Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

The Sacrificed	By : Sasunarufan13 Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male > Naruto/Sasuke Views: 5667 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto nor make profit of it. Kishimoto owns it.

Chapter List
- 1-Part 1
- 2-Part 2
- 3-Part 3
- 4-Part 4
- 5-Part 5
- 6-Part 6
- 7-Part 7
- 8-Part 8
- 9-Part 9
- 7
- 8
- 9
Author's note: So this was supposed to be the last chapter, but certain scenes I have planned, I can't find myself in the right mood to write because this was basically just another shit day to add to a long list of shit days, so yes, that means that this story will have one more part. I can't say whether it'll be as long as this one, but well, there it is. Hope you don't mind.
Warnings: Some angst; some fluff; and the long awaited meeting with the Uchiha
I hope you'll like this part!
Part 8
Naruto could only stare at her, perplexed by the unexpected inquiry and admittedly a tad too cowed at her strong presence to react, but Sasuke had no such qualms.
He frowned at her, his mouth a thin line when he said, "Next spring as travelling now would be too dangerous. It'll take us several months to reach my home; I cannot risk leaving now with a new born cub while winter will be upon us soon."
"Yet remaining here without the presence of your pack is ill advised as well," Konan said calmly.
"I don't understand, I thought we were safe here?" Naruto piped up confused.
Why would it suddenly be a bad idea for them to stay here without Sasuke's family? Konan herself had stated they would be safe here under her protection! Was she kicking them out? Why now? Had they done something to offend her?
"Safe from harm, yes, but I cannot promise the same for nature's elements," she spoke cryptically.
Sasuke scowled. "This isn't the first harsh winter we've been through."
"No, but this will be the first one with a young child," she said and this time her voice sharpened just the slightest bit. "I do not think I will have to explain to you the importance of being surrounded by a pack during such harsh winters, Wolf."
"What does your family have to do with how we spend the winter? Will it be dangerous for Hikaru?" Naruto asked worriedly, glancing at the baby. He was still peaceful asleep, unaware of the extra presence in their den.
"Sasuke, why do we need your family?" he pressed on when it looked like Sasuke wouldn't give him an answer.
The wolf shifter released a huge, deep sigh, appearing reluctant to reply, though he did so anyways. "If the winter will be as harsh as the previous one, which it does smell like it will be, then it would be easier to have the pack around in order to help us out so that I wouldn't have to leave you and our cub alone to hunt or even just for warmth."
"Unlike my people, your child is still very sensitive to temperature changes," Konan took over; her eyes briefly dipping down to the sleeping baby between them. "Wolf cannot stay the entire time in the cave and you aren't capable of providing the same amount of warmth as he is as you are not the same as him."
Naruto looked down, worrying his lower lip between his teeth. It was true that as a wolf, Sasuke's body temperature ran a lot hotter than his; if this upcoming winter would be as brutal as the previous one, then his own body temperature and the fire in the hearth might not be enough to keep their baby comfortably warm. But what other choice did they have?
Like Sasuke had stated, they couldn't start their journey now because they would still be travelling in the midst of winter then. If Konan thought they wouldn't be able to handle the winter bundled up in their den, how did she expect them to survive the winter whilst travelling?
"I realise that, but as I said, the journey takes several months. We'd still be travelling when winter arrives and I can't take that risk," Sasuke said and for the first time he started to sound annoyed. "I do not think I would have to explain that to you either as you should know how far away my pack lives."
"It is true that it would take you three several months to reach your home," she agreed and the corners of her mouth twitched in a barely there smile. "Which is why I have a proposition for you."
"A proposition?" Sasuke repeated suspiciously.
"How much has your packmate, who is one of mine, told you about our abilities?"
Sasuke pursed his lips, a slight frown etched onto his forehead. "Not a lot," he admitted begrudgingly. "I know he has the ability to manipulate nature and that he can defend himself just fine," his mouth twitched as if wanting to smile before he grew sober again, "but not much else than that."
"I suppose he hasn't seen the need to tell you about this so far," she murmured and her eyes gained a faraway look for a moment as if she was thinking about something else. Then she shook her head slightly and focused her gaze on them again. "My people have the ability to manipulate time and space as well. It is not something we do frequently as it would mess too much with nature, but nevertheless it is something we can do."
"What are you suggesting?" Sasuke asked; his frown deepening.
"If you insist on remaining here, so be it, but I can offer you the opportunity to make the journey to your pack in less than a day if you so desire," she said, which only confused Naruto even more.
How could she make it so that their journey would take less than a day instead of several months? Surely that wasn't possible? Even for a Fae Queen, that seemed far too farfetched!
"And how would you go about doing that?" Sasuke questioned, narrowing his eyes.
"You're fortunate that you have a Fae in your pack; this will make it a lot easier to establish the connection," she said. "If I reach out to him, we can create a path so to speak for you three to walk on. You'll have to be accompanied by one of us to ensure safe travel and it will have to be done on the night of the full moon, but it is possible and it will bring you almost instantly to your home."
"And you would do that for us," Sasuke said slowly. "Why?"
She shrugged her shoulders lightly. "Perhaps I have grown fond of you, Wolf, and I do not wish to see you bury your child when the winter proves too much." Her eyes sharpened once more. "What will your answer be? The full moon will be within a week. I imagine that the sooner your child becomes acquainted with his new pack, the better for him as well so it would serve you well to leave at the earliest opportunity."
Her eyes turned shrewd for a brief moment as she regarded them intently. "I will be waiting outside for your answer," she said decisively and was gone before either one of them could react.
"What do you want to do?" Naruto asked, picking up Hikaru when he started to fuss; his cheeks reddening slightly. He pushed his shirt down, letting his baby latch on to his nipple.
Sasuke rubbed his hands over his face. "I don't know," he sighed.
"Would it better for Hikaru if we're with your family?" Naruto questioned tentatively, looking down at the baby hungrily drinking from his chest.
Sasuke hadn't mentioned anything about it being better if they were surrounded by his family, but maybe he hadn't wanted to worry him? He needed to know this sort of thing, though! If their baby would be better off being surrounded by family, why were they still remaining here then?
"Better … It would be easier," Sasuke admitted begrudgingly. "The sooner he can bond with them, the better overall, though it's not really a matter of life and death either."
"But it would still be better to be with them as soon as possible," Naruto surmised; his stomach performing several odd flips.
Sasuke brought his hand around his neck, bringing him closer to kiss him gently. "I can take care of us just fine," he stated firmly. "If you want to stay here until next spring, then we'll stay. We'll be fine."
"But the Queen said this winter would be a bad one again," Naruto said worriedly. "If she says it's better to leave then, - "
"I'm not going to lie, this winter will be just as bad as the previous one," Sasuke conceded. "But we got through it just fine and we'll do that again this time. If we start preparing on time like last year, we won't land in trouble, I promise. We don't have to leave yet if you don't want to. I'm sure she'll understand."
He looked away from his mate and gazed down at his baby, whose suckling was slowing down, his small hand curling and unfurling against his chest. A part of him wanted to stay here, wanted to have the chance to see Tsunade and Kakashi several times still before they would eventually leave when spring arrived.
But the other part of him thought about how long Sasuke hadn't seen his family, how the upcoming winter would be another harsh one, how they were no longer with just the two of them but with three now and they had their cub to think of when considering the upcoming winter. He thought about how better it would be for their cub to grow up surrounded by his pack and realised he couldn't be selfish now. He had his baby to consider, his mate, and he couldn't think of only himself now.
"No, it's better if we leave," he decided, a heavy feeling settling in his stomach. "It's better for Hikaru and you've been away from your family for too long. If the Queen can help us get to your family sooner, then we should accept that offer."
"You'd have to say goodbye to your humans," Sasuke said quietly. "I don't know if you'll ever be able to see them again after this week."
"I know," Naruto mumbled, the heavy sensation growing worse. "But – if being with your family is better for Hikaru, then we should go."
"Are you sure? You don't have to do this for me, I don't mind waiting until spring," Sasuke said; his eyes soft.
That was exactly why Naruto had to do this: because Sasuke had already done so much for him, sacrificed so much, that it was now his turn to do something for Sasuke. They could never be equals if one of them always did more for the other one. He had already got more than he ever thought he would have when the village decided to sacrifice him; this time he needed to do something for Sasuke instead.
He took a deep breath and with a steady voice replied, "Yes, I'm sure. We shouldn't waste this opportunity."
Sasuke regarded him for a little while longer before he nodded and brushed the back of his hand against Naruto's cheek, kissing his lips gently. "I'll go inform her. Before we leave, you can say goodbye, I'll make sure of that."
Naruto nodded silently, the treacherous sting of hot tears having him blinking furiously and staring down at the nest, refusing to look up even when Sasuke left the cave. It was stupid to cry when it was his own decision to leave, but the thought of leaving Tsunade and Kakashi behind, of seeing them for what would most likely be the last time …
It hit him more than he had expected it would and he swallowed, a lump forming in his throat. He needed to move forwards, though; he was a parent now, had a baby to think of. His future was with Sasuke and his family, not this cave in the midst of the woods.
He knew all that and still the ache didn't lessen.
"Are you sure this is okay?" Naruto asked nervously, casting a wary look around.
They were at the gate of his old village, the day not entirely over yet. Farmers were returning from their fields with their carts and horses, not sparing the two men a look. Both Sasuke and Naruto were fully dressed, hoods on their cloaks casting shadows over their faces and keeping their identity hidden for the most part. Hikaru was fast asleep in a sling around Naruto's chest; his chubby cheek pressed against him and his little fist wrapped around the cloth.
"Of course it's okay," Sasuke reassured him and grasped his wrist, gently tugging him along. "We won't stick out and if there is trouble, we'll be gone before they can catch us."
"All right," Naruto muttered, reminding himself that Sasuke had never lied to him before. He was with a wolf shifter, anyways; harm couldn't really befall him. He would worry more about the people trying to start trouble.
They followed a family of four into the village and a strange feeling took hold of him as he walked through the familiar streets, saw the shops he used to walk past nearly every day. He jolted slightly when he saw Iruka, the main teacher of the local school, striding through the street; a frown on his face. Sasuke glanced at him, but he merely shook his head mutely and they kept walking.
It felt strange to be here during the day now. He'd been here once before after being sacrificed, last year, but that had been during the night and the cover of darkness had made everything look different somehow. Being back when it was still day … It felt odd.
"You all right?" Sasuke questioned softly, ignoring the curious look of an elderly woman.
"Yeah, yes, I'm fine," Naruto replied and if his voice was a tad wavery, at least the other man didn't remark on it.
His stomach churned with nerves as they turned around the corner and Tsunade's house came into view. Not many people were around at this hour and the few who were meandering about didn't pay them any attention.
Sasuke squeezed his hand gently as they reached the door and after giving him a reassuring look, he raised his hand and knocked on the wood. Just a couple of seconds later the door already opened, revealing Tsunade, whose apprehensive look softened instantly at the sight of them.
"Come on in," she urged them.
Kakashi was here as well, seated next to the fireplace; a bandage wrapped around his left hand, but otherwise looking completely fine. His dark eyes lit up at the sight of them and a faint smile graced his face as he sat up straight.
She moved to hug him, but he took a step back, shaking his head. Before she could become hurt at his refusal, he opened his cloak, revealing Hikaru who, surprisingly in spite of the noises in the village, was still fast asleep; his face pressed against Naruto's chest.
Both Kakashi and Tsunade stared at him, their gazes flicking from the baby to Naruto and Sasuke and back; her mouth opening wordlessly.
"This is Hikaru, our son," Naruto declared boldly, not wanting to hide or lie about his son's existence. He loved his son and he loved Tsunade and Kakashi and he saw no reason to keep his baby's existence from them.
If they questioned how such a thing was possible, him having his own son, then they chose not to voice those questions, choosing instead to incline their heads and smile.
"He's beautiful," she murmured, reaching out her hand with a questioning look. Upon gaining a nod of permission, she carefully brushed the unruly black hair away from Hikaru's face, her smile widening as he got a better look at him.
"How old is he?" Kakashi questioned, coming to stand next to her. He didn't make a move to touch the baby, but his eyes were warm and soft when he looked at him.
"One month," Naruto smiled. Next to him Sasuke remained quiet, observing the two adults.
She caressed Hikaru's cheek one more time before she withdrew her hand and sighed quietly; a knowing, sad look flitting across her face. "You're not just here to show him to us, are you?" she questioned quietly and Kakashi stiffened, his face darkening just a tad.
"No, I'm not." Naruto swallowed, the heavy feeling in his gut returning at once, no longer tempered by the joy of seeing his family again.
"I'll give you three a moment," Sasuke murmured and took Hikaru in his arms, slipping silently in the kitchen like a shadow.
The second the door closed, leaving Naruto alone with Tsunade and Kakashi, he sighed and his shoulders slumped; the bad news he had come to bear like a physical weight on his shoulders.
"Sasuke, Hikaru and I – we'll be leaving at the end of the week," he announced, fiddling with the edge of his sleeve. "We can't stay any longer anymore, I'm sorry."
"I thought you would leave once spring arrived again," Tsunade said, frowning slightly.
"That was the plan, yes," he said and licked his lips. "But this winter will be another harsh one and Hikaru – the sooner he can get to know Sasuke's family, the better. He needs the pa-the family around him."
"But if you leave now, wouldn't you still be travelling when winter hits the country?" Kakashi pointed out; his eyebrows drawn together. He crossed his arms; his mouth pressed in a thin line. "That was why you had decided to wait until spring, no? Because it will take months to get there."
"We've found a way to get there quickly, but it's not something we can use often," Naruto admitted, unwilling to give away how exactly they would get to Sasuke's family.
It wasn't as if he'd been explicitly forbidden to talk about the fae, but he thought Konan wouldn't be appreciative if humans tried to enter her domain. She tolerated Sasuke and Naruto, but Sasuke was a wolf shifter and Naruto was his mate; the blond doubted she would be just as friendly to unknown humans trying to breach her territory.
"So when you leave, that's it," Tsunade said slowly; her frown deepening even more. "We won't – we won't see each other anymore."
"No, once we leave, we can't come back," he answered quietly and blinked rapidly in an attempt to halt the stinging sensation of hot tears threatening to spill over.
Ever since Sasuke had told him that once they left, that would be it, they would never come back again, he'd walked around with the knowledge like a heavy stone in the back of his mind. Back then it had been easy to push aside, to not think about it, because of course it would be still a long time before they had to leave. When he'd ended up pregnant, he hadn't realised that the opportunity to leave would end up arriving barely a month after he'd given birth.
What could they do, though? It was too risky to stay here when the winter would be just as harsh as the previous one. Last winter they'd still only been with two, their baby having been merely a speck in his belly back then, but now they were with three and Hikaru was still too young, too vulnerable to take the risk. Especially when he wouldn't be able to shift – if he could shift that was – until he was at least six months old.
He didn't want to leave, not yet, but if they didn't leave now, when would they? Saying goodbye to Tsunade and Kakashi would always be difficult, no matter when it would happen. And now he had his son to think of and his mate, who hadn't seen his family in more than a year now.
This wasn't the time to be selfish, not even when the thought of leaving his first family behind ached so much. He had known that risk when he had agreed to become Sasuke's mate and he had accepted that, but still, standing here now, having to say goodbye … It was a lot more difficult than he had thought it would be.
"I knew this day was coming, but …" Tsunade trailed off, a shuddering breath leaving her as her eyes visibly started to shine with unshed tears.
She pulled him in her arms then, hugging him tightly to the point of nearly being painful, but he hugged her back just as tightly; the realisation that this was the last time making him clench his eyes shut.
"I'm going to miss you," he choked out, feeling a trembling hand caressing his hair.
"I'm going to miss you as well, so much," she whispered and kissed his forehead. "But if you ever can return, I'll be here. Always."
She stepped back then, albeit reluctantly, allowing Kakashi to take her place. There was no hesitation when the older man reached out and embraced him; one hand cupping Naruto's head, his arm wrapped around the younger man's back.
"Are you happy with him?" Kakashi asked and he had to know that Sasuke could hear them, that a closed door didn't mean anything to a wolf shifter.
"Yes, I'm happy with him," Naruto reassured him, resting his head against his shoulder. "I love him."
Kakashi nodded. "Then that's all that matters: you being happy. His family lives near the mountains?"
"Yes, though I don't know how far away they are," Naruto confirmed, a bit confused. Why would Kakashi want to know that.
"Then this is just a temporary goodbye," Kakashi said confidently. "Keep your eyes on the horizon and one day we'll see each other again, I promise."
Naruto merely nodded, tightening the embrace. It would be nice if they could see each other again in the future, but he would only focus on this moment now. There was no sense in harbouring hope for something that might never happen.
"I'm sorry you had to say goodbye," Sasuke whispered that evening, when they were curled up in the nest, Hikaru cradled in Naruto's arms.
"I knew that day would come eventually," Naruto muttered. "I'm just glad I had the chance to say goodbye."
It was better than nothing after all, even when he was still closer to crying than laughing.
The day of their departure was spent in a daze as they went around the cave, collecting their belongings for the second time in less than a year.
It felt strange, putting everything in bags again, knowing that this was the last time he would ever be in this place. Tomorrow or maybe the day after – the Fae Queen had been annoyingly cryptic about how long it would actually take to travel there – he would be in the mountains, meeting Sasuke's family for the very first time and that thought on its own, the idea of meeting his parents-in-law and his brother-in-law, was enough to send his mind spinning and his stomach flipping.
Sasuke had reassured him time and time again that everything would be fine, that his parents would love Naruto, but what if he was wrong? What if when they finally showed up, Sasuke's parents would instantly dislike him because he wasn't a wolf shifter? Or because he was a man instead of a woman, even though the Mating Bite meant that at least in the regard of offspring they wouldn't have to worry about that.
What if he did something dumb or said something horribly offensive and they would start hating them? In all those years he'd lived in the village, only Tsunade and Kakashi had actually liked him. The rest of them had either ignored his existence or had gone out of their way to make his life actively miserable. Who could be sure that this wouldn't be the case with Sasuke's family as well?
What was he going to do if they didn't approve of him?
His arse being pinched had him jumping three feet in the air and he whirled around, glaring at Sasuke. "Why did you do that!"
"I can basically smell that you're being stupid," Sasuke stated bluntly. He'd just finished putting the last part of their nest away and had Hikaru cradled in a sling across his chest. "What are you worrying about now?"
Naruto pursed his lips, unwilling to admit his concerns, knowing full well he was being idiotic, but unable to do something about it.
Comprehension lit up black eyes and Sasuke huffed, the sound a mixture of amusement and weariness, and shook his head. "You really need to stop worrying about how my family will react. I've told you before, they're going to be happy I found you."
"I know, but I just – I don't want to say or do anything that'll make them hate me," Naruto admitted in a small voice, wrapping his arms around himself.
"You won't," Sasuke assured him and trailed his hand down Naruto's arm before lowering his head to kiss him. "My brother's mate managed to set my parents' den accidentally on fire the first time he met them, so nervous was he, and they don't hold that against him."
"How did he do that?" Naruto asked baffled.
The other man shrugged. "One of his strongest affinities is fire and when he gets a bit too emotional, he risks setting things on fire. So if my parents can look past him burning their den almost to the ground, there's nothing you can do that is worse."
Well, it was true that he didn't have the ability to set something on fire, but still, that didn't automatically mean they would accept him!
"Look, I promise you'll be fine. When have I ever lied to you?" Sasuke regarded him intently; his black eyes almost glowing unearthly in the small flames of the fireplace.
"Never," Naruto conceded, sucking his lower lip between his lips.
"Exactly." Sasuke pulled his lip free, pressing a soft kiss on his mouth. "So trust me on this."
"Yes, all right," Naruto muttered, kissing him back.
It wasn't as if he had much choice anyway.
By the time they had finished moving everything outside and the last embers of the fire were dying out, night had fallen and the sun had made way for the full moon.
The silver white globe hang high up in the sky, illuminating everything with its silvery rays. The forest bathing in its light made for a magical sight and Naruto couldn't help but stare in awe at the trees, wondering if full moons were always this magical or maybe this place was just extra special because the Fae explicitly held reign here.
Something glistened in the corner of his eye and when he turned to look he spotted two glowing spots flying to them at a sedate pace. When they were less than three feet away, the spots expanded and rapidly took the familiar forms of Konan and Gaara. Their skin glowed faintly as if a light shone from within them.
"You ready to start your journey?" Konan asked and even as the question was leaving her lips, something started to materialise in her right hand.
It ended up being a long staff of sorts, which held one single large milky white stone at the top. Intricate, unknown signs were carved out in the wood and the staff looked weathered and old, obviously having been used for a very long time already.
"Yes, we are," Sasuke replied, rising up on his paws.
Just like when they had made the journey to this cave, Sasuke was back in his wolf form, carrying most of their belongings over his back. Naruto had two bags slung over his shoulder and had Hikaru in his arms. The baby was looking around with wide eyes, quiet but alert.
"Good, Gaara will be accompanying you on your journey," she announced and the red haired Fae in question inclined his head. "In a moment I will be opening the pathway which will lead you to your home. Whatever you happen to see or hear whilst on your way there, do not leave the path. Not even to take a quick look around."
"What happens if we do?" Naruto frowned.
"You'll find out where nightmares come from," Gaara answered without any infliction.
Naruto couldn't figure out whether he was serious or not, but Konan's face revealed that she at least wasn't joking about her warning.
"Keep following Gaara and you'll be fine," she stated. "Do not lose sight of him."
With that last ominous warning, she turned around and began tracing her staff through the air, drawing a square before looping the staff around. As she moved her staff quicker and quicker, the motions becoming nothing but a blur, reddish purple lines manifested in the air, whirling around until they bumped into each other and froze.
Konan was muttering things underneath her breath now, words spoken in a language Naruto had never heard before, the sounds all guttural yet somehow airy at the same time. They made him feel uneasy for some reason, goose bumps rippling through his skin as he stared at her frozen form.
Then, all of a sudden, she lowered her staff and stepped aside. Naruto blinked, completely confused now, because in front of him a door seemingly had appeared. The open doorway led straight to a sandy path, the occasional cobblestone peeking through the dust. On each side only darkness was visible, as if the path was the only thing that existed.
"Have a safe journey," she said and was gone before either one of them could say something.
"Come on, before the gate closes," Gaara said and walked straight onto the path with no hesitation.
Naruto couldn't help but eye the path doubtfully; his unease growing at how dark the rest of the surroundings looked like, but Sasuke huffed softly, pressing his snout against his leg, and the blond relented, following the Fae onto the mysterious path.
The air was filled with a mysterious humming sound, he quickly discovered, interspersed with the occasional animal like shriek or cry. Sometimes, somewhere in the distance, light would flare up as if someone was lightening a candle. Other times he could swear that he saw something moving in the corner of his eye, something with spindly arms – more than two, maybe three or four or five even – before it scurried off, blending in with the shadows.
Once, one of those strange beings started to claw its way onto the path, startling Naruto, but Gaara simply stamped his foot once and the being retreated with a disappointed hiss, slithering back to wherever it had come from.
"Wh-what was that?" Naruto questioned, unable to hide the tremor in his voice. The hairs in his neck rose with how intense and uneasy the atmosphere felt like. He thought he could feel hundreds of eyes pricking into the back of his skull, the strange beings awaiting their moment to strike.
Gaara tilted his head to the left, but didn't turn around. "Something from the Shadow World. I was not jesting when I told you this is where nightmares originate. This pathway cuts straight through the Shadow World and its inhabitants are always eager to try to hitch a ride. A word of advice: don't even talk about them. Don't ask questions. The more attention you give them, be it directly or indirectly, the more powerful they become."
"Is this why you have to accompany us?" Naruto asked. "Because you can keep the – the path safe for us?" He caught himself just in time, not wanting to give those strange creatures more power.
"Yes, as the pathway was created by a Fae, only a Fae can keep the path safe." This time he turned his head and smiled faintly at Naruto. "You don't have to worry, however. As long as you just follow me, you'll be safe. This is not my first time traversing the path."
In spite of the threatening auras surrounding them, Gaara's words put him at ease.
He had no idea how long they had been walking. Time seemed to have no meaning in this place, leaving even his internal clock useless.
They could have been walking for an hour, five hours or even a day; he had no idea. He just kept following Gaara, Sasuke right behind him, and ignored the many crawling and flitting creatures in the shadows, even when their thin arms or razor sharp claws made an attempt to reach the path. Every time Gaara simply slammed his foot down without even glancing around, and that was enough to keep the beings at bay, even when their frustration was palpable in the air.
Hikaru had fallen asleep a while ago, for which Naruto was grateful. The strange shadow beings had obviously made his baby uneasy, even at his very young age aware that those beings meant them harm, but the brave little boy he was, he hadn't once cried out, but instead had chosen to clutch Naruto's shirt in his chubby hands until exhaustion had taken over. Now he was blissfully asleep, which helped calm down Naruto's nerves partly.
He didn't pay attention to it at first, having become used by now to ignoring every strange flicker of light or glow, but after a while, it became hard to not notice it when Gaara was leading them straight to it.
A bright golden circle was right in front of them; tiny flames waving around in non-existing wind, eating away at the eternal darkness. The circle appeared to burn a literal hole in the fabric of his place, keeping the shadow beings at bay.
"Still fond of bright colours, I see," Gaara muttered and he sounded almost fond.
Before Naruto could ask him about it, they were suddenly in front of the circle and the Fae walked right through it, unbothered by the flames licking at his hair. Naruto wasn't so confident and whilst he followed right after Gaara, he ducked slightly, unwilling to find out whether those flames could hurt him or not.
He landed right in front of a forest, a winding path cutting the place in two. Behind him Sasuke huffed; the sound pleased and happy.
Gaara gestured towards the open space in front of the forest; his left hand resting on the circle. "You've arrived safely. I wish you well and bid you goodbye." He inclined his head and had slipped through the circle again before Naruto could open his mouth.
As Naruto watched wide-eyed, the circle rapidly shrank until nothing was left of the burning flames. One blink and then the gateway was completely gone and he was left staring at a berry bush.
"Is this – are we close to your family now?" he asked uncertainly; glancing around. Would they have to make another trip through the woods?
"Very close," Sasuke confirmed and there was definitely excitement building in his eyes as he rolled his shoulders, careful not to drop their belongings. "It's only a short walk from here and then we'll be at the gate to our home."
Naruto swallowed, his belly filled with an odd mixture of excitement – from hearing Sasuke refer to this place as their home – and nerves as he realised that it wouldn't be much longer anymore until he would finally meet Sasuke's family.
God, let me not do something stupid in front of them!
Some sheep were grazing in a field, not even looking up when they walked past, as if they were used to people – and wolves – close to them, even though Naruto hadn't encountered another human being since they had arrived here.
"Is it only your family here?" he inquired curiously.
He doubted wolf shifters would settle close to human villages, but the presence of sheep threw him off a bit. Unless they were wild sheep? But then who sheared their wool?
"Yes, we're the only ones living here," Sasuke confirmed, trotting lightly next to him. "The closest human settlement is around two weeks away from here."
"Oh." Naruto blinked, taking off guard by the offhanded comment. Just how many kilometres had Sasuke travelled to reach Naruto's former village? He must have been doing it in his wolf form, because Naruto couldn't imagine him making the entire trek in just his human form.
No wonder he had said it would take months to reach this place!
He noticed Sasuke perking up before he even saw the gates looming in the distance and his heart started beating quicker as he realised that these must be the gates to Sasuke's home. Tightening his hold around Hikaru – who by this time was wide awake even though they had stopped earlier to have him eat – he tried to ignore the weakness settling in his legs and forced himself to keep walking, reminding himself to trust in Sasuke's words.
Sasuke had never lied to him before and if he said his family would like Naruto, then he just had to believe that. After all Sasuke knew his family the best, even after not having seen them in a while, and he just needed to focus on not doing anything stupid or embarrassing when he finally met them.
They were less than ten feet separated from the gates when a blond man suddenly materialised in front of them, showing up out of thin air. He had long blond hair which was tied into a high ponytail and wore a deep blue tunic; a leather belt cinching the waist. Resting his hands on his hips, his cobalt blue eyes studied them carefully, his gaze switching from Sasuke to Naruto and Hikaru before looking at Sasuke again.
A wide grin split across his face then and he laughed; the sound merry and light. "Good to know you didn't get yourself killed, un," he said amused. His eyes flicked back to Naruto. "And I'm glad to see that your quest has been fruitful. We've been awaiting you."
Even in wolf form, Sasuke had no problems rolling his eyes. "Thank you for the vote of confidence. Naruto, this is Deidara, my brother-in-law. Deidara, this is Naruto, my mate, and Hikaru, our son."
Deidara – the Fae – drifted closer, curiosity setting those blue eyes alight as he studied Hikaru more intently. "He doesn't look that old yet, un."
"No, he's – he's one month old," Naruto answered, clearing his throat.
Just like Konan and Gaara, it was unreal how beautiful Deidara looked and Naruto had no problems seeing how Sasuke's brother could have fallen for him. It made him feel a bit self-conscious about his own looks and his less than lean form and he couldn't help but hunch his shoulders a bit.
Deidara hummed and stepped back. "Well, he looks very cute, though I didn't expect anything else with the looks of you two, un," he said teasingly, smirking when Sasuke growled. His smirk softened then and he threw his head back, gesturing at the gates. "Come on, your parents and Itachi have been waiting anxiously ever since I got the Queen's message that you would be arriving."
"He better has not messed up our den," Sasuke muttered irritated.
"He was too anxious to hang up garlands, un," Deidara snickered and went in front of them, as if he was acting as their personal welcome committee.
"The gods have had some mercy then at least," Sasuke mumbled, flicking his tail when Deidara chuckled.
They were barely through the gates when a large, dark haired wolf ran towards them and before Naruto could react, the wolf transformed, changing into a young, dark haired man with half long hair.
A man who was completely naked, which had Naruto squeaking in surprise and whirling around.
"Why are you naked?!" he cried out, but even as the words left his mouth, he knew it was a dumb question to ask.
Sasuke had never made a secret about the fact that he was more than comfortable walking around naked in human form, so really, should Naruto have expected anything else from his family? If most of them were wolf shifters, then it was most likely normal for them to just walk around naked.
He knew all that, yet couldn't help but blush at the thought of the naked man behind him.
"My apologies," the man spoke, his voice soothing and smooth. "I should have changed before I came to greet you, but when I smelt my younger brother, I became too impatient."
"That's clear, all right," Sasuke snorted and the noise of bones cracking and twisting informed Naruto that his mate had changed into his human form as well.
Their bags dropped to the ground with a dull 'thud' and Sasuke stretched his arms with a low groan, cracking his neck in the process.
"I really do still hate it when you do that, un," Deidara informed him calmly. "Naruto-kun, you can look again. I gave my idiotic mate something to cover himself up with."
"I'm sorry," Naruto said embarrassedly, turning around again with flaming cheeks. "I know I shouldn't have reacted like that, but you took me by surprise."
"Pretty sure that's what mother thought when she ended up expecting you," Sasuke smirked and the other man growled, swiping at Sasuke's face before he drew him in a tight hug.
"I missed you," the man muttered and Sasuke's face visibly softened and he hugged his brother back.
"I missed you too." He looked at Naruto then and smiled. "Naruto, this is Itachi, my brother. Itachi-nii-san, this is Naruto, my mate, and Hikaru, our son."
"What's all the ruckus here?" a female voice piped up and when Naruto looked to his right, he saw a dark haired woman approaching them, a simple light yellow dress keeping her covered.
Right behind her, another man followed; he had a stern face and silver strands streaked through his hair, but his eyes were soft when they landed on Sasuke.
"Mother, father, I'm back," Sasuke announced, smiling. "With my mate, Naruto, and our cub, Hikaru. Naruto, this is my mother, Mikoto, and my father, Fugaku."
Mikoto's face lit up and she rushed the remaining distance between them, briefly pulling her youngest son in a hug, nuzzling his cheek, before she surprised Naruto by drawing him in a warm hug as well, kissing his cheek.
"I'm so happy to finally meet you," she smiled; her eyes glittering. "And look how adorable my grandson is!" She gasped, cupping her own face for a moment before she carefully stroked her finger against Hikaru's cheek.
The baby mewled in response, blinking back at her, which only made her coo in adoration and beckon her husband to come closer.
"Look, Fugaku, how perfect our grandson is! He looks even more adorable than Sasuke did!"
"A feat we didn't think was possible," Itachi smirked, not even flinching when Sasuke punched his arm.
"It's nice to meet you, Naruto-kun," Fugaku smiled, coming closer as well to touch Hikaru's cheek. "And it's nice to meet you too, Hikaru-kun."
The baby grinned, not comprehending what was happening, but liking the attention all the same.
As he watched Sasuke being drawn into one hug after the next by other family members eager to welcome them, as he looked on how cheeks were rubbed and hairs were ruffled before the others would approach him in a more sedate, but still warm manner welcoming him, Naruto decided he really had made the right choice to come here now instead of waiting another six months.
Because it was very clear how much Sasuke had missed his family and vice versa. The sight of him lightening up, his smile more carefree than Naruto had seen it in months, made everything – even the pain of leaving his own small family behind – worthwhile.
AN2: So yes, more Uchiha bonding in the next chapter. I'll try to have that one out soon, because I know this story has been through some delays already *winces*
Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me.
I hope to see you all back in the last chapter (definitely the last one now)! Please stay safe and take care of yourselves!
Cuddles
Melissa
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The Sacrificed