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The Banks Of The River Styx	By : AkashaEmily Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 915 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 8
- 9
- 10
Chapter Nine: Introductions

It
was the sudden flare of illumination that gained its attention, that triggered
awareness and pulled it forward to take control.
Kyuubi
blinked sleepily up at the cloth canopy, disoriented and confused. The fox
raised a hand and covered its eyes against the brightness of the room, flicking
out a tongue that felt thick to try and moisten dry lips as more and more aches
made themselves known. The fox grimaced, grunting softly as it shifted around,
inadvertently jostling the small body sprawled on top of its chest and prompting
it to make small protesting noises. In apology, the demon removed the hand
protecting its eyes and used it to rub the kit�s yellow furred back.
The
familiar situation triggered memories the fox thought long forgotten, adding to
the feelings of displacement plaguing it. Though the rest of its body hurt, the
demon�s abdomen and lungs seemed to be the worst for wear; both areas felt
strained, as if the muscles had been forced to work well beyond their limits
and there was only one experience Kyuubi could link this to, the logic
cementing the idea as the distinctive milky scent of babes filled its nose. The
fox frowned.
Had
the fox whelped? Had its littering been so intense as to make it pass out from
pain and exertion? If that was true, then who had seeded its womb? Where was
the fox�s mate now that the kits had been born? Kyuubi scratched its head
awkwardly, absently burying its nose in the fur of the kit laying on it. Sniffing
delicately, the demon analyzed and memorized the smell, not having to work too
hard to find the child�s unique scent under the layer of Sasuke�s.
Sasuke�.
�Who
are you?� Kyuubi turned toward the voice automatically, coming nose to nose
with a child whose genetics had �Uchiha� written all over them. The fox was
mildly surprised at the lack of an uchiwa on the kid�s red zip up pajama one
piece. Blinking, the demon looked down at the child laying atop it, noticing
the lack of an Uzumaki spiral on a yellow version of the brunette child�s outfit.
Aw hell�
Kyuubi groaned, long and loud, as its brain finally engaged and returned to
reality. It put a hand to its head, frowning as it felt the itch of a bandage
over one eyebrow. �
�You�re
not Sasuke.� The child pressed, sitting up and frowning down at the fox. �Who
are you?�
�I am
Kyuubi.� Coughing into one hand, the fox extended its other hand out and, after
a moment of hesitation, the appendage was taken and pumped once before being
released.
�I�m
Brian.� The little brunette said, unfazed in the least to be re-introduced to
the same body. �That�s Alex. What happened to Sasuke?�
The
demon yawned and stretched its host�s body gingerly as it woke up fully. Kyuubi
idly scratched at the light stubble coating Sasuke�s jaw, fingers exploring the
large bruise on one side once the damage was found. �He is indisposed so here I
am.�
��Indisposed?��
Brian�s brows knit together. �You haven�t hurt him have you? He�s not in
trouble is he?�
Propping
Alex against its chest with one hand, the fox levered itself up into a sitting
position and began slowly scooting forward until it sat on plain carpet. Brian
followed, taking a seat across from the demon in the lake of moonlight covering
the floor.� �
�Sasuke�s
mind needed to sleep a bit more than normal so he asked that I come out to keep
you two company.� Kyuubi explained, looking the boy in the eye.
Contrary
to what most people would believe, the fox demon did not mind children on the
whole, especially after its forced confinement inside of one. Children were
carefree creatures, allowing their creativity to run rampant in any way that
suited them and it was that same innocence and purity that Kyuubi admired.
Naruto had not been talented or gifted but he had been creative in a way that
no other child in Konoha had demonstrated. That creativity flowed and shifted
depending on his mood or the goings-on around him and because of this his
ability to adapt was bar none.
Kyuubi
liked kids, it had loved Naruto as one of its own, but snarky, self righteous,
little brats were another story entirely. Sasuke had been one of these as a
child and the attitude problem had only increased after the massacre, making
Kyuubi thankful on more than one occasion that it had not attacked a year
earlier. Brian, though, for however much he looked like Sasuke, seemed to be
nothing like that. Kyuubi could see the same intelligence, could sense the same
potential in this boy as it had in Sasuke at that age, but unlike Konoha�s
youngest Uchiha, Brian appeared well rounded emotionally. At least so far.
The
little brunette gave the fox a skeptical look. �He didn�t ask you. What is he
really doing? Is he mad at us?�
The
last came out a bit uncertain and sad and Kyuubi reached out to the boy,
putting a hand on Brian�s head to ruffle the dark hair gently.
�He
is not mad.� The fox said firmly. �He just needed some quiet time for a little
bit. He was really upset earlier, right?� Brian nodded. �Part of that is
because he is not healing properly. He hurts here,� The demon tapped its host�s
chest then cupped Sasuke�s left hip and rubbed the thigh below it. �And in
these places as well. His body is very weak and needs a little help. Speaking
of which, I need some food��
Brian
stared as Sasuke�s stomach chose that moment to give a feeble complaint that
made Kyuubi pout at the boy pleadingly. �Well, we�ve got lots in the kitchen
though we�re not allowed to touch the stove at all. Using the microwave�s okay
though.�
��M hungry��
Alex grumbled, rousing. He rubbed at his eyes and leaned back until the arm
around his waist prevented him from going any further. Frowning, the sleepy
child looked up at the face of the person holding him.
�Kitsune.�
Alex said immediately.
Kyuubi
blinked, feeling its barrowed lips twitch upward in an expression of pleasant
surprise. Perceptive child. �Indeed.�
�Did
you possess Sasu?� Alex asked, titling his head in curiosity.
�In
a manner of speaking.� The fox drawled.
�But
you said you hadn�t done anything!� Brian said indignantly.
Kyuubi
felt the beginnings of a headache stir and began rubbing at its temple. �Sasuke
is sleeping, as I have explained, and since he is sleeping I am here to keep
you company. However if you prefer have a comatose teenager as a companion��
For dramatic effect, the fox began to slump to one side as it loosened its grip
on Alex and let the boy tumble from its lap. It let its eyes roll back
pointedly before letting the eyelids shut as Sasuke�s body keeled over.
When
no shouts of surprise followed the little performance, Kyuubi covertly cracked
an eye open.
�You
get ten points for trying.� Brian said blandly, making clapping motions and
shrugging. Beside him, Alex nodded and mimed holding up a card.
�But
minus five for bad acting.� The blond added.
�� Kyuubi, slack jawed, gave up the pretense and sat up to
stare at them. Then the fox huffed and folded its arms over its chest. It stuck
its nose in the air with a pointed sniff.
�Philistines.�
It grumbled. �

�� The only life form Andrew had been able to find was Carmen,
Suki�s pet albino boa constrictor. The snake had always given the blonde the
creeps- it was a snake and scaly and definitely not something to have in the
house with young children!- but the beast had proven its usefulness as a sentry
time and time again so Andrew couldn�t really complain. Once he�d wrangled the
five foot peach and cream serpent out of the foyer and back into her room- not
cage, room- he had sufficiently scolded Carmen (or �San Diego� as he called
her, a joke few people understood but one he still found funny none-the-less),
he had resumed his search, suddenly inspired to look in all of Suki�s haunts. �
�� By the time he was through, there was only one room left
to check. Andrew was partially afraid of what he would find; he hadn�t thought
of it earlier because the room could get so damn cold in the winter and Alex
knew to avoid cold places since it wasn�t good for him. In retrospect, though,
it probably should have been the room on the top of Andrew�s list since in he
summer it was a room where Suki and the twins spent so much time in. If, as he
suspected, the twins had latched onto Sasuke as a surrogate for their mother
the little indoor patio would be the logical place for them to take the
teenager should they be the ones masterminding his current outing. Flicking the
light switch as he passed it, Andrew turned the final corner in the illuminated
hallway and nearly ran into the trio he had been hunting for as they came
around the same corner.
Flanked
by the twins, Sasuke, right hand covering his eyes, was frowning as he stood
before Andrew.� The teenager was favoring
his left leg with most of his weight on balanced on his right and looked ready
to fall over at any second. Beside him, the twins were also shielding their
eyes and whining.
�It�s
so bright!� Brian said, rubbing at his eyes while Alex, palms pressed to his
eyelids, nodded vigorously in agreement.
�I�ve
been looking everywhere for you!� Andrew said, not bothering to hide his
irritation. �All three of you.�
Brian
and Alex moved to hide behind Sasuke, looking out at their father from the
safety of the teenager�s legs.
�I
can�t believe you two!� The adult blonde continued, his earlier anger coming
back with a vengeance as he spotted the open door to Suki�s patio. He�d been
right; they had been in that room and the air wafting from it made him shiver
with cold. �I told you to leave Sasuke alone! I told you he was sick! You can�t
just go gallivanting off with him like he�s some sort of new toy or a pet! Both
of you two, go to you�re room right this instant and don�t move from there unless
you are specifically told to do so! I mean it, not a toe outside that door, gentlemen. Both of you are grounded!
Honestly, Brian, I thought you at least would have more sense than to let your
brother play in a freezing cold room!�
He
immediately wanted to take the last back as Brian looked at the floor, the
boy�s lower lip trembling. Next to the raven haired child, Alex, though openly
crying, was glaring defiantly up at his father. Dismayed but knowing he had to
lay down the law, Andrew remained firm and crossed his arms over his chest.
�I�m
waiting.� He growled, pointedly tapping his slipper clad foot.
�As
am I.� The new voice startled Andrew and the blonde jumped slightly as he
realized that Sasuke was the one who had spoken. The teenager covered his mouth
and coughed briefly before taking a slow step forward, invading the tall
blonde�s personal space and forcing the latter to back up. �I am very hungry
and I am tired of standing in this hall way unable to see. Stop screaming at
your kits for doing something they believe in and get out of the way so we can
find the kitchen.�
�Kyuubi!�
Brian scolded sternly, or at least as sternly as a crying child could. �Don�t
yell at Dad! We were bad so he has a right to be angry! C�mon Alex, we gotta go
to our room.�
�You
spoke.� Andrew said, surprised. Most coma patients did not wake up with their
language skills intact, even those who were spoken to constantly while they
were �asleep.� �Kyuubi? I thought you said your name was Sasuke?� Andrew looked
at the teenager, really looked at him, and forced himself to frown at the
outfit even though all he wanted to do was smile at the T-shirt�s wording: �I
but the fun in dysfunctional!� �Are those your mother�s pajamas?�
�It
is a long story.� Sasuke said before the kids could respond, still holding a
hand over his eyes. The brunette shifted slightly and grunted as he applied
more weight to his left leg. �If you want answers, they need to stay with us and
I need to eat.�
��Eat?��
Andrew parroted, confused.
The
fingers hiding Sasuke�s eyes spread and one squinting red eye appeared to glare
at Andrew pointedly. �Kitchen, now. Answers, later.�
�Answers, later.� The two words echoed in the blonde�s head, over and over, making him
feel triumphant and excited. Now they were getting somewhere! Now he could find
out where Suki was! �All Andrew had to do
was feed the teenager.
�� Idly, the blonde congratulated himself for deciding to
use the big soup pot.

��Was that leak soup?� Sasuke asked some time
later, the teen eyeing the dregs inside his glass doubtfully. �Initially, the contents had been chunkier and
in a bowl as one would normally eat soup but when it became apparent that the
brunette couldn�t eat properly, everything had been dumped in the blender and
pureed to a more drinkable form. Andrew eyed the darkly molted skin of the
Sasuke�s jaw underneath the sparse shading of stubble and couldn�t completely
repress the guilt that flashed through him.
�Yup!�
Alex answered, happily finishing his own bowl. �Dad�s is the best, right?�
�I
believe I will reserve judgment on that until I can properly render a verdict.�
The teenager drawled around a yawn, easing back in his chair and rubbing a hand
over his slightly distended belly. Sasuke had consumed glass after glass of pureed
soup as well as several cans of chocolate flavored Ensure�, a high calorie
nutrient drink. The company marketed the latter as a meal in can but it had
taken three of said meals to satisfy Sasuke at this one and that was with
Andrew�s soup supplementing it!
�What�s
that mean?� Alex frowned, lips twisting.
�He
means that he couldn�t properly taste it after its trip to the blender.� Andrew
explained patiently, smiling down at his son. �Make sure you drink you�re milk
Brian- you need it so you can grow big and strong.�
�Kyuubi�s
not drinking his!� The little brunette complained, pointing at the other
brunette while eyeing the white liquid with distaste.
�Drink
your milk, Sasuke.�
�I
am Kyuubi.� The teenager glared at him, frowning.
�Drink
your milk, Kyuubi.� Andrew ordered, propping his chin in his hand as his elbow
rested on the table. The blonde suppressed the urge to frown as his eyes
drifted up to land on the bandage covering Sasuke�s head wound, wondering if
this new name was simply temporary after getting smacked in the head or if he
was dealing with a multiple personality patient. The last was somewhat worrying
and already Andrew began to mentally figure out what medications would be
needed and calculating the appropriate dosages for Sasuke�s weight.
He
watched the teenager shoot him a look, the slitted pupils narrowed, as if
sensing that the blonde male was blatantly being patronizing. But �Kyuubi� did
drink the glass of milk in front of him, which in turn made Brian drink his,
and that was all that mattered.
�Are
you done, then?� The adult blonde asked once all of their dishes were empty,
trying and failing to hide his eagerness. Though it could have been for any of
the three at the table in front of him, Andrew was addressing the question
primarily at Kyuubi and, by the way the teenager glanced at him, the brunette
knew it.
He
nodded, slowly, a tongue flicking out to wet chapped lips.
�Boys,
will you please rinse the dishes and put them in the dishwasher?� Andrew asked,
the request anything but. After quick glances between themselves and between
the two elder males, Alex and Brian scrambled down from their high wooden
kitchen chairs and started clearing the table.
Taking
a deep breath to help himself calm down, Andrew let it out slowly before he
began asking questions. �Were you on the plane with my wife?�
�No.�
Kyuubi said with a small shake of his head.
Changing
tactics, Andrew repeated the question with a slight augmentation. �Was Sasuke
on the plane at all with my wife?�

�� At this the teenager smiled,
one dark eyebrow arching upward. �No. None of us were on the plane with your
wife.�
Andrew
had the feeling that Kyuubi was playing with him. Suddenly the suspicion of
multiple personalities became more concrete and the blonde supposed that this
was something he should have expected; there was no limit on how many
personalities could exist within one person but it seemed that, from what
Andrew had seen, Sasuke seemed to be a submissive personality while Kyuubi was
the dominant among however many individuals may be within the brunette�s skull.
�Do any of you know Suki or have known Suki in the past?�
�No.
I do not know this Suki.� Kyuubi said. He tilted his head. �I presume that this
is the name of your wife? How long have you been married?�
�Yes.
Her name is Suki Pryderi and we have been married for ten years.� Andrew
answered knowing that, when negotiating, one had to give a little in order to get a little. �She has been missing
since her plane went down about a month ago. We found Sasuke shortly
afterwards.�
�Hmm.�
Kyuubi�s red eyes disappeared from view for a moment as the teenager closed his
eyes in thought. He put his elbows on the table, clasped his hands together,
and leaned forward slightly to rest his forehead on his intertwined fingers.
�I�ve been meaning to ask about that. How badly damaged was Sasuke? What was
the extent of his injuries when he was fished out of the ocean?�
�If
you know where you were, why don�t you know how hurt you were?� Andrew
countered, slightly angry. If �Kyuubi� knew about being in the ocean, then why
was he denying knowledge about the plane? Unless he had been on a deep sea
fishing trawler (which he hadn�t because none had been in the area- Andrew had
checked), there was no way to get that far out other than by plane.
Blinking
mildly, Kyuubi raised his head enough to rest his cheek carefully on his
fingers. �I put forth considerable effort to heal the more serious wounds
before we hit water. I wish to know if I missed any other imminent threats.�
�Serious
wounds?�
Kyuubi
yawned, not bothering to conceal the action. �Sasuke�s body was nearly torn in
two across his middle and he had lost his left arm from the elbow down. As you
can see, though, he is currently in one piece.�
Andrew
frowned, looking over the teenager with obvious doubt. �No human could survive
that kind of damage, not unless there was immediate surgical intervention. No
one can re-grow body parts.�
�I
can.� The teenager smirked, then yawned again. �I need some sleep.�
�You
haven�t answered my questions.�
�I
have,� Kyuubi said in a neutral tone. �You just do not like the answers.�
Biting
back the urge to scream in frustration, Andrew ground his teeth together,
clenching his jaw until it ached. �What is Sasuke�s full name?�
�Why?�
�� It was the only question the teenager had not answered outright.
This immediately caught Andrew�s attention and made him not let the question
go. If Kyuubi was the dominant personality, it was also more than likely the
protector of the more submissive Sasuke personality. Andrew had asked Kyuubi
questions with no problem until now.
�� Surely Sasuke�s family is out there somewhere looking
for him.� Andrew reasoned gently. Persuasion personified. �As a parent, I don�t
know what I would do if Alex or Brian went missing. It�d kill me not knowing
where they were.�
�� He has no family.� Kyuubi said shortly, eyes narrowed to
slits- a clear warning to drop the subject.
�� I have no family,
Andrew.� But Suki had lied, he had found out as much later.
�� I don�t believe that.� The blonde said, voice full of growing
conviction. �Let Sasuke out to talk to me and I�ll ask him directly. I won�t
believe it until he says it himself.�
�� Kyuubi sneered at him, sitting back in his chair with a
yawn, suddenly relaxed in a way that put Andrew on edge. �You would not believe
it even if he did tell you.�
�� So long as he�s truthful I will.�
�� Well then.� The brunette rolled his shoulders and
scratched at the stubble on the unmarred side of his jaw. �You two just enjoy
your little� chat. I will stay out of it unless you request my presence or agitate
him too much.�
�� If I agitate him too much?� The blonde leaned back in
his chair and folded his arms over his chest. �I just want to ask him a few
simple questions about himself. That shouldn�t be too anxiety inspiring.�
�� Kyuubi closed his eyes but continued to smile. �The fact
that you believe such questions are �simple� shows just how na�ve you are.
Shows how much damage you can do if you are so thoughtless.� The teenager shook
his head, smile bitter. �You will upset him then drug him into mindless
incapacitation as you have been doing, thus undoing all the work I have done,.
Perhaps I will stay put for the time being. Yes,� The teenager drawled, seeing
Andrew�s obvious annoyance and enjoying it. �I think that you will just have to
talk to me for a while longer.�
�What
if I knew when he was upset?� Andrew offered, excited as an idea suddenly
struck him. �If I had some sort of warning, I could ask my questions safely
because I would be able to tell when he was becoming anxious.�
�� Kyuubi blinked at
him, tilting his head as he studied Andrew. �It depends on the method. No
drugs, no electrodes, no needles of any kind, no tags, no collars.�
�� No�tags? Andrew
wondered, briefly puzzled before realizing that the teenager was speaking of
the numbered tags used to mark an animal�s ear. Affronted, Andrew let his
genuine disgust over the idea show openly. �God, no! He�s a human being, for
God�s sake!�
�� This was apparently the correct response because Kyuubi�s
shoulders relaxed as the brunette smiled.�
�� Shuddering visibly over the whole tag affair, Andrew
plowed on. �What about a sticker? A small removable patch that would be placed
over a pulse point with adhesive? Would that be suitable?�
�� Nothing implanted?�
�� Nothing implanted. No drugs of any kind lacing it. No
hidden anything beyond a small chip inside the patch.�
�� Easily removable?�
�� A good tug will pull it right off.�
�� And if we do pull it off?�
�� No repercussions.�
�� And the questions?�
�� Andrew sighed heavily, suddenly weary as the adrenaline
rush left his system. He had to get Sasuke to talk to him! He had to get some
answers that he could work with and that would only happen if Kyuubi backed off
and let the other personality out. �Then you will just have to monitor his
vitals and warn me if it becomes too much for him to handle.�
�� There was a long stretch of silence between them, both
studying the other as they listened to the soft clink of plates as the children
loaded the dishwasher.
�� Fine.� Kyuubi said suddenly. To the blonde�s surprise,
he held out a wrist, offering it. �You have three minutes.�
�� The little bastard had given him a time limit! Shooting
the teen a glare, Andrew nearly fell out of his chair as he tried to stand with
his legs still crossed. Kyuubi raised an eye at him, goading him, and Andrew
realized that he would have to run in order to meet the given deadline since
the device he�d mentioned was in his office on the other side of the house. At
least he had everything here- the blonde didn�t know what he would have done
had everything been at the hospital miles away. �Stay right there! I�ll go get
it, just don�t move.�
�� The blonde practically flew as he ran down the hall,
barely able to avoid careening into hallway furniture or walls as he rushed to
his office to get the promised item and his laptop. On the return trip he
nearly mowed down Frank as the other man came down the last stair of the main
stairway.
�� I need you to
look up anything related to the name �Kyuubi!�� Andrew panted, staying only
long enough to make sure that Frank had heard him. He then jogged toward the
kitchen without another word, already pulling apart the foil packaging
surrounding the little patch as he juggled it and his computer.
Fifteen seconds, fourteen�
�� He skidded as he slowed his rush down the remaining
hallway, and barely managed to pivot through the kitchen doorway safely with
the piece of wax paper the patch was stuck to hanging from his teeth.
�� Ten�. Nine...
�� He stopped abruptly, staring at the scene before him. Brian
and Alex were sitting on the table in front of Kyuubi, the three apparently
finishing a conversation, while Carmen, free once again, slowly slithered up the
older brunette�s leg and onto his lap.
�� You have five seconds remaining.� The teenager reminded
him, seemingly unbothered by the constrictor even as it began to wrap itself
around his upper body. His wrist was still held out in the exact position as
when Andrew had left. �Three.�
�� The blonde practically lunged forward, hurriedly placing
his laptop on the table and snatching the proffered wrist roughly.
�� You are hurting me.� Kyuubi growled, ignoring the
serpent that was now licking the shell of his ear. �Two.�
�� But Andrew was already placing the patch, getting one
edge to stick then peeling the wax paper away, panting as he concentrated on
getting it right the first time since he doubted Kyuubi would allow him a another
try.
�Right
down to the last second.� The teenager closed his eyes, smiling faintly as Andrew
rubbed the wrist he held and smoothed the patch flat, checking for any reaction
between Kyuubi�s skin and the adhesive before finally letting it go.� ��
�Pulling over a chair and slumping down into
it, Andrew let out a relieved sigh as he opened his computer and turned it on.
After typing in his password to log in, the blonde called up the appropriate
program and began filling in the necessary information. He shot an irritated
glare at the teenager who only looked back at him mildly, ignoring Carmen as he
licked one pale temple.
�So
are you a boy kitsune or a girl kitsune?� Alex asked, idly swinging his legs as
they dangled over the table edge.
�I
am kitsune. I am both and I am neither.� Kyuubi said, turning slightly in the
snake�s direction. �I have had a bath already, please stop licking me. I am not
your beloved mistress.�
Andrew�s
fingers froze as he looked over at the teenager who was so calmly addressing
the python. �How did you know that?�
�Know
what?� Kyuubi asked absently, still looking at the snake, apparently in the
middle of a staring match. Narrowed red eyes met unblinking ones as the owner
of the latter opened its mouth and hissed threateningly. The teen growled.
�Bite me and I will bite back.�
�You
know that San Diego
is Suki�s. How did you know that?� Andrew pressed.
�He
told me.� The teenager said simply, freeing one hand to stroke the underside of
the now calm snake. �He thought that I was your wife. He says that Sasuke and
Suki smell the same. He misses her as much as you do and so he came to
investigate.�
Kyuubi
turned to look at Andrew then as he continued to pet the serpent, stroking its
head or whatever other body part the snake pushed against his fingers.
Andrew
compressed his lips into an angry line and turned back to his computer screen,
punching the keys with more force than was perhaps necessary.
�How
can you be both? You�re in Sasuke, right, so doesn�t that automatically make
you a boy since Sasuke�s a boy?� Brian asked, returning to the previous
discussion now that his father was preoccupied. He tilted his head to the side
as he sat Indian fashion on the table.
�How
many tails do you have?� Alex asked suddenly, clearly excited and already
moving on to another topic. �Mom said that kitsunes have tails so how many do
you have.�
�Nine.�
Kyuubi answered, watching the child practically bounce in his seat. He turned
to Brian who had been waited patiently for an answer to his question. �Sasuke
is male, yes, but I am not him nor am I human. If I was in my own body, I would
be able to both father children or carry them to term.�
Brian
frowned, eyebrows knitting together as he tried to figure out Kyuubi�s answer.
The boy�s mouth opened, clearly ready to pursue the issue, but Andrew cut in.
�I
think that�s enough for now!� The blonde said loudly, irritated at the faint
blush dusting his cheeks. �That
particular talk you will have with me and your mother later and I would
appreciate it if you, Kyuubi, did not say anything further on the subject!�
The
teenager shrugged and nodded, unperturbed by the request. �As you wish. I will
direct them your way should they ask anything further about sex.�
�Sex?
You mean how babies are made?� Alex asked, blinking as he looked between the
two adults.
�Yes,
how babies are made.� Kyuubi answered smoothly, then, before Andrew could
interject, �Ask your father for further instructions on the process.� The
twins, naturally, looked at their father expectantly.
�Kyuubi!�
Andrew hissed angrily then tried to think of a way of how to handle the
problem. A stroke of brilliance came to him. �You�re not old enough to know
yet.�
�Mommy
said that having sex with you was how Alex and I were put in her tummy to
grow.� Brian frowned. �Does that mean you have more babies inside you, Daddy?
Is that what Kyuubi meant about being able to carry children?�
�Um,
no.� �Thanks
a lot, Suki darling. This conversation was becoming more and more strange,
giving the situation a surreal quality as Andrew tried to find a way to explain
sex without having to tell all the details.
�Does
that mean you�re not a boy either?� Alex asked suddenly.
He�d
had enough. �I am very, very male and men cannot bare children!� Andrew said
sternly, cheeks heating as he perceived that his masculinity was being
threatened. �You are male! So is your brother and so is Sasuke. He cannot carry children- that�s something only women can
do.� He gave the teenager a pointed look, clearly telling the brunette to drop
the subject completely.
�But
Kyuubi isn�t human.� Alex argued, frowning as he looked between his father and
new playmate. �Sasuke is but Kyuubi isn�t.�
�But
Sasuke�s body is human.� Brian pointed out, folding his arms over his chest as
he thought this through. The twins began to talk amongst themselves,
unconsciously swapping over to their play language as they continued the
discussion.
Kyuubi
smirked at Andrew in amusement, an eyebrow arching as if questioning the
soundness of Andrew�s logic. But he kept his mouth shut and allowed Brian and
Alex to make their own conclusions as his attention suddenly shifted to
something above them all. His eyebrows furrowing, the teenager looked upward at
the ceiling, mouth flattening into a tight line.�
Disaster
averted, Andrew got back to the task at hand. �I�d like to do a quick exam, if
you don�t mind, to get some base line readings� What�s wrong?�
Kyuubi,
looking pained and annoyed, had put his hands up to cover his ears. �My hearing
is sensitive. I can hear things that I have no wish to and cannot speak about
since it is apparently forbidden territory.� The teenager ground out, looking
more and more pained as it shot disgusted looks at the ceiling.
Andrew
blinked, confused. He glanced upward but heard nothing. �You�re room partially
overlaps the space above us. It�s empty so I�m not sure what your problem is.�
�It
is not empty. There is squeaking.� Kyuubi said the last slowly with a meaningful
look that the blonde felt like heat against his skin.
�My
home is rodent free.� Andrew said, annoyed, pointedly looking at Carmen.
Honestly, with a python that may as well have been the reincarnated form of
Houdini roaming around, where on earth would vermin be able to hide?
�I
think that you are very wrong about that.� The teen returned angrily. �I will
need a new room, please. Mine has been tainted and I will not stay in there.�
The
wheels in Andrew�s head began to turn and he smiled slyly. �Tell me what
Sasuke�s full name is.�
Disgust
with the blonde written all over his face, Kyuubi struggled to his feet after
carefully disentangling himself from Carmen. He set the snake on the floor,
bending over in the process with a pained noise. Straightening, the teen
stepped closer to Andrew�s chair, leaning down as if for a kiss and Andrew�s heart
gave a strange lurch until he realized that the brunette was not after his lips
but his ear. �There are members of your household fucking in my room, soiling my bed, and you are still harping about
Sasuke�s name?!�
�You�re
hearing things.� Andrew replied, turning slightly so that he could whisper his
reply in the teenager�s ear, intentionally keeping his voice low. �It�s your
imagination.� He watched as the muscles in the brunette�s jaw worked and clenched,
swearing that he could also hear teeth grinding against one another.
�I
can hear them as well as I can hear someone�s stereo playing some instrumental
piece softly. Piano, I believe.� Kyuubi hissed in the blonde�s ear, each word
having a clear bite to it and warning of how angry the teen was. �I can hear
Aiko fussing in her crib, gearing up to cry. I can hear someone pacing in their
room upstairs, and someone else on this floor typing.� Clear anger faded into
something husky, tone becoming disturbingly teasing and low as warm breath
tickled Andrew�s ear, making him shiver. �I can hear the woman moaning �Hikaru!
Hikaru!� over and over as they rut above us just as clearly as I can hear your
heart beating so fast beneath me.�
With
the last the blonde jerked away and the teen straightened into a relatively
upright position.
�I
am going to sleep for twelve hours.� Kyuubi announced, watching Andrew�s face.
�Do not disturb me during this period. Ask your questions when Sasuke wakes but
stick to our deal or face my wrath.� He began to limp across the kitchen floor
toward the doorway that led further into the depths of the house.
Apparently,
Kyuubi was serious about not returning to his designated room and Andrew shook
his head over the defiant display, already dismissing the teenager�s claims as
figments of his imagination. Hikaru having sex in Sasuke�s room of all places? There was no way his brother-in-law
was that crass!
Then
what Kyuubi had said sunk in. �What do you mean twelve hours?!� Andrew
shouted down the direction Kyuubi had gone. He quickly helped the twins off the
table then ran after the teenager, catching up to the brunette in a second.
Andrew snagged Kyuubi�s elbow and used it to spin the teenager around so they
faced one another. �I can�t wait that long! Why can�t you wake Sasuke up right
now?�
�It
does not work that way!� Kyuubi growled, wobbling slightly in the blonde�s grip
as his voice took on a sleepy edge. �We have to rest and you are just going to
have to wait.�
Andrew
felt himself losing his patience, especially once the teenager began to slump
where he stood. He reminded himself that it was a miracle Sasuke had woken up,
that he had been able to have a coherent conversation with Kyuubi, and that the
teen was alive at all.
Fighting
down the persistent urge to shake the brunette until he got some answers, the
blonde sucked in a breath and held it, mentally counting to ten before letting
it go, and pulled the brunette against him before the latter could hit the
floor. After dipping to the side until he could hook his arm under Kyuubi�s
knees, Andrew straitened, bouncing the teenager slightly to adjust and balance
the brunette�s weight, shifting him until both were comfortable.
Puffing
his cheeks out briefly, the blonde sighed in defeat as Kyuubi became
increasingly lethargic in his arms. He turned and headed back toward the
kitchen. �So why the twelve hour time limit?�
��S
how long it will take to fix�� Kyuubi coughed hard into his right hand and made
a vague body encompassing gesture with his left. Once the fit had passed, the
hand dropped to his chest as the teenager slumped against the blond and began
to snore softly.
�Hey,
is Kyuu-chan alright?� Alex asked as Andrew neared the table. The boy�s anxiety
was momentarily disrupted as he yawned.
��His name is Kyuubi!� Brian said then tried to
continued to speak around the yawn cracking his own small jaws. �You can�t call
him �Kyuu-chan!��
�But
we call Sasuke �Sasu.�� Alex pointed out, pouting. �And he doesn�t mind. What
if we just call Kyuubi �Kyu?��
�Boys!�
Andrew said reproachfully to get their attention. �Kyuubi�s fine. It�s time for
everyone to be in bed anyway. You two go get under the covers and I�ll be there
to tuck you in in a few minutes. Daddy needs to go upstairs for a moment.�
�Bed
time story?� Alex asked hopefully.
Andrew
shot the pair a look. �You two deliberately disobeyed me tonight.� �Stop screaming at your kits for doing
something they believe in�� I�m grounding you for the night- that means no
story.�
��Kay.�
Brian sighed, a tad sulky. He took Alex�s hand and began to lead his brother in
the direction of their bedroom.
As
the pair left, Andrew looked down at the floor, realizing that the python had
disappeared. Again. Frowning since this was yet another problem to deal with
later, the blonde set off for the second floor, forced to navigate the stairs
with more care than was pretty. By the time he made it upstairs, he was panting
and the teenager he held seemed to have doubled in weight. Grumbling in
annoyance, Andrew made a mental note to add another mile to his jogging
regiment and more weight to the bench press for his upper body workout. He was
only thirty two and Andrew thought that it was insulting to be having this much
trouble going up a flight of stairs when Sasuke didn�t even weigh that much!
It
must be because he was tired, the blonde reasoned. That was it; Andrew had had
a very stressful day and it was affecting his physical prowess in a negative
manner.
Satisfied
with this self-deluding logic, the blonde took the left turn off the upper
landing that would lead him back toward Sasuke�s assigned room and the kitchen
below.�
�San Diego!!� Andrew
hissed in alarm, trying not to jostle his cargo as he quickstepped down the
hall after the snake heading straight for Sasuke�s open bedroom doorway. �San Diego get back here!�
He
was trying to be quiet and, for the most part, thought he was doing quite well
but Sasuke was not of the same mind. The teenager gave a low moan, his right
hand suddenly fisting in Andrew�s T-shirt, and the blonde stopped, freezing as
he heard a muffled pop come from inside the brunette.
Down
the hall, Carmen slithered through the open door, disappearing into the
darkness beyond with a flick of his tale.
�Sasuke?�
Andrew asked softly, looking down at the other male. He moved the hand
supporting Sasuke�s shoulders, sliding it down and splaying his fingers against
the teenager�s back. The blonde nearly dropped him when something against his
palm shifted.
Suddenly
fearing broken ribs, Andrew took exaggerated care as he cleared the short
distance separating him from the brunette�s bedroom but just outside the door a
noise from inside the room caught the blonde�s attention.
Was that� a giggle? Andrew�s eyebrows shot into his hairline. No, no it had to be�He heard it again but this time it was followed
by a low masculine rumble.
Sasuke
momentarily forgotten in the wake of this new discovery, Andrew stared at the
door, trying to process the information without actually doing so, trying to
brush it off a coincidence or something logical. Another sound piqued his ear
and the blonde turned toward it automatically, gut suddenly filled with
trepidation as he detected a few distant notes of something by Beethoven or
Bach.
Suki would have known, Andrew thought inanely, feeling his eyes widen as a loud
curse sounded from inside the room in front of him. �
�I�ve
got to go.� It was Hikaru�s voice and suddenly there were footsteps as the man
hurried about. �Aiko�s crying.�
Andrew
could only stare at the door, numb, as Kyuubi�s words came true.
�I can here hear the woman moaning �Hikaru! Hikaru!...�
There
were only two women currently residing inside the predominantly male household,
one of which was asleep in her room.
There
was a sigh in response. �We�ll continue later, Honey?�
A
grunt and the room�s main light flicking on were her only answer. Then the door
was being pulled open and suddenly a surprised Hikaru and incredulous Andrew
were standing face to over an unconscious brunette.
�Jesus!�
Hikaru cried, jumping backwards, startled. �God damn it, Andrew, don�t do shit
like that!� He had a hand on his chest over his heart, his cheeks flushed. His
usually straight hair was mussed, as if someone had grabbed handfuls of it.
�What
are you doing in here?� The blonde asked, pleased that his voice was calm and
normal.
�I
was helping Violet with her duties.� Hikaru said, expression becoming its
normal bland self. �She didn�t want to be alone up here with Sasuke but
surprise, surprise, he wasn�t in here.�
The
sarcasm in his voice was thick enough to walk on.
�Hello
Mr. Pryderi!� Violet greeted cheerfully, moving into view behind the brunette�s
right shoulder. She was busily straightening the bed sheets, her well manicured
hands smoothing the comforter briskly as she went from one side of the bed to
the other. Apart from the wrinkles in her normally pleated skirt, there was
nothing o indicate that anything untoward had been going on.
�I�ve
got to go get Aiko.� Hikaru said as the baby monitor hooked to his belt let out
a wail. Silently, Andrew moved himself and the teenager in his arms out of the
other man�s way, watching as the other brunette turned the corner and descended
the stairs.
�You
found him, I see.� Violet noted, smiling brightly as the blonde came into the
room. She began fluffing the bed pillows.
�Hey
Violet.� Andrew began after a few minutes of watching her work. He shifted the
teenager in his arms, suddenly unwilling to let the pale body touch any section
of the bed. �I�m a little surprised to find you in here at this time of night.
It�s a bit late to be making beds.�
�Well,�
She said, straightening up and frowning at him. �I know but I wanted to tidy up
Sasuke�s room up before I turned in for the night. I hate having work waiting
for me and tomorrow will be busy enough what with all the last minute Christmas
decorations. I didn�t see the harm in lessening my work load but I apologize if
I�ve done something wrong.�
She
looked so damn sincere�
Andrew
smiled at her, relaxing but still not setting Sasuke down. �I�m so glad I
decided to hire you!� He said and watched her blush, clearly pleased. �To be
honest, I�d heard some rather unflattering things about you from other people
but I believe in making my own judgments about people. You work very hard for
such a beautiful young woman! You�re devoted to my family, you help care for my
children and Aiko as if they are your own. I�ve been trying to think up a
better title for your position since you are truly so much more than a maid.�
Violet
ducked her head, flushing darkly as she folded her hands in front of her.
�Th-thank you, Mr. Pryderi! Thank you so much!�
�Please,�
He said, grinning at her, gesturing vaguely with the elbow supporting Sasuke�s
knees. �Call me Andrew! I consider you one of the family!�
�Oh,
Sir! I-�
�And
since you�re family, I think it�s time to let you in on some of the unspoken
rules of this household.� Andrew said with a nod, as if coming to some great
decision. Sakura waited anxiously, eyes bright and expectant. �As you may have
heard, I�m very picky about who I bring into my home. I have young children to
think about, you understand, and with Suki and I trying to have more, well�� he
shrugged his shoulders, the action making Sasuke�s feet bob in the process.
Violet
nodded vigorously in understanding, though Andrew had not missed the brief
tightening around her eyes when he had mentioned plans for future children with
his wife. �I know what you mean Sir. So many women don�t take their duties
seriously and it is usually children who suffer the most for their negligence.�
Andrew
nodded solemnly. �Exactly, Violet. I�m so glad you see my point. It makes me
feel reassured about you being here around my family.� He smiled at her again.
�Now, let me get to those rules I mentioned. They�re small things and maybe a
little silly, but I assure you that they are deal breakers. Unlike the rules
you were given when you were hired, there is no wiggle room. These cannot be
broken under any circumstances. Understood?�
Violet
nodded and Andrew noted that, finally, she looked nervous.
�Again,
they�re silly things, really.� The blonde grimaced in a self depreciating
manner, letting out a small embarrassed laugh with it. �One is that I do not
condone lying. I value honesty, as does my wife, and I am trying to instill
that virtue in my children.�
She
nodded, looking as serious and attentive as he had ever seen her. About time,
in Andrew�s opinion.
�The
second rule is that I will not tolerate any one else�s agenda within my home.
You live here under my roof. You are considered family and, as such, I expect
anyone who works for me to consider my family as their own. Their needs come
before anyone else�s. It�s a bit egocentric, I admit, but along with your
duties you are also being paid for your loyalty. Betrayal is definitely not
something you want to do here and anything that will harm a family member or
this family�s reputation constitutes as betrayal.�
Again
she nodded silently, though she had paled several shades.
Andrew
sighed heavily, shoulders sagging but then he straightened, as if forcing
himself to go on when he�d rather not. �Because of your caring nature,
something I truly value, I feel I cannot stress this last rule enough. Violet,
I�m a prude.�
She
blinked, startled.
�It�s
my puritan heritage catching up to me, I know, but I will not tolerate casual
sexual escapades within my home.� Andrew said in a mock serious tone. �Variety
is the spice of life and all that- fine- but the thought of other people doing
such things on my couch or bed makes
me so sick that I�ll fire any staff
involved on the spot! I can assure you that anyone like that wouldn�t be in my
home for long, family or not, and that they could expect a less than glowing
reference in the future.� He stomped his foot childishly and stuck his nose in
the air but his eyes remained riveted on the pink haired maid to gauge her
reaction. �A relationship between two consenting adults is fine, sex is fine,
but anything like that is to be done in your rooms. The kids grow up fast
enough without getting any help, you know?�
He
grinned and Violet offered a watery one back.
�Hikaru,
despite his age, is not a consenting adult right now.� He continued, all
amusement gone. The blonde pinned the girl with his piercing blue eyes. �As you
may know, he is embroiled in a rather nasty custody battle with Aiko�s mother.
As powerful a man as he is, he�s vulnerable right now and may be seeking
companionship but I promise that it is not long-term
companionship. Anything right now is a fling and I suspect that is how things
will be for a while, especially with Aiko getting so big so fast. She is the
number one girl in his life, anyone else will always take second place.�
�Do
you understand?� Andrew asked slowly, voice low and holding so many things left
unsaid.
Suddenly
looking sickly, never looking away from his stare, Violet nodded once.
Andrew
nodded back, once. �I hate to ruin your good work, but can you turn down the
sheets for me. Sasuke is becoming quite heavy.�
She
blinked slowly, her gaze going to the bed between them. �The sheets��
�Yes.
Can you turn them down, please?� The blonde asked patiently, ignoring the ache
in his arms.
�Oh.�
Then in a horrified voice. �Oh!� Her hands flew to her mouth, her eyes wide as
she stared at the bed. �Mr. Pryderi! I�m so sorry but I just remembered that
Sasuke�s sheets need to be washed! It will take me a while to strip everything
and remake the bed! I�m so sorry, it completely slipped my mind!� She looked
over at him, expression pleading as she whispered out another apology. �I�m so
sorry.�
She
knew he knew and he knew that she knew he knew.
After
a few seconds of silence, Andrew�s face lit up with a laugh. He smiled at her.
�That�s alright! The other guest rooms are all made up right? I�ll just go put
him in one of them. Not a problem, Violet, don�t worry. I know how chaotic
tending to your�duties can be.� He let his smile slip a bit as he lifted Sasuke
higher and headed for the door.
�Have
a peaceful night, Violet.� He tossed quietly over his shoulder, watching dispassionately
as she sunk to the floor, staring blankly at the carpet.
Mouth
set in a grim line, Andrew walked past the stairway and began peeking in the doors
of the other second floor guest rooms.

More�s Moment:
Well,
there we go, another chapter done. I think most of you have already picked up
on how a chat between Sasuke and Andrew are going to go. For those of you
wondering what I�m talking about, go back and read the interaction between
Sasuke and any one after he wakes who is not Brian or Alex. This chapter may
have been a bit boring for some readers (very little SasuNaru, I know) but
there are other characters we have yet to really explore.
So,
Andrew and Kyuubi have officially met and Andrew still hasn�t gotten the
answers he wanted and the answers he did get aren�t the ones he wanted to hear.
And on top of that, the fox making him work for them pretty hard! Kyuubi
doesn�t know Suki but maybe Sasuke does�?
We�ve
also gotten a bit of a glimpse into the behind the scenes dynamics of the house
hold. Hikaru�s banging the maid Violet (or this world�s Sakura) and Andrew
doesn�t want it in his house. It�s hard to say whose side the blonde is on. He
probably doesn�t even know.
This
sounds a bit odd but for those of you who review on a consistent basis (Thank
you so much, btw!) I would like to know which you would prefer for Sasuke�s
wake up, a cute cuddly awakening or something more jarring? Let me know,
please. Happy Tales all!��
- 8
- 9
- 10
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The Banks Of The River Styx