Nushi (Japanese nu-shi) (n) Owner, Master, Lover, God
Naruto closed his eyes, letting his head fall back against the wall with a pained sigh. He'd been sent away again, from his master's chambers for the third time that week. In his head he knew it had a lot to do with the current political turmoil involved with a supposed merger of his master's company with another. Still, it hurt. He wished there was something he could do to make the man feel better, he knew that if the man would just let him, he could relieve some of the stress. Even if the man just needed someone to hit, Naruto would be there for him.
He did not second guess the man though, knowing that his master was smart, and knew what was best. Right now the best thing to do was just simply obey his order, show the respect he owed the man, even if he didn't really think it was the wisest. When his master had found him, he had been alone and cold, a child on the streets, with no parents, no friends. The man had taken him home, given him a warm bed and trained him well, to be the best he could be.
His master told him that often, when Naruto was straddling his thighs, rising and falling in slow steady rhythm. His master told him he was the best the man had ever had, and Naruto knew his master had had many men over the years, and a few women as well, though Naruto never understood the attraction there. Sure, women were pretty and soft, and they usually smelled nice, at least from his experience, but they never made him want the way his master wanted him.
X
Naruto kicked at the lowest hem of the layered kimonos he was currently wearing, sighing deeply. His master had been in a bad mood the whole day, worse than before, and the boy had the bruises to prove it, darkening purple on the tanned skin of his hip. They had visitors tonight though, a delegation from some important clan his master needed to deal with hospitably for business reasons.
Naruto jumped down from the banquette on which he had been seated when he heard the screen slide open, seeing house servants laden with plates enter. On their heels was his master's cook, looking slightly angry. He tried his best to look apologetic, but she thrust the tray of sake at him harshly, and he panicked for a second. Luckily he managed not to spill a drop.
He had been well trained here, for the 12 or so years he had lived in his master's house, and as such he never spilled anything. He knew how to walk silently, gracefully, almost like he was gliding, as he followed the servants into the dining room. He waited quietly at the rear until they were leaving, making sure the screen was slid silently shut behind them before he glided forwards, setting the tray to his master's right as was customary. The man smiled up at him and motioned to his side.
He knelt gracefully, eyes downcast respectfully, a small smile on his face. His master always said he looked more beautiful when he smiled, and here he was like fine art or good food, his own beauty a sign of his master's good taste. The man's voice was soft when he spoke, liquid and dark like a stream of molasses.
"I don't believe you have had the pleasure of meeting Naruto-kun yet, hm? He is one of my more beautiful and precious possessions, he does not serve often. I have brought him out as a gesture of good will. I do dearly want to bring this matter to a close as soon as possible." Naruto kept his eyes on the ground by his master's feet, as he had been taught to do. He did not look at guests, he was only ever brought out if they were important, and if they were important it was certainly only proper respect. The answering voice though made his breath freeze in his lungs.
"Yes, well the Uchiha clan wishes to resolve this as soon as possible as well. Myself and Shisui-san have come out this evening to hammer out the details of this plan with you." If his master's voice was thick like molasses, this man's voice flowed freely, light as a brook in the forest, but with undercurrent within the polite tone that suggested white water rapids and jagged rocks to any who crossed that voice. It was simply gorgeous.
Naruto always considered himself an appreciator of beauty, after all as a part of his master's collection he spent all of his time around beautiful things. That voice was definitely beautiful, and he thought the face to go with it must be as beautiful if not more, but he did not look up to see.
X
Naruto may not have seen that face, but he remembered the voice, and it wasn't too long until he heard it again. His master had sent him from the room soon after they were done eating, when the negotiation was set to commence, but he told Naruto not to go far, that he would be summoned back when they were finished. So Naruto had gone to the anteroom, on the other side of the room where his master entertained the guests, and settled on one of the sitting cushions by the wall. He could swear he had only let his eyes close for a second, but when he woke he could tell it had been longer than that.
He woke to that voice. It was muffled, from the room beside him, but it was raised a little, louder but not yelling, still as calm as ever. He sat up, stretching, cursing himself. He counted himself lucky that his master had not come while he was asleep. That would embarrass him to no end, not to be ready when his master needed him. He perked up when the voice came closer.
"We are leaving, Shisui-kun. There is nothing more to do, we have what we came for so we must return home." There was another voice behind him, less calm, but muffled by distance. Naruto jumped a little when the screen to his left was opened hard, the bamboo runners jumping their track and buckling, sending the contraption of paper and wood crashing to the tatami beneath it like nothing. His eyes widened at the figure revealed. He forgot then to lower his eyes, as he saw the man haloed in the light from inside. His hair was dark, hanging behind him in a cord rapped in cloth, silk he guessed from the way it shined in the light. His eyes were dark, standing out against the pale tone of his skin, the sheath of a katana hanging across the back of his dark kimono. That was not what caught Naruto's eye though.
The man had blood on his hands, so red it glowed in the low light, slick and shining, dripping down the sword he still held in one hand, hanging calmly by his side. The man stepped forwards then, and the spell was broken. Naruto snapped his eyes down respectfully, rolling to his knees next to the cushion. These were his master's honored guests and he would treat them as such. His gaze focused on the tatami by the man's bare feet, and as such he missed the slight grin that flickered over the Uchiha's mouth. The shadow of the other fell over the mats, as he came to stand next to his companion.
"I thought we were leaving, Itachi-san." The man just nodded to his companion.
"We're bringing him." He pointed to Naruto, and the boy looked up in shock. That couldn't be real, his master would not allow that. Shisui shrugged and leaned forwards, wrapping his fingers around Naruto's slim wrist before the boy could even think to respond.
"I am sorry, honorable guests of my master, but I do not believe that this is right. I cannot leave the house, to do so would displease my master, and that is something I cannot do." He didn't miss the small smile this time, Itachi's eyes boring into his own, black and heavy.
"Your master is dead, your obligation to him is no longer valid. You belong to me now." He opened his mouth to object but Shisui pulled him to his feet hastily, as Itachi turned to make his way through the little anteroom towards the front door. Naruto craned his neck as he was pulled after, and his breath stalled in his lungs. He could see his master's body, head severed cleanly at the neck, blood dripping over the table sit littered with dishes, soaking into the tatami beneath it.
It was only a second before he was pulled past, but the image was burned into his head then. His master was dead now, and he didn't know what to do. His life had been nothing before his master, and now he was sure his life would be nothing again. He let himself be pulled dazedly through to the entrance hall, where the shoes were lined up with care. The two Uchihas slipped their feet into their sandals with ease, but he paused, staring at the little row of shoes. Shisui sighed, irritation clear.
"Put on your shoes brat, we're leaving." Naruto paused, before blinking up at him.
"I-I don't have any shoes, sir. I do not leave the house, it would displease my master." Itachi rolled his eyes and nudged the smallest pair in the line forwards with his own toe. Naruto looked up at him, questioningly. "But my master-" Itachi cut him off with a smack to the side of the face, his own voice cold and quick, commanding. It stilled Naruto in his tracks.
"He is dead, he is no longer your master, I am your Master now, and I am telling you to put on the shoes, and come out of the house now. Or did your precious master not teach you to follow commands so well." The implications of his master's failings raised the boy's hackles. He had never been anything but a wonderful master, he had taught Naruto well. The boy calmed his face, and slipped into the shoes. The feeling was odd, he never had anything but wooden geta on his feet, and those rested on the engawa that wrapped around the courtyard garden.
He followed the men quietly, gliding as well as he could in the sandals, not liking the way they enclosed the sides of his feet so much. He watched as the man who had called himself his Master motioned to a long black car, unfamiliar to the boy. It glided silently up and a man popped out of the front seat, his hair a deep brown, bound on top of his head in a poofy ponytail. He had a scar across the bridge of his nose, and he raised an eyebrow at Itachi when he opened the door, looking at Naruto in stern surprise, then back at Itachi. The man breezed by him without a glance, stooping to climb in the car and slide down the long seat inside the limo.
Naruto glanced at the other Uchiha behind him, but Shisui just shoved hims forwards slightly, so he climbed in too, sliding down a bit, settling on his knees on the floor of the limo's cabin. Shisui slid in behind him, swinging so that he sat along the seat facing them, turning to rest his long legs across it, letting his head fall back.
The door shut, and the man outside went around to the driver's door. Naruto heard it open and slam closed rather quickly, before the engine roared to life, the little window partitioning them from the driver rolling down with a quiet whine to reveal the man's face.
"The Main House." Itachi spoke clearly, his voice still cold, and the driver nodded, closing the window again with the flick of a switch. Naruto merely sat, looking ahead. He wasn't sure what to do now. He scanned the shelf in front of him, the one that spanned the length of the car, facing the seats. There were cut crystal carafes there, glimmering with dark liquids, liquor he suspected, along with smooth short glasses. He thought for a second before speaking.
"Should I get you a drink, sir?" He spoke to Itachi, that much was clear. That man was his new Master, and he would always think of the Master first. He tensed for a reprimand, hoping addressing Itachi would be alright, he wasn't sure what to call the man. Itachi smiled a little, he could see it in the highly polished lacquer of the wall behind the shelf.
"No." His voice was too warm then for a reprimand, but Naruto wished he had said more. There weren't many cues in his answer for what the boy was supposed to be doing. He opened his mouth again, tensing for another reprimand.
"If you don't mind my asking, how would my new Master like to be addressed?" Itachi smiled again, but it lingered longer this time.
"Call me Itachi-danna, or Nushi."
X
Naruto found he must have nodded off again, because he was woken with a start when the car pulled to a stop in front of a rather large traditional Japanese house. It was dark outside, and the driveway they were on had no lamps, the only illumination coming from the light above the entranceway and the soft glow of lamplight behind the screens. He shifted, feeling suddenly conscious of a hand in his hair, playing idly with the strands. He leaned into the contact automatically, before remembering where he was. He jumped a little, but did not pull back until the hand was removed, turning to look at his new Master behind him.
He looked away quickly though, chastising himself for looking at the man. He didn't know the rules yet. He wanted to show Itachi-sama that he was a perfect slave, to honor his master's memory, but how could he follow rules he did not know. He flinched a little when the man's hand returned to his hair.
"You can look at me, Naru-kun. As long as I do not tell you otherwise, you can look at anyone." Naruto relaxed a little bit. The door opening caught his attention though, the driver clearing his throat a little as he held it open. Itachi nudged him towards it, so he crawled over, pausing to let the other Uchiha out first, before following. As soon as his feet hit the ground he moved to stand beside the driver, out of the way, hands clasped in front of him, eyes down. He waited until Itachi came out, walking towards the door, and followed, a step to the side and two steps back, eyes watching his Master's feet as they padded towards the entrance.
The door slides open as soon as Itachi's foot hits the first of the three small steps. A woman is standing there, with light almost red hair cut unevenly around her face. She was dressed in a simple red kimono, and inclined her head as Itachi stepped inside, withdrawing to the side of the entrance room, allowing the man space to kick off his sandals, dropping them on the ground by the wall. Shisui does the same behind him, and Naruto bends to take his off. He places them carefully on the neat shelf before standing aside himself, hands once again clasped in front of him, eyes down.
"Haurano-chan, this is Naruto-kun. He belongs to me now, but he is allowed the full run of the house as long as he does not leave it." The girl inclines her head, first to Itachi then Naruto. She stands mutely once again, and waits for Itachi to go forwards, following him closely. Naruto scowled, Itachi was his Master now, and this girl would not put him or his training to shame. He caught up with the pair quickly and followed close, eyes down, gliding much more gracefully than his female companion.
Itachi stopped before a screen, the girl stepped up to open it quickly, revealing a bedroom inside. It was big, decorated in rich deep wood tones, and dark fabrics. The futon in the middle was enormous, stacked with pillows, aligned with the large circular screened window behind it. Naruto paused there, unsure of whether to enter or not. His old master had usually slept with him, and he had learned to enjoy it, but there were days when the man would just want to be left alone. The Uchiha turned once he'd reached the futon, looking back over his shoulder.
"Come in, Naruto-kun. Most nights I will not have the time or the disposition to sleep with you here, I often have business to attend to in the city. I will bring you with me sometimes, but I will not always be able to do that either. If I am not here, I want you to sleep in here unless I say otherwise. If I am here I will notify you if your presence is not requested, otherwise I expect you here. Do you understand?" Naruto nodded.
"Yes, Itachi-danna." His voice was quiet and smooth, like it had been taught to be. Itachi turned back around, reaching to untie his kimono and slip it back over his shoulders. It was pure instinct on Naruto's part to step in and catch the falling garment, smoothing out the wrinkles before moving to hang it up.
"Let it be." Itachi's voice was amused, as Naruto set the kimono down on the floor reverently, to one side, and then stood, moving to stand by his Master again. Itachi slid the dark underwear he wore down his hips, making Naruto blush. He had never really gotten physical pleasure from the sexual side of his relationship to his old master, but he understood that he was a slave and thus it couldn't be helped really. It had made the man happy, so it had been worth it.
He looked away but was drawn back quickly by pale hands on the tie of his own kimono. He jumped a little, blushing deeper, but tried to raise his arms to help. They were smacked away though.
"I want to unwrap you myself this time, I am eager to see what is underneath this cloth." Naruto nodded, going still again, focusing on the window across the room, and how the dark slats were silhouetted on the pale paper surface. Hands the same shade of soft pale undid the tie deftly, reaching around behind him, pulling him forwards to press against the hard chest in front of him. He swallowed hard, focusing himself on keeping his breath even, on not panicking at his close proximity to what was essentially still a stranger.
Still, he felt his heart speed up as the fabric whispered off of his skin, as he felt warm fingers sliding it back until it pooled around his feet. Itachi leaned forwards, his lips centimeters from Naruto's ear, his breath warm and wet and heavy, loud like thunder, like storms rolling in. Naruto let his eyes slide shut, letting that noise, the rushing, the tickling of hot breath become his entire world.
Itachi pulled back then, stepping away and putting space between them. Suddenly Naruto felt unstable, dizzy, like a chair with only one leg, unsure of how to stay upright now that his support was lost. He didn't move though, but he let his eyes slide open to look at his new master as the man slipped into loose dark pants.
He turned silently, throwing something to Naruto. It was a shirt, long and pale, big enough for the boy's delicate frame to drown in. He slipped it over his head, more comfortable once he was no longer so close to naked under Itachi's eyes. He sighed, and followed the man to the futon, waiting for him to lie down before lying beside him. He wasn't expecting the man's arms as they twined around him, pulling him close before covering them both with the dark blanket.
Itachi's breath evened out quickly, his arms loosening and becoming slack. Naruto stayed still, staring at the wall in the now darkened room, staring at the pale white screen, sectioned off by the dark cherry slats, the whole window round and light, like a soft moon in the darkness. He could have left then, he could have snuck out of Itachi's arms easily, pushed the window open, made the short drop to the ground, and taken off. He didn't though, that would be an insult to the legacy of his former master. No he would prove this man wrong, stay by his side, and be worthy of a new Master's smiles.
A/N: Good? Bad? Ugly? Read, Review, and let me know. also, there will be future lemony deliciousness, which may not end up being posted here, due to recent pissiness on the part of FFN. the full version will be posted on my lj (link in profile) and over at AFFN. hope you like it is attention whore .