The Emerald Key

Sakura (aka L-sama no Miko)

The raven haired man sighed as he stood before the ornately carved oak door studded with emeralds of the deepest green, a green that matched the key he was now holding. 'Why did I let Kisame talk me into this?' he silently grumbled. 'Oh that's right he didn't. The fool practically kidnapped me.'

His much more boisterous business partner had been after him to come to this place for quite some time ever since a fellow associate had invited the shark like VP. The CEO had told him time after time again that he had no interest whatsoever in wasting time and money in brothels, to which his partner would reply that it wasn't like any brothel, that it put all other brothels to shame.

'I should have known it'd be inevitable I'd wind up in a place like this,' he moaned again, recalling the day he'd been sent a complimentary invitation to stay for a week. The CEO, though a tiny bit curious, had initially adamantly refused until his partner had managed to get him drunk and before he knew it was on their private plane headed to kami knew where.

The raven haired man had to admit, Kisame had been right. This place was run more like an ultra exclusive resort for those who made money quicker than they could spend it. The fact that it was situated on an isolated island miles away from any form of civilization and was as big as any palace he'd ever seen did not impress him one bit. He was one who never believed in overly extravagant trappings. Plain and simple had been the words he'd lived by all these years, hence, his current attire.

He had changed out of his signature suit on the plane and was now dressed in a pair of slim form hugging black pants and a blood red dress shirt, his long silky looking hair hung lazily behind his back in a loose but neat ponytail. A simple silver necklace hung a few inches from his neck.

He turned the key over in his hands, marveling at the skill it must have taken to carve it. It had been carved from a single emerald of deepest green, a line of curling leaves running along one end. He didn't know why he'd pick that particular key. He could easily chosen a different one from the myriad of colored keys the redheaded hostess had presented him with upon arriving, but somehow he'd felt drawn to the simple beauty of that verdant key, an odd flash a place and time he'd left behind so long ago ghosting across his mind.

'Might as well get this over with,' the CEO grumbled, sighing again. Steeling himself for whatever lay on the other side of the door. He fitted the key into the lock and turned it. The lock gave a welcoming click and he began to push the surprisingly light door open.

"We do hope you enjoy your stay here, sir," beamed the redheaded girl whose eyes hadn't left him since his arrival and guided him through the labyrinthine passages, adjusting her glasses slightly. "Should you require anything else, don't hesitate to ask," she said again giving him a flirtatious wink while giving him a good view of her 'assets'. He returned the unwelcome advance with a curt nod, dismissing her. The girl pouted, but quickly regained her professional demeanor and hurried on her way back down the serpentine halls.

The CEO wasn't surprised to find that the hinges hadn't made a single sound as he pushed the door further into the room. He had expected a flashy looking place as this to have everything in tip-top shape right down to the smallest screw and nail.

However, his crimson eyes widened at what had been revealed to him. Had any of his staff seen him at that moment, they would have fainted dead away. It was the most emotion he'd shown in a very, very long time.

Inside the cavernous room was a forest, a forest very much like those of his childhood home. A faint sense of longing and nostalgia came over him as he continued to marvel at the beauty before him. Majestic oaks stood on silent guard while pines, maples and firs danced and whispered in what he thought to be a ventilation system simulating the wind. Once he'd gotten over the initial surprise, the raven haired man began walking further into the forest, his feet making the barest of sounds as he moved through the trees.

?? POV

He'd been dozing off and on, bored out of his mind as usual. He was grateful for this small respite though. The Master of 'Elysium' had had him working nonstop for weeks now and he was worn out from all the customers he'd been made to service.

Golden orange ears perked to full awareness on top of his blond head when he heard the sound of crunching leaves. "Just what I needed," the boy muttered, "Another sick, twisted bastard constantly groping at me. It'd better not be that pervy bastard Kakashi again." He sighed and lay back down forlornly, forcing his petite and slender body to arrange itself into a pleasing display. "I hate my life," he muttered again, angrily swiping at his eyes before any tears could fall.

Itachi POV

After a couple minutes of walking, the CEO stopped suddenly. He had just gotten the second biggest surprise of the day. His heart skipped a beat when his crimson eyes noticed what was before them.

A boy about the age of fifteen lay on one side on a mattress that appeared to be made entirely of moss the same deep green as the key. The mattress was situated inside the hallowed out trunk of a sturdy oak. The figure was arranged in such a way that nothing was left out of sight.

The man's eyes raked over the boy's naked chest, pausing for a bit over the artfully done tattoo near his abdomen. He quickly forced them back up when they began to travel to the orange boxers he was wearing. They widened even more when he saw that the boy was sporting a pair of golden orange fox ears upon his sunshine hair. He chanced another glance at the boy's lower areas and saw a matching fluffy fox's tail draped deliciously over one firm yet supple looking thigh.

'So this is what Kisame meant,' the raven haired man mused. He immediately felt pity for the fox boy. This was one of those places that specialized in prostituting bioengineered life forms. This poor soul had probably been born here just for this sick purpose. He was about to turn and run right out of there when the sweetest sound he'd ever heard ensnared him.

"What is your pleasure, master?" the boy called from his sylvan bed.

The CEO knew he shouldn't have done it, but he turned back to the boy, feeling his frozen heart begin to melt at the pained sapphire blue of the boy's eyes. The voice had sounded eager and pleased to see him, but any fool could see that the boy's smile never reached those deep pools of blue.

He found himself striding over to the fox child and kneeling down before him. The two stared at each other for what seemed an eternity before the older of the two reached out and gently cupped one lightly tanned cheek, his thumb running lightly over one of the odd whisker like marks lying there. The boy let out a slight purring sound at the gentle touch.

"You need not worry, little one," the man said in a tone he hoped that wouldn't frighten the smaller slave. "I will have no need for you whatsoever." The CEO stood and turned to go once more.

?? POV

The blond hadn't realized he'd shut his eyes until he'd heard the slight gasp from the approaching customer. Tired and near dead blue eyes snapped open and he felt his heart start to flutter wildly at the sight before him.

Mere feet away from him stood a god. Not just any god, but the most beautiful god he'd ever seen in his fifteen years of life. Not since his beloved trainer had such beauty graced him with its presence. While his trainer had the appearance of an angel, this person had the bearing of a god.

The man was clad in simple attire, just a pair of tight black pants and a blood red shirt. Long bangs framed his Grecian sculpted face elegantly while the rest was kept behind him in a ponytail. The only bit of flashiness on this deity was a simple silver necklace of delicate looking hoops linked together by an equally delicate looking chain. But what had captured the slave's attention were the man's brilliant red eyes. They held an ocean of secrets, secrets that dared him to seek them out as they roamed over his barely clothed body. What had really thrown him for a loop was the gentleness and pity lying just below the icy surface of those rubies.

He hadn't seen a look like that on anyone's face since he had been forced to leave him; and it caused his eyes begin to water at the memories. He bit his lip, forcing the tears back, having no desire whatsoever to cry before this customer. The last time he'd done that, it had lead to him spending the next few days in 'Elysium's' infirmary. There was no way in hell he was going to let himself be anywhere near that silver haired freak who was lord and master of the medical wing.

Seeing that the man was going to leave, the fox boy quickly sat up fearing that he'd displeased him somehow. Displeasing a customer was another thing he'd learned not to do very early on, it only lead to even more pain and suffering at the Master's hands. He gulped and in his most alluring voice called out to the god. "What is your pleasure, master?" he asked, praying that this god would come back and not turn out to be like most of his more twisted customers.

He almost fainted from the distress when he saw his current 'master' return. The raven haired god then carefully knelt beside him, trapping his soul with those oh so gorgeous eyes of his. The blond found he couldn't speak or move and just let this person stare at him while he did the same. It had gone on for what seemed forever and he flinched slightly when this gorgeous being reached out and cupped his cheek in one perfectly formed hand.

The fox boy didn't bother holding back the purr as he felt the man's thumb almost lovingly caress one delicate whisker mark. "You need not worry little one," spoke the god, his voice soft and warm as the richest velvet, "I will have no need for you whatsoever." He then turned to leave once more.

The blond whimpered. He'd displeased this man and now he would no doubt be punished severely for this. "P-Please don't go!!" he begged, leaping to his feet and running after the man. He boldly clutched onto one crimson clad wrist.

The CEO paused, but did not turn around this time. "I am truly sorry little one," he said using his usual business tone. "But I did not come here for such… services."

Sapphire blue looked at the customer in shock. "T-Then why are you here?" he sniffled.

The raven haired man felt the tugging at his heart once more. He stood stock still for a few more seconds before sighing and obeying the urge to pull the fox boy into what he'd hoped was a comforting embrace. "I am not here by choice, kitsune," he said, gently rubbing circles on the sobbing blond's back. "I was tricked and shanghaied into coming here by a friend of mine."

'He's like me,' the slave thought, his sobs and tears calming somewhat at the gentle touches. 'He doesn't want to be here anymore than I do.'

"I don't care if y-you don't want me," the fox boy sniffled again, blue pools shining with unshed tears pleading with him silently "but p-please stay. I-It'll be worse for me if you don't."

The taller man sighed. How could he refuse those pleading and suffering gems that never once left his eyes? "You'll be punished if I leave now won't you?" he asked titling the fox boy's head gently. The blond nodded, entrapped by the CEO's saddened ruby eyes. "Then we can't have that, can we?"

The slave nodded again. "Y-You'll s-stay?" he asked timidly, daring beyond hope that this gentle god would be merciful enough to do so.

The raven haired god let a tiny smile form on his oh so kissable lips. "I guess I could stay for a bit. My partner has been pestering me to take a vacation for months now."

The fox boy smiled widely, his entire face glowing in a mixture of relief and joy. He then wrapped his slender arms around the man's waist and happily nuzzled into the well toned muscular chest covered in ruby silk. "T-Thank you so much master!" he cried, trying hard not to ruin his customer's expensive looking shirt with his unshed tears.

"I'd like it if you'd call me Itachi," he said carefully picking up the emotionally worn out boy.

"Itachi-sama," the blond murmured sleepily as he nuzzled the god's neck happily. Feeling the pull at the corners of his mouth, Itachi allowed the muscles to arrange themselves into a genuine smile, the first in many, many years.

"So what should I call you, little kitsune?" he asked after gently lying the boy down on the moss mattress that was surprisingly soft.

"Mm… whatever you wish to call me, Itachi-sama," was the blond's yawned response. "Though they always call me dorei."

"I wish to call you by name," Itachi said unable to stop stroking the fox boy's cute little ears, making him purr in pleasure.

"I really don't have a name Itachi-sama," the teen replied, a tone of sadness lacing his voice.

Itachi frowned, his crimson eyes going hard once more. 'I should have known,' he groused to himself, 'these bastards wouldn't bother naming one of their "products".' "Then shall I give you one, a name you can keep all to yourself?"

The slave continued to nuzzle into the man's hand. "If you want to, Itachi-sama." It came out as a wooden reply; there was no real warmth or life in those words. "But I-I'm not supposed to accept gifts from my masters."

The CEO stiffened slightly, fighting the urge to burst from that place and murder all those within this hellish place. After a few more moments of awkward silence, he spoke once more. "It's alright. No one needs to know. It'll be our secret."

"A-A secret present?" he queried.

The raven haired god nodded with a mischievous glint in his ruby colored pools. "It'll be just between us two."

"Hai!" the petite slave shouted. He was eager to have something of his own, something that would be his and his alone. "A secret present for just us two!!"

"Do you have something you like? A favorite thing perhaps?" he asked, thinking he could use that to give this poor creature a name.

The smaller blond stared at him confusedly. None of his other customers had ever expressed a desire to learn more about him. After a short period of heavy thinking, well heavy for him anyway, he crawled into Itachi's lap when the man had decided to sit and lean against the trunk of his tree. "I like… those funny fish things they put in my ramen sometimes. And I like you Itachi-sama!" he said licking the taller man's cheek in a way very much like the fox he'd been modeled after.

The raven haired man chuckled; pleased that the boy was starting to open up to him. "Is that so?" he asked smiling and kissing the boy's whisker marks chastely. "Then shall I name you after those fishcakes you like so much?"

The fox boy's eyes lit up and sparkled for the first time in years. "Y-You'd do that for me, Itachi-sama?!" he chirped, his tail wagging enough to cause a small breeze.

"Naruto it is then," Itachi said, wrapping his arms around the boy again and closing his eyes.

"I'm Naruto!" the blond slave crowed, overjoyed to finally have a name of his own.

The CEO chuckled, not bothering to open his eyes. He'd had a tiring day after all. "Sleep Naruto," he said pulling the boy closer so he could rest against him. "You must be tired."

The teen yawned rather loudly. "Hai Itachi-sama," he murmured sleepily again before resting his head against his customer's shoulder.

'I'm going to regret coming here,' Itachi said to himself as the blond slave started to fall asleep. 'But I am glad I did. This little one needs some kindness.' Listening to the boy's slumbering breath, the raven haired man soon followed him into dreamland.

TBC

Sakura: Whew! Finally got this crazy idea outta my brain. This has been gathering dust in there for YEARS. I had originally planned to do this for another anime but never really had enough inspiration to go through with it. -.-''''

Shikamaru: In other words, you were just being lazy.

Sakura: You're one to talk! All you ever do is go cloud watching or play shogi! And you call yourself a ninja! Anyhoo, lemme know what you think ppl. I think this one turned out pretty good so far.

Shikamaru: Ahh man this is just too much work!! I gotta review and beta too!!

Sakura: Oh hush up! At least you don't have to write this thing! My fingers are killing me!! TT