25. Manhandle

"Now, Sasuke, tell us where those scrolls are. Are they really worth your life?" The man speaking was taller than Sasuke, his red hair a fiery contrast to the darkness of the cell around them. He pressed a kunai to Sasuke's throat and smiled. The two men holding Sasuke tightened their grips—not that it mattered, as they had given him a drink that had dulled his senses and cut off his strength.

Sasuke glared back at the man, leaning ever-so-slightly forward into the blade. "You won't kill me; I'm the only one who knows where those scrolls are. Too bad I'll never tell you that location," he said, trying to keep his voice as even as possible.

The man laughed, pulling the kunai away. "Just as expected from the last Uchiha. However, we anticipated your… disobedience and acquired a bit of leverage. Oh yes, my men and I have done our homework—we know what makes you tick," he paused and motioned to the guards at the door of Sasuke's cell, "Bring him in."

A few moments later the guards returned half dragging a stumbling man into the room. It took Sasuke's slow mind a few seconds to recognize the lean body and blond hair, but once he did, his body tensed and his eyes narrowed. Naruto. It looked as if they had drugged the blond more than they had Sasuke by the way he was moving and complying to the guards' bodily commands. There was a thick blindfold tied around his head, but Sasuke could still see the confusion on his face.

The guards pushed, pulled, and prodded Naruto farther into the room, finally shoving him to his knees a few feet away from Sasuke. Naruto swayed slightly, but did not move to fight back. Sasuke looked back at his captor. "Let him go," he said, voice seething.

Laughing again, the man shook his head. "No, I don't think so," he said, spinning his kunai around his fingers dangerously fast. "So obedient," he murmured, slowly walking toward Naruto, "I like him like this, don't you?"

Sasuke could feel his mind clearing, but his body remained painfully numb. He leaned forward, glaring with as much force as he could. "Let. Him. Go," he repeated menacingly.

Naruto turned his head to face in the direction of Sasuke's voice. "Sasuke?" he asked, voice slurred and hopeful.

"Shut up," the man barked and immediately Naruto faced forward again. "I dare say, Sasuke, that you could stand to learn a thing or two from him," the man said, the smile returning to his face. "But now is not the time for that." He stopped twirling the kunai and instead pressed it lightly against Naruto's bared throat. Naruto's entire body froze when the knife came in contact with his skin. "Now, I'm going to ask you again. Where are those scrolls?"

Panic rising, Sasuke struggled a little against the men holding him. "Please, he's got nothing to do with this!"

The man pressed the kunai harder against Naruto's throat, blood beading on his skin. "The scrolls, Sasuke. That's all I ask."

Sasuke could hear Naruto's panicky breathing and could almost smell the blood from his throat as the man pressed the knife harder. It was hard to think. Were those scrolls worth Naruto's life? Was Naruto's life worth some of the most classified files of Konoha? Could Sasuke even make this decision? His heart nearly stopped when he heard Naruto's pained whimper. "Let him go!" he yelled, eyebrows creased in concern, "I'll tell you, just stop hurting him."

A satisfied smile spread across the man's face, but he did not remove the knife from its place. "Very good. I'm glad that we've begun to understand one another. Now tell me…"

"I hid them a few miles southwest of Konoha. They're in a tree, but I doubt you could find them on your own," Sasuke said, eyes focused on the ground in front of him.

"No, that's why you'll be coming with us. I hope that's not too much of an inconvenience for you," the man said, twirling the kunai with his fingers again. He slowly walked to the door, nodding to the guards in the room. "I think I'll be keeping your friend for future use," he said. Sasuke's eyes narrowed, but his view of his captor was obscured as the guards holding him shoved him roughly into the ground. "But you can have him for the time being," the man said brightly, closing the door after his guards had exited. "Enjoy yourselves."

When Sasuke was sure they were alone, he pulled his slow body toward Naruto. "Hey," he said softly, "are you alright?"

Naruto was standing rigidly on his knees, his arms tied behind his back. He swallowed and asked, "Are they gone?"

Sasuke reached a heavy arm up and pulled off Naruto's blindfold. "They're gone. I won't let them have you again." He tried to keep his voice even as he looked into Naruto's dull eyes. "How long did they have you?"

"…At least a week," Naruto said after a few moments of thought. Sasuke could see that Naruto's vision was clearing, but he could tell that the drug was still heavy on him. He reached around the blond and pulled off the rope holding his hands. The knots were weak and came undone with relative ease.

Naruto immediately collapsed forward, supporting himself on Sasuke's shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Sasuke," he mumbled.

Sasuke leaned into his partner, pressing a light kiss to the wound on his neck. "You did nothing wrong. We'll figure something out."

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Happy birthday, HiMyNameIsRusty!! Sasunaru, as you requested. I had so much fun writing this one. Yay. I'll put a possible to be continued on the end of this one.