A.N- I'll start by saying, thank you for all of the positive reviews! I read fanfiction like crazy and I know how much it sucks when authors take a really long hiatus or abandon your favourite stories. I'm pretty sure that I let everyone know I was taking a hiatus either on my fic or my profile, but I'm sorry if anyone thought that I abandoned The Cursed Sharingan. I had zero intention of abandoning this or even taking such a long break. The thing is not only did I have my first kid and turn into a single mom, but money was really tight and I had to sell my laptop. I actually just bought a new one the day before I updated. I immediately started writing. It took a day and a half-minus obvious breaks-writing and editing that chapter. It ended up being over 10,000 words. I know many authors who will chose to either abandon or re-write their stories completely after such a long break. That is always extremely frustrating. I will do my best to stay true to the original story and writing-style. Again, thank you so much to everyone who reviewed and sent me their love. It's always nice to see how much people appreciate the time and effort that goes into writing. I was quite worried about how that chapter would be received since I hadn't written in over three years. How did you guys feel about the lemon? Was it too raunchy? It was pretty racy! I didn't even plan that. Itachi and Naru had way too much sexual tension and I couldn't wait to get them together! I hope it didn't seem rushed or poorly done. About updates, rest assured that I will continue updating even after this COVID-19 crisis is over. As I said, I didn't have a laptop and wasn't able write. While I certainly have more time now and will be able to update more often, I won't stop when normal life returns. I hope you all stay safe and healthy! Much love from me -melissaaax3
The Cursed Sharingan- Chapter Nineteen
Disoriented. That's the best way to describe how Naruto woke up. The blonde immediately noticed something off about that morning. She felt tired and sore, like she didn't rest at all! Her eyes were gritty and her mouth dry. The blonde huffed loudly. For some reason it felt like she was back in Konoha during the summer temperature peak. Whining, she attempted to push her blanket off, only to realize that there wasn't one to begin with. Way past annoyed now, she sat up angrily. Sleepy baby blues blinked slowly. This was not her room. Why did she sleep in the boys' room? Her eyes drifted around the room lazily. Sighing with frustration she rubbed harshly at her face. At that moment she looked down and froze. 'I'm naked' her thoughts were slow and stilted.
'Look beside you' was the reply she received from her helpful fox-shaped cell mate. His voice was oddly amused and quite dry.
Naruto obliged the ancient being and choked at the sight. Her face turned beet red. 'That actually happened! How did I forget?!' she screamed internally.
'Due to your subpar genetics, you are lacking in intelligence. In this case you are quite fortunate. I wish I could permanently forget the events of last night and this morning. The two of you rutted four times. I have seen animals less busy. You feel unrested because you in fact, did not rest. You certainly lost any scruples you previously had. There will be no way to deny your feelings any longer at least. Your self-denial was quite aggravating' the strongest Bijuu replied casually, radiating smugness.
Naruto's face turned redder. 'Okay I do remember all of it actually! Is it really necessary to insult me so much? Are you glad I gave into my feelings or pissed that I did? Make up your mind!' she snapped, beyond embarrassed. At Kyuubi's chuckle she sighed. The blonde turned to look at Itachi. He looked peaceful in his rest making her face soften. Her eyes trailed down his naked form. The teen bit her lip. 'Kami-sama that has to be illegal' she groaned, stomach curling with lust. She slapped her cheeks twice and jumped out of the bed. First on the agenda, she badly needed a shower and food. She could figure the rest out after!
The genin kunoichi felt a bit silly streaking in her own house, but she made it to her bathroom without any incidents. After an extremely hot shower that felt heavenly on her sore muscles, she dressed in a grey t-shirt and blue shorts. Morning absolutions complete, she headed downstairs to make breakfast.
- -linebreak
Itachi woke up alone and wasn't too happy about it. Sighing, he could only hope that Naruto didn't have any regrets. He dragged a hand down his face, feeling anxious and frustrated. 'She was more than willing and we did talk about things. Yet I still feel so insecure about where we stand' he mused, black eyes staring at the ceiling.
The dark-haired male rolled out of bed lithely. He groaned softly, feeling achy. 'I feel like I completed one of Oto-san's intense training sessions' he sighed, rolling his shoulder. Itachi didn't bother dressing. He grabbed some clean clothes and went to Naruto's room.
Soft dark eyes checked in on all three of his sleeping children in passing, as he made his way to the en-suite bathroom. He showered and dressed quickly, wanting to talk to Naruto before the children awoke.
He paused in the doorway of the kitchen, observing the mother of his children quietly. Naruto seemed to be almost finished making breakfast. She was wearing a pair of the tiny shorts she seemed to favour and a comfortable looking t-shirt. Her long hair was down and darker with water. The sunlight streaming through the kitchen window highlighted her perfectly and made her jewel hued eyes shine.
Itachi didn't want to overthink things, but he wasn't sure how to behave now. Their relationship had evolved so much, so quickly, but he didn't want to just assume where they stood. His internal debate was ruined as she finally noticed him.
Naruto froze as she spotted him. They watched each other quietly. A shy smile bloomed on the teens face, her cheeks flushing. The nine-tails container quickly plated their breakfast and placed the empty pan in the sink. She pushed her nerves aside with her usual one of a kind stubbornness. Quick steps brought her across the kitchen, to the doorway where he was still frozen. She had to stand on her tip toes to make their lips meet, straining her neck slightly.
Her relief was probably noticeable when he leaned down immediately and returned her kiss. Her anxiety vanished and she relaxed under the soft warm pressure of his lips.
Itachi was also extremely relieved. A large part of him feared that she would pretend nothing happened between them. His hands tangled in her hair, pulling her closer to him. Their kiss quickly became heated, the blonde moaning softly as he bit her lower lip.
Naruto trembled in the tall male's arms feeling overwhelmed. She tore her lips away with a gasp, sucking in huge mouthfuls of oxygen. Cheeks flushed and lips swollen, she looked up at him. He had the same look from last night and it was causing her to feel some type of way. She pushed slightly at his chest to get some distance. She wasn't able to think clearly with him so close.
"Good morning" she stated quietly, blue eyes watching him intently.
Itachi brushed her hair behind her ear. "Good morning" he replied, tone soft.
Naruto's blush darkened. "Morning" she mumbled back, making him chuckle.
"You said that already" he whispered, smirking.
Naruto slapped his chest lightly, scowling. "I can't think like this" she replied, pouting up at him. Dark eyes trailed down to her enticing mouth smirk disappearing.
Naruto's lips twitched at the situation. She leaned her forehead against his chest, laughter breaking free. Her shoulders shook slightly with her giggles.
"What exactly are you finding humorous?" he asked in her ear, tone amused.
Her laughter cut off, but she was grinning. "This tension is unreal. I'm sorry. It's a bit awkward. This is just new to me. I mean, I haven't felt like this before" she explained, gesturing between them.
Itachi's lips twitched into a smile. "That makes two of us then" he replied easily, tenderly stroking her cheek.
Naruto bit her lip. "I really like you" she admitted quietly, face serious.
Self-control apparently non-existent, he leaned down and kissed her softly again. His chest felt tight at her admission. The usually calm and collected male was feeling a bit too much right now. When he pulled away, he tried to find the right words to express his feelings. Unfortunately, the Uchiha male was quite aware that he wasn't particularly skilled in that area. He sighed softly, deciding to speak from the heart, embarrassment be damned. "Can we stay like this please?" he asked softly, intense as ever.
The Uzumaki's cheeks flushed. Her eyes crinkled up in a Kakashi-esqe smile. "That sounds like a pretty good plan dattebayo" she answered happily. The blonde moved forward, wrapping him up in a hug. She greedily inhaled his spicy male scent, burying her face in his chest.
Just holding her felt amazing. All of his thoughts and worries were quiet. He felt completely at peace.
A loud cry disturbed them. Naruto pulled back reluctantly, she sent Itachi a wry smile. "I guess they are up now" she stated, chuckling.
Itachi smirked at the blonde. "Parenting is a thankless job that never ends" he quipped, making her laugh. A small hand captured his, tugging him towards the stairs.
The screamer turned out to be Naoto, who in an odd twist of fate woke up first for once. Both Takeo and Satomi were quite unhappy about this situation. Satomi was giving Naoto a run for his money over who could make the most noise. While Takeo was standing in his crib quite unhappily, expression dark.
Naruto giggled at the scene, heading over to scoop up their oldest child. She stuck her tongue out at Itachi childishly, leaving him the two screaming children. She laughed loudly at his visible wince. It was hilarious for her to see one of the quietest people she knew dealing with ear drum shattering level screams.
Neither kid calmed down even after he picked them up. She took pity on him, coming closer and softly cooing at their upset daughter. Gently stroking raven locks, she hummed softly. The baby of the family quieted her sobbing, arms reaching out for her golden-haired mother. Naruto's heart melted at her little sad face.
Itachi was able to focus on calming Naoto and by the time they made it downstairs both children had quieted.
Breakfast was dished out and it seemed to do a lot to quell their children's bad moods. Naruto nudged her cushion closer Itachi with her foot then dropped down to sit beside him. Neither adult noticed the way Takeo stiffened.
She began happily chatting with the stoic male. They were quite distracted with their talk about elemental training and various jutsu. Naruto once more captured Itachi's hand, absently playing with his fingers.
They were brought out of their discussion at a 'splat' sound. Naruto's eyes widened at seeing Takeo's applesauce bowl face down on the floor. He never made a mess. Never. So, she was understandably shocked. The blonde eyed her eldest child questionably. His face was set in a challenging look, eyes narrowed. It was easy to see that the mess was one hundred percent intentional and not an accident. The young mother was quite taken aback and speechless to boot.
Itachi came to the same conclusion within seconds. He stood and made his way over to their eldest son. Bending, he picked up the thrown bowl. He deposited it in the sink and grabbed a cloth to clean the mess.
Naruto's eyes narrowed on her son. She stood as well, grabbing another cloth to help. As she cleaned up, she locked eyes with the tot. "Takeo. Why did you throw your food?" she asked sharply. Light coloured eyebrows were furrowed, expression tight.
The little boy refused to answer and his expression did not change.
Itachi returned from rinsing the dirty cloth. Dark eyes clashed. "If you want to act out for attention then be prepared to also accept the consequences" he stated firmly. The Uchiha male made quick work of the high chair straps. He collected the stiff boy, picking him up and placing him in the playpen in the living room. His eyes met Naruto's upon his return.
The blonde was nervously wringing out her soiled cloth. She threw it in in the sink, feeling beyond frustrated. "I don't even know what that was!" she stated blandly, throwing her hands up in defeat.
Itachi crossed the kitchen, wrapping his arms around her. "I'm sure I do" he answered, pressing a kiss to her head. At her curious look, he added "He is most likely upset about the changes in our behaviour. Children thrive with routines and don't deal with changes well. They are also very resilient, he will get over it eventually" he answered, trying to put it delicately.
Naruto smiled reluctantly. "Look at you. You sound like an expert" she teased, poking him in the side.
Itachi's lips twitched. "I did read a couple of parenting books" he replied, shrugging casually making her face soften.
"Really? When did you do that?" she asked softly, looking down shyly.
Itachi smiled down at the top of her head. His pale hand cupped her chin, wanting to see her eyes. "About a week after our first time" he answered, eyes warm.
Naruto sucked in a breath at that, but he continued before she could speak. "It's probably a bit silly considering the circumstances, but even than I wanted to raise them" he spoke wistfully.
Blue eyes were soft. "It's not silly at all. That's actually kind of perfect" she bit her lip. "If you keep saying these things, I'll fall for you" she admitted warily.
Itachi's breath hitched. "Promise?" he returned, giving her his complete focus. When she nodded yes, he captured her in another heated kiss. The blonde was pushed against the counter as their steamy make out session heated up further.
Both adults were ready and willing to take things to the bedroom, but it was not meant to be. Their attention was dragged back to the two fussy toddlers. Both had finished their breakfast and were impatient to get down.
After cleaning up and finishing their own interrupted breakfast, they headed into the living room. Naruto's expression turned anxious at seeing Takeo. "He didn't eat breakfast" she mumbled, frowning at the tot.
Itachi sighed quietly. "I have to go to a meeting today" he stated reluctantly, feeling his anxiety creep up on him. The sickly male was dreading his upcoming medical appointment. He felt like the happy bubble he was in was about to shatter into a million pieces.
Naruto frowned unhappily at the reminder, her thoughts trailing to her own plans for the upcoming battle. She felt irritated and angry just remembering that everyone was excluding her. "Okay. Go don't worry about it. I'll take care of things here" she said, trying not to take it out on him. She leaned in kissing his cheek softly and turned to her three children.
Within 10 minutes, Itachi was dressed and gone.
Naruto sighed, blowing her bangs back in frustration. "Well let's try breakfast again. I can't let you starve" she stated to her surely son.
- - linebreak
When Itachi appeared at the meeting spot the first person to notice was Kakashi. The Copy-nin pulled a kunai defensively. Despite having the truth about the Uchiha massacre explained to him, he couldn't help but remain weary around the younger male. They made eye contact and he slowly put his weapon away, appearing almost reluctant.
The younger male knew that his sempai in Anbu had felt extremely betrayed by his actions and even responsible for them to some extent. So, he didn't hold it against the silver-haired male. "Kakashi-sempai" he greeted calmly, scrutinizing the jounin. His eyes trailed around camp, noticing both Jiraiya and Tsunade conversing a few feet away.
"Itachi" was the belated greeting he received, dragging his attention back to the legendary shinobi in front of him. The older male pulled out his well-loved orange book, adopting a relaxed posture. "You are looking well" he commented offhandedly. The usually amicable phrase was offset by the way his fingers tightened on the book. "How is Naruto?" he asked sharply, disapproval radiating off of him.
The Uchiha bit back a sigh. "She is well. Understandably upset about being left out of things, but she is managing as well as can be expected" he replied, choosing to ignore the original purpose of the question.
"Is that so? I'm just glad that she is alive. You see I thought she was dead for close to three years. The story Tsunade-sama told me seems almost unbelievable. Not only is Naruto now a female, but a mother as well. As her teacher it is my duty to make sure my adorable little student is well. I will of course be tagging along when you return to see for myself. Will that be a problem?" his words were deceptively nonchalant, but his body language was fierce. There was a faint killing intent radiating off of the Hatake male. It was easy to see how this man not only survived Anbu, but thrived as one of the best Anbu-captains to date.
Itachi met the other man's eyes with a wordless nod. The conversation was clearly over, so he dutifully followed his former sempai towards the two sannin.
"Itachi" Jiraiya greeted distractedly, scanning a scroll.
Tsunade turned to face the missing nin instantly. Her eyes narrowed on him. "Uchiha, you're with me. You and I have much to discuss. I've set up a secure place. We will leave Jiraiya to fill in Kakashi" she ordered. The honey-blonde woman, turned on her heel expecting total obedience.
With a poof of smoke, they vanished.
The room they appeared in was filled with medical supplies. An exam table, various monitors and medical testing supplies. It immediately caused him discomfort.
"Before we begin. I have some things to say to you" The Fifth-Hokage started, turning to face him seriously. When the dark-haired male noticeably flinched, she rolled her eyes. "Relax it's not about Naruto. I'm sure you already know how I feel regarding that. The brat has forgiven you so I will as well. That being said, you will not hurt her again" she stated threateningly. At his quick nod, she continued to her original topic.
"As acting Hokage I must apologize for what happened to your clan. Frankly speaking, Danzo's methods were too extreme. Especially considering that the coup did not actually happen. He sentenced the Uchiha clan to death for a crime they hadn't yet committed. I understand not wanting to have a civil war, but there were so many better ways to handle the coup. That unnecessary loss of life is unacceptable" she said earnestly. The woman in front of him radiated utmost sincerity.
"Sarutobi-sensei was a great man. As a child I idolized him, but he too was also human. It was only after I took over for him as Hokage, that I realized just how infallible he really was" her eyes teared up at this. Both anger and sadness dominated her thoughts. "Shimura never should have been allowed to create and operate root independently. Minato struggled to take control from him and so have I. Almost six years later and I still don't have the proof I need to take him down. Mitokado and Utatane back him at every turn while undermining my own decisions. They have become too politically powerful and are almost untouchable" the words were spat out, her hands clenched in anger.
The dark haired-male remained silent, waiting for her to finish. "The massacre changes things. This battle will be moving from a political battlefield, to a real one" she declared ominously, honey hued eyes met his. "Both you and Sasuke will be cleared of all charges. You will also be reinstated at your former ranks. You will not suffer any punishments, not even probation. All of the Uchiha clan resources are yours as eldest son and heir. You will become the new head of the Uchiha clan. Fortunately, the clan council over-ruled the elders. They were unable to seize any assets when Sasuke defected. The compound is in decent condition. After this battle both you and Sasuke will return. That is not debatable" she explained, eyes narrowed and daring him to challenge her on it.
"Konoha has done a great disservice to not only the Uchiha clan, but to you and your brother as well. While I personally had nothing to do with the events that happened and had no knowledge of this until recently. I feel responsible for the actions of my late sensei. The massacre never should have been allowed to happen. This Konoha is not the village that my grandfather poured his blood, sweat and tears into to make a reality. It is not the village that he died for. You have my word as both the Senju clan head and the Fifth-Hokage that Shimura Danzo will pay in blood" she stated solemnly, her tone was severe and face dead-serious. Itachi's eyes widened, his breath catching. "A squad made up of both you, Sasuke and myself will confront Danzo. If he will not turn himself in for questioning then we will take him out. Either way he will die" Tsunade explained calmly. "At the same time, both Homura and Koharu will covertly be taken into the underground T&I headquarters by Jiraiya and Kakashi. Their brains will be picked apart by Inoichi and they will be questioned by Ibiki. The severity of their punishment will depend on just how involved they were with Danzo's illicit activities. At the very least they will be stripped of their positions. I promise you, if they had knowledge of the massacre their lives will be forfeit. Are these terms acceptable?" she finished quietly, but no less seriously. Her gaze measured him, waiting patiently for a response.
Itachi's voice was choked as he answered "Yes Hokage-sama", Tsunade dutifully ignored the way his voice cracked. The younger male was clearly suffering.
For his part, Itachi was completely overwhelmed. He really did not expect this, though maybe he should have? Itachi gave up on Konoha a long time ago. He had little faith in the governing system of the village. He knew just how poisoned the council was and how little control the Sandaime had over them. After being confronted with the fact that Danzo was able to give out his own missions and fake Sarutobi's signature then face zero consequences, he could no longer believe in the Hokage. To him the Fire Shadow was nothing more than a figure head and no one was the wiser.
Yet, here was evidence to the contrary. Not only did Tsunade apologize for things that she had nothing to do with, but she promised to clear his name. He could return home and make things right. He would finally be able to take vengeance on the corrupt council. He had no doubt that all three would die. She promised their lives, she was willing to take matters into her own hands without proof. She would haul them in for questioning and face any consequences head on. She was willing to risk her life-as surely Danzo would not come quietly. Her reputation and position as well. There were sure to be many people that would be displeased by her actions. All three elders had numerous political ties and friends in high places. Homura was particularly well loved in the daimyo's court. Even so, she was risking a lot to do this.
Her voice was soft as she spoke. "I meant every word I said. First, we have to get through this battle and I need to make sure you survive it. I'm going to examine you now. Please sit on the exam table".
Itachi was quick to obey. Pale green healing chakra surrounded her hands. The Uchiha male held his breath. The sensation was weird, but easily ignored. His body was stiff, eyes watching her face for any hint of a reaction.
Tsunade's eyebrows drew up in consternation. The legendary medic-nin scanned his body thoroughly before pulling away. Her face was stoic as she spoke. "When did you start feeling sick? Jiraiya told me that you were diagnosed as having a respiratory illness, one that you probably inherited genetically" she started with, waiting patiently.
"I was ten years old when the symptoms started. Due to the strained relations between the village and my clan, my father had extremely high expectations for me. I was, in his eyes the greatest weapon for the coup. A prodigy ninja, unmatched in skill and undeniable proof that the Uchiha clan was the best. I suppose, that's why I didn't go see a medical ninja. Instead, I stole generic medication from the supply room of the hospital but my symptoms worsened. Six months later, while I was on a mission I gave in and sought out a Doctor. It was in a small village near River country. He wasn't a medical ninja, but was able to use the diagnostic jutsu. I was given my prognosis, autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis and told that I should retire from active duty immediately. Obviously, I could not do that. So, he prescribed me the medication that I have been taking until this day" The dark-haired male explained quietly.
Tsunade's mouth thinned, the farther he got into his explanation. As a medical ninja, this was the worst possible answer to be given. Some ninja had phobias of the hospital or were scared to be taken off of active duty. They would hide their illnesses and even injuries. Many would die from infection or collapse from illness and be killed while out on missions. With mandatory psych evaluations it became impossible to hide mental illnesses, but physical evaluations were only mandatory in rare cases. The sad truth was that the medical staff did not have the time to complete monthly examinations on all active shinobi. Instead they worked on a simple system. All injuries were to be reported in mission reports. The Hokage would then tell the injured shinobi to report to the hospital for assessment. Upon receiving a headband, you were considered a legal adult. No matter if you were five years old or twenty years old. As the busiest person in the village, the Hokage did not have the time to chase down his or her subordinates and make sure they received medical attention. Instead the Hokage had to trust that they would do so of their own volition. It was a system that worked for the most part. Not many would disobey a direct order. Furthermore, in the case of injuries attained on missions you would need to be cleared before being allowed to accept a new mission. There was a form that needed to be handed back in to the missions office, if you were taking D or C-ranked missions, or to the Hokage personally for any higher ranked missions. The only blind spot in the system would be, 1. If a shinobi or kunoichi did not report their injury or 2. For illnesses or diseases.
Tsunade sighed audibly. Her disappointment was tangible. "Were you ever in Kirigakure or the land of Water when you were ten?" she asked, staring him down. Itachi's confusion was visible, but he nodded anyways. "Which was it?" she added eyes closing in resignation.
"My chunin exams took place in Kiri" he answered easily, wondering what this had to do with his illness.
Honey-coloured eyes snapped open, she fixed him with a nasty glare. "Itachi you do not have an illness. You were poisoned" she stated, causing his eyes to widen. She continued before he could speak. "Had you visited the hospital they would have caught this. There is an antidote for this particular poison. You would have been cured easily. The symptoms mirror those of lung disease. The poison attacks the lungs. First you will experience shortness of breath, then the coughing will start, afterwards you will feel a tightening feeling in your chest as if you can't breathe, and finally the coughing fits would get so bad that you will cough up blood. It is actually the blood clots that will kill you. It is a commonly used slow acting poison to assassinate civilians. Not many people ever realize that they have been poisoned and civilian doctors incorrectly diagnose it all the time" she explained tersely.
Her words upended everything Itachi thought he knew about the world. The Uchiha male was speechless.
The Fifth Hokage sighed. "In short, you have no one to blame for your own suffering, but yourself. I understand that you think you had your reasons for not going to the hospital, but I cannot accept how carelessly you acted. At ten years old, you were more mature than civilians three times your age. Already a chunin with years of active duty under your belt. You should have known better" near the end her voice turned harsh with frustration. "Despite knowing the diagnostic jutsu, the Doctor that you visited was a civilian doctor. Medical ninjutsu is not easy. The diagnostic jutsu is just a fancy parlour trick if you lack the knowledge to actually interpret what you are seeing! You saw a jutsu and assumed that his diagnosis was correct. Furthermore, you didn't even bother to get a second opinion!" she snapped. Her lip curled in disgust at the situation.
Her words made the male in front of her shrink into himself. She could visibly see how upset he was. Tsunade grit her teeth and took a step back from where she had been crowding him. Her voice was much more level when she continued, "The good news is that the medication he gave you thinned your blood, which made your coughing spells a lot less dangerous. Blood thinners prevent blood clots, so that medication is likely what saved your life".
Itachi met her eyes hesitantly, she could tell that he wanted to ask questions but was too ashamed to interrupt. Tsunade cleared her throat, deciding to get to the part he wanted to know. "You will live" she stated bluntly, making him go almost boneless. The younger male hunched over on the examination table with relief. "The poison has run unchecked in your system for thirteen years. You have your hardier shinobi genetics to thank for your life. Even with blood thinners, a civilian child would have lasted five years at most" she stated severely, wanting him to know just how fortunate he truly was. "You will need a very invasive lung surgery. The poison has seeped into your lung tissue and even spread to your heart. You will need months of continuous treatments and rehabilitation and years of medication. The damage is extensive, but I am one hundred percent positive that you will survive" she ended softly, watching him expectantly.
All of her anger and indignation disappeared as his shoulders started to shake. Honeyed orbs softened dramatically in her beautiful face. The pig-tailed woman gave him a moment to collect himself, continuing when he met her eyes once more. "I would prefer it if you stayed out of this battle, but I know that you won't and the truth is we need you. Madara/Tobi, whoever he is needs to die. My brat won't be safe until he does. I want him six feet under, or a pile of ashes on the wind" she stated fiercely. "Your surgery will wait until this is over. Instead I will need at least a day to begin preliminary treatment, administer the cure and put together suitable medication. For obvious reasons I cannot do this in Konoha. You will have to return tomorrow" she decided.
"Thank you Tsuande-sama" Itachi replied, feeling the utmost gratitude for the blonde woman. He bowed fully to her. In the span of a couple hours she had not only earned his complete respect, but he was now indebted to her thoroughly. The dark-haired male had accepted his fate a long time ago. He knew death was an inevitability and was resolved to face it head on when the time came. To hear that not only would he live, but that he would also be cured was almost unbelievable. The young man was still internally despairing his poor choices and regretting his decisions, but for the first time in as long as he could remember he had hope. He would have a future. It was now a guaranteed. The smile that overtook his face was amazing.
Tsunade's lips twitched as well. "Okay we aren't quite done yet. I need to talk to you about your eyes. I'm going to be blunt with you. I don't know much about the mangekyou sharingan. The only one I have been able to study is Kakashi's. I know he is not a full-blooded Uchiha, but I had a hunch that things would be the same. Fortunately, my scan proved me right" she explained professionally.
"Listen up brat. Normal pathways are too narrow to allow the amount of chakra that your techniques need, but the pathways in both of your eyes and Kakashi's sharingan eye are four times the normal size. They are much wider and consequently, very brittle. Each time you use your mangekyou sharingan abilities, you force massive amounts of chakra through those pathways and flood your eyes with chakra. Overtime the excess chakra has been eating away at your retina, essentially disintegrating the part of your eyes that allow you to see. This is what is deteriorating your eye-sight. I cannot heal your eyes. The only way to prevent complete blindness is an eye-transplant of both eyes" she lectured, calmly observing his reaction.
"That's right. You would have to give up the sharingan. The only other pair is your brothers. Kakashi will be in the same boat as you eventually. His eye has already deteriorated about ten percent" Tsunade explained bluntly. The Hokage rocked on her heels, watching him expectantly for a reply.
"I have one of Shisui's eyes. Shimura Danzo has the other. He killed him for it and committed blood line theft" that familiar pain returned anytime he thought of Shisui. He truly missed his best friend.
Tsunade's expression turned severe once more. "Something about this was in Sensei's notes, Shisui's mangekyou had a special ability that he planned to use on your father to stop the Uchiha rebellion. Sensei was under the impression that he killed himself" she replied, trying to remember all of the details from the report.
"It's very likely that he did not know" Itachi retorted, remembering the days leading up to the massacre left him feeling numb. He felt completely bereft of emotion. He knew that Sandaime-sama allowed Danzo to get away with many things, but he couldn't believe that the man would allow blood-line theft and the assassination of a very skilled and beloved jounin to be swept under the rug.
Tsunade was not able to give her late sensei the benefit of the doubt. "I can only hope so. Sensei is extremely fortunate that he is already dead, because if he had any knowledge of that then the clan council would have killed him" she replied morbidly. Perhaps it was disrespectful of her to speak ill of the dead, but she had very little respect left for him. It cut her to the bone to feel that way about one of the people she loved and used to look up to, but she couldn't make excuses for him. The last Senju, was probably the one with the most accurate idea of the many ways that the Sandaime Hokage failed. She was also the one stuck cleaning up his messes. "I will need to examine the eye that you have. Shisui also had the mangekyou sharingan. If the deterioration rate is over forty percent then it will not make a viable transplant. The same goes for the other eye. I'll have a better idea after we retrieve it" her answer was short and succinct. Her words showed her complete confidence that they would too.
Itachi stood without speaking. The dark-haired male flew through the hand signs for the summoning jutsu. With a poof of smoke, the crow with Shisui's eye appeared.
Tsunade's lips twitched in distaste. 'Kami-sama, in a bird!' she groused mentally. She was easily able to remove the eye and placed it in a medical jar. The blonde woman sealed it away immediately. Tsunade eyed the tall male in front of her. "Well that wraps things up. We should go check in with Jiraiya".
- - linebreak
Tsunade and Itachi returned to find the two light-haired males slouched lazily on the ground. One was very clearly shamelessly reading porn, while the other was unabashedly writing it. Her eye brow twitched. She made sure to slap her genin team-mate on the back of the head as she passed. Even that small strike, rocked his body forward.
The lecherous sannin groaned. "Damn it Hime! Was that really necessary?" he snapped, giving her the stink eye. At her furious glare, he shrunk back.
"The two of you are supposed to be strategizing!" The Hokage snapped. Even the famously aloof Hatake male, quailed beneath her glare. His orange book closed with a loud snap.
"We are already finished. You've been gone for hours" the long-haired sannin complained childishly. He flinched at her sharp look. 'Tsunade-hime is as fearsome as ever' he decided, wincing at the memories of the numerous beat downs she single-handedly delivered him.
Tsunade's scowled fiercely at toad sage. "That's good then. We can return back to Konoha. The longer we are gone, the higher the chances of someone noticing that I had Katsuyu replace me are" her word was law.
In this case, Kakashi gathered his courage to interrupt. "Hokage-sama. I'd like to return with Itachi and see Naruto" he stated firmly.
The Hokage glared at him. The truth was that the honey-haired kage could understand where he was coming from. She too desperately wanted to see the Gaki. Unfortunately, she had already been away from the village long enough and she'd have to disappear all of the next day to heal Itachi. There was no way that she would be able to go see the Uzumaki girl. She felt a little jealous even as she decided to allow him to go. "Hatake, you are officially on a mission. You will return with Itachi tomorrow morning. I want you both here no later than 7am. If I have to wake up before dawn to sneak out of the village than you can surely make it here by 7am. Lateness will be severely punished. Dismissed" she replied tartly. Her pig-tails snapped as she turned. "Jiraiya. You're with me. I need to work in my lab. You are on paperwork duty" she stated gleefully, grabbing the back of his red haori. The two disappeared in a plume of smoke amidst Jiraiya's spluttering.
Itachi slowly turned to Kakashi. The silver-haired man, nonchalantly approached him. He was holding make-out paradise with one hand. The other, he placed on the Uchiha's shoulder. They too vanished in smoke.
- - linebreak
Naruto was successfully able to feed Takeo without any more incidents. Thankfully now that his father was gone, he didn't seem inclined to misbehave. He was obviously still upset, barely interacting with his siblings and looking way more solemn than any two year-old had a right to be. The young mother was determined to ignore it for the time being.
She spent the later hours of the morning catching up on laundry and house work. The four of them had a peaceful lunch. Takeo perched himself in the corner of the living room with his Naruto doll. Naoto and Satomi had a blast playing with their new toys.
Content to let them play, she settled down in the living room with a scroll on Fuinjutsu. She was halfway through a theory on time and space fuinjutsu when she remembered the contact-scroll that she gave Jugo.
The blonde hopped of the couch to retrieve it. When she opened it up, she noticed that the orange-haired male had written her. Naruto felt extremely guilty for forgetting about it. She honestly meant to write him, but had been busy with the triplets' birthday. She smiled softly at the words.
I hope the kids have a happy birthday. Are you well? We had a meeting with some Akatsuki members and Jiraiya. Things went as well as could be expected. Now we are just camped out and waiting for orders. They did. Their second birthday was a major success. Did the Teme bring you guys the left-overs? I am a bit frustrated about being left out of things, but I understand why. Besides that, I'm great. I hope you guys can come visit again before this big battle. The words turned the pale blue colour of chakra after she finished writing, before drying in black ink. The blonde fell back on the couch, fiddling with the scroll absentmindedly. Thank you for the food. It was great. Suigetsu was especially happy. I'm glad you are doing well. I'm sorry that you feel that way, but I'm just relieved that you will be safe. I don't want anything bad to happen to you. I would like to see you again as well. Perhaps you should ask Sasuke-sama The Uzumaki teen blinked down at the scroll in shock. She hadn't expected such a quick reply. Her cheeks flushed slightly at his words. Rather than feeling annoyed she was actually flattered. Something about the older teen just had a way of calming her down. Contrary to his curse he had an inner peace that even animals were able to feel. I'm glad you guys liked it. I half thought Sasuke-teme would throw it out. He said that I spoiled you. I will send him a letter and ask. I have to make dinner. Hopefully I will see you soon. Have a good night! She chuckled a little at the instant answer. See you soon. Smiling happy, the blonde rolled up the scroll with a flick of her wrist. Now in a much better mood, she strolled into the kitchen to make dinner. She sent a single shadow clone out to babysit. Her hip-length golden locks were quickly gathered up and put into a messy bun. She hummed as she catalogued the available ingredients in the fridge. Her eyes lit up in delight. "Ramennnnn" she sang happily, spinning away from the fridge. She giggled to herself. She hoped Itachi liked ramen. Her heart beat picked up a bit at the thought of her quiet lover. The blonde's mind was busy with thoughts of the black-haired male. She also was wondering what the meeting was about. She wished she had access to inside information about what was going on, but she knew even if Sasuke and Taka went to the meeting they would not tell her about it. Sasuke-teme never agreed to help her, only not to interfere. She pouted at the thought. 'What a lousy best friend. So unreliable' she mussed grouchily. Her thoughts drifted once again in a very different direction. 'I wonder what will happen when Itachi returns. After the kids go to sleep it will be just the two of us. Maybe he will want to-kyaaaa' her cheeks were aflame at her lusty thoughts. The blonde girl often found her thoughts straying in this direction throughout the day. It was hard not to think about it and pointless to deny that she was actually very excited for some alone time tonight. She was brought out of her racy thoughts by a splash of hot broth. She cursed herself for getting so distracted. "Itai" she mumbled, pulling her wet t-shirt away from her burnt stomach. She lowered the temperature on the ramen so that it would simmer. Rather than just change, Naruto decided to shower. The hot shower did a lot to calm and relax her. She dressed quickly in a white silky camisole and short pyjama set and brushed her hair, leaving it down. Her cheeks heated up at her reflection. 'It's not too obvious is it?' she wondered, tilting her head to examine the outfit. Kyuubi snorted. 'You reek of desperation. The only way you could possibly be more obvious would be to greet him naked' and then, 'Although those scraps of fabric aren't far off'. Naruto blushed and scowled at him. 'I guess it's perfect then!' she snapped back haughtily. She spun on her heel and returned downstairs. Her mood immediately plummeted as she locked eyes on Takeo. Her heart twisted in her chest. Sighing, she made her way over to the boy. Naruto knelt fluidly in front of him. "Take-chan. Mommy was upset with you for throwing your food this morning, but I still love you. I don't understand why you are so upset and it is making mommy sad to see you like this" she explained gently. The dark-haired child tucked his head down, appearing visibly saddened by her words. "Will you come sit with mommy on the couch? I could use some cuddles" she asked gently, smiling sweetly at him. Without hesitation, a tiny hand took hers. She could only feel relief as she led him to the couch. They got situated on the couch, with him curled up against her as she lazily flipped through the T.V. channels. Naruto laughed out loud as she found a Princess Gale movie. She smiled wistfully at the good memories and decided to leave it on. It turned out to be a good choice, as the action-packed fighting scenes and loud noises seemed to draw the other two toddlers in. Within minutes Naoto and Satomi had joined them on the couch, absorbed in the movie. The clone winked at the original Naruto, tidied up the living room and dismissed herself. They were about halfway through the movie when her sharp ears caught the sound of a reverse-summon. She continued to gently stroke Takeo's hair. His eyes were closed in his spot cuddled between her and the side of the couch. Naoto was sprawled across her lap on his stomach. Satomi was cuddled up behind her brother, but leaning against Naruto's other side. The little girl had her head resting on her mother's stomach. This is the scene that Itachi returned to. His breath caught and his eyes softened. It is also the scene that Kakashi walked into, his breath caught for completely different reasons. Naruto went from smiling happily at Itachi to gaping at her sensei. "K-kaka-sensei?!" she all but shrieked. The noise startled all three children, drawing their attention to the stranger in their home. Itachi sighed as the moment was ruined. He stepped forward to pick Naoto up from her lap. With his other arm he grabbed Satomi, disappearing into the kitchen without a word. Naruto stood quickly. In two short steps, she threw herself at the silver-haired male. The force of her lunge made him slide back a bit, but he braced himself quickly. Muscled arms closed around her quickly like a snare trap. "Sensei!" she said happily, attempting to pull back and look at him. His arms didn't budge, and she was stuck with her head in his shoulder. Kakashi was hardly able to get a good look at her before her tackle hug. 'She looks like Kushina' his thought was full of wonder. 'Kushina with sensei's colouring. She's so little' he thought worryingly. She felt extremely breakable in his arms. Even with a sex change she still acted the same. He had no doubts about that. He didn't even bother trying to hide the way he scented her. Cloth mask burying in her hair. He had half a mind to pull his mask down as well and barely resisted. One hand tangled in her long locks. 'Naruto. She's alive' he reassured himself, trying to calm his racing heart. The scent did not lie. Sure, she smelled a bit different, more feminine and there were three other scents on her as well-probably the children's he noted absentmindedly. Itachi froze in the doorway. Dark eyes narrowed at the sight. They were the picture of a lover's embrace. Jealousy curled in his throat, thick and sour. He had to forcefully tear his eyes away. Black eyes fixed on Takeo, reminding himself of why he came back into the room. His son was also staring at the intense reunion taking place in front of him. The toddler looked confused and upset. When Itachi made to pick him up he willingly went with him, clutching to the familiar male like a life-line. His attention remained fixed on his mother and the unknown intruder. Itachi knew that he should give them privacy and let them catch up and yet he was physically unable to make his feet move. He settled for clearing his throat awkwardly. Sensei and student separated. Naruto looked at him questioningly, but her eyes quickly drifted back to the jounin in front of her. It was easy to see that her eyes were wet. On a closer look, tears were freely falling down her face. The Uchiha heir felt his heart shudder to a stop at the sight. More alarmingly, the child in his arms locked up. Takeo's whole body went stiff, dark eyes wide. In seconds, the toddler in his arm was bawling. Both mother and father froze at this. Itachi shook off his shock first. Her tucked Takeo into his chest, gently stroking his hair. "Shh it's okay. Mommy's alright. She's happy" he explained, trying to reassure the distraught toddler. He pinned the other two adults with a look. "Perhaps we should have dinner" he suggested over Takeo's sobbing. Naruto wiped at her eyes quickly. "A-ah yeah! Kaka-sensei come eat. I made ramen" her smile was a bit weak and her voice cracked with emotion, but it seemed to do the trick. The blonde grabbed her sensei's hand and pulled him into the kitchen behind her. Itachi followed sullenly, eyes locked on their joined hands. Naoto and Satomi were already eating, making a mess with their ramen. Feeling like both of them needed the comfort, Itachi chose to let Takeo eat with him. He grabbed his bowl off of the high chair and took his usual spot at the table. Naruto gently guided Kakashi into a spot at the table and served him a bowl of ramen. She then grabbed her own bowl and dropped down next to her quiet sensei. Almost as if unable to resist, her hand curled around his once more. "Sensei" the blonde began hesitantly, making no move to touch her favourite meal. "I've missed you" she stated quietly. Her voice was sad and her expression serious. "I'm so sorry for worrying you and not reaching out to you. I wanted to. I stopped myself so many times!" she rushed to explain, her eyes tearing up once more. A hand landed heavily on her head and roughly messed with her hair. Naruto gaped at the older male. "Ma Naruto, Tsunade-sama explained everything. I know why you didn't tell me. I'm glad you are okay. Sakura-chan, Sai and Tenzo will be happy to see you when you return. Team Kakashi isn't the same without you" he replied with his typical devil-may care tone. The blonde sniffled, doing her best not to burst into tears again. Her hand tightened on his. "I can't wait to see them. I want to go home" she returned. Her voice was filled with an aching longing and both males could see that Naruto meant every word. Kakashi's visible eye curved up into his signature eye smile. The look was enough to make the blonde-haired girl relax completely. That look was Kakashi-sensei's way of telling her that it was going to be okay and maybe it was childish of her, but she believed him. Her hand slowly released his and she turned her attention to Takeo who was still crying softly in Itachi's arms. As he was known to do, Kakashi whipped out his book sliding into a lazy slouch. "Um Kaka-sensei I want to introduce you to my kids" she said quietly, standing and walking over to grab Takeo. The little boy latched on with a death grip, twisting his fist tightly in her hair. He buried his face in her neck, as close as physically possible. Naruto sent Itachi a grateful smile, turning back to her sensei. "This one is Uchiha Takeo. He's the oldest. Sorry he isn't usually like this. It has been a rough day for him. The other boy is Naoto. He was born second. Satomi is the girl and the youngest" she explained, pointing out her children. "Your puppies are cute, but they don't look like you at all" her sensei quipped, making her scowl. "Such a back-handed compliment. You say it like I'm not cute!" she mumbled, shooting him a glare and pouting. Her eyes trailed over to Itachi, cheeks turning pink. "Well they take after their Oto-san" she stated lamely, feeling embarrassed. Kakashi 's attention also turned to Itachi. The older male said nothing, turning his attention back to his blonde student. He made a show of scanning her. "I would never say that about any of my cute adorable students" he answered childishly, eye curving up into a u. Itachi stiffened at the way his former captain checked her out and tensed at his words. The Uchiha heir had also taken the time to examine his girlfriend and very suddenly realized how skimpy her pyjamas were. His shoulders stiffened. The glare he sent at his former taicho was chilling. Of course, it bounced right off of the aloof Jounin. "Perhaps you should dress for company" Itachi said quietly, barely restraining himself from carrying her upstairs and covering her from her toes to her chin in fabric. Naruto looked down at herself and blanked. Tan cheeks turned crimson alarmingly fast. "Ah e-excuse me!" she stuttered, vanishing out of the room. Kakashi's single visible eye immediately focused on Itachi. "You seem quite close with Naruto" he observed, idly flipping the page in his book. "I'm a bit shocked. I never would have believed you could have developed those kinds of feelings for her. I always thought you'd die alone. I bet twenty thousand ryo on it in the Anbu betting pool" he stated nonchalantly. Itachi's lips thinned at his words, glaring intensely. Kakashi chuckled. "Relax. No need to get worked up. I'm not exactly opposed. She seems happy enough" he added, not looking away from his book. Itachi relaxed, feeling both annoyed and oddly happy to get his approval. "Should that change though...I'll kill you" his voice was dead serious, killing intent intensely focused on the Uchiha male. It disappeared just as quick as it came. Then in his usual lazy tone, "No one would find your body. You've seen me do it before". Naruto wasn't quite sure what she returned to. The environment was oddly tense but the two males inside looked calm and collected. Itachi was poker-faced like usual and Kakashi-sensei appeared to be absorbed in his Icha-Icha. Her eyes landed on the empty bowl in front of her sensei. Her eye brow started to twitch. Itachi looked from Naruto to the bowl. His own eye brows rose in surprise. 'I didn't even see him eat. How frightening' his thoughts were tempered with the fact that the other man just threatened his life. 'He could probably do it too' he mused feeling chilled. The only thing that calmed him down was the knowledge that he had no intention of making Naruto unhappy. He vowed to make her the happiest woman ever and he would do whatever it took to accomplish it. The blonde was wearing a light orange sleep yukata that covered a lot more skin thankfully. She plopped down in front of her untouched bowl, moving Takeo into her left arm. "You haven't changed at all Sensei" she stated dryly. Kakashi touched his chest as if she struck him. His voice had a fake pout "Mou words hurt too Naruto-chan, no need to say it as if that's a bad thing". Naruto rolled her eyes. The blonde coaxed Takeo to eat, patiently feeding him in between her own bites. She smiled at Itachi as he too began to eat. "Have you seen Sasuke-teme?" she asked conversationally. "I haven't yet. Most likely I will see him tomorrow. Should I give him a message?" The silver-haired male asked lazily. Naruto laughed. "Yeah tell him to come visit with Taka. I'm not sure when this big battle is going down, since no one will tell me anything" her voice turned accusatory towards the end. "Judging by all the activity I can only assume it's close. I want him to visit once more before then. Tell him that he has no choice. If I have to sit on the side lines like some useless academy student, then he can damn well visit me!" she added, scowling at her bowl. "Ma, you know Sasuke won't like that. Are you trying to cause problems between us? I don't want to ruin my reunion with my other adorable little student" Kakashi's whine was delivered in his usual lazy tone. The effect made it even more annoying. Itachi hid a smile at the statement. He found it comical that his sempai referred to his Ototo as adorable. Just imaging Sasuke's reaction should the other male say it to his face, had his lips twitching. "Are you going to give him my message or not?" Naruto snapped, feeling annoyed at her teacher's antics. "Of course. It's a jounin sensei's duty to assist his genin" he replied blandly. Naruto's fist curled on the table's edge. "More hidden insults. Why did I miss you again?" she whined, pouting childishly. Dinner finished quickly after that. Itachi offered to give the triplets a bath so that teacher and student could talk privately. Takeo was either too tired to fight or their relationship had improved drastically. He let Itachi take him from Naruto without a fight. All three were bathed and in bed quickly enough. The dark-haired male sat on the blonde's bed, watching his sleeping children. Alone for the first time all day, he took the time to think about his meeting with Tsunade. A lot happened. He felt like he hadn't really fully processed everything. It was one thing after another all day and he was overwhelmed to say the least. The Uchiha male felt like he had emotional whiplash. He went from feeling lust, affection and happiness with Naruto to being worried and upset about Takeo. Then came the stress and anxiety over his meeting with Tsunade. Shocked and humbled by Tsunade-sama's speech about the massacre and then self-loathing and regret to hear that he screwed up so badly with his health. Finally, relief and my what a relief it was, to hear that he could be treated. He would live. He could stay with Sasuke, Naruto, Takeo, Naoto, and Satomi. He would be able to watch his children grow. They could all go home to Konoha. He would be able to turn Uzumaki Naruto, into Uchiha Naruto. Then they could get started on those five other children that the blonde teen wanted. His breath left him at his thoughts and he honestly broke down. It was a long time coming. He knew that he took the word repressed to a whole other level. An expert at bottling up his emotions in the worst way possible when he really needed to feel them. He cried silently for a while pouring out his stress, sadness, pain, and grief. When he finished, he pulled himself back together again. He felt lighter and freer in a way he hadn't since he was young. Before shinobi training and duty to the clan took over. Before he was buried under the expectations of his father and caught between his clan and the village. Itachi showered and changed. He laid back on the bed, eyes closed. Just like that he fell asleep. - -linebreak Kakashi was settled for the night in the boys' room and Naruto was honestly glad that she showered earlier. It was almost 2am and she was drained. She tiredly made her way to her room. The door opened soundlessly. The room was dark. The faint moonlight from the window was the only light. She quietly passed all three cribs looking in on her sleeping babies and making her way to the bed. Blue eyes widened. Her breath hitched at how beautiful he looked. The moonlight spilled across his pale skin and made his dark hair stand out attractively. His aristocratic cheek bones and sharp chin made him look almost supernaturally elegant. All of those things could not hold a candle to the utterly relaxed content expression on his face. At that moment, she realized she loved him. Her breath hitched her chest tight with emotion. 'Kami-sama I love this man' it was both a declaration and a promise. Naruto's yukata dropped to the floor. The blonde placed a tan knee on the edge of the mattress and slowly crawled towards her sleeping beauty. Her lips twitched at the thought, but she didn't let her amusement carry her away. Blue eyes were dark and intense as she gently straddled the Uchiha male. She rested her weight on her knees, not fully sitting on him. She braced herself over him with her arms. Long golden locks fell around them, shielding them in. Her mouth was gentle on his, soft and questing. She patiently kissed him, waiting for him to wake. Only when his hand cupped her head and his lips trapped her own, did she fully lower her body against him. The blonde could tell that he was exhausted, his movements clumsy with sleep. She willingly took the lead. She gently coaxed him out of his shirt. His hands gently stroked her naked body and caused her distracted her greatly, but soon they were both completely naked. Mindful of their sleeping children and her sensei down the hall-and Kami-sama wasn't that a thought-she was careful to be quiet. Her lips captured his as she stroked him to hardness. His breath caught loudly as she thumbed the slit on top. His hands clutched her tightly. Only when he started gasping and writhing did she release him. Naruto thought she should probably be embarrassed to be so wet when he barely touched her, but she decided to take it as a confirmation of how much she wanted him. She was slow and hesitant as she positioned herself above him. Her eyes met his in the darkness and her stomach fluttered. His hands gripped her waist, but he made no move to force her down. She sank down on him slowly and the sensation made her lose her breath. Her head fell back, body still. Itachi's hands tightened on her waist almost painful. The blonde opened her eyes to look at him. His mouth was parted, eyes clinched shut and cheeks flushed. Her own cheeks burned at the sight. She began moving slowly, raising and lowering her body. Both of their breathing picked up. It felt like the most exquisite of torture and yet she made no move to pick up the pace. Instead she started undulating her body, rolling her hips into his with increasing pressure. Itachi's hand fisted her hair. He pulled her close and captured her mouth. The truth was, he was having a very hard time remaining quiet. He moaned softly into her mouth as she rode him. He could feel his orgasm approaching. He released her mouth, gasping in fresh air. His hand tugged at her hair pulling her back into a sitting position. His other hand slid down to where they were joined. He rubbed at her slowly, dark eyes watching as her lips parted. She bit her bottom lip to keep in her moans, rolling her hips harder. It was only as she cried out erotically, that his hand on her back shifted. He grabbed her waist and began pulling her down harder. The sound of skin slapping skin echoed slightly in the silent room. Naruto was too lost to even care about the noise. "Itachi" she whimpered quietly. She repeated his name breathily as her orgasm crested "Oh mm. K-kami". Itachi's hit seconds after and he bit through his lip to keep silent. He actually drew blood and barely felt the pain under the waves of pleasure. If anything, it heightened it. It felt like it lasted much longer than it actually did, but eventually Naruto collapsed against him. The blonde panted into his neck. She recovered first and pressed gentle kisses into his neck and shoulder. "I'm sorry for waking you" she whispered, pulling back slightly to look at his face. "You can wake me like that whenever you desire" he replied. She squeaked out a laugh before covering her mouth, eyes wide. His response caught her completely off guard. She still wasn't used to seeing Itachi like this. He clearly had a perverted side. The thought made her grin, cheeks pink. "Well then. I take it back, I'm not sorry. You looked really pretty sleeping in my bed and I couldn't help myself" she stated quietly, eyes twinkling. Itachi's eyes narrowed. "Trust me, no one is more beautiful than you" he retorted, silencing her completely. He rolled the blushing blonde off of him. The Uchiha male managed to get them both under the covers and pulled the still speechless girl to his chest. "Sleep" he grunted, exhaustion pulling at him. Naruto's eyes softened. 'Yup, I do. I love Uchiha Itachi' she conceded. With that she shut her eyes. Feeling warm and happy. - -end OMAKE (or is it?) Just down the hall, Hatake Kakashi lay awake staring at the ceiling in horror. While it was quite obvious earlier on that Naruto and Itachi had feelings for each other-I mean come on, it doesn't take a jounin to notice those looks. Itachi had been insanely jealous and protective of the teen. Naruto had been completely at ease, sending the Uchiha male the softest smiles that were the complete opposite of her go-to grin. He really did not expect to hear what he just did. Part of his mind was screaming in denial and refusing to admit that he heard anything at all. Admittedly he did not hear much. The two had clearly tried to be quiet. Unfortunately, he had pretty good hearing and managed to hear the entire end of their coupling. The first sound had startled him. A very faint groaning sound that he could barely make out. He didn't even realize what was happening immediately. It was only after he started to hear the very distinct skin-on-skin sound of sex that he realized that Itachi was the proprietor of the previous noise. By this point he was picturing it. Covering his face did nothing to help him. The worst part though, was hearing his innocent little student's unmistakable voice calling the Uchiha's name. Her voice was breathy and erotic in a way that he didn't think the Uzumaki girl would be capable of. In a way that he never in a million years wanted to imagine her capable of! The very clear-loudest sound yet-moans that followed and her crying out to Kami were the icing on the cake. There was no way to deny what he just heard. Logically speaking, he knew Naruto wasn't a virgin. She clearly had some kind of emotional relationship with the Uchiha heir, but he really did not expect them to be at this stage. Like at all. He could hear quiet whispering for a few more minutes, but nothing he could clearly make out. Afterwards, sweet blissful silence. The two young adults had obviously slipped into a post-coital rest-he winced at the thought-and yet Kakashi was positive that sleep would evade him for the rest of the night. That thought did it. He shoulders shook slightly and he muffled his laughter with his hands. 'Minato-sensei forgive me' he prayed, knowing that his sensei would probably destroy his soul in the afterlife for laughing about this. His laughter was quite hysterical at this point. 'At least Kushina-nee will be pleased. She wanted a daughter, although her plan was to set her daughter up with Sasuke' his next thought made him snort. 'Either way, Naruto ended up with one of her best friend's sons. I'm safe from sensei. His wife will protect me' he concluded. His laughter was finally gone, all that remained was a fond smile.