Black as Blood

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Naruto kept glancing over his shoulders at where he had left Sasuke. He felt horrible, leaving his friend back there to take the heat for whatever they were being attacked for. But Sasuke had been right. He could survive much longer on his own, without worrying for another life that he was responsible for. The children were no match for who was after Sasuke, and Iruka alone couldn’t protect them if one of those attackers decided to chase them. Naruto let out a shrill call every few meters, listening for a reply, urging the children along as Iruka brought up the rear, saying they were almost home, just a bit farther. When the gates loomed before them, his call was answered. He dropped down from the branches to get in front of the children, older ninja appearing before them in puffs of smoke and burning ozone. Naruto didn’t have time to explain the sudden return. Sasuke needed him. Kakashi caught his shoulder before he managed to make his escape, holding him in his spot.

“Where’s Sasuke?” Kakashi asked evenly.

Naruto turned to glare at him, a glare Kakashi knew well. He released the boy and let the blonde go, glancing back to Iruka.

“Go,” the schoolteacher said. “We can handle it from here. They’re going to need you.”

“Get inside.” Kakashi commanded the brunette, hesitating until the gates had closed behind the last of the children. He looked to his left at Gai, to his right at someone he didn’t quite recognize. It was an unspoken command, the three older jounin vanishing into the trees, following the trail Naruto left for them.
---
Sasuke ducked under the swipe of the sword, his claws tearing the ANBU a new hole to breathe out of. His face was stained with the blood of his enemies and bodies were everywhere. He’d gotten close enough to discern the purpose of the attack, and would have preferred to leave in silence. He’d never gotten the chance. He was growing tired, and the ANBU seemed to reappear by the twos for every one he put down. His hair was already shining blue with ice, his skin the same, his vision already back in colour.

-Let me out.-

-But...-

-Let me out or you will surely die.-

Sasuke dodged a kunai and tore out his attacker’s entrails, slamming his claws into another’s forehead, sharp nails puncturing the man’s brain. He hit the ground in a roll, and came up behind a tree trunk, catching his breath.

-Let. Me. Out.-

“Shiro, now isn’t the time,” Sasuke hissed.

-Let. Me. OUT.-

Sasuke cried out as the kunai dug into his shoulder. He tore away from the tree, leaving bits of flesh behind. He scrambled into the clearing and found himself surrounded. One choice left, one last resort. He gave a grin and let the curse seal bleed back into nothingness, leaving him almost defenseless. The ANBU closed in on him, until one found his foot encased in ice, the ice growing to create a clear tomb around his body. Sasuke brought his hands up, quickly signing to unseal Shiro, the ground before him sprouting ice sickles until snow began to swirl up, obscuring view. The ANBU stepped back then, just before a large blue wolf leapt out from the snow, jaws snapping closed around one man’s throat, tearing the life from him. The wolf turned then, sharp teeth bared, snarls escaping as it lunged again, bearing another enemy down and forcing death upon him. Some broke ranks, but they didn’t get far, for an blonde blur cut them down before they could register what was killing them. Kyuubi was in full rage, Naruto channeling that rage into his chakra, using every ounce of strength between them to kill those who had harmed Sasuke. Naruto dropped the last of those fleeing to the ground when Kyuubi forced his attention elsewhere.

- That scent, that wonderful scent of fresh snow, that desired, longed-for scent -

Kyuubi forced Naruto to run to Sasuke’s side, the darker boy now on his knees, panting, doubled over. Wounds littered his body, bleeding and healing, and as Naruto checked over his friend, Kyuubi searched the area for that wonderful scent. No sign, nothing but blood and bodies and water and-

Kyuubi’s attention settled on Sasuke, watching through Naruto’s eyes the blood and sweat mingle with snow-water. The demon fox felt confused, until that wonderful scent reached his senses again. Yes, yes. Of course! Naruto was helping Sasuke stand as Kyuubi’s feeling of realization swept over him, the blonde ninja looking at his wounded friend almost confusedly. Kyuubi’s unintentional distraction was enough. The two were blasted back by an exploding dart, Sasuke scrabbling for purchase before he went over the side of the cliff. He glanced up, expecting Naruto to stick his head over the side and help him up. He saw no one, and pulled himself up, panting, ignoring the shrapnel in his side as he looked down. Naruto hung by his hand, fingers dug into the side of the cliff, precariously balanced on a ledge that looked about to crumble. He looked up at Sasuke and smiled, reached for another handhold, Time stopped. Naruto’s eyes widened in realization, Sasuke’s in fear. Sasuke reached down for the blonde, knowing it was futile.

“NARUTO!”

-KYUUBI!-
---
Kakashi dropped down into a scene taken straight out of a movie macabre. Bodies littered the ground, bloody puddles of flesh and viscera pooling beneath cold bodies, any visible faces twisted in pure agony. The silver-haired jounin caught Gai’s gaze, taking note of the sickened expression before the other jounin hid it behind a mask of calculated coldness. They didn’t have time to examine the dead for a reason; they had to find their two missing jounin. Kakashi glanced at the jounin he didn’t recognize, watching the young man pad around the bodies of the ANBU, gazing disinterested at the dead. The silver-haired jounin followed that young man’s path to the edge of the cliff, and approached a moment later after signaling to Gai. Signs of an explosion, a struggle of someone to regain footing on the edge, broken sod on the side of the cliff, showing someone had fallen, and another had slid down after said someone. Kakashi took a breath and leapt from the cliff, channeling chakra to soften his landing. Gai and the young jounin landed beside him, and Kakashi gestured for them to split up, just to cover more ground.

Kakashi bounded north as Gai went east and that other jounin went west, the silver-haired man running, looking for any signs of passing from Naruto and Sasuke. He bit back the urge to call their names, simply because if he did, he could alert more of those who had tried to kill them. He prayed the boys weren’t dead already.

Kakashi came to a halt just outside of a clearing, breath caught in his throat. The pair was nestled under the shade of an oak tree, Naruto’s eyes closed, his head pillowed in Sasuke’s lap. Sasuke was bent at the waist, so far over that his forehead rested on Naruto’s chest. From where Kakashi stood, he couldn’t tell if the two were even breathing, but he didn’t want to break that peaceful scene. Sasuke’s posture told Kakashi that he had been protecting Naruto, while Naruto’s relaxed body proved that he was comfortable, safe in trusted arms. Practicality finally drove Kakashi forward, the urge to check on his former students overwhelming. He crouched beside them, watching their chests rise and fall in even breath, gauging their wounds. He glanced up at Gai when the other jounin appeared beside him, eye crinkling in a relieved smile.

“Let’s get them back. They need medical attention. And no races this time. They need our help. Let’s save the rivalry for another time.” Kakashi said before Gai could turn the rescue into a game to test who’s was bigger.

“Very well, my friend.” Gai said, moving as Kakashi shifted Sasuke into his arms, the silver-haired jounin picking up Naruto. Kakashi glanced around their surrounding area for any signs of pursuit, before the elder pair vanished in a poof of smoke and burning ozone. The boys remained asleep for their quick trip home, and they remained asleep when the medic nins poked and prodded at them as they wrapped bandages around injuries. Kakashi stayed to watch, at least that was what he told himself. But finally he was forced to withdraw, as Tsunade needed a report, and she needed it as soon as possible to keep the Council from biting Sasuke’s head off.

Had he stayed, he could’ve gotten more to add to his report and kept Naruto out of Tsunade’s office later, for Naruto woke only a few moments after Kakashi’s departure. The blonde jounin pushed himself upright, staring around the familiar room of the hospital, his annoyed expression softening when he saw he wasn’t alone. Sasuke slept in the bed beside him, wrapped in as much white linen as Naruto was himself. So long as he could keep close to Sasuke, Naruto figured he could hang out in the hospital for a while.

- For once, you and I are in agreement, cub, - Kyuubi spoke, startling Naruto with the suddenness of the biju’s presence.

“Really, huh? Why’s that?”

- Because your boyfriend over there has someone dear to me. -

Naruto snarled for a moment at Kyuubi. “He is NOT my boyfriend. And what do you mean, he has someone dear to you?”

- Exactly what I mean, pup. Do you honestly believe that myself and the other tailed demons are the only ones in existence? -

Naruto sighed. “No. I mean, there’s Gamabunta and his kids and Temari’s weasel thing, and Manda and the slug. But they’re summons. There’s more of you?”

- Not more tailed, no. – Kyuubi replied. – And yes, they’re summons. But before I started sharing your body, there was another, a wolf. -

“So that’s what Sasuke meant when he was talking about wolves?”

Kyuubi gave a mental shrug. – Perhaps. Believe me when I say I didn’t attack your village because it was encroaching my territory. Perhaps Yondaime knew that, and that’s why he sealed me instead of destroying me. – If he hadn’t of known, Kyuubi thought to himself, he never would have put his child through such torture.

“So, you attacked Konoha for this wolf? And that wolf is Sasuke?”

- No, you idiot. The wolf isn’t Sasuke. The wolf is inside Sasuke, as I am within you. – Kyuubi sighed, almost exasperated. – The wolf’s name is Shiro Koori. White Ice. He and I, we cared for this territory together. -

“You were…?” Naruto held up his pinky finger, even if Kyuubi couldn’t see it. Kyuubi gave a mental nod, and felt his vessel’s curiosity.

- We were mates. That’s probably why Sasuke deterred you from taking him. -

“But if Shiro’s in Sasuke, wouldn’t he know?” Naruto asked, “About you being in me?”

- I don’t know. – Kyuubi whispered. That thought hurt the most, Naruto realized. To be forgotten by the one you loved, to be feared by the one you loved, to be hated, Naruto knew those feelings all too well, and he certainly knew how Kyuubi felt, even if the fox was desperately trying not to believe it.

“I think he knows.” Naruto said finally, remembering the second voice, the second scream, barely discernable beneath Sasuke’s own cry of his name. “I think he knows, and I think he desperately wants to be with you, but it’s Sasuke that’s keeping him back. Because he knows the only way for you to be together is for me and Sasuke to be together."

- And Sasuke is afraid? Of being your mate? -

“I haven’t exactly been that open with him.” Naruto whispered. “I mean, I know I love him. I’ve always loved him, but then he went and defected and then he came back, looking for a home and I’ve been nothing but cruel to him. I’ve only begun to understand him, his reasons, and it’s not like he tells me anything.”

- Have you asked, cub? – Kyuubi wondered, watching his vessel from behind the bars of his cage. – Have you told him you loved him? Have you taken him aside at night and talked? -

“No,” Naruto said, a little dejected. “I haven’t.”

- Then how do you know he won’t tell you anything? How do you know he doesn’t love you back, and he’s too afraid to admit it? -

“Sasuke? Afraid?”

- You both are young. You’re innocent still to the ways of the world, Naruto, but I’m sure Sasuke has seen the cruelties of the world. Relationships between two men may be accepted here in Konoha simply because a ninja’s life could end at any moment of any day, but out there, in the world beyond Konoha? -

Naruto sighed, shivering a little bit. Kyuubi had a point, and he gazed over at Sasuke, eyes tracing the features of the elder’s face, lingering on the scar that marred it, and he almost reached out for the darker, though he knew even if he did, he’d never reach him without getting up. He was pretty sure any movement like that would bring people running.

“He’s always so far away from me, Kyuubi,” Naruto said after a moment. “He’s always so untouchable.”

- Then bring him close to you. Touch him. You let him go once, with the vow to bring him back. He’s back now, back and I doubt the only reason he’s here is because this is where he grew up. – Kyuubi replied.

“I love him, Kyuubi.”

- I know, cub. Get some rest. You’ll have to answer questions in the morning. -

Naruto settled back down, head turned to watch Sasuke sleep. “Tell me more about why you attacked?”

- Hah. – Kyuubi snorted. – That question is better answered by your Uchiha. Now sleep, boy. -

Naruto snickered softly and closed his eyes, letting himself go back to sleep, resolved and determined. Sasuke would be his, completely and only his, by the end of the week.




-- Kudos to drm_fox@yahoo.com for correcting me in my Japanese. You were right. 'ame' means rain, while 'koori' (or however you spelled it because my processor doesn't recognize those funky little characters without screwing something up) means ice. Thank you so much. ~ Kirishtu