H u r t
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Never in his life had Naruto been forced to watch something so horrific. Sure, he had been told that he had massacred his entire village single-handedly, but it wasn't as if he remembered the event. And of course he felt bad – guilty to the core, in fact, but it was so long ago, and Kakashi-sensei had told him not to dwell on the past.
But it was the same feeling that he would have had if he remembered, had any kind of conscious thought as he killed the people he grew up with. Just like now, he was helpless and unable to do anything to help the one who was so desperately struggling for his life.
Naruto had tried; jumped from his position to come hurling to the Uchiha's aid, and was pulled roughly back down to the ground by the back of his orange shirt. Lost in the moment, he had forgotten the people behind him – just blurred faces in the memory, though he vaguely recognized Sakura and Kakashi among others.
He was reminded that he was on a mission, and if he moved, the blonde would give their location away, and he would have inevitably given their lives in an attack that was not well planned out. Sasuke's sacrifice would be in vain.
Sakura was holding his hand, and for once, Naruto could not have cared less. So tormented, that he did not flinch back when her grip nearly broke his fingers. She was trembling almost as violently as he was, with tears streaming endlessly down her pretty face, as Naruto simply watched with wide eyes that could not blink as Sasuke was pushed to ground in a terrifying slow-motion.
How could everyone just sit there and do nothing, as if what was happening before their very eyes did not bother them in the least? How did they ever agree to let Sasuke go through with this, to be a part of their grand plan? They should have known that Itatchi would get carried away – he wouldn't just stop at killing his younger brother. He would break him first.
And all for stupid co-ordinates. Were they desperate enough to send Sasuke out there and take whatever was thrown at him only for the noble point of finding out where Itatchi was? Naruto could not understand why the Raven himself would suggest something so ludicrous. Sasuke had never wanted anyone to interfere with his problems.
…Unless the bastard got some sort of personal gain out of it.
Sasuke's body was pounded into the ground, his emotionless face smeared with dirt and blood. Itatchi paused only for a moment, and then crushed the sole of his foot into his brother's back, causing the one bellow him to wheeze weakly.
And when Itatchi lowered himself to Sasuke's level, balanced on the balls of his feet, that's when he was told to get up. Naruto disobeyed, rooted to the spot. They should be helping Sasuke, but instead they were leaving. Like cowards. They had what they wanted, and now it was time to go. How were they so sure that Sasuke would come back alive like they were?
Naruto presumed it was Kakashi who knocked him out cold then, just as Itatchi ripped Sasuke's shirt from his back with his inhumane claws, taking skin and blood with him. Naruto did not want to think of how those same claws would touch Sasuke in places that would surely destroy his teammate.
