House of Flowers

One week later

"Ease your head down." Haku instructed. His words came out muffled due to the hairpin he held between his gritted teeth. He was kneeling behind Naruto who was sitting cross-legged on a plush pillow.

Naruto jerked his head down, ”Oww!” The abrupt action made a sharp pain erupt at the side of his head.

"That’s why I told you to ease your head down not jerk it!"

"Sorry..." Naruto murmured as he tried to not focus on the pain.

"These pins are as sharp as needles if they’re not closed so listen!" Haku took the final pin out of his mouth and thrusted it into the center of the knot he had just tied. He clasped it and then leaned over and kissed the spot where he had hurt Naruto as a silent apology.

"Now hand me that box." Haku pointed to a silver box sitting on the vanity. Naruto grabbed it and put it over his head so Haku could grab it. Haku's vanity was similar to Karin's. It was filled with precious gifts that had been given to Haku over his career as a geisha. The only major difference was that Haku's vanity was bigger so there was more space to house more gifts.

Naruto watched through the vanity mirror as Haku opened the sparkling box and pulled out what seemed to be a piece of jewelry. Haku looked down at the jewelry with fondness in his eyes, it was obvious by his expression that it was special to him.

"What is that, mother?" Naruto asked curiously. He wanted to know what was the thing that meant so much to Haku.

"This is the first kanzashi I ever owned."

Haku lifted the kanzashi so that Naruto could see it, in its upright position Naruto could now see that he had been plain stupid to confuse the beautiful hair comb in Haku's hands for a simple piece of jewelry.

The comb portion of the kanzashi looked almost like a small crown. It was made up of three shining blue jade stones. The stone in the middle was slightly larger and was encrusted with a gold outer lining that made it look like a sun was rising behind a blue moon. Strings of white plum blossoms hung from the three sapphires. Naruto had seen Haku buy the white flowers yesterday but he had no idea that it was for this.

"When I was still a silly young maiko my teacher gave me this. She told me that her teacher had given it to her the day of her debut. My teacher was terribly sick, she had yellow fever...it's a horrible sickness..." Haku trailed off as if he were reminiscing about a particular horrid memory, "she gave me this kanzashi three months before my debut. She knew she wasn't going to make it to my actual debut. She died the next week." Haku's voice trembled, "I've received many kanzashi over my career, some are complete works of art and others cost more than a house but I still cherish this kanzashi above all others. And now I want you to have it."

"Mother, I couldn't possibly accept it! I don't deserve such a precious-"

"Hey, I told you about that!" Haku hastily wiped his tears away. He sat back up and locked eyes with Naruto through the mirror. "You are worth this. I'm giving it to you because you are my student. I want you to have this kanzashi because you've earned it." Haku sat up off his knees and shuffled over in front of Naruto. He slid the kanzashi into the center of the knotted bun so that the sapphires sat in the center like a crown. He then moved the dangling flowers to the side so that they cascaded down to the underside of Naruto's jaw.

"You already look so pretty and we haven't even put your kimono on you yet!" Haku squealed. He would've kissed Naruto’s forehead like he always did but couldn't because of the white paint on Naruto’s face.

"Stand up, it's time for the kimono!" Haku shot up and skipped out the room. He came back a second later with the large box that contained Naruto’s kimono.

"Take off your yukata!" Haku ordered to the standing Naruto.

Haku set the box onto the floor and quickly got to work. “There are many layers to a kimono. Each layer is important and necessary if one wants to be a real geisha. It can be extremely time consuming putting on so many layers but with patience you will get used to it.” Haku pulled the first layer of the kimono out; it was a thin semi-translucent under robe made of comfortable cloth so that Naruto’s skin would be protected from the outer layers of the rest of the kimono.

Naruto stretched his arms out as Haku put it on him. It was comfortable and felt as light as air.

The next layer was made of stiff white silk and the collar was decorated with a gold swirling pattern. The only part of this layer that would be seen was the collar so Haku took extra care of folding the collar.

The next layer after that was similar to the previous, the only difference was that its collar was a solid gold. The bands of the gold collar were thinner so it didn't overlap with the collar underneath it. It nestled right underneath it, making the swirling gold pattern on the white-collar stand out.

The last layer of the kimono was the actual kimono itself. Haku gently took it out of the box.

"It's even prettier than I remembered!" Haku exclaimed delighted.

The kimono was light blue. It had reminded Naruto of the color of the sky on that long ago cloudless day when he had left the senju okiya. It was the color of freedom and new beginnings. It was his favorite color aside from the mysterious blood red color of Sasuke's eyes. The kimono was heavily decorated. There were painted white cherry blossoms at the bottom and on the long swinging sleeves there were large painted lotuses. The decorations were to convey innocence and virtue. Naruto, just like every other debuting maiko, was a young flower in the twilight of their youth so his kimono had to reflect that.

Haku put the heavy kimono on Naruto as if he were dressing a regal little prince. Haku tensed, "Ah! I almost forgot the obi!" Haku laughed loudly. He ran back to the box and pulled out the actual final piece of the kimono. An obi was like a wide belt that held all of the layers of the kimono together. It was usually always a different color than the actual kimono, it covered from underneath the breast and ended right over the bellybutton, it was also long in the back. Padding was stuffed underneath which gave the kimono its signature square shape. The obi Naruto had picked out was glittering gold. Haku knotted the obi around the back of Naruto's waist with some difficulty. It usually took two or more people to tie it. He finally got it after a few minutes.

"You're finally ready." Haku sniffled. "My little duck really looks like a geisha now."

An embarrassed look flitted across Naruto’s features. He shyly smiled. "It's all because of you that I can be a geisha, mother. Thank you. You have made my dream come true."

Haku giggled. "There's one last thing that I have to do. Since you are now officially my son I have to give you my family name. From today onward you will be called Menma Yuki! Wait I don't like how it sounds now that I've said it out loud!" Haku said the name a few more times, each time in a different way. "Ugh, okay forget what I just said, from today onward you will be called Naruto Yuki. You now belong to my family but you will still remain you. No new first name, only a last name, okay!"

"Thank you, mother. It's everything I could've hoped for." Naruto bit the inside of his cheek so he wouldn't cry. It was weird to now truly be part of a family. He had never had a last name before. He didn't care about the first name, he was just glad he had somewhere he belonged now.

"Okay enough of this! The tea house I booked your debut in is far away so we have to leave now!"

Naruto cocked his head. He didn't know that. He didn't have time to ask Haku about it though. Haku dressed into his own kimono in a flurry. He fixed up his hair and spruced it up with a simple kanzashi . Since he was a mature geisha he didn't have to paint his face or wear an overly decorated kimono. After Haku was done he and Naruto were out the door. Once outside Haku stepped into his usual geta and Naruto did the same. He was instantly four inches taller. Haku held onto his hand as they walked down the path to the waiting rikshaw. Haku hopped into the rikshaw easily but Naruto, with his million of layers, tight obi, and high geta had some difficulty. He had trained walking in geta many times over the last year but he was so nervous that his legs felt like they belonged to someone else. The rikshaw driver noticed how nervous the pretty geisha was and hopped out of his seat to stand by Naruto. He held his hand out so that Naruto could take it.

"Please take my hand so I can help you, miss." The driver blushed, avoiding making direct eye contact with the struggling geisha.

Naruto glanced at Haku for permission, Haku had told him a geisha wasn't allowed to casually touch a man because it could cause unnecessary rumors to spread that could taint and even ruin a geisha's reputation. There was already so much stigma put upon geishas by society that it was of the utmost importance to be wary of such things.

Haku gave a curt nod of approval. No one was around to see them so it was fine.

"Thank you." Naruto said gratefully. He took the man’s hand and with a soft exhale of effort he hoisted himself up and into the rikshaw.

"Glad to be of service." The driver bowed and then went back to his seat. Discreetly sniffing at his hand to get a whiff of Naruto's scent. It was an odd scent but he couldn't place why the pretty debuting geisha smelled so good.

"Wait, don't go!" Haku suddenly exclaimed.

Naruto and the driver simultaneously whipped their heads in Haku's direction. The startling scent completely forgotten.

"What is it, mother?" Naruto questioned concerned.

Haku took two black stones out of his bag; he raised them over Naruto’s head and struck them together. A tiny spark sizzled in the air.

"Okay you may go now." The driver turned away puzzled but still obeyed Haku. The two geishas were affecting him weirdly. They were different than other girls he had ever chauffeured around before.

"What was that for?" Naruto remembered seeing Tsunade doing that when Hinata had debuted last year.

"It's for luck, little duck!" Haku laughed at his rhyme. "Don't worry too much about it. For now just close your eyes. We'll be at the teahouse in a couple of hours so get comfortable and try to relax. By the end of this night your whole life is going to be different!"

Naruto's tried to speak but no words would come out. He was too excited. His heart was thumping wildly in his chest like a caged bird trying to escape. Sasuke's silk cloth that was placed right over his heart felt like the only thing that was protecting his rapidly beating heart from popping right through his chest. For the entirety of the ride Naruto kept his hand over his thundering heart scared that it'd burst out before he could ever see Sasuke again.

The teahouse turned out to be located in a famous geisha district called Kirigakure. It was raining when Haku and Naruto arrived. The teahouse was packed with geishas; almost all of them were there for the same exact reason Naruto was-to debut. Apparently the spring shower didn't stop anyone from coming out.

As Naruto followed Haku into the teahouse he felt like a buzzing ball full of fluttering nerves. The teahouse was full, every room Naruto walked by he could see a string of pretty geishas and the sharply dressed men they were entertaining.

"Ah, Yuki-san." A girl Naruto had never seen before addressed Haku with a bow. She was tall and lean. Her skin was tanned and her brown hair was tied up into two buns on the top of her head, which made her appear even taller. "I was told to take you to the lotus room."

"Very well then, lead the way.”

They arrived at a closed sliding door. The girl bowed to the side of the door, her head was bowed so low that her face faced the wooden teahouse floor. She held her hands out and waited for Haku and Naruto to place their wet umbrellas into them. She left after the umbrellas were safely in her hands.

Haku cleared his throat. "Okay, the time has come. Behind this door is where you put everything I've taught you to use." Haku dusted an imaginary piece of dust off of Naruto’s gold collar. "You have to remember everything, especially your manners. A geisha who doesn't have any manners is no better than a courtesan. Make sure you speak clearly but don't be too forward! If a man asks you to do something then do it but only if it's appropriate. I won't be able to guide you like I do when we practice at home so make sure you pay careful attention to everything you do and say." Haku fretted, he flicked Naruto’s forehead. "Breathe, little duck. This is everything you've dreamed of, just remember what I've taught you and everything will be fine!"

Naruto forced out a breath he had been holding in. His chest deflated and the tight obi around his waist suddenly felt looser. Haku was right-he was ready for this.

Haku moved to open the sliding door but before he slid it open he suddenly turned back.

"Ah, I almost forgot. Don't bring up that you're an omega. I've come to learn that men-especially if they’re an alpha-can became a little...too interested if they know a geisha is an omega. Trust me if I could go back in time I would've hidden my omega status too."

"But I'm a boy, they'll know-" Naruto was cut off when Haku spun back around and slid the door open. Naruto instantly forgot about his worries. The sight of the tearoom was like everything he envisioned it'd be. In the center of the room there was a long low table. Five geisha's were littered around it and about eight wealthy looking men. They were all sitting on pillows. At the back of the room a stage was set up where a stone-faced geisha was playing a shamisen while another one danced. A large oval window was open, making the smell of rain and smoke mingle together. It was a cacophony of smells, sounds, and visuals that made Naruto’s stomach flutter with nerves anew.

It was a lively festive atmosphere, it momentarily reminded Naruto of that time he had peeked into the teahouse back in his old hanamachi and had gotten a glimpse of a geishas world...a world that was now his current reality.

"Haku-kun has arrived, now the party can truly begin!" An older gentleman with long white hair held into a low ponytail exclaimed. He was obviously very drunk. He had an empty glass of sake in his hand and his cheeks were bright red. The geisha sitting next to him forced him back down into his seat and playfully swatted his arm with her fan as if she were jealous.

"What? It's true!" The man chuckled at the pretty geisha then re-faced Haku, "I've missed your beautiful face. These parties just ain't the same without ya! Sometimes an alpha just needs an omega to truly let loose if ya know what I mean!" The man winked and licked his lips lewdly.

Haku let a winded laugh escape his painted lips. He smiled coyly at the man.

"You seem to be doing just fine without me here, Jiraiya-san." Haku looked pointedly down at the mountain of empty sake glasses scattered about in front of Jiraiya. "In fact I don't think my absence has affected your ability to party in even the slightest.”

Jiraiya's bleary eyes widened and then he burst into a fit of laughter. His belly shook as he slammed his fist on the table repeatedly. "This is why I like you so much. You know how to get a man laughing! There aren't many brave omegas like you, I guess its cause you're a geisha that you're so tough!" Jiraiya wiped his tears away as he sobered up, he snapped his fingers and the geisha beside him immediately filled his empty glass back up with sake. "I really did miss you though. Where you've been? I was starting to think that you went and got yourself pregnant!"

"Please don't assume such unnecessary things." Haku's lips thinned into a line. He moved aside so that Naruto could be seen. "I was away because I was training my protégé." Haku smiled proudly. "Let me introduce to you all the newest addition to my family. This is my daughter, Naruto Yuki. Please treat her kindly."

Her?

Daughter?

Naruto was internally screaming but he had no opportunity to panic because he had to bow and as soon as he raised his head Haku was pulling him to an empty spot at the table.

Why had Haku introduced him as a girl? Oh right, that thing Haku had said before! So he had been serious about not letting anyone know he was an omega? If Haku had introduced him as a boy then they all would've instantly known that he was an omega. He had so many questions though like why was this necessary and what in the world was an alpha?

Jiraiya's dark eyes followed Naruto as he walked to his seat. He licked his lips and gulped down his sake.

"She's a beauty, Haku. Where did you find this one?" Jiraiya said breathily. Naruto didn't know if he was imagining it but Jiraiya was letting off a strange scent. It smelled like how he'd imagined fire would taste as you swallow it down. It made him feel like Jiraiya was secretly telling him something but he didn't know what that message was.

"It's a secret." Haku replied in a teasing tone.

Jiraiya wasn't rebuffed in the least. "Did you get her from another country? That hair and eye color is unusual! I want to scalp her to see if it's real." Jiraiya’s hand twitched around his sake glass. Naruto actually believed for a moment that the man was going to reach over and shave all his hair off but he relaxed because he knew Haku would never allow someone to harm him.

"Blonde hair isn't that uncommon these days, I hear the emperor has a consort with icy blue eyes and hair the color of the sun." The geisha beside Jiraiya said as if she had just unveiled a grand scandal.

"That's just gossip trash, I've never seen her so I don't believe it!" Jiraiya grumbled.

"Why is it so hard to believe? I have customers who are foreigners that speak perfect Japanese!" The geisha exclaimed. “It isn’t so uncommon!”

Jiraiya’s lips turned down. Clearly not persuaded at all. Haku didn't let the man’s clear sign of suspicion change his point in the argument. He puffed his chest out and motioned to Naruto who was quietly sitting next to him.

"I know you are suspicious but I assure you that my daughter is of full Japanese ancestry." Haku said proudly. "She knows no other language but Japanese and has never set foot on soil that wasn't claimed as Japanese territory."

"Never?" This revelation seemed to intrigue Jiraiya. Finally relaxing after knowing that the alluring girl wasn't a foreigner trying to pretend to be Japanese. "You're beautiful, Naruto-chan but I bet the boys tell you that all the time don't they?" Jiraiya grinned at Naruto. His white teeth gleamed set against his scarred tan skin. There was a reason why Jiraiya was so against foreigners, he was a war hero and had a very strong biased impression of foreigners. He quite simply thought they were savages. Even now in his old age as a successful doctor with his own practice he still didn't like foreigners.

Naruto quickly shook his head no. He was scared, Jiraiya’s face was littered with scars and his eyes looked hollow like they were staring straight through him as if he were an object and not a person. And even worse the strange scent had grown stronger. It made him feel tingly inside but also made him want to curl up into a ball. He didn't understand it, he felt like he wanted to hide his body away from Jiraiya’s view but that made no sense because his body was already covered head to toe!

From the corner of his eye Naruto saw Haku smile in approvement of his answer. No man would be impressed by a geisha who bragged about how many suitors they had, especially if that geisha was just barely debuting. He had just lied though, he had received a compliment before and that had been from Sasuke. But Jiraiya never had to know that, Naruto felt that if he did Jiraiya would probably turn even scarier.

"I see that Haku's trained you well." Jiraiya barked out a laugh. The men around the table joined in.

"We'll change that by the end of the night. We'll give you so many compliments that you'll be drowning in them by the time you leave!"

"Thank you. I look forward to it." Naruto bowed his head partially. He didn't feel even the least bit excited about hearing what these men had to say but as a geisha he had to pretend to be. The only compliments he wanted were the ones Sasuke gave him.

"So you do speak Japanese!" Jiraiya exclaimed! "I swear I thought you were a foreigner this whole time!"

"I told you that my daughter was full blooded Japanese, Jiraiya-san. I'm hurt that you still continued to doubt me even after I told you so."

“You just never know these days, filthy foreigners have become-"

“Jiraiya-san, can we please not discuss politics.” Haku proposed tiredly. “No one but you has an interest in that topic. It’s boring.”

"Sorry, sorry!" Jiraiya apologized; he was about to go on a rant. "So, Naruto-chan why haven't I met you before? When you're this beautiful you can't keep all that beauty hidden to yourself! What are you? A beta?" Jiraiya sniffed the air, his body swayed due to his alcohol filled stomach.

Naruto felt Haku stiffen next to him. Had they been found out?

"You smell sweeter than a beta though?" Jiraiya continued, he scratched his scraggly chin peculiarly, "how old are you? Have you really lived in Japan all your life? Your scent is throwing me off-"

"This is actually Naruto’s first outing as a geisha, Jiraiya-san so be a little easy on her. Too many questions will overwhelm her." Haku reprimanded while sporting the perfect poker face.

"So this is your debut?" Jiraiya practically jumped up in his seat, forgetting all about his multitude of questions. “Well aren't we lucky boys? That means we get to see Naruto-chan's first performance!"

The men cheered. Some even hooted like wild animals.

Naruto’s chest tightened at the mention of his performance. Every debuting geisha was required to perform some type of skill to show off the talent they had learned during their training. The two most accepted talents to show off were dancing or playing an instrument.

Naruto, with the help of Haku and his dance instructor, had learned a dance. He had practiced it numerous times, to the point where his feet bleed and his arms ached, but for some reason he was still nervous to perform it. Maybe it was because Jiraiya’s strange scent and mini-interrogation was throwing him off.

"I can't wait, Naruto-chan go up on stage and show us!" Jiraiya pestered. Practically slobbering at the mouth.

Naruto began to panic but then calmed his self down with a short mantra. He had trained hard for this-he could do this. This strange man and his even stranger scent weren’t going to deter him from what he had trained so hard for. He had to do this if he wanted to ever be good enough to see Sasuke again. With new found confidence he got up. "I'll be performing a fan dance for you all today."

The men hooted again. They clinked their sake glasses together to celebrate Naruto's announcement. The other geishas showed no reaction. The world of geishas wasn't one of sisterhood, if you weren't from the same okiya then another geisha was just competition. Naruto knew this so their nonexistent enthusiasm didn't faze him. He made his way to the stage, which was now empty since the other two geisha had finished their act while he had been talking to Jiraiya. He grabbed two white fans and raised them over his head then positioned himself in the center of the stage.

Haku quickly followed behind him. He grabbed the shamisen the other geisha had used earlier and then sat down at the corner of the stage. He gave Naruto a curt nod, a silent way of telling Naruto to begin. Naruto sucked in a sharp breath as Haku began to the play the first notes of the song. He had heard this twinkling melody so many times already, every time he practiced religiously for this single moment. He listened to his heartbeat banging against his chest and then swooped his arms down and began his dance. His body moved instinctually to the music, the fluidity of his steps and movements were only capable due to how familiar he was with what he was doing. It felt easy, gliding across the stage. His vision blurred with each passing second and all he could conjure up was the image of Sasuke's face. The shamisen grew erratic and Naruto fluttered his fans frantically over his head like a butterfly trying to fly for the first time. He kept dancing even when he heard the crowds cheer turn into leers of admiration. Sasuke's red lonely eyes staring at him in his mind spurred him on to dance harder. Naruto fell to his knees and raised his fans crossed over his head. That same moment the shamisen's melodic tune ended, signaling the end of the performance. The tearoom erupted into a pandemic roar of cheer.

"Stunning!"

"Beautiful!"

"A work of art!"

Haku smiled smugly at the barrage of compliments while Naruto simply bowed his head. He wondered what Sasuke’s reaction would've been if he had seen his dance? He wanted to see Sasuke so bad. To see his beautiful eyes and smell that warm scent that only belonged to him.

Naruto shuffled up to his knees and bowed properly to the crowd. When he looked up he could see that two new faces had joined the long table.

They were both men, the first one had silver hair that was cropped down short to his head. His skin was an unusual gray color that made him look somewhat unwell. His eyes were black and beady and his teeth were sharp like a shark. He wore a gray business suit that was tailored to his body to perfection. He somehow looked familiar but Naruto could not place where he had seen this man before. The other man was drastically much more appealing to the eyes than the strange shark man. He had pale skin and long black hair that was tied into a low ponytail at the middle of his back. He wore an all black hakama and haori set that was brocaded with a familiar looking crest at the collar. His eyes were lowered to the table as a geisha beside him lit up a cigarette hanging out of his pink lips.

"Who's your new little friend Haku? They know how to put on quite a show, I’m impressed." The beautiful man questioned as he blew out a puff of wispy smoke. The man’s voice made Naruto feel small. The beautiful man emitted the aura of a predator. The way the other men and geisha in the room were nervously sitting around him as his question floated in the air added to the man’s dangerous aura.

Naruto chanced a side-glance at Haku. His mother looked uncharacteristically apprehensive. All night Haku had looked so at ease, handling Jiraiya and his cohorts like they were nothing but children. But right now Haku looked unhinged.

The man cleared his throat then flicked his eyes up. "When I ask a question I expect an answer, Haku. You know that.”

Naruto froze. He literally felt his body tense and refuse to move. The man’s eyes were bright red, the same color as Sasuke’s! Of course-no wonder the crest on the man’s collar looked so familiar. It was the same strange fan crest he had seen on Sasuke that day on the bridge! Could it be that this man was related to Sasuke in some way?

"Her name is Naruto and she's my new daughter."

"Daughter?" Itachi's red eyes slowly roved up Naruto’s frozen still form. "She's quite a beauty isn't she?" Itachi stood up, making all of the residents in the tearoom tense. The shark man followed behind Itachi without breaking a sweat. Itachi stopped in front of Naruto who was still kneeled on the stage. He reached out and without asking permission grabbed Naruto’s chin and pulled his face up. "She's pretty...too pretty." Itachi leaned forward and sniffed along Naruto’s jaw. Naruto was still frozen solid, his body was unsure on how to handle the current situation. He couldn't bring himself to push Itachi away. It was like a quiet voice inside was telling him to obey and submit willingly to whatever this man wanted of him.

"Don't touch her!" Haku attempted to push Itachi's face away from Naruto but the shark man was quicker and restrained Haku with a single stern push.

"I knew it." Itachi pulled away and smiled at the now dumbfounded Naruto. "You're an omega." Itachi eyes crinkled with sadistic mirth as he inhaled again, "a boy omega that hasn't even had his first heat yet."

"Lies!" Haku shouted hurriedly. "She's a girl and a beta!"

Itachi raised a thin black eyebrow. "I'm a superior alpha, I have the ability to sniff out an unclaimed omega. You shouldn't tell lies, Haku-kun." Itachi chuckled. The people in the room nervously laughed along.

"I knew it, I had my suspicions all along!" Jiraiya boomed idiotically, “His smell was too sweet to be a normal females!"

The men apprehensively shouted out words of agreement, angry over having been fooled.

"Why would you want to hide such a beautiful omega from us? It's practically a crime." Itachi tsked.

Haku didn't answer. Itachi of all men would know the answer better than anyone else.

Itachi made a chiding sound to the glare Haku was sending him. He was playfully acknowledging that Haku was angry but also showing that he didn't care in the slightest.

"What family are you from omega? I don't recall any royal family having birthed a blonde omega in the past couple of years. Surely your mother is insane to allow her son to become a geisha?"

"Don't answer him, Naruto!" Haku hissed. He bared his teeth at Itachi as if he were ready to bite him.

Itachi chuckled, "you know I've always thought it but your defiant temperament is probably the reason why your parents gave you up. No one wants an aggressive omega, Haku-kun. It's probably also the reason why so many alpha love to tame you."

Haku lunged at Itachi but the shark man had pushed him down again.

"Anyways, wherever you got this omega from doesn't change the fact that he's exquisite. Why haven't you've shown me him before? You know how much I love beautiful things." Itachi's red eyes bore into Naruto's blue ones. In that instant Naruto snapped his eyes down. That odd small voice deep within his mind had told him to not meet Itachi's gaze straight on. He couldn't even focus on the words being exchanged between Haku and Itachi. His body felt weird, like it was buzzing.

"Don't be shy, pretty geisha." Itachi pulled Naruto's head up so he was forced to look back into his eyes. "I've been in the company of hundreds of omegas and geishas before but none have held beauty quite like yours." Itachi swiped his thumb against the soft skin of Naruto's painted lips; "I can't think of which family you might’ve belonged to...no royal has hair as bright as yours, perhaps...you're not from here are you?"

"He is!" Haku answered quickly but it was too late because Naruto had already shaken his head no. He couldn't lie, it was instinctual, he had to obey. It wasn't a lie; he didn't know where he was from. The people who he had thought were his parents weren't actually his birth parents so he didn't know where he was born.

"A foreigner, I knew it!" Jiraiya shouted disgusted. Yet little flecks of interest still remained in his eyes.

"Shut that mouth of yours, old man. You're annoying me." Itachi warned. Jiraiya instantly quieted down, showing all in the room who held the power. Itachi's voice went back to soft as he addressed the blonde omega. "Tell me where do you hail from?"

"I don't know. I was sold to an okiya when I was a child, Haku-san took me in and trained me to be a geisha and then adopted me." Naruto answered honestly. It frustrated him, why did he feel the need to obey all of a sudden? He had never had this urge before so why now and why to this man? Another disturbing feeling was also overtaking him; he wanted to please Itachi. The urge to please him was much less overpowering than the urge to submit but it was still there. He was annoyed that he couldn't please Itachi by providing him with the answer to the question he had asked.

"Don't fret," Itachi cooed, "I'm not mad at you, sweet omega."

Naruto cursed. Why did he now feel happy that Itachi wasn't mad at him? Nothing made sense!

"Naruto and I are leaving. He's had enough fun for today. It's his debut I don't want to stress him out." Haku made a move to get up but shark man was all over him before he could lay a hand on Naruto.

"Debut? So that's why I haven't seen you in any teahouse before." Itachi's eyes glowed like fire, burning Naruto up with his fiery stare. "A beautiful omega and a virgin one no less-" Itachi chuckled and shook his head in disappointment at Haku, "honestly Haku, its like you brought him here just to tempt me."

"I didn't bring him here for you! If I knew you'd be here I would've never brought him at all!" Haku yelled, attempting to grab Naruto but once again being stopped by the shark man.

"That's so mean of you to say, Haku-kun. But I can't say that I'm surprised. You've always liked to deny me things that I want haven't you?" Itachi trailed his fingers up Haku’s waist. Haku quickly slapped his hand away.

"I already have an alpha, touch me and I won't hesitate to have him kill you."

Itachi didn't even flinch. In fact he rubbed the spot Haku had smacked as if the pain was pleasurable. "You should learn to watch what you say, Haku-kun. I'm the son of the emperors most favored shogun; a threat against my life is a threat against the royal family of Japan. I'll let it slide though since you're so cute."

Haku glared. His small shoulders trembled with anger. His mothers stressed state momentarily broke the odd obey trance in Naruto’s body. He stood up quickly and went to sit by Haku's side.

"I'm sorry sir but please excuse us, I’d like to take my mother home." Naruto moved to help Haku up, shark man was ready to stop Naruto but Itachi sent him a slight headshake.

"Leave them, Kisame."

Kisame obeyed, his large arms falling back to his side.

"If you plan on leaving so soon then I best not waste your time. I'll be upfront with you. I want to buy you Naruto-kun."

"He's not for sale like some cheap bathhouse whore!" Haku yelled angrily.

Itachi was amused by Haku's outburst. His odd smile made him look unnerving. "You geishas make me laugh, I love how proud you pretend to be. It makes it fun to pursue you. He isn't for sale but he will be. I guess I'll just have to wait for his mizuage and be the highest bidder just like I was for yours, eh Haku-chan?"

"Shut up!" Haku screamed. He stood up and hoisted Naruto up with him. He was embarrassed, his entire face was red now. "We're leaving!" Haku huffed, guiding Naruto to the sliding door. Naruto bumbled clueless along with his mother.

"My family is hosting a lunch this weekend, bring Naruto-chan by.” Itachi grinned as he waved goodbye.

A menacing glint shined in his red eyes as he watched the two omegas leave.