C H A P T E R 14
Oki sighed softly, standing up and straightening her back, creating three satisfying pops. Slumping forward again, she slowly gathered together all the paper work she, Naruto, and Gaara had looked through that day.
Naruto better make up with Gaara, or I'll kick him in places where it hurts, she huffed to herself, blowing her bangs out of her face. She put some of the stacks back into their boxes, hefting one onto her hip and turning around.
I know Naruto loves Gaara, and judging by the way my friend looks at that stupid knight, then he feels the same way. She walked across the room slowly, and put the box back in its proper place. Facing the room again, she scowled at the disarray.
They had to walk in when I was rearranging my office, and then make an even bigger mess! Uhhh! Stomping forward, the stress and her displeasure with Naruto making her mood sour, Oki grabbed more of the correspondence and put them in their boxes, nearly tossing them back into their spots. She fell into her office chair after, slumping forward tiredly.
I put in way too many hours at this place. But there's no one else qualified to take over some of my duties, so I'll just have to continue on my merry way. She snorted quietly. I can't imagine what they'll do when I'm gone. It'll take them forever to train someone to go through the spy notes as quickly as I do. Decades even! This little fact usually made her extremely needed, and she loved feeling like her do something to help the people she loved, but today she was just tired. It wasn't often that her late night caught up with her, but it did happen. And today seemed to be that day.
I hope no one comes rushing in with work for me to do. I'm beat. I think I'll need to take a couple days to rest before I can do even one more thing. A low growl escaped her lips at the desperate knock on her door.
"I thought I said I wasn't to be disturbed tonight," she barked, swiftly making her way to the door. She threw it open and blinked with surprise, seeing Naruto on her doorstep.
"Please," he panted, "I need your help."
Gaara woke up slowly, and winced at the flash of pain behind his eyes. He opened them slowly, and quickly scanned his surrounded. Bound and gagged, the noble was strapped tightly into a chair, his legs spread and tied to the front legs of the chair. Spotting the door, he flinched and tucked his face into his shoulder as a blinding light entered his field of vision, marking the opening of said door. He sighed softly when it closed again.
"So you're awake. That's good, its no fun torturing people when they're still unconscious," Itachi said loudly, gesturing to the array of knives and pliers on the silver tray placed atop the table in the corner. Gaara's eyes widened as he realized the situation.
Walking forward slowly, Itachi grabbed the redhead's chin in his hand and jerked his face around so that he was looking into his pale blue eyes. "Of course, there's always other alternatives that could be pleasurable for both of us," he purred, lightly stroking Gaara's cheek. "What do you say about that?" Wanting to hear the answer, Itachi pulled down the gag over the other man's mouth.
Gaara immediately spat in his face. "Torture me all you want, you'll never get what you seek!" His eyes blazed with fury, and his muscles tensed with his intense desire to kill the evil creature before him.
Itachi raised a hand and slowly wiped the trail of saliva off his face, grimacing as he rubbed it off his palm with a handkerchief. "And just what do I want, pray tell?" Stepping away, the assassin idly picked up a deadly set of pliers with teeth, used to sever fingers. He twirled it slowly, making sure Gaara could see it and imagine what its possible uses would be.
Not willing to back down, even with the fear slowly invading his heart, the nobleman said strongly, "You're the assassin Naruto spoke of. You seek his death." He was shocked when Itachi's laughter filled the room.
"Ahh, but that is only part of what I seek. And I believe that you hold the key to getting something else I want." Putting down the pliers, he picked up another that would be used to pull out fingernails.
The sand user's heart rate began to increase, and he struggled to keep his voice steady. "W-what else do y-you seek?" He winced when Itachi stepped up and roughly slapped his face, realizing that the torture had finally begun.
"Why, I want my brother of course. That little bastard has been a thorn in my side since I killed our slut of a mother and bastard of a father. Of course, they had to curse me with their dying breath, and the only way to remove the curse is to destroy the last Uchiha. Now, I can't do that without having my brother, can I?" Kneeling in front of Gaara, Itachi studied him intently. "You know where he is. Now, you can either make this easy on yourself and tell me what you know; or you can make it more fun for me, and hold back. I do so love prying information from people, and I'll especially like making these tid-bits of knowledge fall from your sweet lips." Leaning forward, Itachi ran his rough tongue over said lips, grinning when Gaara pulled back in disgust.
"I'll never co-operate with you! Naruto will save me." Gaara held stubbornly to his resolve, and winced when Itachi grabbed his manhood in a strong grip, digging his nails in slightly. I will not make a noise. I will not satisfy him.
"Mmmm, so you're taking the tough road, eh? This is going to be fun," Itachi purred, brandishing the pliers in his free hand. "Now tell me, left or right?"
"What are you talking about – " Gaara's words were cut off swiftly in his need to bite his lip to stay silent as Itachi snapped the pliers closed on a fingernail and violently ripped it out.
Tobi followed closely behind Deidara, nodding at people in an attempt to calm their shock as they ran past.
"Where are we going again, Takehiro-sama?" the masked man asked, increasing his pace slightly to walk abreast of the artist.
"I already told you, Tobi. When Itachi left this afternoon, something wasn't right with him. I can't help but have a little doubt that he will follow my orders." Deidara stared ahead, glaring at everyone they passed as if they had someone helped the Uchiha thwart his plans. Honestly, he couldn't wait another couple weeks? Its not like Sasuke will suddenly disappear off the face of the planet. He would still have discovered his whereabouts, but he's just too impatient, the bastard. Why isn't Kisame with him for Kami's sake?!
Now, where to look first? Changing directions swiftly, Deidara picked up his speed and quickly came out into the evening light. "Tobi, I want you to stay here."
"Why?" Tobi whispered softly, stepping forward to slip his hand into Deidara's. He was relieved when he felt the answering pressure as the blonde lightly squeezed his hand.
"Because I don't know what Itachi is up to, and I don't want you to be put in danger," was his answer.
Tobi glared through the mask, straightening his back to stand as tall as he possibly could. "I'm strong, Takehiro! I could be of use to you. Don't just leave me back here, when I could come and aid you."
Turning angrily toward the raven-haired youth, Deidara swept aside the mask and grabbed Tobi's face in both hands. "I don't want you to possibly get hurt, you idiot! At least if you stay here, I'll know that you'll be safe."
Tobi's dark black eyes softened. "Takehiro-sama," he whispered, leaning up to lightly slide his lips across Deidara's. "What if you were to be hurt?"
Deidara snorted, pulling Tobi into a tight embrace. "I don't care what happens to me," he murmured, but he could already see where the little imp was going. Foolish boy. But smart. I guess I'll just have to bring him with me.
Sighing softly, he quickly interrupted Tobi before he could be made an even bigger fool. "All right, you can come. But at the first hint that Itachi means to kill Gaara, I want you to run, got it?" He was rewarded for his leniency with Tobi's quick nod. "Good, then let's go to the Correspondence Sect."
"The Correspondence Sect?" Tobi asked, hurrying forward to catch up as Deidara began running again. "Why, who is there that we need to see?"
Staring straight ahead with intense concentration, Deidara said quickly, "Naruto."