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moorSummary:
The Wild. Long ago, the power that ruled the earth and everything on it created order and meaning, cycles to preserve balance and harmony. The checks and balances put in place ensured that power would never be used beyond equivalent advantage. Over time, the Wild produced Sources, entities through which the Wild could be channelled in times of need. During a battle to defend their Kingdom, the leader of the Uchiha summoned the Wild. In doing so, another channelled and became bound by the Wild to balance his power. This is their story.
Content Warning: A/B/O
Part One - The Senju and the Uchiha
Part Two - The Battle [first battle] | Part Three - The Battle [continued]
Part Four - The Secret [first secret] | Part Five - The Secret [continued] | Part Six - The Secret [continued] | Part Seven - The Secret [continued]
Part Eight - The Underground | Part Nine - The Underground [continued] | Part Ten - The Underground [continued] | Part Eleven - The Underground [continued] | Part Twelve - The Underground [continued] | Part Thirteen - The Underground [continued] | Part Fourteen - The Underground [continued] | Part Fifteen - The Underground [continued] | Part Sixteen - The Underground [continued] | Part Seventeen - The Underground [continued] | Part Eighteen - The Underground [continued] | Part Nineteen - The Underground [continued] | Part Twenty - The Underground [continued]
The Underground [continued]
The clock in the front hallway struck ten o’clock twenty seconds after Sakura arrived home that morning. She burst through the front door, cracking its lower hinge, then shucked her cloak and pack, abandoning them on the floor. Racing through the main level of the house, she scoured each room before leaping to the next.
“Yu? Kakashi? Naruto? Yu? Yu, are you here? Mommy’s home—”
“Shhhh,” said Naruto, hurrying out from the kitchen with a finger to his lips. He nodded upstairs. “You have time to rinse off and get cleaned up. Yu’s having a nap in his room.”
Sakura’s wide, wild eyes nodded excitedly. “Okay. He’s been okay? Was he good? How was he?”
“He was a perfect gentleman baby. Kakashi didn’t let him out of his sight all week.”
Sakura slumped with relief… Then listed to the side, her legs giving way beneath her. Naruto caught her, his eyes bulging.
“How hard did you run?”
“Hah, we started at four. I couldn’t wait any longer,” panted Sakura, leaning on Naruto. “I’ll go rinse off and check on Yu. Maybe we can have lunch outside today?”
“Are you sure you can make it upstairs on your own?”
“What? I’m fine.”
“Sakura, you’re still using me as a crutch and—crap, why are your feet bleeding all over the floor! What the—”
“Shhhh, don’t wake Yu,” said Sakura, falling against the wall on the other side of her so she could climb up the stairs. The bags under her eyes were deep and her lips were gray. “I’ll go clean up. I forgot to put on socks when we left this morning. I was in a hurry. It’s fine, I’ll go heal them while I shower.”
“You need to drink like a litre of water,” said Naruto, shaking his head. With a sigh, he looped his arm around Sakura and brought her arm over his shoulder, helping her up the stairs.
“Fine, get me water while I shower,” said Sakura, her glassy eyes focused forward. “I need to see Yu.”
“Shower and heal yourself first,” ordered Naruto. “You don’t want Yu to smell you like this, do you?”
Sakura’s head snapped around to Naruto’s face so fast her neck cracked, but Naruto snickered under his breath. He rolled his eyes and helped her to the bathroom that was attached to her room, setting her down on the edge of the bathtub. “Relax. I’ll get the water going,” he said, turning on the taps so the current would warm up.
“I’ll find a way to get you back for that.”
“Uh huh. I’ll be right back with a pitcher of fresh water,” promised Naruto with a chuckle, leaving Sakura there. “Sasuke’s around here somewhere but I’ll let him know not to disturb you.”
“A thousand blessings on the house of Uzumaki,” moaned Sakura gratefully, already rinsing her torn, blistered feet under the water. Her hands glowed with chakra as she set about healing the damaged skin and when the water ran clear she let out a sigh of relief. She bathed thoroughly and quickly, skipping her lotions after to scrub herself dry with her towel.
As promised, Naruto had left a jug of water and a glass beside her bed. Sakura drank greedily, wrapping herself in her bathrobe and tying her wet hair back in a smaller towel. Too tired to care for anything more, she shoved her feet in her slippers and knotted the belt of her robe before scurrying to the door that connected her room to Yu’s nursery.
Biting her lip with anticipation, Sakura’s heart stopped when she found Yu’s cradle empty.
She leapt into the room in a panic before she froze at what she saw next.
Laid out on his back on a twin-sized futon, Kakashi was out cold, snoring lightly. Meanwhile, Yu was splayed across his chest and drooling all over Kakashi’s shirt, his thumb having fallen out of his mouth. Kakashi’s large, long-fingered hand lay across Yu’s back, and the pair didn’t stir a hair at her interruption.
Her hands at her mouth and her heart swelling far too much, Sakura wished she had a way to capture the moment.
Kakashi really hadn’t let Yu out of his sight all week.
Exhausted and heart-full, Sakura tiptoed to the futon and lifted the covers. As quietly as she could, she crawled beneath the blankets and snuggled into Kakashi’s side on the too-small mattress, wrapping her arm over his, over Yu.
That was how Itachi found them that afternoon, with Sakura’s and Kakashi’s fingers entwined.
###
Across from his brother at their private meeting room in the castle, Izuna’s brows knit as he saw a spark in his brother’s dark eyes as they flashed crimson before fading to ink once more.
Madara’s expression, which had become increasingly haggard over the course of the past week, with its tight furrows carved deeply around his eyes and mouth, finally relaxed and he sat back in his chair. He exhaled a relieved sigh. As if the spectre that had been haunting him had finally fled, Madara’s arms rested limply on the table while he closed his eyes and simply breathed.
“What happened?” asked Izuna.
“She’s home,” murmured Madara, exhausted. “And she’s happy.”
A small, content smile curled at the edges of his full lips.
Izuna returned his brother’s smile with a teasing grin. “Finally going to get some sleep tonight?”
“Hnnn,” murmured Madara with a rolling nod, his head still leaning back against his seat.
Sensing their meeting drawing to a close, Izuna gathered up his notes and papers. As he set Madara’s things to the side, he wondered at the visceral nature of his brother’s reactions to his mate, even when they were separated. Madara had been a terse, short-tempered demon all week. Even his skin had looked thicker, tougher, his nails sharper than usual.
With a stirring of hope that things would finally return to their usual normal, Izuna warmly asked Madara,
“Are you going to contact her?”
The reminder of their divide did not have the effect Izuna intended. The smile on Madara’s lips shifted, sadness and longing curtailing the corners.
“There’s too much to be done,” replied Madara quietly.
Watching his elder brother as a different kind of ghost returned to haunt him, Izuna wondered what it would take for his brother to lean into his happiness, his sanctuary, instead of away from it.
“How are the Registry updates coming?” asked Madara, changing topics.
“Izuna and Shisui haven’t delivered the most recent version yet.”
“They’re late.”
“Ah.”
Madara nodded and opened his eyes, straightening in his seat again. He tapped the arm of his chair with his fingers once before spearing Izuna with his gaze.
“What is Mikoto up to this time?”
“You overestimate my reach.”
Madara chuckled, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the table and his chin on his interlocked knuckles. The atmosphere in the room chilled.
A frisson skittered down Izuna’s spine.
“What is Mikoto up to this time?” repeated Madara smoothly, his hooded eyes holding Izuna’s.
“She sent Shisui away this past week; Itachi has been more focused on internal affairs,” said Izuna, knowing better than to try and deceive his brother when he was caught.
“See to it that Itachi gets a break,” said Madara thoughtfully after a moment. “Soon.”
Holding his brother’s gaze, Izuna nodded.
“Would you like to see him first?”
“On the off-chance he has a spare moment, yes. But make sure he rests,” said Madara.
Mindful of the castle spies, Izuna leaned forward, placing his chin in his palm and speaking so softly his lips barely moved.
“We’re on the same side, brother.”
“Which is why we must protect our own,” breathed Madara, his lips likewise moving imperceptibly. “Especially when so many miracles rely on the mysteries only one man knows.”
Understanding then that Madara was concerned not just for Itachi, but for who Itachi also protected, Izuna nodded.
“It’s been some time since I last visited our sister. How rude of me,” remarked Izuna, speaking normally again.
“Please pass along my best,” said Madara, nodding at Izuna.
Izuna blinked once, slowly, in understanding.
“You’re not joining me?”
“Not this time. I could use a good night’s rest,” said Madara.
“Ah, I agree,” teased Izuna, standing.
Madara huffed but his glare held no heat.
“The head medic requested your time this afternoon,” reminded Izuna. “She said you could find her in the garden.”
“Not the castle clinic?”
Izuna shook his head slowly.
The brothers locked eyes.
“Ah,” said Madara. “I’ll be down.”
“A few of the guards are practising on the east side of the garden. Keep an eye out for them, sometimes they get carried away.”
Madara shook his head and waved his brother away.
“I’m sure everything will be fine.”
Frowning pensively at his older brother, Izuna bowed slightly and left.
###
A quarter hour later, Madara found Karin in the garden. The day was light and sunny, and as Izuna had warned him, a dozen of his guards, fellow clansmen, sparred several hundred metres away, by the east wall. Their shouts and clanging weapons relaxed him as he joined the abrasive, red-haired woman waiting for him in the shade of an ancient yew.
“Your Highness.” Karin bowed. “Thank you for making time for me.”
“Doctor Uzumaki,” nodded Madara. “I trust you are well.”
“I am. But you aren’t,” said the medic bluntly.
Narrowing his dark eyes, Madara’s temper flared but the Uzumaki pressed on.
“You have barely slept or eaten this week. You’ve been withdrawn, pale, and reactionary. You’re unwell and you should have requested a visit from a medic days ago,” she continued. She planted one hand on her cocked hip, her other hand tightly fisted at her side. “Your Highness, you must take care of yourself.”
“All is well. Is there anything further?”
In the background, the soldiers’ carousing got louder.
“I’m the best medic in Konoha, Your Highness. With all due respect, your wellbeing is very specifically my field of expertise,” said Karin haughtily. “I am here to ensure that you and the rest of the Royal Family are in peak health at all times.”
“Your concern is misplaced and your tone oversteps its bounds, Doctor,” said Madara evenly, leashing his temper. Whether the doctor had a point or not, decorum would be maintained between them; he was still the King and that afternoon she needed reminding of that fact. “If there is nothing further, have a good day.”
Madara turned to leave when, to his shock, his sleeve was jerked. A slender-fingered hand grabbed his wrist and—
—bile instantly shot upwards in Madara’s gorge, charring and choking him—
—then loud tearing rent the air.
Infinitely graceful, Madara turned back slowly to find Doctor Uzumaki staring at him, wide-eyed, her lips a white line, they pressed together so tightly. In her tight grip was his sleeve, torn at the shoulder.
For a split-second the garden was silent.
—In the next instant, the King was surrounded by his personal guards and his clansmen yanked Karin away, his sleeve with them. They forced her to her knees, hard, and she gasped as her dress sank into the grass. Twin swords bordered her throat, crossing at the dip in her collarbone.
“Your Highness—I only meant to—”
“Silence,” said Madara, very, very softly. His throat still inflamed from the reflux.
Karin’s mouth snapped shut. Her chin quivered.
“Six months unpaid leave and I expect more self-control when you return,” said Madara icily. “Be grateful I am in such a good mood or it would have been your head falling to the grass instead of your knees. Dismissed. Escort her out immediately.”
His men nodded with implicit obedience. “Yes, Sire.”
Karin’s tone became frantic.
“But I made you herbs to help you sleep—I only meant to help—”
Facing the west wall, Madara ignored her. He turned his back on Karin as his men dragged her, pleading, from his sight.
The entire inner column of Madara’s throat still burned as if he’d drunk oil of vitriol. Desperate not to show how much Karin’s touch had affected him physically, Madara meandered off through the garden to regain his composure.
The revulsion that had surged through Madara at Karin’s invasion of his personal space did not abate for some time. He spent an hour walking the paths beneath the ancient trees, breathing meditatively and considering the severity of his reaction to her. He’d been around other soldiers often enough when sparring, and he’d never had such a strong reaction to anyone, man or woman…
But then something inside him uncoiled and his pace slowed. That was true. Why had he experienced such a strong reaction to Karin?
No, not her, he realised, focusing back on the exact moment the first splash of acid erupted in his throat. Her bare hand on his skin. It was her touch.
When Madara returned to the spot where the altercation had occurred, he found a half dozen of his guards gathered. One stepped forward, his hand outstretched as if offering a royal summons.
“Your sleeve, Sire.”
Madara swallowed his sigh. At least it wasn’t one of the fancy shirts Mikoto had sewn and embroidered for him. He would never have been able to explain that. It was difficult to admit even to himself that he’d been so dismissive that Karin had managed to touch him at all.
It was frankly embarrassing, now that he thought about it.
And presented to him like a boon, there was the Sleeve of Shame, evidence of his distraction.
Feigning dignity, Madara nodded and accepted the torn garment. It was only when he got back to his room that he realised Karin had indeed prepared medicinal herbs for him, and had hidden them in the torn material. He wondered if that had been her intention all along.
Madara took off his damaged shirt and replaced it with another, adding an extra layer on top. He tossed the ripped shirt pieces on a chair. He had a dozen just like it. Perhaps someone on the staff would appreciate the soft material…
Hn—
An idea springing to mind, Madara strode through his rooms until he found Misao.
“A needle and thread,” demanded Madara.
Misao blinked at his master.
“Sire?”
“A needle and thread. Immediately.”
“H-hai, Sire. Nanao will be able to fix your shirt—”
“No, I require a needle and thread! Must I locate such things myself?”
“Not at all! Right away, Sire!”
Madara watched Misao hurry away before he straightened, a smug smirk on his lips. He knew exactly what he would do with the shirt.
###
The peal of delighted laughter startled Sakura into vague awareness; then the sloppy, wiggly, giggly face pressing into hers, the tiny hands tangling in her hair, and the baby hop-jumping on her middle had her chuckling and wincing.
“Mama! Mama! Mama!”
“Yes, mommy’s back, mommy’s back,” mumbled Sakura, still half-asleep as Yu turned her into his own personal trampoline. She drowsily reached up to cuddle him “And she missed you so much, too—ow, mommy’s hair—ugh, mommy’s eye—gentle hands, Yu, gentle hands—oh spirits, I missed you so much—”
“Mamamamamamamamaamamammamamamamaama!”
Underneath Sakura, a warm, male chuckle joined hers, and it was that sound and feeling that immediately roused Sakura to full consciousness and reminded her of where she had crash-landed upon returning home that morning.
“Looks like we weren’t the only ones who needed a nap.”
Yu flailed back onto Sakura excitedly, and she picked him up, burying her face in his. He hadn’t settled, exactly, but he clung to her desperately, wiggling around on his strong little legs as she cuddled him as close as she could.
“I hope you don’t mind that I made myself at home,” said Sakura to Kakashi, even as she tickled and hugged and kissed her son senseless.
“You’re welcome to any time you want,” said Kakashi, looking over at Sakura and Yu. His visible eye was soft, while the other was closed beneath its scar. His expression was gentle and inviting as he gazed at her. At some point during their nap, Kakashi’s arm had found its way around Sakura’s waist, pulling her closer.
Sakura smiled back at Kakashi and relaxed back into his side again for a moment. With his arm around Sakura, Kakashi rubbed her back while his other hand rested on his chest, on the warm spot Yu had vacated upon discovering his mother’s return.
As she rested her cheek in the crook of Kakashi’s neck and shoulder, Sakura cringed. It was damp. Blegh. Which meant…
In a pained voice, Sakura said,
“I’m sorry I drooled on you.”
“Now we know who Yu gets it from,” teased Kakashi.
Sakura laughed as they cuddled Yu between them, basking in their closeness just a little bit longer.
In that moment, her uneasy, yearning omega was almost at peace and Sakura let herself enjoy it.
###
Half an hour or so later, though Sakura would have happily cuddled longer, Yu became too restless to remain on the futon with Sakura and Kakashi. With a long suffering sigh, Sakura dragged herself away from Kakashi to follow Yu over to the changing table. He had pulled himself up and was emptying all his neatly folded cloth diapers onto the ground.
“I get the message,” said Sakura, scooping up a diaper, a pair of cloths, the water jug on the high shelf (that Yu could not reach), and the cream for his bum. With everything ready, Sakura quickly changed Yu, singing him a little song to distract him. He fussed through it all, too enthralled at having his mother back again to lie still. When she was finally done, Sakura set Yu down to crawl around once more—which he did, straight back to Kakashi’s side, to pull on his shirt.
Kakashi groaned and pulled Yu back onto his chest again, closing his eyes.
“Five more minutes,” yawned Kakashi, folding his hands over Yu’s struggling back. Unfortunately for Kakashi, Yu did not want to sleep any longer.
“Kashiiiiiiiiii! Kashiiiiiiiiiiii!”
As Yu began headbutting Kakashi, Sakura shook her head and nipped into her room. She washed her hands and face then brushed her hair and dressed before rejoining Yu and Kakashi. Apparently it was now Kakashi’s turn as Yu’s trampoline. (Kakashi mock-groaned under the onslaught, and Sakura couldn’t help laughing.)
A knock sounded at the door and Sakura called, “Come in!”, laughing.
When she tried to pick up Yu, her hands and Kakashi’s caught and mingled as they both reached for him, their fingers wrapping together.
The zing that shot down her arm sealed her heart in her throat; her eyes automatically fell to find Kakashi’s on hers, his expression relaxed. He tightened his grip around hers, slowly, and her sight narrowed in on the emotion in his eye—
“Sakura?” called Itachi, opening the door.
Her eyes widened as she turned, as did Itachi’s, when they met.
“I didn’t mean to wake you—” began Itachi.
Yu let out a screech.
Beside her, Kakashi groaned from the floor.
Sakura shook her head at Itachi, hiding a yawn behind her hand.
“That honour went to the little man of the house,” said Sakura ruefully.
“Ah, we thought we heard him,” said Itachi, his eyes gentling as he saw Yu grab hold of Kakashi’s hair to pull himself up while Kakashi moaned in pain. This delighted Yu, who tugged on Kakashi’s hair harder. “Kashiiii!”
Turning his attention back to Sakura, Itachi gave her an almost imperceptible once over. Sakura pretended not to notice. Mostly.
“Would you like to eat? Kakashi had the kitchens stock up on fruit, tea, egg custard buns—”
Sakura’s mouth watered, quickly followed by her eyes as she looked between Itachi and Kakashi, swallowing over the lump of emotion that had risen so quickly at such simple words.
Seeing Sakura’s distress, Itachi’s brow’s knit and he reached for her.
“Are you alright?” asked Itachi, his eyes checking her over again more thoroughly.
Sakura swallowed and shook her head. “It’s fine. I’m just happy to be back.”
“Ah,” murmured Itachi, still watching Sakura. His eyes darkened and softened as he took her emotional upset in as simply her wearing her heart on her sleeve again.
“Tachi! Kashi! Mama!” cried Yu excitedly.
Itachi’s shoulders relaxed as Yu stared up at him adoringly from where he sat on Kakashi’s face. Yu tugged on Kakashi’s messy hair again and Sakura sighed, turning back and bending over Kakashi to mercifully release his tiny fingers. She straightened Yu’s hat, tucking his wild, loose hair beneath it.
“Gentle hands, Yu,” reminded Sakura, popping her son on her hip. She stood, then reached down with her other hand to pull Kakashi up from the futon next.
Rolling to his feet nimbly, Kakashi rubbed his face and nodded at Itachi. His hand settled lightly on Sakura’s lower back as he came to stand beside her.
Sakura’s mind fogged at the heat of his palm. She mentally shook it clear.
“Naruto set up lunch outside, if you’re ready to eat,” said Itachi. He stepped back to make room for everyone to leave the nursery-turned-community-bedroom.
“How’s Sasuke’s forehead,” asked Kakashi, an eye-crease grin on his face beneath his mask.
Itachi’s expression didn’t change, but there was an interesting inflection to his voice that caught Sakura’s attention as they all headed downstairs.
“Nothing permanent,” answered Itachi.
“Did something happen?” asked Sakura.
Kakashi chuckled.
“Yu has a way of making his wants and needs known without words,” said Itachi.
Sakura arched a brow at her son.
Yu grinned up at her, showing off his teeth.
“Kashi! Tachi!”
“I think he’s doing well with his words,” said Sakura. “He’s very smart.”
“Tachiiiiii,” pouted Yu, reaching for Itachi.
At the bottom of the stairs now, Itachi’s brows lifted and he looked at Sakura and Kakashi.
Kakashi looked at Sakura, who shrugged and lifted Yu from her hip, placing him in Itachi’s arms. Yu beamed up at Itachi before reaching for Itachi’s face.
“Careful, his grip is pretty strong for a little tyke,” said Kakashi as they went outside to the rear courtyard.
“Ah,” said Itachi, a slight curve to his lips. He’d seen Yu tearing away at Kakashi’s hair while the poor man moaned on the ground. To his surprise, however, Yu merely patted the top of his head, then his own, before making a strange face. He patted Itachi’s head again, his fingers gripping Itachi’s smooth, dark hair a moment, then patted his own over his hat, and scrunched up his face into a frown.
“No Tachi,” said Yu crossly.
“Did I do something wrong?” asked Itachi, confused.
Kakashi shook his head. “He’s been doing that to everyone recently.”
“Really?” asked Sakura.
Kakashi nodded.
“It’ll be interesting to see who he says yes to,” sighed Kakashi as they joined Naruto at the blanket on the grass.
Itachi nodded and gently set Yu down on the blanket, where he immediately started crawling towards the edge where he’d seen a bug.
“He didn’t do it to me,” said Sakura.
“Did he do it while you were sleeping?”
Sakura made a noncommittal noise in her throat. “Maybe.”
Together they ate brunch and Sakura caught everyone up on the news from the site visits.
Naruto offered Sakura some apple slices which she shared with Yu as they sat together beneath a large oak. Their brunch dishes were piled nearby in the basket, with only the fruit and desserts left out in the open—which Yu had made several attempts to conquer.
“So it’s both good and bad,” remarked Naruto, his brows furrowed.
Sakura nodded. “It’s confirmation of what we already suspected, but at least we know.”
Beside her, Kakashi took a deep breath and leaned back, his hands propping him up behind him.
“We need to speak to Tsunade. She’s the only one who will know, out of her students, who could have been capable,” said Kakashi, looking up at the clouds.
“If it even was one of her students,” said Naruto.
Pressing her lips together in a thin, unhappy line, Sakura shook her head. Taking a deep breath, she voiced the suspicion that had been building in her mind during her entire séjour away from Konoha.
“I think it was,” she said quietly.
Itachi’s dark eyes focused on Sakura, while beside him, Sasuke frowned.
“How?”
Sakura set down her plate of food, watching Yu.
“Everything about it has been integrated and performed within Konoha’s walls. The only way someone could have pulled this off was if they were already familiar with the Underground, its people, and the tunnels,” said Sakura. “They know our supply chains. They know our relief chains. They know our underworld. They know the castle. They know the districts, the clans, the medical responses, everything.”
Clenching her fists, Sakura took a deep breath to calm herself.
“It’s a traitor, and it’s someone I probably know,” she admitted through her equally clenched teeth. The tightness in her chest burst out of her in a heavy sigh. “I just can’t think of who could hate Konoha so much that they tried to throw us into the hands of an invading force. Innocent people were killed the night of the Battle, and more were killed with the poisonings.” She shook her head. “I hate that I don’t know who this is! It feels like it should be obvious, but it isn’t!”
“We’ll find them,” promised Itachi, watching Sakura, her cheeks heated with her passionate anger.
“But how?” begged Sakura.
“They’ll slip up. They’ll be back and they’ll be overconfident and they’ll mess up and then you’ll nail them to the wall,” said Sasuke.
“Or Sasuke and I will,” added Naruto.
“What’s most important is that we do everything we can to protect those who are most vulnerable. And you’re doing that,” said Kakashi calmly.
But the unease in Sakura’s stomach made her insides roil at the insecurity that she wasn’t doing enough.
TBC
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Date: 2023-04-11 10:01 am (UTC)