he could, however, Nagato held up a palm, immediately silencing him.

"There is a war happening at this very moment, I do not wish to argue with you. But do not think for one second that Itachi and Sasuke are trying to protect you; they are exiled, deserters if you will – even I do not know what they are planning."

Naruto blinked at that statement; war? Exiled? From where exactly?

"You are special, the child we have all been searching for. You are the key to ending this war, Naruto – but you must choose to help us, rather than waste your energy on traitors who have no loyalty to either side."

They're after you…

Nagato took a step forward, his aura increasing in intensity. Suffocating – menacing.

"Trust me…" Nagato said smoothly.

They have the means to take you…

"Come with me, Naruto. You can help me rebuilt this world, restore it to its former glory."

You are in danger.

And as Nagato stepped forward once more and reached out to encase Naruto's forearm in a steel grip, Naruto jolted; Sasuke's voice reverberating through him like flamed energy.

"Back off! I won't be going anywhere with anybody!"

As the words left Naruto's mouth, his hands flew back out of Nagato's reach and simultaneously Nagato's form was catapulted backwards in a blast of invisible force, of blinding power, straight through the wall of Naruto's home and several miles across the opposite field.

Glancing down at his open palms, eyes wide and breath heavy, Naruto stared…his mind blank at such surreal events. Slamming into action, Naruto ran, grabbing the nearest pair of shoes on his route and banging the door behind him – he could not stay there a moment longer, not after what had taken place, not knowing that he could be attacked or taken at any time, without any warning. Adrenaline rushing through him, fuelling him, Naruto took comfort in running, only stopping once to place the shoes on his feet.

It was not safe, nowhere was safe. Though he had absolutely no idea what was happening, Naruto knew his sanctuary had been breached, he had nowhere to go, no one to turn to and the only option left was to escape, hide – run. His hands were shaking. His body scorched with adrenaline. His mind a mess of incomprehensible images and words and figures and sparks. Naruto's confusion only fuelled his desire to escape.

Racing past buildings and random individuals who were spaced on black streets, Naruto began to slow, his throat burning with exertion and his muscles aching with the power put forth into them. Finding a groove in between two buildings, Naruto rested his back against the wall and slid down; forehead resting on trembling knees and nails gripping blond locks. His breath came out in pants while his thoughts began to arrange themselves.

They were after him. (Who?)

He was being chased – hunted. (Why?)

He had made Nagato's being fly straight through his kitchen wall. (How?)

A pale hand, seemingly appearing from nowhere, firmly gripped Naruto's shoulder and hauled him to his feet in one fluid motion. For a moment, Naruto was disorientated at how quickly his position had shifted and then, Naruto fought. Scratched and lashed out and struggled against the grip – it was not threatening, yet nor was it gentle.

"H-hey…!" Naruto choked out, trying to get the hand off him, the person away from his space. In the darkness he could not even distinguish their aura which only increased his growing panic.

"Relax. Stop struggling," A calm voice said, an eerily familiar voice almost completely devoid of emotion.

And Naruto obeyed almost instantly, his mind reeling back to where he had heard it before – climbing over the recent hurdles of outrageous conversations and actions to do so. It clicked like the noise of crickets in spring.

"Sasuke!? What the hell are you doing here?" he asked incredulously. And without even giving Sasuke a second to answer, Naruto continued. "Someone's chasing me, you know – you should leave, I don't think it's safe…"

Sasuke removed his hand from Naruto's shoulder, allowing him to stand on shaky legs. "I know, I did warn you before."

Naruto scowled.

"Well, thank you so much for your generosity. I appreciate you telling me exactly when they were going to come after me and exactly who 'they' even are!"

Sasuke regarded Naruto silently, waiting for him to calm down before speaking. "Itachi and I didn't think he would try to make contact with you as soon as he did."

"What did he say to you?" Sasuke asked after Naruto glared.

Heaving a sigh and resting his back once more against the brick wall, Naruto thought back to his and Nagato's conversation mere minutes ago.

"He asked if I'd met you and then told me not to trust either you or Itachi…" Naruto said quietly – mentally, emotionally…physically exhausted. "I can't really remember much else; my brains a mess."

Nodding slightly, Sasuke took a step forward into Naruto's personal space; his inky aura blending in with the blackness surrounding them and almost consuming Naruto whole.

"And do you, Naruto?" Sasuke asked calmly. "Trust us, that is."

Tired and drained blue eyes met Sasuke's own and Naruto felt tingles ignite his spine – grains of sand tumbling down its length. Small hairs stood on end in response to the sensation and even if he was ordered to by the highest authority known to human kind, Naruto could not have broken the eye contact between himself and the glorious human being standing before him. Warmth consumed his innards.

"I have no idea why, but yes I do," Naruto said.

If the moon had been replaced with a ball of burning fire, Naruto could have sworn that an almost unnoticeable smile tugged at the stoic face belonging to Sasuke.

"Good."

The moment was broken when Sasuke's head whipped to the side in one smooth movement and he stared at the opening to where they stood.

"It's not safe here," Sasuke said coolly. "I need you to come with me, Naruto."

Taking a small step back, Naruto glanced to the opening as if weighing the option of running once more; after all he could not risk Sasuke becoming endangered.

"Where to?"

"Some place where I can explain all that is happening. Some place that is safe."

And a pale hand extended palm up towards Naruto, offering him security, refuge. Offering him a sanctuary that had not been breached. Naruto looked to the hand and then back up to Sasuke before a determined frown took over his features and he grabbed Sasuke's hand in his own. Gripped haven between all five fingers.

In a burst of darkness they disappeared.