Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

Disguised Curses	By : Raholea Category: Naruto AU/AR > General Views: 2438 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 3
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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FINALLY! I can't explain how tough it was for me to move past the (roughly) halfway point in this chapter. Then a couple nights ago I sat down... and the words flowed. Hopefully that'll happen with a couple other stories of mine. So, without further fuss, here's the chapter- Reviewer replies are posted at the bottom. ^_^

Chapter 21

Naruto had swallowed back the climbing apprehension when Neji walked right into his personal space. But when Neji had practically challenged him, his authority, he’d felt the increasingly familiar burn of thought that screamed at him to put the swan back in his place. But no, he had to behave, and he reached up to teasingly swipe at Neji’s headband.

He really must be an idiot today.

The cloth parted like silk under his claws, and a single small scratch appeared where a claw had hooked a little too deep. It took a moment before the blood beaded, began to drip down toward an eyebrow. By then it was too late, the rich, iron scent of blood poured through Naruto’s senses and he was hooked. He tried to resist as his hand brushed up, collecting the blood from pale skin, knowing that wound would continue to leak the amazing fluid. Head wounds always bled well.

Somewhere in there he realized this wasn’t Kyuubi, but his own growing instincts, and growled out a warning for Neji to run. He wasn’t sure how well he could control this, and now he was very aware of how alone he and the Hyuga were in those moments. And then, his thumb was in his mouth, his tongue bursting with the exquisite flavor of the other’s blood. Something slick, almost acrid mingled with the metallic base, tainted with heady, alluring undertones. Some he couldn’t name, not in his current state, but two fell through the fog. Neji tasted wild, untamed- the gamey flavor of a prey animal. And chasing it like a fine wine, the pungent fullness of fear. The flavors mingled in his mouth and settled deep, and a rumble escaped his chest as his eyes slid shut.

The predator in his head was immediately hooked, drawing the instincts deeper, inciting more. The taste of fearful food was an immediate, potent addiction.

He wanted more. He craved more. His eyes opened to see his prey having already fled.

Something very human and normal was screaming in the back of his mind that Hinata wouldn’t forgive him if he ate her cousin. Not to mention what would befall him for doing something so blatantly wrong. And another voice, his but very inhuman, was growling, wanting, needing, to tear and rend and drain down precious life fluid. To lift a blood covered face and release a joyous scream to the sky, announcing his success.

He was so lost to his mind he never noticed the way his teeth pierced his lip, or that he was almost obsessively licking whatever hidden bits might be left on his thumb. He did, however, notice the instant Gaara and Sasuke rounded the corner, hearing their pulsing hearts, scent the apprehension on them, crisply bitter. His free hand pushed slightly against the floor, and he curled around enough to face them without moving his position much. A purring rumble cleared his lips and resonated in the hall. He liked that scent, very close to the smell of fear, and fear added so much spice to the flesh and blood.

It was successful at drawing his focus away from his previous prey.

“Naruto?”

He wasn’t quite sure who had said it, but it didn’t matter as he lost himself to the pounding undertones from their chests. Naruto the human was leaking away, and the demon within was demanding more of this new treat. He blinked slowly and turned fully so he could pace closer, only semi-aware of his hands being used as another set of paws. “You smell good.” He murmured. Sasuke held a hand out, but instead of using it to get up, Naruto grabbed it and brought it close to his face, inhaling the promise of more fluid under the thin skin of the wrist. He tugged, and Sasuke knelt in response.

The pulsing beat grew stronger, and he knew without thought where he could sink his talons to get the most liquid fast. His gaze fixated at a point somewhere between chest and throat, as he struggled about which place would be most forthcoming.

He wouldn’t recall having ever made a decision as his head shot forward, fangs bared. But instead of the flesh he expected, his jaw clamped hard around skin and bone, crushing thin membranes and leaking more of that delicious life fluid into his mouth. And then something crashed into him, a wave of forceful chakra and sand, Gaara’s brilliant green eyes towering over him as he tumbled backward, still locked to the wrist. And in that moment of dangerously submissive posture, those green eyes filled with command, the voice harsh and unbending. It ordered him to let go, to find his focus. That he would never repeat this as long as he was within this one’s territory.

It took little more than those words backed with powerful chakra and authority to make Naruto release his temporary treasure. A whimper crept from his throat, like some scolded pup. His instincts were strong, but in that moment, he was still young in them, and that newness responded to Gaara’s older, firm control. It was completely unlike his bold authority when channeling Kyuubi’s power and persona.

“Is he all right, Gaara?” Sasuke’s voice drew Naruto’s lowered eyes up to him. The blonde whined, another puppy note, but this time it was begging. “Gaara, how aware is he?”

“It’s Naruto, but he’s not thinking like a human at the moment. Whatever his trigger was, he was going for blood. I’m not sure if that will help him snap out of it or drive him deeper, though.” His wrist was looking faintly purple, a bruise that wouldn’t show up immediately, but bound to turn into interesting colors. It was a wonder that the man hadn’t tried to defend himself with his sand like usual, but waited until Naruto had already latched onto him before trying to push him away with the effective flood. He extended the already wounded wrist before Naruto’s nose, letting the scent of the wound seep into the air. His lips twitched back, revealing the fangs that were ready to pierce the flesh properly. Crimson lightly lined in blue peered up, asking permission in the only way that mind knew how.

“Feed if it will bring you as human back to us. Or leave and gain control without it.”

The head tilted, considering, then a shaking hand cradled Gaara’s wrist. The one who had commanded him off was offering a priceless gift, a taste of his blood. The open mouth lowered, and then he was penetrating flesh and skin, finding instant warmth flooding his mouth. His throat worked, drawing out the free blood that would form the growing bruise, without having to further damage any of the veins. And with the leaking fluid, sanity returned in a flood.

Blue eyes snapped open, iris slit, and widened as realization kicked in. Naruto pulled free from the wound on Gaara’s arm, gasping and coughing. His throat was thick with warm fluid, and deep inside he felt that side settle, momentarily content. Kyuubi had hidden far from the surface, and couldn’t be felt.

“I’m in such trouble.” He slumped to the floor, ashamed of his actions so far that morning. He was damned lucky to have Gaara as a friend, and an understanding one, because he could very well be dead otherwise. Or wreaking utter and complete chaos on this area of the world.

“Someone check on Neji. I need to apologize but I have to get myself together.” He shook his head at the glare focusing his way. “I didn’t hurt him, really… but I did nick him slightly. It was bad timing and fully my mistake .” He was hating the thought of reporting in to Tsunade at the end of this visit- there seemed only more incidents bound to happen. “Where are the girls?”

“We sent them back to the dining room to talk with the others and decide what all they’re doing today. There’s no plans yet.” Naruto looked up to see Sasuke offering him a hand up. “We also warned them not to interfere, no matter what they felt.”

“Thanks.” His soft voice filled the hallway, and Naruto reached into a pouch to pull out a sharpened kunai. He took a few moments to again trim off the sharper edge of his claws so he’d be less likely to hurt anyone else further. He ended up cutting his nails flush to the end of his fingertips. He’d have to watch to see how fast they grew back.

“You ready?”

Naruto rose, sheathing his blade and wiping bits off his pants. “Yeah. It’s time I go deal with things.”

Neji shuddered to a stop outside the building, having led a slightly twisted if a relatively short path to a nearby window, vacating through it and disappearing down the side. Now he was leaning against the far end, not far from where the dining room was. He was panting, not from exertion, for this was nothing compared to Gai’s training routines, but from suppressing any further urge to flee. As much as he’d just ribbed Naruto about acting human, he too had to stay human. His changes would be much more blatant than Naruto’s. So he perched against the wall, calming himself through mild meditation. The itching on his arms and back faded, and even though he felt a vague sense of fluttering within, he had managed to avoid the worst. When he opened his eyes he found Hinata standing before him, looking frustrated and worried.

“You’re bleeding.” It took a moment for her words to click after the momentary silence, and Neji reached up to dab at the scratch, now threatening to spill drops into his eyes. She brought cloth to his forehead, wiping away the worst of the mess to look closer at the wound underneath. “It’s just a scratch, Hinata. Nothing that won’t heal quickly.” He tried reassuring her- that upset look wasn’t one he liked seeing on his cousin’s face.

“I felt it, you know. I felt both of you.” He looked at her, eyes wide with shock at her words. “It’s not hard to do if you know what to search for. Both of your chakras are unique, and it takes nothing anymore for me to find and follow them.” She fell in step slightly behind him, moving toward the dining hall. “Both of you worry me,” she confided softly before they walked into the room.

The rest of the day passed in surprising quiet, Gaara tending to his Kazekage duties and his guests finding ways to amuse themselves. The newest arrivals were mostly sleeping off the trip. Naruto spent nearly all day sitting in a corner of Gaara’s office, a thin but solid shield of sand protecting him from curious eyes, as he drew farther into himself each hour that passed. Finally Gaara shooed everyone out with that silent glare of his, walking onto his little deck to look over the city. The heat was fading but it wasn’t yet sunset, not too long before supper. He banished the shaped sand with a thought and studied Naruto from a distance.

The blonde’s eyes were closed, hiding the new discoloration Gaara had been watching every since Naruto had arrived. His face was smooth, with only a couple mild worry lines between his eyes from keeping them so tightly shut, and his shoulder sagged forward. His sitting position made Gaara think he’d started meditating, but the slump made him hope Naruto had finally been able to get some sleep. Though, that would mean he trusted Gaara deeply, to fall asleep in such a place as this.

“Naruto.” He kept his voice low, trying to wake the young man without disrupting him. Rule number 3 when dealing with friendly ninja on unknown territory, never spook them out of sleep. It was a good way to wind up wounded or dead. “Naruto, wake up.”

Slowly tanned lids blink, then raise, and Gaara can finally see the crimson burst set into the stunning blue. For a moment it seemed no one was home, then a certain warmth filled the color and the blonde smiled. A hand reached up to rub his own hair.

“Sorry. Guess I got lost...” He shook his head, getting mental cobwebs from sleep out, and rose to join Gaara outside. A spark of chakra flared, and Sasuke approached from the room. “Is everything going well with the rest?”

“Hn. Most spent today either relaxing or sleeping. I’ve been wandering the local halls until Naruto got up.”

“Naruto was safe in my care, Uchiha.” Sasuke didn’t even twitch at the cool response, but he did incline his head a little. “Orders, Kazekage. Even I live by them.” A quiet calm surrounded the trio as they stood there. After several minutes of the peaceful company, Gaara’s serene voice broke the silence.

“Have you thought about what to do with Hinata Hyuga- san? She is rather fond of you, it seems, Naruto. ” The blonde groaned and let his head fall to lean against the rail, bending him nearly in half. A shaky breath in, and a even less stable exhale.

“How do you tell the one who just professes their love, that you’re turning into a monster? How do you tell them, that you can’t trust yourself not to hurt them, or people they hold dear, because you can’t control yourself? How do I tell her that I appreciate her feelings and I can’t help but like that she loves me, but I doubt I could ever be more than friends, ‘cause the instant I try for more I’m likely to get thrown on my ass by her father? And if not by him, by the council, the village…” Tears were collecting in his voice, muffling him for a moment. “How could there ever be a chance, Gaara? How could I reciprocate without risking everything of hers for some mere flitting dream of belonging?”

“You really are an idiot sometimes.” Naruto’s back stiffened but otherwise he didn’t respond. “Do you like her?” A muffled grunt came from somewhere under the broad shoulders, but no other response. “Yes or no question, Naruto. Do you like her?”

“Sure. She’s a great ninja, and she’s hot. I can’t deny that. But I just can’t-” Sasuke didn’t let him continue. “Do you respect her?”

“….” Naruto finally lifted his head, sliding back to sit on the floor. “Yeah, I respect her. I like her, I think she’s cute. I feel honored that she seems to like me so much. But I also respect her father, and her cousin, Neji. I can’t see either of them actually letting me near her.”

“You lack confidence.” Gaara’s low voice suddenly brought to fore one of the issues. “You can charge into battle with little thought, but facing her family scares you.” He received a full twitching glare, before Naruto gave up the semi-bravado.

“Hiashi- sama intimidates the piss out of me.” The soft confession is followed by a discrete cough from Sasuke and attentive silence from Gaara. “I try not to show it, but I know what Neji can do when he’s pissed or going all out in a fight, and Hinata, so knowing her dad trains both of them... just makes me very aware of how much pain I could wind up in if I offend them. Not to mention their prestige in the village.”

“So the dobe does know big words.” The spur earned him a snarl, but it lacked the usual heat. “I did talk to Neji earlier. He said to remind you that if you hurt his cousin by shunning her feelings he’ll rip you a new one, cut both sources of your chakra, and leave you tied up in Tsunade- sama's office.”

Naruto blinked, looking up to see exactly how serious Sasuke was. Apparently, very, because aside from the slight smirk, he looked very, very serious. “Fuck,” he grunted. “Now I already have Neji on my trail.”

“We should be on his, Kit.” Frustration rippled through Naruto’s body as Kyuubi finally responds to him for the first time since his little morning escapade. “Oh, now you show up. Why now and not earlier when I needed to talk to you??” A snort echoed through his mind and he got an impression of a shrug before silence returned, Kyuubi obviously not feeling all that talkative. Annoying demon fox….

“-uto. Naruto, snap out of it.” He blinked and looked up, meeting Sharingan red. “I’m fine. Kyuubi’s being an ass, but I’m fine.” A vague, uncomfortable stillness formed around the young men, before Naruto sighed again. “I will need time to think. I don’t want to hurt Hinata- chan, but I can’t see her giving up everything over me.”

“You are worth more than you give yourself credit for.”

“Yeah, people may be taking to me, but once this change gets out, then it’ll be back to the same old crap, the taunts, harsh words, bad stares. I’ll go back to being the dreaded demon again.” His shoulders shook a little, but he held his cool. He wasn’t going to break down here, especially over something like this… Naruto mentally scolded himself. Damn the instability from Kyuubi, making his emotions almost as fickle as a woman’s. All he wanted, needed, was to be accepted during this time, but to have more than friends- he never thought he could be so lucky.

“The answers will come, in time. And you have at least a little time.” Gaara, calm and rational as ever. “Now, it’s time to eat, if you can join the rest of your friends.”

Naruto smiled softly and rose from the floor. “Yeah. Food sounds good. And thanks.”

Similar gestures made Naruto chuckle, which pulled a raised eyebrow and a mock punch at his shoulder. Figures that his two best guy friends would want to shrug off and ignore his thanks. It let him wear a small smile and push aside his worries- if only for the moment.

_____

A/N: Yay! I picked up a new reviewer or two, this is awesome. To my regular girls, (those of you who left reviews and the rest who commented over the IM) that constitute my support staff, thank you as always and i promise somewhere soon i will be dishing up the better stuff. *wink**hint**wink* Sneakyfox: I always look forward to your reviews, and yes, Neji does need to learn to fly. It'll happen... not sure when.. but it'll happen. YojiKatO: *squeals* you like it!! i am glad one of my favorite authors likes my stuff. welcome to the crew!! and yes, there will be Yaoi in my story, but I'm not gonna say who... it is the one thing I will make all wait for until the proper time. Djargo: Another new reviewer! thank you for leaving your note, I am glad you have found this to be something new and refreshing, that's what I want. I am tired of the typical naru/ Kyuubi merging stories that are out. so this in my spin on that whole theory. And don't worry, I will continue this story, but I am also a full time mom, so updates are rather slow. Please bear with me!! In the mean time, feel free to poke at my other stories. and continue to review, makes me feel inspired!
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Disguised Curses