Hopelessly

Lady9: Thank you. Yes, you’re suggestion was very valuble. Adding Obito to the whole pain Kakashi is dealing with in this story really might have been too much, and I’m glad now that it’s not in this story.
Maximum: Ummmm . . . . . Sasuke is still alone because he won’t truly let Kakashi in. But Kakashi is a persistent person.
Paradise Eden: Thank you so much! I really do get immense pleasure from writing these stories and every time I get a review it’s a little thrill. Reviews like yours make my heart warm. Really thank you. I endeavor not only to give people good smut, but to entertain and maybe even put out art. I’m glad it’s a stress reliever during your search. I’m currently unemployed as well and know what it’s like. Good luck to you and I hope you enjoy this chapter too.
DarkAngelJudas: Damn, you’re fast. Like me, you seem to never sleep. Warming up to the Uchiha I see. ^_^
Qwerty: My precious Sasuke . . . It’s Kakashi’s influence.
Disembodiedvoiceofthedying: As he said before, Kakashi is his conscience.

Sorry, sorry! I know I’ve been MIA recently, but I’m getting stuck on sex scenes; they really are the hardest to write because there’s a danger of them all being the same, so it’s difficult to make them delightfully sexy and different. No story has been dropped.

It’s a lot of sex this time. Sex, sex, sex, and I think even more sex. And step one of Sasuke’s grand finale.

-----

Kakashi didn’t wake up when Sasuke did. Sasuke felt like shit. He no longer knew what he wanted. His soul still burned for revenge, but he’d lost the stomach to destroy Konoha. It seemed he already got his point across to the village that they should feel guilty and they did. They hated his guts, but on some level they pitied him. But he still wasn’t satisfied. All the work he’d done had not been just for that one aborted mission against Konoha, but it did feel like he’d wasted a lot of time. He still needed cathartic revenge, but he didn’t know how he wanted to execute it anymore.

He stared down at Kakashi for a while. He was depressed. It was Kakashi’s fault. If he sent Kakashi away, things could go back to normal and he could wipe out the village he so loathed. It was the names of Kakashi’s teammates that had really shaken his resolve. He belatedly wondered if what stayed his hand was not that Konoha was his home, but that it was Kakashi’s. Operative word being ‘was.’ Kakashi was his now, not Konoha’s, not Sakura’s, his.

Sasuke eased out of bed, took a quick shower, and got into fresh clothes. He grabbed his meditation mat and left the bedroom.

Sasuke laid his mat in front of the throne and sat on the floor. He liked mediating in the throne room; this room was cavernous which helped him relax and sink deep into meditation. It wasn’t cramped like Orochimaru’s underground warrens, but it was still comfortably confined and therefore safe to someone who lived years underground. He also didn’t have a silver-haired former Hokage there to distract him.

It was sometimes harder to meditate now. When he was with Orochimaru it wasn’t so hard, but he could never get as deep as he could now—probably because he was looking over his shoulder the entire time around the snake. He could go deeper now, but it was harder to meditate at all. He blamed Kakashi; the turmoil in his chest was never there before.

He heard the pop of air displacement which meant one of the spheres had been summoned. When was the last time he’d checked them?

Sasuke unfolded himself from the floor and checked the spheres; the green one was gone. Sasuke pouted as he thought. He wouldn’t go now and he would not send Kakashi. But maybe he should. If Konoha was under attack, he should act now—no one attacked what was his and no one destroyed what he himself wanted to destroy. He should scout out the situation first. Then again it could be a trap. He couldn’t summon Kurohoshi if he was in Konoha right now as that would raise suspicion.

But would a second black cat showing up raise suspicions?

Sasuke ran off to prepare.

-----

Konoha was not under attack. Sasuke jumped up to the open window of the Hokage’s office in his feline form. Kurohoshi jumped up to him. He purred and nuzzled Sasuke as if he was a girlfriend. The identical cats rubbed against each other.

Naruto, Sakura, Shizune, and Yamato were all there. They watched their pet stray with his ‘mate.’ Kurohoshi led Sasuke off the window sill and out to the forest where they could talk.

“They’ve summoned me,” Sasuke said. “Is it an ambush? Should I show myself or send Kakashi?”

“They want to speak with you about Kakashi. Don’t send Kakashi.”

Sasuke rolled his cat eyes and his tail swayed. “Let’s go back; I want to listen in for a while. Think they’ll be suspicious if we both went back?”

“You go, I’ll go home. They call me Koji now.” [AN: Koji (as a word, not a name) means “stray,” but can also mean “orphan”]

Sasuke’s growl sounded like a purr. Well, even if they were gone or didn’t talk about he and Kakashi, he could at least lay in the sun for a while before he ran off and went home. It had been a long time since he transformed into a cat. Maybe he’d mess with Kakashi by staying a cat for a little longer.

Sasuke didn’t hurry back to the Hokage tower as he was supposed to be being mated at the moment. He finally jumped up onto the window sill and saw all of them were still there.

“Has it been that long?” Yamato joked seeing his pet stray return. Sasuke jumped down to the floor and curled up on the old pillow and purred a bit before feigning sleep.

“Kakashi warned me that Sasuke could take days to respond,” Yamato said. Sakura nodded in agreement.

“I hope he sends Kakashi,” Naruto said. Sakura looked away.

“Sakura,” Yamato said, seeing her depression. “You shouldn’t see Sasuke if he comes. Go home; we’ll summon you if he sends Kakashi.”

Sakura nodded dejectedly and left.

“Poor girl,” Yamato said.

“Let’s just give up on Kakashi,” Naruto said. “If he’s so close to Sasuke and hasn’t killed him, then he’s probably joined him.”

Sasuke was surprised Naruto could be right sometimes.

“I think so too,” Yamato sighed.

“No, Kakashi—” Shizune stopped herself.

“What?”

Even Sasuke looked at her and raised his tail in curiosity.

“Kakashi wouldn’t. Sasuke . . . Kakashi would never forgive Sasuke for what he did to him.” There was a good amount of venom in her voice.

Yamato narrowed his eyes. “You know something we don’t?”

“Sasuke—” she couldn’t say it. “Kakashi didn’t want Sakura to know. He came to me for healing to hide it from Sakura.”

Sasuke didn’t want Shizune to tell them what was really going on. He wasn’t sure why he cared, but he was sure Shizune knew the truth. It was tricky, but he was able to transport the three of them and himself while shedding the transformation and sat in his throne as if he’d been there the whole time. He also grabbed the green sphere from Yamato’s desk. His three visitors were disoriented enough not to notice Sasuke’s frantic movement.

“What do you want?” Sasuke asked, calm as ever as he lounged in his throne.

“Sasuke?” Naruto was shocked to suddenly be in front of his old friend and rival. Sasuke looked at him with an eyebrow raised as if to say, ‘Duh, idiot.’

“Sasuke.” Naruto couldn’t think of anything to say. This was the first time they’d seen each other since Sasuke put him under the genjutsu on the battlefield.

“What? You summoned me, what do you want? ‘Sasuke, Sasuke,’ you sound like a child or a parrot. What do you want?”

“Where’s Kakashi?”

“Around. What do you want?”

“What did you do to me?” Naruto finally asked.

“You don’t remember? Really, I just put you to sleep; not easy with the Kyuubi in you. I wanted you out of the way so you wouldn’t bother me every other day to come home or try to attack me. If you don’t remember anything, then the other part didn’t work. Honestly, I’m quite disappointed. If you’d remember then Kakashi would have alerted me when he visited you. There would be no way you wouldn’t have alerted his keen senses and he would have nagged the hell out of me.” Sasuke couldn’t hide his amusement. “It was just an . . . illusion, to either get you to leave me alone or maybe agree with me. Obviously, it didn’t work.”

“Why not kill me? This is the fourth time you didn’t kill me.”

“Twice I would have if others hadn’t interfered. As for the other two . . . Do you remember what the Kyuubi said? Perhaps I fear he may be correct. So I won’t kill you yet. You didn’t just want to ask me that.”

“What are you doing? What’s the point of all this?”

Sasuke scoffed. “I’m sick of that question. Kakashi’s been trying to get that one out of me for years. I might cut out his tongue if he asks again. Probably use one of those fucking dogs to get that information to you if he succeeded. Is that all? That time/space jutsu does use up chakra; I resent being summoned for a chat.”

“We want you to return Kakashi,” Yamato said. “You’ve humiliated him enough by making him an errand boy. It’s been long enough, send him home.”

A smile grew on Sasuke’s face. “I bought Kakashi; he’s mine. If you want him ‘returned,’ I want something returned to me.”

“What is that?” Yamato felt dread coil in his belly.

“Sakura. Kakashi pleaded with me to let her live in exchange for ‘anything.’ I chose him. She comes here of her own free will and allows herself to be killed by me—or Kakashi if I’m feeling particularly evil—and then I’ll send Kakashi home. Sakura’s life for Kakashi’s freedom. Is it worth it to you? A whipped, aging shinobi for a young, talented medical-nin? Someone who you distrust for someone you value and even claim to love?” He said the last while looking in Naruto’s eyes. “Kakashi is mine. I will use him as I please until I tire of him then I’ll abandon him. You can have him then. But as it is, I have uses for him. Honestly, Sakura’s life means nothing to me; I’d rather keep my servant than take her valueless life.”

Sasuke sighed, unwillingly showing his fatigue; his sleep had been fitful at best and quite frankly, today, this was all an act; he didn’t feel confident and evil right now. “I’ve spared your village too many times and you have Kakashi to thank for most of them. As much as I’d like to stop the nagging, there’s no one else I can trust to do what I need him to do. You want him back; you’ll have to kill me.” He eyed Naruto. “I wonder what that damn fox has to say about that. He warned me not to kill you; does he say the same about me? I’ll fight you, Naruto, but not now.”

The two former friends locked eyes. Naruto could see the weariness but nothing else. Naruto’s eyes held a fire that Sasuke’s lacked. Sasuke felt pain that they were so different; they had almost really been friends. All that had gone to shit a long time ago. He did wish everything could have been different, but he had no desire to be friends with him now.

Shizune took that moment to attack. She was like a tiger with her claws out. It was useless though, Sasuke swatted at her with the hand of Susanoo, not even raising one of his own fingers to stop her.

“You bastard, you ra—” Sasuke cut her off with Chidori senbon, paralyzing her vocal cords and her legs. He recognized more than wanting to avenge her master; he’d suspected it before, but he was certain now: Shizune loved Kakashi. Sasuke wasn’t jealous though; Kakashi was with him and had already declared his love and loyalty. That thought made him smirk. He killed it before he spoke again.

“Some things shouldn’t be spoken of,” Sasuke said. “Think of your precious Kakashi.”

She glared at him from the floor then lowered her head. It would shame Kakashi if anyone else knew what was going on. And she realized that Sasuke knew she had feelings for Kakashi. She had to tread carefully now with the possessive Uchiha.

“And maybe Kakashi doesn’t want to come back. Maybe he’s given up so much for an ungrateful village that he’d go elsewhere if I released him. Like our masters.” Sasuke was referring to himself, Naruto, and Shizune. “Maybe I’m not the only one tired of . . . everything.”

Shizune tried to speak, but she couldn’t articulate. Naruto did that for her.

“If he is, then you did that to him.”

“Perhaps. But you feel it too, don’t you Naruto. You may have been asleep for months, years—I’m not sure how long it’s been; time has no meaning down here. But you feel tired too, don’t you? Isn’t loyalty to anything coming harder to you? Faith? Trust? As Hokage, you’ll have to deal with a devil; if not me, someone. Sakura must feel it too. How many are still so idealistic in Konoha anymore? Now everyone knows that their village turned against one of its own clans over a suspicion. A suspicion!” Sasuke’s angry and indignation suddenly flared at the thought. He knew his family was innocent and they had died for nothing. He calmed, but he was still angry. “The Uchiha and Senju were oil and water from the start. Konoha was a bad idea. Madara was right when he opposed the peace between our clans. You never trusted us.”

Sasuke sighed, repressing his anger. “Kakashi stays. Come for me, Naruto, when you’re ready. Defeat me and Kakashi will be free. And so will Konoha and the rest of the Shinobi world. Until then, leave me the fuck alone.”

Sasuke returned the three of them to Konoha. He felt brought down by his own words. He really had no faith left. Not even in himself. Not even in Kakashi. Kakashi could soon choose to betray him. But that was something he was willing to accept. He’d expected a kunai in the back since the first time he let himself fall asleep in Kakashi’s presence. He was still waiting for it. He’d become enamored with the idea of looking up into Kakashi’s eyes as he died by his hand. It’s how he wanted to go.

-----

Shizune was able to treat herself in the Hokage’s office, trying to bring her legs and throat back in working order, refusing help to take her to the hospital. Naruto and Yamato stood by waiting, waiting to ask her what she was going to say Sasuke had done to Kakashi. She worked on her legs more than her throat.

“That surprised me actually,” Yamato said. “He seems so tired. Kakashi’s revealed a little, but I didn’t expect to see him worn down. And he’s practically asking you to kill him.”

“Maybe that is what he wants,” Naruto said. “Maybe he’s realized how wrong he’s been but can’t find any other way to make amends. I don’t want to kill my best friend, but he’s not going to leave me any other choice.”

“Kakashi does seem to sympathize with him; he’s mentioned how tired and lonely Sasuke is. What did he mean when he said he didn’t kill you because of what the Kyuubi said?”

“Kurama warned him not to kill me. He said that if Sasuke killed me, Sasuke would live to regret it.”

Shizune tried her voice and it mostly worked. Naruto pounced. “What did Sasuke do?”

Shizune pulled her legs under her as she sat on the floor, hesitant to speak. “He r’p’d ‘m.” Her voice wavered, but they understood what she’d whispered.

“No.” Naruto couldn’t believe his friend was capable of that. He accepted everything else Sasuke had done, but not rape their sensei. “No. Sasuke couldn’t.”

“Sas’ke ‘s tort’ring ‘m.”

Yamato looked away. “That makes a lot of sense.” Naruto looked at him, horrified. Yamato wouldn’t meet his eyes. “His demeanor, Pakkun’s attitude recently . . . everything.”

“You don’t trust Kakashi?”

“No. I think Sasuke’s broken him. You heard him, he called Kakashi ‘whipped,’ said Kakashi was his. We’ll leave him for now.” Yamato felt the glare, but wouldn’t look him in the eye. “Believe me, he was a friend, I want to trust him and bring him home, but I can’t. Sasuke is our priority.” Yamato went to his room, leaving the other two in his office.

“Bring ‘im ‘ome,” Shizune struggled to say to Naruto.

Naruto nodded and help her up and walked her home.

-----

Sasuke was still depressed, but he felt a little better; he really did get an obscene enjoyment from rubbing people noses in Konoha’s sins. He may come off as self-righteous at times, but it didn’t bother him; self-righteousness was his right after what he’d been through. He knew he was right; his actions weren’t completely justifiable, but he knew the truth about noble Konoha.

He found Kakashi in the shower. He walked right in without disrobing, turned Kakashi around, and began kissing him. Kakashi had just begun and the musk of working out still hung on him. Sasuke took his lips away to breathe in Kakashi’s scent before the water could erase it. Anyone else and Sasuke would have been disgusted, but Kakashi’s scent . . it made him feel oddly safe. He remembered it from missions when he was thirteen and when they trained together. It rivaled the smells of home and family which had begun to fade in his memory. The only scent that could comfort him more would be his brother’s.

Kakashi pulled at Sasuke’s clothes, the operation being made more difficult by the fact they were soaking wet. Sasuke stopped him before he got too far.

“Just suck me off,” Sasuke said.

So we’re back to commanding Sasuke, Kakashi thought.

Kakashi got on his knees and fished through the wet fabric to find Sasuke’s cock. Once he found it, he took it into his mouth and looked up at his mostly clothed lover. He did sort of miss those dispassionate, dominating, belittling eyes. They weren’t quite back, but they were familiar.

Sasuke looked down at him and remembered the first blow job he’d gotten from his sensei. Kakashi had learned a lot of technique and developed a level of zeal for it since then. Kakashi added his hand to the mix, mostly just to get off the hard floor sooner.

Sasuke fisted Kakashi’s hair. He had to look away from Kakashi’s adoring eyes. Kakashi really did love him. Sasuke still felt the need to oppress him and dominate him, but it was hard when Kakashi looked at him like that.

“Shower sex is totally overrated,” Sasuke said as he pulled Kakashi’s head away from his groin. “Get cleaned up and dried.”

Sasuke stripped off his wet clothes and threw them in the corner to deal with later and dried himself off, vigorously toweling his hair. Kakashi finished his shower as quickly as possible and joined Sasuke on the bed. Sasuke pushed him onto his stomach and stuck two lubed fingers inside him. He got his taste for dominating back rather quickly.

He loved being fucked, but this was something he could rarely do years before. There were times when he wasn’t fucking Kakashi, he was fucking and dominating Orochimaru. Sometimes when he was harshest to Kakashi, he was really dominating Orochimaru. But right now, it was Kakashi.

Claiming Kakashi, telling those three that he owned him, had given him a thrill. It was sometimes hard to remember that he owned Kakashi when he was enjoying being fucked by him. Even he realized he was a controlling, possessive bastard. In reality, he controlled the shinobi world, he kept them from another war he knew was coming, he kept them on a leash, he gave them orders, could demand anything he wanted, but his most precious possession was his former sensei. It was about ownership, it was about punishment, it was about humiliation, but he also didn’t want anyone else in his bed.

For a moment, Sasuke rested his cheek against Kakashi’s back and let himself enjoy being so close to him. I’m so starved for human contact that just this feels good, Sasuke thought. He straightened up a bit and trailed his lips down the side of Kakashi’s back. “Tell me what you want.” His lips fluttered his skin and his breath feathered against it.

“Please fuck me, Sasuke.” Sasuke never got tired of that.

He moved his lips to Kakashi’s lower back, just where the valley of his ass began, and kissed it and tongued it. He could feel Kakashi tense with pleasure. Gentle short laps of his tongue and caresses with his lips made Kakashi’s skin pucker.

Kakashi moaned. Sasuke’s fingers were still moving around inside him while he tried to French kiss his tail bone. “Please, Sasuke.”

Sasuke couldn’t help it; hearing Kakashi sound so desperate, he had to torture him. With a final wet kiss to the end of his spine and a caress to the hollow of his hip, Sasuke took his fingers away and turned Kakashi onto his back.

Sasuke kissed the skin next to the base of Kakashi’s hard cock then lightly ran his lips up his length. He went back down and moved to kiss his scrotum. He open mouthed kissed the underside. Kakashi’s head rolled in pleasure.

“Sasuke,” Kakashi sighed. Now that Kakashi had given in to Sasuke and his feelings for Sasuke, he felt little shame and could sigh his lover’s name with abandon.

Sasuke used both sides of his tongue on the underside of Kakashi’s cock, the rough upper and smooth underside. Sasuke pulled away and saw a pearl of precum on the tip of Kakashi’s cock. Sasuke lapped it up, sending a shiver up through Kakashi’s body.

Sasuke practically dove onto that hard cock, letting it slip straight down his throat, taking it all in one go. Kakashi repeated Sasuke’s name. Sasuke sucked and bobbed his head up and down the hard length. He considered fellatio a form of dominance as powerful as a flogging.

Sasuke was skilled, no doubt about it. Kakashi was ready to shoot, but Sasuke stopped, sliding his mouth off the aching organ, sliding his rough tongue against the sensitive underside, leaving it soaking wet with his saliva. Kakashi’s eye had been shut, but now he looked down at Sasuke with a pleading gray eye. Sasuke’s eyes were cold, but his swollen, red lips were twisted with amusement. Kakashi’s heart skipped a beat. He was at Sasuke’s mercy. As much as he loved and trusted Sasuke, it was still a frightening prospect. An arousing prospect.

Sasuke bent over him and sucked on a nipple while he played with the other with his slick fingers. The best part for Kakashi was that his cock was rubbing against Sasuke’s hard abs. Kakashi bucked his hips up against Sasuke’s body as he teased his nipples, painting Sasuke’s stomach with precum.

The fingers teasing his nipple went up to his neck and lightly teased his skin. Kakashi sighed his name again. It felt so fucking good. Sasuke knew exactly where he was the most sensitive. Kakashi grabbed the sheets is desperation.

“Sasuke, please.” It was a slow plea.

Sasuke pushed himself up and looked down into Kakashi’s hooded eye. The eye patch was absent, but his Sharingan was closed.

Those empty eyes. They belied the way Sasuke touched him. Even though Sasuke was supposed to be the one calling the shots, Kakashi suddenly grabbed Sasuke’s head and pulled him down into a deep kiss. He loved him so much, he needed to show it more ways than just submitting to him.

Sasuke got into it and moved his legs to make the kiss more comfortable. Frankly, he hated it with Orochimaru and even more with Kabuto. He really never saw the appeal of kissing, but Kakashi changed that. The sensation of Kakashi’s tongue exploring the ridges of the roof of his mouth was fantastic.

Sasuke pulled away first, having to force his head out of Kakashi’s grip. There was finally some life in those black eyes.

“I thought you were desperate to be fucked,” Sasuke smirked.

“Nothing was stopping you from doing it during the kiss.”

Sasuke huffed and attacked Kakashi’s neck, biting and sucking with a vengeance. Remembering earlier, he went about marking his lover with zeal. He sort of wished there was someone to see it; he wanted to show off that sign of ownership with pride. He owned his sensei, he owned a former Hokage, he owned one of the deadliest shinobi in history. He was getting more aroused.

Kakashi groaned beneath him and tried to press his cock against Sasuke’s body, but Sasuke was pushing Kakashi down and keeping his own hips up. Sasuke switched to sucking on his earlobe and succeeded in turning Kakashi on even more by panting right into Kakashi’s ear.

“Fuck, Sasuke, please,” Kakashi sighed. He was back to begging.

Sasuke was in a bad way himself and decided to have mercy on his long suffering lover. With a final toothy pull at Kakashi’s earlobe, Sasuke sat back and motioned for Kakashi to get back on his knees.

Even after the loving kiss, Sasuke didn’t abandon his intentions of dominating and slightly humiliating Kakashi. He spread Kakashi’s cheeks and spit on Kakashi’s waiting entrance—unnecessary since he already fingered him with lubed fingers. With a pointed tongue, Sasuke moved the saliva around over his hole. He tongued the exterior until it was opening, silently begging to be filled.

“Ever think there would be a day I would actually be kissing your ass?” Sasuke mused before planting a kiss on the puckered ring.

That question didn’t need an answer so Kakashi just lowered his blushing face to the pillow.

Kakashi’s knees were already spread wide to lower his body for Sasuke, knowing that despite Sasuke’s long thighs, he was still too short to fuck him if his knees were directly under him. Sasuke came up and pressed his aching erection into Kakashi’s body.

Hot, hard flesh spreading his body open always felt great. Well, after the first few times. But he was so ready for it right now that it couldn’t hurt. He felt full and complete when Sasuke bottomed out. He groaned out Sasuke’s name. He pressed back against him. He wanted Sasuke deep inside him. He didn’t just want the pleasure, he wanted Sasuke close. He wanted Sasuke to lay his weight on top of him and wrap his arms around him. He wanted Sasuke. He was actually aching for Sasuke.

Sasuke held his hips and thrust into him leisurely. He was in pain from denied release, but he wanted to drag this out a little longer. Kakashi pushed his back up, inviting Sasuke to touch him. Sasuke dragged a hand down it and Kakashi looked like a stroked cat, trying to press up into his touch. The need peeling off him softened Sasuke. He stroked Kakashi’s back again. He then leaned down to lay on him. He went from thrusting his hips to rolling them. He pressed his hands to Kakashi’s sternum and abdomen. He rubbed his cheek against his back.

“Tell me that I own you,” Sasuke muttered.

“I belong only to you, Sasuke.”

“Tell me again.”

“I’m yours. Only yours. I’ll stay with you forever.”

Sasuke stilled. “No you won’t,” Sasuke whispered. “When I give you the option, you’ll leave.”

“Never. My body, my soul, my love, and my loyalty are all yours. I’ll never leave. I’m yours. You own me.”

“Hmmm.” Sasuke went back to rolling his hips. He mentally shook off his misgivings. He would believe Kakashi; there was no reason not to since he was resolved to keep exposing his back to Kakashi until Kakashi finally took the shot. As long as it was a quick death; Kakashi would give him that at least. Either that or he would just leave. Leave him to be utterly alone again.

With that Sasuke admitted how much he needed this, how much he needed Kakashi. He admitted to himself just how lonely he always was. If Itachi just hadn’t abandoned him.

Sasuke peeled himself away and went back to fucking Kakashi properly. Kakashi let the pleasure wipe the conversation out of his mind for the time being.

Sasuke continued to rock into Kakashi’s body, striking his prostate with purpose. Hearing Kakashi moan and grunt in response to his movements was a wonderful thing. Kakashi had been so close before Sasuke entered him, that it didn’t take five minutes before he had a powerful orgasm accompanied by a strangled cry of pleasure and relief.

Sasuke was half a dozen thrusts behind him. He held onto his voice as he unloaded into Kakashi’s spent body, only letting out a low groan. He fell forward and grabbed Kakashi’s shoulders, pulling himself deeper inside him, his hips jerking a little as he released several ropes into him. He paused a moment still inside Kakashi before he let himself fall next to him and Kakashi laid himself out more comfortably on his stomach.

“Why do you think I’ll leave you?” Kakashi asked once he recovered his breath.

“You never wanted to be here.”

“I do now. I love you.”

Sasuke’s lips parted, but he didn’t say anything. The moment his lips opened, Kakashi’s heart felt like it beat three times as hard as normal; he was certain Sasuke was finally going to confess that he loved him back, but no words came out. Kakashi was so certain Sasuke loved him, but he needed to hear it; he feared he never would. Was Sasuke right? Would he get sick of never hearing it even if he knew it and finally leave once given the option? Maybe. But he had absolutely no where else to go.

“I’m staying until you kick me out and then you’ll have to do more than just order me to leave.” Kakashi took a deep breath. “We had visitors. Even among these walls, I could sense that chakra, very powerful. I’m guessing it was several visitors.”

“You knew I brought people here and yet you stayed away.”

“I know better.”

“Even if they were here to rescue you?”

“Is that what you’re on about? Someone from Konoha was here and wanted me back and you think I’d go?”

“They brought it to mind.”

Kakashi laughed and turned onto his back. “I don’t know how much clearer I could be. I have no intention of leaving you. I don’t want to go back to Konoha. I wasn’t happy there since the war—”

“You aren’t happy here.”

“Too bored. I’m glad you’re sending me out on missions, but other than that, reading, spending time with my ninken, working out, sparring with you, and sex with you, I have nothing to do. And the chores. A bit dull, but better than that office.”

“I thought you had lots of hobbies.”

Kakashi huffed. “I lied. You were thirteen and I had no interest of developing much of a connection with any of you. Reading and training my ninken are my only hobbies.”

“What the hell do you find so enthralling about those damn novels?”

“Have you read them?”

“I don’t read fiction.”

“It’s diverting. Minato-sensei recommended I read Jiraiya’s work, his first novel, Tale of the Gutsy Ninja. Minato loved the main character so much that he told me he was naming his child after him if it was a boy. Naruto. I actually enjoyed it, so I read his other works and enjoyed them more. I was a hormonal fourteen year old boy. And before you came back, I was perfectly straight.”

Sasuke smiled with mirth. “Now I have you begging for it.”

“Hmmm,” Kakashi agreed.

“Wondering in the woods, training, developing new jutsu, and mediation are my hobbies.”

“Not to mention conducting secret experiments.”

“Not a hobby. Finished anyway. More refinement and implantation than experimentation. Maybe we both need new hobbies. Soon there won’t be any missions.”

Sasuke got up to clean up and redress.

Dressed in fresh clothes, clean and dry, Sasuke sat on the bed considering what he should do. Kakashi crawled up behind him, still nude, and put his arms around him and pressed his head against Sasuke’s. It felt good just to hold him like this.

“If you wanted to get revenge on Konoha, what would you do?” Sasuke asked.

“Probably destroy the Hokage monument. I’d start with my own face up there.”

“That would damage my brother’s memorial.”

“Assassinate the Hokage.”

“Easily replaced.”

“I’m not good at revenge. Not my thing. I thought you had a plan. You’re the last person I would think would be trying to get advice about revenge.”

“I could just slaughter all the first born sons of Konoha.”

“Too much work.”

“Assassinate all their best shinobi.”

“Naruto, Yamato, Shikamaru, Neji, the entire Hyuuga clan; tall order.”

“That’s an idea: slaughter just one clan like they did mine.”

Kakashi had taken this whole conversation lightly until now. “Please don’t do that.”

Sasuke sighed. “I’ve been hanging around you too much; I’m getting lazy. I lied to you. I was going to raze Konoha. I let you build them back up and I was going to tear it all down again. But I decided against it. Now I don’t know what I should do. All that work and one of my objectives just doesn’t seem worth it anymore.”

“Let’s just leave, Sasuke. Let’s run away, far away from all this. There’s no need to do any more. I love you, let’s just go away.” He kissed Sasuke’s neck.

“No, I need to punish them one more time.” Sasuke went silent; Kakashi let him consider. “Do you think . . .”

“No. No matter what you do, the pain in your heart will never go away. You could kill them all and burn the village to the ground, but it won’t change. I lost my parents, my sensei, my friends, and I still feel it. I even killed a few of those responsible, but it never lessened the pain; it just feels good for a short time.”

“That wasn’t what I was going to ask.”

“Apologies. What were you going to ask?”

“Do you think Naruto will really try to kill me this time?”

Kakashi knew that wasn’t what he was going to say. “Yes. I don’t want you to fight Naruto again. I don’t want to see either of you injured. I don’t want you in danger like that again.”

“When it happens, you will stay out of it.”

Kakashi hesitated. “I can’t promise anything.”

“Hn. I’m going to the throne room to meditate. Don’t disturb me.” He pulled out of Kakashi’s arms and left him alone.

Kakashi sighed. At least Sasuke changed his mind about destroying the village. He sat back and had to smile; Sasuke didn’t want him to leave, he was afraid he would. And he would eventually give him the option. The bastard did love him. Or he was lonely and would miss him. Either way, Kakashi didn’t plan on even leaving. This place had become home more than the Hokage tower had. But just as he was overworked there, he was bored here. No mission today. Kakashi would lounge about.

But first, change the sheets and clean the cum and lube from his body. The saliva, he didn’t mind too much.

-----

Naruto couldn’t look at Sakura. She had been all but married to Kakashi and she didn’t know. He couldn’t even imagine it. Not only did he trust Shizune, but Sasuke had silenced her before she could say it in his presence. It had to be true. How far had Sasuke really sunk? And Kakashi? Was he really that broken to let that happen to himself?

Sasuke’s words had really affected him. He wanted to run away. Had the village really been unaware and ungrateful for what Kakashi went through for them? Everything he’d heard had been that Kakashi had been suffering as Hokage; Yamato had a free ride in comparison. Naruto regretted his cold thoughts about Kakashi a few days ago. He had to rescue his sensei.

Naruto hugged his knees in his new apartment. He’d had so little time between the destruction of Konoha and going after Sasuke then running off to train with Killer Bee that he never got a new apartment or was able to rummage for his belongings. Someone had tried to recover his things for him and they were here in this newly built apartment.

Naruto looked out the window. He was in the eighth floor, higher than his last place and a great view. When he last saw it, the village was mostly bare wood, much of it put up in a hurry to shelter the civilians. The shinobi at that time had just gathered in large barracks. Now, the village was clean, painted wood, stone, and even metal. It was truly beautiful, much prettier than it had been before Pein’s attack. Kakashi had done a good job. Naruto doubted he would have known what to do as Hokage. Kakashi did a wonderful job.

“What about it, Kurama? Should I . . . kill Sasuke?”

All Uchiha are the same. They hold their personal honor and the honor of their clan above all else. They also just naturally have sinister presences. The fox chuckled. I should talk. He reminds me a lot of Madara. It was all because of his brother too. One lesson no one seems to have learned is: don’t fuck with an Uchiha’s family, especially a brother.

Sasuke is an imperious bastard and he’s not much of a liar, but he’ll distort the truth for his purposes. Fighting him is the only way to free your sensei. But if he truly is the Uchiha’s mate, you will have to kill him. Uchiha are possessive bastards. A mate is family and the Uchiha defend family.

“Don’t call him a ‘mate;’ it’s creeping me out.”

Yes, you’ll have to kill the Uchiha.

“What about what he said? You told him he’d regret it if he killed me; will I regret it if I kill him?”

Of course you’ll regret it. But there isn’t a demon within him just waiting to get out and rip your lungs out. Nothing would make me happier than bathing my claws and my fangs in Uchiha blood. I want to see that Sharingan filled with fear. Kurama was growling sinisterly with the pleasure of the thought. The sadistic pleasure leaked to Naruto and Naruto shuttered.

“When we fight, can I turn it all over to you? Can I trust you?”

You give me Uchiha blood and I’ll be a good little pup.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to kill him.”

If I do it, your conscience will be clear.

“Yeah.” Naruto didn’t sound convinced.

-----

Sasuke sent Kakashi off on a scouting mission. He was ordered to keep his hair covered and prevent anyone from identifying him, not even a bird.

Before he left, Sasuke put a strange arm band against his skin.

“Don’t take it off at all,” Sasuke said. “When you come home, whether you walk or summon yourself, take it off once you’re in these walls.”

“Understood.”

Out in the woods, he found absolutely no human activity. Kakashi took his time and made sure. He was certainly the best shinobi in the world to send out for this kind of mission; he was an expert tracker. However, he was under orders not to allow even birds to know who he was so that meant none of his nin-ken could help.

He realized he was near that wild orchard of cherry trees and the waterfall. Sasuke must want his favorite outdoor nap locale back.

Kakashi made sure he was completely alone and under cover then summoned himself home.

Sasuke was asleep. Kakashi landed just shy of the edge of the bed, about three feet from Sasuke—who was luckily sleeping on his side. It was an amusing thought to drop out of the air over Sasuke and crush him. That was probably one of the reasons he didn’t want Kakashi using that little feature too often. The overhead light was off, the bathroom light was on, but the door was only open a crack for the smallest amount of light. Sasuke actually looked sweet with his mouth open while he slept.

Kakashi stripped, taking the arm band off and placing it on the nightstand, and took a shower. Three days in the forest without taking off a scrap of clothing and he was about smelling his worst. He’d rubbed his hair with natural darkeners to help hide his identity in case some of his hair peaked out. His hair would probably be a light shade of brown for a week or longer. He might do something to bleach it back to normal. He shampooed a third time before getting out and drying off.

Sasuke hadn’t moved. He was near the center of the bed, so Kakashi carefully slid in behind him and molded his body to Sasuke’s and put and arm over him. Sasuke snuggled his head into the pillow, but otherwise didn’t stir.

“I love you too,” Kakashi whispered in response to Sasuke’s trust in his presence. And Kakashi dropped off to sleep.

Sasuke decided to wake him up with the pillow. He’d just woken up himself and was still sitting next to him in bed.

“Report.”

Not so sweet after all. Kakashi sat up and rubbed at his eye, hardly aware he’d slept at all. “No activity of any kind in the area. I wasn’t seen by any human. There’s nothing out there. I made doubly sure there were no traces of human activity.”

“Good.” Sasuke grabbed Kakashi’s off-colored hair. “I like it better white. Put some bleaching agent in your shampoo.”

Kakashi smiled. “Judging from the paler patches on your hands, you have some.”

Sasuke’s cheek twitched. “Those would dissolve your hair.” He looked tired, but started getting out of bed.

Kakashi put his arm around him and kissed his neck then his shoulder blade then his spine.

“You’re the king of the shinobi world; can’t you stay in bed with your lover as long as you want? We don’t even have to have sex if you don’t want it.”

“I’m male; of course I want sex.”

Kakashi kept kissing his back. Sasuke repressed a sigh of Kakashi’s name. Sasuke lay on his back, cutting off Kakashi’s affectionate display.

“Make love to me, Sasuke,” Kakashi said as he moved over him and starting sucking at his left nipple.

“You’re finally begging for it. You used to hate having sex with me. Is this still feeding your self-loathing?”

Kakashi paused in his devotions to say, “I’m mostly over that.”

“Mostly.”

Kakashi didn’t raise his head, letting his lips flutter over his skin and looked up into Sasuke’s black eyes. “I’ve given into my feelings for you. I want to be here now.”

“When I dominate you and look at you like you are nothing, that’s when I feed your self-loathing, isn’t it? I can see it in your eyes. Do you know how hard you get? Yeah, I’ve noticed. When I’m looking through you and see Orochimaru, that’s when it’s worse for you, isn’t it?”

Kakashi raised his head this time. “You see Orochimaru?”

“Not so much anymore. I did every once in a while. It’s mostly you.”

“Do you still hate me?”

“Do you still hate me?”

“No.”

That made Sasuke’s face go slack; he didn’t expect that.

“Do you still hate me?” Kakashi asked again.

“Does it matter to you?”

“Of course it does. Does it matter to you what I feel for you?”

“Not really.” That made Kakashi’s face fall. “I’m just going to trust you nevertheless.”

“You’re not afraid to fall asleep next to someone who hates you?” Kakashi asked.

“If he doesn’t act on it, no. Let’s stop this. I trust you and that’s all that you should need from me. Now fuck me.”

“I asked you to fuck me.”

“But I don’t want to. I’m the master here.”

“Yes, sir.”

But Kakashi didn’t reach for the lube. Rather, he leaned down to suckle on Sasuke’s neck, kissing it and pulling at the skin with his lips and teeth, lapping at it, finding the spot that made Sasuke thoroughly relax and lull his head completely to the side. He reached for Sasuke’s cock and gently fisted it, making him harder. He played his fingers on the underside of Sasuke’s length and his balls. The precum leaking from his cock started making Kakashi’s hand tacky and less comfortable.

Kakashi applied the cold lube to his cock. He was afraid he wouldn’t last long since he’d been away for a while without being able to even jack off. He used his slicked hand to tease Sasuke’s ass.

Sasuke didn’t move or respond in anyway, just lay there and let Kakashi pleasure him. The benefit of a sleepy Sasuke. He wasn’t submissive as much as he was lazy as hell. Kakashi wouldn’t put it past Sasuke to fall asleep, especially if he didn’t press his cock inside Sasuke now.

Kakashi eased into that delicious warmth and Sasuke tightened around him, not out of pain, but to give himself pleasure. Despite that little bit of movement, it felt like Kakashi was fucking a doll or a corpse. Kakashi decided to do something about that.

Kakashi aimed straight for Sasuke’s prostate.

“Ughhhaa,” Sasuke let out.

Kakashi smirked. Play possum on me . . . He bombarded Sasuke’s prostate again and again. Sasuke couldn’t stay quiet. Then, quite unexpectedly, Sasuke cam. Bastard was faking his disinterest.

“Haven’t cum recently?”

Sasuke moaned. “What? Did you?”

“I’m just glad you blew before I did. Too sensitive to continue?”

“Go ahead. I want you to make me cum again.”

“Glad to oblige.”

Knowing he was expected to perform for a while, Kakashi slowed his thrusts and took a little more time looking at and feeling Sasuke’s body. Three days shouldn’t have left them both longing for each other like this, but it felt like three weeks.

Kakashi couldn’t quite last long enough; he cam inside Sasuke before Sasuke was ready to do the same. Kakashi hoped Sasuke would move to mount him, but Sasuke just looked up at him expectantly. Kakashi used his mouth, scrapping Sasuke’s cock with his tightened lips, let the head batter the back of his throat, and undulated his tongue against the underside of the hot, thick cock he’d come to appreciate. When Sasuke cam, Kakashi sucked on the head and lapped at the slit even as cum forced its way past his tongue.

He let Sasuke’s cock shrink out of his mouth and then laid his head on his lap, his cheek against his cock. He petted Sasuke’s thigh for a few minutes.

Sasuke sat up a little and tapped Kakashi’s head. Kakashi sat up and let Sasuke leave the bed. Kakashi climbed back up the pillows. Sasuke finished dressing and looked over at his lover; his eyes were sad. Sasuke turned off the lights, plunging the room into complete darkness and left him to finish sleeping.

Kakashi lay back down, curled up under the covers, and sighed. Sasuke may have cracked a fraction of smile, but he was still depressed. Kakashi wished there was something he could do, but he was still just a bed warmer and errand boy.

-----

Naruto was distracted and stared out the window. He was drawn to memories of the good times they had when they were members of Team Seven. Sasuke rarely laughed or smiled, but Naruto knew he had fun sometimes. Why did everything have to change? It was seeing Itachi in that hotel. He remembered hearing Sasuke’s wrist snap and that look on Sasuke’s face. Naruto wanted to hate Itachi for that, but he couldn’t, not knowing what Itachi had endured most of his life. But it was because of him that Naruto lost Sasuke. In protecting the village, Itachi managed to harm it in more ways than physically.

Everyone else in the room debated ways to fight Sasuke. Naruto’s heart wasn’t in it and he didn’t listen. Their biggest concern was protecting Naruto from genjutsu. Unfortunately, Naruto really had no defense and Sasuke had already showed that he had genjutsu that none of them could break.

“Sasuke won’t use genjutsu,” Naruto suddenly said. Even he was a little surprised he said anything.

“What?” Yamato asked.

Naruto turned his head to face the room. “Sasuke won’t use genjutsu on me again. He wants to fight. He once told me that two powerful shinobi can read each other’s hearts when they fight. We did that before. He even said that he put me under a genjutsu to get me out of the way. He didn’t want to fight then, he just wanted me out of the way. He wants to fight this time. It’ll be a straight battle. We don’t have to worry about genjutsu.”

Naruto turned back to the window. The others debated whether or not he was right. Naruto started to think about Kakashi. Kakashi knew Sasuke best, maybe he always did, having a lot in common. And now they lived together. Naruto’s skin crawled at the thought of what might be going on there. If only he could speak with Kakashi.

-----

Nine days later, Kakashi was leaping through the trees, enjoying the exertion, the feel of the wind, and the smells of the damp forest after a rain storm. He was skirting the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Tea, keeping to the Tea side. He was to join a protection detail for a few days as the leader of the Land of Tea traveled through a bandit prone area to meet with the leader of the Land of Snow.

With the undisguised lust to conquer these smaller countries growing as all the nations knew Naruto was getting stronger, the smaller countries grew more nervous. They also feared the Five Nations were beginning to realize that they had some kind of relationship with Sasuke and see them on his side, thus putting them in further danger. No one knew if Sasuke would be their ally if war broke out or if Sasuke would expect their allegiance, but he was as good as an army and they felt it was best to take their chances and side with him, ask and accept his help.

As a former Hokage, Kakashi knew most of this, the rest he learned since he’d thrown in his lot with Sasuke. Getting to know these smaller nations made him want to side with them so he happily helped.

He wasn’t expected for another day, but he enjoyed running. He’d had his ninken with him until a few miles back and now he relished the solitude of running through the forest.

That is until he felt a powerful chakra move toward him. He stopped on a broad tree branch and armed himself, always ready to summon himself to Sasuke in case it was more trouble than he could handle. But he let his guard drop just a little when he recognized that warmth. Naruto. He waited for his former student to join him.

Naruto had adopted that white cloak that reminded Kakashi so much of Minato. He felt a pang of grief. If only Minato had lived.

“Used the birds to find me?” Kakashi asked.

“How did you know?”

“I’d been warned about that, but it’s not a thing I can guard against. Are you here for me?”

“Yes.”

“Then it must be important. It must take an awful amount of effort to track me.”

“It does. I just had to talk to you.”

“Before you attack Sasuke, you mean. I can tell you nothing, except he’s waiting for this fight. He spars with me, he hunts down bandits; he’s not grown rusty. I don’t want you two to fight, but it’s inevitable.”

“Don’t you want to be rid of him?”

Kakashi leaned back against the trunk. “I used to. You see, I lost all purpose a long time ago. Yes, I had the job of Hokage, but that was a burden I never wanted. I never felt so trapped; I felt like I was suffocating. And that was true for a while with Sasuke too. Our relationship has changed. We’ve grown used to each other and he trusts me enough now to leave. I’ve accepted my lot.

“But that’s not the reason I don’t want you two to fight. I don’t want to see either of you hurt. You’re still my students; seeing you fight kills me.

“I knew as soon as he was given to me as a student that one day I would lose Sasuke. Sasuke could never be persuaded to abandon revenge. I would lose him to Itachi or to emptiness if he killed his brother. You don’t know how I feared that. That he would win. I almost hoped they would kill each other. Sasuke would be a hallow shell without purpose once Itachi was dead. There’s some of that to him now. But it ended up I would be the one to suffer that fate, not him.

“I feel responsible for Sasuke. I’m not saying I’m happy with Sasuke, but, Naruto, I don’t want to go back to Konoha. There’s nothing left for me there except painful memories.”

“You’re wrong, Kakashi.”

“You mean Sakura? That was a mistake. I only wanted the best for her and I . . . I knew it was not the solution to her pain. I am sorry. She deserved so much better.”

“But she loves you.”

“I was always a replacement for you and Sasuke. She has you now. She never should have given her heart to someone so much older than her. I know why she did it, but someone her own age would have been better. Tell her, I’m not coming back and I can’t be a good husband for her.”

“If you don’t want to come home, what will you do when . . .” Naruto didn’t want to talk about Sasuke’s possible impending death, especially with their sensei.

“Retire out here, to one of the smaller countries. When the war comes, I’ll probably just lay low. I don’t want to fight another war; I’ve lived through enough.”

“What war?”

“The moment Sasuke’s gone the Five Nations will try to absorb the smaller ones. Konoha and Suna are still close; Konoha will probably let Suna have the Land of Rivers, but the others will go to war; they all need resources. Sasuke’s keeping everyone in line right now out of fear.”

Kakashi sighed. “If you wanted intelligence on Sasuke, I can’t help you.”

“Does he want me to kill him?”

Kakashi looked Naruto straight in the eye for a long moment. “I honestly don’t know. I don’t think his intention is to die. He has made me wonder though. There’s so much finality whenever he mentions fighting you. Whatever he plans, I don’t think killing you is part of it. But it will be final as to something. He’s waiting for you, something is hinging on you coming to him. I can assure you of one thing, he has no interest in Kyuubi; I destroyed that statue myself on his orders. That’s really all I can say. And the same thing I’ve said before: you cannot save him. He’s chosen his path and he cannot be forgiven or taken back. You must fight him with the intention to kill. That’s all I have to say about Sasuke.”

Kakashi stared down to the side. “I am sorry, Naruto. I could have prevented all of this. I knew he needed to be saved long before you realized it. The very next day after his clan was killed. When I became his sensei, I knew it was my duty to save him. But I didn’t. All of this could have been avoided. I’m to blame for all of it. Even if they don’t know for what, just tell Tenzou, Sakura, and anyone else that I’m sorry. I failed Sasuke, Itachi, Sandamie, myself, Konoha, the entire shinobi world. I thought I had more time. I could have saved Sasuke. It was never your job to do it; it was mine. I’ve paid the price for my failure. I am sorry.”

Naruto didn’t know how to respond to that.

Kakashi straightened and looked at Naruto again. “You’re looking so like your father. He would be proud. You’re in enemy territory; you should get out of here. I’ve got a mission to complete. I’m proud of you too,” Kakashi added before he leapt away.

The door was shut; he was never returning to Konoha. Naruto was left unsure about everything. His attacking Sasuke might lead to war. That was something he didn’t want, but he felt he had to confront Sasuke once and for all. But maybe it was best to stand down. Things weren’t really bad under Sasuke and Kakashi didn’t want to be rescued. After Sasuke, he knew it was useless to try and save someone who didn’t want to be saved.

-----

Kakashi came back after the mission and reported his conversation with Naruto to Sasuke in the throne room. Sasuke was unhappy that Konoha was still making use of Juugo, but nothing else about it seemed to disturb him.

“Do you want Naruto to kill you?” Kakashi asked.

“No. I’m not so arrogant to say again he won’t be able to put a mark on my forehead, but he won’t come close to killing me. I have a plan. Don’t worry about our fight; it has nothing to do with you.”

“I think it does.”

Sasuke shrugged. His eyes grew darker. Kakashi was sure Sasuke was thinking about that fight next to that waterfall and what came after it: three years with Orochimaru.

He didn’t seem human at times with those dead eyes. But they were the same as when he was a kid. Having known Uchiha Obito, Kakashi had gone to the funeral held for the entre clan after Itachi massacred them. He knew the only reason Sasuke attended was his Uchiha pride; there was no way the last Uchiha was going to hide and cry while his clan was honored. His eyes were dead that day too. And so many times in the months he trained him Sasuke’s eyes would empty of all emotion.

He knew now that the deadness of those soulless black eyes was just a barrier. Sasuke had become very good at hiding the fact he even possessed an emotion beside anger. Kakashi wanted to destroy those barriers and love the real Sasuke he tried so hard to hide. It hurt Kakashi to see the shell of the boy he loved. But he knew he was still in there.

“Get cleaned up.” Sasuke’s voice rocked Kakashi out of his reverie.

Kakashi was glad to shower and took his time under the hot water. His hair was finally returning to its normal white, but he washed it vigorously to quicken it back to normal.

When he was finished, Kakashi changed into warm civvies and sought out the kitchen. The underground corridors were particularly chilly. He actually wished for one of the Uchiha cats to cuddle next to him for warmth. His dogs would only do so much; they would sleep next to him in a blizzard, but they would not sit on his lap because it was nippy.

But there was a creature he preferred was close enough to warm him. A pale, raven-haired bastard. He loved it when Sasuke was affectionate and even seductive. It used to be all orders and take what he wanted, but recently he’d been . . . nicer. It helped that Kakashi was more receptive.

Last time, it had been three days of abstinence, but this had been a week and half. He’d escorted the man to his destination, guarded him there, then escorted him home. Eleven days without Sasuke’s presence. Eleven days without those black eyes so unlike anyone but an Uchiha, without that soft pale skin over toned, lean muscles, without his fresh smelling, raven hair, without his smirking, arrogant, imperious attitude, without his long, thick cock, and tight, hot ass. Eleven days without Sasuke.

Thinking about it made it hard to eat while his stomach flip-flopped. Sex and food never mixed for him. He ate a spare meal before returning to the warm confines of Sasuke’s bedroom. As he walked to the room, he felt Sasuke’s presence coming closer: they were both returning to the room. Sasuke’s presence felt darker, even darker than it was when Sasuke was thinking about Orochimaru. He knew what was coming and he ached for it.

Sasuke materialized out of the dimly lit corridor just as Kakashi opened the door. He followed Kakashi closely into the room, almost close enough for Kakashi to feel his breath.

Kakashi turned around, knowing what Sasuke wanted. He backed away toward the bed more out of fear than anything. Those dispassionate, dominating, belittling, dehumanizing eyes were back in full force. Sasuke definitely had mood swings. He’d been almost loving the last time; this time, he was back to his old self: dominate and uncaring.

None of that mattered right now; what did matter was Sasuke’s orders and the way those eyes made his gut tighten and his cock hard. His order to strip was sudden, but one glace at those eyes and Kakashi immediately obeyed. Sasuke’s expression was dark and aggressive.

With Sasuke in a dominate mood, Kakashi just stood there and waited for instructions rather than just getting on the bed. Sasuke smirked evilly at Kakashi’s complete submission to him.

“On your knees.”

Since he wasn’t told to approach, Kakashi knelt on the floor where he stood, putting his hands behind his back. The one thing Kakashi did that wasn’t normal for a slave in his position was that he continued to look up into Sasuke’s eyes without permission. That didn’t bother Sasuke; he knew that looking in his eyes gave Kakashi as much pleasure as emotional masochistic pain. It was Sasuke’s eyes that truly cowed him and made him submit. Threat of violence and threats against the village would not work anymore, the things that kept Kakashi submissive were love and Sasuke’s dominating eyes.

Kakashi felt his humanity being stripped from him as Sasuke stared down at him. Right now he was a sex object, a slave, nothing more. His erection grew. Sasuke was quickly out of his clothes, easing one shoulder off then the other, nothing but boxers under his kimono. The boxers dropped to the ground just as quickly.

Sasuke came over to him, his cock nearly perfectly at the level of Kakashi’s mouth.

“You want to be fucked?”

“Yes.”

No master, no sir. That was alright, Sasuke didn’t need to hear that, just hearing Kakashi admit he wanted it and his obvious submission was more than enough to give Sasuke the high he was looking for.

“Prepare my cock.”

Kakashi leaned forward just a little and took Sasuke’s length into his mouth. He looked up at Sasuke as he sucked, keeping his hands behind his back. Sasuke closed off his emotions and just remained cold toward him.

As Kakashi pleasured him, Sasuke thought about how he was partially recreating his own experience with Orochimaru. Orochimaru would made him get on his knees and suck his cock before he would fuck him whenever Sasuke wanted sex but Orochimaru didn’t come to him for it. As much as he loved the sex back then, he still hated the submissive position he often found himself in, hated the fact he was raped and came to like it. Like Kakashi. But Kakashi didn’t appear to resent it. Sasuke did.

Kakashi became Orochimaru again in Sasuke’s eyes. Kakashi saw the change in his eyes as they hardened even more and there was some anger and hate there. He continued to use his mouth and he continued to look up at him. Fear was almost as good an aphrodisiac as those black eyes.

Sasuke pulled his cock away bent down and put a hand to Kakashi’s bare cheek. Kakashi knew what was coming and there was an unspoken understanding and acceptance: Kakashi would put up with anything Sasuke wanted to do to him. Kakashi also understood who he was to him right now. So it wasn’t a surprise when Sasuke took his hand away only to slap him. Kakashi’s head turned with the impact. The stinging slap made Kakashi’s eyes water. Deep in his chest he felt he deserved it. Sasuke gripped Kakashi’s jaw to turn his head back.

“I want to hurt you so bad,” Sasuke said in a low voice.

“Do it,” Kakashi whispered.

Sasuke’s eyes vibrated. What he wanted to do and what he would allow himself to do warred inside him. He had the impulse to tear Kakashi apart. Rather, tear Orochimaru apart.

“I sometimes wish he was still inside me so I could torture him.”

“Rape me, beat me, anything to ease your heart. I’m here to bare your vengeance.”

Sasuke’s fingers curled to resemble claws, but he hesitated. He shallowly scratched Kakashi’s left cheek. His nails weren’t long, but they were sharp. No blood was drawn, but they left Kakashi with three reddening lines on his face.

The caress down his throat was deceptive. When Sasuke’s hand rested against his larynx, he stopped. Kakashi just continued to look Sasuke right in the eye. It crossed Sasuke’s mind how fragile humans were; so easy to kill.

Sasuke pulled away; killing Kakashi was the last thing he wanted. He fetched the lube and threw it to Kakashi and took his place again in front of his former sensei.

“You know what to do.”

Kakashi did. He squeezed lube onto his fingers, reached behind him and got in the most comfortable position he could while fingering himself and took Sasuke into his mouth again. He looked up and those eyes sent a chill through him, a chill that went down his spine and through his cock. The feeling of his own fingers shallowly fucking himself was doing nothing but making his arm, back, and knees hurt, but performing oral on Sasuke always did turn him on. However, it was those eyes than made him hard and aching to cum, the humiliation of being watched with those eyes as he fingered his own ass. His other hand wandered closer to his cock, wanting to palm it.

Sasuke caught that motion. He leaned to the side and noticed just how hard Kakashi was. “Getting off on sucking me off and fingering your own ass? Want to jerk off? Go ahead.”

Kakashi hesitated, but he obeyed. Sasuke saw the change in his eyes, even in the muscles of the closed one. His expression approached bliss. But there was a type of sadness there that Sasuke had come to recognize in him: shame. Indeed, shame and humiliation coiled in Kakashi’s belly and went to all his erogenous zone. He wanted to be fucked and his nipples abused. Shame and humiliation fed his libido.

“Tell me, Kakashi, which part of this is making you so aroused? Having my cock down your throat?”

Kakashi leaned back and let Sasuke’s cock slip from his mouth. His hand stopped moving. “Your eyes.”

“What about them?”

“It’s humiliating to have you watch me. They strip away my humanity; I’m just sex object to you.”

“It’s good you realize that.”

Kakashi knew that wasn’t true in general, but right now it was.

Sasuke pulled Kakashi back to his cock. “Don’t let yourself cum.”

Kakashi nearly whined; he was getting close. He let go of his cock.

“I didn’t tell you stop.”

Kakashi reluctantly went back to jerking off, but much more slowly. He shut his eyes and diverted all attention to lavishing Sasuke’s cock with all the pleasure he could conjure, only absently stroking his cock. He didn’t have to look up to know he was pleasing his master—looking would have only shown him Sasuke’s emotionless mask. At least Kakashi could feel Sasuke’s pleasure by the thick, hard cock in his mouth.

He knew when Sasuke was getting close from the most obvious sign: Sasuke gripped the back of his head and pulled it to his hips, pressing Kakashi’s nose into his silky black hair. He held his head in place, keeping his cock deep in Kakashi’s throat for several seconds then pulling out only an inch or two before repeatedly thrusting into his throat, bruising it. When he cam, Kakashi was hard pressed to breath and they both expected cum to run out of Kakashi’s nose.

He released Kakashi and then kicked his arm to stop Kakashi from jacking off. “On the bed.”

Not heeding his bruised arm, Kakashi obeyed. He didn’t know how to lay, what was more submissive: on his hand and knees or on his back. He chose on his knees, his favorite position as he loved feeling Sasuke against his back and his arms around him.

Luckily, that was how Sasuke wanted him. He was on Kakashi in a second. A caress down his back wasn’t deceptive. The second stroke was with his nails. The caress woke up his nerves for the scratch. Kakashi absently wondered if Sasuke would send him to Shizune for healing in the morning.

Out of nowhere—which was normal for a shinobi—Sasuke pulled a kunai and pressed the flat plane of the kunai against his back. The cold steel against his fevered skin made him flinch away. He was regretting his words now even though he was pretty sure Sasuke wouldn’t seriously hurt him. At least no more than he had in the past.

Flinching didn’t get him away from the blade as Sasuke didn’t have a firm grip and it moved with him. Sasuke turned the blade so that the edge was against Kakashi’s skin. Kakashi froze. Sasuke scraped the skin over his shoulder blade then pressed the point against Kakashi’s spine without breaking the skin. He lightly drew the tip down the valley of his spine, never adding enough pressure to draw blood. Kakashi’s skin puckered.

Sasuke continued to play the kunai across his skin until Kakashi wished he’d just hurry up and stab him in the kidney. Then Sasuke added his lips, kissing between Kakashi’s shoulder blades. The blade still moved over his skin as Sasuke moved his lips down his back. Sasuke pressed his other hand against Kakashi’s chest to keep him still even though Kakashi was scared to breathe because of that kunai.

Kakashi could tell from Sasuke’s breathing that he was exciting by this. Kakashi wasn’t. His erection was only at half mast. It almost flagged completely when Sasuke pulled away and ran the kunai over his ass, running the tip down between the globe of his ass and over his lubed hole. Had it been a blunt kunai, Kakashi wouldn’t have protested, but if Sasuke was thinking of fucking him with a sharpened combat kunai . . .

But the blade moved on after a few tense seconds of teasing.

“I want to mark you,” Sasuke whispered. “But where?”

He changed the grip on his kunai, holding it across his palm with two fingers and his thumb, leaving his other two fingers free to touch his lover. He moved to run his lips down the side of Kakashi’s back, teasing the soft, sensitive skin there. His lips found a scar from when a broken rib poked through the skin.

“I don’t like how many scars you have that aren’t mine.” Sasuke slit the scar with the edge of the kunai and moved quickly to lick up the blood. To Kakashi’s relief, Sasuke threw the kunai into the door. Sasuke sucked the wound over his seventh rib. It stung, but it was nothing compared to most of the pain and injuries Sasuke’s given him.

The wetness from the blood and saliva spread over his side and started to drip down his chest and to the sheets. It wasn’t physically pleasurable, but it was a turn on having his life fluids sucked out of him by Sasuke. Feeling Sasuke lying over his body, his hair feathering his arm, and his tongue attempting to penetrate his body was intoxicating.

Sasuke straightened and scooped up as much blood onto his fingers as he could and offered them to Kakashi. Kakashi licked at his blood covered fingers. Sasuke leaned in over his back, pressing his arousal into the back of Kakashi’s thigh.

“I like you licking my fingers. Demeaning enough for you?”

Kakashi moaned which made Sasuke growl in the back of his throat. Kakashi’s complete submission excited him.

Without further ado, Sasuke entered Kakashi, hard and fast. The suddenness of it make Kakashi cry out. It hurt, but it was what he wanted. His insides felt like they were being seared by Sasuke’s hot length. He felt full, complete. Let Sasuke cut him and stab him, he loved sex with Sasuke. He did tell him to take out his anger on him. He was always putty in his hands.

Kakashi ran his nails down Kakashi’s back as he thrust into him. The second time, he pressed harder, trying to break the skin.

Sasuke fucked him until Kakashi’s erection came back, then he grabbed Kakashi by the hair and turned them so that they were now facing the door. He pulled Kakashi up.

“Tell me you love being fucked?”

“I love being fucked by you, Sasuke.”

“You love my cock, don’t you?”

“I do; I love your cock. Please fuck me harder.”

“What do you think Sakura would think if she saw you like this? Heard you say that?”

Kakashi kept his eyes shut, afraid he’d really see her in the doorway—he wouldn’t put it past Sasuke to do that.

“Or Gai. Or the Hokage? Or Naruto?”

Kakashi lowered his head, hoping no one was really there, but it didn’t stop the shame he felt and his fevered face grew hotter. Sasuke chuckled right next to his ear.

“What about your parents and dead friends? What if they can see you now?”

Kakashi’s skin puckered. “Please don’t, Sasuke, please.”

“What?”

“Don’t bring any of them here, please.”

“I thought you got off on your shame.”

“Don’t, Sasuke. Please. I beg you.”

“Open your eyes.”

“No.”

Sasuke thrust in hard and stayed there. “Open your eyes or I’ll transport us to the middle of Konoha and fuck you in public.”

Kakashi finally did open his eyes. There was no one there. He was greatly relieved. However, the idea—now that the threat of it really happening was past—of being fucked in public, kinda turned him on. If Sasuke had really done it, Kakashi would have been too mortified to enjoy it, but the idea fed his shame.

Sasuke leaned in and bit the top of Kakashi’s ear as he resumed fucking him. Kakashi relaxed and enjoyed it, sure that Sasuke was done with his psychological and physical torture.

After several minutes of thrusting and panting in Kakashi’s ear, Sasuke eased up off Kakashi’s back. He pressed Kakashi down hard and scratched his back in a diagonal swipe, nearly drawing blood. He pulled Kakashi up against him.

“I am a sadist, but nothing I want to do to you would arouse me and just dampened my lust. So I’m just going to fuck the shit out of you.”

“Please.”

Sasuke was true to his word, thrusting in as hard and as fast as he could upright until they couldn’t hold themselves up anymore and fell forward on the bed. Sasuke wrapped his arms around Kakashi’s lower abdomen and fucked him fast. Kakashi cam.

“Masochistic slut,” Sasuke muttered. “You deserve to be fucked like a bitch.”

Kakashi was still riding his orgasm and those words felt good.

Sasuke’s rage couldn’t last and it drained with his orgasm. His body went limp over Kakashi’s for a moment, then he sat back. “Turn over.”

Kakashi turned onto his back, moving to lay his head on the pillow and not in the angled position Sasuke had forced him into. Sasuke languidly bent down to suck his limp cock. Sasuke was tired so he just suckled the length in his mouth rather than slide his lips up and down it. The sucking, his tongue, and the convulsing of his throat were enough make Kakashi erect. Kakashi relished the slow blow job as his abused body relaxed into the mattress.

Hard, but not satisfied, Kakashi whined when Sasuke got up, letting his cock slip from his lips. Sasuke crawled up and kissed him. Not passionate, just slow and sloppy. Sasuke wasn’t hiding his fatigue. Anger did make him tired, as did Doming.

“Your turn,” Sasuke whispered.

“You’re not asking me to slap you around, are you?”

“Too tired.” Sasuke moved to the side and stayed on his hands and knees.

Kakashi had to wonder once again about mood swings. He sat up and leaned precariously over the side of the bed to grab the lube he left on the floor. He knelt next to Sasuke spared the lube on his fingers. Once the lube warmed on his fingers, he went about the business of prepping Sasuke. As he fingered him, Kakashi kissed Sasuke’s back, tasting the sweat that had misted his skin during the last hour.

“Hurry up,” Sasuke said.

It felt so different tonight for some reason. Yeah, Sasuke had just been particularly cruel and Dominating, though not very violent, but it was Sasuke assuming the position and Kakashi mounting him like this that felt strange. It felt clinical. But he mounted him from behind all the same.

Kakashi wondered if Sasuke was so tired, why he wanted to go another round. He thought it best to satisfy Sasuke as quickly as possible so he stroked his half hard cock. Kakashi knew just how to touch him and move inside him to give Sasuke the most pleasure. Sasuke rocked back. As Sasuke’s erection grew, so did his enthusiasm.

Kakashi was certainly hitting and touching all the right spots. Sasuke moaned. Kakashi pressed his face into Sasuke’s soft hair.

“Kakashi,” Sasuke whimpered.

Sasuke never used his name during sex, just that one time when Kakashi was giving him a blowjob, never when Kakashi penetrated him. Hearing his name on his lover’s lips sent a thrill up Kakashi’s spine. Kakashi wanted to whisper Sasuke name, but he didn’t want to bring attention to what Sasuke said, something he probably wouldn’t have owned up to. In that moment, Kakashi thought, I would betray Konoha for you. He kissed Sasuke’s neck.

Kakashi sought one of Sasuke’s hands. It was too clinched to thread his fingers into so he wedged his hand under Sasuke’s to grip it. Sasuke gripped back as he kept rocking back into Kakashi’s hips.

Sasuke lasted another minute before he stopped moving as his orgasm ripped through him. Kakashi let himself go inside him.

Sasuke eased down onto his stomach and Kakashi lay down next to him. Sasuke turned his head to look at Kakashi and rested it on his bent arm.

“You can’t bare my vengeance. I can’t bare my vengeance.”

“Then let it go.”

The eyes Kakashi saw were not dead, they were full of pain and suffering. Sasuke would abandon everything if he could.

“I’m . . .” Sasuke trailed off, looking into Kakashi’s eyes. “Tired,” he finished, aborting his original intent.

Even though he was the one to have been abused, Kakashi took Sasuke into his arms and tried to comfort him as he fell asleep.

-----

Kakashi woke up first. Sasuke moved away from him and was now sprawled on his stomach in an almost Narutoish way. Kakashi eased out of bed so as not to wake him.

In the bathroom, he checked himself over in the mirror and saw that quite a few of the scratches Sasuke gave him broke the skin on his back. Kakashi didn’t mind, he just turned around and took a quick shower. The hot water stung against the wounds.

Afterward, he created a clone to help dry himself and tend the scratches; applying antiseptic and bandages. He sighed knowing Sasuke might want to see them and just rip the bandages from his body. Whatever.

Then he noted his face. The redness from that slap was gone, but there were still three red lines from Sasuke’s nails. The Uchiha was more catlike than ever. Kakashi was now a variable scratching post. But Kakashi also noted he wasn’t looking as haggard anymore. The bags under his eyes were natural, but they were much lighter like they were before the war. His cheeks weren’t so hallow and his skin was a healthier hue. He was finally looking healthy while Sasuke was continuing his transformation into a transparent, deep-dwelling fish—it was the only comparison for his pasty skin.

He also noticed his hair was back to its nearly perfect white. Sasuke’s skin was only a few shades away from the same stark white.

Naruto was nearly back to his full strength. No matter what, Sasuke would reach the end he wanted soon. He hoped Sasuke was healthy enough to survive against a Jinchuriki at full power.

Sasuke grumbled as he came into the bathroom. “We’re training.” He pushed Kakashi out of the room and shut the door.

The mundane parts of their day to day life made Kakashi smile.

-----

Yamato was surprised when Kakashi appeared in his office. Unlike before, Kakashi was not wearing the all black shinobi gear Sasuke gave him, this time he was wearing the pants, but he was merely wearing his combination shirt and mask, leaving his arms completely bare. That wasn’t the strangest part; his arms were spotted with bruises and there was another next to his exposed right eye. Yamato couldn’t hide his concern.

“They aren’t as bad as they look,” Kakashi assured him. “They’re pretty superficial. We were sparing this morning.” He glanced at the window. “Afternoon rather.”

“What does he want now?” Yamato asked.

“Actually, he just wants some food.” Kakashi handed him the list. “Please don’t poison it; I’ll be eating it too. He’ll probably use me as a food taster.”

“This is the easiest and most mundane request yet.”

Kakashi shrugged. “Konoha had the best saury. But there is one other thing: I have a message for Naruto. I know you don’t trust me anymore, but if you can just summon him here for a moment; even if he just sends a clone.”

“Can’t I just pass along the message?”

“He’s supposed to see me.”

Yamato understood. “Are they really superficial?”

“The ones you can see,” Kakashi admitted.

Yamato signaled for one of his ANBU guard. The masked man appeared. “Summon Naruto,” Yamato said. “He can just send a shadow clone if he likes. And have someone gather these things as quickly as possible.” He gave the list to the guard and the man then vanished. “How are you holding up?” Yamato asked Kakashi.

“Fine. Sasuke was in one of his more brutal moods for the last day. Didn’t break any bones this time though. He’s more prone to mood swings than I originally thought. I’ve grown used to him.”

“Honestly, besides the bruises, you look better than when you were Hokage.”

“Never wanted to be Hokage. Sasuke was terrorizing me more then because there were people to see the results. I’m still his punching bag when he’s angry, but it’s not nearly as often as before. He’s really calmed down. Is all well here?”

“Yes. You may not have wanted to be Hokage, but you did a wonderful job. Thank you.”

Kakashi noticed that even though Yamato was thanking him, he didn’t say a word contradicting him when he said that Yamato no longer trusted him.

“Is Sakura well?”

“She is. She desperately wants you back.”

Kakashi shook his head. “Even if Sasuke released me, I don’t think I’d come back. I’d just retire somewhere. I just hope I was able to make her happy even if just for a short time. I just wanted her to be happy.”

“She would be if you came back.”

“I wouldn’t be. I’d rather run from memories than bathe in them.”

Naruto arrived, coming in through the window much like his former sensei would. He was about to speak, but he saw the bruises.

“Sasuke sent me to tell you not to try to contact me behind his back again,” Kakashi said. “But don’t worry, these are superficial.

“I’m sorry, Kakashi,” Naruto said. It almost broke Kakashi’s heart that Naruto didn’t call him ‘sensei.’”

“Don’t be.”

“How did he know?”

“He has his ways of monitoring me.”

“Even now?” Yamato asked.

“Perhaps.” In truth, Sasuke wouldn’t have known about Naruto contacting him if he hadn’t told him. The seal on his shoulder hadn’t been burning and it wasn’t now. Kurohoshi wasn’t here either.

Naruto took a step closer to Kakashi, but Yamato instinctually put out a hand to stop him.

“Don’t bother, he’s a shadow clone,” Kakashi said wearing the mesh eye patch to use his Sharingan when he liked. “I don’t mean anyone any harm.” He felt some sadness over the fact he had to say that. After all he endured to keep Konoha safe, his friends would doubt him. It made him sad and a little bitter. Then again, he had sworn loyalty to Konoha’s greatest enemy. His heart was no longer torn over that, but it hurt that he wasn’t trusted here. He was a Hokage for fuck’s sake!

Both emotions made it to his face.

“I’m sorry, Kakashi,” Yamato said.

“I can’t blame you, but what gets to me is that he trusts me far more than you do.”

“Why haven’t you killed him?”

“He was my student. You don’t know how many times I considered it.” He stepped back to lean against the wall, but flinched away when he leaned against the scratches; he turned to lean more on his arm.

“I thought they were superficial,” Yamato said.

“I said the ones you could see. My back will be all scar tissue before I die.”

“Why is he doing all this to you?” Naruto asked.

“I’m paying for my own sins as well as anyone else’s who Sasuke blames for his misery.”

“What do you mean?” Yamato asked.

Kakashi took a moment to answer. “It’s my fault he decided to defect and go to Orochimaru. He really went through hell because of it.”

“What do you mean it was your fault? You said it was your fault, but he ran away because he was mad at me. We fought.”

Kakashi shook his head. “I could have stopped him, but I abandoned him that night after you fought on the hospital roof. I should have stayed with him. He thinks so too.”

Knowing that Sasuke was raping him, Naruto asked in a weak voice, “What happened to him?”

Kakashi shook his head. “Not my story to tell.” His face gave a lot away though.

Kakashi was saved by ANBU returning with Sasuke’s shopping list.

“Was there something you wanted to say to me Naruto, when Tenzou stopped you?”

“No, not really.”

Kakashi nodded to him. “Thank you, Tenzou.” He touched the seal on his arm and returned home.

-----

Sasuke was meditating for hours. He was still trying to decide how to take his final revenge now that killing every person and utterly destroy the village was no longer an option. He’d already executed those fucking elders in public, humiliated one Hokage, killed another, killed a few shinobi . . . Now he couldn’t even destroy that damn cliff face or the memorial stone because of Itachi’s memorial and his name along with their clan on the stone.

Sasuke suddenly decided to go to Konoha. He arrived on top of the Hokage monument. He sat down and looked out over the village. It was night, but the village was ablaze with lights.

This wasn’t the same village. These weren’t the same blissfully unaware villagers. He’d stolen their innocence as completely as Konoha had striped his.

He looked down and could barely see the edge of the small plaza around Itachi’s memorial. It was well maintained. Not everyone hated him. Perhaps some of the villagers respected and even mourned his brother. That shopkeeper Sasuke had talked to had pitied Itachi, felt bad for what he was forced to do. A few others had joined in their conversation and some had echoed that feeling. Itachi was a hero now; killing his family, deceiving his precious younger brother and hiding the truth from him to his dying moment. Sasuke was the villain. Sasuke was comfortable with that role; probably more comfortable than Itachi ever was. Goodness meant nothing to Sasuke now; Konoha’s betrayal had disillusioned him beyond hope. There was no good or bad anymore; everything was grey.

Sasuke looked up at the starry sky. Itachi, he called silently, what should I do? He knew Itachi didn’t want revenge, would never condone using violence against Konoha, but Sasuke had to do something. Hatred and pain gripped his heart all the time. The only way he could think to relieve it was revenge. There were no ghosts to put to rest, just his own soul.

He called out again to his brother’s spirit, but he felt nothing. He’d hoped just to feel some fragment of his brother’s comforting presence, some piece of his soul in the ether, but there was nothing. The last time he felt that presence was the day Itachi died when he poked him in the forehead and smiled at him, giving him his last words. He then fell down dead beside him.

Sasuke wept. In that confusing moment he had seen his brother again, his beloved Aniki. All he wanted was Itachi back.

It suddenly hit him, how he would take his revenge. He would give them one last taste of terror, using no paper bombs, no scrolls, nothing so secular. They would know righteous vengeance. Divine justice.

-----

Sasuke was gone. Kakashi had felt his presence disappear when he transported himself.

He was worried. Sasuke had been acting strange recently. Sasuke had become dominate again and was as cryptic as ever in their after sex conversations. He’d spoken of getting one last piece of revenge. Kakashi’s throat tightened. Had Sasuke decided to do it tonight?

Kakashi wanted to summon himself to Sasuke’s side, but feared what Sasuke would do. He’d made it clear he was only to do that in an emergency and he’d been ordered to leave him alone again. Having almost been killed when summoning himself to Sasuke once made him very gun-shy of trying it again.

Kakashi went outside. The sky was encrusted with diamonds. So far from any other human habitation, the stars shone brightly.

The night was pleasantly cool, but Kakashi felt an arctic chill go through his body. He got the feeling of impending doom.

Kakashi crouched and summoned Uhei.

“Go to Konoha, find out what’s happening.”

His fastest nin-ken vanished into the tree line.

-----

Ino was walking home when fire caught her eye. Several large fireballs headed into the sky from the top of the Hokage monument. She could feel the air change as more flames were sent into the heavens. Even from this distance, she could feel the heat. They looked like the heads of dragons. She didn’t know what to make of it. A festival? Couldn’t be.

The air felt heavier. She looked into the sky and saw clouds forming.

The fire had drawn many out to the streets. Nearly the entire village was outside looking up at the rapidly forming thunder clouds. Thunder and lightning rumbled through the sky. Then the lightning seemed to converge, lighting the sky up with electricity. It was beautiful and terrifying at once.

But then the lightning took shape. With the body of a deer and the head of a dragon, the beautiful and normally peaceful creature glared down at them with the wrath of a god. People all over the village screamed. Many fled indoors or to the edges of the village, too frightened to consider where safety could be found from this being in the sky. Many others were transfixed by the sight.

Kirin opened its mouth and roared. Then it descended.

-----

Uhei didn’t just have the speed of a greyhound, he had summoning points across the land he was able to use to get closer to Konoha.

He saw the glow of fires first and then he heard the screams. Uhei rushed up to the top of the Hokage monument for the best vantage point. Sasuke was gone. Many shinobi were up here using water jutsu to put out the fires like rain.

“What’s happened here?” Uhei asked a shinobi who was resting.

“Some kind of demon attacked from the sky using lightning. It set fires all over the village and struck a lot of people.”

“Are they all dead?”

“No, I think only a few died. But many more may die from these fires.” The young shinobi summoned up his strength and returned to the edge of the cliff to continue fighting the flames.

Uhei stepped up beside him and looked out at the village. Not a single building was left untouched by flame, but the flames were nearly out, just a few pockets remained. Lightning. It had to be Sasuke. Uhei summoned himself back to Kakashi.

Kakashi was still sitting outside. “The whole village is on fire. They said a demon attacked them from the sky with lightning.”

The chill returned and Kakashi’s stomach dropped. “Sasuke.”

“I think so,” Uehi nodded.

“Spying on me?”

Uhei and Kakashi whirled. Sasuke stood there near the entrance to the fortress.

“Kirin,” Sasuke said. “I made them feel the fear of divine punishment.”

Kakashi stood up. “How many have you killed?”

“None. Many are injured and they may die in the resulting fires, but I didn’t target anyone. I let Kirin ran down on the village indiscriminately. It’s my final revenge; the technique I created to kill Itachi. Fitting, don’t you think?”

“Thank you, Uhei. Go home.”

Uhei vanished.

“Chidori?”

“Yes. Come inside; it’s getting colder.”

Sasuke turned to enter the fortress, but Kakashi didn’t follow. Kakashi ran toward Konoha. Sasuke turned, slightly annoyed.

Kakashi suddenly found himself on the cliff over the village, alone. He skidded to a stop. Most of the flames were out by now, but the village was still smoldering. He fell to his knees. He was in shock, but strangely felt nothing else. No grief, no sadness, just shock.

Kakashi jumped down to the Tower which was scorched and parts of it were missing, turned to ashes and rubble. He found Yamato in his office giving orders. Kakashi waited in back until everyone had their orders and left.

“Kakashi,” Yamato acknowledged.

“How many died?”

“None. I have over a hundred injured though with burns and contusions from fallen rubble, a few were electrocuted. Was this Sasuke’s doing?”

Kakashi nodded. He leaned back against the wall. Why didn’t he kill anyone? “My own Chidori,” he sighed.

“That was far more than a Chidori; the entire sky lit up.”

“He called it Kirin. It’s based on my Chidori. I’m so sorry, Tenzou. My own Chidori.”

“No one is dead.”

“It was never meant as a tool of vengeance. I hope this is the end of it.” He became aware of another presence and looked up. Sasuke stood behind Yamato looking out at the destruction.

“It is,” Sasuke stated.

Yamato turned. His kunai was blocked by Sasuke’s sword.

“I’m finished with this village. Let it burn, let it be attacked, let it rebuild. I no longer care. I’m finished here.”

“Will you let Kakashi go?” Yamato asked.

“No. I’m not done with him yet. Like I said before, you want Kakashi, you either send me what I asked for or Naruto must defeat me.”

Kakashi wanted to argue, to tell Yamato not to do either, that he didn’t want to come back, but he and Sasuke were suddenly back in dark stone corridors. Kakashi used his Sharingan to see in the dark through the mesh of his eye patch. Sasuke had his back to him.

“What did you ask for?” Kakashi asked.

“Something they will never give. Now we wait for Naruto to come.”

“Please, stop using the Chidori against Konoha.”

“Didn’t you hear me? I’m finished.”

Sasuke looked at Kakashi. His eyes weren’t dead, they were sad and tired. Kakashi’s heart went out to him. He was in so much pain. All for his brother.

“Does it really bother you that much that I use your Chidori?” Sasuke asked.

“When you use it against it Konoha.”

“I won’t again. Unless they force me.”

Sasuke looked weak, like it was an effort to stand. Kakashi approached him.

“I’ve used up all my chakra; I have just enough left to live.”

The way Sasuke closed his eyes made Kakashi rush to him. He caught Sasuke before he even dropped an inch. Kakashi panicked and checked for a pulse. It was there; Sasuke was just exhausted. Kakashi released a deep breath of relief. He shifted Sasuke to carry him bridal style.

He took a moment to look down at the boy he once trained. Sasuke would probably never be as vulnerable as he was now. Kakashi had actually died of chakra depletion, so he knew what Sasuke was feeling, but there was still a spark of chakra in Sasuke’s body. If anyone came for him in the next few days, only Kakashi could protect him from certain death. And he would. But right now, Sasuke was getting heavy; he was an adult now and taller than he was during the war. But when clean shaven as he was now, he still looked sixteen. But Kakashi couldn’t hold him forever and Sasuke needed rest.

Kakashi looked around and realized he didn’t know where he was. He pressed Sasuke’s head against his chest and kissed his forehead. Sasuke was so worn out, he sent them to the wrong place. At least it was a secluded place. A concrete corridor. Kakashi knew by now when he was underground and they were. With Sasuke’s low chakra, maybe he transported them underneath Konoha.

Kakashi felt safe so he just sat down against the wall and just held his precious Sasuke in his arms.

Are you truly finished, Sasuke? Is this really the end for you? Can you finally just let it go? Can you be mine now and not the embodiment of revenge?

Sasuke shifted to a more comfortable position in his arms without waking.

Kakashi wondered at the fact Sasuke hadn’t killed even one person. He had to acknowledge the poetry of using a technique called Kirin against Konoha. Time would tell if that was the end of his revenge.

Kakashi swept the area once more with his Sharingan and felt for foreign chakra, then shut his eyes and settled in to wait for Sasuke to recover.

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In case you never looked it up after seeing it in the manga or the anime, Kirin [or Qilin in Chinese] is known as the Asian unicorn. It only punishes the wicked, normally being a very gentle creature, never even hurting a blade of grass. The Japanese version looks like a deer-shaped dragon with scales all over its body, the legs and hoofs of a deer, the tail of an ox, and has a single back-sweeping horn on its head. It is considered one of the most powerful creatures along with the dragon and the phoenix. It’s one of my favorite mythological creatures. Sasuke’s lightning version isn’t as pretty as it should be. -_-