A/N: So I actually updated this four or five days ago on my ArchiveofOurOwn account, and had been debating whether or not to upload it on here because not many people read from this site. But just in case, I decided to keep updating chapters for those who don't use the other website, albeit this format is less sufficient. Please also know that I read everyone's reviews and appreciate the love and support! I'd respond, but yhis website's format just makes it difficult for me to, sufficiently. (In A03 you just sort of comment below and you can get way more personal with readers in terms of communication).
Chapter Eleven: The Vessel
Naruto went pale as he looked at the clear sign of forced entry.
Kiba's door was smashed open, its hinge pins devastated by a surprise attack.
He chewed on the nail of his thumb, listening for movement, anything that would be indicative of the assailant still being inside. After another beat of silence, Naruto gestured with his index finger, signaling that he was going in first. Gaara raised an eyebrow at that, pointing to his weapon and then gesturing with his head at Naruto's clear lack of one, as if to say is that really such a good idea?
Naruto groaned silently. Gaara had a point, though it went against Naruto's entire being to let someone put themselves at risk in his place. Without a means to defend himself he was useless if something did go wrong, and he wasn't the one with the weird, mystical powers here. He stepped to the side, giving Gaara the honors. The warrior lightly smiled as he drew his sword, and Naruto trailed behind him, his senses heightened as they emerged through the doorway.
Kiba was the first one they saw. The brunet was sitting on the ground in the living room with his knees drawn close to his chest. His cheeks were bruised, but he looked generally unscathed. If anything, he just seemed unsure, nervously fiddling with his thumbs, feet tapping the ground in rapid succession.
At hearing their approaching footsteps Kiba lifted his head to regard Naruto with wide, saucer plates for eyes. Peering around, unable to differentiate between Kiba's mess and any real damage, Naruto's bad feeling was reaffirmed when he noticed blood on the floor, leading into the bedroom Sasuke was in.
His heart stuttered in his chest.
Fuck, Sasuke.
Naruto briskly moved away from Gaara's side to check on Sasuke until Kiba's voice broke.
"Dude, don't!" Naruto reluctantly stopped in his tracks at the plea, glancing over his shoulder to see Kiba's frowning face. He quickly peered in the direction of Sasuke's room, confused. Why didn't Kiba want him to go in there? Was Sasuke hurt? Was that his blood on the ground?
A million questions raced through his head, his nervousness doubling the longer he stood there.
"What's going on?" Naruto asked, almost afraid of the answer, his voice thick and anxiety ridden. "Kiba, spit it out! Is Sasuke okay?"
"Sasuke's fucking fine, man!" Kiba shouted, just as a blood curdling scream pierced the air. Naruto and Gaara's spines both stiffened at the sound of bones cracking . An awful, agonizingly drawn out moan echoed around them; and it hadn't come from Sasuke. Kiba's teeth dug painfully into his bottom lip, looking as lost as Naruto felt.
"Look, those two fuckers in the weird getups? They came out of nowhere, man. They busted in, Akamaru and Kyuubi were barking like crazy, and I was ready to beat their asses to kingdom come until he... until Sasuke woke up, and..."
Kiba cussed lowly, shaking his head from side to side.
The look on his face was one of uncertainty.
Fear .
"Fuck, Naruto," Kiba grimaced. "I couldn't stop him once he started."
"Couldn't stop him…?" Naruto began, his question leaving a heavy impression against his vocal chords when a deafening bang assaulted his ears.
What came stumbling out of Kiba's room was a living, half-breathing nightmare.
Gaara placed his hand on Naruto's shoulder, gently bringing him a few steps back. Naruto's palms prickled with sweat as a head, nearly split open and gushing blood, emerged from Kiba's bedroom, struggling to stand. Sakon clumsily grasped the doorway, appearing disoriented yet determined to get away. His left arm, unnaturally positioned behind his back—the clavicle protruding through the tissue in a smear of ripped skin and sanguine fluid—limply swung back and forth as he dragged himself across the floor.
Gaara's mouth formed a tight line as he examined the assassin's torso, tucking his sword away. It was covered in stab wounds. The gashes bled profusely, staining the floor around the wounded man in red. Goosebumps rose on Naruto's skin when the sound of approaching feet upended the silence. Amidst the haggard breaths and Naruto's own shaky exhales, was the dissenting click of a tongue.
Exiting the room with that familiar, cool detachment, Sasuke emerged. And a massive chill, unlike anything Naruto's ever felt before, flitted through the room.
"Talk," Sasuke commanded, coldly. There was a dark edge to his voice. Without so much as a glance towards the others, his narrowed gaze flared and set Naruto's nerves ablaze. His posture was lax, but the sharpness in his obsidian orbs promised unfathomable cruelty. Sasuke snorted at the dying man, no longer appearing sick and vulnerable; he offered no respite when his bare foot pressed hard against Sakon's throat, pinning him to the ground.
In his hand, the cursed dagger was coated in Sakon's leaking stomach fluids.
Sasuke's toes pressed into the pliable flesh with dark purpose.
"Talk," Sasuke repeated, his voice eerily hollow despite the person squirming beneath him, gasping for air. Sasuke lifted his leg, the muscles in his calves tensing before once again pressing his foot into the other's throat. Saliva and blood dribbled down Sakon's open mouth, his blue-tinted lips trembling as an earsplitting scream was ripped from his throat. Sasuke's lips curved into a smirk.
"Is it revenge Kabuto's after? Has the taste of death by my hands really made him this sloppy?" Sasuke's toes curled, applying more pressure to the neck underneath, his nails leaving crescent shaped moons on the flesh. Sakon said nothing, glaring up as his good hand sought purchase of Sasuke's ankle. Sasuke scowled down at the quivering mess, finding that the man was exactly where he belonged. Pathetically buried beneath his heel.
The look of satisfaction on his face was menacing.
"Or is this still about Naruto?" His foot decimated Sakon's fingers this time, snapping them with a low crush. "Answer me . You're going to die, either way."
Naruto chewed on his bottom lip, unable to make sense of the conversation or Sasuke's sudden, baseless torture. There was something wrong with him. This wasn't Sasuke. Even with all their cat and mouse in the past, Naruto was absolutely sure that Sasuke would never go this far.
Unable to take it anymore Naruto pried Gaara's hand away from his arm, wondering why he was being held back in the first place.
"Sasuke, he's not going anywhere. Cut it out!" Naruto shouted as he approached the thief, his body tightly coiled. He seized Sasuke by the shoulders and, with some resistance, pulled him off of Sakon, slamming him into the wall. The intruder gasped, a hand scrambling to his throat, his lungs grateful for the oxygen. Sasuke didn't protest as he was pulled forward by Naruto's strong, calloused palms, going nearly boneless when he was met with angry, questioning blue. The dagger dropped to the ground. Naruto's lips curved downward in disappointment.
"What the actual fuck, Sasuke? This is messed up and you know it," Naruto growled, frustration overwhelming his resolve to keep calm. "You'll really kill him! What's going on with you, huh?"
"I already killed his partner," Sasuke responded tonelessly, cocking his head in the direction of Kiba's bedroom. "Kabuto never expected his slaves to come back in one piece anyway, and even if they accomplished their 'mission' they would still be disposed of."
"You already killed his…" Naruto swallowed thickly, only just now noticing the smell of death emanating from the guest room. The other guy, Kidomaru, was dead. Sasuke had killed him. He had actually …
Sasuke broke his train of thought, flipping their positions around and quickly moving into Naruto's personal space.
Naruto jumped, attempting to inch away. It was too late. In just seconds he was trapped against the wall, tensing up when blood stained fingers reached for him; Sasuke noticed the unease radiating off of the blonde, making no other movements at first besides his thumb, tracing steady circles along the sun-kissed skin. The archaeologist's pupils blew wide.
"I had to. I'm not taking any chances this time around," Sasuke murmured, sliding that thumb down Naruto's jaw line until it was gently caressing his bottom lip. In all his fascinated horror, Naruto came to the steady realization he was blushing. His body was reacting in ways he'd never thought possible as Sasuke chuckled, low in his throat. He rested his leg between Naruto's thighs, breathing in his scent when he pressed closer. Naruto bit back a moan.
" Don't do anything reckless. Sehedj ib... I know, that's asking for the impossible from you, but just try not to die."
"Sasuke?"
Sasuke leaned in and silenced him, brushing their lips together in a soft, chaste kiss.
He then pressed a kiss to one of the lines on Naruto's cheeks.
Naruto blushed. Hard. He looked over at Gaara with equal parts embarrassment and shock at the affection, finding it didn't quite blend well with the seriousness of the situation. Sasuke didn't look like he cared who was watching, though, gladly making Naruto more confused than he already was. With one last, soft kiss against Naruto's nose, he offered a contrite frown, tilting his head back. As quickly as Sasuke's hands were on him they were gone. A strange shudder seemed to run through Sasuke's frame as he closed his eyes once, then opened them, blinking slowly as if fighting off fatigue.
His irises were slightly glazed over and unfocused when he faced Naruto again. Naruto's chest, which had been heaving, slowed as Sasuke put some much needed space between them. His once blank features warmed at the sight of his surroundings, recognition flickering beneath the surface.
Sasuke searched Naruto's pinked features.
It was a complete one-eighty to his ruthless focus from before.
"I…" Sasuke began, pressing a bloodied palm to his forehead, staggering slightly. Gaara moved in the background to prop Sakon into a sitting position against the wall. Naruto watched the thief unconsciously smear the fluid against his skin.
Sasuke caught his balance and looked around, his expression guarded.
"How... did I get here?" Sasuke pushed inky bangs away from his face, irritated. Disoriented.
"Naruto, what's going on?"
"He's not complete," Sakon drawled from his spot on the floor. Naruto and Sasuke both looked in the direction of the mangled voice, noticing Kabuto's goon was steadily growing pale. His coughs grew more guttural and long winded. "It surprised me, you know… when I, haa… heard this weakling, nearly killed Anko… almost skinned her alive when she went after him..."
"Anko? Wait… wait a minute..." Naruto murmured, trying to gather himself, ignoring the tingling on his lips. He remembered what their first attacker told them in his apartment, just minutes after she had Sasuke in her sights.
"That Kabuto guy paid me to bring you to him after you escaped, but you really put up a fuss, what with almost killing me and all."
Sasuke had told him he didn't remember that happening.
And he'd been telling the truth.
"What's going on with him?" Naruto asked rigidly, through with all the dancing around—he needed answers. "Just now, Sasuke was acting like he knew Kabuto before all this. He was kiss- talking to me, but he wasn't… himself. It was almost like…."
"Like someone else was using his body, right?" Sakon sounded pleased, almost… happy, despite the mangled state of his arms. His eyes shone with an unholy fervor that made the hair on the back of Naruto's neck stand on end. Sasuke's eyes narrowed as Sakon continued, his voice stable in spite of his lacerations. "You are all so… so helpless. Haha, I almost feel sorry for you. But it's like I said, he isn't complete yet . It's just the price you pay when you're reborn, when your soul is split in two. His other half is waking up… and man, is it cranky." Sakon gestured at his own disfigured, quivering form, looking over Sasuke disparagingly.
Sasuke tensed.
"When we're reborn?" Naruto said, traces of disbelief lacing his voice in spite of everything he's seen. The rational part of his brain was having a hard time processing the far fetched response. Naruto didn't believe in reincarnation. As much as he'd been comforted with the idea of heaven when his parents passed, even the after life seemed too convenient, too happy an end in the face of something so utterly bleak and interminable. Sasuke's eyes wouldn't leave Sakon's as he took a step forward, surprising everyone in the room. The thief unconsciously enunciated the next lines as if to challenge them.
"These visions I've been having," Sasuke's jaw clenched. "... they're of my past life." It wasn't a question. Naruto looked at Sasuke, mirroring the skepticism Kiba had on his face as he watched the exchange. But when he thought about it, really thought about everything that's happened to them, it made sense. Sasuke's unexplained shifts in personality, and Gaara's strange greeting... could Naruto really chalk this all to a past life? And in that case... where did he and Sasuke fit into it?
Kiba didn't stick around to hear anything else, opting out of the situation completely when he stood up and left the room. Naruto caught him mumbling that everyone was losing it as he made a swift exit to the only other room in the house that wasn't completely destroyed—the bathroom. Naruto didn't blame him.
Sasuke's voice, in spite of the new information, remained steady. "So the dagger triggered my memories."
"You catch on quickly," Sakon cooed, his voice a venomous jest. "You should be a little more thankful, you know? Now that your past and present self are coming together, the hatred you've had festering in your heart for centuries has room to grow . And that's exactly what he needs… You will make the perfect vessel for our Pharaoh's return."
"A vessel…" Sasuke echoed, finding the word resonated inside of him powerfully. Filling him up with resentment. "What do you mean, return?"
Gaara, who had remained quiet the entire time, had heard about all he needed to hear.
The warrior cut in, bending down on one knee, clasping Sakon's jaw firmly between his fingers. Sakon's lips curled up into a derisive sneer when Gaara's other hand raised, forming a gesture similar to the one he made during Tayuya's attack. Sakon laughed, appearing nonplussed in the face of death. Eager.
"He told me you'd be a problem," Sakon mumbled as Gaara began to quietly utter a spell under his breath. Gaara firmly raised a hand, and he conjured a shadowy aura around his fingertips, the wisps of haze shooting like sparks into the air. Turquoise orbs narrowed with homicidal intent, looking about as pleased as Sasuke who, only moments ago, had been choking the life out of the man. Gaara's hand then clasped onto the top of Sakon's head, pulsing a beat into the other's skull. Sakon slammed his head back against the wall with a painful cry, his entire body trembling as the vibrations grew stronger, drilling into his ears.
Gaara's lips eerily mirrored Sasuke's condescending smirk. "Awrutshimaru will not succeed. I will protect my friends, even if it costs me my life," he said, glancing back at Naruto with a warm, reassuring smile. Naruto took a step towards Gaara, a panicked look sweeping over him at the declaration. He never wanted it to come down to that, ever.
"Then prepare to lose your lives real- fuh…Fuck! R-real fucking soon," Sakon hissed out, his ears starting to leak blood, "because you will pay for disobeying your master."
"I would stop talking." Gaara's blood hummed with vehemence. Venom dripped off his tongue as it lashed against the roof of his mouth, speeding up the process. Sakon fell completely forward with his cheek, pressed against the ground. His mouth was open but no screams came out. His body convulsed. "I'm not merciful. If it weren't for Naruto, I would gladly exhaust my energy torturing you."
Sasuke gave an impatient snort, clearly as anxious for this to end as Gaara seemed to be.
"I-I haven't e-even given you my… Ahhh -hah… ! My m-message yet…!" Sakon scrambled to sit up, his pupils blown wide with manic fervor; Gaara scowled. His concentration didn't wave. Whatever Sakon had to say, he would have to manage through clenched teeth and bleeding eye sockets. Naruto wanted to throw up, his stomach in knots, but he tried to appear unaffected by the scene as Sakon continued, "Thr...ee days… Sasuke has… three days to meet Kabuto… in… Ah -Abydos… if not… then… he told me to tell him to..."
Sasuke tensed at the mention of his name, his eyes narrowing as Sakon's eyes locked on him with a twisted smile.
"... to say goodbye to Itachi."
Sasuke's eyes flared wide. His body completely shut down. Naruto looked over at Sasuke in that moment, wondering at the meaning behind the man's words. He wasn't prepared for what he saw. For the first time since Naruto had known Sasuke, the thief looked truly afraid. Sasuke hands, which had been still before, started to tremble violently as Sakon finally folded in on himself. The goon coughed one last time; a pathetic squelch that left blood dribbling down the corner of his lips, the light fading from his eyes.
Sasuke's usually aloof mask waned then crumbled in that instant, revealing raw emotion—alarm.
And then in its place, outrage .
Before Naruto could react, Sasuke crossed over to Sakon and pushed Gaara out of his way. He gripped the assassin tightly by the hair, making Naruto go rigid. He wondered if this was another episode of Sasuke's distant self emerging to the forefront until Sasuke's voice came out, cold and dangerous.
"Stop me, Naruto, and it'll be the last thing you do," Sasuke warned, his fingers digging into the top of Sakon's head with newfound fury. He pulled the tufts back, exposing Sakon's neck and pressing his free hand against the exposed throat. Sakon's lifeless eyes stared back at him, the coy smile that had been stretched across his face before he died never ebbing, even when Sasuke tightened his hold. Sasuke's voice actually broke when he spoke, his teeth rattling in his mouth. "Itachi, how did Kabuto know about Itachi? What did he do with him? Answer me!"
"Sasuke, he can't!" Naruto told him, moving forward to pull him back in spite of the earlier threat, "It's too late! Hey!"
Sasuke nearly blanched at the contact.
His fist swung back on impulse, connecting with Naruto's jaw. Before Naruto knew it he'd been sent flying backwards, catching himself from falling flat on his ass. The blonde cradled his bruised lip, cussing low in his throat when he threw himself at Sasuke, taking the jerk to the ground. They both fell to the floor with a loud thud, and Naruto pinned Sasuke's body to the floor with his own, bringing his fist back and slamming it into Sasuke's cheek deservedly. Sasuke's head snapped back from the force of it. Naruto swore he could hear a low crunch of teeth, compressing too tightly from the blow.
"What. The. Fuck. Sasuke!" Naruto shouted as he gripped the front of Sasuke's shirt. He used it as leverage to shake some sense into him. Nothing worked.
Sasuke's bangs fell over his eyes, casting a dark shadow over half of his face. It was fucking disturbing. More disturbing than Sasuke's earlier episode, because the bastard had never looked this upset before. This lost. It was like Sasuke's world actually seemed to be shattering beneath him. And Naruto didn't know why, but it was the most painful thing he'd ever seen in his life.
Naruto's grip slackened.
"Hey… hey, Sasuke, listen to me," Naruto began, trying his best to conceal his heavy pants. He made no other move to touch Sasuke, trying to keep his voice leveled, hoping to get through. Clearly whatever the guy said had Sasuke hitting the panic button. If he could just cool him down a bit, then maybe they could figure this out? He just wanted Sasuke to stop looking the way he was. "Just tell me what's going on, okay? Who's Itachi?"
"It's his brother." Gaara answered for him, and Naruto's eyes grew wide.
"You… you have a brother?" Naruto stammered. Sasuke glanced off to the side, his emotions beginning to diminish behind a practiced veil of indifference.
"An elder brother." Gaara spoke again, causing Sasuke's attentions to immediately focus on the redhead, narrowed eyes penetrative. Mistrustful.
"And you are?" Sasuke asked, his hollow voice further accentuating the madness lurking beneath it. He pushed Naruto off of him, standing up. He balled his bloodied hands into fists, ignoring the sting of his jaw. "You wouldn't know about my brother unless you were involved. "
"Itachi and I were friends. I have no interest in harming his present self," Gaara's gravelly voice promised, unfazed even in the face of Sasuke's waning resolve to keep calm. "You still haven't remembered. I will reintroduce myself. I'm Gaara," Gaara said simply, kneeling onto the ground. With a hand placed over his heart, Gaara's head fell forward in humble observance of the two. Naruto couldn't help but watch on, almost in mortification, as the man pulled out his Khopesh, holding it out in a display that not only demonstrated his strength but his loyalty. Sasuke's skepticism in that moment faltered. "I'm Naruto's protector."
Naruto flashed a tentative smile, scratching his head.
"Protector is still a weird way of putting it. But yeah, he's sort of like my friend slash bodyguard," Naruto chuckled nervously, a light shade of pink dusting his cheeks, "so let's just say he's cool. He helped me out of a bind earlier."
"Tch. And how are we supposed to know he's not working for the enemy?" Sasuke sneered. Naruto's blood boiled, remembering all Gaara did for him in that alleyway. He felt a surge of protectiveness over their new alliance. They could trust Gaara. That he was sure of more than anything.
"I said he's fine, bastard." Naruto left no room for arguments, his voice terse. Sasuke snorted at the confidence, remembering all the times Naruto thought he could trust someone, only to be misled. Naruto was too naive. He was too gullible in a world where goodness was as commonplace as rain in the desert; and he wasn't going to be fooled. Not now, when it mattered most.
"I'm supposed to believe that from you? With your track record?" Sasuke spat out. Naruto's face annoyingly screamed yes, yes he was.
"He's the only reason I'm even here right now, asshole. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't even be alive."
"You're easily deceived. What you believe doesn't matter. It's no wonder I always had the upper hand," Sasuke reproached easily, shaking his head. Sasuke surveyed Gaara with a quick glance, trying to resist the part of him that actually felt comfortable with the stranger's presence. He'd said he'd been friends with Itachi. Well, in a sense. Sasuke just wasn't able to come to grips with what he'd learned. He blamed his fatigue. Ever since he'd woken up, Sasuke had felt sluggish. His mind was racing with several thoughts at once, the information he'd gathered leaving him disoriented and embittered.
"For all you know Naruto, that could have been a trap so you'd let your guard down."
"Yanno, Sasuke, I'm not the one who's gonna to head over to Abydos when that's clearly the trap here," Naruto snapped back, causing Sasuke to flinch, wondering how Naruto knew about the decision he hadn't voiced, "so how 'bout bashing someone else with that stick you pulled out your ass. Gaara's not the issue here."
Naruto pursed his lips. Sasuke didn't need to say anything. Kabuto had his brother, and if Naruto took anything away from Sasuke's reaction, it was that he'd be dead set on getting him back. Understandably if he were in Sasuke's place, even he knew he would take the risk. But it was obvious what this was—it was a ruse to lure Sasuke out into the open, to put him in Kabuto's reach. And whether Sasuke's brother was there or not wouldn't matter. If Sakon was telling the truth, if Sasuke really was to be used as some sort of vessel for Kabuto's twisted ritual, they needed to work together.
"The fact is, Gaara's on our side, whether you like it or not. I know you don't believe me, but here are the facts, bastard, and I hope you're paying attention because I'm only gonna repeat myself once. Kabuto's the bad guy here, and the bad guy has your brother," Naruto glowered, his eyes hardening with resolve, "and we're rescuing him. Together. So put on some clothes, get your crap, and lose the attitude. Because if you're at our throats the entire way there, there's no way this will work, and there's no way I won't be able to resist kicking your ass."
Sasuke released his balled up fists at the declaration, surprise flashing across his face before disappearing quickly under a veil of uncertainty. Skepticism.
"You're going... to Abydos? With me?"
Naruto blinked slowly at the dumb question. "Why the hell wouldn't I?" They've already come this far together. It wouldn't make sense for Naruto to bail now, not when so much was at stake and so many questions were left unsolved. Somehow, though, Naruto knew there was more to it than just being too far gone. It wasn't just about him trying to get the dagger back anymore. Naruto still hadn't forgotten what Sakon said before he died, and Naruto didn't miss the way Gaara's eyes flitted towards him at the mention of the word prince. Something had flickered in the back of Naruto's consciousness, but it was gone before he could grasp it. Sasuke's kisses and unstable temperament were clues. And while he didn't understand it at all, everything was pointing in one direction. What they were dealing with here was bigger than just Sasuke and a curse. It had layers of history.
A history that Naruto needed to uncover.
He didn't really know why he felt that way—he just knew it to be the truth. And if he were being honest with himself, seeing Sasuke injured had been the final nail in the coffin. It had felt like a blow to the gut, and Naruto needed to know why.
"I told you I would help you," Naruto said with his usual, steadfast conviction. Sasuke didn't know what to say, completely floored, as he always was, by Naruto's earnestness. "I don't break my promises."
Naruto didn't bat an eye about lifting his curse, and he was the same when it came to saving his brother; there was no one else like him.
Sasuke's heart swelled with an emotion he could only place as... gratitude.
He stared at Naruto, taking a moment to commit his sincere commitment to memory before leaving the room to grab his things. Naruto looked over to where Kiba retreated, murmuring an apology under his breath—at least Kurama was in safe hands now.
"We have three days to get to Abydos, right? As awesome as a nap sounds, we should get there in one," Naruto said out loud, earning a nod from Gaara who came to stand close to him. "Then we can scope out the place. We'll check for blind spots and find our exit just in case things gets too hairy. If we need to make a quick escape, we'll know where to go." Meanwhile, that will give Sasuke some time to calm down.
"How will we get to Abydos?" Gaara asked.
"Hmm... good question." Naruto tapped his finger against his chin. It isn't like they could walk all the way there. And with Sasuke's reputation and Gaara's strange appearance, they would definitely draw the wrong sort of attention.
He only needed a moment to think before his eyes lit up.
"I know just the person!"
"No."
Naruto flinched at the hardness in the woman's gaze. Situated behind her desk, the pilot of The Soaring Scarab glanced back down at her paperwork, tapping the desk impatiently with one of her long, painted finger nails. Her long blonde hair was tucked into a messy bun. Aviator goggles rested on her forehead, pushing back her bangs and further accentuating the scowl on her face.
She wasted no time in dismissing Naruto off with a flouncy wave, the annoyance paramount and escalating the longer he stood there in front of her, fidgeting determinedly.
"Whatever it is, I'm not doing it," she told him, shutting down any hope he had with one quick, ice-ridden glance. "No way in hell, brat. Or did you forget that I almost lost my life flying you over to Aswan?"
"But that wasn't even my fault!" Naruto cried, pounding his fist on the table. He winced when he caught a glimpse of Sasuke, viewing the exchange with an obvious amount of distrust.
Sasuke rolled his eyes, glancing around the rickety shack situated only ten miles south of Dahshur. As much as he wanted to strangle the idiot for dragging him them all the way out here, it didn't surprise Sasuke that they were being turned away. The moron probably did almost kill her. Trouble followed Naruto wherever he went, and clearly this woman had seen her fair share with him.
Sasuke snorted at the display.
Naruto's hands fisted at his sides, his temper waning with Sasuke's judgmental, condescending look triumphantly dominating his features. His voice dropped to a harsh whisper as he continued to speak behind his hand this time. Sasuke's features crinkled in exasperation. Naruto was still loud, no matter how many hands were over his mouth—he could speak from experience.
"Seriously Tsunade?" Naruto hissed between clenched teeth, "how was I supposed to know there was a snake in my bag?"
Tsunade stood up, and the desk rattled.
A vein on her temple throbbed.
"It nearly strangled me, and we almost went DOWN because of your CARELESSNESS, BRAT!"
Naruto's patience snapped. "Well maybe if you were a BETTER PILOT, WE WOULDN'T HAVE ALMOST CRASHED IN THE FIRST PLACE!" he shouted, unflinching when Tsunade's hands reached across the table to grip him by the scruff of the neck.
Her grip, like every other time they'd argue, was powerful. It nearly knocked the wind out of him as he was lifted and inch or two off the ground. Gaara flinched behind him, his hand on the hilt of his weapon, but Naruto held up a steady hand to signal he was okay . He didn't want his new friend with the freaky, supernatural powers to kill Tsunade or anything, no matter how much of a stubborn hag she was. She was a family friend, after all, and no He was determined to settle this.
"Just ONE RIDE to Abydos," Naruto insisted, dead set on changing her mind, "come on, this is the last favor I'll ever ask you, I promise!"
"You can't keep promises if we're dead," Tsunade told him, grounding her teeth, finally looking around at the rest of her audience before rounding back on Naruto with a dirty scowl. "I have to fly all THREE of you?"
"Sasuke can walk!" Naruto suggested, mostly out of habit.
Sasuke's dirty glare could set the whole of Egypt on fire.
"Or Naruto can stay behind," Sasuke offered, smirking at the other man, "he's the one you have a problem with."
"He does have a point," Tsunade hummed, dropping Naruto and pushing him away with impressive force. Naruto shot Sasuke a nasty look. Tsunade sighed, rubbing her forehead with her thumb and index finger, not failing to notice Naruto's indignant huff.
She looked Naruto up and down, considering it. "You aren't going to take no for an answer, are you?"
"This is important." Naruto urged, the seriousness manifesting in his locked jaw and tensed shoulders. "Look, I know you're mad about last time. I get it. And I'll do whatever it takes to make it up to you, but we need to get to Abydos and you're the only one I know that can get us there fast."
"What's in Abydos?" Tsunade probed. Naruto flinched. She reached into her pocket, drawing out a cigarette from its depths. She placed it between her lips, eyeing Naruto expectantly. "Well? Is this another excavation of yours?" She mumbled against it, the end bouncing as she spoke. Tsunade narrowed her eyes, "do I need to be worried about you? You're not chasing after that Sasuke person again, right?"
"He always chases me," Naruto fired back quickly. The aforementioned man rolled his eyes, "but no, that's not what this is about. I swear."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow in interest. "Oh?"
"It's hard to explain," Naruto told her honestly, biting the inside of his cheek. He pulled his lighter out from his bag, igniting the spark. He held the flame to the end of the rod. Tsunade inhaled appreciatively, her posture relaxing as the nicotine flooded her system. "I'm sorry. This is… really all I can say about it."
"Keeping secrets from me?" Tsunade raised an elegant brow, not quite sure how she felt about that. She exhaled, blowing a ring into the air. "That's not like you, Naruto. I'm not sure I like it."
"I keep things from you all the time, Granny."
"But I can usually tell what you're keeping. You're not hard to read, brat." Tsunade smiled coyly, giving Naruto a once over. She sighed. "You're becoming more like your mother every day."
Naruto offered a bashful smile, scratching his cheek. "Amazing? Smart? Dangerously good looking?"
"Impulsive. Stupid," Tsunade grinned, "dangerously close to getting yourself killed. Again."
Naruto's shoulders slumped dejectedly. Sasuke couldn't help the tilt of his lips at the quip.
"This is the last time, do you hear me, the last time I fly you anywhere brat. I can take you and your friends as far as Sohag. The rest of the way is on you." Tsunade told them, putting out her cigarette on the ashtray of her desk. Naruto beamed at her appreciatively, shooting Sasuke a look that reeked of smugness.
"Get ready. We leave in ten minutes."