Secrets of the Hidden Leaf

By : Sessakag

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Ino wound the leash tighter around her forearm, yanking none too gently on the lead attached to the black leather band around her boyfriend's neck. Sai grunted as she pulled his face down to hers, fusing their lips and thrusting her tongue inside his mouth, mimicking the slow pumps cock filling her ass.

The writhing blonde lay stretched across the dinning table in the small apartment of Sai's friend. Her collard boyfriend stood naked near her her head, his small hard length encased in one of his toys. The black material, stretched around and engulfing the head of his dick, hummed softly next to her ear. She ravaged his mouth with long strokes, her thumb moving over the dial of the small black controller. Sai groaned into her mouth, the low hum of his male vibrator becoming a loud buzz.

His mouth left hers as he bent to suckle her breast, panting against the moist flesh. Ino arched, sliding her stocking clad toe over the chin and jawline of the man between her legs.

Akatsuka Takeichi was an average sized, average height, brown haired, honey eyed painter that often joined her boyfriend for painting lessons in his studio. He was a frequent play partner of theirs, his cock one of her favorites. Long, and thick, he reached places inside of her that Sai could never stroke.

His condom sheathed length spread the tight ring of her anus with slow thrusts, a fine sheen of sweat coating his tanned skin.

The brown eyed artist pressed his lips to her toes and ankle, hands caressing the soft calves thrown over his shoulders. Lust slid over her skin as Sai captured her nipple between his teeth while tweaking the other, the sting wringing a cry of pleasure from her lips.

"Good boy," she moaned, "Touch me and maybe I'll let you cum tonight."

Sai shifted, stretching to reach her throbbing clit as he laved her breasts.

"Soft and slow," she commanded.

His fingers were frantic, rubbing her pleasure button the way she liked, fast, hard and sloppy. Her hips left the table, eyes squeezing shut as she held back orgasm with all she was worth. Her body jerked, teetering on the pinnacle of climax. She panted, her thumb moving across the dial of the remote again, punishing her wayward boyfriend for his small rebellion.

The vibrator wailed.

Sai grunted, halting his caress and suckle, his lungs heaving as he moaned. His damp forehead pressed against her stomach, his hot pants brushing her naval.

"Ino," he groaned into her flesh.

"What's the matter, honey?" she crooned, "Bite off more than you can chew?"

His muscles strained, his hips thrusting against the air as he held back his own climax. She dialed back the vibrations, giving him a moment to catch his breath before raising the quaking tremors again. He stood, head thrown back in rapture, his hand inching close to his cock, hovering near the aching length.

"You wanna touch it so bad, don't you?" Ino murmured, "Go ahead, sweetie, touch it so I can punish you."

Ino watched with rapt desire as he struggled, his face awash in tormented pleasure. Sai could hold out longer than she could in his place, but there were those rare occasions where her lover got swept away in sensation. Unfortunately, today wasn't one of those days. He bent over her body, gripping the hardwood table, chest heaving as he caught his breath.

She pulled his leash, smashing her lips to his, sucking his groans of ecstasy into her lungs.

"If you cum I'll paddle your bottom harder than you did mine," she warned against his mouth, her teeth nipping his lower lips, "Now touch me the way I told you."

The pale male struggled, the vibrator loud in the small

Ino turned her attention to the heated gaze of Akatsuka, sliding her toe over his lips.

"You're not giving me what I need," she told him with a heated gaze, "Fuck my ass or you're next."

His lips closed over her toe, hips picking up, the sturdy table squeaking with each lunge of his body.

"Ohhhhhh, fuck," she gasped, "just like that…"

Her eyes closed, bliss hammering through her veins as his groin slapped her bare cheeks, his thick cock tunneling through the tight clutch of her back channel. The slow, slippery fingers of her significant other toyed with her clit before sliding several into her soaked pussy, his mouth wet and rough at her breasts.

She couldn't thank Hinata enough for her current situation.

The pale Hyuuga had gotten her hot and bothered during their discussion that evening. Her wide eyed innocence and budding curiosity leaving her moist and aching after. She'd inconspicuously contemplated the big breasts under the shy woman's pink shirt, the skirt flowing over rounded hips, her plush lips gently parted as she listened with rapt interest.

Had wondered how shocked the pretty female would be if Ino stuck her tongue down her throat and slipped her fingers in her panties.

Ino groaned, her eyes rolling with each pounding thrust of Akatsuki's heated rod.

"Oh God," she whispered, lifting her hips for more, climax blooming as she called to mind the pouty lips of the Hyuuga, contemplating what they'd feel like against her own.

The blonde Yamanaka liked girls and guys.

Loved playing Mistress and submissive equally.

Liked watching and being watched.

Her sex life was colorful and versatile, her sexuality something she embraced.

Being out in public with some she knew, that had been licking her pussy only hours ago, was titillating. Sharing in their secret lifestyle with sly glances and inside jokes right under the noses of everyone. Sitting between two lovers that had no idea about the other.

Kiba was probably her favorite voyeur among her circle of friends. He was easy to tease, and Sai found it just as enjoyable to needle the nin about his sexual proclivities. The horny Inuzuka liked to watch, his potent sense of smell and hearing giving him a unique arsenal for peeping. She'd never slept with the feral nin, that wasn't his kink, instead, she put on a show for him, along with Karui.

His only request; to watch the two women kiss, caress, and copulate while he stroked his cock.

The arrangement killed several birds with one stone.

Ino got to fool around with a sexy female, be watched while doing so and in turn watch the Inuzuka get off on it. The arrangement was just as beneficial to Karui. The mocha kunoichi was attracted to women as well as men, and was okay with dabbling a little in exhibitionism. Unfortunately, Choji was more of a traditionalist in the bedroom, sticking to vanilla lovemaking. The couple had decided on a compromise. Choji agreed to let his spouse indulge in her guilty pleasure, but only with Ino. As far as exhibitionism was concerned, Karui was free to perform with her approved lover.

Choji trusted both his long time teammate and his loving wife to adhere to the guidelines they'd agreed upon but wasn't interested in the details of their tryst. The "don't ask don't tell" situation seemed to work for the Akimichi couple.

A sharp nip on the underside of her breast brought her from her thoughts.

"Ow!" she growled, fingers threading through the black strands of her boyfriend's, her grip tight and painful,"You want my attention?"

She lifted her torso and shoved his head to her clit.

"Ohhhhhh, fuccck, yesssss." she moaned as his tongue slipped over the bundle of nerves, lips sucking the heated bud.

The pounding at her bottom and twirling tongue at her clit collided, she strained, arching into both agonizing sensations. Tension tightened, stretching over her skin. She ran her fingers through her boyfriend's hair, her body beginning to quake in warning.

She yanked on the head of hair, bring his mouth to hers. His fingers slipped down her damp skin, fingers slamming into the spasming clutch of her pussy. Orgasm explode through her body, rapture crashing through her veins. She moaned, teeth sinking into his bottom lip.

Lust basted her gut. 

Her eyes met the man between her legs, his strained face covered in sweat, his honey eyes pleading for relief.

Her silk clad foot nudged his chin, pushing none too gently at his chin.

"Again," she panted, feeling powerful and horny, "fuck my ass again and then you can cum."

Her grip turned harsh as she returned her gaze to Sai. The pale artist was panting as well, his toy still humming unmercifully. Her swollen lips parted in a unrepentant grin.

"I think you can suffer a little bit long," she decided, "you haven't been a very good boy today."

Ino thrust his head back to her nipples as the pounding began again.

xxxxxx

Naruto pressed his lips to hers softly, the rough pads of his fingers stroking the back her dark bangs. Leaning up, brushed more gentle kisses to her exposed forehead, each peck moving lower. Between her raven brows, the cute curve of her nose and back to her lush mouth.

"Naruto-kun."

"Hmm?" he murmured against her lips.

"We should talk about…last night."

He nuzzled her temple.

"Of course, baby," he sat up, nudging her hip, "Turn over for me."

She turned, folding her arms beneath her chin as she settled on her belly. Keeping his hands gentle he smoothed her long hair to the side. Naruto was silent a moment, contemplating the fading welts, before he shifted, reaching for a bottle from his bed side dresser. Squirting cool lotion to his hands, he rubbed the cream between his palms before reaching for the pale globes. He rubbed and massaged the tender flesh, applying firm pressure to the sore muscles.

"Feeling better?" he asked.

"Mhm." she sighed, enjoying the soothing movements of his hands.

"How did last night make you feel?" he questioned.

Butterflies fluttered in his gut as he waited to hear what she felt about the experience. In the quiet aftermath, he'd grappled with his own feelings. Spanking her bottom, feeling her squirming beneath his grip, having her accept what he had to give her and still willing to take more after.

He'd never been more turned on his life.

Or more humbled.

She'd given him more than just her body for his rough use, she'd given him her trust and confidence, had borne pain to satisfy him. Her wet pussy and cries of ecstasy suggested she'd done more than borne it with gritted teeth, but he wanted to hear from her mouth if it had only been his cock that had brought her to shattering climax or a combination of his palm and thrusting sex.

"...Scared."

Her soft admission was a tough blow to swallow. His hands froze, breath catching in his throat.

Scared?

She'd been scared last night?

The thought alone made him feel ill.

"Hinata-"

"Not the way you're thinking," she rushed out, sitting up to face him, "I wasn't scared of you, its just…I didn't know I'd feel so…exposed and vulnerable…and it was scary."

The terrible knot his chest eased, the tension in his shoulders melting away. He didn't know what he'd do if she had been afraid of him because of last night. Uncertainty about her feelings was one thing, having her terrified of him was another. The latter was intolerable. It was a scenario that had crossed his mind as he held her cuddled against his body long into the night.

"That's okay, baby," he said, brushing her hair from her cheek, "To be honest, I was scared too."

She seemed surprised at the admission.

"Why were you scared?"

"Yeah, I mean, this was my first time getting that physical with a woman before. You're soft," he explained, running his finger down her throat and over her collar bone, "and delicate, I could have really hurt you last night and I was afraid I'd do something wrong or make a mistake. And if I didn't hurt you, I was afraid I'd scare you with how rough I was being."

"You didn't hurt me at all," she assured, "I-I mean not in a way I didn't like and…it was scary but…exciting…It felt…"

Her confidence and frankness dimmed the more she spoke, red straining her cheeks, her lilac eyes disappearing behind a curtain of midnight strands.

He hadn't imagined it then.

"It felt good for you too?"

Her entire face erupted in bright crimson.

He grinned, kissing her heated cheek with a chuckle.

"You liked it didn't you?" he murmured, "The sting on your bottom, feeling exposed and vulnerable."

She seemed to grapple with herself, struggling to express in words what she felt.

"I…" she gulped, raising her head and meeting his eyes, with a burning face and earnest gaze, "…it was scary but…I-I want to do it again…I want…to…do more with you, Naruto-kun. I trust you, more than anyone and I want us to…get to know each other deeper. Last night I feel like…I saw a side of you that was new and that…you saw a side of me that was different…I think we should…explore it more…"

"More?" he prompted, his gaze turning teasing.

Shyness broke out again as she stumbled over her words.

"I-I w-well-"

He kissed her silent.

"Don't worry, baby, I'm glad you feel comfortable enough to tell me what you have. The rest, you can tell me in your own way," his said, his own blue orbs just as serious, "I want to know everything about you too and I want to do more with you too. The trust you have in me, I don't have words to explain how grateful I am. I know how hard this is for you, and I promise you won't regret taking a chance with me."

Her lips curled, happiness blooming.

"I've never regretted taking a risk with you, Naruto-kun," she whispered, leaning forward to place her lips on his, "I love you."

His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to his body as he mashed their mouths together, overwhelmed.

He loved her too.

xxxxxx

March 18, 2011

Soft thighs gripped his hips, delicate fingers sliding over his chest. Breathless moans reached his ears as he thrust gently in to the snug heat of his wife's core. Dark eyes watched the slight jiggle of her small mounds, her pink nipples hard and shiny from his earlier suckling. Her pretty face was awash in ecstasy, low moans whispering from her lips.

While the sight was stirring, the strict restraint he needed to maintain overshadowed his enjoyment.

He felt detached from the moment.

On the outside looking in.

Pleasure was a distant undercurrent, barely piercing the numbness. He'd been through this song and dance more times than he could count, leaving him on a sort of autopilot. The mechanical movement of his hips, the wandering of his mind, and dimly pleasurable sensation of his cock stroking wet walls was a familiar routine that required little engagement on his part.

"Sasuke," she moaned, sliding her arms around his neck and pulling him down for a kiss.

He shifted, bracing his single arm against the shift of gravity. Their lips met in a soft kiss, his tongue grazing hers. Even the fusing of their mouths was an exercise in restraint. His mouth moved with careful pressure, tamping down the urge to spread her soft lips with an aggressive sweep of his tongue. His mind wandered to an accidental meeting in the woods, of a collision with a shy young woman, one carrying books with titles that had shocked him.

'A Submissive's Guide to Kink.' One had read.

'The Do's and Don't's of Anal.' Was another.

'Collars, Cuffs and Crops.'

And the last book, the one he'd held out to her, had stoked his interest, and left him hard as a rock.

'S&M 101.'

Naruto's timid girlfriend was into kinks he hadn't been able to convince his wife to try. Dirty acts that melded pain and pleasure and shifted power and control from one partner to another. He'd returned home and stroked his dick to thoughts of bending his pink haired spouse over for a hard pounding between her pale cheeks. The fierce session of masturbating had left him frustrated rather than relived.

Sakura pulled away, head thrashing as her core squeezed his hardened length.

The tug sent a shaft of pleasure to his gut, worming through his disinterest and wandering thoughts. His steady pace increased. Bliss slipped up his spine, sensation bleeding into his monotone psyche. Thrust back into the here and now, his mind zeroed in on the thrust and retreat of his sex through creamy heat and clenching flesh, the stiff wet appendage beginning to throb.

His control slipped, his body lunging against hers as desire crawled over his spine. The soft squeak of the bed joined their panting breaths. His eyes shut as ecstasy burst through him. The banging of the headboard pierce the air.

"Ow…Sasuke…"

The groan dampened his ardor. He paused, taking a moment to calm himself. Dragging in a breath, he released it in a harsh gust. He bent and placed an apologetic kiss to her mouth, returning to his earlier, gentle pace as he did. A fine shine of sweat coated his skin, his earlier disconnect no longer a buffer between him and the control eroding pleasure.

He felt every stroke.

Every delicate flutter of her inner muscles.

His eyes closed, Adams apple bobbing, restraint rapidly deteriorating.

"Yes, Sasuke…ohhhhh."

His brows creased as her moan reached his ears, fingers of lust gripping his body. His teeth clenched, the urge to slam into her burning at the edge of brain. It was harder than it normally was to call back the numbness, to return the near boredom that kept his darker desires at bay.

His eyes opened, glazed gaze moving over creamy skin, and the small feminine curves of her breasts and hips. Leaning down, he ran his lips over her throat, his breathing heavy. The scent of her skin was heady and sweet.

Her legs wrapped around his waist, sucking his cock deeper into her soft pussy. Swallowed in searing heat, his hips moved in mounting excitement.

His breath left his lungs in a burst of ecstasy, the pounding of his flesh into hers incredible. His eyes closed, brain narrowing to the promise of sexual relief. Months of abstinence coiling in his abdomen, the coming explosion tightening his balls. Each stroke driving his neglected cock closer and closer to ejaculation.

"Sasuke…slow down…" she panted.

His closed eyes squeezed tighter, orgasm blooming as he struggled to slow down. It was there, right on the cusp. His body tightened, his stiffened flesh throbbing painfully.

The promise of relief, of euphoric orgasm teasing his lust glazed mind.

His control slipped, and the bed began to squeak.

Hot friction worked his dick, the force and pressure exactly what he craved. His hips slammed frantically, chasing the climax he needed so bad.

Too long.

It'd been too long since he'd cum in anything other than his own lonely hand. Too long since he'd expended his lust and tension in the warm welcome of his wife's body.

"Sasuke that hurts!"

Rough hands pressed against his shoulders, dislodging him both from her body and his world of pleasure. Panting, slightly disoriented, Sasuke propped himself up, his gaze meeting irritated green.

"You're being too rough, Sasuke."

He swallowed, forcing his pleasure hazed mind to clear, and the aching pressure in his dick to recede. Irritation of his own slithered over his shoulders, his unsatisfied body still thrumming with tension.

He released a frustrated breath, straightening into an upright position.

"I'm sorry." he murmured

His rapidly flagging erection was a painful, uncomfortable and, unfortunately, familiar sensation.

The silence that followed was tense and awkward.

He watched quietly as she too straightened, sitting up and pushing her damp pink hair from her flushed face.

"...I'm sorry too," she murmured softly, "I just don't…"

He ran a hand through his dark hair, turning his gaze to the rumpled sheets.

"I know…"

They'd had this conversation before. She didn't enjoy rough handling, was turned off like a switch the moment his gentle strokes became something more. Found the pounding of his cock painful and intolerable. It wasn't her fault and he didn't blame her for it.

She had tried, more than once to satisfy his baser needs and yet each attempt ended the same.

Gritted teeth, her inner muscles locking with tension, the warm wetness drying up.

It had gotten to the point where he'd asked her to do exactly what she had just done. Tell him when she wasn't enjoying their lovemaking, to be honest about it instead of forcing herself to take what she didn't want.

And while he was sexually frustrated and unhappy with their sex life, he knew she was too.

Two years into their marriage and they still couldn't seem to find a happy medium.

They were out of sync and awkward, butting heads in bed and out. His tight lipped, standoffish attitude often standing in the way of meaningful dialogue and deepening connection while her quick tempered aggression stoked both their tempers, leading to fierce arguments and cold shoulders for days at a time.

She wanted trust. He found it hard to give it.

He wanted patience and understanding. She found it hard to give it.

They were both blundering, making mistakes and finding it hard to correct them when they did.

It was a strange place they found themselves in.

Sakura had gotten what she'd always dreamed of, the boy she'd always loved. Except, this boy was now a man. A man with baggage. Different from the image she'd constructed in her days of youth.

Jaded and rough around the edges.

His expressions of love and affection often lacking for her.

Tender kisses.

Gentle love making.

Declarations of love.

The sharing of secrets, hopes and fears between lovers.

Things she felt him incapable of on the best of days.

He was just as guilty. Laboring under the mistaken impression that the kunoichi was still the girl that had clung to him as children and teens, swooning over him like a love sick puppy.

That girl had grown up and was now a woman that wanted more.

Wanted him to fit a role.

Wanted him to be something he wasn't.

The Sasuke she'd imagined he was before his desertion.

The Sasuke he'd never been.

There were parts of him that were still without light, parts of him that were ugly and flawed. Facets of himself that would further tarnish the crumbling image she had of him. Parts he was loathe to expose.

He couldn't say definitively that their marriage was falling apart, because there were still good days where they clicked.

Days where he was reminded why he'd married the spunky pinkette in the first place.

Times where they loved each other and were happy.

Times that were becoming harder and harder to come by.

He sighed again, this one of disappointment rather than frustrated sexual dissatisfaction. Another routine began. One that saw him getting dressed for a mind clearing walk of contemplation. She watched him quietly as he shuffled into clothing, his one hand nimbly buttoning trousers and slipping a long sleeved shirt over his head.

It was easier when one of them left the room after a failed copulation. Their frayed nerves and unsatisfied lust often put them both on edge and spoiling for a fight. Not only that, there were other things on his mind.

Other troubles that added to the tension gripping his body.

Things that had nothing to do with his rocky marriage and lack luster sex life.

Neither spoke as he headed for the door.

xxxxxx

Alone, Sakura stared up at the ceiling, her body cooling, the uncomfortable sensation of unspent desire spreading through her body. She contemplated the vibrator in her dresser for a brief moment before she dismissing it.

She didn't want a toy.

Snatching the blankets from her body, she rolled from bed and over to the dresser. Reaching for a t-shirt and shorts, she pulled her hair into a messy bun and dressed.

She slipped on her shoes and was out the door a moment later.

xxxxxx

"Sasuke."

The raven haired Uchiha turned, watching as his best friend step from the treeline, his mission gear torn and dirty. Fresh from a late night mission no doubt. Naruto meandered over and plopped down next to the lone figure.

Sasuke turned his attention back to the glowing moon as the blonde settled next to him on the grassy knoll.

"Kinda late for a stroll." the jonin threw out.

Sasuke made no comment, waiting instead for his friend to say what he truly wanted to say. The impatient and energetic Uzumaki had never been one for small talk.

"You've been avoiding me, 'ttebayo," Naruto commented, "You've always been standoffish, I'll give you that, but I've seen you like this before. Back when we were younger, when you went after Itachi."

Pain gripped his heart, ripping through the icy numbness he'd cloaked himself in since he'd left the house. His mind was catapulted back to that time of rage and hatred. Back when revenge had been the glue that held together his broken soul. When he'd been ignorant and merciless, hurtling towards self-destruction as fast as he could. He didn't regret killing Danzo, didn't regret avenging his Clan, treasonous though they had been, but his hand in Itachi's death, turning his murderous gaze on his friends and allies, even years later, the shame and remorse was enough to bring him to his knees.

It was part of the reason he stayed as far from the village as he could after he'd been reinstated as a resident of Konoha.

The sins of his teenage years glaringly painful.

Everyone knew what he'd done and made sure he never forgot.

The stares, the whispers, the outright glares of civilians and shinobi followed him when in the confines of the village. The name Uchiha once again a tarnished and reviled name on the mouths of many. The mistrust went deeper than civilians. Several Clan heads had called for his permanent removal, others had suggested worse.

"Sakura-chan's worried about you. I'm worried about you. You're holding on to shit again. Trying to deal with it on your own," Naruto accused, "You're my friend, Sasuke, we've been through hell and back. Hell, we were pretty much brothers in another life. If you're hurting, tell me. I'll help you, but I won't know unless you tell me."

Sasuke closed his eyes, grappling with himself.

"You're my friend."

It was deja vu all over again. Naruto, extending his hand in support, healing, understanding, and him, hesitating. Wanting to reach out to that hand, wanting to be pulled out of the yawning darkness even as he tried to stand in his own way, self-sabotaging himself, afraid and unsure why.

Why it was difficult for him to reach for salvation.

Why he couldn't open his mouth and tell his friend what hurt inside.

He frustrated himself on the best of days, irritated by his own contrary nature. Was it a flaw of his prideful Uchiha blood or a character flaw separate of his lineage? He didn't know.

Either way, was he willing to reach for a different path this time?

"My probation period is up."

The words left his lips, making the decision for him. The admission felt strange. Sharing information he'd have kept close to himself in his younger years felt foreign and a fraction unwanted.

He sensed the man beside him straighten.

"Probation?" Naruto repeated, "I though you got pardoned?"

"Kakashi opted for a pardon, the Clan heads disagreed," Sasuke explained, "They compromised for a probation period and to revisit the issue after the village had settled and returned to normal function after the war."

Shocked, Naruto turned wide blue eyes on the lone Uchiha.

"They're deciding whether I'm to be pardon and under what circumstances would a pardon be permissible for not only the Clan but the entire Leaf Village."

"That's bullshit! They can't do that, Kakashi-sensei wouldn't let them decide who he can pardon and who he can't," the Uzumaki burst out, "You came back to village, helped us stop Kaguya, and helped free everyone from the Infinite Tsukuyomi. They'd still be under that genjutsu if not for your help."

"Kakashi is the Hokage of everyone, Naruto. He can't play favorites and he can't ignore the concerns of others for just one person," Sasuke refuted, "While I may have helped, my motives were hardly selfless. I had every intention of killing you after. Of forcing my own will onto village. There's a lot I have to be held accountable for. A lot of people I hurt. I can't fault them for their reaction anymore than Itachi could fault me for my own."

The tawny haired shinobi settled down.

"So what then? You're prepared to just take what they give you?" he asked, voice full of pain, "I get it, I understand what you're saying, I get how others might feel about you, but I…"

Sasuke felt a small smile curve his lips. Naruto hadn't changed at all over the years. Older, taller, more experienced, but underneath it all, still the same old Naruto Uzumaki that wore his heart on his sleeve. The knuckle head didn't want to see him mistreated, even if he'd brought it on himself.

The smile left his lips slowly.

"I'm not prepared to take anything they give me. Right now, the restrictions with a pardon are up for debate but some of the stipulations I'm fully prepared to refuse."

"What kind of stipulations?"

"I plan to restore the Uchiha Clan, that's been my goal from the beginning and that plan has become leverage for those campaigning for a stipulated pardon. The sealing of several functions of my dojutsu seems to be the most favorable. The effect will result in a dilution of its capabilities not just for me, but for any offspring I may produce," he said, "Lifetime surveillance by Anbu forces is another, much like the arrangement of Orochimaru and Kabuto, though this would expand into all of the Uchiha lineage indefinitely."

Sasuke glanced at the conflicted look on his friend's face.

"So they want the Uchiha Clan under their thumb before it even starts. Its not just you they want to control."

"My Clan has cause a lot of destruction, and not just for Konoha. I understand their reasoning, their motives."

Which was why he had withdrawn into himself.

What right did he have to complain?

What moral ground did he have to argue on the behalf of a Clan that had planned a coup?

After everything that had happened, he couldn't find it in himself to be angry with those that despised him, despised his Clan. He was trapped in a box of his own making. Unable to cloak himself in self-righteous rage and hate, to try and pretend he was anything other than the villain of this story instead of the aggrieved party. A large part of him wanted the punishment, wanted to atone for the wrongs not only he, but his entire bloodline had caused, but a smaller part of him knew he could never accept the sealing of his eyes, the dilution of his kekkei genkai being passed on to his children.

He was stuck between a rock and hard place.

Was trying to find his place among the world, he just wasn't sure that place was in the Village Hidden in the Leaves, if it had ever been.

"Let me talk to them," Naruto said, "Maybe we can find a way to make everybody happy, 'ttebayo."

Sasuke was quiet, contemplating the twinkling stars above. He took a moment to analyze his first reaction to his friend's words. The urge he felt to deny the help, to cloak himself in Uchiha pride and decline the offer. He reigned in the impulse. At intervals in his life, where a hand was extended, he'd always smacked it away, heading instead for the rocky road to nowhere.

"...Thank you." he murmured instead of a huffy denial.

He knew enough of the hardheaded man next to him to know that, even if he had snubbed his help, Naruto would try and help him regardless. That was the kind of person the happy-go-lucky ninja was. He'd given up his arm to try and save a friend. A friend that had committed unforgivable acts in the name of revenge.

And still.

The blonde was prepared to go further for him.

It was humbling.

"I never thanked you did I?" the Uchiha questioned softly, "For everything…"

Naruto chuckled.

"You're pretty mushy tonight, Sasuke," the blonde teased with a grin, "This is probably the most open you've ever been with me without having to fight first."

His lips curled again. It was true, he'd always been difficult to reach. He always felt like he needed to be beaten into a confession. The risk of vulnerability something to be fought against at all cost. That internal struggle was easier to unravel with the male next to him than anyone else he'd ever come in contact with.

"By the way," Naruto began, "Everything okay with you and Sakura-chan?"

Sasuke schooled his features. While it was easier to talk to Naruto about some things, he wasn't as eager to speak about his failing relationship. What man wanted to admit he had trouble keeping his dick hard at the ripe old age of twenty?

That his wife was unsatisfied and so was he.

That his marriage was crumbling in the bedroom and outside of it.

That they both seemed to want different things from their relationship.

He sighed.

"Things are rocky right now, but we're working on it."

It wasn't a lie.

Sakura had scheduled them an appointment for counseling next week. He was skeptical, but had agreed to do what he needed to do to help keep his marriage together.

He sensed Naruto wanted a more detailed explanation, but his friend didn't press this time.

"What's she think about the stipulations the Clan Heads are trying to add on to your pardon?" he asked instead, "I'd have expected Sakura-chan to break a few bones if you won't."

"She's upset about it. Torn on what options we have and how that'll impact our relationship. A pardon would be ideal, but at what cost? Dismissing the stipulated pardon would reinstate my rouge status, and there'd be no second chance after that."

The two were silent for long minutes before the male next to him piped up.

"Whelp, looks like we're just gonna have to see what we can do to make everybody content at the very least," he declared, slapping the Uchiha on the back with force, "We'll think of something, 'ttebayo. Stop by my place tomorrow and we'll go and meet with Kakashi-sensei."

xxxxxx

March 19, 2011

Hinata perked up at the knock at the door, her heart pounding against her rib cage. It wasn't her boyfriend, of that she was certain. Hinata perked up at the knock at the door, her heart pounding against her rib cage. It wasn't her boyfriend, of that she was certain. Unless he'd forgotten his key. Even so, she doubted he'd knock. Her eccentric significant other was more prone to climbing in through the window on the rare occasion he locked himself out of his own apartment, even if she was inside.

She hoped it wasn't him.

She knew he wouldn't be upset that she was having something for herself delivered to his apartment, but she knew he'd want to see what she'd ordered.

Her face heated.

She wasn't ready for him to know yet.

It probably wasn't him.

It had to be…

She jumped up from the sofa and shuffled over to the door. Taking a breath, she pulled open the wooden panel, the form of the mail carrier standing before the front door was a welcoming yet fearful sight. The middle aged man was holding a brown, unassuming box.

"Package for…" he looked at the label, "Miss Hinata Hyuuga."

"Ah, y-yes, that's me."

With a friendly smile, he handed over the package.

"Thank you," she murmured.

"Have a nice day, ma'am."

Hinata turned, box in hand. Her sweaty palms gripped the delivery, nervousness coiling in the pit of her belly. She sat it on the dining room table and began to pace. Wringing her hands, she stared at the brown square like the proverbial time bomb it was. She'd made the decision to order it after her talk with Ino eight days ago and now, she was more than a little nervous to open it, let alone use it.

"C-Come on H-Hinata," she pushed herself, "I-If you can't even open it, how are you going to use it?"

Sucking in a bracing breath, she walked over to the box and began peeling back the tape. Gaining more confidence, she ripped open the cardboard and pulled out another box, this one making clear to anyone that saw it, what was contained inside.

Her face flamed at the sight of the words.

'Beginner Anal Training Kit.'

Another knock at the door jerked her from her contemplation of her new toys. The box slipped from her grip, landing on the floor with a thud. Nervous, she bent to pick it up quickly.

"J-Just a moment!" she called out.

Naughty package in hand, she spun around, searching for a place to hide it. Naruto had left early, something about a meeting with the Hokage, and with the mail courier having come and gone, she wasn't sure who it was. She hoped it wasn't one of their friends, come to hang out with them for the evening. Face flushed, she stuck the box under the couch and tried to compose her frayed nerves and trembling hands. She moved to the door, and opened it.

Sasuke Uchiha's dark gaze met her own.