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Demons Have the Most Fun: A Cautionary Tale	By : DevilnBlue Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 3822 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto in any shape or form. Masashi Kishimoto is the true creator. As well as I do not make any profits from this in any way. This is simply a fan fiction created by a fan of said anime show/manga.

Chapter List
- 3
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- 5
Hello this is Assassin’s Kiss here and I wanted to glomp all those who have thought my story worthy despite the title and summary. I know it’s a strange thing but I like it so MEH to all the doubters. Tremble for I am grateful to the ones who thought my story worthy enough to review. I am so beholding the love you gave me with the comments that I will now perform seppuku on myself with this piece of yarn because I hate pain but I think I still owe you guys’ blood for such a late, late, late update. Keep in mind though guys that me dying by yarn will lead to a ticking sensation and possible yarn burn. So love me and forgive me with this long, heartfelt update that’s actual content is 29 pages long without A/Ns. That’s like two chapters in one kiddies so please love me again, read this story, rate and most especially review so that my apologies don’t go to waste v.v

Demons Have The Most Fun: A Cautionary Tale

’And I don't know/

This could break my heart or save me/

Nothing's real/

Until you let go completely/

So here I go with all my thoughts I've been saving /

So here I go with all my fears weighing on me.’

~Sober by Kelly Clarkson

//Recap//

“H… how do you kn… know so much, i… if you don’t mind me a… asking?” Mikoto asked in a quivering voice. She looked so pale and felt so weak after everything was revealed that she was afraid she might have to fish in her purse for her stupid smelling salts to revive her.

“Because Kakashi has marked me,” Iruka said calmly enough. He lifted up his pajama top only to feel Kakashi place their laced fingers against the place where his heart resided. “He has marked my heart a long time ago. I won’t regret what he has done because it has saved me in the end. I think I would have truly gone insane without Kakashi reminding me that I still had something to live for. And I know this might seem bad, but maybe… just maybe this could be his blessing too,” the brunette breathed out sincerely.

He knew that this was one of the worse possible news that they could have possibly found out about short of Kyuubi outright killing Sasuke in the summoning ceremony. It was going to be an uphill battle from here convincing the council to let a suspected murderer go free but it was necessary. Everything was necessary so that the small Uchiha’s story could continue uninterrupted.

Chapter Three: Never Reunite with a Demon

It was only when the headmaster of the prestigious academy school had finished with his impromptu, yet hopefully awe-inspiring, speech that he felt the unnerving urge to squirm in his seat. The buoyant, yet fragile, smile that had blossomed on his lips at the thought of the precious bond that he shared with Kakashi had quickly withered under the gaze of three pairs of eyes.

One lovely set, a few shades darker than dove gray, seemed to look right through him as they slowly shimmered with unshed tears. Petal soft lips, painted a demure shade of red, quivered at the information being processed even as a slender, elegant hand blindly reached for her son’s to grasp. The watery droplets all the while clung to her thick lashes but she tilted her chin up proudly and stubbornly, determined not to let this break her.

Another set, that was now a lovely stormy gray from suppressed rage, seemed to skewer the self-righteous brunette for what appeared to be a lifetime but was in reality a good minute or two. Words were just not adequate enough to express the anger and frustration he felt for the man in front of him laying this all on their laps. Then before it looked like he would voice his disapproval anyway in short, clip words, he felt his gaze shifting over to his mother as her hand brushed his own. His gaze softened slightly for the woman, grasping the trembling digits that reached blindly out for his own. He gave them a reassuring squeeze before he offered his distraught mother a wan smile of comfort.

All the while that this was going on the third set, a soulless black, seemed to gaze at the headmaster with the same steadfast, unwavering look he had given him and his demon throughout the entire meeting. Those last pair of eyes absorbed everything and let nothing show on his handsome, Mediterranean features until he volunteered to break the tentative silence.

“Excuse me Iruka-sama. May I ask you a question or two? I will understand if you are not up to it but I’m a bit confused,” Kisame began diplomatically in his rumbling, liquid voice. For a moment it sounded like the rippling smoothness of a mature stream was talking to the brunette and not the imposing Guardian standing behind his human charges.

“N... no, of course not. F… Feel absolutely free to… to… speak.” Iruka stumbled the words out as if he were just waking up from a spell that the three gazes had cast him under. He looked at his audience warily, wondering if he shouldn’t have just called the deputy headmistress and headmaster like Kakashi had suggested instead of taking it all on his already tired shoulders.

“Before I ask my question, let me first tell you that I have no family. I know it’s an unusual declaration but when I was born or created or whatever you may call it I was alone in a world full of chaos. I had to fend for myself… depend on myself. I had no one to care for or anyone to care for me and it felt like a yawning, bleeding gap in my heart. This want I had, to belong in something I didn’t quite understand or know yet.” Kisame said this calmly as if he was discussing the weather instead of such a sensitive, personal matter.

It was no real mystery that demons were brought into the world with no family to call their own; but the way Kisame spoke in such a frank yet refreshingly urgent undertone, it made it seem like his audience was privy to some private, intimate secret that only pertained to him. He could even sense the shell-shocked Uchihas shifting slightly in their chairs to see their steadfast companion; the same demon who had not, until this very day, spoken of anything about his life before he met the Uchiha family, including the ‘existence’ or ‘want’ of a family.

“A demon never is born with a family but these people right here… These people, who you have shaken to the core of their very beings with your thoughtless words, are my family. They took me in when I had nothing and only ask of me my loyalty, servitude and a little of my time,” he said fervently, his eyes momentarily blazing with life.

“I think it’s a small price to pay for happiness.” He murmured this last part sincerely with the slightest of smiles, allowing himself to calm down a bit. The smile in turn revealed the appearance of deep grooves in his caramel cheeks as dimples made their appearance.

“Kisame I… I never knew that…” Mikoto began but failed to continue. The petite woman had not questioned up to this point whether or not Kisame belonged to their family or not. She felt that he more followed her and carried on with her because he actually cared for her and not just for duties’ sake like the other servants. The Uchiha mother gave him an actual choice to accompany her or not because she thought of him as more than just a demon or servant. In fact the matronly woman had accepted him into her fold as if he were her own doting son.

‘Now you know little Magpie,’ he thought but didn’t say as much. He only spared her a fond glance and a hint of another smile before he laid his now soulless eyes back on Iruka and Kakashi, all warmth now gone.

“Your recklessness is destroying their happiness and when you do that than you destroy mine.” He said this coldly, bitterly, even as he narrowed his onyx orbs. “What right do you have to lecture us to free this ‘Kyuubi person’ when you were the one who allowed your Guardian to put him in chains and drained him of his spiritual energy so he couldn’t defend himself in the first place? You are more than a constant contradiction with your praising the demonic bond in the same breath that you are cursing the blonde,” he continued with a disappointed sigh and a shake of his dark head in his irritation.

“…”

“I mean if you didn’t let the interrogators in the school, then who did? And if you had one iota of doubt that what you saw could have possibly been the demon mark instead of a fevered conjured image then why didn’t you inform us? Why rely on the excuse of hatred, fatigue and sickness when it could have very much endanger and destroy the life of an innocent? Or do you care so little for Sasuke-kun now that he’s associated with that demon,” he spat out venomously, his outrage more than a little justified. His fingers itched for his Samehada now as his cool, collected temperament disappeared, but he refrained when his attention was distracted by Mrs. Uchiha.

Mikoto patted the clenched fist that came to rest on the top of her ornamented chair as he fought for them. She wanted to say so much to him for saying the words she was afraid would break her if she forced them past her own lips. They needed to be said and she was more than proud that their champion, her surrogate son, was saying this in her place even as her pale cheeks flushed and her eyes continued to shine with unshed tears and so much emotion.

“Th… that’s not what I meant. I never ever meant to… to leave Sasuke-kun in such a p… predicament. You have to… I’d never… please don’t d… doubt my intentions I… I was only trying to h… help alleviate the…” Iruka quickly sputtered out, his cheeks flushed with something more than just fever. He was trembling on the spot, shaken by the accusations that were quickly flung in his face after he tried to help them. Confusion, frustration, guilt and the need to be understood all wreaked havoc on his head so that his cranium now fairly pulsed with the raging emotions and newly processed information.

“Alleviate the situation you say? It’s more like you intensified it by making it worse.” Itachi said this dryly in his bemusement while shaking his head in his disapproval. “My Guardian is right. What right do you have to—” began the elder Uchiha sibling. He was ready to dig into the poor headmaster now before the person behind Iruka cut him off.

“Mah, excuse me if I sound insensitive. Don’t really care if I do but if someone were to kill this lovely lady right here, Mikoto, right? Well she seems very close to the both of you and if she was to suddenly be murdered and the killer somehow escaped and returned a few years later unable to remember he killed her… wouldn’t your anger and need for justice resurface just as he resurfaced?” Kakashi said nonchalantly, hushing his owner into silence as the brunette tried to scold him for being so rude and blasé about the matter. The demon instead speared the three guests with a thoughtful yet calculating look with his one visible eye even as he drew his Summoner’s body closer to his own, to help stop his trembling.

He knew that he was overstepping the lines by suggesting such a scenario but he was going for the shock factor right now. Kakashi was displeased by the fact that the kindhearted man in his arms was trembling so violently like a leaf in a vicious autumn wind because his words of encouragement were being misinterpreted and thrown back at him. The intelligent, silver haired demon could even feel the strong-willed man shrinking against him, making himself smaller even as he continued to take in and focus on the abusive words.

Kakashi would be damned if he would just sit back and let him take it.

There was a moment of oppressing silence after those words from Kakashi before Itachi shot to his feet, his heart thudding harshly in his ears; his grip on his Otouto tightened reflexively as he glared with hate-filled eyes down at the demon that would dare say something like that to him. He was an Uchiha, a prodigy, an heir to a powerful company. He had every right to lay blame on anyone who he felt deserved it and the both of them did for allowing all this to happen to Sasuke in the first place.

Itachi felt so unbelievably helpless and useless against the news thrust at him that he was infuriated. He wanted to protect his brother. But how could he when he was getting the information to, too late in the game to be of use?

He wanted his Otouto to wake up and reassure him that he was worrying too much. But he knew that, in reality, the only time the poor child in his arms had woken up since they had left the school that day was when he was possessed by the sadistic demon; so it didn’t count. Add to that the fact that this all stemmed from a mark that the brunette had missed because of anger and sickness and it all boiled down to one unhappy, vengeful Uchiha.

“Don’t you dare put my mother into such a situation!” Itachi spat out, his ivory face flushed a hot pink. “I don’t care if it’s hypothetical or not. I don’t care if Kisame hurt your precious master’s feelings because he needs the reality check. She, on the other hand, did nothing to your precious Master so just… just keep her out of this!” he ground out the last words before he licked his lips and tried to continue with a more steady, ‘Uchiha controlled’ tone. “Besides, it’s not the same. It’s been ten years, so he should be able to forgive what…” Itachi reasoned bitterly before trailing off.

He could already sense Kisame conjuring up his sword Samehada from thin air; probably because he was unable to take his master’s distress no longer. The Uchiha’s lips almost twitched upwards into a smile at the eagerness of his Guardian to exact vengeance in order to protect his Uchiha honor, Sasuke and his family. He knew the obedient Kisame had yet to attack yet because Itachi had not given him the nod of approval and though the young teen was sorely tempted he felt it prudent not to physically harm the people who seemed to have all the answers to questions yet to be solved.

Slowly he sat back in his chair again with renewed confidence thanks to Kisame. He waved his Guardian, after he was properly seated, to lower his blade though looked over his shoulder to give him a silent, meaningful look to still be at the ready. Itachi then tried his best to devoid his face of any hindering emotions such as fear and anxiety before looking at the pair in front of him with a warier eye.

He still did not like the demon putting his mother in any scenario that involved her unfortunate demise but he refused, like his mother, to show how it affected him. It was a crass and insensitive way to prove a point and he wanted to let the silver haired man know that not only was he displeased but that he’d have both their jobs when Kakashi interrupted him yet again from trying to speak once more.

“Oh is it really?” Kakashi asked this time in bemusement. The demon didn’t miss a beat after the Summoner and his Guardian had settled down; his visible eye even rounded out in fiend surprise. “You say that. You sound as if you really meant it, that you would be able to forgive your murderer, but let’s not kid ourselves. Nothing in life ever really comes out so neatly wrapped and packaged; and sure we could have handled it a bit better on our side but there is really no use in pointing fingers. Ten years can easily melt down to ten seconds when suddenly struck in the face with your past. The aching, festering wound that was slowly healing at the lost of someone you hold so close can just as easily tear open at the presence of the one that turned your life upside down in the first place.” The silver haired male began brightly, his words laden with a heavy dose of sarcasm.

“…”

“Oh, I know, you might be thinking right now ‘well it’s not the same because it’s your actual mother that was killed in this ‘hypothetical scenario’,” the demon made a point to add the air quotations carelessly before continuing seamlessly on, “…and not some guy who adopted Iruka out of the kindness of his heart’. You probably might think that it’s different because they aren’t blood related, hmm? Was that it?” Kakashi said in a mocking tone, his clothed lips curled up in a bittersweet smile even as he leaned forward a bit as if he attended to chat with a good, old friend.

Itachi wanted to open his mouth in protest but found himself gently shushed by his mother who couldn’t help but wonder what the nonchalant demon would say next. In fact all occupants in the room, including Iruka himself, were curious to see what the masked man would say or do next. It was like looking at a car crash. They wanted to look away, they wanted to snap out of the gruesome spell but they couldn’t help but watch and listen as the man behind Iruka upbraided them.

“Sssuuuurrrreeee, every situation of murder is different but he’s already lost his biological parents to demons. Saw them slaughtered right in front of his eyes because they hungered for the spiritual potency inside of him. Yet, in spite of all of his faults he still has managed to do so much good. He cared for me, an exceptionally hot demon, despite two separate demon related murders. He’s managed to establish and take care of a school that specializes in not only educating the youth but teaching potential Summoners and their demons how to work together. Finally he was more than willing to come to your aide as sick as he is.

“So Kami, forbid it if he should hold a grudge against a single person, who he can actually and justifiably use as a scapegoat for all the fucked up things that have been going on in his life. Even if there is a chance Kyuubi didn’t kill Minato he sure as hell didn’t prevent him from being killed. He just as well have stolen away someone Iruka was starting to love just like an actual brother. But then again it’s not the same,” Kakashi snapped flinging Itachi’s words back in his face before standing up abruptly with Iruka in his arms this time.

“As for the chaining him up thing, I felt that it was prudent. You might not mind a suspected killer running around your home when there are innocents asleep but we run things differently here. We have children here, left in our care by their parents, to think about. And you say that my Iruka is being emotionally biased but here you are relying on your emotions when it comes to protecting your mother and brother. The same with you wanting to protect your ‘family’ Kisame-kun,” Kakashi continued, drawing Kisame back into the conversation. “So don’t go pointing fingers when you’re really upset at the fact that I beat you.

“If you want our help I’ll give it to you but I’m not going to let you break what is mine because you find you can’t always get what you want. He’s feels bad enough that he missed such a crucial clue so don’t push it,” the older demon said with a final flourish of his rant.

“I don’t want him to come down with us,” Itachi said sullenly after the eternity of dead silence that followed. He knew that he had been thoroughly chastised, to the point that he couldn’t look at the man that he silently made a vow to destroy. There was definite trueness in the silver haired scarecrows words and if he hadn’t been guided by the strong need to protect and lighten the burden of his family then he would have seen that as well. Itachi hadn’t had all the facts before which led to his frustration but even if he did he’d be damned if he would apologize to either man.

“I… I won’t. I feel a bit lightheaded anyway,” Iruka began a bit hesitantly. He gave his own demon a look that begged him to hold his tongue for a moment even as he made his move to stand on his own. “I think I will retire to my room,” Iruka confessed with a halfhearted chuckle. His feet were almost to the ground, his hands prepared to grasp the edge of the table for support when he felt Kakashi draw him closer.

‘Don’t go… don’t let them break you.’

The words were soft, but Iruka could hear his demon’s words clearly in his head. It was one of the many benefits of being ‘bonded’ that they were able to communicate sensitive material in front of their adversaries without appearing weak before them.

Iruka hesitated, shook his head, and then turned with some difficulty in the arms that were wrapped securely around him. He offered his mate a sweet, yet tired smile as he reached a trembling hand out to touch his clothed cheek.

‘Don’t worry about me koi. I really am sleepy. Go attend to them and I’ll be fine. That child needs you more than I do right now.’

The thoughtful words brushed against Kakashi’s psyche just as softly as the butterfly kiss that Iruka laid on his chin before he was reluctantly released by his brunette. Another tiny smile was offered for his efforts before he turned back and tucked a lock of chocolate brown behind his ear and offered them all a warm, understanding look that belied the turmoil inside of him right now.

“It’s obvious that given the hour and circumstances that all four of you would be reluctant to leave the school at this time without Kyuubi. I will have one of the school’s servants contact a staff member at the Uchiha manor to send over a carryover bag with sleeping clothes for tonight and clothes to wear for tomorrow,” Iruka began, all businesslike before wetting his lips and continuing.

“I will also inform a school servant to prepare some guests rooms for you as well as leave a message at Uchiha-sama’s office that there has been a family emergency and he should return to the Academy at his earliest convenience. I will be sure to have his clothes brought over too just in case he does arrive. And if you find yourself for want of anything or need to ask any more questions please feel free to contact my guardian or ask for assistance from one of the school’s servants. If that will be all then I will bid you all adieu.”

There was warmth infused in those words but it was obvious to all that the man before them was working on autopilot. Iruka seemed to look right through the people he was addressing. His fingers clenched into fists on top of the desk before they finally relaxed as he finished. He nodded to affirm his words, giving them a starched smile of politeness before following it up with a short, cordial bow and headed towards Mikoto.

“And Mikoto-san… Please accept my apologies for my Guardian’s harsh words. I am glad that he defended me but Itachi-san was also right. He shouldn’t have dragged you into his example to prove his point,” Iruka began civilly.

He then skewered Kakashi with a pointed look in which he only received a sheepish shrug in return to his great amusement. “Also…” he continued focusing his gaze and attention back on Mikoto, “I really do hope for not only your sake but for your son’s own that I was wrong about Kyuubi. I know we wish we could live in a perfect world where we could possibly forgive and forget past indiscretions but we know better than that. Good night.” Another simple incline of his head and he was gone through the door before anyone else could say anything else.

Mikoto could only stare in bewilderment as first the brunette left before his Guardian followed quickly on his heels.

OUTSIDE THE OFFICE

Kakashi was surprised at how quickly Iruka was moving in his state but caught up with his master before the stumbling man could fall from his emotional exertion. He knew that for all Iruka’s brave words, the kindhearted man was dying inside. He was the type of person who would worry himself sick. He’d keep all the negative comments directed at himself bottled up, and smile sweetly in return even as the words ate him up inside.

Kakashi had thought he had broken his master out of that habit so that he would be more willing to speak his mind instead of keeping things in. The brunette sure seemed to strike fear into the hearts of his students and others when he was scolding them and could make a majority of his staff members scatter when he was in a foul mood. But he guessed when it came to sensitive matters like his deceased brother and his past in general; Iruka was once again reduced to the little orphan boy from long ago.

While still walking Kakashi smoothly swept his distraught master into his arms and carried him upstairs with barely a protest. He knew that Iruka knew that it was useless to fight him when he was determined to play the hero. Heck, if things hadn’t gone to hell in a hand basket he wouldn’t have minded playing ‘fireman and helpless, lonely, and oh so sexy fire victim’. He even bought a small ax and a fire hose, not that he didn’t already come specially equipped for the job as he allowed his mind to roam to the last time they played dress up.

“Your mind is in the gutter isn’t it?” Iruka accused dryly after a few breathless seconds in which his Guardian quickly carried him up the stairs as if on an urgent mission. The brunette couldn’t believe that even after all that had happened Kakashi was still horny. Sure it had been more than a week since they last had sex but the headmaster had more pressing things to worry about back then besides making ‘little Kakashi’ happy.

“Nooooo, of course not,” Kakashi quickly shook his head in denial interrupting his master’s musings. Although it seemed very hard for him to put on a face of innocence when his brunette looked so ravishing and helpless. Plus they were moving to the bedroom and cuddling didn’t cut it for him. Sure it was nice in its own respect when used after enjoying the afterglow of lovemaking but when there was no sex involved it was less than filling.

The headmaster snorted slightly at his denial, calmed slightly by his demon “Is it really wrong that I can’t quite forgive him yet?” Iruka asked breathlessly, blinking back the tears that burned at the back of his eyes. His fingers instinctively dug into cloth and flesh as he tried to stop himself from letting the water droplets fall because he knew once they did they wouldn’t stop for a good while.

“Of course not, he’s your brother. Blood doesn’t matter. He’s yours just as much as you’re mines,” his demon said soothingly, tucking his master’s head under his chin. He was at the top of the stairs in record time when Iruka decided to continue.

“I want to though… I want to forgive him because there is a small chance that h… he’s not the killer but… but… if he isn’t than… than why…” the headmaster whimpered, feeling the first tear tickle down his cheek and throat.

“Shhh… I know. I know what you are going to say. Why didn’t he protect Minato from the real killer then, hmm? It’s almost just as bad as being the killer himself, so why? I’m sure that everyone would like to know that, not just us. But not now, right now you have to rest,” Kakashi murmured in a coaxing voice.

“I never meant to hate him Kashi… you have to understand I respected him once,” Iruka continued sleepily as if unable to hear what Kakashi had just said. He didn’t realize that his Guardian had already opened his bedroom door and was laying him down on the bed until he felt Kakashi removing his warm body from his own. Desperately he grabbed for his sleeve after he was tucked in, only receiving a gentle and understanding look in turn.

“I know you did Koi.” The silver haired male nodded his head in agreement, slowly prying his human’s hand from his shirt before drawing his mask down to kiss his brow.

“He’s been named but I can’t stop seeing him. He’s been named but I can’t stop picturing him holding Aniki with all that blood covering them. I thought I successfully blocked out that memory so why… why do I?” he whimpered out desperately. His eyes were slightly glazed over as if he was already replaying the memory again.

“Shh… Be at peace and forget him for now,” murmured Kakashi coaxingly. He put a little power behind his words in order to ease the worried, panic look that seem to crease his brunette’s features.

“Peace? That would be nice… I… I’ll try for you. Try for the both of us to forget him tonight,” Iruka reaffirmed at the end, giving his head a slight nod of acceptance before yawning.

“I can stay if you really want me to,” suggested Kakashi as an afterthought. He had no real qualms about abandoning the Uchihas to their own devises why he attended to his upset and still sick master. Besides he looked so vulnerable and fuckable right now with those flush cheeks and big watering eyes that he was already starting to unbutton his shirt when Iruka halted him with his words.

“No…. go. I’m good. Attend to them and then come back to me. I’ll keep until then,” he murmured. If he was in a better mood then Iruka might have taken more than just simple amusement in denying his Guardian his touch. For the brunette, the look of hurt and the look of all consuming hunger on his Kashi’s face thrilled him to his very core despite the sadness and regret that lapped greedily at his own heart and soul. It brought out a sadistic streak in the brunette that left him lightheaded and breathless. But seeing that they both suffered enough already in that day alone, he allowed his demon a small allowance and sat up a bit to draw him into a kiss.

Strong, slender arms coiled around his Guardian’s neck drawing the demon closer to him even as he arched his body up a bit to remove the space between them. He brushed his lips teasingly across Kakashi’s own; it was an innocent yet barely there kiss that drew a frustrated growl from Kakashi. He chuckled softly to himself, smiling at the display of sharp teeth shown in anger through heavy lids. He was mesmerized by them, pausing to really look at the fanged teeth before kissing the pretty mouth that housed them again.

His heart quickened, starting to pulse in his ears, knowing that part of him would always be a bit afraid of his Guardian. But the spike of fear only thrilled him more as Kakashi returned his kiss just as tenderly instead of the biting, bruising kiss that he was half expecting. He looked curiously at his demon, wondering if he had read the man wrong but the heated gaze that was zeroed in on him made him almost forget to breathe.

Iruka knew now, always seemed to know on some level, that his demon always hungered for more behind his carefree mask of indifference. Kakashi was his Guardian but he was still a primal and dark being and his want was ultimately Iruka’s want. But they silently agreed as one to draw apart. Iruka wanted to rest his forehead against Kakashi’s until he could calm his beating heart but found his lover now holding him at arm’s length.

“Don’t test me Koi,” the bi-colored male hissed in warning. He winced at the wounded puppy dog look that his master gave him, pulling him close to his frame when his Iruka would have pulled further away. “And don’t give me that look either. You know I can’t think properly when you are this close to me,” he confessed huskily while hugging the brunette closer to him. “You need your rest so you can be prepared for when I finally pound into that tight ass of yours.”

“Wha—” Iruka began in his bewilderment; his cheeks flushed a flaming red.

“You owe me Koi,” the demon breathed out fervently even as he rested his forehead against Iruka’s shoulder. “Kami, this Cold War you have going on in the bedroom since this recent sickness has given me the worst case of blue balls. ‘Little Kakashi’ misses you, you know that?” he murmured with a tired chuckle.

Iruka snorted and kissed the top of his lover’s head. “You’re impossible. It’s my fault, hmm? I spoil you too much, that’s what it really boils down to. I realize it now that I don’t have time to give you my complete attention like I used to because of the pressing issues of work. But I am still your Master. I get to decide if you top or not and if I want to deny ‘Little Kakashi’ then… Well I don’t want to do that because then we both suffer,” corrected Iruka reluctantly blocking Kakashi’s sudden blossoming grin with his hand.

“Shut up! I… there’s just too much going on right now. Rain check for now, okay? Go downstairs and attend to the Uchihas’ and we’ll see what happens when you return,” suggested the brunette finally in defeat.

“That’s all I’m asking Koi,” Kakashi said jovially with a crooked, impish smile. He removed the hand that nearly muffled his words before brushing a kiss against his fingertips and releasing them with a playful nip in parting. “I want you lubed up and ready when I return. I’ll be back in two shakes of a lamb’s tail,” he crowed out happily even as he quickly stood and drew up his mask over his lips and nose.

“What happened to you saying ‘I needed my rest?’” demanded Iruka in exasperation. His eyebrow suddenly twitched in his irritation even as he smiled ruefully in amusement at the antics of his horny mate.

“We can rest when we are dead.” Kakashi countered seriously before his eyes curved into the familiar crescent eyed smile that belied his serious tone. He quickly blew his Master a kiss and ducked out of the door before the frustrated brunette could toss something at his head.

It seemed that as soon as the door clicked close behind his demon Iruka fell bonelessly back against his sheets and closed his eyes. “Kyuubi…” He breathed out that name in a regretful sigh knowing that his overtaxed mind would not easily give up on worrying about that demon when he was so intricately apart of his past.

In fact, Iruka’s first memory of Kyuubi was tied with the first memory of Minato and Kakashi. They interlocked and intertwined with each other in such a way that he couldn’t tell one side of the story without incorporating the other two in it. It’d be only a half truth if he did it any other way and as always just as Kyuubi had exited the brunette’s world with a bang, so did he enter into it too.

FLASHBACK, FIFTEEN YEARS AGO

Blood splattered like a wet, crimson banner across the wall to welcome further intruders into the little hovel that Iruka had called home for more than six years. The tiny, two-room home was in complete disarray, straying completely from its usual tidy self. Their kitchen/dining table, that usually sat a mere foot from the kitchen, was broken in two; the wood coated with the porridge that had barely been touched when the unexpected guests arrived.

A wooden, splintered table leg was mysteriously embedded deeply into the wall and not one wooden chair was spared from harm. One lone cup, that had managed to survive the fall, continued to roll in a lazy, drunken circle. It settled only to find itself spinning out of control again as many feet danced across the floor in a frenzied style only known to themselves.

There was a scuffling and growling noise towards the front of the home but he couldn’t really care to pay attention to that right now as the little brunette laid his small, trembling body between his mother and father. The child was tired and done with tears; or at least he thought so after spending a horrific part of the early day cowering in a corner, his eyes brimming and nose running freely with snot and tears.

Slowly the six year old drew the dead weight of first his mother’s than his father’s arms around his wiry frame before he further snuggled between their still bodies. There was still just enough warmth left between his parents that his shivering had abated some. He allowed his eyes to flutter close then with a soft sigh, his hands pressed their palms against his chest so that they could see that their boy still lived thanks to their sacrifices.

Tears tickled and squeezed out of the corner of his eyes and rolled down either side of his head as he tried to call up the bliss and obliviousness of sleep. Iruka was determined to become a star too, just like his parents. He knew that as soon as they threw themselves in the way of the ravenous demons, their souls fled their bodies instantly and became bright, beautiful stars.

The young adolescent knew that they would shine down on him and protect him from now on but he wanted to shine with them too so they could all three be together again, so shiny and new. So he waited patiently for his death to come, his dead parent’s arms wrapped around him to reassure him that everything would be okay.

END FLASHBACK

Iruka snorted at his childish hope even as he moved to slide underneath the covers. When he reminisced just then it was like watching a movie played by someone else for someone else. Sure he felt empathy towards the little one tucked between his two dead parents, waiting for a death that would never come; but he couldn’t see himself fitting in that world anymore than he could see himself fitting into his old elementary school clothes. They were memories that had all served their purpose to make him into the man that he was today: a somewhat confidant, calm, kind, and complete control freak of an individual.

It was because of Kyuubi that he became the latter in the first place. He needed desperately to control the environment and the people around him because he knew that most of his past was in such disarray. He lived with a kind of fear, not knowing when another ‘Kyuubi’ would come into his life and turn his world of order upside down again. And sure his Guardian Kakashi had a more dominate nature fit for domming but the demon also knew and understood that the brunette needed to be in control even in the bedroom. So most of the time he initiated their sexual acts, only occasionally letting Kakashi top when he felt the demon needed to be rewarded or when he was too weak of will to stop his horny mate from taking advantage of him.

It was utterly disconcerting that thoughts of Kyuubi could reduce him to a pubescent teen full of hate and anxieties. These thoughts left him absentminded to the happenings of the world around him like the recent ‘Sasuke incident’; as well as left him afraid to embrace the memories he tried desperately to bury within a small corner of his heart. But now that his brother’s demon was back they all came flooding back in ebbing waves, crashing over him one by one, leaving him breathless, bereft of warmth and purpose and trembling among the bed sheets.

FLASHBACK, AN HOUR OR TWO LATER

He wasn’t sure how long he had dozed off but one minute he had closed his eyes and was dreaming of floating weightlessly in the starry sky and the next minute he was hearing voices that would have earn them pennies in the swear jar. Iruka screwed his eyes shut as if willing himself to fall back to sleep in order to push away the niggling feeling that something in the real world was wrong. His brow wrinkled together and lips twitched downward into a frown as he buried his nose against one of his parent’s sides. But no matter how hard he grasped in vein at the inky darkness of sleep the people talking were too loud to ignore.

“Minato!” The child stiffened, suddenly alert by the velvety smooth voice that caressed the syllables of that name almost lovingly while still showing its displeasure with its dark and dangerous undertones. It was like dark chocolate, the way it was so bitter and sweet at the same time; it left the child with an almost melting feeling as his mind began to fasten onto the intangible words instantly. “You knew I really wanted to fight someone. Maybe bathe in a bit of blood but I guess we arrived too damn late to the party,” the velvety voice continued irritably. “I want my reparations!”

“We didn’t come here to fight,” countered the long suffering and tired reply of another male. “You know how important finding potential Summoners like me are.”

“You promised me souls, blondie.” The first voice hissed out in his growing frustration completely ignoring what the other man had said. The words had the small child trying desperately to press further down between his parents in hopes of hiding himself from that hungry, anxious voice. His heart beating merrily along until his head fairly pulsed with the rhythm while the speaker continued. “Do you know the last time I’ve really eaten without caring the hell what happened to my meal?”He didn’t even allow the other man enough time to answer before he threw down his reply in his agitation. “Too damn long, that’s for sure.”

“I feed you!” insisted the second voice, trying to hush his voice so that nosy people like the boy wouldn’t overhear them.

“But not in the way I want to be fed Minato. I need more than a little nibble here and there. You’re a true sadist, you know that? You, of course, are my drug of choice and you know how insatiable I am… could be. But you have denied me too often. You know how I get when I am hungry,” he fairly snarled out the last words, not even bothering to hide the sheer volume of his voice.

“You can gorge to your heart’s content next time,” appeased the ‘Minato’ person trying to shush his partner.

“FUCK NEXT TIME! IF I DON’T EAT NOW I’LL…”roared out the first voice. Then close on the heels of the declaration the small resident heard something colliding and breaking against the wall that hid the second room from the first. Heart jumping erratically in his chest the child quickly muffled a broken sob against his mother’s side, trying desperately not to make any noise even as he began to hyperventilate.

“Kyuubi! Why did you… What is it?”Minato began to scold before he switched to a more concerned and cautious tone.

There seemed to be a yawning pause in which Iruka thought that he would die from the suspense alone when he sobbed a bit harder at the next words.

“I smell human…” Kyuubi said cautiously, precisely as if unsure if said human was in hearing distance.

“Don’t you dare eat him!” warned the second voice, once again admonishingly. It almost sounded like the young man was lecturing a four year ready to eat something off the floor instead of an actual human being.

The first person seemed to shift in the other room, if Iruka’s overactive imagination was anywhere close to being correct, like he was carefully contemplating his partner’s words before replying. “Are you going to sate my craving this time Master?” He bit out the last word bitterly as if he derived no real pleasure in saying it when he was so dissatisfied. “Or should I just take a small bite out of this one now?”

“Don’t play around like that,” was the only feeble response that the Kyuubi guy received. It seemed as if Minato wanted to believe that his partner was kidding and incapable of doing such crude things. But both he and, not surprisingly, the child believed that the first voice was dead serious.

“Who’s playing? My body has been denied too long from enjoying a sweet, succulent soul and you’ve been too much of a sentimental fool to let me eat your friends,” came Kyuubi’s careless reply that had more than one person blinking in bewilderment.

“ THEY ARE MY FRIENDS!!!” screeched out the Minato person as something tried to hit something else. The child wondered if the second voice tried to hit the first voice but didn’t want to think too hard about it in case he missed anymore words coming from the other room.

Kyuubi snorted. “If you say so but they irritate me… most humans do,” he added the last part dryly as an afterthought. He seemed unaffected by any attempts at assault if there was in fact any assault to begin with.

Iruka caught the sound of the other male letting out yet another long suffering sigh as if he had had that same conversation again and again. He had been waiting for a snarky remark from the other voice at any minute with bated breath when he had this suddenly irksome feeling that someone was staring down at him. The child quickly shook his head to himself, not thinking it possible because he would have heard but even as he lifted his tear-stained face to set his fears to rest, he nearly choked on air as he stared into calculating golden eyes.

“Well now isn’t this interesting,” said the stranger in front of him.

Instantly the child took in the sight of the handsome stranger, despite himself. He wondered where in the world he came from because he seemed obviously not to fit in this shabby place. He stood there, tall, lean and brooding with one hip leaning against the doorframe and his arms crossed thoughtfully across his chest. Those eyes, he hadn’t mistaken them, they were piercing amber orbs wrapped in a thin band of scarlet. They hid behind heavy lidded eyelids that observed him intently without seeming too concern with the weird sight of a small child lying between his two dead parents.

His hair… his hair was cropped short and formed a sort of blazing halo of soft red spikes frosted in gold. (1) Sinful lips turned down in a frown, he seemed ethereal even with goggles on his head and the worn flight jacket that seemed just as worn as his ripped black denim jeans.

The child managed to take in the man’s appearance with big doe brown eyes just as quickly as he identified the voice as the first one that wanted to eat him. It was disconcerting to say the least, especially when the child thought that the man in front of him looked at him as if sizing up if he was worth the trouble eating. Or that was what the impressionable child had thought as he quaked between his dead parents, face crumpling into despair as he began to let out soft, hiccupping sobs. He tried to quell the annoying noise when he saw the man’s lip curl back in irritation but not even pressing trembling fingertips could stop the tears that blurred his vision and rolled down his cheeks.

“Stop that! You’re frightening the poor thing,” came the disapproving second voice. All Iruka could see was a yellow, black and blue blob that quickly scooping up the child before he could offer a protest.

The man began to automatically bounce the child in his arms, making soft cooing noises even as he simultaneously glared at his partner over the brunette’s head. Or at least the latter was what the child was hoping he was doing as he tried taking shuddering, hiccupping breath after another. Hands fisting in a black t-shirt as he tried to gather his bearings knowing even to a child like him it was useless to say that everything would be okay because the evidence of that not being possible lay at their feet in the form of the child’s dead parents.

“Kami, I wished we would have come here sooner. Poor thing to lose his parents like that, it should have never happened.” The melodious voice above him muttered the words softly to himself, although Iruka could feel the vibration of those words tickling against his ear as he pressed his wet cheek against the man’s chest. The child closed his eyes hoping that this was just some horrible dream and that he would wake up any moment to bounce onto his parents’ bed and beg them to serve something other than porridge.

But the once comforting arms around his midsection were tightening around him so that he squeaked out in surprise. Blunt nails quickly dug in between himself and the strange male wanting none of this abuse only for the man to suddenly loosen his grip. He looked up reproachfully into an apologetic face that left him breathless as he stared into the clearest blue eyes he had ever seen. Any reproachful words were quickly dried up on his tongue as he ducked his head bashfully under the blonde man’s chin.

“Me and you both,” grumbled Kyuubi seemingly unaware of the other two’s shy assessment of each other.

It seemed clear to the child and the man that was holding him that it was obvious Kyuubi agreed more over the lost fight he missed by being late instead of the lost lives in front of them. Iruka knew that the man didn’t know his parents. That he didn’t know how loving and caring and precious they were to him. But his self-absorbed manner made the child want to instantly hate the red head if only for the fact that the man had honestly contemplated eating him plus his utter disregard for his dead family.

“But I’m more than sure…” began the red head before the blonde could scold him, “That this child wouldn’t be alive without help. So who was it? I’m pretty sure these humans weren’t capable of killing all those demon bodies we saw in the front, so how—” He breathed out more so to himself before something stopped him from continuing in his speculation.

“Drop him or I’ll slit both of your throats.” The voice was cold and serious as a tall man spattered in flecks of blood and gore suddenly separated himself from the pocket of darkness he had been hiding in. Mismatched eyes, one stormy blue and the other blood red, narrowed at the intruders that dared touch what was his through the silver curtain of wild, unkempt bangs that threatened to obscure his vision. He saw the human child craning his head backward to take a look at the newcomer before sighing in defeat when the frightened boy tried desperately to draw closer to the blonde as if hoping he would melt into him by some miracle.

“Ha, ha this is too rich!” Kyuubi suddenly laughed out loud into the silence of the stranger’s threatening words. The demon wiped away invisible tears, handsome head shaking in his bemusement. “Drop him or I’ll slit both of your throats. Rich, you are a fucking funny demon because if you knew who you were talking to you’d drop down to your Goddamn knees and beg for forgiveness,” he chortled, sinful lips smiling cruelly at a possible challenge.

“He is my human. I fought others for him. I’m not above fighting you for him too,” snarled out the silver-haired demon stubbornly. He was just as naked as the day he was born. (2) A mane of silver hair, caked in blood was the only covering he had as it fell a little below his round, firm ass. The hard planes of sinewy muscles quickly shifted and bunched together slightly as he readied himself to pull out a weapon from thin air.

“You know I hate your type? The naïve demons that are so wet behind the ears that they are actually willing to sacrifice their lives for their owners even if it means suicide for themselves. It’s so fucking laughable how pathetic my race has become over the centuries. I am your senpai. Don’t you dare snarl at your superior or I’ll bite out your throat to help quench my thirst,” the older demon said in a pleasant enough tone. Although there seemed to be power behind his words that gave the allusion that the beseeching wails of past victims were flowing through his speech.

“Kyuubi!” Minato cried out, quickly and reflexively smacking his partner across his chest with the back of his arm. He was unworried by the murderous look and flash of fangs that were flashed his way. Crystal blue eyes just narrowed in challenge forcing his demon to sigh in defeat and amusement as he looked the other way and worked his jaw in his agitation.

“What? What! I was being nice. I warned him, didn’t I?” he quickly fired back with a winning, vulpine smile. “Besides…” he trailed off, eyes lingering longingly at his new, possible plaything. “I told you how I felt about upstart demons daring to challenge me. I’ve been itching for a fight and even if he’s bound to this child I can already taste his blood on my tongue,” he murmured huskily, licking his lips. If the child wasn’t mistaken he could see an almost dreamy, glazed look come over the demon’s eyes.

“Bound? Is that why this little one survived?” the blonde questioned curiously as blue met brown. They both pondered the information given, although one set of eyes was clueless to what was clearly going on. Iruka quickly tucked his head under the blonde’s chin still flustered by his rescuer. His head hurt too much too think of such heavy matters so he comforted himself by listening to the steady, reassuring beat of the man’s heart.

“Yes, yes but barely. I don’t even think he’s named yet. The link between the two is too unstable for him to be named,” Kyuubi said in a suffering sigh of frustration, knowing what would come next.

“We won’t fight you because despite my Guardian’s eagerness to rip apart everything in his path, including puppies and rainbows, we really mean no harm. I just want to take your little master somewhere safe. I am sure you don’t want him sleeping among the dead, do you?” Minato beseeched reasonably. His hands were already rubbing comforting circles into the chibi’s back; bouncing him up once to keep the six year old’s legs from slipping down from his narrow waist.

“I’m still hungry,” whined out Kyuubi his mood suddenly souring more than usual. He hated when the blonde seem hell-bent on saving everything in his path, including things that the red head fancied on eating and/or destroying. But knowing that it would be an irksome thing if it wasn’t quickly dealt with, he addressed the child. “Hey kid, you need to name him,” he commanded instead of making it a suggestion.

“Iruka?” the miniature brunette said softly after a bit. He had reluctantly shifted his head to look at the red head from the safety of Minato’s black t-shirt.

“Huh? Is that his new name kid?”asked the red head curiously. He then gave the other demon a measuring look wondering if he looked much like a ‘dolphin’.

“No… no, my name is I… Iruka, n… not kid,” he hiccupped. His bottom lip trembled as tears began to swim in his eyes again. He took only a moments comfort in the shooshing, cooing sounds that his human carrier made before the demon decided to speak again.

“Well Iruka, I’m pretty sure you don’t understand this but that guy over there believes you are his master.” He quickly waved away the silver haired demon’s protests in irritation. Kyuubi knew that the demon knew that that was his human and that shouldn’t be questioned one iota but the child didn’t know that yet. “He is surprisingly in control of his senses and his instinct to kill, despite him being summoned so early. But that can change drastically. If you don’t name him soon well… let’s just say a dead mommy and daddy will be the least of your worries,” he concluded for lack of better words. He shrugged away Minato’s withering look of exasperation to look intently at the man-child.

“I… I…” Iruka stuttered out unsure of himself. He worried his bottom lip and looked at the silver haired demon once more. He was so scared and confused that his small body was wracked with shivers until he felt the blonde holding him tilting his chin up one-handedly. He looked dazedly back with wide brown eyes into the safe haven the azure pools offered him and found himself immediately calming down.

“I know this is all new and scary to you. It’s a lot for you to take in, in such little time. But understand me; this is important Iruka-kun. I need you to name that demon. I know you are afraid of him just as you are afraid of my Guardian Kyuubi and possibly even me. But your demon will soon become an intricate part of your life. So give him a name that is worthy of him since he was the one who ultimately saved your life,” suggested Minato in his soothing melodious voice. He offered the wide eyed child a small smile of encouragement even as he watched the brunette turn his head once again towards the intruder.

“Y… you saved me?” Iruka nearly choked out in wonder. He could vaguely remember a silver blob whispering to him that he would protect him while he blindly gazed at him through shimmering tears as he sat amidst his unmoving parents.

The silver haired demon nodded his head solemnly, unsure whether it was safe to do anything more.

“Ka…Kashi. I want you to be a Kakashi,” he breathed in a shuddering breath. His hand fisted harder into Minato’s shirt at his determined words before his breath nearly caught at the smile the bloodied demon gave him.

“As you wish my lord,” Kakashi murmured as he pressed his hand over his heart and made a deep bow. And before Kyuubi could snort at such display of loyalty he blinked as he felt the bi-colored eye demon in front of them quickly moved at lightning speed pass them.

It was roughly at the same time the red-headed demon gracefully whirled around and cracked his clawed fingers eagerly at the new wave of prey that tried to pour into the small door in the front room all at once. It was obvious that their hunger for human souls, especially those of a Summoners’ won over their fear of possible death.

“I guess that means I feed after all,” Kyuubi nearly purred out in his approval. Then before he jumped into the thick of the fray he cast a sidelong glance at his master and the human boy. “Don’t go doing anything stupid by trying to run off or join the madness,” the red head warned cautiously.

“I wouldn’t even dream of it,” smiled Minato. The blonde had finally given his blessing on something and before Iruka allowed himself to shut the world out by closing his eyes and covering his ears, he could have sworn the red head winked at him before disappearing into the first room.

END FLASHBACK, NOW WITH KAKASHI

Soon after he departed from his young master, Kakashi had made his way back to the headmaster’s office. He opened the door just enough to show the occupants left in the room that he had returned before slowly turning around and walking back out again. Words seemed an unnecessary kind of noise that would take away from this urgent moment and possibly lead to hurt feelings or bruised egos. So when he had given them a silent sign to follow, they did so with great haste. Keeping close to his heels the Uchiha party followed the silver haired demon silently downstairs to the monster that currently lived in the basement.

On other days Kakashi would have much rather preferred taking a surveillance tour of the school to make sure that everything was in its proper place before laying down with his master for the night. But since that wasn’t an option he took a bit of solace in the fact that the school had enough sufficient funds to hire Summoners and their Guardians to watch over the few sleeping inhabitants of the school.

The party moved quickly and silently, with large, purposeful steps; a few fingertips trailed against the rough stone wall as they circled tightly down the spiral stairwell leading to the dungeons. There was room enough on the stairs to walk three abreast but they walked in single file anyway with Kakashi at the front and Kisame at the rear as if preparing for a possible attack. It was a dizzying trip that was marked by little alcoves in the wall that a person could hide in, in case they needed to ambush whatever escaped the basement. But nothing that drastic happened so Kakashi, for his part, had not expected anymore unnecessary surprises that night, especially not an Uchiha downstairs, already waiting for them.

“What are you doing Obito?” The silver haired blonde asked his question with a tired sigh before he even descended to the last step before him. The words had slipped out naturally and his bemusement was genuine as he paid witness to the curious sight before him. If it weren’t for the presence of the people behind him he would have sounded more cheerful to see his old friend.

“Feeding him… What else does it look like,” Obito murmured distractedly, almost pouting at such an obvious answer. He moved to scoop a bit more ramen onto the chopsticks before he offered it up to bruised and bloody lips. A coxing ‘ah’ sound forming on his own lips before he smiled brightly at the weary bite taken.

“Well I know that you are feeding him but why is what I really want to know?” Kakashi pressed before reluctantly stepping down onto the basement floor.

He wanted to avoid the confrontation that might come from the other Uchihas noticing Obito but it couldn’t be helped. The man he called friend was estranged from his family along with his identical twin brother Tobi because of what they represented. (3)

They were bastards, the both of them, born from the escapades of Fugaku’s father Akihiko, who found escape from his loveless, arrange marriage in his childhood friend, ironically named Ai. Obito and Tobi were in all rights Itachi and Sasuke’s uncles because they themselves were Fugaku’s half brothers But since the family, including Fugaku, didn’t acknowledge the twins as true Uchihas’, the family didn’t want Sasuke and Itachi to either. So when all he got from the four behind him was a wave of silence born of shock, all he could do was let out an inward sigh of relief.

“Because he looks hungry and if he really used to be Minato’s demon than he should be fed. Minato would have wanted it that way,” the Uchiha insisted, not even bothering to glance over his shoulder.

“Obito…” Kakashi began sternly before he was gently cut off.

“I’ve even cleaned up most of the blood he was caked in.” Obito began then let out a disappointed sigh before continuing. “Kakashi… I don’t care what he has done… If he killed Minato I really am sorry for you and Iruka. I really liked him too because he was the only one who really acknowledged me and my brother as something more than the black sheep of an illustrious family. But no one should have been left in the condition he was in. If he wasn’t, you know… what he is… he’d have bled out from all those injuries.” The Uchiha murmured the last part as if already reflecting on the condition he found the demon in.

He had even stopped feeding the blonde at this point to scowl down at the bowl of ramen he was holding because it had really been a shame. The demon in front of him was such a beautiful creature and for him to be sliced and beaten so badly was a waste. It was a miracle that Kyuubi was able to heal even with the shackles restraining most of his spiritual energy. If he hadn’t he would have probably bled to death despite him being a powerful creature.

“He doesn’t deserve your kindness or thoughtfulness though,” Kakashi began gently, interrupting his friend’s troubled thoughts.

“I am thoughtful, aren’t I?” Obito questioned considerately before beaming up at the demon.

If anyone else would have said that Kakashi would have thought him or her conceded but on Obito it was endearing. Not to say the Uchiha didn’t have his moments where he liked to pull practical jokes on people. He was a mischievous soul at heart but he still miraculously maintained a sense of innocence that resolutely clung to him despite all the hardships that he and Tobi faced.

Kakashi had to admit that Obito and even Tobi, by far, were one of the most interesting, weirdest humans that he had ever come across. They weren’t dropped dead gorgeous in the striking way that defined his kin but there was something about them that belied their plain features and made them somehow more appealing. The twins’ mouths were a bit too wide and their noses a bit too long but when they smiled it seemed as if their whole faces were lit from within and made others prone to smiling in return.

They had the same creamy white skin and jet black hair, as well as the famous grey, soul scorching eyes of their bloodlines. But were their families’ eyes were prone to looks of boredom, glares of death and a sense of superiority and entitlement; the twins’ eyes were filled with a merriment, mischievousness and zest for life at large which was surprisingly refreshing. Add to that, the fact that they had a boyish charm and charisma that seemed to attract people to them despite being rejected by their own family and it overall made for a pleasing picture.

So when youngest twin Obito, frowned in his disapproval at the demon’s mistreatment Kakashi had to admit he felt a little bad. Not for Kyuubi, far from that, but for his friend rarely showed his displeasure and vulnerability unless he had been truly affected. He watched intently as Obito carefully tucked his disapproval back inside himself to force a pleasant smile on his face before carefully continuing to feed noodles to a murderous demon as if feeding to a little bird with a broken wing.

“Weren’t you supposed to be here earlier for your nephew’s Summoning Ceremony?” Kakashi couldn’t help but question. He hated when one of the twins kept things bottled up and hoped to distract the Uchiha from his darkening mood with a valid distraction.

“Hmm? Oh… that…” Obito trailed off thoughtfully before setting the chopsticks down to scratch the back of his head sheepishly and finally turned around. “Well you see I was all dressed and ready but then this little old lady had broken her hip carrying her groceries. So my awesome Guardian Gai had chivalrously agreed to carry her while I carried her groceries to her home,” he finished with a ‘nice guy pose’. (4)

Though Kakashi had a sinking suspicion that the Uchiha had felt that he would be unwelcome to such a pivotal event and had kept himself scarce until the end. But the others seemed not to mind the obvious lie like he did because the bi-colored eyed demon was sure they already knew the ugly truth. Uchihas were good at looking the other way, especially when there was evidence of their bad influences. It seemed clear, however, as he looked casually at the small group behind him that one was too distracted by the demon behind Obito to pay attention to the words spoken for their benefit.

Mikoto felt it, the burning garnet that zeroed in on her as soon as she entered the room or more specifically it glanced briefly at her before zeroing in on the precious cargo she carried. She shivered visibly wondering if it wasn’t too late to turn around and go back up the stairs again but even as she thought that she couldn’t help but to glance down at her son. Her precious Sasuke who’s warm breath tickled her neck as he slept blissfully on for the moment.

Lips pressed gently against his temple as she yearned to see him open his eyes once more to show the familiar gray instead of the angry ochre that had greeted her earlier that day. She wished that she had listened to the unerring sense of fear that she had felt for her son earlier that day as she laid out the clothes for youngest son. Mikoto had simply brushed it off as nervous butterflies at her son being on the cusp of entering adulthood with this demon ceremony but now she knew it wasn’t just that. ‘I should have—’ she thought before she heard someone calling her.

“Mikoto-onee-chan, how are you?” Obito chirped up brightly sensing the tension that seemed to thicken the room as she continued to stare at the demon before looking down at her offspring.

It seemed like for the first time her eyes managed to focus on someone other than the demon and her child since she arrived in the basement. The matronly woman had been so absorbed in spiraling down in a wave of despair that she didn’t realize that her brother-in-law was in the same room with her. “What are you doing here?” she asked in a disembodied voice, clearly not hearing Kakashi ask the same question earlier.

“I work here now. Isn’t that great?” he replied cheerfully though it was obvious to all he had not a damn thing to be cheerful about right now. It was a defense mechanism that he rigged up a long time ago and it seemed instinctive to rely on such defenses now to help squelch his apprehension while seeming reassuring.

“I… well of course it’s…” Mikoto began in surprised wonder. She was happy for her brother-in-law, she liked him despite Fugaku’s misgivings but she wished he’d choose a better time than this one to try small talk. It also seemed that the demon, who her son had summoned, agreed with her because he chose that exact moment to interrupt them both.

“Why did you come here woman? Did you come to taunt me or something of that ilk?” snarled out Naruto as he glared down at the petite female clinging to his human.

“No… no I…” Mikoto trailed off feebly. She instinctively pressed her chest against her son’s chest, absorbing some of his warmth in hopes of calming down her suddenly frantic heart.

“Stop that. That’s not the proper way to address a lady,” tsked Obito in an admonishing tone. He looked aghast at what he just said because victim or not the blonde was still a dangerous demon to be shackled like that but it was once again reflexive. His hands couldn’t help but tremble slightly at the first wave of fear crashed over him as the blonde decided to turn his honey gold orbs to look at him dismissively.

Naruto briefly glared at the human, baring fangs in warning but let it go to focus his eyes back on the female human.

‘Sasuke, I knew you’d come back to me...’ He thought, his eyes softening momentarily for the human pup before he once more glared at the bitch who sired him.

“Why did you bring him to me then?” he demanded, rather than asked. His temper was rather short after his last encounter with humans and he’d rather not waste his time with their little mind games.

“B… because he’s my… my baby boy and I wa… want what’s best for him,” Mikoto began on a shaky breath. She trembled visibly even as her son Itachi came to wrap his arms around her shoulders. She closed her eyes and took in a slow, uneasy breath before opening her eyes again and lifted her chin up in determination. ‘You can do this Mikoto,’ she coaxed herself.

“And you think I’m best for him,” Naruto assumed smoothly as if that was the only plausible answer. An actual smile was preparing itself to touch down on his lips at the realization that these humans in front of him may actually be intelligent.

“No… Honestly, no I don’t think you a… are. But you are what he wants right now. When he does wake up yours is the only name he speaks before drifting off again,” the Uchiha woman began slowly, carefully choosing her words. Her fine brows furrowed together at the thought of what drew her son desperately to the blonde like a magnet to metal or a moth to a flame. She found that despite the fact that she now knew why he was so attracted to his demon, she still thought her son too young to be feeling this way.

“Is that so?” Naruto murmured, please by that fact.

“Yes. It’s true,” Mikoto confirmed her brow still creased with her frown.

“You do realize that even if I wake him up, that this need for me won’t simply go away because you want it to. That me waking him up might actually make things worse for you when he realizes what your people have done to keep me away from him,” he began in a warning tone, sensing the woman’s hesitation.

“I know… the headmaster Iruka told us but…” she hesitated and bit down on her bottom lip. Her arms were already reflexively drawing her baby boy closer to her chest, as if to better protect him; her eyes were filled once more with unshed tears. Mikoto was unable to let go of him despite the harm she knew she was causing him by separating the two from each other but she needed more time. She needed time to absorb all of this troubling information and come to terms with it in some way.

She needed more time to realize her son was growing up and didn’t need her to baby him and cut the crust off the food. She knew it. She knew that she was being selfish now but as she pressed her wet face against her son’s neck she knew she couldn’t willingly give him up. She couldn’t lose him to a being, who could care less whether he was breaking her heart right now. No, no... She couldn’t, she couldn’t, she couldn’t.

‘We’ll find another way to save him,’ she thought fervently, crying freely now against his neck.

Naruto saw the woman’s breakdown and narrowed his orbs in amber slits of distaste as he realized his human’s mother was too fearful for her son to pay attention to common sense. It wasn’t as if she was really sacrificing her child since he wasn’t going to hurt what was now rightfully his. It pissed him off so much; humans attachments to intangible and tangible objects when demons could barely afford such luxuries and selfishness.

His golden irises were quickly swallowed up by the band of red; lips curled back in a snarl, flashing lovely, sharp canines as he used his siphoned energy that he had been storing sense his capture to rip his arms free from his shackles. His mouth sagged open in a silent scream, face flushed and blood splattering across the walls. The ground greedily sucked the blood that he offered it as he drew his bloody, shredded limbs together. A sliver here and there of bone was seen before his body began to quickly knit together the shredded tendons and flesh of his raw arms.

It had happened so quickly that no one really had the time to react. One moment Naruto was glowering at the hesitant Uchiha woman and the next he was encircling one bloodied hand around Obito’s neck, nearly choking him, daring him to run. It was a sheer feat of Herculean strength and speed on his part that rivaled the beauty and dexterity of a jaguar in movement.

Elegant, clawed fingertips, that weren’t otherwise occupied, curled into the band of his iron collar and with barely a flick of his wrist it broke in half before he combed bloody digits up into his hairline. They fisted there, drawing up reddish blonde strands that would have otherwise flopped into his face and obscured his view of the frightened humans. He looked at them through hooded lids, just a hint of liquid scarlet piercing through the fan of lashes.

The fiend couldn’t help but lick his lips, as if he could suddenly taste their fear permeating the stone walls. It danced across his senses like a skittish rabbit and pulsed rapidly against the hand wrapped around the man’s throat. His hand nearly spasmed to feel his captor’s heart skip double time but barely resisted as he forced himself to take in a deep calming breath. His dangerously intelligent mind tried hard to quell back his animalistic desire to take a big, juicy bite of his victim’s neck. One corner of his lips twitched upward a bit, forming a crooked smile on those sinister lips.

“You humans are always surprising,” he panted out, adrenaline thrumming through his veins. He closed his eyes to take another deep, calming breath before continuing. “See here I thought you wanted to take the easy way out by handing over my new master but instead you always strive for the path less traveled. I hope idiocy isn’t inherited or I’ll grow tired of little Sasuke very soon,” he sighed out as if truly regretful.

“Now Kyuubi...” began Kakashi even as he slowly drew out his Chidori. It wasn’t yet glowing with his spiritual energy yet but his fingertips fairly crackled with blue energy.

“Naruto,” the blonde corrected smoothly as if not truly ruffled by the whole ordeal. The demon had quickly created clothes for himself from the same wispy substance that had formed his tails and the dome from earlier. The wispy black substance formed flowing ebony hakama pants, tabi socks, zori sandals, as well as arm guards. With his long blonde hair already tied up mostly and the way he held himself proudly, he looked like a rogue Japanese warrior readying himself for battle. All that seemed to be missing was a katana to dangle, sheathed against his hip.

“Sorry, Naruto,” the silver haired demon ground out. Kakashi was too angered by the sudden attack to his friend to be particularly fazed by this new feature of Naruto’s shadows. What he really needed to do was concentrate on was calming the blonde down so that he would release Obito. “Don’t you think you are taking this a little too far,” he reasoned as he began to move an inch closer.

“No… In fact I think I’m not taking it far enough,” Naruto mused thoughtfully before lifting Obito up off the ground a bit. “I have been more than patient and yet all of you treated me so poorly. Shouldn’t I try to seek some retribution?” he asked the frightened Uchiha that he was holding up. He nearly chuckled at the way the human male who fed him with those same hands tried desperately to claw his way to more air. But with a bit of a shake on his part the hands flopped down to his side in silent defeat. The scratch marks on the demons hands already healing with a hiss of smoke.

“Or…” trailed off Naruto thoughtfully.

“Or?” Kakashi asked suspiciously even as his crackling fingertips ran over his Chidori so that the blade now crackled too.

“Maybe I should have my little Master decide,” he murmured with an impish grin.

It seemed that as soon as the demon had murmured those words the still child in his mother’s arms stirred as if he could suddenly breathe again. Pouty, pink lips took one large, hungry gulp after another as he stared sightlessly at the ceiling. All but Obito watched this miraculous sight as his mother sobbed harder and tried to pull her child into a hug. But Sasuke’s was already slowly turning his head toward his demon. His ears were deaf to his mother’s cries of delight or anyone else trying to speak to him as he looked at the man that had haunted his dreams.

‘Naruto…’ mouthed the small Uchiha as if not quite believing that the blonde was real. He blinked slowly, owlishly, as if his mind was still trying desperately to kick itself fully into life. But when he realized that indeed his demon was real and alive he quickly let out a keening wail deep within his throat and chest. He was experiencing tunnel vision as he kicked and squirmed at the person that dared hold him back from what was rightfully his. He begged and pleaded until his distraught mother finally placed him down seeing her presence could not comfort her last born.

Naruto, as if on cue, dropped his human prisoner as if it was a wiggling puppy that had just piddled in his hand in order to accept the attack from the child that made to leap into his arms. His own strong limbs folded around the small boy, wrapping him in his possessive embrace so that even as his ass hit the floor from the force of their colliding bodies, they didn’t separate from each other one iota. The shackles around his ankles dug a bit into his flesh from the fall but it was not to be rivaled by the small set of canines that sank into the flesh of his bare shoulder.

The blonde let out a dark, rumbling chuckle at the eagerness of his human pup to greet him and reprimand him at the same time for making the child worry so. It was a primal, almost animalistic form of greeting that wrenched a scandalized gasp from Sasuke’s mother but only made the demon stroke the child’s soft, dark locks in silent acceptance. Naruto then began to nuzzle the child’s neck with his nose; a deep guttural, growling purr coming from deep within his chest as he took in his Sasuke’s scent, the tiny pulse against his throat, even the way the man child shivered as if knowing he was there taking him in.

“I’ve missed you too pup.” Naruto murmured this small confession throatily into the soft shell of his master’s ear; his warm breath caressing the fleshy, pink lobe and the side of his neck with gentle puffs of air. His strong, capable fingers helped to adjust Sasuke’s legs so that his little master was properly straddling his lean hips before he looped one capable arm around his small waist. There was no real fear that the child would draw away from him, quite the opposite, but the people he observed over the little Uchiha’s shoulder proved troublesome.

‘I’ll shred them into bloody bits of confetti first…’ He thought with a finality that was not to be wavered by the small body that pressed urgently against him for more warmth.

All this time Sasuke had not released his teeth from his Guardian’s skin even as he sought out comfort from him. His blunt nails dug into Naruto’s biceps as if determined that no one would budge him from his perch; while he let out a muffled growl of frustration that bordered on a whimper against golden flesh for allowing the child to suffer so greatly for his expense. Tears clung to and saturated his long eyelashes as he shook with so much emotion swirling in his small chest that clawed hands were compelled to rub his back to comfort him. But it wasn’t enough.

He felt like he’d explode into a million pieces if he didn’t center and pour some of his fear, his relief, his anger and desperate need for him into that bite. He wanted Naruto to understand his pain and take in everything; be the vessel in which he could pour in all his problems and woes into before allowing the demon’s sheer presence to purify and wash his cares away.

“It’s time to let go,” Naruto murmured softly as if he understood the sensitive matter. He hummed knowingly when his fingertips barely grazed the sensitive spot on the boy’s neck. It flared into life, unfurling for its’ true master to show its dark beauty without expanding to its full capacity like during the possession.

Sasuke heard the words but couldn’t quite find himself obeying. Not when he felt those fingers grazing such a sensitive area. It was like all his attention, all his nerve endings were focused on the slightly, whimsical brush of clawed fingertips tracing the dark outline of the tomoe marks. It wasn’t as thrilling as feeling teeth sink into that very spot but the feathery soft sensation released a fleet of butterflies in his belly and left him with a teasing promise for something far greater if he just fell. And Kami did he want to fall.

His teeth sank further in his growing frustration at the teasing without him even realizing it. Then the child blinked in surprise, coming out of his little haze induced by the fingers, at the first taste of warm, metallic blood on his dainty, little tongue. His lips were already about to pull away before he heard the words that made him stiffen in place.

“Let go or there will be definite consequences my little poppet,” Naruto growled out. He curled those same caressing fingers back into his little owner’s dark, ebony locks. His amusement at the punishment given to him was slowly waning as the child continued to bite him stubbornly as if wanting to make sure that his Guardian got the message that he was mad at him. He didn’t fully realize that the child had been momentarily distracted by his tracing the marking earlier but was quick to seek retribution for the breaking of skin.

Naruto nipped the child’s ear hard enough that he would get the message without his teeth breaking the tender flesh. “I know that you’ve missed me but I won’t allow this kind of disobedience in you so early in the game, okay poppet? They haven’t accepted it yet but you belong to me. You hear me? Mine!” the fiend breathed out hotly against blushing flesh. His curled digits yanked back gently at the child’s hair as soon as Sasuke let go with a gasp. His own teeth nipped at the exposed, creamy flesh of the child’s Adam’s apple only to hear a soft, apologetic whimper from his human.

He waited a few heartbeats for his own heart to calm down before he looked at the pretty, helpless sight his human pup made. “Yes, yes, I forgive you now,” he murmured with a soft chuckle, slowly releasing his hair.

For the briefest moment Naruto stared into the scarlet red eyes that he had only glanced at briefly when admonishing the boy before they faded into the luminous gray of his Sasuke’s eyes. “I… I… don’t leave. I can’t… can’t… it hurts.” The Uchiha began to babble out in stumbling, halting words as soon as he could gather his bearings. His eyes were downcast, unable to look at his demon even as he wrapped his thin arms loosely around the blonde’s neck.

“Shh… shh… I know. I know it did poppet. I won’t let them take you away from me again. I’ll kill them first before they do,” he promised in a softer tone that nearly belied his dark words.

Sasuke nodded numbly, believing and taking reinsurance in the demon’s words before he tucked his dark head under the demon’s chin. “W… was it a dream Naruto? Did they really hurt you? I… because I saw…” the small Uchiha began, unable to let this worrying issue go.

It was clear to the blonde demon that Sasuke had been too distraught and distracted to see the blood that covered the upper half of his body. So not wanting to hurt his human any more, his clever mind quickly contrived a lie.

“Of course your brother, mother and the guppy wouldn’t allow such a thing to happen. To think that they would leave behind something that is so obviously yours, for the wolves of the government to nip at; it’s downright scandalous, unforgivable even.” Naruto murmured his reassurance loud enough so that the other nosy occupants in the room could hear him clearly this time around. His shadow tails, which had blossomed out from his backside as soon as he circled his arms around his master, were now writhing around the two. It was a sinisterly dark nimbus of ‘S’ curls that threatened to spear any intruders who dared to come any closer to them.

He couldn’t afford to have his enemies try to snatch up his pup when he was so distracted in his greeting. So when he made sure that they stayed at bay, he bent slightly over while still holding Sasuke one-handedly. He then began to pop the shackles around his ankles like they were made of paper cuffs before standing up in one fluid movement. His black hakamas rippled around his legs like black ink as he stood. The holes in the sides that would have usually been covered by a pair of boxers or even a kimono top instead revealed tantalizing golden flesh that showed how little the demon really was wearing.

“Isn’t that right Aniki? You would have never indirectly hurt our precious Sasuke-kun by hurting me, right?” Naruto asked lightly, his lips twisted up in a cruel smirk that only the others could see over the child’s shoulder.

“Of course not,” snarled out Itachi. His arms were occupied with holding his mother who had fainted dead away when the blonde had bit down on her child’s ear. It was too much for the already distraught woman to take and it was really pissing him off; the idea of this demon becoming an intimate part of their family.

“Well there you go then,” Naruto said with false joyfulness. “But seriously, I really do wonder how demons ended up being the puppets in this scenario.” The blonde demon mused thoughtfully even as he tried to get the suddenly asleep Sasuke to loosen his grip from around his neck.

It must have been a really tiring and emotional experience for the ten-year-old chibi to lose and regain his Guardian in such a short time, even if the small Uchiha had been asleep for most of it. Besides it was probably way past his bedtime so he probably wasn’t used to being up past ten. But when he tried to get the raven clad in navy blue penguin pajamas to loosen his grip around his neck just a smidge, he heard the small Uchiha stirring and whimpering in his protests.

Soon a disheveled, dark head lifted up so that his small master could look at him reproachfully with sleepy, watering eyes that seemed impossibly venerable right now. His mouth bit back a yawn even as he tightened his hands purposely around his neck as if silently daring his demon to try to escape him and Naruto couldn’t help himself. He laughed in genuine delight at the formidable and ravishing master that he would one day have.

Suddenly any protests that Sasuke might have had in his sleepy head from Naruto trying to pull away was startled away by the richness and sheer depth of that laughter. It was soothing, warm and velvety with hints of a dark undertone that added a surprising charm to it. The sound wanted to wrap around him and include him in a joke only known to the two of them; instead of making him self-aware of how utterly dependent he had become of the blonde so shortly after meeting him. His fragile ego was already appeased and a bit inflated by the sound and with no fear of suddenly losing his Guardian again he was settling his head back down on his demon’s shoulder to sleep. Nose pressed against the pulse mark of Naruto’s throat as a small smile lighted across his pouty lips.

Naruto found himself thinking that if all his other masters/mistresses had been this manageable and tempting than he wouldn’t have been so bitter and filled with loathing for mankind at large. He wondered vaguely what the future would hold for the two them while simultaneously waiting for the small Uchiha to nod completely off. His virgin ears were too young and vulnerable to hear yet the way his mind truly worked and the way the conversation was soon about to turn.

“We are obviously more superior,” he continued seamlessly. It was as if he hadn’t just shared a precious moment with his very ‘human’ owner and was not holding him now as if he was something valuable to him. “We are stronger, smarter… Well some of us are.” Naruto paused at this point to look at the newcomer that had been foolish enough to leave his master alone with him, thinking the chains would hold him.

“Welcome Gai-sensei, did you get my miso pork? I don’t think I tried that one yet,” he murmured brightly. The joviality of his voice did not reach his breathtaking features as his lips twisted into a sneer at the comical look of surprise and betrayal the green clad demon wore as he took in everything.

Several containers of packaged ramen from Ichiraku, that had been handled with care as the demon with the bowl-haircut had purposely made his way back to the school, were now scattered and leaking from the bags and onto the floor. It was so laughable how the buoyant demon’s features could quickly fall into such sharp, serious lines as Kakashi slowly handed the unconscious Obito, that he had been holding, into the awaiting and trembling arms of one Maito Gai.

“Pathethic!” he snarled out in contempt at the man that bowed his head and sighed in relief after checking Obito’s pulse. Naruto almost looked as if he was physically in pain at how the demon, clad from head toe in green from his emerald green turtleneck and olive green khaki pants, had literally dropped everything to attend to his master. “You have lived in your human shells so long that you have become softer than the underbelly of a newborn pup. To think I live in an age where demons actually care what happens to their enslavers that you become co-dependent and easily swayed by human emotions. It’s damn near laughable,” he hissed out. Then just as suddenly in a contradictory way he found himself lowering his tone so as not to disturb the young master sleeping peacefully and obliviously in his arms.

There was a deadening silence that followed those words as if the occupants in the room were expecting the would-be murderer to take himself up on his own offer and laugh at the sight before him. But when instead of that, they heard Gai speak, all paused to listen.

“I feel sorry for you... No, more than that I feel sorry for the master in your arms that now has to deal with you and your all consuming hatred. It will burn you just as badly as it will burn him.” Gai said this impassionedly with slow, careful words before his jaw muscles spasmed as he clenched his teeth. It was clear that he had wanted to attack the demon for what he did to his master but Obito came first. For all he had suffered and for all he had selflessly given the demon who held him, the black sheep had to come first. His head remained bowed, his severe bangs nearly covering his eyes and thick brows so that his ardent heart would not abandon a comrade in need to attack an unworthy foe.

“What are you talking about?” Naruto growled out in a dangerously frigid voice. His arms nearly convulsed over the boy he held as he took direct offense at the care in which he gave his own master. He was literally starting to see red at the thought that the simpleton of a demon in front of him would dare to pity him and his when it was he that was the inferior being.

“You will never know the true joys of having a beloved comrade and ally to lean on,” Gai pushed on passionately, embolden. “His springtime of youth is wasted on someone like—”

“Why serve humans at all then, when it’s obvious that you hate them so much?” Kakashi quickly inserted himself into the equation to steer the hostile gaze that Kyuubi settled on Gai and his friend, away. Tense, he watched in a calculating way as the scarlet rimmed eyes shifted slowly towards him; a predator’s ravenous gaze that quickly accessed yet another potential prey. The tails that had seemed to rattle like a rattlesnake before a strike soon, thankfully settled down, curling lazily into lax s-curls as the fiend contemplated his words.

“Well… it’s because I’ve grown sick and tired of messily sampling inferior humans when I can go for the brass ring,” Naruto said incredulously as if it was oh-so-very-obvious. Slender digits pressed reassuring circles into the human pup’s back as he frowned thoughtfully as if trying to recollect. “I may not remember any of my masters or mistresses but I can’t forget their taste on my tongue. It was so… so… rich and full-bodied, sweet and succulent… Better than any chocolate éclair or culinary confection that an experienced pastry chef could conjure up in his kitchen,” he murmured dreamily, almost wistfully.

“Each time I taste one it makes me feel so… so alive…” Naruto settled on the word regretfully as if he already knew that very word was inadequate and paled in comparison to the sheer heaven he felt when devouring a savory soul. Just him thinking about it now, always thinking about it in the back of his mind, made him so… so… “ So damn hungry,” he nearly snarled the last words out as his nails dug reflexively into the back he was rubbing so tenderly. He shushed and brushed distracting kisses against Sasuke’s demon mark to keep the child from waking and protesting at the ten pricking points of pain.

Thankfully the stupid navy blue, penguin fabric of the small Uchiha’s pajama topped prevented him from breaking skin. He had completely lost himself in that feeling that made his darkened heart almost giddy and buoyant before coming to himself with a longing sigh. Then seeing the bemused looks of his lone, conscious, human listener he gave Itachi a wickedly crooked, little smile and licked his lips before continuing. “Well you’re not a demon… you obviously wouldn’t understand or appreciate my words. But you Ebisu… You may not be a demon but, I know you must have been seduced once or thrice by the sweet and alluring siren’s call of a human’s soul?” he questioned the being that stirred among the murky shadows deep within the dungeon’s space behind him.

Naruto didn’t bother turning around as a brunette man, clad in an expensive all black Italian suit except for a red tie and the smoky gray silk shirt, stepped from the loving embrace of the shadows to push slim glasses back up the bridge of his aristocratic nose with black, gloved fingers. All the demons but one stiffed as they looked at the man who had probably been listening to their conversation the whole entire time. They knew, just as easily as the reborn blonde knew, what the seemingly innocent being represented even before a slim, black scythe appeared in one hand and an ancient collar appeared in the other.

“Yes, but the difference between you and me, besides all the numerous, blaringly obvious reasons, is that I don’t eat the souls that I’m supposed to be in care of,” Ebisu said dryly as he came to stand beside the fiend. He looked as if he could be an European aristocratic servant when juxtaposed next to the half clad Japanese warrior. He was as neat and tidy as Naruto looked messy and wild with drying blood occasionally flaking off his golden flesh. His short, cropped hair was gelled and carefully combed back so not a strand was out of place, his thin lips seeming to form an ever present frown even as he lifted a lone, elegant brow at the thing Naruto was holding.

“H… how does he know who you are? He’s been named? He shouldn’t know anyone from his past life… so how?” Itachi stumbled out accusingly, confused by this latest development. His veins were still iced by the chilling speech of the his Otouto’s demon when suddenly Kisame stepped in front of him and his mother, blocking his view from the elegant man. A waspish comment was readying itself on his lips when the cold, commanding look that Kisame threw behind his shoulder stilled him into silence as his demon conjured up his Samehada as if readying himself for battle.

“Isn’t it obvious?” came the cool and intelligent voice. He seemed unperturbed by the loose ring of tense demons that were in front of him; more like took great pleasure in looking down his slender nose at the despicable cretins as he continued with much importance. “Where there is a demon there is death and where there is death there is unfortunately a shinigami like me who has to come down to earth and clean up the mess they leave behind,” he said the last part with a long-suffering sigh. (5)

“So someone like me, who has coupled and worked so intimately with death can’t just give up the ghost because I’ve been reborn again and again. Silly human, it’s not your kind that police the things that go bump in the night,” Naruto continued seamlessly, not glancing towards Ebisu once.

“That’s why I take great pleasure in being hired by the Council to arrest you, Naruto, for the murder of the Kage no � Yondaime, Minato Arashi NamiKaze. The court meeting will be scheduled tonight, an hour from now but I’m taking you in now,” Ebisu said in an authoritative voice.

Quickly thick handcuffs curled lovingly like bracelets around the fiend’s wrist so that he had to loosen his grip on the child a bit so that the heavy metal would not bruise his delicate skin. The sides of slender thighs pressed firmly against his sides as the sleeping child compensated for the loss of space. A smile, unbidden curled bitterly across his lips even as he felt the familiar weight of a light, ancient collar of steel suddenly snapped around his neck without the death god moving.

Naruto knew the danger of trying to break out of the seemingly harmless collar. Sure it would have been easy enough to snap the surprisingly light material from around his neck just as he had broken the one that had been wrapped around his neck before. But this latest restraint wasn’t lovingly named the Guillotine for just any old reason. As soon as he began to break the stupid thing, specially built blades would snap from the mysterious confines of the collar to collide together and sever his head from his shoulder. Amber eyes didn’t need to look to the side to know that Ebisu was now sporting a smug smile on his narrow face that dared him to do something stupid and rash like that so he would deal with one less trouble-making demon.

“It was never Iruka and I that you had to be worried about when freeing Naruto,” Kakashi began to speak, turning to face the frightened Itachi will an indifferent gaze. “Everyone, including my Master wants a piece of him but the Council comes first. So how…” he trails off and looks at his former sempai with amusement “…does it feel to be wanted so badly by everyone Naruto?”

“I get all warm and tingly inside just at the thought,” the blonde murmured sneeringly. Then before he could say anything else he, his master and the shinigami holding his leash disappeared in a flare of light to Itachi’s utter horror.

“ SSSSSSSSSAAAAAAAASSSSSSSUUUUUUKKKKKKKEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ”

To be Continued…

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(1) – Since Naruto’s hair is predominately blonde with red undertones it seems to me that when he wears his hair short like that when he is with Minato then the red undertones would dominate over his do.

(2) – Every time is summoned and reincarnated they are naked. So Kakashi being naked now hints to him being just recently summoned instead of being some crazy nudist.

(3) – Well I thought it cute to revive Obito since this is an AU and there was no enemy shinobi to help take him out in a rockslide. Also I really like Tobi to and since many, like me, believed that Tobi and Obito were the same thing instead of (spoiler) Madara Uchiha I thought it cute if they were identical twins.

(4) – Both Gai and Lee are famous for this pose and since I made Obito, Gai’s Master he becomes the originator of the movie. =3

(5) – If you have ever seen Kuroshitsuji or read the book then you might see that I paid tribute to Will the Shinigami mentioned in the book/anime by having the always by the rules Ebisu mimic him in a lot of aspects aspects.

A/N: I said this before and I will say this again I’m sorry that it took so freaking long for me to update. The last time I updated was during midterms and after that I’ve been pelted left and right by exams, and papers, tests and pop quizzes, group projects and reading of stories about people who are most likely all dead. So now that I have made it through the wilderness I will make an effort to write and save some of the chapters for later so that come fall and classes I’ll still be able to update with no real problem. I really do hope you enjoy this because I nearly gave up several times and had to Kei-chan and Laran coaxed me again and again to continue. I have, I thank them and of course this gift fic is for Ivvy Moon. And now that that’s all over please tell me what you think and if you want to check out the replies I left for the last reviews you sent me then copy and paste the link into your URL. After, you have finished reviewing of course, because who am I kidding, I’m such a review whore.
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Demons Have the Most Fun: A Cautionary Tale