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Leader	By : mannahpierce Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male > Naruto/Sasuke Views: 2189 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: This story has some of Masashi Kishimoto's characters from Naruto in a universe of my own devising. I do not own Naruto. I do not make any money from these writings.

Chapter List
- 53
- 54
- 55
Thank you to my beta and muse, Small Fox. This story grew from a plot idea he gave me.
Also thanks to satterb, Procrastination_is_key, sadie237, melissen and disembodiedvoiceofthedying for reviewing after chapter 53 was posted. Readers’ feedback, support and comments mean a great deal to me. Feedback keeps me writing.
Hits are nice. Ratings are welcome. Reviews encourage and inspire.

Leader
Part 7: Vendetta
54: Compromise

Sasuke was pacing. He paused for a moment before starting again. On the table was a tablet displaying Kazuki’s letter. They had just finished viewing Iruka’s message, which had concentrated on Rin and Akemi, only mentioning Ka-chan in passing.
“We could spar,” Naruto suggested.
“No!” Sasuke retorted before he could stop himself. “I am sorry, sweetheart. Three days. We have only been gone three days. How could...” He waved his hand at the space where the projection had been and then at the tablet.

Naruto closed the gap between then and hugged him.
“I know you want to be there for them,” he whispered. “Why don’t you record a message for each of them?”
Sasuke’s thoughts went to Akemi. According to Iruka he had been badly mistreated. Given Iruka’s tendency to understate things when he did not want Sasuke to worry that probably meant he had been tortured. Then there was Rin, who, as they had suspected, was pregnant. Apparently the baby was four-fifths through its gestation.
Finally there was Kazuki, whose lapse was trivial in comparison but seemed disproportionately important. “What in known space am I meant to say?”
Naruto’s hand stroked his back. “Some of the things you would say of you were there. We could do the message to Ka-chan together.”

Maybe Kazuki was the place to start. Sasuke gently disengaged himself and picked up the tablet. The letter was painfully honest; if Ka-chan had been in front of him he would have had his ears back and his tail tucked between his legs. His whiskers would have been drooping.
There was a noise suspiciously like a snigger from Naruto.
“Naruto!” Sasuke complained. “The kitchen table. Where people could see. In front of Tsu-chan.”
Naruto started to laugh. “Iruka-sensei with the fire extinguisher,” he explained.
Despite himself, Sasuke smiled. “Poor Ka-chan,” he admitted.

Discussing what they should say to Kazuki settled him. They decided to concentrate on the fighting, because fighting outside the gym had never been allowed and because it had put him in the situation where he had lost control of his actions.
“Maybe it is time to admit that they are old enough,” Naruto suggested once they had finished assuring Ka-chan that they loved him and switched off the camera. “Denying the facts makes us look unreasonable and I don’t want that barrier between them and us. They will need us more as they face the challenges of developing into adults, not less.”
Sasuke found himself wondering how long Naruto had been waiting for the right moment to say that to him. “Not Haru,” he insisted. “Haru is too young.”
“Just Ryuu and the kits,” Naruto reassured him. “Although you are worrying too much about Haru. He has Ran. Ran will never push Haru into anything he is not ready for.”
Sasuke knew that. It was just that Haru was so naive. He remembered what Orochimaru had threatened to do to him and felt sick.

Which reminded him of what that monster had done to Rin.
“I want to give Rin options,” he began. “I think she probably feels trapped. We could offer to adopt the baby.”
Naruto smiled his approval. “I was hoping you would say that.”
“Or, if it was easier for her, Uchiha could take responsibility for the baby but the baby could be placed in stasis to be raised at a later date.” Suddenly Sasuke remembered that he wasn’t in the best position to give assurances. He could not be certain about the baby’s future. What if he lost Uchiha to Izuna? “Or we could find excellent parents for the baby elsewhere, like Shika did for most of the foetuses he rescued from the Akatsuki.”
“Rin’s baby will be safe within Uchiha,” Naruto insisted. “You will be here to ensure it.”
Sasuke wished he could be so sure.

Shikamaru checked everything again. Most important was being absolutely sure of Izuna’s location. All it would take was for him and Sasuke to be physically in the same system and Izuna could issue the challenge.
Maybe Sasuke would win; there was certainly more chance of that than there had been half a standard ago.
Maybe he would lose.
There were nights when Shikamaru lay awake thinking of what would happen if Izuna won. For once in his life the urge to kill someone was almost overwhelming.
A small voice within whispered that Izuna may had told the Akatsuki when and where the Oak would be.

Killing Izuna was well within his capacity. He could think of eight different ways without drawing breath; none of which could be traced back to him and two of which involved negligible risk to Sumaru or Sakura.
Only he would have to lie to Sasuke.
And while he was almost certain that Izuna had told the Akatsuki that Sasuke had escaped, he was by no means sure that he had told the Akatsuki where and when the Oak would be so that the trap could be set. There were other possibilities. The Gaters may have leaked who had been buying future gates. That information could have been linked to changes of ownership recorded in the planetary registry.
Could he live with the guilt of killing someone who did not deserve to die?

He buried those thoughts and finished his checks. He had confirmation that Izuna’s ship was now two gates away from Tarrasade rather than one; they would have warning if Izuna turned back.
He activated the intercom.
“This is Shikamaru. We can proceed with the jump. We will reach Garner-san’s private dock tomorrow morning. The Renaissance will be handed over immediately, so please ensure that you are ready to disembark and that you take everything with you.”

That evening they sat down to eat their last evening meal on the Renaissance. Hamaki, Terai, Fu and Naomi were eating with them, which made things easier. Naomi was excited, prattling about seeing Haku and Mai again, which was very sweet.
Then, too soon, Naomi was gone and so were her three parents.
Once they left the tension thickened until Shikamaru was aware of each breath he took. Usually they could rely on Sasuke to lead a conversation but he was distracted; presumably thinking about Rin and Akemi in Skyburrow or those waiting for them in Tarrasade.
Neither Neji nor Hinata initiated a topic. As for Naruto, despite Sasuke’s efforts to persuade him otherwise, he still radiated disapproval of Neji and Hinata’s relationship.
Shikamaru hoped that three cute, little Neji look-alikes would bring him around.

He took a deep breath and decided to have a go.
“You must allow me to take you to the Hunundau store and buy something for the baby, Hinata-san.” He was careful not to mention that there was more than one.
Hinata went completely rigid for a moment before making a visible effort and producing a smile. “That is not necessary, Shikamaru-san.”
“Shi-chan enjoys giving people presents,” Naruto pointed out in a voice that suggested she should be more gracious.
His tone shocked Sasuke into paying closer attention. Shikamaru saw his gaze flick from Naruto to Neji and then Hinata, “Perhaps we should all go,” he proposed. “It would be good to buy some things for our new home. Naruto, could you organise that?”
Naruto twitched his whiskers but nodded.

Sasuke looked from Naruto to Neji and Hinata. What had started out as a straightforward trip had already been complicated beyond recognition. The last thing he needed was Naruto being rude to Hinata.
He was worried about Rin and about Akemi. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to offer Asuma the opportunity to come back with them to Skyburrow. Only that would mean leaving someone else in charge of the household at Tarrasade. The only two options were Gai, who might not be capable of standing up to Izuna, and Itachi. Itachi would do a wonderful job but Sasuke had always avoided giving him a leadership role in Tarrasade; it was too easy for people to forget that he was no longer Uchiha.
Then there was Kazuki. Were all the kits on the same hair trigger? He did not remember Naruto being that way on the Silver Leaf.
There again, Naruto had been catting for the crew.
He wound up the meal as quickly as he could without making the situation worse. Shikamaru insisted on clearing away the dishes and Naruto volunteered to help him. Neji and Hinata excused themselves politely. Sasuke thought about staying with Shika and Naruto but decided to walk around the parts of the ship they had using.

He found a few of the children’s clothes at the back of a shelf in the laundry area, one of Shou’s toys in a corner and an empty whisky bottle in an alcove.
Ending up in the room he had been using as his office, he checked for incoming messages and began packing the last few items.
The Renaissance was a magnificent ship. Despite its unsuitability for a family, he would miss it.

He had done all that he could and was about to leave when the door announcer sounded. He wondered who it was. Not Naruto, who would have listened to check he was alone and then walked in. Maybe it was Shikamaru.
It was Neji. He looked terrible. Sasuke tried to think of other occasions when he had looked so awful. Maybe when Kabuto boarded the Oak and Shikamaru was injured. Perhaps that first day on the Sakura when Kakashi and Jiraiya had been interrogating him.
“Is it the baby?” he asked immediately. They should not have risked travelling without a medico.
Neji shook his head.
That was a relief. Sasuke waited, wondering if he should offer Neji a seat, or even guide him to one.
“Hinata will be leaving us when we reach Tarrasade.”
Sasuke blinked. “Have the two of you had a row?” he queried. “Is she angry? Or upset?” He dredged though his merger knowledge of pregnancy. “Don’t pregnant women’s hormones mess with their emotions?”
Neji was too still and too rigid. “No. it’s not like that. She explained. She never intended to stay. She always planned to get pregnant and then return to Hyuga.”

Unfortunately Sasuke could believe it. He grabbed a chair, carried it behind Neji and pushed it against the back of his legs so he had no option but to sit.
Then he placed a second chain opposite and sat down. “Explain,” he ordered.
“You have to see it from her point of view,” Neji began.
Sasuke did not see why he had to do that. At the moment he was thinking about putting her into a tank until the pregnancy came to term, keeping the baby and shipping Hinata back to Hyuga.
“She loves her family; her mother, her sisters and her cousins. To be with me she has to give up her family forever. It would be like asking Shika to give up living in Uchiha and never see any of you again.”
“Neji, her taking your baby with her is unforgiveable,” Sasuke insisted.
“You don’t understand. She can never have anyone else’s children. They have to be mine. Those are the rules.”

Rules; despite his burgeoning anger, Sasuke understood about rules. He had lived his life by them. While Izuna was alive he was trapped by them. He made himself listen.
“When the Akatsuki contacted her and offered me to her, she had four options. One, she could have refused to take me, whereupon they probably would have killed me or sold me into slavery. Two, she could have taken me back to Hyuga, getting much credit for doing so. That would have ended up with me killed or buried in some institution somewhere. Three, she could have given up everything and lived the rest of her life with me in Uchiha.
“Four, she could do what she is choosing to do. Go back to Hyuga carrying my children. Regain her status by fulfilling her part of the breeding programme. Live her life within her family. I get the life I chose. She gets the life she deserves.”
“Children?” Sasuke queried.
Neji shut his eyes for a few seconds before answering. “Triplets. She is carrying triplets.”

Neji was making Hinata’s decision sound so reasonable. It was not reasonable. It was outrageous.
“She deceived you,” Sasuke pointed out. “She encouraged you to fall in love with her. She lived a lie just to get pregnant.”
The words were barely out of his mouth before Sasuke regretted it because Neji crumpled. He folded up and started to sob.

For a moment Sasuke froze. He was not good at this. Trouble was, there was no one else. The only person he could call was Shikamaru and that would be breathtakingly unfair. Despite in the state he was in, even Neji had known that.
Also Sasuke had told Neji that he should feel free to come to him.

He crossed the space between them and rested what he hoped was a comforting hand on Neji’s shoulder. Neji did not lean towards him and the sobs continued unabated.
Sasuke couched down. “Whatever happens, we are your family and we are here for you.”
The sobs lessened and Sasuke thought he felt Neji’s muscles relax marginally.
“Do you want me to stop her leaving?”
Neji shook his head and gasped out a reply. “She’ll be... ...a good... ...mother. They... ...will be... ...safe... ...and happy.”
Sasuke considered pointing out that the babies would be equally safe and happy with them. Only he could not be absolutely sure. Neji was sworn to Uchiha. If Izuna triumphed, he would control Neji’s life along with so many other people Sasuke cared about.

After they had finished cleaning, Shikamaru waved Naruto away, assuring him that he could finish up in the galley and reminding him that Sasuke would be trying to tidy up the entire ship.
Once he had gone, Shikamaru finished stowing the dishes in the cupboards. When he looked around Hinata was there.
“May I speak with you, Shikamaru-san?”
Shikamaru gestured towards the table. “Of course. Would you like tea?”
She sat down. “No thank you.”
He took a seat across a corner from her; opposite was too far away and adjacent too close.
“I need you to listen to everything I have to say, Shikamaru-san,” she warned.
Shikamaru’s mind exploded with possibilities, too many of which were unpleasant.
“Shikamaru-san?” she queried.
He pulled himself into the present. “I am listening.”
“I am returning to Hyuga,” she began.
He was not surprised, which was interesting; part of his mind must have been prepared. “Does Neji know?” he demanded.
She nodded.

He did not want to listen to the rest. He wanted to go to Neji and hold him. He stood up. “I don’t need to hear any more. Thank you for saving his life. Don’t expect any of us to forgive that you manipulated him into loving him. Be grateful that we will let Neji decide what happens to the babies. I have one question. Why didn’t you take sperm from him when you had him tanked? It would have been so much kinder.”
She flushed. “Artificial insemination is unacceptable. Any child conceived in that manner would be shunned. I could not take that risk. The Hyuga are proficient liars, Shikamaru-san, but they are even more skilled at detecting lies.”
For a moment he considered destroying them. It would not be hard. Hyuga’s income depended on its reputation. Destroy that and they would become yet another planet without the resources to support its population.
“Shikamaru-san?” Hinata whispered.
He could hear the fear in her voice; see it in her eyes.

No, there were millions of people on Hyuga who did not deserve to suffer. Also, the Hyuga served a purpose; they played a role in negotiating countless treaties and pacts.
“If I contact you about the children, you will reply,” he told her.
She opened her mouth to protest and then closed it again. “I understand, Shikamaru-san.”
“I hope you do, Hinata-san. Do you know where he is now?”
“No.”
He bit back a retort. “Your best guess, Hinata-san.”
“With Sasuke-sama but only if Naruto-san was not with him.”

Shikamaru ran. If he did not find Neji in Sasuke’s office he would activate the ship’s internal sensors and track him down.
He did not use the announcer. If he did, Sasuke might order him to stay away.
As the door opened he heard it. Neji was crying. Sasuke was beside him: talking to him; comforting him. Shikamaru crossed the room, ignoring Sasuke’s protestations, crouched down in front of Neji and took his hands.
“I am here for you,” he insisted. “Always.”
Neji looked at him. There were tears running down his cheeks. Shikamaru had never seen him so upset.
“Friends,” Shikamaru reminded him. “Family. Always.”
“Shika...” Sasuke began.
Shikamaru did not even look at him. “Don’t bother to say it because I’m going to ignore you. You can tell Na-chan the same.” He stood up, pulling on Neji’s hands. “Come on, Ne-chan.”
Neji did not move. “But...”
“We’ll worry about the buts tomorrow.” Shikamaru pulled again. This time Neji went with it and stood.

Once they were moving Shikamaru risked releasing one of Neji’s hands so that they could walk side-by-side. They left Sasuke’s office and started towards the suite where Shikamaru had his room.
“I don’t...” Neji began.
“Tomorrow,” Shikamaru insisted.

When they arrived, Shikamaru concentrated on the basics. He slid Neji’s jacket from his shoulders and hung it up carefully. A gentle push and Neji was sitting on the bed so that Shikamaru could take off his boots.
“Sedative?” Shikamaru asked.
Neji shook his head. At least he had stopped crying.
“Cuddle?” Shikamaru suggested.
“Shika...” Neji began but trailed off.

Shikamaru decided to take that as a yes. Neji lay on his back and Shikamaru on his side with his head on Neji’s shoulder.
Neji’s fingers were tracing circles on his back. Shikamaru doubted Neji even knew he was doing it. It was so easy to fall back into old patterns.
“I believed her,” he whispered.
Shikamaru was determined to be positive. “That’s because there was a lot of truth in it.”
Neji sighed. “I so wanted it to be true.”
“Perhaps that’s what you both wanted. On Hyuga, together, raising a family.”
The fingers stopped moving against his back. “I could never do that. Even if it were possible. They destroyed my mother.” The stroking resumed. “I want to stay here. This is my family.”
Shikamaru hesitated but he had to check. “You don’t want us to stop her leaving?”
Neji’s fingers stopped again. “No.”
“The babies...”
“No,” Neji interrupted. They belong with her. She will love them. If we take them away from her, she will have failed. She will not be able to go back. They would destroy her.”
“Are you sure they will be safe on Hyuga?”
“Yes,” Neji answered without hesitation. “After what happened with my mother and the circumstances of their conception the authorities will never train them to go off planet. They will be allowed to lead ordinary lives.”
“But play a part in the breeding programme.”
“That is a normal part of life on Hyuga,” Neji agreed.

Shikamaru gave up. Neji had obviously decided to allow Hinata to take the babies to Hyuga. He just hoped it was his decision and not one Hinata had manipulated him into making.
Neji’s fingers had started moving again.
“I don’t expect us to be able to go back,” he whispered.
“Good,” Shikamaru replied, “because even I can’t do that. Time flows in one direction. We’ll go forward together, as usual. We can worry about what kind of together later.”
“Friends,” Neji stated.
“Friends,” Shikamaru acknowledged. “Friends and family.”
“Friends and family,” Neji confirmed.
- 53
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- 55
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