Iteration

‘Iteration’ is part of the space saga that began with ‘In the cold of space you find the heat of suns’ and continues in ‘Tales in Tarrasade’. There is also a one-shot ‘Silver Leaf Tales: Tying the knot’.

Thanks to Small Fox for being my beta. For this story he has also been my muse, suggesting a number of the ideas that have evolved to create this arc.

Thank you to those readers who have written a review and particular thanks to Kat Saama, lividangel, richon, unneeded, disembodiedvoiceofthedying, v, lonelylulaby, KL, sadie237, A Flying Monkey, Halskr, Nemo-Hime, Moonmoore, Prism0467, V-Anon, satterb and Gingitsune who reviewed after chapter 67.

Apologies if the characters have grown differently in their new environment.

This is posted in the Naruto/Sasuke section because it is part of a Naru/Sasu/Naru space saga. However, it does feature many other pairings (and a few threesomes). There is a little Naruto and Sasuke action in this chapter.

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Chapter sixty-eight: Home

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Asuma’s voice came over the intercom as soon as they jumped into the system where Haven was located.

“This is the captain to the whole crew. We are approaching Haven. If you can get to a viewing port, I recommend you do so. I have asked Shino-san to organise a live holoprojection.”

Sasuke activated the holoprojector over his desk. The only thing familiar about the space station was its modular construction. It was huge and, judging by the number of spacecraft, extremely busy.

There was a knock on his door.

“Come in,” he called.

Shikamaru entered at his usual easy pace with his hands thrust into his pockets. He studied the projected image, walking about to view it from different angles.

“I said it was a prime location,” he commented.

Sasuke tried to wrap his head around how quickly the space station had grown; it was only about two standards since it had been founded.

“How many more sites do you have?” he asked.

“This was the best,” Shikamaru admitted. “But there are another eight that are almost as good. Our share from this one would finance us starting another three. If you remember, Uchiha owns a third, my company owns a third and the other third is in shares. Each resident can buy one share.”

Sasuke was sure that Shikamaru had explained before but he did not remember. Even so, you did not have to be an accountant to realise that Haven was earning Uchiha a lot of credit.

“What happens when there aren’t any shares left for new residents to buy?” he asked.

Shikamaru shrugged. “We could sell them some of our shares, or they could make each resident’s share smaller, or they could restrict the number of residents. We aren’t there yet.”

“And the company that makes the modular units?” Sasuke queried.

“Thriving,” Shikamaru admitted. “All my ventures did just fine when I was incommunicado for over half a standard. It taught me a useful lesson.”

“We didn’t,” Sasuke reminded him. “We weren’t fine at all.”

“Uchiha was fine,” Shikamaru insisted. “Our family missed us almost as much as we missed them. Have you and Naruto worked out what is going to happen to allow him to visit the station?”

Sasuke noted the change in subject but decided to permit it. “I have to promise to stay with the babies. It’s a fox thing. He isn’t at all comfortable about leaving them when they are so young. I have to stay with the babies and Kiba has to be there to guard me and them.”

Shikamaru grinned. “Did you have to promise to stay in the den?”

Sasuke scowled at him. “No, and don’t you dare suggest it to him. And don’t think for a moment that you are going onto the station.”

“You will have to let me off the ship sometime.” Shikamaru reminded him.

“Not yet,” Sasuke replied. “Sometime but not yet.”

---

Naruto put thoughts of his litters to one side and prepared to walk the station.

Iruka and Kakashi were going with him to meet Five and the other ex-feral children. Haku wished to visit with the children. Itachi and Kisame were accompanying Haku.

“I had to ask Sasuke to stay with the babies,” he admitted to Haku as they made their way to the airlock.

Haku smiled at him. “Shou is four divs. He and Mai will be fine with Kurenai-san. Your triplets are much younger.”

“And I am part-fox,” Naruto admitted. “Tiny ones belong in the den with a parent looking after them.”

“Sasuke-sama will do a good job. He is an experienced parent,” Haku reminded him.

“I know,” Naruto agreed.

“Remind me why we should meet Five and the others,” Iruka asked.

Naruto knew that Iruka-sensei was trying to help by distracting him from thinking about the babies. “Five is about eight standards,” he replied, more for Kakashi’s benefit than for Iruka’s. He’s lived without adults for most of his life. I think you underestimate how self-sufficient feral children are.”


Haven was everything Naruto had hoped it would be; corridors full of hybrids mixing freely with purebreds and going about their business with their heads held high.

They moved quickly and did not linger; word that Naruto was on the station would spread like wildfire. Tonton had told them that they were at the same address. They reached it swiftly. There was a door, a camera, a speaker, four buttons and four signs.

Ask Ebisu
Financial and Business Advice

Get Rid of It
Vermin Control

Fleet of Foot
Couriers

Tastier and Easier
Bento Boxes

“This looks very promising,” Haku observed.

Before Naruto could choose a button the door opened revealing Five. Naruto was pleased. He had emphasised to Tonton how important it was to change Iruka-sensei’s perceptions of children. Having Five greet them rather than one of the adults, or even Chamu, was a good start.

“Come in,” Five invited.

They joined him in a lobby and the outer door closed.

“Naruto-san, Haku-san, Itachi-san, Kisame-san,” Five acknowledged.

“Five-kun,” Naruto replied. “May I introduce Iruka-san and Kakashi-san, who are senior members of Uchiha?”

They exchanged greetings. Five gestured to one of the doors. “That leads to our shared office and our business premises,” he explained. “We have employees on duty so that everyone else can participate in your visit.


He opened the other door. Inside was an entrance hall that led into a larger version of the shared area that Naruto remembered. On one side stood Ebisu, Sickler, Tonton and the rest of Five’s group. On the other stood Chamu and his groups.

Introductions took a considerable time. Then the less sociable subordinates excused themselves, leaving the others to talk to the guests. Naruto was pleased to see that the junior members of the groups were no longer expected to be silent or excessively deferential; Chamu’s bravado had developed into a more robust and flexible leadership. Tonton’s children, the five survivors of Orochimaru’s cull, ran about like children should. Naruto watched one of them run to Ebisu, who lifted her into his lap.

This was even better than seeing the proud hybrids in the corridors.

After suitable time they divided into two groups. Iruka, Kakashi and Naruto asked if they could speak with Five, Chamu and Tonton. They were conducted into the galley while everyone else settled onto the couches in the shared area.


Iruka was very skilled at getting youngsters to talk. Soon Five and Chamu were talking about the differences between how they lived now and the way they had lived in the Warren. Naruto offered comparisons to how he had lived as a child, when he had been alone rather than part of a group. Occasionally Tonton would give one of her soft, piggy grunts and the boys would fall silent to listen to what she had to say.

“It was not easy to accept that I had to wait for them to come to me, Iruka-san,” Tonton explained. “My instincts were to care and to coddle, which drove them away.”

“Tonton-san is wonderful with the little ones,” Five insisted, “but we weren’t like them. We may look like children but we aren’t. Children don’t survive without adults.”

“We worked it out,” Chamu added, “but there were times when it was rough.”

“We often make Tonton-san cry,” Five admitted. “But she always comes back, she is always there, she never gives up.”

“That sounds like someone I know,” Kakashi muttered.

“You could leave the child with us, Iruka-san,” Tonton suggested. “Maybe he would be happier here.”

Iruka did not rush to deny it. “Maybe so, Tonton-san, but we have given our word. It is a matter of honour.”


As they had expected, by the time they were ready to leave the corridor outside was impassable due to a crowd.

“There is a way through to Kotohime-san’s household,” Tonton told them. “She has a private dock. You could use her shuttle, or call a cab, or contact Uchiha. Are you planning on seeing Yugito-san and Roshi-san?”

“They have been invited to the Oak,” Naruto replied.

Tonton nodded. “That may be for the best. I am not sure that moving through the corridors is an option, Naruto-san.”


It was interesting to see Kotohime-san. She looked different; softer. She asked about Shou and the triplets; Naruto assumed that it was professional interest because they had been conceived using the Fuma technique. He gave her Shikamaru’s message, which offered a live video visit as he was not allowed off the ship. She seemed pleased.

“How is Han-san?” he asked, surprising himself.

“Busy. Standing up for workers’ rights,” she answered. “Employers need permits to operate in this system. To get them they have to show that they are treating their employees properly. Han set up the system and he polices it.” She laughed. “Imagine having Han turn up to inspect your premises. It would be very motivating.”

Naruto pictured it and agreed. He wondered if there was anything between Kotohime and Han. Where they even friends? It was not his place to ask.

Then it was tea with Denka and Hina while they waited for the shuttle to arrive.

---

Iruka sipped his tea out of a stunningly beautiful cup. Normally he would make more effort to participate in the conversation but Haku was in sparkling form so he left him to it.

Meeting Five and Chamu had been educational. They would not be raising the child in the pod, they would be creating an environment that would make it possible for him to adapt and grow. He looked at Kakashi, who caught him looking and looked back. Iruka thought he seemed more relaxed than he had since the onsen when Iruka had dropped his bombshell.


In the shuttle they sat beside each other, thighs touching. Iruka waited.

“As soon as Five is old enough, we should try recruiting him,” Kakashi volunteered. “He has huge potential.”

Iruka smiled; trust Kakashi. “Do you think he will be willing to leave his group?” he asked.

Kakashi considered. “He’s part cat, he’ll mature early but he’ll need another four standards. By that time perhaps one of the younger ones would be willing to step up. I made a few comments, planting the seed.”

He waited.

“I am now less opposed to the idea,” Kakashi admitted. “Like Five said, it isn’t like taking on an ordinary child of eight.” He paused. “Ranmaru was promising and he shared the same beginnings.”

Iruka smiled.

“You can thank me later,” Kakashi told him.

---

Sasuke walked up and down the nursery carrying Tsuneo. The soundproofing might save everyone else’s ears but he was stuck with a baby doing a fair imitation of an evacuation alarm. Kiba had given up; he had taken Takara and Teruko into his room and shut the door.

They had tried everything; feeding, changing, cuddling, rocking, ignoring and pleading.

The only small consolation was that Tsuneo had screamed equally loudly when held by Kiba.

Having Kiba tell him that he was too tense had not helped. Perhaps he had allowed his annoyance to show in his face. Kiba had decided to take the girls and retreat.


He sighed. This was the baby he had wanted so much; his little piece of Naruto. Tsuneo gave voice to another ear-piercing wail but Sasuke tried to ignore it.

His hair was not exactly like Naruto’s. It was human hair rather than fur and yellow rather than gold; sunlight of a slightly different hue.

But his eyes would be the same blue; Naruto blue.

Would his skin be that same sun-kissed tone? Time would tell. At the moment Tsuneo’s face looked like a tomato.

A tomato that could scream.

Sasuke carried him out of the den and into their bedroom. The soundproofing was less effective there but it was ships’ day and there was no reason the rest of the crew should not suffer with him. He placed him on the bed, took off his boots and lay beside him.

Tsuneo repeated the trick he had been demonstrating since he had woken up and realised that Naruto was not there. He paused for just long enough for Sasuke to begin hoping; then bawled.

Sasuke blocked out the sound. He watched the small arms flail and the chubby legs kick in the white sleepsuit. On Tsuneo’s breast was the Uchiha fan.

His son. Naruto’s son. Tsuneo Uchiha.

He laid three fingers on the tiny belly and began to rub slowly in a circle. Then he began to sing very softly. He did not think about whether it would work. He sang to his son as his mother had sung to him.

The cries slowly faded. Finally they stopped. Tsuneo’s face no longer looked like a tomato. His arms were now waving and his legs pumping; he looked happy. There was even a contented gurgle.

Sasuke kept singing; it seemed a lot less risky than stopping.

Finally Tsuneo was sleeping. Sasuke did not move for fear of disturbing him. He would lay there for a while. Then, when he was sure that Tsuneo was sound asleep, he would take him back into the nursery.

---

Naruto intended to walk calmly from the airlock to the crew room but all it took was Iruka to suggest that he go ahead and he was off.

He could change out of his uniform and check the babies at the same time. He skidded to a halt across the shared area and slid open the door to their room.

He spotted them immediately; Sasuke was asleep on the bed with Tsuneo beside him. It was one of the most beautiful things Naruto had ever seen. He settled down to watch them.

Once he had drunk his fill of the sight, he decided he ought to check on Takara and Teruko. He slipped off his boots and jacket and then slid open the door to the nursery.

The girls were in the basket. Kiba was stocking the shelves.

“Tsu-chan was not happy,” Kiba told him in a whisper that only a fellow hybrid could hear. “He cried for what seemed like forever. We tried everything. In the end Sasuke-sama took him into your room and sang to him.”

Naruto wished he could have seen and heard it.


It was almost time for the children’s mid-afternoon break. He decided that he would have to tolerate the dust of the station for now, changed out of his uniform and approached the bed to retrieve Tsuneo.

Sasuke woke as he put some weight on the mattress. He startled and then settled into a smile.

“Dobe,” he acknowledged fondly.

“Teme,” Naruto replied. “No time for a cuddle. I have to make the children’s break,” he explained.

“I’ll come with you,” Sasuke decided. He slid off the bed and sorted out his bed hair while Naruto fetched the basket and the babies’ supplies.


They had just settled onto the bed in the snug when Ryuu’s head popped through the drapes only to vanish again.

“Papa’s here too,” they heard him announce to the others.

There was a stampede. Within a minute all the children were on the bed. The quickest claimed the prime positions between their To-chan and their Papa but no one seemed too upset. Haru solved the problem of being last by climbing onto his Papa’s lap and snuggling against his chest.

“To-chan smell funny,” Kazuki commented. He thought about it while Ryuu and the other kits sniffed. “Smells different, like Kama-kun only not.”

Naruto smiled at his attempt to describe the scent of a different type of hybrid. “I was with some cat-human hybrids today,” he admitted and told them about Five, Chamu and the others.

“Maybe we should let them meet Yugito and Roshi when they visit tomorrow,” Sasuke suggested when the children had left to paint pictures. “It would be a safe way of them meeting two other hybrids. Maybe the kits and Ryuu need that.”

Naruto hugged him. It was a wonderful idea.

---

Sasuke watched the children milling about, trying to be good. He found himself remembering when he had met guests as a child. His mother had coached him for days so that he would not do anything inappropriate in front of his father. He had worn his best clothes, which had been very uncomfortable. Mostly he had stood or sat motionless and said nothing.

It had turned out that Kiba did have ‘best’ clothes set aside for each child. This consisted of one top and one pair of pants that were newer than the others, fit properly and had no mends. Sasuke liked the way they looked in their white tops with the Uchiha fan and dark blue calf-length pants. Kiba had also insisted that they all wore proper shoes; laced up pumps in soft dark brown leather that he made for them.

At some point they would have to teach them about formal behaviour, but Sasuke felt that could wait. For now it was no running, no climbing and no shouting.

It helped that Yugito and Roshi were so adaptable; accustomed to meeting all manner of people in all kinds of places.

“This is such a privilege, Sasuke-sama,” Yugito told him. “Everyone knows how protective you are of your children.” She watched Roshi crouched down among them; Kazuki was investigating Roshi’s topknot. “And it is so rare to see hybrid and purebred children together like this,” she admitted, blinking back tears.

“Naruto’s litter. My sons and my daughter,” Sasuke told her proudly.


By the time their guests had left and the children were in bed Sasuke was tired. Spending so much time with the babies and children was exhausting, he did not know how Naruto and Kiba managed it day in and day out. He ate his evemeal mechanically, his mind elsewhere, and did not object at all when Naruto suggested an early night.

“I asked Kiba to look after the babies tonight,” Naruto told him from the other side of the bath.

Normally those words would have Sasuke moving to claim Naruto’s lips. Instead Sasuke found himself on the edge of saying he was too tired.

He stopped himself; he would never say no to Naruto.

Naruto was moving towards him. He pressed Sasuke against the side of the tub and nipped his neck.

“I love watching you with the children,” he murmured. “My mate with my litters.”

Sasuke smiled; it appeared that Naruto was willing to do most of the work. He stretched his neck to give Naruto better access and gave one of the small whimpers that he knew encouraged growling-possessive-Naruto.


Sasuke was nibbled, groomed, carried to the bed and dried. Then growling-possessive-Naruto began what could only be described as a display; he repeatedly prowled, posed and howled. Sasuke surmised that going off the ship and then having strangers with the children had sparked Naruto’s protective instincts.

He tested his hypothesis by moving towards the edge of the bed, suggesting that he might leave it. Naruto immediately froze and gave a small growl of warning.

Yes, Naruto was in full over-protective mode. Sasuke decided to relax and enjoy it. He rolled back toward the centre of the bed, exposing his belly and arching his neck.

The timbre of Naruto’s growl changed.

Sasuke reached out to the bottle of lube with one hand, dispensing a goodly amount into his cupped palm. The fingers of the other hand trailed up the inside of his thigh, over his balls and up his penis, taking Naruto’s gaze with them. Then he slowly and deliberately dipped the same fingers into the lube, raised his knees and began preparing his hole.

There was a blur of movement and Naruto was on all fours over him. Sasuke met the burning blue eyes with a touch of defiance while taking the opportunity to stroke lube over Naruto’s erection.

He was flipped, held and impaled. Sasuke gasped at the suddenness. A warm hand rubbed the small of his back and there was an apologetic lick to his shoulder; Naruto was making comforting foxy noises. Sasuke pushed back against Naruto’s hand and hips, confirming all was well, and gathered a mound of pillows and cushions beneath him for when his arms gave out.

The time between the knot forming and Naruto climaxing was definitely longer than it used to be. Sasuke was swept up towards the crest of a wave, dipped and then taken even higher. His last coherent thought was that they were making a lot of noise and it wasn’t all Naruto.

Then there was nothing but sensation; the jolts of pleasure spreading through his body, the unbearable tension as he teetered at the crest of the wave, the blast of his climax powering through his body and out through his throat.

One more thrust into Sasuke’s suddenly boneless body and Naruto came; his howl obliterating Sasuke’s scream.


Sasuke was dimly aware of Naruto reorganising the pillows and covers so that they were spooned together comfortably. Naruto was around him and inside of him. It felt right.

This was how they had started. It would always feel like home.

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