A/N: Sooo...I last updated this the day after my sister died. Over 2 years ago. I was wrecked. I still can't talk about that, and I had trouble returning to this fic. This chapter was done over a year ago, but it wasn't right and I couldn't care. However, I'm back. To this fic, I mean. Spent a few months editing. Re-reading. Reinvesting in the conflict. Can't say I'm fully satisfied with this chap. But next chapter is underway and I'm VERY satisfied with that. Naruto and Sasuke, that's the tea. I think no matter what I do, this chap will just feel off to me, though.

Thank you so much for your patience. Further more, I hope everyone's self-isolating as much as possible while COVID-19 is upon us. During the days I'm not working I will be doing my part to alleviate cabin fever by providing content. Writing as much as possible. Stay safe, my lovely readers. And watch your inboxes.

Now...onward.

Chapter 10

"Tsunade-sama?"

"Shut up, Shizune."

Shizune hunched inside her cloak, searching for warmth. They'd been in these windswept, craggy mountains for three days. She stared at her mentor, as she was forced to do for hours at a time. Tsunade-sama made it a point to spend several hours a day sitting in one spot. Sensing the air. Every time Shizune asked about it she was silenced. In fact, after discovering the empty town, the home that stood apart from it by several miles, and the scores of graves, Tsunade-sama did not speak at all. Not unless she herself tried to speak.

But this was urgent. "Someone's coming."

"I know."

"Should I, I don't know. Intercept them?"

"You may welcome him to our camp."

"Him?"

Tsunade's lips thinned.

"As you say."

-oOo-

He was a few miles away. She halved the distance with a hand seal and proceeded to wait. She sensed him halt for a minute, but he resumed without increasing or decreasing his speed. He came into view at a walk, cloak flapping. The sun had set hours ago. Visibility was limited, but she caught sight of something on his back and held her chakra at the ready.

"Shizune," he said when he strolled up. That was all for several moments. Then he drew back his hood.

She was able to hide her shock in a quick bow she didn't rise from. "Kazekage."

The disappointment he felt at not finding a fire in their camp was mitigated by surprise at what he did find. Seventeen corpses, all in varying states of decomposition. All beneath chakra domes. All, apparently, mid-autopsy. He noted these details as he walked to Tsunade.

She neither opened her eyes nor stood. "Have you come to kill me?" she said.

"Yes."

"Very well." Her lips moved in what he assumed was her death poem. "I'm ready."

"You seem occupied."

"True enough. Don't let that stop you."

He glanced at Shizune. Tears and anger on her face. "Anything you'd like to say to your aide?"

"Not if I'll be dead soon."

"There's no argument that will make me spare your life."

"I know."

"But I will delay your death for a time. So long as you understand the length of that time will only be known by me. And that your life and death now belong to me."

"Understood and agreed."

"Excellent. Now. What in the name of God are you doing."

-oOo-

They were in her tent, grouped around a brazier. An empty sake bottle to one side, and one half full being passed between them. "Uchiha Sachi." Tsunade sneered. "That creature started all this."

Grateful as he'd been of precious little recently, Gaara savored the wine's passage down his throat. "Explain."

"What do you know?"

Another sip. He let it sit on his tongue this time. "Nothing, apparently. Naruto left the village with a weapon. A child. His child." He stared at her. "From Sasuke."

She gave a nod at the question in his tone.

"You went to help him and then he was dead. The child survived. And that," he said, helping himself to more sake, "is all I know."

While Shizune poked at the embers, Tsunade set another bottle atop them and began with what, for her, was the beginning. "Those letters. Supposedly, Sachi's family and the others didn't know each other. The letters came from varying parts of the globe, but they all arrived on the same day. First mistake.

"Sachi. She later wrote to me personally. Outside of a lengthy greeting to me, the letter was exclusively about Sasuke. Asked if he was recovered from the fight with Madara. Second mistake. And after observing Sachi with her parents, I' have to say it was one they knew nothing of. Her father didn't so much as let her blink without his say-so."

"How is she the cause?"

"I don't know how much you know about Naruto's relationship with Sasuke, but suffice it to say it was more serious than I thought." She relayed the pregnancy's circumstances, Naruto's illness…everything up to his death. "I still can't believe I lost that boy. Truth is, I died with him."

Gaara let the information marinate for several minutes. When he could believe it, he said, "And the child? You saw it?"

"Yes."

"Well?"

"I wasn't allowed to touch it but it was strong. I could feel it. It was alert. Aware." She met his eyes. "Powerful."

"Hm. Then?"

"Hinata. Hyuuga Hinata carries Naruto's child. She may even have delivered by now."

"…What?"

"She is carrying a child more powerful than anything living in this world, Kazekage. She almost killed me. Her face…" But even now, months later, she could not voice what she'd seen in the moment before she'd been torn apart. Hinata's eyes sporting a pattern she'd never seen on any Hyuuga. Never even heard of. The fangs. The growling…

Shizune watched her mentor lower her head on a shudder and wondered if she would ever hear the details of that fight.

"Back to Sachi," Tsunade said. She plucked the sake from the brazier and winced through a sip. "I kept a close eye on her in Konoha. Snake. Oh, but she was subtle. If you didn't know what to look for. To me it was clear as day." She went into detail about this too, and about the events leading up to the village abandoning her. "All Sachi."

"Jinchuuriki." Four at once. And not a soul strong enough to take her. Not without Naruto. "What about her parents?"

"Not her parents."

"Who-"

"Madara. Sachi is his daughter, I will bet Konoha on it."

Gaara held his hand out for the bottle. Swigged. "So there could be more of her."

"There are more of her. Here, somewhere. I can feel something in the air. Some residue of…something. A jutsu. Active. In play. Right now."

He stared at ash forming on an ember. "Madara plants his daughter here. Has her trained, or trained her himself. Aimed her at Sasuke. Her father sealed the Tailed Beasts in her…for what?" He looked at her. "Her mission was to recruit Sasuke, that's plain. A mission to be carried out if or when Madara died. But why. And how many more of her could there be?"

Tsunade and Gaara stared at each other. Shinuze said, "Madara only ever wanted one thing in life."

Sachi watched the three of them frowning in speculation. She was close enough to smell the floral scent Tsunade managed to exude despite her harsh living conditions.

"We can finish them here and now," Zetsu said. "You're fully recovered."

She considered it. "No. Exposure takes place when I say so. Not for these three. They're nothing." She turned from the little group. Faced her family.

Seven thousand pairs of Sharingan stared back at her. "When we take this world, we start with the ones who dared end us. The one who tried to end me. He rejected me. And he will pay." She basked in their cheer, but then her smile faded. She turned back to Tsunade. A snake, was she? "Zetsu. Perhaps you're right."

The darkness of her dimension lit with her chakra as she prepared to reveal herself.

"Spare some food? Please, sir…spare some food?" A heel of bread was thrown in his direction. He caught it from the air and curled around it to eat.

This position also ensured his hood fell forward enough to hide the fact that his eyes catalogued everything. He'd chosen a spot right in the center of tents designated for prostitution. Such was the camp's disorganization that his relatively new presence wasn't remarked upon. In the hours he'd held his position he'd gleaned much.

Soldiers tense and frustrated by waiting for a call to arms that never came provided a steady stream of business for the men and women who occupied the tents. Sometimes there was a line outside a particular favorite's tent. Soldiers stood with arms folded, waiting their turn. While they waited, they talked. Plans, strategy, and how if they were in charge, things would go differently. His favorite was how each one had a better plan than the next for subduing the Jinchuuriki eruptions. "I'm telling you," one hairy teen insisted, "the Hachibi likes water. We have to keep him in a tank and feed him clams…" Always useful, the snippets he heard from the lines. Entertaining. However, it was the ranking officers he paid the most attention to. Careful note was made of how much time was spent in each tent. And which tent which officers liked to frequent. These officers had their favorites too. He could only surmise that as time wore on and frustrations intensified, they spent more time in the whore tents and less time with their garrisons. High ranking as they were, they never waited in line. He suspected these officers paid in coin, not food, and were thus given immediate service. Besides. The higher their rank, the stronger they were. An argument could be made for their virility corresponding to their rank. The whores servicing them were likely satisfied far beyond what the majority of their clients supplied. Another interesting little tidbit.

His main dilemma now was whether or not to pose as a whore or as one of the ranking officers. He was certain the officers engaged in pillow talk once activities were concluded; many of those officers spent the night with their whores, he overheard. The whore could be persuaded to divulge this information for a good lay and more cash. He had cash. He was a good lay. Then again, it would be better to get the information from the horse's mouth by posing as a whore and milking an officer. But an officer would wonder why he was asking about information already given. An officer would know he was being interrogated. And a ranking officer might very well resist Genjutsu.

"Yo. Guess what this redhead in tent four told me."

"Spill."

"The new Kazekage is on the hunt for a particular fetish."

"What? Not again."

"Yeah, man. Apparently sent a representative here asking if they had anyone who fit the description."

"What's the description this time?"

"Old. Like really old. But ninja. With a body. And, like, lots of body hair. Has to be strong too. And big."

"Dick big or body big?"

"I think both. Gross, right?" The youth speaking shuddered. "Imagine taking some hairy old guy's wrinkled cock. Thing probably wouldn't even get hard." He moved up in line as a patron ducked out of the tent. "Anyway, this rep supposedly combed all the armies looking for a person that fit the requirements. No luck."

On the contrary, Kakashi thought as he finished his bread. My luck is finally in. Hopefully I can bring conclusive information to Sasuke. For now, it seems I have a Kazekage to visit.

Her memories were all around him, amplifying his dizzying feelings, but all he saw was her. Her limpid eyes. Her parted lips. The way her torso heaved in desire. All he heard was her moan when he entered her. The cries she gave as they moved together. His name, ragged and breathless from her mouth. She consumed him.

-oOo-

He looked around at the pretty house. His house in Konoha. But different. Nice curtains at the window. Toys on the floor. More furniture. "Hello?"

Hinata came down the hallway. "Naruto! You're home!" She put a hand to her swollen stomach. "Sakura says the baby's fine."

"I…what?" He stared at her stomach as she came over and pecked his lips. "What baby?"

"Our baby, silly. I had an appointment today, remember? He's large but fine."

A cry sounded farther back in the house, and he looked up from hugging her. "Hinata…"

"Icky's up from his nap." She waddled to the back of the house. He followed.

There was a crib in their bedroom. Icky was just pulling himself up to stand. He smiled at seeing his father. Reached for him. Hinata scooped him up and brought him over. "Say hello to your daddy."

"Da! Da!"

Hearing Icky speak for the first time made his heart lurch. He took him. Squeezed him. Tossed him up and caught him again, the boy squealing the entire time.

The villagers stared at Sasuke, clearly awaiting further instructions. "I don't know what to do," he informed them.

Shikamaru spoke up. "Well, you said you want them on guard against Sachi, right? Okay. That's a bit tricky, especially if she can show up at any time. But I'm thinking that, as with any training, you should start with the basics. Learning A-rank moves is great and all but there's a reason ranks B through D exist. See, Naruto's never had a Genin team, so you can't really critique his approach. He doesn't know how to teach. Wielding power takes time. Responsibility takes time." He thought for a second. "They don't know us. What's to stop them from attacking us if that's all they're learning to do? That's what happened to Neji and his uncle."

There was nothing Sasuke could say. Except, "Icky wouldn't."

"But he's not the main threat," Shikamaru said. "Yuudai is. He's a baby. A mentally impaired, all-powerful baby. He can't fight unless he knows what it means to fight. To protect. To realize a goal and achieve a result through strategy. Execution of abilities. All that takes time. Right now he's just a creature of instinct. You don't just need help. You need a point-by-point curriculum. A plan. And a tailored training unit to implement it."

"The fuck am I getting those?"

Shikamaru raised a hand. "Right here. Pretty much devised the plan while you and Chou were explaining things earlier. I think it'll serve. As for the training unit, you'll need four or five of your strongest for Phase I. People strong in Taijutsu and mind-control."

"Who?" He was sure Shikamaru already had the people in mind.

"If they have no objections, Gai, Tsume, Ino, Lee, and Kiba. Chou and Sakura would have been ideal. So would Neji. But the former are needed elsewhere. And Neji, well."

Kiba grunted at being named but stepped forward. "If Shikamaru says I'm on training duty, fine. I know you need us to do this because you're right. You do need help. But you're wrong about Naruto. As far as I can see he is the main concern. Your main concern. Or he should be. Didn't you tell me you'd stopped putting him first?"

Sasuke glared at him. "That was private."

"Right. 'Nuff said. But he needs you now. This right here is another one of those times when you need to put him first. Besides. He's our other Kage. We need him. His kids need him. And you need him." At Sasuke's continued frown, Kiba moved closer and lowered his voice. "Look, you trusted me to be your friend. Trust me in this. You need to go to Naruto now and fix y'all shit."

"All right. But-"

"No buts, boy," Tsume cut in. "Kiba's right. And we got your pups. Your advisor has his instructions. Leave any other orders with your new assistant. First rule of leadership: know when to delegate shit other people can do so you can do the shit only you can do. We can handle things here. You help Naruto."

She was right too. They all were. He gave a nod. They bowed again and he moved toward the door. As he passed Tsume he said, "Don't ever call me boy again."

Tsume took charge. "As a parent and the eldest in this training unit, I'm point. Chou, lead the way to these kids before you head off to the Hyuuga. Shikamaru, you run through the training plan on the way."

Both men fell into step beside her as she and the others left the house.

-oOo-

Sakura folded her arms, but tagged along behind Chou. The training unit had questions for him regarding the babies. She listened to his answers, and waited with them while they paused outside the hellbox's door for Shikamaru to go over his plan. Chou asked how effective the plan would be if Shikamaru had never seen the children in action. The group went silent as this valid point was considered. Finally, Shikamaru allowed as how his plan had room for improvement and that he should be a temporary sixth member of the training unit in order to see the kids and their abilities first hand. Chou then showed them how they'd have to pool their chakra to unlock the hellbox's doors.

But her attention was on none of these things. Chou. Her eyes remained on him as he frowned and nodded at something Gai said. Her arms stayed crossed to keep in the sensation of cold, quivering awareness she had of him. She hated it, hated him. Never in all her life had she felt such a rank usurpation of her control over her body.

Chou glanced at her then and the sensation intensified, tightening until her breasts tingled and the juncture of her thighs felt full and achy. Tears of shame, confusion, and frustration actually formed in her eyes. She wanted to kill herself. She wanted to scream, and punch Chou's face in, and just fucking kill herself.

Instead, she moved away from the group, leaned over, and threw up.

Chou was at her side instantly, a hand on her brow. "Are you all right?" His hand moved to her stomach, where he pried one of her arms free so that he could circle her wrist with his fingers.

Was she all right? No. Not by a mile. She felt his other hand settle on her back as she continued to heave. Such was her body's reaction to his touch that she quite literally thought she was going insane. New heights of rage had her seeing double. Vomit leaked from her nose as she gagged a final time. A bandana was held near her face. She took it, held it to her mouth, and slowly straightened up.

It was Kiba's bandana, she saw. He stood between her and Chou, but Chou still had hold of her wrist, likely monitoring her pulse and chakra through the radial Tenketsu. He let go of her now and she felt something in her gut twist. It took her several moments to ruthlessly bring herself under control. When she could manage it, she raised her eyes.

Chou was opening the door to the hellbox and leading the rest of the training unit inside.

Kiba stood in front of her, eyes flat and hooded. "What," she snapped.

What, indeed. Kiba considered ways he could answer, not the least of which was a slap. If she'd ever actually let him in he might have a right to do that, and thus bring her disloyalty and his jealousy to her attention. But even if she had… hell, even if their relationship had gone so far as for her to receive his mark, he wouldn't be able to go against this. Before, he'd just been pissed. Now, having seen her and Chou together and smelled the truth of what was going on, he almost felt sorry for her. Back when she and Chou were at the house and she'd attacked him, he'd gotten an inkling. But it was much stronger now, which meant it would get much stronger still. He supposed he could tell her what was happening to her…but she was resisting. She'd hear what he had to say then politely punch him into the afterlife for suggesting such a thing was possible. Still, she was his friend. He might be hurt, but he still cared.

"Don't fight it," he said. "You'll only make it worse."

She was in the process of wiping her mouth with the bandana and watching Chou emerge from the hellbox. "What?" Her eyes stayed on Chou.

Her scent spiked so badly as Chou approached that he had to hold his breath and step back. "Nothing," he said. She'd figure it out eventually. She wasn't stupid. He glanced back at her as he made his way to the hellbox. But she's about to be blindsided.

Sakura walked at Chou's side, two strides for every one of his, and kept her arms crossed. "Where are they."

"The Hyuuga? Place I've designated as the clinic."

She looked to the distance, where the Susanoo building the hospital towered beneath Chou's shield, dwarfing the village. The clamor, while tremendous, quickly faded to background noise. "Who's there with them now?"

"No one."

"What! How could you leave them unattended in their condition! The fucking hell is wrong with you?"

Chou decided he liked the way her voice roughened to a growl whenever she was angry. "You'll see. They're perfectly fine."

"I will kill you if they've suffered from whatever passes for your skills. You'll see that."

He glanced down at her scowl. Her hunched shoulders and locked arms amused him. "Is Kiba your boyfriend?"

"What? No."

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

"What's your fixation with my love life?"

"What's your fixation with murdering me?"

"I fucking hate you."

"How long have you suffered from anxiety?"

"I don't."

"Something's not right with you."

"You cocksucking bitch," she screamed, rounding on him. "Nothing's wrong with me."

Chou stopped, grabbed her arm high up under her shoulder, and yanked her close. Her feet were a good foot off the ground. Her other arm cocked to land an enhanced punch to his face but he grabbed that arm too, same place. She dug her nails into his neck, but he squeezed her arms until she gasped. He leaned into her face.

"Earlier, I got a radial read on your pulse. Erratic, considering that all you were doing was regurgitating. Sped up considerably when I touched you. I couldn't detect much through your chakra other than your health being normal." He squeezed again. "Right now I'm getting a brachial read. Better accuracy, I don't have to tell you. But since you think I'm an idiot…" His eyes searched her sweating face, the way she panted. "Your pulse is ridiculous. Blood pressure through the roof, so I'm sorry for this."

His chakra entered her fast and hard, pulsed deeply along her every nerve, along her veins, around her heart, then on into her brain. Nothing was left untouched. He was in her lungs, her throat, her belly, and yes between her legs, where his large foreign presence had her stiffening and gasping as everything in her converged right there, right where his presence was suddenly concentrated. It quivered in her pelvis, condensing there, coiling tightly, until the pressure became too much and the sensations throbbed outward in a crippling blast of waves that sang along her nerve-endings.

In the aftermath, she was left fighting off an encroaching faint. Limp against his side, feet on the ground, with her head cradled against his stomach. His other arm rested against her back, a weight that kept her from sliding to the ground. She was dizzy.

-oOo-

Chou frowned at the horizon, unable to look at her. He felt like his skin must be as hot as her own, so badly did his cheeks sting. But then he did look at her. He couldn't stop himself. Tipped her chin up. Her face was pink. Eyes glassy. Pulse galloping fit to burst where he rested two fingers against her carotid, but slowing down. Yes. She was recovering. When she could stand, he released her. Truthfully, contact with her was now making him tremble too. Best he kept his distance. He waited for some explosion from her. None came. She merely stood there, staring at his chest, as her complexion returned to normal.

The silence made him nervous. This girl was never silent. "I apologize," he said. He chose his words carefully. Slowly. He suspected this silence on her part was a prelude to some display of rage he'd yet to witness. "Delving isn't usually done without permission unless a patient is unconscious. That was unforgivably rude of me. You can hit me again if you want. I thought maybe you were hiding some illness from me, or else suffering from something you didn't know about. But…but you're not. You're fine. Except your pulse goes crazy whenever I'm around. I thought it must mean your hatred of me is real, but just now… When I delved you just now…" He couldn't say the rest. Never. He settled for watching her stare at him, aware, in some distant part of himself, that he was barely breathing.

-oOo-

She was calm. In the aftermath of his…assault…there was blessed stillness and order within her once more. She wouldn't go so far as to say he'd soothed her. Such bold, sizzling, and thoroughly unwanted liberty as he'd taken with her person could never be seen as soothing, but after the volcanic eruption his chakra stoked in her, she was now left with a serenity. At least compared to before. She was almost numb. Angry still, oh yes, but the fact of it was his chakra had done more than send her senses reeling; she understood something. Chiefly, that her reaction to him was physiological and that this was what had her adrenaline flaring out of control. She need only isolate the nature of his effect on her to address it, neutralize it, and move the fuck on. And to do that, it seemed, she would need to speak to one Inuzuka Kiba.

What is there really to isolate, though. I'm attracted to him. Have been since the moment I met him. And just now-

She dropped her eyes to the ground. Closed them.

"Are we going to talk about it?" Chou whispered.

And, shit, here came the waterworks. She was so done.

She glanced at the hellbox. It rose up behind her like a monolith, glaring in the sunlight. Then she took a long, deep breath, wiped her face, and brought her gaze to bear on Chou's face. It wore a look of utmost concern.

"I'm sorry," he said again.

Interesting, the way his small, hurt voice made her insides clench. Made fresh tears form. As if his chakra was still inside her, pushing her toward compassion. She stared at his eyes, clinically analyzing the way their color and clarity made her heart pound and her breath quicken…before deliberately walling that part of herself off from her mind.

"I'm sorry, too," she said. It pleased her to hear how steady her voice was. "I just don't understand why I'm having such a physical reaction around you. Something about you makes me feel…"

Chou blinked. "What? Feel what? Does that…uh…happen to you often?"

"Never. Not to say it's never happened, but it's never happened like that. I'm embarrassed, actually. I don't…know what's wrong with me." She peeked at him. Looked aside. "Stop looking at me like that. I'm not crazy."

To say he was fascinated would have been putting it mildly. "I don't think you're crazy. But I've never had that effect on anyone."

"I've never responded like that to anyone. And while we're on this subject, let's get off it. I can't talk about this. Humiliated enough as it is."

"Okay? I'm s-"

"Stop apologizing to me."

"Okay."

She grit her teeth. Forced herself to meet his forlorn expression. "I'm not used to my body doing things outside my knowledge or control. I couldn't…" She counted to five. "I couldn't identify what I was feeling. Just felt like adrenaline. All I knew was being around you made me feel like killing you, so I'm the one who's sorry. For my behavior. It's completely unlike me. Won't happen again, you have my word. But I can't talk about what just happened, okay? I can't. I want to forget it." As if I could, with aftershocks making my legs shake even now and my panties soaked.

He wondered if she knew he'd just fallen in love with her. If it was visible on his face in some way. It was the way she was hunched in on herself, shoulders by her ears, arms over her stomach. The way her chin was down, how she looked up at him through dark lashes. The way her posture wasn't quite steady yet her voice was exceedingly firm. But most of all, it was that moment. That one moment he'd shared her body with her and experienced her reaction to him firsthand. He had the most overwhelming urge to drag her close, squeeze her against him, and kiss her. He actually watched her chewing her bottom lip as he weighed the risks of doing so.

Sakura felt her body heat up all over again at the way his face became inscrutable. Something about the way he was staring at her mouth made her stop breathing, but all he said was, "No apology necessary. I understand perfectly. Shall we?" He turned down a side street.

She told herself she wasn't disappointed.

The babies were on the floor. The dark-haired one took one look at them and began crying. The fair-haired one crouched between them and his brother, gums bared in a growl.

Chou, when he'd led them in here, went to Icky, as they knew him to be called, held him, kissed him, and explained who they were. Then he'd left. Since Icky had been in the process of wailing at the time, whether or not he understood or even heard Chou was up for debate.

Now here they all were.

Tsume spoke in a murmur that nevertheless had Beast deepening his growl. "As point, no one does anything without clearing it with me first. Don't move, don't speak. Nothing. Remain as you are. Don't look at Beast. Look anywhere but at either of them. We've got a wild animal on our hands. One that will kill us without provocation. Nothing any of us can do will stop him. The only thing capable of getting through to Beast is Icky. So we approach Icky first. Ino? That means you. Boy reads emotions. See if you can establish communication. Tell him again why we're here, who sent us, what we need to accomplish."

Ino nodded. Closed her eyes and searched out Icky's mind with her own.

He'd been happy to see his daddy Sasuke. So much happy. Maybe his daddy Sasuke could help him reach Yuudai's mind. More happy when he saw daddy Sasuke staying. Feeding him. Chou made him understand everything. And he looked in daddy Sasuke's mind; he knew about daddy Naruto and his bad bad feels. He was going to make daddy Naruto have good feels again. That was good. He wanted that. Daddy Naruto never had happy good feels anymore.

His daddy was back. He would help with the Important. He knew it. So he went to sleep.

To wake up to his daddy trying to ouch him and Yuudai while looking like Sachi was so much bad. He didn't know why his daddy was doing it. Only when Yuudai tried to ouch daddy back and daddy said "Good!" did he understand that this was training. Daddy Naruto did this too but he never tried to ouch them and never wanted them to trying ouching him. He couldn't do it. Couldn't ouch his daddy, even if he did look like Sachi. So he just sat and made sad noise. Then his real daddy came back with people. Actual people. He'd never seen people outside his daddies, Chou, and Sachi. And Yuudai's daddy Hinata. He was still making sad noise but he saw the way Yuudai ouched those people very much a lot. Chou came. After everyone was gone, a not-daddy, a clone, gave him touch. Helped him stop making noise. He didn't like these clones. Yuudai, he saw, was awake again from the sleep daddy Sasuke gave him. He had a lot of those people's inside on him. A clone took him to an upper level and cleaned him off. After, the clones left them alone.

Yuudai sat looking at his foot. He looked at his foot too. It was just his foot. Smaller than Yuudai's foot. But then Yuudai's eyes looked at him. At his face. At his eyes. Only quick. Something big big hard touched his mind and he felt-

But Yuudai was running. Whoosh, whoosh, whoooosh! Until Chou came back with a lot of many people. Yuudai came down in front of him again. That was good because two of the people (so many a lot of new people!) had animals. He made sad noise again. Chou gave him touch and told him these people were there to train him, and left. He didn't like that. Really, really didn't like. Then he had a new feeling. A bad feeling.

"Ino," Lee hissed. "Is there some reason you're not moving?"

"Besides the fact that his chakra is gathering?" Ino whispered back.

Tsume studied the boy. Sniffed in his direction. "He's scared," she muttered. "Everyone but Ino back away now. Slowly."

When it was just Ino facing the boys, she swallowed. She knew why she'd been chosen, of course. Communication with Icky was one thing, but this was all really about Yuudai. Who could read and control minds. Who was at that moment probing hers. The moment she singled herself out by remaining while the others stepped back, she felt him read her, understand her abilities, and attack. Was she anywhere close to as powerful as he was? No. But she had what he didn't. Experience. She knew the ins and outs of the mind better than he did. So now, as she mentally writhed and slid and evaded the clutches of his mind, she sent a tiny offshoot of thought toward Icky, who blinked at the contact. Before Yuudai could override her completely, she sent a concentrated stream of feelings and memory at Icky.

Yuudai was also aware of the contact. That she'd somehow gotten past him and to his brother. His entire body started to glow, and his eyes took on a flower pattern she'd never seen in any Hyuuga. The strength he applied toward ripping her mind apart multiplied a hundredfold. Evading him put sweat on her brow, had her body stiff with effort, but evade she did, and led him on a chase to boot—as long as he was occupied with her, he'd be unable to go after anyone else. Hopefully, Icky would have time to interpret what she'd sent him.

Tsume could very well smell what was going on. How Icky's scent changed from fear and anger to surprise and curiosity. His gaze turned inward over Ino's message. Yuudai's scent became guarded as he put the full force of his mind on Ino. That he felt threatened, not angry, while displaying such power only emphasized the need to connect with and neutralize the boy quickly. And Ino. She didn't need the blood beginning to leak from one nostril to know she was in a fight the likes of which she'd never experienced. "That's it, girl. You hold him off."

So much new information! Like male and female, daddy and mommy, and Yuudai's mommy Hinata wanting daddy Naruto to help Yuudai —so that's what he was doing. Helping, not training—and now daddy Naruto was off his shit because he and daddy Sasuke broke up. Daddy Sasuke was so so so so so so so so much ouch from that and got new eyes because of that very very very hard ouch…

Eyes like him! He and daddy Sasuke were the same now!

And now daddy Sasuke was Yuudai's daddy too and going to help him. But he didn't know how. So these people were friends and they were going to help daddy Sasuke help Yuudai. Daddy Sasuke was going to go help daddy Naruto feel good again.

Oh.

Friends. Team. Teamwork.

There was more. Memories of mommy Ino with daddy Naruto when they were kids.Playing. Laughing. Training. Family.These people were daddy Naruto's friends/family.

He put the thought pictures away and saw that Yuudai was trying to ouch mommy Ino. Mommy Ino was being held by the one he now knew was Lee. Her inside was coming out of her nose and she was shaking. He spent some time membering the feels mommy Ino gave him. Daddy Sasuke's feels when he asked them for help: So sad for mommy Hinata and her Yuudai; so sad for daddy Naruto who didn't love him now; so scared he wouldn't measure up. But so grateful he wasn't alone anymore. He had a son (me!) and a friend (Kiba with the animal) and a family. A village.

They were looking at him. He couldn't feel any bad feels from them. And they didn't want to ouch-train him. Only help.

'Yuudai.'

Yuudai stopped ouching mommy Ino. Shook his head. Stared toward the people, then came over to him and sat in front of him. He tried to show Yuudai what mommy Ino had shown him, but all Yuudai did was keep looking at the people. Maybe he understood, maybe he didn't. He waited with Yuudai to see what would happen next.

Tsume grunted. "Right then. Lee, I need you here. Shikamaru, you take Ino to be healed. By clone." She waited until this was done before clearing her throat. "Before any training whatsoever can be done, Beast needs to be socialized. I'll go first. If I live, Kiba you're next. Followed by Gai and Lee."

She put a hand on Kuromaru, who crept forward with her. When she was a foot away from the boys, she stopped. What she could very well see about this boy, and apparently Sasuke and Naruto couldn't, was that because of the Kyuubi, and because of his impairment, he was more bestial than human. His name was an apt one. Clearly the boy understood his surroundings. He simply needed to be approached in a way he could interpret. So, treating him as she would a new dog, she waited beside Beast, fear masked.

Beast studied her feet. Rocked forward on hands and knees. Sniffed her toes. Up her calves. Moved to Kuromaru and sniffed his face as her dog lowered his head to do the same.

She waited.

Success: Yuudai, after more sniffing, leaned up to nudge Kuromaru's mouth with his own, showing submission. And when Kuromaru backed away so that she could approach again, telling the boy who was alpha, she received the same expression. The boy smelled more relaxed than he'd ever done since she'd entered this steel box.

Well, all right then. Maybe we really can do this after all.

On his way out of his house he spotted Konohamaru and Moegi sitting in a corner of the living room, heads together. Before he could approach them, Ibiki materialized at his elbow. "The war council, Yorukage." He swept one arm wide to encompass the twenty or so men in the room, who all stopped whispering to give him their attention.

"Yorukage-sama," they murmured as they bowed.

He had a responsibility toward them, he realized. Busy and distracted he might be, but that wasn't their problem. He began by bowing back. Going off the strategy he'd used upstairs, he opted for the uncomfortable truth. "Okay. So, I know how to fight. I know how to go up against many alone. My ignorance isn't about that, but about tactics. Keeping the people fighting for Hakumei alive. Maximizing casualties for the enemy while minimizing our own. Uh…deployments. Strategy. Logistics."

He got stares of concentration and nods of understanding. So far so good.

"But also, I'm on my way to Naruto. He's…sick. I'm going to try and help him. Bring him back. Your real report should be made to both of us. Hopefully Kakashi will be back by then with some intel. I will say this, though. The goal is to protect my kids and this village. At all costs. Should the war begin before I get back, notify me via this clone I'm leaving with you, and then engage at your discretion. I'm taking the Kage assistants with me. That's, uh…that's all. Questions?"

Ibiki raised his hand. "Who's in charge in your absence?"

"You are."

"If the children are captured, what are your orders?"

"Come get me. But they have a team who'll remain with them at all times anyway, so they'll…notify me if they're not dead." It occurred to him that his villagers might die protecting him and his children. He couldn't let that happen. "Only engage if they get past Chou's shield."

Ibiki inclined his head.

-oOo-

Konohamaru and Moegi were already standing. He beckoned them with a nod and made his escape with a sigh of relief. Thank God he didn't have to do this job alone. He'd never had to interact with so many people before, or share so much of himself. It was starting to be too much.

Once outside, he turned to Moegi. "You and Konohamaru aren't coming along to help. Let's get that straight right now: Do not interfere with Naruto in any way. You're merely along to document and provide aid should we require it. You're our right hands. You stay with us at all times. Guard us. Carry out orders. Watch and learn. Got it?"

Fierce, serious nods.

"Right. Moegi, go ahead and give me a list of your abilities. Begin with chakra type."

She complied. The brevity of the list reddened her cheeks.

"Academy scores?"

She told him.

Sasuke raised his brows. "Not far short of Sakura. Nice. I can work with that. Questions, you two?"

Konohamaru shook his head. Moegi reddened further and said, "I'd just like to say how honored I am to be chosen for this position, Yorukage-sama."

He studied her. Humble, but not shy or meek. Met his eyes forthrightly. Chin high, posture confident. "The honor is mine. Serve me well."

"Yes, sir!"

He pointed himself toward the mountains some few miles from the village. Time to get Naruto.

The walk to Hinata's tomb took him outside the shield. Once he'd created an opening for himself and the assistants, he lost himself in thought.

Though he tried not to, he was helpless not to remember his own walk in darkness. How pain had turned him bitter. Hateful. Vengeful. How sure he'd been on that path. How he'd known beyond doubt that there was nothing that could dissuade him. Nothing but Naruto. How he'd fought Naruto because of this. But Naruto was also firm in his beliefs. Strong. Strong enough to overcome his all-powerful rage. That was the thing, he didn't know if he could overcome Naruto's feelings. Back when Kyuubi was free, he'd been sure he couldn't bring Naruto back if he went dark. After Naruto was resurrected, he recalled thinking that he could have brought him back. Even now, today, he'd held the belief that somehow, some way, by the power of their colossal love for each other and their bloody history, he'd be able to win Naruto back. He just had to.

But now shit was real: The Naruto he knew would not turn his back on his kids. He wouldn't abandon his village to certain death. He wouldn't run from people who'd flocked to support him…and he wouldn't run from a problem. Naruto fought. Always. To his last breath. That Naruto was no longer the man he knew was glaringly obvious. Therefore, it stood to reason that the buttons he'd normally push with Naruto no longer worked. Which meant he really had no idea what he was walking into or if he'd actually be able to help Naruto. But I love him. And I'm going to be his friend by at least trying to help him. I'll fight for him, he decided. Not for him to come back to me. That's well and truly gone now. But for him to come back to himself. I can fight for that.

The ache of knowing Naruto would never love him again was so acute that he stopped walking. He heard the assistants halt behind him. For a moment he couldn't breathe. But then he saw that they'd arrived at the mountain. Hinata's tomb lay ahead. Right. For the time being I don't need to think about what we lost. Naruto might actually be sick with something. Huh. The last time I thought he was sick he had a kid in him. That was a heartening thought; nothing could be worse than that pregnancy.

He turned to the assistants. "I'm not sure what we'll find in there, so remember what I said. No interfering. For any reason. Clear?"

Nods.

It took him only a moment to pinpoint Naruto's exact location. Letting the assistants put a hand each on his arm, he vanished from the spot and placed them inside, only a few feet from Naruto.

Sasuke stared at him. Naruto was on his back, eyes open, unblinking. While he took a step toward him, he heard the assistants back themselves out of the way. Good. Because this was more serious than he'd thought. He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck rising. Sharingan afforded him the information that Naruto's chakra was in play, which he could very well feel for himself, but that there was also a foreign chakra source at work. Just as Chou'd said. "The fucking hell is this," he muttered.

"Naruto!"

He loved it when she squealed like that. Threw her into the air again and caught her. Pushed his face into her neck and swung her round and round.

"Daddy!"

"Kiddo!" He set Hinata down to catch Icky, now five, as the boy ran to him. Beast was right behind, head and shoulders taller than Icky. Large and lumbering and grinning hard. He snatched each one up under an arm and pretended to devour them. Their screams were deafening. He looked up to tell Hinata something and caught sight of a shadow from the corner of his eye.

But there was nothing there when he looked.

Later, he was in bed with Hinata. She turned to him, rolled over him-

-The shadow-

-kissed him long and sweet, and said, "I want more babies."

-Standing across the room-

"Then I guess we better get busy," he laughed. He pulled her head down for another kiss. Felt her adjust so that he was sheathed in her heat. "God…"

She began moving on him. "A girl, this time. With your eyes."

-The shadow moved closer-

Hinata was wild in her passion, a trait that still surprised him. So demure at all times, but when they touched she ignited. Her skin was like fire, her body molten, her kisses scorching in their intensity. She burned him to nothing nightly, and nightly he was reborn in her touch. Made clean. Made whole. She loved him. Was the only one who loved him unconditionally.

-oOo-

He sat in his armchair and studied her where she was going over lessons with the boys. Icky was quick, Beast sullen. He was excellent in combat, but for book learning he took after his father. Naruto smiled. Then his eyes shifted to Hinata's stomach. Fat with a third. A girl, she told him.

The shadow again. Across the room. He ignored it.

"No, Icky, that's wrong again," she said. "The Sasuke can't be calculated like that, you have to remember the degree of Sasuke in the execution and then multiply it by the amount of Sasuke within your grasp. Like this." She wrote on his scroll.

"But Mommy, the Sasuke is always like this." And he took the pencil to show her.

Naruto frowned.

Beast leaned over for a better look as Hinata took the Sasuke back, and wrote on the Sasuke to better show Sasuke that the Sasuke Sasuke Sasuke Sasuke-

-oOo-

Sasuke. Standing there. Looking at him.

Naruto slowly turned in a circle. He wasn't home. He wasn't dreaming anymore. He was awake and present, but still in his own mind.

And that was Sasuke, still staring at him with… "This is another dream."

"No, it isn't."

Just being awake, away from Hinata and her soothing presence, with Sasuke and his hateful presence, made him feel close to murder. "You should have stayed gone. Leave me alone."

Sasuke carefully studied the glow surrounding Naruto. Studied the Sage Mode eyes, the Kyuubi irises, the way Naruto's clawed hands clenched and flexed. "No." He then shifted his gaze to the chakra shape just behind Naruto. Attached to him. Mingling with his chakra. A humanoid shape. "Who is that, Naruto?"

"If you don't leave I will kill you. I mean that."

Holding Kiba had been child's play. Holding Naruto in his own mind was next to impossible. He could feel his grip slipping as he spoke. "The villagers need you. Our sons need you."

"I don't care. No one needs me. Only her. Now I said to get…the fuck…out!"

A backlash of chakra surged toward him. He released his hold on Naruto before it could reach him. When he blinked himself back to an awareness of the cave, it was to find Naruto unchanged. "Moegi."

"Hai, Yorukage-sama."

"Bring me Inoichi." He thought for a moment. There was no one else that came to mind who could help. "Hurry."

She left and he turned back to Naruto. Sat. Kept his new eyes on as he studied the way that chakra shape rested inside Naruto like a second body.

Chou led her to what had probably been a factory of some kind. Someplace where candles or quilting were produced by a score of people at a time. It was a single story building. Long. Consisting of one room. This was divided by plastic tarps hung at regular intervals from the ceiling. Chou continued leading her toward the back of the room. She could see supplies here and there, some she recognized from Konoha medics who must have stored their equipment here. Made sense, if this was the designated clinic. When they finally reached the back, Chou pulled aside a tarp to reveal the Hyuuga.

She stared. Neji and Hiashi lay on separate tables, nude. They were each surrounded by a bubble of chakra. Chakra, she saw once she'd stepped closer, that was interacting with their bodies. "What in the name of God."

Chou went to Hiashi first. "I left mid-surgery, so I used my chakra to anchor them."

Watching as the bubble surrounding Hiashi vanished at Chou's touch, she said, "What does that mean, anchoring them?"

Chou sterilized his hands with a release of chakra before reaching for a pair of gloves. "Means I have my chakra interface intimately with the wounds and suspend any deterioration or failures until such time as I can attend them again. Basically, if I'm halfway through stitching an artery, my work will remain as is, half done, while my chakra keeps the patient's vitals stable. They won't bleed out, stroke out, or in any other way die until I get back. By which time I'm anchoring them directly, of course. No chance of those things happening then. It was what I had to do for Naruto when Hinata's body arrived." He bent to squint at Hiashi's chest, which was currently open.

Sakura moistened her lips. "You've never lost a patient?"

"Not yet."

"How are you able to do that with your chakra? You'd need to monitor every organ and artery, every cell even-"

"And I do."

"But you weren't here."

"Oh." Chou laughed. Straightened up. "Something I learned from Naruto. Once my chakra is engaged in a task I simply tether it to the natural chakra around me. It'll then perform that task indefinitely or until I come back to take control of my chakra again."

"That's impossible."

He gestured at Hiashi. "See for yourself."

She did, sterilizing her hands the same way. "What happens if a body's condition changes despite your chakra anchoring them? A mind needs to be present to make decisions. Your chakra can't think, assess, or adjust its approach as needed if its busy maintaining one task. Bodies wounded this severely don't remain in stasis like this. You've been lucky. When it comes to my people, please don't ever do this again."

He watched while she worked. "Understood. I hope you don't mind finishing Hiashi. I'd like to continue with Neji. Ordinarily, mending shattered bone is no problem, but these are Hyuuga hands and arms. I need to make sure his ability to emit chakra from his Tenketsu isn't impaired. Well?" He was already standing by Neji.

"Aside from anchoring, your skill goes beyond anything I've ever seen," she said, looking up from Hiashi. "Beyond anything Tsunade-sama even theorized. How?"

Chou gave a shrug. "Studied. Practiced. Same as you. Ready?"

"I don't think I can match your work."

"You'll do fine. I'll help you if you get stuck."

The prospect of learning new techniques drove her wayward reaction and attraction to him out of her mind.

Inoichi dropped into the cave with Moegi and bowed. "You needed me, Yorukage?"

Sasuke kept his eyes on Naruto. "Yes. I don't know what I'm looking at. It's chakra, yet not."

Inoichi came and knelt at his side. "I don't follow." He, too, looked at Naruto.

"I entered Naruto's mind and found some kind of dream or fantasy going on. One wherein Hinata's alive. A closer look afforded me the knowledge that there's some part of her in him. And it's not the fantasy he's currently living, it's something else. Something that has chakra, but that's not Hinata's chakra. I know what she felt like and it's not her…yet it's holding him under." He blinked and looked at Inoichi. "I need you to go in there and tell me what's going on. How intricately Naruto is tied to this thing."

"Yorukage, your new eyes have the power to-"

"I know. But…I don't have the full range of abilities."

Inoichi bowed where he sat, then moved so he was kneeling at Naruto's head. He placed his hands on Naruto's temples and closed his eyes.

Sasuke waited. A good thirty minutes passed.

When the older man finally opened his eyes it was as if he was still in Naruto's mind. He spoke while staring downward at nothing. "I've never seen anything like this."

"I'm sure you're going to explain."

"I'll do my best. All right. Simply looking at the fantasy and entering it didn't tell me what I needed to know. For that I had to look at Naruto's memories. It seems that at the moment of her death Hinata gave him her memories. That in itself is unprecedented. But this is where things become strange: Naruto, laboring under guilt and remorse, has somehow powered the memories. Another way to put it would be to say that he's giving the memories life. They are becoming sentient, becoming, I think, some version of Hinata. He is not alone in his mind. This entity is strong enough to hold him and use his thoughts to formulate that fantasy he's in."

Sasuke felt his skin prickle with goosebumps. "But it's not Hinata?"

"Most assuredly not. Whatever it is, it's soulless."

"Soulless but aware. Like a clone?"

Inoichi thought. "That is the closest one could come to describing it. But clones follow their owner's will, has their owner's thoughts and feelings…this thing doesn't."

Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose. "What the actual fuck." It was the Icky thing all over again.

"I'm sorry, Yorukage, I didn't catch that."

"Nothing." He picked his head up. "What happens to him if I extract him from it?"

Inoichi looked at him at last. Tipped his head first one way, then the other. "I don't know that that's possible. Naruto's chakra is what fuels this thing. It is connected to him as intimately as his own chakra. Part of his mind, his brain, his-"

"Would it kill him?"

"I doubt it. But it might leave him mentally impaired."

"I'll risk it. Go ahead."

"…Go ahead and what? Free him from the entity?"

"Yes, Inoichi. That's why you're here. You're an expert on the human mind."

The older man blinked at Sasuke for several seconds. "You're not understanding me, Yorukage. Naruto's chakra is many times the strength of my own. Fueled by it as the entity is, it is many times stronger than me. If separation is possible, it most certainly will not be done by me. No, I'm sure you're the only one who could attempt such a thing."

"I might leave him a vegetable in my ignorance."

"I can guide you…or try to. I'm not sure you'd need much help. Being who you are, you have more than average knowledge of the human mind yourself."

"Fuck. All right." But he wasn't confident of success. He blotted his palms on his knees.

He sat on the Hokage monument, right atop the brand new addition of his head. Hinata sat cuddled in his arms. Her belly pressed to his side and he found the firm mound irresistible. He splayed one hand against it now as they watched the sun set.

"Naruto," she whispered.

"Mm?"

"Will you fight for me?"

"Fight for you?" He bent to see her face. "Why would I have to? We have peace. You're mine. There's nothing that-"

"Just promise me you won't let me go."

He tilted her chin up and gazed into her eyes. "I'll never let you go. I promise."

"You love only me."

"Only you."

"Forever."

"Forever."

"No matter what?"

"I swear to God I love you, and only you, forever no matter what." He pressed a hard kiss to her lips. "And I will never let you go."

She smiled. He watched the smile spread, becoming wider and more maniacal until it was a rictus snarl of rage. This was mirrored in her eyes, now bulging. He started to pull back from her, but right then he felt/sensed/heard someone or something sharing the space between him and Hinata. Something that-

'You have it! Pull, Yorukage!'

-hooked itself in his center and yanked with incredible strength. He glanced back up at Hinata and saw that whatever had him had her too-

'That's it, Yorukage!'

-that her face was changing because of it, her eyes flickering between their normal color and black. "Naruto," she screamed. "You promised! You swore and promised!"

That he had. And this reminder was all he needed to find his own rage and hurl it at the intruder, to attack even though no jutsu were being thrown and Hinata still clung to him. He launched the full force of his strength at the thing tearing at him and the sensation lessened…then strengthened until he, too, was screaming-

'Nearly there, Yorukage'-

his grip on Hinata slipping-

'Pull!'

her memories fading from his mind-

'Don't let the entity back in!'

and all the pain and hurt of the past year came rumbling forward to fill the void. He sat there on the monument, bereft of Hinata, her soothing presence, and tried to recall who he was. Then his memories locked in place-

-oOo-

-and he sat up with a yell to find Sasuke standing in front of him. He knew who Sasuke was, but for a second that was all he knew. Then his brain remembered how to interpret sight and he saw the cave they were in. More functions returned to him and he turned his head. Saw Konohamaru and Moegi. Looking scared. Felt someone behind him. Inoichi. A hand on his back. Sasuke still in front of him. Sweating. One hand stretched out to his side. Looked at that hand and saw some vaporous cloud of chakra thing twisting and writhing to be free.

And he saw Sasuke's eyes. He stared at that for a long time.

Sasuke couldn't tell if Naruto was back or not; guy's face was blank. "Inoichi," he panted. "Is he okay?"

"I believe so. Yes."

"Then I need you to take the assistants and leave. Go back to the village and wait for us there."

"Yes, Yorukage."

When they were gone, Sasuke at last turned his full attention to the thing in his grasp. The feel of it made his skin crawl. Cold, dark, and empty. It had rudimentary intelligence, though. Enough to screech and flail as he smothered it with his chakra and obliterated it. He needed a moment afterward to regain his equilibrium, but when he turned to Naruto it was to find him as he'd left him. Sitting still, eyes staring at him.

"Naruto?"

"What."

"Are you aware?"

"Don't I look aware?"

"Do you know what happened?"

Naruto got to his feet in a swift and fluid move. Sasuke fought the urge to step back. Especially since that serious look that always unnerved him was sitting on Naruto's face. Naruto crossed his arms. "Hinata died. Gave me her memories. Memories started fucking me up. You snatched the memories away and rescued me." He used one hand to make air quotations. "Did I miss anything?"

Sasuke appreciated the snark. Meant he could wade right in. "I think I'm the one missing a few details. Like why you'd ignore armies coming for our kids."

"Our what?"

"Or how you've been treating our kids. Or the fact that the villagers left Konoha for us." He waited. "You got anything to say?"

"Oh, I got plenty to say." He began glowing. "But let's start with you. The fuck you doing with Rinnegan?"

"Long story. We have a war-"

"Fuck the war, mkay? Right now, all I give a shit about is you. I really, really, and I mean really want to kill you, Sasuke. Dead." The glow strengthened. Rocks around the cave trembled as they levitated. "And I don't see a reason to deny myself the urge. You?"

"Does that mean you don't care if our kids live or die?"

"They'll live. And they're not our kids. They're your son and my sons."

"What about the villagers?"

A shrug.

Sasuke studied him. Shifted his shoulders as Naruto's chakra continued to condense. "Okay."

"What?"

"Come at me."

A blink. Then a grin that was positively deadly. "You serious?"

He waited.

Naruto looked him up and down. Dropped his arms. Opened the floodgates so that his chakra was a storm around him. Cracks appeared in the cave's walls. The floating rocks got swept up in the vortex of chakra to swirl around Naruto, and Naruto flew at him with all the force of an avalanche.

Sasuke checked him midair.

Naruto hung suspended. Then he screamed as Sasuke began draining his chakra. Accessed the natural chakra around him, but so did Sasuke. "Yeah," Sasuke said. "Picked that little trick up from Chou. Took me a minute to figure it out, but as long as you're on natural chakra, so am I. I can drain you till Hell freezes over."

"And it'll take that long before I'm drained, asshole."

"So I guess we just wait here. Indefinitely. Or..."

"Or what."

"Or we talk."

She lost herself to the work. To the intricacies of Chou's skill whenever she encountered it. To the new methods he showed her whenever she did invariably get stuck. However, the novelty soon faded to the back of her mind. In the forefront was Chou himself. How he used no instruments whatsoever, only chakra. Chakra blades, chakra sutures. How, upon assessing him at this proximity, she discovered that his chakra stores were incalculable. Like looking at an ocean. The majority of it was locked away, but he had plenty of it on the surface, ready to use. He was quite possibly the most powerful thing she'd ever seen. But even this took a back seat to what had her breasts tight and her breath short:

Him. His arm brushing hers. The smell of his sweat as he reached across her. The sub-audible hum of his chakra and the way it had the fine hairs on her body standing up. The glances he gave her. How they were like knives thrown at her, making her flinch. The way his low commands and corrections robbed her of air, left her moist and quivering in anticipation. Every time he laced his chakra with hers in order to guide her or teach her some technique, she remembered the bold, hard feel of it when he'd delved her.

-oOo-

She was and wasn't surprised to find herself back in his house with no memory of leaving the clinic. She had no idea how the Hyuuga were. Assumed they were okay. Chou was nothing if not thorough. That much she'd learned in the past two hours. Body screaming in need, she watched as he entered behind her and wondered what would happen next.

He turned to close the door. Locked it. Leaned his head against it. Then he spun, reached her in a single stride, and lifted her. She was completely surrounded by his warmth. And his mouth…his mouth sent the entire world away to leave her in deep, black oblivion.

Naruto's face turned red as he strained to overpower Sasuke, but it was no use. And he had too much pride to admit Sasuke'd won this round. Oh, he'd get the fucker all right. And soon. But for right now… "Fine. We'll talk."

Sasuke dropped him.

"But I got nothing to say. We're done."

"I know."

"I'm never forgiving your ass."

"Know that too."

"And I really will kill you someday."

"A distinct possibility. In fact, I was feeling the exact same way not too long ago. Wanted you dead. Sat for hours planning how I'd do it."

Naruto, who'd been pacing back and forth, stopped to look at him. "So what's stopping you."

Sasuke wondered if Naruto was aware of his chakra evaporating. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, Naruto's interest was caught. He turned and ambled toward a wall. Slid down it and sat. "Had my mind changed for me. By Kiba. Who also showed me what a friend is. As long as I live, I will never understand how that simple concept escaped me. In fact, he showed me precisely how stupid I really am. Not a pleasant realization." He studied his nails.

"…The fuck?"

He had to work at not smiling when Naruto drifted closer. "I'm still not clear on all of it. Like how people are able to see what the correct path is while I consistently seem incapable of that. But once I understood friendship, it was like so much about people that I'd never understood before became clear. Namely, you. I fucked up so badly with you that when the time comes and you decide you want my blood…I will give you a clear shot, no opposition. Probably the only way I can make up for what I've done to you."

"What? What do you mean, what you've done to me. You cheated on me. Fell in love with another person, lied to me…but we addressed all that."

Sasuke met his frown. "I also stopped believing in you. Put my fears above your needs. Let the council and Tsunade bully us. Took you away from your friends, your support. Asked you to trust me and failed to live up to that trust. And yes, I lied. You asked me when I got back from disappearing if I'd fucked Hinata. I cooked up an elaborate lie about how I'd been trying not to kill myself because I'd been thinking about going to her. When the truth was I was trying not to kill myself because I had. I was weak. Lost myself. And so I lost you. I know that now. That Hinata's dead because of me, that I was the one supposed to be holding us all together and I fucking failed. So no. I don't expect forgiveness. Ever. As Kiba pointed out, my actions were voluntary. But, as I've come to realize, you have always loved me at my worst." He got to his feet. Stared up at the shaft of light leading to the surface. "You don't love me anymore. I'm not…worthy of your love anymore. That's clear to me. What's also clear is I'm never going to be you or anything like you. I need to stop trying. I'm fine with who I am, if not with what I've done. And I know you and I will never be what we were. It hurts. But not as much as facing my guilt in this mess. Seeing just how bad I really am. It's a weird thing to know that I can live in pain and not be destroyed. I used to think that if I wasn't trying to destroy the things destroying me that I was nothing. Shit happens; I don't necessarily have to go on a rampage every time it does. Kiba taught me that too."

Naruto turned as Sasuke slowly walked to the light and stopped beneath it.

"We got a war to fight. When we win, and we will, I'd like to try putting my new knowledge to use and maybe…if you'll let me…try being your friend for once. Try supporting you instead of dominating you. Respecting you instead of…not. Until then, though, I'd appreciate it if you could agree to a truce. Just until this war is over and the boys are safe. Because even if you don't, I care about my kids and my villagers. Once things are settled, we can revisit this topic and you can do whatever you feel is necessary. What do you say?"

Naruto blinked a few times. "Oh. Lost me for a sec there. See, it sounded as if you thought your pretty speech would make things go your way. I'd agree, you'd go off all superior and feel secure in being the better man. Because you confessed a bunch of shit. Dude. Damage is done. There's no fixing this. And before you go saying how you already know, lemme spell it out. A far as I'm concerned? We're back where we were before the forest. Except I will never go back to you. Ever. So if this is some tactic to get me to forgive you later on down the line, save it. I will never, ever, as long as I live, forgive your ass."

"I see." Sasuke thought for a minute. "I believe I told you I'm aware that forgiveness is out of the question so I'm not sure why you're repeating yourself. Just out of curiosity though…why won't you forgive me?"

A snort. "You really don't know?"

Sasuke felt this was something Kiba would know, that he himself should know, but just then he was coming up blank. "No. I've done worse than cheat on you and lie. I've done murder."

Naruto nodded and shook his head at the same time. "Ho-ly shit. Never thought I'd see the day your ass went stupid. Totally, legit, worse-than-me stupid. This isn't about cheating, mkay? Nothing as lame as you putting your dick in some girl. I got why you fucked Sachi, after all, didn't I? And it's not precisely the fact that you lied, either. It's what you lied about. This is about you and Hinata." He paused there to take a few steps toward him. Lowered his voice, eyes on Sasuke's face. "You loved her and kept that from me. Forgot about me. Left me. You left me for her. But you think murder is worse than that?"

"I never forgot you. Not for one second."

He spent several minutes searching Sasuke's eyes, close enough to smell him. An odor that was wholly and completely Uchiha Sasuke. A scent he knew better than any other. He'd originally smelled it the first time he'd had occasion to fight him. Back then he'd spent weeks wondering what made Sasuke smell like that. Never did figure it out. Later, in the forest, he'd go to sleep with this smell around him and know he was home. Or smell it in dreams he had and wake up reaching for Sasuke. And now it entered his nostrils, filled his throat, his head, his lungs. Hot tears sprang to his eyes. They rolled down his cheeks. Dripped off his chin. Stopped his breath and made him ache. He tried to hold them back. Really, he did. Sasuke had broken him. The guy didn't need to see this evidence of his defeat. But the tears grew stronger. Squeezed his heart until he thought he'd drop dead of the pain right there.

But he didn't.

"I was sick. I needed help. How could you leave me when I was down? How could you love someone else?" His head lowered beneath the weight of his shame and humiliation, his deep, unending agony. The sobs came at last, tearing past his clenched teeth.

Sasuke watched. This was what he'd done to Naruto. He'd abased himself, trivialized his bond with him, and shattered the man he'd thought unbreakable. He felt —in excruciating detail—his heart break in two. He's right. I can never come back from this and we can never recover. Swimming in shame, he nevertheless lifted a hand to Naruto.

Naruto stepped back. After some time, he forcibly swallowed the rest of his grief. Cleaned his face with a swipe of one arm. Took a deep breath.

"You're not stupid, though." He was unnaturally calm. As if nothing had transpired between his last statement and this. "I know you know what you meant to me. It wasn't something we ever had to say out loud. We knew. Always. Probably why we rubbed each other wrong from day one. Because that shit scared us. Then the forest happened. And I fought it even then. Knew I'd be lost if I ever gave in. Knew if I ever surrendered and then you left…" He took another breath. Still calm. "Remember the night before we got to the village? Right before the trial? What you said to me?"

Sasuke did. And wanted to die.

"You said you'd never break my heart if I gave it to you. You'd treat it like your own precious little thing, you said. So I did. I gave it to you. I mean you had it already, but yeah."

"Naruto."

"You broke it plenty of times. But whatever, right? You're not perfect. So, after all that, you're really going to stand here and tell me you don't know why I won't forgive you? Did I mean that little to you? You don't know you were everything to me? How much you hurt me?"

"I knew." His own tears were like acid on his face. "I knew."

Naruto nodded. Still calm. Detached now. Safe behind walls that would never come down again, his eyes said. "I can't believe I lost you," he whispered. "I swear to God I hate you so much. So much. But even now, I can't love someone else. You're it. Tried to convince myself I loved Hinata. Tried so hard I fucked myself up again. Again. Every time you hurt me or I think I've lost you I fuck myself up. No more."

"I can't-" Sasuke couldn't breathe. "So where does that leave us?"

Naruto stepped back, further demonstrating his disinterest. "Truce. Like you said. War. But afterwards, I can't be around you. And I guess I don't want to leave my kids. Fuck." He'd been ready to abandon them. "I'm screwing up with them and that's your fault. Since Hinata's memories, just looking at Icky hurts. Keep remembering us. You and me. Together. How much I lov-" He put his head back and grit his teeth. "Keep remembering what Icky cost us. And Beast? Huh. Don't get me started on him. I love my son, okay? And I know what I owe Beast, but it's too fucking hard on top of everything else. So you need to go. Once this is over. Or I can't be here. Something needs to give, and I can't think about it right now. Can't think about anything. It's like everything there is to think about just makes me want to kill myself. You. Hinata. The boys. The villagers. This war. Fuck, it never ends. Just never fucking ends." He ran a hand through his hair. Rotated his shoulders and blew out a breath. Gave himself a shake. "There is one upside to all this, though." He glanced at Sasuke with the beginnings of a smile.

"What."

"You might get killed in the war. Save me the trouble of doing it later. Wouldn't that be great?"

-oOo-

Sasuke leapt and left the cave. Once he'd jumped down to ground level he walked a few paces before just standing in the sunlight. Thinking. Naruto was gone. Present still, Kage with him still, and Icky's other parent, but essentially he no longer had Naruto in his life. And never would again. He spent several moments coming to terms with this fact.

I could fight for him. If he means as much to me as I told Kiba, I could fight for him. The way he fought for me. He never gave up on me, not once.

But, as he'd also told Kiba, he wasn't Naruto. And if he was going to be a friend to Naruto, respect him, and do all the things he'd never done, then it had to start right here. By letting him go. Respecting Naruto's inability to forgive him and his own culpability in that. Naruto wanted to be alone. He would leave him alone.

At least he said he can't love anyone but me, he thought with tight selfishness. At least I have that. And I have his hate. That's something. Having hated him for years myself, I know just how much that's worth. Means he loves me even more than he says. I'll take it. But God. Fuck him.

He looked around. He was standing in almost the exact place he'd been when Naruto'd taken Icky and left him.

He's alive. He's got his wits about him. It's enough. I can live so long as he's alive and well.

He heard Naruto land somewhere behind him. Wiping his face on a sleeve, he put himself back in the village.