Reunion
folder
Naruto AU/AR › Yaoi - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
2
Views:
1,240
Reviews:
2
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0
Currently Reading:
2
Category:
Naruto AU/AR › Yaoi - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
2
Views:
1,240
Reviews:
2
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
2
Disclaimer:
I do not own Naruto nor do I make any money from this!
Part 2
I was close to having his finished, I just didn't realize how close I was until today. Enjoy, kids!
-- “You’re doing what?” Itachi hissed, moving from the table to tower over Naruto. His hands were balled into fists at his side as he shook with anger, dark eyes narrowed. It didn’t matter that Naruto was his lover, he was angry at the thought of his brother going back into the mire of the city.“I’m goin’ to teach Sasuke how to run,” Naruto answered, standing his ground. He had bigger men threatened him and he was not intimidated. His head jutted upward a little so he could almost be eye level with Itachi.
“No, you’re not. He can stay here and help, there’s no need for him to run,” Itachi tried to reason, backing away slightly from Naruto. “I won’t have his life put in danger.”
“And what about mine?” Naruto asked bitterly, the words sour in his mouth. He had expected this response from Itachi, but it was beginning to escalate and Naruto couldn’t defuse the bomb once his temper entered the mix. “Does it mean so little to you? I need the backup, the city is getting worse and one person isn’t going to be enough soon.”
“I don’t care!” Itachi said, eyes widening at what had come out of his mouth and at the crestfallen look on Naruto’s face. What he had just said shocked even him.
“I see,” Naruto bit out. “My life isn’t worth anything to you if I can’t run.”
Itachi moved forward to apologize, but Naruto was already gone. He immediately regretted his words and went after the other, he had make things right. Naruto was his rock in this crazy world and he wouldn’t see him removed from his side.
Stepping out into the cool autumn air, Itachi searched the yard for Naruto. But the man was nowhere to be found and Itachi bit his lower lip. If Naruto stormed off mad, there was no telling what would happen to him. Concerned, Itachi went to the tool shed where various weapons were kept.
As he opened the door, a hand was placed over his, preventing him from pulling it back. Itachi turned his head and saw his brother. Sasuke was looking a lot better than what he had a month ago. He had gained weight and was back to being healthy after establishing an exercise regimen and eating as healthy as he could.
The expression on his brother’s face had told Itachi that Sasuke knew something about what had just occurred and for the first time in his life, he would be scolded by his younger brother. Itachi let go of the shed door and followed Sasuke to the porch, both sitting on the swing in silence for a few moments.
“What did you say to Naruto?” Sasuke asked, trying to hide the angry disappointed tone in his voice.
In the few weeks that Sasuke had lived at the cabin, he had become close with Naruto. The two men taking up a fast friendship and lighthearted banter. Itachi had no doubt that they would have been friends if they had met under other circumstances. He had been amazed that Sasuke took so quickly to Naruto, something that he never thought he would have seen.
“I was a fool,” Itachi admitted as he leaned back into the swing, closing his eyes. “I implied that his life didn’t matter to me.”
Itachi could feel the anger rolling of Sasuke in waves and he knew that his little brother was disappointed in him. He could remember a time when Sasuke had never questioned him and did exactly as he said. But now, that the world had gone to shit, his brother was questioning him. And it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, Itachi needed to be kept in check at times.
“Damnit, Itachi!” Sasuke swore as he turned to his brother, glaring at him. “I told him to let me break the news! But would he listen, no! I want to do this! I don’t mind helping around here, but I worry about him going in there alone, you didn’t see it! They were everywhere.”
Itachi was silent for a few moments, listening carefully to his brother. It seemed as though Naruto was downplaying Sasuke’s rescue. When he had asked about the Undead, Naruto had simply stated that they were dwindling. But he could tell Sasuke was telling the truth, it was there in his voice as he gave Itachi a pleading look.
“I know I’m being selfish, it’s just...after I thought lost everyone, you came back,” Itachi whispered, his voice carried by the slight breeze. “I don’t want to lose you again, not a second time.”
“And Naruto? What about him, Itachi? He risks his life every time he goes into that cesspool. He needs a backup and I’m the best candidate.” Sasuke reasoned, his eyes burning with passion. “He didn’t make the decision lightly, either. I bullied him into it, he only thought of you when I suggested I run with him.”
“It was your idea?” Itachi asked, shocked. Sasuke had never volunteered for anything before, he was an Uchiha and they had people volunteer for them. At least, that was the way of the family. Itachi had never bought into their family’s code, he thought it was a pile of shit and had made his own path.
“Yes, it was. Unlike you, I don’t like to be cooped up here at the cabin. I think running will help with my restlessness.” Sasuke answered, his eyes pleading for Itachi to understand.
“If you think that is what is best for you, then I won’t stop you,” Itachi said as he poked Sasuke’s forehead like when they were younger. “I just hope I can come up with a good apology for Naruto.”
“You’ll think of something, you always do,” Sasuke answered as he stood and left the porch.
--
Up in a tree Naruto watched the forest, his bow resting on his lap as he tried to calm his temper. He was hoping that Itachi had spoken his words in anger and that they weren’t true. Emotions were always a fickle thing and sometimes controlled the mouth. But if Itachi didn’t really care if he returned or not, Naruto shivered at the thought.
Sure he would stay alive for his brother, Kurama was the only family he had and Naruto couldn’t bear the thought of abandoning him to this world. He just couldn’t leave his only remaining family behind. Naruto wasn’t a selfish person and he knew that would never change.
He relaxed at the warm autumn breeze that rustled his hair. It was times like this that Naruto wished his mother was still with him. She was the wise one in the family, always seeming to know what to say and soothe his feelings.
Naruto knew that Itachi was very protective of his younger brother. But the decision had always laid with Sasuke. He had been hesitant to accept the offer, knowing that his lover would protest at the idea. But Sasuke had been so adamant that he do this, that Naruto had caved under the stipulation he be the one to tell Itachi.
Maybe Naruto should have let Sasuke break the news to Itachi, but there was that part of him that didn’t want the brothers to fight. So Naruto had taken the blunt of Itachi’s anger, despite what Kurama thought, Naruto knew Itachi quite well in the few months he had gotten to know his lover.
The rustling of a brush below caught his attention and Naruto perked up but lowered his head when he realized it was just a squirrel. Hopefully he would be able to kill something other than rabbit today. While the meat was good, he wanted something else, like deer. Naruto’s mouth watered at the thought of good old fried deer meat. He had acquired Itachi to the taste of wild meat and fresh vegetables. With winter coming soon, they would have no way to grow them. Of course there was the canned food, but nothing beat the taste of fresh food.
Naruto wanted to build a greenhouse, and all his supplies laid just on the outskirts of the city at the local Lowe’s. But one person couldn’t transport all that material and he refused to take the one vehicle they had, the large truck. The noise from the vehicle wasn’t worth the risk. The Undead would just follow the noise of the engine to the cabin, or at least try to.
Naruto smiled as he glanced at the spot where he had first met Itachi, the man had been stumbling with nothing but a katana to defend himself. His hair had been plastered to his head, blood splattered on his clothes, and he had been staggering as if the last of his strength could give out at any given moment.
And when the man had finally collapsed and started to curse every god known to man, Naruto had slipped from his tree and approached the other cautiously, placing his rifle down on the ground when Itachi had turned cold, dark eyes to him. The dark pools had held weariness and lacked the will to live. Naruto was taken aback by those eyes and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to do as those eyes asked.
But Naruto couldn’t do it, instead he had explained who he was in a soft tone and that the man would be safe with him. Itachi hadn’t argued much and let Naruto lead him to the cabin. Kurama had been on the porch and raised his gun immediately.
Things had been smoothed out once Naruto had calmed his brother down. While Kurama was suspicious of Itachi, Naruto had taken to the newcomer quickly, starting up an uneasy friendship. Kurama hadn’t been so won over, he spent the first few weeks since Itachi’s arrival stalking the other. He wouldn’t sleep, determined to find something wrong with the man.
But Kurama couldn’t find anything wrong with Itachi, it was as if the man were a saint. So he grudgingly accepted Itachi into their lives. It wasn’t as if the man could go home and live with his family. From what Kurama had understood, Itachi had no family and had been lucky to escape.
Naruto gave a small chuckle as he thought of Kurama spying on Itachi. He hadn’t been sneaky at all and it was plainly obvious what he had been doing. He and the newcomer had sat back and watched Kurama run himself ragged trying to come up with a reason to kick Itachi out.
And when Kurama had found out that Itachi and Naruto were sleeping together, the redhead had went overboard with his overprotectiveness. He had tried many time to separate the lovers, and it had gotten old very quickly. Naruto had let Kurama have it, telling him that he had found some sort of happiness and it wouldn’t be ruined.
Naruto had almost regretted his words at the crestfallen expression on his brother’s face. Kurama had always wanted someone for himself but everyone he had an interest in, turned him down. And now it seemed as though Kurama would never have the opportunity to love someone. But the deep depression had passed after his brother accepted the relationship and come to terms that he would possibly be alone for the rest of his life.
Slumping back against the tree, Naruto gave a heavy sigh. His heart still hurt thinking about Itachi and the careless words that were thrown at him. He didn’t want to go back to the cabin to see if his lover had meant them. Naruto was a coward in the fact that he couldn’t go back there to see if he was still was loved.
The sun was high in the sky now, it was around noon. Naruto knew he had to head back with some meat in tow for dinner. It would take awhile to prepare whatever animal he shot and bringing it back to the cabin would be a hassle. It was at least a mile and a half back to the safehouse and dragging a deer would only increase the time it took to go back, increasing the danger if night was falling.
There was a shadow on the ground below his tree, carefully Naruto was able to shift his body without much noise. Thankfully there was a breeze blowing and any rustling could be taken as the wind. Peering through the foliage he saw a man below him, though he wasn’t sure if the man was a danger or not. He spent a few minutes tense, watching and trying to gather information. But none was given, the man had just stood there, his rifle hanging loosely at his side.
Then as if it were some great joke on him, the man looked up and spotted Naruto. The eyes were dead, as if the man’s mind had left him long ago. And for the first time, Naruto was afraid of the living. The gun was lifted and he tried to dodge the shot while raising his bow and shooting off an arrow. Pain laced his abdomen as Naruto fell from the tree, hitting the ground with enough force to knock the wind out of him.
He tried to force himself to stay conscious, the man was dead. Apparently his arrow had hit its mark and now that was one less danger to worry about. The sound of the rifle had carried for miles and Naruto was sure that every Undead for miles around heard it. He need to get to a safe place, but the blood was pouring out of his wound and no matter how much pressure he had applied, it wouldn’t stop.
A feeling of despair rumbled through his mind, he would die out here and Itachi wouldn’t know just how much he loved him and he wouldn’t know if Itachi did love him. He would die forever wondering just if he was loved by that man. A shadow fell over him and Naruto tried to focus, but the loss of blood was making him dizzy and he couldn’t stay conscious. He couldn’t even form words as he passed out.
--
“Damnit, Suigetsu! How many times do I have to tell you NOT to step on those twigs!” Karin whispered heatedly, smacking her partner upside the head.
Rubbing the abused spot on his head, Suigetsu gave the woman a toothy grin. “C’mon, you know no one is out here. We’re almost to your nephew’s cabin anyway, and if he’s there like you think, this area should be clear.”
“Asshole, I don’t know for sure if he’s out here. He could’ve died in the initial outbreak since he was military, his brother may be there though. But Kurama was never a weapons person,” Karin’s head shot up as she heard a gunshot ring through the forest. “We need to go in that direction.”
Suigetsu raised an eyebrow as he watched Karin point her finger to the west. “Why do you say that? That shot could’ve come from any direction.”
A smirk lit up the pretty face. “My brother-in-law taught me basic survival as well as my sister. I know that shot came from that direction. We need to go there, just in case someone needs help.”
“You nurses and your codes,” Suigetsu sighed as he re-shouldered his bag and started following Karin. “Do you think Juugo will find us? I feel bad leavin’ him behind like that.”
“He’ll be fine. I gave him detailed directions to the cabin. We still don’t know what happened to Sasuke and if he doesn’t show up in a day or two, Juugo will join us. He can take of himself.”
“Sure, sure, you’ve told me a thousands times since we started out for your uncle’s. I just don’t think we should be going and investigating a gunshot. There could any number of things waiting on us,” Suigetsu complained, following Karin further into the forest.
“And I can’t leave someone out here to die,” Karin retorted as they approached a small clearing. There were two bodies on the ground, one with an arrow through the head and the other face down in the ground.
Karin’s eyes were quick in examining the body, taking in the obvious wound and then kneeling beside the man. Gently, she rolled him over, making sure not to jar the injured body too much. But when she saw the man’s face, she gasped. It was her nephew, Naruto. Quickly, Karin began rooting through her medical bag and pulling out what she needed. She had been an ER nurse for five years and had picked up a few tricks from the doctors.
The shirt was ripped in two as Karin’s eyes immediately began to search the wound, gently she tipped Naruto’s side up and her eye caught the exit wound she was looking for. Karin let out a sigh of relief, if she had to go searching for the bullet without an x-ray it would have been an ugly process.
Karin thanked God that she kept baby wipes and vodka on her. Suigetsu and Juugo had thought her crazy when she insisted that she needed the items, but she told them that they would come in handy one day. And they had this day, she cleaned up the wound and used the vodka to sterilize the wound, proud of herself that she had remembered she could use the alcohol.
Grabbing the sutures that she kept on hand, she threaded a needle after sterilizing it and began to sew the wound shut. Naruto’s body was shivering slightly from the pain even though he was unconscious. When she was done, Karin wiped her brow and let out a sigh of relief. Hopefully Naruto would wake soon and she could get answers.
“Suigetsu, we’re close to the cabin now. Can you carry Naruto?” Karin asked as she stood and brushed the dirt off her clothes, stepping away from her nephew.
“I suppose, it’d be easier if Juugo were here though,” the man answered, gently picking up Naruto under Karin’s watchful gaze. He looked to Karin to lead the way, Suigetsu wasn’t fond of moving Naruto, especially without Juugo to aid them. But there was no other choice, they would not have been the only ones to hear the gunshot and he didn’t want to wait around to see what else would show up.
The walk to the cabin was slow, Naruto’s dead weight slowing them down more than usual. Suigetsu kept his complaining to a minimum, he knew of Karin’s fiery temper and what she could do and he didn’t feel like provoking her right now.
A few hours the cabin Karin always spoke of came into view and Suigetsu let a sigh of relief escape his lips. Naruto may have been slim and small, but the man weighed a ton. But Suigetsu knew it was due to him being part of the military for many years.
Kurama had been the first one to spot them, recognition crossing his face as he lowered his weapon and ran for his aunt. He stopped when he saw Naruto’s pale and unconscious body in the nurse's arms. He immediately turned around and went to fetch Itachi, motioning Karin and the man he didn’t know to follow him.
Naruto was carefully carried into the cabin, Suigetsu knowing that if he bumped against something, no matter how softly, Karin would have his balls. They entered a room and both froze, leaning against the wardrobe was Sasuke. Karin wanted to hug her long time friend, but resisted as her nephew needed her more.
After Suigetsu laid the body down on the bed, Karin began to give him a more thorough examination. Her eyes took in every detail until another body entered the room and a loud gasp filled the air before Karin was pushed aside.
“Hey! I was examining him!” She growled as she moved, but Sasuke’s hand on her arm stopped her from moving. “Sasuke?”
“Itachi’s his lover, just let him be, Karin,” Sasuke said gently, leading his friends away from the room and taking them into the kitchen. “I’m sure you guys must be hungry, after all it must not have been easy to carry Naruto here.”
Itachi examined Naruto, his eyes taking in every detail of the body on the bed. His hands were moving with expert ease as he kept a tight lid on his emotions. If he had not been such a professional he would have been babbling like an idiot by this point. A silent prayer was sent out to whomever was listening for Naruto’s survival. He pressed a quick kiss to the sweaty forehead before continuing his work, the labored breathing of his lover was at least a sign that he was fighting. Itachi kept telling himself that he would never forgive himself if Naruto didn’t make it out of this. He was paying for his selfish words said in anger and he would take any punishment, as long as Naruto lived.
Karin didn’t waste a moment before hugging Sasuke, tears stinging at her eyes as she sobbed. “We thought we had lost you! We had been taking care of you, but the hospital was overrun and we had to abandon you for a bit. How did you survive?”
Indulging his friend, Sasuke hugged her back. He should have known those three would have stuck around to care for him, risking their own lives to keep him alive when it wasn’t even safe for them to do so. He gave a look to Suigetsu and the other immediately understood, silent communication passed between them that they didn’t need to hug. This was mainly for Karin’s sake.
“How do you know Naruto?” Sasuke asked once Karin had her fill of the hug and took a seat at the table as he begun to make drinks for his friends.
“He’s my nephew, I was a late in life baby.” Karin answered, not giving more details than that as she took the drink Sasuke provided and sipped it before setting it down, cradling it between her hands. “How do you know Naruto?”
“He saved me,” was the answer as Sasuke leaned against the counter, Suigetsu standing strangely still beside him. “He was in the hospital doing a run and he heard me making noise. I was lucky he brought me with him at all.”
The three fell into a comfortable silence, waiting for Itachi or Kurama to emerge from the room and give them a verdict on Naruto’s health. It felt like the hours drug on until Kurama ducked out of the room, his face was unreadable as Sasuke immediately moved from his seat and approached the taller male, his eyes studying the smooth face.
“Itachi has gone over him with a fine toothed comb. Karin, your fast acting saved his life,” Kurama said softly as he turned thankful blue eyes to his aunt. He didn’t want to think of what could have happened if she hadn’t have come along. His brother was really the only thing keeping him sane at the moment, and the only the reason he was still here.
Sasuke moved from his chair, seeing that Kurama had startled to tremble, he grasped his elbow and led him out of the room, hoping to distract the man from the grim talk he knew Itachi would have with the woman. When it came to Naruto, Kurama was overprotective, but it wasn’t only that. They had talked about their brothers frequently. Sasuke had been curious about their relationship and much to his disbelief, Kurama didn’t know anything and only shook his head.
Sasuke led the other man outside, the sun was beginning to set, but it was nothing to worry about. Naruto had the place booby trapped at least two miles out. There wouldn’t be anything getting close to the cabin, and even if it did, there was a watch system in place just in case. Naruto had built a hawk’s nest on the roof of the cabin, it was efficient enough to keep watch.
Sasuke immediately had Kurama pushed up against the side of the cabin, his lips attaching to the other’s before their positions were reversed and he found himself the one being devoured against the wood. Their relationship had started out as a way to relieve their pent up sex drive, but as the weeks wore on and neither man was stopping the other, it evolved into something more.
Their brothers weren’t aware of this development. Kurama and Sasuke were all too happy to keep it that way. What little time they had to themselves was spent making love and talking quietly. Most of their time together was spent in the hawk’s nest, away from the eyes of their brothers. Naruto had the sharpest set, but even he couldn’t see up into the nest most of the time.
They were content with what they had and didn’t need to communicate what they felt with one another. It was just natural to them to bump against the other, touch a shoulder or to sneak a glance. It was enough for them and eventually they would let Itachi and Naruto in on their secret, but for now they kept to themselves, enjoying what they had.
--
Naruto groaned, trying to sit up and get a glance of where he was at. But the pain in his stomach didn’t allow him to do and he was stuck laying on his back and staring at the ceiling. But at least it was familiar and that provided some comfort. But Naruto couldn’t help but wonder who had found him out in the woods. The last thing he remembered was getting shot and falling off the tree limb.
The door to the room creaked, and light flooded the room for a brief moment before it was shut again. The others must have been running the generator for one reason or another. Naruto had set it as far away from the cabin as possible, not wanting Roamers to happen upon them from the sound.
He toyed with the idea of closing his eyes, but Naruto dismissed it when Itachi’s familiar form entered his line of sight. Moving his hand immediately, he caught the doctor’s attention and gave him a toothy smile. Itachi’s expression had went from one of shock to one of relief as he hurried to the bedside.
Naruto was helped up and scooted to lean back against the wall gently. A cup of water was pressed to his lips and he drank it slowly. Naruto was no stranger to gunshot wounds and waking up from being unconscious. Once the water was taken away he gave Itachi a small smile and a simple thanks. His voice wasn’t as scratchy as he thought it would be and it was fine with him.
“Naruto, I’m sorry,” Itachi whispered, sitting on the edge of the bed and taking the other’s hand into his own. “I honestly didn’t mean what I had said.”
“Don’t be stupid, Itachi, I know that,” Naruto answered, an easy going grin on his face as he squeezed Itachi’s hand. The regret was evident in Itachi’s body language as the man sent Naruto a hesitant smile. “We live in a world where stress is high, of course we’re gonna say things we don’t mean. The only thing that matters is we love each other after everything is said and done.”
It had been the right thing to say as Itachi’s muscles visibly relaxed. Naruto’s eyes were drooping again as he fought to stay awake. He didn’t want to sleep again, not when he was finally in the safety of the cabin. He had questions to ask, but his sluggish mind was not cooperating at all. He could see the hint of a smirk on Itachi’s face as the man leaned over and kissed him on the forehead.
“Sleep, Naruto, we’re here and can protect the cabin.” Itachi soothed as the blue eyes finally slid shut and he repositioned the sleeping man back down to the bed. He picked up the glass of water and left the room, leaving the door opened open a little so if Naruto got up, he’d be able to hear it.
Karin was in the kitchen, reading a book in the sunlight that filtered through the window. When Itachi entered, her head perked up and a question was on her lips before she realized it. “How is he?”
“He was awake for a brief moment,” Itachi answered, setting the glass down in the sink and taking a seat. “I’m guessing they went to turn the generator off?”
“Yeah, night will be here soon and we don’t need the extra attention,” she answered, marking the spot in her book. “After winter, Suigetsu and I are taking off. I hate to leave, but we want to know what’s out there and this will give Juugo the chance to catch up with us, that is if he’s still alive.”
“That is understandable. But there is another reason, is there not?” Itachi asked knowingly. He hadn’t missed the signs of her pregnancy and was pretty sure Sasuke knew of it as well.
“Yes, I don’t want to travel with a baby. It’d be too dangerous to have it out there in that mess,” she answered, waiting to be judged for her actions.
“That’s the most responsible thing you can do,” Itachi answered smoothly, respect for Karin’s decision showing on his face. “Naruto will be delighted to take care of the child, I’m sure.”
“Thanks, Itachi. I just can’t stay in one place for too long anymore. We did it with Sasuke and it was hell.” There was a haunt in her eyes that wasn’t there before as Karin remembered the days they had been holed up with Sasuke. It hadn’t been a walk in the park and the days ran together. But she knew they had been lucky to have survived.
“It’s no problem, Karin. Now if you excuse me, I’m going to sit by Naruto’s side.” Itachi waved slightly as he moved from the kitchen and back into the room. He pulled the chair up that he had been using the last few days after he had lit a lantern, the warm light not disturbing Naruto in the least. So Itachi opened a book he must have read six times by now. New books were not a luxury so they made due with what they had.
He was comfortable and smiled at Naruto, knowing the news of a baby would lift his spirits and distract him from the healing he would have to do before he could do any strenuous activity. It would certainly insure that Itachi wouldn’t have to listen to the complaining he knew Naruto was capable of. Even though the other man was annoying at times, Itachi couldn’t have found a better person to spend this crazy time with.