All standard disclaimers apply.

A/N:And yet another story from me.:sighs: so many ideas, but so little time.I'll be sure to continue to write my other story as well, just for those who are wondering.This idea just struck me and I wanted to write it. This is a short story, maybe only six chapters! It's an AUfolks and OOO means flashback! Now, on to the first chapter!

The Ultimate Weakness

By: lady-rouge

Chapter 1

It was what Naruto had wanted.

But now, as the dark-haired man walked past him through the open archway with two wary guards in tow behind him, Naruto felt a heavy pressing feeling clamp down in his chest.

Barely veiled eyes of bright blue hope met blank onyx ones and blue eyes fell in disappointment to the bare ground as the dark eyes turned away with disinterest.

That small contact, however small it was, left Naruto reeling and he fought the urge to run to the dark-haired man and shake him senseless—shake him until the blank look fell off his handsome pale features and he would once again look at Naruto with those intense, raw expressions.

This was necessary for his dreams, Naruto told himself firmly before continuing on; leaving the pale man to enter his cell in peace. It was all that Naruto had strived for, had fought for, that he could not let such a small distraction—however handsome and sexy he was—to sway him from reaching the hokage position.

When Itachi left the position at the end of this year, Naruto wanted it. He had waited for this long, had struggled this long to become the next leader of Akatsuki, one of the top gangs of Konoha City. Being this close to his dream, he could not let temptation win him over when he was so close that he could almost feel the soft swishes of the uniform that signified his hokage status.

"Uzumaki." Low, dark, raspy tones.

"Itachi," Naruto greeted curtly with a small nod at the ominous dark-haired man that stepped out of the shadows to his left and fell in step with his long strides.

A small, pleased smile curved the dark-haired man's face and instead of enhancing the good-looking features of the man, it somehow twisted his features in a crude way. "Did you see my dear younger brother yet?"

His hands tightened into stiff fists, but Naruto forcibly unclenched them. "Yeah, I did."

"Yes," Itachi's hands stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Everything's going smoothly. All thanks to your brilliancy of course, Uzumaki." The red eyes of the dark-haired man assessed Naruto with a delighted smile and Naruto felt chills run down his spine. "You exceeded beyond my expectations of your capabilities that I feel confident Akatsuki will be secure in your hands when I leave it. Congratulations Uzumaki, you're one step away from gaining the position of hokage."

"What do you mean?" Naruto ground out in tense, choppy tones.

Itachi arched his eyebrows in quizzical wonder, but Naruto didn't buy it. He tensed, his shoulders tightened and he turned to face Itachi front-on.

"Don't play with me, Itachi," Naruto's eyes narrowed as he glared at him. "You gave me your word and I expect you to keep it like a man."

His only response was a widening of lips before Itachi looked bemusedly at him. "I said no such thing, Uzumaki."

"You bastard," Naruto growled lowly at him. "You gave me your word," Naruto stated angrily.

The bemused look disappeared and this time, Itachi began to look irritated. "I've decided at the last second that there must be one last test and this time, I'm serious."

"What is it?" Naruto glared at him.

"I can't reveal it to you until the time comes, but I assure you it will come soon." And with that, Itachi left Naruto to his confusion and anger in the dark corridor.

Naruto frowned at the turned back of the dark-haired man before continuing on to his room. Damn it, Naruto thought fiercely as he stormed to the huge set of glass doors that barred entrance to his spacious, but empty room. Upon entering, Naruto headed straight to the big recliner that sat to the right of his plain bed.

"Damn him," Naruto cursed before lying his head tiredly against the head rest with a soft satisfied sigh. This recliner was the only luxury that Naruto had ever allowed himself in his quest to become hokage because as a person fighting to gain the position of hokage, Naruto knew that he could not have any attachments.

He could not become selfish.

A sudden image of a dark-haired man with intense onyx eyes suddenly flashed into Naruto's mind and he wanted to laugh hysterically until his emotions ran dry—until he became numb all over.

Scratch that.

The recliner wasn't his only attachment. It was hardly any attachment when compared against the dark-haired man. The tall, dark-haired man with eyes that rivaled the beautiful dark sky at night; who said no endearing words, but whose eyes spoke for themselves and whose mouth trailed promises of worship and praise in the private of his room.

Sasuke.

Uchiha Sasuke.

Uchiha Itachi's younger brother.

He had never meant it to be like this. Naruto closed his eyes resignedly and felt his body go limp.

Fate must be laughing at him right now . . .

OOO

"Naruto," a voice stated.

Naruto turned from the overlooking window where he was observing the dirty streets and the brave people that mingled in them. He was outside Itachi's office and was waiting for Itachi to come up for a meeting that Itachi had asked of him.

"Come in," the red-eyed man gave a slight beckon inside his office and walked in; leaving the door open ajar.

Naruto obeyed and followed him in to a room that although was lavish and filled with rich articles, held a chilliness to it that could not be taken away by decorations. "What did you want to discuss with me, Itachi?"

The man in question turned around from where he was standing by the window and looked at Naruto for a long moment. Finally, he spoke. "You have wanted the hokage position for quite a while now, Uzumaki." He didn't question this statement. He stated it because he, like all the members of the Akatsuki gang knew it clearly that he, Uzumaki, desired the position.

At the words, Naruto's eyes widened fractionally, but he did not deny it.

"It has come to my attention that I will be leaving this position soon and I thought of you, Uzumaki." Itachi walked to his chair and sat down in it; pointing to the chair in front of him in indication for Naruto to sit down. "This position is very demanding and is only fit for the best, so I cannot just let anyone take it. That," he paused and looked at Naruto once more, "is why you must fulfill one last mission for me. This is your final test and it is also the hardest one. I've sent five strong individuals before you,"

There was a pause and a silence.

"And not one of them succeeded." His words sent the small spiraling hope in Naruto crashing back down and Naruto felt himself stiffen. Not one . . . succeeded?

"What," Naruto began warily, "pray tell, is the mission?"

The red eyes of the man in front of Naruto hardened with a glint that spoke of hatred. "Bring my brother to me."

OOO

The task had not seemed hard to Naruto when he first heard it. Bring Itachi's younger to their base—to Itachi's zone and that was all he had to do. So . . . why did those five fail?

OOO

"Sasuke is not someone to fool around with," Itachi spit those words out like it was something vile, "try as hard as I try to convince myself otherwise." He bent down to open a drawer and grabbed a file out before placing it loudly on his desk. "That is why, with each defeat of those five people, I have begun to gather information on him and his gang, Chidori," Itachi's lips turned into a sneer, "and I finally realized why he has never been defeated before." He turned to smirk at Naruto. "Can you guess why?"

Naruto shook his head softly, but paid attention carefully to Itachi's next words: "Sasuke has no weaknesses." Itachi let out a sadistic laugh. "It's hard to admit, but my younger brother is getting too smart. And that is why he has to be eliminated once and for all."

No weakness at all . . .? "But that is impossible to do," Naruto stated to the red-eyed man.

The man's amused look turned to Naruto. "That is where you are wrong, Uzumaki." His hands ran briefly through the papers in the file and stopped at one. "In a world like this, everyone is looking for weaknesses—things that can be used against the leaders to bring their defeat. That is why foolish people with high-running emotions can never be a leader. They fall to the enemy too fast. My brother," Itachi's eyes narrowed into small red slits, "seems to have no weaknesses for anything or anyone." His mouth turned in disgust, "but I don't believe it and this is where you come in, Uzumaki. I want you to infiltrate their base on the other side of town and gain access to the leader, Sasuke. This is only the small part of the challenge, Uzumaki. The hardest part is to gain the trust of Sasuke and to find his most likely only and ultimate weakness. Then, when you find out what it is, lead him to me and I'll finish him off. Are you willing to take this mission, Uzumaki?" The red eyes turned to assess a challenge at him and Naruto nodded grimly.

"Of course, Itachi."

OOO

Oh God, if only Naruto had known what was coming his way . . .

That day he agreed to Itachi's mission . . .

If he had known what fate had in store for him . . .

If he had known that the fall of Sasuke would also be the slow spiral to his fall—his inner turmoil—he would have said no . . .

-

A/N: Well, readers, I just wanted to post up this chapter for this idea that I have in my head and I really want to continue it, but it just depends on the readers . . . Please review and tell me your thoughts. If I do continue, it actually won't be that long, maybe seven chapters long. I already have the story plotted in my mind already, so . . . your thoughts and criticism please! J