Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

Leader	By : mannahpierce Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male > Naruto/Sasuke Views: 2163 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: This story has some of Masashi Kishimoto's characters from Naruto in a universe of my own devising. I do not own Naruto. I do not make any money from these writings.

Chapter List
- 16
- 17
- 18
My gratitude to my beta and muse, Small Fox. This story grew from a plot idea he gave me.
Also thanks to angelj232000, GreenEyedCat, eunmook, disembodiedvoiceofthedying, maliya, Dawn, melissen, sadie237, cynaga and liby318 for reviewing after chapter 16 was posted.
Readers’ feedback, support and comments mean a great deal to me. Feedback keeps me writing.

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Part 2: Preparations
17: Separation

When Sasuke came out of the bathroom he found Naruto looking at the plethora of small cards on the wall of their room, each held in place by a tiny magnet.
The expression on Naruto’s face was all too easy to read.
“Dobe,” he warned. “No moving them about or asking Shika for some way of making all the magnets drop off.”
“They belong in your office, not here,” Naruto complained. He twitched his whiskers. “I should find some excuse for Shi-chan or Neji to see them.”
Shika and Neji were impressed that he had managed to plan the surveys without resorting to paper; Sasuke did not want to disillusion them. He decided to take advantage of still being naked, pushing against Naruto’s flank and making big eyes up at him. “Please don’t.”
Naruto gave him a smile rather than the growl he had anticipated. “Extra new-type quickie every morning and I won’t tell on you.”
Sasuke was about to complain how unrealistic that was when he read the message in his beloved’s eyes. They should never be too busy to fuck. “Deal,” he agreed.
“Excellent. I’ll go get my thingy. You decide if you want to ride or are feeling lazy.”

Sasuke decided to do the work, telling himself that the exercise would justify not going to the gym later.
“No touching,” he ordered as he rode Naruto’s erection, pumped his own and enjoyed the reactions that rippled through Naruto’s body and across his face.
“Bossy teme,” Naruto complained only to be rendered speechless by a zap from his thingy. “Beautiful teme,” he added as soon as he could.
Sasuke was unable to answer. Naruto had subtlety shifted his hips, changing the angle and making it impossible for Sasuke to coordinate bringing them both to a climax.
He released his cock, intending to concentrate on Naruto, only for Naruto to growl, flip them and finish them both by unerringly hitting his prostate.

Sasuke’s orgasm blew away any complaint he might have had about Naruto taking over. He felt sated and sleepy. When Naruto rolled off him he burrowed close.
“Teme, you need to get up,” Naruto told him, stroking his back to soften the message.
“Was up,” Sasuke reminded him. “Your fault.”
“My fault,” Naruto agreed. “But you still need to get up.”
Next thing Sasuke knew he was being carried into the bathroom and deposited on his feet in the shower.
Naruto kissed him, turned on the faucet and stepped away.
At least the water was warm.

His eyes went to the light above Neji’s door as soon as he entered his office. It was green, confirming that Neji was waiting to see him.
Even so, he decided to take a few minutes to settle himself. He sat at his desk and opened the interface. Immediately, before he had opened any of the programmes, a string of characters marched across the screen.

We need to see you. Now. Shikamaru.
He sighed. It would be about Izuna’s interview. It was always about Izuna’s interview. He switched the light on Neji’s side of the door to blue.
The door slid open immediately. Shikamaru came through before he was invited; too agitated to be bothered with niceties.
“They’re changing the interviewer again,” he complained.
Neji followed. “Sasuke-sama,” he acknowledged. “Apparently Hijiri-san has been injured and is tanked.”
Sasuke thought of the respected journalist who had interviewed him and Naruto when they had returned to Tarrasade. “Please send an appropriate token of my regard to his family.”
Neji nodded.
“What about Yukie Fujikaze, or that other woman, Yurika?” he asked.
“Yukie Fujikaze is in Palance and Yurika is on our ‘never again’ list because of her anti-hybrid attitude,” Shikamaru reminded him.
Sasuke belated remembered how rude the woman had been.
“They are suggesting Karin,” Neji informed him.
“Not in a thousand standards,” Sasuke declared. “I would prefer Bubbles.” He imagined the lifestyle-obsessed lightweight hosting what had been trailed as the interview of the millennium.
Neji almost smiled. “I do not think Izuna-sama is ready for Bubbles, Sasuke-sama.”
“Izuna-sama wants to go with Karin,” Shikamaru announced. “He thinks that postponing shows weakness.”
Sasuke gritted his teeth. “We are not going with Karin. I forbid it.”
There was a diplomatic silence.
“I shall speak with Izuna-sama,” Sasuke promised. “Shika, what is the best solution?”
Shikamaru looked glum. “Postpone until we can get Yukie Fujikaze here. The media companies will accept that because they know she is our favoured interviewer.”
“And that will take?” Sasuke asked.
Shikamaru’s eyes went distant. “Fifteen days at best and that’s if she agrees to be podded and picked up by one of my Tennyos.”
Sasuke was sure she would agree to anything short of permanent death. He sighed. “We can’t afford to delay the departure of the Oak,” he stated.
“There is no need,” Neji assured him. “Shika and I can catch you up using the Dart. You will be laying a minigate string. We will be in contact daily.”
“What if Izuna-sama’s interview goes badly?” Shikamaru asked.
Sasuke was surprised by the question but put it down to Shika’s tendency to explore every possibility. “If we use Yukie Fujikaze it won’t,” he insisted. “Also, that is why you and Neji are staying, to manage it. Shika, go and get in contact with Yuki Fujikaze. Neji, get onto the media companies. Offer them a sweetener if you can think of one.”
“We haven’t released the latest portraits of you and Naruto with the children,” Neji reminded him. “We could give each company a slightly different one. They would love that.”
“Perfect,” Sasuke confirmed. “I’ll speak to Izuna-sama and explain why we must postpone. If we move quickly we won’t have to delay the final survey briefing.”

Haru and the rest of the big litter had been allowed to attend the briefing but were on strict instructions from Iruka-sensei to sit still and say nothing.
Who wasn’t there told them a great deal. No In-san and En-san; this time they were definitely staying with Konan-san and Nagato-chan. No Kiba-san or Choza-san; Haru wondered who would do the cooking on the Oak. No Keitaro; so he was the trainee who was staying in Tarrasade.
Papa came in with To-chan, Shi-chan and Neji-san.

Even Ka-chan managed to sit still and listen carefully.
Haru’s gut clenched when Papa said that Kakashi-san and Iruka-sensei were going to be on the Maple. He held his breath until Papa announced that Ran would be on the Oak.
Five was on the Maple.
The approach was the same for each mission. The mother ship would use a sub-optimal hole to jump into the middle system of the route and then proceed to the end, leaving a ship and crew in any system with planets. On the way back they would pick up the other ships and then jump back through all the holes they intended to gate.
The Oak had the mission to survey the five-system route. The Maple was going to do the two three-system routes.
Haru would have used the Maple on the five-system route, the Oak on the three-system with two lots of planets and the Dart on the three-system with one lot of planets. It would be much quicker that way. He wondered why Papa had not chosen to do that. Maybe he felt that the Dart was too vulnerable.
“We have had to make a last-minute modification to our plans,” Papa was admitting. “Izuna-sama’s interview had been postponed. Neji-san and Shika-san will remain in Tarrasade until the interview has been completed. Then they will then catch up with the Oak using the Dart.”
The news was unexpected and disappointing. Haru liked having Shi-chan working next door; they saw each other a lot and talked about everything.
He wanted to ask how far behind Shi-chan and Neji-san would be. Luckily Haku-san asked for him. As best, they would leave Tarrasade fifteen days behind. Haru began comparing relative speeds, allowing for acceleration and deceleration at holes. He winced; they would be lucky to make it before they were on their way back.
It would still be worth it though; the journey back would take a lot longer than the journey out

After the briefing, Papa called him over.
“Haru-kun, I need you go over everything that Shika-san considers relevant to the survey. That way you can provide Akemi-san with back-up. I know it will be tight, there are only two full days left before we leave, but do your best. I shall have you removed from general duties. Other than working with Shika-san, your only responsibility will be transferring your own belongings and kit.”
Haru was struggling with his Papa calling him ‘kun’ instead of ‘chan’. Should he be calling him ‘Sasuke-sama’?
He decided he couldn’t. He looked serious instead. “I understand, Papa,” he replied.

That evening Ran and Kazuki came to his room and the three of them filled Sai in about the briefing and Haru’s unexpected responsibility.
“Shikamaru is not going?” checked Sai.
“He’ll be following on later in the Dart,” Kazuki explained.
“Is Sumiko going?” Sai asked.
There was a short silence that Haru broke. “I’m not sure,” he admitted.
Sai vanished. Haru hoped he was not going to try and speak with Su-chan. The current arrangement was that Sai played characters in simulations. Haru had banned any other contact because otherwise Sumiko would realise that Sai was a person rather than a programme.
They continued talking about the mission. To Haru’s delight, Ran did not seem too bothered about Five not being on the Oak with them. Kazuki was hoping that they would get to drop to one or more of the planets.
Haru thought that most unlikely, given what happened last time Papa had allowed it.

Sai was gone some time. “She is staying with Shikamaru,” he announced as soon as he reappeared. “Nagato is the only other child staying. She will be very lonely. I heard her telling Shikamaru that it will be fine because she has her simulations to play in.”
“You shouldn’t be spying, Sai,” Ran scolded.
“She will not be able to play in her simulations if I go with you,” Sai pointed out. “She will be lonely and unhappy.”
“Can’t you fix the sims so that they seem like you are there?” Kazuki asked.
“No,” Sai replied.
Kazuki looked to Haru. “They won’t be the same,” he admitted. He took a deep breath. “You can’t stay, Sai. It is out of the question.”
“Why?” Sai asked.
Haru started to explain. He was still explaining after the others left. Essentially, it came down to the fact that someone had to look after Sai’s array and that person had to know that losing or damaging the array was the same as abandoning or injuring a person.
The only three people who knew that would be on the Oak.
“She’ll live through it, Sai,” he insisted. “It’s only fifteen days.”
“And the journey,” Sai added.
“And the journey,” Haru conceded. “She had the choice to come with us, Sai. To-chan would look after her.”
“She is very attached to Shikamaru,” Sai reminded him. “Being separated from him makes her insecure and unhappy. It is because she lost her Ma and her Pa.”
“I know that,” Haru admitted.
“She thinks she is choosing Shikamaru and me over going. She is not. I will be abandoning her.”
Haru didn’t like it either, but there wasn’t another choice. “There aren’t any perfect decisions, Sai, there are just best decisions. Sometimes the best decision is a long way short of perfect.” He rubbed his face. “I am sorry, Sai, but I am tired. It was a very busy day and there is another one tomorrow.”
“Naruto will be arriving soon to say goodnight to you,” Sai observed. “We must stop talking before he hears us, which he will do as he approaches.”
“Goodnight, Sai,” Haru acknowledged.
“Goodnight, Haru,” Sai replied and vanished.

The next day was divided between packing and talking through all the procedures for surveying holes, systems and planets. It was challenging and thrilling to work at Shi-chan’s rate. On the other hand, Haru was a bit worried by the notion of Papa thinking of him as the only expert on the ship.
It didn’t help that Shi-chan kept reassuring him that he would not be responsible for checking a hole before they went through it. It reminded him how many things could go wrong; even if none of them were likely.
By the time he left his laboratory that afternoon everything, even the plant, was loaded onto the trolley Neji-san had given him. His slot for moving stuff on the shuttle was the next morning. He needed to pack up his room next; the rule was that anything that he could not personally carry had to be on the Oak by the evening of the next day.

He was packing his desk, wondering where Sai was, when his door announcer sounded. He hit the unlock button beside his desk and called, “Come in.”
It was Sumiko. She slid the door shut behind her and stood there. He stared at her. What was Sumiko doing coming to his room?
He had just connected Sai’s absence and her presence when she started talking.
“I’ll look after him, I promise,” she assured him.
Icy dread crept down Haru’s spine and out across his skin.
Su-chan scowled at him. “Don’t look at me like that,” she complained. “I’m eight. You were only nine when you started looking after him. I can do it.” Her chin came up like it did when she was at her most defiant. “I understand. It has to be a secret. The Centralites think he’s a monster. They will punish you and Nii-san for making him and you and Ran and Kazuki and me for hiding him.”
Yes, Sai had told her. How could he?
“Sai said you’d be cross,” Sumiko observed.
“Sai, get out here,” he ordered.
Su-chan shook her head. “He’s hiding from you. Be sensible. He’s my best friend. I deserve to know he’s real. I should be cross with you for making him pretend he isn’t. Only I’m not cross. I’m being sensible. I know you were trying to protect Sai and me and Nii-san and the others. I forgive you. Now you’re going to forgive Sai and give him to me.”
She pointed at Sai’s array on his belt, which extinguished any hope that Sai had not told her everything.
Then part of what Sumiko had said sank in. She thought of Sai as her best friend. No, Sai was her best friend. Like Ran was his. He remembered how he had felt when he had thought Ran might be going on the Maple rather than the Oak.
“It has to be a secret,” he emphasised.
She rolled her eyes. “I understand. I’m not stupid. The Centralites will kill us if they find out. Like Orochimaru killed Ma and Pa. Telling someone increases the risk. Adults knowing is worse because Centralites will blame the adults more.”
“And if anything happens to the array, Sai will die,” he told her. “There isn’t a back up. He lives in this...” He pointed at the leather satchel clipped to his belt. “...nowhere else.”
“If anything happens to the array, he’ll die. Like Ma and Pa died. I get it, Haru. Stop fussing. Give him to me.”
“Not yet,” Haru replied.
“Now,” Sumiko insisted. “He can still talk to you until you leave. He’ll use the wireless access to your network.”
Haru flinched.
“Which is also a secret,” Su-chan acknowledged. “Sai and I talked about it. I’ll tell Nii-san that you put the programmes for my simulations on this tablet for me. Sai will make it look ordinary if Nii-san links to it, like he makes his programmes look ordinary.” She moved a small satchel, more like a purse on a strap, from behind her body to in front. “I think he will fit nicely into this.”
It was yellow with small pink and blue flowers.
“It doesn’t look very robust,” Haru complained. “Can’t you use this?” he gestured towards his satchel.
“No,” Sumiko told him. “It will attract too much attention. Sai says that the array was very tough. He will be fine in my bag. You’re being overprotective, like Sasuke-sama.”
“Well maybe it’s the same,” he huffed. “I’ll never forgive myself if anything happened to him.” He looked to one of Sai’s usual positions. “Sai, I need you to confirm you want this.”
Sai appeared. He looked about Sumiko’s age and was slightly shorter than her.
Sumiko squealed. “I want projectors in my room.”
“You can’t, Su-chan,” Haru explained. “You have to have a room that adults don’t go into.”
She looked disappointed but nodded. “Nii-san and Ne-chan come in and out all the time.” She looked at Sai and smiled. “One day.”
Haru wasn’t sure if he had ever seen her smile like that. “Sai, you want to stay with Su-chan?”
The Sai avatar nodded. “I want to stay with Sumiko. Sumiko needs me more than you do. You have Ran and Kazuki.”
“You understand the risks?” Haru pressed. “You’ll do what’s best to keep the secret, even if it isn’t what Su-chan wants you to do?”
“I shall keep the secret because the secret protects Sumiko and you and Ran and Kazuki and the others,” Sai confirmed.
“And you,” Haru insisted. “It keeps you safe too.”
“It keeps me safe too,” Sai agreed.

Haru’s hands went to his satchel. He found himself fumbling with the fastenings, as if his fingers were trying to tell him that this was a really, really bad idea.
He wondered if it felt like this when parents left their children for the first time. Maybe that was even worse. He tipped the case and shook it slightly; Sai’s array was a snug fit. It slid out enough for him to grasp the edge.
He pulled it free and held it out to Sumiko, who stepped forward to receive it. Her fingers closed on the array but he did not let go.
“This isn’t a game, Su-chan. Sai’s a real person.”
For once she didn’t scowl at him. She looked directly at him with Shi-chan’s eyes. “I know that. I love him too.”
He released his end and watched her put the array in the silly, flowery bag. At least she was holding him properly.
“I’ll take care of him,” she promised.
“We’ll take care of each other,” Sai assured him.

He watched them leave. When he turned back, the older Sai avatar was sitting on his bed.
“I thank you,” he said. “I apologise for telling her when you did not want me to. I decided it was for the best. Like you said, there are no perfect decisions, only best ones.”
Haru wished he had never said that. “I forgive you,” he replied. “I understand,” he added. He might not like it, but he did understand.
“May I stay while you finish packing?” Sai asked.
Haru nodded. “That would be nice.”

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