As Above So Below

As Above So Below
Chapter 14

It was late, and all was calm and quiet. The children were asleep, their little possum games having not gone undetected. Naruto leaned on the window, staring out at the same moon drenched yard that Narue had not too long before. So much change had befallen him and his, in so short a time. It was natural for the children to be tense and uncertain. Well, in Sasuke’s case anyway. The ease with which Narue accepted Sasuke Uchiha was a little unsettling in and of itself.

Sasuke…

The once bright and night becalmed sight became blurred by crystal lenses of tears. God, why was his life so fucked up? Since the day he had been born, his life had been one fucking catastrophe after another; from having a demon forced into his newborn body to now, having all his hopes and dreams right in front of him, and unable to reach out and claim them.

Strong warm arms went around her waist, and she instantly knew them; Nathan. Despite everything, her heart was aching so fiercely, she welcomed the comfort, and leaned back into his arms.

“You’re so sad, sweetheart,” he whispered into her ear softly. “Don’t be so sad. Don’t cry, my love.”

And she did love Nathan too, so very much that those sweet words made her eyes blur all the more. Why was life so unfair? To be so loved, and she was, and yet still find such unhappiness.

Nathan drew her unresisting into the other bedroom, and she went, eyes allowing the changing scenery to pass by in a formless shadow. Gentle hands dried her tears, and the ones that followed after.

“Shhh,” the blonde man murmured so tenderly. “Stop crying, Naruto. I’m going to kiss you now, is that all right? Because I do love you. I love you so much, and I understand what you’re feeling, right now.”

Those words almost broke her heart. To be asked by her husband of almost five years if it was alright if he kissed her. And when he tipped her head back, and his warm mouth engulfed hers, tongue gently searching, her toes curled despite her heartache. And after the last three days of upheaval and chaos, she clung to him, allowing the kiss with a burning eagerness that rose up tendrils of shame in her heart.

The kiss ended moistly, only to be followed by another, longer, deeper, and even more stirring. She found herself reacting to it, the burning excitement rising in her loins, and knew if he touched her more, she would not resist. He was her husband; he’d been touching her body like this for over a decade, and he always, always, brought her pleasure.

“Thank you,” he whispered again, leaning his brow against hers afterwards.

“Don’t say that,” she whispered, stricken. “You are my husband. I love you, Nathan. God, you don’t have to ask for permission, and you don’t have to thank me for what is your right.”

“Yes I did,” his fingers threaded lovingly through her short blonde hair. “I know what this boy means to you, what he is to you. And I’m sorry, god, Naruto, so sorry. You told us, all those years ago, and we never believed you. We thought… We made you… god, I’m sorry, baby.” His blue eyes were as tearfilled as hers. “I’m so glad you forgave us, that you didn’t hate us for what we did.”

She gave a soft breathless laugh. “Oh Nathan…” In spite of everything that was happening right now, all the uncertainty and chaos and heartbreak, to hear those words was so very sweet, and went a long way to easing the pain in her heart. “I could never, ever hate you or Stefan.” He finally understood what these years had meant to her, both the sweet and the bitter.

“Things are really bad for us all now, Naruto,” Nathan went on softly, gently kissing her temple. “And you have a way home now. Your lover is here, and he wants you back. He wants to take you home.”

Suddenly, Naruto knew what he was about to say, and strangely enough, it crushed her heart. Yeah, Sasuke was here, and yeah, he wanted to take her home with him. And god, she so wanted to go. But it just wasn’t that simple anymore. Dammit, if only time ran the same here as it had in Konoha. Sasuke would have come for her less than two years into her exile, and she could have gone with him as freely and sweetly as a bird to its nest.

And here, Nathan was giving her permission to do all that her heart had yearned to do for so long, and it was killing her. God, it was Sasuke, and she wanted him so bad she could taste it. But… what about Nathan? With his gentle smiles and even gentler heart? He was so different inside than she was, though they were basically the same. He’d grown up with love and acceptance, not having to live with the curse of Kyuubi. And she had come to love him so much over the years. And Stefan! So very much like Sasuke, yet without the dark and scarred core deep inside. Stefan was all that Sasuke could have been, but for Itachi and Orochimaru. Those evil men had done things her Sasuke would never really recover from, and Stefan was the beautiful embodiement of what Sasuke would be if he could. And setting aside the two men that were all that she and Sasuke could have been, but weren’t, there were the children. Little Sasuke with his dark Uchihan eyes, and his shadowy Uchihan soul, light and dark combined. Little Sasuke that loved his parents and his sister so much, and unlike his namesake, wasn’t afraid to show it. And Narue! The sweetest little girl child to ever live. While Kyuubi might be different here, in Naruto’s body, because of the lack of chakra, something of it had filtered into Naruto’s youngest. Those two tiny whisker marks that adorned each round and rosy cheek. With her wild and woodsy bend of mind, and loving heart big enough for the whole world. Issue of Naruto’s body. Her children. Her own, precious children.

She couldn’t, wouldn’t leave them behind, and she would never, ever take them from the men that fathered them, and loved them so much.

“I… can’t…” Naruto whispered, closing her eyes in torment.

“Why not?” Nathan asked, nonplussed.

“Because I can’t!” She cried out, tears flowing once more. “I can’t leave you, leave the children. I love you all, don’t you understand? Yes, I love Sasuke with every breath in my body, but I love you too! You, and Stefan, and little Sasuke and Narue. I can’t… You don’t understand what family means to me. I’ve never had one before, and now I do. And I love you all so much. I can’t let go… I just can’t… not even for him.” The last was whispered in a stricken tone.

And to her surprise, Nathan gave a wry laugh, and gathered her close to his body. “Stefan is right, I am an idiot.” He kissed her gently, hands stroking cheek and face to ease her suffering. “Sweetheart, no one’s asking you to give anything up, certainly not me and Stefan, and definitely not the children. I didn’t make myself clear. There’s nothing here for us anymore but suffering. We... all of us… are going with you. To Konoha.”

As for himself, Nathan felt a relief in his heart. Though he’d known Naruto would never leave her children, he wasn’t so sure that he and Stefan held the same place in her heart, now that her Sasuke was here. To know that she loved them enough to stay, despite her yearning, despite all her carefully hoarded and often lost dreams, she would stay. To continue to love them.

Her generosity would always amaze him. As much as he loved Stefan, and god did he ever and would he always, he knew that if the dark man stood in Naruto’s place, he would think nothing of taking his Nathan and his children for himself, and damning the other lover to oblivion. Stefan was just powerfully selfish that way.

There was a long and silent moment, seemingly endless, while Naruto digested this, her breathing suspended in amazement. And the wild joy that burst in her heart was tempered by doubt. For she too knew Stefan almost as well as Nathan did. She knew that it was entirely possible that Stefan would exile Sasuke, keeping his wife and husband and children to himself. There was enough of the Uchihan possessiveness and greed within him to make that an entirely too real possibility.

“What about Stefan?” She asked, not needing to elaborate.

Nathan chuckled. Despite his density, he knew what he was to his dark husband; he knew Stefan couldn’t live without him any more than he could without Stefan. “Don’t you worry about him. You just leave him to me.”

Left unsaid was the words that once Nathan crossed over into Konoha, Stefan would follow. Especially in light of what was occurring in this world now. It really was the only reasonable choice, all things considered, and Stefan was nothing if not logical. He would come around. And until then, Nathan would distract him with his voice and body and heart. Deep down inside, dark and broody ravens were rather easy to manage, if bright and bubbly blondes knew how. And both Naruto and Nathan were definitely bright and bubbly, and knew their ravens down to the last molecules of their bodies and synapses of their minds.

Leaving these rather deep and ponderous ideas unconsciously thought in the simple depths of their brains, Naruto and Nathan shared companionably conspiratorial grins. And Naruto finally relaxed, and became rather dazed. It was suddenly too much to take in. Could it be that the catastrophe had finally ended? That he could have all that he ever wanted, and more? That he didn’t have to give up the children, his husbands, his long lost lover, his homeland?

Could Naruto really have it all?

Nathan chuckled again at the rather befuddled look on her face. Naruto, like himself, was rather easy to read.

“I’m going to sleep with the kids tonight.” He suddenly said with studied nonchalance. It was a little difficult, for he dearly loved to make love to Naruto, whether Stefan was there or not. It was always fun, always pleasureable, and so easy to make love to himself. Like both Naruto and Sasuke, he’d pondered just exactly how strange having sex with Naruto really was; his other self. The notion that it was really the most bizarre instances of masturbation did not pass him by, and had been bright highlights of amusement in an otherwise dark and frightening time.

But he’d had Naruto so very many times over the last ten years, and god willing, he would have her again. But tonight… tonight was for her, who’d always been so uncomplainingly generous, always so brightly thoughtful in matters of the heart. Now, it was her turn to shine, to love, to have and to hold all that she held dear. There would be other nights, far more interesting nights involving two blondes and two ravens. He would ponder those delicious thoughts tonight, when Naruto was finally experiencing all that a sexual encounter of love could be once more. Yes, other nights, other pleasures. Tonight was all for Naruto.

Naruto’s blue eyes focused sharply on her blonde husband. She knew exactly where he was going with this.

“You… you don’t mind?” She asked, rather breathlessly. God… tonight… To feel Sasuke’s touch once more… it filled her mind entirely.

“How could I, koi, when you’ve done this same thing so many times for me and Stefan? Don’t think I never noticed, because I did. And I’ve always been so very grateful for that. Now it’s my turn to give this one thing to you. Because I love you, Naruto. And I always will.”

“Nathan…” She choked out, tears flowing once more; this time in joy and gratitude instead of grief and pain. And she was in his arms, gripping his back fiercely, and she wept. And Nathan, knowing just exactly how cleansing such tears could be, let her, until she was done, and lay quietly in his arms. “I love you so much, Nathan.”

“I know you do, sweetheart,” Nathan said, with surprising comfort despite the situation. God, he wanted her badly. She was always so warm and sweet smelling. Just like Stefan always said he was. But there would be other nights, and tonight he could finally give back what had been given to him in spades. “Now, dry your pretty eyes. You don’t want Sasuke to see you all puffy eyed and with a runny nose, now do you?”

Naruto laughed. “God, you are so romantic.” She knuckled her eyes. She didn’t want Sasuke to see her like this. Not tonight.

“I know,” Nathan grinned. He kissed her thoroughly, then stood up, leaving her on the bed. Grabbing a nightshirt, so thoughtfully provided by the Sannins, he gave her a saucy wink. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

She laughed again, already bright eyed once more.

He paused at the door. “Oh, and by the way… I want details tomorrow morning, woman. All the juicy, nitty gritty details.”

“You brat!” Naruto shrieked, heaving a pillow at him. And Nathan laughed, and escaped, leaving said soft missile to thump harmlessly against the closing door.

Sasuke was leaning on the railing of the porch, staring moodily into the night. He’d been filled with such excited high hopes after Nathan’s nod earlier that night. But Naruto had been so anguished this evening, that he couldn’t bear to continue his campaign to win her body and heart once more. So filled with grief and sadness that he found himself standing here now, wondering if the cigarettes that Shikamaru smoked ever brought the other shinobi real satisfaction. God, if only he had something to do right now, perhaps he would be able to escape this feeling of gloom and despair.

Dammit. He had everything he ever wanted within his grasp, but somehow, life always interfered. Naruto should be able to come to him freely, without all this encumberances that he once would have hated, but now would welcome, if only he could have his dobe back. Husbands, children, he didn’t care anymore. He had to have Naruto. And he had to have him now. But… to look into those grief stricken blue eyes, see such misery, such hopeless despair. It was hard not to let his heart break.

Being so consumed with his bleak thoughts, he was completely unaware of Nathan’s arrival.

“Well, hell. What, is it crying night?” The blonde observed dryly.

Sasuke hastily wiped a hand across his face before turning around. “Don’t you know who you’re talking to? Uchihas don’t cry.” He said gruffly, but without any real heat.

“Yeah, right. Come on, loverboy. Time to shine.”

And before he realized what was happening, he was seized by the arm, and drug into the house. Just as he was contemplating putting up a struggle, so despondent was he, that he found himself before the bedroom door that did not contain children.

”Be good to her, Sasuke,” Nathan said softly, eyes glittering strangely in the dark. “She’s been hurting for so very long. I know you are the one to make it better. Naruto has a heart big enough for us all, even though you have the biggest portion. I’m sleeping with the kids tonight. Make it as good as possible for her.”

And before Sasuke could even respond, Nathan gave him a brief and wistful smile, and vanished in the other room.

Sasuke took a deep breath. Though he knew inside that Nathan had meant this since his nod, it was difficult to realize that it was really happening. Naruto was on the other side of the door, waiting for him. Waiting for Sasuke. Waiting, and willing. He had to be. Nathan would not have turned the other blonde male over to him, if he were not.

He put his hand on the doorknob, and realized he was shaking.