Target
Ch. 20 – The Beginning of the End
A/N: The penultimate chapter. The final chapter as a whole was way too damn cluttered, so my beta advised me to split it and here we are. I swear on my final year of Uni, it won't take that long to update again. Yours truly has been very distracted and busy.
Disclaimer: Naruto is owned by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-In-Charge and some other thing. Eh.
xXx Beta'd by the marvelous Miasen! xXx
Tsunade sat down, spreading a thick stack of papers out on the table into a fan, positioning herself behind Naruto.
"The Akatsuki have many ways of hiding themselves in plain sight, evading the law constantly. They are extremely well protected. Getting the drop on them will be nigh impossible." It had been Naruto's idea to strike when the Akatsuki least expected it, which as it turned out would be now. Still reeling from the blitzkrieg at Kakashi's manor, retaliation from their side would come straight from left field.
"Not if you know their main modes of operation," Sasuke interjected brusquely, leaning on the edge. He ignored the glare directed to him and turned to Naruto who averted his azure gaze and subtly moved away from him. "They operate from a series of corporations that are nothing but shell companies."
"Shell companies?" Naruto inquired without looking up. He played with the corner of one of the files, flicking the point until it bent.
Sasuke grimaced before answering. The coldness between them was familiar, harkening back to their first moments together. How things had changed; it was no longer welcome, no longer his reprieve. "A fake store or corporation. To an outsider, it looks like a legitimate business. People may come in and out, the logo may be well known but in actuality, it's a farce. Nothing but an image played up so they can conduct business in a city. There can be whole computer systems and servers dedicated to keeping up the façade, creating false transactions with balance sheets and invoices to keep any law enforcer from asking questions. If someone were to get suspicious, the Akatsuki holds no qualms about silencing them. It's part of how they've stayed underground for so long."
"What else?" The blond asked, still not looking at Sasuke.
"As far as I know, they're concentrated chiefly in a series of buildings marked with a red cloud emblem on a black background. Their projected occupation is a construction company. I've seen the area, there's nothing but empty rooms with minimal furnishings to keep up the illusion. The security isn't that tight due to the lack of attention they get."
Sasuke reached down and tapped the map closest to him, tracing a perfect circle around a few graphics. "Over the years I've done stakeouts here, but there hasn't been anything concrete. I only theorize that they work from here, from repeated fragmented leads and some reliable sources."
"And yet you never did anything about it, never once thought about informing anyone?" Tsunade asked frostily, recalling Jiraiya had told her the exact same thing before he had disappeared for good. The feeling was impulsive, but if Sasuke had spoken up Jiraiya could have been still with them.
The raven shrugged unapologetically, his previous ire at the woman tapered down by the fact Naruto was tentatively on his side. It was still vital he remain an integral part of their little group, so he needed to keep up pretenses. "My target was Itachi. He wasn't there, so it wasn't my business." He leaned backwards and arched a fine brow, keeping his lips sealed but wanting to ask Tsunade exactly who was it he supposed to alert? Iruka was on the police force and had a high rank, but he was still helpless at the hands of the Akatsuki. If they had tried to take them on, there would have been a one-sided slaughter.
As the woman talked, Sasuke let his gaze wander and his mind drift. His mind was infuriatingly split in concentration. One half was stuck on repeat, playing last night's conversation over and over. Each detail was rooted deep, forever etched into his memory. The other half was diligently recalling every moment between him and Itachi, craving revenge and death for what Itachi had wrought. This side was comforting, familiar and safe. The other brought confusion and agitation, fueled by his inability to act like a goddamn human. His eyes fell on Naruto, forever drawn like a moth to a flame.
"Then are we supposed to attack them there? In that building?" Naruto finally met Sasuke's gaze but his blue gems were still icy, reflecting Sasuke's own demeanor back at him.
He blinked, forcing himself back to the conversation. "If we have a death wish, then yes. The element of surprise would be on our side momentarily before their immortality takes the upper hand."
Tsunade regarded Sasuke inquisitively for a few moments. "You managed to take out a few members on your own, correct?"
A flare of dark pride lurched within Sasuke's chest and gave a curt nod. "Deidara and Sasori. From what I heard, Kakuzu remains alive, but in what state I don't know." His encounter with Hidan briefly played through his mind before Sasuke effectively shut it down. There was no need to spare valuable processing power on that pointless fight.
The woman hummed contemplatively. "Which leaves how many members? What should we expect upon entering?"
"Asking me? I can see you truly didn't need me anymore." Sasuke responded coolly, pretenses be damned. He was being petty, but he couldn't find it in him to care.
Tsunade replied just as coldly. "Weren't you the one obsessed with the group? You may as well have some sort of usage if you're sticking around like a stray."
"As were you, if I recall correctly," Sasuke said, feeling vaguely insulted.
"My focus was centered elsewhere."
"Guys, please," Naruto cut in, exasperation coloring his words.
Sasuke sighed. "With Deidara and Sasori gone, that leaves a total of eight remaining. Itachi, Madara, Tobi, Zetsu, Pein, Konan, Hidan, and Kisame."
"That's a lot," the blond male said faintly, his earlier excitement waning.
"But we can rule out Pein and Konan as potential threats. He wants nothing more than to leave the bloodshed and he's determined to take Konan with him." From the mushed packet in his pocket, Sasuke withdrew his last cigarette; he planned on savoring it. The raven brought out a lighter and lit up, glancing around for an ashtray.
"How do you know that?" Tsunade eyed Sasuke.
"In addition to detailed information on Itachi, Pein also swore his departure from the team as well as Konan's. He wanted me to help spare them of any repercussions that would befall the Akatsuki. He keeps his word."
"I thought you said it was just for information." Naruto sat up, appraising Sasuke. "And how are you so sure he'll back out?"
"You're unharmed," Sasuke said simply. "He swore nothing would happen to you if I agreed to his deal." Bowing his head, Sasuke took a few drags, missing the surprised look on Naruto's face. Pale fingers tapped the stick on the glass ashtray efficiently. "Pein won't be a problem, but I can't say the same for the others. Itachi included."
"We'll have to deal with them the best we can."
Clearing his throat and sending Sasuke a strange glance, Naruto shifted his position. "Tsunade, do you know anything about Iruka and Kakashi?"
"The corrupt cop and his mercenary lover?" Tsunade snorted. "Iruka and I have some history courtesy of our, ahem, conflicting viewpoints on a certain brat."
"Have you heard from them recently?"
"We don't usually associate, but no, I haven't."
Sasuke stirred. "Kakashi would have at least contacted us somehow, even if it endangered him. Iruka would have forced him to." Uneasiness settled inside him. It dawned on him that he hadn't heard from Juugo either. He cursed his lack of awareness, adding yet another problem to gnaw at him from the inside. He might be able to establish a line of communication, but it would be tricky to find Suigetsu without asking him for a meet-up. He didn't know just how deep the fingers of the Akatsuki went, but he would bet several of his own liaisons weren't trustworthy enough. They needed complete silence and stealth.
"We can't delay acting nor tell anyone what the plan is. If word gets out, then this will all be for nothing and we'll have lost our opportunity," Tsunade warned, her tone becoming stricter.
Sasuke bit down a sharp retort. "You underestimate them, but I agree. We can't wait any longer." If anything, once shit hit the fan, Kakashi would be hearing about it through the network. He'd understand and bring backup. Hopefully. Sasuke wasn't that far gone to realize he couldn't do most of the heavy lifting in terms of fighting.
"So then the plan is to sneak into their building, catch them off-guard, inject them with this antidote, and then hope for the best?" Naruto reiterated, blowing out a breath. "And only two of us are going in, both of who are completely killable."
"Or we can say we have a seasoned assassin and his assassin trainee, with a phenomenal biochemist as support," the busty woman suggested with a smile. "It's true that the stakes aren't in our favor, but if we don't do this, I fear the repercussions of standing by. I doubt they'd leave any of us alive, not with what we know. We'd be hunted down."
"Now or never," Naruto sighed.
Finishing the last details of the plan, Tsunade left the room hastily. In preparation for their strike, she was trying to create as much as the antidote as she could before the attack, all the while dealing with her actual business. Running a noodle shop was surprisingly tough.
It seemed like they were always left alone, whether they wanted it or not.
Naruto was the first to speak, Sasuke unable to read his tone. "I guess you're excited."
Sasuke was utterly silent, stewing in his contemplations. The idea that he was approaching the light at the end of the tunnel was thrilling, yet hauntingly foreboding.
He had anticipated it; his entire life devoted to reaching a certain ending, but it was a wildly different thing to have it be so palpable, within his reach to grasp and hold onto. It felt strangely surreal, as if it was a solid entity before him. Even then, no amount of practice and planning had prepared him for the sense of premonition surrounding him. Already submerged in the dark waters of the abyss, something slithered by, threatening to wrap around him and drag him down. Sasuke focused on the sentiment, trying to wheedle out the cause.
Was he expecting his own death? Fated to die alongside Itachi, two evils cancelling out? A brother killing brother. How poetic, Shakespearean even. It was preferable that he live, but then what? What was to follow?
Absolutely nothing.
What future was there?
Kakashi's evocative words came back to him. The problem with revolving your life around a single goal is that once you've accomplished it, you don't have anything left. In that moment, he had had Naruto's trust and romantic devotion, something radically different to the constant death and destruction around him. Kakashi had recognized it and tried to keep him from burning that bridge but he had acted foolishly, selfishly, and cruelly. All the metaphorical bridges lay in ashes at his feet, leaving Sasuke unable to go back or even go forth, fated to be forever stuck in his own damnation.
He should have listened, should have appreciated the man's words. Temari had even warned him once, demanding he change after he had followed a useless lead for months, but the result was the same. Hindsight was a cruel and evil mistress but what was done, was done. He briefly envisaged a new train of thought, entertaining the idea of actually dying. How would it happen? Would it be an honorable death, or a mistake on his behalf that allowed Itachi to best him? Would he greet his brother down in the pits of hell, still following him in vengeance? Death was what he rightfully deserved after all. He could at least make peace with the notion that he would have a befitting end.
If the worst thing humanity could fear was death, accepting the grim reaper with open arms could potentially give him an advantage. Itachi would be expecting him to fight to survive, regarding his life higher than his need to kill him, but Sasuke could work that to his advantage and truly kill two birds with one stone. Itachi had virtually destroyed his life the moment he turned on his own blood; Sasuke could repay the favor.
Or he was fucking losing it since his life was shit and was bound to end in shit. Nothing to lose indeed.
Recalling that Naruto had spoken to him, Sasuke ran a tongue over his dry bottom lip, his eyes sliding over to meet Naruto's piercing gaze. "Tonight I lose a brother." The word tasted wrong, sitting heavy in his mouth. He stared at Naruto's pursed lips, suddenly seized by the urge to kiss him. Was the sense of his own doom urging him to snatch anything that would distract him from his morbid thoughts, or was he genuinely giving in? It could be a case of wanting what he couldn't have.
On and on his mind spun, a swirling vortex of questions that beat a rhythm of pain behind his eyes.
The blond blinked, markedly unfazed. "I'd say you lost him the moment he cost you your arm."
Grateful Naruto's response wasn't another barb, Sasuke jammed the butt of his cigarette into the ash tray. "The night to end all nights."
Naruto's eyes narrowed, analyzing the pale visage in front of him. Sasuke was acting….peculiar. There was a subdued attitude to him, nothing like his usual nature. Refusing to feel sympathy or any similar feelings for the other, Naruto glanced away. "I suppose you're happy. Even after screwing me over you still win."
And the barb returned. "If I were to apologize, would you believe me?" Sasuke uttered, suddenly, caught by surprise by his own words. He attributed it to the unfamiliar mood he was in. He should have been the one meeting with the psychiatrist, not Itachi. He'd finally tipped over.
The blond arched an eyebrow and crossed his arms defensively, as it they could shield him. The vestiges of their last conversation still rang loudly in his ears, urging Naruto to keep his distance. "No."
"If I told you I betrayed you because you got too close, would you believe me then?"
"Sasuke, don't," Naruto's said coldly. As predicted, Sasuke was toying with him. It hurt.
"I have nothing left, so what would I gain by fucking with your emotions?" Sasuke sneered, suddenly irate. He wanted Naruto to understand, to listen and see what he had wrought. If anything, Naruto had screwed him over just as badly, only in a less discernible way.
"I won't even pretend to understand what the hell goes on in your head," Naruto snapped, "but I don't want to hear it." He fought the need to cover his ears, not wanting to hear Sasuke speaking. His overly optimistic heart beat a new tempo, painful in his chest as Sasuke continued to be a fucking asshole.
"What exactly is 'it' that you think I'll say?"
"Fucking stop."
Sasuke smirked at Naruto's words. "It started the night we fucked. I saw within you what I saw in myself and I liked it. You were similar in some ways and intriguingly different in others. I wanted you."
"What the fuck are you trying to do?" Naruto yelled, unable to contain himself as he swiftly moved to Sasuke and grabbed the front of his shirt. Blue eyes glared fiercely, swimming with intense emotions that threatened to spill out. "Hasn't it been enough for you?! Why are you doing this?!"
"But you wrapped yourself inside me, like a poison, invading my thoughts and dreams every day. Even Kakashi and Iruka noticed something changing and I didn't like it. It was something I didn't know, couldn't comprehend." Sasuke continued, voice becoming desperate and rushed.
Getting physical with Sasuke was dangerous so Naruto opted for the safest escape. "Fuck you, fuck you! I don't need to hear this." He shoved Sasuke away and nearly sprinted to the door. He was stopped as something latched onto his wrist like a vice and yanked him back. Surprised, Naruto was powerless to stop Sasuke from slamming him onto the table. In the same goddamn position as their first foray in the gym, Sasuke had Naruto's hands trapped onto his chest, with Naruto's back supported by the table as half of his thighs and legs fell over the edge, Sasuke shifting in between them.
Sasuke arched over the blond, his dark hair framing his face and nearly touching Naruto's as he leaned down. "I know what it is now. And I'm sorry."
A bit woozy from his head meeting the table's surface, Naruto shook his head, gaining in strength with each passing second. "No, no you're fucking not! Sasuke, let me go!" He struggled valiantly, attempting to knee Sasuke in his side. He fought to recall his lessons, his thoughts overridden by the uneasy and distressed edge to Sasuke's voice. He was terrified that Sasuke truly was lashing out and trying to wound him, using the raw feelings Naruto had exposed the last time they had talked. He wasn't kidding when he told Sasuke the other knew exactly how to destroy him.
Sasuke pushed down heavier, using his body weight to further pin the blond down. "There are things you'll never understand about my world. Just like there's things I'll never understand about yours. I'm….a monster."
The crushingly dark admittance and the deep lines etched on Sasuke's face caused Naruto's heart to skip a beat. He had never seen the raven look so troubled and pale. His perpetual vibes of danger were missing, leaving behind timid waves of desperation and serious vulnerability, like a lost child. Empathetic by nature, Naruto could pick up what Sasuke was feeling, the sentiments reverberating within him.
"You know, you're really not."
Sasuke became a statue above him. The dark circles under his eyes accentuated his agitated state.
Naruto met his stare steadily, ceasing his wriggling abruptly. His azure eyes were like fire, shining brightly and strong. The tussle had brought blood to his cheeks, making them glow in a way Sasuke's skin never could. "You think that, but you're really not."
Not knowing what to say, Sasuke reverted to his customary defensive and cynical mode. Opening his mouth to retort something he knew he'd regret, he was cut off as Naruto continued.
"The monster would be your brother, for setting your life on the path it took, for destroying the safe and sane route it would have taken had none of this occurred. It's subjective, as you once told me. You did what you had to do to survive, and in this case your survival was hinged on Itachi's death." Naruto let his head fall back, knocking softly on the hardwood as he glanced away. His chest rose and fell with his deep breaths. "You killed a lot of people, but you also killed people that were just as bad, if not worse. Who knows who would have died already if you hadn't taken care of Deidara and Sasori. I'm not saying that justifies what you've done or that it rights your wrongs, but it's something. Proof that you're still human, proof that you're not all bad. You also came back for me, which in spite of everything that's happened, I can't discount no matter how much I try," the blond begrudgingly added. "You fucked up and I can tell you're trying to fix it, or at least regret it."
Feeling strangely weak in the knees, Sasuke retreated, letting Naruto go and taking a few steps back. The shift in Naruto's demeanor confused him, forcing him to reckon with what he had done. "Naruto, I—"
This Sasuke was nothing like the one he had met, the vicious and mean bastard that threatened to kill him purely on whim. Driven by the need to rectify the wrong in his life, Sasuke had let Itachi warp him into a creature that barely regarded himself as a human. It was extreme, but the damage Itachi had done with his hands and by proxy had forced Sasuke to adapt or die. Naruto couldn't hold grudges, it wasn't in his nature; but he also knew his own life and safety mattered much more than his overwhelming sympathy.
A silence fell between them, long and heavy.
"I haven't forgiven you," Naruto spoke, sitting up and appearing ages older. His shoulders were hunched in, a meager protection. "And I don't know if I'll be able to. I don't want to hear your apologies or what else you want to say because I'm not ready for that. I can't tell you when I'll be, but here's your second chance."
Overwhelmed and exhausted by the emotional rollercoaster Sasuke ran him through, Naruto left the room, unable to stand seeing Sasuke's face. He didn't want to believe.
Walking quickly down the corridor to the safety of his room, Tsunade appeared, worry on her face. She zeroed in on him, a question on her tongue.
Naruto shook his head, wrapping his arms around himself. "I'd really rather not talk about it. I can't."
Her lips pressed together tightly for a moment before asking her question. "You forgive him."
"That's a strong word for what I feel," Naruto bit out, walking around the older woman. He froze as she spoke up.
"Forgiveness is too great and difficult for one person. It requires two, the betrayer and the betrayed."
"I don't want to forgive him. I shouldn't."
"Betrayal and forgiveness are best seen as something akin to falling in love. You cannot control with respect to whom you fall in love."
Naruto closed his eyes, leaning into the maternal touch.
xXx
The very tips of Iruka's fingers grazed the knife's handle, fear and urgency washing over him as it slid away from him on the counter. Cursing soundlessly, he watched Tobi's back with wide eyes for any sign of the raven turning around. The other was preoccupied with something Itachi had ordered him to do, giving Iruka a reprieve from his torture. After a few long seconds, desperation drove Iruka to keep trying, his only free limb scrabbling to get the weapon. He was secured to an old mental asylum bed, complete with leather fetters. Iruka had worked his right hand loose, slipping it out of the cuff but unable to do the same with his other extremities.
The metal frame creaked slightly with every move he made, forcing the brunet to move slowly and carefully, knowing he could be exposed at any moment. He didn't want to think of the consequences, unwilling to picture it.
His chances were already abysmally low, what with only a free arm to defend himself with, but he would either be free or die trying. Nonetheless, he couldn't survive another day as Tobi's guinea pig.
Stretching his arm out until it hurt, Iruka pressed against the restraints, the muscles in his hand thickly standing out. Still, he couldn't touch the blade.
He was so goddamned close! Fuck!
He craned and twisted, moving every which way that his body could, forced to take a break when his breathing became too loud and ragged, fearing Tobi's retribution.
With a final burst of energy and hope, Iruka very nearly dislocated his arm and legs as he strained, the pads of his fingers dragging across the blade before getting purchase and tugging.
Iruka held back a cry of victory as he quietly slid the knife closer, lifting it off the table and setting to cut through the thick leather straps with slow and painful concentration. Eyes trained on Tobi, Iruka rapidly worked, ready for the moment he would turn around.
Bit by bit he freed himself, wrists and ankles swiftly healing. He was unsteady on his feet, weak from lack of proper food and water, but it didn't matter. Knife in hand, blade aimed down, Iruka attacked.
xXx
In disguise, Sasuke marched straight to the front desk of Hatake Firm, hyperaware of Naruto a few steps behind him, face hidden from the public. Kurenai's mouth dropped open as she took in his haphazard appearance. She hung up the phone with a polite "Please hold", and stood.
"Sasuke. What on earth…?"
"Kurenai, I need you to open the back room. All of it."
Kurenai blinked a few times, giving a curt nod. Sasuke turned to leave, but stopped when she called him back. "Sasuke wait, have you seen Kakashi?"
"Is Kakashi missing?" Naruto piped up, glancing between Kurenai and Sasuke before ducking back down, tugging the hoodie further down.
"He hasn't come in for days now. He won't answer his calls, won't respond to texts or anything. I can't contact Iruka either."
Sasuke felt a chill crawl down his back. "Iruka too? Have you tried his team? Any superiors?"
The woman shook her head, hands raised. "I called. No one has seen them. The rest of the team doesn't know either."
Naruto swallowed heavily. "That means that they….they're not dead, are they?"
The raven was silent for a moment, compartmentalizing what needed his attention the most. "Kakashi and Iruka are either dead or on their own mission. Whichever it is, we'll have to assume the worst and go on without them," Sasuke had hoped Kakashi was only staying out of his business, safeguarding his own interests, but this didn't bode well. He had never known either of them to disappear completely, which only served as a reminder of just how deadly the Akatsuki were. In all probability, they had murdered his mentors. His hands twisted into fists, knuckles white. "Kurenai, just hold the place down until he gets back."
She nodded slowly, taking her seat. Typing rapidly, she looked up, forehead creased in concern. "The room's open."
Sasuke stepped into the elevator, Naruto at his heels. The doors slid shut.
"You're giving them up for dead? After how much they've helped us? You?" Naruto exclaimed, struggling to keep from shouting. "We need them."
Sasuke bit back a sharp retort, feeling more like his old self in the familiarity of the building. It was tempting to try and slip back. "Naruto, we can't afford to focus on them right now. If they're dead, they're dead. If not, rest assured we'll see them again."
"It doesn't feel right."
Sasuke didn't respond, simply stepping out of the elevator once it dinged, and marching to his office. Mechanically, he accessed the hidden room, a calm descending around him as he gazed around the small panels. He could fool himself into thinking that this was a routine job. Gear up and go.
"Whoa, this is like a spy movie. What are inside the boxes?"
He blinked, pulled back into the moment. Wordlessly Sasuke began opening up them up, revealing the vast weaponry he owned. Guns of all shapes and sizes gleamed in the bright lights, beckoning him. Before he touched any of them, Sasuke opened up the back wall panels, pulling out a creaseless black suit and crisp white dress shirt. From the drawer beside it, he retrieved a shoulder holster and a Kevlar bulletproof vest.
Efficiently stripping and dressing, Sasuke's calm grew as he stepped back into his mask. He slipped into the shoulder holster, picking out his favorite firearms and loading them up prior to sticking them into the holster.
"If you want a gun, choose now. You're a lousy shot but it's better than being empty handed," Sasuke then tossed Naruto a spare holster. "If you're more comfortable with your fists, make sure they're not armed before you go in to attack."
Naruto nodded, gearing up. He was more clumsy, unaccustomed to the routine that Sasuke easily stepped into. As he dressed, he had thought about the shift in the raven's demeanor as soon as they had entered the building, reminding Naruto of the earlier days of their contractual relationship. It was as if time rewound, dropping them back before Sasuke's betrayal, before Naruto began his training, back to when things weren't as fucked up. Perhaps this was how they were starting over.
His fingers danced at his neck, itching to touch and hold his medallion. Its missing weight bothered him. He then looked to Sasuke, watching with wide eyes as Sasuke pulled out a long sword from a designated foam pocket on the wall.
Tucked away in its scabbard, an aura of power and danger exuded from the blade, wielded smoothly in Sasuke's hands as he secured it to his waist. The sword was a replica of the one destroyed in the fire, but with a dark blue wrapping on the hilt. It should have clashed with Sasuke's overall appearance, but it didn't, melding with the suit. Sasuke carried it well, exuding danger and allure effortlessly.
Reminders of that night floated back into Naruto's mind, recalling perfectly how Sasuke had held his katana, how he had attempted to teach him. How that tension had built and built to the point it overtook them, leading to many pleasurable nights. Sasuke's earlier strip show was yet another damning reminder of the all-consuming and overwhelming thing that had blossomed between them, fueled by both passion and more difficult emotions.
Sasuke was a very dangerous and damaged individual, but it was he who Naruto wanted and found himself fervently craving in that moment.
It was wrong in every sense of the word. Sasuke had nearly gotten him killed, but the man had also saved him multiple times, leading to a bizarre internal battle, wherein Naruto wanted to both kiss Sasuke and deck him just as much. Forgiveness or not, he couldn't seem to stay away or stop thinking of the other. Sasuke was invading every thought, his name repeated with every beat of Naruto's heart, obtrusive but simultaneously welcomed.
It wasn't fair that he couldn't turn these feelings off, protecting himself from further hurt. His eyes followed Sasuke as the raven brought out a briefcase and placed his other weapons inside, unaware of the battle raging inside Naruto's head.
His mind argued with him, warned him. They were heading for a battle that had a high chance of him dying. He needed to keep a clear head, and desiring Sasuke wasn't prudent, it was selfish and dangerous. The itch to punch the other was met with equal mental opposition, being an equally stupid decision. Naruto twitched.
It didn't make a lick of goddamn sense, but it didn't stop his body. He was unable to fight it, swept away by his impulses, ultimately accepting it by virtue of his personality. He couldn't hold it against Sasuke forever; besides, he was shit at holding grudges and he may as well do what he wants while he's on death's door. Grabbing Sasuke by the lapels of his suit, Naruto kissed him forcibly.
The blond had no control, yanked along a whirlwind of complex emotions and aches as Sasuke responded instantly, diving between his lips, hands gripping him tightly. Though Sasuke gave off control like it was a body scent, his movements were wild, frantic, clutching Naruto in a grip that was painful. Naruto was pressed against the wall, clawing Sasuke's shoulders when the raven's hands landed on his waist.
He wanted Sasuke right then and there, on the fucking desk or the floor, he didn't care. Frustration and need grew and intertwined, inseparable as they inundated his body. This wasn't healthy, but since when had he ever cared about that? It wasn't right that the craved Sasuke still, even after what he had done, but for the moment all he could think of was Sasuke. Sasuke and his fucked up past. Sasuke and his ridiculously strong robot arm. Sasuke and the way he grinded into Naruto. Sasuke and his apology. There was no way he could stay away.
Sasuke had called him a poison; it made sense that he was just as infected by the other, equally as trapped.
The other then pulled away, breathing heavily as he stepped back and regarded Naruto. His eyes met clouded blue and held the intense stare. "Is there any specific way I'm supposed to take that?" He rasped.
Naruto's mouth opened and closed. It was slightly swollen with the force of the kiss. "I don't know," he answered helplessly.
xXx
Tobi had turned at the last second, surprise on his face as Iruka bore down on him. The knife sank into his arm that had sprung up defensively, scraping bone. Tobi grabbed the blade and yanked it out, turning it on Iruka.
Years of training at the Academy kicked in and Iruka dodged and parried as if his life were on the line, which resonated strangely now that he literally couldn't die, or at least he didn't think he could. He managed to catch the knife across his ribs, letting out a sharp yell of pain as blood welled and spilled down his front, adding to the dried and coagulated mess already coating him.
The brunet was thrown back as Tobi released a vicious kick to his stomach, falling hard against the bed and shoving it away with a loud screech of metal. Barely on his feet, Iruka tackled Tobi, grabbing the raven around the middle and slamming him to the ground. As the other was disoriented, Iruka grabbed the knife, holding it with both hands as he plunged it towards Tobi's chest.
Tobi's hands sprang up and he grabbed the metal end, allowing himself to be cut as he pushed back.
"Oh Mr. Policeman. We can't die, but you'll be wanting to after I'm through with you," Tobi growled, lunging for Iruka. "You'll regret this."
"Fuck you!" Iruka growled back, teeth bared as he shoved his body weight forward. "Only one of us is coming out of this alive."
The raven snickered, a twisted grin on his face as he struggled. "Accepting your death is a good way to start. I'm glad you're making progress." Bucking up, he shoved Iruka off, but not before receiving a bone-breaking stomp on his face.
Iruka kicked the knife away, grappling with Tobi and twisting their bodies into a headlock. His forearm pressed savagely against Tobi's trachea, legs wrapped around his arms, keeping Tobi immobile.
"If only I could kill you." He tightened his arms even more, his own body protesting with the force. Tobi struggled, unable to speak or breathe. "You, and every single one of you fuckers."
Tobi let out a choked laugh, squirming in his grip.
There was a red shade to the world, and Iruka couldn't help but focus on Tobi and feel every bite of the knife, every ounce of pain lancing his body at once, all at the hands of the Akatsuki member.
Kakashi and Sasuke had once described to him what it felt like to want to kill and hurt someone to terrifying lengths, calling it a powerful and uncontrollable beast that slumbered beneath their skin. Iruka had never truly understood, his personality and ideals geared to protect and serve, not murder and destroy.
Now he knew.
Rage burned throughout his mind and body, tuned and ready to cause Tobi as much pain as he could, craving retribution and revenge. He shook with the force and strength, finally understanding that dark force that twisted men into beasts.
Iruka's muscles soon grew tired, unable to keep his ruthless hold up. The raven was powerless to escape, his shoes scuffing the floor as he tried to break free.
Fury suffused Iruka, but he tried to tamper it down, all too aware of its downside. It was useful, but a double-edged sword. He would make Tobi pay; the only question was how. This fight was futile, neither of them could die. They could continue causing tremendous amounts of pain to one another, but it would be for naught.
No, he needed something more permanent.
The sudden screeching of an alarm startled Iruka from his thoughts, inadvertently allowing him to loosen his grip.
Tobi sprang free, scrambling for the blade. In a move so quick that Iruka had trouble following, Tobi sank the knife into Iruka's heart, ripping through flesh easily to fully impale it.
When Iruka came too, the door to the room was wide open and he saw the raven twisting into another corridor down the hall, racing away.
Iruka's eyes narrowed and he wrenched the knife out, blood spurting from the wound before healing. His vision went grey with the pain, but he rose to his feet. Stalking down the hall, he was ready.
A/N: As you wait for the actual final chapter, feel free to check out my other shit. I have more on the way ;)