Chapter 15
My observation of jinchuuriki and their lovers has led me to believe that the within the society of the pack the subordinates most often come to love one another, deeply, as a rule. However, this does not, in my opinion, imply that such love is in any way caused by the power of the thrall. Emotion like love is surely far too abstract to be compelled and, even if such a thing were possible, there is little evolutionary value to the promotion of mindless adoration in a social structure as complex as the jinchuuriki pack. More likely it is the simple, human inclination to love those who share one's living space and cooperate for the greater good of all that produces the affection many subordinates kindle for one another. Jinchuuriki have a well-recognized tendency to mate with a distinct type of individuals, gravitating to ninja with particular talents and tendencies, and thus it seems only natural that subordinates may grow to find that they have more in common with one another than they do even with their alpha. Throughout the history of such creatures, it is not uncommon for an alpha to survive the death of a subordinate only for others of its pack to die in the person's absence, ostensibly from sheer grief. Many scholars have, for this reason, gone so far as to claim that subordinates are connected telepathically, that they communicate in such a manner during combat, but I find any evidence in support of this claim largely insubstantial. Subordinates are sexually intimate with one another and, over time, inevitably establish a hierarchy within the pack as important to their understanding of one another as the ability to speak. They learn one another's habits and patterns and so, over time, come to act in a deeply unified manner.
-Koumyuo Sanzo, Lives and Habits of Far Eastern Demons
Sasuke was nearly drunk enough not to be annoyed and he had to admit that even if the Dobe did insist on dragging him out into public, Naruto still had very good taste in food. On his alpha's recommendation, he had ordered the grilled lobster with papaya salad and some weird, cold seafood dish with lime juice and chili. Both the appetizer and the entrée were shockingly delicious, exotic, satisfying and nothing like what people ate in Leaf. Naruto's grilled seabass in spicy coconut milk was also very good, rich and sweet and savory all at once, a bit overwhelming, like everything else that the silly blonde liked. Sasuke would never say it, not unless he was feeling particularly unbalanced, but he had always been a bit fond of that particular quality in his alpha, loving the way that Naruto seemed to seek out the absolute maximum amount of stimulation any given experience could offer. He always wanted the most flavorful food, the showiest clothing, the loudest music, the hottest sex…The jinchuuriki's tastes ran to the extreme in everything and his subordinates were no exception, all dark haired, inhumanly gorgeous, and hopelessly fucked up. Sasuke laughed at the thought. He and Sai and Neji were different people with different habits and different issues, but the one thing they all had in common was the ability to ruthlessly kill whatever it was that happened to be in the way. The three of them were arguably the most dangerous people in all Konoha, maybe even the world, and somehow they had all managed to end up in one bed, hopelessly besotted with a blonde kistune who liked to cuddle in public.
The sad truth of the matter was that Naruto, friendly, happy, saintly Naruto, liked fucking the coldest murderers in all existence. The realization of his alpha's strange preferences made Sasuke weirdly happy, and not just because of the sheer irony of it either. For the first time in his life since the death of his clan, Sasuke felt as if he really fit somewhere, as if the fact that he shared Naruto's bed was not some bizarre coincidence. Neji and Sai made it painfully clear that Naruto had not fallen in love with him because of a mistake or because the jinchuuriki was just that nice and could not manage to get over the fact that his one-time friend was, in fact, a total freak. The others, despite what he had originally said, were his kind of people. Naruto had a type and, like everything else, it was extreme. Sai was soft and kind of cute, a bit like a lobotomized kitten, but Sasuke knew that the man could kill just as easily as breathing. Neji was quiet and restrained, always utterly dignified and polite, but he had once nearly choked the life out of a cousin he usually seemed to like because she made him feel a little bit insecure. They were, all of them, rather horrible people and the jinchuuriki still loved them.
He loved them, and not because he was a moron who was unable to let go of the past, but because he was just that weird. Sasuke moved his hips back against Naruto as he reached for a last morsel of lobster and felt gratified to hear the vessel's breath catch. Sakura would have said that it was mean to tease him that way, but she was not here, and Sasuke already knew that he would not be getting much sleep that night. He was tempted to go for another bite of black bean and mackerel fish stew, just to have a better excuse to grope the blond, but Neji's rather bland food was less interesting and he was already full. What was interesting was the rising blush on the Hyuuga's pale cheeks and the lean muscles of his body as he reclined against the cushions. The silver eyed genius was too pretty for his own good and the raven idly wondered what he would look like with all that mahogany hair wrapped around Naruto's powerful forearm and his lithe body pressed into their sheets. He could already tell that Neji was far more sexually dominant than most people and watching Naruto fuck him would be like watching a panther trapped in the embrace of a tiger, arousing and probably violent. Sasuke liked the idea. Resistance against Naruto when he wanted something was useless, like standing against a tsunami, but it would probably be fun to watch.
Sasuke chuckled. Despite being dragged out of the house against his will and dressed like a slut, the raven realized he was actually having a decent time. Sasuke liked the meal and the atmosphere and, if he were willing to be honest, he liked the company as well. Neji's conversation was interesting and intelligent and Naruto's arm around his chest was far more comfortable than he would have ever been willing to admit. Sasuke felt more relaxed than he had in weeks, which alone was worth the irritation of being stared at like a piece of exotic jewelry, and Wave cuisine would have been very difficult to have at home. The fish and crustaceans were all cooked in unfamiliar ways and seasoned with foreign spices that he had never tasted before, the flavors strong and yet harmonious. Naruto had needed to show him what to do with the lobster, which looked more like a giant insect than anything else, but there was something viscerally satisfying in crunching through the animal's shell and the meat inside was sweet and delicious.
Dealing with Naruto and Neji was easy after so many weeks of trying to juggle the actions and feelings of four other people along with his own and Sasuke grudgingly admitted to himself that coming out had been a good idea. Sakura would have liked lobster, but he was powerfully relieved not to be eating something filled with mushrooms, and having the kunoichi home with Sai soothed his anxiety greatly. Sasuke trusted Sai to protect Sakura with a single-mindedness even he and Naruto would be hard pressed to match. If something were to happen Sai would deal with it even more ruthlessly than he would and, at least with Sakura, the artist had a chance of exploring sex without being completely overwhelmed. Sasuke had come to trust Sai entirely when it came to Sakura and he knew that Sai would always do whatever it took to protect their woman. After all the ink nin completely destroyed an entire wing of Konoha hospital because the girlfainted, and that was excessive, even for him. Sasuke laughed to himself again.
"What are you laughing about, Teme?" Naruto asked fondly, stroking his chest.
"Sai." Sasuke responded with a drunken giggle.
"What's so funny about Sai?" Neji asked.
"What isn't funny about Sai? One second he's coming onto Naruto like a drunken tavern girl and the next he's busy beating the living shit out of you for no reason in particular." Sasuke laughed.
"Sai just has a different perspective on how to deal with stuff. He feels things very strongly." Naruto shrugged.
"I thought he didn't feel anything?" Neji asked, running his fingers around the edge of his coconut cup.
"Tch, bullshit. He feels everything." Sasuke huffed and took another drink.
The smooth, sweet rum was a delightful compliment to everything and far more alcoholic than sake. The waitress returned to take the empty plates and Sasuke deftly used the appropriate hand gesture to order a third round to go with desert even though Naruto scowled at him. Sasuke knew he was moving beyond pleasantly intoxicated into the territory of quite drunk, but he did not care. The waitress nodded silently and hurried away, presumably to bring more drinks and the fried bananas that Naruto had ordered for them. Naruto pulled him more snugly against his body and Sasuke smirked into his cup. If he decided to get drunk it would only make the evening more interesting and the jinchuuriki had said that he wanted to cuddle. Snickering to himself, Sasuke quaffed the rest of the drink and turned so that he was kneeling beside his alpha with Naruto's waist snug between his arms. The jinchuuriki raised an eyebrow as Sasuke swung a leg wantonly over his hips to sit on his alpha fully, crouching low over the blonde's chest like a predator.
"You are so drunk, Teme." Naruto laughed, blushing in a way that had nothing to do with the alcohol.
"Hmmm…who's fault is that?" Sasuke purred.
"Yours. Nobody is forcing you to do anything." Neji noted, a bit sourly.
"Jealous, baka? Don't be, you're next…" Sasuke hissed with a smile, dipping his fingers into what remained of Neji's drink.
The Hyuuga frowned at him in open annoyance, but Sasuke was more interested in the firm ridge of Naruto's arousal against his thigh and the hazy way the blonde's blue eyes followed his fingers. Sasuke decided that eating lying down did occasionally have some merits as far as 'cuddling' was concerned and Naruto had been right to choose the place. True, fully straddling his alpha's hips and smearing the sweet liquor across his neck was probably not what the blond had in mind, but he should have known better anyway. The Hyuuga watched with an odd sort of fascination as Sasuke proceeded to shamelessly lick the oily rum off of Naruto's skin, strange silver eyes wide and cheeks dusted with ruddy blush. The raven shot him a meaningful look at him over Naruto's shoulder. Yes, Sasuke thought as Naruto whimpered beneath him, you should be doing this too and more, much more. The Hyuuga wanted to love Sakura and had kissed him twice as well, but loving them meant loving Naruto and loving a jinchuuriki was not like loving a human. Naruto had needs and limits that a human man did not, limits that Sasuke knew he was fast approaching. Loving the blond meant nearly being fucked to death every fall, among other things, and Sasuke was determined to use the opportunity presented by the heat to force Neji fully under Naruto's thrall for the sake of all of them. If Neji joined him, if he approached Naruto now as he had once before, the jinchuuriki simply did not have the control to resist him. The blond was already deeply within the grip of his heat and, as far as Sasuke was concerned, the Neji Hyuuga had remained unclaimed for far too long already.
Neji was not like Sai, whose fragile emotions could spiral out of control at the barest touch, and there was no reason why the Hyuuga should not share their bed and the burdens of the jinchuuriki's sexual needs. He wanted Naruto to claim Neji, wanted total assurance that the brilliant brunette was fully within Naruto's control, bound to clan Uzumaki regardless of what designs Hiashi might have. Having Neji under the thrall was just safer, safer for Naruto who was too naïve to be suspicious of pretty gifts from hostile clans and safer for Neji who would otherwise be at the mercy of his family's scheming. The thrall compelled loyalty and though the raven no longer believed that Neji had any intention of hurting them, he knew too well how manipulative family could be, how easy it was to be confused and provoked into doing something horrible… Sasuke wanted Neji chained as he was so that it would be safe for the Hyuuga to love and live as he wanted, so it would be safe for the rest of them to explore. The thrall was not something that the raven resented, despite how he had initially reacted to the idea, and he knew too well that Neji was still badly conflicted. Sasuke knew that the Hyuuga still felt the pressure of his commitments to the Hyuuga clan and the thrall would ensure that Neji only felt the weight of his clan's needs and of Naruto's body. So Sasuke challenged him, with his eyes and posture, and knew from the brunette's startled silver gaze that his statement was not lost on the other man. As he thought, Neji was nothing if not competitive.
"Mmmm…delicious…" He murmured hotly, licking his lips and looking directly into Neji's eyes.
"Sasuke…" Neji began, nervously looking around.
"Scared Hyuuga? Afraid you might like the taste…" Sasuke chuckled, moving hotly against Naruto.
"I'm not scared of anything!" Neji hissed.
"Sasuke, I want to know what you are doing to Neji." Naruto said, putting a quelling hand against the raven's lower back.
"Doing something to him? I'm not even touching him. Why would you think I'm doing anything to him?" Sasuke huffed, nuzzling Naruto's nose.
"Because I know you, and I know that you don't have to touch someone to get them to do what you want." Naruto chuckled, running a fond hand down the raven's back.
"Idiot." Sasuke huffed affectionately and moved to kiss him.
Naruto stopped him, pulling the silken mask back up over his lips. Sasuke sighed, rolling his eyes, but the blond held him firmly. The blond looked at him steadily, his expression both pensive and patient, an awful combination in Sasuke's opinion. Apparently the jinchuuriki was not quite as intoxicated as he was and too damned perceptive besides. Neji took a breath and looked away, obviously uncomfortable.
"I think it's obvious what I want." Sasuke laughed, jerking his hips hard into Naruto's pelvis.
"The question is: What do you want from him?" Naruto asked with a grunt, gently pushing him back to sit up fully.
"I want him to finish what he started." Sasuke whispered, crossing his arms and looking pointedly at the Hyuuga again.
"Sasuke…" Naruto warned.
"I thought what I started was an example of 'amazing stupidity'?" Neji asked smoothly, his expression stormy.
"It is, but you still have a commitment left unfinished…" Sasuke snapped.
"What are you talking about?" Naruto asked, confused.
"Commitment? As if being married to him isn't commitment enough!" Neji snapped incredulously.
"You know what I mean." Sasuke said, narrowing his eyes.
"Well, I don't and you are going to tell me, Teme, believe it." Naruto snarled, glaring at each of them.
"Do you want to tell him or should I?" Sasuke purred, locking eyes with Neji.
The Hyuuga's jaw worked as he panicked, silver eyes flicking between Naruto's steady blue gaze and Sasuke's own. Neji rolled gracefully to sit on his knees, the posture both respectful and oddly distant, the way someone would kneel if they were about to ask for a favor…or awaiting execution. Naruto scowled at the unspoken sentiment and the Sasuke wondered if he had pushed the other man too far, if he had managed to touch one of Neji's few, raw nerves. Everyone in Konoha knew that Neji's weakness was his pride, but Sasuke had hoped the challenge might pull him into Naruto's arms, not away.
"I am here to please you." Neji whispered, looking at Naruto.
"You do please me. Could someone possibly just drop the cryptic bullshit and tell me what the hell all this is about?" Naruto snarled, frustrated.
"I want you to sleep with him." Sasuke said, tipping his chin up haughtily.
"Oh, Teme…not this again…" Naruto groaned.
"He's strong, he'll survive…" Sasuke argued.
"You barely survived!" Naruto snapped.
"I'm not afraid." Neji growled, looking offended.
"This isn't about fear or courage, Neji! It's about love…It's about…well…being happy." Naruto finished lamely, pinching the bridge of his nose in a gesture Sasuke recognized as a sign that the blond had a considerable headache.
"Dobe, he's already joined us in all the important ways…" Sasuke huffed, gently stroking Naruto's feverish forehead.
"This is important, Sasuke." Naruto whispered.
"I…I don't want to…I mean I DO want to…I don't mind…I mean…dammit! Why can't I just…" Neji stuttered, blushing and frustrated, pressing a fist to his forehead.
Naruto watched him, watched the silver-haired genius fumble with the words as he rarely fumbled with anything, and smiled a little. He would have said something, Sasuke was certain, but the waitress arrived with dessert and another coconut cup of rum, neatly cutting off any further discussion of the problem. Neji poked his chopsticks at the bananas morosely and Naruto had that look he sometimes got that meant he was both simultaneously scheming and concerned. Without the distraction of conversation, the dessert disappeared almost instantaneously and they were left once again to stare at one another and practice the subtle art of mind reading. Sasuke sighed and snuggled sedately beneath Naruto's chin, too drunk to care about appearances and too worried to take the touch beyond basic comfort. Sasuke could not help but feel a little bit guilty about trying to force the situation when Neji was obviously overwhelmed and decided to soothe the feeling with more alcohol. He drank the rest of the rum, kissed Naruto sloppily through his mask and tried not to think. For once, Naruto did not even bother bitching about it.
"Let's go." The blond said gently, leaving money on the table and smiling apologetically the way someone would after pulling shrapnel out of a teammate.
OoOoOoO
Naruto almost moaned in relief at the sudden shock of cold air as they left the restaurant. His skin was so hot and sensitive that even the harmless brush of his own clothing, a sensation usually beneath his awareness, resounded through his nerves in a restrained kind of agony. Every touch, every movement seemed so magnified and abrasive. The jinchuuriki had not felt the full force of his heat for nearly three years and he had somehow managed to forget just how much it sucked. It was snowing gently and the light dusting of white made the ice surrounding the restaurant's garden look even more beautiful than it had in the glow of the setting sun. He sighed, closing his eyes. At least now he knew what sort of silent argument his subordinates had been conducting over the past week and the knowledge was a kind of comfort even if he still had no idea how to sort things out. In his way, Sasuke was offering his acceptance to Neji, a miracle in and of itself, but now that the invitation had been made the raven expected instant approval. He was an impatient person, used to getting what he wanted, and Sasuke had never before had to wait on someone else's mood. Naruto chuckled as he thought about it. Sasuke wanted the security of having Neji under the thrall and he was, as usual, unwilling to wait for anyone else to make up their own minds about the issue.
"It's snowing." Neji said, as he followed Naruto out into the night.
"Yes, it feels great! I love the snow!" Naruto exclaimed, smiling.
"Oh yeah, your fever, I almost forgot. Does the cold feel good?" Neji whispered, running his fingers over Naruto's flushed cheek.
The touch of the other ninja was innocent, just the meaningless brush of fingertips, but the contact made Naruto ache all the same. His breath caught hard in his chest and the jinchuuriki practically groaned with the effort of not leaning into Neji's hand, of not pressing more of the genius's exquisite flesh against his own. The other man was so forward at times, so confident, dangerously so. When Neji touched him that way, as if the action just came naturally, Naruto could hardly help himself. It was as if the Hyuuga could thrust his hand into the flames of a roaring inferno without being burned, the action both reckless and amazing, a statement that Neji believed himself to be utterly invulnerable. Naruto knew the falseness of that, knew that his friend could still be badly hurt if he wasn't careful, but he found it so hard to hold back anymore. The Hyuuga acted like he already knew what would happen, that he already knew everything would be alright, and his behavior made the jinchuuriki want to be…careless.
"Yes," Naruto practically purred, "It does feel good."
"Yeah…I bet it does…" Neji replied, his voice a shade huskier than it had been before.
"I hate snow." Sasuke whispered sullenly, leaning against Naruto's shoulder drunkenly.
"You just haven't made enough good memories with snow, Teme." Naruto chided, brushing his subordinate's face affectionately.
"Tch, whatever." Sasuke mumbled, leaning into Naruto's warmth.
"I guess I never really thought about it…" Neji murmured, gazing up to where the moon was rising above the white rooftops.
"What? Snow?" Sasuke asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Whether or not I liked it." Neji shrugged.
"You don't think much about whether or not you like things." Naruto replied, catching the Hyuuga's gaze and finding a flicker of heat there.
"I've never had much choice about what I did and didn't do, liking something just seemed too…naïve." He sighed.
Neji's silver eyes were luminous in the soft glow of the rising moon, huge and filled with emotion. Naruto decided that snow and moonlight complimented him far more than sunshine and growing things ever could, that he was more a creature of ice and shadows than even Sasuke. The Hyuuga looked gorgeous and surreal with the snow falling lightly into his mahogany hair and the twinkling patterns of light cast by the crescent moon dancing over his skin. Nothing as dangerous as Neji Hyuuga should be quite so mesmerizing…
"You should start thinking about what you like. People are going to want to know what you like…" Naruto whispered, pulling the taller nin close.
"I'm not even sure what I like, I guess that's part of the problem." Neji chuckled, leaning a bit nervously into Naruto's body.
The feel of him, familiar and yet exotic, sent a thrill coursing through Naruto's sensitized flesh. Suddenly, the blond could barely think of anything except Neji and Sasuke and the way they would feel pressed against his body, the way they would feel writhing beneath him. He stroked a bold hand down Neji's back, appreciating the elegant curvature of the silver-eyed genius's spine and the impossible length of his waist, the way every line of his body seemed to taper endlessly. Sasuke was nuzzling Naruto's throat, the touch of his lips both heated and faintly demanding, impatient. Even the simple touch of the drunken kisses and the scent of the raven's hair brought a hard flush of arousal to his skin and a deep thrum of pleasure to his groin. Naruto moaned softly, watching Neji's eyes, waiting for an indication that the Hyuuga was uncomfortable or disgusted as he rested his hand on the small of the man's back. The touch was still relatively innocuous, still something friends could do, something Neji could shrug away and retreat from if he wanted. Sasuke moved to Neji's other side, running a hand boldly over the brunette's arm, stroking him the way one might a startled horse, impatient as always.
"Is it so hard to know what you like? Just think about what feels good…" Naruto whispered, rubbing a small circle in the tense muscles of Neji's lumbar spine.
"I…I'm not sure if I deserve that kind of luxury." Neji whispered.
"You deserve to be happy." Naruto said, smiling a bit.
"He'll make it feel good whether you want it to or not." Sasuke added dryly.
"Sasuke…" Naruto groaned.
"It's kind of annoying, but not a bad thing. It's something you can trust." Sasuke said quietly, pressing his lips boldly to the silk of Neji's mask.
"Something you can trust…?" Neji echoed quietly.
"My Master was the biggest pervert in the entire country, ya' know. I'm pretty good at figuring out what people like." Naruto gloated, grinning.
"Then why does my preference make any difference?" Neji asked, a shade bitterly.
"Because…well…you're you. You're unique. I spent years trying to figure out what Teme liked and I'm still trying to understand Sakura, but I don't know you as well as I know them, I don't really even have a place to start. Sasuke and I have been best friends forever, Sakura too, and so it wasn't very hard to figure out what made them happy even if Teme makes me guess. You are always so secretive, nobody knows what you really think about things." Naruto explained, shrugging.
"You are always so invested in what I think about. It's weird." Neji laughed.
"It's not like I'm asking a difficult question!" Naruto huffed good-naturedly, rolling his eyes.
"Yeah, liking something is easier than hating it. Hate takes more effort, too much effort…" Sasuke agreed, stroking Neji's shoulder softly.
"Hmm, I guess you'd know." Neji replied, just a bit defensively.
"I'm a fucking expert…" Sasuke chuckled bitterly.
"Hate is destructive." Naruto whispered, a bit sadly.
"Like you'd know, you don't hate anything…" Sasuke snorted.
"I hate broccoli." Naruto argued, screwing his face up in disgust.
"Moron."
Neji laughed a bit and they walked quietly together for a few paces, moving leisurely, in no particular hurry to get home and see whether or not Sai had blown up the house. Konoha was gorgeous covered in the clean white of the newly fallen snow and very quiet, almost dreamlike in the pale light of the moon. The contrast reminded Naruto of Sai's skin and hair, almost too extreme to even be human, and he felt his body stir at the thought of the artist's sinuous grace. He would be delicious to lay with, so delicate and shockingly submissive. Naruto bit his lip and tried to shake the fantasy away, it was dangerous to think about, but tempting all the same. The worst part was that Sai wanted so badly to be taken, that he tried to seduce the jinchuuriki at every turn, and as he gained ever greater self-awareness the artist was becoming decidedly difficult to resist. Naruto sighed and watched his breath plume out into the freezing air, dissipating in foggy curls into the night. He wondered if Sakura and Sai were okay, if the artist had managed to get a little comfortable with himself, and if Sakura had been able to comfort him. If anyone could help him, Sakura surely could, but he worried anyway. Sai was so beautiful, so affectionate and so badly broken.
Naruto felt the old rage towards Danzo and Root flare again in his belly, hot and sickening and even worse than it had been before. Root had taken someone beautiful and sweet and pulled him apart until even something as simple as physical pleasure felt raw and frightening. They had smashed his mind before it could fully develop, caging his spirit under years of torture and psychological conditioning until Sai's entire personality was whittled away, leaving only brutal skill and the fragile reactions of a child. Root had done things Naruto could hardly imagine, changing things about Sai as basic as his scent, trying to strip away everything that made him human. Before, Sai had been a friend, a teammate, and his shattered psyche had just been another part of his nature. Now he was nearly a lover,a precious part of Naruto's family, and the hurt of what had been done to him for the sake of creating the perfect weapon seemed more personal. The jinchuuriki felt angry in a way he barely understood, aching deeply with rage whenever he was reminded of the horrors of Sai's childhood, of how he had been abused. Somehow the friendly affection he felt for Sai had morphed into true romantic love and desire, the feeling both erotic and also protective in a way his love for Sasuke had never been. Naruto was more than ready to make Sai his own, to claim him in every way, to keep him close so no one could ever hurt him again. The only problem was that the artist might not live through the experience and losing him was not something the kitsune was willing to consider, certainly not something he would be able to live with. Sai loved him, Sai trusted him and Naruto would be damned if he let anything happen to the artist. Not now, not when he finally had a chance to be happy…Naruto shook his head. Every precaution would be taken and when he finally entered Sai's body, it would be okay, everyone would be okay, and he just had to believe it.
"You're worrying about something again, aren't you moron?" Sasuke asked, hugging his arm for both comfort and balance as they walked.
"I just want Sai to be alright." Naruto confessed, pulling the mask down to kiss his subordinate tenderly on the mouth.
Sasuke melted into the kiss, lips hungry and sweet from the rum. Kami, he was beautiful! Every angle, every shadow, every line of his subordinate's face and body was no less than utter perfection, perfection normal people could only dream of. Naruto moaned a little against the raven's lips, cupping his face hungrily against his own, enjoying the stimulating strength of his mouth and the slick teasing of his tongue. When they parted, Naruto felt a little better, a little more balanced.
"He wants it Baka, he loves us." Sasuke said, resting his forehead against Naruto's.
"I know."
"It's all he's been talking about for an entire week. He doesn't want to ever be left behind and that's what would happen if you died without claiming him." Neji added.
"So it's better to risk losing him?" Naruto argued, closing his eyes.
"No, but we won't be stupid. We'll be careful and he'll be okay." Sasuke said, nuzzling Naruto's cheek drunkenly.
"He'll be fine." Neji agreed, putting a hand against the blond's shoulder.
"How can you be sure?" Naruto asked.
"Sai isn't weak. The thrall only kills weak people." Neji said, shrugging as if it should be obvious.
"Not everything is about strength, Neji." Sasuke remarked pointedly.
"What are you so worried about?" Neji asked, crossing his arms.
"The thrall isn't about strength, it's about surrender. It's about emotion." Naruto said, pausing to stare up at the sky.
"Well, Sasuke was okay and it's not like he's fully in tune with his emotions…" Neji disputed, sounding mildly peeved.
"Idiot! You don't know anything about it! You have to surrender, surrender completely!" Sasuke hissed.
"So? He's not afraid of surrendering to Naruto, he surrenders to him all the time!" Neji argued, shrugging.
"That's not the same! It's more than that!" Sasuke snapped, obviously frustrated.
"Sasuke's right. It's complicated, Neji. I'm not sure Sai knows enough about his feelings to even know how to surrender that way. He isn't normal. He barely even recognizes basic stuff like fear or hunger." Naruto sighed.
"Wouldn't that be an advantage in all this? In everything? To feel nothing…" Neji muttered, a touch bitterly.
"Feeling nothing is not an advantage in sex. And even if it were, people don't get to have advantages in sex, Neji. Believe it." Naruto snapped.
"It's an advantage most ninja would do anything to achieve, whether it works in sex or not." Neji huffed, turning away.
"It is, until he wants to do anything other than kill people." Sasuke spat sarcastically.
"Well, killing people is what he was trained for. It's what we're all trained for. No one can change that." Neji said, irately.
"He wasn't trained, Neji, he was destroyed. There's a difference." Naruto argued evenly, crossing his arms.
"Root pulled him apart and then tried to put him back together into something…something…else. He doesn't know who he is. He doesn't know what he is!" Sasuke added angrily.
They paused, standing alone in the deserted street with the snow blowing around them in soft, glittering waves. Sasuke was glaring murderously over the edge of his mask, clearly ready to fight, body tense and balanced to spring. With a snarl, Naruto grabbed his subordinate's wrist, holding onto him and what felt like the raw power of lightning. Sasuke hissed and Naruto could not tell if the noise was directed at him or Neji. Regardless, most people would never have been stupid enough to try to hold back Sasuke Uchiha with a little bit of touch alone, but the jinchuuriki prayed it would be enough. Using the thrall in private was bad enough, but doing it in the middle of the street would turn Sasuke into a furious mess for days. Naruto grit his teeth and held on, his grip on Sasuke's wrist the only thing preventing the raven from launching himself into a drunken, but still mercilessly deadly, assault into Neji's face. Neji was glaring haughtily over his mask as well and Naruto had the distinct impression that the argument was less about the thrall than it was about Neji's general dislike of Sai. How had he missed that? That Neji and Sai never seemed to agree? Naruto growled at his own stupidity and met Neji's eyes until the Hyuuga dropped his gaze into the snow and Sasuke relaxed in his hand. He breathed a sigh of relief and slowly loosened the hold he had on Sasuke. The blond did not want them to fight and not only for his own sake. A battle between Neji and Sasuke, even drunk Sasuke, could easily be worse than any natural disaster.
"I'm sorry, I guess I don't understand." Neji conceded after a while, meeting Naruto's eyes.
"It's okay." Naruto said, smiling. Sasuke grumbled.
"It's not like you could. No one even knows what Root really did to him." Sasuke acceded, jerking his hand out of Naruto's grasp.
"Sai didn't tell you?" Neji asked gently.
"He doesn't really remember, but the parts that seem to crop up sound bad enough. Worse than Orochimaru's laboratories…" Sasuke snapped.
"Teme…" Naruto gasped, eyes wide.
"…Much worse." Sasuke finished coldly.
"How could…how could anything be worse?" Neji asked, shocked.
"I don't know, but it was. I know about evil and even the things my Master did…the things I did…Nothing as bad as what Sai hints at sometimes…" Sasuke whispered, turning away, ashamed.
"Kami…" Neji breathed, looking faintly ill.
"I hate Root. I hate what they did to him. I hate them." Naruto hissed, the sick old rage almost too sharp in his belly.
"Please don't say stuff like that, idiot. You don't mean it." Sasuke whispered, laughing a little, his tone very strange.
"I do. I hate them. I feel sick whenever I think about it." Naruto said, clenching his fist.
"You just love him, that's all…" Neji contradicted.
"No. I hate them." Naruto snarled and the awful, sick coldness in his gut seemed to grow.
Sasuke gasped, eyes wide and startled. He let go of Naruto's arm as if he had been burned and backed away from them, standing rigid with shock. Naruto glanced at him, surprised by the behavior, but still aching with rage too sharply to respond.
"Sasuke?" Neji asked, confused.
"Please…don't talk that way…It's stupid…I don't want you to ever feel like that...don't be stupid…" Sasuke pleaded, his voice that of a frightened child.
"I can't help it, Teme…" Naruto sighed, still angry.
"You hate them…you really do…?" Sasuke asked tonelessly as if he already knew the answer.
Naruto nodded. Sasuke shuddered and clenched his fists, hiding his eyes in the ebony curtain of his hair. He stood in the snowy darkness like a lost spirit, posture closed and strangely uncertain. Naruto cocked his head, sharply worried, as heavy waves of fear poured over him through the link with his subordinate. He was afraid, the raven was afraid, and Sasuke was not afraid of anything. Suddenly, the hate seemed much less than the concern Naruto felt for his lover. His raven haired beauty was always more expressive when he'd been drinking, emotion and tempestuous, but Naruto had never seen him express anything nearly so uncharacteristic. Sasuke was cocky, Sasuke was demanding, Sasuke was angry…but he had never been so openly afraid before.
"Teme, what's wrong?" Naruto asked, moving towards him.
"You're such a moron, you really have no idea do you? You do hate them, you do…real hatred, not just being pissed and…I just…I never thought I would feel that from you. The idea of you hating anything is…it's so..bad." Sasuke whispered, voice shaking uncharacteristically.
"Teme…" Naruto breathed, eyes widening.
"Why? Everyone hates something." Neji asked gently, surprised by the raven's rare display of insecurity.
"You of all people should know why. He was able to wipe the floor with you just for the sake of friendly competition. He's not supposed to hate! Imagine if he hated you, if he really hated you, if he wanted nothing else but to make you suffer…" Sasuke hissed, shuddering again.
"Yeah, I guess that is scary…" Neji agreed quietly.
"I'd never do that." Naruto promised, feeling weird.
"People do things they'd never thought they would ever do for the sake of hatred. People do things…terrible things…" Sasuke argued tightly.
"Not Naruto." Neji said firmly, shaking his head.
"You don't know…"
"I know him. He'd never do those things." Neji stated again.
The worst part of it was that Naruto was not sure what he would and would not be capable of doing if Danzo were to suddenly be magically un-dead or if anything happened to Sasuke…to Neji. Taking a deep breath and trying to release the heavy feelings associated with Root, Naruto moved towards his subordinate. Sasuke embraced him without hesitation, clinging to him the way he only did after a particularly terrible nightmare, arms wound around his shoulders so tight he could barely breathe. Naruto held him, trying not to think about the fine trembling of Sasuke's hands, or the way his breathing was nearly raw enough to be sobs. There was nothing he could say. The blond did hate Root and it was the first thing he had ever hated in his life, he just could not understand what about that upset his lover so much.
"Teme, it's okay. I won't do bad things." Naruto rumbled, nuzzling Sasuke's neck.
"Baka." Sasuke spat.
"Whatever, he isn't you. He's too stupid." Neji joked.
"Hey!"
"It's true, you are a moron dead-last." Sasuke sighed, sounding a little cheered.
"Asshole." Naruto replied, affectionately.
"Just don't think about it…" Neji said, coming close to press a kiss to the back of Sasuke's neck.
"Ignoring things doesn't make them go away." The raven growled.
"What else can you do?" Neji asked, smiling sadly.
"Tch, whatever." Sasuke sniped.
"Neji, you are one fatalistic bastard. I thought I had broken you of that." Naruto chuckled.
The three of them laughed quietly and the tension seemed to ease, leaving only uncertainty in it's wake. Somehow everyone had ended up standing very close together, embracing, and breathing in the smoky mist of one another's breath. The snow fell into Sasuke's black hair and against the sepia perfection of Neji's eyelashes and it was so beautiful that for a moment Naruto could only stare and breathe, and admire the rare spectacle. The spicy scent of cloves and steel mixed intoxicatingly with the wintery smell of Sasuke's hair and Naruto was suddenly utterly, inappropriately, aroused. Neji pressed another kiss to Sasuke's back and the raven shivered deliciously against Naruto's body in response. The blond bit his lip to avoid moaning, even the minor stimulation like an explosion in his fevered brain. When had Neji started kissing Sasuke anyway?
"I guess you two have gotten pretty close." Naruto managed after a while, barely an inch away from taking them both.
"It's just a kiss, Baka." Sasuke shrugged, pressing closer and doing nothing to relieve Naruto's state of mind.
"No, it's much better than that. I like it. I want you to like each other." Naruto purred, running his knuckled along Neji's face.
"I like Sasuke." Neji said, leaning his face against Naruto's fingers and the contact was glorious.
Neji was so expressive, so easy in a way, even if he was possibly the most cryptic person currently alive. Naruto loved the way he reacted so fearlessly to his touch, how he leaned into the caress, not helplessly affectionate the way Sai was, but confident, even a little wanton. Neji was not like Sasuke had been when they first made love, cold and closed and addicted to his own rage, or insecure and tentative like Sakura. The Hyuuga had an erotic presence in every interaction and it took Naruto's breath away.
"So you can express yourself, who'd have thought…" Sasuke mocked, raising an eyebrow.
"When I feel the need." Neji purred, stroking the raven's side skillfully enough to make him gasp.
"Hmm…yes, I think I like this…" Neji mused.
"I'm glad." Naruto croaked, moving to pull away, his control slipping.
Neji caught his hand, holding the jinchuuriki against Sasuke, moving so that he was even closer than before. Naruto was confused for a moment, unsure what the action was supposed to convey. As usual, Neji acted with confidence and never bothered to explain what in the hell any of it was supposed to mean. The Hyuuga bit his lip, suddenly unsure, looking both desperate and mildly terrified.
"You don't have to…I want…I mean…I don't want…I mean…I don't hate you. I don't." Neji stuttered, a little too quickly, the hurt from the previous argument sharp in his voice.
"Yes, but do you like me, us…this?" Naruto purred, moving to press a curious kiss against the angle of Neji's jaw.
"I…I…" Neji fumbled.
"Make a decision." Sasuke hissed irately.
"I can't hold back like this. I need space. Please say something or let me go." Naruto said firmly.
"Don't let him go…" Sasuke purred, moving to kiss the Hyuuga's wrist.
"Sasuke…" Naruto hissed.
"I…I…I like this. I want this." Neji whispered at last, looking only a little terrified.
Naruto smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring way and moved to kiss the Hyuuga's mouth through his mask, Sasuke smoothly moving to pull them closer together. With a hungry sigh, Naruto wrapped an arm around Neji's waist and pulled the green stretch silk away, meeting the Hyuuga's exposed skin with his own. It was sexy, even if he had to tip his face up to accommodate Neji's height, and the feel of his naked mouth felt amazing. With a helpless moan, Naruto pulled him into a true kiss, enjoying the way the Hyuuga parted his lips for him and met his mouth with matching heat. Unlike before, when Neji had been still and cold in Naruto's embrace, the brunette was now kissing him eagerly, pressing his tongue delicately against the jinchuuriki's lips. Naruto opened his mouth and the Hyuuga surged in, lapping at his tongue and stroking the roof of his mouth. He was just as scintillating as Naruto remembered, each stolen touch only a hint of the true lusciousness that was Neji Hyuuga. Rumbling deep with pleasure, Naruto moved his lips away from Neji's and down against his jaw, nibbling the vulnerable skin around the edge of his mask. The Hyuuga's skin was cool and smooth against his lips, not as soft as Sasuke's, but no less enticing. He was exciting, different, especially since Neji was also the first person Naruto had ever kissed who knew how to kiss him back. His mouth was so skilled, every touch of his lips and teeth and tongue sending shocking arches of heat deep into the jinchuuriki's hungry flesh. Naruto moaned and pulled back a bit, afraid of going too far too fast, looking at Neji through vision already rosy with demon chakra.
The Hyuuga was not smiling, but he tipped his face up into the moonlight and sighed in a way that the blond knew was practically an invitation. Sasuke moved behind him, pressing his sensitized body against Neji's muscular chest, hands warm and stimulating against Naruto's belly. Satisfied that the ever-mysterious Hyuuga was not simply playing along out of some weird sense of matrimonial duty, Naruto pulled him close, enjoying the slender strength of Neji's back. His waist seemed to go on forever and it was easy to let his hands skim down Neji's spine to press against the small of his back, the powerful muscle an attractive counterpoint to the shocking slimness of his waist. He was smaller than Sasuke here, almost too much, but the strangeness of Neji's body only seemed to excite Naruto more. The jinchuuriki let his hand drift lower, over the muscular arch of the beautiful genius's buttock, resting against the firm flesh and squeezing gently. Neji gasped and moaned a little, cheeks glowing pink with both the arousal and the alcohol. He moved to wind a careful arm around Naruto's back, tucking the blond tight against his chest.
The silver eyed genius pulled Naruto close against his hips and pressed a tentative kiss to his temple, the feel of his mouth confident and stimulating, intentional. There was a moment of awkwardness in which the jinchuuriki was uncomfortably reminded that Neji was considerably taller than he was and that the Hyuuga was holding him like something weaker, like he already had ideas about how this might go. Naruto swallowed and pressed a slightly more aggressive kiss to his throat, a bit uneasy about the restrictive way Neji held him, but enjoying the closeness all the same. Neji had always had a very dominant personality and the blond figured that the action was more a habit than a statement, unlike what he had done before, certainly not anything to be worried about. Neji wasn't trying to force him, just holding him, but it still felt weird and the vessel could not help the fine quivering that settle into his flesh. Naruto tucked his face against the brunette's shoulder and tried to relax, tried to soften himself a little, knowing it was stupid to be turned off just because someone else took the initiative for once.
"Is this okay?" Neji whispered into his hair.
"Fine, just…different." Naruto replied, feeling nervous anyway.
"You're shaking." The Hyuuga noted.
"I'm not." Naruto denied, embarrassed.
"He's not used to someone being like this with him. Jinchuuriki are totally dominant." Sasuke explained, putting a confident hand against Naruto's shoulder.
"You don't know that." Naruto argued, rolling his eyes.
"I'm nearly positive."
"Oh. Then that's why, when before, when I..well…You don't have to be afraid." Neji finished gently, stroking his back.
Naruto blushed at that, still not completely convinced of Sasuke's theory on the matter, but Neji seemed to take the information as an indication that his approach was incorrect and stepped back a little. The blonde cursed himself and tried not to look too relieved, painfully aware that Sasuke was right at least about dominant sexual behavior frightening him. Neji was just trying to be nice and he was being so stupid! He wanted to touch his friend, he wanted to be more than just old friends, dammit!
"Don't be upset, moron. He would have found out eventually." Sasuke said, more gently than his words.
"I'm an idiot, huh? My Teme says so all the time." Naruto said, nervously scratching the back of his head.
"You aren't, well, not about this." Neji laughed.
"I'm sure I'll get used to it." Naruto offered.
"I'm sure you won't." Sasuke huffed, rolling his eyes.
"Baka! Will so!" Naruto snapped, flicking Sasuke playfully on the cheek.
"Tch, Dobe." The raven responded haughtily.
"You don't have to change anything. It's okay, it's…well…you shouldn't have to be scared. Nobody so beautiful should have to change themselves for me." Neji whispered, stroking his knuckled along Naruto's cheek.
"Beautiful?" Naruto asked, surprised.
"I didn't mean to offend you." Neji replied quickly.
"I'm not offended, it's just…well…" Naruto trailed off, blushing hotly.
"No one's ever told you that you're beautiful before?" The Hyuuga asked, looking nearly as shocked as Naruto felt.
"Um… Naruto said, shuffling his feet awkwardly.
"Well you are. Really beautiful. I've been thinking about you all night." Neji confessed, eyes warm, sensual and very forward.
"Oh." Naruto managed.
"I want to touch you. Tell me if it isn't right." Neji whispered, voice thick with heat.
Naruto had been planning to say something, he really had, but suddenly Neji's tongue was in his mouth and the Hyuuga was kissing him like he wanted crawl inside. The firm ridge of the Hyuuga's erection was pressing against his pelvis, hard and stimulating against his own heated flesh, and all rational thought was burned away in the roaring inferno suddenly igniting in Naruto's blood. The heat of him, the scent, the slickness, the challenge was very suddenly too much to resist. Sasuke moaned and the feel of the raven's preternaturally gorgeous body against his back was more than enough to crack the blond's crumbling control completely. With a feral snarl, Naruto pulled Neji into his arms and against his hips, fully lifting the brunette from the ground completely. He held him close, hands hard against the other ninja's ass, claws digging deep through the fragile material of Neji's pants to score the flesh beneath. Neji rocked against his hips, snarling softly. Naruto hissed in return and moved to slam him against a nearby building with enough force to rock the structure down to it's foundation. Neji gasped as the concussion rocked the timbers of the building behind them, the harsh rush of his air flowing like liqueur into Naruto's mouth. He kissed him again and Neji whined a little, desperate for air, and Naruto exhaled deeply into the other man's mouth. They breathed that way for a while, grinding hard against one another. For a single, maddened heartbeat the jinchuuriki was not sure he could stop, not sure he had the will to resist Neji. He wanted him, so badly, and against all reason the Hyuuga was still hard against his own fevered body.
"Oh yeah…" Neji groaned, undulating his hips fiercely against Naruto's own.
"Neji…" Naruto groaned, tangling his hand into the silken weight of Neji's ponytail.
"Do you want me?" The Hyuuga asked huskily.
"Kami…so badly…" Naruto rumbled, nipping the creamy crest of the Hyuuga's clavicle, barely capable of speech at all.
"Dobe…" Sasuke was saying something, but it seemed so far away.
Naruto snarled and let his fangs graze the tender skin of Neji's clavicle, pleased when a small whimper escaped the Hyuuga's lips. The jinchuuriki lapped at the abused flesh, moving higher to the his neck, nipping roughly.
"Ahhh…so strong…" Neji gasped, wrapping his arms around Naruto's neck.
"Too strong…careful…careful…" Naruto managed, almost more to himself as he ravished the Hyuuga's throat.
"I'm strong…You can be rough…Ahhh! Be rough with me, baby…I won't break." Neji purred hotly.
Naruto responded with a breathy snarl, and pulled Neji's head hard to the side to expose the alabaster expanse of the brunette's graceful throat. Neji hissed and roughly ground his body against Naruto's hips, wrapping his long legs around the jinchuuriki's waist tight enough to be a decent grappling hold. So different from Sasuke and no less exciting, he took Naruto's breath away. Sasuke would have tried to pretend indifference, tried to resist, tried to hold onto his dignity until Naruto burned it all away and took him. Neji gave into the love-play without hesitation, meeting him, challenging him, tempting and shameless. There was nothing submissive in Neji's body, but simply holding him up and against himself was enough to make the nervousness from before evaporate in the powerful heat of the silver eyed nin's mouth and neck and hips. Naruto bit him on the long muscle of his throat, enjoying the startled shriek and burst of heated air that escaped between Neji's clenched teeth. He was lovely, lovely and perhaps even a bit afraid, but not enough to stop grinding against Naruto's aching erection. The jinchuuriki thrust his hand between them, cupping Neji boldly through the cloth of his pants, enjoying the way the Hyuuga shuddered and moaned at the contact. The angle was awkward, holding him with one hand against the wall, but the blond was too far gone to care. All he could think about was the firm heat of Neji's embrace, of how the aggression in his body seemed to melt as Naruto held his genitals and squeezed. He was big, bigger than Naruto was himself, and the knowledge only made the vessel want him more. Naruto stroked his thumb along the seam of Neji's pants, pressing hard enough to make the silver eyed genius writhe in his arms.
"Naruto…" Sasuke said again.
Neji was submitting to him now, still holding tightly, but softer. Naruto rumbled in approval and licked his earlobe softly, squeezing the vulnerable flesh between Neji's legs again. Neji made a sound somewhere between a whimper and a scream, belly quivering against Naruto's own deliciously. The jinchuuriki nudged the ninja's legs further apart, pleased that Neji offered him no resistance, opening himself easily like a lotus to the sun.
"Neji!" Sasuke shouted.
"Sasuke…Ahhh!" Neji tried to respond, only to shriek in surprise when Naruto ran a bold hand beneath his shirt.
"Focus Hyuuga!" Sasuke snapped.
"H…Hai…" The Hyuuga gasped, as Naruto sunk his teeth into the muscle of his shoulder, pinching the flesh roughly.
"Do you want him to fuck you in public?" Sasuke asked irately.
"N…No…" Neji gasped, sounding overwhelmed.
"Then stop it! Now!" Sasuke snapped.
"Stop what?!" Neji asked, a bit desperately.
"Stop responding to him like that! Stop acting like a damned slut!" Sasuke spat.
Neji took a breath and suddenly stilled in the jinchuuriki's arms, resisting him not so much with active aggression as with a simple show of passive disinterest. Naruto hissed, the sound inhuman and very close to the Fox, as he lathed his tongue over the hollow of Neji's throat, trying to coax him into mocing again. Despite his best efforts, the brunette held utterly motionless, his posture totally changed from before. The Hyuuga whimpered a little as Naruto explored the creamy flesh, enjoying the feel of his pulse just beneath the tender skin, mere millimeters away from his lips. It was glorious to force Neji's submission, but the stillness of his body worried Naruto, worried him enough to cool his passion. A lover lying motionless was a bad sign, something that the blond could understand instinctually as well as cognitively and it rankled him deeply. Stillness was something even the Fox recognized as unattractive, something linked to injury or danger or death.
With a groan, Naruto pulled away to look at Neji, his vision distorted by slit pupils and the Kyuubi chakra still burning through his awareness. Gently, he drew the backs of his claws against Neji's face, a gesture of affection he shared with the Fox. Neji shivered and shut his eyes, obviously trying very hard not to move. Naruto whined a little under his breath, disturbed and slowly beginning to come back to his rational mind. A breath, another, and the vessel felt himself human enough to speak though his brain was still foggy with lust.
"Are…Are you alright?" he asked at last.
"Fine." Neji said in a calm tone that belied his flushed features.
"I…I'm sorry." Naruto mumbled, finally setting Neji back onto the ground.
"Don't be!" Neji hissed, embarrassed.
"Moron, he's the one who decided it would be a good idea to try to seduce you in the middle of the goddamned street." Sasuke snarled, cuffing Neji roughly on the head.
"I don't recall you doing much to change the situation." Neji snapped tartly.
"I…Sorry…" Naruto said again, shaking his head.
"Don't apologize. I just think we might want to continue this in bed, that's all." Neji smirked haughtily.
"You are insane." Sasuke said, eyes widening.
Naruto thought he might want to ask for clarification, or check to make sure that fucking Neji into the mattress would not piss Sasuke off, or any number of perfectly reasonable things, but instead he only managed to purr in approval. Instead of retaining any kind of dignity or presence of mind, the blond picked up Neji and Sasuke, one laughing and the other cursing, and carried them home.