Naruto One-Shot (Yaoi)

connection part 1

By:Death Phoenix
Diclaimer: I do not own Naruto, any of the other characters, or affiliated ideas. (Who reads this and doesn't)

He was used to feeling alone. He was a jinchuuriki after all, the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune. Dealing with hate, fear, and isolation were things all jinchuuriki dealt with and so he was also used to them.

He didn't like having to put on his mask of stupidity and obliviousness just so he wouldn't be beaten worse than normal and be killed in the streets. He didn't like pretending that he wanted to be the leader and protector of a village that had never shown him any kindness. He didn't like acting as if he were happy and cheerful every second of the day when he would prefer to be quiet and introspective.

Naruto hated that no one could see past the mask he wore to see the real him underneath. Or at least he had thought so. The blond jinchuuriki didn't think he would ever forget the first time he looked into fierce teal eyes and saw realization and recognition. Those beautiful eyes encircled by black rings set in a pale moon-kissed face framed by wild crimson hair with an equally crimson tattoo of the kanji 'Ai' set above his left eye gave a very feral appearance to the Jinchuuriki of Shukaku.

Not that Naruto didn't have an equally feral appearance when he let down the Kitsune illusion that he had woven around himself. After all there was no need to cause the villagers to panic, riot, and form mobs more than normal. Of course the red-headed jinchuuriki was hiding most of his appearance as well.

Contrary to popular belief Biju take care of their Jinchuuriki, their Chosen, because in essence the Jinchuuriki are their Heirs. Not that normal people know about that or the fact they are right when they call jinchuuriki inhuman. No human, adult or otherwise, can channel a Biju's chakra which is why as the children change, why their bodies adapt. The older a jinchuuriki gets the more powerful they become and the harder they are to kill. After they hit a certain age they become as immortal as their Biju and often release them after this point.

Naruto had always found it ironic that his kind were called Jinchuuriki because it was such a fitting title. They were 'human sacrifices'. They were all sacrificed for the well-being of others and everything that they were including their 'humanity' was sacrificed as well. Of course the inhumanity of humans was just as ironic because jinchuuriki could be some of the most humane beings in the world. Gaara, Shukaku's Jinchuuriki, agreed with Naruto when he dropped his mask and shared his views when they met up later that night in a forest clearing.

The connection the two had was astoundingly strong and only got stronger after Naruto beat some sense into Gaara during the Oto-Suna invasion. Shukaku and Kyuubi mentally bonded the two young jinchuuriki so that they could keep in touch, for neither wanted to leave the other. Unfortunately it would take some time before their wish to be with the other to come true.

It wasn't until Naruto returned from his training trip with Jiraiya the Gama-Sennin that their wish was fulfilled. During this time both Naruto and Gaara had fallen in love with each other through the talks they held in the mindscape they had created through their mental bond. Neither knew that the mental bond they shared was one of the steps of courting between demons. Kyuubi and Shukaku could also keep in touch with each other for they too were courting.

When Naruto arrived in Konoha with Jiraiya they both reported Tsunade. Both of the older shinobi were a bit startled when Naruto dropped his mask and became serious.

"I have no love for the village of Konoha even if I do love several of the people who reside here. I have worn my mask so as not to bring more wrath from the villagers down on my head but I can't do that anymore. The freedom from the glares, the hatred, the beatings, and the torment I found while traveling was wonderful. I refuse to stay in a place where I'm treated like trash and where I will never be able to show my true self or strength."