Disclaimer: The Naruto fandom in all its glory is not mine.
AN: Just a word of warning, this is YAOI so if you're going to be shocked, please don't read it. This is the first story in the Naruto fandom so please forgive the ooc across the board. Anyway, happy reading, and if you like it a review would be much appreciated!
A
Dark Places
Chapter 1
Two boys found the body.
Young and frightened with a can of beer snuck from their father's cupboard， clutched behind jumpers a few sizes too big. They weren't doing anything, they'd just wanted to try it.
He was lying on the ground. Arms spread and eyes wide open. Expressionless and utterly beautiful like a porcelain doll. With pale skin and aqua eyes. Perfection, and lifeless. Dead beyond words but without a single trace of pain. His feet were adorned with sandals, with toes painted a dark purple. Slim legs, bare at the ankles and draped with loose shorts the colour of night. Beige shirt, half open at the chest and a single tale-telling tattoo between the bones of his clavicle.
"How long has he been dead?"
"3-5 hours. Won't know for certain until the autopsy."
"Got a name?"
"Yeah. Kimimaro."
Naruto stared at the dead boy. The latest in a string of dead boys. They've all been beautiful, perfect, and prostitutes. Painless deaths, pointless too. Other's have all written it off as some deranged killer on a rampage or a purist cleaning the world in their views. He knew it's probably true, but it doesn't stop the death toll. And it doesn't stop him seeing some cold logic and rationality behind it.
"Which club?"
"Which else? Club Oto."
"Just another coincidence huh?"
"You know the drill."
"Yeah. Shit."
"Wanna check it out?"
"Yep. How many is it this month?"
"Just the one. That we know of."
"Let's go."
He left the narrow alleyway. Passing uniforms and civilians. He saw the kids sitting in the ambulance, the younger one clutching the blanket draped over him while the older one was looking dead straight ahead. He felt sorry for them. Too young and too innocent to understand what they saw and what it meant. They were probably regretting ever discovering the existence of beer.
He really did feel sorry for them.
At the car, Naruto got in the passenger side, feeling dazed and slightly nauseous. Kiba turned the key, and the engine roar was suddenly killing his head. A sharp pain at his temple made him wince.
"You alright?"
Naruto shook his head free, untangling and distancing his mind from images that refused to leave him alone. He was a damn rookie anymore, it shouldn't bother him so much. Only it does, every time. It never stopped bothering him.
"Yeah. Just another skull cracking nerve spasm."
"Never heard of it, Naruto."
Usually he'd throw something back, but not today.
For someone died today.
OOOOOO
The club was quiet. Compared to most clubs anyway. Still dark, with its own particular brand of seediness. High paneled booth were strewn throughout the underground facility, soft and quiet noises blending together, a symphony for those with that inclination. Naruto waited a little at the doorway. Not so much perturbed by the place but rather by who he was about to meet. His headache passed as quickly as it came, but his disposition remained unchanged. Kiba trotted ahead, already at the bar with questions. A nod and Naruto followed him deeper into the club, darker places where light was sucked into the oily black hole.
When his night vision finally kicked into full throttle. Naruto made out the man sitting in the low couch. Arms draped over the top and legs crossed. Always dressed impeccably with his own sense of style. Face hidden by dark hair but that pale skin was glowing eerily. Beside him, a young man huddled close, head buried in his lap and face turned down. Naruto didn't need a hint to guess what they were doing.
Their presence seemed to startle the younger of the pair. He disengaged himself with an ungraceful yelp and backed timidly into the corner of the wide seat.
"To see such fine gentlemen from our most esteemed law enforcement here in my humble abode. Pray tell, what did I do to earn such a reception?" The voice was quiet but felt as engulfing. Each word spat with invisible poison, not so much hatred but more like annoyance. They were welcome in his club, just not when a hot wet mouth was attached to his cock.
"Just a few questions." Kiba replied.
"By all means. Kabuto."
For all the influence and backstage power he had, Orochimaru seemed to be completely comfortable with his profession. A facilitator of sex, an entrepreneur of fetish, or just a glorified pimp. But he surrounds himself with beauty and elegance, then twists them into the darker pleasures. Cocooned himself with the law and carved a path into riches most can only guess at. It made Naruto wonder why he stayed in the same business all these years. But he suspects the older man had a taste for human decadence, or at least the submission his toys finally succumbs to.
Kabuto though, was a different breed altogether. Always well-dressed in pressed suits and sensible tie. With glasses and a warm smile. Ambitious and talented, studious and ever loyal. Naruto had never seen him engaged with any of the plays the club offered. Always standing aside, not too close so one might suspect his involvement, but never too far to know exactly what's going on. A difficult type to deal with. The sort that always had a round-a-bout way of talking. You always got an answer, just not a straight one.
"This way detectives. Or would you prefer club atmosphere."
As sharp as scalpels come. Kabuto smiles, a sly smirk that twists his face like a fox and eyes hidden by the reflection of his glasses. He gestured to a side door, and proceeds to lead them through.
"Do come around sometimes, detective Uzumaki! And give my greetings to Kyuubi!" Orochimaru's laughter echoed. A hollow and self-satisfying sound.
Kiba shot him a sideway glance, half confused and half suspicious. He shook his head and decided to save that question for another day. No use asking when he knew there's no answer to be had. Especially not here in the snake pit.
OOOOOO
The office looked worlds apart from the main floor of the club. It was well-lit with halogen globes and a centralized light. Stark with mahogany and dark leather. Kabuto sat himself down behind the wide oak table, crossed his legs and gestured for them to take a seat. Their game faces set and ready.
"Did a Kimimaro work for club Oto?"
Kiba asked, straight to the point. No use beating around the bush when snakes were loose and alert.
"That's a question for human resources, detective. Neither Orochimaru-san or myself are familiar with who or what our employee's do."
Naruto thought he heard a crunch, like a molar's being ground into fine powder.
"Who handles human resources?"
"That would be Jun. But we had to let him go."
"We'll need an address for Jun."
"Yes, but under the employee confidentiality, personal information cannot be released." The bastard smirks, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. "Surely you realise this, detective."
Naruto hated the way people said that. Detective, spat like poison from a wound. Weren't they the good guys?
Kiba almost growled. Already frustrated by what looked like another hour of endless questioning. It's been a long day, and he could do with a hot shower if only to wash the invisible grim clinging to his skin from this place. Naruto sat rigidly, knuckles slightly white from gripping the armrest. He stands up, abruptly and stood with his back straight and rage surging under his skin.
"Kimimaro is dead." Naruto says, low and even. "And we're gonna find the freak who took him out. So either you tell us whatever you know or we start poking around here every night flashing our badges while we're at it."
Kabuto sighs and walks to a filing cabinet. He shifted through a few files before taking one out and placing it softly on the centre of the desk. Naruto pulls the file across, takes a brief glimpse through the contents before nodding to Kiba.
"There's a customer that asks for him regularly. Young man, light coloured hair. Before Kimimaro was around, we'd always have problems with him. Aggression, you could say. Goes by the name of Juugo."
"And?"
"No ands. That's all we know of him."
He'd mutter thanks and whatnots, but Naruto wasn't in the mood. So he stands up with Kiba and make their own way out. They'll have to hit the streets for this Juugo.
To be continued...