I woke from a dreamless sleep to silence and soft snoring. I blinked up tiredly at Itachi's barely visible face, the candle in the room having burned itself to death almost. He was asleep, face relaxed, and circles under his eyes. His arms were limp against the bed, but he hadn't moved a bit since I fell asleep. His relaxed features exposed his previous tension, his face seeming much more tired.

I sighed softly and ran my hand gently across his cold chest, admiring his strange difference to my own body. Where I was warm, he was constantly cold, I was surprised he wasn't freezing. It still shocked me how different his body functioned.

I basked in his presence, feeling secure and weighed down in this spiraling world we lived in. He was solid. He was steady. He was mine. He was a symbol of my anxieties and fear growing up, from nearly kidnapping me, tormenting my mind, and being untouchable to being all I wanted to hold.

He was himself, finally. I couldn't imagine having to play the bad guy for so long, torturing those to hate him, just to save everyone else from knowing a truth that would get them killed. He must be so exhausted by it all that he must feel guilt every time he looks to Sasuke. He must be in so much internal pain.

If I could give him more, I would without thinking twice. I'd give him my everything if it ever came down to it. I'd lend him all my strength should he want it. I'd give my very life to save his.

He was so protective, though. I'd never get the chance to defend him. He'd rather do the defending. Poor guy has a worried look each time I do something on my own, fight, or just explore places he himself hasn't been. I wonder if some of that stems from him being an older brother.

There is still so much I'd love to learn from him, and we have some time to talk about these things now. We have space from everything to just work things out and discover each other better.

My eyes roamed over his chest again as my mind began to wander to naughty places that surprised me. I knew I was old enough to start thinking this way, but my own hormones shocked me even with this knowledge. His body was just so nice to look at fantasizing about.

I wonder how he'd be as a bottom.

My face flamed as images popped into my head, making me physically grow hotter and needy. I tried my best to catch my breath and calm down, but the images were planted, and they didn't want to leave, so I was left being tortured by these thoughts of mine for the time being.

I focused on small scars across his body, feeling them gently, then I studied the grooves his muscles made, tracing them lightly, getting lost in his presence, smell, and chill. He had more muscle on his body than mine, but his heartbeat was so slow compared to normal. It thumped slowly and light, beating like a soft drum. The visible veins through his skin were darker than the normal blues and purples. They were nearly black and a small bit red.

I looked up to his face, only to have my breath caught when I met two glowing red eyes staring back at me. They were pulsing with his slow heart, holding lust, amusement, and something else, more feral and dangerous. A subtle reminder of his changed nature, a subtle hint of hunger he was never able to hide from me.

"Admiring me, are we?" Itachi purred, shifting his leg to where it went between mine, arm coming up and hugging me against him more, making me flush. "I don't mind. It's rather amusing to watch you stare and focus on my body. You seem to be enjoying yourself." He smirked. "What's got you so turned on?"

I shuddered at that seductive tone he was using and felt something stir by my thigh, making my heart race a little more and my own member twitch. I had to look away from those intense eyes of his before I got hard against him.

"I-I just woke up feeling a little horny." I admitted, face heating up in slight embarrassment. "S-sorry-!"

"Don't be." He smiled and chuckled at my misery, cupping my chin to lift my eyes back to his. "I find it cute." His voice growled lightly, making my mind spiral violently at the sheer level of charm he had.

He's probably the hottest man on this planet! I thought as he stroked my lower lips with his thumb, his eyes drinking in my flushed face. The candle shuddered and finally went out, dipping the room on total darkness, but I knew he could see me just fine, however I was left with his glowing eyes and dimly lit face, now looking red as well.

Fuck.

"S-So, uh, you hungry?" I stammered out, those red eyes filling with amusement at my tone.

"A little, yes." He purred out, moving to my neck and inhaling. "I admit, your lust flavors your blood so perfectly. I almost can't resist it. But, it's not the only thing I hunger for. I want you." He inhaled deeper, shuddering against me as he shifted to straddle my hips, hands yanking mine above my head, making my whole body flinch, face burning so hot my eyes watered from the heat. His hold on my hands shifted, grabbing both wrists into one while his other was free to do what it liked.

"I-I'd rather not be sore when we finally start training." I spoke giddely, unable to help the excited little knot in my stomach from tightening further.

"I won't destroy your ass, love." He chuckled with a wicked promise. "But I will make those legs tremble." He exhales against my chest, making my nerves tingle everywhere.

I lost my internal battle then, blood rushing downstairs before I could help it. My eyes rolled as he began to kiss my breast bone, up to my collarbone and to my shoulder, moving to the scar he gave me.

"G-guess you woke up horny too?" I asked, toes curling as he lapped his tongue over the tender scar.

"Yes, but I think watching you bask in my body put the nail in the coffin for me. You drive me wild, Uzumaki." Itachi growled, dragging his teeth across my flesh, not biting down yet.

Teasing me.

"J-just bite me." I needily panted out, heaving my air as his aroma suddenly filled the room, clouding my brain.

His chilled hand skittered down by front, rubbing all of the grooves my abs made, his lips kissing against my neck, soothing thought from my mind as I focused more on what he was doing to me, how he enslaved my body into his will.

His teeth dragged against the scar again, pricking the skin lightly, before slowly singing his fangs into its familiar place, where they belong. I'd cup his head and hold him in place had he not captured them. I groaned as he bottomed out, clamping his jaws on my neck and began to drink his fill. I felt a shiver run through me as a daze overcame my head, his lust sparking through me violently, knocking the wind out of my lungs.

He ground against me, making me finally let out a quiet, shuddered moan. His free hand traced quickly to my mouth before he forced three fingers into it, making me almost gag, but began to suck at them, muffeling myself with his digits as they spread a chill through my insides, cold ice-like fingers spreading their intentions through my body.

Possessing me.

"Mnh." Itachi moaned against my neck, pulling back and licking the wound. "Good boy~." He purred, leaning to where our eyes locked. "Do you want more bites?" He smirked at me, licking his tongue along the red glistened fangs.

"Mmhm." I nodded, unable to talk as I focused on sucking on the -

His head whipped to the door quicker than I could even catch. The only thing I registered was the lighting fast sensation of the blanket being yanked over my legs and his fingers leaving my mouth quickly, eyes trained as the door gave a loud set of knocks, before it was abruptly opened by Sasuke, with Bee behind him with folded arms.

"Oi, wake up already so we can -" Sasuke paused mid-sentence.

The light from the hall shined on us, and Bee's entire body tensed, Sasuke's face shifting into surprise, shock and slight disgust. I felt my face flame as I then hid under his body. Half shielded by the blanket he saved us with.

He must have been a scary sight for Bee. His lips were covered in my smeared blood, with me bleeding under him, his body over mine with that angry look on his face. He looked like some scary horror monster you'd read about.

"Naruto -" Bee started, but Sasuke held an arm up to block the man from entering the room.

"We're kind of busy, Sasuke." Itachi finally spoke up, panting heavily from clouded need, his grip on my wrists tightening almost painfully as he seemed to be holding himself back.

Ah... his possessiveness is showing.

"Easy, Itachi." I whispered, those near feral eyes darting to mine, pupils constricting as they gazed at my neck. "It's alright, w-we were just... uh..."

"Make it fast. I'm eating." Itachi lowered himself over me again, eyes confident as he let my wrists go in favor of grabbing my chin roughly, making my stomach knot in arousal.

"R-Right." Sasuke looked up, and Bee continued to stare with a disturbed expression. "Well, we are ready to begin your trigger tests. So, hurry up and take a cold shower. You both slept for over a day. It's currently eleven at night, so there's no need to dress in your daytime outfit, Itachi." Sasuke explained hurredly as Itachi lowered his head and bit back down on my neck, making me gasp, apparently having nothing to say to Sasuke.

He really acted hypnotized when he drank my blood.

"Th-Thanks, Sasuke. C-close the d-" I began, but his hand covered my mouth as he moaned against my skin.

The door was shut quickly afterward, and my face contorted into a look of displeasure. The mood was killed by his abrupt rudeness. I raised my hand to his and gave it a light smack, making him grunt and pull his fangs from me and remove his hand.

"Don't be an impatient prick." I warned him, poking his neck in a half jab that made him cough. "Or you're banned from my ass for a week."

He looked semi-hurt, but in a playful sort of way before he winced as if realizing his behavior.

"My bad, I don't think we've been interrupted before. That was a new experience. It shouldn't happen again. I just got a bit... territorial? It's difficult to describe." He apologized, frowning at me. "I think that's enough for me... I'll drink some more before bed so I don't make you tired."

I sat myself up and hugged him, patting his back as I decided on my next words.

"You are very hot when you're rough, though. Don't think it's a bad thing." I smirked to myself.

"Hn, I'm glad you enjoy it." Itachi mused up my hair.

"It's a bit weird, though. You're so soft-spoken and calm most days. You have gentleness and grace to your movements, and even when you fight, there isn't much roughness. It's opposite from your usual sway." I pointed out, pulling out of the hug to cup his hips since he was still sitting on my lap.

I could get used to this view.

"Well, I'm glad I can surprise and satisfy." Itachi winked.

"Hn, maybe someday you'll be the bottom?" I offered, shooting the offer out since it's been on my mind.

"Only for you, love." Itachi kissed my forehead before standing. "Maybe sometime soon. If it has to with anyone, it would be with you." He patted his boxer clad butt before moving to get ready and clean himself off.

I shook my head and followed suit, getting my neck cleaned and my new clothes on. They were simple, black t-shirt and tan shorts. I grabbed my weapon pouch and tied my headband on before leaving the room, remembering my way to the main area downstairs where I'm sure everyone was, giving Itachi time to get himself ready since he took more time than I did. If it passed the smell test, it was wearable, basic logic I've followed since I could remember. Finger comb the hair, lick the eyebrows, and clean.

My hand ran over the throbbing bite wound, half healed and tender. I felt around the tooth holes, shivering as his burning eyes came to view, Sharingan eyes mutated with that of his vampirism. They seemed to activate when he was hungry or feeding, a cook feature that dyed our world momentarily red as shadows enveloped us. He had a will over the light around him, making me wonder if he could snuff out the very sun if he ever needed or wanted to.

With that last thought engraved, my head shifted to the outlook of my day. It would probably suck, heavily, worse than any day due to the fact I'm going to be subjected to triggered episodes until I learn to stop them. Maybe I could put in some jutsu work, practice my wind-up time, and maybe build some endurance, but doing too much is detrimental to my own health.

Jiraiya taught me as much very early on in our training when I was getting ahead of myself.

Ah... Pervy Sage.

"He'd have a complete fit over this." I chuckled, rubbing my neck softly. "He'd go on and on about wanting a young youth to draw in women for his own research purposes, how we react and all. He'd want the juicy details for his stupid novels." I rolled my eyes as I smiled to myself. "He'd complain about having to walk me down the aisle should we get married. He'd argue that it was painful and symbiotic, probably giving him Orochimaru PTSD. He'd interrogate Itachi, hehehe." I laughed to myself.

He was obsessive when it came to Orochimaru. Good thing he's dead.

I rounded the corner and made it to the lobby to find Sasuke and Bee waiting for me, with Yamato leaning against a far wall with a mug of what smelled like coffee in his hand. Seems he isn't a fan of waking up at night, or maybe he was awake all day? I shrugged, but when when I approached, both Sasuke and Bee came up to me, keeping me at a distance and out of Yamato's ear shot.

"Uhm, hello." I greeted, confused by their worries expression.

"Are you okay?" Sasuke asked me then, his eyes flitting to my neck briefly.

Bee had his arms folded, looking over my shoulder to keep an eye out for my Beau.

"Uhm, yeah? It's not that big of a deal, ya know? He was just eating, and you kind of interrupted a steamy moment." I admitted aloud, faint heat touching my face.

"Yeah, but he was... biting down pretty hard before we left, looked painful." Sasuke huffed, his worried but bored eyes lingering on my neck. "He also looked at us funny."

"Thought he'd lunge and take the plunge. He looked like a beast, fool." Bee grunted. "Is he usually like that?"

"Well, he gets extremely possessive over me. And he loathes the thought of me getting hurt by someone else after the Danzo fiasco. He also gets a little feral when he's hungry, and the more stress he feels, the quicker he needs blood. But, no, he'd never intentionally hurt me, and he's usually gentle. We were just messing around before you came in, and he wasn't thrilled about you just barging in." I explained to them, face flaming. "We both woke up in a mood."

"We saw. We were just makin' sure you were fine, pay us no mind fool, ya fool. But you need to make sure you've got time for this shit. It's probably not going to feel good. Ya know, inducing your episodes and what-not. You need your energy." Bee bumped my shoulder with his fist.

I nodded and looked to Sasuke, who narrowed his eyes at my neck one last time before grabbing my wrist and pulling me aside, which hurt more than I thought it would. Maybe Itachi got carried away with his grip. I momentarily looked down to make sure they weren't bruised, which they weren't, thank God, but he'd probably tell if we end up sparring.

"Seriously, Naruto. He's something different than us. He isn't human anymore, and as much as it sucks you need to watch him. None of us knows how he can act if he gets threatened. What body language sets that off and what his limits to his self-restraint are, and I'm not just talking about his hunger tolerance. His mood." Sasuke huffed.

I let my face fall into a look of pure unamusement. I understood his worry, but he acted like I couldn't look out for myself. Maybe my episodes gave off that impression? I literally fought Pain, six of them, after they leveled our home, and he acts like I can't defend myself. I rolled my eyes and gave a heavy sigh.

"Trust me, Sasuke. I would never let him take things too far. He wouldn't either. And even if he did, he wouldn't mean it. Being here is a great opportunity to explore more than just my current state, but his as well. We've talked about it already, trust me?" I asked, grabbing his shoulders tightly.

"I trust you will be smart about this. You are usually a knuckehead." Sasuke groaned and knocked my hands off of him. "I'm just concerned is all. Seeing him like that was... jarring." Sasuke looked down as if reliving something.

Maybe Itachi's angered glare dug up his past... maybe his family slaughter? Shit... we probably just triggered him.

"Sorry if seeing him like that messed with your head, Sasuke. He isn't like that. He'd never hurt you... not of his own free will. It's hard to accept this, I can't imagine that pain... but... know I won't let it get that far if it tries to happen, okay?" I tried reassuring, not grabbing onto him, but nudging his arm with my hand.

He looked extremely uncertain, letting me know I was accurate in what he was feeling. He looked over to the hall as Itachi emerged, cleaned off, and acting completely different than a few moments ago. Relaxed, calm, and moving with that grace he seemed to carry. Sasuke looked over at Itachi's posture as well, relaxing visibly before sighing.

"Okay." Sasuke nodded and walked over to Bee.

I watched after him with a frown, unable to process how much seeing Itachi like that hurt him. He doesn't fully trust Itachi. That much was clear, but still, seeing him that worried made me worry. I hope he could get past it someday.

Itachi moved to my side, hair combed and pulled into a small bun. He looked me over, approving of my outfit and me approving of his, internally swooning st the man bun.

"You prepared?" Itachi asked me, eyes roaming my face with worry.

"Yeah. I think so. I have to be." I replied, clapping my hands together, determined to figure out my triggers and fight off episodes.

Was I probably going to fail the first few attempts? Yes, most definitely. But if Bee could hold them off, then I'll have a better chance at fighting against them. He could potentially be my crutch in this.

We all joined up outside the home, walking a good distance from it and into a clearing, with a large box of stuff they probably prepared ahead of time while Itachi and I were asleep. The air was cooler, and the nighttime air greeted us with little humidity. It smelled like dense forest, soil, and sea, something that was growing on me.

Once at the clearing, Bee cleared his throat and gained my attention, standing a good ten feet from me.

"So, Sasuke filled me in on some previous episodes you've had, and together, we worked up somethin' pretty rad." He smiled. "However, I know for a fact that some may trigger your itch, so it's not going to be pleasant. If you feel a slip, let me know. I'll help you, ya know?" Bee asked me, rapping his words... well, he was trying to anyway.

"Alright." I nodded, clenching my fists with determination and to reign in the adrenaline beginning to flow through me.

I haven't been this eager about something since learning the Rasen Shuriken. If I could train myself to withstand these episodes, I'm one step closer to controlling this tailed beast within me. So close yet so far!

I was sitting down on a tree stump. Getting mentally prepared for whatever it was that I would be seeing or experiencing. Itachi sat close by, but not directly beside me, either for his own safety or mine. I appreciated it, I didn't want to be coddled, or I would get any better.

Bee and Sasuke looked to each other and nodded before Sasuke moved to the box, Bee moving closer to me, about the same distance as Itachi was, ready for anything and watching me very closely for any sign of distress. The box opened, and I heard metal rattling, and I immediately felt my heart drop into my stomach as the sight of chains filled my eyes, a pressure forming in my head instantly.

The reaction was immediate, the overwhelming sense of dread from. A place filled with the smell of musty air, dust, and iron. I cringed as the pressure throbbed harder and harder, the chains growing closer, opening as if to shackle me.

"You belong here. Caged... like the animal you are. Be lucky you didn't suffer the same fate as Sasuke, I decided to spare you only because you have some use to me." Danzo whispered beside me, my eyes immediately darted to where Bee was sitting, seeing no one there.

Only the prison cell I was trapped in. No, I wasn't trapped here. This morning, I had a steamy moment with Itachi, Sasuke walked in and caught us! I shuddered as I felt a shred of lucidity run through me, funneling my chakra through my body as if to break a genjutsu, wondering of that would maybe work while I still had this sliver of lucidity to work with.

"Who are you?" Danzo asked, and the weight of chains weighed me down.

"Naru-Hn!" I winced as a loud crack echoed, followed by searing pain across my stomach.

"Try again." Danzo commanded.

"No." I hissed angrily, chakra bubbling under my skin, spreading heat through my body as another crack was followed by pain across my thighs.

I could feel the weight grow heavier, and I felt that lucidity suddenly slip from under me so abruptly that it caught me completely off guard. I blinked rapidly and grabbed my head, suddenly not chained against a wall, but standing in a dark room, shackles dangling off of every limb.

I could feel only rage boil within me... such intense rage that I wanted to lash out, hurt whoever it was causing this pain. I wanted to make this pain stop, and in front of me was a figure... shaking and screaming something I couldn't hear. I saw their eyes, and this rage doubled inside of my heart.

"Kill her... that's an order. She is treasonous." Danzo ordered from somewhere above, his voice calling down from a far away place.

I didn't even have a say or a moment to think as Kurama's want for blood skyrocketed. If this meant an end to the pain... we were willing to do anything.

I was willing to do anything.

Even if it meant killing this person.

I lunged forward, yelling as no thought but blood ram through my head. She stumbled away in fear, but I was much faster than she was, despite the slick ground. Her emerald eyes widened and grew bloodshot as I began to try and tear into her, yelling morphing into animalistic howls and drowning out her own.

Someone was holding me back.

A wave of pressure flooded into my head, and I was back in the field, burning body over Sasuke's scowling down at him with rage thst slowly faded. There was a hand grabbing my head, holding it aloft, my hands locked with Sasuke's, his knee in my gut and sword in the grass a ways off. I smelt burning flesh and noticed Sasuke's pained expression.

I was hurting him.

I flinched as this red cloak of chakra around me fizzled out immediately. I panted heavily, in shock as I stared down at him with wide eyes, blinking rapidly as that uncomfortable pressure held whatever it was, making me lose it at bay.

"You back, loser?" Sasuke hissed up at me, however not in a hostile way, just in pain and defensive.

I blinked rapidly and shook my head out of the hand and quickly pushed myself off of Sasuke, standing up and backing away from him a few paces as Bee helped him up.

"Damn! I'm sorry!" I apologized quickly, completely surprised. "I-I didn't mean -"

"We know, don't start freaking out again." Sasuke grunted as Bee's chakra enveloped Sasuke's, healing it very quickly.

"Damn it! I really tried!" I grumbled, rubbing my fingers under my eyes.

"We could tell you burned through some chakra whenever you had the episode. We just caught onto that, which means it could potentially be related to a Genjustu." Itachi spoke from beside me.

I nodded along with that information, gathering as much from that entire experience as the pressure in my head began to fade. I gave one last apologetic stare to Sasuke before sitting myself down and looking over at the chains, which were discarded on the side. Looking at them wasn't as bad of a reaction as before, but I forced myself to think on being in that jail cell, beaten and hurt.

Triggering and episode using it.

Everyone assumed their previous positions and got themselves prepared. I sighed heavily and focused, smell changing and sounds changing into distant cries... my own voice screaming out in pure agony as the smell and taste of my blood grew stronger and stronger.

I tried to immediately fight it off, and to my surprise, the sounds and smells faded out considerably. I tensed as the pressure faded, and nothing changed. I blinked up at Sasuke in disbelief but only smirked at the reaction.

"That means progress." Sasuke huffed.

"Step two is dealing under pressure." Bee huffed.

"Under pressure?" I quipped.

Before I could ask further, Sasuke lunged at me with his sword drawn, making me gasp and quickly dodge out of the way just as a lighting riddled blade cut straight through the log like paper. I quickly dashed away to create enough distance to grab a Kunai out, but this was all I had time for before he advanced on me again. This time, with a chain latched to the end of the blade, rattling as he sped at me.

I grunted as it crashed into my blade, swiveling towards my face, causing me to dodge down straight into his knee, which my free hand caught in time to propel myself away from him. While in the air, I held up my hands and formed ten shadow clones at my side to back me up as I quickly assessed the situation.

The others were staying out of it for now, which left just me and him. I could send a clone off, gather nature chakra to let me use Sage mode should Sasuke seriously take things too far.

Two of my clones vanished as the other eight, along with myself, charged forward, two creating a rasengan in each of my palms before shooting forward and flanking Sasuke's sides. He grunted, and two red orbs opened after he blinked, busting out the Sharingan as he dealt with the tiajutsu raining onto him.

"UZUMAKI BARAGE!" My clones shouted, kicking at him, their feet being caught just as I zipped forward, using clones behind me and throwing myself forward.

"RASENGAN!" I growled, heart racing quicker as one hand missed and destroyed my own clone, and the other clashing into that annoying chain, rattling them and shredding the metel to pieces as he blocked my blow.

"Not good enough. I'll train you until I have every orphas bleeding, boy." Danzo spoke with disappointment.

I'll show you!

I let my chakra boil through my whole body, every fiber of muscle and fat, every cell I had that made me up as a pressure overcame me. I could visualize Danzo's cold eyes glaring down at me with nothing but disappointment and disgust. A power hungery man glaring at me...

Imagining him burning like a paper bomb.

He crumbled to dust at my feet.

I could see Sasuke punch me back, clear as day without an ounce of pressure in my head. He whipped out two more links of chain from his sleeve, but seeing them meant nothing to me, no unwanted pressure as I charged at him, smiling with a newfound confidence, even as he shredded my clones and tripped me off my feet, holding his blade above my head with a narrowed expression.

We both panted together, pausing as he clearly won over me, yet I wasn't actually trying to win against him, just myself, no... not myself. Danzo.

This was my first win against Danzo.

"Did it work?" Itachi moved over, leaning and looking down at me with a curious expression, Bee coming into my field of vision as well.

I grinned a large toothy smile at them and held up a thumbs up, snickering as a gush of confidence overcame me.

"Hehehe! You bet! Seems I can get through this after all!" I chimed.

"Don't get carried away, "Sasuke huffed and yanked me to my feet, " you still have other triggers. That one was just the first of many."

"That may be so, but I know I can get past them. If I can get over this one, then I can definitely overcome the rest. Believe it!"

"Ah fuck, I thought he forgot about that annoying mantra." Sasuke complained, rubbing his wrist, which I had just noticed was trembling.

"Seems my jutsu packs a punch." I teased him, poking Sasuke's side with a smug smirk. "I've got you shaking with fear and awe, Uchiha."

"In your dreams, dweeb." Sasuke rolled his eyes before swatting away my hand. "My hand's worn out from the vibrations your Rasengan sent through my blade. Nothing more."

"Hnhnhn! Now! Shall we start the second round?" I quipped, cracking my knuckles.

"Before we start that, I want you to see what lies beyond these lessons. The first step to taming the nine tails. Give you some inspiration to help later on with your concentration. Yeah!" Bee huffed. "You gotta meet your true self to pass the first test."

"My what...?" I mumbled, feeling confused.

"To the waterfall we go." Bee bumped his fist to my chest. "Yeah."

///////////////////////////////

Did you guys enjoy the song? I know it's not EVERYONE'S cup of tea, but it's a sexy song that fueled the beginning of this chapter. I enjoyed it, so I thought I'd share it with you.

I'm also rewatching Naruto! Just got to where itachi intercepts Naruto while they all look for Sasuke. Intense scenes, it's right after the fight between Sasuke and Deidara, good stuff. 👍.

As always, I hope you guys enjoyed, and thank you so much for the 7k+ reads. It means a lot to me.