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Chapter Text

The sound of something breaking downstairs was immediately followed by a soul wrenching roar. Kushina startled awake, having fallen asleep in the chair placed next to Naruto’s crib after tucking him in earlier. She recognised that roar. The cold tendrils of fear filled her. Nothing good ever came from hearing that sound. It looked like they had been found.

Wasting no time she got to her feet and rushed over to the crib where tired blue eyes peered up at her. Her beautiful baby boy. “I won’t let them hurt you,” she said in a whisper as the sound of what was unmistakably fighting came from the first floor. “Daddy will make sure we’re safe,” she added, trying to keep Naruto calm as her eyes swept over the room, looking for any kind of weapon she could use if worst came to worst. Grabbing a lamp and testing its heft she turned towards the bedroom door. She heard feet rushing up the stairs, and she only hoped it would be Minato coming through that door. Her fingers tightened around the metal of the lamp, and she exhaled in an attempt to calm herself. She needed to be strong for Naruto.

The door slammed open, startling Naruto into a high-pitched scream.

***

Heavy boots pounded into the puddles and streams the rain was creating, soaking socks and pants equally. No sane person would willingly go out in this weather, but then again, you had to be a little bit insane to hunt vampires for a living.

Naruto dragged a hand through his hair, pushing wet bangs out of his face, noting that he was long overdue for a haircut, and then realising that this was neither the time nor place to be thinking about personal grooming. He had a job to do. Places to see, vampires to kill, business as usual.

Even through the loud thrumming of the rain he heard his own breath grow laboured as he ran across deserted streets. His target had a substantial head start, and had pulled him on a wild chase through the industrial district, past buildings closed for the day and through narrow alleys where even the rats had fled for shelter, but Naruto was gaining on him. Every so often there was a flash of red as the vampire looked back at him, so the vampire was equally aware that it was getting closer and closer to being caught up with. Just a little bit more and Naruto could end this. Hopefully the vampire would realise that it wasn't going to outrun him and stop to fight. A cornered vampire tended to be a vicious one, but Naruto was armed and ready.   

He was starting to think that maybe it would be nice if the vampire concluded that attacking was better than running sooner rather than later, because he was getting eager to get out of the rain. He was ready to go home, take a long shower—preferably with company—and then spend the rest of the night in bed. Again with company.

A quick glance at a street sign as he ran past it made Naruto uneasy. The vampire was pulling him along away from the industrial district towards a residential area. So far they'd been hoofing it through empty streets, but the closer they got to people's homes the greater the chance there were people outside, stupid or desperate enough to brave an autumn storm. Naruto needed to stop it before they got there.

Naruto saw how the vampire darted to the side, vanishing into a small side street, and he quickly followed, ignoring the burn in his thighs as he upped his speed, intending to stop this before they got to the next intersection. He was contemplating pulling out his gun and ending it with a bullet to a skull, but he was afraid the time it would take him to stop long enough to aim would give the vampire the opportunity to flee completely, so he didn't dare to do it until he got closer. He was not going to let this one get away.

Naruto nearly tripped over a pile of discarded garbage bags, but sidestepped them at the last moment and rushed after the vampire.

It was hard to see with the rain in his eyes, but the moment the world tinted with red, sharpening his vision, he stubbornly shook his head and willed his beast back in its cage. Naruto was not risking shifting in any way. He could take the vampire on his own.

A sudden terrified yelp from somewhere ahead drew all his attention. He saw the vampire skid to a halt and then lurch to the side, and Naruto knew that could only mean one thing, it had been distracted by a prey.

His fingers were stiff from the cold, so it took Naruto two tries to get his gun free from its holster while he was running, but finally he wrapped his hand around the grip, hoping he wasn't too late.

A large dumpster was blocking most of the alley, so he couldn't see what was happening. He threw all he had into running, finally rounding it, nearly falling on his ass as his boots struggled to get purchase on the wet ground. The vampire was crouched over a shape Naruto knew would be a human. Next to them a shopping cart lay on its side, empty bottles spilling over the dirty asphalt as the wheels spun slowly. A cardboard box that was already dying under the downpour was lying half-smashed underneath the body of the homeless person on the ground, weak arms pushing at the vampire hovering over him. The man wouldn't be able to fight off the vampire, and Naruto couldn't shoot, because there was too great of a chance he'd hit the man.

The only reason the man wasn't dead already was the layers of clothes he was bundled up in, a thick coat and scarves wrapped around his throat. The vampire was snarling and yanking at the fabric, desperately trying to get through to the frail skin underneath. It would only take it a few more seconds, so Naruto had no time to hesitate. He drew back a booted foot and aimed it at the vampire's side.

It didn't have the intended effect of throwing the vampire off of the man, but it did make it snap its head around, red eyes burning at Naruto. It leapt, and Naruto didn't even have time to lift his arm to fire the gun before it was on him, taking Naruto with him to the ground by the force of the jump. Naruto's arm slammed into the dumpster, pain shooting through it. He had a fleeting thought that he hoped it wasn't broken, but that was soon gone as he realised the vampire had used the opportunity to start running again, having given up its prey to seek an escape. Hunting vampires that wasn't lost in blood lust was different than the crazed ones. This one was still cunning, able to realise that if he escaped he could find better blood. Self-preservation trumping the thirst for blood.

Naruto spared a second to ensure the man wasn't hurt before he was running again.

Where the hell was Sasuke? They had split up in an attempt to cut off the vampire, but Naruto hadn't seen the hide nor hair of him since, and he was getting worried. Not so much for himself, he could handle a vampire on his own, even though this one was proving to be a hard on to catch. What if it wasn't the only vampire around, what if Sasuke had been attacked? Shit, they never should have gone different ways, Naruto hated not knowing where Sasuke was. They were a team after all.

Tearing around a corner he had seen the vampire take he was met with a chain link fence. Naruto cursed to himself and started climbing the feet to the top, throwing himself over it and running again, glad his arm wasn't broken after all, it'd be hell to climb with one arm. He hadn't even stopped to assess the state of his arm before climbing, so that was mostly pure luck.

Only then did he realise the implications of having been able to climb so easily.

His gun.

He had lost his gun. It must've been thrown from his hand when he slammed the arm into the dumpster, and he had been too focused on the vampire to realise, and now there was no way he would get it back, which left him severely debilitated on the weapons front. Not to say that he didn't have other options, he just didn't have any as effective as the gun. There was a sheath of throwing knives fastened at his thigh; he would have to make due with those. It severely limited his range though, he'd need to get closer to get a finishing throw in.

He saw the alley open onto the street ahead, a car driving past, sending water splashing at the vampire. Neither car nor demon seemed to notice.

Naruto skidded around the corner and as alley turned to sidewalk it was clear they weren't in the industrial district anymore. He was running out of time, but the space between the vampire and him was shrinking, inch by painful inch. Closer, he needed to get closer, just so he could stop this…

Naruto wasn't sure what made him look back over his shoulder, but when he saw the familiar shape making its way down the sidewalk in his direction he wanted to whoop. Sasuke! Still alive and fighting, and here to see Naruto take down the vampire spectacularly. Naruto should thank the vampire for leading them back to a main road, or Sasuke would've never found them.

Getting a fresh spur of energy from seeing Sasuke he pushed his body, forcing his aching legs to pick up speed, boots pounding against the concrete. He dipped a hand to his thigh, grabbing the handle of a knife and making ready to toss when the slam of a door drew the attention of both him and the vampire.

On one of the small entrance steps further down the sidewalk and across the street three girls had just exited, hands intertwined and pulling each other along as they laughed, completely oblivious to the demon running in their direction. They stepped onto the sidewalk, and in the same moment the vampire veered off course, leaving the sidewalk to head straight towards the trio. Their backs were towards it, and they had no idea, no way to protect themselves, and the vampire was too far ahead, Naruto wouldn't be able to hit it with the knife, not fatally, not enough to do anything other than piss it off.

Sasuke was still too far away to catch up, so Naruto was on his own.

He needed to buy himself time, needed to get the vampire to focus on him, not the girls, but the girls were easy prey. What could he do to lure it away from its fresh dinner? It might have given up on the hobo, but these girls would tear apart like paper if it got its claw in them. Thin jackets would do nothing to shield them from fangs. It would be a bloodbath.

The vampire snarled loud enough that Naruto could hear it through the thrumming of the rain and the pounding of his boots, and suddenly the girls realised they weren't alone on the street. Their heads snapped around, and shrill screams pierced the air.  Naruto hoped they would start running, but terror had them freeze in their steps, looking at their impending doom like deer caught in the headlight of a semi barrelling down the freeway.

There was no time to think, so Naruto reacted. The knife might not be enough to stop the vampire, but it could distract it. He didn't hesitate as he drew a sharp edge along the back of his forearm, slicing through fabric and skin and flesh. Blood welled from the cut, thick and smelling richly of copper, and Naruto hoped that his improvised plan would work. For good measure he threw the knife towards the vampire.

The vampire didn't notice the knife until it embedded itself deeply in its shoulder, but when metal met flesh it threw itself around, eyes ablaze as it roared. It wasn't the wound itself that had stopped it. The knife had been dripping with blood. Fresh, warm blood, and the vampire's senses were highly tuned to the scent of it. The rain couldn’t wash the smell away when it was lodged in his back. If it hadn't wanted blood before, it would definitely want it now.

Naruto stopped running, standing on the sidewalk, hand slowly going to the leg sheath to pull out another knife. As the vampire's gaze had locked on his arm he knew it would come to him, there was no need to run anymore.

Blood was running down his arms in rivulets washed thin by the rain, red bleeding out into nothing on the ground. The vampire's lips were peeled away from his teeth, yellowing fangs visible even from this distance. Then it exploded into action, feet digging against the ground as it pushed itself into a sprint directly towards Naruto.

The blade sliced through the air as Naruto threw it, but at this distance with water in his eyes and fingers stiff from the cold it was hard to aim, and it sliced past the vampire, only opening a shallow cut on its arm. It would take a lot more to stop a hungry vampire, and he was already digging out a new knife. Using the small moment he had before the vampire was on him he threw a quick glance over his shoulder, expecting to see Sasuke coming to his rescue with katana drawn, ready to finish what Naruto started with his annoyed glare in place. Sasuke had never been very fond of Naruto's rash plans.

Sasuke was standing a good thirty yards behind him, and while his katana was drawn it was hanging from a limp hand.  His eyes were staring blankly ahead in Naruto's direction, but they were unfocused, as if Sasuke wasn't really here at all anymore.

The next second the vampire was on him, and Naruto had to throw his hands up to stop the snarling demon from sinking its fangs into his neck. The vampire's momentum had been too great, pushing the both of them to the ground, Naruto's breath knocked out of him as he slammed into the concrete of the sidewalk.

He had one arm pressed against the vampire's throat, shoving it away as well as he could while he tried to manoeuvre his other hand up to jam the knife he was clutching into any vulnerable body part he could find. He felt it sink into the back of an arm, but it wouldn't be enough to stop a bloodthirsty vampire, it probably didn't even notice. Shit! What was Sasuke doing?

"Sasuke!" he yelled. Warm breath smelling sickly of blood fanned over his face as he tried to gather his feet underneath himself to kick the vampire away.

***

Sasuke was oblivious to the water running down his face, didn't notice the shrill screaming of girls on the other side of the road, or the snarl of a vampire.

All he saw was blood. It filled his vision with red. Naruto's blood, too much. Naruto was hurt, again, and he hadn't been able to stop it. Hadn't been able to stop the knife ripping Naruto open, could only see him crumpling to the floor in a pool of blood.

More blood, Itachi's. Itachi's eyes looking at him as he died for a final time, because of him, because Sasuke had taken his life.

His mind spun down a path of memories he hadn't allowed himself to think of for the last weeks. He had pushed them deep into his subconscious, but now he couldn't stop them, couldn't stop the images of his family, dead on the ground. Naruto dying in front of him, Itachi with his katana through his chest.

His mother and father lying dead on the ground. Bodies piled high, all the ones Sasuke hadn't been able to save, kids and adults alike, necks torn out, bodies broken, blood everywhere. Rivers of blood left in his wake and now he was powerless yet again.

His body was shaking, and his throat was closing, making it hard to breathe. He tried to drag in a breath, but couldn't get it down, couldn't fill his lungs. A band of steel was locked around his chest, squeezing down on lungs and heart, a deep pain that made it impossible to breathe, made his heart beat thud in his chest, a fast tattoo he felt all up his throat.

His eyes were open, but the world was fading on the edges, until all he saw were the dripping of blood. He couldn't focus, couldn't...

Naruto...

Naruto was going to die, and Sasuke couldn’t save him. Too weak. Too weak to save anyone. Failure...

His body was numbing, and fingers that had been curled around the familiar hilt of his katana lost their strength, and the weapon clattered to the ground. He barely noticed, fingers twitching around a handful of air. He had to do something, there was something he should do, someone he should help, but he couldn’t focus, couldn't make out a clear though. He couldn't breathe, and he was going to die, and there was something he should be doing, but he couldn't even remember.

"Sasuke!" a familiar voice pierced through the haze, and he honed in on it, clutched to it as if his life depended on it. He was drawn towards it, away from the chasm of darkness he was losing himself in.

The world cleared, but even now it made no sense. There was someone on the ground, blond hair dark from water, and something atop him, jaws snapping as it fought against the man on the ground.

Sasuke started running. He had to do something, had to help. Naruto. Naruto was the man on the ground, and he was in trouble, and Sasuke wasn't there to help him, and now he might really lose him. He drew a ragged breath, fought to push it into his lungs. Too far away, he was too far away.

He could only watch as Naruto drew up a foot and thrust it hard enough into the vampire's gut to throw it off him. There was no hesitation as Naruto rolled after, one hand dipping down to grab a knife, arm following a sharp curve as he slammed it into the vampire's skull, piercing through its temple until only the handle of the knife was visible. The vampire crumpled to the ground, dead.

Sasuke stared at the dead vampire, and Naruto, who was jumping to his feet, seemingly unscathed. The realisation that he had been close to losing Naruto again hit him. He'd been useless. Had frozen up when he needed to act, and it had left Naruto alone. They were supposed to be partners, but Sasuke hadn't been there for Naruto.

He didn't understand what had happened. Why had he suddenly been unable to focus on the situation, why had all those memories suddenly surfaced? He thought he had been over it, thought he had moved on. It had been three months since he'd stopped Itachi, and he'd been fine since then. Hadn't he?

Sure, he had nightmares. Bad ones that made him wake up drenched in sweat, but that was normal, wasn't it? He found it best to try to forget about the bad dreams and push through with his day. He still had a job to do, even if he had gotten the revenge he had been working towards for most of his life. He had avenged his family and given his brother the peace he deserved, and now he needed to make sure other families didn't experience the same, so he needed to keep working.

His hands were trembling, and he found himself falling to his knees, too weak to stand up. He tried to draw a deep breath, but his throat was still too tight, and he found himself desperately trying to breath, unable to do so. His brother. Dead because of him. Naruto almost dead because of him. How many more? How many more deaths were he responsible for? How many people had died because he hadn't been able to stop the vampire's in time? The vampire Naruto had just executed had killed people. Could Sasuke have saved them if he was better?

Weak. He felt so weak. He wasn't strong enough. Without Naruto he'd be dead long ago, wouldn't he? And now he couldn't even protect Naruto back. Shit, what was happening to him, why couldn't he focus, why did it hurt so much?

***

Naruto pushed to his feet, shaking wet hair out of his face, about to ask Sasuke what the hell had taken him so long when he saw Sasuke's face. It was ashy grey, and his eyes unfocused still.

Naruto had no idea what was going on, but something was wrong with Sasuke. He dropped to his knees in front of him, cradling his face in his hands, trying to get him to focus. He was drawing quick, shallow breaths, and even if he was looking at Naruto he wasn't really there.

"Sasuke!" Naruto said, pressing his forehead against his. "Snap out of it, please!"

Sasuke blinked sluggishly, dark brown eyes slowly focusing on Naruto, as if he was finally realising he was sitting there right in front of him.

"Naruto," he said slowly between ragged breaths.

"Take a slow breath for me, Sasuke, please," Naruto said, dragging his thumbs over Sasuke's cheek bones.

It seemed to be a fight, but slowly Sasuke was calming down, his breathing evening out. Naruto was vaguely aware of the three girls running away, but his focus was solely on Sasuke. The vampire was dead, so it wasn't like they were going to be interrupted.

When Sasuke finally seemed to come out of it, eyes focusing, breathing evening out, Naruto called Kakashi. They needed a team of cleaners to pick up the body. They had silver nitrate ampules on them, but with the heavy rain it would probably wash away before it could eat through the vampire's flesh. He didn't tell Kakashi about Sasuke, he figured that could wait until tomorrow, when they went back to the office to make a full report. Right now Sasuke needed to go home.

When the call was made and the waiting started Naruto got Sasuke over to a staircase right by them, getting him to sit down.

"Your arm," Sasuke said as Naruto fussed over him.

Naruto glanced down at himself. The gash across his forearm was deep enough that it hadn't healed, and it was still bleeding, even if it was slowing down. His shirt was a mess of red, and now Sasuke's was too. "It's okay, it'll heal soon," Naruto said. Now that he'd been made aware of it he realised that it stung, but it wasn't anything he couldn't deal with. He'd had worse wounds.

"We should stop the bleeding," Sasuke said, making to push off the stairs.

Naruto shoved him back on his ass. "I can fix that."

He didn't exactly go around with bandages in his pocket, so with a sigh he realised there was only one thing to do. He pulled a knife from his sheath, and sliced off a strip of fabric from the bottom hem of his shirt. With the cut in the sleeve, and the blood, the shirt was ruined anyways. It was a shame really, Naruto liked that shirt. Years of wearing and washing had made it perfectly comfortable.

Using his teeth he tied off the improvised bandage. He couldn't do much about the blood still staining his arm and shirt, but at least he wouldn't bleed anymore. Giving his accelerated healing he'd probably be fine by morning anyways. 

***

After the cleaners had come and taken care of the vampire, as well as sent on a chase to find the traumatized homeless person and Naruto's gun, Naruto and Sasuke walked back to the car. The Lexus was parked too far away, the vampire having brought them on an impressive chase. Naruto wouldn't have to go for another run this week; his cardio was already taken care of.

When they got to the silver-grey Lexus, brand new as of last month he hesitated for a moment. He didn't think Sasuke was up for driving, but so far he hadn't been allowed behind the wheel of the car.

Sasuke didn't say anything the entire walk, and any questions Naruto asked was met with noncommittal grunts. Naruto was eerily reminded of the early stages of their partnership, before he won Sasuke over with his charm. 

To Naruto's surprise Sasuke handed Naruto the keys to his car and walked over to the passenger side. Naruto would've been excited if not for the circumstances.

The leather seats crinkled happily when he slid into the driver's seat, and his stiff fingers flexed around the steering wheel. He hoped their wet clothes weren't going to ruin the upholstery, but he couldn't really do much about that now. It was drive like this, or nude, and he didn't think the latter was a good idea.

The drive back to his apartment was as silent as the walk to the car had been. Sasuke's head was tipped against the window, and he was staring outside. Naruto hated this. Hated not knowing what was wrong with Sasuke, but he also knew that asking wasn't going to solve anything. Sasuke wouldn't be ready to talk, at least not yet. All he could do now was take care of him.

There was no question, Sasuke was not going to be left alone tonight, so Naruto parked outside his apartment building, and Sasuke followed him back inside. They were both shivering by now, their bodies flushed empty of adrenaline, and clothes dripping wet. Naruto dragged Sasuke along into the bathroom and turned on the shower, letting it heat up.

Sasuke was standing with his head bowed and his hands fisted, making no move to get ready for a shower. Naruto hesitated for a moment, and then stepped close, bringing his hands to Sasuke's cheeks, brushing away the water drops lingering there. "I'm going to take off your clothes now, okay?"

Sasuke shrugged, and Naruto took that as answer good enough. His cold fingers fumbled with the buttons of Sasuke's shirt, but soon he could pull it off and drop it to the floor. Sasuke's slacks and shoes and socks soon followed, leaving him only in his boxer briefs. Naruto took them off too, wasn't like he hadn't seen Sasuke naked before, and then gently nudged Sasuke towards the shower. His own clothes was gracelessly yanked off, joining Sasuke's on the floor as Naruto followed into the shower, pressing his chest against Sasuke's back. It really was too crowded in the small stall, but he didn't think Sasuke should be alone right now.

The warm water was doing what it could to heat them up, but Sasuke was still shivering. Naruto turned him around so they were chest against chest, and made him tip his head back so he could saturate his hair with warm water.

With a bit of manoeuvring Naruto managed to grab the shampoo bottle, and dumped a generous amount into his hands. He shuffled them around until Sasuke's head wasn't under the spray anymore, and ran his hands through the dark locks, coating them with foam. This was another sign Sasuke wasn't completely himself, he wasn't complaining about Naruto's choice of cheap as fuck shampoo; he just let Naruto clean his hair and just closed his eyes.

Naruto took his time, digging his fingertips into Sasuke's scalp, massaging him, hoping it would help. Bit by bit Sasuke seemed to calm down. At some point the shivering stopped, and his shoulders relaxed. When Naruto rinsed through his hair Sasuke sighed, and leaned closer, just slightly, enough for Naruto to believe that he was going to be okay.

Unlike their previous shared showers there was nothing erotic about this. He ran soapy hands over Sasuke's body, but it was all about comfort. He could feel Sasuke grow less apathetic underneath his touch, as if he was letting go of the pain from earlier. Naruto didn't know, but he was pretty sure Sasuke had some sort of a panic attack; he'd have to google it later on to be sure. It wasn't their first mission since what happened with Sasuke's brother, and Sasuke had been fine for most of the time since, so Naruto wasn't sure what had triggered it, but he knew that the only thing he could really do now was take care of him and make him feel safe.

As the warm water was running out Naruto got them out of the shower, and started drying Sasuke off. Sasuke just grumbled and grabbed the towel, taking over the job himself. Naruto figured it was a good thing; he was turning back into himself.

Naruto tucked Sasuke into bed, making sure to find an extra blanket for him just in case he got cold. Then he crawled in after, wrapping his arm around him, pulling him against his chest. Sasuke stiffened for a moment, and then he relaxed into it with a shuddered sigh.

Naruto made small circles with his thumb against Sasuke's arm, and for a while they just laid there in silence. Naruto didn't want to push Sasuke, but in the end he didn't have to.

"I'm sorry," Sasuke said quietly.

"You don't have anything to apologise for," Naruto said, thumb stilling against Sasuke's skin.

"We're supposed to be partners, but I froze, and I wasn't there to back you up," Sasuke stated harshly.

"Well, you couldn't exactly know what I was going to do."

Sasuke was quiet for a moment, and Naruto thought maybe he had fallen asleep.

"Your plan was idiotic," he finally admitted, and Naruto's lips twisted into a wry grin. He wasn't going to deny it. "But I'm used to that, and normally I would've just followed along, killing the vampire before it even got close to you, but I just..." His voice faded away.

"It's okay, Sasuke, you don't need to talk about it if you don't want to."

"I do want to! Or no, I don't, but I need you to know what went wrong, because it affected our job, and I can't let that happen."

Naruto pressed his forehead against the back of Sasuke's head. "Tell me what you were seeing," he whispered.

"I saw Itachi. And you, back in the mansion. So much blood..." Sasuke's voice trailed off. He was clearly uncomfortable talking about it. Still not used to sharing anything with anyone, and Naruto didn't blame him. Sasuke had to kill his own brother. Had probably thought he saw Naruto die. Anyone would struggle with the aftermath of that, but Sasuke had seemingly handled it remarkably well. He'd been ready to go back to work as soon as Kakashi allowed them, and had been just as stoic and strong as ever. At least seemingly. Naruto was a heavy sleeper, but that didn't mean he didn't wake up when Sasuke screamed in his sleep.

For a few minutes they laid in silence, then Naruto cleared his throat, unsure how Sasuke would take what he was about to say. "Do you think maybe you should talk to Shizune?"

He felt Sasuke stiffen, and was expecting to get chewed out any moment.

Shizune was the DPA therapist. She helped agents from every unit when they were struggling. Both Naruto and Sasuke had been to see her when they got back from the ordeal with Itachi. Kakashi refused to allow them back on duty until they'd both had sessions with her.

Considering the nature of their work having a therapist available was important, and most agents ended up having debriefings with her when things had been too rough. Naruto had found her to be a pleasant woman that listened well, and didn't try to analyse them too much. He knew Sasuke hadn't wanted to go, and knowing him he'd probably not talked much either. Sasuke had done the session he was forced to, and then probably just glared at the woman until she let him back onto active duty.

"Going to her won't make you weak, it just shows that you are willing to do anything to become well," Naruto continued. It had terrified him to see Sasuke so out of it, he didn't want to experience that again.

"I'll talk to Kakashi about it," Sasuke finally said. "He'll set up an appointment."

Naruto tightened his arm around Sasuke, kissing the back of his head.

"Thank you," he whispered. "I love you."

Sasuke didn't say anything in return, but he pushed backwards, burrowing into Naruto's chest, and for Naruto that was good enough.

Chapter Text

Sasuke woke with a groan, his mind groggy and his eyes crusty. He felt absolutely disgusting.

He rubbed his eyes and stretched his body, hearing faint pops from his bones. The sheets were warm and cosy, and the smell of coffee rich around him, making him definitely not ready to get out of bed just yet.

It took his mind another moment to wake up enough to remember last night. Shit, that had been a bad one. He clenched his eyes shut again. It felt almost surreal now, the way he had completely lost it. It came like lightning from a clear sky, hitting him out of nowhere. He had been running through desolate city streets, hoping to see Naruto, worry growing in him when he didn’t. Splitting up had seemed like a good plan, but it really wasn't.

Then he'd finally found Naruto, and was ready to end all this bullshit and go back home when Naruto had carved open his own arm and suddenly had a raging vampire gunning for him. Sasuke should have just have charged in and saved Naruto's ass, like he'd done before. His idiot boyfriend’s haphazard plans were never thought out, leaving plenty of room for messing up, and usually it was Sasuke's job to step up to the plate and clean up, but somehow the sight of blood had sent his mind spinning, and he hadn't been able to think clearly at all anymore.

Pressing the heel of his hands into his eyes Sasuke groaned. He hated this. Hated the fact that now he'd have to go to therapy to figure out what was wrong and get over it. He never would have done that if it hadn't been for Naruto. A part of him just wanted to go on ignoring what had happened and hope it passed, but another part insisted that since he'd do anything for Naruto, he'd have to do this as well. He couldn’t chance another episode.

He wanted to burrow deep into the sheets and stay there, but the pressure of his bladder forced him out of bed a few minutes later, and he walked over to the bathroom, goose bumps spreading on his skin from the cool air of the apartment on his naked body. Fall had settled over the city, bringing with it cold winds and rain.

He relieved himself, washed his hands and splashed some water in his face, scrubbing away the last remaining grunge of sleep. As he dried off he turned around, and saw the pile of wet fabric on the floor that was his clothes. His nose scrunched up in disgust. Cold, wet and probably smelly, no way was he putting them back on.

"You feeling okay?" Naruto called out from the direction of the kitchen, obviously having heard him get up.

"Yes. But I need clothes," Sasuke said back, refraining from yelling. The apartment was small enough it really wasn't necessary at all, even if Naruto didn't seem to realise this. He probably should have left some clothes at Naruto's, but they spent more time at his own place, so he hadn't gotten around to it. He hung up the towel and walked out of the bathroom.

Naruto's gaze slid down his body in an appreciative sweep before he nodded. "You can borrow some. Then we can eat. I've made coffee as well."

Sasuke followed after Naruto into the bedroom, completely uncaring that he was naked. Naruto had seen him in this state plenty before, and Sasuke knew he didn't have anything to be embarrassed about.

Naruto dove into a chest of drawers that contained most of his clothes, rummaging through it. Sasuke used the opportunity to take advantage of the view. The motion of bending over had Naruto's sweatpants pull tight over his ass. It was a nice ass; Sasuke would be the first to admit that. Maybe it was a good thing Naruto always preferred looser fitting pants, if he displayed his assets to everyone he'd have a whole slew of admirers to fight off.

Sasuke huffed at himself. Whatever had happened yesterday hadn't completely killed his libido at least, and he guessed that was a good thing.

"Here!" Naruto yelled, and a pair of dark grey sweatpants flew over his head, quickly followed by a pair of blue boxers. Sasuke pulled on both, cinching the pants tight around his waist. Naruto was broader than him, and with his affinity towards baggy clothes it made the pants definitely too big for Sasuke. It wasn't like he had plans to go anywhere just yet though, so he figured it wasn't a problem if he looked like a slob for the moment.

After snatching a wadded up pair of socks out of the air and pulling them on a final piece of clothing flew at his head. Sasuke caught it, nose scrunching up in disapproval. "Are you serious?" he asked, highly unimpressed.

Naruto ignored the glare directed at him as he pulled a moss-green hoodie over the t-shirt he had been wearing. He grinned widely and shut the drawer he had been digging through with his hip. "Sorry, it's all I have that's clean," he said, the grin telling Sasuke exactly how full of bullshit Naruto was.

With a dejected sigh Sasuke pulled on the hoodie Naruto had thrown him, wincing at the vibrant colour. As he popped his head out of the opening and pushed the hood off his head he just had time to see Naruto jumping towards him before he felt strong arms around his waist.

"Mmm, my favourite colour on my favourite guy," he said, planting a kiss on Sasuke's cheek.

Sasuke groaned at the cheesiness, but a part of him thought that maybe orange wasn't that bad after all. Even though he could have done without the godawful pun that decorated the entire front of the hoodie.

"Come on, I want food," Naruto said, grabbing Sasuke's hand and pulling him after him towards the kitchen.

Sasuke liked that Naruto didn't make a big deal about what had happened last night, that things were still the same between them. It felt nice, felt right.

A quick breakfast of cereal and a cup of coffee later Naruto dragged Sasuke along to the couch. He lay down across it with his back against the armrest, and then motioned for Sasuke to do the same, sprawl out over the couch, with his back pressed against Naruto's chest. Normally he would have grumbled about being ordered around by an overeager boyfriend, but he did as he was told, and when Naruto's arms wrapped around him he had to admit that it was, in fact, rather nice.

Naruto turned on the TV, but kept the sound to a minimum, just a background humming they didn't pay any attention to.

Sasuke's hand lifted to the arms wrapped around him, and his fingers absentmindedly stroked against warm skin. Naruto had pushed the sleeve of his sweater up to his elbows, giving Sasuke plenty of prime real estate to trace along. Naruto's skin was smooth, just a tickle of soft hairs teasing at the pads of his fingers, until Sasuke dragged them across the back of a strong arm, feeling the line running along it, knowing exactly what it was.

When he tilted his head down he saw nothing more than a thin line of red bisecting the otherwise tan skin. The wound had closed up, and was almost fully healed already. It would soon fade into a white line, and then probably be lost completely. Sasuke let his fingers wander the length of it, diagonally over the forearm, probably closer to five full inches. It looked so innocuous. The knife had been sharp and  the edges of the wound had closed neat enough to leave nothing more than a faint line, making it hard to believe that only a few hours before Naruto had been bleeding so much it had sent Sasuke right into what he figured was some kind of panic attack.

Intellectually Sasuke knew that even on a normal human a cut across the back of the arm was hardly a death sentence. It avoided the major arteries altogether; at least Naruto hadn't been dumb enough to carve up the inside of his arm. It had looked back though. The rain had probably made it seem even worse, diluting the blood into a full-on flood of red.

"Hn," Sasuke said to himself, forgoing the wound on the arm to entangle his fingers with Naruto's. He hated how he'd lost complete control of himself, hated how he hadn't been able to help Naruto. He certainly wasn't looking forward to talking to Shizune, but even he saw that it was probably needed. He couldn't risk anything like this happening again, not if it would endanger Naruto.

Something in that moment had just sent him right back to memories he had tried his hardest to repress. It had been a few months since Itachi had died—since he'd killed Itachi—but it wasn't nearly enough to forget.

He'd always told himself that as soon as he got his revenge things would be okay. Itachi would have his peace, his parents would be avenged, and the demon that had torn his family apart would be forever wiped away. He hadn't really ever considered what came after, but it turned out that getting revenge didn't make things right, not completely, not really at all. He hated that he had been forced to push a blade through his brother’s chest. He knew that his brother was dead long ago and that what remained was a mere shell, but something about the last moments, it was as if Itachi was still there, helping him, wanting him to finish it. However prepared he thought he had been he obviously hadn't. He wasn't sure anyone could ever prepare for something like that, to face what was a frightening mix of brother and monster and kill him, kill it. It had broken something in him, something he had tried to ignore for now, but the cracks were widening, seeping into his dreams and now his waking life as well.

Sasuke hadn't wanted to feel the pain that was growing inside, had done what he did best, hiding his emotions and ignoring them. He should have known it couldn't go on, but he had hoped that time would heal his wounds and make him forget. There was only so much he could ask of his mind, it couldn't keep repressing the memories, and now it was catching up to him.

He was grieving for his lost family, for the pain of having to be the one to end it, for the life he should have had, the one that had been stolen from him as a child. The grief was like a ragged hole in his chest that he had tried to plug up, but now it was broken open, and he didn't think he could keep ignoring it. It hurt so much, deep in him, and he didn't know how he could really move on.

He felt a tightening in his chest, and clenched around Naruto's arm, trying to ground himself.

"Sasuke, do you want to talk about it?" Naruto asked it, voice calm and comforting.

***

Naruto felt Sasuke tense underneath him, and was expecting him to just shrug it off, act like whatever was bothering him wasn't a big deal. Naruto had asked before, but Sasuke just ignored it, moved on, acted like everything was fine, and Naruto didn't push, however hard it was not to.

"It hurts," Sasuke said, almost sounding as if he was surprised he was talking at all, because he cut himself off. His fingers clutched around Naruto's arm, fingertips digging into muscle.

"Tell me about it," Naruto murmured, kissing the top of Sasuke's head, afraid that raising his voice would startle Sasuke into not talking at all.

Sasuke hesitated, seemingly looking for words, probably arguing with himself, wanting to shut his feelings back inside, act as if everything was okay. "I miss them. Miss mom and dad and Itachi. And I... don't want to be alone anymore." His voice was weak, unsure, as if the words felt foreign in his mouth, as if he was only realising his feelings as the words came.

"You're not alone, you have me," Naruto said, tightening his arms around Sasuke. He buried his face in soft locks of black hair and closed his eyes, taking slow even breaths, just holding Sasuke, wishing there was more he could do, wishing he could make everything right.

He had wanted to become an agent to help people, and now he couldn't do anything to help Sasuke, and it made him feel so inadequate. He loved Sasuke, wanted him to be happy, but didn't know how to do it. He hated seeming him hurt like this.

It was odd how important Sasuke had become to him. Only a few months earlier things had been very different. He'd been partnered with Sasuke, and the dislike between the two had been instantaneous. They had clashed horribly, mostly because Sasuke had been an utter bastard, but also because Naruto just couldn’t back down. If someone had told him that come fall he would be curled up on the couch with Sasuke pressed against him, loving him like he hadn't loved anyone before he probably would have cracked up laughing. Or punched them.

The initial dislike had turned into something different. Interest, lust, affection, and then love. Some would maybe think it was too soon to say you loved someone, but with everything the two of them had gone through together Naruto just knew. Knew that he couldn't even imagine his life without Sasuke in it anymore.

Naruto had never had this before, an actual relationship, and now the fragility of it was making him fear what could happen. He didn't want to lose Sasuke, couldn't stand the thought that he'd end up alone again. He really hoped Shizune could help Sasuke overcome the pain.

Sasuke was one of the few people Naruto had ever met that wasn't afraid of him. He had grown up in a place where people feared and hated him, but Sasuke couldn't care less about Naruto being a shifter, and even if he had seen the power the beast held, seen Naruto at his worst, he accepted him.

Naruto was probably a lot more afraid of the beast within him than Sasuke was. Naruto had been fighting it his whole life, and these last months the beast only seemed to grow more agitated. It was as if being allowed to break free of the chains one time had empowered it, and Naruto felt it stir often these days. He had control over it though, could push it back. Didn’t need the beast to do his job, was strong enough without it. He had to be.

Naruto had always been at odds with his status as a shifter. He knew that most shifters were just like other people, only with the ability to turn into animals, but for Naruto it didn't feel as if the animal was a part of him, it felt as if it was a separate entity living within him, warring for power.

Protos Itachi had called him, but Naruto had no idea what that meant, and even if he had gone through what resources the DPA had at their disposal there had been no mentions of anything bearing that name. What hope he had that he could figure out what made him different had been crushed as he realised that Itachi must've lied, even if it made no sense.

He had gone through tests when he was a still baby and had become the responsibility of the Child Protective Services. They'd found fox DNA embedded in his own, so that's how he had always known that the animal inside was a fox, even if he had never allowed himself to shift completely. He knew the shift was supposed to feel natural, but he was afraid of the beast, afraid of the power it came with. It was an untapped source of power within him, but that power came with a loss of self that he was not ready for.

Growing up in a small town, being the only shifter, he had thought this was how it was supposed to be like, hadn't known any better. Shifters stayed mostly with their own kind, so it wasn't like humans had a whole lot of insight into their lives. Iruka had always been there to support him though, even when Naruto was depressed over being different from everyone, over being alone because everyone hated him, was afraid of him. It was Iruka who had saved him that one time...

Naruto felt his jaws tighten as he pressed bad memories back to the dredges of his mind. He had to take care of Sasuke now, not bring up painful memories better left in the past. Later they would need to go into the DPA and tell Kakashi everything, but for now he just wanted to hold Sasuke.

Minutes trickled past in a slow stream of time as the two held each other, trying to forget their troubles for a while. Naruto felt Sasuke’s breath slow and steady, marked with a rising and lowering of his chest under Naruto’s hands. Pale fingers were splayed across Naruto’s arm, their legs entangled. Every so often the tinny echo of a canned laugh would come from the TV, but otherwise it was just a quiet murmur of voices, too low to be distinguishable, just enough sound to take the edge off the quiet of the room.

Naruto’s nose was buried in Sasuke’s hair, and it took him a while to realise why there was something off about the scent coming from it. Sasuke’s hair smelled different than usual, and only when Naruto remembered that he had washed it with his own shampoo rather than the one Sasuke usually used, did he realise why.

“I prefer your shampoo,” he muttered, nuzzling against Sasuke’s hair. At least it was still soft.

Sasuke made a noise that could possibly be interpreted as agreement. “That’s because your shampoo is some cheap shit.”

Naruto chuckled. “Well, excuse me for not wanting to pay out of my ass for glorified soap.”

“Hn,” Sasuke grunted, shifting, twisting his body around until he could prop himself up on Naruto’s chest, arms crossed under his chin. Naruto lifted a hand to tuck a long bang behind Sasuke’s ear, but it didn’t stay there long, soon falling back to frame his face.

“You are too pretty,” Naruto muttered, Sasuke just huffing and smirking and then craning his head up to kiss Naruto.

Naruto pressed back into the kiss, but refrained from doing anything to further it. He wasn’t sure how Sasuke would be feeling, so he let him decide when to pull back and end the kiss.

He didn’t. Instead he scooted up so they were nose against nose, chest against chest. His fingers curled up in Naruto’s hair as he kissed harder, pulling Naruto right along into it. His tongue swept across Naruto’s bottom lip, and Naruto parted his lips with a soft sigh, licking right back, tasting the coffee Sasuke had drunk earlier.

Naruto’s hands were wrapped around Sasuke, fingers splayed over Sasuke’s lower back where the hoodie had been pulled up by Sasuke twisting around. He traced along the dip of Sasuke’s spine, down to the beginning curve of his ass, and then up towards his ribs. Sasuke’s skin was smooth and slightly chilled, so Naruto made sure to warm it right up.

Sasuke’s fingers were still in his hair, tilting Naruto’s head to the side so he could trace soft kisses down his jaw to his neck, licking up the sensitive skin there, sending shivers down Naruto’s back. His hips pressed up against Sasuke however much he tried to hold back, but with the way Sasuke tilted his own hips against him Naruto knew there were no objection on Sasuke’s mind right now.

Their pace was unhurried. They touched and tasted, bodies pressing against each other, slowly getting rid of layers of clothing until there was nothing separating them. Sasuke was between Naruto’s thighs, their erections perfectly aligned as they moved together, neither wanting or needing anything more than a slick slide of bodies.

Their cocks were made slicker by the lotion that Naruto very conveniently had on the shelf under his coffee table, because his hands sometimes got dry, if anyone asked. Naruto’s arms  were curved possessively around Sasuke’s body, sliding up and down that perfect back, sometimes digging into muscles as Sasuke tilted his hips just right and Naruto had to tip his head back and moan as pleasure fired in him.

He loved having Sasuke on top of him, loved the weight of a body pressing against him, the smell of Sasuke’s body in his nose, the taste of him on his tongue, and the soft sounds he made filling his ears.

“Sasuke,” he moaned, knowing he wouldn’t last long. His hands dipped down to curve around Sasuke’s ass, pulling him closer as he lifted his hips. The friction of their hard lengths against each other was so good, pushing him closer and closer to the edge, a slow building in his guts. It would take very little to finish him off now, and he only hoped Sasuke would be just as close.

His fingers were slick with sweat, his own or Sasuke’s he didn’t know, but it made his fingers slip against the flesh in his hands, and he couldn’t get the right grip to pull Sasuke close properly, leaving Sasuke to control the speed and the tilt of his hips. It was frustrating in the very best way, keeping Naruto right there, spiralling tighter and tighter but not giving him the final push to finally come.

His fingers moved towards the crack of Sasuke’s ass, one finger slowly dragging over the puckered skin there, pressing against the hole, teasing but not anything more. Neither had been in the mood for any kind of preparations, so tonight they’d finish like this, pressed together, cock against cock.

“Hah,” Sasuke said on a breath as he kissed Naruto hard and then pushed his upper body away, making Naruto’s hand fall away to clutch at hips instead. Sasuke kept his weight on one hand as he pushed the other between their bodies, curling long fingers around their lengths. Naruto knew what he was doing, following with one of his hands. Their cocks were completely covered by their hands as they worked together, always together, quick flicks of wrists and twists of hands, finishing what they had been working towards.

Naruto’s hips jerked as he came, thick strings decorating his abdomen and their hands, and with a final sharp tug Sasuke added to it, coming hard with a sharp intake of breath.

For a few heartbeats Sasuke stayed like that, poised over him, eyes hooded, breathing hard, then he merely collapsed against Naruto, face tucked against his neck.

Naruto’s arms went around him, holding him tight to him. His heart was thrumming hard in his chest, and he was slick with sweat and come and soon it would probably be too cold to stay like this, but for now it was perfection.

“I really needed that,” Sasuke muttered against his neck.

“I did too,” Naruto added, eyes closed and a smile curving his lips.

***

Kakashi looked at the two agents standing in front of his desk, watching how Naruto was standing pressed up against Sasuke's side, offering silent support, probably not even realising he was doing it.

Naruto had given a quick report when he called in the cleaners last night, but he had apparently skipped right past the big points. Having an agent get a panic attack in the field wasn't just bad for their reputation; it was life-threatening, to both agents. Agents were paired up for a reason, being there to protect each other, and having one of them suddenly freeze up was beyond bad.

He figured he shouldn't be surprised. Sasuke was hardly the first agent to have an episode, and with everything he had gone through it was a wonder it hadn't come before. Kakashi had been sceptical to letting the two of them back on active duty, and Shizune had likewise, but Sasuke had seemed stable, and he was eager to get back in the field, and they were understaffed, so he had begrudgingly allowed it.

Apparently that had been the wrong call.

"You know there are no way I can allow you to work now," he said, leaning back in his chair. They were both aware of the fact, Kakashi knew that much, but he still caught a tensing in both of their faces at the confirmation. They wanted to be out there, wanted to do their job, but however much Kakashi appreciated that dedication he was not about to sacrifice either of them. Fighting vampires was a nasty business, and he needed them both to be fit for duty before he let them out on the streets again.

"I'm setting up an appointment with Shizune tomorrow. Miss a single one and you are out for good."

Sasuke looked like he was about to argue, but Naruto nudged his shoulder, and the fight passed right out of him. "Yes," he conceded, looking resigned but hardly ecstatic at the thought of sessions with Shizune. Agents were notorious for doing whatever they could to get out of therapy, Kakashi included. He didn’t envy Shizune her job.

"You are among my best agents, I want you to make an effort, I need you back here, fit for fight," Kakashi said, and Sasuke nodded stiffly. "In the meanwhile I'm giving you new duties. For today you will sort through the reports and file them correspondingly. I will talk to Director Tsunade about giving you some investigative duties; maybe get you to do some work for the training course. We certainly need new agents, and if you two don't scare them away I'm sure they'll fit right in at the DPA later."

Naruto snorted and Sasuke rolled his eyes. Maybe he needed to take them to Tsunade’s office to let her deal with them, they wouldn’t be scoffing at her, not without walking out of there with a broken limb or two, or at least a foot lodged firmly up their backside. The director of their DPA branch wasn’t known to go easy on anyone.

Kakashi nudged a stack of reports that had piled up on his desk, wincing when it nearly toppled over. He hated paperwork, and this was a perfect opportunity to delegate that to someone else. "You know what to do with these. I'm going to upstairs for a meeting with the other unit leaders; I expect it to be finished when I get back. Then maybe you can clean the bullpen or something."

He waved and left the office, ignoring the daggers Sasuke was shooting at his back. At least it was metaphorical daggers; he wouldn’t put it past Sasuke to go for the real deal.

He just hoped Shizune could help Sasuke; he’d hate to see him discharged for being unfit for duty. Sasuke had potential to be more than just an outstanding agent, if he just got over his deep-rooted issues.  It would have been so much easier if his agents weren’t a bunch of ill adjusted misfits.

Ah, who was he kidding? You had to be a little insane to go work with the DPA in the first place. He should know as he was probably he worst of the bunch. He straightened his mask as he walked towards the elevators, wondering how far he could push Tsunade before she snapped at him today.

Chapter Text

Kakashi let his index finger run across the perfectly smooth spine of his new book, not so much as a wrinkle marring it. He knew from experience that it would only last so long before repeated readings left it with cracks along the spine and folds and tears throughout the pages, but for now it was flawless.

The picture on the front was perfectly telling of what would be contained within the pages, a wonderful love story, steamy scenes and handsome heroes. Kakashi was aching to read, had been ever since it was announced that a new Icha Icha book was coming out in the beginning of October, and now he finally had his hands on it.

Gently opening it he found the first page, a giddy smile hidden behind his mask as he started reading.

He didn't even get through the prologue before there was a knock on his office door. Kakashi tore himself away from the brooding prince and gently closed the book, placing it on his desk just as Sasuke and Naruto walked into his office. Why was it that someone was always interrupting his reading just when it was getting to the good parts?

Possibly because with Icha Icha there was no bad parts.

Kakashi rested his elbows on the desk and leaned his chin against his hands, tilting his head as he looked at his two agents. "Sasuke. Naruto. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Sasuke scowled at him, looking… displeased. "You said we should report in when we were done for the day?"

"Ah, all finished with the filing?

"Not even near. Did you know that whole cabinets have been water damaged at some point? Mould everywhere." Sasuke spat that last part out.

"Oh right, I forgot about that," Kakashi admitted. It was a lie, but he liked seeing Sasuke's face frown up in annoyance. He did that a lot around Kakashi, but then again, he wasn't the only one. People tended to see Kakashi as lazy because they caught him reading more often than not, but since he didn't actually have a social life, and most days spent up to sixteen hours in the office he got all his work done, and just never bothered correcting anyone.

"Are you enjoying your tasks?" Kakashi asked, the Cheshire grin on his face conveniently hidden behind his mask.

"Sure, filing documents were exactly why I became an agent," Sasuke muttered, arms crossed in front of his chest.

"At least you have a partner to keep you entertained," Kakashi said, tilting his head. "Or are you still adamant to get rid of him?" he added. Sasuke hadn't been very pleased with the partnering in the beginning had he? It was hard to believe that only a few months previously the two of them had been going at it like cats and dogs.  They'd absolutely hated each other.

"It could be worse, I guess," Sasuke said, earning himself an outraged cry from Naruto.

"Bastard! You know you couldn't live without me!"

A small smirk tugged at Sasuke's lips, and he just shrugged, infuriating Naruto further.

Kakashi watched, easily reading what lay behind the words and actions. Naruto was well aware of the fact that Sasuke was just teasing him, but still couldn't help but to respond. There was still that spark between them that had caused friction in the beginning, only now it had changed into something else, something better. Just the fact that Sasuke did something as frivolous as teasing someone was a miracle in itself. The old Sasuke would never do that. He'd fume and glare and protest everything, but never tease, not like this, not with fondness in his gaze whenever he looked at Naruto.

Naruto was good for Sasuke, and had probably saved him in more ways than one. Together they had brought down the demon that had hung like a shadow over Sasuke's head, and when Sasuke was at his weakest, broken from having killed the thing that was once his brother, Naruto had been there, supporting him. Sasuke would be struggling with more than a panic attack if not for Naruto.

It almost made Kakashi envious, seeing the bond between the two of them. He himself had been alone for so long that just the thought of having what the two of them had was making his heart ache a little. It wasn't for him though, he'd never get anyone like that, someone who cared for him, and… accepted him. It was a pipe dream.

Kakashi had been single for a long time, hadn't had the time or interest to pursue a relationship for years, sticking with random dates that never went further than a few meetings, or one night stands when the urges got too insistent. Most of the time it was just himself and his right hand. They were old friends, went way back.

A loud song suddenly sprang to life in Naruto's pants, and Naruto grinned sheepishly, digging through a pocket and unearthing a phone. He slid a finger across the screen, taking the call. No respect for the fact that he was in a meeting with his superior at all. Kids these days. Kakashi looked over at Sasuke, who met his eyes and shrugged.

Naruto walked across the room, talking quietly to the person on the other end. Kakashi caught a few words. "Fine, dad," and "we'll see." Soon he hung up and came back.

"Sorry, dad'll just worry if I don't answer."

Actually, that didn't surprise Kakashi at all, considering. He had met Iruka a whole two times, both in the hospital with Naruto badly wounded. He'd be worried too if he had a son that kept getting almost killed on a semi-regular basis.

Kakashi had been worried about Naruto too at the time, he cared a lot for his agents, but he couldn't help but feel intrigued at the other man at the same time. Not many would take in a shifter, and judging by his looks he had to have been fairly young when he did so. A single young human and he had opened his home for a shifter. Kind was probably putting it mildly.

Kakashi remembered first seeing Iruka as he walked into the waiting room where Kakashi had camped out. He'd looked tired, hair dishevelled, clothes rumpled, hand lifting to absentmindedly scratch at a faded scar that slashed across the bridge of his nose. Kakashi had taken a moment to unabashedly look at him before he announced himself.

They'd spent a moment together, drinking coffee and talking—mostly about Naruto—before Iruka excused himself to get back. Kakashi had left him with his phone number, just in case. 

Too bad Iruka hadn't used that once, not until it was to call in a panic because something had happened to Naruto.

The second time he had met Iruka it started with a fist to the face.

Which he was going to admit that he probably deserved. He'd done a shit job keeping Naruto and Sasuke safe after all. He most definitely did not deserve Iruka clinging to him afterwards, seeking consolation.

Kakashi had no idea just what it was about Iruka that had captivated him so from the first moment, but he found himself thinking about him from time to time. Also, maybe he sent him a text or two or ten now and then.

He had found himself drawn to Iruka right from the start. Sure, he found him physically attractive, there was no doubt about that, with those brown eyes and that smile, and that long hair that probably would look very good falling around his face and…

Point was that it wasn't just that he looked good. There was something else. Kakashi was intrigued by this man who had opened his home to a kid that was ostracized by the community, and judging by the way Naruto talked of him, had been an excellent father to him ever since. He was mild-mannered, but there was a temper simmering underneath the surface, and it piqued Kakashi's interest. He wanted to get to know him, but it was all rather hard when Iruka lived hours away and he only saw him when Naruto was in the hospital.

"Kakashi?" Naruto asked, looking at him with a frown on his face.

Kakashi realized he had maybe forgotten about the two agents in his office to daydream about one of said agent's father. Probably best if he didn't mention that.

"I figure that you've had enough filing to last you a lifetime, so I have another mission for you the day after tomorrow," Kakashi said, smiling wide enough that it would translate past his mask.

***

"The next time Kakashi says he has a very special mission for us, let's just run," Naruto muttered, tugging at the collar of his shirt, buttoned all the way up for once. "If he can't tell us about it he can't force us to do it, right?

"Hn," Sasuke grunted, sounding just as displeased with their mission as Naruto was. They'd been expecting something remotely related to what they did for a living. Consult on a case, gather information, something, anything. Instead they were standing in the middle of some grand ballroom in stiff suits, conversing with equally stiff politicians and business men who had no real knowledge about what was really going on out on the streets of their city apart from what they read in newspapers. They didn't know how it was to see the carnage left behind by the vampires, how it was to spend one's night running through dark streets, trying to save the world from the plague of demons and finding it a fight with no end in sight.

Naruto liked people, he really did, but these stiffs were so prejudiced and un-knowledgeable he was having a hard time not punching all of them in the face.

He heard Sasuke mutter a vow to kill Kakashi under his breath, and was on board with that. As unit leader it was Kakashi's job to attend these functions as a representative for Unit Seven.  All the other agents they had met tonight were unit leaders, not agents. Kurenai and Asuma, leaders of Unit Eight and Ten respectively had apparently not been surprised to learn that Kakashi had pawned off his job on someone else. Kakashi wasn't very fond of these social gatherings, and Naruto could easily see why.

Smooching up to big shots to ensure the monetary support their agency needed was not something Naruto was fond of, not when he could have been out on the streets, actually doing something to keep the city safe. Not that he had been doing much of that these last few days, but he thought he preferred filing old reports over trying to be pleasant to every asshole in the room.

He hooked a finger in the knot of the tie around his throat and loosened it fractionally. He hated ties with a passion, but Kakashi had insisted they dress up properly. Couldn't have anyone thinking they were anything other than neatly dressed, as if that was going to make them better agents.

Naruto didn't even own a suit, so he'd had to rush out and buy one off the rack earlier. It was a little big around the waist and a little snug over the shoulders, but other than that fit as well as a suit should, leaving him uncomfortable as hell. He was pretty sure he looked like a kid who had raided his dad's closet, like he didn't belong in it at all. He felt like some sort of impostor. He didn't have anything in common with anyone here, didn't know what to say or how to behave.

He cast a glance over at Sasuke, and somehow the appeal of suits became obvious. Sasuke looked stunning. The charcoal grey suit was fitted, and clung in all the right places, accentuating a trim waist and broad shoulders, hinting to the very fit body underneath. White shirt and a dark tie topped it off neatly in its simplicity, Sasuke making it look smoulderingly sexy.

Sasuke's gaze was cast towards the floor, bangs creating shadows over his face as he apparently worked very hard to avoid eye contact with anyone. Whenever someone approached them he always greeted them in a polite manner, keeping his answers short and to the point, showing in no way that he was annoyed, but also not carrying the conversations beyond the bare minimum.

When Kakashi had told them what the assignment was Naruto had been excited. He had figured there would be food and music and no dusty filing cabinets for miles, but after the third, "They let shifters join the DPA?" his patience was starting to run out. Maybe sending a frigid bastard and a hothead to represent their unit hadn't been Kakashi's brightest idea. Naruto wanted to make their unit appear to be the well-functioning and impressive one it was, with hardworking agents who gave everything to make this city a safe home for everyone, but the way some of these guys looked down on all of them aggravated him severely.

Naruto reached towards a platter of food that passed him in hands of one of the many waiters manning the floor, managing to snatch a tiny sandwich before the waiter was lost to the throng of people again. He pouted when all he saw on it were cucumbers, but popped it in his mouth nonetheless. Food was food. He had been working hard to get his hands on the elusive trays with their tiny morsels all night, but there was always someone that seemed adamant to engage them in mundane conversations just as Naruto saw one draw near and was preparing to snatch a few for himself. At this rate he would need to drive by McDonalds on his way home or go to bed hungry.

Naruto threw long glances after the waiter disappearing in the distance, only realising someone had approached them again when he felt a discreet elbow to his ribs, courtesy of his loving boyfriend.

Naruto shifted his attention to the middle-aged man standing in front of them. He had no idea who it was, but then again, he hadn't really spent his time since moving to the city reading up on all the business men and politicians that roamed the place. He had been too busy working. Also maybe he had been keeping busy with Sasuke. Both were preferable to talking to these stiffs. Although Sasuke could also be stiff too.

"Councilman," Sasuke said with a curt nod, and Naruto tried not to snicker at the joke he'd made to himself, putting on a serious face. Naruto wasn't even sure he knew what a council man really did, so he just held back, deciding that Sasuke would just have to take this one, because he had had his fill of boring politicians for the night. The DPA was under the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice anyways, so it wasn't like a councilman could really influence them much at all. Just someone else they had to talk to because. Naruto was never going to a fundraiser ever again.

"I've been told that you are here on behalf of Kakashi Hatake," the councilman said while looking at the both of them, seemingly assessing them. He had a glass of champagne in his hands, but it didn't look like he had been drinking it at all. Damned shame really. Naruto could've used some more alcohol right about now.

"Where is he tonight then?" the council man continued. Naruto had to contain himself not to roll his eyes. It was impossible not to catch the displeased note in the councilman's voice. Sleazy politicians probably looking for favours.

The man looked every bit the politician in his boring suit, and giving off that whole I'm better than you aura that Naruto despised. The man had wanted to talk to Kakashi, and now he was stuck with a pair of mere agents, and it apparently wasn't good enough at all. Naruto was not impressed. This was not why he had joined the DPA, and he was going to make that clear to Kakashi the moment he saw that smug bastard again.

"He was unable to attain tonight," Sasuke said diplomatically, leaving out the part where Kakashi was probably sitting in the office reading his book.

Naruto's attention wavered immediately, and he started scouting for more food, letting Sasuke deal with the empty pleasantries, not paying attention to them.

The room they were in was more elaborately decorated than anywhere Naruto had ever seen before, all golden curves and white stone. Everyone that attended was decked out in their finest, long gowns trailing the floors, sharp tuxedoes and shiny shoes. Silently he wondered how these people would react if a vampire were to appear in their midst. There would probably be panic, people clambering over each other to get away, sacrificing anyone that stood in their way. They had no idea how bad it could be out there, hidden away in their mansions with reinforced doors and security specially catered to keep out vampires or other malevolent beings.

They weren't impervious to vampires any more than the common people, but vampires usually hunter in less opulent neighbourhoods. There were more people and flimsier doors. Easy targets.

Suddenly Naruto felt a hand on his shoulder, and he snapped his attention back, having completely forgotten about the councilman.

The man was looking right at him, eyes lingering on the marks on Naruto's cheeks for a moment before narrowing. "It was a pleasure," he said, clearly not meaning it at all, and then took a step back, turning before heading towards a group of equally stiff politician Naruto had no idea who were. The councilman was probably annoyed that Naruto hadn't paid attention, and he just hoped it wouldn't be a problem. He didn't look like he appreciated the fact that Naruto was clearly a shifter, he might kick up a fuss if he felt like it.

Naruto's hands fisted by his side, and he glared at the ground. It wasn't the first time someone had looked at him disapprovingly because he wasn't like them, and he hated it. He had proved that he was more than just a shifter, had proved that he was a fully-fledged member of the DPA, and he hated that still it was the beast inside that defined him.

Sasuke must have sensed his gloomy mood, because he took a small step closer, just enough that their shoulders brushed. "I need a break," he said before turning around and heading towards the double doors across the room that lead out to a large patio and a garden beyond that again. Naruto hurried after. If Sasuke was getting away so was he.

"As if being a council man is such a big deal," Naruto muttered to himself as they walked across the patio. He was in a shitty mood. He almost wished a vampire would invade the fundraiser just so he could get something to do that didn't involve licking ass. There was really only one ass he was remotely interested in doing that to, and that ass was right in front of him, hidden behind nicely cut pants.

"It is when you are likely to be the next governor," Sasuke said.

Naruto winced at that. Probably a good idea he hadn't done anything really stupid then.

The air was crisp, a nice change from the stuffiness of the ballroom. Above them a sliver of a moon shone down from a clear sky, any stars hidden by the glare of light from the city that sprawled below them. The mansion the fundraiser was held in was situated in the hills above the city, where only the richest could afford living. Naruto hadn't had much reason to go here before.

Naruto was sure that if he went to the edge of the property he would see the lights of the city spread out below them, but right now it didn't feel like they were in the city at all.

Sasuke walked stiffly across the patio, taking the steps down to the garden where there were less people. Naruto followed after, thankful to not have to talk to anyone else for the moment. He liked people, he really did, but he didn't much care for these ones in particular. Too stuck up, too full of themselves.

Naruto had no idea where Sasuke was headed, but he figured that maybe Sasuke had been to this place before or something, so he'd have some sort of plan and not just stalking through the garden, past bushes and trees.

The shadows grew deep around them the further they got from the windows of the mansion, and Naruto was starting to wonder where they were going when Sasuke suddenly stopped. Before Naruto got to say anything at all Sasuke had surged forward, hands fisting in the lapels of Naruto's suit jacket, pushing him backwards until Naruto was pressed up against a tree. Then Sasuke's lips were on him, hot and insistent, tongue licking its way into Naruto's mouth with a rough determination.

Naruto was never one to back down from a challenge, so he threw himself into the kiss, not questioning what had gotten over Sasuke. His hands buried in Sasuke's hair, yanking at waxed spikes, probably messing them up completely. He didn't care.

The hard kiss grew softer as the initial desperation eased out of Sasuke, and soon he pulled away from the kiss entirely, resting his forehead against Naruto's as they both breathed hard.

"What was that about?" Naruto asked on a chuckle as his thumbs caressed the back of Sasuke's neck with slow circles.

"I didn't like how he looked at you," Sasuke said tersely.

"Looked at me? Who looked at me?" Naruto had no idea what Sasuke was talking about.

"The councilman. He kept looking at you, even when you weren't paying attention to him, it was... unsettling."

Naruto hadn't thought the councilman cared much about him at all; he had been talking to Sasuke the whole time after all.

"Whatcha mean unsettling?"

"I don't know. It was probably nothing. Besides, I couldn't stand being around any of those people another moment." A smirk rose on Sasuke's lips before he leaned in and kissed Naruto again. Naruto eagerly reciprocated, his arms slung around Sasuke's neck with a happy sigh as a soft tongue plundered his mouth.

Sasuke shifted, a thigh pressing between Naruto's legs, pushing firmly against his groin, and Naruto couldn't help the way his hips twitched into that hard thigh, loving the friction. His cock was already starting to harden, eager to play more. He never got enough of Sasuke.

"Sasuke, I can't wait for you to fuck me when we get home," he groaned as Sasuke moved away from his mouth to trail open-mouthed kisses down his jaw to his neck. Sasuke answered with a push of his thigh, pressing it harder against Naruto, tearing a soft moan from him as his head fell back to rest against the rough bark of the tree, giving Sasuke free access to his neck. Sasuke didn't shy away, his tongue tracing firmly up the column of his throat, teeth scraping down it as a hand snuck around Naruto's hip to grab his ass to press their bodies even closer together.

Naruto had forgotten all about where they were and what they were supposed to be doing here—just as Sasuke probably had—and didn't immediately understand why a surprised squeal suddenly interrupted them. His eyes opened and he stared over Sasuke's shoulder right into the shocked face of an older woman. She was clutching her handbag to her chest, a forgotten cigarette clenched between her fingers. Naruto was expecting her face to settle into a sneer of disgust when she got over the surprise of stumbling over two guys going at it when she'd obviously looked for somewhere she could sneak a cigarette, but she looked less disgusted and more... a mixture of embarrassed and interested. Apparently socialites weren't all homophobic at least.

Naruto gave Sasuke a slight shove to make him stop that delicious way he was nibbling on his neck. Sasuke pulled away with a frown.

"I think we should head back to the party," Naruto said. "I think the speeches are about to start or something."

If Sasuke noticed the lady that had stepped back closer towards the house to smoke in peace he didn't mention it, but she did give Naruto a wink as they walked past her, and Naruto wasn't sure if he should blush or grin, and ended up doing both.

They were half-way back to the mansion when the first scream came from the open doors.

***

Kakashi sent off a text and leaned back in his office chair, very happy with himself. He had managed to weasel out of going to the stuffy function, and he had finished all his paperwork. To top it off he had managed to use Naruto as an excuse ("When your son complains about his assignment for the day I was in no way responsible") to send a message to Iruka earlier, and they'd been texting on and off for an hour now, Kakashi slowly moving the conversation from Naruto to other things. He still had no idea why he was so intrigued by the other man, but it was hard to deny the excitement every time he got a text message back.

He heard voices outside his door moments before there were three hard knocks. The persons on the other side sounded annoyed considering the way he or she immediately knocked again. What was the rush? If there was an emergency they would have called out.

Kakashi smirked to himself when he noticed the time. The fundraiser was probably about finished now, so it wouldn't surprise him in the slightest if it was Sasuke standing on the other side of the door, wanting to bitch and moan about how horrible it had been to socialise for an evening.

"It's open," Kakashi singsonged, wondering if he should've pulled out one of his books from the desk drawer to annoy Sasuke further.

The door opened, and Kakashi had to admit that for once he actually was surprised. It was indeed Sasuke, with Naruto on tow, and they did seem rather displeased with their evening. What he hadn't expected was the way they looked. Sasuke was wearing nice slacks and a white shirt, but the sleeve was half-way torn off and he looked rather dishevelled. There were smears of red along his cheek, and a row of red scratches down his neck.

Naruto was still wearing his suit jacket, but the tie was gone, as was the pocket that had at one point been on the front of the shirt. The pocket had taken with it a good chunk of shirt when it was apparently torn away, leaving a very strange hole in Naruto's shirt, showing off his nipple when he moved. There were no scratches on Naruto that Kakashi could see but red was smeared on his face and his chest, just like on Sasuke. It didn't really look like blood, but something had apparently happened.

"Sasuke. Naruto. To what do I owe this dubious pleasure? You didn't have to report in after the fundraiser, I told you that yesterday."

Sasuke glared, which wasn't all that surprising, but Naruto did the same, and that was new. He must have spent enough time with Sasuke that he was starting to pick up on his mannerisms.

"Went well then? Good food?" Kakashi continued, silently taking great pleasure in seeing Sasuke's glare harden. Someone was pissed off and clearly trying to contain it. Kakashi couldn't help but poke the dragon.

"I clearly remember the invitations saying black tie, I suggest putting more thought into your clothes the next time," he said, making sure the grin on his face would translate past his mask. The piece de resistance was to open his desk drawer and pick out his book, flipping it open.

"You perverted, no good asswipe!" someone exclaimed.

Naruto. No surprise there.

"Why so upset? Did anything happen?"

"If the stuffy socialites weren't bad enough we had to deal with a stampede of them running amok," Naruto yelled, arms flailing about, almost smacking Sasuke in the face.

Sasuke seemed to be anticipating the hands, so he sidestepped them neatly, and then took over the explanation. "Some low grade witch wasn't too happy by being rejected by the woman he liked, so he tried to active a love spell. In the middle of the ballroom."

Kakashi winced. He had heard enough from the units who dealt with witches and warlocks to know that spells were volatile at their best, and love spells were notoriously tricky to get right. It went against the core of magic, which was to keep balance in the world.

"Did it backfire?" he asked.

"No, it spiralled out of control. Didn't just affect the one woman, but all of them. A horde of socialite women suddenly overcome by love so intense they couldn't control themselves." Sasuke's lips were twisted into an annoyed sneer.

Suddenly the way they looked made perfect sense. Scratches from long nails, smears of lipstick on their faces, clothes gone where the women had tried to rip them off. A love spell out of control was likely to turn into a lust spell, no feelings, just a libido running away from them.

"Any causalities?" Kakashi inquired, grin gone for now. A lust spell could be bad, people losing control, finding themselves in all kinds of compromising positions. It was like a roofie, and the witch could easily end up convicted of contributing to rape. It had happened before, but Kakashi couldn't remember a scale like this, and definitely not as high of a profile setting. This could be bad.

"No, security was on top of it, knocked the guy out. It was in incantation, so the minute he wasn’t focusing it faded away. People were well on their way to indecent, but it hadn't lasted long enough for anything truly bad to happen yet," Sasuke said, sighing heavily. It didn't appear much other than his pride was ruined. Kakashi guessed having to fight off horny socialites was not Sasuke's idea of a good night.

Kakashi knew this was going to have severe repercussions for the witch in question. The high and mighty of the city, the rich and the powerful, did not appreciate when things didn't go their way, and was likely to create quite the huff. He didn't envy Kurenai having to deal with the aftermath. Her unit was one of those set to monitor magical misconduct, so she would probably be blamed for not knowing the witch was about to do something so monumentally idiotic, even if there was no conceivable way for her to know. Magic was just one of those things where they had to deal with aftereffects more than prevent misconduct.

"Well, you'll have to write up a report about it tomorrow, but I reckon you should go home and get changed now," Kakashi said, dismissing the two agents with a wave of his hand.

"The next time you try to make us take your place at an uptight fundraiser I will personally shove the invitation up your ass," Sasuke said before turning around and stalking out of the room.

"What he said," Naruto added and tailed after Sasuke.

Kakashi leaned back in his chair, giving his computer mouse a little push to make sure he hadn't gotten any new e-mails, and then quickly typing one up for Kurenai. Knowing the other agents wouldn't be home from their rounds for hours he grabbed his phone, and saw that he had a new message from Iruka waiting for him. He couldn't stop the grin tugging at his lips.

Chapter Text

There was a quiet in the room, neither uncomfortable nor particularly pleasing, and Sasuke felt like he should break it, but instead he let it stretch out as he rested his elbows on his knees, hunching forwards enough that his hair hung in front of his face. He had been tracing the scuff marks on the floor for the last couple of minutes, trying not to get too annoyed with the situation. Occasionally the silence was broken by the creaking leather of the chair as Shizune shifted, but he still didn't look up. 

He despised going to therapy, hated having to talk about feelings and memories, digging through parts of his mind he'd rather have locked away forever, but he kept going, mostly because of Naruto. He remembered the smile on Naruto's face as he greeted him after that first session a couple of weeks ago, looking so proud, as if sitting in a small office for an hour was a great accomplishment. If only Naruto knew that Sasuke had spent the majority of that first session dodging Shizune's questions.

Eventually he figured he couldn’t keep dodging forever, but he still found it hard to talk about things he hadn't even allowed himself to think about for years. Every session left him feeling raw, as if his nerve endings had been scrubbed with sandpaper. It took an evening spent with Naruto to get over that feeling. Naruto seemed to ignore the way Sasuke snapped at him, and just held him until he felt a little less broken again.

Sasuke knew it would be a struggle to piece together what had been broken, and he wasn't confident it was really possible. He hadn't talked to Shizune about it, but he was pretty sure she'd say the same. Something was irrevocably destroyed, and now it was more a matter of patching it and making him functional again. No amount of talking or medication could make him into who he was before his childhood was shattered, but maybe he'd be able to piece together something else, something new, a semblance of a life, something worth living.

Right now his main goal was getting back in active duty. He was getting antsy, the need to go out there and right some wrongs making his fingers tingle with the need to wrap around his katana and remove some heads.

"How have you been sleeping since the last time?" Shizune asked, probably growing tired of the silence, and Sasuke peered at her through his hair before straightening his back properly. Shizune wasn't that bad, for a therapist. She worked almost exclusively with agents, she knew that they didn't appreciate coddling, and she knew when to back away and when to pry.

"Okay," Sasuke said. Shizune didn't prod further, just waited, watching him with one leg hooked over the other and her hands neatly folded atop her knee.

Sasuke sighed. He knew what she was doing, waiting him out with more silence, letting him take the initiative to explain further, but he still found himself doing as she wanted. "I had a nightmare the night before last, woke up in the middle of the night."

"Do you remember what it was about?"

"No. Yes. Some. I was trying to get to someone, but I was trapped, couldn't move my feet."

Shizune nodded, but didn't say anything. It's not like it took a therapist to realise what the dream meant. Sasuke had woken up, feeling utterly helpless and terrified, and it had taken Naruto's arms holding him tight before he calmed down again. Naruto never said much when Sasuke was like this, but he was there, and that was usually enough.

"Have you noticed any more episodes when you are awake?" Shizune continued after Sasuke made no move to say anything else about his nightmares.

"No. No more panic attacks." That wasn't saying too much considering he hadn't been in any situations like the one that triggered the first attack. Naruto and he had spent most of their time at work with paperwork and filing, and it was hard to get anything other than mind-numbingly bored from that. There was the incident at the fundraiser, but he hadn't ever felt like they were truly in danger, so it probably wouldn't have triggered one anyways. He suspected he wouldn’t know if they were gone or not until he was in a situation like that again. If Shizune ever cleared him for duty that was.

***

Naruto was sitting at his desk, staring blankly at the document in front of him. He knew it was a scientific text about vampires, and that it was probably always a good thing to learn more about the scourge they were fighting, but when he had read the same sentence four times, and still had no idea what the stuffy professor who had written it was trying to say he gave up. It was clear that the author hadn't ever been there on the streets, staring down at fiery red eyes and bared fangs, knowing that reacting just a split-second too late would mean their imminent death.

Naruto groaned and sagged into his chair. He wanted to go back on the streets, wanted to do something more active. He wasn't cut out for sitting behind a desk, studying. Too much energy he needed to burn off, and no amount of running or lifting weights was going to be enough.

He heard the guffaw even before the doors to the elevator opened and Kiba all but fell out of it, clutching his stomach as he laughed. Kankuro came after, face set in a scowl. Kiba was probably having fun on Kank's behalf, wouldn’t be the first time.

Kankuro shoved at Kiba's back enough to make him stumble before heading towards the bathrooms, leaving Kiba snickering his way into the bullpen where he immediately made his way towards Naruto, plunking down on his desk.

"Dude, you'll never guess what just happened!"

"You didn't realise the hot girl you were ogling was a vampire?"

Kiba's grin faltered for a second. "One time," he grumbled before shaking his mess of hair. "Nah, it was better."

"Really?" Naruto said. "Because the way Kankuro tells that story about you, it is pretty hilarious."

"Shut up. No, better. We were following this lead okay? Guy was certain his next door neighbour was a vampire. We figure it is probably bullshit, you know? But Kankuro knock on the neighbour's door, and this guy opens. Huge as fuck, wider than he's tall, naked as the day he was born. Hairy chest, sweating as if he just ran a marathon. Clearly not a vampire. Anyways, never know what he's hiding, so Kankuro asks him about it. Turns out the guy had told the one who called us that he was a vampire because he was sick and tired of him making so much noise, so he just wanted to scare him a little. Okay, so fine, he's not a vampire, but apparently he is hot for Kankuro. He gives him this look, you know, the up and down as he's talking? Doesn't seem to give a fuck that he's naked, even as he gets hard. I make sure to step back so Kankuro has him all to himself, and the guy is all, Would you stake me if I was a vampire, and you just know he's not talking about a wooden stake. I swear you could see the blood draining from Kankuro's face. He looked fully traumatized by the time we could get out of there."

Kankuro chose that very moment to come back out of the bathroom, looking like he'd been scrubbing his face and hands thoroughly judging by the redness in his cheeks. Naruto broke out laughing.

"Oi, Kiba! I'm gonna kill you!" Kankuro shouted, and since he was still fully equipped with his gun it wasn't a completely empty threat. Well, apart from the fact that shooting your partner was kind of frowned upon.

Kiba wasn't too concerned judging by the way he stuck up his middle finger. "Payback is a bitch."

By the time Sasuke got back from his therapy session Kiba and Kankuro had managed to calm down long enough to get off their jackets and guns, then they'd started bickering again and Kiba's head was currently stuck in a headlock Kankuro seemed to have full control over. Kiba was wiggling, but not getting anywhere.

"The sexy vamp story again?" Sasuke asked as he sat down at his desk.

"No, this was a brand-new one," Naruto said as he rolled his desk chair over to Sasuke, bumping his head against Sasuke's shoulder in a silent offer of support. Sasuke looked annoyed, as he mostly did after therapy. "I'll tell you all about it. Just make sure to give Kankuro shit about it later."

"Seems like Kiba will give him enough shit for all of us."

Naruto looked over to the other two, and saw the Kiba had made his way out of the headlock by now, pulling out his phone because he apparently needed to call Shikamaru and tell him all about it. The sound the phone made when it was knocked out of Kiba's hand by Kankuro, spinning through the air before hitting the floor, didn't bode well for the device.

"Probably yeah," Naruto concurred. He wanted to ask about therapy, but work wasn't the right place. Only an hour left before their shift was officially over, then they could go home, and he could ask, and Sasuke could brush it off, as per usual.

He might as well give that article one more chance. He rolled back to his desk with a sigh, not looking forward to it.

***

Kakashi was reading through yesterday's reports when the phone from Director Tsunade's office came in. Eager to get away from the paperwork he answered with a cheery hello. Tsunade was too used to it to care, merely stated that he was to report in at her office ASAP. And that means right this moment, Hatake, she had added in a voice that told him she would likely trace him down and smack him over the head if he didn't.

Kakashi had never been known to arrive on time, in fact, it was rather the opposite, and even though he took pleasure in tormenting Director Tsunade even he knew not to dawdle too much or risk injury. The Director's temper was infamous, and when she backed it up with a strength that could terrify the biggest of guys she wasn't one to mess with. Too much at least.

He made his way out of the office, nodding at Sasuke who looked sullen as always, noting that Kankuro and Kiba seemed to have some sort of disagreement, but nothing that he needed to interfere with. Naruto was sitting at his desk, looking glassy-eyed as the screen in front of him. Probably reading some of the articles Kakashi had forwarded him. He was surprised Naruto hadn't dozed off yet, some of them went so far past boring it should be illegal. It was good to get a scholars take on the vampires though, get more knowledge, see how they were perceived by other people, those who had studied the biology and history. Mix that with the actual experience of the DPA agents and you had a solid mix. If you managed to stay awake long enough to process the information that was.

The elevator ride up the levels was swift, and soon he could get out at the top floor and make his way across the hall to the big boss' office. He knocked and moments later he was told to enter.

He wasn't the only one who had been called in apparently. Asuma and Kurenai was standing to the side by the bank of windows overlooking the city, Gai was leaning against a wall and Genma was sitting in the chair in front of Tsunade's desk, offering up a wave over his head as Kakashi came in the door.

Tsunade was sitting behind her desk, stacks of paper surrounding her. Kakashi might send Naruto and Sasuke up her to help her with the paperwork if he couldn't find better jobs for them soon. He hoped to hear back from the academy about them helping out there soon, but in the meanwhile…

"Hatake, not late for once?" Tsunade said, sounding genuinely surprised.

"I'd never be late," Kakashi said, grinning behind his mask. Tsunade huffed and shoved a manila folder to the side, almost knocking over a stack of paper that was balancing precariously on the edge of the desk. She looked her normal overworked self. Her hair was a little frazzled, her shirt was unbuttoned just enough to show off the swell of breasts that strained at the fabric, any tie long gone, and she looked about ready to strangle anyone who dared comment on it.

Kakashi shoved his hands into his pockets as he walked over and found a decent patch of wall to lean against, waiting for her to continue. He had no idea what this impromptu meeting was all about, but it certainly wasn't a social call, the director didn't like them nearly enough for that.

The office door behind them opened, and Raidou and Ebisu walked in, greeting the group before finding something to lean up against.

"That's all of you that were in the office tonight, so we'll start now," Tsunade said, getting their attention. "There's been a breach of security that we need to discuss."

"A breach?" Gai asked, looking about ready to rush outside and start fighting intruders. Kakashi remained slouched against the wall, but he did tug his hands out of his pockets and cross his arms instead. If the actual building had been breached Tsunade wouldn't have ordered a meeting, she would have gotten it taken care of, so clearly it was not what she meant.

"Stand down, Gai, it's a digital breach, knocking heads won't help much. It appears our systems have been tampered with, some hacker good enough the IT department almost didn't catch the trail at all."

"What was their objective?" Asuma asked.

"We don't know, IT are making sure they haven't left any nasty surprises, but so far it appears they've just been rooting through the files. We have no idea if they were looking for anything in particular, or if it was just kids trying to see what they could hack into, but we need to be aware. There's a lot of sensitive information they could've gotten their hand on."

There was more talk of security measures, which Kakashi only held half an ear on. Nothing he didn't know about already.

They discussed for a while, no one really coming to any conclusions beyond making sure to follow IT's directions to ensure that their files and programs stayed safe. His unit wouldn't be the ones most likely for any attack anyways, considering most of their files just regarded vampires they had killed or was supposed to kill. He was sure some of the other units had much more sensitive information they needed to worry about. Still, he'd go through it with the unit later, make sure everyone knew that password was a shitty password and no, you shouldn't click the e-mail that advertised for bigger dicks.

The meeting disbanded a short while later, it wasn't like there was much information to pass on at this time, Tsunade had just wanted them as unit leaders informed. Kakashi was about to leave when Tsunade called him over.

"Hatake, how is your unit doing?" she asked, leaning on the desk with one elbow, cheek propped atop her fist.

"As usual." Kakashi sat down in the now available seat opposite her.

"Barely keeping afloat then?" Tsunade asked, sighing heavily.

"They are good agents," Kakashi started, but Tsunade cut him off with a wave of her hand.

"But there aren't enough people and it's a shit job," Tsunade added.

"That about sums it up, yes." And with two agents out of commission for the moment things were even more strained than usual. The fight with the vampires was an ebb and flow that never seemed to be in their favour. For every vampire they killed two more popped up, ready to spread through the city like the pest they were, eating and maiming as they went. His agents did what they could, but they were only human. Or at least most of them were. They were vulnerable out there, and only luck would have it there hadn't been any causalties in his unit since he took over. It had been damned close a few times, and he dreaded the day he couldn't say that, when one of his agents didn't come through just broken, but dead. All it would take was one bad mission.

It was a shit job indeed. Their city seemed to draw in all kinds of trouble, some supernatural crossroad where it all collided in a mess and it was up to an eternally overworked and underfunded DPA to take care of business.

"How is the one who's off active duty doing, are you getting him back in the foreseeable future, or do we need to think about getting in some temporary agent for his partner?"

"Shizune tells me he's doing as well as expected in therapy, but then again, I guess you know this."

Tsunade shrugged. "I am the boss after all."

"He's… eager. He wants to be out there, so that helps. His partner will be great motivation too; he won't like the thought of Uzumaki going out there with anyone else."

"They… are an item? It seemed like there was more than just a regular partnership between them from Shizune's notes."

"Yeah, there's more," Kakashi said, not offering more on that topic. There was no stated rule that partners couldn't get involved after all, no matter how frowned upon it might be. "Uchiha is strong, and determined as hell. With Uzumaki pulling him along he'll be back in duty before we know it."

"I've been trying to get together a new unit to work alongside yours, but we can't take resources from any of the other units, and there are no funds available, so for now we make do. I've been talking to some of the other DPA offices, but things are bad out there, all of them are fighting to stay afloat."

"We'll do what we can," Kakashi said with a shrug. There wasn't much else to do. Someone had to keep the city safe, and right now the DPA was the only thing standing in the way of the mass of vampires, ghouls and warlocks threatening their peace. If only people knew half of the things that was lurking in the shadows.

"You are dismissed for now, go back to your unit, I'm sure they'll have torn the office to pieces without you," Tsunade said. She looked tired. There were lines around her eyes that hadn't been there just last year, and Kakashi knew well why. Unit leader was a tough enough position, the director needed to keep charge of every single unit and fight with the politicians on a daily basis to top it all off. No way would Kakashi ever let himself get promoted to that position, he'd leave that for better men or women.

Kakashi pushed to his feet and walked towards the exit.

"Tell me if I need to arrange for a temporary partner, or even two. We might be able to rearrange something to get your unit to full capacity again.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Don't ma'am me, brat, makes me feel old."

Kakashi bit back the retort that rose on his tongue, but Tsunade seemed to be a mind reader, because the next he knew she was tossing a stapler at him, brazenly aiming at his head.

He caught it out of the air, pocketed it and left with a wave.

***

Sasuke left his shoes by the entrance as he made his way across the apartment, stretching his arms over his head. Office work came with a whole different kind of aches than being in the field did. His shoulders was tense and tight from sitting in front of the computer too much, and it made him miss the soreness running through the city left him with.

He loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top button of the shirt as he sank down on the couch, letting Naruto deal with the food.

Naruto carried the bags, leaving them on the coffee table as he went into the kitchen to find plates and something to drink. Sasuke heard the banging of cupboard doors, and was suddenly struck with how domestic this felt, having Naruto feel right at home in his apartment, fixing up the dinner.

He shook his head and rested it against the back of the couch. For most of his life he had been alone, said he preferred it that way, always keeping people at an arm's length, but apparently all it took was a stubborn blond menace who wouldn't be intimidated easily.

Sometimes he wondered if they'd been pushed together solely because of the circumstances, being forced to rely on each other as partners, and then going through what they went through, but even now, when the world was slowing down, no life or death moments, just office work and coming home to eat dinner and maybe watch a movie, Sasuke was realising it still felt right. He liked having Naruto here. He felt calm around in him in a way he hadn't with anyone before, but at the same time it never got boring. Naruto was no pushover, and when push came to shove he was right there, chest against chest, not backing up.

Naruto came back into the living room, carrying plates, napkins and glasses filled with water all the way to the brim. Sasuke watched him, rolling his eyes when the water inevitably spilled over the top of the glasses. With Naruto there came a chaos he hadn't allowed in his life before, but he was finding that he liked that chaos more and more.

Greasy Chinese food was dumped onto the plates with little care for aesthetics or messes, and then Naruto was grabbing the remote, turning on the TV, only glancing over at Sasuke after he'd stuffed a generous portion of fried rice into his mouth.

It made no sense, and it made all the sense in the world, Sasuke was irrevocably in love with Naruto.

His chest felt warm, and a little tight, as he realised the extent of that. Naruto wasn't just some crush, or a partner he trusted with his life, he loved him. He hadn't wanted to feel that towards anyone, had been afraid what getting that connected would mean, but he wasn't afraid now.

"Naruto," Sasuke started, "I lo—"

"OH MY GOD! I love this movie, can we watch it, pretty please?" Naruto looked over at him with big eyes, seemingly having no idea that he had just thoroughly ruined the moment.

With a huff that wasn't really annoyed at all Sasuke just shrugged and grabbed his plate. "I don't mind."

Sated on junk food, with Naruto tucked against his side, Sasuke found himself thinking that everything was going to be okay. Potential panic attacks was far from his mind as he closed his eyes, and turned his face enough to rest against Naruto's messy hair, drawing in his scent and planting a soft kiss against blond strands.

Naruto shifted enough to wrap an arm around Sasuke's midsection, and soon Sasuke heard soft snores muffled against his side, Naruto having dozed off, forgetting all about the movie he had been insisting they watch.

Saying the words now, with Naruto asleep and not listening, would be cheating, so Sasuke merely kept them inside, knowing exactly how he felt about Naruto, and being very content with it.

Chapter Text

She'd had so many dreams of the future, and now they were all crumbling in front of her, like a sandcastle claimed back by the tide.

She tried to draw a breath, but there was just a wet rattle, and she knew something was beyond broken, that she wasn't getting away from this. The pain of claws was raw where they had carved into her.

Minato had been so reassuring, told her they'd never find them here, that Minato wasn't important enough to track down. He had been wrong. Of course he wouldn't let them get away; Minato was too strong, too good of an asset. They never had a chance, and these months of happiness had been a mirage, a moment of pretend before it all caught up with them again. Life had been too good; she should have known it would all come tumbling down.

Minato had always been too good for that other world, a bright spot in the bleakness, a brightness she had seen mirrored in their son, but now Minato was probably already gone, and soon their beloved son would be too, and she was helpless to stop it.

Tears stung her eyes as he looked towards Naruto's crib. She could see a small fist poke over the edge, and she could see the shadow of the beast on the other side. A wolf, muzzle red with blood, her blood.

No, she tried to say, but she couldn't form words. She lifted her hand towards Naruto as the wolf laid its great paws on the edge of his crib, maw opening wide as he leaned over him.

Her hand dropped to the floor, limp. Her last breath left her.

***

Sasuke peered into the mirror, pushing a strand of hair into place and running his hands through the back one more time to muss it up in the right way. Naruto was standing at his side, pulling forlornly at a piece of hair that hung in his eyes. He’d stolen some of Sasuke’s hair wax to tame his unruly locks, but so far it didn’t look like he was succeeding.

“Tsk,” Sasuke said, “Let me do it.”

Naruto turned towards him, eagerly giving up the mammoth task of making some sort of order out of his hair.

Sasuke winced at some of the clumps of wax, evidence that Naruto had really no idea what he had been doing. He worked his fingers through it, but it was quickly evident that Naruto’s hair was an entity of its own and did not appreciate being forced to do anything other than rebel. Sasuke mussed it up, making it look a bit more like orderly chaos than bedhead, and called it a day.

“It looks good as it is,” he said, rinsing off his hands as Naruto considered the look which was pretty much the same as he usually wore. He shrugged, not really looking like he cared one way or another.

Sasuke felt a weight against his side as Naruto bumped his shoulder against his, and when he looked up into the mirror their eyes met, Naruto giving him a wide grin. Sasuke felt his own lips twitch into a semblance of a smile. He was pretty sure he’d look more like he was ready to murder anyone than he’d look happy if he tried to smile as wide as Naruto did.

“Ready for your party?” Sasuke asked, drying off his hands and leaving the bathroom. His living room looked as it usually did, apart from the various bowls of snacks that littered the living room table. He was still wondering what the hell he had been thinking agreeing to have the party at his apartment. He never let anyone but Naruto inside, and now their entire unit, plus friends (for those of them that had such things) was about to come, and probably turn the place upside down.

The biggest surprise was that Sasuke didn’t really mind that much. The glee on Naruto’s face when Sasuke had said yes had meant more than keeping the sanctity of his home. He was a changed man, and he found himself being surprisingly fine with that. He guessed it would be nice to go ice skating in hell because it had surely frozen over by now. He scoffed at himself.

“Yes!” Naruto exclaimed, bouncing after him. Sasuke had gotten him to put on some of his nicer clothes, a dove grey shirt that wasn’t too big, and a pair of slacks that didn’t have scuffed hems. For himself he had chosen a pair of dark jeans, and a soft sweater in a dark mossy green. Naruto had complained that the shirt was too tight, but the way it showed off his broad shoulders and strong back made it exactly right. Naruto just had no concept of well-fitting clothes.

The fashion disaster in question made his way over to the couch, jumping onto it and grabbing the remote, pulling up YouTube, hopefully to put on a playlist and not to watch cat videos. Sasuke let him to it as he made his way back to the bedroom, grabbing a box from the closet.

It was the first time he’d bought a birthday present for anyone since he was a kid, and he had spent too long considering his options before he settled on this. At first sight it might just seem like a nice present, but there was more to it. He was happy with his choice, and he was pretty sure Naruto would be too. At least he hoped so. He was starting to doubt himself now that the day was here. He had no idea how to explain to Naruto what he meant with the gift, but he would figure it out as he went.

When he came back into the living room Naruto was indeed watching cat videos, and Sasuke rolled his eyes as Naruto spun around.

“Sasuke! Look!”

Sasuke sat down next to Naruto as the cat in the video made to leap and faceplanted royally. Naruto guffawed too loud, but stopped seconds later when he spotted the box in Sasuke’s lap, bow neatly tied on top.

Sasuke could see the way Naruto was fighting between asking for it and waiting to see what Sasuke was going to do, so he put him out of his misery, handing the box over.

Naruto’s face split in another grin—Sasuke was pretty sure he’d see a lot of them today—and then he dug into it with childish glee, ripping apart the paper to get to the box underneath.

“No way!”

Sasuke didn’t get the time to say anything as Naruto threw himself at him, planting a sloppy kiss on his mouth.

“We can play later, yeah?” Naruto asked, looking back at the box with a PS4 sitting on the couch. He looked torn, but then he slung a leg over Sasuke and kissed him again, choosing kisses over gaming systems. Good choice.

“Sure, we can play,” Sasuke said, brushing a stray strand of hair out of Naruto’s eyes.

“You didn’t need to buy me a gift at all, Sasuke, the party is enough,” Naruto said, but the excitement over the gift was easy to spot as Naruto was squirming with barely contained energy. He really needed to calm down or Sasuke wouldn’t be presentable at all when the guests came over later.

“Naruto, do you remem—“

The doorbell chimed through the living room, and Naruto was off his lap and running towards the intercom the next moment, not even realizing Sasuke was about to say something. Sasuke should be annoyed, but right now he was almost happy for the interruption, because he’d rather tell Naruto what he was meaning to say when they were alone and he could show Naruto just how serious he was being.

He rested his head back against the couch, preparing for the peace of his apartment to be completely broken apart in the time it took for Kiba to take the elevator up from the first floor. He thought back to the years of never letting anyone see the place, of making sure to always go home with his dates so he could slip out in the middle of the night if he felt like it, and he realised that ever since he had first brought Naruto here it hadn’t been the same. What was once a safe place from the shittiness of the world was now a home. Naruto had made his way past Sasuke's carefully maintained shields, dragging along a whole group of people, and now he was dragging them all beyond the actual physical doors to his home as well. Sasuke would probably bitch and moan through the night, because people still annoyed him, but he didn’t care if they destroyed his furniture because it was just things, and the peace he had once found in the loneliness of the apartment he now found with Naruto.

Which was exactly the reasoning behind the present. He was sure Naruto had completely forgotten, but he still remembered what Naruto had said that first day when he woke up here, exclaiming in joy that if Sasuke bought a PS4 he’d move in.

He looked over at the gaming system, a small smile on his lips before he scooped the box up and carried it to the relative safety of the table he’d set up for gifts. He knew exactly when Kiba arrived, the twin exclamations from Naruto and the mutt was hard not to notice. The party was about to start.

***

Naruto was having the time of his life. Everyone from their DPA unit had come in, because Kakashi had arranged that their days off all aligned, another unit taking over their tasks for the day. He’d made it clear that this was mostly because then he could call Naruto’s birthday a teambuilding meeting and he wouldn’t have to arrange one later. Naruto had no idea if that was true or not, but he didn’t really care, because everyone was here, and it just made him realise that they were all here for him. He had friends, several of them, and they’d all brought more friends that Naruto had been buzzing around getting to know. No one looked at him with disgust or hatred and he wished he could go back to his younger self and tell him that it was going to be okay.

The only person he missed at the party was his dad. Iruka had called earlier to wish him a happy birthday and apologise for not being able to come visit. He'd wanted to, but the principal of the school had put him in charge for a school trip, and there was no way for him to get out of it. He had, however, promised to come visit as soon as he was able. Naruto had wished his dad could be here, but he also knew enough about the school to not be surprised.

Naruto finished off his drink, wincing at the taste. Kankuro had claimed to be in charge of the bar, and so far he’d mostly spent that time making really shitty drinks for everyone. The result was that most of the people were in some state of inebriation, so he guessed it was a success. Naruto would probably have been completely shitfaced by now if his body didn’t burn off the alcohol faster than usual humans. Also, he kept getting distracted by talking, and as it was he was just feeling the slightest of buzzes. He needed another drink.

He made his way towards the corner of the kitchen that worked as a bar; grabbing an acid green drink that Kankuro gave him. He was glad of his healing ability when he drank, feeling the sour taste probably burn a hole right through his stomach lining. Kankuro seemed to take great pleasure in the pained look on Naruto’s face.

In that moment Naruto noticed Sasuke coming into the kitchen after him. They had become separated when Kiba dragged Naruto away to show him Sasuke’s huge ass TV, as if Naruto didn’t already know all about that. He was pretty sure Kiba was going to lobby for movie nights at Sasuke's place sometime in the future.

Nearly spilling the sticky drink down his front Naruto bounced over to Sasuke, throwing his free arm around his neck and pulling him close enough to smack a kiss on Sasuke’s cheek. Sasuke pushed him off, rolling his eyes.

As with all parties there was a small group of people hanging out in the kitchen, and Sasuke apparently just now seemed to realise what they were up to besides drinking and spilling all over his floors.

“Who is that girl?” he asked, frowning in the direction of the kitchen table.

“The one with the thingies on her head?” Naruto made a swirling motion atop his head to indicate a pair of twin buns. “That’s TenTen. She came with Lee I think?”

“What is she doing with my kitchen knife?”

Naruto looked over her shoulder, seeing her hand splayed on the table top as she proceeded to stab all around her fingers, neatly avoiding actually severing any of them. “It’s the Knife game?” Naruto said. Had Sasuke really never heard of it? Like, for real?

“Does she know that the table she is currently stabbing into costs about $6000?” Sasuke deadpanned.

It was clear that TenTen had overheard that last sentence, because her hand froze mid-air, and they could see how her head tilted towards the table top, seeing the very distinct nicks she had left in it. Very slowly she turned around, her brown eyes wide as she looked at Sasuke.

Sasuke didn’t say anything, just let the moment drag out, and Naruto could see how dread seemed to fill TenTen. Apparently Lee had told her just enough to be afraid of Sasuke, but not enough to warn her off damaging his property.

Sasuke took a sip of his drink, and what could only be years of not showing off his emotions enabled him not to wince, because no way was the pale-pink concoction in any way tasty.

“Go nuts, but if you cut off a finger I’m not taking you to the hospital,” Sasuke said, smirking at TenTen, and then dragging Naruto after him into the living room. Naruto just had time to give her a thumbs up before he stumbled after his boyfriend.

“Does it really cost that much?” Naruto said, and Sasuke just shrugged.

“Probably more.”

Naruto laughed, bumping his shoulder against Sasuke and looking over the room. Gaara was standing by a wall, looking far beyond uncomfortable, and on the other side of the room Neji was standing, matching his look. “Gaara! Neji! Kankuro wants you in the kitchen!” Naruto called out. It was clear the two needed drinks to loosen up, and Kankuro was up to that task just fine.

Making a detour by the coffee table Naruto was dismayed to see that they were running low on snacks. There was a big bowl of chips left, but that was currently in Chouji’s lap, the guy doing what he could to decimate the entire thing all by himself. Naruto left him to it, figuring he shouldn’t get between a man and his snacks.

When Sasuke sat down in the armchair that was pulled up towards the couch Naruto made his way over, settling into Sasuke’s lap.

“Hey, idiot, you’re too heavy,” Sasuke complained, shoving at Naruto’s back, but Naruto just grabbed the armrests and made himself heavier, and Sasuke gave in moments later. He probably could’ve dislodged Naruto if he wanted, but instead he leaned back, one hand resting on Naruto’s hip, middle finger hooking on one of the belt loops.

Naruto peered around the room, noting how different it looked filled with people. The space, which was usually just this side of barren, seemed a lot more alive with people milling around it, drinking and talking and swaying to the music. Naruto noticed that someone had changed the playlist he had found online, but he thought maybe he liked this one better; it had a nice beat, easy to talk over, but still enjoyable.

This was the birthday party he'd always wanted, people having a good time, talking, hanging around, having fun. He'd gotten a bunch of gifts, but he didn't really care about that. They could've come with nothing at all, and he wouldn't have minded one bit.

Birthdays had been mostly forgotten about in the various foster homes he had lived in as a kid, and although Iruka had done what he could to with cake and movies and presents, there was still something lacking. Naruto saw how his classmates all invited everyone to parties, they always talked about it for ages afterwards, but Naruto was never invited, always on the outside. He'd gotten pity invites a couple of times, but the look on his classmates' faces clearly said that their parents were making them, and that they did not in any way want Naruto to come. In most cases there weren't even pity invites, because the parents despised Naruto as much as the kids ever did.

Now he was right in the middle of things, no longer the one having to hear about how others spent birthdays. These people were all here because they wanted to be, because they liked to be around him, and Naruto still couldn't quite believe his luck. He had been so lonely, and now he had friends and a boyfriend, and he hoped things would never change.

A hand floated to his stomach, pressing against it, as if willing the beast inside to stay slumbering. He didn't want this to ever be ruined. For once his life seemed absolutely perfect.

Naruto was distracted from his thoughts moments later when Kiba came stomping into the room. He made his way to Naruto, grabbed a discarded drink from the table and downed it all. "What am I doing wrong?" he groaned as he dropped the glass back on the table, making it tip over on its side, spilling sticky remains of something opaque that was probably just another disgusting mix of liquors on the table. He made no move to pick it up.

"Are we talking in general here? I don't think we can spend the entire night discussing what is wrong with you," Sasuke said from behind Naruto.

"Shit, Uchiha, didn't even see you," Kiba said, hand darting out to right the glass. "Also, shut up."

Naruto heard Sasuke's disapproving snort, and dove in before Sasuke egged Kiba on more. Naruto could do that well enough on his own.

"What did you do now?" Naruto asked.

"It's not so much what I did do, as what I don't do," Kiba asked, pushing at Naruto's arm enough that he could claim the armrest for a seat, sitting sideways and twisting his head towards Naruto. He lived dangerously, because Sasuke's hand twitched against Naruto's side, as if he was making ready to shove him off any moment.

"Shower?" Naruto added helpfully.

Kiba made a small growl of annoyance. "I have a dog, okay, not my fault he rolls around in my clothes."

Sasuke and Naruto snorted out short laughs at that.

"But that's not it. Guess what I just walked in on?"

Naruto wasn't sure he really wanted to know what Kiba had seen, but Kiba was obviously going to tell him anyways, because he continued moments later.

"So, I was headed to the bathroom yeah? And guess who I see all over each other out in the hallway? Fucking Shikamaru and Temari, sucking face like they are teenager. Like, fuck that. Shikamaru is so lazy that he barely manages to stay awake at work, and he finds someone like Temari? And what about me? Do I get anyone to make out with?" Kiba threw his arms into the air, almost toppling over, only Naruto's hand on his arm enough to make sure he stayed seated.

"And it's not like this is the first time is it? I totally walked in on you two too, you know. So unfair."

"You wanna make out with Sasuke too?" Naruto asked, and he simultaneously heard a scoff from Sasuke and a eww from Kiba.

"Believe me, of the two of you I'd chose you any day, Naruto," Kiba said, grinning wide enough to show off crooked canines.

"Please don't," Sasuke muttered. "I don't want your slobber all over him."

"I'm not that unlikeable—I'm not talking to you, Sasuke—am I really?" Kiba said with a pout as he leaned against Naruto's shoulder. "I just want someone to kiss me already, I'm sick and tired of just walking in on all of you guys."

"Oh my God, Kiba, seriously? Are you going to be complaining about this all night?" A shrill voice cut through Kiba's whining.

Naruto hadn't noticed her sitting on the couch, Ino, the blond friend Kiba had introduced him to once a night that Naruto didn't remember too much of on account of the copious amounts of alcohol he had consumed.  She was standing up now, hands on her side as she narrowed her eyes at Kiba.

"Yes," Kiba said, "I'm gonna keep complaining until I get someone cute to make out with too."

Ino sighed, then grabbed the front of Kiba's sweater and dragged him close so he was barely sitting on the armrest at all anymore. Then she pressed glossy lips against Kiba in a hard kiss.

When she let him go he fell backwards, tumbling on top of Naruto in a sprawl of limbs. Pink lip-gloss shone on his lips, and he blinked up at Naruto, looking completely shell-shocked. "Did Ino just kiss me?"

Naruto nodded.

"Do you think she likes me?"

"She probably just wanted you to shut up," Sasuke supplied helpfully, voice sounding a little strained, probably because of the two agents currently in his lap.

Kiba looked over the room towards where Ino had gone. "I'm gonna go ask her," he added, trying to get up, but only managing to roll off the chair onto the floor. He didn't seem to mind much, and got to his feet, bolting after Ino.

Naruto shifted around in Sasuke's lap until he could sling an arm around Sasuke's neck, leaning in and pressing their foreheads together.

"This is a great party, Sasuke, thank you so much for doing this."

"It's really not a big deal. As long as you help clean up, because we're probably going to have to disinfect the entire place tomorrow."

Naruto threaded his fingers in Sasuke's hair and kissed him softly.

"I love you so much," Naruto muttered against Sasuke's lips.

The next second a scream rang through the apartment, and both Naruto and Sasuke straightened their backs, heads swivelling in the direction of the sound, already on the alert.

TenTen came rushing out of the kitchen, looking around the room before her gaze settled on Naruto and Sasuke. Her eyes were wide, and her skin tone was decidedly paler than it had been when they last saw her.

"Uhm, do you have like bandages or something, maybe?" she asked.

Naruto turned to look towards the kitchen, not sure what he expected to see.

"Kankuro was boasting that he could do better than me, but I think he taste tested a few too many of his drinks," she added. She wasn't looking too panicky, so Naruto figured it wasn't too bad. No dismembered fingers at least. He let alertness seep out of his body again as he got to his feet, letting Sasuke go to fetch the first aid kit.

The surge of adrenaline that flashed through him when he'd heard the scream (obviously Kankuro's) had stirred up his beast, and even as Naruto sat back down and tried to focus back on the party it took the beast a while to calm back down. He tried ignoring it, but when he looked back around the room he felt almost like an impostor. A room of good people, and here he was, hiding something inside that he sometimes wondered if he really was in control of at all.

He smiled at a joke, but it didn't quite reach his eyes, and not until Sasuke came back and wound their fingers together did Naruto really calm down and let himself enjoy his party again, the beast finally curling up in its fitful hibernation. Everything was going to be fine.

Chapter Text

The blinds weren't properly drawn, so Naruto woke earlier than he would've liked, blinking against the offending rays of light before bringing up a hand to shield his eyes from it as he looked over at Sasuke's nightstand and the alarm clock that stood there. 11:00 am. Which for most people were late, but when you hadn't crawled into bed until seven it was way too early.  The party had dragged on, which maybe wasn't too weird considering they were all night owls by trade. And just when he thought the last guest had left and he could go asleep they'd found Kiba snoring away on the balcony, huddled up underneath his hoodie, which was doing a lousy job at keeping him warm considering it was October.

Sasuke had delegated waking and sending Kiba home to Naruto, leaving to wash the blood stains off the kitchen table himself.

With Kiba shoved into a cab Naruto had finally been able to collapse on the bed and fall asleep, but of course the sun would wake him a mere three hours later. He smothered a yawn and stretched his back, wincing at the crack his spine made as he considering getting up to shut the blinds or just turning around and go back to sleep facing the other way.

Rubbing his eyes he looked around, surprised to not be waking with arms wrapped around him. Sasuke was a cuddler, even if he wouldn't acknowledge it, and most of the time Naruto woke with both Sasuke's arms and legs wrapped around him tightly. It was a very nice thing to wake up to, and now he felt all weird not having an elbow shoved in his ribs.

Sasuke was still in bed, but he was lying a full two feet away from Naruto, perched all the way on the other side of the mattress, his back towards him. The sheets had slipped off him at some point to pool around his waist, and there was a slight shiver in his shoulders. Naruto recognised the suppressed moan that came next. Sasuke was caught in a nightmare. It had happened all too frequently since that night in the Uchiha manor, and Naruto hated it, hated seeing Sasuke suffer. Thankfully he had found a remedy that usual did the trick.

Naruto slipped a tan hand around Sasuke's waist, pulling him back towards his chest. Sasuke was cool against him, his skin soft and his hip bone a sharp edge against Naruto's fingers. Sasuke murmured sleepily as Naruto stroked gently across his skin, dancing against his abs, playing with the trail of hair leading down from his bellybutton and across sensitive sides that had Sasuke flinch slightly.

It was never a good idea to wake Sasuke too suddenly when he was caught in a nightmare, it made him lash out, made him on edge for the rest of the day. The clue was to gently pull him away from the dark place the nightmares put him in, ease him back awake.

Sasuke relaxed against him, and Naruto could feel the nightmare slipping away as the tenseness seeped out of Sasuke's shoulders and his breathing seemed to even out. Naruto loved the fact that his touch seemed to comfort Sasuke, that it grounded him when he was lost in the dark memories that haunted him. He ghosted a kiss against a pale shoulder and felt the stirring that marked Sasuke starting to wake.

"Morning, baby," Naruto muttered, knowing that half-awake was probably the only time Sasuke wouldn't castrate him for calling him that.

Naruto's fingers traced up Sasuke's middle, teasing against hard muscle and bone. Sasuke was starting to squirm, still not quite awake, but getting there. Naruto kissed his neck, right across one of the dark marks he had left on him a few days ago. Then another kiss, right where neck met shoulder. The feel of skin was different there, changing from the smoothness of unblemished skin to the puckered roughness of scar tissue. Naruto hesitated a moment, then kissed it gently before pulling back, letting his eyes drop to the spot, even if he knew what he was going to see there. A roughly circular scar, a marking Naruto himself had left there some months ago. Not the only scar marring Sasuke's pale skin by far, but one that made something twist painfully in Naruto's gut as he remembered just how it had happened.

Sasuke had tried to leave him, tried to shut him out of the crap that was going on, and desperate to show Sasuke that he needed to stay with him, that Naruto wasn't going to let him go Naruto had topped Sasuke for the first time, which had been great in the sense that it was pretty spectacular sex, but he'd been so raw with emotions that the beast had pushed through, and before he knew it he'd sunk his fangs into Sasuke's neck, biting deep, forever marking him as his.

He didn't regret the sex, it had been mind-blowing, and Sasuke had desperately needed to let go of his control for once, but he did regret not being able to control himself better. It was testament to how the beast was always there, pushing at the walls, trying to get free. It had tried to claim Sasuke then, whether to mark or something worse Naruto didn't know, and he wasn't sure he wanted to know. He was never going to let the beast harm anyone ever again. It was always there, a presence in his gut, but he had it under control, he pushed it back whenever it prodded at its limits. He had to, he didn't want to know what would happen if he couldn't control it.

"Naruto…" he heard Sasuke mutter, and looked away from the scar to meet Sasuke's slightly slanted eyes as he peered at Naruto over his shoulder. His eyes were still slightly unfocused from sleep, his hair was in disarray, and it made him look completely gorgeous. Naruto would almost call him cute, if that wouldn't lead to his ass tossed out of the apartment faster than he could finish saying the word.

"Morning," Naruto said again, kissing Sasuke's cheek, trying to ignore the morose state he had gotten himself into, focusing on Sasuke instead. Getting Sasuke past his trauma was his number one priority, he could fix himself later, when Sasuke was better.

"You are thinking too hard. It doesn't suit you," Sasuke muttered, his hand lifting and resting against Naruto's where it was still absentmindedly stroking Sasuke's chest. Their fingers intertwined, pressing together right above Sasuke's heart.

Naruto chuckled slightly. "You better make me stop thinking then." It was easier to focus on Sasuke than deal with the thoughts that tended to creep up when he couldn't distract himself. It was more important to make sure that Sasuke was cheered up. Besides, with Sasuke lying next to him it was easy to lose himself in him, focus on the feel of a warm body against his, the smell of him in his nose, the way he looked with his eyes still squinting from sleep.

He could feel his cock stir with interest, spurred on by basically being pressed against the crack of Sasuke's ass. He tilted his hips forward, rubbing that growing hardness against soft flesh, distracting himself.

Sasuke's eyes fluttered close for a moment before locking on Naruto's again. Rather than the lust Naruto had hoped to see there was sternness in them. Shit.

"First you tell me what you were thinking about," Sasuke said, making it quite obvious that Naruto was not about to get out of answering, no matter how much he teased him.

"It's nothing, Sasuke," he tried. Sasuke didn't look very impressed with his attempt to let the case rest.

Naruto sighed, realising that Sasuke wasn't going to let it be. "It's just…" Naruto hesitated, but the look Sasuke gave him made him go on. "Your scar," he finished. He tried to pull his hand away, wanting some space between them, but Sasuke held on, fingers tightening around his, holding him right there. His eyes did dart down towards his shoulder where he could probably just make out the top ridge of scar tissue, not even asking which scar Naruto was talking about. He didn’t need to.

"What about it?"

"I… hate that you have to have it," Naruto continued, struggling with finding the right words. "It just reminds me that I'm weak."

Sasuke twisted in his arms, going up on an elbow so his face was higher than Naruto, putting him firmly in charge of the situation. Naruto might be a shifter, but Sasuke knew how to claim alpha dog position over him. "You are a lot of things, Naruto, but weak is not one of them. Dumbass sure, reckless yeah, but not weak."

"I couldn't control my beast and it ended up hurting you, and now you have to carry that ugly mark for the rest of your life." Naruto felt his voice rise as he grew agitated.

Sasuke's hand moved towards his neck, and Naruto saw pale fingers brush against raised skin, tracing the pattern of ragged mounds marking each of Naruto's fangs.

"I have a lot of scars, Naruto, and this least of all would I ever consider ugly," Sasuke said. "It's a reminder that you are here for me, are here to pull me out of my own head when I lose myself in the darkness." His voice was calm and steady.

Naruto opened his mouth to speak, but Sasuke quieted him with a hand pressed lightly to his mouth. "I'll wear it with pride, and I do not want you talking down on yourself like that. You are strong, and you can overcome the beast. I am here for you, just like you was there for me. If that means I have another scar to show for it I don't mind. I'm not scared of you."

Naruto felt tears well in his eyes, and blinked hard to clear them. Hearing Sasuke, who rarely spoke of feelings at all, state what he felt meant the world to him, and was exactly what he needed to soothe the angry voice in his head that told him he wasn't good enough, that he was just a monster, someone people feared.

"Thank you," Naruto muttered, his lips tracing soft kisses against the fingers still pressed lightly against his mouth.

Sasuke shifted closer to Naruto, pressing their chests together as his thumb traced against Naruto's bottom lip. Naruto wrapped his lips around it, sucking it into his mouth, tongue lapping at the soft pad, feeling the slight roughness of calluses.

"You gave me exactly what I needed back then," Sasuke said, and when Naruto peered up at him he saw Sasuke's eyes on where lips were wrapped around his thumb. Lust was flaring in his eyes, and Naruto felt heat rush through him. Sasuke never failed to turn him on with just a look, and now was no exception. The self-doubt and pain was pushed back as something else made its way to the forefront of his mind, and all he knew what that he wanted Sasuke. The fear that the beast was still inside, waiting to hurt someone he loved, was still there, but Sasuke didn't seem to care, and that made it easier to stop worrying and let himself go.

Slowly Sasuke manoeuvred them so Naruto was lying on his back, Sasuke atop him, his slim hips tucked in-between Naruto's thighs, their cocks pressed against each other. Sasuke dipped in, and pressed his lips against Naruto's, a hard demanding kiss that had Naruto groan with need.

Sasuke's hips shifted, and the brush of a hard dick against his equally interested one seemed to wash away the last trace of doubt as he lost himself in sensation, leaving him craving for more. Sasuke's body was addictive, and he wanted it. Wanted it inside him, around him, against him. Anything as long as he could be with Sasuke.

"Naruto, get the lube," Sasuke said, voice ragged with want as he pulled away from the kiss for a moment. Naruto moaned at the implications of those words and quickly shoved his hands underneath the pillow, trying to locate the bottle he was sure they'd left there the last time they had sex. It took some fumbling, but soon his fingers closed around it, and he could pull it out triumphantly.

"Good, now coat my fingers," Sasuke ordered, and Naruto's eyes widened. The tone of voice Sasuke was using was doing crazy things to his libido, which was weird, because under any other circumstance Naruto would love to argue back when Sasuke got all bossy. There was just something about how there was no hesitation in Sasuke's voice, no opening for discussions that made him want to just flop back and let Sasuke do whatever he wanted to with him.

Naruto almost whimpered when he flicked open the lid of the lube and drizzled a generous amount onto Sasuke's now outstretched fingers. He tossed the bottle away and was vaguely aware that it bounced against the mattress and rolled against the headboard, almost tipping off the bed altogether, but right now he couldn’t care less as he made sure to spread the cool gel around Sasuke's middlemost three fingers, coating them thoroughly. He knew where those fingers were going soon, and he felt as if he couldn’t wait another moment. He needed Sasuke inside him, wanted to feel full and taken.

Sasuke pulled away from Naruto enough to lean back on his knees, looking down on him, dark eyes peering out from messy bangs, lips reddened by too rough kisses. He looked stunning. All lean muscles and pale skin, and an aura of control that made Naruto relax and lose himself in the moment. The world was narrowing in on only the man in front of him, and the pleasures he was no doubt about to experience from those talented fingers and that delicious mouth and that silky hardness standing proud and dripping from a neat thatch of dark curls.

Holy fuck, Naruto was so horny he thought he could come just like this, Sasuke not even touching him.

"Lift your hips and place a pillow underneath your ass." Another order, no questions asked, no need for Naruto to think or worry, and he quickly complied. He needed this now, needed to stop thinking, needed a situation where he was allowed not to focus on keeping control and just feel. The beast was a dormant though deep in his gut, completely uninterested in what was happening. Not enough blood and violence for it to stir.  

The pillow tilted his hips up, and when he allowed his legs to spread wider he knew the position put everything on display. Judging by the way Sasuke's eyes darkened with lust this was exactly what he had wanted.

"Good," he simply said, and then his fingers were tracing a wet line across balls and perineum to his entrance, and Naruto's hips bucked up at the sudden touch. Sasuke didn't say anything, just placed his free hand on one thigh, gently pinning Naruto down as a finger slowly traced puckered skin, pressing against it but not breaching.

"Tell me what you want, Naruto," Sasuke said, his voice dark and erotic. Still that one finger teased him, a promise of what was to come.

"I want you inside of me," Naruto said, sounding almost breathless with want.

"Like this?" A single digit slid inside him, agonizingly slow. Naruto's flesh parted around it, sucking him in eagerly as if had been waiting for this.

Naruto's eyes fluttered close. "More, Sasuke."

He heard a chuckle above him. "More what?"

"More of you! I want your dick inside me!" Naruto was quickly losing his patience. The sole finger was just a tease. Brushing close to, but not against, his prostate, going too slow, just egging him on. It was driving him mad with lust, and all he wanted and could think about right now was for Sasuke to just fuck him already. Sasuke was too far away, he wanted his body pressed against his and his cock sinking into him, spreading him open, just on the verge of painful. He wanted to feel it, wanted Sasuke to brand him as his.

Another finger joined the first, slowly stretching Naruto. Fuck, Naruto didn't need this slow, thorough prep, he needed more, needed Sasuke now.

"Sasuke, just fuck me already, please!" he half-yelled on a broken moan as Sasuke curled his fingers, just brushing against that spot that had his hips twitch in pure want.

Sasuke pulled his fingers out, and for a moment Naruto was sure he was going to get what he wanted, but then the fingers was joined by a third. The pace was still slow, too slow, but he could feel a hint of a stretch now as Sasuke spread his fingers, and then his fingers pressed against his prostrate properly and Naruto's hips shot up as Sasuke kept teasing against the spot, not letting up. Naruto's eyes flew open, as did his mouth. His cock was hard and leaking, a small trail of shiny fluid smeared on his abdomen.

"Dammit, Sasuke," he groaned. He needed Sasuke to get a move on, couldn't stand another moment of teasing. He was this fucking close to just calling it off and changing their positions, fucking Sasuke as hard as he wanted to be fucked.

"Say please."

Naruto looked towards Sasuke, saw a very pleased-looking smirk on his face, and however frustrated he was he didn't even care right then, because for once Sasuke didn't look like he was thinking about anything bad at all. He'd had this haunted look that never seemed to completely vanish ever since he had killed the demon masquerading as his brother, as if he wasn't able to get past it, but right now all he saw was Sasuke, turned-on and very much enjoying torturing Naruto, and it made it worth it. Naruto would willingly never come again for the rest of his life if it meant seeing Sasuke like this every day.

Judging by the hungry look Sasuke was directing at him though, and how hard his cock was, precum beading on the tip, the head flushed a deep red, Naruto knew Sasuke was just as eager to fuck Naruto as Naruto was to feel that hard cock inside.

"Please, Sasuke, please just fuck me already," Naruto groaned out, his back arching towards Sasuke. "I need you so bad, please, please."

Fingers vanished, lube was generously spread along his length, and then, a mere seconds after that last please had left Naruto's mouth Sasuke was sinking into the heat of Naruto's body, spreading him wide, filling him completely.

Naruto's hand flew up to clutch at Sasuke's shoulders, nails digging into flesh, leaving half-moon shaped indents in the skin. Sasuke was hot and hard inside him, everything Naruto craved for, everything he needed.

Fully seated inside Sasuke stopped, leaning in and kissing Naruto hard. "You are so tight around me," he growled into the kiss, sucking a bottom lip into his mouth, biting down and then soothing the hurt with his tongue.

Then he finally started moving, and Naruto would applaud if he wasn't too preoccupied clinging to Sasuke. A slow shift of hips was followed by a snap pushing him fully inside again, and Naruto wrapped his legs tightly around Sasuke's hips, wanting him closer. Another retreat followed by a hard push buried him deep in Naruto before the pace quickened, short hard trusts angled to brush against or press directly into Naruto's prostate on every stroke. Naruto was overloading on pleasure, his whole world centred solely on Sasuke and what his body was doing to Naruto. A hard dick in his ass, a body slick with sweat against his skin, the scent of musk in his nose and the sweet sound of Sasuke's quiet moans and grunts in his ears. Everything else faded away until it was just the two of them, desperately merging, shutting all the pain and shit of the world outside as they lost themselves for a blissed moment.

Every maddening tilt of Sasuke's hips has his midriff brush against Naruto's aching cock, and Naruto wanted to come, needed to come, growing more desperate by the moment, but the touch wasn't firm enough, just another tease to drive him mad with lust.

"Sasuke! I need… need to…" Words were hard to form, his brain turning to mush every time Sasuke pressed deep inside of him.

"Touch yourself," Sasuke ordered, bracing himself on his hands so his upper body lifted enough from Naruto's crotch to allow a hand to slide between them, fisting around a straining cock. His other hand curled around the headboard, giving him the leverage to push back into Sasuke's thrusts.

"Look at me as you come," Sasuke said, and Naruto locked his gaze with Sasuke, desperate to do whatever Sasuke wanted, while his hand worked his length in sync with the hard cock filling him. Three strokes and his balls were tightening. Four and his thighs started shaking. Five and he came undone. His body locked up as warm cum covered his hand and abdomen. His eyes wanted to close, but he forced himself to keep eye contact with Sasuke, and watching those dark eyes narrow in pure lust as Naruto came was the hottest thing he'd seen in a while. They grew glassy in pure want, and then widened again as Sasuke came too, buried deep inside him, filling him with his cum.

"Hah!" Sasuke breathed, his whole body tense as he rode through his orgasm, hips thrusting shallowly. Then he collapsed onto Naruto, like a puppet whose strings had been cut. Naruto wrapped shaky arms around him and held him close, burying his face against Sasuke's shoulder, kissing it softly, trying to calm himself. His heart was racing in his chest, thumping a wild tattoo, and he could feel a matching heartbeat from Sasuke.

Sasuke shifted slightly, his softening dick sliding out of Naruto along with a dribble of cum. Naruto winced, but ignored it, not wanting to move just now. He wanted to soak up in the afterglow, wanted to stay in this little bubble where Sasuke wasn't haunted by his past and Naruto wasn't tormented by an inner beast. This was perfection, Sasuke in his arms, nothing else but the two of them mattering in the slightest.

When their breaths calmed down alongside with their heartbeats Sasuke finally rolled off him. Naruto felt a sharp spike of fear that Sasuke would pull away from him, but he didn't, he just pulled Naruto close, tucking him against his chest so he could rest his head on top of Naruto's head. It was still early in the day, so sleep was starting to tug at Naruto, making his eyelids heavy, beckoning him to fall back into its sweet embrace.

Naruto relaxed against Sasuke. His boyfriend might be both slimmer and shorter than him, although not by much, but curled up against him, strong arms wrapped around him, Naruto felt completely safe and at ease, as if there wasn't a thing in the world that could harm them.

"I love you, Sasuke," Naruto muttered sleepily against Sasuke's chest as he drifted off for a few more hours of sleep before the day started.

***

Sasuke would've said it back if it wasn't for the way Naruto's breath evened out the moment he'd sleepily whispered the words against him, but for now he was content with just holding Naruto close, burying his face in the mess of blond spikes.

He felt disgusting, sweaty and sticky with the remains of lube and cum, but right now he didn't really care. He'd take care of it when Naruto woke later. It wouldn't be the only thing they'd have to clean today, his apartment was still a mess.

He knew that the thought of sticky floors and broken glasses and chips pulverized into carpets should annoy him, but it was hard to really care when he knew how much it had meant to Naruto to have a proper birthday party. Unlike him Naruto longed for the feeling of being surrounded by people who liked him, thrived on the attention where Sasuke would be perfectly content just sitting alone with Naruto, no one else around.

Sasuke kissed the top of Naruto's head, and Naruto sighed, warm breath fanning over Sasuke's chest before he pressed even closer, his hand splaying out against Sasuke's stomach.

Sasuke frowned as his gaze flicked down to the tan hand, and without waking Naruto he reached down, picking away something lodged under one fingernail. It was a shard of sorts, hard to the touch. He peered at it for a moment until he realised that the shard was a wooden splinter. Why would Naruto have a splinter lodged under his…?

Sasuke tilted his head back, and the why was quickly explained. There were thick gouges ripped deep into the wooden headboard of his bed, parallel lines where the dark stained wood had to give way to the pale wood beneath.

He lifted a hand to the marks, finger tips gliding over them, before he curled his nails against the wood, testing it. He could barely mark the wood at all with his blunt nails. Which meant that Naruto's nails hadn't been blunt when he had made them, but sharp, the claws Sasuke had seen a couple of times, and judging by the way Naruto had so easily fallen asleep, seemingly not worried at all told Sasuke that he probably wasn't even aware of having done it. He'd probably lost control for a moment when things got too intense.

Sasuke pulled his hand away from the starch reminder of just what Naruto was.

He hesitated for a moment and then stretched over the side of the bed, getting his hands on his sweater which had been thrown there earlier as they fell into bed. He threw the sweater over the wound in the headboard, making sure Naruto wouldn't see it first thing when he woke up. Naruto already struggled with this enough as it was, he didn't want him to worry unnecessarily. They'd find a way to control the beast, Sasuke knew they would, somehow, and he didn't want this to be the thing Naruto remembered from his birthday.

Removing a few more splinters from Naruto's nails and tossing them to the floor Sasuke finally relaxed back against the mattress, tightening his hold around Naruto and yawning. "It's going to be fine," he muttered against Naruto's forehead, not sure if he was reassuring Naruto or himself.

Chapter Text

Kakashi stretched his arms over his head as he walked back to his office, arching his back like a cat, feeling the snaps in his bones that always came when he'd been sitting hunched over for too long. He'd spent the afternoon in meetings with Director Tsunade and the other unit leaders, and he was bored out of his mind. He could only take so many discussions on the intricate workings that were budgets before he started looking for a window to throw himself out of. Days like this made him miss being in the field, chasing bad guys, doing something to right the wrongs in the world. As it was now he only went into the field in case of emergencies. The rest of his time was spent assigning missions, making sure his unit was performing to the best of their abilities and an endless stream of meetings.

Collapsing onto his desk chair he smothered a yawn before adjusting his mask. He hadn't had time to shave today, and now the stubble was pulling at the fabric, making it itch more than usual. Realising no one would see he pulled the mask down to pool around his neck and let his nails go to town, scratching at the irritated skin to his heart's content.

"Yesss," he groaned as he hit a particular spot that had been bothering him the entire meeting. The fabric of the mask was too thick to scratch through properly, so he'd just had to endure it. Tsunade was the only one who knew why he wore the mask and the eyepatch, so it wasn't like he could've done this until now. Although, it certainly would've made the rest of the unit leaders happy. He'd heard some of the rumours about what he hid underneath his mask, one more outrageous than the other, and he found it hilarious. He might have made up a few of the rumours himself when he got too bored and needed to entertain himself. It was surprisingly easy to spread them when you knew exactly who had the biggest mouth out of the unit leaders.  

Finally satisfied he pulled the mask up again, just in case someone from his unit decided to rush into his office without knocking first. Both Kiba and Naruto was prone to do just that, seemingly forgetting that he was their boss and should be treated with respect. Kakashi snorted. As if that was likely to happen anytime soon.  

Nudging his computer mouse he woke his computer from its slumber, quickly scanning through his messages to see if anything had come up while he was away. His agents would start pouring into the office soon, and he needed to make sure they all had assignments for the night, either dealing with cases, or patrolling.

The intelligence gathering units had sent out several leads, so it looked like all of them were going to be busy tonight.

He typed up the information and sent it to their inboxes where they could read it and prepare when they came in. None of the cases were dire, so there was nothing that needed immediate attention, just some vague leads to follow up on and check out. Most of the times these leads would be duds, people seeing a goth neighbour and figuring she or he had to be a vampire, and so on and so forth. Sometimes they were more accurate though, so they treated all of them as if they were the real deal.

Kakashi wanted to start reading his book, he was getting to a very exciting point, just when the hero realised he didn't love the princess at all, but rather the stable boy. He'd read the book before though, it wasn't like he didn't know exactly what was going to happen, so it could wait. When his agents was all dispatched there was little other for him to do but paper work, and being ready for any unforeseen happenings.

He spent a few minutes scanning through the reports from last night. Five vampires executed, seven causalities, all unpreventable because they'd already been dead when the agents arrived. Two people rescued.

Kakashi sighed. They'd saved two people, as well as all the ones that wouldn't be attacked by the vampires in the future, but seven people were still dead. Seven people they hadn't been able to save, because they were always one step behind, unable to take out the vampires before they actually killed someone, making themselves known.

They needed something more than just agents, they needed to find a way to stop the demons from even coming into this world in the first place, needed to shut down the veil, and then they could work on getting rid of every single vampire already in the world.

It wasn't like no one had ever thought about that before. Scientists and witches alike had tried to shut off the world from the demon realm, but so far nothing had yielded any results. They had no idea how it worked, if it was a parallel dimension, or something else, so for now all they could do was to take out as many vampires as possible with what resources they had, to keep their numbers from getting too high.

Hearing the chatter of voices from the bullpen he pushed his chair back and headed towards the noise, intending to check up on his unit.

The room was mostly full, people chattering and checking their computers, getting ready for a night in the field. He saw Kiba perched on Sakura's desk, obviously flirting with the pink-haired agent. Kakashi didn't think that was likely to happen anytime soon, judging by the way she was glaring at Kiba. She looked more prone to kicking his ass than dating him.

Shikamaru was leaning over his desk, seemingly fast asleep, while Kankuro was nudging Temari. Kakashi vaguely heard something about, "that lazy in bed as well?" before Temari punched him in the shoulder. Kakashi had heard some rumours about the two of them, but he had no idea how far beyond rumours it went. They were a lot more discreet than Naruto and Sasuke had been. The way the two of them had been looking at each other had been pretty easy to interpret.

On the other side of the bullpen Lee was headed towards the kitchen, apparently aiming for the coffee maker, because the moment Neji noticed he pushed away from his desk to intercept him. Lee on caffeine was about as good an idea as Lee on alcohol.

Gaara was sitting at his desk, reading a file, ignoring everyone else around him. Nothing out of the ordinary there obviously. Gaara had never been very sociable, and he'd struggled with a short temper when he was transferred here from another unit, but he'd calmed down the last year, and now he was just a silent type, his anger directed at the vampires they fought, which frankly was a lot healthier than at his fellow agents.

The elevator dinged a moment later, and the final two members of their unit stepped out of it. Naruto had a grin on his face and an arm around Sasuke's shoulder. Sasuke was rolling his eyes at something Naruto said, trying to shake Naruto off of him, but it was obvious that he didn't really mind the touch. Sasuke had changed a lot these last months, and even though he still was a bit of a closed-off bastard he had come a long way. Kakashi had no doubt in his mind that it was all due to Naruto.

Kakashi had hoped Naruto might be a good match for Sasuke when he signed on the shifter, but he had never imagined they'd fit together quite this well. He'd just hoped Naruto would be stubborn enough to deal with Sasuke's bitching. Obviously he was, and then some. He knew some of the unit leaders frowned upon interoffice romances, but seeing the two of them together just made him even surer in his conviction that a relationship between partners could strengthen the bond and ensure they performed even better than before. Sure, they were screwed if they had a falling out, but it wasn't like he couldn’t reassign either of them. He didn't really think he would have to though. Sasuke might have put up a fight at every point along the way, but now Naruto had gotten so close Kakashi didn't think Sasuke would give up on him anytime soon. It was clear in the way Sasuke looked at him.

Kakashi shook his head. He'd obviously been single for too long if he got this invested in the relationships of his agents. He probably needed to get laid, but there wasn't really anyone interesting to him, at least not within reasonable distance that was.

A smile spread underneath his mask as he looked over his unit. They were all exceptional agents, and he felt that they had a great team now, filling each other out, supporting each other, keeping each other sane. They all reminded him why he did this job, even though it was a shitty one. Even though it was a hard fight he felt like they were making a difference in the world, helping those who needed it. It wasn't enough, but it was something, and right now that was the best they could do.

***

"Seriously, I can't believe you haven't seen it, it's like the best thing since… ramen!"

"I'm not sure anyone but you think ramen is that high of a bar, Naruto," Sasuke said back as they waited for his computer to boot. Naruto hadn't even bothered firing up his own, he just wrapped his arms around Sasuke and rested his chin on his shoulder, looking over it. Chances were that they'd get the same assignment anyways, seeing how they were partners and all. Filing useless old documents or dusting behind some shelves or some other shitty job to keep them occupied. Naruto was sure Kakashi was having a blast finding the most menial tasks for them. He just wasn't sure if it was because of his sadistic joy in torturing them, or some overall plan to make Sasuke so bored he got over whatever issues he had through the power of sheer boredom and could go back on active duty. Naruto nudged his temple against Sasuke as Sasuke typed in his password.

Naruto tried to act professional when at work, but here in the office, where everyone knew about them already he sometimes couldn’t help himself. He just needed to be close to Sasuke, needed to feel him relax back against him. At times he still found himself baffled with how lucky he had been to find Sasuke, someone who actually loved him, despite of what he was. Sure, Sasuke had never actually said it in so many words, even after they'd been together for several months and had gone to hell and back, but Naruto knew him, could see it in the way Sasuke looked at him. Even when he looked at Naruto as if he was an idiot. There was love there, Naruto knew it. Right beside a healthy dose of annoyance.

“Oooh, do we have an assignment?” Naruto said as he saw the message from Kakashi on Sasuke’s screen. Sasuke didn’t answer, just brought up the message, skimming through it with Naruto hanging on his shoulder. He might grumble whenever Naruto was clingy, but the tension in his shoulders always seeped away whenever Naruto wrapped himself around him, so he was pretty certain it was all for show.

Naruto groaned when he read the message Kakashi had sent over. They had seemingly archived every single abandoned folder in the DPA, so tonight they'd join the cleaners again. A demon summoning gone wrong, the link not strong enough to contain the gluttony demon. Which meant one thing. Guts. Everywhere. It would probably have exploded the moment it materialized in the world, and it would not be a pretty sight.

Complaints forming in his head as Naruto turned towards Kiba to ask if maybe they should just change partners for the day so Kiba could go scrub demon guts and Naruto could go ash some vampires, but he was rudely interrupted by Kiba's phone going off before he got as far as to ask. It was a brand new phone, the old one having died a hero's death a few days earlier in the skirmish between Kiba and Kankuro.

Kiba hadn't ever really grasped the concept of inside voices vs outside voices, so it wasn't hard to hear what Kiba was saying to the person on the other end of the line. "Kank! Dude! Where are—what the fuck, man, are you dying?" Kiba's face scrunched up for a moment. "Why the hell are you throwing up when you are talking to me, if this is some lame joke I swear—you are making me sick just listening—I told you that seafood from that place was a horrible idea—" he interrupted himself, listening for a moment before adding in a chuckle, "Sure sweetie, love you too," and then hanging up.

"Have you driven your partner to calling in sick because he can't stand being around you?" Sasuke muttered, loud enough that Kiba definitely could hear it.

Kiba growled as he stood up from his chair, looking like he wanted to say something bad back, but then he just spun around and stomped towards Kakashi's office, knocking as an afterthought as he pulled open the door.

Naruto read through their job for the night one more time, noting the area, and who they'd be working with. He didn't recognise any of the names, but then again, they didn't spend a lot of times around the other units.

"I shouldn't have put on my nice pair of shoes," Naruto complained.

Sasuke looked at him, one eyebrow raised. "You don't have any nice pairs of shoes."

Naruto sputtered. He so had nice pairs of shoes! These didn't even have any holes in them, and the fake leather was only a little scuffed at the toes. And he'd even polished them! Not this month, but he had polished them at some point, he was sure of it.

Bottom lip pushed into a pout he walked over to his own desk, sitting down and crossing his arms, just as the door to Kakashi's office slammed open.

"You are mine today!" Kiba yelled, and as Naruto looked over he saw Kiba's finger point right at him.

"Huh?"

"Kank is out with food poisoning, and I have a mission. You are the only one that's currently available for fieldwork but partnerless, so you are coming with me."

Naruto blinked once before he realised what it meant. No clean-up job! A grin spread on his face. He'd never actually worked in the field with Kiba before, it could be fun to see him in action. Apart from Sasuke Kiba was his best friend in the office, in fact, he'd been contemplating the need to ditch Sasuke for a night or two in order to hang out more with Kiba. Sasuke kept insisting that it would be a horrible idea, claiming that Naruto and Kiba was much too alike and should never be placed in the same room for a prolonged amount of time, or they'd start breaking stuff.

He was probably right actually, Naruto grinned to himself. They both had the tendency to be loud and all over the place. Fuck, he wished he had known Kiba back in high school, they would have had so much fun back then. If Naruto hadn't attended the most bigoted high school known to man that was.

Kiba bounded down the steps and headed in his direction, and soon Naruto found himself pulled out of his chair, a strong arm wrapped around his neck as he was bent forwards, knuckles rubbing the top of his skull. He yelped and tried to get away, but Kiba kept up the torment for a little while longer before finally releasing Naruto. Naruto answered by socking Kiba's shoulder before trying to salvage his hair. To be honest, even with the vigorous rubbing it wasn't much different from what it had been when he left the apartment earlier. Unlike Sasuke he tended to just rock the bedroom hair look.

"Dude, I finally get to see the infamous Naruto Uzumaki, shifter slash moron, in action!" Kiba exclaimed with a grin.

"And I finally get to see if a mutt can really take on a vampire," Naruto shot back.

"Hey! I'm not a mutt," Kiba pouted, "Stop calling me that, moron."

"Then stop calling me moron, mutt!"

"Pft, I call it as I see it."

"And I call it as I smell it," Naruto shot back, smiling in victory at Kiba's outraged look.

"I do not smell like a dog!"

Naruto just stared at him. "Sure, Kiba. Keep telling yourself that. It's not like it's driving the ladies away or nothin'."

Kiba frowned and looked over his shoulder towards Sakura who was typing away on her computer, seemingly oblivious to him. He seemed to consider the numerous times he'd flirted with her and been shot down. He slowly turned back towards Naruto and not-so-subtly lifted the collar of his shirt to his nose and sniffed it.

Naruto guffawed, but was rudely interrupted by a light smack to the side of the head.

"Stop provoking the dog and pay attention," Sasuke said, ignoring Naruto's yell about being used as a punching bag.

Naruto peered at him, and realised that Kakashi was standing there as well, looking at them. He looked more amused than annoyed, as far as Naruto could tell.

"Heh, Kakashi, hi," Naruto said, rubbing a hand against the back of his neck, giving a sheepish grin.

"I gather Kiba has told you about the situation then?"

"I'm to partner up with Kiba for the night. Kill some vamps, and look good doing it."

"Well, you are half-right anyways," Kakashi deadpanned, moving on before Naruto could ask what he meant with that. "There's reports of a house where several girls have been seen enter, and no one has been seen exiting. We are fairly confident that it's a den, and need to flush it out. There's unlikely to be a lot of vampires in such a tight spot, but there's probably gonna be more than the one. All the other teams have their own cases, and this needs to be dealt with tonight, so you going with Kiba is the only option."

Naruto nodded. Anything to get him back on the streets, doing what he had been trained to and—

"No."

Naruto turned towards Sasuke. No? What did Sasuke mean by no?

"I'm not sending him out there with Kiba," Sasuke said, looking at Kakashi with a steady gaze that didn't open up for arguments at all. "He's my partner, and I'm not letting him run into a den without me for backup."

"Didn't you hear Kakashi? The other teams are busy, I can do this, it won't be a problem," Naruto said. He didn't like the implications that he wasn't good enough without Sasuke. He was an agent by his own right, as was Kiba.

"If you are going, so am I," Sasuke said, crossing his arms and leaning back, levelling a gaze at Naruto.

"You have not been cleared for active duty, Sasuke, you are not going out there," Kakashi said, and for once there was no hint of amusement in his voice.

"Naruto is my partner, and I'm not letting him put himself in danger without me."

"Out of the question," Kakashi said.

"Damned it, Kakashi! I've been going to all my sessions, I haven't had a single panic attack since that one time, let me go out there just once. Kiba can come as chaperon." Sasuke slammed his palm against the desk, punctuating his annoyance.

"No," Kakashi said, "it's not going to happen. Not until Shizune specifically tells me you are cleared for duty. I'm not going to risk it."

"It's not for you to risk!" Sasuke was getting angry, and Naruto didn't know what to do or say to defuse the situation.

"I'm your boss, Sasuke, I'm in charge of every single one of you. Anything happens to you and it's my fault. You think I don't have a hard enough time sending you all out there every night as it is? I'm not letting you into the field, Sasuke, a few weeks of therapy is not enough by a long shot."

Naruto saw Kiba sink back, letting the arguing to the others. His eyes flicked towards Naruto's, and he twisted his mouth into a look of oh shit, that perfectly matched Naruto's feelings. He didn't think he'd ever seen Kakashi yelling at anyone before, and Sasuke wasn't really the type either, not unless it was at something stupid Naruto did.

Naruto saw the way Sasuke clenched his hands into fists, his face set in a scowl, jaw tense. He didn't look like he was about to back down at all, but he took a pause as if to gather his thoughts before he spoke, and he was no longer yelling. "I can't sit here while he's out there, Kakashi, if something happens I'd..." His gaze flickered towards Naruto for a moment.

"Both Naruto and Kiba are trained agents, they can manage without you for a night," Kakashi said. His shoulders had sunk back into his usual slouch, and Naruto realised how tired he looked, something he didn't usually notice.

"Please, Kakashi," Sasuke said. "I need to do this. Fuck, I won't even go in, I'll just stay in the car as backup, I just need to know that I'm close if something happens."

Kakashi gave him a long stare, as if he was trying to find some way to persuade Sasuke to stay back in the office, and then Kiba suddenly spoke up. "Uhm, I'll make sure he doesn’t come in? If he's in the car it should be okay, right?"

A grey eye turned towards Kiba and Naruto, and Naruto could see the moment Kakashi realised he had lost. Sasuke wasn't about to back off, and he had no other options right now. He sighed, and it was clear he was not agreeing at all, but found himself backed into a corner. "Kiba, you are in charge of making sure Sasuke does not leave the car unless it's a life or death situation. If I hear anything else you are gone, Sasuke. I'm kicking you out of the DPA for insubordination."

Sasuke didn't say anything, but he nodded, and Kiba affirmed that if necessary he'd handcuff Sasuke to the steering wheel. Kakashi made sure they knew how little he appreciated this, and that he thought it was a shit idea, but soon after the three of them were leaving the office.

***

Sasuke didn't even bother asking which car they were taking, just walked over to his Lexus, popping the trunk to make sure his weapons were all there and ready. He heard Naruto and Kiba discussing who should get the front seat, as if they in fact were five years old.

When they were still discussing as Sasuke closed the trunk and walked over to the front seat, Naruto stating his claim on account of being Sasuke's boyfriend, and Kiba saying Naruto got to sit in the front seat of the car every day, so it was clearly his turn, Sasuke took the decision for them. "Neither of you get to sit in the front." He slammed the driver's door shut for good measure, and then he heard the two others get in the back, elbowing each other, trying to place the blame on the other.

He shouldn't really been surprised by the fact that the two of them spent the entirety of the trip chattering and telling really bad jokes. He had long since realised that Naruto and Kiba together was an awful idea, and he had no idea how that would work in the field. One thing was when they went to the bar and the two got drunk and did stupid shit, another was when they were going into a vampire den together.

He really didn't like the idea of being stuck in the car while the two of them went in, seeing as how they had no idea what really waited for them in that apartment. A single vampire they took out easily, or a full den. He knew Naruto was a hell of a fighter, but Naruto and he was a team, working together seamlessly. Naruto and Kiba might be friends, but they didn't have that bond, and Naruto wouldn't have the backup that he had in Sasuke.

Only, Sasuke hadn't been a backup for Naruto at all the last time they were in the field.

His fingers tightened around the steering wheel. He got why Kakashi wouldn't send him into the field, would probably agree if their places were switched, but the thought of Naruto going in without him was a vice around his chest. Sasuke wouldn’t be there to help him. Sure, he'd be in the car, but if things went to hell it wouldn’t be enough would there? Naruto wouldn't have time to go fetch him, and Sasuke would sit here, no more of use than any civilian.

By the time they arrived at their destination Sasuke had all but decided to ignore Kakashi's warnings and go inside. If he could show him that he could do this without any issues he'd let him back on the force, he had to. Sasuke was a great agent, and one little setback shouldn't be enough to stop him from doing the one thing he was good at.

He hadn't gotten the door open more than an inch before it slammed shut. Sasuke looked up, and saw Kiba standing with a palm pressed against the window, leaning against the door. "No way, Uchiha. I have orders, and you better not be thinking about leaving this car."

"Screw you, Inuzuka. Let me out."

"Not happening."

Sasuke glared at him, but then there was someone else standing next to Kiba. "It'll be fine," Naruto said. "I'll be careful, okay? Please don't leave the car, you know Kakashi will be forced to fire you, you can't keep pushing him."

Sasuke slammed his hands against the steering wheel, angry. At Kakashi and himself and that one stupid panic attack that seemed to have messed up everything, and all the shit that was the source of that panic attack and his nightmares and everything that made him broken.

He heard the faint click of the door opening, and then there were arms around his neck, pulling him into an awkward sideways hug. "I'll be careful, okay?" Naruto said, "I'll ash a few vampires for you, yeah?"

"Don't you dare get hurt," Sasuke said, and Naruto grinned at him, kissed his cheek and then he left with Kiba. The laughter and jokes were gone, and Sasuke could almost see the way they settled into work mode, backs straightening, more aware, ready for whatever could happen two floors up.

Sasuke did leave the car as soon as the front door shut behind the other two, but only to grab his weapons and sit down on the hood of the car, ready to start running at the first sign of trouble. He wasn't sure which apartment the vampires were supposedly in, they might not be on this side of the building at all, but if he heard anything remotely like screams or sounds of fighting he'd be up those stairs in a split-second, killing anything that might threaten Naruto.

The katana felt familiar in his hands, the weight of it somehow grounding him, making him more focused.

As minutes passed without anything happening he felt himself wind tighter, fighting with himself not to run up there, find out what was going on. If anything happened to Naruto because he didn't disobey Kakashi he would never forgive himself.

Shit, he should go up there.

***

Kiba had gone into the apartment figuring it would be business as usual. Ash a couple of vamps, maybe save a girl or two, or at least find bodies for distraught parents to bury. They’d hoofed up the stairs, kicked in a door and done their things, feeling pretty on top of the situation as they took out four vampires between them with matching headshots. Then they came upon a bolted bedroom door, and considering there hadn’t been a single trace of any victims yet they were expecting to find girls locked away as midnight snack. Things turned to shit the moment Naruto tore the door off its hinges, bypassing the lock altogether.

Oh, they found girls alright, several of them, but rather than terrified girls hunched away in a corner they were met by the screeches of half a dozen starved newborns. The vampires hadn't just fed on the girls they lured into the apartment, they had been turning them, and now fresh turns came at them, eyes wild, a group of scantily clad killers who would do anything to sate the hunger rushing through their body.

A vampire with matted blond hair launched herself at Kiba before he could even lift his gun, slamming him hard against the hallway wall. She snapped her mouth in his face, elongated fangs nearly taking a chunk out of his nose. He just managed to throw an arm out and press it against her throat, holding her far enough away that she only got a mouthful of air.

He heard a gun go off, and hoped that meant Naruto was on top of the situation, because right now he definitely wasn't. The vampire had locked her long nails on his forearms, and as she fought to get to the blood in his veins she was digging bloody furrows in the flesh of his arms. It was hard to focus on holding her away when the pain was like fire burning over his skin. He needed to end her immediately, because he was well aware of the fact that there had been at least five more vampires in the room, and he needed to help Naruto, because if none of them were attacking Kiba it meant that they had all gone for Naruto.

He heard another shot, and hoped Naruto's bullet had found its target, but he couldn't check, because his vision was obscured by a face so twisted up in furious hunger that she no longer looked remotely like the pretty girl she'd probably once been. Her face was nothing else than the demon who had taken her corpse as its new home.

Knowing he couldn't push her off like this he tried to find some other way to get his gun pointed at her face rather than into thin air. She pulled back fractionally, probably preparing to strike at his throat again, and Kiba used the opportunity to drop down, getting away from her teeth. He didn't hesitate and brought his hand up, aiming his gun at the underside of her jaw just as her mouth snapped just where his face had been a mere second ago. He pulled the trigger, getting a faceful of dark blood as the bullet ripped through her head. She dropped to the ground, a crater where the top of her head had been moments earlier.

Kiba wiped clotting blood from his eyes and followed the sound of a deep growl. The hallway was empty, the sounds coming from the living room. He got to his feet, ignoring the pain racing up his arms as he ran in that direction, ready to take down any vampire hurting his friend.

He bust into the living room, dreading what he was going to see. Naruto was tough as hell, but five newborns was still a hell of a lot to take on on your own. Kiba hoped he wasn't too late, that Naruto was holding them off.

One vampire was lying on the floor, face mostly gone, torn away by a gunshot that must've entered from the back of her head. The other four was still alive, although one appeared to have only one functioning arm, her other hanging uselessly from a busted shoulder. The other of the gunshots Kiba had heard must've missed its target.

Naruto was lying on the ground, one of the vampires sitting atop his hips in what could've looked like an intimate moment apart from the fact that she was trying to eat him in the strictly literal sense of the word.

As Kiba watched one of the other vampires grabbed Naruto's arm and sunk her fangs deep in the fragile skin at the nook of his elbow. Kiba saw Naruto buck from the pain, his other hand going up to pry off the vampire that was pinning him to the floor. Both hands were empty, gun probably lost when he was thrown to the ground.

Kiba fired at the vampire that had her fangs in Naruto's arm, bullet tearing through her ribcage. He hadn't dared taking her out with a headshot, afraid he'd hit Naruto if he tried.

The vampire howled, her fangs ripping away from Naruto's arm, fiery red eyes locking on Kiba, she appeared torn between attacking the new prey or finish what she was doing, but the scent of blood under her nose won out, apparently.

Just as well, because one of the other vampires had decided to take on Kiba. She was crouched down, her short skirt hitched up obscenely, her t-shirt in tatters. Her dark hair was a mess around her face, and eyes set in dark shadows of smeared makeup.

She was fast, too fucking fast, and as she leapt at him Kiba couldn't get in a good shot, not without potentially hitting Naruto behind her, and he wasn't going to risk that. As a shifter Naruto's healing abilities would far surpass his own as a measly human, but he was pretty sure a bullet to the face would take out Naruto, and Kiba did not want to be the one to tell Sasuke he had accidentally killed his boyfriend.

Kiba wasn't about to make the same mistake as the vampire he'd left ashing out in the hallway, so he didn't let her get the upper hand. He brought a leg up and twisted his body as she came close, sending his booted foot into her hip, kicking her well away from him and to the side, giving him a clear shot to finish her off with a clean headshot.

There was still three vampires in the room, all three of them on Naruto.

Kiba rushed over, intending to get the one sitting astride him, pull her off, but before he came close enough she was suddenly flying through the air, slamming into him, sending them both sprawling to the floor. Kiba felt his gun fly from his grip, and a quick glance saw it spin across the room, way out of reach.

He didn't hesitate to dip his hand to his side, grabbing the handle of the large knife he had sheeted there. He intended to bury its blade in the vampire's skull or carve over her throat, but before he got that far she had pushed off him and run at Naruto again.

Kiba got to his knees, and was about to get up to his feet and try again when he saw exactly what was happening. Naruto had three set of fangs locked on his body, but he wasn't letting that stop him. The air was shimmering around him as if there was a distant fire in the room, and then he arched his back, dislodging the vampire who had again found her perch atop his hips.

He surged to his feet as if the three vampires were nothing but annoying bugs hanging on him, and ignoring the long fangs deep in his flesh he ripped his arm away, tearing ragged wounds to match Kiba's own.

Kiba knew that Naruto was a shifter, that had never been a secret, but he hadn't given it much thought before. It was just one of those facts he didn't care about, because Naruto was first and foremost an agent and a friend, and apart from the scars across his face he had never seen anything else to remind him of the fact that he wasn’t just human.

Kiba fell back on his ass as Naruto tipped his head back and roared, sounding nothing like the laidback guy Kiba knew him as. He was sitting on his haunches, and his eyes were glaring red, eerily seminal to the three vampires that crowded him. One of the vamps threw itself at his back, claws digging into his shoulders, long fangs digging into his flesh.

Something was wrong, like really, really wrong. Kiba had learned about shifters in the academy, and even if he hadn't seen any of them shifting in real life he knew this was not how it was supposed to be. Naruto wasn't fluidly moving from human to animal form, he was stuck somewhere in-between, all fangs and claws. He reached behind himself, his claws digging into the vampire, and Kiba watched as Naruto's hand tightened around the vamp's throat, and with a yank sent the small body flying through the air to slam into the wall right by Kiba's head. He looked over and saw the hole where there only moments before had been a throat. Dark blood bubbled to the surface as it clawed at the floor. Flesh was knitting over, slowly, no silver on Naruto's claw to disrupt the healing, and Kiba only hesitated for a moment before he brought up his knife and finished the job, slamming the silver coated blade between ribs, destroying the heart. The vampire crumpled to the ground and he looked over at Naruto again. Dark blood dripped from his mouth, and the remaining two vampires were slowly ashing out on the floor, one with a gaping hole where its heart had been, and the other mangled beyond healing. Naruto growled deep in his throat as his head swung around, red eyes locking on Kiba.

***

Sasuke took the stairs two at a time. He had been sitting on the hood of the car, waiting like a good little minion, counting off the seconds while he tried to follow Kakashi's orders, but as seconds turned into minutes and he lost count, he realised that there was no way he could just sit here. It should not take this long to wipe out a group of vampires, something must've happened. He wasn't supposed to go up there unless he was called for, but if something went wrong it wasn't like they'd be able to call for him.

Stupid, the plan had been stupid. He should've never agreed to sit downstairs and just wait. He should be right by Naruto's side as he went into danger, supporting him. He wasn't fragile, he'd had one panic attack following a series of increasingly bad nightmares, but that was to be expected with what he'd gone through, surely. It had just been the one time, he would be fine, as long as Naruto wasn't... wasn't...

He clenched his eyes shut while he took the last few stairs, willing the flashes of pictures that rose in his mind away. He couldn't afford giving into the pain now. If only he got there in time everything would be fine. Probably wasn't anything anyways, they'd killed all the vampires and was taking care of survivors or something, it would be fine, it had to be.

Sasuke made his way into the apartment through a busted front door, and saw the remains of vampires in the hallway and kitchen. He also heard a deep growl, and ice filled his veins. He knew that roar.

Skidding around the corner he found himself in the living room. It was carnage. Dark vampire blood had seeped into the carpets, and there were several bodies lying around in various stages of ashing away into nothing. Too many for just an ordinary group of vampires, something was wrong, this wasn't an ordinary case of a couple of vampires banding together to tear a bloody path through the city.

He saw Kiba first, sitting on the floor with his back against the wall. His face was sprayed in blood, too dark to be human. His eyes were open, showing too much white in the midst of that dark red. He held a knife loosely in one hand, darkened with more blood.

Sasuke's eyes followed to find what Kiba was staring at, and saw Naruto sitting in the middle of the room, back hunched over, hands splayed on the floor to steady himself, claws curled into the carpet. Sasuke could only see him mostly from the back, but he knew exactly what he'd see. Red eyes, lips peeled away from sharp fangs, face twisted into something more beast than man. He'd clearly torn through the vampires, leaving only the three agents in the room, and currently Naruto's gaze was directed at Kiba.

Sasuke carefully edged along the wall, intending to break his gaze when Naruto threw his head back and roared. He lifted his hands to his face, claws digging into the skin and dragging bloody furrows down his cheeks. The roar broke into a hurt sound as he fought with the instincts that were trying to take over control.

It was the Uchiha manor all over again. Naruto had been pushed past his control, and now the beast was there, fighting for its place.

Sasuke rushed over, dropping to his knees hard, the impact jarring against his kneecaps. Naruto's red eyes snapped towards him, but before he could do anything Sasuke had placed his hands on the sides of his head, cradling his face, thumbs resting on scorching warm cheeks, the rest of his fingers buried in his wild mane. He held Naruto's head still, keeping their gazes locked, not wavering at all as he begged him to come back.

He thought Naruto had this under control, thought that he was stable, but right now there was no trace of Naruto in those eyes, and he felt the vibrations from his growls against his fingers, and for a moment he was afraid that Naruto was going to hurt him, that he couldn't tell him apart from the vampires he had just carved his way through.

"Naruto," he said, hearing the pleading note in his voice.

Naruto blinked once, twice, eyelids dragging heavily over his eyes. They were still bright red, and now Sasuke could see how the pupils were slits, decidedly not human. He focused on the eyes, not looking on the blood that coated the lower half of his face. He willed Naruto to come back to him, to find the strength to fight.

He’d thought Naruto had this under control, thought Naruto had managed to shut away the beast, but he had been wrong, and now he was scared that it was too late. He should have spent more time finding the answer, should have gotten over the hurt of his own past to help Naruto.

He counted the fact that Naruto wasn’t trying to eat him as a good thing. Somewhere in there it was still Naruto in charge, and he refused to be afraid of him, refused to let Naruto for a moment believe that he was a monster. This wasn’t Naruto, this was something else. A parasite.

The growl in Naruto’s throat died out, turning into a soft whine, and Sasuke knew Naruto was coming back to him, that he just needed a little more time to fight of the other, and then he’d be back to him, and then…

***

The sound of growls were loud in the room, only broken with the sounds of the city outside, moving on as if nothing had happened at all. Cars drove past, a siren blasted in the distance, and there was a steady thumping Kiba couldn’t quite identify. A neighbour complaining about the noise most likely, unknowing or uncaring about what had and was happening here. Kiba was still sitting against a wall, his knife in his hand as he stared wide-eyed at what was happening. For a moment he had been sure Naruto was going to leap at him, tear out his throat as easily as he had disposed of the vampires, but then Sasuke had burst into the room, dropping to his knees as if he wasn’t scared at all.

Kiba was trying to make sense of what he was seeing. Naruto hadn’t shifted into the fox Kiba had always though he would, but he didn’t look much like the Naruto he knew either. His mouth was open, as if it couldn’t close around the long fangs that had replaced his normal blunt teeth. His eyes shone a deep red, and his normally blond hair had darkened into a reddish colour. His nails were claws, and he was hunched over, as if his spine was no longer quite the same. Kiba thought he was bigger too, stronger.

Just as disconcertingly was the flickering red light that surrounded him, as if he was encased in flames. Kiba had no idea what was going in, he had mentally been going through all the various paranormal beings they had learned about in the academy, but he had run out some time after wendigo. This was wrong. This wasn’t Naruto. There had been nothing left of Naruto when those red eyes had swivelled at him earlier. In that moment it had been clear that this thing, whatever it was, would have no qualms about killing him.

He’d been sure it would tear Sasuke apart the moment he dropped down in front of him, and for a moment it almost looked like it would, but something happened as Sasuke cradled its face and talked to it. It impossibly calmed down, the red light flickering around it dying out. It was as if it was melting away, turning back into Naruto.

Kiba wanted to get his phone and call in Kakashi, but he was afraid that if he moved he’d break whatever was going on. A great shudder passed through Naruto, and it was as if he was shaking off whatever had come over him, and when he looked up again his eyes were blue.

Kiba let out a breath he hadn’t known he was holding, easing the death grip he had on his knife. It was going to be okay, Sasuke handled this, and soon they could head back, and he could get Naruto to talk, because this shit wasn’t normal, and he really needed to know what was happening.

The slam of a door snapped his head to the side, and he scrambled backwards when he saw what came bursting from the room they had accidentally freed the newborns from earlier.

It was another vampire. It had probably been female at some point, but it was hard to see. There were remains of cloth around its waist, but the rest of the body was naked, showing the hollowed stomach, and the hard ridges of a ribcage. The skin was grey and dry, and red eyes were sunk deep in a skull. It looked starved, more like the mummy he had seen in a museum as a kid than anything that should still be moving.

There were ropes around its arms and legs, as if it had been tied to something and had only now managed to tear itself free.

It stopped, eyes snapping around the room, as if the sheer amount of blood spilled was too much, overwhelming it. The perfect opportunity to get in a headshot, if only Kiba hadn’t lost his gun earlier.

If newborn vampires were bad, vampires on the brink of starvation was worse. It would do anything to get blood, and no amount of pain would stop it, only death.

The thumping sounds he had heard earlier, the ones he thought was some neighbour complaining about the ruckus, it was this wasn’t it, the vampire working on its bonds, trying to get loose, driven mad by the smell of the blood spilled in the living room.

Knife brought up, feeling like it wouldn’t be enough to keep him safe at all, Kiba got to his feet, back pressed against the wall, preparing for the vamp to get over being overwhelmed and chose its target. Kiba chanced a glance over at Sasuke and Naruto.

Sasuke had his back towards the vampire, and Naruto’s gaze was unfocused, flickering between Sasuke and nothingness, not still here. Shit, Sasuke hadn’t heard the bang of the door, or at least he hadn’t registered it as danger, too focused on Naruto and whatever he was doing to bring him back. It was up to Kiba, he needed to help, but before he could even think about shouting out a warning or attack, the vampire chose its target.

The fresh blood covering Naruto, pooling around them, was too great of a temptation, and it didn’t even look in Kiba’s direction as it leapt.

Several things happened at once. Kiba yelled out a warning as he started moving, Sasuke’s head snapped around as he realised the danger, and Naruto lost whatever control he had the moment his eyes locked upon the vampire headed straight at Sasuke’s back.

Red flared as he was lost in the beast from earlier, and now it was hard to see Naruto behind this… thing he had changed into, fangs and claws and red fur. A tail snapped behind him, reddish with a white tip, and then he moved, shoving Sasuke away to meet the vampire.

His fangs locked around an arm, and Kiba could hear the crunching of bone.

He’d stopped moving towards them, realising that right now the only thing he could do was stay the hell away, and hope Sasuke could get Naruto to get back from this again.

The vampire didn’t feel any pain of its now useless arm, and it wriggled away, clawing over Naruto’s face, leaving ragged lines, before it pushed forward, jaws snapping, its two elongated canines seeking out any weak points it could find.

There were none.

This thing that was half Naruto, and half something else entirely, tore the vampire apart as if it was made of paper, limbs breaking like crackers, papery skin nothing against claws and fangs. The vampire kept screeching right up until the point Naruto’s hands locked around its head, crushing its skull with brute force.

Sasuke had gotten to his knees, crawling towards Naruto, a hand held towards him.

“Naruto!” he yelled, and Naruto’s head snapped around, his hand striking out immediately, driven by some instinct to fight.

Long claws curved through the air, tearing across Sasuke’s unprotected chest.

Sasuke didn’t scream in pain or fear, as if it was too much to process, but his eyes grew wide, head tipping down to where four deep wounds carved across his chest.

Blood.

Too much blood.

Chapter Text

The world was fuzzy around the edges, tinted by red to match the heady scent of blood in the air. He knew it should mean something, that scent. That something had happened, something bad, maybe? It was hard to focus, easier to just stop fighting for once and let himself drift away, caught up in the whirlwind of instincts that was the beast within. 

There was a metallic taste in his mouth, and he was vaguely aware of the need for more of that taste thrumming through him. Blood. He wanted more blood. The sweet taste of blood and flesh in his mouth. The feel of flesh breaking apart between his teeth, torn into shreds, the feeling of skin ripped apart by his fangs, of bone snapping, of the dying throbs of a heart as his fist locked around it.

A part of him that was buried was trying to tell him something, trying to rise against the overwhelming instincts ruling him , but he was floating in a hazy world where there was no more fighting, where he could just rest, let someone else take charge for once. He knew there was some reason why this was bad, some reason why he had been struggling not to give in to this, but he couldn't remember why. It felt too good to let go and just float along. 

He looked up from one of the broken bodies on the floor, seeing someone in front of him. They weren't attacking, not like those he had just torn apart, but the blood was still warm on his hands, and the taste in his mouth alluringly sweet. He could get more of that taste if he only…  

No. It would be bad. He didn't know why, but he couldn't, wouldn't, harm the one in front of him.  

Some reason. He knew there was some reason, but it was so hard to focus, as if he was stuck somewhere in-between being awake and being asleep, that place where there were no worries, no pain. 

Naruto.  

His name. Someone was saying his name. Naruto, he was Naruto. He hadn’t torn those vampires apart, something else did, something he had worked so hard to contain, something he thought he had under control. This was what he was fighting, this was why he could never allow the beast to take control. It was too easy to hand over the reigns completely, let the overwhelming power that lay dormant in him take over, but he couldn’t. It was bloodthirsty, wouldn’t stop at just vampires. He’d harm people, he’d become the monster he had always fought against becoming, and he could not let that happen, had to fight. 

Naruto blinked, trying to clear the red fog from his eyes. Someone was in front of him, someone he knew, someone who mattered.  

It was like wading through molasses, each step back into gaining control over the beast that was snarling at him, not ready to go back into its cage, wanting to be free. It tasted blood, remembered the feel of flesh tearing under his fangs, it wanted more.  

Naruto didn’t need it, he was strong enough alone, could protect those he cared about alone, didn’t…  

Dark eyes were watching him fight, and Naruto tried focusing on them, letting them ground him.  

The beast was pushed back, and Naruto knew he was winning the fight, and soon he’d be fine, and then…  

It happened so fast. 

One moment he was easing back in control of himself, and the next the control snapped like a rubber band pulled to its limit. There had been one more vampire, and Naruto had only noticed when it was already barrelling towards the two of them, looking ready to tear them both apart and bathe in their blood. The next he knew adrenaline was rushing through him, bringing along the beast, and then it was all a blur, blood and broken limbs, the final crunch as its skull shattered underneath his hands, but by then Naruto wasn’t even seeing, just catching glimpses of what was happening, and then he saw how the hand he knew was his shot out, carving open more skin, but this time it wasn’t a vampire.

The cool detachment of the beast cared little, vampire or human was the same, they bled easily under his claws, but Naruto knew something bad had happened, and that flash of fear was enough to allow him to catch onto the thread of control.

The beast didn’t relinquish it easily, struggling against him; growling deep in his throat and curling his hands into fists that had claws carve into the delicate flesh of his palms.

Naruto knew he had to fight it back, knew he needed to stop what was happening, needed to make right what he had done wrong, even if his mind was too messy, making it hard to focus on what he had done.

Growls turned into a broken howl as Naruto’s head tipped back, but then the sounds died as the features of the beast washed away, leaving him human again, the beast pushed back for now, a restless pacing in his gut that threatened to break lose again at the smallest provocation.

Naruto shook his head and blinked with heavy eyelids, head clearing. When he looked up again realisation was like a punch to his gut, leaving him breathless with dread.

Sasuke was sitting on his knees, head slumped forward, one arm held limply towards his chest as if trying to contain the damage. His shirt was torn open, and bright blood stained the once-white fabric a deep red, running down his body to pool around his legs, mixing with the dirty blood the vampires had left.

Naruto’s eyes widened, and his entire body seized up as panic flooded him.

No. 

No no no. 

***

Kiba’s hands were shaking as he dug through his pocket, pulling out his phone and leaving bloody smears across the screen as he tried to unlock it. He kept glancing up from the screen towards where Naruto and Sasuke was standing, and knew he should do something, but he didn’t think a machete was going to do much against Naruto if he turned back to that thing, and he knew their best bet right now was to get backup.

He wiped off his fingers on his pants, and finally was able to unlock the screen and bring up Kakashi’s number, calling while keeping his gaze on the other two, ready to fight if something happened.

As the first beep came across the line Sasuke toppled to the side, legs twisted underneath him.

At the second beep Naruto crawled over towards Sasuke, reaching out with a hesitant hand, pressing the palm across one of the wounds. It came away red with blood.

Third ring and Kakashi finally answered. Kiba cut him off after before Kakashi could finish his hello.

“We need EMTs immediately. And some backup.” He was surprised how steady his voice was, even as he watched Naruto’s face twist into a mask of shocked despair unlike anything he had seen before. 

“Kiba, what has happened?” Kakashi asked.

“Sasuke is hurt, Naruto is… Something happened to him, and I don’t… I can’t…”

Across the room Naruto was now pressing both hands to Sasuke’s chest, seemingly trying to staunch the flow of blood. It wouldn’t be enough.

“You need to hurry, I don’t think...” Kiba said, voice growing thick.

“The EMTs have already been alerted, they are on their way. I’m leaving now, I’ll call in whoever can to assist.”

Kiba nodded, then realised how stupid that was, considering Kakashi wouldn’t be able to see.  “Yeah, okay. Just… hurry.”

Kakashi confirmed that Kiba was safe, and then he hung up.

Across the room Naruto had wrenched off his shirt and was pressing the wadded up fabric against Sasuke’s chest. His eyes were wet with tears, and his shoulders were shaking. He looked devastated, nothing like the beast that had ripped through the vampires as if they were all paper dolls. This was Naruto, his co-worker and friend, who cracked bad jokes and always had a smile for everyone, wide and bright and truly sincere.

There was no smile on his face now, and just then Kiba stopped fearing him. No matter what had happened this was his friend, and right now he was hurting, and even if Sasuke wasn’t a friend per say, he was important to all of them, an integral part of their unit, and now Kiba was seeing the two of them breaking. Sasuke was bleeding out, and with every drop of blood he lost life seemed to drain from Naruto.

This couldn’t happen, Kiba couldn’t stand seeing people he cared about in this situation.

He sheathed his knife and pocketed the phone, and then he was getting to his feet, walking closer.

Naruto seemed too lost to even realise, so he didn’t as much as flinch as Kiba kneeled down across from him, shrugging off his jacket and folding it up into an improvised compress to help keep Sasuke alive until more competent people could take over. Naruto only acknowledged him by moving his own enough to the side so they could take one side each.

This close Kiba could hear Sasuke’s ragged breaths, could feel his chest move underneath them, and he knew that for now he was alive. Only a little bit longer, and it was going to be fine. The EMTs would patch him up and give him a transfusion or ten and he’d be back on his feet, chewing them out and complaining like usual. He had to.

Their breaths was all they could hear in the room until there were feet rushing up the stairs outside and a group of uniformed people rushed inside. It had felt like hours sitting here, and Kiba didn’t think he had ever been happier to hand over a job to someone else as he scrambled back, allowing two EMTs take his position, peeling away his jacket as they started working.

Naruto’s head snapped up with a growl, like an animal protecting its mate, and the EMTs both lifted their hands to show they meant no harm. For a few long seconds it was a stalemate, but then Naruto hesitantly moved his hands away from Sasuke. A broken sound ripped from his throat and he fell back on his ass, shuffling backwards until his back was pressed up against a wall on the other side of the room from where Kiba was sitting. Naruto's eyes were large, the white and blue startling in the smear of blood and dirt that covered his face. He looked like he was on the verge of breaking completely, looking at where the EMTs were pulling open Sasuke's tattered shirt, assessing the situation, putting pressure on the wounds and then moving his limp body onto a gurney.

Naruto seemed to fight with himself when they wheeled Sasuke out of the room, torn between staying and following after, but in the end he stayed where he was, pressed up against the wall, hands shaking.

The room was eerie around them. It was only the two of them left there, as well as the vampires in various stages of ashing out. It looked like the battle zone it was. A mission hadn’t gone this bad for Kiba in a while, and it would take very little to push it into the worst one ever.  

Naruto seemed to be muttering to himself, but Kiba couldn't make out what he was saying from across the room.  It was strange, right now it was hard to imagine that this was the same Naruto he had known since spring, the Naruto he joked with and drank with and had fun with. Naruto seemed to have been hiding something from them all along, and a part of Kiba was furious. Furious that he had been lied to, he thought they were friends, and now he was starting to think he didn't know Naruto at all.

Why wouldn’t Naruto have told them he wasn't just an ordinary shifter, wasn't that the sort of thing you shared with your friends?

Either way, Naruto was looking like himself again, and he looked to be on the verge of a breakdown.

Kiba hesitated, before drawing a deep breath and easing onto his knees, and then pushing to his feet, wiping off blood-stained hands on his pants. He’d have to incinerate all his clothes and probably spend a full hour in a scalding hot shower if he was to ever feel clean again.

He ignored the bodies littering the room, wincing as he had to step through the layer of blood and grime that covered the floors. His boots squelched beneath him as he walked across sodden carpets, and he resolutely kept his eyes on Naruto, taking slow measured steps.

He was halfway across the room before Naruto seemed to notice, eyes snapping up to where Kiba was approaching. Kiba held up his hands like the EMTs had done only a few minutes previously, even if he felt like an absolute idiot.

“Hey, Naruto, you okay?” he asked. Dumb. Of course Naruto wasn’t okay, how could he be? Those shaking hands and startled eyes did not belong to a guy who was okay, not even close. Naruto was on the verge of losing it completely, and even if his features were completely human again he seemed more like an abused animal, huddling away in a corner.

Naruto pressed closer to the wall behind him, gaze drifting out of focus as his hands fisted at his side.

“Monster,” he whispered, his voice thick and ragged. “They were right all along.”

Kiba pointedly ignored that. “Hey man, it’s okay. Let’s get you out of here, yeah?” He stepped closer, and Naruto’s gaze snapped back to him.

“No! Don’t come closer!”

Kiba stopped. He kind of wished Kakashi would hurry up and come already, because Kiba was not on top of this situation, not at all. He wasn’t about to abandon a friend though, that wasn’t how he rolled. He also didn’t particularly want to be gutted, so he didn’t walk any closer. “Naruto, it’s gonna be fine, Kakashi will be here soon, and then…”

Kiba had no clue what was going to happen when Kakashi did arrive, so he didn’t finish the sentence.

“Come on, take my hand and let’s get outta here,” Kiba said after a while of Naruto looking at him wide-eyed, stretching a hand towards Naruto. Sitting in the middle of absolute carnage couldn’t be a very good place to calm down. They could go outside, sit down on the sidewalk and wait for the others to come, and then Kakashi could fix whatever was wrong.

The movement of Kiba’s hand was enough to push Naruto over the edge he had been tethering on, and he slapped it away—no claws thank god—with a broken sound, and then he was scrambling to his feet, and before Kiba could do anything Naruto was running towards the door.

He didn’t get far, and Kiba let out a relieved sigh when he heard voices in the stairwell. Kakashi was here, Kakashi would know what to do and then—

Naruto had heard the voices too, and he seemed to act instantaneously, spinning around and taking off, across the room, headed right towards the windows on the other side of the entrance. An arm came up, and then he slammed into the glass. It shattered at impact, breaking outwards into great shards falling towards the ground alongside Naruto.

Kiba sprang into action, running towards the windows and peering out, fearing that he was going to see Naruto on the sidewalk down below, neck snapped clean off, but apart from the broken glass and a smear of blood there was nothing.

***

Naruto had been startled to notice Kiba walking towards him. He had forgotten that he had been in the room the entire time, that he had seen what had happened, that he had seen what Naruto really was. He had been expecting Kiba to be terrified or disgusted or both, but had been shocked to notice that he hadn’t appear to be either. As it was he had looked worried more than anything, maybe wary too. Not that Naruto blamed him. He was dangerous; Kiba should leave while he could, should fear him.

When his warning hadn’t been enough to get him to leave Naruto knew that he was going to have to be the one to get away, before the beast got free again, before he hurt Kiba like he had hurt—

He hadn’t allowed himself that thought right now, he just needed to get away from people he could harm, needed to…

Panic and fear over what he might do if Kiba and the rest of the team came too close drove him to throw himself out the window. Worst that could’ve happened was that he broke his neck, and he would’ve deserved it. One less monster to roam the world.

As it was he landed, neck and spine still intact, and when he rolled to his feet it was only with a sharp pain in his ankle and a throbbing in the elbow he had slammed into the concrete. It was easily ignorable. He deserved worse.  

He had been ready to run the entire way home if he needed to, but as he rounded the corner he saw Sasuke’s car standing on the sidewalk, abandoned when Sasuke ran upstairs, and he made his way over, leaving a smear of fresh blood on the window when he leaned against it. His arms had been sliced open by the shards he had rolled through when he pulled a full on stuntman move sans breakaway glass. Not the brightest of ideas, but he’d heal too soon and he wanted the pain, the sting of cuts and throbbing of bruised bones, but his body wasn’t going to allow him to, the small cuts already starting to close up, robbing him of his penance.

More blood was left on the door as he opened it and slid into the front seat, a small voice telling him that Sasuke was going to be pissed off at him for dragging blood and dirt into his new car.

Shit, Sasuke.

He bit back a sob, pressing the heels of his palms against his eyes, drawing a breath to steady himself before turning the key that Sasuke had luckily forgotten in the ignition.

He probably busted through a few red lights, but soon he was finally back in his apartment, a locked door between him and the rest of the world, nothing but silence around him.

It wouldn’t be enough, the door wasn’t going to be enough to keep the world safe from him. Here he thought he was going a good deed getting a job keeping the city safe, but then it turned out that he was the worst of the bunch.

His fists thumped against the door a few times before he pushed away from it.

His worst fears had just come through, and now pain was digging in his chest like a rusted ice pick and he didn’t know how to fix it.

No, there was no fixing this was it? Naruto had thought he was in control, thought he could restrain the beast within, but it was all a fool’s dream, and he should have known, should have stayed away. He was no better than the vampires they hunted for a living. He had tried to play human, but he wasn’t, was he?

No, he was a monster. Apparently they had all been right when he was growing up, right to shun him and call him a monster, because that was all he was. He’d been too weak and now he had done the unthinkable. He’d hurt Sasuke bad, possibly even…

He stumbled in his own legs and caught himself on a small bookshelf. The idea that Sasuke might be… might be dead was almost unthinkable. Sasuke had been the only one to see even a glimpse of what Naruto was, and he had stayed by his side, and that had possibly cost him his life, and Naruto didn’t know what he was going to do if that was the case.

The bookshelf slammed to the floor before Naruto could register himself pushing it over. The flimsy faux wood splintered, and the knickknacks that Naruto had shoved onto it spilled to the floor in a mess to match his insides.

Naruto felt something crunch underneath his heel as he stomped across the apartment, caring little. Nothing he owned mattered, the only thing worth anything in his life had been carted away in an ambulance.

A side table slammed into the wall, a leg punching through the plaster before it dropped to the ground, surprisingly still in one piece.

The lamp that had been standing next to the couch didn’t fare as well, the glass lampshade shattering as Naruto heaved it in the direction of the kitchen.

The armrests of the couch gave in when Naruto flipped it over, and the TV didn’t stand a chance when Naruto threw it down and stomped hard on the screen, the cobweb of cracks its final picture.

By the time Naruto crumbled to the floor, his legs too shaky to keep him standing anymore, the entire apartment was as ruined as he was. Glass and splintered wood and broken plastic marred the battleground, and after a final shove with the toe of his boot to send a coffee cup rolling across the floor to vanish underneath the remains of his coach, handle breaking off along the way, the destruction was complete.

It hadn’t helped.

The sob came out of nowhere, and the next moment fat tears were dripping down his cheeks, washing streaks of skin through the grime covering his face.

***

Kakashi looked over what had at one point been a living room. It looked like something out of a horror movie. It wasn’t the first time he had seen a scene like this, years on the DPA had shown him that there was no limit to the horrors the vampires could create, and the sight of blood and gore no longer affected him.

He thought that scared him more than the worst crime scenes, that he had gotten so used to death that he no longer saw the remains for what they really were, innocent people who had been dragged into a new life as vampires against their will. He didn’t see corpses, he saw a mess he needed to clean up.

He walked out, leaving the actual job to the cleaners. Come the following nightfall there would be nothing but ashes left of the bodies, and the apartment would be cleaned out of everything, ruined carpets torn out, bloodstains bleached out of floors. Anything left behind that could be used to ID the victims would be gathered up so they could contact parents and significant others and destroy what hope they had that their missing loved ones were still alive somewhere. They wouldn’t be getting any bodies to bury, but maybe they would be able to find peace.

Kiba was standing out in the hallway, scrubbing at his face with a towel he had probably filched from the cleaners.

“Let’s go down to the car, you need to fill me in on everything,” Kakashi said, and Kiba followed after him down the stairs, the towel left on the floor, the grey terrycloth smeared with red. It was only the two of them out on the sidewalk.  Neji and Shikamaru were still upstairs, assisting the cleaners. He'd called them in as backup since they were on a nonessential mission at the time, but when it was apparent that all the vampires were dead he hadn't sent them out on any new one yet, not until he knew more.

The phone call he had gotten from Kiba had in no way prepared him from what Kiba was telling him, but he also realised that he wasn't nearly as surprised as he should've been when Kiba told him about Naruto's transformation, how he had never seen a shifter do anything like that. He thought maybe he'd always had some inkling of doubt that Naruto was your run of the mill shifter, there had been something about him that Kakashi had never been able to put his finger on.

Their knowledge about the shifter community was riddled with holes at best, but he had never heard anything remotely like this before. Every shifter he had ever heard about, be it fox or cat or bear shared traits that made them different but the same. When they shifted it was from human to animal form, no stages in-between. From what Kiba had told Naruto had taken on some animalistic characteristics, but nothing more. Shifters also tended to have a good control over the animal instincts, but from what Kiba had told it hadn't even been Naruto anymore.

Kakashi felt a headache stir in his temples, but he didn't have time to give into it.

"Kakashi?" Kiba asked hesitantly after he had finished recounting what he could remember and Kakashi hadn't made any move to reply.

"Yes?"

"How is… how is Sasuke doing?"

"I… don't know. There have been no updates from the hospital yet."

Silence settled again, seconds dragging out. Kakashi could feel that Kiba was fighting himself, probably debating whether or not he should ask what he was about to ask. When he finally did the words rushed out of him. "What will happen with Naruto?"

Kakashi let out a weary sigh, rubbing at his aching temples. "Right now I don't know. I need to find him and assess the situation before I make any decision."

Kiba looked so tired where he was sitting, slouched into a chair, looking like a shadow of his usual happy self. Kakashi hated to see him like this.

It was all his fault wasn't it? Kakashi had sent Kiba out there with Naruto, Kakashi hadn't had enough knowledge about the unit he was running. He should have known, should have made sure. If Sasuke didn't pull through this it was all on him, and Naruto's fate was likewise hanging on his shoulders. He needed to find him. No matter what happened with Sasuke Naruto was also a part of their team, he needed to be protected, whether that be from someone else or Naruto himself.

"In the meanwhile I would appreciate it if you kept the details of tonight to yourself. Tell the others that Sasuke was hurt during the mission, and leave it at that for now."

Kiba looked like he wanted to ask more questions, but he nibbled on his bottom lip for a moment and then nodded.

"Go home and get some rest. Take tomorrow off and we'll take things from there."

Kiba got to his feet, shuffling over to the office door, hesitating for a moment before turning around. "Naruto is still my friend. Make sure he's safe, yeah?"

Kakashi wished he could assure that he could make that happen, but he knew the world didn't work like that. "I'll do my best."

Kiba seemed to accept that, and left the office a moment later, leaving Kakashi with his thoughts.

He looked down on his cell phone. No updates on Sasuke's situation yet. There wasn't likely to be any until Sasuke came out of the IC unit they had no doubt wheeled him into. Considering Sasuke had no family left Kakashi had been placed as his emergency contact when Sasuke joined the unit, and he likely hadn't been replaced with Naruto in the papers yet, so he would know as soon as they knew, one way or another.

Sasuke was in the hands of capable surgeons, but there was someone else that Kakashi could help.

He needed to find Naruto.

Technically he should have reported the correct circumstances to Tsunade and let her take the helm at this, but he wanted to talk to Naruto first, so he had decided to track him down. He’d gone to Sasuke’s apartment first, figuring the two of them had about moved in together judging by how often they had gotten into work at the same time, but after the building manager had locked him in it was clear that Naruto hadn’t been here, and now he was standing in front of Naruto’s apartment door. Would probably make more sense that Naruto went here after all, Sasuke’s apartment would probably remind him too much of Sasuke, and considering how he had apparently reacted Naruto was wrecked with guilt. Kakashi knew how guilt felt, he should have realised.

There was no answer when he knocked on the door, and deciding that he didn't have time to wait for a locksmith he reeled back, drew up his leg and kicked hard, aiming right below the doorknob. He had no idea where he was going to look if Naruto wasn’t here.

Lucky for him this was a cheap building with poorly made doors, because it swung open at his first attempt, lock ripped free of the frame, leaving behind splintered wood. Being strong had its advantages sometimes.

The inside of the apartment made one thing clear for Kakashi. Naruto had definitely come here tonight. That or a very localised tornado had ripped through it. Every single piece of furniture was upended, there were holes in the walls, and a lamp was still embedded deep in the plaster.

Kakashi stepped over the furniture, and even if he had known the moment he stepped in that Naruto was no longer here he still went through the rooms. Apparently he had kept the trashing to the living room and kitchen area, the bedroom was spared, as was the bathroom. There was no sign of Naruto though, and it was hard to tell if he had left for the night or for good, but his toothbrush was still in its cup in the bathroom, and a quick peek into the drawers in the bedroom showed that most of his clothes still appeared to be there.

Kakashi stepped back into the remains of the living room, digging out his cell phone and calling the same number he had tried to call several times tonight. This time he was answered by a ringing coming from somewhere under the carcass of the couch.

He pushed it over and saw Naruto's phone lying on the floor, his own name showing on the screen. He hung up.

Where could Naruto have gone?

He sat down on the couch, looking around the room and had no idea what to do now. Where would he go? Iruka was far away, he wouldn't have gone there would he? If he was feeling guilty over what happened he wasn't likely to go to anyone at all, he'd stay by himself, not risking anything else at all.

Shit, if Kakashi couldn't find him he would have to tell Tsunade. Tsunade was a hell of a chief, but she was bound by the rules of their department, and knowing that one of her agents was possibly out of control and had harmed his partner… She would be forced to bring Naruto in, get him contained somewhere until they knew everything.

If Sasuke pulled through Naruto was still likely to lose his job, would possibly have to spend some time locked up. If Sasuke didn't..? Naruto would have to spend the remainder of his life locked up, most likely in isolation if there was any chance he would attack again.

No, he had to find Naruto, had to fix this without letting anyone know. He wasn't going to give up on Naruto just because he was struggling with something. They would have to find answers together. Kakashi knew what it was to fear people finding out your dark secrets, to hide from repercussions for something that was out of your control. He was going to give Naruto a chance before he condemned him to a life imprisoned.  He just had to find him, fast, before anything else happened.

Chapter Text

The world was a blur of greys spinning together, making no sense in his mind at all, no clear shapes or edges for his eyes to latch onto so he could orient himself. He groaned, squeezing his eyes shut, hoping by some miracle that it would make them work so he could focus his vision. There was a brighter light to his right, and he turned his head towards it, making out a square of white amidst the darker greys. A window? It was too damned bright, so he turned the other way, nose scrunching up from the effort of moving his head.

He could feel that he was lying on something soft, and figured it was a bed. When he shifted it creaked, protesting the movement, so definitely not his own bed, that mattress had cost too damned much to do anything as frivolous as creak.

He closed his useless eyes and relied on his other senses. The air smelled of disinfectant, sterile and medical. A hospital, it smelled like a hospital. The hushed voices and footsteps on the other side of wall made that seem likely.

His head ached as he tried to figure out just why he would be in a hospital. It was as if someone had taken a hammer to it. Repeatedly. His brain was useless sludge in his skull, protesting the forming of any thoughts. Something had happened, something bad, but it was hard to separate reality from dreams. A mission? There had been a mission, and something had gone wrong. There had been blood and dead bodies, and then… and then… Naruto had…

It came back to him like a tsunami of icy water, Sasuke’s body freezing up at the memories.  Naruto losing himself to the beast, ripping that vampire to shreds, and then the purely beastly gaze that swept over him as his hand shot out.

The sharp pain of claws digging into his chest, ripping it open as if he was little more than a paper doll. The look on Naruto's face as he realised what he had done, no longer the beast but Naruto, his Naruto. His chest had been on fire, but he thought maybe the look of utter devastation on Naruto’s face hurt more. He had known how bad that was, knew that at that moment they were standing on top of a house of cards. This was the one moment he had to make sure the ground didn’t crumple underneath them, but his vision had greyed, and he could feel himself falling, and he knew that it was too late, saw it in the absolute terror in Naruto’s face before he saw no more.

The rest of his memories were drenched in pain. Broken whimpers either from himself or Naruto, pressure against his chest, and then the commanding voices of EMT workers before it all washed away into nothing. He'd probably been sedated at that point, allowed to drift into sweet oblivion.

Reliving it made Sasuke feel sick, so he wrenched open his eyes again, and found the world a little clearer around him. It was clearly a hospital room, empty save for himself. The sky was a dim grey through the window, but he had no idea if that meant it was early or late, or even what day it was.

Only when he noted that he was alone in the room did he realise that the one thing he wanted more than anything was to see a familiar blond moron sitting on the chair across the room. He could picture him, probably sleeping, drool on his chin, snoring softly as he waited for Sasuke to get up so he could apologise. Sasuke could scold him, and then they could move on. It was clear that Naruto wasn't nearly as in control of the beast as Sasuke had thought, but that just meant they had to work together to find answers.

There was no Naruto sitting in the chair, and he feared it wasn't because it wasn't visiting hours. Naruto wouldn't have let anything like that stop him from staying by Sasuke's side. Sasuke had no idea what had happened after he drifted into unconsciousness. Had Kakashi come? Was Naruto back at their apartment waiting for Sasuke to get well, was he sitting out in a hallway, bugging all the nurses for information on Sasuke's situation, or…

The clearer his head got the more his chest was aching, making it hard to focus his thoughts. He had been too out of it to notice at first, but now the wounds was definitely making themselves known, and he wasn't surprised when a nurse came in, disturbing his thoughts completely.

She was probably a perfectly nice girl, but Sasuke wasn't in the mood for pleasantries, so he cut off her greeting midways. "Where is Naruto?"

If she was perturbed she didn't show it as she walked to his side, checking the IV bag hanging by his bed, adjusting it slightly. He hadn't even noticed the tube running from it to his arm. He frowned. He didn't like it, didn't like the thought of being so useless he had to be hooked up to bags of who knew what. Hospitals, he didn't like them one bit.

"How is the pain?" she asked, checking what he presumed was his charts.

"Manageable," Sasuke gruffed out before repeating his initial question, cutting off any chattering she might want to start up in the bud.

She looked up from the chart, seemingly considering the question for a moment. "Naruto?"

Sasuke sighed, having no patience, he needed her to tell him that Naruto was sitting out in a waiting room, or that they had sent him home or… "Blond hair, blue eyes, obnoxious personality?"

"I don't think I've seen anyone like that around. There's a Hatake that has been calling for information on your condition?"

Kakashi. He'd know where Naruto was. Why wasn't Naruto here, waiting for him to wake up? Was this some idiotic payback for the time Naruto had ended up in the hospital and Sasuke hadn't come? He'd hit him over the head with something hard if that was the case. He didn’t want to allow himself to think for a moment that there was any other reason Naruto wasn’t here.

He clenched his eyes shut. He knew Naruto wasn't staying away for some petty payback. If Naruto wasn't here it was because he couldn’t be here, and Sasuke wasn't sure he wanted to start speculating why.

"Is Hatake here?" Sasuke asked instead, knowing he needed to talk to him ASAP.

"No, it's six in the morning, visiting hours isn't for a few hours yet."

"Call him," Sasuke stated.

"First we'll have to check your medi—"

"Call him, now," Sasuke said, not opening up for any further discussions on the subject.

The nurse seemed to hesitate for a moment and then she nodded sharply and left the room. No doubt she knew he was an agent and that it might be important.

Sasuke winced as he tried to shift to a more upright position. He felt the dull pain in his chest flare up, and knew he would need some more painkillers, because he had no doubt it would end up hurting like a bitch soon. He would refuse anything too strong, he didn't like how it dulled his mind and senses, but he’d still need something to take the edge off, making him able to focus. He had probably been out for a while already, it was enough. He needed to keep his head clear for now, needed to figure out just what had happened after he blacked out.

He'd probably regret sending the nurse away before he got his medication real soon, but he could handle physical pain for now.

The minutes ticked by while he waited, and it soon became apparent that the pain wasn’t his only problem right now, pressure was building in his bladder, bodily functions caring little that he was bedridden. If he'd had a catheter at some point it was long gone, and he figured he was supposed to call for a nurse to bring a bedpan. That was not going to happen. He was not about to have a patronizing woman coddling him like he was still a kid. He was a grown man and he could most definitely get to the bathroom himself. Any surgery he'd most likely had was just a minor inconvenience, wasn't like pissing would demand a whole lot out of him. He peered around the room, noted that there was only two doors. One the nurse had gone through and another one across the bed, slightly ajar. He'd bet all his money it was a bathroom. He eyed the distance critically. Not far at all, but he had no idea how his body was going to react to the walk. Only one way to find out.

With a wince he scooted to the edge of the bed, careful not to rip out the tube lodged in his arm. Slowly he moved his feet until he could find the floor underneath them. It was cold against his bare soles, and he tried not to imagine what bodily fluids had been spilled on these floors before.

He made sure to hold onto the side of the bed as he carefully shifted his weight forward onto his feet. They wobbled, but sheer willpower kept him standing, somehow. He was sure the slightest of breezes would have pushed him right back onto his ass, but lucky for him the windows were closed.

The IV bag was hanging on a rack by the bed, conveniently with wheels, so he grabbed it, and used it as a makeshift walker as he shuffled across the room. His legs did in no way agree with this impromptu exercise session, but he ignored them, taking pathetically tiny step across the linoleum, eyes trained on the door across the room. He damned well hoped it was the bathroom, because if he ended up in some supply closet he would just have to piss in the closest bucket.

The small strip of light that spread from underneath the door became his one goal in life, and after an embarrassingly long time he could finally grab the door knob, twist it open and step into what was indeed a small bathroom. The trip had maybe been a full eight feet, but right now he felt like he had climbed a damned mountain.

He collapsed onto the toilet, silently glad the hospital gown he was wearing was assless so he wouldn't have to deal with having to remove pants. He hadn't peed sitting down for years, but he was not going to do this standing up, he wasn't a damned masochist, and he wasn't stupid enough to think he would be able to do so without falling on his ass. He did not want a nurse to walk in on him, sprawled on the floor in a pool of his own piss.

Finished with his business he stayed right where he was, not quite up to the task of getting back on his feet. The small walk had taken a lot out of him, his body obviously not quite up to its usual standard.

The pain in his chest seemed to throb along with his heart beat, turning from a dull ache to a sharp pain. He could vaguely remember seeing a lot of blood, but other than that he had no idea how bad the damage was. He was obviously still alive, so it could've been worse. He lifted a hand towards the front of the hospital gown, brushing against the edge of the compress that was covered the wounds. Curiously he traced a finger across it, feeling the pain it left when he travelled over a wound.

He had to look, and even if moving his arms pulled at the skin of his chest painfully he got the gown off, the fabric pooling in his lap.

The compress covered the majority of his chest, from his collarbones down to his sternum. He could see where discharge from his wounds had stained them a yellowish-brown colour. They'd probably need changing, and he might as well help the nurses out and remove them. He flicked at a corner, grabbing the tape that fastened the compress to him, and gently started removing it.

The tape pulled at his skin, making him almost nauseous with the slow burning pain, but he kept going, unable to stop himself. He kept his gaze on the wall, knowing that seeing the wounds might just make him stop what he was doing altogether.

When he finally removed the last of the taped down edges he could gently peel away the compress, carefully as to not pull on the stitches. They still stuck to his skin where the discharge had dried, and he had to take a few breaks and just breathe until he could finally throw the bandages away in the trash bin under the sink.

He held his eyes closed and calmed himself before he grabbed the edge of the sink, standing up, his legs nearly collapsing underneath him. Then he looked up into the mirror.

He looked… like shit. His hair was a mess, greasy and matted, lying close to his skull. He had dark circles underneath his eyes and his lips were chapped raw. He nodded to himself, and then lowered his gaze, looking past the shoulders that were the same as always to the new additions to his body.

Reaching from his left collarbone to the bottom of his right rib was four gashes, the skin pulled together with countless stitches, the black thread standing out against his skin. The edges of the wounds were slightly puckered where the thread had pulled his flesh together, and there was redness around them, probably a hint of inflammation. Crusty blood and discharge was caked in spots around the four ragged lines, and fresh blood was beading out a few places as well, probably from him disrupting the skin while removing the bandages.

It was quite apparent that this was going to leave rather prominent scars, and Sasuke could only picture how it had looked before the doctors closed it up. Gaping wounds, blood pouring. Probably a flash of white from a rib or collarbone, the claws would definitely have carved that deep.

Naruto had seen him with the fresh wounds, and Sasuke could only imagine how that felt. He remembered the feeling of seeing Naruto bleeding from his neck after being attacked by vampire months ago, the feeling of helplessness and guilt from not being able to help. If he had blamed himself then Naruto would definitely…

Why wasn't Naruto here? Why hadn't he charmed his way into staying with Sasuke?

Sasuke was afraid he knew exactly why Naruto wasn't here. He remembered Naruto telling him about his past, about people fearing him because he was a shifter, afraid he would hurt them.

Sasuke had seen Naruto shift, knew that in those moments it wasn't Naruto at all, it was as if another entity took over his body entirely, something else living inside him, wanting to be free. It wasn't Naruto who had hurt him, it was this… this thing inside him, but Naruto wouldn't see that would he? No, he would blame himself, blame himself for not being strong enough to keep Sasuke safe.

"Naruto, where are you?" Sasuke muttered to himself, sinking back onto the toilet when his legs started shaking.

Naruto better not have done anything stupid.

***

Kakashi hurried through white hallways, ignoring the smells that attacked his nostrils right through the mask, the disinfectant bringing back nothing but unpleasant memories. He hated hospitals, they only came with pain and hurt, and this time was no different.

He had gotten a call from the hospital a while ago that Sasuke was stable, wounds closed up, and transfusions replenishing the blood he had lost along the way, and in the car on the way over he had gotten another call saying that Sasuke was awake and wanted to talk to him. Kakashi did not look forward to that conversation, because he knew it would mean he would have to tell him about Naruto.

Finally arriving at the door he had been directed towards he knocked once before he pulled it open, striding inside, mouth opening in a greeting only to find that the room was empty. One of the beds looked unused, but the other had sheets pushed too the side, so it had obviously been in occupied. The occupant was nowhere to be seen though, and Kakashi stuck his head back in the hallway to reread the number sign outside the door, wondering if he had the wrong room.

He didn't.

He looked back inside the room, and noticed the door to the side, cracked open. "Sasuke?" he called out, pulling the door to the room shut after him as he walked inside, heading towards the other door.

He heard what he thought was an acknowledging sound, but still stopped outside. It wasn't hard to decipher what kind of room it was, and he wasn't about to just barge inside.

"You okay in there?" he asked instead, and if the circumstances had been different he would no doubt have made it sound like a tease, but right now he was too worried to do so.

It took a moment before Sasuke answered. "Ah, not… really." He sounded annoyed.

"You need a nurse?"

He was answered with a sigh.

"If you just wait a couple of minutes I'll—"

Sasuke interrupted him, sounding weary. "No, just… come in."

Kakashi pushed the door open, and was greeted with Sasuke scowling at him from his position sitting at the toilet. He looked like shit, bags under his eyes, skin grey and clammy, and his hospital gown hanging off of one shoulder, showing off the top edge of the wounds that marred his chest, skin red and puckered around black stitches.

Sasuke seemed to clench his jaw, as if what he was about to say was difficult, something he was dreading. Kakashi really hoped it wasn't that he needed help wiping, because he like Sasuke, but he'd rather not get that familiar with him. Some boundaries were there for a reason.

"I… need help," Sasuke finally said, looking away from him.

"Sasuke, I, maybe I should fetch a nurse…"

Sasuke shot him a glare. "I need help getting back in bed, my legs won't cooperate properly."

Letting out a relieved sigh Kakashi walked over, hitched the hospital gown back on Sasuke's shoulder, and carefully helped him get to his feet. It was awkward finding a way to support him without touching his chest, but he got an arm over his shoulder, and then they were making their way back to the hospital bed, slowly, the IV-stand awkwardly pulled after the two of them. Sasuke was shaking with the strain of the short walk, and Kakashi was wondering how he'd even made it into the bathroom in the first place. Sheer willpower probably, sounded like him.

Finally Kakashi could leave Sasuke to crawl into the bed, yanking the sheets over his legs, and sinking back into the pillows, letting out a pained groan, fist flexing in the sheets. He probably needed more painkillers, there was a tightness in his face even after he had settled in, as if he was trying to fight off the pain.

"I should find a nu—"

"Kakashi, where's Naruto?" Sasuke interrupted him.

So, right to business then. Kakashi figured he shouldn't be surprised. "Let me get—"

Sasuke shut him up with a glare so cold Kakashi could swear he could feel the chill of it. "Where. Is. Naruto?"

Lowering his gaze to the floor, Kakashi tried to gather his words, say something that would calm Sasuke down rather than agitate him further. It would entail lies, and Kakashi knew that lies right now would only shatter whatever trust was between the two of them.

He looked back up, saw Sasuke's impatient glare and knew there was no way to sugar-coat this. "We… don’t know."

Dark eyes widened in apparent shock, and Kakashi continued when Sasuke didn't say anything.

"Kiba told me that Naruto left soon after you were taken here. I went to your apartment, but it didn't seem like anyone had been there. So I went to his apartment, and there were… signs that he had been there. He had left by then, his phone appears to be turned off, and your car is gone.

"Naruto…" Sasuke whispered as his eyelids slid shut. Kakashi could see the pain of that knowledge settling over Sasuke as apparent as physical pain.

"Kiba told me what he saw, but he didn't really know what happened. I think maybe you know more?" There was always the chance that Sasuke had been as surprised by what had happened with Naruto's turn as Kiba was, but judging by Kiba's retelling Sasuke hadn't appeared shocked at seeing Naruto. Kakashi had the sneaking suspicion that not only was there more to Naruto than they had known about, Sasuke had seen something happen before. Whether he knew just what made Naruto different or not he had no idea, but he expected to learn. He didn't much like not knowing, it was a weak link in their unit, and if he was to have any hope of patching it he needed to know exactly what he was up against.

***

By the time Kakashi left Sasuke was mentally drained. He had told Kakashi everything, knowing that it was their safest bet to put all the cards on the table. Kakashi was the one person in the world Sasuke actually trusted, he wouldn't throw Naruto to the dogs, he would realise that it wasn't Naruto's fault that Sasuke was hurt, that he wasn't responsible for what happened.

Sasuke hated that they didn't know where Naruto was. There was no telling where he had gone off to. Sasuke wished he could have talked to him, told him to stay, that he forgave him. Now Naruto blamed himself for what happened and had either fled in panic or because some unfounded feeling of guilt.

He hoped Naruto had only needed to get away for a short while to calm down, that he hadn't done something really stupid like leave altogether. He would be so fucking pissed off if that happened. Naruto was supposed to be here when he woke up, feeling guilty maybe, but here, by his side. Then Sasuke could tell him that it was okay, he was fine, and that they were going to figure things out together, because they were partners and that was what partners did.

What had Naruto told him that time Sasuke had tried to keep him safe by leaving to take on Itachi alone? Something about how Sasuke wasn't getting rid of Naruto that easily? Naruto had been pretty adamant in standing by Sasuke's side, even if it brought with it a side of danger and possible death. He had hoped Naruto knew that it was a two-way street. Sasuke had no intention of letting go of Naruto because of this. He was going to stand firmly by his side like a true partner, doing what he could do find the answers. Someone out there would know what a protos was, and how to fix Naruto. But that would mean Naruto needed to be here.

If Naruto didn't show his pretty behind soon Sasuke was going to pretty fucking pissed off, and then he would drag his drugged up ass out of this bed and hunt him down so he could drag him home and then kick his ass.

Naruto better not be holed up somewhere, berating himself over hurting Sasuke. So he had a few more scars to show off, wasn't the first ones, and wasn't going to be the last ones, not in his line of work. They matched nicely with the scar from his gunshot wound from earlier this year.

Kakashi had left him with the promise that he wasn't giving up until he found Naruto, and Sasuke knew Kakashi wasn't one for empty promises, not like this. He would do what he could to track down the idiot and drag him back here, Sasuke had faith in that.

And if Kakashi couldn’t do it Sasuke would just have to heal up fast enough to do it himself. Naruto obviously needed some sense beaten into him.

As Sasuke found himself drifting off he realised that there was one fear he hadn't even dared thinking about so far.

What if Naruto hadn't left because of guilt, what if this time he hadn't been able to keep the beast back, what if he couldn't control it at all anymore?

Chapter Text

His body was weak, his legs no longer strong enough to keep him standing, and a part of him knew that it was too late for him, that he was just living on borrowed time, that if he stopped fighting for even a second he would die. Which was why he wasn’t stopping. He dragged himself forward by one arm, keeping the other arm pressed to the wound on his stomach. His vision was narrowing, growing grey on the edges, but he didn’t need to see, he could smell where they were, the acrid stench of beasts mingling with the heavy copper of spilled blood.  

He couldn’t be too late, not now, he had to keep them safe, had to make sure Kushina and Naruto was alive. He had promised her he would keep them safe, that as long as they got away it was going to be fine. 

He should have known that it wouldn’t be that easy. The one they were fleeing from wasn’t a forgiving man, and he would see Minato leaving as the ultimate betrayal.  

The door to the nursery was wide-open, a man lying right there, skull bashed in. That’s my Kushina, Minato thought. She’d always been a fighter, so strong and fierce, she wouldn’t’ give up without a fight.  

The man wasn’t the only one lying on the floor, and as Minato pulled himself halfway through the door opening he saw her, his heart breaking into a million pieces. Her red hair spread like a fan around her, and her face was turned towards Naruto’s crib, a hand outstretched as if she had tried to reach him even in her last moment. Her eyes were staring blankly into nothing, and Minato knew he had lost her. 

He couldn’t afford to mourn her, because there was someone else in the room, his son and two more beasts, one of them standing by the wall, pressed against it, red ears twitching. No, Minato thought. He knew who that was, who was trembling, terrified to the point that it drowned out the killer instinct of his other side. He looked even smaller than Minato remembered him.  

It wasn’t right, the kid shouldn’t be here, he was too good for this, and it was breaking him, Minato could tell as much.  

The other beast, a fully fledged wolf, had no qualms, his paws lying on the edge of Naruto’s crib, the whole thing tilting to the side as he leaned in, jaws opening and— 

Minato wasn’t going to make it, his last vision in life was going to be the death of his son, and all he could do was yell out in horror, his voice ragged as he tried to get his broken body to move, just one more time, to change, but he was too weak. 

He wasn’t sure if it was his yell or something else that spurred the terrified kid into moving, but the next he knew a flash of reddish fur shot by him, slamming bodily into the wolf, long claws slashing out, cutting right through the matted grey fur of the wolf’s neck. It didn’t stand a chance, dying in a gush of blood and a series of broken gasps.  

The kid was left sitting on the floor in front of the body as the wolf turned into man, staring down at his hands as they too slowly turned from that of a beast into human hands, slim and bloodied. He looked towards Minato with wide eyes filled with tears. 

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered on a broken sob. “I didn’t know, I wouldn't… I’m so sorry…” 

His small frame shook, making him seem just as young as he was, just a kid thrust into a horrible situation he hadn’t been prepared for at all.  

The sobs were broken with a loud wailing from Naruto’s crib, his baby boy still alive, scared and possibly hurt, but alive.  

The kid looked towards the crib before turning back to Minato. “I won’t tell him about your baby, I promise. He doesn’t know, he doesn’t ever have to know,” he said, and Minato knew there was nothing but truth in that. The kid wasn’t going to let him know about Naruto, and then Naruto would be safe, safe to live on. 

“Thank you,” Minato said. He wasn’t sure the kid could hear the words at all, he couldn't seem to get his voice to really work, couldn't get enough air in his lungs to form words, but it doesn’t matter, because at least Naruto was safe. 

He twisted his head towards Kushina and dearly hoped he’d see her again as he exhaled heavily. The world grew dark. 

*** 

There was a chill of approaching winter in the air, the trees around him splashes of red and orange that was thinning out as the leaves fell to coat the ground underneath. The beauty of the forest was at odds with how he was feeling, and he had no idea why he had ended up going here of all places. He hadn't really been thinking, just knowing he needed to get away.  

When the sobbing had cleared up Naruto had found himself sitting in the middle of the wreckage that was his living room, and the destruction hadn't done anything to relieve the pain inside. He had no idea what Sasuke's condition was, and he had been debating calling to check, but he couldn’tfind his phone, and he wasn't sure he was ready to hear anyway. He still saw Sasuke's pale face in front of him, eyes unfocused, and he could still feel the stickiness of blood as he tried to staunch the blood flow.  

Most of that blood had been scrubbed off on the furniturehe had tossed around, but there had still been smears of it around his nails and in the lines of his hands, and when Naruto had noticed he felt bile in his throat, and barely made it to the bathroom before he threw up until his throat was sore and he was just dry heaving.  

His fault.It was all hisfault. 

He had washed out his mouth and scrubbed his hands clean of blood, eyes staring blankly into the mirror. He had felt like he should look different, should look more like the villain he was, but the beast had retreated deep within, leaving him looking perfectly normal, and Naruto thought maybe that was worse. He was just a sham, looking like any other person but hiding a monster within, a monster he couldn’t contain.  

It was stupid, seeing the monster as a different being than him. It was all him, just another part of him that he thought he could control but that he had let free. It was all on him, no beast within he could blame. He was the beast.  

He had no idea what he was supposed to do now, but what he had known was that he needed to leave, because someone was going to come look for him, and then he might hurt them as well, and he couldn't let that happen. Next thing he knew he was leaving his apartment, finding the Lexus and driving away.  

He guessed it was the need to get away from people that drove him to come here. He had been here a lot with Sasuke, and he had noticed on their last run that the people coming to the forest to exercise was getting fewer and fewer as the temperature dropped, so he'd gone to that familiar parking lot and when he saw the forest opening before him, just a narrow pathway cutting through it he had started running, not stopping until he was at their usual place to turn back. And now he was standing here, feeling just as lost as he had back in the city.  

The forest was quiet around him save for the odd chirping of birds and rustling of leaves, and as he sat down on a rock, heaving for breath as he slowly froze his ass off, he wasn't sure if the quiet was comforting or oppressing.  

He buried his face in his hands.  

He just… didn't know what he was supposed to do. Should he turn himself into the DPA? Should he run away to find answers on his own?He had so little to go on. A single term, Protos, that so far had yielded no results.  

He should have worked harder to figure it all out, shouldn't have given up after Google and the DPA archives turned out to be no help. Someone would know, someone always knew. Maybe Itachi had been full of crap and there was no such thing as a Protos, but Naruto wasn't a normal shifter, and there had to be someone who knew what he was. He wanted this side of him out. Wanted to grab the metaphysical beast out and just be normal. He didn't need accelerated healing or powers, he just needed to be like everyone else.  

He just wanted to be Naruto, DPA agent, boyfriend of Sasuke Uchiha.  

Right now he was Naruto Uzumaki, monster on the run. He didn't even know if Sasuke was alive, but he knew he couldn’t see him again. Best case he had hurt Sasuke, bad. Worst case?  

No, thinking about worst case just made his breathing catch in his throat, and his hands shaking with fear. Sasuke was going to be fine. Pissed off and hurt, but he’d pull through, he had to. Then he could move on with his life and Naruto could… 

There wouldn’t be room for Naruto in his life any more. Now Sasuke had seen him for what he truly was, he’d know that he really was a monster. Naruto needed to figure things out, and then maybe he could think about coming back, begging for forgiveness, start mending what he had ruined.  

He had no idea where he’d go to find answers, but he knew they weren’t to be found here, in the middle of a forest. This was him escaping his troubles, like a frightened mouse scuttling away. He needed to figure out what had happened that day years ago when his parents were killed and he was left like this. 

He stood up, shook his hands to clear the trembling in them and started trudging back through the forest, kicking his way through the fallen leaves, trying to form some semblance of a plan in his mind.  

***

By the time he came back to his apartment building the plan was no more than that he needed to pack up and leave. He’d take Sasuke’s car and get away from the city. He had no idea where to go or who to contact, but he’d figure it out as he went. He was debating whether to go by the hospital first, desperately needingto know about Sasuke’s condition, but at the same time afraid that if he did see Sasuke he’d be too scared to leave, and right now he needed to be strong.  

He was considering going back home to start at the beginning. Find the house his parents had been killed in, see where his life went from normal to something else entirely, but he brushed the idea away. Someone else owned the house now, wasn’t like it was a crime scenefrozen in time. It would yieldno answers. Besides, going home would mean going back to where his dad was, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to stay away from the comfort of the one who had been the first to truly care for him and show him that he too could have a place to call home, somewhere safe where he was loved.  

He missed his dad, now more than ever, but he couldn’t risk seeking him out. If he hurt him as well he wouldn’t… no, it wasn’t safe. He needed to protect his dad, and that meant he couldn’tgo back there. His answers needed to found somewhere else. It could take forever, but he wasn’t risking those he loved, he couldn’t.  

The door to his apartment was standing ajar, but Naruto figured that it was just because he had forgotten to close it when he rushed out earlier. He dreaded the chaos he would find inside, and as he pushed open the door he realised it was even worse than he remembered. Broken objects littered the floor like some battleground, all of them victims to Naruto’s despair. He should probably clean up before he left, but he didn’t know if he had the ener— 

Naruto froze.  

There was someone else in the apartment. Sitting cross-leggedon top of his kitchen counter he was looking at Naruto, head cocked to the side as if he was analysing him.Naruto stumbled a step backwards, almost tripping over some piece of debris he had no idea had once been. 

The guy looked to be about his age, sickly pale with dark hair. There was a notepad in his lap and a pen in his hand, as if he had been in the middle of writing something. 

“Who the hell are you?” Naruto demanded, taking a step to the side to keep plenty of room between the two of them when the other man slid off the counter top to land on light feet, his notepad closed and stuffed into a back pocket alongside the pen.  

He smiled at Naruto, but there was nothing comforting about that smile. It seemed oddly devoid of emotions.  

“I’m Sai,” he offered.  

Naruto narrowed his eyes. That didn’t tell him anything, he didn’t know any Sai. “What are you doing here? You shouldn’t be here.” 

Sai stepped over broken odds and bits, seemingly not picking up on the fact that Naruto was trying to keep space between them. 

“Don’t come any closer,” Naruto hissed, moving backwards again. This time his leg caught on the edge of the couch that was no longer overturned, and he flailed with his arms as he fell backwards, dropping onto the couch. Suddenly Sai was right in front of him, leaning too close to his face. Naruto wasn’t really afraid of him, the guy didn’t look particularly scary, but already he felt a familiar stirring in his gut, and he couldn’t give into the feeling of power waking up. He’d tear Sai apart if he didn’t get away, Naruto couldn’t be trusted. 

“I don’t care if you wanna steal my stuff, not like there’s anything worth anything here any more, just get away before…” 

“I’m not here to steal anything, Naruto,” Sai said, head cocking to the side again, smile widening, still eerily dead looking, as if it was just a twisting of muscles, no feeling behind it at all.  

Wait, how did Sai even know his name? Naruto looked around the apartment, trying to figure out if he had anything with his name written on it, but it was impossible to tell. Maybe he’d left a bill or something on the kitchen counter, that explained it,right? 

“Then why are you here?” Naruto spat out, leaning back on the couch as he tried to focus on keeping his feelings in check, leaving no room for the beast to break free again.  

“I’m here to talk, obviously.” 

Naruto didn’t understand how that was obvious, but he refrained from saying as much. Sai was probably some psycho high on some crap. He didn’t seem to be all there. 

When Naruto didn’t say anything Sai seemed to take that as his cue to continue. “You are a Protos, aren’t you?” 

All the air in the room seemed to leave as Naruto’s throat closed up, eyes blowing wide. Protos, Sai knew about Protos? 

He was vaguely aware of gaping, probably doing a marvellous fish out ofwater impersonation, as he ran the words over and over in his mind, not sure if he had heard correct or not. Sai knew about Protos? He knew what he was? How could he, no one did, not even Naruto. The only one who had ever seemed to have any idea was Itachi, and he was most definitely dead.  

Sai pulled his notepad out of his pocket again, flipping through it and then tearing out a page, handing it to Naruto.  

Naruto stared at it for a long moment before he finally grasped it. The white paper had a series of numbers in the middle, and all around the edge there was pictures of various animals, draw in blue ink. Naruto wondered if that’s what Sai had been doing when Naruto came into the room, but unlike Naruto’s doodles which usually consisted of crooked stick figures these all looked incredibly lifelike, even being this small.  

“This is a phone number you can contact us with when you grow some balls and want the answers you are looking for,” Sai said, and then he made his way out of the apartment, closing the door behind him, leaving Naruto completely baffled, hands shaking as he clutched the piece of paper. 

***  

Iruka was trudging through a stack of papers that appeared to be taller than him, reading through and marking, feeling tiredness making his eyes scratchy, a constant headache settled in the back of his head. He wanted to go to sleep, but he knew the kids were expecting back their assignments soon, and he didn’t want to disappoint them. He’d thought he would have time to finish up at work, but he’d have to step in for one of the other teachers who wassick. No money at the school for hiring temps.  

Iruka emptied his coffee cup, wincing as he realised it was nothing but cold sludge left, but swallowing anyway. Caffeine was what fuelled him right now, and he was too exhausted to go into the kitchen to brew a fresh cup.  

“B-, good work,” he mumbled to himself, a tired smile on his face as he realised this was a full grade better than the last test this student had handed in. He’d spent a while after school helping her work through some of her issues with the subject, and it appeared to have helped.  

This was the one thing that made him stick it out in this job, knowing that he was making a difference, that he was helping these kids, preparing them for what came after school. Seeing them improving was the one good thing about an otherwise thankless job.  

He was about to start the next paper when his phone rang. He hoped it wasn’t the principal calling to ask him to work more hours the next day, he wouldn’t be able to say no, but he didn’t have time to add anything more to his plate.   

It wasn’t the principal calling.  

“Hello?” he answered, silently wondering why Kakashi was calling him this late at night.  

“Iruka?” Kakashi asked, as if there would be anyone else answering his phone. It’d been a while since they talked. Naruto’s boss would occasionally text him, mostly completely mundane things he had no idea why he would need to tell Iruka, but he had no idea why he would call him out of the blue, not unless... 

“Yes, what is it?” he answered, wincing at how snappy it made him sound. It hadn’t been his intention, he was too tired to even converse like an adult. 

“I didn’t wake you did I?” There was no hint of teasing in Kakashi’s voice at all, and Iruka didn’t think that was very promising. 

“No, I was awake.” He didn’t ask again, waiting instead for Kakashi to tell him why he had called, placing his pen back on the desk and stretching his back. He didn’t think he was going to get through all the papers tonight, his eyes too sore as it was.  

When Kakashi didn’t actually say anything, the quiet stretching out ominously Iruka found himself straightening in his chair, gripping the phone a little harder, suddenly remembering too well other times Kakashi had called.  

“Kakashi, has something happened to Naruto?” he demanded, cutting straight to the chase.  

“Iruka, I…” 

“What happened?” Iruka felt his voice grow stern, the same tone he used when the teens he taught did something remarkably stupid. He really needed Kakashi to tell him that Naruto was perfectly safe, that Kakashi was just bored and wanted to mess with him or something.  

“There was an incident,” Kakashi said, voice sounding strained.  

Iruka’s breath left him in a whoosh of air as he was suddenly filled with images of all the things that could have happened. He never should have let Naruto leave, should have kept him here where he would be safe. There had been nothing but bad things happening ever since Naruto moved away. “Is he… is he?” He wasn’t sure he wanted to finish that sentence, so he was almost glad his voice gave out midway. 

“He’s not physically hurt, not as far as we can tell,” Kakashi said. 

Iruka felt his eyes prickling and blinked away the tears that fear brought forth. “As… far as you can tell?” 

“Iruka, how much do you know of Naruto being a shifter?” Kakashi asked, avoiding his question altogether. He would have to try harder to pull one over Iruka, he dealt with shifty teenagers on a daily basis, he wasn’t easily fooled.  

“Kakashi. What. Happened,” he gritted out, pushing away from the desk to pace around his small living room, eyes drawn to the framed pictures of Naruto he’d placed on one of the shelves. Most from his teenage years since that was when he adopted him, but a couple of him as a kid too, pictures he had been able to hunt down from previous foster homes. 

“Iruka, tell me what you know first, please.” 

Still pacing Iruka took a moment to catch his thoughts. Naruto being a shifter, what was there really to know? He’d been attacked as a baby, in the same attack that killed his birth parents. He’d survived, barely, and had been left a shifter. According to the papers blood work had showed that he was a fox shifter, but as far as Iruka could tell he hadn’t ever shifted, too scared of what people would do. They all knew who he was, it was a small town, you couldn’t keep something like that hidden away, but he had never shifted, had never hurt anyone.  

He told Kakashi as much, and was met with a deep sigh. “And no one ever saw him shift? Not accidentally at school or anything?” 

“Not from what I could tell from the paperworks, and not while he lived with me either, he would have told me, I’m sure of that. Why does it matter? Did he shift at work?” 

“Iruka, I… As far as I can tell Naruto isn’t a fox shifter.” 

“He… what… But the tests they ran?” 

“I do not know what he is, but no shifters can control it like that, to never shift.” 

“So, he’s just human?” Iruka said, suddenly imaging Naruto growing up with that knowledge, not having to be afraid of people’s scorn, a failed test had ruined his—“ 

“No, he’s not,” Kakashi said, cutting off that strain of thought. “He’s… something else.” 

Iruka sunk down on his couch, his legs no longer quite up to the task of holding him up any more. “Tell me what happened, Kakashi,” he implored. The way Kakashi said something else, it didn’t bode well. Something had happened, something bad, and his Naruto was right in the middle of it all.  

*** 

When Kakashi hung up he felt completely drained and wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and stay there for a week. Everything wasfalling apart around him, and he felt so completely useless. He should have known something was wrong with Naruto, should have figured it out and helped him before it was too late. Now Naruto was gone who knows where, and Iruka was hurting and Sasuke was in the hospital, and still the vampires were out there, tearing apart the city, not caring about his issues at all, so he’d have to hold up the façade and send the remaining teams out there to hunt down more of the demons, assuring them that there had been an incident last night but everything was going to be fine.  

He hated lying to them. He was in no way positive that everything was going to be fine. Sasuke had already been verging on what might have been PTSD, Naruto being the one thing that was keeping him sane, and now Naruto had not only hurt him physically, but he’d left him too, left Sasuke alone, and that was probably more painful than any physical pains. Naruto had left, whether out of fear of what was going to happen to him, or what would happen to anyone else around him.  

His top priority right now was to find Naruto, but it was impossible to tell where the agent had left for. He didn’t have his cellphone turned on, so he couldn’t track that, and it was a big city, plenty of nooks and crannies to hide away in, if he was even still here, he might have left the city behind. Kakashi had no idea where he was supposed to even start looking, but as he rubbed at his throbbing temples a thought struck him.  

The car. According to Kiba they had parked right outside the building when they arrived for their mission, but the car hadn’t been there any more so that probably meant Naruto had taken Sasuke’s car. It made sense, it would make him get away pretty much undetected, and give him plenty of time to trash his apartment and leave again before Kakashi came there.  

Kakashi typed up a quick email, asking someone he knew over in one of the intelligence gatheringunits to track down the number plate of one Sasuke Uchiha and report back. There would be plenty of traffic cameras, if they found the car maybe they’d find Naruto too. Right now it was all the ideas he had.  

He had just sent off the email when there was a knock on his doorand he pulled up his mask out of instinct. All of his unit members wereout on the streets, so he had no idea who it would be, probably one of Tsunade’slackeys summoning him to a meeting. If there was one person he didn’t want to see now it was her, because that meant he would have to tell her exactly what was going on, and he really wanted to avoid doing that until he knew more, until he could find Naruto preferably.

No, as far as Tsunade was concerned Sasuke had been hurt in the line of duty, and that was where he was leaving it off for now. He didn’t want to force her into action right now. If words came out that one of the DPA agents had lost control and harmed another agent there would be an uproar. Tsunade would be forced to send out teams to bring Naruto in, and with an offence like this, and the fact that they didn’t even exactly know what Naruto was any more? He was likely to be thrown in isolation until they could figure out, which meant a barrage of tests and questioning. If they didn’t figure out? Then he might not ever be let out again, deemed a danger to society. Kakashi wasn’t ready to take that chance just yet.

It wasn’t one of her lackeys,thankfully, it was one of the girls working down in reception, bringing him a cardboard box, plain with a dented corner, no address on the top apart from his name. Had to have been dropped off down at reception in person. Some information package from an informant most likely. A few of them were odd, preferring to stay off the grid. 

The girl’s gaze kept flicking from his mask to his eyepatch and back. She’d probably heard more of the rumourscirculating about him. The latest he had heard himself was that he had been hurt in the war, grenade or GSWs, the stories varied.  

Kakashi had only placed the one about the grenade, so he had no idea where the gunshot one had come from, but right now he wasn’t in the mood to be amused by it, waving the girl off and popping open the top of the box, which wasn’t even taped close.

He stared down at the content of the box for a long moment, eyes growing wide as he realised what it was. The items chattered together when he dropped the box on the desk and rushed out of the office, stopping the receptionist halfway across the bullpen, pulling her to a stop, fingers locking around her wrist.

“Who dropped this off?” he asked insistently. She looked uncomfortable, stuttering a little before she could gather her words. Kakashi realised how he probably looked and unfurled his fingers from her arm and took a step back.  

“Ah, it was… was one of yo-your agents,” she finally said. “The blond one? With the scars on his face?”  

“He was here?” 

“Yes? Like fifteen minutes ago, dropped off the box and told me to give it to you, that you would know why. I figured it was evidence of some sort?” 

Fifteen minutes ago. Naruto would be long gone by now, definitely not about to linger around. Kakashi let the girl get back to her job and made his way back to the office, opening the flaps of the box again. The contents hadn’t changed. Right next to the gun Naruto had been issued when he started working last spring was his badge and ID-card. Everything that marked Naruto as an agent of the DPA.This was about as good a resignation as any, and Kakashi knew what it meant. Naruto wasn’t about to stay around, he was leaving.  

*** 

Naruto knew it was stupid, that he shouldn'trisk it, but he had to see Sasuke, so the moment he had dropped off the cardboard box at the reception of the DPA headquarter he immediately left for the hospital. He felt hollow inside, giving up the thing he had worked so long to get. Less than half a year he’d lasted as an agent before everything fell apart. He’d had his dream, and then it had been ripped away from him because of what he was. He should have known he wouldn’t be allowed to keep it,his life seemed destined for him to be alone and hurting, he might as well stop fighting it.  

He made his way through the hospital, dodging anyone that would question what he was doing there this late. This would have been so much easier with his badge, but he was resourceful, so after pulling up a hard-fought smile to charm information out of the nurse on duty he was on his way throughthe hallways to the right room. It had helped to name-dropKakashi. 

When he was finally outside the right room his courage left him, and he stopped there, staring at the door. It looked like any of the other doors down the hallway, but inside was the one person Naruto had wanted to protect the most, and the one person he had hurt the worst. He had been filled with a sharp joy when the nurse told him that Sasuke was stable, his worst fears hadn’t been fulfilled, but he’d still hurt him, almost killed him. He had no business searching him out.  

To do what?Apologise? No apology would be good enough for what he had done.  

Still he pushed the door open, his hands shaking as he peered inside the room. The lights were out, but the light from the hallway and the street light through the windows was enough that he could see. There was a lump on one of the beds, sheets pulled up far enough only a tuft of black hair was visible above it. He had his head turned the other way, but Naruto knew it was him, knew he had the right room.  

He walked inside, making his way around the bed on unsteady feet, feeling like he was about to collapse any moment.  

Sasuke’s eyes were closed in sleep, but he didn’t look relaxed at all, his face seemed strained, his hand twitching underneath the thin sheets. A nightmare?Naruto wouldn'tbe surprised, Sasuke had a lot of bad memories to dream about. It had been Naruto’s job to protect him from those, but instead he made it worse, added to the nightmares to torment Sasuke.  

“I’m so sorry,” Naruto whispered, and Sasuke’s head twitched a little, but otherwise he kept quiet, not waking. Naruto was glad, he didn’t want to disturb him. Sasuke needed his sleep, needed to recuperate so he could move on with his life, find the happiness Naruto hadn’t been able to give him.  

Naruto wanted to kiss him goodbye, but he was afraid it would wake him, so instead he lifted a hand and gently brushed away a stray lock of hair from his face.  

“I’m going to leave now. If I… If I find a way maybe I’ll come back so you can punish me yourself, okay?” he said. Part of him wished it was this easy. He left, found his answers, and then he could come back and get his punishment, whatever it may be. He’d stay the rest of his life in prison if that was it, but he couldn't yet, not until he figured out what he was and how to deal with it. He’d be too dangerous to be around. 

He left the room, looking back over his shoulder one more time, knowing it was very likely the last time he ever saw Sasuke.  

He made his way back down the hallway, hands deep in his pocket, fingers brushing against a folded piece of paper he’d placed there earlier. He hesitated when he neared the nurses’ station, then took a deep breath and walked up to the nurse on duty, smiling wide, looking as innocent as he possibly could.

It was easy to make her borrow him a phone, he just said that he needed to contact the DPA office, and she handed it over immediately before turning back to the paperwork she had been working on. Naruto stepped away far enough that she wouldn’t overhear, pulled out the folded sheet of paper and smoothed it out.

He typed in the numbers, then hesitated with his thumb over the call button. Sai had given off all kinds of weird vibes, the fake smiles and the fact that he seemed to know more about Naruto than Naruto knew, but right now it was the only lead he had, and he wasn’t about to let that get away from him. He traced the small drawing of a fox that was curled up in one corner of the sheet, and with a sigh pressed the green button.

Someone picked up three rings in, but they made no move to introduce themselves.

“I want answers,” Naruto said.

Chapter Text

The effect of the painkillers had diminished overnight, and Sasuke woke to his entire chest aching and itching. He figured the latter was a sign he was healing, so it was a good thing, but the pain as he shifted to sit up in the bed was not welcome. The skin of his chest felt too tight, and the pain morphed from dull ache to sharp pangs.

"You should probably lie still in bed, don't want you popping any stitches."

Sasuke's head snapped to the side, seeing Kakashi sitting there, slumped into a rickety chair, long legs stretched out in front of him. He looked tired, with shoulders hunched and a dark shadow under his one visible eye.

Sasuke didn't deign him with any answer but scooted further up so he could assume a somewhat upright position, hating the feeling of helplessness that came with being bound to a bed.

"Do you need anything?" Kakashi asked, sitting up straighter in the chair, adjusting his mask and running his hands through his messy hair. It looked like he had just woken up.

I need Naruto , Sasuke thought, but didn't voice it. He'd take every ounce of pain the wounds gave him without as much as a baby aspirin to dull it if it meant Naruto was by his side again. Physical pain he could deal with fine.

"Just… update me," he said instead, the both of them knowing exactly what Sasuke wanted to know. Kakashi was plenty of things, but stupid wasn't one of them.

Kakashi sighed and rubbed a hand over his face in what Sasuke immediately knew was stalling. Something had happened, something Kakashi didn't want to tell him. Which meant it was bad news, and that was the one thing Sasuke really didn't need right now.

"Kakashi," he started, but found his voice breaking, so he didn't finish the question on his tongue. Is Naruto okay?

"I… got a message from Naruto," Kakashi started, and alertness flooded Sasuke, and he found himself trying to sit up in bed, immediately regretting it when a bright flash of pain shot through him, and he fell back to the pillow, wincing.

"Know that I'm doing what I can to find him, but it’s not easy, not when I'm trying to keep it under the table for now," Kakashi started.

Sasuke knew why that was. Naruto had hurt his partner because he hadn't been able to control that other side of him, and if word of that came to the wrong ears it would mean he would have to be prosecuted. Naruto would be deemed a danger to society and shut up in a cold cell somewhere until they could be certain he wouldn’t be a danger to society. Kakashi would likely lose his job for not seeing the signs in time, and Sasuke would be left alone. Again.

"The message, what did he..?"

"He resigned from the DPA, handed in his badge and gun.”

That fucking idiot. He'd really left him. Had turned his back on both Sasuke and the job he had worked so hard to get, run away like some pussy, leaving Sasuke behind. Didn't he get that they were stronger together, hadn't Naruto himself said so time and time again? Didn't he realise that Sasuke wanted to be right by his side, helping him find the answers he was searching for? Did he really think Sasuke was going to blame him for what happened, was he that stupid?

Sasuke's hands fisted around the bars of the bed. Did Naruto really think so little of him? How could Naruto not realise that he was the one good thing in Sasuke’s life, that without Naruto he was just an empty shell. He'd lived like that for years, he didn't want to go back there, didn't want to be that angry and lonely man, lost in old pains, refusing to move on. Naruto had pulled him out of that bleakness, showed him that life could be something good, something worth living, and now he was gone, running away from him.

He hadn't even said goodbye, just… left.

There was a hollow feeling in his chest, a cold ache that didn't have anything to do with the row of claw marks across his skin, and it was getting harder to breathe, his throat closing up, steel bands of fear around his chest, clamping around him. He tried dragging in air, but he was left choking on it.

Naruto was gone. He had left Sasuke behind, didn't need Sasuke. Abandoned. Alone.

His vision was narrowing in, and a part of him knew exactly what was happening, that it was a panic attack, but that rational part was too small, pushed away as he fought for air.

Alone. Alone. Alone.

"Shit," he stuttered, clutching at the front of the hospital gown, heaving for air.

He wasn't sure what was happening around him, but soon there were other people in the room, and arms pushed him back to the bed, keeping him there when he fought to get away from them. Calm voices trying to tell him something, but he couldn’t focus, couldn’t think, couldn't …

***

Naruto was picking at a hole in the knee of his jeans, unravelling threads, slowly working it larger. The car was silent, no radio playing run-of-the-mill pop music or news, and Sai had just given him a saccharine smile when Naruto slid into the passenger seat, and started driving.

Naruto still had no idea what had happened, but after a short phone call earlier Sai had told him where to wait for him, and when he came over he told Naruto to get in, offering nothing but a shrug when Naruto asked what to do about the Lexus.

He'd left it right there at the curb, the keys stuck in his backpack, knowing Sasuke could always get it picked up later with the spare keys. He kind of hated leaving it, it felt oddly like leaving Sasuke all again, but he had slid into the passenger seat of Sai's forest green Subaru, and moments later they were off.

Naruto would have asked where they were going, what was going to happen, but Sai had just told him that he was taking him somewhere he could get the answers he was searching for, and Naruto didn't have the energy to dig any more, so he just sat there, picking at his jeans and watching the city pass by the window until it gave in to suburbs, areas Naruto had never been in, lots of similar houses in rows, neat gardens, happy families who lived their lives in peace and quiet, everything Naruto had dreamt of as a kid. He'd gotten a taste of it in some of his foster homes, but it was fleeting, taken away from him when he got sent away, new homes, new families he didn't belong in.

Iruka had been his first taste of a true home, and Sasuke had been his second, and now he had neither. He longed to go back to his dad, but he knew he couldn't. He'd probably never get to sit at the kitchen counter again, sharing cup ramen when they hadn't bothered making anything fancier for dinner, Iruka smiling as Naruto prattled on about his day.

No, even if he found a way to get rid of this thing inside he didn't think that was likely to happen. He'd turn himself in to get the punishment he deserved, taking it gladly when he knew that he was no longer a danger to people. He knew he could turn himself into the DPA and let them deal with him, but he knew he was likely to be shut in a cell, experimented on and then forgotten about, agent status ripped away as he was defined by the beast within, not the man he knew he could be without it. This way was the only way he could fix himself. If he could prove that he was no longer a danger, then maybe. Maybe he could continue his job and be with Sasuke, and have the life he always wanted. It was the one chance he had.

He snapped one of the threads running across his knee with his nail. He was putting a lot of faith in a guy he didn’t really like, just because he had said a single word to him, Protos . There was a definite chance that Sai was going to kill him and chop him into little pieces, serial killer style, but right now this tiny little fraction of hope was all he had, and he was all in, for what it was worth.

He had no clue what a Protos was, but first Itachi and then this Sai guy had used the term, so he figured it had some merit. Any googling he had done just led him to everything that wasn't preternatural beings. Greek athletes and German trains and not a single article that helped him, no Protos [noun]: evil, should be executed on sight, or How To Tell You Are a Protos and How To Manage in Ten Easy Steps!

This was the closest he had to a lead, and right now he was desperate, willing to grasp at fickle straws and hope they didn’t fall apart in his hands.

At some point while Naruto had been occupied tearing apart his clothes they had left the suburbs behind, driving down a highway, going who knew where. He had no idea if they were driving south or north or west, but it didn't matter, it wasn’t like he was going to be going back to the city anytime soon. If Sai wasn’t the serial killer he kind of suspected him of being—he had that dead-inside vibe to him Naruto had always imagined serial killers would have—then he might just be a phoney who had the best luck throwing out random terms. He wasn’t too worried about the serial killer part, Sai would probably regret that the moment Naruto’s beast felt threatened and ripped Sai apart. Naruto didn't think he'd be able to control it at all any more, too fucking weak.

It took him a while to realise they had left the highway behind, and was navigating smaller roads, passing tiny towns and farmhouses, fields on one side and a forest on the other. They had to have driven at least three hours by now, and he had no clue where they were or how much longer they had to go, but he figured they were getting closer when Sai turned left, heading up a dirt path that carved through the forest.

Naruto was fidgeting, restless from sitting still for too long, antsy from not knowing where he was or what was going to happen to him. He had no idea what was waiting for him at the end of this road. The answers he had been searching for all along, or more disappointment. If this didn’t pan out he had no idea what he was going to do with himself. This was his one and only lead, and he was all in, whatever good that would do.

A couple of minutes later there was a bend in the road, and he saw something else than trees around. Thick walls spread before him, behind them the top of a building visible. It was clear it was their destination, the dirt road leading right to a gate in the wall, Sai driving straight up to it, idling the car for a moment until the gate slid open.

The house was big, made of thick lumber, like some oversized cabin. The gate closed behind them, and as Naruto twisted in the seat and watched the forest be cut off, nothing but walls all around he caught himself thinking that at least he wouldn’t be able to get out if he shifted again, it was eerily like a prison. Whether it was built to keep something inside, or to keep something from entering he had no idea, but he was sure he would know more soon, because Sai pulled up next to two other cars and turned off the ignition.

Naruto got out of the car when Sai did, and swung one strap of his backpack over his shoulder. A few changes of clothes, some toiletries, what he had of cash and a few other things he had thought to grab when he left summed up all he owned right now. The apartment was still there, back in the city, but it was still wrecked, and he didn't think he was going to see it again.

Sai had started trudging up a path that ran up towards the house, and Naruto half-ran after to catch up, head twisting to make out where he was. The house was two stories, but sprawled in both directions. The cars told him that there would be people around, but there was no one outside. He had no idea what waited for him inside. Sai hadn't offered up any explanation of why they were going here of all places. Was there someone here who could give him answers?

The hall they stepped into as they walked past the heavy wooden entrance door stretched through both stories of the house, a staircase on one side leading up to the second level. Dark grey tiles made up the floor, and it was sparsely decorated, nothing that caught his attention as he followed after Sai to the right, past a sitting room with two large couches and no people, into a kitchen.

It wasn't as big or elaborate as the Uchiha manor had been, but even Naruto's decidedly untrained eye could tell that you had to have a sizeable bank account to buy this place. It was like a cabin on steroids, something the rich would call a vacation home and normal people would call excessive .

Sai went over to the fridge, pulling it open and peering inside for a moment before he pulled out a bottle of water, tossing it at Naruto. He snatched it out of the air and peered down at it curiously. He hadn't requested one, and he wasn't sure he was really in the mood for it right now. He wanted answers, not water.

"You are going to need that," Sai said ominously, making Naruto wonder what the hell was about to happen. Naruto had expected meeting someone, talking, not anything that involve needing water.

"Why?" he asked.

Sai didn't answer, just motioned towards the barstools pushed up against the counter. "Sit down."

Naruto narrowed his eyes. He didn't like being told what to do, this wasn't why he was here. He wanted answers, not a chat while Sai whipped up dinner.

"Where are we?"

Sai was ignoring him, going through a cupboard and pulling out a wash bucket. Naruto wasn't sure he wanted to know why Sai thought it crucial to be cleaning the house right now, there were more prudent matters at hand.

"I'm going to find what we need to start, just sit there like a good little boy in the meanwhile," Sai said, tone condescending, still ignoring his questions. Naruto didn't think he liked this Sai much, with his fake smiles and shitty attitude. Here Naruto was asking perfectly legitimate questions, and Sai was being a perfect dickwad, ignoring them altogether.

He was about to express as much when Sai turned around and promptly left the room, ignoring Naruto's indignant sputters.

He really should leave. Just walk off. That would show Sai. He had no idea why he had even come here; did he really think this guy could help him? The DPA files hadn't given him any clue as to what Naruto was, years of research on the preternatural world by professionals, and here he came along with the first weirdo who knocked on his door, just because of one word that he had once heard from a vampire. He really was an idiot, he never should’ve come. He should have just given himself up at the DPA offices, let them lock him up. The DPA could experiment on him, could figure out what he was.

He didn't leave. Not just because that would meant stealing a car and somehow getting out a locked gate, but also because he wasn't ready to let this go just yet. There was no reason Itachi and Sai had used the same expression, there had to be something to it, and he would just have to follow through on this.

When Sai came back into the room five minutes later he carried a small box with him, and Naruto eyed it warily.

“It’s just the two of us here, so we better get started, someone will be here tomorrow to talk to you,” Sai said as he placed the box on the counter, opening it, picking out a small vial filled with a pale green liquid. There was no label that gave Naruto any hint as to what it was.

"Start what?" Naruto asked hesitantly.

"The suppressants," Sai stated, as if Naruto had any idea what the hell he was talking about.

"Wha..?"

Sai ignored him in favour of pulling out a syringe still in its package, and Naruto recoiled as Sai peeled back the plastic. Was Sai planning to actually inject him with that stuff? Was he really expecting for Naruto just to agree to being shot up with something he had no idea was? It could be anything from Mountain Dew to heroin, Naruto wasn't about to let him go around sticking that stuff in him.

"Suppressants are developed to keep the animal part of you subdued, will give you control."

It was as if the air had been sucked from the room, Naruto latching on to that one word, everything else fading in importance. Control . The one thing he hadn't been able to have, the lack of which had destroyed everything. Was it this easy, a simple shot and the beast was in control? He could have done this all along.

"What… is it? Like.. sedatives or something?" he asked, eyeing the bottle, stuck somewhere between disbelief and hope.

"No, regular drugs doesn't really do much for Protos," Sai said, throwing out that word again, as if it was something every day, something perfectly normal. He was probably right, alcohol burned through his system fast, and he wouldn't be surprised if that counted for drugs as well. Not like he'd had to take many, he didn't really get sick.

Naruto watched as Sai lifted the small bottle, piercing the top with the needle and pulling up the stopper, filling the syringe. Naruto's insides were in knots. Was he really going to do this, let some guy he didn't know shoot something he had no idea really was into his veins? This sounded like just about the worst idea in the world, but he still found himself rolling up the sleeve of his sweater when Sai prompted him to, fisting his hand as Sai tightened a plastic tube around his upper arm. He knew he should say something, do something, but as the needle pierced his skin and Sai suppressed the stopper, every single drop of that green substance suddenly flowing through his veins, too late to stop, he found that he hadn't ever considered stopping. He was desperate to stop this malevolent side he had been fighting against his entire life, he'd do anything. If only he had done this earlier, if only he had realised that he was nothing but a ticking bomb then Sasuke wouldn’t be lying in that hospital bed.

Naruto had been too weak to stop himself, but he wasn't going to be too weak now, he was going through this, whatever it was. This was his last chance.

Sai had taped off a piece of cotton to the small puncture wound the needle had left, and was packing up the vial, still half-filled with liquid, when Naruto felt the first tell that something was happening. Apart from the prick of the needle he hadn't felt much when Sai had emptied the liquid in his bloodstream, but now he could feel a trickling cold spreading along his arm, bringing up gooseflesh and making him shake the limb to dispel the feeling.

"You might want to sit down on the floor," Sai offered. Naruto frowned, what the hell was he even talk—

He doubled over as a spear of pain ran through his gut, twisting up his insides, and he half-climbed and half-fell off the barstool, curling up on himself on the cool tile of the floor, back against the counter.

Naruto had no idea what Sai had shot him up with, he wasn't sure he had ever felt pain like this, icy cold and sharp, twisting up his insides.

The use for the wash bucket became apparent moments later when Naruto found himself scrambling for it, throwing up the shitty waffle he'd had for breakfast, his insides in complete rebellion. He curled around the bucket, clinging to it as the pain kept stabbing through him. It felt as if his veins were filled with ice water, and as if someone had taken a blender to his guts, and he couldn't stop retching, not as waffle turned into bile turned into dry heaves leaving his throat sore and his eyes watering. Still he hurt, the pain sharp and growing worse, making him hunch over and groan against it.

"Have fun," Sai said, placing the water bottle from earlier next to him and as Naruto peered up there was a sickly sweet smile on Sai's face, as if he enjoyed this greatly. He had a feeling he wasn't going to like this Sai much.

Another sharp dagger of pain had his guts contracting and he forgot all about Sai and he curled around the bucket, afraid he was about to start retching up his actual stomach.

When his vision grew hazy and he knew he was about to pass out he welcomed it, anything to get him away from the pure agony that was his world right now.

***

Iruka took a deep breath to calm himself as he knocked on the principal’s door. His mind was a mess, worry about Naruto swirling, nearly making it impossible to focus at all. He had given his first two classes of the day free time to work on assignments, the thought of keeping calm and focused as he held a full lecture had been impossible so he hadn't even attempted it. He knew what he had to do, had gone through how he was going to phrase it in his mind, but he still felt nervous. The principal was a stern man who had the effect of making Iruka mostly feeling like a juvenile delinquent again, not the grown-up teacher he was.

He heard a gruff yeah from the other side of the door and figured that was as good a greeting he was going to get and went inside, hesitating just inside the door when he saw the principal on the phone, but he was waved towards the rickety chair standing in a corner, so sat down, waiting.

It took a full five minutes before the principal finally hung up and turned his attention on Iruka. He had a free period, but he still needed to prep for the next lesson, so he had been spending the majority of those five minutes trying to focus on the intricacies of literary analysis, but failing spectacularly. He couldn’t stop worrying about where Naruto was, what he was doing. Kakashi hadn't called back, and he had promised to do so the moment he had more news.

"Yes, what did you want?" the principal said, cracking his fingers, the sound making Iruka wince.

"Ah, yes, I need to ask for some time off," he said, straightening his back, trying to sound calmer than he was.

"Time off? I'm afraid that’s not possible, not in the middle of the school year, and you well know that, so any vacation plans will have to wait." The principal looked like he was ready to dismiss Iruka before he even had the time to explain

"No, it's not… it's not a vacation. It's a family emergency," Iruka said, taking a deep breath to settle his frayed nerves.

"Emergency?"

"Yes, my son, he's…" Iruka found his voice failing him, and he stopped to collect himself, but the principal cut him off before he could continue.

"Your son? You mean that shifter boy you took in?" the principal said, and Iruka could hear the venom in his voice, and it made his gut churn with anger and disgust. It wasn't the first time people had talked about Naruto like this, but it didn't fail to make Iruka absolutely disgusted with the lot of them.

"Yes, my son ," Iruka said. There might not be any biological connection between them, but Naruto was still his son. "There was an incident at his job, and now he is missing. I need to be there, need to help find him," he continued, surprised with how steady his voice was, the anger just hot enough to keep him from falling into the panic he had been on the verge of ever since Kakashi's call.

"Isn't he old enough to take care of himself by now, no need to take pity over him any more," the principal continued, and Iruka felt his jaws clench shut, anger growing inside, eating up the sadness for now, giving him something else to focus on.

"Sir, he is my son, and he needs me. I need time off to help find him," he said. His hands were fists at his side, and he'd abandoned the chair in favour of standing in front of the desk, staring down at the principal. He had gone above and beyond for this school, spending all his free time on this job because he felt the kids deserved the very best, wanted to shape them into good people who had a shot at the best in the world, but then bigoted assholes like this tore everything down with their narrow-minded world views. Too long had he ignored the whispered comments. He knew they all thought him insane for taking in a shifter, saw Naruto as something dangerous, not the lonely boy he had been. And now Naruto was in trouble, scared of having turned into the monster people had made him out to be, and Iruka needed to find him, needed to make him realise that he was good, that he wasn't alone, and that he had people supporting him, wanting to help him.

"Go back to your job, I'm not giving you time off for hunting down a shifter. He's probably in the forest with his like."

"No," Iruka said, surprising both the principal and himself.

"No? Think about what you are saying, Umino. Your job is at stake here. Are you really going to give that up for a monster like him?"

"He's not a monster!" Iruka barked out. Gone was the calm and collected teacher he prided himself on being, now there was only a frightened father defending his son. The principal didn't know which hornet's nest he had just stirred up. Iruka had felt bad for not just packing up and leaving this hellhole years ago, take Naruto with him somewhere he wasn't looked down on, but Naruto had always been insisting that it wasn't that bad, that they should stay, and he had stupidly listened. And now Naruto was gone, and he might not come back, and Iruka would have failed to protect him.

He bit back the furious anger swirling inside just long enough to lean in, hands splayed on the desk. "I will be leaving now to find my son, and there is nothing you can do to stop me," Iruka said.

"If you walk out that door now you can kiss your job goodbye, Umino," the principal retorted, looking absolutely livid, splotches of red breaking out on his skin, lips pulled back in a sneer.

"Then be it."

He left before the principal could say anything else, and after swinging by his desk to pick up the few things he had that he cared about, a picture of Naruto, a potted plant Naruto had given him a few years ago, and a Number One Dad mug he had gotten for father's day once, he left the building, knowing he wasn't going to come back here ever.

He would've thought that fact would come with some regret. He had spent all his working years here, pouring his heart and soul into the job. He'd cared about every single of his kids, doing what he could to turn them into good people, and now he was leaving it all behind, for a future that was completely open. He'd miss the kids, sure, but other than that he felt nothing but relief.

He'd need a new job if he wanted to keep his apartment, but right now he didn't even care about that. His one focus was on finding his son. When he had Naruto back he could focus on getting his life back in some semblance of order. He had been thinking he wanted to live closer to Naruto, so maybe this would be a good moment to leave this hateful place altogether.

***

Kakashi walked through the deserted bullpen. It was in the middle of the day and all the members of Unit Seven was at home, preparing for a new night spent on the streets, hunting down vampires in this everlasting battle.

He pointedly ignored looking at the two desks that would still be unoccupied when the others came in. He'd informed the unit about parts of what happened. That there was an incident that left Sasuke in the hospital and Naruto gone, but he had glossed over the details, knowing that it would raise too many questions. He didn't like keeping anything from his unit, but he also knew that if he wanted to give Naruto a chance he had to keep this quiet. If word got back to Tsunade her hand would be forced to find Naruto to lock him up, because even as the head of their department there were people above her, people who cared more for politics than they did other people, and having someone like Naruto around would be horrible publicity, so even if there was ways to help him it wasn’t completely certain he would get that help. It had been enough debate about letting shifters work in the department at all, this would be seen as evidence that they weren’t safe, and a number of very capable agents would be left without a job.

Kakashi had seen it before, had read too many reports about what had happened. The DPA was a crucial department to keep the humans safe, but it was ruthless to anyone who was deemed a threat. Tsunade had accepted Kakashi, but he was pretty sure he was the exception.

He kept the office door open as he walked inside, wanting to hear the moment the unit members started to pour in, so he could go out there, assure himself that the rest of them was fine. He had let Sasuke and Naruto down, he was going to do his best to assure himself that didn’t happen to any of the others. He had failed too much as it was.

As it was, it wasn’t any of the unit members that came into the office first. He heard the ding of the elevator and walked to the doorway of his office to greet whoever was the earliest, expecting to see Lee, but the man who walked out of the elevator wasn’t sporting a bowl cut or wearing green.

Part of him was excited to see the man, but that was washed away a moment later when he realised just what had brought him here, and he wanted to hide in his office, this was too real, this was another sign of his failure.

Iruka looked across the bullpen, and the moment he spotted Kakashi he started walking across the room, determined steps, coupled with fisted hands and raised shoulders. Kakashi knew that look, knew what was about to happen, and it was the least of what he deserved.

He had wanted to see Iruka again, but never under these circumstances. Anything else. Some shit luck would have it that whenever he saw Iruka it was because something bad had happened, and he was starting to wonder if that was the universe trying to tell him something. Screaming at him that he didn’t deserve happiness, that there would be no one for him, and that everything he touched withered away to die.

Iruka made his way up the steps and stopped right in front of Kakashi. He was expecting another punch to the face, Iruka seemed very ready for it, anger surging through him, tinted with what was most likely fear. He was vibrating with it, as if he had been doing his best to contain it until now, until he could find the one responsible and unleash all the wrath hiding beneath that kind exterior. Kakashi braced himself.

He hadn’t needed to. Iruka opened his mouth as if to yell, but he faltered before he could say anything, and then he seemed to crumple in on himself, the fear too great, overpowering any anger he had felt. He all but stumbled against Kakashi, a silent sob rocking his frame as he curled his fingers into the front of Kakashi’s shirt, burying his face against his shoulder and just seemed to collapse. Kakashi could feel tears wetting his shirt, could feel Iruka shaking, and he was absolutely useless, standing there, having no idea how he could do anything to fix what was wrong.

He did the only thing he could, wrapped his arms around Iruka and held him as he allowed him to cry as he carefully manoeuvred them inside his office, shutting the door behind them to give Iruka some privacy for his tears, knowing they wouldn’t be alone in the bullpen for long.

Iruka gathered himself surprisingly fast, taking a few shaky breaths before finally pulling away. His eyes were red, and there were wet streaks down his cheeks. Kakashi ached to brush those away, but he didn’t feel he had the right to touch Iruka, not when he should have prevented this pain in the first place.

“We’re going to find him,” he said, trying to sound as confident as possible. In reality he wasn’t nearly as sure. Naruto could have gone anywhere, and he had no idea where to even start. He was still trying to piece together what had happened, truly, and what exactly Naruto was. Any research he had done had lead back to Naruto being a shifter, but that was clearly not the case.

“I know it isn’t your fault,” Iruka said, wiping at his face with his sleeves, “But I’m probably going to yell at you anyway.”

“It’s okay, I’ve probably heard worse.”

“I doubt it,” Iruka muttered, looking around the room, seemingly trying to compose himself. “Tell me what you know?”

Kakashi didn’t really have much to tell him apart from what he had said over the phone. There had been an incident, and Naruto had resigned following it and was now gone. He had tried tracing his phone, but it was turned off or broken, and the Lexus had been found abandoned outside a supermarket, no trace of Naruto. Whether he had taken a bus or a car from there he had no idea, there had been no surveillance cameras nearby to help them out. As it was Naruto was as good as vanished into thin air, and there really was nothing they could do until he resurfaced. The world was a big place after all.

“I should have caught the signs. I was suspecting that there was something different about him, but I didn’t look into it, figured he’d tell me if there was something wrong. It’s my job as leader to see these things, I failed.” Kakashi sat down on his desk, using his foot to nudge the chair in front of it towards Iruka in a silent invitation to sit down.

Iruka sank down in the chair, sighing heavily. “No, Naruto, he… I think he’s always been hiding. Where we lived, it wasn’t a good place. People were prejudiced towards shifters, so he was always seen as something to fear and stay away from. I think it taught him to hide. He coped by pretending it didn’t face him if people called things after him, if they pushed him away. He learned to smile even when he was sad and lonely.

“He opened to me more, but I suspect that he had been pretending for so long he didn’t even realise it. He never said that it affected him, never complained. He was such a good kid to have around. A complete brat that tried to eat me out of the house, sure, but just… He’s such a good kid.” Iruka’s voice were sore as he talked, and it was clear how much he cared for Naruto by the sheer hurt on his face.

“Did you ever know he wasn’t just a regular shifter?” Kakashi asked.

“No. I don’t think he knew either, he never did mention anything like it. I saw the reports when I adopted him, they did tests on him when the CPA brought him in, and from them it seemed like he was a fox shifter. I just don’t think we ever questioned it? There were no other shifters around, so we didn’t have anything to compare with. I should have done more research, should have read up, should have… I should have protected him.”

Kakashi leaned in, hesitating a little before he placed a hand on Iruka’s shoulder. Iruka looked up at him.

“Naruto is strong, and he’s not a quitter. He’ll be back soon, I have no doubt.” Kakashi hoped the words made him sound confident, because he didn’t feel it.

Chapter Text

The sound of a skull meeting a brick wall was loud enough to scare up a rat that had been feasting on what had at one point been food and was now degraded to trash. It scampered off deeper into the alley, leaving those who had disrupted its meal alone in the dark.

Sasuke never noticed the rodent, his focus solely on the man he had pressed up against the brickwall, his fingers curled in the front of a dirty shirt, his other hand pulled back, tightened into a fist, ready to punch. He wanted the man to resist, wanted him to give him a reason to let his fist fly, feel the skin on his knuckles split as it broke the man’s nose. It wouldn’t give him the answers he was looking for though, so he kept back, his hand shaking with the effort to restrain himself.

“I swear, man, I don’t know nothing!” the man said, hands clawing at Sasuke’s wrist in an effort to get free. Sasuke answered by tightening his grip and slamming the man back against the wall again.

“Then give me a reason to let you live. You are not proving yourself worth much to me right now,” Sasuke spat, pushing closer, letting the piece of garbage know just how true that threat was. Sasuke was a man on a mission, he wasn’t above getting his hands dirty.

“Come on, I’ll help, I’ll, I’ll… I’ll ask around, okay, I can find what you want!”

Sasuke couldn’t quite hide the disgust on his face, and he knew better than to trust a lowlife like this with anything, but right now he was desperate enough to give him a chance.

It had been four weeks since he had lost Naruto, four weeks of being alone, having no idea where Naruto was or what he was doing. He was on leave from work, under Kakashi’s explicit orders, and he had slowly been going mad being stuck in his apartment, so he had done the one thing he knew too well how to do, he started looking for someone who didn’t want to be found. He pointedly made sure never to tell Kakashi nor Shizune about this. He was sure the therapist he was forced to see wasn’t going to approve in the slightest.

His too long search for Itachi might not have yielded many results through the years, but it had given Sasuke more contacts in the shady side of the world than he would ever know what to do with, so he had started searching. Naruto had left him to figure out what he was, so obviously the only way he was going to get him back was to find those answers himself. If Itachi had known what a Protos was that meant others would know as well, it was just a matter of getting them to spill.

This particular piece of scum was little more than a shifter gone druggie. Thing was that shits this low on the hierarchy had a tendency to crawl around unnoticed in the shadows. No one paid particularly mind to the scrawny shifter who just wanted another hit to keep his nightmares at bay, so the people like him tended to… pick up news a lot. Trouble was that they were often high enough that reality and dream mixed together, so it was hard to tell which was which, but Sasuke was grasping at straws, and right now this man was his straw, and he wasn’t above breaking it if he thought it would help. He wasn’t technically supposed to kill anyone that wasn’t a vampire, since this guy was technically still classified as human rather than walking corpse, but who would ever know?

The rational part of his brain knew that was a barrier he should not cross, that it would take him firmly into the territory of bad guy, but he wasn’t even sure he cared anymore. He didn’t like the feeling of helplessness that came from sitting around at home, the loneliness became too big and overpowering, so he needed to distract himself. So far it had led to bruised knuckles, a black eye and no useable information.

“I’ll give you a chance,” Sasuke said, letting his fist drop, but keeping his fingers in the shifter’s shirt, leaning close enough that he was sure the other wasn’t going to miss a word. “I need to know about Protos. Someone out there knows what it is, and the moment you sniff out anything you report back to me, and I promise I won’t drag you off to the DPA.”

The mention of the agency sent another spike of fear through the shifter. The DPA was the big bad in the dark underbelly of the city, known for it’s strict way of hitting down on any crime committed by any preternatural being. They were a lot more effective than the human police, and punishment was swift and ruthless, and the shifter well knew it. No community service if you could be traced back to crime that had hurt people, and certain branches of the DPA was very talented at tracing.

“Shit, man, I promise, I promise, okay. Protos, yeah, sure, I’ll tell ya,” the shifter sputtered out, hands held up, palms outwards in a placating manner, as if Sasuke was little more than a rabid dog.

He wasn’t too far off. Desperation could make any man smudge the line between right and wrong, and Sasuke’s line was little more than a shadow at this point. He had too many kills on his conscience, had seen too much bad, had lost too much.

***

Back in the DPA headquarters Kakashi was sitting behind his desk, staring blankly at the computer screen, the incoming messages that were slowly piling up staying ignored. His phone was still pressed to his ear, even though the person on the other end had long since hung up.

Tonight had started up as usual, him delegating the most prudent assignments, sending each of his agents into the field to fight the brutal predators they faced every night. There had been the usual laughter and banter among the group, eight of his agents, and two others, two that were there to make up for those who were gone. They were capable enough, but Sasuke and Naruto was his agents, they belonged, and these two were just temps, and it was jarring to see them at the other two’s desks each evening. Still, they had been undermanned before Naruto left and Sasuke was put on leave, so it was crucial to have them in the unit.

He had just gotten an update from the field, and again he found himself useless stuck behind a desk while his unit members were out there, risking their life. Apparently Lee had been overpowered by a vampire, nearly got his jugular torn out, until Sakura stepped in and snapped the vampire’s neck, incapacitating it long enough to execute it properly. Lee was fine, just twin scratches that needed little but some rinsing and maybe a bandaid, but it had been close. Every day there were new incidents where it seemed pure luck was the one thing between death and success. No matter how good the agents were at their job it would take so little, a mere moment of not paying attention and their lives would be snuffed out.

He closed his eyes, two fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. He felt as if it was only a matter of time until he lost someone, until luck wasn’t on their side anymore and someone lost their lives to the fight against the vampire plague. Their sacrifice wasn’t enough, for every vampire they killed two more seemed to be brought into their wretched unlife. The DPA needed a way to stop them altogether, to mend the rifts between their realm and the demonic one, to stop the demons from entering in the first place, but no amount of scientist had been able to find out what had happened to create the rift in metaphysical space in the first place, and thusly the vampire execution branch of the DPA had been born, agents trained specifically to hunt and kill them all because there was nothing good in these demons, no redeeming factors at all, and right now only Kakashi’s unit, and its sister units across the country, were the one line of defense they had, and in truth it seemed rather laughable.

He slammed the phone a little too forcefully to the desk and pushed away, getting to his feet. Sakura and Lee was on their way back, but it would take them a while, and in the meanwhile he was going to do what he should have done weeks ago. He needed to talk to Tsunade.

She was sitting at her desk when he was called into the office not ten minutes later. There were stacks of paperwork in front of her, and she looked happy to see him, if only because it was a respite from the eternal paperwork that came with her position.

“Hatake, sit down,” she said, nodding towards the chair placed in front of her desk. When Kakashi slumped into it he could barely see her head over the pile of papers he recognised as the reports he and the other unit leaders were forced to send in. Useless waste of paper, but everything needed to be documented, and it was nothing they could do about that. He straightened his posture just enough to see the entirety of her face.

“How are the temps working out?” she asked, shuffling away some papers and leaning forward a little, her ample cleavage very much on display but holding little interest to Kakashi. He’d take a smooth, tan chest over boobs any day.

“As well as you can expect,” he said noncommittally. “They seem uncomfortable with the executions, but they do what they must.”

“But they are not what you came to talk about.” Tsunade filled in what Kakashi wasn't saying.

“No, they are not.” Kakashi ran a hand through his hair, stalling. “It’s about Uzumaki and why he quit.”

As Kakashi left Tsunade’s office thirty minutes later he was glad he was not Tsunade’s assistant, because having to tidy up the countless stacks of papers that had fallen to the floor as Tsunade had broken her desk with a well-placed slam of her fist fueled by her sheer fury at learning what Kakashi had kept from her would be a tedious assignment indeed.

Truth be told he was just glad he was walking away without a table leg shoved up his ass, she had been furious enough for that to be a viable option. Not only had one of her agents hurt another to the point of almost killing him, but said agent was now on the run, and was possibly unstable, and Kakashi had kept it all from her, and Kakashi knew that the only reason he wasn’t now walking away without a job was that she couldn't afford to have to find someone else for his position.

He felt as if he was betraying Naruto by setting Tsunade on his trail, but he had realised that right now this was the one thing he could do to help him. Naruto was alone, and there was no knowing what state he was in, and right now he just needed to get back, they could deal with the consequences later.

He really hoped he hadn’t just made a terrible mistake

***

Blood was steadily flowing from Naruto’s arm, dark red through the glass of the vials that the man in the white coat was filling up.

He was sitting on a stainless steel table in a room in the basement of the cabin. It had been a surprise when he first saw it, a modern piece of white and steel that looked out of place in the otherwise traditional cabin. By now he had gotten used to it. They’d tapped so much blood from him he was wondering if he even had anything left at all, but Sai kept saying that it was crucial to test the effects of the suppressants they shot him up with every other day. Experimental as it was they had a hard time getting the dosage right.

The first shot had Naruto think he was dying, and he had spent the next day in a haze of pain. By the sixth he was just dizzy and queasy, and the tenth wasn’t strong enough, the beast still there, snapping at Sai, twisting his features into that of the beast before he could be held down to top off the dosage. The eleventh had him convulsing all through the night, having to spend it strapped down to the bed to ensure he didn’t hurt himself.

They were getting closer, but it still made Naruto feel sick more often than not.

It didn’t matter, because through the drowsiness and the quesiness and the pain one thing was clear.

They worked.

As his time in the cabin neared the month mark he realised that it had been over a week since he last felt any stirring from the beast. The heat that he had gotten used to swirling in his gut was gone, leaving behind a cold hollowness. He didn’t dwell on that feeling too much, too glad to finally feel in control to pay attention to it.

The medic, an elderly rat shifter, removed the needle from his arm and taped a cotton wad to the nook of his elbow, nose twitching in a way that showed he had spent too much time in his rat form, the mannerisms bleeding into his human form. He even looked a little like a rat. Long nose, small eyes, front teeth that was a little too long for his mouth.

“That’s it for the day,” he said, shuffling out of the way so Naruto could jump down from the table and roll down the sleeves of his sweater. He peeled away the cotton wad and threw it out when the rat wasn’t paying attention. He never said anything, but it wasn’t as if he needed it, the wound healed up too fast for more than a bead of blood to escape.

He had wondered how the suppressants would affect his abilities, but so far he seemed much as before. His healing was still fast, and he was still strong. Apart from the fact that they made him sick more often than not these suppressants seemed like a miracle.

Naruto left the room, and almost walked right into Sai, who was hovering outside. He never seemed to get a break from the other, he was always there, lurking around corners. He was either madly in love with Naruto, or had just been told to keep an eye out for him, and Naruto desperately hoped it was the latter.

“Dickless, he’s here to see you,” Sai said, following after Naruto as Naruto took the stairs up to his room, intending to change into sweats and getting in his daily workout.

He had no idea where Sai had gotten the nickname, but Naruto had gotten pissed the first time Sai called him that, so Sai kept it going, finding some sick pleasure in it. Naruto was of mind to drop his pants and show him that he he was in no way dickless, but he also kind of suspected that was exactly what Sai wanted, so he refrained from doing so.

“Who’s here to see me?” he asked instead. He was positive he did in no way know anyone that was likely to visit him here considering no one he knew had any idea where he was.

Sai cocked his head to the side, smiling at him as if he knew something Naruto didn’t, which made perfect sense, because Naruto had no idea who the hell he was supposed to meet.

“He,” Sai said as if Naruto was an idiot for not getting it. “Is here to see you. I recommend a shower and a change of clothes.” His gaze dropped to the long-sleeved sweater Naruto was wearing, the one with the hole in one pit, and a grease stain he had never been able to get rid of on the front. His jeans sported more holes to finish off the outfit of the day.

Naruto had no idea who he needed to dress up for, until realisation suddenly hit him. He . The one in charge of everything, the owner of this place, the one behind the suppressants, the one he had thought he would meet when he first came here. Sai had said that he had every intention of coming earlier, but work had gotten in the way, and that Naruto would realise why when he met him. For some reason Sai had never said his name, just kept referring to him as he , and everyone else here did the same, as if it was so clear who they were talking about.

Naruto wasn’t sure if he was nervous or excited to meet the one who had given him the possibility of maybe being free of the beast forever.

“Shower,” Sai stated, leaning against the doorway, making no move to leave Naruto alone in his room to actually get that shower.

“Yeah, yeah, dickhead. Are you going to watch me strip?” Naruto said offhandedly as he dug out some clean clothes from the dresser in the room. Nothing he had thought to bring was really very nice looking so he just took whatever had the fewest holes and stains.

When Sai made no move to actually get his ass out of his room Naruto stalked over, shoved him away and slammed the door shut in his face. For a while Naruto just stared at the closed door, feelings swirling in his mind. For the last weeks he had lived in some sort of limbo. His days were spent getting tests in the medbay, working out or helping out around the cabin with chores. There weren’t many people around to talk to, and those that were mostly stayed away from him, leaving only Sai like some shadow always on his tail, and if it was one thing Naruto didn’t want it was to talk to Sai. He hadn’t allowed himself to think too much about what was going on here, who the man who owned a cabin like this in the middle of nowhere and took care of supernatural creatures in distress was. Sai had referred to this as a sanctuary of sorts, saying that everyone here was someone who had to leave regular society for various reasons. Naruto wasn’t sure everyone was very nice people, but he kept that opinion to himself for now. The suppressants were working, and they were getting closer to a dosage that kept the beast at bay without making him sick, and that was the sole reason he was here, and the one thing he was going to focus on.

He yanked off his clothes and stepped into the adjacent bathroom, turning on the cold water and stepping under, his body seizing up as the icy cold blast hit his skin. He ignored it for a few moments more, needing the cold to clear his mind. There was really only one thing he wanted right now, and that wasn’t to meet some benefactor. He wanted to go home. Home wasn’t even a place to him anymore, it was a person. He missed Sasuke with every fiber of his being, and no matter how many times he tried to tell himself that he needed to stop thinking about him and just focus on why he was here it was so hard. His body just yearned to wrap around Sasuke’s body and pull him close, burying his face in the nook of his neck and just breathing in his scent.

When his body seemed to go numb from the cold he finally turned the knob to heat the water somewhat and scrubbed off quickly, washing away the sweat from having chopped wood earlier and the pinprick of a blood drop that was all that was left from the session in the medbay.

Knowing he was just procrastinating when he washed his hair for a second time he begrudgingly got out of the shower, getting dressed. It felt oddly as if he was preparing for his doom.  

***

Tsunade was dreaming fondly of the bottle of liquor she had waiting for her at home and yet again questioned why she had thought accepting this job was a good idea. Sure, the pay wasn’t half bad, and came in handy when she went gambling, but the stress of managing an entire DPA branch and its dozens of agents was eating at her. Numerous reports of people hurt at job, cases gone bad, people dying because they were never enough. Shifters that needed help but got incarcerated, because there weren’t enough money to help. An ever growing flow of vampires that killed more people than she could count. Ghoul infestations in most of the cemeteries in the city and a coven of witches that had turned to human sacrifice in what seemed to be sheer boredom. And that was just this week.

She was tired of arguing with stuffy old men for more money. They didn’t get how it was out on the streets, what the DPA went through on a daily basis, they just saw numbers. She was tired of endless reports that needed her approval. She was tired of responsibility, but at the same time she knew someone would be stuck in this position no matter what, and it might as well be her.

She was glaring at a particularly tall stack of paper when the phone rang, and she dove for it out of sheer desperation to procrastinate paperwork just a little bit longer.

“Tsunade,” someone said, and Tsunade recognised the voice of Homura Mitokado, and suddenly the idea of paperwork held a whole new appeal.

“Yes?” she said, knowing she wasn’t going to like what came up now. Mitokado was one of the stuffy old men (and women, although the former was definitely in majority) that seemed to be there solely to make her life a living hell. Politicians. A sleazy bunch that delegated money and thusly had a hand in everything that went on in the DPA. She had a feeling they all cared more for their own personal causes than that of the city, but there was little she could do about it.

“We just received word that there has been a warrant issued for an agent of yours, one Naruto Uzumaki,” he said, and Tsunade fought with herself not to slam down the phone receiver. She could just imagine what was coming now, berating for having hired someone who would do anything to get himself a warrant on his head. They hadn’t issued it as anything criminal, it was posted as he was needed for questioning and little else. Kakashi had told him everything that had happened, and together they had decided on this course of action. Even if Uzumaki had technically attacked one of their agents there were circumstances regarding it that Tsunade would take into account, but that she knew the higher uppers would definitely not care about. They’d see dangerous or out of control and lock him away, Tsunade saw someone she needed to talk to to assess. There were a lot of things the big men didn’t know about how she ran her office, and she preferred it that way.

“And?” she said curtly.

“We just want to inform you that the warrant has been rescinded. You will not use any resources to track down this man. It has been taken care of.”

Tsunade sputtered into the phone. Rescinded the warrant? Why? It didn’t sound like they had found him, and there was no reason for them to rescind the warrant unless they had either found him, or someone higher up than her knew something she didn’t. She didn’t like that one bit.

“Why?” she asked, even though she knew exactly what she would be told, because she had been in the situation before. There were no love lost between her and Mitokado, and she knew he resented her. She didn’t really care about his opinion, but she was still bound by his and the others in his position, shackled from doing truly good by the red tape of bureaucracy.

“That is classified information. Forget about the agent, hire someone else for his position,” Mitokado said and hung up before Tsunade could protest.

The plastic of her phone receiver made a threatening cracking sound as her fist closed around it, and she had to force herself to put it down before she broke it. Her assistant had chided her because she kept doing that and he had to go out to by new ones.

Something was going on, and she didn’t like it one bit.

***

Sai was creeping outside his bedroom door when Naruto finished dressing, so he shouldered past him and headed towards the stairs leading down to the first floor. He had no idea what to expect, he had tried to imagine who would have an interest in creating a place like this. Some shifter with bad experiences in his past perhaps? But how did he know what Naruto was, when Naruto had spent months trying to find out, when the entire archive at the DPA seemed to come up empty. Was the owner of the cabin a Protos as well? Would he be able to explain more?

“He’s in the study,” Sai offered when Naruto got to the bottom of the stairs and had no idea where to go. Naruto shot him a middle finger over his shoulder and headed in the direction of the study, a room Sai had pointed out to him but he hadn’t been in.

He stopped in front of the door, hesitating a moment before he knocked. His mind was swirling, and he couldn’t decide if he was looking forward to this at all, but he knew worrying wouldn’t help, he just had to meet the man and take it from there.

“Come in,” someone said front within, and Naruto pushed open the door, hearing Sai following him.

There was a man sitting behind the wooden desk across the room. Naruto’s first thought was that he looked familiar, but he couldn't quite place him. He was middle-aged, wore a crisp white shirt crossed over by suspenders, and a tie around his neck, still tightened in a way that had Naruto gulping, glad he wasn’t the one wearing it, but also feeling woefully underdressed in his almost-whole jeans and mostly-clean sweater.

The man rose up and reached a hand across the desk. Naruto walked close enough to grasp it. The man’s grip was firm, and the handshake lingered just a little too long for comfort.

“Naruto Uzumaki,” he said, and Naruto had no idea how to respond to that, because he had no clue what the man’s name was. He felt that he should, he was almost positive he had met him before.

The man made it easy for him, and Naruto couldn’t help but to appreciate that. “We met at the fundraiser a while back, if you recall,” he said as he sat back down, motioning towards a chair placed to the side of the room, “Please, take a seat.”

Sai stepped in before Naruto could do it and dragged the chair across the room, setting it down right in front of the desk, and Naruto spared him a quick glare before he took a seat, feeling like he was fourteen and had been sent to the principal’s office all over again.

He remembered that dinner, it had started off boring and had ended up anything but. He scanned through the numerous business men and politicians he had met when realisation hit him. “Councilman Shimura,” he said, remembering the man he had talked to, the one who had appeared to dismiss him as little other than scum.

“Please, call me Danzo,” the councilman said. “We have a lot to talk about.”

Chapter Text

Naruto was twitching nervously in the passenger seat as he stared out at the forest flying by. Sai was once again driving, as he had done six weeks ago when he brought Naruto to the cabin for the first time. The forest looked different now, a patchy blanket of snow covering the rotting leaves on the ground. Winter had settled over the forest, cold and wet and miserable. At one point he had liked winter, liked the snow it brought, because that meant he could go sledding or build snowmen, and he loved that, playing outside, feeling the bite of frost on his nose. He was sure he had looked forward to Christmas too at some point, before too many stints in foster homes had ruined that for him. Iruka had mended that to the best of his ability, and a few months ago Naruto would have thought that this year would be better than ever. He had imagined bringing Sasuke back to celebrate with them, but now it looked to be a lonely Christmas that made him long for those where he was the one kid in the family who didn’t get any presents because he was only the foster child and not a biological child.

He didn’t know where Sai was driving them, didn’t care to ask, was too anxious. All he knew was that he didn’t feel ready in the slightest.

The rat shifter who was the cabin’s designated medic kept trying out new varieties of the suppressants, increasing some of what he was adding to the cocktail and decreasing others parts, but they had yet to find a perfect one. He hadn’t had any incidents with the beast in weeks, didn’t feel it all, just a hollow coldness in his gut where it usually was an ever present presence. He didn’t trust that feeling.

Being at the cabin was one thing. The beast had always responded to feelings, soaring to action when Naruto was angry or scared, but at the cabin there was little to be afraid of, so he feared that the moment he would truly test it it would come roaring back, driven wild by the captivity.

Sai had pulled Naruto out of bed that morning stating that they had a job. Naruto had tried to shove him away and go back to the blissful land of dreams where… okay, the dream had been pretty messed up so he wasn’t sure he wanted to go back to that dream in particular, but he appreciated his sleep, and had no inclination to do anything Sai asked of him. Usually it entailed helping out around the cabin, and Naruto felt he had to. The councilman kept a roof over his head, fed him and supplied the suppressants that he depended on, he felt that doing chores were necessary to pay him back, however much it pained him to agree to anything Sai said.

Naruto had thought the job today would entail more physical labour, but Sai had said that they would be leaving the cabin altogether, that they had something to do outside the safety of tall walls, that Danzo had said they needed to test the effect of the suppressants out in the real world.

Naruto had only met Danzo, councilman and owner of the cabin, that one time almost two weeks ago. Apparently he was busy with his political work and didn’t have the time to go out here, which made sense considering they were in the middle of nowhere.  He still knew virtually nothing about the man and his reasoning for creating this place; Danzo had been more interested in Naruto, asking him enough questions to have his mind reeling by the end of it.

The job Sai and he was sent on would hopefully be over fast, they just needed to find a fey that was stuck in an abusive relationship, too scared of her mate to leave on her own, or possibly even detained against her will. Hopefully they would be able to get her out without even meeting the abusive bastard and bring her back to the cabin.

Naruto had never met a fey before, there were very few of them in America, they mostly kept to their old homelands in Europe, preferring vast forests devoid of people, having little need to ever travel from them. He had heard about them though, so he wasn’t going in completely blind.

It took them an hour of driving through sludge before Sai pulled up outside a flower shop. Naruto peered over at him, wondering for a moment why Sai would have an urgent need for flowers, but Sai just left the car and headed towards the building, so there was little Naruto could do but follow.

He kept looking around at the deserted streets around them. They were in a small town, possibly one they had travelled through when they first came to the cabin, but Naruto couldn’t be sure, he hadn’t been paying much attention at the time. It was late enough that all the stores were closed apart from a Circle K across the street, but not late enough that people had gone to sleep. Lights were on in windows, the glare of TV screens clear in several of them. Did they know or even care that someone was in trouble so close by? Probably not, in his experience people tended to know but did nothing about it. It was easier to live in a world where there were no abusers, no bullying, no pain, even if it wasn't the truth. People wanted to be fooled.

Neither Sai nor him had any weapons with them, at least not as far Naruto knew, but from what he had gathered from Sai the husband in question was human, and he was pretty sure the two of them could take out a human, even without weapons. Even with the suppressants Naruto was still far stronger than any human being.

Even though he had spent too much time around him for the last weeks Naruto didn’t actually have any idea just what Sai was. He showed none of the most common characteristics of any shifters Naruto had met. He clearly wasn’t a fey, he wasn’t nearly pretty enough for that, and he didn’t smell of the herbs that witches always seemed to reek of. He was pale enough to pass as a ghoul, but had made no move to eat Naruto yet, so that wasn’t it.

Naruto hadn’t actually bothered to ask. Maybe the dick was just human, although judging by the other people he had seen around the cabin there didn’t seem to be anyone there who was human. The majority of them were shifters. Several had the marks on their cheeks that Naruto had, marking them as feline shifters, and a couple smelled so foul they had to be dog shifters. He would occasionally see a wolf or a lynx wander around the compound, but for such a big cabin there were very few people around.

Sai didn’t walk towards the glass door of the flower shop, he veered off to the side, heading towards an inconspicuous door to the side, pulling it open and heading inside. Naruto kept looking around himself as he walked in, silently wondering if the DPA had put a warrant on him yet. He wouldn't be surprised if they had; he had almost killed one of their best agents and was technically a rogue now.

Maybe he could turn himself in soon. They seemed to be getting closer to finding the perfect dosage of suppressants; he rarely got sick from the shots anymore. He would need to get the shots every other day for the rest of his life, but he could live with that. He would just have to get Danzo to organize something so he could get back and face the punishment he deserved. He still had no idea just what a Protos was, Danzo hadn’t told him anything other than that he had met one like him before and together they had developed the suppressants that they were now trying to perfect with Naruto.

Naruto was no closer to knowing what he was, but he had the means to suppress that other side of him, and maybe that was enough. Right now he had someone to save though, and he found that it was nice to have something to do to take his mind off of himself. As he walked up the stairs he felt himself fall into the mind-set he had fallen into when he was working with Sasuke, determination to make the world a little bit better. Naruto felt that he owed Danzo for finding him and giving him the suppressants, and as far as paying back he felt that helping others was the best way to do it. It was why he had ended up a DPA agent in the first place, the craving to help others.

Sai stopped in front of a door on the fourth floor. There had been an apartment number there at one point, but now only the outline of it was left, the wood paler where the numbers had been, 402.

Naruto took a deep breath, steeling himself. Hopefully it would be an easy job. Get in, get the girl out and leave. It might be harder if the husband was home, but they could deal with him. Two of them and one of him. Naruto had killed numerous vampires, he could deal with a lone man easily enough, even while holding back, he was sure of it.

Sai cast a glance over his shoulder, and for once kept any teasing remarks about Naruto and Naruto’s body parts or lack thereof to himself as he lifted a hand to the door and knocked twice.

They waited in silence, until the door opened just enough for a man to look out at them from behind the safety of a small chain. Any hope that the husband wasn't home was immediately crushed.

“What do you want?” the man said, blocking any view of the inside of the apartment with his body.

“We’re here for your wife,” Sai said in that flat voice of his, head tilting just a little to the side.

“I don’t know what you are talking about, I have no wife,” the man replied, eyes narrowing.

Naruto looked at him over Sai’s head. It was weird how normal he looked. Somehow it seemed like a man who was capable of hurting someone he supposedly loved should look more… evil. With golden brown eyes, wavy hair and a face that looked handsome and would probably look stunning with a smile he was the kind of man that would attract most girls in a bar, and probably a few of the guys as well.

It was stupid wasn’t it; this image that evil looked evil and good looked good? Naruto had hurt the one he loved as well, even if it hadn’t been deliberate, and he was pretty sure he didn’t look as much as a monster as he felt.

Sai took a step closer to the door. “Open the door.”

The man moved to close the door in their face, but Sai’s arm shot out before he could, latching onto the side of the door and yanking the chain clean off as he pulled it towards him, the man stumbling after before dropping the handle. He looked startled, having falsely believed that the chain would be enough to keep them out.

He had lived with a fey for years; he should know that there was more to people than it looked like. It was dangerous to assume that people you met were human with a human being's limitations.

The man was obviously too angry to think straight, because even though he had just seen Sai tear the door open without breaking a sweat he launched himself at him.

They might not have weapons with them, but Sai did not seem particularly bothered by that. He sidestepped enough that the man wasn’t going right at him, and then made some move that had the man flying headfirst into the wall, leaving a nice dent in the plaster.

“Find the girl,” Sai said as the man shook off bits of plaster from his hair, lips pulling back in fury as he made a move to go at Sai again. Naruto realised that Sai had been talking to him, so he quickly leapt past the man just as Sai grabbed his arm and twisted it up behind his back, shoving the man who was at least a head taller than him into the wall and keeping him there.

It was a small apartment, so after a detour by the combined kitchen/living room and the bathroom Naruto pushed open the remaining door and found the bedroom. A woman who barely looked over twenty was kneeling on the bed, hands lying in her lap, face streaked with tears.

Even like this, her hair dishevelled and her face red she was stunning. Delicately boned with big eyes and full lips. Naruto could see the attraction, although why someone would fall so hard for that beauty that they would go to the step of basically kidnapping her when she wanted to leave he would never understand. If you loved someone you should treasure them, not hit them or lock them up. If they wanted to leave you should let them, it was not your choice.

She blinked up at him, clearly having heard the commotion in the hallway, but she made no move to leave.

Naruto rushed over, stopping a few steps away from the bed as to not startle her. “Are you okay?” he asked, giving her a once over to check for any injuries. There was a fading bruise on her cheekbone and a bruise around her upper arm that looked too much like finger marks.

She didn’t say anything, just made a whimpering sound, tilting her head back a little, her veil of silvery hair falling back and exposing the reason why the man had been able to keep a fey from leaving. Fey might not be fighters, but they had enough magic to defend themselves, but around her slender neck a rough iron collar rested, heavy, the skin around the edges rubbed raw from it. There were two slim metal rings around her wrists too he saw now. Iron was the one thing that cancelled out a fey’s magic, the husband had used it to make sure she was completely helpless, her magic tapped out along with her energy, making her docile. It was a wonder she had been able to call for help at all. Naruto wasn't sure how Danzo had found out about her, but he was glad, because she needed to get out right now, before the man went too far. He wouldn’t be the first abusive man to kill his wife.

“I’m going to get you out of here, okay?” Naruto said, stepping closer. Her eyes widened, like a doe ready to run from danger, so he stopped, hands held up with palms towards her.

There was a grunt and bang of broken furniture out in the hallway, which startled her, and she lost her balance, sagging to the side, unable to keep herself up, too tired.

Naruto rushed forward the last step and caught her before she fell, scooping her up in his arms. The iron bands were locked with padlocks, so he knew he wouldn’t be able to get them off easily, so for now she would have to wear them, until they got somewhere safe from the bastard who had done this to her.

She whimpered, but was too tired to struggle, so when Naruto shifted her more safely into his arms she just pressed her face against his chest. She was short and slim, and seemed to weigh next to nothing, so it was easy to carry her towards the hallway.

He peered outside, seeing Sai studying a crack in the wall, a finger tracing it gently, as if he was seeing something Naruto didn’t in it.

The husband was lying on the floor, and if not for the way his chest rose and fell Naruto would’ve been worried that Sai had outright killed him.

Sai didn’t say anything, just looked up long enough to see that Naruto had the woman they had come for, and then he headed back in the direction of the car.

Not until he had the girl safely buckled up in the backseat did Naruto realise that he hadn’t felt the beast flare in his gut a single time, not at the outrage of seeing the woman shackled up, nor when the man had tried to attack. It wasn’t really a test, that would have entailed him having to fight he thought, but it was promising, and Naruto allowed himself a second to imagine going back to Sasuke, free of the beast that had plagued him for so long.

He wondered if he could salvage what they had had before, or if that was forever ruined.

The car ride was spent making sure the girl was still alive and not freaking out, and it felt like forever before they arrived back at the compound, the gate closing behind them.

Naruto walked into the cabin, carrying the fey woman in his arms again. She was weak still, but she looked calmer, as if she was starting to realise that she had been able to get away from the bastard and would be free from her shackles soon, or maybe she was just too exhausted to fight him.

She whimpered a little as Naruto shoved open the door of the cabin with an elbow. Sai had vanished as soon as the car stopped, telling Naruto to bring her down to the med bay for a check-up and to get the shackles off, letting her magic heal her.

The living room was empty as he walked past it, but someone came out of the kitchen when he got close to it. Naruto hadn’t seen the man before, but that wasn’t too uncommon, there seemed to be new people here every so often. The man in question looked tired, circles underneath his eyes and short brown hair dishevelled as if he hadn’t looked in a mirror in a while. Not that Naruto was one to talk about messy hair, but still.

Naruto nodded towards the man who looked at him with bleary eyes that suddenly grew wide in surprise. Naruto thought at first it was because of the girl he was carrying, but the stranger looked at him, not the girl, mouth parting in shock, as if seeing Naruto was completely unexpected. Naruto had no idea why, he had lived here for weeks, and most of the other shifters didn’t pay much attention to him at all.

The fey shifted in his arms, whimpering softly and Naruto reckoned that this wasn’t the time to deal with weird strangers, so he just walked past, figuring he’d see the man around later. He still shot a glance over his shoulder as he pushed through the door to the basement. The other man wasn't gaping at him anymore, but he looked completely distraught. Naruto made a note to figure out what was up after he had taken the girl downstairs.

***

The water was just this side of scalding, but Sasuke liked the sting of it, and didn’t move to adjust the temperature. Instead he stood there, letting it pelt at his back, probably turning his skin an angry red. His head was bowed as he braced against the tiles of the shower, some of the water finding a path across his scalp, saturating his hair, a tiny stream falling from a tendril right above his nose.

He let out a ragged sigh and pushed away from the wall, pushing back his hair and gently easing the temperature down to a more bearable one, his skin thanking him. Hot water wouldn’t drown the feelings he was trying to get away from any more than lukewarm would.

He made quick work of washing his hair, rubbing his scalp a little too hard, trying to stop thinking for once. He was failing miserably. Everything in his apartment seemed to remind him of Naruto and he couldn’t get away from the pain of being alone. The bed they’d shared, the couch where Naruto had curled up against him, demanding movie nights. The kitchen where they had cooked dinner, Naruto doing his best to burn everything and Sasuke there to stop him.

It made him think of Naruto’s birthday when he had tried to ask Naruto to move in, but failed. Would Naruto have said yes? Would it have made a difference? This apartment had always felt cold, only Naruto bringing some life into it, and now that life was gone, leaving too much room.

Even the bathroom reminded him of Naruto. The orange toothbrush was still neatly placed in a cup next to Sasuke’s blue, waiting for its owner to come back. There was a t-shirt hanging on the back of the door, a hole along the neckline betraying it as Naruto’s. He had threatened to toss it out before, but Naruto always answered by pouting at him, claiming it was soft and comfy, and it never failed to make Sasuke shake his head and leave the t-shirt live a little while longer.

Now he let his fingers trail across the fabric every time he went into the room. It was soft, Naruto hadn’t lied about that, and whenever Sasuke lifted it to his nose there was still a faint trace of Naruto’s scent on it, but it had faded to almost nothing.

Sasuke’s eyes stung, and it wasn’t from shampoo. He squeezed them shut, shaking his head at himself. He was acting as if Naruto was dead, but he wasn’t, he was just... Lost. He couldn't be dead, Sasuke wouldn't stand for that. The asshole was probably holed up somewhere, feeling real proud of himself for protecting Sasuke by leaving, when he should have realised that Sasuke had never felt safer than when he was with him, and that this hadn’t changed in the slightest, even after what happened. Sasuke wasn’t afraid of Naruto, he never would be.

Sasuke’s hand fisted and he had to take a deep breath to steady himself before he sent that fist straight through the glass wall of the shower. When Naruto finally came back, tail between his legs, Sasuke was going to kick his ass for making him worry, but for now all he could do was to try and find him. He wasn’t going to give up until he tracked him down and dragged him back home, however much he kicked and screaming. Naruto belonged with him. Partners worked their problems out together, Naruto should have brought Sasuke along with him.

He rinsed his hair, focusing on the mundane task of cleaning himself. He just wanted to get it over with so he could go back to his office and try to find the answers he was searching for. So far it had been nothing but dead-end after dead-end, but Sasuke had years of expertise dealing with that, it would take a lot more to put him off the hunt for Naruto.

No, Sasuke wouldn’t stop before Naruto was back here, and then he was going to give him plenty of incentive to stick around. He’d shackle him to his bed and show him exactly what Naruto was missing out on when he left Sasuke.

Sasuke let out a sigh, leaning back against the tiled wall. Thinking about that just made him painfully aware that he hadn’t had an orgasm for a while, not since… before. Having Naruto around had made him rather used to frequent releases. Naruto was never one to shy away from sex, waking Sasuke up with a mouth around his cock, or riding him slow and lazy after a shift, too tired for it but still needing it.

Sasuke had lost count of the number of times Naruto had slinked into the shower after him, always eager to take over washing his body, hands roaming freely as he pressed up against Sasuke's back, hot breath on his neck, a hard cock nestled against his ass as Naruto told him just how much he appreciated him, voice husky and low as he whispered against his ear.

Sasuke swallowed hard, fighting against himself for a moment before curling his hand around his cock, finding it half-hard already. Just thinking about Naruto made him like this, aching for him. God, he missed him. Missed waking up next to him, missed his smile, missed the edge of chaos he brought into Sasuke’s life, the dirty socks on the living room floor and the milk spoiling after he forgot to put it back in the fridge. The constant toothpaste drops on the mirror and the blond hair clogging the shower drain. He missed turning around in the shower, pushing Naruto up against the tile, seeing him wince at the sudden coldness at his back, and then claiming Naruto’s mouth for his, licking into it, pressing their bodies together, wet and warm, water spraying down over them as Sasuke turned him around, spread him open and fucking into him. The way Naruto would moan, the sound echoing in the shower stall, one arm bracing him against the wall, the other curving back to pull Sasuke impossibly closer, always wanting more, greedy for everything Sasuke gave him.

Sasuke came, the image of Naruto's face twisted into pure pleasure—lips red from gnawing on them, eyes glassy, cheeks dusted with red, making the markings across them stand out brighter—on his mind.

It didn’t bring him the pleasant content feeling it usually would, it just left him feeling sick and hollow. He looked down on the white staining his hand, and the sight had him recoil in disgust at himself. He rubbed it off furiously, biting down on his lips, needing it gone, feeling disgusted that he had jerked off when Naruto was out there somewhere, probably alone, hurting and afraid.

He slid down the glass wall, still scrubbing, even though there was nothing but skin and water now. He gave up, bringing his arms up in front of his face, and screamed, the sound loud and sore in the empty room.

Chapter Text

The forest was cast in the deep shadows of twilight, but the boy walking beneath bare branches had no trouble navigating it, seeing the birds in the trees and the mouse that scurried across a root to his left clear as day.

He was naked and dirty and walked hunched over, as if he was ready to spring into action any moment, always vary, always alert, head twitching towards any sound he could make out.

The moon peeked through a crack in the clouds, illuminating a patch of wood and the lone deer standing there, partially hidden by bushes, docile as it dozed, ready to run the moment it caught sound of a predator.

The boy walked on bare feet, sneaking closer, avoiding fallen branches that might snap and alert the deer. He was close, almost close enough to jump when the deer seemed to notice him, head snapping towards him before it took off, alerting its fellow deer hidden just beside it, deeper in the bushes, with a loud snort.

The boy would not let his prey get away, and under the silvery light of the moon rust-coloured fur spread as a wave as he transformed, nose elongating into a snout, ears growing pointed and mouth filling with sharp fangs.

The change was over in seconds, and soon he was running through the underbrush, leaping over a small stream and over stones, feet steady on the uneven ground, eyes locked on the animals he had been tracking. They were fast, but so was he, and with a last leap he was flying through the air, hands wrapping around one deer’s flank. He dug his claws in as the deer bucked, trying to get him off. The claws sank deep into flesh, and the deer fell to the ground. The boy was thrown off, rolling through grass and fallen leaves.

The deer was struggling to get back on its hooves, but the boy was too fast, crawling through the underbrush towards it and burying his fangs in its neck, warm blood filling his mouth as the deer trashed in its final moments.

The boy was too preoccupied with feeding to notice the men in black some dozen yards away, didn’t see the night scope that had tracked him, didn’t know there was a rifle pointed at him, not until the trigger was pulled, a small dart whizzing through the air until the point found its home in the boy’s thigh.

He yelped and spun around, not comprehending what had happened, finding the dart and pulling it out.

It was too late, the sedatives already flooding his system, and moments later the world grew grey and he fell to the ground, consciousness slipping from him.

The last he saw was a man leaning over him, looking pleased, like a predator who’d caught its prey.

***

Sasuke grunted as the fist connected with his stomach, driving the air out of his lungs. He didn’t let it stop him for long, dodging the fist that aimed towards his face, satisfied when he heard the crunch of knuckles meeting bricks.

He twisted his body into a sharp spin, sending his foot into vulnerable ribs and driving his opponent to the ground with practiced ease.

He knew he should use that opportunity to leave, should have left the bastard lying on the ground heaving for his breath, and go back home for the night. It was already a bust, the man had zero information, and the meeting he’d set up was just an attempt to weasel money out of Sasuke with fake information.

He should leave.

He kicked out, pure anger and frustration filling his body, making it hard to make rational decisions. He didn’t want to be rational, he wanted to get an outlet for his anger, so he dropped to a knee, fisted the front of the asshole’s ratty sweater and dragged him high enough off the ground to send a fist flying into his face.

He wanted to go on, but the shitbag crumpled to the ground and stayed there, making no move to get up again. It pissed Sasuke off. Anger was coursing through his veins and he had no way to get it out. No matter what he did it seemed to grow in him, like a festering wound in his gut. He felt useless and trapped and lonely, and nothing he had done put him any closer to helping Naruto. It was dead end after dead end, and he was sure he was feeling his sanity unravelling thread by thread as days passed where he was alone, where he was failing.

He hated Naruto for doing this to him, for making him open up and care for him in a way he had never cared for anyone, only to leave him alone. He had been fine before Naruto, but now that he had felt how it was to truly love he wasn’t sure he could go back to that. Naruto better not have done something foolish like get himself killed, because then Sasuke was going to jump off a cliff just so he could get to him and kick his ass in the next life.

Sasuke eyed the unconscious bastard on the ground just long enough to make sure that he was in fact still alive, and then he stalked out of the alley, intending to go home and continue his job there. He hoped he didn’t find Kakashi waiting for him. He had been ignoring his boss’ calls all day, not in the mood to talk to anyone, but he had a feeling Kakashi would let that fly for only so long before showing up in person. Sasuke should just do as Naruto and quit the DPA altogether, save them the trouble of doing it for him. Without Naruto he wasn't going back there anyway, the thought of working alongside someone else was utterly repulsive. He couldn’t trust anyone else to have his back as Naruto had.

No matter how much they had seemed to despise each other in the beginning they had worked seamlessly together almost instantaneously. Naruto was always there to back Sasuke up, and vice versa. They didn’t need to talk to know that the other would be where he needed to be, ready to protect and help.

Which was maybe the exact reason Sasuke didn’t notice the two men approaching. He had gotten complacent having Naruto around with his heightened senses, and now he was going to pay for growing dependent on someone.

They announced themselves with a punch to Sasuke’s skull, from behind, like the cowards they were.

Sasuke’s head rang as he stumbled forward with the force of the hit, and when one of the men kicked the back of his knees he fell to the ground, barely able to catch himself with his hands before he broke his nose against dirty concrete. His hands took the fall instead, leaving more skin on the concrete than his palms.

It was pathetic how easily the two had snuck up on him. He should be better than this.

A knee planted itself in the small of his back, pressing him to the ground, and then there was a hand on his neck, grinding his cheek into the dirt.

He had no idea who the two were, but they didn’t seem happy, and right now Sasuke had no idea how he was going to get out of this. He couldn’t reach the knife he had strapped to the small of his back, and the weight on his back made it impossible to get any kind of leverage to throw the man off of him.

His eyes widened when he saw the scruffy tips of old leather boots stop right in front of him, and could only watch as one of those feet drew back and kicked out, aiming right at his face.

***

Naruto had to grasp onto a counter top as he rose from the chair, dizzy from the shot of suppressants the doctor had just given him. He took a deep breath and made sure his feet were steady and able to keep him up before he let go, testing his footing. The world spun only a little before settling.

The doctor paid little attention to him, preoccupied with throwing away the used syringe and then moving to make notes on a chart. They kept tweaking the formula, and sometimes it made Naruto feel more like a lab rat than anything else. He had tried to get Sai to tell him more about the drugs, and what he was, but Sai always deflected his questions, saying that only Danzo could answer that, but so far Naruto had only seen Danzo that one time. He was apparently too busy with work to stay at the cabin, or even visit. He was running for governor, and even though Naruto didn’t really know what a campaign like that entailed it seemed to keep Danzo too busy to check up on the cabin at all. Naruto didn’t much like it, one meeting hadn’t been nearly enough to gauge what kind of person Danzo was, and he had questions he wanted answered. Needed answered.

The suppressants did their job, gave him the control he had longed for, but he needed shots every other day to keep it that way. Whenever the time for a new shot was nearing he felt the familiar stirrings of the beast in his gut, so he knew the effect they brought was only temporary. Did Danzo mean for him to live here for the rest of his life, or would he send him back with the suppressants when they had perfected the formula? Would he expect payment for it, or was it some charity thing? Was he going to have to go on the news and show his support for Danzo as governor? He could already imagine the headlines, how Danzo had saved Naruto from himself, it was the perfect story for a politician with aspirations wasn’t it? The press would eat that shit right up. Fuck, Naruto hated not having any of the answers.

The cabin had everything one might need for daily life, but Naruto could feel himself growing restless, feeling trapped behind the tall walls that surrounded the property. The longer he was on the suppressants, the more confidence he gained in the fact that this was working . For now the beast was under control, and the more he allowed himself to believe that it meant he wouldn’t hurt anyone again the more he wanted to go find Sasuke. He wanted to show him that he had found, maybe not the answers he had been looking for, but a solution .

He found himself lying up at night, imagining the life he wanted, by Sasuke’s side, working together as partners again, falling asleep next to each other, laughing and fighting and making love.

He had already tried to ask the doctor as well, but if Sai had brushed him off the doctor had just looked at him with wide eyes and said that he was just doing his job, as if even the thought of answering Naruto’s questions was terrifying to him. Naruto knew rodents weren’t the bravest of shifters, but it had just been a question, he didn’t get how it would have that effect.

No, the doc wouldn’t give him the answers he looked for, but maybe he’d answer something else.

“Hey, doc?” he said as he rolled down his sleeves, startling the rat shifter who spun around, nose twitching wildly.

“How is the fey woman we brought in yesterday?” he asked. He had dropped her off in this very room the previous day before leaving for his bedroom, after ensuring that the doctor was going to take care of her. He had thought they might put her up in one of the spare bedrooms upstairs when she had healed well enough. She seemed to need a safe place to stay to heal and gather her strength again, but he hadn’t seen her around today, and she clearly wasn’t with the doctor any more.

“She’s gone,” the doctor said curtly and turned back to his paperwork again.

“She’s gone?” Naruto repeated in surprise. She had been so weak she couldn't walk yesterday, magic completely drained, no way would she have recuperated enough to leave yet. Not that Naruto knew a lot about fey magic, but he hardly thought it was potent enough to make her magic come back this fast.

“They took off her shackles, and we did a physical. She was just drained, but she wanted to stay with family, so they took her to someone who’d look after her,” the doctor said, tone making it clear he wasn’t really in the mood to talk to Naruto.

Naruto narrowed his eyes as he looked at the doctor’s back, as if that would will him to talk more.

“You can leave now,” the doctor said, dismissal clear, and Naruto knew he wouldn’t get more from him, so he left the room and headed upstairs, hoping for once that he would stumble upon Sai so he could ask him more about what happened to the fey. He wasn’t sure he was quite ready to believe the good doctor.

He headed for the kitchen, figuring he could scrounge up some lunch before he went looking for Sai, but when he stepped into the room someone else was already there, making coffee.

In itself that wasn’t a strange thing, considering that at any given moment were at least five other people living in the cabin, but when the man turned around as he heard Naruto come into the room Naruto recognised him as the man he had seen yesterday when he had carried the fey into the cabin.

If Naruto hadn’t figured as much yesterday it became clear right now that it had been him this man had been so shocked to see, not the fey, because his eyes widened upon seeing Naruto now as well.  It was as if he was seeing a ghost.

“Uhm, hi?” Naruto said hesitantly. Apart from Sai most people who came through the cabin seemed to ignore Naruto, so he had no idea what was up with this man’s reaction, because he was pretty sure he had never met him before.

The other man’s lips parted, but no greeting passed them, just a softly whispered, “It can’t be.”

Naruto was more than a little confused at the reaction, but he had no time to inquire further because the next moment he heard voices nearing, and the other man apparently did as well, because he seemed to startle at the sound and shook his head as if to clear it.

Naruto made to turn around and leave, having forgotten why he came into the kitchen in the first place, but suddenly there was a hand on his arm, and the other man pulled him close, whispering in an insisting voice, eyes wide, giving him a terrifying look.

“ I need to talk to you, but not here, not now. I’ll find you later, but in the meanwhile, don’t trust Danzo .”

Naruto was about to ask what the hell was going on when the man pulled away and left, coffee cup forgotten on the counter, vanishing out a door just as two dog shifters walked into the room, one of them limping and the other admonishing him for being weak. They abruptly stopped talking when they saw Naruto, and Naruto took that as his cue to leave the room, mind spinning as he tried to make sense of what had just happened. Who was the man, and what did he want to talk to him about? Why wasn’t Naruto supposed to trust Danzo?

***

Kakashi was sitting on the floor in the hallway outside of Sasuke’s apartment, empty message opened on his phone, waiting for him to write something while he was passing the time. He was coming up empty. He had been sitting here for over an hour, and every attempt at writing something just came up sounding worse than his previous attempt.

It shouldn't be this difficult. All he wanted to do was to check up on Iruka, to see how he was doing. He had seen him a few times since he came to the city, but Iruka hadn’t stopped by the office at all this last week, and Kakashi had yet to come up with an excuse worthy of stopping over, which was stupid, because he didn’t need an excuse, but at the same time he was afraid that Iruka would see right through him, see that Kakashi hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him at all, and be utterly disgusted about it.

Iruka was in no place to want Kakashi pursuing him, he was probably too worried about Naruto to think about himself, and Kakashi should just give him space, but at the same time every fibre of his being was just screaming at him to just go over there and throw himself in Iruka’s arms.

He closed the app and shoved the phone back in his pocket, hands going up to his face, fingers digging into his temples to alleviate the headache settling there.

Normally he wasn’t one to hang around in hallways, but he had tried to call Sasuke all evening, and he was getting worried, so now he was determined to camp out here until Sasuke came back from whatever he was doing. Kakashi had a sneaky feeling it wasn’t anything good.

He didn’t need to wait long, five minutes later the elevator bell dinged, the doors slid open and Sasuke all but fell out of it, crumpling to his knees as if he had been leaning against the doors.

Kakashi was on his feet in a split-second, rushing over and stooping down, tilting Sasuke’s head towards him.

A bruise was blossoming around his eye, well on its way to swelling the eyes shut altogether. His lower face was covered in blood from his nose, and his cheek had split open. His breathing was shallow as if it hurt to draw his breath, so Kakashi suspected bruised or even broken ribs.

“What happened?” he said, getting an arm around Sasuke to keep him steady as he tried to stumble to his feet. Sasuke didn’t complain even as his arm was manoeuvred around Kakashi’s shoulder, which was not a good sign, because usually he would have bitched at being all but carried, so it had to meant he was hurt bad enough to realise that he in fact needed the support.

Sasuke coughed once and spat a glob of blood to the floor. “Nothing.”

Kakashi decided that he’d wait to push him until they were somewhere he didn’t have to drag Sasuke along, so they walk towards the door, Sasuke limping a little, his free arm wrapped protectively around his chest.

Somehow they got inside, and Kakashi manoeuvred Sasuke towards the couch, lowering him on it before heading towards the bathroom in search of towels and a first aid kit. He needed to assess the damage to see if Sasuke needed to be brought to the hospital.

When he came back Sasuke was slumped down, head resting against the back of the couch, legs stretched in front of him.

Kakashi washed off blood from Sasuke’s face, deemed the nose unbroken and stuffed toilet paper up there to stop the bleeding while he moved on. The cut on the cheek was barely bleeding, so that would just need some bandages and a little time to heal. He was more worried about the ribs at this point. Sasuke tried to shove him away when he moved to assess their state.

“You’ll let me check you right now or I’ll call the paramedics and have them drag you to the hospital before you’ll have time to finish cursing me out.”

Sasuke glared at him, which wasn’t very effective at all with the swelling around one eye, but moved his arm away, allowing Kakashi to pull the shirt up and prod at Sasuke’s sides.

As far as Kakashi could tell his ribs seemed whole, but they’d gotten banged up, a large bruise covering most of the right side of Sasuke’s body.

After fetching a bag of frozen vegetables for the shiner that was still darkening around Sasuke’s eye Kakashi sat down on the coffee table. Sasuke looked worse for wear, his face still streaked by blood where Kakashi hadn’t washed it properly. His clothes were dirty, and there was a rip in his sweater Kakashi was pretty sure hadn’t been there before tonight.

“As far as I know you are temporarily suspended from the DPA to recuperate, which means you should be at home, healing, not out on the streets getting beat up. I’d like an explanation right about now,” Kakashi said, leaning in a little.

“It’s not work business so it doesn't concern you,” Sasuke said, closing his eyes in dismissal.

“You are still a member of my unit, so it very much concerns me. If you get yourself killed that would mean I would be short one agent,” Kakashi said, knowing well that Sasuke would know that it wasn’t being short one agent that was his real fear.

“Just got into a scuffle, nothing big, you should see the other two guys,” Sasuke said, wincing as he shifted on the couch, the action probably jostling his ribs.

If he thought Kakashi was about to believe this was some drunken bar brawl gone wrong Sasuke was sorely mistaken.

“Are you looking for Naruto?” Kakashi asked, cutting to the chase. As far as Kakashi knew there had been no word from Naruto since he resigned weeks ago, but he wouldn't be surprised if Sasuke wasn’t letting that stop him, even if he had no business being anywhere he might get hurt. It wasn’t long since he he’d nearly died, the wounds on his chest barely starting to be categorised as scars, he wasn’t physically or mentally ready to be out on the streets or getting into fights.

Sasuke didn’t answer, but Kakashi saw him grind his teeth, and he knew he had hit the bullseye.

“You won’t find him by getting yourself killed,” Kakashi said.

“I won’t find him if I just sit at home either,” Sasuke spat out, lifting his head and shooting a venomous look in Kakashi’s direction.

“Sasuke, what happened out there?”

Sasuke kept silent so long Kakashi was sure he wasn’t going to tell him, then he sighed heavily and let his head drop back against the back of the couch.

“I’ve been trying to gather information, using some people I got to know when I was searching for Itachi. Some of them didn’t much appreciate my methods, so they decided to get back at me.”

Kakashi figured he shouldn't have been surprised, Sasuke was hardly the type to sit around and do nothing, but this had to stop. If Naruto came back he would want Sasuke to still be alive, not stabbed in some alley, left to bleed out because he had walked out alone. There was a reason agents always went out with partners, the streets of the city was filled with all kinds of beings that wouldn't mind killing you for fun, Sasuke should know this considering he had executed dozens of them. It was folly going out there alone, poking sticks at beehives and hoping not to get stung.

“You can’t do this,” Kakashi said.

“Someone has to, Kakashi. The DPA is not about to help track him down are they? There’s only me, and I’m not giving up until he’s back with me. I can’t abandon him, I can’t.”

Kakashi heard the raw pain in Sasuke’s voice, and knew that no matter what he said Sasuke would be out there as soon as his ribs allowed him to move.

Kakashi wished he could tell Sasuke that his unit had his back, that he would take the other agents off duty and have them help, but he knew he couldn’t. They were one of the few things that helped keep the city safe from vampires, they were too crucial in the fight against the demon scourge. There was also the fact that Tsunade had informed him that the warrant on Naruto was rescinded, so there would be no one backing them up in the DPA, and going against those orders would likely have the entire unit disbanded altogether. There was one thing he could do for Sasuke though.

“Stay in for a few days, rest up. This weekend I’ll go out there with you, okay?”

Sasuke had given him a hard look, as if to assess whether Kakashi was telling the truth or not. Then he nodded once. “Fine. But I’m going out on Saturday, whether you come with me or not.”

Kakashi wasn’t sure he was doing the right thing, but right now he thought it was the only thing he could do to help. Sasuke was falling apart. The rest of the team could deal without him sitting behind that goddamned desk all shift, he could be reached by cell phone, and Tsunade would just have a missing unit leader during her meetings. Kakashi thought she would understand and let it slide. If not it was a chance he was willing to take. What could she do? Fire him? That would leave the unit leaderless, and there wasn’t a lot of people willing to do that job. No, he was sure she would be lenient with him if she were to find out, and he guessed this was a good a time as any to test just how right that assumption was.

He left Sasuke’s apartment after making sure he was as well as he could be after having been used as a makeshift punching bag, patched and drugged up.

Kakashi was the first to admit that he might have a bias towards Sasuke amongst the agents in his unit. He had always seen a lot of himself in Sasuke, and had wanted to see him do well in life. He hated seeing Sasuke like this, not just the physical wounds, but the way he seemed to be standing on a precipice, the smallest wind likely to push him into the abyss.

It wasn’t that he didn’t care about the other agents, he would give his life for them in a heartbeat, but they all had someone, parents or siblings or partners, to look out for them, Sasuke was, just as Kakashi, all alone in the world.

Until Naruto came along.

The partnership between the two of them had made them stronger than they had ever been alone. Kakashi remembered how Sasuke had been before Naruto. A capable agent, sure, but Naruto had grounded him, made him better.

Not just that, Naruto had made Sasuke happy in a way Kakashi had doubted had been possible.

Kakashi had always seen some similarities between Sasuke and himself. They both kept people at an arm's length, albeit for very different reasons, and for a while that had been fine. Now though, now Kakashi had seen how it could be if you found someone special, and he was feeling a longing for the same in his life.

He still didn’t know what it was about Iruka that had drawn him to him from just about the first time he saw him, Kakashi just found the energy he gave off relaxing. Iruka seemed so real, so down to earth, kindness flowing from him like soft heat waves that seemed to warm Kakashi’s soul, and he found himself gravitating towards him. Iruka had gone against everyone else, had taken in Naruto and shown him what love was, and maybe that was what had Kakashi believe that Iruka might be the only one who would really accept him as well.

He had good reasons to stay away from people, had always believed that he needed to be a step removed, that he shouldn’t be allowed what everyone else had. He wasn’t like anyone else, and even though he tried to act as if it didn’t matter he wasn’t sure he could keep on acting forever.

He wouldn’t do anything to pursue Iruka romantically, this was not the time for that, but he would allow himself to get a little closer to his warmth, to be there for him, as a friend, and then maybe one day, when Naruto was back, he could start hoping for more.

He made his way over to the elevator. He needed to talk to Iruka.

Chapter Text

Sasuke made sure to swing by the 7-Eleven across from his apartment building on his way home, picking up a cup of coffee to go with the Kung Pao Chicken he had bought at the shitty 24/7 Chinese restaurant on the corner. He hadn’t picked up groceries in a while, he had neither food nor coffee at home, so take-out was essential. The food to make sure he didn’t pass out, and the coffee to keep him awake, because he didn’t want to sleep, wasn’t ready for the dreams he knew would come with that.

He nearly walked into a nurse who appeared to be on her way home from a night shift in the door of 7-Eleven, and she gave him a tired smile he wasn’t able to reciprocate. Luckily the pimply faced teenager stuck on the graveyard shift tending the register was in a sourly enough mood to not even greet him, and that fit Sasuke just fine, he couldn't even muster up the energy to pretend that he didn’t hate people any more.

Back home in his apartment he sank down on the couch, turned on the TV for background noise to drown out his thoughts and dug in. Coffee and Kung Pao Chicken was actually a pretty nasty mix, but he drank all the coffee and forced himself to eat half the stir to make sure the caffeine sludge didn’t burn a hole through his stomach lining.

He didn’t bother tidying up after his meal, just pushed the half-empty take-out box and the empty coffee cup to the other side of the coffee table and laid down on the couch, head on the armrest, the TV still droning in the background, some news report about a ghoul infestation grown out of control in a small town in North-Dakota, the entire town under lock-down as the military was sent in to take care of it. The military might not be as specially trained as the DPA agents, but when it came to beheading a swarm of ghouls they did the job as good, like pest exterminators, only with bigger guns.

Sasuke turned down the sound and rubbed his eyes. It had been a long night, Kakashi and him walking the streets, looking for this cat shifter who had promised to keep his ears open but had yet to call Sasuke back.

They hadn’t found him, and the entire night was a complete bust. Kakashi hadn’t said anything, just trudged after him, letting Sasuke guide them through the city. Sasuke wasn’t stupid, he knew the chance of finding any helpful information was slim at best, but he had to do this to keep sane, had to do something. If he was to sit around the apartment doing nothing he would end up having to self-medicate himself with liquor to keep from going insane, and he didn’t think that was a particularly healthy coping mechanism either.

Sasuke shifted on the couch, turned to his side and looked back at the TV. No more ghouls this time. The anchorman was talking about something concerning the election for governor. Sasuke didn’t care much about politics, but then the picture of the councilman Sasuke had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting at a fundraiser some months ago popped up on the screen. He was like any of them, thinking more about his own greed than the good of the people, Sasuke would bet on it.

The text at the bottom of the screen said what he couldn't hear the anchorman say with the sound down low. There had been a happening at a political meeting the previous day, someone with a grudge attacking the councilman, only the quick reaction of his bodyguards keeping the councilman safe.

Sasuke scoffed, about to reach for the remote and turn the TV off completely when the screen switched from the anchorman to a shaky cellphone video.

Sasuke froze, arm mid-air as he processed just exactly what he was seeing on the screen.

The video wasn’t great, a little grainy and shot in portrait mode, but Sasuke knew that face so well he could have recognised it anywhere.

He all but fell out of the couch as he leaned closer to the screen, his eyes glued on the one bodyguard that jumped between the councilman and the wolf that was leaping at him, grabbing the shifter around the neck and throwing it bodily to the side as if it was nothing more than an agitated poodle.

They only showed a ten second clip, but they looped it twice, and the second time around Sasuke realised that there was absolutely no doubt.

The bodyguard protecting the councilman was Naruto.

His Naruto.

Alive.

In this very city, only a couple miles away.

***

Eighteen hours earlier

Naruto walked behind Danzo alongside the other man hired as a bodyguard, feeling incredibly uncomfortable walking through the hallways of the conference centre on their way from the meeting room. There were too many people, and he kept glancing around, wary of anything happening.

He didn’t want to be here, the warning about not trusting Danzo still churning in his mind, but he also knew that telling Danzo no would have roused suspicion, and Naruto needed to learn more before he acted. Sure, he could probably have fled, but that would mean he was left without suppressants, and he’d be back where he started. He had no idea if he should trust Danzo or the other man who hadn’t even introduced himself, bur for now he decided to play along, hoping he’d find out more about Danzo when he went along with him this week.

Naruto had been more than surprised when Danzo had asked him to join his security entail for a few days, claiming one of his usual bodyguards was out with a broken leg, but he had said yes, knowing this was as good an opportunity as any to figure out just who Danzo was and what his intentions were.

If he had asked more before saying yes he would have realised their little trip also meant going back to the city he had fled from some weeks ago, but he hadn’t realised until he saw the signs on the interstate and dread settled in him.

It wasn’t New York City, but it was still a big city, the chances of meeting someone he knew was slim to none, particularly since no one he knew had any inclination towards attending political meetings, so it shouldn’t be a problem. Tag along after Danzo for a couple of days, then they’d move to the next city. Hopefully nothing happened, he wasn’t ready to really test the suppressants yet. Danzo obviously believe they would work, otherwise he wouldn’t have brought him along to a city full of people that would be easy targets if the beast were to break free. There would be no explaining that.

It wasn’t just the fact that he might hurt people, it was also the fact that if the suppressants failed it was the one last hope he had. He might still have no idea just what he was, but at least the suppressants seemed to take away the part that made him different. He could deal with not knowing if he knew he wouldn't hurt anyone.

Danzo was talking to a political advisor as they walked down the hall, and Naruto had long since tuned out, having zero interest in budgets and campaign work and what else they might be talking about.

It happened so fast he was acting on little other than instinct. They were walking into the main hall, and one moment there were just a group of well-dressed business men and a man in what looked like a janitor’s coverall walking towards them, the next the man Naruto had assumed was a janitor was ripping his coverall at the seam as his body morphed from man to wolf.

The wolf pushed off with strong hind legs, leaping towards Danzo, fangs bared, ready to strike. Naruto acted before he even had time to think about what was happening, shoving Danzo behind himself as he planted his feet on the ground. He dodged the snapping jaw and stopped the wolf mid-air, grabbing it and throwing it to the ground before he pinned it there. It trashed and snapped its jaw, but moments later more security was coming in a rush of raised voices and thundering shoes, and at least one of them were armed with a tranquillizer gun, so moments later the wolf stilled, body morphing back into that of a man. He was breathing, but was out cold.

Naruto quickly got off the man, and when no one moved to do anything he wrenched off the suit jacket Danzo had given him when he started work earlier and laid it over the man where his clothes had ripped, leaving him more naked than not. Shifters tended to not be self-conscious when it came to nudity amongst themselves, but that didn’t mean the press needed to film him like this either. Naruto had no idea why the wolf had attacked Danzo, but either way he deserved some dignity.

Naruto wanted to stay until the police showed up, but Danzo dragged him along, insisting that they leave now, and Naruto begrudgingly followed him, silently wondering what had driven the wolf to attack Danzo. He’d had to be desperate, why else attack him in a public place where there would be no way for him to get away?

Naruto watched the back of Danzo’s head as they walked, wondering just what secrets the councilman had.

Don’t trust Danzo. Don’t trust Danzo. Don’t trust Danzo.

The words spun in Naruto’s mind, and even with people milling around him Naruto felt more alone than ever.

***

The news report moved on, and for a moment Sasuke stared at it blankly, not quite processing what he had just seen. He wasn’t aware that he threw away the remote until it slammed into the wall, the back cover coming off and strewing triple A batteries around the apartment. He didn’t care.

Naruto was in the city. He was here and he was alive, and he was working for Councilman Shimura, and it made no sense to Sasuke at all. Naruto had left to figure out what he was, hadn’t he? Why would a councilman hold those answers? How had he even gotten in contact with him? As far as Sasuke knew Naruto had only met the councilman at the fundraiser, and back then he hadn’t even known who he was.

Sasuke thought back, wondering if there was something he had missed, but they had barely talked to the councilman. He had asked for Kakashi, and Sasuke had thought he was mostly there to gather more votes in the upcoming elections.

He had reacted to the way the councilman had looked at Naruto, however, but at the time he thought it was just another person not liking the thought of supernatural beings working at the DPA and thought little of it. Now he was wondering if there was something he had missed in the interaction.

Had Naruto talked to the councilman without Sasuke knowing?

Sasuke wasn’t sure if he should be relieved to see Naruto still alive and well, or beyond pissed off. Naruto was walking around in public, clearly not worried about the beast. If he had somehow figured out things, why wasn’t he coming home? Why wasn’t here by his side, why was he working for a councilman instead? Had Sasuke missed something? Hadn’t Naruto left because of guilt? Was there something else that had driven him away? Had Sasuke… Had he left Sasuke? Not just to keep him safe, but to leave him?

Sasuke didn’t want to believe it. Couldn’t believe it. Naruto loved him, didn’t he? He had told him so many times, even if Sasuke had never said it back, a fact he had regretted with every fibre of his being since he lost him. But, if he loved him, why wasn't he coming back? Why hadn’t he at least called Sasuke to tell him he was fine?

The Kung Pao Chicken seemed too heavy in his stomach, and Sasuke ran to the bathroom, throwing up.

Five minutes later, his back against the bathroom wall and the burn of bile in his mouth Sasuke was trying to gather his thoughts. He had no idea what was going on, but one thing was clear, he needed to find Naruto.

He rinsed his mouth with mouthwash and went to his office. His first instinct had been to rush to the conference centre the meeting had been held in, but he had no idea if they would still be there today, but if Naruto had worked for councilman Shimura once, he was probably going to do it again, so all he had to do was to track down the councilman.

***

Naruto cracked his neck as he walked through a hotel hallway, towel around his shoulders to catch the drips of sweat from his hair. The moment Naruto had gotten a break as Danzo prepared for whatever meetings he needed to attend this night Naruto had located the hotel gym, working out his frustrations there. His muscles had been screaming at the end, but he still couldn’t stop the thoughts flooding his mind. He’d barely managed to keep focused on his bodyguard duties all day, but luckily nothing had happened.

He had never known being a bodyguard would be this mind-numbingly boring. Apart from the wolf shifter the other day nothing had happened, and all he did was walk on Danzo’s heel, ready in case something out of the ordinary happened. All they’d done all day was to attend several meetings with different backers and politicians, and their discussions were so boring Naruto had a hard time not falling asleep. He’d tried paying attention in the beginning, the warning he had been given about Danzo on his mind, but from what he could tell the meetings were all legit, concerning a number of different political affairs, Danzo asking for support, given it in most cases as far as Naruto could tell. There were no talk of any shady business at all, just endless discussions of finances and political hearings and permits for businesses.

It was boring, and he was forced to wear a suit, but he could deal with that, even if his body with tingling with too much energy. His problem was that he felt forced into this, and that he had no one who was willing to answer any of his questions. Danzo had no time for Naruto, treating him as little more than a prop, and Sai just ignored Naruto whenever he tried to ask him anything. They shared a hotel room, not per Naruto’s request, but it wasn’t helping him learn anything, particularly since Sai just pissed Naruto off with his presence.

Luckily they had twin beds, because if there hadn’t been Naruto would have found himself forced to sleep in the tub, because just being in the same room as Sai was putting him on edge, which was why he spent as much time as he possibly could in the gym, because Sai had yet to show any inclination to join him there, apparently preferring sitting on his bed drawing endless sketches in his ever present sketchbook.

Naruto sometimes saw what Sai was drawing, and was always a little bit amazed by the sheer detail of the drawings. Mostly animals, incredibly lifelike, shadows making the fur almost look touchable. He never told Sai that though, because that would mean engaging in conversation, and apart from trying to get information from him or tell him to get out of his way Naruto tried to avoid that at all cost.

If someone were to ask him Naruto had no good answer as to why he disliked Sai so intensely. He was obnoxious and questioned Naruto’s penis size on a semi-regular basis, but Naruto had definitely met worse. There was just something about him that rubbed him the wrong way.

Naruto wasn’t sure if he was happy he was relieved of duty when Danzo retreated to his own hotel room last night or not, it would have been a good opportunity to maybe ask Danzo some of the questions that was burning in him, but he had been sent off only to be summoned again at the crack of dawn to trail behind Danzo to get breakfast before the endless stream of meetings started up again.

He had been about ready to start crawling the walls by the time he had finally gotten to go downstairs to work off some energy, but he still didn’t feel ready to go back up there for a night of watching Danzo smooch up to other men of importance.

The gym was located in the basement of the hotel, so Naruto got into the elevator, pressing the button for his floor and lifting the towel enough to rub over his head, hoping he wasn’t stinking up the elevator too much as he leaned against one of the walls, legs still shaky from too many squats. He kind of hoped Sai wouldn’t be in the room when he got back, he wasn’t looking forward to the comments about how he was trying to compensate for his lack of a dick by building muscles he knew would be coming from the asshole.

The elevator stopped seconds later, and Naruto peeked up as the doors slid open on the first floor, showing him a brief glimpse of the lobby before someone came around the corner and stepped into the elevator with him.

Naruto froze.

Every gear in his head just ground to a halt, his jaw dropped and he couldn’t tear his eyes away.

The doors closed, and the elevator lurched into motion, leaving the two of them all alone in the small room, and it was as if the air was sucked out of it.

“Sasuke…” Naruto breathed, not believing it.

The look on Sasuke’s face was half shock and half something else entirely, then he shook his head, and it was as if the shock just flowed off him, leaving that something else , which by the way his eyes hardened appeared to be pure fury.

Sasuke squared his shoulders, and looked like he wasn’t sure if he was going to punch Naruto or just scream at him, but in the end he did neither, he just stood there, appearing to fight with himself.

Naruto’s legs felt like jelly, and he pressed his hands against the wall, trying to keep from just collapsing to the floor.

He had been thinking about this all weekend, ever since they came back to the city. What if he saw Sasuke somewhere, what would happen then?

And now everything was becoming real, and however much he had thought about it he couldn’t get his body to react. He wanted nothing more than to grab Sasuke and pull him close, but he was very aware of what had happened between them, that he had almost killed Sasuke, and then fled, like a coward.

He had all kinds of excuses why he had left Sasuke, but all of them boiled down to fear ruling him. Fear of not having control, fear of what he might to do Sasuke, fear of how Sasuke would react to him. Running had been easy, or at least so it had appeared.

“We need to talk,” Sasuke said, voice sounding strained. His hands were fisted at his side, and he looked like he was about to explode with barely contained anger any moment.

God knew Naruto would deserve it. He deserved anything Sasuke did to him.

At the same time a warm tendril of pure happiness curled through him. Sasuke was here, he was here, and Naruto could touch him if only he took two steps forward, and Sasuke was here, and they could be together again, and everything would be fine, and he’d have him back.

He was sure Sasuke had said something, but he couldn't focus, couldn’t do anything but stare at Sasuke, afraid it was all some cruel joke from his mind, that Sasuke wasn’t really here, that it was just a mirage, a lonely man’s dream.

Sasuke was just as beautiful as Naruto remembered him, sharp features and pale skin and dark eyes that shone with unshed tears. That last tore at Naruto’s conscience. He needed to do something, needed to make it all good again.

He pushed away from the wall, but before he could approach Sasuke the elevator stopped at the tenth floor, his floor, and he had no idea what he was supposed to do. Danzo was expecting him ready for duty in ten minutes, but Sasuke was here, and he couldn’t get his mind to work, couldn't focus on anything but Sasuke’s face, the hurt and retained anger there.

Sasuke took a step forward.

“We need to talk,” he said, and Naruto had the distinct impression that he was repeating himself. “Do you have a room?”

“I… I,” Naruto stuttered, his mind still trying to catch up on the situation.

“Naruto,” Sasuke said, his voice softening, and Naruto wanted to throw himself in Sasuke’s arms, but he knew he couldn’t. Danzo would start asking for him soon, would probably send Sai looking for him, and he didn’t think it would be good to have Sai see him with Sasuke, not until he knew where he had him. He couldn’t wrap his head around Sai, and he wasn’t sure if he would betray him in a heartbeat or not.

Don’t trust Danzo. The words still played in his mind, and a part of him was so sure he had to keep Sasuke away from Danzo, had to make sure he didn’t get tangled up in the mess Naruto had made of everything.

“I, don’t, not alone, and he’s… he’s expecting me soon, I can’t, I...” Naruto said, jumbling his words together. “Sasuke, I, I...” Tears were springing to his eyes, blurring Sasuke’s face. “I’m so sorry, and I miss you, but he’s expecting me, and I have to go.” Tears were thickening his voice and clogging his nose, and he knew he was about to break down completely.

“Later then, can you get away later? I’ll get a room, I’ll wait for you, just ask in the reception. Please Naruto, I need to talk to you,” Sasuke said, his voice wavering as well.

Naruto nodded, and Sasuke pushed the button of the elevator, letting it slide open again. Naruto hesitated. He was afraid that if he let Sasuke out of his sight he would vanish, that this was just a dream, and Naruto was going to wake up and Sasuke wouldn't be there any more.

“Be careful,” Sasuke said after Naruto finally walked the two steps out from the elevator, and the doors slid shut, leaving Naruto standing in the hotel hallway, alone, tears streaming down his face.

***

Sasuke was sure there would be a permanent track in the carpet of the hotel room floor from all the pacing he had done. The hours ticked by slow and torturous as he waited for Naruto to come. He had left a key card in the reception for him, and every time he heard someone walking out in the hallway he braced himself for the telltale sound of the lock opening, but it never came. It had been five hours since he met Naruto in the elevator, and he was still not sure if it had really happened. Maybe it was just his imagination playing tricks on him, making him see what he so desperately wanted to see.

He had used the councilman's itinerary to determine that he’d be at this hotel for a conference, and had hoped that would mean Naruto was still there as a bodyguard. He had expected to have to walk the hallways in a futile hope that he’d meet Naruto, knowing that trying to get any room information out of the receptionist would be virtually impossible, considering who Naruto was here with.

He had not expected Naruto to be standing in the elevator when it opened, as if he had been waiting for Sasuke to come.

Judging by the look of sheer shock on Naruto’s face it was very clear he had not expected to see Sasuke either.

Sasuke had made a plan when he had first seen Naruto on the TV two days ago. He would confront Naruto with why he left, calm and composed, and then he was going to kick his ass for leaving him like that, without a word of goodbye, and then he was going to get him back, but the moment he had seen Naruto he had forgotten every planned word, and all he was left with was a mind reeling from the fact that Naruto were there, in front of him, sweaty and red-faced, but there , and that fact alone after weeks of being alone was enough to render him speechless for a moment.

He hated the fact that he couldn't drag Naruto along to talk right that moment, but his gut told him Naruto wouldn't be running this time, that he would come back as soon as he could, and then Sasuke could make him explain himself, could get him to tell him why he left him. If he just thought so little of Sasuke that he wouldn't forgive him, or if he was too scared to think straight, or if he had left because of something else entirely.

Sasuke had felt so betrayed by Naruto leaving, so achingly lonely and hurt, and weeks alone hadn’t changed that the slightest, and he needed some explanation.

A beep from the door had him stop mid pace, and then it slid open and Naruto was standing right there. He was wearing dark slacks and a white shirt, and his eyes were wide and wary, as if he wasn’t sure if he was even allowed to step into the room, and in that very moment Sasuke didn’t need any explanations, didn’t need to talk, he just needed Naruto.

He rushed across the room, and just as the door clicked shut behind Naruto he threw his arms around him and kissed him.

Everything fell back into place the moment his lips touched Naruto’s. Naruto was warm and soft and tasted just as he remembered, and his shoulders were strong and broad under his arms, and Naruto was here, in his arms, and he had found him again.

For a few blissed moments every hurt and worry just left him, leaving him feeling light and happy in a way that felt both foreign and familiar. They were pressed close together and Sasuke dug his fingers into Naruto’s back, grounding himself in the feel of firm muscles.

Naruto even smelled the same and he only finally pulled away from the kiss to trail licks and kisses down Naruto’s jaw and neck, drawing in more of that intoxicating smell. More, he needed more.

His fingers were surprisingly steady as they started working on the buttons of Naruto’s shirt, popping them open and yanking the sides apart so he had free access to the column of Naruto’s neck and his broad shoulders, tracing his mouth across both, a wet drag of tongue and a scrape of teeth that had Naruto shuddering underneath him.

True to form Naruto didn’t stay passive for long, his fingers curling in Sasuke’s hair and gently forcing him to move his mouth from his shoulders to kiss him again.

Naruto kissed hard and desperately, as if he had been building up to it, and soon Sasuke found himself steered backwards until his back was pressed up against a wall, Naruto crowding in close, tilting his head to the side, deepening the kiss.

Then there were hands on his waist, dipping just underneath his sweater, tracing up his side, just this side of tickling. The sweater was pulled up along them, bunching up around his armpits before Sasuke lifted his arms, letting Naruto pull it off completely.

He shook his head to get hair out of his face, but when he expected Naruto to lean back in and continue what they had been doing he found instead that Naruto’s shoulders grew tense underneath his hands.

He opened his eyes, expecting to meet Naruto’s gaze, but Naruto wasn’t looking at his face, his eyes were focused at Sasuke’s chest, glassy with sudden tears.

Sasuke looked down, and realised just why Naruto had stopped.

The weeks since Naruto had left had turned wounds into scars, puckered pink slashes cutting at a diagonal across his chest. The uppermost one started at his collarbone, and the bottom one ended right at the bottom of his ribcage.

They were still sore, but Sasuke was fine. It was just scars. The aesthetic of it mattered little to him, and it didn’t make him see Naruto any different than he had before. He knew that it wasn’t Naruto’s fault, that Naruto had fought it as well as he possibly could, and the scars were nothing more than a blemish to be ignored.

He also knew Naruto wouldn’t see the same, that to him it would be a sign of just what he had done to Sasuke, and Sasuke could feel Naruto pulling away from him, fear and self-hatred practically oozing from him.

This was why he had left that first time, and Sasuke sure as hell wasn’t going to let that happen ever again.

“Don’t you dare leave me, Naruto,” Sasuke said, fingers curling in the fabric of Naruto’s shirt. “Don’t you fucking dare.”

“Sasuke, I have to—I can’t…”

Naruto twisted out of Sasuke’s grip and backed away from him. It hurt to see Naruto like this, scared and worried, his eyes twitching towards the door as if he was fighting with himself.

“I’m so sorry, Sasuke, I’m so sorry,” Naruto whispered, his voice sounding raw as he choked on his words. “I’m not safe to be around, I don’t know, I’m so sorry.” He had his fingers curled into his hair, making it messier than ever, face twisted into a grimace of agony. A sole tear trailed down his cheek.

“We will figure everything out, but we do it together,” Sasuke said, taking a step closer. There were only inches between them, and he did not intend for that gap to get any bigger.

He reached out, grasped Naruto’s hands and pulled them towards him, gently placing them against the scars cutting across his chest.

“Look at me,” he said, voice stern, but Naruto just shook his head, keeping his gaze trained on the floor as if looking up would make it all too real for him.

“Then just feel me. There’s scars, sure, but I don’t care about those. It wasn’t you, you would never hurt me.”

“It was me though, the beast, it’s, it’s a part of me,” Naruto said, pulling against his grip, but Sasuke just tightened it, holding Naruto’s hands against his chest.

“I’m still here, my heart is still beating beneath the scars, and even if there is nothing to forgive, I do, I do forgive you,” Sasuke said, and finally Naruto looked up at him. His eyes were red and watery with tears and his face was still set in a pained look, his nose scrunched and lips tightened, but he moved his hand to splay his palm across Sasuke’s skin, as if feeling for the heartbeat beneath.

“I’m here,” Sasuke simply said and leaned in, slanting his lips across Naruto’s. He felt the salt of tears as he kissed him, and it only took a second before Naruto melted into it, tightness seeping out of his shoulders as he stopped fighting himself.

Sasuke turned them around, and now it was Naruto’s turn to be pressed up against the wall. The bed was only a few feet away, but right now it was too far as he moulded his body close to Naruto’s. “Stop fighting yourself, Naruto, I’m not going anywhere,” Sasuke mumbled against his lips, and Naruto gave a broken sob and finally let himself go.

His arms wrapped around Sasuke, and he deepened the kiss, licking into Sasuke’s mouth as if he was savouring every part of him. Sasuke reciprocated eagerly, tracing the familiarity of Naruto’s mouth, blunt teeth and warm tongue and the faint taste of broth that no doubt came from instant ramen.

All of Naruto’s fight was truly drained from him as his fingers buried in Sasuke’s hair and he poured every bit of intensity that was Naruto Uzumaki into that kiss, their tongues playing against each other, teeth nibbling on lips and soft moans whispered into it.

It didn’t take long until wandering hands started tugging at the reminding clothes. Sasuke needed more, needed to feel Naruto’s skin against his, warm and sweaty, needed to mark him and show him that he was his and he wasn’t about to let him go.

He dragged Naruto’s shirt down his shoulders, Naruto’s arms getting stuck behind his back, and Sasuke left it there, using the opportunity as Naruto fought with the fabric to kiss back along Naruto’s jaw, picking up where he had left off earlier, finding the flesh of his neck and sucking hard enough to leaving a bruise. It would fade quickly on Naruto’s skin, but right now it was a vibrant mark of ownership.

Sasuke felt drunk with Naruto, the high of having him back lighting a fire of passion in his soul, and soon he claimed Naruto’s lips again, while his hands travelled down taut abdominal muscles, finding the fly of Naruto’s pants and quickly unzipping it so he could push a hand inside, cupping the hard length trapped underneath soft cotton. The front of Naruto’s boxers already had a wet spot of precum staining them, and as Sasuke dragged a fingernail across the head of his cock Naruto moaned into the kiss, a deep sinful sound before he dove in again, sucking Sasuke’s bottom lip into his mouth and biting down, just shy of painful.

Sasuke had imagined how it would be to see Naruto again, how they were going to talk things through, and then have slow sex to get reacquainted, but right now he couldn’t even think straight. His body screamed for more more more, and Naruto seemed to be thinking the same.

He needed to touch and taste and connect himself to Naruto, desperate for more. Talking could come later.

Unceremoniously Sasuke yanked down Naruto’s pants, his boxers following, leaving Naruto gloriously naked except for the fabric pooling around his ankles, which he was quick to step out of and kick to the side. He had managed to wrench himself out of his shirt, and that too was in a heap on the floor.

Sasuke curled his fingers around Naruto’s hard length, giving it a soft pull that ripped a moan from Naruto as his head fell back against the wall with a thunk. Sasuke used the opportunity to fix his lips to the tan flesh in front of him, mouthing at Naruto’s Adam's apple, scraping his teeth over the skin, earning a whimper from Naruto.

Naruto didn’t stay passive for long, his hands moving to Sasuke's pants, pulling open the belt and fly and tugging pants and boxer briefs past his hips, letting Sasuke’s cock to spring free in the warm air of the room.

Sasuke stepped close enough that their lengths pressed up against each other and then wrapped his hand around the both of them, gently tugging them together, spreading precum. He frowned a bit at the drag of skin and lifted a hand to his mouth and spit into his palm before clasping their cocks in a firm grip. Naruto wrapped his arms around Sasuke's shoulders as he pulled him into a kiss again, seemingly as unable to stop as Sasuke was.

Their bodies were growing slick with perspiration, their chests sliding together, the faint dusting of hair abrasive against Sasuke's tender scars, but the tinge of pain didn’t do anything to diminish his hardness, his cock merely twitching, spilling more precum.

He wanted to fuck Naruto, wanted to claim his body as his again, to fill him up and come deep inside him, making sure Naruto would feel him for hours afterwards, but right now he wouldn’t have the patience for preparing him properly, so for now this would have to be enough. The need to feel him was too intense, and he was already feeling himself dragged towards the release his body was starting to ache for.

“Sasukeee,” Naruto whined into the kiss before he pulled away enough so they could breathe, their foreheads pressed together, gazes locked. Sasuke felt that he could read Naruto completely in that moment, see the pain Naruto was feeling from having hurt him mingling with the flaring passion between them as well as the love he felt for him. Sasuke needed to wash that pain away in a wave of pure lust, needed to see Naruto come undone, to imprint on him that he forgave him, would always forgive him, would never let him leave him.

Sasuke tightened his grip and twisted his wrist, making sure to drag a thumb across the head of Naruto’s cock, before pressing against his frenulum, rubbing small circles that had Naruto whimpering.

“ Are you going to come for me, Na-ru-to ?” he asked, dragging the name out in a deep voice he knew would penetrate right through the fog of lust in Naruto’s head.

Naruto shuddered and Sasuke moved his hand faster, knowing all the right ways to touch him to send Naruto spiralling over the edge and into the sweet abyss of pure bliss. He could feel Naruto’s cock twitching, and heard the sharp expelling of air from his lungs a second before warm liquid shot from him, covering Sasuke’s hand and streaking up his abdomen in sticky white lines.

Sasuke wrung every last drop from Naruto until he was whimpering from oversensitivity, and only then did he let go of his dick as he closed his fist around himself, quickly sending himself careening into a hard orgasm, painting Naruto with cum to match himself.

The intensity of it all left him completely spent as his cock twitched for a last time, and Sasuke let his hand fall to hang limply by his side as he eased forward enough to rest his forehead on Naruto’s shoulder, breathing hard, trying to gather himself enough so he wouldn't fall down if he moved.

His legs shook as he finally lifted his head enough to see Naruto’s face, a look of complete bliss greeting him, cheeks spotted with red, and gaze a little unfocused. A soft smile was tugging on his lips, as if he was trying to fight it but failing completely.

When Sasuke caught his breath and thought he’d be able to walk he dragged Naruto after him towards the bed, not caring that they were filthy with sweat and cum, just falling down on the soft mattress, rolling towards Naruto when he too fell down on it, breathing heavily.

“I missed that,” Naruto said with a wry grin, giddy from his recent orgasm, any pain washed away by the overload of endorphins, and Sasuke’s heart twinged at seeing his old Naruto.

“ I missed you ,” Sasuke said, feeling surprisingly unconscious about admitting as much. It wasn’t a long time since even those words would have stuck in his throat. Naruto had changed him, for the better. It wasn’t just the mind blowing sex, it was his very presence. Without Naruto Sasuke was miserable and lonely. He’d grown surprisingly dependent on having Naruto in his life, and without him everything had just seemed dull and grey and lifeless. Naruto had shown him that there was more to life than just existing, and when he left the stark contrast from his old life and the one with Naruto had been dizzying. At one point he had managed to convince himself that he was better off alone, that he didn’t need people in his life, didn’t need love, but Naruto had changed everything, made it impossible to revert back to that old Sasuke that didn’t depend on anyone.

“I should have known you would find me,” Naruto said as he shifted his head to the side to look at Sasuke, but Sasuke looked away, needing to talk to him, and looking into Naruto’s eyes just made it too hard to focus.

“You wouldn’t let me leave, did you? Back when I wanted to keep you safe and go to Itachi alone. But you didn’t even give me the chance to stop you, you just left,” Sasuke said. He knew they needed to talk about this, needed to air out everything that was hanging between them, unspoken. He wanted an explanation, wanted to know where Naruto had been.

He grabbed Naruto’s hand and intertwined their fingers. Being with Naruto again, hearing his soft breathing and feeling his warmth against him, it felt so right, he wouldn't let Naruto’s fear take that away from him again.

“We are in this together, Naruto, no matter what. I can’t let you go again. I… I love you too much.” His breath hitched slightly as he finally said the words that had been building in him for so long. He was surprised at how easily they had flowed from his mouth and how right it felt to finally say them. He loved Naruto, had known for a while but hadn’t felt strong enough to say it out loud. He hadn’t said it to anyone since his family was lost, and the words had become so big in his mind, so meaningful they had scared him. There was a fragility to them, as if they would shatter too easily and with it him.

Until now, until Naruto.

Naruto responded by tightening his fingers around Sasuke’s hand and when Sasuke finally dared to turn his face towards him he saw a sheen of tears in Naruto’s eyes again, but this time they were accompanied by a smile so wide it showed off all his teeth, a smile so genuine it seemed to warm Sasuke from the core.

“Naruto. I love you,” Sasuke repeated. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t ready to say it before, but I’m ready now. I’m all in, no matter what happens. We’re partners, no matter what.”

Naruto leaned in and kissed him softly. “Partners,” he confirmed.

Chapter Text

Sasuke was a warm presence pressed up against his side; a hand resting on Naruto’s chest, and when Naruto turned to the side he saw Sasuke’s eyes, narrow with tiredness, but his gaze not wavering from Naruto, as if he was afraid that if he looked away Naruto would be gone.

Naruto wished he could stay right here forever, that he could just forget about real life for a moment and keep living in this bubble where it was only Sasuke and him, but he knew he couldn’t. He had sneaked out of the room he shared with Sai when the other fell asleep, but he had no idea how long until he would be discovered.

It wasn’t that he had been given orders not to leave the room, not explicitly, but there was a part of Naruto that had only gotten a lot bigger since the warning he had received a few days earlier that told him he needed to thread carefully. His relationship with Sasuke had never been a secret, but he didn’t want to drag Sasuke into this, not before he knew what he was dealing with. Naruto needed to figure out what the deal with Danzo was, and he needed to figure out a way to get his hands on the suppressants.

“I need to go back,” he said, and he felt the hand resting on his chest press down, as if Sasuke was preparing to fight him to stay, but then he pulled it away.

They’d talked earlier, in-between rounds of getting reacquainted with their bodies, never able to keep their hands away from the other from long, and they had come up with the bare bones of a plan. Naruto would go back to Danzo, but he would contact Sasuke the moment he could, would report everything back, and together they would find a solution. There was always the chance that Danzo in fact was a benign benefactor that had always planned on letting Naruto leave as soon as they had perfected the suppressants, but there were too many things that pointed in another direction, too much secrecy, things that didn’t add up.

His entire being protested as he pulled away from Sasuke, quickly yanking on his clothes. Sasuke watched him as he dressed, sitting up against the headboard, sheets pooling in his lap. There were bruises along his collarbone where Naruto had sucked them into his skin earlier, and Naruto loved how it looked, a clear mark that Sasuke was his. He pointedly did not look at the scars marring that same skin inches away.

As Naruto shoved his feet into his shoes he saw Sasuke get out of bed, the sheet wrapped around his waist. Naruto knew he had to go, that this was goodbye, but his feet didn’t want to move, so he just stood there, watching Sasuke and wishing things didn’t have to be like this. Wished he never had left in the first place, wished there hadn’t been any reason for him to leave. If he’d been normal he’d never have attacked Sasuke in the first place, wouldn’t be driven to find a solution.

He pressed a hand to his abdomen, feeling the faint stirring of the beast, knowing he was due another shot in a few hours. Sai had given it to him two days ago, fetching a vial from Danzo’s room, as if they didn’t trust it being kept in the same room as Naruto.

“Don’t vanish again,” Sasuke said, drawing Naruto’s attention, before pushing something at his chest. Naruto grasped it and looked down, seeing Sasuke’s cell phone. His own had been abandoned when Naruto left, when he had been sure he didn’t want anyone to trace him down. He accepted the phone, sliding it into his pocket after making sure the sound was off. He felt like he needed to make sure Sai didn’t know he had a phone. It might be overly cautious, but he wasn’t going to risk losing it.

“I’ll text you my new number,” Sasuke said, as if spontaneously giving away his phone wasn't a big deal at all. Naruto remembered the Sasuke he had first met, fiercely private, and that Sasuke would have cut Naruto’s hands off with that damned katana if he went anywhere near his phone. He was pretty sure he liked this new Sasuke better.

After a moment of staring at each other Sasuke kissed him, hard and with a desperation that went against his otherwise stoic nature. When he pulled away they were both breathing hard, Naruto’s heart beating a fast tattoo in his chest, and he had to force himself to walk towards the door of the hotel room.

He turned back in the doorway, looked at Sasuke a final time and then he left, the sound of the door clicking shut behind him too loud in the quiet hallway.

His feet were heavy as he walked towards the elevator. This was the first time since he left weeks ago he had felt as if things were right again. In Sasuke’s arms he had allowed himself to forget his fears and troubles, and just felt happy and content. For that short time he wasn’t a Protos, or an agent, or anything other than Naruto, and all that mattered was that the man he loved loved him back.

Of course he had known it couldn’t last. Reality was out there, just past the little bubble they’d made for themselves. Only a few floors away were Danzo, a man that promised answers but gave none, and if Naruto thought he could have stayed with Sasuke he would have, but he needed to see this through, needed answers and a solution. At least now he wasn’t alone. Sasuke had hunted him down to tell him he forgave him and that he loved him, and had promised that he would be there for Naruto, no matter what, and that was more than Naruto could have ever hoped for.

Sai was still asleep when Naruto came back into the room a couple minutes later, and Naruto crawled into bed, knowing he needed the sleep, but unable to find it. He spent the next hours staring at the dark ceiling, thoughts spinning in his head.

***

Sasuke hadn’t been sure what to do when he came back from the hotel, finding his apartment as empty as it had ever been, his hair still smelling faintly like Naruto, as if to taunt what he had gotten back for a short moment.

Seeing Naruto leave last night had been one of the hardest moments in his life. He wanted nothing more than to run after him, to stop him and get him to stay, but Naruto was so damned stubborn, claiming he couldn't go back yet.

He understood why, but it didn’t make him ache any less. They’d talked a little, and Sasuke knew about the suppressants Naruto was taking, and about the councilman, and how he’d been warned, and now he didn’t know who to trust any more.

It went against every fibre of Sasuke’s being to let Naruto go, knowing he would go back to that cabin in the woods, working for someone they had no idea if they could trust or not, regularly getting his system flooded with unknown drugs. According to Naruto they worked, and Sasuke knew he wouldn’t have been able to talk Naruto out of not taking them, not unless he had a better solution, and through his weeks of research Sasuke was still coming up frustratingly blank. He still didn’t like the thought of Naruto getting injected with something they had no idea what was.

Naruto had promised him that he would keep in touch when something happened , but for now he needed to be with Danzo, until he could figure out where to go from here. Sasuke knew that Naruto wasn’t one for empty promises, so there were no doubt Naruto was going to do what he said, but he was glad he’d thought to give Naruto his phone before he left, because apparently Naruto didn’t have access to phones or internet in the cabin. Knowing Naruto he would have found a way to contact him anyway, even if it meant having to learn how smoke signalling worked, Naruto was stubborn enough to follow through. His sheer determination was one of the things that had drawn Sasuke to Naruto in the first place.

Sasuke also knew that he’d need to talk to Kakashi. Apart from Naruto Kakashi was the one person he actually trusted, and he’d need to be informed. Kakashi could decide if they’d tell Naruto’s dad, and he’d start looking into the councilman to figure out if he truly was some benefactor or if there was more to the story. Naruto was clearly not sure any more, and Sasuke was not about to let anything happen, so he would be prepared. He had no idea just where the cabin Naruto was staying in was, Naruto had been decidedly unhelpful, having paid zero attention to the road. Sasuke wasn’t going to let a small detail like that stop him, he would hunt down the councilman and personally smash his face in if he did anything to hurt his Naruto.

***

Not enough sleep and too much coffee had left Kakashi with a pounding headache all through the meeting he’d just been in with Tsunade. He was feeling the strain of the job more than ever, and it was weighing on him. His unit was sent out there every night, and he was expecting things to fall apart any time now. He already felt that he had failed Naruto, and every day just made it clearer and clearer that there weren’t nearly enough agents to deal with the everlasting stream of demons flooding from the shadows to kill and maim their way through his city. As it was he was just waiting for the day when he’d get the message that someone in his unit had died. They were toying with fate going out there with little other than guns and knives to fend off beings that were capable of ripping them apart with their bare hands.

Kakashi wished there was something they could do, but money ruled, and they wouldn’t get more agents and better weapons until the men and women in charge said so. Capitalism at it’s finest, money before lives.

He went into his office, sinking down into his chair, long legs splayed in front of him as he sighed. He was about to wake up his computer from its slumber when his phone chirped to announce an incoming message, and he quickly forgot about the computer and the heaps of e-mails that would be waiting for him as he dove for the small device he’d left in a desk drawer.

Two incoming messages were waiting for him, and as he opened them he saw that both were from the same contact. Iruka .

Kakashi pressed his index finger to the fingerprint scanner and opened the phone, quickly pulling open the messages.

He’d sent a text earlier, but had to leave for the meeting before Iruka responded, and he’d forgotten all about it until now.

The first message was sent ten minutes ago.

NO

Kakashi chuckled to himself as he imagined the look of disgust on Iruka’s face when he’d read the message from Kakashi suggesting they’d have a movie night and that Kakashi would bring his 50 Shades of Grey DVD. Apparently Iruka was either intimidated by the theme, or he just had a decent taste in movies. Kakashi suspected it was a little of both.

He had anticipated the reaction, suggesting it mostly to provoke it, because in reality he had no need to watch said movie any time soon. He had nothing against trashy movies and literature, but he had to draw the line somewhere.

Iruka had seemingly realised his answer was a little bit too short, so he had sent another message a little while later, the one Kakashi had heard just now.

Just bring dinner, I’ll find a movie

Kakashi felt a curl of anticipation in his stomach, at odds with the tiredness that had seeped into his bones.

He had done as he decided a few days ago, he’d reached out to Iruka, purely as a friend, someone to be there for him. Iruka didn’t know anyone in this city, and he had no job, so he had apparently been spending most of his days holed up in Naruto’s apartment, slowly working on tossing out anything broken and fixing what could be fixed.

It had taken Kakashi a whole afternoon before he got even a small chuckle out of Iruka. He was constantly worried about his son, tense and distracted, but Kakashi knew that this was the one thing he could do for Iruka right now, give him even just a moment free of worry, and the moment he had seen Iruka’s face light up in a smile he had known he was doing the right thing.

Thing was, he was pretty sure there was at least some level of interest from Iruka. He had caught the man looking at him a couple of times, red tingeing his cheeks when he quickly pulled his gaze away again, and the knowledge was making Kakashi’s heart beat a little faster in his chest, like some teenager with a crush.

The more time he spent around Iruka the more he realised that he liked the man, not just the superficial interest he had first felt when he met him, but something else. He felt calmer around him, relaxing in a way he couldn’t remember ever having. Iruka just gave of that kind of calming energy, and it seemed to warm him from the soul out. Iruka was steady and down to earth most of the time, even though there was a fire simmering underneath the surface.

Under other circumstances Kakashi would love nothing more than to go further than the friendship they were building now, but he also knew that right now Iruka was too vulnerable for that.

There was also the fact that Kakashi didn’t know if Iruka would accept him if he knew the entire truth about him. Only one time had Kakashi told someone he liked about who he was, and he wasn’t keen on repeating that. The reaction he had gotten then had stayed with him.

Besides, Iruka deserved better. He deserved happiness and normalcy in a way Kakashi couldn’t give him. When Naruto came home he would let Iruka be alone to get his life back on his feet without the burden of Kakashi, but for now he was ignoring the future for just a slice of happiness.

I hope you don’t expect me to cook.

Kakashi smiled to himself as he sent back the reply, putting down the phone and going back to the task at hand. He had reports to read through, assignments to delegate.

When there was a knock on his office door not two minutes later he welcomed the distraction.

“Yeah?” he called out. All of his agents were out for the night, so he had no idea who it’d be.

“Kakashi,” Sasuke said as he walked into the room. He looked tired, dark shadows under his eyes, hair hanging limply, grown a little too long to do its usual spikiness. However, his eyes were sharp as ever, filled with determination. Sasuke hadn’t given up the search for Naruto even when there were no leads, going out alone, getting into trouble until Kakashi went along, because there was safety in numbers, and because he was afraid what Sasuke would end up doing if left alone. In theory Kakashi should’ve made him stop going out to the streets at all seeing how Sasuke was suspended from the force, but Kakashi wasn’t stupid, he knew nothing short of chaining him to a wall would keep Sasuke from doing what he could to track down Naruto.

“What can I do for you?” Kakashi asked, knowing well that this wouldn't be a social call.

“I found Naruto,” Sasuke said, and Kakashi wasn’t sure if he should be surprised or not at all. The only one as stubborn as Sasuke was Naruto himself. Of course Sasuke wasn’t about to give up until he found Naruto, he’d scour the world if needed, but apparently it hadn’t come to that.

“Tell me everything.”

***

A few days after he had met Sasuke again Naruto was back at the cabin, relieved of his security job as Danzo finished up with the string of meetings and moved on to other jobs that apparently meant he didn’t need Naruto around any more. Naruto didn’t mind, he had felt uneasy walking on Danzo’s heels, more so after he had met up with Sasuke again.

Naruto had no idea what he should do. A part of him just wanted to confront Danzo head-on, because that was usually how Naruto dealt with anything, but he knew he had to be more tactical that than for once. If Danzo did turn out to have less than benign reasons for what he was doing it meant Naruto had to thread carefully. He needed to learn more before he acted, but he had no idea how to go about that. The man who had warned him before hadn’t been around since Naruto came back, and the other shifters hanging around the cabin mostly scowled at him if he as much as looked at them, so he was pretty sure they weren’t the right ones to ask either.

He wanted to go exploring in the basement, but the doctor was always scuttling around in the hallways, and he’d look at Naruto with his beady eyes if he as much as lingered too long down there after getting his shots, so that was clearly not going to happen.

The days back here had passed as they usually did, Naruto doing some chores to keep from boring himself to death, and he worked out a lot, until his muscles screamed at him to stop, and then he pushed a little harder .

H e wanted to call Sasuke if only to talk to him, but he had quickly realised that he couldn’t. He had a phone, sure, but he didn’t have a charger, so the battery was slowly leaking out, and he wanted to conserve it as long as possible, because he wasn’t sure if he would be able to get his hands on one. He would’ve gone to a store to buy a new one if this cabin wasn’t in the middle of buttfuck nowhere. Some of the other shifters might have one, but he wasn’t sure he was ready to tempt fate by breaking into their rooms, not until it was absolutely necessary.

So for now he waited, not sure if he hoped Danzo would come back here soon or not, because the moment he did Naruto was sure he would have to do something, because this uncertainty couldn’t keep up.

In the end the change in his routine didn’t come with the return of Danzo, it came with the clearing of a throat as Naruto was in his room, doing push-ups, minding his own business.

He stopped and looked up, expecting Sai, because no one else ever did talk to him, but he was surprised to see that it wasn’t a pasty ass face looking back at him at all, it was one of the shifters who used to ignore him, the girl with the red dish hair who he didn’t immediately remember the name of. Her arms were crossed as she leaned against the door jamb and she didn’t look very impressed with him.

“It’s Naruto yeah?” she said as Naruto sat up, crossing his legs as he looked up at her. As far as he could remember she had never once talked to him, so he had no idea why she was doing so now, but he had never really liked her or her little gang, so he was wary.

“Yeah,” he said, pushing sweaty bangs away from his face.

“We need some help with a job, Danzo said to bring you.”

“What job?” Naruto asked, eyes narrowing in suspicion. He really didn’t want to do the bodyguard thing again.

“Just gotta pick up a package,” she said with a small shrug.

Normally Naruto wouldn’t find the task of picking up packages very intriguing, but that would mean leaving the cabin, which again could lead to him magically finding himself alone long enough to pick up a charger somewhere. It was a slim hope, but it was better than nothing. Also, hanging out with the other shifters might mean overhearing something, which was probably a more likely outcome than getting away long enough to go shopping, particularly since no one should really know about his phone. Naruto had gone as far as asking Sai about the possibilities of getting a cell phone to test the waters , but Sai had just levelled a blank stare and told him that wasn’t going to need one, in a way that told Naruto that it wasn't as much that he wasn't going to need one, more that he wasn’t going to be allowed to have one. He hadn’t pushed, but filed it nicely away in the this place is bad news column of the tally he was keeping in his head.

Naruto rolled to his feet, and the woman glanced down at his sweat-drenched t-shirt, her nose scrunching up in apparent disgust . “Please shower first, we’ll be in the hall,” she said before turning around and leaving. Naruto just shrugged, grabbed some clean clothes and headed to wash off. It wasn’t like he had anything better to do, so he might as well tag along.

A couple of hours later he was walking through a worn-down hallway, two shifters on his tail as he looked at apartment numbers, searching for the right one. The other two were bad company at best, talking to him monosyllabic words and glaring more often than not. Naruto wanted to say that it was nice to leave somewhere without Sai on his heels, but he wasn’t really sure this was a good trade-off. Even after two hours in a car he hadn’t even picked up on their names, so he just referred to them as Red and Big. He wasn’t even sure what kind of shifters they were. She was probably some kind of feline, and he might be a bear judging by his size, easily twice Naruto’s width.

The building had looked shabby from the outside, but it looked even worse from the inside, and Naruto had no idea what they were supposed to pick up in a place like this, but he was having a hard time believing it was anything legal. He didn’t think asking the other two was going to do much, so he just trudged along the hallway until he pulled up in front of the door that had the right numbers.

The door had probably been bright green at some point, but the colour was dull and cracked, and one of the numbers were hanging upside down by a lone screw. Naruto knocked on the door, eager to get this over with. The two shifters crowded him, so close he could feel one of them breathe down his neck, and he wanted to take a step forward to get away, but they had pushed him right up against the door, so he was stuck for now, at least until someone opened.

There were sounds from inside the apartment, someone shuffling along. Naruto’s hearing was easily able to pick up when the person stopped right in front of the door, breathing heavily as he or she probably looked through the peep-hole.

The door finally creaked open, and an old woman peered out, eyes sunken in her face, skin papery and wrinkled.

“What do you want?” she asked in a rough voice, looking like she was ready to slam the door in their faces any moment.

“We’re here to pick up a package,” Naruto said. He wasn’t sure how he was suddenly the one seemingly taking charge considering he had only been pulled along, but the other two seemed content to hang back and let Naruto do the talking.

The woman narrowed her eyes, gaze trailing over Naruto as if she was assessing him.

“Wait here,” she finally said, slamming the door shut and shuffling away in her slippers.

Naruto looked back at his companions, wondering if they had any idea what they were picking up. Red seemed bored out of her mind, and the big guy looked to be more brawn than brains, and Naruto had no idea why he had been the one they’d asked to go along. Usually the two hung around with this one dark haired guy and a couple of others that Naruto was pretty sure were twins because they were eerily identical. There had been no sign of the last three when they left the cabin earlier though.

It felt almost wrong to leave without Sai considering he was like Naruto’s eternal shadow and he wondered if Sai even knew he was here right now.

Whatever, there wasn't much he could do about that right now. He’d just finish up this stupid job and go back. They had parked right outside the apartment building, and there were absolutely no shops around, so any hope of covertly getting his hands on a charger was thoroughly quashed.

The chain on the door clattered and then the door pushed open, the old woman clutching a small cardboard box, holding it out for Naruto to take.

He grabbed it, noticing that it looked well used. One corner was dented in, there was a stain up along one side, and one of the flaps had been torn off.

“Is it all there?” Big said, voice gruff, bordering on a growl.

“Yeah, yeah, all of it,” the woman said, making to turn around.

“Hold on.” Big curled one hand around the door of the apartment to hold it open before turning towards Naruto. “Check the box.”

Naruto looked up at him and then down at the box again, shrugging as he pulled aside the remaining flaps, peering inside. He had no idea what to expect. This seemed eerily like some shady drug deal, and he was a little worried just what he was being shot up with every other day.

It wasn’t drugs.

There were a dozen or so plastic bags in the box, each filled with teeth. The jagged triangular ones of sharks, small sharp feline fangs, and blunt ones that looked very much like that one tooth he had lost once in a fight, chunky molars with long roots.

Naruto recoiled, almost dropping the box.

“Count the bags,” Big said, and it was clear the content wasn’t surprising to him in the slightest. Naruto wanted to say no, but he was pretty sure they wouldn’t be leaving until the teeth were all counted up, and any arguing he did wouldn’t stop that.

There was of course the chance that it was all legitimate, but there was a few too many magical rituals that used teeth for him not to think this was a black market business. Was Danzo really dealing with this? If rumours came out that the councilman had dealings with the black market he could kiss the position of governor goodbye.

He quickly counted out eighteen bags of varied teeth and fangs and then closed up the flap, not really wanting to look at them. Most of the animal fangs could easily be imagined being leftovers from slaughter or hunting, but the three bags of clearly human teeth less so. The size made it clear they weren’t baby teeth, and he didn’t really believe the small hope that it was gathered from dentists.

“You sure there were eighteen?” Big asked, levelling a hard stare at Naruto, who could only nod in assurance, not liking where this was going.

Big growled deep in his throat as he turned back to the woman in the doorway who was shrinking in on herself, eyes shifting between the shifter and Naruto.

“What happened to the last two bags?” Big asked the old woman.

“I… I couldn’t get them, the supplier, he never came!” the woman said, voice cracking on a cough.

“And when were you planning on telling us that you were two bags short? When you had fled the state with the full payment?”

“I was going to get you the bags as soon as possible, I swear!”

“You know what happens with people who try to stiff us,” Big growled, shoulders hitching up. He looked like he would shift into his animal form any moment, his eyes glowing with the wildness of a predator, and Naruto knew he had to de-escalate the situation right now, before things went completely haywire.

He glanced over towards Red, hoping she’d back him up, but her lips were pulled into a sneer directed at the woman in the doorway.

Two angry shifters against a frail old woman, it was hardly going to be a fair fight.

“Uhm, guys, let’s just…” Naruto said. Big’s gaze shifted towards him, and in that split second the woman seemed to decide that this was her opportunity. Her hand dipped into her pocket with a speed at complete odds with how fragile she looked, grabbing a small tin. Naruto had no idea what was happening, but the next moment the woman threw the powdery content of the tin at Big, and then Red at Naruto’s side dropped down onto four as her human form flowed into that of a bobcat with the characteristic spotted fur and tufts on her ears. In a world of people changing into lions and bears she might not look like much, but when she sneered and used her strong hind legs to jump at the other woman, sending her careening to the floor she showed all of the compact strength in her body, taking the woman down easily.

Big was crouched on the floor, still in human form, hands pressed to his face as he screeched in pain. Between his fingers his skin was scorched red and blistering, and Naruto did not want to know what had been in the powder the woman had thrown at him.

The bobcat was standing on the other woman’s chest, paws near her throat, claws curling against her skin in a warning not to move.

Naruto would have thought that was it, that the woman on the floor would stop fighting, because having thirty pounds of bobcat with claws that could easily take out ones throat on top of you would have most people stop fighting.

It was becoming clear to Naruto that there was more to the woman than first met the eye. No eighty-something woman he had ever seen had thrown a shifter as easily through the room, only to flip back to her feet, the edge of the robe she was wearing flapping.

She turned towards Naruto, and with a shake of her head the age seemed to just flow from her like water. Her skin grew smooth and clear and golden, her grey hair thickened into brown curls and her eyes grew sharp.

Witch of some sort, probably not the good kind if she went around dealing in teeth.

She jumped over Big who was lying on his side, convulsing, and before he knew it she was right in front of Naruto, grabbing the box out of his hands. He was too stunned to react, having never actually met a witch before, and not really being very invested in the box to begin with, but as the witch started running Big choked on a breath and grew still, and Naruto was a little too sure that this witch had just killed him. There was no love between him and Big but he couldn't well let a murderer get away, so he took off after her.

He could hear the sound of paws and knew the bobcat was following.

They caught up to the witch in the stairwell as Naruto launched himself over the railing and tackled her a floor down, sending the two of them tumbling down a flight of stairs, small bags of teeth flying around them, one breaking open to spill tiny rodent teeth in Naruto’s lap.

He paid little attention to it, grabbing the witch before she could get away, twisting her arms behind her back as he pressed her to the floor with a knee. With her hands incapacitated she probably wouldn’t be able to do much. Very few witches could do anything like incantations unless it was fuelled by potions or powders or other remedies, so as long as her hand wasn’t able to grab more tricks from her pockets they’d be fine.

There was a faint sound of the bobcat shifting back into human form mid-air as she leapt down the last flight of stairs to join them, landing lightly on her feet with all the grace of the feline she was. There was some blood smeared around her mouth, she’d probably gotten hurt when she’d been tossed into a wall, but other than that she seemed well enough.

“You really thought you’d get away with this?” she spat out as she crouched by the witch’s head. She was naked, her clothes left upstairs when she shifted, but she seemed anything but self conscious about it. Most shifters seemed to worry little about nudity. Very few clothes transitioned well from human to shifter form, so they probably just got used to being naked around each other. Naruto wasn't quite there, so he tried his best to look anywhere other than her face.

The witch huffed out a laugh. “I thought there would only be one of you.”

“Good for us you were ratted out then.” Red smiled, but it was not a happy smile, rather a malevolent smirk. “You tried to betray us, and we don’t take kindly to this.”

“Shit, I’ll get you the teeth alright, I just need a few more days.”

“We can get teeth other places, that’s not the problem. The problem is that you thought you could get away with this.”

Naruto looked between the two, the ominous feeling of something bad about to happen settling in his gut. This wasn’t what he had agreed to. He was here only to pick up a package, that was all.

The creeping feeling that he had made a grave mistake when he called Sai those weeks ago was starting to overpower him. He’d been sceptical at first, mostly thinking it was all some scam, but then then suppressants had worked, and that suspicion had shifted to why someone wanted to help him without getting anything in return. Then there was the fey they’d supposedly saved, and the warning from the stranger, and then he was working alongside Danzo, and he saw the shift in the man from when he was in the public eye to when he was alone, how his facade just seemed to drop.

Now it appeared like he was mixed up with the black market, and Danzo’s goons seemed like they weren't above some good old vengeance, and this felt more like some bad mafia movie than it did real life, and Naruto had no idea how to get away from this. He could leave the cabin, sure, but he’d watched enough movies to know that people didn’t just get away like that, there were repercussions.

Fuck, this was a clusterfuck, but right now he had to focus on this right here. Red looked like she was about to kill the witch, and that was not how the law worked. Witches weren’t demons like the vampires he had hunted, they were humans who had connected to the earth, using it to create magic. Some took it too far, took more than they gave back, and it warped their minds, but even if they did evil they weren't inherently evil and should be taken to trial not executed.

“Hey, calm down,” Naruto said, and Red turned towards him, glaring.

“Let’s just… call the DPA, yeah? They’ll deal with her.”

“The DPA, really? You think that’ll solve anything then? They won’t question why we’re here or why there happens to be dozens of illegally procured teeth around us? Do you even know the value of all this?” she said, gesturing towards the bags spread around them.

“They’re just… teeth?” Naruto started, but the way her smirk was back, as if she couldn’t believe how much of an idiot Naruto was told him he had missed out on something.

“ They’re shifter teeth, idiot.”

Naruto looked around at the dozens of teeth, shuddering. If all of these teeth belonged to shifters… that took it to a whole new level of illegal. Something told him that none of those teeth were willingly donated.

“ And this bitch thought she could get away with it, and now she’s killed Jirōbō , and she well know what the punishment for that is.”

Naruto was sure he didn’t want to know, but Red didn’t give him the luxury of ignorance for long.

“Eye for an eye, death for a death,” Red said, the grin stretching over her face shoving that she would have no problem going through with that. “I guess we’ll have to make sure to make up for the lacking teeth too.”

Naruto swallowed hard, the grip he had on the witch faltering, but she made no move to get away, just sneered at Red.

“I think I’ll give newbie over here the honour of being the one to pull out every single one of your teeth,” Red continued, levelling a hard stare at Naruto, and Naruto lost his grip on the witch entirely, falling back on his ass in disgust at the implication. She wanted him to yank out her teeth? And then what, they’d kill her?

“No,” Naruto said, shaking his head. “I won’t do it.”

“You really think you have a choice right now?”

“Yes,” Naruto said, voice firm and determined. He would not back away from his principles willingly, and Naruto would never hurt anyone intentionally. He had brought enough pain as it was, he would not do it.

“ You don’t think he’ll take away your drugs the moment he learns you’ve disobeyed?” Red continued, leaning over the witch and locking a hand around the witch’s wrist, yanking it away from the pocket she had tried to pull something out of. Red curled her fingertips into the tendons on the inside of the witch’s wrist hard enough that she dropped the small tin she’d had in the pocket, similar to the one that he killed Big— Jirōbō Naruto mentally corrected himself to now that he knew his name— upstairs with a cloud of magical dust.

Red palmed it, grin widening.

“ I guess the choice is yours, little fox. She gets the powder or you do, what will it be?”

Chapter Text

“I’m not going to hurt her. We call in the DPA, they’ll deal with her. The body upstairs will be evidence, so she won’t get away,” Naruto said, trying to defuse the situation.

“You don’t get it do you? What do you think the DPA will say to this?” Red threw her arm out, gesticulating to the teeth spread around them.

“Then we pick up the teeth, hide them. They won’t need to know about that, we’ll make a cover story.” Naruto thought he’d found a good compromise. He could always call it in to Kakashi himself later, he could look into this then. The teeth weren't urgent business, but stopping Red from killing the witch certainly was.

“Shit, I didn’t think the drugs made you this impotent,” the girl spat, and the next thing Naruto knew she had flicked open the small tin and thrown the content in the witch’s face.

Bits of powder sprayed over Naruto’s exposed hands, and even though he shook it off immediately he could see his skin reddening and blistering from the split-second of contact. He had no idea what was in the powder, had never learned much about dark magic, and as the witch’s screams rang out, shrill in the stairwell, loud enough to stir any neighbours—neighbours that would not investigate, because why would you in a place like this where screams were nothing out of the ordinary—and Naruto knew there was nothing he could do for her.

Her screams died as her lungs gave out, and she convulsed sharply and then stilled. Red foam had gathered in the corners of her mouth, the capillaries in her eyes had burst, and her face were covered with sore blisters. Red looked wholly unaffected by the situation, caring no more than a cat would looking at the mouse it had just killed.

“Gather up the teeth, and then we leave,” she said, brushing off her hands, small blisters forming on the tips of her fingers where the powder had hit her.

Naruto did as she said, not knowing what else to do. He wanted to leave, wanted to run and make his way back to the city where Sasuke would welcome him home, no questions asked. It wouldn’t last for long though, his beast would be back, and he would never be able to feel safe around Sasuke, always afraid what he might do. No, he needed to find a better way.

If there was any chance Danzo wasn’t a crook Naruto was having a hard time believing it any more. Danzo had sent them out here to fetch the teeth, and Naruto wasn’t sure why he didn’t seem concerned with hiding the fact that he was dealing with shit he really shouldn't’ be dealing with. So far Danzo had seemed intent portray himself as a good man, had given no inclinations to show any other sides even as Naruto spent time guarding him. Had that been a test? To see if Naruto was loyal?

it was becoming clear that he needed to talk to Danzo as soon as possible. He needed to get him to spill what he knew about what he was, and get him to tell what he planned to do. Did he intend for Naruto to live in that cabin forever, his personal lapdog in exchange for suppressants, or had he planned to let him go when they perfected the dosage?

He was starting to think he might have to find a way to get his hands on a few vials of suppressants and take them back to the DPA in the hope that they might be able to manufacture it there, because there was a steadily growing part of him that told him that he was in deep shit and it would only get worse if he stayed. If Danzo really was a bad guy he wasn’t going to let Naruto leave, not with the knowledge he had.

The battered box looked inconspicuous when he carried it down the stairs, the thought that he was leaving two corpses behind making him feel sick. No one would be able to tell what he was carrying, how many lives had probably been spilled to fill it, and he most definitely was ignoring the fact that Red stayed behind after he started walking downstairs, only to catch up to him as he waited outside the car. She let a handful of teeth fall into the box, blood still clinging to the roots of them, and Naruto very nearly lost his breakfast then and there as she smiled at him, looking immensely pleased with herself.

***

Iruka was letting his hair hang loose to air dry as he stood in front of his suitcase, debating what to wear. He hadn’t actually unpacked any of his clothes, seeing how the drawers were still full of Naruto’s clothes and he got a bit emotional every time he saw them. Instead he was still living out of the suitcase and bags he had brought when he left. Most of his belongings were still in his apartment back home, but without a job he wouldn’t be able to pay for that for long, so he would have to think about gathering it all up and letting the lease go. He could probably get a storage unit for the furniture until he could figure out what to do. He’d need to get a new job, and an apartment when Naruto came back. because Naruto was going to come back, Iruka wasn’t going to allow anything else. He’d come back, and Iruka would scold him, and then they’d make ramen and eat at the kitchen counter as they had done before.

Iruka shook his head to stop himself from falling into old memories that would do nothing good. He would have faith that Naruto came back, and until that point he’d just wait. The one thing he could do for Naruto right now was to be there for him whenever he returned . Iruka was the one utterly normal in a world of extraordinary, he had no way of finding Naruto, he would just rely on Naruto to realise he was an idiot and come home.

He focused back on his clothes. There wasn't any heating on in the bedroom, so it was cold standing there in just the towel around his hips, and Kakashi was about to come soon, and Iruka was pretty sure that greeting him in just a towel was a bad idea.

Actually, he wouldn't mind seeing the look on Kakashi’s face if he did, but then again, it was hard to spot any reactions behind his mask and eyepatch, so in the end he pulled out a pair of dark grey sweatpants and a soft knitted sweater in a forest green. He forewent fashion for the night , a little for the comfort , but mostly for the fact that he owned nothing that would be considered stylish in any way. His clothes were a remarkable stack of plain.

He had just shaken his hair loose of the collar of the sweater when the doorbell rang and Iruka hurried towards the front door, looking out the peep-hole before unlatching the door and letting in Kakashi.

He was in his standard dark slacks and white shirt, probably coming straight from work. He had a bag in his hand which he shoved into Iruka’s arms as he made his way into the apartment, making himself at home as he sat down on the still busted up couch, throwing his feet up on the small side table that Iruka used for a coffee table in lieu of the one that had been broken.

He wanted to replace the furniture for new ones that were actually whole, but he couldn't really pay for it right now. With no income he needed to stretch his bank account for as long as he could, so there was no openings for splurging on anything but essentials.

“I swear, if you brought 50 Shades I’m tossing it in the blender,” Iruka called out over his shoulder as he brought the food to the kitchen counter to plate it.

Kakashi chuckled at that, and Iruka allowed himself to smile, even though Kakashi wouldn’t see.

He was glad he had Kakashi. Without him he’d spend all day in this apartment, stewing in his grief; but Kakashi helped keep him company, pull him out of the worst funks, even if it was by doing something as simple as having a movie night. It felt nice to have a bit of normality, to be able to think about something else for once.

Kakashi was a good man, and he was great company, as soon as you got past some of his odder sides. The mask and eye patch hadn’t come off once, apart from when he ate, but it was an unspoken agreement that Iruka looked away when Kakashi did so, respecting his boundaries.

He had no idea why Kakashi wore the two, he guessed some sort of accident had taken his eye and maybe left him with scarring across his face he wasn’t comfortable showing people, but Iruka hadn’t asked, knowing Kakashi would tell him if he ever wanted to.

There was also the fact that Kakashi had a fascination with shitty romance novels that completely contradicted the picture of him as some serious DPA unit leader, but Iruka found that an intriguing oxymoron. Sometimes they would just sit and read together, Iruka going through the classics while Kakashi giggled to himself over some cliched romance. He couldn't find it in himself to think of it as anything other endearing.

Kakashi swung his feet off the table when Iruka came back with two plates laden with Chinese take-out, and soon they were digging their way through noodles and chicken as they watched a movie. They weren't talking, but sitting in silence with Kakashi wasn't uncomfortable at all.

Sated from the food and growing dozy Iruka was curled up on the couch, legs tucked underneath him, Kakashi a comforting presence at his side. Out of the side of his eye he could see Kakashi fidgeting, and he lasted all but two minutes until he reached over to pause the movie, turning towards Kakashi, pulling up his teacher face.

He didn’t need to say anything, Kakashi easily interpreting his face as he lifted a hand and dragged it through his hair, clearly stalling. Iruka tried his best not to notice how soft that messy shock of hair looked and how much he wanted to bury his fingers in it.

“Sasuke came by my office today,” Kakashi started.

Iruka sat up a little straighter. “Yeah?”

He knew Sasuke had been looking for Naruto, but last he heard there had been no clues. Had Sasuke found something? Why else would Kakashi need to tell Iruka about it?

“He… He found Naruto,” Kakashi said, turning away from Iruka, gaze going back towards the TV screen although it was clear he wasn’t paying attention to it.

“He… He found Naruto?” Iruka repeated dumbly, feeling his heart clench in his chest, unsure if it was supposed to soar with joy or not. It was good news, wasn’t it? It had to be, Iruka wasn’t going to accept anything else.

“Yes, he tracked him down, and went to see him last night.”

Iruka let out a ragged breath, that had to mean that Naruto was safe, if Sasuke had been able to see him. Iruka hadn’t wanted to consider any scenario where Naruto had gotten hurt or worse, but the thought had been festering in the back of his mind.

“Is he… is he safe?” Iruka asked, needing the confirmation.

“It seems like it,” Kakashi said, and Iruka couldn’t help himself as he threw himself forward, throwing his arms around Kakashi’s neck and hugging him tightly. He had been so worried, but as long as Naruto was alive and unharmed he could finally breathe properly again.

He felt Kakashi tense underneath him for a moment before his arms gingerly lifted and wrapped around Iruka as he hugged him back, and for a moment Iruka just allowed himself to relax with relief, letting the soft scent of Kakashi envelop him, forgetting all about what he should and shouldn’t do.

Still, there was something wrong. Kakashi should have been happy if they’d found Naruto. Naruto should have come back to them. There was something Kakashi wasn’t telling him, so reluctantly Iruka pulled away.

“Kakashi,” he said, the rest of the words wilting in his mouth.

“He found someone who has made an experimental drug that kept the part of him that’s not human at bay, the part that hurt Sasuke,” Kakashi said.

“He… let someone he didn’t know give him experimental drugs?” Iruka asked in disbelief.

That idiot. That stupid little brat. He really thought he’d taught him better than that. Filling your body with unknown chemicals was a horrible idea, and he really should have known better. There were other ways, there had to be. Naruto needed to come back, and then they could figure things out.

“Sasuke got the impression that Naruto was wary of the man, but that he didn’t see any other options.”

“What kind of people have he gotten involved with?” Iruka asked, trying to shake the image of Naruto curled up on a dirty mattress in some crack house from his mind.

“He’s a fairly well known politician actually, but something… doesn't seem right. Naruto promised to keep in touch with Sasuke, but he needed to go back there for now. I’m sorry I couldn’t bring him back here, but Naruto seems to think he needs to see this through. We will monitor as well as we can.”

“I need to see him, Kakashi, I need to know that he is well.”

Kakashi sighed. “It’s not an ideal situation, we have no idea what the drugs might have done to him, but they do appear to work as intended. We need to trust Naruto in this, I have faith that he can figure things out.”

Iruka heard the note of worry in Kakashi’s voice.

What did you get yourself mixed up in, he thought, hating how utterly useless he felt, unable to help his son.

***

The car ride back to the cabin was tense. Naruto had shoved the box into the back seat as soon as he could and spent the entire ride staring out the window, trying not to do something he was going to regret. Red had just laughed when he suggested he drove, swinging the key from her finger tauntingly before getting into the driver’s seat. Naruto had no choice but to get in at the passenger seat or risk being left here. Which was tempting, but he couldn’t, not without the suppressants.

He was disgusted by the thought of what was in the dingy box right behind him, and with the fact that Red seemed to care so little she had just killed someone as well as seen her partner die in front of her eyes. Naruto hadn’t liked Jirōbō much, but it was still an awful way to go, writhing in pain as his face was practically burned away.

As it was Naruto had no idea if he was on his way back to the headquarters of a criminal organisation, or if he should still hold out some hope that it was some sort of misunderstanding and he could still trust Danzo. If the first was true he needed to step carefully or he’d be in deep shit. He wished he could believe the latter, that it was some big mistake, because if Danzo was a bad guy it meant that Naruto was close to being one as well, and the thought was disturbing.

“I thought you worked as an executioner before, wouldn’t think you cared this much,” Red said, as if they were actually going to be talking about this in a casual manner.

“I wasn’t an executioner, I was a DPA agent,” Naruto muttered.

“So you didn’t kill anyone then?”

“I stopped vampires from hurting people.”

Red snorted at that. “You asked them nicely to stop, is that it? Because as far as I know I’m pretty sure the DPA way of stopping vampires is the good old Red Queen’s method. You know, off with their heads.”

Naruto’s hands fisted by his side as anger coursed through him. It wasn’t the first time the DPA had been accused of them same, but what was they supposed to do? Lock them all up? There was no way of redeeming demons, just like there was no way to give zombies their humanity back. Unlike the witch Red had killed the vampires would never be human and good again, no matter how much therapy they were to receive. Demons were inherently evil, and vampires were nothing more than corpses controlled by demons. Locking up the undead would mean keeping them forever. Without sustenance both vampires and zombies would wither away, but that could take a long time, and it had the same result as a swift dead, so if they were to be treated as prisoners that meant people would have to donate blood and the corpses of their loved ones for sustenance, and everyone knew that wasn’t about to happen, so all the DPA could offer was a swift death. Evil was vanquished and humanity was safe.

He wanted to tell her this, but he knew she was just taunting him, so getting into an argument wasn’t going to lead to anything. Iruka would be so proud if he saw how Naruto was actually keeping his temper in check for once, there was a time when Naruto would have flown in her face for talking down about something he was invested in.

Red seemed to grow tired of him, so she didn’t push any more, just turned on the radio, switching to some truly obnoxious flute music that Naruto didn’t have the energy to complain about.

He closed his eyes and willed the pictures of the shifter and witch screaming in pain to go away. He wasn’t succeeding, the sounds still too clear to him.

When they drove past the gates to the cabin and the witch parked Naruto jumped out of the car and stormed off, ignoring the outraged yell from Red as he left her and the teeth behind. He needed to find Danzo, but he had no idea if he was even here, he rarely was, but if he wasn’t he’d track down Sai and get him to find him for him, because Naruto wasn't going to just sit here and do nothing. He needed answers, and he needed them now.

He slammed open the front doors and stalked inside, heading towards Danzo’s study, not even bothering knocking, just yanking at the door handle.

It was locked, and Naruto knocked hard on it, only stopping long enough to listen for movement inside. There was none.

He growled in frustration. Apparently Danzo wasn’t around. He’d barely been here at all in the weeks Naruto had spent in the cabin, and Sai hadn’t had any answers, and Naruto was seriously starting to wonder if he was ever going to get any answers at all.

Naruto punched the door hard enough to crack open his knuckles, leaving a smear of blood on the oak. The badger shifter just walking out of the kitchen turned around and left, seemingly finding it best to leave Naruto alone right now.

Pissed off Naruto shoved away from the door, deciding to head upstairs to hunt down Sai. He’d shake him around until he got the answers he was looking for. This day had been supremely shitty, he didn’t have any energy left to be tactful. He didn’t want to be here any more, he wanted to go home with Sasuke. He hated that he couldn't do that without the suppressants, it made him feel like some drug addict. He was trapped, and he was feeling the walls close in on him, and he wanted out, now, but at the same time he couldn’t. He wouldn't risk Sasuke’s life by leaving without the suppressants.

“SAI!” he yelled as he rushed up the stairs, shoving open the door to his room, finding it empty. The bathroom was likewise empty, and Naruto stomped back out, anger growing in him.

Somehow seeing Sasuke had changed everything. He had lived in this little bubble, focusing on himself, trying not to think of Sasuke, because that hurt too much, but then Sasuke had found him, and he was fine and he forgave him and wanted him to come home, and it was everything Naruto could ever want.

He wanted to be back home with Sasuke, to curl up next to him and never let him go. To be happy together and love each other and not worry, but then Naruto had to leave Sasuke again, and it was the hardest thing he had ever done, to walk away from Sasuke a second time. This time not for fear of what he had done, but because he had to, because he was stuck here in this cabin with murderers and black market dealers, and Danzo might be in on it, and Naruto felt that he had screwed up big time.

He had been so desperate he jumped at the first opportunity that came his way, not thinking things through at all, and sure, the suppressants might work, but now he was stuck.

The control the suppressants gave him over the beast was just a mirage. The moment he stopped taking them the beast would be back with a vengeance and Naruto would be back at square one, always afraid of himself and what he would do, but if he stayed here they might make him hurt people, and he would never allow that to happen.

He just needed to talk to someone, to get some answers. He still held some sliver of a hope that Danzo was unaware of what was going on, that he’d be appalled and deal with it and then tell Naruto everything he needed, tell him that of course he was free to leave when they had made a stable dosage of the suppressants.

Naruto scoffed at himself as he pressed his back against the wall and slid down until he was sitting on the floor, face in his hands, trying to keep his tears at bay.

He wanted Sasuke, and he wanted his dad and he wanted his life back.

He had no idea how long he sat there, trying to keep from breaking down, tears stinging his eyes as he desperately wished he hadn't gotten mixed up with any of this, wished he was home, unable to see any solutions that would get him out both alive and with the suppressants.

He was interrupted in his wallowing by footsteps coming up the staircase, and Naruto looked up, expecting to see one of the assholes who lived here leer at him, but it wasn't one of the usual idiots. It was the one he had met the other day, before he’d had to leave to work for Danzo as a bodyguard, the one that had wanted to talk to him in private. He looked different than the others, less cocky alpha male, and calmer in a way that made Naruto want to trust him. He wasn’t sure if it was because the man was actually trustworthy, or just that Naruto was looking for anyone to be on his side.

The man walked over, kneeling in front of him. If he noticed Naruto’s teary eyes he didn’t say anything about it.

“Follow me, I’ve been waiting for you,” he whispered, before looking around as if to make sure no one was watching them. Then he stood and raised his voice, not even directing it at Naruto any more, as if he was making sure anyone overhearing them would catch what he was saying. “I need help with the wood, come along.”

Naruto hesitated as the man started walking down the hallway, and then he remembered the look on the other man’s face when he had seen Naruto, as if he’d seen a ghost, and then there had been the warning he’d given Naruto... Most of the other shifters either ignored Naruto or looked at him with contempt, but this man was different, and Naruto wanted to know why, as well as what he knew, so he pushed to his feet and followed after him through the cabin towards the shack out back where they stored firewood.

They didn’t speak as they walked outside and then across the grounds, Naruto getting the feeling that what the man had to say wasn’t something other people should overhear. He just hoped he hadn’t misread the situation and would end his days with an axe through his skull, but right now that was a risk he was willing to take.

With everything that had happened he had forgotten how the man had wanted to talk to him before, but now his mind was swirling with just what it might entail.

The door to the shed creaked close behind them, leaving them in a room filled with the scent of fresh wood and plenty of spiders to keep them company. The only light was through a dirty window, but Naruto didn’t need much light to see properly, so it mattered little to him, he could make out the other man just fine. He was dressed just as plainly as the last time, hair a short brown and eyes seeming black in the darkness, big and tapering into almond shapes.

“I am sorry about the suddenness of last time,” the man started, staring at Naruto, but this time less in shock and more as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. “It’s just that you look almost exactly like your father.”

“Huh, dad? Not… really?” With Iruka’s dark eyes and long brown hair there wasn’t much similarity between them. Besides, how did this man know his dad?

The man took a step closer, head tilting a little to the side as he looked at him. “I see a lot of your mother in you too.”

“My… mother?”

“You have your father’s hair, but there’s definitely some of her in you as well.”

Naruto lifted a hand to his head, tugging at one of the strands of naturally blond hair that definitely in no way looked like Iruka’s brown, realisation starting to dawn on him.

“My… birth parents?”

The man’s lip twitched up as if he was trying to smile, but couldn’t quite. “I guess you wouldn't know much about them.”

Naruto felt his knees grow weak. This man had known his parents? Naruto knew so little himself. He had tried to find out more about them, but none of the records had much information, as if they hadn’t really existed at all.

He half-sat half-fell down on a box standing pushed up against the wall, legs not quite up to the task of keeping him standing any more.

“Who are you?” he asked, looking up at the other incredulously.

“I’m Yamato, and I’m a Protos like you, and your father.”

Chapter Text

In a small room in the basement of a cabin in the middle of nowhere she was sitting all alone, curled up in a corner with her knees tucked close to her chest, trying to make herself small in the futile hope that it would make her disappear.

She didn’t know how long she’d been here. A week? Ten days? Time bled into nothing in the windowless room, and she was tired enough to slip in and out of consciousness, the heavy iron choker around her neck draining her magic and leaving her exhausted.

She’d thought she’d be safe when she got away from her abuser, the one she had loved but learned to fear, and she’d gone willingly with the two who came for her, expecting them to take her to a safe house, but instead she was brought here, lead away and left in this small room, the choker still a heavy weight around her throat.

Her eyes were wet with tears and she trembled, cold and in pain. When the door to the room creaked open she didn’t even have the energy to attempt to make a break for it, just looked up, blinking her eyes free from tears so she could make out the shape of the man in the doorway.

He was short and round, wearing a white coat like a doctor, nose twitching as he walked inside.

She wanted to pull away from him, but he leaned in and grabbed her wrist, pulling it towards him, and she could only watch as he lifted a syringe and plunged the needle into her arm, drawing her blood into it.

With the syringe full and capped off he left her again, not offering a single word as he shuffled out of the room.

The door closed behind him, clicking as it locked, and she buried her face in her hands, weeping until she could weep no more.

***

Hundred or so yards away, above ground, in a small wooden shack, Naruto felt as if someone had turned his whole world and his knowledge of it on its head. His mind was reeling, trying to process what this Yamato had just told him.

“I’m a Protos like you, and your father.”

Naruto had no idea how to respond to that, and was left just staring at the other man in complete shock. He wanted to ask him everything, but he couldn't get his mind to concentrate on just one question. If this was true, if Yamato was a Protos like him, that meant… that meant that Naruto might get the answers he had always been searching for, might understand why he was like he was, might figure out a way to control himself without the suppressants and be able to leave and go back home.

Then Naruto realised just what he had heard Yamato say. “My... father?”

“Yes, Minato was a Protos just like you,” Yamato said, and there was nothing in his tone to indicate he was lying.

“But… they were killed by whatever made me what I am,” Naruto said. That’s what he had always been told. Someone had broken into his parents’ home when he was a baby, slaughtered the two of them and hurt Naruto bad enough to leave him not quite human any more. He’d barely lived, and for the years to come he had been bounced between foster homes, always too different to stay, no one able to love and care for him. Those who had taken his family had also taken away any chance he had of being normal.

Or at least, that’s what he had grown up believing.

“Your parents, they were living in hiding, so no one knew what Minato was.”

“I… I still don’t know what a Protos is,” Naruto admitted, looking away, completely overpowered by the way his entire perspective was twisting, things he had believed to be truth no longer so. His birth father had been a Protos, like him? He hadn’t been made into this, he had always been this way?

Yamato didn’t immediately say anything, just sat down on the rough wooden floor in front of Naruto, crossing his legs, as if he was stalling as he tried to figure out what to say.

“We don’t really know much about Protos. I say that I’m one, but that’s only partly true. Your father, Minato, he was a true Protos. From what I’ve heard the tests concluded that Protos are a preliminary evolution to the shifters we see today. The original shifters. Through the millennia the strand died out, letting the shifters we see today thrive instead. Somehow a line must have survived, passing on the genome to the next generations, but as far as I know they were never able to track down Minato’s background, so he might have been the sole one left.”

Naruto just gaped. He had never been particularly good at science, but this all sounded completely insane. “I… thought you said you were a Protos too? Does that mean you’re my brother?” If Minato had been the only one left, that had to be it, didn’t it?

Yamato shook his head. “I’m only partially a Protos. They were trying to isolate the parts of Minato that made him what he was, tried to create more like him. I was born human, but I came out something in-between human and Protos by the end of his experiments.

“I’m not as strong or fast as you will be, but the feral parts are less pronounced as well.”

Naruto pressed a hand to his gut. He’d trade strength and speed for control in a heartbeat.

“I want to tell you more, but they’ll start looking for you soon. You are valuable to them. After Minato fled they weren’t able to experiment more. I had hoped they would never find you, I promised your mother I wouldn’t tell them, that I’d never let them know you were alive. He never knew you had been born at all, I hoped you would be safe.”

Naruto blinked, trying to process everything. “He… fled?”

“Minato met your mother and one day they were just gone. It took a long time before he managed to track them down again.”

Yamato sounded sad, and Naruto got the distinct impression that thinking about it was making him remember something he hadn’t been wanting to remember.

“What happened?” Naruto asked, needing to know more. For the first time in his life he was learning about who he was, learning who his family had been. He knew almost nothing about them, didn’t even have any photos of his birth parents, and even though he saw Iruka as his dad there had always been something missing. The knowledge that he was supposed to be a part of another family, one that was destroyed before he could even remember.

“Somehow Minato and Kushina were found out, and he sent a team down to find them. I… I didn’t know where we were going, they just told me to get in the car and do as I was told. I was fourteen at the time, and I’d grown up here, it was all I knew. I thought maybe we were going somewhere to pick up another shifter or something, there were always some new ones around, but when we got there, the others attacked. They fought back, your parents, they fought for you. Kushina, she was just human, but she took out one of the wolf shifters alone, and I was so scared, I couldn’t even do anything to stop them.”

Yamato looked away, as if he couldn't meet Naruto’s eyes. He looked ashamed of himself.

“They were going for you as well, but I… couldn’t let them. It was too late to save your parents, but you were safe, and the others were dead, so I… I made sure he wouldn’t know that you even existed. Minato and Kushina was dead, and that was what he had wanted.”

There were no tears in Yamato’s eyes, but his voice was growing shaky, as if the memories were still haunting him.

“Who?” Naruto asked, the word coming out the moment it came to him.

“Who what?”

“Who wanted my parents dead?”

“Danzo, of course,” Yamato said.

***

Just on the other side of the sprawling cabin a car was pulling up the driveway, parking next to a beat up Honda and making the poor Honda look even worse than it already was by sheer comparison. The driver got out of the car and hurried to the back to open the door, allowing the man inside to step out.

The man looked up at the cabin he had bought decades ago, and slowly made into what it was today. He rarely had time to come here lately, but he had crucial business to attend to. He’d had to postpone two meetings, and someone was going to pay for that.

“Mr. Shimura,” the driver said and bowed once. Danzo paid him no attention as he buttoned up his suit jacket and walked towards the door. His knee was acting up, making the limp he had walked with for decades more pronounced than usual. He had learned to mask it well, knowing any injury made him look weak, and if it was one thing Danzo wasn't it was weak.

He pushed open the door to the cabin and walked inside, a wolf shifter sprawled on a couch jumping up when he saw him, back straight as he bowed. Danzo ignored him. He cared little for the forced sign of respect, knowing in the end that true loyalty had to run deeper. Very few of his men would sacrifice their lives for him, and none of them mattered much to Danzo. They weren’t cogs in the machine, they were pawns. Tools for Danzo to use. And tools were replaceable.

Danzo strode towards his office, calling out to the wolf that he needed to find Tayuya for him. He needed to talk to her.

He barely had time to sit down behind his desk before the woman walked inside, grinning at him. There was a dented up cardboard box under her arm, and she looked much too pleased with herself when she walked over and dropped the box on his desk.

He ignored it, knowing well what it contained, and instead looked at her, quietly, until her smile faded for a look of mild worry. She shuffled her feet like she wanted to leave, but Danzo knew she wouldn’t, not until he told her she could.

“I heard there was an issue with the pickup,” Danzo started, lacing his fingers together and resting his elbows on his desk as he leaned forward. He saw how she flinched backwards, only to catch herself and straighten her posture.

Tayuya had all the fierceness of her bobcat, compact but strong, but she was cocky, and apparently that had led her to her imminent downfall.

“I heard,” Danzo continued when she made no move to say anything, “That the witch tried to cheat you, and that you in the process not only told Naruto Uzumaki just what you were picking up, but also told him that he should kill the witch. Am I correct?”

Tayuya took a half-step backwards, head spinning towards the exit where one of Danzo’s more trusted men was standing, arms crossed.

“It is all baffling to me, because I have absolutely no recollection of telling you that you could bring him on any missions. I am sure you all know only Sai was supposed to bring him along anywhere. I wonder which part of that was so hard to understand for you?”

Tayuya made no move to answer, shrinking in on herself as she was starting to realise what a grave mistake she’d done. “I… I… Kidōmaru was still drunk and we figured we should bring someone along and... “

“And you thought it would be fun to mess with the new guy, is that it?”

Tayuya didn’t answer, but she didn’t need to, it was clear as day. Jirōbō and her had been cocky, probably bickering, and somehow thought it was a brilliant idea to bring along Naruto. They didn’t know that he was special, only saw him as the newest person in the house. Probably had every intention of staking their position as alpha dog over him. Terrible idea really.

Danzo nodded at the man behind Tayuya, and he stepped forward, locked his large hand around her neck and shoved her forward until she stood right in front of Danzo’s desk. He didn’t stop there, but pushed her down so her cheek was shoved onto the desktop and she had to peer up at Danzo through her red hair.

Danzo opened a drawer and gently lifted out a manilla folder from within, placing in in front of her face and flipping it open, lifting the first page for her to see. It had a picture of her in one corner, and her information written in. Across the middle a red stamp glared right at her, and the moment she noticed she started fighting against the hand holding her down.

“You’ve become a liability, Tayuya. You should know what I do with liabilities.”

He nodded once more at the other man, and he pulled the trashing woman away.

She’d been foolish, jeopardizing everything. She was a shifter like the dozens others Danzo had employed through the years, she was expendable. She might have ruined everything though, and he would have to find a way to patch it all back together, or find a new solution.

Anger had made him send a group to terminate Minato and that woman of his when he tracked them down twenty-some years ago. He had raised Minato ever since they found him in the forest, completely feral and abandoned, but Minato had betrayed him. The plans to recreate the Protos line had kept failing anyway, only Yamato surviving the transition, and he was barely strong enough to be called a Protos at all.

Through the years he had occasionally regretted the decision. It wasn't as if he needed Protos working for him, but he lamented the fact that something that strong and potent was now wiped away forever.

Or at least, he had lamented that fact until he had first seen Naruto Uzumaki.

It had been like seeing Minato Namikaze in the flesh, the strikingly blond hair and blue eyes, as well as the carved marks across his cheeks. He hadn’t quite been able to control the flash of betrayal that shot through him as he was suddenly reminded of Minato, but the kid hadn’t seemed to notice.

He’d had people look into it later on, hacking into the DPA databases, and soon it was clear to Danzo that he had made a lucky mistake all those years ago. Minato and his woman might be dead, but they’d had a child, and that child carried Minato’s DNA, and there was little doubt in Danzo’s mind that this Naruto would be as strong as Minato had ever been.

He knew then that he needed him. He also knew that it wouldn’t be as easy to get his hands on a DPA agent. Most of those that worked for him had toed on the wrong side of the law for years, or had long since left any good behind. Getting them to join him was easy, they were swayed by his promises of the world he was going to create, or just the idea of money. Simpletons. If Naruto was anything like his father that wouldn’t be enough, he would have to get him to trust him, would have to make him see the right way. Naruto wasn’t supposed to be in this deep yet, Sai was supposed to monitor him, make sure he came over to their side voluntarily.

Tayuya might have just destroyed that by pushing him too far too soon, and she was about to feel the consequences of her action.

He placed the sheets of paper back in the folder, finger brushing across the stamp for a moment.

Terminated .

She wouldn’t make any more mistakes.

***

Naruto was sitting in his bedroom, staring at a wall, mind still processing everything Yamato had told him. About his birth parents, about what he was, about who Danzo was.

One thing was clear. Naruto had made a horrible mistake going here. Danzo was never going to give him the answers he wanted, not without asking too much in return. Naruto had wanted to march right inside and scream until someone found Danzo for him so he could confront him, but Yamato had told him he needed to keep it to himself, and Naruto understood why, he just hated it. The moment Danzo realised Naruto was no longer at their side he would do something drastic, and Yamato had made Naruto see that he had to be smart.

Naruto hated this. He wasn’t the type to scheme and plan, he just wanted to get everything fixed right away, to right the wrongs and then go back to Sasuke, but he knew he couldn’t. He might know what he was, but he was as dependent on the suppressants as he had been when he came in here. Yamato didn’t need them, because his feral side wasn't as strong as Naruto’s, but Naruto knew that he wouldn't be safe to be around out there, so until he had a solution he needed to lay low, make Danzo believe he had no idea that anything was wrong.

It made him sick to his stomach, to think about having to pretend he didn’t hate Danzo. This was the man who had killed his parents, left him all alone in the world, was responsible for Naruto’s shitty childhood, and now Naruto had to pretend that he didn’t despise him and what he’d done. He just hoped he didn’t see him around. Danzo wasn't here often, too busy campaigning for governor, another truly terrifying thought. Danzo was hardly the first corrupt man running for any kind of public office, but the idea of someone like him, who used and discarded people like they were objects becoming governor, it was unthinkable.

Naruto needed to find a way to stop Danzo, but he had no idea how, or where to start. If he went against him now Danzo would just take away his suppressants. They were all safely locked away, only a small vial ready whenever Naruto came into the lab. There had to be a stock of it somewhere but Naruto had no idea where.

Maybe, if he got his hands on some of it he could leave and go back to the DPA. They had scientists there, they could replicate it, they had to. They could test him and the drugs, and then Naruto wouldn’t need Danzo at all.

He was due another shot tomorrow, he’d have to do recognisance then, see if he could figure out more. He’d have to be careful so he wasn’t found out, but he was given a lot of freedom, able to walk around as he saw fit, probably because Danzo knew he wouldn’t be able to get over the tall walls that surrounded the cabin.

More than ever Naruto felt as if he was in a prison, one he had walked into of his own volition, and now he could see the electric chair looming in the distance, waiting for him.

He wanted to talk to Sasuke about it, Sasuke was sure to know what they could do, as soon as he was updated on the situation. Naruto still had Sasuke’s phone, could call him, tell him what he’d learned, get some advice.

He would, if he didn’t believe Sasuke would immediately grab his katana, track the cabin down and come charging in. Naruto knew Sasuke would do it, because it was the exact same thing he would do if the tables were turned, but he wasn’t about to let that happen, because the likelihood of Sasuke getting himself killed in the process were too big.

Why hadn’t Naruto realised what kind of place this was before? He kept seeing signs of it everywhere now. He had been given no way to contact anyone, and the shifters were about as far from pleasant as it got, sneering at him if they gave him any attention at all. Probably criminals every one of them, and Naruto had just thought they were unpleasant.

He should have known, should have gotten away while he still could. Even if he decided that he’d risk going without the suppressants he knew that wasn't really an option right now, because he had no way to get away from here. Even if he could escape the walls there was miles of miles of forest around, plenty of time for Danzo’s henchmen to catch up to him.

He’d have to bide his time. Danzo would send him out again, wouldn’t he? If Naruto went with just Sai he could overpower Sai easily, and then he could leave, and expose Danzo for what he was, and the DPA could take him down.

Naruto buried his face in his hands, groaning.

He needed to be smart about this. Until he had an opportunity to get away he would try to get his hands on the suppressants, that would be his number one priority.

A knock on his door pulled Naruto out of his thoughts, and he sat up in bed.

“Yeah?” he called out. He didn’t want to talk to anyone, but he knew that for now he had to lie low. Until he had some plan he needed to make sure no one suspected anything. He had no idea how Danzo would react if he knew what Yamato had told him.

The door opened, and Sai peered inside, lips pulled into his fake smile. Naruto had to force himself to keep the sneer off his face. He’d never liked Sai, and now it was clear why, Sai was just Danzo’s little errand boy, always watching over Naruto. He was a creep, and Naruto had no doubt he would report back to Danzo the moment Naruto did anything he shouldn't.

“It’s dinner time,” Sai just said, staring expectantly at Naruto until Naruto got up from bed and followed after him. Naruto’s gut was churning, and he wasn’t sure he would be able to stomach anything, but he knew he’d had to try, if only to keep up a pretence of normality, make sure no one suspected anything had happened. Patience had never been a virtue of his, but he would have to work on that.

He saw Yamato already sitting at the dinner table at the far end, ignoring the two next to him, staring down at his dinner plate. He looked miserable, and out of place, and Naruto couldn’t help but to wonder why he stayed. if Yamato didn’t need the suppressants he could just leave, go far away. He seemed to know exactly what kind of person Danzo was, and was clearly not on his side.

He wanted to ask him, wanted to talk more. New questions was popping up in his mind the more he thought about things, but he knew he had to be careful.

Naruto was pushing his food around the plate when the door across the room opened. He looked up, and saw Danzo stride into the room. Their gazes met for a moment and Naruto instantly looked away, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to keep the resentment and hate from showing.

He shoved a piece of meat loaf in his mouth, and almost choked on it when he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Danzo, and there was no way to interpret the look in his face. Naruto swallowed, trying to appear unaffected.

“I would like to see you in my office later,” Danzo said.

“Su—sure,” Naruto said, voice a little too high, shoulders a little too tense.

Danzo nodded once as he walked past him to take a seat at the head of the table.

Naruto had the feeling he had just agreed to his own demise.

Chapter Text

Naruto stayed at the dining table as long as he possibly could, but when the rest of those seated around it started leaving he too had to rise, and then there were no more postponing. Danzo had retreated back to his office fifteen minutes ago, and Naruto had felt his gaze on him when he left, but pointedly did not look up.

He hesitated in front of Danzo’s door before taking a deep breath and raising his fist, knocking once, hoping Danzo had forgotten all about him and left, even as he knew that wasn’t actually going to happen.

The door slid open moments later, opened by one of the shifters that always seemed to be by Danzo’s side.

Naruto steeled himself and walked inside, head held high. He had no idea if Danzo suspected that he knew about him, or if this meeting was for something else entirely, but all he could do now was to make Danzo believe Naruto was on his side. If he trusted Naruto that meant Naruto could get closer, which meant that maybe he could get his hands on the vials of suppressants, then it was only a matter of getting away.

“Good evening, Naruto,” Danzo said, as if they hadn’t just had dinner at the same table. He was standing by a window, back towards Naruto as he gazed out. Naruto wasn’t sure just what he was looking at, because past the lawn there was little other than the wall to look at. Hardly scenic.

“Hi,” Naruto said, finding shorter words less likely to betray the anger that was simmering in him just at being in the same room as Danzo. This was the man responsible for his parents’ death, and now he had to pretend that he didn’t hate him with every fibre of his being. If not for the suppressants flooding his system he was sure his eyes would be burning red by now.

Danzo turned around, taking a moment to just look at Naruto, as if assessing him.

“I had a talk with Tayuya earlier,” he said, and Naruto couldn’t quite stop the flinch that went through him. He was pretty sure that was Red’s name, and her having talked to Danzo could not be a good thing.

“She told me what happened, and I just want to apologise for what you went through.”

The warm anger coursing through him was tempered by sudden surprise at the apology. He had been expecting Danzo to do or say a lot of things, but an apology hadn’t really been amongst them.

Naruto didn’t say anything, and he just hoped he managed to keep a straight look on his face. He couldn’t allow himself to show any emotions, had to find out just what Danzo was aiming for. Clearly the apology wasn’t heartfelt, it had to be a tactic to ensure Naruto stayed on their side. It was hard to read from Danzo’s tone that he was lying through his teeth though, he was completely calm and collected. He guessed it came with being a politician.

“If I had known she would betray me like that I would have made sure she wouldn't have been able to drag you into it.”

Naruto’s eyes narrowed. Betrayed Danzo? Was this the excuse he was going for then? He was going to pin it all on Tayuya?

“I had no idea she would take you along, and to procure highly restricted goods at that. I have no idea what she was going to do with it, probably sell it for a profit, and she must have thought she could win you over to her side. It’s sad really, I took her in off of the street years ago, and this is how she repays me.”

Naruto just stared at him. If he didn’t already know better he would probably have believed Danzo. He sounded genuine, apologetic and a little sad. It was disgusting.

It was hard to know who to trust in a world of liers, but Naruto had always had an inkling of a bad feeling about Danzo right from the beginning, and Yamato didn’t exude that at all. Something about Yamato made Naruto instantly believe him, and where Danzo had never once answered any of Naruto’s questions Yamato had done so, telling him about what he was, and about his parents, and their fate. He trusted Yamato in a way he had never trusted Danzo.

Naruto wanted to call Danzo out on his lies, tell him that he knew all about him, that he knew he’d had his parents murdered and now wanted to use him, but he managed to constrain himself, knowing nothing good would come from an outburst. It was one of the hardest things he had ever had to do, trying to act as if he liked the man that had murdered his parents.

His fingers were curled into fists at his side, the nails digging into the soft flesh of his palm, but he managed to bite back the accusing words that was bubbling in his throat.

“I hope you won’t think too badly of me, Naruto, I truly just want to help. The suppressants are working, are they not? I hear the doctor is coming closer to perfecting the dosage, then you will never have to worry about hurting anyone ever again.”

“I’m… grateful,” Naruto said, forcing the words out.

“I’m just glad I can help. Rest assured that I will ensure that no one who lives here are doing anything illegal. I want this to be a safe place for people like you, people who have nowhere else to go.”

“I appreciate it.” The words were lead on his tongue, but Naruto forced his lips to quirk into something resembling a smile, which seemed to appease Danzo.

“I’d also like to thank you for your service on my security detail, you were invaluable there as well. I see great things for you in the future, Naruto. I hope you’ll stay with me. When I’m governor you can help do great things for the supernatural community.”

Naruto just nodded.

“Now, I believe the doctor is expecting you, so I’ll let you go. Rest assured that Tayuya has been dealt with and that nothing like this will happen again.”

Naruto left the room as fast as he could without it being too suspicious and headed downstairs. He’d rather go back to his room, but he knew it wouldn’t be long until he felt the curling heat in his gut from the beast as the suppressant’s effect was wearing off, and knew he had to.

The doctor was waiting for him as always, twitching his nose and offering no greeting as Naruto walked into the room. Naruto ignored him and jumped onto the table, rolling up his sleeve. He felt as if there should’ve been marks left behind by the numerous shots he had gotten, but his skin was as unblemished as ever, healing over too fast. There were no sign of any of the needles, no sign that he was little more than a druggie at this point.

The doctor had a small steel tray with a syringe and a vial waiting on the counter, and Naruto took the opportunity while the doctor prepared to look around the room, trying to figure out where the drugs were stored. The first dosage he had gotten, the one Sai had given him, had been kept in the kitchen, but he hadn’t seen any more of them there since. The rest of the dosages had all been given here, in the small med bay. He figured there was a definite chance they could be stored here somewhere. There was a row of cupboards underneath the counter the doctor was working at, all of them with steel fronts making it impossible to see what they contained, but they seemed a probable contender. There were locks on them, but Naruto figured he could break those easily enough. Problem was that the moment he did so he would be found out, and if it happened that there was nothing but aspirin and cotton buds behind the locks he would have messed up, given himself away for nothing. Danzo wouldn't let that fly, Naruto knew as much.

No, he needed to be certain, needed to be sneaky. Maybe he could get down here during the night, search for a key. Or maybe he could even get the doors unlocked without breaking them. People picked locks all the time, right? It couldn't be that difficult, Naruto was certain he could do it if he put his mind to it. He’d just need hairpins or something. Not that he had a lot of those around, but he’d find a way, somehow.

The doctor turned back around, and walked over to Naruto, placing the tray next to him on the bed, syringe now filled with the green liquid. Naruto glanced down at it, and suddenly his gut was churning when he started to wonder just what was in that syringe.

He had no idea what they were shooting him up with apart from the fact that they called it suppressants. Was it just a cocktail of drugs, some sort of tranquillizer that only worked on the beast? Naruto hadn’t given it much thought, too happy that there was a solution to look too deeply into it.

Now though, that he remembered the box of shifter teeth and the witch that had died as they procured it…

He was starting to wonder if it wasn't just regular drugs, and he wanted to yank his arm away, refuse the doctor to fill his veins with it before he knew exactly what it was, flinching as the doctor tied the rubber band over his upper arm and tightened it.

“Hey, doc?” Naruto said as the rat shifter moved to disinfect the nook of his elbow.

He looked up at Naruto with his squinty eyes, as if he was surprised Naruto was even talking to him.

“So, what’s even in this thing?” Naruto asked, nodding towards the tray with the syringe.

The doctor just looked at him for a moment, then finished the wiping, tossing away the cotton bud he had used.

“Suppressants,” he said, picking the syringe up as if he couldn’t finish the job fast enough.

“Well, I know that, but like, what kind of drugs is there?”

“Are you going to try to make it yourself?” the doctor muttered as he flicked at the syringe, removing any air bubbles before he moved towards Naruto’s arm, pressing the needle into the vein and depressing the stopper, flooding Naruto’s system with the suppressants. A chill spread through his arm before it dissipated, and where Naruto would usually feel himself growing relaxed as it washed away the budding heat in his gut he now found himself antsy, wanting to claw at his skin until he could get the green liquid out again, hating the feeling. It never had felt completely natural, just… numbing.

“No, just curious I guess,” Naruto said, as much to distract himself as to keep up a conversation. He held a finger over the cotton bud the doctor pressed to the arm as he removed the needle again, hoping the doctor hadn’t sensed his reaction being different than usual.

“It’s a mix of various drugs aimed to isolate and calm down the part of you that isn’t quite human. It’s an intricate piece of chemistry, which is why it’s taking so long to perfect. Normal labs would experiment on…” the doctor stopped, the word rat probably dying on his tongue. “Well, you know, but since there’s no one quite like you around you have to be the one to test it out.”

Naruto nodded, getting the impression that the doctor wasn’t about to divulge any more information on just what he was getting injected in his arm, so he jumped down from the table and threw the cotton bud with the single drop of green liquid into the trash can and rolled his sleeve down again.

“As usual, contact me if you are feeling any side effects that are new or different. Also, I’d like for you to stop by tomorrow morning for some tests to ensure the drugs aren’t having an adverse effect on your blood.”

Naruto nodded and left the room, hesitating outside in the hallway, looking down at the row of doors lining it. He had been in a few of the rooms, mostly storage rooms when he needed to help Sai carry something, but most of the doors he hadn’t even peeked inside, so he had no idea what was beyond them. Now he was picturing jars of preserved body parts, and the thought made him shudder.

The suppressants had to be down here somewhere, either in the med bay, or in one of the other rooms. He would have to find a way to get down here without anyone knowing and start looking. It was his only chance to ever get away from here.

Now was not the time though, it was still early evening so anyone might come down here at any time, and the doctor was still in the med bay. He would have to sneak down later when everyone was asleep.

***

Sasuke paced a round through his living room, frustrated and angry and worried. He hadn’t heard a single word from Naruto since they parted ways, and he was terrified what that meant. He’d given him his phone, so it wasn’t like he didn’t have the means to contact him, just that either he couldn’t, or he had nothing to rapport back about. Sasuke hoped it was the latter, and tried to talk himself out of calling up the phone from the new one he had bought as soon as he got back. There was always the chance that Naruto hadn’t called because he really couldn’t, and that somehow calling him would make things worse. The ball was in Naruto’s court, and Sasuke just had to be patient, which was proving to be infuriatingly difficult.

He wanted to strap on his weapons and hunt down Naruto, and the only reason he hadn’t done just that was because he had no idea where Naruto was.

It wasn’t for a lack of trying. Sasuke had looked through all the information he could possibly look through from home, trying to track down where this cabin was, but if Danzo owned it it wasn't registered in his own name.

When the search for the cabin hadn’t panned out he had kept digging into Danzo, determined to figure out who he really was and why he was hoarding up preternatural beings in the middle of nowhere. Was Danzo even human, or was he just hiding what he was? It wasn't like there was any kind of register over shifters and the like, so it was hard to tell. He didn’t have any of the characteristics of your common preternatural beings, but that didn’t have to mean anything. It was impossible to distinguish witches from humans, and a lot of shifters didn’t have visible characteristics either.

If Danzo had dealt in business that wasn’t strictly on the side of legal he had done a good job at covering up his tracks. All Sasuke could find on him was a whole slew of charities he had contributed to over the years, various causes he had fronted, and nothing shady whatsoever. Now he was running for governor, and although he wasn’t a candidate that made that much of himself, he appeared steady enough that he might actually get the job. No scandals to his name, which was more than those that ran opposite him could boast of.

There was no talk at all about any kind of sanctuary driven by him though, which was weird. If he owned a place like that, wouldn't that have been the perfect selling point to make him a good candidate? Sure, there was people around who meant that only humans really mattered, but taking care of people who fell through the cracks of society, human or not, would be looked upon with favour by most.

Tired of pacing Sasuke sat down on the floor, falling back against the carpet, arms splayed to the side as he stared up at the ceiling. He felt so lost without Naruto around. The moment he figured out just where Naruto was he was going to drive up there and get him out. He would come home with him no matter what. They could work things out together, they didn’t need drugs. Naruto had been fine for the most part of their time together, as long as he wasn’t out in the field he would continue to be fine.

Sasuke tilted his head to the side, seeing the PS4 standing underneath his TV, the one he had bought for Naruto’s birthday, as a way of asking him to move in with him. He’d actually never gotten as far as to ask properly, because Naruto hadn’t gotten just why Sasuke bought it for him, and then they had gotten interrupted, and then suddenly Naruto was gone and Sasuke was back here all alone, and it sucked.

It hurt to be alone in a way it had never hurt before. Sasuke—who’d never wanted to rely on other people at all—had grown closer to Naruto than he thought he even could to anyone. He’d thought the parts of him that had a capacity for love was gone, shut off, but then Naruto came and he was the one person who cut through the bullshit and wormed his way into Sasuke’s life, bringing with him chaos and light.

The moment Naruto was back Sasuke was going to ask him to move in with him. He wasn’t going to let him leave him ever again, because without Naruto Sasuke was nothing.

***

Naruto had wanted to talk more to Yamato, but when he went looking for him the next day he couldn't find him anywhere. It probably meant that Danzo had sent him on some job. Naruto hoped so, because the alternative was that he had found out what Yamato had told Naruto, and then he’d probably dealt with him just like he had once dealt with Naruto's parents and probably many more who crossed him.

He was just glad Danzo seemed to believe Naruto was still on his side. Keeping his face straight and not accusing Danzo of murder had been one of the hardest things Naruto had ever done, and he was glad Danzo seemed to have left the cabin as well, because he wasn't sure he could have kept up that charade any more. As it was he had reported to the doctor in the morning, got several vials of blood drawn and then he’d been left to his own device.

He had worked out for a bit in his room, and when he got too restless and felt too cooped up he had gone outside and ran laps around the cabin until his breathing grew short and his legs ached. The air was cold, breath turning into little puffs of white as he ran, making it hard to draw deep breaths. It wouldn't be long until the grounds were covered with snow, frost already in the air.

It was already December, Christmas closing in, and Naruto tried not to imagining having to spend Christmas here. He’d had a lot of shitty Christmases when he was a kid, but ever since he had moved in with his dad Christmas had become something to look forward to. Christmas trees and presents and food and watching movies with hot chocolate and candy.

Dinner that night was a quiet affair, only five people around, and no one seemed to bat an eye when Naruto filled his plate with stew and left the table to eat in his room. He couldn't stand being around anyone right now, he just kept wondering if they too had killed people, if he was surrounded by murderers, or if the majority of them were decent people, caught up in things just like Naruto was.

The stew didn’t taste like much, but he forced himself to finish it, knowing that he needed the energy no matter how little appetite he had. He figured tonight was as good night as any to go poking around in the basement.

He never did get as far. By the time the clock on the night stand showed three am and Naruto sneaked out of his room, he didn’t even get down the stairs until he was face to face with someone. He froze, trying to come up with some excuse when he saw that the person he was looking at was Yamato.

He opened his mouth to speak, but Yamato lifted a finger to his lips to quiet him, and then motioned downstairs. Together they made their way down, trying to avoid the creakier steps.

All the bedrooms were upstairs, but that didn’t mean people wouldn't be around, so they walked towards the furthest living room, the one that doubled as a library no one seemed to use. They sat down on a couch, close enough together that they could whisper and still hear each other.

“I was looking for you earlier,” Naruto said.

“I had to go into town to pick up medical supplies,” Yamato answered.

Naruto had a bunch of questions he wanted to ask Yamato now that he’d had time to think things through, but he was finding it hard to figure out where to start. “Why did it take so long until I saw you here?” Naruto had been here for weeks before he met Yamato the first time, he wondered what the other had been doing.

“I was in Arizona, talking to the head of a group of weretigers. One of them had killed one of Danzo’s men, and he wanted them to pay.”

Naruto’s eyes widened. Had Yamato gone down there to kill them, was he a murderer too? Had Naruto completely misjudged him?

Yamato seemed to pick up on his distress, lifting his hands. “No, no, actually pay. Money. I don’t… I don’t hurt people.”

“Yamato, why… why do you stay here? You know that Danzo is a bad man, and you aren’t dependent on any suppressants?” Naruto asked a questions that had been gnawing on him.

Yamato took a moment before he answered. “Because… because I’m afraid. I’ve seen what happens to those who wrong Danzo. He doesn't like feeling betrayed. I’m afraid he’d have me killed. I grew up here, I don’t know anyone on the other side of these walls, I have nowhere to escape to, nowhere that would be safe.”

“But, you could go to the police, or the DPA, and they could protect you. With you as a witness, they could arrest Danzo, stop the entire thing.”

“It’s not that easy. Danzo is a powerful man. He might only be a councilman on the surface, but he has roots that go through the entire system. He has friends in high places, friends that would make sure no one believed me.”

Naruto wasn’t about to admit defeat quite as easily. There were always ways to stop people, there had to be. Unlike when he worked in the DPA this wouldn’t be as easy as to cut off a head and slay a demon. As far as Naruto knew Danzo was perfectly human, which meant he had to find a way to get him locked away for what he had done. The DPA might be ruthless against vampires, but murdering humans were still frowned upon, no matter how vile said human was.

“We need evidence against him,” Naruto said. If he could gather up enough evidence he could take it to Kakashi, who would know who to trust in the DPA. Even if Danzo had friends in high places he could not be controlling the entire DPA. With evidence they could catch him, and no more people would be hurt or used.

Naruto had no idea what Danzo’s goal was, if he just liked feeling powerful by running this place with preternatural beings at his mercy, or if there was something more sinister behind it all. He was on track to become governor, but somehow Naruto felt that it was all connected, that he was working towards some ultimate goal.

What kind of evidence could he find? Witnesses, maybe. Something more reliable would be great, witnesses could be scared away from testifying. He needed something in writing, or pictures. Receipts for black market deals would have been good right about now.

The most likely place to find evidence would be Danzo’s computer, so he wished he could find a way to access it, something Naruto figured was easier said than done. A man like Danzo would have protected his computer well, no simple password to guess, and Naruto did in no way know how to hack, so that wasn't likely to happen. No, he would need to find paper files. There had to be those around, right? If his birth father had been here as well, that meant that the cabin had been running for close to thirty years at least, well before computers were a household item.

Naruto straightened up. There would probably be a file on his birth father wouldn't there? Maybe pictures.

He had so little after his birth parents, not even a memory of how they looked. If there had been any keepsakes in their old house they had been lost before he was big enough to want them.

He needed to get access to those files, needed to see.

“Do you know if Danzo has a filing cabinet in his office?” Naruto asked.

Yamato looked at him for a moment, frowning when he realised what Naruto was implying. “You want to break in and read his files?”

“If I get evidence I can contact people I trust, we can shut down this entire thing. You’d be free.”

Yamato’s eyes grew wide, as if that was something he hadn’t even dreamed of thinking about before. “Yes, there’s… there’s a filing cabinet in his office. The office is always locked though, and the cabinet would probably be too. You can’t just walk in there and look through it.”

A sudden sound had Naruto and Yamato stop mid-sentence and look around, half-expecting someone to be standing in the doorway, having overheard everything they said. The room was empty, but a vase was lying on floor, broken into pieces.

The vase appeared to have fallen down from a bookshelf, and Naruto headed over, quickly picking up the pieces, figuring he needed to hide them. If they were there in the morning people might wonder why, but it would likely take a while until people noticed it was gone if there was no evidence left behind.

He wasn't sure why it had fallen down. Maybe it had been placed too close to the edge or something, but either way, it was beyond saving, so he carried the pieces over to the trash, throwing them out together with a single black feather that had been lying amongst them. It had probably been placed in it in lieu of a flower.

Making sure no one was around he walked back to the couch, settling down, just at the edge.

“So then I need a key. Who has that?” Naruto was growing restless already, wanting nothing more than to do it right away, to just walk over there, kick down the door and break open the cabinet. He was sure he could do it, he was still fairly strong, even if the drugs had made him weaker. He could get an axe and make a pathway right through that heavy wooden door. He’d had a plan to go poking around in the basement, but suddenly getting into the cabinet seemed a lot more crucial.

“Apart from Danzo? Sai might, but other than that I wouldn’t think he trusts anyone enough.”

Sai .

Of course that creep would have the keys.

“Then I need to steal the keys from him, get into the office and find anything that will bring him down,” Naruto said. It was probably too late tonight, they’d spent too long chatting, but if Danzo wasn’t here tomorrow night he would go in. If they got incriminating evidence on Danzo they could have him arrested, and the suppressants would be in the possession of the DPA, no need for Naruto to go looking for it.

***

It was two in the morning when Naruto got out of bed the following night, wearing sweatpants and a simple black sweater, nothing but socks on his feet. Yamato hadn’t been stoked about the plan, but he hadn’t come up with any better ones either, so the night following their talk Naruto was preparing for some B & E to pass the time. He would go to Sai’s room first, hopefully finding keys easily, even though he had no idea where he’d keep them, and then he’d go downstairs and make his way to the office.

He did his best to keep quiet as he made his way to Sai’s room, hoping the idiot wasn't the type to lock his door.

He grabbed the door knob and gently twisted, peeking inside, realising he should have probably come up with some sort of cover story in case Sai was actually awake.

In the light from the hallway Naruto saw a lump in the bed, covered by a light sheet. He stood there in silence, waiting to see if the lump moved, and only when it didn’t appear to stir did he walk inside, pulling the door close but not shut after him, to keep the room in darkness. He wouldn't have any problem navigating it.

The room was an almost duplicate of his, plain wood all around. As far as Naruto knew Sai had lived here for years, but it didn’t show. Apart from the desk with drawing supplies there was nothing personal in the room at all. No pictures apart from the ones Sai had drawn himself, no clothes and books spread around, no TV or anything to pass the time.

Naruto’s gaze swept the room, trying to figure out where a key would be kept. There were no hooks by the door, which had been Naruto’s first hope. Sai might keep them in a drawer, or in the pockets of his jeans or… anywhere really. He had no idea where to even start looking.

Figuring a desk drawer was likely he headed in that direction. It was the furthest from the bed, but even from here he could hear Sai’s soft snores.

He was about to pull open a drawer when he spotted a keyring lying on top of the drawing pad that was left on the desk, about ten keys of varying size, as well as a metal bird hanging from a short chain. Naruto wasn’t much of an ornithologist, but it looked like a magpie or a crow or something similar.

It surely couldn't be this easy though, could it?

There was a rustling from the bed, and Naruto froze, not even breathing as he desperately hoped Sai wasn’t about to wake up and catch him in the act.

When there were no cries of outrage from across the room Naruto dared to turn his head in the direction of the bed, seeing Sai now turned towards him, face looking ghostly pale in the dim light, eyes still closed, lips barely parted. He wasn’t snoring, but he was breathing heavily, and Naruto’s shoulders eased down as he let out a soft breath.

Not wanting to push his luck he grabbed the keys, slowly as to not have them jingle, and with it tightly enclosed in his fist he backtracked to the door, keeping half an eye on Sai until he could close the door after himself, wincing at the click the latch made, standing still until he was sure there were no sounds from within and only then taking off down the hallway.

He knew Danzo wasn’t in the cabin, but there were still several others around, people that might suddenly find the overpowering urge to get up to get a midnight snack or something, and he really didn’t want to get caught.

He sneaked his way down the stairs, peering into the rooms on either side of the entrance hall but seeing no one. On socked feet he hurried across the room, heading towards where Danzo’s study was. He had no idea if any of the keys would open the door, so he’d just have to try them all.

His pulse was thrumming in his ears as he tried to shove the first key into the lock.

The second.

Third.

Fourth key.

He kept pausing to listen, knowing that if anyone walked in on him right now he wouldn’t be able to talk himself out of this situation.

The eight key slid into the lock smoothly, and Naruto held his breath as he turned it, hearing the click of the lock opening.

He had to bite off the excited yelp that rose in his throat, and instead he hurried to open the door and get inside the room, sliding the door shut behind him. Now he just needed to be quiet and no one would have a clue he was in here, rooting through Danzo’s files. That was, if he could open the cabinet.

It was placed in a corner of the room, and Naruto gnawed on his bottom lip as he walked towards it. He had no idea what he was going to find. It might just be filled with old receipts for taxes and stuff that he’d either have no idea was, or was completely useless, but he needed to check it out, because right now it was his best bet to find out more.

There was a lock in the top corner, and Naruto peeked down at the keys in his hand, trying to see if anyone looked like they’d fit. There was a couple of keys smaller than the others, so he tried those first, and was shocked when the second one actually fit.

This was going too smoothly, he was just waiting for something to happen, some alarm he hadn’t known about suddenly sounding or someone bursting into the room, ready to catch him in the act, but nothing happened, so Naruto pocketed the keys and slid open the topmost drawer, seeing countless Manila folders neatly stacked behind each others. He picked up the first one and flipped it open, a picture falling out.

“Shit,” he cursed, stooping down to pick it up. A young woman, probably not a year over twenty looked back at him. She was pretty, in that girl next door way, a soft smile and warm eyes.

With the picture still in hand Naruto looked down on the first of what looked to be a dozen or so papers, the first one marked with a name at the top, followed by what appeared to be the girl’s information.

Apparently she was a dryad, and the date of birth was over thirty years ago, so the picture couldn't be recent. There were oak leaves woven in her hair, a common characteristic in tree nymphs, at least as far as Naruto had read, he had never actually met a dryad. They were indigenous to Continental Europe, so they didn’t get many of them in these parts of the world.

Naruto wanted to read on, but he knew he wouldn’t have the time to look through all of them, too many folders and not nearly enough time.

There were tags at the top of the folders, each labelled with a last name, all ordered alphabetically, which meant that the name he was looking for would be towards the middle. He placed the folder back in its place and opened the next drawer, following the alphabet backwards, seeing that it stopped at K, and then he moved to the next drawer, flicking through folders until he got to N. The fourth folder bore the name Namikaze, and Naruto had to shake a trembling out of his hand as he grabbed it, carefully pulling it out and carrying it over to the desk to lay it down before he opened it.

Yamato hadn’t known too much about his birth parents, but he had told Naruto that his father’s name was Minato Namikaze. Naruto had never really thought about the fact that Uzumaki might not be his birth name, but it made sense that his birth parents would have taken on a fake name when they went into hiding.

He wanted to take his time, but he knew he couldn’t, so he opened the folder.

The first thing he saw was the picture fastened to the top of a stack of papers with a paper clip, and Naruto’s jaw dropped as he saw the man who was his birth father, and suddenly he realised just how Yamato had recognised him the moment he saw him.

The man who looked back at him had a bright blond head of hair, longer than Naruto’s, but equally as messy, and the eyes that looked up at him was a startling blue that Naruto recognised from looking at himself in the mirror.

Across either of his cheeks there were three lines, like whiskers, reminiscent of scars, but just as Naruto’s they would have been there from birth, would they not?

“Dad,” Naruto whispered, tracing a finger across the picture, feeling tears well in his eyes.

He wished he could have gotten to know his parents, that he could have grown up in a happy home, with two people who loved him, instead of being sent from foster home to foster home, never feeling like he was a part of anything, always alone, craving the comfort of other people. Even when he was pushed away over and over again he wanted to be around people, wanted to have someone to call his. His family, his friends.

With the folder in his hands he slid down to sit cross-legged on the floor, back against Danzo’s desk. He forgot about where he was, and that he was supposed to make sure no one knew he was there, because finally he could learn something about his birth father. These papers were all he had to go on, and he wasn't about to leave until he had read every single one.

Chapter Text

Forty years ago

He had no recollection of his life before the forest. He might have had a family once, but they were long gone, and all he knew was the empty solitude of the wilderness. Days and weeks and months walking through the shadows, having to learn to take care of himself, his human side retreating deep in his mind and allowing the wild parts of him to reign. It kept him alive, fended off those beasts that would hurt him, helped him hunt down prey to eat, and when the nights got cold he curled into a ball, rust coloured fur protecting him from the elements, thick tail curved around his body.

When the humans came with their loud voices and strange smells the other side of him reacted with fear, wanting nothing to do with them. It urged him to flee deeper into the forest that was his home. He never got far. A sharp pain blossomed in his back, and he stumbled to the ground, reaching behind to pull out a feathered dart, and when he tried to get his body to move again it had grown heavy. Drowsiness settled over him, and he didn’t fight it, so tired from running, so he just let it happen, and when he woke he was no longer in the forest he had called home, and he was no longer alone.

The ground underneath him was hard, and he couldn’t move freely, arms and legs pinned to the surface by thick leather bonds.

He had trashed and screamed and snarled until he got too tired to move, and the entire time someone was looking at him, not even reacting when he went from human to beast and back again, fur growing and receding, mouth filling with fangs and then turning into blunt teeth again. No, the man watched with keen interest in his eyes.

He slept, and he fought more, and he slept again, and still the man was there, watching, calmly.

Finally the other side of him, the one he had relied on to stay alive in the forest retreated, leaving a terrified human boy who no longer screamed but trembled. Scared and hungry and so, so lonely.

“What is your name?” the man asked then, and the sound of words were unfamiliar to his ears, but he knew what they meant, hadn’t forgotten.

The first sound he made wasn't the word he had been trying to form, but a squeaking noise. He hadn’t talked in months, the shapes of the words unfamiliar in his mouth, and he had to try a few times until he got it right.

“Name?”

He guessed he’d had a name. Everyone had names did they not? He knew there had been a time before the forest, when he was with others like him, a time of warmth and light. But something had happened, light turning to flames, and screams. So many screams, and he’d run and he had let that other part of him take over because he was too afraid to be alone, and there was comfort in that side, even though he knew he shouldn’t let into it too often, not until he was older.

“Do you have a name?” the man asked again.

He closed his eyes, tried to think back, to a life before the flames and screams. A man, tall and strong, with light hair just like him, lifting him into his arms and swinging him around. My little Minato , the man had said, smiling at him.

“I am Minato,” he said, and it felt right on his tongue. His name was Minato and he was all alone in the world, everyone he knew gone, eaten by the flames that Minato had fled from.

***

It was a week after he had been brought here and the man who had found him, Danzo, finally let him leave the small room he had been staying in, showing him around. It was a cabin in the woods, nothing special at all, a living room and kitchen with a few bedrooms upstairs. It was like the houses Minato had grown up in, deep in the forest, away from humans because his kind had liked the forest, liked the safety it brought, away from those that wouldn’t understand what they were, the last of their kind.

They’d been a community, and they’d been happy, and now there was only Minato left.

Outside the thick timber walls of the cabin the forest rose on all sides, trees tall and imposing on the grounds, crowding the cabin.

The other side of him didn’t like it, didn’t like being around humans. They are dangerous , it told Minato, they will hurt us .

Minato ignored it. He didn’t want to be lonely again.

***

He had spent a year in the cabin, and the forest wasn’t imposing as much anymore, tree by tree falling as the men who lived here alongside Minato cut them down, creating a wound in a ring around the cabin, nothing but dying stumps left from trees that had been there for decades upon decades.

***

Two years he had spent in the cabin, and life had settled as well as it could. It was hard to remember his life before, it was like trying to catch water with his hands, the memories trickled away through his fingers, leaving nothing but drops. He remembered the face of his parents, and the sound of their laughter, the smell of his mother’s cooking and the crackling of wood in the fireplace, but then the crackling would turn into the roar of a fire spreading from house to house, and laughter would turn into screaming, and Minato didn’t want to remember even those flashes of memories anymore, because they just brought pain. They were all gone, and this was his life now.

He spent his days wandering and helping the others. They were adding on to the cabin, a whole new wing, and he might not be more than eleven years old, but he was strong. They called him runt and pushed him around, but he pushed right back.

***

Four years and two months he’d lived in the cabin, and no one pushed him around anymore. When Minato got too close they walked away, and Minato was feeling all alone again. The other men, shifters all of them, had been the closest he had to a family, but now they were afraid of him, shying away.

Minato curled up in a corner of his bedroom, sheets clutched to his chest as he shivered, trying desperately to push his other side back.

It didn’t listen to him anymore. Minato didn’t need to rely on it, not like he’d had to out in the forest, and for a while it seemed content to merely stay still, curled up in its spot deep in Minato’s gut, but it was growing agitated. It didn’t like Danzo, and it didn’t like the other shifters, and it wanted to leave and find others like him. Minato tried to tell it that there weren't any like him left in the world, but it fought him, lashing out at the others to the point that they grew scared of him. Minato was taller now, shoulders broadening, arms strong from years spent working with his hands, building the very cabin they were living in.

He’d hurt one of the badger shifters, fangs tearing off his ear before he could stop himself, and since then no one wanted to spend any time with him, so he stayed up here, wishing he knew what to do.

***

Four years and three months and he couldn't’ fight it anymore, and one night he left. He let the other side of him be in control for once, his body shifting into his other form as if this was how he was meant to be, the shift going so easily. Then he was running.

Trees passed in a blur, he scared up birds and critter as his sneakers pounded through the undergrowth. He wasn't even sure where he was running, but the other side, the one that was all instinct, seemed to know just where to go, making his way past hilltops and streams and over fallen trees. The moon was up, it’s cold light splashing through the forest through gaps in foliage, and it was more than enough for him to see the path he made through the dense forest.

For hours they ran, until the sun broke over the horizon, chasing away the night and waking the forest around them.

His lungs were hurting, and his feet likewise, but he’d retreated into his mind, allowing the other side of him to rule, and it cared little for tiredness, kept pushing, and would keep pushing until his feet gave out from underneath him.

It didn’t get to that. As sharp pains shot up his legs he jumped across a fallen log, and then he was there. He had felt it in the air, had known he was nearing.

He was breathing harshly, bent over with hands on his knees, sweat pouring down his face and neck, drenching through his clothes, but he was here, he was home.

The trees around him were scorched black in spots where the flames had eaten at them, but they had stayed strong, saved by the cold rain that had come that same night.

The trees further in hadn’t been so lucky. Some had been burned just enough that they hadn’t been able to stand up to it, still whole in places, but fallen over or dying. Then there were trees that was nothing but charred remains.

The fire had ravaged wildly, eating a large chunk out of the forest, acres of what at one point had been tall trees and lush undergrowth turning into ash as the fire devoured them whole.

The whole area would have been covered with ash and the skeletal remains of trees at one point, but four years had passed since then, and the forest was claiming back what belonged to it, the blanket of ash giving way to new growth, green and lush.

Minato’s eyes watered with tears as he walked through the growing forest, seeing life where there had been so much death, knowing he had spent his childhood running through this very place, climbing in trees that were now gone, eating berries off of bushes that had died only to have new bushes with new berries grow in their place.

He remembered the hill he was walking up, and he knew exactly what waited him on the other side. At one point it had been a community, a couple dozen houses hewn from timber cut from the very forest they lived in. They didn’t have much, but Minato remembered that they had been happy.

Nature was reclaiming what was lost, but there had been no Protos around to reclaim what they had lost, so where houses had once stood there were no new houses.

The fire had been strongest here, and there was nothing left from his home at all, houses gone as if they had never been there at all, and now a blanket of grass and flowers and bushes were declaring the place for theirs.

The ground was soft underneath his feet, and as he looked over the ground, hearing the faint thrill of birds in trees and little else it hit him that he was truly all alone in the world. There would be no one who understood his struggles, no one to show him how to channel his other side into something good, and he was terrified.

A part of him wanted to stay, to curl up in the place he had once called home and to let go. It had been easier when he had let the other side guide him those years back when he fled the terrifying roar of flames. The other side of him didn't feel loneliness or fear, it just existed, caring more about finding the next meal than it did feelings. The wild was no place for feelings.

***

Five years he had lived in the cabin, and his bedroom now had bars in front of the window, and a lock he didn't have the key for. He still wasn't sure if he had done the right thing in going back to Danzo, but he hadn't known what else to do, so after spending the day and following night in the clearing he had turned around and walked back. He had been welcomed with open arms by Danzo and distrustful eyes by the other shifters. As it became clear the other side of him wasn't under control he found himself restricted until his room was a prison, and he the inmate.

It was becoming increasingly hard to fight the other side, and he found himself lashing out whenever he was let out of the room, the anger rising to the surface at very little provocation. One moments he was fine, and the next something happened, and claws were ripping through the air. He hadn’t hurt anyone since he got back, but he was sure it was only a matter of time. The other side of him didn’t like being cooped up in here, didn’t trust the others, would prefer to run free, to hunt for more like him, but Minato knew he was the only one. It had been common knowledge that his community was the last of their kind. They had never been many, and their volatile nature had lead to many family lines demise.

He remembered his community as a calm one. They knew how to channel the energy of the other side into something good, which was why they had thrived where others let the other side reign, falling into the trap of letting instincts rule. In the end that had been their downfall, in a world where humans were already distrustful to anything that was different they had been hunted down and killed generations ago.

Only the Vulpes that made up his community were left as far as he knew, and they’d been happy living in peace, until the day it all ended. Minato had no idea what happened. A camp fire out of control, or something more sinister, but he knew that when he came back from having snuck out in the middle of the night to hunt the flames had already taken over their houses, burning with an intensity that had his hair curl, and he couldn’t do anything but escape.

There was no fleeing from the terror of losing control. He knew there were ways to channel his energy to less destructive paths, but he had no idea how, had never learned, too young for it to be an issue yet, and now there were no one to teach him.

***

Five years and eight months after he had been found in the forest Danzo came into his room, and Minato sprang from his bed, the other side seeing nothing but the freedom past the door. Danzo tried to stop him, and the next moment Minato had locked his muzzle around Danzo’s knee and bit down, bone crunching between his teeth, the coppery taste of blood filling his mouth.

It took three wolf shifters to pry him off and strap him down, and Danzo’s knee was never quite the same again.

***

Six years he had lived in the cabin when the door to his room opened and a man in a doctor’s coat came inside, followed closely by Danzo, who seemed pleased, which was much at odds with how he had looked lately. The last year had seen Minato locked inside here more often than not, and the evidence was in the deep gorges in the timber walls where his claws had dug deep when anger and isolation got the better of him and he lost control of his other side.

The doctor was carrying a tray with a small vial of opaque green liquid and a syringe. Minato eyed it with distrust, pushing himself to the back of his bed to get as far away as he could.

It wasn’t the first needle he had seen. Another doctor had come in often over the last year, taking blood samples and tissue samples and never offering any explanation, and all Minato could do was agree, because what option did he have? He had nothing, even if he left this place, so it was better he was here, where they would assure he wouldn't hurt anyone.

He didn’t fight as the doctor ushered him to roll up the sleeve of his shirt, nor did he protest when the needle bit deep, and it felt as if he was injected with pure ice. His arm grew numb, and he kept calm, but then his body felt as if it was on fire, the purest agony he had ever felt, and he screamed until his voice gave in.

***

Seven years he had lived in the cabin when he was introduced to a knobbly kneed kid with big eyes that stared up at him.

“This is Yamato,” Danzo had said. “Yamato, show Minato what you can do.”

The kid looked mildly terrified, taking a half step back, but then he closed his eyes tight, and when he opened them again they were a deep red. Minato started to say something when he noticed the red tinge in the kid’s hair that certainly hadn’t been there before, and as he watched it turned into a bright rusty red and started spreading, just as his ears started shifting from round to pointed.

When a bushy tail with a white tip sprouted from the back of the kid’s sweatpants and he made no move to turn fully into a fox it was clear that this kid was no ordinary shifter.

“You’re… like me?” Minato asked, having never seen anyone who shifted like he did before, stopping halfway like that.

The kid looked up at Danzo and then started shifting back, looking tired when he was done, as if the shift had taken too much energy out of him, leaving him a little pale in the cheeks and hard of breathing.

“He’s half-protos,” Danzo said.

Through the years Minato would spend time around the kid, not quite a big brother, but more like an older cousin, showing him the ropes of the small world that was the cabin and the forest surrounding it. Minato couldn’t shift since he was on the drugs, finding that other side of him dormant, not responding even when he tried to call on it. The kid was lucky in that sense, he didn’t need the drugs. His other side wasn’t as strong, his senses no where near Minato’s, but easily controllable. Minato envied him that.

Danzo never told Minato just where the kid had come from, how he was only half-protos, and Minato never asked. He should have asked.

***

Eight years he had lived in the cabin and life had settled into a routine. Get shot up with drugs and be violently ill for a day, but then a whole day with blessed peace from the other side of him. The other shifters were still distrustful, but Danzo didn’t appear to be, letting Minato go alongside him on his jobs. He was a businessman of sorts, and Minato didn’t understand half of what he did, having lived on the outskirts of society for his entire life, first in the community and then in the cabin, but he could pick up packages and he could walk behind Danzo, making sure no one threatened the other man. He could beat up the bad guys, and he could follow orders. He was stronger than the others, and faster , even with the drugs coursing through his system.The other side of him was dormant, but he was just as good without it.

***

Ten years he had lived in the cabin when he met her. Her hair a flaming red and eyes a violet he didn’t seem to be able to look away from. He was only supposed to go into the town to find a man who had a package Danzo had requested, but he had gotten hungry and stopped by a diner, and there she was, green dress and a pleasant smile that turned into pure fury when one of the other customers tried to slap her behind.

He fell in love in that very moment.

***

Ten years and a month he had lived in the cabin when he was shot down by Kushina for the fifth time. She didn’t seem impressed by him, telling him that he was little but a bully and a thug.

***

Ten years and five months he had lived in the cabin when he first kissed Kushina.

***

Ten years and seven months he had lived in the cabin when he realised that he was working for the bad guys, and the dread that filled him was as cold as the drugs he got every other day. Kushina had made him see what was happening, had made him question things he had been too afraid to question before.

***

Twelve years he had lived in the cabin when he finally found a way out, a plan that had been in the works ever since Kushina had told him that he was the bad guy in all of this. He needed to get away, but he knew that Danzo wasn’t going to just let him leave. He had been furious when he had found out that Minato had a girlfriend in town, telling him that there were more important things in life than girls.

Minato didn’t agree, Kushina was the most important thing to him, and he would do anything for her, including leaving the apparent safety of the cabin for a life with just the two of them. They could leave and make a life of their own somewhere else. They just needed to make sure no one would find them, then they could be happy.

***

Twelve years and four months he had lived in the cabin he would no longer live in. The moon was high in the sky, veiled behind clouds as Minato packed a bag with the few clothes that were all of his belongings, and then he left, dodging out of sight from the windows until he was lost in the trees, leaving behind dozens of vials filled with drugs he had neglected to take over the last months. Danzo had trusted him to take them himself, so he hadn’t known that Minato had stopped, that he had found a way to keep his other side under control without the use of synthetic drugs.

There were no notes left behind, and he hoped Danzo would let him go.

***

One year he had lived in the little house in a quiet neighbourhood when Kushina waddled into the living room, clutching her belly and telling him that it was happening tonight and he better be ready.

Panic flooded him as he realised that nine months had already passed, and soon he would be a father.

He wished he could have brought Kushina to a hospital to have more competent people help her, but they were still in hiding and their fake names didn’t come with any identification, so they had decided that they would do as generations before had done and make due in their own home. They’d gotten books at the library, reading all about home births, and was as prepared as two people barely into their twenties with no medical knowledge could be.

When Kushina first screamed he realised how completely unprepared they were.

It was a long night, and Minato had been on the verge of running out to get a doctor, no matter what their plans had been, but then, as the clock had just hit six am he found himself with a bundle of towels in his arms, a small face peeking up at him, wrinkled and looking a little mushed, still patchy with fluids, and in that moment Minato felt joy unlike any joy he had ever felt before, even as the little mouth opened and started wailing .

Kushina held out her arms, and he kneeled by her side, gently placing the bundle on her chest, marvelling at the tiny fingers curling into fists and then relaxing the moment he was pressed up against her.

Kushina looked tired, but there was a smile on her face.

“Our son,” Minato said, and Kushina nodded.

“Our Naruto.”

***

One years and six months they had lived in their little house when their world crashed down. They had been found, and as a gang of shifters rushed there was nothing he could do as every piece of happiness he had ever had was torn from him, his dream life shattering in front of him.

I’ll protect him , Yamato had said and Minato wanted to believe him.

As he took his last breaths he hoped Naruto would get the life he had dreamed of, a life of love and happiness. He deserved everything, his beautiful boy.

***

As Naruto made his ways through the papers he was making a picture of his birth father that extended past the made up stories he’d had as a kid. Minato had grown up here after having been found all alone in the forest, his family presumed dead in a forest fire. There were plenty of notes on him, from his top speed to his blood type to his strength, everything meticulously noted down.

There were a couple more pictures as well, of Minato as a teenager, chopping wood outside the cabin, and one of him staring into the camera, blank faced.

Naruto wanted to take the pictures with him, something to remember the father he had never learned to know, but he knew he couldn’t risk it, so when he had gone through the entire file he gently placed everything back in the folder and put it back in its place. It was clear that Danzo had done research on Minato, but there were no in depth medical reports, so there had to be more files somewhere else as well.

What Naruto had learned though was that Minato had used suppressants just like him, but he had found a way to control his beast, had been able to stop and leave, and for eighteen months lived a life away from the cabin. Danzo had noted as much, that he had found a stack of vials in Minato’s room, hidden away, unused.

Maybe that was why Naruto wasn’t given access to the vials, that he had to have the doctor or Sai give him every single one, because Danzo had been fooled once, and he wasn't about to be fooled again.

Naruto quickly looked through the rest of the cabinet, finding no information that was of any use to him. It was all endless folders of people he had no idea who was. Shifters and others that had been through the cabin over the years most likely. Danzo had been doing this for decades, if his father had gotten here when he was just nine. Dozens upon dozens of people, and several of them bore the same stamp as the first page in Minato Namikaze’s file.

Terminated.

Danzo had killed his father and many others, and Naruto was afraid he would keep doing so. He would have to stop Danzo, but he was afraid that if he did so he would be left without the suppressants, and what if he didn’t figure out how his father had managed to get control of his beast?

No, Naruto had to do that first, and as soon as he was free of the suppressants he could think of a way to stop Danzo. It would be too late to save his birth parents, but he could make sure the same didn’t happen to other families.

He had no idea how Minato had learned how to control the beast, but it was clear that repressing it wasn’t the way, because Naruto had done that since he was young and it first started making its presence known.

No, he would have to think of something else, and if repressing it wasn’t doing it, then maybe it was time to set his beast free.

Chapter Text

A fire was crackling in the fireplace, and snow was falling outside, and for a moment Naruto could almost forget that the cabin was little more than a glorified prison. He closed his eyes and envisioned Sasuke by his side, curled up on the soft rug and silently reading a book, huffing out a pseudo-annoyed sound when Naruto poked his side to get attention. The look on Sasuke’s face as he would put away the book and pay attention to Naruto, dark eyes filling with a softness he only seemed to show around him.

When Naruto opened his eyes and saw the empty spot next to him he felt himself grow cold, despite the warmth of the fireplace.

The room was quiet besides the fire and the soft scratching of a pencil as Sai worked silently, sitting in the armchair with his legs crossed as he drew in his sketchbook, paying no attention to Naruto.

Naruto had looked at the drawing earlier, when his legs grew restless and he had paced around the room in lieu of anything better to do. Sai had drawn a forest, dark and ominous, and high above a bird flying. A crow or a raven as far as Naruto could tell, the detail incredible, even when unfinished. It made Naruto yearn to feel what the bird was feeling, the freedom of open skies, nothing holding it back.

Sai had smiled at him when he caught Naruto looking, and it was less stiff than the usual smile he put up, something a little softer, almost real. Naruto had found himself on the verge of wanting to initiate an actual conversation with Sai. They’d been spending a lot of time together during the weeks Naruto had been here, but he still knew almost nothing about the guy. Something had just put him off him from the very beginning, and that feeling had never quite left. Besides working for Danzo Sai had never actually done anything to Naruto, but he gave off a creepy vibe that had Naruto want to keep away from him as much as possible. Now he was wondering how Sai really was, if Naruto had gotten to know him past that fake smile he usually put up. Was Sai just Danzo’s lapdog, or was he like Naruto, caught in a situation he wasn’t sure how to get out of?

Sai had ruined it all when he opened his mouth and called him dickless, which was about the moment when Naruto had sat on the floor instead, because this way he didn’t have to look at Sai at all.

It was two days since he’d broken into Danzo’s office, and sitting around doing nothing was killing him. He wished he could just do something, anything , right away, but he knew he had to be smart for once, and actually lay a plan and follow through, but it was difficult. His body was yearning to be back with Sasuke, and he ached for revenge for what Danzo had done to his family, but he knew that he couldn't just rush into this, even if that was his modus operandi.

He hadn’t learned as much as he wanted from the quick look he had managed in Danzo’s office. All the manilla folders appeared to be personnel files, and nothing in them was truly incriminating. Nowhere had Danzo outright written that he had done experiments on humans to create half-Protos, or that he had sent out a group to murder Naruto’s parents; the files were too vague for that, Naruto just able to read between the line after what Yamato had told him. He had been able to learn that Minato had been able to wean off the suppressants, and that he had been living free of them for months, so even if Naruto didn’t have a plan for how he was going to take down Danzo, he had hope he hadn’t before, hope that there was a life past the cold numbness of suppressants and the warm rage of the beast.

He had wanted to do something the moment he left Danzo’s office, but he needed to confer with Yamato first, but of course he hadn’t been able to find him the next morning. He had wanted to ask after him, but he knew it would just appear suspicious, so he went around his daily routine, waiting for Yamato to get back while trying to come up with a plan.

Naruto hadn’t seen Danzo at all for those days, and he just hoped Yamato would come back before him so they would have time to go through the plan before Danzo was back. Danzo seemed to still think he could trust Naruto, but Naruto wasn’t sure he would be able to keep up the pretence if he was sent on another bad mission. He’d snap, and say something he shouldn’t, and that would force Danzo to do something, and everything would fall apart.

If only Yamato would come back soon. He seemed to have a lot of autonomy, Danzo trusting him to go out alone, which would come in handy later on. If Naruto was to shift he couldn’t do it in the cabin, there was much too great a chance that someone would find them and stop them, so they would have to find somewhere else, and Naruto had no idea where they even were.

There was another hurdle to cross as well. If Naruto wanted to shift he needed to be free of the suppressants, but someone always made sure he got his dosage every other day, Sai either giving it to him, or more often than not making sure he went down to the doctor. Naruto didn’t trust either of the two, so he would have to ditch Sai for a day or two for the plan to happen, and he had no idea how to do that. So far his best idea was to just leave right before he was due a shot, and then come back as soon as he could, making up some excuse he had no idea what would be.

The suppressants seemed to flush through his system fast, probably courtesy of his Protos nature, which was why he needed a new shot every other day. Hopefully it also meant that it wouldn’t take him long to be clear of the drugs altogether. He usually felt the first telltale signs of the beast stirring whenever he was due another shot

He pushed away from his position on the floor, intending to crawl over and toss another log in the fire, but didn’t even get halfway across the floor before he heard the front door open. Naruto peeked over the edge of the couch, and saw Yamato shaking snow out of his hair as he shrugged out of a coat. Their eyes met, and Naruto knew Yamato could read the eagerness to talk on Naruto’s face, and he shook his head slightly, as if to say not now.

Naruto wanted to pout and complain, but Sai was still sitting on the couch, and even if his focus seemed to be on his drawing pad there were no telling how much attention he was paying. Naruto nodded back, and finished feeding the fire.

The next two hours were agonizingly long as Naruto tried not to act out of the ordinary, and when Yamato finally came back into the living room, telling Naruto that he needed help bringing in more firewood he could barely keep from jumping up and running after him.

It took Naruto all but a second after the door to the shed swung shut behind them to jump at Yamato, telling him what he intended to do, not opening up for any discussion.

They wouldn’t have long until Sai would grow suspicious, and Yamato seemed well aware of that, biting back the arguments Naruto could feel forming.

“Okay, so we need to find a place for you to safely shift, and get away from here for a day, that can probably be arranged,” he said as he started piling up logs in Naruto’s arms. He thought about it for a moment. “I’ve been wondering about the same, and I might have a place. I’m still not sure how we’ll get you away without anyone getting suspicious though, I guess I could bring you along for a supply run, we’ll just have to make sure there’s an excuse why we don’t come back.”

Naruto stretched his neck to peer over the stack of wood in his arms. “We’ll just drive the car into a ditch, tell Sai that we had to stay in town for the night or something. It’s snowing outside, it’s not that far-fetched, right?”

Yamato seemed to give it a moment’s thought as he started picking up more logs to carry for himself.

“It’s a pretty idiotic plan,” he muttered.

Naruto broke into a grin. “Idiotic plans are what I do best.”

When all the logs were safely stacked by the fireplace and Naruto had retreated to his bedroom under the guise of working out he started with the first step of the plan. They hadn’t been able to think things through much, but Yamato had mentioned how it was completely foolish to not only escape the cabin, but to willingly shift into a beast Naruto had no idea he could control, and even though Naruto didn’t want to let himself believe this wasn’t the solution he also knew that they could need backup.

He’d mentioned it to Yamato as they left the shed, not giving Yamato the option of not agreeing, and now here he was sitting on his bed, digging underneath the mattress until he could pull out the cellphone he had stashed there. It had been turned off since he had gotten it from Sasuke, so it should have had plenty of battery left. He had cursed himself when he had gotten back from the break-in to Danzo’s office and remembered that he could have brought the phone and taken pictures of the files, which would have meant he could have had his father’s picture right now, but at least he knew he had power and would be able to use it now.

He listened carefully to make sure he couldn’t hear anyone out in the hallway, and then he turned on the phone, pulling up Sasuke’s number, and then hesitating over the call button.

Yamato had written down an address on a slip of paper, as well as some quick instructions, and handed it to Naruto before he walked upstairs, and Naruto unfolded it now, stroking against it to smooth out the creases and stall time.

He had no idea where the address was for, but the instructions were clear.

Tell him to bring chains and padlocks to tie you up

It was the only way to safely go through with the shift when they had no idea what would happen. Naruto had been able to control the beast before, but who knew how it would react now after having been drugged up for weeks. It might lash out and attack Yamato and Sasuke, or it might just flee, hurt someone else entirely. No, Yamato was right, they would need to make sure Naruto wouldn’t be able to hurt anyone.

He didn’t just want Sasuke there to make sure he didn’t escape, he wanted him there because he knew that if anyone could ground him it would be Sasuke. Sasuke had talked him down before, he could do it again. He felt safer around Sasuke than he did around anyone else, and he wanted him there, wanted the support and strength he brought.

Naruto tried to imagine Sasuke’s disapproving look as Naruto would lay out the plan. Sasuke would probably see all the faults in it, but he would also realise that right now this was what Naruto needed, and he would do as always and support him.

***

His fingers beat out a staccato rhythm against the sleek wood of the steering wheel as Sasuke drove down the interstate, more than fast enough that any cops would try to pull him over if they saw. He didn’t care, he needed to get there faster, needed to be there right now.

The two days that had passed since Naruto had called him had been pure hell. He’d had trouble sleeping for weeks already, and the call certainly hadn’t helped. Naruto hadn’t said much, just enough that Sasuke knew that they were going to do something absolutely stupid and Naruto was just trying to play it off as no big deal.

Sasuke would have called him on it, but there was no point really. If Naruto had decided, then this was what was happening, so in the end he had just told Naruto he would be there, written down the address and then just listened to his breathing for a moment, soaking in the knowledge that Naruto was still there, alive, and that maybe they were getting closer to getting out of this shitty situation. Neither one of them seemed to want to hang up, but neither knew what to say either. Sasuke wanted to tell him that he loved him and missed him and that he needed to be careful, but the words clogged in his throat. He’d been waiting for this call ever since Naruto had left him at that hotel, and now he couldn’t even say half the things he wanted to say.

In the end Naruto ended the call with a softly whispered, “See you tomorrow,” and Sasuke was left sitting on his couch, staring at his phone, hating himself for not just telling Naruto what he wanted to say to him, to reassure him and tell him just how much he meant to him.

It had stopped snowing last night, and the road was clear of snow, but the landscape outside was still patchy with it where it flashed by his car windows. Beyond the fields he could see the white topped trees of a forest, and his GPS told him that it was the direction he was going i n, and not too long after that it beeped to signal where he had to leave the interstate behind for smaller roads. He was getting closer and closer to seeing Naruto again, and he had vowed to himself that he was going to stop being afraid. Naruto had gone through so much shit in his life, he deserved that Sasuke got over his inhibitions and freely told him what he was feeling. It had taken Sasuke months to be able to tell Naruto that he loved him, he was not going to regress back into the fear that had held him back. He did love Naruto, and he had missed him, and Naruto deserved to know as much.

He braked a little too hard taking the right off-ramp, and heard the rattle of chains from his trunk. Naruto hadn’t told him exactly what they were going to do, just that he needed to test something, and that Sasuke needed to bring chains. He had a vague idea just what the plan could entail, but the thought made him uneasy, so he tried not to focus on it, keeping his attention on the road instead, barely noticing the small town he was passing through.

He was far away from the big city by now, no more tall buildings and narrow alleys. Out here there were wide spaces, smaller buildings, and a sprawling forest. He had never been here before, had no idea what to expect, but he knew he was heading into the countryside, to some abandoned farm according to Google Maps. He wasn’t sure what would wait for him there, but he hoped it wouldn’t be anything bad, but rather something that would lead to the end to their separation. He wanted Naruto to come home now, hated the thought that he might be leaving alone again. He despised the way his apartment felt too big and too bland without Naruto in it.

By the time he turned off the road between two towns and onto a dirt road winding up along the edge of the forest he was clenching the steering wheel tight, knowing he was a mere minutes away from where he would see Naruto again. He was half an hour early, and he wasn’t sure how he was going to take the wait if Naruto didn’t come before they had decided upon.

There was a bend in the road, and then Sasuke could see a small farm rise before him, a main house, once white but now weathered into a grey that was flaking off the wood. There was a barn as well, and two other small buildings he had no idea what would have been used for.

The grounds were thick with weeds poking through the snow, and the yard and buildings had clearly not been maintained for years. Several of the windows in the house were broken, and it looked like a strong wind might make everything collapse altogether.

Sasuke pulled the car to a stop in front of the main house, getting out and stretching his legs as he looked over the area.

He couldn’t see any other houses from where he was standing, the farm hidden by the forest and distant hills past the sprawling fields. Someone seemed to have been tending to the them, they were shorn for the winter, patched over with wet snow. A bigger farm had probably bought the land at some point, and this farm had lost its purpose, allowed to wither away where it stood.

It was quiet around him, too far away to hear any car traffic, and the only sound to be heard apart from the soft whisper of a wind was the faint croaking from a bird. He tipped his head back and shielded his eyes and saw a lone figure circling high above. He had no idea what kind of bird it could be, living in the city he didn’t see much wildlife apart from pigeons.

Ignoring it Sasuke walked towards the house, peering in through a grimy window, seeing no hint that anyone had been here in years. The room within appeared to be a living room, a fireplace across from him, and a dusty old couch pushed to one side. Other than that it was empty.

He wasn’t sure just where he was supposed to meet Naruto, so he walked back to his car, digging his phone out of his pocket to make sure no one had tried calling him, but there were no notifications, so he deigned himself to waiting, hoping Naruto would come soon, because this wait was just making him anxious.

Ten minutes passed before he he heard voices nearing, and he perked up, looking around for the source, not immediately spotting anyone.

It took another minute until he saw someone walk out of the forest, and there was no mistaking that bright blond hair. Sasuke wanted to run towards Naruto, but he saw someone else walking next to him, the two of them talking amongst themselves, and Sasuke hesitated. He had no idea who the other man was, and he didn’t like how familiar Naruto was acting around him.

Then Naruto looked away from the other man, and seemed to spot Sasuke, because the next moment any conversation completely died out as Naruto ran, leaving the other man behind as he made his way across the field between the farm and the forest, feet splashing into the snow, seemingly caring little as he kept running.

Sasuke hesitated, but seeing Naruto running towards him like that made him forget any inhibitions he might have, and he pushed away from the car that he had been leaning against, and then he was running too, shoes soaking through as he stepped into a patch of rotten snow, but he didn’t care, because Naruto was here, and he was whole, and they were going to fix everything now.

They slammed into each other, nearly toppling over with the force, but Sasuke managed to brace them, arms tight around Naruto to hold him steady, and then Naruto was clinging to him, face pressed into his neck and his arms a vice around him. Sasuke did the same, pressed his face into Naruto’s skin and just soaked up the feeling of his warmth and the smell of him and the feel of his body against his.

“Sasuke,” Naruto said, voice thick, and when Sasuke pulled back enough to see his face Naruto’s eyes were wet with tears, lashes clumping together, a few drops escaping to trail down his cheeks, getting caught in the marks slashing across them.

Sasuke lifted a hand and used his thumb to wipe away the tears, leaning in and kissing Naruto, a light press of lips.

“I missed you,” he said, and Naruto’s lips pressed together, seemingly in an attempt to hold back a sob. Naruto had always carried his feelings on his sleeve, quick to cry and quick to laugh, which was so unlike Sasuke self, but also one of the things that made him love Naruto. He never needed to try to figure out what Naruto was feeling, because it was always there, right on his face for anyone to see.

Naruto buried his face in Sasuke’s neck again, tears soaking into the collar of Sasuke’s sweater, but he didn’t mind in the slightest, just curled his fingers into the back of Naruto’s hoodie and held him close.

When he opened his eyes a few moments later he saw the man Naruto had been walking with standing a bit away, looking awkward, shuffling from foot to foot and looking anywhere but at them.

Sasuke pulled away, kissing Naruto’s forehead, knowing that even if he wanted nothing more than to just stay here holding him they were here for a reason.

Naruto seemed to realise the same, wiping his face with the sleeve of his hoodie, and grabbing Sasuke's hand, lacing their fingers together as he pulled him along towards the other man.

“Sasuke, this is Yamato,” Naruto said. “He’s been telling me about my birth parents. He’s… he’s like me,” he added, his hand tightening around Sasuke’s hand.

“He’s a Protos as well?” Sasuke asked incredulously. He had found no information on Protos while looking, and had been starting to think it was all a dead end, that Naruto was just Naruto, completely unique.

The other man took a step forward, holding out a hand. “Half-Protos,” he said to clarify, and when Sasuke grabbed his hand he was greeted by a firm handshake.

Sasuke was naturally sceptical, but right now he had nothing to do but trust Naruto, hoping this Yamato was on their side. He wanted to ask more, but he knew time would be of an essence, Naruto had said as much when they talked on the phone.

“So, what exactly is the plan for today?” Sasuke asked.

“We’re gonna tie me up, and then I’m going to shift, and hopefully we’ll figure out more from there.”

Sasuke stared at Naruto. He wasn’t sure why he was surprised, because this was pretty much like every plan Naruto had ever laid; completely reckless, and not really thought through at all.

“So, that’s what the chains are for then?” he asked. He’d sort of figured as much, but he found clarifications would be in order right about now.

“Yeah!” Naruto said, actually smiling at him, as if this wasn’t a completely idiotic plan.

Sasuke sighed, knowing that the best thing right now would be to just go along with it. It wasn't like he had any better plans to contribute with, however much it pained him. He felt like he should have been able to do more, should have found some solution for Naruto, but he had been trying for weeks and getting nowhere.

Naruto and Yamato helped him get the chains from the car, and together they headed towards the barn, kicking open one of the side doors and walking into the dusty darkness. It still smelled faintly of animal, but it was clear that the only animals that had stayed here in years were rats.

Sasuke wasn’t sure why they had decided to do this out in the barn and not the main house, but as Yamato dropped down his chains in the middle of the floor it made sense. The barn was built with heavy wooden beams, still looking strong even after years of disuse. This was the plan then, tie Naruto to the beam and hope it would hold him. He wanted to object, to point out every single flaw in the plan, but he knew it wouldn’t matter. Naruto had made up his mind, and all Sasuke could do was to support him and make sure they all walked out unscathed at the end of it.

He aimed a firm kick at the beam Naruto seemed to have decided on, and there was no give in the wood. Sasuke had seen first-hand how strong Naruto was in his human form, and it seemed to only grow in his other form, so he still wasn't completely sure it would hold up, but right now it was the best they could do. Sasuke had to admit that the farm was pretty perfect for this use, too far away for anyone to hear them.

Naruto preoccupied himself sorting out the chains, and Sasuke was about to join him when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Yamato nodded towards the door they’d entered the barn through. “A word?”

Sasuke looked back at Naruto who was still busy inspecting the chains, and then back at Yamato, nodding. The two of them walked outside.

“I hope it won’t come to this, but did you bring any weapons?” Yamato said, cutting straight to the chase.

Sasuke tensed, but gave a sharp nod. “I have a katana in the car,” he admitted. It was habit to put it in the trunk when he left for missions, and even if this was hardly an official DPA mission he had placed it in its scabbard and put it in the trunk, hidden underneath heavy blankets so it wouldn’t be the first thing anyone saw if he happened to be pulled over. He was still on leave from the DPA, so he was sure he wasn't supposed to be driving around with deadly weapons in the car.

“Good. I hope Naruto will be able to control it at least enough to shift back, but if something happens we need to be prepared.”

Sasuke knew there was some truth to what Yamato was saying, that if Naruto wasn't able to control the beast—and then got loose—it would be up to them to stop him, but he didn’t want to even imagine that happening. He wasn’t sure he would be able to go to the step of hurting Naruto. At the same time he knew Naruto would be devastated if he ended up hurting someone, and would rather have Sasuke stop him, any way necessary.

“He’s going to shift back,” Sasuke said, pouring all the conviction he had into his words. He believed Naruto could do it, had seen him fight back the beast before, and he knew he would be able to do so again. Clearly Naruto thought this was the path to going back to his real life, so Sasuke was going to believe in him.

Yamato didn’t say anything else, but it was clear the two of them knew what was at stake here.

“He cares about you a lot,” Yamato said. “I’m glad he has someone important in his life.”

There was something in his tone of voice that told Sasuke that Yamato didn’t have anything like that himself. He sounded happy for Naruto, but also like he would have liked nothing more than to have the same. A longing for something else than what life had offered him. Was he also forced to stay at the cabin for similar reasons as Naruto? Sasuke would have to ask later, but right now he had other things on his mind.

“Thank you for helping him,” Sasuke said in return. He wasn't sure just what role Yamato had, but it was clear that Naruto trusted him, and Sasuke felt like this Yamato had a lot to do with them having any plan at all.

“I promised his father,” Yamato said, just as he headed back inside, and Sasuke was left frowning at his back. There was clearly more to the story, but this wasn't the time or place for that.

Naruto was testing the strength of a chain when they came back inside, pulling at it, trying to break it. He might be strong, but even he was no match for the heavy links of stainless steel.

“ Let’s do this!” he exclaimed, looking almost giddy. Sasuke would venture a guess and say that it was less because of what they were going to do, and more because it was something to do, something that might lead to answers.

A few minutes later Naruto was sitting on the floor, back against the heavy wooden beam that he had personally tested by doing what he could to tear it down. It hadn’t even budged.

Sasuke walked up to him with a length of chain and kneeled by his side, trying to figure the best ways to do this to make sure Naruto wouldn’t break free, but also so he was comfortable. In the end he started by winding a few rounds around Naruto’s chest, underneath his arms.

Naruto grinned up at him, and even blinked salaciously. “I never knew you were into the whole bondage thing,” he said, and Sasuke groaned, pointedly not looking at him. Give it to Naruto to crack jokes in even this situation.

“I mean, I’m not opposed to the idea. We could get some nice leather cuffs, maybe a blindfold or something, and I could—”

Naruto snapped his mouth shut when Sasuke gently cuffed the side of his head. “Please, don’t,” he muttered, tightening the chain and snapping on a padlock, testing to see if it would hold Naruto to the beam.

“Or what, are you going to gag me? Did you even bring a ball gag?”

Sasuke was kind of wishing he had, he had no need for Naruto to talk about their sex life in any form or fantasy in front of people he hardly knew, but Naruto seemed to have no qualms about it, and Yamato just pointedly looked the other way, seemingly pretending he couldn’t hear them. Sasuke was sure the joking was mostly a front right now, to try and take Naruto’s mind off what he was going to do, so he just let him crack his jokes.

Sasuke kept working, and luckily Naruto seemed to run out of BDSM jokes soon enough, instead moving on to test Sasuke’s work, pulling at the chains and trying to wriggle out, even as Sasuke kept adding more links, binding his ankles together and making sure his arms were held down by his side.

When he finished the clock had just struck three in the afternoon. He took a step back, and surveyed his handiwork. The silvery chains criss-crossed Naruto, a startling contrast against his all-black attire, and he didn’t appear to be able to move much, which was good considering what they were going to do.

“How do you feel?” Sasuke asked, wondering if he had gone too far or not far enough.

“Well, I have been more comfortable, and I think my right ass cheek is falling asleep, but it could be worse,” Naruto said, grinning up at Sasuke.

Yamato grabbed one of the chains leftover and headed towards the door they had kicked open, winding it through the doorhandles and snapping on a padlock. It wouldn’t be a big deal for Naruto to break out of the barn if he got free of the chain, the doors were easy enough to kick down, even without the strength of a preternatural being, but it would at least deter him for another few seconds, give them a moment to stop him.

Ideally they would have done this in a high-tech facility, in a cage with surveillance and doors that could withstand the force of a wild animal, but they didn’t exactly have access to any of those, and time was of an essence, so they’d done as well as they could. Yamato had been the one to find the farmhouse, and Sasuke was sure he wouldn't have been able to do much better out here. If they were back in the city they could’ve probably found an abandoned warehouse to use, but the city was hours away, and it was easier for Sasuke to come here than the other way around. The plan was, as far as Sasuke could gather, to have Naruto shift, see what they could figure out about the beast before having him shift back. Hopefully it wouldn't take too long, and then him and Yamato could make their way back to the cabin, using a car accident as an excuse for their lateness. Apparently Naruto was already overdue his shot, and the hours since he should have gotten it would have helped his system flush out the drugs enough that he could go through with the shift soon. If they took too long someone were likely to come looking for them, and that would be less than ideal.

“I think we are ready,” Yamato said.

Sasuke vividly remembered the last time he had seen Naruto shift, the red gaze so hard compared to Naruto’s usual blue eyes, the way claws had shot out and dug through his chest. In that moment Naruto hadn’t been in control at all, and Sasuke was afraid it would be the same beast they would meet today, something completely wild and ferocious.

Sasuke looked over at Naruto, and the way he tried to put on a brave front, but Sasuke saw right through it. Naruto was terrified, terrified of not being able to shift back, of losing himself in the beast, and Sasuke wanted to call everything off, tell him they could find another way, that they didn’t need to do this; but at the same time he knew that right now this was their best bet to learn more, so instead he dropped to his knees next to Naruto and kissed him hard, trying to tell him everything he couldn't say in words through the way their lips pressed together.

“I know you can do this,” he said. “You are an idiot, but I love you, and I know you can do this.”

Naruto looked stunned for a moment, then his lips split in a wide grin. “I love you too. Now take a step back, because if this works you are not going to want to be this close.”

Sasuke hesitated, not wanting to leave Naruto’s side, even if he knew he would have to. One last kiss, and then he pushed to his feet and walked to where Yamato was standing across the room. Naruto gave them a solemn nod, smile washed away, and then he closed his eyes.

***

Turned out they hadn’t needed to be quite as cautious, because a full hour had passed, and so far nothing had happened. Naruto knew the suppressants were being broken down, because he felt the beast stirring in his gut, but so far that was all it was doing.

His entire life he had been holding it back, and now that he was going to set it free he had no idea how to actually do that. Maybe the suppressants was still affecting him more than he thought? Maybe it would take days before he could let it out? Days they didn’t have because someone would come looking for them well before that happened, and even though no one knew they were here he had no doubt Danzo would be able to track them down. They weren’t far from the cabin after all, just through the woods.

He let his head fall back against the wooden beam, groaning in frustration before he looked back at his companions. Sasuke and Yamato was sitting across the room from him, both cross legged. Sasuke was looking at him, and Naruto could sense how tense he was. Could see how his shoulders were hitched a little higher than usual, how his jaw was set firmly, molars probably grinding together.

Naruto had been prepared for a lot of shit to go wrong today, but him not being able to shift at all hadn’t been one of them.

The chains were a heavy band around him, and they clinked together when he tried to move into a more comfortable position. His legs and ass was numb, and he wasn’t looking forward to how they would feel when he could finally get up, numbness fading for pins and needles.

Naruto looked away from Sasuke, hung his head and closed his eyes again, tried to will the fucking beast to just do something already. He didn’t hear Sasuke moving from his spot until he kneeled down in front of Naruto, laying his hands on Naruto’s thighs.

His head snapped up and he looked at Sasuke with wide eyes. “Shit, you’re too close, you shouldn’t—“

“Shut up, Naruto,” Sasuke said back, and Naruto pressed his lips together, stopping the babbling he could feel rising in his throat. He was still tied up firmly, Sasuke would have more than enough time to get away if Naruto were to start shifting. Back to his spot next to Yamato, where Naruto could just make out Sasuke’s katana leaning up against the wall. Sasuke hadn’t said anything when he fetched it, just placed it behind him, out of view. They both knew why it was there, and Naruto just hoped he wouldn’t give Sasuke a reason to use it.

Sasuke looked at Naruto for a moment, dark eyes scanning Naruto’s, as if he was looking for something.

“You have to stop hesitating,” he finally said, and Naruto frowned at him.

“What do you mean?”

“You are holding back. You have to stop that, stop fighting it. I’m here to make sure it doesn’t get free, to make sure you turn back into yourself. Don’t be afraid of it any more.”

Naruto pulled his bottom lip between his teeth, chewing down on it as he considered Sasuke’s words. He wanted to argue with him, that he wasn’t afraid, that he wasn’t fighting it, that he was doing anything he could, but Sasuke levelled him with a gaze that wasn’t opening up for any discussions.

“Close your eyes and stop worrying, I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“It’s not me I’m worried about,” Naruto whispered, voicing his fear. The memory of what had happened the last time the beast got free was still bright on his mind, and he was terrified of ever hurting Sasuke like that again.

Sasuke’s hand was cold against Naruto’s jaw when he gently curved his palm around it to tilt Naruto’s head up, and then he leaned in and kissed him, lips soft against Naruto.

“It hurts more not to have you with me than the wounds ever did. Just give in, I will make sure nothing happens.”

Naruto swallowed the lump that rose in his throat and nodded once. He couldn’t keep on living in this cabin, addicted to suppressants only his parents’ murderer could give him. This was his best chance at getting back home, and he needed to do it, for Sasuke, and for himself.

He closed his eyes and let out a shuddering breath. He could feel his pulse thudding in his ears, could feel the chains around his body, tight and heavy. They felt secure, they would hold him, he was sure of it.

The beast was there, a warm presence in his gut. Not unpleasant, there was something almost normal about feeling it there, unlike the icy emptiness the suppressants brought. Naruto had never tried to communicate with it before, had just pushed it away, afraid of what it would do, what it would make Naruto do, but he couldn’t be afraid any more. His father had learned to control it, hadn’t he? Which meant Naruto could too, he knew he could.

If only his father was still here, if he had been given the chance of growing up with them. His father could have told him how it worked, how he could control it.

Never before had he given in freely to the beast. Control had always been ripped from him by a rush of feelings; fear or anger allowing it to burst free, but he couldn’t manipulate the urgency of those feelings now. He was angry about what had happened to his family, but it wasn’t the sudden rush of anger that came from seeing someone be hurt, this was just a seething hatred in his mind.

He tried to fuel that anger, tried to picture the family he could have had, how Danzo had ripped it away, how he wanted revenge. Usually Naruto wouldn’t give into these feelings, but right now he channelled it all, trying to fan the fire and unleash the beast within so he could learn to understand it, could learn how to control it, not just lock it up and hope for the best like he had done so far.

The curling warmth of it spread through his body, the beast stretching its consciousness through him, slowly, testingly. The suppressants had never removed it from Naruto, had only kept it drugged up, but now it was free to move, and Naruto was no longer holding it back, and as realisation spread through it the change came faster, the heat turned into a flash fire as it tore through Naruto, free of any bonds holding it back, and Naruto didn’t think he could have held it back even if he tried, the reins yanked away from him, and he could do nothing as his back arched sharply, chains digging hard into his chest as they resisted the pure power of Naruto’s body.

He felt a scream rise and then die on his lips, and the world was on fire around him, the air shimmering with heat and his eyes bathing everything in a red sheen. Jaws cracked as his teeth shifted, turning sharp and deadly. His hands were scraping against the floorboards, nails turning into claws that dug into the soft wood, ripping wounds in it.

The change went on for hours, or it was over in seconds, Naruto had no idea. He was pushed back, no longer in charge of himself as the beast claimed his body as its, turning it into something else, something feral. The world was washed in red, but he could see everything clearly even in the dark of the barn. Could see specks of dust in the air, and the puff of air when he panted.

It was like watching TV. He could see everything, but couldn’t do anything as he felt his own body fight the chains, his own jaws snapping at the air as it fought to get free. He could sense the frustration and anger the beast was feeling at being contained. It fought hard, his muscles screaming in pain as it pushed at the chains, a broken howl rising in his throat, deep and ragged and unnatural.

He had never allowed himself to try to connect to the beast before, had feared what it was too much, but now he tried to do just that, tried to talk to it, but it was like talking to a rabid dog. It was working on pure instinct, not a separate mind in Naruto’s head, but a caged animal, desperate to be free.

He couldn’t hear any thoughts from it, but he felt it, flashes of pictures and feelings in his mind that he knew wasn’t his. It was impossible to grasp, flashing by too fast, too disjointed. It made Naruto’s head spin as he tried to latch onto something, tried to make a connection, but he was screaming into a void, and nothing answered.

He tried reaching out to it to calm it, but it pushed away, thrashing in the heavy chains that held them trapped, and Naruto was afraid it was going to break free. He could hear the creaking of the heavy beam they were tied to, could feel the heavy links of chain digging into his flesh through the clothes he was wearing, the biting pain as his skin was caught between links where the clothes had been twisted away, leaving it exposed. He wanted to look towards Sasuke to warn him that the beam wasn’t going to hold, but he couldn’t move his head, was merely a spectator in his own body.

Naruto knew that the moment the beast got free it would either attack Sasuke and Yamato or it would make for the exit, and then there were no telling who he would end up hurting, and he couldn’t let it, had to stop it, but he was powerless. It was too strong for him, a force of nature he had no way of holding back. He was standing on a beach, seeing the tsunami come in and knew there were no escaping, too small against too great of a force.

He felt a nail break off against the floor as the beast clawed at it. The way this was going the beast was going to break either the beam or their body, too furious to do anything but fight the bonds with pure force, and something was going to break, sooner or later.

Realisation that he had made a horrible mistake seeped into Naruto, and he had no idea how he was going to get back from this, but then, just as suddenly as it started, the beast seemed to collapse in on itself. It sagged back against the beam, as if it had realised it wasn’t going to free itself and that there was no need exhausting himself trying to fight the chains. He heard a growling sound deep in his throat he was sure he wouldn’t have been able to replicate usually, and finally the beast seemed to look around itself, and through their joined eyes Naruto could see Sasuke and Yamato across the room. Yamato was risen into a crouch, as if he was preparing to shift any moment, and Sasuke appeared perfectly calm, but he had one hand behind his back, and Naruto knew that it would be curled around the handle of the katana, ready to draw the lethal blade in a heartbeat.

Somehow that knowledge calmed him. Sasuke was here, and he would make sure Naruto didn’t hurt anyone. He relaxed infinitely and tried to focus completely on the beast, knowing he had to figure out how his father had been able to control his own beast all those years ago. There was a way, but the beast seemed so feral, he wasn’t sure how he could do it.

“If you can hear me, Naruto, you are doing so well,” Sasuke said, and Naruto wanted to tell him that yes, he did hear him, but his lips wouldn’t move, and he couldn’t nod his head, so all he could do was observe. It was unnerving to be able to see out his eyes, but not be able to control the line of sight. The beast was watching the other two, focusing mostly on Yamato, as if it could sense something about him. It made sense, Yamato was the one closest to the beast, being half-Protos. Maybe the beast could sense a kinship there. Or maybe it sensed a rival. It was hard to decipher the feelings flashing through his head. It didn’t seem to perceive either Yamato or Sasuke as a threat, was watching them with calculating eyes more than anything, as if it was trying to assess the situation, how to get free.

Naruto focused away from what he could see and towards what he felt, the strange feelings in his own mind that wasn’t his. Now that the beast was calm he could almost sense something more than instinctual rage. It felt as if a sharp intellect was there as well, assessing the situation, drawing conclusions, finding solutions. Not in the same way Naruto would assess a situation, but more like he would have pictured the mind of an animal. A predator stalking a prey, creeping through tall grass as it waited for the right moment to strike. The beast realised that it was captured and knew that brute force wouldn’t be able to get it free, so it had stopped fighting, conserving energy.

The growling gave out as the beast swivelled its—their—head, looking about the barn. It saw the chain wrapped around the door, and Naruto could see the flash of those doors springing open, and the forest outside. It didn’t look like the forest had done, more like how someone would imagine a forest, someone who longed for it. He could see it flash by as if they were running through it, could almost taste the scent of prey as the beast imagined them chasing after something; a deer, or rabbit, he wasn’t sure, the picture kept changing, as if the beast couldn’t decide.

He was sure he would never be able to fully explain how this felt, to see what the beast was imagining, it was a feeling unlike anything, how they were connected, but not fully. Two entities sharing a body, but still not completely separate. The beast didn’t feel as strange as he had always seen it, not a parasite to get rid of. When Naruto saw through its eyes he could feel the longing for the forest deep in his own soul. He didn’t just see that the beast wanted to run free, he wanted to be there as well, wanted to feel the ground underneath his bare feet, feel the fresh scent of pine in his nose, the exertion in his legs that came with running for hours.

As he focused he could feel as if the connection between the two of them were strengthened, as if he could finally see the beast for what it was. Not a beast at all, but another part of him, more primal, more animalistic and ruled by instinct; but still him.

Naruto tried communicating back to it, but the beast didn’t seem to notice, or Naruto just didn’t know how. He tried pushing at it, easing it back, but the moment he did the beast pushed back, rage flashing through it as it fought to stay in control. The rage felt like fire in Naruto’s veins, and he retreated back.

The beast pushed against the chains that bound it again, thoughts of the freedom past the flimsy door driving it. It became hard to focus on its thoughts, pictures flashing in their mind. A cage, a forest, a cage again. The beast had been confined for so long, first by Naruto, and then by the suppressants. The drugs seemed to scare the beast, the cold touch that made it impossible to do anything. Naruto could feel how that was worse than any way Naruto had tried to hold it back before. The beast seemed scared now, scared to be forced back into the numbness, and any rational thoughts were washed away by the fear of a captured animal wanting to be free.

The beam creaked in warning over Naruto’s head, and when the beast looked towards Yamato and Sasuke he could see the two preparing for the worst. Yamato had already shifted, reddish fur where there before had been brown hair, sharp fangs where there had been blunt human teeth, short curved claws where nails had been. Naruto had never seen how he himself looked in his shifted form, only Sasuke had ever done that, but he was sure Yamato was a mirror of him, the half-human, half-animal features he himself had, only less . Shorter claws, less fur, no tail. Weaker. The beast knew it could take Yamato in a fight.

Naruto screamed inside his own head, pushing at the overpowering force of the beast, trying to will it back, trying to gain control over his own body, but the beast fought him. It wanted to be free, and it was not about to give up control now that it finally had it, snarling and thrashing their body as it fought Naruto.

It was too strong for Naruto, he didn’t know how to pull it back, was too overwhelmed, trapped in his own mind and the beast kept flooding it with pictures of running free in the forest, and it was hard to fight, because the image was alluring. Naruto wanted to give in and let the beast do as it wanted, he longed for the feeling of soft ground underneath his feet and the fresh air and the freedom of the forest.

Suddenly the beast snapped their eyes to the front, and Naruto saw Sasuke crouched in front of them. Too close.

“Naruto, it’s okay, you are safe,” Sasuke said, looking at him not with fear, but worry. Naruto felt his own jaws snap in Sasuke’s direction, the beast feeling cornered, lashing out.

“I know you can hear me, and it’s alright, just take your time, get back to me when you can.” Sasuke’s voice was calm, hand stretched towards Naruto with his palm facing forward as if he was trying to placate the beast while he was talking to Naruto.

The beast growled, watching Sasuke but not attacking, as if he was trying to assess if he was a threat or not, and Naruto tried to push past the beast, tried to reach for Sasuke, but the beast pushed right back, and Naruto wanted to scream in frustration. He felt so weak, and he hated that feeling.

Please, let me back, let me talk to him , Naruto pleaded with the beast. He’s good, he’s ours.

The beast had communicated in pictures, so Naruto tried the same, tried to bring up pictures of everything that was good about Sasuke, how he protected them, how he was strong and good, thought about the two of them running together in the forest, just the two of them underneath the leaves, and by some miracle the beast seemed to understand, stopped growling and cocked their head to the side as he considered Sasuke. He drew in a breath, leaning closer to Sasuke, and Naruto could see how Sasuke stiffened. He seemed on the brink of scooting backwards, but then he extended the hand towards Naruto’s face, and the beast bumped their nose against the palm, drawing in a new breath.

Something about Sasuke’s scent must have told it something, because it eased back against the beam, wary but calm.

It was working wasn’t it? Naruto had talked to the beast, sort of. He wasn’t sure how he was going to convey everything to it, but he felt a faint hope that maybe this was it, this was how it was supposed to be. He had always pushed the beast away, but maybe he was always intended to embrace it. Living in some symbiosis rather than a constant battle. The beast seemed to understand him at some level, seemed to understand that Sasuke was special, was theirs.

Naruto tried to grab control of their body again, but this time not through force, but through more gentle means, trying to tell it that he was going to find a better way, but this was not the time.

He could feel his own back curve sharply as lips peeled away from fangs, throat growling again as it resisted him, but Naruto kept calm, kept trying to imagine everything he wanted to happen, and finally it seemed to relent, and he could feel it loosen its control, could feel the way it slowly retreated, leaving room for Naruto to act and move again. His body shuddered as it changed back into his human form, and then he was himself again.

He heaved for his breath, the shift and the fighting having taken all his energy, leaving him completely exhausted. Sasuke’s hands were cool and comforting against his forehead for a moment before he started working on the chains and padlock, freeing Naruto from them.

“It just wants to be free,” Naruto said, hearing a note of desperation on his own voice as he shimmied, trying to get the chains off faster. “He just wants to run through the forest and be free. It isn’t evil, it’s just trapped.”

Chapter Text

The moment the last of the chains fell Sasuke grabbed Naruto and pulled him close. Naruto was shivering against him, his skin warm and clammy with sweat. For a few seconds he stayed completely still, but then his hands came up to clutch at the front of Sasuke’s shirt as Naruto buried his face against Sasuke’s neck, his lips pressed up against the skin, soft and dry.

They stayed like this for a while, breathing in each others scent, but eventually they had to pull apart. The both of them knew this was just the first step towards the solution and that they couldn’t relax just yet.

It had hurt seeing Naruto turn from his usual self into the beast, to see vibrant blue eyes turn into red ones burning with a rage that clearly wasn’t Naruto. He still looked like himself, even with his features shifted into something else, but at the same time it was clear that it wasn’t Naruto any more, with the pure fury as his body thrashed in its bonds, the way he snapped with a mouth filled with elongated fangs, looking like he would like nothing more than to tear out more of Sasuke’s flesh.

It had been so hard sitting still and letting the beast thrash, Sasuke’s body tense, hand on the handle of his katana as he desperately hoped the chains would hold so he wouldn’t have to use the blade. He would never forgive himself he he had to, but he also knew that Naruto would never forgive him if Sasuke didn’t stop him, so he just watched with careful eyes, eyes following the links of chain, glad to see that the steel seemed to hold.

Sasuke had no idea what had gone on between Naruto and the beast, his body stilling for a while. Sasuke had to fight the urge to intervene, and when the beast started fighting again he had found himself walking towards where Naruto was tied up, knowing he had to do something, had to help Naruto get back.

Yamato had tried to stop him, a clawed hand curling around Sasuke’s biceps, but he shrugged him off, and kept going until he was close enough to talk to Naruto, to try to give him the strength to get control of himself again. The beast had seemed agitated at first, but then he’d bumped his nose against Sasuke’s palm, and even as Sasuke was starting to wait for the moment when he lost a finger or two or five to those fangs Naruto’s body shuddered, and he started changing back, and soon perfectly human eyes were blinking tiredly up at Sasuke.

Naruto seemed reluctant to let him go now, clinging to him even as Sasuke stood up, wanting to move them away from the chains to some place they could sit more comfortably, and Naruto was little more than dead weight around his neck, but Sasuke didn’t mind one bit.

Naruto winced as he put weight on his feet, legs probably numb from the awkward position he had been in, so Sasuke pulled Naruto’s arm around his neck and half-dragged him towards where Yamato was sitting near the wall.

Naruto collapsed to the ground when Sasuke kneeled down, and Sasuke let him lie, just pulled Naruto’s head into his lap so he’d be more comfortable. Naruto whined, slapping feebly at his own thighs as he complained about how they hurt as they were waking up.

There wasn’t much Sasuke could do about that, so he just threaded his fingers through Naruto’s hair, gently stroking his scalp, wishing he could do more for his boyfriend.

Naruto pushed his head into the touch, seemingly calming down from it, and Sasuke just wished this moment could drag on forever, because this was really all he needed, to have Naruto with him. He hated how they’d been separated for so long, wanted nothing more than to bring Naruto home, but something told him that wasn't about to happen just yet. He still wasn’t sure what Naruto had found out when he shifted, the only thing Naruto had said was that it wanted to be free. Obviously he was talking about the beast. Sasuke wasn’t surprised that it wanted to be free, he just wasn’t sure how that was a solution. Naruto couldn’t just let the beast be in control and roam around in the forest, that would be losing himself, and Sasuke wasn’t about to let that happen.

But if Naruto had figured out enough that he could work on controlling the beast, that meant that he would come home now, didn’t it? They could keep working on control back home, Sasuke would remodel his office into some safe place to shift if that was what it took. He’d do anything to get Naruto home at this point.

Sasuke had completely forgotten that they weren't alone in the barn, only remembering Yamato when the other man got to his feet, walking towards the doors and unfastening the chain there.

“Naruto?” Sasuke asked, voice low because he didn’t really want to disturb Naruto but he also needed to talk to him.

“Yeah?” Naruto murmured and blinked up at him, a soft smile spreading on his face as he met his gaze.

“What did you find out?”

Naruto proceeded to tell him about what he had experienced when he was shifted, the way he had been able to see the beast’s thoughts, what it wanted, how it just longed to be free.

“How will that help you control it, you can’t just give in to it?” Sasuke asked after Naruto stopped talking. Sasuke still wasn’t sure he understood just what Naruto had felt, didn’t think he ever could, not really, but at least Naruto seemed to have learned something from the shift, so he guessed it was worth it.

“I think I just have to give in to it sometimes. Like how you gotta walk a dog you know? So if I let it be in control now and again, then it won’t fight me as much. I think maybe that’s how it's supposed to be. I’ve always just held it back, but maybe we’re supposed to, I dunno, cooperate?”

“So, you think you can learn how to shift on will?” Sasuke asked, not quite believing it could be as easy as Naruto was trying to make it out to be. Naruto would be incredibly powerful if he could change into his other form when he wanted. He was strong and agile and a formidable fighter when he was in his regular human form, but the other side was stronger, faster, and came equipped with weapons. Sasuke should know, had felt what those claws could do.

“I think maybe so, eventually? I think it will take time, but like, I feel this is it, you know? I think this was how my birth father could control it.”

“So, you can come home now? We can do this at home, together?”

Sasuke didn't like the way Naruto bit down on his bottom lip and looked away, and Sasuke’s hand stilled where it had been stroking through Naruto’s hair.

“Naruto?” he prodded.

“I can’t just walk away from this situation. Not when I know who Danzo is. He killed my parents, Sasuke.”

Sasuke’s eyes widened in shock. He hadn’t known that, had clearly missed out on what had happened with Naruto, and he hated it, hated not having been able to be around him, and support him and protect him.

He wanted to know everything, but Naruto was pushing up to sit next to Sasuke instead. “What time is it?”

Sasuke pulled out his cellphone, noting that they had been here for several hours already. He should have realised when he could no longer seen daylight through the cracks of the barn, but he had been too preoccupied with watching Naruto.

“It’s almost six,” he said, and Naruto looked away from him for a moment, trading glances with Yamato. Sasuke didn’t like it one bit, didn’t like that Yamato could be there with Naruto, helping where Sasuke hadn’t been able to.

“We need to get back,” Naruto said and Sasuke found his hand shooting out, grabbing onto Naruto’s shoulder.

“You are not leaving me again,” he said. Naruto looked at him, and his eyes looked sad, but there was a determined set to his jaw, and Sasuke knew Naruto well enough that unless he knocked him out and stuck him in the trunk of his car Naruto was going through with whatever he was planning.

“You don’t need to go back there, you don’t need the drugs any more,” Sasuke said. “If the councilman killed your parents then we tell Kakashi, we send in a team and apprehend him, there’s no reason for you go back there.”

Naruto looked at him, a small frown on his forehead as he seemed to think about it.

Sasuke was sure Naruto was going to agree until Yamato piped up, ruining everything.

“It won’t be that easy,” he said, and Sasuke wanted to sneer at him, because who cared if it wasn’t going to be that easy. Naruto would be back home, and everything else they could deal with then.

“Danzo knows a lot of people. He’s been working in politics for years, he has a lot of influence. If the DPA gets sent here someone will warn him, and any evidence will be long gone. You won’t get a conviction, but you will get targets painted on your back,” Yamato said, and it felt as if he’d dumped a bucket of ice water over Sasuke’s head.

“He has contacts in the DPA?”

“He has contacts everywhere. There’s a reason no one has ever looked into him before. Naruto isn’t the first one that wanted to leave when they saw Danzo for who he was. There were other shifters who ran away, Naruto’s father among them. They never got the chance to talk, or if they did someone made sure to quiet them again.”

It was dark in the barn, but Yamato had turned on the flash light of his cellphone and put it on the floor, and the way the light lit up his face from the underside made him look chilling, the light creating long shadows on his face. It didn’t help how his voice was steady as he told of others’ fate. There was no doubt in Sasuke that Yamato was telling the truth.

“What good will it do you to go back there?” Sasuke answered. “What are you going to do, kill him?” Truth be told he wasn’t sure that was a completely bad idea. Danzo had taken Naruto away from him, had drugged him up, had been the one to kill his parents apparently. Sasuke wouldn't have minded finding Danzo with the sharp end of his katana himself, but he also knew that wasn’t how they did things.

He couldn’t help the way his mind instantly flashed to his brother and how he had looked as Sasuke’s blade killed him. Maybe this is exactly how Sasuke did things. He’d killed plenty of times. Sure, they had all been demons, but couldn’t humans be just as evil? He only had fragments of the picture to who the councilman really was, but from what he had gathered from Naruto he wasn’t a good man. He’d had people killed, he’d basically kidnapped Naruto, and apparently he was shady enough to have corrupted DPA leaders into being on his side. He wished he knew more, but Naruto had only told him bits and pieces while he was trying to shift earlier. He wanted to know everything, but they never seemed to have the time, not if Naruto was going to leave him again so soon.

“I have to find evidence. I won’t let him get away with this. He killed my birth parents, Sasuke. He buys teeth from dead shifters to use for who-knows-what. I have a feeling I only know half of it too.” Naruto looked agitated, like he wanted to do nothing more than run back there and confront Danzo right away.

“I don’t think having a man like Danzo in any position of political power is going to be a good thing,” Yamato shot in.

“Then why haven’t you done anything before?” Sasuke spat out. This Yamato clearly knew who Danzo was, why was he just letting him keep on doing what he did?

Yamato looked away, and Sasuke didn’t know how to interpret the look on his face. Embarrassment? Regret?

For a few long moment no one said anything, the quiet of the barn unsettling. Sasuke wasn’t stupid, he knew there were no easy outcomes from this situation. Naruto could leave with him, but then Danzo might want him back and would find a way to do so, or he’d just kill him for knowing too much. Or he wouldn’t do anything, and they’d have to see him get more political power, and who knew what would happen then. If Naruto stayed he was putting himself at risk, and they had no idea if he would even be able to find any evidence good enough to take Danzo down. Sasuke almost wished Danzo was a vampire, because then he would have no qualms about walking in there and beheading the bastard, but that wasn’t how the law worked. As far as they knew Danzo was human, and he would need to be treated as one, and that meant they took him down within the confines of the law.

This would have been a lot easier if not for corrupt leaders. Sasuke wasn’t even surprised. Years of working in the DPA had made it blatantly clear that there was a lot of things wrong with the department, and it was no surprise that corruption was a part of it all. He had chosen not to think about it before, because before he had met Naruto he hadn’t cared much about anything other than revenge. He trusted his unit though, trusted Kakashi, and knew that no matter how many corrupt leaders were crawling around in the department Kakashi was not one of them, and that they did do good, saving lives every single night.

Right now it mattered little. Sasuke would never go back to his job unless Naruto was by his side, and judging by the determined look on Naruto’s face that wasn’t happening any time soon. Naruto had made his decision, and there would be no changing it.

Sasuke let out a sigh and moved his hand to curl around Naruto’s neck, pulling him closer until their foreheads rested together, their breaths as one.

“I hate this,” he said, voice sounding rough in his throat.

“I know,” Naruto said back.

“Leave it to you to get mixed up with people like this. You are too damned trusting.” There were no real accusation in his voice.

“Yeah, I trusted you too, didn’t I?”

Sasuke huffed, but couldn't help the small smile tugging at his lips.

“I know I can’t come with you to the cabin, but we do this together. I brought the phone charger, so you contact me every day. The moment you think someone suspect anything you run and I’ll come get you. I’ll kill Danzo the moment he threatens you.”

Naruto didn’t say anything, but Sasuke could see the sheen of tears in his eyes even in the dim light of from the flash light app.

Sasuke brushed his thumbs over Naruto’s cheekbones, drying off the few tears that had escaped.

“I love you so much, Sasuke,” Naruto said, voice thick.

“I love you too,” Sasuke said, the words coming easy now, and he had no idea why he had ever found them hard to say. He leaned in and kissed Naruto, trying to convince himself that letting Naruto go back to that cabin to investigate was a good idea.

***

The air was warm and smelled strongly of chemicals as he opened the door to his small laboratory, walking inside and making sure to lock after himself. He could feel his nose twitch as the smell burned in his nostrils, but he knew he’d get used to it soon enough. He spent most of his days down here in the lab that was his domain in the cabin. Occasionally he’d have to treat the shifters when they’d come back from a mission, bleeding from deep gouges in their skin, or nursing broken wrists, but mostly he was free to work on his experiments.

He’d always had an interest in medicine, had applied for medical schools, dreaming of once walking down the halls of a hospital, helping people, saving people, but his application had been denied. Not because of any missing credentials, but because he was a shifter, and no one wanted a shifter to work in a hospital unless it was as a janitor. It probably didn’t help that he was a rat shifter. There was a lot of prejudice against his kind, liking them to the rats that scurried around in subways, eating trash. Dirty, disgusting — he’d grown up with these words thrown after him, but one never really got used to it.

The rejection had been hard, and he had seen all his dreams fall apart in front of him, until that moment Danzo Shimura appeared at his door with a deal. He’d get him into classes, as long as he worked for Danzo after he had graduated.

He had never been allowed to intern like the others, but he had learned about the body, had learned lab work, and eventually he found himself in a cabin in the woods, resident doctor and scientist.

He knew what they were doing here wasn’t technically legal, but he didn’t feel like he owed humans anything. They had tossed him away, deemed him unwanted, so the idea of a world no longer ruled by them appealed to him. He threw himself into the work here, finally feeling like he was doing what he had always wanted.

He tried not to focus on where the teeth he had ground up earlier came from, or how the fey locked up in another room in the basement was looking paler by the day. He wasn’t stupid, he knew he was replaceable, and he knew life out there amongst the humans was no better. It was safer to ignore everything else and focus on his work.

He had placed a glass beaker over a low flame earlier, and when he walked over to it now he saw that the content had simmered down to a thick syrup, turning from the electric blue it had been to a deep purple.

He turned off the flame and stirred the syrup, lifting it up to test its viscosity. Deeming it good he moved it over to where he had prepared the rest of the ingredients earlier. Some conventional in the world of medicine, some… less so. Modern medicine didn’t see much use for ghoul saliva, or teeth of shifters or hair of witches, but he had long since learned that mixing modern medicine with the potent properties of magic had some powerful results.

The previous doctor who worked here had done it to some extent when he created the suppressants for subduing the Protos, and now he had almost perfected it himself, alongside with the other drug he had been working on, the sister drug of the suppressants. One to calm the beast, and one to bring it forth. He had not been able to test the latter, but he had the confidence it would work as Danzo had requested.

Now he was working on something else, something new, something Danzo seemed very eager about.

He gently measured the right amount of ingredients into the beaker, seeing how the purple turned muddy at first, and then darkening into a pure black as he poured in more liquid.

He let the mixture settle as he moved towards the glass fronted fridge, removing a vial of blood from the rack inside. Using a pipette he let five drops of blood fall into the mixture, each of them disturbing the pure black of the surface for a moment before it was absorbed.

He stirred it again, before bringing it towards the Bunsen burner to heat it back up, turning the flame up high and slowly stirring as he waited for the first bubble to break the surface.

He loved this, loved making something that had the potential to change the world, loved testing out different versions until he found something that worked. He had been hounded his entire life, but now he held something that was potentially stronger than anything any top-notch hospital could brew up, and he had done it all by himself.

A bubble broke the surface, and he quickly grabbed his tongs, moving the beaker away from the flame. He stirred it once before setting it away to cool off. In the meanwhile he put away the ingredients he had been using, knowing he would need to make more batches later to perfect it. He was getting closer, but there was still a long way to go to get the effect they were looking for.

He spent the next hour preparing more ingredients for later use, chopping up dried plants, grinding teeth and burning wood to make ashes. The medical supplies came neatly boxed up and ready for use, but the magical ingredients needed a lot more hands on preparation before they were ready.

When he rinsed off his mortar and checked on the mixture he had made a while later he found that it had cooled down enough for its intended purpose. He grabbed a syringe, drawing some of the black liquid into it, tapping out any air bubbles as he walked across his lab to the row of small cages lining one wall.

They were always making noise, sharp little squeaks, but he had long since learned to tune it out as he worked.

His predecessor had several cages with rats for his experiments, but the rats had been liberated and replaced with mice. He had taken great joy in seeing the rats vanish into the forest, even though he knew they likely wouldn’t survive long. At least they would feel some freedom before they met their untimely demise.

He cared little for the mice, so he had no qualms about opening one of the cages and pulling out a white one. It wriggled in his grip, but he just tightened his fingers a little, and then injected the black liquid before placing it back in its cage, closing it and standing back to observe.

The mouse ran around the cage for a bit, but then he could see how it twitched, and seconds later its entire body started shaking as it fell on its side.

He watched as it thrashed, then stilled. With a sigh he wrote down the results on a notepad, noting how long from injection to death. Later he would dissect the mouse, see if he could find something that would help him on the path to improve the potion. The last few had shown promise, so he hoped he was getting closer.

He knew the moment he no longer showed progress he would start to become a liability, and he wasn’t about to let Danzo have any reason to terminate him.

***

Kakashi looked away from the TV and the show he had only sort of been paying attention to. On the couch next to him Iruka was sitting, head tilted back against the headrest, eyes closed as he slept. Due to his job Kakashi was used to staying up all night, but Iruka was still on teacher time, and as soon as the clock passed one a.m. he usually got tired, lids heavier and he fell asleep on the couch next to Kakashi more often than not.

It made Kakashi’s heart beat a little harder, seeing Iruka trust him enough to fall asleep next to him, so vulnerable, having no fear that Kakashi would ever harm him. Not that he had any reason to, Kakashi would never hurt the other man, but he was afraid Iruka wouldn’t have been quite as trusting if he knew just who and what Kakashi really was, and he was starting to despise having to keep it from him.

A part of him just wanted to tell Iruka everything, to lay it all on the table and hope for the best, but he didn’t have the guts. Eventually Iruka would tire of him, so it wasn’t like they had a future anyway. He had long since deigned himself to just relish what time he had in the other’s company and bow out when Naruto came back and Iruka no longer needed someone around to distract him from the loneliness of a missing son.

Hearing the soft snore from Iruka he took the chance to pull down his face mask, scratching at the skin underneath. It had been bugging him all night, and he relished in letting his finger nails go to town. When his scratch was sated he left the mask hanging underneath his chin as he got off the couch to fetch another glass of water. The mask was practical to hide behind in his daily life, and he had gotten used to wearing it after years of never going without, so it didn’t bother him much most of the time, but it did make eating and drinking a little more difficult, and he had long since learned to stay away from dinner invitations. Back during his day training to be a DPA agent there had been plenty of people betting on what was beneath the mask, going to great lengths to try and rip it from his face.

They had never made it; Kakashi wasn’t the top of his class for nothing.

His phone started ringing before he got all the way to the kitchen, making an angry hissing noise against the wood of the side table standing in front of the couch, too tall and tiny to be a proper coffee table, but all Iruka seemed to have bothered with.

He had long since learned to always take the phone when it called. He didn’t really have friends or family, so it was almost always work, and seldom good news, so he turned around the moment he heard the sound going off, heading back to it to pick it up.

He heard a small choked off sound, and looked up to see Iruka’s eyes on him. The sound had probably woken him, and now he was staring at him with eyes heavy with sleep, lips slightly parted in a look of surprise, and it instantly made Kakashi aware of the fact that he had not pulled the mask back over his face.

He clamped his mouth shut and quickly pulled the fabric in place just as Iruka’s sleep-addled brain seemed to catch up to the fact that he was staring and quickly had him look away. Iruka had always been polite enough to keep his eyes diverted when Kakashi pulled down the mask to eat, but this was different, Kakashi had been careless.

He hoped Iruka hadn’t seen what Kakashi was hiding underneath his mask, but there was no time to ask, so he just grabbed his phone, seeing Sasuke’s name on the screen. He answered, turning away from Iruka to distract himself from the way Iruka was looking, hair a little mussed from sleep, a blush on his cheeks. He hadn’t looked scared or shocked, so hopefully that meant he hadn’t seen it, had only seen Kakashi’s face, and that wasn’t too bad.

He wasn’t sure he hoped Iruka would ask about the mask later or not. He wanted to tell him everything, but he also didn’t want to lose what they had.

“Kakashi, I need to talk to you, are you at the office?” Sasuke said.

“I’m at Iruka’s apartment,” he answered. “I can leave for the office now?”

“Don’t bother, I’ll go there.” Sasuke hung up, and Kakashi was left with the quiet of the phone. He shrugged and pocketed it. He had a feeling whatever was happening was regarding Naruto, but there hadn’t been any panic in Sasuke’s voice, so hopefully it wasn’t bad news.

He walked back towards the couch, knowing he would just have to wait for Sasuke to come over to know.

Iruka had pulled his feet up in the couch, arms wrapped around his legs, and Kakashi caught him glancing at him. Iruka’s blush deepened as he quickly looked away.

“I’m really sorry,” he muttered. “I didn’t mean to look, I just didn’t reali—”

“No, it’s not your fault.” Kakashi was quick to wave away his apologies.

He could practically feel Iruka vibrating with the urge to ask questions. Kakashi wanted to tell him everything, was trying to think of ways to formulate it in his mind, but he’d never really talked about this with anyone apart from Tsunade, and then it was mostly out of necessity and a healthy fear of what she’d do to him if she found out in any other way than him telling her. He liked to push her buttons, but even Kakashi had an instinct for self preservation.

“I’m not sure how much you actually saw, but you seem taken back,” Kakashi started, but Iruka suddenly lunged towards him, waving his hands dismissively.

“No, no, you don’t have to talk about anything, it’s okay, really, just caught me off guard, not a problem at all, just wasn’t expecting how handso—”

His lips snapped shut as he seemed to realise what he was saying, and then he suddenly shot off the couch, heading towards the kitchen. “Do you want coffee? I’m gonna make coffee.”

He couldn’t see Iruka’s cheeks when his back was turned towards him, but he could still make out the tips of his ears, bright red. Kakashi guessed that cleared the issue with how much Iruka had seen. His secret was still safe.

He leaned back on the couch, eyes trailing over Iruka’s back, seeing how he seemed tense, as if he was trying to stop himself from turning around and looking in Kakashi’s direction. Now that he knew Iruka’s flustered state was due to him finding Kakashi attractive and not terrifying it was rather entertaining.

He pushed himself off of the couch, approaching Iruka with on silent sock-clad feet, and Iruka startled when he heard Kakashi’s voice right behind him. “Do you need any help?”

Iruka spun around, empty coffee cup clutched to his chest as he blinked up at Kakashi. His hair had been gathered into a messy bun and tied off with an elastic, but at some point it had started slipping, a few strands of hair escaping to hang by his face, and Kakashi found that he couldn't resist lifting a hand and pushing the hair behind Iruka’s ear, just like how the heroes always did to the damsels in all of the romance books he read. He wasn’t above resorting to cheap cliché s , particularly not when they had the result of Iruka staring at him, flushed cheeks and lips just slightly parted. Kakashi wished he could just pull down his mask and kiss Iruka, but he also knew he couldn’t. He wasn’t going to do anything when this secret hung between them, but one thing was getting increasingly clear for Kakashi. The more time he spent around Iruka the more he liked him, and he couldn’t keep lying to himself any more , couldn’t keep pulling away forever.

The moment Naruto was safe back with Iruka Kakashi was going to tell him everything about who he was. There was a chance Iruka was going to reject him, but there was also a chance he might accept him, and that chance would make it worth it. He wasn’t going to let fear stop him from pursuing Iruka.

For a moment he almost thought Iruka was going to lean in and kiss him, regardless of whether he was masked or not, but before he could there was a knock on the door, and the tension snapped like a rubber band, Iruka stuttering as he turned around to pour coffee into mugs and Kakashi sauntering towards the door just as it pushed open, Sasuke walking inside as if he owned the place.

***

His feet were wet from trudging through rotten snow, and the shift had left Naruto completely exhausted, but Yamato and him kept walking until they saw the car where they had left it in a ditch. This plan had been pretty reckless all the way through, but somehow they had gotten through the whole shift, and he had been able to finally get some control of the beast, and he felt that maybe there actually was a way to deal with that other side of him. Not a constant struggle, but a give or take. He wished he was anywhere but here so he could experiment further, but for now this was all he could do.

He was still in trouble, but at least now he saw a future if he got away from Danzo, one where he didn’t need the cold numb feeling of suppressants.

The car was still there, front dented around a tree stump. He wasn’t sure if it was still driveable or not, but they let it be as they walked back towards the cabin, Naruto dragging his feet as he went over the cover story.

If anyone asked he would say that they had been on their way into town to pick up groceries when they hit a patch of ice and went off the road. They would claim to have been knocked out, which would explain why they had been gone for so long. Naruto had kicked out the wind shield so he could say that he had been thrown out of the car completely and knocked his head open. He could use his rapid healing as explanation for the lack of wounds, and with a Yamato dazed from the crash and dragging Naruto’s body it would explain why the walk back had taken so long. A head injury would have demanded a lot from both their body to heal, so it would have left them weak.

He just hoped no one cared enough to dig deeper, because as far as cover stories went it was hardly the best, littered with holes.

Soon the tall walls of the cabin rose in front of them, and Yamato unlocked it, pushing the gate open and then locking it behind them. Naruto pressed a hand to his head as if to feign a headache, and together they made their way towards the cabin. Naruto was hours late for his drugs, the doctor and Sai was sure to wonder where he had been.

Two almost identical looking shifters sat in the living room when they walked in, and one of them glanced towards them before turning his attention away again, clearly caring little. Naruto wasn’t too surprised. Apart from Sai none of the others paid him much attention.

They made their way to the kitchen, and Naruto sat down there while Yamato found him a glass of water. Naruto was contemplating whether he should head down to find the doctor or just pretend he had forgotten all about it, when a door swung open, Sai walking inside. Naruto had to bite back a groan of annoyance at seeing him.

Sai looked at him, head cocked to the side. Naruto was waiting for him to ask questions, already formulating the answers in his head.

“The doctor is waiting for you downstairs to give you today’s dose,” Sai merely said, walking past them towards a kitchen cabinet, pulling out a cup and then seemingly setting about brewing coffee.

Naruto cast a glance at Yamato behind Sai’s back. He had tried to play out how it was going to go in his head, but this level of not giving a fuck he had not expected from Sai.

Yamato looked equally confused, shrugging.

Knowing he might as well go downstairs, see if the doctor had been designated the one to question him, Naruto stood up and headed towards the basement, Sai not even turning around to watch him go. Naruto didn’t want to take the drugs, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to sneak away from them.

Ten minutes later Naruto was back in his room, utterly confused. He had vanished for hours for no apparent reason, but first Sai hadn’t even batted an eye, and now the doctor just went through the motions, shooting him up as if he wasn’t hours late for his appointment. Naruto wanted to ask what the hell was going on, but he wisely didn’t. Better not look a gift horse in the mouth. Right now he just praised himself lucky that apparently he had gotten away with it.

He closed his eyes, feeling the coldness seeping through his veins, and for the first time in his life he found that he truly missed the warmth of the beast from inside. He didn’t think it was going to be easy, but now he felt hope that there was a way out of this situation, and the one thing that stood in his way was Danzo. One problem was solved, but a behemoth of a problem was left to deal with. He had to find a way to get Danzo locked away for good, and he had no idea how to go about that. Yamato was the closest thing he had to an ally, and he was sure that Yamato would testify against Danzo, but it was nowhere near enough. They needed proof, and it was all up to Naruto. He was officially a double agent

Chapter Text

Channelling his inner ninja Naruto made his way down the stairs of the cabin, pausing every other step to listen for any sounds that would indicate someone was awake. So far things were going smoothly. He’d stayed up until three am, and made his way to Sai’s room, finding the keys in the same place as the last time. Sai had slept soundly through the break-in, so it had been easy to swipe them and make his way back into the hallway, setting off towards the basement.

Yamato had wanted to go along, but Naruto had convinced him not to. It would be easier for one of them to sneak around, and he didn’t want to pull Yamato into anything in case they were caught. Not that he had told Yamato the latter.

Naruto had to wait three nights after he had shifted out in the barn before he could finally get the keys and start looking through the rooms in the basement in his hunt for evidence. Sai had been gone on some mission, and Naruto didn’t know who else had keys, so he had been forced to stay around the cabin, avoiding the shifters hanging around. They didn’t seem to mind, ignoring him right back.

He had been trying to talk himself out of just going downstairs and start pulling doors off their hinges when he finally saw Sai walk back in the front doors earlier today, and that was about the first time he had ever felt happy seeing him.

He stopped at the bottom of the stairs leading down to the first floor and looked around the foyer. Most of the lights were out, and there were no signs of anyone still being up. He hurried across the room, heading for the stairs leading down into the basement, and took them just as slowly, trying to listen for any signs that the doctor was still in his lab. He hardly saw the man around outside of the times he had appointments with him, so he was afraid his plan would be foiled by the doctor just staying the night down there, doing whatever the hell he was doing, but there were no lights on, and the hallway that stretched through the bowels of the cabin was devoid of any noise, so Naruto thought he was safe.

He had no idea where to start. He had been in a few of the rooms before, the med lab and a couple of storage rooms, and he knew the latter didn’t have anything interesting, just rows of canned food and clothes and other supplies. No, he needed to find something else, filing cabinets like the ones upstairs, or something like it. He had no idea just what he was looking for, but he was sure there had to be something down here that would count as evidence. There had to be, or else he was clean out of a plan again.

He tried the first door on his right hand side. It was unlocked, and a quick glance inside showed that it was little more than a closet, a few brooms leaned up against one wall, and a plastic bucket with a crack down its side. He closed the door and moved to the next.

The next door was locked, and Naruto started going through the key chain, hoping he had the matching key.

There was a click as the door unlocked, loud in the quiet of the hallway, and he froze, listening for anyone having heard, but there was no voices or sound of footsteps, so he pulled the door open, peering inside.

The room was bare. Concrete floors and wooden walls, no window to break the monotony. A naked light bulb hung overhead, but he didn’t bother turning it on. There was a dim light from a lamp in the end of the hallway, and it was enough for him to see that there was nothing inside apart from a heavy iron ring embedded into a wall.

Naruto flinched when he saw it, realising the room looked eerily like a cell, the ring in the right height to tie a pair of hands to if a person was sitting against the wall.

He pulled his cellphone from his pocket and took a quick picture, the flash bright as it captured the starkness of the room.

He locked the door and moved to the next, finding another room much like the previous, only this had a mattress lying in a corner, stained and ragged. Naruto could feel bile rise in his throat as he imagined why Danzo would feel the need for cells in his cabin. Had someone been kept here while Naruto was walking right past the door, having no idea?

He quickly backed away from the door, just barely remembering to lock it before he turned back down the hallway, seeing more doors, wondering if there was just endless cells, and if they would all be empty, or if he would find out just what Danzo would need to lock up down here.

He hesitated, looking towards the familiar door that led to the med bay, knowing that at least there wouldn’t be more cells in there, and he had noticed locked cabinets he had wanted to dig through.

Naruto unlocked the door, heading inside, taking a quick survey of the room before heading towards the cabinets. There wasn’t really anything else of interest here.

He eyed the lock, and then the key chain. The lock was small, not like the door locks, and there were only two keys that seemed to be of the same size, and it didn’t take Naruto long to realise that clearly Sai didn’t have the key to unlock the cabinets.

It wouldn’t be hard to force the doors open, but if he broke the lock the doctor would definitely notice. He really should have learned how to pick locks at some point, it would make this a lot easier. He had just never expected to be stuck in this situation.

Frustrated that he might have to give up seeing what the doctor was hiding away Naruto tugged at the door, only to find it sliding open, never having been locked in the first place.

He stared at it for a moment, groaning at himself. Note to self, check to see if the doors are even locked in the first place.

As he pulled the door completely open it became clear that there was a reason it hadn’t been locked. Rolls of gauze and packs of cotton buds and other medical paraphernalia was neatly lined inside, and after having gone through all cabinets it was clear it was a bust. The worst he had found had been prescription painkillers, nothing out of the ordinary at all.

He sat down, back against the cabinets, head hanging as he tried not to let the frustration overpower him. He wished Sasuke could’ve been here with him. Sasuke was his partner, somehow it felt wrong to be doing this alone. Sasuke would have taken one look at Naruto, known he was about to give up and dragged him to his feet, making him go on. Sasuke made Naruto better, and he hoped he made Sasuke better as well, but right now he felt mostly like a failure. It was all his fault he was here at all. If he hadn’t been so rash he could’ve still been with Sasuke right now, far away from Danzo.

He laced his fingers together behind his neck and pulled his knees to his chest, but before he could completely fall into self-loathing he felt his cell phone buzz in the pocket of his jeans. He straightened a leg and dragged the phone out, and saw a new text message waiting for him. He hadn’t used the phone much out of fear that someone catching him and taking it away, but Sasuke and him had sent a few messages back and forth. Short encouragements and reassurances that without fault made Naruto long to be back with Sasuke, but it was good to know that Sasuke was just a quick message away, ready to help the moment there was something he could do. Naruto knew Sasuke would stop at nothing if Naruto sent an SOS.

This time it wasn’t Sasuke at all. The number was stored in his phone as Naruto’s father, a remnant of when the phone had been Sasuke’s.

I’m so proud of what you’ve become, and you better come back safe or you’ll be sorry.

Naruto couldn’t help the smile that broke on his face. Sasuke had told Iruka about the phone a few days ago, and they’d sent a few messages, Iruka clearly worried for him. Naruto knew there was a great chance his dad would be seriously pissed off at him when he came back, but he also knew he would be there for him, no matter what trouble Naruto got mixed up with. He had always wanted what was best for Naruto, he was there when things were bad, but he also pushed him to do better. Iruka had come into his life like the father Naruto had always longed for.

Naruto sent back a quick message telling him that he would be fine, all cocky confidence. He didn’t want his dad to worry too much.

He hesitated with the phone in his hand, moving from the conversation with his dad to the one with Sasuke. The last messages were Sasuke warning him to be careful, short and to the point, as all his messages were. Utterly devoid of any emoticons. It always made Naruto smile to see how Sasuke’s messages matched Sasuke so well, grammar flawless, never anything superfluous but straight to the point.

I wish you were here with me , Naruto typed out, thumb swiping across the screen. The words shone up at him for a moment before he deleted them again, unsent. He didn’t want to give Sasuke any reason to worry, so he needed to just finish this so he could get away and make sure Danzo ended up behind bars.

Naruto pushed to his feet again, and turned around in the room a final time, concluding that it was a bust.

He headed back to the hallway, choosing the first and best door, determined to keep going until he found something worthwhile.

***

Iruka pressed send on the text message to Naruto, using the phone number Sasuke had given him. He hesitated for a moment after putting away the phone, and then closed his laptop and moved it to the table, running his hands across his thighs, rubbing away the near-burning warmth left from the machine. He’d sent out a few job applications in the city, knowing that he didn’t have enough savings to keep him going for long, and knowing that he didn’t want to go back to where he came from. As soon as he had a job and an apartment here he was going to move here permanently. Being hours away from his son had been awful, and when Naruto came back he wanted to be here for him, wanted to be able to see him when he wanted, not just talk to him on the phone.

He pointedly tried not to think about any other reasons he might have to stick around in this city, particularly tall, grey and handsome ones.

He groaned. He was way too old to be gushing over some guy. He was in his mid-thirties, he shouldn’t be acting like a low sick teenager, but he couldn’t help it. Maybe he had just spent too much time working with teenagers, and before he knew he it he would find himself writing Iruka Hatake on his notebooks, complete with arrowed hearts.

It really didn’t help anything that he’d accidentally ended up seeing Kakashi’s face a few days ago. He hadn’t really been able to unsee it ever since. It had been an accident, he’d been drowsy, roused by the angry hum of Kakashi’s cell phone, and when he blinked and looked up Kakashi had been standing there, mask pooled around his neck, and Iruka had been too taken back to look away at first.

Even though he had pointedly respected Kakashi’s privacy and always looked away when he ate, and never pried about what he was hiding, he hadn’t been able to keep from speculating. He had kind of settled on thinking it was some kind of disfigurement; burn marks or other scars of a kind, but when he had looked at Kakashi’s face, only obscured by an eyepatch, there had been no scars to see. Instead there had been a sharp jawline, pale soft-looking skin and perfect lips, narrow but curving up just a little on the corners. Kakashi was the epitome of handsome, and Iruka had no idea what he was hiding. Kakashi had been quick to pull the mask up.

Iruka was thoroughly embarrassed with how he had stared, but Kakashi hadn’t seemed to blame him as far as Iruka could tell. They hadn’t really talked about it, because Iruka had been a little mortified, and then Sasuke had come over, and suddenly he had forgotten all about Kakashi’s face, because Sasuke had talked to Naruto, and Naruto was still fine, and they were working on how to get him back, and Iruka was left feeling utterly helpless as Kakashi and Sasuke discussed their course of action. Iruka wanted to do something to help, wanted to march right over there and get his son back, but he was just human in a world of supernatural beings, and he couldn't do anything against that. He had always done his best to protect Naruto, but now he just didn’t know how to do it any more, and it hurt .

He was proud of Naruto, proud of the man he had become, how he had worked to fulfil his goal of becoming a DPA agent, but he was also too aware that Naruto didn’t really need him any more. He needed help, but not in a way Iruka could contribute, not any more. He had Sasuke and Kakashi now, they were laying plans and talking about weapons and tactics and plans, and Iruka was little more than the secretary, fetching them coffee and trying to keep a straight face.

He’d been the one to take care of Naruto when he got himself into trouble before, but this time he couldn’t do anything.

At least Naruto had Sasuke now. Sasuke who looked ready to walk through fire to keep Naruto safe. He still remembered Naruto complaining about his partner not that many months ago, but Iruka hadn’t really been surprised when complaining turned into something else. Sasuke seemed to complete Naruto, and Iruka could see the devotion on Sasuke’s face, the pure determination to get Naruto back, and Iruka knew that Naruto was in safe hands. Naruto had sent him a text message a few days earlier, and Iruka had nearly broken into tears hearing from him. Given the circumstances Naruto had to be careful, so there were no time for lengthy conversations, Naruto just texting him that he was doing alright, and that he missed Iruka, and that he promised that he would be home soon.

Iruka could not wait for the moment Naruto were back, safe.

***

Naruto reached for the door handle, testing to see if it was locked before pulling the keys out of his pocket, rifling through them in search of whichever would let him into the room. He tested a couple, and then froze, fingers locking around the keys to still the quiet jangling.

He was sure he’d heard something.

He held his breath, straining his ears to try to find whatever sound he had thought he picked up. His heartbeat was loud in his ears, but other than that he couldn’t hear anything. Had he just imagined it all, or was someone around here somewhere, likewise keeping their breath and waiting?

Seconds ticked by slow as molasses, until he finally let out his breath, resuming the search for the key. If someone was around, hiding out of sight, it wouldn’t do him much good to be caught out here in the hallways anyway. It would be easier to hide if he was inside a room.

The third key was the charm, and the door swung open, the sharp smell of antiseptics stinging his nose. He ignored it and went inside, pulling the door shut behind him.

There were no windows in the room, the darkness overwhelming even for his vision, and after a moment’s hesitation he fumbled along the wall until his fingers found the light switch. The room flooded in bright fluorescent lights, and he had to squeeze his eyes shut from the sudden glare.

When he dared peering out from underneath his lashes again he saw a white room, steel counters along one wall, a desk along another, and a row of clear fronted cabinets next to it. It looked like a laboratory of sorts, white tiles lining the walls making it seem out of place in a cabin otherwise dominated by wooden walls.

The fluorescent lights overhead hummed, but there was another sound as well, a soft scratching he couldn’t quite place. He walked further into the room, peering around, trying to assess just what he was seeing, when he realised there was an alcove off to one side where the scratching was coming from. He peered around the edge of a steel cabinet, and then quickly backed up again. The alcove was lined from floor to ceiling with steel wire cages, and most of them seemed to contain small rodents scuttling around, looking at him with small, beady eyes.

He walked closer, saw that they all appeared to be mice, small and varying in colour from white to grey to beige.

Each cage had a clipboard hanging from it, and Naruto walked close enough that he could grab one and look at it, noting a number at top that probably was the mouse’s name. Underneath various notes were neatly written down. Temperatures, heartbeats and other stuff he had no idea what was.

He really should have been paying more attention in biology. It was clear someone was experimenting on something, using the mice for some purpose, but he couldn’t tell what. Most of the notes meant nothing to him, so he quickly snapped a few pictures, hoping Sasuke would be able to tell what it was later. They’d connected the phone to a cloud service, so even if something happened with Naruto at least he’d have these pictures, evidence as to what was hiding in the sprawling basement.

He walked away from the cages again, wishing the mice could talk and tell him what was happening. It was probably the doctor’s room, but Naruto had no idea what the mice was for. Had the suppressants been tested on them before Naruto got the drugs? How many animals had been hurt for the drugs that coursed through his system?

Naruto walked over towards the steel counters. There were a few beakers standing there, but they didn’t contain anything, just placed upside down in what was probably a drying rack.

This time Naruto tried to open the cabinets before bothering with the keys, and the one underneath the counter slid open, revealing lots of stuff Naruto had no idea what was. Bottles with chemicals with names he couldn’t even hope to pronounce, more beakers and pipettes and other stuff he vaguely remembered having used in the labs back in high school. He took a few pictures, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary as far as he could tell.

He closed the cabinets back up and headed towards the glass fronted ones he had seen, realising now that they were some kind of refrigerators. Through the doors he saw racks filled with vials of blood, and when he leaned closer he could see a name and date marked on each vial. His own name.

He had given dozens of blood samples while staying here, and it was clear where they had all ended up, neatly lined up for some purpose Naruto had no idea what was. If the doctor was just testing his blood to see the effect of the drugs he wouldn't still have blood lined up, would he?

Other shelves had various bottles of chemicals and other stuff he didn’t know what was. It was all marked, but not in names he recognised.

He opened a door and started snapping pictures.

There was more blood further down, and he grabbed a vial, peering down at the label, seeing an unfamiliar name and a date not more than a week ago. He took a picture and placed it back, noticing how the dark red liquid seemed to shimmer a little in the light. He frowned. He’d never seen blood do that, so maybe they had added something to it.

It was frustrating trying to piece all of what he was seeing into a coherent story. He had no idea what most of it was, and what it meant. He needed notes, something that clearly said what Danzo and the doctor was working on. He could feel it in his bones that there was more going on here than just the suppressants, but he had no idea what or for what purpose, and it was frustrating. He felt helpless, and could only hope that Sasuke would be able to make something of the pictures.

He walked over to a free-standing metal cabinet. Unlike the others this was locked, and that piqued Naruto’s interest. He tried the keys, and was pleasantly surprised when one of them slid softly into the lock and he could turn it, rewarded with a soft click. Sai’s keys seemed to unlock just about anything down here, and Naruto was starting to see that Sai clearly knew what was going on, or else Danzo wouldn’t have trusted him with the keys. It was a little surprising it was this easy to steal them from him, because Naruto was pretty sure none of the other shifters would be allowed down here. Kidōmaru and the gang screamed pawns if he ever saw any. No one seemed to have cared that Jirōbō was killed or that Tayuya was dealt with, they all seemed replaceable in Danzo and the others’ eyes.

No, Sai was different, he knew more. If Naruto ever got the opportunity he was going to enjoy punching his face in, but for now he at least was glad Sai was careless enough to leave his keys lying around for anyone to take. It made breaking and entering a hell of a lot easier.

He opened the double doors and was met with shelves filled with various boxes and jars. Some made from pottery, others from glass. They were all labelled, and finally Naruto felt that he was getting somewhere. He took pictures of everything he saw, opening lids to photograph the content as well, flinching when he saw the box marked Teeth of Natural Witch , fearing he knew exactly where that content was coming from. There were shelves of just various plants, some Naruto recognised, some he didn’t. Boxes and boxes of teeth. Ashes of ghouls. Two jars were filled with leeches preserved in some liquid, neatly marked with Blood of the Undead.

It was like something straight out of a fairy tale or horror story, some witch’s supplies, ready to brew up curses and potions and whatever else witches made.

Naruto’s gaze dropped to the nook of his elbow. There were no marks, but it wasn’t long since the doctor had last injected him with the suppressants. Naruto had thought it was just a cocktail of drugs, but now he was starting to wonder if the doctor wasn’t just a medical doctor. He scratched at the skin, suddenly disgusted with the thought of just what was flooding through his veins. Wasn’t it just mice that had suffered for the drugs? Had people been killed to create the suppressants? Was it made with ground up teeth and zombie blood and who knew who or what else?

He wanted to throw up, but he pressed a hand to his mouth, biting it back, knowing he couldn’t allow himself the luxury of freaking out. Time was ticking, and it wasn’t long before he had to get back to his room, pretending to be asleep as the cabin started waking up.

He closed and locked the cabinet again. As far as evidence went it wasn’t much, but plenty of what had been in the cabinet was heavily restricted, or full on illegal to deal in, so at least it was some kind of evidence that Danzo had dealings beyond the purely legal. It wasn’t enough though, a man like Danzo could explain this away easily. He wouldn’t hesitate a moment to throw the doctor under the bus and blame it all on him. No, Naruto needed more, this was just the beginning.

The desk was strewn with paperwork, and Naruto headed there, documenting all the files, even though it made little sense to him. Lots of complicated formulas that surpassed his knowledge. Which, granted, didn’t mean much, because he could barely remember that H20 was water and had been thoroughly confused the moment math had turned from just numbers to numbers and letters.

With the papers all photographed he pulled open the desk drawers. The top one contained little more than pens and other office supplies, and the next held an impressive collection of chocolate bars. No wonder the doctor was on the rounder side.

He pulled open the bottom most drawer, and instantly knew that he had hit the jackpot. A laptop was neatly stashed there, and he was quick to pull it out and open it, pressing the power button. It was the first computer he had seen in the cabin, and if there was one thing where shady business was kept it was on computer. Compromising files and emails where Danzo clearly laid out just how many people he’d had killed and for what purpose. Or at least Naruto hoped as much.

The computer whirred alive, the computer brand logo flashing before it hit a login screen.

Naruto wanted to scream in frustration. Of course it was locked, who was stupid enough not to have a password on their computer. (Naruto, that was who.)

On TV it always seemed easy. The protagonist would just test out passwords until he got the right one. It was always a birthday or a pet or something like that, but Naruto didn’t know jackshit about the doctor, so he wouldn’t have any idea where to even start.

With a groan he quickly cut off he sank down on the desk chair, staring at the screen in frustration, feeling it taunt him. This far but no further.

It was so typical. He finally thought he was getting somewhere, but then something appeared, pushing him right back to start again.

For a few moments he just stared, battling with himself and the overwhelming feeling that he should just give up. He was never going to find the evidence to put Danzo away, so he should just stop looking. Even if he did get evidence Danzo was going to find some way to weasel away, because people like him always did. They knew too many people, had too much influence, and somehow they were never the ones in jail, soon walking free too keep hurting people.

His birth parents would never get the revenge they deserved, would stay forgotten, only Naruto knowing that at some point there lived two people who loved each other enough to escape for a better life before their past caught up to them and they were lost to the world. Naruto would be forced to see their murderer walk free, knowing it was only a matter of time before he too got lost. Danzo wouldn't let him go free, Naruto knew that, knew that if he wasn’t able to get Danzo locked away then he might as well just paint a target on his chest and wait for him to find him. He wondered who he would sent. Sai maybe? Would he one day wake up to find Sai in the room with him, weapon trained at him, bringing the final greetings from Danzo?

No.

No.

Naruto wasn’t going to let Danzo win. He was going to find a way to stop him, somehow, to give him what he deserved, a life time spent in a cell where he couldn’t manipulate and hurt any more. Naruto was a DPA agent, this was what he was trained for. He just had to be smart and he would find a way out of this somehow. If worse came to worse he would not hesitate to keep himself safe, and a part of him couldn’t quite stop imagining how it would feel to sink his teeth in Danzo’s throat and rip it out; but he feared that was the beast talking, and he was not going to let in to that instinct. Danzo didn’t deserve a quick death, he deserved to atone for what he had done.

Naruto grabbed his phone and quickly found Sasuke’s number, pressing the call button, hoping Sasuke wasn’t asleep.

***

Sasuke rubbed tired eyes. He’d been staring at the computer screen all night, and he was starting to think he was going to end up having to wear glasses after all the strain he was putting on his eyes.

He closed the web page he had been reading and moved to the next one, leaning closer to the screen to decipher one of the pictures Naruto had taken.

He had gotten the notification the moment the first picture popped up in the cloud, and had been following along as more came in. First pictures of a bare room, then now lately of what appeared to be some kind of laboratory. Cages with mice and lab equipment and endless bottles of various chemicals he was trying to decipher his way through. He had never been happier to have Google available, quickly able to discard most of it as common chemicals.

He was about to write down some notes in a text document he’d opened for the purpose of cataloguing what he saw in the pictures when he heard the still unfamiliar ringtone of his new phone. He looked at the screen, ready to decline the call, when he saw Naruto’s name, and quickly grabbed it, swiping to answer.

“Naruto?” he asked, dreading what he might hear on the other side of the call. Was Naruto in some kind of trouble? Sasuke hadn’t wanted to go back to the city, had wanted to stay close to the cabin, but he’d had to talk to Kakashi, and Kakashi had made him stick around, telling him that he wouldn't be able to do anything even if he rushed in lone ranger style, and reluctantly he’d stayed in the city, devoting his time on trying to find evidence against the council man. There had to be someone out there who would testify against him, it was just a matter of tracking them down. He had started with trying to find the shifter who had attacked the councilman in the newscast where Sasuke had first seen Naruto again, figuring that the shifter had some kind of issue with Danzo bad enough he would attack him openly, and thusly might be liable to tell Sasuke everything, but he hadn’t been able to find him. The DPA had no reports on the shifter being brought in, so Sasuke feared Danzo had dealt with him himself, removing him from the equation.

“Sasuke,” Naruto said, voice a loud whisper. He didn’t sound hurt, and Sasuke clamped down on the urge to rush to his car. “Do you know how to hack a computer?”

Sasuke had been in the middle of pacing across the room, and now he stopped. Naruto must either have great faith in him, or just be desperate, if he really thought Sasuke could hack a computer, over the phone no less.

“What the hell, of course I can’t,” he answered, silently regretting that he had never learned to.

“Shit. I found a laptop in the lab I broke into, but it's password protected.”

Sasuke closed his eyes, and pressed two fingers to the bridge of his nose. Of course it would be password protected, and where better to find evidence against Danzo then a computer.

“We need to get into that computer,” Sasuke said. He was sure there was someone at DPA who would have no problem getting access to the computer, password or not, but they would actually need the computer to do that, and the chance that no one noticed if Naruto suddenly took off with a laptop underneath his arm was slim. It was a chance they couldn’t take, in case there wasn’t anything useful on there.

Naruto was silent on the other end of the line, and Sasuke wanted nothing more than to pull him into his arms.

Then it hit him. “Shikamaru,” he said, and he heard Naruto make a confused sound on the other side of the line, so he explained. “Shikamaru wouldn’t have a problem hacking it. I could talk to him, figure out if there’s a way to get into it. Do you think you could get back to the computer tomorrow, after I talk to him?”

“Maybe, I can try,” Naruto said, and Sasuke heard the sound of a laptop snapping shut.

Sasuke knew they couldn’t keep talking, but he didn’t want to hang up either. He hadn’t heard Naruto’s voice in a few days, and it seemed to soothe something inside, made him feel a little calmer. Naruto was still there, was still working on how to come back to him.

They were going to be fine. Shikamaru would find a way to help Naruto get access to the computer, and they would find enough evidence to put Danzo away and Naruto could come home and—

“Fuck,” he suddenly heard, Naruto’s voice dropping to a low hiss. “I think I heard someone.”

Sasuke didn’t say a word, knowing even his voice across the line could give Naruto away. Instead he held his breath, his hand curling into a fist at his side, nails digging into the soft flesh of his palm.

He heard the rustling of Naruto’s clothes as he moved, maybe to hide. Seconds ticked by, and Sasuke strained his ears to try to hear if there were other voices on the line, but he couldn’t hear anything. Maybe Naruto had just imagined it. Sasuke could picture how stressful the situation was, it would be easy to interpret the sound of a house settling as something else.

He could faintly hear Naruto’s breathing, and then something else.

Sasuke wanted to yell out a warning, even though he knew it wouldn’t help, and that Naruto was probably even more aware.

“Naruto?” a squeaky voice suddenly said, and Sasuke’s fingers tightened around the phone. Someone was there, someone had found him, and Sasuke had no idea who it was, had no idea what was happening, and he had never felt as helpless.

“Ah, doc, I was…” Naruto started, and Sasuke could see the goofy grin he no doubt had spread on his face. “Headache, looking for painkillers you know. Figured it would be around here somewhere, haha!”

Sasuke flinched. Naruto’s voice had gone a little high, and there was no way someone wouldn’t understand just how much bullshit what he was saying was.

“How did you get in here?” that squeaky voice said again.

“Uhm, the door was open?” Naruto answered.

Sasuke had no idea what was happening, but moments later the other person squealed loudly, and Sasuke was sure Naruto had moved. Maybe he’d grabbed the other, the one he’d called doc. Sasuke heard muffled voices, as if someone was talking from behind a hand, and he hoped Naruto was the one who had grabbed the other and not the other way around.

Then Naruto made a sudden bark of pain, and there were sounds of scuffling, and then a loud sound, something metallic slamming against the ground, as if someone had thrown something to the floor.

“Shit, shit, shit,” Naruto muttered.

At least he was still there and swearing, but there was no sound from the other any more. Had Naruto knocked him out?

“I gotta get out of here,” Naruto muttered to himself. He seemed to have forgotten about the phone. He’d probably stuck it in a pocket, because as he started running Sasuke was right there with him, his stomach churning with worry.

Everything was falling apart, and he wanted to scream at Naruto to get the hell out, but hopefully Naruto was smart enough to realise that was what he had to do, all on his own. He’d been caught, and even if he had knocked out the other person someone would find out soon enough. Naruto had to abort the mission and get out. They’d find a way to get to Danzo later, but if he did not immediately leave Sasuke was going to kill him himself, because his position as a double agent was officially ruined.

There was some rustling at Naruto moved, and then Sasuke heard his voice again. “Shit Sasuke, it all went to hell.” He was whispering, a note of desperation in his voice.

“Get away from there right now Naruto. Run for the barn, I’m leaving to fetch you. Just hide until I get there.” Sasuke was already on his way towards the front door, ready to mount the rescue situation.

“I will, don’t worry about me,” Naruto said, the confidence clearly fake.

“I’ll see--” Sasuke started, but he never got to finish.

A new voice over the line, deeper than the one from before. “What the fuck are you doing down there?”

Then the connection broke.

Chapter Text

Naruto left the doctor on the floor of the lab and started running, knowing he had to leave, because his cover was officially blown. He just needed to get out before anyone else woke up, maybe steal a car if he could, and leave. He’d go back to Sasuke, and together they would find a way to stop Danzo, even without evidence.

Sasuke!

He suddenly remembered the phone. He’d stuck it in the pocket of his hoodie when the doctor had come into the room, and then forgotten all about it. He pulled it out as he made his way towards the stairs, seeing the call still going.

“Shit, Sasuke, it all went to hell,” he whispered, desperately wishing Sasuke was here with him. Naruto never should have come back, he should have left with Sasuke that day he tried shifting. He hadn’t been thinking, had thought he had control of the situation, that he would be fine going undercover without any backup. He should have thought things through.

“Get away from there right now, Naruto. Run for the barn, I’m leaving to fetch you. Just hide until I get there.” There were sounds in the backgrounds, as if Sasuke was moving around the apartment. Probably making ready to leave. He was still hours away though. Sasuke was right. He needed to get to the barn, he’d be able to hide there.

“I will, don’t worry about me,” Naruto said, trying to sound confident. He didn’t want Sasuke to worry about him. He was going to get out of here just fine. The doctor was downstairs, Naruto would be gone before he had time to notify anyone, it was going to be fi—

“What the fuck are you doing down there?”

Naruto startled, phone dropping from his hand to hit the floor as his head snapped towards the top of the stairs, heart thumping hard in his chest when he saw someone standing there, glaring down at him. Naruto recognised him as one of the shifters he hadn’t talked much to, one of the twins; Sakon and Ukon. He wasn’t sure which was which, they were practically identical, and he hadn’t cared to learn to know them. He had the impression that Sakon was the louder one though, so he guessed this was him. Ukon tended to linger behind Sakon, some shadow to his brother.

There was only one thing to do, and Naruto squared his shoulders and prepared to fight his way out. He could take Sakon. One lousy shifter wouldn’t be a problem. He was just worried that—

His worries were confirmed when another head appeared at the top of the stairs, almost identical to the first. Ukon. Shit.

There was nothing to do about it, Naruto would just have to get past the two of them, fast, before anyone else woke up and could intervene.

Never had he been more aware of the cold pit in his stomach where he knew the beast resided, held back by the cold grip of the suppressants. It wasn’t long enough since his last shot that there was any chance the beast would be able to break free, not for hours yet. He was on his own, weaponless.

His hands fisted at his side and he sprang into action, leaping up the stairs, barrelling straight at the twins, wanting to take them off guard. He figured it would be his best chance.

Attacking from below gave him a disadvantage, and he knew he was screwed when spots spread over Sakon’s face as the change flowed through him, smooth as a river, and the next Naruto knew a snow leopard was leaping from the top of the stairs, aiming right at him.

Naruto grabbed the handrail, bracing himself for the impact, and as paws connected with his chest he twisted sharply.

Claws dug into his skin, ripping open the front of his sweater and leaving gouges in his chest, but the move had worked, sending Sakon tumbling down the stairs. Naruto turned towards Ukon, but there was no one standing on top of the stairs any more, just an open door, empty.

There were two things that could be about to happen. Either Ukon as waiting to ambush him, or he had left to fetch reinforcements.No matter which of them, Naruto was probably screwed, but he knew that lingering down in the basement wasn’t going to do him any good. He had to get out, and as far as he knew the only exit was on the first floor, so he would have to brave the possible ambush and fight his way to the front door. Then it was just a matter of getting over the wall somehow, and then run. There would be no time tohunt down car keys, so his legs would have to do.

He couldn’t risk being cautious, not now, so Naruto didn’t hesitate before leaping out the open door at the top of the stairs and heading for the foyer. He heard sounds behind him, but ignored it to push on, no time to see who or what was after him.

He got as far as the kitchen before whoever it was caught up to him, and he was slammed into a kitchen counter. Pain exploded in his hip where it connected with the heavy stone counter top, but at least Ukon hadn’t ripped into him with his claws, just slammed his massive feline body into Naruto.

Like Sakon, Ukon was a snow leopard. Not the biggest of cats, but still powerful. In his other form Naruto was sure he could have taken him, but like this—in a human body and weaponless—he wasn’t as confident.

Ukon was staring at him from across the room, body poised for attack. Naruto dared a quick glance around, suddenly remembering what room he was in. The kitchen, there were knives here, if only he could get to the knife block. He was currently right next to the stove, so the block was on the other side of the kitchen from him.

Ukon must have realised the same, because the moment Naruto twitched to make for it the cat leapt, powerful hind legs pushing him right at Naruto, claws probably extended to carve up more of Naruto’s skin.

Naruto acted, arm shooting out to grab the frying pan he had noted as he looked for knives. Not as good, but he swung it around, the metal connecting with the side of Ukon’s head. He didn’t hesitate, didn’t wait to see if Ukon got up again, just started running.

He came as far as the foyer before they caught up to him.

***

Cold dread settled in Sasuke’s gut as the phone went silent, the conversation cut. He immediately pulled up Naruto’s number and called again. Every beep of the unanswered call was like an ice pick to his heart. Never before had he felt as helpless as he did in that moment. He never should have let Naruto go back there, should have stopped him. They could have found evidence some other way, could have done anything to stop Danzo that wasn’t to let Naruto go back there, unarmed and alone.

He had messed up, and now Naruto was in trouble, and Sasuke was hours away, and it might already be too late.

Sasuke had to go there. He had to go to the cabin and find Naruto, save him. He didn’t care if he had to beat down the doors with his bare hands, he would do anything, would kill anyone in his way, as long as it got Naruto back safe and sound.

Hopefully Naruto was safe. Maybe he had gotten away. Maybe he was running away as they spoke, and Sasuke was nowhere close to where help him. Or maybe they had just caught him and locked him up. Sasuke had seen pictures of cells that Naruto had taken, it was likely that they would place him there, right? Then Sasuke would have time to gear up and go there, make his way inside and get Naruto out. He had to have time. He was not going to let anything happen to him.

It took him less than five minutes to change clothes and find his weapons. He’d strapped on guns alongside his katana and tied heavy leather boots on, tucking his cargo pants into them. He looked and felt ready for war.

The elevator was tortuously slow as he took it down to the parking garage, but he knew those seconds would matter little when Naruto was still hours away. Sasuke never should have gone back here, should have waited close by, should have been ready for this situation. He’d been an idiot, trusting that Naruto had control over a situation there was no way he could have control over.

The Lexus beeped a welcome as he yanked the door open and all but threw himself into the front seat, placing the katana on the floor on the passenger side.

He hadn’t even left the parking garage before he realised how foolish his plan was. Being with Naruto had taught him the importance of teamwork. Sasuke was better with Naruto, but now that wasn’t an option. Naruto would do his best to kick his ass if he knew Sasuke ran in alone and got hurt or captured in the attempt. Sasuke had no idea what was waiting for him at that cabin.

There was a time not too long ago where Sasuke didn’t trust anyone, but Naruto had made him see things differently. Maybe he didn’t need to do this alone, maybe there were others supporting him. If relying on others was going to help make sure he got Naruto back then he would do so happily.

He pulled open Kakashi’s number on his phone, and as he made his way towards Naruto he called.

***

Tsunade tuned out the droning voice of the accountant sitting on the other side of the desk, something about red numbers and budgets and cuts. Nothing she hadn’t heard before. It was hard enough keeping the city safe as it was, and every time they were forced to cut back on resources it only got worse. They needed more agents, more training, better equipment, but her pleas were mostly unanswered.

The moment the door to her office was yanked open she almost sighed in relief at the disruption, but then she saw the hard look in Kakashi’s visible eye as he looked at her from the doorway, and she knew it wasn’t good news. She dismissed the accountant who vanished in a rustle of a cheap suit, probably just glad to be able to leave.

Kakashi closed the door after himself and walked over to the desk, cutting straight to the chase. Tsunade appreciated it in a world of bureaucracy where it was all talk and no action most days.

“Naruto has been compromised.”

Kakashi had filled her in on Naruto’s situation since he quit, at least partially. He was unofficially undercover, searching for evidence that would expose a prominent political figure as the criminal he was. Kakashi’s exact words, and Tsunade didn’t approve of the situation, and had told Kakashi as much, but it was clear her opinion didn’t matter. She couldn’t do much about pulling Naruto out, he wasn’t one of her agents any more, and she knew Kakashi would not care about any threats to his job she might make. As a compromise she had pretended she knew nothing. Like this she wouldn’t have to report it to anyone, and could just hope for the best. Those hopes seemed to have been futile.

“What happened?” she asked, dreading what Kakashi might tell her.

“Sasuke was on the phone with Naruto as he was looking for evidence. Someone found him, there was a struggle and Naruto made to leave. The last thing Sasuke heard was someone discovering him, before the line broke. He was unable to get back in touch with him afterwards. It’s clear that they now know Naruto isn’t loyal, but we have no idea what they’ve done to him.”

Tsunade’s fist trembled against the desk, itching to punch something but trying hard to contain herself. Naruto might not officially be an agent any more, but she knew Kakashi still saw him as one of theirs, and then she did the same. They were not about to abandon him to whatever fate might befall him. If there was a chance he was still alive they needed to get him out, and she knew exactly why Kakashi was here.

“You want to send your unit?” she asked, flattening her hand out against the smooth wood, fingers tensing as if testing the give.

“Yes,” Kakashi simply stated.

“You know I will have to discuss it with a higher level to get clearance for a mission like this,” she said. She might be the one in charge of this headquarter, but there were people above her, those in charge of all the DPA headquarters across the nation. People who cared more about politics and economy than lives, too far removed to know any of the agents; people who had never been out there, facing vampires and ghouls and the other monsters that thrived in the dark.

“I do,” Kakashi said. “And you know that I’ll be leaving no matter what they say.”

They looked at each other for a moment, and there was nothing but understanding between them. Tsunade would have to go through official channels to try and get approval, and Kakashi was going through with it, not matter if that approval was given or not, safe in the knowledge that Tsunade wouldn’t send anyone to stop them.

“I’m going to need all agents back here come Monday,” Tsunade said, “and I would appreciate it if they had all their limbs still attached.”

Kakashi nodded once, and then left.

Tsunade let out a ragged sigh and pressed the heel of her palms to her eyes for a moment before she shoved at a stack of paper so she could pull the computer keyboard towards her. She would have to talk to the main office in Washington DC, home of everything she despised about this organisation. She might lead one of the biggest DPA offices in all of America, dozens of agents under her roof, but the virtually agent-less office in the capitol ruled everything she did.

She made a connection over video chat, thrumming her fingers against the desk while she waited to be connected to someone. It took five minutes before she was patched through, two familiar faces popping up on the screen.

“Utatane, Mitokado,” Tsunade greeted them, trying to keep the displeasure of seeing their wrinkly old faces from showing. She’d dealt with them before, and it usually ended with her either ruining her furniture in frustration, or just drinking too much afterwards. They should have retired long ago, but they appeared too invested in making her life hard, issuing budget cuts and new rules that lead to paperwork rather than action.

“Tsunade, what a pleasure,” Utatane said, not sounding like she meant a word of it. “How can we assist you today?”

Tsunade knew time was of an essence, but also that she needed to keep from actually shouting at them or they’d never give her the green light she needed.

“One of our agents have been compromised, and we need to send a team to retrieve him,” she said.

Mitokado frowned. “Which agent?”

Tsunade hesitated for a moment. “Naruto Uzumaki, of Unit Seven.”

She could hear the tapping of a keyboard, and had to fight with herself not to scream in annoyance. Mitokado was pulling up Naruto’s file, which meant he would see what his status was, and then…

“Naruto Uzumaki is no longer an active agent, which means he has not been compromised during an official mission. What exactly have Mr. Uzumaki done?”

“Mr. Uzumaki,” Tsunade started, trying but failing to keep the venom from her voice, “is undercover, looking for evidence against someone who is thought to be running a crime syndicate. We believe the target is a name in the black market, and we suspect him of multiple counts of kidnapping and murder as well.”

The two on the screen didn’t say anything for a long moment before Utatane spoke again. “Who is this man, why have we not been contacted? You should have made a formal mission of it.”

Tsunade had wanted to do just that, but talking to Kakashi had kept her from it. Apparently Danzo was believed to have connections to the high levels of their organization, which would mean that making it official would have only given him time to wipe out any evidence, and she’d agreed to that, not surprised in the slightest that there might be corruption in the DPA. It was almost a given, corruption ran rampant through those with power, and now, as she watched Utatane and Mitokado she could easily see either of them being willing to look the other way if it meant they kept their position and power and money.

“We had no definite evidence, and didn’t want to launch a full investigation before we were sure.”

“Who is the suspect?” Mitokado asked.

Tsunade could give them Danzo’s name. It would force them to start some preliminary investigations, but if they were some of those getting their pockets lined with money from the man in question…

“You are not going to allow me to send in a team to retrieve him, are you?” Tsunade asked, dodging the question, cutting to the more urgent matter.

“Not unless we have reason to believe this… person, in actuality are a suspect. If a former agent infiltrated someone based on hearsay, there’s not a lot we can do. It sounds like a case for the local sheriff’s department, but we would be willing to send a message to them, get them to look for Mr Uzumaki.”

The Mr sounded like an insult in Mitokado’s voice, a way to clearly mark Naruto as a civilian rather than an agent, and Tsunade knew then that there was nothing she could do. Kakashi was going rogue, and she was going to let him.

“Thank you for your time, I’ll be sure to not send anyone to help him,” Tsunade spat out, and closed the window before she could see the outraged faces on the screen. Then she turned off her computer for good measure, just to make sure they didn’t try to contact her again. The cord on her phone was likewise accidentally pulled out. She wasn’t sure why she was surprised. She had known all along that those in charge cared absolutely nothing for the agents. They cared about results, and money, and politics. Everything Tsunade despised about this job.

Kakashi and his agents were on their own, and there was nothing Tsunade could do but try and cover it up. At least she hadn’t given Danzo’s name to Mitokado and Utatane, so if they were corrupt they wouldn’t be able to warn him. A small mercy.

She pushed her chair back, dove into a desk drawer and pulled out a bottle, forgoing the glass entirely as she took a swig, the familiar burn of alcohol down her throat not even helping.

***

A lone light bulb hung over his head, its stark light illuminating the nothingness of the room he was in. Bare walls, concrete floors. They hadn’t even given him the cell with the dingy mattress, so he was sitting on the cold floor, freezing his ass off.

His knees were pulled to his chest with his arms wrapped around them as he stared blankly at the door, willing anyone to enter. The moment they did he was going to take them out and escape.

He’d been so close, but Ukon had gotten reinforcements, and against him and Kidōmaru Naruto had been in trouble. And then Sakon had come up the stairs from the basement, limping but still a threat, and no matter how hard he had fought Naruto had found himself pinned to the ground, sharp fangs locked around his neck, a threat to tear his throat out keeping him still as the others bound his arms and legs, making escape impossible.

They’d all been shifted back into their human forms as they carried him downstairs, but all Naruto could do was make it a harder task by thrashing in their hold. It hadn’t done anything other than making them pissed off at him, and they hadn’t even untied him as they threw him into the cell and shut the door.

It had taken him a good while to make his way out of the ropes, and by the end his wrists were rubbed raw and sore, but he had gotten loose and had spent the next while alternating between banging on the door and trying to kick it down, but he was no match against it. He likely wasn’t the first to try and force his way out of the cell, but if he got it his way he was going to make damned sure he was the last one. Danzo was going down, one way or another.

His wrists had long since healed, as had the knuckles he had split open against the heavy wood, leaving nothing but unblemished skin. His palm wasn’t doing nearly as well, throbbing dully.

He lifted it up and saw the deep marks left by the doctor’s teeth where he had bit down to break free. It had finally stopped bleeding, but it was still a row of open wounds. Usually a wound of this size would have long since closed up by now, leaving nothing but unbroken skin, but something about the bite had slowed the healing process considerably. Maybe something in the shifter saliva, but Naruto had no idea. He pressed his finger against the wound, feeling the flash of pain as he did.

It made him feel vulnerable in a way he wasn’t used to, and he didn’t like it one bit.

The only good thing about the situation was that he could feel the beast stirring deep in his gut. A few more hours and it would be free of the shackles of suppressants, and with its strength the door would be no match, he was sure of it. He’d claw his way out if it came to it.

They had to be aware of it as well, knew the clock was ticking down from where Naruto was human, to where he was beast, and the only way to stop it would be more suppressants, which meant they would have to come in here sometime soon. Either way Naruto was going to get out of here in a matter of a few hours tops. He had been surprised earlier, hadn’t been able to fight properly, but now he was going to be ready, and the moment the door unlocked he would be on them.

Feeling restless Naruto got to his feet, shaking out his shoulders and jumping in place. The fireplaces upstairs did nothing to warm the basement, and apparently they hadn’t bothered to install heat in the cells, so the winter chill was seeping into his bones. Normally Naruto wasn’t too affected by cold weather, but sitting still on a concrete floor was making even him feel it. He couldn’t afford to have his body sluggish when he was to attack and fight his way free, so he needed to stop moping and start preparing instead.

He started walking laps around the room, fingers dragging over the walls as if it would magically make another door appear. He lost count of how many rounds he made when he heard the jangling of keys.

This was it.

He was not going to let them shoot him up with more drugs, he would get free.

He sunk into a hunch, ready to attack. They would probably be prepared, some of the shifters already in their animal form, ready to take him on. They wouldn’t surprise him this time, he could take lousy snow leopards, he knew he could. Determination was a powerful thing after all.

The door swung open and Naruto leapt towards the open doorway.

He skidded to a halt, lips still peeled away from blunt fangs, fingers tightened into fists. His body thrummed to attack, and he could barely contain himself, eyes almost going cross eyed as he stared down the barrel of the gun directed at his head.

He might be strong, and fast, but not even he could dodge a bullet. He should have realised they’d bring guns.

Kidōmaru smirked at him from behind the gun, and Naruto wanted nothing else than to plant his fist right into that ugly mug.

Behind Kidōmaru the doctor was standing, cowering like the rodent he was. He clutched a syringe in his hand. Suppressants, no doubt.

Naruto had been so dumb trusting these people. The doctor had probably yanked his chain all along. They didn’t need to adjust the suppressants, they just needed a way to keep Naruto here, under their control. He had no idea what Danzo wanted him for, to be just another thug to do his dirty work, or something else entirely, but he knew it wasn’t good.

“If you come any closer with that, doc, I’m going to finish what I started,” Naruto spat, taking his eyes off the gun to send a sharp glance in the doctor’s direction. The doctor flinched, but didn’t run away.

“Now now, you are going to do exactly as I tell you to, or I’ll plant a bullet in your brain, and we’ll see if that’ll make you cooperate,” Kidōmaru said, the hand with the gun still steadily aiming it at him. Naruto had no doubt Kidōmaru would pull that trigger.

Naruto was desperately trying to figure out a way to get out of the situation, but there was little he could do that wouldn’t land him dead. He growled and he saw Kidōmaru grin as he noticed realisation settle over Naruto.

“Now, you are going to walk to the middle of the room, turn around and get on your knees. The second you do anything else you can say goodbye to your brain.”

Naruto hesitated, body thrumming with anger, wanting nothing more than to attack, but he managed to force himself to step back and turn around, dropping to his knees hard enough to send pain bursting in his kneecaps.

“Hands behind your neck,” Kidōmaru continued, and Naruto lifted them, lacing them behind his head. He wanted to show them all the finger, but he didn’t think that would be particularly appreciated, and he didn’t trust Kidōmaru not to shoot him out of spite.

“Doc, you are up,” Kidōmaru said, and Naruto could hear the shuffling of the doctor approaching, clearly not very happy to be sent into the room armed with little other than a syringe. It wouldn't do him much good.

He felt the doctor stop at his side, and then Naruto’s left arm was yanked down, sleeve pushed up past his elbow, and Naruto sprang into action immediately, not sparing a second to think things through, just reacting.

The doctor made a strangled noise as Naruto’s arm wrapped around his throat, putting him in-between Naruto and Kidōmaru. The syringe shattered against the floor, green pooling on the dirty concrete.

“Move!” Naruto yelled at Kidōmaru, shaking the doctor for good measure. Kidōmaru hesitated, assessing the situation, gun wavering.

Deep in his gut Naruto felt curling tendrils of warmth, but it would still be hours before the beast would be able to break away from its shackles. He was not going to let that stop him from getting free. Naruto didn’t need that other side, he could do this alone.

It was a gamble and he knew it. He didn’t think Danzo would want the doctor dead, and maybe not himself either, but whether Kidōmaru knew that, or even cared about that, he had no idea. Kidōmaru might just shoot them, claiming it all an accident.

Naruto walked closer to the door, the doctor being yanked along, a stuttering human shield. He wasn’t fighting, most likely because Naruto’s hand was wrapped around his throat. It would take very little to snap his neck, and the doctor had too much self-preservation instincts to risk it, stumbling along as Naruto moved.

Kidōmaru was still keeping the gun trained on them, but he was making no move to pull the trigger.

This might work, Naruto would make his way out, ditch the doctor and leave.

“Step back,” he growled at Kidōmaru. A glare was sent Naruto’s way, and Kidōmaru hesitated.

“Don’t let him get away!” the doctor yelled out as Kidōmaru started lowering the gun.

It happened too fast for Naruto to react. Kidōmaru lifted the gun again, trained it on Naruto and the doctor, and then the doctor tried to get out of Naruto’s grip, throwing him to the side, and Naruto wasn't sure just what happened, but then a gunshot rang out, echoing in the basement, and a flash of pain burst in his chest.

The sound faded out, taking with it all other sound as well, leaving a vacuum of quiet he wasn’t sure was real, or just his own mind.

He looked down in disbelief, saw the hole in his sweater, and the darker patch of black where blood was seeping into the fabric. He knew exactly what it meant, but he still looked at the gunshot wound in disbelief, not quite believing it.

He dropped to his knees, tilted his head to the side and saw the doctor lying there as well, clutching an arm to his own chest. The bullet must’ve grazed the doctor’s arm as he moved. Nothing deadly. Naruto wasn’t sure if he could say the same about his own wound, he usually tried to avoid getting shot.

The world grew grey on the edges of his vision, and he closed them, hoping his healing ability beat out gunshot wounds. This was not how he wanted to go.

***

Kakashi walked into the office of Unit Seven, looking around the bullpen. Half the unit was sitting there, looking up at him expectantly. Their shift had already ended, but he’d asked them to stay back the moment Sasuke had told him about Naruto, not telling them what happened, but telling them to stop any patrolling and come back to the offices. There were too many empty desks. Temari and Gaara was miles and miles away, assisting the DPA down in the south where the swamps were overrun by reanimated corpses courtesy of some voodoo practitioner on a power trip, and Shikamaru had been sent to Chicago, assisting at the office there, a technomage having wreaked havoc on the city’s computer networks.

And then there were Sasuke and Naruto’s desks, empty for far too long.

There was a chance that come Monday there would be more empty desks to keep them company, Kakashi’s own amongst them.

Neji got up from his chair when Kakashi walked into the room. His long hair was gathered in a loose ponytail and he looked poised, his back pin-straight in a way Kakashi had never mastered himself, naturally falling into a slouch.

“What has happened?” Neji asked and Kakashi could see five faces looking at him expectantly, watching him to see if he carried good or bad news. He hated to disappoint them.

There was not enough time for long explanations, and he knew his unit would understand that.

“Naruto has been working undercover, but he has been compromised. It’s not an official mission, so we have not been given the clearance to extract him. Sasuke and I are going to assist him. We have no idea what will be waiting for us, if he is even alive still.” He stopped, taking a quick breath, not wanting to think about the fact that they could be too late already. “But we have hope they will find him too valuable to dispose of him, and that we will be able to get him out.”

He saw five agents with determined looks on their faces, and he was sure what they were going to say, but he had to make certain they knew what they might be sacrificing.

“Director Tsunade is trying to get us clearance, but Naruto is no longer seen as an agent,” Kakashi said, and Kiba cut him off before he get further.

“And we all know they are not going to give us that clearance. So, what, do we lose our jobs, or are we talking anything worse than that if we leave?”

Kiba was sitting cross-legged on top of his desk, but now he unfolded his legs and jumped down. He looked ready for a fight, dark cargo pants and a black sweater, twin gun holsters strapped over his chest. Dressed to patrol the city to take out vampires he now looked just as ready to leave to find Naruto.

“Most likely just the jobs,” Kakashi said. He doubted they would take it further than that, but losing their job was punishment enough. Every single agent in this room had sacrificed a lot for this job. Not just time, but literally flesh and blood as well. Most of them got hurt at some point or another, putting their lives on the line every single night they went out on the streets, hunting for vampires. They didn’t do it for fame or recognition, but because they all believed they were doing an important job, keeping their city a safe place, but now the organisation they were working for were abandoning one of their own. Naruto might not be an agent any more, but their bonds were stronger than a badge.

“Fuck it, I could need some time off anyway,” Kiba said, rolling his shoulders. “When are we leaving?”

“I’m not ordering any of you to come along. If you want to stay no one will think lesser for you. Sasuke is already on his way, and I am leaving now,” Kakashi said, and moments later the remaining agents all got up from their desks as well, looks of determination on their faces.

“We’re with you,” Sakura said, and the rest nodded in affirmation.

Chapter Text

Danzo stepped out of his car and looked up at the cabin, remembering how it had been all those years ago when he first bought it, nondescript and small. It had grown alongside his power, a testament to all he had accomplished during his years. He had more power than ever, and he was on the brink of being elected governor, which would only further his political influence. It was all going according to plan. Eventually he would run for the presidency, and his contacts would ensure that in the end he would find his home in the White House. He’d be the most powerful man in the country, and then the real job could begin. He’d have the influence to do whatever he wanted then.

He’d always dreamed big, even when he was a nobody, weak and powerless. Orphaned at a young age at the hands of a band of rogue shifters, much like those that lived in the cabin, those he utilized as his soldiers and henchmen. Irony, he supposed.

He was no longer weak. He might not have the physical strength of shifters, or the magic of witches, but he had shown that he didn’t need either. His strength lay in the mind, in influencing others, using them for his gain.

He should be in a good mood. He should bask in what he was accomplishing, but he had a thorn in his side that he needed to deal with.

He’d have such great hopes in Naruto. Stronger than any of the others he had believed Naruto would be the beginning of a new generation of Protos, loyal to Danzo. He’d be unstoppable then, wouldn’t have needed the cumbersome ways of politics to gain the power he wanted. However, Naruto had betrayed him, just like his father once had.

Danzo scoffed as he walked up the snow-patched ground, not quite able to hide his limp. The cold weather tended to aggravate his bad knee, the one Minato had destroyed all those years ago. It’d never healed completely.

He threw open the main door, heading into the living room. The twins were lounging on the couch, barely acknowledging him at all. He’d have preferred more respect, but Sakon and Ukon didn’t matter, not in the long run, so if they thought they gained anything by ignoring him, then he was going to let them think so. He didn’t need their respect as long as they did what he told them to.

He left the living room, heading towards the stairs leading down into the basement. He didn’t like how he had to hold on to the banister as he made his way down, didn’t like the feeling of his body working against him, joints creaking in protests. It’d been too long since he last went down to the doctor, he had been too busy with his campaigning.

The doctor was in his lab, hunched over a mortar as he clumsily ground leaves into a paste with his left arm, the right hanging by his side, most likely too painful to move much. Danzo had heard of the incident earlier, the gun going off, Kidōmaru showing that he was hardly ready for the responsibility he had been given. Danzo wished he hadn’t sent Sai out on a job, because Sai was the only one he could really trust. Sai would not have accidentally shot anyone. He would have no problem pulling the trigger, but only with full knowledge of who and why he was shooting.

Luckily he was coming back later tonight, so Kidōmaru could go back to being the useless thug he was.

The doctor turned around when he heard Danzo. Beady eyes looked up at him, and his nose twitched as he abandoned the mortar, getting to his feet and inclining his head into a bow in some half-attempt at respect. Danzo ignored it.

“I require my potion,” he said, shrugging off his winter coat and rolling up the sleeve of his shirt as he sat down on a stool, waiting for the doctor to do his job.

There were rustling in cupboards as the doctor rummaged through them, first pulling out a vial of tar-like substance, and then a small silver tin. Danzo watched him scurry around, calm as he waited.

The tin was opened with a flick of a thumb, the silvery powder within gently shaken out in a glass bowl. Then the thick tar from the vial was emptied out over it, black soaking up the silver, reacting with a slow hiss as it shifted, growing translucent.

The doctor let it settle as he hurried back into the cabinet, pulling out a single leaf of a plant that he crumpled between his fingers before letting the ball drop into the bowl where it unfurled and then got absorbed into the liquid, breaking into miniscule particles that bonded with the rest of the potion.

Years ago Danzo had a witch living here, brewing medicine and potions using her knowledge of plants and the magic of the natural world. Potion brewing had far more in common with modern science than the cheap tricks of warlocks. Plants could be potent in the right mixtures, killing or healing accordingly.

This particular potion had been her work, and she’d left the knowledge of it behind for the doctor when she died. Not his doing, she had been old, and had smoked as many plants as she brewed up, leaving her lungs completely destroyed.

The doctor stirred once, making sure it was mixed before he filled a syringe, moving over to Danzo, hesitating.

He always seemed apologetic before he pierced Danzo with the needle, as if he was afraid Danzo would react to the shot by hurting the doctor. Silly. Danzo had more use of him alive than dead.

Danzo barely noticed the needle sliding into the thin skin in the nook of his elbow, and waited patiently as the liquid was forced into his veins. He could feel the warmth through his body as the potion flooded his system, undoing the damage of time.

It wasn’t flawless, no potion of eternal youth, but it elongated his life, giving him the time he needed to go through with his plans. He was closing in on a full century, but his body at top peak, which would be in a few days as the potion ran its course through it, would put him at no more than sixty.

Danzo might have been born a mere human, but he had long since made up for that. He didn’t have magic or supernatural strength, he wasn’t a shifter or fae, but he would rule them all nonetheless.

He rose and rolled the sleeve back down.

“I heard you have good news for me?” he said to the doctor.

“Yes, yes! It’s looking very promising.” The doctor’s back straightened in what was clearly pride.

“Are you close to concluding the testing?”

“We’ve had success with two mice so far, and I would like to move on to something else, see how it reacts with other animals. Then we’ll move on to humanoids.”

“How long will it take?”

“To safely say that it works it will take months. We would have to cross-test it with various control groups to monitor any side effects, see how the system reacts beyond the first changes.”

“But you believe it is functional?”

“Yes, it appears so. The DNA is completely stable, showing no deterioration so far. They don’t have the brain capacity to understand it, so it is all uncontrolled, but I believe that in a human or a shifter it would work.”

“Good,” Danzo said, feeling pleased for the first time in a long while. “Show me.”

The doctor nodded, quickly moving the potion out of the way and rushing over towards the steel wired cages across the room, opening a door and pulling out a mouse. It was a dull brown with small black eyes, and it tried to get loose, but the doctor held it firmly, carrying it over to the glass fronted fridge and pulling out a small glass bottle marked with a series of numbers in the front. He carried both the vial and the mouse over to the counter top and held the mouse with one hand as he opened the vial and then pulled out a small pipette, extracting a few drops of muddy green. Eager to show his work he didn’t even seem troubled by the gunshot wound any more.

Danzo watched with interest as the doctor forced the mouse’s mouth open with the pipette, dropping a single drop inside before he put the pipette away again. For a while nothing happened. The mouse was still trying to get loose, and the doctor wasn’t letting it.

Then the mouse suddenly stilled, as if its entire body was seizing up. The doctor let go, and the mouse fell limp to the counter top. It would have looked dead if not for the way its tail was twitching.

Danzo waited, not sure just what he would see, but then the mouse twitched once. Twice. Three times. It stilled for another moment, then it was as if everything happened at once. It started cramping up, folding into a ball and stretching again, legs scraping against the floor, mouth opened as it screeched, the sound awful. Danzo leaned closer in interest.

Then red flashed over its eyes, and Danzo could see fur elongating over its back, thick down its tail.

It took perhaps a full minute, and then the mouse stopped, standing up on its legs again.

While the mouse had been changing the doctor had pulled on a thick glove, and he was quick to lock his hand around it as it stilled, lifting it for Danzo to see.

The beady little eyes were still a bright red, and the two front teeth of the rodent were different, sharper. The doctor lifted up one of its paws with his thumb, and Danzo could see the small claws curling into the fabric, longer and more curved than that of a normal mouse.

“Clearly a mouse isn’t as compatible as a human would be, but you can see the changes clearly. The other two showed similar changes, to various degrees, the second more pronounced than the other two. They have changed back and forth several times over the last days, most often they are in their original form. They are agitated like this, more prone to attacks,” the doctor said as the mouse was proving it, chewing at the protective glove, trying to get to flesh.

“Very good,” Danzo said, straightening up and letting the doctor move the mouse back to its cage.

It had been a while in the making, but the doctor had proven his worth, implementing the old research of those that had been in this position before him, making it work and adapting it for new uses. They had done this once before, decades ago, creating a functioning drug, but it had been unstable, and then their research had been lost, and plans abandoned. The only thing remaining from the previous experiments were Yamato, and he was hardly a success. Weak-minded he didn’t deserve the power he had been granted.

This was better than before, showed promise to be more stable. They hadn’t known enough back then, about DNA and the way drugs and magic worked on a body, and apart from Yamato all their test subjects had failed, dying as the change ripped them apart, their bodies unable to contain it. Danzo had faith it would be different this time around, and soon he would have the power he sought.

Danzo was impressed with the doctor’s work, and now he saw the path he was going to take clearly. He hadn’t thought the doctor would be successful, had relied on other plans to get what he wanted, but maybe it was time to go back to his original plan.

“Keep me updated, and push forward on testing. Just tell Sai what you need, we’ll find it. I want this done as soon as possible.”

The doctor nodded at him as Danzo grabbed his coat and headed back into the hallway.

He glanced down at one of the locked doors that contained one of his biggest disappointments in a long while. He had hoped Naruto would be different than his father, had hoped he would be the first, but he had betrayed them all. He would have disposed of him, but he would be needed as the doctor perfected the drug. He could have been his strongest ally, in the end he was going to be little more than a guard dog at best. For now he was merely a rat to experiment on.

He walked over to the door, unlocking it and pushing it open. Naruto was lying in the middle of the floor, arms and feet bound tightly and then trussed together at his back, bending his entire body in a sharp twist that forced him to lie on his side. It would be impossible for him to do more than wriggle around, which was just as well. He’d already tried to escape once and gotten both the doctor and himself shot in the process. The evidence was clear in the ragged hole in the front of his shirt, and the dried pool of blood around him. The wound had been bandaged, and he would have healed by now, probably. Kidōmaru was an amateur for not even managing to subdue Naruto without shooting him. At least his healing ability had kept him alive. It would have been a shame to have him die from a simple gunshot.

Naruto’s eyes had been closed, but they flew open now, and the moment he saw Danzo he started thrashing, arms straining against his bounds, eyes growing dark with fury. Danzo made sure to keep space between them, keeping half an eye on Naruto’s bonds in case the rope snapped. He wasn’t stupid, he knew Naruto would like nothing more than to channel all his rage into hurting Danzo right now.

That rage would come in handy later. Danzo was going to use it all to his advantage.

“Naruto,” he said, calmly. Naruto didn’t appear to hear him, so Danzo waited until he would realise that he wasn’t going anywhere. It took another two minutes before Naruto finally stopped fighting. His eyes were still filled with rage, and his lips were pulled up in a sneer, body tense but still.

“I really wish things were different,” Danzo started. “I had great hopes in you. You could have been powerful at my side.”

“I’d never work with you! You killed my family!” Naruto yelled, thrashing some more for good measure. Danzo waited patiently until Naruto stilled again.

“Yes, it appears you have been spending your nights going through my archives. Your anger is understandable but unhelpful. Your father betrayed me, I had hoped you wouldn't, but apparently it runs in your blood.

“Not that it matters, not any more.” Danzo took his time to shake out his coat and pull it on, fending off the cold of the basement. Naruto didn’t say anything, just stared up at him with blue eyes, fiery with rage. Danzo knew that if it weren't for the suppressants those eyes would be red right now.

“You see, I don’t need your cooperation any more. The doctor has finished with the drugs we’ve been working on.”

“What good will the suppressants be?” Naruto asked. “It won’t make me work with you, I’d rather die than do that.”

“Oh, I’m not talking of the suppressants, those have been ready for a long time. No, I’m talking about the other drug.” He paused, long enough to make sure Naruto was listening, that he would realise just what they had accomplished. “One to calm the beast, and one to bring it forth.”

It took a moment before Naruto seemed to catch on, eyes suddenly widening.

“The suppressants will keep the beast chained up, and the accelerants will release it. I’d have complete control over you, and there would be nothing you could do to stop it. You could have been powerful, but now you are just going to be a tool. A shame really.”

Danzo did not tell Naruto more than that, about the real purpose of the accelerants. He wasn’t stupid, and he didn’t need to give Naruto more information in case something happened and he got away. No, just enough to keep him scared, that would be good.

They had started work on the suppressants and accelerants decades ago after research done on Minato had made them able to extract the very essence of Protos. Danzo had wanted an army of Protos to do his bidding, but it appeared that Minato was the only one left, his village destroyed by a flash fire. Danzo had sent men to investigate after they found Minato wandering alone, nearly feral, but nothing but a simmering white fire was left where a village had once stood. They had no idea just what had consumed an entire village of super-powered shifters in a matter of moments, something supernatural in nature that had left no trace but ashes. Whatever or whoever it had been it had taken out all but one of the remaining Protos in the world.

Minato had been different than any other shifter he had ever seen, raw and uncontrolled he possessed power way beyond that of any shifter Danzo had encountered. Danzo wanted that power, wanted to harness it for his use. But Minato was only one, and that wasn’t enough, so he had hired scientists and witches to work on finding a way to make more just like him.

They isolated the source of the Protos nature, and managed to synthesise it. Injecting first rats, and then later chimpanzees and human children with it they had managed to create a new line of Protos. But the gene was dormant, and an accelerant had been created to activate it.

They had thought they managed, but the test subjects kept dying the moment the accelerants and gene met, and rather than create a stable hybrid of human and Protos the change was violent, tearing the human subjects apart. They hadn’t known if the human body was too advanced for the change, unlike rodents, but eventually they had succeeded, and Yamato had been the proof that it was possible. Not as strong as Minato, but nearly. He was still a child, so Danzo hoped he’d grow stronger as he aged.

Then Minato had betrayed him, fleeing with his human girl, and Danzo had been furious. He sent his men out to kill them both when he finally tracked him down, Yamato going along, to test him. Only Yamato came back, but he was shivering, and had proved useless in combat ever since. His mind too weak for his power, but at least Danzo had proven that it was possible to create a Protos hybrid, so they kept working. Minato was dead, but it didn’t matter, because they had everything they needed in the lab to create more like him.

Danzo had believed they could have made them better than Yamato, but then the scientist that had led the research turned on them, killing his two team members and taking the research, intending to sell it to the military. Danzo had gotten his revenge when the man was killed, but the research had been lost along with him. He had realised what a mistake it had been to kill Minato then. He’d let himself be carried away by anger, and now he had nothing but a failed hybrid left, no way of continuing the work.

Danzo had been forced to give up on his plan and had turned to more conventional ways to get power, creeping his way through finance and then politics to make a name for himself. It had been a long way, but he was closer than ever, on the brink of being elected governor. It had taken a lot of money to get here, but if it was one thing he had amassed enough of it was money. Nothing had been handed to him, but he had worked hard, getting to where he was, earning every dime he used to line the pockets of influential people.

Danzo had hoped Naruto would react, wanted to see him fight, but Naruto just glared, obviously holding back the anger coursing through him. Not that it mattered, Naruto wasn’t going anywhere, not unless Danzo wanted him to. He’d gotten suppressants, so the beast would be immobilised until the moment Danzo would need it to be free to do his bidding.

And now they would soon have a way to make more like Naruto, Protos, only these would be loyal to Danzo. Perfected they would be better than Yamato had ever been, fiercer. He’d chose the most loyal of his subjects and they’d be first in line to become the personal army he were amassing. As governor he would have power, and with his army at his back he could grasp more. He wouldn’t have to work for years to get the position of power he deserved, he would take it.

Danzo left the cell, heading upstairs to his office. He heard Naruto’s screams behind him, but cared little. He could scream until his throat gave out, it would change nothing.

He glanced down at his watch, noted the time and opened the window while he settled behind his desk, waiting patiently.

A few minutes later a raven landed on the window sill, large and black as night. It cocked its head and shook its wings before hopping inside. By the time he landed on the floor it was no longer a raven, but a human. He sat in a crouch, head cocking again as the last feathers vanished and he rose.

“Danzo.” His voice still carried the hoarseness he got after having been in raven form for too long, it would take him a few minutes to settle back in his normal pitch.

“Sai, how did your mission go?”

“Well,” Sai said as he reached up, plucking a black feather from his hair. “There is no one who will oppose you. You will win the election.”

“Good,” Danzo said, and allowed himself a smile. He might not need to win the election to get what he wanted any more, but there was a certain feeling of contentment that came with knowing he had managed what he’d been working on for the last months. Besides, having a backup plan never harmed anyone.

***

A floor below, shaking with anger and cold Naruto was laying, trying to get free of his bonds but unable to break even something as weak as ropes. He longed to feel the warmth of the beast, because he knew it carried with it a strength that would have broken these bonds immediately, but the suppressants were a cold river in his veins keeping it subdued, and Naruto was utterly helpless.

Danzo had never been a benefactor, he hadn’t taken in Naruto out of the goodness of his heart, but because he needed Naruto. Wanted him as some second-in-command, just because of what he was born as, because of the power that he had thought a curse.

He had lost his chance to get out of here when Kidōmaru shot him. At least they’d patched him up enough that his body could heal, even if it didn’t heal up as fast as he’d done without the suppressants. He was alive, but he was powerless, and he wasn’t sure if that was any better.

Apparently Danzo still had plans for him. Accelerants he’d called it. Drugs that would bring forth the beast where the suppressants had kept it at bay. The thought of what Danzo could want to use that for was chilling. Kill his opponents most likely. He’d want to sic Naruto on them like some rabid dog, and then watch as Naruto tore them apart.

Naruto closed his eyes and focused. At least it had to mean that Danzo didn’t know about his venture out to the barn, or at least not what he did there. If he thought there was a possibility that Naruto had learned to control the beast he probably would have put him down, to save himself the problems that would lead to. Naruto wasn’t sure why no one had told him about the hours he’d been gone, but he wasn’t going to question the lucky break.

He had no idea how the accelerants would work, if he’d still be able to control himself, or if it would drive the beast manic, but he wasn’t going to give up hope that he would be able to fight it, and in the meanwhile he would have to ensure that Danzo had no idea what he had done. He’d have to play afraid.

He didn’t think he would have a very hard time with that.

His back protested as he tried to adjust his body, finding a more comfortable way to lie, but he had little leeway to move, and his arms and legs were falling asleep, so he just let himself collapse to the ground, trying to ignore the stinging in his joints. He wasn’t about to give up, but he couldn't see a way out of here, not like this. He’d have to wait until they moved him, then maybe he could do something. Or maybe…

He’d been on the phone with Sasuke when things turned to shit, so Sasuke no doubt knew something had happened to him. Sasuke wouldn’t be sitting around waiting for news would he? No, Sasuke would find a way to save him. Or at least he’d try. Fuck.

The last thing Naruto wanted was Sasuke sacrificing himself to save him. But that was exactly something Sasuke would do wasn’t it? Naruto should know, because he’d have done the exact same thing. Sasuke would probably do all he could to get Naruto out, but even someone as capable as Sasuke wouldn’t stand a chance against Danzo and his gang of shifters. They’d probably just shot him the moment he got close to the gates, and Sasuke would end his life out there, in the cold snow, because Naruto had been stupid and thought he had control of the situation.

“Sasuke, please don’t do anything rash,” Naruto whispered to the cold room, but there was no one to listen.

***

Sasuke’s hands were clutching the steering wheel, wanting to go faster but also knowing that the roads were treacherous with ice, and the smallest misstep might send him careening off it. He would be no good to Naruto dead, so he made sure never to push too hard on the accelerant.

There was no sun out, the clouds too thick, but light enough that he didn’t think it would snow any more today, and he was glad, he didn’t have time to waste being weather-bound. Naruto was in trouble, and it was up to Sasuke to save him. If he could. He hadn’t heard anything since the phone connection broke, so he could only hope that Naruto was still alive. He hadn’t allowed himself to consider any other scenario.

He might even still be fine. Maybe he’d been able to talk himself out of the situation and was still undercover, but the phone had been broken so he hadn’t been able to contact Sasuke.

Yeah, Sasuke wasn’t about to give up. No mattered what happened today he would not be leaving the cabin without Naruto by his side, even if he had to drag him out of there by his ear.

The phone rang, breaking his strain of thought and Sasuke accepted the call, Kakashi’s voice coming from the speakers of the car.

“We are on our way. We estimate that we’ll be on the farm in two hours. You better be waiting for us there.”

“Yes,” Sasuke simply replied. His entire body resisted having to wait a moment longer than he had to, but he also knew that it would be the smart thing to do. If Naruto’s cover had been thoroughly blown there was a big chance that Shimura would be expecting someone. They had no idea who were staying in the cabin, but there was only so much Sasuke would be able to do.

He was glad when Kakashi had told him who was coming along with him, but he knew he shouldn’t be surprised. Naruto was still the newest unit member, but he had become an integral part of it in the time he had been there. There was something about Naruto that made it impossible not to be drawn to him, and they all cared for him. There were no way they would abandon him.

There was silence across the phone line, but then Kakashi spoke again. “We’ll get him out, Sasuke.” His voice was quieter, but there were no uncertainty to detect in it at all. Kakashi truly believed that they would be successful.

“I know,” Sasuke said, still not allowing any doubt to enter his mind. He had to stay focused.

They hung up and Sasuke kept driving, trying to keep worry from seeping into his mind, but losing the battle.

It took him another thirty minutes to reach the farm. It was as deserted as the last time he had been there. He stepped out of the car and stretched his back, moving to the trunk to ensure that he had everything he would need. His katana was lying there, ready to be used. In a box he had guns, and ammunition, and plenty of knives he could likewise strap on his body. He had no idea what they were walking into, but he was going to be prepared for the worst.

He was reminded of the last time he strapped on all this gear, back when Naruto and him had gone after Itachi. It had almost gone horribly wrong, but they had both come out on the other side, alive. This time was different, they had the support of their unit. He would not allow the outcome to be any different than the last time.

He paced around the car, stretching his body and occasionally checking his phone, hoping Naruto had somehow called him to tell him he was alright. He hadn’t, and Sasuke was left trying to fend off the negative thoughts trying to seep into his mind while he waited for backup to arrive.

They would rendezvous here, make sure they had a firm plan and then make their way through the forest. Hopefully that would mean Shimura and his lackeys wouldn’t know they were there before they knocked down the gates. With the element of surprise on their side they might be able to ensure no fighting broke out. Kakashi had been firm in that he would do his utmost to ensure there were no bloodshed today, but it all depended on whether Shimura fought back, or surrendered.

The moment Sasuke heard the sound of approaching cars he started pulling on his gun holsters, not wanting to waste a moment longer than he had to. He was afraid they were too late already.

Chapter Text

Sai landed on top of the tall fence surrounding the cabin, shaking his wings as he stared back at the forest he had just flown over. They had just started making their way through it, but it would take them a while yet to reach their goal.

He shuffled around so he could look in the direction of the cabin. It was quiet. Everyone was inside, huddled around one of the fireplaces to escape the cold. Only Sai was outside, but the cold had never bothered him, his feathers keeping him warm. He preferred being in his bird form anyway.

He jumped off the edge and landed softly on the ground underneath, shifting back to his other form. Naked he turned towards the gate, unlocking it, feet melting the snow underneath, frost seeping into his skin.

They would be here soon, so he should get dressed.

He shifted back into a raven and flew towards the open window of his bedroom, landing on the window sill. They would be here soon, and then everything was going to change.

***

Snow creaked under their boots as they walked through the forest, keeping their eyes and ears tuned to catch anything out of the ordinary. They had no way of knowing if Shimura had surveillance or people in the forest to track them. They might end up face to face with a small army when they came to the other side, might have already lost for all they knew.

Sasuke walked ahead of their small group, Kakashi on his tail. No one was saying a word, and the forest was quiet around them. It was eerie. No life to be seen, no birds chirping or small animals scurrying. Sasuke had never spent a lot of time in forests, but he had always imagined them to be alive in a way this wasn’t. Winter froze everything, scared animals into hiding, and now it was only them here, making their way through it.

A whisper of a wind made its way towards them, stinging his face, and he tilted his head down as he walked, until he saw the forest give way for a road.

He stepped onto it and looked around. One side twisted down through the forest, soon lost from view. The other made its way to a clearing, and in the middle of that clearing a tall fence rose up, and behind it the top of a cabin. Large and imposing in the middle of nowhere. There would be no sneaking up on it, the tree line drawn far away from the fence, so they would have to chance that no one were expecting them. They’d be sitting ducks walking up the road, but what other option did they have?

Kakashi stepped up beside him, and Sasuke saw Kakashi tilt up his eye patch, exposing the red eye underneath that Sasuke had only seen once before. He didn’t question it now as Kakashi took a moment to stare towards the cabin.

“There doesn't appear to be anyone guarding the gate,” Kakashi said as he lowered his eye patch again.

“Naruto never said anything of any other entrances inside, so if there are some they’ll be hidden. We’ll have to use the main door,” Sasuke said, hand shifting to the handle of his katana, fingers curling around it. The feel of it grounded him.

Behind him he could hear the rest of the unit shifting restlessly. When they had arrived at the farm earlier, before they headed into the woods, they had seemed as determined as Sasuke was. For once there were no smiles and laughter, but a row of grim faces, ready to face whatever might wait for them. He should feel better prepared than he had when Naruto and he went to confront Itachi, but somehow he felt lost without Naruto at his side. A part of him was missing.

“We can kick that down just fine, yeah?” Kiba said, talking about the gate that blocked their entrance to the cabin. Sasuke wasn’t as sure, but he wasn’t about to tell anyone that. If they couldn’t kick it down they would just shoot in the locks. No gate was going to be enough to stop him from getting Naruto back.

“We have no idea what we are stepping into now, but we’re used to that,” Kakashi said. All of them had been thrown into situations where the odds were against them before. Nests of vampires no one had been prepared for, barely able to make their way out again, but they had survived, every single time.

It might not even lead to a battle this time. Shimura could wave the white flag of surrender. It might be as easy as walk in, get Naruto and arrest Shimura.

Sasuke had a strong feeling it wouldn’t though. A man like the councilman, influential and power hungry, he wasn’t going to let his plans fall apart that easily. Sasuke wouldn’t be surprised if he would try to wipe them out. Covering up their deaths wouldn’t be hard, not if he really had contacts everywhere, as it appeared he did. No, he wouldn’t give up without a fight. They would just have to overwhelm him to the point where it stood between surrender or death, because a man like Shimura would do anything to avoid death.

“You don’t think he’s been warned?” Sasuke asked Kakashi.

“Hopefully not. Tsunade wouldn’t have given them much information if she thought they weren’t going to give the OK, and I don’t think they would already know about Naruto working with the councilman, unless they saw him on TV like you did.”

Shit, Sasuke had forgotten about that. They might already have known about Naruto’s new employment, might have called in and warned him. They might really be walking into a death trap.

“I’m going in anyway,” Sasuke said.

“We know what we are getting ourselves into, Sasuke. We’re in this together,” Sakura said from behind him. Sasuke turned around, and saw the fierce determination in her eyes as she cracked her knuckles. The same was mirrored in the rest of their little group. Kiba already had a gun in his hand, and Lee was bouncing on the balls of his feet, as if he had too much energy to contain it, ready to get into it already. Kankuro had black lines drawn across his cheeks, like warpaint, and Neji looked solemn next to Kankuro, a katana at his side. The blade was shorter than Sasuke’s, but the edge equally deadly. Like Sasuke Neji was without his partner, Shikamaru in Chicago, too far away to join them. Their eyes locked, and Neji nodded sharply, and there was understanding between them. Neji and Shikamaru might only be work partners, but Neji would feel the lack of a partner as well. You grew dependent on them, felt exposed when they weren’t there.

Other than Shikamaru and Naruto only Gaara and Temari were missing from their group. Apparently both had been ready to throw away their own mission to go north, but they would have been too late, the mission couldn’t be delayed until they came. No, it had to be today. Every moment they didn’t hear from Naruto made the chances of him still being alive and well slimmer.

“No time like the present,” Kiba said, and then they started walking towards the cabin.

***

Naruto was caught somewhere between sleep and being awake when the door to the cell slammed open, Kidōmaru standing in the doorway.

Naruto just glared at him, but it didn’t seem to deter Kidōmaru in the slightest. He walked over to Naruto and grabbed a knife he’d sheathed at the small of his back. Naruto’s eyes widened, afraid Kidōmaru was about to end what he started earlier. He squirmed to get away from him, but Kidōmaru grabbed his shoulder and twisted him over on his stomach. Naruto fought, expecting the bite of metal.

He was surprised when he felt his legs slam into the floor. Kidōmaru had cut the bonds tying them to his hands. The next he knew Kidōmaru was pulling him to his feet, the knife pressed to his throat. Naruto stood still, ignoring the pins and needles that were shooting up his legs as blood rushed into them. He barely dared to breathe, the knife biting into his skin, and he was sure one foul move would have Kidōmaru slice open his throat.

“Let’s go.” The words were spat in Naruto’s ear as he was pushed forward. He forced his feet to follow through, wincing at the feeling of them waking up, and reminded of the not-yet-completely-healed gunshot wound in his shoulder.

Kidōmaru didn’t have patience, half-dragging Naruto with him towards the stairs and then up them. Naruto had no idea what was happening, why he was being removed from his cell. He had been expecting to be kept there for a long while, until Danzo found a need for him. He had a hard time believing he’d done so already. He wasn't sure how long he had been down there, but it couldn’t have been even a full day.

He was taken up into the foyer, and looked around in surprise. It seemed everyone had gathered here. He recognised Sakon and Ukon, and several others he hadn’t even learned the name of. He couldn’t quite decipher any of their looks, couldn’t read the situation at all, but he was afraid he wasn’t going to be walking away from this. At the back of the group he saw Yamato, and their eyes met for a split-second before Naruto looked away. He couldn’t risk anyone finding out Yamato had worked with him, had to keep him safe.

Then the door to Danzo’s office slammed open and the man himself walked into the room. At first glance he might appear calm, but there was a raging fury within that calm exterior, setting his flinty eyes on fire. Something must have happened since he visited downstairs, but Naruto had no idea what. Behind him Sai was standing, but his face was as impossible to read as ever.

“I have no idea how you managed to alert them,” Danzo started, and Naruto blinked up at him. Them. Who was Danzo talking about? Had Sasuke come for him? But why them? Had he brought someone along with him? Or was Danzo talking about something else entirely? Naruto wanted to ask, but he kept his mouth firmly shut, not wanting to give Danzo the pleasure of rattling him.

“Rest assured that they will be regretting coming here,” he continued, and Naruto wasn’t sure he quite managed to keep his face from betraying what he was feeling. A hope that was fading as he looked around the room, saw the dozen or so shifters. If Sasuke was here alone he wouldn’t stand a chance. No matter how good he was he’d be overrun. Naruto wasn’t sure who Sasuke would have thought to bring, but he hoped there was a bunch of them.

If it was even Sasuke. Maybe it was someone else entirely, maybe he was just so desperate to see Sasuke his mind couldn’t help imagining how it had to be him.

“Bring him outside,” Danzo said, and the next Naruto knew Kidōmaru had a firm hand locked around his neck as he pushed him towards the main door of the cabin, and then outside, knife still pressed against his throat.

Naruto blinked against the brightness of snow and light, eyes not used to it after the dimness of the basement, and then he saw them.

A neat row just inside the main gate. Seven people he knew so well. Colleagues, friends. And in the middle, flanked by Kakashi and Kiba, was Sasuke. Naruto felt a sob rise in his chest, sudden and unexpected, and he barely managed to bite it back, his Adam's apple scraping against the blade as he did.

“Sasuke,” he whispered to himself. He wanted to break free of Kidōmaru and run to Sasuke, but he knew that would only leave him bleeding to death on the ground, throat sliced open. He blinked eyes that were filling with tears.

They’d come for him. Seven agents against a dozen shifters. They’d come for him, and they were strong, and they would win this, Naruto had no doubt.

“Throw down your weapons,” Danzo said, voice as cold as the winter air.

“We have come to talk, councilman,” Kakashi said, back straightening as he took half a step forward.

“You do not need weapons to talk, Hatake,” Danzo replied, as if he wanted to tell Kakashi that he well knew him, a thinly veiled threat.

“It’s time to give up,” Kakashi continued, ignoring Danzo’s retort. “Surrender and we’ll make sure to tell the prosecutor that you cooperated.”

Danzo made a derisive snort. “Do you really think a jury will put me away? There is no evidence! Just the words of a group of agents that’s more than likely to have gone rogue. Hunting vampires can be stressful, no one would be surprised.” Danzo was still looking deceptively calm, even though Naruto was sure he was furious at the turn of events. It didn’t appear as if he’d had any idea Naruto’s unit was about to come knocking on his door.

Even so, Naruto knew that Danzo was right. The little evidence he had been able to find would be easily dismissible in a courtroom. Pictures of a room that looked like a cell but might just be an unfinished basement room, and magical paraphernalia. Danzo would blame the latter on the doctor, and then he would walk free to continue his quest for power, ascending to governor and then probably not stopping there. Naruto still didn’t know just why Danzo was so set on getting power, willing to trample over anyone in his way for it, but he appeared to have spent his life on the hunt, having no trouble killing and scheming to get his way.

It wouldn’t surprise him in the slightest if someone was in the cabin right now, destroying evidence in the event that Danzo was captured. Hard drives wiped, incriminating manilla folders burned. Time was running away from them.

“Actually,” a voice next to Danzo said, and as Naruto looked out of the corner of his eyes, not daring to move his head on account of the knife to his throat, he was surprised to see Sai taking a step forward. He had been standing just to the side behind Danzo the entire time, saying nothing, doing nothing, stony-faced.

He lifted a hand, revealing a small black something cradled in his palm. “You are Sasuke, aren’t you? The boyfriend?” he asked, head cocked to the side as he directed one of his emotionless smiles at Sasuke.

Naruto could see Sasuke stiffening in surprise, not answering.

“Catch,” Sai simply said as he threw what he had been holding.

Sasuke snapped the small black piece of plastic out of the air and peered down at it. Naruto had no idea what it was, and he couldn’t see, not from here.

“What’s on this?” Sasuke called out to Sai, holding up the black square. Naruto narrowed his eyes. It looked about the size of a memory stick. But why would Sai give Sasuke one of those? Naruto hadn’t been sure Sai even knew about Sasuke, but he must have. Maybe Naruto had mentioned him at some point.

“You needed evidence, you have evidence. Names, documents, anything you could need. You’ll get the conviction.”

Naruto was so shocked he almost forgot about the knife and jerked forward, only stopping himself when the blade bit into his skin, drawing blood.

Had Sai just given them everything they needed? Had he betrayed Danzo? Or was this some ploy to make them lower their guard?

“You would betray me? You would have been dead had I not taken you in, and this is how you repay me?” Danzo said, fury making his voice dark.

Naruto was stunned. It really did seem like Sai had betrayed Danzo. But why?

Sai didn’t answer Danzo, but he turned to Naruto, face stony, no hint of smile on his face now.

“Did you really think I just happened to leave the key on my desk? I heard you talk, I left it there for you. Why did you think no one reported it to Danzo when you left the other day? I made it so easy for you, but you still got yourself caught,” Sai said, and for a moment Naruto could swear his lips twitched into something that was almost a real smile, but it was gone again too soon for him to be sure.

“I never asked for all this, I don’t want any of it. I just want to be free, and this seemed as good a way as any,” Sai continued, shrugging, as if it was no big deal what he had done, as if he hadn’t shook Naruto’s impression of Sai completely. He’d thought Sai was little more than Danzo's lapdog. Trained to do his bidding and stay by his side.

“Sakon!” Danzo suddenly barked out. “Get him!”

Sakon lunged towards Sai, but he was too late. Sai jumped, and then he was gone, clothes fluttering to the ground as a raven flapped its wings and took off, vanishing over the fence and disappearing. Naruto stared after him, and suddenly things clicked into place. That time when Yamato and him had talked and a vase had broken, a single black feather lying amongst the shards. That had been Sai.

He’d been a raven shifter all along, small enough to blend in, unlike the jaguars and tigers and bears. The perfect spy, and Naruto had been clueless. Shook, he had no idea what to feel about Sai any more. He’d despised him, but now Sai had given them everything they needed, and Naruto was having a hard time wrapping his mind around it, his perception of the other slowly shifting in his mind.

And now Sai was gone, flown away, probably believing that Danzo would be locked away, unable to hunt him down like he had done other deserters.

Naruto remembered the pictures he had seen Sai draw, of birds flying free over a vast forest. How Naruto had longed to be free just like in them, and now it struck him that maybe Sai had always dreamed the same thing. That they both looked at that picture and longed to be that bird, free of shackles, soaring high above.

Sai had that now, had escaped, and Naruto found himself thinking that he was happy for him, that Sai deserved it. He’d lived his life tied to Danzo, but the bounds had broken, and now it was up to Naruto and the rest of Unit seven to get Danzo locked away so Sai could keep living, free. He had given them what they needed, now they needed to do their job.

“It’s over, tell your men to stand down and give yourself up,” Kakashi continued, voice calm and steady.

Naruto glanced over at Danzo. His eyes were flint, and his jaw set. He didn’t look like he was about to stand down.

“You think you’ll be able to get a conviction? You really think they’ll believe you over me? You think they aren’t all in my pocket?” Danzo took a step back and glanced over at Naruto. “Drop your weapons or Naruto’s life will be on your conscience.”

Naruto snapped his gaze back towards his friends. “Don’t listen to him!” he yelled, biting himself off when Kidōmaru pressed the knife closer to his trachea, cutting deeper into his skin. Naruto would sacrifice himself in a heartbeat if it meant Danzo behind bars and the rest of the unit walking away, unharmed.

“What are you going to do, kill us?” Kiba yelled out, not one to back down quietly.

Danzo didn’t answer, and Naruto didn’t like it. He could sense how Danzo was weighing his options. He would probably be able to cover up their deaths if he wanted to, and then the evidence wouldn't ever fall into the hands of the justice system. Naruto was desperately trying to find a way to get out of the situation, but he had no idea how. His arms were still bound at his back, and the suppressants were rushing through his system, its icy grip keeping his true power at bay.

“Sakon, it's time,” Danzo said, and Sakon stepped forward and grabbed Naruto’s hair.

Naruto wanted to fight the grip, but he couldn’t, and the next he knew his head was twisted to the side, knife digging into fresh skin as he was moved.

“I won’t kill you, but I can’t say the same about Naruto,” Danzo said, and then Naruto could see Sakon lift a syringe filled with muddy green. Sharp pain exploded as the needle was plunged into his neck, and then a flash of fire spread through him, sending every nerve ending in his body screaming from the white hot agony.

The pain was so absolute there came no sound as he yelled, and Kidōmaru took a step back, knife gone from Naruto’s neck as Naruto’s entire body spasmed, back bowing from pain.

Naruto fell to his knees, head thrown back as he was consumed by internal flames, devouring its way through his system. He was burning, and nothing mattered but the pain.

He couldn’t hear, he couldn’t see, he couldn’t sense anything other than the roar of fire in his ears. It went on for seconds, for days, he had no idea, was lost to the pain.

Then it stopped. The magma in his veins receding to his gut where it churned, twisting and turning as something alive, and then he felt it, his beast stirring, the shackles of the suppressants burned away, and there was nothing Naruto could do as the beast tore through him, taking over his body, claiming it as his.

The ropes around his arms broke and Naruto fell forward, hands clawing at the frozen dirt as his nails grew and elongated into lethal weapons. His vision filled with red, and he could feel muscles and bones twisting and adjusting, he was nothing but a bystander to the change. The loud snaps of his spine cracking was all he could hear.

The world was hazy, he couldn’t focus, pushed too far back in his mind. He could feel how his jaws snapped at the thin air. Could feel a heavy tail behind his back shifting his balance point, could feel the prickling of fur sprouting down his back and arms, thick and golden.

He roared, the sound primal, and then the change was over, and he was Naruto no more, but pure beast, angry and out of control.

Then there was a loud sound, and yelling, and the scent of freshly spilled blood hit his nose, and the beast only knew one thing, and it ran, claws digging into the ground to send it forward, running towards the gate, where someone was lying on the ground, tainted with red, and the coppery scent meant hunting, and fighting, and death.

***

It went too fast. One moment they were in the middle of a stand-off, and the next someone was plunging a syringe into Naruto’s neck. Sasuke had no idea what it contained, but it was the start of chaos. Naruto seemed to be in agony as he fell to the ground, and then Sasuke saw the telltale flash of red from his eyes and he realised what was happening.

Naruto’s beast had been let free. Something about the drugs the grey-haired man had injected had forced it forth, and from Naruto’s reaction he didn’t seem to be in control. This wasn’t like back in the barn, where there seemed to be a fight of dominance between Naruto and beast, this appeared as if the beast had completely claimed control of their body. He looked terrifying, lips peeled away from a mouth of fangs, brows drawn into a scowl, tail snapping at the air behind him as he shook his head and looked around himself with fiery eyes.

Then there was a gunshot, and Sasuke had no idea where it came from, because all his attention had been on Naruto, but then Kankuro fell to his knees next to Kiba, a hand pressed to his stomach, a dumbfound look on his face.

They had no time to retaliate, because the next they knew Naruto was bounding across the clearing between him and the agents, headed directly for Kankuro.

The blood. He was smelling the blood, and was attacking. Driven by instinct he had found his prey.

This couldn’t happen, Sasuke couldn’t let Naruto hurt any of them, Naruto would never forgive himself, it would break him.

Sasuke acted instantly, leaping past Kiba and planting himself in front of Kankuro just as Naruto reached them.

Naruto pushed off from the ground, and Sasuke could already tell that this was going to be a tremendously stupid idea as he was going through with it, but he had to do something, so he dropped his hands away from the handle of the katana and prepared to meet Naruto head on.

The last time it had led to him almost bleeding out from the cuts Naruto had left over his chest.

He had no idea what was going on around them, all his focus on Naruto, trying to meet his eyes, pleading that Naruto would be able to get control again.

Him moving in front of Kankuro must have confused the beast a little, because when he landed on Sasuke it wasn't with claws or fangs, but palms. Sasuke would have praised himself lucky, but he didn't have time for that yet. Instead he locked his arms around Naruto, pressing his face into the side of his neck where it was safe from fangs and held on.

“Naruto!” he all but yelled, desperate to get through to him.

Naruto didn’t respond, but Sasuke felt how Naruto’s body strained to get out of his grip, and Sasuke wasn’t nearly strong enough to hold him.

He lost the grip, but he was quick to scramble to his knees, pulling Naruto’s face close to him, looking into his eyes for any sign of Naruto in that red gaze.

Warm breath fanned over his face, but Naruto didn’t attack, so it had to mean something.

The drugs must have forced the change, catching Naruto unaware, making it easy for the beast to get control over their body, but Naruto was still there, he had to be, and Sasuke knew that he could find him. He just hoped Danzo didn’t use the moment to attack. They’d already shot Kankuro, so clearly they were armed, at least one of them.

Naruto growled deep in his throat, and Sasuke could feel the vibrations in his fingers.

“Fight it, Naruto, don’t let Danzo win,” Sasuke implored.

He didn’t look away from Naruto’s eyes once, didn’t even hear anything that was happening, his focus solely on Naruto. People could have been yelling in his ears and he didn’t think he would have even noticed. No one else mattered, only Naruto.

“You are stronger than this!” he said, trying to keep his voice from wavering as red eyes narrowed, head cocking to the side.

Sasuke pressed his forehead to Naruto’s. “Naruto,” he said again, voice lower, breaking a little at the end.

When red flickered to blue he knew he had won, that Naruto had proven his strength once again.

He didn’t change back fully, it was just his eyes turning back to their usual beautiful blue, but it told Sasuke everything he needed. Naruto was in control again, and Danzo had just lost his biggest bargaining chip.

***

The beast was a primal force in his mind, its power absolute, fuelled by the heat of the accelerants flooding Naruto’s system. He knew he should fight it, that there was something he needed to fight for, but it was so easy to just relax, soothed by the heat into curling up and letting go.

He would have retreated deeper, if not for a voice calling him back. He recognised that voice, cared about that voice.

It was a beacon in the darkness, dragging him out until he could look into Sasuke’s eyes and knew that he had managed to beat back the overwhelming force of the beast.

This time, rather than pushing it back into hiding, he felt the heat of the beast and allowed it a place at his side. Everything was falling into place, the two aspects of him mixing together, creating a one that was stronger than either was alone. The strength of the beast and the mind of the person.

He turned around slowly, looking across the clearing and saw Danzo staring at him. His usually so controlled features were set into a look of shock, and Naruto delighted in it. Danzo hadn’t believed Naruto could control himself, but look at him now.

He could see Danzo’s facade fall further as he seemed to realise his plans were crumpling in front of him, Naruto’s betrayal complete. He wouldn’t be at his side, and he wouldn't be his slave either.

The beast felt Naruto’s hatred, and it fuelled its bloodlust. He wanted to bolt across the ground and tear Danzo apart, limb by limb. Wanted revenge for his parents and everyone else Danzo had hurt in his hunt for power.

He shifted forward, poised for attack, his tail thrashing behind him. His muscles grew tense in preparation, ready to run as soon as—

A hand fell to his shoulders, fingers tight around it, a grounding force.

Sasuke, voice calm as he spoke. “Don’t fall to his level, not unless it's absolutely necessary.”

Naruto bit back a growl that rose in his throat at the thought of not being allowed to kill Danzo, but he knew Sasuke was right, knew that they were above this, that they shouldn't stoop to his level. Naruto wasn’t a killer. Danzo might be a murderer, but he was still human, and he would get his justice later, in front of a judge and jury.

“Give up, Danzo. Don’t spill any more blood today,” Kakashi said, and with that Naruto remembered the scent of blood that had pushed him into attack earlier, and he snapped his head towards Kankuro, saw him sitting on his knees, Kiba next to him, pressing his hands to Kankuro’s side.

Kankuro’s face was twisted in pain, but Naruto didn’t think the wound would be too bad, both Kiba and Kankuro looked calm. The shot was probably aimed to draw blood, not to kill him. As soon as Danzo gave in they would get him to a hospital to get patched up.

Naruto’s gaze flicked around the group of shifters. He’d seen them all around, but he didn’t know the names of most of them. No one had cared much to introduce themselves to him over the weeks, as if they resented him even being there.

In shifted form they’d be a formidable force. Jaguars, bears, wolves—predators with the mind of a human who wanted to fight. But he also knew that even though his friends were only human, neither of them sporting superhuman senses or strength (apart from maybe Sakura, he couldn’t quite believe her punch wasn’t superhuman), they would win in a fight. They faced demons on a daily basis, they could take out a group of shifters.

He also knew that Kakashi would do his utmost to keep that from happening. He would want them all to walk away from this safely. A fight might lead to causalities on both sides, and they were going to keep that from happening with any means possible.

Danzo had lost, and he knew it. They had evidence, and now Naruto was in control. All his plans were shattering, and there was nothing more dangerous than a cornered beast. Naruto was afraid Danzo would rather go out fighting than end up rotting away in a prison cell.

“Doctor!” Danzo yelled out suddenly, and the rat shifter scuttled up to his side. Naruto could sense the rest of his unit grow tense, wary as to what Danzo would need the doctor for, but not ready to attack yet, not if there was still a chance they could keep from harming anyone.

Naruto could see the doctor shake his head repeatedly, saying something to Danzo, too low for them to hear across the clearing.

“Be ready,” Kakashi said, and Naruto was aware of hands going to guns and blades, preparing for what might happen.

Danzo suddenly grabbed the doctor by the front of his lab coat, lifting him up until the doctor was standing on the tips of his toes. Danzo was stronger than he looked, should be too old to go lifting people like that.

Actually, now that Naruto thought about it, Danzo had looked different too, younger. Somehow Naruto didn’t think it was the result of cosmetic surgery, but rather something else entirely.

“It’s not tested yet, he was just a fluke!” the doctor squealed.

Danzo said something back, and the doctor quaked, nodding.

Danzo turned towards Naruto. “You think you are unique? You think you matter? You were little more than a test subject. This is the future of the Protos!” he said, voice growing louder. It sounded like Danzo was losing grip on reality, pushed too far in his desperation and hunger for power. Gone were the facade of a businessman, and left was someone who would do anything to get what he wanted, would walk over dead bodies and thrive in the path of destruction he left in his wake. He might have had true reasons for what he did once, but Naruto wasn’t sure even Danzo could say what it had been any more.

“Prepare to move in!” Kakashi ordered, clearly realising something was about to happen. “Apprehend them, do not harm them unless you are forced!”

Naruto curled his claws into the dirt, getting the purchase that would send him flying across the clearing if needed, head low, muscles tense.

He could see the doctor shuffle over to Ukon while Kakashi called out to Danzo to surrender once again. Then the doctor lifted a hand, a new syringe with more muddy green lifted. The accelerants, the ones that had forced the change in him. Then the doctor plunged the needle into Ukon’s neck and pressed the stopper.

Naruto’s eyes widened in shock as he realised what the doctor had done. Ukon was just a regular shifter, not a Protos like Naruto.

No.

Danzo was going to turn them all into Protos.

He must have implanted the dormant Protos genes in the shifters earlier, and now he was activating them.

It happened instantaneously, Ukon collapsing to the ground, shuddering and screaming in pain as he curled in on himself.

Naruto wanted to yell at the doctor to stop, but his voice came out more as a bark than anything.

He saw the doctor move to Kidōmaru, and he knew the same would happen to him. He probably intended to turn all the shifters, to create an army of Protos. They had to stop him or they’d never get out of here alive.

Naruto started running, hoping the rest of his Unit would follow him. They were running out of time, Ukon was already shifting, muscles twisting and shuddering as his body took on a new form. It was violent and seemed unnatural, the way the spine suddenly cracked, a broken scream rising in Ukon’s throat until it choked off.

Naruto headed towards the doctor, but he barely made it halfway across the clearing before something slammed into his side.

He had been so preoccupied watching what unfolded in front of him that he hadn’t seen one of the shifters intercept him.

Naruto might be strong, but when five hundred pounds of black bear barrelled into your side there was little to do, and Naruto found himself skidding across the ground, shoulder first, leaving bits of skin scrubbed off.

He turned onto his back just in time to see a large maw of a mouth open in front of his face, and he knew those jaws could probably crush his skull.

Muscles bunched up and he kicked out, hitting the bear in the chest, and it was thrown backwards, hitting the ground hard, and then Naruto was shifting around and moving again.

Kidōmaru was lying on the ground as well, shaking as he screamed, consumed with the internal flames Naruto was sure was tearing through him, every nerve ending on fire. Naruto knew that feeling intimately.

Naruto’s eyes moved and locked on the doctor. There was nothing Naruto could do as Sakon got a dose pumped into his system, but it would stop with him, it would—

Sharp pain exploded in his shoulder, and he twisted with the impact of a bullet biting into his muscle. It distracted him enough to let the beast within get more leeway. It didn’t understand drugs and the consequences of it, but it understood pain, and when it twisted its head to the side and saw the raised gun pointed at them it could draw enough on Naruto's knowledge to pinpoint where the pain came from, and it sent them flying at the man.

Naruto had seen him around the cabin, he seemed to usually do small chores. Food runs, cleaning. Him using a gun rather than shifting meant that he probably wasn’t a predator. Some rodent maybe, like the doctor.

Naruto tried to get the beast to focus on the real threat, but it had claimed its prey, and Naruto could just hope that the others could stop the doctor.

Another bulled thumped into his side as he leapt, but the beast didn’t care about the pain as it slammed into the man, taking them both to the ground. The gun flew from his grip as he yelped, and as Naruto tried to fight it he saw himself lift a hand, curved claws ready to tear through any flesh they encountered.

He tried calming the beast, tried to get it to refocus, but he could do nothing as his hand sliced through the air and carved into—

Fabric?

One moment it had been about to rip out the man’s intestines, the next there was nothing but clothes. Then a rustling, and a squirrel shot out of the pile of discarded clothes, fleeing the scene, headed towards the open gate to escape into the forest.

The beast was too surprised to react, and Naruto used the moment to get control of their body again. The man was no threat, he was probably little more than a follower too afraid to leave, but he had been given the opportunity to escape, and hopefully he used it wisely.

Naruto didn’t have time to think about him, turning around and seeing the mess the situation had turned into.

There was no way for his friends to keep the shifters at bay without hurting them, so blades and guns had been drawn. A few shifters were on the ground already.

Naruto swivelled his head, looking for—

Sasuke was standing in the middle of it all, sword drawn as he dodged a paw from a bear, probably the same that had attacked Naruto. The blade sliced into the bear’s paw and it reeled backwards from the pain.

Then Naruto saw the doctor. He was crawling backwards away from the fighting, lab coat dirtied, the front stained a muddy green that matched the accelerants. The fabric was soaked through with it, as if a series of syringes had been broken over him. Hopefully it meant that he wouldn’t be creating more of whatever Sakon, Ukon and Kidōmaru was turning into.

Naruto leapt into the battle, heading for Sasuke as he saw the bear shifter stagger forward again, roaring as it prepared to attack. He needn't worry. Sasuke sidestepped the attack and then his blade bit deep into the bear’s thigh, cutting through muscles and tendons, and he fell to the ground, unable to fight any more. Naruto just had time to see him shift back into human form as he drew up next to Sasuke.

“Sasuke, the doctor?” he said. His words were muffled, something between actual words and growling. It would take some time getting used to talking in this form.

Sasuke understood what he meant. “I destroyed all the syringes. He got three of them before I could stop him. None of them has risen yet.”

It was chaos. Agents fighting shifters, blood soaking into the snow, colouring it bright red. Kankuro was left behind, clutching his side, gun in his hand. On the other side the doctor and Danzo had stepped away from the fight, Danzo clearly not willing to get his hands dirty.

Then Naruto saw Yamato again. He was standing on the edge of what had become a battle field, watching as if he was unsure what to do. He hadn’t shifted, which was just as well. Apart from Sasuke none of the agents would know that Yamato was on their side.

Naruto realised that a few more of Danzo’s men must have used the opportunity to escape, because there were far fewer of them than it had been when they started. They were winning, and soon it would all be over. None of those that had been given the accelerants had gotten up yet, so it must not have worked. The doctor had tried to warn Danzo about it hadn’t he?

Naruto almost felt bad for the three. It would be an awful way to go, their bodies torn apart from the inside by a flash fire. No one deserved that.

A couple of the shifters had changed back into their human forms, hands behind their back as Lee and Kiba locked their arms with reinforcedhandcuffs.

He really thought they had won, was almost ready to let out a relieved breath, but then everything fell apart.

Naruto had been on his way over to Yamato, wanting to make sure he knew it be safe now, when one of the twins got up from the ground. There was no way of telling which, because the only way Naruto could even tell it was one of them and not Kidōmaru was the shoulder length grey hair. The twin’s facial features were twisted into something that was neither human nor animal. One of his ears had grown pointed, dragging his facial features as it had moved higher on his head. The other was still human. His mouth was forced open by fangs too long for it, and his lips were already bleeding where he’d nicked himself on them.

One side of his body seemed more affected by the change than the other. One shoulder was kept higher, arm corded with muscles the other didn't have, hands elongated into claws, longer even than Naruto’s, but the arm hung limp by his side, as if his shoulders weren’t strong enough to lift it.

Both eyes were a fiery red though, and there was no trace of humanity in them.

He swung around, and Naruto saw how the flesh of his arm pulsed, as if the change wasn’t absolute, muscles growing and receding again, the change appearing unstable.

Something had gone horribly, horribly wrong. The twin wasn’t a Protos, he had mutated into something else entirely, and Naruto could see how both agents and shifters recoiled from him.

Then someone else was rising, the brown hair hanging lank down his face betrayed that it was Kidōmaru, but that was the only recognisable aspect of him. His skin had turned darker and looked more like wood than flesh, thick around his body, deep valleys and hills that cut across his exposed chest, moving and twisting as if something separate and alive. He stretched his body, arms lifting into the air. It made the remainder of his torn shirt fall off to hang around his waist, and Naruto noticed something that made his stomach turn. Kidōmaru’s sides had split open as if something had tried to tear its way out of him, the flesh broken and bleeding, and out of each side, where you’d expect to see flashes of ribs, a pair of limp arms hung. Smaller, like a child’s, each with fingers that curled into claws.

And then the last of the twins were rising as well. Like his brother the change seemed to have only affected one side of his body, the mirror to the other. But where the first had disproportionate mass the second twin (Naruto thought maybe Ukon) hadn’t grown bigger by much, but his side had turned dark grey, spikes overlapping down it, like some dragon of mythology. His bottom jaw was pushed outwards into an under bite, a thick row of fangs rising from behind his bottom lip, digging into the soft skin of his upper lip, tearing it open.

The drugs hadn’t just failed, they had created monsters straight out of a horror movie or a nightmare, and no one seemed to have any idea how to react, not until Kidōmaru threw his head back, a ragged scream tearing from his throat, and then the three of them moved.

They looked like they’d have a hard time moving, but they were fast, and there was barely any time to think before they were upon them. Kidōmaru headed straight for where Sasuke was standing, and Naruto spared no time as he started running to stop him before he got that far.

He had no idea what was happening around him, his concentration fully on keeping Sasuke safe. He let the beast get more space in him, and the two of them finally agreed on one thing. Kidōmaru was their prey and they would take him down.

He felt a growl tear from his throat, and he saw Sasuke lift his sword, ready to defend himself. His vision narrowed, everything that didn’t matter fading away until all he could see was Sasuke and Kidōmaru.

Sasuke drew his sword into a battle stance, body twisted to its side, grip by his face and blade pointed towards Kidōmaru.

Naruto saw him step forward, thrusting the blade, and it bit deep into Kidōmaru, spearing through his shoulder, but Kidōmaru just kept moving, falling upon Sasuke as if the sword was little more than a bug bite.

Naruto was finally close enough, and he didn’t hesitate as he dug his claws into Kidōmaru's shoulders and pulled him away from Sasuke, throwing him to the side and placing himself between the two of them.

There were no humanity left in Kidōmaru's eyes as he shifted his attention towards Naruto. Naruto braced himself, his tail flicking behind him as he leaned forward, lips peeling away from his fangs as he sneered, challenging Kidōmaru.

Kidōmaru answered the challenge immediately, leaping forward and grabbing for Naruto. Naruto dodged and shot his hands out, claws carving across Kidōmaru's chest, drawing deep gouges in his thickened skin. Kidōmaru roared, but when he twisted towards Naruto again there were not a single drop of blood spilled, and his skin knitted together over the marks Naruto had left.

“Shit!” Naruto cursed, eyes darting across what he could see of Kidōmaru, trying to find a weak spot. From what Naruto could tell Kidōmaru's entire body was covered with the thick layer of wood-like skin, too thick for his claws to penetrate. Not that Naruto was going to let that stop him from taking him down. There were little love between Kidōmaru and him, and any humanity he'd ever had seemed lost the moment he had been injected with the drugs. There were no time for mercy, Kidōmaru and the twins had to be stopped, and right now Naruto was the one best suited for that.

He didn’t give Kidōmaru more time to prepare, just ran at him, taking him to the ground with a tackle and pinning him down. He let the beast run through him, let the primal rage of it fill him as he started hacking at Kidōmaru's chest.

Kidōmaru thrashed underneath him as Naruto tore off chunks of skin, exposing the pink flesh underneath before dark skin flooded over the cuts again. Naruto roared and kept on going, claws finally digging into flesh. He was aware of the beast taking over, the scent of blood in the air making it frenzied. The world narrowed on nothing but its prey as it kept fighting the healing ability to kill Kidōmaru.

He never noticed the claws until they curled into his sides, digging deep. The pain was enough to draw Naruto out of his murderous daze. He looked down, and saw that the extra pair of arms Kidōmaru had grown, which he had assumed were useless, had lifted enough to stab its claws deep into Naruto’s sides, ten daggers spearing him, curving into him between his ribs.

Kidōmaru used the distraction to get out from underneath Naruto. He used his grip to topple Naruto to the side, claws ripped from his body, and then Kidōmaru took a step back, red eyes blazing as his skin knitted together. It was smeared with spilled blood, his own and Naruto’s, and he looked like it had taken a toll on him, even if his skin seemed healed again.

Naruto fell into a hunch, preparing to attack again when Kidōmaru staggered to the side, once, twice. Naruto looked around, and saw Kiba standing to the side, gun lifted and aimed at Kidōmaru. It would be filled with expanding bullets, to create the maximum damage, enough to take down a bear, but Kidōmaru just shook it off and turned towards Kiba, finding a new prey. More bullets hit his chest, but he just absorbed the shock and stalked towards Kiba who was starting to look decidedly less confident than he had when he had shot his first bullets.

The click of an empty chamber, and then Kidōmaru's face twisted into a grin. Naruto saw Kiba pull out a knife that had been strapped to his back, and he knew it wouldn’t be enough.

The beast and Naruto flooded together into one, bloodlust from beast and the knowledge that his friend was in danger from Naruto, and together they ran, acting as one as they stopped Kidōmaru mid-attack, throwing him off and allowing Kiba the time to retreat. Naruto followed after Kidōmaru, digging his fangs into his neck and tearing, howling in frustration when all he was left with was a mouthful of what tasted like tree bark.

He spat it out and bit again, but this time Kidōmaru twisted away, grabbing Naruto around the shoulders. Naruto knew what he was aiming for, and strained enough that he could grab onto the second pair of arms before they could skewer him again, and then he twisted.

Twin cracks sounded as the bone broke, and Kidōmaru howled in pain, twisting away and getting to his feet again. This time the two extra arms hung limply at his side, bone splinters punching through the skin before the wood-like texture flowed over it again. It didn’t seem to heal the damage, merely covered it, arms still useless.

Kidōmaru didn’t have Naruto’s healing power, couldn’t heal wounds. It was just the new skin that could heal itself, a living armour around him. If only Naruto could get through that he could take him down. Punch an arm through his chest and pull out his heart. Tear out his trachea.

He couldn't tell where he ended and beast started any more, the anger and bloodlust all mixed up until all he knew was that Kidōmaru had to die. Not because he was prey, but because he was dangerous, because there was no humanity left in him, and because Naruto had friends here he had to help, friends that had been left to deal with the other two mutant shifters.

He allowed himself a quick look around and saw his friends working seamlessly together to fight them off. Most of the shifters were incapacitated, in some state of crawling away from the fray of fighting to protect themselves. The fight seemed to have gone out of them when the mutants rose, as if they’d finally seen what would come of them staying on Danzo’s side.

Naruto saw Sakura draw back her fist, the flash of brass knuckles before it connected with the still human side of one of the twins’ faces, sending it reeling back, right into Lee’s spin-kick. Teamwork at its finest.

They could protect themselves, Naruto had to focus on taking out Kidōmaru.

He felt a hand on his shoulder, and he didn’t even have to look to know it was Sasuke, could smell him, warmth and comfort and home.

“You won’t get anywhere with claws,” Sasuke said. “Break his neck.”

Naruto nodded. It sounded cold and calculating, but Naruto knew he had to take out Kidōmaru before things went to hell. He didn’t think even their reinforced handcuffs would be able to contain these mutants, and he wasn’t going to risk it. He was a DPA agent, and it was his job to keep people safe, whether it was civilians or other agents. They couldn’t allow Kidōmaru to hurt anyone, and they couldn’t give him any opportunity to escape, because they had no idea what would happen then. This ended here today.

A growl rose in Naruto’s throat, and then he ran. Kidōmaru was strong, but so was Naruto. He lashed out with claws, and Kidōmaru reeled back before lunging forward, fangs parted as if he meant to tear out a chunk of Naruto’s face.

Naruto didn’t let him get close enough, ducking around him and kicking out, feet connecting with the back of Kidōmaru's knees. Normally it would be enough to take down anyone, but the thick skin seemed to protect his nerves, and he just stumbled before turning around, hands fisted as he aimed for Naruto’s head.

Naruto praised himself lucky that Kidōmaru only had claws on the second arms as the fist slammed into his cheekbone. Claws would have torn his face off.

He let his body move with the punch, ignoring the splintering pain. He’d probably broken something, but it didn’t matter.

The world tinted with red as the beast’s powers filled him, and he let it, drawing on the beast’s strength and channelling it into calculated attacks, dodging a sweeping fist and sending off an uppercut that had Kidōmaru stumble backwards, stunned.

Not giving him the time to recuperate Naruto pushed forward, getting close enough that any punches wouldn’t be effective any more, and then he grabbed Kidōmaru's head, and with a roar as he pulled on all his strength, he twisted.

There was a sickening snap, and then Kidōmaru collapsed to the ground. Naruto watched as the red bled from his eyes, leaving them lifeless. He never changed back, but the skin seemed to dry out, like an ancient tree.

Naruto turned away from the corpse, looking over the battleground to see where he could help out.

He could see the last twin lying lifeless on the ground as well, and how his friends had turned towards the last shifters still fighting. They were winning, and Danzo was all out of—

Danzo!

Naruto hadn’t seen him since Kidōmaru and the twins had been turned. He couldn’t let him escape, had to stop him. He was the king to take down, the rest were merely pawns, disposable. If Danzo got away he would continue where he left off, Naruto had no doubt about it.

He swept his gaze over the grounds, and then he saw him. He’d edged away from battle, probably on his way towards the cars, but Lee taking down a wolf shifter had blocked his path, so he had been pushed back towards the house.

He was not going to get away, not as long as Naruto still drew breath. He was going to be stopped, and atone for his sins, for the lives he’d ruined.

Naruto turned away for a moment, just to make sure Sasuke was still safe. He could see him walking towards the shifters on the ground, probably to make sure they were all safely incapacitated. Sasuke was safe, and this was almost over, he just had to stop Danzo. It wouldn’t be hard, Danzo was human, he wouldn’t be able to fight back, not against Naruto.

There were no rush, he wanted Danzo to feel the fear his parents had probably felt as they escaped. A loud growl had Danzo’s attention snap towards Naruto, and he seemed to realise his predicament then as Naruto stalked closer, none of Danzo’s thugs around to keep him safe.

“Danzo!” he yelled out, voice gravelly in this form. “It’s time to give up.”

Danzo didn’t look scared, he looked furious. Angry at how his plans were all falling apart, about how he would never get what he had been working towards, how he was about to spend the rest of his miserable life locked away in a prison cell, withering away, powerless.

Naruto saw someone move up at his side, and risked a quick glance, glad to see Yamato. He looked a little worse for wear, so clearly he had joined the fray at some point, probably to help take down the twins. He had shifted into his Protos form at some point, all brown-red fur and fangs to mirror Naruto’s. The only two Protos left in the world. Danzo didn’t stand a chance.

“I might kill him,” Naruto said.

“No one would blame you,” Yamato said back, voice deeper than usual.

Danzo clearly heard them, because he took a step backwards, sneer on his face.

“I’d rather see him in a cell though,” Naruto added, and he felt Yamato’s hand on his shoulder.

“Minato would have been so proud of the man you’ve become.” Then he took a step backwards, letting Naruto be the one to finally stop Danzo, giving him the revenge he longed for. This way Naruto would be the one to stop Danzo, would ensure that no one else suffered what his parents had suffered. The world would be a better place with Danzo locked up.

He walked closer. “Drop to your knees,” he said. He didn’t have cuffs on him, but he knew Sasuke or any of the other agents would help him with that the moment he had pinned Danzo to the ground.

Like a rabid dog backed into a corner Danzo grew desperate.

Naruto should have been prepared for it, shouldn’t have drawn this out, should have just stopped him.

There was a shout from his side, some pissed off shifter, and it drew Naruto's attention for a split second, but that second was all it took for Danzo to pull a gun out of his pocket and aim it at him.

As Naruto turned back the trigger was pulled.

Time seemed to slow down, and Naruto could do nothing as there was a flash of russet red in front of him. The sound of bullets were oddly muffled as Naruto’s eyes widened in shock, face to face with Yamato.

Yamato barely twitched as the bullets found their home in his back, but then he stumbled forward, and Naruto could only catch him, still not sure what had just happened.

Yamato blinked up at him, and for a moment he looked fine, but then he coughed once, blood filling his mouth and staining his lips. A warm gaze met Naruto’s, but then Yamato’s eyes grew glassy, and he became nothing but a limp weight in Naruto’s arms, and Naruto was too stunned to catch him, and Yamato slid to the ground. Now Naruto could see the gunshots on Yamato’s back. He looked up, still in disbelief, and saw the gun in Danzo’s hand, still aimed towards him even after its bullets had found their home in another body than what had been intended.

Danzo hadn’t been ready to go down without a fight, and had resorted to guns, only he hadn’t shot Naruto, because someone had stepped in the way, someone with golden-red fur and a thick bushy tail tipped with white.

Yamato.

Yamato had taken the bullets for him, and now he was lying on the frozen ground, bleeding out, all because of Danzo.

Yamato had been the one good thing in this place, and now he was dying, and it was all because of Danzo. Danzo had taken his parents and now he was taking his friend, and if given the opportunity he would keep taking and taking and taking.

Naruto’s body was on fire with rage, air shimmering red around him as he charged. There were no more plans, no more chances. Danzo was going to die, right here, right now.

He heard another gunshot, and he was vaguely aware of a thump in his shoulder, but he paid it no attention as he ran the last few feet and launched himself at Danzo, sending them both sprawling to the ground.

The gun skidded away, lost in a pile of snow, and Danzo was lying on his back, Naruto’s hands pinning him down, and he even now he didn’t look afraid. He looked angry.

Naruto wanted him afraid, wanted to see terror in his eyes as he slowly gutted him, wanted the rancid stench of his fear clogging his nose as he pulled the life from him.

He was on the verge of giving in, on shredding Danzo to pieces when he got a grip over himself again, stopping himself before he fell to Danzo’s level. Naruto wasn’t like him. Killing Danzo wouldn’t give him his parents pack. Wouldn’t stop Yamato from bleeding out on the ground, wouldn't right any wrongs. He fought with himself, muscles shaking with the effort of holding himself back. This was the hardest fight he’d endured, both sides of him wanting to see Danzo dead, but a small part of him telling him that he was better than this.

Instead he growled, deep in his throat as he leaned closer, claws curling until the tips pressed against Danzo’s sternum, a threat of what they could do, and Naruto saw some of the bravado leave Danzo’s eyes.

“You’re not getting away this time,” Naruto said, voice pitched low. “All that death and suffering, and you still got nowhere.

“Would it have been worth it? All those deaths on your conscience, and for what? Power? To be governor, and then president? Sitting in an office signing off on plans that will be shut down later anyway?”

Danzo scoffed. “I was going to change everything. With an army of Protos no one would have been able to stop me. I wouldn’t just be president, I would be the true ruler. No one stronger, no one more powerful. The Protos would rule the world, and I would be their leader. You are weak, held back by your humanity, but I would not let that happen, I would be so strong. Not held back by this frail human body any more.”

Naruto felt the beast within strain against Naruto’s tentative hold. Kill him, kill him, it urged, and Naruto wanted to give in, wanted to feel flesh tear underneath his claws, sticky blood welling up as Danzo’s life ebbed out, spilling to the ground, but Naruto kept back.

“I’m not like you,” he said. “You think my humanity makes me weak, but you have it all wrong. It’s what makes me stronger than you. I could kill you here, right now, could break open your chest and feast on your heart, but I won’t. You don’t deserve a quick death.”

Naruto didn’t have any handcuffs on him, so he turned away, trying to figure out which of his friends were closest and could give him a pair.

He never found out, because the next he knew there was a sharp pain in his thigh. He glanced down, and saw a syringe planted in the muscle, the stopper pushed down.

His eyes widened at the familiar icy feeling of suppressants flooding his system.

He should have known Danzo would have kept them on him, should have known better than to look away for even a second.

He shook his head to clear it even as he saw his claws curling in on themselves.

He didn’t need his Protos powers to stop Danzo, could do without, but his body was growing numb, the rush of drugs stronger than before. Probably a higher dosage than he usually got, and he felt himself crumpling down, landing on top of Danzo as his entire body trembled, not responding to his will at all.

Danzo shoved him away and Naruto saw his feet leave his vision just as he curled up in a ball, entire body seizing up. Danzo was leaving, was getting away, and there was nothing Naruto could do. He couldn’t even unclench his jaws long enough to yell for someone to stop him, and by the time the seizures stopped and Naruto was human again Danzo was long since gone. Nauseous and weak, but alive at least, Naruto rolled to his hands and knees to get up, to find Danzo, but then Naruto saw Yamato, still on the ground, Sasuke kneeling by his side, and he didn’t even care about Danzo any more. They could find him again later. He would be prey, and he would catch him.

Naruto stumbled to his feet and made his way over, collapsing at Yamato’s side. Yamato had changed back, no more reddish fur, just Yamato, looking utterly human at the ground, eyes clenched shut and blood pooling around him. He was still on his stomach, but his head was turned to the side, in Naruto’s direction.

Naruto looked up at Sasuke, meeting his eyes. Sasuke gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head.

“No,” Naruto said, grabbing Yamato's hand. It was limp in his.

“Yamato! You are stronger than this, you’re Protos, you’re not letting bullets stop you!” Naruto hissed, fighting back sobs as he realised that Yamato was dying, right here, and there was nothing he could do. Sasuke had added pressure to the wounds, but there were spots of red bleeding through the fabric.

Yamato groaned and cracked open a single eye. He’d coughed blood, small sprays of it around his lips, and his skin was so pale, eye barely able to focus.

“I’m not as strong as you, Naruto, I never was,” he said on a broken whisper before he coughed again, a wet sound that brought more blood out.

“I’ve called for an ambulance,” Sasuke said. “I had hoped his healing would…” he trailed off.

They were in the middle of nowhere, an ambulance would take too long. And Yamato was only half-Protos, they didn’t know how strong his healing ability was compared to Naruto’s, but he was still bleeding from his wounds, and a part of Naruto knew he wasn’t going to make it, that there was too many bullet wounds to heal.

He wasn’t sure even he would have been able to survive that many, not while already having had to heal the wounds from the fight with Kidōmaru. The deep wounds in his sides were only just closing up now.

Yamato had thrown himself in front of the fire, saving Naruto, and Naruto hadn’t even been able to make sure Danzo was stopped.

“I’m so sorry,” Naruto said, a sob ripping from him.

“I promised your father I wouldn’t let Danzo get you, I broke that promise once, I wasn’t going to let Minato down now.” Yamato’s voice was quiet, as if he didn’t have the energy to talk any louder, and the words faded at the end, the last drowning in a cough that sent more blood to the ground. His lungs had clearly been damaged, and Yamato had trouble breathing, rattling in his chest as he tried.

Tears welled in Naruto’s eyes.

Yamato closed his eyes, brows drawing into a frown for a moment before relaxing, grip growing lax against Naruto’s hand.

Naruto pressed his other hand to Yamato’s face. “Yamato! Yamato! Don’t do this!” he yelled, but Yamato didn’t respond, his chest barely moving at all, his breath wet in his throat, and then there were no more breath at all, a ragged exhale the last sound Yamato made.

I couldn’t keep him safe, Naruto thought as his eyes welled over, tears streaking down his cheeks. Yamato died because of him, because Yamato sacrificed himself for Naruto, and now he was dead, and Danzo was still alive, scampering off like some rat.

“I’m going after him,” Naruto said, voice thick.

Sasuke nodded once and handed over a gun, not questioning anything. Naruto knew Sasuke would support him even if he killed Danzo, would be there by his side no matter what happened.

Naruto wasn't even sure what he would do, but he knew he was going to stop Danzo. He’d have to take a car if he wanted to leave, so Naruto set off towards the row of vehicles, hoping to catch him before he got in one, because Naruto wouldn’t be able to stop a moving car, not easily at least.

He made sure the gun was loaded and the safety was off before he weaved his way through the parked cars, finger near the trigger in case Danzo was hiding between any of them.

He found him lying next to his Mercedes, on his back with his head cushioned on a patch of snow.

Ruined eyes stared up at the sky, wounds around them as if they’d been pecked at by a bird.

Naruto walked closer, and saw how Danzo’s neck was twisted at an odd angle, clearly broken. His right hand was curled tightly, a few black feathers in them, as if he’d pulled them out while trying to protect himself.

Naruto lowered the gun as he looked around, almost expecting to see a raven watching him, but the skies were empty.

His mind was a mix of emotions. Relief that Danzo wouldn’t get away. Anger that he hadn’t been the one to stop him, and an odd gratitude that he hadn’t had to be the one to kill him. His shoulders sagged, adrenaline having kept him going for this long, but he was exhausted, and he was hurt, and he found that even standing up was a chore.

His legs folded underneath him and he fell to his knees, head hanging heavily, gun resting on his thigh, safety flicked back on.

He heard voices from behind, knew his friends were making sure everyone were safe, and that the shifters were all restrained.

He startled when arms wrapped around his shoulders, but sagged back into Sasuke’s hold, feeling so tired and cold and empty.

“You came for me,” Naruto said quietly.

“Of course I did.”

“I’m so sorry about everything, this is all my fault,” Naruto choked out, throat closing as his eyes watered with tears. Yamato was dead because of him, as was several of the shifters. Just because Naruto had run away. All his fault.

“Don’t apologise, Naruto, just come back home.” Sasuke’s voice was soft, and warm, and everything Naruto needed right now, cutting through his tiredness to clear his head.

“Okay, let’s go home.”

Chapter Text

Sasuke walked into the apartment, paper bag of groceries in his arms as he made his way into the kitchen. Naruto had been reluctant to let him leave without him, even for a short trip to the store, but Sasuke had talked him into taking a shower, comforting him with the fact that he’d be back before he would be done. Naruto had grumbled, but reluctantly agreed. Sasuke had kissed his forehead as he left, which seemed to have placated him.

Truth be told Sasuke didn’t much like leaving the apartment without Naruto either. The week that had passed since they turned their backs on the cabin in the woods had been spent more or less twenty-four seven around Naruto, and he wouldn't have wanted it any other way. However, he had wanted to surprise Naruto with a ramen dinner, and it wouldn’t be much of a surprise if Naruto went along with him to do the shopping.

The boyfriend whom the surprise was intended for was sitting at the kitchen counter, wearing a pair of soft sweatpants—and nothing else—that Sasuke recognised as his own, turning a small glass vial over in his hands. His hair was still darkened with water, and he hadn’t wiped the middle of his back properly, droplets still lingering in the dip of his spine.

Sasuke placed the paper bag on the counter, heading over to kiss the top of Naruto’s head in greeting, but Naruto tilted his head back just in time to press their lips together instead.

“What is that?” Sasuke asked, indicating the vial. His hand rested on Naruto’s shoulder, needing the touch to remind himself that it was real, that Naruto was back here with him.

Naruto lifted the vial, showing off the pale green liquid inside.

“It’s the last of the suppressants,” he said, turning it over so the liquid sloshed up against the sides. “I stole a vial from the lab before we left the cabin.”

“Why?” Sasuke asked, wary of the answer.

“I’m not sure?”

“Are you thinking of using it again?”

“No? Maybe? I don’t know. I was thinking maybe we should make more, just in case I—”

Sasuke curled his hand around Naruto’s, locking the vial inside their palms. “You aren’t going to need it,” he said firmly.

“But what if I lose control? We don’t know what will happen.”

Sasuke gently pried the vial from Naruto’s hand and placed it on the kitchen table, extending a hand for Naruto to grab.

Naruto looked at him, big blue eyes filled with uncertainty and fear. He had proven that he could control the beast back at the cabin, utilizing its power without ever letting it get out of control. Sasuke had faith that Naruto would only become better at it as he worked on it in the future. The beast wasn’t a foe, it was a part of Naruto, and now that he wasn’t fighting it they would see what it truly was, strong and powerful and controllable. It was a strength, not a weakness.

“Come,” Sasuke said, and Naruto put his hand in Sasuke’s, and let himself be pulled to his feet.

Sasuke walked into the living room, headed for the couch. He sat down and pulled at Naruto’s hand until he sat down next to him.

The last months had been awful, weeks and weeks of being separated from Naruto, feeling it as if he had lost a piece of himself. Naruto had told him some of what had happened at the cabin, but Sasuke was sure he didn’t know half of what Naruto had gone through, knew there were more to it to learn. The ordeal had left Naruto shook to his core, and Sasuke knew it would take some time to patch him together. Naruto was still struggling with the death of Yamato, the only link he’d had to his parents.

They’d ensured that Yamato got the burial he deserved, small and dignified, Naruto clinging to Sasuke, eyes wet with tears as he said his final goodbyes. Sasuke wished they could have done something to save him, that Naruto could have been allowed this one last bond to his past, but Yamato had been gone before the EMTs had arrived, and there was nothing anyone could do to save him.

Yamato had been the only causality on their side, and Sasuke praised himself lucky for that. Kankuro had stayed a couple of nights in the hospital to get his gunshot wound treated, but it hadn’t damaged anything important, so he would heal just fine. Other than that they had only sustained smaller injuries that a bit of TLC would take care of.

Sasuke was so proud of the rest of his unit and how they had stood strong, risking everything for one of their own.

Danzo had been dealt with, but the repercussions of what they had done were still rippling.

The DPA under close surveillance by Kakashi and Tsunade was going through all the evidence from the USB stick Sai had handed them. Even if Danzo hadn’t died he would have never gotten away. The tally of lives ruined by him kept going up as they looked into it.

Along with the collapse of Danzo’s great underground empire several other people of importance were being pulled along the current of change. Corruption kept being unveiled, and people were finding their false safety torn away from underneath them as they were exposed as the crooks they had always been.

Sasuke wasn’t stupid though, he knew that plenty of them were going to weasel their way out of any charges, would go on being corrupt, caring little about anything other than themselves and their own gain, but every person exposed felt like a win.

It was as much of a change they could have hoped for given the world they lived in, and at least Danzo wouldn’t be able to harm more people than he’d already had. They’d freed a fey girl from the basement, frail and near death, and they were slowly unravelling the threads of the weave that was Danzo’s operations, taking down a chunk of the black market with them.

It would take months to complete everything, and Sasuke was glad his part in it all would be minimal.

With a soft exhale Naruto curled up next to him, face pressed against Sasuke’s neck, breath warm.

Sasuke let him sit like this for a while before gently moving his head so he could look into Naruto’s eyes. He needed to make sure Naruto knew that everything was going to be alright now, needed him to know that Sasuke had trust that Naruto could pull through this, coming out stronger than ever.

“I know you can control it. You’ve proven yourself. This was how it was always supposed to be, this is what you are. We’ll keep running through the woods, only now you can let the beast free, hunt some squirrels or climb some trees. We’ll find a way.”

Naruto snorted. “Hunt some squirrels, huh? I guess we could cook them or something?”

A small smile played over Sasuke’s lips. “Sure, anything you want.”

Naruto closed his eyes for a moment. “I’m still not ready to throw it out,” he finally said.

“Then we don’t throw it out.”

“You really think I’ll be fine?”

Sasuke rested his hand against Naruto’s cheek, and Naruto nuzzled close to it. “I know you’ll be fine. I’ll make sure of it. I’ll be right here, by your side, no matter what.”

Naruto smiled at him, wide and so happy it warmed Sasuke’s heart seeing it. He’d missed Naruto’s smile, almost couldn't believe Naruto was back here with him, happy and safe and his.

He never wanted anything to get in the way of that again.

“Hey, Naruto?” he said, getting Naruto’s attention. “Do you remember what I bought you for your birthday?”

It took a moment for Naruto to remember, probably taken back by the sudden question, but then he nodded eagerly. “Yeah, the PS4! I never got to play it.” He pouted, and Sasuke reached up and pressed against his bottom lip until the pout faded away.

“Do you also remember what you said the first time you came over here?”

Naruto frowned, his tongue peeking out of the side of his mouth in concentration. Sasuke gave him a couple of moments to think before he put him out of his misery and told him. He didn’t really expect that Naruto remembered something he’d just blurted out once, not really meaning it. The words had stayed with Sasuke ever since though.

“You said that if I bought a PS4 you would move in here.”

“I did?” Naruto asked.

“I think you were very awed at the size of the TV. Or maybe the automatic shutters, I can’t recall.”

“Hah, yeah, I remember that. I think I meant it too,” Naruto said with a chuckle.

“I know.”

Naruto was still smiling, and Sasuke waited. Seconds ticked by, and then…

“Wait,” Naruto said. “Wait, wait, are you? What are you saying? Wait a moment.” He didn’t seem to find the right words, his eyes wide, as if he thought he had worked it out but wasn’t sure. He grabbed the front of Sasuke’s shirt, face pushed right up against Sasuke’s.

Sasuke glanced away for a moment, smiling to himself. When he looked back at Naruto he was met with an uncertain smile, as if Naruto wasn’t sure enough to fully let his grin spread.

“Naruto, move in with me?” Sasuke asked, the words barely past his lips before Naruto had launched himself forward the last few inches, pressing their lips together in a mash of mouths that barely constituted as a kiss.

“Yes!” he exclaimed into Sasuke’s mouth, and then eased back a little into a kiss that was just as intense, but didn’t leave them bruised.

“Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke,” Naruto muttered in between kisses, arms wound around Sasuke's neck, chests pressed together as Naruto wriggled around until he was straddling Sasuke, pressing him back into the couch.

Sasuke had his arms around Naruto’s waist, loving the weight of him pinning him down, the heat of Naruto seeping into his bones, warming him, soaring with the knowledge that Naruto was his, and he would move in, and he was never letting him slip away again.

Then Naruto was unbuttoning Sasuke’s shirt, hands pushing inside to press against Sasuke’s chest, right over the puckered scars crossing over it. Sasuke felt how Naruto faltered for a moment, but then he was kissing Sasuke again, hands trailing across scar and skin, touching what he could reach of Sasuke.

“I need you,” Naruto whined into the kiss, his hips working in small circles against Sasuke.

Sasuke shifted his arms until his palms were curled under Naruto’s ass, then he scooted forward and rose from the couch, hands catching Naruto’s weight, pressing him to him. Naruto made a half-squeak and wrapped his arms more firmly around Sasuke’s neck as Sasuke started walking.

Halfway to the bedroom he was starting to seriously regret his decision. Naruto was heavy in his arms, all muscles and bones, but Sasuke was determined not to drop him, so he powered through, carrying Naruto into the room and collapsing onto the bed with him.

Naruto was laughing as he worked on pushing Sasuke’s shirt off his shoulders, and Sasuke let him, throwing it to the floor as he grabbed the edge of Naruto’s sweater and started pulling, need it off, needing Naruto’s skin against his.

Where Sasuke was marked with scars Naruto’s body was flawless. Tan skin had knitted perfectly over the gunshot wound in his shoulder, and the stab wounds in his sides and various other bruises and scrapes he’d walked out of the battle with. Sasuke knew Naruto was scarred in other ways though. Still not confident that he could trust himself to stay in control, still not comfortable being away from Sasuke for more than minutes. He was even clingier than he had been before, big blue eyes pleading when Sasuke left to do anything more than go to the bathroom. Truth be told Sasuke was probably just as clingy, feeling uneasy without Naruto at his side.

It would take time before everything was back to normal. Tsunade had covered up for them when they went to retrieve Naruto, so all the members of Unit Seven that went to the cabin were still employed, but Naruto had officially quit his job, so there was no telling if he would be getting his job back at the end or not, but for now they were just glad to be able to get to know each other again, making up for lost time. Any other worries could wait.

Sasuke pressed close, hip to hip, chest to chest, kissing Naruto, pouring all the love he felt for him into that kiss. They were going to be fine, Sasuke was going to make sure of it. He had Naruto back, so nothing else mattered.

Naruto wound his legs around Sasuke’s hips, twitching upwards, and Sasuke could feel the hard length of Naruto’s dick pressing up against him, could hear soft whines from Naruto into the kiss, and he reluctantly pulled away long enough that he could start working on removing the sweatpants.

Naruto helped, lifting his hips so Sasuke could slide down the soft cotton, kicking out when it tangled around his ankles, nearly kneeing Sasuke in the groin.

Naruto was wearing dark-blue boxer brief, probably Sasuke’s those too, they were a little tight around his hips. A wet spot had grown on the front, and Sasuke leaned in, pressing his tongue to it.

Naruto drew in a sharp breath, hips pushing up against Sasuke’s mouth, and Sasuke moved to pin him down, wrapping his lips around the head of Naruto’s cock through the fabric. He could taste precome through the cotton, could feel Naruto pulse against him, and he wanted more.

He dragged down the underwear, leaving it around Naruto’s thighs as he let his tongue drag up Naruto, wet against silky warmth, and Naruto keened, his hips straining upwards in a not-so-silent plea for more.

Fingers curled around the base to steady it Sasuke pulled the head into his mouth, the tang of precome slick against his tongue. He went further, until his lips met his fingers and Naruto’s dick filled his mouth, hard and warm.

He wouldn’t mind just keeping it up until Naruto came, loved the way Naruto whined when he spilled in his mouth, but he wanted more as well. He pulled away with a soft pop and let his hand drag up Naruto’s length, thumb pressing into his frenulum.

“Sasuke…” Naruto moaned. “I need more.”

Sasuke kept on slowly moving his hand up and down Naruto’s dick as he leaned in again, kissing Naruto’s hipbone, and then pushing the fabric of the boxer briefs down enough that he could kiss the inside of soft thighs as well.

A kiss right below his navel. Then one against the jut of ribs. Collarbone. The edge of a sharp jaw. Soft lips.

Naruto wiggled to get out of the underwear tangled around his legs, kicking one foot free and then wrapping his legs around Sasuke’s hips, pulling him close to him as the kiss deepened, tongues licking at each other, Sasuke locking his teeth around the plush flesh of Naruto’s bottom lip.

He was still wearing jeans, and the pressure was starting to get uncomfortable, his hard dick pressing against the front of them, so he eased a hand between them, unbuttoning the fly, and pushing his own boxer briefs down enough to free his cock. It pressed against Naruto’s, and Naruto twitched his hips upwards to create friction.

“I need you in me,” Naruto mumbled against his lips, and Sasuke groaned into the kiss.

Hands were shoved down the back of his jeans, Naruto’s palms grabbing two handfuls of Sasuke’s ass so he could pull him close, moving together in a soft motion. It wasn’t enough, they both wanted more.

Sasuke tore himself away from Naruto, going up on his knees so he could pull down the rest of his clothes.

Naruto was spread in front of him, thighs parted around Sasuke’s legs, eyes glazed over in lust, hair messy, lips dark from kisses and bites. His cheeks and chest was flushed with colour, and Sasuke wanted to spend hours worshipping him like he deserved, wanted to trace his lips over every square inch of that golden skin, wanted to leave marks even though they would fade.

“Sasuke, please,” Naruto said, hands reaching up for him, and Sasuke would never deny him anything, so he leaned in and kissed him as he fumbled with the night stand, pulling out the bottle of lube from it.

A ragged breath tore from Naruto’s throat as Sasuke nibbled down his jaw, teeth locking around his neck and scraping down the flesh. Sasuke loved being the one to tear these sounds out of Naruto, loved that no one else ever saw Naruto like this, magnificent, breathtaking.

Reluctantly he rolled to the side, pressed his front against Naruto, one leg still thrown over a strong thigh. Naruto’s other leg were drawn up, making it easy for Sasuke press a finger against him, slick with lube as it pressed inside. Naruto exhaled softly as he relaxed around him.

This wasn’t the first time they’d had sex since they got back, they kept finding themselves drawn together, their bodies getting reacquainted, and it didn’t take much to make sure Naruto was ready for him, taking one and then two fingers easily, but Sasuke liked taking Naruto apart like this, liked seeing how he reacted as Sasuke circled his prostate, how his hips twitched up when Sasuke spread his fingers apart, how he kept asking for more, more, more.

Finally—when Naruto was starting to whine, his dick a dark red, a pool of precome forming on his abs—Sasuke removed his fingers and moved up Naruto’s body, kissing him softly once before he used more lube to coat his dick. Some of it got smeared on Naruto’s right hip as he grabbed him, lifting him up enough to stuff a pillow under his ass, but neither of them cared. Naruto’s thighs had fallen open, putting him gloriously on display, and Sasuke’s dick was throbbing with the need to be inside Naruto, so he didn’t stop to enjoy, but leaned in, one hand on his cock as he pressed against Naruto.

He was warm and soft around him as Sasuke slowly pressed inside, muscles clamping down on him before loosening up. Naruto’s arms wrapped around Sasuke’s shoulders, pulling him close until Sasuke was buried in him, not a breath of air between their bodies. Naruto kissed him then, soft and deep.

“I love you so much,” Naruto muttered into the kiss, hands moving up and down Sasuke’s back, pulling him into a slow motion of hips that was more about being close than getting off. Sasuke could feel Naruto around him, under him. Their breaths were one, their bodies one, connected.

Strong legs wrapped around his hips, and the angle had Sasuke press right into Naruto’s prostate as he pushed in, and Naruto threw his head back, a heady moan ripping from his throat. Sasuke used the opportunity to latch his lips onto the column of Naruto’s neck, tasting the salt of his skin, and feeling his pulse thrum against him. Alive and well and here with him.

He sucked a bruise into Naruto’s skin, seeing the red mark starting to fade almost as soon as it appeared. It didn't matter, he could leave more. Could spend a lifetime marking up Naruto.

“Ah, Sasuke!” Naruto said on an exhale as Sasuke rolled his hips again and again, never hard or fast, but a slow rhythm that was slowly building them towards climax. Naruto’s dick was caught between their bodies, streaking precome up Sasuke’s abs. He wasn't sure it would be enough to get Naruto off, but with the way Naruto’s breath was growing more laboured he thought it might be.

Sasuke was resting his weight on one arm, the other sliding down Naruto’s side, skin soft and flawless, warm and a little sticky with sweat against his palm. He loved being able to touch freely, loved the sounds Naruto made when he did, as if the touch was just shy of tickling, but he wanted more.

Sasuke rolled his hips a little harder, and Naruto responded with a sound that sent pleasurable shivers down Sasuke’s back. He wanted to hear more, wanted to draw every sound out of Naruto, wanted to see him fall apart underneath him.

“I want to hear you come,” Sasuke said, voice surprisingly husky.

“Sasuke!” was all Naruto replied with as his fingers dug harder into Sasuke’s shoulders.

“Do you think you can come from just this, or do you want more?” He kept going, feeling Naruto shudder at his words.

“Fuck, like this, Sasuke, just, more, a little more.”

Sasuke bit back a moan that rolled up from his throat. “You’re so gorgeous like this, everything I need, I love you so much.”

Naruto responded beautifully to his words, gasping and clutching at him, hips twitching up as he fought for a little more friction.

Sasuke pushed a little harder, pulling up Naruto’s hips so he could hit his prostate better, and Naruto keened, high in his throat.

“Just like that, Naruto,” Sasuke said. Sweat was beading on his forehead, a few small drops sliding down the side of his nose where they clung momentarily on the tip before they fell, hitting Naruto’s chest. His hair was plastered to his face, but he didn’t care if he looked like a mess, didn’t care, because Naruto was close to coming, making all these sounds that were like spikes of pleasure down Sasuke’s spine.

“Sasuke, I’m, I’m…” Naruto stuttered, and then he threw his head back, and Naruto could feel how his entire body shuddered against Sasuke’s as he came. Sticky warmth spread between their bodies, and Sasuke pushed in deep, feeling how Naruto was spasming around him. Sasuke fucked him through it, and when Naruto collapsed to the mattress, boneless, Sasuke pulled out, knowing Naruto would be too sensitive for more. It didn’t take him many strokes with his hand before he too came, adding to the smear of come decorating golden skin.

As he collapsed on his back next to Naruto they spent a moment just breathing, and then Naruto was laughing, his voice warm and pleasant. Sasuke turned towards him, and seeing Naruto’s wide smile as he kept laughing, high on dopamine, unable to stop himself, looking so incredibly happy made Sasuke’s heart soar.

Sasuke only rolled away quickly to gather a wad of tissues from the night stand, quickly wiping away the worst of the mess on Naruto’s skin before he tucked himself close to Naruto’s side, an arm around his chest as he felt Naruto’s laugh taper off.

Naruto turned towards him, burying his face in Sasuke’s hair. “Thank you,” he said.

“For what?”

“For the sex. For being there for me, for never giving up, for finding me back at that hotel, and then again at the cabin.”

“Hn,” Sasuke just replied, face pressed against Naruto’s neck. Words flowed easier when he was on the verge of an orgasm, but now he didn’t know what to say, couldn't find the right words.

“Oh! And for wanting me to move in. I promise I won’t make a mess of the apartment.”

Sasuke snorted and pressed a soft kiss against Naruto’s skin. He didn’t believe that for a moment. Naruto brought chaos with him, and Sasuke wouldn't want it any other way. He didn’t care about dirty laundry on the floor or dishes piling up in the sink, or DVDs in all the wrong covers.

“I’ll believe that when I see it.”

“Shut up, I can totally keep it nice and tidy.”

Sasuke lifted his head enough to see the dirty towel on the floor underneath a perfectly useable hook. The lone sock hanging on the back of a chair. All of the wardrobe doors open. Two empty coffee cups on the night stand on Naruto’s side of the bed.

“Sure, Naruto.”

He smiled against Naruto’s neck as Naruto sputtered in outrage at the implied accusation, but Sasuke just tightened his arm around him, and Naruto went quiet again, apart from a pleased little hum. Sasuke had everything he needed in his life, had a partner, his own little family.

He was happy. Later they would get up of bed, he’d make a bowl of ramen for Naruto again, and then they’d spend their evening touching and kissing and being together, and when they woke up tomorrow they could just continue where they left off, because now they had forever together.

***

Sai shook out his feathers and curled his talons around the banister of the balcony, cocking his head as he peered in the large windows.

Not dickless then, he thought to himself. He’d landed just as Naruto and Sasuke was getting into it, clothes flying, and he’d gotten a good glimpse of everything. He didn’t see the appeal in the sex and simply groomed himself while they finished up.

The two were still on the bed when he turned back around, a thin sheet pulled over them, Naruto curled up against Sasuke. It looked right, like the two belonged together. This Naruto looked so different from the Naruto Sai had known. Softer, brighter, happier. Naruto had barely smiled once during his time at the cabin, but now he couldn't seem to stop.

Sai didn’t blame him, the cabin was probably not a happy place. He didn’t really know, hadn’t been anywhere else, growing up there deep in the forest, surrounded by gruff faces that didn’t care if he lived or died.

Things were different now.

Naruto was different than anyone else Sai had met at the cabin. Even at his lowest he had a brightness to him that none of the other shifters ever had, and it made Sai realise there was more, that he didn’t have to be stuck working for Danzo forever.

He’d grasped the opportunity to help Naruto, making sure the keys were easily accessible when Naruto plotted to break into the files, and never reporting to Danzo when Naruto was gone for hours along with Yamato. Sai had seen them at the barn, flying high above them, he knew what Naruto was up to, and he chose not to tell Danzo.

He couldn’t tell exactly why he did what he did. He didn’t like Naruto. Certainly not like Sasuke did, but not really as a friend even. He was fun to poke at, and created a nice reprieve from the shifters who cared about little other than themselves.

Being around Naruto made Sai’s dreams seem a little closer, so when the end came and Sai knew Naruto hadn’t gotten the evidence he would need he went all in.

The contents on the USB stick had been saved over years, in case he ever needed it, an escape he hadn’t thought he would ever get to use, but Sai realised that Naruto was his way out, that Naruto would change everything.

So he had given Sasuke the USB stick and then retreated back, watching what unfolded from his position on top of the gate. He didn’t care what happened to anyone, had no feelings regarding agents or Danzo’s men. He’d known what would happen as he unlocked the gate and waited for Naruto’s friends to arrive, that people were likely to die. It didn’t matter. People always died.

In the end the deaths had been fewer than anticipated. Kidōmaru, Sakon and Ukon all dead, even their mutated forms not enough to stop the agents. A couple of the other of Danzo’s men was dead too, the rest rounded up and cuffed.

One of the agents had been shot but appeared to survive. A few others were hurt as well, but nothing that appeared severe. Cuts and bruises that they were probably used to as agents anyway. Yamato had died as well, but he had died for Naruto, not for Danzo. Some self-sacrifice Sai didn’t understand.

Sai had watched, not making any move to do anything to help either side, when he saw Danzo stumble away from the fighting, his knee clearly giving him trouble. He always worked so hard to conceal the limp, so either he was too furious to care, or he was actually scared.

Sai cocked his head as he watched Danzo walk between the row of cars, heading for the Mercedes, clearly intending to leave.

Sai considered letting him, but then Danzo might just be vengeful enough to hunt Sai down for betraying him. Sai wanted to be free, didn’t want to be back in Danzo’s clutches, so he let himself drop from the gate, swooping down, a short caw drawing Danzo’s attention to the skies just in time for Sai to extend his talons, scratching over Danzo’s face before he took off again.

Danzo didn’t scream, just grunted in pain as he pressed hands against his face, blood drawn in long scratches.

Sai looked around to see if any of Naruto’s friends were coming to apprehend Danzo, but they all seemed preoccupied, so Sai dived again.

There was a reason Danzo had been able to claw his way to the position of importance he held in society, and it was not by being unprepared, so this time he grabbed for Sai, fingers just curling around his tail feathers.

The fight had been short. Sai beat his wings and pecked with his beak, and Danzo couldn’t keep protecting his face, and Sai’s beak found the softness of eyes. This time Danzo did scream, a short sharp noise, but his arms locked around Sai, pinning him to his chest where he couldn't fight any more. Arms tightened, threatening to break Sai’s hollow bones. Danzo couldn’t see any more, but he didn’t appear to let that stop him.

So Sai shifted. Naked, blood on his face, he cocked his head and considered Danzo, the man who had raised him, taking him in as a fledgling to raise as his right-hand man. Sai had stolen for Danzo. Had tortured for Danzo. Had killed for Danzo. It was only right he was the one to kill Danzo in the end.

His lips pulled into a stiff grin, because that was what you were supposed to do when you were happy. Sai didn’t think he was happy, but he was about to be free, so he suspected he was supposed to be pleased.

He grabbed Danzo’s head and twisted to the side. A snap was all it took to end Danzo’s reign, once and for all.

Sai shifted back into a raven and took off, not even looking back as he flapped strong wings and let the winds carry him off over the forest for the freedom he had longed for.

Since then he had done little other than flying, letting himself vanish into the instincts of his raven side. He’d always been more comfortable like this anyway.

Then he had found himself flying towards the city, not really sure why, and now he was sitting here, watching Naruto sleeping. He still wasn’t sure why. To say some kind of goodbye?

He didn’t really feel any connection to Naruto. He knew that Naruto was the catalyst to Sai’s freedom, but he didn’t feel like he owed him anything, nor did he miss him. He had never really understood those feelings. He looked at Naruto, and didn’t really feel anything. He supposed he was meant to feel glad that Naruto was back with the one he loved. No matter what, this felt like an ending. He didn’t think he would ever see Naruto again.

Sai hopped around, facing the city. Lights were glimmering around him, and there was snow in the air, a frost he couldn’t really feel in this form. He didn’t spare another glance behind him as he jumped, wings stretching as he caught a gust of wind and soared away. There was freedom in the sky, in the nothingness of air all around him.

He supposed this was his happiness.

***

Kakashi arched his back, feeling the cracks in his spine as it straightened. He’d spent hours crouched over his computer, and he felt it in the ache of his body.

He let himself fall back against the couch, tilting his head to the side where Iruka was curled up, facing him with his eyes closed as he slept, having fallen asleep a couple of hours ago.

His ponytail was loosening, a few strands of hair falling away from the elastic, moving with every breath, and Kakashi reached out, pushing them behind Iruka’s ear, lingering with his fingers against Iruka’s soft skin, before slowly trailing down, feeling the slight scratch against the pads of his fingers where the first shadow of a beard was coming in. Iruka let out a soft breath, and Kakashi pulled away as if burned, feeling like he was trespassing.

He had only meant to support Iruka while Naruto was away, but Naruto was back now, and Iruka and Naruto had spent hours together most days, talking and crying, and Kakashi had taken a step back, intending to leave Iruka alone now, but when Iruka invited him over for dinner he had found himself saying yes, and when he tried to excuse himself that he needed to do some work and Iruka had said that he could work here Kakashi had found himself nodding again, unable to say no to Iruka.

It was hard to reconcile the two parts of himself. The voice of reason that told him he needed to stay away from Iruka before he got himself hurt by the eventual rejection, and the hopeful one that told him that Iruka would be different, Iruka would accept him. He was afraid to give in to the latter, but he didn’t think he could keep fighting himself.

I don’t think I can leave, he thought, fingers curling into fists as he tried to stop himself from reaching out for Iruka again. He wanted to give this a chance, no matter what it was. Maybe there wasn’t anything other than friendship blossoming between them, but part of him thought it was more, that Iruka might want more, and Kakashi desperately wanted to believe so.

Iruka stirred, and then brown eyes blinked open, taking a second to focus on Kakashi. A soft redness spread on Iruka’s cheeks as he saw Kakashi watching him, but he didn’t turn away.

His eyes were a little hooded, still tired. He should go to sleep in his bed so he wasn’t left with a crick in his neck, but Kakashi didn’t want to tell him that, didn’t want to disturb the moment.

“What are you thinking about?” Iruka asked, voice thick with sleep.

You. “Nothing.”

Iruka smiled softly. “Somehow I doubt that.”

I want to tell you everything. “Just work.”

Iruka reached out, hesitating an inch in front of Kakashi’s face as if he only then realised what he was doing, but then seemed to steel himself as he followed through, pushing his finger into the tip of Kakashi’s nose where it was covered by black fabric.

“You need to stop worrying all the time, it’s not healthy.”

“Maa, don’t worry about me,” Kakashi said disarmingly.

“Idon’t think I can not worry,” Iruka said, voice low, barely a whisper. The words flowed through Kakashi, warm and electrifying. He longed to reach out to Iruka, but held himself back.

The moment dragged on, Kakashi unable to look away from Iruka’s eyes. He longed to lean closer, longed to tell Iruka how much he mattered to Kakashi, but he didn’t.

“What are you going to do now that Naruto is back?” he asked instead, breaking eye contact.

Iruka shifted on the couch, scooting up until he was sitting properly. “I don’t know. I talked to him, and he was ecstatic that I’d quit my job, told me I should stay here with him. He hasn’t even been back in the apartment, he stays with Sasuke. I guess I’ll have to sleep on the couch until I can get a proper job, and then I can get an apartment. There’s nothing for me back there, so I guess I’m moving here for real.” Iruka was smiling as he talked about Naruto.

Stay with me. “I’ll help you look for a job,” Kakashi said, and Iruka looked at him, smiling wide.

“Thank you, Kakashi, but I’m sure I’ll manage. I don’t want to inconvenience you.”

“You wouldn’t be.” I just want to spend time with you.

“Then maybe I’ll take you up on that,” Iruka said.

Kakashi wasn’t sure what would happen, but looking at Iruka he started to realise that he wouldn’t be able to let him go, not before he had told him everything, laid himself bare and let Iruka make the final decision. Not tonight though, now he just wanted to sit here with Iruka at his side, watching as his eyes grew heavy, dark lashes fanning shut as Iruka drifted off again.

He didn’t know what would happen in the future, but sitting with Iruka like this felt right, and he wasn’t ready to give it up, not without even trying.

***

The moon was a thin sliver on the clear sky above him, a halo of light around it. Naruto had heard somewhere that it meant it would snow soon. Winter was settling firmly over the city, the air cold enough that his breath made little clouds as he exhaled. He’d cracked open the windows in the bedroom and was leaning out it, a thick blanket wrapped around him. This high up the noise of the city was just a distant hum, and a carpet of bright lights spread underneath them. Cars and buildings, and endless rows of Christmas lights. He had completely lost track of the days in the cabin, but realised later that Christmas had passed, forgotten in everything that happened, and when he came back home it was already a few days past Christmas day.

He intended to make up for it soon. He wanted to celebrate a belated Christmas, the first time it would be for more people than just Iruka and him. Kakashi was coming as well, and Sasuke and Naruto had invited the rest of the unit. Kankuro had been released from the hospital, so everyone was eager to come, celebrate the fact that Naruto was back.

Christmas might have been forgotten New Year’s Eve hadn’t, but no one had felt quite ready for a party yet, so Naruto and Sasuke spent it at home with Iruka, eating take-out and watching the fireworks from the large windows.

Christmas in a little over a week would be different. He’d celebrate with everyone he cared about, people who had walked into the lion’s den to save him. He was honoured to call them his friends, and so happy they were all safe, that they had come away from the cabin mostly whole. Most of them at least.

Yamato’s funeral had been small, but nice in a way. He had no family, no friends apart from Naruto, but the rest of the Unit was there with him, supporting him, even though none of them had ever met Yamato.

He hadn’t known him long, but Yamato had become important to him, and he hated that he hadn’t been able to save him, that he’d never been allowed to be free to live his life, growing up under Danzo’s rule, never even given a chance at a normal life. With his death the only connection Naruto had ever had to his family was broken as well. There was so much he had wanted Yamato to tell him, but now he was gone, and with him Naruto’s past.

Naruto shook his head, trying to clear it before he grew too morose. He shouldn’t be focusing on what he had lost, should focus on what he had gotten. Sasuke and the Unit had come to save him, without them he’d still be there, rotting away in that cell. They’d stopped the plans of a madman, had freed the fey girl from the basement, and was slowly unravelling an extensive network of people connected to Danzo. The world would be a better place without Danzo in it, but Naruto also knew that someone else would just swoop in, take his place. The world was forever a corrupted place, and all Naruto could really do was his part in making it a little bit better.

He was hoping he’d have his job back at the end of it, but right now he enjoyed being home with Sasuke.

Home.

This apartment really was home now. Sasuke had asked him to move in. Had actually asked him months ago, but Naruto hadn’t realised. Sasuke, who’d been so closed off when they first met, had asked him to move in. He loved Naruto, and that was still amazing to Naruto. Sasuke accepted every part of him, the good and the bad and everything in-between, he challenged him, he supported him.

Naruto looked back over his shoulder, saw Sasuke in bed. In their bed. He was lying on his back, sheets pulled up to his waist. Beautiful. So achingly beautiful. The stark contrast between pale skin and black hair. Soft lips and a sharp jaw. Dark eyes that saw right through Naruto.

Naruto looked back at the sky, smiling softly. He loved Sasuke, and somehow he had the feeling that this time everything was going to be alright. With Sasuke’s support he really believed he could find a way to live in relative harmony with the beast (he really should start calling it something else, beast didn’t feel right any more). Iruka was moving to the city, so he’d be close as well.

It felt like everything was falling into place, and Naruto felt so achingly happy.

Warm arms wrapped around his shoulders, a hard chest pressed up against his back.

“You are thinking too loud,” Sasuke mumbled into the back of his neck. “Come back to bed.”

Naruto wriggled around in Sasuke’s arms until they were face to face. He wrapped the blanket around the both of them, pressing their foreheads together. Sasuke started walking them backwards, and Naruto shuffled along, careful not to stumble on the trailing ends of the blanket.

They fell back, tangled up in limbs and blankets, but neither of them made any move to untangle. Naruto just pulled the blanket up a bit until they were both hidden underneath it. Sasuke peered up at him, eyes soft and a hint of a smile on his lips. He looked happy, and Naruto leaned in and quickly kissed his nose.

They were together again, as they were meant to be, and this time nothing was going to tear them apart.

THE END