The Trust 'Verse, Part II - Relinquish

The Trust 'Verse - Part II

Relinquish

Chapter III

†

Tracing his fingers over the cold stone before him, Naruto bent his head as the rain pelted down on him, slivers of icy coldness slid along his skin where it lay exposed, and ate quickly through his clothes to viciously bite at him, stealing away what little warmth remained.

“Iruka-sensei,” he choked, his teeth chattering around the word, so soft that it was practically swallowed whole by the sounds of the storm raging above. It wasn’t all that different to the one violently rising within him. He felt like he could barely think over the noise.

“Ah. You’re back.”

Surprised that anyone else would be out here in such a downpour Naruto turned to look over his shoulder, blinking the rain out of his eyes as he did so. His hair, turned caramel by the sodden wetness clinging to it, hung about his face, partially obscuring his line of sight. The someone in question, however, was easy enough to recognize, especially when Naruto thought to feel for their chakra instead of relying on a senses otherwise far more easily deceived.

“Kakashi-sensei…” Naruto breathed, looking bewildered by the copy-nin’s appearance.

“Yo,” the other man greeted easily, as he moved to stand by Naruto’s side, holding the large, grey umbrella up to shade them both. “Good to know you’re not dead after all.”

Recovering quickly, Naruto snorted indelicately as he replied, “For all the good it does me.”

Kakashi raised his visible eyebrow, before smirking slightly. “A lover’s tiff, is it? How plebeian.”

Naruto smiled sardonically at that. “Oh? And when was the last time you heard someone call their lover a paedophile who takes advantage of children they care for?”

“…I take it you haven’t read the latest Icha Icha Paradise, then?” came Kakashi’s dry response.

Naruto barked out a laugh at the comment. “You know I don’t read that shit.”

Naruto watched out of the corner of his eyes as Kakashi affectionately stroked his vest pocket, and sighed with contentment. “You don’t know what you’re missing out on.”

Naruto’s eyes widened indignantly. “Please tell me you don’t come here to read that to Iruka-sensei,” Naruto moaned as the thought took hold.

“No,” Kakashi replied.

Naruto blinked at the lack of subterfuge. He’d been expecting one of his sensei’s usual blatant lies. “Oh,” he said, nonplussed.

Kakashi’s one visible eye smiled at him, an overly cheerful crinkle to it. “I prefer silence when I come to see him.”

Naruto nodded sharply, in understanding, as he turned back to the Memorial Stone, to lovingly run his fingers over Umino Iruka’s name. “I wish he were still here,” Naruto murmured hoarsely, hunching over as he admitted this.

Kakashi sighed, deeply, before solemnly replying, “Ah. So does Iruka.”

They fell silent then, each left to their own thoughts, their own memories. Together, they stayed there, who knows for how long, ‘til they were both drenched through and through, as the wind carried the rain upon itself and hurled it at them.

For some reason, the silence didn’t hurt so bad, not when there was someone else who felt just as lost in it as you did. Someone who understood your pain, to whom you were connected by it.

It wasn’t until Kakashi hummed the first few notes of a song that his sensei had loved, in exactly the same slightly off key tones with which Iruka had sung, that Naruto let his tears fall to mingle with the rain.

Shizukasa ya

Iwa ni shimi-iru

Ame no koe

Though the rain didn’t ease, the storm in Naruto’s heart felt as though it was beginning to abate.

†

He was freezing cold by the time he got back to their apartment. It had become a dark and lonesome looking place, the warmth long gone from it, his own ever-fading. He wasn’t sure why he had bothered to keep the place.

He hadn’t thought he’d had it in him to be so sentimental, to think of this abode as home, despite the fact that its heart, his heart, had already been ripped out from it.

The memories here, little more than vestiges of joy, tickled at his heightened senses, danced at the edge of his awareness, teased him with things he could no longer have.

The life of a shinobi was one wrought with danger; their whole lives spent wavering precariously at the summit between life and death. All it took was one false step.

Sopping wet, Kakashi stood staring blankly into the shrouded interior of the front living room. Closing the door softly behind him, he quickly kicked off his sandals, slipped the latest release of Icha Icha Paradise out of his vest pocket and onto the stand by the door, before stripping out of his drenched clothes, bundling them up as he paced deeper into the deserted apartment.

Without bothering to turn on any lights, he darted about the things that lay strewn about the place. Once down the main hallway, he quickly snatched a towel from the bathroom as he made his way into the laundry. Depositing the clothes into the machine, Kakashi briskly dried himself off.

Satisfied, he dropped the towel on top of the pile, his mask discarded not too far from the lot. It was made of a much more water-resistant material than his habitual uniform. It dried far quicker as well.

And for some reason, however, he couldn’t bring himself to wear it inside this place.

Wearily rubbing his hands over his face, he pushed his hitai-ate off from where it covered his left eye. With deft fingers he discarded it too, leaning back until his head hit the wall behind him with a solid thump.

He stayed there a moment, listening to his own breath, its steady rise and fall, and the beat of his own heart. He could feel the sharingan rotate agitatedly behind his closed eye.

A moment passed, two, then three. Feeling the cold start to set in once again, he pushed off from the wall. Shamelessly, he strode, naked, to their bedroom, opening the door as gently as he could before closing it, even more gently, behind him.

Despite his almost daily visits to the Memorial Stone, it was here that Iruka’s presence lingered strongest. In a sense, one of the reasons why he couldn’t get rid of this place was because it really did feel like it still belonged to the stubbornly passionate chuunin.

Perhaps it was unhealthy that Kakashi had kept it exactly so, the décor, the bits and pieces of their life from almost a decade ago now scattered about the spacious main bedroom.

Then again, Kakashi had never tried to claim anything even bordering on mental stability, and if it meant that he could keep Iruka close, then so be it.

If that was the price, it was one he would willingly pay.

And yet, slipping between cold sheets, Kakashi shivered.

The sun has set never to rise again, there’s darkness instead.

If only there was something more he could give, something more of himself to be sacrificed, just so he could know once more what it felt like to be warm.

This world is so damn cold without you.

†

Sai woke at the sound of the front door opening. Naruto entered silently, his hair and clothes dripping water all over the place.

Sai blinked blearily at the shadowy figure that appeared to move almost in slow motion as it closed the door and threw the room into darkness. At some point Sai figured he must’ve fallen asleep because it already looked to be well into the night from what he could see of the star-speckled sky. The only light in the room was that of the full moon flooding in through the windows, the curtains left wide open.

Shaking his sleepiness off, Sai grabbed the towel at his side and stood. Tentatively, he stepped forward, one pace, two, three, four, until he drew to a stop in front of the other shinobi. With a quick and easy motion Sai covered Naruto’s hair with the towel.

When Naruto made no move to evade his touch, he began to rub dry his lover’s hair.

He almost jumped as he felt fingers run along his sensitive sides, and even through his shirt, Naruto’s warmth burned like fire along his skin, making it tingle everywhere he touched. As Sai slid the towel back and off Naruto’s head, letting it drape over powerful shoulders, he felt the fingers tangle and clench in the light material of his top. Slowly, carefully, he wiped the raindrops and their paths from Naruto’s face with the soft edges of the towel.

Leaning his forehead against Naruto’s for just a second, Sai breathed in deep, inhaling the intoxicating scent that always seemed to surround his kitsune. Reassured, Sai released his hold on the towel, and leant back, only to wrap his hands around wiry wrists and tug, pulling Naruto further into the darkness.

His insistent urgings were met with little resistance. Naruto moved in perfect harmony with Sai’s foots steps, as if they were dancing to a tune only they could hear. It didn’t take long before they reached the bedroom.

Sai’s agile fingers made light work of Naruto’s soaked clothing, stripping him with ease. Once he’d got Naruto naked, Sai tracked the trails of rain for a moment, before forcing his attention away from the temptation that was Naruto, and back to the fact that he needed to make amends.

Taking hold of Naruto’s wrists once more, Sai dropped to his knees, pulling with enough force that Naruto bent with him, falling to sit on the edge of their bed.

Kneeling before the person who was his everything, Sai brought Naruto’s wrists up, bending his head to bestow kisses along damp skin. Tracing the black lines of the seals locked about Naruto’s wrists with slightly shaking finger tips, Sai closed his eyes, relishing Naruto’s sheer presence, the way both heat and strength radiated from him.

What Sai wanted most however was Naruto’s warmth. Cold tones and glacial eyes still haunted his mind. They left him feeling bereft, lost.

He didn’t have a place in this world without Naruto.

Naruto, who was the centre of his universe – the very giver of life.

Slowly, steadily, Sai slid his fingers further along Naruto’s arms, enjoying the slight tickle of fine blond hair, standing on end. As he leaned further in, those arms came to rest upon his shoulders, neither accepting nor rejecting, merely there.

Sai ached for them to welcome him.

It was rare, but Sai felt them now, the slight burn of tears behind his eyes, and at the back of his throat.

Not the warmth I want, Sai thought miserably. The only warmth I want… is you.

Hunching forward, to hide the pain as best he could, slouching slightly to the side, Sai rested his head against Naruto’s leg, even as he reached out to brace himself on it, to embrace it, as it were, because Naruto wouldn’t embrace him.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you,” Sai whispered against the smooth skin of Naruto’s inner thigh, his voice almost breaking.

When all that met his admission was a heavy silence, he felt himself begin to shake.

“I didn’t,” he repeated.

If only Naruto would believe me. If only I deserved his trust…

Who knew he could get so emotional. He certainly didn’t, not until a sob finally escaped him, and then he couldn’t help it as his fingers bit into the skin under them, hard enough that his fingers hurt, to say nothing of Naruto’s likely bruising flesh.

“I’m so—”

“I know,” Naruto broke in, his voice whisper quiet, but still more than loud enough to cleave Sai’s apology in two.

Sai’s breath hitched, as he squeezed Naruto’s leg tighter still.

“I know,” Naruto murmured again, one hand finally coming to curl around the back of Sai’s neck, stroking the downy hair there.

With just that simple touch, somehow, Sai found he could breathe once more. It was as if something had broken inside him. Sucking in a sharp breath, it felt as though his soul would come pouring out. Only, he realized he didn’t care; it already belonged to Naruto, anyway.

“I… I was jealous,” Sai confessed, pressing his cheek more firmly against the warm flesh of Naruto’s leg, trying to hide the shamed flush that he just knew was beginning to spread, in violent contrast with his pale complexion.

“I know,” Naruto murmured yet again, but at last there was warmth in his voice. Warmth, teasing, affection…

Sai basked in it, gloried in it, prayed that it would forever remain his to enjoy, his to take pleasure in. His.

“I love you,” Sai choked.

And apparently that was it, the key, because all of a sudden he found himself being hauled up, his back stretched, his neck arched, as he was locked into a ferocious kiss.

It was so hot he was seared by it. Just as he wished to be, just as he would have Naruto branded upon him, as proof of this. Their love.

His soul already laid bare, Sai opened himself up as fully as he could to the kiss, and simply let Naruto plunder his mouth with all the passion he possessed.

With gladness, Sai took him in, caressing him as he plunged deeper and deeper still, as if he were reclaiming the territory, or perhaps, purging from it those terrible words that Sai had uttered – washing him anew, forgiving him.

Trembling, with his eyes closed, Sai cupped Naruto’s face in his hands, mapping by touch alone the whisker-like markings upon Naruto’s cheeks, when suddenly, he found himself being released.

He whimpered as Naruto withdrew. His eyes opening wide to ask, why? Why would you stop kissing me?

He found his answer as Naruto lifted him effortlessly onto his naked lap. Squirming, Sai quickly encircled Naruto’s waist with his legs, wishing he’d had the forethought to rid his own clothes as he had Naruto’s.

But really, all Sai had had space to think of in his mind was somehow appeasing Naruto, pleasing him. And that, well, that Sai most certainly still wanted to do. Very much so.

Only Sai understood, could read it from Naruto’s body language – for now, Naruto was in charge, both of giving pleasure, and of taking his own.

Slower now, but no less deep, Naruto kissed him, drawing back every once in a while, to lick at Sai wherever he could reach. Sai’s collarbone, his neck, the sensitive skin just below his ear, its lobe and its whorled shell, his forehead and his cheeks, the tip of his nose, the line of his jaw. Licked and kissed and nibbled at, but between each venture, Naruto would always return to lavish upon him sweet, sweet kisses that made him sigh in contentment; kisses that roused his heart, far more so than his flesh.

He was melting, changing form, evolving, as all the while, Naruto’s hands roved; their exploration seemingly bright with simple curiosity, playful and light-fingered, as they stole his breath away. They slid all over him, never still, nimble and sure. And Naruto kissed him, over and over and over again.

His sense of self vanishing, Sai felt as though he was being consumed by the desire to be touched like this forever. To have Naruto touch him like this forever.

He was so hard he ached with it. He yearned for it.

Just as he knew he always would.

†

Naruto couldn’t stop touching. Feeling a sliver of desperation run down his spine, he began to tear at Sai’s clothes, wanting him, needing him, and the feel of skin on hot, fevered skin. It felt as if he was burning up.

Sai’s cool touch was like a soothing balm for the chaos that churned through him. The smouldering blackness that he could feel inside him and that he could taste on the tip of his tongue. Ashes. Remains of self.

Impatience pulsed like a steady heartbeat in perfect accompaniment to his own, and in an instant Naruto flipped them both, Sai falling, naked now, sprawled onto the bed, Naruto perched on his hands and knees, staring down at him.

Planes upon planes of white, unblemished flesh, unclaimed, unmarked, and all, without a doubt, his.

Snarling, Naruto dipped his head, to nip at Sai’s throat, relishing the racing thrum of Sai’s pulse, fluttering beneath his tongue and the twitching, trembling motions of a swallow. Reaching the hollow of Sai’s throat, Naruto sucked hard, drawing blood towards the surface.

Gasping, Sai arched his neck, his entire body prostrate, except for the one centre of heat that begged more eloquently than perhaps words ever could.

Naruto rocked back slightly onto his knees, giving Sai’s neck one last, long lick farewell, for now, so that his hands were no longer supporting his weight. Pressing his weight down, Naruto rolled his hips directly against Sai’s, delighting at the hitch of breath and the responding buck that answered him.

Happily grinding, Naruto captured Sai’s wrists, to yank his hands over his head, pinning them there.

“What do you want?” Naruto demanded, slowing his motions, before speeding up once more, then slowing down, switching between the two cadences of heartbeats thrumming in his mind.

“Please,” Sai moaned, writhing between Naruto’s spread legs, shifting, jerking, evidently trying to get the best friction he could. “Please, fuck me.”

Naruto couldn’t stop the growl that rumbled in his throat at those words, he felt himself twitch at how much they appealed to him right now.

“How?” Naruto hissed, even as he increased his angle, leaning forward, letting one of his hands stray down to tease the very tip of Sai’s cock. “How do you want me to fuck you?”

“I—I—” Sai panted. Naruto watched with pleasure as his back arched, and he tensed up, in an obvious effort to hold off release. Breathing heavily, his teeth gritted, Naruto felt it as Sai forced himself to relax, slumping back down into the welcoming softness of their bed. Eyelids fluttering closed in surrender, voice breaking with want, Sai whimpered in a rush, “However you want, just, please!”

Naruto’s mouth stretched wide, as he bent his head to nuzzle at Sai’s neck, “Exactly what I wanted to hear.”

Letting go of Sai’s hands, Naruto slipped between Sai’s legs, kneeling over one, he grabbed the other and yanked. With a slight yelp, Sai found his legs spread wide, his left knee hooked over Naruto’s shoulder, his right outer thigh still on the bed, whilst his erection jauntily pointed at the wall. Sai himself was now somewhat on his side, his back partially turned towards Naruto.

Naruto for his part stared appreciatively down on him. Stroking a hand along Sai’s left thigh, Naruto lowered his upper body, pushing the leg over his shoulder higher and higher still, until the muscle was quivering beneath Naruto’s fingers.

Lifting his hand from their perch upon silky smooth, hairless skin, Naruto raised it to his mouth, slipping two fingers between his lips to suck on. Satisfied that they were wet enough to at least get things started, Naruto reached down to circle Sai’s entrance.

With his other hand, he steadily took a hold of Sai. This position was unfamiliar, especially with his hand now facing the opposite direction to how it usually did. Like this, his thumb was placed at the base of Sai’s erection, instead of at its head.

His first stroke felt uncoordinated, slightly awkward, but then Sai was jerking in his hold, moaning long and low and thrusting back against Naruto’s still circling finger. Somehow, Sai must’ve gotten the angle just right, because all of a sudden hot flesh was enclosing around the tip of Naruto’s finger. Sai moaned again, slightly more clipped this time, but with no less force, as he rocked back once more.

Naruto’s eyes went wide as his finger slid in easily. Making a surprised noise, he glanced up, only to find Sai, curled over, his face buried against the mattress, and further obscured by his arms. His ears, however, had gone red at the tips.

Smugness, softened by love, filled him. That and images of Sai carefully preparing himself, stretching himself with his beautifully talented fingers, moaning at the thought of Naruto later filling him.

Moaning himself, Naruto turned his head slightly to tenderly press a kiss against Sai’s knee in thanks. He paused in his stroking as he did so, in order to concentrate on carefully entering his lover, with three fingers this time.

Thrusting his fingers and stroking his hand in tandem, Naruto couldn’t resist rubbing his erection up against Sai’s balls. Naruto groaned as he moved against them, unconsciously flexing his grip.

“Stop, stop, stop!” Sai cried, his voice rising sharply. “I can’t—I won’t—” he gasped, his entire body shuddering, and clenching tight about fingers just barely grazing his prostate.

But as it were, apparently that was more than enough to push him towards the edge.

Slowly, Naruto withdrew his fingers. Watching closely as Sai exhaled in relief. Glancing down, Naruto wondered whether he shouldn’t lubricate himself. Then again, Sai had been enticingly slick, and hot, and ready for him…

“Do you want me as I am?” Naruto finally asked, catching Sai’s gaze as he lifted his head curiously at Naruto’s question.

“Will you take me as I am?” He asked again.

“Yes,” Sai hissed. Licking his lips he continued, “As you are.” He began to shift, as best he could, spread as he was, as he blindly tried to line himself up with the throbbing heat he could feel right up against him, “All of you.”

“Mine,” Naruto growled his voice filled with raw, uncomplicated pleasure, before sharply pressing forward, only to slowly sink into heated depths, that much hotter when compared to their cool exterior.

“Mine,” Naruto reiterated, thrusting hard, to finally slide deep. Fully sheathed, Naruto paused, with intent, and infinite control, he started to pull out, in tiny rocking motions that exemplified how pleasurable a concept friction was; in tiny motions that sparked shivers of heightened anticipation to run their course throughout his body, picking up speed and intensity as they went.

He needed… he needed…

More.

Inhaling sharply, Naruto froze, his hand hovering over Sai’s heated flesh, his hips canted mid-thrust.

That wasn’t…

“Naruto,” Sai breathed, his chest heaving as he squirmed, his head tipped back, trying to move but finding himself with very little leverage given the position he was in, his fingers helplessly tangling in their bright orange and pale blue sheets.

“More…!” Sai demanded as he tried again to buck his hips.

Eyes suddenly bleeding into red, Naruto shoved Sai onto his back, pulling out only long enough to do so, before slamming in back in, nailing Sai’s prostate in one.

Sai’s ear-piercing scream reverberated through his mind, the feel of Sai’s fingers digging into his back, as his hips rose to meet Naruto’s thrusts, the dampness of Sai’s erection, its tip leaking pre-come, as it lay trapped between their bodies, Sai’s ankles crossed behind his neck, his entire body bent practically in half, the strength of him, to bend and not break, all of this, all of it pushed Naruto onwards, driving him to pick up his speed, to go hard, deeper, faster.

More.

“More,” Naruto instructed, reaching up to pinch Sai’s nipples at the exact moment that he thrust back in.

Using his brute strength to keep on hitting Sai’s sweet spot, continuously, never fully letting up, the only variation being the intensity of the pressure, until he finally felt it, Sai’s cock pulsing against his stomach, the warm, wet, heat of come sliding down his sweat-slicked skin. But as flesh gripped him hard, convulsing about him, Naruto gamely held on, riding this pleasure so exquisite it bordered on pain, watching intensely as Sai came, his eyes closed tight, his mouth wide open in a scream that seemed to have been caught in his throat, his whole body stretched taut.

†

Sai opened his eyes blearily as the tremors of his orgasm began to die down. He felt weak and well-fucked. The only problem was, for some reason, Naruto hadn’t yet come. He hadn’t filled Sai with his warmth, his self.

It wasn’t often that Naruto took the initiative to top him. Often when Naruto was the instigator, so to speak, he more than happily surrendered himself to Sai.

As far as he could remember, this was probably the most pro-active Sai had seen Naruto when it came to their bedroom activities.

When Naruto had drawn out and then flipped him over to pound into him, without even a by-your-leave, Sai thought he was going to come then and there, even before Naruto had finished that first thrust.

But now, Naruto was still buried deep inside him, hard as hell, and not doing anything, beyond staring at him, that is.

Tentatively, Sai squeezed.

Naruto jerked back a little at that, and Sai was pleased to feel a quiver go through the blond.

“Naruto,” Sai murmured. “I want all of you, remember?”

Naruto blinked at him for a moment, before a slight smile curled his lips. “Yeah,” he whispered, sounding completely at ease, which was completely at odds with the hardness that was now throbbing inside him.

“So give it to me,” Sai commanded, trying to lift a hand to hit Naruto’s back in emphasis. As soon as he let go however, his arm flopped to the bed beside him.

Sai glared at the wayward limb.

Naruto snorted.

Sai turned his glare towards Naruto, which only made Naruto smile a little more crookedly at him. Sai did suppose a death glare was a little ineffective when you still had one arm, not to mention both your legs, wrapped about a person, who was buried balls deep in your arse.

“I wanted to feel you come,” Sai said, his glare fading, as he let go his other arm, which also dropped, boneless, with a light fump, onto the mattress. Just lying there now, Sai frowned.

Looking away, he felt those stupid tears from earlier making a comeback, as well as that awful pain that made his chest hurt.

“Wasn’t it,” he began, before realizing he wasn’t quite sure how to finish that question. “I mean, you didn’t…” and again, nothing he said wouldn’t sound pathetic, so Sai decided to shut up.

Just as Sai was about to unhook his legs, Naruto said simply, his voice low and husky, the smile now gone from his face, “I want more.”

“You—what?”

“Want. More,” and this time the words were accompanied by a thrust.

Sai moaned weakly as the movement sent ripples of pleasure from that point outwards. Bewildered, Sai took in Naruto’s expression, wondering at the serious set of his features, the odd ribbons of purple that weaved in and out of existence in Naruto’s eyes.

“More,” Sai said, and it was sort of a question.

“More,” Naruto purred in response, leaning forward to lick soothingly at one of the nipples he’d abused.

“Then take it,” Sai ordered, “whatever you need.”

And Naruto did, languidly, slow as slow can be, his arms braced on either side of Sai’s head. This time, there were kisses, as slow and languid as Naruto’s thrust.

It wasn’t long before Sai started to get hard again.

And this time he got all of it.

When Naruto finally allowed himself to let go, he came with a roar, and the rush of heat inside him, pushed Sai right into oblivion.

Love you, Sai heard Naruto whisper as he drifted off.

He really did have it all.

†

Naruto wasn’t sure how long he’d been awake now. An hour or two, at least. Still thrumming with energy, Naruto sat and watched as Sai slept, watched the steady rise and fall of Sai’s naked chest and he breathed deep and easy. Naruto watched as the moonlight glinted off his lover’s pale, alabaster skin and wondered at what he had done to deserve such beauty.

Sai was patient, and he was kind, he was usually the one who managed to keep a cool-head no matter the situation, and, above and beyond all that, he had put up with so much shit from Naruto, Naruto was honestly surprised he was still here.

Because Naruto knew that he himself was, at times, a somewhat volatile individual, far more prone to feel before he thought. He had a fiery nature, at least in part thanks to kyuubi, which more often than not got him in trouble. He’d managed to curb his impetuous manner over the years. But, evidently, it still got the better of him, from time to time.

Once he took the time to cool down though, he could see the bigger picture, not letting emotions cloud his judgment. Only then were things clearer.

Sometimes, perhaps, a little too clear, as it were… because in some ways, Sai was right to be concerned; no matter how much Naruto wished he could deny it.

Naruto sighed deeply, before lying down properly so he could wrap his arms around Sai, and pulling him closer, smiling slightly at the way Sai seemed to almost melt back against him.

Tightening his hold on him, Naruto contemplated Sai’s earlier implication, as well as the conclusions he’d reached whilst sitting crouched in the rain with Kakashi-sensei a solid rock of supportive silence by his side. There was a lot about Kakashi-sensei Naruto appreciated that he hadn’t so much as a child. Maybe it was simply because of the fact that Iruka-sensei had been there to pull the best out of the copy-nin, much like he’d managed to do with Iruka.

There was so much he had to be grateful for. So much, already lost, but so much more to lose, too.

Running his fingers along the smooth skin of Sai’s stomach, Naruto felt muscles twitch and respond to his attention. Even in sleep, Sai always seemed to be hyper-aware of Naruto’s presence, Naruto’s touch.

There was so much Naruto loved him for.

Are you telling me there’s something I should be jealous of?

Naruto’s fingers paused, their habitual journey disturbed as Naruto closed his eyes tight against the accusation, trying desperately to stop the answer he could feel rising inside him, unbidden.

Oh yes, came the rumbling response from deep within his hidden darkness, kyuubi’s voice reverberating from within his cage. Yes, yes, yeeees.

No, Naruto growled back, as he felt his seals burn beneath his skin.

There were oft times that he could feel it, kyuubi’s insatiable urges; the beasts’ voracious appetite for chaos, destruction and… sex.

It was disconcerting, to say the least, to find himself the subject of the demon fox’s mocking taunts, and worse yet, his insidious whispers.

Watch… touch… taste… consume…

Naruto tensed as he felt the stirrings of lust swirl low in his belly, even as the fox’s litany played within his mind, trickling enticingly along his senses.

He would enjoy it, kyuubi’s cavernous voice proclaimed. He would let us.

And the worse thing was Naruto could see the smallest grains of truth in kyuubi’s comments. It was one of the reasons he’d freaked out earlier. But he couldn’t let kyuubi get to him. He wouldn’t.

Shuddering, Naruto held his lover close, taking solace in the familiar weight and feel of Sai’s body against his own.

The boy…!

Naruto hid his face against Sai’s neck, and tried his best to just ignore it.

The boy…

Naruto didn’t know why. He didn’t want to know why. But for some reason, Naruto couldn’t even begin to comprehend… kyuubi wanted Iwa.

He would be ours. And we would have him, however we wished…

As exhaustion finally caught up with him, Naruto felt his lids get heavy, and the beginnings of sleep take hold of him, he could still hear it.

The sound of deep, booming laughter echoing through his mind.

†

To Be Continued…

†

Word from the Author:

Shizukasa ya

Iwa ni shimi-iru

Semi no koe

Stillness

Soaking into stone –

The cicada’s cry.

(Matsuo Bashō, 1689)

– Is a rather well-known haiku that I just so happened to amend (moushiwake arimasen deshita, Bashō-sensei!) so that the last line reads ‘rain’ instead of ‘cicada’ to better fit the context in which it was used.