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

Chapter List
- 55
- 56
- 57
Thank you to my beta and muse, Small Fox. This story grew from a plot idea he gave me.
Also thanks to 55 melissen, satterb, Lixx, SidonieStarr, bookaholic72, sade237 and disembodiedvoiceofthedying for reviewing after chapter 55 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.

For the time being, chapters will be posted once a week on a Saturday.

Leader
Part 7: Vendetta
56: Rules

Sasuke had decided to greet Garner Parrad in person. Naruto was waiting with him. They did not speak. There seemed nothing to say after their argument the evening before.
It was not like them not to make up quickly; Sasuke hated it.

Shikamaru was late. Sasuke was already annoyed with him; he had left Sasuke with the task of telling Naruto that Hinata was leaving, Neji was upset and, worst, Shikamaru was taking Neji back.
Not that Shika had said that. No, he had told Sasuke to tell Naruto that he was not going to listen to anything they had to say on the matter. Foolishly, Sasuke had done exactly that.

Running footsteps; Shikamaru appeared around the corner, slowed and stopped beside them.
“Na-chan, Sasuke-sama.”
Sasuke nodded. If someone was going to speak, it was not going to be him.
“Where’s Neji?” Naruto asked.
Shikamaru coloured. “In my room.” He squared his shoulders, stood a little straighter and stared directly into Naruto’s eyes.
Perhaps Naruto would have responded to the challenge but at that moment the outer door of the airlock opened.

Garner Parrad quickly picked up on the tension between them. He diplomatically suggested that Shikamaru should show him any changes that had been made to the ship and that he would meet with Sasuke and Naruto later.
Sasuke watched him and Shikamaru walk away.
“Neither Neji nor I involved Shika,” Sasuke pointed out, not for the first time. “Hinata told him.”
Naruto twitched his whiskers. “There is nothing you could have done,” he acknowledged.
It was an enormous relief; Sasuke felt as if a load had been taken from his shoulders.
“Shi-chan will always be very protective of Neji, even if they are not always lovers. Shi-chan is like that,” Naruto admitted.
“I have never seen Neji so upset,” Sasuke admitted.

They started walking slowly towards the viewing deck where they had arranged to meet Garner Parrad later.
“Hinata must have decided that Neji would not fuck someone he did not love,” Naruto suggested.
“Only for Neji to fall for her completely,” Sasuke agreed. He remembered what Neji had been like on Chanx. “He wants someone special to care for, to protect and to love.”
“He had Shi-chan,” Naruto pointed out.
“Shikamaru is certainly special.” Sasuke conceded. He wondered if he should say it. He did not know why he was holding back. He usually shared everything with Naruto without hesitation. “Maybe there’s a part of Neji that needs that special person to be female.”
“He should love a person, not a gender,” Naruto insisted.
“For some of us, that person has to be a certain gender,” Sasuke pointed out. “Not you. Before you bonded, you found both males and females attractive.”
“Captain Tsunade’s breasts,” Naruto remembered with a smile. He looked directly into Sasuke’s eyes. “Now there is only you.”
Sasuke wished that they were not meeting Garner Parrad.

Shikamaru knew that the last thing Garner needed was being shown how the Renaissance had been changed by having a family living on her. Instead they went to the control room.
Neither of them took the captain’s chair.
“Thank you again,” Shikamaru said. “Haru and the others are safe because we had use of her.”
Garner managed a smile. “I am glad.” Then his smile faded. “What about Izuna Uchiha?”
Shikamaru shook his head. “I don’t know. Sasuke has stopped allowing people swear to Uchiha. The last two recruits were sworn to him personally.”
“So if he is killed, they are free,” Garner checked.
Shikamaru nodded.
“Surely there is a way to persuade Izuna Uchiha that a challenge is not in his best interest,” Garner suggested.
“None I can think of that are consistent with my vow,” Shikamaru admitted.
“Following the rules, Shikamaru-san?”
“To Sasuke, they are more than rules.”

There was a short silence. Garner was studying him. There was an intensity in his gaze that Shikamaru had never seen before.
“No one understands rules better than a Centralite,” Garner hinted.
Shikamaru stared back. Had Garner seen a way out that he had missed?
“I assume that Sasuke-sama is going to allow his children to swear to Uchiha and play a full role in the new Uchiha,” Garner stated.
Shikamaru’s first reaction was that Sasuke would never do that, because that would leave his children at Izuna’s mercy if he died. Then he focused on Garner’s choice of words.
“Perhaps I should re-read the Uchiha clan charter and all its amendments,” he suggested, monitoring Garner’s reaction. He was not quite there. “Perhaps in conjunction with the spacer code.”
Garner smiled.

Now all Shikamaru wanted to do was connect to his data array and pour over the charter and the code. Instead they had to leave the Renaissance, take possession of the Elm and then visit the household. He forced himself to concentrate on the matters at hand.
“Hinata-san has managed to negotiate her return to Hyuga,” he stated.
Garner looked sceptical.
“It may be for the best if we and her leave the Renaissance separately,” Shikamaru proposed.
“Hinata-san is welcome to stay aboard when you leave,” Garner confirmed. “I confess that I thought she would remain with Uchiha.”
“So did we for a while,” Shikamaru admitted.
For a moment he wondered if Garner would say more on the subject, but instead he changed the subject. “Shall we join Sasuke-sama and Naruto-san on the viewing deck?”

They were sitting side by side on one of the benches looking out at the stars. The starscape was magnificent; Sasuke would miss the Renaissance’s superb viewing decks.
He sighed; the Elm was much more practical but it lacked the Renaissance’s panache.
Naruto nudged him, warning him of Garner Parrad’s approach. It was sooner than Sasuke had expected; he doubted that Shikamaru had shown him over the ship. He and Naruto stood.
“Parrad-san,” Sasuke acknowledged.
“Uchiha-sama,” Garner Parrad replied. “There is a matter that I would like to discuss with you and Naruto-san in private. It will not take long.”
Sasuke looked to Shikamaru, who smiled. “I’ll start purging the Renaissance’s systems,” he suggested. “I’ll be in the control room.”

Garner Parrad waited until Shikamaru was at the other end of the viewing deck.
“Deciding to discuss this matter with you was a difficult decision, Sasuke-sama. I am still uncertain that I am correct to do so.”
Sasuke stiffened slightly. Was it about Shikamaru?
“Klennethon Darrent was a fabulously wealthy individual,” Garner Parrad began. “You know this. I am his executor. The majority of what he owned will become trusts, like the Arts Complex here in Tarrasade. Most of the rest, including control of the improver, he wished to leave to Shikamaru. He did not, because Shikamaru was sworn to Uchiha. Instead, he left it to Haru.”
Sasuke blinked. He looked at Naruto, who was frowning.
“Only there are conditions,” Garner Parrad continued. “One of them is that if Haru ever swears to Uchiha, he forfeits his inheritance. He can swear to you. Klenn trusted you, Uchiha-sama.”
“I don’t understand,” Naruto admitted. “Who owns it all now?”

Sasuke squeezed his hand. “It is often set up like this when the heir is young. You do not give a huge fortune to a boy of eleven standards. Darrent-san will have made his intentions clear. Parrad-san is doing his best to implement those intentions whilst considering the welfare of all those involved.” He turned to Garner Parrad. “How do you see it working out if Haru does not swear to Uchiha?”
“I think I have another twenty to thirty standards in me,” Garner Parrad admitted. “I imagine handing over full control to Haru when he hits forty, maybe five standards sooner if my age retard is fraying. Between now and his twentieth birth anniversary there will be gifts; items that Klenn specified. The will specifies that Haru should be told about the inheritance two divs after his twentieth birth anniversary, provided he still qualifies as heir. Then, between twenty and thirty-five, I would hand over chunks and monitor how he copes with the responsibility.”
“And if that goes badly?” Naruto asked. “Or if he swears to Uchiha?”
“If it goes badly, I have the option of setting up a trust. Haru would be one of the beneficiaries but he would not control the trust’s resources. If he swears to Uchiha, there are instructions to distribute the fortune differently.” Garner Parrad stood. “I am sure that you wish to discuss this matter in private. I shall go to the control room and assist Shikamaru-san. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you might have.”

They delayed until Garner Parrad had left and then Sasuke waited for Naruto to begin.
He twitched his whiskers. “Haru does not need this. It will be a burden.”
Sasuke imagined being the person who controlled the distribution of the improver. The decisions of that person would change the course of history. “But also a magnificent opportunity,” he pointed out.
Naruto sighed but nodded.
“We could keep options open for him,” Sasuke suggested.
“Haru will want to swear to Uchiha because Ran is sworn to Uchiha,” Naruto reminded him.
Sasuke considered. “I am unhappy that any of them should swear to Uchiha while Izuna is lurking,” he admitted. “If he became clan leader, he would have absolute control over their lives. Too many people I care for are already in that position.”
“What happens if they swear to you instead?” Naruto asked.

Sasuke had considered that option ever since they realised that Izuna Uchiha had not been declared dead. The closer the big litter got to their fourteenth birth anniversary, the more he thought about it.
“If they swear to me they can only be released if I die or if I am no longer Uchiha. While they are sworn to me they cannot challenge for the clan leadership and they have to vote with me over amendments to the clan charter.”
“You can’t amend the charter because there aren’t enough full blood Uchihas,” Naruto checked.
“That’s right,” Sasuke confirmed. “The minimum number is thirteen and we are nowhere near that. We are stuck with the current rules.”
“Is there a downside to swearing to you?”
“If I die, they will not be part of Uchiha unless the new clan leader allows them in.”
“They would no longer be a member of the family,” Naruto checked.
“Not officially.”
Naruto stared out at the stars. “I need time to think about it,” he admitted, “and about what Garner Parrad said.”
Sasuke stroked his arm. “There is no rush. Their birth anniversary is not for another seven divs.”

What Garner Parrad had said niggled at Shikamaru. He tried to partition it away; there was nothing he could do until he had access to his systems.
There was much to do before that. He was in charge of the handover of the Renaissance to Garner Parrad, which involved removing all Uchiha software and then waiting in case Garner had any problems reinstalling the original programmes.
He didn’t; by midmorning they were ready to leave.

Hinata stayed in her room. As far as Shikamaru knew, Neji had not even said goodbye.

Next they moved to the Elm, which was also in Klenn’s, now Garner’s, private dock. The shipbuilders had delivered it to Elessen, where the Oak’s improver had been installed. Garner’s people had then brought it to Tarrasade.
Asuma, Haku, Itachi, Kisame, Gai and Kamatari met them there. Haku took charge of Naomi. Counting Shikamaru, Neji, Naruto, Sasuke, Hamaki, Terai and Fu that gave them a team of twelve.
It was just about enough people to check over the entire ship before the middle of the afternoon.

It was intense, demanding work, which kept Shikamaru from checking out any of his possibilities his mind was throwing up about loopholes in the Uchiha clan charter.
Once they were sure that ship was as they had specified, Itachi oversaw setting up and testing the security systems, Kamatari connected the dedicated databases and Shikamaru installed all the software.
Meanwhile, Sasuke was meeting with whoever was available, starting with Asuma.

Shikamaru had finished installing software and had started running checks when he felt a hand on his arm. It wasn’t Naruto or Neji, the hand was too small. He lifted one of his goggles to reveal Haku waiting patiently.
He read Haku’s lips. “If it is inconvenient, we could arrange a time.”
“Give me a minute,” Shikamaru replied and launched a battery of diagnostics. Then he pushed up his goggles and took out his earpieces.
“Neji,” Haku stated.
“Hurt. Confused. Doubting himself.”
“He let Hinata and the baby go without the slightest resistance?” Haru queried.
Shikamaru had not focused on that. “Yes.” He considered. “Once he believed she did not love him, there was no point to the relationship.”
“Does she love him?”
It was an interesting point. “Not enough,” he decided.
“Do you?”
“Yes.” Shikamaru felt obliged to clarify. “Enough to do what I did before.”
Haku frowned. “Be there for him while he sorts himself out, hold him while he mends and let him go when he wishes to leave you. That is very self-sacrificing of you, Shika-san.”
Shikamaru shrugged. “Not really. I like having a partner. Neji isn’t scared of what I am. We do love each other, even if our friendship is deeper than our love.”
To Shikamaru’s surprise, Haku smiled. “I do not see anything wrong with that. I wish I were going to be around for him, Shika-san. Perhaps you can persuade him to talk to Iruka-san. I also anticipate that Sumiko-chan will be less forgiving than you.”
“I’ve sent her a vid. I’m hoping she’ll blame Hinata.”
Haku’s look said it all. “Good luck with that, Shika-san.”

After he had gone, hopefully to spend some time with Neji, Shikamaru went back to running diagnostics. It was all looking good, so much so that he could monitor the outcomes in the background while looking into what Garner has suggested.
In truth, he had never analysed the Uchiha clan charter phrase by phrase. The only time he had studied it in depth was when he had been trying to work out the consequences of Izuna Uchiha never having been declared dead.
The charter itself was brief and straightforward; it was the hundreds of amendments that complicated things. Working out which changes were still current and which had been superseded was like untangling a ball of string.

As the situation clarified, Shikamaru’s heart beat faster. Some of the amendments were loosely worded; the changes they introduced were different from what had been intended. Definitions had multiplied and diversified. Occasionally a clan leader would try and sort out the mess, but usually only in one area and often without success.
Shikamaru reached the final amendment and looked at what was left. Garner was correct; there was an anomaly that might be useful.
He turned to the spacer code; specifically the section referring to challenges.

Once they had finished checking over the ship, Sasuke started using the smallest of the meetings rooms for one to one meetings. Top of his list was Asuma. Sasuke was determined that he should be freed to spend some time with Akemi, Misora and Keitaro in Skyburrow
He wanted to place Itachi in command while Asuma was absent. Asuma was against it. He insisted that some people treated Itachi as an Uchiha and almost everyone saw him as a mass-murderer.
Sasuke suspected that Asuma shared their doubts.

The problem was that Sasuke did not have an alternative. Gai was far too trusting. Certainly neither Kakashi nor Inari could be spared; they were busy hunting Orochimaru.
“Konohamaru could come back.” Sasuke suggested reluctantly. He was not happy with the idea; Konohamaru was making excellent progress with the toad hybrids and being with the youngsters was helping him get over his grandmother’s death.
“You started this discussion by saying how well Konohamaru was doing,” Asuma pointed out.
Sasuke changed tack. “A visit. Less than a div. Gai and Itachi can cope for one div. You could time it so you would be there when Akemi comes out of the tank.”
Asuma hesitated for the first time. “I’ll think about a visit,” he conceded.

Once Asuma had gone, Sasuke spoke to Gai. Then Fu took charge of Naomi so that Sasuke could meet with Haku. By the time they had finished, Itachi was available.
Having spoken to both Haku and Itachi, Sasuke was convinced that Asuma was wrong about Itachi not leading the Uchiha contingent in Tarrasade.

He and Itachi were discussing Izuna when the door opened just in time for Shikamaru to run through the gap rather than smacking into it. He was clutching a tablet, which he thrust in front of Sasuke.
“You have to see this,” he insisted, looking directly into Sasuke’s eyes.

Holding Shikamaru’s gaze was like dropping in free fall; this was raw Shikamaru with none of the layers that normally buffered his interactions with others. Sasuke could feel Itachi beside him; rigid with indignation at Shika’s lack of respect.
Sasuke put a hand on Itachi’s arm. “How urgent is it, Shika-san?”
Shikamaru’s brows puckered for a split second. “Not urgent. Too important to need to be urgent.”
“Perhaps you could get Naruto for me, Itachi-san,” Sasuke suggested.
“No,” Shikamaru insisted. “Better he see it too.”
Itachi’s intake of breath was like a hiss.
A flash of fear crossed Shikamaru’s face; an uncensored response to Itachi’s warning.
Sasuke could not remember ever seeing Shikamaru so unguarded. “Let it go, Itachi-san,” he ordered, not breaking eye contact with Shikamaru. “Tell me, Shika.”

Shikamaru’s expression relaxed into one of trust. He pointed at the tablet’s display.
“This is the definition of an Uchiha who can be clan leader. This is the definition of an Uchiha who can vote to amend the charter.”
Sasuke read them. They were different.
“Are you sure?” Itachi asked.
“Yes,” Shikamaru replied and began quoting sections of the clan charter and its amendments.

Both he and Itachi knew it by heart; their father had insisted that any full-blood Uchiha could recite it faultlessly by his or her eighth birth anniversary.
He left it to Itachi to argue it through with Shikamaru. Shika would be right; he always was.
Sasuke’s eyes went back to the two definitions. Only full-blood Uchihas who were sworn to Uchiha could vote to amend the charter. A full-blood Uchiha had a genome that fell within certain parameters. Given that Itachi was excluded, there were only seven including Izuna.

The shock was the definition of who could be clan leader. It was older and simpler. The individual had to be recognised as an Uchiha at birth using the traditional naming ceremony, be at least fourteen standards in age and be sworn to Uchiha.
The kits and Tsuneo had been recognised at birth as Uchiha, alongside their full-blood Uchiha siblings.
Sasuke ran through all the amendments in his mind. There was one clarifying that adoption did not count, so Ryuu was still excluded. However at no point had the charter been amended so that it said that only a full-blood Uchiha could be clan leader.
It did not even say that the clan leader had to be purebred.
He flung his arms around Shikamaru and hugged him.

Shikamaru hugged back. Sasuke started to laugh and Shikamaru followed. They were jumping up and down on the spot like two children.
Then Sasuke saw Itachi’s expression, stopped jumping and pushed Shikamaru to arms’ length.
“When did you see it?”
“Garner Parrad put me onto it,” Shikamaru admitted. “This morning.”
“Sasuke-sama?” Itachi queried.
“We recognised the kits as Uchiha, at birth, in the full naming ceremony,” Sasuke reminded him.

Itachi paused, thinking, and then smiled. It was not a nice smile; Sasuke calmed down and Shikamaru cowered slightly.
“Just imagining the outcome of Kazu-kun challenging Izuna-sama for the clan leadership,” Itachi explained. “Not that I would ever wish it to get that far, Sasuke-sama.”
Sasuke understood. For Kazuki or one of the other kits to challenge, Izuna would have had to have challenged for the leadership and killed him.
“We need to get it right and be careful,” Shikamaru warned.
“At least some of the kits will have to be sworn to Uchiha rather than you, Sasuke-sama,” Itachi pointed out.
“It would probably be best to have one of them in the same system as you at all times,” Shikamaru added.
“We still have to make it to the kits’ fourteenth birth anniversary,” Sasuke reminded them. “So no telling Izuna-sama for another seven divs. Otherwise he may start pursuing me in the hope of forcing a challenge before the kits are old enough to retaliate.”
Itachi smiled again. This time Sasuke was ready for it. “Please, Sasuke-sama, allow me the privilege acquainting Izuna-sama with the reality of situation when the time comes.”
“It would be my pleasure, Itachi-san.”

They decided to tell only three people for now; Naruto, Kakashi and Neji.
“You might want to delay telling Na-chan until this evening,” Shikamaru suggested.
Sasuke opened his mouth to ask why and then closed it with a snap as he realised what Shikamaru was implying.
It took all his willpower not to flush in front of Itachi.

Finishing commissioning the Elm took until late afternoon. Then they moved her to the compound. One of the advantages of the Elm over the Oak was that it was small enough for the station gunners to tolerate it being in the Uchiha private dock; at least for a few days.

Sasuke settled at the head of the table for the evemeal. Naruto was on his left, Asuma on his right and Haku, flanked by Kisame and Itachi, was opposite. Around the table were members of his extended family, some of whom he had not seen in far too long.
It felt good but it fuelled his resentment of Izuna. He should not have to stay away from his family home.
Hopefully Shikamaru had discovered a stand-off that Izuna could not afford to break.

The children left the table as soon as they had finished their dessert. Nagato ran to him for a goodnight hug, which was a surprise; he had thought that Nagato would have forgotten him.
Sasuke promised that he would see him the next day.
Within minutes of the children leaving, Sasuke gave Naruto’s hand a squeeze and stood up.
“It is wonderful to be home and to see you all, but it has been a long, exhausting day and I hope that you will excuse us for retiring early.”

Naruto gave him a questioning look but waited until they were in their room with the door closed behind them.
“I thought you would want to be with them all for longer,” he pointed out.
Sasuke stepped close and tilted his head back. “Tomorrow. This evening I want to be with you, in our room.”
Naruto gave a small growl and kissed him.

Sasuke broke the kiss and twisted away. “Bath,” he declared. “I’ll use the head first. You get it going.” He walked toward the bathroom, shedding his outer clothes.
Naruto passed him and entered the bathroom. “Looks good,” he called out. “Haku must have prepped it for us. There’s fresh water in the tub and everything. It only needs heating up.”

The water was warm enough by the time Sasuke had finished in the head and the shower. He slid into the water and sat so that he could watch Naruto in the shower.
Naruto was not putting on a show for him. He did not have to; just being Naruto would always be enough.
“I have something to tell you,” Sasuke informed him as Naruto stepped into the tub.
Naruto’s eyebrows and whiskers lifted. “I thought we were going to fuck.”
“We are. This first. I cannot wait any longer to tell you.”

He explained. Naruto listened carefully.
“If Izuna challenges you and kills you, any of the kits who are sworn to Uchiha can challenge him for the leadership,” Naruto summarised.
Sasuke was disappointed. He had thought Naruto would be delighted. “Yes.”
“But you’ll still be dead,” Naruto pointed out.
“We tell him before it gets that far,” Sasuke assured him. “He knows that, if he kills me, my hybrid sons will challenge him, each of whom can rip his throat out without drawing breath. There is no point in being Uchiha-sama for the grand total of, what, three minutes? Even Izuna can see that.”
Naruto thought about it and then smiled. “Yes, even Izuna can see that.”
Sasuke smiled back. “Dobe.”
“Teme,” Naruto replied.
“Only another seven divs of this sneaking about,” Sasuke pointed out. “Then Itachi will point out the reality of the situation. Once that has sunk in, Izuna and I can negotiate a solution that doesn’t include him being Uchiha-sama but hopefully has him doing something productive.”
Naruto whiskers twitched. It was the ‘I’ll believe that when I see it’ twitch.
“Worst scenario, we dismantle the remainder of the Akatsuki, chase Orochimaru back into his pod, stop Izuna thinking about challenging for the leadership and go back to doing what we want to do.”
“Raising our children and building new Uchiha,” Naruto suggested.
Sasuke moved across the tub towards him. “Enjoying each other’s company.”

He straddled Naruto’s lap and kissed him. They were chest to chest with their erections touching.
Naruto parted his lips to grant Sasuke’s tongue access while sliding his hand between them. Sasuke groaned mid kiss as long fingers wrapped around both their cocks and pumped gently.
Then, to his surprise, Naruto broke the kiss, released his grasp and wrapped both arms around Sasuke’s back, hugging him close.
“Sometimes I just want to hold you,” he admitted.
Sasuke could settle for some cuddling; at least for now. He laid his head on Naruto’s shoulder.
Naruto purred and nibbled his hair.
Maybe it was a fluffy-soft-Naruto day.

Then the nibbling and purring stopped and Sasuke realised that Naruto was too still and too quiet.
“I won’t be there,” he whispered. “Whatever happens, I won’t see if Haru passes Garner Parrad’s test and inherits Klennethon Darrent’s fortune.”
Sasuke froze. He would not think about that, never mind speak of it.
“I know you don’t like thinking about it, but you are going to have to once in a while,” Naruto warned. His voice shook slightly. “Just occasionally, when having to leave you all scares me and I need you.”

All thought of avoidance vanished. Naruto needed him.
“You’ll never leave us,” Sasuke insisted.
Naruto tensed. Sasuke heard his intake of breath; the precursor of an argument.
“Because you’ll be in every one of us,” he explained. “In our memories and in what we created together. We have lived wrapped in your love and that will never fade. Never.”
The arms around him relaxed and then tightened, hugging him closer. “Thank you,” Naruto whispered.
“Always,” Sasuke promised the both of them.
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