Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Kakashi studied the new students given to him by the academy. They were young and naive, and none had even presented their secondary gender yet, though one could always assume. They all sat in a line facing him while they waited for his first order. Kakashi could feel the eagerness radiating from each one of them, and he was dying to get to know more. He could tell how different they were just from how they sat, and the choice of clothes they wore.

“I think it would be best to start with introductions,” Kakashi said. “Go on and tell me your name, things you want to accomplish, things you like and hate. I can go first, my name is Kakashi Hatake. I have things I want to accomplish, and yes there are things I dislike.”

The three young ninja looked confused from the lack of information their teacher actually gave them. However, the blond ninja was quick to raise his arm up, giddy to have his chance. Kakashi could tell he was the most enthusiastic of the group by far.

“My turn!” His white smile nearly blinded Kakashi. “My name is Naruto Uzumaki. I want to eat all the ramen I can. I also want to become Hokage! I love ramen and Iruka sensei. I hate… well maybe…” As Naruto said this, his blue eyes glanced over the Uchiha quickly, but only just so. “I guess I don’t hate anything really.” He ended his introduction with another smile. Kakashi couldn’t help but grin back under the mask, the kid’s energy was contagious. 

“Well, my name is Sakura Haruno, and-”  The pink-haired girl blurted out next.  She kept her gaze fixated on the dark-haired member of the team. “I love- I mean my dream is-” Another glance was given to the brooding child to her right. Her face flushed while she squealed at whatever dream she conjured up in her mind. “But, I hate Ino-pig,” She yelled as her personality shifted dramatically. Kakashi put his arms up as if he knew who Ino even was. 

All attention was shifted to the last member who sat quietly to the side. Kakashi looked at him with a raised brow, wanting the kid to speak. He already knew who this boy was, but it was still polite to ask. Everyone in the leaf village knew about the Uchiha massacre, and about the only survivor left. It had been such a shame to lose such a prominent and powerful family, words couldn’t quite describe it. One word came to mind, though Kakashi quickly shoved it down.

 “My name is Sasuke Uchiha,” Sasuke kept his stare off to the distance. Kakashi thought his brooding and low voice suited him. “I hate a lot of things,” Sasuke said bitterly, and no one present doubted his claim.

“Well, how about your dreams?” Kakashi asked wanting to lighten the mood. The air around them became heavy. 

“I don’t have dreams, just ambition. I will restore my clan, and I will kill a certain someone.” Sasuke promised as his cold and dark eyes finally looked at Kakashi. The masked man frowned but truthfully had expected no less. The Uchiha were blessed ninjas who possessed demon-like abilities and demon blood. Kakashi felt apprehensive about training such a child, not wanting to train a bloodthirsty creature how to be a better hunter. But, it was better to train him right and have him form bonds to keep him connected to the village. If the wrong hands got power, they always misused it. Kakashi had no doubt that Sasuke would become an Alpha. There was no mistaking it. 

“Sasuke you’re so weird.” Naruto’s voice broke Kakashi’s train of thought. Sakura seemed angered by the blond’s comment, but Sasuke remained still. A breeze came in between them, blowing gently to ease away the tension. Kakashi sighed and whipped out his little orange book. 

“Well training with me starts tomorrow. Until then, I want you to spend more time with each other,” Kakashi said before he disappeared into a cloud of smoke. The children looked surprised by the abruptness of their new leader’s absence but then turned their apprehensive attention to each other.

They all stood up from their seats and examined one another. Sasuke was by far the tallest, and much to Naruto’s displeasure, he found himself the shortest. Sasuke’s scent was already the strongest, clean yet sharp. There was a hint of some smokey spice that reminded Naruto of a campfire on a cold night. 

Sakura steered the conversation right away, praising Sasuke for everything she could. She wrapped her arm around his and started to tug on the Uchiha. Naruto couldn’t get a word in, and if he did, Sakura wouldn’t answer.

“Let’s get lunch together, we can learn more over a good meal.”

Naruto watched his new teammates already making plans without him. He was used to being a third-wheel, being on a squad didn’t seem to be any different. Naruto looked down at his feet, trying not to let his hurt show. Sakura was someone Naruto had tried to befriend multiple times but had nothing to show for it. Why was everything always so easy for Sasuke?

“Naruto has to come too,” Sasuke’s voice demanded. Naruto looked back up surprised that the smug Uchiha even remembered his name. Their eyes met, and something fluttered inside Naruto’s chest. He felt seen and it scared him. It was unfamiliar and weird, so he quickly looked away. He placed his hand on his chest, clutching at his orange jumpsuit. Did Sasuke use some jutsu on him?

“Nah, I have better things to do,” he replied, rushing away before they could get a word in. Naruto could hear Sasuke calling his name, but it went ignored. He jumped down from the balcony, trying to get away. Naruto hated that he already felt out of place on his own team.

Just as his feet were about to touch the ground, a strong grip tugged on his arm and pulled him backward. Naruto let out a startled sound, unfamiliar with being touched by someone that wasn’t Iruka. He turned his head around to see Sasuke. 

“You can’t just leave, we have to get to know each other now. We’re teammates,” Sasuke tried to reason, but Naruto was embarrassed to have been caught so easily. The blond tried to jerk away from the Uchiha, but Sasuke’s grip was strong. Sakura started calling for Sasuke from above, Naruto saw her lean over the railing as she found them with her gaze. It felt embarrassing to have Sasuke hold him so easily. 

“Okay, Okay.” Naruto gave in. “Just let me go already.” 

Sasuke released him but he kept those dark eyes narrowed in on Naruto, daring him to try and take off again. Naruto rubbed his arm, still feeling the phantom grip of Sasuke’s hand. 

They went to a sushi place nearby. Sakura had been the one to suggest it. Sakura sat in the booth beside Sasuke, and Naruto scooted to the other side by himself. He tried to sit opposite Sakura more than Sasuke, but he could still feel the annoying stare from the Uchiha. Naruto felt worried as he looked over the menu, the prices were a little higher than his poor frog wallet was used to. But Sasuke ultimately volunteered to pay, and Naruto decided to repay his kindness by eating as much as he could. 

They had stayed and chatted for another hour or so before deciding to head to their homes. The evening was approaching fast. Sakura had done most of the talking, but Naruto didn’t mind because she even asked him a few things about himself. It was the most she had ever talked to him. Even though it started out rough, Naruto was glad he came.

 Sakura waved goodbye to her new teammates before she ran off in the opposite direction. Naruto looked at Sasuke who began walking on the same path Naruto had to travel to his house.

It felt awkward walking beside the most popular kid from their training school. Naruto had a lot of pent-up hatred for the Uchiha, mostly due to his jealousy of how others flocked to him. He knew Sakura would be more friendly if Sasuke wasn’t on their team. They walked in silence for the most part, but Naruto wasn’t able to handle the quiet for too long.

“I didn’t know you lived so close to my apartment,” Naruto stated.

“Hn,” Sasuke replied if one could have called it a reply. Naruto narrowed his eyes and thought of another way to start a conversation.

“The weather is getting colder,” Naruto said with a little more character in his voice. Sasuke looked up at the sky, and Naruto thought he was going to finally comment, but instead, the raven muttered ‘ hn ’ once more.

At this point Naruto was extremely annoyed, going out of his way to be kind to someone undeserving. He was about to speed up his walking to get away from the emotionless pit that was the Uchiha until he heard words.

“Are you cold?” Sasuke asked with a surprisingly soft voice. Naruto was taken aback by the question but eventually forced out a response.

“Um, not really.” He laughed. “My body temperature has always been really high, and I don’t get cold too often. Iruka always calls me a portable heater,” Naruto joked, and he looked over to see that the Uchiha smiled at his response. It was such a surprise. The blond didn’t even think Sasuke knew how to smile. Something about it brought that flutter back to his chest. Naruto decided to put his dislike for Sasuke away, feeling changed by the sight of emotion. Maybe he wasn’t that bad.

When they came to Naruto’s apartment, he waved goodbye to Sasuke before he walked up the spiral stairs to the second floor. Sasuke nodded back, as he watched Naruto begin his journey up the metal steps. Naruto was happy to be finished with his first day on team 7, and he was excited to tell Iruka all about it. Not too lost in thought, Naruto looked back to see Sasuke walking in the direction they had come from. Naruto stopped for a moment to understand why Sasuke had walked him home if it wasn’t on his way. Naruto watched Sasuke’s retreating form grow smaller until it vanished completely.

“Sasuke is so weird,” Naruto said shaking his head and running to his apartment door.

The next day the team met earlier in the training fields. Naruto and Sakura seemed to be half asleep, but Sasuke appeared collected as usual. Kakashi appeared an hour after the children had, and they announced their displeasure at his lateness. The masked man only offered a pathetic excuse before they began their training. Their objective was to take the silver bells held in Kakashi’s hands. It seemed easy enough, but once Naruto rushed forward to grab them he was thrown to the ground.  

Sasuke took that time to use the stealth he had been working on and disappeared into the woods nearby. Sakura noticed that Sasuke had vanished and went to look for him. Naruto, on the other hand, growled from being thrown and tried to attack head-on again.

Kakashi easily dodged Naruto, and the poor ninja ended up on the ground once more.

 “Come on Naruto, you won’t get a bell that way,” Kakashi said while he read from his book. Naruto’s cheeks heated up and he pushed off the dirt. 

He thought about setting up a rope trap nearby, to lure his teacher into it. The orange ninja got to work, not too far away from Kakashi’s current spot. When Naruto worked with the rope, he became distracted by Sasuke’s sneak attack on Kakashi.

Kakashi blocked Sasuke’s attack just in time, though the teacher seemed surprised.

“Get him Sasuke!” Naruto cheered, moving his body forward in excitement. Unfortunately, Naruto set off his own trap and ended up hanging upside down from a tree. Rope clung to his body, and Naruto swayed back and forth to free himself. 

The blond distracted Sasuke and Kakashi used this as a way to strike back. Sasuke fell harshly into a nearby tree, and then Sakura rushed over to check on the Uchiha’s injuries.

“You guys are pathetic. Looks like we have a lot more training to do before I can even give you the bell test,” Kakashi said as he ran a hand through his hair. Sasuke’s eyes narrowed at the teacher in annoyance, but Sakura seemed happy to put off the test.

“Can someone get me down?” Naruto yelled, still flailing around. Sasuke sighed before he ran over to help the poor ninja out.

The next few months Kakashi spent teaching his squad how to do basics such as chakra control and the like. Sasuke was quick to pick up on everything, and Sakura got it after practicing a little. Naruto was the one who seemed to have problems with the new information and felt embarrassed by being last. 

Sasuke had also presented as an alpha during that month, not that anyone was surprised. Sakura fawned over the Uchiha’s new status and praised him even more, but Naruto was annoyed.

“I’m gonna be an even better alpha than you,” the blond promised, feeling jealous of the Uchiha’s constant high praise. Sakura never said nice things to Naruto as she did to Sasuke. It seemed to put even more distance between them. Naruto couldn’t fathom how he was ever going to catch up to him, but he had to act confident. 

“Hn,” Sasuke replied with a small smirk. Naruto narrowed his eyes at the Uchiha’s cockiness.

“Don’t ‘hn’ me you bastard! One day you’ll realize just how special I am!” Naruto yelled before he took off from the training grounds.

Sasuke watched the blond leave, feeling like he too was done with training that day. Seeing Sasuke leave made Sakura want to leave, and Kakashi was glad. Those three really wore him out. Over the few months that he had trained them, Kakashi learned a lot.

Sasuke was always paying attention to Naruto and Sakura was always paying attention to Sasuke. Naruto didn’t seem particularly interested in Sasuke, but he did get angry when Sasuke received praise. Kakashi held his chin in a thoughtful expression, while he thought about what Naruto’s dynamic would be.

When Kakashi attempted the bell test again, it was obvious how much of a threat Sasuke had become. The Uchiha had seemed to grow stronger and smarter, and it was much more of a challenge for Kakashi this time. He broke out in a sweat trying to fend off each attempt the Uchiha made at him. Naruto hadn’t tried to attack right at the start this time either, which Kakashi was proud of. Though the blond did try a sneak attack, Kakashi had been ready for him. He held the kid close to him and pressed a kunai near his throat.

“What,” Naruto said a little freaked out at his situation.

“If you want your teammate unharmed, surrender to me,” Kakashi said loudly, looking around for movement. He pressed the blade closer and tightened his grip. Naruto made a nervous gasp, clearly unsure if Kakashi would actually cut him or not. 

Sakura was right beside Sasuke in a nearby bush.

“It’s just Naruto, let’s stay hidden and-” Sakura couldn’t finish her sentence because Sasuke left in a hurry. The Uchiha approached the hostage situation with his arms up, and Sakura quickly followed.

“We surrender,” Sasuke said while he looked at Naruto’s questioning expression.

“Sakura?” Kakashi asked while he looked over at the confused girl. Sakura looked lost but nodded her head anyway.

“Great,” The masked teacher said. “You pass.”

Sakura and Naruto let out a surprised response, but Sasuke kept his expression hard. When Kakashi released Naruto only then did the Uchiha’s face soften. Kakashi noticed of course.

“Yes, the most important rule about being a ninja is to never abandon your friends.”

Another month went by and Sakura’s dynamic made itself known. She was a beta, and she seemed very happy with the outcome. In fact, everyone from their training class now had their secondary genders present, all except one. Naruto was starting to think something was wrong with him, which did nothing to help his low self-esteem. He was fourteen years old now, and most dynamics presented themselves earlier. He tried not to let it bother him, but it was just another thing he felt left behind in. 

Today was a day off from ninja training, and Naruto found himself curled up in his bed at home. Despite the fact that he lived with Iruka, the man was never home because of his job. Naruto sighed, and ate some chips as he read a magazine he found the other day.

Within ten minutes Naruto crawled out from under the covers, feeling a little too hot for comfort. He forced his sluggish body to go out to the kitchen for a cold drink to cool off. It was a hassle to even walk that far, but once Naruto opened the fridge door, he let the cold air wash over his body.

“Ugh, I must be sick.” Naruto reasoned with himself. He scooped a cup full of ice cubes and walked back to his room.

The doorbell to the apartment rang before the blond could make it to his bed, however. Naruto groaned loudly but drug his body over to answer the door. Once he opened it, Naruto was too hazed to be shocked to find Sasuke standing before him. The Uchiha didn’t seem as composed as usual, but Naruto didn’t really notice. Sasuke's nose twitched, and his black eyes shifted red.

“Sorry,” Sasuke said with a pained voice. “I came at a bad time.” He said as he tried to walk away.

“Sasuke?” Naruto called after him, but the Uchiha ran down the metal stairs he had climbed. Naruto watched him go, his eyes having trouble keeping up with the speed Sasuke tried to get away. The blond thought the Uchiha was acting strange, but then when hadn’t he? Naruto was happy to go collapse on his bed.

Once Iruka got home, he explained everything to Naruto.

“You’re experiencing your first heat.”, and “You’re an omega.” These were phrases his caretaker kept saying to him. Naruto felt extremely weak, but he understood one thing, and that was he would never be an alpha like Sasuke.

Chapter Text

It had been a very rough week for Naruto, a week he had never mentally prepared for. Iruka was an angel through most of it, bringing him water, and rubbing Naruto’s back when he could. The man even took off work to stay home with him. While Naruto appreciated Iruka looking after him, he found out that there was only so much the man could do. The fever was too hot, his stomach cramps were too much, and everything made him too annoyed. He felt like he was being punished. Naruto could never quite get comfortable, he only ever became exhausted enough to sleep for short spurts at a time.

Iruka gave him the talk once his head was a little less foggy. It felt extremely awkward to have his parent figure explain what sex was. It was a conversation Naruto wished he never heard. It changed the way he saw things, and immediately he wished to retain his childhood innocence. He didn’t want to grow up, not anymore. Being an omega was never something Naruto had dreamt for himself. When Iruka mentioned an alpha’s role during the whole heat situation as if on reflex an image of Sasuke came to mind. Naruto felt upset at himself for thinking about his rival at a time like that. 

“Only an alpha can ease the pain, little one,” Iruka whispered as he laid a cool washcloth on Naruto’s head. “I know it’s not what you want to hear. And it certainly won’t be a thing until you’re older. Not on my watch.”

Naruto rolled his eyes and groaned. As if he had an alpha knocking on his door. No one would want him. And it wasn’t like Naruto wanted anyone either. Though Iruka was right, it wasn’t what Naruto wanted to hear at all. Being cooped up in his bedroom surrounded by clothes and pillows to act as a nest seemed strange to him. But it felt right. His body and mind seemed at war with each other. It was necessary that he had the whole week off. Though Sasuke never had to take a week off for such things, and neither did Sakura. 

Naruto whined lowly when he thought about how much Sasuke might have learned while he was down for the count. How was Naruto supposed to be Sasuke’s rival if he couldn’t even show up to class? How was he supposed to compete with him now?

He had tried to crawl out of bed multiple times, even though his body and mind protested against him. Naruto’s will was stronger than his omega status, or so he thought. Once he had moved to prepare to do some pushups his body collapsed on the floor. Iruka scolded him when he came and found his son out of bed.

It was may have only been a week that passed by, but to Naruto, it felt like a year. The next week he was finally able to rejoin his squad. Sakura and Sasuke had managed to get to the usual meetup spot before him that morning. Sakura waved when she saw Naruto, but Sasuke just stared at him until he turned away, not really acknowledging his arrival. 

“Hey Naruto, heard you’re an omega. You feeling better?” Sakura asked with genuine concern. Naruto wasn’t used to his teammate being so considerate of him, but he was definitely grateful. It was a change he hoped would stick. After his status presented itself he was feeling a little downcast.

“Yeah, thanks, Sakura,” he replied with a weak smile. “I’d rather not talk about it.” Naruto then looked at Sasuke, who he caught staring from the corner of his eye. When their eyes met Sasuke quickly turned his head, but Naruto swore the Uchiha’s face was red.

Kakashi was late as usual, but he was happy to see Naruto back and ready to go. Apparently, the newly presented omega had gotten lucky enough that his heat ended right before a mission. Kakashi had given details on a guarding job in Sunagakure, where they would help a beta woman travel there safely. To Naruto, it sounded like a wonderful adventure compared to his previous week of torture. He was ready for anything, as long as it meant getting out of his cramped apartment.

They met up with the beta merchant once Kakashi gave the full details of their mission. It would easily be a week-long trip, possibly even longer. The beta was a tall and angry-looking woman, but Naruto didn’t feel uncomfortable around her. Her red hair was tied neatly back, and her eyes were always glaring at him in particular. She wasn’t much for conversation, but it wasn’t anything new to team seven, Sasuke had prepared them for such things. The group carried onward, happily taking in life outside of Konoha’s gates. Sakura stayed close to Sasuke, occasionally turning to ask Kakashi questions. Naruto found himself walking a little behind the group, his head continuously filling itself with doubt.

‘Could an omega even become the Hokage? ’ It hadn’t been done before. Naruto couldn’t help but feel a little lost.

Sasuke had been worrying the entire week that Naruto was absent. He showed up each day as restless as ever. He felt the need to move, to get lost in his training just to help his body calm down. But it wasn’t enough. It never felt enough. Worst of all, his Sharingan kept activating, and he was having trouble willing it away. The only other time he felt so out of control was during his ruts. It had been like that the entire week. Sasuke had even injured Kakashi during one of their spar practices. 

Sasuke had been feeling better that morning, but then Naruto came back and Sasuke couldn’t handle it. He felt an uncontrollable urge to check on the omega, to scent him, to make sure he was doing alright, but Sasuke could never act on any of it. He didn’t want his teammate pushing him away. Sasuke couldn’t exactly understand his own desires, so instead of giving the blond a warm greeting this morning, all he could manage was to look away. 

Now, as they were out on their mission, he looked back at Naruto and noticed the change of heart his teammate had. It seemed as if Naruto had been going through confusing emotions as well. Sasuke missed the hyper, and troublemaking blond that made missions worthwhile. He had endured a whole week without Naruto, and he didn’t need to miss out on anymore. Sasuke hadn’t meant to intrude on the omega’s heat, and it sure was embarrassing to think about. The Uchiha wondered if Naruto saw the embarrassing tent that protruded in his pants that day, or if he managed to escape in time. He ran home after he had smelled that forbiddingly sweet smell, and had done shameful acts he would never admit to doing. 

However, when Sasuke saw that Naruto lost his enthusiasm, he knew he’d have to shove what happened aside.

“What’s the matter Naruto, can’t keep up?” Sasuke teased, and he turned his nose up to emphasize his point. Naruto looked at Sasuke for a moment, but he quickly sprang into action. It was always easy to get the blond riled up.

“You wish, Sasuke!” He yelled and he quickly rushed to be right beside the Uchiha. Sasuke smirked that his teasing had worked, but he kept up his fast pace alongside Naruto. The omega had to move his legs faster to maintain the same speed on account of his shorter legs.

The two pushed themselves and even outpaced Kakashi who used to be the lead. Sakura was left behind with the other beta woman, and Sasuke could hear her annoyance in the way she was huffing.  When Sasuke noticed that Naruto’s speed was faltering he realized the omega was growing tired. He didn’t want Naruto to feel inferior so he also slowed his pace.

“Hah,” Naruto said in-between panting. “Tired already, Sasuke?”

“Yeah,” Sasuke said and he slowed down, back to his calm walking speed. When Naruto’s face lit up slightly after the fact, it made his effort worthwhile.

The group had traveled until they came to a small village set up mostly for travelers. Naruto let out a sigh of relief when they entered the inn, and the smell of food hit him hard. He hadn’t eaten much since his heat week, and now his appetite was back with a vengeance. 

“I’m starving!” Naruto shouted, letting out an obnoxiously long moan. Sakura hit him out of embarrassment. Kakashi laughed at him, patting him on the head.

“I’ll go get us rooms, and then we will eat,” Kakashi replied as he ruffled Naruto’s hair. The masked man traveled to the front desk and the beta walked alongside him. Naruto couldn’t help but stare at the strangers who sat freely in the main room. He had never seen so many people from different villages before and it filled him with curiosity.

The inn wasn’t anything impressive, its size wasn’t anything to brag about either. Though after a long day of travel it seemed like heaven. They offered a large buffet-style room that the ninja were eagerly awaiting, along with other specialties included in their stay.

“Guys they have hot springs here!” Naruto excitedly pointed to the sign. Sakura smiled at that, but Sasuke said nothing. The blond smiled wide at the thought of splashing Sasuke and messing up his perfect hair. He rubbed his hands together as he plotted just how to do it. 

“Well, I have some... news.” Kakashi’s voice came from behind the squad. “They only have two rooms available, so now we decide who rooms with who.”

It made sense for Kakashi and Sasuke to be in separate rooms for two reasons. One, they were both alpha’s, and the space seemed tight. The scent of an alpha in each space would provide more protection from all the strangers in the inn. They were less likely to be bothered that way. Two,  the beta merchant felt safer with Kakashi since he was the older and most experienced ninja. She refused to room alone with Kakashi, and so she wanted either Sakura or Naruto in the room with them. Kakashi didn’t want to put Sakura in the same room as Sasuke, because of her intense interest in him, but he didn’t feel comfortable doing that to Naruto either. 

There were only two beds in each room, and so the most reasonable thing was to have the two beta females share a bed. Kakashi couldn’t imagine the beta woman allowing Naruto in her bed. She seemed to dislike the kid for no reason. That left Sasuke and Naruto to their own room. Kakashi looked over the two with wary eyes. He handed the Uchiha the room key with a defeated sigh, knowing there was no other way around it. Naruto didn’t seem too phased by the room assignments, though Kakashi caught the gleam Sasuke had in his eyes.

 “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Kakashi said sternly in Sasuke’s ear. He had been expecting Sasuke to immediately get upset over the comment, but his face remained blank instead. His dark eyes stared at the key that was handed to him, blinking twice before he looked up again. 

“Given that you’re a pervert, it’s not the advice you think it is,” Sasuke finally shot back. 

The group sat down at a low table to eat warm food. The inn provided a pretty wide variety of dishes, much to Naruto’s pleasure. He guzzled down mouthful after mouthful like he hadn’t seen food before. 

“Where are your manners? For an omega, you sure act as you please,” The beta woman said under her breath. Naruto paused his chewing and slumped his posture lower toward the ground. He had forgotten all about his omega status sure, but he didn’t think he had to eat a certain way because of it. The table fell silent.

“Naruto is fine as he is,” Kakashi spoke up for his student. The masked man felt protective of all his squad. He gave a soft look at the omega and the comment seemed to cheer Naruto up. The beta said nothing to retaliate, just huffed and sipped on tea. Naruto noticed Sasuke glaring at the beta merchant from the side. He seemed angrier than he was about it. 

After dinner, the group headed to the hot springs for some relaxation before bed. Naruto ran a little too quickly down the halls toward the spring entrance. It was based on secondary gender, so there were two entrances to get in.

“Sasuke I bet I can swim across the water faster than you!” Naruto said with a cheeky expression, but Sasuke was taken aback by the challenge.

“Naruto, I can’t… you can’t.” Sasuke was trying to be delicate with his words. It was obvious Naruto was a newly presented omega.

“Omegas don’t use the same spring as alphas,” The beta woman said angrily. Naruto looked confused by her comment but realized that he would have to join Sakura and the woman on the left side. The omega's face reddened out of embarrassment for not even thinking about it and he didn’t feel like enjoying the hot spring anymore.

“You know, on second thought  I’m not feeling too well. I think I’ll call it a night,” Naruto said with a forced smile and upbeat tone. “Sasuke can I see the room key?”

“Um, I’ll just come with you. I should probably get to bed too, I don’t want to give you an advantage tomorrow,” Sasuke said trying to bring out the competitive side of Naruto once again, but this time it hadn’t worked. Sasuke walked Naruto to the room in silence, but he kept glancing down at the omega. Naruto’s eyes were a little watery, and it caused Sasuke to speak out once again.

“I know it’s probably hard to adjust to things after your secondary gender presents,” The alpha said with a soft voice. “But you’re still you. Don’t let people change that.”

Naruto looked up into Sasuke’s dark eyes, and he felt conflicted. He had always seen The Uchiha as a rival, but here Sasuke was trying to comfort him. It was nice. Those eyes were so black, Naruto could see his reflection in them. They were the same eyes that appeared in his mind during his heat. Naruto shook his head at all those thoughts. He realized he had been staring at the Uchiha for too long. 

“Thanks,” Naruto said with a quick and playful punch to Sasuke’s arm. He rocked on his heels after he stepped to the side for Sasuke to unlock the door. 

The room was small, but it wasn’t crowded with only the two of them. There was a tiny bathroom off to the side, and two medium size beds in the middle. Sasuke let Naruto pick his bed first, and he went to check the bathroom out of curiosity. There was a large tub hidden within the small bathroom. Sasuke hatched an idea. He put the plug in and started to run water, turning to look back at the blond rolling on the bed. Sasuke knew Naruto had wanted to use the hot springs but opted out due to the circumstances. The hotel had some bath soaps and bubble liquid that the alpha poured into the water. Soon the whole room had a strong floral scent coating everything. 

Naruto, hearing Sasuke running water for so long, popped his head into the bathroom.

“Wow! That looks so nice!”  

“It’s for you,” Sasuke said with and small blush across his face. Naruto couldn’t believe what he had heard, but he didn’t question it. 

“Sasuke is actually a nice guy,” Naruto said loudly as he hugged Sasuke from behind. The alpha’s small blush grew, but he smiled at the feel of Naruto's small arms wrapped around his waist.

Once the water had filled the tub, Sasuke was about to turn to leave the bathroom. Naruto had begun taking his shirt off before the alpha had left, and Sasuke’s face had completely turned red.

“Naruto!” Sasuke yelled. “You can’t just undress in front of me!”

“Why not, it’s just you?” Naruto said with genuine curiosity in his tone. Sasuke’s expression quickly changed from embarrassed to hurt, and he quickly left the bathroom. Naruto didn’t understand why, but he knew he had hurt Sasuke’s feelings.

Naruto fully undressed and slipped underneath the layer of bubbles in the water. He lowered his whole body until only the top of his head was shown. What had he done? Was Sasuke so uncomfortable looking at Naruto’s body? The alpha had sounded pretty stern and it reminded him of the annoying beta woman who always had something to say. Why was everyone trying to control him? He immediately regretted thinking Sasuke was anything like the woman though. It was different but he just didn’t fully understand what that was yet. 

“Hey, Sasuke,” Naruto yelled for Sasuke to hear him in the other room. “I’m sorry.”

“Usuratonkachi,” Sasuke yelled back. 

 When Naruto emerged from the bathroom fully clothed, Sasuke let out a sigh of relief. He gathered his extra clothes and made his move to bathe next. When Sasuke came back out, Naruto was on the bed Sasuke was planning to sleep on. 

“Sasuke,” Naruto said with a very gentle voice. The tone caught Sasuke off guard, and it made his heart sped up a little. “Thank you.”

“W-whatever,” Sasuke said with the ever-present blush that appeared anytime Naruto got too close. 

“You’re the nicest alpha I know,” Naruto said easily while he lay down on Sasuke’s bed. If Sasuke had a tail it would have been wagging uncontrollably.  Sasuke gulped when he saw Naruto’s collarbone reveal itself above the omega’s shirt. 

“I thought you wanted the other bed,” Sasuke said questioningly. His body started to heat up, remembering the way he had jerked off to a similar scene the week before. The smell of Naruto’s heat entered his memory and the omega had no idea. Naruto had no idea what he was doing to him. This felt like a mission on its own. 

A knock was heard on the bedroom door, and it pulled Sasuke out of his panicked thoughts. He opened it up hesitantly to find Kakashi standing in the hall with his book.

“I came to check on you two. Get to bed.” Kakashi said with a stern voice, and Sasuke nodded. When he closed the door, Sasuke didn’t bother getting back in the same bed, instead, he laid down on the empty one. The smell of citrus was strong on the covers from Naruto rolling on them earlier. Sasuke laid back, letting his head rest on the pillow. His whole body felt as stiff as stone. He turned his head to find Naruto looking at him with a smile.

“Thanks for warming up my bed for me,” The omega stuck his tuck out. Sasuke closed his eyes and shook his head. God, rooming with Naruto was a terrible idea.

Chapter Text

Months had passed, bringing the different seasons along with them. Team seven had progressed together more than anyone could have imagined. Sakura had changed, her softness extending past Sasuke. She had begun caring for Naruto, making sure he was always ok during and after each battle. Naruto had also changed. He wasn’t as rash or loud as he was in the beginning. Naruto had taken feedback well and worked on weaknesses in himself. They had worked together and successfully completed many missions. They had all grown, not just physically, but in heart as well.

 Sasuke especially evolved into a more formidable ninja.

Sasuke was now sixteen, the oldest student in the group, and he experienced more pressure than ever. Often in battle, his inner demon blood made its appearance. When his sharingan came out, the enemy knew they were done for. People would instantly know what he was, an Uchiha, and usually, cower before him. And he was naturally gifted in fighting too. Sasuke had never felt so much euphoria before and had never witnessed what his own power could do to another. It felt good to win. The feeling of dominance poured into his system like an addictive drug. He craved it, he chased after it like it was his life mission. His hormones were running rampant with the need to use his teeth, and the urge to let off steam. It never could fully satisfy though. 

Sasuke would always feel an itch under his skin, a flash of his brother would taunt him, and he would snarl at the memory. When the high of winning a fight wore off, he would become nervous and antsy.  His memories felt almost heavier than before, and his frustration showed during conversations. Sasuke had snapped at Kakashi once or twice, enough that the older alpha had been startled by him. His aggression was always the worst whenever Naruto was called elsewhere. The omega’s presence soothed him and kept Sasuke’s demon side at bay. However, at night Sasuke would see the red gaze of his brother and the hatred he felt toward the man. The younger Uchiha couldn't sleep properly, nor was his appetite healthy either. When Kakashi would take them to dinner some nights after a tough mission, Sasuke would just stare at his food with a forlorn expression. 

Naruto noticed before anyone else, and the blond ninja refused to ignore Sasuke's alarming behavior. Sakura was usually the one who sat next to Sasuke, but Naruto beat her to the bar seat beside him this time. A hint of a gleam made its way into the Uchiha's dark eyes, relishing in the fact that Naruto fought to be next to him. Naruto and Sasuke hadn't been as close as the months prior. Because of their dynamics, Sasuke would be called in on different missions where it would be just Kakashi and him. Alphas were indispensable to the village and had a lot of demand to meet. The hidden leaf made sure to work its ninja to the bone. Naruto never left Sasuke’s thoughts though. The omega was becoming more and more of a distraction for the Uchiha, and he didn't know what to do about it. When the alpha went into his ruts, he found them harder to bare each time.

Sasuke noticed that Naruto would sometimes be affected by his pheromones as well. It happened in little ways, but a few times where it wasn’t easily brushed off. There was a time when Naruto’s heat had come earlier because of how potent Sasuke’s aggression had become on a particular mission. The alpha’s scent had been sharp and powerful, overwhelming his teammate to whimper out loud. Naruto’s scent hit the Uchiha like blood in the water. He had never wanted anything so bad. Sasuke’s sharingan had locked on Naruto, and before he could make his move, Kakashi held him back. Sasuke had almost gotten free, but then chains appeared from the ground and Sasuke found himself bound by some Jutsu. He glared up at his sensei, noticing the fear evident in Kakashi’s eyes. Things changed after that. 

 Kakashi didn't really encourage them being so close anymore either, he understood the raging hormones teenagers were plagued with. Kakashi felt protective of his team sure, but he felt a little more protective of Naruto. One-on-ones between the two were rare. They weren't little kids anymore. Sasuke had been trying to give the omega space, allowing him to grow without reminding him of his status, but the distance made him lonely. 

"I bet I can eat more ramen than you," Naruto's voice teased in an endearing way. Sasuke smiled and felt the chill inside his body start to dissipate. Naruto felt like medicine. When Sasuke saw him or sat near him, the dark thoughts quieted. 

"I bet you could," Sasuke replied not denying what the omega said. Sasuke knew firsthand just how much Naruto adored ramen. He knew how much the blond could eat too. Naruto was initially shocked at Sasuke's agreement but then smiled widely. Sasuke just watched the excited omega with a smile, as Naruto ordered the largest bowl for himself and the alpha.

Sakura watched Sasuke's dark eyes light up when Naruto gave him attention. It made her chest hurt, but she couldn't pull away. Seeing the alpha of her dreams smile like that was addicting, and for once she didn't interrupt. Sakura let Naruto work his positive magic on the Uchiha, understanding that Sasuke needed it desperately. Kakashi watched his students from the corner of his eye, book in front of his face. He allowed a little grin underneath his mask at how simple Sasuke really was. Naruto could tame the Uchiha just yet.

When the chef laid the food in front of the ninja Naruto's eyes widened and he hurriedly readied his chopsticks. There was no hesitation, the omega was quick to stuff his face full of noodles despite how hot they were. Sasuke watched Naruto eating and he felt content to analyze his pleasurable expressions. He studied his face, admiring every part of it, from his fluttering eyelashes to his thin neck. Though the smell of miso was heavy in the air, Sasuke's nose caught the deliciously sweet smell of Naruto’s omegan scent. He let out a shaky sigh when he felt a heat beginning to pool in his lower stomach.

"Sasuke," Naruto's voice distracted him from his thoughts, reigning him back to reality. "You need to eat your ramen!" Naruto yelled at him, but it only made the alpha smile more. The Uchiha was about to snap his wooden chopsticks apart and dig in, but Naruto used his own to reach into Sasuke's bowl. The raven watched, hypnotized, as Naruto pulled steamy noodles out of the broth and tried to bring them to Sasuke's mouth.

"Say Ahh," Naruto was serious about the alpha eating, and Sasuke couldn't help but blush at the omega's intentions. In a second the alpha led his mouth to Naruto's pair of Chopsticks and slurped at the noodles. The omega smiled warmly once Sasuke did as he was told. Sakura made a pathetic noise from her mouth as she watched the tough and emotionless Uchiha being fed by Naruto.

 "Good boy," Naruto said the praise as if he were talking to an animal. Sasuke should have felt embarrassed, he knew he should have, but Naruto's attention felt too good at the moment. The raven could only blush and pray that Kakashi wouldn't bring this up in the future.

When dinner was finished, team 7 thanked Kakashi for the meal and went their separate ways. Sasuke had every intention of heading back to the Uchiha manor, but his body moved to follow Naruto. The omega noticed the alpha trailing behind him and he turned around to motion for him to come.

 "You really are like a puppy, Sasuke." Naruto teased. 

"That's not very nice," Sasuke responded back. He didn't want the omega to think of him as a weak creature. He felt a strong urge to make that especially clear to the blond.

"But, I like puppies." Was Naruto's only comment. Sasuke wanted to retaliate again but he sighed softly instead. The two walked in silence in the chilled September air. Sasuke noticed that Naruto had goosebumps on his arms from only wearing a t-shirt in such weather. He removed his black jacket and placed it over the omega's shoulders, acting on impulse before he thought too much about it.

"Oh, sorry I just thought-" Sasuke tried to explain once he realized he acted without asking. Naruto clutched at the fabric and inhaled without any embarrassment. Sasuke’s face heated instead hoping that the omega enjoyed his scent.

"Thanks," Naruto said softly, and Sasuke let out a breath of relief. Blue eyes kept finding their way over to Sasuke's face. This felt good, it felt like old times when Sasuke used to walk Naruto home. The silence between them was fine, Naruto’s presence was enough. The scuffs of his sandals stopped abruptly causing the Uchiha to turn around. "Sasuke, were you mad at me?"

Sasuke was so shocked by the question that he stopped moving entirely. He stared dumbly for a moment. Naruto seemed so small in the Uchiha’s coat. Sasuke took a mental picture, wanting to savor the way he looked for later. It took a few seconds for the question to even register in Sasuke’s mind. Naruto looked everywhere but Sasuke's face feeling embarrassed he had to ask such a thing. He could tell Naruto had been wanting to ask that for a while, and it hurt Sasuke to think about that.

"I've never been mad at you," Sasuke said as if it were an obvious thing. "Why would you ask that?" 

Sasuke watched as Naruto’s face turned more confused by his answer, but confidence started coming back into his eyes. Naruto stared at him, their eyes locking under the setting sun. It tugged on the Uchiha’s heart. "You've been distant for months, and I knew it was my fault somehow."

Ah, Sasuke hadn’t expected Naruto to miss him as he missed the blond. Something bubbled inside his ribcage, a light feeling of hope. But he wasn’t sure what to say back. Sasuke knew what the omega was talking about, but it wasn't anything he or Naruto had control over. Sasuke rubbed the back of his neck and tried to think of the right thing to say. He could always just be honest, couldn't he? There was a fear that stopped him from telling the truth, fear of Naruto hating him for his feelings. Sasuke knew better than anyone how Naruto wasn't the conventional omega. Sasuke wasn’t even sure if Naruto even desired an alpha. If the raven admitted his feelings Naruto might be disgusted and accuse Sasuke of only seeing him as an omega.  Sasuke couldn't afford to have Naruto hate him, honestly, he couldn't live with that outcome.

"I've been thinking a lot and I haven't been able to stop." Sasuke finally confessed, not the full truth but not a lie either. He was surprised he even let that slip from his mouth. "I'm dealing with my past especially, it won't seem to leave me be." Sasuke expected Naruto to prod and poke for more information, or for the blond to get mad at the ambiguous response.

Sasuke was taken aback when Naruto rushed over to him and embraced him in a tight hug instead. He felt the warmth radiating from the little omega, heat seeping into his body. Naruto's scent was so strong in his nose, and for the first time, Sasuke let a little self-control go. He brought his nose down to the soft yet wild strands of blond hair and inhaled deeply.

"You don't have to be sad all alone. I know we’ve had our differences, and I haven’t always been appreciative of you. But having more time away from you made me realize something.” Sasuke swallowed, as Naruto continued on. “You're my best friend, Sasuke." Naruto's words were like a balm to the ache inside the alpha's body, and Sasuke tightened the hug. If there was one thing Sasuke was sure of, he knew he would do whatever this omega asked of him.

Winter had come and forced all Konoha's citizens to dress warmer than ever. Naruto found himself layering his body with coats just to keep Iruka happy. The ground underneath his feet was crunchy with snow and it brought the inner child out of Naruto. Lately, Naruto felt uneasy about the future. It was like he knew something bad would be coming, but he had no idea what. He’d been having dreams of someone leaving him behind. He could see a shadow walking away from him, the figure growing smaller as it gained more distance. Naruto would wake up crying, screaming for the person to come back. Iruka had dark circles under his eyes from being woken up by the blond. He’d always come in to check and make sure Naruto was ok, rubbing his back and helping him get back to sleep.

Naruto walked along the streets, leaving behind his footprints in the snow. He walked to Sasuke's house to check on the Uchiha before training. Naruto huffed out and watched his breath dance in the cold. He kept releasing the warm air to pretend he was a fire-breather like Sasuke.

When the blond came to the gate of the ghost town that was the Uchiha manor, he stopped. The air around him felt even colder than before and an eerie feeling tickled the back of his neck. Naruto had been to Sasuke's house before, but never in the silence of a winter morning. The whole thing seemed haunted, and Naruto swallowed when he heard a crow caw from above. His eyes trailed it as it flew to another crow and huddled against it.

This was once a happy and bustling place, not that Naruto had seen it that way, but he felt it. The Uchiha clan was one of Konoha’s greatest assets. Now, all Naruto could feel were ghosts. He remembered that first day when they introduced themselves. Naruto saw a younger Sasuke in his mind, cold and scary and always alone. Sasuke’s dream was to chase down someone, but Naruto had no clue who that was. He wondered if that would really make the alpha happy. 

A strong, harsh wind blew and brought snow with it, hitting Naruto's face. The omega almost turned around, but quickly shook his head to prove a point. Naruto wasn't afraid, why would he be? Even if trouble waited for him in one of the abandoned homes, he knew Sasuke would save him. Naruto stopped in his tracks and analyzed his first thought. Since when did he rely on the grumpy Uchiha so much?

"Naruto?" A velvet voice called his name, forcing the omega to look to the right. Sasuke stood dressed in thicker clothes as the snow fell around them. It made Sasuke look very beautiful like a painting or something similar.

"I came to fetch you!" Naruto sang and he tried to run toward the raven. Though it was harder to run in the snow than he thought. He watched as Sasuke’s face warmed, the curve of his lips bending into a smile. Sasuke held his arms out to reach for the omega once he noticed Naruto's clumsy movements. Naruto laughed when he landed against Sasuke's chest, not feeling the slightest bit afraid anymore.

"Treating me like a dog again?" Sasuke tsked, as he removed his own scarf and began to wrap it around the omega's exposed neck. Naruto took a deep breath in, wanting to taste the alpha’s comforting scent. He wasn’t embarrassed to do so, Sasuke never brought it up. 

"What else am I supposed to do? I can't keep pets in my apartment," Naruto teased. Sasuke smiled at the blond's words and together they walked towards the training field. It was quiet, but that was alright. Naruto kept inhaling Sasuke’s smell from the scarf, feeling immensely happy with life. Sasuke seemed more on edge, but Naruto didn’t think much of it. The snow had started falling harder than before. Naruto marched ahead, feeling overly excited to start the day, wanting to start a snow fight with his team. He wanted to see how Kakashi would react to getting hit by a snowball. 

Sasuke remained a few steps behind, feeling strangely alert and anxious. The crows were acting up today, their dark feathers blurred as they flew above. Something close by was making the hair stand on the back of his neck, and he hated it. 

It was in the month of December when the snow had fallen to the point where it covered everything. Two ninjas came to Konoha wearing capes with a red cloud pattern, though not an unusual sight for the village. They had a mission that kept them focused, a goal to retrieve a certain omega that held the nine-tailed fox. Itachi looked over his old village with a melancholy feeling that ate away at him, but he didn't show it. Kisame was loud and bold as usual and the fish man walked down the market streets as if he owned them. 

"Your little brother is here, isn't he? Wanna pay him a visit?" Kisame asked while he turned slightly towards Itachi. The Uchiha felt a pang of pain at the mention of his younger brother. He knew there would never be a happy reunion between them, and even though he hadn't seen Sasuke in years he felt his hatred. He couldn’t handle seeing his brother now. 

"We are here for one thing, and one thing only." Itachi reminded his partner. They had to be quick, there was no room for mistakes. "Naruto Uzumaki."

Chapter Text

Training had gone on in a blur for Sasuke. Even when Naruto managed to hit Kakashi in the back of the head with a snowball, it didn’t change Sasuke’s mood. No matter how much he tried, he couldn’t concentrate properly, and the anxiety refused to go away. His instincts would not be ignored. Kakashi caught on to Sasuke’s raised awareness quickly enough. 

“Anything wrong, Sasuke?” 

“No, I don’t think,” the younger alpha replied. He had no real proof anything was amiss. Kakashi stared at him with a raised brow, not believing him. Instead of pressing the Uchiha more, Kakashi ended the training early. They were all about to head home, Sasuke was going to walk with Naruto, but then Kakashi pulled him to the side. Naruto ran on ahead, wrapped in the Uchiha’s scarf. The Uchiha clan symbol waved at him from the fabric as the blond got further away. Sasuke felt his anxiety grow worse, but Kakashi grabbed him by the shoulder. 

“What is going on?”

“Nothing, I just feel on edge today,” Sasuke replied in a sharp tone. He couldn’t see Naruto anymore and his mind was shouting at him to move. He needed to catch up to him. He needed to keep him safe. 

“If your rut is starting you need to cancel the upcoming mission, you know that,” Kakashi said. “You’re no help when you’re that aggressive. Just take time off.”

Sasuke tried to think through his loud thoughts. Was that what was happening? Was his rut close? Sasuke didn’t think that was right, but it made some sense. 

“Yeah, sure whatever,” he agreed. Sasuke would agree with anything if it meant he didn’t have to stand still any longer. If his rut was really starting then it had come early. It wasn’t unheard of, for an omega to throw an alpha’s rut ahead of schedule. Naruto had been with him more recently, so maybe that was it. 

Sasuke fought with himself as he walked away from the training grounds. He wanted to make sure Naruto was safe, but he also knew he had to give the blond space. His whole body thrummed with adrenaline, but maybe it was best to just head back to the manor.

Naruto should have gone straight home. The weather was cold and his nose had been running like a faucet. Iruka would yell at him later for staying out longer than necessary, but Naruto was enjoying it too much. He went the long way home, practically going around the village, taking in all that he could. The world seemed so still, so quiet. Everything was white and beautiful. He rewrapped Sasuke’s scarf over his face when the wind blew against him. 

Crows kept cawing above, more than usual. He looked up, watching them practically dance in the sky. They were intelligent creatures, dark yet beautiful in their own way. They reminded him of Sasuke. Naruto brought his attention back to earth, looking ahead catching an uneasy sight. 

There were two men, clearly alpha, standing in front of him now. The red clouds on their cloaks were unfamiliar to Naruto, but as the shark man moved forward, the pattern became hypnotizing. 

“He’s kinda small isn’t he, Itachi? Hard to believe the nine tails is inside him.”

Naruto took a step back. No one else was around, not a single soul. He had walked away from any hope of rescue. They were talking about him like he wasn’t there. The second stranger stepped forward, lifting his straw hat only slightly. His eyes were red with sharingan, just like… 

Naruto saw the stranger’s eyes widen in surprise, the sharingan locked onto the Uchiha clan symbol on the scarf he wore. This was bad. Naruto went to take another step back, but the shark alpha took two steps forward. 

“Just our luck, that you’d be stupid enough to walk out here alone,” he said showing off all his inhuman teeth. “There’s nowhere to run now, little omega.” As he said this, the man held out his clawed hands, motioning for Naruto to come willingly. He laughed at the blond’s fear, his chuckle a terrible and loud sound. 

“Kisame,” Itachi’s voice was deep and powerful. “Let me handle it.”

The Uchiha came closer, walking in slow calculated strides as if he were unstoppable. Each step thundered inside Naruto like a second heartbeat. For some reason, Naruto couldn’t will his body to move. He couldn’t stop shaking. Itachi was close enough to touch him now. The alpha reached out and picked up the end of the scarf, running his thumb over the symbol. Kisame made an annoying noise from behind, urging the Uchiha to just nab him already. Naruto tried to will his limbs to move, but it was difficult. He had no control over himself.

Naruto watched in horror as Itachi raised his hand. The omega closed his eyes tight, waiting for a fatal blow, or some harsh attack. Instead, Naruto felt a hand run through his hair, tugging on his locks to get a better view of his neck. It was the part of his neck that an alpha would mark. The place where it would hold a mating bite. That got Naruto to open his eyes. 

He tried to fight off the alpha’s grip, afraid that he might be marked by some stranger. That was for someone else, for … for…

“You’re precious to someone aren’t you?” Itachi’s question made Naruto freeze. The alpha let go of his hair. “No mark though, my brother always was too much of a coward.”

After hearing the word brother, Naruto started to put the pieces together. This man, this stranger, was referring to Sasuke. He had to have been. They looked similar enough, but he thought the Uchiha were all dead except for one. Sasuke’s scent was strong on Naruto, he’d been wearing that scarf all day. There was no doubt he smelled Sasuke on him. There was no denying Itachi was an Uchiha. Naruto never could have guessed Sasuke had an older brother, a living older brother. Just when Itachi was about to reach for Naruto’s face, a needle was thrown and implanted right through Itachi’s hand. 

Everyone looked from where the weapon had been thrown. Sasuke was there, sharingan activated and breath uneven. He looked like a wild thing, hair messy and eyes crazed. 

“Don’t you ever touch him,” Sasuke’s voice was low and murderous. There was intent to kill heavy in his tone. His chakra swirled dangerously as if Sasuke were possessed. Naruto felt relieved at the sight of his friend, enough that he finally fell backward into the snow. His legs gave out from under him. 

The shark, Kisame, started to chuckle in delight as Itachi pulled the needle from his hand. Blood splattered against the snow. 

“Looks like your brother found you.”

In the blink of an eye, Sasuke was in front of Naruto, guarding him with his life. Naruto let out a low whimper against his will, tears welling up in his eyes. Sasuke really did always come for him. All Naruto could do was watch. He hated how weak he felt.  The bright light of electric power filled Sasuke’s hand, lighting danced under his control. 

“Long time no see, Sasuke,” Itachi said with a stoic face. Sasuke lunged with a guttural growl. It was a blur of thunder sparks and movement. It was hard to keep track of it all without getting dizzy. The two Uchiha moved in rhythm, the sound of their snarls and kunai clashing scared the crows away. It wasn’t until Itachi had Sasuke by the throat, pressed up against a tree that Naruto could see what was happening. Blood dripped down from Sasuke’s lips, he had been cut in several places. Itachi looked untouched. Naruto needed to help, to do something. The sight of Sasuke’s blood helped him get back on his feet, but Kisame started to run at him. Everything was happening in slow motion. Naruto pulled out a kunai, fighting stance ready, though he knew he stood no real chance against this alpha.

Sasuke yelled his name. It was the most hair-raising, disturbed sound Naruto had ever heard. Sasuke was afraid, afraid for him. Naruto had never imagined Sasuke could even feel fear. He was always unstoppable. 

Just before Kisame reached him, Kakashi had jumped in front. There were two other ninja from the hidden leaf that surrounded Naruto. 

“It’s all right, Naruto,” Kakashi’s voice sounded strained. “We made it in time.”

Itachi could have never imagined he would be this unlucky, but of course, he was. The omega before him was covered in his brother’s scent. While there was no mark on his neck, Itachi chalked it up to them being too young to reach that step. There was no doubt, this omega was Sasuke’s. He tried to think, to think of some excuse for Naruto to run free without Kisame realizing his change of heart. He might have had his hands tied when he caused the massacre of Uchiha blood, but this would be different. Itachi knew his brother was strong, the fact that he lived on in spite of the pain Itachi had caused proved that. However, Itachi couldn’t take this omega from him, that seemed too cruel.

Itachi was just about to reach out when a needle burst through his hand. There standing a few feet away was his beloved brother. Sasuke looked like a true alpha, like he had grown wonderfully despite everything. Itachi had to hold back a smile at the sight of him. 

“Don’t you ever touch him!”

Itachi was startled at how his baby brothered sounded. He had been right in thinking Sasuke had already claimed this omega as his, even if his mark wasn’t there. When Uchiha bonded, they bonded for life. If anything happened to Naruto, Itachi knew Sasuke would never get the chance to revive the clan. 

Sasuke moved fast, faster than Itachi had been expecting. He put himself in between Itachi and Naruto, his sharingan glowed with hatred. The demon blood of their ancestors was strong in Sasuke. He’d learned a few new moves, and Itachi found himself barely escaping an attack as Sasuke lunged forward with no hesitation. He fought well, Sasuke had grown so much since his brother had last seen him. There was no doubt that with time, the younger Uchiha could be phenomenal. 

Alas, Itachi still came out on top. He pinned his brother to a tree trunk, playing the role he was supposed to play. 

“You’re not strong enough, Sasuke.” Itachi was close to his ear, whispering things that would set the young Uchiha’s blood ablaze. “That omega of yours, how do you expect to keep him safe if you can’t even beat me? Anyone could take him away. He was out by himself, vulnerable, and easy to get to. Some alpha you are. ”

Sasuke's breath caught, and he choked on air as he slumped back into the tree. Itachi had got to him, maybe a bit too well. Itachi could see the panic in his brother’s eyes. He could see the intense fear he never witnessed from Sasuke before. He released some hold on his brother, but it didn’t seem to help. Sasuke’s breathing had gotten worse, the young alpha practically panting as panic shook through him. 

His attention turned toward the right and that was when Sasuke screamed. Itachi turned his attention to where Sasuke was staring, wide-eyed and pale. Kisame was charging at Naruto, the fool. Itachi grit his teeth, cursing his partner for doing something so rash. All of a sudden, ninja appeared guarding the omega against Kisame. Itachi let out a sigh, letting Sasuke go. He wasn’t surprised to see his brother rush over to Naruto, disappearing with the boy in his arms, and heading back to the village. 

“Kisame,” Itachi’s voice was stern. “It’s time to go.”

The cold wind felt like a slap in the face. Naruto was being held by Sasuke, and the young Uchiha was moving faster than Naruto thought possible. He felt shaken by the whole ordeal, sure, but Sasuke’s whole body was physically shivering. There was blood on the alpha’s face, and his sharingan spun around in a frenzy. 

“Sasuke, it’s ok, you can let me down,” Naruto tried to wiggle free. He pressed his hand against the raven’s chest, but Sasuke wasn’t budging. The alpha growled, low and demonic, warning Naruto to keep still. It wasn’t until Naruto was on the balcony of his apartment that Sasuke stopped. The alpha refused to put him down, instead, he opened the door, and walked in, carrying Naruto bridal style in his arms. 

Iruka wasn’t home, so the lights were off making Sasuke’s eyes glow even more. 

“Sasuke?” 

The alpha set him down on the couch, Sasuke was shaking as he wrapped a nearby blanket around Naruto as tight as he could. At last, Sasuke sat back down, his breath ragged and uneven. He buried his head in his hands. Naruto’s sight was limited in the dim lighting, but he heard Sasuke sob. 

“Sasuke?” Naruto said his name again, softer than before. He moved closer to the Uchiha, the blanket nearly falling off until Sasuke snatched the edge of it and pulled Naruto into his lap. Sasuke wrapped his arms around Naruto, squeezing him like he hadn’t seen the blond in years. “I’m fine, don’t worry about me. Are you okay?”

“Your door was unlocked.” That was all Sasuke said back. His tone was low and dominating. 

“Er, yeah, I must have forgotten to lock it this morning.”

“You weren’t dressed properly for the weather today.” Again, Sasuke’s tone was low, but the volume slowly started to rise.

Naruto was shocked at what Sasuke was going on about. It sounded so random to him, but he answered the Uchiha nonetheless.

“Well yeah, I–”

“You were wandering out past the boundary of Konoha. Were you trying to get killed!” Sasuke’s low voice turned into an angry snarl. “You do as you please all the time! You’re naive. Do you think Itachi would be swayed by some basic trick or any jutsu you’ve learned here? You could have died! I couldn’t save you! I’m not strong enough.”

Sasuke held him even closer. Naruto let out a strangled noise from the pressure of Sasuke’s grip. He endured it because it was something it seemed the Uchiha needed. Sasuke was still shaking, badly. Naruto pat Sasuke’s back, telling him over and over that he was okay, that they were okay. He even promised that he would be more careful in the future. Time passed by that way.

Iruka came home and found the two like that, Naruto held tight against a bloody and red-eyed Sasuke. Iruka nearly had a heart attack, not understanding what had been going on. It took coaxing, but eventually, Naruto wiggled free from the Uchiha’s grip. He felt guilty when Sasuke’s breathing started to change for the worst. It seemed Sasuke was having a hard time processing seeing his brother again. The omega thought back to the power that radiated off Itachi and shivered. He understood why Sasuke was having a rough time. It also made sense was Sasuke was a little rough around the edges. With a brother like that, Naruto couldn’t imagine living a normal life. 

Iruka started pacing, yelling at someone to tell him what the hell was going on. Naruto explained everything. 

Sasuke walked home that night. The moon was full as it shone down on him. He felt exhausted but tightly wound up at the same time. It was hard to leave Naruto, harder than it had ever been before. Kakashi had appeared at Naruto’s home. He was beaten and bloody, worse than Sasuke had been. Their teacher let out a relieved sigh when he found them safe. Kakashi kept asking him to go on a walk back to the Uchiha manor. Sasuke couldn’t think of anything less appealing than that, but Naruto kept nudging him to go. 

Now, his teacher walked alongside him in silence. This silence wasn’t the same comforting kind he felt with Naruto. This type of silence made Sasuke irritated. If Kakashi hadn’t stopped him, Sasuke would have been with Naruto, he would have walked the blond straight home. This never would have happened. But, even after thinking that, Sasuke knew it wasn’t true. Naruto was a magnet for trouble. Itachi would have found him eventually. His brother's words hadn’t stopped repeating in his head.

Some alpha you are.

Sasuke felt like a failure. He had failed. He wouldn’t fail again.

“I’m so sorry Sasuke, I was wrong,” Kakashi admitted. “About this afternoon. I had no idea Itachi would have shown up.”

“Hn.”

“Naruto will be perfectly safe, we have people watching his home for the rest of the month. There’s no need to worry. You saved him.”

Saved him? Sasuke hadn’t saved him. He couldn’t hold a candle to Itachi’s power. Sasuke let out a frustrated growl. He should be the one watching over his omega now, not some random ninja from the village. But, he knew he wasn’t stronger than Itachi, so there was nothing he could really do. He was at war with himself, getting more worked up than he already was. Kakashi kept talking, but Sasuke couldn’t hear him. All he could hear were the taunting words of his brother.

Naruto had almost died, and it was Sasuke’s fault. Itachi had tried to take someone he loved away from him, again. He felt helpless. He felt like a child. 

They stood out in front of the old arch, the one at the entrance of the abandoned Uchiha district. Kakashi put his hand on Sasuke’s shoulder, but the young alpha slapped his arm away. 

“I’ve learned all I can from you,” Sasuke’s anger had come back full force through his tone. “I need to find a different teacher.”

“Sasuke,” Kakashi sounded sad and tired. “You’re stronger than anyone else your age. There was nothing else you could have done. Naruto is safe. Tomorrow is a new day, we’ll pick up your training if you need, more one-on-ones if that’s what you want.”

Sasuke didn’t say anything. Instead, the young Uchiha walked into the darkness beyond the arch. 

He lay in his bed, not bothering to heat up his home. The cold reminded him how weak he was. His demon blood boiled with rage at his weakness. How could he ever achieve his goals the way he was? He thought back to all he had learned here, going over each mission he’d completed. There was a mission last year he’d tagged along with Kakashi for. It had been just the two of them. They were sent to the outskirts of some small village, near Sound, when the two of them had run into someone unexpected. There was a ninja so powerful, Sasuke felt frozen in his presence. Orochimaru. 

Sasuke knew he was infamous, but he offered to teach Sasuke for a price. Kakashi had talked his ear off after, telling him how much of a bad idea it was to seek out someone like Orochimaru. But now, staying here, growing delusional and weak seemed worse. He couldn’t surpass his brother here. Not when there wasn’t any ninja in Konoha who could take on Itachi. 

Sasuke was so lost in his thoughts, that he hadn’t realized he’d been moving. He had traveled to Naruto’s street without even realizing he left his bed. He clenched his fists together as he stared up at the blond’s window. Naruto was his, and he was tired of pretending he wasn’t. Sasuke climbed the wall with ease, crouching down by Naruto’s window. He tapped it twice, listening for Naruto’s sleepy voice to grumble from the other side of the glass. Just when Naruto was about to answer, a kunai was thrown and nearly missed Sasuke’s leg. 

The Uchiha glared at his attacker, seething when he realized it was someone behind an Anbu mask. 

“No visitors I’m afraid. No Uchiha for certain,” the masked ninja said. Sasuke growled at that, like some stranger had any right to keep them apart. Naruto opened his window then, surprised to see Sasuke on the other side.

“Sasuke?” 

“Leave, Uchiha,” the Anbu demanded. 

“Sasuke is my friend,” Naruto explained, moving to the side to usher the alpha in. “I say he can stay.” As he said this, the blond stuck his tongue out at the masked stranger. Sasuke crawled through the window with ease. Before Sasuke rolled down the curtain he turned toward the Anbu ninja and made a vulgar gesture with his hand. 

Just as the curtain covered them from watching eyes, Naruto pressed himself against Sasuke in a hug. It was just the two of them, their scents mingled together like they were made to. Sasuke kept him pressed tight against him. 

“I tried to sleep, but I can’t,” Naruto admitted. That broke Sasuke even more. 

“It’s Itachi, isn’t it?”

Naruto nodded his head. Sasuke cursed out loud at that. Damn his brother. The younger Uchiha pulled away, just so he could lean down and look into Naruto’s eyes. 

“You won’t have to worry about him, I’ll handle it, I promise. I’m going to get stronger.”

Naruto shook his head at Sasuke’s claim. He pressed his hand over Sasuke’s heart. 

“No, let someone else worry about him. He’s too dangerous,” Naruto said. “I’ll get stronger so I won’t have to rely on anyone else.”

“You can rely on me,” Sasuke said desperation in his voice. “You can always rely on me. I said I’ll handle it. No one else can.”

Naruto shook his head again, this time it angered Sasuke. He had still been on edge from everything that had happened, and now, his omega was telling him he didn’t want his help. His ego was crushed. A dark shadow covered Sasuke’s eyes, his lips turned into a tight line on his stoic face. 

“Who will you rely on then?” Sasuke’s voice was bitter. He didn’t feel like playing along. They weren’t kids anymore. He was so angry at himself for failing, that he became angry at Naruto. The alpha in him longed to put his omega in his place because he knew it would keep him safe.“Neji? Shikamaru? You think they can protect you better than I can?”

“Stop it Sasuke, that’s not what I mean. I just don’t want to see you get hurt. You were shaking so badly. It scared me. I’ll get stronger. I’ll protect myself so no one will have to.” 

Sasuke should have stopped there, he knew he should have let it go, but he felt out of control. He’d been pushed to the edge and there was no going back. His emotions were all over the place. He almost lost his most precious person only hours ago.

“You’re an omega Naruto. What do you expect to do?”

Naruto took a sharp inhale, taken aback by Sasuke’s bold statement. It hurt, but Naruto couldn’t refute it. 

“Yeah, I’m just an omega right?” Naruto said, clearly hurt. “So who cares what happens to me? I’ll never mate with anyone, I’ll never pop out some alpha’s babies. Who cares if Itachi kills me!”

Sasuke reached for him before he could shout out anymore. He wrapped his arms around Naruto’s body, bringing his mouth to the omega’s neck. His breath ghosted over Naruto’s unmarked skin. He wanted to bite down so badly. Instead, he brought out his tongue and let it swipe slowly across Naruto’s neck. 

The omega shivered in his arms, his body instantly heating up. Naruto started to pant, tilting his head to the side to give Sasuke more room. Naruto gave no indication that he would fight Sasuke off. Not even if Sasuke sunk his teeth into him.

“I care what happens to you, Naruto. I care so much I can’t stand it,” Sasuke pressed a kiss to the omega’s neck, earning a soft whimper from Naruto’s lips. “You will mate with me, you’ll have my children.”

Naruto said his name softly, chanting Sasuke over and over, grabbing his shirt in fistfuls.

“You will, Naruto,” Sasuke said sternly, he pulled away. Letting the warmth built up between them wash away. 

“And I’ll do my part. I’ll get stronger, so wait for me.”

Naruto’s eyes were still hazy with desire, but he caught on to the last part. Sasuke moved to leave, he opened the window back up, preparing to leave.

“Why does it feel like you’re saying goodbye?” Naruto asked. 

“It's not a goodbye, not when I'll come back to you,” Sasuke promised. 

“Sasuke,” Naruto’s voice sounded scared, but the alpha had already jumped out the window and landed on the street below. The ninja watching Naruto’s home watched Sasuke, but the Uchiha only walked away.

Naruto watched with heated skin as Sasuke walked away from him. He brought his hand up and placed it where Sasuke had kissed him. His whole body felt like it was on fire from Sasuke’s attention. Naruto had never felt anything like that before. He wanted to be pissed at Sasuke’s asshole-ish alpha behavior, but Naruto couldn’t deny the effect it had on him. 

He would just have to get back at Sasuke tomorrow. All would be well. He hoped.

Chapter Text

Naruto rolled out of bed earlier than usual. He hadn’t slept well at all, and he had grown tired of just lying still. All night he replayed Sasuke’s visit in his mind while staring at the ceiling. Naruto never felt in touch with his inner omega at all, but Sasuke brought it out of him so easily. His skin still felt heated from the memory. For the first time, Naruto felt happy he presented as an omega, especially if it meant Sasuke desired him. Naruto shook his head at that thought, coming back to reality. He was still pissed at the way the Uchiha had acted. 

Naruto walked to the kitchen to nab a glass of water, desperately wanting to cool down. He took a couple of sips, but it wasn’t cooling him like he needed. Without warning, Naruto dropped his drink, shards of glass shattering all over the kitchen floor. Iruka rushed out of his room then, calling his name. Naruto’s vision began to blur, and the fever grew worse.

Iruka caught him before he could fall. All of the blond’s body weight pressed against his caretaker, unable to sit up even a little. Naruto’s heat had come earlier than expected, and it was worse than usual. Iruka tucked him back in bed, bringing in extra pillows and blankets for the omega. Naruto whined with pain, he felt like he would burn up to ash this time. More than anything, he just wanted Sasuke. He was only fifteen though, still too young to do anything like that. Naruto knew it was ridiculous to sneak the alpha past Iruka, but the thought of his friend comforted him. In fact, Naruto was sure that his moments with Sasuke from last night had triggered his heat early. 

Naruto clenched his teeth as a wave of pain rolled through his stomach. Now, Naruto was really pissed at Sasuke. He thought about his plans of revenge to get back at the alpha. 

There was a knock on the door, one that woke Naruto up from his dazed nap. Iruka answered, and the two voices were muffled from behind the blond’s bedroom door. Still, Naruto recognized the voice as Kakashi. He sat up, wincing with pain and fatigue as he pressed his ear to the wall to listen better. 

“We can’t find him, I thought maybe he’d have come here-”

“No way, Naruto’s heat came early. I wouldn’t let any of his alpha friends anywhere near him now,” Iruka’s voice was easy to hear, since he was yelling at the masked man. 

“It’s Sasuke,” Kakashi said with a sigh, “If he wanted to come here, he would, despite any order from you. He’s been really pushing the boundaries, he’s at that age. If he’s not here… I”

Naruto slumped against the wall, pressing into the hard, cold boundary to listen better. He got the gist of it okay, Kakashi couldn’t find Sasuke. Naruto’s first thought was that Kakashi had just been lazy in his search, but then he heard Sakura’s panicked voice next. 

“Is he here?” She was sobbing loud enough that Naruto made out every word perfectly. Naruto felt his heart flutter with anxiety, but he tried to calm down. Sasuke had been with him just last night. 

Last night–

Naruto started to breathe heavily when he thought about what Sasuke had really been saying. He pushed himself up by willpower alone, barging out of his bedroom door in his orange pj’s that stuck to his sweaty skin. 

“Did you check the Uchiha manor?” 

“Naruto! Get back in bed,” Iruka yelled at him. Naruto came closer to the main entrance, determined to get to the bottom of it.

“Of course,” Kakashi said.

“We’ve checked everywhere,” Sakura yelled. She had tears running down her face and her eyes looked red and puffy. Her hair was a mess. She must have been crying for hours.

“I saw him last, I dropped him off at the Uchiha district. He was talking about needing a new teacher. I’m just afraid he might have–”

“Sasuke came to see me after that! He was talking and acting weird,” Naruto said. “He kept saying he needed to take care of Itachi.”

That made everyone pay more attention to what Naruto was saying. Iruka was scolding him for implying Sasuke had been over well past dark without his knowledge, but Naruto couldn’t focus on it. Sakura came into the home, rushing over to the omega until she had his shirt gripped in her hands. She pulled him closer. 

“What else did he say?”

“Hey! He needs rest! Don’t yank him like that,” Iruka scolded Sakura, reaching for Naruto himself. Naruto leaned against Iruka panting from a bubbling panic attack inside his chest. Sasuke was really… Sasuke left him?

Sakura was still shouting at him to disclose everything he knew, but Naruto started to feel hopelessly depressed about the whole thing. His inner omega felt frozen in place. His alpha had left him.

“Naruto, did Sasuke say anything else?” Kakashi asked gently. Naruto looked up at his teacher’s worried face. The fever got worse then, nearly making the blond pass out. Iruka placed his cold hand against his forehead, trying to move Naruto back to his room.

“He said he’d come back,” Naruto nearly whispered. “He said he’d come back, once he was strong enough.”

That was all he managed to get out before Iruka rushed him back to his bed.

Naruto lay in the darkness of his room. The clock beside him ticked in an endless rhythm, irking the omega. He knew Kakashi and Sakura were both out looking for Sasuke. It was something Naruto wished he could do, but as Sasuke pointed out. ‘You’re an omega Naruto. What do you expect to do.’ 

All Naruto could do, was lay in self-loathing while his heat took all his energy away. He hoped with everything he was, that they would find Sasuke and bring him back. But, Naruto wasn’t sure if he’d be able to face the alpha just yet. Naruto understood the desire to change, the desire to grow into more, but Sasuke hadn’t been thinking clearly. Had his brother really gotten under his skin that bad?

Naruto would wait out the rest of this week, he would let Kakashi and Sakura handle it. He had to trust them. But it didn’t mean he had to like it. And once it was all over, he would give Sasuke a piece of his mind.

A week later, Naruto rushed to meet with his team in the usual spot, but no one showed. That nervous feeling grew worse. Naruto felt like he had swallowed extra weight, and it had just dropped to his stomach. 

He hurried to Sakura’s home first, hoping to find her. It was always easier to track Sakura down than it was Kakashi. Naruto’s luck started to look up when he found his teammate waiting outside her home. Sakura had her head down, not noticing the blond until he called her name. As soon as she looked up, she jumped at him, pulling him into a tight hug. 

“He’s gone,” Sakura sobbed into his jacket. “Sasuke went to Orochimaru.”

Naruto couldn’t even bring his hands up to console her. He was having trouble breathing. Naruto had a million questions to ask, but he couldn’t think of the right words to ask any. Sakura took his silence as an opportunity to vent more.

“Kakashi found him and tried to bring him back, but he couldn’t. Sasuke’s changed. If only you could have gone with Kakashi! You could have brought him back! Sasuke always listens to you. Now we’ll never see him again.”

It was a lot to process, but Naruto swallowed at the guilt pressed on his shoulders. If he hadn’t had his stupid heat, he could have gone. Naruto believed that he could have brought Sasuke back home. He cursed his body for its weakness.

“It’s all Itachi’s fault. He’s the one Sasuke’s been wanting to kill.”

“But Itachi’s his brother. Sure, he seemed like an asshole, but still.”

“Itachi is the one who wiped out the entire Uchiha clan, all except Sasuke and himself,” a familiar voice chimed in. Both of the ninja turned to see their teacher. Sakura looked at him with hopeful eyes, but Kakashi just shook his head.

“He’s really gone.”

Itachi killed his own family? Naruto couldn’t even fathom that. The hatred that Sasuke had been feeling was deeper than the omega could ever understand. Still. Sasuke should be here, with his friends, with his team, with him. 

“We have to keep searching for him!”

“Naruto, there’s nothing we can do. Orochimaru’s good at hiding. Sasuke will only be able to come back if he chooses.”

“He’ll come back,” Naruto said if only to remind himself. Sasuke had promised he’d come back, he said all Naruto had to do was wait for him. Well, Naruto would do more than wait. He wasn’t going to sit around like some good little omega. No, he was going to grow as a ninja too, if only to knock some sense in his stupid alpha’s head. 

None of them felt like training that day. Instead, Naruto walked home, dragging his feet against the dirt. His mind was going crazy with negative thoughts. Iruka caught sight of him when Naruto neared the Academy. 

“Naruto, let’s grab lunch at your favorite place. You must be starving after this week.” Iruka’s smile and the promise of good food always cheered Naruto up, but not this time. The blond gave his caretaker a quick grin, waving off the offer with a lie. 

“Nah, I just ate. I’m feeling tired so I’ll head home.”

Naruto could feel Iruka’s sad stare on his back as he walked away. It wasn’t a complete lie, Naruto really was feeling exhausted. The idea of his bed seemed like a nice place to crash. A nice place to let himself feel without being seen as emotional. 

When he arrived home, he collapsed on his mattress, putting his head under the pillow as he screamed. At that moment he hated Sasuke for leaving. He hated Sasuke for making Sakura cry, He hated… 

Tears rolled down his face, soaking into the sheets beneath him. They wouldn’t stop. 

3 years later

Naruto sat on the bar stool eagerly awaiting his ramen. He had just finished a mission with Shikamaru and Choji at the Sand village. It hadn’t been a tough mission, but it did have the blond feeling drained. It was always nice to see Gaara though, Naruto smiled at how well his alpha friend had grown. Choji was pounding on the bar, demanding food, and honestly, Naruto couldn’t blame him. His own stomach growled in hunger.

“Calm down, Choji,” Shikamaru said. His hand was pressed against his cheek as he leaned against it. It almost seemed like the alpha wanted to sleep right there. “Do something about him, will you, Naruto?”

But Naruto didn’t have to, because hot bowls of ramen were placed in front of them. The omega’s eyes sparkled as he broke his chopsticks, readying himself for a well-deserved meal. Just as he was about to take his first bite, Sai called his name from behind.

Naruto glared off into the distance, not bothering to turn around. Sai had been a thorn in the blond’s side since he first appeared. A lot had happened in Konoha in the last few years, more than Naruto could have imagined. First, Kakashi had stopped being Naruto and Sakura’s main sensei. Instead, a man with a stoic face named Yamato had become their new leader of sorts. With that new change came Sai. They needed 3 on a team sure, but everyone had started calling him Sasuke’s replacement, and Naruto couldn’t stand that. Sai might have also been an alpha, lacked good communication and boundaries, and had dark features, but that’s where the similarities ended. Naruto missed the old team 7 more than anyone could know.

 Kakashi had spent his time trying to track down Orochimaru and Sasuke. It had been 3 years and Kakashi hadn’t really had any luck. It all felt hopeless, but Naruto had enough hope for all of them. Naruto wasn’t some helpless kid anymore, no. He knew Sasuke was alive and well, growing into a stronger alpha just like he wanted, which was all the better for Naruto since he wanted to kick his ass. Three years was three too many. 

“Naruto-kun, you look so erotic when you eat,” Sai purred.

“Then look away,” Naruto grumbled. He wasn’t about to let Sai ruin his ramen. He took a bite way too big for his mouth, slurping up the noodles not caring how unattractive he was being. No matter how close Sai tried to get, Naruto would never think of him as anything more than a temporary teammate. Sai may be an attractive alpha, but Naruto already had one. His alpha was just being an idiot far far away. 

“You thinking about Sasuke again?” Sai asked so boldly that the omega started to choke on his noodles. Shikamaru started to hit Naruto’s back, sighing at having to help do anything. Shikamaru was impossibly lazy. “I’m right aren’t I?” 

“Go suck a dick, Sai!”

“Oh, I’d love to,” Sai said, and that was the last straw. Naruto turned around and launched himself, trying to land a punch on the alpha’s smug face. They rolled around, but while Naruto was growling and trying to hit him, Sai was laughing and enjoying the attention.

“Knock it off,” Shikamaru grumbled, pinning Sai to the earth with his shadow possession jutsu. Naruto gave Sai the finger before he got back up and turned to eat his ramen. Choji had his chopsticks above Naruto’s bowl, about to steal his food. The omega glared at him, daring him to try. Choji laughed nervously and pulled his arm back to his side.

Naruto went back to eating, slurping up as fast as he could.

“So cruel, Naruto-kun,” Sai said still pinned to the ground. “And I came bearing good news too.”

Naruto rolled his eyes. Sai had a different definition of good news than most people did. Still, Naruto was a curious person. He turned his head around, just slightly to listen to what his teammate had to say. 

“Kakashi found Orochimaru’s hideout.”

That had Naruto’s attention. He jumped up from his seat, his body thrumming with adrenaline. Sai chuckled at the omega’s intense reaction.

“Yamato, Kakashi, and Sakura are out now, trying to bring him back.”

“They went without me?”

“They left yesterday, you were out on a different mission,” Sai answered. Still, even if that was the truth, Naruto felt left out all over again. Sasuke was his teammate too! How could they do something so important without him? Even after 3 years, Naruto felt like he had to sit and do nothing. 

“Don’t look so sad, darling,” Sai’s voice was sympathetic. “Time was of the essence with this mission. You know how fast Orochimaru moves. Kakashi really wished you could have gone.”

“Yeah,” was all Naruto could muster in reply.

After dinner, Naruto sat in his apartment while Iruka talked about his work. It seemed the Academy was full of hyper kids every year. He loved listening to his caretaker talk about his work since he was so passionate about it. Naruto was having a hard time fully focusing though, his mind was elsewhere. He wondered if they had found him this time. He thought about Sasuke in his mind, but as he was before the alpha left. Naruto’s heart danced inside at the idea of seeing him if all went well. Three full years had passed, way more than Naruto expected. How much stronger did Sasuke plan to get?

He moved to his room and looked at himself in the mirror. Naruto had grown taller, though Sasuke probably still had him beat. His blond hair had grown too, and the shade of his eyes seemed lighter. Naruto let out a breath, and did a half turn, staring at himself from behind. The omega had lost his childhood pudge, all lean limbs now. However, his ass still rounded more than he would like. He took off his orange jacket, revealing his black undershirt with the fishnets underneath. The omega turned to glare at his butt again, pinching it with disdain.

“Ahem,” Iruka coughed. Naruto spun around, face red with embarrassment. 

“I-I was just-”

“They’re back.”

Naruto didn’t have to ask Iruka to specify. Instead, Naruto rushed out the door, heart pounding against his ribs. Pulling him forward. 

Naruto ran towards the Hokage’s tower, biting his lip when he noticed a crowd gathered around the main entrance. He pushed his way through, elbowing and squeezing past multiple people until he could get a good view. Kakashi, Sakura, and Yamato were there, clothes and bodies beat up pretty badly, but there in the center of them was a man. His outline was so familiar, but still felt far away. His raven hair held the same spiked shape, and his back faced Naruto with the Uchiha symbol embedded in his clothes. His hands were chained behind his back, and there was a dark cloth covering his eyes. 

Naruto’s mouth hung open, his body unable to move forward. Tsunade came out and demanded that the people leave. There was no show to see, and this was private business. Naruto heard the people around him groan, but he planted his feet firmly on the ground. He would not leave.

Naruto pushed forward when he saw them try to retreat into the Hokage building. Kakashi noticed him and held the door open, but his face was anything but excited. Yamato and the others moved along, taking Sasuke down the hall, near the main office. Kakashi held him back before Naruto could follow after.

“Kakashi, I’m going,” Naruto said firmly. His sensei looked tired and broken but nodded his head.

“Sasuke’s different. I don’t want you to get false hope. He- he tried to kill Sakura,” Kakashi explained with a pained voice. Naruto couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “We brought him back as a criminal. He’s not the Sasuke you knew.”

Naruto’s body moved forward despite his mind pulling him back. How could Sasuke do something so… It had to be a mistake or a misunderstanding. Kakashi walked along with him. The silence between them felt suffocating. 

The two of them opened the door to Tsunade’s office, and stood behind, watching. Several Anbu surrounded the room, along with jounin that Naruto recognized as other team leaders. Sasuke stood in the center of it all, his hands bound, his eyes covered. Naruto walked around, he needed to see Sasuke’s face. He couldn’t stop himself from moving around the circular room to stare at his lost friend. 

While the eye covering kept his sharingan hidden no doubt, Sasuke’s lips were curved into a smirk. His face was sharper than before and more handsome than when he was a young teen. Tsunade had been barking orders at him, waiting for a single reply, but Sasuke never spoke. 

Instead, the alpha took in a deep breath and then turned his attention directly to Naruto. Even with the covering, Naruto could practically feel Sasuke’s gaze. He burned underneath it. 

Naruto took a step back, his legs grew wobbly from seeing the Uchiha again. Sasuke smiled at him, showing off his sharp canines. 

“It’s been too long, Naruto.”

Chapter Text

Sasuke had been through Hell and back, trapped in a constant state of purgatory. He pushed his body beyond its limit for years, striving for power like it was the only sustainable thing. And he’d gotten it. Sasuke had bled, broken many bones, and survived without sleep when he needed to. The muscles inside him were torn down until he shook each night with pain from overuse. He had forsaken any of life’s comforts, ignoring any soft desire inside himself. When he felt like death would give him some relief, he remembered his goal. Sasuke would never be weak again. Life with Orochimaru had been grueling and more demanding than life in Konoha could ever be. The Hidden leaf village could have never brought him to this point. Sasuke had learned so much, and the ache in his body was easily ignored when he felt the electricity of power flowing through him. And when Orochimaru had served his purpose, well, Sasuke disposed of him. 

It was easy enough, after years of his training. Sasuke had stood over that snake’s body like he should have felt something, but he felt nothing. It rained that day as if the sky wanted to cry because Sasuke couldn’t. There was a sense of loss, but not from Orochimaru’s death. It was more because of lost time. He was 19 now, far from the child he was when he left. He had made himself into what he thought a true Uchiha should be. He wouldn’t regret his decision. Not when he knew, now, there was a real chance he could defeat Itachi. 

Sasuke’s alliance had changed, but he no longer felt any ties to sound, not that he ever did. Orochimaru had never been someone Sasuke had looked up to. He was merely a tool for the Uchiha to use. Sasuke had long lost any attachment to Konoha that he had once had. He had given up any idea that he would be welcomed back with open arms, he knew better than that. Sasuke had become a level-S criminal. Still, there was something inside the leaf village that belonged to him. 

He could look past the abandoned Uchiha manor, the ghosts of his family could stay there, haunting someone else. Sasuke couldn’t even pretend to want that. No, instead, when the pain had become unbearable, or the torture he endured nearly killed him, there was a pair of blue eyes that got him through it all. The same blue eyes that he thought of now, the reason for enduring all he had. Naruto was his, there was no denying it. Though he hadn’t seen his omega in years, it didn’t change anything. The alpha had been through enough alone, ignoring the needs that ate him up inside. Sasuke couldn’t put it off any longer. No alpha could.  Hatred alone could only drive a man so far. 

During his last year of training under Orochimaru, Sasuke found an abandoned cottage not far from a small travel town. It had been so well hidden, he almost missed it. There was a stream nearby that ran along the property like a fence. There were overgrown wildflowers that blew all around the clearing with the breeze. Sasuke made his way inside, finding more dust than anything. Still, it pulled at his heart and a new desire had formed. The alpha kept it a secret, repairing everything in need, cleaning and clearing out the unwanted rubble. He had made it new, made it his own. After training, he would sneak away to this cottage, putting the finishing touches on everything he could. It felt more like a home than the abandoned Uchiha manor ever did. And when he worked, and the fatigue would take over to the point of aching, Sasuke allowed himself to imagine Naruto there, humming along tending to his own work in their home. 

That was what Sasuke was working toward. Their home. The alpha knew Konoha had never been kind to Naruto, so he knew he could convince the blond to leave. Or at least he imagined so. It didn’t matter to Sasuke that he’d been gone for years, his feelings hadn’t changed, they had only grown stronger. Sasuke had spent most of his time alone or in the dark. His sense of morals had eroded from the lack of companionship. All he had to hold onto was the idea of Naruto waiting for him. If his omega had fooled around with someone else while he was away, then Sasuke would end it himself. Naruto belonged to him. 

Sasuke was the only one worthy of Naruto, he was the only alpha that put in the work as he had. Sasuke could protect him now, and he highly doubted anyone from Konoha could come close to his abilities. 

Sasuke had left Orochimaru’s body where it fell, traveling back to his hidden cottage. The rain continued to pour, soaking every part of him down to the bone. Sasuke’s vision started to blur from exhaustion, but he made it to the door, swinging it open and closing it softly behind him. He collapsed in the chair near the fireplace, lighting it with the last of his chakra. Sasuke let out a long sigh, letting his head fall back against the seat. 

His stomach rumbled, but Sasuke was used to ignoring his body. The alpha fell asleep like that for only a moment, feeling more at peace knowing Orochimaru was gone. 

The hushed thud of a log fell into crumbled ash in the fireplace, waking Sasuke from his sleep. His eyes moved to examine the dying fire, but he was startled when he saw Naruto sitting near the hearth. His blue eyes were filled with admiration as he smiled at Sasuke. It made the alpha’s heart dance inside him. His cold blood turned warm and heated his weary body. 

“Naruto,” Sasuke sat up, reaching out for the omega, but the vision of the blond disappeared the more Sasuke awoke. It was nothing more than a lingering dream, but it would be a reality soon. The alpha slumped back against the chair, hand pressed against his chest. The unsteady beating lulled him back to sleep. 

Sasuke knew he had to retrieve Naruto, it was only a matter of how. He knew Konoha would be on guard, as always, and walking up to the gates without a plan was out of the question. He needed to implant himself inside somehow, he needed to get Naruto to come to him, just to make sure the blond still felt the same. 

There was also a matter of retrieving the deed to the Uchiha district. Sasuke didn’t want the Hidden Leaf to own anything that belonged to him. He would retrieve any written ties that the Uchiha and Konoha had. Sasuke knew treaties existed, and even though the two remaining Uchiha were no longer under the Hidden leaf, it wasn’t good to have an old written promise over his head. He would steal the documents, and use them to set fire to the abandoned ruins of his people. He needed to burn it all to ash, so the spirits of his family could rest. Sasuke knew enough, realizing he would have to break into the Hokage tower, but it seemed feasible. It was only a matter of getting in, without slaughtering the entire village. 

He traveled close to Konoha while he thought of a plan. Sasuke realized what he needed to do, he would let himself be captured by Konoha, where they would unknowingly place him right where he needed to be. From there, he would let his plan play out and take his mate far from the village. When Sasuke made it to one of Orochimaru’s old hideouts, the one that was merely a day away from Konoha,  he let a rumor start. 

Sasuke wore a bland disguise, sitting at one of the roadside teashops where ninja often were. He used a shadow clone dressed as another person, so he could make the gossip sound believable. Sasuke sat in the back with his clone, hand holding a cup of tea while he waited for the perfect opportunity. A few ninja from the Hidden leaf entered the shop, and Sasuke’s eye caught the familiar shape of headband. They sat close enough and that’s when Sasuke put his plan to work. 

“Orochimaru’s been spotted near the cave past the waterfall that splits in two,” he lowered his voice, planting the lie so that curious ears could pick it up. Orochimaru was dead of course, but no one knew aside from him. One of the leaf ninja leaned back, taking the bait. 

“That’s not too far from here, I hope he isn’t staying too long,” Sasuke’s clone replied. 

He let that information soak in, setting down the amount of coin for his tea, and leaving the shop to prepare for the next part of his plan. 

Sasuke hurried to the old hideout, burying the uncomfortable memories he had made the last time he’d been here. He waited for the ninja to come, and he was prepared. The next day two familiar faces came to him, the power of his gossip had worked faster than anticipated. Kakashi and Sakura found him, panting from how fast they’d rushed to get there. Sasuke held his breath for a familiar head of blond hair to make his appearance, but Naruto never came. The Uchiha swallowed back the uncomfortable feeling that squeezed at his heart. Naruto hadn’t come for him. That was something Sasuke hadn’t expected. 

Still, Sasuke pushed his emotion to the side, trailing his old teammate and sensei with his eyes. Sakura’s lip quivered, and she looked like she would cry and any moment. Kakashi even seemed stunned to find him here, all these years later. They hadn’t looked that different to him, and for a brief moment, Sasuke wondered if he looked that different to them. 

“Sasuke,” Sakura could help but call his name. She had that same longing in her stare that made the alpha scoff. He sprung to action, summoning lighting under his command, lunging for Sakura’s chest. He knew that was an unforgivable action, but he felt nothing as he nearly made contact with her body. Kakashi intervened, just like Sasuke had planned. He let them think that was all he was capable of, even using his sharingan for dramatic effect. Sakura was stunned, but she still managed to hit him enough to knock him off his feet. He let Kakashi bind his wrists, growling and fighting in a mock effort to seem honest and defeated. There was an odd glint in his teacher’s eye. Sasuke knew he was being studied under it, Kakashi was having a hard time believing that the fight had been so easy. 

“You got lucky,” Sasuke added, reading his mind. “I hadn’t eaten or slept in days. You would have never managed this at my full potential.” It wasn’t a complete lie, Sasuke hadn’t eaten in days. But one thing was for certain, Sasuke could have still taken on both of them without trying too hard. He held back his satisfied smirk, knowing that all his effort paid off. 

They covered his eyes, and drug him along, not bothering to use any small talk. Sasuke acted his part, pulling on his chains, and snarling his displeasure when he felt it necessary. Everything was going according to plan. Though his vision was hindered, Sasuke could still smell and hear what went on around him. They made him walk like some animal, bound and chained. He could feel their apprehension and fear. They feared him as if he were some wild beast they brought out of a storybook. Sasuke was more aware of himself now, he knew about his demon blood and what that meant.

They traveled like that until the familiar scent of his old village filled his nose. They had made it to Konoha. Sasuke knew it was some time in the evening since the air felt cooler than it had before. He had been on this leash for an entire day. 

He heard the sounds of the villagers gasping and gossiping as he was led blindly through the main street. Kakashi and Sakura hadn’t said a word since the fight, and the pressure from their quiet had made the trip uncomfortable. But now, with the number of sounds and smells, Sasuke felt overwhelmed. It had been years since the Uchiha had been around so many people. 

At long last, they stopped, and Sasuke heard a new voice, the fifth Hokage that he hadn’t yet met. He knew Orochimaru had killed the third. She ordered them inside the tower. Sasuke had to hold back his glee with how well everything was shaping up to be. He was led inside, blindly, tugged along by harsh hands. Sasuke didn’t care about the humiliation, he’d be laughing in the end, after all. 

They brought him to a room while the Hokage interrogated him. Sasuke half listened, but then a scent hit his nose and he inhaled as much as he could. He turned his head towards the achingly familiar scent, unable to stop his mouth from grinning. 

“It’s been too long, Naruto.”

Sasuke wished he could see him, but he had to hold his weakened facade. The small gasp that fell from Naruto’s lips energized Sasuke. He felt his whole body vibrate from that sound alone, like it was a shock that traveled down his spine. He dared to turn his body closer but was stopped by Kakashi’s grip. Naruto’s scent vanished after that, leaving Sasuke irritated and on edge.

Sasuke was led to the lowest level of the tower, the air felt heavy and hard to breathe from so far below. They led him along until they forced him to kneel, chaining his cuffs to the floor, and binding the metal witch chakra. Sasuke tugged against them, noting how strong his binds really were. It felt cold, he could feel a strong draft ghosting over his body. With his blindfold on, Sasuke could only assume the space around him. 

“You’ll stay here until your trial. We’ll get all the information we need out of you, so don’t worry about that. Ibiki’s methods are phenomenally horrifying. You’ll get what you deserve Uchiha,” An alpha laughed. Sasuke heard their footsteps leave until a metal door closed after them. He could feel that he was alone now. 

Sasuke tried to stand, but his bindings were too short and inhibited him from standing up. The alpha was forced to stay kneeling until his body would give up and collapse against the hard floor. Sasuke allowed himself to relax, focusing on learning what he could with his available senses. 

Being with Orochimaru, Sasuke had been used to this kind of treatment, and unfortunately for the Hidden Leaf, there wasn’t a bind that Sasuke couldn’t escape from. He let himself go into deep concentration and he fumbled with the chains behind his back. If they thought this could stop him they were wrong. His muscles flexed as he contorted his body at an uncomfortable angle. Sasuke had to test the limit of space he had to work with. It wasn’t much, but he’d been in worse situations. Judging from the lack of length his bindings had, Sasuke assumed he was in a small cell. The only thing he was concerned with was how fatigued he had become. He craved some sort of sustenance, something to get him through the grueling part of his escape. As if a god had been hearing his prayer, the door creaked open, and in wafted a familiar scent that had Sasuke’s mouth salivating.

Naruto had been forced out of the room by Guy and Asuma when Sasuke had acknowledged him. It was stupid really, Sasuke wouldn’t hurt him. Sasuke would never hurt him. It was a truth that Naruto had known and confirmed again by seeing his familiar friend after all this time. Naruto wanted to weep for the Uchiha, seeing him all bound and tied. The blond longed to see Sasuke’s dark eyes, to better understand what emotion the other was feeling. Naruto’s body demanded he return to the alpha’s side, to bare his neck along with other embarrassing omegan needs. 

Naruto forced himself to walk away, to play uninterested just to get Guy off his back. His instincts were hard to fight, but Naruto left the hallway and went back outside. He knew how things would go, Naruto had seen rouge ninja brought to Tsunade before. There were interrogation rooms down below. The thought of Sasuke being tortured had Naruto’s stomach rolling in disgust. 

He had to do something, even if Sasuke had become unstable and a threat to Konoha. Naruto knew he had to help him escape. His ties to the alpha were too hard to ignore. Even after all this time, he couldn’t ignore Sasuke. Even though he wanted to act indifferent, or angry with Sasuke for all he had done, it was impossible. The forgiveness had happened whether Naruto wanted it or not.

Naruto used a shadow clone of himself to head back home, while he disguised himself as Shizune, Tsunade’s main support person. He headed back inside, rushing down to the lower levels hoping to catch which cell they would hold Sasuke in. 

As if fate were on his side, Naruto saw two alpha exit a room. They were talking about Sasuke under their breath, pleased with the dark things to come. They saw Naruto but didn’t question why Shizune came to check on the situation. 

“I'm giving him a sedative to make his tongue a little loose for the interrogation, Lady Tsunade ordered it,” Naruto said, sounding as confident as he could. They merely nodded and carried on up the stairs. There was a limited amount of time to get into the room. Anbu would be guarding the door as soon as Tsunade gave the order. Without a second thought, Naruto ran to the door and slid inside, closing himself in with the S-rank criminal, his alpha.  

He let his disguise fall, once he saw Sasuke knelt down like a fallen king on the floor. Sasuke looked in his direction immediately, his smile revealed his sharp teeth. The white of his fangs glistened in the dim light. 

“Naruto.” He said the omega’s name like it was a prayer. Naruto’s body shivered under the alpha’s call. It was as if time stilled, allowing them this moment of reunion. Naruto’s heart sped up, urging him to move forward. “You love me still, don’t you Naruto?”

The question caught the omega off guard, but only for a moment. Tears started to overflow as he looked at his old companion. It hurt Naruto to see Sasuke like this. His alpha had always been beautiful, but even with the Uchiha’s eyes covered, Naruto could tell Sasuke hadn’t been taking the best care of himself. 

“Why did you have to ruin everything? Why couldn’t you have just stayed!” Naruto argued instead. His voice cracked, and he hated how weak he sounded. “You could have stayed with me. I can’t stand to look at you.”

“Don’t ignore my question. Answer me, Naruto,” Sasuke’s alpha command brought out the truth from Naruto. The omega brought his fists to his side, emotion overflowing in his body. 

“Of course I do. I’m an idiot,” he answered. It felt freeing to say it out loud. Naruto knew there must be something wrong with him to love the Uchiha. Sasuke was a criminal now, there was no happy ending for them.  Sasuke’s mouth curved like a pleased cat. 

“Come here then.”

Naruto did as he was told. He stepped cautiously, making his way until he let himself kneel right in front of the Uchiha. Their knees brushed against each other. Naruto could smell Sasuke’s scent, the scent that had haunted him after all this time. He inhaled greedily like he couldn’t get enough in his lungs. This was his alpha, Naruto knew that no one else could ever be for him. He leaned forward as if some string pulled him into Sasuke, and he brought their mouths together. Sasuke leaned as far as he could, taking control of the kiss. Naruto whimpered into the alpha’s mouth, noticing the heat that started to pool low in his belly. They broke the kiss for a moment, both of them panting heavily as their foreheads touched. Naruto reached up to take off Sasuke’s blindfold and let out a strangled gasp as he was met with worshipful, dark eyes. 

“You’re mine Naruto, I told you I’d come back for you,” Sasuke’s voice was like medicine to that lonely void the omega had been feeling since he left. Naruto leaned closer, bringing his nose to Sasuke’s neck, inhaling deeply. With a shaky sigh, Naruto reached around to help undo the binds, when suddenly he found himself wrapped in Sasuke’s arms. Sasuke had freed himself. Naruto realized Sasuke had been playing weak, there was something the Uchiha was planning. Even though he knew Sasuke wouldn’t hurt him, a twinge of fear tugged on his mind. He feared for his friends in Konoha. He feared for the ninja who would try to get in Sasuke’s way. 

 A warm, wet tongue licked against the sensitive skin of the blond neck, making him whimper out loud. It ignited Naruto’s whole body. It felt right. But still, Naruto needed to keep a clear head. He needed to get Sasuke out of the village and away from his friends. He went to press against the Uchiha’s chest, when sharp fangs met with his skin, piercing through. Sasuke clasped a hand over Naruto’s mouth, keeping his cry of surprise muffled. Sasuke had marked him. Euphoria washed over the omega’s body, making his muscles relax. Naruto couldn’t even bring himself to be mad, not when it felt so right. When Sasuke pulled away, his mouth was red with Naruto’s blood. The alpha’s Sharingan had come out, the eerie glow of his eyes outdid the red droplets that fell from his mouth. Naruto could only stare at him as he reached up to touch the fresh bite. 

“We’re leaving,” Sasuke said with certainty. “We’re going home.”

Chapter Text

Naruto smelled the choking fumes of smoke before he woke. His eyelids felt heavy, as did his body, but he opened them regardless, only to see dark clouds rising to the sky. He saw the gates of Konoha growing smaller in the distance, the crackling sound of rumble falling to the hungry flames on the far right side of town. What was going on? His head felt fuzzy. Naruto felt exhausted like his body was preparing for another terrible heat. Naruto had gone through some intense heats in his life, but he kept track of them religiously. It wasn’t his time, yet the fatigue he was experiencing said otherwise. 

A few seconds later and Naruto realized he was being carried. The arms that held him against a warm and firm chest were unmoveable. It wasn’t a bad feeling, in fact, it felt pleasant. The wind blew through his hair as he moved, soothing the beginning of his fever. Realization flooded him.

“Sasuke,” Naruto said his name softly, like a whisper. Since the blond was pressed against the alpha, Sasuke heard him just fine. They were moving fast, the trees blurred from the speed of Uchiha’s movements. Sasuke had always been fast. Naruto leaned into the alpha’s neck, inhaling the scent the blond had ached for. It all seemed like a dream. 

“Shh,” Sasuke’s low voice soothed him. “You’re alright. We’re going home.”

Home. Naruto let the word sit in his mind for a moment, but ultimately it woke him up. Sasuke was fleeing Konoha after escaping. He wasn’t sure how the alpha had managed it, but he did remember the mating bite Sasuke had given him moments before he blacked out. There was still a faint ache from where the alpha’s fangs had penetrated his skin. Sasuke was his alpha now, though Naruto knew deep down, Sasuke had always been his. There was no denying it. He would have given himself over to Sasuke the night he left if only he asked. Naruto wasn't naive. He had always been sensitive about his neck. All omegas were. He never let anyone get close to him there, but Sasuke had always been the exception. He knew what he wanted, and he’d gotten it. 

Still.

No matter how comfortable it felt to be carried in Sasuke’s arms, anxiety Naruto had started to bubble to the surface. The blond began to push against the firm chest, squirming so Sasuke would let go. It only made the Uchiha hold on tighter. 

“Sasuke! You didn’t hurt any of our friends, right? You didn’t destroy Konoha, right?” The pungent smell of ash had Naruto’s heart racing. Sasuke didn’t answer him immediately, which only made the omega assume the worst. Naruto’s wiggling did nothing to deter Sasuke, so he bit down on the alpha’s neck instead. It wasn’t hard enough to break the skin, but it did send a jolt through the alpha’s body. That got Uchiha’s attention. Sasuke halted in his tracks, clearly surprised by Naruto’s teeth. 

The omega took his opportunity to push away from Sasuke’s arms, only to take a few steps back until he fell on his bottom. Naruto’s legs felt like jelly from just waking up, and the fatigue had stolen any ounce of energy he had. His breathing felt rushed, even though he hadn’t been the one doing the running. Naruto peered up at Sasuke, to find blood splattered on his face. This dark and beautiful alpha was dangerous, a criminal, but Naruto felt no need to fear him. He looked into those wild Sharingan eyes, trying to ask one more time. 

“I need to know that my friends are alright,” Naruto said calmly. Sasuke’s shoulders seemed tense. “And then I’ll go. I’ll go wherever you want to take me. ”

That had Sasuke’s body relaxing slightly. Naruto could now see that Sasuke was close to his rut, and he seemed to be at war with his own instincts. It was dangerous for them to be out here, Naruto knew. He couldn’t even muster enough strength to stand up straight. His own inner needs had to be put on hold until he knew Iruka and the others were alright. 

“I killed seven guards in the Hokage tower. And I set the Uchiha district on fire,” Sasuke said, his voice so nonchalant as if he were explaining the weather. “I had to.”Naruto swallowed at that, none of his friends were on guard duty per se. Still. 

“No one you knew from the academy?” Naruto tried to clarify. Sasuke had gone to school along with all of Naruto’s friends, save for Sai, but Naruto knew Sai wouldn’t have been near the Hokage tower. He could breathe easier once he knew. When Sasuke shook his head, the omega let out a long breath of air. Naruto knew he should mourn the loss of lives, the guards that Sasuke had killed, but he knew they would have killed Sasuke if they had the chance. Sasuke’s death was something Naruto never wanted to think about. It didn’t matter that years had passed without the other, the feelings had only gotten stronger it seemed. After relief washed over Naruto, knowing his friends were all alive, the second part of what Sasuke said hit him hard. Sasuke had burned down the Uchiha manor? 

Sasuke took a step closer, his arms outstretched to lift Naruto up again. The omega allowed himself to be carried, Naruto didn’t feel like moving his tightly wound body. He didn’t think he could. So he let Sasuke hold him again, soaking up the extra heat that radiated between their bodies. True to his word, Naruto would go with Sasuke. Though he would miss his friends, and his adoptive father more than he could put into words, if he didn’t go, he would miss Sasuke more. He would always want Sasuke more. If Sasuke would have taken him back when they were little, Naruto would have followed. He wasn’t about to let his alpha go off without him again. It seemed Sasuke didn’t know how to take proper care of himself. Naruto knew he could help. That had been his role when they were younger, and now, Sasuke needed him more than ever.

Naruto couldn’t imagine the horrors Sasuke had gone through. The rumors of Orochimaru were hellish and horrifying. The demonic look in his alpha’s eyes proved that he’d gone through a lot. Sasuke had been through more than most, and he knew the loneliness that plagued him. They shared that feeling. No matter how many friends Naruto had surrounded himself with, he felt alone without Sasuke. 

But it seemed his training paid off. It was hard to believe Sasuke had escaped all by himself while carrying Naruto as well. There was a dark power that radiated from the Uchiha’s body, a dark chakra that enveloped him in a loving embrace. It felt protective to him, and soon, Naruto fell back asleep as Sasuke held him.

After a full day of traveling, they made it to a busy town that Naruto was unfamiliar with. It was bustling with all kinds of people hidden in the center of the dense forest. There were bright lights flashing advertisements of bars and sex. The neon signs glowed as moths flew around them. Cigarette smoke would waft occasionally to the omega’s nose making it twitch in displeasure. 

Sasuke had been carrying him on his back like precious cargo. Naruto had fallen asleep during most of the trip, but upon waking, his body felt uncomfortably warm. There were so many different scents and so many noises around and it had him feeling on edge. He tried to wiggle free, to stand on his own, but the alpha wouldn’t let go. Sasuke brought them to one of the nicer inns, requesting a room for a few nights. 

Naruto wondered if this would be his life now, being with a criminal. Would they hop from town to town, sleeping in different rooms each night just to stay safe? His inner omega hated that idea. Omegas needed to have a safe place, a secure nest that they could retreat to when needed. Living life on the run wouldn’t let Naruto get too comfortable anywhere, but at least he would have Sasuke. He let the alpha’s scent wash over him again, confirming that Sasuke could be his home, no matter the circumstance.

Sasuke carried him to their room, laying him on the large bed in the center. Naruto sank down into the mattress, breathing heavily from the fever. Sasuke handed him a bottle of water, which he greedily drank. They had only been able to stop a few times on the road, but Sasuke had made sure he stayed hydrated. He peered up at the alpha, his hazy vision focused on him alone. Naruto had pictured this countless times, of him reflected in the dark of Sasuke’s lustful eyes. The alpha looked frozen like if he moved one ounce, he would lose all control. Naruto had to admire Sasuke’s strength and restraint for being able to carry him all the way here. While the blond wasn’t fully thrown into heat, his pre-heat state still felt miserable. He parted his lips and let out a huff of hot air. 

“This brings back memories from one of our first missions,” Naruto said. He thought back to the time they shared a room at a travel inn. They had just been kids then, but Sasuke had been nothing but saint-like. Now, the alpha had him all alone inside an inn room again, only this time, there was nothing saintish about Sasuke now. Though, the Uchiha did seem to hold a certain pious and reverent expression.

Though the preheat made Naruto needy, and the sight of his affections stood inches from him. Naruto still held some resentment after all. He understood Sasuke’s decision to leave, the omega had long come to terms with the rash decision his friend made all those years ago. The dark circles under Sasuke’s eyes seemed punishment enough.  But just to ensure that Sasuke knew, he spoke up. 

“You were an idiot for going to Orochimaru. And I’m pissed you tried to hurt Sakura. But if you ever leave me again, Uchiha, I will murder you,” he growled but it came out more like a whine. A flash of humanity crossed Sasuke’s deep, dark eyes, and he reached for Naruto’s hand, pressing a kiss to the knuckle. 

“Never again,” Sasuke sounded surprisingly vulnerable. It made Naruto’s whole body tingle as he savored the promise. “I couldn’t live any longer without you.”

Somehow, that soft and sad confession let Naruto see a flash of the alpha’s younger self. The one who was always eager to please him. The old Sasuke was still there, and Naruto hurt for him. He would heal his friend, they would heal each other. 

“Well, take some responsibility, Sasuke,” Naruto teased, beckoning the alpha forward with the wave of his hand. “You put me in this state.”

Sasuke pounced. Naruto felt his muscled body press against his own, he smelt the strong scent his mate was giving off. It was like coming home. Naruto wrapped his arms around his alpha’s neck, soaking up every touch, kiss, and sound that Sasuke gave him. Their lips met, desperate and hungry. Naruto tried to keep up the pace, but Sasuke seemed as if he wanted to devour Naruto whole. While the alpha kissed him, hard, his hands traveled underneath Naruto’s shirt, tugging at the fishnet, stroking his warm skin beneath it. 

Sasuke brought his hands up until his thumbs brushed against the omega’s nipples. Naruto made an embarrassing sound against Sasuke’s mouth, unused to being touched like this. His noise seemed to spur Sasuke on even further if his low growl was anything to go by. The alpha pulled away only to strip himself of his white shirt, tossing it to the floor without another thought. Firm hands moved to grab the ends of Naruto’s black shirt, pulling it up over his head, revealing fishnet and skin. 

Sasuke stared down at him with worship in his red gaze, the sharingan had come out again. He bent down for another kiss, the alpha’s hands pressed against as much skin as they could. 

“You’ve been waiting for this haven’t you?” Sasuke’s low voice made Naruto shiver. His white teeth seemed extra sharp in the dim lighting. “I’ve endured everything for this.”

Sasuke undid Naruto’s pants, pulling them down to reveal more of the omega than ever before. The blond could feel his slick coating his underwear, the sticky substance had the fabric clinging to his bottom. He had already become hard. His alpha tugged on the hem of his underwear, pulling it down until Naruto’s erection sprang free. 

Naruto covered his face from embarrassment. He couldn’t believe Sasuke was so close to him like this. The insecurities started to pour into his mind, but then the alpha reached up and held him by his wrists. He pulled Naruto’s arms away, looking down at his with the eerie glow of his Sharingan. 

“You are a vision,” Sasuke’s hot breath ghosted against Naruto’s skin. “You are worth everything to me. You are everything to me.” Sasuke pressed kisses along any inch of the omega he could, sealing his words into Naruto’s body. 

And Naruto believed him. He could see the truth in Sasuke’s eyes. The omega loosened his hands until he threaded his fingers through his alpha’s dark hair. 

“I want to taste you,” the alpha stated, the red hue of his gaze turning a shade brighter. Sasuke’s eyes glowed as if he had just found treasure. The alpha placed a heated hand on Naruto’s stomach, pressing kisses on his belly as he trailed down. He wrapped a hand around the omega’s erection, giving it a few pumps, making Naruto moan.

Naruto threw his head back into the pillows, eyes closed and mouth open. Suddenly his eyes widened when he felt Sasuke's warm tongue lapping at the slick from his entrance. It was all so new to the omega, but each new sensation brought him closer to the edge. 

Sasuke serviced him with his tongue, pumping his dick every so often until Naruto came in desperate spurts all over his stomach and Sasuke’s hand. The omega couldn’t even catch his breath as Sasuke split him open with his tongue, plunging deeper and deeper. 

“Sa- Sasuke,” his voice sounded so weak to his own ears. 

Sasuke removed his tongue, rubbing his thumb in circles around Naruto’s opening until he stuck two fingers inside. The alpha let go of Naruto’s softening dick, and brought the cum covered hand to his mouth. Naruto watched with red cheeks as Sasuke licked the omega’s cum off his fingers. 

The amount of slick that poured out, let the alpha prep him with no trouble. Soon two fingers turned into three, and then three full fingers pulled out leaving him empty. Naruto instantly whined at the loss, but his bleary eyes watched as his alpha removed his pants, letting his own strained erection free. Naruto’s mouth watered at the sight. He had seen a few alpha's cocks on accident, while training or accidentally walking into the alpha changing room, but Sasuke’s size seemed huge. 

Sasuke was beautiful. Every part of his alpha was beautiful. Naruto shivered in anticipation, as he waited for Sasuke to get that dick inside of him. His erection already become hard again. The alpha crawled back on top of him until their foreheads were pressed together. Sasuke brought himself between Naruto’s thighs, fitting himself there like a missing puzzle piece. The tip of Sasuke’s erection pressed into Naruto’s hole. They breathed together as Sasuke sank in, the soft sound of wet slick filled the omega’s ears as his mate pushed in. 

It burned to be stretched like this, especially for his first time. When Sasuke had all of himself buried inside the blond, he waited to allow Naruto to get used to his size. The omega started to move just so after he’d grown tired of waiting. Sasuke rocked into Naruto slowly and so lovingly at first, savoring the feel of sex for the first time. The push and pull of their bodies felt right, and for the first time in either of their lives, they weren’t alone. They were one now. 

Sasuke’s thrusts grew wilder, and more intense as time went on. His thrusts were harder, faster than before. They looked into each other’s eyes. Both could see the unspoken desperation that was reflected in each other’s gaze. 

“Sasuke, I—” Naruto reached his arms around his mate’s neck, pulling him closer “You feel so good.”

“And you,” Sasuke’s low voice filled Naruto’s ears, though his tone stayed deep and feral. “You, are my salvation.”

The catch of his alpha’s knot against his rim had Naruto seeing white. He couldn’t hold on much longer. When Sasuke pushed his knot deep inside, it was Naruto’s end. Sasuke brought his mouth to Naruto’s mating mark and bit down again. Naruto came a second time, seeing stars. He heard Sasuke grunt, as the blond’s tight channels milked the Uchiha’s cock for all he had. Naruto could hear the ragged and desperate breaths Sasuke panted in his ear. Wave after wave of cum filled him, while Sasuke’s body shivered under the pleasure that his orgasm brought him. Naruto was happy to take whatever his mate gave him. 

They lay like that, together in bed, bodies pressed as close as possible. Naruto let a tear run down his cheek. He was happy. He hadn’t realized how much he had been dreaming of this. Of this moment. Sure, it was different than he first envisioned, but the alpha was the same. It didn't matter that he was in some unknown town, they were bonded now, in every way possible. Sasuke wiped his tear away pressing a kiss on Naruto’s head. 

“I love you, you know?” Naruto said soft but sure. “I love you, you bastard.”

Sasuke brought his arms around the omega, holding him tight as if he were afraid he'd disappear. 

“I love you, Naruto. I’ve always loved you.” 

Naruto could feel Sasuke’s heartbeat matching his own.  Both had found their home; both had found home in each other. Naruto’s eyes grew heavy, and soon he found himself sound asleep wrapped in Sasuke’s embrace.