Let me make this clear before I start: Yes, this is a yaoi fiction! If someone is forcing you to read my story, please contact your local police immediately. If something is forcing you to read my story, please see a therapist.

To the rest of you: I hope you enjoy!

Warnings (applies to the entire story): Language, OOC, AU, Lemon/Lime, Typos & Grammar, Not beta-read

Warnings (applies to this chapter only): dub-con

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or its characters. I do not get any profit from this. It's as simple as that really. I do, however, own anything you don't recognise (which won't be much).

Notes: I would like to point out my Alternate Universe warning because this really is completely A/U. Sasuke and Naruto will be 19-20 years old, although I am not bothering to change their outfits. The greatest difference in this story is perhaps that Sasuke has the mentality of a sheltered prince (but he grows up quickly) and half of the Konoha ninjas don't even live in Konoha, including Naruto. And what on earth is chakra...? Yeah, it's that bad. No fancy fighting moves, sorry. There will be 'magic' of some sorts, but it won't be offensive. So consider yourself warned.

I was going to make this really clichéd I-have-a-mate-let's-run-away kind of story because I love those (I will proudly admit that), but it actually ended up as a multi-chaptered story with an actual plot that does not focus on the more physical aspects of a relationship. It wasn't supposed to be nearly as long either, and this is only the first chapter. I continue to surprise myself.

I'm afraid Sasuke is no longer suffering from his unpredictable uke-moments. Now he's just being a general uke, and we love him for it.

'Thoughts'

Emphasis on a word

The word can be found in the dictionary on the bottom of this page

Chapter 1: Decisive (determined/unmistakable)

Uchiha Sasuke was itching.

Itching to run like hell.

He was on his way home after spending a few hours on the training grounds on the outskirts of Konoha.

Woods, planted there to take the brunt of the training sessions that went wrong, surrounded the open training area. Sasuke had long ago made his own path through the woods that passed a smaller river of perfect depth for a cleansing bath to wash away the sweat and tiredness. He also happened to like the solitude it brought. The itching had suddenly hit him when he had finished cleaning himself and continued to follow the usual path home. It wasn't even a justified feeling. It was simply a hunch, like a small voice whispering in his mind to just run now so he could escape from... something. Sasuke just didn't know what it was yet. And since he wasn't a coward, he would much rather face whatever animosity was waiting for him out there than to forever wonder what it was he had run away from.

Sasuke was just bothered with the feeling of being stalked. He had honed this sense of self-preservation over the years and now knew that when his warning bells went off, they did so for a reason. The young prodigy wasn't particularly paranoid, but he had an amazing gut instinct that warned him when something dangerous was nearing. His hands rested on his utility belt, already feeling safer when he had easy access to his weapons.

Now, if that something could just reveal itself from the shadows so Sasuke could kick its ass and then be at ease. This was probably exactly why Itachi didn't want him walking around alone. On the other hand, his aniki was worried about rapists and Sasuke seriously doubted one was following him. Then again, he was being followed by something, and with his luck it could very well be a rapist.

It was a dilemma really. Confront it or not confront it? Was it even a bad guy? The possibilities were endless, and Sasuke blamed a lot of the suspicion on his brother. His brother had a thing for overanalyzing everything, especially situations regarding his baby brother.

Well, enough of this foolishness.

Turning around, Sasuke crouched low, prepared for anything. He stayed completely still, waiting for whatever was out there to come to him. He had already decided to keep calm and just wait for this thing to reveal itself, carefully analyse the situation and then either a) run like hell, or b) kill it. He had this take-no-prisoners mentality from his big brother. Now that Sasuke thought about it, he realised they seemed to influence each other a lot.

The sudden shadow was so distant at first, a mere outline in the darkness. Then it started walking, drawing closer. And Sasuke, no matter what he told himself, started to get a wee bit anxious. Whatever it was approaching him, looked human and was walking on two feet. Now, don't get him wrong, Sasuke was glad he wouldn't be dealing with a crazed freak on three legs or more, but when it had two he was quickly reminded of the potential rapist. It was like waiting for the lesser of two evils and Sasuke still couldn't decide what he preferred.

"Oi, you there," a voice called, and Sasuke dropped his defensive position in favour of looking rather offended at the approaching figure. Not many people took such liberties with him, Uchiha Sasuke, because those who knew him didn't dare... So he could now conclude that this wasn't any local person. And it was a fact that made this twice as dangerous since now he didn't have his name to throw around. Most people would be horrified if they ever realised they had insulted the youngest son of the Uchiha clan and run. This guy probably wouldn't be that intimidated.

Konoha was kept under strict control by two clans, the Hyuga family and the Uchiha family. The two clans got along well enough, but Uchiha Sasuke's good friendship with Hyuga Neji was still legendary. Sasuke thought it was not all that surprising that they acknowledged each other to a greater degree than they did most others, they were both formidable opponents, but apparently this was quite the gossip in Konoha. Sasuke just let them talk.

The blurred outline had been replaced by something alarmingly orange, and Sasuke could not help but shudder at the tacky colour. Bloody hell, the guy had to be blind if he didn't realise the extent of his exposure. It was not exactly subtle. The guy was a walking target. He was perfectly visible, even in the dead of night. That ruled out the possibility of an ambush, which left Sasuke quite baffled, no longer sure what to believe.

"You, get down on all fours." The person had stopped walking, and had it not been for the screaming orange-coloured outfit and the blonde tufts, the mysterious person still would have been shrouded in complete darkness. This told Sasuke that this guy was really not up to date with the rest of the world.

But that didn't really matter because he had a much more pressuring issue to take care of. "Excuse me?" Sasuke said with strained politeness, giving the guy one last chance to back out of trouble and turn tail. Whoever it was didn't get it and instead crossed his arms over his chest, drumming the fingers on his left hand impatiently. "I told you to bend over," he repeated and Sasuke glared.

"I heard you the first time! I'm just ignoring what you said," came the indignant reply as Sasuke stomped his foot in rage. The freaking nerve of this guy! He didn't like him at all. "And why shouldn't I? I'll have you know that not even my father bosses me around like you are trying to do," he continued gravely.

"You should do as I say because I am your master, teme." The reply was blunt and right to the point. Not that it mattered because Sasuke knew it was nothing but bullshit, and made a number of proving his point by upping his death glare another level.

"I'm not joking." The weirdo argued insistently and Sasuke raised a single eyebrow to convey his obvious distrust. The blonde seemed to be at a loss now.

"What makes you think I would crawl in the dirt for you?" Sasuke continued his inquiries.

"You don't know?" The blonde seemed surprised, and Sasuke cocked his head curiously in response. He was supposed to know? Because he certainly didn't have a clue! But he assumed he could always ask his brother later if the blonde refused to give him an adequate answer. "Know what?" Sasuke tilted his head in wonder.

"You're that ignorant?" The blonde seemed smug now, and the youngest Uchiha's right eyebrow started twitching spastically.

"Say what?"

"Fine, if you don't even know what it is, I guess I can't really ask it from you." The blonde pondered loudly, tapping his bottom lip with his index finger as he donned a thoughtful expression. Sasuke cocked his head. "Ask what from me?" he demanded. He didn't like it, but he was a teensy weensy bit curious.

"Ask you to bond with me."

Sasuke frowned. "I can do that," he corrected as the blonde visibly swallowed a laugh. "You can't be my Bonded," he denied, turning to leave.

"Can too." Sasuke argued and the orange-clad person looked at him over his shoulder. "Well, you won't," was the brisk reply.

"I will," Sasuke insisted stubbornly.

The blonde raised an eyebrow, assessing him in silence for a good couple of minutes. "Naruto," he said finally. Sasuke blinked. "That's my name, Naruto. What's yours?"

"Sasuke..."

"Well then, Sasuke, since you're so sure about this, come here." Naruto ordered and the youngest Uchiha slowly inched forward. He was hesitant, but reluctant to show it. Not that he would ever admit that and run away. Naruto held out a hand, patiently waiting for him to take it. When Sasuke did, they simply stood there, not really doing anything. And Sasuke wondered what would happen next.

Naruto used the hold on Sasuke's hand to push him closer to himself, relishing the feel of the warm, lithe body against his own. It had been a long time since he had been physical with anyone, and the intoxicating scent of the black hair currently pressed against his face made him look forward to the more intimate part of the bonding process.

"Hey," Sasuke interrupted nervously, listening to the blonde as he took deep breaths while buried in his hair, "you're not going to bite my neck, are you?" he whispered anxiously. Naruto chuckled, thrown off for a second as he lifted his head to stare down at the young man in his embrace. "No, we don't do that kind of vampire shit," he assured him warmly, and Sasuke was slightly relieved. Itachi would never know if there was no evidence.

"Let me kiss you." It was a demand. And when Sasuke failed to respond after the second repeat of his question, Naruto simply tilted his chin with two fingers and bent down to capture rosy lips. He couldn't quite comprehend that Sasuke was slightly smaller than him, but instead of an attitude to match, his Bonded was like a predator in the body of a prey.

Sasuke was enticing. He also knew he was rather lucky with his mate's competitive attitude. Sasuke had played right into his arms when he had taunted him, provoked him by telling him that he wasn't good enough. The raven-haired man had a thirst to prove himself, and it would be his undoing. Not that Naruto cared. Sasuke's need for achievements, no matter how farfetched, was Naruto's redemption on a silver platter. Unexpected people and situations could easily fool the smaller male, and Naruto was one of those things.

Naruto trailed a wet path down the pale neck, leaving tender marks with his tongue. Sasuke didn't know what to do. Was he even supposed to react? He was gently guided down onto the ground and he had to swallow several times to remove the sudden thickness in his throat. He didn't feel outright uncomfortable in this situation, but it wasn't exactly something he'd like a repeat of in the near future.

Wasn't all this becoming very rapist-ish?

Naruto continued his caresses as he turned Sasuke around to lie on his stomach. He slid an inconspicuous hand on a thigh, eyeing the reaction of his unsuspecting mate. Sasuke took no notice. He was too caught up with the tufts of grass tickling his nose. Spluttering a little, Sasuke craned his neck to catch a glimpse of the blonde. Naruto was doing something, but he just couldn't tell what it was. It was only when his legs were suddenly caressed by a warm breeze, Sasuke realised he was exposed and vulnerable with some orange-clad freak-o pinning him down. Somehow his pants had been pulled partially down, resting at his knees.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke muttered, straining to keep his head above the ground.

"I'm doing what you asked me to do," was the instant reply, and Sasuke squirmed against the warm body above him.

"I hate to ask this now, but what did I ask you to do again?"

"You threatened me to take you."

Sasuke froze. Take him? Take him how? It was only when clam hands started stroking the inside of his cloth-covered thigh that Sasuke began to see the picture for what it truly was. Sex. Between guys. And that would also be about the same time when Sasuke dug his fingers into the ground to push himself up and away. Unfortunately for Sasuke, Naruto was no longer in his patient corner and simply leaned forwards to make himself heavier.

With a surprised 'oomph', Sasuke was pushed even harder to the ground with his left cheek digging into the sharpest stone within a two-mile range. Where the hell was that grass patch when he needed it? He felt the stone pierce the skin and a drop of blood trickled from the small cut.

The blood did something.

Not to Sasuke, but to him, Naruto. He started growling. Growling as he was nipping Sasuke's neck with surprisingly pointed teeth. And that was when Sasuke realised that he was in real trouble. Not that it mattered if he fought or not. Naruto didn't seem to take any notice. It was a bit of a bother, now that he thought about it. A slow burning panic rose from his chest as Sasuke realised that he couldn't get away. He became terrified when he also realised that he wasn't really trying. The odds were stacked against him, but he should still be able to give Naruto a run for his money. He could always do some thrashing, or maybe put up some resistance by kicking Naruto's shins. Now, if he could just manage to bloody turn around to face his freaking assaulter...

"N- Naruto... Hngh" A sharp nip to the neck was his only reply.

Sasuke couldn't help but notice the primitive reactions to his objections. Something was definitively off. He didn't care how inexperienced he was. This just wasn't right. An arm snaked around his waist and hoisted him up to rest his weight on his knees. Suddenly, he felt cold. Not inside, as a sense of foreboding, he was past that chilling stage of fear. No, he was cold. Blinking slowly, he realised something really disconcerting. From his waist and down, Sasuke was completely bare. And it wasn't in an in-your-underwear-and-embarrassed kind of way, but downright nude, as in naked.

No wonder it was chilly all of a sudden.

An eager hand glided over his thigh as gentle fingers were wrapped around his length. Sasuke opened his mouth in a silent gasp, but stubbornly refused to moan, despite the wicked pleasure. He had to admit, what he was going through now wasn't exactly how he had imagined a rape. He always thought it would be more brutal. This, on the other hand, was rather nice, in a very intrusive way. 'Still wrong, Sasuke, still very wrong,' he chided himself.

Sasuke was tense. It's not that he found himself doubting the other man and his good intentions, oh no, it was just the general intentions he was concerned about. What exactly would happen now? He had no freaking idea!

His response came when he realised he was being... stretched? It was done gently, mind you, but it was still... down there. Sasuke found it uncomfortable and squirmed under the touch, but Naruto didn't stop his unmerciful administrations and soon had Sasuke panting again. Sasuke tried to ignore his own reactions as much as possible, but he couldn't deny the feeling of desperation that clenched around his heart when he felt his body respond.

First now, Sasuke realised he was screwed… or in the process of being screwed.

It really didn't matter right now.

Sasuke couldn't even say if he were mad or just downright scared. But when the man above him started rocking against him ever so slightly, Sasuke had to admit he was frightened to the bone. Still, it didn't stop the occasional moan from escaping his lips and he blushed harder every time a kiss was placed on his neck. It was pleasantly weird, but the lips worked wonders on his nerves, and Sasuke, without even realising, had stopped clenching the muddy dirt with his broken nails and stiff fingers.

He was beside himself.

No longer aware of his surroundings, just knowing he was experiencing the most pleasurable act in the world with a man he didn't know. The thought was not comforting in the least, but the feeling of tranquillity was what really filled him with a sense of foreboding. Sasuke knew he should have been scared out of his wits, but instead it was like a haze of nothingness. He never would have guessed he was so sensitive to another man's touch, and the thought left him slightly miffed. This skilful hand was doing wonders to his body and it was turning his previously harsh pants into begging moans.

Sasuke had heard a lot about sex, but had never done the deed before. He was pretty certain though, that no one had ever mentioned the acute feeling of tiredness that suddenly overcame him. He had the sudden urge to go to sleep before he had even experienced his first release. What an embarrassment that would be! Seriously, he did have some dignity left, did he not? Yes! Hell yes, he did. Sasuke was ripped out from his thoughts when Naruto bent down to Sasuke's ear, his pants as heavy as his own laboured breath, and whispered his name in a deceptively soft voice.

It was Sasuke's undoing as his world went white with wonderful emotions. Somewhere above him through the haze, he could feel the blonde nuzzle his neck, his pace quickened but no less tender. Content and completely satiated, Sasuke allowed himself to slip into oblivion, no longer able to stay awake.

Sasuke never noticed when Naruto lowered himself to the ground to regain his breath. He never stirred when the blonde cleaned them both off. He never woke when Naruto put on his pants again and lifted him up in his arms. He never felt the tender kiss placed on his forehead. And he most certainly did not hear the promise of protection and love whispered into his ear as the blonde walked away from Konoha, still with a precious bundle of Uchiha Sasuke treasured in his arms.

Sasuke scrunched his nose in a way that most would find endearing. He could tell something wasn't right, and with some effort he managed to force an eye open. He was lying down on a futon, but he was not in a room he recognised. Squinting, he took in his unfamiliar surroundings. Like a shot, he was in a sitting position, grimacing at the sharp pain that spread up his spine. A certain orange-clad blonde appeared beside him, hair tousled from sleep and with bleary eyes he sat up to grin at Sasuke contently. Sasuke assessed him with an air of scepticism. If his memories served him right, that guy right there, who sat beside him so indifferently had just...

"You fucked me up!" the youngest Uchiha accused without remorse. Naruto took on a scandalised look and quickly raised his hands in a conciliatory gesture.

"I did no such thing. I fucked you, not fucked you up. There's a major difference here," he argued, looking offended. Sasuke huffed and threw away the covers.

"I can't believe you," he muttered, loud enough for the blonde to hear, but not expecting him to reply. He stood up and trudged across the room, willing away the slight ache between his legs. All the time he could feel Naruto's eyes boring into his neck. Was Naruto mad at him for regretting this? It didn't matter. Sasuke couldn't be blamed for it. He was inexperienced in the art of romantic relationships.

Was it even a bloody art?

Even that didn't matter. How could Sasuke possibly expect to be assaulted by a man whose only interest was in his behind? Seriously, how unlucky could a man get? How could he have prepared himself for such a cunning man as the blonde in front of him? The man had used Sasuke's own non-existent sexual knowledge against him. How could he have defended himself against something he hadn't even perceived as a threat until the man had already pulled down his pants?

Sasuke was furious. He was leaving this place, the sooner the better.

"Where are you going?"

"Outside. Or am I supposed to stay here, ready at your beck and call?"

"Don't be silly. I just don't want you going out alone." Naruto corrected him gently in hopes of calming down the enraged Uchiha and keeping him indoors. "Everyone knows who you are already," he added moodily.

"How so?"

"This village is full of assassins. I am pretty infamous here." Naruto snarled and his eyes narrowed. Sasuke snorted at his answer as he surveyed the small space a second time. "I always thought assassins cashed in great," he commented absently as he stared at the dirty wooden table and its two run-down chairs placed in one corner of the room. This couldn't be even called a flat, it was more like a tiny cottage, and even that was polite.

Naruto's home consisted of two rooms, which was used as a bedroom, kitchen, living room and study combined. The main room had two doors; one led to what he assumed was outside, while the other door was open and connected to a small bathroom. It was clean and tidy, but the space was certainly limited and the furniture dilapidated by use.

"We do, but everything we earn goes to the village. I only get back ten percent of my earnings."

"That's called fraud." Sasuke objected haughtily.

Naruto shrugged. "That's the way it has always been for me," he replied in a low voice and Sasuke felt a little sorry for him. Not much, but a little. He wasn't particularly interested in upholding law and justice, but he considered himself a fair person. And if he were faced with others' harsh conditions, he couldn't help but bristle on their behalf.

"Just you? How much do the others get back then?"

"I don't know, at least fifty percent." Naruto shrugged dismissively and Sasuke scowled. That was a huge difference and he wondered why Naruto received such poor treatment compared to his other colleagues. Surely he couldn't be such a terrible assassin. He would have to dig his heels in on the matter at a later date.

"I'm still going outside." Sasuke concluded as he opened what he thought was the entrance door.

He was met with pink; bright pink.

Lowering his eyes, he found himself face to face with a young woman about his age. Even her outfit was mainly pink and Sasuke had to avert his eyes for a second, just to take in another colour as he strained to erase the pink spots that dotted his vision whenever he blinked.

"So it's true? You took on a mate?" the woman whispered, eyes searching for Naruto. When Naruto nodded she turned back to Sasuke. She scrutinised his face before her gaze travelled down his body, taking in his appearance with a slight frown. "Well, he is pretty," she drawled, "but not really your type, is he?"

Naruto huffed as he slid an arm around Sasuke's waist to pull him away from the door. "He's my mate regardless. Nothing can change that now," he concluded, his tone conveying the end of topic. Sakura wasn't going to argue against her best friend's choices and simply smiled warmly in response. She introduced herself politely before she opted to take the conversation in a different direction. "Kakashi is out patrolling the northern borders, we will be his reinforcement should it be necessary," she informed, eyeing the black-haired man's reaction to the blonde's orders.

A raised eyebrow was the only reaction she got. Naruto on the other hand was much more obvious in his surprise. His eyebrows knitted together as his hold around the waist tightened slightly. "Tsunade has already prepared for reinforcements? Is she expecting trouble?"

"Everyone in the village knows you kidnapped the youngest son of the Uchiha main branch," Sakura bobbed her head in Sasuke's direction. "As far as I know, a small search party under the oldest brother's command is already out looking for him." Sakura paused to stare at Naruto with clear disapproval. "If they discover our village, you know there will be repercussions."

"We're in the mountains, a good few miles from Tanzaku Gai. It takes at least three days to reach this village from Konoha, and that's if you know its location to begin with." Naruto argued; looking decidedly bored as if this was something he had heard often enough before.

"If Konoha ninjas intrude on our land, we will have to act."

"It's not difficult to enter the village territory. It's not my fault we have claimed such a vast area that exceeds the village itself by a good mile." Naruto pointed out with an exasperated eye roll. "A complete waste if you ask me," he added with a huff.

"Naruto brought me here overnight. Why would everyone else use days?" Sasuke interrupted. Both Sakura and Naruto stopped their conversation to look at him, before Sakura gave the blonde what looked like an accusing scowl. Sasuke didn't know what it was, but Naruto had apparently forgotten to inform him of something important, and thus he automatically put on a similar expression to that Sakura had taken.

"Actually, you've been out of it for a while. The bond takes a lot of energy to manifest. Since it affects the submissive more than the dominant, the submissive is always resting for a couple of days so his or her energy level can stabilise itself." Naruto scratched his hair awkwardly as he laughed off his little error. Sasuke, on the other hand, was enraged. This piece of information was imperative for his future escape plans. If days had already gone by, Itachi would most definitely be on his trail and already heading his way, and if he were clever, Sasuke could surely slip away and meet up with him.

This just proved, however, that his first impression of Naruto had been right from the very start. He had every right to dislike him after everything that had been done to him. Naruto was something utterly repulsive, like a worm that slithered and twisted on the ground after rainy weather. He was so horrifyingly disturbed he could probably make any warrior loose his courage with a single look. And if that didn't work he would most likely try and pull down their pants. Naruto was... he was... he was a...

"Dobe."

"Pardon?"

"That's what you are. A dobe." Sasuke repeated hotly as he stared Naruto down. Sakura had the decency to stifle her giggle behind the blonde's back. Naruto's eye twitched as he digested the obvious insult. Now, Sasuke didn't truly believe his hurtful words would have any lasting effect on the blonde, but he had hoped for a bigger reaction than a resigned headshake.

Unfortunately, it was all he got.

Itachi was beyond himself with worry for his otouto. Even their father, Fugaku, had voiced his concern for his youngest son's health when he realised Sasuke was missing. The memory made Itachi shudder and reminded him of the severity of this situation. He squatted down to study the ground; to find clues as to where his little brother could be. Their mission was to retrieve Sasuke, and to kill the ones responsible for his abduction. Shisui and Iruka came up beside him to examine the same patch of dirt that he had been studying meticulously for the past few seconds.

When Sasuke hadn't returned home the next morning after he went to train, Itachi had gone to look for him. There weren't many clues to go by, but Itachi knew which trail his little brother preferred to follow home from the training grounds. He and Shisui had backtracked the way, and a sudden pair of footprints in the dirt proved that Sasuke had met his kidnapper head on. Sasuke's trail and his kidnapper's trail met head on in an area where a scuffle of sorts had obviously taken place. Itachi couldn't tell what exactly had transpired between the two, but he knew it was not something he would approve of. Afterwards, only one had walked away. And judging by the size and depth of the footprints, that person was not Sasuke. The prints were bigger than Sasuke's, and the person who had taken his brother had made deeper prints in the dirt from the added weight of having Sasuke in his arms when he had walked away.

Itachi had been livid.

He still was.

"Are we on the right path?" Iruka inquired, trying to decipher the marks in the dirt so it made sense. Normally on missions, Itachi would take some time to stop and explain to Iruka what he could read from the things he observed, since Iruka wasn't a particularly good tracker, but right now they were in a hurry. Itachi could tell Iruka knew he was high-strung when he didn't ask questions about the trail they followed like he would usually do. He knew he should apologise for his frosty behaviour, but couldn't find himself to really bother with his otouto missing.

Itachi just nodded as he got up and continued running. They had been going at it for two days already with only a couple of hours rest every night. The time it took had resulted in Itachi's behaviour becoming even more laconic than usual, but neither Shisui nor Iruka were insulted by his sudden aloofness. They were quite eager to save Sasuke themselves and didn't bother with the leisurely pace they usually kept. They made an excellent team together, and the knowledge that they would always complete the mission let them effortlessly follow their target, like predators stalking prey. Making haste had never been much of a necessity, until now.

While Itachi was considered the leader of their little group, as his skills were quite diverse, it soon became obvious to Konoha that the two others could hold their own perfectly well alone. Iruka might not be a good tracker, but he was excellent when it came to close- and mid-range combats. Shisui wasn't comfortable with direct fights, but he excelled in using pure wit and agility. He was a master tactician. Together, they were an unstoppable force.

Itachi and Shisui were related and grew up together. It didn't come as a surprise that they got along so well, but no one really understood where Iruka fit into it all as the Uchihas were known for being rather secluded. There was a rumour in Konoha though, that said Iruka befriended the two when his parents were killed on a mission to Earth Country. Some believed that it was with their help he was able to extract revenge. Iruka had never confirmed nor denied those suspicions, and had simply let people believe what they wanted.

Itachi stopped abruptly. "These tracks are still heading south. Hopefully, they haven't ventured into the mountains. Not even we know our way around there," he muttered to himself more than he was informing the others. Iruka frowned. He had heard of the mountains in the south of Fire Country. They were notorious for being deadly with their unpredictable and violent weather, and Iruka would have liked to avoid stepping foot there. Exchanging a glance with Shisui, Iruka could easily tell that his friend shared his view regarding the mountains.

It didn't matter either way what they thought. Itachi would follow his little brother to the end of the world if he had to. And Iruka and Shisui would follow him no matter where these tracks led them. They wouldn't turn around now. If push came to shove and Sasuke really was in the mountains somewhere, well, so would they be.

"How can they see we are bonded?" Sasuke asked curiously as Naruto lead him down the main street of the village. The village consisted of one main street that had the basic shops and offices. Smaller paths led away from the main street and to the private residences of the locals. The village was surprisingly green. Sasuke had assumed that since it was hidden high up in the mountains, greenery would have trouble growing, but apparently he had been sorely mistaken. The village even had its own park; a wide space full of lush grass, proud trees and blooming flowers. In the middle of it was a shallow pond where the children could play on hot days. Sasuke was impressed by the obvious effort it must have taken to create and maintain such a lovely playground for the children.

"People here can feel it more than they see it. It's hard to explain really. If I happen to meet someone who is bonded, I just know. We believe it has something to do with the energy that becomes intertwined when the couple has sex for the first time." Naruto paused to drink in the pretty blush that spread across the cheeks of his loved one. "As you can see, someone here also wears wedding rings too, when they're not out on missions." Naruto pointed at a young redheaded woman admiring a beautiful flower decoration across the street. A gold band on her ring finger glimmered softly in the sunlight. Sasuke stared at it, tilting his head as if to gain a better view. It looked ordinary, very much like something the married people would wear in Konoha. He didn't know why, but since this was a village full of assassins, Sasuke expected things to be a lot more... abnormal.

Naruto took his hand in his and continued down the street. They walked for a while in silence, both apparently deep in thought.

Sasuke wondered whether he would ever receive a gift from Naruto. Now, don't get him wrong, he wasn't ungrateful or anything. The young man knew Naruto didn't have a lot of money, but he still thought he would perhaps be given something as proof of their bonding. Sasuke gave himself a mental scolding. Why should he be bothered with such thoughts? He wasn't really planning on staying for long anyway. No, his main objective was to find a way out of this village, and to do that he would have to become familiar with the village itself first. That was his one and only mission.

A flash of silver caught his attention and he stopped by a weaponry shop to peek inside the windows. Naruto moved up beside him as Sasuke appreciated a pair of beautifully made kunai displayed in its own glass case by the counter. Even from afar, Sasuke could see how the weapons were perfectly balanced, and if he squinted he was able to tell that etched into the very blade of both kunai were intricate silver patterns. It was a beautiful pair of weapon.

Sasuke sighed. This was another thing he shouldn't bother with. He should be paying full attention to Naruto and his explanations of how things were run in this village. "Do you have a map of this place?" Sasuke questioned airily, trying not to appear too interested in the answer as he turned away from the window and continued to walk down the street with an air of indifference.

"No, it's not needed when we know our territory by heart. This village, we call it Tsuyu, which is another name for the monsoon season, is hidden well by surrounding mountains. And we want it to remain that way. Our greatest protection is the Airi Mountains, a mountain range that stretches for about five miles and acts as a barrier between us and other populated places, mainly Konoha." Naruto stopped to pick up a stick and proceeded to draw an explanatory map in the dirt for him. "The Airi mountain range is located north of this village, and the safest way out of here is by following well-hidden mountain trails that only the locals know of. True, there is a mountain passage that faces south, and leads to the sea," Naruto admitted, "but it's dangerous to use it with all the storms coming in over our village through the passage from the sea."

Sasuke frowned. Did Naruto tell the truth or did he try to discourage any escape attempts on his part? However, he never had the chance to continue his probing when something bumped into him from behind. Taking a step forwards to steady himself, Sasuke turned his head to look over his shoulder. On the ground sat a little girl with tearful eyes as she eyed her left pinkie with a trembling lower lip. On closer inspection, Sasuke saw a cut that stretched across the small digit and watched as small droplets of blood trickled down the finger.

Sasuke paled and quickly turned to Naruto. He wouldn't attack an innocent kid, would he? Naruto eyed the little one calmly before he bent down to help her up on her feet. She looked even more frightened as her eyes darted between Sasuke and Naruto. Naruto paid her no mind as he absently brushed her dirtied clothes before he took her hand and entered the small apothecary beside the weaponry shop they had just passed.

Sasuke didn't know if he were supposed to follow inside or wait for him there. Naruto had seemed calm enough; Sasuke doubted the girl would be in any danger if she stayed with the blonde. Quite the contrary really, if Naruto was an assassin, she would be safe. While he stood there, he looked at the insignia over the small apothecary. It was a green cross in a white square, just like in Konoha. It made him homesick again. Naruto had been kind to him, keeping him fed and happy, but this village wasn't Konoha. It housed his family, and although Sasuke wasn't a mama's boy, he still had his fair share of family values. Hell, as much as he would have liked to deny it, even Lee would be a welcoming sight right now, despite his horrible obsession for youth and vitality. It was a trait of the green-clad boy that set Sasuke's teeth on edge, but the boy rarely left the Konoha borders, so he would be a familiar face, just what Sasuke longed to see.

When Naruto stepped out of the shop five minutes later, Sasuke still hadn't moved a muscle. The girl walked in front of him and she turned abruptly to curtsy deeply as a sign of gratitude. Around her injured pinkie was now a small band-aid with purple hearts. Sasuke watched dumbfounded as the little girl bounced away. He hadn't expected Naruto to act so calmly. Last time Naruto had seen blood, Sasuke's blood to be exact, said raven-haired man had fallen prey to a sexually starved blonde. Sasuke didn't feel like being given a repeat performance anytime soon.

"You didn't go berserk," he commented idly when Naruto reached him.

"What do you mean?"

"Last time you saw blood, you lost all reason." Sasuke threw Naruto a stern look for his feeble attempt to play dense when Naruto's eyes only widened slightly in mock innocence.

"That's because it was your blood. You are my Bonded, which means we are compatible in every way. We can't bond with whomever we like. Most of the people here with a spouse are only married actually. We are free to choose our own partner, but we cannot necessarily bond with them." Naruto shrugged, and suddenly Sasuke saw him in a new light. So the fact that they were bonded weren't really the dobe's fault after all. The bond created itself, and it was only dumb luck that Sasuke managed to come across the only thick-headed assassin in this village who had the potential to be his other half.

"Then why did you ask me to bond with you? How could you have known it would happen if you can't control it?"

"We can never know for sure, but there is a certain compatibility or chemistry, if you will, that you don't have to be psychic to see. When I saw you, I felt instantly attracted to you. It wasn't normal, so I assumed you were the one I could bond with," Naruto explained casually, "The only one actually, since we can never bond twice," he added with a shrug.

"So my blood affects you so much because we are compatible?"

"Everything about you affects me because we are compatible," was the quiet reply, and Sasuke went beet-red in a matter of seconds, much to Naruto's amusement.

"I still want to go home."

"I have other orders to follow right now. I can't escort you."

"You don't need to escort me!" Sasuke's ire rose quickly by the blunt response that hinted toward a need for protection. Naruto smirked as he looked down at the shorter male with clear amusement dancing in his eyes. "I know you don't, but I still want to," he argued sweetly. Sasuke was about to give a nasty retort, when movement behind him caught his attention.

"Why am I not surprised that even your own Bonded denies you," a voice crooned as a hand descended on Sasuke's shoulder. Sasuke turned around and came face to face with what he assumed was the shopkeeper from the apothecary. The insignia in front of the store was the same insignia the man had adorned his shirt with. "Don't worry, lad. When you have trouble with him, you can always come to me," he offered with a big grin. Sasuke choked and took a step away from the hand on his shoulder, quite puzzled by the sudden intrusion on his private space.

The man was taller than him, but shorter than Naruto again. He didn't look particularly intimidating, but Sasuke suspected he had some kind of ace up his sleeve if he had the nerve to go against Naruto in an open street. His gray-ish hair fell into his eyes and probably obscured a lot of his vision. Sasuke found it rather impractical, but despite this it was obvious that the man couldn't be much more than in his late twenties. The man looked kind, and Sasuke found himself drawn to the understanding smile he was met with.

He liked this man.

He could prove very useful in the future.

"Don't touch him, Mizuki. Assassin or not, I'm sure you can feel the bond like the rest of us." Mizuki turned his attention on the blonde when he spoke, and flashed him a knowing look. Sasuke could see there was some kind of communication passing between the two, but he had no idea what they were telling each other without words. The man, Mizuki, broke the eye contact first, turning to gaze at Sasuke thoughtfully. "We don't like you, but he," Mizuki looked at Naruto again, "he is innocent," he concluded before he pivoted on his heel and walked away. Naruto quickly snaked an arm around Sasuke's waist as he gently led the smaller male away, scowling intensely at Mizuki's back. Sasuke didn't even bother protesting, knowing Naruto's previously good mood was already hanging by a thread.

He frowned when he realised where Mizuki's bravery stemmed from. It was the very fact that they actually were out in the middle of the main street that the older man had dared talk to them. It was because there were a lot of people present that Mizuki had had the guts to publicly make a move on him and to make his distrust toward Naruto so blatantly obvious. There, in the middle of the street, there would be plenty of... witnesses? Sasuke frowned. He would never have pegged Naruto as the type who would easily resort to violence. He couldn't understand why Mizuki would even consider needing protection. Did they really fear him that much?

He looked around, really looked this time, and abruptly realised all the people who had their eyes on him and Naruto. And no matter what shaded emotions he could make out in the stares he got to scrutinise, he realised neither of them were kind nor supportive. He felt rather... insulted by this discovery. So Naruto had some wayward tendencies like assaulting young men in the dead of night, and he was completely uncaring when it came to Sasuke's need to see his brother, but he wasn't downright cruel. And Sasuke was pretty sure Naruto hadn't done anything to this village that should even remotely earn the blonde an immediate place on their black list. To Sasuke, he seemed to be a very loyal friend and a nice protector.

"I really want to carve his heart out with a spoon now." Naruto interrupted his thoughts with a growl as he tightened his arm around Sasuke's waist, allowing the fingers to bite into his side possessively.

'Then again, just this once, I could be wrong', the youngest Uchiha conceded silently in his mind.

"Why do they hate him?" Sasuke tried to look casual as he stared at Sakura curiously. Sakura sighed as if she were expecting such a question, something Sasuke assumed she did. She dropped the pencil she was holding so she could look at him from beneath her lashes. Naruto had to take care of some urgent business. Sasuke assumed it was a nice name for the meeting with the village authority for illegally bonding with him, because that's what he thought it was.

It had come quite as a shock to him when Sakura had told him Naruto faced punishment for taking him as his own. The reason was that for the safety of the village, no stranger was allowed to enter or leave without the leader's specific permission. Sasuke had never met the leader in person, but Sakura had told him that Tsunade had a soft spot for Naruto, and would go easy on him. Either way, Sasuke had been dumped over at Sakura's in hopes of keeping him happily occupied until Naruto returned.

So he had been sitting beside her while she was writing a report from her latest mission, contemplating how to best ask the questions he wanted answers to. In the end he had come to the conclusion that discretion had never been his forte, and he simply burst out the first question that came to mind. Now that his first question had been voiced, loud and clear, Sakura had stopped writing so she could stare at him with her piercing emerald eyes, as if judging the credibility of his character.

"What you must understand about your Bonded is that his instincts are stronger than what most would consider natural." Sakura replied evasively, appearing very uncomfortable. Sasuke suspected it might be because she was sure Naruto would like to tell him himself. However, Sasuke neither had the patience to wait nor the courage to ask, so he mercilessly ploughed on with his third degree. "And what has that got to do with anything?"

Sakura sighed as she put away her half-finished report and moved from her desk to sit beside Sasuke. He was currently sipping a cup of tea as he looked at her with eyes so big and innocent, that Sakura instantly knew this was a weapon that could make even the most secretive man wear his heart on his sleeve. "Has Naruto told you he is an orphan yet?"

"No."

"Well, he is, and has been one ever since he was four. The people hate him, Sasuke, because they fear him. Naruto killed his own parents, and no one knows how he did it." After her statement, Sasuke forgot how to breathe for a second. He couldn't imagine Naruto committing such an atrocious crime like that. He would never in a million years draw such a conclusion if he were to judge by the way the blonde treated him. On the other hand, he was also aware of the fact that Naruto always put up a good front around him, so he had expected Naruto's assassin side would be much darker, just not to such an extent.

"What? Why would he do something like that?"

"Motives are unknown," she replied, looking rather unconcerned about the fact that Sasuke had just spent days with this murderer, alone. And he wasn't going to downplay his skills because he knew he was better than the average fighter, but an assassin was a whole different level. He could whoop most of the people in Konoha with little to no effort, but even he wasn't inclined to tempt fate.

"That's horrible!" he exclaimed, sending a fist through the air for added emphasis, almost spilling his tea. Sakura eyed him coolly as she took the teacup from his hands and put it on the table in front of them. The tea was cold. Sasuke had spent so much time thinking of how to proceed his questioning, he had completely forgotten to drink with exception of the polite sips every now and then.

"It's all a lie."

"What?"

"It's a lie," Sakura repeated slowly as if talking to a toddler, "But if you ask any random villager here, that will be their answer. It is surprisingly easy to believe lies, isn't it?" she inquired mildly, watching the now bitter tea slowly swirl in the cup. "You don't have to worry though. Naruto did not kill his parents."

"But you said-" Sasuke didn't know what to think anymore.

"And I also said I lied. It is true that his parents died under mysterious circumstances, but I am convinced that Naruto didn't do it. A few others are too, including Kakashi and Tsunade. He was nothing but a child at that time. Just because he was the only witness and has always been considered different, people simply assumed."

"That's very prejudiced of them."

"It's the truth. Even if your meeting was destiny, no one looks upon your bonding with kindness. You see, Naruto has the chance to find happiness with you."

Sasuke blinked, astonished by the cruelty toward the blonde. "He's so different that they can't even stand to see him bonded?"

"He is remarkably powerful if you measure him against the average assassin in our village. Of course we have other talented people here as well, but none quite like Naruto."

"What makes him so different?"

"Naruto is more powerful because he has a mother who was a Konoha ninja, just like you. Her name was Uzumaki Kushina. She married our villager Namikaze Minato, and they had Naruto a couple of years later. It is very simple explanation to it, really." Sakura waved a hand dismissively. "Everyone is related to each other one way or the other in Tsuyu, whether it is through a cousin or a distant relative long before our time. The idiotic fact is that this village doesn't accept outsiders, and with time that makes the selection of partners rather scarce." She smiled gently at his unimpressed expression, knowing he expected a tragic tale of battle and bloodshed. "Naruto has new blood running through his veins. Of course he would be stronger than the other interbred locals," she added scornfully.

"Aren't you also-"

"I am, but at least I have accepted the truth. If we don't open our imaginary borders soon, our village will eventually die out."

Sasuke didn't know how to respond to such a bitter statement. His first impression of the young woman had been good. She seemed bright and unbiased in her strong opinions. He didn't think of her as the type who would be easily swayed by false rumours and half-truths, but to think she had such a brilliant insight when she grew up in a village where the people let age-old rules, probably made during unfriendly times decades ago, still control their firm beliefs, Sasuke was impressed.

Sakura sighed deeply as she took the teacup on the table and stood. "This one is cold now. I'll make you another one," she offered quietly, and Sasuke gave her the space she so discreetly requested. She stopped on the threshold to the kitchen and turned around with a wistful smile. "I know you don't love him," she said knowingly, "and I honestly don't know if you ever will, but you should know that he won't give up on you now."

He didn't move until Sakura returned half an hour later.

Sasuke sighed. He had been here for three days already. He and Naruto had sort of fallen into a habit in the mornings where Naruto would wake up first, cuddle a still sleeping Sasuke for a minute or two, before getting dressed. By then Sasuke would be at least half-conscious and to some degree coherent, so Naruto would take the liberty of giving Sasuke his daily morning kiss, and then Sasuke would spend the next five minutes of his completely alert state to cuss the blonde assassin to kingdom come. They would eat breakfast together and then go and train, being each other's sparring partner. They shied away from the main street as much as possible after their meeting with Mizuki. Sasuke had once ventured to the village alone to buy some vegetables, and had been stopped by several random strangers who wondered how the bonded life with Naruto went.

Within the span of two hours, Sasuke had come to hate the lot.

It was now their fourth day and Sasuke could immediately tell that Naruto had news for him when he didn't receive the standard greeting from the blonde when he entered, what Sasuke had dubbed, the mini-cottage. "Sakura and I have been called out to aid Kakashi on the northern border." Naruto said as soon as he stepped over the threshold. While Naruto had been out, Sasuke had been sent over to Sakura's flat, something he noticed he always was when Naruto couldn't bring him along to wherever he was going, usually job related. Sakura had escorted him home in silence only minutes ago, and Sasuke found the timing suspiciously impeccable. After their chat days before, Sasuke hadn't asked any more surprising questions, allowing Sakura to rest at ease again and continue with her light banter. After their little chat, Sakura had been nervous and tense around him, but now they were back to being friendly and informal toward each other.

"Then can I come along so I can visit home?" Sasuke didn't miss the sharp look that was shot his way at the word 'home'. Naruto only shook his head as he shrugged off his coat.

Sasuke frowned, hit by the urgent want to challenge him, to take down his unwritten authority over him, but most of all, he wanted to see Itachi. His brother would know how to deal with this. "Why can't I? I'll be back within the week," he implored, letting a hint of sadness make his voice quiver more than accepted of an Uchiha. Naruto glanced at him sadly before he sat down on the low chair beside him by the table. "Look, I know you are not used to this primitive life I am leading, but I am doing my best to make you as comfortable as possible. I can take you home soon, but not right now."

And that was the comment that made the dam break. Sasuke felt rising ire boil under his skin as the blonde didn't even pretend to mull it over. He wasn't something Naruto could throw around whenever it suited him and expect to keep him under his thumb. "Then when? No one here trusts you, why should I?" he hissed, his onyx eyes now cold and detached.

Naruto's expression darkened considerably. Sasuke didn't have time to react when Naruto suddenly grabbed his wrists, pulled him up from the chair and proceeded to cage him against the nearest wall. "Yes, everyone here hates me! Does that make you want to run away?" His voice had taken an acrid edge and Sasuke fought the sudden urge to hide his face in Naruto's shoulder, and he inconspicuously inched his face closer to the blonde until his nose touched the soft fabric of Naruto's shirt. "It doesn't matter if you escape. It doesn't matter where you run. It doesn't matter whom you seek out for protection. It all boils down to one simple fact: you belong to me."

Naruto stopped his tirade to stare down at him with scrutinising eyes. Sasuke didn't dare to look up, and so Naruto tilted his head with a surprisingly gentle index finger to his chin. "Do I scare you?" he asked softly. Sasuke turned his head to the side and Naruto let him. He didn't reach for him again, but didn't move away from the smaller man either, keeping him tightly secured between himself and the wall. They stood there in the oppressive silence until Sasuke couldn't take it anymore and cleared his throat awkwardly.

"You think me a fool?" Naruto changed the topic as he took a small step back, not enough to stop Naruto from resting his chin on top of Sasuke's head, but enough to help Sasuke breathe from the simple fact that Naruto no longer let him bury his face in the blonde's black shirt with shame. "To think I haven't noticed how you keep asking questions about how you can best escape the village, you must be the foolish one," he whispered harshly into his ear, giving the earlobe a sharp nip in warning before he let his arms fall to his side. He seated himself on the same chair he had pulled Sasuke up from, tiredly rubbing the bridge of his nose as he left the smaller man standing with his back to the wall.

"Some friends of mine will look after you while I'm gone. Three of them are assassins too, so don't underestimate them. And we have carrier pigeons, so if you try something I will know within the day," Naruto warned briskly as he shot a pointed glance at the Uchiha, hoping beyond hope that the man would understand that any rebellious escapades on his part would not be tolerated when he was away.

"Yes, mom." Sasuke replied mockingly, but Naruto didn't deign his childish comment with an answer. The raven-haired man didn't move for another good five minutes, silently observing the blonde as he sat there with his back to him, shoulders a little hunched and with a slight tilt of the head to the right, as if he were thinking. Finally, the blonde assassin turned in his chair to meet Sasuke's probing gaze head on. "You know I love you, right?" he asked solemnly.

This time is was Sasuke who didn't reply.

Nara Shikamaru.

Yamanaka Ino.

Aburame Shino.

They were friends of Naruto, and currently his self-proclaimed babysitters. They mentioned a fourth one too, Choji something, and Sasuke suspected he was the non-assassin in the group. The three people introduced to him had looked fit, and Sasuke wondered if perhaps Shikamaru was the person Sakura had referred to when she had stated there were other talented assassins in the village besides Naruto.

For being an assassin, Shikamaru was incredibly relaxed. Such an attitude could point in two directions, either the man was extremely stupid, or he was extremely talented. Somehow Sasuke assumed the latter. There was just something about the guy. Every move he made appeared deceptively slow, but Sasuke was quite certain that if he took Naruto's dull kitchen knife and sent it flying, Shikamaru would be beside him in a flash with the very same kitchen knife pressing against his important neck arteries if he didn't watch himself.

The other two didn't make him quite as guarded, but wary nonetheless. Naruto's friends had already fallen into a rhythm where at least one of them popped in to check on him every third or fourth hour. Shikamaru had just left, and if his calculations were correct, Ino would be the next to show up. That gave him four hours to himself, give or take, before the next one would drop by to check on him. Sasuke wasn't taking any chances. Naruto had left earlier that day, while Sasuke was still in bed. He had feigned sleep, so he had been awake when Naruto had planted a tender peck on his lips before he slipped out the door.

It had made Sasuke ridiculously pleased.

Sasuke had realised when he woke today that he felt a little bad for his cold response to Naruto's confession. He admitted to himself that he could have at least said something, and had already promised himself that next time the subject of their relationship was brought up, Sasuke would at least be honest with his feelings and admit that yes, maybe he was feeling something for Naruto too. Although he had a hard time pinpointing what exactly. He also blamed a lot of his mixed emotions on the bond they shared, and wasn't really too trusting of what his heart told him when he knew it could be the bond talking. He had already asked Shino if this village had a library, to see if he could find any information about the bonding process. But this village really was old-fashioned and all information of value seemed to travel on word of mouth alone.

So Sasuke had devised a plan. However, for his plan to work, he needed supplies. It was a necessity that had led him to where he was right now. He leaned against the door cautiously, peering in through the glass to see if he could see anyone inside. Luckily, the apothecary was empty and he pushed the door open. A small bell jingled over his head as he entered. Soon hurried footsteps could be heard, and then the same man who had helped the little girl with the finger cut, stepped out from a curtain-covered backroom to see whom his customer was.

"Mizuki, I need your help," Sasuke pleaded immediately as he went to lean on the counter, watching the man's eyebrows jump straight to his hairline at the smaller one's request. Wordlessly he pushed away the curtain that hid the backroom and motioned for Sasuke to enter. "I need a week's worth of supplies. How far is it from Tsuyu to Konoha?" Sasuke stopped in the entrance when he realised the backroom really was a direct passage to Mizuki's home. He stood in a small, but neat living room with a comfy-looking sofa and a complimenting low table in dark wood. On the floor was a huge carpet to prevent the winter chill from penetrating the floorboards and two pretty flowerpots balanced precariously on a window ledge.

Sasuke frowned. So even the local apothecary was better off than Naruto? For some reason, the thought didn't sit well with him. He focused on Mizuki again when he answered his question. "It really depends on how well you know the mountains," he said with a shrug, "It's not like it's particularly long distance from our village to Konoha, but the mountains can be tricky if you don't know your way."

"Can you draw me a map or something?" Sasuke asked quickly, but Mizuki shook his head. "Sorry, the furthest I've travelled is to the foot of the northern mountains to collect different herbs." It made sense when Sasuke thought of it. If Mizuki was the closest thing they had to a doctor then he couldn't leave the village for long intervals. "I know though that if you walk in a straight line as much as possible, from the village, over the Airi Mountains and continue onwards, you will eventually reach trade routes that take you to Tanzaku Gai," Mizuki added helpfully, and Sasuke's eyes lightened up with this knowledge.

"I can provide you with dry meat, bread, cheese, a mat to sleep on and bandages, some healing herbs, and I think I have two water bags somewhere so you can keep a constant water supply. I've heard the mountains are full of small creeks with clear water, but I don't know how it is after you've passed the mountains." Mizuki walked back and forth in the living room, often disappearing to what Sasuke assumed what the kitchen and came back with a bag to put it all in. "You will also need matches, but be careful of where you light a fire, and I think a dagger can only do you good."

"I- thank you." Sasuke was left in awe as the bag was dumped at his feet, all done within an hour. Sasuke had expected the young man to need some coaxing, a few sweet words to be swayed, but Mizuki hadn't even asked him why he wanted to leave. Now that he thought of it, it all seemed a little too good to be true. "Is there anything else I should know?" he inquired casually, not missing the tight smile he was rewarded with.

"Not that I can think of." Mizuki reached out and ruffled his hair affectionately. Sasuke let him. He took the dagger and put it in his utility belt with his other weapons, five kunai. Naruto hadn't had the time to restock his utility belt with weapons after their last sparring match. A dagger would be really helpful. With a bow, he took the bag and flashed the older man a grateful grin. "Thank you," he repeated sincerely as Mizuki followed him through the store and to the entrance door. "It was my pleasure," Mizuki replied warmly as he opened the door for him. With a small wave, he let the door go and Sasuke watched it click shut with an apprehensive heart. He still felt like he was clueless to something. Well, he was sure he could handle it somehow with the help of what Mizuki had supplied him with.

Only an hour had passed and that left him with hopefully three hours, at least two, to get as far away from the village as possible. He didn't think that Naruto's friends would bother to track him for long, not when he was heading in the same direction Naruto had taken before him. Naruto had told him the evening before he left that reaching the mountains only took hours, and that he would be with Kakashi within the day. That meant the intruders were only a day's walk away, and Sasuke wouldn't be surprised if he found his brother already with Naruto in a headlock when he reached the village borders. Sasuke started walking; his heart light and carefree with the knowledge of seeing his brother soon. If all went according to plan, he would see Itachi within the day, or hopefully Tanzaku Gai in a few days top.

After three hours of energetic walking, Sasuke couldn't help but wonder if the others realised he was gone by now. He had been lucky when he met Mizuki that day. He was indebted to the man. The small paths he had been following so far had been clearly visible amongst the trees and shrubbery, maybe misleadingly so. Sasuke hadn't come across any obstacles yet, which was weird since Naruto had said the mountains were difficult, as good as impossible, to manoeuvre if one didn't know exactly where to step. This was a village for assassins; the surrounding mountains should be full of traps. Or maybe Naruto had lied to keep him tied to his little mini-cottage while he was away. It didn't matter. Sasuke was in high spirits as he came across a small creek trickling down the mountainside. He greedily quenched his thirst before he filled the two water bags Mizuki had given him. His load became heavier, but the added weight was only a comfort since Sasuke knew that water was his most essential necessity. Even the weather Gods seemed to favour him today. Although the sun wasn't shining, the temperature was still high, and he assumed he wouldn't need to light a fire for the night to keep warm.

Then Sasuke frowned as he realised something.

Now that he thought about it, the temperature was almost too warm. The air was so humid and thick it was almost uncomfortable to breathe. And although the temperature was high, it only made his skin clammy. And he who had always been told that the fresh mountain air was healthy; he almost felt a little cheated. On the other hand, the air had never been like this in Tsuyu. The only time he had ever experienced something like this, to a lesser degree, was in Konoha, right before a heavy rainfall with lightning, thunder and the whole nine yards had surprised the village.

And then it hit him, an oncoming storm was approaching. Naruto had mentioned those. Sasuke cursed himself for his ignorant stupidity. A storm could last for only hours to a matter of days. If he were lucky this was a storm of the former type, but he would still have enough supplies if it were annoyingly resilient and never-ending. However, that would leave the assassins with a serious advantage as they knew the mountains and were also probably used to the unpredictable weather. He could only hope the oncoming storm would also wipe away his tracks.

Sasuke assumed the storm would hit sometime by nightfall, and his first priority now was to find shelter before that happened. Since he was currently in a mountain range, he figured his best option at the moment was to find a cave, preferably a bit away from the main path he had been following for the past few hours. He took off from the trail and went into unmarked nature, passed mighty trees and small bushes, noted down the ones full of ripe, edible berries in his mind as he went. They could help him ease down the strain on his limited food supply in the future.

Then he found what he was searching for. He could barely see it as it was almost invisible, but in the looming mountain wall was a small, dark opening. It looked strangely appealing to Sasuke as he thought of what would become of him if he didn't get under some kind of roof soon. He had to bend his knees a little to enter, and he was pleased to see the floor slant slightly toward him as he stood at the entrance and surveyed his chosen shelter for the night. It wasn't very tall, nor was it particularly wide, but since he was the only person he had lots of space to thrive in, so it would do. No water could defy gravity so the cave would at least stay dry. Upon closer inspection, Sasuke also realised the cave went further in, it was deep, but he could faintly eye a wall at the very back, so it wasn't endless. He was thankful for that. It meant that he wouldn't have to worry about people sneaking up on him, but he would also need to stay on alert in case anyone or anything should try and block his only way out.

Dropping his bag on the rocky ground, Sasuke quickly rolled out his mat and plumped down on it. Dusk was almost upon him and the sky had darkened considerably without his notice. As if on cue, thunder rumbled in the sky, sounding dangerously close. The youngest Uchiha wondered if he had time to pick some berries, but just then a drop landed on the ground in front of the cave, and Sasuke raised an eyebrow, wondering if this was a clear answer from above to his silent question. As the rain started pouring down, creating quite the mud hole in front of his cave, Sasuke decided he should do a close inspection of his shelter before he went to sleep. Other reptiles or insects could have made a home of this cave before him, and he hated surprises, especially at night. A certain blonde could attest to that.

Sasuke couldn't be certain, but although it was now dark outside, he didn't even think it was close to midnight yet. Fumbling around in the blackness, he didn't stop until he found a dry stick. Taking it, he went to the cave entrance and stuck out one side of the stick, dousing it with rain before he touched the now wet end. It was acceptable. Not that it mattered anyway. The ground consisted of mainly rock and dirt, nothing was burnable should he drop his self-made torch. Finding his bag and pulling out the box of matches, he fished one up and lit the stick, patiently waiting for the flame to set.

Now that he was able to see more than blurry outlines again, he stood up and decided to start by the entrance and work his way in, following the cave wall. When he had reached the very back of the cave, with no greater discovery than a mad toad by the entrance, Sasuke was a little put off. This whole escape thing proved rather uneventful. As an assassin village, he thought they would be headhunting him for knowing its location. He had expected things to be a little more... dramatic?

That was why he nearly missed it, because he had never expected it. He thought if something would surprise him it would be big, loud and impossible to miss, or in the form of an assassin; stealthy, silent and deadly. But the carefully raised stone plate was so inconspicuous it was baffling. Sasuke almost dismissed it, but due to the upright position it looked a bit off so he bent down to inspect it closer. The cold stone was flat, something that was odd for a mountain rock, and the surface was unusually smooth. It took him some time to really notice it for what it was, and what purpose it had.

It was a gravestone. Someone had taken their time to polish a piece of rock down to near perfection, only so a final homage could be carved into the surface with neat and precise letters.

Here lies Jiraiya

A friend and protector

Quick dictionary:

Yaoi (used in A/N): Japanese term for male/male relationships that includes (graphic) sexual intercourse.

Uke (used in A/N): The bottom in a homosexual relationship

Aniki: Big brother

Teme: Bastard

Otouto: Little/Younger brother

Tsuyu: Monsoon season

Before you say anything I would like you to know that I am aware that Sasuke's reaction to Naruto is way out of character when his first time was practically non-con. But if I were going to write a realistic portrait of a rape victim, this story would've been quite the angst-filled piece of work, and I don't want that. It might be mentioned on more serious terms later, but don't expect something drastic such as a suicide attempt in the near future.

I have the entire plot written down, so I know where this story is going. But I also have a busy school year ahead of me and I know that my time will be scarce. I can't promise quick updates, but I promise a complete story sometime in the future. To be honest, this could take two to three years for me to get done since I can only write during holidays, but the chapters will probably have an average length of ten thousand words (I think) to make up for the serious lack of updates. By then people will probably have figured out half the plot already. Ouch.

Next chapter should be up sometime in January, if everything goes according to plan. Check my profile for more information when Christmas, 2009, has passed.

If you liked this, please let me know. Reviews are like fuel to my fire. (Painted Ys will stop her shameless begging now) Review, onegaishimasu! (Or maybe not)

Ja ne!

P-Ys