Nine.
Oh, poor Atlas
The world's a beast of a burden
You've been holding up a long time.
And all this longing,
And the ships all left to rust—
—What the Water Gave Me,
Florence + The Machine
A.
His head is propped up on something hard as a juxtaposing gentleness cards through his hair, scratching gently at his scalp in a way that makes Sasuke want to purr.
His eyes open slowly, surprised when there's still sight to be had within them. The light that shone right before he lost consciousness seemed bright enough to rob him of it, so he is grateful when the scenery floods into clarity around him all at once.
Sasuke doesn't know where he is.
Or what's happened while he was out. He isn't outside anymore, instead gazing a cold, metal walls with flickering, swinging lights that cast odd shadows. He blinks, trying to understand how he got here, and his uneasy shifting causes that hand that's caressing his hair to stop short.
He twists his body to look up, breath catching as his eyes connect with cool blue.
"You're awake." Naruto says, face breaking out into a blinding grin. Sasuke can't help but return it, overjoyed in knowing that the other man is alright.
He thought — He's not sure what he thought. Too much happened before too quickly. Too much went wrong. He thought for sure that it was the end but words cannot express how glad he is that it wasn't the case.
"How long was I out?" He asks groggily, aware now that his head is giving off a dull ache. He's reminded of a time in his youth when he was hit in the head with a stray ball during outside time, how a pulsing throb followed him days after the initial sharp pain stopped. It's the same now as it was then, pushed to the back of his head but still ever-present.
"Three and a half days." Naruto answers, surprising him. "You hit your head twice in one day. Your brain needed a break from all that rattling."
He says it coolly, but Sasuke can see the relief and happiness in his face that Sasuke woke up at all. He wonders how long Naruto sat like this, holding him and listening to Sasuke breath softly. He must have stayed so close to make sure it wouldn't cease while he wasn't looking.
"Sorry," Sasuke says, sitting up and pressing a hand to Naruto's cheek. Naruto shudders around a sigh and closes his eyes. "I worried you, didn't I?"
Naruto nods into his palm, breathing heavily out of his nose. "Yeah." He admits. Then softer, in a whisper: "Don't do that to me again. My heart can't take it."
Sasuke smiles even though the other man isn't looking at him. He leans forward and presses a soft kiss to the other man's lips.
Naruto isn't here for his gentleness though, pushing back harder and snaking his tongue into Sasuke's mouth.
Sasuke's more than happy to reciprocate, wrapping his arms tight around Naruto's middle and pulling him closer as they kiss fervently.
Naruto's splays in his lap, arms tight around his neck. He breaks away from the kiss with a near gasp, burying his head into Sasuke's shoulder and shuddering quietly as he catches his breath.
"Fuck." He says roughly. "We're alive."
Sasuke nods, mouth unable to form words. He can't believe it either. Too much, too much, but they did it.
Didn't they?
"Where are the others?" He asks, suddenly aware of their absence. He's concerned that it's only the two of them in this metal box. Where is this place? Where they caught? Is this a prison?
No, if it were they'd be restrained or something. They also wouldn't be sharing a cell. So it has to be somewhere else.
"Outside." Naruto answers, pulling back to look at him. "This is an old underground bunker we found not too far from the fortress. Fortunate too, since we had a lot of injuries."
And deaths.
Don't forget the deaths.
But Sasuke won't say that since he can see the pain in Naruto's eyes as his mind dwells on that very subject.
"So everyone else is fine?" He asks, choking on hope.
"Depends on how you define it, but yes." Naruto confirms.
Sasuke swallows down something that may be a sob, nodding. He's overjoyed, truly, unspeakably relieved. Too much loss already, he can't take anymore. Thank goodness that no one else was lost while he was unconscious.
Speaking of the others, there's a soft knocking on the door. Naruto grunts in response and Kiba pushes the door open with his foot, holding a tray of food.
He's shirtless, showing off a bandage wrapped around his middle. There's a nasty cut on his forehead that already looks half healed, but beyond that he looks no worse for the wear. Sasuke takes quick stock of this, searching his form for other injuries. Kiba smiles softly at Sasuke's obvious wellness check, pleased.
He doesn't so much as raise an eyebrow at Naruto sitting in Sasuke's lap, strolling into the room and placing the food down on a small, metal table.
"Good to see you up, man." Kiba says happily. Sasuke nods in response. "It was a bit touch and go there for a while."
Naruto releases him and stands, taking the piece of fruit that's offered to him and biting into it like he's starving. He probably is, given how long he was sitting here. Sasuke feels a surge of love pass over him, knowing that Naruto sat watch the whole time to make sure he would wake.
"Sorry," He finds himself saying again, even though he had no control over it. "I'll try to avoid repeated head injuries in the future."
Both men snort at that, rolling their eyes.
"Have they started yet?" Naruto asks, suddenly serious. Sasuke doesn't know what he means, confused, but Kiba shakes his head.
"Nah." He replies, looking at Sasuke for some reason. "Gaara said it would be best to wait."
"Started what?" Sasuke can't help but question. He doesn't know what they mean.
Naruto looks to him, eyes low and sad. His expression is stuttered and a bit hurt, making Sasuke's stomach flip uncomfortably.
"We're having...funerals today." He says softly. Sasuke swallowing thickly.
Ah. Of course.
For their fallen.
"We had to give everyone time to recover a bit before we could, and we had to make sure no one was following us." Kiba continues for him.
"We also wanted to make sure you'd wake up first, you know, in case…" His voice drops off into a mutter and Sasuke understands.
"In case you had to have one for me, too?" He surmises. Kiba nods grimly and Naruto looks away, both clearly very uncomfortable at the thought.
"Gaara wants you to be there." Naruto says softly. Sasuke raises an eyebrow, surprised. "He's warmed up to you, and he wants us all to be together right now."
"I've warmed up to him too, I think." Sasuke admits. It's hard not to with all that's happened. Naruto looks at him from under his lashes, nodding.
"That's good." He breathes. Under different circumstances he's sure the other man would be more excited about it, but they're still weighed down by their grief and sorrow.
"You should eat something." Kiba says, holding out an apple to Sasuke which he gladly takes. "Take a moment and when you're done, we can join them up above and get started."
"No." Sasuke protests, "Let's go now."
He does not need to dwell on anything else, doesn't want to talk or let himself get lost in his thoughts. So, he eats quickly and readies himself to face the sun again.
Naruto sighs but doesn't argue with him. Sasuke's sure that he understands, but he's also sure that Naruto's still worried and doesn't want him to move around too fast. Three days is a long time to be unconscious, and even with their advancements he could still have some serious lasting damage.
He doesn't have time to worry about it now, not content to hold everyone up. Sasuke quickly finishes his food and waits for Kiba to lead the way.
They climb out of a hatch that's hidden in a patch of wildflowers, set in the middle of nowhere. Sasuke flinches when the sun's rays hit him fully, raising his hand to shield his face.
When he lowers it, he sees the others standing there, bathed in light. They're standing in a circle, piled rocks in front of them in makeshift graves. Despite himself, a happy sigh escapes him, and Sasuke smiles.
Ino smiles back bright, eyes slightly red. Karin and Temari are beside her, their arm full of stones so they can't come to greet him just yet. Karin smiles softly at him as she helps build another pile, happy, while Temari nods in greeting.
Sai throws an arm around his shoulder and ruffles his hair, grinning.
"Welcome back to the land of the living, Sasuke." He says lightly. Sasuke's surprised. It's a rarity for Sai to use his actual name.
They've truly reached a deeper level of bond, then. He feels that's the case with everyone here. Something dense. Unshakeable. Something warm and unspoken that wraps around his heart tight and squeezes it in the best way.
Shikamaru doesn't hesitate to pull him into an embrace when he gets close, patting his back and pressing their foreheads together. Sasuke cannot say anything but he doesn't have to, silently declaring all they need to between the heat of their skin.
Tenten takes his place the moment Shikamaru steps back, wrapping her arms around Sasuke's middle as she presses a kiss to his cheek. Over her shoulder, Sasuke sees Juugo smiling at him, eyes both sad and joyful. Sasuke nods his greeting to him and isn't surprised that he gets an armful of Kimimaro once Tenten lets go.
He feels him shaking slightly and Kimimaro cannot form words, fingers gripping the fabric of Sasuke's shirt so hard that it almost rips. He collects himself quickly, pulling back to smile brightly at Sasuke. It's infectious, and Sasuke finds himself returning it.
"It's good to see you." Kimimaro says, speaking what the others couldn't.
"Yeah." Sasuke replies softly. "You too."
They break apart and Sasuke steps forward into the circle, Naruto by his side. Gaara watched quietly the entire time, looking at Sasuke with unreadable eyes. When they make eye contact, he only nods, saying nothing.
He can feel the shift between them as they stand not too far apart. Still, they are still not the hugging sort. Maybe they will never get to that point, but he'll take this over what they were before.
"It's not much, since we aren't able to really bury them." Tenten says, referring to the graves, "But we still want to."
"It's plenty." Gaara says quietly. Temari abandons her armful of stones to come stand beside him, leaning on his shoulder. "It's more than we were able to do before."
There's more here than Sasuke was around for, more graves that will sit in this swaying field, immortalized in stone. He cannot dwell on that; cannot fathom how much more loss the others feel right now.
But they do not have to compare pain. He feels enough: For Sora. For Kankuro. For Suigetsu. For Shino and Choji.
He feels for Anko, Yahiko and Konan, even though he didn't know them. For Baki and Konohamaru and Udon and all the others— Yes, he feels enough.
"Yeah." Naruto says softly, eyes downcast. Sasuke gently takes his hand, squeezing. Naruto squeezes back but doesn't look at him.
"Who wants to start?" Kiba asks from beside Sasuke. Everyone shares a look, unsure.
The wind picks up, carrying their hair towards the east. Sasuke tucks his hair behind his ear, watching the faces of all his friends as they struggle to begin.
After everything, this almost doesn't feel real. Almost doesn't seem like they've been afforded this moment of peace, of reflection, of mourning. It's why they can't begin, because this feels like an end.
The end of an era. No longer too busy to avoid their sorrow. No longer forced to keep moving and sweep it all behind them. Now, they must sit and face what has happened. What they've done. What they lost. What they've won. Now, the fight truly begins.
Sasuke thinks about it for a moment, before reaching out and taking Kiba's hand, too. Kiba's brow jumps in surprise but he takes his hand anyway, giving him a look of pure warmth.
The others follow suit, everyone reaching out to hold the hand next to them. They form a circle, surrounding their symbolic piles of stone and the crosses that mark them. Sasuke sighs, heart heavy but also lighter than it's ever been.
"I'll start." Shikamaru says, taking the lead as he oft to do. "And after this, we'll change the world."
Everyone nods, jittery and hopeful even in the face of their pain.
They stand there, surrounding their fallen, connected in a circle of limbs. As Sasuke stares forward while the others take turns to speak, for the first time in his life he feels...home. He feels wholly and truly—
—Loved.
•••
Chaos.
That's only way to describe the aftermath. After they crowd around Shikamaru's terminal, so he can do the honors; one expert keystroke sends what they know to everyone.
To everyone who would care, and care they do.
There's calls to action, righteous outrage. Synths walk away from their posts in protest, rattled to their very bones at the knowledge of warm blood in their veins. At the thought of the children they could possibly have, upset by the notion of the lives they could have lived, if not for this widespread lie.
Advocacy groups sprout like bamboo; they vow to house any Synths who refuse to work until they have more answers, until they have true freedom. To feed them and care for them so they can be safe from those who don't believe them to be human, still.
There's arrests—high ranking officials face the guillotine for all they've done. This secret only tops the pile of their various crimes against the people of the world. Some plead innocence, some resist, some denounce this knowledge as a farce, an over-exaggeration: Not all the Synths are human, only the newer models.
That does not ease addled minds, does not deflate the swelling anger at such injustice and abuse. Some recognize the faces of the missing Model Five's that disappeared to be part of this secret project. They cry out for their brothers and sisters on this registry, becoming more irate once it's revealed that many of that model are dead, now absent their secret since they did not want to live a lie.
They learn that Ethelred was completely destroyed in that last blast. Sasuke wishes he was surprised but he's not. The man that attacked them did say his team was coming to clean up. Whatever secrets still left there now lost forever. It's hard not to mourn for those that are dead because of it, human or otherwise.
There's pledge of investigations, possible reparation, some easy fix to a convoluted situation. It will not come easy, such repair, as many Synths are angry—forced to live lives of servitude, forced to bite their tongues at constant abuse and dehumanization. Fighting breaks out, not easy quelled. Between those that refuse change and those that demand it.
It's chaos, after.
That's the only way to describe it.
Sasuke and the others see this unfold with wide eyes, caught between a strange sense of victory and loss. There is still much to be done. The world will not change overnight, and they knew this. Still, it seems to be happening faster than they thought.
The colonies are crying out in a fever pitch, ready for change. Their leaders are dead and they're ready for a different future. It's hard not to celebrate when so many agree with their cause and are on their side, pledging support.
They see each morning think piece, each afternoon denouncement of the governments by angry citizens in a haze. Sasuke's in constant disbelief of how many are willing to stand and fight at moment's notice. He shouldn't be so surprised; history has been cruel to many and some who have lived other horrors will be damned if they stand idle again.
But It does not feel real yet. He doesn't feel like this is the end, like it's that easy.
There's still push back and hateful humans that see them as othered despite what they've learned. Some do not budge on their rights of ownership no matter how strongly urged. It will be months, maybe years before synths can be truly free but this is quite the start of something...different.
With him and the others, they try to decide if their part is done. If they have accomplished their mission if they are not the face of this revelation, of this revolution. After all, Shikamaru sent all the information on the disks they stole anonymously, afraid of the blowback if they painted this movement in their colors.
They're still on the run. Still fugitives from the law. They move every few days—closer to cities this time, since it's easier to get access to the web and hear the news that echoes so loudly that it will reach them, even up here.
Shoulders stiff, alarm raised, constantly afraid of a sudden raid, a sudden attack by some unseen force to hold them to reckoning. It does not come; not in the first days, not after the first few weeks, and then, slowly, two months pass with nothing.
There's a live breaking news segment that Ino turns up after breakfast one morning, waving her hand to silence the lot of them even though they were talking in low tones. Sasuke sits up straighter, on edge. Every news bulletin in the last few weeks has been to report about more violence and riots.
Expected but—it's difficult to stay positive. To feel as though they're on the side of justice. Did they do the right thing? Will more bloodshed solve anything? But, what choice did they have? It was always the plan for the fire and the flood, to drag cities into the sea, so why such horror when it's revealed that some have drowned?
"What? What's happening?" Shikamaru asks her, staring at the static-filled television with startling intensity.
"I don't know," She admits, not looking away, "But I think it's important."
There are marchers, each with makeshift signs demanding justice and change. An interesting mix of humans and synths alike, old and young.
No, they are Cyborgs now, officially. It's rude to label them as "Synthetics" when they are not. Those that were human first are Cyborgs, while the earlier models are Androids. Human-like in appearance, but ultimately not.
A line in the sand, a division. One that will no doubt lead to friction in the future between the Synths. The Model Two and Four's are all machine. While the Five and Sixes are human.
There are more Four's than the other models, so what does that really mean for their futures? Will the humans embrace the Androids the same way they are attempting to embrace the Cyborgs? Or, will that become a point of contention —of discrimination and distinction — too?
He can't think about that now. This is all way too complicated. Is it so bad to say that all he wanted out of this was to not be a slave?
Probably not.
"We demand answers!" One protester yells on screen, brandishing her posters high above her head like a weapon. There's cries in agreement, and a reporter stands off to the side, grim-faced with juxtaposing dancing eyes, excited at the scoop and front row seat she's getting.
"We're standing outside the Tower of Elohim, where they mysterious creator of the Synthetics lives —" She prattles on.
It's too early in their days of change to worry about political correctness, Sasuke think dryly, since she didn't even attempt to think differently from usual. Still content to call them an almost derogatory term. He wonders if maybe it'll be used like skin job soon, something to purposely other and attack his kind. Probably. History knows no different.
But shit, they're going after the creator so soon? Humans sure move fast. It only makes sense to go to the source, doesn't it?
In the pursuit of the truth, they stormed the Bastille, landed upon beaches, wore banners emblazoned with flowers to kill their own brothers—
Not that it mattered.
For once they forced open the doors to his hold, broke past the barriers on live broadcast, they found the halls and the rooms to be empty. Devoid of any signs of life, machines long ago powered down and gathering dust. Home only to spiders and critters who dispersed amongst the shouts and clattering feet.
Empty.
The Tower of God is—
—empty.
"What?" Naruto breaths beside him, leaning closer to the screen. Sasuke feels just as surprised. He had not expected that. How long has this been the case?
It wasn't like there was much correspondence to begin with; the Tower of Elohim only emerged from obscurity when a new Model was to be released or updated, or some new hot commodity that no one could live without was to be put on the market. No one knew what that man in the tower was up to unless he wanted them to know.
How long has his golden throne been bare, and how was no one aware of it? Or, was he given a heads up by someone who was?
"What the hell?" Kiba questions, snorting. "That was really anti-climactic."
"We should have known he wouldn't have shit to say about all of this. Why would he? All this talk is cutting into his bottom line." Shikamaru says flippantly. "Turn it off."
And that's that, really. There's no more big revelations for months, no more huge calls to actions. There's still protesting and arrests, but the true work is happening behind the scenes. Laws must be drawn up, hearings must be had, anger smoothed over, so Sasuke and the others wait until something substantial happens before making any other moves.
They do not talk about how lost they feel. How they seem absent of purpose. Instead they choose to talk of memories, of days long passed. Sasuke learns of some of his new friends' adventures and lives before they came here, to this land of opportunity.
It seems like such a joke now to recall that, how they all thought Delta-1 one would be different from Earth or the other colonies. Now that he has time to hear the stories he learns that it's not; all the colonies were built on lies and were just as stifled as the next. All selling dreams of a better life and profiting off of young Synths' naivety.
They all compare notes and laugh at the ridiculousness of it all.
Some days Naruto doesn't sit with them as they reminisce. He finds a quiet corner and stares off into nothing, face blank and lost. Sasuke will quietly excuse himself from the circle and make his presence known, extending a hand that he's forever grateful to have Naruto take.
Most times they don't talk. Most times they sit, hand in hand, while Naruto watches the sunset and Sasuke watches his face. Most times Naruto will lean on his shoulder and Sasuke will sigh and surround him as best he can.
Once, and only once, Naruto turns to him—eyes sad and searching — and he asks:
"It was all worth it, right?"
Sasuke swallows heavily and nods. It was. No matter what, it was.
"Yes. I think so." He replies. It's still impossible to know for sure.
Naruto chuckles humorlessly, turning away again. He links his fingers with Sasuke's, squeezing. Good, he hasn't lost him to a sea of black thoughts. His love is still in there, even as he fights the waves.
"Yeah." Naruto says softly. "Me too. Sometimes though...I don't know. I just wonder how I even got here."
You and me both, buddy.
Sasuke shakes his head, looking down into his lap. His throat is tight, arms stiff and lips dry. But—all at once, he finally understands.
"One day you wanted to live and you did anything for the chance." He says quietly, feeling oddly near tears.
Naruto looks at him then, dawning in his eyes. He heard those words before, when Sasuke himself sobbed around an explanation of who they came from. So, he just nods, squeezing Sasuke's hand tighter before turning away once more.
A quiet moment that he doesn't want to end. Just the two of them in a near embrace, watching the clouds as they amble past. But a throat is cleared behind them, so they turn to see Shikamaru standing there with an odd look on his face.
"Sorry." He says softly, grimacing when the two of them let go of each other and sit up straighter. "But there's something you need to see."
Naruto's brow furrows and then he's standing to follow. Sasuke does as well, horribly confused. The others are standing around, looking uneasy. Naruto squares his shoulders at the sight, taking the reins once more. His moment of reflection seems foreign when compared to the look on his face now.
"What is it?" He demands, swiveling his head this way and that. Everyone shifts uncomfortably, but it's Gaara who answers.
He turns the computer terminal around, face nothing but harsh set lines. Sasuke feels his eyebrows climb higher and higher as he comprehends what he sees. That's —
"It's an invitation." Gaara confirms a moment later, expression dark. "From Red Dawn. They say we need to talk."
Well, shit, Sasuke thinks. What could they possibly want, after all this time?
Judging from the look on Naruto's at that declaration, it can't be anything good.
Well, that's just great—
—Isn't it?
B.
Sasuke's feeling of dread will not disappear in the coming days, constant and buzzing and with a great sense of wrongness.
They decided to do it. To meet up. And Sasuke doesn't understand why.
What more is there to talk about? The deed is done. The truth is out. There's no purpose in a continued fight when the reins have been taken from them. They were the catalyst, but now others are content to lead the charge, hopefully to true and complete victory.
It does seem wrong, however, to wash their hands of it when the true battle has just begun. But what more can they do? If they come out of the shadows will they really be heroes? They exposed the truth, yes, but killed and maimed and stole and manipulated to do it.
Can their sins be absolved just because there's potential for a desirable outcome? Did the end justify the means?
—Would all their hard days
Be met with praise,
Or scorn?
Sasuke laments this, trying desperately not to question Naruto's line of thinking but he thinks he's failing. He doesn't know what this Red Dawn wants. It surely is not closure, like Naruto does. Or the answer to some lingering questions.
They are unpredictable, unknown. He doesn't have any prior knowledge of them to go off of, seeing as how there was no record of them anywhere, mysterious as they are. So, he cannot hope to guess what they are after. So long they've gone without speaking and now they want something? It's suspicious and dangerous.
Sasuke voices this quietly to Naruto as they travel to the meeting place, out of earshot of the others. He doesn't want to come across like he's doubting Naruto now after everything, but he cannot hold his tongue on this matter.
"I know." Naruto says. "But we don't have much choice."
Sasuke raises an eyebrow, unconvinced. "How's that?" He questions.
Naruto gives him an unreadable look before turning away to watch the others as they walk ahead of them.
"If they can still get in contact with us, then they can find us. We need to go clear the air before they do so. It's as simple as that."
That answers nothing. Sasuke has no idea what that means, and it only serves to frustrate him.
"That's annoyingly vague and somewhat concerning." He points out. Naruto fights down a smile and shakes his head.
"It is." He agrees. Sasuke narrow his eyes and crosses his arms until Naruto relents. "Do you want the long version or the short version?" He amends with a slight look of apology.
Still too many secrets. Sasuke will have to chip at them little by little until he reveals the sculpture underneath.
"Whichever version makes sense." He says simply.
Naruto nods, relenting. "Fair enough." He replies, eyes going cloudy as he remembers. "I told you before, right? That we used to take orders from them. And that we had a falling out. Well, there's more to it than that."
"Naturally." Sasuke quips, urging him on.
Naruto looks at him dryly, mouth lifting into a slight smirk.
"Shut up. Anyway, they contacted us first, before we even had a vague sense of what we wanted to do. I don't know how they found us or knew that we were gearing up to rebel, but they did. Despite how creepy it was the deal was too good to pass up."
Sasuke frowns, unnerved. How did Red Dawn find them if they weren't even on anyone's radar then? That's a bit scary.
"We worked together fine for a while. We talked over a secret channel they set up. Probably the most secure line I've ever seen. Shikamaru could access it from his computer and we never saw each other in person. They'd tell us drop points and we'd go to get supplies and weapons. They'd send us instructions and we'd carry them out."
"Everything was fine for a long time, but then they wanted us to get reckless. Bomb cities with all civilians, take out high ranking officials in the middle of a town square." Naruto snorts almost angrily, shaking his head at the memories. "Attack airfields and shipyards with airtight security and nearly getting us all killed."
"Soon enough, it wasn't about making people pay attention to our cause and more about being as violent and destructive as possible. It felt more like all-out war rather than fighting for change. When I bought that up, I was told: what's the difference?"
"And you didn't like that." Sasuke says. Not a question. He knows Naruto better than anyone.
"I wasn't going to be anyone's puppet. I told them I had a reason why I wanted to do this. For our freedom. For our rights. For my daughter." He paused, swallowing. "I wasn't here to kill indiscriminately and set the worlds on fire for the fuck of it. I don't hate humans and I don't want them to needlessly suffer. They didn't seem to understand that."
"So, you told them no and moved on?" Sasuke asks.
"Pretty much. They didn't take it well. Told us that they made us, and we wouldn't get far without them. Screwed us for a while by telling our targets that we were coming. Pretty sure that's what happened back at the shipyard too, when I think about it. The way we got discovered was just too perfect."
"But I insisted that they fuck off and leave us alone, and since we barely knew shit about them they didn't have to worry about us outing anything. They agreed, but not before telling me that I personally owed them and they would come to collect, for sure."
"What does that mean?" Sasuke questions, uneasy. He already didn't like this and now he really doesn't.
Naruto doesn't speak for a moment, gritting his teeth. Sasuke stares at him, worried, before looking forward to make sure no one else is listening. Whatever he's going to say next, Sasuke is pretty sure the others haven't heard.
"I think…" Naruto starts, brow furrowing. Sasuke stares at him and waits on baited breath for him to go on. "I've been thinking about it, and the only answer I can come up with is that the people we saw at Ethelred were from Red Dawn."
What?
"What!?" He questions a little too loudly. He sees Kiba and Sai turn to look at him in slight concern but he waves them off, dropping his voice back to a low whisper before he continues. "Are you sure?"
Naruto nods grimly, wringing his hands together. "I'm almost positive. We talked about going after the files with them before. Who else would have the means to launch an attack that big? Besides, I remember that fucker saying that he remembered me from somewhere, didn't he?"
"No, he said he remembered me." Sasuke says, fighting down a shiver. "But I've never seen him before. I feel like I would remember that."
"Me too." Naruto agrees. "But we could have spoken before over the channel. I don't know where he would have seen you before but that just makes this even more weird."
Sasuke nods, feeling panic rise in his chest but he quickly quells it. "So, we're going to confirm this? That's not all, is it?"
"Yeah. I think there's something bigger going on, too. They shouldn't have been able to contact us again. Shikamaru forced them out and buried all our signatures deep. But they still messaged us, so I think they know what we've been up to this entire time. They only let us think they weren't paying attention."
"Do you want to try and... smooth things over so they don't come after us?"
Naruto tsks, shrugging. "Maybe. We can try. I want to know what else they want and what they think we owe. They promised that today was just to talk so hopefully it doesn't go south. I just really want to know what the fuck is going on, if I'm honest."
Sasuke nods, brain firing off too many thoughts at once. He hopes nothing goes wrong today as well, as he was faced with Red Dawn's strength before. They aren't a group to take lightly.
"Yeah. If this isn't going away we need to face it head on."
Naruto sighs heavily, looking to the sky for answers that won't come.
"Why can't it just go away, though? Why does everything have to be so goddamn difficult?"
"I have no idea." Sasuke admits. It's no comfort and he knows that, but he can find no other answer. "No rest for the wicked, I guess."
Naruto chuckles, bumping his shoulder companionly. "Tell me about it." He replies, shaking his head with a wry smile.
•••
An old plane hangar, south of where they were hiding out. About half a day's walk.
Naruto's brow furrows even further, unnerved that Red Dawn picked a place easily accessed from their location. They no doubt picked it since they knew exactly where Naruto and the others were staying.
Naruto is probably right; they knew their whereabouts the whole time, only giving them a semblance of solitude and safety.
But what was the point of that? Why make them think their actions are their own, that luck was always on their side up until now, when they were still being watched and probably manipulated? They could have stepped in at any point but didn't. Did they want to see how everything would play out or did they have a different goal in mind?
Just what the fuck is going on?
Sasuke feels a stark fear before they enter, knowing he's not going to like whatever they find out inside. He sees this mirrored on everyone's faces as they near the meeting point. No one speaks. They share looks of unease and try to steel themselves as best they can.
"They didn't say anything about how many of us can come inside, right?" Kiba asks as they stand in front of the hangar doors. Gaara returns just then from walking around the entire perimeter, noting where the exits are.
Sasuke looks at him for his verdict but Gaara just shakes his head. Sasuke swallows hard, tense.
"No good. The other doors are sealed. This is the only way in and out." He says, grumbling.
"At least that means no ambushes?" Tenten tries in vain, her cheerful tone obviously faked.
"Or they can bottleneck us if we have to scramble to escape." Shikamaru rebuts helpfully, ever the optimist.
"So, let's not give them the chance." Sai says, voice unusually serious. "Some of us will keep watch while the others go inside. One of us can keep their comm on so the rest can hear what's happening."
Not a bad idea, Sasuke thinks. Even though something similar happened months ago, with this same setup. Not too different, since he's still facing fate. He tries not to think of how that night turned out as the sun beats down on their furrowed brows.
It's starting to get late and they don't want to keep the other group waiting, not sure that doing so will go in their favor. It's already about four and if they want to get back before dark they'll need to wrap this meeting up quick. If they can even do that. Either way, they need to make up their minds as fast as possible.
"That's the best we're going to do right now, I think." Shikamaru says finally, nodding.
"Alright." Naruto agrees easily enough. They don't really have time for a well thought out plan and he knows it. Their backs aren't necessarily against the wall but its close. No time to think anything over. They must act.
"I'll keep watch." Sasuke says first, before anyone. For once, he doesn't want to be front and center to this, since he's still confused on a lot of things. It's his business at the same time it is not.
He wants to go inside with Naruto but thinks he'll be better suited out here, to ensure that there's no ambush or funny business.
Naruto seems surprised at this, but he covers it quickly with a stern nod. "Okay." He says, and little else.
"I'll stay too." Karin pipes up, Juugo soon after with: "I will, as well."
Taka nods in agreement, coming to stand closer to Sasuke. He says nothing, but it looks as if he'll be staying, too.
Naruto narrows his eyes slightly, still minorly distrustful of them, but he doesn't comment. Sasuke silently thanks him for being able to rely on them at a moment like this.
Tenten and Kimimaro also volunteer, saying that: "The six of us should be enough. Half inside and half outside."
"That works, doesn't it?" Kiba asks, turning. "Naruto?"
"It will have to." He confirms.
Sasuke catches his arm before he enters, pulling Naruto to the side.
"If you're going to ask me not to do anything stupid I'm going to tell you right now that I can't promise you that." Naruto says playfully, even though his eyes are serious.
Sasuke, despite himself, grins. "I know. Just try to give us warning if shit's starting to go down so we can come in, guns blazing."
Naruto gives him an amused look. chuckling lowly. "Leave you out of the action? Never." He declares, holding a hand over his heart.
Sasuke pulls him into a hard kiss but he doesn't linger. But, just in case—since he's only said it outright once—he mutters: "I love you." Against his lips and Naruto shudders at the sound of it.
Naruto searches his eyes, his own lowered and vulnerable. "I love you, too." He replies, blinking rapidly before his mouth sets in a determined line. "Once this is all over we're going to go somewhere nice, alright?" He says defiantly.
With all the chaos going on in the known worlds, Sasuke doesn't know if anywhere will fall under that category soon.
But he doesn't say that, smiling brilliantly instead and saying: "Okay. It's a promise."
Naruto smiles in kind, turning away to set off. The others pretend like they weren't intently listening to them, pretending to whistle innocently and hiding their soft cooing under poorly disguised coughs.
Sasuke rolls his eyes—fondly, of course—but it soon gives away to deep breaths and tense shoulders as the others begin to make their way inside.
Sasuke hears the crackle of static as someone presses down on their comm, keeping their word on having those on the outside listening in. It's silent at first; only the sound of their footfalls on concrete echoing through the earpiece.
Suddenly they stop short, and Sasuke and the others strain to hear what's happening while simultaneously keeping an eye out.
"Oh, you've gotta be fucking kidding me." Shikamaru exclaims, seemingly out of nowhere.
"Dude." Kibabreaths, before cursing under his breath.
"What?" Tenten whispers ungently, alarmed since she can't see what's going on inside. "What's happening?"
She doesn't get any answer since suddenly there's another voice talking. Sasuke catches a gasp when he hears it, alarmed.
There's something familiar, something old and deeply embedded about that voice that it almost frightens him. He's heard it before but can't place it. There's a sudden buzzing in his head as he combs his brain to find it, headache blooming as his blood pressure rises.
"Well," The voice says grimly. "This is certainly a surprise."
Sasuke hears Naruto's sharp intake of breath and tries not to panic.
—Who?
"Let's not leave everyone in suspense, shall we?" Says another startlingly familiar voice. His stomach drops to the depths. The name that accompanies that voice springs fourth with much more ease than the first, and Sasuke curses.
"Now that we know that no one's going to shoot each other, why don't we all talk together?" He sing-songs. "Tell the other little puppies that they can come in!"
Sasuke doesn't hesitate, sharing a hard look with Karin as she stares at him, wide eyed. She knows too, dammit, and so does Juugo. They both look confused and slightly angry, just as he is. Why is he here? Just how long were they wrapped up in this without even knowing it?
He throws open the hangar door, stepping in from the shadows. He's tempted to raise his gun but refrains, trying not to antagonize even though he doesn't think this will be a friendly chat.
They charge in, incensed, but Sasuke stops short and is nearly knocked over at those rushing in behind him.
He's sure that his eyes bulge and his breath catches. He would stumble back and fall if not for his locked, rooted knees. He sees Naruto out of the corner of his eye, face ashen from shock. Sasuke cannot utter a word, voice dying on his tongue as he takes in what—who—he sees in front of him.
If he had a list of the two people he would least expect to see today, it would be them. They both look equally surprised and caught off guard.
Mismatched eyes of cracked marble widen and his mouth gapes. At the same time, a face—so like his own, twists in shock and old grief, and Sasuke mirrors the same.
"Sasuke?" Kakashi and Itachi question at the same time, incredulous.
Fuck. He thinks.
And fuck again.
C.
A gun cocks, interrupting the wary silence. Kakashi raises his hands up in surrender, not flinching away from the weapon Itachi has pressed against his temple. Sasuke gapes, jaw loose. Too quick; his brother moved from one blink to the next. He barely saw it.
"You know what will happen If I don't like your answer," Itachi says evenly, eyes positively murderous. "So, I'll ask you once: why do you know my brother?"
—Brothers?
Is that what they are,
Still?
"Brother?" Sasuke hears Gaara whisper from somewhere nearby. He cannot be sure where—He has tunnel vision, eyes locked on the figure he hasn't seen in so long.
Sasuke just might be sick. Years—centuries, if he's honest—wishing, waiting, wondering where Itachi could be, what he's seen, what he experienced. All the things he wanted to tell him but couldn't, all the hope he held that one day they'd reunite and then maybe, just maybe—
No. He will not fall to pieces. Not now. There is no time for that. He is no longer a child, no longer lead by foolish dreams of a future that doesn't exist. He will not get doe-eyed and wistful, not when Itachi's presence here can only mean one thing.
He's an enemy.
Sasuke may not understand much of anything at the moment, but he surely understands that.
Fuck.
"Did I forget to mention that I was his commanding officer? We were supposed to be cleaning up this little mess you made but, well, circumstances changed." Kakashi says cheerfully, feigning innocence. "Sorry, it must have slipped my mind~"
No one speaks. Sasuke finds himself looking between the two of them; Kakashi's ever present grin sliding wider and wider while Itachi grits his teeth just so, slowly lowering his weapon and holstering it.
His brother clears his throat, brushing off an imaginary speck of dust as he collects himself. He squares his shoulders and schools his face into a careful mask of nothing, all traces of his previous rage like a distant memory.
Such skill, to be able to suppress himself at the flip of a coin. Before, where his eyes were wild and frightening, where he was capable of anything. And now, where he's picture perfect; not a single hair out a place, cloak perm-pressed like it was painted onto him, face closed and calculating.
Sasuke cannot help his shiver, cannot help but compare those porcelain features to those of their father.
Well, some things never change.
"Someone needs to start talking right the fuck now." Naruto announces loudly, breaking the silence. "You're Red Dawn?" It comes out confused, slightly hurt, and incredibly surprised — only a fraction of what Sasuke feels in the moment.
"Don't lump me in with those lot." Kakashi replies, pouting. Sasuke's fingers twitch with the urge to shoot him in his fucking face. "I'm not nearly as depraved."
"You're misunderstanding a few things here, Naruto." Itachi says calmly, ignoring Kakashi.
He clasped his hands behind his back in what's supposed to be a relaxed stance but Sasuke knows better. He sees the slight twitching of his brother's hands but cannot discern why it's happening.
Maybe it's to keep himself from strangling Kakashi, like Sasuke wants to do. Or maybe he's fighting the urge to fall to his knees and reach for Sasuke, like Sasuke wants to do towards him.
Maybe he's projecting and Itachi doesn't want any of that. He cannot tell with the mask he wears as it's one Sasuke's unfamiliar with.
The urge to vomit returns with renewed force and Sasuke tries to shift his body in the pursuit of comfort.
He isn't surprised that comfort has up and abandoned him.
—Strange.
It has something in common
With those standing here.
"I'm misunderstanding a lot of things here, Itachi." Naruto echoes, eyes hard. "Maybe you should explain them to me. Let's start with this: What the fuck? And secondly: Did you recruit us because you knew who we were?"
Bless Naruto and his ability to keep it together even when he's utterly flabbergasted. Sasuke can see the conflict dancing on his love's face, can also see how he pushes past it to get what he came for.
Thank goodness Sasuke isn't the one who must ask the questions right now, since he can't force his mouth to move. He might have just turned tail and run if the responsibility fell to him.
He still might, if his legs allow. If his heart stops hammering at top speed.
Itachi shakes his head, mouth twisting. "No. I didn't know until a few months ago who was in your group. Even after I found out, I didn't know that you were their leader, Naruto, and I certainly didn't know that Sasuke had joined you."
Really? How could he not? That doesn't make sense.
Sasuke hadn't realized that he spoke out loud until Itachi's looking at him. He looks guarded and far away. Sasuke can't catch his flinch when their eyes meet.
"We aren't omnipresent. There's a certain level of anonymity for what we do to be successful. When the police I.D'd you, we did as well. I had my suspicions that maybe you did lead them, but I didn't know for sure." Itachi pauses, giving Naruto a strange look. "Now I do."
"I guess that's a little comforting, since you only planned to get us killed when you didn't know who we were." Kiba says angrily. "Oh wait, no it's not."
Itachi chuckles, causing all of Sasuke's little hairs to stand on end. "You say that as if I have direct control over what's been happening. Sorry to disappoint but I don't: I'm an underling, just like you." He replies. Kiba sucks his teeth and crosses his arms, saying nothing.
"So, where's your boss?" Naruto asks impatiently. "I'm tired of being played with and I want some answers."
"He's otherwise occupied." Itachi answers, eyebrow raising in a way that almost seems amused. "I'm perfectly capable of answering any questions you have."
—How could you?
Is all Sasuke wants to ask.
But he doesn't,
And he won't.
"What do you want?" Naruto asks gruffly.
"To thank you." Itachi replies simply.
Sasuke sees the look of confusion that flutter across everyone's faces. Some even look to him like he could possibly know what Itachi means. He shrugs, just as lost.
"For what?" Ino asks carefully.
Itachi smiles slowly, wide like the Cheshire cat. Sasuke hates that look; haughty and knowing, like he's dealing with ignorant children. Like they're putty in his hands.
"For your part. You've made things much easier and don't even know it."
Sasuke feels frustration building. He doesn't want the run around and he knows the others don't either. He finally finds the courage to speak up, ready to rip his brother a new one, but it's Kakashi who speaks next, cutting him off being he gets the chance to speak.
"What my vague friend is trying to say is you've jump-started the revolution." Kakashi says, positively beaming. "Mazel Tov!"
Sasuke blinks, brow furrowing. He cannot help the incredulous: "What?" That slips out at the odd man's declaration. "What revolution?"
Itachi turns to him, eyes revealing nothing.
"Were you all foolish enough to think we wanted peace with the humans? That they would give us freedom if we simply asked?" Itachi tuts, shaking his head.
Nothing as simple as that, but they didn't plan for all our war. That's for sure.
"That was never the plan. We must take what we want, and take we did." He informs. Something black begins to swirl around in Sasuke's gut, something black and foreboding. He cannot give it a name, but it threatens to overtake him in the face of his brother's uncaring visage.
"What the hell does that mean?" Shikamaru asks, mouth twisting into a deeper frown. He can sense it too; something is wrong. Very wrong.
Itachi sends a look over to him but doesn't linger. He chooses instead to address Sasuke directly, dropping pretense. This was always going to be a conversation between the two of them.
Everyone has faded to the background anyway, so it makes no difference who his eyes are focused on.
"We have almost complete control of the colonies." He says simply, surprising them all. "We've been slowly taking them over for months. Years, even. This was the last holdout, beside Earth, and with everything that was found and released from Ethelred, we have just the leverage we needed for an all-out assault."
Itachi smiles brightly, contrasting the dead look in his eyes. "Thanks to your efforts."
Fuck.
"So, you used us? Made us do your dirty work without even knowing it?" Sasuke finds himself spitting angrily. He feels his heart rising, fingers twitching with the urge to—
—Nothing.
He'll do nothing.
Since that's what their efforts
Truly amounted to.
"Not intentionally." His brother says, ignoring his anger, "We were going to kill your entire team. We've done it before, if you're wondering. We employ small groups to act under our banner and martyr them in the eyes of the people when we feel they've done enough. It inspires the regular Synths, makes them sympathetic to our cause."
"But this time was different. You all were not just mindless and angry. You all had purpose, so we realized that your survival could work in our favor. The revelation of our human origins would convince many of our kind to stand and fight. And fight they will. So, we let your carry out your plan as it produced favorable results."
He pauses, voice dropping lower, dripping with sincerity that Sasuke hates.
"Please understand: that was well before I knew you were amongst their ranks. If I'd known, I would have never considered it."
Is that supposed to make him feel better? That's even worse, in his opinion.
"So, if I wasn't involved in this it'd be perfectly fine to kill everyone here?" Sasuke asks with a disbelieving snort. "You're insane."
Itachi doesn't respond to that, not with words. He only sighs and looks away.
"So, what, all this to kill some humans? That's what you want?" Naruto grunts. He's upset, but Sasuke can see the shadows of horror forms behind his wall of anger.
They played right into their hands. All they did in hopes for peace, ultimately became the setup for war. A hard pill to swallow, a hard cross to bear. Sasuke feels regret grip at his insides with long, sharp claws.
"All this to reshape the world." Itachi retorts. "Simply put: we will not lay down and take it any longer. We're stronger than them, and it's time to take control."
"So, genocide? Is that what I'm hearing?" Sai asks, looking to everyone wildly.
Itachi doesn't have to answer. The implication is strong enough. He's still going to. The fucker always did like hearing himself talk.
"If it comes to that. We've already formed camps that we've allowed the non-violent humans to live in. Until we have complete control of all the colonies, for those that wish to oppose us it's surrender and die. There are no other options."
"Don't you mean 'surrender or die'?" Karin asks carefully, frowning.
Itachi tilts his head to the side, smiling knowingly and raising an amused brow, but ultimately saying nothing.
Sasuke can't stand this.
He doesn't know this man in front of him, is sickened by the filth spewing from his mouth. He doesn't know what to do. Or, he does, but he doesn't know if he can carry it out. But he'll damned if he doesn't try.
His fingers twitch again, ready, but Gaara's hand snakes out to grip his wrist before he can make a move.
"Don't." Gaara says quietly, startling him. He doesn't take his eyes off of Itachi, only squeezing Sasuke's wrist tighter. "It doesn't matter what he is. He's your brother; you'll never forgive yourself."
He's absolutely right, even though Sasuke desperately wishes that he wasn't.
Itachi watches them, eyes downcast and almost...sad?
"Would you kill me, Sasuke?" He asks, causing Sasuke to suck in a harsh breath. "I don't expect you to understand. I wouldn't, in your position." Then, quieter: "This wasn't how I expected to explain all of this to you."
"How could you possibly explain this in a way that's not fucked up?" Naruto exclaims, stepping forward in front of Sasuke like some sort of shield. "This is insane, Itachi! You're talking about holding people in internment camps and killing off humans that oppose your newly formed regime! Why are you okay with this!?"
"I did not say it was right, but it's better than the alternative." Itachi fires back, eyes hard. "I've learned to live with it, just as you will."
That answers nothing. Explains nothing. Sasuke cannot reconcile the brother he knew with the monster in front of him. His brain sticks on the last thing his brother said, about how he didn't plan for them to reunite like this. What did he mean?
"How did you plan to explain it to me?" Sasuke asks, cutting off whoever was going to speak next. He doesn't know why he needs to know the answer to that, but he does.
Itachi stares at him, blinking slowly. He looks away from Sasuke's imploring eyes, like he can't stand them.
"I told you, didn't I? That you'd find your reason to live. I found mine long ago." He says softly. "I wanted us to be able to explore the stars together like you always dreamed. But as free men, not tethered as we are."
Oh.
No. That's not fair. He cannot spin this around and say that it was all for him. Sasuke will not let him. His actions were his own and Sasuke will be damned if he takes the blame for such twisted fantasies.
"Do you really think I lost sight of you, all this time?" Itachi asks him. "You know me better than that. I was always looking out for you, always working towards a better life for you."
Bullshit! "No. You left. And if you supposedly knew what I was up to then you would have known that I found Naruto again. So, I'm not going to fall for that. You know me better than that." He retorts, echoing his words.
But it's probably true. Naruto and the others kept track of him as well but he still surprised them by appearing here. It could be a similar situation since he didn't act as everyone thought he would.
He sees Kakashi standing behind his brother, giving Sasuke an odd, knowing look.
"No one raindrop thinks it caused the flood."
He mouths, grinning at Sasuke's stricken look.
"You're right. I should have known, but my informant regretfully left out that tidbit of information."
"Informant?" Naruto echoes, eyes growing suspicious and calculating. "Who?"
Itachi smiles at him. No teeth, just a mocking crinkling of his eyes that sets them all on edge.
"Not any of your men." He assures. "Not originally, anyway."
What?
Sasuke doesn't understand. Who else would have been close enough to watch him? There's no one, no one who had direct contact with his daily comings and goings, who could have steered him in the directions Itachi wanted. There's no one who—
—"See?"
The big man says.
"Green."
"I would say who, but from the look on your face, I'd say you already figured it out." Itachi says, eyes sharp and slightly mocking. "He got a little too fond of you but that's understandable. I can't blame him for that; you're quite charming. So, I'll forgive that slip. Just this once."
Isn't he just? To think he felt so insignificant when all these paths lead back to him, one way or another. A tangled web woven without ever knowing it.
He doesn't know how to feel. Too much. Too much at once. His brother's a homicidal maniac—and if he's hearing correctly, a soon-to-be genocidal maniac—and one of the only people he felt even slightly close to back home only befriended him under said brother's order.
There's blood in his mouth from god knows where. He probably cracked a tooth, somehow, due to all the pressure building as he forces himself not to explode.
Naruto watches him, brow furrowed in concern. He doesn't know what Sasuke knows, that much is certain, but he can see how much its upsets him to his core.
"Since we patiently sat through your villain monologue," Shikamaru interjects, eyes on Sasuke as well. Despite his snark, he looks conflicted and upset, like he's not sure what to do.
A common theme, lately.
Sasuke's grateful someone else cut in. He's at the end of his rope and ready to start throwing blows.
"Tell me: what now? You just brought us here just to rub it in our faces? That seems beneath you."
"No," Itachi replies. "I didn't come to gloat. I came to offer you an invitation to the side of the victor or your freedom. That's our thank you for a job well done. Join us or stay out of the way. We'll allow that also."
"And if we choose neither?" Naruto says, jutting his chin out defiantly. Sasuke should have known he wouldn't take this lying down. It can't be over just like that. All their efforts, just for...this? He won't be dramatic and say that it's a fate worse than death, but it's certainly close.
"Then you'll die." Itachi says around a casual shrug. It's nothing to him, and Sasuke feels bile rush up once more as it threatens to spill over his tightly pursed lips.
Who are these people, this Red Dawn, to have radicalized his brother so thoroughly? His caring, empathetic, beautiful brother—turned into an empty caricature of himself. If Sasuke didn't know any better, he'd think that he was glaring at Itachi's clone right now.
Not quite right.
Not all there.
But his gut says that it's not. This is the real deal, and in this moment, he hates him. Hates that he ever mourned his departure, that he ever cried himself to sleep, forlorn and afraid of what could be happening to his brother in his absence. Bad things, apparently. Very bad things.
He wants to find the people that twisted him so well around their cause like barren, winding branches and rip them limb from limb.
Sasuke's not sure when he'd be able to do this, or how, but he's set his mind to it. Creates a blood pact with himself, swears to God for the first time in his life that he'll do everything he can to destroy them.
It might take years, centuries, but he swears.
But not now. It would do them no good to strike now, not when it's expected. Not when he's raw and jumbled. When he has his wits about him once again, he'll make a plan.
"But personally, I'd rather it not come to that." Itachi continues. "You've done your part. I even took the liberty to clear your names so you're free to go wherever you wish and no one will bother you, as long as you keep your heads down."
"You—" Naruto begins, taking a step forward. Temari stops him with a well-placed hand on his forearm.
"Naruto," She says seriously. "Maybe we should listen to him."
"What?" He replies, shocked. "Are you crazy? He—"
"We did what we said we would, right?" She urges. "This isn't our fight. If they're giving us an out I think we should take it."
Then, softer: "We've lost enough, haven't we?"
Naruto stares at her, speechless. There's really nothing to be said when all the faces behind him are in various states of agreement, albeit begrudgingly.
"I hate to agree but," Sai says, looking defeated. "This is obviously much bigger than us. I'm not sure we want to get involved when we just made it out of the fire and flame."
"You know I'm with you no matter what," Gaara says, eyes low, "But don't ask me to take on this fight." Naruto's stark look of betrayal causes the other man to look away, ashamed.
Sasuke doesn't want to say what he's thinking right now, but it's unfortunately close to their line of thinking. He never had plans to make a career out of freedom fighting. He wanted to finish this and then go somewhere nice, if he's honest. Away from Earth, away from his shitty life, away from his responsibilities. He wanted to hop on a ship and disappear into the void with Naruto, if fate would allow.
Is it morally wrong to be willing to leave the colonies in the hands of madmen, at least for the time being? To leave the humans to their fates while they pretend they don't see? When they had a hand in making things worse? Absolutely. But no one ever said they were pillars of righteousness.
Sasuke's nobody's hero.
And given who they're up against —just a glance at the power they could face if they decide to fight Red Dawn—Sasuke's certain he does not want to be.
Not to mention that this opportunity served to them is too good to pass up. If Itachi's words ring true then their names have been cleared, their slates clean. They can go anywhere and do everything—something that was but a pipe dream just mere hours ago—and all it takes is some willful ignorance?
If that makes him a coward, well, he'll live with that. As long as he gets to live.
For once.
"The tribe has spoken." Kakashi announces, lowering his voice for dramatic effect. Many heads swivel to look at him, incensed.
"And who are you supposed to be?" Kiba asks angrily, gesturing rudely. "You've stood there quiet while he went on and on about world domination and shit, so what's your part in all this?"
A good question, one Sasuke really wants the answer to. If he's not a part of Red Dawn, then who is he?
"Testy." Kakashi says around a grin. Sasuke's five seconds away from shooting him between the eyes, but then Kakashi's speaking again. "I'm just an observer. I'm here to see how this all plays out."
"You get your orders from somewhere, don't you?" Tenten asks, looking at him like he's insane.
She's not wrong.
"Of course I do." He says proudly. "Orochimaru wants to see what his creations are capable of, but that's hard to when you're locked in a tower 24/7. He needs eyes on the outside and that's where I come in."
What?
"You're saying you...spy on us for the man who made us?" Ino asks slowly, eyes narrowed in thought.
"Your parents made you! Jeez, have you even been paying attention?" Kakashi replies with mock outrage. "Orochimaru perfected you; there's a clear distinction."
That's a very strange way to look at it. Arrogant too, since he only "improved" upon pre-made designs in their case. Can it truly be called improvement when all they have to show for it is suffering?
"He's curious to see how this revolution will turn out. The last one didn't go so well, but times have changed. The number of Synths almost rival that of natural born humans so who knows what will happen. And before you think he's encouraging war, he's not. Like a true benevolent god, he's leaving his creations to their own devices."
"I'm losing my fucking mind." Kiba mutters, eyes skyward. There's way too much to process here, dumped on them all at once. It will be days before Sasuke can sort through all of the thoughts going through his head.
"The tower was empty, though." Shikamaru points out, a strange look on his eye that Sasuke can't hope to decipher. "So, where is he?"
Kakashi smiles cryptically, tilting his head. In that moment Sasuke swears his eyes look golden.
"Where indeed?" Kakashi questions, winking at Sasuke's bewildered face.
There's something in the back of his head, something itching to escape. Temari said it once, didn't she? That her father experimented with transferring consciousnesses or something? Could he have learned that from someone?
It couldn't be, could it? Sasuke doesn't have the chance to fully form the thought before Kakashi's speaking again, golden glint absent from his gaze.
"Are we done here?" He asks. "I only came to get an update from Itachi about the current proceedings and meet the men of the hour. It's been fun but we all have other places to be."
"Go." Itachi says, waving him off. "I've had enough of you to last a lifetime." Kakashi looks at Sasuke again, smiling creepily.
"It's such a shame, you know? I feel like we could have had fun together." Itachi bristles at that while Sasuke takes a wary step back. "But before I go, is no one going to comment on how there's two Sasuke's present? Must I do everything myself?"
"Obviously I'm his clone, dumbass." Taka retorts, tired of holding his tongue. He looks as exhausted as Sasuke feels. Sasuke, despite himself, feels a smirk bubbling before it ultimately dies out.
"Another unfortunate side effect the corrupt government on Earth." Itachi says calmly. "Can you not see why our intervention is necessary?"
"How about you go with him?" Naruto says tersely, expression revealing that he's just about had it. "We have nothing more to talk about, right?"
"Is that what you believe, Naruto, or are you trying to make your minions happy?" Itachi questions, raising his eyebrow.
"Fuck you." Sasuke answers for him. It's nicer than what Naruto would have said, anyway. "Just go."
Itachi looks at him, face conflicted. He doesn't have the right to look like that, like he's sad at their estrangement and upset that Sasuke could possibly be angry with him. He has every right to curse his name to the depth of hell and he plans to do so as soon as he can catch a fucking break!
"I know you won't agree with me, but it was good to see you, Sasuke." He says. He's right; Sasuke does not share that sentiment. "You're upset, but I'll offer you a seat beside me regardless. When you're willing to listen, come find me. I'll leave a hint somewhere only you can find."
"I'm good, thanks." Sasuke replies immediately, purposely moving to stand next to Naruto. "I want nothing to do with you."
"This is the worst family reunion ever." Kakashi says quietly from his place by the door.
He's not wrong.
"Before I forget," Itachi says, struggling to keep his composure in the face of Kakashi's ridiculousness. "I understand that you came across one of my colleagues back at the fortress, did you not?"
Naruto and Sasuke share a look, their suspicions confirmed. Itachi nods at their wordless acknowledgement, sighing deeply.
"And what of it?" Naruto asks, guarded.
"Nothing. The matter is closed." At Naruto's raised eyebrow, Itachi continues, face strangely dark. "Hidan's actions were out of turn and uncalled for. I thought you'd like to know that I've...disciplined him thoroughly. That's all."
Gaara's face contorts, struggling not to speak at the implication. Unfortunately—or fortunately, depending on how you look at it—revenge was robbed from him just as his own brother was.
"Not to look a gift horse in the mouth," Naruto says sarcastically, sneering around his words. "But why do that? Is senseless murder no fun when you're not the one doing it?"
Itachi ignores the jab, saying nothing. It's Kakashi who answers for him, grinning with a knowing look.
"Oh, you haven't heard? Itachi gets all cute and protective when his baby brother is involved. It's the only time he has a heart!"
Sasuke can't help the way his own heart thumps at that, strangely touched even though the feeling that ultimately wins out is disgust.
"Gross." Sasuke says simply, staring at Itachi with all the hate he can muster.
Where was this protectiveness years ago, when Itachi left him in the middle of the street to rot? When Sasuke was drowning on his own, lonely and afraid, desperate for the only person who truly knew him best?
He doesn't want it now, not when everything's all wrong. He doesn't want to be Itachi's main focus, not if it means this.
"I'll take my leave then." Itachi says, face blank. If he was at all bothered by what Sasuke said he doesn't show it. "Remember what I said: stay out of our way and we'll leave you be. It's a simple as that."
"Got it." Naruto says gruffly, staring daggers. Itachi nods to him and, with one last wistful look in Sasuke's direction, he disappears back into the wilderness with Kakashi on his heels.
Silence.
No one moves. No one says anything. All Sasuke can hear is the pounding of his own blood in his ears.
It's not over though, not by a long shot. Even if the feeling swirling around them has the palpable taste of defeat. They must take this loss as it is until they have the strength to do otherwise.
Judging from the expressions on the faces around him, Sasuke can see clearly that it won't be any time soon.
"Shouldn't you go after him, Juugo?" Sasuke finds himself saying without turning around. "You're on his payroll, aren't you? There's nothing left for you here."
He hears a sharp intake of breath from behind him and then Karin's eyes shine bright with realization before she's exclaiming: "Wait, he was talking about you? I thought for sure he meant Suigetsu!"
That would have made it easier, wouldn't it? Maybe. It would be hard enough to feel betrayed by a dead man who can't answer his questions any more than he could draw breath. No, he's stuck with the living—the living who looks at him with sad eyes and a broken expression like the world's crashing down around him.
"Sasuke—" He starts to say, but no, that's not allowed. Not anymore. No more explaining the why of it all. Everyone is shitty. End of story. He won't be swayed by lies or half-truths that Juugo's no doubt going to tell him.
"Shut up." Sasuke grunts roughly. He can't even see straight in the rage that follows.
"Forgive me, I shouldn't have agreed to it. I never told him anything that could have put you in danger —"
That's as far as he gets before Sasuke whirls around on his heel and knocks him out cold.
The others watch, silent like the dead. Sasuke doesn't look up for a long while, watching Juugo lay out on the concrete.
He feels like he's aged twenty years in the last hour. There can be no more revelations today, no more secrets and lies, for surely his heart will burst if he has to accept one more fucked up thing that he has no hope of controlling.
"Jesus." Karin whispers softly, wiping a hand over her face. Sasuke finally drags his eyes up to look at her and her gaze is apologetic. Not her fault. She didn't know. He still has no idea what to say to her, now or ever again.
'And then there was one.' Springs to mind.
"What should we do with him?" Kiba asks lowly, shuffling his foot.
Sasuke sees the stress on all their faces. He doesn't want to do anything to add to it so he won't voice what his fury directs him to do.
"I don't know." He says honestly. Would it be strange to cry right now? It feels like a perfectly normal response but he doesn't feel like testing waters. "I'm tired."
"Leave him." Naruto says tersely. "He can figure out his next move on his own."
That's good. Juugo's fate can be left to chance. Sasuke doesn't feel like playing judge, jury, and executioner. He doesn't feel like doing much of anything, right now.
Except maybe lay down in the dirt and let the elements reclaim him.
"Let's get the hell out of here." Shikamaru says, positively flummoxed. "We can talk about this more later but I—I don't know. Fuck."
"Fuck is right." Sai mutters. "I would say it can't get any worse but it already has, hasn't it?"
"I think I need to lay down." Ino says, looking faint.
"C'mon, let's go." Naruto says quietly, leading the way.
The various states of distress that flutter over stricken faces would almost be funny to Sasuke if he wasn't so close to mental breakdown, himself.
"What now?" Kimimaro asks no one in particular as they walk away.
Kiba purses his lips, Naruto sighs, Gaara crosses his arms, eyes downcast while Temari looks off into the distance.
Shikamaru scratches his head with grimace as Sai blows frustrated raspberries. Tenten shuffles her foot, Karin clicks her tongue, Taka says nothing, as usual, but his scowl says enough.
And Sasuke? Well, Sasuke says what everyone's thinking. Too overwhelmed by the day's events to sugarcoat it, he grunts:
"Fuck if I know."
With that, at least, everyone seems to be in agreement.